"Why?" Sin moaned lifting his face from the hardwood floor.

Rhia thanked Brick as he lowered Sin's bed back to the floor, "You need to start waking up when we first call you" she told Sin, "Then I wouldn't have to ask Brick to dump you out of bed every morning."

Alena watched them from the reflection in the mirror, "Or don't. I enjoy hearing you scream before you face plant the floor."

"It's Saturday" Sin groaned, "A day meant for sleeping in."

"OK" Rhia began, "First, no it's not. Second it's Friday."

Sin turned onto his back, his blank stare locked on the ceiling, "Oh."

"Yeah" Rhia smirked, "So for the last time. Get up!" she crouched next to him, "Because I promise you if we're marked late again because of you, you'll be spending your weekend doing all of our homework assignments, ok?"

She gave him a light double slap on the cheek grinning at him before standing up and heading into the bathroom to change. Yawning loudly Sin finally rose from the floor rubbing the sleep from his eyes still exhausted from his late studying. Their first class was Grimm Studies a class he looked forward to, half because it was about the Creatures of Grimm and half because Iris Ritter, the faunus woman who taught the class was insanely hot.

Pulling his blanket off him and tossing it back to his bed Sin got to his feet yawning again as he stood in front of his open closet to change. He was glad Shade didn't have an official uniform wearing suits of any kind reminded him of the reason he and Brick left Mistral. Yawning again he reached into the closet pulling at the first article of clothing his hand encountered, his eyes still closed as he pulled the shirt over his head.

Alena watched him from the desk mirror as he dressed himself, his eyes closed as he sat at the edge of his bed reaching for his shoes and a clean pair of socks. Despite it being three months since they became a team and over a year since they had met she still didn't trust or like him. Loud and wild for the sake of being the center of attention, constantly flirting with her sister and lazy when it came to their studies, she hated being on a team with him. She hated being near him.

"Alright" Sin said his eyes still closed as he finishing tying his shoes, "Ready."

"About time" Alena said done tying her hair, "Ulrich got dressed faster than you."

"His name is Brick" Sin snored his body swaying side to side as he tried to remain upright.

Alena turned her glare to the bear faunus standing behind Sin's bed, "How do you put up with him?"

Her response was a mere thumbs up from the large faunus. Taking another look at the only human of their team Alena stood up marching toward the door, her disgust apparent in her tone as she headed out without them. Ulrich she didn't mind, but Sin she couldn't stand. Each of her steps echoed across the marble floor as she marched down the hall other students noticing her frustration and cautiously stepping aside.

"Damn human" her mind growled, "Why did I have to be put on a team with him? Most of the first-years here are faunus so why a human? And why did it have to be him?"

She stopped outside the cafeteria clenching her fists attempting to rein in her anger before entering. As usual the volume of the cafeteria was approaching deafening levels, how people could be this loud so early in the morning and in an enclosed environment was beyond her. Selecting her breakfast she retreated to a smaller round table in the back corner setting her tray down and sitting with her back against the wall giving her a complete view of the cafeteria and everyone in it.

She still questioned why she remained her, after her and Rhia escaped from the forced labor of the Schnee Dust Company Alena had heard of Menagerie an island populated by faunus. Tired of hiding out in alley's and sneaking into unused motel rooms they stowed away on a ship they thought was heading to the island only to end up in Vacuo before being forced off when they were discovered. Luck managed to be with them however, the owner of a hotel in the city was a faunus who offered to take them in and give them a room and change of clothes in exchange for help and also convincing them to enroll in the nearby combat school. Even though they were attending the Desert Mast at the time Alena's plan was to work until they made enough money for a ticket to menagerie, but Rhia said she wanted to stay, that she wanted to become a huntress.

Alena tried to convince her sister that her plan of going to Menagerie would be better for them, but Rhia remained adamant in her desire to stay and attend Shade Academy. She understood why her sister wanted to stay, Rhia wanted to make the world a better place she wanted to make sure that what happened to them would never happen to another family, but the reality was things like that did happen and would continue to happen. Alena didn't blame her sister for having that as her goal and motivation, no her real issue came from the people she was forced to be around, humans.

