The morning sun playfully rose above the horizon. Peaking its head through the window. Introducing beautiful natural light and warmth into the dim room. The sun cast its radiance upon his flesh. Slowly he stirred. Bellu was known for many things, but being an early riser was not one of them. So badly did he look for an excuse to roll over and return to his slumber. But sadly, none came to him.
With a groan and considerable effort, he swung his legs out to the side. And in one (albeit stiff) motion he stood; his large feet impacting with the wood floor of his quarters. He stretched his arms over his head and let out a yawn, hearing a satisfying pop as his arms extended past stiffened bodies limits. Slowly the large faunus turned and shuffled across to his bathroom, scratching at an itch on his shoulder as he went. The other hand trying and failing to rub the sleep out of his soft brown eyes. "It's going to be a long day." He thought to himself. He had no idea why he felt this way. "Maybe I'm just being cranky."
As he approached the slightly ajar door to his bathroom, he didn't bother to lift an arm to push it. Instead he opted to simply turn his body slightly and shoulder it open. With the door pushed open he focused on his next objective, showering. Sluggishly, he turned the knob of his shower and stepped into it instantly feeling his body jolt to life at the cool temperature. Cold showers always woke him up in the morning. He reached for the shampoo and began to apply it to his arms. Thanks to his faunus trait, he found himself using shampoo more than body wash when he takes showers. After applying a healthy amount of shampoo to his brown hair on his chest and arms he moved on to his head, then finished up by scrubbing with a bar of soap.
After stepping out of the shower and drying himself off he moved over to the bathroom mirror. His quarters were not designed with his size in mind, so he had to duck down slightly to see himself in the mirror. Examining his beard, he trimmed away at the frayed edges and evened it out. He never bothered fully shaving it off, it would only regrow in a day or two anyway. It didn't bother him though, he's had to deal with excessive body hair for most of his life. Even during his adolescence and now that he was older, he was pretty sure he'd look like a big brown hedge bush if he didn't maintain it.
Once he was satisfied with his features, he moved out of the bathroom and over to a trunk in the corner where he kept his clothes. Bellu was a simple man, light boots, jeans, and a grey T-shirt were all he needed most of the time; but they were a full month into the fall season, so it was a little colder than usual. Because of the cooling temperature he opted to also throw on his worn tan-brown jacket which hung in solitary on an out of place coat rack in the opposite corner of the room.
Putting on his coat and giving the metal magnetic holster on the back of it a light tap he set out, exiting his quarters and entering his office filled with rows upon rows of filing cabinets. Once inside, Bellu glanced up at the White Fang flag hung proudly above his desk. It's blue and white colors rippling in the soft breeze travelling in through a nearby open window. Bellu's gaze lingered briefly on the flag before he made his way over to his desk.
He was put in charge of the training camp he currently resides in and looking around once more at the sea of filing cabinets he was reminded that the White Fang was not a very lucrative business. They didn't have the funds to maintain a secure server. Due to this and the fact that they were also using a repurposed building from the faunus war on Anima, their data had to be put in filing cabinets instead of on a network.
They still used scrolls as often as they could, but for information on the trainees and staff they kept their personal data on file as hard copies. Speaking of files, he needed to grab some, as well as check his messages to see if his 'boss' gave him orders to change or update the training regimen. He used the word boss with contempt. While he may be in charge of this camp he still reported to a larger hierarchy, and he would often disagree with his boss. However, he had to put aside his differences and work with her for now. "I'm doing this for Ghira. Not her." He reminded himself as he took a moment to collect loose files that had gathered on his desk.
After sending reports and answering his messages he grabbed his clipboard and headed out to fulfill his duties. Exiting his office located at the end of the hallway, on the second story of the largest building in the camp he briskly strode towards the balcony. His head lowered to look at his clipboard, he went over the notes he had made on any trainees. He didn't have much. He chuckled to himself, he hoped his staff would pick up his slack. As he neared the stairs that would lead down to the first floor he turned and went down a smaller hallway passing more rooms. Most of these were empty, the staff here didn't need all of the space the repurposed camps provided so he moved pass them with little thought. He continued toward the screen door that would lead out to a balcony where he would watch the trainees below go through exercises.
