Mama Yang-15
The atmosphere within the ballroom was a solemn one, as Weiss and Yang were putting the dance preparations together, while Ruby and Athena were sitting at one of the already set up tables, with Athena working on a coloring page, before Weiss came and put two napkins down in front of them.
"Ruby, I need you to pick one." Weiss said sliding them in front of her.
"Uh… aren't they the same?" Ruby asked.
"I don't even know why I bothered to ask you." Weiss said, taking the napkins and walking off.
"So, have you picked out a dress yet?" Yang asked.
"No. Not like it matters. There's no point in it unless we can convince Blake to go to the dance as well." Ruby said.
"Don't worry about it. I'll be able to convince her to go." Yang said.
"Mama's gonna be okay, right?" Athena asked.
"Of course sweetie, Mama's gonna be fine. She's just needing rest." Yang exclaimed, before turning to Weiss. "Weiss, I thought we agreed no doilies."
"If I can't have doilies, you can't have fog machines."
"Whoa." The two party planners and their plus ones turned to see Sun and Neptune coming over to them. "The dance it gonna have fog machines?" Neptune asked.
"We were thinking about it." Weiss said, bashfully playing coy with him.
"So, you girls excited to play dress up?" Sun asked.
"I guess. What are you gonna wear Sun?" Ruby questioned.
"Uh… this." Sun said, gesturing to his current shirtless attire.
"Ignore him, for he knows not what he says." Neptune exclaimed.
"Hey I might have moved to Mantle, but I grew up in Vacuo, and it's not exactly a shirt and tie kinda place." Sun said.
"We noticed." Yang said.
"So is Blake still being… Blakey?" Sun asked.
"She's still in the Solitary Confinement Cell in Professor Blacksteel's office. She's caught up on her sleep thanks to a sedative Professor Blacksteel gave her before taking her to the SCC, but she keeps trying to break out, saying she doesn't have time to waste. She's being persistent on trying to take down whatever the White Fang is planning." Yang explained.
"How'd Professor Blacksteel even find out about her self-destructive behavior?" Sun asked.
"She blew up at Athena over nothing yesterday after combat class, and I had to leave her with my mom, because she was too afraid to be near Blake, scared she might yell at her for no reason again." Yang stated.
"All I did was say I was concerned she wouldn't be healthy enough for the dance." Athena said.
"Yikes." Sun exclaimed.
"Yeah, big yikes." Ruby said. "So after Blake ignored out concerns about her mental health, that's when Professor Blacksteel entered and took Blake to the SCC."
"By the way, what was it your mom wanted to talk with you about?" Weiss asked. "Professor Blacksteel said, it was some very important news."
"Ah, that." Ruby sighed putting her head on the table. "Turns out, several months before she and my dad got divorced, she was seeing someone on the side, and after finalizing the divorce papers, they became an actual item."
"Whoa, no way your mom's that scandalous? Who's the lucky guy?" Neptune asked.
"Professor Blacksteel." Yang said simply.
"You're kidding." Sun said.
"Nope. An' last night, she wanted to tell us the good news." Ruby exclaimed.
"Which was…?" Weiss inquired.
"They're getting married." Yang said.
"He even got her a big rock on a ring." Athena said. "He actually proposed last night when I was with them."
"So, now our mom is not only a Professor here at Beacon, but she's also marrying one of our combat Professor's as well." Ruby said.
"Wait, isn't he older than her?" Neptune asked.
"The age gap isn't that big, only by five years." Yang exclaimed. "Just wait, pretty soon, we're probably gonna have a new brother or sister running around the cabin back on Patch."
"Wouldn't that be something?" Ruby chuckled. "Athena could be older than her next aunt or uncle."
"I like babies. But I don't remember being in a tummy." Athena said.
"She already knows where babies come from." Sun said.
"Let's hope she doesn't ask…"
"How do babies get in the tummy though?" Athena asked, to which all the teens paled at the question.
"Dang it Neptune you jinxed it." Sun exclaimed.
"I'm sorry." Neptune said.
"Honey, how do you already know where babies come from?" Yang asked.
