"Holy mother of god! You're just keeping a grimm in here like it's your personal pet?"

Kari Silvers eyed Roman Torchwick, then shook her head. "It's not mine - go in," she added, gesturing through the doorway.

Roman held up his hands, backing away down the dusty, dirty hallway. "Hey now, I don't think there's any need for me to get up close with that thing - locked in a room with all those tentacles - who knows what could happen! Nothing I want to say I've checked off my bucket list, that's for damn sure..."

Kari turned her gaze on Neo, twitching her sword at her side.

Neo held her umbrella across her body, a flash of fear crossing her face.

Roman growled, turning his head aside. "Yeesh, you know just where my weak spot is, don'tcha? And not even an ounce of hesitation in taking full advantage of it...I can respect that." He sighed and threw up his hands. "Alright, fine! I'm going in there - but if any really weird shit starts happening to me, I want it on record that I never signed up for- oof! I said I'm going in!"

Kari Silvers shoved Roman in the back, and stepped inside the dirty, small room in the abandoned office building in downtown Vale. She turned to look over a shoulder, and beckoned to Neo; the young woman obeyed, though with no small amount of hesitation.

The jellyfish-like Seer Grimm hovered there, simply waiting. Endless and patient. A mere creature of instinct.

But, a connection to something else - something more.

The Seer's translucent body shimmered, color swirling inside, and a hazy image appeared there. An image of a woman with chalk white skin, black veins on her face, long white hair done up exquisitely, and scarlet eyes that glistened like rubies. A black gemstone was embedded into her forehead.

"Salem," Kari spoke, with the barest trace of sharpness to her usual empty, bored tones.

Those evil eyes moved from Kari, to Roman, to Neo, and back to Kari again. They narrowed. "I'll assume you have a good reason for so casually revealing my existence to two people."

"I have several," Kari replied simply. "The main one, is that they're going to be playing a part in infiltrating the vault under Beacon."

"And that in any way requires this...why?" Salem said softly.

"Motivation."

"Hm." Salem made a noise of surprise. "So you don't believe yourself competent enough to keep them in line without invoking my presence?"

"I believe it's best not to leave things to chance," Kari retorted.

Salem smiled, nodding. "We're in agreement on that, then. Very well..." she sighed. "And what is this plan you've come up with?"

Kari told her.

Salem's expression changed at the end - to one of displeasure. "Kari...I realize how much you pride yourself on efficiency, but surely you realize that your plan is lacking significantly. It lacks scope, it lacks the full breadth of intentions: my intentions. What of the CCT? What of Vale, in its entirety? What of-"

"I'm only here to do what I'm here to do - nothing more," Kari interrupted, her lip curling. "I know what you want: wanton chaos, pointless deaths and uncontrolled destruction. Tearing apart families, killing children, leaving infants in their cribs to be snatched up by the grimm...I refuse to be the architect of such a disgusting thing," she stated plainly, traces of her anger entering her voice. "If you want it so badly, come here and do it yourself - but otherwise, you're just going to have to accept the way I intend to do this-"

Salem's face seized; the Seer Grimm's bladed tentacles surged forth with a high, rapid clicking noise in repetition.

Kari triggered her Semblance and slashed her sword, once, across her body - left to right - and took a single step back.

The severed tentacles fell to the floor, writhing before disintegrating.

Salem's eyes glowed bright red, her lips parting in a snarl. "You dare-"

"If you dare," Kari cut across her, lowering her blade to her side. "to try that with me again...I'll do more than cut communications with you."

Salem breathed, and her features softened. She sat back, waving an airy hand. A smile came to her lips again. "My, my...it seems there's still a bit of the huntress in you after all. Such concern for all those little lives...even to the point of disobeying my wishes. To the point of open defiance. And here I was thinking we had reached something of an understanding. Do you really still care that much for those nameless, faceless masses who never did a single thing for you in life - except hurt you? Degrade you? Objectify you...? They treated you as nothing but a toy for their pleasure...and you still want to protect them all?"

Kari squeezed the hilt of her sword. "It isn't caring about protecting them all: it's being efficient in not wasting time slaughtering them all."

