Neo woke up that morning to a rough bit of shaking. She opened one eye slowly and pointed it, full of anger, at her assailant.
"Good Morning, Neo." Blake said, not letting herself get put off by the hostility. Not a morning person, eh? "Reaper's in the shower. You better get up if you want one too."
Neo's next gesture was plain and clear, even to anyone who didn't know sign language. She curled the single raised finger back into her fist and shoved it under her pillow. She was shaken once more a moment later. Or so it felt, except it was by a fully showered and dressed Reaper this time. "Neo, it's really time to get up."
Can I afford to miss my first day of school? Neo seriously considered it.
I suppose this is the price she pays for not getting any sleep in the cell night before last… Reaper frowned. "All right, you leave me no choice."
Suddenly, Neo was being lifted into the air. She was jolted awake in a panic as she was tossed over the scythe master's shoulder and carried into the bathroom. "Sorry, Ice Cream Cup." Reaper set Neo on her feet in the shower. "Better hurry, or we might miss breakfast. Blake already went, but Weiss won't leave without both of us."
Neo shook the last vestige of sleep off of her and nodded. I hope this isn't what every morning is going to be like… She lamented as she undressed and showered quickly. When she got out, she was redressed in her PJ's (well, Reaper's old ones from when she was still 'Ruby', but hers now), not having her newly issued uniform on her when she was dragged into the bathroom. "How quick of a dresser are you?" Weiss asked, obviously concerned at how rushed they were thanks to the multi-colored girl.
Neo set her hands on her hips and winked. Weiss was confused by the answer, until the lightshow started. Neo examined Weiss and Reaper to get the feel of the outfit before layering an illusion over her PJ's. She decided for the black-legging variant for her legs over the white socks, and made her trim pink. Weiss looked over the uniform in amazement, going so far as to poke at Neo. "Wow… That's a really good illusion…"
'Of course it is.'Neo signed. 'It's mine after all.'
Reaper stepped up to her pint-sized lover with a smile. "That will probably come in handy more often than Weiss hopes." She joked. "How do you feel about your first day?"
'I've been second in charge of a criminal organization for years.' Neo signed on her way out the door. 'We've fought with and against terrorists and monsters, even managed to bring down a cyborg brute with an aversion to flesh-wounds. School should be cake, comparatively.'
"Well, glad to see you're feeling confident." Weiss noted. "Hopefully it works for you."
Neo knew the school food here inside and out. Still, this was the first time she ever stepped into the spacious mess hall. There were students everywhere, and Neo finally felt the first sting of nerves. She was among the largest group of people actively fighting on the 'good' side of the law she had ever been in. She knew she was also on that 'good' side now too, but long-trained instincts are hard to suppress.
"Hey." Reaper laid her arm over Neo's shoulder, seeing her turmoil. "No one here really knows who you even are. They just see a new student with bright hair. Most of them probably won't ever know you, or your past."
Neo took a deep breath, considering Reaper's words. She looked back up to her black-clad lover and smiled. Her smile disappeared and she looked straight to her feet. Then back up to Reaper, then down to her feet, before looking straight ahead, crossing her arms, and pouting.
Weiss watched this display with curiosity. It increased when Reaper did the same visual check of Neo's feet before laughing. "What's so funny?" Weiss couldn't keep herself from asking.
"Nothing, Weiss…" Reaper managed. Neo's pout increased as Reaper laughed, and she soon stomped off to find the food, leaving Reaper behind. "Wait, Neo! I'm sorry! I couldn't… Oh crap…" Reaper giggled a little more. "She can't wear her excessive heels while in uniform." She finally explained to the heiress.
Weiss looked Neo's way and couldn't help but give a little giggle. Looks like I'm no longer the shortest one on the team. "Well, we should find Blake. I'm sure Neo can locate you in crowd of fake 'yous'."
As Weiss and Reaper found Blake, Neo found all the food. She ogled the sheer amount of all the tasty things Reaper used to deliver for her. The only thing that stopped her from taking triple helpings of everything was the fact that there were still so many students who needed to eat. She couldn't be too selfish in this new life. I think I can afford to be a little selfish, though. She thought to herself and smiled as she loaded her plate with one, massive helping of nearly everything.
