“The mission briefing is fairly simple.”

Merlot paced back and forth in front of her team, reading off of a document clutched in her hands.

“We’re being flown out to the village of Shian Shi, a small mountain town to the North of Mistral. The people of Shian Shi have been experiencing strange and frequent Grimm attacks over the course of the last month or so. Normally, altercations with Grimm are infrequent in the area but recently activity has ramped up to a dangerous degree. The town isn’t properly equipped to defend itself against an attack of that magnitude. Our job is to aid the town in fending off the Grimm while they establish proper defenses to deal with the threat.” Merlot lowered the paper and gazed at her team dramatically. “Any questions…?”

“That’s it?” Ash questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I don’t know, I thought it would’ve been something more?” He mumbled.

“What more do you want?! We’re doing the work of pro huntsmen!” Merlot exclaimed.

“Well I guess so… Never mind.”

“Shut up Ash, it’ll be awesome!” Bruno interjected. “We’re gonna look so badass! When do we go?”

“Two days from now. We leave bright and early on Monday morning.”

“HELL YEAH! WE GET TO SKIP THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASS!” Bruno cheered. “I knew this mission thing was a good idea!”

Merlot simply glared at him from behind the document, before setting it aside and sighing.

“We’ll meet up with the second year team then as well. For now, let’s get a good night's sleep.” She said, heading towards her bed.

“How am I supposed to sleep after today? All I can think about is the regional finals…” Bruno said, standing up.

“Why, were they that exciting?” Merlot asked.

“Hell no, they were bullshit! Arslan should’ve beat Pyrrha easily! I can’t believe that idiot won for the fourth year in a row!”

“You can’t tell me you’re that surprised man. She’s crazy, some people say she’s just as good as some of the pros.” Ash said.

“Shut up no she isn’t!” Bruno said, throwing himself onto his bed. “I bet if we all fought her at once we’d win.”

“No way, not us at least. We’d just be an uncoordinated mess.” Ash replied.

“That’s pessimistic.” Robert commented.

“It’s realistic.” Ash corrected. "You remember our spars with Team LVDR, right?"

“All this about Arslan… If you like her so much why don’t you just marry her.” Merlot said with a chuckle, grabbing her pyjamas.

“What?! No, gross! Shut up Merlot!” Bruno exclaimed. "Stop being so weird!"

“Yeah yeah, just go to sleep.” She muttered.

*

The next morning, Bruno traversed Haven’s packed cafeteria, clutching in his hand a plate with two slices of toast. The general talk of the town from the students around them were surrounding the finals that had aired the night previous, all talk that Bruno did his best to ignore.

“Stupid tournament… Stupid Pyrrha…” He muttered under his breath.

“Morning Bruno!” Lazuli exclaimed happily, sliding into the seat next to him.

“Hey.” He simply replied.

“Awww, don’t tell me you’re still torn up about the-”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Lazuli!” He snapped immediately.

“Right, right.” She mumbled, digging into a bowl of cereal. “So what was that about a mission anyways?”

“Oh, it’s just this cool little mission me and my team have to do tomorrow.” He explained.

“A mission?! That’s so neat!”

“Right? I thought it was dumb at first but then I realized it gives me bragging rights over all the other first years and some of those pretentious second years! It’s outside of the city and everyth-”

Bruno was interrupted, his eyes going wide, when a sudden tug from his scorpion tail pulled him backwards off the wooden bench he had been seated upon and back first onto the ground. Looking up, a pair of grey eyes and a head of white hair stared back at him.

“What the hell was that for?!” Bruno screamed immediately at the new arrival. Lazuli whirled around, as did some other students in the area. “Keep your hands off my goddamn tail!”

“I couldn’t help but overhear you talking shit, faunus.” The boy said with a stern look on his face, letting go of the scorpion stinger at once and insultingly wiping his hand on the pristine, navy blue coat he wore.

“You’re goddamn right!” Bruno said, sitting up and rising back to his feet. “Stupid second years!”

“Geralt please… Just let it go…” Standing next to the coat wearing boy was a shorter girl, dressed in a black shirt and skirt. Her spiky hair was a brilliant red and fell down her back in a braid.

“Bruno, you’re just gonna make things worse!” Lazuli hissed at him, before turning to Geralt. “But you can just screw off as well!”

“Oh really, Vidal?” Geralt turned his attention to Lazuli, ignoring the red haired girl. “Why do you keep this guy around you anyways? Didn’t they ban faunus slavery in Mistral years ago?"

“Now you’re really gonna get it! Lazuli, let’s fuck this guy up!” Bruno exclaimed, leaping out of his seat. At this, Geralt just threw his head back and laughed.

“No! Stop it already!” The girl exclaimed, stepping between Geralt and Lazuli and Bruno. “You don’t have to get so mad over everything… All he did was call us pretentious!”