"When I was still on my own, I ran into a couple. An' the lady had a big belly, that she let me feel, and I felt her baby kick, and she told me her baby was saying hi to me since it was still in her tummy." Athena said. "Turns out they were just pretending to be nice, to make me let my guard down, because that night, when we were sleeping under the stars, her husband stuffed me in a crate, to ship of, to someplace called, SDC." Athena explained, causing Weiss to freeze up and her eyes to widen in horror. "I ended up working in a mine quarry for three months, before I was able to escape, and free all the other Faunus kids to. I something tattooed on the back of my neck." Athena said, splitting her hair in the back to show the hidden number.
"Weiss…" Yang said, looking to the heiress.
"I know, I know, I'm giving my mother a call right now." Weiss sighed pulling out her scroll. "Hi mother, um I have some rather disturbing news regarding Athena, yes the Young Faunus who turned me into a Dragon Faunus."
"I should probably go and see how Blake is doing now. The Dance is tomorrow night and I'm not wanting to go without my girlfriend." Yang said, as Weiss walked off to discuss things with her mother. "Athena, you stay here and keep Weiss and Aunt Ruby some company while they continue with the party preparations."
"Okay." Athena said.
~Gajeel's Office~
"Welcome Ms. Xiao Long." Gajeel said, closing his book.
"Blake still being stubborn?" Yang asked.
"She is."
"Let me out of here. I have to try and stop the White Fang, they're planning something big, and I'm the only one who can stop them." Blake's voice echoed from the cell.
"She keeps spouting that nonsense like she patented it herself." Gajeel sighed.
"I'll have a word with her." Yang said.
"All right, I'll open the door for ya." Gajeel said, getting up from his desk, and walking over to the SCC. "Step away from the door Ms. Belladonna, you have a visitor." Gajeel said, before he started putting in the pin code on the electric lock. With a click, the door unlocked and Gajeel opened it, just enough for Yang to step through.
The inside of the cell looked like one of Beacon's dorm rooms, but the key difference was the size. It was built for one person, and thus the size was reduced greatly. There was also the addition of a whiteboard for students who needed to catch up on their homework and write out problems on something bigger than paper. Sitting on the bed, was Blake, who looked a lot better now that she was well rested.
"What do you want Yang?" Blake questioned as the door closed behind the blonde brawler. "I hope you came to convince Professor Blacksteel to let me out, I have to figure out what the White Fang are planning, I don't have time to waste sitting in here."
"No, I'm not here for that actually." Yang said. "You and I need to have a talk, and I'm not gonna take no for an answer."
"Don't try to dissuade me from my mission Yang. You and I both know I'm the only one…"
"You are not the only one capable of taking on the White Fang, got it?" Yang said. "You're not some destiny's child who is destined to take down a corrupt organization all on her own."
"I wouldn't be on my own if my team stood beside me." Blake said.
"We do stand beside you Blake. But what you don't understand, is that we're not fixated on this, like you are. We support you for wanting to take down the White Fang, and I get it, you feel a sense of responsibility because it was the organization that your father, High Leader Belladonna started as a peaceful protest group, and has since been corrupted and turned into a terrorist group. But you need to understand, you're not invincible." Yang said, hitting home on why Blake was doing that. "What would you do if Neo just waltzed in through that door, right now?"
"I'd fight her and take her down." Blake said.
"What would you have done, if she did that yesterday when we were all inside our dorms?" Yang questioned.
"I'd have done the same thing."
"You would have died instantly." Yang said. "You could barely keep your eyes open, and were in no shape to fight. What's more, you blew up at Athena, for no good reason. All because she was concerned about your health. We all just want you to relax and be safe. That's why we want you to go to the dance."
"I don't have time for a stupid dance, the White Fang is out there and…"
"FORGET THE FUCKING WHITE FANG." Yang said, her hair igniting with fire and her eyes turning red. "Don't you get it Blake? This obsession is destroying you. It's making you destroy yourself, and turn on those who are trying to help you."
"How would you know anything about obsessing over something Yang?" Blake inquired.
