Today was the first day of school… and Captain Durante was busy on errands. However, it was not simple errands such as helping with the situation in the Atrium. Instead, the officer found himself working in Doctor Oobleck's class. Unlike Professor Port and Professor Goodwitch, the man forced him to run back and forth to the library with textbooks. It was not the books, but the number of books he was told to acquire.
When the officer arrived at Oobleck's room, he pushed the cart of books through the doorway and presented them to the doctor. "Doc, here are the books you were asking for. Is that it?" As he continued over to the man, the doctor was busy looking at his 'scroll' before he raised his head and noticed his arrival.
After placing his strange device onto his desk that he was leaning on, the doctor stepped forward and inspected the books. "Thank you, sir." He replied as he took the top book amongst the pile, only to skim through the pages. "Yes, these are the books I am looking for. No need to worry about going to the library anymore since I'm going to be handing these out to our future huntsmen and huntresses."
"Well, it's good to help you out." The captain said. "What are these books about?"
Oobleck snapped the book shut. "They're about the history of Remnant, but since these students have been busy in combat schools they need to learn about the life outside of being a hunter. It's necessary to learn about the actions of the past leaders who made decisions that changed the world or made it worse."
"In other words, you're teaching the kids to pay attention and try not to repeat the mistakes of the past. I can understand that. It's one good way to keep their mind open about the world."
"Yes." After returning the book back to the neatly stacked pile of books on the cart, he looked to the officer. "Mr. Durante, I am rather curious about you. Would you mind if I ask any questions?"
Surprised by this sudden question, the officer expressed his confusion, but he decided to hear him out. "Tell me, captain, what is life like in this world of yours?"
"My world? Compared to Remnant, it's quite mundane."
"Really? I thought your world be interesting. Do you have anything to tell me?" Oobleck questioned. "There must be something you can talk about."
Monte slipped his hands into his pockets as he began. "My world is in the middle of a world war. As for me, I've been busy trying to keep going… before I ended up here."
"Intriguing." The doctor replied. "What were you before you were in the military? If it's personnel, you don't have tell me all of it."
"Before the military I would have been in officer's school getting my commission, but I do have something."
"Do tell." He grabbed his coffee and sipped its contents. "I could learn more about your outside world if there is a chance to seeing it with my own very eyes."
The officer scoffed at the thought. "Probably the first thing to point out is that we don't have any of these Grimm you people have here."
Oobleck's hand reached over to his own chin. "Now that is intriguing. If there are no Grimm, then you and your fellow man have discovered the rest of the world by now."
"Yes sir. Hell, we've even built canals to save the shipping time from getting one part of the world to the other without taking a long detour around a continent."
"No Grimm in your world, but that would mean there would be places for people to go and live without the fear of malicious creatures trying to kill off the rest of humanity and the faunus."
The captain's ears perked up at the last word. "Doc, what's a faunus?" He asked.
The professor turned his full attention towards the officer. "You don't know what a faunus is."
He shook his head.
"Do you have faunus in your world?"
"That's why I am asking you."
Oobleck's expression changed from an ecstatic to serious. "Now that is a problem. If you don't have any faunus in your world the first contact with people from your world and the faunus would perhaps be… violent."
Curious about the doctor's thoughts, Monte took a slow step towards him. "Sir, mind telling me?"
"You see, Captain Durante, here-on Remnant-there are people who have certain animal features, but behave just like me and you. Those people are the faunus." He explained. "Over the history of Remnant, no one knows how the faunus came to be, only that they existed around the same time humanity was brought to Remnant. As for their time with humanity, history was not kind to them."
"Huh, I can see why you would be concerned and I think you have the right to be concerned."
"Do you have a reason why you would say that?"
"Yes. In my world, some of us are fighting for our right to exist as people."
"I don't see what point you are trying to make." He said.
Monte lowered his head. He would have to explain a bit of his world to the professor. "The krauts, particularly the Nazis, have a thing for hating people who don't have German blood or don't have any 'Aryan' features. If the faunus were to find themselves in a room with those guys, he'd go on a rant about how inferior the faunus are."
"I see, but I am also curious. What are your thoughts if you were in a room with a faunus? Since you are not from Remnant, I want to know about your feelings about the matter."
"Forgive me for my colorful response, but I have seen enough bullshit between people that I decided not to care as long as they are not an asshole. Besides, if they speak the same tongue, I'll be fine with them."
The Oobleck's eyes lit up. "Hold on, did you say something about speaking the same tongue?"
The sudden transition in the doctor's expression caught Monte by surprise. "Yeah… what about it?"
"In your world, do you have people who speak different languages?" He questioned.
"Yes. Is that important?"
"Is that important?" He repeated the officer. "Why of course it does? I have studied the history of man and faunus on Remnant and I've learned about different dialects, but languages. My good sir, this is something new for research and study. There was a theory that people spoke in a different language, but no one would have ever thought that someone would have said anything other than what I am saying."
"Before you go too far with it, I would suggest you put some common sense into your head. There is no way to get into my world so don't be so hopeful about it."
"Apologies, the thought of another world with a different language makes me think of the possibilities. Perhaps I should stop. After all, you have more reason to go back there than I."
The man was enthusiastic about his world, but he couldn't blame him. "I should get back to work. We've been having this conversation a bit too long."
A strange buzzing sound rumbled in the doctor's pockets, demanding his attention. After pulling out his scroll, Doctor Oobleck pressed the screen near his face and spoke. "Doctor Oobleck, here. What is it?"
Monte recognized the voice calling. "Goodwitch, here. I need Mr. Durante in the Atrium to keep the kids busy while I rearrange some tables for a moment."
"Of course, I'll send him right away." After removing his scroll from his face, the doctor glanced over to him. "Mr. Durante, I believe you know the way."
"It's the room with the open dome. I know where that place is." The officer replied as he turned away from the doctor. "I hope we can have a conversation like that again. It was very enlightening."
