Hello everyone! WaterDragonMaverick here with the next chapter of "Sideline: Another Story". Last time, Team FCSA and Team PRDT worked together to defeat the Leviathan terrorizing Port Mako. After returning to the town, they celebrated a hard-fought victory and learned more about Percival Ivory. Now with Team SLVR and Team FCSA's missions completed, we only have one more team out of Fragment Hunter to cover before they reunite for extra training between now and the Vytal Festival. In this chapter, we'll be seeing what Team SAFR gets into while they visit Garrison Academy outside of Forever Fall.
Life goes on! Anything goes!
RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth and was created by Monty Oum (R.I.P)
The only things I own are my own Original Characters featured in this story
"Well, I guess we'll be seeing each other within the week," Azalea said to the rest of Fragment Hunter as she, Sunset, and Team SLVR all waved goodbye before going on their own ways. Sunset went on to catch up with her team and Aurora Celeste, making sure that she checked on something that she was keeping in her pocket. Reaching into her jacket, she felt something crawl onto her hand and she gently pulled out her pet gecko, Phoenix. Letting the lizard nuzzle against her cheek, Sunset placed the pet back into her jacket and the two caught up with their group.
"I'm sure that you're excited to show your old school off to your friends, Sunset," Aurora remarked with a smile when Sunset began to walk beside her.
"Of course, I am," Sunset replied. "But, we still have Grimm to fight. I wonder what they are? If they're Night Crawlers, I really don't want to deal with them alone," she added with a shudder when she mentioned the centipede-like Grimm.
"I can understand an aversion toward a certain type of Grimm," Aurora remarked. "You said that your friend Azalea was afraid of Rapier Wasps and stinging insects, so Lancers and Death Stalkers would be troublesome for her."
"She also didn't like seeing the Pendra in class," Vinyl added as she briefly jumped into the conversation.
Sunset nodded before Aurora continued. "There are some cases in a person's life that they were attacked by Grimm that they could be triggered by the sight of something that reminds them of it," Aurora stated. "There was this one incident when my team and I were a few months into our first year at Beacon and we went on a mission that made us lose something." Sunset and the other girls were intrigued by what Aurora was mentioned and gave their full attention to her. "Team NOCT's leader, Noir Steele, had lost his family to a powerful Grimm called a 'Velgeroc'. We ended up encountering one on that mission and Noir went into a rage when he saw the monster. His anger ended up costing him one of his eyes when the Velgeroc slashed it out. If we weren't able to protect him, he wouldn't have survived."
"Oh my... At least you and your teammates we able to help him," Celadon said as she heard the story. "But, what's a Velgeroc?"
"It's a large bird-like Grimm similar to a Nevermore," Aurora explained. "But while a Nevermore is more like a raven or crow, a Velgeroc resembles an eagle in appearance."
"Still doesn't seem like something to take on by yourself. Not without years of experience," Rebecca remarked.
"Exactly," Aurora agreed. "Now then, as my sister would probably say, our chariot awaits," she playfully said as the five women approached their Bullhead.
Team SAFR and Aurora were watching the scenery go by as they flew over Vale in the Bullhead and began to reach the Forever Fall Forest. "You know, I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing this place," Celadon remarked as she saw the sea of red trees below. "This place is simply divine."
Aurora tittered before she watched the forest go by. "I know how you feel. The Forest of Forever Fall has always been one of my favorite places in all of Remnant. The colorful leaves give off a wonderful feeling of the natural beauty this world has," Aurora said as she admired the forest from the aerial view. As she did, the pink-haired woman heard Sunset humming something. "Sunset, what song is that?"
Sunset groaned before she responded to her teacher. "I don't know. This song's been stuck in my head ever since I read Nora's mind with my Semblance and saw her 'happy place'. It's catchy, but it's starting to get on my nerves," Sunset explained.
"Sounds like something Bianca Coloratura would sing with that catchy beat," Celadon mentioned.
"I know that! Seriously, the lyrics even sound like something she would sing," Sunset moaned. "I think, 'Oh whoa, what am I to do?'~ I didn't know that I would fall in love with you~ And what to do right now, I haven't got a clue~ I just bite my tongue and when I want to say 'I love you' I say 'Boop'~" After singing the chorus of the song that was stuck in head, Sunset screamed in annoyance. "Vinyl, you got any music I could use to get this song out of my head," Sunset asked her music-loving teammate. However, her question wasn't heard as Vinyl was listening to her music and nodded her head along to it with her eyes closed. "Thank you, Vinyl. You're a real friend," Sunset said with playful sarcasm as she rolled her eyes.
"Is that our destination," Rebecca asked as she pointed out toward something in the distance when the Bullhead finished passing by the forest.
Team SAFR and Aurora looked out at where Rebecca was pointing to and saw what looked like a castle. The castle seemed to have been repaired before as the walls were lined with iron plating while the towers were in perfect condition with regular stone. As the airship began to land, the girls all saw the castle gatehouse had removed the doors and banners depicting the emblems of Aurora and Nocturne Celeste were hanging on the entryway alongside a third banner that depicted a larger alicorn with starry wings. Stepping out of the Bullhead, the girls marveled at the sight of the castle while Aurora thanked the pilot. "Here we are," Sunset said as she smiled brightly. "Garrison Academy."
"So, this is your old school, Sunset," Celadon asked as she took in the view of the castle's courtyard. "It's amazing!"
"I can't believe that this place is a castle," Rebecca remarked. "Then again, Aurora and Nocturne did come from a family that were advisors to the last king of Vale."
