"I'm never really sure what I'm supposed to be calling you," Neela told Coco as they walked through the large department store, Neela moving quickly to try and keep up as Coco marched on like a woman who was on a mission. Coco knew exactly what she wanted and she knew exactly where it was, and if anyone got in the way it wasn't going to end well for them. Coco stopped in front of the perfume and jewelry counter for a moment, looking down a few of the aisles and back towards the far end of the store before continuing on, Neela chasing after her as she had stopped to catch her breath.
"You can just call me Coco when we aren't at Beacon, Neela. I am your godmother after all," Coco told her, marching towards one of the customer service representatives. The man shook slightly as she approached his counter and she slammed her purse down on top. She grabbed him by the tie and he struggled as she pulled him close. "I don't recognize you, you're new. Where is Flynt?" He still struggled and she finally let go of him, more or less throwing him back, and allowing him to gasp for air.
"I am new, yes! And Mr. Coal had a meeting this afternoon, but he should be out any moment…" He was cut off by a whistle from the other end of the store from which Coco had just come from. Flynt stood with his head tilted, a large smile plastered on his face as he spread his arms out. He peered over the top of his shades.
"Yo Adel!" He called out. Neela watched as Coco turned from military combatant to schoolgirl in seconds flat, Coco running over to Flynt as though he was one of her girlfriends, grabbing him by the lapel as they exchanged kisses on the cheek with each other. "How's it going girl? I ain't seen you in here since the new school year started." Neela walked over and joined them, Flynt peering past Coco to look at her. "Who do we have here?"
"This is Neela Xiao Long, Yang and Blake's daughter," Coco told him. Neela smirked thoughtfully at Coco's answer. It was a given that the first time she was introduced to someone they would tell the person that she was adopted, but Coco had completely omitted the fact and Neela appreciated it greatly. He tipped his hat and took her hand, kissing it.
"A pleasure to meet you," he told her. "Name's Flynt Coal. Coco and I go way back." He wrapped his arm around Neela and cupped his mouth. "I have some wildly inappropriate stories about her." Neela chuckled.
"You have one wildly inappropriate story about me, and I don't think we'll have time to get around to telling her that today," Coco told him. Flynt waved her off and let Neela go, moving back over to Coco.
"So, what brings you in here today Adel?" Flynt asked her as he walked around to the other side of the jewelry counter and looked at something on the laptop that was sitting open.
"A dress. Neela needs one for the dance Friday night," Coco told him. Flynt nodded without looking up from the laptop before slamming it shut and stepping around to join them, removing the tape measure that was draped around his neck and measuring Neela quickly. He kept nodding, making sounds of approval as he thought over the dimensions in his head.
"Suck it in just a little," he told her. She stood up straight and extended her arms. "Perfect." He finished, threw the tape back over his shoulder, and jotted down the results. He motioned with his head. "Follow me." Coco marched after him, grabbing her purse quickly off of the counter where she had left it before as they passed by and Neela nodded at the man.
"Coco, we can go somewhere else to get a dress, I'm not going to be able to afford anything here. Plus I was kind of hoping that I could get Elli's approval." Neela told her as she caught up to the two of them. Did they have a speed other than quick, or was that the only thing that they knew? Coco stared ahead at Flynt, following closely.
"I'm paying for the dress Neela, it's the least that I can do," Coco told her.
"What do you mean?" Neela asked.
"For last night," Coco told her. Neela rolled her eyes and exhaled hard.
"Why? We failed the mission and I got hurt in the process. I wouldn't say that our performance is worthy of recognition or thanks," Neela replied. Coco chuckled as they reached the dresses and Flynt pulled them off of the wall in a flurry, looking them over before shaking his head and throwing them back up.
"It's not always that cut and dry Neela. I know Ozpin was gone before you were born, but this battle against evil has always been a chess match. A matter of wit and strategy, and I couldn't have collected any of the information on Stardust that I had last night without you," Coco informed her. Neela folded her arms.
"You could have gotten some of the teachers together," Neela told her. Coco sighed.
"Yes, I guess I could have done that, but then you'd still be as ill-prepared for your next battle, and who's to say that if the next battle you fight had been your first in a non-simulated scenario, you might have been hurt worse due to lack of experience. All things to think about, but I think overall it was a success. Your team chemistry is becoming stronger all the time. Sure you might have waited too long to stop the masked woman, and you should have moved in to steal the item sooner, but all of that knowledge and intuition comes with trial and error. I wasn't always perfect… I'm still not perfect," Coco told her. Flynt nodded as he still shuffled through the options before him.
