Chapter 10 – The Remnant Ball

Jake and the rest of his team were preparing for the Remnant Ball which would take place that very night. Inari was dressed in a red and purple dress, Xavier was suited up in a white tux, Haley had a red dress, but Jake was going with the commonplace black tux.

They stepped out of their dorms to meet up with their friends. Teams RWBY and JNPR were all dressed up for the ball except for Yang. "What's with you, Yang?"

"She couldn't get a date to the Ball," Ruby replied. Jake laughed a bit, "What? Did you scare off the male student body?"

"Don't make me sock you in the gut, kitty!" Jake looked over Team RWBY, but Blake was nowhere to be found. "Hey, where's Blake, guys?"

"Oh, she's still getting dressed. Not used to wearing a dress, I suppose," Weiss replied.

Jake snickered under his breath and muttered, "She's not used to casual clothing either."

While his friends went ahead to the ballroom, Jake stayed behind to wait for Blake to come out of her dorm room. After a while, he heard Blake open the door. She came out in a black and white formal dress. "Come on, Blake, or we'll be late." He grabbed her hand and they made their way to the ballroom.

As they walked in, the sight of so many couples came into view half of them were dancing while the other half was getting food for the evening. "So what do we do now?"

Jake thought for a moment. "I guess we should dance?" It was more of a question than a statement. By the time they had reached the middle of the room, they realized they had no idea how to dance. "Aw crap, what do we do?" Jake mumbled. "I don't know, I thought you knew!"

"You two are hopeless," Weiss exclaimed as she made her way over with Xavier. "Here, let us help you," Xavier said with a smile. It was obvious that he was stifling laughter. "You put your left hand on her waist and you hold her left hand with your right." The two Faunus followed his instructions hesitantly, embarrassed that they needed help. As if from nowhere, they were pulled away from Xavier and Weiss over to the windows in the ballroom.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked. She and her date had pulled them away from the most embarrassing moment of their lives. "Yeah, we're fine, Ruby, thanks for the help," Blake replied.

"Are you sure? You two looked like you were face to face with a Deathstalker," Ruby's date exclaimed. "I think we'd rather face a Deathstalker than dance." Jake looked at Ruby's date with curiosity. "Aren't you from Team BURN?"

He nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, my name's Relic, it's nice to meet you." He held his trembling hand out for Jake and he shook it laughing. "The pleasure's all mine, Relic."

"So what's up? How come you two aren't dancing either?"

Ruby and Relic looked at each other nervously. "Ah, I see now. What a date you picked up, Ruby. A guy who's just as shy and nervous as you is a perfect match for you! Now I'm curious, who asked who to this ball?"

Ruby raised her hand for a moment. "Ah, in that case, Relic, you should have more confidence. You were chosen by a cutie like Ruby." Blake chuckled a little in the background.

Jake turned to the windows admiring the view when he noticed a red glow in the distance. It happened all at once. A fire dust round broken the windows and blew everyone off their feet. The doors burst open and more fire dust rounds were fired off.

Jake was ready to get back on his feet when he felt someone put their foot on his back, forcing him back down. "Sorry to drop in uninvited, kiddo, but we don't plan on leaving this time without you." It was his father again. "Get off of me right now!" He was about to send an electric current into Jonathon's legs, when a White Fang grunt kicked him in the face, knocking him out cold. "Let's get going, boys!"

He picked Jake up and turned to leave when he found his path blocked by Blake. "Let him go!"

"You look so beautiful in that dress, Ms. Belladonna. I wouldn't want to rip it in battle. Out of my way now," He ordered. She stood her ground, however.

"Very well then," He muttered, "I guess I can have some fun before I leave." He threw Jake across the room, only for him to be caught by a red-haired Faunus wearing a mask on his face. Adam Taurus, Blake's old partner.

"Come back here," she yelled as she started after him. Jon grabbed her by her dress and pulled her to the ground. "Come on now, first you challenge me to a fight and now you're having second thoughts?"

Jon pointed his weapon at Blake. "Either you fight me or you get out of my way!"

Before he knew it, though, Relic had placed the blade of his sword against his throat. "Get out now!"

"Well, well, another one!" Ruby ran and stood by Blake's side and before he knew it, Team RWBY had gathered around him. "Well, huntsman and huntresses and soon, Professor Ozpin and Goodwitch. I suppose I should retreat again. Adam should be getting back to us soon anyway. He sent a shock through Crescent Rose and Ruby backed away, giving him the opportunity to jump out the window and land into a bullhead. "I hope to see you kids again soon!"

The airship took off, leaving everyone wondering what they were doing here. Blake took off immediately.

Meanwhile, Jake was being carried off through the academy by Adam. He felt something pull against his leg and he tripped over it. "That's as far as you go, Bull boy!" A Faunus girl identical to Jake came forth, wielding a whip sword of which the blade had tripped him up. "They didn't tell me about this," Adam exclaimed as he got on his feet. Dropping Jake to the ground, he placed his hand on the hilt of his weapon.

"Of course they didn't tell you anything about us." Another Faunus came out of hiding. This one was a woman who also bore resemblance to Jake. "We were a surprise, for you and for him," she said pointing at Jake.

Behind this woman came Beacon Academy teachers and staff, all raising their weapons to him. "God damn it!" He drew his weapon and aimed the blade at Jake's throat, threatening to kill him. Something felt different though, as if his feet weren't touching the floor. He looked down and realized he wasn't wrong. He wasn't touching the ground, he was floating. He noticed Haley standing off on the side. She appeared focused and her body was glowing with her aura. She had shifted his body and took gravity away from him. He lost balance and fell on his back when gravity was returned to him.

Suddenly, the entire staff of Beacon was all over him, restraining him and keeping him pinned to the floor. Blake emerged from the crowd and shook Jake's shoulder, waking him up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but what happened?" Then he remembered getting kicked and instinctively felt his bruise and drew his hand away just as fast.

"Where is Jonathon?" Jake asked.

"He got away from us," she replied, "As did a number of other Faunus from the White Fang."

The woman that led the Academy Staff to Adam approached and knelt down next to Jake, smiling. "It's so good to see you again, Jake," she exclaimed, pulling him into a hug. The girl from earlier came by and laughed at Adam as he was escorted out of the room. "That's what you get for messing with Jake!"

It was his mother and sister, Melanie and Charlotte.