Chapter 13

Out Of Your Element

xXx

oOoOoOoOo Joshua Bridger oOoOoOoOo

"Come on, Ryou," Joshua muttered, getting more than a little fed up. "She went out of her way to get invitations for all three of us. You're really gonna turn her down?"

"Fuck, yeah! I ain't going to some fancy dinner party just to get snubbed by some upper-class pricks."

Joshua was barely able to bite back a frustrated growl. It was almost literally like trying to convince a brick wall, the only difference being that Joshua could at least smash a brick wall. Ryou? Well, he was pretty sure Ryou was tougher than any brick wall. Not to mention faster.

Part of him actually kind of agreed with him on the last part, though. He didn't have much experience with the upper-class, but he knew enough to be pretty aware that he and his friends probably wouldn't be received too warmly. Thinly veiled insults and condescension weren't exactly high on his list of favorite things. Still…..

"You do realize what you're turning down, right?" Since politeness didn't seem appealing to the man, Joshua decided on a different approach. "Come on, a night of celebration in the most prominent city of Atlas? Tasting food prepared by the best cooks?" Joshua cracked a smile. "Experiencing the night life of the city the night after the party?"

The brief twitch of Ryou's lips told him he was on the right track, but it still didn't look like he was gonna go along with it. Damn, he never knew the big guy could be so fucking stubborn.

He bit back a sigh as the man shook his head side to side. "Nope. Nice try, but no go. I'm not interested in those jackasses looking down on me. I can enjoy all the stuff you mention whenever I go there myself, without needing to grit my teeth."

This little argument had gone on for a little over half an hour by now, Joshua and Ryou going in a verbal game of back and forth. He kinda expected some resistance from Ryou, but not quite to this extent. It was getting kind of ridiculous.

Chancing a glance towards Andrew to see if he could get some support, he realized that plan wouldn't work when Andrew shook his head in the negative. At least he looked a little apologetic about it.

Honestly, he wasn't entirely sure why he wanted Ryou to come along. He didn't exactly come across as a bad guy, but that did little to change the fact that he was very abrasive and difficult to get along with. Frankly, he was usually a massive prick.

But for all he gave Joshua crap and liked rubbing his higher Level in his face, he still went out of his way to help get him up to speed. He wasn't exactly sure if they could be called friends, but they helped one another out. Bringing him along to have fun at the party was a good way of thanking him.

But how could he convince him? Ryou made no attempts to hide his disdain for the upper-class in general, and it was becoming increasingly clear that he wouldn't come along easily. What did he have to do?

…

…

…Wait. That might work.

Making a show of letting out a resigned sigh, Joshua leaned back into his seat in apparent defeat. "Oh well. You win."

Ryou didn't buy it for even a moment. In fact, Joshua's seeming resignation just seemed to make him suspicious, his eyes narrowing. "Seriously? Just like that? You're actually giving up?"

Joshua just leaned back in his seat on the couch, the image of resignation. "Yeah. Guess you won't be able to have some fun after all." He shrugged dismissively. "Too bad. It would've been pretty fun having you as an accomplice for everything. Guess I'll have all the fun for myself."

Now Ryou seemed to be listening. He was trying pretty hard to make it look otherwise, but Joshua noticed him tense slightly at the word 'accomplice'. "And just what the hell could you think of that I'd care about?"

He made sure to turn away just enough to hide his smirk. 'Hook, line, and sinker.' Carefully schooling his expression, he turned his head back and raised a questioning eyebrow. "You haven't figured it out? Come on; all those rich, snobby people gathered in one place just waiting to be brought down a peg? I thought you'd jump at the chance to humble them a little."

"Humble?" Ryou muttered, verbally rolling the word and doing his best (and failing) to hide the interest in his tone. "And how exactly are you planning on something like that? I mean," he tried so hard to keep his smile down, "talking about staging something embarrassing at such a big gathering?"

Ryou shifted his seating position to lean forward, looking at Joshua with an unmistakable glint of mischief in his eyes. Not to mention his trademark cocky grin. "You just might need some help to pull that off. Right, good buddy?"

'Gotcha.'

"Oh," Joshua playfully mused. "So you're coming? Great! Now we just gotta get the preparations done. Oh, we'll also need to get you a good suit."

"Yeah," Ryou nodded. "Preparations, gotta find out the place's layout and…" He stopped momentarily, thought only now catching up to what Joshua just said even as his eyes widened and he seemed to physically recoil. "Wait! WHAT!? I ain't putting on a damned tuxedo."

Joshua was just about to say otherwise, but Andrew finally decided to get in on it. "Oh, I'm afraid that's non-negotiable. It's a formal event, after all. That means you'll need something fancy to wear."

Ryou was apparently too busy sputtering incoherently to actually notice the smile on Andrew's face. Hell, even Joshua was a little surprised to see him acting like this. All this time, Andrew had more or less prided himself on being the atypical 'Only Sane Man' of the group in terms of attitude; the only one to retain a straight face and attitude in spite of everything going on around him, certainly when he was compared to Ryou and Joshua himself.

'Maybe he's just happy to see this jackass backpedaling for once. I know I sure am.'

Seriously, when was the last time they saw this smug and confident getting the short end of the stick? Not often enough, that's for sure.

"Nuh uh," Ryou asserted. "No way! There ain't no way in HELL I'm putting on a damn monkey suit!"

oOoOoOoOo 2 Days Later oOoOoOoOo

"I'm gonna kill you guys one day. Really, I'm gonna sneak up on you when you're in bed and kill you both in your sleep."

Joshua barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This had to be the seventh time Ryou had said that same threat to him and Andrew, and it looked like he wasn't gonna let up an time soon. "And I've told you already to stop complaining. You wanted in, you needed a suit, end of discussion. No point in complaining."

"Maybe I'm just doing it to tick you off."

Joshua thought that over for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. You're kinda an asshole that way." He turned to his tall and snarky maybe friend, flashing him an impish grin. "But at least you're a dashing asshole."

It was so satisfying to see Ryou's barely concealed frustration at those words. "Seriously. In your fucking sleep."

And on that note, Joshua and the others silently continued their trek to their destination; a meeting point where Winter had arranged for a chauffeur and transportation to the celebration.

They had arrived in town yesterday, taking some time to check out the locale and more or less dragging Ryou along to get him a good formal suit. Literally so, given that he actually tried grabbing onto a few street lamps and, once they reached the tailor, bracing himself against the doorframe. 'It's just a good thing he was so ticklish.'

So, after roughly a dozen threats on Joshua's and Andrew's lives, not to mentions promises of castration, they finally got Ryou a good formal attire that actually fit. The tallest of them was currently garbed in a dark blue, single-breasted, slim fit suit with matching pants. It fit with Ryou's tall frame rather well, accentuating his height.

Andrew was attired in a white, double-breasted and pinstriped outfit. Unlike with Ryou, Andrew actually brought his from home, and it was obviously custom made for him, fitting o him like a glove over a hand. The ensemble was finished, of course, by a matching pair of pants.

