In his office at Beacon Academy in Vale, Professor Ozpin shut down his own scroll and leaned back in his chair. Hands steepled together as he thought about his next move regarding what he hoped to be another very talented initiate to his school.
"I take it Qrow has found him?" his trusted associate and friend Glynda Goodwitch said as she approached the headmaster.
Ozpin nodded, "After so many years. He's been living in the Northern forests near Atlas, very remote and isolated. Not surprising considering how he was raised and trained."
The blonde huntress pulled up her scroll and looked at the data displayed before her, "What are our chances of actually getting him to come to Beacon? It won't be the same as Miss Rose's recruitment."
"Perhaps not," replied the headmaster, grabbing his cane and standing up. "But it will require an equally personal and subtle approach." Turning his attention to the holo-screen of his desk computer, he regarded the image of the one Qrow was tracking, the name "Haru" displayed beneath it.
"He has the heart of a true warrior, one that I believe will aid us in times of great need when it arises." Ozpin said cryptically as he headed toward the elevator, Glynda on his heels as they rode the lift to the ground level of the school and headed out to the sky-dock where a bullhead craft was waiting for them.
Haru trekked up the small winding path the same way he had done for years, the sun had reached its apex high in the sky making the air warmer than it had been that morning.
Across his shoulders was a line of rope that had a couple of rabbits and raccoons tied to it. He may not have gotten the deer he had set out to hunt, but there was more than enough game to hunt in these woods if you were patient and skilled enough to get them.
Continuing along the dirt path that led up a small incline to the top of the hill, Haru found himself in front of a small house set against the side of a large boulder.
The wooden boards that made up the walls were slightly warped and worn from years of resisting the elements, a couple of the windows had cracks in the glass but remained in tact, the slanted roof had several shingles missing and the stone chimney looked to have collapsed long ago and was only half the height it should have been.
It was a rough built structure, and had seen a lot of wear and tear, but it stood strong and unyielding no matter what was thrown at it. It was home.
Adjusting the soon to be food on his shoulders, he opened the door and stepped inside. The door opens up to a large living room with several couches and chairs set up around a fireplace set up against the wall. On the other side of the room were two open doorways, one leading to the kitchen toward the back while the other led down a small hallway where two bedrooms and a bathroom were set up.
Unlike the outside, the interior of the house was warm and lived in, almost inviting.
Taking off his bow, quiver and axe, Haru hung them up on the pegs on the wall beside the door and put his cloak on a hook as well. The young hunter standing there in his ripped pants and tight thermal long-sleeve that clearly showed the hard muscles of his upper half, formed after years of rigorous training and exercise.
Closing the door behind him, he carried his catches toward the kitchen where he prepared to cut and clean each animal like he had done countless times before.
Hunting for food was one of the things to expect being so isolated. The nearest town was over 30 miles away to the south, and the kingdom of Atlas was even farther away than that. But Haru had been born and raised in these woods, learning everything he needed to about surviving out here from his parents growing up.
He would occasionally head to town if he needed anything specific, he'd even gone to Atlas once or twice when he needed dust or medical supplies, but everything else was provided by nature.
Even though he lived off the land, Haru knew more than enough about the world. Keeping up with the news from time to time about what was happening across Remnant and current events from the four kingdoms. He also tuned into the happenings regarding Faunus.
Being a wolf-faunus himself, like his father was, he knew the strife his people had endured. Even though he held no ill will against Humanity as a whole, he never stood for prejudice without a fight. Whether it was from Humans or Faunus didn't matter to him, it was useless to hate one another when there were worse things in their world out to get them all.
Spending a good hour skinning and cleaning the animals he caught, Haru washed his hands and the knives he had used before fishing a bottle of water out of the fridge and taking several large gulps from it. Looking out a nearby window and seeing that it was still in the early afternoon, he figured that he'd gather firewood for the evening before cooking a quick lunch.
Finishing the water, he set the bottle on the counter and prepared to head to his bedroom to change into a fresh pair of clothes when his wolf-ears perked up.
The sound of footsteps could be heard approaching his front door. Three separate pairs, meaning that three individuals were outside.
It had been almost two years since anyone other than him had come up this way.
Eyes narrowing, Haru crossed the room in three quick strides toward the front of the house just as a knock was heard. Picking up his axe from the wall, he held it out of sight as he opened the door just enough to peer out to see who it was.
He was greeted with the sight of two men and a woman on the other side. The one in the lead looked to be the oldest with silver/grey hair wearing an all black suit and vest with a green scarf around his neck. A pair of small, circular glasses resting just below a set of intellectual eyes while his left hand rested on a cane with a clock-work trigger handle.
The woman was light-blonde and also wearing glasses covering green eyes. Dressed in a long black skirt and a white blouse with a black/purple cape flowing behind her. Her expression was calm, but stern, which also reflected in how she gripped the odd riding crop in her hand.
