Ch 1: Old Memories They Haunt Me

Azure was waiting for Blake to come out of a store. It was a pretty day and she loved the way autumn leaves looked falling. Leo was out of some medicine for a cold and Blake was trying to get more. Bao and Mao were at camp for Signal, not that Azure really minded. Lately they had become really annoying and mean, pushing her around and taking her stuff. Blake had told her it was because they were just going through a new life stage and trying to help but when it started to make changes happen in herself she was really upset, crying and scared until Blake explained it was normal and reassured her.

Either way all of it was stressful to the young girl and she was just glad to have a break and get a lot more of their mom's attention for her needs without Jin eating up Blake's time or the twins pushing on her territorially all the time causing Blake to have to deal with them constantly. Azure was such a simple and quiet girl she often didn't get as much attention, or at least she felt that way sometimes even though Blake saw to her needs and didn't ignore any of her children ever. Yang always working didn't help much either.

Azure was just a little girl. Barely even twelve yet. She giggled as she watched a few leaves fall, kicking a few up happily as she waited. She knew to stay close to the storefront where Blake could see her from inside if she wanted to be able to be alone outside. But a noise in the nearby alleyway caught her attention, her black cat ears flicking in that direction. She couldn't help her curiosity. Glancing back and seeing Blake busy at the counter holding Leo's hand, she figured she could take a peak and come back before her mom noticed she was gone.

The small cat slipped her face around the corner, amber eyes gazing down the alley curiously, "Hellooo? Anyone there?"

A low growl replied, eyes gleaming on a shadowy small figure huddled by a dumpster, silvery ears flicking in the little streaks of sunlight coming through. The eyes were white. Azure couldn't tell in this dark alley that it was a person at first, grinning brightly, "Puppy!"

She approached, forgetting all about returning to Blake's line of sight, trotting over with a gentle giggle but stopping a few feet away and her ears turning down sadly as those eyes gleamed at her in a warning, the growl desperate and dark like a cornered animal, face tired and dirty as the small form turned out to be a child around her age with silver wolf ears and irises so pale they seemed to have no color at all. The growl was warning her and it made her feel unsafe but her tiny heart hurt at the sound, watching those scared sad eyes.

She felt her arm yanked and could hear a loud hiss but everything was fading to black and someone calling her name was starting to fill her head.

"...ure…Azure…Hello, anyone home in there? Azureeeee…" Autumn was calling out, poking at Azure's cheek in their dorm room.

Autumn was her team partner and her younger cousin and slept in the bunk below. She was only a year younger but they were in the same year due to some crazy impressive skill Autumn pulled back in Signal in her first year. Now they were second years at Beacon with teammates who were honestly irritating assholes that Azure couldn't stand and the feeling was pretty mutual. They got along just enough to make school work but otherwise she spent all her time with Autumn.

Right now though, she could eat her alive for bothering her on a Saturday, growling, ears folding in a warning that poor Autumn wouldn't understand anyway, "Ugh stop that! What do you want anyway?"

Autumn just chuckled. She never could tell when a faunus was displaying anger or something but Azure wasn't sure if it was because she was human or just too clueless sometimes. Autumn pulled herself further up to see Azure better, Azure rolling her eyes mumbling, "Yes sure whatever sit on my bed it's not like I invited you or anything…"

Autumn ignored her grumpy words, staring at her with those icy blues, "You were groaning and rolling around in your sleep. I thought I'd wake you up before Ube or Rajah come back and complain. Same dream?"

Azure frowned at the names, slowly sitting up and leaning into a knee. As far as she was concerned they could get over it but she didn't want Autumn to have to get stuck feeling like a mediator again. Team AURA led by poor sweet Autumn, considered a prodigy almost the child of two very strong women of leadership as well as a well trained lethal Grimm killing machine was also just so sweet you could choke. And somehow because of the way Beacon traditionally formed teams they had ended up with these two asshole guys who were just miserable to be around, Rajah Winchester and Ube Lark. It only made Azure's annoying sense of responsibility for her cousin more cumbersome and heavy.

