Luke seemed more upset than usual. Perhaps upset didn’t quite cover it, he was… Perhaps nervous? I glanced over his should when I realized it.

I could feel my eyes eyes widening… It was time. I glanced at the clock on the wall… I would have to go quickly… I would have to…

Fly

“Meet me at the front gates as soon as possible!”

I shouted before taking off down the infirmary hallway. I passed offices, nurses, doctors, just trying to find one thing.

The exit.

My wings immediately unfurled as I managed to get past the doors and I took off. My tired feet were given a rest as my wings powerfully flapped, I heard people calling out to me, pointing at me, and probably taking pictures. But I didn’t care I soared as high as I could feeling the wind through every part of me. I dove downwards only to let my wings catch the air and glide my way back towards the VGNB dorm.

All my things seemed to be nicer than when I left them – most likely Gratia’s doing. Okay where to start.

I first grabbed my ‘in case of emergency vacations’ bag. That was obvious. So with swimsuits, clothing, essentials and snacks already packed that left me to prepare my glamour outfits. I wasn’t sure how long the cruise was, but it was best to plan and pack for more than what you’re doing.

So I’ll just take all of my summer dresses and stuff them into this suitcase, then I can probably arguably take a couple of cooler outfits for the night time just in case. Four more pairs of shoes, just in case and probably a good amount of little ankle socks. Those were cutest socks

Finally I would need a couple of hairpins, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and… Done!

That was easy. Before Bianca left she made sure to reach into her underwear drawer and grab the family credit card, her and Estelle had one – she wondered where Estelle put hers…

She was ready.

She wound up at the gate, with a proud if tired smile on her face. But no one was there.

“Oh… Right… They all walk.”

Sapphire could feel the almost palpably uncomfortable atmosphere dissipate as though the topic both of them had been skirting around had dissolved into thin air. When Oswald brought up their trip to Vale Sapphire smiled slightly. "Perhaps not your smoothest maneuver but it was still fun." Though she'd been a bit annoyed at first Sapphire hadn't minded Emerald and Diamond's company. Emerald reminded Sapphire quite a bit of Shiro but despite that she didn't find the cat faunus annoying. Maybe it was because she was female or physically smaller or maybe because despite Emerald's airheadedness Sapphire was sure when the chips were down Emerald wouldn't fold. Either way Sapphire found her to be good company, most of the time anyways. Diamond on the other hand... well her need to flaunt authority was a little obvious for Sapphire's taste. It would likely come back to her in the end. A slight smile graced her face at the thought of what Sapphire's Uncle would have done if he'd seen Diamond brandishing her aura daggers.

She shrugged at Oswald's assertion that he wouldn't be able to enjoy Monday's events. "You never know the difference a couple of days can make. You might not be well enough to take part in the events but you should be able to sit in the stands at least. If you're lucky your parents will be there to cheer you up. Think they'll make the trip?"
@Multi_Media_Man

@Silvan Haven@Write@HereComesTheSnow@Plank Sinatra



Gratia Mindaro - Infirmary

Gratia glanced up from her phone, her onyx gaze drifting towards the tickets in Luke's hands. They were tiny, fragile slips of paper, in themselves possessing no meaning or value. However, it was only when in possession of them could one worm their way onto the cruise, hence their supposed importance. Important enough for her compatriot to so eagerly leap at a chance to acquire them as to partake in a luxury cruise amongst the conceited degenerates that made up the upper classes. Recklessly rushing head-first into an opportunity like an enraged bull exposed to blood.

"You foolishly failed to deter her, Schwarz," said the Mistralese girl flatly, watching Bianca disappear with one of the tickets. Luke had fallen hook, line and sinker, beguiled by words, and thus would face those consequences.

Nuit would likely have finished packing before she even returned to the dorms. The irksome time window had likely motivated the Faunus girl into expending even more enthusiasm in preparing for the cruise.

And who the fucking hell is Pressman?

"How long will it take to reach the port?" she asked, slipping the thought away for later. Her gaze returned to Luke once more, impassive dark eyes watching his grey ones.

@HereComesTheSnow@Crimmy@Write@Plank Sinatra



Beryl had vanished as soon as Luke's question had passed his lips, as well as one of the tickets. There was a brief impression of movement from where she had been standing and then nothing but a slowly dissipating Faunus shaped wisp of fog in her place.

