Sepia Trailer

Now That We've Come so Far by Jeff Williams.

Saddle breathed in the warm, fresh air. Spring was one of his favorite times of the year. He let the weight of his backpack settle on his left arm as he walked. Birds gently sang as he strolled through the pines. He could smell fish not far away, and his sensitive ears picked up the gentle, clear rabble of flowing water.

I keep a picture of you
But I don't know just what I'd do
If I saw you face to face right now.

He gently hummed as he walked, adjusting his hat down over his eyes. His antlers brushed a branch, sending leaves fluttering down it. Suddenly, the birds stopped singing. The strange, dissonant silence struck the buck Faunus like a brick wall. He seemed to be alone, with only the sound of the running water to accompany him.

Grimm. Saddle sniffed, and he could smell the acrid scent of a Creature of Grimm nearby. He kept walking.

Soon, he came to the softly flowing river. He looked to his right, upstream, and saw it.

And though I've always loved you
If I could stop myself I would

It was a massive creature. It stretched its wings, gently preening itself. It appeared to be a massive Heron, with black feathers, and a wide, hideous white skull mask, tapering off into a wicked, sharp beak.

When it spotted Saddle, its head raised, revealing not one, but three. The Ardetois' three heads gently raised and lowered, bobbing as they faced the Faunus, staring at him with glowing, beady read eyes.

Saddle wrapped his palm around the handle of his sword, Reinier, as the creature's left head issued a loud, unnatural, screeching bark. It stood, disrupting the water, and stamped towards him, slashing with each step.

But there's no easy way
To end how I feel
And to change what was real

Saddle drew his sword, and the silvery glow blinded the Adredois for a moment. He jumped out of the way as it charged him, its white, sharp beaks piercing the riverbank where he'd been standing. The creature tracked Saddle as he circled it, intent on landing a blow with his sword.

The creature didn't have time to react, as he swung Reinier hard, slashing at its flank. The blow cut the Aredtois badly, sending fragments of feathers fluttering away. The first strike went to Saddle, who leaped out of the way of a harsh counterattack.

Though we try to fade to black
It can't ever come right back

He spun his sword in his hand, and swung. The blade met one of the beaks hard, as the Adredois pinched the sword with its mouth. It lifted Saddle into the air, as he held onto Reinier for dear life. Saddle was thrown down onto the other side of the riverbank, thudding against the wet grass. He grunted, and then stood, as the Ardetois pecked at him again with two heads this time. He blocked, but was thrown aside by the force of the strike.

Saddle's back slammed against the tree behind him, and he leaped aside as the Adredois lurched forward, its bladelike beaks and massive weight snapping the old tree in half.

Saddle sheathed his sword, and let Aura pool in his left hand. As his hand naturally moved, the translucent, brown aura followed it, flowing gently from his wrist to his fingertips, waiting to be released.

The Grimm reared back its middle head to strike, and speared forward, cutting the air in front it as it moved to skewer the Faunus student.
Saddle thrust his palm forward, and the beak struck a powerful shield of Aura, the force of its strike bounced back by the reflecting prowess of the Faunus' shield. Its beak snapped in half, the mouth screeching in pain.

Now that we've come so far
How can we ever start again?

Saddle bent his knees, and leaped, sending blades of grass and flower petals scattering around him as he launched into the air. He brought back his right leg, and then brought it straight up in a powerful kick, his steel toed boot colliding with the chin of the center head.
Saddle's boot came down, and he felt the center head's skull crack against the force. He turned, and brought back his right hand, pooling Aura into it.

Memories would lead us back, instead we just pretend
Now that we've come so far
But love, it never ends

Saddle brought back his arm, and as the energy completed filling his hand, he jumped, and landed on the beast's left head, thrusting his fist downwards. A shotgun blast of aura went off, brown pellets caving in the Ardetois head, leaving two down, and one to go. Saddle leaped off of the creature's falling head, landing in a tree nearby.

With two heads dead and hanging uselessly, bleeding black blood into the river. the Adretois staggered, its final head, the one on the right side of its body, struggled to keep the body upright on its own. Saddle leaped, drawing his sword, as it pecked at him. He swung hard as he sailed through the air, ready to finish his assault on the large Grimm.

Keeps us holds us
Leads us always tearing us apart
Again

Saddle's blade won the clash handedly, slicing the beak in half, and cutting the final head off altogether. Saddle landed on the riverbank, as the Ardetois fell, its heads destroyed, and its body landing limp against the ground with a tremendous thud. Saddle stood, and wiped Reinier off against the ground. He sheathed the sword, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked on, still humming.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saddle came to a stop, visiting the place he'd walked so far to see. A single, marble slab rested at the top of the hill, marked with the name of one of his closest friends.

Saddle dropped to one knee, a lost, forlorn smile on his face.

"...We miss you, man." Saddle wiped his nose and smiled. "Tell my Dad that I've grown." Saddle pressed his forearm against his eyes, trying to keep himself from tearing up. "He probably misses how small his boy used to be. There's no way I could ride on his shoulders now, huh?"

Sadde chuckled, then took off his hat, and gently sang the song that he'd been humming since he left the Academy. It was a song his Dad and Mom hummed to him to help him sleep.

He missed them, and now he missed his friend.

Daydream No. 19, Trocadero

Saddle walked out of the graveyard, still a bit misty eyed, but satisfied that he'd mourned his friend. He adjusted his glasses, running a finger under his eyes to flick away any errant tears that lingered.

"SADDLE!!"

The Faunus looked up just in time to see a shadow come over him. His teeth gritted, as he recognized the person coming towards him from above in an intimidating pounce. Iden, his teammate, slammed down on top of him, powder blue uniform, grey hair and all. Saddle sprawled on the ground face down, Iden having successfully tackled him. Iden grinned over her felled, Faunus friend.

"I found you! You've been gone for a while now." Saddle regained his bearings, and looked up. Iden was smiling, sitting on his back. "We wondered where you were. We finally figured out how to track your Scroll."

"We?" Saddle got to his hands and knees, looking up at Daniel, who stood over him, one eyebrow raised in minor amusement. The corner of his mouth twitched in what was almost a grin, broadening Iden's smile. She stood up off of him, dusting herself off.

"Iden kept getting lost." Daniel gave Saddle his typical deadpan, expressionless look. "It was only proper that I help her find the right way." Saddle smiled, and Daniel helped him to his feet. Daniel put a hand on Saddle's shoulder, as the Faunus' smile darkened.

Daniel ran a hand through his hair, as he gave Saddle a gentle pat. "...We miss him too."

Iden lowered her head. "We know what you're going though. You don't have to face it alone, I hope you know that."

Saddle merely smiled.

"He's still with us, as long as we don't forget him," Saddle smiled. "Cap, Iden, just promise...you'll remember him too."

Iden smiled, wordlessly nodding in assent, her grey and blue hair bobbing.

Daniel nodded. "Of course. Now let's head back to Beacon." Daniel turned, and lead the way. "We can even stop at that bakery you like."

Saddle followed Daniel and Iden, sparing the grave one last glance.

He could almost see his friend there, the fire in his eyes the clearest. The ghost's stare helped kindle the fire inside his teammates.

He may not have been the leader, but he had founded the team. Without him, he may never have met Daniel, or Iden.

...I'll never forget you, man. Saddle turned his back, and continued after his teammates.