Chapter 02: Moving Towards Beacon
Ozwald stretched and checked his straps one last time to make sure his weapons were secure. Once more he patted down his many pockets attached to his pants to ensure he had all him ammo when, a voice interrupted his mental count. "Why don't you just use your semblance to sense where everything is?" Oz paused and then turned and picked up his little brother. "Cause if I inherited the looks, brawn, AND all of the brains, there would be nothing left for you!" His brother laughed as Oz tickled his younger brother. "Alright, I have to get ready go Vert." Oz smiled as Vermilion frowned. It was a bit of a family joke that his brother's name, Vermilion, was a shade of red yet his nickname was a shade of green.
Their mother called out, "Ozwald! Don't forget that you promised your father you'd make that last delivery to Miss. Adel!" His family's company started out as a ferry between Vale and Patch. Over time it expanded, and transporting goods was the next field to be broken into. He still helped out from time to time when he needed an allowance. Vermilion was the one more interested in the family business. Speaking of his brother, Vert had a good idea. With well practiced ease, he reached out with his Semblance and checked to make sure he had all his gear. To his surprise, he was missing a clip.
Oz smiled when he sensed the disassembled clip. His little sister Rouge was in the workroom sitting at the table with a few tools and had almost fully taken the clip apart. After he set his brother down, Oz tousled his hair and shushed him as he snuck over to the other room. Because of his Tune Sense, he knew she faced away from the door. Silently he opened the door and snuck up behind her. After a brief smirk forced a scowl across his features and coughed to get her attention.
She hopped in her seat and slowly turned to see her eldest brother stood with his arms crossed and a glare aimed at her. With a sniffle she raised her arms to him and he caved, stepped forward, and gave her a hug. "Aw, what's wrong Rouge?" She pointed at the clip and whined, "I still don't get how it works! And you are leaving and I can't help you with it anymore!" She burst into tears as Oz chuckled softly and patted her head soothingly. "How about this? I'll leave that one here with you, but you have to promise me something." Her tears stopped and she tried to stifle her sniffles as she looked at Ozwald. "You have to promise that before I get back you can not only put it back together, but you found some way to make it better. Ok?"
"Ok! I promise!" She held out pinky toward him as she wiped her eyes. "I pinky promise!" With a grin he linked their pinkies. She spun around and started tinkering again as Oz left the room with a smile. His mother waited for him by the front door. "I put the delivery in the front compartment behind the headlight." He gave her a hug as she tried to hold back her tears. "I'm so proud of you Ozwald. Just come home safe, you hear me?"
"I hear you. Later mom!" Oz dashed outside and threw a leg over his bike. With a turn of the key, he revved the engine. Without a backwards glance he pulled out of the driveway and let the engine roar as he sped away.
-x-x-x-x-
Oz coasted down the street as he checked the house numbers. [No...nope...no-wait! There it is!] After he pulled into the driveway he killed the engine and grabbed the package. A quick dash and a swift knock left him at the door waiting for someone to answer. "Hold on! Almost~ there!" With that last word a girl about his age opened the door. Her brown hair was mostly tucked under cap except for the strands framing her face, with the ends bleached and dyed...orange?
"Can I help you?" [Oops! Staring.] "Yes, Marigold Delivery Service, package for one..." Oz checked the name again, "Coco Adel?" The girl's hazel eyes lit up as they locked onto the package in his hands. "Signature first please." With a roll of her eyes she held out a hand for his scroll. It was passed, signed and returned, so he handed her the package and, "Great timing too! I just finished packing and I couldn't leave for Beacon without my new look being complete!"
Oz raised an eyebrow at that. She was going to Beacon as well? At that point she managed to open the package and pulled out a pair of designer sunglasses. [Quite the expensive pair too...aren't those the ones that always look polarized to everyone else but adjusts for person wearing them?] "Well? How do I look?"
Ozwald hmmed as he looked her over. Dark brown cap, scarf, and some kind of corset/vest over a orange sweater. Black cargo pants with a rip on the thigh and knee length strapped boots. "First impression? Very fine, but looking you over...the amount of designer clothing and brand choices, are you sure you don't care a little bit TOO much about how you look?" She scoffed and crossed her arms but her smirk gave it away that she actually liked his answer. "You actually sound like you have a clue about fashion. Besides you can't put a price on looking good!"
