Chapter 7 - Beacon Days

"All Settled," Alfie said tiredly falling back onto his bed. Team ANGL had moved into their dorm room. It was beginning to get late into the night as they changed into their pajamas.

"First night as a team then, huh," Lenox said leaning back on the headboard of his bed that was across from Alfie's bed.

"Time for team bonding, Lenox," Neely teased sitting with her legs crossed on her bed, Lenox smirked at her. However, it Gren who replied.

"You're saying being chased by a Berserker wasn't a good bonding experience", He said with a slight grin.

"Bit extreme as bonding experiences go," Neely giggled,

"Wouldn't be a bad thing to get to know each other," Alfie said sitting up on his bed, he still felt dazed from being named leader.

"How about we start with the Zane brothers then," Neely prompted. The brother exchanged a look before nodding.

"Fire away," Lenox said airily "Be warned though that we had quite the interesting childhood."

"Yeah, a childhood with him was taxing, to say the least," Alfie added with a fair amount of affection in his voice.

"How long have you two lived together?" Gren asked his long legs stretched out before him.

"Since we were four years old," Alfie answered.

"Dad brought Alf home one day and told me that I had a new little brother" Lenox recalled with a smile.

"Funny, I don't remember dad ever saying I was your little brother," Alfie shot back.

"Really, I think I have the better memory of the two of us," He said,"And we both know I'm clearly the more mature of us."

"Child" Alfie scoffed, Neely and Gren laughed at the brothers bickering.

"Not to be a downer but what happened?" Neely asked.

"That got me to be adopted," Alfie said softly "My parents and older sister died in an accident, luckily our dad decided he wanted to adopt me."

"Best thing Dad ever did," Lenox said proudly. Alfie smiled his face turning a little red.

"Where are you two from ?" Gren asked.

"Vale, but we grew up on an island called Patch before we moved to the main land for our Dad's work," Lenox answered. "Now's it's your guys turn," He said pointing at Neely and Gren.

"Where did you guys grow up?"

"Originally I'm from Mistral," Gren told them "But my family moved around a lot when I was younger, we lived in Atlas for a little but ended up in Vacou for a while before settling here Vale"

Lenox whispered impressed "You got to see ever kingdom."

"What made you move around so much?" Alfie inquired.

"It was because my father was a member of the White Fang," Gren said simply. The rest of his team looked at with wide eyes. He looked up meeting Lenox's gaze first.

"I take it that was back when they peaceful before they went all terrorists on us," Lenox said nonchalantly.

"That how you respond to that statement," Gren exclaimed with a stunned grin. Lenox gave his partner a big grin.

"I like to be accurate in my estimations of things."

"Meaning he is a history buff who tends to sound like a jerk," Alfie said resting his head on his hands. "Must've been interesting to be apart of that."

Gren nodded "It had it's moments, my dad left after they turned violent."

"What is your family up to now?" Neely asked curiously.

"My older brother, Will, and our mom live in an apartment in Vale," Gren answered.

"You have any siblings, Neely?" Alfie asked

"An older sister and brother," She answered, "We live with our parents here in Vale."

"Siblings all around then," Lenox said cheerfully.

"Yep but my sister can a handful to deal with," Neely told them, Alfie laughed.

"Trust me I understand that," he said glancing at his brother. Lenox grinned laying back on his bed.

"I really don't know anything about this terrible brother you're going on about," Lenox said.

"Oh, really," Alfie said before he tossed his pillow at his brother. Lenox caught it, throwing it back.

"Congrats Neely your most well balanced member of Team ANGL," Gren said lightly.

"We'll see" Neely chuckled

"Saying we're not balanced partner," Lenox said throwing a pillow at Gren.

"A pillow fight?" Gren said tossing his own pillow at Lenox,

"Hey, no teaming up on me," He laughed, jumping off the bed to grab a pillow.

The rest of the team went for their own pillows as they ducked for cover. Alfie had all but forgotten his anxiety about being the leader by the time they went to bed.

