A/N: This is a short mini-fic I see only going on 2-3 chapters, unless you guys like it and want it to go beyond that. Also, this was written before volume 2 chapter 6, so if you notice contradictions, they're probably from chapter 6+


Crossing Off The List
Chapter 1: Starting At The Top

The DJ played the record in the main hall as the band got ready on stage. The doors to the dance had just opened, and couples began pilling in, the groups of friends that decided to go together congregating pair by pair at one of the many tables set up. One such table had the team RWBY all walking towards it. Ruby wore a elegant red dress, the top short sleeved and textured, with an atheistic belt at the waist, with the bell shaped skirt hiding her red dress shoes. Yang was wearing a yellow halter dress with a slit running up her leg, a complimenting pair of black heels visible just under the dress' long skirt. Blake still wore her bow, but had on a strapless, long skirt dress that hid the matching black heels she borrowed from Yang. Finally Weiss arrived with Neptune, him wearing the same rental tux Sun was, and Weiss wearing her hair flat in her white dress, simple except for the lace layer that covered the base layer and made her almost look like a ballerina.

"Where's your tail?" Blake asked, not able to find Sun's tail when she seen him.

"Tucking it in against my back. Can't believe that the only place that rents them with tail holes didn't have my size." Sun explained. Blake smiled, amused and glad she caved into taking a break to enjoy herself tonight.

"Well you look nice", she said smiling. Sun blushed slightly, before noticing that the band had started playing a rock song.

"Come on!" He said grabbing her hand and dragging her onto the dance floor. Ruby and Yang both followed their league and starting dancing with them.

"Let's not be shown up Snow Angel" Neptune said taking hold of Weiss' hand, making her blush.

"Of course!" She blurted out, following his league.

At another table, Jaune sat watching his team's table while Ren was dragged onto the dance floor by Nora, who was practically making his feet come off the floor with how she was swinging him. Jaune struck out with asking Weiss out, and Pyrrha was still finishing up getting dressed, so he sat there by himself. It gave him time to think though, despite the loud guitar notes and drum bangs, and he wondered why he bothered putting in so much effort to go after Weiss. Yes, she was pretty, and she was one the richest people in the whole kingdom, but was there anything else there besides simple superficial factors?

No, Jaune supposed there wasn't. The only reason he could think of that he continued after Weiss was that she was the first girl he set his eyes on, and his confident persistence seemed to keep him going because of his stupid macho ideal that if he gave up on trying to woo Weiss that he'd accepted defeat in a way. Thinking about it, this all made him act like a very shallow person, and he didn't like that. Heroes like his father and grandfather were warriors that always focused on the bigger picture, their personal wants and desires taking a back seat to those of others.

Jaune checked his watch. Pyrrha said she'd only be a few minutes, but it had been almost fifteen. He looked at Nora laughing at the now stationary Ren on the dance floor as a slow song eased into everyone's ears. Jaune made his way out of the hall while everyone got together for the song, and stopped as he looked up the stairs. His breathing seemed to stop, and she was the only thing his vision could focus on for a moment. To say Pyrrha looked stunning in her red satin dress would be both accurate and undermining.

"How do I look?" Pyrrha asked as she walked down, hoping Jaune would like her dress.

"Amazing!" Jaune blurted out, not noticing a slight blush on Pyrrha's cheeks, his words making her smile "Whoever you're gonna be with tonight is one lucky guy!" Pyrrha's smile dropped. "Come on, he must be going nuts waiting. Besides, if you're lucky you'll see Nora swinging Ren around on the dance floor", Jaune chuckled as he turned his attention back to the hall.


"I still don't get why no one asked you sis", Ruby said to Yang as the took a break from dancing to sit and socialize.

"Probably didn't think they could keep up with me", Yang chuckled, "Besides, it's a better to just be here with my sister and friends than just worrying over a stupid guy." Sun and Neptune looked at her. "You guys are cool though!" She gave them both thumbs up.

"Naturally", Neptune said smirking.

