Chapter 5: Recruiting
Laurentum/Loki
The sunbeam shines into my room shining into my face forcing me awake. Sit up out of bed looking around the hotel room I'm staying in. My bag of clothes in front of the door only holding a few pair of clothes I wear and climbing gear for the road.
I get out of bed and head to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror and turning on the faucet as the water pour out I cup my hands underneath and wet my face. The cold water wakes me up and sparks my senses. I brush my teeth and head out the bathroom and over to my bag and pull out my clothes.
After getting dressed I look in the mirror at myself. My black hoodie vest with blue tribal markings along my chest and on the back my symbol a white wolf with a blade in its mouth. The sleeves torn off showing my bare lean arms toned in muscles. My gray combat jeans with a few holes in them from travel and grey combat boots. I make a reminder to myself that I have to go to the shopping district and stock up on new pants and provisions. I put on my few armor pieces on my left forearm and right leg. I never had the thought of needing too much armor. I felt it would hamper my speed and my Aura usually protects most of my damage or I outmaneuvered my opponent but some protection was always better than none .
After grabbing everything I needed which was my sword, ammo box stored on my hip and mask which I hid in a pocket in my hoodie: I decide to leave my bag in the room incase I need to move more stealthy if needed be. I walk out into the streets of the hotel. I pull my hood over my head hiding my face and other "traits" and head out.
It was a sunny day with some clouds looming over in the city of Vale the hotel I was staying in resided in the commercial district and luckily accepted Faunus customers this being my first time in Vale. Very different from certain places I been to before but nothing really important to me. The people all around were making their way to what they had planned for the day. Humans and Faunus from what it looked like had a common understanding here compared to how Atlas is when I was there an week ago.
That Kingdom left a bad taste in "his" mouth but nothing "he" couldn't handle after breaking a few noses. I pulled out a map of the city and began making my way to the low income parts of the district.
I needed information and through my travels bars were hubs of information all it took was talking to the right people. I made my way into the different part of town the subtle changes in buildings were apparent.
The buildings built mostly by metal and brick with power-lines. The people also seemed shady their eyes looking at me as I walked by. Clearly sizing me up I could smell it and feel it in the air. I soon happened across what seemed like a bar or club of sorts.
The sign said "Juniors" ignoring the clear laughter coming from "him" in my head I stepped inside to see what I could find. Walking in it seemed like everyone inside were working on setting things up for tonight but the bar part was open for anyone who was a daytime drinker. I walked to the bar and called the bartender over.
"I'll take a Gin if you got it." He looked at me with a smirk.
"Kid aren't you a little young to be drinking why don't you get home and do something else than hangout here." I didn't see the point in arguing over a drink I didn't even want "He" likes drinking for whatever reason. A pain in the back of my head occured as I heard more laughing in my mind.
"Welp that sucks I really wanted a drink to start this day off right." I remain stoic faced and proceeded to ask my question. "So I need information, I'm looking for someone do you happen to know anyone that has their ear close to the ground here?" The bartender looks at me while cleaning a cup. He chuckles and puts down the glass.
"And what does a kid like you need that type of person for anyway?"
"I'm sure you know I'm not going to answer that question and I'm not repeating myself." I said coldly he looked at me and I glared at him. He whistled and a guy dressed similarly to everyone working in here came over he whispered something to him and the man ran off.
The bartender looked back at me. "I hope you know what you're doing kid but you're in luck coming here the boss is just the type of guy you might just be looking for. Got one of the boys to get him for ya." He reaches down and brings up a glass bottle and slides it to me.
I catch it and it appears to be a soda. I look at him and tilt my head.
"I don't hand out drinks to kids so that'll do for ya." I pop it open and take a swig waiting for whoever was coming.
"It's not a gin but hey it'll do ehh Brother?" The voice speaks again and I ignore "him" and continue to sit patiently.
Silver
OMGOSH OMGOSH OMGOSH I'm screaming inside my head as I run back home from training. Today wasn't like any other day it was going great fanfreakingtastic no…..it was going to be awesome!
During today's training I hit every shot with perfection and my semblance training even went good today. I usually have difficulty with it but I was just in a zone of my own today.
My teachers gave me high praise which was hard to get out of them being Atlas Huntsmen and all but they can't ignore my skill and say it wasn't good enough today. I knew if I wanted I could enroll into Atlas Academy and be accepted right now General Ironwood have sent letters asking me to enroll but that wasn't my dream.
What got me so excited right now was the call I got on my scroll from Steele just a few minutes ago. He said there was a letter for me there from Beacon Academy. Finally after so many years all my training and studying and taking the aptitude test earlier in the summer has paid off. I originally was only going to send my results to Beacon but the supervisor convinced me to send it to all the Huntsmen academies. Atlas was the first to respond almost immediately ala General Ironwood still trying to recruit me. With all my accolades I achieved already: The sniping competitions, weapon design shop awards and getting taught by private tutors who worked at Atlas Academy I'm sure one of them told the General about my progress over the years.
Everytime the General came over for dinner he always seemed to drift over to me. Sizing me up and always asking how my studying was going. He held an interest over all my siblings of course. The twins Grey and Steele had been helping Atlas techs design better weapons for their ranks. Obviously they kept their utmost best designs to themselves so the General can buy it off them they were of course businessmen at heart.
He always enjoyed Tina's music and made it to all her performances. She kept getting better and better as the years passed and she became one of the best young musicians in all of Atlas by age fourteen. That my little sis for ya.