Joshua, finally, was wearing a simple, single-breasted, pure black suit. Unlike Ryou, who bought an outfit her in the capital, or like Andrew's custom made version, Joshua's didn't fit him quite as well as he would've liked. Andrew had been kind enough to offer one of his own and Joshua had agreed. It was appropriately sized, but it didn't fit him quite as perfectly. Either way, it would last him through the night.

They had taken the day before to simply wander about and see the area, checking out shops, diners, bars, and any other spot that happened to catch their interest. Andrew in particular had found a rather nice bookstore and bought himself some new reading material. Ryou was more interested in the weapon shops and the various designs they had.

Joshua didn't really find much to perk his interest, unfortunately. Unlike the other two, he was actually a bit more concerned with the celebration they had been invited to. He hid his nervousness well enough, but that didn't really do much towards actually making it disappear. They were going to an occasion that most of the Atlas elite were in attendance.

And he could remember from experience in-game that that those elites were particularly critical and vindictive. Maybe it was because they were a part of the Kingdom with the greatest military and technological power, but they seemed to have a higher opinion of themselves than even the upper-class of the other Kingdoms.

It's not that he was worried about their impressions of himself, though. Or even their impressions of his two friends; he was pretty confident that Andrew wouldn't have any serious problems, although Ryou was almost certainly a lost cause and didn't even care. The tallest of their little group seemed to relish in the negative attention of others, soaking it up like a sponge absorbs water.

Frankly, he was more concerned about how their actions might reflect on Winter. She was the one who invited the three of them, even going out of her way to do so. Probably even behind her father's back, if his own impression of her family was any indication. He didn't want to make her look bad after all her effort just by making a bad scene.

But, seemed it was just too late to turn back now. All that could be done was to take a deep breath and do his best to power on through.

Of course, his plan with Ryou was still on. They just had to make sure none of what they had planned could be traced back to them and be pinned on Winter in some way. It'd be a pretty lousy way of paying her back for this.

Turning a corner on the sidewalk, they approached the street Winter told them to go to and saw a man holding up a sign with their names on it, standing right beside the car that they'd apparently be riding for tonight. "Yo, waiting for us?"

The driver, a middle aged man in formal attire of his own, turned at the sound of his voice to look at him. Judging by the briefly unimpressed look, following a quick once over of him and his friends, the man didn't seem too impressed with the three of them. "Mr. Bridger and his two friends I assume?"

Joshua nodded in response. "Yes, that's us."

Still looking decidedly unimpressed, the man simply responded with a shrug and opened the back door to the car, gesturing them in. "Make yourselves comfortable, gentlemen."

Quickly entering through the opened door, Joshua couldn't help but find the driver's fake smile more than a little annoying. Ryou apparently felt much the same, if his muttered comment of "great, the driver's a snob, too" was any indication. At least he was able to hold back on saying it until they were in the car and the man closed the door.

Needless to say, there wasn't much conversation on the drive to the celebration. The driver obviously wasn't much of a talker, and even Ryou didn't seem to be in the mood for a verbal exchange right now. It really said something about the big guy's mood when he wasn't the one talking the most. Or rather, when he wasn't making enough snide remarks to make an expert roast style comedian curl up in shame.

Fortunately, the relatively short distance and lack of traffic allowed them to reach their destination in a little less than half an hour. Good thing, too, because it looked like Ryou was about to blow a gasket just to break the silence and leap out. Though that could've just been because he was well aware that he would've been able to just run to the place in a fraction of the time it'd taken to drive.

At least Joshua had the entertaining image of seeing the look on the drivers face when he opened the door and Ryou literally rushed out as quickly as the door opened. He actually stood in place for a moment just looking into the car in confusion, apparently wondering where the hall he'd disappeared to during the ride. It was almost enough for Joshua to wish he'd brought out his Scroll to take a picture.

Fortunately, Ryou had no such polite compunction. Snapping at least three such shots in rapid succession before the man even knew what was going on. 'Well, at least ONE of us has had some fun so far.'

Exiting their transportation, Joshua laid his eyes on the building the great celebration would be taking part in.

The 'Grand Atlas Hall' was as impressive as ever. An extremely large building that was probably the size of at least three city blocks, constructed from dressed stone and immaculately carved all around. From what little he knew of its construction, it was composed of numerous wings that all held different functions. One of them was apparently a theatre, another a massive greenhouse full of rare and expensive flora, another one was a massive dining hall, and another was a just a large room for gatherings and dances. It went up to three floors in height and had a number of large balconies spread out on the highest floor, spaced apart just enough to give each one some privacy.

He remembered hearing once that it was constructed roughly a century ago and had been constantly updated with new advances in technology, and the age almost showed in a few places. In summary, some old rich guy decided to go along with the upper-class tradition of throwing around massive amounts of money for a glorified dick measuring contest by constructing a massive building solely for the rich and powerful to throw their snobby parties in while away from the rabble.

The guy probably enjoyed himself immensely afterwards, basking in the envious glares of his peers for doing something before anyone else could.

'Seriously, why can't they ever use that money for something USEFUL?'

Still, he couldn't deny that it was very impressive. Not to mention exclusive. Invitations to events held within were so rare that none of his previous Avatars had even gotten in. It was actually a little exciting.

Of course, he was also pretty excited because of what he and his two buddies had actually planned for the party. He couldn't entirely hold back his grin. "Everyone ready?"

"Shade Jackson to Timeless Prick, Doc Psycho is on standby. Operation: Party Crasher is a go."

…."Do you always need to answer in a way that makes me want to punch you in the face, Ryou?"

The bastard had the gall to look momentarily confused at that. "What? I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm pissing you off?"

Doing his best not to react to the tall mans goading, he started walking to the front entrance and the security guard holding a list of names. He'd apparently watched them since they'd gotten out of the car, his expression as unreadable as if it were carved from stone. "Names and invitations?"

Joshua had brought out his invitation before the man had even finished speaking. "Joshua Bridger. These two are Ryou Sawamura and Andrew Hamilton."

They pulled out their own invites to the party and the three of the handed them over to the man before he started scanning the list, nodding slightly as he found their names. "Alright. Have a nice night, gentlemen."

Joshua nodded politely in response and walked in as the man opened the door.

He then proceeded to do his damned best to keep his jaw from hitting the floor as he actually saw the interior.

Seriously, he thought the outside was impressive? The interior put it to fucking shame and made him grit his teeth at the pointless display all at once!

The floors were all times of polished marble, swirls of black and white intermingling in the stone like a contrast between day and night in the tiles that weren't covered up by –what looked to be- incredibly expensive Vacuo style rugs with incredible embroidery and patterns. Massive pillars supported the ceiling up above, constructed of another, pure white marble with slight furrows in them travelling upward.

The walls were decorated by countless paintings, likely priceless. Not to mention the various light fixtures that seemed to be made of some combinations of silver and glass. The upper walls were decorated with what seemed to be various tapestries of various origins from across the Four Kingdoms, each of them recounting great legends or historical moments.

