Pearls on a String

Volume 1

Chapter 3: Journeys

Beacon Academy

Saturday Morning

Evelyn Black's eyes shot open. She lay in her bed for a quiet moment as she gathered her wits about her, trying to ascertain what caused her to wake before her alarm went off.

Lessee… Not a weekday, no classes… Did we have something planned today, or… Oh, Dust!

She bolted upright with a wide smile across her face. She knew her tail was swishing madly behind her, but paid it no more attention than her furiously twitching furry ears on the top of her head. Today's the day!

"Good morning, Evie," a soft, lightly accented voice called out to her from across the room.

Still smiling, the Cat Faunus turned to regard the speaker, her ears swiveling over first. "Hey, Lustre, should have known you'd be up first as usual… You ready for today?"

The dark-skinned girl put down her book that she was reading in bed. Her perpetually disheveled hair looked the same as it always did, which Evie thought to be monumentally unfair for those who actually had enough hair to deal with bed-head. Lustre was wearing her usual white kimono pajamas with the light blue sash just barely visible, though her crossed legs were covered by her sheets still.

"Indeed," the silver-haired girl grinned. "I am wondering if we should wake the others as well, perhaps actually get breakfast this morning."

"That'd be a first this semester," Evie laughed softly, pulling her black camisole down from where it had bunched up. She glanced over her shoulder at her partner. Pip was sprawled across her bed that was up against the wall, her silky though currently disheveled long blond hair spilling across her face and sticking to her cheeks somewhat from the drool. A soft snore was issuing from her mouth.

"Perhaps we should give sleeping beauty here a little more rest, though," the Faunus conceded. "She gets cranky if she's woken early."

"Mmm," Lustre agreed. "Beryl as well." Evie leaned over to spy the small girl on her bed behind Lustre. The blue-haired girl was curled up into a tight ball and facing the wall.

"Well, why don't the pair of us get some breakfast?" the raven-haired girl asked. "Start the big day off right."

"That sounds like an excellent idea."

The two friends got dressed quickly and silently before sneaking out of the room. They walked next to each other, amicably chatting until they could get trays of food and sit at their usual spot.

"Feels kinda weird, doesn't it?" Evie asked, chewing thoughtfully on a bite of her seafood omelette. "I mean, this is gonna be the last time we see Beacon for a few months or so."

"Is it any more unusual than our winter or summer breaks?" Lustre asked curiously, a cup of tea raised to her lips. She blew across it before taking a grateful sip.

"Oh, I suppose not…" the Faunus conceded. "Still… We're actually going to Vacuo!"

"Now that does indeed feel strange. Even more so considering we are the only second-year team, so we will be alone in our classes there."

"Oh, wow…" Evie blinked in surprise. "I didn't even think of that! Dust, I hope we make some friends…"

"Of course we will!" Lustre laughed, her ice-blue eyes twinkling merrily. "Between you and Pip, we will have the entirety of Shade eating out of our hands in no time."

"Speaking of eating… What in Oum's name is that you got this time?"

"This?" Lustre looked down at her plate. "It is merely an omelette."

"It's red, Lustre. Omelettes aren't supposed to be red."

"There are some very tasty peppers in it. I had the kitchen make it especially for me. They come from Vacuo, actually, as does the hot sauce also used in its creation."

"Joy…"

"Would you like a bite?"

"No, Lustre, no I would not."

"Are you sure?"

"I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life."

Back in their room, they found that Beryl was already awake and getting a shower, by the sounds of things from the adjoining bathroom. Pip, naturally, hadn't budged.

"Should we wake her?" Evie asked with an arched eyebrow, her ears twitching in anticipation. Sometimes she had these… instincts. She couldn't help them really, and her team made her feel much better about having them and also not being embarrassed over the expression of such. And right now, the cat in her really, really wanted to pounce.

Lustre must have picked up on it, though the tail swishing lazily behind her might have been a clue. "Are you sure that is the best way to do so?"

"Am I sure? No. Do I want to anyways?" Evie grinned over at her friend, her slightly extended canines showing like miniature fangs. "Oh, yes."

Snorting softly, the silver-haired girl shook her head as she walked over to sit on her bed. "I shall remain out of the collateral damage zone, then."

Evie's grin widened as she crept across her bed on all fours, low to the mattress and with her rear end swishing in tune with her tail. Both ears were upright and focused forward on her snoozing prey as she readied herself for the pounce.

Too late, Pip's aura warned her of the incoming danger. She cracked a pale red eye open to peer about cautiously. "Oh no, Evie don't you even think of WAAAUGH!"

The lanky blonde let out a shriek as the giggling Cat Faunus landed playfully on her torso.

"Ooof, Evie, you're crushing me!"

