No this story has not been dropped. I have been working on it when I can. Real life will always take priority. I also took a little longer because I was planning out future events. This story was originally a side project and now has turned into one of my main works. I didn't expect it to go this far this quickly. Now that everything is planned out, I can start writing more. Also, my beta reader, SilverFang88 has returned from his long hiatus, so the reviews will be quicker too. I decided to go with books to mark major breaks in this story, so here is the start of Book 2. After the comments of course.
DNWorks: Nah. A master of the game of chess leaving a piece to freely roam around would never happen. Sometimes, you have to make people think they are free to do what they want.
Guest: It's kind of hard to explain Last Order to someone who doesn't understand the Misaka Network.
HydraLightning: That's kind of been overdone. A lot of anime do something like that. A powerful being within the main character who pops out when the hero is about to lose.
Cbustroyer: 1) Last Order no. Accelerator has a chance of getting it. 2) If I do, it will be closer to the end of the story. 3) Well, she will be bored at least. Adam will not be wasted!
Thanatos 2018: When you can't choose between two things, take both.
Awardedall: Thanks. He might be willing to give up the design once he doesn't need it.
Maelaeran: Neo's a professional. It would take a profession to stop her.
G119: I thought about this a lot. Since Salem was made immortal by the god of light pool and corrupted by the black pool, they aren't a constant source. So if Touma hits her, it would probably revert her to normal. As for Ozpin, the god of light tied him to the world. If he died while Touma was touching him, he would probably stay dead. Yeah, Touma wouldn't kill anyone. If he thought it would kill Salem, he wouldn't touch her, even if the rest of the world wanted him to.
Aman Gupta1 chapter: I won't, but takes time to update now.
Gamecubenut: I like it.
Fernandamichelleraya: Blake just needs someone to talk to that understands her. It wasn't like Touma was going to ask anything bad. I want to do a lot more with Penny, so expect to see her more. As for the name, it's not bad, but doesn't really stand out. Got several good names for them already but keep trying and I bet something will form.
Ahsoei: Nope. Blake's not that easy.
WriterAdam: Continue adding to this one. The Book/Act just helps separate ideas into seasons so they are easier to accomplish. I want to get to X spot by X chapter. I feel if Atlas promises to give him improved ones for free, they could come up with a deal. Ironwood could defeat Touma, just by using mechs.
IllusionBreaker: Who wouldn't want to control the underworld with dragons?
SlothDGod: Nora would tame it and ride it into battle.
ShinyKyu: Both are good ships.
50cm no HYAHAAAA: All important pieces of plot. All the headpats.
Orakle: Thanks.
Ospimpisons: Part of me wants Accelerator to improve Penny's design because he was bored and she and Last Order were friends.
Mr. X: 1) Blake is not easy. 2) Maybe she did? 3) That will be answered this chapter… or at least you will see their chemistry. 4) Nah, got a better scene for that. 5) Terrible. Still on NT20. The name is kind of fun, but it seems to be a one sided naming.
Croniklerx: I've been taking a long time to update. It takes time to write a lot. Things wrapped up nicely. A little too nicely actually and I had trouble deciding how I wanted to start the next season. I did take your advice and start planning things out.
Inacio: She looked kind of surprised about the mark, so I wasn't sure in the show.
Guest: I cannot speak for Ozpin. He is much older and smarter than I. However, some of your suggestions have merits. Perhaps he can intercept Neo's information. Of course, there is the possibility that converting her would give him access to the entire Vale criminal underworld. As for Roman, that's the entire point. Cinder could set his head on fire in an instant, but not he has a way out. Just has to figure out how to go about it. He will lie, cheat, and survive. If he has to wait and pretend to be a loyal laptop until the right moment, he will. Balance is hard, not going to lie. However, magic would still work on him if he's not careful. Plus, I have some fun plans in store for someone who can affect him without Vectors.
WiliamZ0: Fox's Semblance ruined everything. I might just keep it like I have so the plot works moving forward. Memory Wipe seems a little out of place. Someone mentioned Ichigo too. Maybe he just needs to interact with his inner demons.
InfiniteArchive109: I like them. Especially since they are for the less common ships.
Daiten: Usually when I see someone liking the story, it encourages me to keep going.
ShadowBloodedge9396: Yes. I liked having Neo appear and think about what happened earlier. Nah, too many ideas need to be written down before I can stop. Touma has… reasons for being oblivious to girls. It's more of a mental barrier because he doesn't think he deserves one or the fact they would get drawn into his misfortune. If someone shows up, it will be someone from the magic side probably. Someone needs to help plan a ritual for dimensional travel.
Kyugan: …That was totally my eye. Don't believe what my beta tells you.
Disclaimer: I do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index or RWBY.
Touma awoke with a jolt.
What's happening!?
Someone was shouting at the far end of the hospital ward and that's what woke him up from his deep sleep. He was having a very pleasant dream too. Blake was involved in it… and for some reason so was Neo. Most of the details escaped him as he sat up, but he knew those two were involved. A brief pang of extreme disappointment struck him all at once for forgetting. Shaking his head, to literally shake that feeling off, he focused on the loud guests further away.
Both of which he recognized quickly enough.
"…sadistic quack! I bet you aren't a real fucking doctor!"
"Nonsense, I have three degrees. You just aren't thinking straight because of the brain aneurysm." Tsune stood over him, using one arm to hold him down. In her other hand was a very wicked looking metal tool. "I repaired the tissue damage, but the rest of your body needs a thorough examination. Now roll over. Your hospital gown opens up in the back."
"Screw you!" Accelerator was struggling and his red eyes had become quite menacing.
"Careful," Tsune warned in a sing-song voice. "Using your ability before you're healed could make things worse. Of course…" She smiled deviously. "That would allow me to try more… substantially risky medical procedures. How does that sound?"
Accelerator stopped moving, glancing over at him and thus prompting Tsune to follow his line of sight.
"Ah!" She stood up and Accelerator breathed a sigh of relief as she walked toward Touma. "Mr. Kamijou, how are you today?"
"Fine." Touma assured her, stiffening as his eyes never left the metal tool in her hand. "Am I free to go?"
"Aww." Tsune actually looked sad to see him go. "You and Mr. Accelerator are such great patients though. He keeps getting injured to come back and see me."
"Fuck you!" Accelerator thundered.
"He's really enamored by my looks and keeps propositioning me." Tsune continued unabated and then frowned. "If only I wasn't a teacher here…" She almost trailed off. "But I promised the headmaster you would be able to leave. Let me contact him real quick. Are you sure you aren't still hurting anywhere? Maybe a little sore?"
"I'm perfectly fine," Touma told her quickly. He didn't want to stay under her care any longer than he had to. "I'm used to getting beaten up, so I heal pretty quick."