And above it all, hanging from the ceiling, was a number of great chandeliers. Each of them a marvel of craftsmanship, a combination of various rare metals and stained glass. And that's only assuming the man who ordered them hadn't actually gone the extra mile to have them actually decorated with jewels as an extra financial fuck you to everyone else.

…Aw, who was he kidding? The bastard probably did do that.

He was stopped from further contemplation as a familiar and very loathed pair of knuckles started digging into his scalp. "Alright, enough sightseeing. Let's get this show on the road, already!"

oOoOoOoOo Winter Schnee oOoOoOoOo

'I swear, if ONE more person walks up to me with a fake smile and equally fake concern, I just might try to kill someone.'

Honestly, people had been approaching her through the whole party to offer their most sincere condolences for what her sister had gone through and tell her just how relieved they were to know her little sister had come back safely. Maybe she would find it better if they actually cared, but hearing all those empty words just rubbed her the wrong way.

So, attempting to escape from it, Winter Schnee was now standing by one of the pillars in the massive room containing the celebration. More specifically, she was essentially standing behind it and using the construct as a buffer to hide her presence while she regained her bearings before heading back into the fray.

She wasn't sure why, but she'd honestly never been very good at this. At keeping up a façade of mock friendliness simply for appearances and taking it from others in turn. Literally everyone else in her family actually happened to be much better at it than her. Even Weiss, her little sister that was seven years her junior, happened to be better at it than her.

If she were being frank, this was yet another reason why she wanted to become a Huntress; it would give her a way to escape all the fake smiles and empty pleasantries. At least she wouldn't need to worry about smiling for the sake of appearances anymore.

"Well, I sure didn't expect to see you standing alone in a corner."

'Wait, isn't that….?'

Turning to face the voice's source, Winter allowed herself the slightest indication of a smile. "Joshua, you made it."

"Of course," he commented, shrugging casually. "How could I possibly turn down an offer like this? Not every day you get to see the rich and powerful up close in their natural habitat. It's like a safari, but with fancier clothes."

She opened her mouth for a rebuttal, stopping when his words really sank in. Taking a look around at the other occupants, she had to admit to there being a bit of a resemblance. It was like a room full of predators, prowling around in packs and getting ready to pounce on some poor fool for showing just the slightest sign of weakness. "I know I'm supposed to disagree with you, but I'm finding it very difficult."

He shrugged again, as if brushing the mater off entirely. "I know, right?" he questioned, turning her way and giving her a brief observation. "You're looking great, by the way. You pull that dress off very well."

She nodded in appreciation and responded with a quick "thank you". It certainly wasn't the first time she'd heard it tonight, but at least this time she knew it was really sincere. Certainly better than the people who only say her family name.

And, not to be vain, but she was rather confident that she looked at her best tonight. With her white hair let down like a snowy curtain, every strand immaculately cared for to attend this very night. She also wore her best outfit. A long dress that ended near her ankles, a pure white to perfectly match the color of her hair, with a slight slit going slightly above her left knee. It was held in place with straps of cloth over her shoulders, and almost bare down to the small of her back.

It was a party after all. It was only right for her to look her best.

Too bad the moment was ruined a few seconds after, when another familiar voice spoke out.

"Yeah, wonderful reunion, warm and fuzzy feelings all around."

Winter rolled her eyes in exasperation, unknowingly mirroring Joshua's own response to the interjection. "I'm starting to wonder why I sent him an invitation."

"I was starting to wonder that, too. Really, who would invite an asshole like him to a party?"

Winter suppressed the urge to smile, seeing Ryou actually start getting annoyed. "A masochist, perhaps? Or maybe someone could do it as a joke?"

"I'm standing right here."

Joshua nodded, playing along with her. "Yeah, I can see that. Or maybe as some elaborate torture or set-up for a prank of some kind." He turned to Ryou, the mans right eyebrow visibly twitching from annoyance. "After all, it's not like anyone would invite him for his personality. Pretty sure it wouldn't be for his looks, either."

"Oh, ha ha ha, very funny. Maybe you two should do a comedy routine. I'm sure I'd love watching you two screw it up in front of an audience."

Joshua and his friend got into yet another one of their squabbles, though they fortunately kept it quiet enough to avoid seriously drawing any attention. She took the opportunity to really take a look at the two of them.

Ryou, of course, apparently refused to do anything about his wild mane of black hair. She wasn't really surprised, the man actually seemed rather fond of keeping it free and unruly. Probably out of some desire to set himself physically further apart. Though at least he was wearing proper attire.

Joshua seemed largely the same from when she'd last seen him, though he certainly wore his new outfit rather well. She could see a few small signs that the suit wasn't tailored for him, an admittedly less than useful skill she'd picked up from so many parties, but it didn't seem to inconvenience him or hamper his movements.

But she couldn't help but think something was missing from this, that there was something off. She couldn't quite put her finger on it at first as she searched through her memory, but it quickly came to the fore after a brief examination of the two men. Two being the key word. "Where is Andrew?"

The interruption seemed to distract them from their bickering, Ryou momentarily looking around to spot their wayward friend. "The hell? Where'd that jackass sneak off to?

Muttering something under his breath about annoying blonds, the brooding man walked off with a noticeably annoyed expression. Seems he wasn't exactly happy with being suddenly relegated to the position of glorified caretaker.

Chuckling slightly, Winter couldn't help but find it funny that the most apparently stable member of the group had been the one to wander off.

Joshua seemed to think the same thing, given the ironic smile on his face. "Never thought Andrew of all people would be one to wander off." He turned to her, the smile still on his face. "So, how's Weiss been doing? She okay?"

She smiled a little more openly at that. "Yes, she's doing much better. We've arranged for some counseling to see if she might need further therapy after everything, but she seems fine."

His face lit up with no small degree of relief at hearing that. Apparently, he'd been rather concerned. Touching.

"That's good to hear. Most people don't come out of that without a few scars. Especially not ones her age."

She nodded. "Indeed. She was certainly rather lucky." Her smile took on a mischievous edge. "She's also been rather eager to see you again. She insisted that I offer invitations to you and your two friends for the occasion."

He went very satisfyingly still at that. And the implications thereof. "Please tell me she doesn't have a crush on me. I mean, I'm sure she'll be beautiful when she grows up, but…a seven year difference doesn't look small until…like, what, your thirties?"

The edge in her smile didn't waver, even seeming to get stronger. "Maybe. She seemed more than a little eager to see you again. Maybe I could bring her over to see you?"

She did her level best to hold back a chuckle at the flush on Joshua's face. It felt so good to get back at him after all the times he'd so easily gotten under her skin.

Unfortunately, any attempts to press the offensive were stopped when she felt a rather familiar sensation. She was being watched by someone. And she had a very good idea who.

Turning to see the greater area of the celebration hall, Winter quickly scanned the crowd to find the source of her discontent. It took her less of a second to spot the gentleman in question, dressed in pure white with a red handkerchief in the left breast pocket, his snow white hair combed neatly back. And a very unhappy look on his face as he looked at her.