As he pulled the door open, he found two of his staff members already there jotting down notes and taking pictures with their scrolls. They both turned to address him as he stepped onto the balcony. Both had looks of mild surprise to see him. He supposed he couldn't blame them, for being the camp leader he was somewhat… aloof.
The man on the left was the first to speak. "Well our leader has graced us with his presence. Have a nice hibernation?" Bellu smiled at his word play. He liked Jann, he was somewhat dry but he was clever. "Saved you a spot. If you need a lawn chair just ask and I'll grab you one." Bellu couldn't deny that he did sound a little annoyed, but not so much it should cause worry.
"Lay off him Jann. He does do other work you know." This time it was the other staff member that spoke up. Coral was more of the supportive type, but Bellu valued her opinion above all others. "We are glad you are able to join us Bellu." She flashed him a smile as she finished speaking.
"It's the other work that concerns me. I was under the impression Bellu needed to be involved in all the work. Not just some of it." Jann replied with a noticeable edge to his voice, as he thumbed through the papers he held in his hand.
Bellu finally decided to speak up. "If I did all the work, I wouldn't have need for such wonderful staff members such as yourselves. Also talking with Sienna is rather taxing, which often leaves me drained for the rest of the day." Bellu stepped forward between them as he spoke. From his left Jann only gave a dismissive hum before he turned back to the courtyard below. Coral however, giggled briefly before she returned to her own notes.
Bellu looked up into the sky from his spot on the balcony. The sun was over the horizon at this point and shining on the initiates below. If it were still summer, they would be having a much harder time doing their exercises. The trainees were in the middle of a sparring session, much to the pleasure of Bellu. He vastly preferred this than overseeing a workout. Bellu was pulled from his thoughts as Coral winced to his right.
"Alright that one looked like it hurt." She nervously clutched her clip board as she tapped it with her pen.
Jann merely shook his head. "Looks like it…" He said chiming in with much less discomfort in his voice than her. "It's a helluva lot nicer than the real thing though." The female instructor looked like she wanted to say something back to him but stifled it.
"I guess…" She grumbled under her breath. Bellu remembered how often they devolved into bickering and chuckled to himself at their words. He couldn't help but feel bad for Coral however. She was the youngest staff member here and often was brushed aside because of it. Seeing that they weren't going to continue he instead returned his attention to the combatants below them. It hadn't even been a minute since their exercises ended before they were sent to spar against each other. Bellu let out a sigh, with out question these methods improved the physical aptitude of the participants however, he sincerely doubted it would improve their ability to fight. Swinging sticks at each other endlessly will only increase their pain threshold at best.
Except… maybe that was not true for all of them. Turning his attention to the cause of his peers' most recent concern he was pleasantly surprised. One of the fighters with brunette hair was cutting a swath through every opponent he faced. Once one of the trainers below paired him off with someone, they really didn't last more than about half a minute. His moves were precise and calculated in stark contrast to the clumsy blows of the others. Where they showed sluggishness, he presented speed, where they brought ineffectiveness, he delivered strength. He wasn't perfect though, he would still get hit by his opponents every now and then. But he was clearly the best fighter in that yard by a mile.
The trainee shuffled over to the next area that he would be sparring in. He arrived at the same time his opponent did, a brunette boy that was much taller than himself. The drill sergeant that had led them both over looked to his opponent first. "Ready?" The drill sergeant asked his opponent.
"They really don't give us much of a break." He thought while steadying himself. Once his opponent had also composed himself, he looked to the sergeant and nodded. The sergeant then turned to look at the trainee and gestured to him, wordlessly asking him the same question. As the question was presented to him, he tucked his coyote tail between his legs. The trainee glanced at his opponent who met his gaze, seemingly examining him. He couldn't help but feel vulnerable under such an unnerving gaze. After a moments hesitation, the trainee gave an apprehensive nod. The sergeant took a step back made a cut decisively through the air and yelled "Begin!"