The last of the group looked to be younger than the first two. Black hair slicked back into spikes with a pair of red eyes. His stature was laid back, but to Haru's trained eyes he could see someone with a lot of skill hiding beneath the surface. It also showed how the man was currently resting his hand on the handle of a sword/scythe weapon resting on his lower back beneath the tattered white cloak he wore over his outfit.
"Something I can help you with?" Haru asked, his voice rough, but calm as his eyes flicked from each individual before resting on the man at the head of the group.
"Are you Haru?" the grey haired man questioned.
Grip on the axe handle tightening, the young hunter kept his expression passive. "That would depend on who's asking."
The red-eyed man chuckled as he pulled out a small flask and took a pull from it, "Just some folks who want to know your name, kid," he said casually, "And you might want to put the axe down before you hurt yourself."
Haru's attention snapped to him, "And you may not want to drink so much when you're tracking someone upwind. I believe you can understand why that someone would be overly cautious when approached." This surprised the two standing in the back while the man leading them simply raised an eyebrow.
"I apologize for making you feel the need to be on guard, but I can assure you that we mean you no harm. We only wish to talk." Said the man while adjusting his glasses.
Looking for any form of deceit and finding none, Haru stepped back letting the door open wide enough to allow them entry. Slipping the axe back in its place on the wall as he led them to the living room, taking a spot in an armchair while his "guests" took up the couch. The red-eyed huntsman seated on an arm with his flask still in hand.
"Do you know who I am?" the older man asked.
"You're Ozpin, professor and headmaster of Beacon Academy in the kingdom of Vale, if I'm not mistaken," replied Haru.
Ozpin nodded, "Indeed I am. The woman beside me is my deputy headmistress, and associate, Glynda Goodwitch. And this is Qrow Branwen, a huntsman and a good friend of ours." He said, introducing those with him.
"As interesting as it is to meet all of you, I have a feeling that this isn't a simple house call," said Haru pointedly. "No one comes this far North just to say hello, nor do they have a huntsmen track that person. So forgive me for sounding rude, but why the hell are you here?"
Professor Goodwitch cleared her throat, "We've been looking for you for some time. Both your parents attended Beacon Academy when they were your age before setting off into the world. We came to offer you a place in the same school they attended."
The young hunter turned his head and looked at a photograph in a frame on a nearby shelf. One that showed a blue eyed man with black hair and wolf-ears standing beside a pretty snow-white haired woman with scarlet eyes. Between the two of them stood a little boy that looked like his father but had his mother's eyes and hair.
"Then you wasted a trip," said Haru, standing up and heading for the kitchen, "What reason would I need to join a combat school when I already have the abilities to fight?"
"Because It was your folks' intention to have you become a student when you came of age." Said Qrow, causing the teen to pause in the doorway with his back to the room. The huntsman took a pull from his flask before capping it and putting it away, "I knew them back when we all went to Beacon together. Hell, they were good friends with me and my team. They were good people."
Haru turned and narrowed his eyes at the man, "Then you know how they died." He spoke with such a cold tone that the temperature in the room seemed to drop with each word.
Qrow nodded seriously, "I do. I also know that any White Fang that have ventured this far have never been heard from again. Folks from the town a ways from here claim that some kind of vengeful ghost haunts these forests..."
All eyes were on the young hunter who remained silent. Ozpin stood from his place on the couch, his cane before him with both hands resting on it. "I can see so much of your parents in you, and from what Qrow has told me your skills may even surpass theirs. Talent such as yours would be beneficial to Remnant as a whole. And I promised your mother long ago that I would ensure that her only son not only got the education he rightfully needed, but also that he was ready to face the world that awaited him."
Turning to face the headmaster fully, Haru locked gazes with him and tried to figure him out. He masked his emotions well, too well, but everything he spoke rang with truth which surprised him on a small level.
"What do you get out of all this, Professor Ozpin? What's your stake in me going to Beacon compared to countless other students?" He asked after a moment or two.
The headmaster's lips curled into a half-smile, "It's not what I gain, but what you gain, Haru. I see the potential of a strong warrior and hero in you. Destined to do great things one day. But the decision is ultimately yours, I am only here to offer you a chance to hone your skills and show you the paths you can take."
Ozpin reached into his coat and produced a scroll that he sat on the coffee table in the middle of the room. "The new semester starts at the beginning of next month, should you choose to attend my school, all of the information you will need is here." He said before making his way to the door, Glynda behind him. Qrow, however, lagged behind.
"Oz is right about the resemblance," he said standing from his seat, "You look a lot like your dad when he was your age, and you fight just as hard as he did. You also got your mom's eyes and hair, she could put a shot through a small Nevermore a mile away with that bow of hers. You got the best of both of them, kid."
Haru said nothing, hearing the huntsman's words but keeping his focus on the photo of him and his parents again. Qrow sighed, "I ain't gonna twist your arm or nothing about going to Beacon. That's your choice. But I will say this; Your folks were good people, and I was happy to have known them. From what I've seen and learned, they'd be damn proud of you, and I know that they would want the best for you."
The huntsman gave a nod in the teen's direction before leaving the home as well, leaving Haru alone with his thoughts.