'Father.'

"Something wrong?"

The question briefly shook her from her focus on her father, turning to Joshua. "Sorry, I….." she struggled for words, trying to find the right way to explain. "I'm sorry, something's…come up. I need to go for a moment."

She turned away from him, turning to her father and walking forward.

She certainly wasn't looking forward to this talk, but she still knew better than to avoid it. Trying to dance around it would just make it that much worse when she couldn't subvert it anymore, and that would ruin her mood for the rest of the afternoon. She might as well get it out of the way early and go back to enjoying her night.

Still, that didn't mean she'd be enjoying this conversation. She was sure of it.

oOoOoOoOo Ryou Sawamura oOoOoOoOo

"Seriously," Ryou chided, more than a hint of his frustration boiling through. "Could you not sneak away like that?"

It didn't take Ryou long to find his considerably shorter blond friend. The man wasn't too hard to spot in a crowd and Ryou's height made it easier to see him.

He wasn't entirely sure what he'd expected to find the taciturn doctor doing at a party like this. Maybe getting ready for the prank they'd been preparing, checking the positions of all the potential victims, or maybe out on a balcony to enjoy the scenery outside from the top floor. But he sure didn't expect to see him at the bar on the other side of the room, downing alcohol like a fish.

He was also completely unrepentant about it, staring up at him without so much as a hint of shame as he sipped from his newest drink. His seventh one. "They made Ramos Gin Fizz's," he held up the mention drink for a moment to show him. "I couldn't resist."

Ryou just stared down at him with his usual glower, though with a slight hint of betrayal. "And you didn't invite me?"

…What? He had his own priorities, too.

Then Andrew reached out to the bartender again, another drink being fitted right into his hand before he held it out. "I had him make you one when I arrived. But I never thought you'd complain this much."

Staring down at the offered drink, Ryou's glower slowly transformed into a smile. Truly a man after his own heart. "Thanks, buddy."

Gratitude given, he grabbed his drink and sat beside Andrew on another barstool, looking over everyone in the room. "So, you ready?"

The blond nodded. "Ready and waiting. I just thought we might as well have some drinks while we still could."

"I'll drink to that."

"You already are."

He laughed a little at that. Andrew might not be the kind for overt humor, but the wordplay? Yeah, he was definitely good with that. When he wanted to be, at least.

Taking a sip, he couldn't help but realize how lucky he was right now. Getting stuck in a new world, completely cut off from his old life, not knowing what was going on back home. There was definitely plenty to be worried about.

But if nothing else, at least he had a buddy with him to help take him mind off it. To show him that maybe it wasn't all bad.

…Or maybe this stuff was just some strong alcohol and he was getting a little loopy. Yeah, that had to be it. He was never this sappy.

Shoving that thought aside, he just took a first sip from his drink and let out an appreciative hum. "Damn, this guy knows his stuff."

Andrew nodded beside him. "He really does. I'm thinking of asking for the recipe."

Ryou's eyebrow raised slightly at that. "If you get it, I'm expecting you to make some of this whenever I come over."

Andrew absently nodded at that, too lost in the wonderful buzz of alcohol, right before the words registered and he gave Ryou the stink eye. "But you're staying over at my place right now. For free."

Ryou just flashed his trademark, smug grin. "And this'll just make it a paradise."

It didn't take long before their logical and sophisticated debate devolved into a match of repeated "No" and "Yes", neither of them willing to budge on the matter. It was a long developed aspect of their relationship that had long since lost any real het or friction. Familiarity didn't always breed contempt, after all.

That said, Ryou made sure to get on his nerves. He annoyed everyone equally, friends or otherwise.

Andrew eventually caved in, releasing a great sigh of resignation. "I don't even know why I keep you around, sometimes."

"My charming good looks? Great sense of humor? Wonderful personality?"

"I'd go with option 4," the doctor responded. "None of the above."

The dark haired player feigned a hurtful flinch back. "Oh, that hurts, buddy. It really stings. I think I'm gonna cry." He sniffled and made an exaggerated motion of flicking a tear from his right eye with a finger of his right hand, lips quivering the whole time.

"Oh, quit it you…wait, look over there."

Raising an inquisitive eyebrow at the sudden change of topic, Ryou turned to look at where his blond friend had gestured. It took him a moment to actually work through most of the crowd, but then he immediately recognized what his friend had spotted.

A very familiar head of snow white hair.

oOoOoOoOo Joshua Bridger oOoOoOoOo

Releasing a sigh that was lost in the wind outside, Joshua couldn't help but wonder if Winter was actually in some kind of trouble. He doubted her father was all that happy with her decision to invite him and his friends to the party, given their status as definite outsiders to the upper-class world in general. He wouldn't be surprised if Winter's decision to give them those invitations hadn't exactly been done with her dear daddy's permission. Even if Weiss had asked her.

Still, they'd came. There was nothing to really do about it now besides trust her to handle it.

And maybe see if the prank they had in mind would include her father. He had a feeling that she'd very much appreciate the chance of him getting caught up in it. Though keeping Weiss out of it was a necessity, he was pretty sure Winter would be very unhappy if anything happened to her little sister.

He'd at least had some time to think it over. After Winter left, he'd headed to one of the balcony entrances and headed outside into the night air.

He had to admit, it was a great view. The stars up in the night sky standing out against the endless blackness, pinpricks of light that refused to go out, helping to illuminate the sky above.

Above all, the moon was full and bright, shining down with all its light to illuminate the world below. He could see it reflecting off almost every shining surface available to his sight; whether metal, glass, or water on the street, the moonlight seemed to make every reflective surface a beacon that stood out in the night.

He would've brought out his Scroll to take a quick picture, but the sound of stomping feet behind him, not to mention the angry muttering in a familiar voice, told him he'd soon have some company.

"Hey, Winter. How'd it go?"

She didn't bother answering him at first, just choosing to stomp angrily outside to the edge of the balcony and lean forward over the stone balustrade. 'Yeah, it definitely didn't go too well.'

He wisely decided to let her keep her silence for a while. Joshua wouldn't exactly say he had much experience with women in general, but there was one thing he did get. To just shut your mouth for a while and let them choose when to have a conversation when they got angry about something. Let them start it on their own terms after they've calmed down in the silence.

So he just stood there. He didn't talk, didn't make any overt movements or anything else. He just let her know he was there for when she was ready to talk.

And after a good three minutes, it paid off.

"Poorly," she muttered, finally choosing to give an answer to his question. "It most certainly went poorly."

"Really? And here I thought you came stomping out here, muttering under your breath because it went great."

….

An eerie silence descended upon them, stifling and more than a little uncomfortable. Undisturbed besides the quiet emanations of sound from within the building, as Winter kept stock still.

And then her head began to turn towards him, ever so slightly. Just enough for him to see the barest edge of her face and left eye. With an expression that was scarily blank and neutral.

