Festival Friends (Veta)

It had been a few weeks at least since Veta Hunter had had a proper chance to sit down and relax. The poor faunus girl loved to relax and be just a little bit mischievous when she had a chance. Hanging out with friends was an even better option, though that one was even more rare than her free time. Maybe she shouldn't have signed up for so many classes.

Still, when the pink-haired girl had returned from the library, she hadn't failed to notice Liona's handwriting even in the dark. Turning on the light and picking up the letter, she read it over, eyes widening. She'd completely forgotten about the festival stuff today!!! Almost immediately, she'd changed into something better for being outside on this cool spring day (including her white jacket and her hat she often wore when she left the academy) and ran outside, headed straight for the Skylight Woods.

She arrived a little while later, eyes darting around as she looked for Liona. It wasn't long before she spotted the distinctive blonde hair and cat ears, and Veta bounded towards her, taking off her hat and shaking her hair a bit so it would fall into place. "Liona!" she greeted happily. "I'm so happy you left that message for me! I've been so busy with hunting practice and homework I completely forgot the festival was today..." She plopped down, cross-legged in front of her companion, looking content to be here already. "So, how have you been? I'm really really sorry I haven't been around more. I think I signed up for too many classes..."

Veta took her snack happily and chewed on it a bit while Liona told her about what was going on and how she'd gotten a break and everything. It was pretty nice just get to do this sort of thing. A large part of her missed when she got to be an impish little kid who played jokes on the other faunus for fun. She'd managed to abandon that habit when she came to school, and getting her leader position she had never had a chance to decide to pick it back up. She was so responsible now. It was... odd to think of, truth be told.

"Well besides studying and hunting..." she pulled out her weapon and extended it to show off it's new, upgraded status. "I did this!" She'd managed to get a permit to do so a few weeks ago and had yet to get a chance to show her best friend. It looked a lot more impressive and Veta was proud of it. after a moment she sheathed it as she returned it to it's compact form and stuck it back in her holder that was concealed on her back. "Wow I really need to have more fun with you, don't I? I promise I might work hard but I'm not actually a workaholic..."

Veta caught only a small glimpse of Liona’s sad smile, but she only barely had time to register it and wonder what it was about before Liona sprung up, challenging Veta to yet another challenge. Liona was fun if you liked a challenge. Even if she sometimes challenged you to things you couldn’t win. At least as long as Veta kept that in mind. She decided she might ask her about the face she’d made later. It could be something important, after all. There was a lot going on, between the rumors of White Fang finally arriving in Belmuse, and the increasing numbers of grimm. Not to mention what was already going on in the more peaceful portion of their lives.

The ginger-haired Faunus stood up and followed Liona, a little slower as usual. She arrived moments later, chuckling happily. Just being around Liona was a lot of fun. “I actually stand a chance at this game,” Veta told her friend playfully as she bounced on the heels of her feet. “This is about precision, not speed.” She had a grin on her face, hoping to get Liona fired up for the competition. Then it would be fun no matter who won, because they were trying their hardest. At least that was the mindset Veta had at this point.

Veta giggled happily as she realized she’d somehow become a better shot than Liona. She hadn’t realized. And she still owed her after their frolic in Finnek Forest where she’d challenged Veta to a race when she had a speed type aura. Not that she was holding it against her in the slightest, but it was still a nice feeling. What wasn’t quite as nice was the cold water suddenly drenching the large-eared cat faunus. “Eeep!” she recoiled, her aim thrown off far enough to hit Liona completely on accident. She stood there dripping for a moment.

“I didn’t know we were playing dirty!” Veta whined. She wasn't whining much though, and she still had a grin on her face. It was warming up by now though, so Veta didn’t actually mind that much. At least the wettest part was the jacket she didn’t need anymore. “Well then!” She sprayed at Liona again with a laugh before turning her steam back to the actual game. If Liona didn’t do something more than squirt the now-prepared girl, she was going to win the prize in a matter of seconds.

Veta grinned widely as she recieved her prize, cradling it and twitching one of her ears as she turned her head. She was rather surprised, though, to hear the words out of Liona's mouth next. "Make sure you don't hate me, okay?" she asked before telling her she planned to leave Syne Academy. Veta's face sunk as she heard her best friend say this.

Was she unhappy? She didn't get along with humans very well, obviously, and Veta understood that. But she didn't think it was just that. Liona was a complicated girl. Veta was complicated too, obviously, but her complication didn't... make her want to leave the hunter academy she'd dreamed of joining ever since she heard of it. Still...

"... You shouldn't leave alone," Veta told her friend after a moment. Her ears drooped slightly, but she she looked dead serious. She shifted slightly, looking away at all of the people before she looked back. She gave Liona a grin. "I'll come with you. You're my best friend, after all."

Veta only looked determined as Liona insisted that she had a team to lead. She did love being at Syne. She really really did. But some things were more important to the ginger faunus girl. She hugged Lions suddenly, wrapping her arms around her.

She stayed like that for a long moment, before adding "I know I've got my leadership stuff, but to yell you the truth , I'm getting good scores and stuff but my team doesn't... mesh so well. Besides they aren't my best friend. You are. Some things are more important. And besides, I can still fight Grimm. That's what I came here to learn."

Veta almost couldn't grasp what she was saying for her friend. She knew she meant it though. She could fight grimm, huntress or not. But she knew she could never forgive herself if she just let her friend go all on her own, possibly for Veta to never see her again.

Veta gave Liona an encouraging grin as their decision played over and over in Veta's head. If she had family she was close enough to talk to about these things, she probably would have wondered how she was going to explain what she was getting into. As it was, she had only herself, Liona, and her other friends she'd made here at Syne. But she could tell them either before she left, or in a letter later. For now, though, she just looked around the festival, at everyone having fun. It was suddenly like a whole other world. Her ears fell after a moment, but it was because she suddenly remembered she was wet and slightly chilly. Veta chuckled as she shivered. "Don't worry, I'll stick with you no matter what. That's what best friends are for," she reasoned to Liona as she put her hands on Liona's shoulders. "So, when do we leave then?"

-Exit along with Liona-