"Of course. But, for the sake of the argument, let's say that it was." Salem continued, quite conversationally. "What would you do, Kari? Tell me; will you crawl back to Ozpin, demanding a place in his ranks again? It's either him or me, dear - and do you really think there's any chance now of him accepting you back? Do you think he'll give you a nice big hug, a pat on the back, and an, 'I'm proud of you?' He's the man who abandoned you, remember? And-" She paused, and giggled to herself. "-well, since you were the one who brought up infants in cribs...Are you also forgetting about the most important one of them all? Or rather...the one that never had the chance?"

"Shut. Up," Kari said, through clenched teeth.

Salem took a breath. Exhaled. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"And I'm done hearing from you!" Kari's eyes rippled with dark blue flames as she whipped her blade up and drove it into the heart of the Seer Grimm. The image began to waver, the sphere began to crack. "You'll have your Relic, you'll have your Maiden - but you'll have it the way I'm going to get it for you. Or you get nothing! Are. We. Clear?"

She tore her blade free, and the Seer hit the floor with a loud crack.

Kari took a moment to compose herself - to let those flames die in her eyes. By the time she turned back to face Roman and Neo, she was as calm and expressionless as ever.

She jerked her chin at them; the pair fled the room quickly.

Kari stalked after them, shutting the door behind her.

"Soooo...you were a huntress, huh?" Roman began, cautious. "You and that Headmaster Ozpin? Between him and that terrifying broad of nightmares - what's her name? Salem? - it sounds to me like you're just stuck between a rock and a real hard place here." Roman eyed her, contemplative. "But you know, in my experience...somewhere in there, there's always enough room to wriggle yourself out from between them."

Kari looked at him.

Roman stepped back, hands coming up. "Okay, shouldn't've said anything - got it-"

"No."

"Uhhh...no?"

Kari's lips tugged into the smallest of smiles. "You're right."

"Tch...of course I am, dearie - but don't expect me to go handing out any more free advice!" Roman added hastily.

Kari strode past Roman and Neo, moving down the dirty, crumbling hallway alone.

Once upon a time, of course, she had not been alone.

But that could never be again.

"There's a dance on Sunday."

"A dance?" Cinder questioned, nervous.

"You don't have to go - you don't even have to dance," Pyrrha assured quickly. "Not if you don't want to."

"That's four days away," Cinder considered. I could learn to dance in four days - couldn't I? Of course I can; I'm me! And dancing doesn't even seem all that different from fighting. "Can you teach me how to dance - please?"

Pyrrha looked elated. "Of course!" A grin stole over her face, mischievous. "I've won a few dance-offs before," she added carelessly.

"Dance-offs?" Cinder questioned. "What are those?"

"They're these very small, one on one competitions where someone challenges another to see who can dance better to the same beat - informal ones usually have a crowd of their peers to judge them on their performance, while professional dance-offs have panels of expert judges involved."

Cinder shot to her feet. "Start teaching me now." If there was one more thing she could triumph over Weiss Schnee in, humiliate her in, crush her with utter defeat in (and anyone else who wanted to be stupid enough to challenge Cinder), she needed to learn it! Grades, combat - dance-offs! Cinder was going to win it all, she was going to be the best of it all, undisputed across Beacon!

"I'd be happy to," Pyrrha said, with a musical laugh. She held out a hand; Cinder took it without hesitating, allowing Pyrrha to lead her to the middle of their dorm room.

"Hey, Pyrrha, after you're finished with her, I can help," said Emerald excitedly.

Cinder blinked at Emerald. "You know how to dance, too?"

"Yeah - why is that a surprise to you?" Emerald asked, frowning.

"Everything's a surprise to her," Blake commented. "You should learn to stop taking it so personally."

"I don't take it personally!" Emerald cried, glaring.

"Quiet, both of you!" Cinder snapped. "I'm trying to concentrate here!"

Both girls fell silent.

"Thank you..." Cinder muttered. Idiots.