"Because I've been there." Yang said. "When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with finding my biological mother. Summer, Ruby's mom, didn't come home like she promised after one of her missions, and my father got concerned, and started drinking. That's when I learned that Summer wasn't his first wife, his first love was my mom. I found a picture of them, and so I decided to look for Raven, because I was obsessed with finding her, wanting to know why she left, and I brought Ruby along with me. I walked for hours, and then I came across an abandoned building. There was nothing inside. But that was the least of my problems. We were soon cornered by Grimm, I was so naïve. A little girl, four years old, pulling her two year old sister in a wagon deep into a danger filled forest, of course something like that would attract the Grimm. I thought we were done for, but then out of nowhere, my Uncle Qrow came and rescued us. I realized then that what I did, what I obsessed over, was reckless, and almost got not just me, but Ruby killed. As it turns out, Summer was late getting home from her mission because she was in recovery. But after that incident, I didn't lose sight of what was important."
"So you gave up on looking for Raven."
"No, I didn't give up. I still went looking for her, I just didn't let my obsession for it control me, like you're doing with finding the White Fang." Yang explained. "We're not saying you should stop trying to fight the White Fang. All we're wanting is for you to slow down a bit, and take time to consider your own health. You're a valued member of the team, and of Athena's family. We don't like to see any of us hurting, and when one of us suffers, the whole team suffers." She said giving Blake a hug.
After ending the hug, Yang knocked on the door, and it opened letting her out, and leaving Blake to think over what Yang said.
~Following Evening~
"Alright Athena, you ready to do this?" Yang asked as she stood at the podium as the greeter for the students coming to the dance. Yang wore a simple white sleeveless and strapless dress and a pair of low raised open toed heels.
"I'm ready." Athena smiled, standing by Yang's side. Athena wore a simple attire. She refused to wear a dress, and so she wore a black dress shirt, with the sleeves rolled up, and the top button undone, so the collar would lay flat on her shoulders, with a pair of dress pants and shoes.
The door opened, causing Athena and Yang to turn to whoever was coming in, and Yang started to gush.
"Oh, you look so beautiful." Yang said excitedly.
"Can we have a serious talk about how Weiss fights in these?" Ruby questioned, trying to walk in high heels, causing Yang to laugh. Ruby was in a red dress with pantyhose stockings, and high heels, accompanied by a fishnet top, covering the portions of her back and chest that her dressed weren't designed to cover.
"I think you look amazing Aunt Ruby." Athena smiled. "An' Weiss wears combat heels, what you're wearing are normal high heels. That's how she's able to fight in them."
"Thanks Athena. But I don't need pity." Ruby sighed as the doors opened up again.
"Whoa…" Yang said, seeing Blake accompanied by Sun, entering the ballroom. "Blake, you look amazing."
"You really think so?" She asked, blushing a bit. Blake's attire for the dance consisted of a short, purple, asymmetrical, halter neck dress that is split up the right side and has a black collar. Translucent black mesh covers her shoulders, décolletage and back, and decorative black swirls cover the left side of the dress and continue up the left strap. The outfit is completed with black pumps.
"Mama looks really beautiful tonight." Athena smiled.
"I'm glad you think so sweetie." Blake said, bringing Athena in for a hug. "I'm really sorry for blowing up at you the other day. I didn't mean for that to happen. I know it's no excuse, being stressed out and sleep deprived like that, but I am sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" Blake asked.
"It's okay Mama, I forgive you." Athena smiled hugging her back.
"So the dance is already off to a great start." Ruby said.
"Yeah, but Weiss has been in a bit of a funk lately." Yang said, pointing to where Weiss was, trying to push up a wilting flower.
"Why? Didn't she invite her ideal guy to the dance?" Blake asked. "Namely Neptune?"
"She invited him, but he turned her down." Yang said. "Don't know why, since he's such a lady killer."
"Well, why don't we go for a dance?" Blake suggested.
"I call dibs on her second dance." Sun said.
"Nope, sorry Sun but you are third in line or a dance." Blake said. "First dance goes to Athena, next is Yang." She smiled, taking Athena's hand and going to dance with her.
As the night went on, and the dance was going well, there were a few patrons of the dance, who were having quite the fun time. As the third dance between Blake and Athena ended, Sun took his spot, as the young girl went off to be next to Yang and the others.
"I told you she would come." Yang smiled.
"Mission accomplished." Weiss smiled.
"So, what do we do now?" Ruby inquired.
"Just have fun." Yang said, as she walked off with Athena and Weiss went in the opposite direction.
"Does that mean I can change out of these things, and into my hood now?" Ruby questioned, but got no reply. "Stupid Lady Stilts."
