Chương 3: 3
The First Day
Remnant, the name of my new home.
The first night here, I stayed up late staring out the window. For hours, I was trying to process the fact that I was really in a new world. So far away from home with a world vastly different from the one I was from. The evidence that things were truly different was insurmountable.
Aura and Semblance replaced Thaumaturgy.
Huntsmen and Huntresses took the place of the Moonlit world.
Unlike the magus society, which hid in secrecy, huntsmen and huntresses revealed their powers and were embraced with open arms. For it made little sense to hide their powers if there was no home to go back to. And by being the protectors from the hordes of Grimm, they were considered heroes.
Suffice to say, I didn't sleep my first night here as there was too much on my mind.
So rather than falling into despair regarding my situation, I switched into the person when I lived with Kiritsugu. I needed to assess my current situation, establish the options that I had, and then execute them.
The first thing I needed to do was learn more about this new world. How much different was their power from my own? What type of laws were in place when it came to Aura and Semblance? Did they have the same type of restriction like magecraft had? There was just so much to learn; after all, forewarned was forearmed. Not to mention I had to prepare myself for the possibility that Miyu was somewhere in this world.
That in of itself was going to be a herculean task.
"One step at a time Shirou," I recanted to myself. "Observe, analyze, and act."
I turned to the counter where all my belongings were laid out. The staff members came by with books, uniforms, and office stationary. Standard things for a semester, but what really grabbed my attention was the handheld electronic device that they called a Scroll. A form of smartphone that was primarily made out of a special glass and could be compacted into a smaller form.
Kiritsugu always kept himself up to date with current technology. This meant that I also needed to keep up with how technology progressed in order to manage our logistics. It was nothing short of amazing how technology could change so quickly in less than a generation. To see even this world invented a device so useful was nothing short of impressive.
Pocketing the device, I turned to some documents on the counter.
The scholarship and fund grant provided by this academy made my eyebrows shot up. The amount of money this place charged rivaled even the most prestigious institutions in my world. I flipped over to the next page regarding my schedule.
"A combat school huh?"
There were only four courses offered. Each was apparently a core curriculum that provided a well-rounded education to nurture a future hunter. A combat class, studies on Grimm, history, and government.
"I wonder if I'll get a degree out of this," I joked to myself.
"You do actually," an amused voice interjected. "Well more of a certification really."
Ozpin leaned against the doorway sporting a steam cup of coffee.
"Is that so?" I answered back.
"Of course, we are an accredited university you know."
"That's good to know. At least there will be other career paths for me to choose if monster killing doesn't work out." I shook my head in mirth.
He chuckled along with me. "Apologies for coming in unannounced. I was informed by the medical staff that you've been awake the entire time?"
"I was… catching up on reading." I gestured with a nod of my head to the books neatly stacked at the counter.
"Hmm – well that certainly puts my mind at ease knowing you're studious. Because between you and me?" He closed the door behind him for privacy. "Glynda can be a bit overbearing with her pestering, always worrying about the little details." He wore a grin on his face. "So seeing as how you were trying to catch up by reading is reassuring for me. Otherwise, I wouldn't hear the end of it from her."
"I suppose she means well," I reasoned.
"Oh she definitely does mean well. She's one of the hardest working individuals I've ever known." His face seemed to be reminiscing on a memory before he wiped it away. "So, I'm a little surprised to see you're already up. Are you a morning person?" he presumed.
"Sort of, it really depends on what I'm working on."
"Ah," he nodded his head in understanding, "so a workaholic?"
I halfheartedly glared at him. It wouldn't be the first time someone had told me I liked working too much. Julian had done his best to constantly remind me to take a break. I shook my head, "Anyways, I really do need to thank you for your charity. I read through all the paperwork this morning. You didn't have to go ahead and give me-"
"Ah," a hand rose up to interrupt. "You can thank me by doing well in school and proving Glynda wrong. I try and give equal opportunities to everyone no matter who or what they are. I made this academy to stand as a beacon of hope and change. That its doors will always be open to those who are willing to work hard for a better future."
A small silence filled between us as I packed everything away into two duffle bags.
Ozpin took a sip on his coffee as he quietly observed me from the door. His pensive expression almost reminded me of when Kiritsugu mulled over something. "I dislike hearing about family being separated," he announced unexpectedly. "A story like yours truly strikes a chord and shows how much work he Huntsmen have," he sounded sympathetic. "And I sense you would like nothing else but to find your sibling as fast as humanly possible. My contacts are searching as we speak, but there's only so much that we can uncover in a reasonable amount of time. I'll try to keep you updated every week or so through your scroll."
I packed away the last item into my bag.
"Am I really that easy to read?" I contemplated out loud.
"No," he shook his head. "You hide it fairly well, but when you've lived as long as I have, it becomes almost elementary to look for the signs."
"I see…"
Ozpin shifted from where he stood and checked for the time. "I better get going," he tisked. "Glynda must be wondering where I've wandered off to instead of doing this morning's paperwork." He moved to exit, but turned around. "But before I forget, do you know where the dorms are?"
"I can read the map, don't worry," I presented to him the student guide.
"Resourceful," he nodded approvingly. "I'll be off then. Good luck on your first day here. And once again, welcome to Beacon Academy. I'll be keeping an eye on you."
The door clicked gently as he departed.
I sighed and scratched the back of my head.
"Yeah – welcome to Beacon…"
Pyrrha Nikos slowly awoke from her slumber.
The clock on her nightstand informed her that it was half past five. She had risen just before her own alarm went off.
Exhaling lightly, she pushed the covers off and went to change.
Ren and Nora were both still sound asleep on their side of the room. She frowned when she spotted the bed beside her that was empty.
Deciding to worry about that later, she closed the door quietly before quickly making her way outside. She inhaled deeply when she felt the crisp outside air. A small smile wormed its way onto her face as she stretched and warmed up. "I wonder how Shirou is doing," muttered Pyrrha.
Her first impressions of him was that he was reserved and aloof. However when she peeled away the mask, Shirou held the propensity to be snarky. In the short time she became familiar with Yang, she knew that the blonde haired girl loved to tease and get underneath a person's skin. No one was spared from her puns and jokes; not even herself.
Another facet of his character was that if provoked, he was more than ready to return the favor. Lastly as she got to know him better, she found that while Shirou was willing to let others take charge, he was willing to step up if no one else would.
After finishing her routine warm ups. She bounced lightly in place before setting off on her jog. A short and light run to start off her day.
As she was jogging, another thought floated through her head. It was something that Ruby had mentioned the other day about Shirou's weapons. She too was curious about what Shirou used to snipe down the Nevermore. It was only due to her sense of modesty that she refrained from prying too much from him while he was still in the medical wing.
"Hrunting…" The name of the weapon she barely heard let alone caught sight of.
Was it a part of his semblance? The ability to summon projectiles? She barely caught the crimson blur as it traveled far faster than anything she had ever seen before.
Pyrrha shook her head as she quickened her pace. It would be better to wait until Shirou would reveal his power rather than make assumptions.
She made quick work of lapping around the campus. By the time she was almost finished, the sun had just begun to rise and she worked up a sweat.
As she neared the central promenade of the academy, she spotted Shirou. With a pair of duffle bags slung around one shoulder, he was focused on the scroll in his hand. She slowed down her pace as she walked towards him. As she got closer, she took note that he was dressed in the school's uniform without the vest and the jacket left unbuttoned. At the back of her mind, she noted how the slight breeze in the air made his uniform flow like a mantle.