Amey and Diana would keep asking about when they can go into the Academy and see their labs. They had designs and ideas so crazy that some of them actually kept the grown man silent as he barely understood what they meant. And Coop being Coop would ask over and over for Ironwood to toss him in the air like a plane being the wild child he is by nature he had ways of getting what he wanted.
But this time it was a response from Beacon and I always dreamed about that academy after my father told me all those years ago that he wanted me to attend there actually being there in Vale learning and becoming a Huntress. It's what my skill of marksmanship would be best used in becoming an Huntstress. It was also something that brought me closer to a mother I never knew.
I run up to our family home. It was a decently sized building only three floors and two wings big enough to house our large family and our extracurricular activities. In the yard as I approached running I saw Amey and Diana in the front with their latest robot I think this one was supposed to be a dancer robot but the last few they had made exploded after going continuous back flips so they were forced to test it outside where nothing can be broken.
"Hey guys how's it going with this one?" I yell running past them. Amey turned her head her platinum eyes looking at me. The one thing all of us, my siblings and I have in common since Grey, Steele and I have black hair like our mother and the rest have a mix of either blond hair like my stepmother or brown hair like dad; we have platinum eyes like our father it's in our blood so he would say.
"It's going poorly for some reason the Danceatron keeps doing back flips and nothing else maybe there's a problem with the operating system that's interfering with the leg springs? A weird error that keeps being sent?" She scratched the back of her blond head. Diana peeked over her hair light brown hair cut short and out of her face. Her giant glasses covering most of her face for her bad eyesight. She has tools in her hand and turning screws on the ankle of the robot.
"This will be our third time rebooting it hopefully this time it does the bunny dance and not a backflip or a frontflip."
I yelled good luck hoping it works out and not to risk myself if it blows up which things tended to do around them nowadays.
I made my way to the front door of our house opening the door but not before a small explosion is heard off where Diana and Amey were and I swear I heard Diana yelling from here. Running out of the house was one of the butlers a young ram Faunus about the same age as Grey and Steele with an fire extinguisher in his hands. "I swear if they set the lawn on fire I'm banning their building rights for at least a week." He says to himself while waving to me as he ran by.
I giggled and continued into the house. We didn't have many butlers or maids only about six not including four gardeners. We all keep the house clean together but father knew having some help would make sure the house would actually get clean often and not sometimes and the outside appearance was well kept. We also had security around the clock to keep the younger ones safe but honestly if anyone tried to come and hurt or steal from us if they saw how huge the oldest twins were I think they would think twice about coming here plus I was no pushover either.
I ran upstairs greeting the maids and butlers I passed on the way to father's office.
When I made it to his doors I took a deep breath to calm myself and opened them with a bit more force than I meant to and I see Dad, Grey and Steele jump out their seats. They were all sitting at Dad's work desk probably discussing work about the company. I nervously laugh and slowly close the door behind me.
"Hehehe sorry about that I'm a bit excited." Dad sighs deeply and the twins laugh
slightly. "If I knew that your training would make you into the girl I know today I would've had you training sooner." Dad laughs to himself he gets up from his desk and walks over to me.
Dad was a large man in the sense of more height and muscle than fat. He stood at 6"10 and his hair was dark brown with signs of graying appearing on the sides. His eyes Platinum like mine or I guess mine were Platinum like his looking at me with what seemed to be a mix of love and worry. "My eldest daughter is starting on her path and I can't be anymore proud of her." He grabs me in a big bear hug. All the air in my body is squeezed out.
Grey walks over and pats him on the shoulder. "Uh pops I'm pretty sure you're going to kill the midget before she even hears the good news." Steele looked at my face as I was being squeezed. "I'm pretty sure she's already dead dude you know how Dad's hugs are." Dad realized what he was doing and let me go. I took in the sweet taste of air. Oh how I missed it's taste for a few seconds and looked at the twins.
They were completely identical of course they took after Dad in many regards compared to me. I was seventeen but the some of Dad I got was all in my height because for a girl I was tall at 6"0. Meanwhile the twins looked similar to Dad they stood tall as giants at 6"8 attractive faces since they always were talking to girls. Their hair black like mine and toned muscular not as much as Dad but I wouldn't want to fight them in a straight up fist fight which they got into a couple growing up.
"Ahhh so the midget lives? Good thing or else she wouldn't get a chance to die of excitement from this." Steele held up his scroll and after a few swipes a holo projection played and audio came out. Appearing was a woman with blond hair tied in a bun with a curl behind her head. Her eyes bright green and stern behind her thin glasses on her face. She wears a white long-sleeved, pleated top that has a wide keyhole neckline and gauntlet cuffs that flare in pleats at the wrist. Her lower body is covered by a black high-waist pencil skirt with bronze buttons and black-brown stockings. Her boots black with bronze heels and a cape purple on the inside black on the outside.
"Uh who's that?" I ask. "I am Professor Goodwitch…" "Oh"
"I am happy to tell you Silver FairNeil that you have been accepted to enroll into Beacon Academy of Vale. Your aptitude test had peeked our interest and Headmaster Ozpin has been keeping an eye out for talent such as yours having been developed outside of the beginner schools and on your own and of course have made quite a name for yourself with your shooting competition victories over the years. New students are welcomed to the campus for initiation within the following month. So take your time to prepare and we await your arrival to proceed with your training here in Vale."
The message ends and the three of them look back at me as my face is full of glee. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING!" I scream as loud as I can. I jump in the air and run around the place. Grey laughing so hard he fell on his back. As Dad tries to calm me down and Steele grabs me by the collar and pulls me off the floor. "OK so you got accepted congrats sis. Now can you calm down a bit so we can tell you how happy we are?"
