"Dinner is almost ready, is Sissy going to be here soon?" Shadow asked as she paced impatiently around the kitchen in the cabin, perching on the step stool next to the stove periodically to check on the state of the food. Blake rubbed her forehead as she checked her scroll, setting it back down on the counter before sighing, over-exaggerated so that Yang would ask her what was going on.
"What's wrong?" Yang questioned like Blake knew she would.
"It looks like Neela won't be coming," Blake noted. Shadow leapt down from the stool and grappled Blake's shirt.
"What?!" Shadow yelled at her.
"Titus texted me to let me know that Neela passed out in the dorm while doing homework," Blake explained. Shadow looked hurt as she sulked away and Yang chased her down.
"I wanted to see Sissy," Shadow whimpered.
"I know you did, but like the last time she came to visit she's pushing herself way too hard and has a lot on her plate," Yang explained. "She is getting better though." Shadow folded her arms.
"She should try relaxing sometimes," Shadow suggested. Yang nodded.
"I agree with you there, Kitten," Yang concurred.
"Shadow, come help me set the table!" Blake called for her. Shadow perked up slightly and headed over.
"Okay," she said, grabbing a stack of plates from her mom and placing them in front of the seats. Her ears twitched, sure she heard someone at the door and a knock came a moment later.
"I'll get it," Yang said making her way through the living room and letting them in. "Violet, so glad you could make it." Violet chuckled and stepped in, letting Yang close the door behind her as she hung her light jacket up by the door.
"I wasn't doing much, and it's always nice seeing the three of you," Violet replied.
"Hi, Elli's mom!" Shadow greeted her loudly, rushing over. "Is Elli coming back soon?" Violet frowned and knelt to make herself the same height as Shadow.
"I don't know," Violet assured her. "All we can do at this point is hope and pray." Shadow nodded as Violet stood back up.
"Dinner's ready," Blake noted. They all took their respective spots at the table and sat down, Shadow already happily chewing on her roast.
"Can I say a prayer over the meal first?" Violet inquired. Blake and Yang looked at each other with a smile and slight shrug.
"Of course," Yang agreed. Violet bowed her head and folded her hands, closing her eyes as Yang and Blake held hands and closed theirs, leaving Shadow to stop chewing her food slowly and watching them in wonder.
"Dear Oum, please bless the food we are about to eat. Everything good in life is on account of your graciousness," Violet stated. With that, it was over. Violet gave and nod and Blake and Yang both looked at Shadow who appeared dumbfounded, sitting in silence for a long couple of minutes as everyone else began eating.
"What was that?" Shadow asked.
"What was what, Sweetie?" Yang replied.
"What Miss Violet said," Shadow clarified. Violet laughed lightly as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.
"I said a prayer," Violet noted. "It helps with your troubles and worries if you have faith and let someone else take care of them for you. It's worked wonders for me in the past, like when Yang and Blake came over with Neela." Violet winked and Shadow's eyes lit up as she nodded and scarfed down her food.
"Shadow!" Blake scolded her.
"It's fine! I'm chewing it, see?" Shadow argued, opening her mouth. Blake looked away and Yang laughed, not helping the situation as Violet chuckled with her and continued enjoying her meal. Another few moments in silence and small talk was followed by Shadow slamming down her silverware as she finished and throwing her hand up in the air.
"Yes, Kitten?" Yang inquired.
"Can I be excused?" Shadow blurted out.
"Sure," Yang dismissed her. Shadow scrambled off towards her bedroom as the rest of them finished their meal.
"It was nice seeing you, Miss Violet," Shadow called back. Blake shook her head.
"She's too full of energy sometimes," Blake noted.
"She's fine," Violet replied. "I remember Eliana at that age." After a few minutes they had eaten to their heart's content and Yang showed Violet to the door as Blake had snuck off to check on Shadow.
"Thank you for having me over tonight. Be sure to let Blake know I thought the food was great," Violet insisted.
"Will do. You know, if you want we can do this on the weekends more often. Shadow likes it here more than at the apartment and I'm guessing it can get kinda lonely at your place," Yang stated with a smile.
"I've kinda grown to keep myself busy with little things around the house so I don't think about it as much," Violet chuckled. "But I wouldn't object to some company every now and then. We could even alternate and take turns making meals."
"That sounds like a great idea!" Yang beamed. They hugged each other saying their goodbyes, Violet made it a ways down the path as Yang remembered one last thing she wanted to ask. "Violet! One last thing!"
