Charity, Rim reminded herself, she was only here because of charity. She stood by one of the large floor to ceiling windows and watched as the cityscape stretched out before her. She had to admit, she was a bit excited. Not only was she going to Beacon Academy, but this was her first time on an airship. She was thin, and dressed plainly, a long sleeved rosewood blouse, black lace gloves, and blue jeans, looking unarmed, her discreet weapons well hidden. She'd have rather worn her school uniform, but she didn't want to stick out either, and since no one else was wearing theirs yet, neither was she.
Rim leaned forward resting her head on the cool glass, they were passing over her old haunt. She closed her eyes and recalled cold, rainy nights, perpetual hunger gnawing at her belly, and, she shivered, the roaches. As unpleasant a memory as it was it served a multitude of purposes. Firstly it made her grateful for the life she had now, and the life she had escaped from during her time on the streets. Secondly it gave her determination, and a will power to prove herself, and lastly, yes, it did make her doubtful, just a little bit, ok, a lot.
She hadn't gotten to Beacon through money, or an old name, or even a vast amount of skill, but rather through a charitable program, one that took homeless, abused, or under privileged youths and gave them a chance for a better future. Rim with one checkmark in each category must have been like hitting the jackpot. So it was a bit understandable that she was awash with complex and conflictive emotions. She closed her eyes and tried to remember exactly how she had gotten there.
The weapon wasn't her own. Rim didn't have the funds to create her own tool, a reflection of herself, so she was forced to use the beaten and well worn rifle/sword the school had to offer. She managed to keep her only uniform clean despite her living conditions, but her unhealthy weight and almost persistent cough had a few of the teachers talking. "Are you ready?" the instructor had asked from beside the cage. Rim nodded and the boarbatusk was released from holding.
The creature barreled down onto her as she took aim through the crosshairs. She fired and the shot went wide, Rim's ears burned as those watching murmured. Her heart sank, but she still easily avoided the animal's business end spinning away before firing again. The beast was ready, deflecting the shot off of the boney plates along it's shoulders. Rim grunted with frustration as she fumbled, changing the weapon into it's sword form. It jammed, halfway through, boarbatusk bearing down on her and it jammed. She struggled for a moment more to no avail, the beast was upon her she leaped, smacking the beast with the hilt as she went over it. She landed nimbly, the boarbatusk snorted preparing another charge.
Running to meet it as it rushed her, Rim slid on the ground going between the monster's front legs thrusting upwards, into the unprotected belly with the half exposed sword blade. The boarbatusk died, Rim shoving away it's remains. The girl had done poorly on the exam, failure to activate aura with onset of battle, inability to properly change weapon, no clear battle stratagem, her grade book read, and yet the following day she was approached for the Defenders of Tomorrow program. They had offered her a chance at education, a future, living expenses, and even the ability to create her own weapons. She would have had to have been insane to decline.
Rim sighed moving away from the window, she loved her new home, it was a small, one bedroom, and it was paid for by the foundation, but it was hers, and it was safe. She was almost sad to be leaving it but it was nice to know there would be somewhere for her to go on breaks and holidays. She ambled idly about the airship for a few minutes, feeling less than assured after eyeing some of the other student's weapons. Fighting fans, what had she been thinking when she designed fighting fans? They were small, easily concealed up her sleeves, and totally silly looking when she actually stopped to think about it.
"It isn't a matter of appearance, or versatility," she recalled one of her former professors having said. "But a matter of function and compatibility with the weapon's wielder."
Rim and her fans were compatible, though, she thought. She was quick, nimble, always dancing and spinning away, a real ballerina of the battlefield. Not to mention they made it easier for her to channel her aura.
Using them always made her a bit rueful though, her graceful nature was something her father had always liked, commenting on her strong swan like appearance constantly. She didn't like thinking about him though, or her mother for that matter. Instead she forced herself to look ahead towards the future which had never seemed brighter.
The girl shook her head loose of unwanted thought and memory of the family she had left behind as she walked, pausing only a moment when she accidentally knocked into someone. "I am so, so sorry!" she apologized to the girl with long red hair, Rim's cheeks flushed when she realized that it was Pyrrha Nikos, the girl from all the cereal boxes.
"It's ok, my fault!" Pyrrha said in a friendly manner before continuing the way she had been headed in the first place.
Rim chewed at the nail on her thumb. She didn't realize she would be attending with Pyrrha Nikos, what hope did she have compared to skill like that? Did Pyyrha really the schooling anyway? She wondered then. As Beacon Academy came into sight however, much if not quite all of her fears and doubts subsided. It was far more grand and beautiful than she thought it ever could be. Rim rushed to the nearest window a broad smile spreading across her face. Oh yes, the future was bright indeed.