"There is a question that man has asked itself ever since it first took up arms against evil. Why, having been endowed with the courageous heart of a lion, do we live as mice? Some may never know the answer, but it's out there. But there is another question out there that only oneself can answer. If the only life you've ever known is taken from you, what would you do? Would you accept it and live in despair? Or would you take up arms and seek answers? The decision, in the end, is up to the soul in question."
Fissure Village, Vale-
The night in Vale was cold and dark, rain came down in a light shower as a shape walked along the forested path. The shape was a seventeen year old male with a lean build, he had a brown hooded long coat on himself to act as a shield from the rain. The occasional gust of wind blew it about as he entered the outskirts of the roadside village. Across the back of his waist was a weapon that resembled a sort of rectangular paddle. It was a dark wine red with a silver sharp looking edge along the bottom half. Fixed into the the center of the upper half was a slider lever like that of a sniper rifle. Just above where the handle was there was a large gold rivet. On the left of where the handle connects with paddle, there was a red trigger. Fixed into the center of the dark brown leather wrapped handle was a smaller golden rivet. The Stranger stopped in the center of town for a moment and checked a watch. He sighed and continued through the town's deserted and wet streets. Lights from the windows giving him a lit path toward a local Inn.
He slowly opened the door and entered into the warm room, some the patrons inside were human with the occasional faunus about. Most of the tables were taken but there were a few seats at the bar. He sat down at the bar and stretched his back a bit, the innkeeper was portly man with a thick beard and little to no hair on his head. He turned as he finished cleaning a glass he was holding.
"Evening stranger," he stated kindly, "pretty wet out there hm?"
"Yeah," The Stranger said.
The Innkeeper thought for a moment, "So….where are you coming from?"
"Shard," The Stranger stated matter of factly.
"Shard," The Innkeeper was surprised at that, "Didn't that town almost get burned down a few years back?"
"Yeah it did," The Stranger spoke with a bit of hardness to his tone, "luckily we rebuilt."
"Crying shame, I hear Shard was a quaint little town by the sea," he shook his head, "crying shame."
There was a pregnant pause between the two before The Innkeeper smiled, "Say, we got a house special tonight. My wife's famous casserole recipe, hands down," he waved his hand, "best in Vale."
The Stranger chuckled, "I could go for a good hot meal right now. How much?"
The Innkeeper shook his head, "On the house. Wouldn't be right for me to charge someone who was in such a horrible ordeal."
The Innkeeper told The Stranger to give him a bit and he stepped to the kitchen in the back. As The Stranger sat in silence, the front door opened. Various patrons turned to look on in silence as four individuals walked in. One of them had a large scar on the right side of his face with a wild mane of hair. He wore heavy clothes with furred trim and armored plating on them with a large double bladed war ax strapped to his back. Flanking him were three thugs in very punkish clothing. They all took a seat near the back as The Innkeeper entered the main floor and placed a plate of casserole in front of The Stranger. He glanced down at the steaming dish and started to eat as The Innkeeper approached the group of four in the back.
"M….Mr. Steppenwulf, I wasn't expecting you so soon," The Innkeeper stuttered.
Steppenwulf chuckled darkly, "You know I can make time for the little people Jungun, you have my usual fee?"
Jungun looked to the side nervously. Steppenwulf took notice and tsked as he stood up.
"Oh, Jungy Jungy," he then picked up Jungun by the collar of his shirt, "Have you forgotten what we talked about?"
Jungun started to sweat.
"See, out of the bottom of my heart, my boys and I leant you our protection for money," he looked around, "and I don't see it," he guided Jungun over to his counter, "Do you know what happens, when I don't see my money?"
His thugs forced the seated patrons at the tables to leave as Steppenwulf continued, "I get very upset, and when I get upset," he slammed Jungun onto the countertop as he pulled his ax off his back, "My Big Bad here gets antsy to make the thing that's making me upset. Go. Away."
Steppenwulf stopped abruptly as a fork dinged off his head, he slowly turned his head as he looked at The Stranger who was staring at his plate. Jungun was thrown to the floor as Steppenwulf slammed his blade into The Stranger's plate.
"You lost friend," Steppenwulf stated darkly, "because you must be if you think you can just stroll in here and disrespect me in front of my boys."
The Stranger turned slowly and stared into Steppenwulf's coal black eyes with his dark blue eyes.
"What, nothing to say you little punk," Steppenwulf grabbed him by his coat and lifted him up, "you think you're better than me?"
