The Aquatic Past
4-year-old, Neptune Vasilias has been averted to water at a young age for unknown reasons. No matter how many times he has been told over and over again that water is nothing to be afraid of. On the day of his awakening, he lived near the beach where his family would swim to unlock their semblances. Water-based abilities based on his ancestry. His ancestors, father, siblings, and then him. On the day of the traumatizing event, his older brother, Jupiter came downstairs from his bedroom. Having fed up with his refusal to touch the water. Finding his little brother on the table studying.
"Jupiter, what's up bro?" Neptune greeted. But to his confusion, Jupiter looked rather serious than usual. He always greeted him with a bright smile. But this time, he's about to do something regrettable that would change his brother's life forever in his teen years, and later his adult years. "Sorry, bro. But this is going to get wet. It'll do." He apologized, but Neptune asked. "Huh? What are you talking about?" But instead of answering his question, Jupiter grabbed his hand and dragged him outside the door. The sandy beach of Argus, the coastline city of Mistral. "Jupiter! Why are you doing this?! Don't drop me into the water, I hate water and you know it!" He cried with his right wrist dangling from him.
"This is for your own good. Dad and I have done this before, and this is going to help you. So, man up, Neptune!" Jupiter looked into his brother's eyes with fear and tears. He begins to bring second thoughts about motivating him. His father has helped him unlock his semblance at his brother's age. But this is different. He wonders if this'll put him in danger, risking that he'll drown. If this happens, he'll never forgive himself. His mother told him to give him time to adjust. But he knows he'll need to awaken his semblance to survive the world of war. He has no other option but to go over it. He dropped Neptune and looks away with guilt for trying this out. Neptune looked at his brother as he fell from the pier. And splashed into the water with his eyes squeezed tight. Holding his breathe, waiting for this to be over. All he could see is darkness, either the water was too deep, or is there any in his eyes. He can barely move for his body to be in low temperature.
Jupiter remains on the surface to wait for him to resurface from the water. He looked around to see if he can kick and paddle, simple steps of swimming. Jupiter was about to jump into the water to get his brother to the surface. But then the water no longer sends waves to the shores. And the tides are getting bigger. Nealy half the ocean was pulled from the sand. "What the…" A shadow blots the sunlight, then Jupiter's eyes widened for something astonishing. A bubble of water floating in the air. But the cause of it is inside of it. To his shock, it's his brother who was pulling the water with him.
"N-Neptune? Hey! Neptune! Can you hear me?! Hey!" He called, but his little brother couldn't hear him. His ears are clogged with the water seeping through. And it makes it hard to see with his own eyes. Couldn't call for help, because he couldn't breathe. In a fit of panic, he pushed the water at Jupiter and he turned the water into vapor pushing against it. Neptune then got back into shore and his brother raced into him to see if he's okay.
"Bro?" He said. He felt his back shaking in the chills of wetness.
"What did you do to me? I could've killed you. I didn't want that." He said tearfully.
"No, it's not your fault. That was amazing, you just unlocked your semblance." He assured him, but that didn't make him feel any better. He patted him in the back to calm him down.
"What's going on?" Jupiter turned around and their father took notice of what is happening.
"Dad…"
"Here, Neptune. Have some…" Their father as cut out when he tries to give him a sip of water. But he knocked it off from his hands. Making the bottle slam to the ground and split half of it on the sand. This shocks him. He forgot he's already afraid of the water as it is. Jupiter felt guilty for dragging him into the water. It will never be forgotten for the rest of his life.
2 years later.
Neptune was dragged by two other boys his age and they're dangling him from the pier. "Come on, man. Just get over it already." One boy taunted.
"If you're afraid of the water, then why is your name Neptune anyway?" He closed his eyes, waiting for his doom to be over with. They removed his goggles. Since that day of his awakening for his semblance, water attraction, he isolates himself from water. Some kids he used to call his friends suspected him to be afraid of the water and wanted to test him out without the regards of how he felt.
"Why are you doing this?! Just let me go, I won't tell anyone I swear!"
"Let's see how you can handle it!"
"Or are you a crybaby?"
They let go of his ankle, until he was caught by a monkey tail. It was a male faunus with scruffy blonde hair, and an unbuttoned shirt. The faunus happens to be eavesdropping while hearing everything. Climbing Neptune and himself back on the dock. "Hey, you two, what were you thinking dropping him if he can't swim?! If he says no, he means no! You could've drowned him!" He scolded. Neptune watches while still sitting on deck.
"That's none of your business you stinky faunus! Now scram!"
"No! You better leave, or I'll be giving you swimming lessons!" The faunus countered.
"What did you just say?! Now you're going to get it!" The first boy charged at him and attempted to land a punch, but he ducked down and headbutt him. The second boy went next to back up his friend, but the faunus back kicked him to the first. Knocking them both. The boys ran off. Seeing how incapable they were at fighting.
"That's right, you better run!" He pumped his fists and turns to Neptune and lends him a hand.
"You okay? I'm Sun by the way." He asked.
"Sure. Thanks a lot." He replied. "I'm Neptune." They sat on a dock exhausted from what happened. "What's the big deal with these guys?" Sun gave him back the goggles the boys snatched from him.
"I'm sure they're just joking." Sun isn't buying it.
"I wouldn't call that a joke. More like a threat is you ask me. Something tells me you not a fan of water." He figured. Neptune paled and was afraid to make his words come out of his mouth. "Wait, don't tell me you're afraid of the water aren't ya?" He asked. But Neptune isn't responding, and he's embarrassed to say it. "Dude, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Take it from me, I've been traveling with my cousin for all my life and I have to adjust from moving from one place to another." He assured him.
"I don't know why my name is Neptune. I have been averted from water for years, and I haven't even learn how to swim yet. But it felt so dumb to be scared of it. I don't know what is wrong with me! Go ahead and laugh it off for all I care." He covered his eyes in shame. But Sun patted his back.
"Why would I?" He inquired. "Hey, if we're going to the same academy, maybe we can become the greatest huntsmen ever lived. It can help you get over your fears. You and I can get on the same team. We'll call ourselves, Team Awesome!" He beamed. They both laughed at the name.
"Sun! Where are you?! We have to leave!" His cousin Starr called.
"Coming, Cuz! I have to run, let's meet again sometime."
"Yeah, that be cool. Way cool."
Author's note: This chapter is based on the book of Before the Dawn. (Spoiler alert to any of the RWBY fans). I don't own these characters nor the series itself. This is also a prequel to The Battle of Remnant."
