Mayumi had never realized that so much of this huntsman training would revolve around classroom activities. Dust Augmentation, History, Law, Grimm Studies. Textbooks slamming on her desk. Teachers, dashing around the classroom or moving sluggishly between the students, preaching their lessons. The first few days held no time for adjustment. No. Instead, she was thrown, head-first, right into a world of learning and facts and all sorts of things to be memorized. Names were the worst of it all. Not only did she have to struggle to remember the dates of important events and the species of Grimm and their domains, but she also had to remember the professor's names! She couldn't hold their names in her memory, which had always been testy. She marveled at how Pixie remembered so much about each teacher, knowing not only their name, but also what kinds of snacks they liked, and how to behave around each one.

"Goodmorning Professor Port!"

As the two saunter into Professor Port's classroom, Pixie calls out to the stout old man peering through his grey facial hair at some papers on his desk. Mayumi wonders just how he could see through his thick eyebrows and wildly growing facial hair. Before she can stare too long, Pixie ushers her along with her two new "teammates". Pixie seems to have taken a strong liking to the young boys, much to Mayumi's confusion. As soon as they had settled into the dorm rooms, Pixie had gathered the group up around her and declared loudly that she was determined to host the finest team to pass through Beacon. Randy and Gabriel have since been rather complacent in Pixie's antics. They are, Mayumi assumes, bewildered by her.

Professor Port hobbles out from behind his desk, finished looking over the messy stack of papers settled there. He raises a hand to gesture to the class, and begins to speak in his low, muffled tones.

"Now, students, today we will be trying something a bit different. Rather than our usual classes and projects, we'll be doing some field work. When I was a young boy sitting in your very own seats, I learned the importance of field missions."

Mayumi can sense a story coming on the tail-end of his introduction. He pats his stomach, tugging at the long hairs of his mustache. "But today we don't have time for stories of my youth, instead we're going to get right to business."

There's a sigh of relief around the lecture hall, including from Mayumi. She's excited by field work. Field work didn't include memorizing the movements of Grimm and their habits, instead it was just go and take care of them. That is something Mayumi can do just fine.

"Today you will be preparing for a mission which I will assign to you. As a huntsmen, it'll be important for you to practice field work, and Grimm exterminations are some of the most popular missions that huntsmen take up during their career. You'll work with your team to prepare for a mission, plan out your battle strategy, as well as ensure that you will have a place to stay because many of these will be overnight trips outside of the city limits. Of course, this activity does have to follow school safety procedures, so a professor or registered huntsman will be going with," he says, pacing before the assembled.

"Your grade will be determined by the huntsmen's report of your team's performance. You'll get both an individual score, as well as a team score, and those will be averaged for your grade. Do any of you have any questions before I begin passing out assignments?"

There's a buzz in the air as the many anxious students exchange glances, though not a single one raises their hands. Mayumi's eyes gleam.

"None? Ah, well if you all think of any, remember there is plenty of time between now and then, so I encourage you to come ask me if any crop up. For now, you all sit tight as I call everyone up." Walking back to his desk, he picks up a thin, clean, stack of papers holding the team names of his students. He coughs gruffly to clear his throat, and starts calling up team after team to explain their assignment.

"This is pretty neat." Randy says, fidgeting in his seat. "You guys have much experience with killing Grimm? Like, in the field?" He glances at Pixie, as she had been bragging rather frequently about her vast experience in Grimm slaughter. She grins, flashing her sharp fangs. Mayumi's heart flutters. She can taste one of Pixie's larger-than-life stories coming on, just dancing on her companion's tongue.

"Oh, honey, this'll be such a piece of cake. Sure thing, sweetie, I know all about experience in the field. You know, in all my travels, I've spent plenty of time bringing them down. Hoards of them, all slewn," she says. She drags her arm in front of her, replicating a fell swoop of her sword.

Gabriel watches the odd couple as Pixie delves into her story. Mayumi hangs onto every word that Pixie says, nodding like a little bird transfixed by a shiny piece of string. Despite Mayumi's soft nature, she sticks tight with this obnoxious companion. It's curious that they came to be friends and he couldn't think of why. He wants a chance to ask Mayumi about it, but Pixie is always hovering right behind her, arms swooped over Mayumi's shoulders like the wings of a vulture. To pair it off, over the last couple days he had started to feel as if Pixie had been watching him. Carefully. Taking chances to separate the two didn't seem wise.

"Say… Gabriel! How are you feeling about this? Pretty interesting, eh?" Pixie says as she breaks from her story. With a saunter, she shimmies past the other two, sitting on Gabriel's other side. She places a warm hand on his shoulder and he shivers. To him, her hands burned like ice.

