Chapter 7
It was now the weekend, and I was tired and exhausted as hell. I'd published my next chapter, which was a whopping 16,000 words, but I didn't even bother to read the reviews of this one. I was too distracted to even think about comments or my story; since Jaune was absolutely under Cardin's control for the past few days.
He hadn't shown up with the rest of JNPR until late at night on most days, and he actively avoided the rest of us between classes. Even Weiss was somewhat worried, knowing exactly what Jaune was doing and how miserable he and his team were. She despised bullies, and I think seeing Cardin's tendencies hit her a bit too close to home.
It didn't help that Cardin was actively picking on me as well, stealing any homework I had, going out of his way to shove my lunch in my uniform, and calling me very derogatory terms. Though I didn't react to them much because I didn't understand how offensive these words were, many others were shocked whenever he said them. Including Velvet. Like Jaune, I asked Liya, RWBY, and NPR to back off whenever they tried to interfere, not wanting them to get in trouble and because I didn't really care what he did or said, and it showed whenever I moved on.
Getting bullied in childhood desensitizes you to a lot of these things when you finally become a teen or a young adult.
"Yo."
I turned to see Yang in her normal outfit, which was her combat outfit without Ember Celica on her. I wore my normal clothes, being black jeans, my boots, a T-shirt, and my jacket. You ready yet?" she asked with a smile.
It was around 1:30 PM, since I had spent a few hours panicking to Liya on what I should do with Yang. And the fact that all that she constantly said just "was to not screw up", which made me nervous as hell.
While I had texted Ruby to let Yang know that I was sorry that I was taking so long, Ruby had assured me that Yang was finishing all her homework for the weekend before going out, since she knew that Yang tended to usually get carried away when it came to having fun. When I asked if Weiss was forcing her to do so, I simply got a "No comment." back as a reply.
And now it was time for us to go. Time sure flies by when you're freaking out. "Yeah...yeah I'm just distracted. Worried about Jaune," I mumbled. Yang sighed and sat down next to me.
"I am too. But he keeps refusing help and we can't do a thing about it for reasons Pyrrha won't tell us," Yang said softly, and I looked away, keeping silent about me knowing that reason for meta reasons alone. "We'll think of something, and until then, no use beating ourselves up over it."
"You're always so optimistic," I mumbled quietly, and Yang ruffled my head while smiling. Immediately, I felt myself buckle and lean against Yang with a shuddery breath.
"I'll never get used to that," Yang giggled softly as she rubbed my ears, and I simply closed my eyes and purred. Yes, I can purr. I'd first realized it when Yang first pet my ears out of accident the other day.
- yesterday -
"See ya around," Yang said as she walked by me, ruffling my hair and caracal ears. Without any warning or any sort of indication, I let out a mew. An actual mew. All I remembered in that moment was Yang gaping in shock and my face burning a shade of blood red.
It was pure silence for a minute before Yang spoke up again.
"Oh...my...gosh..." Yang said, and I turned to run for my life. Whoever said Faunus was faster than humans was an absolute bullshitter because Yang tackled me the moment my foot made to dash away.
"Oh my gosh, you're like an actual cat! Lemme pet you!" Yang gushed as she began to scratch both my animal ears.
"N-no, please don't-purrrr...GAH! Lemme go!" I cried.
"Awwww!" Ruby cried. "I wanna turn!"
"I do not consent to this!" I protested.
Anyone who was watching either giggled or ignored me, and I could only just flail in embarrassment. Nearby, Blake was looking away awkwardly as Yang assaulted my ears with pets and scratches for a half hour. And the whole time, I was forced to enjoy every little touch she and her sister gave.
To make matters worse, when they were done; they each said they'd pay me ten Lien if they let me let them stroke my ears after classes. I ended up accepting because Lien was always nice, but I felt like a slave to it.
- now -
I'd gotten addicted to the pets very quickly. Yang had very soft fingers despite being one of the hardest punchers in Beacon, and whatever she did put me on Cloud 9. Pictures Liya took of me showed I almost always curled up like an actual cat, and she refused to delete them for use as blackmail material.