The trainee rushed his opponent hoping to surprise him, raising his stick high above his head, he thrust it downward in an arching motion. To his surprise his swing traveled farther than expected and impacted the dirt with a thwack. He looked to his right to see his opponent had already dodged around to his side. Before he could bring his stick up to cover himself, he saw a flash of brown hair followed by a sharp pain through his knee as his opponent danced easily around him. By the time the trainee had even processed this his opponent had moved again, ending up behind him. A pain similar to his knee reverberated through his back. The trainee jumped forward quickly, hearing the whoosh of his opponent's weapon swinging through air where he used to be and whipped around to face him. His tail shot up and tensed as he found the keen eyes of his opponent burrowing into him. Fear crept through every inch of his body and any semblance of this being a training duel fell away under his gaze. The sharp color of his eyes contrasting with rich color of his hair gave him an other worldly feeling. His opponents black horns only added to this horrific visage. The trainee tried to stumble backwards but pain shot up through his knee where he was hit. The demon standing in front of him lowered his stance like a wild animal ready to strike.
"Stop! Stop! I forfeit!" The quivering trainee fell to the floor wailing as he dropped his weapon and threw his arms up to defend his face.
The sergeant shot his hand up and called the match. "That was a tremendous display of skill there!" He praised the fighter that remained standing. "You're gonna fi-… You okay son?" The chestnut victor hadn't moved, he simply stared at the boy now quivering and crouched in front of him. His face had displeasure written all over it. "Hello?" The sergeant snapped his finger in front of his face.
"Hmm? S-sorry I…" He trailed off unable to take his eyes off of the defeated trainee. "I think I just got carried away, I didn't mean to…" He said scratching his chocolate hair and gesturing at the coyote faunus.
The sergeant waved off his concerns "He'll be fine." He chuckled to himself while going to collect the sticks from both of the initiates. "He'll improve, not everyone can have the same knack for this stuff as you huh?" The sergeant gave a hearty laugh and walked off after giving him a slap on the shoulder.
The trainee was still crumpled on the ground. Feeling bad the victor strode over and offered him a hand. "Here." He said as gently as he could muster. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare-" The brunette offering his hand was cut short as the coyote faunus shrieked and scurried backward.
"Get the hell away from me!" He screamed in genuine terror. The bull faunus in front of him recoiled as if he had actually been struck in the fight and only just realized it. The faunus cowering before him was horrified.
"He's… afraid of me?" Sadness welled up inside him. Other initiates in the courtyard began to stare at the scene only adding to the nervousness of the coyote. A crowd was now loosely forming around the two. "I-I'm sorry…" The victor bowed his head as his cheeks began to change to the color of a ripe tomato. One of the other sergeants came over and rested a hand on the assaulter's shoulder.
"Why don't we give him some space?" The sergeant was much younger than the last and was able to give him a calming smile. The young victor only nodded as he kept his eyes firmly planted on his shoes as he walked away with the sergeant.
Bellu stared quizzically at the situation below; one trainee being escorted away while another was being consoled by his peers. "Muto Yura." He stated while flipping through his sparse notes.
Coral nodded "He's been rather nervous ever since joining up with our organization two weeks ago. I'm not sure he's cut out for it…". Bellu looked the kid over, he was young and no doubt wanted to help his race any way he could however, the White Fang had been changing lately. The change was gradual but still noticeable. Sienna Khan, one of the figure heads of the White Fang has steadily been increasing her influence in the organization. As of late she has suggested that the members of the Fang be trained in self defense just in case a protest goes awry. Which, to be fair, they have been known to. This Muto character may not be cut out for this as Coral said however, before Bellu could reply, Jann did.
"Well if today is any indication I have to agree with you Coral." Jann responded dryly. Coral's whiskers drooped as she flinched from his reaction. She always was looking for the best in everyone. Jann's words no doubt would hit her hard.