Instantly clamping down her thoughts, she shook her head.
Even though she only knew Yang for a short time. She could already feel the girl's influence rubbing off on her. And she wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. Deciding to see if her leader needed help, she called out.
"Shirou."
I casted a cursory glance over at the voice calling out to me.
It was Pyrrha, striding down the causeway in her workout clothes. They clung to her body that left little to the imagination. There was a charming smile on her face as she strode up to me.
"Good morning Pyrrha," I greeted.
Sweat glistened off her skin and I suppressed the urge to not look down. "Good morning to you too," she held her smile, "I'm happy to see that you're out of the hospital. Although, I was hoping to surprise you with the rest of the team before you were discharged."
"The doctor's gave me a clean bill of health after everyone left. They just wanted me to stay for the night for one last check up before letting me go."
She placed a hand on her hip. "Well you have good timing. I just finished my morning run. You don't mind if we walk together?"
"I don't mind at all," I answered. "After you," I motioned for her to take the lead.
The walk to the residence for students wasn't too far. Already there were other people heading out of the building towards the dining facility for breakfast. As we passed by them, I couldn't help but note the amount of fervent whispering and curious gazes towards my partner. Plenty of them nervously waved to her to which she responded in kind. They scurried off after receiving her attention with glee in their voices.
Pyrrha Nikos was a rather popular student.
I took another quick glance at her.
It was a no brainer as to why she would be popular; ridiculously good looks, a welcoming personality, and a friendly disposition. Those three things combined was a winning formula to standing out.
But it was the sheer amount of recognition that had me wondering if there were any other factors. Was she perhaps a famous celebrity? And if she were, what did she do to earn that status? Especially since she was the same age as me.
"Here we are," her voice broke me out of my thoughts. She unlocked the entrance by swiping with her scroll. "We're on the third floor of the building. Each floor has their own student lounge for us to use. Although from what I'm told, not many people really use it."
"And why's that?" I asked absentmindedly.
"All it is really is a kitchen and a living room. And well, I don't think most people know how to cook so there's that."
I perked up at being informed there was a kitchen. "A kitchen huh?"
"You look excited," her eyebrow arched up. "I've never seen anyone interested about a kitchen before."
I coughed to the side to hide my embarrassment at how I let myself open. "Well when we get the chance. I'll show you why."
"Then I look forward to it." There was a hop to her step as she flashed a smile. "And here is our room." Again like downstairs, she unlocked the door with a swipe of her scroll. "Oh, I almost forgot to mention, but Team RWBY's room is right across from us. We share the same schedule and classes with them for this year." She pointed behind me.
"At least its people we're familiar with," I commented.
My first impressions of Team RWBY when they entered the hospital room weren't that much. Ruby, their leader, was a cheery girl that seemed rather young in comparison to everyone else. Yang, her half-sister, to be blunt was incredibly bold and had almost no shame. Weiss was fairly stern and felt like she had something to prove to everyone. And lastly Blake was an enigma much like myself. She didn't offer much about herself as she kept to the background.
And if my gut feeling were right, then everyone was around the same age as me except for Ruby. She looked to be a year or two younger than everyone else.
"I'm not sure if Ren or Nora are awake yet. They were still asleep when I left," said Pyrrha as she pushed the door open.
"Oh Pyrrha? You're back." That answered her question as the other boy in my team greeted us. "You also brought Shirou with you I see. I'm glad to know you are well." In the middle of the room he was doing some routine stretches before he got up and walked over with an outstretched hand. "Ren, Ren Lie."
"Emiya, Emiya Shirou," I responded in kind and shook his hand. He introduced himself like the people from back home. "It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise," he grinned. "I'll be looking forward to working with you."
"Ugh," someone groaned from the corner. "Is that our leader?"
Ren coughed into his hand. "Yes it is Nora. You should do your best to wake up."
"Mrgh," the orange haired girl rolled in her bed. "I don't wanna!"
"But then you'll miss out on breakfast. And if you miss out on breakfast, that means you won't get any pancakes. And if you miss out on pancakes, that means-"
"Bugghhhh-!" She made a noise she flipped over her covers. "You promise you'll share some of yours?" Nora rubbed her eyes in a childlike manner.
"Yes, but only if you clean up so we can get there early," explained Ren.
"Okay."
And just like that, the girl stretched around while preparing to ready herself for the day.
"Just something for you to remember in the future. This is usually the easiest way to get Nora up and out of bed," he informed discretely to me. "She's more manageable when you dangle a reward or in this case the prospect of food. Otherwise, it's a bit of a hassle to get her up."
"I… see." That was rather useful to know if I was going to manage my teammate. "Thanks."
"No problem" he shrugged.
"Shirou?" called Pyrrha. "Are those all of your belongings?"
"Yeah."
"Here," she walked over to an empty closet and opened it. "This one is yours."
"Ah, thanks." Everything was relatively easy to unpack since I had little to call my own. The room was relatively spacious enough to accommodate four people and their belongings. We all had our own desks, closet, and shelf. And from just a glance, I could already spot which one's belonged to whom by their own little discrepancies.
"And here's your bed." Pyrrha pointed to a bed at the corner of the room. "It's right next to mine so we'll be sharing a nightstand together."
"Splitting up the beds by partners I'm guessing?" I said as I separated my clothes and study material.
"You guessed it," replied Pyrrha. She carried a bag of amenities along with a towel neatly folded on top and her uniform. "If you don't mind, I'll be going to clean up while you settle in. If you need anything else, don't be afraid to ask."
I gave her my thanks as she left the room.
"Alright, c'mon you," Ren prodded his partner. "Let's go get cleaned up as well. Faster we clean up, the sooner we can get breakfast."
"Lead the way Ren," yawned Nora.
And just like that, the room fell sent.
I busied myself as I filled my closet with clothes, arranged the desk with my study material and shelved the books in order. When I finished unpacking all of my worldly possessions, I seated myself at my desk and took in my surroundings.
"Ha…"
A heavy sigh escaped my mouth as I realized this was my new home for the foreseeable future. I was a stranger to these lands and far away from home. The more I thought about it, the more it unsettled me that I was going to have to fake being a huntsmen.
"A true faker through and through."
I could almost picture Angelica's sneer in disgust at the thought.
I shook my head and grabbed a book from the shelf. "I might as well get back to reading." I cracked open where I had left off from the night before. "Let's see… Remnant, a History."
The pen spun around my fingers deftly as I browsed through my notes.
It didn't dawn on me the moment I first appeared that I had somehow been able to comprehend the common language of this world. The transition was so seamless that I barely recognized I had picked up on all of the vocabulary, grammar, and syntax without realizing it.
"Although…"
My first suspicion was that it was granted to me by the Holy Grail.
I had neither the knowledge of any customs nor the history about Remnant. And so to ward of any suspicion, I threw myself onto studying the books to have a general context of my current location.
The pen flipped a couple times in the air before I caught it and scribbled some more notes.
"That's a pretty neat trick," commented Pyrrha to my right. I turned to greet her with a small smile. "Hard at work aren't we?"
"Just doing my best to catch up," I replied easily.
My redhead teammate visibly approved. "I can see you're quite extensive with your notes. Color me impressed Shirou." She sat down at her desk which was next to mine. "Here," Pyrrha fished out a couple sheets of paper. "I made a copy of my notes from the classes you missed out. The first two pages are the syllabus of our classes and the rest are from the initial lessons. You're fortunate that you didn't miss out on much."
