My name is Jason York. Only my parents and teachers call me Jason. I'm York to everyone else. I was going to Signal Academy with my best friend, Ruby Rose. We grew up together, Ruby and I. we did everything together too, from fighting and jobs to driving her sister up the wall. We had a couple years left at Signal, until a job left us with an opportunity.
I was on the roof of the From Dust Till Dawn dust shop, watching for potential threats, as was my job that night. I had the eyes of a hawk, seeing the flutter of curtains, the flickering shadows in lit windows, and people wandering the streets. My head snaps back to the road. There was a group walking down the street. Walking toward the From Dust Till Dawn. Every person was armed, except for the man in front, who had a cane. "Strange" I thought. "He's in charge. That's plain enough. And he looks the kind to bring trouble." Only trouble wanders at this ungodly hour. Keeping my eyes on them, I drew my weapon. Signal requires us to make our own weapons, and I found the inspiration for my baby in a videogame I play. A Brute Shot. Basically, a very powerful grenade launcher with a really big knife attached. As this group, this gang, entered the shop, I started working my way down.
I hit the ground just in time to watch a gang member being kicked out the window by Ruby. I charge as men flooded out of the dust shop. I bury the blade of my baby deep into the abdomen of the first man. I pull it out and swing it around, aiming at the man shooting at ruby. I fired, and the man flew into the air, only to be very unceremoniously slammed to the ground by Ruby. The man with the cane muttered something to the fallen man, and then looked at Ruby. "Well, Red." He said, "I think it has been an eventful evening. And as much as I'd like to stick around, I believe this…" he lifted up his cane, and the tip flew up. I hefted my weapon, and aimed it at him. "Hey, Gingerbread!" I shouted, referencing his red hair. "Fire at her and ill fire you out of this world!" the red head chuckled, and instead pointed his cane at me. "Well either way, this is where we part ways." We fired at the same time, and the explosion that ensued lifted us all off our feet and launched us backwards. The redhead recovered first, and sprinted to a ladder. By the time Ruby and I recovered, he was halfway up. We followed him, almost flying up the ladder.
"Hey!" Ruby shouted. The redhead stopped. I thought I heard him say, "persistent.", before a giant helicopter rose up and trained a spotlight on us. He steps into the helicopter and turns to us. "It ends here you two!" a red crystal is thrown at us, and all I can think is, great. Boom goes the dynamite. I turn to Ruby and wrap my arms around her, and we both knelt, waiting for the explosion. And come it did, but it didn't affect us at all. We looked up to see a woman standing there, a circle of purple fading away. With a flick of her baton, more energy flies toward and impacts the copter. The redhead leaves, replaced by a woman covered in shadows, but I can clearly see the edges of a red dress. A fight occurs with what I can only describe as magic. Ruby and I open fire on the helicopter, but our efforts are in vain. After the battle is over, Ruby starts to fangirl in the presence of a huntress.
I was in an interrogation room, like the ones I see in cop TV shows. The huntress, who I later learned was Glynda Goodwitch, stalked around the table to look at me. "Do you realize what danger you put yourself and others in?" she questioned. "Not to mention your partner?" I stare at her angrily. "I'll have you know that I also protected said people and partner." I retort. "I was getting to that." Ms. Goodwitch replied calmly. "You and your partner did reasonably well. so I'll send you both home with a pat on the back." I sat back, a little more relaxed. "And a slap on the wrist!" she went to hit me with her baton, but I catch it midstroke. "Correct me if I'm wrong," I say sarcastically. "But I think you'll have to be faster if you want to hit me." We stare at each other for a while, and then she smiles slightly. "There may be hope for you yet." She says, "But there is someone else here who will decide that." I strained to see into the dark, and notice a figure walking towards me. He was a tall and slight man, but held an air of authority. I immediately recognized him.
"Jason York." Said the man. "If you don't mind, I'd like to have a word with you." He sits down across from me and shows me a screen recounting the fight Ruby and I had at the "From Dust Till Dawn". We watch for a moment before he asks a series of questions. "Where did you learn to fight like this?" the man asks. "I learned all this at Signal Academy sir." I answer. The man leaned back in his chair. "so," he said. "why are you training to be a hunter?" I think a little before I answer. "I suppose," I reply. "I want to be a hunter because I love to fight. I love a challenge." "You work extremely well with Ruby, but how do you work alone?" asks the man. I respond without hesitation. "I can fight just as well on my own sir." Now the man leans forward and looks me right in the eyes. "Do you know who I am, Jason?" he asks. "You're Professor Ozpin, headmaster of the prestigious Beacon Academy." I reply. Ozpin cocks an eyebrow. "I think you would do well at Beacon." He says nonchalantly. "How would you like to come and attend Beacon?"
That did it. I broke out in a huge smile, like a child on their birthday. "If that's a serious offer," I venture, "I want in. but only when you think I am ready." Ozpin glances at Goodwitch, who shrugs her shoulders. He pulls out a tablet and fiddles with it. "Well, I'll work out the transfer work and you start next school year." Ozpin states. I get up, shaking Ozpins hand vigorously. "I can't explain how much this means to me!" I say ecstatically.
I can't help but stare at the giant airship. I stare for a few minutes until Ruby snaps me out of my trance. "Come on!" she says. "The ships about to leave!" I tear my gaze away forcefully, and we run onto the ship, almost knocking some people over. We weave our way through groups of people, trying to find Yang. We eventually find her by a window. "Yang!" Ruby shouted. Yang turned, and when she saw Ruby, her jaw dropped and then she smiled broadly. "You're going to Beacon?!" she questioned. I raised an eyebrow. Yang rushes us into an embrace. "Oh, I can't believe my baby siblings are going to Beacon with me!" she says enthusiastically. "Please stop." Ruby groans. "I'm not even your brother!" I say, finding it difficult to breathe. She pulls back and eyes me quizzically. "Well, imagine the looks id get if I called you my kid." Says Yang. "You basically are. I raised you two half the time!" I glance around. "Touché." I reply. Yang and Ruby start discussing Beacon, and I turn to get a drink. As I start walking, I see a girl clad in black and purple, glancing between me and another person, looking flustered. Thinking nothing of it, I continue walking. I teeter a bit as the ship starts to accelerate. As I walk back to Yang and Ruby, I almost get run down by a blonde, scrawny guy who looks very sick. I had no time to react before my boots turned a very sickly color. Great, I think. This is going to be a very long trip.