~E~
Above the clouds, where the sky was a canvas of fiery oranges and tranquil pinks, the giant airship made its majestic journey towards Beacon Academy. Inside, the air was thick with a blend of anticipation and excitement, as young aspirants to the Huntsman and Huntress path were en route to their new beginning.
In a quieter section of the airship, Emile was absorbed in a book, its pages filled with ancient Huntsman lore and strategies. His dark green and black curls fell slightly over his focused green eyes, creating a secluded space amidst the crowd. Reading was his refuge, a way to calm his nerves and center his thoughts before stepping into the hallowed halls of Beacon.
Suddenly, his tranquility was disrupted by a burst of movement. Another student was dashing down the aisle towards him, a look of urgency etched on his face. This student wore edgy and modern attire, consisting of a black ensemble with a jacket, loose cargo pants, and high-top sneakers. He sports a white cap worn backwards, with a symbol on the front, and has spiky black hair peeking out.
With a swift maneuver, he slid into the seat beside Emile and promptly lowered his hat over his eyes, effectively altering his appearance, and grabbed a magazine that was sitting near the seat he just took.
Emile's book almost slipped from his grasp, his eyes widening in surprise. Before he could utter a word, two guards hurried past them, their eyes scanning the rows of seats. There was a moment of tense silence as the guards moved on, failing to recognize the disguised student sitting beside Emile.
Once the guards were out of sight, the student let out a sigh of relief and took off the hat showing off his dark hair before covering it with a white headband, his blue hues now twinkling with a mix of mischief and gratitude as he looked over in Emile's direction. "Thanks for the cover," he whispered, raising his fist, and holding it towards Emile.
Emile, still processing the sudden turn of events, managed a small smile. "Seems like you're quite the escape artist," he remarked, his tone a mix of curiosity and amusement before raising his own fist and bumping it against the student beside him.
The student chuckled softly, the tension visibly leaving his body. "You could say that. Beacon's going to be a lot more interesting than I thought," he replied, glancing back to ensure the guards were gone.
"So, what the heck did you do?" Emile started putting his book down seeing as no more reading was going to be done now that this guy was here, "Why were those guards chasing you? We've only been in the air for an hour, you must have done something crazy if two guards are already chasing you before we even landed." The student waved his hand dismissively.
"Nothing that crazy," the student says with a chuckle before reaching into his coat. "Just decided to have a snack, that may or may not have been in one of the guard's lunch box." And on cue the student pulled out a green apple from his coat. Emile blinked as he looked between the apple and the student currently holding it with the biggest and proudest smirk on his face.
"You got chased by security over an apple?" Emile questioned.
"Not just an apple, my friend," The student smirked, "A green apple." Again, all Emile could do was stare before he let out a laugh.
"I've never met someone so willing to get in trouble for, of all things, an apple." Emile laughed.
"Then I guess you haven't met me yet."
"I guess not." Emile laughed again.
"Names Ray, by the way." The student known as Ray introduced himself, holding out his fist once again. Emile managed to hold back his laughter long enough to introduce himself.
"Emile," He returns the fist bump.
"Well, Em!" Ray exclaimed excitingly, "something tells me Beacon is going to be one hell of a ride with us enrolled."
"Apples better beware." Emile teased and Ray answered back with a smirk and a bite of his apple, his gaze never leaving Emiles as he did so.
As the airship continued its trek towards Beacon Academy, hovered over the lush forest below, a sudden hush fell over the students. A flicker of light in the center of the cabin caught everyone's attention, and within moments, a life-size hologram of a man materialized, commanding the room with his presence. The students, including Emile and Ray, gathered around, their earlier conversations fading into silence.
The headmaster, with a warm yet authoritative tone, began what Emile assumed was the welcome speech. "Students of Beacon Academy," he started, his voice resonating throughout the cabin, "welcome to the beginning of your journey as Huntsmen and Huntresses, my name is, Chrysus Goldbrick, headmaster of Beacon Academy." There was a short pause before he continued, "You are here because you have shown exceptional potential. This year, you will be part of an accelerated program designed to hone your skills to their utmost."