"Being a Huntsman or Huntress doesn't mean that you aren't ever going to get hurt. It only means that you have a higher purpose and that higher purpose is to protect those that you love. Did you do that?" Flynt asked. Neela thought it over. Could Eliana have handled Sirius and Orion on her own? Would she have gotten hurt like Sirius promised? If she had died, Neela wouldn't have been able to forgive herself. She took it all into consideration. Next time she would do better. She had to.
"And if that isn't reason enough to let me buy this dress for you, I have another reason to get it for you," Coco told her. Neela tilted her head slightly.
"What's that?" She asked.
"Lamar," She told Neela. Neela was confused, what did she have to do with Coco's son?
"Lamar?" Neela asked. Coco chuckled as Flynt threw a dress at her and she draped it over her arm.
"You're the reason that most of us have kids. If it wasn't for you, Weiss never would have looked into the technology that allowed Velvet and I to have him. Seeing how Blake and Yang looked at you, it made Weiss want that very thing, and so she got to work and didn't stop until she found a way to do it," Coco explained. "So if for nothing else, let me thank you by buying this dress."
"If you insist," Neela replied reluctantly, she still didn't think it was that big of a deal. Coco smirked.
"I do! And why would you want to bring Eliana with to pick out your dress? Aren't you going to surprise her?" Coco asked. Neela rubbed her jaw back to her neck, blushing as she looked away from Coco. "You're going with Eliana, aren't you?"
"Not together. We'll both be there, just not together," Neela said quietly. Coco glanced over at her.
"I just assumed that you two would be taking each other…" Coco tapered off as she saw the worry and stress in Neela's distant eyes. "She doesn't know, does she?" Neela shook her head.
"Is it that obvious?" Neela asked. She looked at Coco who met her gaze with sympathetic eyes. "If it's this obvious to everyone else, she has to know too, right?" Coco shook her head.
"That's not necessarily true," Coco reassured her catching another dress from Flynt. "Everyone knew that I was in love with Velvet before Velvet knew. I thought that I couldn't make it any more obvious unless I had strapped a sign to my chest confessing my love. She had no idea. It tore me up for a long while." Flynt glanced at Coco for a moment as she shook her head. "I almost lost her to one of our colleagues at the time."
"What happened? What made you change your mind and decide to say something?" Neela asked. Coco glanced at Flynt and shook her head slowly.
"That story I told you that I had about Coco," Flynt said. "It's funny in a way… a very strange kind of way. We decided to hook up because Velvet had started seeing this guy and Coco couldn't bring herself to say anything about her feelings. When things started getting hot and heavy Coco kept calling out Velvet's name. It was quite the turnoff, but I was understanding…" Coco chuckled and clicked her tongue.
"What an understatement," she said. "Flynt told me to go tell Velvet how I felt. All I could do was cry and apologize for doing that to him, but he understood completely." He nodded and shrugged as he turned back to the shelves.
"I waited too long with Neon," he replied. "I didn't want to see the same thing happen to you." Coco looked down at her purse for a moment before looking back at Neela.
"Don't wait, Neela. Don't wait for someone else to come along and steal her away from you," Coco told her.
"What if she doesn't like me back?" Neela asked.
"Isn't the pain of trying and failing better than not knowing?" Coco asked. Neela stared at herself in the mirror beside her. That was just it. She didn't know if that would be better. "I know you're afraid and unsure Neela, but I do know that she'll never know how you feel unless you tell her."
"Let's try some of these on," Flynt exclaimed trying to lighten the mood. Neela smiled at him out of politeness and nodded.
"Sure," she said. Neela grabbed a few of them up and moved into the changing room, hanging them on the door and stripping down to her dark blue bra and panties. She looked herself over in the mirror. I noticed that my boobs are still slightly bigger than yours.
Did you like what you saw Eliana? Did the sight of my breasts take your breath from your lungs? Did the idea of them stripping my blue undergarments from my body cause you to fill with an unexplainable heat? Did the curves of my naked body force your heart to stop until you took notice and told it that it needed to start once more? Was there a craving to touch me? Do you feel what I feel for you?
This is what I feel for you.
Neela trembled as she thought about it and admired herself in the mirror for a moment. It was true, Eliana had always had a larger bosom, but Neela could easily make an argument that her ass was more ample than…
"COCO!" Neela screamed out. She threw the door open, forgetting where she was for a moment as she felt Flynt's eyes on her as well. He blushed momentarily, pulling his hat off and covering his face, walking away quickly. Neela grabbed a dress off of the door, covering herself and blushing as well. Coco looked at her for a moment before raising an eyebrow. "Coco!"
