"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, OZPIN?!"
A blonde haired woman slammed both of her palms on the metal-rimmed, glass desk before her. The thud that accompanied was soon drowned out by the continuous tick-tocks of the Tower's gears. The man who owned the desk, however, kept his calm as he stared out of the large window of his office. A cane leaned on the chair next to him. The stars had started to fade from view as the sun slowly rose across the horizon.
"As the headmaster of this school, you have a responsibility of taking care of your students. What you did placed them in great danger! What do you have to say for yourself?!"
"I won't make any excuses. I know full well that it was risky."
"If you did, then why didn't you let me stop them before they entered that cave? Throwing them into a forest for a controlled test is one thing, but to let them wander into a nest of unidentified Grimm–!"
"Letting them face the situation on their own was necessary."
"Necessary? Necessary?! Ozpin, one of them nearly died! Another had a severe injury that he didn't even notice himself! Even as the head of this school, doing what you did could've done more than just jeopardize your position in this academy!"
"Glynda," the headmaster finally turned to face his colleague. "Your anger concerning my actions is perfectly justified."
His calm expression as he sipped a bit of coffee didn't change, even when he spoke after placing the mug on the desk.
"But you must understand that the things I do this for a purpose. It was never my intention to recklessly put their lives on the line, but I needed a way to test their limits."
"Their limits?!" Glynda removed her palms from the desk's glassy surface. "Why on Remnant would these children warrant your attention that you'd willingly let them face an Unknown-Class Draconis without as much as a warning?!"
"Time is not on our side. To make sure that all the available pieces would be able to stand on their own, I needed to place them in a scenario where even we won't be able to help them."
"If the council finds out about your actions, you might even be removed from the player's chair before you make a move."
"It's a part of my responsibilities as headmaster. I won't resist if they try to have me removed, but this is something I have to do."
Glynda pushed her glasses to her face. Breathing in, she let out a small sigh before speaking with a more peaceful tone.
"Why must you always do things that would easily make others lose trust in you, Oz? Taking responsibility as the headmaster is one thing, but to take on all of the burden–"
"Headmaster or not, I am a Huntsman first, Glynda. Protecting the world should come before me. I need to know just how much that those children can take before passing them the responsibility they were entrusted with the moment they stepped into this school."
Glynda Goodwitch gave in after Ozpin's last sentence. Throughout the time she and the headmaster had spent together, she learned everything she needed to know about him through observation. Never would he abandon his comrades even when hope was fickle. The man was never one to take drastic measures without having a desperate situation presented to him. It was something she learned long ago. Ozpin was a reliable person at heart and she trusted him more than she'd care to admit.
The headmaster took his seat and leaned back, turning the chair to face the window once more. The sky was burning with an amber light as the sun had fully risen from its slumber. Glynda sighed at the beautiful sight. She gave one look to the gray-haired man's back and understood that he wasn't looking at the view because of its beauty. She cleared her throat and changed the subject.
"Then, back to the real matter I came to discuss with you today." She picked up and activated her black scroll.
"Everyone from yesterday's Initiation, except for Ms. Grenard and Mr. Evergreen, has made a full recovery overnight. It's a little late, but we can expend some time for the announcement of teams before class officially starts today. Should I handle the broadcast myself or would you like to say a few words to the first years?"
Ozpin got up from his seat, picking up his cane. He started walking in the direction of the elevator.
"Cancel all classes scheduled for today, including the upper levels. Tell the other instructors to gather at the meeting hall by 5PM."
"Ozpin?"
"I'm heading down to check her condition. I'll be at the broadcast room at noon to officially reveal the Team assignments."
"Then, I'll meet you–"
"No."
The headmaster stopped before the silver doors. He didn't turn to face her and, instead, waited for the elevator doors to open.
"Go to the infirmary. Check on Mr. Evergreen and Ms. Grenard."
"Are you sure, Oz?"
"Professor Goodwitch," she flinched at his use of formality. "I have placed these children in great danger just a few hours ago. As an instructor, you are adept at giving them the support they need right now, more so than I. Please show them the concern that they deserve."
With that, the elevator doors opened and Ozpin entered. Without waiting for her to get in, the doors slid shut and the lights above indicated the headmaster's descent from the Emerald Tower.
Left alone in the ever-ticking office, Glynda checked her scroll. The device beeped, indicating a newly received message. After a quick look, she decided to descend down as well. While she waited for the elevator, she turned to look out the office window as well. The sky was painted with a warm light of the new day. The view was refreshing, but, noticing Ozpin's low-spirited behaviour today, she understood his actions the previous day.
"Even if we were running out of time, Ozpin," she spoke to herself. "That doesn't mean you should shoulder everything yourself."
With a ding, the elevator doors opened. She entered accompanied by the clicks of her heels. She pressed the button for the Ground Level and waited for the doors to close. One last look at the sunlight and she whispered to herself once more.
"Please hold on for his sake, Amber."
The doors closed and the gears of the empty Tower continued to sound with no one to listen to the steady rhythm of their ticking.
Kahel opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was white. 'Where am I?' was the first thought that registered. She slowly took a look around the room. The back of her head was throbbing. A clean ceiling, white, non-transparent curtains and a small window were the first things she recognized.
'A hospital?' She heard the morning bell from the open, bedside window. 'The infirmary.'
She pushed the clean sheets off her body. She noticed that she was dressed in a white gown, similar to what patients would wear. Her head throbbed again. She tried to massage her temples only to realize that she couldn't raise her left arm normally.
Kahel soon found out why. Her left shoulder all the way to her neck was covered with a blue-colored patch. A few more covered her back, just above the left ribcage where her heart was beating calmly. The material of the patch was slightly stiff, resisting her attempt to raise her arm.
"When did I–?"
"Already awake?"
A recognizable voice could be heard from behind the curtains. She pulled them back to see Rudy Evergreen, sitting up on a bed wearing a gown similar to hers. The only difference between the two was that he had a cast on his right leg. In his hands, he held a brown, leather-bound book with a faded title. Surprisingly, he wore a brown nightcap on top of his head. A rod leaned on the wall beside the bed. Shei sat on the visitor's chair, sleeping soundly with a sheet over her petite form.
"You're up early for someone who was hit by poisonous acid."
"What are you doing here?" She spat the words with sarcasm.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm recovering from my injuries." Rudy replied in a soft voice. "And could you please lower your voice a little? They've only been asleep for around five hours. Unlike us, they need their rest."
The boy in the nightcap gestured over to the wall opposite her bed, where Seika slept while sitting with her legs crossed on the chair. Next to her, a blonde girl slept with her head leaning on a green hunter's shoulder. Between the two, Seika seemed to be more comfortable than the Arc girl who was murmuring in her sleep.