Azure shook that from her mind, watching Autumn patiently waiting for an answer and gave a dead stare in her direction, "I need a smoke…"

Autumn stuck out her tongue and squished up her face but that didn't deter Azure as she jumped down from her bed, throwing on some pants and hunting for her pack. She had started smoking the moment she was old enough, not even caring that it bothered her parents. In fact, it was probably the sole reason she wanted to try it in the first place. Over the years, she had grown quite rebellious in her own ways. She had even tried completely getting rid of her black hair that matched her mom's but it was so much to keep up with that she kept to just dying the underside when the mood struck her.

She was determined to try drinking when she was old enough as well though she had tasted it before unknown to her parents. It gave her a sense of meaning she didn't feel like unpacking that her parents worried over her outrageous habits from smoking to rude mannerisms to breaking curfews to hanging with tough crowds or 'wrong' crowds and shady people. All of how they fussed over her just seemed to be meaningful to her and she refused to try to figure any of that out.

Autumn just watched her dig out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and move to the window, opening it a crack and getting one in her mouth, about to light it, "You are going to cause a fight this morning if they smell that when they get back. You aren't even allowed to do that here. I can't exactly keep defending you, you know?"

Azure gave her the most blank expression, striking the lighter and puffing until the cigarette pulled a steady light and blew out around it in her lips, setting the lighter down, "Then don't. Fuck those assholes."

Autumn was clearly disappointed and her face fell as Azure grabbed it from her lips after a long draw and let the poison seep into her lungs before closing her eyes and blowing it out the window. Azure knew Autumn wouldn't say it but she knew her cousin didn't like them either. Autumn would continue to pretend to make the best of it but Azure knew she didn't like them. They treated Autumn the worst afterall, not only hating to take orders from a girl but one younger than them. Their teammates were not the kind of people worth writing home about in short.

"Where are those dicks anyway?" Azure asked, watching Autumn flinch at her words.

"Azure… stop that… their our teammates…" Autumn mumbled, hardly making her own point.

She could hear the click of Azure's tongue and watched the faunus roll her eyes, "Whatever. Are they off doing 'guy stuff' again that they think we wouldn't understand? Losers."

Autumn shrugged, "They didn't say ok? But please Azure I don't want to have to play referee today…"

Azure was close to pointing out she didn't need Autumn to protect her again before she just frowned, taking another massive drag before putting it out and waving the smoke out the window. She grabbed some air freshener from their bathroom and did her best to satisfy Autumn before closing up the window and leaning on the frame of her top bunk, staring at Autumn, "Happy?"

Her cousin just smiled at her, reaching and patting between her cat ears, earning a glare she ignored from Azure, "Very much! Oh! I heard the twins' teammates still aren't back yet. I soooo want to know what they are working on. So I was thinking…"

Azure cut her off, moving to get her clothing for the day together without even a glance back, "No."

The red head pouted, "But… I haven't even said anything yet…"

"Don't care. The answer is still no. Whenever you start anything with 'you were thinking…' it always ends in some sort of bullshit or trouble. I'm not interested. Plus, the twins will rip us a new one if we go bothering them and you know it," Azure responded, heading for their bathroom.

Autumn jumped down, following Azure, not caring it was the bathroom as she slipped in too before Azure could close the door, the cat snarling, "But Azureeee! Come on! Aren't you even a bit curious?"

The cat was pushing Autumn towards the door as Autumn was trying not to be shoved out, "Autumn! Get the hell out! I want a shower!"

The girl whined, grabbing hold of Azure's arm, "Noooo! Not until you hear me outtt! I heard some interesting stuff and I wanna go check it outtttt! Pretty please listen Azure!"

Azure growled, her inner beast making an alpha shift to push a deep rumble in her chest, instinct really from years with the twins but it really didn't do anything to humans so it had no effect on Autumn, "If you get the fuck out and leave me alone to take a damn shower I'll do whatever! Geez!"

Autumn released her instantly, happily squealing before leaving quickly, "YAY! thanks Azureee!"

