Chapter One: On the fringe
No matter where you are in the world, if you keep walking north for long enough you will eventually hit a bunch of snow or ice. Coincidently, if you walk south for long enough you will be greeted by much of the same. In the case of Don Albanach, it was the north where he was situated and believe it or not, he was cold. It wasn't even that far up north where he lived, but it was still freezing. Then again, it was winter so he supposed that there was a reason to the temperature, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy it. The worst part that this weather would be that last of his home that he would see until his school break because today was the day that he would go to Beacon.
"Ok son, let's get this straight. Just because you don't use melee attacks at all that doesn't make you any worse than the rest of them. Just remember to try hard and be yourself" said Don's father. A large man who had grown a beer belly in his later years, smile wrinkles and had lost most of his hair, but he could still swing his axe into a Beowolf's neck as well as the next person. It was unfortunate that Don himself couldn't really swing an axe with any skill, or a sword for that matter. No, he went for his dust staff: Druid's Wrath, yet that led to him being teased for his town's belief that dust was for weaklings that deserve to be eaten by Beowolves.
"Just don't be stupid and please, try to make some friends" his mother joined in. She was a homely woman whose hair had gone silver and her fitness had long since left her. She did keep her singing voice, her way around the kitchen, her intelligence and her strong point of views. Just don't get anywhere near her with a kitchen knife.
"Mum, Dad, look. I'm sure that it will all be ok and when I come back, I will be better than I ever had been" Don answered.
That was his goal, to be able to come back and really help the people of his home, to be a hero instead of a hindrance and now, his opportunity had finally come, granted it hadn't been easy and he almost didn't make it. However by, either hard work or a miracle, he had managed to scrape into the ranks of new students to be going into beacon.
It was midday by the time the airship landed at the dock and Don's excitement and adrenaline had long since left him. No, now he was filled with nerves. What if he wasn't good enough, what if everyone at beacon were snobs, bullies or pricks? How could he cope with the workload? Who would be on his team? Etc. etc. and spending time with the gruff and burly trainees from his town and the surrounding areas didn't do much to help, but if he left what good would that do? How could he help anyone if he was too afraid the simple answer was he couldn't? So he summed up all of his courage and took slow tentative steps to the waiting airship.
The first thing that hit Don when he stepped onto the airship was the size of it, and then it was the warmth of the heater and finally how many people were in the thing.
"Oh god, what have I gotten myself into" He exclaimed.
"I think I could guess what ye might've gotten yerself into" a voice answered in a thick, coarse, northern accent.
Don turned around to see a tall male that must have surely been at least two years older than Don. He had bright, red hair and bright, fuzzy chin and cheeks. He towered over most of the other trainers and was built like an Ursa. Sheathed unto his back was a claymore that must have been at least three metres long.
"It seems ta me that yer've gotten yerself inta beacon soo that should mean that yer a hunter trainee of some extent" this mountain answered, although his accent was so thick that it took Don a fair bit of time to work out what he was actually saying .
"Uuhm yeah I am, my names Don Albanach"
"Oh aye, I am known as William Braveheart, but please call me Will, I can't stand formalities. Those are for the snooty and those who have too much hot air in their systems"
"Ok, I think I can remember that. Nice to meet you Will" Don said whilst offering his hand.
"Likewise, shorty" Will grabbed it and damn near cut circulation from his wrist.
"Well, well, look who passed the examination into beacon academy" Called out a new voice with an accent similar to Will's but far less course and far more audible.
"Aye, but I can thank me lucky stars that I passed the intellectual examination but it looked like I was strong enough to get into the school" Will responded as the new figure walked out. He wasn't as tall as Will, but just as well built he was dressed in plate armour, richly painted and with cloth over the top, whereas Will wore a boiled leather jerkin, leggings and a tartan wrapped around all of it. The new person also had curly auburn hair and a single bitted battle axe with a long curved handle strapped to his back.