I flashed a grateful smile and thanked her. Pyrrha was way too considerate; she seemed like a class representative type.
"It was nothing," she returned. "So… is there anything you're looking forward to?"
I kept my eyes on the papers as I thought out loud. "Nothing really," I shrugged at first. "Well maybe the work studies? Those seem rather interesting I guess."
She nodded her head. "I hear the work studies provided by Beacon are some of the best. Especially since Vale City is right next to us. There will be plenty of opportunities to go out into the city. Are you excited?"
"Maybe?" I grinned. "Know any places around there?"
"Ah – sorry," apologized Pyrrha. "You see, I'm sort of… new here as well. I recently transferred from," she paused hesitantly, "Sanctum Academy to come to Beacon."
"Sanctum? Where's that?" I asked offhandedly, my nose still stuck in my notes.
"You really don't know…" It was barely a whisper. She said that to herself more than to me. A genuinely happy smile was on her face before she answered. "It's in Mistral, on the continent of Anima."
"I see," I returned smoothly. "That's… interesting."
"How about you Shirou?"
"Hmm?" I replied eloquently.
Pyrrha kept up her smile patiently. "What academy did you come from? Homegrown like Yang and Ruby? I hear they graduated from Signal Academy over in Patch."
I pursed my lips into a thin line as I went over my response. The name wouldn't hurt right? It's not like it existed in this world. "Homurahara Academy."
"Homurahara," she sounded out the name. "I don't think I ever heard of that academy before. It sounds rather… Mistralian. Were you from out in the country Shirou?"
Well – the Mage's Association did consider Japan and Fuyuki City a backwater place. So in that vein, Pyrrha wasn't exactly wrong about her presumption.
"Yeah, you could say that. In fact, it wasn't uncommon for people to call it a backwater country where I lived. So most people tend to ignore that little part of the world."
"That sounds like it was up in the north. Most of everyone tend to stay near the southern part of the country. I heard it snowed a lot up there. What was it like?" She wanted to know more.
I couldn't hide the frown on my face. "Snow?" I mumbled.
She noticed and quickly apologized. "Ah, I'm sorry if I'm being a little intrusive."
No – it was just that snow triggered some bad memories. With the direction the world was heading, it flipped a lot of the seasons and winter became the most prominent. Fuyuki City was almost under a perennial snow coverage with little bits of spring and short stints of summer. And seeing her out in the snow with-
I turned away and placed my pen down.
"It's alright," I closed my eye and opened one to her. "It's only natural for my partner to be a little curious."
Her green eyes blinked. Those delicate eyebrows of hers scrunched together in confusion. The transition of emotions I went through alerted her to something. Before she could respond, the door to our room slammed open.
"Ooh yeah-!" A cherry Nora plowed through the entrance. "It's breakfast time!"
The boy that followed in suit groaned. "Nora," his hand ran down his face, "remember what I said about doors and entering a room?"
The orange haired girl had the decency to appear embarrassed as she poked her fingers together. "Not to barge in immediately and have respect for others?"
His shoulders dropped as he sighed. "Well, at least you're learning."
"Hey – Leader!" Nora marched up to me and saluted. I blinked in bewilderment. "Permission to ask Team RWBY to join us?"
Over her shoulder, Ren mouthed for me to go along with it.
"Sure," I shrugged, "why not?"
With my confirmation, she grinned and bolted out of the room.
"Nora wait! You forgot your school bag!" Ren grabbed both of their belongings before following her out. "Wait! Don't you dare kick down the door! NORA!"
I shook my head in amusement.
Grimm Studies with Professor Peter Port.
This was my first class and the atmosphere felt astonishingly normal. The setting was like any other lecture hall a person would find at a university back home. Three large blackboards dominated the wall with various notes surrounding pictures and sketches that were written and drawn in chalk. There were short anecdotes next to each one as well.
I studied my lecturer for the morning as I sat down with my team.
He was a portly, elderly looking man that had a spring to his step as he paced about. He was dressed in a double-breasted burgundy suit with gold piping and buttons. Clean pressed pants that were tucked neatly into olive riding boots. And lastly to compliment his image altogether was a crimson red ascot.
His eyes were pressed into thin lines that made it seem as if he had them closed. Graying, but well kept, hair that was groomed with care. And the most distinguishable feature, apart from his clothes, was his mustache that partly hid his mouth.
"Now before we begin," his voice boomed into the hall once everyone settled into their seats. "Who can tell me what it means to be a Huntsman or Huntress?"
Ruby's hand immediately shot up before anyone else's. "To be a hero!"
The pen that was spinning around my hand paused for a moment before continuing on.
"Ha-ha!" He smiled. "Very idealistic, but not quite what I'm looking for! Anyone else care to try?"
"To be strong!" Yang, the blonde haired step-sister, pounded her fists into each other to prove her point.
"Hmm," his mustache wrinkled. "While you certainly need to be strong," Professor Port then flexed his muscles into a strongman pose, "that's still not the answer I'm looking for." My eyes widened at the strength that laid hidden beneath that deceiving appearance. "Two more tries! Anyone?"
"To be smart!" attempted Weiss, she sounded so sure of herself.
"Mmm – close, but not quite right!" He wagged his finger. "Last try!" He clapped his hands and looked around the room. "Would anyone else like to try?" No one spoke a word as everyone's faces scrunched in thought. "Anyone?" he asked once more as he marched towards my direction.
The pen that was in my hand was the only sound that filled the air. The writing utensil flipped and spun around my hand as I kept an indifferent gaze at my professor. Hopefully, appearing unassuming would avoid me getting called and-
"You there," he pointed to me, causing the pen in my hand to come full stop. "The boy expertly dancing his pen in his hand. What's your name?"
And he picked me; fantastic.
I placed my pen down and stood up. "Emiya, Shirou Emiya."
I felt the entire class shift their eyes towards me. The professor grinned, "Would you perhaps be able to tell me what it means to be a hunter?"
My gaze looked down at the man who stood below with his hands behind his back. A lull of silence filled the hall as he waited patiently. Of all the people for him to come to for an answer; it just had to be me. By my own account, I was the worst person to answer this question. Subtly wasn't my strong suit nor my eloquence with words.
I sighed to myself and casted my sights upward.
"Sacrifice," I answered plainly.
The professor froze at what he heard. When I looked back down at him. I found his eyes were wide open. His piercing eyes scrutinized me as he gave me his undivided attention. "Would you care to… elaborate, Mister Emiya?"
"It's more than just being heroic, strong, or smart." My voice was kept neutral as I began to explain. I wasn't able to view myself as one of them. I didn't share their powers, culture, or their history. But what I was able to empathize with, was my own firsthand experience from living such a fragile life. To hold an ideal close to one's heart and then willingly give up on it for the welfare of another person. "We shoulder a responsibility to preserve the dreams and wishes of others. To protect the innocent from the world's many perils even if…"
I trailed off as I observed Professor Port's features. His eyes had hardened from hearing my words. The mustache hid a grim expression, but still framed a noticeable frown.
"…even if it means to sacrifice our own ideals."
The man before recognized something. By way of his expression it was if he was reflecting on old memories of the distant past. A time where he had spent his youth learning the many hardships of life. All because of a boy who spoke honestly from experience.
"I didn't expect an answer like yours from someone so young," his voice rumbled lowly.
I kept my silence. I had already said too much.
Port accepted that that was all he was going to get out of me.