And Ruby was even worse. On the rare occasion she would play with my ears, she'd actually nuzzle them while she lay on my back. Sure she'd be embarrassed about it afterwards, but I felt even worse. It was dehumanizing, especially with how much the others encouraged it. Still while it bothered me, I felt like it was my thing. Plus the head pats really did feel nice.
Yang eventually stopped, and she got up to her feet, brushing herself off. "OK, let's get going before we forget about our date," she said. "I know a great club where we can spend the night dancing."
"But...it's daytime," I said dumbly, and my mind went to Junior's.
"I know. But I was just planning for the night. For lunch, I have something else in mind," Yang said as she dragged me to the airbus platform, where transport to Vale awaited.
Boarding the airbus, Yang pulled me to the seat next to the window seat and sighed as she looked out at the open skies. "Beacon feels great," she said quietly. "Not gonna lie, I thought going here would be harder, with the whole 'prestigious' thing and whatnot."
"Well, mooching off your teammates isn't always the hardest thing to do," I chuckled, and Yang whined and punched my arm playfully. While I had my aura, I could still feel the force behind that punch, though only a little bit.
"Well, that's what a team is for," Yang said as if that were the answer to everything. Rolling my eyes, I just looked out the window.
The clouds were just above the bus now, and the view was spectacular. The city looked incredible, with cars and people going up and down streets and sidewalks, with every building looking very different from the other.
"So...is there a particular reason you're so worried about Jaune? Not saying that isn't a good thing, but you always come up to him when you can and ask if he's OK," Yang asked, which shook me out of my thoughts.
"And...this is weird how, exactly?" I asked curiously.
"No, not weird...just persistent," Yang said as she sighed. "I get you're worried and all but...I feel like you constantly asking is kinda making Jaune uncomfortable, especially with Cardin breathing down his back."
I sighed. I have been a bit inconsistent lately, and it was beginning to show. "Just sick of bullies, especially ones who pick on people who react easily. Not saying Jaune is weak, but he cares a lot, and CRDL's been using that against him," I mumbled.
"Which is why you don't really react when he insults you?" Yang asked as she tilted her head left and right, cracking her neck all the while.
"Yep. I don't have much of a temper. If I did, I'd probably be in the same situation as Jaune. And that's why I wanna help. Just don't know how," I lied. Yang shrugged before looking back out the window.
The truth was that I knew that Cardin and his team would change with Jaune's help, and that I wouldn't need to do a damn thing. But trying to fit in was my mission right now, and it's been pretty rough to do so, especially since I've been so caught up with attending Beacon, my story, and not actually thinking of any way to set up a chain of events that could help alter history here for the better.
Before I knew it, the airbus had landed and Yang was pulling me out of the ship and towards the landing pad alongside a few others. "So, you ever explore the city before?"
"Not much of it...only the closest to the landing pads," I said awkwardly. I could clearly see the police station and the hotel I stayed at a few blocks away from each other from the landing pad.
"So, you haven't been to Junior's before?" Yang asked as we walked. Called it.
"Can't say I have. What is it?" I asked.
"Pretty cool club. Makes the best Strawberry Sunrises I know," Yang said as we crossed the street.
"I'm guessing that's a drink," I said.
"Yep," Yang remarked before turning to see From Dust Till Dawn at the end of the block. It was still under repair, but it looked to be mostly finished. "That's where my sis and you fought, right?"
"Yeah. Against Torchwick and Ci-fire lady," I said, barely remembering in time that Cinder didn't show up just yet.
"Fire lady?" Yang asked as we continued to walk.
"Yeah," I said. "The bullhead that picked up Torchwick had this lady that could throw fire and stuff. Professor Goodwitch and I fought them before anyone else could get hurt."
"But they got away," Yang said, and I sighed, nodding afterwards. "Well, not your fault. You got taken by surprise and whatnot."
"Yeah..." I mumbled before Yang stopped to see the shopkeeper in the damaged store, presumably helping out with repairs. I'm not sure if that was allowed in this universe, but nobody was stopping him so...
"I'm gonna go talk to him real quick," Yang said, before heading to the store.
