Standing in front of the full body mirror Zeffre looked over her new uniform.

She was wearing a dark brown jacket lined with gold. Underneath the jacket was a tan vest and a white shirt with a red ribbon tied around the collar. The rest of the uniform included a red plaid skirt and thigh high stockings.

'Not bad…,' she thought. She had even gone through the trouble of styling her dark blue hair into something more professional, putting it into a long ponytail. Turning to the dresser she grabbed the final piece to her ensemble.

It was a dark blue scarf. Running her fingers over the garment Zeffre remembered how Ms. Nancy had given it to her before she left for Beacon. As she looked towards one edge she smiled. On one end there was an elaborate sigil sewn into the scarf with golden thread. It consisted of a series of concentric circles with varying sizes, connected to straight lines and arcs. Several small circles, some filled others empty, laid along the pathways of the circles. Inside of the largest circle was a prominent stylized triangle. When Ms. Nancy had asked her for a symbol Zeffre never thought she would do something like this.

She ran her finger over the symbol of the Sanctum Universum for a moment. 'I really need to find some way to thank her.'

Looking back to the mirror Zeffre wrapped the scarf around her neck, the dark navy blue complementing her hair, and the symbol prominently displayed at the end of the scarf as it draped behind her.

Taking one last look in the mirror Zeffre snapped her fingers and gave herself a thumbs up before leaving, prepared for her first day at Beacon.

As she walked by her friend's room Zeffre moved to knock before she noticed the sound of moving furniture. Hand frozen an inch from the door she considered if she really wanted to help them move furniture this early in the morning. Thinking about the possibility for all of half a second Zeffre decided that she would just meet them during the first class of the day instead.

As Zeffre waited for class to start she drew in a spare sketchbook she had. Currently she was writing down notes and ideas on how she could concentrate peroxide to 90%. As she had worked it out that she could probably do this using vacuum distillation Zeffre had a single thought. 'Doing this could actually kill me…'

Another part of her, however, thought it would be really neat to have high concentration peroxide to play around with for rocketry.

Zeffre shrugged, deciding to put the terrible idea on the backburner for now as she instead looked around the lecture hall.

The hall itself was tiered, with each tier having desk that all focused down towards the lecture stage at the front of the hall that housed the professor's desk and blackboards. Currently the room was mostly full, students talking amongst themselves as Professor Port drew Grimm illustrations on the blackboards.

Glancing at the clock Zeffre saw that class started in two minutes.

Ruby, Yang, Blake, and the other girl still weren't here yet.

'Are they skipping the first day? That sounds like something I'd do,' Zeffre thought, lightly impressed at their initiative.

As Professor Port turned around eight students stormed in out of breath.

Resting her head against her arm Zeffre gave them a lazy wave before gesturing to the four empty seats next to her.

"Hell of an entrance," she said, smirking as they collapsed into their seats. "Did you all sprint here or something?"

"Yes," Ruby said next to her, a bit winded.

Zeffre let out a laugh before the Professor gave a cough, letting her know that class had started.

"Good morning class! As you all must already know, I am Professor Port. It is in this class that you all will learn about the intricacies of hunting Grimm! The knowledge you will learn here will be invaluable in your future endeavors as you become accomplished Huntsman and Huntresses, and it is my responsibility to arm you with said knowledge," he said. Zeffre was a bit surprised at how enthusiastic this professor seemed, but in a good way.

'At least in this universe we won't spend half of the lecture going over the syllabus,' she thought to herself.

"Now I know that you all have read the syllabus as it was assigned reading before our first lecture—"

Zeffre was certain that wasn't true.

"But, if you would all please indulge me for a while, let us all go over the syllabus together!"

The sound of Zeffre's head hitting the desk filled the lecture hall.

'Why didn't I knock on wood,' she thought, coming to realize that going over the syllabus on the first day of class was a fundamental aspect of teaching.

Zeffre was doodling in her sketchbook when Ruby nudged her.

Glancing at her she saw that Ruby had written a note in her notebook.

'I like your scarf! It's really cute.'

Zeffre smiled before writing in her sketchbook.

'Thanks! It was a gift. I really like it too. Hey, why were you all almost late to class today?'

Professor Port was going on about some story from his past. Zeffre was adept at filtering out a professor's stories.

'We made bunkbeds.'

Zeffre raised an eyebrow. She wasn't quite sure what she meant by 'made bunkbeds'.

As Professor Port droned on about his valiant battle Ruby wrote another note.

'RWBY+Z?'

'I know right? It's weird, but I did do my initiation solo. Couldn't really form a team with myself,' she wrote. 'Officially it is still Team RWBY.'

Zeffre thought for a moment before adding 'Boss.'

Ruby rolled her eyes.

'You even got your own room. Lucky.'

Zeffre shrugged.

'Who's W?'

Ruby looked confused at her note for a moment before understanding.

'Didn't I already tell you the story with the Nevermore?'

'Yeah, it was an awesome story by the way. But I forgot her name.'

'She's Weiss.'

Zeffre smirked.

'Oh yeah! The girl you exploded on your first day!'