"If you understand now, let them sleep." Rudy returned his attention to the small book.
"Why are they here?"
"You're quite dense, aren't you?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"They were worried about you. Losing consciousness in the middle of a fight usually spells your doom, but they believed that you'd pull through."
Although he didn't seem to be acting sarcastic on purpose, Kahel was somewhat annoyed by his choice of words. She decided to move to the edge of her bed. Wanting to stretch, she slipped her legs out from under the sheets.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Rudy advised while bringing his book closer to his face.
She ignored his words and got up from the bed anyway. That's when she felt the breeze. It was slightly colder than she expected, even for early spring. Her tail wagged a bit in surprise. The wafting wind from the open window suddenly blew in, causing her hospital robe flutter slightly.
"Please get back to your bed." His face was practically glued to the pages as he averted his gaze.
Realizing her mistake, Kahel swiftly jumped back to her bed and rolled into a ball under the sheets. Her tomato-red face was hidden by the aid of the blanket and the white tips of her orange locks.
'Ah damn. Why am I so careless? Did he see? Of course he did, you idiot! You klutz! You know it's against the rules! Why were you so careless around a human, you stupid, stupid?!' Her thoughts were in a flurry of self-disgust. 'Ah, if Granny saw me now–'
"Would you believe me if I said I didn't see anything?"
She stopped her train of thought from rampaging any further and stole a glance to the boy. He kept a straight face while continuing to read his book. At first she thought he was only hiding behind it, that is until he flipped a page.
"How..." she gulped. "How do I know you're not lying?"
"You don't." He answered flatly. "But just so you know, I have no reason to lie about it."
'He says he didn't see anything. That means I'm in the clear! But wait! If he's lying, he might do something while tricking me. But he says he doesn't have a reason to lie. If that's the case, then I don't have anything to worry about.'
She stayed silent, weighing her options.
"Can... Can I take your word for it?"
He gave her a nod behind his book.
'If he lied, then it's my fault. But if he's telling the truth and I don't believe him...'
She made her choice. Peaking from behind her orange hair, she spoke.
"I'm not sure whether to believe you or not."
Rudy watched the girl with caution from his bed. His eyes were sincere as far as Kahel could tell.
"But I'll believe you."
"If that's what you want," he nodded while flipping a page.
A long moment of absolute silence passed between the two. Rudy continued to read. Kahel, on the other hand, had questions swirling within her mind. She had doubts of trusting the boy, but she dwelled more on how he could say such words with a straight face.
'Normally, when a girl is accidentally seen naked by a guy, the guy tries to deny it while glowing in embarrassment. But how can he look so honest? If it's the truth and he really didn't see anything, I can't doubt him now, can I? But if he's lying, why isn't he even turning red? What am I missing?'
She contemplated the facts she knew. Sad to say, though, her sources for such facts are hardly what a normal person can call reliable.
"How's your shoulder? Anything feeling out of place since you woke up?" Rudy tried to break the icy silence.
"...It's...fine. Nothing to worry about..."
"I see."
"..."
"..."
"Uhm..."
"Yes?"
"Why are my clothes gone?"
"The doctor who examined you wanted to make sure you weren't hit anywhere else. Remember that spider from last night?"
Kahel nodded with her back turned. She wanted to hide her face as much as possible.
"The poison sludge it shot at you burned away part of your coat. Luckily, your coat was thick enough so not all of the acid made it through. The patches on your back cover all of places where the poison was soaked up by your skin. If too much did, I don't think first aid would've helped long enough to get you to a hospital. Your clothes were taken by the professor for disinfection."
"Hmm...," Kahel wondered for a while before asking. "Who performed the first aid?"
"Your partner did. You should thank her later." Rudy quietly answered without hesitation.
"I'd do it even if you didn't tell me to."
Rudy shrugged and flipped a page as he continued reading. Curious about his deep concentration, Kahel decided to ask, unknowingly turning to completely face him in the process.
"What's it about?"
"This book?"
She nodded while Rudy paused for a moment, thinking how to explain.
"It's a story of a partially-disabled researcher. It tells about the adventures he and his armor-wearing younger brother have while helping others in need."
"Partially-disabled?"
"He lost an arm and a leg when he was a child. If I say anymore, I might spoil the story."
Getting interested, the fox girl spoke up.
"What kind of adventures do they go on?"
"It's mostly about how they help out people by using their knowledge of science. It doesn't go well all the time, though. Some of the characters try to refuse their help, mostly because they were afraid of his power and knowledge. But they help anyway and end up getting chased out by the people they tried to save."
"Why do they do it?" Kahel asked, finding interest in the character's stubbornness.
"From what I've already finished reading, he became a researcher because he wanted to fix something he did in the past. But in order to complete his research, he needs to find something, something others consider to only be a myth."
Rudy sounded slightly elated that the fox girl grew even more curious.
The way they conversed felt strange to Kahel. After all, the first day of their current relations with each other consisted only of yelling and annoyance. The thought of even calling it a 'relationship' was unthinkable. As she didn't want it to remain as is, she decided to try and work past the first misstep. Even if she thought he was a bit of a confusing jerk when they first met, she didn't like being on bad terms with seemingly honest people.
"It could be a bit boring if you're not into it though," he added.
"Hmmm. Fictional fantasy?"
"Not really. The characters have a power similar to Semblances and they call it science. They also have other science-related themes so I think it's more of a sci-fi than fantasy."
"Is it good?"
"Not the best I've read but it's interesting."
"A series?"
"Three volumes with nine chapters each. The chapters are usually divided into four or five parts."
"Does it have a happy ending?"
"I'm not sure. I've only finished the first volume."
"But do you think it does?"
Rudy stared at the girl before answering. Her eyes were glowing, surprisingly aimed at the book. Yearning and curiosity were eminent in her golden-honey orbs.
"I guess I wish it did."
Kahel's tail was wagging slowly. Her interest only seemed to grow even more.
"Do you... think I could borrow it? When you're done, of course."
"If you want to," Rudy slowly nodded in affirmation and returned to reading.
The room became silent once more.
The question only came out because Kahel was a bit of a reader. Although she did have a tendency to act wildly during a fight, she liked to calmly read books once in a while. There were even occasions where she would feel more excited about a story than a fight. It was the reason she picked up the stone-bound book relic in the first place, making an excuse to her partner that it was lighter and easier to carry. Her tail wagged left and right in anticipation for a new story to read.
Silently watching the two, a pair of eyes slowly shut to continue observing the pair under the pretence of sleeping. One of the jewels, a fiery red, eyed the boy with curiosity. Her gaze went unnoticed by the two patients and that was fine. What concerned the owner of the blazing gem was what the boy said to her partner.