Emile exchanged a glance with Ray, sensing the weight of the headmaster's words. This was the first time he has heard anything about an accelerated program. Which could only mean more rigorous training and even more difficult challenges waiting for them. However, with the rumor going around Remnant about the shortage of hunters Emile wasn't surprise a batch of students were going to do a program like that. He just didn't expect it would be his class that would be chosen for such a program.
The headmaster continued, "Do not worry, you will be under the guidance of the best instructors Remnant has to offer. They will prepare you for the realities of the world outside these walls, a world that desperately needs your courage and talents."
Emile wasn't sure why, but he took his eyes off the headmaster's hologram and scanned the area noticing some of the guards, hunters, and huntresses were leaving the area closing the doors as they left. He caught the gaze of a few fellow hunters who noticed the same thing. The cabin, which was silent at the time, began to hum with students one by one noticing the lack of adults now.
The headmaster's expression grew more serious. "Remember, students," the headmaster says catching their attention once again, "at Beacon, you must always expect the unexpected." No sooner had these words left his lips than the floor beneath the students' feet suddenly vanished.
A chorus of gasps and shouts filled the air as Emile, Ray, and their fellow students plummeted downwards, while the airship continued its trek above them. They were falling, faster and faster, towards the lush canopy of the Emerald Forest below.
In those heart-stopping moments, Emile's mind raced, arms and legs flailing around as he watched the ground approach at high speed. Beside him, Ray wore a grin of exhilaration as he yelled, "Yahoo!" tucking his arms and legs together to plummet even faster.
Emile shouted, "You're crazy, Ray!" but Ray, unfazed, responded with a thumbs-up, continuing his rapid descent. Emile, despite his efforts to stay calm, felt a twinge of panic as he observed his classmates hurtling towards the forest below. A few students, however, stood out; they were either soaring with the aid of their Semblances or floating gently towards the ground and a realization dawned on Emile, and he mentally chastised himself for not considering it earlier.
Emile stretches his arms wide, fingers splayed, as a radiant forest green aura emanates from his fingertips. This glowing energy, growing more intense with each passing moment, extends into long, luminous strands. These strands intricately weave together, creating a makeshift parachute that dramatically slows his descent. Emile smirked to himself, obviously proud of his quick thinking.
"Flora!" Emile suddenly heard someone shout. Looking towards the source he saw a girl holding onto a floating Faunus watching worryingly at another Faunus as she plummeted limply towards the ground.
"Oh, crap!" Emile says realizing just how much danger that female Faunus was in, however, there was nothing he could do. Using his Semblance had already slowed his descent significantly so even if he tried to chase after her she would most likely hit the ground before he even got close.
Unless…
"Ray!" Emile's voice echoed below, urgent, and persistent. It took several calls before Ray glanced back in confusion, unable to discern the words. But Emile's frantic gesturing finally directed his attention. Turning to his left, Ray's eyes widened as he spotted the unconscious Faunus. He placed his arms behind his back and all of a sudden he had gauntlets on and with a sudden burst of wind he was flying towards the Faunus while all Emile and the other friend could do was watch and hope.
~F~
MOMENTS EARILER
Flora wasn't a fan of flying. This statement should be very obviously being a doe Faunus whose very nature is being grounded. However, here she was with a batch of new students flying towards her new home for the next couple of years. Away from her parents, old friends, and especially him which was the best thing for her.
There was a slight turbulence that caused her to lose her balance slightly and held her stomach, "Ugh." She complained.
"You don't look so good." A voice beside her says. Standing beside her was Hickory, a tall young man she had met during the beginning of the trip to Beacon. He was tall and muscular, though his physique was concealed beneath a dark brown, baggy overcoat. His hair was short and unkempt, complementing his coffee-brown eyes, "Your face is starting to look like your hair."
