"The warden threw a party in the county jail. The prison band was there and they began to wail. The band was jumping and the joint began to swing, You shoulda heard those knocked out jailbirds sing-"

Axle's charger careened down the mountain road, brand new street performance tires screeching at every turn. The occupants of the vehicle, Coco, Velvet, Fox, and of course, Axle, were listening to the recently digitally converted Elvis Presley record on the brand new Audio Junkie 700 deluxe radio that had been recently installed. Velvet had secretly scanned his collection of records while he was refurbishing his garage, and she surprised him with the data card while he was busy demolishing his 7th breakfast burrito of the morning. Unfortunately, no one was quite able to appreciate the foreign songs.

Coco had insisted they go into the city for a shopping spree, and to get Axle's tattered jacket fixed (again), but rather than take a bullhead, they were once again subject to the experience that was Axle's driving. They had thought that with the installation of windows, proper seats, and seatbelts, they would be more comfortable. They had even brought Fox along, they thought it safe enough. How wrong they were.

Axle, along with the prior mentioned interior parts, had installed the new tires, new brakes, and new suspension in the time since they last rode in it. Today he decided to test the new equipment.

They were terror stricken as the seemingly possessed boy braked later and harder than before, taking turns sharper as well. Coco and Velvet had already had some experience with the incomparable ride, but poor Fox was going in head first. The tanned boy gripped Axle's seat like a vice, and his teeth were clenched so hard they might crack. But he was able to keep himself from screaming.

In no time, they arrived in front of Madame Turchese's shop. After dropping off the girls, as well as his jacket, Axle walked around Vale, with Fox to keep him company. The tanned teen confidently made his way down the sidewalk with his hands behind his head, despite his impairment. He also carried their conversation, laughing at his own jokes and telling Axle things about the world of Remnant. Axle only chipped in when he wanted Fox to elaborate on something.

Finding themselves in a seafood restaurant per Fox's suggestion, the waiter brought them to the back patio. Fox was in the middle of explaining the internet when Axle became distracted by the most mesmerizing sight. The Ocean.

Although he did get a glimpse of it at initiation, he didn't truly get to see it. As far as the eye could see, blue water churned, turning white at the tops of the miniature crests. Axle had unconsciously moved towards the wooden railing, leaning against it while he let the sea breeze blow gently against him. The amount of water was staggering. He never could have imagined a sight like this.

To think that just a month ago, I had to kill just for a few drops of the stuff.

Pulling Axle out of his thoughts, Fox walked up beside him, matching his leaning pose on the railing. "Ground control to Axle, do you read?"

A slight turn of his head was all Axle gave to show that he heard him. Fox, In turn, motioned as if he were looking at him. "You know, you really gotta let me know when you're not listening. I was talking to myself for a good minute at the table."

"I thought you just liked the sound of your own voice." Axle quipped.

Fox grinned and faced towards the sea. "Well I gotta, can't really love my own looks now can I?"

"Fair enough." Axle shrugged, now turning his attention to a flock of seagulls that flew around the shore.

As if Fox could tell where he was looking, he gave Axle another thing to think about. "You know, you should give swimming a try."

Axle wasn't quick to agree. "And drown myself, no thanks. I will stay on land with my wheels."

"Oh come on, It's not that bad. I was a desert dweller myself, so I only learned how to swim last year when the team taught me. They won't judge. Besides, We can invite some of the girls to the beach, have ourselves one hell of a show, how about it?" Fox elbowed him jokingly.

Although Fox's exact meaning wasn't fully understood, Axle saw the connection between 'girls' and 'show', and figured it was something of a more crude nature. "Aren't you and Coco hitched?"

Fox was caught off guard, and his tan barely concealed his flushed face. "Are we what?"

"together." Axle clarified.

Fox let out a nervous laugh. "Ah, okay. Yeah, being 'hitched' has a slightly different meaning. But yeah, we're together, she wouldn't care about other girls at the beach though, she knows I only got eyes for her. I meant more so for you. And Yatsu, as hopeless as he is with girls, believe it or not."

Axle scoffed, looking at Fox incredulously, his tone reflecting as much too. "Like I'd be any better."

Fox leaned back, a hand placed on his chest in exaggerated shock. "You, of all people, have confidence issues? No way. There had to be girls you messed around with."

"No thanks. I understand machines, and I understand fighting. Girls, I don't understand."

Fox was genuinely shocked now. "No way, that means you still have your V-card!"

"My what?" Axle shot Fox a look of pure befuddlement.

Fox placed a hand on Axle's shoulder and sighed, as if pitying Axle. "Buddy, it means you haven't-"

"Hey guys! How's it going?" They both turned back to see Coco and Velvet crossing the wooden patio towards them, arms fully laden with bags.

Once they set their loot down by the table, Coco placed a hand on her hip and shot them with a tone of feigned betrayal. "I can't believe you two ditched us. I had to track you with my scroll."

"Hey, our alternative was wasting away outside the shop for 2 hours." Fox raised his hands defensively.

Coco rolled her eyes. "You could have gone in with us."