"I think," he starts, pausing to carefully ponder his next words. He had come to realize that this vibrant woman had a tendency to snap vivaciously between moods, something he had to tiptoe around.

"I think… that it sounds like a grand time," he settles on, after much consideration.

Whipping her head back, she laughs loudly, her fangs brandishing in the air. She gives his shoulder a tight squeeze. "You sure are funny," she says in a low voice. Patting his back, she pulls away.

He squirms slightly in his seat, though he bites his tongue to prevent any complaints from slipping. His heart quickens in his chest. Playing with the frayed edge of his jacket where he had torn the sleeve off, he watches her carefully. She's leaned back, relaxed, and breathing softly as the seconds of class tick by.

All of a sudden she's up with a burst of energy, and Gabriel quickly realizes why.

"Team Pomegranate! Please, come down I have your assignments prepared! P-M-G-R! Approach!" Port calls in a flurry. Pixie juts her chin into the air and starts to march between the seats of the lecture hall down to Port's desk. Like a little dark haired puppy, Mayumi follows close behind, one hand held out to try and grasp at Pixie's and that foxish tail of hers streaming from the skirt of her school uniform. Randy pops up and takes his place, and Gabriel rounds out the rear.

As they approach, Port catches them all in the stare of his little eyes. They glint black and warm, soft like warm coals left to cool. With a glance down, he shuffles through his papers until he finds their assignment.

"Ah, this seems like a good one. There's a group of boarbatusks that have started destroying a farmer's crops in a little town outside of Vale by the name of Nyma, and causing a great deal of harm to his workers. Nasty little fellers, they are. But nice and easy for some first years. However-" he pauses abruptly, catching them all in a stare that was supposed to be intimidating. The Professor's soft face paired with the roundness of his stomach didn't build the appearance of a frightening man.

"There is a strict lack of casualties here. That is the challenge. Do not damage his corn any more than the boarbatusks have, and do not harm a single building or farmhand. That will result in a severe reduction of points. Something that's just as well to keep in mind, you are only to kill the boarbatusks. No other Grimm, that wasn't authorized," he says. After a pause, he chortles and pats his chest. "Don't stress too much, though. I'm sure you'll do fine. Now, disperse!" he orders. The professor holds the paper out to them, which Pixie eagerly snatches before marching off. She leads the procession like a drill sergeant, head held about just as high.

"Boarbatusks! Let me tell you, I'll have those taken care of right and good!" she proclaims. Her body sways with energy. Lighting sparks at the tips of her fingers as they flicker in the form of erratic gestures. A long smile beams from cheek to cheek and her pigtails bounce softly against her shoulders.

When they're settled back in their seats, they start pouring over information on their computers and scrolls as Pixie drones on about the fights she's won against boarbatusks.

~Scene Break~

A book lays on the table in front of Mayumi as she struggles to read it. Her mind feels as though it is full of insects, buzzing just as much as a hornets nest. The first few minutes of the chapter had been ok, but as she continued on the words began to run together as if someone had spilled juice all over the pages. It was from her Dust Use and Augmentation class, which Mayumi didn't understand at all. She knew that dust could be used in weapons, Professor Ivan had told her all about his mad genius in that very application of it, but that was back in Chaos when she herself hadn't had to understand how to do it herself.

Back in Chaos. She shuts her book and leans back to think about the group, what the others were doing at this very moment. Oh, she was sure Ivan was being rather patient. Most others would be anxious, waiting for the information Pixie and Narcissa were going to bring, but not Ivan. The Professor was always calm. Nothing riled him. Resting her chin on her hands, Mayumi sighs softly and thinks about how happy he will be when they return. Maybe he'd even laugh. He rarely ever did so. Drifting on daydreams of Ivan's laugh and level head she didn't notice Clover approaching her from behind until he tapped on her shoulder.

"Hey, Mayumi?" he asks. Mayumi jumps, gripping the hilt of her sword with fright.

"Clover! Don't surprise me like that!" she yelps. Clover chuckles and holds his hands up in surrender.

"Relax, just me! I just noticed that you seemed to have given up on your readings from Dust Augmentation and was wondering if you needed some help. I finished mine yesterday, so I can gladly help you with yours." he explains. He pulls out a chair and sits down next to her, reopening her book to the proper chapter.

"Here. I've noticed you've been having problems paying attention in class, and keeping your mind in your books. Let's see if we can make this more interesting so that it holds your attention, and you can actually remember what you're reading," he offers.