Before Kahel could continue their conversation, the sound of a door sliding open interrupted their conversation. Two voices spoke from outside the quiet room. One of them was cheery and carefree. The other's was stern and orderly.
"I see. I'll pass it on to the other teachers. Then I'll be leaving the patients in your care, Glyn."
"Please stop calling me that. Where's your sense of professionalism in front of the students?"
"I get it. I get it. Sheesh. You seriously need to relax. Both you and Oz are working too hard. We should get a drink together sometime. Let's invite Pete too! His stories are just perfect for the drinking atmosphere."
"Honestly, Professor Peach. It's only eight in the morning of the first day of classes and you want us, the teachers, to go get drunk?"
"Fiiiine," the carefree voice sighed in defeat. "I'll go drink on my own for n–OW!"
Punishment was served in the form of a loud slap that could be heard from inside the infirmary.
"Owowowowow, that hurt, Glyn. It was only a j– OK! I get it! I get it! No drinking for me! Please! Not the head!"
"Finally, you listen to reason. Back to business, how are they?"
"Owowow. Hm? Oh! Oh! You mean the kids. Meh. The boy should be fine by now. He can go as soon as he wakes up. Just use the scissors in my desk to remove his cast. But keep the girl in there until lunch. I don't want to force her up on her feet after taking a hit like that. Honestly, I was freakin' out. Not many kids could survive from a Decrea's poison. She's lucky now, but I don't want her to push that luck just because her clothes were so thick. Seriously, though. Who wears a fire retardant coat that thick? Winter season's already over too. I do want to talk to whoever gave her first-aid, though."
"I'll see what I can do then. Thanks again, Peach."
"You still owe me a drink after thi–AGAH! On second thought, nevermind!"
The door slid shut before being replaced by the clicking of heels. It sent chills down Kahel's spine as Professor Glynda Goodwitch came into view. By then, the remaining sleepers all awoke to the sight of the teacher.
"Good morning, professor. Would it be alright if I took my leave now?" Rudy was quick. So much so that even the professor paused a whole two seconds before nodding her head.
"You're fine now, Rudy?" Shei rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands.
"The doctor said I should be fine by now. I don't feel any more pain either."
"Be sure to fill out the notice form before you go." Glynda reminded the boy. "Professor Peach is... not available right now."
Rudy simply nodded before closing the blinds to his bed. The sound of ruffling clothes indicated he was in the middle of changing.
"Now," Glynda turned to the girls along the wall who all woke up at the sound of her heel clicks. "Seeing as your classmates are expected to get a full recovery, the rest of you should head for your dorms. The only reason you were allowed to sleep here up until morning was that you were all too exhausted to leave your seats. Not to worry, children. Classes have been moved up to tomorrow, so you can all take it easy for the rest of the day."
She turned to face the fox on the bed.
"Ms. Grenard, is it alright if I ask you how you're doing?"
"I'm... I'm alright now... Thank you..." She spoke to the instructor with a hint of caution in her voice.
"Are you sure?" Glynda brought up her scroll, flipping through with practiced movements. "You haven't felt anything strange since you woke up?"
"No. I'm fine."
"Good." The teacher gave her a genuine smile before facing the closed curtains. "And what about you, Mr. Evergreen?"
"I woke up approximately two hours ago. Felt a slight pain in my leg so I asked for the nurse who was present for some painkillers before she left. She should've logged it down if I wasn't daydreaming."
Glynda checked the data on her scroll. He must've been correct as all she did was nod and proceed to the next question. The sound of a bag being zipped up meant he was almost done.
"Is it alright if I ask you what happened last night?"
The blinds were moved and there he stood. His clothes were the same from last night, duffle coat and charcoal pants. His cast was gone as he leaned on his bedpost for support. His nightcap had been replaced by his black beret.
"Where do I start, ma'am?"
"When you entered the caves to search for the other Initiates is fine."
Rudy then told the instructor about the plan to find his partner's friends by blasting a hole into the mountain face. He described the spelunking experience, about how large the tunnel system was, about how they were separated and found each other again at the last chamber. His details were concise and to the point. He finished his explanation in less than two minutes, impressing all of those present with his efficiency.
"In short, the two of you, alongside your partners, Ms. Strega and Ms. Akanohi, were able to defeat the Aranya Decrea that made the upper chamber its nest while Ms. Arc, Ms. Bea, Mr. Miles and Mr. Rex fought and defeated the larger Grimm that slept in the lower chamber, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Is there... anything else that you would like to add?" Glynda eyed the boy while saving the memo she made on her scroll. "Like who performed Ms. Grenard's preliminary treatment, perhaps?"
"That would be me, ma'am."
Seika took her cue and spoke up from behind the teacher. Rudy's gazed lingered in her direction for only a moment before darting back to his things. His rod sat balanced on his palm.
"I see. When you have the time, could you please meet with Professor Peach? She's quite interested in how you did it."
"I'll do so when I can, Professor."
Rudy slung his duffle bag over his shoulder. His rod in one hand was compressed, a bit shorter and thicker compared to its original form. With a limping gait, he turned and walked towards the exit.
"I'll be going on ahead then."
"Ah, wait up! I'll take my leave as well, Professor. Hope you get better, Kahel." Shei rushed after her partner.
Seika stood up and followed after the two. Turning to face her partner, she quickly explained with a smile. "I'll retrieve your uniform. Wouldn't want to walk around the school dressed like that now, do you?"
Following close after the trio, Jeane and Fran also took their leave, waving to Goodwitch and Kahel on their way out. The door slid open and all of them left. Before leaving, Rudy turned to his fellow patient.
"I guess I'll lend you the first book later then."
With door closed and five of them gone, Kahel was left in the care of Ms. Goodwitch. Nervous, Kahel glanced at the blonde teacher.
"Don't worry, Kahel. I'm not here to scold you again." The fox sighed. "That is, as long as you don't cause any more trouble, is that understood?"
Her answer to the blonde was a series of nods that was highlighted by the alert, pointed ears on top. The instructor smiled at the cute reaction and continued on.
"So, do you think you found a good enough partner for the next four years?"
"She's not a bad person or fighter. I just hope I don't slow her down."
"Then you'd better do your best," reassured the blonde teacher. "Teams here are permanent for the duration of your stay and there are no exceptions. You'd better take care of each other, is that understood?"
Although her tone was serious, the smile she added gave Kahel a new perspective regarding the strict teacher.
"Yes, Professor."
"That being said, you seem to get along with the rest of your teammates even though you haven't known them for more than a day. It seems like I have no need to worry after all."