"Not enjoying yourself?" Ozpin inquired.
"Oh. No. Everything's fine." Ruby said. "I'm just not much of a dancey-pansey… dancey girl."
"Well you can't spend your entire life on the battle field. Even if you may want to." Ozpin said.
"Yeah, that lesson's been floating around a lot lately." Ruby said, crossing her arms.
"Just look at your mother. She's having a great time chaperoning with Gajeel for the dance, and are enjoying themselves quite a bit." Ozpin exclaimed.
"Yeah I guess." Ruby said, smiling at seeing her mom so happy.
"If you think about it, fighting and dancing aren't so different." Ozpin exclaimed. "Two partners interlocked. Heh. Although, one wrong move on the ballroom, merely leads to a swollen foot."
"Or a twisted ankle…" Ruby added.
"It's not every day that friends are able to come together like this." Ozpin said. "Time has a way of testing our bonds. But it's nights like these that can help keep them stronger than ever. Nights like these are ones we'll never forget."
Over near the front of the door, Yang and Athena had gone back to greeting the students coming for the dance. While Athena looked around, the ball room. She saw all the students having fun, all the teachers mingling and having a good time. It made her feel a little jealous that she was missing out on it.
Yang looked down at Athena and saw the gloomy face she had, and decided to cheer her up a bit.
"Hey Athena." Yang said. "Why don't you go have fun in the dance? I can handle things from here."
"Are you sure mom?" Athena asked.
"Of course. Go enjoy yourself, but be careful and stay in sight of anyone in Team's RWBY or JNPR." Yang said.
"Okay." Athena cheered running off to go enjoy herself.
As she went about going through the ballroom, to admire the work Yang and Weiss put into decorating the dance hall, she didn't pay attention to where she was going and bumped into someone.
"Oof." She said, before falling on her butt. "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." Athena said.
"It's quite all right. You're Athena Xiao Long, correct?"
Athena looked up to see the person she ran into was General Ironwood, Headmaster of Atlas Academy, and leader of the Atlesian Army. Beside him was Professor Goodwitch.
"Ah, General Ironwood." Athena panicked, before ducking behind Glynda for safety, peeking out slightly.
"Ms. Xiao Long, please control yourself, this is no way to behave in front of an Academy Headmaster from another school." Glynda exclaimed.
"It's all right Glynda." Ironwood said looking at her. "Atlas doesn't exactly have the best track record with the interactions we've had with her. Given the incident with Winter being evident of that."
"I suppose her behavior is understandable then." Glynda sighed.
"I can take her for you." Ruby said coming over to them. "I think she needs some punch."
"Thank you Ms. Rose." Glynda said.
"General." Ruby said politely with a slight curtsey.
"Ms. Rose." Ironwood said. "I do have one question though. The cage that Special Operative Schnee used to capture Athena, wasn't listed among the inventory of what was recovered on the ship. Do you perhaps know what happened to it?"
"Oh you mean the titanium alloy cage meant for Beowolves? Yeah, Yang brought it home and our mom turned it into a weapon's safe." Ruby exclaimed.
"Mainly for Aunt Ruby to put Crescent Rose in." Athena said.
"Ah, I see. Well I'm happy that it was put to some other good use." Ironwood said. "An' Ms. Rose, I'm not sure if you care to know, but your father has joined the ranks of the Atlesian military, and is quite adamant about us… detaining Athena. I can assure you his suggestions towards that are being ignored, as we have no intention of even laying a harmful hand on her, whatsoever."
"I appreciate that General." Ruby said, taking Athena's hand.
"One more thing." Ironwood said, pulling something out of his coat pocket, and handing her a small bag. "You know about where Acnologia, Natsu, Gajeel, and truly Grey came from, but Natsu's journal didn't explain what the Atlas Military did for them."
"What are these?" Ruby asked, looking into the bag. "Pins?"
"They are yes. Given their unique abilities, the Atlas Military provided all slayers who fought for the four kingdoms, with pins that granted them respect. These pins are symbols, meaning Natsu, Gajeel, and Grey, were recognized as heroes, because of their powers. It won't matter if they're a Faunus or human, so long as they wear these pins, it's basically receiving the highest honor you could get from an award." Ironwood explained. "There's five of them. One for each member of Team RWBY."