"Careful dude, if your ego gets too big you'll rip your tux", Sun joked, "It'd be embarrassing for it to be out in public like that."

"Nah, but I wouldn't want Weiss to faint from seeing it." Neptune made a comeback, Weiss blushing.

"Why are you blushing Weiss?" Ruby asked innocently.

"S-Shut up Ruby!"


Jaune didn't know what was going on with Pyrrha. She was acting like she was fine, but something was off about her, like something was bothering her. She'd said she was going to find her date for a slow dance, but after she disappeared behind a few people Jaune didn't see her at all, even when he walked around the hall looking for her. He left the hall to search for her in the corridor, and saw her slowly making her way up the stairs.

"Pyrrha?" Jaune called out to her, walking over to the bottom of the stairs. She quickly wiped at her eyes before turning around and facing Jaune, but he made sure to examine her face carefully this time, and noticed the faint traces of tears down her cheeks. He automatically assumed that her date had done something to hurt her, and his temper flared. "What did the jerk do to hurt you?" His tone shifted, angry.

"You don't understand Jaune," Pyrrha slowly made her way towards him, "I didn't come with anyone."

"I don't understand. You're a four time tournament champion. There must have been dozens of guys that asked you out." Jaune tried to think of a reason why Pyrrha wouldn't come with anyone.

"Seemingly everyone asked me out except for the one guy I have my eye on." She looked at the ground, "He hasn't reciprocated any of the interest I've shown him."

"Well he must either be a real jerk, or the most oblivious person on the planet then." Jaune took her hand, "Come on, just forget about him for now, and we can both have fun tonight, okay?" Pyrrha sniffled a little, the ache in her chest lessening a little. Without words Jaune led Pyrrha back to the hall, the slow song almost over. "Come on", Jaune held out his hand, "There's still a little bit more to the song." Pyrrha looked at him for a moment, before smiling and putting her hand on his shoulder, as Jaune put his hand on her hip. They slowly rocked side to side, Jaune and Pyrrha looking into each other's' eyes.

"No one you should be dancing with instead of me?" Pyrrha asked innocently.

"Nah. Weiss shot me down, so I came with you all to just enjoy a night with my friends. Besides, sitting at the table gave me a chance to think things through, and I'm done going after Weiss." Jaune opened up.

"How come? I thought you had your eye on her and everything?" Pyrrha said trying to keep her heart beat steady and from letting it show that she was happy at Jaune's little announcement.

"Yeah, but my stupid persistent confidence sort of had me thinking that if I stopped going after Weiss I'd just be another loser. I realized though that the only things I saw in her were superficial, and that just made me a big jerk to only think of stupid stuff like that." Jaune looked into Pyrrha's eyes.

"You really thought this out", Pyrrha said looking back at him.

"Yeah, I guess I did." They slowly rotated a little.

"Well if everything worked out with you", Pyrrha got closer to Jaune practically, hugging him, "Maybe it'll work out for me…" She leaned her head on his shoulder, hugging him. Jaune smiling and hugged her back.

"I hope it does too", they slowly continued to move, the sax of the song softening along with the piano keys, "You're a dear friend on my Pyrrha, and I hate that you were hurt and crying like you were." Pyrrha listed her head up, a single small tear forming under one of her eyes and she looked into Jaune's, before putting her head back down.

"Thank you Jaune, for being here for me."


Large sections of the roof began to fall inward as an explosion filled everyone's ears. Jaune and Pyrrha instinctually got into fighting stances. Yang's semblance flared and punched the sections of the roof that feel into smaller, less dangerous pieces, Ren assisting by knocking any chunks heading for people out of the way. On the roof, standing on the edge of the hole she created with little effort, was Cinder Fall and her two subordinates Emerald and Mercury.

"It's time to start crossing off the list." Cinder said as they jumped down from the roof, looking directly at Pyrrha, "Starting with Miss Nikos herself".


A/N: So what did you guys think? And what do you want to happen? Make sure to let me know in a review below!