Professor Ozpin stood before the solemn gathering of students, looking over the assembly and gauging the crowd before choosing his words. This wasn't the first time Beacon had lost one of its number and it likely wouldn't be the last. Their training was difficult and, sometimes, teams returned without one of their number, or didn't return at all.

His gaze focused on the three remaining members of Team CFVY. Coco Adel, who had proven herself to be a confident, charismatic leader and a powerful Huntress, stood between Fox Alistair and Velvet Scarlatina. The three drew strength from each other, as teams should in times of crisis, but he knew that she was beginning to doubt her skills in leadership. He knew because she sought him out often for advice. When she did, he saw nothing of the young woman who boldly stared down Grimm and won the hearts and minds of her peers. In her stead, he found a girl barely holding a front while constantly analyzing her own thoughts and actions, trying to find a way to avoid what he saw, if the After-Action Reports were accurate, as inevitable. Undoubtedly, she blamed herself for what she felt was a personal failure.

Fox Alistair had always been a thoughtful young man, observant and critical of his every action. He rarely spoke and only did so when he had something to say. However, according to several sources, he hadn't said a word since returning. According to these same sources, he could often be found at the edge of the cliffs the school sat upon, staring out into the distance and appearing extremely tense.

By far, the most affected was Velvet Scarlatina. Her distress combined with her reserved and shy nature had caused her to withdraw from the world around her. She did little more than what was required of her and did not respond to any sort of stimuli. Coco, ever mindful of her team, had even confessed that the girl hadn't slept through the night since that day, haunted by nightmares that would leave her crying in a cold sweat. He had tasked his staff with keeping a close eye on the girl, hoping to prevent her succumbing to her grief and taking her own life.

"It's a terrible loss when such a young life is taken." He began. "Each of us knows that the cost of our work could be our very lives, yet we seek it all the same. Not for fortune, glory, or gain, but to help our fellow man in his darkest hour. To be a beacon of safety and hope to those lost in the storms and dangers of this world. This is a task none of us take lightly. It is a difficult task that requires each of us to lean on others for support. Each Huntsman and Huntress becomes a member of a much larger family. We share in our triumphs and our tragedies, which is why it is all the more painful when one of our number falls.

"Yatsuhashi Daichi gave his life in the service of his team and of mankind as a whole. The safety of the citizens of Vale and of Remnant was of great priority but, of perhaps greater priority, was the safety of his teammates. He devoted himself to them, going so far as to make the ultimate sacrifice so that they could continue to fight. Let us all remember his actions and seek to emulate them, for it is only together, united, that we can stand against the forces of Grimm and whatever else may come and threaten our homes and families.

"Classes for the day are canceled. Instead, I want each and every one of you to spend the day in quiet reflection and meditation. I want each of you to think about why you wish to become a Huntsman or Huntress and whether or not those reasons are the right ones."

As he dismissed the students and left the assembly, Glynda met him with her tablet in hand. "He's arrived, Ozpin, and is waiting in your office."

Ozpin gave a nod of thanks and turned to the corridor that would lead him back to his office. Glynda kept pace beside him, tapping through the information on her tablet with a finger. "I've been going over his transcripts. Three schools in as many years? That has to be a record."

"He'll be the oldest second-year we've had, that's for certain." Ozpin replied. "Though, as I recall, you raised a more than a bit of trouble yourself during your schooling here. Hopefully, recent events have calmed him some."

"Without a doubt, his team encouraged much of his behavior while in Atlas."

"I wouldn't speak ill of the dead, were I you, Glynda."

She flushed slightly. "O-of course not. I was simply speculating."

"Boys will be boys and it's to be expected, given the team name. WSKE, whoever expected a group like them to stay in line was rather foolish, if you asked me."

"The drinking certainly doesn't help. Speaking of, is there a way we can discourage that? I caught a buzz simply by being near him."

"Did he seem intoxicated?"

"Nothing obvious aside from a slight slur to his speech."

"Then let's leave that be. I have the feeling that will sort itself out in time."

"How he managed to avoid drinking himself to death, I can't begin to speculate."

"The same way he avoided the fate of the rest of team WSKE. His semblance is resilience."

"He'll be a handful then. Let's hope he minds his manners while here."

