Chapter Three
"I stand before all of you blooming young students to warmly welcome you into our prestigious Beacon Academy."
Empty words fall into Mayumi's lap as she stands in the crowd, listening to both Ozpin's voice and the excitable breath of the students standing stock-still around her. She can't help but feel that these words were impersonal at best, and off-putting at worst. His eyes stare blankly across the room, seeming to skim over the heads of the people so intently tuning in. It was as if she was listening to a sermon being given by a nonbeliever, every single word falling flat and hanging for an unusually long time in the air.
"Every one of you came here with a purpose, some sort of internal force that has pushed you towards this place. Whether you wanted to become a huntsman for the excitement and glory or for the simpler fulfillment in helping others, you are brave, and surely talented, to have come this far. This school will provide you with the tools to help you accomplish your goals. I hope my fellow professors and I will be able to guide you to all become respectable huntsmen. Thank you."
Ozpin sighs heavily, nodding to the assembled students. A glint of light flashes over his glasses as he turns on his heels, whisking himself off of the stage. Mayumi stares, her attention lingering on where he stood. It feels as if a ghost had been floating there, dead words echoing in the stale air. The words, like the speaker, lack the substance and emotion that breathed life into speech. His words are ghost just like him: A mere shell of the man who had interviewed her. It made her shiver, just the thought of it.
"You doin' ok Yu-Yu?" Pixie's lush voice bleeds over her shoulder. Her warm fingers squeeze Mayumi's arm, her chest pressing against Mayumi's shoulders blades. She giggles, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Just think: we could be huntresses if Ivan lets us stay here long enough, not like I need the training, you on the other hand…" she giggles again, squeezing Mayumi tightly. "Pay attention in class," she teases.
Mayumi blushes, her skin crawling with embarrassment.
"O-of course Pixie," she stutters, twiddling her thumbs. Pixie laughs as a woman enters the stage.
"Hello students, I am Glynda Goodwitch. Please, all of you head to the cafeteria. We have cots set up for you, now I suggest all of you take this night not only to rest, but to become acquainted with each other and the school. You will be dismissed in groups. Section 1A, please follow Professor Port. Section 1B please follow Professor…" she calls, though Mayumi stops paying attention soon after she begins listing instructions. She glances over at Pixie and Narcissa, who are both watching the blonde woman on stage intently. She must have called their section, because Pixie grasps Mayumi's wrist and starts pulling her across the room, weaving through the students they had been standing with.
After a few turns through the halls and a brisk walk between buildings, the group enters what Mayumi presumes to be the cafeteria. The man who had been leading them holds the door open and gestures inside.
"I am Professor Dimitri, I teach Dust Use and Augmentation…" he starts, though his words slip through her attention like sand through fingers. Instead of listening, she was squirming away from Pixie's grasp. Her arm hurt, and she finally saw a chance for true, if momentary, freedom. She finally escapes and reaches for Vira, pulling her away from Narcissa. The woman takes quick notice and sends a sharp glare slicing straight through Mayumi.
"Where are you going?"
"Uh… exploring? Like the professor said." Mayumi responds timidly to her harsh words. Narcissa stands with a hand on her hip, glaring down at Mayumi like a serpent. She swallows, holding herself with stiff muscles as she awaits some sort of punishment. Thankfully, Pixie is leaning against the wall near the young professor that had been their guide, already batting her eyelashes and murmuring softly to him with a sultry expression painted across her slender face. Narcissa sends a tired look over at her unruly partner, pressing her palm against her forehead. Mayumi can barely contain her relief, or her excitement, and a grin escapes.
"Fine, go. Explore. I've gotta deal with Pixie...but don't get into trouble. Remember why we're here, and make sure you find us in a couple of hours or I'll have your neck. Are we understood?"
Mayumi silently nods, wiping the smile from her lips as she starts to back away.
"Excuse me, I asked a question I expect you to have the decency to answer me," she snaps. Her voice was so harsh Mayumi half expected her to start snarling like a maddened wolf. Thankfully, she does not and Mayumi quickly nods.
"Y-yes ma'am, we are understood." She says apprehensively. She turns before Narcissa can change her mind, hurrying away with Vira trailing behind. She couldn't help but feel Narcissa's eyes on the back of her neck. The crawling feeling spurred her to quicken her pace just to escape that burning stare.
