At dawn I rose, tidied up, stretched, showered and dressed in our school uniform. A white collared pleated blouse with a red string bow tie, a brick red button corset vest, a maroon jacket with gold trim on the hem and the collar flaps with a single gold button and a thigh length pleated red, black and gold plaid skirt. We also had ugly yet comfortable maroon colored shoes to wear. You had to wear something black like socks, pants or leggings too. I wore knee high black socks.
When the sun started to rise, I woke the rest of my team up, starting with Elise since she took the longest to wake up fully and she was cranky in the morning.
"Elise. Wake up dear, first day of school. You get the shower first." I whispered. She eyed me, groaned, rolled over and stumbled to the shower.
"I'm glad you can wake her up without getting eaten alive." Elin said groggily. I smiled at him. "You have shower next." He nodded and stood up stretching.
"Our uniforms came last night. Pretty snazzy huh?" I said holding out the hem of my skirt. "Mhmm, pretty snazzy." Was the sleepy reply from unexpectedly Peyton.
"Well, my two boys are up without much effort so that's good." I said smiling.
"Oh, we are your boys now?" Was the sarcastic reply from Elin. "Of course. You're my pack. You are all mine now." I stated.
"Yes, oh fearless leader." Elin said at the same time Peyton muttered, "We're in trouble now."
"I'll go get us breakfast. First day and all. Unless you guys want to go to the cafeteria?" I said uncertainly. I had always eaten alone. "Mmmm. Breakfast in bed…" Peyton said into his pillow. Elin grinned and I nodded. "I'm off then." They nodded back and Peyton stood up and stretched his massive muscles.
From the corner of my eye, I watched Elin looking at Peyton strangely. I didn't say anything. Just stored the memory away for further reflection.
Grabbing Orchid from the wall, I moved quietly to the kitchen which was already bustling.
I was greeted by a happy, portly bald man who moved with surprising speed.
"Oh! It's so rare that we have a leader like yourself. And such a nice young lady too! Wait here, I'll prepare something for you and your teammates, Miss, ah...uh..." I smiled shyly at the man who was obviously the Head Chef.
"Dahlia. Dahlia Derivalle. Pleasure to meet you." I said extending my hand. He kissed my knuckles and I made another mental note to ask someone if this was a cultural norm or if I was being punked?
"Medro Xingu." He said before vanishing into a throng of bakers and chefs. I waited for a little while, observing the interactions in such a large kitchen.
Medro returned with a young boy holding a massive tray full of food.
"This is my son, Medro as well but we call him Med. He will carry the tray for you and wait till you are done and then carry it back." I smiled at the boy who grinned back happily.
"Thank you, Medro. I'm sure it will be delicious. Come Med, I've got hungry boys." I said turning. I waved and limped down the hall with a happy seven year old trailing at my heels.
Back at the room, I found Elise clean and dressed waiting impatiently for food. She looked adorable in her uniform. The smell of deliciousness filled our room. Peyton was showering now. But it didn't take long for him to come out ready to eat.
I ate a small bowl of fruit, taking special joy in the blackberries in it, warm bread and some of my morning tea.
Medro had put just enough to fill everyone's bellies without leaving leftovers. The man was a genius.
"Thank you, Med. You can take the tray back now." Med smiled, bowed and left with the tray of empty dishes.
My mug of tea had the Beacon symbol on it, just like Oz's.
I blushed remembering last night's late night conversation. What a fool I am. He was just being kind to one of his student's.
"So, fearless leader. What's on the agenda?" Elin said happily rubbing his tummy.
The men's uniforms were crisp collared long sleeve button down skirts, bright red tie, blue under-vests, black suit jacket with gold trim and two buttons, black pants, black socks and the same maroon shoes except without the heel the girl's shoes had.
Peyton and Elin cut quite a figure in theirs.
"Well, we've had breakfast. Our first class is at nine which is in an hour. So I guess I'll go order our furniture so it'll be in this afternoon. We'll set up and decorate after all of our classes. Sound good?" I said pulling my planner out of my messenger bag. It was black with gold trim and the Beacon logo stitched in gold on it. We all had gotten one to carry our school things in as well as a 'starter kit' for those of us who had come woefully unprepared for the school aspect. Things like pencils, pens, notebooks, a planner and such.
"Sounds good to me." Elise said, sitting down in front of Elin who began to braid her long blonde hair.
"Okay, I'll meet you guys in class. Remember nine o'clock in hall 401. Elin, make sure they get there on time." I said. He nodded smiling. Peyton was happily watching Elin braid Elise's hair when I walked out with Orchid in my hand and my messenger bag on my left shoulder.
It took me a little while to find the housing hall but luckily it took very little time to order our furniture. I just wrote down what we needed and what room to deliver to and turned it into a stern lady at a wooden desk.