She hid it well only Rhia knew that Alena hated humans, they were to blame for their torturous childhood and they were to blame for the death of their parents. There was a time when the fox girl considered joining the White Fang, to get back at humans for what they did to them and when the dust mine they were forced to work at was attacked she had thought that day had come. Her and Rhia escaped along with over a dozen other faunus on a dust convoy the White Fang stole after their attack, but it was something she overheard one of their members say that stopped her from signing up. It didn't sit right with her, as much as she hated humanity she felt that if she joined a terrible fate would befall her and her sister so instead they ran from their would be saviors as well.

Her sister's voice calling out to her pulled Alena from her thoughts, Rhia along with Ulrich were walking toward her, the bear faunus carrying their human teammate over his shoulder. Her eyes narrowed in an infuriated glare as Ulrich set the still sleeping Sin into the open seat trying to get him to sit up straight only for him to fall forward and whack his head on the table causing him to jolt up in surprise. Her anger only grew when she watched Ulrich pat Sin's shoulder and slide him a tray of food like a servant and her anger grew even more when she heard her sister giggle.

The only time Alena found Sin to be tolerable is when he was sleeping, but as he ate his energy slowly returned and began to wake up. As he yawned Alena fantasized about driving her knife down his throat finally silencing him a fantasy that nearly became a desire as his first words after fully waking were more flirtatious comments directed at Rhia. Alena had come to hate Sin as much as the humans they used to work for at the mining facility, but each time she felt ready to let go and finally lash out at him it was her sister who held her back.

For some unknown reason Rhia found him funny and came to befriend him, Ulrich she could understand as quiet as he was the large faunus was polite and friendly to them since they met. Unlike Sin, Alena liked Ulrich enough to want to know more about him, but never asking him afraid that she would learn that he was actually a servant to Sin and not his friend. The only thing she didn't like about Ulrich was how he seemed so casual and even completely fine with Sin's behavior and personality surely no self-respecting person human or faunus would put up with someone like him.

Finished with her breakfast Alena stood up, "We should get to class Rhia" she said wanting to get away from their human teammate as fast as possible.

"Right" Rhia said checking her scroll for the time, "We'll be late if we don't hurry."

Sin groaned, "I'm not done eating yet."

Rhia looked at him, "You've got two minutes" she turned her eyes to Brick, "If he's not done by then either shove what's left down his throat or throw it out and drag him to class."

The massive faunus responded with a nod as the two sister's left and he remained with Sin who began eating quickly to finish his breakfast in time. They managed to make it to class on time, but the rest of the students were already there leaving only a few selected seats available. As usual due to his size Brick sat on the floor in the corner at the very front of the room, his textbook and notebook set neatly in front of him leaving his team to find their own seats. Rhia had already found a pair of empty seats in the third row, but before her sister could take the one next to her Sin had slipped in and taken it stoking the fox girl's rage even more as she took the empty seat two rows behind them.

"One day human" her mind growled, "I'll have the chance to be rid of you."

The racket of the class quickly died down as the door opened once more and their teacher Iris Ritter entered. A wolf faunus with grey, brown hair and a bushy tail coming from her back just below her waist she was the professor for the Grimm Studies class. A zoologist who specializes in Grimm with several research papers and even a book based on her studies published she was definitely an authority on the creatures of grimm. Most of her studies came from directly observing the grimm in the wild, alone with only her skills as a huntress and knowledge as a zoologist to keep her alive.

During her personal safaris she had observed varying behavior amongst the grimm from the social interactions between the beowolves in a pack to the territorial habits of a ursa and the dens made by death stalkers and king taijitu. Her outfit was almost always the same, a thin layer brown jacket over a white t-shirt and khaki shorts with boots always dressed as if she was about to embark on another outing leading many of her students to believe all of her clothes were the same. Her brown eyes scanned the room, taking count of the students who were present, unlike most teachers who did a verbal roll call she checked the room herself to make sure everyone was there.

