"In the caverns of memory, where dragons once soared, echoes of lost kin flicker, their flames forever in our hearts."
— Anonymous(Source: ChatGPT)
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Journal Entry #3: A message from Admin and ensuing blues
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Today started out quite terrible.
I woke up only to find I had an unread message from the System. Still half asleep, I groggily clicked on it while still lying on bed and it turned out to be a message from Admin.
[Admin: Hello. This is regarding your request related to your family in your home world. I'm truly sorry to say that it is not possible to contact them or send a note to them or make them aware of your circumstances in any way. I tried my best to let it through but our relations with your home world's deities are… not very good at the moment. I am mostly to blame for that, so I'm sorry once again. But that's not the only reason. It seems in your world there's a strict confidentiality policy for things that might relate to divinity and the supernatural in general. So, it's not possible to explain your circumstances to your family because it, and I quote what I was told, 'risks the veil of secrecy that has been maintained for several millennia.'
I know this is unfair to you, but there's nothing I can do about it. Unfortunately, I can't go around the higher-ups and your world's managers because it'll cause a shitstorm that even I can't afford.
However!
I did manage to convince them related to your alternate request!
So, this message is also a prompt for you.
Do you want to make your family forget about you?
Let me know. I'll leave a System prompt for you. Take your time and answer at your convenience. And sorry I couldn't help much.]
[Admin: PS: Oh! I almost forgot! I sneaked in a recording of your family's situation while we were bickering about this situation. It might not be what you want but I still hope this helps… even a little.]
[System: [CLICK HERE!] to play family_feed.a4D]
[System: Do you want to make your family forget about you?]
[Yes]
[No]
Truth be told, I was already half expecting my request to be denied. But even so, a part of me held some hope still. It's such a human thing to do. To hope for the best.
So, when the request was denied, I felt a tinge of pain in my chest.
But I recovered from that.
I then made possibly the worst decision of my life and clicked on the video file.
It was the recording of my family's current situation. The house they lived in and where I had lived after the accident and my parents' death. I watched their expressions and a deep pit began forming in my stomach and my eyes started burning up.
Everyone looked… so gloomy and tired. There was a sense of loss and numbness in their faces and their movements were dull.
From the looks of it, it was morning and my aunt was cooking breakfast for my uncle and my cousin June. But rather than the usual where my uncle was ready to leave for his office, he was in his home attire and reading newspapers. Multiple of them. There were at least 5 different papers on the table, along with some pamphlets that I couldn't quite make out.
I wanted to zoom in and look at them as they seemed weird.
Experimentally, I touched the ethereal screen in hopes of zooming in and was surprised when I actually could.
But my surprise then skyrocketed when a stray movement of my fingers caused the camera angle to shift and I was looking at the bottom of the table from a POV that was close to the floor.
Jolting from my stupor, I immediately started swiping the screen and adjusted the camera to look at the table in full view. Apparently, I could move the camera angle around to my liking! That was… pretty neat, actually.
There, in a bundle lay posters…
… with my face and original name on it.
My breath hitched and I choked a sob, my eyes tearing up immediately when I realized what it was.
They… they were looking for me. They even had printed missing posters of me.
God fucking damnit all! Of course, they were looking out for me! They cared for me for fuck's sake!
…
I couldn't stop the warm tears that came and went down my cheeks as I watched the video, constantly having to wipe them off to clear my blurry vision.
It was incredibly painful to watch.
I felt awful for making them suffer.
… And yet I kept watching, unable to stop myself.
My uncle's tired but serious gaze scanned the section that had ads about missing people. My aunt's mechanical cooking while she was lost in her thoughts. Her swollen red eyes were enough of an indication to hint at what was going through her mind.
The worst was probably my cousin June who was sitting on the table opposite my uncle and trying her best to not glance at my photos on the posters. Each time she failed, she pinched her hand under the table and hid a choke and a sob.
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
Why did they have to suffer?! It wasn't their fault! They didn't deserve any of it!
It was all my fault!