"Alright, I'll just wait here!" I called as Yang disappeared beyond the yellow tape. Sighing, I took out my scroll and decided to check on my story.
Once again, I received another review from NinjaCat10490, and I started to read. "Your progress has been astounding, adding more depth to your characters and showing budding relationships between them. Especially with how violent this story is, you also make sure to balance it out with satisfying moments as well. I look forward to seeing how this story will pan out, and whether things will have a happy or sad ending."
I grinned. Blake was definitely enjoying the story so far. I wonder how she'd react if she knew who was writing it.
"Hey, freak!" someone yelled. I didn't recognize them right away so I turned around to see those four high school jocks from when I first appeared.
"Oh...hey..." I mumbled, pocketing my scroll as they approached me. The very familiar "leader" of the group was walking with such a stupid swag that I couldn't even laugh at it.
"So what's the animal like you doing back up here?" he asked as he and his thugs surrounded me. "What, your cardboard box in the streets get broken?"
"Nothing much," I said, choosing to ignore that derogatory remark. "Waiting for my date." The teens laughed and I laughed along with them for a few seconds, feeling particularly brave. "Yeah, laughing cuz you think I'm joking, huh?"
"Nah. We're laughing cuz you're lying. Us, we got girlfriends but we know some cat eared punk like you don't have any girls," one of the teens said as another shoved me around. Sighing, I ignored them as I stepped away. They simply pushed closer - trying to corner me. They may have made me nervous much earlier, but with aura, having fought Grimm, and having to deal with Cardin - these guys felt like small fry.
"Hey!"
Yang came out of the store as the five of us turned and watched her come over. "We got a problem here?" she asked angrily. The teens ogled her openly, her thighs, her low shorts, and her assets under her collar. It pissed me off yet let me know how things were about to turn out if they kept staring at her.
Cockily, the jock leaders came over with a dumb flirty stroll to Yang. "No, we don't have a problem. But why don't you stick over there and watch as we take care of our little problem, eh? Then the two of us could hang out, have some fun." He slipped his hand around Yang, hoping to cop a feel from behind her...
...before she slapped his hand away with such force he grabbed it in pain, clutching his hurting hand as she walked over to me and grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the teens. "Well your little problem is my big catch, so...see ya!" she said as we walked away.
"Oh, I see now!" the teenager laughed. "She ain't your date! She's just some slut you paid to pose as one!" As the jackasses laughed, Yang froze and turned her head. I turned as well and winced when I saw her calm eyes turn red after a single calm blink.
"Yang. Yang, don't do it," I said, grabbing her arm and pulling her away. Unfortunately for me and for the bullies, they decided to come closer.
"If that's the case, come with us and get a better time then be disappointed by this loser alone," the teen said as he reached for Yang. At once, Yang roared and swung. The blow didn't hit but the sheer force sent him tripping and toppling into a lamppost.
"The fuck?" another high school jackass said before Yang's hair erupted into flames.
"Say that again! Say what I am again, I dare you!" Yang snarled, and the boys immediately stumbled back, immediately frightened. Yang raised her fist to the closest one and swung just as I rushed in the way.
I took the hit, and my aura flickered loudly. The jocks were silent upon seeing my flickering soul shield. "Yeah, I go to school at Beacon. So does she,"I said before seeing Yang slowly calm down, her hair going out but her eyes still red. "Hey...don't let them get to you. Let's just go somewhere else away from them, alright? You said you had an idea for lunch?"
Yang took a few deep breaths before sighing. "Yeah," she said, spotting the guys behind me and then smirking. Before I could question things, she giggled. "You always know how to calm me down. In fact...when we get back tonight, I know just the thing that'll get you all riled up, babe..."
"Babe?" I thought before she reached down and squeezed me. I actually squeaked, and she led me away from the shocked and dumbstruck teens watching Yang stake her claim on me by practically forcing my claim on herself.
When we left the street, Yang blushed brightly, losing her flirty look for an extremely embarrassed expression. "O-OK..." she said. "That was new."
"Yeah," I said, blushing myself. "Babe?"
"Just wanted to make them gape," Yang said nervously. "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable and all..."