[I'd beg to differ! Those glasses alone would cost me half my paycheck!] she cocked an eyebrow as she shifted her weight to a hip and looked over her shades at him, clearly awaited a response. As he figured she would not share his opinion, he felt a change of subject would be safer, "So you are starting Beacon this year as well?"
"Yeah, what of it?"
Ozwald shrugged and gestured to his motorcycle and offered, "I am as well. If you are ready, I could give you a ride." She looked at the bike then back at him before she asked, "Do you really think we can fit my suitcase and both of us on there?"
"It'll be big enough, trust me." She looked over her shades at him with a wide cheshire grin as Oz got a sinking feeling in his gut. Nervous now he managed to ask, "What?"
"Oh nothing~ we just met and you are already offering me a 'ride' and are assuring me to trust you that it's 'big enough.' Pretty bold if I do say so."
[What. ]
His jaw dropped and he turned scarlet as his mind stopped working.. Coco burst into laughter at his reaction, "Oh this will be so~ much~ fun! I'll be right back." Still stunned he managed to nod mutely as Coco disappeared back into her house. She came back with a normal sized suitcase and a yellow handbag. "This, is a great start to my first year."
In obvious disagreement, Ozwald turned away and grumbled as he tried to stop blushing. "Oh~? Do you not agree? Should I tell the first person I see about how forward you are?" He face palmed as she placed her suitcase on his bike. As he tied it down he replied with forced cheer, "Nope! Wonderful start couldn't have gone better!" He finished securing the suitcase and when he turned, he found her standing before him with her arm extended towards him. "Coco Adel."
With a small smile of relief he shook her hand, "Charmed, Ozwald Marigold." She grinned and covered her mouth in mock-shock, "Wait that means-"
Interrupting to get it out of the way, Ozwald rolled his eyes as he droned, "Yeah, yeah, same name as the company."
"No! It means you offered me THAT without even asking my name!"
...there was a long pause before Ozwald asked with resignation, "Are you ever going to let that-" She cut him off with a wide grin, "Nope! Too much fun." After he shot her an irritated glare he swung a leg over the motorcycle and revved the engine. He waited for her to climb on, but as she sat behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist she whispered in his ear, "Take me away, handsome." With a growl he gunned the engine, trying to drown out the sound of her laughter with the engine's roar.
-x-x-x-x-
Warren stormed out of Signal Academy's work room irritated. He was so absorbed in his thoughts he ran straight into someone as soon as he cleared the door.
"Whoa!" "Ouch!"
After a stumble, Warren managed to catch his balance. He looked over to see who he ran into. On the ground was a Faunus girl with straight brown hair that cascaded down to her shoulders as well as rabbit ears that currently stood strait up. She looked up and their eyes met. He opened his mouth to apologize so he could leave when,
"S-sorry! I wasn't paying attention and-" Warren let out a surprised chuckle and held out a hand to help her up. Startled by his reaction she looked up at him in surprise. "That's my line. Sorry I was lost in thought. Warren Marune. You?" She gave him a shy smile as she let him help her to her feet. "Velvet Scarlatina." Her eyes drifted to his hair and her eyes widened in surprise once more. [Well I take it my hood fell.]
"I haven't seen you before...I thought I knew all the Faunus that attended Signal though..."
With a shrug Warren gestured to the workshop. "I was visiting Glade village and a huntsmen ended up dragging along to talk to Ozpin about attending Beacon. But the smith is still looking at my weapon so I'm not sure how this is going to work." She ducked her head and softly suggested, "I was just coming by to ask them to transfer my weapon over after it finishes its software update, since Signal students keep the same lockers when they move on to Beacon. The last flight from Signal to Beacon is arriving soon, so you could ask for a locker and see if they'll send it along later."