A beautiful shade of light green with bluish tips sat lazily on her shoulder, "Ugh," she shuddered again before brushing it off her shoulder, "thanks Hickory, you know how to make a girl feel better." She said with a hint of sarcasm or maybe it was annoyance?
"Perhaps you should sit down?" another voice from the group said, this time coming from another male named Anubis. Anubis stood a little taller than Flora but shorter than Hickory with onyx skin. His hair was shaved on the sides and short and curly on top with a slight tussle. Despite him sounding worried about Flora's health his facial features didn't match it, "and grab yourself a sick back or three." Once again Flora felt her body shudder at the mere thought of up chucking whatever food sat in her stomach.
"I'll be fine." Flora says rather unconvincingly, "I just have to…"
"Sit down?" This time it was Tiffany who spoke up, Tiffany was the smallest of the group. She has large, expressive blue eyes and wears glasses with a thin black frame. She has long, flowing orange hair with a straight fringe and strands gently framing her face. Her hair is adorned with a simple black headband. She was currently holding a staff, "I can use my Semblance and create a custom chair just for-"
"Probably not a good idea." spoke up but this time it was from a cat named Vi who was currently sitting in Anubis' bag. A light purple cat with golden hues was peeking out looking at the group, "remember what happened last time you used your Semblance to create something 'Custom'." Anubis shuttered at the memory.
"Luckily we were boarding or else there would have been hell to pay." He says.
"C-coming on guys!" Tiffany protested, "It was an accident!"
"Tell that to gate 43." Vi retorted.
"Guys, I'll be fine!" Flora finally managed to say, "I just have to make it to Beacon and wait until this flying death trap lands I'll be fine…I think."
Suddenly, A flicker of light in the center of the cabin caught everyone's attention, and a hologram of the headmaster materialized. During the speech Flora forgot about her air sickness and was captivated by the hologram, "wow, Beacon must be really high tech." she said unaware of the slowly disappearing adults until Hickory spoke up.
"Umm Flora." Hickory spoke catching her attention just in time to see the last hunter close a door.
"What the hell?" Anubis spoke as he looked around, "where did the adults go?"
Remember, students
"I don't like this," Tiffany said, her voice trembling with nerves as she gripped the strap of her weapon tighter. Her eyes wide with a mix of fear and uncertainty. Flora stood beside her and couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety resonate within her. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart.
"Me neither," she admitted.
at Beacon, you must always expect the unexpected.
"Perhaps we should-" Hickory's voice was suddenly interrupted as the floor suddenly disappeared cause all the students to suddenly plunge into the vast open blue sky.
As the ground rushed up to meet them, a sense of overwhelming panic gripped Flora. The wind roaring in her ears, the blur of the Emerald Forest below, and the realization of freefall merged into a torrent of fear that she couldn't control. Her breaths came in short, ragged gasps, her heart racing like a trapped bird in her chest. Flora's vision started to tunnel, the edges growing dark as her mind struggled to process the sensory overload.
The panic attack tightened its grip, constricting her breathing further. She felt dizzy, disoriented, as if the world was spinning uncontrollably around her. Flora's Semblance, usually a source of strength and control, was out of reach in her panicked state. She felt helpless, falling through an endless void.
In those frantic moments, Flora's body and mind could no longer cope with the overwhelming fear and stress. Her consciousness began to slip away, a merciful darkness encroaching at the edges of her vision. Flora succumbed to the darkness, her body going limp as she fell unconscious, still plummeting towards the forest below.
~R~
CURRENT TIME
Shit!
In that split second, he realized he was the only one close enough to reach her. Unlike the others, he had allowed himself to freefall while the others began using their Semblance or other tactics to slow their descent, a decision that now positioned him as the sole person capable of catching up with the falling student. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline surging as he angled his body, and placed his hands behind his back activating a device on the small of his back that began quickly assembling two gauntlets on him. Once done, he threw his arms back, activated the wind dust by pressing a small button on the grip bar, and used the wind from the dust cartridge to "fly" towards the student.