There may or may not have also been a newly opened window in the room.

The young otter Faunus could not contain her excitement as she dashed across the campus towards the dorms. She was going on a real cruise, out on the ocean! She could finally go swimming again! It had been weeks since she had been able to find both a place and the time to indulge in one of her favorite pastimes.

She burst through the door of the VGNB doorm scant minutes after Bianca and immediately dove for the dresser holding her stuff. Ripping it open and tossing items into her travel bag with feverish energy.

SWIMMING.

Looking down at his body then back to Sapphire, Oswald raised an eyebrow at her. "I suppose I should be glad that the others can enjoy themselves, even if it's from the stands." Letting out a short sigh, he winced in pain from the sudden movement of his chest. Sapphire seemed to have a calming presence, Oswald noticed. It might have just been the fact that she happened to be the one to show up both times he was wallowing in self-loathing after his missions, but few others had ever had an effect on him before. He briefly wondered exactly why that was before mentally shrugging.

"I doubt my parents will end up coming, if they somehow get the message to my village anyway. The only time people really leave are with trade caravans every season, and for them it's about a two week journey. Unless Ozpin spares a Bullhead to bring two people, I'll just have to wait for another opportunity to see them. Considering my condition....that might be for the better. I'd hate to make them worry about me when there are much more pressing matters at hand." Like that kid from a few days ago, for one...

"Hey, Sapphire, remember that kid who showed up, covered in scars and shit? What do you think happened to him after he disappeared? What do you think is going on? There's no way everything that's been happening lately is a coincidence. A trap by rampaging Huntresses, some kid with weird torture scars shows up out of nowhere, then vanishes just as suddenly?" It all smelled of something darker. What exactly that was, however, Oswald couldn't be sure. Not yet.

How long?

How long would it take?

You know, that was actually a fairly good question. Even as a few stray bits of down fluttered to the ground in a trail from one newly healed, and apparently non-atrophied Bianca Nuit, and wisps of mist dispersed from one Beryl Harken, I furrowed my brow under Gratia's cool gaze and crunched the numbers.

We had just a few hours to work with here, and there was definitely travel time as well as boarding checks to be taken into account. Actually, considering the late notice, I should probably assume that boarding alone could take us upwards of an hour...

With that in mind, and considering our options of getting down to the coast in a timely manner, I was all but shoving the ticket into Gratia's chest.

"We'll probably need to hurry, but we can make it. Here."

I was already trying to triangulate the shortest route back to the dorm and what i'd need to bring.

Trunks, of course. Shirts, pants, underwear...

W-Wait, could I possibly shove everything into my backpack? Laptop-chan and DS-chan could probably come along, provided I didn't let them taste the briney air too much...

...

I was forgetting something important, I could feel it.

Well, I'd probably find it while I was packing.

I think, anyway.

I was sitting on top of my suitcase when it dawned on me. Other than my beautifully gorgeous perfect wings, I looked like a mess. I was a girl with luggage strewn across the courtyard, of course this luggage was still contained, but it was less than ideal. I pulled my scroll out of my jacket pocket and began tapping away a message.

Sender: Lil Miss Perfect
Recipient(s): Estelle Von Bad Bitch
Body: Gonna go on a cruise, and if you haven't see my newest blog update, check this out! The girls are back <3

A few seconds later a chime broken the silence of Bianca's over-preparedness.

Sender: Estelle Von Bad Bitch
Recipient(s): Lil Miss Perfect
Body: Wow kill me you look incredible and I'm some slob teacher whose going to a bar tonight. Love them, you're going to have to tell me how you got those when you get back. Love you xoxo

No shit. My horror movie alcoholic sister is a teacher?! This is only going to serve to have my boys coming up to me asking how to get with her. The only thing that could be worse was if she was a nurse.

Sender: Lil Miss Perfect
Recipient(s): Estelle Von Bad Bitch
Body: YOU'RE A TEACHER? HELLO PERKS. LOVE YOU SIS BE GOOD XOXO

P.S. DON'T GET TOO SLOPPY TONIGHT, INTRODUCE ME TO YOUR ONE NIGHT STAND THIS TIME!

