Ch15 Welcome to Our Home

Song Recommendation: Statues of Cats-Welcome to Our Home

Peter Port smiled as he took a bite of the cake he took for dessert. Sometimes he liked to eat in the cafeteria. It granted him the opportunity to speak with his students; or alternatively, positioned him near a dangerous food fight. Neither seemed to happen today. And neither had the arrival of Theodore and Fenrir, as he hoped they would arrive soon. As the thought of them crossed his mind, the sight of Professor Ozpin came into view, with Gylnda Goodwitch following behind. Neither had a pleasant look, desolation written on their faces. Ozpin looked at him but avoided eye contact.

"Peter, I'm afraid something terrible has occurred." His heart sank as images formed in his mind.

"What's happened?"

"The same thing that befalls most huntsmen."

"Professor Ozpin." The two men turned to see what Glynda was looking at. Outside the window, a massive shape emerged from the clouds, crashing, and sliding along Beacon's grassier plains. The professors rushed towards outside see what cacophony came from the sky. Below, they rolled off the decaying creature, it's flesh liquidizing and smoke filling the air. A skeleton could be seen, its bones cracking to dust in the wind.

"That… was the worst flying… ever… of all time." Theodore lay in the grass, digging his fingers in as he breathed heavy breaths.

"Second that." Barbara lay on her stomach on the grass, nearly kissing the dirt. Richard rose to a knee.

"That… was exhilarating!" He exclaimed quickly standing, his axe held up and a victorious smiled spread across his face.

"Oh, what a tale to tell! I can't wait to write home and tell them of how we rode the wicked winged Smaug in the eye of a storm."

Fenrir soared down, slowing into a more controlled roll next to his comrades.

"Who's dead? Who's alive? And who has health insurance?" He scanned around to see if they were alright. He could see the teachers run towards them, Port sprinting as fast as he can, as well as a blonde girl with violet eyes and a raven-haired girl with a black bow next to her, standing on the sidewalk.

"Did those guys just ride in on a dragon?" The blonde asked.

"Fenrir. Please, let's never do that again." Theo stood and walked to his friend placing a hand on his shoulder. Professor Port skidded to a stop and wrapped his arms around the boys.

"Thank goodness! I thought I had lost you. Are you boys alright?"

"Yeah Teach, we're fine." Fenrir brushed his hand off his shoulder.

"We're fine… Professor, minus the years of therapy we might need." Professor Port felt strange, knowing he would have to acknowledge his grandfather as a stranger. Ozpin caught up; eyes filled with concern.

"Are you all alright?" Fenrir could feel his face heat up with anger, his brow furrowed as he opened his mouth to lash out at the headmaster, but it seems someone beat him to it.

"Alight? No were not fuckin alright!" Theodore screamed at the man, shrugging off Port's shoulder as he stepped two paces forward.

"I am so sorry Theodore, nothing like this was supposed to happen."

"You don't say? Let's see, you catapulted us from a cliff- "

"It was a springboard."

"Not now Richard!" His glare quickly snapping towards Richard before returning his rage in it's intended direction. "Into a Grimm infested forest, near the nest of some ancient fire breathing ASSHOLE! How was this not on your list of possibilities?!"

"Theo!"

"What?!" He turned to Fenrir.

"It's not his fault, mostly. That thing came out of nowhere, it could've hit the school for all we know. We lucked out." He shrugged as though he were trying to throw the weight of the conversion to calmer grounds.

"I promise you all, nothing like this will ever happen at your time here… probably. I will make sure of it. You are safe here."

"We have rooms for you. I know you are all exhausted after such a terrible thing." Port motioned to the path ahead of them.

"Did you say rooms? As in plural?" Barbara asked excitedly.

"Yes. Please follow us." Port begins to walk away as the group trails behind him, Theodore still steaming but attempting to calm down.

"Hmph. Probably."

They walked with the teachers to a small, one-story house facing the three dorm buildings with the woods at its back. It shared the architecture as the rest of the school. There was one window to the left of the door and two to its right. The roof was a hip type with black tiles.

"We get a whole bloody house?" Barb questioned; eyes wide in shock.

"Yes. Professor Port insisted on it. It's a prototype we had built for dorm renovations next summer. It wasn't being used for anything." Ms. Goodwitch explained.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Barbara rushed inside.

"You could consider yourselves test subjects."

"There, uh, there aren't any cameras in there, right?" Fenrir turned to her, his worries turning from the decaying corpse in the lawn to his own privacy.

"No, we do not put cameras in the dorms; in fact, you will have more privacy than the rest of the students."

