Chapter 4: Malice
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"I'm going to speak with the professor. Don't wait up."
That was what Coco said to them after Goodwitch's class, promptly leaving them to their own devices once again. The remaining members sit down for lunch. Velvet appears down as she picks at her food.
"This is starting to feel like Team FVY," Velvet grumbles.
Our leader's a busy bee, huh, Fox replied nonchalantly.
It doesn't bother you? Velvet asks.
Once I get used to school life and the academy's layout, I'd probably be off wandering around, too, so… I guess not.
You guys were made for each other, Yatsuhashi sent. Is… something else bothering you, V?
V? Velvet looks up at him.
Can I call you that? He looks worried.
Oh, of course! I was just surprised. My aunt also calls me V, Velvet laughs quietly. Her expression brightens and he looks relieved.
It's just… something silly. I wanted to show off Anesidora, so people would stop calling me a mascot. But, well, Coco took the first demo and then we had to take our test outside. It's just my bad luck, as always…
Fox puts a hand on Velvet's shoulder. Well, hey, we'll have sparring sessions later, so let's show them up then.
Actually, we're going to have a welcoming dinner tonight... But thanks, Fox. Maybe tomorrow.
Fox nods. He already spent all of the first class researching Team RUST, and without any standout abilities, it's going to be a piece of cake dealing with them. All he has to do is invite them to a duel during their self-directed sparring session. He picks up the slice of cake he had gotten and bites into it deliciously.
So, are you guys planning on joining any clubs? Velvet asks, changing the subject.
The gardening club. / What do you do in clubs? Yatsuhashi and Fox sent their replies simultaneously. Velvet looks at Fox curiously.
I don't know how it is in other kingdoms but here, our clubs are more of a recreational thing. Since we spend so much time training, clubs are a place to wind down and do something a bit different-at least, that's how it was at Pharos.
It's like that in Mistral, too, Yatsuhashi says.
Oh, I didn't go to school, so I wouldn't know, Fox states matter-of-factly. But they sound fun. What kind of clubs are there-other than gardening.
I sense some malice, Yatsuhashi jokes. Gardening is a great meditative activity-
You mean it's boring. Fox corrects him. Are there any sports clubs?
Yatsuhashi sighs defeatedly.
I'm sure there are but I haven't looked into it. There's a club fair coming up next week though. Do you guys… want to check it out? Velvet holds her breath as if expecting to be rejected. It's been such a long time since she invited anyone to do anything with her.
Sure. I want to check out what they're planting this year.
Sounds like a plan, Fox sent as well.
Should we invite Coco…? Velvet asks tentatively.
I'll shoot her a mental message in class, Fox sent.
Or I can message her right now in the scroll, Yatsuhashi says.
Oh. Fox chuckled out loud. Right, I always forget that's an option.
Velvet and Yatsuhashi also laugh, but the Faunus stops abruptly when she feels eyes on her again. It seems like they still caught students' attention even without the presence of their famous leader. Then again, she could imagine they appeared quite eccentric with the way they seemed to laugh out of the blue. She finds that she likes this feeling though, the sense that she's a part of something that no one else is. It makes her feel special, in a good way. That feeling lasted only a few seconds, however, before she notices Yatsuhashi staring threateningly over Velvet's shoulder.
What's wrong? Velvet asks.
The guy from this morning is staring at us. Doesn't seem like he's up to any good.
Velvet takes a peek behind her and sees Team RUST sitting a few tables away. Nothing about them really screamed big bad bullies-they dressed plainly in their school uniforms and kept to themselves-but the way they stared over their shoulders and the glint in their eyes were full of ill intent.
Should we go over there? That'd make it easier for me to memorize his Aura, too, Fox sent. Yatsuhashi made a sound of agreement.
What? No, let's not cause a scene… Velvet immediately shuts down that idea. Fox crosses his arms. Velvet's ears perk up when she registers what he just said. Wait, you can detect different people's Auras?
'Course. That's how I spar and fight Grimm. Fox holds a thumbs up. I can tell you more about it if you're interested.
Of course, I'm interested. We're going to be fighting as a team for the next four years-and, it would also help with the assignment Goodwitch gave us.
Much appreciated, Yatsuhashi adds then whips out his scroll. Let's give Coco the heads up on Team RUST, too.
Velvet sighs and looks to the side. Will she even care?
She should. She's Team CFVY's leader, Yatsuhashi presses the send button and snaps his scroll shut with a little more force than necessary.
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"Professor Goodwitch, may I speak with you?" Coco stayed behind after all the first years had left the amphitheater for lunch.
"Miss Adel. Of course, speak your mind."
"I wanted to continue where we left off… I don't believe that I am suited to be the leader of Team CFVY."
The mysterious smile from earlier returns as the professor appears to assess Coco. The first year doesn't back down, however, and stands tall.
"And why is that?"
"No offense to the headmaster, but I know myself pretty well. I am not the leader type. I cannot satisfy the requirements of a leader, and if we have to have one, I believe it would be in the team's best interest if Headmaster Ozpin reappoints."
"The team's best interest," Goodwitch echoes contemplatively. The smile never leaves her face, which is unnerving considering how the professor rarely smiled. "Miss Adel, not 24 hours has transpired since the welcoming ceremony. Perhaps, you should give it a bit more time before you make a final decision. However," she gestures for Coco to follow her, "you may put in an official request if your decision remains unchanged. Simply ask the office for the documentation you need."
The two of them stand at the entrance to the amphitheater facing each other. Coco feels her resolve weakening and resigns herself to wait a little longer. It seems like Beacon instructors are not to be underestimated.
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We invite you to Mistral, the city of the arts! We are proud to host the 39th Vytal Festival-
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Flyers about the Vytal Festival have been plastered all over the club fairgrounds, reminding Velvet of an unfortunate reality.