"And be subject to playing dress up doll with no way to defend myself? Yeah right, I fell for that once." His reply drew a laugh from the Fashionista, remembering all of the pictures the boy still wasn't aware of.

Velvet held her arms behind her back and rocked on her heels joyfully. "Anyways, what were you two chatting about?"

"Fox was gonna tell me what a-" Axle began.

Fox, however, cut him off in slight panic. "What a beach trip is! Axle has never been to the beach, so I thought it might be a good idea to teach him how to swim."

Velvet perked up at the idea. "That's a fantastic idea! I've been waiting to try out my aqua-jets since I tweaked them after we were teaching you. Axle would be the perfect person to test them out! What do you think Coco?"

Coco was staring at them over her lowered glasses, eyes narrowed in suspicion after Fox's poorly hidden deceit. "I wouldn't mind a trip to the beach some time. We gotta make sure to invite team RWBY and JNPR too."

"That's an excellent idea, leader." Fox nudged Axle excitedly at his plan coming together. "Speaking of teams, where's Penny?"

Axle had returned to his initial position of staring at the ocean. "She's exploring campus with RWBY and JNPR, and after that she said she was going to calibrate the… '3D multi-functional fabricator' back in the garage. Tomorrow we're going to test it out, as well as discuss strategies to support you guys and the other two teams."

"Oh, cool. That thing's gonna be so awesome when it's up and running." Velvet exclaimed, eagerly anticipating the prospect of not having to wait for custom components for her tinkering.

They weren't able to get another word in as the waiter returned carrying a platter of seafood. Axle was treated to a meal of king crab, shrimp, fried calamari, as well as an array of sides and sauces. He soon learned that he was a fan of the crab. Though it was the hardest to eat, it was by far the most rewarding. They had shown him the shell cracker when they all sat down, but he found it to be more of a hassle than just snapping the shells open by hand. The meat was so tender and juicy, and the potent garlic butter paired with it perfectly. While CFV chatted with each other, Axle was methodically loading and cleaning his plate.

Once the first platter was cleared, a waiter quickly replaced it with one similarly adorned as its predecessor. Axle noticed after downing another crab that the table was silent. Without pausing, he looked up to see CFVY (and many of the surrounding tables) staring at him in awe, besides Fox, of course. Following advice that Yatsu had given about table manners, he waited to swallow his bite before speaking. "What?"

Coco pointed at the new crab he was cracking open. "Axle, that's your 8th crab."

"Hmm, didn't notice. That's quite a lot." Axle snapped a leg open with ease, digging out the chunk of meat inside and popped it into his mouth.

"Yeah, it is. Especially after all the shrimp and calamari." Coco watched on in sickened curiosity.

Velvet was equally transfixed, even though she knew the cause. "And after your breakfast this morning, too. Geez, I know Aura recharge syndrome gives you an appetite, but this is a little obnoxious."

"At least we got the all you can eat platter. We'd go broke if we had to pay by plate." Fox said while leaning back in his chair.

Axle shrugged and finished his meal. After splitting the bill, and setting a restaurant record, they made ready to leave. Coco gave Axle his restored jacket, which he had greatly missed, he felt naked without it. "Turchese did a good job, but she said you gotta take better care of it or there will be more replaced material than there is original."

"Noted." Axle slipped his arms in the sleeves and rolled his shoulders.

Coco leaned back, stretching her spine with a multitude of satisfying cracks. "Man, that jacket seemed a lot heavier than I remember it. Did you have something done to it?"

Axle picked up the majority of the girls' shopping bags and started to walk. "Just some extra layers to try and keep it from getting torn up too bad."

"Huh. makes sense, but what's the new layers made of, Bricks?" The fashionista joked. She wasn't far from the truth.

They soon arrived back at Axle's car, which was just as they left it if they disregarded the handful of teenagers and kids taking pictures of it. Once packed up, they headed back to Beacon. This time Axle cruised along at a more relaxed pace, keeping lighter on the throttle and shifting earlier. He didn't want anyone to lose their dinner on his seats. As he drove, more of his music played, unconsciously making him tap his foot while his passengers danced or hummed along with the songs.

Axle, in a moment of sudden awareness, looked around. The lush trees out his window, Open road ahead, and the sun setting over the ocean on the right. In his rearview mirror he could see Fox lounging with his arm around Coco. The beret wearing girl waved at him, a questioning stare on her face as she met his eye. His eyes shifted to the seat beside him. Velvet was gazing out the window, hands tapping against her legs to the beat of 'Sweet Caroline' while a small, joyful grin adorned her face. She turned and saw Axle staring, her face turning to one of mild confusion. "What's up?"

Axle was silent for a few moments, taking in the image of Velvet with the reddening sun casting a glow around her. It was a sight so far removed from what he was used to. To not be fighting for his life, just enjoying a drive without worrying about fuel or water, with people he was starting to consider as being 'close', if not already friendly, It filled him with a sense of satisfaction he hadn't felt before. And while looking at Velvet, he realized there was another strange feeling. Once he processed her words, he grappled with his own embarrassment as well as a new, unfamiliar emotion that he couldn't place while he tried to put his thoughts into words. "Nothin'... It's just… This is all so very surreal."