Day 1 - Afternoon

Alfie sat beneath a tree, he rested his head on the trunk. The first day of classes had gone off relatively well. Which for Alfie meant that Lenox had not done anything to cause trouble. He breathed in the crisp air of campus, Alfie had slipped away from his team after combat practice. He shut his eyes and listened closely to his surroundings the sway of the tree branches. The sound of the students walking by in groups. Birds flying by over head. Alfie's right hand wrapped around the pendent at his neck, when he heard the sound a pair of footsteps. He cracked an eye open peering at whoever was there.

"Hi, Alfie," Ruby greeted him, Jaune stood next to her and gave a small wave of greetings.

"Hey," Alfie replied opening his eyes fully, "How is the first day of Beacon treating you two, you know after the whole morning dash to get to class on time?"

"Yeah, we were decorating our room and time got away from us a little," Ruby said laughing a little.

"I've got no excuse" Jaune admitted, "Kinda of forgot about classes, what about you?"

"Check, double check, triple check," Alfie said pushing himself up from the grass. "It's a habit of mine."

"Works out well for you," Jaune said smiling. "Where's your team anyway?"

"Lenox and Gren are off working out and I'm going to met Neely soon to do the same," He answered, "How goes it with your teams?"

"Blake is super nice, though it's not a good idea to interrupt her when she reading, and Yang's Yang," Ruby paused "and Weiss is set in her ways is all."

"You don't need to be polite, Weiss is being a pain the butt," Alfie said.

"Be nice," Ruby said pushing him but smiling. "Weiss will come around, I'm sure of it" She added cheerfully.

"What about you Jaune," Ruby asked turing to their blond haired friend.

"It going great, Nora's a ball of energy but she's fun and Ren is a pal," Jaune said, "Pyrrha, is cool kind of intimidating but she's Pyrrha Nikos."

Alfie thought about the skilled fighter that was Pyrrha Nikos. He had to admit that her skills were most definitely something he was impressed by.

"By the way Ruby, did you think up names for Alfie's and mine weapons?" Jaune asked her. Her silver eyes lit up at the question.

"Not yet, but give me sometime and I will for sure," Ruby said confidently, "Though, I could use a better look at your blades Alfie." Alfie smiled at her.

"Sure, anytime you're free," He said, "Can I ask why?"

"Because I need to get a better grasp at the soul of them," She replied with a grin.

"Soul, huh," He said, "Well I'll be in the lockers later, and" Alfie checked his watch, "I need to hurry up and met Neely," He said "See you two later."

"Bye, Alfie," Ruby said waving.

"See you," Jaune said.


Lenox and Gren stood on the grass together with their weapons in hand. The pair traded blows slowly and deliberately, Lenox studied the movement of the tall faunus. He moved fluidly and with a thoughtfulness that showed through in his strikes. Lenox twisted around catching another blow from the spear.

"Say Lenox can I ask you something?" Gren inquired twisting his spear around and stabbing it into the grass.

"Sure, why not," Lenox said easily resting one sword on his shoulder.

"How long have you known Yang?" he asked.

"Seven years now," Lenox said with a warm smile "Since we were ten, what's makes you ask?"

"Honestly I heard you two talking during the first day," Gren told him.

"Didn't take you for the eavesdropping type Grendell," Lenox said with a crocked smile.

Gren used his free hand to tug on one of his wolf like ears "Can't really help it" he replied, "and I overheard how Yang apparently broke your nose, so I was curious."

"Oh right," Lenox exclaimed laughing "See we got into an argument about something and it got heated and well she head butted me…. and I punched her back." He looked to the side.

"You punched her, you?"

"I was a slightly violent child," Lenox replied, "I've chilled out since then."

"Let me get this right the two of you become friends after she head butted you and you decked her?"

"Sounds about right," Lenox said slashing his blades around in a practiced movement "We talked in the office as our dads were sorting things out with our principal, and hit it off," he added with a smirk.

Gren laughed shaking his head, "You're a unique guy, Lenox."

"I know," He said, " Ready to go another round?"

Gren nodded pulling his spear from the dirt, "Let's go." The boys circled waiting for the first strike. Lenox lunged forward, in a fluid movement, Gren countered the blow deflecting the blades.

"Yang is actually how I met my boss Qrow," Lenox said spinning away from Gren's spear.