…
After seeing that video, I didn't have to think much about my decision. I had already thought of this prior and seeing the video only firmed my resolve.
I clicked on the 'Yes' button and then I went back to watching the video. It was 5 hours long and it didn't really have much. Most of the latter half was my uncle and aunt roaming around the town, pasting the posters on the walls and light poles, asking people if they'd seen me.
A section of it was my cousin June in her room. I didn't feel right watching too much of it because it felt weird and questionable watching her lying on the bed and staring at the rooftop or in a random direction for long periods of time. Her lack of excitement and in general bubbly attitude told me of how badly she was struck by my sudden disappearance.
I don't know why but… once in that clip she stared directly at the camera and I could've sworn it felt like we made eye contact. My mouth opened on its own to say something, but it soon closed up.
It was nothing but my own mind playing tricks on me, I realized.
After all, it was only a video recording, and the camera angle was randomly adjusted by me. It was a simple case of probability that she was looking at exactly that space where the camera would've been.
Indeed it was.
But…
… I wished I could talk to her. Just a little.
To explain my bizarre circumstances.
But I couldn't. It felt like I was watching them through a one-sided window that blocked all sounds. My family was on the other side of this window but I couldn't reach them, no matter what.
Why couldn't I just tell them it was fine and that I was okay?
Why did this family have to be so damn nice to me in the first place?
Damn it! DAMN IT!!!...
… I'm done with this. I can't type anymore. Every time I remember it, my heart aches in pain and I feel so… hollow inside.
I don't think I can do much today. Laying down in bed all day sounds nice, I guess.
Damian
***
It had been almost a week since I had my first outing and subsequent fighting out in the wilds of Remnant.
… And it had been two days since I got that message from Admin.
My mood had been… down since that day. I didn't feel motivated to do much and the things that couldn't be skipped were done in almost mechanical motion, similar to how my aunt did her cooking: with unfocused eyes while I was lost in my own head. My thoughts roamed around my life back on Earth. Of what I had and what I had lost.
It was a short life—shorter than I would have liked—and while there were plenty of good memories, most of them were overshadowed by the major losses I had suffered. Losing not one but two families was painful. It'd hurt so much that I'd cried multiple times in the past few days, getting overwhelmed by the feeling of loss and despair.
I think the reality of my situation hadn't fully settled until I received that message and saw the video feed. I was taking it light-heartedly, pretending this was some adventure fantasy and honestly, that was a good approach to things when compared to the mess I had been in the past few days after I witnessed their state. Once stuck in that state after witnessing what my disappearance had caused, I wanted to go back to myself who was doing just fine with this situation, even if he was ignorant of the world he'd left behind. I don't know how things suddenly plummeted so much. I guess the dam holding my sanity broke after seeing that video.
Haa… I don't think the video 'helped' me, contrary to what the Admin intended. It only tore up the scratches and turned them into deep wounds. I might have done better without that knowledge. But I also couldn't deny it made a part of me very happy to once again see their faces. Even if it hurt to watch, I had saved the video. It'd be the last memento of the family I'd lost yet again.
But enough of that. I was done brooding! Two days was enough for me to get my bearings back. Even my dragons had been worried about me which partially helped me get out of my mourning stupor.
And so today it was going to be different.
I had decided that I had done enough moping around and it was time to truly move on. Loss is part of life and while it might be very hard to detach from the attachments you have built for so long, sometimes it's necessary to move on. You can't let the gloom of loss and separation bind you forever. With that thought process, I was trying to move on with my life.
I had received a confirmation message from Admin a little while back that the deed was done.
Now, there was no more me in my old world. I didn't know what mind or reality-breaking magic they employed but apparently, it got the job done.
It was frightening to think about the implications of such power, but I stopped myself before I glanced too deeply at that abyss.
I had enough on my plate as it is. I didn't need existential dread on it too.
With a follow-up confirmation that doing this had changed their lives for the better as they had returned to normal, more or less, I could move on with my life as well. I knew it was a little unfair to take away their memories, but I couldn't see them suffer more. They deserved happiness, even if it came at the cost of my existence in their life.