"But, two of us aren't Dragonslayers." Ruby said.
"That might change." Ironwood said. "Go, enjoy your dance."
Ruby nodded, before leading Athena over to the punch bowl, and grabbed her a cup full of the fruity drink, before they were greeted by a particular blond knight.
"I see you're hiding at the punch bowl too." Jaune said.
"Yup." Ruby said, popping the, p.
"To the socially awkward." Jaune said, before tapping glasses with Ruby and Athena.
"Sorry things didn't work out with Weiss." Ruby said.
"Meh, it's fine; Neptune's pretty cool." Jaune said. "I get why she went with him."
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.
"Well, come on. Not many people can pull off blue hair." Jaune exclaimed with a chuckle, taking a drink of his punch.
"Jaune, Aunt Weiss came to the dance alone." Athena said, causing him to gag and cough.
"Uh, what?" Jaune asked.
"Yeah, she said she had too much to focus on to worry about boys." Ruby said, as they spotted Weiss, back at it with trying to raise a drooping lavender rose.
The sound of laughter came from across the room, and they spotted Blake and Sun, having fun and laughing at some gestures that Neptune was making.
"Hold my punch." Jaune said, handing his cup to Ruby. After he left, she took a sip from it.
"Is that normal?" Athena asked.
"It is if your friend who asked you to hold their drink, didn't specify not to drink any." Ruby exclaimed.
Athena looked from Ruby, then to Jaune, who had changed course, and was now following Pyrrha.
"Hold my punch. But don't drink any." Athena said, giving Ruby her cup.
"H-hey wait." Ruby said, in a bit of a panicked tone. "I can't hold three cups at once."
Athena either didn't hear her, or just ignored Ruby, as she went and followed Jaune and Pyrrha up to one of the balconies. There she found the blonde knight, talking with the redhead Amazonian. Being sure to stay hidden in the shadows, Athena made sure she could hear every word.
"Hey, Pyrrha." Jaune said.
"Hello Jaune." Pyrrha said, turning around to look at him.
"You okay? I haven't seen you tonight." Jaune said.
"Arrived late, I'm afraid." Pyrrha exclaimed.
'She's upset. What happened?' Athena thought.
"Well, you look really nice." Jaune stated.
"Thank you." Pyrrha said.
"Your, uh date isn't going to beat me up for saying that, is he?" Jaune asked.
"I think you're safe for tonight." Pyrrha sighed.
"So. Where is the guy?" Jaune asked, before receiving a rock to the back of the head. Quickly turning around, he spotted nothing, as he was sure that was Pyrrha's date.
'Too close.' Athena thought as she hid behind one of the doors. 'He almost spotted me.'
"There is no guy." Pyrrha said.
"W-what?" Jaune asked.
"Nobody asked me." Pyrrha said.
"But that's… You're Pyrrha Nikos."
"H-how could nobody ask you?" Jaune inquired.
"I've been blessed, with incredible talents and opportunities, I'm constantly surrounded by love and praise. But when you're placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become separated from the people that put you there in the first place." Pyrrha explained. "Everyone assumes I'm too good for them; that I'm on a level they simply can't attain. It's become impossible to form and sort of meaningful relationship with people. That's what I like about you. When we met, you didn't even know my name. You treated me just like anyone else. An' thanks to you, I've made friendships that will last, a lifetime."
"Pyrrha…" Jaune said.
"I guess… you're the kind of guy I wish I was here with." Pyrrha stated. "Someone who just saw me, for me."
"Look Pyrrha I…"
Jaune stopped talking when he felt himself trip over something, and started falling towards Pyrrha, as something tripped her and she started to fall backwards. They both caught themselves on the stone railing to the balcony, but Jaune still ended up looping one arm around her back, and because of their close proximity, and the positions, their lips met in an unintentional kiss, causing them to both blush deeply, with wide eyes, before they separated from one another.
"Ahem…" Pyrrha and Jaune looked over to see Neptune who had coughed into his hand, looking at Jaune like he was looking at something to be proud of. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?"
"N-no you're fine. It was just and accident." Pyrrha said, straightening out her dress, and circlet, before she spotted Athena, who was peeking out from behind the door, slip back behind it. "I was actually just leaving." She exclaimed before walking past Neptune and down the hall.
