On the other side of Vale sat a young dark haired girl. In a well lit and furnished room, she sat cleaning the gunk from her well used weapon. Her dagger and chain spear combo was cleaned daily to avoid mishaps during battle. The well kept and tidy girl kept her room the same way. Clean and spotless. Some may even say perfect. Not a speck of dirt or dust. Any other seventeen year old might keep their room a mess, but not this one. Her mind wandered and drifted as she hummed and cleaned. This girl would be going to Beacon Academy soon. A place where only the best trainees are allowed. A place where legendary fighters are made, well, at least that's what she's told. Her parents have pushed her into going, but not having the guts to tell them no, she accepts anyway. Those feelings kept in her stomach with no way to push them out. The feeling of not being as good as everyone else. The feeling of lacking in areas most would strive. The feeling of failure. It sat in her with no room to grow. A long sigh pushed through her lips.
Just as the sigh left her lips, she saw a figure standing in her doorway. The strong figure of a man with a large smile on his face, watching her.
"Cleaning again, Estelle?" The man walked in and patted the girl on the shoulder. The man matched the girl in some ways. A short stubby nose and a noticeable curl to the lips. It was undeniable that they were father and daughter. "It's good to have hobbies." He nodded. "I was just like you at that age. Unwavering in my duties." He continued. "That was until I met your mother. That firecracker set something off in me." He trailed off as he sat down next to her. "Are you ready, Estelle? Beacon is a serious step."
The girl looked down at her weapon and then back at her father. That look of pride and determination in his face only made those feelings throw. She felt trapped, like the only answer to the question was a nod. "As ready as I'll ever be." She replied with a smile and a small nod, trying her best to make it sound convincing. "I'm sure everything will go well." She followed up.
"If you say it like that, it'll be harder for me to let you go!" He joked and laughed. "Your mom and I believe in you. No matter what you do, we have pride in you." He wanted to reassure her. Giving her a kiss on the forehead he wished her goodnight, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him. She sat there for a moment, not moving, just thinking about what her father would think if she failed at Beacon. Would her parents treat her the same? Another worrying feeling. She decided to take a breath of fresh air. Exiting to her rooftop through her window, she sat watching the empty streets of Vale. Just days away from her entering the one of the top academies in Remnant, would she feel ready to take the next step?