The third year at Beacon.
In all honesty, Adam never knew if he would make it this far. His first and second years came with challenges, and both he and his team didn't come out on the other side in one piece, but they did make it out at least. They were all still together.
So to stand in their dorm room that spring morning, just a few days before their school year officially started, it was almost melancholy.
None of their possessions remained. Already moved out to their new home in the actual city, only the bare minimum remained. The beds, the cupboards and the wardrobes, even the desk that was still marked and stained with paint and clay. It seemed so different to what he had grown used to.
In the back of his mind, he could recall the conversation he and his team had with Ozpin at the end of winter.
"I hope you four know what will happen now you all have reached your third year?" Ozpin asked calmly, sitting behind his desk as usual.
Eirian, full of energy as always, was the first to answer. "We'll be getting our own place in the city, right? That's why we had to pack up our belongings this morning?"
"Correct." He nodded. "Since Beacon was created, we decided that the older students would do well learning how to become independent from the school. Learn how to live as adults while still having our protection."
"So, we'll practically be flying solo from now on?" Zanthus asked.
Ozpin turned to him. "Not entirely. You will still be financially supported by us and the city until you actually graduate and start earning a salary. Now, you can feed and look after yourselves, but if you're willing to get up earlier, older students are still allowed to come to the hall for food and go into the dorms to socialise with friends."
"Are you sure this isn't just so Beacon can free up the limited space it has for new students?" Adam pointed out, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I admit, building an Academy on top of a cliff isn't the most ideal space-wise, but we all have to make use of our limited resources here." The headmaster admitted with a cough. "Still, there can be many reasons for why we do things this way here."
Ruri quickly joined in. "When will we be expected to leave?"
"Just before the year begins. We need time to coordinate the amount of older students we have, not to mention that, ideally, we want to make sure your home is near the hospital for ease of access."
"That's not that far away." Eirian glanced at Ruri, a hand rubbing the back of her head.
"I admit, it's a little short notice, but all of you should be able to get ready for the move when the time comes."
He readjusted his small spectacles. "Now, that's all we have to discuss today. Glynda should find you when the apartment had been picked and give you the keys."
All four of the students straightened up at that. With a slight bow of his head, Adam accepted the information given calmly.
"Thank you, Headmaster."
The key in his hand felt heavy. Each one got a copy shortly after that meeting, with each member of the team taking care of it in different ways. His own jingled softly in his grip when he turned around, his old bag hanging off his shoulder.
It seemed that no one else looked as melancholic as he did.
Eirian, as usual, was all for the change. Everything she owned was already packed up and sent to their new apartment, with her standing at the door with her lone suitcase in hand, chattering away to Zanthus. "I heard it's just off Baum Boulevard, you know? The hospital ain't too far, and I noticed loads of fancy Dust shops near."
"You heard about that one that got robbed?" Zanthus asked, readjusting his bag on his shoulder. "Dust 'Til Dawn. The old man there got shook up pretty bad, but he wasn't hurt, thank the Gods."
Adam turned around to them just in time to see Ruri adding silently. "The news hasn't said much on it yet. People have been saying Roman Torchwick was involved, but I wonder who stopped him…"
"They'll be doing a whole segment about it on the news tonight." Eirian hopped up and down. "I wish I could meet the person who stopped it. To go against Roman Torchwick and his goons, it must've been some fight!"
"Either way," Adam butted in as he approached his team. "We should be getting ready to get outta here, not fantasising about some unknown vigilante."
"You mean you don't wanna meet the dashing rogue?" Zanthus asked with a smirk.
Adam didn't answer his question. Rather, he just nudged his partner, at least smiling a little when Zanthus laughed at his actions. Thankfully, the blonde conceded quickly. "He's not wrong. Come on, you and Adam still gotta get back up here to welcome the new students coming in today."
"Oh, that's right!" Eirian gasped, already out the door with Ruri beside her. Her voice echoed down the hallway along with their footsteps. "I can't believe we're gonna be getting new faces so soon! I wonder who's gonna be coming to Beacon, I hope I get to see Yang again, she did say sh…"
Her voice trailed off. Adam thought about walking out, following after his friends, but something forced him to stay.
As he turned back around, looking around the room, taking everything in, it finally settled in just what was happening. It was almost… sad. A solemn moment with so many memories being left behind.
Finally, Zanthus' voice called out to him. "Hey, you alright?"
"I dunno." He admitted, turning his head to the hand that settled on his shoulder. "It's dumb, but don't you think it's kinda, you know, sad? Like this room was ours since we came to Beacon. So much stuff happened here."
"No, I get it." Adam felt relieved at those words. "When's the last time you even stayed in one place for so long? Back in Menagerie?"
He nodded, feeling the weight on his shoulders building while confessing softly. "I think so. It feels like, when I finally settle down in a place, a place I like, I gotta pack things up and move on. I'm tired of it."
For a moment, everything was silent. Adam couldn't help but worry, wondering if he let his walls down too much, sharing too much of what was plaguing his mind. It was so alien to him to just be able to come out and say what was wrong. Not after spending so long keeping everything to himself.
Finally, his worries were put to rest when he felt arms gently wrap around him. Not too constricting, giving Adam the space he needed to get away if he wanted, but still comforting, a gesture that let him know he wasn't alone.
In his ear, he listened to Zanthus calmly explain. "I know what it's like to not get to settle down and really call a place home, but at least you still have us, and you still have Beacon."
