I nervously sip at the tea cupped tightly in both hands as if it was about to spill any moment as the enigmatic principal takes a seat across from me. My mind can't help but race, worried that I'd somehow failed initiation, but the fact that we're seated at a tea table in the school gardens somewhat baffles me. I just can't get a read on this guy. He pours himself a cup and takes a sip before speaking up.
"Since I'm sure you're worried about why I suddenly pulled you out of initiation like that, let me take a moment to put your mind at ease. You have most certainly not failed Miss Sylvia." He's read me too well. My mind is, as he said, at least a little more at ease.
"I was going to meet you at the ruins and simply explain everything to you there, but circumstances have led me to opt for a more… comfortable venue to speak with you. First of all there were an odd number of students who passed the entrance exam this year. The main reason I am speaking to you now Miss Sylvia, is that you were the odd student out once everyone else had paired up in the forest. What this means is that we cannot assign you to a team." I'm not quite sure how to feel about that. On one hand I don't have to deal with being placed in a team I can't stand, but on the other I'm stuck being the loner once again.
"W-What exactly… does that mean f-for me?"
"What it means is that you'll be on the reserves. You will be assigned a room in the reserve dorms, and whenever team-based assignments come up, you will have to join in with one of the other teams, or work alone depending on the circumstances. Do you understand"
"I-I think so…" I wonder why I had never heard of the reserves before? It makes sense because there's no guarantee the number of attending students will always be divisible by four.
"Unfortunately what this also means is that you won't be able to participate in the Vytal festival tournament later this year, unless you can find a spot as a replacement for another team." I just nod my head at this. It's probably for the best anyway, there's no way I could fight in front of all those people. Plus I'd crush everyone, it'd be no fun. Ozpin takes another long sip and continues."
"So, with that out of the way, there is another matter to discuss. The Grimm you dealt with right before I brought you back here." Of course.
"T-The manticore…" Ozpin raises his eyebrows at that statement. Dammit, a slip of the tongue. A first year shouldn't be familiar with that species."
I-I… travelled… a lot… b-before now…" I stammer, hoping my explanation is sufficient. Even though it isn't exactly a lie, it just isn't quite the whole truth. He doesn't look convinced, but decides not to press the issue.
"Anyway, as you may or may not be aware, myself and Professor Goodwitch keep an eye on all the students participating in initiation through unmanned drones donated to us by Atlus."… shit. I had no idea. And here I was thinking nobody was around, Ozpin was watching the whole time.
"I would like to extend my sincerest apologies. Even though you clearly had no difficulty with it, such a creature should never have been present for a first year exercise. We always send a team of experienced huntsmen and huntresses through the forest to ensure threats like that are not present before sending new students in, but this time they must have overlooked it. It is a serious oversight that should never have happened. Rest assured, the team in question will be reprimanded" Before thinking, I shake my head.
"N-No, they c-couldn't have known…" This statement earns me another raised eyebrow. Dammit Sylvia, think before you speak. Oh well, in for a penny…
"M-Manticores… are solo hunters… and they prefer s-solo targets… it would have avoided your team… t-that's why… they arrange the rocks like that… t-to create… the perfect ambush… " Ozpin looks genuinely shocked that I know all this. If he wasn't suspicious before, he definitely is now. It probably doesn't matter either way, I doubt I can keep my past a secret from him forever.
"Nevertheless, your performance against it was exemplary. Far exceeding the scores in your entrance exam. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that if we were to grade you based on your performance today, you would have set a new record for this school." He says with a hint of a sly grin on his face, before leaning back in his chair and sipping on his tea. Damn, this guy just has a way of putting you at ease when you speak to him. I'm starting to wonder if he spiked the tea with some sort of trust serum… All I can do is look down at my cup sheepishly. He places his own on the table and leans forward, looking at me with an expression somewhere between concern and seriousness.
"Look. I am proud to run a school that accepts the best of the best. And as a huntsman, it is my job to protect the people to the best of my ability. Sylvia, I have no doubt you have the potential to be one of the greatest huntresses to ever come out of this school. If there is anything I should know about you in order to help you better yourself here in beacon, I want you to know you can trust me with that information. I would also like to offer to train you personally if you'd like." That's a lot to take in all at once. It takes me a while before I speak up.
"I….. think I need more time t-to decide… I-Is that ok?.." he simply nods his head at that before he stands up and starts putting away the tea set.
"I completely understand Miss Sylvia. Take all the time you need. But please keep in mind these personal lessons are something I've only ever offered one other student. Please do not take this decision lightly." No pressure or anything.
"Oh and before I let you go, there are just a few small matters I'd like to get out of the way." He reaches into a jacket pocket and pulls out a scroll, handing it to me.