The smiling instructor's words served only to confuse the patient on the bed. Before the teacher left, a single thought plagued her mind.
'Since when was I assigned to a Team?'
Currently limping down the hallway, Rudy was subjected to few stares from curious onlookers. Aside from his rod-turned-cane, his attire made him more noticeable as he walked down the hallway filled with a handful of uniformed students. What's more, he had four attractive girls following close behind, earning a variety of curious and jealous gazes. He didn't mind though. In fact, he didn't care. He just continued his steady pace down the corridor.
The air from the open windows was cool and relaxing. It lightened the burden on his leg. Speaking of burdens, he knew he owed someone for taking one of his. 'How to get the person to carry it' wasn't actually planned out. Being a spur-of-the-moment thing, he needed a certain person's help to set the cover-up in motion.
"Rudy, wait!"
"What is it, Ms. Akanohi?"
"Seika's fine, but could you please wait. I wanna talk with you for a sec."
Propping himself on the nearby wall, Rudy stopped limping and turned to face the girl with different eye colors. The expression she wore was blank, leaving him in the dark to her motive, although he already guessed what it was about.
Fran, walking beside the Arc girl, took one look at the situation and guessed that they weren't needed. Relaying to Shei that they were going on ahead to find their respective partners, the green hooded girl walked away with a half-sleeping Jeane in tow.
"What is it?" Rudy said softly.
"Why did you lie back there?" Seika's tone was calm yet stern.
'Perfect...' His speculation was spot on.
"What? Lie?" Shei tilted her head. "What's going on?"
"Could you please answer me, Rudy?" Seika asked again.
"..." He kept his silence, trying to play the ignorance card.
"You didn't tell my partner that it was you who saved her." She crossed her arms while waiting. "Why?"
"Before anything else, I want to know something first."
Seika nodded for the boy to ask away.
"The night before, both of you simultaneously received a message from the school, didn't you?"
Shei nodded while Seika retrieved her scroll.
"You mean this?" She held out the device with its semi-transparent interface displaying a few numbers and a list of names. An image file was attached below with coordinates marked below it.
"Your dorm room location and list of roommates are similar to mine and Shei's," Rudy took one glance and resumed speaking. "It basically means that we're now officially counted as a Team here at Beacon Academy."
"So what about it?" Seika pocketed the device and faced the boy once more.
"I was doing it for the sake of my teammate" He adjusted his weight while gripping his rod. "Is that answer sufficient?"
"Only slightly," Seika answered with a flat tone. "I still have no clue as to why you'd do such a thing with just that answer to back you up."
"Then let me elaborate. Your partner's actions, don't you find them a little more conserved than the average teenager?"
"You mean the time when we met up at the caves." She thought back to their shouting at the tunnel junction. "And how she overreacts to having her tail touched?"
"..."
"...When... did that happen?"
"It was around the time we met Jeane Arc and Aureus Rex."
Rudy securely patted the beret on top of his head as a strong wind blew in.
"I did consider the idea that she would exaggerate to physical contact, I somehow expected as much. This is only a speculation, but it appears your partner's actions reflect those of the native Faunus of Menagerie."
"How are you so sure?"
"I studied about their culture in the past. Based on the similarities to your partner's mannerism, I can only assume that Kahel's somewhat related to their current generation's community to an extent."
"So? What is it about her heritage that gave you the need to lie?"
"Well, long story short, her homeland has a series of morals and laws they pass down throughout the ages as tradition. They cover many things and it just so happens that certain types of physical contact fall under the infractions of the 'marriage' clause."
Rudy lowered his voice to a whisper and leaned a little closer. The two followed suit, leaning in to listen closer.
"If word gets out on what really happened, she could be severely punished by her own. Worst case would be banishment or exile."
Shei silently let out a gasp while Seika processed this beside her.
"I see. So you did this to protect her."
Rudy nodded.
His plan went on smoothly. Her mature way of thinking was unexpected, but at least he didn't need to flat-out lie without insurance that it would work.
(Sigh)
Seika let out a small sigh and made a smile.
"I'm sorry for doubting you." Her smile vanished, replaced with a questioning gaze. "But was lying to her really necessary? Couldn't you have explained it instead of going through all this?"
"Sadly, no." Rudy lowered his head. He was anticipating this question. "She would hate herself for knowing the truth and that would be worse."
"What do you mean?" Seika inquired. "There's no way she would hate you for saving her."
"That is true," Rudy took out a familiar, empty corked vial. "But the chances of her self-punishment aren't zero."
"Self-punishment?"
Even his partner was growing curious. Rudy paused for a moment with his eyes closed. He tried to remember what he learned about the Fauna of Menagerie years ago.
"The people of Menagerie, the native Faunus especially, have exceptional traditions and customs passed down through their descendants, starting the training at an early age. They are really strict about it, almost to the point of becoming a religion or cult."
Rudy explained. His hand traced the rim of his rod-turned-cane.
"The punishment for the breach in fidelity is the entitlement of ineligibility." Rudy cleared his throat and lowered his voice. "In other words, she would be forbidden to marry at all for letting a man defile her body."
"But... wouldn't it be fine... if she kept quiet about it?" Shei asked a reasonable question.
"Unfortunately, no." Rudy shook his head. "According to psychological studies that cover their culture, guilt, honesty, and trust are the focal points for keeping their heritage strongly influential over their people. Not only are they not allowed to lie to one another, they aren't allowed to lie to themselves."
Seika paused for a while, registering his words. Shei, on the other hand, was deep in thought at the new information about her brethren from another place, beyond the Kingdom of Vale.
'(Who knew that someone of a similar race from a distant land would have far more different values than oneself?) is probably what she's thinking.' Rudy cleared his throat again to get the yellow-red clad girl's attention.
"Do you understand now?" he asked.
"Yes, but can I ask one more question?"
Rudy nodded, albeit a bit hesitant.
"Why are you going so far for someone who was a stranger to you just a few days ago?"
The boy didn't reply, or move for that matter. He simply stared back at the tall girl before him.
"It's obvious, isn't it?"
"?"
"We're a Team starting today. It's only natural for me to look out for my teammates, even if we didn't really get along at first." He kept that last part to himself though.
The blatant expression on his face relayed his honest answer, earning him a few giggles from Seika.
"You're right." She finally smiled. "Sorry, I kept pestering you for answers even though you were doing it in her best interests."
"You're forgiven." Rudy held out his hand which she took in hers. "I look forward to working with the two of you from now on."
"Likewise," she shook on it. "You're pretty perceptive, huh."
"Not really," he humbly denied it. "I'm only alert to my surroundings as a Huntsman should be."
"Still, your actions are quite... admirable," She gave her honest opinion. "So, should we grab a bite to eat?"