Accelerator almost chuckled at that.
"Well… if you're sure." She looked a little disappointed as she turned around and left to go back to her office.
Touma took the opportunity to address the #1 Level 5 in the room with him.
"Why are you here? Did you guys find out anything?"
Accelerator glowered at him.
"Seems that Merlot bastard was creating a way to travel between worlds." Accelerator finally admitted, ignoring Touma's first question. There was no way he was going to tell the hero he passed out and Nora was forced to carry him back, piggyback style. He was conscious when they returned to Beacon, but Ozpin forced him to get checked up. "The Gateway was incomplete and we were forced to destroy it, but Eliza managed to get the information."
"Destroyed?"
"Seems your buddy Torchwick and those idiots of the White Fang decided to show up." Accelerator huffed.
"We aren't actually buddies-…" Touma tried to protest.
"He tried to kill the blonde knight, the Spartan, and Eliza." Accelerator added.
That shut Touma up.
Damn it! Part of Touma wanted to believe Roman was good underneath his criminal exterior, but if he was willing to kill Jaune, Pyrrha, and Eliza, things were not looking good. Is it possible he was just using it as leverage?
"Does Ozpin have any idea if they will be able to use this Gateway to get us home?" Touma asked and Accelerator shrugged.
"Hell if I know. They have to go through all that information we'd gotten and then actually build it. And that could take years."
"Years…" Touma mumbled and slumped back in his bed. "It feels like every time we get a lead, the goal just gets further away."
Accelerator didn't say anything.
"Index is going to kill me when I get back." Touma added.
Accelerator still didn't respond.
It wasn't like he didn't understand what Touma was going through. Contrary to popular belief, Accelerator was human and had feelings. It was due to his upbringing that he locked them away to avoid showing weakness. But things have changed since then. Now he was in charge of a little girl whose life he had vowed to protect. This world was harsh and unforgiving, but Academy City was the same for the weak. The monsters back home just wore human skin. Accelerator might have thought he wouldn't care where they lived, as long as Last Order was safe. Since he was there, that wasn't a problem. However, he felt a tinge of regret at Touma's words.
There were others back home waiting for him.
A family of sorts, not bound by blood.
"So why are you here?" Accelerator asked. He didn't really care about the specifics, but it would change the subject at least. Thinking about his home in Academy City made him feel uncomfortable.
"White Fang raided the town we were in while most of the team was out fighting a mutated Grimm." Touma explained casually, like it was the most natural thing in the world. "One of the leaders got me good, but we chased him away."
"Mmmm." Accelerator made a noncommittal sound, but didn't say anything as Tsune barged back in.
"Okay!" She clapped her hands together. "Accelerator, you have to stay at least until noon today. I'm supposed to release you if you don't show any other issues. So please, use your powers a bit to see if you can reopen that aneurism." Her eyes actually looked hopeful and he glared at her. Not getting a response, Tsune turned to Touma. "As for you, Mr. Kamijou, the headmaster said you can be released immediately." She looked disappointed. "Are you sure you don't still hurt anywhere. I may not be fully equipped for surgery, but I have the equipment to cure almost anything."
"No! I-I mean, I'm good." Touma shook his head frantically and pulled off the sheets before hopping out of bed. "I'll head out."
"Dressed like that?" Tsune asked, the corner of her lip curling.
Accelerator's palm slapping against his face rung out shortly thereafter.
"Such misfortune." Touma muttered, looking down.
He was sure he had pants on the night before.
"KYAAAAAAAA!"
Ruby fell out of her bed and crashed onto the floor.
Her team had been excused from classes since they returned and had since been sleeping in. Their mission hadn't taken very long. They left Monday, found the Grimm on Tuesday, and were forced to come back that evening due to Touma's injuries and he woke up the next day. Part of her hoped they could have skipped classes today and tomorrow so it would be the weekend, but that was not to be.
Weiss wouldn't let them skip through an entire week, so they were going to attend afternoon classes today. Ruby had been playing a game on her scroll while Yang was in the bathroom. Weiss was at her desk writing something, and Blake was reading like usual. To her delight, she had found out that Team JNPR had returned really early that morning. Initially, Ruby wanted to discuss with them about what had happened on their mission. Once she saw that all of them looked exhausted, however, she had refrained.
After all, she was an adult and drank milk.
Then Yang's scream interrupted the peaceful morning.
"What happened?!" Ruby cried out, bolting at superhuman speeds toward the bathroom door. She threw open the door to see Yang standing in front of the mirror, frozen in place. It only took half a second for her to see why her sister screamed. "Oh… my…"
She stepped back in fright.
"What's going on with Yang?!" Weiss demanded, stepping up next to her. "She disrupted…"
Her complaints died in her throat.
"It can't be that bad," Blake stated, annoyed at being interrupted. Extra ears made her sensitive to noise. "Did she find a pimple…" Her eyes widened when she saw what happened. "Okay, well… I'm going to leave then."
She turned around and prepared to flee the scene.
Everyone here knew that this was not going to end well.
Yang slowly turned to them, her expression slowly morphing from shock to anger. Her hands gripped the sink so hard it began to crack. Her eyes flashed and changed from lilac to red. Anger could not begin to describe the dark aura emitting from her. Heat hot enough to cause the girls to sweat emitted from her. They could almost hear the sound of teeth grating. After hurting Ruby, there was one other thing someone could do that would elicit such a reaction. An open bottle of shampoo was tipped over on the bathroom counter. Yang slowly reached up and rubbed a few strands of her hair between her fingers.
Her hair currently was dyed bright green.
Someone had messed with her haircare products.
Ruby, Weiss, and Blake backed away and Yang finally snapped.
"I'M GONNA KILL HER!"
Touma did not expect to be sitting in the headmaster's office after just being released.
Nor would he expect to see Ruby slumped down in a chair next to him.
Neo was sitting on the other side of him pretending to look...innocent? Yang strapped down to another chair next to Ruby with her hair dyed green?
That's something that really didn't faze him.
"Do you know why you four have been called into my office?" Ozpin asked exasperatedly from across his desk.
"Because that criminal messed with my hair!" Yang yelled out, earning a smack on her shoulders from Glynda's riding crop.
"You and Miss Neopolitan are here because you destroyed a wall in the cafeteria and part of the courtyard!" Glynda snapped. "Miss Rose and Mr. Kamijou are here because they are your team leaders."
'I'm innocent.' Neo held up her tablet. 'I was just having breakfast when this crazy girl attacked me. Can I press charges?'
Everyone ignored her.
"Miss Rose," Ozpin said with a sigh. "Can you explain to me what happened?"