Moving on, the first order of business today was to check on my dragons.
I had been neglecting them in my blues the past few days but I hadn't truly forgotten about them. I still fed them, though it was mostly done subconsciously.
And thanks to that, the growth of my 2 new dragons was still decent, if not optimal.
[Cyclis]
Wind Dragon
Rarity: Common
Level: 12
HP: 650
MP: 5500
Abilities unlocked: [Gale Burst]
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[Gale Burst]
Cost: 20 MP
Description: The Wind Dragon releases a burst of strong wind, damaging enemies and causing [Knockback], potentially knocking them off balance.
It was still active as ever and after growing up, it had only grown more energetic. Cyclis was well on its way to level 15, growing quickly from the berries it devoured. And its excitable yet affectionate nature helped heal me a little too.
But the same wasn't true for my Earth Dragon despite starting out around the same time as Cyclis. My Earth Dragon was, for the lack of a better term, a chill dragon. He didn't really care much about most things and his favorite hobby was sleeping.
A part of me could relate to him on a spiritual level, but I would have liked it if he could eat more berries in his free time. Most of what he ate happened only when I was actively feeding him and even then he would stop after eating a set amount.
[Terrin]
Earth Dragon
Rarity: Common
Level: 8
HP: 450
MP: 3500
Abilities unlocked: [Rock Shield]
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[Rock Shield]
Cost: 20 MP
Description: The Earth Dragon forms a protective shield around itself and its allies made of solid rock, reducing incoming damage.
Terrin was the first Dragon who had gained a defensive ability as his first ability. But it somehow suited his personality. He wasn't exactly an aggressive type.
I naturally tested both of their abilities and found them quite decent. The Rock Shield especially turned out to be much stronger than I expected; it could easily tank 4 hits from Pyra's and Nixie's first abilities and take 2 hits from their second ability before finally crumbling.
Cyclis's attack, on the other hand, didn't leave a scratch on the Rock Shield. Something I think the Wind Dragon took personally as I later found it in the Earth Habitat trying to chomp on Terrin's tail and cartwheeling in the air rapidly, blowing the dry dirt and sand around and on Terrin, and then back to chomping, rinse and repeat. It was… an interesting show of anger and/or frustration.
Unfortunately for it, Terrin gave fuck all to its actions and slept through the entirety of Cyclis's tirade. It didn't look like Cyclis's bite affected him if the lack of change in his HP was any indication. That spoke of his high defenses since Cyclis had grown its own set of sharp teeth like my other dragons and they didn't pale in comparison to Pyra's when they were at its growth stage. Pyra still had the sharpest ones, though. Curiously, Terrin had flat teeth, unlike the others, resembling those of herbivore animals. But it mattered little when those said teeth could likely chomp off a rock into dirt and pebbles. Such was the might of the Earth Dragon.
I decided to console my poor Wind Dragon later and treat it with some pats and berries. Maybe take it to the mountaintop to enjoy the view. Cyclis would be fond of windy and high-altitude places if his habitat was any indication.
Speaking of berries, all 4 Dragon Habitats had been supplying me with a steady supply of Gold for the last couple of days, and I decided it was about time I upgraded the farms. The amount my two strongest dragons devoured lately had been growing exponentially and it wasn't feasible to keep buying new farms to cope with the demands. Even if berries were a secondary means of power leveling for Dragons above Level 15, it was still useful and was a source of food/snacks for my dragons.
Rather than buying more farms to meet the rising demands, it was thus smarter to upgrade them.
And so I did just that.
I opened up the System's [Menu] and went to the [Map], selecting the 10 Dragon Berry farms on my island all huddled together a bit further away from the Habitats, and upgrading them all at once.
It halted the berry production for the time being but I didn't mind since I had some in stock and there was no immediate need for it as my dragons were resting and/or sleeping. Three guesses as to which one of the three was sleeping. The first two don't count.