I regain composure and he puts me down. Dad clears his throat. "When the month comes up for you to leave I will have an Airship ready to take you directly to Vale through the safest airlines of course so you'll meet fewest Grimm along the way. Of course your brothers gonna have something for you as well."
Steele and Grey look at each other with smiles on their faces and Grey pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. I look at it and it was a design schematic for a weapon. On the top right corner the name said "Pearly Star". "What is this? A new weapon you guys are putting out?" Steele shook his head and put his hands on his hips. "No midget this is a unique one of a kind weapon made specially for our baby sister by possibly the greatest weapons builders of our generation." He pointed at himself and Grey both with wide smiles on there faces.
"This is my weapon? You guys are making this for me?" I couldn't believe it I knew I had to make my own weapon at some point but I had too many things to do before I can spend the required weeks to design then build the weapon and here my brothers are doing it for me.
"Can't let our little sister go become a Huntstress without the best weapon made for her." They said in unison. They always did that and it was creepy at times but it's cool how they do it like it's second nature to them. I run up to them both and give them a big group hug. "When will it be done? Looks like you two been working on this for awhile." The laugh a bit. "Yea you should've seen our earlier designs soooo bad we had so many sleepless nights just finding the right barrel size and whether or not it should be a collapsible rifle or not." Grey started. "But we'll have it ready in…." Steele counting on one hand. "...six days? Yes definitely six days no more no less."
I let out a squeal again and calm myself again. Dad pats my head and I look towards him. "I'm sure you are tired from training today and knowing how you are. You probably ran the whole way here so why not go to your room and get some rest."
I look at my clothes and realize I was covered in sweat from training and running the entire way home. I scratch the back of my head and excuse myself from the room leaving my brothers and Dad to go back doing whatever they were doing before I came in.
I go to my room which was pretty big had a great view outside my window which wasn't so great right now as I saw Amey and Diana with the Faunus butler putting out the fire of the explosion from their robot. I laugh seeing Amey clearly upset and Diana who seems to be writing down notes probably moving on from the idea of dancing robots into something entirely new.
I go into my bathroom and turn on the shower but before I even start to undress I go and grab my scroll off my dresser and make a call. I hoped she wasn't in one of her lessons or too busy right now. My only female friend well only true friend that wasn't blood related.
The call picked up and her face came on screen a pale skinned young girl with pale blue eyes and long white hair pulled back into an off-center bun tail on the right side and pinned with an icicle-shaped tiara. Her face went from cold and bored into warm and excited. "Oh finally I was just about to call you just finished my last vocal lessons for the day."
I smiled it's always nice to hear her voice and see the face of my friend since we were kids. "Hey Weiss you will not believe what just happened!"
Topaz
The city of Vale what a interesting place from the few moments I stepped on its soil. Compared to the dry landscape and desert of Vacuo; Vale was more plush with forests and cooler air around this time of year. Well thinking about it Vacuo is always hot except during the winter the nights was freezing.
I walked down what seemed to be a street filled with different stores and restaurants. My stomach growled for food but I had used the last of Lien on the boat ticket here. I had some fruits in my satchel I kept for emergencies. I only had a couple left and proceeded to eat a few of them.
"I need to somehow get money or else i'll starve in a few hours."
As I walked around I noticed something everyone here seemed to be at a level of understanding of what seemed to be set laws. In Vacuo everyone had more of an "Do whatever you want" mentality as long as the only law keepers in Vacuo the Huntsman Academy kept them in check. I noticed people with badges walking around with firearms on their waists.
"Police? I wonder if they keep the peace here with the Huntsman Academy?" There was still a lot about the outside world I was learning about. It's been only a year since I was banished from the temple. I've met some interesting people along the way. I even help a village or three with Grimm extermination. The only thing I wanted in return was information about everyone life and how they lived. When I learned I needed Lien to get food that's when I asked for some whenever I helped not much just enough for me to get by.
As I'm walking around the city talking with a few of the residents I greet along the way multiple cars with sirens drive past as fast speeds. They all seem to be heading in the same direction. "Whoa what's going on is there a celebration of something." The man I was having a conversation with about the Huntsman Academy pulls out a small device with opens up and presses it a few times and a video come up. "It seems there's a robbery in progress and they're holding people hostage at the bank." I heard of this "bank" where people can store their Lien they earn safely and not worry about people stealing it. This seemed to be interesting anyhow.
"Which way is this bank?" He show me on his device and I nod memorizing the direction I have to go. I jump on a streetlight and swing to the top and leap to a nearby roof. I see the cars with sirens going fast in a direction and follow them which was easy enough and a good workout for me.
I arrive to what seems to be the scene. It was a large building cars covering the front entrance and the back. I also notice other people on roofs near me with long rifles aiming at the windows. They probably was setup to take out anyone about to hurt an hostage. I look upon the situation to get a feel of what's happening.
It seems like there were around eight or possibly ten individuals keeping the staff and people who were there for business hostage. I don't know what was happening but I could see from here in a window a man in a mask come up to it waving something in his hand. "Don't come any closer this here is a detonator for a bomb we have and i'll press it if anybody….."
He didn't even finish his sentence as he saw something flying in the sky towards him. It was something that seemed to be on fire but human shaped and fully coated in metal. I wasn't sure how things was done here in Vale but back in Vacuo crazy guy with bomb we don't hesitate. I heard bomb and already jumped in the air and hurled myself to him.