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

“Sorry Scarlett, I just don’t take kindly to some bottom of the barrel first years taking pot shots at us, let alone a faunus. Do you even know who I am?” He asked with a chuckle.

“Yeah! A fucking asshole!” Bruno interjected.

“Put it this way. The only reason I haven’t kicked your shit in yet is because your owner here is a Vidal. My parents would give me a really stern talking to if I ever beat up a Vidal. Shame.” Geralt shrugged. “Anyways. Moral of the story, stay in your league if you know what’s good for you. Don’t piss off the wrong person. Got it, first year?”

“How about instead I take this piece of toast and shove it so far up your ass-” Bruno began.

“He’s got it Geralt, just get on with it and go!” Lazuli interrupted, grabbing Bruno by the back of his shirt.

“Later.” Was all Geralt said, before turning his back and strutting off, Scarlett by his side.

“Lazuli what the hell, didn’t you hear him?! He called you my owner!” Bruno said angrily. “I’ll punch his lights out if I ever catch him in the halls!”

“Bruno, listen. You don’t wanna mess with him.” Lazuli said, pulling him back down to the bench.

“Yeah yeah, I know that he’s a second year but-”

“Not just that, he’s part of the Regalia family. His parents are stupid rich, they’d probably sue you or something.”

“I’m not afraid of rich people!”

“I’m not saying you should be, just… Just be more careful with who you pick fights with. Mistral isn’t the most accepting when it comes to the faunus-”

“Understatement of the century.”

“-And you find plenty of these rich asshole types at Haven.”

“Oh really? That’s new.”

“Look, I'm just trying to look out for you Bruno.” Lazuli said.

“I can look out for myself you know! I don’t need you hovering over my shoulder about passing classes and picking fights with second years!” He retorted.

“Well… I…” Lazuli stuttered slightly. “I didn’t know you felt that way about it…”

Bruno and Lazuli sat in silence for a brief moment, before the former stood up from his spot. Lazuli looked at him with confusion momentarily.

“That asshole killed my appetite. The mission is today and I have to get ready anyways. Later.” Was all Bruno said before marching off.

“Hey, Bruno!”

“Listen Lazuli, can you just leave me be for one second-” Bruno exclaimed, turning around in the cafeteria hallway only to find that he wasn’t being addressed by the blue robed girl, rather another. “Oh. What do you want, Yin?”

Standing before him was a familiar face. A girl with incredibly short black hair, wearing a bomber jacket and blue jeans. Dotting her face were black lizard scales, and a belt on her waist revealed several holstered handguns.

“What’s with the tone? Thought you were friends with Lazuli?” Yin asked sarcastically.

“I am, I’m just in a bad mood! Is this all you’re here for, to bother me?” Bruno asked with annoyance.

“No. Not this time anyways.” She replied, rolling her eyes. “Listen, just come to dorm room 108 tonight at around nine-thirty, got it? Bring the rest of your team too.”

“What, why?”

“Because I said so.”

“That’s not a good reason."

“Just do it ok?”

“What’s in it for me?”

“You’re hopeless…” Yin turned around and began to walk in the opposite direction of the scorpion faunus. “Fine. Don’t come. It’ll be better without you anyways.”

“Y’know what? Now I’m gonna go! Stupid!” Bruno shouted down the hallway with a massive grin. Yin simply snickered to herself as she left, Bruno turning and heading back the opposite way.

*

“I can’t wait to see the look on Yin’s stupid face…!” Bruno said with a chuckle as he made his way down the long wooden hallways that made up the dormitory building of Haven Academy.

“So she talked you into it as well, huh?” Merlot said, walking alongside Bruno.

“Yeah but if she mentioned that YOU were coming too, I wouldn’t have gone.” Bruno paused for a moment. “Well actually she did, but I’m still getting my point across!”

“Uh huh.” Merlot snickered.

“Anyways, where’s Robert and Ash?”

“Sleeping. They want to be well rested for the mission tomorrow.”

“Losers.” Bruno said with a scoff.

“Anyways, here we are.” Merlot finally reached the door labeled ‘108’ and just below it, engraved into the wood, ‘Team BYNT’ (Bayonette).

Merlot knocked on the door. Nothing but silence permeated the hallway. Bruno pushed her aside and instead threw it open.

The inside of the dorm room was… Pitch black. Absolutely nothing but the light flooding in from the open door. The two teammates glanced at each other in confusion.

“SURPRISE!”

A sudden shout startled the pair as the lights sparked to life, illuminating the room fully and revealing a dozen or so students gathered in the once darkened sections of the dormitory.

“Congratulations on your first mission!” The nearby Yin exclaimed, stepping forth from the crowd.

“Whoa.” Merlot let out a sharp breath as she took in the enthusiasm of her fellow students.

“We came here for some lame party…?” Bruno muttered.