"Er…" Ruby looked surprised to be put on the spot. "Yang had finished showering and the rest of us were in our room. We heard a scream and went to investigate. We found Yang standing in front of the bathroom mirror, her hair turned green. She ran out before we could do anything to stop her and Weiss found out there was some dye mixed in with her shampoo."
"She did it!" Yang accused, gesturing toward Neo with her head.
"Do you have evidence of this?" Ozpin asked and Yang quieted down. None of them could prove that Neo, actually, did it. "This would normally only be discounted as a prank, but breaking into a room can result in disciplinary measures." He looked at Neo. "Did you enter Team RWBY's dorm at any point when they were off on their mission?"
Neo nodded.
The room went silent.
No one had expected her to admit to it. If she had kept denying it, none of them would have any proof. Instead, she went the route no one expected. Touma facepalmed as Neo sat there, looking completely unabashed. Yang sat there in stunned silence, her mouth agape. Ruby slumped further down into her seat, if that was even possible. Since Yang now had proof, the war had now official begun. Ozpin and Glynda shared a look and she raised her eyebrow.
"See!" Yang declared triumphantly, finally finding her voice. "She admitted it!"
Neo shook her head.
"No?" Ozpin asked and turned to Touma.
"Er… I'll try to translate." Touma volunteered. "I kind of understand her sign language and it might be faster than her typing."
Neo nodded and Ozpin waved his hand toward them.
"Let's see… She did go into their room while we were gone." Touma said slowly, trying to read the random signals Neo did with her hands, arms, and body. "That was because of… Last Order after they left Miss Goodwitch?"
"So that must mean they stopped by Team RWBY's dorm before heading back to theirs." Glynda interjected and Neo nodded before moving on.
"Last Order needed to drop something off and then they left." Touma continued. "They were in and out before anything happened. Neo wouldn't have time to do anything." He frowned. "Can you repeat that last part?" He asked. Neo rolled her eyes and repeated the gesture. "Last Order was the one who took something and then they ran into… a cop, military man?"
"General Ironwood," Ozpin stated and then he leaned back in his chair. "Ah… I think I know when she is referring to." He looked over at Ruby. "Is there any evidence that she dyed Miss Xiao Long's hair?"
"…No." Ruby finally answered. "She just assumed it was her."
"Who else could it be?" Yang growled.
Neo crossed her arms.
"I see." Ozpin rubbed his temple. "I can't punish Miss Neopolitan without evidence and Miss Order had been given permission to enter Team RWBY's room. However, Miss Xiao Long's actions do warrant disciplinary action. She will help clean up the damages she caused and serve detention with Miss Goodwitch for three weeks. Do you understand?"
"That's not fair!" Yang cried out.
"I agree completely." Glynda stated, surprising them until she continued a moment later. "I would have given you detention for a full month."
That sobered Yang up immediately.
"Please take Miss Xiao Long and Miss Neopolitan outside," Ozpin said to Glynda. "I wish to speak to these two alone." She nodded and flicked her riding crop. The seat Yang was bound to floated a couple inches off the ground. Neo followed and, when Glynda wasn't looking, stuck her tongue out at Yang, who struggled in fury. Once the door closed, Ozpin sighed. "Being in a school for children aspiring to become the protectors of Remnant, you expect fights to happen."
"I'm sorry about her," Touma apologized. "I try to watch her, but…."
He trailed off, but Ozpin looked at him understandingly.
"Miss Neopolitan is a professional and much more powerful than someone her age." Ozpin told them firmly. "I don't expect any of the first years, or even possibly the second and third years, to be able to stand against her if she grew serious. However," He tapped his finger on his desk. "Based on her reputation, I think she has mellowed out quite a bit."
"I think so too." Ruby agreed and beamed at Touma. "She only used hair dye. Imagine how Yang would have react if she used something to make her hair fall out." She shivered. "I wouldn't want to be within miles of her." She blinked and realized something. "I mean, if Neo actually did do it."
"Oh, she did do it," Touma said and put his head into his hands. "Let's not pretend otherwise."
"Are you sure?" Ozpin asked him seriously.
"Ninety-nine percent sure." Touma replied honestly and with a weary sigh not suitable for his age. "I want to believe she didn't do it and, as you said, we can't blame someone without proof. The thing is, she is the most likely candidate. She doesn't get along with Yang."
"Or Blake," Ruby added. "Weiss just kind of… tolerates her being here."
"And that can be a problem." Ozpin said and stood up. He paced back and forth as the two of them watched. "We want to make her feel welcome, to understand there is another path than villainy. While her pranks can be bothersome, have any of them actually caused serious harm while she has been here?"
"No," Touma answered. "The worst was when she made an illusion of a spider on my face in the morning and tapped my cheek, causing me to fall off the bed."
Ruby had to stifle a giggle.
"In my honest opinion, I think she is rather bored from being cooped up here." Ozpin told them.
"But… but you said she can't go to Vale or on missions." Touma pointed out. "What is she supposed to do?"
"I was thinking of giving her a chance to go to Vale for a brief outing." Ozpin said. "I believe… there will be a reason she wants to go and will accept my offer. Heavily monitored of course, but she will have some freedom. She is not a prisoner. Nor would I want her to be one. Prisoners simply waste away and generate negative emotions to attract Grimm. I rather have another champion against the darkness fighting on our side. Do you not believe that Miss Neopolitan would be a powerful asset in that regard?"
"Yes," Ruby answered immediately. "Just because we may not like someone, there's some people here I don't like very much." An image of Cardin swam to the front of her mind. "However, to protect people, I will fight by anyone with the same goal."
"Very well stated, Miss Rose." Ozpin smiled at her, causing her to blush from the praise and sit up a bit straighter. "Hunters and Huntresses come from all sorts of backgrounds. We are not machines. Each of us is different. We may not see eye to eye all the time, but we have a common goal. Fighting for the future of us all. To stand against the tide of darkness. It is why I gave her this chance." His eyes bore into Touma. "I feel you will have a long lasting effect on her; more than you know."
"I just… try to lead by example, I guess?" Touma scratched the back of his head. "I can't tell you anything about her background. That's something she won't talk about at all. I do think she can do good. Everyone can do good if given the opportunity."
"Which is why I do what I can, even if others look unfavorably at me." He nodded. "You two may go. I expect Glynda will take your teammates back to your rooms after her lecture."
The two of them bowed and quickly left. Ozpin was a nice guy but sitting in front of him, across his desk, made him kind of imposing. They looked at each other and Touma shrugged.
"Sorry." He said. "For Neo."
"Sorry." Ruby replied. "For Yang."
The two of them stared at each other.
Then burst out laughing.
"We got the short end of the straws in team selection, huh?" Touma asked.
"You have nooo idea." Ruby told him seriously. "Having your big sister on the same team, plus a partner who you accidentally exploded on the first day of school-…"
"Wait, what? Exploded on?"