"I see. No cams, but a nice big target on our backs. Great."

"Would you rather live in a singular room, crammed together like sardines?" Fenrir begins to open his mouth to respond.

"No! He does not speak for the rest of us!" Barb shouted from inside the house.

"Look on the bright side, we'll have most if not all of our stuff." Theo nudged him in the shoulder.

"Whose magazines are these?" Barb exclaimed.

"I better get in there, before she opens more boxes." Theodore scurried inside as the rest followed.

The house opened into a large living area, separated by a solid granite bar countertop, connected to the kitchen. Another slab lined the other wall as a makeshift counter and support for the stainless-steel sink. The bar had four black stools with leather backrests. The living room had a corduroy couch as well as a black recliner and a blue armchair. Both chairs rested by a small table each while a teak wooden coffee table sat in front of the couch. Ahead of that was a black dresser with four drawers. Atop was a metal bar that matched the drawer's length, a holographic screen projected from the sliver of blue light along its length. To the right of the tv was a hallway, two doors on each side and one at the end. To the left of the tv was a sliding glass door that led to a small patio outside. There was a set of folding doors in the kitchen that led to a laundry room. The entire house, besides the tiled kitchen, was a walnut hardwood.

"You'll find your rooms down the hall, the bathroom is at the end. We've left your schedules and other information that pertains to the school on the counter. We'll leave you be for now, but before we do, there's one last thing to establish." The four looked at the headmaster. He looked over them, his decision now being brought to their attention.

"Fenrir, Theodore Arkades, Barbara Boomer and Richard Lionheart. The four of you survived the Emerald Forest and all that hounded you. From this day forward you will work together as team FABL. Led by Fenrir." Fen and Richard's eyes widened in shock, Barbara grinned, and Theo smiled broadly.

"What?"

"Sir, could you repeat that? And did you say, 'the bathroom'? As in one?"

"Hey buddy. Proud of you!" Theo lightly jabbed Fen's shoulder.

"FABL. Got a nice ring to it. Looks like it's going to be an interesting year."

"And with that we bid you adieu. Sleep well tonight. Classes start at 8 AM. If you have any further questions or concerns, please see Ms. Goodwitch in her office." Glynda narrowed her eyes at her boss in disapproval. If looks could kill, he'd have died a hundred times on the spot.

"One more thing. We have new scrolls for you, feel free to transfer your data from your old one if you had any at all. They are already connected to the school's Wi-Fi. We will see you in class children." They were given the devices and the teachers walked out, Theodore following them close behind.

"Professor Port." His grandfather stopped to speak to him.

"Thanks for the house. And for moving our stuff in such short notice."

"Don't worry about it, lad. Why when I was your age, I found myself moving around cargo much larger nearly every day. Soon enough you'll have to start moving around if you stay at this academy."

"About that." Theo scratched the back of his head.

"How long will we have to be here?" Theo said quietly.

"I know this is hard, but the best place for you is close to me. I know I haven't always been around, especially recently, but hopefully this can give us the opportunity to spend some time together."

"Yeah, guess I'm happy about that."

"And I am more than happy to have you here. Sleep well Theodore, goodnight."

"You too, night." Theo went inside and everyone was picking out their room.

Fenrir was across the hall. His was the smallest of the rooms and with the least things. He had the bunk beds from the old house against the left wall. Several backpacks sat in a corner, more than likely to be loaded with med kits, Perishables, and other bug out supplies. He had emptied out a large plastic laundry basket onto the floor, a pile of clothes made a hill in the center of the room. Fenrir sat on the bottom bunk, thumbing through his scroll.

"I can see you're making yourself at home."

"Can't dig through clothes as quick if they're in a trashcan."

"It's a basket."

"Could be both." Theodore stared at him for a minute, thinking how strange it would be living with Fenrir. He wasn't used to civilization or its etiquette, or laws, or technology as Theo noticed he kept tapping at the closed hardware.

"Need some help?"

"Yeah. How do you work this thing? There like a button on the side or something?" Theo smiled and walked over to his clueless comrade.

"Your hopeless. Hold your thumb on the yellow diamond." Fenrir did so and blue holographic display popped up.

"Shit. Didn't know scrolls were so high tech now. Thought we were still on glass screens."

"People still do, but this is just the latest model. It's a phone, computer, ID, key to the house, and…"

Theo took the scroll and pulled it apart. A hard light holo- screen spread from the two halves. Fenrir's eyes widened and he took back the scroll as Theo handed it to him.

"That's sick!"