Contemplating her suggestion, Warren made a thoughtful noise as he moved over to the door. In one swift motion he threw the door open and shouted, "Ey! Old geezers! When you are done with the War Suit can you transfer Velvet Scarlatina's weapon and mine to Beacon? Thanks!" Swiftly, he slammed the door shut but not before he heard Qrow's angry rebuttal of, "I'm not old!" His chuckles gave way to full blown laughter when he saw the horrified expression on Velvet's face. With a slight bow he offers her his arm and asked, "May I escort you to the airship? I'm actually not sure where to go."
Velvet stuttered out a refusal to his gesture as she turned away blushing. He pulled his hood back up and let her off the hook as he started questioning her about Signal and Beacon. How many people would be getting tested, how many people attend Beacon, anyone stand out among Signal's class and other simple questions. She seemed to calm down at the easier topics as she lead to way to the landing pad.
-x-x-x-x-
The airship came to a halt at Signal, the last stop before Beacon. Coco was off talking to some of her friends on the airship and had left Oz to watch both of their stuff 'or else'. He sat there as he tried to contemplate a plan on how to get Coco to never speak of their first meeting. After a short while the airship took off again and he noticed someone well...suspicious.
A guy in a black hoodie, with worn denim jeans and well traveled hiking boots. He paced the length of the ship over and over as he seemed incredibly restless. Oz noticed the guy was a Faunus when he saw his ears twitching beneath the hood. After the fourteenth loop Oz started to wonder if he should approach the guy. He was so distracted he didn't notice that Coco returned with a friend in tow until she punched his arm,
"Hey a cute girl is trying to introduce you to her friend! Pay attention!" Started he turns to see that Coco had dragged over a cute Faunus girl with bunny ears who was stuttering out apologies for Coco's behavior. "Sorry I got distracted...that guy over there is acting odd." When he points out the guy, the Faunus girl speaks up. "That is Warren. I um, literally, ran into him at Signal but he's not a student. Apparently he really impressed some huntsmen because he was recommended to Beacon and is going to talk to Ozpin for late admittance." Now THAT was interesting. Beacon had a very thorough screening process, just who did he impress to bypass all of that? While that was all good and interesting…. "Why is he pacing?"
Velvet giggled, at which Coco turned and stared at her with a raised eyebrow. "He doesn't like flying if he is not the pilot or near the controls." Coco got another cheshire grin that reminded Ozwald of his situation earlier that day. "Oh~ what's this? Velvet~ how do you know so much about Mr. Dark and Mysterious, hm~~~? First day and already you have a crush? Aw that's so~ cute~" Velvet gaped at Coco as she blushed and ducked her head. She backed away in a weak attempt to get away from Coco...and ran right into Warren. He reached out and caught her as she tripped and prevented the girl from falling to the floor. "Hello Velvet. We really need to stop meeting like this, what will your friends think?"
A pitiful moan escaped her Velvet lips as her face turned scarlet. She looked for aid and her gaze immediately passed over Coco, simply from the gleefully triumphant look on her friend's face. Instead Velvet directed her silent plea towards Ozwald as Warren continued to in a conspiratorial tone, "So! Dark and mysterious am I?" Velvet froze and defied all belief as her blush deepened even further. Oz was shocked, [He heard that?] A poke to his side drew his attention to Coco as she whispered, "I like him. If this keeps going I am gonna charge admittance."
"Only if I get a cut." Coco jumped as Warren helped Velvet to her feet and inquired, "Friends of Velvet, I presume?" Velvet shook her head. "Him I don't know, and I'm starting to question why I ever stick around Coco." With a sly grin Coco stood and pulled down her shades to look at him projecting a face of confidence. "I'm Coco Adel and let me tell you, it has been a pleasure." She winked and gestured to Oz, "This fine strapping young man here is Ozwald Marigold. He gave me a 'ride' to the airship."
With a groan Oz leaned back against the wall as Coco shot him a mischievous grin. He knew she brought it up purely for his reaction but he couldn't help it. The Faunus shrugged and pulled his hood down, "Warren. Warren Marune." Coco's jaw dropped as she gaped at him, which in turn drew the attention of the others. "Isn't that the name of the guy who saved Glade Village? The Black Armored Wolf?"
"...how is it that people have already heard about that?"