"Never mind!" Ruby cried and waved her hands in front of his face. "Actually, I have something for you. I finished it last night. I couldn't sleep because I was worried about you and just kind of finished…" She kind of ended lamely, but Touma didn't pay attention to that.
"Finish… what?"
"Come with me!"
Ruby grabbed his left arm and dashed off, pulling him after her.
"You seem to be in a good mood." Weiss commented, as she and Blake were heading to their afternoon class. Ruby and Yang should be there to meet them, assuming Glynda didn't punish them too harshly.
"What makes you say that?" Asked Blake in her usual even tone.
"You aren't slouching as much and I saw you smiling a lot, even when not reading." Weiss pointed out in an equally flat tone.
"What about you?" Blake countered. "I saw you receive something on your scroll and you looked like, as Yang would say, 'finally thawing out' as you were beaming so much."
"I really don't think you should be quoting Yang on anything." Weiss pointed out, scowling as Blake smirked. "Does your good mood have something to do with your late night outing?"
Blake's smile slipped off her face.
"You know?" She whispered.
"Yang made sure to wake us up and tell us you were planning to claim Touma as your own." Weiss stated monotonously. She then looked at Blake curiously. "What did you really do?"
"Well…. I did go and see him." Blake admitted.
If this had been Ruby or Yang, they would have reacted a lot different than Weiss; she actually let her finish explaining. Yang would have made jokes and Ruby would have stared at her apprehensively the entire time.
"And?" Weiss motioned impatiently for her to continue.
"It was kind of personal."
Weiss's eyes widened.
"I don't believe it. You actually did go to have sex with him."
"NO!" Blake cried before controlling herself. "Ahem, no, we talked about something personal he found out about the White Fang. Something I haven't been able to discuss. It actually helped talking to him about it. I feel… less burdened."
Weiss stared at her with a scowl on her face.
"I promise to tell you, Ruby, and Yang," Blake continued. "In all honesty, if he hadn't found out, I probably wouldn't be able to talk about it. That's why I went to see him along with thanking him for his help. That was actually Yang's idea. I just stopped at the thank you part."
"I see… I suppose that is an improvement than keeping everything to yourself and running off when it gets too much. Thank you for telling me. I promise not to mention it to Ruby and Yang if you promise to tell us all about it soon."
"I promise." Blake nodded and then her eyes narrowed. "You did a good job at deflecting attention to me. Now then, why were you so happy this morning? Did some recently purchased stock prices skyrocket?"
"If you must know, my sister is in Vale as part of Atlas's security." Weiss answered curtly. "Her schedule has been rather hectic, but she has some free time this afternoon after classes. I plan to meet up with her in Vale." She sighed. "Please don't tell Ruby. She'll pester me to come along and meet her. I… would rather have some alone time. I would explain that to her, but once she decides on something, it's hard to talk her out of it."
"I don't know." There was a shadow of a smile on Blake's lips. "Keeping secrets is bad, isn't it?"
"Ha, ha, ha." Weiss faked laughed dryly. "You've been hanging around Yang far too long. If you start making terrible puns, you're on your own from now on."
"I won't tell." Blake promised. "Though, maybe you should arrange a time for them to meet. Your sister's pretty… strict if I remember you tell us."
"Yes." Weiss nodded. "Which means Ruby's personality is going to clash with hers. I'm hoping I can prepare them both a bit for each other first."
"Well, try to give us a heads up if she plans to stop by." Blake said.
"Oh, you will know if that happens. I can't wait to show her how well I've been doing in Beacon." Her demeanor brightened and Blake decided not to say anything the rest of the way to class.
Yang was there, her hair still decidedly green. Glynda probably forced her to go to class as part of her punishment and she didn't get a chance to clean the dye out of her hair. Neo was there next to Last Order and Accelerator. Blake noticed the multicolored girl glaring at her for some reason and she decided to ignore it. Jaune and Nora were flicking paper footballs back and forth while Ren and Pyrrha watched. Only Ruby and Touma were noticeably absent.
Did Ozpin keep them back for a lecture on leadership or something? Blake though, taking her seat next to Yang.
"Sup, Blake?" Yang muttered, glancing over. Her head still rested on her arms.
"Forced to be here?" Blake asked, taking out a notebook.
"Yeah…"
"Did she get punished?"
"No." That word came out as a growl and Blake raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Really? Why not?"
"No proof."
"Oh."
Now that Blake thought about it, there really wasn't. Just motive, but in all fairness, lots of people could have a motive to get revenge on Yang.
None of them would have the balls though.
"So where's Ruby?" Blake asked instead.
"Not sure." Yang looked around. "Ozpin asked her and Touma to stay behind, so maybe they are still meeting with him."
"They better not be skipping class." Weiss huffed and then shrugged. "If she does, I'm not sharing my notes."
"What's got you so cheerful today, Ice Queen?" Yang asked. "Usually, you would be ranting about Ruby acting like a leader or something."
"Her sister's visiting." Blake answered.
"Is she as Weiss cold as you are?" Yang asked, her grin obscured by her arms.
"Winter is a much higher level than I am currently." Weiss countered. "You could stand to learn a few things about discipline and controlling your temper from her."
"Pass."
"Looks like they are here." Blake commented, and then promptly pointed.
Ruby and Touma burst into the room a second before the bell rang. Both of them were red faced and panting, as if they had run a great distance. Looking around, they split up and hastily sat with their respective teams.
"What took you so long?" Blake asked, as her leader sat down between her and Weiss. "Ozpin lecturing you?"
"Huh… oh, yeah. We… er… had to listen to him about… leadership…. Yeah!"
Yang raised her eyebrow at Ruby's response and frowned, before a shadow of a grin formed.
"Well, he does have a point." Weiss stated. "Regardless of who did it, you are our team leader and therefore responsible for Yang's misdeeds."
"Hey! I'm a victim."
"Were." Weiss corrected her. "The second you destroyed school property, you became the aggressor. And, as you said so yourself, you have no evidence it was her."
"You're defending-…?" Yang demanded, eyes flashing.
"Oh, I know she did it," Weiss interjected. "However, we have to assume innocence until proven guilty. If we catch her in the act, then we can present our findings to Ozpin."
"So boring." Yang muttered. "I much rather punch her." Her eyes traveled to Ruby. "Sooooo~" Her tone changed completely. "Was a lecture why you were reeeeaaaalllly late?"
"Yes!" Ruby replied quickly.
A little too quickly and Yang's smile grew.
"Did you and-…"
"Settle down, class is beginning."
Glynda's voice echoed across the classroom and Yang's voice died out. They all knew better than to disrupt her class. Everyone settled down and even the students from the other schools who had arrived already could tell not to mess with her. Glynda looked around and took attendance before continuing.