Shit! shit!
But what was he going to do? His Semblance was pure offense and had no way to save himself let alone save someone else. He quickly pushed that thought to the side, he'll worry about the landing once he caught up with her.
SHIT!
Ray reached out, grabbing her hand. The sudden contact caused them both to spin, but Ray held firm. He knew he had only moments to act. Using his momentum, he twisted his body, aiming for a safer trajectory towards a clearing in the Emerald Forest.
The ground was rapidly approaching, but Ray's focus was singular. He prepared for impact by pulling the unconscious Faunus closer to him, knowing that the landing wouldn't be gentle but hopeful that their crash and burn landing will just be a crash landing. As the trees of the Emerald Forest loomed closer, Ray braced for impact, holding onto the Faunus girl. This was not how he had imagined his arrival at Beacon Academy.
Just moments before impact, Ray spotted a clearing near a cluster of thick bushes. It wasn't perfect, but it was their best chance. He tightened his grip around the Faunus girl, pulling her even closer to shield her with his body. He turned mid-air, positioning himself to take the brunt of the fall.
The ground rushed up to meet them with terrifying speed. With a final, protective embrace around her, Ray hit the ground rolling. The impact was jarring, a brutal force that knocked the wind out of him. He tumbled through the underbrush, doing his best to absorb the shock and protect her from harm.
Finally, they came to a stop, Ray's back against the soft earth, The Faunus girl still clutched tightly in his arms. He lay there for a moment, gasping for breath, his mind trying to process the chaos of the last few seconds. Flora stirred slightly in his arms, a sign that she was at least not critically injured, "Huh?" the soft spoken Faunus girl spoke as she slowly sat up, her hand on her head as her eyes fluttered open, the haze of unconsciousness giving way to the sharp focus of reality.
For a moment, she seemed disoriented but soon her vision cleared and her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red as embarrassment washed over her. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" she stammered, scrambling to get off him. Ray, however, seemed unfazed by the situation. He offered her a lopsided grin, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "No worries," he said nonchalantly. "Just doing my part to make sure we both survived the fall. You okay?"
She was now sitting beside him on the forest floor, embarrassment still evident by her red cheeks from waking up in such an unexpected position. "I... I think so," she replied, her voice a mix of gratitude and lingering embarrassment. "Thanks for, um, breaking my fall."
He shrugged, brushing off leaves and dirt from his clothes. "It's what anyone would have done. Well, maybe not the falling unconscious part, but you get what I mean." He joked and for a moment the Faunus girl seemed to be caught off guard by his joke.
She sat silently for a moment her surprise slowly morphing into a soft chuckle, "Most people would be... more shaken up." She finally says, "but here you are, making jokes."
Ray shrugged, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Well, most people didn't sign up for Beacon thinking it'd be a walk in the park. Plus, I figure if we can survive a fall like that, we can handle whatever else Beacon throws at us."
"You are a strange one," the Faunus girl says as Ray stood up and began stretching his limbs makings sure everything was working.
"I get that a lot," Ray says during his quick stretch. Afterwards he offered her a hand, "Think you can stand?" The Faunus girl looked at his hand and gives him a quick nod before taking his hand and stands up. Ray kept a grip on her hand making sure to catch her just in case but when she showed she could stand under her own strength Ray let her hand go.
her posture still carrying a hint of the shock from their ordeal, but she seemed ok, "I'm Flora," she said, her voice steadier now, but still tinged with the remnants of her earlier panic.
"Ray," he replied with a nod. He extended his fist, offering a fist bump. His smile was a mix of friendliness and a challenge to embrace the unexpected.
Flora looked at his fist, a flicker of surprise crossing her features. It was clear that the gesture was not what she had anticipated. Ray's smile widened slightly; he enjoyed these small, unpredictable moments, the little things that threw people off their usual rhythm.