"Alright now." Pyrrha suddenly pulled Cinder in close, guiding her free hand around her body. "For the type of dancing we'll be doing on Sunday, I think it would be best to teach you this form first..."

Cinder looked Pyrrha's figure over, focusing on the positions of her hands - her free hand had been dragged around to rest on Pyrrha's lower back. So low that her fingers were brushing against the top of her rear. She smiled, stroking her fingers there.

"O-oh- Cinder, no - my mistake - height difference!" Pyrrha sputtered, her cheeks bright pink. "They're meant to be a few inches higher than that. Please!"

Cinder slid her hand up a bit further.

Pyrrha flashed a warm smile, and nodded. "Thank you for listening. That's exactly where it's meant to be." She relaxed, pulling Cinder's hand she held at chest height, out away from their bodies. "Now, depending on the song, we might want to...ah, Emerald, could you put something on for us, actually - please?"

"Oh, I'm on it," Emerald said gleefully, lunging for her scroll. With a big grin on her face, she flourished a hand and tapped at it. Music immediately filled the room, a slow, piano piece with some breathy lyrics. "Enjoy your very romantic dance together!" She threw herself onto her belly, propped her chin in her hands, and fixed her eyes on the pair.

"It's- perfect- thank you," Pyrrha faltered. Then she shook her head and returned her attentions to Cinder. "All right, now we need to get our feet moving like this, so that we can sway...like this...and we can even start to turn - like...this! You see?"

Cinder glanced down once, nodding seriously as she imitated Pyrrha. "Is this good?"

"It's very good," Pyrrha complimented. "Your body coordination skills from combat training are actually quite transferrable; it will make all of this much easier to master."

"Body coordination skills also really come in handy during the after-date-sex part of the experience," Emerald put in. "So does the flexibility."

Pyrrha's head whipped around. Her face twitched. Her lips worked a moment. "T-thank you, Emerald - you're...very much correct on that," she gritted out, a smile plastered. She looked ahead again, right into Cinder's eyes. "Not...that you and I are going to be doing such a thing together. Please don't think we are. Taking everything into account, it would be quite- premature! We haven't even talked about anything like- you understand? That's a long ways off...if we even agree to- if I even decide to help you explore that- part of yourself. Do you understand?"

"Yes - right," Cinder nodded. "Of course we're not having sex yet," she said casually.

"That's right," Pyrrha nodded vigorously. "If we even do at all!"

"If we even do it at all," Cinder agreed. Although...if Pyrrha wasn't going to be the one to help her experience this part of life...there were other options, weren't there? Her gaze flickered to Emerald. She'd do it if I asked; she'd jump off a bridge if I asked...and I do like her. She's a nice friend; she's pretty. She's fun. But...but with how Pyrrha had been going on about how important it was to be comfortable, to discuss and agree on things, to have proper consent...Cinder felt, weirdly, like none of that would be true if she just went and did it with Emerald. If she just...went and did it to Emerald. It just didn't seem like it would feel...right. Not for Emerald. And besides that bothersome feeling about sex with Emerald, there was the other feeling Cinder had. The one that screamed: I want to do this with Pyrrha!

Well, it was something to worry about later, Cinder decided. She would keep her...options open, however it played out.

No matter what, Cinder was set on getting this experience with someone. And sooner rather than later. She was sure plenty of her classmates had done it already, and she refused to be the lone failure, the one falling behind! She was going to catch up, and then she was going to surpass them all! She would have more encounters on her track record than any of them, she'd be the best at it - the girl of dreams (and she knew plenty of her classmates already dreamed about her; boys had told her so themselves - and a few girls!).

But first, of course, she had to figure out dancing.

"The shipment should be arriving within the hour," Arthur Watts' voice issued from the scroll.

Kari stood on the docks, gazing out to sea, scroll held loose in hand. "Good."

A snort on the other end of the call. "Good should be the last thing on your mind, after your behavior the other night with her. Her fury was nearly enough to level the entire castle - and bury us all along with it."

Kari's lips curved. "What a tragedy."