Velvet tilted her head, one ear flopping halfway down while adorning a smile once again. "In a good way, I hope."

Axle shifted up a gear and turned his attention back towards the road. His short reply being the last for their ride. "It is."

The rest of Saturday went by in a flash, and Sunday was burning quickly. Axle was in the middle of stripping all the rust and rot from his car, Garage door open and radio blaring. The sun shone bright and a breeze swept through the shop, keeping Axle relatively cool. He was in the middle of grinding the door jamb down when he caught a glimpse of bright hair in his peripherals.

As soon as his loud pneumatic drill died down, his ears were next met with the resounding cry of his partner. "Sal-u-tations Axle! How goes your work?"

Penny had quickly learned that asking after his car drew a much better reaction out of him than greeting him alone did. Axle was aware of this too, but it still didn't change his behavior in the slightest. "Good. The new air tools are saving me days worth of time."

The girl stood in the doorway, remaining still as a statue while still speaking cheerfully. "I am glad to hear it! May I come in?"

Axle wiped the sheen of sweat off his face, before inviting her in with a little bit of exasperation. "You know Penny, You don't need my permission every time you want to come in."

Penny took two steps into the building and looked around, not knowing exactly what to do or where to go while speaking with her partner. "But it's the polite thing to do, is it not?"

Axle rolled his eyes and proceeded to put all his tools away. "Sure. Maybe? But that's more if we didn't really know each other."

"But, we don't know each other very well, it's been two days since we met after all." she stated.

"I'll give you that, we don't. But we're partners, meaning that you have unrestricted access to this building. With the exception of this space." Axle countered, referring to the vehicle bay that housed his charger.

Penny seemed delighted by the idea. "Okay then, I will no longer ask to enter this building!"

Axle thought her declaration was a little strange, but didn't care enough to comment on it. Instead, he went over to the digital screen in the wall that controlled the majority of the shop's functions and turned down the volume of one of its best features. The radio.

Axle selected 'his' playlist, which apparently was just where Velvet had put his collection of music after she made digital copies of it, and hit shuffle. The function itself was a game changer to Axle. Having the ability to play songs at random, and even skip or select specific songs was perplexing to him. He didn't question it however, he simply pressed a button and let the little box do its magic. First song up was 'Easy' by the Commodores.

The feeling of having music back after two years was indescribable, the rhythm of the once all too familiar tunes bringing a certain calm to his mind. The effect must have been visible, because Penny was able to catch it, and she wasn't exactly a master on reading people. "Is this song a favorite of yours?"

Axle passed by her sitting on one of the barstools, kicking her legs. He went behind the counter and poured himself a glass of ice cold water from the refrigerated tap. "I wouldn't say it's a favorite, but it's a good song."

"It sure is! But I've never heard it before, who's it by?" Penny asked, interested in what he knew was a Motown hit. The song was so vastly different from the fast paced, adrenaline-fueled rock and pop songs that were popular in Remnant.

Axle was thankful that Penny was already aware of his circumstances, for he just now realized he didn't have a good explanation to the never before heard bands. He would need to come up with one later. "The Commodores. They're an old group from my world."

"How cool. I sure wish they were from Remnant. They're sensational!" Penny exclaimed cheerfully.

Penny was easy to please, He had to give her that. But he wasn't so sure that hers would be the popular opinion. After all, he thought a lot of Remnant's music was terrible. "Well, enough chit chat, we got some work to do."

Penny's demeanor flipped from flippant to that of professionalism. She retrieved a large data pad from her back pack and placed it on the counter between them. "Of course. Per your suggestion regarding our cooperation with our lead teams, I have thought of some support roles which we could fill, which include offensive, defensive, and tertiary. Please look these over and tell me your thoughts."

Axle scrolled through all of what he could only describe as 'gear presets' as well as information regarding the purpose of each set. One that caught his attention, for example, was the demolitionist. It involved heavy plate armor and concussive resistant gear, minimizing ammunition count and rations in favor of carrying an assortment of explosives.

It was clear that Penny wrote this description with him in mind, for it kept referring to 'the user', whereas positions like Roboticist and field technician were written in the first-person, as in, for herself. The pattern he picked up was that he would fill more utilitarian roles, often taking the roles that involved supporting teams defensively, whether it be by placing traps, setting up cover, or in the case of fire support, just outright carrying extra munitions and supplies for others. Penny would focus on offensive support roles, the roboticist, for example, would use drones and robots to manipulate Grimm behavior by drawing them away or corralling them. She also took anything more tech savvy, like the communications manager who could help coordinate a team that was managing a large area.

Axle was shocked by how well thought out and easy to follow the roles were. When he said as much, Penny smiled and answered his question before he even asked it. "Thank you. I spent a lot of time around Atlas military people, and based these off of what they said they wished Atlas academy had more of."

"I can see why they say that. Looking at how they sell being a Huntsman to people, they probably don't get many volunteers who want to take a backseat to the action." Axle's observation seemed to be spot on, as Penny nodded her head in agreement. "That's the same reasoning they came to."