"So, Jaune right?" Neptune asked. "Sorry if I was interrupting anything, I just needed some air."
"Yeah." Jaune said with a sigh.
"This party's pretty lame, huh? I mean, ballroom dancing: Pbbfff." Neptune exclaimed.
"Yeah."
"Cute girls though, huh? You certainly got lucky with the infamous Pyrrha Nikos."
"Is that all you think about?" Jaune questioned.
"Huh?"
"D-do you even care about the girls you're hitting on? How they feel about you?" Jaune asked.
"Whoa, where's this coming from?" Neptune asked, defensively.
"How could you just turn her down like that?" Jaune asked.
"Wait, w-who?"
"Weiss."
"I, uh… it, uh… It just didn't work out. Ya know?"
"What? You think you're too cool? Too many other options? Weiss Schnee, asked you to the dance. What in the world could possibly keep you from go-"
"I can't dance." Neptune said interrupting Jaune's rant.
"Beg your pardon?" Jaune asked.
"GAH." Athena groaned, comically falling to the ground in exasperation.
"I can't dance, man." Neptune repeated, neither of them taking notice of the fact Athena was there.
"But you're… so… cool." Jaune exclaimed.
"Thank you. I try really, really hard." Neptune said.
"You would rather break a girl's heart, and go to the dance alone, than… just admit to everyone that you can't move in rhythm to music?" Jaune asked.
"That about sums it up, yeah." Neptune said.
"Well, I certainly feel a lot better about myself." Jaune said, turning around, before receiving another rock to the back of the head. "Where are those things coming from? Who's throwing rocks at me?"
"Please don't tell anybody I can't dance." Neptune said. "Look, if you want Weiss, she's all yours." Neptune exclaimed, before suddenly feeling a chill of dread running down his spine, as Athena glared at him, with menacing eyes from her hiding spot behind the open door.
"Do you like her?" Jaune asked, leaning against the stone railing.
"Yeah, I mean, I don't know her too well yet, but, she seems pretty cool." Neptune said.
"Then just go talk to her. No pickup lines, no suave moves. Just be yourself." Jaune exclaimed. "I've heard that's the way to go." Jaune said, recalling on his conversation with Pyrrha.
"Yeah, but that isn't-"
"Hey, you don't have to look cool all the time." Jaune said. "In all honesty, if you could be a little less cool, I'd really appreciate it. Because at this point, it's just overkill."
"Yeah." Neptune said. "Okay."
"Go talk to her." Jaune exclaimed. "I guarantee it'll make her night."
"Thanks." Neptune said. "You're a really cool guy Jaune."
"Alright, don't lie to my face." Jaune sighed.
With Neptune leaving, Jaune looked back up at the moon, before feeling another rock hit the back of his head.
"Who keeps doing that?" Jaune questioned, looking around, giving Athena the perfect opportunity to sneak away from the balcony. "Alright. Only one thing left to do."
~Back on the dancefloor, a while later~
"Y'know, I think we really needed this." Yang said as Ruby came to her side, with Athena.
Down below, Ren and Nora were dancing, while Sun was having another dance with Blake. Down on one corner, Penny was dancing to the wrong rhythm.
"Yeah, and you did a great job, planning it to." Ruby said.
"Aw, thanks." Yang said, pulling Ruby in for a one armed hug, causing the hoodless reaper to flail her arms. "It wasn't all me though. Weiss did a lot too."
"Looks like Neptune is going to try his own luck with the Ice-Queen." Ruby said.
"Looks like it." Yang sighed. "Tomorrow it's back to work."
"Well, I'm sure we can handle whatever gets thrown at us." Ruby said.
"ATHENA." Nora called out. Athena looked over the railing, and saw Nora waving to her. "We're about to start, get your butt down here, where's Jaune have you seen him?"
"What are you and Nora planning?" Yang asked.
"You'll see." Athena smiled, before spotting the crowd parting and the patrons of the dance beginning to laugh. "But first you gotta see that." She laughed.
Down below, everyone spotted Jaune, coming into the dance hall, wearing a dress.
"We can handle pretty much anything thrown at us huh?" Yang asked.
"Except for that." Ruby said.
Down on the dancefloor, Jaune was heading straight to Pyrrha, who turned around hearing the laughter centered in her area, and hasped when she spotted Jaune in his dress.
