Act 1
A New Leaf's Struggle
Neo woke to the cell. She wasn't exactly a fan of this place, but it was the price to pay. She couldn't go straight to Beacon as Reaper did, so here she was, stuck in a cell designed to nullify her teleportation semblance. Not that she would try to escape even if her cell was an open field. No, not with Reaper waiting for me at Beacon… A smile played over the multi-colored girl's lips. Part of her couldn't believe she finally had Reaper, all to herself. Nothing made her happier.
Except, maybe, the times she actually got to be with Reaper. Like now, when the ex-criminal, huntress in training formerly known as Ruby Rose rushed into the prison to spend the visiting hours helping Neo study for the test. There was a deadline now, yes, but still no idea what the test would actually entail. And they both needed to pass it if they wanted to be third-year students, and not hold back Weiss and Blake.
"Hey, Neo." Reaper greeted her with a smile. When Weiss and Blake finally caught up, they saw Reaper behind the glass with Neo.
"It's difficult to tell if they're really into the studying, or trying to literally melt into each other." Blake noted, pointing to the two ex-criminals who were shoulder-to-shoulder, looking over the same paper. They likely didn't realize how close they were. Well, Reaper might not have, but Neo was more than content to drape some of Reaper's excessive cloak over her own shoulders. She pointed at the paper by poking one of her petite fingers through one of the multitude of tiny holes worn into the bottom inch of the cape where it dragged on the ground.
"How are you doing Neo?" Blake asked, loud enough for the pair inside the cell to hear this time. She looked up and smiled brightly.
Weiss noticed Blake actively reaching out to Neo. She knew she should do the same, but this entire situation was a bit too strange for the heiress just yet, and she found it difficult.
"How's the studying going?" Blake continued. Neo made a series of gestures, mainly with her eyes and head. The Checkmate pair looked to Reaper expectantly.
"It could be going better, but we feel confident." Reaper translated.
"What are you having trouble with?" Weiss asked. Neo made another undecipherable gesture, and the others looked to Reaper once again.
"A little bit of everything." Reaper translated, without looking up from the paper.
So it went for the past few weeks. Anytime Neo had anything to 'say', Reaper had to translate her 'speaking'. Weiss and Blake had no idea how Reaper ever managed to interpret her small friend in the first place, and how much observation it took. Observation she probably didn't even know she was doing, given how hard she denied her feelings for the longest time. Blake considered.
And it drove Weiss mad. "That's it!" She shouted, out of the blue. "I'll be right back! Blake, you have Reaper."
"Um, okay?" Blake threw her girlfriend a confused look as the heiress left.
Reaper and Neo watched her with confusion as well.
What was that about?
"I don't know, Ember…" Reaper replied to that voice that grew within her head.
What is her problem? Neo wondered.
"I don't know that either, Neo." Reaper responded.
Blake stared on in amazement. This woman can have an entire three-way conversation with only two people and one voice.
Nearly an hour passed before Weiss finally returned, a large shopping bag from the local library in her hand. "Alright, Neo. We need to get something straight." Weiss opened up before anyone could question her. Neo nodded, one of the few gestures Weiss could read. Which was part of the problem. "If we are going to be on a team, we all need to be able to talk to you, and not through Reaper. So we are all going to learn…" The heiress pulled various books and discs out of the bag, which all had a common theme. "Sign language. That way Neo can talk to all of us, and we will understand."
The three others stared at the various teaching aides, and sighed. Even Blake didn't want to spend the time to learn sign language, but Weiss was right. They needed an efficient, reliable way to communicate with their new mute team mate. Besides, with Weiss as team leader now, they really didn't have much of a choice if she really wanted them to take this path.
Neo looked up to Reaper. Reaper looked back and smiled. "Think of it this way. Weiss is so sure you'll be on our team, that she's already taking precautions." Neo thought about, nodded, and smiled.
"Only because all of my luck has been that bad lately…" Weiss shot. Reaper was about to stand up, before Neo stopped her. The scythe master may have missed it, but the ice cream girl certainly noticed the small smile the heiress tried to hide.
Reaper looked to Neo, back to Weiss, then to the paper. "We still got a lot of this to get through, Neo. You ready?"
Always, Neo nodded.
Glynda rode down the elevator with Ozpin. The fateful day was here. The day to see if criminals officially joined Beacon. "This cannot be a good idea, headmaster." Glynda offered her two cents yet again.
And yet again, Ozpin replied patiently. "I trust them, Glynda. You haven't seen everything I have seen. I don't believe I have ever been so involved in a student's life since I was coming through here myself."
"Criminal. Not student."
"I'm surprised you are suddenly so against Reaper. She seems to get on fine in your class."
"Well, that was before she decided to invite a friend. How long before the school is overrun with them?"
"Given the entire purpose of 'Rehabilitative Custody' wouldn't that actually be a good thing?"