"It's...it's cool," I squeaked. "L-lunch! Hungry, food..."
"Yep! Let's go!" Yang squeaked back, and the two jittery teen huntsmen in training left for food, which was a greasy steak joint between a library and a real estate firm. The place was messy, practically unsanitary, and very noisy.
It was glorious. They had the best steaks, which were nothing like the fancy steaks that expensive restaurants had. These steaks didn't look good, they were extremely greasy, and every bite you took exploded with the best flavor you could imagine. There was so much grease that you could take the fries, soak them in that grease, and they'd taste better than before. The milkshakes were also insane, and Yang and I spent about an hour eating, chatting, laughing, ordering more, and eating again.
Once I was done, my stomach hurt and my heart pounded. "I think...I may have a heart attack from all this," I groaned. "I'm not coming back here..."
"Liar," Yang groaned, patting her stomach and belching loudly.
"You're right, I'm coming back next week. And I'm bringing Liya so she can suffer with me," I said, and the two of us laughed for a minute straight. For some reason, unhealthy food made life seem that much less sad. "What's next?" I finally asked.
Yang pulled out a Lien card, probably some sort of credit card in this universe, and paid. "We burn all this off by dancing," Yang said. "Dancing for hours."
I tried to pull my own wallet out, and Yang shook her head. "I asked you out, I'm paying," she said defiantly. "Wouldn't be fair."
"Fine..." I mumbled. "But for the club part, I'm paying for drinks. If that's allowed."
"We have huntsmen in training cards. It'll work," Yang said. "Plus I personally know the owner."
"Oh, do you? Is the name Junior too?" I asked rhetorically and knowingly at the same time.
"Yep. I call him that anyway," Yang said. I stayed silent, hopefully portraying shock at my "guess".
"Are we going there right away? Or..." I asked.
"Well...I was hoping we could go catch a movie. Try Hard," Yang suggested.
"Hmmm..." I mumbled. "Never saw it."
"What?! You're watching it first," Yang said, dragging me to the theater, which was a twenty minute walk across two intersections and several blocks. "By the way, what do you think of Blake and Weiss?"
"Huh?" I asked. "What do you mean; what do I think of them?" I asked curiously.
"Uhh...what's your opinion of them?" Yang asked.
"Well, Blake is kinda antisocial. Maybe awkward with conversation, but she means well," I said as I thought hard. "Has she opened up?"
"Well, she was kinda enthusiastic when it came to the first or so week of class," Yang said. "Then she quieted down and talked less and less..."
"Think the bullying had anything to do with it? She does care about Faunus," I said.
"She did give a few death glares at Cardin a few times. Those were some nasty glares too," Yang muttered to herself. "To be honest, bullied experiences would make anyone close themselves off."
"...yeah," I mumbled, remembering the times I was shoved into lockers at school or ambushed on the way home from classes on Fridays.
Quickly, I changed the subject. "And Weiss...she's the heiress of the SDC. Think she's trying to balance Beacon and business?" I said.
"Probably. Princess could do with a bit less attitude though," Yang said. "And the perfectionist attitude. Geez..."
"It's probably how she knows how to work. A business as big as that would have super strict standards. Maybe her parents just made her that way," I said.
"Still, she did call you an animal on the first day. Still kinda peeved about that," Yang said.
"Aww, you do care," I joked, and Yang tugged me harder. "Well, she's rich. She doesn't-or didn't know any better back then. Look at her now. She's nicer to Ruby. Still strict, but not insulting or calling us uncultured or peasants."
"True..." Yang said. "You're good at this stuff."
"What can I say? I'm good at reading people," I said, smiling to myself.
When we arrived however, the theater was closed for the weekend. "Aww, are you serious?" Yang asked, disgruntled.
"Sorry," I muttered.
"No, it's cool. Let's just go to Junior's, maybe pass a few stores here and there and look around," Yang said, dragging me along through the city. She seemed really bummed out, and I felt bad. Even though the date wasn't going so well, she was still trying to make things work, let us have fun. Even though her idea of fun was akin to that of an adrenaline junkie.
And I wasn't helping.
