The Wilted Rose

Chapter 5: Initiation

(A/n: I do not own the picture above)

Border of Vale and Vacuo

4:24 pm

4 years until the fall

Y/n pov

Ah, sweet sixteenth birthday... you know, most families go out to have dinner or just spend quality, wholesome time together on these days. Well I got four words for those of you who believe that....

NOT MY FUCKING FAMILY!!!

Nah, Aunt Raven decided that I was getting a bit to comfortable for her liking. Her solution? Send me out to the middle of bum-fuck nowhere and kill a pack of Ursai who wandered a bit to close to camp last week. All that with no help.... What a kind and caring woman she is~

In all seriousness though, it is the tribes tradition that upon someones sixteenth birthday, they have to prove themselves to the tribe. Its a coming of age type of deal. If you survive the task your assigned, then HURRAY, you are now looked upon as a adult in our little community. If you fail.... well, you typically don't come back. The tribe has no need for weaklings or failures. Lucky for me, I was neither.

I continued walking through the thick forests of south western Vale. Keeping a eye out for anything that might help me continue tracking my targets. This was supposed to be a simple assignment. But much like everything else, it just couldn't be that simple. I started the day off the same as any other day. It wasn't until noon that things started going wrong. I've been having issues with a couple of asshats who think that they have the run of the camp. All because they scored a massive payload of food. Never mind that not even a week ago, I did the same. Only difference is that it was a truckload of antibiotics and that I did it without a single drop of blood spilled.

I already despised these fucks because I caught them trying to fool around with a girl who was entirely to young for them. For obvious reasons, I had a intense disdain for anyone who would harm a child. Those were the people who had a special place in hell reserved just for them. If it hadn't been for Aunt Raven, I would have killed them. Good thing too, the tribe is a family. We don't kill our family. There were exceptions to that rule but if it wasn't for a valid reason, namely self-defense, then the offender would be exiled from the tribe. Beating the shit out of them was fine though, so long as it was within reason.

Anyway, it was noon and of course, Dumb and Dumber were causing trouble in the chow hall. I had barely stepped foot in there before I was flanked by the two.

Raymond: Well well well! Look whos here everyone! Its the special little runt! hahaha!

Vash: What, got thrown away after the boss took that other kid in~ What's her name? Vernen?

Y/n: Her name is Vernal, and no. Now if you'll excuse me.

Raymond suffered from small-man syndrome, standing at 5'1 and weighing in at about 120 pounds. His attitude and demeanor was compensation for something. Vash on the other hand was a giant who stood at 7'3 and was about 350 pounds of pure muscle. He was the literal definition of a muscle bound moron. I took a step to the left and of course, they followed.

Vash: Now that ain't no way to treat your betters. Hasn't the boss taught you any manners?

Y/n: The only two in this camp who are my betters is Raven and Fredrick, from the armory. And she has tried, but it hasn't stuck.

Raymond: Excuse me, runt!?

Y/n: Your excused, now get the fuck out of my way.

You can guess what happened next. It was over so quickly, it wasn't even worth describing. Following that, Raven stormed into the chow hall. I'll be honest, this was a common occurrence. I was known around the camp for being a bit of a troublemaker. I mostly found myself in trouble for fighting. In my defense, its only the people who earns it. Accidently grab my scroll that was on the table next to yours and walk off? Swap scrolls and no harm, no foul. Sneak a six-pack of Michelob Minor from storage? Slide me a can or two and have at it! Get belligerently drunk at the canteen and not ask, but AGGRESSIVELY DEMAND that the barmaid sleep with you.... Yeah, that's a stomping. Unfortunately, there was a lot of people like that in camp.