"What?" Coco asked. Neela's face flared with heat and embarrassment.
"Get in here!" Neela demanded. She reached back onto the bench in the small booth and grabbed her gauntlet, grappling Coco and not leaving her a choice. Neela shut the door behind them.
"Neela, what's wrong?" Coco inquired again.
"What's wrong?!" Neela asked incredulously. "Look at my back!" A long scar ran from Neela's left shoulder blade to the right side of her back at a diagonal, placing it about level with her breasts. "What?!"
"Your aura was damn close to breaking during the fight with Sirius and Orion. You're lucky it was just a scratch," Coco tried to calm her down.
"Lucky!?" Neela shouted. Neela felt on the verge of tears, her chest heaving. She was going to hyperventilate! Why had this happened?! Her body had been perfect, and now it was marred! Torn by some jackass who was satisfied with disfiguring a high school girl! Her throat closed and she leaned against the wall, shaking her head in denial. "How is this lucky?"
"You could have died," Coco said unsympathetically. Neela looked at her in shock. How could she be so cold?!
"But my back!" Neela tried to protest. Coco grabbed her and sat her forcefully on the bench, pulling up the bottom of her shirt and revealing claw marks across her stomach.
"Your back is a small price to pay if it means that you saved your own life or the life of someone close to you. I got this protecting Velvet from a Beo," Coco explained. "Maybe it's not flattering. Maybe it makes people uncomfortable when they see it when I go to the beach. When I see it every morning in the mirror after I shower, however, it reminds me just how much I love Velvet and how far I'd go for her." Neela looked up at Coco with wide eyes. Coco smirked as she softened. "And just imagine how erotic that thought might be when you and Eliana finally go all the way." Neela blushed.
"Why do you have to say it like that?" Neela asked. Coco laughed.
"Because I know from experience," Coco told her. "Now come on. You're Neela Xiao Long. Prodigy. Warrior. Huntress. You're stronger than some scar and a little fear. You strive to be the best and you work hard for it." Neela nodded and stood up, opening the door to let Coco out.
"Thanks, Coco," Neela replied. Coco looked at Neela and smiled. She would be just fine.
"Anytime kid," Coco reminded her.
"Oh my, Oum!" Tawney yelled as she ran across the empty cafeteria and jumped up and down in front of the stage that had been set up for the performance that night. "Oh my, Oum! I can't even function right now guys! Why is nobody else as excited as I am!?" Tawney leapt onto the stage and looked out at the cafeteria that was completely devoid of students and tables, with the exception of Team CBLT and most of NITE. "In a few short hours, Jeff and Casey Williams are going to be performing here and I'm going to be in the front row! I don't know if I can handle this!"
"You can handle Grimm, but you think that a concert is going to do you in?" Cobalt asked. Tawney's excited school girl persona dropped and she leapt down, marching up to him and grabbing him by the collar. "I was only joking… take it easy…"
"Maybe I'll start downplaying your anime, huh? I thought I heard you sobbing from the bathroom as you were watching it the other night," she growled. He struggled to break her grip, his armor assisting greatly.
"I was! It was about a kid who played piano who met this girl with a violin…" He grunted as she regained her grip.
"I don't care!" She bit at him. He reached down for his sword.
"The feeling… is mutual…" He brought his arm up but Lykos caught it and shoved Tawney back.
"Both of you cut it out," Lykos told them. Cobalt brushed himself off and Tawney sneered, both of them glaring hard at each other and nodding. They took off in separate directions and Lykos looked back at Bái shrugging. She smiled.
"Thank you for making them stop Lykos-kun," she exclaimed. She grabbed his arm and he glanced down at her for a moment before looking back at Cobalt.
"Didn't leave me with much of a choice," he told her. "I just don't understand what's wrong with them."
"Sexual tension," Ilia joked as she and Titus met them in the middle of the floor. Eliana was a few steps behind.
"That never happens with Nee-" Titus began, crying out in pain as Ilia had slammed her foot down on his and held her butterfly knife to his throat. "Us. That never happens with us." Lykos shook his head.
"You're making a really horrible case for yourself," Lykos told him. Titus nodded, biting his lip slightly.
"Do you have to be so rough?" Titus asked. Ilia scoffed.
"For Atlas Military, you're awfully soft." She flipped her knife around in her hand before putting it back in the case on her hip. "And if you'd stop being dense, I wouldn't have to hurt you." Ilia glanced over at Bái. "Are you making him get dressed up?"