"The purpose of your little act was to get Reaper back. The rest of it was dumb luck."
"Perhaps." Ozpin silently agreed with a smile.
The doors finally slid open, and revealed a basement that had been made into a makeshift classroom with only two seats, both currently occupied. "Oh!" Reaper dug in her pockets. "I have something to show you!" She excitedly informed Neo. She handed the small girl a piece of paper. Neo read it and looked up with a smile that said Really!? "Yup!" Reaper announced, taking back the identification sheet that said she was officially named Reaper Rose. "Weiss took me to the notary the other day, I just got this in the mail this morning!"
"I doubt it will solve your problem overnight. There are still many who knew you before your… transition." Ozpin informed her.
Way to spoil a mood, Ozzy.
Reaper crossed her arms and pouted. "Way to spoil a mood, Ozzy."
"Ozzy?" Glynda asked in surprise. Neo giggled at the nickname.
Ozpin chuckled himself and laid the tests in front of the two girls. "Good luck."
The two hopeful students turned serious as they spotted the worksheets. They got right to work while Glynda watched over them.
Weiss and Blake waited a few floors up, using Ozpin's office as a waiting room. Blake was nervous, wondering on the off-chance that the two below didn't pass the test. Weiss was less so, confident she did all she could to help the pair, and they all got a head start on their sign language at the same time. She was simply tired and wanted to fast-forward to the end of this ordeal.
After an hour and a half, the doors slid open to reveal Reaper with her cape wrapped around a nerve-wracked Neo. The pair stepped into the waiting room and greeted the others. They all fell silent quickly enough, simply waiting for the results. Weiss watched the pair carefully and made an observation. "Does Neo seem a little… timid… to you?" She whispered to Blake, too quietly for the ex-criminal pair to hear.
"Well…" Blake responded equally quietly. "We've seen her in battle, yes, but we don't really know much of her out of combat. Maybe she's always like this? Didn't Reaper say something about her 'not doing well on her own?'"
"Whenever we did see her, I got the feeling that she was confident, though… smug, even. But now… that's not the impression I get." Weiss continued. "She's almost… meek."
"Well, she's completely changing her life. The only constant left is Reaper. Given their… whatever it is, they have going on now, maybe she just wants to stay close to her… or…" Blake formed a hypothesis. "Maybe she doesn't really know how to act when she's not a criminal. Maybe the smugness was a front to keep her afloat in the underworld… intimidation is a big thing there, and someone like her would need a lot of it. Now that she doesn't need it, she's relying on Reaper to learn how to operate outside of battle, on this side of the law."
"And Reaper, whether conscious of it or not, is more than happy to play her protector." Weiss finished the hypothesis. "This is going to get interesting… and that's probably a bad thing…"
At that moment, the elevator dinged. Ozpin stepped out with the results in his hand. The girls held their breath as he made his way to his desk and booted his computer. He entered the results and did a few other things, before looking their way. "Are you ready?"
"No." Reaper told him honestly. "Lay it on us."
"Well, Neo passed flying almost as many colors as she wears…" Ozpin joked. "And Reaper…"
They all started to look worried, noting his drop off. Until he smiled. "Also passed. Good job, the both of you."
They let out a sigh of relief. Neo smiled up at her dear friend. They were here to stay, and here with each other. She knew Reaper cared more about actually being a huntress than she did, and was happy Reaper had another chance to live her dream. Reaper looked back down, and smiled. She understood her small friend was more concerned with staying with her than actually being a huntress, but she didn't care. The life of a huntress was still going to be better with Neo at her side.
"There are a few more things we have to attend to." Ozpin called the girls' attentions. "First of all, Weiss is still the leader and ultimate authority in your group. Neo will have to abide by the same restrictions as Reaper, until a point where it is beyond a doubt you are 'Rehabilitated' and can enjoy schooling as free women."
The group nodded.
"Also, there is the matter of your team name. A subject I have been looking into since Reaper first came to me with Neo." Ozpin entered commands on his computer, making a screen appear for the huntresses with their pictured on it. "I have settled on team 'Auburn'. Somehow fitting."
The pictures on the screen arranged themselves as Weiss first, followed by Blake, Reaper, and finally Neo.
"Team WBRN…" Weiss tested the name on her tongue. A darker version of red, as opposed to 'ruby'… "We'll get used to it, right team?"
"Right." Blake agreed.
"Of course." Reaper nodded.
'We got this!' Neo conveyed, testing her sign language. Thankfully, she had taken to it with natural talent.
Weiss smiled. "I just hope Beacon is ready for us."
"That… is actually a frighteningly genuine concern." Ozpin realized, his eyes going wide.