"Jaune?" She asked with a bit of a smirk.
"Eh, a promise is a promise." Jaune said.
"Any clue what he's saying?" Yang asked Ruby.
"I think Pyrrha told me that Jaune said, he'd come to the dance in a dress if she didn't have a date." Ruby said, as Athena jumped down from the second floor, and to the dancefloor below.
"Jaune, you didn't have to." Pyrrha said, after getting control of her laughter.
"Hey. An Arc never goes back on his word." Jaune said.
"Oh I am so snapping pictures for the school yearbook." Blake smiled.
"Now do you wanna stand there and laugh at me, or do you wanna dance?" Jaune asked.
"I… would love to dance." Pyrrha smiled.
"DJ, hit that beat." Nora shouted.
Pyrrha took Jaune's hand, leading him to the dancefloor, with Ren and Nora following closely behind.
"Wait, we're still missing one person for our dance group." Ren said.
"Where's Athena?"
"I'm right here." Athena said, popping up from a shadow between them, wearing a dress and shoes similar to Blake's, only it was in red and purple. "Eh, I figured if Jaune was wearing one, I'd share in his suffering. I hate dresses."
"Then let's boogey." Nora cheered as they began to dance.
A/N: It's the basic Team JNPR Shine Dance, but imagine Athena standing between Jaune and Pyrrha, doing the exact same dance.
After the team dance was over with, Yang and Ruby came down from the second floor, with smiles on their faces.
"So this is what you and Nora were planning." Yang said, snapping pictures of Athena in her dress, with her scroll. "Just how long have you five been up to this?"
"Mom." Athena groaned.
"Oh you have got to send me copies of those." Blake said joining the group.
"We've been practicing that choreography for two weeks now, every day after classes for three hours a day. I even started to do it in my sleep, how could you not have noticed?" Athena asked.
"Guess we were too busy sleeping to notice." Yang chuckled.
"An' now, ladies and gentlemen…" Ozpin said, taking the mic from the DJ, to grab the ballroom's attention. "I'd like to present a special something, a song, sung to us by Beacon Academy's youngest student, Athena Xiao Long."
"What? This is the first I'm hearing of any of this." Athena said, in a bit of a panic, as Glynda used her Semblance to take her to the stage. "I don't even have time to change out of my dress. What song am I going to sing?"
"Just relax, and listen to what your heart says." Glynda said, softly. "I know this is a bit of a surprise, but you've got this."
"But…"
"Just go for the song that feels right to you." Ozpin said. "Good luck."
Athena held the microphone as the spotlight was on her. She began to shake nervously, as all the students were looking at her, expectantly.
'What am I supposed to do? What should I sing? I don't know any songs aside from a few that mom and mama have sung to me.' Athena thought.
"Stage fight kiddo?"
Athena looked up to see Gajeel standing beside her, holding a guitar.
"Don't be, I'll be right here to support you the whole way. Grandpa Gajeel, will follow your lead." He smiled.
Athena smiled, before giving a nod of confirmation, before a song came to mind. Athena motioned for Gajeel to bend down and whispered the song into his ear.
"Can do kiddo." Gajeel smirked, before taking the mic for a second. "This next song is dedicated to this little lady's parents, who've shown her kindness and love, no matter what."
Gajeel handed the mic back to Athena, as she took in a deep breath, and let Gajeel play out the first few cords, before she began singing.
(Cue Song: Might+U: Music by Very Nize. Vocals by AirahTea)
"You're not alone, there's no doubt, your gift, isn't futile to be. If we'll be united, we're stronger together.
We always have the high hope; not all for one but one for all.
Don't worry 'bout a thing, we'll reach out to you, even if it's a harder way, it's plain to see the reason why, oh, that's all because of the mighty heart. Remember it's just natural that, we'll be there if you need help.
Far across the distance. Rest assured that our faith just won't die. You know we are apt to sacrifice ourselves, whatever they may say. It's plain to see the reason why, oh, that's all because of the mighty heart. Remember it's just natural that, we'll be there if you need help, far across the distance.
Rest assured that our faith just won't die."
(End Song)
With Athena's song done, she opened her eyes, and looked out to the crowd, who were stunned that a child as young as her, could have such a beautiful singing voice. The silence continued on, until it roared into a symphony of applause.
