Chapter 1

His lungs were on fire, hours spent making sure they burned with searing intensity. It was a sturdy, impactful force of the pale white wall that responded to his back harshly as it collided in exhaustion. It was, thankfully, quiet and peaceful. No one was in his room and nobody would be for somel hours. It was unpleasant at first. He didn't like that when he came here; the long, seemingly much longer, stretches of time where not a soul was present but his and his alone. His previous arrangements ensured at least regular interaction, no matter the quality. But it was a situation he became used to. He certainly grew to appreciate it.

Thinking of days passed, he couldn't even remember the days before Atlas' military took him in and sheltered him. He knew, of course, what he was before. He was homeless. It was an empty fact that, though the experience has left, simply was recalled as a shell of what was. Such days were lost to his memory, left for the irrelevant recesses of his mind. However, he never minded his lack of recollection of a time long gone. All he knew, all he aimed for was to fulfill the duty they've given to him to the very best of his ability.

He just finished particularly rigorous exercises that he had to do today. The ones he did in his childhood, in between the brief periods of total immobility, always felt like a joke compared to what he did nowadays. But he was worn out and very much desiring sleep. He certainly felt fortunate for those few hours he conveniently had to sleep. And so he did.

Approximately 5 hours later

A powerful knock rang at the door to his room, jolting him up from the slumber his aching body oh so wanted to continue. His eyes were weighed down with lead and grogginess demanded reluctance in getting getting up. A glance at the clock revealed that it was already 8:00 pm. His eyes bugged out and he jumped to his feet, fresh adrenaline pumping out and waking him quick. 'It's already 8! How did I sleep so late?!' He scrambles to the door, barely having time to straighten up as he opened it.

"General Ironwood, sir!" His posture immediately tightening as he saluted. The man's presence was surprising but that wouldn't prevent him from reacting properly. Ironwood waved him off. "You need not be so formal, Naruto. You're not even a member of the military."

Naruto visibly relaxed, still standing straight however as he stepped aside to let the general into his room. "If I may ask, general, for what reason is the visit?" he questioned to the Ironwood seeing as the somewhat rare occasions they saw each other was when they were usually separated by glass.

"There is a matter I wished to address to you personally. This concerns your placement into a Huntsmen academy." Naruto cringed slightly. It was finally time to leave the facility for good. But he knew he couldn't stay forever, neither did he feel he should. He took a nerve calming breath. "So I'm finally going to Atlas Academy?" Ironwood's eyes hardened by just a hair, but it was enough. Naruto knew something was wrong.

"Such is the reason for this meeting." Ironwood spoke in a tone that demanded no questioning. Naruto was reluctant to obey. "It has been decided that your education at a Huntsmen academy will be conducted at Beacon."

He fell back to the wall nearest him; the words absolutely bewildering. Its coarse surface scraped him in a way that felt a bit like a massage. It felt nice. It helped him calm down. Upset eyes went up, returning to its previous target as striking blue eyes stared back towards the tall, imposing man in front of him.

"I'm going to Beacon?" he could hear himself ask, sounding incredulous and dismal. Ironwood face was firm and set as he looked upon the slightly short blonde 17 year old he'd been acquainted with since the teenager's fourth year of life. "Naruto, I know you may not be perfectly okay with this, but it has been reiterated to you time and again that you will, upon reaching the appropriate age, be joining a Huntsmen academy."

Beacon! Why?! Why not Atlas?! He wanted to scream but he withheld himself. The blonde looked distraught and befuddled. "I know. I know. I just thought that I'd at least be going to Atlas Academy. Why am I not going there?" his question ending in distressed confusion.

Ironwood remained unmoved. "Beacon is, out of all the academies, the least defensible. I find this unacceptable under any circumstance and intend to convince its headmaster that changes need to be made. In the meantime, I need a way to protect the school from potential threats. So I chose you."

Naruto dipped forward in exasperation; his hands moving to cup his pale, sun deprived face. "Beacon needs me to protect it?" It was blatantly mocking in tone. "Naruto." Ironwood spoke sharply, his tone disciplining like a wooden spoon. "Do not speak with such derision. You are more than capable and you fully understand that that protecting a vital asset is not something to make light of!"

He was stressed and displeased; his voice reflected that. "Don't you think the scenario you're proposing is a little extreme?! What sort of issue can threaten Beacon that isn't a complete disaster?! I can't defend such a large place like Beacon, let alone an entire city!" His hands flew from his face, waving with aggression as he stood up and glared with agitated eyes at his superior.

"Naruto," Ironwood's voice boomed in his eardrums, loud with authority, demanding acknowledgement. "I know that Beacon is far and I know you you are uncomfortable with being alone. But it your duty to protect, one you have reiterated time and again. It will be unfamiliar and it will seem intimidating. But you must leave the comfort zone you are oh so set in remaining in if you truly intend to make a difference. However, I can assure you with the fullest confidence that you will not wander in turmoil. You will discover friends and you will come to know your surroundings. You will grow as both a person and a fighter. And if this worst case scenario arises that you so fear, you will have not only yourself but an entire city, huntsmen,huntresses, and otherwise, to aid you. All I want is for you to do your best. That will more than suffice."

Ironwood stood still, posture and tone powerful and loud as ever. His very presence seemed to force respect from an individual. Naruto couldn't help but listen to his words. Ironwood gave a lasting, steel engraved gaze to Naruto as he said his last on the argument. "I assume I need not do any more convincing, Naruto?"

Naruto couldn't help it. He should have felt anxious and dismayed and uncertain. Vale was so far! He'd barely even stepped foot on the streets of Atlas in over a decade, let alone holding any sort of decent conversation with a stranger. But he didn't feel that way. For some utterly confounding reason he didn't feel that way. Ironwood's words forced a change in his mood like he was possessed! He couldn't fathom why, but he felt acceptance. He felt like giving in. He even felt just a sliver of anticipation. It was absurd! He slumped on the wall, scraping his back with its course surface for the third time of the day until he lied flat on the grainy, white floor. "Ok." The words were soft, barely audible to Ironwood's ears. But they were calm; they weren't combative. He was submitting. "When am I going to Beacon?"

AN: Hello readers who made it to the end! As you probably skim over author's notes like I do, you might miss the information that is my first, and hopefully not last, story. I dearly wish that I was and will be able to discern between what constitutes good and bad writing. I hope you enjoyed and that you leave any criticism you feel you want to. I doubt I can write to the very best of my abilities otherwise. And if I can't, I will feel the greatest despair! Until next time, this is goodbye.