"He's agreed to wear a white button up," Bái told her.
"Without the pelt?" Ilia asked. The girl shook her head.
"With." Ilia looked Lykos over.
"You'll be fine for a night, won't you?" Ilia asked him. Lykos shook his head.
"It was a gift from someone special," he explained. Ilia rubbed her forehead.
"Suit yourself," Ilia replied. Eliana walked past them and looked up at the stage for a moment before feet could be heard moving quickly across the room and they turned to watch Tawney run past to join Eliana.
"Hey, Elli! So, I heard that you aren't going with anyone to the dance tonight," Tawney pried. "I don't have anyone to go with either, so I was thinking that maybe you and I could go together. If you think you can handle The Maniac, that is." Eliana looked to be deep in thought for a moment before turning to Tawney with a smile.
"Thanks, but I think that I'll be fine going alone," Eliana replied. Tawney turned a bright red and balled her fists, biting her lip.
"Sure," Tawney seethed as she stormed out again. Eliana stared up at the lights again and Ilia joined her.
"Eliana, are you okay?" Ilia asked. Eliana nodded and looked over at her.
"I'm fine. Didn't get much time to sleep last night since I was finishing up homework that we needed to turn in today. I was going to have Neela help me with it earlier in the week, but since she ended up injured and then Coco stole her last night, she didn't get the chance to," Eliana explained. She flashed her signature smile and started heading for the doors. "I'm going to head back to the dorms in a while to wait for Neela to get back." Ilia and Titus nodded at her in acknowledgment.
"Where is she at anyway?" Ilia asked as Eliana began to walk away.
"She said that Coco wanted to do her make up for the dance tonight," Eliana explained. With that, she left and Ilia glared at Titus.
"What?" He asked. Ilia marched over to him, Lykos, and Bái and lowered her voice.
"Be more careful what you say when Elli's around. If she finds out from anyone but Neela, Neela is going to murder us, and I can only imagine her preferred method," Ilia told him as he swallowed hard. He nodded.
"Right." He agreed. "Let's go get ready." They all nodded.
"Right!"
Eliana walked towards the cliff and stared out at the water as the sunset was blooming and scattered colored light off of the waves, sending it refracting in every direction. It was a few days away, wasn't it? She was always happy go lucky, and she was a master at masking the pain when she had Neela around, but the anniversary of her father's death was Tuesday, and everyday closer reminded Eliana of the pain even more. They had come home and found him dead on the floor. Grimm had torn him completely apart. There was no hope that he might survive. It was a bloodbath, and it had been her father's blood.
What if she and her mother hadn't gone into town? Maybe they could have saved him… or maybe they would have died with him. Eliana crouched, holding her chest in pain and shaking. Tears fell from her eyes as she watched the sunset. It was a perfect sunset. Her father would have loved it. The thought brought even more tears. What was taking Neela so long? Eliana needed a pick me up before she headed off to the dance where she'd be ogled and undressed by the boys there, and some of the girls. Eliana had a natural kind of beauty, and it wasn't that she flaunted her body, but the outfit that she had chosen was more or less revealing. She was comfortable in it, and that's all that mattered.
She was sure that Neela would tell her that she looked beautiful in the dress she had picked out, Neela never hesitated to let her know. It took everything in Eliana not to blush, but coming from Neela it meant the world to her. Neela was the one person she could always depend on. She loved Neela deeply and she knew that Neela loved her too. They were connected. Since the day they had met, until the day they would die. It was an unbreakable bond of friendship that Eliana knew that they would never lose. She finally composed herself and sat along the drop, staring at the rocks below, and remembering the first night when she and Neela had snuck out there and enjoyed the cool of the night.
"Hey dad, it's me," Eliana spoke, the breeze carrying her words out to the ends of Remnant. "It's been so long now that you've been gone. I'd tell you how long, but Neela told me that dwelling on it would only hurt more, so I'll try not to focus on the details too hard. She really is amazing, dad, I think you'd be proud of the choices that I've made so far. Neela thinks so." Eliana laughed lightly. "I'm always going on about her, aren't I?" She sighed. She always went on about Neela, they had done everything together and Neela had taken her father's place as comforter.
"But she's amazing and perfect like you." Eliana thought about the year so far, turning it over in her head. "Beacon has been everything I imagined and more so far! I haven't met any cute boys yet, but I'm sure if I give it enough time I'll find the one." She laughed. "Neela says I shouldn't worry about it. She sounds so sure, but I'm at the academy now, and if I don't find someone before I graduate I won't have time once I'm a huntress. I'll be far too focused on my work." Was there anything else…?