Anyway, it wasn't as if my dragons needed to be fed constantly. They ate when prompted.
[Dragon Berry Farm x10]
Tier: 2
A farm that automatically produces delicious Dragon Berries for your Dragons and requires no care from the user.
Produces 250 Berries/hour once built.
Upgrade to produce more Berries.
Requirements to build: 4 Construction Golems of Tier 1 or higher.
Time to build: 20 minutes
Cost: 1000 Gold/farm
The first farm upgrade cost just 1000 Gold per farm and needed only 20 minutes to finish upgrading.
The result was that my farms' harvest grew by almost 150% making the yield 2.5x the original amount.
Since the cost was so cheap, I decided to go one step further and upgrade it to Tier 3. In hindsight, I should have done this sooner. Then I wouldn't have needed to buy 10 farms and could have done with fewer farms. But, oh well. It didn't really matter since they didn't really take up that large of a space. I still had plenty of space left on the island.
[Dragon Berry Farm x10]
Tier: 3
A farm that automatically produces delicious Dragon Berries for your Dragons and requires no care from the user.
Produces 1000 Berries/hour once built.
Upgrade to produce more Berries.
Requirements to build: 10 Construction Golems of Tier 1 or higher.
Time to build: 2 hours
Cost: 2500 Gold/farm
Tier 3 turned out to be the max I could upgrade the farms at the moment, however. Further tiers required Tier 2 golems or above, which I couldn't yet afford. Not in the amount that was needed anyway.
But still, I had increased my Dragon Berry yield by 10 times! It was akin to having 100 tier-1 farms compacted into just 10. Upgrades for the win!
I still had some Gold remaining after the endeavor. Not much, but enough to buy something minor in case I needed it. Not that anything came to mind at the moment.
Truth be told, I would have had a lot more Gold if not for the fact that I invested a great majority of it in upgrading the Temples for my respective dragons.
Doing so turned out to be a smart decision too since Pyra immediately leveled up 3 more times, reaching Level 23.
So, turns out the excess XP is stored somewhere if a dragon reaches their level cap. It can later be applied once the level cap of said dragon is raised.
Nice.
That meant there wouldn't be a problem in case my dragons hit their level caps while fighting in the future. Though, I would still try to upgrade my temples as much as possible to not halt my dragon's growth. The more they grew, the better they could perform in the fights and the safer it would be for us.
With everything done and dusted, I only had to test out my two new Affinities: Wind and Earth.
I had some ideas for that. Some were standard, and some were a bit out of the ordinary. I wanted to test what were the limits of 'Wind' magic. Wind, in contrast to Air, for instance, was different than said Air. Flowing air caused winds. But did that mean I had control over just the Wind aspect of Air or did I have control over Air itself? And then I had to come up with similar tests for Fire, Water, and Earth. I hadn't really gone in this direction prior when testing Fire and Wind, sticking to the more standard approach. But now I was starting to wonder about the limits of the elements I had some control over.
Truly, my magic repertoire was starting to look half decent with me having all 4 basic elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind.
Did that make me the Avatar? Hmm… also something to ponder about, I suppose.
***
-Ruby Rose-
The food fight moments prior had left the cafeteria in a chaotic state, a cacophony of laughter and playful banter echoing amidst the remnants of the culinary battlefield. Ruby found herself in the midst of it all, caught between feeling thrilled by the chaos and a twinge of guilt for her part in the mess.
She took a moment to reflect on how she had ended up here, at Beacon Academy, living a life she'd always dreamed of. Growing up on the quiet outskirts of Patch, she had been a girl with grand aspirations, idolizing her mother, Summer Rose, a legendary Huntress. Ruby was just a child when Summer disappeared, leaving behind a legacy that inspired her to become a Huntress herself. It was her sister and her father who supported her always, not letting the young Ruby feel lonely from the absence of her mother, even if they too were in similar states.
