"Inside even the most normal of souls is a beast waiting to be unleashed. All it takes is the one they hold near and dear to their heart."
"Did you double check everything?"
"Yes Mom. I got my clothes, dust, weapon, my guitar, everything. I'm not a kid anymore, you know that?" The boy tied up his boots and rapped the tip on the floor, turning back to his mother before she squeezed him tight. "To me and your father you're still our baby boy." Her smile radiated warmth, yet it faltered and her eyes softened. "We're just so worried about something happening to you out there. You know how people are against us, Faunus."
He broke from the hug and grasped his Mother's shoulders. The teen gazed back with bright yellow orbs, holding the same soft expression as his mother, except for the fire burning within them, "Mom, I'll be fine. I can handle myself out there. I'll call when I get on the ship. I'll see you later mom." He gave her a peck on the cheek and twisted the doorknob, glancing back one last look before his boots clacked against stone. The teen squinted his eyes and draped his arm above his head as he took step after step towards the bay.
"Good luck out there honey!" His mother saw him off, waving her hand high. The smile on her lips returned much brighter than before. Though, she can't help the uneasiness boiling inside of her as her son's form shrank in the horizon.
His boots creaked against the weathered planks of Menagerie's port, the rapid rhythm of his steps blending with the cacophony of Faunus merchants shouting their wares. The teen winced, covering his ears as he slipped between the crowds chattering and the negotiation of goods being exchanged for Lien at the numerous stalls lining the docks.
He was met with a few smiles and waves here and there, which he returned in kind. From children to the elderly, all of whom bore scales, tails, an extra pair of ears, or more subtle features – Like sharp fangs or split tongues. The crowd parted as he walked, picking up the smell of saltwater and the creaking of ropes, along with light chatter and the gentle lapping of the waves against metal.
Finally the outline of his destination came into view: a ship moored at the edge of the docks, swaying in the waves, kept in place by a lowered anchor and the ropes tied around posts. The hull sported scratches underneath the fresh paint. He admired the ship before quickening his pace, boots thudding against the planks. As he approached the gangway, a man in his thirties blocked his way to the ship.
"Name and Ticket," he requested. As the teen procured the aforementioned item, the man asked, "You look a bit too young going out on your own. You a huntsman?" The teen nodded, handing the man his ticket. "I'm about to be; it'll be a long four years in Beacon. I'm Noi by the way, Noi Orchid." He extended a hand that was met with another, rougher palm, and they shook hands. "Good grip, kid. Well, enjoy your stay." The man grinned as he stepped to the side. "Thank you, sir," The teen said, waving as he went on his way towards his assigned room.
Once Noi heard a click, his hand pushed the door, creaking quietly as the room came into view. He kicked off his boots and closed the door behind him, savoring the feel of the soft, fuzzy carpet beneath his feet. The teen crossed the room in a few strides, his hand brushing over the delicate sheets of the bed; it was spacious enough for two, and for a while, he had it all to himself.
Noi let out a sigh of contentment as the bed springs creaked gently under his weight. "Hmm, I could've sworn this was a bed, not a fluffy cloud." He hummed—a tickling sensation ran down his right arm, and he raised it to find a decently sized spider perched there, its numerous beady eyes fixed on the teen.
"Hey Jorō, how's my favorite spider?" Noi cooed, the arachnid replied with skittering and crawling in circles. "Hm. So, how was your stroll around the ship?" It nodded. "Good? Did you find anything interesting?" Jorō shook its head. The teen sighed and let himself fall back on the bed.
"Looks like this'll be a boring trip. Eh, I could just ask the crew what kind of Grimm left scratches that big on the hull. Might be an interesting story, that is if I can talk with them." Noi then took out his scroll and looked at himself in the camera, putting a finger to his teeth. He traced along the pearly whites then stopped at the pair of fangs slightly jutting out from his upper front row of teeth. The teen poked on one of them, drawing a speck of crimson from the tip of his finger.
"There's gonna be a day I'll hurt someone with these. I'm sure of it." He licked the blood clean off from his finger and let the seconds pass by. "Well, no use wallowing in silence in my own room. I'm gonna go out and enjoy the scenery, get some fresh air." Noi turned to Jorō on the wall, spinning a web. "You wanna come with?" The spider shook its head. "Well alright, keep the room safe and come to me if anything happens okay?"
Noi took one step after the other to reach the door. Putting on his boots again, he tied it up before standing straight and twisting the knob, pulling the door open and closing it back again behind him. Not noticing the shadow peering from a corner in the hallway.
The shadow had a feminine figure wearing a jet black outfit. A white mask with red markings hid her features, except for the orange cat ears twitching on her head that picked up the faint footsteps of someone walking away from her general direction. She procured her Scroll from the pouch on her belt and whispered into it, "He's gone. Over." The person on the other end muttered something then ended the call, that's when she quickened her pace, each step more hurried than the last.
Reaching a locked door, she took out her scroll once more and pressed it against the screen on the side, while it worked away to unlock the door as her eyes drifted from left and right. Her ears twitched, hearing a beep from the system as her hand grasped the doorknob. Slowly twisting it open, she slipped inside. Her steps became more measured, calculated. Her heart pumped faster in her chest as a bead of sweat rolled down her cheek. That is when her ankle got caught on a line of sturdy string.
She held back a word, gritting her teeth before swiftly getting back on her feet. Her eyes frantically scanned every direction to see who or what had set up that wire. Her ears picked up the faint sounds of skittering insects and strung webs.
Then, she heard nothing. Her body froze in anticipation, her ears rang the longer the silence went on as numerous pairs of eyes hid in the dark, out of sight.
On the upper deck, seagulls flew overhead, while the sun began to set in the horizon. Noi is leaning on the railing, basking in the sun's warm rays when Jorō appears in front of him. "What is it Jorō?" He asked, the spider skittered about and raised its legs on the railing of the ship.
Noi raised an eyebrow, this was certainly strange, "Someone's in my room?" The little spider nodded. Noi inhaled the fresh, warm air as his gaze returned to the sunset on the horizon; clear blue water turning orange stretched for miles. "Don't worry about it too much." He heaved a sigh, pushing himself off the railing and taking quick strides towards the lower deck. "Your siblings have been quite restless. I just need to make sure they don't leave me a pile of bones to clean up."
And that's done! After the next and final one, I might take two weeks to write the official start of the story. These are just introductions as you might've already guessed.
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