Chapter 3


It was in the afternoon that Chrys found herself showering after the previous training session. Thank goodness she had spare clothes, because if she didn't then she'll need to improvise for the initiation.

The warm water was nothing but pleasant washing her sore muscles. She'd taken a few hits from Qrow, and this was relieving the stress somewhat.

Three minutes later, she dried herself, changed to her spare clothes, and got out of the bathroom.

Qrow and dad were waiting at the dining room, eating dinner and conversing with each other. She walked up to them and took a seat at the edge of the table.

Dinner was pretty underwhelming if one would say, some cheap store bought spaghetti with homemade sauce. Her family was undoubtedly poor, but dad's job was enough for them to get by. Most of the budget was going to her prosthetics, and she couldn't quite displace the guilt she feels for burdening her father.

Hell, the new model she was wearing cost about almost half the price of their house.

She could still remember the time she in the hospital bed, the smell of roses, her dad sleeping in a chair beside her. She could still feel the pain or lack thereof. Her limbs were amputated due to tissue and nerve damage. Honestly she was lucky she survived that much, and doctors even said she unlocked her aura, though when or how no one knows.

"Hey kid, you okay?" Qrow asked, a tint of worry in his voice. "You haven't talked since we'd finished training."

"Yea, it's not like you to be like that. Qrow what did you do when I was gone." Her dad glared at Qrow.

"Easy there, I didn't do anything to your kid."

"It's okay dad, I was just thinking about something is all." She said.

"Then let's talk about it," He advised, "Clearly whatever's on your mind should be let go before you leave."

Her eyes flicked to Qrow, and he seems to get the message as he sat up.

"Fine, you can have your little private daddy-daughter talk, I'll be at a bar." He left the house.

"Alright, talk." She bit her lip.

"Dad, when-if I pass the initiation, will you be okay?" She finally said.

"Of course Chrys, your old man may not be a Hunter like your mom, but I know a few moves." He declared while also flexing his muscles.

"No dad that's not what I meant." She now felt uncomfortable.

"What do you mean, Chrys?" He asked.

"Will you be okay alone?"

His smile faltered, "Chrys, of course I'll be okay… I can take care of myself, I'm more worried about you." He placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "I know you can make friends there and I'm sure you'll do great as a Hunter-in-training. But promise me, you wouldn't go back to what you were. Just be yourself and I'll keep cheering you on, even if I'm not there with you."

The two of them sat there in silence for a moment. Before Chrys spoke first;

"Okay dad, I promise." She smiled and put away his hand before standing up, "Let's go visit mom before I go."


Two in the afternoon, Chrys and her dad were at the cemetery. The town was for the most part safe, not a lot of deaths happen. So the cemetery was mostly filled with seniors or empty space. And Hunters don't come to places such as this cause they don't need protection. In a year, only three or four grimm attacks are reported and most of them were pretty much harmless.

Stood in front of them was her mom's gravestone. It kindly reads;

Here lies

Amyelia Lyum

"Take care of my husband and daughter when I'm gone."

On the gravestone were bouquets and letters from relatives and friends. Some Freesias and Stock, but most of them were white lilies.

The letters mostly came from Mountain Glenn, giving respect and honor for the deceased woman.

The father and the daughter knelt in silent prayer. The air was quiet and airy, sounds from the occasional visitor passing by to meet their loved ones also.

Chrys didn't have much memories with her mom due to her being a Hunter and all. But whenever she did visit, she would always play with her and spend time with.

She sighed longingly at the memories. She got up and went to leave but before her dad called out.

"where are you going, Chrys?" He said.

She gave a sideways glance and spoke, "Visiting a friend." She then left.


It took longer than usual to reach their grave, but when she arrived, someone was already there.

"It's good to see you again, Chrys." The raven haired woman spoke from the bench she sat on. Her amber eyes locked onto silver, reflecting a lot more light than usual.

"It's good to see you too, Ms. Fall." She stated.