"Yes, it's all rather hilarious, I'm sure, when you aren't the one in the middle of it all. Look, I realize you've no love for any of us - and the same is true in reverse - but as a matter of mere professionalism while in a working relationship...could you try not to anger the immortal demoness to the point of killing us all?"

"You mean yourself."

"Well, guilty as charged...So?"

"No."

A heavy sigh. "If you think you can keep behaving this way and getting away with it, you're sorely mistaken. Once you're recalled by Her Grace, she's doubtless going to make you pay for every last second of it."

"I've endured worse - including by her," Kari dismissed. "Pain is nothing. Pain leaves you, in time - always. You always know...that it's going to end. Even with death, it comes to an end."

"An interesting outlook. Very well, then. Continue as you will. But I did try to warn you of the consequences."

"I was already aware - and I'm not concerned about it. I will act as I see fit, and Salem will act...as she sees fit. I've been at the mercy of people exactly like her before; she doesn't frighten me. I outgrew that years ago."

"I doubt you've met many immortal grimm queens in your time."

"But I've met many psychopathic, sadistic, abusive control freaks before," Kari replied, staring hard into the ocean's depths. She stepped for the edge, grasping her blade's hilt firmly. "I endured and survived them all - Salem is just another one, with an even larger ego than the rest, after centuries of inflation. And I refuse...to let myself be cowed by another person like that again."

"Hmm. Brave words, to be sure. But I think you're oversimplifying her."

"Then you've fallen for the image she wants to present to the world," Kari scoffed. "They all do the same thing. Fear, power, control...a larger than life image - absolute. All tactics to make sure you don't muster up the presence of mind, or the strength of will to fight back, or escape from them. It's nothing new."

"Maybe so," Watts said at last, with irritation. "but this one is capable of feats of power beyond comprehension, and she controls legions of the darkest, most sickening monsters in this world. I'd say she has more than enough real power on her side to back her image up."

"Your concern is touching."

"Yes, isn't it..."

"When 'real power' wants to fly off the handle again, I'll be here with a smile on my face."

"You imbecilic-"

Kari ended the call, pocketing her scroll.

She drew a breath of clean night air, and sat down to wait, her legs dangling above the water. She tapped a button on her sword hilt, and it retracted into itself twice over, cutting its length short by two thirds. She held it across her lap, one hand ever present, grasping the hilt.

A figure dropped down beside her - a lighter was flicked open, a cigar was lit in mouth. A breath let loose, and billowing smoke (Kari turned her head away, her nose crinkling). "You been thinking about what I said before?"

"Yes," Kari admitted, keeping her head turned aside. She gripped her sword tighter as the smell entered her nose.

"Annnnd...?"

"Nothing, yet."

"Not even a little tiny hint of what you got planned? Come on, who do you think I'm gonna tell? You think I'm going to go make a grimm crystal ball call to the queen of all grimm? What'd I tell yah about the tentacles? It's not worth it. Believe me, if there's one thing I know, it's survival. Always have a plan - an escape hatch. Or, if you think you're bold enough for it...a way to screw you employer over on the way out! So, which one is it with you? Just getting the hell out of dodge, or...do you want to do some damage on the way out as well?"

Kari remained silent.

"Hey, listen, if it's a matter of not knowin' where to go after you've made the break...well, I'm just saying - I've got room in my organization for a skilled, powerful, and drop dead gorgeous woman like yourself. I could make you my second number two woman! My left hand, as it were. You get what I'm saying here, sweetheart? Let's face it: you can't go back to the huntsmen, and you won't be able to go back to this Salem hussy after you're on the out and outs with her. So, where does that leave you?"

Roman shook his head, took another long drag of his cigar. "Okay, still indecisive - well, we got plenty of time to figure that out for you, don't we? My offer's going to be open as long as you need! In fact, think of it as a permanent invitation; just take it up when you feel like it! Walk right on in, and I'll welcome you with open arms."

"Assuming I don't kill you after we're through with each other."