The memories of her early years at Signal Academy flashed through her mind. The day she designed and built her iconic weapon, Crescent Rose, was etched vividly in her memory. Ruby had spent countless hours perfecting her scythe, a masterpiece of engineering and love. Qrow, her uncle and mentor, had guided her through the process, imparting valuable knowledge and skills that shaped her into the Huntress she was becoming.
Then came the day she received the acceptance letter from Beacon Academy. The thrill of being one step closer to her dream was immeasurable, even if the events prior to it were a little worrisome.
Beacon meant adventure, friendship, and the opportunity to make a difference in the world. It was what Ruby wanted, what she had been working towards most of her life.
The initiation at Beacon was a whirlwind experience, a blend of excitement and trepidation. Ruby and her new teammates, Weiss, Blake, and her sister Yang, had fought through the dangers of the Emerald Forest and bonded during the trials. At least, she believed so. Thus Team RWBY was formed, an unlikely yet powerful union of individual strengths. One she had been made the leader of, no less! How crazy was that! She had felt a little inadequate, but in time that feeling subsided and she was getting more comfortable with her role and her teammates.
Speaking of her teammates, Ruby had witnessed Blake's inner struggle, her secrets and past as a member of the White Fang haunting her. Blake Belladonna was a mysterious yet compassionate soul, one Ruby wished to help and understand. Weiss, on the other hand, had come from a wealthy family, carrying the weight of expectations on her shoulders. Ruby admired her determination to break free from the confines of her upbringing. But she was often times the target of said girl's ire. Ruby knew she meant well, but the constant nagging did annoy her sometimes. Just a tiny little bit. Yang was… well, Yang. She was her sister, even if they were born from different mothers, and that was more than enough. Things weren't perfect—they never are, really—but still.
She still loved her teammates and wouldn't give them away no matter what!
There were, of course, others too. Their friendly rivals, team JNPR, who were the enemies team RWBY had just faced in the hard-fought battle of wits and food. Lots of food.
However, that battle had left quite a mess.
As the remnants of the food fight lay scattered across the cafeteria, Ruby surveyed the scene, a mix of exhilaration and guilt swirling within her. She watched as her friends laughed and teased each other amidst the chaos.
"Okay, Team RWBY and co., let's... umm, start cleaning up, I guess."
Ruby said, her voice lacking its usual spirited enthusiasm. She wasn't exactly sure where to begin. The place was, most appropriately, a giant mess of food and colors. So much ketchup and sauce!
"Students."
Everyone halted in their motions when they heard a quiet but clear voice. Glynda Goodwitch, Beacon Academy's disciplined and formidable professor, then appeared in the doorway. Her sharp eyes surveyed the messy room and then locked onto Team RWBY and JNPR. A stern expression painted her face.
"I hope this display of recklessness was worth the trouble you've caused."
Glynda stated, her voice laced with disapproval.
Ruby fidgeted, guilt prickling at her.
To her pleasant surprise, Blake then stepped forward, her demeanor calm and composed.
"We understand the importance of order, Professor Goodwitch. We… just got carried away. We'll clean it up."
Weiss and Yang nodded in agreement, ready to take responsibility for their actions.
Team JNPR responded similarly.
Glynda's gaze shifted to Ruby, her eyes penetrating but not unkind.
"Miss Rose, as the team leader, you should set an example for your teammates."
She then turned to a blonde boy nearby.
"The same of course goes for you, Mr. Arc."
Ruby straightened, her silver eyes meeting Glynda's stern gaze.
"I... I understand, Professor. This won't happen again."
"Yes, we—I'm sorry too, Professor! No more playing with food! Never."
Jaune too responded, though she could hear the little squeak in his voice. She could understand his nervousness. Professor Glynda wasn't one to be taken lightly. Not at all. Everyone at Beacon knew the consequences of such an action would be dire.
Glynda regarded them for a moment longer, then sighed.
"Very well. But remember, you're at Beacon to learn and to become Hunters and Huntresses. Frivolous behavior like this detracts from that purpose."