"Please, no need for formalities. Just call me Cinder." She cooed, "Sit down, I don't want you to overload those legs again." She patted the spot next to her.

"Cinder, my dad bought me new ones!" As she sat down, she raised one of her legs, "Their sturdier, stronger, and more efficient than the last one." She said pridefully.

She chuckled, "How's your day going? You must be quite excited today." She stared expectantly.

"Uh-huh, I can't wait to make new friends! Fight baddies and save people! I can make a difference."

"What difference would you want to make?" She asked meaningfully.

"That I could convince the world to be at peace!" She exclaimed.

Cinder recoiled at those words, "Chrys, that's a… bold dream…." She muttered.

"Yes, and I'll work hard till I reach that dream! I'll never give up." She said.

"Chrys, you can't make millions of people do what you want, they don't work like that, people have their reasons for being violent." She admonished.

"Then I'll try… I'll make an effort, it might not be perfect, but I can try to make it work." She retorted, "I don't want to be like I was before, I don't want to fail people like him. If I cared, then I could've... saved him, if I ran faster… then… I…."

"Hush, don't be like that, Chrys."

She continued, "Don't blame yourself for something you had no control over. Adrian wouldn't want to see you like this, he'd still be thankful."

"He wouldn't forgive me…."

"He would. As his mother I know he would forgive you. Your his friend after all." She reassured her.

Chrys stared at her with watery silver eyes, Cinder ran a thumb on the girl's cheek to rid the tears away.

"Now now, you're a Hunter now. You mustn't cry. What would they think of you if they saw you like this?" She warned.

She shook the teardrops off and sighed heavily.

"Thank you Cinder, I-" Her scroll vibrated rapidly.

"Oh, It's about to start. I better get going, your staying here aren't you?" She stood up.

"Yes, I still want to stay here. Go along now." She smiled encouragingly at the girl.

"Try to keep your promise, okay?" Cinder asked.

"I will." And with that she took off.

As she went off the distance, Cinder's smile faded.


It was nearing 6 o'clock when she arrived at the train station, the place was flooded with more people than normal. Dragging a brown leather luggage behind her filled with clothes, combat equipment, and survival kits.

Her dad drove to the train station in somewhat of a hurry, Station Delta was actually in a different town far to the north-east from home. Although there wasn't any traffic considering they're in the countryside of Vale, the distance, plus the fact they should've arrived five minutes ago was quite worrying.

They were utterly, completely lost.

"Passengers of train 2B, the train is leaving in ten minutes. Passengers of train 2B, the train is leaving in ten minutes."

"Where's lane 2?!"

"Why is this place so huge?!"

"Ten minutes!?"

"Where's the map for this place?!"

Unfortunately, neither dad or Chrys had ever went to a train station.

"Hey, are you two lost?"

The pair turned their heads to the direction of the voice. A girl with red glasses, hair of white with red tips, and wearing a huge red blanket scarf covering half her torso called out to them.

Chrys rubbed the back of her neck shyly, "Uhm… yea, you could say that… do you know where to go?" She hoped.

"I'm kinda in the same boat as you, sorry." Hope shattered. "Buuuuut, I did see some people piling up over there." She pointed a thumb over her shoulder.

Behind her was indeed a crowd huddled at the side of a train labeled 2B.

"Huh, why didn't we see that before?" Her dad asked.

"I don't know but come on let's go." She said.

"The name's Chrys by the way." She extended her hand.

"Dahlia." The other girl shook her hand.

"Alfred." He stated between their handshake.

Dahlia raised an eyebrow, Chrys just sighed.

"He's my dad." She clarified.

"Yeah that's me." He grinned.

"Dad," She hugged him, "I'll be off now. Wish me luck."

"Remember Chrys, I'll be cheering you on every step of the way." In the background, onlookers including Dahlia awed and cooed at the display.

They separated from the hug and smiled.

"Bye"


Inside the train, students pass by each other and made their way to the sleeper class.