"Hey, umm...when we get to the club, can I have a dance?" I asked shyly. I was never good with dates, which was why I'd let Yang lead me around for the first hour or two of it. But I could see that I had to step up now.
"Dance? Depends, are you good at it?" Yang asked.
"Dancing is just jumping and waving your arms like a crazy person, right?" I asked, and Yang snorted in laughter.
"Not wrong," she said. "Alright, we'll see if you can dance."
We walked in silence for a while, passing stores and window shopping. Yang's semi-sad demeanour changed when she saw one that sold dresses. "Ooh!" she said, and she dragged me into the store.
"Uhh, why are we here?" I asked, looking around. There were fancy dresses everywhere, ranging in different types, different skirts, different accessories to go with the dresses, and all sorts of full outfits on various mannequins in the store.
"Can't a girl indulge herself every now and then? I got leftover Lien, I could go for a little upgrade in my wardrobe," Yang said.
"Uhh, I can pay for it," I said, before realizing how desperate I sounded. "T-to pay you back for lunch."
"Aww, you don't gotta," Yang said, smiling sweetly. My heart pounded and I nervously looked away.
"I want to," I said quietly, and Yang thought about it. I was really hoping she'd accept and let me do this, because I would feel awful if she didn't.
"Well...OK," Yang said. "But...only if you let me see you in a dress."
I dropped my jaw. Me in a dress? I almost said hell no, but I remembered this was a date. And this was something that could make Yang very happy.
"I promise, I won't send any pics to anyone else," Yang continued.
"Umm...OK," I whispered nervously. Yang's eyes shone, and she pulled me to the dressing rooms as I nursed my aching arm socket from being pulled along about 60% of this date by now. Telling me to wait, she left me in the room with the curtain closed.
Still, I was very surprised. I'd spent most of earlier worrying about how the day would go, and now I wasn't even worried about it. I was about to wear a dress for God's sake!
I mean, Jaune wears one later but...I guess I shouldn't be so nervous. Yang means well, even if she teases a bit. When she opened the curtain, she threw in a dress bag and closed the curtain. "Alright, time to change," she said. Taking a deep breath, I began to shrug off my jacket.
I left the room a minute later wearing a blue halter dress that was rather tight. The skirt came up to my knees, which were much more smooth than I thought they'd be. But as Yang looked at me with bright eyes and hands over her mouth, I guess I could see why some people back home called me effeminate.
"You are so...wow," Yang said. "And people say guys can't pull off dresses..."
I blushed and looked down. "Can I take it off now?" I asked before looking back up to see Yang snapping a picture. "Y-Yang!"
"Relax, I did say I'm not sending this to anyone," Yang dismissed casually. "Just I didn't say anything about not taking pictures in general. So this is all for me."
"F-fine. I'm gonna change back, and you try on the dress you want," I mumbled sourly.
"Aww, don't be such a sourpuss," Yang said. I glared back, and Yang sniggered loudly. "OK, fine." She let me change back into my normal clothes before she too began to change. When she came out, she was wearing a sleeveless wrap dress with a low collar that went down to her upper thighs. "What do you think?"
I blushed before looking away. That was definitely a party dress she was wearing. "I-it looks really good...on you!" I nervously gulped. Yang giggled before walking towards the cash register, still wearing the dress. "Wait, you aren't gonna change?"
"Why not? I like it, you like it. That's what I'm gonna buy," Yang said, holding her own earlier outfit in her hands as she walked towards the register, wallet in hand. I beat her to it and slammed down half the lien in my wallet on the counter.
"Aww..." Yang groaned.
"Nice try, pulling a fast one on me. You said you'd let me," I snarked with a grin, and Yang stuck her tongue out at me.
"I'm sorry," the cashier said, a frown on her face as she pushed the Lien back at me. "We're not accepting that."
"...uhh, what?" I asked. "Is it not enough? Hold on, how much is that-"
"No, we just won't accept stolen Lien for payment," the cashier interrupted, a clearly disdainful expression on her face. My ears drooped as the implications of what she was saying became clear.
"What're you talking about?" Yang asked. "How is his Lien stolen?"