That helped him more than Adam realised. The anxiety and grief faded away, leaving him able to just breathe for the first time in what felt like forever.
His hands reaching up slowly, he returned the gesture as best he could. It was strange thinking about how differently he felt now about public displays of affection. No longer did he just feel awkward, quickly looking for a way out of it, but rather he found it calming. Zanthus just had that effect on him.
Still, he didn't want to stand there for too long. As he pulled away from the blonde, he felt lighter, the vanished weight apparent in how he stood just that little bit taller. "We better get going. The new students will be coming soon, and I know Eirian won't forgive me for making her late."
"You sure about that?"
Adam just laughed. Together, the two left the room, and everything that happened there, behind them.
It wasn't just them moving that day. As soon as Adam and Zanthus got outside, reuniting with Eirian and Ruri, they all were surprised to see other students of their year out with their own luggage. When Adam looked across the groups in front of him, he couldn't help but notice something.
"Not as many students as when we first came to Beacon." He muttered to Zanthus.
Nodding with resignation written all over his face, Zanthus replied. "If they weren't expelled like Gustave, they couldn't handle the workload and quit. Not everyone has what it takes, I guess."
"I don't blame them," Eirian admitted, walking to Adam's side with Ruri. "So much work, and it just gets more complicated the further you get in the years. It's a nightmare."
"At least you're doing better." Ruri pointed out. "Both you and Zanthus managed to pass Law this time. Keep going like this, and you should be able to pass when we graduate."
Eirian frowned, leaning forward as she complained in a tired tone. "I'll just be glad to no longer have to take that stupid class."
Zanthus seemed to share the sentiment. With a gentle touch on the top of her head, he turned the conversation back to more prevalent topics. "I see a spot on that ship there. We hurry up, we can unpack and you guys can get back to Beacon in time to welcome the first batch of newcomers."
"Let's go, then!"
Eirian managed to drag all three of them behind her. By the time everyone was on the ship, they were dishevelled, startled, and unsure what exactly just happened. All while she entertained herself by watching the ship take off.
With spring ending the bitter cold of winter, the green of Vale had finally returned. Trees and plant life coming back to life after a long cold sleep, the buildings and parks were flush with vibrant colours. What stood out the most was Mistral Town; with its pink cherry blossom trees finally in bloom, the breeze carrying small pink petals along the streets.
Adam couldn't help but watch in awe. He always loved watching the cherry blossoms bloom, recalling a time when a young boy would wait all year for the trees in Mantle to finally sprout their buds like every other kingdom.
The disappointment he felt when the trees remained dead was never easily forgotten.
"Ruri, look! They're setting up the streets for the Blossom Festival!" Eirian exclaimed, her finger pressed up against the window pane.
As much as she could, Ruri seemed pleased with what she saw, even when they were still too high up to actually see anything being done down below. Her grey eyes never sparkled, not like they used to, but if Adam looked hard enough, he could still see his friend behind them.
The whirring of the ship marked their imminent descent. Slowly, the ground came closer and closer, the students on board growing more restless with each passing second.
Adam's own team shared the sentiment, Eirian all but hugging the door by the time the ship finally landed. A moment of silence. Then, whirring gears, the doors being released with a hiss like steam, and without a moment's hesitation, everyone started to pile off into the streets of Vale City.
Just like them, so in awe of the new chapter in their lives, Adam actually started to feel the same energies.
A moment of fear with the change that melted away. Seeing Eirian guide them up the street, chattering away to Ruri and Zanthus, all while he watched in the background. It felt different to how they were when they first met. Where Adam kept away, holding his arms up so none of them got too close, and now he was watching them and didn't feel bitter loneliness anymore.
He knew that, if he needed, he could join them and no one would object. He could just be himself.
When the team saw their apartment complex for the first time, Adam had to give it to Ozpin and Glynda, they did make sure their students lived in proper accommodations.
It wasn't anything like he was used to. Run down estates that crammed as many unfortunate souls as it could inside, with electricity that worked half the time and broken heating that hadn't been fixed in years. The complex in front of him was by no means fancy, but it was at least pretty to look at.
Just like many residential homes around them, the brown brickwork was decorated with light green panels, the plants growing up the sides styled and pruned to keep them from overgrowing. Polished stone walkways led up to the locked door from the sidewalk, trees lining the street in designated pots buried in the ground, the trunk growing through metal grates secured into the concrete.
When they approached, Adam punched in the code they were given into the keypad hanging beside the door.
A beep. The door unlocked, allowing Zanthus to push it open and hold it there so the rest of the group could come inside. Once all were in, the door shut behind them, and the four young adults found themselves standing in the hallway of their new home.
"We live in 5-B." Eirian piped up, looking at the note she made.
"The fifth floor?" Zanthus whined softly, walking up to the elevator that was sitting to the left of where they stood. "I hope this thing works."
Thankfully, his hopes were answered when the elevator pinged at the push of a button. The old fashioned grates slid open, all four students piling in before Adam pulled them shut once more, watching as the elevator jutted and squealed loudly. Slowly, it ascended through the floors.
"Wow, this place has everything." Eirian piped up, having been squished in the back of the elevator by everyone else. "What'd you guys think our place will have?"
"Nothing too fancy. They ain't gonna go wild with the amount of students they gotta house in both third and fourth years." Zanthus replied.