Roman laughed. "No, no, I don't think you will. See, I like to pride myself on being a people person - and you...what was it that Salem lady said? Too much huntress in you? You're an honorable sort of woman. No lies, no tricks, and I'm hedging my bets here...no cold blooded murdering of a business associate. Enemies, huntsmen? Sure! Wipe 'em all out; swing that blade of yours to your heart's content! But me? Neo? We're here, we're working together with you. And to you...even if you don't want it to...I think that means something to you. I think it matters to you. And you know what, even if I'm never gonna be like that myself - all honorable, all honest, all straightforward - I can still respect a person for having the will to stick to it, no matter what the situation is. You've got your code, you've got your values, your ideals...and you have the strength to stick to them."

Kari quirked a smile. "Did you just call yourself weak?"

Roman froze. Then, he laughed - made a dismissive hand gesture. "Ah, I prefer the term 'versatile,' thank you very much. Being like me has more advantages than being like you, much as I can respect you for being how you are: nothing holding me down, always ready to adapt, and always able to escape when I need to. With you...it's a lot harder for you. Those damn pesky convictions, huh?"

"But that still isn't all you are," Kari replied, quiet. "Your dedication to Neo - you care about her."

"Hey, I might lie, cheat, steal, and survive however I can, but I never listed off 'heartless' did I?" Roman retorted, with mock offense. "Yeah, I've got a soft spot for the girl - big deal. I couldn't get much joy out of my life if I didn't feel anything, could I? And what way even is that to live? What's the point if you can't have some fun? Now, you seem like you've got that unfeeling weapon thing down, but I've seen too much of you to be fooled by it - even you've gotta care. In fact...I might hazard a guess and say you care too much. The question is, what about? What've you got going on that you feel like you need to just shut down, shut everything out? Or at least, try as hard as you damn well can at it?"

Kari sighed. "I've always tried. It was necessary to survive."

"Well, hey, you stick with me after this is over with, and I give you permission to feel as much as you like! No more necessity there. Like I said: what's the point of life if you can't have some fun?"

An airship's lights blinked on the horizon, growing larger every moment.

Kari stood, taking her collapsed blade in hand - and extending it out again.

"Alrighty, then...back to business," Roman murmured, pushing himself up as well and dusting himself off. "What are we getting dropped off here for us?"

"The shield generators."

"Right, right - the most important part of the plan!"

"No," Kari replied. "The most important part of the plan is her." She set her eyes on Neo.

Neo blinked; she pointed at herself. She swallowed - hard, and exaggerated. But the apprehension on her face was not at all false.

Saturday evening, Cinder approached the Schnee girl after lessons ended, and issued her challenge.

The challenge of the dance.

Weiss's response...was simultaneously disappointing and satisfying.

"You don't know how to dance? Well, then I guess I win by default, don't I?" Cinder gloated in Weiss's face, her voice dripping with false sympathies. She turned to walk away, back down the hall of the dorm building.

"Hold on now!" Yang leaped up, pointing at Cinder viciously. A fist went to her hip. A wide grin spread on her face. "Team RWYJ still has a challenger: me! You want to dance, then let's dance, hot stuff! I'll make you eat dirt!"

Cinder considered the girl. She grinned right back, hand going to her own hip. "If you're ready to lose, then alright. Let's dance." She snapped her fingers at Emerald. "Music. Now."

"On it!" Emerald exclaimed, tapping away at her scroll. She swiped at the screen, and loud, pulsing electric music began to blare up and down the hallway.

"Go Cinder!" Blake called, giving thumbs up and smiling widely.

"I'm sure you'll win!" Pyrrha called out, waving to her with a grin on her face.

Ruby Rose slapped a hand to her face, shaking her head. "Um, I wouldn't be too sure about that; Yang's been on the dance scene for years! Real ones - clubs! She's going to wipe the floor with Cinder! Don't tell her I said that," she added fearfully.

"Yang's got this," Jaune said confidently.

"Of course she does," Weiss said, satisfaction filling her voice. "It's going to be so nice to see the look on Cinder's face when she loses."

Yang stalked up to Cinder, throwing her hands in the air, tossing her head of blonde curls. "Ready when you are!"

Cinder flashed a smirk, lifting her chin at the girl. "How generous of you."