"Let's see… Is there anyone who would like to go first today?"
"Me!" Yang's hand shot straight up.
"Why am I not surprised, Miss Xiao Long?" Glynda sighed. "Fine. You can go against…"
"Can I duel her?" Yang asked immediately, pointing to Neo, who smiled back smugly.
"No." Glynda didn't even consider it. "You will face… Mr. Black."
"That's me."
A boy with unkempt grey hair stood up next to a tan girl with green hair. He wore a slate gray and black two-tone partial-zip jacket with black pants. He was pretty well built and slicked his hair back and winked at Yang, who rolled her eyes.
"Fine…" She sighed and walked up. When Glynda's back was turned, she glared at Neo.
Neo responded by flickering her off.
"Ready?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah," Touma replied. "Neo is heading back with Accelerator and Last Order. She won't be spying on us." He tilted his head. "You sure you want to keep this a secret?"
"Just for now." Ruby promised. "It should be a surprise."
"When did you have time to do this?" Touma asked.
"Because I'm amazing." Ruby stuck her tongue out at him but because it was her, it only looked cute. "It didn't cost much at all either. There's always a lot of scrap metal left in the forge. You'd be surprised how many people leave behind high quality metal. I just took the best pieces and plated them together. This is one of the few designs I've made that could actually make use of them."
"You really didn't have to."
"I wanted to." She looked a little abashed and kicked the ground. "In case… you know… you get stuck here, I want to make sure you're prepared."
"I… thanks, Ruby." Touma decided it was best just to accept it. Who knows? It might actually come in handy. "So all that's left is just a few strap adjustments?"
"Yep!" Ruby became cheerful as they made their way through Beacon. "The measurements earlier were to make sure it fit you, the straps just hold it in place."
"Thanks for not going overboard."
"You sure you don't want a flamethrower installed?"
Touma pretended to think.
"No, I think I'm good. But if I ever get the desire for one, I promise to come to you first."
"You better." She wagged her finger at him. "I won't let you forget that."
Ruby couldn't help but find herself having fun as they kept joking throughout their trip to the forge. She never really got to talk to Touma alone like this. There was usually someone else nearby. The thing she liked about Touma was how down to earth he was. Even though he was super powerful and could save people from perilous situations, he acted like it was no big deal. He even said he wasn't a hero before. Of course, that's what all heroes say. A true hero never calls themselves one. To help pretend his heroic actions weren't a big deal, she turned to the topic of Yang's fight.
"Yang really showed off today," Ruby said conversationally. "That guy was good, but she overpowered him."
"I felt sorry for that guy," Touma admitted. "Yang was taking out her aggression on him instead of Neo. I apologized to him after class and he wanted to know what happened." He shrugged. "Told him Neo probably dyed Yang's hair."
"Probably?" Ruby raised an eyebrow.
"That's what I said, not what I believed." They shared a quick laugh. "Anyways, turns out his teammate has green hair, so it wasn't a big deal to him."
"Wonder if it's natural?" Ruby muttered.
Touma merely shrugged, though he was pretty sure it couldn't be. But what did he know about hair color genes in this world?
He just enjoyed the normality of walking in a school hallway talking about people's interests. It made him feel more at home, rather than running through a forest trying to kill demon monsters. Though, he was reminded of them more than he would like, especially walking into the forge. It was a large chamber under Beacon where students could build weapons. The thing that got to him was how hot it was. There was a place to smelt metal there after all. Ruby had at least stored her gift in a side room where, thankfully, the temperature was much cooler.
"Okay, let's get to work!" Ruby opened the locker and pulled out two pieces of equipment.
Specifically, arm guards.
The metal was in interlocking segments that went from the back of his hand to just below his shoulder. Ruby had carefully selected the metal to make each section and combined them seamlessly. She even altered the color so they all matched. They were a dark red and when Touma asked why she chose that color, she had simply replied it looked cool that way. Touma had originally planned to deny the gift, but Ruby was oddly insistent about him keeping it. He couldn't deny they would help against random Dust bullets or Grimm claws in a pinch.
Touma slid his arm through while Ruby tightened the straps underneath for him.
"Okay, this one is good, but this one is a little loose. We either need to shorten it or add another notch…" She looked up at him. "How does it feel?"
"I think the left one slides a little up top." Touma replied, moving his arms. Ruby spun around him to his other side and went to work. "I have to admit, these are really cool."
"They sure are," Ruby agreed. "Here's something neat I added to; clench your fist." Touma followed her instruction and a piece of metal slid out over the rest of his hand. As he unclenched it, the segment slid back. "This mechanism lets you use your hand in case you need to negate something, but will give you a chance to protect it from things you can't negate."
"That's… really useful. You think of everything."
"It's what I do." She laughed. "It's why my baby had all those attachments and is capable of firing different types of ammunition. You never know what you're going to face. If I want to be able to protect others, I have to be prepared for anything." She tightened one of the straps. "Soooo? Does it meet your specifications?"
"Specifications?"
"The armguards can't be used as a weapon, but can deflect attacks." Ruby pointed out. "Though, you really should let me add some kind of range weapon to it."
"I don't need a gun." Touma said exasperatedly.
"But what if you fight, like, a Nevermore?" Ruby flapped her arms. "You can't reach them without one."
"I'll find a way." Touma assured her.
Ruby's eyes sparkled.
To anyone else, his words would have sounded either conceited or just trying to change the topic of conversation. To Ruby, she saw it as Touma having plans to deal with flying Grimm that were beyond using conventional weapon. If Touma knew what she was thinking, he would have immediately corrected her.
"Okay, then the only step left is to try it out." Ruby told him.
"Try… it out?" Touma asked confused and Ruby grabbed his left hand.
"It's cool. I'm a good shot."
Touma's eyes widened as Ruby flew off, dragging him behind her.
Such misfortune.
"What was that performance?" Emerald asked, as she and Mercury walked back to their dorm. "She kicked your ass."
"I kept a low profile," Mercury replied smugly. "Cinder told us not to draw attention."
"I know that." Emerald snapped at him. His attitude always annoyed her. "Don't tell me what she said. I pay attention a lot better than you."
"Then you remember we are supposed to get near them too?" Mercury asked, his smile mocking her. "Well, guess what? The reason I lagged behind was to talk to that Touma guy. Got him to tell me Neo dyed blondie's hair green." He rubbed his shoulder. "Got to admit she hits damn hard."
"So?" Emerald asked.
"So…" Mercury repeated. "I met him. Now if I run into him, I can hang out without anyone being suspicious. Get to figure out what he and the rest of his team are like." He frowned. "Neo's been pretty vague on the subject and it's not like we can talk to her yet."
"Then what's your impression of him?" Emerald asked.