"The words all run together, like water color paint," she sighs, looking away with a pout. "And this textbook is boring. Speaking of paint… I've started running out. I should go get some…" she murmurs, her mind drifting into the clouds again. Clover gives her shoulder a quick shake.

"Mayumi: back to present." he says sternly. "Do you like painting?" he asks after some consideration.

"Yes! Oh, I love watercolors. Acrylics are ok, but watercolors are so pretty! Oh, and drawing. I love drawing people," she says smoothly. This was much better than dust already.

"What else do you like? I saw you against that King Taijitu, you seemed to be pretty good at fighting. Do you like that?" he asks. Mayumi pauses, glancing up at the ceiling. She supposes she enjoyed fighting. It was fun...as long as it was Grimm. Especially afterwards, when the Grimm was killed and she was praised for her hard work. Not as fun as painting, but fun in its own right.

"Yes! I do like fighting. Especially Grimm!" she chirps. Clover nods slowly. His expression is one of serious thought, like a brooding owl. Or a lizard. He smelled an awful lot like a lizard, so she supposed that comparison was much more proper.

"Do you use dust when fighting?"

Mayumi frowns and crosses her arms. Of course! It was all a ruse, he was just trying to get back to her schoolwork and dust. Here she was, thinking he was saving her from it, but of course it was just a trap!

"Yes. I do. Mostly just the gravity dust in my swords, Pixie uses it much more than I do," Mayumi replies with the harshness of a growling dog.

"Well...how does Pixie use it?"

"She uses it in her weapon, and with her semblance. And sometimes, she puts it in her clothes," Mayumi explains.

"Hey, add 'injected into the skin'" and you've got all of the basic ways people can use dust, that's what Professor Dimitri wants you to memorize for the quiz," Clover explains tentatively. Mayumi's betrayal slides away like water off her back and she scoots closer, looking up with wide eyes.

"Really? That's it?"

"Yeah. That's all the textbook is really telling you, they just take longer to do it."

"Huh. Well, I think the authors of this textbook need to learn a thing or two about the art of being concise," Mayumi says with a tight scowl. Clover chuckles, and to this Mayumi glances at him with surprise.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You."

Bewildered, Mayumi stares at him. She frantically glances down at herself, suddenly worried that perhaps she had something odd stuck to her somewhere. She pats her blouse, staring at her skirt.

"What are you doing?" he asks with a cocked brow.

"Well...is there something on me? You were laughing at me!" she cries defensively. Clover chuckles, which sends Mayumi spiraling further into confusion.

"No, I was laughing because you said something funny. There is nothing wrong with what you're wearing," he says calmly. Not quite trusting him, Mayumi sends him a harsh look.

"Really? Are you sure? I don't just have dirt on my shirt, and you aren't telling me?"

"Yes, I am quite sure. I promise I am not pulling your leg."

"Well I know that!"

"Things really go over your head, don't they?"

Mayumi opens her mouth and lets it hang like a door with a broken hinge, finger held in the air as a signal of her surrender. After a pause, she decides against whatever she was about to argue and stares down at her skirt cast in a deep red blush, a pleasant feeling mixing with the embarrassment. He was laughing at her, but it was so good humored that it felt strange.

"I suppose they do,"

Mayumi laughs, stopping as Clover glances to a space above her head. With a twitch of her nose she soon realizes that Clover is staring at an approaching Pixie, whose heels are clicking against the hard wood of the library floor.

"Oh Yu-Yu!" she cries. With a flurry, she flings her arms over Mayumi's shoulders and wraps her in a tight hug. Eyes of electric energy are locked on Clover with a dark expression flashing jealously, like a pet left unattended to. Pixie squeezes Mayumi's shoulder, her lush voice bleeding into Mayumi. It wraps its way around her throat like seaweed, squeezing like a serpent.

"Pixie! Oh...hi! Clover's helping me with the reading for Dust Augmentation!" Mayumi replies perkily, though when Pixie hesitates to leave she feels her heart sink a little lower. She is enjoying Clover's company, and it pains her knowing Pixie is going to take her away. Fingers curl around Mayumi's wrist and Pixie snatches up her textbook, tugging lightly.

"I, uh, wasn't done explaining the chapter to her."

"Oh, well what a shame. I can help her study, I know all about dust. As a matter of fact, I use it quite often," Pixie says cheerfully, venom laced into her words. She looks at Clover quite similarly to the way someone would look at a carcass that's been rotting in the sun for a week or so. Mayumi doesn't open her mouth to protest. Instead, she smiles breezily and waves in an offhand way to show her thanks. All at once, Pixie whisks around with Mayumi's textbook in one hand, and the young girl's wrist in her other.