This time Bellu spoke up. "Still…" he interjected "… there may be some room for improvement. Monitor him over the next week, we don't want him to hurt himself." Coral gave a sharp nod and started jotting down notes on the coyote's behavior. "And Jann, we are here to help cultivate the abilities of the next generation of the White Fang. We shouldn't just give up on them."
Jann paused at Bellu's words. "I suppose you're right. My apologies." He started crossing things off and jotted down new notes frantically. The fins on his forearms swaying as he did. Bellu tapped his clip board a few times before turning to leave. Jann noticed this and called him out for it "Leaving so soon? You just got here, I don't think I saw you take a single note." Jann's eyes narrowed as his annoyance grew.
"Hmmm…" Bellu raised a hand to his chin in mock fashion. "I suppose you're right, I didn't… weird. And I don't need to stay longer, I've gotten everything I needed. You two should be able to handle the rest of it yourselves."
Jann went to reply but Coral beat him to it. "No problem, we'll be happy to." She gave Bellu a smile before turning to Jann with a stern expression "Right?" Jann only grumbled and turned back to the yard.
Bellu pulled open the screen door and threw back one last order. "Also, please keep an eye on our victor. He's just the type of person Sienna was looking for with this program." Bellu quickly thumbed through the registry of the initiates and found the recruit in question. "Adam Taurus."
General James Ironwood always had a very cozy office. It reflected him quite well. The office had the gold standard sterile color pallet of Atlas. However, it was the little details that really made it feel welcoming. The pillows resting on the couch, the fireplace that she had never seen unlit, foregoing pictures of himself for warm portraits of colorful landscapes. "It was an apt allegory for him to be sure." Winter had always thought to herself. "The General carried himself with a rather ridged demeanor. But had a warm personality once you got to know him."
Even the way the room was used spoke to this idea. He never sat behind his desk when others were in attendance. He sat across from them on a separate couch with a table in the middle. The table was adorned with pastries and drinks to help keep a non-confrontational mood. While the drinks may not resonate with her, she could at least recognize that others would appreciate the gesture. However, even all these refreshments and warmth could not help the current mood of the room.
Atlas was always colder than most areas of Remnant, that went without saying. However, once the General finished speaking the air in this office was colder than usual. Winter was attempting to grasp every facet of what was just revealed to her. Well not just her, one of her fellow specialists, Sylvan, was also sitting next to her. Sylvan and her had always had a rather trying relationship. It reminded her of the relationship she shared with that drunkard of a scythe-wielder; minus the… complicated past. She felt her cheeks briefly flush at the memories. Thankfully the General continued and brought her out of contemplation.
"…I don't want to jump to conclusions, but this is a matter that needs to be investigated. The faunus can only be pushed around for so long until they finally snap. I'm not suggesting we do anything drastic. But the Mistral council has asked that we investigate on their behalf."
She and her fellow specialist shared a look, but while Winter's was one of apprehension, Sylvan's was one of determination. Winter didn't like that look one bit, and decided to speak up before he could. "Sir, if I may." Winter turned once more and addressed the General. "Why would the Mistral council not investigate this matter themselves? Why employ us?" Winter gripped her pants as she spoke. Deeply concerned by the potential assignment. Thankfully her words seemed to give the General pause. Reports of faunus being trained in combat at camps in the outlying areas of Mistral. It sent off all manner of danger alarms in her head. She was relieved when the General spoke in a similarly reserved manner.
"Apparently" The General was clearly choosing his words with care "The Mistral council has lately been having some disagreements, and Leo is unable to reign everything in. Huntsman are also taking longer than normal on missions." She knew the General didn't much like the situation in Mistral, he would much prefer to look after 'me and mine' as the saying goes. However, as he said; if the faunus were going to become a threat then it was important to look into this.
"So why call us?" The second specialist spoke up this time. He leaned back further on the couch seemingly in thought. A stark contrast to the straight posture of the woman next to him. "Does this really qualify as a specialist situation?" Sylvan was a rather aggressive graduate, but he was a specialist for a reason. Winter could not deny his skill, even if she knew she could outclass him from here to Mantle.
