Under the starry night sky, the cracking of wood is heard as its burns in a fire. Adding to the ambience of the dark forest.

Four people are seen setting up around the small fire. One being a ginger haired girl with shoulder length hair and wearing pink eyeshadow around the far upper corners of her eyes which were aqua blue. She wore pink fingerless gloves with circle in the middle showing a part of the back of her hand and wears a white sleeveless turtleneck top with a heart cutout in the chest area with a diagonal cut through it. She also wears a short, detached white sleeve on her left arm. Over the shirt, she wears a open cropped, short-sleeved navy blue bomber jacket with a damaged print of her emblem visible on the back and pink stripes along the sleeves alongside pink buckled cuffs. and red lining on the collar. On the top of it all, well..technically bottom, she wears a pleated pink skirt with two wide belt loops for matching belt, the skirt has a white layered tulle. She wears knee-high pink socks just visible above her white calf-length boots with pink laces and black low heels, soles and toes.

Next to her was a black haired male with a pink streak in his hair that matched his pale pink eyes. His hair almost reached down to his hips. He had a long, sleeveless green tailcoat with black and silver trimming. Under it, he wears a black, sleeveless turtleneck with red, tasseled ropes over the hips, pants that get tighter below the knees and calf-high open-toed sandals. From his middle finger to his biceps, ran gradient pink-to-black detached sleeves ending in metal armbands.

The second boy was a blond with dark blue eyes wearing a black hoodie with a pure white chest plate covering a bit more of his upper abdomen trimmed with gold lining and similarly-colored bracers. He wears black gloves with gold-colored metal armor plates over his fingers, and he appears to wear a red sash around his waist. He also wears dark brown laced boots and a single brown belt with a pouch included worn around his waist.

Finally the fourth girl. She was a black haired girl with red tips and silver eyes. She wore a white high-neck décolletage blouse with brown studded wristbands on the arms with a black skirt with red tulle underneath, an Overbust corset with red strip holding it in place. A black belt bordered in red holds a magnetic clip. She is also wearing thigh-high stockings reaching to a few inches below the hem of her skirt, decorated by an image of a long-stemmed rose. Her red-soled black boots containing four straps and buckles apiece.

Her most prominent feature being a red cloak with a singular clip on the right shoulder in the shape of a rose emblem, torn just like some parts of her stockings due to hard wearing.

The moonlight cast a soft glow over their surroundings as they settled in for the night. The blond, feeling restless, decided to scout the area, leaving the two girls and the black haired boy around the fire. The red caped girl watches the blond leave the group and sighs. She scoots over to the other two.

???: He's doing it again...

She says as ginger and black haired boy look in the direction to which the blond boy left in.

???: He's just making sure we're all in the clear to camp down for the day, Ruby.

The black haired boy points out. The silver eyed girl known as Ruby, look at the male and narrows her eyes and looks down.

Ruby: We said from now on we'd put it to a vote, Ren.

The man known as Ren looks to the side with a hint of sadness.

Ren: I know...still...even if we vote, he doesn't sleep well anyway.

Ruby looks at him then at the ginger girl who has a saddened expression.

???: How well would you sleep if you heard that someone you loved, died.

Ren looks at the girl. A wave of sadness washes over him as he lays down on his bed roll.

Ren: It's not the same compared to Ruby, Nora.

Ruby looks at Ren.

Ruby: It IS the same Ren...whether you saw it or heard about it...the grief that follows is the same.

Nora turns her attention to the fire. Her unlighted mood turns into concern.

Nora: Jaune has been carrying a heavy burden of guilt since that day. He blames himself for Pyrrha's fate, the chaos that unfolded in Vale...the fall of beacon.

Ruby lays down on her bedroll.

Ruby: We all carry that same guilt...it's why we should use each other as a crutch so the heaviness of that guilt doesn't weigh us down and leave us to the Grimm.

Silence fills the air as the night continues, the group finds solace in their shared burden, seeking comfort in each other's presence amidst the darkness of the forest. Ruby's words resonate with them, reminding them of the importance of relying on one another for support.

Ren, still struggling with his own emotions, looks at Ruby with a newfound understanding.

Ren: You're right, Ruby.

He says to the red caped huntress in training. Hearing Ren acknowledge her point brings a smile on her face.

Jaune reappears and walks to the group.

Jaune: Area's all good. You guys alright?

He says as he notices the smiles on their faces.

Ruby: Yeah. Everything's good!

Ruby says in a chipper mood. She looks up at the sky and takes a deep breath. Her eyes scan the sky until she sees a light from one of the stars start to move past her field of vision.

Ruby: Oh! A shooting star!

The others frantically dart their eyes around at the sky before landing their sights on the shooting star too.

Jaune: Whoa..awesome!

Jaune says in a chipper tone also.

Nora: Quick! Wish away before the moment passes!

Nora shouts as she then closes her eyes and clasps her hands together. Ren looks at her and smiles while rolling his eyes and follows in her footsteps. Jaune and Ruby do the same as they all lay in silence.