"What is it dear?" Violet asked, making her way back towards the cabin. Yang debated whether she should pry about it or not before deciding it was fine.
"Have you… heard from Elli? If you don't want to talk about this is fine I just- " Yang began.
"It's fine, Yang," Violet cut her off. "I've gotten the odd text here or there and one phone call but I can tell it's mostly in a moment of weakness. She doesn't want to think about Vale at all. Likely the easiest way for her to not bring back up the memory of what happened."
"I just…" Yang stammered. "I don't know what else we can do to let her know we are not upset with her and don't hold it against her. She was put in an impossible situation. That wasn't her fault." Violet nodded.
"I think she knows, deep down," Violet informed her. She began heading down the path once more. "I think she just needs to forgive herself!" Yang nodded, closing the door and heading back into the house as she exhaled loudly. Yang made her way up the steps towards Blake and Shadow, calling out for her wife to figure out just where they were.
"Blake!?" Yang shouted. "Blakey!?" As Yang reached the top of the steps Blake grappled her, placing a finger to Yang's lips as they crept back towards Shadow's room. They watched the girl race about her room, grabbing stuffed animals and placing them next to her as she climbed up her dresser with the assistance of a clone and pulled down Neela's picture, setting it in front of her.
"Mr. Beowulf and Mr. Ursa, you can pray with me too," Shadow insisted. "Um… Mr. Oum, sir… or whoever you are. I don't know if you can hear me but if you can, I have to ask you something. My Sissy is really cool, but she has been really sad ever since Elli went away and now she's always tired and sick. If you can bring back Elli somehow, I know that would fix everything. Neela likes Eliana, a lot, like how my Mommy Blake loves Mommy Yang. So, I guess that's it. Thank you." Shadow opened her eyes again, reaching out and hugging the pic of Neela. "It'll get better Sissy, I promise."
Eliana stepped foot into the only mall that could be found in Haven's upper level and was immediately blown away by the number of people and how amazing everything looked and smelt. The first wing was long and sprawling, a fountain greeting them first thing, the same goddess that was found inside of the school under the headmaster's office could be found here, standing in the middle of the water and holding a lamp from which the water poured out into the pool below her. Eliana had been to the mall on one of the lower levels before, her family had never really had more money than they needed to get by, so there was never a need to visit the shops at the bottom, nor the mall of the wealthy at the top, but here she was, feeling out of place as couples and high schoolers walked quickly past her, occasionally glancing at her, making her feel like she didn't belong. Desirae laughed as she threw her hands out and spun around, Eliana had to assume that it was her first time in the mall as well, seeming far too excited, even for Desirae. Asher sighed, startling Eliana who wasn't aware of the fact that he was standing right next to her.
"I don't want to be here any longer than I have to be," he groaned as he walked over to Desirae and forced her to put her hands down. "If you're causing a scene as soon as Fade gets here, she's going to go off, and it's way too early in the day for that." Desirae stared at him for a long moment before she smiled and nodded happily, skipping around to the other side of the fountain and sighing happily as Eliana walked over to join her.
"Just imagine being able to shop here on a regular basis!" Desirae exclaimed excitedly, her eyes lighting up as she absorbed all of the information that was coming in from all around her. "What I wouldn't give to come here again!" Eliana looked at her, confused by what Desirae meant by that. Desirae caught her gaze and laughed. "You look like you've been taken off guard, Eliana."
"I didn't quite understand what you meant by that last comment," Eliana explained. Desirae exhaled, her smile nearly faltering for a moment.
"I guess if you've never lived in the slums it's hard to know why this would be so exciting," Desirae noted.
"I didn't know you were from the slums!" Eliana shouted.
"It's fine!" Desirae laughed. "I might not have been as successful in the fighting ring down there as The Maniac, but they never kept me down." Eliana found it hard to believe that both Tawney and this girl had come from the slums and taken part in the fighting rings. "I wanted nothing more than to make it here. To the academy. To be one of the wealthy. And look! Now I'm standing in one of their malls! Most people hated those in the upper class, claiming it was their fault we had life so bad, but all I wanted was to be like them. They had lavish parties, and beautiful clothes, and… unspeakable wonders contained within their malls!"
"Well, I'm glad you finally made it," Eliana told her. Desirae smiled and nodded.
"Thanks!" Desirae exclaimed. "I can't help but be excited all the time, I'm just glad to leave that old life behind me!"