After they had escaped Narcissa's line of sight, Mayumi notices Vira has slowed down significantly and her eyes are glued on a boy who could easily be mistaken for a giant. He's leaning against a wall, and by the looks of it he needs that wall to support his broad frame. His huge hands are wrapped around a lunch box, narrowed eyes intently inspecting it's contents. Long hair falls down to frame a jawline that's hidden from view beneath a braided beard.
"Vira…?" Mayumi asks, following Vira's eyes to the bear faunus she was so intently staring at. He's none the wiser to their stare, tiny ears flickering as he begins to enjoy the contents of his lunch.
"He's so big… I have something very important to ask him." Vira says, pulling away from Mayumi's grip to walk towards the boy, head held high with determination. Mayumi panics, stumbling as she gathers herself to dash after her companion.
"Vira! Wait! He could be dangerous, wait for me!" she calls. Her tail is a furry streak behind her as she scampers, quickly taking Vira's hand once more. The boy seems oblivious to their approach until they are right in front of him, Vira's wide eyes staring up at him with awe.
"What's your name?" Vira asks in a mystical voice, lost in fields of naivety.
He hesitates, watching them with caution. "Cerna," he responds gruffly, taking a bite of an apple he had been gnawing on.
"Cerna… hmm…you're so big; what's it like to be so tall?"
Mid-chew, the boy smashes the apple in his grip and coughs, choking on the bite in his mouth. He stutters for a moment, hacking up the apple in his throat before he can speak.
"W-what did you just ask me?" he asks, face flushing.
"What's it like to be so tall? Can you show me?" Vira asks with childish innocence, tilting her head. "I'm sorry… I have a soft voice. I'll be louder," she promises brightly, giving a tiny smile. Mayumi squeezes Vira's hand, watching Cerna with caution.
"No! No, you're fine. W-what do you mean? Like, carry you…?" Cerna ventures. Vira nods enthusiastically.
"Can I know your name first?" he asks.
"It's Vira. Oh! And this is Mayumi," Vira says, gesturing to her. Mayumi gives a small wave, staring blankly onwards, unimpressed with this boy whose shoulders Vira is about to mount. Well, attempt to mount, and an attempt was as far as Mayumi was about to let this endeavor go!
"Nice to meet your friend, she… she seems…nice." Cerna says, sneaking a glance.
"Oh, she sure is! Now that we all know each other, I'd like to be tall now," she says, giggling as if she just made a joke. Cerna crouches down, gesturing to his shoulders, his eyes quite serious. Vira's eyes widen.
"Oh my goodness, you're actually-" she starts, only to be cut off by a flash of silver as Mayumi draws a sword between the two. Cerna backs away and pulls his fists up to his chest. Slowly, after realizing the sword is merely a barrier and not a threat, he calms.
"Vira! Careful!" Mayumi says, her fingers quivering. Her heart pounds in her chest as she sizes up the boy. Surely this giant was just preparing some sort of trap to lure Vira closer to those huge hands of his. Vira blushes, reaching out and taking Mayumi's hand, her touch tender and the skin of her fingers soothingly soft. She gently pushes it, and the sword, away. Mayumi stares at her with confusion. Cerna was clearly a threat, a very large threat!
"Mayumi… uh, I think you should go get some fresh air. Ok? I'm ok, he's not gonna hurt me. Besides, Narcissa is here, so I'm totally safe. Ok?"
Mayumi frowns, then flushes with embarrassment and sheaths her weapon.
"Are you absolutely sure?" Mayumi starts, face reddening and cheeks puffed as she holds in sharper words. Vira nods, steadily meeting Mayumi's gaze.
"Absolutely. Now, you go and get some fresh air before I shove you out to get some!"
"Ok…. But, call me if you're in danger! Got it?"
Vira smiles sweetly, nodding with a burst of confidence. "Of course! Go get some fresh air, gogogo!"
Mayumi hesitates, but Vira's small hands pushing her away spurs her to walk off on her own. She glances around, looking for a door to lead her outside. One catches her eye, though the modern architecture didn't quite mesh with the rest of the school's castle-like design. She narrows her eyes, approaching to examine the door. She runs her fingers over the polished dark wood, her fingers resting on the smooth, cool surface. Her hands find their way to the delicately curved handle, and for a moment they hesitate before twisting. She pushes the door open and steps inside, coming face-to-face with an unhappy resident.
"Excuse me?"
