[h2][center][color=crimson]LAN[/color] and [color=a0410d]RUSS[/color][/center][/h2]

As the Faunus girl and her partner wandered northward, her expression shifted from bored to a slight grin, taking in the surrounding woods [color=crimson]”So, you didn’t go to combat school. that much is obvious.”[/color] she started. slowing her pace to walk alongside Russ [color=crimson]”So, how DID you make it into Beacon?”[/color] she asked, tail swishing behind her

Uh oh. Russ knew this question would be coming from someone sooner or later, and though she had a few well-cooked answers, they weren’t as prepared as she’d have liked them to be. All the same she walked along as casually as her partner, hands finding rest as a support for her neck.

[color=a0410d]”Scholarship-type deal. Couldn’t afford Signal, so took a few tests, kicked a few asses, secured myself a slot here,”[/color] she said. [color=a0410d]”Saw a few other kids from my exam here on the way off the ship, if you ask me it’s a good gesture for Beacon to be reaching out to us out in the sticks.”[/color]

[color=crimson]”Good gesture, yeah. Then again they also throw us off a giant cliff and possibly to our deaths within 24 hours of arrival.[/color] she said casually, pausing a moment to examine a gouge in a tree, mostly healed over. [color=crimson]”Wonder how this got here...”[/color] she trailed off before continuing at a walking pace. [color=crimson]”So, from a village outside the kingdom, or just past the wall?”[/color]

The conversation had been steered elsewhere, good. Russ wasn’t sure what exactly the consequences of her entrance into Beacon were, but she was sure that if there were any they’d be a bit harsher than a slap on the wrist. If thieves got lashes outside of Vale, she didn’t want to think about what happened to them in prestigious places like this.

[color=a0410d]”Not too far out of the kingdom, old mining town. Like, real old, split community and everything, friendly enough though.”[/color] It took a fair bit of self-control to make the last part sound sincere, but she managed. [color=a0410d]”How about you? From around here?”[/color]

[color=crimson]”Vale, yeah. one of the more mixed neighborhoods.”[/color] she seemed to mull something over in her mind a moment. [color=crimson]”Honestly I’m lucky I even got into Beacon with my record.”[/color] she counted on her fingers [color=crimson]”Six counts of petty theft and one breaking and entering. they might have ignored it because I was still a kid when it happened.[/color]

Russ stopped dead in her tracks. Woah woah woah, did she just hear that correctly? She looked Lan up and down, searching for any visible scars that she might have missed beforehand.  [color=a0410d]”Did you say you [i]got away[/i] with that? You got caught seven times and they didn’t freaking butcher you?”[/color]

[color=crimson]”So I stole a few wallets, big deal. I was, like, ten. A slap on the wrist and i got grounded for a bit.”[/color] she said, stopping to avoid leaving the black haired girl behind [color=crimson]”Why?[/color] she inquired [color=crimson]”And what do you mean by butcher?”[/color]

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Russ was the envious type by nature, she figured that was the cornerstone of all thievery, and it was hard for her not to be flat out angry. Where the hell was this girl from that ‘grounding’ was a punishment?

Russ blinked and cleared her throat, catching back up and waving off the conversation. [color=a0410d]”Oh nothing, I just always remember those old stories, you know how they say thieves get their hands cut off? I’m a sucker for fables like that, never met a thief before so I guess I just believed it,”[/color] she said, gesturing to Lan’s own hands. [color=a0410d]”Besides, you’re in one piece, evidence enough there.”[/color]

[color=crimson]”True enough. I remember hearing that one, I think.”[/color] she began walking once again, gesturing for Russ to follow [color=crimson]”So, what do you do for fun way out in the wilds?”[/color] the lemur tailed girl questioned, pushing aside some stray branches