"So who's this?"
"Oh, you mean rich boy, this is Robbie Bruce. He happens to be one of the best young fighters from the capital" Will said with a sweep of his hands.
"And Will happens to be the top regional fighters. We met at a tag team tournament and took out the top prize" Said Rob.
"So shorty, what about you?" All of a sudden, all eyes seemed to be on Don
"Uh, I'm a trainee hunter from the boarders"
"...And?"
"That's it"
"Wow"
"Hey, what's wrong? Look, I know that it looks bad but-"
"You must be really talented"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"To be accepted into beacon with no prior records, as a blank slate from a backwards area, surely you're on some sort of scholarship or parental heritage"
"Uhm no. Just an average student, first generation"
"Really"
"Really"
"Oh Rob, look at those two"
"Oh my god, those are the two lords that we beat in the tag team tournament"
"You wanna rub it in their faces"
"Oh, you know me so well"
"Nice talking to you short stuff"
And with that, the two warriors left and Don was alone, again so he decided to explore the massive airship.
Don was near to front of the airship when he saw a guy who wore no shirt and ragged pants, a metal chocker around his neck. He had no shoes but his feet where dark and hard, his brown hair was ragged and unkempt, a spear and a large rectangular shield next to him and he was also sitting on top of the railing, balancing on it three kilometres above the ground
"Hey, you, uhm... do you know that you are currently dangling well above the ground and that you might fall and go splat and make a big mess of the ground"
"I am aware of that and if I am meant to fall to my death then nothing I can do to stop it"
"Ok. So... ... ... Why don't we try getting to know each other? Hi, I'm Don"
"Dan, and why don't you leave, because if we are not made to be friends, then no amount of sweet talk will change that"
"Wow, aren't we hostile"
"I'm not hostile. I'm merely indifferent".
"So indifferent that it seems that you can't even bother breathing, because if you're meant to choke then no amount of oxygen can save you"
"Ok, I find that offensive so I think that you should leave"
"Oh, why don't I stay because if I'm not meant to be here, then no amount of walking will change that matter"
"LEAVE NOW"
"I knew you were hostile"
"ARRRRRRGH"
"See you later. Oh, and if you do go splat, I'm not cleaning it up".
It was only after Don had walked away did he realise that he didn't have very many friends here and he could of handled that situation a bit better, but oh well. He wouldn't have to see Mr Destiny any time soon because with all of the people in beacon, what are the chances that he would be in a team with him?
After a good amount of time, the airship slowly got filled with more and more people. Some were unimpressive and forgettable, but others were noteworthy. Those included a guy dressed in green with an out of control frullet and a sort of pony tail, being constantly harassed with a girl with red, shoulder length hair, decorated in hearts, a cold aloof rich looking girl who shot him down as a peasant, a hot, sociable blond who looked ready to hug the death out of friends and crush any guys testicles who decided to take advantage of her, a crimson haired girl wearing what he supposed was armour, despite not actually protecting her arms, neck, upper chest, upper back or upper cleavage but who was he to judge? A girl who seemed to be brooding over a novel, someone with his head constantly in the rubbish bin, a rather "sociable" male with a white t shirt, a guy with a large hat and a definite swagger in his walk, a blonde well-built male arm wrestling everyone who dared challenge him, someone who just seemed to blend in with everyone else, a person openly protesting about poor wages the big companies like Schnee were paying the workers, male with coffee coloured skin, mediating, who also had horns (this was something new for him) and a girl who was about a year younger then Don. This was something that surprised him since he was scarcely old enough to be attending beacon. What could this little girl be capable of? Frankly, the thought scared him… but he figured that he couldn't be any more out of place then her, so he went to talk to her when...
"Would all student prepare to land we will be at beacon in 1 minute"
It seemed that saying hello would have to wait until later.
Ok that was chapter 1 hope you all liked it
i will try to update as soon as possible