"Umm..." Shei quietly called their attention. "I thought you were going to get Kahel some clothes before she gets discharged?"
"Oh, right! I almost forgot! I'll go on ahead then!" With a quick wave, Seika swiftly ran down the corridor, waving back once more at the two before turning the corner.
"She's nice." Shei broke the silence between them after the monk girl disappeared from view. "They both are. Don't you think so too?"
"Yes." Rudy nodded. "I think we'll get along just fine as a team."
Starting to march forward again, Rudy continued his gait down the hall but turned to walk towards the courtyard instead.
"Uhm..." She, wondering her partner's intentions, decided to ask. "Where are you headed?"
"The weather's nice," Rudy marched on. "I think it's better if we had lunch outside."
"Eh? But I don't have any..."
Shei paused as Rudy waved a hand to stop her. Pulling out two small paper bags from his duffle bag, he handed her one. Peeking inside, she found a sandwich.
"It's a bit squashed," the bereted boy explained. "But if you're fine with it..."
"It's fine."
"Are you sure? It's small. It could hardly be called breakfast."
"No, really," Shei simply smiled and accepted the small meal. "It's fine."
"Then," returning the grin, Rudy replied. "How about a cup of tea to wake you up?"
"I would love that."
The pair continued their conversation under the clear skies of Beacon's campus. They both felt relief before they even sipped their first cup. The reason being they had found teammates they could trust, teammates that had their back. If living under the same roof could foster trust, then lying was something one of them felt they didn't need to do.
At least, not completely...
Somewhere, in one of the many hallways of Beacon Academy, a hunter and a knight wandered the open corridors.
"Aaahhhnnn..."
Soft as a sigh, a yawn poured out of a drowsy Jeane's mouth.
"Still sleepy?"
The Arc girl nodded to her friend in the green hood while rubbing the corners of her eyes.
"In hindsight, sleeping in a chair at the infirmary instead of our dorm's beds was more uncomfortable than I thought."
"Yeah," Jeane drowsily agreed. "Forgetting to take off my armor didn't help either."
The blonde stretched her limbs. The said armor parts clinked as she moved down the hall.
When all eight of them arrived at school, Kahel was immediately rushed to the infirmary. Rudy was abruptly forced to follow as soon as a nurse spotted his splinted leg. Shei and Seika, worried for their partners were forced to wait outside until Kahel's treatment was over. Rudy, being the minorly injured one, was the first patient they were allowed to visit in the ward. Jeane and Fran decided to stay with the two girls while a staff member directed Aureus and Glaus away from the group.
Fran received a message an hour later from her partner that they were only going to speak with the headmaster about what happened in the cave. He sent another message afterwards saying they were heading back to the dorms after their report was made.
Her gaze swept towards the nearby window's view of the outside. The skies, illuminated by the early morning sun, had not a single cloud floating about. The leaves on top of the trees swayed with the cool breeze.
'Beacon, a prestigious academy whose sole purpose is to create warriors to fight back the creatures of Grimm. For a combat school, this place has too many open areas and wide spaces. It feels more like an ordinary college for the business sectors.'
Fran's thoughts wandered as she looked out to the open campus. Under the early morning light, a few students, wearing casual attire, read books under the shade of a nearby tree. An older female student wearing shades jogged along the main pathway. A lock of her hair, caramel in color, stood out from the rest of the dark brown head. Her sense of fashion whilst exercising was what caught Fran's eye. Following her pace, an older male sporting short burnt-orange hair and a scarred dark-tone skin jogged just behind her. Both of them wore running shorts and had matching Beacon-print tank tops.
'They must be seniors, probably partners.'
A few more students came into view. Some wore Beacon's official uniforms, dark brown blazers for both genders, similarly brown long pants for the boys and plaid red skirts for the girls.
'So I can't really hide it under a hood now, can I?'
Her hands traced the small bumps protruding on top of her hood.
Yesterday, her secret was found out. Feeling her ears under the leather, she thought back to that time by the lake.
'I don't care if you want to hide it, but try to remember that some people can tell just by feeling.'
According to his words, he found out about it by touching her head. Now that she remembered it, he had protected them both when they fell into the lake. The velocity of their fall was almost too much for a normal person. Even if it was over water, high-speed collisions with any surface would mean certain death. And yet, he tried to save them.
'Glaus Miles.'
As of yesterday, this young man was her partner for the rest of her time at Beacon. Thoughts about how she should explain her Faunus traits to others had plagued her before entering the school. But, focusing on her goal, she had set aside those thoughts and entered anyway. Fran felt relief. Explaining aside, at least now, she didn't have to worry about hiding her heritage from her partner. What's more, he said he didn't care if she wanted to hide it. In other words, he wasn't going to pry her for a reason.
"(Sigh)" She rubbed the top of her hood. 'I was lucky though, to get a partner that wasn't scared of me because I'm a Faunus.'
Yes, that's right. She remembered the look other's gave her when she was small. Those eyes that were full of fear, full of hate, those eyes were burned into her memories as she had to put up with them all her life. In the end, it was the fear of her kind that took all she wanted away. And yet...
'Why isn't he afraid?'
The idea of someone who wasn't afraid of her being a Faunus was almost like a dream to Fran. All this time, people gave her looks of distrust, angry glares and fearful gazes. No, wait...
'Father wasn't like that...'
Unlike other humans, that man didn't get scared or angry when she came near him or even looked at him. When she had lost one of the many things she cherished most, it was that man that became her light. With him around, she started to believe that more and more humans could coexist with Faunus. Until that day...
BEEP BEEP
Lost in thought, Fran jumped in surprise as her scroll started beeping.
"Aaahhnn," another yawn popped out. "Who's it from?"
"It's Laus," she replied. "He says he and Reus are heading to the cafeteria for breakfast. He's asking if we want to join them."
"Hmmm," Jeane then made a thinking pose with her right thumb and index on her chin while her left held her right's elbow. As much as she'd like to get something to fill her grumbling stomach, she'd prefer it if the meal came from her twin's recipe instead. 'Hm? Wait a sec?'
"Since when were you and Laus close enough to be sending each other messages this regularly?"
"Hm? Oh! When the headmaster called for them, we shared contact numbers so that we could reach each other later."
"Is that all?" Jeane's gaze was skeptical but otherwise comical. A teasing grin grew at the corner of her lips.
Fran, on the other hand, remained oblivious to her friend's insinuations. She simply tilted her head in confusion under the hood while typing a reply.
BEEP BEEP
"Who could this be?" Jeane pulled out her scroll. After a while, her smug grin turned into a warm smile. "Thanks bro."
"What's up?" Fran asked.