Neo turned quickly, eager to return to Reaper's side, and accidentely bumped into someone in the process. Her food when everywhere, mostly on the clothing of Neo and the person she bumped into. She scolded herself at the loss of her food, and was about to give a rough eye-scolding to the person who ran into her… well she ran into… still, they were a little at fault, right? Neo's eyes came level with the individual now covered in what would have been her food, and all her accusations died within her.
A small amount of mashed potatoes went airborne again as two large, brown rabbit ears with rigid. "What are you doing here…?"
Oh crap… Neo's eyes went as wide as Velvet's. The muti-colored girl had no idea what to do… in the past, the bunny would already be bleeding, but Neo couldn't do that anymore… in fact, they only thing she could do was refer to someone who might know. (Which roughly translates into, run like fuck until she found and hid behind Reaper.)
Reaper easily spotted the tri-colored hair bouncing her way with speed. "Forgive me already?" Reaper joked. Then she saw Neo's panicked face. "Uh oh, what's wrong?"
Neo furiously signed rabbit over and over again. "Rabbit? Why would you be scared of a… oh…" Reaper looked up in time to see Velvet running their way. She quickly pushed Neo behind her, keeping a hand on her small lover.
Velvet ran up and came to a stop in front of the ex-criminal pair. "What is she doing here!?" She shot her accusation Reaper's way.
"Neo is here under the same program I am." Reaper told her. "She's here to turn her life around."
"She tried to kill me, twice!" Velvet screamed, catching the attention of nearby students.
"And I've killed a lot more people than you probably ever want to hear!" Reaper shot back, her eyes tinting red. The loud confession drew in more spectators. "But I'm still here. Neo is here to stay. Besides, it's not like she's going to try and kill you again, right?" Reaper squeezes the small girl's shoulder, who nodded fervently.
"I don't trust her." Velvet spoke with venom.
"Hey, what's going on? Who's this?" Sun ran up at that moment.
"This is the woman who tried to kill me twice, who dragged R-…" Velvet hesitated. Sun looked over Neo in confusion.
Reaper stared at Velvet. Who dragged Ruby down… that what she was going to say… so that's what this is about… Her eyes tinted darker, and she could feel Ember on the wings, ready to stop them from going wild. What right does she have… why can't she just move on… Reaper decided to shock Velvet. She brought her arm completely around Neo and pulled her close. "Velv… Neo is here with me. She's no danger, to you or anyone here. I promise."
Velvet looked between the two with realization growing in her eyes. I feel like I'm going to be sick… "Excuse me…" The rabbit faunus trotted away to the bathroom, leaving Sun behind.
Reaper sighed deeply, and Neo and Sun shared a look of common understanding. It was clear to both of them that Reaper and Velvet still had lingering feelings for each other. Or more accurately, Velvet still felt for 'Ruby' while Reaper was trying to soften the crash and burn they had turned into, hoping to keep a friendship intact on the other side. "I'm gunna go… wait for her at the bathroom door." Sun told them before walking off.
Neo sat down while Reaper went to get food for the both of them. After all that, they wouldn't really have a lot of time to eat before classes. Not that either was very hungry after that. When the bell rang, both of the ex-criminal's plates were still untouched.
Neo remembered the last time she sat in on Beacon classes. There were pros and cons to be found in comparing the experiences. As far as pros, she didn't have to stay invisible the whole day, now that she was actually supposed to be here. On the cons side, however, was the fact that since she was supposed to be here now, the teachers were all too happy to try and involve her.
The first class was Grimm Studies with the pudgy man, who's width was only matched by the magnificence of his mustache, though both were far surpassed by the man's ego. "Well, it seems we have a new student with us today!" he announced as the bell rang. "Miss… Neopolitan… no last name. curious. Why don't you come to the front and introduce yourself?" Port gestured to the space next to him behind the desk.
