Masters

Teal slumped on the bench by the table, still exhausted from the fight and wet from the rain.

“I must thank you child,” the woman began, closing the doors and windows, “I owe you my life.”

Half an hour ago the police arrived, carrying the two thieves away. Teal hid in the basement to avoid suspicion.

“Nah, it’s nothing,” waved Teal tiredly.

The woman then poured some tea into a cup and handed it to Teal, “You know I’ve heard rumours about an old man living in an isolated area in the forest and keeping a human boy there, never believed it.”

“There’s a rumour about me?” Teal raised an eyebrow.

“Well the old man is quite famous for his rudeness and that. He got a reputation for himself over the years. He’s called Bodhi Threestar is it?”

“Yes. Well he never told me about anything besides fighting and some other stuff,” said Teal as he sipped the tea, immediately spitting it back into the cup after realizing it was too hot.

“Oh?” said the woman, curious, “Does he tell you about Menagerie? Or current world events?”

“Well he did tell me that humans sort of banished faunus into this place,” Teal answered, “and that there’s a group called the White Fang who hates humans or something and the Chieftain was called Ghira. But he rarely mentions what happens beyond Menagerie.”

“So you didn’t hear the news then?” asked the woman.

“What news?”

“Do you have a scroll?”

“Well I was told that scrolls just distract me so I am not allowed to have one,” replied Teal, “but I hope I will have a scroll one day. What’s the news?”

“Do you know about the huntsmen academies?” the woman asked, sitting down at a chair.

“Yeah… Each of the four kingdoms have one, training warriors to fight evil or something.”

“Yeah, that. Yesterday the news came that Beacon, the academy of Vale, was destroyed.”

Teal sat still, confused, “What does this mean?”

“It means, child,” the woman explained, “scroll signals is now cut off, making communication difficult; and that the world is going to change.”

Meanwhile in Vale…

“What do you mean that they’re dead?”

Lilac pounded her fist onto the desk.

“It means that your teammates’ names aren’t on the list of survivors,” explained the police officer patiently, “I’m sorry but that means they did not survive the attack. They’re dead. I’m sorry for your loss.”

Lilac walked out of the police station, depressed. She knew that they were dead. She knew deep down that they did not have a chance making it through that mess, especially when Scarlet’s friend confirmed their death on the day.

But she hoped, she hoped that somehow, despite everything, they’re alive and the boy was mistaken.

Now, however, the hope was gone. They did not survive. They did not make it. They are dead.

Lilac crouched in the street corner and wept. Tears finally rushed out of her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.

Silently she cried.

Back in Menagerie…

“Take it,” said the woman, handing Teal a white scroll, “I have a spare one, this is the least I could do to thank you.”

Teal shook his head, “sorry ma’am, but I can’t. You’ve agreed not to tell anyone about me and lied to the police. You have done enough.”

“Take it, I don’t need it since I have another one and that the communication towers are down,” continued the woman, stuffing the scroll into Teal’s pockets, “besides, if you don’t take it, I’ll be angry.”

Teal hesitated, but then decided against arguing further, “Then thank you for the generosity. Sorry for the trouble.”

“Are you sure you want to leave now? It’s really late.”

“No thanks,” Teal said politely, “if I don’t get back to master before morning, I’ll be in big trouble.”

“In that case goodbye and good luck!” the old woman said as she waved goodbye.

Teal leaped back on the roof and made his way back to his master’s wooden cottage, far away from the city.

“You back?”

Teal started at the sound of Bodhi’s voice as he entered the cottage.

“I thought that you’d never come back,” Bodhi said, lying on his bed, “the woman was nice, but you should know that not all faunus could act so calmly and friendlily towards humans. What if the White Fang saw you?”

“How-?” Teal began.

“Don’t think that I don’t know about your little nightly visits to the city,” Bodhi continued, “today you are lucky, but what about next time? What happens when you face more than little thieves?”

“Sorry master,” Teal replied, bowing his head down.

“Don't go out again, Teal,” Bodhi said, “we faunus have night vision, but you don’t. That alone is a huge disadvantage. Now go back to bed. We have work tomorrow.”

Work. That meant farming, gardening and more fighting; things Teal did daily for the last ten years.

“Yes, master,” Teal said, but remained still.

“What are you waiting for?” asked Bodhi, raising his head slightly.

“Well, master,” Teal said nervously, “the woman told me that yesterday Beacon in Vale had been destroyed.”

At this Bodhi sat up from the bed, saying with a slight chuckle, “Beacon fell, huh? I knew that Ozpin wouldn’t succeed in everything.”

“Who’s Ozpin?”

“An old friend,” answered Bodhi, “no that doesn’t sound right. Just call him an old acquaintance. I used to owe him a small favour back in the day, and I repaid by helping him with some ‘issues’. Oh by the gods how I disliked him.”

Bodhi coughed and began to lie down on the bed, “but that isn’t important, just some interesting news. You should sleep now, it’s late.”

Some hours ago in Mistral…

Neozane, the village in the woods of Mistral, it was peaceful, undisturbed.

Sen somehow ended up is this place a couple years ago when he left Vale for some excitement in his life. He somehow got lost in the forests and was found by an old man.

He called himself Armand Sky, which is curious as it isn’t a colour; but that was kind of understandable since he was very old. What’s more curious is the fact that Armand fights extremely well despite his age.

“Beacon was destroyed by Grimm.”

Armand and Sen sat by the table outside of their house, drinking some mushroom tea.

“What about-” began Sen with a worried voice.

“Don’t worry,” said Armand, “the region of Vale that your family live in is fine.”

Sen exhaled in relief, and then asked, “How many people are dead?”

“No idea, but quite a lot I presume.”

Sen stayed silent in thought.

“But the situation had been dealt with,” continued Armand, stroking his small white beard, “reconstruction would begin soon.”

“Oh…”

“Shame, with your skill you could be accepted by that academy with some proper training. Ozpin is pretty good at what he do.”

Sen chuckled, “well I couldn’t even defend myself before you trained me.”

Armand smiled, drinking the rest of his tea, “Ready to fight yet?”

Sen downed his drink before nodding.

“More ready than all the athletes in Remnant.”