I laughed and shut my scroll, I felt oddly satisfied. But that satisfaction grew sour in the put of my stomach. For I knew that truly I was....

So bored

"I just don't appreciate being tinkered with, that's all."

The route through Downtown down to Portside was infamous throughout Atlas. In its heyday, it had been a crowning achievement of infrastructure - a straight shot from the heart of a fledgling city down to the coastline of Mantle, a working artery of trade and prosperity that helped to build Atlas from the dirt into the most advanced kingdom on the planet. Now it was the road less traveled. The ride was bumpy even within the confines of Heinrich's plush domestic sports car, and there were long strips where only the LEDs on the dashboard and the occasional twinkle of headlights flashed by like a firefly. It was perfect drag racing territory - a test of skill and a promise of speed.

Jericho Piper had been driving this road since he was five years old, when he and his twin would sit on each other's shoulders to see through the windshield. It was so comfortable to him that even a paragon of law and order such as he felt comfortable pushing speeds of...very high speeds, suffice it to say...on their drive down to the cruise ship Sleipnir. His passenger, however, seemed to prefer nannying him to death over surrendering to the Zen of triple digit speeds on a long-dead road.

One gloved hand tightened on the steering wheel.

"Yes, well. You do have the right to complain a little more loudly, you know," Heinrich griped. He was staring at Jericho's arm in resentment. "You are a man of high standing in my court. If I had my way they would have never grafted that damned thing to your hand in the--"

"I don't want to talk about this again, Heinrich. If I believed there were any use in whining like a little kid, I'd be doing it." Jericho's right arm reached out and pushed Heinrich into the shotgun door, a rare moment of physical contact. "I shouldn't even have brought it up. I'm feeling alright by now. It's mostly just...an ache."

"An ache?"

Jericho was quiet for a second before removing his hand from his team leader's shoulder. Two fingers locked around the volume knob on the car's sound system and turned it to the right.

"You know, there are seventeen trained masseuses on board Sleipnir," Heinrich suggested after a second's pause to listen to music. "If you're aching, I have half a mind to send one to you by proxy."

"You won't know where I stay."

"You underestimate a King's knowledge of his Kingsguard, dear Jericho. I know you better than you know yourself. You'll find a nice little nest in the cargo hold out of people's luggage, and damn the strain it puts on your poor, supple back. Because I'm Jericho Piper, and I'm scared that if I ever enjoy a warm bed or human contact for once in my life, I might forget to put on my frowny face--"

"I never forget my frowny face. As you love to remind me."

"Yes, well, it's going to leave wrinkles one day."

"It will not." Jer put his elbow to the wheel and gently touched his face, stroking back long, dark hair from his eyes. Heinrich's own eyes, blue and twinkling, grew wide as saucers.

"Oho! Is that a hint of vanity from the Young Devil of Atlas?"

"Don't call me that," Jericho grumbled. "No one calls me that."

"It was in the school newspaper and everything. Maybe if you didn't want a moniker, you shouldn't try so hard to dominate in all the gauntlets. Or at least cut off the devil horns in your hair."

"Horns don't point down, idiot." Nonetheless, Jericho's posture had straightened up, and he turned his head away from Heinrich to stare at the not-too-distant lights of Portside across the overpass. He was always touchy about the hair.

"You're an elite member of the school's ranks - a knight, even. You were chosen for an indefinite solo operation within the belly of the beast. You get to spend as much time as you want on a cruise ship, getting class credits, with no one you know around to irritate you," Heinrich Gault pestered. "And you're still finding reasons to pout."

"M'not pouting." In the darkness, it was hard to see Jericho's face, which was usually set in the same default expression anyway. But he sounded pouty.

"You're being churlish, my dear boy."

"M'not churlish."

"You are. You're being churlish about three weeks off."

"It is not three weeks off. It's an important mission and a threat to Atlesian diplomacy. I'm not going to be sunbathing and hitting sambuca with Mistralian girls."

"What a specific denial, brother," Heinrich chortled. "Only you make an extra three weeks away from class sound like water torture."

"I like being water tortured," grumbled Jericho Piper. "It's rhythmical. Gives me time to think."