"My brother's invited us over for a party. He says that since all classes for the day were cancelled, he wants to cook us congratulatory meal. We're allowed to bring our team he says. Team RWBY's going to be there to help out too."
'Her brother must really adore her.' She thought. The girl beside her appeared to be the same age as her, maybe older. When she met the Arc girl, she found the air of maturity that came with her appearance quite... surprising. You never see a beautiful young lady like her puking into a garbage bin everyday so she found her quite approachable.
Her attitude during a conversation with a stranger was a polite facade. But underneath, an innocent child was waiting to make new friends to play with. She may seem spoiled by her brother, but that didn't seem to affect her morals. Even for a descendant of the once-prestigious Arc family, Fran was astonished to find an honorable, competitive fighter and not a whining princess during the fight yesterday.
"But a party for breakfast may be a little too much..."
"Don't worry about it! He says we can have breakfast first and meet up for the party during lunchtime!"
'She sounds like a child excited for her birthday.' Fran smiled. "Your brother's a really generous guy. Then I'll take up his offer and tell the other two about it. Let's meet up with them first."
"We should invite Shei and her Team too."
"Hey wait!" Fran widened her eyes for a moment.
"Hmm?" Jeane looked back to her friend who had a nervous smile on her face.
"Are you sure you should be inviting friends over just like that without telling your brother?"
"Don't worry about it." Jeane reassured the green hood. "My brother likes cooking anyways so it'll be fine."
Fran sighed in defeat.
"Then, how should we contact them? I didn't get Shei's number."
"About that," Jeane twirled a lock of her hair with her index finger while turning away from Fran's gaze. "I fiddled around with her partner's yesterday so I got his! Oh and, did you know? Our room's just next to theirs."
"..."
"..."
"Jeane?"
"Hm?" The girl stopped playing with her pale-blonde strands.
"There is such a thing as going too far."
She audaciously made a proud grin that it almost seemed worrying to Fran. She wondered just how much trouble this friend of hers has caused for her twin in the past and sighed heavily for the troubles to come in the near future. Behind the cheery smile she gave her blonde friend, the hunter asked herself a question.
'If Mommy and Daddy were born human like her, would I be enjoying this normal everyday life back then like I am now?'
"ACHOO!"
"Gesundheit." Pyrrha said as she passed her partner a box of tissues.
"Thanks..."
Ripping a sheet out, Jaune wiped his nose with the paper and tried to register the chill that suddenly zapped through his spine.
'Why do I get the feeling something bad is going to happen? Hmmm, maybe I should've worded that message properly.'
Jaune snapped himself back to reality and continued working. He maneuvered himself around the small kitchenette with ease, taking vegetables and a knife out with care. Dicing the potatoes and carrots, he moved to check on the hot saucepot on the stove. He took the beef out of the pot and set it aside. He took in the red meat's alluring aroma, making sure that he timed it right. Replacing the meat, Jaune added tomato paste, chopped onions and garlic, stirring them with a wooden ladle. A few minutes passed before he added the chopped vegetables.
"Hmmm..." A smile formed on his face while he tasted the precooked meat. He then proceeded to reduce the size of the stove's flame.
He didn't want to brag but his mom told him once that he had talent when it came to cooking. Sure, it was a practical skill that was needed by an independent adult. However, the title of 'Jaune the Hero' sounded a lot more appealing than 'Jaune the Housewife' to his ears. Putting away the empty dishes, he felt a pair of arms around his waist.
"How is it?"
Pyrrha, who had been helping out as his assistant, jumped the boy from behind as Jaune finished his preparations. In retaliation, she was immediately pulled into a tender embrace by the knight-in-an-apron.
"It's almost done. It should be finished in another hour."
"It smells good. I can't wait." He felt her face nuzzling his chest. "Ren already went out to check if Team RWBY has any extra eggs."
"We ran out already?"
"No, but he says we need more for a larger cake. That and, well, Nora does have a tendency to go berserk if he doesn't make her a few pancakes every now and then so."
"Mental note: Make sure we always have extra eggs." Jaune gently pulled out of the hug and started his work on the next dish while the redhead giggled next to him.
Baking was Ren's specialty. His pancakes were Nora's favorite. And it was an established fact that if she didn't get her fills of sugar, she would bring down the hammer. It was something they didn't want to happen and tried to prevent at all costs, especially since a certain Goodwitch had it in for them. Sadly, on one occasion, Ruby's cookies had to pay the ultimate sacrifice, causing much grief and sadness that everyone, including the Valkyrie that carried out the execution, was forced to pitch in and bake her new ones.
To make sure such a tragedy never occurred again, Ren had hidden spare baked goods prepared in case of emergencies like lack of ingredients to make a new batch. Ruby, on the other hand, made sure to keep any cookies that belonged to her stowed away with lock and key, hidden only where she could find it. However, such things were not even an obstacle to a rampaging Valkyrie. In other words, it was only a matter of how long they could keep the hyper Nora at bay.
While Jaune was in deep thought, Pyrrha observed his calm features. Honestly, she could watch it all day. But that, in itself, wasn't all she wanted to do. Fuelled with desire, she eyed his sealed lips with a dangerous kind of curiosity. Ever since the first contact between them in the hallway, she wanted another round.
She couldn't describe the sensation she was feeling right now. Only that she could relate it to the feeling she got when she wanted to practice a new move she had learned from her opponent during a sparring match. Asking for it upfront felt extremely out-of-place and embarrassing. Turning her gaze downward to the sink filled with potatoes, she thought of a plan. An idea suddenly popped in her head.
"Could you wash the potatoes?"
"I'm very sorry, dear sir. However, this service isn't available."
Pyrrha's tone resembled that of a kind waitress denying his request for a refill on his drink, a playful act that was seemingly out of character for the polite redhead.
"Oh really?" Jaune decided to play along. With a distressed housewife's tone, he continued. "And just exactly how am I supposed to get these preparations for the salad done before the stew is finished?"
"Not to worry, sir. For a certain fee, you will be able to unlock the desired service for a designated length of time. Extensions of the duration is possible but will cost more. However, I guarantee it will all be worth it."
She had a warm look in her eyes, but Jaune noticed the curl that appeared at the corner of her lips.
'An amateur con, I see.' He tried his luck. "That sounds wonderful. Just what do I need to do to be able to avail your services?"
"For the duration of ten minutes, you will need to buy one 'Pyrrha token'. Each token will cost you one personal favor for the exclusive use of one Pyrrha Nikos."
"So in short, I have to do you a favor in exchange for ten minutes of your time?"
She giggled to herself quietly before confirming with a nod. Jaune then made a thinking pose with his right thumb and index on his chin while his left held his right's elbow. The sound of the bubbling pot on top of the stove kept the small space from getting quiet. A counter-plan suddenly formed in his head.