Ruby gave her a dull expression as Zeffre grinned. Looking over Zeffre noticed that Weiss was occasionally looking at the two of them. 'Huh, she seems annoyed…'

Tearing off a piece of paper Zeffre wrote a short note to Yang saying 'Hey.'

'Pass this down.'

Nodding Ruby took the note and tried to pass it to Weiss, but said girl just ignored her.

Ruby turned back and gave her a shrug.

Zeffre nodded back.

'So… She doesn't pass notes in class… We can change that,' Zeffre thought, as a plan blossomed in her mind.

Looking back at Ruby Zeffre wrote 'Unofficially we are Team RWBY and friend.'

Ruby gave a short cough to cover her laugh.

Zeffre couldn't believe that she needed to wait for Weiss to get changed before she fought whatever creature Professor Port had in that cage.

She also couldn't believe how polite the creature in the cage was, with it being completely quiet until after they had talked about the syllabus.

She had decided to go back to drawing in her sketchbook to pass the time. Currently she was copying the Grimm illustrations off of the blackboards.

When Weiss finally returned she took a stance on the opposite end of the classroom, rapier at the ready.

"Go Weiss!"

"Fight well!" 'Where did she get that tiny flag?'

"Yeah! Represent Team RWBY!"

Weiss turned to Ruby, annoyed. "Ruby! I am trying to focus."

"Oh… Sorry."

Zeffre silently watched the interaction, resting her cheek on her fist. 'Weiss is definitely annoyed about something.'

As Professor Port broke the lock on the cage Zeffre was finally able to see that the creature was a Boarbatusk.

'Whatever she is annoyed about has to do with Ruby,' Zeffre thought as she watched Weiss fight. 'She keeps on letting Ruby distract her.'

Zeffre raised an eyebrow at Weiss summoning a glyph in the air to propel her forwards, allowing her to stab the creature in the belly.

'Nice.'

Staring up at the ceiling as she walked Zeffre wondered why Weiss seemed agitated in class, and why did it seemed to be focused on Ruby. 'I'll need to ask her about it later… I also need to introduce myself.'

Weiss had stormed off after class, with Ruby giving chase. Zeffre had decided to let them try to talk it out by themselves first.

She also needed to look into acquiring some fine stationery for her idea.

Looking back down Zeffre saw a blond boy walking in front of her.

'He's walking a bit slow…'

As Zeffre began to walk a little bit faster to get ahead of the boy he glanced back at her. A confused expression was on his face, which just made Zeffre confused.

The blond boy started to walk a little bit faster.

Slightly annoyed, Zeffre increased her pace. She really just wanted to get ahead of whoever this was.

He walked faster.

'Okay, what the hell.'

The two of them were now speed walking down the crowded hallway, with the blond boy occasionally taking glances behind himself. He occasionally walked into people and said a quick 'sorry!'

'Just let me freaking pass you!'

The boy was now sprinting down the hallway.

Zeffre gave chase, dodging the other students with ease.

As he rounded a corner Zeffre continued to run dead on at the wall. Once she got close enough she jumped into the air and kicked off the wall to round the corner. As she did so Zeffre saw that the boy was panting, hands on his knees, standing outside the door to a lecture hall. The same lecture hall she had been going to.

"Why did you start running," she asked, deeply confused.

"I… thought… you were chasing me…," he said in between breaths.

"I was just trying to pass you…"

'Yeah, I was kind of chasing him.'

"Oh…," he said, breath steadying as he stood up straight. Looking at her he gave a smile before holding out his hand. "Jaune Arc."

She smirked and returned the handshake. "Zeffre."

'Today had been a good day.' Walking down an empty hallway Zeffre noticed a familiar face pacing on an outdoor patio overlooking the rest of the Academy.

"Hiya! You're Weiss, right?"

Stopping Weiss looked up at her, recognition passing over her face. "Oh… and you're… Z? The troublemaker from the ballroom," she said, sounding the opposite of enthused to see her.

Zeffre smiled. "Names Zeffre, and yeah. Troublemaker is a pretty apt description for me," she said stroking her chin.

Weiss gave a quite hum before she went back to pacing.

"Is there something wrong?"

Weiss stopped again. "What? Why would anything be wrong," she asked narrowing her eyes.

"Well, I mean, you did kind of storm out after Professor Port's lecture. And here you are now pacing back and forth," Zeffre said, tilting her head a little. "Normally that says something is wrong."

Weiss rolled her eyes before she went back to pacing.

Zeffre decided to get comfortable and leaned against the doorframe waiting. A gentle breeze was blowing in causing her scarf to flutter in the wind.

A few minutes passed.

Weiss stopped and glanced up at Zeffre, who gave her a small smile. She looked down for a second, biting her lip before looking back up at her.

"What do you think of Ruby?"

Zeffre thought for a moment.

"She's got heart. She's also an amazing fighter, and a good person," she said honestly.

"Yeah, but she is also immature, impatient, improper…," Weiss began.

"She's fourteen."

"Exactly! Which is why she shouldn't be the team leader!"

'Oh… so that is what this is about,' Zeffre thought, considering what to say next.

"How was she in the Emerald Forest?"

"What?"