"First Form: Lion's Comet!" His eyes went wide in disbelief I assumed when he saw me hurling myself from a roof two blocks away at him. Thankfully he was so stunned he didn't have the sense to press the button and activate the bomb.
I crash through the window my fist connecting to his face. I feel a crack against his face on my fist as he is sent flying in the room over the hostages into one of his comrades. The detonator flies loose in the air and I catch it. Activating my semblance my hand turning into metal and crushing it into pieces.
I look around the bank room and take in the situation. Seems there are ten masked robbers in total one of them being the unfortunate one who I knocked out flying in. The guy he flew into slowly gets back up and aims his gun at me. There are two guys at the front doors, three among the crowd keeping them under control one of them being the guy who was his teammate landing spot, two in the second floor keeping over-watch and two behind the area where the employees work watching them.
I watch each one carefully trying to see the perfect opportunity to make my move. I could attack but I don't want the hostages in the crossfire. So like in the wild when I was saving that traveling caravan against a pack of Beowulves make myself the bigger threat possible.
I lift my arms and go into a fighting stance the three in the main hall with the hostages aim their guns at me the rest kept their eyes on me but it to me it wasn't enough. So I activated my weapons.
The thick bracelets on my wrists expand completely covering my hands and arms up to my elbow forming a type of gauntlet. The gauntlets have chambers on the forearms like a revolver and barrels above my knuckles to fire dust rounds. On my left hand the barrels are above my two outer knuckles while my right are above my innermost knuckles. Their names from left to right "Âdityas & Danavas". After activating my weapons all guns are trained on me. Perfect just what I wanted I spin the chamber on my arm to the ice dust aim and fire at the three in the middle with precision with my left arm freezing their weapons and their hands unable to fire.
I jump in kicking one of the robbers while their disoriented. Hitting him with a series of kicks before grabbing his arms and tossing him out the same window I came in through.
A gunshot rings past my face from the gunmen on the second floor and I turn to see the two at the front door start running to help their friends. The two in the back remain where they are. I jump on the shoulders of one and use him a springboard to leap to the second floor. While in the air I turn and fire at the two coming from the front door. The chambers spinning stopping on earth dust as I fire a single round at the feet of one running tripping him up and falling face first on the floor. I land on the landing with one of the shooters. His face in full surprise and I grin at him smiling. "Hi….bye!" I swing at his chest hard with my fist upon impact I hear a few ribs crack and he leans over in pain and I look over across the way. His teammate firing trying to hit me but I duck behind a pillar to avoid the gunfire.
I take a deep breath and spin the chamber on my right hand to green dust. I come out of cover extending my hand out palm first at the shooter while he's firing at me. I inhale deeply and concentrate. "Formless Form First Path: Air Bullet!" I make a thrusting punching motion and the shooter is hit in the face by an invisible force and stumbles. During that time I run at him knocking the gun out his hand grabbing him by his shirt pulling him with me over the edge. Before we land I place my palm on his chest and using the wind dust blow him away towards another window sending him flying through it.
I land and that leaves the two gunmen with their guns frozen on their fists, the two from the front door the one I knocked down getting back up and the two behind the employee area. The two gunmen start firing at me and I see behind me I landed in front of a mother and daughter. I can't use my semblance or else the bullets might ricochet off my body. I wave my hands around turning them metal over in a motion as they're firing and after unloading all their ammo the see I am unharmed and so are the family behind me. I open both my hands and from them I drop all the lethal bullets that would've hit me or the people behind me.
One of the gunmen looks at his partner and drops his gun and runs to the front door. His friend looks back at him and looks at me. I smile at him and he looks at me with fear. "Yeaaa this isn't what I signed up for!" He says and drops his gun running after his friend.
I look at the two with their guns still frozen and standing there unable to fight. They get on their knees and surrender. I look at the two behind the counter and they both come out holding hostages in their arms guns pointed at their heads.
"Ok Huntsmen no sudden moves or else!" The larger on warns. The hostages they were holding were two young girls probably new workers or something but I made no sudden moves. The large one smiled at my surrender. "Ok that's better now take off those…..things on your arms and toss them to me. I look at him and begin to do as he says. I could see by his eyes he was serious about pulling the trigger but his friend isn't his hand trembling slightly. I had one shot at what I had in mind so no errors here or someone will lose their life and as long as I breathe I will not lose another life. My thoughts went back to the first two months on the road and a dying Huntsman fading from his wounds from a mistake I made his life lost but mine remained and I have to make use of it.
With lighting reflexes I fire using the guns on my arms. "Formless Form Second Path: Invisible Palm!" Using the air dust and force of my palm strike I send two unseen attacks at the large man face knocking him back five feet. The other looks back at him taking his eyes off me for a moment enough for me to close the distance. I take the gun out his hand knocking him out with a blow to his neck. The large man gets up his nose broken bleeding and angry at me. "You ruined EVERYTHING YOU WORTHLESS ANIMAL!"
Racism too well at least some things never change no matter what part of the world of Remnant I'm on. I go into a finishing move stance. "I'll show you how wild this "animal" can get." I lower my stance widening my feet from my center and speed up my breathing as my aura concentrates into my arms.
"Wolf Form Final Path: Luna's Assault!" I lunge at him swinging at him hands in a claw shape scratching and striking one scratch cutting his cheek as he swings and hits my jaw. He smiles but pulls back his hand screaming in pain. My face fully covered in metal spreading all over my body. Continuing my assault stomping on his foot, palming his chest, knocking away his arm breaking it and before finishing him off I stop seeing he has fallen unconscious. I regain my senses as the lust and anger from battle escapes me.