"We did," Aurora said as she waved to a groundskeeper that was cutting the grass in the courtyard. "This castle was our family's home back in its prime, back before the current government of Vale was even thought of. Now, it's a historical location that I decided to change into a school in order to teach the next generations of warriors. As well as giving them a home when they have nowhere else to go to."
"Really," Celadon questioned as she looked around and saw some of Garrison Academy's students walk by. "Well, you do seem like you would be a good mother," she said to Aurora.
"Why, thank you, Celadon," Aurora replied as she and Team SAFR entered the main building. "Come along now, girls. I'll give you a tour." As the five made their way through the halls, Vinyl, Rebecca, and Celadon all saw that the interior of the castle was more similar to an actual school as lockers were seen along some walls. However, it was still a combat school and it showed as weapons and armor decorated some display cases. They could also see some paintings depicting events or figures of the Great War and other moments of Vale's history hanging on some of the walls of major locations in the school. After seeing everything at the castle, Aurora took Team SAFR to the school's dorms. "Oh, I just remembered that someone who teaches here would likely know more about where the Grimm we're tasked with defeating would be located in the forest. Why don't you girls go check out Sunset's room? I'm sure that she still has the key for it." Sunset nodded to answer her old teacher before she began speaking again. "I'll come to get you when I've gotten the information we need." With that, Aurora left to get everything ready for the mission while Team SAFR headed off for Sunset's room.
Sunset, Vinyl, Celadon, and Rebecca all made their way to Sunset's old dorm and the flame-haired girl pulled out an old key to unlock the room for the four to enter. As Team SAFR walked in the room, Sunset sighed in nostalgic content as she remembered her last few days at Garrison Academy and all the times she was in her own personal sanctuary. There were framed posters of bands on the walls, a guitar stand in the corner, a terrarium that Phoenix used to live in on top of a dresser, a few game systems across from the bed, and the window looked out to the west in order to see Forever Fall in the distance. "This is kind of what I expected from you, Sunset," Rebecca mentioned as she sat on the bed in a meditative position.
"Should I be offended by that comment," Sunset lightly mocked and got a laugh out of the ninja girl. "I wonder what I did leave behind," Sunset said as she walked over to the closet. Opening the door to it, Sunset and Celadon looked over what clothes remained. "I forgot I had this," Sunset remarked as she pulled out a second leather jacket. "This one's smaller and doesn't use Dust, though. I had it when I first got here."
"So, you've always had that style," Celadon asked.
"What can I say? I like leather," Sunset answered before throwing the jacket on the bed. "I should donate this or something," she said as Phoenix crawled out of her jacket pocket and onto her shoulder.
"What about the dresser," Celadon pointed out as she walked toward it with Vinyl joining her. "Are we going to find anything risqué," the blonde teased with a smile and laugh. Sunset only responded by rolling her eyes and crossing her arms while Vinyl opened the top drawer. "Oh, this is interesting," Celadon said as she pulled out a black halter-style bikini.
Sunset saw what Celadon had in her hand and swiftly grabbed it. "I was wondering where this went," Team SAFR's leader muttered as she carried the swimsuit over to her backpack and placed it inside. "Better take that back with me. We could probably go swimming on a break from training."
"I agree with you on that," Celadon stated. "Although, I think that you might wear it to attract a certain someone's attention," she added with a teasing giggle.
"What is that supposed to mean," Sunset questioned.
"We did see you with that Raccoon Faunus at the dance," Rebecca said.
"You kept that blue rose you had in your hair too," Vinyl mentioned.
Sunset sighed and shook her head at her teammates. "Look, I told you before that the boy I danced with was Sombra. You know, Smoke Shadow? The thief that robbed the museum and stole that sword before?"
"And we got the items back," Celadon said. "We even saw that sword back in the great hall of the castle. It was in the hands of a suit of armor."
"You know, how dangerous would that sword be if a Geist possessed the armor and turned into an Arma Gigas," Rebecca pondered aloud.
"Back to the original topic of a Raccoon Faunus phantom thief that can walk through walls," Sunset reminded in a deadpan voice, "I could tell that he was being honest about not planning anything at the dance, but he's back in Vale now. I'm sure that he's going to do something eventually and steal something else," she said in a serious tone.
"It might be your heart if that flower had anything to do with it," Celadon teased with a smirk on her face.
"Be serious, Celadon. Like a thief would want to only be after me," Sunset told her teammate.
"You never know," Vinyl remarked with a shrug of her shoulders before looking at some of Sunset's old music collection.
Sunset sighed before her gecko nuzzled against her cheek. She smiled at Phoenix and gently stroked his head before Aurora came back and entered the room. "The Grimm are focused around some old ruins in the forest, a little bit south of the school," the Huntress stated. "Make sure you're prepared for a battle, girls."
With this chapter completed and Garrison Academy visited, we're now done with the first part of Team SAFR's mission. I'm thinking that this one will have one or two more chapters before Fragment Hunter meets back up at Beacon Academy. Until then, Team SAFR is going Grimm hunting in Forever Fall and they might see something of interest in those ruins I mentioned.
I'm glad that I got this chapter done in time for my 23rd birthday. So, Happy Birthday to me!
What kind of Grimm will Team SAFR encounter in the Forest of Forever Fall? Will they be able to handle themselves? Will they meet up with somebody like Team SLVR and Team FCSA did? Stick around and find out for yourselves.
Until next time, WaterDragonMaverick signing out!