The General did not hesitate to voice his reply. "Yes, this situation is one that qualifies more than others in some ways. We can't exactly send a small fleet into Mistral and not cause controversy. So I need a specialist to take a battalion and just investigate the situation and report to the Mistral council." The General slowly reached over and grabbed the bottle of whiskey and pored himself another generous glass. "Care for a drink?"
Both Winter and her peer declined. Though while he dismissed it with a rather neutral tone, Winter couldn't help but let a small amount of venom drip into her "No sir." She mentally chastised herself as soon as she had uttered the words. It was very impolite to reject an offer in that tone. It went very much against the way she had been raised. Then again, she was raised to be a glorified stage horse so perhaps it was not a terrible slip up. Still the General bowed his head at her words, offering a small frown as apology.
Sylvan once more voiced his opinion leaning further into the table. "Let me get this straight, you wish for one of us to work for the Mistral council? Trying to identify where terrorist cells are hiding in the countryside?" Winter was still put off by the tone he was adopting. It put her on edge.
"No, no. We don't even know if they harbor any ill will. Calling them terrorists will only escalate the situation."
"Forgive me general, but rumors of multiple groups of faunus gathering for weapons training does not strike me as a…. virtuous activity." Sylvan retorted. While Winter disagreed with the tone he used when speaking to their superior, she could not deny that he had a point.
"That may be, but we do not know the full story." The General let out a long sigh and took a sip from his glass. "Especially since that being the case would hinder the progress that we have made in racial equality." Sylvan muffled a scoff at the General's words which did not go unnoticed by the Headmaster. However, he showed more restraint than she would have in his shoes. He simply continued, albeit in a more aggravated tone. "And going back to your question. Yes, this problem falls under Mistral's domain. Since we will be investigating the matter on their behalf, they will be your superiors for the time being."
"Wait. I thought Mistral employed their own police force? Why would they need us?" Winter voiced yet another of her many concerns on the topic. She looked out of the corner of her eye and noticed Sylvan nodding to himself while resting his chin in his hands, a smile beginning to grow on his face.
"Mistral's police only operate within the domain of the city. They rely on Huntsman to deal with any problems that arise outside its boundaries." The general twirled his drink in his hand. Watching the ice clink against the glass. "And since we're dealing with foreign relations here, I wanted to send someone I knew could get the results they want." He took a hearty drink from his glass when he finished speaking, exhaling slightly and admiring the glass in approval.
"And you're sure that one of us is the best decision?" Winter glanced at Sylvan. She knew why the General would come to her. She scored higher and outperformed all of the other specialists. Sylvan however, he was, all things considered, a rather average performer. He was still a specialist, that title alone held merit, but aside from his semblance he brought no outstanding qualities.
"Positive." The General gave her a warm smile. "It is just a matter of which of you to send."
"I'll do it!" Sylvan perked up at the chance to volunteer. "I will carry out this duty to the very best of my abilities sir." His smile was gone, replaced with a disturbingly neutral look and a hint of feigned altruism.
"Winter? Do you have any grievances with Sylvan taking on this task?" The General once more directed his gaze to her.
"I-" Winter paused and looked at her fellow specialist. He looked back at her with mild interest, but also a fire in his eyes. It was almost as if he was daring her to take this away from him. Truth be told she did not want to get involved in this business. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her that this situation would turn sour. However, it might get worse than sour if Sylvan went. Winter let out a sigh and turned to face the General. "No sir." Winter didn't wish to start a confrontation that was not worth getting worked up over. If Sylvan wanted it, he could have it. Winter turned once again to look at the subject in question. "I am quite sure Sylvan will honor his kingdom and his rank with his service."
"Wonderful! Then it is settled. That's a weight off my shoulders. Sylvan, I will send you all the information available." The General stood and moved over to his desk. "I will also provide you with a direct line to the Mistral council. Now… I have an 'appointment' with Mr. Schnee. You are dismissed." The General seemed to force out the word appointment as he said it. When he finished, he sat back at his desk and began to gather files for transfer.
