Nicole knocked twice and entered her sister's room. Aurora had emptied it all except for some of the clothes in the dirty hamper and some photos tacked to her wall. Aurora was taking certain photos down. She was in the process of taking down a family photograph, depicting a day long ago in the midst of fall where she and her sister danced through piles of leaves their father had unwittingly prepared for them.

Aurora was visibly giddy with excitement. Bouncing around her room dancing by herself. Some photos from the wall laid next to her luggage. Her green hair bounced around the room, following every twist and spin she made.

"Oh, this is going to be great! I get to ride an airship and finally really start to learn how to be like those huntresses from the old stories!"

Nicole leaned on the doorframe, sizing up her younger sibling.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this? I mean, you could always stay here and work at the café with me and dad."

Aurora stopped in her tracks, photo of her family in hand. She turned to her sister. "Of course I'm sure! I wouldn't have pushed dad to let me go to Signal in the first place if I was just going to throw that idea out as soon as I got invested. I want to get out there, helping people and seeing the world!"

She stacked up the photos and slipped them into a pocket on her bag and zipped it shut.

"Or stay here, safe in Vale," Nicole said.

Aurora looked wounded. "There is a whole world out there and it doesn't bother you at all were trapped in the kingdom's walls? You said me becoming a huntress was a superb idea."

Nicole re-positioned on the door frame. "I still do."

Aurora put a finger to her chest. "Then why are you trying to change my mind?"

Nicole brushed away her hand, and retrieved the photos from her sister's bag. Various photos of family and friends were placed out side by side on the bed. "You're leaving normal life behind to go to Beacon. A lot of your friends at signal won't join you there."

Aurora scooped up the photographs and tapped them back into a pile. "I know, but I'll make new friends at Beacon."

Nicole shifted again. "I don't doubt that either."

Aurora rolled her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"What?"

"You're acting like dad when he gets upset."

"It's just…you got to stay here while going to signal. Now you're moving away…"

Nicole crossed her arms, frustrated with herself.

"I thought you'd say that."

Aurora went over to the wardrobe and pulled an envelope from the top drawer. she sat down and presented it to her sister.

"What's this?"

"My first letter home. Read them when you get them, and make sure dad hears them."

Nicole leaned forward and caught Aurora in a snug hug.

"I'm going to miss you."

Aurora reciprocated.

"I'm going to miss you too. Where is dad?"

Nicole let go, rubbing her eyes to preemptively catch any tears.

"He went to the café early. Probably to go chop onions about how his little light is all grown up."

Nicole traded playful shoulder punches with her sister, having used her baby nickname one more time.

"Please don't call me that."

"I had too, it will probably be the last time I can for a while."


It was a five minute walk to the nearest transit stop, and at her current pace, Aurora would have time to spare.

"Miss!" A voice called from a nearby alleyway, calling for her attention.

Aurora followed the voice into the alley, searching for the poor soul who was staying in such a place. She reached into her bag and pulled out some money she kept on her in case someone was in need.

It was odd, she had gone the entire length of the alleyway to the end and couldn't find anyone.

"Miss, fork over the bag and no one gets hurt."

Aurora nearly jumped out of her skin, turning her back to the wall to see three Faunus men baring her path out of the alley.

"Now this isn't the way this has to go. I could give you-"Aurora reached into her bag.

"The bag, kid. I don't have the patience for any shenanigans." The ring leader to a step closer, knife drawn.

"Alright. Here, take it!" Aurora pulled out of her bag with Hard Light in hand and hurled it as hard as she could at the face of the leader.

Caught off guard by the attack, the bag hit its mark. The ring leader stumbled as his partners charged the little girl.

With a flick of her wrist, hard light's three sections locked in place. The spear of prismatic material caught and threw light every which way, filling the alley with bright hues of pink and green.

The man with the pipe lunged at her, swinging high. Aurora ducked underneath and struck out with the blunt end of the spear. The blow landed square in the stomach, knocking him back. The second assailant charged with a 2x4, swinging wildly. Aurora blocked a flurry of heavy swings, each time looking for an opening to counter.

Finally, her time came. The faunas swung the plank with all he had and bashed it into Hard Light again and again. Each time, small splinters separated from the wood. Aurora blocked him again, observing this. Aurora struck out at the weakest point in the plank.

The 2x4 snapped in two, throwing wooden needles through the air. The faunas, caught off guard by the destruction of his weapon and the sudden pain inflicted by the splinters, was swept from his feet by a low twirl of Aurora's spear.

"Little brat! I'll crush you with my bare hands" Out of nowhere, the main faunas bull-rushed down the alley. Aurora braced herself too late, his lowered shoulder smashing through her guard. She left her feet, sailing back into the dark of the alley. Hard Light fell away leaving her unarmed.

"You should've just given up the bag, girly." The faunas strode over to his prey, triumphantly wrapping his hand around her throat and lifting her to his eye level.

Aurora knew she was in trouble. Unarmed against a physically stronger foe. Her protective aura drained, she only had one advantage.

She focused on Hard Light, and envisioned a copy floating behind her attacker.

"This would have been so much easier if-"

The alley filled with light, to the surprise of the Faunus ringleader.

"Wha-"

A spear of light plowed into his back, disintegrating on impact. The faunas howled in pain, dropping Arora. Another spear materialized and struck out at her attacker. This time hitting his side, knocking him down.

She stood, retrieving her weapon while to more spears of light formed and struck through the ringleader's clothes, keeping him pinned on the ground.

Aurora grabbed her bag, and retrieved her phone. Her planned transit was a bust, having left already at its scheduled time. But now she had another way.