Adam noticed Ruri signing from beside him. "Still, Beacon doesn't have too many students. It shouldn't be too taxing on them."
"Ruri, how expensive do you think renting in the city is?"
"Uh… I don't know. A thousand Lien?"
"A thousand Lien?!" Eirian spluttered out, practically shaking where she stood.
"I guess you really can't take the rich out of the girl." Ruri huffed at Zanthus' jab, turning back around with her arms crossed over her chest.
Adam kept out of it, but the conversation still put an amused smile on his face. Standing there, he watched the small panel to the side of the doors, the buttons lighting up with every floor that they passed.
Eventually, the fifth one lit up and a small ding rang through the cramped space.
Adam could barely take one step out before Eirian barged right past him. Hands gripped the edge of the gate for balance, his temper flaring when he peered around to try and find the girl. It wasn't hard to spot her down the hallway, staring at everything around her with sparkling eyes.
"How niche!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "It looks like they built the building during the postwar economic boom!"
"How can you tell? Looks like your average apartment complex to me." Adam asked in a gruff voice, rubbing the part of his arm that whacked into the wall.
"Lil' details. Apartments and homes made during the war were designed to be put up quickly and cost little. Means you'd find a lot of chipwood wallpaper and outdated facilities." Eirian elaborated, leading the group down the hallway. "These walls not only look the part, but are actually built with fire regulations that weren't implemented until after Vale won the war."
Adam could only share a surprised look with Zanthus before the latter admitted. "That's a pretty keen observation."
"I like architecture."
Before the conversation could carry on further into Eirian's surprising hobby, they stopped dead in their tracks.
In front of them was a dark wooden door. No different from every other one on that floor, the number and letter 5-B hung on top of it in bronze lettering, shined to try and get rid of some of the grime stuck to it.
Fishing out his key, Adam let himself and his team into their new home. When they finally looked at what they would be staying in for the last two years of Beacon, it was certainly… different.
Where their old dorm was just a bedroom with the facilities shared amongst all the students in Beacon, their apartment was completely different. The front door led straight into the living room, a reasonably sized one with the kitchenette tucked off into the corner, a counter standing between both.
A small cupboard sat right beside the door. A crystal bowl on top, the four students dropped their keys in it one by one, looking around their new home with various reactions.
Unsurprisingly, Eirian was all for it. "It's so cozy here. Maybe throw some more colour around, and you could really liven the place up."
"You wanna be in charge of home decorating, go right ahead." Adam suggested, tossing his bag on the brown leather couch that sat in the middle of the room. "I'm checking out the bedrooms."
"There's only two, so we can split evenly between us." Zanthus added as he appeared by Adam's side. "You and I can have this one, Ruri and Eirian can bunk in the other."
Her suitcase still in hand, Ruri approached the door at the end of the hallway, staring at it before turning to her friends beside her. "It'll be strange not sharing with all of you."
"Oh, we get to decorate our room now, Ruri! I got so many things to put in there!" Eirian didn't seem as put off by the prospect of no longer sharing a room with Adam and Zanthus.
Rather, she was already in her room, the door banging off the wall while the rest of the team stood in the hallway. Calmly, Ruri followed in, though Adam couldn't miss that amused smile on her face when she did so.
He didn't follow. Instead, he walked into his own room with Zanthus, leaving the door open behind them while looking around.
It wasn't too big. Spacious enough for two single beds in the middle, separated by a single cabinet that had a simple lamp on top. Three of the four walls were a simple white, while the one behind the beds was painted a cocoa brown. It seemed the colour palette carried on with the light green curtains hanging in front of the double windows.
Moving around one of the beds, Adam sat down apprehensive.
Soft. The mattress dipped under his weight, the plain sheets tucked in while he made himself comfortable. As he turned to look over at Zanthus, he found his partner already packing the bags into the wardrobe that was shoved against the wall, the mirrored door facing the beds with Adam's reflection staring back at him.
Suddenly, his bag that he left on the couch was dropped beside him, Adam leaning back from it as Zanthus asked. "You want me to sort out your things while you go with Eirian, or you gonna leave it 'til later?"
Adam didn't give his answer immediately. Frozen in place, he just stared at the mirror, unable to ignore how his face darkened as soon as his gaze fell on the bag beside him.
All this time was spent trying to ignore the pain in his gut, trying to move on from Blake. Each year brought back her birthday, and with it, unwanted memories. He didn't even celebrate it on time this year.
Finally, he piped up nervously. "Can I ask you a favour?"
"Sure. What'd you need?" There was no hesitation in Zanthus' voice.
Apprehensive, Adam slowly lowered a hand to the bag beside him, pulling it so it rested on his lap. He couldn't bring himself to open it yet. There were still things left to do, some things that needed to be planned before he pushed himself to look at what was sitting inside.
"Could you… take over for me with Eirian? I just realised that there's something I need to do today, and I'd rather not put it off any longer."
"I mean, sure. Lemme just throw these things in and I'll head out." He turned back to the wardrobe, pausing for a moment before turning back. "Is everything alright? You seem distracted."
A deep sigh escaped Adam's lips. A reflex, he couldn't stop it even if he wanted to, finding the mental exhaustion almost too much.
"It's just… Blake's birthday was last month. I never acknowledged it since I lost her, and I haven't even made a shrine for her yet." He explained, finding the courage to look Zanthus in the eyes when he continued. "I just need time to set it up and pay her the respects that she deserved. Plus, I'm not really in the mood to meet a whole bunch of new people right now."