"No I'm not you big baby. C'mon now, you've been pounced, you know the rules…"

With a humorous sigh and accompanying roll of her eyes, Pip obliged the raven-haired girl. She reached up between her black furred ears and scratched at the base of them.

Evie gave an enthusiastic purr and curled up at Pip's side. She'd missed this for so very long, the ability to be playful and let her kitty cat out. She came from a rather large, very boisterous extended family with numerous siblings, and though she was quite happy to get away from them, she was happier by far to have found friends dear enough to her to become a second family. One who, even though they were not Faunus themselves, didn't have a problem with her acting like one.

The Faunus of Remnant had come a long way from the days of constant persecution and hate, though much bigotry still existed today. Thankfully there were laws in place now to protect the Faunus way of life, but she still had to be careful how she acted in public.

Just not in the privacy of her dorm room with her team.

"You know," Lustre commented wryly. "One of these days I am going to capture that on video."

"And that will be the day I murder you in your sleep," Evie replied sweetly through her happy purrs.

Pip snickered but reached her other hand across to flick the raven-haired girl on the nose. "No threatening of life this early," she chided gently. "Be a good kitty cat or I'll stop."

Evie pouted slightly, snuggling in closer to her partner and friend.

The bathroom door opened to reveal Beryl, clothed now but with a towel held to her hair while she dried it. "Oh, is the kitty cat being playful this morning?" she grinned, her light bronze eyes twinkling with humor.

"Seems to be that way," Pip giggled. "I'm guessing she might be excited for today."

"Mmmayyybe just a little bit," Evie giggled back. She sat up and stretched as only a Cat Faunus could, her back arched in a most inhuman fashion. "Go on, Pip, grab a shower, your hair's a mess."

"And whose fault is that?" the blonde quipped as she rolled off out of bed, unabashedly pulling her nightshirt off as she walked towards her dresser.

Evie snorted as she slinked over to her own bed, her movements sinuous and graceful. "Not mine, you were a mess before I even pounced on you."

"Likely story," Pip scoffed, grabbing her underwear and ducking into the bathroom. She closed the door on any retort Evie could make.

"Brat!" the raven-haired girl called out.

"So, we're all packed up, yeah?" Beryl asked as she walked over towards her dresser. "When does the airship leave?"

"Yes, we should all be prepared by now," Lustre replied, her nose buried in her novel once more. "I checked our bags last night, we merely need to ensure our toiletries are included. Also, the airbus for the central terminal leaves at ten, which will allow us plenty of time for the airship departure at noon."

"Cool," Beryl replied, dropping her towel in the hamper. She changed her mind as she realized that it would be a mildewy mess by the time they returned, and instead picked it back up and draped it over the foot of her bed. "Either of you guys need a shower?"

"Nope, we did so last night, remember?" Evie replied from where she sprawled on her stomach. Her tail flicked back and forth in the air above her. "Hey, you guys nervous any?"

"Nervous?" Lustre asked, pulling her book down into her lap. "Not necessarily, no."

"I am, maybe a little," Beryl admitted as she flopped at the end of Lustre's bed. "You know I don't do well in, um… new social situations."

"Don't you worry any, Beryl, we got your back," Evie grinned, her head resting on her folded arms. "We'll help you with any anxiety you might have."

"Never stop moving forward," Lustre commented quietly, repeating the motto that their team had adopted from Ruby Rose.

"Absolutely!" Evie agreed. "Just stick with us, okay?"

"Always do," Beryl replied softly.

Evie's ears flicked slightly at the tone in her friend's voice, but as usual she chalked it up to the diminutive girl's timidness. It was a facet of her personality so at odds with her fierceness on the battlefield, the fact that she was so incredibly shy sometimes, even around her teammates. Dust, it took her a week to even talk to us after initiation, other than monosyllabic answers!

Lustre had started out the same way, of course, though in her case it was simple introvertedness and unwillingness to converse rather than intense social anxiety. She came out of her shell quickly enough, but Beryl sometimes just seemed to go with the flow and follow the other's lead more often than not.

Still, there's nobody outside of my team, Beryl included, I'd rather have at my side in a fight. I'm so very lucky to have these girls in my life.

The Cat Faunus smiled softly as she reminisced upon some of the adventures they'd had over the past year and a half, from pranks gone disastrously wrong to fights against overwhelming odds that they emerged from victorious. As a team, as a unit, there was nothing that they couldn't accomplish.

Well, except for maybe getting Lustre to like the taste of coffee.

"You okay there, Evie?" the blue-haired girl asked curiously. "You got an odd look on your face."

Evie looked over at her friend and gave her a wide smile. "Eh, just reminiscing. And impatiently waiting for our fearless leader to finish up. Is she taking longer than usual?"

"Well, she does have a lot of hair," Lustre replied mildly.

"And she might want to primp a little extra for our arrival," Beryl added with a smirk.