Ozpin opened the door to his office, immediately spotting the ginger-haired, fair-complexioned man lounging in a chair opposite to his desk. The man had a sliver flask open in his hand, from which he periodically sipped. His weapon, a brass-capped shillelagh, was clutched in the other hand and he tapped it idly against the metal leg of the chair he occupied.

"Good morning, Eagon." Ozpin greeted, taking a seat at his desk.

"'Tis." Came the reply, which was slurred, as expected.

"My condolences to you for the loss of your team."

Eagon raised his flask. "Aye. Far more glorious men than I, were they." He grunted before taking another swig from the container. Glynda opened her mouth to reprimand him but thought better of it.

"Do you know why I've asked you here?"

"Can't say I know the reason, mate. Be pleased if ye'd share it with me."

"I understand you're considering leaving school and abandoning a career as a Huntsman."

"Aye." Was the more cautious and quiet reply.

"May I ask why?"

He shrugged. "I don' think I'm cut from the proper cloth, mate. Better I go home and take up farmin', like me folks."

"What would you say if I disagreed?"

"I'd say you're off your rocker, mate. I dunno where you were when bloody Grimm started pouring out of the ground, but I was in the streets with the rest of me team. Bloody hell, I'd thought there'd be no end to the damn beasts. It's only when Ironwood's boys pulled us out of the fray that I managed to get a good look about. Two of me mates are dead and the third might not wake up. Can't speak for your life experiences, mate, but that's a bloody rough thing to jump back in to. Can't exactly pick up where I left off, can I? Besides, I'm getting too old for school. I've failed more times than I can count. Me Da worked himself nearly to death so that I didn't. 'No son of mine will till the land,' he'd say. 'It's a right fine trade, to be sure, but it'll age ye quicker than death itself and no man will ever give ye the respect ye deserve.' Aye, Da, but ye fergot the bit where your worthless drunk of a son was too stupid to make it."

Ozpin took a sip from his coffee. "Are you finished?"

Eagon sighed. "Aye."

"Good. Now, I want you to think before you respond to what I'm about to tell you. I received reports of the aftermath of team WSKE's work. The dozens of corpses of Grimm were testament to you and your team's skills. Therefore, if you're willing to reconsider your current position, I'd like to enroll you here at Beacon."

Eagon gave him a suspicious look. "Aye. What's the cost?"

"Of course, there are the tuition fees and other expenses, but I'm sure we can work things out with your family. You'll need to perform well both physically and academically. Beacon only accepts the best and there will be no leeway for you. Since the curriculum for Huntsman training is fairly standard for all kingdoms, we'll just need you to take a few tests to make certain you're ready to enroll."

"Sounds simple enough, aye."

"Finally, you'll need a team. Given your age and how advanced you are, our usual selection process won't be applicable. Instead, you'll be added to an already existing team."

"So, ye'll have a team of five, then?"

"No. A most unfortunate series of events left one of our second-year teams, team CFVY, down a member."

"What sort of events?"

"One of their members Yatsuhashi Daichi, was killed while on a mission. I intend to have you take his position and join team CFVY."

"So, ye intend to shoehorn me into an already established group dynamic, albeit a broken one, and take the position of the team member they're currently grieving over. Does that sum it up?"

Ozpin blinked. For a moment, the verbal slur and cantankerous attitude were gone, replaced with a logical analysis of the situation. A small smile stretched his lips. Being right always made him happy. "Indeed, it does."

"Well, it's gonna take one hell of a magic spell to pull that off, Mister Wizard. Still, if it gives me a shot at makin' me Da proud, I gotta take it."

Ozpin's smile widened. "Splendid. Now, as soon as you're ready, I want you to meet with the other members of team CFVY." He passed an electronic scroll across the desk to the young man. "This is yours. On it, you'll find your class schedule and the key to your new dormitory."

"Alright. If there's nothin' else, Mister Wizard, I'll be on me way."

Ozpin sat back with a smile and a nod. "We're happy to have you here with us, Mister Sullivan. Welcome to Beacon Academy."

Both he and Glynda watched the young man gather his things and leave, walking with a bit of a spring in his step. As the door shut, Glynda turned to him. "I'm sure you know what you're doing, Ozpin, but I can't help but feel a bit anxious about this situation."

