[Center][B]Cheng Wu[/B]
嫦娥[/Center]

Ornate, expensive, with eyes a glossed over in a disinterested trance as they stared holes into the curtain. Cheng Wu wore an elaborate peach colored dress with white, pink, and orange accents circling from the hem to the conservative neckline. The sleeves where tight near the shoulder, falling off into large hoops near her hands, engulfed in each other upon her lap as her heels, hidden despite the length, tapped impatiently, matching the cold feature tugging at her face. She looked up only to stare daggers into the latest addition, having an obvious problem with how whatever it was presented itself. Her crass and harsh demeanor faded in an instant as the curtain rose, eyes staring upon the crowd of equally eager and bored students. Stoic as she straightened, Cheng watched their temporary headmaster closely and with expectant eyes.

When he stumbled over his words, she tilted her head in disappointment, only to immediately pick it up as Arrun tossed the speech, further relying on his own words and wit. This was exactly the reason she respected the man, though her expression didn't show that. Her eyes picked up on the burned pieces evaporating into the air, directing a small glare at Dustin for his lack of caution. Of course, he'd only laugh off her scolding and proceed to tell her to, 'take that pole outta your ass.' It was no use crying over spilled milk anyways, so Cheng directed her attention back to Arrun and the audience, in particular. These were to be her future students and it would do no harm in quick judgement; she liked it when people proved her wrong. Indirectly, that is and in matters where her credibility wasn't at stake.

The words, though, the improvised speech was excellent and if it'd had been last year's, then she would have beamed a bright smile across the auditorium. Now, though, she simply nodded her approval and waited quietly for the students to further file out or move closer as Rose wrapped it up. She'd stay only as long as she was told to, as Cheng didn't necessarily like the talking aspect of socialization—not anymore, at least. Her gaze fell to her sleeves, closing her eyes and keeping seated as the bustle of students filled her ears. Eager voices, shouting, ecstatic cheers for food reminded her of the little girl back home, giving her grandmother nothing but hell.

[Center]---[/center]

[Center][I][B]Pascale Isadora Buckley[/I][/B]
—[I]♫♪ Vive la Nourriture♫♪[/I]—[/Center]

That speech really hit home.

Pascale's nodded as Arrun talked, talking whatever she could really understand to heart. There was no doubting how hard Pascale worked, when she wasn't humiliating people through her variety of pranks, her adoptive parents could very well vouch for her. Work was all she knew, really, and what she did usually had a purpose to it, ones that she found viable enough excuses. She wouldn't label herself a thief, but she'd steal when there was no other way. People would say that there was always a choice. For a Faunus, there really wasn't a solution for everything.

"Work harder!"

For what? Fifty cents an hour for eighteen hours a day?

Even then, a Faunus in her position had to work twice as hard, if not more so, than those around her. It didn't matter that there was a Faunus on stage at the moment and it didn't matter that there were a ton just like her sitting in the crowd. Pascale was at a permanent disadvantage compared to pretty much everyone else in the room, so it was natural for her to feel like she still wasn't doing enough, despite the fact that she'd pretty much worked most of her life away—she was just eighteen, for further emphasis. So, what Arrun said brought a smile to her face and, as he wrapped up the speech and another teacher finished with an announcement and further instructions, Pascale stood up, nodding at Rygar in apology for ignoring his entrance and made her way to the aisle.

The only thing that stopped her from moving slightly closer to the teachers was the growling in her stomach. She'd forgotten to eat lunch on the airship, which could very well explain the upset feeling in her abdomen. It wouldn't hurt to eat before coming back, though the buffet would probably be raided by pretty much everyone in the school. It was a good thing her mother had stocked her with some spare cash before she left. It was more than enough to get by and she was more than tempted to give most of it back; she really had no use other than food. But, Pascale shrugged the slight guilt she felt as she ventured outside, smiling at the gal with the parasol as she passed by.