"I get it. I felt the same way with Argenta."
Slowly, Zanthus moved away from the wardrobe. His footsteps echoed in the small room, Adam watching him closely, not saying a word while the feline Faunus kneeled down in front of him. Hands intertwined, he watched that same comforting smile on Zanthus' face as the latter finished. "I'll sort it out. You just stay here and do what you gotta do."
It was a weight lifted off his shoulders.
Adam couldn't even begin to describe how grateful he was, knowing that when he needed, Zanthus would be there for him, and the same could be said the other way.
A nod of his head and a genuine smile in response, Adam sat there quietly while Zanthus got back to his feet. Even when they didn't say anything to each other, there was no need to. Zanthus simply was able to give Adam a look before leaving the room. "Oi, Eirian! I'm gonna be coming with you back to Beacon for the welcome wagon!"
"Wah? I mean, sure, if you want!" Eirian happily accepted, even with the confusion clear in her voice.
The door closed with a gentle click.
Alone. He sat there, slowly looking back at the mirror. There was no time for him to sit there and just watch himself. Too many things needed to be done.
So, he pushed himself to get off of the bed. His weaker leg faltered for a moment, a sharp pain radiating up his spine, but he bit down and endured it as best he could. It wouldn't stop him today.
With the few things he had around the house, he gathered what he could, tucked away in the corner of the room as he busied himself. There wasn't much he could do. What he was building was important to Blake, to Hajimu, but he was never in touch with the spiritual side of his family's culture. To Adam, it had been dumb, meaningless decoration to mask just how much you missed the departed.
Now, seeing the finished thing in front of him? He could finally understand why they did it.
A miniature shrine. Similar to the ones he saw littering the roads of Mistral, he built it with a small side table, draped in white cloth that had been smoothed out meticulously. Some of the small candles that he swiped from Eirian's bag burned softly, wisps of smoke drifting upwards as the candles sat on either side of the main feature.
Blake's face stared back at him.
She seemed so young there. So carefree. A child with a bright smile and sparkling eyes, so unaware of what would eventually befall her. What he let happen to her.
The photo he had kept all this time, the one that managed to get him so close to Blake, but not close enough. Years in his bag left it wrinkled and clearly aged, the edges frayed and the once vibrant colours dulling. Yet it was still the most treasured thing he possessed of her.
Except one thing. Eyes drifted over to his bag, the thing left abandoned on his bed all this time, and finally the fear started to grip him. For a moment, he almost didn't even want to touch it.
Still, he forced himself to. There was still one more thing needed to complete the shrine.
The cold touch of metal almost burned him when he pulled Blake's weapon out the bag. Tossing it aside, he handled it carefully, not wanting to cut himself on the sharp edges of the shattered weapon.
All the pieces were difficult to get out, and even more so to arrange in front of Blake's photo, but he kept at it. Eventually, he backed off to get a look at the finished project in front of him.
It was crude, unlike the elaborate ones he saw back home. A massive thing carved of wood, having over a dozen stones that had their family's names etched into the surface, the bottom left for offerings with incense that burned day and night. Behind them, their urns full of ashes were laid to rest.
Adam could remember how much his mother tended to the shrines while Ghira worked hard to keep Menagerie running. Always gone off to one of the villages to maintain the peace and protect his people, it almost made Adam… bitter.
But he wouldn't let anger ruin that day. Staring into Blake's eyes, his hand slowly raised to his face. The soft bandage rubbed against his scarred skin as he pulled it off.
Both eyes exposed, he sat there solemnly. When he finally spoke, it was a gentle whisper. "Happy birthday, Blake."
He couldn't help the tears pooling in the corners of his eyes.
"I just wish I could tell you that to your face."
His mourning was kept in that room. Unaware of his friends who had finally made it back to Beacon.
Still, something didn't feel right to Zanthus. He couldn't explain it. An uncertain feeling that sat in his gut, it almost made him want to call it quits and go back home, but he didn't. Adam asked him to do this and he just didn't feel right ditching Eirian to go running back home based on a whim.
So, he stayed right in front of the Academy.
From beside him, Eirian smiled brightly. "I can't wait to see the new faces. Can you believe it's already been two years since it was us coming to Beacon? So much has happened since then!"
"Yeah, I guess it has." Even from under his headscarf, Zanthus felt his ears pin back slightly. "You sure you don't mind me coming instead of Adam?"
Eirian's face dropped slightly. "Not really. It's like you said, he has some important stuff to do."
Neither one of them said it, but it was heavy on their minds.
It wouldn't keep Eirian down for long, however, as she noticed something in the distance. A hand shielding her eyes from the bright sun, she squinted and watched as closely as she could.
Suddenly, her whole demeanor brightened up again. "There's the ships!"
He followed her gaze. Sure enough, above in the cover of the white clouds, the familiar outlines of Vale's ships came into view.
Deep humming could be heard from the ground, the sounds growing louder and louder as the ships drew in closer. Zanthus glanced down at Eirian, raising an eyebrow when he saw her waiting giddly.
Finally, the ships landed on the dock a few meters in front of them. Winds blew through, Zanthus' cape billowing behind him while Eirian's dreads flew everywhere, the short girl protecting her eyes from the debris that flew up. Dirt and stones weightless as they tumbled past the students.