Not even three seconds pass when the police rush in crashing through the doors and screaming yelling. Their jaws drop seeing the inside everyone alive and the gunmen subdued and I'm standing in the middle with the biggest one of them passed out standing as he fall over. I smile at them with my best grin. "Better late than never?"
Two hours later downtown Vale Police Station
I've been here for hours and they still have me inside this interrogation room. I already told them I saw what was happening but choose to help rather stand on the sidelines. They asked where I was from but I didn't tell them about the Temple so I just told them I was an orphan from Vacuo traveling on the road.
Apparently I put everyone's lives at risk doing that and the only reason I wasn't arrested was because I saved everyone and multiple people who were hostages spoke in my support. The child and mother I saved told them how I protected them when one of the shooters shot at me. I'm glad they were ok but I almost had enough of being in here and I guess it's time to bust out. But before I can do that the cop hears a knock on the door and checks its out a hushed discussion is had but I picked up the words "...of course he's here..". The man walks out and closes the door. It takes ten minutes for the door to open again but this time it's an older man. Well he looks older his hair was full gray. He wore an deep green suit and had a cup in his hand where he took a sip and sat in front of me.
"Uhh hi?" I say while the man stares at me. He pulls out a device I seen on my travels known as a scroll. On the screen plays the fight in the bank. "Tell me young man where did an orphan learn these techniques and moves?" He asks. I moves slightly in my chair and lean back. "I told the police already I taught myself everything I know." The man looks at me and smirks taking another sip of his coffee.
"I understand you want to protect the Temple from outsiders but not many knows of its existence; after all not many of you have come out into the world for a long time now." My eyes widened when he said that. "How do you know about the temple? We live secluded away from everyone."
The man puts down the scroll and he puts down his coffee mug to lock his fingers together. "That's a story for another day but I must say young man I am impressed by your skill, poise and decision making during that entire fight You truly have the makings of a Huntsmen. My only question why is such a talented youth so far from home?"
I shift in the interrogation room chair and look straight into the man eyes. He was sizing me up. Not like the folk back in Vacuo but similar seeing if I had what it takes to survive or am I just a lucky boy under the right stars. So I do the one thing I can while hiding my reasons for being out here a secret.
"I'm on a pilgrimage to control the anger in me. Until I can I will not return to the Temple. I must become stronger." That caught the man attention. "So you desire power but from what I understand about your home you all focus on peace of mind through physical training and mystic arts." I chuckle thinking back to all of Elder Ma Zhu spiritual classes and sleeping through them trying to relax my mind but relaxing my body instead.
"I used to dislike that style of teaching but it's been helping as of late but yes I want more power."
"For what will you use this power for?" I thought briefly about that question and answers quickly.
"To protect my friends, my family and to….." I wanted to say get revenge for Elder Bai Hu and all the others Old man Wu sent to their deaths or crippled. The anger building in me. I can feel it when I was biting the inside of my mouth. I say a mantra Ma Zhu taught me and calmed down steadying my breath. "...Protect anyone who needs my help." At that the man smiled and nodded at me.
"So young man then I have a proposal for you. Come to my school Beacon Academy." I sat there shocked I heard of Beacon Academy the Huntsman school here in Vale but I had never thought about joining. "I thought I had to go to one of those smaller schools before going there?"
"You don't have to worry about that I have students whose skills are far beyond that of other applicants and you definitely meet that criteria." I didn't know what to say I have just been wandering all this time this past year. Helping who I come across and testing my strength against any Grimm I see along the way.
"What will I benefit from going to Beacon?" It was a good question I needed to know what I was signing up for. "Well you clearly still have some ways to go to fit in with normal society not everyone throws themselves into a robbery situation with no plan even though it worked out in the end. Also we can teach you, train you and help you gain the power you seek. All the while helping others. You have a gift and talent combined with strength other do not possess. Do not let it be squandered but developed." His words rang true something about him drew me closer to agreeing but final question first. "Who are you?"
The man face looked puzzled as if I asked a silly question. "Of course you wouldn't know. Why I'm Headmaster Ozpin principal of Beacon Academy. So what do you say Topaz will you join my school?"
I knew my answer before I even thought of it. Almost seems like destiny put me in this position and I want to see where this story ends. Until I feel a rumble in my stomach and hold on to it.
"One more thing…..Do I get free meals there?"
River
I made it finally. I departed the ship smelling the sea air as I walked to the docks. I waved goodbye to the sailors who let me on their ship. It was an interesting few weeks but it was worth it.
I needed to get far away from where I used to be. Things were changing and that was something I didn't want to be a part of. I looked down at my clothes my black combat boot and black jeans with holes in them for the style. On the back of my hip my blade Love's Misery in its compact form can't be walking around with the obvious assault rifle or katana draws too much attention. My black shirt with red splotches like someone sprayed it with paint and red jean vest with white tribal lines and flowers on the back. The flowers are lilies mom's favorite and family symbol I took to further hide my identity. I had to dye my hair black while on the ship again since it faded when I used my semblance after some Grimm sharks attacked.
I go look around the city catching the sights. The city was beautiful and the people seemed happy here. Faunus and Humans on the outside seemed to be getting along but I wonder what occurs behind closed doors.
"First thing first gotta find someone who can set me up with some work. Don't have much Lien left after that trip." I look around and find a town map. I was currently in the docks and next was the commercial district. If I wanted to make cash fast I would have to find Vale's underbelly area. Where Lien is thrown to anyone with "special" skills and questions about the past is not asked.