Evie nodded sagely as she sat up. "Ah, very true, first impressions and all that. So, any bets as to how long till her first hook-up?"

"Hmm," Beryl mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I give her three days."

"Five," Lustre murmured without looking up from her book.

"Pfft, you two seriously underestimate the power of her hormones," Evie snickered. "I say by the second day at the latest. There's bound to be a cute boy that catches her eye by then."

"Ten lien?" Beryl asked mischievously.

"Agreed," Lustre replied. Evie nodded as well.

"Well, then," the blue-haired girl commented nonchalantly as she rose from her perch.

The other two girls watched as she calmly strode over towards the bathroom, opened the door, and walked inside.

Evie turned to Lustre in confusion. "What is she…?"

The sound of the toilet flushing was just barely audible over Pip's shrieks.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" they heard the blonde scream.

"Sorry, Pip!" Beryl called out over her shoulder as she walked back into the room. "We're running late, hurry up okay?"

"You conniving little girl," Evie grinned. "You're rushing her to blow her first impressions, aren't you?"

"Well, I did go for longer than the two days you picked," the blue-haired girl replied quite reasonably. Pip's muttered curses were clearly audible now through the open bathroom door. "I figure, by the second day she's gotten another shower, primped better, and will hook up by the following day. This way she won't want to go out tonight."

"That's fighting dirty, Blue," the Faunus smirked.

Beryl returned the smirk in earnest. "Hey, ten lien is ten lien."

"The two of you are incorrigible," Lustre sighed resignedly.

"But I didn't do anything this time!" Evie protested.

"Only because you did not think of it first, otherwise you would have blocked the door."

"Well…" The Cat Faunus glanced at her friends with a wry grin. "Yeah, okay, probably."

Pip chose that moment to stride out of the bathroom, one towel around her waist and another around her hair. Her lacy red bra was on, though it clung to her wet skin. Interestingly, though her bust was slightly smaller than Evie's, the Cat Faunus and Lustre both shared the same measurements. Beryl, much to her vociferous chagrin, wore the smallest cup size that they made adult bras for, in keeping with her slight and short stature.

"Seriously, Beryl, was that necessary?" the lanky blonde grumped, trying to wring out her long hair in her towel.

"Sorry again, Pip, but we don't want to be late, right?"

Evie snorted softly. By unspoken agreement, any wager placed on a teammate was not discussed with the girl in question so as to make the bet impartial. That didn't mean they wouldn't cheat outrageously, as Beryl just did, but that was the one rule they followed.

Theirs was an oftentimes odd friendship.

"Okay, Team Pearl, we all set?" Pip asked, her voice muffled by the school blouse she was slipping over her head rather than unbuttoning it. All of the Beacon students were required to wear their school uniforms on the trip. Though their team greatly preferred their usual combat attire for everyday wear, they tolerated the red plaid skirt and black jacket over the white blouse well enough. Lustre was the only one to flaunt the dress code blatantly with the omission of the red ribbon that was customarily tied at the collar, as well as the white ankle socks. For her part, Beryl preferred black full-length stockings to cover up the knobby knees she was so embarrassed over, while both Pip and Evie wore knee-high socks.

"Yep, just lemme grab my toiletries!" Beryl chirped as she skipped back into the bathroom. Evie and Lustre shared a grin at their diminutive teammate's enthusiasm. Seems she's just as excited for a new adventure, even if it means she might have to talk to new people as well!

A few minutes later saw the teens lugging their assorted suitcases, weapons cases, and duffle bags across campus. They met their peers with cheerful waves as they were wished luck. Pip had to stop every so often to speak with some of the members of her past liaisons as they expressed their own versions of 'good luck'.

"I don't know why you even bother putting lipstick on," Beryl grumbled as she struggled with the larger duffle containing her armor and sword case. Her shield was strapped onto the back of her rolling luggage, making it seem as if she were towing an overly large blue tortoise.

Pip snickered softly. "Can't help it if I'm popular with the boys," she laughed. "It's a tough job…"

"...But someone has to do them all," Evie finished for her with a smirk. "Oum, girl, is there any boy at Beacon you haven't hooked up with yet?"

"I'm not that bad!" the blonde protested as they arrived at the waiting air bus. There was a line of similarly-dressed students waiting in line to board, all laden with luggage. "I do have standards, you know!"

"It is alright, Pip," Lustre interjected soothingly, seeing how their leader was beginning to take offense. "We are not implying you are, merely teasing."

"Oh, right." Pip rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I knew that."

Evie gave her friend a bump with her shoulder that was amicably returned. "You know I love you," she murmured with a wink.

"Back atcha, kitty cat," the lanky blonde grinned.