It died down quickly. When Zanthus pulled his headscarf back up from where it had fallen down, he found the doors of the ship had opened, and the new faces that were waiting inside came spilling out.
It was at that moment where Zanthus started to feel awkward. Approaching people, introducing himself and then directing them to the Main Hall where Ozpin was no doubt waiting, he tried to ignore the worry he felt in the back of his mind. Keep smiling, make the new students feel welcomed, send them on their way.
Every time he looked the other way, he found Eirian having a far easier time than he was. Any concern or worry was either not there or just kept under wraps. She smiled brightly, stood close to the students, even got a few of the more serious types to humour her with tiny, yet genuine, smiles of their own.
Just like her.
A small break appeared after what felt like forever dealing with people. Zanthus took that chance to catch his breath, pulling down his headscarf to shake his thick mane of hair, scratching that itchy spot just as Eirian laughed breathlessly.
"Whoo, there's a lotta people here." She put her hands on her hips. "Reminds me of the older students who did it for us when we were first years."
"Wait, we had one?"
"Yeah, didn't you and Adam meet them?" She turned to see him shake his head. "Oh, they were nice. Pretty sure they graduated now, so now it's our turn to be the mother hens."
Zanthus laughed at that. "I don't think I'm being a good mother hen material today."
"I think you're doing alright."
There was no hesitation in Eirian's voice. Caught off-guard, Zanthus stood there, lookin down at his friend in surprise before giving a weak chuckle. "I don't even know what's up with me today. Guess I'm just worried about Adam."
"It's not great dealing with any kind of anniversary when it's for someone you lose." She admitted. "Just give him some time. As much as it sucks, it's necessary."
Her hand rested on his shoulder, a tender gesture that helped with the heavy weight in his heart.
Taking a deep breath, he calmed the turmoil in his gut as best he could. It felt light enough now that he could deal with the day and not be distracted anymore.
Which was necessary with a familiar voice calling out to them. "Hey, didn't think I'd see you guys right off the ship!"
Both students turned to the direction of the voice.
For a moment, Zanthus didn't recognise them, but quickly something clicked. Yellow, fluffy hair and a tail that curled around his legs, the new student that approached them did so with a wide smile and a hand waving nonchalantly.
"Sun!" Eirian immediately ran to him, throwing her arms around the teen.
The force she hit him forced Sun to spin around, holding Eirian tightly so as to not drop and hurt her. As they slowed down, they were a gleeful pair that laughed happily together, happy to reunite with each other after months of being apart.
Admittedly, Zanthus didn't know Sun as well as he wanted. It made him feel almost awkward walking up to the two friends as they chatted.
"What're you even doing here?" Eirian asked when she was put back down on the ground. "I thought you'd be applying for Shade like Chase and Roxanne."
Sun let out a nervous laugh. "Heh, you really think I'd pass up the chance to see what's outside Vacuo? They all know now, my mom told me to go where I felt I needed to go, whatever that means."
"What made you pick Beacon?" Zanthus asked.
"Well, it helps that I already know people here. Better to come here where you guys are than go off to a completely new Academy." He explained, his tail swishing about when he added. "Plus, it's not too cold here. You think I'd go all the way to Atlas?"
"Oh, it gets so cold here too." Eirian whined, hands rubbing up and down her bare arms. "You'll definitely feel it when winter comes back around. Nothing like in Vacuo."
Sun's smile widened, showing his long canine teeth. "You guys get snow though, right? I like snow."
"How can you like something you've never even seen?" Zanthus pointed out.
"I've never had a girlfriend before but I know I'd like it."
Eirian slowly leaned over to Zanthus. "He's not wrong. I'd like a girlfriend too."
That put an amused smile on Zanthus' face. Looking down at her, he simply crossed his arms, looking over at the groups of students that they still had to get through and send on their way.
Before he could say anything to Sun, however, Eirian cut him off with an excited shout. "It's her!"
Just like that, Eirian vanished. Dust drifted up from the spot she stood, neither Sun nor Zanthus quick enough to see where she went. Both looked around in confusion, neither saying a word until Zanthus looked over Sun's shoulder and managed to spot the disappeared girl.
She had completely left them behind. There, she was happily hugging another girl, one that Zanthus had no clue of. It looked like Eirian knew her well enough though.
Tanned skin, bright yellow hair that flowed freely to the point that it reached her behind, and completely confident in how she stood and presented herself. If it wasn't the black leather jacket that gave Zanthus the impression, it was the pale yellow jacket that hugged her frame, clasped together over her chest to show some cleavage and a red tube top.
Give her some credit, she was perfectly relaxed with Eirian practically hanging off her. In fact, she seemed just as happy to see the other girl too.
Approaching, he watched Eirian turn to face him again. "Hey, hey, this is the one I was telling you guys about!"
"Oh, you're Yang, huh?"
"That's right." Yang affirmed, flexing her free arm while Eirian hung off the other. "Finally get to go to Beacon. Hope you guys are ready for what I'm about to bring."
"Hey, you'll be in my year. Reckon we'll be on the same team?" Sun piped up as he left Zanthus' side, approaching Yang confidently.
Even with the quirk of her eyebrow, Yang wasn't put off by the sudden appearance, but rather sped on with a smirk. "You think you can handle me on your team?"
"The real question is can you handle me?" Sun shot back.
That made Yang practically purr out. "Wow, I love it when men get feisty."