I can't believe the Vytal Tournament is going to be held in Mistral this year, Velvet sent. The broodiness could even be heard in their heads.
I'm not ecstatic about it either, but it is a beautiful city… Yatsuhashi offers, though it sounded unconvincing even to himself.
Is it that bad? Fox sent.
The kingdom itself is as culturally rich as Vale, but the main city doesn't reflect that very much, Yatsuhashi explains. They're not so kind to anyone who sticks out.
That sounds so backwards, Velvet says. You'd think it'd be the opposite.
But isn't the headmaster at Haven a Faunus? Fox asks.
Good question. I'm not really sure, but I remember it was all over the news in Mistral when Lionheart got his position. A lot of backlash.
Maybe he was chosen as a figurehead. A… mascot, Velvet sent.
Yatsuhashi looks down beside him at the Faunus. He couldn't see her expression, but it's clear from the way her ears have flopped down that she's distressed.
V, it's been two weeks… Rusty's still harassing you?
I wish you'd just let me beat them in a duel, Fox sent promptly afterwards.
Beating them up isn't going to change anything. It might just make things worse.Velvet sent. Besides, it's not just him… The Faunus could hear them everywhere. Virtually all the first years seem to have latched onto the term "mascot". Already, there have been two incidents where someone clipped a fake rabbit tail onto the back of her skirt. It was practically the same as writing a "kick me" note-it would've been a disaster if she hadn't noticed them and immediately thrown them in the trash.
They're clearly the ones who are behind it, Yatsuhashi sent. It's intentional. They are targeting you and their pranks are getting worse by the day-
I know. Velvet sighs heavily. I'll speak with… Who? The professors are here to instruct them, not help them deal with bullies. Training to be a huntsman means that their curriculum focuses on self-improvement and hand-me-outs have never been a part of that program. That was something she had to learn the hard way at Pharos. She supposed she could be asking their leader for help, but Coco was never around. Even today, she said that she had business in the city and that she couldn't bother with any club activities.
Let's bring it up with Coco again when she gets back, Yatsuhashi sent. It wasn't a question anymore and Velvet was too tired to openly reject.
"I'm, uh, going to check out the photography club before the sun sets on us," Velvet says instead.
"Let's go together-"
"No," Velvet quickly stops the Mistrali student, "I'll be geeking out. It'll take a while."
"Let's split up. Where's the sports club?" Fox says out loud then sends a private message to Velvet. I'll keep this big guy occupied. He places his hand on Velvet's shoulder for a brief moment. Only the two of us are in this channel by the way.
Thanks Fox… I appreciate it, Velvet sent back.
No problem. I know how it feels.
"It's on the other side," Yatsuhashi replies to Fox's question. "I'll help you get signed up. The gardening club is around there, too."
"Okay, well, have fun guys. Let's coordinate via scroll when we're done and meet up for dinner."
Fox raises a thumb up in her direction and they wave each other off.
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Velvet finds herself a few stalls away from the photography club, at a coffee stand instead. The banner reads: Coffee beans from around the world. She observes humans and Faunus; men and women; and people of all ages milling around with a small paper cup in their hands. One of them she recognizes.
"Hey, Max," Velvet calls out as she nears him. The blonde looks up from his two cups with a conflicted expression.
"Oh, hey, Velvet."
"How you going? You seem… troubled."
"Well, uh, that's 'cause I am. I was bragging to my team about how my father's a coffee master and now the girls are putting me to a blind taste test. I need to figure out which one is from Vale and which one is from Mantle."
Velvet takes one step to the side and sees the three girls from Team CRMM behind him, giggling to themselves. She returns her attention to Max and cocks an eyebrow.
"And you can't tell which is from where?"
He shakes his head.
"Why don't you just tell them the truth?"
"My father's a pretty famous barista in Vale, it'd be embarrassing if I couldn't tell. Besides," he shrugs his shoulders, "I want to win their favor somehow, and they're obsessed with coffee for some reason, so I figured this would be my chance."
"Gee, I wonder why…" Velvet stares at the two cups. "Can I give it a try?"
He holds the two cups in front of her. She takes a small sip of both.
"They both taste exactly the same," Velvet announces, cringing at the bitterness. "You sure they're not pulling one on you?"
He stops short and looks up with a contemplative expression. "You know, that sounds like something they would do. Thanks, Velvet."
The Faunus watches Max head back to his team, feeling envious. She was really hoping for a fresh start at Beacon and was actually excited to be a part of a team because that meant she could do all the "normal" things like hanging out after classes and attending events. Velvet walks dejectedly over to the photography club's stall and tries to immerse herself in her one true love. Thankfully, the students at the stall were much like her in that they weren't too motivated in making conversation. They let Velvet browse the photo albums from previous years and tinker with the cameras on the cloth table. She put her eye up to one and dialed the vintage camera with practiced ease. Having built Anesidora to be fully automatic, it was fun to get back to her roots every now and then. She swivels around and looks through the framed world feeling much more animated but stops short at a terrible scene.
A few meters away is Team Rust surrounding a member of Team AQUA. She lifts her eye away and sees that member to be Quartz, notable for his white hair and pale skin. Two of them had their arms around his shoulders as if they were just being buddies, but Velvet could tell that Quartz was anything but comfortable. These antics were all too familiar. But, Velvet couldn't help him. She's sure that if she arrived on the scene she would only make things worse for both of them. Velvet returns the camera and slips away guiltily.
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A/N: I felt like I might be dragging the pace a bit, but I think a little more of a build up was necessary. Hope you enjoyed it and feel free to leave a comment. And yes, before I knew it I pulled a CRWBY... I don't have any major plans for Team CRMM, so please don't expect too much from them.
Next chapter: Shots Fired