It was a new year for the Huntsman training school of Beacon Academy. A transport carrying new students was currently on its way to the Academy; Julius among them. Not being the one to attract much attention, he sat at one of the benches in the back, strumming a few chords on an electric guitar he brought with him, unplugged of course. Unknown to him, his music did not go completely unheard as he was watched by a girl with fair skin and white hair tied back in a long ponytail. Hearing someone gagging, Julius looked over to see a blonde haired boy wearing armor over a hoodie leaning on one of the railings, his face very green.
"You okay there, pal?" Julius asked.
"I'm good," the boy asked, "Just a bit motion sick, that's all."
A BIT motion sick? Julius thought, but before he could say anything, he heard a girl's voice say: "This is the best day ever!"
Looking to the front of him, he saw a tall blonde girl tightly hugging a younger girl in a black combat skirt and red cape. He narrowed his eyes in recognition of the two; yes, he knew who they were. Raven had told him the older one would be there, but she had told him not to mention Raven's existence to her, Raven planned to do it in her own time. However, Julius was not expecting the younger one to show up. His memories of the two were very vague, but he remembered well enough to recognize them, and kept a mental note to keep an eye on them during his time at Beacon.
Just then, a hologram appeared on the ship, revealing a woman with golden hair and black glasses. She introduced herself as Glynda Goodwitch, one of the professors at Beacon. She basically gave an overview, welcoming the students to Beacon, summarizing what their experience will be like, etc.; Julius didn't really bother to memorize most of it. Once she had finished, the hologram dissipated as the Academy came into view. Slinging his guitar over his shoulder, Julius walked up to the window, marveling at how amazing Beacon was in real life. It was pretty hard to imagine that someone as rugged as his aunt and mentor, Raven, could have trained at a place as majestic as Beacon.
A few minutes later, the ship landed and all the other students began disembarking from the ship. Following them, Julius pointed the boy in the armor from earlier to a nearby trash can, which the boy ran over and promptly threw up in. Rolling his eyes in amusement, Julius continued walking through the campus and observing everything. As he looked around, he was amazed at how diverse the students were; not just the fact that there both humans and faunus alike, but their outfits, their weapons, almost everything about them remarkably unique. Then, he noticed something else; as he walked through, he noticed some of the other students were looking at him and whispering among themselves, pointing to his robotic arm and eye; apparently most students didn't suffer the wounds he did before coming here. Then again, he was sure that no one had ever experienced the pain that he went through. He tried to take his mind off of what they were saying when suddenly, his eyes fell on a VERY familiar person: a red haired girl in what looked like some kind of spartan warrior armor. A shield and a spear were holstered on her back. Julius lit up; this was a face he knew all too well. Walking up a bit behind her, he said: "Well, well, well; if it isn't my old rival." loud enough for her to hear.
Stopping in her tracks, the girl turned around to face Julius, and recognized him almost as fast as he recognized her.
"Oh my goodness!" she said, "I never thought I'd see you here, of all places."
"Well, I have my ways," Julius replied walking up to her, "It's good to see you, Pyrrha."
"Likewise, Julius." Pyrrha said as the two shook hands.
"So, What've you been doing?" Julius asked.
"Oh, not much." Pyrrha replied, "I was just on my way to the main hall actually. Professor Ozpin is supposed to give a welcome speech there in a few moments. Care to join me?"
Julius shrugged: "Eh, sure. Why not?" and the two walked towards the building. Noticing something out of the corner of his eye as he walked, he turned to see a black haired girl in a sleek, black and white outfit with what seemed like a bow on her head; only Julius knew full well that wasn't just a bow. He didn't know her name, but he had fought her before along with a red haired boy with horns; the girl was a White Fang sympathizer. The strange part was is that he swore he had met her a long time before that, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Snapping his head back around before she noticed him, he whispered to Pyrrha: "We should probably hurry."
"What's wrong?" Pyrrha asked. Julius subtly pointed to the girl near to them. Pyrrha looked back and asked, "You know her?"
"Yes and no. We may or may not have been at opposite sides at one point. It's complicated." Julius replied.