Back to feeling awkward. Zanthus didn't say anything openly, it looked like they were all making good friends without his help, but someone caught his attention.
Another girl by Yang's side. Younger, shorter, she didn't show that same confidence that the blonde did, rather just keeping quiet and holding Yang's hand when the latter offered it. Even with the same tan and curly locks, the stranger's short hair was a dark maroon, her bangs highlighted a brighter red with them swept over her forehead.
Even her fashion was different to Yang's. While the latter was confident and showed her body off because of it, the other girl seemed to cover herself up more. A black long sleeved dress, the petticoat and ruffles coming out both the neck and sleeves an eye-catching red, matching her leather boots and dark leggings.
What caught his eye most of all was that hooded cape pinned to her dress.
When she did look away from Yang to glance at Zanthus, he couldn't help but see familiar eyes staring up at him. Silver. Just like Chase and Roxanne.
His stomach clenched tightly at that. Did she know what she had? Did she know the danger she was in?
His thoughts were dragged away when Yang looked back at the girl and pushed her. "Come on. Introduce yourself."
Her eyebrows furrowed at that. She looked uncomfortable, watching Yang closely with rejection clear on her face, but eventually she just sighed quietly and released the other's arm.
"Hi." She started with a little wave. "I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose."
"Oh, you're Ruby! Yang's told me about you!" Eirian gasped.
Releasing Yang from her grip, she moved closer to Ruby, her bright energies surprising the younger girl as she backed away slightly. Surprised, but not put off, she stood there while the dark skinned girl carried on. "It's so nice to finally meet you! Your sister told me you were studying at Signal like she was. It must be so cool to be able to attend the Combat Schools… Wait, why are you here?"
Her mood completely switched with the question. Confused, she rubbed the back of her head, watching Ruby closely while the latter looked at her sister, silently asking for help.
So, Yang jumped in, gesturing to Ruby with pride in her voice. "Ruby actually got accepted into Beacon early by Headmaster Ozpin himself. My little sister actually took on Roman Torchwick and won."
"He got away…" Ruby added in the background.
Still, that was enough to impress Zanthus, Sun, and especially Eirian.
Scarlet eyes wide, she couldn't hide the admiration in her voice as she gasped in awe. "Woah, you took on one of Vale's most dangerous criminals! You're like, super cool!"
"You'll definitely turn some heads here." Sun added.
"I don't wanna turn heads. I don't want people thinking I'm special." Ruby shook her head. "I just wanna come to Beacon like everyone else. What if they think I got here just because of some special treatment?"
"Ruby, we talked about this." Yang adopted a softer tone, moving closer to Ruby as she hooked an arm around her shoulder. "You deserve to be here just as much as everyone else. So what if you got here a little earlier, it just shows how good you are."
"If you can take on a guy like Torchwick and get out in one piece, you deserve to be here more than most other people." Sun joined in. "Don't pay attention to what other people think. Who even cares?"
That seemed to lighten Ruby's mood at least. Metallic eyes sparkling, she reciprocated Sun's warmth and friendliness, easing up when before she was guarded and nervous. It was nice for Zanthus to see people making friends.
That was when he spotted something hanging from Ruby's belt. On the back, it was mostly covered by her cape, but he couldn't miss the sunlight that managed to reflect off the metal object hooked on.
"You carrying something there, Ruby?" he asked suddenly.
Surprised, Ruby looked down at what Zanthus was staring at, and like a switch, she completely dropped her shy nature and pulled it out with a sunny demeanor.
"Oh, this is my weapon!" She cradled it close to her chest. "A high-caliber sniper-scythe! I call her Crescent Rose."
"You name your weapon?" Zanthus asked in amusement.
"Of course I do! My weapon is an extension of me, all weapons are. You can tell a lot about a person by how they fight." She explained, gesturing to Yang with a smile. "Yang fights with a pair of shotgun gauntlets, a pair I like to call Ember Celica. So what's that tell you?"
"She likes bracelets?" Sun answered.
"I do really like bracelets."
Ruby shook her head, jumping between Sun and Yang with Crescent Rose still in her arms. "No, no! Yang is obviously a close quarters fighter who isn't afraid of a bit of push back, and has a flashy personality with a convenient flare."
"And I like bracelets."
Zanthus ignored Yang's quip as he asked softly. "You really like weapons, huh?"
"My uncle had been training me to fight with Crescent Rose forever. I've actually been practicing one of his more difficult ones." She boasted, though adopted a more shy tone when she asked. "Do… you wanna see?"
Zanthus couldn't even answer before Eirian jumped in to answer for him. "Yes!"
That seemed enough for Ruby. With her weapon in her hands, she put some distance between her and the group, ignoring the other students that passed by with some curiosity.
Suddenly, Crescent Rose sprung outwards. The compact form vanished instantly, with a long pole jutting out one end and a long, sinister hooked blade coming out the other. It was almost comical how the weapon dwarfed the girl. It looked like something a sinister villain would wield, rather than a petite girl, but seeing the full form of Crescent Rose stirred something in Zanthus.
Like an old memory. Only, he could've sworn he had seen something like that recently.
Any revelation was dashed when Ruby suddenly fired her gun behind her. The recoil instantly shot her into the air, the students watching in awe with Ruby firing a few more, using the momentum to spin faster and faster. She was like a whirl of red petals.
Yet any amazement he felt was dashed when Yang suddenly called out in a panic. "Ruby, look out!"