A pair of pine green eyes stare out from an angled face, messy hair wavering every which way on his head. He's tall. Much taller than Mayumi, and she has to crane her neck to look up at him. She supposes it doesn't help that she's so much shorter than the average person, but he's quite a bit taller than the average person as well. And he's wearing a coat! It hangs loosely over a broad, clearly muscular form. She finds the coat to be the most unusual thing about him. It's summer's end, and she feels a deep heat from within the room. Surely a coat is unnecessary, but here's this stranger with one pulled around him.
She takes a step inside what looks like a small but furnished dining room, despite the mild protests from the boy in the doorway. He isn't standing in her way, so surely he couldn't want to keep her out that bad. The warmth of the room rolls over her. Like a hot towel in a Mistralian spa, she found the heat and weight of the air soothing. She lets the air seep into her pores, allowing her to release a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. For a moment she reveles in the heat and the softness of the air, the thickness of it.
"Where did the outside go?" she asks, glancing around with a curious gaze, "Is this part of the cafeteria, too?" She couldn't fathom why there would be a small dining room sticking off of the side of the cafeteria, nor could she recall seeing a piece of building sticking out from the outside.
"Uhh… no this isn't part of the cafeteria, and I don't work here. This is just my house."
"Your… house? Why is it here?"
"I can take it with me."
She stares in silence. The idea of someone taking their house with them isn't abnormal, but the door had appeared to be built into the walls of the school. The only explanation must be a semblance, but she can't understand how it works. She submerses herself in thought, twiddling her thumbs as she mulls over the possibilities. After a moment, she looks up, eyes wide as an idea strikes her.
"Is your semblance teleporting your house?" she asks. He laughs, shaking his head.
"No, I don't teleport my house. It's a pocket dimension."
"Pocket dimension?"
"Yeah, like a tiny dimension."
"Oh… tiny dimension… yeah makes… makes perfect sense." she mumbles, voice trailing off. She stands in the doorway in silence, unsure of what to do with herself. The lull in the conversation is a suffocating embarrassment but she can't clear her head enough to form the words to breach it, not when her thoughts were so choked with teleporting pocket dimensions. Thankfully, the boy is able to.
"What's your name?" he asks stiffly, sliding into a seat at the table. "I'm Clover, by the way."
"I'm Mayumi." she says in an airy voice, her mind still floating among the clouds of his semblance and the pocket dimension, little flowers doting the walls instead of whatever the glowing white flashes of light are. Without concentrating on what she's saying, she starts to mumble. "Clover is a pretty name, it's like a flower, isn't it?" she asks on the exhalation of an even breath. She rests her chin on her hand, staring past Clover at the stary green walls of the pocket house. "I like clovers," she states softly.
"Huh, what was that?" he asks, leaning forward to hear her better. She shakes her head, forcing the present onto herself. She smiles sweetly, placing her hands in her lap.
"Oh! Oh, uh, nothing," she replies. She hears heavy footsteps approaching and twists, wide eyes watching the door. Clover watches her with a cocked brow, but the steps get closer and louder he inevitably hears them as well. Both stare with stiff nervousness, each heart racing faster and faster until finally… the door swings open and a student with a mess of dark hair bursts in.
He's donning a tracksuit, though he really must not care for it very well because one of the sleeves is ripped clean off, strands of fabric brushing the fair skin of his shoulder. Though, perhaps it was on purpose to show off the pretty blue designs on his arm. Running beneath his skin, geometric patterns that looked like the veins of a robot decorated him, though he didn't smell like a robot. Either way, they were quite pretty so perhaps he was just so proud of them he didn't want to cover them up. She knew she would show off if she had a colorful arm like that.
He glances around, face flushing a bright red with embarrassment. By his posture, dancing feet, and desperate gaze Mayumi can guess that he's not where he wants to be, his next words only confirming what she already knew he was desperately searching for.
"This… this isn't the bathroom!" he yelps sharply, eyes flying open wide with shock as the blush of his face deepens. Clover presses his palm against his forehead, shaking his head.
"I really need to lock the doors…"
"Oh goodness, uh, no it's Clover's pocket dimension." Mayumi offers with a nervous smile.
"Wait, what?"
"Pocket- you know what, just come through here and use the bathroom and I can explain after. You're going to piss yourself," he says, placing a hand on the dark-haired boy's back. "Before you use my toilet, what's your name?"
"G-Gabriel," the boy stutters, his brows furrowing as he stumbles after Clover, trying to attempt to retain a shred of seriousness. Mayumi watches the back of his head, crossing her arms. This seemed like quite enough excitement for the night, so just as the boys disappear from her sight down a ladder, she turns on her heels and out the door.