Ruby: ....Hey guys..How do you think the others are going?

Ruby randomly asks. Her three friends look at her then at each other.

Jaune: You mean like, CFVY, your sister, Blake and Weiss?

Ruby lets out a subtle nod.

Nora: I'm sure Coco and her team have a plan. Go back to studying or something at a different academy. The others...well...

Nora trails off as Ren quickly cuts in before Nora can say anything sensitive.

Ren: I'm sure they're fine. Blake running off had to be for a reason. Perhaps to go find herself.

Ruby thinks about that. Yang's injury did strike fear into Blake during that day, seven months ago.

Jaune: I'm sure Yang is 'Yanging in there' like she would always say.

His comment earns looks from the group. He cringes and looks away while sweat dropping.

Jaune: Sorry...

Ruby smiles but then she thinks about Weiss. Ever since they started Beacon, Weiss has never talked or brought up anything to do with her family. The only one that was worth mentioning was her sister. She idolised her at every opportunity she got to talk about her. There was a sense of relief that she at least had someone back at Atlas to who she could open up to. Still.......

Ruby: I hope Weiss is okay too...

Ruby says. Nora snorts.

Nora: She's a Schnee. She's probably having one of those rich party member nights with her family or something.

Nora jokes. Jaune and Ren let out a unison 'yeah.' Ruby just looks away sadly. She knew Weiss didn't like those kinds of parties.

Looking back up to the sky. The shooting star reminisces in her head. She closes her eyes and makes her wish.

Ruby: I wish the best of luck to all my friends from here on out, and for them not to dwell on the past...

Deciding to keep her eyes closed. It isn't long before the sweet embrace of sleep takes her into a deep slumber.

Meanwhile~

The same 'shooting star' begins to descend to the ground with its glow slowly fading. As it dies down completely, a small spherical robot floats around. It's optic darting left and right as it looks at the ground.

???: I know they're here somewhere....its a matter of where...

It floats around while being watched by the red eyes of nearby creatures. It floats around, a blue light emitting from its eye as it stops at a rock. It moves on and comes to a clearing. It scans in the middle of the opening but comes up with nothing.

???: I know I felt it...you're around here somewhere...

He goes to a tree and scans it. His optic dilates as the metal around his spherical eye spins.

???: Ah! Here you are.

The metal separates from the ocular feature of the little robot and is enveloped into a small blue light. It flashes up into particles as a young man wearing tattered clothing and a ripped up shirt arises from the snow. His eyes shoot open as he inhales very suddenly to the point he starts coughing.

???: W...what?

The young man looks at his surroundings and stands up slowly. He looks at his hands to see them shaking. He slaps both his cheeks before beginning to walk. He comes to a pond and falls to his knees before looking into the water.

He had (E/c) eyes, (H/c) coloured hair with a red streak along the right side of your hair that overlapped your ear. This young man was you.

???: Hey!

The little machine appears suddenly in front of you, causing you to fall back and look at it.

???: Wha-What the heck are you?!

The little robot flies close to your face.

???: Shh! Quiet...I don't think I came here alone. For now, we should get you somewhere safe and if possible, armed.

It floats off but you stand up quickly and extend your open hand towards it.

???: Wait! Who are you? Who am I?

The machine looks back at you and floats back to you.

???: Well...I'm a ghost. If you mean my actual name then, that's for us to decide.

You raise a brow and look at him even more confused than you were before.

???: Decide?

The Ghost tilts forward then faces you up straight as if he just nodded.

Ghost: Yes. Although you can't really remember who or what you used to be. You can shape yourself into something new. A good stepping stone would be your class which I see is a Hunter!

A Hunter? Hunter...yeah. For some reason that sounds right...but why?

???: Okay...if I'm a Hunter....where did you find me?

You questioned. The ghost looks to its left before floating off. You tilt your head but follow it regardless. You eventually come to a tree to which the ghost turns to you.

Ghost: You were here. For how long? I have no idea. Could've been days, weeks, months, even years.

You look around and decide to investigate the area. You kick something and look down expecting to find a rock. Instead you find a bag.

You kneel down and investigate but don't find any name on it. Only useful thing you found was a bedroll and a heavy revolver.

Ghost: Well, at least you have completed the find a weapon milestone.

You nod silently and stand up with the bedroll under your left arm and the revolver in your right hand.

Ghost: Here, I'll take that.

The Ghost scans the bedroll before it disappears into small light particles.

???: What just happened?

Ghost: Don't worry. All you have to do is ask and I'll give it back.

You look around before returning your attention to the Ghost.

???: I don't think there's anything left here. We should move on...something about this forest feels off.

You admit. The Ghost agrees and disappears. He begins to guide you through the forest.

Ghost: By the way, Hunter...what should we call ourselves?

It asks you, seeming almost eager to get a name. You start to think.
_____________________________

Your Alias options:

Scar

Wolf

Edge

Phyntom

Blade

Your Ghost's aliases:

Wonder

Hue

Ethern

Soul

Watch

Vote now....

Until next time :)