Don't own RWBY and I guess I should say I don't own Beauty and the Beast.
Clover Ebi stepped out of his house and walked the small path towards the small village. The sun had just came up and everyone opened their windows doing their usual greeting. Robyn made her usual rounds with her usual tray of bread. Sage, Scarlet, and Neptune made their way towards the school with looks of confusion on their faces.
Clover walked up to greet them. "Morning lads. Did you guys forget something again?"
"I want to think so," Neptune said.
"Problem is we just don't know what," Sage muttered.
Clover gave the trio a smile. "Don't worry. It's bound to come back to you at some point," he assured.
The three nodded in agreement before Neptune asked "So where are you off to this morning?"
"I'm returning this book to Father Vine," Clover said showing the boys The Sorrows of Young Werther. "It's about this guy who is in love with a woman but-"
"That's great Clover but we're not really into that sort of stuff," Neptune said.
"I don't think anyone is really," Scarlet muttered. Sage gently elbowed him in the arm.
Clover's face fell. "Oh, well, I'll let you get on your way then."
"See you Clover," Sage said as he and his friends entered the school.
Clover went on his way ignoring the whisphers that follow him from the townsfolk doing their daily gossip. They were alway like this. It was a small village with not much to do and the people here were content with that. Not Clover though, he wanted more out of life. But he didn't have the means to obtain it.
He ran a simple farm on the edge of town while his grandfather, Ozpin, taught at the local school. They made enough to get by but not enough to escape this small town and go somewhere else. Clover shook the depressing thoughts out of his head and brighen up when he saw the church up ahead. It held the only library in town. If you could even call it that.
Clover opened the doors and greeted Father Vine. "Ah Clover, how was your trip?" the priest asked.
"It was wonderful," Clover answered. "And very sad. The lengths Werther went to for Charlotte's sake." Clover placed the book on the shelf and looked at the others. "Have you got any new ones?"
Father Vine shook his head. "I'm afraid not. But you're welcome to borrow one of the old ones," he offered.
Clover took his personal favorite Don Quixote and bid the priest farewell. Eyes locked onto his book, Clover made his way back home. Only looking up on occation to make sure he didn't run into something or someone.
Harriet Bree was the most popular woman in the village. After skillfully killing a rabid bear that had made it's way to the village a few years back she earned the reputation of being the greatest hunter in the country despite her gender. On top of that, she was also very beautiful. Women wanted to be her. Men just straight up wanted her.
Well, all except one.
"You're staring again," Elm muttered as she tied their horses to the tavern having just come back from a hunt.
"How can I not," Harriet sighed as she caught sight of Clover. "That luscious hair. Those perfect eyes. Those strong arms."
Elm started tuning her friend out and shook her head. All of the people Harriet had to fall for, and it had to be the professor's grandson. The guy was a total weirdo. He never went out hunting. Never hang out at the tavern for a drink with the others. He'd fish, but only for food instead of game. And any fish that would have looked great on someone's wall he returned back to the sea. Said he couldn't bear to end the life of such a beauty. And he read romance novels of all things!
That didn't stop the fact that Clover is the best looking man in the village. And with Harriet being the best looking woman, that meant the two were a perfect match. According to Harriet anyway.
She joined Clover in step as he started to walk past them. "Morning Clover," Harriet greeted.
"Morning Hare," Clover returned not looking up from his book. Harriet quickly got annoyed and plucked the book out of Clover's hands.
"Harriet come on," Clover complained as he tried to take the book back while Harriet looked at the cover.
"Don Quixote again? Didn't you read this like ten times by now?" she asked while Clover successfully took back the book.
"It's my favorite," Clover argued.
Harriet scoffed. "Seriously Clover you need to realize that there's more to life than just those silly books. Like me for instance. In fact what do you say we head on over to the tavern for a while. I'll treat you to something while I show you all my trophies."
It took all of Clover's willpower to keep a fake smile on his face. "That's tempting Harriet but my grandfather is expecting me back soon so I must get going."
"Alright. But don't keep me waiting Clover," Harriet said giving him a wink before going back to where Elm was.
Once he knew Harriet wasn't looking, Clover shivered in disgust. "Can't that woman take a hint?" he muttered to himself. On his way home he hailed Robyn to buy a loaf of bread from her before making a beeline to a hooded figure sitting on the street.
"Spare coin? Could you spare me a few coins please?" the beggar asked. Everyone gave him a wide berth. Mostly out of fear because the right side of him was made of metal. He claimed to have been severely injured during the war and was put back together by a very skilled doctor.
Clover approached him and held the loaf of bread out to give him. James raised his flesh hand. "Clover you can't keep feeding me like this," he insisted.
"Nonsense General, after what you've done for us. It's the least I can do," Clover insisted.
James humbly took the bread. "You're a good soul Clover. It's comforting to know that there are people like you here." Clover blushed sheepishly before bidding James farewell.
At home, Clover found his grandfather Ozpin looking over what seemed to be a letter. "Ah, Clover, how was your trip to town?" Ozpin asked setting the letter aside and pulling another pile of papers close so he could look them over.
"It was alright," Clover said pulling up a chair close to Ozpin and opening his book. After a few moments of comfortable silence Clover found himself asking "Grandfather, do you think I'm odd?"
Ozpin looked up from his papers in surprise, then he gave a small smile and a chuckle. "Now why would I find my own grandson odd?"
"No real reason. Just some stuff I hear around the village," Clover answered.
"I wouldn't pay those people any mind. They just don't see things the way you and I do," Ozpin assured.
"I know Grandfather, it's just rather lonely up here some times. You seem to be the only person I can really connect with," Clover said.
"What about Harriet? She seems to like you," Ozpin wondered.
Again Clover shivered. "Please. Harriet's a competitive, self-absorbed-" he cut himself off before his words became much ruder.
Ozpin placed a hand on his grandson's shoulder. "I apologies. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I know it's hard, feeling like you don't fit in. But you've still got a long future ahead of you. You just need to keep-"
"Keep moving forward. I know. I know." Clover finished, smiling at Ozpin. The two shared a warm embrace before Ozpin glanced at the clock.
"Goodness is that the time already?" Ozpin gathered his papers and placed them into a suitcase before grabbing a packed overnight bag from the armchair.
"Going somewhere?" Clover asked.
Ozpin mentality scolded himself for forgetting to tell Clover about this trip. "Yes, a University over in the other town has invited me to give a lecture. I'll only be gone for a few days."
Clover grew a little worried. "Are you sure it's a good idea to go right now? They're still clearing out the woods from last nights storm and that psychopath is still on the loose in there."
"It's not a long trip. I should be out of there before nightfall. And the people clearing the paths will guide me in another direction if need be," Ozpin assured.
Clover relaxed at those news. "Alright then. I'll saddled Salem up for you." He went out back to the barn and brought Salem out. Her imposing white coat glittering in the sunlight. After slipping on her saddle and tying Ozpin's bags to one of the D-rings, Ozpin mounted her and bid Clover farewell.
Clover waited until his grandfather was no longer in his sight before heading back inside. He went back to his novel. He would say he was content with his solitude. But he'd be lying.