After a few hours I find myself in such an area. The houses seemed to be worn down a bit compared to other sections of the city and more clubs and bars were around. I ask around where I can find some work. Of course some of them offered work which I found that a fist in their faces after some suggestions changed their tune to more "combat" oriented work and that a certain club was always looking for new muscle. A club by the name of "Juniors".
I soon find said club further into the area. The lights on the display are on so they must be open. I walk in and I was not ready for what I walked into.
A fight was happening right at this very moment. All the thugs inside were being flung around like bags. Grunts and groans are heard from the guys dressed in black suits with red shades on the floor and all the others still fighting are being handed a whooping from one person.
He was a Faunus from the looks of it he has wolf ears I can see on his head. He's wearing a black hoodie vest with markings on the chest and swirling to the back a wolf with a blade in its mouth as his emblem on his back. Worn out grey jeans with matching boots. What really caught my eye was his weapon he was using. A black sheath that seemed all too familiar to me but the blade was blue and looked more of a standard katana but its edge I could tell was sharp to the touch the way he cut through tables with every swing. His tan skin tone brought out his features and the white tips of his wolf ears added on to that. He was giving all these men a tough time and it seemed like he was around my age.
"Somebody stop him before he destroys the whole bar!" I see a large man with a black vest over a white shirt yell. From the looks of it he seemed to be the leader which meant he was the guy I needed to talk to. I run over to him and pat him on the shoulder. "I can help you but it'll cost you." "I don't care how much you want just help us stop this manic!" I nodded and looked over to the boy. He had finished the last henchman knocking him out and then he looked in my direction. He slowly began walking towards us. I thought I saw his eyes turn from white to black but maybe I am just seeing things.
"I just needed information but you didn't take me seriously." He stopped and went into a drawing stance. The way he did it resembled….no just a coincidence plenty of people probably use blades like that. "All who gets in my way will be removed." His voice had no emotion to it. It sounded like he was dead already but still living at the same time. Creeps me out a lot but he needed to be knocked down so my new "employer" can pay me.
I press a button on the piece of machine on the back of my waist. It extends an handle and I draw it pulling out a katana with a small hilt guard.
"Guess i'm another thing in your way this day huh?"
Laurentum/Loki about an hour ago
I was on my third soda when I saw the bartender eyes look in the distance behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw who he was looking at. The man was surrounded by more guys in black suits and red shades. Also with him were two girls with the same face one with a white dress and the other with a red one.
"Dibs on the white one. Wait no the red one dammit the white one. I don't know which one I want!" Loki screaming in my head. Clear to me his thoughts are in more useless spaces right now. I keep him quiet as the man approaches me.
He's wearing a black vest over a white dress shirt, a red tie, black gloves and black dress pants. He has gray eyes, short black hair, along with a matching beard and mustache goatee. He sits next to me at the bar as the bartender drops a drink in front of him.
"So I hear you're looking for information. Seems like you found yourself to the right bar here in Vale." He takes a long sip of his drink and exhales loudly. "I'm Junior what does a runt like you need help with?"
I finish my soda and pull out a scroll and open up a picture on the screen. I turn it to him. It was a picture of two men one larger than the other. The one on the right who looked older had long black hair and a beard over his chin. He was muscular and his eyes are dark that seemed to see everything in front of him. The one on the left looked younger than the other one. Leaner but still toned similar hair and eyes but a smaller face. He had a sly smirk on his face which had schemes and ideas behind it.
"I'm looking for this one he might be older looking now so anyone who might look like him." I point to the younger of the pair and Junior stares at the picture for a time. "Hmmm well I can see someone who looks like him right in front of me." He says with a chuckle. I look at him with a dead panned facial expression.
"But enough jokes I'm sorry to say I can't help you kid." He finishes his drink in one more gulp and turns back to me. I must've had a bad expression on my face. Something seemed off on how fast he denied to help me. He didn't even ask how much was the information worth to me. My training of reading people was kicking in. Every twitch on his face, the way his eyes looked away after seeing the picture and how I could hear his heartbeat speed up a few beats. He was hiding something from me.
"No I think you can help me but choosing not to. Was it him? Did he pay you off to keep his location a secret?" The man coughed on his new drink he ordered and looked back at me. His face gave away to the truth even without him responding. "Ok then how about you answer me this. What does a kid...no what does Laurentum Gray have to do with an man like this?" I reached for my blade handle on my waist. The twins behind him took steps in front of their boss to protect him. "So you know who I am?"
"Who doesn't know who you are? Laurentum Gray the two time Mistral regional tournament champion. People were disappointed when he didn't enter the next two years of your time at Sanctum Academy. They all wanted to see your rematch against the young rising star Pyrrha Nikos. You just quietly graduated and disappeared from what my sources say but here you are in my bar asking about "Him"." He points to the picture on the scroll. "He's dangerous and I don't care how skilled you are he isn't someone a kid should be messing with."
I looked at Junior and exhales slightly and put away my scroll. "So you won't help me?" He stood up and began walking away. "I'm sorry but no amount of money will ever help you find him. Get him outta here will ya?" The two girls look at me and upon a closer look they seemed to be around my age.
"Hey Miltia looking past the glare in his eyes he seems kind of cute wouldn't you say?" Her twin groans at her. "Ask for his number later then but we have a job to do right now Melanie. So let thinking with you lust and more with your head."
As they approach me before they get too near I activate my semblance. Dropping the temperature around me dramatically and ice freezing over my face and hands encasing the bar top in ice. The twins take a few steps back their weapons at the ready. Junior stops and turns around his face almost as if he saw a ghost.
