Author's Note: I do not own the song Shine from the show
The following night, Ragora stood behind a podium. She was wearing a flowing purple dress that reached her knees as well as matching heels and she smiled at the door. "You guys all look great!" She said.
Cinder was wearing an elegant black dress that had no back and even had a black glass design on the left upper leg. The dress even sparkled from the neck to the bottom. She also had on black gloves that reached her elbows. Emerald wore an olive-colored, halterneck, backless dress with a black sash around her waist, and matching heeled pumps. Mercury wore a three-piece suit that had a gold bowtie and gold trim on the lapel. Neo's dress had her classic three colors on it with the top being white and the skirt pink. She had a brown sash around her waist. Simin's suit was similar to Mercury's only his had lavender instead of black and her bowtie and lapel line were black, as were his pants and shoes. Finally, Vella had a simple viridian dress with a black sash tied around her waist.
"Thanks!" Simin said.
"Where's Lapis?" Vella asked.
"She told me she just started getting ready and would be in soon." Cinder said.
Outside, Sun was struggling with the tie he had on and grumbling.
"I had a feeling you'd look better in a tie." Lapis said.
Sun turned to her and saw she was wearing a blue halterneck dress with the top half embroidered and the bottom half reaching just below her knees. The dress had a white collar, and she completed the look with white heels. She walked to Sun, and they headed to the ballroom arm in arm.
"So, we're going together?" He asked.
"Technically, yes. But Ragora owes me my first dance." The wolf Faunus said.
Inside, many people were dancing with a partner, Lapis and Ragora among them before the latter two curtsied to each other, ending their dance. Afterwards, Lapis danced with Sun and was laughing and enjoying herself as they danced.
"I don't know if I've ever seen her smile this much." Vella said, though she was smiling too.
"I don't think I pegged as a girl who likes to dance. She's always ready for a fight." Mercury said.
"Fighting and dancing aren't that different. Two interlocked with each other." Ozpin started as he walked to them with a chuckle. "Though, a wrong move on the dance floor results in a swollen foot."
"Or an ankle twisted." Emerald said.
"Friends aren't able to come together like this every day. Time can test our bonds, but nights like these help keep them strong. Nights like these will never be forgotten." He added then walked away.
"He's right. We won't forget a night like this for as long as we live." Cinder said as Team SLMO walked in.
Steel immediately walked to Cinder. "May I have this dance, my lady?" He asked.
Cinder blushed like mad from shyness but smiled still. "Why, of course, good sir." She replied then the two held hands as they walked to the crowd and danced together.
Neo watched then typed on her Scroll. "Em, Merc, I think our leader may be starting to like Steel."
"It sure looks that way." Mercury said then saw General Ironwood dancing with Glynda. He looked back and forth between the two men. "Wait a minute..."
Simin turned to his friend. "What is it?"
"Anyone else see the resemblance?"
The six looked from General Ironwood to Steel and realized what Mercury meant.
"No way!" Vella said.
"Steel...is General Ironwood's son?" Emerald asked.
"First we find out Miltia has a twin sister and now that the General has a kid." Ragora thought aloud.
"I can imagine it isn't something young Jonathan likes to talk about." Ozpin said. "He and his father haven't had a good relationship for years now. Meredith, James' wife and Steel's mother as well as one of Atlas's brightest minds, died of a terminal illness when Steel was ten years old. At fifteen, he took up a job as a miner for the Schnee Dust Company and hasn't spoken to James since."
The six looked saddened at this news. None of them could imagine how that must've felt.
Sun soon walked to them as the music ended. "Lapis said she needed to get to the stage. Any of you guys know why?"
"We have a pretty good idea." Simin smirked as feedback came from the speakers.
"Can you guys all hear me?" Lapis asked into a microphone, and everyone turned to her while Ragora stood beside her friends. "Great. Many of you know me as the Defender of the Four Kingdoms, but I'm more than just a fighter. And I'd like to demonstrate that tonight." She said then cleared her throat and music began as she started to sing.
"Baby, it's time to make up your mind
I think that tonight is when our stars align
Honey, it's time to leave the doubt behind
Take my hand 'cause you and I are gonna shine
I was cold in the dark
It was empty in my life
From the outside it looked so bright
But nothing felt right... to me
Like a sky with no sun
Like a night that has no day
My heart was eclipsed by the dark
Then something changed"
Lapis glanced at Ragora several times as she sang the next part.
"I saw a little ray of light come through
The tiniest of sparks came into view
And then
You made me hope again"
People started to dance to the music, Lapis among them before singing the next part.
"I've been watching you, helping you
Wishing that you'd see
That the girl you've been waiting so long for could be me
Now - I've never been in love
But I think this is it
It might seem like a school girl crush
But I have to admit
I wanna take a chance and make you see
I think that you're the one who'll rescue me
This time
You're finally gonna see you should be mine
But baby, it's time to make up your mind
I think that tonight is when our stars align
Honey, it's time to leave the doubt behind
Take my hand 'cause you and I are gonna shine"
This time, Lapis looked directly at Ragora.
"I won't need any dreams
It's all there if you're by my side
Every moment's enough
And you take me to paradise
When I needed a hero you knew it
And you were there
And I'm scared but I'll open my heart up
I'm ready to dare"
Lapis looked back at the crowd.
"I know I've never felt like this before
I never really knew what love was for
I dreamed
But never did believe
But baby, it's time to make up your mind
I think that tonight is when our stars align
Honey, right now we leave the doubt behind
Take my hand 'cause you and I are gonna
Light the sky until it's dawn and
Baby, you and I are gonna shine"
After the music ended, the crowd cheered and applauded for her, causing the Faunus to seem a bit surprised as she walked back to her friends.
"Lapis, that was amazing!" Cinder said, earning agreements from the rest of their teams.
"You certainly are like your mother, Miss Lazuli." Ozpin said.
Dance music continued to play as Cinder and Lapis stepped outside.
"That was really good." The amber eyed girl said to her friend.
"Thanks. When I was in the Fang, this Faunus named Yuma always talked negative about my singing. It made me feel like nobody wanted to hear me sing so I locked that part of my life away until tonight." Lapis said then noticed a woman with a recognizable ponytail leaping across rooftops. "What the-?"
"You saw it too."
"Yeah. Come on. Whoever that was, looked like she was headed for the tower."
The two headed to the tower. When they arrived, they saw an Atlesian soldier unconscious they had their locker arrive at their location then grabbed their swords then headed to the Communications Room where they came across Pyrrha Nikos wearing an infiltration suit and a mask.
"It's not a masquerade ball." Cinder said.
"So, take off the mask and tell us who you are." Lapis said before the two realized their swords were bending a bit before they straightened out again while Pyrrha drew Miló and charged at the two, who fought her back. The fight was a brief stalemate then the three heard the elevator open and they saw General Ironwood. However, when the students turned around, Pyrrha was gone.
"I don't like this. If that was who I think it was, we're in trouble." Lapis thought to herself.
That's chapter sixteen
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