"How'd you make it out?" Eliana inquired.
"Didn't I say?" Desirae pondered as she looked at the ground for a moment and tried to recall everything she'd just said. "Anyways, it was…"
"Well, you three are here early," Fade noted as she entered the building, smiling as she threw her hair back out of her face. Despite the fact that fall was well underway, she wore a black bikini top with jean shorts that were just long enough to cover her butt, peering over her sunglasses at Eliana with a smirk. "Well, at least none of you were late."
"Isn't it a little late in the year to be wearing something like that?" Desirae asked her.
"Is it a crime to want to look nice?" Fade asked pouting a bit which seemed out of character to Eliana but she dismissed it. Desirae waved her arms.
"No! You can dress however you want, Fade! You look great, really!" Desirae fired back as Asher walked around the fountain to join them, hiding his face with his hair more than usual.
"What do you think, Elli?" Fade asked. Eliana froze at the name… it was the first time that any of them had called her that and where she had been feeling the regret she felt a strange and comforting warmth at the use. A smile tugged at her lips and she blushed, though she tried to hide it. No, she couldn't be smitten with this girl, someday she'd return to Neela, right? However, the sensation of suspense and Eliana's breath catching as her heart thundered in her chest was an enjoyable kind of anxiety that she'd never felt before.
"I think it suits you," Eliana chose to tell her. Fade smiled.
"I'm glad you agree," Fade told her. "And besides…"
"Is that Fade?!" someone yelled from a store nearby. Several others turned to look as well, rushing out from where they were shopping to meet the girl.
"You look amazing today!" One of the guys that came up told her. She winked at him and posed for them as they took pictures, Asher placing himself behind Eliana and Desirae as more people gathered. Then it clicked with Eliana. He was a Faunus… he was probably just as scared as that woman she'd saved from the outskirts the other night. Eliana felt flush with aggravation, she needed that meeting with Stratford. In fact, that was why they were at the mall.
"I wouldn't want my adoring fans to see my bad side, would I?" Fade asked as she chuckled.
"Are you ready for the Vytal Festival later this year?" One girl asked who was too shy to push her way to the front of the crowd.
"I've been ready since the beginning of last year, and you can all be sure that my teammates have been working just as hard. I have been pushing them to make sure they're at peak performance when the tournament rolls around," Fade explained.
"Do you think you'll become the head of the council one day?" Came another shout from the back.
"Alright, this has been fun, but I think I'm ready to shop now," Fade declared as she began pushing through them.
"Wait!" Someone yelled attempting to grab her. She snatched her hand away as more people gathered instead of disbanding. "What about the last question?" Fade looked flustered.
"I… I'm ready to go now, please," she demanded.
"Eliana," Desirae spoke sternly. Eliana looked at the girl, her face was washed over with concern, it was the first time Eliana had seen her like that. "We need to back them off, now." Eliana looked back at Fade, her eyes darting around as she began to tremble.
"As long as one of them is holding on to her, there's nothing that I can do to push them back without someone losing a limb," Eliana explained.
"I'll do it," Asher spoke. Eliana looked back at him as he pushed past the two of them. He opened his mouth, a strange ear-piercing scream tearing through the air, dropping everyone to their knees as they covered their ears, including Eliana and Desirae, even though the latter knew it was coming. Asher stopped, walking through the crowd that looked dazed and confused, grabbing Fade's hand. She flinched before looking up at him, giving him a subtle nod as he pulled her out.
"Thank you," she mouthed.
"I figured ringing ears was better than injuries," Asher told her.
"What the hell!?" One of them yelled as they began to figure out what happened. Two of them charged for them before being stopped by a barrier by Eliana.
"Leave her alone," Eliana instructed. A few of the guys waved them off in disdain as another flipped them off before the entire group broke up and went back to what they were doing.
"Thanks," Fade said to Elaina. She shook her head.
"Don't mention it. Quite the celebrity, huh?" Eliana asked her.
"I am the best student at Haven after all," Fade pointed out. Asher snorted.
"So you keep telling us," he replied.
"Are we shopping for anything specific today?" Desirae asked.
"Eliana offered to buy me something nice," Fade noted with a smile at the girl, looking quite pleased with herself.
"Eliana offered?" Asher asked. "In return for what?"
"A meeting with Stratford," Eliana replied without missing a beat. Fade chuckled as Asher shook his head.