And all he could do was stand still with a smile that couldn't be further out of place or less suited to his worry right now. Even as he could practically feel himself breaking out in a cold sweat.

'Why smart mouth, why? How could you betray me in my hour most dark!?'

He was already composing a mental rough-draft of his last will and testament (leaving almost everything to Andrew, of course. Ryou would get nothing and suck on it) before the very last thing that he would have expected to happen, happened.

Winter actually laughed.

Well, not really a full laugh. It actually came out as more of a rather undignified hiccupping sound, but her sudden turning away from him, combined with her slight shaking and the hand she was holding over her mouth, made it pretty hard to mistake it for anything else.

She did a pretty good job of quickly tamping it down, but there was a definite lightness to her expression as she turned back that wasn't there before. It was only helped by the beginnings of a smile at the corners of her lips. "Is nothing off limits to you?"

Now realizing that she wasn't contemplating cold-blooded murder here on the balcony, his own smile had become much less strained as he gave his reprisal. "Dunno. I'll have to tell you when I find something."

She answered him with a nod. "I'll hold you to that."

And just like that, the silence between them wasn't so stifling anymore, instead becoming a comfortable and friendly atmosphere.

'But just to be safe.'

Using the Fast portion of Fast-Skip, he darted into the celebration inside and sought out one of the wandering servers carrying trays around. Picking one who was doling out tall glasses of red wine, he grabbed two glasses without the man even realizing it and headed back out to Winter on the balcony.

"Drink?" he asked, extending a glass to her.

The look on her face was actually a little entertaining. That expression of slight bewilderment from what she perceived regarding what he just did. It must've looked like he'd disappeared before reappearing before her very eyes with two glasses of wine.

Of course, that was part of his reason for doing it like that at all.

'If only I could use my Scroll right now to take a picture.'

Still, Winter recovered quickly and took the offered glass of wine from him. "Thank you," she said, raising the rim to her lips with a slow and relaxed motion, her fingers holding it in a gentle grip. "Any particular reason for the wine?" she asked, taking her first sip.

He gave a dismissive shrug. "Eh, the standard reasons. Politeness, being friendly, trying to ease the tension after you talk with your dear daddy."

Her expression almost immediately turned into a grimace at the mention of her father, as if the wine she'd just sampled had soured in her own mouth. "Right. You really needed to mention him, didn't you?"

"Color me curious?" he offered, his free hand nervously placed on the back of his neck.

She sighed, eyeing him up and down. Measuring him. He wasn't too surprised, considering Winter wasn't really the chatty type. Besides, family business was family business. It really wasn't his place to ask something personal like that.

Then again, considering that her argument with the man could very well be related to him, maybe it was his place to ask after all. And who knew? Maybe having her talk about it a little would help. Or at least let her blow off some steam. He owed her that much at least, if he was really responsible.

After a moments inspection of him, Winter closed her eyes and released a gentle sigh of resignation. "You're not gonna let it go?"

He smiled at her. "Nope."

She rolled her eyes at his response. "At least you're being honest about it," the young woman responded, turning around to rest back of her elbows on the balustrade, one hand along the stone edge and the other still holding her wineglass. She peered into it rather intently for a moment, as if she could somehow find the answers to all of the great questions of life in that sample of alcohol.

'Maybe that's one of the reasons people like getting drunk so much.'

After spending some time contemplating the mysteries of the red wine in front of her face, she took a deep breath, then threw her head back and drank it all down in one go. Liquid courage gone, she brought her head forward again with a sigh as the wine traveled down her throat. Likely with a prominent burning sensation.

"I think you already know what it was he wanted to talk about."

Joshua nodded in response, leaning back on the balustrade himself. "I figured as much" he admitted. Really, it wasn't hard to put two and two together for this. Her dad was definitely more than a bit of a classist. Probably also something of an elitist, from the look of things. "I'm guessing he doesn't want anyone in his family to be associated with a commoner like me? That seems like a standard reason for guys like him."

"That's part of the reason," she admitted, surprisingly lucid in spite of the wine she just drank in one go. Maybe she'd worked up a good tolerance from all the parties? "But it's also because he doesn't want anybody knowing we didn't get Weiss back on our own."

Joshua froze for a moment after that, blinked. "What? Why?"

"Image," she answered, her face shifting into a slightly angry expression. "He doesn't want anyone knowing that his daughter, my little sister, was saved by outside interference instead of us doing it on our own. He say it makes us look weaker for not being able to stop it ourselves." She sighed. "In other words, it's because of pride and reputation."

Joshua grimaced slightly at that. "Really? That's the reason why? And here I thought he'd actually be grateful. Guess I was wrong."

Winter shook her head at that. "No, he's grateful. Quite grateful, in his own way. He just….has difficulty actually showing it properly." She shrugged again, as if dismissing the whole thing. "I find it rather ridiculous, but I don't really take after my father as much as I think he'd actually like. He's made that rather clear."

Silence descended upon them once again, and once more it was the less than comfortable kind. Maybe it would've been better to keep his mouth shut instead of bringing it up at all. Maybe he should just leave the silence be.

….Nah. Fuck that shit.

"Well, since you and dear daddy aren't exactly getting along right now, might I suggest a way to get him back for ruining your good mood?"

She didn't answer immediately, just staring off into space for some time. Joshua actually started to wonder if she had even listened to him at all, until-

"What exactly do you have in mind," she suddenly inquired, turning to face him. Her expression was surprisingly blank, considering what he'd just asked her. He thought she'd be more resistant to the idea than…well, so open at all. Looks like her father pissed her off more that he'd thought.

Taking a sip of the wine in his own glass, he took a moment to compose what exactly he'd say next. He might need to be very selective with his choice of words, or she might be completely turned against the idea. "It's nothing harmful, I can assure you."

That much was true. Even besides the fact that Winter and Weiss were here, Joshua wasn't really spiteful enough to actually hurt anyone with a prank. Maybe if they really pissed him off, but that wasn't really a factor tonight. "It's just a little something me and the guys thought up to spice the party up a little bit."

"And Weiss?" the young woman asked, more than a hint of sisterly instinct getting through. "Don't forget that she was the one to request your presence for this occasion. It would be very…unbecoming of you to catch her in this little prank at all."

'Message received. But unnecessary.'

He shook his head. "You don't need to worry about that. You and Weiss were the only real exceptions tonight. Everybody else, though? Free game. And I promise it won't actually be harmful to them." He smiled, turning to face her with, what he assumed, was a glint of mischief in his eyes. "But it will be very…distressing."

She held his gaze for a moment, scrutinizing his expression for any hint of deception. It almost felt like a physical instrument, scanning over his face. Kinda intense, really.

She eventually relented, turning away from him to look into the building. More specifically, to look at the people inside. "And my father, he'll be caught up in it?"

"Definitely."

And ever so slowly, a predatory smile formed on her face. "Good."

…Okay. That actually went much easier than he'd thought it would. Not that the ease was unappreciated, but it was still rather surprising. "That's it?"