Neo had one last night in a cell before the newly christened 'Team WBRN' came to pick her up. So, of course, she was far too excited to actually get any sleep throughout the whole night. She stayed up, trying to imagine all the things that could happen over the next year and a half. Schooling at Beacon was definitely going to be a different experience. Of course, the longer she thought, the more she overthought, and was yet again a nervous wreck by the time her team actually came to pick her up.
Reaper chuckled and shook her head when she saw her. "Come on, Ice Cream Cup." She grabbed her hand and helped her onto her feet. "Let's go home."
Weiss and Blake guided the group all the way back to Beacon. The whole way Blake watched the pair. They seemed on edge, as if there was something they wanted to do, and they spent the whole way back hesitating. She frowned. They haven't gotten any alone time since they started their… whatever it is. Blake resolved to help them out a little as they arrived at Beacon.
"Finally, we got through the last of this crap." Weiss breathed a sigh of relief and she stepped into the dorm room.
"Hey, let's catch a moment for us, okay?" Blake asked Weiss.
"But I'm tired…" Weiss pouted. Blake elbowed her and stealthily pointed to the two ex-criminals. "Seriously…" Weiss whispered, mostly to herself. "Hey, Reaper, Blake and I are going to catch a meal."
"What are we having?" Reaper asked, oblivious.
"We are having a private dinner." Blake pointed out, pushing the heiress out the door. "Don't have too much fun." She tossed on a tease as she closed the door.
Reaper and Neo were left alone for the first time since the last lunch they attended, just before going to Ozpin. "So… we're finally here." Reaper told her.
'Yes, we are.' Neo signed. She liked using it even when it was just her and Reaper, to practice, and because it was more precise.
She was about to sign something else, but Reaper caught her by the mouth. Quite by surprise, though it's not as though Neo was about to argue. Once again she felt the same emotional high from the day they first kissed for real, and she knew Reaper was feeling it too. They broke off as suddenly as they started, breathing hard.
"Sorry, Neo…" Reaper apologized. "Kinda hard to hold back now that I… accept my feelings. Now that I have you."
Neo smirked and gave Reaper sultry eyes. The scythe master didn't need her lover to sign in order to get that message loud and clear. Shut up and kiss me again.
And so they did. Again and again. Reaper began to push the multi-colored huntress-to-be onto her bed, they one they were now going to share. It was Ember, surprisingly enough, that stopped them by being the voice of reason.
Not to spoil a good time, but I don't think any of us want to get caught by Weiss and Blake.
Reaper broke off again with a frown. "Ember just brought up a really good point. If Weiss and Blake, especially Weiss, caught us 'in the act', there would likely be hell to pay."
Neo frowned and freed her hands. 'I'm pretty sure Ice Queen knows we will be sexually active.'
Always so subtle, aren't you?
"Very subtle, Ice Cream Cup." Reaper dryly replied. "Still, we don't know how long their dinner is, and, well… I could very easily get lost in 'it' with you."
Neo blushed, receiving the more romantic implications behind that remark. 'I understand.' Neo signed, but she made it clear how reluctant she was about agreeing. Neo tried to get up, but was held in place by strong arms.
"Hey, doesn't mean I'm gunna let you go. Just means we're gunna stay dressed tonight is all." Reaper told her, bringing Neo into the 'little spoon' position. Neo smiled and let it happen.
When Weiss and Blake did return later that night, Weiss immediately opened with, "Well, there's no point in trying to get Neo her own bed, is there?"
"Yeah, there's no reason to have any pretense about it. Even if we tried to make her use her own bed, I'd still probably wake up with Neo in my arms." Reaper pointed out.
"What if Neo wanted to try?" Blake asked, out of curiosity.
'Not that I ever would,' Neo signed, to have the clarification out there.
"Hmm…" Reaper thought. "At this point, I'm not sure I would let her." She decided with a smirk.
"Oye… Just… try not to let us catch you doing… 'the do'…" Weiss told them. Reaper got a good laugh from the wording the heiress chose.
"Told you." Reaper managed after her laughing fit.
Weiss didn't even bother interpreting that statement. "Well, we all have classes tomorrow, as the official third year team, WBRN." She announced. "We're going to need sleep."
The group all nodded and Weiss and Blake made their way to their own bed. Neo nested into Ruby, feeling the girl's chest push into her back with each steady breath. From where she was, Neo could almost hear the scythe master's heartbeat. I'm actually looking forward to my first day. The small girl realized. I wonder what will happen…
Back in the saddle again! I'm so excited to finally be back in this world! Drama! Violence! Heavily Implied Naughtiness! It all awaits us once again! This first act will be 7 chapters. 7 weeks of BR2 goodness! (although, i might not be around internet to make the update next week. If chapter 2 doesn't come next weekend as it should, expect it by late the following Wednesday. I'm going to try to keep to a Saturday schedule, but as with Addiction, my job may interrupt that) Favorite, Follow, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy! And have fun! I'm sure I will.