"Your application documents said you did not own a scroll, so the school will supply one for you. You'll find your room and locker numbers, and keys are already installed. I trust you can find them yourself?" I nod at this. The school isn't particularly big.
"Secondly, we will be holding the initiation ceremony this evening. It is customary to call teams one at a time to assign their respective team names and leaders. As a reserve student, you may choose whether or not to participate in proceedings. I take it you'd like to opt out?" He takes it correctly. I nod my head once again. It makes sense, I can't imagine many people relishing the idea of being called up on stage to be singled out for how much of a loner they are.
"And lastly, I meet with each teams leader once a fortnight so that I may ensure everyone's education is going smoothly. As a reserve student, I will need to meet with you too. You can find the schedule in your scroll." I nod my head a third time, before he excuses himself.
"Very well Miss Sylvie, that will be all. Please take some time to think about what I've said. If you have anything to tell me, please don't hesitate to do so." He takes the tea set and strolls back to the main building while I stay seated at the table, contemplating the conversation I just had.
First of all when he spoke to me in the forest, he didn't mention my semblance once. In fact he barely even acknowledged it. In all my years I don't think that's ever happened to me before. He never once treated me like a monster, in fact he actually sees me as an asset. Even going so far as to offer me personal tutoring.
But at the same time the man is so enigmatic. I still don't know if I can trust him yet. I can count the number of people I've told my secret to on one hand, so it's going to take a little more than a single conversation over some tea to win me over. Lost in my own thoughts I make my way towards the dorms and look for my room.
That evening I find myself standing amongst a crowd of students and proud parents here to support their kids at their team initiation. As promised, my name is not called. Ren and Nora have been partnered up with a tall blonde boy, and a fiery redhead, neither of whom I recognise. Somehow Captain Hammertime, or as I now know him "Cardin Winchester", has found himself to be the leader of his own team, despite his questionable performance in the forest. Not the only questionable choice for team leader that has been made today, because the girl in red has also been chosen as leader of a team comprised of some… intimidating… teammates, to say the least.
As the ceremony winds down and the attendees coalesce into their various friend/family groups, I wander outside the building for some fresh air and space from the crowds. I can't help but feel a little disappointed that I won't have a team, but at the same time I know it's for the best. I have my own one bedroom dorm in the reserve wing, and I know for a fact I'll need the privacy. The last thing I need is for three traumatized teenagers to watch me insert a goddamn weapon rack into my chest every morning. My mindless pondering is cut short by a familiar voice shouting from behind me.
"There you are Sylvie! I barely recognised you in that dress!" Says the girl in pink practically dragging her team along with her.
"I didn't see you at the ceremony, where were you!? I thought you'd got kicked out or something!"
"She's been like this for the past ten minutes." Ren interjects, looking just as exasperated at Nora's borderline unhealthy obsession with me as I am. I wonder if she's like this with everyone she's friends with, or if she's just latched on to me for whatever reason.
"I-I'm on the reserves…" I explain. "T-There was… one extra student this year… and I was the o-odd one out. O-Ozpin let me… sit out of the ceremony." Nora looks mortified. Apparently she isn't taking the news that I'm all alone quite as well as I have.
"Come to think of it I do remember reading that there were thirteen applicants this year." The redhead ponders.
"T-That's so sad…" Nora whimpers with an almost comically teary look in her eyes. "Well that settles it then! You're hanging out with us tonight! We were going to eat out in the city to get to know our each other, and you're coming with! I won't take no for an answer!" She's surprisingly adamant on this point, but I have no reason to refuse.
"O-Ok… I-If it's no trouble…" I turn a questioning eye on the rest of the team.
"Sounds good to me! My mom always said the more the merrier!" The upbeat blonde weighs in on the topic. Ren and the redhead simply nod their head in consent, and before I know it Nora is somehow dragging the four of us at once towards a shuttle bus parked at the pier.
Somehow I feel like I could get used to this…
So yeah, it took me a little while longer to come out with this chapter. I can't promise updates with any kind of schedule, I'm really just writing whenever I feel like it at the moment. Plus with the canon story opening up from here on out, I will need time to plan out how to organize the plot. I have a number of plot points I intend to cover over the course of volume 1 and 2, and I need to work out how to make it all fit into the existing canon. But I have some shitty cover art now, so I've got that going for me, which is nice. My drawing skills are questionable at the best of times, but I would ideally like to get some sketches done to give you guys an idea of what Sylvia and her various forms look like. (no promises, my drawing skill and motivation are both hit and miss) If any of you have a recommendation about how best to get those to you guys, feel free to tell me. At the moment a simple link to deviantart seems straightforward enough.