"That's it," she answered, her smile slowly shifting into something a little less predatory. Almost sad, even. "It wasn't always like this, you know. I can still, although vaguely, remember when he wasn't quite so controlling, when we were happier. But it looks like those days are long gone now."

She turned away from him at that, as if hiding the expression on her face would make it easier to say. "There are some times I wish we could just go back to them, but then I realize how silly that sounds. You can't turn back time."

'Not entirely true,' he mentally countered. 'I just can't turn it back that far.'

But saying that wasn't exactly on the forefront of his mind right now. Winter was obviously very serious about this, he'd need to be a vegetable not to see that. Yeah, his mouth tended to run off ahead of his brain, but he was pretty sure he'd never done it intentionally.

But that didn't mean he wanted to see her like…..well, like this. So melancholic.

Granted, she'd never really struck him as the cheerful or outgoing sort. But there few times with one another had made her general attitude quite clear. Always confident and sure of herself, never letting anything get to her. Yeah, there were times when she got angry and showed her temper, or even times when her worry seeped through. But she'd never really been this…..open about it before.

Besides, it's not like he couldn't relate. "I know what you mean."

His words seemed to register, because her head slowly turned back. She didn't say anything, didn't ask any questions. Just a look.

It was enough.

"It happened….jeez, I don't know. Maybe when I was 8? I think that's right."

He shook his head a little, as if trying to drudge up old memories. But it just so happened that these memories were ones he wasn't exactly happy to remember.

"I wasn't exactly born in a safe or stable place. Hell, the place was a big mess. Crime almost everywhere and law enforcement were rarely any help. They were either on the take or somehow ended up dead or transferred somewhere else. People learned to live with that, learned to deal. But more than anything, we learned to expect certain things to happen."

He leaned back, his spine bending as he turned up to see the night sky, taking in a deep breath before letting it out. "You got your sister back, but…well, not everybody has that kinda luck when someone they care about disappears."

He heard, rather that actually saw, the sharp intake of breath. It was very slight, likely a result of her self-control. But it was a reaction, and that could say a lot when it came from someone like her.

Winter opened her mouth to respond, hesitated, and then closed her mouth again. She seemed to be trying to find the right words to say.

Kinda funny how words themselves could actually make communication more difficult. They were supposed to be a way for people to express things in ways they could both understand, a way to verbally express and connect. But then you tried to find the right words and ended up falling short all too often.

After a moment of silence, Winter's expression firmed and she turned back to him, opening her mouth to speak-

"Shade Jackson to Timeless Prick! Prepare for imminent arrival of overwhelming awesome!"

-When somebody decided to interject and completely ruin the mood between them. "Ryou, how is it that you always pick the worst time to interrupt something?"

The infuriating man just answered him with a dismissive shrug. "It's a gift."

Joshua was about to counter with something distinctly unflattering, but he was distracted by the sight of Andrew entering the balcony. With a very familiar face. "Weiss?"

She stirred slightly at his voice, turning to see him as her eyes widened slightly. "Joshua?"

The little girl was being led along by the blond doctor on his right side, hand in hand. She was dressed up in a small, but beautiful dress that perfectly suited her size. Her hair was styled as a long ponytail that, from the looks of it, fell down to the small of her back.

Seriously, he'd bet money that in seven or ten more years and she'd be Winter's mirror image.

He didn't get much more time to think on it, though. The moment she confirmed it was him, Weiss immediately broke away from Andrew and rushed forward to him with a beaming smile on her face.

She stopped only two feet away from him, practically skidding as her momentum can to an end and she dipped into a quick curtsy. "Joshua! It's so good to see you again!"

He couldn't help the smile working its way onto his face, so affected by her open cheer that it would've been impossible not to smile. "Likewise, Snowflake. How's the star of the party doing?"

oOoOoOoOo Winter Schnee oOoOoOoOo

'I haven't seen her smile this much for years.'

Really, it was a little hard to remember that last time she'd seen her little sister so energetic before. Granted, Winter hadn't exactly had as much time to spend with her as she'd used to, but she still made sure to check on her whenever she could. It gave her a good number of opportunities to notice her gradual change in decorum and mood.

If she had to guess, it had started around the time that Winter had made her intention of becoming a Huntress clear. She still remembered the argument she'd had with her father over that particular topic; shouts exchanged, a brief threat of disownment, some shattered vases, raised voices. The works, as some would've put it.

One unfortunate thing about Hunters of any of the Four Kingdoms was that their line of work meant that they all but officially abandoned any form of responsibility beyond their line of work. If it didn't involve either Grimm or select forms of law enforcement, Hunters had no stake in it. Unfortunately, this also meant that they generally cast away any inheritance of influence. Such as, for example, the rights to gain ownership of a multi-billion Lien company.

It wasn't entirely a hard rule, there were occasional exceptions. But those exceptions were generally only due to extreme circumstances or deft political maneuvering.

As one can imagine, daddy was not happy with her for the decision she'd made.

For a moment, she was actually a little worried that their father really would've gone off and disowned her for her defiance, but it seems he had decided against it.

Unfortunately, since Winter herself was no longer available to be the next heir to the SDC, that meant all the pressure and expectations had been shoved onto Weiss instead.

That was less than a year ago, and the times she was able to speak with her had proven that Weiss was definitely starting to change. She didn't have the same cheer as she used to, the same inherent liveliness that children her age were supposed to have, she didn't play childish games anymore, she rarely even smiled as often as she used to. It almost physically hurt to see her little sister change so much. Because of her decision, no less.

Winter honestly wasn't sure who to be angrier with. Her father for putting the burden on Weiss' shoulders, or herself for making it his only option.

But at least, here and now, she could finally see little Weiss smiling like she used to. Talking happily back and forth with the person who'd helped save her life.

"Awwwwwwww," sighed out an irritating voice that she was dearly beginning to despise. "Ain't that just sweet. Warm and fuzzy feelings all around."

Winter turned to the source of the voice with her harshest glare. "You are the most intolerable, insufferable, and arrogant, excuse for a human being I've ever met, Mr. Sawamura."

'Oh, how I'm starting to LOATHE that smile.' "Awwww, thanks, Frosty. It's so flattering to know you go out of your way to describe me with such fancy words."

Winter almost snapped at the man before Andrew got between them, arms held out like some referee getting between two fighters in a boxing match. The look on his face made it clear this wasn't the first time he'd done such a thing. "Enough, Ryou. Please don't antagonize the nice young lady who went out of her way to invite us to the occasion."

The taller of the two actually seemed rather disappointed that anything further than some light verbal jabs had actually been averted. Honestly, did this man just try and stir up trouble as a hobby? It really wouldn't surprise her, given all of her previous interactions with him.

But instead of pushing to make a bigger scene, Ryou just huffed and walked off to a corner of the balcony that met the wall and leaned back against it. It didn't stop his perpetual glower, but at least it looked like he wasn't going to give any more trouble.