They stashed their luggage in the cargo compartment before heading for an open set of seats. Evie sat down in between Pip, who cheerfully grabbed the window seat, and Beryl, who was becoming more withdrawn as more students filed in.

"Hey," the Faunus said quietly. "You alright, Beryl?"

"Yeah, I'm just… I don't really know any of these third or fourth years very well." The blue-haired girl looked around nervously. "I'm really only going to know the three of you, aren't I…"

"We're not going to leave you anywhere on your own," Lustre reassured her from the other side.

"Yep, you're stuck with us!" Evie chirped as she grabbed Beryl's hand, capturing it over into her lap. "So just relax, okay?"

"Y- Yeah, relax… I can relax…"

Evie noted curiously that the small girl did not seem to be relaxing at all, despite her assurances. In fact, she seemed to be even more flustered. She turned to Pip with a small frown, who for some odd reason rolled her eyes at her.

Did I say something wrong?

Before she could pursue the matter, Pip cleared her throat. "Okay, Beryl, let's get that strategic mind of yours working for us. Give us a run-down of the teams from Beacon that are heading to Shade."

Beryl nodded her head firmly, her earlier apprehension slipping away as she sat up straighter and peered around with a new analytical look in her eyes. Evie grinned to herself. Trust in Pip to find a way to set our resident tactical nerd at ease. The shield-bearer was always watching the other students fight, always analyzing their moves and researching the other teams to figure out ways to improve their own maneuvers.

Unfortunately, to the team's general dismay, Pip was the one who came up with the ridiculous names for said maneuvers.

"Well, we have two third-year teams and three fourth-year teams. Honestly I don't even know what DDLN is even doing here…"

Lustre snorted softly, glancing over at the four female students who looked like they would have been more at home in a library than in an arena. "They are all proficient dust-wielders, but I agree, their utility in a standup fight is sorely lacking."

"Well, Dandilion might surprise us…" Pip mused, tapping a finger on her chin. Evie sent her a skeptical look, but she knew as much as Beryl knew how teams fought, Pip knew people. She had a knack for figuring out who might be a diamond in the rough and confound everyone's expectations.

"So Team MRLD are mostly long-ranged, close with them and they fall apart easily," Beryl continued softly. "I figure they might get past the first round but after that the others will figure that out. They won't go past doubles."

Pip grinned widely and leaned forward, rolling her hand in a motion to indicate she should continue.

"Both Teams AQUA and CBLT are pretty well-rounded and strong. In our league." The blue-haired girl stated the last without a bit of conceit, which also caused Evie to chuckle. How easily we accept that a pair of fourth-year teams are our equals…

"Who's the last one left?" Evie asked when Beryl fell silent.

Her petite friend sighed. "I actually don't know the other third-year team, IRIS, very well. They come off as ninjas, strike-and-fade sort of attacks. Never seen them do a standup fight. I'm not sure how they will fare."

"I know Raye," Lustre commented. "She took the advanced Dust Mechanics class with me this semester. She is strong of will."

"So at least one Dust Mage on their team," Pip said thoughtfully.

"Hey Lustre, why were you in that class anyways?" Evie asked curiously. "I mean, sure you're the closest we have to a Dust Mage, but not really…"

"I found it interesting," the silver-haired girl replied. "If nothing else to understand how others wield Dust more efficiently."

The Faunus nodded and shifted in her seat. She noticed that she still had Beryl's hand captured in her lap, and gave it a squeeze before letting it go. The blue-haired girl seemed to be reluctant in dragging it away again.

"So that's it then?" Pip asked. Beryl just nodded her head, blushing lightly. I don't know why she gets embarrassed sometimes when we pay attention to her like this. She's got an awesome mind for this kinda stuff!

"Nice job," Evie murmured softly in encouragement as she bumped the smaller girl with her shoulder. Beryl just nodded again, her blush intensifying. The Faunus just sighed, deciding to leave it alone for now.

Before too long they arrived at Vale's central terminal where the airship bound for Vacuo was waiting. After unloading their baggage, dragging it over to the appropriate terminal and waiting for about a half hour while they grabbed a quick lunch, they found themselves repeating their earlier process. Luggage was stored and they grabbed a row of far more comfortable seats in the same order as before.

"Okay, gang, time to relax," Pip sighed as she stretched her long legs out in front of her luxuriously. "Got a number of hours until we touch down again."

"Why is it you take the window seat when you intend to sleep the whole way?" Lustre asked humorously as she watched the blonde close her pale red eyes.

"'Cause I'm the leader," she snarked in reply. Evie swished her tail over to flick the lanky blonde on the nose, which made her partner giggle.

The others seemed content to follow her example and settled down contentedly. Their naps were interrupted by the serving of dinner, which to Evie's delight had the option of salmon.

"Oh, Evie," Pip grinned as she watched her Faunus friend drool over the dish being placed in front of her. "Looks like you're gettin' chocolate!"