"Over all… I say Torchwick was pretty spot on about him." Mercury shrugged. "He seems way too normal and yet we heard what happened to Adam."
Emerald looked around to make sure they were alone.
"What? You believe him?" She rolled his eyes. "He was just covering for his failure."
"That gash on his arm didn't remind me of any blade I know of. Cinder never said if he was telling the truth..."
"…Just to be wary of any unexpected variables." Emerald finished with a sigh. "I wish she would tell me more. I'm one hundred percent devoted to her cause."
"More like devoted to her." Mercury mumbled and dodged the elbow heading into his side. "Why don't I introduce you to him and set you up. Once you're in bed with him you can find-…"
This time he had to duck as a fist nearly socked him in the nose.
"Shut up, asshole!"
"Hang on!" He held up his hands defensively. "Even Cinder said that was a possibility. Girls know all sorts of things about their boyfriends, right? You would also have access to his team… including Neo and her information."
"She can only give us short status reports right now." Emerald admitted her voice growing softer until she was muttering. It was more to herself than Mercury. "There's no way Cinder should have to go through that. What if she has to go all the way to get the information on that creature he's supposed to wield? It would be better for me to give myself up…"
Her hand clenched into a fist.
"Okay." Mercury nodded. "I'll let Cinder know you're going to let him get into your pants."
This time her fist connected squarely in his stomach.
"Winter!"
Weiss couldn't contain her excitement as she approached.
She had been worried as she left Beacon she would have to ditch Ruby somehow. Luckily, she disappeared right after the afternoon classes ended. Blake already knew what Weiss was doing this evening and Yang was too preoccupied with her hair situation to worry about what she was up to. This let Weiss meet up with her sister. They had chosen a small café in Vale that was rather fancy. While it would be too early for dinner, they could have some coffee and chat.
Winter was already there waiting by the time she arrived. It was easy to see the family resemblance. She had pale skin, blue eyes and white hair tied up in a bun, causing her bangs to fall towards the right side of her face and leaving a small curled lock of hair below her left ear. Her attire was navy blue, white and gray-colored, and consisted of a white coat with a red brooch that exposed upper arms, pants that have garters incorporated into them, and black gloves.
"Hello, Weiss." Greeted Winter as she gestured to the seat across from her. Weiss had to resist another outburst and sat down. Winter was a very cool and calm individual. Not to mention talented and strong, along with being a Specialist in the Atlas Military. She worked directly under General Ironwood. "How have you been?"
"Great," Weiss answered immediately. "I'm the top of my year in class rankings-…"
"I don't recall asking about your ranking," Winter interrupted. "I'm asking how you've been. Are you eating properly? Have you taken up any hobbies? Are you making new friends?"
"Oh." Weiss had to calm down a moment before answering. "Beacon has a very wide variety of food available and I always take nutrition into account."
"That's good." Winter nodded. "It takes focus and discipline to keep one's body fit. How about your team? Are they meeting minimum standards?"
"I can honestly say we are the top team of the year." Weiss bragged. "Our leader, Ruby, is a little… unorthodox and we had some difficulties early on, but we have since sorted out our differences. The other two members, Blake and Yang, both have their quirks but are accomplished fighters and I consider them close friends."
"It is important to learn to mingle with all sorts of people," Winter said and sipped her coffee. "You don't always have the opportunity to choose your allies."
There was a short pause in their conversation as Weiss ordered her coffee.
"It's good to see you again, Winter." Said the younger of the Schnee sisters. "How have things been back in Atlas?"
"Busy," Winter admitted. "The Vale council is asking for assistance with security measures during the festival. As you can imagine, logistics for an event this large is burdensome. However, Atlas is always willing to help guide other kingdoms."
"What will you be doing while in Vale?" Weiss asked.
"Details are classified, but I'm overseeing some security details." Winter answered and then eyed Weiss up and down. "How do you find Beacon's accommodations?"
"They fell within expectations." Weiss said, after sipping her coffee when the waitress brought it over. "The food and variety are acceptable, though the rooms were a bit cramped. We had to design bunk beds to allow us the luxury of moving around."
"…Bunk beds?" Winter repeated slowly.
"They are much safer than they look." Weiss assured her. "I was worried they wouldn't hold, but my partner is a skilled engineer, even If she's a little too enthusiastic about weapons."
"I see." Winter paused for a moment. "I do wish to observe your accommodations while I'm here, but we may not have time today. While I wish to ensure you are upholding the dignity that comes with your position, I... have to be honest with you here. There is something else I wish to discuss that's a little more pressing."
"Oh?" Weiss became worried. Something that made her sister hesitant was sure to be important. "I'll tell you anything I can if it will help."
"That would make this easy." Winter admitted. "First off, this wasn't my original idea. General Ironwood asked me to speak with you."
"Speak with me?" Weiss was dumbfounded. "What would I possibly know that he would be interested in?"
"Do you know a young girl by the name of Last Order?"
Weiss stiffened.
The question had indeed been loaded. Winter knew about her since James had briefed her about their encounter. It was unusual for a young girl like her to be in Beacon if she wasn't visiting family. Being that close to Weiss meant there was something going on. Last Order had specifically mentioned Weiss was her friend.
"How do you know about her?" Weiss finally asked.
"She bumped into the General earlier while you were off on your mission." Winter explained. "I have to admit, I was a little surprised to hear a girl her age along with a known criminal prancing around in Beacon. How much trouble have they been?"
"Last Order is a very polite and well behaved young girl." Weiss answered immediately. "The only thing one might notice is her way of talking about herself in the third person. It must have been a habit she picked up when she was younger." As much as Weiss loved her sister, she had promised not to tell anyone about Touma, Accelerator and Last Order's circumstance unless absolutely necessary. They had devised a cover story for that very reason. "Neo… is about what you would expect. While she has nothing against me personally, she seems to have some kind of rivalry with my team members."
"You have been careful to avoid discussing any sensitive information around her?" Winter prodded.
She probably knows more than we do.
"Of course." Weiss answered instead. "I still don't trust her."
Winter visibly relaxed at her words.
"That's good. I was worried you might have fallen for her lies. Once a criminal, always a criminal."
I bet Touma would disagree if he heard that.
Weiss kept silent.
"I didn't come to discuss wanted criminals. Otherwise we could be here all day," Winter continued. "No, it's about Last Order. How did you two meet?"
"She's an acquaintance of a member from another team." Weiss answered. "Due to some special circumstances, I believe they don't have parents, she was allowed to stay at Beacon."
This was all true.
Neither of them had parents on Remnant and there were some pretty special circumstances involved.
"I see."
Winter eyed her and Weiss had the feeling she knew details were being omitted. Her sister had always been good at detecting lies. She tried to maintain a neutral expression and sipped her coffee.