"I'm sorry miss, but you know how they are. Most of them who come in usually buy with money they pickpocketed. Wouldn't be surprised if a bank robbery notice will come in the next hour," the cashier continued.
"I...excuse me? Did you just imply my friend here is a thief because-" Yang cried before her eyes turned red.
"Yang, no!" I shouted, pulling her away and shaking her by the shoulders. "You'll burn the dress."
"I oughta, with how this bitch is-" Yang growled before I shook her again.
"Yang...please don't..." I said quietly. Yang clenched her fists before slowly letting them go limp at her sides. Taking out her own Lien once again, she slapped it down before taking back my Lien and shoving it in my hands. "Let's go," she growled, pulling me along.
We walked down the street, our mood thoroughly dropped, as a few people walking past or with us eyed Yang and in her fancy hot dress. Others looked away due to how pissed off Yang looked right now. Not that I blamed her. Twice already, Yang and I had gone through two scenarios of racism. Two scenarios where I was picked on, two scenarios where Yang stepped up and defended me, and two scenarios where I had to stop Yang from going overboard.
And this was all because I was a Faunus, because I wasn't even fully human. I thought I could handle the segregation the extra ears gave me, but I couldn't handle people having to step up for me because I chose to ignore it.
"I'm so sorry..." I finally said with a shaky voice. "I've been ruining this."
"Huh? Why?" Yang asked, her anger giving away to a mix of confusion and surprise.
"Look at me...I'm used to being picked on like this, but look what hanging out with me has gotten," I said. "You nearly blew up at other people twice. If I hadn't gone with you, you wouldn't be in this situation in the first place, and-"
Yang had turned around abruptly, and I bumped into her before I could react. "Don't you dare apologize. I did that because we're friends. Seeing Jaune hurt for the past few days really hurt all of us too, but I couldn't do anything because Jaune kept begging us not to, and I couldn't even know where he went! I'm not about to neglect someone else!" she shouted, not caring if we were in the middle of the streets under the slowly darkening sky.
She grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me dead in the eyes, her soft lilac eyes soothing me under the solid grip on my shoulders. "I won't let any of that shit happen to you, OK?" she said. I knew I shouldn't be crying, but like a cheesy rom-com or magical friendship movie, I just shut my eyes and wiped away the few tears I had welling up. "You big kitten. Come on, let's go dancing."
She walked with me to Junior's club, where the two henchmen at the front door saw Yang and ran inside, leaving a puzzled line of partygoers. Yang and I passed all of them and saw Junior at the bar, with a few hundred people on the ridiculously large dance floor, as well as dozens more at the various tables drinking, snacking, and talking.
Junior looked up and nearly slipped on his feet behind the bar as Yang pulled me inside, ignoring the cries and shouts of everyone who was waiting outside for likely hours. "Hey, Junior! How you doing?"
The buff information broker sighed and looked at Yang. "Hi...Blondie," he said disgruntledly before seeing me. "Who are you?"
"I'm...Markus. Markus Onissa. And...I'm here to make sure Yang behaves," I said. Yang gaped widely at me, and Junior let out a quiet snort.
"Good luck with that, kid," the man said. "But hey, I'd rather not have my club trashed again so drinks for you two are on the house."
"Excuse me? Trashed?" I asked, and Yang blushed. "How bad?"
"Everything broken and everyone broken," Junior answered. I had to hide my laughter at Yang's angry yet flustered expression, and Junior's dead tired look. "Just please don't attack anyone?"
Yang finally composed herself and slammed her hands on the counter. "And if some jackhole decides to rail on him?" she asked, clearly gesturing to me.
"Then they get banned for life," Junior said without missing a beat. "We may be a gang, but we have standards."
"Thanks, sir," I said, relieved that this part of the date would at least not have a repeat of before.
"Just call me Junior," the bartender said. "Now, can I start you two off with anything?"
"Two Strawberry Sunrises, both with umbrellas," Yang said, and she turned to me as Junior got to work. "Uhh, don't ask about me trashing the place."
"I won't," I said cheekily while leaving some words unsaid. "Because I already know."
"By the way, remember when I asked about what you thought of Weiss and Blake? Uhh, what do you think of Ruby?" Yang asked.