"But you could buy half the mall with your own money," Desirae pointed out. Fade gave her a stern look and Desirae shrank away like a dog that had been yelled at.
"Sounds like extortion to me," Asher noted.
"It's fine," Eliana pointed out. Asher and Desirae looked at her. "Anything that gets me a meeting with Stratford."
"She's learning much faster than our last teammate," Fade laughed as she hooked her arm around Eliana's, causing the girl to pause for a moment in confusion. Fade dragged her along. "Come on, Eliana. I have a pretty good idea of what you can buy me." Asher and Desirae took up the rear, Asher shaking his head.
"It's like she always says," Asher sighed. "She always gets what she wants."
"I mean, we do owe her a lot," Desirae reminded Asher. He nodded.
"But Eliana doesn't," Asher replied. "I get the feeling this won't end well. Maybe not right away, but at some point."
"Are you two coming?" Fade asked beaming at them. Asher shook his head and slunk along faster, Desirae close by as they passed through the masses. Fade stopped outside of an expensive-looking jewelry store and laughed as she raised an arm as if to show it off to Eliana. "This is the place."
"Does it have to be from here?" Eliana asked her. Fade pouted and traced her foot on the floor.
"It doesn't have to be anything expensive," Fade explained.
"Is there anything that isn't expensive here?" Asher asked.
"Maybe a cheaper necklace or pair of earrings," Fade noted sounding annoyed at Asher. Eliana scanned the store from the corridor before noting a flyer next to the door that she scanned over. Her eyes widened and she rushed to it, nearly ripping it off of the wall.
"No way!" Eliana exclaimed. "He's coming out of retirement to go on tour?!"
"Who?" Desirae asked.
"The Apex!" Eliana shouted. They all stared at her confused and she did her best to suspend her disbelief. "Kendrick "Apex" Rigel? Nothing?!"
"You mean the old celebrity huntsman from Vacuo?" Desirae inquired.
"I wouldn't say old, he's probably not any older than 30, if even," Eliana noted. "He was the youngest hunstmen to become a celebrity, even younger than the Grimm Reaper! Not to mention, he has more unique Grimm species kills than any other huntsman! He must be getting ready to hunt for another Camazotz!"
"The bat thing that they found at your old school?" Asher asked.
"Yes!" Eliana declared. "I bet that means he'll be heading to Vale, Neela will be so excited!"
"You know," Fade said, rolling her eyes and staring at the flyer. "For someone who lights up your eyes, you don't talk about her much." Eliana glanced at Fade before her joy faded. "What's so great about this Neela girl?"
"She's the best huntress I've ever known," Eliana told her, glaring at the girl before pushing past her into the store, Fade pausing for a moment to maintain composure.
"There has to be more to it than that, I can tell," Fade muttered.
"Drop it, Fade," Asher insisted. "You said that she gave off bad psionic energy when you asked her before, this is not the place that we want you to have an episode." Fade waved him off and headed into the store after Eliana.
"Have something in mind?" Eliana asked her.
"I do," Fade informed her. "But… I think it would mean more if you chose something for me." Eliana looked at the girl, wondering what she was playing at, but she had to keep her goal in mind. Stratford needed to know what was happening with Faunus on the outskirts of Haven.
"How about this?" Eliana asked holding a necklace up to her and Fade stared at it.
"You didn't put much thought into it…" Fade replied disappointed.
"Fade…" Asher began. Eliana sighed.
"It's fine," Eliana insisted again. She browsed the selection once again that seemed 'cheap' and picked out a gaudy-looking diamond necklace that screamed look at me as much as Fade did. It was going to cost her nearly half of a paycheck, but she knew she needed that meeting. She smiled, holding it up to Fade's neck, and looked her in the eyes. "Perfect!" Fade blushed slightly, but looked away and cleared her throat.
"I suppose that will do," Fade noted. Asher shook his head.
What is Fade's angle? Next week, Chapter 13: Attack!
A big thank you to AG_Nonsuch, Helihi, Cadhla182, Carlomontie, Nliast, Y8ay8a, Sa-Dui, Diyaru4500, Demize00Zero, TheCipherNine, SketchHungry, Ookaminoki, Lightning-in-my-Hand, and Dishwasher1910. The artwork can be found at Deviantart, you can search Silent-Celica and under my favorites tab, I have a collection for NITE.
Until next week, stay safe, stay healthy, and stay classy!