"That's all perfectly normal, Glynda. Do me a favor and send word to Miss Adel and her teammates. Make sure they're ready to receive our newest student. Try to word the message as delicately as possible, if you please. This will be difficult enough as is."

x-x

Coco stood at the foot of what had been Yatsuhashi's bed, trying to figure out what went wrong. She had spent days going over her memories of the battle. Everything had gone swimmingly until Velvet was knocked from her feet. After that, the only thing she could remember was Velvet clutching Yatsuhashi's corpse and screaming while she emptied her weapon into the Death Stalker that had slain him.

She turned her head to check on Velvet. The poor girl had barely spoken since their return and hadn't left the dormitory. She only ate when Coco forced her to. This had Coco worried. She didn't really know what Velvet was going through. Velvet and Yatsuhashi had been close. The girl spent as much time as possible in the company of her larger teammate, taking comfort in his size and strength. Yatsuhashi had always protected her and Coco like to think the petite faunus occupied a special place in the gentle giant's heart.

Velvet wasn't the only one who was affected by their teammate's untimely demise. Yatsuhashi and Fox had spent a great deal of time together, communicating in a mutual language of silence. They had a deep respect for one another as well as a great trust. Now, Fox spent most of his time alone, wandering the courtyard and school grounds. He would leave well before sunrise and not return until just before bed. They never saw him at any point throughout the day, unless he was needed somewhere specific, which wasn't very often.

Coco, herself, was in a bit of turmoil. Granted, she hadn't been as close to Yatsuhashi as her other two teammates, but she enjoyed his presence all the same. They shared a mutual respect for one another's combat prowess and would often spar in their free time, trying to keep their skills sharp. Yatsuhashi was the only one she knew who could take a beating from her mighty handbag and be able to walk under his own power afterward. He was happy to battle an opponent who was fast and agile enough to dodge his devastating strikes. Neither really had to hold back for fear of hurting the other. But it wasn't just that. Coco was the CFVY team leader. She chose each mission they went on. She made the calls while on those missions, and she did her very best to make sure that each member of CFVY made it home alive.

But her best hadn't been enough. She had put Velvet on the western flank. She knew the girl didn't really have the strength or stamina to hold her own against a great number of Grimm. She had hoped to draw most of them with her heavy firepower while Velvet boxed them in and picked off stragglers. The faunus should have had the easiest job but, like all predators, the Grimm had sensed the weakness. They had all gone straight for Velvet, who fought hard to keep them at bay while everybody else tried to keep them off of her. She commanded Yatsuhashi to pull Velvet out, hoping that the larger warrior could get to the mage. He could bat away Ursi and Beowulves like they were gnats, but a Death Stalker's sudden strike proved to be too much for him. The venomous barb had plunged into his chest before he even had time to raise his weapon.

Velvet had just kept screaming as they tried to pry her away from the young man. It took an injection from a sedative pack to get the girl to calm down enough that Fox could carry her out of the battle. Coco risked her own life to fetch Yatsuhashi's body. She might have failed him in leadership, but she would be thrice-damned if she left his remains to be torn apart by those beasts.

Velvet cried all of the way back to Beacon's infirmary. They had hurried as much as possible but it had been impossible to avoid the stares of students. It was then, for the first time in many years, that Coco became very conscious of the stares she had been given. They were judging her. They knew she had failed her team. They knew she was no longer fit to lead team CFVY. It was only a matter of time before Professor Ozpin called for her expulsion. She would be sent home a complete failure. All of those dreams, shattered. All of that money and time, wasted. Her parents would never forgive her. They would disown her. She would be alone.

Her hands tightened around the posts of Yatsuhashi's bed as her breathing and heart quickened. Ozpin had assured her that these things happened. Mistakes were made and she wasn't omniscient. She couldn't foresee the outcome of every event. She wouldn't be held accountable by anyone. Things like this happened.

She crossed back to her own bed and went into the top drawer of her dresser. Inside was a bottle of fine cognac that she had received on her birthday. It was still mostly full as she wasn't a heavy drinker, but she felt she needed it now. She needed to feel the soft mellowness that alcohol brought her. Better that than to break down in the middle of the room and scare Velvet.