"Yeah, how?" The faunus boy asked.

"He's her uncle, her's and Ruby's" Lenox answered ducking under another strike.

"Any reason why you got involved with a hunter like Qrow?" Gren inquired aiming a blow with the butt of his spear at Lenox. Lenox grinned knocking the blow away and slashing his sword, it stopped just short of Gren's neck.

"No reason in particular, Gren," He said lowering his weapon "Just something to hone my skills and kill time until I started here at Beacon."

Gren watched his smiling partner, and felt that he was avoiding the question.

"Another round before lunch," Lenox grinned.

"Sure."


{I've successfully made it onto a team in Beacon, will report about the other teams come tomorrow} Neely typed the message into her scroll and read it over. Her heart tightened a little as she did. She closed her eyes and hit send. Things were going smoothly but still there were so many possible ways that this mission could go wrong.

"Hey." Neely jumped fumbling with her scroll, as she faced Alfie.

"Hey Alfie," She said a bit louder then intended, Alfie's gold eyes narrowed a bit. They seemed a darker shade as they did.

"Didn't mean to scare you," He said rubbing his neck. Neely put her phone away smiling at her leader's awkwardness.

"No, I was just being jumpy is all," Neely said "Ready to go train, partner?" Neely had already changed out of her school uniform. Now she wore a purple and black flannel shirt under a form fitting zip up black sweater and black shorts with leather boots. Her metal cuffs were on her wrists over the fabric of her sweater. Alfie also had changed from his uniform into a blue and black sweater and dark blue jeans with his weapon belt. He had left off his body armor since it was only training.

"Let's get started," He said pulling out his gun and shifting them into their blade form.

"How in the world did you think up such weird weapons," Neely asked not unkindly. He shrugged.

"It is kind of my hobby to make weapons and these," he said raising them, "We're the results of me not having boundaries on what I could make." A small smile crept over his face.

"So if these ever get busted could you fix them?" Neely asked raising her arms.

"Definitely," He beamed "Mind if I take a look at them now?" Neely thought on it for a moment, Alfie's enthusiasm was kind of adorable to her.

"Okay," She said unlatching one of her bracelets from her wrist. "Don't scratch them."

"Will do," He said studying them with a careful hand "the blades fold out and in when you flick your wrists."

"Yep."

Alfie hands glided over the etching on the top of the bracelet, and paused on a button on the side.

"What's this for?" He asked.

"Watch," she said pressing the button and small shield uncurled from the top of the bracelets.

Alfie eyes twinkled with wonder as he saw it.

"Very nice," he said holding out the other bracelet for Neely to put it back on.

"So ready for a fight," Alfie asked, Neely, grinned nearly forgetting she wasn't suppose to like her partner. That is was all just a mission. Just an act.

Later

Yang and Blake were walking out of the library, Yang had tagged along with her new partner to check out the place. Blake held a few new rented books under her arm.

"I don't get how you read that many books," Yang commented placing her hands behind her head.

"There are other things that are just as enjoyable as fighting Yang," Blake told her partner, kindly.

"True but fighting is just so much fun," she said.

"Suppose you chose the proper career choice with being a huntress," Blake said smiling.

"I know right," she said as they left the library. Just as they cleared the doorway, three water balloons dropped from the sky. They all hit Yang soaking her.

"Yang" Blake said startled, Yang kept a neutral expression as she look up. Lenox leaned out a window of the second floor smiling like a madman. He saluted her before slipping back inside.

Blake watched Yang as she smiled widely, turning to face her.

"Blake mind coming with me to the cafeteria?" She asked.

"Okay," Blake said confused.


Lenox followed Gren up the stars to their dorm room. Gren still trying to figure out why Lenox had gotten him to sneak water balloons into the library.

"Must we do homework?" Lenox asked, "I'm sure I can get it done in the morning."

"Thought you liked history," Gren said thinking of professor Port's homework. Lenox hurried up the stairs, passing Gren.

"I do, just not when I forced to read about i-" Lenox got cut short as someone shoved a plate of whip cream into his face. Gren froze on the step below him, his mouth hanging open. Yang moved into view plate in hand and a smile on her face. Blake stood next to her with wide eyes and a hand over her mouth.