As her attention finally shifted back to Joshua and her little sister, she was mildly disappointed to note that Ryou's interruption apparently hadn't gone unheard. Certainly not if Joshua's slight look of disapproval towards him was any indication. Though Weiss seemed a little unaware of the reasons, given her confused glances back and forth between the two. "Is something wrong?"

Joshua took a breath and seemed as if he was about to answer, but then he just released the breath he'd taken as a sigh and shook his head. "Nah, nothing wrong. Ryou is just being a pri- being a jerk. That's all. Nothing unusual." He studiously kept his attention on Weiss and pointedly ignored the glowering giant leaning against the wall. "It's something I've learned to deal with. Whenever it happens, I just tune him out and think of mentally pleasing images. Like punching him in the face."

"I can hear you."

Joshua's smile showed he'd heard that, but otherwise ignored him. "I'm doing it right now, in point of fact. Works like a charm."

Weiss seemed to actually get the joke, breaking out in humorous giggles. Winter was momentarily worried about how Ryou would respond to getting laughed at by a child, but those fears were dismissed once she turned to see him. He seemed less insulted at being the butt of a joke and more crestfallen that a little girl like Weiss was apparently unafraid enough of him to laugh. If only she had a Scroll to catch a picture of the look on his face.

It was at that moment when Andrew gave a quick clap of his hands to get everyone's attention, though he actually seemed to feel a little guilty for interrupting the more or less happy interactions. It certainly set him apart from Ryou, that much was certain.

"Terribly sorry to interrupt, but I'm afraid the three of us have a certain schedule to keep to? I'm sure I don't need to remind everyone that we need perfect timing to get everything right."

Joshua and Ryou seemed to get the message, because they both immediately checked their Scrolls to get the time. They actually seemed a little startled when they saw what time it was. Did it have something to do with what Joshua had told her earlier?

"Damn," Joshua muttered. He actually seemed a little disappointed for some reason. Did he want to set it back?

Ryou cleared his throat. "So, uh…maybe we should discuss this somewhere else?" He tilted his hear towards her and Weiss, still looking at Joshua. "Seriously, do we need to use that little Skill of yours?"

Joshua got the point and shook his head. "Nah, that's not really necessary. She already knows."

"Ah," Ryou hummed knowingly. "Couldn't keep it a secret after all, could ya?" He turned to look at her, his face holding a curious expression. "So, she ain't gonna try and stop us?"

"Not as long as she and Weiss aren't caught up in it, no."

Ryou shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. Long as we're still in business."

And as the two traded words, Weiss seemed more confused than ever. She obviously knew something was going on, but it seemed she couldn't quite keep up with them. Eventually, she just got frustrated as they talked and gave up on listening, instead turning to her sister. "Winter, what's going on?"

She managed to keep the smile off of her face as she answered. "They're going to pull a little prank on the other guests here. It's why he wanted you and me separated from the rest of them."

Weiss opened her mouth in a comprehending "Oh", nodding at the new information. Joshua chose to speak and give his own two lien, grinning all the while. "What can I say? I've got a soft spot for people who generously invite me to their wonderful parties."

Ryou rolled his eyes. "Riiiiiight. That's the reason why." He then suddenly had a light coughing fit and covered his mouth with the inside of his elbow. With a cough that sounded suspiciously like "shipping". What was that supposed to mean?

Joshua seemed to overhear it, because he responded with another roll of his eyes. "Whatever, back to business. Is everything ready?"

Andrew answered first, beating Ryou's response by barely a second. "Yes. I took care of my end once I separated from the two of you."

Ryou seemed a little surprised at that, but then turned to Andrew and flash him a glare. "What? I thought you headed straight for the bar."

The blonde then developed a rare expression of mischief, smiling coyly at his accuser. "Yes, funny thing about that. I lied."

Muttering "son of a bitch" under his breath, Ryou shook his head momentarily before moving on. "Anyway, I'm all ready and waiting to go. Hell, I've probably got the easiest part of it."

Nodding, Joshua walked up to Weiss and held out a hand. "Weiss, if you would."

Looking at his offered hand, her little sister had a moment of confusion before complying and putting her hand into his own. With a gentle hold, he led her over to Winter and made sure they were both as far from the balcony entrance as possible.

He turned to Andrew and Ryou, nodded. "Do it."

Andrew pulled something out of…..somewhere she couldn't really see. It seemed to be a switch of some kind. Thumbing the button as if he were savoring the moment, he held up his thumb before pressing it down.

After which, every light in the Great Hall immediately went out.

Ryou just smiled, apparently seeing it as his cue, and literally just…..disappeared before their very eyes. Winter actually blinked in surprise at that, not entirely sure of what she just saw. "What just happened?"

The young man holding her hand just smiled at her. "Ryou can move very fast." As if that really explained everything.

She wasn't really able to further question him on that, because there was suddenly a commotion in the Great Hall between all the guests. Not exactly a panic, but there was definitely an undertone of shock. Not to mention a little worry. They were probably concerned that this was an attack of some kind.

Further thought on the matter was stopped when Ryou reappeared beside Joshua, a hand on his shoulder. He also had a smug and massive smile on his face. "It's done. And I gotta say, Pickpocket is a wonderful Skill."

Winter frowned at that odd choice of words. Pickpocket? What was that supposed to mean, some kind of code. She almost asked Joshua to explain but, deciding it was probably better not to know, she just shook her head and dismissed the thought from her mind.

With a smug smile of his own, Joshua did the same as Andrew and seemed to pull several objects out of thin air. Each of them looking like strange grenades or canisters of multiple garish colors. Walking up to the threshold that separated the balcony and the room of celebration within, he took a pitchers stance and threw them all in, careful to make sure they all hit the ceiling.

Every impact appeared to burst in a combination of lights, something sprinkling down onto the people below, like a great falling cloud of rainbow hues. Winter couldn't make anything definite out in the darkness after the shocks of brightness, certainly not very well, but she could swear that she saw colors…..settling in the background and seeming to move.

She also saw now why Joshua had brought Weiss farther back, as a good portion of the cloud almost drifted out onto the balcony itself. Seems this was what he wanted Weiss and herself away from.

He walked back, easily avoiding what she now saw was a thin cloud of dust. Not the fuel and power source, actual powder of countless colors. Avoiding getting any of it on his clothes, he easily rejoined Winter and her little sister on the edge of the balcony.

"Andrew," he called out. "Turn the lights back on."

The doctor did so, flicking the switch on the device in his hand and setting the world alight again, revealing exactly what had transpired.

The entire inner room of the celebration was a mess. All of it colored in countless shades of every color imaginable. A thick powder had settled over everything, the food, the furniture, and especially the people. Winter paid very close attention to the last of those, because her focus caught onto something else.

They were all, somehow, stripped down to their underwear.

She had no idea how Ryou could've done it (and it just had to have been Ryou), she wasn't even sure how it was possible, but the man had somehow managed to strip them all down without them even noticing while the room was pitch black.

And just as the though passed through her mind, everyone in the room finally realized what had happened. Or at least what they were all currently missing.

