"W-wait! Yang! Dad! Come back!" I stared at the shadows of the only two people I had cared about as they walked away and left me alone in the forest. The forms were laughing as they retreated away. Before my entire world went black.
*
I sat bolt upright. Panicking from the nightmare I had just had. "Ugh. I haven't thought about that night in almost 12 years." I stood up from my bed and looked around the small home I shared with my adopted mom. After a quick look around I noted it was still the middle of the night.
"Why would that come back to me now?" The night my family left me in the forest. My sister Yang and I were just kids at the time. I was five, my sister was seven. I think. Surviving was hard. But I met someone that helped. "Well. No time like the present to start the entrance paperwork. I mean, it is due tomorrow."
It only took a few steps for me to reach the other side of my room. Sitting down I looked at my desk and took stock of what was there. I had some loose papers and a laptop. The laptop was decorated with some small flowers and a few roses. A call back to my old name. Then a picture of a small autumn leaf to remind me of my new one. "Fall. I remember when I was adopted. 'Ruby Rose is no more!' She had said. Now I'm Ember Fall."
I smiled looking into a small mirror on my desk. I saw the small scar across my cheek. It had been there since the night my mom found me. I brushed my orange tipped black hair back a bit to get a better look at it. My eyes scanned my face making sure nothing was wrong with it. Then I looked into my own eyes. A strong silver looking back at me, or at least they used to be. Ever since that first night in the forest they had faded into a dark steel.
That's when I noticed my hands were still shaking. "M-maybe I should get some water. That might help me calm down." I stood up and crossed the room to open the door and step outside into the hallway. I took a left turn and headed downstairs. "I wonder if mom is home yet." After I got down stairs I used the tap to fill a cup up with some water and peaked out the window into the driveway. The sky just lightened up enough for me to see a black car.
"Must be fairly early in the morning." I looked into the joint living room and noticed my mom coming in the house. She looked at me and at first smiled, then realized what time it was and hit me with one of her legendary scowles.
"Ember Fall. What are you doing up this late little miss?" She said as she crossed into the kitchen. She looked upset at first then once she saw my face the anger must have melted away or something cause she started smiling again. "Did something happen?" My adoptive mom Cinder Fall asked.
"Umm. Yeah… I had the nightmare again." I answered evenly. "I haven't had it for a long time but I think since I'm entering Beacon soon it came back."
"Oh sweetie." She said, then leaned forward and put me into a hug, holding me tightly in her arms. "I'm sorry you went through that. However, I did look into the hunter school a bit. Turns out your Ex-Sister will indeed be attending. But, ever since I turned away from crime when I found you I've had a rather… odd relationship with Ozpin and he assured me you won't be partnered with her."
"Well that's a relief. I won't be her partner. But I might be on her team. But don't worry if that happens I'll figure something out." She smiled as she looked into her mom's eyes. "I love you mom. No matter the circumstances we met. I love you, I just hope my anger doesn't keep me from making some friends. Even though I'm not what I used to be."
"That's a relief. Now, I know you didn't forget the paperwork right?" She said with emphasis on the right. I opened my mouth to respond but she cut me off. "Ember. I'm your mother, I know you forgot. You have ten minutes to get it done. Now." She said sternly and I scurried back up to my room.
I halted for a second. "Hey, can you make breakfast? I only have to hit send on the form." Then I rushed into my room and did exactly that. Before looking around my room, deciding that I should probably get changed for the day.
I ended up deciding on a simple black dress with an orange hem. And on the back was a symbol with a black rose covered in orange flames. It's my favorite casual dress. It was bought specifically to wear around the house.
I rushed back downstairs and saw my mother sitting at the table and saw two bowls of cereal on the table, and a newspaper in her hand. "Hey mom, remind me of something. Why am I allowed early entry into Beacon again? I never fully understood that."
"Well for one since you graduated from your old school in mistral so fast, they didn't want you to have too much downtime. And since you almost single handedly saved a shopkeeper from 12 Beowolves, maybe that's why?" She said, doing her best to dumb it down. I may be book smart but beyond all that, well, I am fifteen.
"And why do I have to be a Huntress again? What if I don't want to do that anymore?" I asked. I definitely still wanted to do it but wanted to know what she thought.
"Well for one we both know you don't want to stop. And for two, I'm your mother Ember. I would still support you." She smiled sweetly. "I mean, after all, you're my little fall."
After a few weeks and some weird phone calls later Ember was standing at the launch platforms, her sword on her hip and some spare dust blade in her bag as well as the spare ones in the sheath for the blade itself. Her suitcase next to her as well. And of course, her over protective mother behind her.
Her current outfit consisted of a black cloak with an oversized hood, a black blouse with orange accents, as well as a black and orange combat skirt. She wore a black corset adorned with orange and grey laces, her new logo on her back. She wore black leggings with some tints of orange near the bottom of them and some black combat boots with orange soles.
"Do you have everything you need? Spare blades? Extra dust? Your Gun? Extra ammo? Hell, do you have any money?" She asked. All these questions and a few more had been played on repeat.
"Yes mom. I have everything. The only thing I don't have is a hug from you and a heartfelt, very temporary goodbye. Oh, and maybe my scroll, since you took it from me yesterday." She said with a small amount of sarcasm. "I know you don't want me to have the account passwords and all, but you could have just given me a card instead of whatever it is you're doing."
"Hello there." A third voice called out,from behind them. One Ember recognized a bit. One she had grown to both fear and hate. She drew her hood over her head and pulled it down so it covered her eyes.
"Maybe now would be a good time for you to do the mom thing." Ember said, clearly flipping her antisocial side on. "I think that's Yang."
Cinder's face immediately hardened to a look of near hatred. One she had mastered over years of being a criminal, and the same one she had perfected from even more years being a mother. One that stops basically anyone in their tracks.
However that didn't stop the blonde that was bounding up to them. Her tan coat that was only zipped up to the bottom of her yellow tube top was swaying gently in the wind. Her abs were fully exposed and she had black short shorts and black gloves on. As well as small yellow bracelets that were too thick to be that size permanently were affixed to her wrists.
"I just came to see if the girl there was someone I knew. Sorry, but she seems to be too young. Hi! I'm Yang by the way." She held her hand out to Ember to introduce herself. Ruby turned to look at her but kept her eyes hidden. The cloak pulled over her face.
"My daughter is antisocial and hate's people. Please leave." Cinder said in a commanding tone, one that made even oblivious Yang feel the need to run. Albeit gracefully as she nodded and left. Cinder then turned her attention back to Ember. "I won't be able to do that forever. I think she plans on coming back after today. I won't be there for you."
"But, don't you work at the school mom?" Ember asked. "I can see you whenever I please. Right?" She seemed almost sad.
"I may work at Beacon but when I'm there I have to focus on my class. Teaching dust control is hard Ember." She said sternly. "You must learn to deal with her."
"Y-your right. I'll be ready next time. I just didn't expect to run into her on the first day." She said with a smile. "Now we should head to the bullhead. It's about to leave."
"You're right. Let's go." Cinder said, holding her hand out to her daughter. They then headed into the airship and after all of the other students entered the doors closed and they were on their way to Beacon.