“Are you seriously complaining?” Yin raised an eyebrow stepping forward. “C’mon. You guys are the only first years who have landed a mission so far. Not even perfect first year prodigy Nav Vidal or his sister have one yet. It’s something worth celebrating!”

“Well I guess when you put it that way…” Bruno said, a smile slowly forming.

“We also have booze.” Yin added.

“Ok I’m sold.” He said with a nod.

“Same.” Merlot said. “Though I guess it’s probably a bad idea to drink before the mission tomorrow…”

“Oh come on, don’t be a stick in the mud!” Bruno exclaimed, strutting off.

“Hey, Diana!”

Before she could protest, Merlot found herself approached by a girl with a purple jacket and blue jeans, as well as a muscled boy with a red coat and black pants.

“Can you please do the cool thing?” The girl asked.

“Yeah bro, like with your eyes!” The boy added.

“Viola and Natsu… I thought I told you to call me by my last name. Diana is lame but Merlot is super cool.” Merlot replied, crossing her arms.

“Right. Sorry dude.” Natsu corrected.

“Alright. In that case... Who wants to be my subject?” She asked, a glimmer in her eyes.

“Me!” Natsu shot his hand up in the air.

“Alright. You should probably sit down.” Merlot instructed, walking over to one of the nearby beds with the others in tow.

Natsu obliged, sitting on the bed with Viola taking the spot next to him. Merlot sat herself down in a wooden chair in front of the two of them, leaning back with a smirk.

“What are you doing…?” The trio soon found themselves joined by a girl in a black robe and matching headband.

“Oh hey Tenne. Check this out!” Natsu said excitedly.

“Oh god, don’t tell me you’re gonna get Merlot to use her semblance on you…”

“You’ve gotta admit, it’s a neat party trick!” Viola said.

“Maybe if it’s not being used on you. I was her victim during the first party we had at the start of first semester. Ended up forgetting that entire night.” Tenne rolled her eyes.

“I won’t mess him up as badly as I did with you.” Merlot assured. Tenne simply sighed.

With that, the girl focused her gaze on Natsu. Merlot stared deeply into his eyes and as she did so, her purple iris began to emit a faint glow.

Natsu’s expression soon began to shift. His eyes went from wide open and excited, to droopy and tired. He began to sweat profusely and his cheeks turned a deep red. Merlot broke eye contact, and he immediately let out a giggle.

“Heh… You’re such a cool friend Merlot…” He said, his words slurred and slow.

“Voila.” Merlot said, standing up and bowing.

“Awesome!” Viola cheered.

“Not so awesome if you’re the one who has to put up with him all night now…” Tenne grumbled.

“Hey, it’ll wear off in a few hours. He won’t vomit or anything either.” Merlot assured the girl. “I used to do this back at the inn all the time. The patrons loved it. My parents… Not so much.”

"Wonder why." Tenne said sarcastically.

“What’s even going on over there?” Bruno wondered, taking a glance over to the other side of the room where Merlot performed her party trick, a red cup now in his hand.

“Merlot’s doing that thing where she makes people drunk. You know, with her semblance.” Yin replied, holding a similar cup to her lips.

“I should’ve known! She’s so lame and that semblance is lame too!”

“Right?” Yin paused to take a sip from the amber liquid in her cup. “By the way Bruno… I just wanted to mention something.”

“Mhm?”

“You know that I’m kidding with a lot of what I say, right?” Yin asked. “I make fun of you, and insult you and pretend that I hate you all the time. You know I don’t mean most of it?”

“Oh yeah I know. If you did, I would've kicked your ass a long time ago.” Bruno replied casually.

“Like you’d be able to!” She shot back, before returning to a more calm tone of voice. “Anyways, I just wanted to get that clear. Sometimes it’s nice to be genuine… Especially when you’re gonna be going away for a little while.”

“It’s just a week, why are you being so weird about it?”

“Well yeah, but it’s also a mission. You could be risking your lives out there. I’m allowed to be worried for once instead of insulting you!”

“I guess so… I don’t mind as much when you do it. It’s like some weird balance between my three best friends.” Bruno shrugged.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Ash is pretty ironic and casual with me all the time, Lazuli is always super genuine to a really annoying level sometimes… You’re a good blend I guess. You insult me so much that the genuine stuff feels more real.”

“That’s… A weirdly nice thing to say. Are you sure you’re not drunk already?” Yin raised an eyebrow.

“No I’m not, dumbass! I have to take this mission slightly seriously so I’m only having a bit!” Bruno shot back. “I would’ve had more but it was some idiot’s idea to throw our surprise party the night before we have to leave!”

“Oh I’m sorry for throwing you a party at all, you ungrateful asshole!” Yin said, turning her head in mock annoyance.

As her gaze shifted away from Bruno, she allowed herself a warm grin, the party raging on behind her.