"Mess around with it. You'll figure it out."

"Ok. Show me some porn." He kept his composure a moment before cracking a smile.

"What?"

"It's what your computer does. Oh, oh, uh, uh, steal some music for me. Or talk about politics and bore the shit out of me. Do you have any pictures of cats in serious situations? What's 9 times 8?"

"You know what? Fuck you. You're not getting any pizza." Theo replied mockingly at Fenrir, pulling out his own scroll.

"What? Theo, no. I'd take it back in a heartbeat. Please give me pizza."

"Since you're begging, want a meat lover?"

"Yesss! Dude, I'm starving."

"Two meat lovers it is. Gonna ask the others what they want." Theodore walked out the room and down the hall. He could hear boxes being opened in the second room to the right. The tearing of tape and rustle of cardboard echoed through the house.

"Now that's a katana!"

"Oh no." Theo rushed to the door. Inside, Barbara sat on a queen-sized bed that rested by the window diagonally. An assortment of boxes around her and a copy Ninjas of Love in hand. A long poster unfolded from the book.

"This yours?" Though his cheeks burned red, Theo had to press on.

"Yeah, it's mine. That's also my bed. And my boxes. Think this is supposed to be my room"

Barbara looked around and closed the book, folding the katana back in place. She looked him straight in the eyes with an unwavering stare.

"Dibs."

"What?"

"Dibs. I just called dibs. It's my bed now. Dibs."

"No, it isn't. I was in it first."

"You didn't call dibs, I did. Dibs. See?"

"You can't call dibs on a bed. That's ridiculous!"

"Um, Yeah, dibs, see? I just did it again. Dibs. Now unless you plan on carrying me out of 'my' room…" She picked up a box and handed it to him.

"Fine. You win. You want a pizza?"

"I'd love one. Think you could me get a veggie?"

"You got it." He said, begrudgingly taking his things from her.

"And garlic bread?"

"Don't push it. You did just steal my bed."

"Haven't you heard of the international dibs protocol?" She yelled as he walked out. He placed the box in the opposite room and added the order to the list, then continued back down the hall to the room opposite Fenrir's and knocked on the door.

"Hey Richard, you in there?"

"Yes. Please, do come in!" He replied through the door a little too enthusiastically. Theodore opened the door and was shocked to see the room was already set up. Richard sat upon a king-sized bed that had red satin bed curtains with gold tassels, a matching set of sheets and comforter, and an array of pillows. All neatly made and in place. There was already a large rug laid on the floor, in a byzantine pattern. The bed was planted to the right of the door, framed in dark oak. A set of dressers lined the right and back wall, the taller of the two sat next to the window. An ornate folding screen covered the left wall, though a tall mirror could be seen peeking overhead.

"Some set up you got here. How'd you get this done so fast?" Theo exclaimed.

"Why my pages prepared the room during our initiation. Quite the bother they caused Professor Goodwitch, from what their letter tells." He rose from the bed holding the chest plate of his armor, the chain mail cloak facing Theodore. The arms of the armor hung loosely from connected pauldrons. With a press of a button the mail that connected everything winched to close the chest piece and he sat it on the small dresser.

"Barbara's possessions as well as mine took up a whole room in a dorm. More mine really. They had a rather heated discussion with Ms. Goodwitch before Professor Port let them know of this cozy little cottage." He continued as he went behind the screen.

"I must say, we've had quite the stroke of luck these last few days. Be it gods or the good will of lady fortune, I hope their smiles last upon us for longer. Wouldn't you agree?" He stepped out garbed in luxurious set of red pajamas, cloaked in a smoking jacket. The striking flame of a match came to a rose wood churchwarden pipe; he puffed on it for a few seconds, releasing a small opaque cloud before coughing lightly.

"Yeah man, couldn't agree more." Theodore tried his hardest to not laugh, smiling as genuinely as he could with a tight face.

"Anyhoo, you want a pizza?" He asked, stifling a chuckle.

"A what?"

"Pizza."

"What's pizza?" Theo looked at him with a terrified expression.

"What's pizza?!" He repeated in shock.

"Are you saying pitas? Like Greek food?"

"Nooo! Pizza! Dough! Marinera sauce! Mozzarella! Pepperoni!"

"Oh calzones."

"No! Well yeah, like that, but flat!"

"An unfolded calzone. Why would you unfold a calzone?"

'Oh my god, because we're civilized!' Theo thought to himself.

"So, is that a yeah or a, no?" He asked trailing off.

"As they say, when in Mystral. I shall take you up on your offer."

