An Old Friend

Aeden sits at his desk mixing various amounts of whiskey, rum, and vodka with the honey he received from Muzen. After careful mixing Aeden would write down the proportions and taste the solution. "No none of these are right. Damn will my dream be never fulfilled." Aeden was starting to run out of honey and would soon need to go back to the bee farm for more. "At least Muzen was pretty nice so it won't be a hassle." Aeden stretches a bit trying to think of how to properly combine liquor and honey into a prize winning alcohol worthy of kings or himself depending on his thirst.

A girl with white hair and a scar on her hall wanders the halls of Beacon looking for the dorm of Team ALIA. She looks all over until she finally thinks she comes across it. She knocks at the door and awaits an asnwer. Will he remember me? Will he kick me out? It's fine... He'll be nice...don't worry...

As Aeden hears a knock on the door he checks his scroll for the time. "That's odd. I don't think we were expecting anybody. Aeden stands from his desk and puts on some clothes that are honey free and don't smell slightly of liqour. He walks over to the door and opens it to finds a girl with white hair standing in the doorway. Upon closer inspection Aeden notices that she is fairly cute. "Hello Miss, can I help you?" White hair? Why does that seem so familiar?

"Hello....I'm Vanille Averneas.... you probably don't remember me but....... I need to have a chat with....you..." Vanille says

Upon hearing the name Aeden is flooded with memories of his past home. "Vanille? Vanille! It really is you." As the memories come in Aeden is overjoyed to see his old friend again and immediately hugs her. While he hugs her the memories of his departure come to mind and he instantly regrets the hug. Aeden breaks the hug and looks away embarrassed. "Umm sure come in." Aeden steps away from the door giving Vanille enough space to walk in.

"This is....a um....nice place you have here...I won't try and be too clingy...ok?" She walks around the room and eventually takes a seat on the bed.

Aeden can't stand to look at Vanille after what he told her and hearing her call herself clingy gave Aeden a sharp pain. "I'm sorry about that Vanille." Aeden quickly glances at Vanille and for the first time and notices the state of her eyes and arm. Aeden goes into protective mode from when they grew up together. He gently grabs her chin and lifts her face to meet his and looks in her eyes. "Vanille the point of you staying at home was for you to be safe yet here you are with scars. What happened? Does it relate to you being here despite me telling you how dangerous it is?"

"Well.... After you left I began to take long walks in the woods to.... revitalize myself... One day I happened to be ambushed by a pack of beowolves and got a bit... 'beat up' if you would like to use that term..." She looked at her arm and sighed "I'm fine now... I have weapons and know how to defend myself... looks like I won't have to 'cling to you for protection anymore...I'm here because I wanted to know how your doing? Whats up with the infamous Aeden Kase..... lately?"

Aeden lets go of Vanille's chin and once again looks away. "Vanille you have to beleive me I just wanted to make sure you were safe. You were my best friend and only wanted the best for you." Aeden sighs and tries to compose himself. "I've been good Vanille. I've only almost died around 4 times, made some new friends who I constantly worry about, and I have a girlfriend who I can't seem to protect." Aeden tries putting the harsh reality of Beacon Academy before Vanille hoping that she'll see how dangerous it is and head home. "How are things back home?"

"Nothing much... just loads of work, training and yelling... I'm working on my application to get in here... I know what your going to say and don't bother saying it... I'm coming..." She stands up and shows Aeden her weapons and says" See? I can protect myself...I.Am.Fine"

Before Vanille could say another word Aeden had already drawn Deception X and moved behind her. He laid the blade right over her carotid artery and spoke into her ear. "I could have killed you 8 times already. You are not ready. I went easy on you, but Grimm won't." He touches the scar on her. "But you already know that don't you." Aeden puts away Deception X and turns Vanille around. He leans down and hugs Vanille. "Please don't come here. I don't want to worry about you too Vanille."

"I could have reacted to that... I honestly know you aren't going to kill me..... I can't have you decide my future for me Aeden.... Home is boring and personally I want to leave and come here with my sister and brother..... I can prove I can fight....." She stands up and rubs her ear. "Nice toy you got there..."

