As I started to explore Beacon Academy, I could finally marvel how beautiful and massive it looked. I mean, it could be considered a city on its own; everything about this place was absolutely beautiful, the library, the classrooms, the ballroom, everything.
I'll admit, this place is certainly a sight to be seen. Though I guess that won't be too much of a big deal in the future because it will all probably be torn to the ground.
Though that's what I intend to stop, even if that means I have to fight the basic equivalent to the Grimm queen.
But hey, who ever said this stuff was supposed to be easy?
As I continued to walk around the school, a school that I was still having trouble trying to navigate around. I continued to walk around. I could see new students walking around, marveling at the different structures in Beacon Academy.
Now, before I can even plan for the Fall of Beacon or any of the events of RWBY, I need to find out what time I'm in. If I'm in the RWBY timeline, then this is gonna be WAY harder than I expected.
I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice the girl that was right in front of me.
"Oof!" The girl huffed. I was caught off guard from the sudden contact. I had been so deep in thought that I didn't realize that I just bumped into someone.
"Ow, I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to trouble you." She said in an Australian accent.
"No, it's my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going." I said, trying to reassure her that it wasn't her fault.
"No, I should have looked where I was going, it's my fault." She said.
"No, really it's not a problem. Look, we got off on the wrong foot, why don't we start over. The name's Haruto Harlaown." I said as I held my hand out to help the girl out.
"Thank you, yeah, that sounds good." The girl said as she took my hand. As I helped her up, my brain finally started to notice what she looked like. The girl had long brown hair and brown eyes. She wore a short, long sleeved jacket with a golden zipper, brown pants and black leggings with golden detail.
She also wore a black, semi-translucent undershirt beneath her jacket, along with golden spaulders and vambraces on both her arms, as well as a similar belt. The top of her leggings are edged with a similar band and her heels are likewise protected, but the most noticeable thing about her was the pair of long, brown rabbit ears.
Oh. My. God.
"Hello, my name is Velvet Scarlatina, nice to meet you, Haruto." She said with a warm smile.
"Um, are you okay?" She asked me with a confused look on her face.
Okay Haruto, don't be nervous, she's just a normal girl, just say something to break the ice.
"Yeah, I'm okay." I said.
"... So… I like your ears." I said.
"Oh!... Um, thanks?" Velvet said.
What the hell are you doing?!
I don't know! Just roll with it.
"Um yeah, the way Faunus are treated these days is absolutely horrible." I said, trying not to stare too hard.
"Oh I know, it's absolutely horrible! So are you a first-year student?"
"What, oh no, I'm actually training here to become a Huntsman."
"Well, yeah, we all are. So what year are you, then? First? Second? Third?" She asked me again.
Guess I worded that wrong.
"Oh no, I mean I'm learning how to fight here."
She looked at me in shock.
"What? I thought you had to go to one of the combat schools before you could train here!" She said in surprise.
"Well, let's just say that I'm sort of a special case."
Velvet tilted her head in confusion but shrugged her shoulders.
"So, why did you want to become a huntsman?"
… Good question really. Why do I want to become a huntsman to begin with? I sorta just accepted the offer and left it at that.
Never really gave too much thought to it to be honest.
So why do I want to do this?
Well...
"I do this because I have nothing left to go back to." I said, causing Velvet's ears to perk up.
"... W-what do you mean you don't have anything to go back to?"
"I mean exactly that. No home, no family, and no friends left to go back to. Not after what happened."
"... I-if you don't mind me asking. What exactly happened to you?" Velvet asked.
"..."
"R-right. I shouldn't have asked. I get that it's a sensitive subject for you and I probably didn't really he–" She began.
"No, it's fine. It'll be kinda nice to tell someone about what happened that day.
"Are you sure?" Velvet asked.
"Look, do you wanna hear it or not?" I asked.
"... I would be lying if I said that I wasn't the least bit curious about what happened." She said.
"Well, there you go. So, guess I should tell you about the very beginning." I said.