Heinrich Gault opened his mouth to respond to that, but closed it after a second, and his eyebrows bobbed. No doubt he knew better than to follow that line of conversation any further.

"I told you we'd keep up with the workload for you."

"That's not what I'm concerned about. It's the team. They're..." There was a moment of tense silence in the car. Jericho's hands were both clutching the steering wheel tight as an old woman's before his next outburst: "Did you know Speer drew a frog with my hair on it in the front cover of my history book?"

Loud, honeyed laughter began to rock the car violently.

"Did he really? Oh that is pricele--"

The car's sudden brake pump put a sudden stop to the rich Atlesian's mirth, replacing it with quiet breaths for air as he checked to ensure his precious whip hadn't been involved in an accident. Neither Huntsman was wearing a seatbelt, but Jericho had time to brace himself for a break in the momentum, and looked to Heinrich with a stoic face and a coquettish glint in the eye that wouldn't look out of place in any other member of HJNS. The dock Sleipnir was moored at was still three or four blocks away, but this was as close as Jericho dared get inside Heinrich's gauche gold coupe. His left hand made for the door before Heinrich stopped him.

"Sure you don't want me to walk you to your bike?"

"I'm not Babylon, Rich. I don't need the chivalry shtick."

Heinrich Gault gauged that and then tilted his head, reaching over and ruffling Jericho's hair despite his grouchy protests (_{"ow stop you're gonna mess it all up OW STOP you're making it glowwwww"}) with a crooked grin.

"Very well. Fare thee well, Jericho! Live, laugh, and learn to love while on your sojourn, and we shall meet again on the morrow!"

Jericho rolled his eyes.

"Are those my orders?"

"Yes!" Heinrich Gault beamed.

...

Jericho's chin met his clavicle in thought for a long second before a faint, gentle smile finally graced the face of the Young Devil.

"Acknowledged. Take care of yourself, brother. I'll be back in no time - with flawless results and no crazy stories. As per usual."

Jericho stepped out of the driver's seat and began to walk down the street, slowly fading from Heinrich's view as the black-clad Huntsman ebbed into the midnight hour. Rich got the faintest glimpse of Jer's back, lit up by the hot-red taillight of a custom motorbike, before it peeled away from the rendezvous point and towards the cruise ship.

...

Ahh, who am I kidding.

Heinrich Gault slipped into the driver's seat with a rueful grin - and, this time, he grabbed his seatbelt.

He's not gonna have any fun.

"PERFECT", the words resounded, along with the awe of bystanders as a small crowd formed.

"aaaugh, he's just too good", he heard from the other side.

"Come on man, gimme a shot", and so he was up against a new character, but just as handily he was defeated, he often got perfects, but sometimes he would slip up and take a hit, not today it seemed... He seemed to read every move perfectly today.

"PERFECT!", Jack sighed as he made yet another complete victory. He wasn't the best academically, but he figured he didn't need to know some things to keep people alive, but after that mission even if it was a victory, Priscilla took some serious damage, and he wasn't sure why. Was it just the nature of the mission? It was a difficult mission to be sure, everyone had to expend to their limits. He would normally write it off as a regular "experience", but he couldn't quite do that now.

"PERFECT", he decided he should take a walk, and got up from his cabinet, letting his character go down as he left.

"Augh, this isn't like me being gloomy like this... What would you do master...?", he thought to himself, pulling the hood of his coat over his head.

@Crimmy

--




Vega hastily got dressed in her usual appearance and made her way to the Infirmary. In her mind she hoped that Bianca was resting well considering the ordeal she went through. Of course, being the leader and her closest friend, Vega had hoped she would have been useful during the mission to save her, rendered mostly inoperable by Demetrius stomach kick.

She was optimistic to see Bianca again though when she entered the infirmary, she did not see her but noticed Gratia, looking the same as always.

“I’m here now” panting a little bit, muttering “Damn it still hurts even when I walk.” Collecting herself “How are you doing, and where is Bianca?”

A new voice interrupted us as Gratia accepted my so hurriedly offered ticket, causing us both to turn our heads and forcing me to contain my urge to burst off much as the others had into a dead run for a few more minutes. Mostly, that was. I may have bounced on the balls of my feet a little, but I mostly held the impulse down.