Penny seemingly thought of something and cringed, looking at Axle apologetically. "Now that I am reading them all at once, I realize that I didn't give you any offensive roles. Please don't take it the wrong way, but I don't think your fighting style is… well suited…for fighting head-on."

Axle waved his hand, dismissing her apology. "I agree with you one-hundred percent. I've always avoided direct confrontation when I could, and that isn't going to change any time soon."

"In fact, I like the sound of demolitionist, as well as fire support and sniper. But it's hard to tell which would be the best option. I still don't know how team RWBY and JNPR operate either. It might be worth bringing this to their attention before picking our specialty." Axle stated, rubbing his chin in deliberation.

Penny shook her head, grabbing his attention. "We don't need to pick only one. It would be impossible to pick a single role which could effectively support all three of our lead teams, let alone all the teams at Beacon. Remember, we might work with other teams if necessary."

Axle saw the sense in that, but he didn't know if it was manageable. "I agree, but the school won't pay for all of the gear we would need, and I'm nearly at the end of my funds between my car and this shop."

"We have the fabricator. All we need to do is be able to afford the raw materials, then we can make it in-house." Penny stated matter of factly.

Axle didn't share her confidence, having not seen the fabricator in action yet. "Which would still be expensive, and still require us to know how to do all of this. I mean, I've dismantled land mines before, but to mix up a batch of explosives is a step beyond that. Not to mention the robots and the more advanced equipment."

"Ruby is an exceptional weapon smith, Weiss is a dust expert, and I myself am well versed with robotics. You should also talk to team CFVY, as I've seen the recordings of them in combat, and they seem to have very complex weaponry. One of them must know, or is, a skilled technician"

Penny's argument was one that was difficult to disagree with. But he still needed assurance that they could get funding. "That would reduce the cost, sure, but it doesn't eliminate it, and the sheer volume of gear we would be making will still be pretty damn expensive. How are we supposed to get that kinda change?"

"Oh, well, I thought you already had a plan for making money." Penny said, surprise in her voice.

"What makes you say that?" Axle shot back, puzzled by how she could've possibly come up with the notion.

Axle stood stone still, Arms crossed and face scowling as he measured up the greenhorns in front of him. His eyes passed over their faces, studying them. "All right. To be a part of the Beacon Automotive club, first things first; we need to get you acquainted with auto-mobiles."

Ruby was buzzing with excitement, her sister beside her smirking confidently. Velvet felt a little out of place awkward amongst the first years. Penny was paying rapt attention, and Jaune was stiff with a mix of nerves and resolve.

They all watched as Axle, with a little flourish, whisked the large cover that was laid on the now revealed Schnee-Motors Earl, a mid-level luxury sedan that was known for being affordable and efficient. It was also nearly two decades out of date and hadn't been well taken care of at the used car dealer He and Mr. Skye bought it from. He had already removed the hood to let the vehicle's power plant be in plain view. "This process will not be quick, nor will it be easy. There are hundreds, sometimes thousands, of individual parts and pieces that come together to make machines like these."

The rest of the three teams stood along the skirts of the floor, watching as Axle delivered his introduction. Coco was quite amused at how seriously Axle was taking this. Of course, she knew that it was actually more important to him than he was letting on.

Axle stopped his pacing back and forth, retrieving a thick text-book from the tool cart beside him. He held it for them to see, but read the title anyway. " 'Anatomy of the Motor Vehicle', provided by Mr. Skye. Each of you will receive a copy. In this first week, we will be going over both the book, and the car in detail. Our primary objective is vocabulary. I want to make sure we all know what is what when it comes time to do an actual job, we need to at least give the impression that we know what we're doing."

Ruby raised her hand, making Axle alter his next words. "Yes, Ruby?"

"Are you saying we're going to be working on other peoples' stuff?" The apprehension in her voice was clear, though he couldn't quite guess why.

"Affirmative. So that means we need to be ready when we open for business in two weeks flat." Axle replied flatly. As soon as the words left his mouth, he swore he could see them all deflate. The only exception being Penny, who had remained entirely undaunted.

Jaune was the one to next raise his hand, which Axle promptly nodded at. The higher lilt in the blonde boy's pitch reflected the group's current feelings. "Umm, Axle? Are you sure it'd be wise to let beginners like us do that right away? What if we break something?"

Ahh, so that's what they're fussing over

For the first time that many of them had seen, Axle's features softened. With not quite a smile, but definitely traceable mirth, Axle eased their concerns. "If you do, then it will be a learning experience, but I doubt it will happen in the first place."

"I'm not gonna just leave you to do a job by your lonesome, not yet anyway. I'm going to keep a close eye on what you're doing and will stop you before catastrophe happens. I will also give you a detailed demonstration of any task you haven't done yet." Axle explained calmly, giving the group a little more confidence.

"But what if someone gets mad that we take too long or do something wrong?"

Velvet's question immediately brought everyone's anxiety to a new high, and Axle internally thought it was a little childish. "So? We're going to be giving a better price than anywhere else in the kingdom, the most they'll be is a little annoyed I imagine."

Velvet grimaced, remembering some of her poorer memories of working as a waitress for a little stint. "I don't think you know how mean people can be when you mess something up, especially if it's their money involved."