"I used to live on a small island outside of the border between Vacuo and Vale, it was relatively free of Grimm and the whole White Fang situation going on down here. Though that didn't mean that it didn't have its own share of problems."
"With the Grimm not being too much of a problem, people started to turn more towards seeing the problem with the people around them."
"... W-wait. Are you saying that your island fell because—!" Velvet began.
"That's right. It wasn't due to normal means. My home didn't fall to Grimm or anything like that. No, my home was destroyed because a few people couldn't settle a little grudge they had with one another."
"My home was destroyed by its own residents. Every man, woman and child paid for the actions of a small group of people. They didn't have anything to do with it. Some were just being born into this world. But clearly they didn't care. All they cared about was settling their little grudge."
"... What was the grudge that drove them to destroy their own home?" Velvet asked.
"Hell if I know. It was a fairly big place. I didn't know about nor bother to know about the problems of every little person there."
"I am the only survivor of the destruction of my home. Everyone else was gone, burned in the remains of what was left of my home."
"It wasn't a feud between Faunus and Humans. No, it was just a group of humans fighting another group of humans."
"I managed to get a boat and get off of the island. I wasn't able to find anyone in the town. I just… bolted. I didn't know where I was going. All I knew was that I wanted to get the hell out of that mess."
"Being the only survivor, I had nowhere left to go. Everyone I knew and loved was dead." I said. "So, to be blunt. I don't do this out of the goodness of my heart. I do this because I don't have anywhere else to go."
"I knew that I had to get the attention of the headmaster, so I took something from the island. Something I knew would grab his attention."
"So here I am. The only thing pushing me forward is to find someone."
"Wait, you want to find someone?" Velvet asked.
"Yeah, a good man told me about this person. They weren't able to stop them, that's why he gave me the knowledge of them, so I could stop them." I said. "That's really the only thing pushing me forward."
I turned towards Velvet to see an expression of complete shock and concern on her face.
"What?" I asked.
"I'm sorry." She said.
"Why? You didn't burn down my island."
"I know. It's just... I'm sorry you had to go through all of that."
"Oh… well thanks I guess."
"If you don't mind me asking, what was this man's name?"
"Trust me, with your vocabulary you wouldn't believe me."
Velvet tilted her head in confusion but just shrugged.
"Were you two close?" Velvet asked.
"Not particularly. Though he was a good man, helped a lot of people." I said.
"Well, I'm sure he entrusted you with this knowledge of his for a reason. He must have seen something in you."
"Maybe. Either that or it was because I was the only one alive at the time."
"Heh, well whatever the reason, I'm sure you'll be able to stop this person."
Maybe. I mean she does have magical powers so it's not exactly gonna be a walk in the park.
"Also..." She said, putting her hand on my shoulder. "I hope you find your own purpose to live for one day. Something you found on your own."
"...Tch, yeah." I said, slightly embarrassed.
"Heh heh, you're a strange one, you know that?"
"Gee, thanks." I said dryly.
"Oh! No I don't mean that in a bad way! It's just that you've lost everything you've loved, and yet here you are pushing forward."
"..."
"Anyways, I should get to the opening ceremony. It's been a pleasure meeting you Haruto! I really hope that we can talk more sometimes. I'd like to know about what it was like on the island you grew up on." Velvet said as she started to walk away.
"Later." I said.
Velvet waved goodbye and started to walk towards the amphitheater.
"Oh! No I don't mean that in a bad way! It's just that you've lost everything you've loved, and yet here you are pushing forward."
Yeah, don't get me wrong, the thought that your friends and family might all be dead isn't exactly a very settling thought. Though I don't have the time to think about that.
Velvet was here as a first year, that means that I have exactly one year before the events of RWBY start. I can't afford to waste any time, I've gotta be ready for the things to come.
I turned my head towards Beacon tower, looking at the massive structure as the sun shone over it.
So, Excalibur was it? I'm not really sure what you saw in me, or why you decided to bring me back from the dead. Though if I'm supposed to be the next wielder of your power, then I might as well use it to alter the future a bit.
I smirked and started to walk towards Beacon tower.