Aeden feels a little annoyed by Vanille calling Deception X a toy. "I don't need something so bulky and flashy to kill. Fine Vanille if you want to come here that's fine. I don't care anymore but that's if you can even get in. Once you see how terrible a place Beacon can be don't come crying to me. You are no longer my concern." Although Aeden keeps a cold exterior while speaking to Vanille inside he is killing himself. How could I possibly say that Vanille? I'm absolute garbage. I know she'll get in too, and now I worry about her too. Why couldn't she just stay home?

"Alright..Thank you..." Vanille hugs him and sits back down and lightens up her tone a bit" If you can do it... So can I... I don't want to be the girl no one likes or talks to anymore! I want to be a Huntress... Look I'm sorry if I'm irritating you... I just wanted to make my point..." She frowns and stands up while a single year streams down her face.

Goddamnit! Aeden can no longer stand to see Vanille so sad by his own actions. "Aeden runs up and hugs her. "I'm sorry Vanille. I've been lying to you. The only reason I said those things to you was to try to protect you. I didn't mean any of it. Leaving home was hard but leaving you behind was the hardest thing I've ever had to do and now its my fault that you got hurt." Aeden holds Vanille a little more tightly. "I've missed you so much but I couldn't bear to see how you were doing after I said those things to you." Aeden lets go of Vanille and looks her in the eyes. "I would ask you to forgive me but I know I wouldn't deserve it Vanille." With that Aeden composes himself and walks back to his desk. Returning to the project he had been working on before Vanille came in.

"Aeden.... I-I don't know what to say..." Vanille takes a seat back on the bed and thinks about what she could possibly say to Aeden. " Aeden...we were friends for basically forever. I can't just go and not forgive you... I know that you just want to keep me safe but I need to go out and see the world...I don't want to be stuck at home doing nothing all of the time, or waiting for you to come back... Vanille walks up to Aeden and leans on his shoulder and says "I Forgive you. As you said...I'm clingy" She stands up again and turns Aeden's chair around so she is looking into his eyes. She says it once more" I forgive you." After she is done apologizing she does something she never thought she would do in her lifetime. She gave a smile...

Aeden can't beleive Vanille just smiled. Long ago Aeden say Vanille smile and thought it was a once in a lifetime moment and yet here it was again. Aeden knew there was no person more fortunate than him at that very moment. Aeden stands up and hugs Vanille. "Thank you Vanille. You have no idea what that means to me but stop saying you're clingy. I always loved it when you relied on me. It made me feel useful and I loved having you around." Aeden lets go of Vanille and makes a smile before sighing. "Well since I can't talk you out of it might as well help you. You wouldn't want to get lost when you get in, I'll give you a tour of the Academy. Hows that sound?"

"I like tours... Sounds good. I honestly got lost already trying to find this place..." She picks up Furrix and attaches it onto her wrist again. "Okay. I'm ready anytime you are"

"Alright just give me a second." Aeden puts away the honey and cleans up his desk as well as hiding his liquour where no one will find it. Before he puts the last bottle of whiskey away Aeden takes a small drink. "A little one for the road." Aeden pull his hood over his face and turns back toward Vanille. "Lets head out. First stop is the Academy Cafe." (In thread transition)

Aeden and Vanille arrive in the Cafe. As they arrive Aeden walks toward the counter and turns to Vanille. "Do you want anything? My treat."

The doors of the cafe burst open to Shem and Zwei having a hearty discussion, with Shem walking in first, holding a dust crystal.

"Listen Zwei, we've been at it all day. Can we just agree that eating a dust crystal does not give you super hero powers, and it can kill you?"

Zwei shook his head in disapproval.  "But Shem if the crystals can power our weapons it can surely power US!...and no of wouldn’t kill you because you would have super powers!". Zwei reached into his pocket with a small canister of dust. "Super powers in a jar my friend" He looked on triumphantly as if his argument made any sense.

Aeden sees Shem and Zwei barge into the door and waves over to them. He turns back to Vanille. "Vanille these are my friends I want to introduce you to them. Are you okay with that?"

"I...Sure...heh...." Vanille felt bad about how she couldn't talk to other people without feeling awkward. She thought to herself; It's just who I am...

Aeden whispers to Vanille. "Don't be nervous they're a little weird but really nice." Aeden pats her on the head and calls over Shem and Zwei. "Hey guy's come over here. There's someone I want you guys to meet."

Shem walks up to Aeden and Vanille, pinching the bridge of his nose under his glasses. "Aeden, before you say anything, please tell Zwei that if you eat dust, you die..."