That being said, however, I unfortunately was still a touch too hasty to slow down my part in her end of the conversation. Were it not for what I would hope could be considered as my "generally polite" manner of conversation, I may have ended up being downright rude in my anxiousness as I spoke.

"Oh, uh, hey there. Vega, wasn't it? You just missed Bianca, unfortunately." I began, tightening my legs to keep from running in place like I was pantomiming my little sister and favoring her with a friendly smile. "Everyone's all good, but we're just in a bit of a hurry..."

Seconds ticking by like this were murderous for anxiety about a deadline. Was I getting into my own head about it?

Probably, but I didn't refrain from such practices when it was better to be safe than sorry.

Like missing a cruise! Rest, Relaxation, Swimsuits, a Getaway, Scenic Locales, all of that hinged on our ability to get out of here in a timely manner! I needed to escape, quickly!

...

"Uh, Gratia can tell you all about it, since she was there for everything, so..."

I'm a horrible human being.

I'm so sorry for using you as an out like this, Gratia.

I promise I'll let you study my hair at least once while we're there to make up for this.

If only a little.

"Gotta jet, see you out in the courtyard soon!"

And off I took, the weight of my sins driving me forward just a little harder than before.

I hoped Vega wouldn't get the wrong idea, either...

I felt myself grimace.

Oh, man, I don't think I've earned this anymore.

@Silvan Haven@Write@HereComesTheSnow@Plank Sinatra@Ayazi



"Schwarz obtained free tickets for some shitty cruise," explained Gratia flatly, holding up the ticket the aforementioned ahoge-bearing boy had given her earlier so that her team leader could see. "So Nuit leapt on the fucking thing like an addict with their fix."

It was an irksome situation, particularly when they were lacking in a significant amount of time to make use of the tickets. In order to board the ship before the deadline, it was necessary for them to leave almost immediately, with a very little amount of time allocated to packing any luggage for it. Bianca had already enthusiastically rushed off, so there was no possible way to avoid participating in this gaudy event.

The Mistralese huntress didn't seem to blink for a few seconds, before turning her onyx gaze upon Vega.

"Her wings are healed," she said, impassive expression betraying nothing. "Physically, she is in an optimal state."

However, it was logical to continue observing the status of her compatriot for longer.

"I'll be going after her," continued the huntress, taking a step past her leader. "Who knows what bullshit she'll find herself in this time?"

In order to do so, she needed to return to the dorms to pack.

"Try not to fuck up while we're gone, Vega."

And her footsteps grew more and more distant.

Amy laughed softly at Sangue's words, putting her own hand on the girl's shoulder and squeezing it gently once, looking into the snake's eyes. Her own blue pair were soft in their tiredness, and her words had (rather than their normal sardonic edge) the practiced tone of someone used to stroking egos--but for once had a sincerity to them that would be hard to fake. "Hey, it's alright. You can't exactly expect a hand on the shoulder or a pat on the back to make up for 2 decades of..." The hawk paused for a second, her eyes unfocusing for an instant before she smiled slightly. "Bad blood, so... If it's a little awkward, don't be hard on yourself. I felt comforted."

She smiled a little wider, moving a crimson spine that had drifted a little too low out of her face. "Your hair is beautiful, Sangue. It looks good down."

Another pause, and she thought for a moment. Her therapy instructor had sworn by meditation, but she'd never done it that much personally. Sure, it'd been relaxing when she was learning, but... Not exactly the kinda thing most clients were interested in. "That... sounds like a good idea, I suppose."

Sangue blinked at the warmth of Amy's hand. A soft heat warmed the snake's shoulder as she stared at her friend. Although she was overall disappointed with not being to act like a normal person naturally would, Amy's words comforted Sangue.

The feeling of appreciation was familiar from BASL, but it never felt less endearing as it always had been.

And Amy even complimented her hair. The snake felt a bit giddy to hear that, though her expression refused to change. It took a lot for her to express emotion, even if she was less susceptible to remaining idle to her friends' words. So Sangue simply nodded at the compliment.

"Your... hair..."

Sangue shut her mouth as she reconsidered what to say. She initially tried to say "Your hair looks really complicated," but Sangue knew better than to repeat a mistake she had once made. Granted, she had said something like that to someone completely unrelated to Amy, but still.