"Mmm," the raven-haired girl moaned softly, chewing slowly on her first bite. "Oh, yes…"

"Damn, girl," Lustre chuckled. "You enjoying that meal?"

"Sounds more like she's having sex with it," Pip snarked, causing Beryl to choke on her drink. The others shared a laugh at the blue-haired girl's discomfort while she wiped her face off with a napkin.

"Can we please not talk about sex in public?" Beryl whispered hoarsely.

Pip giggled. "Then tell Evie to stop making those noises."

"I can't help it if I enjoy my food," Evie replied loftily. "I don't get salmon all that often, and this is really well done."

"Besides which, you are the only one who would recognize such noises as being associated with sex," Lustre added.

"True enough," the blonde conceded.

Beryl sighed irritably. "Again with the sex talk!"

The Faunus reached over to pat Beryl's hand. "Okay, we'll behave. Right guys?"

She received a chorus of agreements, causing Beryl to relax again slightly and smile at Evie in wordless thanks.

After dinner was cleared away, Pip sat up straighter and stared out the window. "Hey, guys… I think we're crossing into Vacuo's territory! Look at all the sand!"

The other three leaned over her, crowing around the single small porthole. "You know, there's an observation deck we could go look out of," the Cat Faunus commented.

"Where's the fun in that?" Pip snarked.

Beryl hummed thoughtfully. "That is a whole lot of sand," she stated.

"Indeed," Lustre agreed. "Though I do see some patches of green. I believe they are called oases."

"Oh-ah-seas?" Beryl asked.

"Oases. The plural form of Oasis."

"What an odd word."

"Indeed," Lustre agreed once more.

"C'mon, nerds," Pip chuckled, pushing back gently. "This means we'll be landing soon. Let's get our stuff together."

They straightened up their seating area as the sun began to set through the window. By the time Shade itself was visible, set just on the outskirts of the city of Vacuo, the sunset highlighted the grandiose structure.

"Well, that's a bit different from Beacon," Evie breathed, enchanted with the sight.

Shade Academy, unlike the grand tower of Beacon, was a collection of tiny minarets spaced around a large, square structure. What was notable were the colors on the rooftops, each tiny tower glittering like a rainbow in the light of the fading sun.

"Is that just one big building?" Beryl gulped, intimidated by the size of it.

Lustre shook her head, her disheveled silver locks swaying gently. "No, my understanding is that it is a large wall surrounding the buildings which are set into the wall itself. In the center is an open courtyard used for training and practice."

"Still, it's… big."

Evie reached over and gave her friend's arm a gentle squeeze. "Don't start fretting, alright? Just breathe. I'm sure it will look less intimidating closer up."

As it turned out, Evie couldn't have been further from the right of it.

The collection of Beacon students, led by a chipper Shade student guide who introduced herself as Bonnie, paused at the massive gates that led into the hunter academy.

"Evie?" the blue-haired girl squeaked.

"Yeah, sorry sweetie," the Faunus replied, slightly awestruck herself.

"Whelp," Pip announced, grabbing her team up into a hug from behind them. "No use standing around girls, this is the start of our big adventure together! C'mon, let's go see what our room looks like!"

The guide pointed out to the the dining hall as they passed it, as well as the other dorms. The visiting students from Atlas, Haven, and Beacon Academies were housed in a separate dorm furthest from the dining hall but closer to the instructional buildings. The students noted that the complex was filled with small passageways, almost like a warren, that threaded in between the buildings and the giant walls, sometimes running under the buildings themselves. As they traversed one such shortcut they came across a small garden set off to the side with benches and overhanging greenery clustered around a tall fountain.

"It's actually really pretty here," Evie mentioned. "I like the feel of it, though it's maybe a little… closed-off for my tastes."

"I like it too," Beryl added, sticking close on her team's heels though she still struggled with her bags. Fortunately there were no stairs on their path, which is why the guide took them that way. "I just hope we don't get too lost on our own."

"I will not get us lost," Lustre assured them. "I have already mapped the facility out in my head."

"Such a dork," Pip laughed affectionately. "You going to be our planner again?"

Evie grinned at Lustre's irritable huff, though it was tinged with amusement. At the beginning of each semester, even their very first one, the silver-haired girl had drawn up schedules for them along with locations and a detailed map for the routes they'd need to take in order to be as efficient as possible.

Honestly, in the Faunus' opinion, their academics would have been in the toilet without Lustre's help.

"Of course," the dark-skinned girl replied levelly. "Unless you do not wish it."

"Nope, we wish it!" Beryl broke in worriedly. "We're all kinds of wishing for it right here!"

"Relax, Beryl, we're only teasing," Pip laughed. "Lustre knows how much we appreciate her efforts."