"Has Miss Order told you General Ironwood reached out an invitation to meet with you?" Winter asked.
"No." Weiss shook her head. "I just heard about it from you."
"He expected that." Winter nodded slowly. "Miss Order is young and he figured that invitation would slip her mind. Not on purpose of course, but children are hardly trustworthy confidants."
"So can you tell me what I did for him to notice?" Weiss asked, changing the topic of the conversation before Winter could say anything bad about Last Order, even if it would just be accidental.
"Your belt."
"My belt?"
Weiss was confused for a moment before it finally dawned on her. The device she and Accelerator had made was the only possibility that came to mind. It all made sense now. A device that could generate a shield similar to Aura would naturally draw attention. Atlas would no doubt want to fit their entire military with it. Coming back to her senses, she had to ask something first.
"How do you know about it? It only started working shortly before we left for our mission and it's been locked up in my room."
"Then security must be lacking," Winter answered, her eyebrows scrunching slightly. "Miss Order bumped into Atlas personnel in Beacon. It was discovered when she walked away uninjured and possessed something resembling aura. Upon further inspection by both the General and Headmaster of Beacon, it was determined a belt with a compartment containing a Dust crystal was the culprit. When Miss Order was questioned, she said it belonged to you. The General respected her wishes and refrained from inspecting said device until he could meet with you." Winter leaned forward and set down her empty cup. "Now, Weiss, can you please tell me what you created?"
Weiss stared back at her, having found all of this to be completely unexpected. When she came to meet with her sister, she expected some light conversation and then Winter to drill her on her living arrangements. Her knowing about the belt before they had even made secondary adjustments never occurred to her. Somehow Last Order discovered it and accidentally showed it to James. Still, she had originally brought up the idea of passing it on to Vale or Atlas. It was a device that could save countless lives.
Keeping it a secret would be selfish.
"It's what you believe it to be," Weiss finally admitted. "A Dust crystal's energy is disbursed as a shield around the individual wearing the belt. While not Aura, it will absorb impacts, though it won't grant increase defense or recovery."
"Weiss…" Winter's calm demeanor seemed to be cracking. "Do you have any idea what you did?"
"You mean designing a piece of equipment that could help defend those without Aura?" Weiss nodded. "Then yes, I do."
"This isn't a matter to be taken lightly!" Winter snapped, causing Weiss to straight up instantly. "Hard-Light shield generators are bulky and only large battle suits or bases can withstand the power usage required to maintain it. Dust used in those are also extremely rare. A device the size of a large belt buckle shouldn't even flicker to life; let alone project a shield large enough to cover a person. Yet you did just that with a common Dust crystal. How did you accomplish this feat when countless scientists studying for years could not crack this?"
Well, this is going to be awkward. I only helped with the basic engineering and Dust characteristics. Accelerator was the one who designed everything else.
Since Weiss didn't answer, Winter's expression became visibly frustrated.
"Listen… Weiss, I need you to tell me. When did you become a technological genius? You are smart, but this isn't something you simply learn over the span of a few months. Now, again, how did you make this?"
"I…" It was time to be honest. Accelerator might get pissed off at the attention, but this was an important moment for the future of Remnant. They might finally get the upper hand over the Grimm. "I didn't do it alone."
"So someone helped you?" Winter pushed. "Someone in Vale? Did you meet with an undiscovered scientist focusing on Dust crystal shield generation? If so, Atlas would like to make them a job offer immediately."
"That might be tough." Weiss scratched her cheek with a finger. "I can tell you for a fact he wouldn't be interested in that."
"Atlas can be very persuasive," Winter countered. "I'm sure we can compensate him suitably."
"I really don't think you can." Weiss sighed and rubbed her head. "Listen, I'm not trying to be difficult. It's just his personality is… brash to say the least. If you push too hard, he'll just cuss you out and leave. You won't be able to stop him at that point."
"Even for a million Lien?" Winter asked.
Weiss was glad she hadn't taken a sip of her coffee; she would have choked on it otherwise.
"A million…?"
"I was told that was going to be the starting point of negotiating with you." Winter stated firmly. "This money would be entirely yours to do with as you please. Not father's, not mine, but yours. Well, would have I suppose. It would probably be split between you and your partner."
"But… but… It's just a prototype." Weiss couldn't believe how much money would be spent on just the design. "A lot of energy is being wasted and the shield can only withstand one good blow. It's not like it's suitable for the field."
"That's not an unreasonable price for a design that has surpassed what our scientists have achieved." Winter replied coolly. "You two have created a foundation that we can improve upon now that problems giving our people trouble have been solved. Our focus will now prioritize increasing the efficiency until it effectively acts as a sustainable portable shield device."
"It is easier to improve something than it is to invent it from scratch." Weiss conceded.
"Precisely." Winter nodded. "You're smart enough to understand the significance of what you created. So please, Weiss, General Ironwood and I would like to meet with him. I'm sure we can come to an agreement. Does he have a business here in Vale? I would be more than happy to send him an official invitation."
"It's going to be a little more complicated than that." Weiss admitted and rubbed the back of her head. "I'm not saying it will be hard to contact him, the opposite in fact. The issue is that the person you're looking for might not be what you expect."
"Weiss." Winter's tone grew stony. "I've traveled between all four kingdoms and have seen all sorts of people. I've had to work with eccentrics and drunks. Trust me, I won't overreact to who they are."
Weiss felt a sense of glee about what was about to happen.
"He's a member of another team."
"Another team…" Winter repeated.
"At Beacon." Weiss added.
"…If this is a joke, it's not funny."
"I-it's not!" Weiss denied a little frantically at her sister's expression. "He's a member of Team TAN, along with Neo. The reason he and I developed this was to help protect Last Order."
"You're telling me that something countless scientists couldn't crack was created by teenagers?" Winter looked mentally exhausted.
"He's quite intelligent," Weiss continued. "Plus our father made sure I had plenty of private tutors to ensure my work was well ahead of others."
"So it will be easy for you to contact him about our offer then?" Winter questioned.
"I can tell him, yes." Weiss nodded. "But, as I said before, he might not be interested. I think in the end he will just sell it to get rid of the hassle of having people bother him about it."
"If he does, I will do everything I can to make sure his identity remains anonymous."
"Then I think he will be open to this." Weiss replied. "Just… understand he doesn't like authority figures. Pushing him is only going to make him push back. If you try to force him, he might even destroy the prototype to prevent you from having it."
"Stubborn, but not the first." Winter nodded. "Thank you for that information. I will take it into account." She paused. "What does he look like anyways?"
"He's kind of thin, little taller than me, white hair, and red eyes." Weiss recited. "Likes to scowl a lot."
