THE STEL STORIES Part 2: The Fall of Beacon

Chapter 4 - Enter Team MNKY

We arrived at the bar earlier than intended, in the hype to catch up with Gambit, we had all been ready before six and just went straight there.
Being underage we couldn't buy any drinks from the bar so we ordered some snacks and found a booth to chill out in while we waited.
A few older huntsmen and senior students filled the bar, some from other kingdoms.
A group of Vacuo female students all in desert gear waved at us from across the bar, Scarlet waved back a confident smile and Eclipse got all flustered.
Scarlet sighed, grabbed Eclipse's arm, and dragged him over to say hello, leaving Trillium and me to snack and chat.
"Oh no", Trillium said suddenly looking past me as the bar door opened letting two people in, "I forgot they would be here".
I turned to see two students of Atlas walk in.
The first boy was largely built with very dark skin, his arms and chest massive, he wore an Atlas emblazoned singlet with black combat pants and boots. His short hair was pitch black with a silver line running through the center, his dark green eyes observed the bar with distaste.
The other boy was slightly shorter, he wore a black and white singlet hoodie also with the Atlas logo, with white cargo shorts and runners. He had long pointy white hair with black tips, wide brown eyes that watched the bar with interest, with a broad smile on his face.
"You know them?" I asked curiously, Trillium nodded and said, "They are part of Atlas' top teams at the academy, Team MNKY, The broad one is Marcus Mauve the leader of the team, the shorter one is Ying Zao Lou".
I jolted at the last surname, recognizing it, "Zao Lou?" I asked for double checking.
"Yeah that's right, he's from a small city called Arcus a few miles between Atlas and Vale" Trillium confirmed.
So it was him.
I stood up and approached the two young men. Marcus stared me down as I approached, almost like I was a threat, I didn't balk and stared straight back standing my ground.
"What do you want runt?" He rumbled, eyes glowing with anger as he looked down at me.
"Not here for you, I would like to speak to him though" I answered evenly nodding in Ying's direction.
"And why's that," Marcus said, raising an eyebrow, Ying leaning around his massive frame to look at me, slight recognition on his face.
"Cause I have personal business with him" I responded, I casually stepped around him, noticing the whole bar had gone quiet, watching the encounter nervously.
"Hello Ying", I said as I stepped in front of him and offered a hand, "Do you know who I am?".
Ying hesitated, then shook my hand saying "I think I do but I wanna hear you confirm it".
I paused, feeling the giant muscled form of Marcus right behind me, ready to snap me if I offended or upset Ying.
"Lumen Shadow", I continued cautiously, "Your cousin".

I hadn't seen Ying since I was 5.
He was from my mother's side, they were all Faunus except her.
Before my father had started his rallies and protests against the White Fang and Faunus, we had been very close to the Zao Lou family.
My mother was adopted into their family, the only human, and had been raised with her new sister, Martha Zao Lou.
I met Ying on my 5th birthday. My mother had invited her sister and her family to visit us to celebrate.
He was the same age as me and had short spiky white hair then, his long white monkey tail his only Faunus trait.
As kids we bonded instantly, playing games and both having huntsman dreams, his more aligned in helping Faunus kind escape their race discrimination.
I used to chase and pull his tail during our first games, later I learned it hurt more than he let on so I made sure to care more.
At the time he was the closest thing I had to a brother.
However as the years passed, my father's hate for the Faunus grew, and we soon stopped seeing my aunt and cousin.
It deeply saddened my mother and me especially.
I didn't hear much from him after that, and never saw him again. The only update I had heard was his family had been in the middle of an anti-faunus riot and attempting to stop it, Ying's beloved tail had been lost.
A few months later, I lost my parents.
Ying and I faced each other.
I could see all the thoughts processing in his head before he tilted his head and asked "If you're Lumen, tell me what the last thing we did together was".
It was a trick question.
"We had stolen a cake from a bakery, and then we threw a party in your backyard for our stuffed animals, we were only 6 years old" I answered with a smile.
Ying's eyes lit up at the memory and a broad smile lit his face, "Hello Cousin".
I laughed, as he stepped forward embracing me in a hug. My cousin remembered me.
"Ying, do you wish to explain to me what's going on?" Marcus' voice boomed.
Rolling his eyes at me, Ying turned to Marcus and said "Sir this is my cousin Lumen, I haven't seen him in over 10 years".
Marcus assessed me again before saying "As important as family is, we are not here for games and reunions, we have been tasked and must stay focused".
"Chill dude", Scarlet said coming over, he gave me a smile, knowing how happy I was to see a family member before continuing, "A little family time isn't gonna kill them, let them catch up".
"No"
Scarlet seemed stunned at first by Marcus' blunt response.
"Have some dignity and heart dude" he scowled at him "These guys need a bit of chill time".
Marcus looked furiously at Scarlet and growled, "'Chill Time?', what are you, a child? We are huntsmen in the making of Atlas Academy, we are not here for fun".
"You can have fun and be a huntsman you know," Scarlet said, crossing his arms and grinning ferally at Marcus, "Maybe you should try it for once".
I sighed, knowing that Scarlet was trying to rile this guy up, and gave an apologetic look to Ying.
Ying looked torn between laughing and being terrified.
Marcus snarled, before turning his back to us and heading to the door, "Come on Ying, we shall eat elsewhere, lets's leave these children to play".
Ying nodded, looking sad, and waved goodbye following his leader to the exit.
I sadly waved back and turned to go back to my seat.
"Man, what a grumpy monkey, dude looks like he may go Ape crazy half the time".
Scarlet could never close his damn mouth, could he?
Marcus spun around, pure fury on his face as he death stared at Scarlet's face.
"What did you say?" Marcus rumbled, a few people swiftly exiting the bar now.
Scarlet unfazed gave him a cocky grin, and responded "I said, you look like you're about to go Ape shit".
Purple energy started glowing on Marcus' chest and arms, large primal tattoos on his skin appearing as his semblance started warming up.
He started pacing towards Scarlet, death on his face.
Scarlet grinned, allowing flames to wrap around his own arms and hands, ready for a bar fight.
They didn't get far.
A short metal rod, almost like a baton, flung from the doorway smacking Marcus and Scarlet each in the head, before ricocheting back to its owner.
They spun to see Gambit Black standing in the doorway glaring at both of them.
"No semblance use allowed by students in public boys," he said calmly, yet pure wrath covered his face, "Do I need to report this to your teachers?"
Marcus glared once more at Scarlet, before mumbling a no to Gambit, then stormed out, Ying by his side.
"Thanks, Gambit" Scarlet said with a sigh, shaking the flames off his arms, "Wasn't sure if I could take his mystery Semblance yet".
"Two things" Gambit responded walking into the bar, Amber appearing close behind, "One, how stupid are you for trying to start a bar fight?"
Scarlet opened his mouth to respond but Gambit bonked his head with his metal rod, now shrunk to a baton length, and silenced him.
"I'm not done", he continued while Scarlet rubbed his sore head, "Two, you gotta learn to shut that big mouth of yours otherwise you're gonna start something you can't finish".
Scarlet opened his mouth then hesitated, not wanting to speak and get bonked again, then after a nod from Gambit said "Sorry but can this big mouth order our food and pay for it to make it up to his old mentor?"
Gambit sighed and then chuckled, shaking his head before replying "Go on then ya buffoon".
With a grin, Scarlet ran to the bar to order us food as the rest of us took our seats, chuckling amongst ourselves, as Trillium and Eclipse reunited with our old mentor and friend.