[5/19 (Monday) - After Classes]
Filing out of the lecture hall alongside the rest of the students this semester, Clerval walked with his teammates, listening to whatever interesting gossip Team Ruby and Juniper had in store. It wasn't until they reached the stairwell that he felt that something was missing.
He slowed, patting the side of his bag before stopping altogether. After a second of thought, he realized what was missing. The bottle of water he had bought before class that he intended to be recycled once he was done was still sitting on his desk inside the lecture hall.
It was wrong to litter, especially on school grounds. So, with a small exhale, he lifted a hand and waved his teammates forward, saying that he'd catch up later. They gave him a few curious looks before continuing on after he insisted that the matter would be resolved fast.
The lecture hall was mostly empty when he returned. Retrieving the forgotten bottle from his desk, he then noticed Professor Port nearby, struggling to juggle a stack of notes and stationery while balancing several empty iron cages against his frame.
Noticing it, he quickly jogged over to lend a hand.
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Greyson!" Smiling, Professor Port handed him the stacks of paper and stationery while he himself hefted the iron cages. "Blasted internal mechanism—this is why I only order from Murasame!"
He paused for a second before continuing. "If you didn't know, young man, Murasame is our resident blacksmith! Very talented with anything that comes from the ground, haha! Why, he was the one who crafted my great Blowhard! It was as though yesterday when—"
Professor Port then started telling the story of his first meeting with Beacon Academy's blacksmith throughout their whole journey as they made their way toward the staff room. Eventually, once the cages were set down in his own cubicle, Port wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, letting out a dramatic sigh.
"Busy days, busy days," he muttered. "The weeks ahead promise no mercy... though such trials are hardly a challenge for a great Huntsman such as myself!"
Port trailed off, mustache twitching as he hummed in thought. Then, slowly, he turned back toward Clerval.
"Say... You wouldn't happen to have some time to spare today, would you?"
Not wanting to be impolite, Clerval nodded. "What did you need help with, Professor?"
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[5/19 (Monday) - Afternoon]
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Stepping on wet grass and dirt—thankfully in his combat boots—he followed the lead of Professor Port as he whistled a casual tune, as if being in the Emerald Forest didn't scare him one bit.
"Well, young lad, we're here for a specific purpose... We need live Grimm for classes for the week! Preferably alive, mind you! I found that, after teaching for decades, holding live demonstrations is the best way to learn about the Grimm anatomy."
"That being said, as you probably know already, Vale is hosting the prestigious Vytal Festival this time around in a few months' time! Ordinarily, I would have no trouble acquiring such specimens myself. However—"He sighed theatrically. "With the festival fast approaching, my schedule has become rather packed. Teaching, lesson preparation, coordinating with my fellow co-workers, assisting with festival matters... There simply aren't enough hours in the day!"
He twirled the end of his mustache thoughtfully. "Hmm, this requires some planning, but—"
A low, animalistic growl rolled through the forest, cutting him off mid-sentence. A second later, the creatures of Darkness revealed themselves, circling the clearing. A pack of Ursai, along with some Jackalopes, surrounded the two.
"Perfect timing! Let's see..." Scanning the enemies before them, Professor Port's eyes gleamed. "Wonderful, just the specimens we need!"
"If you'd be so kind, lad—distract and eliminate the surplus. I'll prepare the cages!"
Clerval nodded before readying himself.
"Persona." Firing the imaginary bullet, a wave of energy erupted from his body before materializing into the form of Odysseus. Drawing his own sword, Clerval coated his body with Aura before jumping into the fray.
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By the time Professor Port finished constructing the iron cages meant to house the Grimm, the immediate battlefield had already thinned considerably. Most of the creatures of Grimm lay scattered across the clearing, their forms dissolving into black mist, leaving only a select few for live demonstration.
Port looked up just in time to see Clerval finish the last unneeded Jackalope, with Odysseus slicing his xiphos through the air with a Cleave, separating the rabbit-shaped Grimm into two.