"That description sounds familiar." Winter frowned and her eyes then widened in recognition. "He participated in the Breach." Weiss nodded. "I remember seeing a few videos of someone matching that description. He walked into the horde of Grimm without a weapon and proceeded to decimate them."
"His… Semblance is very powerful." Weiss remarked. As much as she hated lying to her sister, she had promised Ozpin and Accelerator's group not to diverge the information. "Because he unlocked it early in his life, he never really bothered to use weapons, though I have heard he can shoot a pistol."
"Relying on one ability can be dangerous." Winter remarked. "What if it doesn't work against a specific foe?"
"It's quite… versatile." Weiss replied. "Though, I know Ms. Goodwitch is trying to teach him other skills."
"Her reputation as a teacher is known worldwide." Winter agreed as her expression became more thoughtful. "Hmm, a powerful Semblance and a criminal on the same team. Who is Team TAN's leader? What is he like?"
Weiss couldn't help herself and let out a brief burst of laughter, making one of Winter's eyebrows raise curiously.
"Sorry, your question just has a weird answer." She quickly apologized, dismissing her outburst with a wave of her hand as she calmed herself. "He's probably the most normal person I've ever met. Sure, he has a power that works great against Grimm, but talking to him makes me think of a normal civilian. He doesn't brag, can have difficulties memorizing information, and isn't crazy enough to purposely put himself and others into danger. Yet…" She trailed off for a moment. "He saved two of my teammates, including Ruby, so I am quite thankful to him."
Winter stared at her, but didn't push the subject any further.
"I see." Winter smiled. "How about telling me about your recent mission then?"
"Certainly." Weiss clapped her hands together excitedly. "We visited a small border town with a Grimm presence. As it was a small settlement, they couldn't afford to fly out a fully licensed Hunter anytime soon, so they reached out to Beacon. My team, the leader of TAN, and-…"
"The leader of TAN?" Winter asked, confused.
"Neo isn't allowed to leave Beacon yet due to being under surveillance." Weiss explained. "So the rest of her team was split up to assist others."
"I see. At least there are controls in place to monitor her."
"Well the five of us along with our Hunter escort, Mr. Branwen-…"
"Wait!" Winter interrupted again. "Branwen? As in Qrow Branwen?"
"Yes." Weiss nodded. "Do you know him?"
"Of course I know him!" She snapped. "That drunk has caused countless headaches. If he wasn't so skilled in combat, he would never participate in any joint forces with Atlas."
"He is rather uncivilized," Weiss admitted and Winter looked pleased at her assessment. "Always drinking regardless of the time and goofing around. However, when we faced the Grimm, a number much larger than we had expected, I can see why he is a Hunter. His skills are quite unquestionable."
Winter's hand made a fist.
"First things first: I would like to request a meeting with your partner on that belt. What was his name?"
"Accelerator."
"Accelerator…" Winter waved her hand for Weiss to continue.
"Just Accelerator."
"Is that… a title or something?"
Weiss shrugged, prompting a puzzled frown to spread on to Winter's lips.
This kid was powerful, super intelligent, and now had a suspicious name. Her instincts were telling her something was wrong here. With her precious younger sister being involved with him, she needed to figure out what exactly his endgame was. Her thoughts then turned to Weiss's description of him.
"So this Mr. Accelerator," Winter said slowly. "He resembles our father a bit, doesn't he?"
Weiss blinked.
"A little I guess?"
Winter couldn't resist.
"I know there's an old saying about daughters going after people resembling their father. Are you two dating?"
"WINTER!"
There was a knock on Team JNPR's dorm room.
"I got it!" Pyrrha said, as Nora and Jaune continued their game. Ren had gone to Bartholomew's office to ask a question on a piece of homework. "Yes?" Pyrrha said opening the door. Her eyes widened as she saw who it was. "Neo?!"
The multicolored girl waved.
"Er…" Pyrrha was at a loss for words. Touma, Accelerator, Last Order; none of the three were next to her. Though their room was just down the hall. "Can I help you with something?"
Neo nodded and began gesturing.
"I'm sorry," Pyrrha apologized. "I don't understand."
Neo sighed and pulled out her tablet.
'I need your help. Privately.'
"My help?" Pyrrha was confused and stepped out into the empty hallway, closing the door behind her. "With what?"
'There's this dance event coming up. I don't have most of my clothes, so I need to go shopping.'
"Right, the dance." Pyrrha remembered. "Er, but why ask me?"
Neo rolled her eyes and began typing rapidly.
'Who else would I ask? My team? Two guys who don't know fashion or a little girl. Oh, maybe Team RWBY, the girls who hate me. Nora? I'm not a masochist. Can't ask your green ninja friend without that sugar high girl coming too. That leaves you or blondie.'
"Jaune might be able to help," Pyrrha admitted. It wasn't like she hated Neo, but she wasn't fully comfortable around her yet. "What about Coco? You got her to buy you stuff before."
'She's out for a while.' Neo pretended to think. 'I guess I could ask your partner. He's supposed to have a lot of sisters or something. He should know girl fashion, even if his own is lacking.' She suddenly grinned. 'Hmm, he could spend hours in a store watching me try on dresses. I hope he doesn't fall for my charms.'
She reached up to knock the door behind Pyrrha.
"W-wait!" Pyrrha moved in front of her. "Okay, I'm willing to go with you." She paused. "You can't leave Beacon though, right?"
Neo smiled and held up her tablet.
'I talked to Ozpin and I will have a short window of reprieve this weekend if I'm with someone.
Pyrrha noted there was a message from Ozpin with his agreement. She bet Glynda did not approve.
"Everything appears to be in order then." She tilted her head. "Out of curiosity, have you asked someone?"
Neo nodded.
'Touma promised to go with me if I try not to antagonize people. I had to make my move because I found a phone number of a slut in Vale.' She shook her head. 'Pretty sure your partner was with him at that time. So you might want to check to make sure he's not being seduced.'
"I-I'm sure it's just a friend." Pyrrha stuttered, her face flushing bright red and growing brighter.
Neo giggled and flipped her hair back.
'You could always snoop around. See you Saturday.' She turned and skipped off.
Pyrrha did not immediately move.
"Jaune doesn't have a lot of luck with girls because he goes after people who aren't interested." Pyrrha muttered. "Like Weiss, for example. Who wouldn't want to go out with him? He's nice, funny, treats everyone equal, and a hard worker; he's a catch." She remembered Neo's words and a fire seemed to blaze from within her, before she slapped her cheeks and shook her head.
I really shouldn't. If he got a girl's phone number, I should be happy.
As she reentered the room, no matter how much she told herself she should, she couldn't grasp that feeling.
Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish I ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter. All mistakes are SilverFang88's fault.
SF88: WHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW! I'M BACK BITCHES! AND FUCK YOU DARK! Damn it's good to be back!