He straightened his posture and squared his shoulders. "Yes," he began softly. "You are correct Mister Emiya. In our line of duty, we are often lauded for our heroics and bravery. Where we are ostensibly showered with praise for fighting monsters. We dazzle people with our strength and charm those who can fight to join in on the mission to protect humanity. The fantasy of a life of heroics is an allurement like no other."
He spoke to all of the students in the room. His eyes scanned the faces that stared intently at his words; as if taking them as gospel. They the returned back towards me.
"Sacrifice is indeed what it means to be a huntsmen. We sacrifice our dreams for others to flourish. We sacrifice our ideals in the pursuit of freedom. And at times, we sacrifice ourselves to ensure that others may live on in our stead."
A small pause came in to allow his words to sink in.
"However – while the idea of such nobility is admirable. You should not lose yourself in that ideal for that is tragic. You should never doubt yourself in the face of adversity, else you will not last long in this profession."
An audible intake of air could be heard from him. While his words were a lesson to the class. His message was directed to only one person.
"Thank you Mister Emiya."
I took that as my cue to sit back down. I caught Pyrrha's concerning gaze for a brief moment before she hid it with a smile.
"We are the sword in the darkness." Peter Port returned to the center stage. "We are the shield that protects the realm of Man and Faunus. We are the watcher on the walls! When we become Huntsman and Huntresses, we take a vow of responsibility to save the innocent. We bear the burdens and hardships for others to lead the way to a brighter future!"
The fiery spiel had everyone wrapped between Port's fingers.
"For that, we have a responsibility to make the hardest of decisions that no man, woman, or child could make! We are the first and only line of defense against the monsters of Grimm!"
He held his hands behind his back as he stood at attention.
"The night is dark and full of terrors, but we are the light that burns them away!" His words enraptured the hearts of my classmates. "When they ask; are you the Prey? You tell them; no – we are the Hunters!"
My first class of the year went in a direction I didn't expect. He cautioned the students of danger, captivated them with a reminder of duty, and stoked confidence in their hearts to prepare against the enemies that they would face in life.
It was inspiring for those who listened.
"The creatures of Grimm are nothing but monsters! Demons! Abominations of the highest orders!" He brought his hand up and clenched it into a fist. "They have no sense or reason to their existence! Cast aside your fear! Do not panic in the face of adversity! Trust in your skills and knowledge, but above all else, trust in your fellow hunter!"
He marched towards each respective student who answered.
"Use your strength!" The professor pounded a fist into his palm at Yang. "Use your brains!" He tapped the side of his head towards Weiss. "To take responsibility for others and yourself!" He briefly glanced at me before returning to Ruby. "To be the hero for those in need! A huntsman needs the culmination of all those things in order to be successful! The Grimm have none of the tools that we have! So fight! Inch by inch! Foot by foot! We fight – no matter the cost! Leave no quarter for they will give you none!"
A small frown had found its way to my face.
I had hoped to have stayed under the radar. But after that, there was no way I would ever be overlooked. I had drawn too much attention after answering a simple question from the professor.
The idealist within my wanted to deliver a brighter answer; the realist overruled and spoke out the truth instead.
Somehow, even after what was said. The professor of the class had managed to deliver a rousing speech. A testament to his age and experience.
"So," he called out. "Who here believes they can show the class what it means to be a huntsmen?"
"I do sir!" Ruby's partner's hand shot up before anyone else could. By the tone of her voice, she seemed rather aggravated for one reason or another.
"Ahh…" Port smiled in delight. "A Schnee! Wonderful!" He waved for her to come down. "Come forth! It is time for you to test your mettle!"
The white haired girl had quickly changed out of her uniform and into her battle gear.
A snow white frilly dress with white knee-high boots. She armed herself with her weapon and settled into a fencer's stance.
The rapier-like weapon in her left hand was held with a relaxed grip. With but a simple glance, I structurally analyzed the weapon in seconds and gained its background.
Myrtenaster, the Multi-Action Dust Rapier.
An odd like sword that was part rapier and part revolver. In place of where a guard would be. There was a revolver mechanism that held an assortment of Dust elements for different effects. A simple switch spun the cartridges around until the user selected the specific ammo. A rather simple, but elegant weapon designed for its user and her preference of combat.
Unlimited Blade Works would fail to reproduce the weapon properly. Too many small working parts made it inefficient to properly trace into the world. It was more gun than sword. The only reason why it could produce gouts of fire or waves of ice was due to its ammo and not from the sword itself. In a way, it was a like a gun that had bred with a sword. And my reality marble was unable to recreate a gun.
I surmised that it could probably manufacture the sword, but it would be without the additional features crafted with the blade to properly utilize the weapon.
"YEAHHHHH! LET'S GO WEISS! KICK ITS ASS!" roared Yang from the other side.
"Do your best Weiss," encouraged Blake; her cheer being more subdued than her partner's.
"Yeah!" Ruby threw her hands up into the air. "Team RWBY represent!"
A small grin tugged at the corner of my lips. Ruby's support was cute in a childlike, innocent manner with how she presented herself. It was rather endearing if I were honest.
"Ugh- Ruby!" Weiss singled her out of the team. "Quiet you! Can't you see I'm trying to focus here?"
That grin was quickly replaced with a frown.
"Oh err- um… sorry Weiss," meekly apologized Ruby.
"Miss Schnee," Port's voice boomed and interrupted them before it could escalate. "Are you prepared?"
"Yes sir!" She tensed her body.
"Remember, your objective is to eliminate the beast and showcase to us your skills as a huntress!" He readied his weapon. It was a strange combination of a blunderbuss that crossbred with a double-bladed axe. How did even wield that thing let alone shoot with it? In fact, that begged another question.
Why was everything both a gun and a melee weapon?
A sword? That was also a gun.
A scythe? A gun as well.
A spear? Yep – that was a gun too.
These people's obsession with guns was almost frightening. And here I thought my disposition to swords was weird. They took it to the next level and then some.
"Begin!" He slashed at the lock and an armored beast rolled out.
A quick glance to the board informed me that the thing was called a Boarbatusk. It had thick white plates that covered its back with elaborate tusks that curled menacingly.
The snow-white swordswoman thrusted her weapon at its hide and rolled out of the way. It was only a glancing blow as her blade bounced away harmlessly with a sharp ping. A flash of annoyance was quickly hidden away with focus.
Her knees bent and blasted off aggressively to the phantasmal beast with another thrust. The beauty and the beast collided halfway. And it was by either pure luck or poor misfortune on Weiss's part that the boar swept its head conveniently from right to left and snagged her rapier with its tusks. Her normally haughty eyes widened in shock at the turn of events.
"Waagh-!" Gah-!" she cried out.
Weiss attempted to hastily wrestle the tanged blade free. It only served to enrage the monster of Grimm as it thrashed around the floor trying to throw her away.
"Come on Weiss!" supported Ruby as she stood up. "Show that piggy whose boss! You can do it!"
Instead of seeing it as words of encouragement. Weiss interpreted it as Ruby patronizing her progress and turned her head to bark at her leader. The words on her lips never left as the thing freed the sword and smashed its tusks into her ribs. The force of it sent her skidding across the ground towards the feet of the Professor.
He merely stepped away in response and wordlessly told her that she would be solving this problem on her own.
The huntress-in-training and her opponent circled each other. The white haired girl patiently waited for the boar to charge. It huffed and snorted, pawing at the ground before it charged headstrong. It failed to anticipate her trap and as she dodged out of the way at the last moment. The beast smashed its way into the wall sending tremors throughout the room.