We needed four beds, four chests, four chairs, a large bookcase, a nightstand, a lamp and a waste basket.
I had just enough time to make it to class five minutes early. Thankfully Elin had thought the same and my team was there and had a spot saved for me.
Thus went the rest of the day, till our last class with Professor Peter Port came.
Professor Port was there writing on his chalk boards.
Above the boards was Professor Port's old weapon of choice. A blunderbuss and axe combo. The double axe head was mounted on the butt of the gun, bringing the blades in perilous close contact with the wielder's face. But Professor Port was still alive and had all his limbs so the design wasn't too faulty or else portly Professor Port wouldn't be alive to teach us.
Team RWBY and Team JNPR made it a minute before class started, out of breath but safe. Just as they had for a majority of the classes Dahlia had seen them in.
"Good thing we got here early." Peyton said happily. There was a joy in his eyes that had been growing in him all day. I had been trying to figure it out but Peyton was surprisingly elusive.
Professor Port began his lecture before I could try again.
"Monsters! Demons. Prowlers of the night. Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names. But I merely refer to them as prey. Ha Hah!" He said in his deep voice. His attempt to seem powerful and brave fell short due to his thick white mustache that cover both his lips while talking, his dense, swooping eyebrows, his bushy gray comb over and his sad physical state; a once muscular body was now pudgy and soft.
No one laughed at his joke. So he continued with his rather pointless introduction. "And you shall too upon graduating from this prestigious academy. Now as I was saying, Vale as well as the other three kingdoms are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world. Our planet is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces... and that's where we come in. Huntsman! Huntresses!" He said the latter with a rather awkward wink at Yang. She rolled her eyes. "Individuals who have sworn to protect those cannot protect themselves. From what you ask? Why, the very world!"
Elise's eyes rolled back. "Oh, brother." She muttered. I hope this pompous windbag can do something other than recount tales of his exploits.
"That is what you are training to become. But first a story. A tale of a young, handsome man… Me!" I closed my eyes. I had thought too soon.
"When I was a boy..." I tuned out quickly from his story and copied all of the notes and sketches of the creatures of Grimm down into my school notebook. To eat up time, my sketches were as detailed as an artist could get them.
He cleared his throat and startled me back into class, as he looked at team RWBY who had been giggling quietly.
"In the end the Beowolf was no match for my sheer tenacity and I returned to my village with the beast in captivity and my head held high, celebrated as a hero." He finished with emotion before bowing to an uncaring audience. "The moral of this story: A true huntsman must be honorable. A true huntsman must be dependable. A true huntsman must be strategic, well-educated and wise. So. Who among you believes themselves the embodiment of these traits?"
Immediately, Weiss Schnee put her hand in the air and angrily said, "I do, sir!" The look on her face was murderous and it didn't take an extra sense to know who it was directed at.
"Well then. Let's find out." Professor Port said looking at the cage he had in the corner of the room. "Step forward and face your opponent."
The blood red eyes that stared out full of malice and hate.
Weiss changed out of her uniform into her normal attire and face the cage, sword drawn. Team RWBY shouted encouragement but Ruby's cheers seemed only to enraged the girl below. The creature in the cage snorted and squealed.
"Ah, he brought a Boarbatusk." Elin whispered conversationally.
"Let the match begin!" Professor Port said, striking the lock off the cage with his blunderbuss axe. The hog inside was intent to kill.
All seemed to be going well, when Weiss made an error and somehow got her sword stuck between the evil pig's tusks. Orchid was aimed and my finger was on her second trigger. Perhaps I was being paranoid but Professor Port simply didn't have my reflexes.
Ruby made a comment I didn't hear and Weiss lost her concentration. The Boarbatusk threw the sword behind it and knocked Weiss to the ground. I stood up afraid and as did my whole team.
"Now what will you do without your weapon?" Professor Port said genially. I could have ripped his throat out with my teeth. The pig charged but Weiss was fast enough to dodge and get to her sword. She shouted at another of Ruby's encouragements to stop tell her what to do. I sensed the built up rage and resentment in the statement.
The Boarbatusk began its most powerful attack. It was aptly named the Wheel of Death. The boar somersaulted faster and faster till it charged towards Weiss at unstoppable speeds.
She moved her hands in a way and beneath her feet a glyph appeared. I had forgotten Weiss' Semblance.
It formed a shield which knocked the pig on its back and one more glyph gave Weiss a backboard mid-air to stab it in the belly.
Weiss was breathing hard but alive. I didn't realize how tense I was till Elise loosened my grip on Orchid and made me sit down.
"Bravo. Bravo. It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true Huntress-in-training. I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings and, stay vigilant! Class dismissed." Professor Port finished. I watched the interactions between Weiss and Ruby, feeling the tension grow worse and worse between the two of them.
