PART 1: MAIDEN VOYAGES

Transcript 1: Breaking in?

"So why should we accept you into Beacon then?"

Jasper Glass sat nervously across the huge oak desk in the interview room. This was the outcome he had feared. He had hoped to gloss over the one glaring shortcoming on his transcript, but Professor Goodwitch had picked his façade apart as neatly as a surgeon dissecting a frog from high school biology class.

Glynda Goodwitch adjusted her glasses and stared into Jasper's soul once again. "Mr Glass, I'm going to need an answer from you. We only accept the best of the best at this school, and despite your impressive academic record, your combat history leaves somewhat to be desired. Why such a significant gap?"

"I… I'm still…"

Jasper sighed. It was over anyway; he'd blown his chance. "I applied to Beacon because I thought it would be able to provide everything I needed… to go to the next level."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well… the few problems I had I thought could be solved here. Beacon has possibly the best teachers and resources in Remnant for helping students learn and gain skills in ways that I couldn't dream of at Signal. Most of my problems are caused by me focusing too much on the details."

"You're still not telling me everything. What's holding you back?"

Jasper dropped his head. "I'm… not sure how to use my skills in a fight when I can't control my semblance: It can sometimes hurt other people. I only realised what was happening near the end of combat school."

The professor nodded. "A troublesome semblance can cause all sorts of issues, but I'm surprised to hear that it was not rectified earlier." She stood and moved to the other side of the office opposite Jasper. "Show me".

Jasper stood cautiously and felt his red jacket for objects which might be used for a demonstration. Nothing. He checked the pockets in his long green trousers, but there was nothing but… his wallet! Surely there were a few old business cards or Lien he could use. Jasper pulled out a thin silver card and mopped his brow, suddenly nervous under so much pressure. He squeezed the card under the watchful eye of the professor.

Nothing happened.

"Uhh, let me try again". Again, nothing.

Professor Goodwitch frowned.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" blurted Jasper as he desperately tried to activate his semblance.

"Mr Glass, I'm beginning to doubt your sincerity. Your transcript is… unusual to say the least, and if you have tampered your details with I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Dishonesty will not be tolerated."

Jasper brought his fist down on the desk in frustration. "Please Professor, I'm just trying to…"

An enormous cracking sound filled the air and the massive desk split in two, papers, electronics and Professor Goodwitch's favourite mug sliding onto the ground in a rippling, clanging heap.

"Trying to do… that." Jasper said weakly. He was going to get it now. That desk must have been nearly a hundred years old, and he was suddenly ridiculously aware of how expensive it looked, now that it was in ruins on the floor of Professor Goodwitch's office. He turned away, not daring to look her in the eyes. "I'm sorry".

"Don't be."

"What?"

"Semblances often are associated with or unlocked during times of strong emotion. I'm glad I was able to assist".

Professor Goodwitch lifted her crop and a purple flash filled the room. The papers, desk and even her favourite mug flung themselves into the air and meshed together, reassembling in an instant. It was like nothing had ever happened.

"Now I'm still not exactly sure what you did there. The desk seemed to break far easier than I would have expected. Is your semblance strength based? Or touch based?"

Jasper shook his head. "Sort of. No, it's a bit more complicated than that. When I touch something, I can destabilise its microstructure, and so can make things fragile and easier to break. At first I thought I was just clumsy and uncoordinated, and so it took a very long time to figure out what was going on."

"I see."

Jasper looked up at the professor. "I want to come to Beacon so I can learn more about my semblance and control it. So I can become a better Huntsman… and avoid hurting anyone else."

Glynda smiled. "Well, you were right that Beacon is the place to accomplish that. If you can keep your academic results up and work hard, I'm sure the instructors here will be able to help you. They are well experienced in a wide variety of learning techniques and semblances. I'm confident you will fit in just fine."

"Thank you professor!" breathed Jasper.

Glynda Goodwitch walked over and picked up a small red seal. Three quick stamps and she handed the papers back to Jasper. "Welcome to Beacon," she said.

The word "ACCEPTED" reflected brightly in the afternoon sunlight.

Transcript 2 – Breaking Away

"Hurry up Lina, there's only half an hour before your airship leaves for Beacon!"

"Come on, I'm nearly ready and you know it. You helped pack after all."

A cleanly cut bob of light purple hair appeared over the edge of the counter. The face attached to it certainly wasn't as pleasant and bouncy, and it scowled deeply as Lina put the final few things in her already overstuffed suitcase and slammed it shut.

"Are you sure you won't need anything else?"

"I'll be fine, Dad, it's just a school. Besides, I'll have this with me." She unhooked the violet mass off her back and braced it against her shoulder as it unfolded into a powerful semi-automatic firearm.

"I really wish you wouldn't open that inside, Lina" said her mother from the other side of the room. She adjusted her pressed black accountant's uniform as she leaned into the doorway, the white and orange tip of a fox tail visible below her dress. Skye Lavender slid through the doorway and enveloped her daughter in a tight grasp, tears welling in her blue eyes. "I do still worry about you".

Lina fought to break free from her grasp and inhaled a deep breath after prying her face from her mother's shoulder. She stepped back and re-holstered her weapon.

"Well I don't know how to tell you not to worry. You know I'm not built for an office job like you or like dad."

"But what about your big sister Lisa? She's done so well for herself in the last few years"

"I don't want to sit all day and read headlines, it's the most boring thing imaginable. And do you know how many people mistake me for her, or worse, assume I must want to do the same just because it worked for her?" Lina picked up her suitcase. " I need to do things, to fight things – monsters, crime, action. I don't want to be the sister of a famous newsreader; I want to be a huntress."

Lina's dad nodded. He stepped between the two women and put his arms down around their shoulders. That's what they were now – women. One older, more experienced fox Faunus wary of life's challenges, and one younger fox, nearly full grown, ready and eager to take them head on. "She's our little Thumbelina no more, Skye. She's ready to write her own story now. Reading from the same book as everyone else doesn't always work."

Lina looked up at her dad and for the first time felt queer about her decision to move. She was going to miss how he talked, the way he always summed things up and explained them as only he could. It wasn't by accident that the patent office was named Asher Lavender & Co. As they walked out to the airship station, Lina felt unsure of what that story was or how to write it, and wondered if she had made the right choice in applying to Beacon Academy. Even after the goodbyes that followed, and the airship taking off, leaving her life behind in an ever shrinking speck, she still didn't know.

Only when the future students began crowding the windows, and Beacon Tower appeared like a pillar of hope in the distance did she know she had made the right decision. She was here to fight monsters and find adventure. No longer would her last name tie her to her sister or the family business. She was Lina Lavender, huntress in training.