Lustre nodded with a smile. "So long as you keep me supplied with my tea, I consider it to be a fair trade."

By that point they had arrived at their dorm. Each academy was given a floor to themselves, along with their own lounge and kitchenette, and theirs just happened to be on the ground level.

"Thank Oum," Beryl sighed.

"Almost there, babe," Pip grinned enthusiastically. "Don't drop on us now!"

"I still find it odd that the smallest of us has the greatest amount of baggage," Lustre commented as they headed down the hall. She nodded and smiled to Raye as they passed her team heading into one of the rooms.

"What is this, a toothpick case?" Pip snarked, hefting her greatsword case that she had slung over her muscular shoulder.

"Yes, for an oversized toothpick," Evie deadpanned.

"Says the girl with a bent blade."

"It's a scimitar, you oaf, and I can dance circles around you with it," Evie grinned at their usual banter.

"Dance? I'll make you dance next sparring we have!" Pip grinned back evilly.

"Girls, we are here," Lustre sighed indulgently, opening the door to their room.

The four of them staggered inside and dropped their bags to the floor.

Beryl looked around wide-eyed. "Well, this is…"

"Different?" Lustre supplied helpfully.

"Kinda exotic," Evie commented.

Pip laughed cheerfully. "I like it!"

The room was slightly larger than their second-year room at Beacon, and not just because of the different sleeping arrangements. There were a pair of bunk beds to each side, each seemingly hand-crafted out of wood into curved, almost organic shapes. The matching dressers were squat but wide with mirrors on each one, and instead of separate desks there was one long table straight ahead against the window overlooking the courtyard. Four separate cubbyholes with a small bookshelf on top adorned the table, and four ornate upholstered chairs were spaced apart. The floor was stone, though there was a fancy, red-patterned plush carpet that was spread out in the middle of the room.

Pip walked over to the door on the right and poked her head in. "Wow, nice-sized closet."

"Oh, you guys," Evie breathed as she did the same through the left-hand door. "You gotta come see this…"

The bathroom was the full length of the room, though a quarter of the width. At the near end was a toilet stall with a privacy gate bordered by a shower. A very long countertop had four separate sinks in it across a large, gild-framed mirror.

But the crowning glory lay at the far side of the bathroom.

"Is that a bathtub?" Beryl squeaked.

"It looks more like a hot tub," Pip replied, walking over. "Yeah, it's got nozzles in it for the water, and it's big enough for the four of us all at once."

Lustre sighed, a dreamy look in her eyes. "We shall be so very spoiled with all of this."

"I ain't complaining!" Pip laughed gleefully. "You guys wanna try it out tonight?"

Beryl blushed lightly. "Um, no, sorry… I didn't bring a bathing suit."

"Do you even own a bathing suit?" the Cat Faunus asked.

The blue-haired girl's blush intensified as she looked at the floor and mumbled in the negative.

"Well, I wasn't planning on using bathing suits anyway," their blonde leader proclaimed.

"What!?" Beryl squawked. Evie sighed, thinking that her face at this point might be considered an adequate heating source in the wintertime back home.

"Look, just think about it, okay?" Pip tried to sooth their diminutive teammate, her hands held out pleadingly. "I'm just saying it might be fun, and only with the four of us. You know nobody's gonna judge, right?"

Beryl opened and closed her mouth a few times like a fish out of water before turning and stomping back into the room wordlessly.

"I'd take that as a 'no', fearless leader," Evie snarked.

Pip grinned unabashedly. "Eh, she'll come around. I'm still game to try tonight. How about you guys?"

Evie shrugged. "Yeah, sure." She didn't have a problem with nudity so much, having developed an immunity to the blonde's lack of modesty.

Lustre hummed quietly. "I shall consider it," she hedged.

They three of them walked back into the room to see Beryl laying out on one of the bottom bunks on the other side and staring at the underside of the bed above her.

"Picked out yours already, babe?" Pip queried.

"Yes," Beryl replied shortly without looking over.

"Well, I did always wonder what it would be like having bunk beds," her partner commented. The silver-haired girl hefted herself up to the bed over Beryl's, stretching out with a relieved sigh. "And it is very comfortable as well."

Evie turned to her own partner. "Top or bottom?" she queried.

Pip grinned at her in reply. "Do you have any idea how many jokes I could make with that setup?"

"Please don't," Beryl moaned, throwing an arm across her face.

The raven-haired Faunus merely rolled her eyes. "Would you care to sleep on the top bunk or the bottom bunk?" she reiterated with precise enunciation.

"Eh, I'll take the top if that's okay with you."

"I suppose your snoring won't keep me up any more above me than it would next to me…"

Pip let out an offended gasp. "I don't snore!"

"Yes, you do."

"I so do not."

"Do I need to dig out that video we captured the last time we argued about this?"

