In a grassy field, about a mile from the town, a few hundred young adults were lined in orderly rows as they faced a middle aged man, whom was giving a speech to them. His voice could be heard by each and every person who attended, though he spoke calmly for the moment.
"You are all gathered here today because of your accomplishments leading you this far," the old man said, facing the large group of teenagers that were in neat and orderly lines. Every person listening to him had varying expressions of relief and excitement, and with good reason.
"I have been honored to aid you upstanding young adults in your pursuit of goals along this winding road called life, and I have truly been blessed to have been your headmaster," he continued. The elderly man was stooped slightly, leaning against a metallic cane as he addressed his audience. He wore a dark green robe with gold linings along the edges of the sleeves, as well as having a golden visor covering both eyes. He had a gentle smile, radiating warmth to the students gathered in front of him.
"And yet, the day you all have been striving for has arrived; the graduation ceremony of Signal Academy," he announced, which led to loud cheering from the teens - the graduates - standing in front of him. The old man paused to wipe his eye, and continued.
"Some of you wish only to lead simple, safe lives with loved ones. Some of you wish to use your training here to help others. Still others want to continue your training at our sister school, Beacon Academy. Regardless of where life takes you, I see a bright, shining future ahead of all of you!" His voice grew louder and louder, until his own excitement was evident.
"So long as you hold on to that light . . . so long as you never lose hope . . . you will succeed! Now, go forth and live your lives!" He concluded, spreading an arm outward to gesture toward the horizon. Another, louder cheer rose from the students in front of him, and the official part of the ceremony was completed.
This time of the year was always the man's favorite part; when his finest and strongest students graduated from his school, Signal Academy. He always preferred to assist his students personally, so he had gained much respect from his staff and students. And yet, there was always that group of students that seemed to shine far brighter than the others.
The headmaster turned away from the graduates and walked a little distance away to two adults watching from the distance. Both looked out of place, but at the same time radiated importance.
One was a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties, wearing similar attire to the Signal headmaster. He was watching the students with interest even as he leaned forward on his impromptu seat -a tree trunk- with his hands bracing his chin.
The other was a woman in her early thirties, wearing a black skirt, a white blouse, and an odd purple cape that seemed to wisp around the woman's stomach on its own. She only gazed at the large school next to the grassy area, choosing to stand.
The man nodded as the headmaster approached, and asked "Any recommendations, before I make my rounds?" The headmaster, glancing toward the students, said with his head turned "A few, for certain. You may want to try getting that small group over there," he added, nodding his head at a group of three specific graduates.
All three were dressed in the school uniform, a simple green and black jacket with black slacks. The first was an 18 year old boy with silver hair bound into a braid reaching down to his thigh and an unsmiling face. He seemed bored as he listened to the other two, though the headmaster knew differently. The second, a grinning 17 year old girl with a long blue ponytail, had her jacket off and wrapped around her waist. The third was a 17 year old boy with short black hair who, as the headmaster watched, tackled the girl from behind and started a mock fight.
The other man was silent, so the woman began quizzing the headmaster. "How do their weapon scores stack up? Teamwork capabilities? Willpower?"
The headmaster sighed and said "The first boy on the left, Xevach, has the willpower of a tank. Nothing fazes him, and I do mean nothing. He's a bit of a lone wolf, but he tolerates teammates he deems useful."
She nodded, listening as he continued "The second boy and the girl, Ketsueki and Kinaia, are phenomenal in both weapon tactics and teamwork. By teamwork, I mean with one another. They can almost literally read one another's minds."
The man stood from his spot on the grass before the woman could say anything, and announced "If they can show me they truly want to be there, I will make a place for them at Beacon." He glanced over to the headmaster, his glasses reflecting in the sunlight, and told him "Once again, I appreciate your efforts in raising Hunters and Huntresses, Qrow."
The headmaster simply smiled and said "The pleasure is all mine, Ozpin. Beacon is only another obstacle in the road of life, is it not?"
The man turned and walked toward his transport, calmly replying with "Let us hope they don't stray from this road, then. Farewell, old friend." The woman nodded to the headmaster before following the other man.
The headmaster turned back in time to see Xevach walking toward the other two, and smiled to himself as they started talking like they were old friends, despite being strangers to each other.
Well, they are your students after all, Ruby. He grinned even wider at the thought, and began walking back toward Signal Academy, his pride and joy.