Finally Weiss sheathed her blade and stalked away. "Sheesh, what's with her?" I heard a subdued Jaune asked.
I think I know, I thought to myself tiredly.
"C'mon, team. We've got a room to set up." I said, reaching for my bag, when Peyton grabbed it for me. "I gotcha, fearless leader."
I smiled and together we made our way back to our room.
We were overjoyed to find our furniture there and since I had been the first to order, we got the good stuff. Dark, rich woods, freshly polished.
Apparently, someone had already done basic set up but we decided to change a few things around to our liking. I got the bed against the wall, farthest from the door. No one questioned my choice and we all enjoyed setting up our personal spaces. The night stand and lamp went between the two middle beds, right in the window. Someone had been thoughtful and gave us dark blue curtains that could be drawn off to the side during the day to let in the daylight. We had a beautiful view of the carefully tended landscapes within the Academy. If I looked I could see the private corner at the end of a winding path just past the library.
I looked to the slowly darkening skies. What a first day.
"What are you looking at?" Elise asked looking out with me. "This place is so beautiful, Ely. Have you ever seen something so beautiful?" Elise smiled. "Back home, there is this path that if you're brave enough to go all the way, there is a huge roaring waterfall that when the sun shines you can see a rainbow.
"I'd love to see that." I said imagining it.
"I'll take you. You can come home with me and Elin during the next break and I'll show you everything." Elise said easily as if she were offering to let me borrow a pen.
Not what I craved with all my being.
Seeing the normal, beautiful world, being normal and with my friends. Normal.
"Promise?" I asked excitedly.
Elise smiled sweetly. For all her anger and temper, Elise was my best friend. She had been the first person to talk to me and the one girl who actually always seemed happy to see me.
The moon began to rise.
"Promise." She said grabbing my hand. "And I never break a promise." She said seriously.
"She really doesn't." Elin said from his bed. "She's literally never broken a promise." I grinned at him. He was already in his pajamas, ready for bed. "Early to bed, early to rise. Sorry Dahlia but you wake up really early."
I shrugged. "Early for you. It's right on time for me."
Peyton snorted.
I got into my night dress and wound my hair up with a long silver ribbon even though I had no intention of sleeping yet. Perhaps Oz would be at the garden tonight. It would be rude of me not to check, I reasoned.
Once I clicked the lamp off I laid down and waited for everyone's breathing to slow down before quietly slipping from the room.
It was a chilly night but excitement heated my blood. I had never snuck out of bed before. Omar would have thrashed me if I had even thought about it.
It didn't take me very long to reach the little secluded garden.
I stepped inside and felt a prick of disappointment that no one was there. But I looked up at the nearly full moon and breathed deep, just enjoying the freedom. I wanted to howl at the broken moon but something told me that doing so would be inappropriate and would draw unwanted attention.
A little wind blew through the trees and for once the noise didn't scare me.
Beacon was safe.
I wasn't afraid of the things that made noises in the dark, the monsters Professor Port spoke of.
I was one of the monsters that went bump in the night.
Even worse, I was a monster you never heard coming.
And with that, the night turned dark and the pain crept in. So many memories. So much evil.
A tear fell down my cheek as I stared up at the broken moon, and mourned the terror I had caused. I felt the self-hatred I had fought against since I had been old enough to understand what I was.
"I don't want to be a monster." I whispered to the night.
Every healing I did, didn't make up for the lives I had taken. Good karma doesn't cancel out bad. Just balances it.
That's why I wanted to be a Huntress. To even the score a bit. Good to balance out the bad first nineteen years. To maybe, for once, be the hero in the story.
The old bastard believed I could do it and if anyone understood redemption, it was him.
Then I sighed and wiped the tears off my face.
The night was cold and Oz wasn't here.
I untied my hair and walked to a pale beech tree whose branches hung low enough for me to tie the ribbon around it without getting on my tip toes.
It was a nice tree.
And the long silver ribbon swayed gently in the breeze, catching the light of the moon.
He would know that I had come.
My scroll beeped as I limped back to my room and I looked at it, my eyebrows raising with surprise. The message was short and concise. Not wordy or filled with emotions that would have made me feel overwhelmed since I was already emotional.
Bastard: Hope you're doing well in school, pup.
My mouth twisted in a wry smile. How sweet. He knew how much I despised being called pup. I never should have told him the secret but he already knew so many, strangely enough, he was the best person to tell them to.
It was… nice…
It was nice of him to check up on me. He didn't have to. I half expected him to try and forget that I existed after he made sure I got into the school. For all his crookedness, the old bastard was still a Huntsman and was still kind. Not something one expected from him. So I typed him back a quick response and continued to my room where I curled up and promptly fell into a restless sleep.
Me: Thanks, bastard. Keep out of trouble.