With a wave of her hand, the debris began to tidy itself up. Broken tables and chairs fixed themselves and the ceiling was repaired back to its original state. Ruby, her team, and team JNPR watched in awe of the spectacle the Professor could create with a mere wave of her riding crop before they too joined in, assisting in the cleanup, with their minds refocused on their responsibilities.
As Glynda turned to leave, she looked back at them.
"Remember, you're here to work hard, not just for yourselves, but for the people you'll protect one day."
The two teams nodded in sincere acknowledgment, the gravity of Glynda's words sinking in. They were here to learn, to grow, and to be the best Hunters and Huntresses they could be. The food fight had just been a distraction—an admittedly fun distraction—but it was just a momentary lapse in their purpose.
Ruby took a deep breath, her determination rekindled.
"Let's clean this up and get back to training. Team RWBY, we've got work to do."
"An agreeable proposition."
Weiss calmly responded.
"Mind if we join you?"
She heard a strong yet pleasant feminine voice nearby, making her turn to face the sole redhead of team JNPR.
"Of course, Pyrrha! That'll be great! Right, guys?"
She asked her team who nodded in affirmation.
"Let's do a Team vs. Team duel!"
Her sister Yang suggested with an enthusiastic fist bump and the others seemed to be interested. The food fight had been a fun little battle but quite a few of them, including Ruby herself, were still feeling quite energetic. Some actual team practice battles sounded like it would be good training to let off some of that steam.
So, together they tackled the task at hand first, the mess serving as a reminder of their duty and the challenges they would face as Huntresses in training.
After this, it was time to let loose and test their mettle, fueled by the thrill of some friendly combat… right after they took a shower. They were still covered from head to toe in food.
***
-Glynda Goodwitch-
Glynda briskly walked through the hallways of Beacon Academy, her expression contemplative as she processed the events that had transpired in the cafeteria. The food fight, while a spirited display of youthful exuberance, had also demonstrated a lack of discipline among the students. As the Deputy Headmistress of Beacon, she understood the importance of fostering both camaraderie and responsibility in the young Huntsmen and Huntresses.
Entering Headmaster Ozpin's office, she found him seated behind his desk, a cup of steaming coffee in hand. The room exuded a sense of wisdom and warmth, a reflection of the man who led Beacon Academy. The multitude of gears reminiscent of a clocktower hinted at something deeper about the man that was known as Ozpin.
"Glynda."
Ozpin greeted her with a nod, his ever-calm demeanor unwavering.
"Headmaster."
Glynda replied, taking a seat across from him.
"I wanted to discuss the food fight that took place in the cafeteria."
Ozpin sipped his coffee, his eyes thoughtful as he regarded her.
"It was quite the spectacle, I hear."
"Yes."
Glynda affirmed, her tone carrying a blend of concern and understanding.
"While it's essential for the students to bond and enjoy their time here, we must ensure that they remember the importance of discipline and focus. The scene they caused today shows they're still lacking in that regard."
Ozpin set his cup down, intertwining his fingers as he leaned forward.
"Indeed. Teamwork is crucial, but it must be balanced with responsibility. They are the future protectors of Remnant, after all."
Glynda nodded in agreement.
"I believe this could serve as a teaching moment. Reinforcing the balance between camaraderie and discipline will be beneficial for their growth."
Ozpin smiled, a trace of admiration in his eyes.
"Your wisdom, Glynda, is always a guiding light. Address this as you see fit, and let us turn this event into a valuable lesson for our students."
Glynda nodded, thinking of what lessons she should teach her students that would both benefit them and cultivate a sense of responsibility and teamwork essential for their future roles as Huntsmen and Huntresses in safeguarding the world of Remnant.
With a sense of purpose, Glynda left Ozpin's office, ready to instill the necessary lessons in the young Huntsmen and Huntresses under her care. The responsibility of nurturing the next generation weighed on her shoulders, and she was determined to guide them towards a future where strength and unity would be a force for good in the world.
After all, that was the reason why she had given up on her successful career as a Huntress and taken up the mantle of a Teacher and a guide for future Huntsmen and Huntresses.
***