The Bird and the Garden 2: Restart!

Chapter 3: Beacon

A groan was his only reply. Since the incident between her and Vao, she had become nearly reclusive, rarely being seen. She didn't even eat lunch with her friends or siblings anymore; Y/N and Yang would see her eating alone, deliberately isolating herself. It wasn't healthy, especially since Ruby was about to be in a school where everyone was older than her. Yang slapped her younger sister's back playfully.

"C'mon, stand straight! Standing like that's bad for your back, you know? You'll be hobbling around like an old woman before you graduate at this rate."

Ruby didn't answer, opening the fridge and retrieving a soda. Cardin looked up. "oh, can I get one of those?" He asked. Ruby grabbed a second one and slid it across the table. Vao, who had been the closest to her, winced when he saw her face.

"Yikes, I think you get less sleep than I do..."

Y/N looked to Ruby, quickly discovering what Vao was going on about. Bags had formed under her eyes. They weren't as dark as Vao had made them out to be, but they were still visible from where he was standing. "Ruby, how much sleep did you get last night?" He asked worriedly.

"Like... Ten minutes? Maybe twenty?" Ruby guessed tiredly. Cardin lowered his soda.

"Uh... I don't think that's very healthy..."

"I was playing video games with Vao last night," she lied. Y/N turned to Vao accusingly. Ruby's lie worked; it was something Vao would most certainly do.

"Then what time did you go to bed?" He demanded. Vao held his hands up defensively.

"I didn't sleep at all! And I wasn't even playing an online game last night!" He protested. Yang stood by his side.

"Yeah, he spent two hours trying to write his name and then played a fighting game with me. Our mom unplugged the internet last night," she added. They all turned to Ruby, who was drinking her soda quietly. She set it down and held her hands to the side as if she was challenging them.

"What? Not my fault Vao sounds like a girl."

"And I'm proud of it!"

Y/N sighed, grabbing his suitcase by the handle. "Okay, I can understand where you might've gotten mixed up, but... There's not really a reason to be hostile. We were only asking."

Ruby sighed, sipping on her soda again and not answering. No one said anything, but Ruby's change was worrying. It was become a normal thing, and Y/N wondered if she'd ever be chipper again. Vao looked at his scroll, holding it to Cardin.

"Hey, what time do we have to be at the station?'

Cardin began choking on his soda, dropping the now empty can on the table. "We're gonna be late!"

The entire household was in a panic. Ruby ran up the stairs to grab the few things she hadn't packed while Y/N ran into the bathroom to make sure he had everything he needed. Yang was calling Raven to ensure her room was clean of necessities, while Cardin was counting his belongings in his suitcase. Vao was the only one not doing anything, just sitting in his chair looking at Zwei.

"... What is it?" He asked. Zwei let out a bark of frustration, bringing a smile to Vao's face. "Oh, I haven't forgotten our deal. I'm gonna spread bad word about cats in Beacon." Zwei barked again, licking the drunk's hand after climbing into the chair and resting on his lap. Together they watched the chaos unfurl, Vao occasionally sipping off his booze. And finally, after almost fifteen minutes everyone was ready, sprinting out the door.

Their feet slammed against the road as they ran, some struggling more than others. One such person was Yang with her nine suitcases filled with workout equipment and clothes. Vao had tied his suitcase to Zwei's collar, sitting on it as the wheels spun against the asphalt. Once again, he outsmarted everyone else. The guy who couldn't read, count, or spell made a functioning plan. Y/N felt ashamed of himself for letting Vao outshine him again, carrying his own luggage on his back like a backpack. He was glad he picked the one with straps. Ruby had already used her Semblance and was no doubt waiting for them at the landing pad. The only one missing was Cardin.