As she greeted them and began her lesson for the day Alena's eyes drifted down to the row her sister and Sin were sitting in, she saw the human lean in closer to Rhia whispering something to her which caused the faunus girl to recoil and cover her mouth as she looked away suppressing a laugh. Seeing Sin distract her sister only served to further anger her especially when she noticed how her sister was trying to pay attention to the lecture. At one point Rhia had pointed at Sin's textbook telling him to pay attention, but instead Sin grabbed her hand holding it in both of his as he smirked at her causing the russet haired girl to blush a little and look away once more forcefully pulling her hand free from his grasp.

"This next species of grimm" Professor Ritter said continuing her lecture, "Are especially dangerous so all of you better pay attention. Their called Legionnaires."

She pulls a cord above the whiteboard and a sheet rolls down showing a top, side, under and front and rear view of a grimm that resembles an ant while the TV next to the sheet plays video footage of the topic grimm.

"And when I say dangerous I mean more so than most. The legionnaires are unique amongst the creatures of grimm, unique in the sense that they will attack anything that disturbs their hive including other grimm. Much like common ants they dig burrows underground and live in colonies through due to their size most colonies only number to roughly three dozens, but many speculate the population of these colonies may be even greater depending on a variety of factors such as location, climate and availability of food."

She gestured at the video footage, "Now the legionnaires are native to Vacuo, but they have also been spotted in Menagerie as well, now at first many believed they preferred hot and dry climates such as the deserts here, but ever since they were spotted in forests and near rivers that theory has changed."

The hanging sheet showed the ant grimm to have a black body with red compound eyes and white bands around its abdomen while the joints in its legs and it mandibles were bone white. The side view shot showed a white bone like retractable stinger in the abdomen. While at the top right corner of the sheet was another, smaller top view of the grimm, but with red veiny wings.

The wolf faunus professor continued, "The legionnaire species averages about point three meters in height though some have been reported to be point five. They are point six meters in length while the stinger in their abdomen has measured at point twelve meters in length."

She moved to the right side of the sheet indicating the wings at the top, "As you see there is a variant of this species much like an ursa major or an alpha beowolf. The variant of the legionnaire is called a centurion, they share the exact same physical appearance with only one difference, these have wings allowing them to fly."

Now pointing at the front view of the grimm she gestured at the front of it's head, "It's mandibles have a tremendous bite force enough to crush steel, their antennae much like those of actual insects seem to be quite sensitive and their bodies are unarmored leaving them vulnerable to nearly all forms of attack, however."

She drew their attention back to the video footage as it showed a swarm of nearly a dozen legionnaires overpowering an ursa major killing it, "What they lack in defensive capabilities and speed they more than make up for in numbers. As I said earlier and as you can see hear they will swarm and attack anything that disturbs their nest, but when they are above ground and patrolling their territory or looking for food they act like any other grimm. Which means they are still attracted to negativity and still have a desire to attack and kill every human faunus or animal they come across."

She turned the video off, "Now thankfully this species is rare, with less than a dozen sightings and even fewer attacks recorded every six to ten months, but that doesn't mean you should not be on the look out for them and if you ever encounter one never assume that it's alone. One is not a problem, but two or three can give even an experienced hunter a run for their money, an entire colony can ravage a town in under an hour."

She looked up at the clock, "Now our time is almost up, your homework for this class is a five page essay detailing the legionnaire and the known history of the species since its discovery due by next class and remember next Saturday we're having a class field trip to the canyon in the southeast to observe some wild grimm, so dress appropriately and be sure to bring your weapons just in case and I'll see you all again next week."

The students filed out of the classroom many of them talking rather loudly with each other as they did, "I've heard of the legionnaires, but I've never seen one before."

"I have. They're pretty damn terrifying when there's more than one of them."

"Yeah, have you heard of Calsev? A town toward the north of here a few hours out?"

"Yeah, wasn't it overrun by grimm?"