The cat grumbled, brow twitching as she reached and quickly locked it before Autumn could potentially try to come back, rubbing her face, "Christ… fuck me…"

Stepping into the shower, she stood there letting the steam and hot water wash over her, her mind thinking back to those eyes again. She'd never seen eyes like that before and had never since. After Blake had grabbed her that day, she had called someone about the kid. Normally her mom would handle it but with sick Leo in toe it was impossible. As far as Azure knew though no one ever found that wolf.

She rubbed her wet face again and stared at the wall, "Why that memory? Always that memory?"

When the water felt cold she hurried to clean up and got out, drying herself off and starting to get dressed in time to hear their teammates returning. Her ears listened intently as Ube and Rajah were setting something down on a bunk and complaining angrily, "She smoking again in here!? Where the fuck did she go twerp!?"

Autumn stammered, and Azure could hear the attempt to be peaceful in her voice as the cat started to get dressed faster, "Hey guys uheh she ya know just is in the shower. Come on it's not that bad she even sprayed for you guys."

Rajah stepped closer to Autumn, reaching out and snagging her by the shirt, yanking her over. The sound of Autumn letting out a surprised yelp set Azure on edge and with the shirt yanked over her head she flew out the bathroom, hair still drenched, as Rajah was yelling in Autumn's face, "I've had about enough of that fucking cat!"

A foot flew into the side of his face, sending him off Autumn towards the ground as Azure dived for him, quickly grabbing Autumn and setting her to her feet, protectively holding an arm in front of her with bared teeth, "Then fucking tell me to my face Rajah. Leave her out of it she asked me not to."

Her ear twitched towards the other bunks as Ube tried to reach for her, turning and kicking out towards him as well but he caught her foot and twisted, catching her other as she corrected in the spin with his side. Autumn started begging for them to all stop but they weren't listening to her this time. Nearly two years of pent up hatred for each other being forced to all live together in dorms for school was more than enough. While physically, Azure had the upper hand, easily agile like a cat and with her faunus hearing she could tell in the small space what was happening, when it came to semblances she was at the losing end.

Azure had yet to find or unlock her semblance even now in her second year at Beacon. Her Aunt Ruby often reminded her that it wasn't entirely uncommon and in fact one of her greatest friends in her life had saved her wife from dying once when he unlocked his around her age but that really didn't help her feel any better. Rajah activated his semblance, his eyes seemed to swirl almost and her head grew heavy, eyes trying hard not to look but being pulled in, brain growing fuzzy in the trance casting on her as Ube used his to grow a second pair of limbs and grasp her arms, using his new pair to start punching.

It was overwhelming to her senses as they grew numb but her body felt miserable in the assault and heavier and heavier in the hypnotism until suddenly everything stopped and she dropped to the floor, shaking her head as if it would help remove the lessening fog faster. When her eyes looked up, their teammates were pinned in bright white humming glyphs and Autumn was frowning, teary eyed but angry, "That's enough all of you! We are supposed to be a team!"

She leaned down to Azure, offering a hand, "You ok?"

Azure took it but didn't answer, getting to her feet weakly and staring off, "I'm going for a walk. Do whatever you want with the idiots."

Autumn could only watch her leave with a saddened expression before letting the boys go. She missed happy Azure when they were children who was very close to her. She missed fun Azure as preteens who would make her laugh. Nothing had really happened to her cousin and yet Azure was so different as they got older and she hated it. She still seemed close somehow and yet so far. Autumn worried about her. The way she had changed Autumn could tell she was acting out. She could only assume it was hard being one of five children especially when all your siblings were stronger than you, got their semblances at earlier ages than you, and your older sibling experiences so many issues it takes attention away from you.

She looked at the two guys recovering and sighed, "You two really are balls of sunshine huh?"

—-

Azure made her way to a roof and leaned back. It was going to be a fairly rainy day but she didn't mind really, not much of a fan of the sunlight. She lit another cigarette and reached to run wet hair behind her, exhaling as she stared out across the school grounds. With Leo older now, Blake had taken to teaching as well, teaching history and literature. In some ways, Azure hated that her parents worked here but in others she didn't mind. She didn't hate her parents but her feelings were complicated and her behavior didn't help make dealing with them easy when she wasn't trying to annoy them.

