Starlight and Shadows

Chapter 5: Under a Starlit Sky

The door to the ballroom was locked.

Zeffre closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. Leaning her head against the intricate wooden door, her hand resting on the brass knob, she considered her options.

'I could just knock,' she thought. She was, after all, a rational and reasonable adult.

Turning the knob until it stopped, she kept applying force. The sound of metal snapping came from inside the lock, and then she pushed the door open.

Inside were all of the other new students either sleeping or getting ready to go to sleep, makeshift beds on the polished black tile floor of the ballroom. Large chandeliers hung throughout the hall giving off a faint orange glow. The windows, adorned with deep purple curtains, ran the length of the hall. Zeffre glanced at the staircase leading to the second floor of the room before turning her attention to a group of three girls bickering, and she saw a familiar face.

Smiling she made her way directly towards them, stepping over other students who were lying on the ground.

"Hey!"

"What?" Zeffre said, staring directly at the boy, helmet ominously reflecting his face. The matte black of her armor seeming to draw in the dim light.

"Uh... Sorry. Never mind."

Turning Zeffre continued.

"What is your problem with my sister? She was only trying to be nice!"

"She is a hazard to my health!"

"Hi Ruby." Zeffre said, removing her helmet.

Everyone stopped to look at the newcomer, with Zeffre giving Ruby a tired smile.

"Zeffre? What are you doing here," Ruby asked, her annoyed expression quickly melting away into confusion.

"I got offered to go to Beacon and took it," Zeffre said, sliding her luggage across the floor to an empty spot.

"Oh. I didn't see you on the airship," she said tilting her head.

"Yeah... I sort of slept in and missed the airship," Zeffre said scratching her cheek.

"Hey Ruby", the blond girl said, draping an arm around Ruby's neck, "who's your friend?"

"Hey. I'm Zeffre. Me and your sister met in the back of a police car," she said, smirking.

"Oh really?" the blond girl said, grinning as she turned to look at Ruby.

"That sounds way worse than what actually happened," Ruby said, trying to hide her face.

"I knew it! You are a troublemaker," the girl wearing a nightgown said before storming off. 'Huh, must've missed something.'

The blond girl approached Zeffre smiling before holding out her fist. "Hey Zeffre, I'm Yang."

"Nice to meet you Yang," she said returning the fist bump.

"Why are you covered in dust?"

Looking over at the dark-haired girl with the book Zeffre let out a sigh. "Well, after missing the airship I kinda sorta walked here," she said deciding to sit against one of the black pillars lining the hall. "And Beacon is at the top of a cliff."

Yang raised an eyebrow at her, "Aren't there other flights you could've taken instead?"

Zeffre buried her face in her hands "I learned that after I got here."

Yang began cackling at her expression before people around them started shushing her. Even the girl with black hair was smirking. 'At least Ruby looks sympathetic.'