An Aura of Hope: A RWBY Fan Fiction

Chapter Three

My day at the factory was uneventful to say the least. That day I was in charge of pressing the hot plastic into the molds of the buttons. Fun stuff, I tell you.

That was sarcasm, if you couldn't tell.

At the end of the day, I clocked out and changed back into my clothes and out of the hot, sticky plastic jumpsuit they make us wear. Alex never came. I should've payed him a visit to try and comfort him, but I was too pumped about my own response to pay him any heed.

Some best friend I was.

I set off at a brisk pace toward home. Okay, I ran as if my life depended on it. I shouted to Jess as I passed her, and I think I heard her laugh. As the farm came into sight, I heard something crash through the bushes next to me.

I skidded to a stop, my lungs burning. "Who's there?!" I shouted at it. The sound stopped. "Oh sh-"

That was all I got out before the Boarbatusk was on top of me.

"SQUEEEEEAL!!!" it screamed as we hit the ground. The boar-like creature was battering my chest with its tusks, knocking out any air that was still in my lungs. My head was swimming, trying to force the thing off of me. After what felt like an eternity, I wedged my knees in between our torsos and forced it off of me.

If I thought my lungs were burning before, I hadn't seen anything yet. I sprung up, gasping in the cool forest air. I pulled Viartannie Ijs out of its sheath and brought it up as a shield. The screaming animal locked its tusks around it and threw it into the bushes it had come out of. It jumped again, but I rolled and darted after my boomerang.

It was easy to spot, the boar had thrown it so that it stuck in a tree, encasing it in ice, its black and sky-blue handle protruding out of it. While I tried to free it, the Boarbatusk leaped back over the bushes and charged me. When it got close, I jumped behind the frozen tree and used Viartannie Ijs, still stuck, to hold myself up against the opposite side of the tree and off the ground. The boar hit the tree, shattering it to pieces, freeing the boomerang. The boar fell to the ground, squirming awkwardly.

Now that I had some time to think, I was able to concentrate and draw on my aura. Aura is something every creature that isn't Grimm is born with. Some say it's the manifestation of our souls. Others say it's something the rest of us evolved to combat the Grimm. Others still argue it's a combination of both. I don't know what it is, I just know it's there and it helps me kick some serious Grimm ass.

Using my aura, I threw the boomerang, propelling it faster in the direction of the creature than I would've been able to otherwise. It made contact, and I knew it was a clean kill, because the ice dust in it didn't activate. The head came off seamlessly and rolled away slowly. Viartannie Ijs stuck in the ground, and I retrieved it and the head before resuming my trip home.

I punched in the gate code, and entered the homestead with the head in hand. You can't eat Grimm, but I like their harsh beauty as decorations, so I was going to preserve it and hang it on my wall. It's necessary to inject them with a special preservative because of the incredible rate at which they decay. Even now, the rose-petal-like pieces of it were hitting the ground and melting into it. I had to go fast if I wanted to keep it.

I rushed in and greeted my family and clambered up the steps two at a time to the attic and my room. I tossed the head onto my bed and started rummaging through my dresser for one of my preservation needles. After I got one, I injected the head and put it on my dresser. Good enough for now, I thought.

I came downstairs to a dumbfounded family. "Sorry," I said. "Got attacked on the way home, and I want to keep the head."

"That's not what we're so stunned about," said Grammy.

"What? Why then?"

"Because this fell out of your pocket on your way up." She held up the letter. "We haven't read it yet."

The letter! I almost forgot about it in my rush to preserve the head!

"Oh, yeah! Me neither," I said. "I wanted to wait until I was home with you guys."

"Well what are you waiting for? Open it!" She all but threw it into my arms. We were all excited about it apparently.

I gently pulled on the adhesive sealing it shut, wanting not to ruin the letter so perfectly preserved inside. I pulled out the letter and read it aloud.

"Dear James Louis:

Thank you for taking the time to fill out an application to our school. Due to the fact that you are more than qualified, we are pleased to inform you that we would be honored for you to attend Beacon Academy for Huntsmen and Huntresses this year. Enclosed you will find a list of supplies you will need for your first year here. Term starts on June 7th.

Sincerely,

Professor Rose

Headmistress at Beacon Academy for Huntsmen and Huntresses"

It took me about three times as long to read it as it should have because I was trembling and stuttering and getting clapped on the shoulder and hugged at every sentence.

"Oh, James we're so proud of you!" said Mother.

"Good job, kid," said Grammy.

"I can't believe it! They actually want me there!" I said.

"When does the term start again?" asked Grammy.

"June... 7th! That's in a week and a half! Oh jeez! When does the next Schnee Dust shipment go from Atlas to Vale?"

"If I remember correctly, day after tomorrow. You'd best skip school and work tomorrow to get those supplies of yours."

"Wait... What about you guys? How will you survive without me here?"

"Don't you fret about us. We'll be fine. Now go get some sleep. You'll need it."

"But-"

"No buts. Now go."

I realized that Grammy wasn't going to let me stay and help take care of them. "Fine. Goodnight, Grammy. Goodnight, Mother."

"Goodnight James," they returned.

As I climbed the steps to my room, I knew I wasn't going to sleep much that night.