A small glass was taken down and given a quick inspection for cleanliness before she popped the cork loose from the mouth of the bottle and poured a sizable amount. She took the first sip, savoring the rick oaky flavor of the drink, and felt almost instant relief as her body relaxed and her heart slowed.

Her scroll buzzed from her hip. She fetched it to find a message from Professor Goodwitch.

A new student has been enrolled at Beacon and is being sent to join team CFVE. Please welcome him and accommodate him in any way possible.

Coco felt a frown tug at her lips. Yatsuhashi wasn't even cold in the ground and the school had already found a replacement, even going so far as to change the team's acronym. It was as if they were trying to erase CFVY's fallen teammate from the team's memory. She glanced over her shoulder at Velvet. The girl would not be pleased.

Still, for the foreseeable future, Coco was the team leader and needed to think about this objectively. This student obviously harbored no ill intent towards Yatsuhashi, or even realized that the man had existed. This was simply a matter of practicality. The new transfer student needed a team and Coco was willing to bet that CFVY was the only one with an open slot. She would welcome him as much as she could. Hopefully, he'd be understanding.

She had no idea where Fox had wandered off to but she fired off a message to his scroll, telling him to return as soon as possible. She then ran a quick brush through her hair, making sure her appearance was neat.

She sat down on her bed and cast her gaze back to Velvet, who hadn't moved in the slightest. "Hey, we've got a new teammate coming in. He should be here any minute. Don't you want to meet him properly?"

There wasn't even a twitch from Velvet's long ears. She remained as she had been since early that morning, quietly staring at the wall.

Coco rubbed her palms together. "I was thinking you, Fox, and I could go out with him later, maybe get some drinks and have some dinner. We'll be working with him from now on so it's probably a good idea to get to know him before we're given an assignment together. What do you think?"

Nothing. The faunus gave no response that she could even hear Coco's words.

Coco sighed in resignation. She didn't know how to pull Velvet out of this depression. The school's psychiatrist had assured her that Velvet was just going through one of the many stages of grief and would recover in time but Coco needed her team's mage now, not later. If, for whatever reason, Ozpin saw fit to send them out, they wouldn't be able to do much down to three members. She doubted Ozpin would be so cruel as to throw them back into the fray so soon. He was well aware of their current situation and had been understanding. He had promised to give them all of the time they needed but she feared that even Ozpin's patience would run out before they were ready to begin again.

Her head snapped up as Fox entered, shooting her a questioning look.

"Sorry to interrupt your stoic staring-into-the-distance, but Ozpin's sent some transfer student to join the team."

Fox rolled his eyes and crossed the room, fetching a bottle of water from the cabinet next to his bed before sitting down. He nodded to Velvet.

"I think she went to the toilet while my back was turned but, otherwise, she hasn't done much."

Fox unscrewed the top from his bottle and took a sip. "'M worried."

"Same here, but there's not much we can do about it. This is something she needs to work through on her own."

"Maybe."

"If she starts to get worse, we'll see if the doctor has something to help her. Until then, I want to see if she can clear through this on her own."

Fox grunted. "Weighty experiment."

"Cut her a little slack. She's a tough girl, far tougher than you give her credit for. What happened caught her off guard. It caught us all off guard, but she'll be fine. Hopefully, this new fellow will be able to help."

"New boy-toy."

"He is not and I would hope you'd hold me in a bit of higher regard than your common school slut. I've stayed faithful to you, haven't I?"

"Yang."

"Oh, low blow, Mister Alistair. I'll have you know that the only reason I touched her ass was to congratulate her on a good fight."

"'Course. Firm backside."

"Damn straight it is, an..." Coco realized that she had just walked into the trap Fox had laid for her. The grin on his face told her everything. "Shaddup."

There was a knock at the door and she rose to answer. "You just wait and see. I have the feeling that this new fellow will be exactly what we need." She opened the door to find a scruffy-looking Vacuoian standing in the doorframe. Judging by his appearance, she was willing to bet that he hadn't showered or shaved in days and, if the stench of alcohol coming from him was any indication, it was a bet she'd win. His amber-colored clothing was disheveled and wrinkled and the bags under his eyes spoke of countless nights of restlessness.

"Can I help you?" She prompted.