"You have something that will bring me closer to him and you will tell me what that something is." My breath visible as if it was winter inside this establishment.
Junior face deathly scared at this point of me and looks around at his goons. "Well what am I paying you slackers for GET HIM!" At that command the thugs draw swords and axes and charge at me.
In a flash I draw my sword and parry the first three blows. Kicking each attacker away from me. I dash into a group and slash at them with knocking them away and cutting into them feeling as if I hit something hard as I made contact with their aura. As they seemed to continue to come from nowhere the twins were soon on me. The girl in white Melanie was her name had blades on her shoes as she kicked and swung her legs at me. I parried each of her blows as if they were nothing. Following up her sister was Miltia she had claws on her gauntlets two on each wrist. Her attacks came sharp and precise but she left plenty of openings. When I tried to exploit that her sister came in an tried to catch the side of my face.
I back-stepped and gathered distance between us. It seemed their two fighting styles are used to make up for the others shortcomings. I saw as I was soon surrounded by the lackeys and looked around at all of them. Seemed to be about forty in total but the ones I knocked down earlier were getting back up. I sigh, close my eyes and go into the depths of my own mind.
As I dive going deeper into my subconscious I come across a room. A room which from the looks of it has only a bed and stone walls familiar pictures of three people a woman, a man and a young boy but the two adults had blurred out faces but I saw one had a younger version of myself and laying in the bed watching a T.V that had on it a ongoing channel of what seemed to be going on outside my bed was someone that looked like me. He turned to me and had a smile on his face that was mischievous and plotting.
He jumped out of the bed and landed in front of me. From an outside standpoint we were identical from the faces to our height. The one difference was his hair. His was white with his wolf ears having black tips. A direct contrast to mine. "So brother need me help with these goons why it seems like you're losing your touch." I grunted and moved past him and sat on the bed. "Go have your fun wake me up when you get bored." He laughed and proceeded to jump away into the darkness.
I comes out of the shared mind and when I open my eyes the white eye color shines out and looking around at all my current play things. I smile and crack my neck. "So you guys are going to get in my way? Fine then let's see if you can keep up with my tempo."
I lean down and in a burst of speed dash into three of the thugs slashing and cutting and stopping in front a fourth one. I slowly sheathe my blade and once I do the three I attacked in a blink of an eye drop unconscious. I look at the one in front of me and hit him like a baseball batter with my sheathed blade in the head sending him flying into three more. "Hahaha home-run!" I turn and dash into the girl named Miltia and look at her deeply in her eyes. She pulls back from the sudden closeness of our faces. I smile and put my hand on my chin. "Yea definitely got to choose now I want you girl."I place a kiss on her cheek close to her lips. Her face turns red as she swings her claws at me and I dodge nimbly. "W-w-w-what are you saying?!" The claw wielder flustered from my statement. Steam coming out of her head at what just occurred. Her sister walks up to her and puts her hand on her shoulder. "Awww so he likes you more Mimi well can't let you fight your first possible date." She turns to Junior shrugs her shoulders. "Sorry boss gotta do this without us. Miltia got a sudden case of first crush syndrome." She drags her stunned twin away. As they walk away Junior jaw drops. "Last time I hire teenage girls I swear. And WILL SOMEBODY STOP HIM?!" He screams as I tear apart his lackeys laughing maniacally.
I swipe and slash my way through these goons I have to give them credit they had heart but soon their numbers dwindled as some of their auras broke and they left the fight. I look over to see Junior and see him talking to a new girl who was here before.
"Huh she's new." I knock out the next goon and begin walking to them. Laurentum speaks in our head. "I'll finish up now." Laurentum takes over again his eyes returning to the black color it had.
"I just needed information but you didn't take me seriously." I stopped and grabbed hold of my katana in a drawing stance preparing my aura to knock aside the newcomer as she walks in front of Junior. "All who gets in my way will be removed." The girl looked worried briefly but drew out a blade, a katana and assumed a refined stance. It showed that she was a well skilled wielder of such a blade. "Well guess I'm just another thing in your way this day huh?" She retorted as she slid her feet towards me moving closer. She was skilled she was in the middle to my opposite side from my drawing arm. So when I drew my blade she can guard and counter against my strike. I turned to adjust myself keeping her in my sights.
We continued this for what seemed like hours even years. Two skilled warriors fighting in our minds looking for a flaw to win against our opponent. It wasn't until a bottle fell off the counter at the bar did we clash.
Sparks licked off our blades as we clashed continuously tables and chairs were wrecked to pieces in our aftermath and we didn't stop at that. We cut into the dance floor, the windows and even the walls. Eventually we made our way out side where we seemed to reach the end of our dual. I looked at her leaning a bit off balance to her right where her sheathe was. It was loosely on her waist and I can her Loki in my head screaming to give her advice. "You should tighten your sheathe on your waist that way you'll be more on balance." The girl looked down and had a look on her face which was something of remembrance. "Huh thanks but you should worry more about your….."
A single gunshot rang in the air as we both turned to see who shot it. We see several police cars outside the bar surrounding the entrance. All the officers guns trained on us as one of them has a megaphone and begins speaking. "We have the place surrounded give up and surrender yourselves to the Vale Police."
There must've been eight cars around us and two vans. The girl I see put away her blade and with a huff puts her hands up. I look back and see Junior as he closes his scroll clearly calling them on us as a way of getting me out his hair. I look back at the officers and begin walking towards them.