So she carefully chose her words before telling her red-haired friend,

"Your... hair is pretty..."

Sangue eyed the softness of Amy's hair. Even after they had gone to an eventful mission, the feathers within Amy's hair remained quite a mesmerizing little thing for someone like Sangue. It was nothing much, but it did define Amy greatly for the swordswoman.

"It's... very pretty," she repeated.

Amy soon commented on the idea of meditation. Her reaction seemed to imply that she knew of what it was, despite not really putting much thought on it for the most part. That was fine on its own.

When Amy at least acknowledged the idea of meditation, Sangue's idle expression softened into a slightly nervous one. It was hard to tell what Sangue felt by a simple glance, though it certainly was different from the usual emotionless face she held.

"If you'd... like," Sangue spoke, albeit with a tone less confident than before, "then... you... can follow me."

She did not want to be a bother to her friend, so the thought of potentially getting in Amy's way made her feel somewhat nervous. Sangue never saw Amy meditate that much, so she could not tell whether the Faunus would be fine with her proposal for meditating together.

It was Sangue's very nature to always look for what those she was close to felt about her actions or requests, as she had only so little people she could feel that way with. If Amy perhaps did not want to meditate, Sangue would be fine- just as long as she didn't start annoying her friend unintentionally.

I should have remembered that yes, of course I could stuff everything into a backpack. Mine was fairly robust as far as they went, and that was without mentioning that I was in all respects a master of packing light, and packing tight.

When you're hauling a week's worth of supplies up a mountain to train at altitude at your local shrine, you quickly learn how to fill space efficiently, is all I'm saying. Granted, I doubt it's cosmopolitan of me to assume everyone has a local shrine.

Or even a local mountain...

"Shirts!"

Check!

"Shorts!"

Check!

"Underwear!"

Check!

I ran through the list as I swiftly folded, shoved, and shoved some more, marking each item of importance off as they entered my lone carry-on. Also, here's a tip on that subject— you can never check your zipper's integrity too often. Every time I got something in there, I made more than sure the bag would hold itself together.

One of the dumber ways to look is "that guy whose backpack exploded when he turned too fast", you know.

In went Laptop-Chan, DS-chan, and all relevant charging cords. I probably wasn't going to end up using them, but you never knew when you'd hit a dull patch.

Even on a cruise. Take no chances!

I threw my head to the side, checking my scroll as it charged. 98%, ten minutes since we'd recieved the tickets.

Good enough. In the cord went. Flip flops and trunks were up next, followed swiftly by a spare pair of socks.

Anything else?

...

Eh, maybe a tanktop. The Sleipnir might have... I dunno, a gym or something?

They made for good loungewear. If you want to judge me, judge me.

"Should be everything."

I ran through one last check, and then ran much more swiftly out the door.

Five minutes later, I streaked into the courtyard, practically skidding to a halt with my ticket very firmly in hand.

"Ready!"

@HereComesTheSnow@Crimmy@Write@Plank Sinatra



Packing was easy when you had only unpacked a week or two earlier. Beryl had possessed neither the time nor the extra funds necessary to fill her area of the dorm room with extra paraphernalia since arriving at Beacon.

As such it took her mere minutes to finishing shoving things into her travel bag. The sturdy canvas hand-me-down sagging somewhat more than it had during its last trip due to how little was in it this time around.

After that it was back out the door, Beryl having been so excited and focused on packing that she had completely missed seeing Bianca in the room.

The otter Faunus practically buzzed as she hummed and jumped down a couple flights of stairs. Taking the quickest path to exit the building, something that required her to go around, through and sometimes over confused looking students.

Finally getting out to the courtyard she made a beeline for Luke, a huge grin on her face as she waved at him.

Glancing out past where I could reasonably make out details towards the road leading up to Beacon academy, holding my scroll in my hand I glanced at it once more. Of course nothing had changed, my text was marked as received, and the town car said he’d be around any instant. It was taking too long for her level of patience however. But just as soon as she began to grow tired she saw the car round the bend.

“Let’s gooooooo.” I ran back to the courtyard to see if anyone was already there. Luke and Beryl. Yes.