"Aye. Lookin' fer team CFVY. Yer wizard Ozpin sent me."

"You're the new transfer student?"

"That's what they keep tellin' me, yeah. You with team CFVY or not?"

Coco frowned at the young man's brusque tone. Everything about this tactless beast rubbed her wrong. "Yeah. I'm Coco Adel, leader of team CFVY."

"Eagon Sullivan. Pleased t'meetcha." He pushed past her and into the room. "Which one's mine, then?"

"Yours will be the set-up next to Velvet."

Eagon glanced at the prone faunus. "She still breathin'?"

Coco nodded. "Yeah. We've had a bit of a rough week. Lost one of our teammates a few days ago."

He had the good grace to look solemn. "Sorry t' hear that. I know the feelin'." Looking about, he noticed Fox lounging on his bed. "Who's this fellow, then?"

"That's Fox Alistair. He doesn't say much."

"So, we've got Velvet, Coco, and Fox." He pointed to each in turn. "Who was the 'Y' in CFVY?"

Coco bit her lip. "Yatsuhashi Daichi."

"An' he's the stiff, aye?"

She inhaled sharply. "He was our teammate." She advanced on Eagon with a few long strides. "He saved our lives by giving his. Show a little respect."

Eagon immediately backed away, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, lass, alright. I'm proper chafed." He set his bags on his bed, opened one, and dug around in it. Finally, he retrieved a bottle, popped the cork on it, and offered it to her. "Peace offerin'?"

Coco caught a whiff of what the bottle contained. The strong smell of whiskey caused her to flinch. "Thanks but I've got my own."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. How about ye, mate?"

"Don't drink." Fox replied with narrowed eyes.

"To each their own, then." He turned to Velvet. "Whaddaya say, bunny? Ye look like ye could use a drop of the pure." When she didn't reply, he reached over her and gave her shoulder a firm shake. "Oi!"

Coco stepped in, swatting his hand away. "Leave her alone. She doesn't drink either."

Eagon sat down on his bed. "Try to offer a bit o' good cheer and I get me head eaten. Ah, well. That's life, eh?" He raised the bottle to them. "Here's to ye lot fer lettin' me tag along. Hopefully, we'll all figure out how to get along. Cheers." He upturned the bottle into his mouth, taking several deep gulps of the strong liquor.

Setting the drink aside, he began to unpack. His first bag, he set on the floor and nudged beneath the bed with a foot.

Coco's curiosity got the better of her. "What's in there?"

Eagon shot her a scowl. "None o' yer business, that's what and I'll thank ye to not go pokin' yer nose where it don't belong. Leave it be and we'll be the best o' mates, ye and I."

Coco frowned. "I don't like secrets among my team, mate."

"Then let's meet in the middle. I'll answer whatever questions ye want, save any regardin' the bag or me old team."

She reasoned that this was probably a big concession on his part and accepted it. She would have her answers, she just needed to be patient. "Fine, then. Where do you come from?"

"Vacuo, originally, but I went to school in Atlas before transferin' here."

"Why did you transfer?"

"Yer Wizard Ozpin asked me. Somethin' about havin' another chance and helpin' ye out."

That confused Coco a bit. "Why would Ozpin think we need help?"

"Me guess is ye lot bein' down a member." He fished a long club capped in brass from his bag.

"What's that?"

He turned and held the club out for inspection. "This is me weapon: Blackthorn. She's a shillelagh when I find someone in need of a good smackin' and a grenade launcher when there's wet work to be done."

"A grenade launcher?"

"Aye. A bit overpowered, I know, but I only wanna kill somethin' once and Vacuo has some mighty fierce beasties muckin' about."

Coco nodded. "Seems reasonable."

"'Tis." With a slightly clumsy flourish, he stowed Blackthorn on his belt.

"How did you manage to get Ozpin's attention?"

He met her gaze levelly. "I was in town with me team for the Vytal festival. We were gonna fight in the tournaments. We'd just gotten into the ports when Grimm started comin' out of the ground. We figured that Vale had seen fit to give us lads a fine welcome so we had ourselves a merry row, but the Grimm just kept comin'. Then this blonde bimbo comes marchin' in, swattin' away Grimm left and right with this ridin' crop of hers. One, two, three and lovely as ye please, she seals up the holes and continues on her way. I only found out today that she's from here."