"Generous?" Yang laughed. "Nah: it's pity. You're going to lose so badly, you don't even know..."

"Save the pity for yourself," Cinder shot back. "You're going to need it."

"You're a lot of talk - not seeing much action! You can change that any time now!"

Cinder drew breath, loosening her stance, flexing her fingers, and then she raised her arms and threw them down again at her sides, swinging her hips and erupting into motion. She twirled and spun, hands weaving around and between, each other and arms; she stomped her feet and bent her legs for a low spin - she lifted one high and pulled the band from her hair, letting it all loose in a snapback of her entire body.

Yang moved as an effortless blur of yellow, hair flying about. Her face was fixed with that grin, her eyes shone with an easy confidence. She stepped in close, jutting her chest at Cinder as she shimmied her body at her.

Cinder closed the gap, bumping chests with the girl and flashing her leg out between Yang's deliberately; Yang spun away and lifted a leg at the knee, turning it into a 360 spin and a hard stomp, a hip protruded, so pronounced on one side.

Yang's grin grew fiercer, and she winked. "Haha, somebody's getting real down and dirty here! If you want to play by street rules, then we'll play it your way! I can beat you at your own game!"

Cinder found a laugh escaping her throat, tossing her head back. She flashed her hands up and wove them like Dust, working her way back in the girl's face again. She jutted her chin at her, once, twice, again. Then, she triggered her Aura and formed flames around her body, twirling up and down like ribbons. She manipulated the fires, weaving between and around her arms and legs as she danced on, harder and fiercer!

"Now that, that's damn dirty!" Yang proclaimed, but she laughed again and threw herself right back up close. "So is this!"

Cinder had to carefully work the flames to avoid striking the girl - but there were some near misses! She cursed in her mind and let it all die, spinning away from Yang and changing her strategy up a little.

They danced on, around and in each other's faces; Yang twirled around Cinder and pressed to her from behind, laughing in her ear before spinning away! Cinder thrust her arms into Yang's, forcing her to weave around hers to continue her dancing. She pressed to Yang's side and danced against her, arms looping around her neck, so she could breathe so sweetly into her ear, "How long do you think you can really keep this up?"

Yang ducked out from under her arms and spun away, kicking back off the wall and going low in splits. She popped back up again, her tempo upping even further. "I can do this all day," she said, faux casual. "How about you?"

Cinder growled at her, heaved a breath. The truth was, she was getting a bit tired; she realized she didn't have the largest array of moves to choose from. Pyrrha hadn't exactly done anything except professional contests. And very strictly in Argus. "The same!" she snapped out.

"Let's see it, then - unless you want to call it? Song's ending soon!" Yang taunted, with another of those damn winks of hers that both infuriated and sent strange feelings rippling through Cinder's stomach.

"You wish!" Cinder retorted instantly.

"Hah! Fine, then. We're doing it all the way!"

"You're damn right we are!"

And they did - until the song reached final crescendo, and turned to silence.

Yang pushed her hair behind her head, wiped a hand over her forehead. She was still grinning, had a hand on hip. "You know, that wasn't bad - it was actually great. Was that your first time?"

"Who won?" Cinder demanded, eyes roaming the onlookers.

"Really?" Yang said, annoyance seeping into her voice.

"Who. Won?" Cinder set her gaze on Pyrrha. On Emerald. On Blake. "I was better, wasn't I?"

"W-well..." Emerald's eyes shifted left and right. Then she gave a helpless shrug. "Shit, I'm sorry, but what that girl was throwing out..."

"You were excellent - but it seems that Yang clearly had the advantage of experience," Pyrrha said carefully.

"She was clearly better," Blake spoke, eyeing Yang - giving her a small smile. "Sorry, Cinder."

"Hey!" Emerald cried. "You only think that because she-"

Blake whirled, jabbing a finger in Emerald's face. "If you say another word, I'll cut you."

"A-and I'm just going to be...over here with Cinder!" Emerald said swiftly, slinking away. She seized Cinder's arm and smiled up at her. "You were great, awesome, really - but it wasn't enough for a first try. But you'll wipe her out next time!"