Pleasantly surprised, he gave out a hearty laugh. "You certainly don't waste time, do you, my boy?" He tapped on the iron bars of the cage. "The cages are ready anytime now!"
Nodding, Clerval channeled the power of his other self, giving a silent command as Odysseus reached out just as an Ursai charged toward them. With a sudden grasp, the Grimm could only roar with confusion as the Persona drove the Ursai straight into one of the prepared cages.
He repeated the maneuver with the remaining Jackalope, which attempted to flee the clearing after witnessing the fate of its fellow Grimm.
Once they were in their cages and secured tightly, Professor Port glanced into the cages to check on their conditions and gave out a laugh of satisfaction. "Magnificent! Not a single scratch on them!"
"You know, I do have a tendency to go a bit overboard when capturing Grimm myself. Leads to longer hunts when I need replacements."
He turned to Clerval, mustache curling upward as he joked. "A real knack for this sort of work. With talents like yours, even the Institute of Grimm Studies in Atlas would be jealous of such skill in handling live Grimm!"
Hefting the cages, the professor started to head back to Beacon with his missions accomplished, Clerval following right behind him.
"Before I was interrupted... While it would require some planning, with the Vytal Festival looming, most of us are stretched thinner than we'd like to admit—poor Glynda is being thrown through the wringer—but I digress."
Port paused for a moment before continuing. "Which brings me to a proposal."
Clerval listened attentively.
"I would ask that you assist Beacon's staff whenever the need arises," Port said. "Naturally, you'd be compensated for your time. After all, you'd be helping during what should be your free hours. Credit and even Lien, depending on the difficulty and urgency of each request."
Turning to meet Clerval, the professor raised his hand. "So what say you?"
There... were no downsides in taking this deal, other than the usage of his free time. So, with a steady grip, Clerval shook Professor Port's hand.
From the depths of his soul, the voice of Mary rang as a connection formed from within.
["I am Thou,"]
["Thou art I."]
["Thou hast established a new path,]
[bringing thee further into your odyssey."]
["With the birth of the Hierophant Arcana,]
["Thine soul shalt be blessed to call forth stronger Personas of the Moon Arcana..."]
"A great decision!" Port laughed loudly, patting Clerval on the shoulder. "Hah! The others will be absolutely delighted to hear that their workload will decrease thanks to your efforts!"
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5/19 (Monday) - Evening
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Clerval's Scroll buzzed in his pocket as he got ready for bed. Pulling it out, he discovered a new notification, informing him that he had been added to a group chat consisting of the staff members.
[Conversation with GROUP: Beacon Help Force (6 Online)]
[Peter: Wonderful of you to join us, Mr. Greyson!]
[Goodwitch: Thank you very much for agreeing to Peter's proposition, Mr. Greyson. This group chat will be used for any faculty member who needs urgent assistance should such a situation arise.]
[Bart has sent a sticker of a nerdy researcher giving a thumbs up.]
[Muramase: Great, you can help carry my materials tomorrow to the workshop. These bones aren't what they used to be.]
[Bart has sent a sticker of a nerdy researcher staring at the message above with confusion.]
[Peter: Again about how you're old? Muramase, you're younger than all of us!]
[Peach: I must say that you've come at the perfect time, Mr. Greyson. I'm in need of help receiving my packages; it's rather urgent.]
[Ozpin: Now, now, everyone. While I'm sure all of you have requests that need to be filled, I must remind you that Mr. Greyson is doing this out of his own free time.]
[Ozpin: And please remember that he also has two teams to juggle his time with.]
[Ozpin: That being said, could you retrieve my own package in Vale as well? Whenever you are in Vale, of course.]
[Goodwitch: Headmaster!]
The chat erupted again, with the professors bickering and sending stickers. After a while, Professor Goodwitch finally spoke up, mentioning that it is late and he should tuck in for the night.
Glancing over at the time, Clerval opted to listen to her advice. He sent a few brief goodnights and farewells, then set his Scroll aside. After finishing the last few bits of paragraphs to complete his homework, he closed his books, turned off the light, and slipped into bed.
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