After a brief moment, Flora's surprise melted into amusement, and she returned the fist bump. "Nice to meet you, Ray," she said, a hint of laughter in her voice.
a voice cut through the stillness of the forest. "Ray!" called Emile from the tree line. Ray's face lit up with a smirk as he saw his friend rushing towards them, "You guys alright?"
"Yo, Em!" Ray greeted, waving. "Yeah, we're all good here!"
As Emile approached, his expression shifted from relief to annoyance. Without warning, he grabbed Ray in a headlock, catching him completely off guard. "What the hell was that?" Emile demanded; his voice tinged with frustration. "You're supposed to use your Semblance to slow down, not crash land like a malfunctioning airship!"
"Ow! I don't have that kind of Semblance, Em!" Ray protested, trying to wriggle out of Emile's grip.
"Then you should have told me!" Emile retorted.
Ray shot back, struggling, "How? I'm not telepathic!"
Flora watched as the two boys continued arguing before another voice caught her attention. This time it was her group of friends with Tiffany leading the charge, "Flora!" The girl yells bear hugging the young Faunus when she got close, "I was so worried about you!"
"I'm fine," Flora says giving Hickory and Anubis a nod as if to prove her point
"What about them?" Anubis asks pointing at the two boys who were still arguing despite their arrival. Flora turned her attention back to Ray and his friend only to see this time Ray had the named Emile in a headlock now.
"Say uncle!" Ray commanded.
"No!"
"Say it!"
"No!"
"Not exactly a 'knight in shining armor' is he." Anubis says and all Flora could do was giggle at the interaction.
"Ahem!" a commanding voice suddenly rang stopping the two boys from fighting. Standing by the tree line was an older man, most likely a instructor looking at them all with a unamused expression on his face, "Are you done acting like children?" The instructor says. Ray was taken completely by surprise by the sudden arrival of the instructor and Emile took advantage by elbowing him on the ribs and escaping the headlock.
The instructor, a stern figure with a piercing gaze, surveyed the students who had gathered in the clearing of the Emerald Forest. The students found themselves lined up side by side as his eyes lingered on Emile, Anubis, and Hickory, nodding with a hint of approval. "Well done on using your Semblances effectively or finding alternative methods to control your descent. Quick thinking in the field is essential," he commended.
His tone shifted as he turned towards Flora, who was still recovering from the shock of the fall. "Passing out during a descent, however, is unacceptable," he chided sharply, his words cutting through the air. Ray could see Flora's shoulders slump and she looked at the ground. He knew she still felt bad about it but rubbing it in her face was rubbing Ray wrong.
The instructor then fixed his gaze on Ray, his expression one of clear disapproval. "And you," he continued catching his attention, "recklessly crash-landing without utilizing your Semblance. Foolish move. A Huntsman must always use every tool at their disposal." He looked down at Ray.
Ray, who had been silent until now, felt a flare of irritation at the instructor's words. However, it was the criticism directed at Flora that pushed him to respond. "If you knew anything about my Semblance," Ray retorted with a controlled yet firm tone, "you'd understand that using it during the fall would've likely caused more harm, especially to Flora."
He stood his ground, his eyes meeting the instructor's. "I chose to use my Aura to cushion our landing instead of risking her safety with my Semblance. Sometimes, protecting others means making split-second decisions, even if they seem 'foolish' to some old man hiding in the forest."
"Old man?" he echoed, his voice rising and his face reddened with anger, "I've seen more battles and trained more Huntsmen than you can imagine. Every student here managed to land safely on their own. If seh had been on a mission, her passing out could have made her a liability, especially if she were alone."
Ray's jaw clenched, "We wouldn't be alone," he shot back, "We'd be part of a team. That's what being a Huntsman is all about."
"And what if you find yourself alone?" the instructor challenged, his eyes boring into Ray's.
Ray met his gaze without flinching, "I can hold my own," he stated confidently. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he added, "Or I could always show you if you have doubts." He adds, "Old Man."