"Alright man." Theo added another pie to the list.

"I'll knock when food gets here." He said, leaving Richard to his room to contemplate this 'pizza'.

Within the hour, the food had arrived. A load knock heard behind the door as the scent of cheese and marinara wafted through its cracks. Theo retrieved the boxes from a very tired delivery man, handing him a 10 and 5 Lien bill from his wallet. He set them on the counter and opened them all individually.

"Hey, come get your grub!" He called out down the hall. Fenrir rushed from his room, grabbing a slice and shoving it in his mouth. Barb came out second, brow furrowed as her eyes widened.

"Aye. Get a plate, and don't shove food in your mouth. Or your clothes." Theo admonished Fen as he was putting a rolled-up slice into his pocket.

"Did you get a pie for each of us?" Barb asked curiously.

"You did ask for a veggie." Theo replied, placing a veggie slice on a plate and passing it to her.

"Fair. But I mean for everyone else."

"Well, I can eat my body weight in pizza. And considering Fenrir's lifestyle, he needs to eat something besides squirls and leaves."

"Ay, I eh harries." Fen mouthed with a face full of pie.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Fen swallowed and repeated what he meant to say.

"I said I eat berries."

"My point exactly." Theo said pointing a thumb at him. Fen flipped his middle finger at him as he ate another piece. He turned his head at the creak of a door.

"I'll say, it does smell wonderful, whatever it is." Richard walked out, the scent of tobacco fresh on his pajamas.

"Cool. I didn't have to come get you. Pop a squat, grab a slice." Theo handed him a plate.

"Thank you." He looked around the table for a second, scanning the spread for something.

"Um, pardon, where are the utensils located?"

"You want to eat your pizza with a fork and knife?" Barb relied quizzically with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes. Do you not eat this with such?"

"Well, yeah." Theo shrugged his shoulders.

"Why?" Richard inquired.

"Oh my god, because were civilized!" Fenrir exclaimed. Theo couldn't help but laugh.

"I beg your pardon? A civilized plan wouldn't have been to latch ourselves to a massive beast and risk falling to our doom."

"You seemed to be thrilled to be alive earlier; and hey, we're alive. It was either the one flying or the hundreds crawling on the ground." Richard looked at him and rubbed his chin.

"I still think my plan would have worked, but you make a point." Richard thought if that was the deciding factor in Ozpin picking him as leader.

"Let's just be thankful we're still breathing. No Grimm, no bloody forest or fire. Just good food and new friends." Barb intercepted, raising a slice.

"She's right. We got four years to get to know each other. Save the bickering for later. Enjoy the moment." Theo raised his piece. Richard smiled and raised his slice clumsily in kind.

"Here here."

"Yep yep." Fen raised his plate as he stood from the stool.

"Where are you going?"

"Gunna finish this and sleep. Been too long of a day." Fenrir made his way down the hall to his room.

"He's got the right idea. It's been 48 hours since I've been in a bed, and I intend to sleep as much as possible before tomorrow." Barbara said before taking another bite.

"Do – do I just put the whole thing in my mouth?" Richard asked as Fen walked away.

"NO!" Barb and Theo yelled in unison.

"But that was what Fenrir did."

In Fenrir's room, he pulled out his buzzing scroll. It had been vibrating for the past few minutes. A phone number appeared on the holo-display: 555-666-7777. Before he could swipe to answer, the call hung up and a text appeared before him.

555: Come outside. Now.

Fenrir: Who is this?

555: How many people actually talk to you.

Fenrir stared at the phone, slightly dumbfounded.

555: Look out your window.

Outside, underneath the shadow of a tree, was a figure in a hooded cloak. The only light to be scene was the blue hue of a scroll, before it cut off, casting the shape into darkness.

"Shit." Fenrir's ears folded back as he cursed. He unlocked his window and crawled out, wading into that darkness.

Author's notes: Yeah, this one took even longer than the last. New job sucks, job hunting sucks, procrastination, and writers block suck man. But it felt good to make a dialogue heavy chapter. And the good news is that the next chapter was written long ago, so that will be out soon… probably. Some of the funnier bits were edited by my roomie. Shit's been crazy recently, think that goes without saying, but hopefully you all enjoy. Also, hope you've been enjoying this little playlist thing I've been doing. This song and band in particular was something I found high school, back when I was first thinking of this story. Back then it was an apartment in Vale, but that just didn't jell the more I thought about it. And any chance I have to plug this band, I'll take. They've moved on to other projects, but all of they're work is incredible in my eyes. Check them out on youtube!