Athena blushed and did a small curtsey before hopping off the stage, and going to Blake and Yang, who both had tears in their eyes, at how she dedicated the song she sang, to them.
"You sang so beautifully." Yang said. "Where'd you even hear that song?"
"It was on a playlist Penny had put on when we were doing experiments together in her lab." Athena said. "I thought it would work, since you two are, well…" Athena paused before hugging them "You're my heroes."
"Oh baby girl." Yang said, using her hands to fan her eyes.
"Stop, you're gonna make me ruin my makeup." Blake added, putting one hand to her mouth.
"Why don't I take her outside for some air?" Ruby suggested. "I'm sure she's wanting to get some air herself anyways."
Athena took Ruby by the hand and walked off with her, while Blake and Yang were just gabbing amongst each other, about how happy they were to have Athena think of them like that.
Outside, in the cool night air, the duo dress wearers were happy to finally have a chance to relax. But that moment didn't last very long as they spotted someone heading for the CCT Tower. Ruby and Athena looked to one another, before they pulled out their scrolls, and summoned their rocket powered lockers, containing their weapons, just to be safe.
Upon going into the tower, Athena was the first to spot the guards knocked out, and lying on the floor. Sniffing the air, Athena's eyes widened when she recognized the scent of the intruder.
"It's her. It's the woman who stole Fall." Athena said.
"Lead the way Athena." Ruby said.
The duo went for the elevator, where Athena was sure her scent was most potent. Sniffing up in the air, Athena told Ruby to hit the top floor button. When getting up there, the duo stepped out hesitantly as they weren't sure what was waiting for them.
When they passed by a couple of the desks with the communication computers, Athena spotted something moving out of the corner of her eye as a woman dressed in black went running past them. Throwing her arm to the side, Athena stopped the woman, with the end of the cable digging into the wall.
"Stop right there." Ruby shouted running after her.
The masked figure jumped out of the way, easily dodging Ruby's advances, and attacks, before part of her clothes began to glow, and she threw shards of glass at her.
Cinder jumped back, flipping onto her hands, before pushing up, and landing back on her feet. Seconds later, she had to bend backwards, as she avoided an arrow fired at her from Athena's wrist mounted crossbows. Looking her in the eye, Cinder didn't see the same scared little girl she faced off against all those months ago.
'I can still see fear, but it's not fear for herself.' Cinder thought, as she continued to dodge the arrows.
Deciding her magic would be useless against Athena, Cinder jumped into the air, and from the pouch behind her back, pulled out a flashbang, and threw it at Athena after pulling the pin, right before it detonated in Athena's face at point blank range.
After the light died down, Ruby had to adjust her vision, and was having trouble, even as Ironwood and his men came barging in.
"Ms. Rose, are you all right?" Ironwood questioned.
"I'm fine. Where's Athena?" Ruby questioned, as her eyes adjusted, but she still saw spots.
"Aunt Ruby." Athena called out from where she was.
Ruby rushed over to Athena and knelt down next to her, seeing the child's dress was only slightly burnt.
"I'm right here Athena, I'm right here."
"Where? I can't see you." Athena said looking around.
"Athena, I'm right beside you." Ruby said, sounding confused as Ironwood came to their side.
"Did she get hit?" Ironwood asked.
"I don't think so, but that flashbang was pretty bright and… It went off, inches from her face." Ruby said in horror. "Athena, I'm gonna grab your face, and turn it to look at me. Don't panic."
"Aunt Ruby?" Athena questioned, as she felt a pair of hands grabbing her face, and was turned in one direction.
"Oh no." Ruby gasped.
"WE NEED A MEDIC IN HERE NOW." Ironwood shouted into his radio, after seeing Athena's eyes. "I REPEAT WE NEED A MEDIC RIGHT NOW. A BEACON ACADEMY STUDENT HAS BEEN INJURED."
"Aunt Ruby?" Athena asked, her eyes starting to water. "My eyes are open, why can't I see you?"
"Athena." Ruby said, sounding sad. "This is all my fault."
Athena's eyes were looking directly at Ruby, but they were a pure white, with vague outlines of the irises and pupils that once occupied them.
"Aunt Ruby?"
"I'm sorry Athena." Ruby cried, pulling her in for a hug. "You've gone blind."