"That was clearly doctored and cannot be used as credible proof."

Evie chuckled as Pip launched herself up onto her new bed, bouncing a few times before she settled down. The Faunus sat on the edge of the bottom bed, glancing across the room. "Guys, back me up here. Does Pip snore?"

"Yes," Beryl and Lustre replied in monotone unison.

"See?"

"That's not proof, that's you guys ganging up on me."

"You are so delusional," Evie snarked as she stretched out on her mattress. "Oooh, this really is comfy."

"Delusional? Them's fightin' words, kitty cat."

"Oh, please, Pip. I can take anything you dish out."

"Guys," Beryl interrupted, finally rolling over to gaze at the other bunk. "As entertaining as I'm sure you think you are, it's been a long day already. Tomorrow will be exhausting as it is, can we maybe have lights out early?"

"But it's only nine!" Pip protested.

Evie reached a foot up and kicked upwards experimentally, causing the blonde to yelp. That's gonna be useful, she grinned to herself. "Pip, she's anxious about meeting folk tomorrow. Be nice."

"Aw, sorry babe, I didn't mean it like that," Pip said to Beryl. "Sure, we can turn in early." She hopped back off and began stripping off her uniform. "Okay if I take this dresser next to the bathroom?"

"Sure," Evie replied, sitting up and pulling her shoes and stockings off. "Lustre, you going to set your alarm per usual?"

"That was my intention, yes," the silver-haired girl stated evenly. "Though it will not be easy for me to reach the desk from here."

"I can slap it off for you," Beryl assured her as she hopped off of her bed to unpack. "Which dresser you want?"

"It matters not, you may choose. And please do not slap my scroll."

"Sorry, Lustre, just an expression…"

The four girls quickly got their luggage unpacked while stashing their weapons and armor in the closet for the time being. Their guide had told them that after their morning classes on Monday, the relevant information for which had already been transferred to their scrolls, they would be guided to the armory and assigned temporary rocket lockers.

Pip had already mostly undressed and stood in her matching lacy red underwear. "So, who's gonna join me in the hot tub?"

"I shall pass," Lustre replied as she undressed and slipped her white kimono pajama over her shoulders.

Evie smiled at her partner. "Yeah, I'll join you."

Beryl didn't deign to answer, merely pulled her blue sleep pants on with her back turned.

The bath was incredibly relaxing. They couldn't quite figure out the jets, but they did automatically circulate the hot water pleasantly.

"I wonder if they sell, like, bath salts or fragrances or something like that here," Pip murmured sleepily, her arms draped over the edge and her eyes closed. She kept her long blonde hair out of the tub, the silken strands cascading down the steps behind her.

Evie sighed happily, sitting across from her naked partner. "I'm sure they do, we'll add it to the list."

"We have a list?"

"Sweetie, we have Lustre on our team. Of course there's a list."

"Point."

They were silent for a while, the sound of the water jets bubbling soothingly in the background.

"You know, you really should ease up on Beryl," Evie finally commented.

Pip cracked an eye open to peer at her Faunus partner. "Really?" she asked.

Evie frowned at the unidentifiable insinuation in her friend's voice. "Yes, really. Some things she's just not ready to break out of her shell for. Maybe never will be. Teasing her about it just makes her all flustered and upset."

"Hmm," Pip murmured. "I'm sure that's the only reason…"

"Pardon?" Evie really wasn't sure what her partner was getting at. Perhaps she'd been in the water for too long? Her own tail was getting rather water-logged, and though she didn't really have a problem with getting wet she didn't like to soak overly long. Perhaps humans might get the same way?

"Oh, nothing," the blonde mumbled. "You're awfully concerned for her."

"Of course I am, she's our teammate and friend."

"And sister?"

"Well, yes, I love all of you like my sisters. You know that."

"Hmm," Pip hummed in reply.

Evie snorted in exasperation, splashing a small wave of water at her friend as she made to get out. "Your brain is waterlogged, you're talking strange. C'mon, let's get some sleep."

"Yeah, yeah… Hey you want me to help dry your tail off?"

The Cat Faunus froze as she was wrapping a towel around her nude body. "Er, no."

"You sure?"

Evie sighed and closed her eyes. She knew her partner was just being her usual warm and friendly self, but she'd made a promise earlier to let all of her team know anytime something like this came up. "Pip, that's a rather… intimate thing to suggest."

"Oh." Pip blinked uncertainly at her when Evie looked her way. She stood in the middle of the hot tub as it drained with her hands on her hips, the water cascading over her lean and lanky body. "Um, sorry."

Evie waved her apology away as she turned back around to dry herself off. "I know you didn't mean anything by it."

She could hear Pip getting out of the tub and grab a towel for herself. "You know…" the blonde began hesitantly. "This maybe isn't the best of times to discuss this, with us being naked and all…"

"Oh, this oughta be good," Evie snickered softly.