Too late.
Before she could even stop herself, Ruby crashed straight into a large pile of luggage that was being pulled away from a private ship. None of the others hesitated, all rushing to Ruby's aid as she sat in the wreckage of suitcases.
Some had even been opened from the blow. Tiny vials scattered across the ground, Zanthus immediately grabbed hold of Sun and Eirian, yanking them backwards. But he couldn't stop Yang.
She was by her sister's side instantly, helping Ruby up while scolding. "I told you not to try that out yet. You're not ready."
"Uncle Qrow makes it look so much easier than it is." Ruby gingerly rubbed her sore head.
"Guys," Zanthus called out to them, watching the sister turn back to him. "Be careful. Looks like Ruby knocked over some Dust vial-"
"What're you two doing?!"
A shrill voice shrieked. Both Yang and Ruby practically jumped out their skin, spinning around to see just who it was that was taking such an offense to them. From where Zanthus and the others were, it was easy to spot just who the voice belonged to, and he couldn't help but grimace when he immediately recognised who she was.
It wasn't hard to ignore the heir of the Dust Company that branded their name on Adam's face.
Weiss Schnee.
She was just as everyone described her. A pale beauty, with pure white hair and piercing blue eyes, she brushed her long ponytail out the way as she approached the sisters, her heeled white and blue boots clicking against the stone pavement.
Anger bubbled deep inside of Zanthus. He was surprised by it, so unlike him to feel such hatred towards someone, but he couldn't do anything when Eirian grabbed hold of his shoulder.
"Let me handle this." She whispered into his ear.
He didn't want to put it on her, but he found himself nodding in response. It would be better for him to take a backseat with how volatile he found himself at that moment.
Sun held back, helping Zanthus clean up the vials before they got agitated any more, all while Eirian left their side to approach the girls.
Weiss didn't even notice her as she carried on chewing Ruby out. "You have any idea how stupid your little stunt was? You could've blown us all off the cliff, you could've costed my father a fortune to replace all this Dust you nearly bowled over, you dolt!"
"Well, I, uh, I didn't mean to-" Ruby stammered.
"What're you even doing here? Aren't you a little young to be in an Academy like Beacon?" Weiss ignored her apology, leaning forward mockingly. "Why don't you run along back to preschool, you obviously don't fit in here."
"Hey, leave her alone!" Yang snapped back, towering over Weiss with fists clenched. "It was an accident, so why don't you back off?"
"Guys, come on. We can't start a fight in the courtyard or Professor Goodwitch will have all our heads." Eirian got in between them, pressing a hand against Yang's chest to try and keep her at bay.
Rather than showing fear at the blonde's aggressive attack, Weiss looked completely unimpressed, looking Yang up and down with a raised eyebrow.
"And what are you meant to be? One of the common riffraff who thinks being a brute will get you what you want?" she raised her hand nonchalantly. "A Schnee doesn't lower herself to your standards. You two were the ones who came and destroyed my belongings, I think I have the round to scold you boobs."
Ruby furrowed her eyebrows at Weiss. Anger clear to see, she moved from behind Yang with a sharp tone in her voice. "Hey, we already said sorry, princess!"
"It's heiress actually."
Everyone turned to that new voice. Even Zanthus and Sun, who were busy trying to clean everything up with the Schnee staff coming to lend a hand, hadn't noticed the newcomer appearing until she was already walking right up to Weiss.
Before any of the group could even speak, the girl picked up a vial and examined it, her face hidden away by a black headscarf that Zanthus seemed to recognise. So like his and his mother's, maybe a member of his mother's tribe?
With the Dust vial still in her hand, she looked straight at Weiss and carried on. "Weiss Schnee. Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and one of the most affluent families in all of Remnant."
That seemed to stroke Weiss' ego. "Finally, some recognition."
"A family known for its infamous labor laws and oppression of its majority Faunus workforce." The girl added in a heated tone.
All the colour drained from Weiss' face. Standing there completely stunned, she could only stammer while Yang and Ruby shared a snicker between them, clearly amused by the decimation this stranger gave Weiss, all while she could only take it dumbfounded.
"Wha- I, you-" she threw her hands back in frustration. "How dare you?!"
With a snatch of the vial in the newcomer's hand, Weiss grabbed one of her bags and stormed off with biting remarks. "Hurry up! I want my stuff brought in now, or Father will be the first to know!"
The poor staff obeyed dejectedly. Taking over from Zanthus and Sun, they gathered the rest of the belongings that were knocked over and began dragging the obnoxious amount of luggage that Weiss had brought with her.
Both boys instead rejoined with their friends. Eirian was too busy trying to calm the irate Yang down, listening to her enraged ranting, but Zanthus noticed that Ruby seemed less explosive. She just stood there with a somber look in those round eyes. It was almost heartbreaking how she was so affected by Weiss' cruel words.
But there was one more person there he wanted to talk to. With a sigh, he started to speak as he turned to the girl who came to their defense. "Hey, thanks for doing that, by the w-"
Gone.
The spot where the girl stood was empty. As he looked around, he managed to spot a glimpse of her, already walking in between people that were still going to the Main Hall.
"Wait here." He ordered the group before taking off.
None of them tried to follow, rather letting him go as they sorted themselves out after such a tense confrontation.
It wasn't hard trying to catch up with the girl. She walked at a casual pace, ignoring Zanthus when he tried to call out to her. "Hey! Wait up!"