While considering everything and trying to think about anything other than that memory she often dreams about, her eyes fixed on two figures moving quickly in the courtyard like two people with somewhere important to be. That was odd to her. She came up here all the time and never saw such a thing on a weekend. Her ears flicked curiously, the piercings on one jingling lightly as she narrowed her eyes and pulled a draw from her cigarette before flicking it to move closer to the edge.

There, moving quickly to the building, was none other than the twins, Bao and Mao. They seemed to be determined and the only place they could be heading in this direction that made sense were the faculty offices though that seemed strange to her as well. Suddenly, Autumn's information was piquing her interest. Azure left the roof but ran smack into someone before she turned her head, growling until she saw who it was.

A familiar voice spoke as hands reached past her to lock the door, "Azure… how many times do I have to tell you this is off limits?"

She stared at Blake, ears folding back and eyes narrowing. The locked door wouldn't stop her, they both knew this. It was locked when she got here. The tools in her pocket to pick it shifted a bit and she replied flatly, trying to walk past Blake, "Get better locks."

Before she could fully get past Blake, the woman grabbed her arm, stopping her, though Azure turned with a hiss and yarl, "Where do you think you're going?"

Azure yanked her arm free and her inner beast stirred trying to push back but it didn't last and it cowered to Blake's imposing alpha, "I don't have time for this Mom."

Blake watched her carefully. The woman had tried her best to fix what seemed a mess between Azure and herself over the recent years but she only seemed to drive her further away. Blake and Yang were constantly at a loss on how to reconnect with her. As Blake took in the way Azure was suddenly cowering to her she forced herself to relax. Pressing Azure with her alpha wasn't going to help that was for sure, "Azure, honey are we really going to do this again?"

As Blake expected, instead of Azure meeting the calmer opening, the girl shifted back against Blake, energy peaking as her inner beast stirred unhappily against Blake, ger glare palpable, slipping out of blake's reach and taking to the rest of the steps quickly, "I don't know what you're talking about. Gotta go."

She left Blake standing there sighing and rubbing her face. The woman had places to be too like picking Leo up from Tai's and had only found Azure because it was becoming a weekly occurrence to find her on the roof during the weekends so Blake had made a habit of doing a round to check for her. The woman glanced back at the lock and observed how there wasn't even a single scrape in the metal, grinning with a bit of hidden pride in Azure's skills, "Need better locks indeed."

—-

Autumn didn't even get a chance to put her pancake in her mouth as Azure came up behind her, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her a bit, "Woah! Azzuurreee! Whaaaaa!"

The cat grumbled, no patience currently for Autumn's whining, "Tell me what you know about the twins' mission? Quick!"

Autumn poked out her lower lip in a pout staring at her pancakes before she whined. Azure took the hint and dropped with an annoyed sigh across from her, waiting with little patience. After getting a bite or two down, seeing as Azure wasn't going to be willing to sit still quietly much longer, Autumn finally spoke, "So, they've been working with this contact in Mistral on this super secret mission about some underground dangerous faunus group! Their teammates have been undercover this whooollleee time but I overheard Mom telling Aunt Winter that their Mistral person can't get in touch with them anymore and they didn't make contact during the last check in so the twins are being called in to go check it out!"

Azure's brain was reeling now. Team BAMM was her siblings' team with a strange dynamic. It was a team made up of two sets of faunus twins, all cats which was odd enough though the other twins were a set of siamese cats. Also, Bao and Mao were both considered the team leaders despite the way the teams were laid out, however the entire team operated so differently than anything else Beacon had really ever seen as they all seemed to share leadership based on when their skill sets offered the best in a situation.

Azure tended to stay away for many reasons. First and foremost her siblings got on her nerves with their strong territorial pushy alpha beasts but also their team was entirely made of faunus alphas and it made Azure very uncomfortable. Being around so many in one room always pushed her beast to sub present and she hated it. But Mauve and Amethyst had been gone for a while now, since a few weeks after the year started and they were only a few weeks from the Christmas holidays now.