"Oh, I see," Pyrrha said, "Well, we're almost there. There's no need to rush if she hasn't seen you yet."
"Yeah, well I want to keep it that way. For now, at least."
Pyrrha simply chuckled to herself as the two continued on. Soon they made it into the main hall with all the other students. As Pyrrha and Julius found an empty spot to stand in, Professor Ozpin appeared to begin his speech. As Julius listened, he realized that Ozpin spoke differently than most other people he had met. He spoke with a gentle tone that not only inspired, but also sounding as if he had almost innumerable years of wisdom behind his words. Julius almost fried his brain trying to figure out how Raven put up with a guy like Ozpin. Once Ozpin had finished speaking to the students, he told them that they would be sleeping in the main all that night; initiation began tomorrow, then he dismissed the students.
"Well, he seems…interesting." Julius said afterwards.
"I've heard he's very wise." Pyrrha said.
"He does, but there's something mysterious about him. I can't quite put my finger on it."
"Maybe, but let's not worry about it right now. For right now, let's just…"
"Excuse me." Said a voice behind them. Julius and Pyhhra turned to see Professor Ozpin standing nearby, facing them.
"I don't mean to interrupt, but may I speak with you for a moment?" he asked Julius.
Julius, not really seeing any other option, nodded, then said to Pyrrha: "I'll see you in the main hall."
Pyrrha nodded and turned to leave, while Julius walked up to Ozpin.
"Yes?" Julius said, "I promise I was talking all good things about you."
"I know." Ozpin said, then gestured for Julius to follow him, "There's something I would like to speak with you about, but let's do it somewhere more private."
Ozpin led Julius outside to the courtyard. Not many students were there as the sun was beginning to go down and many of the new students were filing into the main hall.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Julius asked.
"A few things," Ozpin said, "To start, where did you get your sword?"
"It's complicated," Julius said, "Basically, I found it at a huntsman's tomb. I was planning on leaving it alone, but it kept calling to me, so I took it."
"I see. Secondly, I have never had a student come in with evidence of wounds as severe as yours."
"A Sabyr tried to kill me when I was young, I don't remember much else." Julius said, though that particular day was extremely vivid in his memory; he decided against telling Ozpin more than that until he could further trust the professor.
"How did you survive?"
"I was saved by my aunt, Raven Brawnwen. She said she had told you about me coming here."
"You're Julius?"
Julius nodded.
"If I may ask," Ozpin said, "What is your last name? If you are Raven's nephew, than your family has gone through quite a few last names."
"I don't really know. I haven't picked one."
"You may need to soon," Ozpin advised, "One's name is part of their identity. You aren't quite complete without it."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Julius said.
"Well, I shouldn't be keeping you for much longer," Ozpin said, "You may go to the hall with the other students and get some rest. You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."
"Thank you, professor." Julius said, then he ran off towards the hall. As Ozpin watched him leave, he had the feeling that Julius was something far different than other students he had met, and that he may have to keep a closer eye on him.
Inside, Julius was instructed to place his weapons in a locker before being shown into the main hall. In the main hall, he made his way around other students in their sleeping bags, though some others were still mingling about in their pajamas. Seeing him, Pyrrha waved him over and showed him to an empty spot for his own sleeping bag.
"It was the only spot I could save for you," she said.
"Thanks," Julius said, smiling at Pyrrha. Then, setting out his sleeping bag, he took out a small sketchbook and began drawing in it.
"What are you drawing?" Pyrrha asked.
"Anytime something really nice happens that I want to remember," Julius explained, "I put it down in this sketchbook. You know, keepsake stuff."
"Very interesting." Pyrrha said, "What are you drawing right now?"
"Just the inside of the main hall here. First day of Beacon."
"Very nice," Pyrrha chuckled, "Well, good night." She said, laying down.
"Good night." Julius responded. Little did he know that the black haired girl from before had been sitting near the other end of the room reading a book when she spotted him. As she watched him draw, she figured that he might be someone she could get along with, though something told her she had met him before. About a half hour later, Julius finished his drawing, put the sketchbook away, laid down on his own sleeping bag, and then closed his own eyes. He was going to need all the rest and strength he could get for tomorrow; initiation day.