It wasn't until he grabbed hold of her shoulder that she stopped. A hand shot up, immediately shoving Zanthus' hand off her as she hissed back. "Don't touch me."
"Sorry, sorry." He apologised, holding his hands up to calm her down. "I just needed to ask you something."
Blue and gold eyes peered at him from the shadows of her headscarf. Illuminated, they stared at him, sending a chill down his spine.
Finally, she asked in frustration. "What?"
"I was just wondering… are you by any chance from the Leib tribe?" he noticed her stiffening up with the question. "It's only because I know that style of headscarf you're wearing. My mother and I wear the same ones."
"I… may have spent some time with them."
"Really? That's awesome, I don't know anyone from my mother tribe! To have someone who I could talk to about it, I can't explain how much it'd mean to me!"
Despite his clear excitement at being able to meet someone from his own tribe, the girl was anything but. Rather, she stood there in clear discomfort, glancing off to the side as she sighed. "Look, I'm not really the right person for you to ask. I was only there for a couple of years, and a lot of that time was not the most fondly remembered."
Zanthus couldn't stop the disappointment from sitting heavy in his gut.
Even though she softened up at the look on her face, she was still eager to get away, taking a step away from him while speaking. "I gotta get going or I'm gonna miss the headmaster's speech."
"Wait, before you go," she stopped in her tracks. "Can you at least tell me your name?"
"My name? Why'd you wanna know?"
"We're gonna be students together. Even if you don't wanna be friends, I know how isolating it can be for anyone. The door's still open for you in case you change your mind."
She didn't seem convinced. On edge, she glanced over her shoulder, looking into the Main Hall as students gathered together in larger crowds, all paying no attention to the two students standing right at the door.
Finally, she sighed to herself and answered. "Blake."
Zanthus couldn't stop his face from dropping. He tried to hide it as best he could, not saying a word when Blake turned around and left him behind, going into the Main Hall to join all the new faces eager to start their year in Beacon.
It felt like his mouth was full of sand. Words unable to be spoken, he could only turn around, walking back to where he left his friends.
It couldn't be. There was no way.
It was just a similar name, he would tell himself. A coincidence. But he had seen the photo Adam had held onto, he saw what Blake looked like as his partner remembered her, and there was no way he could forget those mismatched eyes.
"Zanthus!" Eirian's voice called out to him.
A hand grabbed his shoulder, and when he snapped out of his thoughts, he was surprised to see that he had completely wandered off, with only Eirian holding onto him.
"You completely blanked us." She revealed. "Yang and the others went to see Headmaster Ozpin's speech, but they'll meet us afterwards to meet the rest of our team. What'd you even say to that girl? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I… I think I have."
"What'd you mean?" She looked concerned.
"Eirian, do you remember the photo that Adam showed us? The one he gave to Junior so he could find Blake?"
"The one of him and Blake? I remember." She paused for a moment. "Why?"
"Blake… I think that girl who just chewed Weiss Schnee out like that is… her."
That shocked Eirian just as he suspected. Wide eyes stared up at him, her mouth opening and closing as if she just couldn't find the words to say, and honestly? Zanthus couldn't blame her. He too was struggling to actually believe the words he was saying.
Hands raised up, she could only splutter out. "T-That can't be right. I was there, Zanthus, I was right there when Iya told us that she killed Blake. I saw the broken weapon, you did too!"
"I know."
"So you know that Blake can't possibly be alive." She argued back.
"I know." Zanthus snapped in frustration, cupping his head with his hand. "But I also know what I saw. I wouldn't be so sure if Adam didn't have that picture. Didn't you see her face when she went at Weiss?"
Eirian didn't answer. Slowly, she turned away, silent even when he repeated himself. "Eirian?"
"I… might have seen some of it." She admitted quietly. "It wasn't the whole face, but her eyes… They just jumped out at me. I knew then, but I guess I just didn't want to admit it."
"What do we do now? Adam's spent so long thinking she's dead, it's cruel to keep it from him."
She was quick to counter. "We can't just go back and say 'Hey, Adam. Today was great, we made tons of friends, and the sister you thought was dead and have been mourning for two years? Yeah, she's alive.'"
That was a point.
"Okay, let's just reign it in." He compromised. "We'll pick a good time to tell him. He's already so volatile today, I don't want to risk sending him spiralling out of control with this news."
"We could invite him out with us and the others. Yang and Ruby wanted to meet our team and figure out what's ahead for them."
"Good plan. We'll bring him out with us, and try to find the right moment to tell him. The sooner we can find one, the better."
"Yeah..."
Neither of them seemed all too sure in their plan, but it was the only way they could think of breaking such news to their friend. It wasn't every day that a family member came back from the dead.
"Hey." Eirian's voice caught his attention again. "I'm gonna wait outside the Main Hall. Why don't you go back to the apartment and let Adam and Ruri know about our day out?"
"Sure, I'll go grab them." He agreed, taking a step away before pausing. "What're you planning?"
"I just wanna make sure we really got the right person before we get Adam's hopes up like that."
With that, she walked away, confidence apparent in each step as Zanthus could only stand there. If it wasn't the confusion scrambling his mind, it was the anxiety tearing through his gut. All he could do was hope that Eirian could confirm his fears.
Yet, in all honesty, he didn't know whether he wanted to be right or wrong anymore.