The air around Ray and the instructor was thick with tension as neither one of them backed down, "Bah!" the instructor finally says as he steps back, "I don't have time for children who aren't going to make it past the first few months let alone the first year!" he says looking at Ray and Flora, "the airship is landing at Beacon." The instructor points behind him, "if you go this way you will find yourself at the entrance, you will find another instructor waiting for you there." The group didn't move for a moment, the tension in the air still palpable between Ray and the instructor, "well! What are you waiting for? Go!" Emile was the first to move before the others followed.
As soon as Ray passed the instructor, he grabbed his arm, "and you," He says looking at Ray, "I can't wait to see you fail."
"You're going to be waiting for a long time then," Ray says as he rips his arm free from his grasp, "Old man." With those words said, Ray ran off to join his friends leaving the instructor fuming in the forest alone.
~A~
Since the dramatic drop from the Bullhead airship, the group had grown with the addition of Ray and Emile. Anubis found himself trying to gauge the new additions, particularly Ray. His initial impressions were a mix of intrigue and skepticism.
'Reckless' was the word that sprang to mind when he thought about Ray's approach to saving Flora. The sheer audacity of just grabbing her mid-fall and using his own body as a shield was something that defied conventional training. It was a move that spoke of bravery but also a certain disregard for the standard protocols.
'Fool' also came to mind after witnessing Ray's first interaction with one of the instructors. Directly challenging an instructor, especially in such a defiant manner, was not something Anubis had expected. It was a bold move, possibly even foolish, considering the hierarchy and discipline typically respected within the academy.
"That guy's like a walking riddle, huh?" Emiles said, snapping Anubis out of his thoughts. "Talking about Ray," he added, seeing Anubis's questioning look.
Anubis watched Ray for a moment. Despite the recent tension, Ray seemed completely chill, almost as if nothing had happened. "it's not that," Anubis responded, his tone still and his demeanor stoic. "Just got me worried, is all."
"Because of the spat with the instructor?" Emile asked, his voice laced with a hint of unease.
Emile sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Honestly, yeah. And it's not just that. It's like, what if we get dragged into some drama with that instructor just 'cause we're hanging with Ray?"
Anubis nodded, understanding the dilemma. Being on Ray's side could mean trouble, but he also couldn't ignore the guts Ray had shown. "Yeah, I get that," he said. "But, you know, there's something about him. He's got guts. Just hope he knows when to rein it in."
"Ray? Rein it in?" Emile couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. "Man, we'd probably wipe out the Grimm before Ray learns to hold back."
Anubis let out a sigh, his gaze trailing over to where Ray was. "Well, let's just hope the instructor isn't the type to hold a grudge. Otherwise, we're definitely in for a long year."
~L~
Perched in a tree, the instructor's gaze was fixated on the tablet in his hands. The screen displayed the Emerald Forest, mapped out in a chessboard pattern with blue dots representing the students scattered from the airship. His attention, however, was drawn to one particular group moving towards grid G5 — the group with the bold student who had dared to challenge him.
Tapping the screen, he pulled out his radio and issued a command with an air of authority. "Send King to G5," he said crisply. When no immediate response came, he snatched the radio again, his voice laced with irritation. "I said, send King to G5. Do you not hear me?"
A hesitant voice emerged from the other side. "We hear you, sir," the voice trembled, "but... the headmaster mentioned not using large Grimm this year, so I'm not sure if—"
Cutting off the protest, the instructor's tone was stern and unyielding. "The headmaster has entrusted me with this year's initiation in the Emerald Forest. If I order the release of the King, your job is to comply without question. Is that clear?"
"Y-yes, sir, Instructor Lan," the voice replied, subdued. A moment later, it added, "King has been released into G5."
Satisfied, the instructor smirked, watching as a red dot appeared on the screen, signifying the King Grimm's presence. "Thought you were tough, huh?" he murmured to himself, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Can't wait to see the look on your face when I have to bail you out. That'll be the end of your time at my school."