“Guys, town car is here! Let’s get our bags in while we wait for Gratia!” I said with a flick of my wrist towards my bags, they sprang up thanks to my semblance. I gleefully floated over to the trunk of the car that was being attended by the man who worked for my family, we had a few employees in Vale and surrounding Beacon areas.

“Ms. Nuit.” He said with a low voice.

“~~~Hey, hey~~~” I responded putting each back carefully into the trunk and taking shotgun for myself.

This is happening!

I couldn’t help but be excited, a cruise was a magical place. Anything could happen!

Just as I had settled into my waiting position of "hands on my knees and gulping in air to recharge from the deadest of sprints", I looked up at the sound of rapid footfalls approaching me. In came Beryl, all exuberance and excitement as she greeted me with an ear-to-ear grin and an eager wave.

All in all, it was pretty damn cute. I couldn't help but raise myself back up and wave in response, smiling as well and tossing out a quick, "Hey."

I might be making a bit of a selfish assumption here, but something told me that she was more than happy to not go to the pool tonight if it meant a shot at going out at sea.

Even better, being a luxury cruise, I was willing to put all of my earnings from the hellish mission that I'd just finished on it having a pool onboard, possibly even more extravagant than the one we had here.

Two swimming opportunities for the price of one, Beryl! Aren't you glad I succumbed to peer pressure under a deadline?

...

There was more than a few things wrong with that thought.

Before I could inevitably voice something from that train of logic and shove my foot squarely into my mouth, however, I was saved by Bianca returning from further ahead and beckoning us to get our stuff in the trunk of the town car while we waited for Gratia to arrive.

I really did need to apologize to her once we were all in for the ride. Leaving the stony Mistralian in the dust like that was a mean move on its own, even without having my using of Vega Venetia as a scapegoat to do so on top of it.

The mental wearout from Brewing Storm must have been even worse than I had thought, if I was being this careless and crass to people who hadn't done any real wrong to me. I knew it was a selfish demand, but all I asked was that my poor body, or rather, poor brain put up with just a few more minutes of being up, active and moving.

Once we were in the car, I could relax again for a while.

And given that Bianca was more than happy to quite literally lift the backpack off my shoulders, assumedly with some sort of telekinetic semblance, I wouldn't even have to do much hard work about it.

Gratefully, I opened the driver's side door and slid, or more accurately slumped into the cushy leather of the seat.

Much better than a gunship's, as far as vehicles I'd sat in went.

"Got here fast." I noted idly, in reference to the cab.

@HereComesTheSnow@Crimmy@Write@Plank Sinatra



With a hup and a bounce Beryl tossed her bag into the back of Bianca's rich person car. Even with her constant fundraising trips with Father this had to be one of the most extravagant personal vehicles she had ever seen.

And here she was, about to ride in it.

The young otter Faunus quickly followed her friends into the car's interior. The instant she touched the luxary seats Beryl all but melted into them with a long moan.

"Ohhhhhhhh, these things are too comfy. Do you ride everywhere like this, Bianca?"

@Silvan Haven@Write@HereComesTheSnow@Plank Sinatra



What did one bring to a cruise?

That was the question that influenced Gratia Mindaro's every decision as she rapidly packed her belongings into a scrappy, aging suitcase. The faded brown material was fraying slightly, indicating its years of service. Although not a frequent traveler (particularly with her family's limited budget), her great uncle had been, and thus she had found herself as a successor to the suitcase's possession, storing necessities and clothing tightly within in a manner not too dissimilar to how the elder Mindaro had done so with his myriad notebooks and experiments all those years ago.

However, she only sought to learn from one experimental subject, and so only one notebook was necessary for her.

Her onyx gaze drifted over towards the scroll provided to her by Beacon. Given the presence of her phone, there was little need for its usage beyond the boundaries of the academy.

However, her parents had hoped for numerous photos of her time abroad.

She decided to take it.

---

Gratia Mindaro slowly halted before the car that Bianca had called in, suitcase held carelessly in her hand as if it were weightless. She glanced momentarily at the prestigious appearance of the vehicle before turning her dark eyes upon her companions for the trip, already present inside.

"Kept you waiting, huh?" she muttered, voice flat, as she moved to deposit her own luggage in the boot.