Weiss scrambled towards where her weapon was free. With a certain level of grace, she rolled over it, and slid into her duelist stance in one smooth movement.
"Weiss!" called out her teammate once again. "Go for its hind legs to disable so you can strike for the belly! You can try to-"
"RUBY!" Weiss's temper boiled over. "I CAN DO THIS ON MY OWN! I DON'T NEED A BRAT LIKE YOU TO HELP ME!"
I crossed my arms over my chest in disapproval. My eyes narrowed at Weiss's disrespect to her own partner and leader. I glanced over to Ruby where she visibly deflated in depression. Her face flushed in embarrassment and looked as if she was trying to curl into herself.
The boarbatusk pried its head out of the wall. It shook its head as it regained its bearings. The beast sighted in on its enemy and charged at her once again.
She held her ground as it barreled towards her. And whether it was either her own design or following Ruby's advice, she attacked with quick slashes to its hind legs that severed crucial tendons. It cried out pitifully in pain as it tumbled and skidded across the floor. Her attack had successfully disabled it as the Boarbatusk thrashed about wildly.
Her sword flourished in the air and glyphs formed all around the beast. When it bashed its tusk into one of the black glyphs it physically rebounded away.
She rushed up to her target with her arm cocked back.
Myrtenaster sought out its heart. Her thrust was true as her blade pierced through one and sinew from its belly and into where the heart was hidden. It squealed defiantly one last time as it thrashed even more crazily. I tried to bring its enemy with it, but Weiss pressed on and buried her blade deeper until it went quiet.
"Ha… ha…" Weiss panted tiredly as she stood victorious.
"Bravo!" clapped Port. "Magnificent work Miss Schnee! As expected of one such as your caliber and pedigree!" The class soon followed out of courtesy and respect albeit the clap from me was more subdued than the rest. The narrowed gaze was louder than my modest. "You exceeded my expectations to go above and beyond! Truly – you are a huntress in the making just like your sister!"
I made another small glance to Ruby.
The poor girl clapped along and smiled with the rest of the class. But being shot down so viciously by her own partner seemed to visibly affect her. Not to mention in front of the class too. Weiss undermined her own leader and that reflected poorly on her.
"With that, we may now move on to the lecture for the day!"
Even though Ruby was not at fault. She still tried, in vain, to profusely apologize to Weiss for some perceived slight. In return, she was rebuffed and ignored as Weiss walked away to change back into her uniform.
Pyrrha gently touched my arm and I shifted my attention to her; there was concern written on her eyes.
I sighed out my frustration and shook my head. This was something that she didn't need to worry about.
"Now – where were we yesterday?" hummed Port. "Ah yes! The nature of the creatures of Grimm!"
For one reason or another I was upset. More so than I should be as this wasn't my concern. The problems of Team RWBY weren't my own and I had to worry about my own team. Ruby was a leader herself, so she should be able to handle this on her own.
I tried to rationalize with myself.
But Emiya Shirou was inherently an irrational being.
What if Miyu was in Ruby's place? Would I still be sitting here and do my best to ignore it? Letting her realize that people could be harsh and cruel? That life was full of bumps and that not everyone would be so kind and courteous?
No… no I would not.
And before I knew it, I had made my resolve.
At the end of this class. I would at the very least check on them. Just as an insurance that nothing catastrophic would happen. After all, god knows how fast my friendship with Julian ended once things came to light.
Weiss Schnee quickly made herself scarce and left the lecture hall the moment class was dismissed.
Ruby Rose quickly followed in pursuit.
"Whew!" Nora stretched as she got up from her seat. "Who knew that Beacon had super-duper long classes?"
"Of course Nora," affirmed Ren. "Beacon is considered the best academy among the four on Remnant. The only one closest in comparison to quality and prestige would be Atlas. And even then, Beacon edges them out due to being the original academy that allowed the other three to exist in the first place. In essence, Beacon is the progenitor for all huntsmen academies that other kingdom's would follow."
"Ugh-! But what does that have to do about classes being long Ren!" groaned Nora.
"They're long because they are preparing us to be certified as legal huntsman. From anatomy and physiology of the monsters of Grimm to the inner workings of law and government of the various kingdoms. Therefore, they must educate and train us as much as possible for what we may encounter in the world." He answered patiently, never missing a step with the orange haired girl.
"Guh," she blanched. "Why do I feel like it's more of a university than a huntsmen academy?"
"Well technically," he began, "it is a form of higher education like a university."
That was rather informative to hear. I had essentially skipped my last year of Homurahara Academy and went straight to university.
A growl from Nora caused her to rub her stomach. "Looks like the monster is hungry! Can we go eat lunch now please?"
My team and I had left the class and were already walking towards the dining facility.
"Shirou?"
Pyrrha called my name with a small smile as she matched her pace with me.
"Something on your mind?" asked my partner.
"Yeah…" I nodded my head slowly. "Sorry, but I think I forgot something for our next class in our room. I won't take too long so don't worry about me. I'll catch up to the three of you at the dining hall."
"Ah – would you like me to accompany you?" offered Pyrrha.
"Go ahead and enjoy your lunch Pyrrha," I declined politely and began walking the opposite way. "Save me a spot, I'll hurry back."
Pyrrha looked almost disheartened for a moment before she hid it away with a smile and acquiesced.
"Come on you two! Let's get going before it gets busy! I wanna be first in line to eat!" Nora ushered the other two as her stomach made another sound.
"And you know what? Ozpin made a mistake."
I tracked the two down to an empty part of the school. It became relatively easy once I heard the borderline shouting that was going on.
The ending statement was filled with spite that I paused before rounding the corner. I could only imagine how the conversation went between Ruby and her partner. When I peered around the corner, Weiss was already marching off and turning down to another hallway. She left the red headed girl scratching the back of her head in frustration.
I sighed to myself.
If there was any consolation to the situation, at least their argument didn't end with them trying to kill each other. I pinched the bridge of my nose and questioned what I was getting myself into.
"Shirou?" squeaked Ruby as she turned around quickly rubbing away her tears. "Where did… um where did you come from?"
The red-hooded girl looked as if someone ran over her puppy. She kept scratching her head in abashment causing her hair to frazzle everywhere.
"I was on my way to lunch when I heard some shouting," I explained plainly. "Curiosity got the best of me so here I am."
"Ah… um," she pushed her pointers together. "I guess you heard some of that."
"Not really, just the tail end of it," I answered truthfully.
"R-Right," she nodded in understanding. "Hey um… Shirou? I got a question for you… if you don't mind answering that is." I quirked an eyebrow up. "I know we don't really know each other well so it seems sorta weird, but I mean like. It's not that kind of weird where it's- I mean-"
"Ruby," I raised my hand. "Just ask, I don't mind."
She inhaled sharply to calm her nerves.
"Well… from one team leader to another. Do you," she licked her lips, "do you think I'm not fit to be a leader?" Ruby avoided my eyes by staring at the ground. "I mean… Weiss is sorta right… right? I'm two years younger than everyone. So I'm just a kid who got lucky that's trying to lead a bunch of people older than me. I probably don't even deserve to be leader so there had to have been a mistake by Professor Ozpin… right?"
"Are those your words or hers?"
When she visibly winced I had my answer.
"I see," I said softly. "Then if you want the honest truth…"
The girl braced herself; her hands clenched into fists as her eyes squeezed shut.
"That Weiss is without a doubt – stupid."