Cinder took a long, deep breath. And she let it go. She shoved down at the disappointment, at the anger, at the flashes of hurt. She met Yang's gaze, and forced a smirk. "Well, it's your win this time, then. But only this time - make no mistake of that!"

"Man, even when you're trying your best not to be a sore loser, you still can't manage it," Yang said, stretching and arching her back. "But you're getting there, I'll give you that. And hey - this was fun, you know. I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime with you. Do you even know what it means to just do things for fun?"

"I- I did have fun," Cinder said slowly, nodding. To her own surprise. "I can't wait to do it again. But I'll win next time," she added swiftly.

Yang rolled her eyes, turning away. "Sure! Looking forward to it."

I will destroy you next time, I'll crush you, I'll burn you to the ground, I'll see you breathless at my feet! I'll give you this one - just one!

Half an hour before the dance was set to begin, Cinder put on her longest dress - a flowing gown, of backless and leg slit, a beautiful black color, glistening with the Dust she'd woven into it in a wonderful sparkle that just completed the whole look, in her opinion. It had also come with long black gloves of sheer fabric, that reached past her elbows. And of course, it had an adequately high collar to it.

No need for her scarf, not tonight.

She exited the bathroom and walked out into her dorm room. Her friends set eyes on her. And then - it hit her.

"I- I don't want to go," she blurted, grabbing her arm and ducking her head.

"What? Why?" Emerald asked instantly, worried.

"What's wrong?" said Blake, putting her book down.

"Are you still upset over losing that dance to Yang?" Pyrrha spoke quietly. "If you don't want to see her, or if you don't want to dance at all because of-"

"I'm not still upset over it!" Cinder snarled, her dress lighting up and casting off embers.

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha said kindly. "Let me...rephrase that. If you don't want to go to the dance - for whatever reasons you have - would you like to just stay here with me, then? I don't mind not going, if you need me to be here with you."

Cinder glanced at her. She hesitated. A strange feeling rose in her. "But- you've...been really excited about going."

"I have - but we can still dance together here, can't we?" Pyrrha grinned. "It makes no difference to me! Honest. What's important isn't the dance itself, it's spending time with each other at the dance. But if you're feeling self-conscious, it's my job as your friend to-"

"I'm not self conscious!"

"If you're feeling...unspecified feelings that we won't name because it upsets you," Pyrrha continued on, determined. "then we can leave all those feelings behind, and just stay right here where we're most comfortable. What do you say?"

Cinder sighed, dropping her head again. "Okay, yes - let's stay here."

"Then we will. I'm sure Emerald and Blake will have a lovely time without us."

"Y-yeah..." Emerald began, stammering. "Yeah, that's right; we'll be fine without you guys! I can think of all kinds of ways to humiliate Blake over her crush on Yang."

"It's not a crush, and don't you dare!" Blake said instantly, glaring.

"Oh, I'm gonna," Emerald responded, flashing a grin.

Blake growled, turning away to hide her blush. And her smile.

"Is everyone ready?" Kari spoke, watching the two airships land in front of the warehouse. She turned to sweep her gaze over the two dozen armed thugs waiting behind Roman and Neo.

"Ready as we can be," Roman said, with a little wave of his cane.

Kari strode forward, getting in his face. She shoved past him, and stood before the goons. She raised her sword in an instant, shrouding her body in blue, and jabbed it forward between the necks of two men - the goons all shrieked and shrank away. She pulled her blade back, and let the energy die. "That...is how fast I will hunt down, and kill, each and every last one of you...if even a single hair on these children's heads gets hurt tonight. Am I understood?"

A chorus of affirmatives and agreements rose in her ears.

Kari turned back to Roman, her long blade nudging against his leg in the process. She met his gaze, and held it. "Am I understood? No...fun tonight. Or you're dead - but first, Neo will die, and I'll throw her corpse at your feet once I've hunted you down."

"Perfectly, crystal clear," Roman said immediately, nothing but serious. He gave a bow. "I'm a man of my word."

"No, you're not," Kari retorted. She narrowed her eyes. "But tonight you will be."