"In the Emerald Forest during your initiation, how did Ruby act," Zeffre asked.

Weiss looked down at her question.

Sighing Zeffre walked over to stand in front of Weiss. "From what I heard Ruby didn't act immature, impatient, or improper when things started to go wrong. In fact, she took decisive action."

Weiss continued looking down. "She's just a kid," she muttered.

Zeffre gently placed her hand on Weiss's shoulder, drawing the girl's gaze upward. She offered a reassuring smile, her eyes meeting Weiss's. "True, she is just a kid, and she has a lot to learn," Zeffre said with a nod. "But even so, she already understands how to handle pressure. She didn't freeze; she devised a plan, and all of you executed it together. Trust me when I say older more qualified people have failed to act like she did when it really mattered."

Weiss sighed. "You have a point…"

"Besides," Zeffre removed her hand from Weiss's shoulder, "it's been literally one day. I say we at least give her a chance."

The other girl nodded her head. "Alright. We can at least do that," she said before crossing her arms, "But she's still annoying."

Zeffre gave her a brilliant smile. "In that case don't worry, I am at least ten times as annoying as Ruby!"

Weiss gave her a blank look.

"Anyway, I've got to go," Zeffre said, looking at an imaginary watch on her wrist. "I've got detention."

Weiss gave her a look. "How did you even manage to get detention on your first day," she asked, hands on her hips.

Zeffre approached the younger girl again, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. She draped an arm around Weiss's shoulder, drawing her close. Together, they gazed out over the balcony, bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun over Beacon. Zeffre's voice took on a theatrical tone, her hand sweeping towards the horizon.

"Because, Weiss, I am an explorer," she declared with a flourish. "It's in my blood to venture out into the unknown, to seek out the uncharted."

She leaned in closer, her voice growing more intense. "To ignite the spark of exploration in the hearts of other, to dare to go where others will not."

With a squeeze, Zeffre's gaze dropped, a faux-somber expression painting her face. "Alas," she sighed deeply, "there are those who fail to understand, who place barriers in the path of progress. They shackle my noble pursuit with their petty 'rules' and their confining 'locks'."

In a swift motion, her head snapped up, her eyes ablaze with passion. "But to them, I say neigh! A resounding neigh to their obstructions and their locks! Let it be known," she proclaimed, her voice rising with conviction, "that nothing – absolutely nothing – can quell the indomitable spirit of an explorer like myself!"

Weiss turned to look at her as Zeffre gazed off into the horizon, a triumphant smile on her face, scarf billowing majestically in the wind.

"…That doesn't answer my question."

"I broke into a shooting range after hours and broke the lock on the ballroom door," she said, not dropping her extended arm.

Weiss sighed.

"I'm also like ten minutes late for detention."

Weiss raised an eyebrow at her. "Why are you late to detention?"

"Because I wanted to make sure you were okay," Zeffre said, tilting her head. "Duh."

"Oh… Thank you?"

Zeffre gave a wave over her shoulder as she began to walk away. "Anytime."

'Operation Get Weiss to Pass Notes in Class is a Go.'

Smirking Zeffre reached into her bag a brought out the finest piece of stationary she could buy. It was a fine cotton-based paper, with intricate detailing around the borders and a floral symbol along the top. Then, as Professor Port talked, she wrote her note in the finest calligraphy she could muster.

'Dearest Weiss,

I do hope this note finds you in good spirits. It has been many moons since we've last spoken, and I wished to make sure that you are in good health. Spirits willing, you are hale and hearty, and that you are as vigilant as the girl I once knew you to be. Please, respond with all haste to my correspondence. Doing so will put my tired mind at ease.

Sincerely, Madame Zeffre; Vanguard Captain, Bane of the Fleet, Ranger, Operative, Troublemaker, and your dearest friend.'

Nodding at her note Zeffre, while watching the professor, pulled out an elaborate envelope with gold trim, and placed her note inside. Reaching into her bag she gingerly removed the molten wax from a portable hot plate. When the professor went back to looking at the blackboard, she carefully poured the wax on the letter and stamped it with a Vale stamp she had bought earlier. With a final flourish she wrote 'To Weiss' on the sealed envelope.

Ruby watched her the entire time.

Glancing over at her Zeffre smirked held up a finger mouthing 'one more thing' before reaching into her bag. She removed a small, red velvet pillow and gingerly placed the sealed letter on top of it. Satisfied, she handed the letter over to Ruby, whispering "pass it to Weiss."

Smiling Ruby gracefully took the pillow.

Zeffre silently watched the emotions play over Weiss's face as she was handed a wax sealed letter on a pillow from her. As Weiss broke the seal and read her note it took all of Zeffre's willpower to not burst out laughing at her confused expression.

When Weiss turned to looked at her Zeffre simply gave her a small wave before looking back at the front of the classroom.

A few moments later Zeffre was nudged by Ruby. It was a note from Weiss.

Placing a hand over her heart Zeffre unfolded the note and read the vital message: 'What the hell?'

Zeffre lost it and started snickering, making Ruby laugh alongside her.

Importantly, Zeffre noted wiping away tears, was that even Weiss was smiling.