[b][center][color=black]Sarina Tala Dei[/color][/center][/b] Sarina was walking down the hallway carrying her Saxophone case. Then she saw Paron walking down the opposite direction of her. Even more so than usual, the boy sported an expression of mixed dejection and surliness. It was not unusual to see Paron playing around with his yoyo in his spare time, but his favorite toy-turned-weapon lay untouched in a pocket. More interesting were his two teammates, walking behind him in single file, only visible to Sarina now that she had grown closer. When the fancily-dressed senior spotted her, he abruptly paused, then cast an expectant yet seemingly insecure glance back at Kitty, who waited a moment before nodding. Paron turned back and held up a hand as if he were hailing Sarina--which he pretty much was. [b]"Hullo,"[/b] he greeted softly, moving out of the way so that he teammates could continue moving. His oddly rustic northern accent tended to make conversation with him either endearing or annoying, but he forged ahead regardless. [b]"Listen, I know we've ne'er been the best of friends, but afta three years of squabblin' an' fightin' I think it's time ta move on. Now, this weren't my idea, but Kitty's asked me ta ask you if you wouldn' mind helpin' ol' team Catapult with a little gig? Some work together ta mend the gap."[/b] Sarina spoke. [b]"Indeed" as she nodded and made a small half smile "though a little gig you say? I am going to need to require info about this [i]"gig" [/i]you speak of."[/b] The shadow of a grimace passed over Paron's face, slighter than a feather and no longer-lived than the fleeting shadow cast by a cloud overhead. In its place was a smile that matched Sarina's own. After sporting melancholy for so long, his features made the smile look -while somewhat alien- that much brighter. He clasped his hands and brought them together, holding them in front of his chest in a plaintive gesture. [b] “Cool. Thanks. The thing we're plannin' is...well, ta be perfectly frank, it's a raid on Missus Goodwitch's office. Nothin' serious, jus' a li'l goofin' around. I know ya respect the woman, and that's fine by me, but you know as well as I how aloof she is. I doubt if she's ever even spent an evenin' in town with ya, jus' talkin' and bein' friends. We figured that, A: this'd be fun fer us, and B: it'd give you an' Goodwitch somethin' ta laugh about together. Everyone wins! 'Cept the toilet paper, o' course. Whaddya say, dearie?” [/b] [b]"I tend to keep my relationship with teachers more as teacher-student relation. But interesting"[/b] as she went somewhat into a meditative state thinking about their prank. [i]It is too vague for me...[/i] [b]"It doesn't sound so bad but when do you plan on executing this prank and are you just TPing her office?" [/b] [b]"Thess very evenin'. And o' course it's just the paper. If we got nabbed doin' anythin' more serious, we'd get kicked out fer sure. Come by at seven-thirty on the dot. We'll see ya there!" [/b] With that, Paron waltzed off, moving in the general direction of the dorms. At Sarina he did not look back, meaning that she couldn't see the grim frown on his face, utterly in contrast to the promise of merriment in future hours. It did not sound so bad to Sarina but you could say it was an event that she was reluctant to do though if it meant getting close to Paron to help him, she would do it for that sake. Even then as she walked to her dorm, a blank expression was on her face as she was never raised to be rebellious against authority figures…though that was the case for every offspring of the Dei’s. It was not common for them to be rebellious, and independent-desiring individuals, a lasting legacy of a dying family since [i][b]the War.[/b][/i] -- It was afternoon not time yet for tonight as usual with her friends. Instead Sarina sat in front of a terminal in the CCT talking to a figure on the screen from Mistral. [b]“…I really think you should have stayed here since you had a high position within Haven. Many people miss you but also many hate you to the point some want to beat you up in when the Vytal Festival occurs.”[/b] [b]“Well that’s if they can beat me. I’m still strong as ever”[/b] said Sarina with a prideful tone. [b]“Well…don’t let your narcissism get in your head. Seriously, ever since you left, a lot of people that hated you have become strong… It is to the point that I have heard rumors that those that want to teach you lesson will only pick one person for the Vytal Festival to fight you and I do not know who it is.”[/b] Sarina thought processed the info and spoke more seriously. [i]I see… Need to start training more…[/i] [b]“Is there anything else I need to know” said Sarina asking for more questions ever since her departure from Haven.”[/b] [b]“Well…despite the hate some people have due to you due to they see you switching to Beacon is betrayal to Haven, that is all…I have to say” said the male figure.[/b] [b]“All right then dude. It was nice talking to you!”[/b] [b] “You too, have a great day!”