"Professor Goodwitch?"

"Aye, the lass that looks like a naughty librarian."

"I wouldn't let her hear you say that."

"Any chance she'll see fit to give me a swat with that crop o' hers?"

Coco frowned. "I doubt it. More like she'll toss you out on your ear. She's a stickler for rules."

Eagon grinned. "All the best ones are 'til ye get 'em near a bed."

Coco chuckled. While he was rough, she liked his sense of humor. It wasn't enough to erase the horrible first impression he left, but it was a start. "Good luck with that."

"I won't need luck. I'll just lay on that old Vacuo charm, pour a few good drinks into the lass, and cart her off. The next thing she'll know, she'll be in me bed and I'll be in her." He growled with a wink.

Coco twitched. "If I find you in my bed..."

"Don't worry yerself, lass. Yer not naughty enough for me tastes, but I like yer confidence. No, I think ye'll give me a few good bashes if I even try anythin' on ye."

"I'd give you more than a few good bashes." She confirmed. "That's saying nothing of what he'll do to you." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder at Fox, who had taken a sudden interest in the conversation.

Eagon looked over her shoulder at the man. "Ye two are together then?"

"More or less."

"I don't aim to step on another man's toes or interrupt your fun." He agreed with a nod. "If ye're up to shenanigans, just hang somethin' on the doorknob and I'll leave ye be." He locked eyes with Fox. "I can give ye a few good pointers if'n yer interested, lad."

"Don't need 'em. She can't walk after I'm done with her." He replied in a dry tone.

That amused Eagon, who threw his head back in loud laugh. "That good, eh? Can't say I've ever had a woman complain of that from me."

Fox simply shrugged.

He sat back down. "Well, mates, I feel like this is going to be a beautiful relationship."

"Get off of that."

Coco, Fox, and Eagon turned to Velvet, who had rolled over and was staring at the newcomer.

"Get off of that. It's not yours." The faunus commanded, pushing herself into a sitting position.

Eagon looked about, clearly confused.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you are not a member of team CFVY. You have no right to sit there or even be in this room."

Eagon turned to Coco. "What the bloody hell is she talkin' about?"

Standing, Velvet began to become irate. "It's not your bed! Get off of it! Coco, make him get off of Yatsuhashi's bed!"

Coco crossed to Velvet and put a gentle but restraining hand on her shoulder. "Velvet, honey, Yatsuhashi is gone. Do you understand? This is Eagon. He's here to help us."

"He doesn't belong!"

"Yes, he does. Ozpin sent him to be our new member."

"We already have four members. Yatsuhashi will be okay." She pointed an accusatory finger at Eagon. "You don't belong here. We already have four members. We can't have more than four. Take your things and get out!"

"Velvet, don't be rude. Yatsuhashi's..." Coco paused, trying to find the words to explain the situation delicately. "He's gone home."

Velvet froze and turned to Coco with wide eyes. "B-but, he's coming back, right? He'll be right back?"

Coco bit her lip as she steeled herself in preparation of breaking her teammate's heart. "No, Velvet. He's not coming back."

The faunus trembled as she slowly turned back to Eagon. "You...You made him leave. Admit it!"

Eagon, who had watched the entire spectacle with a slack jaw, slowly shook his head as he spoke. "Love, I haven't the foggiest idea what you're goin' on about."

"Liar!" She shrieked, launching herself at the man. The moment she landed, she began to pummel him, punctuating each blow of her fists with a command to leave. Fox crossed the room in an instant, hauled Velvet, who flailed and screamed, off of Eagon and pinned her to the floor.

Eagon sat up and shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Are you hurt?" Coco asked.

"Ah, don't mind me. It'll take more than a few bunny taps to put me out, that's for sure."

The door to the dorm room was flung open and Professor Port strode in. "What the devil is going on in here?" He bellowed. "Mister Alistair, kindly remove yourself from Miss Scarlatina this instant."

"Professor Port, sir. This is all just a misunderstanding." Coco declared as she stepped up to him.

"What do you mean, Miss Adel?"

"I'll explain everything, but let's step out into the hall where it's a bit quieter."