"If that's the case, then I'll deal with it. I'm in charge of the shop, so I'll be responsible for customers who forget their manners." Although their worries about angry customers were quelled, they were now perturbed by the tone he made his last statement with.

Seeing that the introduction was not impacting them the way he wanted it to, he made an attempt to end on a high note to try and keep them excited rather than intimidated. "But make no mistake, I do expect you to take this seriously. These people are going to be paying you for quality work."

"Wait! We're getting paid?" Yang exclaimed, her prior unease all but evaporated.

Axle nodded his head.

Ruby's eyes lit up at the prospect of finally making some of her own cash, having to ask for money from her dad for everything she wanted had gotten old. "How much?"

"Well, as it sits, Ozpin wants half of the profit returned to the school. That pot includes the upkeep for this shop, so that leaves the other half to us. I worked out that I would get twenty percent of every sale, while each of you would get the remaining thirty on whichever job you do." Axle delivered his own figures he had worked out with some uncertainty. He had never needed to think about things like this, so he hoped he was being reasonable.

Jaune was scratching his head, seeming to have realized something. "So wait, You're saying that we could do all of the work on a car and you'd get twenty percent without even touching it? How does that work?"

"Yeah Axle, I thought we were friends, now you plan to extort us!?" Yang let out a mock accusation. As well as a 'yeah!' from her younger sister.

Axle didn't quite pick up that it was a joke, his face flashed a look of mortification, but before he could even sputter out an explanation, Weiss, of all people, came in to defend him. "Haven't any of you have a clue on how to run a business? He gets twenty percent because he has to cover the cost of replacement parts and other such stock."

Having given him a foot to stand on, Axle was able to deliver the biggest thing they were all forgetting. "Correct! Also, I am the one who is going to train you. Without me, you wouldn't be getting neither the income nor the skill."

Understanding was quick to reach them, all of them simultaneously having a 'oh' moment. Axle turned and nodded to the heiress. "Thank you, Weiss."

The girl's eyes widened in mild surprise at the greaser's sincerity. She nodded in return. "You're… very welcome Axle."

"Uh oh! Is that a blush I see? Looks like the princess is falling for the Vagabond." Yang teased.

Weiss, who didn't have a blush before, definitely did now, but before she could say anything, Axle snapped his fingers, reigning in all of their attention. "All right! If no one has any more questions, let's get started on tearing this car apart."

No one made a move immediately. Axle, concealing his mild exasperation, grabbed a socket wrench from one of the nearby tool carts and put it into Ruby's hand. "Let's start with the front bumper. I'll help you along, but first, How do you think it should be taken off?"

The Brunette stared at the now intimidating sedan like a Grimm caught in headlights. "Uhhh-"

Mentally drained, they all 'chilled' in the shop, as Axle had heard Yang call it. She and her sister were both playing some sort of game on the TV with Penny spectating, Weiss was having a discussion with Coco and Pyrrha, In the corner, Blake, Yatsu, and Ren sat in each other's silent company, and Fox was having a blast joking with Nora and Jaune at the bar.

Axle was occupying himself with crafting a new wiring harness to replace the mish-mash of soldered copper spaghetti that had given him more than enough anxiety. He was in the middle of marking the path the wires would follow when two streaks of shadow appeared over his hands. A glance proved the intruder to be Velvet, her ears intentionally leaning forward to block the fluorescent lights above.

He returned to his work, giving the girl only the barest of acknowledgements "Need somethin'?"

Velvet shook her head and sat on the fender of his car. Ignoring the pointed look he was giving her, Velvet smiled. "Y'know, it wouldn't hurt to try and be more polite."

"I've pushed my politeness to the limit today." Axle answered while screwing in a new cable guide. His mind replayed his first attempt at teaching his now fellow club members auto-mechanics. Ruby, Penny, and Velvet were easiest to instruct, as they were already familiar with tools and basic mechanical principles thanks to their prior weapon crafting experience. As for Jaune and Yang, he had to teach from scratch, which wouldn't have been so bad if they both didn't try and pretend they knew what they were doing.

He also became quickly frustrated at how hesitant they were to take the vehicle apart. They took the doors, front fenders, and bumpers off just fine, but when it came to the drivetrain and suspension, they lost steam. He had to go through the process of deconstructing the powerplant slowly, having to keep reassuring them that it was just like a puzzle that could be put back together again.

"Oh come on now, we weren't that bad. We learned a lot, didn't we?" Velvet smiled and switched her position to lean over the engine bay, her arms crossed on top of the fender. Axle's eyes had peeled away from his work to observe the switch, and something about the way she was leaning so far forward set something abuzz within himself.

Axle quickly reigned in his gaze and instead met her eyes. Thinking of a response in record time and hoping that she hadn't noticed. "We did indeed. I, for one, learned that you shouldn't let Yang work with a drill without putting her hair up."

Velvet chuckled at the memory of the Brawler's panic, which dissolved into a fit of giggling when Axle procured the tool which still had a clump of long yellow strands caught in the chuck. The sound lifting the corner of Axle's mouth ever so slightly. When she got a hold of her own voice, Velvet looked to watch Axle's work. "Hey, you want some help with this?"