The class looked to Neo expectantly, and the multi-colored girl looked to Reaper for help. The scythe master thought of something on the spot. "Umm… Neo's mute! Yeah! So she can't really talk to the class."
"Well, how does she communicate with your team?" Port asked.
"Sign language." Weiss answered quickly, taking the opportunity to unleash some of her repressed spite. "Reaper could always translate to the class?"
"What a wonderful idea! Ms. Rose has been woefully un-interactive with the class since her own return." Port nodded triumphantly.
Reaper grumbled words of betrayal under her breath, pointed at Weiss, who only smirked. The ex-criminal pair soon stood up front. When they looked to each other, an idea sparked between them. A few silent gestures confirmed between them that they were on the same page. When Weiss saw the devious smiles grow on their faces, she immediately began regretting her moment of weakness. What on earth are they planning?
"Hello," Reaper began, watching Neo sign. The cloaked huntress had to suppress laughter as she continued 'translating'. "My name in Neopolitan, and I have joined Beacon under the Rehabilitative Custody program."
Weiss face palmed, Blake just stared, and someone else who must have known sign language began snickering quietly behind them. What Reaper was saying was just fine, but not at all what Neo was signing. Things like Did you ever consider how kinky you could be with a unicorn? and The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell were spouted in equal measure. Any inane thing that came to Neo's mind was signed, and Reaper barely managed to get through the 'introduction' without bursting into laughter.
When they finally got out of that class, the one kid from the back that knew sign language high fived the duo. Weiss was utterly defeated. The one time she thought she got a little payback for all the headaches these two had given her lately, and they turned it into a joke Yang would have been proud of. And another headache. She was just glad Port didn't know sign language.
Again, Neo more or less zoned out throughout the next few classes, paying enough attention to pick up what the classes were about, but not really enough to learn anything. She was going to have to work on that, she realized. For now, though, she just worked on a plan to get her a Reaper all the 'alone time' they could possibly need tonight.
The next class she was coherent for was Doctor Oobleck's history class. The green human accelerator was just as intriguing to watch as before. Interestingly enough, she also found it was actually helping her pay attention to the class itself. By the time they got out of that one, she was actually confident she would enjoy and do well in that particular class.
The day was getting better since the disaster at breakfast. And then Lunch hit. At the end of it all, Neo would find herself wondering if they should just avoid the mess hall in the future, and Reaper would likely seriously consider finding their old table. But they were still happy at the moment, with no indication anything would go wrong.
Again, Neo had to get up alone, this time to refill her drink halfway through the half-hour. When she didn't return after a while, Reaper had a bad feeling in her gut, and decided to go find her. Weiss was off in the bathroom, so she told Blake she would be right back. Blake, ever the trusting one, simply nodded and let her go.
What Velvet pulled that morning was refreshed in her mind, and her eyes tinted again. When she finally found Neo, what she saw pushed her over the edge. Ember had to take over to stop Reaper from killing Cardin, who was currently giving Neo very unwanted attention.
"Hello, little girl." He said. "What are you doing here all alone?"
Neo tried to get away, but Cardin pushed her back into place. Again, Neo was afraid to retaliate, afraid what it would do to her Rehabilitative Custody. She didn't want to lose this opportunity, her chance with Reaper, because of quarrels and bullies. Without a voice, she couldn't tell Cardin off, though, and she was starting to think the bully was aware of that fact.
"Maybe we can have a little fun?" He teased.
"I'm not hearing a 'no'." Russel joined in, chuckling.
"You're right, Russ… No 'no' from our little girl here must be a 'yes', right Dove?" Cardin smirked.
"How about a 'no' from me, asshole?" The voice made them all jump.
Cardin looked between Ember and Neo, coming to a frightening conclusion. "Are, um… you and her… friends?"
"More than that, ass-jacket." Ember shoved him against the wall. His team mates all had scurried off already, and Neo stuck around to watch the show. "And now, you've royally pissed us off. Now, we're trying not to kill people, but…" Ember pulled a handful of plastic forks and spoons out of her pocket. "There are other things we are very willing to do…"