"Hey stop right there and drop your weapon!" The man screaming as the other officers train all their weapons on me but I continue my way. "Uhh Laurentum what are you doing?" "All in my way will be removed." Activating my semblance again as the ice creeps up my face and I leave ice footprints in my wake. I hear the girl trying to stop me. "Hey are you crazy? You trying to get yourself killed?" I ignore her warnings and continue making my way. I hold my sword in both hands and prepare to strike. "Ice…" "OK NOPE!" I feel as is an hammer connected with my head and my legs become lead. I feel Loki trying to wrestle control from me. I grab my head dropping my sword and once I do I feel several men topple on top of me to restrain me. Next few moments I feel the darkness of my mind take over.
Three Hours Later
I am inside an interrogation room with the girl I was fighting earlier as a rather smelly cop shout at us. Yelling about the problems with youth nowadays or something I was not paying him much attention. He pulled out a folder that had my name on it. "We know who you are Laurentum. A shame that someone with so much promise is here in this place someone with your skills should be in one of them Huntsman schools like Beacon and you missy." He points to the girl next to me. She was filing her nails while he was talking and looked up. "Huh me?" "Yes you! We don't know who you are but to did tell us your name was River Tartarus and you are here visiting but you caused quite a ruckus already where are your parents girl?" At that the girl face shifted very slightly only people looking for the right markers could've seen. Something must've happened in her past but she did well hiding it.
"I been on my own don't worry about my parents so can I go now I haven't done anything wrong like crazy over here." She points at me as I shrug my shoulders and before the man can answer a knock is heard from the door.
He walks up to it and stops as he opens it. An hushed conversation is quickly had for a few minutes and I hear him grumble under his breath. "First the lion Faunus from the bank he takes…...now these two…...damn Ozpin….crazy kids." He walks out as a new man takes his place. Wearing a green suit with a coffee mug and a cane that he barely uses to walk. I reckon its more than a normal cane but let the thought slip away as he sits in front of us.
"Laurentum Gray two time champion in the Mistral tournament and River Tartarus an enigma but from what I've seen…." He pulls out a scroll showing us crash out Juniors bar into the streets and me walking towards the police. "...you two have some remarkable skill." The girl leans back in her chair. "And who are you?"
I already knew who this was everyone trying to be a Huntsmen knew about him. "Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy the youngest appointed Headmaster to get the position. A leader of his generation and best among his peers. What's a man like you doing here?" I add answering Rivers question. He looks at me with a smirk. "I see you are exactly as your teachers say you are. A quick study dutiful student but always quiet and kept to yourself. To answer your question I happened to be here for another reason but heard about you two on my way out and it seems like I was right to check on you two." He takes a sip out his cup which smelled like coffee. He looked at the two of us and smiled. "I come offering a proposition."
I look uninterested immediately and he notices but the girl perks her ears up. "What kind of offer are you offering?" He sets down his cup and leans in. "You two have talents not many have. Laurentum you graduated from Sanctum at top of your class but disappeared afterwards nobody knew where you went off too. You didn't even tell any school you was going to one of them my own included. As for you River while you never went to a school you have skills that are more than enough to get you in any academy. What it is i'm offering is a chance for you both to hone your skills and be used for the betterment of mankind. Come to my school. Attend Beacon Academy."
There was silence after his speech. The two of us clearly in our own thoughts and I spoke up first. "There's a reason I left I only attended to get more training I thought I needed and I got it now I have more important matters to look for." At that Ozpin spoke up. "I am a man with an extensive reach i'm sure I can help you find whatever you're looking for." I took a second to think about it. Ozpin did have connections with all of Vale's Huntsmen under his supervision much more than a informant like Junior can offer but Junior knew something which could be a lot or a little. I weighed the options and made my choice. "What if I say no?" At that Ozpin remained stoic keeping his intentions hidden. "Well the Vale police has told me they will let you go seeing even though you was about to attack them in the end you stood down. They only have you both here for fighting in public and endangerment to citizens so a fine and that's about it. But will that bring you closer to your own goal?" No it didn't bring me any closer. "Looks like we don't have a choice besides we could have avoided all of this if you just went to Beacon as I suggested." Loki says in our head. "OK I'll go to your school and tell those officers to give back Hope's End, my sword." Ozpin nodded his head. "Of course what's a Huntsmen without his weapon. What about you Ms. Tartarus?" River looked away thinking out her options and weighing them. "Sure why not it's better than whatever I had planned."
Ozpin smiled at that and picked up his mug and finished his coffee. "Good new students are set to come in from all over the kingdoms in two weeks today. Do you two have somewhere to stay? I can offer a place before you stay in our dorms on campus." I nod but River shakes her head. Taking note of that Loki takes over pushing me into our mind.
"Oh you can stay with me River I got an extra bed in my hotel room." I say with a smile on my face. River looks at me like i'm crazy always happens when I take over that boring Laurentum. I look over at Ozpin and his face broke character for a second. It was as if he saw something I never seen before or rather seen something he seen already and regains his composure. "Uh OK better than paying for my own place." I pump my fist. "Yes sweet! I am honored by your acceptance of my offer milady." I bow before her.
Ozpin chuckles to himself. "This year's freshman might be very interesting this time around."
Hey everyone sorry for taking so long but wanted to make this as best as I possibly can so here we are about I don't even know how many words this will have but a crap ton I bet. To answer on question I'm making Team LSTR take place one year before RWBY starts so going in when RWBY starts they will be second year students. So that is the only change I made and it's a huge one so it'll be more original stories with my OC's and new entertainment as my mind goes wild with all the things I'll have them do with….yea you guessed it Team CFVY as they interact with one another. Expect some laughs and not many tears no no no not yet. Till next time