Both Winter and Sylvan saluted their superior and took their leave. Sylvan exited the room first, followed by Winter shortly after. Sylvan turned and began to walk down the painfully pristine hallways of Atlas, his hands behind his back and a spring in his step. "Sylvan…" Winter's voice was filled with warning.
"Ah, yes. Forgive me. Where are my manners dear Winter?" He turned to face her, all pretense gone from his demeanor. He wore a full smile. "Thank you, for not taking this opportunity away from me."
Winter regarded him with caution. "An opportunity for what exactly? To prove yourself?" Winter crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a disapproving glare.
"If that is what you wish to tell yourself, then yes. I wish to prove myself." Sylvan took a few steps in her direction closing the gap.
"Are you sure it has nothing to do with the nature of this assignment?" Winter stood her ground as he approached her.
"Nothing at all, oh friend of mine." His smile grew into an uncomfortably wicked one. He looked… hungry. When Winter didn't respond Sylvan turned on a dime and once more started walking down the hall. "Wish me luck!"
Winter did not move. She simply stood watching him leave. His specialist coat flowing behind him as he walked. She shivered at her discomfort. He could be irritable and annoying, but never had he acted like… like that. However, it was not her place to speak out against a comrade. Even one as off putting as that one. Winter slowly turned and went down the opposite direction of the hall.
What had she just let happen?
"You okay Adam?" A male's voice echoed to the right of him.
"Huh?" Adam barely even noticed him. He didn't notice much of anything laying flat on his back. He had just finished the final set of sit ups the instructor was running all the trainees through. Once Adam had finished, he had simply sprawled out and laid there. Deep in thought. "Yeah I'm okay."
Images of a scared faunus cowering before him, the rush of combat, the horrible glares he received, they all flashed through his mind. He wasn't okay. Still the male just outside of Adam's vision replied "Alright just checking." Taking Adam's words at face value. "Who even had tried talking to me? Did it matter?" Adam debated rolling on his side or turning his head towards the retreating sounds of footsteps, but he didn't.
He decided to lay still, choosing to rest his mind and body. His body complied gratefully, still tired from exhaustion, but his mind resisted the order for rest. The day had been too eventful. He had scared that boy… Muto? Whoever he was, he had clearly shaken him up considerably. That normally wouldn't have been a big deal, but after sparring all the initiates were released for lunch.
Adam usually ate alone like the social butterfly he was. He had never asked to sit with others before, not because he didn't know how to talk to others, he just preferred his own company. However, most of the initiates looked like they wouldn't have let him sit with them today. Granted not everyone looked at him like that, but quite a few tables wore that expression.
Adam couldn't help but feel… hurt? No, he wouldn't let his feelings get hurt over something so stupid right? Regardless, it made him more uncomfortable than normal and he ate his lunch alone until afternoon exercises which is why he was laying on the ground currently. The exercises didn't push him beyond any limits or past a breaking point, but it felt good to lay down without much of a care.
The courtyard where the initiates ran laps and preformed sets of exercises was right in the middle of the camp. The courtyard also had small dirt arenas scattered about for formal duels. However, in large group sparring sessions the whole field was utilized. After a few moments of reflection, Adam sat up, soaking in the feeling of his back muscles tensing as he did so. Most of the other initiates had left the field entirely. Now that they were finished with today's activities, they had free reign of the camp.
Most would probably return to their sleeping quarters to change and shower. The more serious faunus would go to the rec center to lift weights and increase strength. Weight lifting was not involved with daily training, but for those that wished the accommodations were there. Adam looked over to the main building overlooking the courtyard, most of the staff resided there. "I hope none of them saw my... incident." Adam winced, hoping that he wouldn't get in trouble with any of the higher ups.
"Nope. Not worth worrying about something out of my control." Adam shook his head and finally stood up, twisting and stretching out his body. "What's done is done." A small wave of guilt washed over him, but he quickly stifled that feeling and started towards the sleeping quarters. Normally, Adam would head over to the training dummies on the opposite side of the staff building to work on his sword play. However, today's events have left him feeling utterly drained.