"It was a swarm of legionnaires. Professor Ritter wasn't exaggerating less than two dozen of them tore a mile long town apart in just over an hour."

"Scary."

Alena waited at the door her bad slung over her should as she leaned against the frame waiting for her sister and by extension her 'teammate'. She heard her sister laughing and her hand tightened against her arm and her nails threatening to pierce her skin when she heard Sin's voice following Rhia's laughter. It wasn't until she saw her sister step out of the classroom her face bright red and the snicker on Sin's face that she finally had enough.

"Enough" she growled at him, "It's bad enough that you have to be so insufferably annoying, but I won't tolerate you distracting my sister during class."

Sin told her, "It's just some idle chit-chat between teammates no need to get upset" he smirked, "Big Sis."

Rhia looked at the two of them, "Alright you two that's enough" she tried to step between them only for Brick to grab her shoulder stopping her.

"Ulr, Brick?" she asked looking up at him, he answered with a silent shake of his head.

"I can't stand you" Alena growled baring her teeth, "Just the thought of being this close to you makes me sick, being a team with you is worse. You're lazy, annoying and you prefer to fool around than work. Why don't you do us all a favor and go die somewhere."

"Alena!" her sister gasped.

"Damn" Sin muttered, "Little harsh Sis don't you think?"

"Stop calling me that!" Alena snapped, "Why are you even here?"

Sin answered, "Cause it's fun."

Alena took a sudden step toward him fists clenched only to stop when she heard their teacher call out to them.

Stepping between them Professor Ritter's usually calm expression had become one of disappointment and anger, "No fighting in the halls, if you two have an issue you talk to Professor Xing and Headmaster Eden and settle it in the amphitheatre."

Sin's smile returned, "Now there's an idea. Maybe it would be beneficial to work out all this hostility in a safe, enclosed environment."

Alena growled once more as Sin continued, "Let's spice it up to, we'll make a bet. If I win, you have to be nice to me. Now I know that will be hard for you, but I believe in you."

Forcing herself to calm down Alena locked eyes with him, "And if I win. I want you off this team and out of Shade. I never want to see you anywhere near me or my sister again."

"Alena!" Rhia gasped once more.

Sin hummed, "Well the risk definitely outweighs the reward, buuuuuuuuuut I accept" he continued grinning, "I'm fairly confident in my chances."

Alena took another step toward him, but Professor Ritter stopped her, "Ms. Teysa" the wolf faunus turned on her demanding her attention, "I will not tolerate my students fighting each other outside of a sanctioned match especially if they are supposed to be teammates. I will talk to Professor Xing and set it up for tomorrow afternoon I expect the two of you to behave until then, if you don't I'll have you both in detention for the remainder of the month, do I make myself clear?"

While she was facing Alena it was apparent she was addressing Sin as well.

"As clear as the crystals that are your eyes milady" Sin replied earning a stern look from their teacher who was not amused by his provocative antics is serious situation.

"Ms. Teysa?" she asked wanting confirmation from her as well.

"Fine" Alena finally agreed before turning and marching away.

After Alena left Professor Ritter turned to Sin, "Try to stay out of trouble Mr. Saber."

"Always" Sin answered before the faunus teacher left as well.

"Dammit Sin" Rhia barked, "Why do you have to provoke her like that? She already doesn't like you and you keep pushing her."

Sin shrugged, "In my defense."

Rhia cut him off, "No! She's my sister and you're my friend. We're a team together so the two of you need to find a way to get along. And you need to start taking these things seriously."

"OK" Sin said, "OK fine, for you."

Rhia rolled her eyes sighing as she turned to leave, "Sometimes you really can be annoying."

Sin glanced at Brick and the bear faunus raised his hand his thumb and finger inches apart the gesture confirming that he partially agrees with Rhia.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence buddy" Sin told him to which his friend pats a heavy hand on his shoulder.

Giving Sin a light push forward Brick answered, "Ve schould hurry or ve'll pe late to our next class."