The only word to describe what happened next was pandemonium. Complete and utter chaos. Screams and shouts of embarrassment and humiliation, more than a few accusations being thrown back and forth, people running around and trying (and failing) to cover themselves up and hide their proverbial shame. Pushing and shoving and nudging one another every which way, it was like countless waves crashing around and into each other, keeping anything from escaping. All of it happening while the people looked like some bizarre work of abstract color art come to life, moving and shifting by some mad painters design.

Winter had never laughed so hard in her whole life.

She was mildly relieved to know that nobody around her was in any way capable of hearing it. Joshua and his friends were too busy laughing on their own, Andrew being the most reserved while Ryou was literally on the ground and holding his ribs. Even Weiss was laughing at the scene before her, pointing at the people and chaos within.

And Joshua? Joshua was busy recording everything, using his Scroll to catch every moment. She had no doubt he'd use it to also get some prime pictures when he started editing it.

Then something caught his attention, causing him to hold his Scroll in place as he focused on something in particular. Apparently it was something notable, because his face slowly split into a sinister smile.

Winter would've asked him what it was, but she'd need to do it later. She could barely even speak right now, much less ask him.

So she did the only thing she could at the moment. She just kept laughing.

oOoOoOoOo

Joshua gave her and Weiss a light bow, looking for all the world like the perfect gentleman that he certainly wasn't. "Thanks again for inviting us to the party. It's a real shame what happened, though."

Winter nodded imperiously, treating the matter with a gravity she certainly wasn't feeling. "Indeed. Whomever is responsible for the incident tonight shall need to be hunted down and punished most severely."

And she was sure that the someone responsible would be harshly punished. If he or she was ever found and revealed to the public.

After the initial chaos, her father had somehow managed to take control and begin the process of salvaging the situation. He'd found a means to secure transportation for everyone out of the Grand Atlas Hall and into various rooms for the most expensive hotels in the Capital of Atlas, even arranging new clothes for everyone.

It was a little daunting to realize just how much power her father really had in Atlas.

That said, to avoid such an embarrassing scandal being released to the public, he'd also made it clear that not a single person would reveal what had happened tonight unless they wished to rouse his ire. That meant no revealing what had occurred, and that there would be no investigation. The guests were quite angry, but they went along with it. After all, her father was a man nobody desired to cross.

Which made it all the more entertaining when he noticed them all out on the balcony, particularly paying attention to their lack of new coloring, and put two and two together.

She honestly thought for a moment that her father would have Joshua and his friends arrested, but the young man just waved his Scroll at him with a knowing look and her father froze on the spot.

Seems he considered his pride and reputation more important than the satisfaction of seeing the perpetrator imprisoned, because he let them leave without a fuss.

So here they were, standing on the curb of the street outside while the limousine that had driven Joshua and his friends her tonight came by to pick them up again and spirit them back to their hotel for the night.

"I'm sure he will be punished severely," Joshua agreed, carefully keeping a straight face. "After all, what could it say about your father if he lets such a rapscallion get away with it?"

Winter managed to keep her composure, but Weiss still broke out into giggles. The elder sister couldn't quite keep the ghost of a smile off of her face at that. It seemed this night had done wonders for her mood.

'All because of this trouble maker right in front of me.'

A horn sounded, the rushing noise of a car incoming as the limousine came up. Ryou entered immediately without a word, unsurprisingly, but Andrew gave her a polite nod and a "thank you for the lovely evening" before taking his own seat.

Joshua, however, didn't immediately enter, instead taking his Scroll out. "Before I forget to ask, what's your Scroll ID Tag?"

Blinking briefly at the sudden question, Winter took a moment to answer. "IceBlossom1. Why do you ask?"

He just smiled, typing something into his Scroll and saying "check this out".

Getting a notification on her Scroll, Winter pulled it out and saw her newest message with a new internet address. Joshua's, apparently. Opening the message she saw…oh. "Is that….?"

"Yes," he answered, smiling. "Yes it is."

It was a recording. A recording of her own father in the chaos immediately after the lights came back on and he realized what was happening. The look on his face as he realized the proud occasion he had planned was ruined beyond all repair.

Priceless.

"Consider it a little gift to commemorate everything that's happened tonight."

With the knowledge that his gift was received, Joshua turned to the limo and entered to take his own seat. Rolling down the window, he gave her a final wave goodbye for the night. "Goodbye and thank you for the invitations to the wonderful party."

His final words said, the limo drove off to its destination. Like a glorified get-away vehicle from the scene of a crime.

'What a troublemaker.'

Interestingly enough, the thought wasn't a spiteful one.

She was pulled from her musings by a tug on her sleeve, her little sister looking up at her with a slightly imploring look. "Winter, we'll see them again, won't we?"

The elder sister didn't even think for a second before nodding to her. "Yes," she answered, smiling. "We will."

She looked up from Weiss, seeing the limousine that carried the three subjects of their conversation away. Watching it even as it took a corner and disappeared from sight. "I'm sure of it."

xXx

WHEW! I swear, these chapters just keep getting longer. Fortunately, I've managed to work out a rough writing schedule of trying to write down 500-1000 words per day, so that means good news for future updates.

As for this chapter, I tried my best to keep Winter in character while still making it clear that she was actually opening up to Joshua a little. The trick is that it really NEEDS to be only a little. Yes, she's very grateful towards him for saving Weiss' life, but people don't exactly open up too much right away. I actually caught something while I was writing earlier when I wrote her essentially flirting a little with him, but then I realized that wouldn't really be in character for her. At least not YET, but maybe once she's gotten more comfortable with him and when they're alone.

As for Joshua's conversation with her on the balcony, you'll get more information on that in the next chapter. In fact, you'll get more on the backstories for all three of the Players. Look forward to that, but also prepare yourselves, because things will get DARK. No seriously, the two chapters after the next one will be SERIOUSLY dark.

Which brings me to the next three chapters in general. Once this fic comes around next, I plan on doing the next three chapters and releasing them all at once, which means it'll take more time than usual to do. This is because the next three are essentially the ending chapters for this arc, and have more impact when released roughly together. Brace yourselves, folks.

Now, onto the other fic information. I'm planning to get maybe two chapters out for A Scorpion's Successor next, give how little attention I've been giving it. Check it out if you'd like to give a Naruto fic a try, but I must warn you that it's a much more serious Naruto fic in general than quite a few others. Afterwards, I plan on doing the next chapter of Infinite Variant, my Fate/Stay Night Self-Insert.

In addition, I'm thinking of releasing another RWBY fic in the future. A fic with an OC-Protagonist who also SLOWLY gets into a relationship with Glynda "Hot Teacher" Goodwitch. I've wanted to write a Glynda ship for a while actually, and I'm pretty sure anyone who's seen her on the show knows why.

Anyways, please feel free to point out any typos or grammar problems so I can fix them. Otherwise, just tell me if you think there's anything I can improve on for later chapters.

Well, that's it for now folks. Review and have a nice night!