Your Speech Outros are Improving, Sir!
Marrow Amin was among the first Faunas to attend Atlas Academy, and this fact was not lost on him. Initiation hadn't even started, and already Marrow had to deal with people staring, whispers behind his back, and the occasional scoff or sneer. It wasn't as bad as in Mantle, but that's not exactly a high bar.
Marrow's wolf tail drooped behind him. His tail was usually a dead giveaway for his emotions (something he hated whenever he played poker with his family), and right now, he was feeling overwhelmed. Even without everyone staring at him, Atlas Academy was the largest place he had ever been in. He has grown up in a small, poor fishing village on the edge of the Solitas tundra, and most of the people he lived with were Faunas escapees from the Dust mines.
"Why is he even here?" one student whispered, just loud enough for Marrow to hear.
His shoulders slumped. Why was he here? Sure, he had passed the prerequisite physical and written exams, but what did that prove? Maybe Marrow only made it in because of his Semblance, which was admittedly powerful.
No, no, I can't think like that. This is the best opportunity I have to pull my family out of poverty. I'm going to make it through, no matter how hard it was.
As Marrow slipped into the large auditorium for initiation, he began to feel a bit overwhelmed. So much noise, so many people,call the sets of eyes glancing and staring at him. He feels his tail tuck between his legs as he tried to steady his breathing.
He glanced up at the podium and saw Lieutenant General James Ironwood walk onto the stage. He didn't even need to say anything, the whole room became quiet as all eyes focused on him.
James Ironwood had become a widely talked about man, equally loved and hated, depending on who you ask. With him now holding the position as Headmaster of Atlas Academy and being poised to eventually become General of the Atlesian Military, he could be the first person in Atlas history to hold two seats at once. With him claiming the responsibility of Headmaster, he voted to allow Faunas to attend Atlas Academy and become fully fledged Specialists, and the motion passed. Atlas elites were in an uproar, and they called upon their cronies in the media to smear and tarnish Ironwood's reputation. Yet, despite the slander and backlash, James stood firm. This was the first year that Faunas students were allowed to attend freely.
James tapped the microphone, his tall frame towering over the podium that seemed almost comically small compared to him. He cleared his throat, and began to speak.
"Welcome to Atlas Academy. You are now among the few that qualified to attend this prestigous institution. However, your training has just begun. These next few years will push you to your absolute limits, both mentally and physically."
Marrow shifted as he listened to his words. James took a deep breath before continuing.
"But this is not without reason. You are taking on the vital, crucial role of being the first line of defense against Grimm. Your life, the lives of your fellow soldiers, and the lives of everyone else depend on all of you being the best Hunters possible. This is not an opportunity to seek cheap thrills. This is a solemn responsibility."
The young faunas glanced at his hands, trying to process the heavy responsibility he was taking on.
"However," James continued, his eyes filled with pride as a small smile crosses his face. "I see potential in this room. I see the next generation of soldiers, Hunters and heroes. I see people capable of holding the darkness at bay, of rising above evil, and keeping the peace, not just in Solitas, but in the world."
Marrow felt himself standing a bit taller, his tail wagging a bit as he felt...happy. It felt like he had gained James's approval, even if this was only a general message.
"Now, as some of you may have noticed, we have faunas students here for the first time," James started, adjusting his tie. "I will state this in no uncertain terms: we do not tolerate bigotry or division. We are facing a threat that destroys indiscriminately. The Grimm make no distinction between humans or faunas, they simply kill. If we divide ourselves over petty, meaningless differences, we will fall. Every student here has rightfully earned their position at Atlas Academy. Every student will have the same opportunities. You will all be serving under the same Atlas flag, and when all others see that flag, they should feel safe and protected, and they should know that we stand united!"
The room is silent, everyone trying to process the speech they just heard. James Ironwood awkwardly fiddled with the cuffs on his uniform as he waited for some kind of response.
"Right, uh...classes will begin at 0600 tomorrow," Ironwood ended, his voice suddenly becoming far less sure than he was in his speech.
Marrow slowly began clapping, his wolf tail wagging behind him. Another student, a human, joined alongside him, and another. Soon, the whole auditorium was applauding Lieutenant General James Ironwood. A small, awkward smile spread across James's face as he gave a small bow and exited the stage.
Knowing the kind of Headmaster Ironwood was, Marrow was feeling a lot more confident about these next few years.
