Vale; six years ago.

I was sitting in class, drawing a picture of Beacon Academy. I smiled at my work as it showed the school with the name in a banner above the building. The final bell rang for the day and my class started to pack up to go home.

I put my sketchpad and pencils away and followed some of the students out of the class. I was soon walking through the courtyard, heading to the main gate. As I saw that my ride wasn't here, I sat on a nearby bench and started to eat an apple I brought with me.

I waited for another five minutes and no one turned up, all the other students were already gone, so it was just me. Suddenly; I heard the sound of an engine and looked to the gate. I saw a Vale squad car roll into the lot and just shrugged as I pulled out my sketch pad to look at my master piece again. Just then; a shadow was overlooking my picture and I looked up.

I saw a mad in the Vale police uniform looking down at me. He looked to be in his late 40's, with brown hair, turning white in some spots, green eyes and some stubble under his chin. He kneeled down in front of me "Are you Ruben?" he asked me. I nodded and began wondering what he wanted. "I'm Steve, I'm with the Vale police Department. I need you to come with me".

I was confused, either my mum or my aunt were supposed to pick me up "I can't, I'm waiting for my mummy or aunty to pick me up". He looked at me with a sadden look "They won't be picking you up, I'm afraid," he said, making me more confused. "It's urgent that I bring you with me" he said.

I just nodded as I was still thinking 'What did he mean by "they won't be picking you up"?' I followed him to his car and we got in. I put on my seat belt and he began to drive. Soon we arrived at the Vale police station and we got out. I was still wondering as he walked me through to a waiting room. It was small but cosy.

Steve asked me to sit in a chair and wait. I nodded and sat down. He walked through a set of doors and into another room. A minute later, he called for me to walk in. I nodded and stood up and walked over. Steve introduced me to a woman called Dr. Noelani Cunha.

She looked at me with the same expression as she showed me a table with a white sheet over it. I raised an eyebrow as she began to pull it back. My eyes widen with fright and sadness as I saw who was on the table. "M-mummy…?" I said as I saw her eyes shut and her skin turning blue.

"MUMMY!" I shouted as I rushed to her side and grabbed her hand, crying. I looked up to see if she moved, but to no avail. I laid my head on her arm and cried more onto it for a long time. Steve placed a hand on my shoulder and pulled me into a hug and I just cried onto his shoulder.

A few more minutes as we parted from the hug and he pointed to another table with my mums stuff on it. Her satchel, her eyepatch that covered a nasty gash that caused her to go blind in her left eye, several ammo packs, empty shell cases and her scythe, Crescent Rose.

"We finished the autopsy report and we wanted to give these to a member of her family. And I guess that member is you" Steve said to me. I nodded with tears still in my eyes as I looked down to Crescent Rose and I hugged it.

"T-this was m-my mums weapon…s-she loved this thing like I-it was her baby…u-until she had me that is…" I said as I pressed the hidden button and her scythe went into its compact mode. I started to pack my mums stuff as a thought rushed through my head.

Steve asked me if I had any other family members, I said there was my mums ex, but she was busy running her company in Atlas and my aunt was out on a mission and wouldn't be back for a few weeks. He nodded and held his hand out to me "You can stay with me until your aunt gets back," he said.

I looked up to him with a blank expression before saying, "I hope you find my mother's killer…" I said before activating my semblance and ran out, leaving rose petals behind "RUBEN!" I heard him yell.

I just ran. No stopping. Just ran.

I arrived at my house and went inside. I locked the door behind me and went upstairs to my room. I grabbed my suitcase that I had under my bed and opened it. I went into my wardrobe and grabbed some clothes, underwear and socks.

I looked to my bed and grabbed a little blue teddy bear I had. I placed him into the case and went into my mother's room.

I opened her wardrobe, saw the safe, and unlocked it. I opened the door to see some Lien cards and Dust crystals. I grabbed a few of the cards and crystals and packed them too.

I moved to her cloaks and packed three of them. I went to grab a forth, but I felt something. It was a hidden handle.

I grabbed it and slid it forwards. Behind it were some strange looking cloaks, they were red with strange designs and a weird looking symbol on them. I shook my head and grabbed two of them. However, before I turned away, I saw two pieces of metal on a small table. I grabbed one of them and lifted it to have a closer look.

They had straps underneath them and little loop on a string at the front. I grabbed the loop, pulled it, and out sprang a blade. It wasn't powered by dust, just a normal silver blade.

I thought about what they were before shaking my head and put them into my case. I saw two pictures, I one I recognized and one I did not.

The first was a picture of a man wearing a white version of one of the strange cloaks I packed. I looked to his hands to see two silver blades, similar to the one I picked up.

I thought about it then turned to the other picture on the table and lifted it up. A sad smile formed as I put that one into the case too. I went down stairs and into the kitchen.

I grabbed some fruit, some cereal bars and biscuits. I packed them in my mum's satchel and looked through the draws to find something.

I found what I was looking for; a piece of paper and a pencil. I began writing on the paper as more tears formed in my eyes, staining the bottom of the paper.

I put it on the table and placed the fruit bowl on the corner to stop it from moving. I grabbed the bags, went to the back door and turned around to the kitchen as a memory of me and my mum baking cookies flashed back.

I turned back and activated my semblance. Soon I was running through the woods as fast as I could while carrying my bags as I heard cop cars behind me.

Steve's POV.

We arrived at the house and began looking around. I went into the kitchen to see the back door open and a note on the table. I picked it up and read it.

'I will show myself again when I feel the time is right.'

I looked down and made a fist. I ordered my team to cover this place from top to bottom.

I went to my car and radioed in "It's me…he's gone. He went into the woods behind his house…yeah, I'll keep looking for him…I'm not going to let that happen." I put the radio down and stared into the woods.

End of Chapter 1.