Chapter IV
Since there was nothing but to wait in the airship, he was watching the window and sometimes checking out on other people. He could have sworn that this brown-haired girl in green outfit saw him from time to time, but he was maybe imagining things. There was also a blonde guy that looked like he was a bit sick. He heard off from the local news that some girl called Ruby Rose tried to stop a robbery from a dust store, but she failed to do so. She was not far from him, talking with a blonde girl that was called Yang. He heard them talking for a second.
-Oh, I can't believe my baby sister is going to Beacon with me! This is the best day ever! , said Yang while hugging Ruby.
-Please stop…, replied Ruby.
-But I am so proud of you! , said Yang.
-Really, sis, it was nothing. , replied Ruby.
-What do you mean? It was incredible! Everyone in Beacon will think you're the ''bee's knees''!
-I don't wanna be the ''bee's knees''. I don't want to be any kind of ''knees''! I just want to be a normal girl with normal knees.
-What's wrong with you, aren't you excited?
They continued to talk like that for a moment until a holographic screen appeared by the window, showing someone that opened something in Simon.
Torchwick.
So, it was him who robbed the Dust store. But Grey promised that he would be stopped, 4 years ago. Looks like the Huntsman and Huntresses of Vale couldn't lay a hand on him after all and he has now a bigger organisation than before. And the news quickly shift to another news showing a pacific marsh for civil rights going wrong because of the ''White Fangs''. Simon guessed it was some kind of clan. Suddenly, the holographic screen disappeared and a hologram of a lady appeared.
-Hello and welcome to Beacon. My name is Glynda Goodwitch. You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy! Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world.
And the hologram disappeared.
Simon looked by the window the city of Vale for the last time before arriving to Beacon. He couldn't believe all the progress he made after all this time, going from a kid to a student dreaming to become a Huntsman. But, still, he really misses his parents after what happened in the Forest. He stills want revenge after what Torchwick did to his father and his house, but he tries more to concentrate himself into studying the arts of combat and magic.
And they finally arrived to Beacon, when the airship opened the door, everyone calmly get outside to see how Beacon looked like and to do what they had to do.
Simon was astonished by the Academy, which was big, but also strangely elegant. At first, he was a bit confused on what to do. Since everyone was going to the center of the school, he followed them, but also visited the school for a bit. When he arrived at the door frame before the center of the school, which was where everyone was at, he heard something explode in his back. Instinctively, he turned back and prepared himself for combat. But, apparently, it was just an accident. Some Dust crystals exploded because they felled on the ground, making a little hole by the side of the fountain in front of the school. He ignored it and continued into the crowd of people.
Again, he noticed that someone was watching him and he noticed again that girl that was in the airship. He also saw the guy that vomit in the airship though and it was pretty disgusting to see that. Jaune Arc, AKA ''Vomit Boy'', was going to the explosion site to see what was going on.
Simon also noticed that there was a stage in front of him when he entered the crowd of people. About ten minutes later, Professor Ozpin, the director of Beacon Academy, was about to begin a speech.
- I'll...keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge-to hone your craft and acquire new skills-and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose-direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step. , said Ozpin, already going out of the stage.
Simon was surprised by the rudeness of this speech and by the state of Ozpin. He looked fatigued, maybe even a little bit depressed. It can be understandable, since Ozpin has the responsibility to train this entire crowd to become Huntsmen and Huntresses, which is not an easy task. Or, it could mean that there are bad news incoming…
Simon passed the day by visiting the Academy, going from classes to the restrooms passing the library. He already knew a little bit on how the school looked like at the end, although it took him two hours to past through all of it. There were also training rooms, which he went after visiting the school.
When he was ready in front of the sword training A.I., he unsheathed his sword and beaten the A.I. in a single blow to the heart. Looks like the training his father gave was still intact.
-Perfect. , said Simon, proud of his training.
After that, he got to the Ranged combat section of the training, which were promptly only targets which he had to shoot or use magic on it. Since his spells were from the ''Creation'' section, he activated the ''Shotgun-Creation'' training. Since he was using a shotgun, the training program let him approach when the target was too far. The training was a little bit difficult this time, targets were coming fast and Simon was mostly using is spells more than the shotgun. He grew tired, took the right hand for spells and right hand for the firearm and blasted away his last targets.
And, finally, he got to the most difficult part of the training, the ''Grim'' training program, which was A.I.-controlled Grim monsters he had to fight and kill.
When the fight began, six Beowolves were launched on him. When they arrived on the ground, Simon threw himself in combat, planted his ''Marine'' in one of the Beowolves heart, took it out immediately and cut of the Beowolves's head off. He then uses a fire spell and eliminated the other four in an instant. Suddenly, two Grimbears appears, obligating Simon to use a shield spell. He waited for the Grimbears to approach and used a wind spell to put the bears down and finished them off with transforming his sword into a shotgun and shooting them in the head with two shells.
-Not bad. , said a voice in his back.
-Who's there? , said Simon, surprised.
He turned his back and saw the girl that was watching him since the airship travel, the brown-haired girl with the green outfit.
-Looks like you are training for tomorrow's event. , said the girl.
-No, actually I was just training because I don't really have anything to do today. There is something happening tomorrow? , replied Simon.
-Yes, something about a recruiting event to prove your skills to Beacon. , said the girl.
-Oh, well. I thank you for the information; I will stop training now and go rest for tomorrow then.
Simon was going in the direction of the restrooms, and then he asked what he wanted to say from the beginning:
-I know you were secretly watching me in the airship and in the crowd at Ozpin's speech. Could I ask, before I go, who are you? , said Simon.
The girl looked surprised for a second, but she regains her concentration and a small grin appeared on her face.
-My name is Emma Gemstone, I was one of the students of Sanctum, but I was moved to Beacon when I finished my studies. But I already know who you are. You are Simon Seablue, one of the strongest warriors at Signal, one who can balance the use of Dust, the sword, and the gun. You should also know that a lot of people already know who you are around Sanctum, rumors about someone who won the final exam of Signal with ease, using mostly Dust spells to put people down. , said Emma, slowly approaching Simon.
-Looks like these rumors were right after all, but I think the arena wasn't so fair since someone who is strong in ranged combat can put a single blow to his or her opponent to put it down. I think it would have been a real exam if it was 4 opponents fighting each other. , replied Simon.
-Ok. Well, it was an honor to meet you. See you tomorrow! , said Emma.
And she ran to the restrooms.
Simon found the situation a bit weird. He didn't know that he had rumors about him in Sanctum, which also means that there are rumors in the city of Vale and the Signal Academy too.
-Bah, no matter. Maybe it's just a coincidence. , said Simon, thinking out loud.
When he arrived to the restrooms, he noticed that he was in the same room has the two girls that were in the airship, Ruby and Yang, which were arguing about a letter to Signal.
Wait, a letter to Signal? So Ruby was in the same school than him? Well, he heard about scythe-wielders in the school, but he didn't met one in person. He also only heard these types of warriors 3 years after entering Signal. Also, doesn't she look a bit young to be at Beacon?
Simon took his armor out and put a t-shirt and a short to sleep. Just before falling asleep, he overheard the conversation between Ruby and a girl that she noticed in the corner of room, a girl called Blake Belladonna according to rumors:
-As a girl, I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books... Someone who fought for what was right, and protected people who couldn't protect themselves! , said Ruby.
-That's pretty ambitious for a child. Unfortunately, the real world isn't the same as a fairy tale. , replied Blake.
-Well, that's why we're here! To make it better. , replied Ruby.