Axle's brow furrowed, his mouth forming a frown while considering the thought. Velvet had the second-best intuition of the five when it came to dust engines, but he didn't even plan on having them start on gas engines until they had a couple weeks under their belt. "I don't know. The timing for the hemi is completely different from that dust-jet over there, Not to mention I have a lot of small systems that you won't find anywhere else that have wires running everywhere."

"So? You're just replacing the old with the new, right? Just tell me what's positive and negative and I'll run the new wire and let you hook it up later." Velvet stood up and walked over to the mess of a tool cart that they had left beside the Earl. Axle couldn't stop himself from glancing in her direction as she walked away from him. He only allowed himself a moment, but there was something strange in the way she walked. Almost as if it were slowed. He didn't dare ask her though, she probably wouldn't appreciate him staring at her, and he had to work out in his own head why he was doing so himself.

Velvet stood at the tool cart, pretending to sort through the jumble of tools. She already had organized the wiring kit, now she was just trying to give herself some time to let her blush fade. During the car ride back to Beacon yesterday, She thought she caught Axle staring at her, so she had paid special attention to see if he could catch him doing it again. Figuring that the club training would be her chance, she took the opportunity to study him closely, anyone would think she was just paying close attention to Axle's teaching, which she still did in actuality. However, in the several hours they had spent, she noticed no odd behavior from him, and deduced that she had just imagined him staring at her.

Or so she thought.

When she leaned her arms against his car, Velvet saw his eyes locked onto her body, even if it was brief. It had caught her so unawares that she was currently wondering how she played that off as well as she did. Quickly thinking, she had offered to help him rewire his car, not only to give herself a moment, but to really confirm if she understood what was happening. When she walked away, she purposely slowed and lengthened her strides, swinging her hips a little more than she naturally does. Though the act itself brought a tinge of pink to her cheeks out of embarrassment, It was a trick that Coco had told her guys found irresistible. Sure enough, in the fuzzy reflection of the Earl's chrome bumper, she could make out Axle noticeably turning his head to watch her.

Now that she knew for sure that he was staring at her sometimes, she didn't know what to do about it. There had been times where guys had made 'less than tasteful' comments to her, which she had outright ignored, and other times where she would be ogled by boys who couldn't keep their eyes from wandering, which she would send an icy glare that would remind them of their manners. Even though Axle was currently behaving like the latter, she had since come to know him as a friend. A temperamental, violent, and brutish friend, but a friend nonetheless. So now she didn't know what to do about it. Confronting him openly about it mortified her at the very thought of it, the awkwardness would no doubt be too much. As she turned around, feeling that she had composed herself, she had another terrible thought hit her.

Oh dear. I now have to spend the next untold amount of time helping him with his car one on one. That wasn't your brightest move Velvet.

Velvet steeled herself for what would be no doubt a very awkward time. She did her best to hide her unease when she returned to the long-haired mechanic. "I got the wiring kit, What do you need me to do?"

Axle stood up from his shop stool and walked around to the other side of the car (Giving rise to Velvet's hopes) and gestured for her to do the same. He pointed at various spots, indicating the path where the new wires would be placed. "From the central wiring harness, you need to trail the wire back, up and across the fire wall. Here you need to split it; a set of wire for the headlights, and one for the battery."

Axle showed her the key paths she wanted to follow. Most of it already had cable guides for the old wire, but the rest was barren. He explained that due to a lack of adequate wire length, he had to take short-cuts across surfaces that wires shouldn't be close to, such as the exhaust headers.

Soon they were both systematically removing, replacing, and securing the electrical of the car. The only sounds being that of conversation drifting from the 'hang out' and the occasional ratchet wrench tightening a bolt. Once in a while Velvet would ask Axle a question about what direction she should take, which he would promptly answer without even having to look at what she was having difficulty with.

When they were busy dealing with the interior wiring, which was a little more involved, Yatsu peeked his head into the garage. "Hey Vel, Axle, It's getting late so we're heading back to the dorms. I'd suggest you wrap it up here."

Velvet's head popped up, surprise evident in her voice. "Why? What time is it?"

"Half past midnight." Yatsu answered after looking at his scroll.

"Shoot! Axle, let's put this stuff away and head back. We have class tomorrow and still need to take showers." Velvet let out hastily, standing up from her crouched position beside the passenger floor.

Axle didn't move from under the steering column. "Leave the tools, I'll take care of them. You go on ahead."

Velvet stopped and turned to stare incredulously at the boy through the steel body panels. "You don't mean to try and finish it tonight!? There's no way you'll be done by a reasonable time."

"Regardless if it's reasonable or not, I'm not leaving this half done. If I do, something will happen where I'll need it, and it won't be functional." By his tone, it was clear that he wasn't going to be swayed.

Sighing Velvet turned back to Yatsu and threw a hand in the air in irritation. "You guys go ahead, we'll be back hopefully before the sun comes up."

"Suit yourselves." Yatsu said, closing the side door.

Now left in silence, Axle could faintly pick up the annoyed mumbling emanating from the only other occupant of the room. After snagging her tools she slumped down back on the ground by the open passenger door, leaning into the car to pick up where she left off.