How had she missed something like this for so long? Her family was doing a good job hiding it but it did explain why the twins had seemed so tense and annoyed lately. To be fair, she was pretty sure Mao was dating Amethyst even if she kept denying it at home so she could see how the entire mission could be stressful. The whole thing seemed very dangerous. Autumn was focused back on her pancakes though watching Azure with interest as those amber eyes were turning red. They hadn't learned Azure's eyes could do that like Yang's until she hit puberty though unlike Yang hers tended to shift at random, sometimes tied to complex feelings but often tied to nothing at all and just turned. Blake would often say it might even out once her semblance unlocked.

"But… that's dangerous… why aren't they sending in actual Huntsmen?" Azure asked, her muscles tensing a bit.

She didn't have to say it and probably would never admit it but Autumn knew she was worried about her siblings. Azure might have issues over her family but she loved them and she had been very close to the twins once too before they got really pushy with her. Even now though, if she or the twins were in any real danger they often were quick to defend each other like siblings who love each other do.

Autumn could only shrug, "My guess? Most of the sect is younger faunus. Mama and mom were talking last weekend about it when they thought I went to bed. Apparently a ton of the members are our age or younger and the leader is also a fairly young adult. I guess all the official faunus Huntsmen would be too obvious. Plus, Mao and Bao are their teammates. They'll know how to find them fastest right? Can't they like… smell them or something?"

Azure ignored the urge to judge Autumn's ignorance. She knew it was simply coming from a place of lack of knowledge and not meant to be insulting or anything. Autumn grew up around her faunus cousins and didn't have any prejudices but she was still human so there was a lot she didn't know and couldn't fathom. Azure decided instead to fix her with a flat stare, "Well… yes… I guess you could say it sorta works that way…"

Autumn was quick to wave her hands apologetically and whimper, "Sorry! That was rude wasn't it!?"

A heavy sigh made Autumn relax, "Geez Autumn knock it off. People are staring. I know what you meant I've only been around you our whole lives. No it doesn't exactly work like that. The twins aren't bloodhounds. But I'm pretty sure Mao could find Amethyst anywhere even if she denies it. I mean if they get close enough they can smell them but it's not like tracking a scent or anything. I guess maybe they are hoping the twins know enough about the mission to find them the fastest."

Autumn just nodded, her face in awe. She loved learning about faunus, sometimes to such an extent it was to Azure's unfortunate displeasure. Azure couldn't shake the danger though and she had a terrible feeling gnawing at her but what could a second year student without a semblance even do really? Autumn snapped her fingers to get Azure's attention, having finished her food, "wanna go try a training room? Might help you get your mind off some things. Maybe we can even unlock your semblance this time!"

Azure and Autumn often helped Azure blow off steam in training rooms and though Autumn didn't look it or seem it to most people she was a very worthy adversary in combat. She had incredible control of her semblance and her weapon, Jahreszeiten, 'four seasons'. Azure huffed and nodded, "Fine whatever let's go."

Autumn flew from her seat and grabbed Azure, dragging the unhappy cat along. Azure 's locker held a weapon much like her grandmother's, Raven's, Omen. Azure's weapon, Prophecy, used the same concept of dust as the optional blade material but with newer technology the material could be stored in the scabbard and activated into a blade instead of a revolving chamber like Omen. Prophecy had been built between her and Raven and a lot of work went into it. It had a similar trigger firing mechanism to fire the blade at people but she didn't have a ranged mode on it. Azure's hand to hand combat skill was superb from being taught by Yang and her cat-like reflexes were insane.

Jahreszeiten, Autumn's 4 foot claymore, held by the five foot four inch tall girl, often seemed like a crazy choice but she wielded it like it was weightless. The sword held four different dust compartments in the guard, fire (summer), plant (spring), ice (winter), and wind (fall) and could be either used with her semblance or encase along the double edged blade until it burned off for higher power swings or impacts with the blade. They had gathered the weapons and entered the room. Autumn took a stance with that large blade and her face lit up with a different sort of more mature gleam of joy, one like her mother, one of excitement for such a moment to stretch her legs and enjoy the efforts they were both about to put forth. Azure stared at her, reaching for the hilt of Prophecy and taking a stance, selecting a gravity blade as Autumn smirked, "Show me what you got Azure."