Her head snapped up in disbelief. "Huh?"
"She's being stupid and thick-headed. Usually one or the other is easy to deal with, but when you have someone that's both…" I trailed off with a grin. "It's rather difficult to talk to them; wouldn't you agree?"
"I… I guess?"
"Weiss is confident in her abilities. That's fine, after all, having confidence in oneself is normal. However – being unable to acknowledge your own faults is called arrogance."
Her face scrunched in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"
"Before I get to that. How about I fix that mess called your hair? I don't have a comb or brush so I'll have to make due."
I sat my bag down to the side and motioned her over to come closer. The state of her hair was atrocious with locks of red and black hair stuck out in every direction. She rubbed at her hair so much that there even looked to be a cowlick of all things at the back of her head.
My hands made quick work of her hair. There were knots here and there that had to be undone before her hair could be styled back into shape. Fortunately, Ruby's hair was rather short and seemed to take decent care of herself. It wasn't long before I managed to return her hair back to what it was and then some. In fact, it looked better than before.
"There."
A certain level of satisfaction and smugness filled me at the sight. I still had it in me to work a girl's hair like how I did with Miyu. Ruby seemed to unknowingly share my sentiments as she brushed her hair with a small grin.
"So… what is Weiss like?" I asked.
"Like her personality and stuff?" I nodded at her question. "Well… she's pretty smart and knowledgeable. Even though the school year just started. I think she's at the top of the class already. Um… she knows a lot about government and politics too since she's you know – the heiress to the Schnee Dust company. So that pretty much means she's the best person to come to when it deals with Dust. Uh… what else?" She squinted her eyes cutely in concentration before perking up. "Oh yeah-! Not only that, but I think she said she had experience with managing things in her company! Oh and she's also trained by the best-"
"Ruby," I called out. "If I wanted her resume I'd ask her myself. I want to know what you feel."
"O-Oh…" She bit her lip. "You meant it like that…" Her silver eyes darted once more to the ground. I waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts. Ruby regurgitated whatever partner told her and not how she actually felt. "Weiss? She's… she can be really mean. The first time I met her she yelled at me because I bumped into her stuff at orientation. She's really bossy and pushy too. I… I wanted to like her? But the way she acts makes it really, super hard."
The troubled team leader of RWBY steadied her breath before continuing.
"She's always super demanding too. It's always about her, her, and her. Like… like how would she look like to others? How would it affect her standing in school, or if doing something would look good in front of the professors. It's always about her." Her brows furrowed as she ranted. "And when I try to just… talk to her or something. She makes it feel like I'm wasting her time when all I want to do is get to know her better! And she makes it so hard to do that! I just…" She looked up to me with earnest eyes. "I just want to be a good partner, but most importantly – be a good friend!"
Her rant left her breathless. All the emotions and thoughts pent up inside had been released.
"Does that sound like a good leader to you?" I asked bluntly.
Ruby's face flushed in embarrassment. She had essentially ripped apart her partner to another person. "N-No…" she answered uneasily. "But… she's still right. How do I even stack up in comparison with the type of experience she has?"
Ruby kept stubbornly fighting against herself.
"True," I conceded a little bit. "But those are things that come with time. Leading is a skill that a person isn't normally born with – rather it is learned. It's fine to make mistakes along the way Ruby. Those things are natural because we are human. It doesn't mean they are bad, but rather shows room for growth. The distinction between a good and bad leader are those who are able to accept the consequences of their actions and move on. The ability to accept and weather through criticisms is a hallmark for every leader. Do you think Weiss could do that?"
"…No," she replied in a small voice.
"And from your honest description. Weiss does not have the best temperament or mentality to be one. Our position as a team leader is not one for personal gain or vanity. Rather – it is a position of selflessness to bear responsibility for those under our care. We look after them like we would with a younger sibling. We make the mistakes so they don't have to."
I sucked in a large breath and briefly gazed up at the ceiling.
"Who knows? Maybe in time she'll learn to look past her selfish ways and see that being a leader is more than just exploiting people to her benefit. So until then, I believe Ozpin stands correct in his decision to name you as leader."
"You know," she giggled softly. "It just hit me that you're really good at fixing someone's hair."
"It helps that it was short."
"I guess… it's been a while since anyone's done that for me," she commented offhandedly with a smile. A lull of silence paused the conversation as Ruby pieced herself together after what I said. The foundations of her career as a budding leader began to set. "Thank you Shirou… how'd you get so good at working a girl's hair?"
"With practice," I answered curtly.
"Did you… did you have like a little sister or something?" she asked innocently.
I fell silent as I hesitated with my response. I ran a hand through my own hair as a heavy sigh escaped. "…Yeah."
"That totally explains why you're super good!" She smiled exuberantly, not even noticing my brief hesitation. "Hey-! What was she like huh? How old is she? Is she planning on becoming a huntress too? Is she around my age? What's her name too?"
A barrage of questions pelted me relentlessly.
Ruby Rose truly was like a bundle of energy filled with childlike curiosity and innocence. It was rather infectious as I felt a smile form.
"Well… without going into too much detail. I would say she was like you except maybe a little shyer. She was a couple years younger than you and I'm not sure. But if she wanted to go into that field then I would have supported her."
"Do you think you could introduce her to us?"
My face fell for a moment.
"Maybe… it depends," my voice trailed off.
It depended on if she was actually in this world. It depended on if I could even find her. It depended on a lot of things so my hopes in reuniting with her was slim.
I sighed out deeply and changed the subject. "Anyways – we've only had a couple of days since we were chosen to be leaders of our team. Take your time in deciding on how you'll manage and lead your team. It'll come with time and you'll learn as you go. Even if you don't know where to begin you can at least strive to prove her wrong Ruby."
"Yeah you're pretty right…"
"With that said." I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder. "I need to get going before my team starts worrying."
"Thank you Shirou," she gave me a cute thumbs up. "I needed that – I swear I'll do my best! Not just as a leader, but as a person for myself and my team!"
"Hah…" I ruffled her hair playfully, intentionally messing up my hard work. Ruby didn't seem to mind it as she grinned with joy.
"You know…" she kicked an imaginary object on the ground. "Yang sorta thought you were the brooding type with how you look. But I think she's wrong about you."
"Is that so?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, yeah!" the redhead nodded eagerly with a million-watt smile. "So you know…"
Hmm?
"Your sister is really lucky to have an older brother like you!" She confessed out of the blue. "You're really patient and cool! You're sorta like my uncle who says a lot of wise stuff!"
I inhaled sharply through my nose.
"Thank you… Ruby."
With that, I stepped around Ruby in the direction where I last saw Weiss.
"Hey, wait-!" the girl behind me called out. "Shouldn't you be going to the dining hall? It's our lunch period."
I glanced over my shoulder briefly.
"I actually forgot something. So I have to go pick it up before I meet up with my team." I flashed her a smirk. "I'll see you later Ruby."
I took off and began wondering where would Weiss go after a heated encounter with Ruby? If I wanted to nominate myself as team leader. Who would I consult their decision with?
I snapped my finger.
The man in charge.
I looked down the hallway with my arms crossed.
Weiss marched down the center imperiously. She was a girl on a mission and would not let anyone stop her in her quest to be Team RWBY's new leader.
"In a hurry somewhere Weiss?" I called out.
"Who? Oh Shirou… it's you," she paused in her gait and turned around. "And if you must know, I have a very important issue that only the headmaster can deal with."
I feigned ignorance and asked, "About what?"