"How about a compromise?"
"Eh?"
"In exchange for twenty minutes, you will receive a form of payment immediately before starting. The payment is a special surprise from yours truly. Does that sound like a deal?" He pulled out his bluff.
Caught off guard by his words, Pyrrha considered her options.
'Just what would he have up his sleeve to convince me to ease up on the deal?'
"I'm listening–"
She wasn't able to finish that. In a flash, the apron-clad knight was face-to-face with the Spartan. His buff arms sealed her escape on either side. With her back to the sink of the kitchenette, Pyrrha stared deep into his cobalt blue eyes as she felt something wrap around her waist and a pleasantly warm touch on her lips.
Trapped in his surprise kiss, she could only respond in kind with closed eyes. Butterflies formed in the pit of her stomach while he gently caressed her lips with his own. Suddenly, she started to feel hungry. A wonderful aroma filled her nostrils with a spicy flavor that made her taste buds react.
That's when Jaune struck. In a smooth movement, he added a bit of tongue action that made Pyrrha quiver on the spot. For a moment, she shivered as if jolted by a sudden electric current. The combined stimuli of smell, taste and touch brought the red-faced girl's train of thought to a grinding halt. All that followed next was her unconscious response to grasp the addicting pleasure she was feeling right now.
"Haaah...haaah...haaaaah"
After a complete thirty seconds, her knees started to buckle as she felt wonderful ecstasy.
"That...should be... against the rules... How did you..."
With a confident face, Jaune smiled at the girl whose visage had turned a shade as crimson as her hair.
"Never underestimate the ingenuity of a tactician and the taste buds of a chef. Your first mistake, partner, was rigging a one-sided scam while biting more than you could chew."
"I didn't get half of what you were saying... haaah," she tried to pull herself up to chest level. "But you..., Chef Jaune, are not leaving... until I have another taste of that Arc flavor... haaah..."
Her heavy breathing and vermillion complexion indicated that she was extremely turned on right now, earning the blonde a victory in this silly competition.
"What should I do... Heheh... this service is currently unavailable at the moment..." he gave her a teasing smile that she returned with a blushed one.
"AHEM!"
The two suddenly turned to face the smirking yet pink-faced Nora that sat on top of her bed with a book in hand and her headphones hanging from her neck.
"I'm sorry if I was bothering you two," she tried to avoid eye contact but the smirk kept growing, it seemed like she was trying to stifle a laugh. "But you do know that this is the TEAM'S BEDROOM and not your private vacation home, right?"
""NORA! HEADPHONES! NOW!""
Slow with the uptake, the red and blonde pair simultaneously reacted.
"There's no point if you flirt out IN THE OPEN!"
Sadly, to keep the Valkyrie from ever mentioning it again, they had to reveal Ren's hidden stash of emergency cakes.
The boy in question, however, was about to finish his errand just outside their dorm room.
"I'm sorry for the trouble again, Weiss. I'll be sure to pay you back for this in full."
"You don't have to be so formal about it, Ren. Just make sure Nora doesn't go all-out during the party. We wouldn't want to ruin our clumsy knight's celebration plan for his sister."
Ren nodded.
"It is rare for him to take the initiative. I'll do my best to make sure Nora behaves."
"That's reassuring. Hah. A party, huh?"
The snow-white haired girl sighed out. There was a slightly noticeable difference in her tone as she sighed. To the ever-perceptible Ren, it sounded like a high note.
"Are you, perhaps... looking forward to it as well?"
"Nuh... Ugh... What made you–!"
"You sounded excited." He said through her stammers.
"(Sigh) Was it that obvious?" She hid her face behind her palm.
Ren nodded.
She hid behind both palms.
"Don't tell Yang," was her reply.
Ren nodded once more and made a smile as the Schnee closed the door behind him.
He was lucky. Even if classes were cancelled for the first day of the term, no transport ship would be leaving for Vale until noon during the weekdays. Ren knew he made the right decision to ask Team RWBY before letting Nora hijack a ship for him. Honestly, he wished it would remain only as a joke but Nora was known to act serious at the wrong times. Looking inside the small carton he now held, he counted his borrowed assets.
'A dozen, including the eggs in the fridge, it's a total of twenty. This should be enough.'
Ren smiled. He now had enough for the party cake he volunteered for Jaune's celebration plan. Since his leader was in high spirits, he didn't want to disappoint by simply standing in the sidelines. With an approving nod to himself, he quietly turned to walk towards his dorm, opposite Team RWBY's. However,
THUD THUD THUD
The sound of someone approaching fast prompted his attention.
'One person. Sounds lighter than a male. A girl, perhaps? Quick pace. Is she in a rush?'
He began enumerating the girls he knew that could run this fast.
Nora was in the room right now, keeping the lovebirds company. Inside Team RWBY's room, Yang was fast asleep under a mess of clothes and sheets. It couldn't be Ruby as she almost made no sound with her speedy Semblance. Ruling out any rampaging by the two heavy-hitters and their only speeder, Ren approached the adjacent hallway to investigate the growing sound.
In that moment, two things were imprinted in his mind. The first being the painful impact of a body in motion slamming into another out of motion. The second was the nostalgic feeling of being crushed by a powerful tiger's pounce that could pin his delicate frame to the floor in a heartbeat.
At the sudden impact he immediately fixated his thoughts on the first priority, keeping the eggs safe. He threw them vertically, making sure not to push too hard lest they fly straight into the ceiling. As he fell on his back, he maneuvered his right arm to catch the falling carton. The small box landed with a soft thump on top of his ready palm, prompting the boy to sigh.
'Safe...'
"Ugghh..."
Groaning in a feminine tone, the figure that plowed through him struggled to get up while rubbing her black locks obscured her face.
"Are you alright?" Ren did the most sensible thing: check on the stranger. "Miss?"
"I'm fine... Ugh..." She winced as she rubbed her temples, lifting a blue, one-eyed gaze to her victim. "My apologies for running into...AHHHHHAAAAH?! IT'S YOU!"
"Wha... WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
The two simultaneously yelled out, one in shock, the other in surprise.
"REN! WHO IS IT?! WHERE IS– ?!"
A wild Nora holding a chair with one hand suddenly appeared!
"AAAAHHHHH!"
"AAAAHHHHH!"
Both girls used 'shout in surprise'!
"NORA!"
"SEIKA!"
It was super effective!
Both girls used 'hug'!
It was super effective!
"WHAT IS GOING ON OUT HERE?!"
A concerned Weiss suddenly appeared!
BAM
Wild Nora used 'chair' on a surprised Schnee's door!