Azure's eyes narrowed and her teeth grit and she rushed forward, blade drawing and swinging it into the ground to fling herself up and over Autumn but a few well placed glyphs shifted Autumn quickly from out of range as the next swing came down. Jahreszeiten swung to and fro blocking several kicks with ease before lashing out, colliding several times with Azure's blade. When the dust blade shattered, Azure lept back for space and dodged several ice particles flying her way from a glyph, rolling to the side as she reinserted the hilt and drew out a fire blade, quickly getting back to her feet smoothly and slicing through the ice effortlessly as she advanced on Autumn.

Autumn's fingers ran the chambers and the sword lit up on the edges with a white glow as it was encased in wind dust, slashing gusts through the air at Azure forcing the cat back a few steps to rethink approach. But before Azure could change tactics fully, Autumn's blade struck the ground with a rumble and a massive suit of armor rose from a summoning glyph behind her, coming right for Azure. The cat frowned, baring her teeth and reinserting the blade to change it to one of gravity again, using it to send the armor's sword flying away from her before striking ground to send herself up onto it, striking at it as she advanced towards the helm.

It wasn't easy as tiny nevermores made of ice were swooping at her, nearly knocking her off balance as she tried to avoid them, quickly changing the blade back to fire to destroy them on impact. Unfortunately the suit shifted easily and Azure lost grip, nails digging in before she could fall but the summon shook her off and she was readying to catch herself when a glyph caught her fall. Her chest was heaving when that armor's giant sword beared down at her and stopped just short a few inches, Autumn sliding in effortlessly to aim her own sword, tapping the bottom of Azure's chin, "checkmate."

Accepting defeat was never easy for Azure, she got that from Yang really. Especially when she lost to someone using their semblance so easily. She used to pity herself but nowadays she just got angry at her inadequacy compared to her peers. Autumn moved her sword and offered a hand with a friendly smile but Azure growled and slapped it away, "I don't need your help!"

She was on her feet and storming for the door, Autumn's calls out to her falling deftly on her ears. She was so annoyed she didn't even acknowledge Yang in the hallway who stepped out of her warpath quickly before snagging her by her shirt, "Woah! Hey there Kitty Kat where's the fire?"

Azure's reaction was immediate, snarling as she turned on Yang causing her mother to instantly release her. You learn quickly with a dragon for a child not to risk getting bitten by angry faunus, hands holding up to show she wasn't a threat even though her face was stern, "Hey! Woah! Time out it's just me! Seriously you ok Kitty Kat?"

Azure's chest rumbled as it heaved still catching her breath and Yang noticed Prophecy at her hip. It wasn't hard for the combat teacher to figure out now why Azure was so riled up. She got this way every class too. No matter how many times Blake and Yang tried to tell her she wasn't less than for not having a semblance yet it never seemed to sink in and Azure only seemed to torture herself with it all the time, making herself insecure about it and holding herself back over it Yang was convinced.

Red was filled in Azure's eyes and those teeth were still showing so Yang didn't try to touch her, her voice softening, "Azure, it'll happen one day kiddo I promise. You're just making it harder on yourself when you…"

Her daughter's words stung into her as Azure shouted, snarling in her tone, "What the fuck do you know about it!? you've had a semblance since you were a kid! You can't possibly understand! You or Mom! None of you! Not my aunts either! Not Autumn or my stupid teammates! So keep your fucking advice to yourself and leave me the hell alone!"

Yang didn't really know what to say fast enough before Azure left in a huff, angry tears on her face. Yang's shoulders fell watching her leave. In time, Autumn caught up panting as she leaned on her knees from running, "S…she's upset… huh?"

Yang just nodded, watching Autumn catch her breath. In truth, Autumn was probably the worst person to be around if you felt insecure about a semblance considering her control and use of her own. She was one of the school's strongest second years when it came to use of her semblance. Yang couldn't even understand why Azure insisted so hard to only train with Autumn but her niece would only ever smile and say that Azure wanted a challenge. To Yang though, it seemed more like self-loathing and self-inflicted punishment but she only ever aired her thoughts to her wife to which Blake always just tried to comfort her on it to ease her mind.

