The Serpents' Shadows

Chapter 8

8:45 AM, 2 Days Later:

ACRONIAN:

Acronian was nervously pacing his room, he had been thinking about his new predicament. He was 15 minutes from having to be super careful around three other people, because that's the time they were supposed to be showing up at the door. To top that off, he wasn't entirely sure what being a leader entailed; did he have to dictate their every move? Or was that in combat only? Did he have to come up with strategies? Or help them with their homework? No, Ozpin wouldn't mind it if he couldn't do that, but still, he was in the dark on this one. To top THAT off, the whole first year class was alight with the mysterious snake faunus that took down team RWBY single handedly in a live ammunition scenario. Since no one but Ozpin and Acronian had seen what was under the bandages, everyone wanted to know what was being hidden by the inky blackness of the cloth strips. So many people had stopped by his room or paused him in the halls to ask that Acronian had almost started yelling at people to go away.

Acronian looked at the clock and someone knocked on the door, Acronian jumped at the noise, 'Guess some people can be early, huh?' He thought. He opened the door and there stood Tenzin, dressed in his school uniform like he had just come from class, he still had his fedora.

"Hi." He said happily, "I didn't want to be late so I brought my stuff." He stepped to the side and showed the vast amount of boxes and suitcases sitting behind him.

Acronian starred in amazement, "How do you even have that much stuff?"

Tenzin looked at his things, "This is a lot of stuff?" He asked, "A lot of people have more stuff than this, and most of this is medical equipment..."

"I still fail to see where all this is necessary for a dorm room." Acronian said quizzically, "Need help getting that stuff in here?"

Tenzin sighed a sigh of relief, "Yes, that would be nice while the rest of the team arrives. Speaking of which, I've already been informed of Safire being in the team, but who's the last member?" He asked casually.

"Don't know, I left that up to Ozpin, I'm sure he'll get someone we can work with. He didn't say no to you guys on the team so I assume there's someone compatible."

Tenzin put his hands up, "Fair enough," He said, "Fair enough."

The two got started moving the boxes into the room and something occurred to Acronian, "Wait, how do you know Safire?" He asked.

Tenzin froze, "Did I say I know her?"

"No."

"Then why do you have the assumption that I know her?" He asked.

Acronian thought for a second, "Well, you used her first name, for starters. You also said it pretty casually too, seemed like you knew her prior to coming here."

Tenzin chuckled in response, "You're pretty perceptive," He said, "I originally studied with her at a small academy called Grizzam Academy in Atlas. It was my last year there when we found out that we were half related."

"What?!" Acronian almost dropped his box he was carrying.

"We share a mother, my mom left my dad and I for some other guy just after I was born and I guess had a kid a year later. That kid was Safire, and somehow she managed to stay local and we met at Grizzam, when we found out I decided to hang back a year so she could catch up." He explained wistfully.

Acronian looked at Tenzin, "Wow, didn't know that."

"Most people don't, but I guess you should know now that you're our leader."

"Listen," Acronian sighed and put down the box, "I don't want you to think I'm special just because I'm a leader... I don't know the first thing about leading and on top of that, you know I'm an amnesiac." He said.