[/b] -- Sarina entered the office of Ms. Goodwitch with…reluctance. Not immediately noticing the presence of team CPLT, she went ahead and strode right in, pulling out a toiler paper roll from her purse as she did. She was already several meters inside the office when she froze, shocked, at the sight that lay before her. Glynda Goodwitch's office lay in utter disarray. Drawers had been pulled out and their contents scattered, books thrown from their shelves, lightbulbs smashed, chairs turned over, and even a table flipped. Throughout the horrendous mess, however, there was no sign of Kitty, Paron, or Thistle. Anger built up in Sarina's brain as she beheld the scene and realized that she had been deceived. As her fury mounted -how had she not expected this from the surliest, most dubious bunch of scoundrels in the school!?- she vaguely knew that the rage coursing through her veins was uncharacteristic of her. Under normal circumstances, she might have calmed down with a deep breath and left to inform someone about what had happened. Instead, however, Sarina growled beneath her breath and slammed a fist on top of Goodwitch's desk. She was going to make those vandals pay--especially Paron, for tricking her! [b]"Oh my."[/b] The wrath snapped out of Sarina in an instant, replaced by fear. She whirled around to see none other than Ms. Goodwitch herself standing in the doorway, eyes wide. It was a moment before Sarina could find her words. [b]"Uh, ma'am, it's not what it looks like. It was Paron! And the others! They did this and tricked me into coming here!" You know I wouldn't do this.[/b] Goodwitch eyed the roll of toilet paper clutched in Sarina's hand and sighed heavily. Her eyes were sharp, totally unsympathetic. [b]"Miss Dei, I haven't the slightest idea why you would so something like this, but rest assured that you will be disciplined for it. Come with me to the headmaster's office immediately. You can repeat your little tale there."[/b] [center][h1]-=-=-=-=-= Four Days Later =-=-=-=-=-[/h1][/center] At last, the day of pounding hearts and rushing blood had arrived. If the first day of school had been tough on the students, the first week had been no easier. Those who still harbored illusions as to the nature of a full-blown combat academy were quickly put in their place. Over the course of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the teachers were able to adapt to the needs of their students somewhat, and determine a curriculum that would bring out their best. Professor Ni Rensa Ryou, for instance, implemented a hands-on engineering portion of the Computer Science class, where he was aided by the good-natured but forgetful senior Rika Thorn. Always over these classes, however, had been a cloud of something truly engaging: not more instruction, but a chance for all students to prove themselves. Friday, it had been rumored, was Missions Day, and now that it had come, the students found themselves assembled in the auditorium hall in which the naming ceremony had been held six days prior. Professor Port and Glynda Goodwitch, one looking exceedingly trim in hunting garb and the other even more dour than usual, stood upon the stage. On the massive holographic display behind them were clustered headshots that represented all eleven freshman teams: BAST, RWBY, JNPR, SASG, MODA, RPGD, CRDL, CFVY, RJCM, KESS, and PHGM. For a while now the students had been gathering, some alert, some sleepy, and all intrigued, but now Port began to speak. “Congratulations for surviving your first week at Beacon, noble hunters and huntresses!” He cried theatrically, holding his arms wide. Clearly, 'subtle' didn't exist in his otherwise expansive vocabulary. “No thanks to Professor Vorosky, I am sure! Hah hah hah!” There came a brief pause, in which not one person laughed alongside him. Port cleared his throat and continued. “Regardless, it is today that you all will be given your first assignments! You may consider what you are imminently going to undergo akin to the field trips of your high-school years, but with substantially more slaughter! Of evil, that is! Hah hah! Look no further than our enormous screen here and your fate will be revealed!” He looked off to the side of the stage and shouted, “Commence the assignment!” First to appear was the mission Protesters, to which team RPGD –Robert, Priscilla, Greyson, and Daniel- would be assigned. Next of importance was the mission Underground Casino, which was to be completed by Rayna, Jack, Cerulean, and Mokuren of team RJCM. Following that came the simple mission Patrol, given to team KESS's Krysanthe, Ebon, Sepia, and Seilber to complete. On its heels was The Shelter, entrusted to Sapphire, Abel, Shiro, and Gren of team SASG. Then, team MODA was allotted Convoy Escort, as requested by Diamond and concurred upon by Marcus, Oswald, and Aurellius. Lastly was BAST, Benjamin, Amaranth, Sangue, and Trad, who would be performing Combat Recon with none other than Port himself. “Delightful, simply marvelous! I know that all of you will represent our prestigious Beacon Academy with every word you speak, every cut you make, and every hole you shoot! Come on, then; the airships, and our destinies, await!”