Yang wasn't fooled though, she knew Azure worried Blake too. As Autumn stood straight, finally calmly breathing, Yang raised a brow, "You summoned that armor again didn't you?"

Autumn rubbed the back of her neck, sheepishly smiling, "eheh… well she was getting a little too close for comfort you see… She's actually getting really really good! I have to use summons or she will totally defeat me."

Yang just stared for a bit before shaking her head with a grin, "That's my girl."

She gave Autumn a gentle shove to go after Azure and her niece waved on her way to follow. Autumn did her usual speech, trying to convince Azure she was getting really strong while trying to shut up their teammates who were always being rude about the situation. But as usual when Azure ignored her to go find a place to smoke, Autumn just sighed in defeat and would go back to classwork.

On her way back to the dorm from the library late that night, exhausted from losing track of time studying, she was passing by her Aunt's office when she heard talking beyond the heavy door. Ever the nosey person she was, she leaned to the wall, straining to hear. She could just barely make out the sound of Winter's voice, Weiss, and the twins along with some staticy chatter of a weird accent she assumed was on a scroll. Most of the words were muffled. She never wished Azure was there more, her cat ears could have easily made it all out, but she was going to have to do it alone.

She was able to make out enough to know they were going to get on an airship that night once they were sure lights were all out on campus to send them straight to Mistral. The twins' words were hard to make out but their tone sounded serious, full of concern and determination. When it seemed like conversation was coming to a close, Autumn scrambled to disappear before she could get caught, taking off for her dorm, ' gotta tell Azure, gotta tell Azure! '

Everyone in the room was asleep already. Made sense it was nearly one in the morning. Autumn didn't bother to even remove her boots as she stepped up to lean over the edge of Azure's bed, staring at the coiled cat in her blankets for warmth. If it were any other night, Autumn would mentally note how adorably kitten-like it was for Azure curled in blankets just like a baby kitty trying to be warm with fuzzy ears twitching and light gap in her mouth with little fangs showing. However tonight she was in a hurry. She reached a hand out, the other holding the frame to not fall, whispering loudly as she gripped Azure and shook her, "Azure! Azure wake up! hurry!"

The cat hissed lightly, clearly annoyed, trying to tuck further into her disturbed warmth and swatting a hand at Autumn weakly, "go away Autumn… I'm trying to sleep."

But Autumn didn't stop, shaking her more, "Azure! You meanie wake up!"

Azure rolled towards her, peering out from tucked in her blankets with eyes that told Autumn she was frowning, "The fuck do you want Autumn it's late."

Autumn just stared, either ignoring Azure's mood or innocently oblivious, Azure could never tell, "The twins are getting on an airship tonight! It's bad! Come on, let's follow them!"

Azure's eyes narrowed further but Autumn could tell she was considering it, "Autumn… that's crazy. Go to bed."

The leader whined, giving her best puppy-like eyes to get Azure to cave, "Come onnnnn don't you wanna know what's going on?!"

As Azure was staring at her, she could feel herself wanting to glance away, not even remotely immune to Autumn's begging. She also knew this was how she always got into trouble with Autumn but better to go with her then Autumn get herself into a mess alone. Azure was well aware the girl was a bit too naive for her own good sometimes. She rolled her eyes and autumn knew she had won, throwing her blankets off, "Ugh…fine… whatever let's go…"

Ube rolled a bit, grunting, "Shut the fuck up both of you!"

The two made faces at him that he couldn't see before Azure got dressed and they rushed for their weapons, following to the station many feet behind. Next thing Azure knew, she was mentally grumbling about how once again Autumn had somehow dragged her into something as they sat in the cargo hold of the airship, tucking in her coat to try to be warm, Autumn tucked close to her with an excited grin in her taste for adventure and her sword encased in fire to help warm them up, "Isn't this so exciting Azure!?"

The cat glared at her from bundled in her coat, grumbling with folded ears, voice dripping sarcasm, "So fun… I love freezing in a cargo bay of a ship with you…"

Autumn either ignored it or didn't notice her sarcasm as she hugged Azure happily and the cat sighed. This was going to be a wild trip alright.