"Well...I think she's pure, and one of the best representations of how people should really be. She always cares, wants to help everyone, and genuinely believes in being a hero," I said as our drinks arrived. Yang beamed before I continued. "But...she's naive. She doesn't know that the world is harsh, and that you can't always help everyone."
Yang's smile fell and she nodded. "When we were kids...she actually got in trouble with a few bullies when they were picking on a kid in her grade," she said. I looked at her, not having heard this before. "When she came home, she had a bruise on her cheek. Scared the living daylights out of me and dad. But Ruby had the biggest smile on her face, saying that...'I helped someone being bullied', convinced that was a happy ending for everyone. I didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't...neither did dad...all he did was give her an extra cookie and tell her how proud he was."
"And you're worried she'll keep risking her life for others, until Ruby gets hurt again," I said, filling in the blanks. "Or worse."
"I know...she can be so...dumb sometimes," Yang said, swirling her glass before sipping her drink. "Like you said. Pure."
"Well, she's at Beacon now, isn't she?" I said, trying the drink. Like the fanfictions guessed, it tasted very fruity and slid down my throat with a tingly sensation. I might get a second. "She's learning. She and Weiss are slowly warming up, and she's making friends. She'll learn these things in Beacon."
"Yeah...guess I'm worrying too much. Gotta have faith in my sis, yanno?" Yang said, smiling as she sipped again.
"What about you?" I asked. At her expression of confusion, I elaborated. "You ever wonder what I think of you?"
"Lemme guess. A hotheaded impulsive girl who thinks with her knuckles rather than her brain," Yang groaned.
"Close," I said, and Yang jolted in surprise, making me laugh. "A hotheaded dragon who thinks with her heart rather than her brain."
Yang blushed, and finished her drink, as did I. "Wanna dance?" she asked.
"Sure," I said, and the two of us made our way to the dance floor. Three hours passed by, and soon Yang and I were laughing, dancing, arguing, cheering, rinsing and repeating. It was close to 9:20 PM when we were back at the bar, drinking again.
"The bitch actually called my hair fake!" Yang slurred, brushing her long golden ad luscious locks as if they were a baby in her arms. "Dunno if you know this, but insulting a girl's hair...is the worst thing you can do..."
"Yep, I *hic* hear you," I said as I downed my seventh...eighth? Eighth drink that night. I could tell was done drinking when Junior shook his head at me as he took the empty glass. "What'd didja you do?"
"I...I lunged...lunged at her like I was gonna punch her stupid face...and she cried and peed her pants...actually peed...it was a mess," Yang chortled, head on the table as she laughed. She was drunk, sure. But I was completely wasted.
I was too busy trying to figure out which of the two Yangs in front of me were real. "Heheh..." I said before hiccuping again. "School..."
"Oh yeah, you grew up in Menagerie, right?" Yang said as she swayed. "What's school like there?"
"Heheh...I didn't go to school in Menagerie...I don't think I even...even knoowwwww...know what a school there even looks like. Heh...scool. S and cool..." I said drunkenly. Somehow, I avoided spilling the direct truth while not lying at the same time, and it paid off.
"Ohhh, you poor guy..." Yang cooed as she hugged me reassuringly. Or tried to. She hugged my head and rammed my forehead into her neck. "C'mere..."
"Thanks," I mumbled tiredly before hiccuping. "I...could use another drink."
Yang leaned back, smiling hazily at me. Her cloudy eyes were half lidded as she scooted closer to me. "I still have the taste in me..." she garbled drunkenly. "Will that work for you?"
"Sure...the taste of Yang and Straw...straww..stawbery sunrise..." I said, before I felt Yang's lips on mine, and I could practically hear and feel sloppy wet sounds.
"OK that's it you two, I'm calling your friends before this becomes a stain on my floor," a completely done Junior sighed as he grabbed the scroll on the bar, likely my scroll. I don't think I put a passcode on it, at least. I didn't really care either.
The last thing I remembered was Yang leaning her full body weight on me and sending us both sprawling to the tiled floor of the bar as we made out, the club around us slowly going dark.