"So, where did you live?" Chrys asked.

"Eh, my family didn't exactly stay in one place. We're nomads by heart." She said pridefully.

"Nomads?"

"Travellers." She simplified.

Chrys made an 'ah' sound of understanding, "But why travel? Why not make a home?"

She shrugged, "Cause it's just how our family works. We're also called Frontiersmen, we take up jobs at the edges of Vale, mostly on villages who can't afford to hire Hunters."

"Ooh, what kind of jobs do you take?" She asked curiously.

"Grimm hunting and security mostly." She wanted to say more, but was cut off by a loud sound coming from the next compartment.

"W-what was that?" Chrys stammered.

The opened the door only to see a cat faunus brunette with feline brown eyes kneeling on top of a boy, face planted to the floor and hand on his back.

"What the hell do you think you're doing faunus?!" The boy slurred.

"You were going to grab my tail and yanked it didn't you?" The faunus accused.

"I haven't even moved yet!"

"So you admit that you wanted to!"

"Hey hey, what's going on here?" Dahlia said in a disarming voice. But before she could get a response, Chrys spoke up.

"She said-"

"Not now Chrys."

"Shutting up now." She made a zipping gesture on her mouth for good measure.

Dahlia's attention was now back to the two teenagers, who are now standing up and glaring daggers at each other.

"This crazy cat lady attacked me!" He accused.

"Shut it. He's lying." She retorted, "He tried to harass me in public."

"Alright, I don't know who actually started this, but you can finish this little quarrel after we get to Mountain Glenn." She took on a commanding voice, "I do not want you to start making a ruckus in the train. Got it?"

The faunus and the boy continued to glare, but backed off.

"Freak." He insulted.

"Human." She responded in kind with venom stronger than a King Taijitu.

They both left in opposite directions.

"How did you do that?" Chrys piped up from the leftover silence.

"I've had my fair share of experience with this kind of stuff." She shrugged.

"But still, why didn't you just pick her side?" She said.

"It's better being the neutral figure, let them resolve it themselves."

"And how?

"By fighting, duh." She said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"... Nevermind…" She sighed.

"Oh, I think this is your room." She suddenly said, prompting Chrys to look at the side.

"Huh, it is…."

"Well, catch ya later, buddy." She made finger guns as she walked backwards to the next compartment.

"See ya." She then knocked on the door and turned the knob.

The room was spaciously wide and homey. With wooden floorboards and viridian curtains. Also in the room were cupboards, a table, and two beds in which one was already occupied by a grey haired girl who was now staring at her with her golden eyes.

"Um… hello…" The girl is seen reading a book of some sorts, probably a novel judging by its thickness. She was also already in her nightdress.

"Hi." Chrys greeted. She moved to the unoccupied bed and set her other bag she was carrying.

"Oh gods I'm tired…" She lied down her comfy bed, but before she could drift off to la la land, she went to the bathroom to change.

She came out a moment later wearing a dark green tank top and black shorts. Her prosthetics was now more visible than ever, The grey haired girl raised an eyebrow.

"What-" She cut herself off, eyes widening as Chrys took off her fake legs.

"Woah!" She flinched further into her bed when Chrys pulled her left arm off and pointed it at her.

"And before you ask, they're not real." She smirked.

"I-I've never seen prosthetics up close before, they look sophisticated. What brand is that?" The girl asked.

"Polendina Group, A-Model." She said delightedly.

"Hey, I haven't asked for your name yet." Chrys said.

"Oh…" The girl seemed to hesitate, looking unsure. Chrys sat expectantly waiting for a name. Eventually she caved in. "Eadstan. Call me Eadstan."

"Well Eadstan, I'm Chrys. And I'd love to chat but right now, I'm tired. So how about we sleep? We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." She moved to tap the light switch.

She pulled her blanket up. "Nighty night, Eadstan."

Eadstan smiled, "Goodnight."


11.07.2019