"You know you don't have to keep helping, right?" Axle asked, peeking over the edge of the middle console to look at her.

Velvet returned a condescending look. "Someone has to make sure you don't stay up all night while you have class tomorrow. Honestly, what impression are you trying to give the professors? After we finish this, we are heading back, NO exceptions, understand?"

"One exception; I have to test to see if it's functional." Axle countered.

Velvet rolled her eyes. "Of course you do."

Axle, hearing the attitude, was having little patience for it. "It'll take ten minutes, no need to throw a fit."

"Excuse you!?"He looked up to find Velvet's glare.

Axle, realizing that he was in dangerous waters, stood up from his work and made his way to the wall. "You know what? How about some music?."

Not your best move Axle.

Pressing a button, The room was enveloped in the mellow tones of Axle's collection. He made his way back to his work, not acknowledging the daggers shooting at him from Velvet's eyes. As the minutes passed by, they labored away.

It was around two in the morning when Velvet buttoned up her last wire. With Axle already having checked her work, she was eager to turn in for the night, after a long shower. Letting out a yawn that helped hide how crankiness, she called down to Axle. "You ready to head back?"

Hidden under the car with only his boots visible, Axle put a pause on the tail lights to respond. "Nah, I got about twenty minutes left. You go on ahead."

Too tired to argue, Velvet walked into the lounge. She thought about leaving him there, but since she was already three hours past her usual bedtime, she figured another twenty minutes made no difference. In the meantime, she rounded the counter and started to wash any major grime off of her arms and then snagged a snack and something to drink.

Whilst checking her scroll, Velvet's ears twitched as she picked up something odd coming from the garage. Curious, she stood up from the counter and approached the door. She took a hold of the handle. It sounded almost as if…

"~We get it almost every night.

When that ol' moon gets-a big and bright.

It's a supernatural delight.

Everybody's dancin' in the moonlight.~"

Velvet instinctively held a hand up to cover her smile. Axle rarely ever smiled or showed any emotion, so to find him singing was a shocker. As she stood there, a devious idea came to her; A way to get back at him for being a jerk. She pulled out her scroll and began recording, Her other hand hovering over the volume button of the radio. Gradually turning it down, she hoped that Axle wouldn't take notice, occupied as he currently was. However, Her mischievous grin was slowly replaced with an expression of surprise, for when the volume had reached zero, she didn't hear the voice-cracking, note-missing, monotone karaoke that she had been expecting.

As she listened, Velvet was left in disbelief as Axle belted out the song perfectly, his voice steady and dancing with the melody. Not only that, his voice sounded good. She leaned against the wall, content to listen. Eventually he swapped for humming, likely where an instrumental section was, and abruptly fell silent, evident that he noticed the lack of said instruments. Though muffled, she could hear his confusion from under the car. "The hell?"

The sound of his pliers dropping to the floor, as well as the shuffling of his legs, was the only warning Velvet had to end her recording and stow her scroll in her pocket. Axle rolled out from under his car and spotted her by the radio, a cherry red blush adorning her face. Realizing what had happened, his own cheeks flushed. "Oh. I thought you left."

Velvet cleared her throat, thinking up a fib on the fly. "I was waiting for you inside. I came back toooo~ check! and see how it was going."

Axle nodded his head, partially wishing that Velvet wasn't such a bad liar. "I see. Well, I just finished up the other light. I'm good to go."

"Alright." Velvet, taking the opportunity to escape the awkwardness, opened the door and held it open for him. He mumbled a 'thanks' and made his way through. Velvet followed once she turned the lights off.

After Axle washed his hands and forearms, They both began their march back to the dorms with the assistance of Axle's flashlight. Velvet quickly picked up that Axle was more out of sorts than he let on. He had completely forgotten that he was going to test the improvements they made. She felt that she couldn't leave things as awkward as they were. "So. When were you gonna let us know you could sing?"

Axle sighed. "Never. You weren't supposed to hear that."

"Why not?" She asked with a smile, her amusement rising the more defensive he got.

"Because I said so." Was his curt reply.

Velvet let out a laugh. Unexpectedly, she moved in front of Axle and began walking in reverse in order to face him. "Aww come on, you don't have to be ashamed. You have an excellent singing voice. See?"

She pressed play on her scroll and Axle's recital filled the air. With a flush of embarrassment and irritation, Axle made a swipe for the device. "You little punk. Give-"

Quick as lightning, Velvet whisked the device out of reach and hopped a step ahead. Turning around, she waved the scroll in the air, taunting him. "Ah ah ah, If you want this you have to catch me first."

Without hesitation, Axle broke into a sprint. Not expecting him to actually take her challenge, Velvet yelped as she scrambled to increase her pace. For a few seconds, she could hear the heavy thudding of Axle's boots colliding with the pavement, but quickly enough, she began to pull away. The cool wind rushing past was a welcome change to the cramped, rusty underside of a car. Velvet always loved to run, and it was nice to stretch her legs after contorting every which way in the shop. She couldn't help but notice, however, how heavy Axle was breathing behind her. He was really going all out.

