Chapter 10: Vytal Reunions

The day had finally come. After what felt like forever for the huntsmen and huntresses in-training, the Vytal Tournament had at last begun, and with a grand first battle between Team's RWBY and ABRN, with the former claiming victory. In the stands, Team CFVY cheered for their friends' win, with Coco being undoubtedly the loudest.

"WOO! Way to go, girls!" the gunner applauded as she stood from her seat.

"Wow, you're really fired up after just the first match," her girlfriend Velvet noted, as she remained seated while clapping for her friends.

"Yeah, fights get me hella hyped!" Coco replied, turning the faunus, "And I can't freakin' wait for our turn!"

"Well, we should probably get ready," Velvet recommended as she rose from her seat "We could be the next ones up."

"Oh I freakin' hopes so, babe," Coco stated, "I am so damn ready to kick some a-"

"Coco?!" a boyish voice called out.

Both girls turn around to the seats behind them to find the individual calling out for the gunner. A young man with lightly tanned skin, wild white hair with most of it kept back in a long ponytail, and piercing icy blue eyes. His attire consisted of a light grey tank top, black and grey camo pants, and pitch black combat boots. Velvet merely tilted her head at the mystery man, but Coco's eyes couldn't be wider.

"Silver?!" she exclaimed in shock.

"Holy shit it is you!" he responded as he jumped over the rows of seats between.

Velvet watched as the two former acquaintances greeted each other an energetic hug, with the man apparently named Silver picked Coco up mid embrace and spinning her around, earning him laugh from her. A moment passed before he set the now dizzy Coco back down on the ground.

"Gods it is so great to see you again," Silver said with a smile, before noticing Velvet standing with them, "Wanna introduce me to the rabbit?"

"Oh shit, yeah, um," Coco tried to regather herself, "Silver, this is my girlfriend, Velvet. Velvet, this is my best friend from Flare Academy-"

"Silver Greymane," he greeted, extending his hand, "Nice to meet you and always a pleasure to see another faunus."

"Yeah, same," She shook his hand before registering what he said, "Wait, you're a faunus?"

Doing a double check, one couldn't see a single faunus trait about him. It wasn't until he pulled back from their hand shake did he hook a finger to the corner of his mouth and pulled back, revealing a number of wolf like fangs alongside his regular teeth. Velvet couldn't help but feel kind of jealous of such a subtle, easily concealable trait.

"Silver here was the coolest guy back at Flare, always laid back and quite the heartbreaker," Coco informed before turning back to her old friend, "So, what've you been up to? Still a lazy-ass slacker?"

"You still got a mouth that can make sailors blush?" he jokingly retorted, "If you must know, I went to Shade and am even the leader of Team SPHR (Sapphire)."

"Pfft, you, leader? Yeah sure, I believe that as much as I believe Cherry Blush being a virgin saint," she sarcastically remarked before glancing back to Velvet, shaking her head while whispering, "Such a slutty bitch."

"It's the truth. My teammates, Peri and Rusty, can vouch for me," Silver stated as he turned around to find nobody beside him, "Per? Rust? The fuck you go guys?!"

"Wow, lost your team already," she poked, "Great leadership, ya jackass."

"Fuckin' bitch," he jokingly returned before turning to Velvet, "How she landed you is a damn miracle."

"Oh fuck you, dude!" Coco half-heartedly punched his shoulder as they both started to laugh at their empty insults.

"Well, this was fun and all, but I think we should really be preparing for our right," Velvet reasoned her exit before waving her goodbye, "It was nice to meet you, Silver."

"You too, Velvet," He returned, before turning back to his friend who was about to follow suit, "Hey, um, Coco.

"Hm, yeah?" she stopped and turned back to him.

"There... There is one other person on my team," he informed, "I didn't want to bring it up with your girlfriend here, but..."

"Why, what's wrong with Velvet?" Coco asked defensively.

"N-Nothing, nothing, she seems nice, but," he paused, trying to find how to say it, "It's Aqua, Coco. Aqua is here too."

Coco's expression dropped like a stone upon hearing that name. What was once a joyful feeling of reuniting with her best friend had become a chaotic mix of emotions. Anger. Sadness. Any and every negative feeling just jumped to the forefront of her mind in an instant.

"Aqua!? Aqua Han!?" she asked with venom in her voice.

"That's the only Aqua we both know," he confirmed her suspicion, "Look, I'm sorry to drop that on you like this, but I didn't want you to run into her unprepared."

"How the hell can you work with her, Silver?!" she shouted, small tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes, "After what she did to me?!"

"Well fuck, Coco, it's not like I had a choice in who my team was made up of!" he responded back, coming off as more angry than he intended, "What was I supposed do?"

"I... I...," Coco couldn't think of an answer that didn't sound completely unreasonable, and now she could feel a wave of anxiety overcoming her, and so she turned away, "I-I can't do this right now. I have to go. Goodbye, Silver."

"Coco wa-"

"Goodbye, Silver!" she stopped him from continuing as she made her way out of the stands.

She wasn't sure what direction Velvet had gone, but right now, Coco didn't care. She just needed to get away. She needed to find somewhere secluded. And she had to be quick, as she could feel the tears trickling down her cheeks. She wasn't going to be able to hold it all together for much longer, and she'll be damned if she was going to let anyone see her when she couldn't any longer.

Making her way to the public restrooms, Coco looked to see if she was alone, before entering one of the stalls to conceal herself. There, before anything else could be done, Coco planted her forehead against the door, her eyes clamped shut as one last desperate attempt to stop herself. But it was for not, as she started to sob.

A few seconds passed before her sobs became full on crying, as Coco gave in and let herself fall apart. Feeling too weak in her legs to hold herself up, she sat down on the seat behind her. Her head hanging low as her body hutched over, her arms crossed as she gripped her shoulders, as if trying to hold her body together. Her cries of pain got worse, to the point she was practically screaming.

Several moments passed and all Coco could do was let it all out. Years repression, of holding herself together, of keeping strong, it all came crashing down around her. And all she could do was think. About how Aqua was here. How she could run into her at any moment. How she could even walk in as Coco was emotionally breaking down. How she wished she could be literally anywhere else. But above all else, she thought one thing. One thing she managed to mutter through her cries.

"Velvet" she bawled, "I need you."