[color=a0410d]“You know, the usual stuff,”[/color] she said with a shrug. [color=a0410d]“We played war, hit each other with sticks. One time a kid’s arm got broken, parent’s got furious so we had to either stop or play in secret. Worked until the kid broke his arm [i]again[/i],”[/color] she said, chuckling as if it were some fond memory. [color=a0410d]”But how about you? How entertaining is Vale?”[/color]

[color=crimson]”Incredibly dull. especially the normal schools,”[/color] Lan replied [color=crimson]”Which, come to think of it, is how I wound up with the petty theft charges. started cutting classes, hanging out with the stupid kids who didn’t bother. come to think of it, we were way too young to have a rough crowd.”[/color] she looked back at Russ, trying to read her reaction. [color=crimson]”Surprising how much trouble you can get into before you even hit double digits. Be lying if I said the times I got caught were the only times i did it.”[/color] she scratched the back of her head, a goofy grin on her face. [color=crimson]”So, why come to Beacon, anyways? must be better career choices for you.”[/color]

Russ could feel herself growing more and more agitated by the moment. Here was this girl that had gotten away with so much, and had the nerve to be displeased with a ‘boring’ home. What kind of thief was she, she had to wonder. The mining town had been home to a few high-grade fellas, but she honestly hadn’t met another one since. Probably a lightweight, probably didn’t know how to lift a purse without tipping off the mark. Caught six times? Seven? Please.

She walked alongside Lan once again, still smiling. [color=a0410d]”Better career choices for everyone, we’re literally sticking our necks out to monsters. But hey, put your talents to use, you know? Not good with a lot of stuff, but these?”[/color] she patted the round sheath on her back with her far-hand, and then with the other breezed against the scroll in Lan’s pocket. [color=a0410d]”Well, I’m good with my hands, that’s what I’ve got.”[/color]

A warm smile, a quick pinch of the fingers and flick of the wrist, and Russ had it. Hah, so much for that. She slid it up her sleeve, and went to set it in her satchel, only to feel the absence of her own scroll. Her brow furrowed and she paused, looking quickly to Lan with an incredulous glare.

At the same time, Lan dropped one hand from the back of her head, quickly unclipping a pocket on her partners satchel, one with a roughly scroll shaped bulge, sliding it out with two fingers and hooking it back shut in a brief moment. The faunus girl went to slide it into the pocket containing her own, finding it empty. she pauses in her steps and turns to look at Russ, a flat expression on her face as she raised the tool. [color=crimson]”Birds of a feather?”[/color] she said sheepishly, nodding towards Russ’ sleeve and the nearly imperceptible edge of her croll concealed within, her attempt at maintaining a straight face collapsing into loud chuckling and a wide grin.

For a few moments Russ just stood there, glancing from her scroll to Lan’s face. She wanted to be furious, she wanted to yell at this girl for [i]daring[/i] to steal from her. But then she felt the weight of Lan’s scroll on her palm, and dammit she couldn’t help the grinning and laughter that burst forth.

[color=a0410d]”Something something steal shit,”[/color] she said, and tossed the scroll back to her partner. Lan might be alright after all.

Lan caught the scroll and passed Russ’ to its rightful owner. [color=crimson]”Not bad. haven’t had someone try that on me before. usually it’s down the pant leg and into a shoe.”[/color] she praised, slipping the device back into place

[color=a0410d]”Not bad yourself, unclipped the latch and everything. Muffled the button sound too, not easy to do,”[/color] she said, and hooked the scroll back into place. [color=a0410d]”I take it we can agree not to mark each other, huh?”[/color]

[color=crimson]”Good idea.”[/color] Lan agreed. [color=crimson]”For the record, I was going to give it back when we reach the temple.[/color] the girl added, looking ahead through the next cluster of trees. [color=crimson]”And I believe that is the temple.”[/color] she suggested, the white marble of a pillar just visible through the branches

[color=a0410d]”That’s downright saintly of you,”[/color] Russ said, nodding in appreciation and keeping close to Lan as they approached the temple. [color=a0410d]”I was gonna leave it on the roof.”[/color]