In no time, the fountain in front of the school came into view. Knowing she had beaten him, Velvet came to a stop and turned around. A smile on her face while her lungs pumped fresh air through her system. "Nice try Axle, but I-"

She fell silent as Axle was nowhere to be found. She looked around worryingly. Hoping he didn't collapse some time back she nervously called out. "Axle?"

Axle, meanwhile, was silently approaching from behind. Knowing he was no match for her in terms of speed (as much as he hated to admit it), he went wide to keep out of Velvet's view when she turned to gloat. He fought his aching lungs to breathe slowly and quietly. He was an arm's reach away when he stepped on a pebble, making a muffled popping sound that spooked the girl.

Velvet let out a startled scream as Axle snatched for the scroll. Unfortunately, his eyes weren't as good as hers, and he mistakenly grabbed her wrist. Now wrestling to get the scroll with his other arm, Axle pulled what was admittedly an underhanded move and twisted her wrist in an awkward way that should've locked her arm straight. She, however, wasn't so easily defeated. In an expert show of agility, she performed a one-handed cartwheel which undid the tension in her arm, and at the end of the arc, planted a hefty kick against Axle's midsection. Axle stumbled back, all wind driven from his lungs and scroll in hand. Velvet blinked as she realized she lost focus on the device when she escaped Axle's hold. But before she could snatch it back, the back of Axle's knee caught the edge of the fountain, and soon the sound of splashing water filled the empty courtyard.

Velvet stood there in mild shock, but as soon as Axle resurfaced and fell into a sputtering, coughing fit, she burst out into uncontrollable laughter. Axle stood to his full height, completely soaked and shaking his arms to fling some of the water off. Velvet saw his annoyed expression and struggled to hold her laughter while she teased him. "That, my soggy friend, is why you don't sneak up on me."

"Yeah, well cowards are good at running from the fights they pick." Axle spat back.

Too amused to take his insult seriously, Velvet giggled as she laughed preemptively at her own comeback. "I think it has less to do with cowardice and more to do with the roundness of your stomach."

Axle lost all the fire in his eyes and looked at his stomach with concern. "Wait, I'm not fat."

Velvet lost complete control at the sudden flip in his attitude. Going into full blown cackling. Axle's irritation came back in force. "Now listen here-"

He was interrupted when Velvet let out a snort. They both fell completely silent. Velvet in mortification, and Axle in bewilderment. He was quick to capitalize on this development though. "Careful now, keep going and people might hear you and think there's a boarbatusk on the loose."

Axle gave him a flat stare, placing a hand on her hip before shooting back. "Well until they see me that is. For you, it might take them a while to figure it out."

"Hey now, Your insults don't hold weight-"

"Yeah, you took the weight."

"-cuz I ain't fat." Axle argued.

Velvet crossed her arms and switched to a completely serious tone. "Axle, it sounded like a herd of Goliaths was chasing me down."

Axle didn't say anything immediately. Thinking she might've gone a step too far, she was about to ask him when she heard a faint chuckle emanating from him. Velvet was left silent as she heard Axle laugh, genuinely laugh, for the first time.

"You ass." Velvet was caught off guard by his name-calling, Axle shook his head as he trudged out of the fountain. "I thought I had a mean tongue. You, though, You're just plain hurtful."

Velvet could tell he wasn't serious, and returned his mirth. "Well, when you mess with a snake, you'll end up getting bit. Now, My scroll please."

"Not until I get that movie off of it. Huh?" Axle said while pulling the scroll open and finding the screen dark.

Velvet held out her hand and explained to him in a condescending tone. "You mean video. Anyway, The circuits got fried as soon as it hit the water. All the files are gone and I'll have to get a new one, thanks a lot."

Her sudden accusation caught him unawares, he sheepishly handed the device to her. "I, uh… sorry."

Velvet, with a flourish, flicked the water beads off and extended the scroll before reciting a lengthy code and number sequence that caused the device to switch on, fully functional. Velvet smugly explained to the awestruck Axle. "Scrolls have been waterproof for twenty years now, I just lied cuz I knew that even if you couldn't get into it, you'd hold my scroll hostage for who knows how long."

Velvet triumphantly stored the scroll in her pocket and leaned forward, eyes closed and sticking her tongue out at him childishly. This proved to be a grave mistake, for in her hubris, Axle capitalized on a golden opportunity. One hand grabbing the back of her coat collar, the other, her belt. Axle hoisted Velvet up above his head suddenly, causing her to let out another yelp. With a heave, he threw her into the fountain with a much more impressive splash than his.

She came up sputtering and raving mad at him. Using his arms to block the wild flurry of smacks and splashing water that befell him, he retreated towards the dorms. In the midst of Velvet's barrage of insults, Axle did something that caught the both of them by surprise. He laughed. A genuine, joyful laugh that stopped as quickly as it had appeared.

They both looked at each other with equal shock. Velvet forgot her prior anger in favor of laughing as well. Although much more subdued, Axle also took part in the childish play.

When they finally calmed down and marched exhaustedly back to their room Axle couldn't help but feel a faint but steady happiness ignite within him. Today… was a good day.