"Grrrr... NORA!"
It was super effective... at pissing her off!
The situation was thus. A fuming Weiss stood before an apologizing Jaune and Ren. Acting as witness, Pyrrha stood by the dorm room's entrance opposite Weiss'.
"Honestly, Arc! One day, I only ask for one day, that you keep your teammates under control. Is that too much to ask?!"
"I'm really sorry, Weiss. I should've been more careful."
"I'm partly to blame. Please don't be too hard on him."
With a palm to her forehead, Weiss calmed herself before passing down judgement. Having known Jaune for nearly a year, she had come to learn and accept that the blonde boy before her always took his responsibilities seriously. Ren, being the stoic straight man of Team JNPR, had always supported his Team by watching their backs as well as over Nora, no matter the situation.
Her gaze moved to the two behind the boys. Similar to them, both girls had their heads lowered in remorse. The long-haired stranger bowed low and unmoving. On the other hand, Nora's shoulders were slightly trembling, possibly expecting a scolding for nearly clobbering her friend with a piece of furniture.
"(Sigh) Alright. I'll forgive you."
All four lifted their heads. Three of which had a surprised look on their faces.
"On one condition," added the Schnee. "I get the last slice of cake smothered with the extra icing and additional toppings."
They sighed in relief.
"I'm grateful," Ren lowered his head once more. "I promise to make the best cake you'll ever find in Vale."
"Thanks again, Weiss. I'll make sure to make it a fun party."
"You don't have to worry about me, Jaune. Just make sure you don't ruin this for your sister. After all, it is for her sake."
With that, the heiress smiled and quietly closed the door behind her, leaving the four in the middle of the hallway.
"Um..."
The stranger gave Jaune a tap on the shoulder.
"Are you, perhaps, Jeane Arc's brother?"
"Uh...Yes. Yes, I am." Jaune held out his hand. "I'm Jaune, Jeane's twin."
She took it in hers.
"I actually met her during Initiation. Akanohi Seika. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Nice to see my sister making friends wherever she goes. At least now, I don't have to worry too much."
"I see she has a brother who worries a lot for her."
"AHEM..."
Startling the two in the middle of an introduction, Ren had the most uncharacteristically angry look on his face.
"Excuse me for a second, Jaune. Could you please take Nora with you back to the room?"
"Uh... Okay?" Jaune, surprised at the usually quiet boy's expression, took a step back.
"Seika, we need to talk." He glanced at his teammates. "Alone, if you don't mind."
"But whhhhyyyyyy?!" Nora began to whine. "I wanna have a chat and catch up with her too–"
"NORA!" The Valkyrie was silenced. "Please follow Jaune and Pyrrha back in the room."
With a hand on her shoulder, Jaune guided the downcast Nora who was welcomed back by Pyrrha. Trying to cheer the orange-haired girl, she gave her a cookie. Jaune closed the door behind him, getting only a nod from his friend that probably meant he would explain later.
"Come with me."
Not a second later, Ren grabbed the red sleeve of Seika's right wrist and started pulling. Arriving at the corner, he turned left and headed for the stairs. He climbed up as quickly as he could, round another corner and climbing up another set of stairs.
'Why...'
A few students took notice and started staring. Who wouldn't be? A normally calm boy was wearing a panicked expression while dragging a beautiful unknown girl behind him, climbing up the stairs as if the floors below were about to be flooded.
'Why did you follow me...'
Soon, they reached the top. Opening the door to the rooftop, Ren released his captive and tried to catch his breath. The metal entryway slammed shut as he fell to his knees.
"Still low on stamina, I see."
Her black running shoes came into view. She now stood in front of him, seemingly looking down on his tired form as he gasped for breath.
"I guess this is what happens when you leave the temple without completing your training."
"How?!" He wheezed as he lowered his head in agony as his lungs began to feel like burning. "You were supposed to stay there forever! Dad promised–!"
"So it was your doing," Seika interrupted. "You forced father into making that stupid promise of keeping me there."
"You shouldn't be here! It's not safe for you anywhere outside the temple!"
"You were always a worrywart. I guess that hasn't changed."
'Worrywart or not, you were never supposed to leave!' A cough escaped his throat as he inhaled some dust from the floor. "This wasn't part of the deal. How did you get–?"
"You kept me safe in that temple for almost ten years. Then you suddenly disappear, not even a note or even a goodbye."
Ren's breathing started to ease up as he sat down, resting his back on the metal door of the only exit. Sweat slid down his face as a shadow blocked out the sun from his eyes.
"Even though you knew that I hated goodbyes... wasn't leaving like that too much?"
Her voice cracked as she spoke. Drops of water fell on his face. She was crying.
'Please, don't show me that expression.' Avoiding the girl's eyes, Ren lowered his gaze. More tears fell on top of his head.
"You always looked away when you felt guilty."
He didn't reply. Instead, his gaze fell even lower. Seika, however, came closer.
"Remember? You once told me that you couldn't stand looking at the face of someone you cared about when they were mad at you. You were always scared that they'd come to hate you."
Lowering herself down, she straddled his legs and raised a hand to level with his face. He braced himself for a slap to the cheek. It never came. Instead, the warm feeling of her palm on his skin forced him to look deep into a pair of crimson and sapphire gems.
"But I could never hate you for what you did. Even if you left me a million times over, I could never bring myself to hate you."
With her face just inches away from his, her words were as soft as a whisper. Strands of her hair tickled his ears as she brought him into a hug.
"I've missed you so much, Rei..."
With that, Seika felt no need to keep it in any longer. She stuck to the boy like glue, muffling her cries on his shoulder. Feeling the tears fall on his shirt, Ren slowly brought up his arms and wrapped them around the crying young lady before him. One of his hands went up to stroke her long black hair. The nostalgic feeling of the silk-like strands brought back memories, good and bad.
'...even if you are–...I promise to never leave you...'
Words that he spoke once before flew through his mind.
'And even if–...forces me to forget... I'll always remember you...'
Ren closed his eyes, trying to forget the promises he couldn't keep.
"I'm here for you, Sei..."
Under the warmth of the morning sun, two souls shared a reunion. One was overjoyed, the other cursed fate.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: So what started out as something for fun I decided to do seriously. Seeing RoosterTeeth take RvB and RWBY to whole lot of changes and dramatic moments, I felt inspired to persevere and finish this thing as best as I could. To all the readers who've been waiting so long for an update, I express my deepest gratitude in your patience. To those reading for fun, thank you for finding interest in this work. Polishing details really grind my gears, especially during vacations. But seeing as it's fun anyway, why not keep going, am I right?
Have fun reading this while I finish up the next ones. Any comments or critiques is welcome. Hit me with your worst XD!