"Well seeing as how you're the leader of a team. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to share to a peer such as yourself. You see, I believe that I," she placed a hand on her chest, "should have been chosen as the leader of Team RWBY and not that brat Ruby."
"Is that so?" I hummed in thought. "And why's that?"
"Are you serious Shirou?" She rolled her eyes. "You must be joking with me. I'm sure even you could see why I would be a far superior leader for the team than her."
I rolled my eyes in return. "Humor me."
"Ahem – because I am simply more qualified for the position than her."
I blinked and gestured for her to continue.
"I have the pedigree Shirou: the background, the training, everything! I was even trained by the best specialist of the Atlesian Military! I have everything that's needed to effectively be the best leader a team could ever ask for! And do you know who they gave it to? Ruby Rose! Some kid from Signal Academy who got lucky because they graduated early! Like ugh – are you kidding me?" She huffed with indignation and tossed her ponytail back. "I deserved that position and you know it."
"So…" I began, "Wouldn't Ruby graduating early mean that, in a way, she's more qualified than you to lead the team?" I quirked an eyebrow. "After all, she pretty much skipped two grades ahead of everyone. So that must mean she's far more skilled than everyone else."
"Yes-!" She squeezed her eyes when she shook her head. "I mean no!" Absolutely not!" Her face went flush at the slip up. "Yes, she graduated early, but that doesn't mean she has the experience! I have two years over her Shirou!" She held up two fingers for emphasis.
"So doesn't that mean she was able to learn faster than you? Therefore, technically speaking, she's more capable to be a leader than you."
Weiss grabbed at the air in frustration at the logic I was toying her with.
"She's just a kid Shirou!"
"Technically so are we since you know… the legal adult age is eighteen." At least, that was what I assumed it was in the kingdoms.
"W-Well… she's not mature like us yet!"
I sighed at how utterly pathetic Weiss was being. "Admit it – you simply don't like Ruby because you can't bear the thought of someone younger than you ordering you around."
Her face went beet red. "Fine!" stomped Weiss. "It irritates me to no end that someone younger than me was chosen to be the leader and gets to tell me what to do! I'm annoyed that something I wanted so badly was given away to someone else and not me! There, are you happy!?"
With every word, she got closer and closer to my face. I leaned back as she did and when she finally finished. I flicked her forehead as it became too close for my own comfort. "You're being silly."
"Ouch-! Hey, that really hurt Shirou!"
"Really?" I said with a smirk. "Weiss, don't you think you're being stupid and unreasonable? Ruby's only had less than a handful of days to prove herself as a leader. Hell – even I haven't been able to prove myself to be a leader. Are you going to go petition to the headmaster that I'm unfit as well? Don't you think that's rather unfair to Ruby to judge her on so little? Geez," I shook my head, "you're being more of a petulant child than Ruby."
"How dare you!" She jabbed her pointer my chest repeatedly. "You don't know me mister! You don't get to call me a petulant child!"
I slapped her hand away when she went for another jab. I was beginning to lose my patience with her as I glared at the white haired girl before me.
"You're right. I don't know you and quite frankly with how you're behaving, I don't really care to know you. But I know enough so far that you're just a spoiled, entitled, and selfish girl who's mad because the world didn't bend its back for you. So now you act like a child while being inconsiderate about what your teammate, your partner, feels."
Weiss visibly recoiled back a step and shrunk with each word that came out of my mouth.
"You think that everything is about you isn't it? That your name means that everyone should bow in reverence to you. That your background automatically entitles things to you. You drone on and on about how perfect you are when in reality you are the furthest thing from it." I tisked out loud. "I'm sorry to say, but that's the height of foolishness."
She bit her lip as she tried to form a measured response.
"We don't always get what we want. We simply must accept for what it is and make do with what we have. That is simply the reality that we live in. After all… if we all got what we wanted then the world would surely be in a better place…"
My scathing glare had withered into a tired gaze.
"Weiss… you cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost."
The young heiress turned her head away in shame. "So… what would you have me do?"
"That's something you will have to figure out on your own. Having me tell you what to do won't solve any of your problems. Your distrust of Ruby is unwarranted as she's yet to do anything to prove herself incapable of leading."
"B-But she kept telling me what to do like in class!"
"I'm fairly certain that was her way of looking out for you by giving you helpful tips, which if you remember is exactly what you did." Weiss flinched as she remembered how the fight played out. "Everyone has their own way of looking after someone that they care about. That was simply what Ruby thought was the best for her partner and… friend." I shrugged. "You should give her a chance. At the very least she deserves that. She's just a young girl that's trying her best to not disappoint anyone."
"B-But… I…" Her eyes signaled defeat even when she sputtered.
"If you aren't able to be the best leader then try to be the best teammate. If you truly think you're the better person with all this experience and knowledge then use it to help her."
Her defiant posture finally gave up as she slumped in defeat. "I… I don't know what to say."
I adjusted the bag on my shoulder and prepared to head towards the dining hall. Dealing with this situation took longer than I thought. I was positive that my team, let alone my partner, was worried that I had possibly gotten lost or something. The lunch period was probably almost over too so I would have to hurry back.
"Well, I'll see you later Weiss."
I waved as I walked off.
"W-Wait! That's it?! You're just going to leave like that? Aren't you supposed to give me some encouraging words to resolve this mess?"
"What am I your janitor?" I gave her a dry look back. "You're a grown up aren't you? Clean your own mess."
I tossed a half-hearted wave as I left the area.
"Geez – I shouldn't be going around doing stupid things like that," I berated to myself.
I wasn't one to normally pry into other people's issues. I personally ascribed to the belief that if someone created a problem then it was their duty to solve it on their own. Dragging others in to solve a problem that wasn't theirs was selfish.
Yet – I wasn't able to follow through on that.
Weiss created a problem out of nothing and dragged Ruby into her mess. And seeing Ruby in a sad state compelled something within me to lend a helping hand. The way she smiled was almost like a mirrored reflection of…
I shook my head to clear that thought.
"How troublesome…" I pinched the bridge of my nose. "That silly girl wanting to be a hero…"
That was such a low blow from the leader of Team RWBY.
It was almost like I was looking into a mirror that reflected back an image of a boy who wished to be the same thing. If I was any more paranoid like Kiritsugu. I would have sworn this world had it out for me. Maybe I was just-
"Hn-!" A rough grunt escaped my mouth as I bumped into someone.
"Hey idiot!" I quirked up an eyebrow. "What are you blind? Watch where you're going stupid!" A boy with burnt-orange hair that was combed back raised a fist threateningly. I replied back with a disinterested look. "Are you some sort of mute? You know who you're messin' with dumbass?"
Off to the side, slightly behind him, were three other boys that backed him up. They all attempted to appear as menacing as possible. One was prepared in some sloppy fighting stance. Another one looked like they were prepared to tackle me to the ground. And the last one actually looked skittish, but would jump in the moment he knew they had the upper hand.
The one leading the troupe had his arms crossed as he waited impatiently for my answer. "So are you going to apologized?" he pressed with a growl.
I blinked at the ridiculousness of the situation.
"You should watch where you're going as well," I returned dryly and continued on to the dining hall. The doors were within arm's reach. So if he wanted to do his part and press the issue then I would do my part to finish it.
"H-Hey boss, come on!" whispered the one with a Mohawk. He was the one that looked skittish out of all of them. "Let's just go. He ain't worth your time. Ya got better things to do then beat up on a shmuck like him right?"