"Mister Alistair, get off of Miss Scarlatina. I will not tell you again, young man. Miss Scarlatina, please be silent."

Fox obediently released Velvet, who took the opportunity to launch herself, again, at Eagon. Port wrapped a meaty hand around the girl's arm, holding her back. She began to scream again until Coco took the girl in an embrace that was more restraining than comforting and sat with her on her bed. While she had quieted, Velvet continued to growl and tremble, making occasional lunges to break free.

"Now," Port declared the moment the room had quieted enough for them to speak in reasonable tones, "I demand an explanation."

"Yes, sir. Eagon is a new student assigned to team CFVY to replace Yatsuhashi Daichi."

Port turned to Eagon and extended a hand. "How do you do, young man? I am Peter Port, professor of Grimm Studies here at Beacon."

He took the hand and gave it a shake. "Eagon Sullivan, sir, formerly of team WSKE. It's a pleasure."

Port grunted before releasing Eagon's hand. "A firm handshake. I like that. My father always said you can tell much about a man by how firm his handshake is."

"Wise words indeed, sir."

"And you're here as Mister Daichi's replacement?"

"That's correct, sir."

"I often supervise team CFVY in the field. I look forward to seeing what you're capable of."

"I shall not disappoint, sir."

"Splendid, young man." He turned to the rest of the group, his usually jovial expression darkening. "I received several emergency calls about noise coming from this room and I arrive to find Mister Alistair assaulting Miss Scarlatina while you two stand by and watch. Explain this madness."

Coco nodded. "Yes, sir. You see, Velvet hasn't been well since Yatsuhashi passed. She's been in a state of denial and depression ever since we returned. Apparently, Eagon's arrival broke all of that and sent her into a rage. She attacked him and Fox was just trying to keep her from hurting him or herself."

"Is this true, Miss Scarlatina?"

Velvet didn't respond and only continued to glare at Eagon.

"Miss Scarlatina, I asked you a question."

"I don't think you'll get much more out of her, sir." Coco explained. "We haven't had much luck."

"Miss Scarlatina, you will look at me when I speak to you."

Slowly, Velvet raised her head to meet Port's stare.

"We'll have no more problems, correct?"

She remained silent and Port's expression darkened. "Miss Scarlatina, that was not a rhetorical question. I expect a response. We'll have no more problems."

"No, sir. No more problems."

"Wonderful. If there are any more...concerns, please come and see me before things come to blows. I'll not have my best team at each other's throats."

"Yes, sir." Coco responded. "We'll bear that in mind."

"Miss Adel, should any more concerns arise, I'd like you to bring Miss Scarlatina to the school psychiatrist promptly. Is that understood?"

"Understood, sir."

"Very good." Port replied with a nod. "I'll be in my office if you need me. I can be here directly."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

Port gave a final nod and departed, leaving a silent room.

Eagon was the first to speak, looking between his three teammates. "Well, that was a thing." His gaze focused on Velvet. "Allow me to explain something to ye, lass. I was asked to come here. I was given the opportunity to become a part of something bigger than myself and I took it. Do ye think I was outta line on that?"

Silence reigned for a moment before Coco broke it. "She doesn't."

"She has a bloody mouth. She can speak for herself." Eagon muttered.

Coco stood. "Excuse me?"

"I told ye to shut yer bloody trap!"

The woman was quick. In an instant, she had reached beneath her bed, grabbed her handbag, and swung. The impact against his head knocked Eagon across the room, sending him impacting the wall with a resounding crash. Coco glared at him, her handbag clenched in her fist. Slowly, Eagon pushed himself up and regained his feet.

"That's a bloody good bashin', Coco. I like that, but bunny still needs to answer for herself." He turned his slightly unfocused gaze back to Velvet. "Ye didn't answer my question, bunny. Am I outta line on wantin' to improve me life?"

Velvet trembled. "No."

"Glad we can agree on somethin'. Now, I want to make this very clear. I only joined your team because Ozpin assigned me to it. If I'da had me pick, yours probably wouldn'ta crossed me mind. That bein' said, I didn't come here to piss on yer mate's memory or thumb me nose at ye. I'm here to take advantage of a good opportunity and nothin' more. Love me or hate me, lass, I'm here to stay and there's not a single damn thing ye can do about it."