Here it was the transport ship that would take me to my new life at Beacon Academy.

Two other passengers waited nearby. They headed toward the luggage compartment, so I followed, packing my bags and all the equipment I had brought. Once finished, I made my way to the entrance of the ship.

As I stepped inside, waves of stress and nervousness hit me like a tidal wave. Maybe a little fear too. Cold sweat clung to my skin, and my thoughts raced. Would there already be an inspection on the ship? A presence check?

Sure, my "slight modifications" to the documents I submitted had gotten me through the pre-selection process, but you could never be too cautious.

The first five minutes of the journey were uneventful. During takeoff, my knees shook a little. I eventually made my way to a window, trying to distract myself with the view. For a moment, the sight was stunning—until my stomach decided it had other plans.

I barely made it to the bathroom in time.

When I returned to the main cabin, I noticed groups forming all around the ship. Each cluster was chatting, laughing, or inspecting their weapons. That's when I realized something.

I was the only one without a weapon.

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Everyone else carried their gear onboard. I, on the other hand, had packed mine with my luggage.

"Beautiful," I muttered under my breath, feeling my nerves spike again.

I glanced around, nervously trying to find a group to join before anyone noticed how out of place I looked. Just as I was working up the courage to approach someone, a tall, well-built boy with brown hair stepped toward me.

In his hand, he held a massive mace that looked more like a battering ram than a weapon.

"What's up, blondie? Where are we headed?"

The question caught me off guard. It seemed strange since we all knew we were going to Beacon. I didn't get on the wrong ship... did I?

Before I could answer, the guy kept talking.

"Don't tell me you're actually going to Beacon!"

"Well, yeah, I kinda—"

"A skinny guy like you wants to be a Hunter?!" he cut me off. "You don't even have a weapon! What are you planning to fight Grimm with spit and insults?"

I could feel my face turning red as the words hit me. I stepped back, unsure of what to say, but he wasn't done yet.

"Or maybe," he sneered, "you're so good you don't even need a weapon, huh? Let's find out!"

Before I could react, he shoved me with one hand. He was strong, strong enough to send me sprawling to the ground.

"Ha! Nope, you're just a loser!" he laughed. "Go back home to mommy and leave fighting Grimm to someone like me."

He walked off, still laughing, spinning his massive mace in one hand. When he reached the group he'd come from, he pointed a finger at me. Moments later, their laughter joined his, echoing through the cabin.

I clenched my fists, humiliated, but there wasn't much I could do. For the rest of the trip, I stayed by myself, fighting my queasy stomach and keeping my distance from everyone.