"Being serious here. I haven't had the chance to talk with you about this yet… but are you gonna, you know… maybe finally branch out a little bit here, or are you still, um…"

The Cat Faunus shook her head mildly as she pulled her black camisole over her head and slipped on her sleep shorts. She knew her partner meant well, but…

"My feelings on this haven't changed," she said softly as she turned. Pip was still standing with her towel in hand, drying her legs off. As usual, she didn't pay the blonde's nudity any mind. "You know I'm waiting."

"Yeah, I get that, I do," Pip insisted, pulling her cherry red nightshirt over her head before continuing. "But, you know… being away from Beacon and all, maybe you can test the waters some. Just date someone, that's all, and even if not someone from Shade or one of the other schools… maybe there's someone from Beacon you could get close to, and they would return with us…"

Evie tilted her head curiously. "Do you know of someone who likes me?"

"No, no of course not!" Pip backpedaled. The Faunus sent her a disbelieving look, to which she sighed and shook her head. "Look, I promise you, there is nobody who has expressed to me any interest in you, okay? But, babe… how are you gonna find a mate if you don't look?"

"Pip, we're students in a school training to be huntresses. When would I even have the time for such nonsense?" Evie tried being reasonable, knowing that her partner merely wanted her to be happy. And she was, really, unbelievably happy with her team, and that was plenty for her. "I don't need to be looking right now, okay?"

"Okay, I'll drop it," Pip grinned. "Besides, that just leaves more pickings for me."

Evie chuckled while draping her wet towel over the rack. "You're assuming I'm into boys."

The blonde dropped her towel in surprise. "Wait, seriously? You're into girls? Why has this never come up before?" She scratched the back of her head as she bent to retrieve the fallen towel. "No, wait, I distinctly remember you mentioning a boyfriend in the distant past…"

"Yes, back when I actually dated at Signal, before Beacon, I did have a boyfriend." She smiled slightly at the memory and the fun she'd had with the Monkey Faunus, his playful nature bringing out the same in her. "But he turned out to not be my type for a lasting relationship."

"Sooo…?" Pip drawled, before her eyes lit up in understanding. "Oh, you like both?"

"Well, I don't dislike either," Evie replied. "I just don't have a preference. Not that I'm looking."

"Interesting," the blonde murmured as she walked towards the door. "Good to know."

Evie blinked forward, using her semblance to interpose herself between Pip and the door. "Pippin Cerise, you are not about to set me up with anyone," she warned.

"Nope, absolutely not!" Pip grinned back disarmingly. "C'mon, let's get to sleep."

As she lay in her bed, listening to the soft breathing from both beds across the room, and her partner's attempts to get into a comfortable position, though she'd be sprawled on her stomach come morning anyways, Evie pondered her friend's words.

I'm not here for romance, I'm here to learn to become a huntress. Well, at Beacon anyways, here at Shade we have a tourney to prepare for, alongside the schoolwork that we still have to keep up with. There's no possible way anything like that is going to happen.

Still, while her eyes were closed and her breathing slowed, a small part of her brain insisted that, even with as happy as she was with her team, sometimes she did long for something… more. A warm pair of arms to hold her at night, perhaps…

Evie ruthlessly pushed that little voice aside. Or at least she tried to as she eased herself into sleep once more, curled up on her side and facing the other bunk beds.

Maybe it would be nice… someday…

A/N: So, yeah, bit of a long chapter here. I just needed to carry forth in Evie's voice for a little longer. I actually split the chapters up because of this one, it kinda got away from me. It happens sometimes. I'd love it if every chapter were this long, but we'll see, since I'm doing it scene by scene depending on the voice I'm using. I suppose I could change voices midway through, but eh.

Ultimately I did decide to break this one up as it just got too unwieldy, so next chapter is in Evie's voice as well.

I realize I'm taking a few liberties with the Faunus here. But I also think that, as much as Blake becomes comfortable around her teammates, she's still not about to actually act out the instincts she might have. Some are involuntary, like her love of fish and with the laser pointer. But I imagine she suppresses as much as she can. So, for this story, I'm imagining how a Faunus might act with folk she considers to be family in an era where it isn't as shameful to be a Faunus. Yes, there's still discrimination, and that will come up at some point I think. But Evie's team accepts and loves her, especially when acting like a kitty cat.

It can be liberating to be able to be yourself.

Much love for reading, and hugs to those who have favorited, followed, or reviewed! And if you haven't yet, please do drop me a quick review and let me know what you think!

DustGremlin: Thanks, I'm glad you noticed the distinct voice I was giving Lustre! Hope this chapter and the next serve to fulfill your Evie and Pip shenanigan needs!

Stay shiny!