"You got something on your face, Len," She said.

"The truce is officially over, then," He asked.

"Yep," Yang said smiling wider, Lenox wiped some of the cream from his eyes, a smiling spreading over his face.

"Game on Xiao Long," He said marching up the stairs, Yang followed him up. Leaving Gren and Blake standing together with baffled looks.

"Blake what just happened?" Gren asked.

"I honestly have no clue," She told him shaking her head.

"Oh this is going to get interesting," He sighed.

Morning Day 2

Alfie fall back, pain exploding in his skull. Blood poured down his face clouding his vision. He couldn't see the Grimm as it roared ready to kill him. Alfie screamed throwing his hands up.

Alfie jerked awake, breathing unevenly. He covered his eyes with his hand. The room was quiet as he the last threads of the dreams faded away. Alfie let his hand fall to his side, so he could glance around the room, Lenox laid tangled up in his sheets, Gren was on top of sheets, an arm thrown over his stomach, and Neely was curled up in her sheets. Alfie slide out of the bed, and pulled a hoodie on. Quietly he put on his shoes and left the room. The dorm was silent as he walked through the halls and the stairway. Alfie looked at the sky as he headed for the lockers, it was still dark out even, the sky just barely beginning to lighten. He punched in the code to his locker pulling out his blades. He set them down on the bench and took out his cleaning kit. Alfie pause before sitting down on the bench, glancing at Lenox's locker. He sighed opening it up and getting his brother's swords out from it and leaning them against the bench. Alfie set to work dismantling his blades, he worked without a word. Cleaning each piece of his weapons before putting it back together skillfully. The rhythm of it cleared Alfie's head. He finished, and transformed them from blade form to gun form nodding in approval as they did so fluidly.

"Alfie?" He twisted around on the bench to the face the owner of the voice. Ruby stood there still dressed in her pajamas but with her cape on.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you," Ruby said. Alfie smiled setting his weapons down.

"No, it's fine," He told her "What are doing up?"

"I was going to ask you that," Ruby said sitting down on the bench "It's pretty early."

"Bad dream, again," He admitted.

"Do you have those a lot?" She asked in a concerned tone. Alfie considered telling her the truth, but instead, he said,

"Just a few, I'm probably just still adjusting to being away from home," He lied.

Ruby smiled sympathetically at him, "I'm sure you will" She said, "Get adjusted I mean."

"Yeah, I got it, Ruby," He said kindly.

Ruby's eyes drifted to Alfie's weapons, "Mind if I look at them?"

"Sure," He handed them over to her. She inspected them with a critical but admiring eye.

"They're beautiful Alfie," She told him handing them back "You must have put a lot of work into them,"

"Yeah, they were fun to make," He said, "Crescent Rose is amazing by the way."

"Thank you, She's my baby," Ruby said she noticed Lenox's blades, "Aren't those your brother's?"

Alfie nodded holding one of them up, "Yeah he is very good at using them but not so great when it comes to taking care of them, oh and they have a name."

"What is it"

"They're called Shadow Slayers" He told her.

"Shadow Slayers ?"

"Yeah, watch this."

Alfie turned the blade so that it was upright. Slowly bringing it down in an arch as he did the blade emitted a mist like waves of colors. Ruby watched it with wonder in her silver eyes.

"It's called that because it banishes the shadows away," He said with a warm smile, his face a glow with colors.

"It's amazing," she said.

"The Dust in the grooves of the blades emit the light when it moves, a little flare I added," Alfie explained.

"You made them," Ruby said, Alfie looked at her smile, and he felt his face go hot.

"I, um really just redesigned them, for Len to use," He said humbly, placing the blade back on the bench. "The swords themselves were the ones our grandpa used in the war, but they weren't equipped for using Dust, so I had to add a compartment for the Dust and reforged the blades to add grooves for it to flow into"

"You reforged them yourself?" She asked with a smile.

"Yeah, my grandpa is a weapons smith and he let me use the forge," He explained.

"How did your work the hilt to get it to work with the Dust," She asked, Alfie answered and the pair kept on talking until the sun began to raise in the sky.