"Hmph," he sneered. "Hey buddy! You better hope we don't get matched in combat class later this week." The way he tried to sound intimidating was pitiful. A schoolyard bully who tried to assert his authority among his peers. "I'll be sure to keep my eye out for you."
"Good luck."
The door closed and I continued on into the dining hall.
"Hey! Hey!" waved Nora. "Shirou! Over here!"
At the end of the table they occupied. Pyrrha flashed a smile as she motioned over to an open spot next to her. Across from my team sat the other two members of Team RWBY. "I see Blake and Yang are here as well," I noted as I sat down.
"Well hello to you too red," winked Yang.
"It's Shirou," I corrected dryly. "I thought we went over this."
"Yeah, yeah whatever red." She ignored my correction and continued on. "Anyways – have you seen Ruby or Weiss? Blake and I don't know where they ran off to after Port's class."
I shrugged in response. "Don't know, sorry. I'm sure they'll come around though."
A pair of amber eyes looked at me queerly before they returned to the book in front of them.
"So Shirou, did you find what were you looking for?" Pyrrha asked conversationally.
"You know… funny story," I chuckled with a shake of my head. "You see I had it with me the whole time. I searched everywhere in the room until I realized it was in a small pocket in my bag."
Pyrrha softly giggled and empathized. "I think I've been in your shoes before." She checked her phone for the time. "You still have time to eat."
"That's rather fortunate for me," I hummed. "Well, I might as well try and find something."
"Mind if I tag along?" offered my partner.
I closed my right eye and left the other one open. "Sure."
Ozpin sipped at his freshly brewed coffee.
The multiple gears that decorated his office interior churned softly in the background. A peaceful lull that accompanied him as he read from a stack of files. They ranged from day to day reports to updates on students. His eyes occasionally glanced at a display on his monitor that tracked his progress.
A soft charm alerted him from one of his monitors.
It signaled that there was a visitor coming up to his office. He closed the file he was reading with a snap and cleared his desk. When the last file was tucked away and his monitors shut. The door to the elevator slid open to reveal one of his professors.
"Ah Peter," he greeted warmly with a smile. "A pleasure to see you this late evening."
"Ozpin!" Port returned the gesture by raising his arms like he was a bear. "I apologize for coming in unannounced. So I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."
"No, no, nothing too important," waved Ozpin. "Especially when it concerns a friend like you. By the way, would you care for a nice hot cup of coffee?" He offered by gesturing to a pot at his desk. "I just made it myself."
Port's mustache bristled. "Is that one of Oobleck's concoctions?"
"Why yes indeed."
"Only you and Oobleck would drink something so highly caffeinated at this hour." He respectfully declined with a shake of his hand.
Ozpin chuckled as he refilled his cup. "So what troubles you at this hour my old friend?"
He hummed in thought. His hand rubbed his chin.
"An interesting development occurred in class today," he began. "There's a student that caught my attention. He gave the class a rather resounding answer to a basic question I give to all my first year students. And it… well it honestly surprised me."
"Which question? The one about what it means to be a huntsmen?"
"Yes, that's the one," nodded Port. "It's a good introduction to the career that they'll be entering. A reminder that there is purpose in our fleeting lives. Something for them to yearn for in their noble pursuit for freedom against the tyranny of the forces of Grimm." He paused and chuckled to himself. "I have presented this question many times in front of many classes. After a while you seem to get an idea of what type of replies you'll get." The man confessed as if he were embarrassed. "Maybe one or two are somewhat different, but they generally mean the same thing. However…"
His voice trailed off as he looked out the panoramic view of Ozpin's office.
It afforded him one of the best views of the campus. Being so high up also meant that he could see the lights of Vale City out in the distance. There was a soothing feeling at drinking in the sights. A calming effect that made one reflect upon themselves.
"That student's answer was unlike the others."
The headmaster observed his friend with a keen eye. Whatever the student had said affected the man in more ways than one. Beneath the man's rambunctious appearance and jovial attitude was a solemn individual who had befriended many people and lost just as much. He was a decorated huntsman, but that decoration came at a price.
"Shirou Emiya," named Peter. "In case you were wondering…"
Hearing the name of the enigmatic student paused Ozpin from taking another sip.
"What did he say?"
"Sacrifice."
The frown from Ozpin was small, but perceptible. One that even Peter was able to pick up on along with the untold message.
"Initially – I regarded his answer flippantly," disclosed Peter with a rueful chuckle. "But the further he explained. The more I realized that he did not speak from romanticism, but from experience." He shook his head and sighed heavily. "Out of curiosity Oz, but… where did this boy come from?"
The Headmaster of Beacon Academy peered down at his now cooled drink.
"I ask that very question myself…"
The black ceiling of the room stared back at me.
The soft rustling of sheets to my right grabbed my attention. Pyrrha adjusted herself in her sleep so that she was facing towards my bed. She held a beautiful and peaceful expression as she slept.
A small feeling of envy bubbled inside my chest.
I turned away and rub my eyes before pushing off the covers.
It was two in the morning and I wasn't able to fall asleep. Silently and carefully, I got up from my bed and went to the door. Even in another world my habits were still the same. Stay up late and gaze the night sky until I felt tired.
I blamed Kiritsugu for this.
On the other side of the hall. Team RWBY's door was left slightly ajar allowing some dull orange light to escape.
In the quiet of the night. I was able to make out some hushed conversation that sounded like Ruby and Weiss. They seemed to be talking amiably to one another.
The corners of my mouth turned upwards.
Did Weiss actually take my words to heart? Had she actually listened instead of stubbornly continuing on her selfish path? I didn't know nor was I going to try and find out. I had intervened as much as I should. From there on, it was up to the two of them on how they should proceed as both partners and friends.
I huffed as I walked away from the rooms and to the roof.
When I opened the door to the roof. A cold breeze splashed against my entire body. I suppressed my body's response to go back inside and took a seat at the ledge. I took a note at how spacious the roof was. It was a quiet spot that left enough room for someone to train or practice by themselves with privacy. And maybe there was even room for another person to spar if they chose to.
I peered up at the night sky.
The sight of the shattered moon was a jarring experience. It was an alluring sight like no other. A large portion of its body was dislodged and fragmented into large chunks. The gravity of the satellite was the only thing that kept pieces in their places.
As time went on, clouds slowly rolled over and covered a significant portion of the celestial body. It darkened the night even further. I looked past the moon and to the stars. They still shined brightly in contrast. The scene reminded me of when Kiritsugu bemoaned at not being able to see the moon.
"Even if you couldn't see the clouded moon… the stars are still shining…"
While they were not the same stars that I grew accustomed to; they were still nonetheless beautiful.
Countless nights stargazing.
Hopes and wishes casted to the heavens.
"Miyu… you would have liked these more than back home."
It would be another hour or so before I returned back to the room.
I slipped back underneath my covers.
The cold body greedily took in the warmth from my sheets.
"Shirou…?"
A soft whisper of my name to my right caused me to turn my head.
I wasn't as quiet as I thought. Pyrrha's vibrant, albeit sleepy, green eyes pierced through the darkness of the room.
"Are you okay? I heard you leave the room earlier."
"Ah – don't worry," I answered back softly. "I just went to get some fresh air."
Golden brown eyes locked with green. Her gaze was mesmerizing. Her persistence for my wellbeing was heartwarming. But guilt ebbed away at my heart.
I did not deserve this.
"If you say so…"
"Goodnight Pyrrha."
"…goodnight Shirou."
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