The Stranger in response reached around behind himself and pulled his weapon free and smashed Steppenwulf upside the head with the blunt end. The Stranger dropped from a stunned Steppenwulf and his hood fell from his head. He had a head of medium length burnt umber colored hair. His front bangs were crimson in color and parted. He landed and fixed Steppenwulf with an intense glare. Steppenwulf growled in anger as he snapped his fingers and directed his men to attack. The Stranger quickly grabbed his coat and threw it at the first approaching thug. Beneath, he wore a dark red vest with a white undershirt. He had dark grey vambraces on both arms and plates on his shoulders. He also had black jeans on with gray armor plating on his knees and shins with white shoes. Around his was was a dark brown belt with a harness sheath across the back of his waist. On the back of his vest was the depiction of a roaring white lion face with flames for it's mane.
The two other thugs pulled out mauls and ran at The Stranger from his left and right as the third, having thrown his jacket aside, came at him from the center. The Stranger raised his right arm and his left hand which held his weapon. Using his right vambrace, he deflected the maul swing aimed at his right side. With the flat of his weapon, he deflected the blow on his left meant for his head. He then pumped back the slide lever as a his was heard from his handle. The rivet on the handle turned and the handle sharply curved itself as a barrel emerged from the end of the top half of his weapon. He then pulled the trigger on the center thug. A powerful shotgun blast sent the center thug flying into a series of tables. He quickly pivoted and cocked the gun again and ducked under another maul swing, firing at the thug on the left. He then leapt back from the one on the right when he did an overhead swing and quickly blasted him several time in mid air. The blasts carried The Stranger across the Inn until he landed with the front door at his back. The thug that was blasted multiple times was smashed through a wall and into a toilet.
Steppenwulf narrowed his eyes and pulled his ax from the countertop, spinning it several times in the air until he leveled it at The Stranger. A large inhale of oxygen was heard as air was sucked into the top. Then a mechanical howl was heard as a blast of pure hardened air shot from the ax which blasted The Stranger and several chairs and tables out of the front door and onto the front street. The Stranger stood up quickly as Steppenwulf stood on the landing.
"Still wanna do this boy?" he spat out the last word with venom.
The Stranger stood up and held his weapon in front of himself. The barrel retracted as the handle straightened itself. Then a large clunk was heard as the larger rivet on the weapon sharply turned. The bottom half of the weapon descended slightly then slid forward a bit making it resemble a sort of sword. Steppenwulf yelled loudly as he rushed The Stranger and attacked. The Stranger and Steppenwulf attacked each other with great force and speed, each blow was parried, dodged, or returned. The Stranger and Steppenwulf got into a clash for a brief instant before The Stranger was kicked away. Steppenwulf grabbed a damaged table and hurled it at The Stranger. The Stranger, thinking swiftly, sliced the table cleanly in half before he pointed his weapon behind him and fired. The blast hurling him at Steppenwulf with great speed. He righted himself in mid air and struck Steppenwulf with a flurry of powerful slashes. Steppenwulf grunted with each blow, attempting to counter, but the slippery ground caused his footing to slip numerous times. The Stranger landed on the ground and shoulder checked his assailant.
Steppenwulf backed up stunned, his Aura pushed to it's limit. He looked down as the stranger had folded his weapon back into it's gun state and fired point blank at Steppenwulf's head. The blast and uneven footing sent him flying as he then smashed back into the Inn, defeated and groaning in pain. The Stranger walked back into the Inn and shook his head as he retrieved his raincoat. Jungun ran out of his hiding place and was shocked as The Stranger stood over Steppenwulf.
"Don't ever come back here again," The Stranger stated.
Jungun looked up in shock as Steppenwulf fell unconscious, "Thank you….you have no idea how much of a menace this man has been. How can I repay you?"
"I just need directions," The Stranger said.
"Where to?" Jungun asked.
"I'm going to Beacon," The Stranger said as he sheathed his weapon, "There's…," he paused but shook his head, "I'm looking to enroll."
Jungun nodded, "Well you're heading in the right direction, but it's going to be several days, maybe even a couple of weeks on foot. Just follow the north road, you'll get there. But you might wanna watch out. Grimm and all, but I don't think that'll be a problem Mister," he smacked his own forehead, "I'm sorry I forgot to ask your name."
The Stranger paused at the door, "To be honest with you….I'm not actually sure what my name is. Though the caretakers and the other kids at the Shard Home called me…..Leon."
"Well Leon," Jungun smiled, "safe travels. And I hope you find what you're looking for."
Leon pulled on his coat, "Me too."
Leon then departed the town of Fissure.