One foot in front of the other, Adam had been living his life like that ever since he came to Mistral. He just managed to get out of Atlas and escape the hardship that was there, but he had escaped alone. Adam stopped walking and stood ridged. The dam holding the memories shattered in that moment, and a tidal wave of emotion hit him.
He had escaped, but he wasn't able to help anyone else, and ever since that day he felt alone. A group of female initiates blew past him. They were running some cool down laps after the exercises they had all just finished. They didn't even hardly acknowledge Adam. A trio of other trainees walked by him heading to the communal area, too absorbed in their conversation to even glance his way.
He was alone in the crowd, something blocked him emotionally. It was all on his end "I have a goal. A purpose." One foot in front of the other, Adam continued towards the living quarters. He had joined a White Fang rally in Mistral that lead him to this camp. Adam thought that if he could end the oppression of his kind, then he'd be able to go back and save those he left behind in Atlas. However, peace would only get the faunus so far, they had to get stronger. Adam had to get stronger.
He knew he pushed himself harder than most, he had to do it for his family, his friends, and for the faunus.
The tide slowly receded, and the dam was patched back up. One shaky breath later and Adam was back to normal. Well, mostly normal, he was still unbelievably tired. He debated on whether or not to actually train tonight, the memories that resurfaced had reawakened the desire to push himself. However, his fatigued body won out, screaming for one night off. Adam relented, and decided to take his break. His walk took him towards the edge of the camp where the two large tented buildings were located.
These were the sleeping quarters for the initiates, one for females and one for males. Adam entered the latter, stalking through the aisles of bunks until he arrived at his own. It wasn't just his though, he shared it with a goat faunus that was currently passed out in the bottom bunk. Adam chuckled at the sight of his tongue hanging out while he snored softly. Adam's eyes traveled away from his sleeping bunkmate and over to the two suitcases at each end of the bunk, one for both of them.
Quietly opening his suitcase Adam stowed his shirt inside of it and retrieved the book he had brought with him: 'Taking the Mantle'. It was a story about a group of colonists trying to survive on the continent of Solitas. So far in the book, two members of their group had died due to an Alpha Beowolf that had been stalking them. The book had started off pretty slow and Adam didn't much care for it in the beginning, but now that the characters that had been set up in the slow beginning had been put in mortal danger, Adam couldn't rip himself away from it. His favorite character by far was the single faunus in the group that acted as their navigator and lookout. He wasn't the main character, but he was funny most of the time and serious when he needed to be. Plus, faunus representation was always nice.
Seeing humans and faunus work together to survive was probably one of the better aspects of the book. It filled Adam with hope for the future. A future that could one day be obtained, but only after a few groups of people had a change of heart or were pushed aside. Adam didn't have the answers and he certainly didn't know how to go about bringing the change the faunus needed. However, those were problems for another day. Slowly Adam folded the page he left off on, clutching the book to his chest and gave himself up to sleep. Right now he needed to focus on bettering himself.
Adam would prepare for the worst, just like the characters in his book. He would continue to get stronger just in case a monster would attack.
Welcome to Wilt! My first expedition into the fanfiction scene. Thank you for taking the time to read this! Now I do want to address a few things here about the story. This is NOT an OC focused story. I realize it does feature quite a few in the first chapter, but most of them are background characters. I knew I didn't want to start the story from our main character's perspective, and this just felt like the most organic way to do it. I also knew I wanted to establish the character of a younger Adam. So I had to go a few years back before Volume 1. So we'll soon be getting closer to cannon. I promise it'll be worth the wait!
This chapter is more of a set up for the next few chapters to come. I'm going to try to keep to a weekly upload schedule so expect chapter 2 next weekend.
If you decide to leave a review, thank you! It helps a lot. Let me know if you enjoyed it, or if you didn't.
I hope you did enjoy it though! See you next week!