"Neela and I snuck out here and watched the stars and tide the first night we got here. It was amazing! Oh, and I tried using the trick that you told me about but it was too much for my body to handle. Maybe once I get better I'll be able to use my semblance to predict movement. Plus we had a game of capture the flag last weekend and we dominated. That is until one of our teammates was nearly frozen to death by another one of our friends. And Neela and I went to a street fair last night!" Eliana smiled as she looked up at the clouds that were drifting by slowly. "I don't know the best way to put it, but it was magical!" There was nothing else to say. She had told him everything that mattered. She closed her eyes and let the wind caress her.
"I love you, dad. I miss you," Eliana managed to choke out as she stood. The tears were building up again and she turned around to find Blake behind her. Blake gave her a warm smile and Eliana threw her arms around her, sobbing softly. "I'm sorry Mrs. Xiao Long! I shouldn't be so upset!"
"Who told you that?" Blake asked looking at her.
"Nobody, I just don't want Neela to see me like this!" Eliana exclaimed. Blake smiled and held Eliana in her arms. "Normally I would just tell her but she seems like she's been under a lot of stress since the beginning of the school year."
"Both of you girls are strong. You don't need to put on a façade for each other though," Blake explained. "Sharing in pain is what friends are for. Neela would be more than happy to help you bear the load." Eliana shook her head.
"I just hate causing Neela pain." Eliana managed as she inhaled hard between crying.
"Causing pain and sharing pain are very different," Blake told her. "I've done my fair share of both, I know." Eliana nodded and Blake pet her head until she calmed down, detaching her and looking her over. She lifted Eliana's chin. "Why don't you come with me back to the apartment and I'll help you do your makeup." Eliana nodded and laughed.
"I'd like that, thank you, Ms. Xiao Long." Eliana walked beside Blake towards the teacher housing units.
"Eliana."
"Yes. Ms. Xiao Long?"
"You can just call me Blake."
"Oh. Right."
"Welcome!" Velvet said greeting Team CBLT with a smile as they entered the cafeteria. The lights had been largely been dimmed at this point, strobes and lasers lighting up the dark building and casting after images of students dancing out on the floor, different niches had gathered together in different areas and were enjoying themselves. Cobalt nodded at Velvet in acknowledgment and they walked past out onto the floor, Cobalt looking out for a punch bowl or anything else that might be available to drink. Tawney pointed.
"Some of these kids are wearing uniforms from different schools," Tawney exclaimed.
"Who would come all this way just for a dance," Lykos asked.
"Maybe they were invited by significant others," Bái offered. Cobalt frowned.
"That's probably it," he agreed. "Anyone see Team NITE?" Lykos pointed.
"Titus and Ilia are over there," Lykos told him. He glanced over at Lykos surprised. His scanner hadn't found them yet, but Lykos spotted them in a second.
"How'd you see them so fast, it's pretty dark in here," Cobalt stated. They headed for Titus and Ilia.
"It's not that dark," Lykos replied.
"I beg to differ," Cobalt rebutted. "I could touch Tawney on the butt and she'd never been able to see that it was me." Tawney turned to him, what little light was in the room glanced off of her eyes.
"Want to test that theory?" She asked cracking her knuckles. Cobalt smiled and waved his hands in front of him.
"No thanks, somethings are better left in my head," he replied.
"Most of the things you say are," she jabbed.
"Hey guys," Titus greeted them as they arrived and stood in a mass, all facing each other so that they could carry on a conversation. Lykos scanned the room as though he was looking for someone.
"Anyone else notice students from the other academies?" Tawney nodded.
"That's what I said!" she exclaimed. "Plus, who wears their school uniform to a dance?" Cobalt chuckled. "You don't even wear it when we're supposed to in class," Cobalt reminded her. She folded her arms.
"I hate them with a passion," she replied.
"Where are Neela and Eliana?" Lykos asked. Ilia shrugged.
"Last we heard, Coco was getting Neela ready for the dance. Maybe Eliana decided to join them," She offered. The rest of them nodded in agreement with her and someone tapped Titus on the shoulder, forcing him to turn around and face them. The administrative assistant with the pink eyes that he had gotten his map from on day one stood with her hand extended, wanting him to take it.
"Might I trouble you for a dance?" She asked. His eyes searched hers and he glanced back at Ilia. She could read it in his eyes. Something was wrong but he had a sternness that told her not to worry, that he'd be able to handle it on his own. She nodded at him and he looked back at the woman, taking her hand. He smiled softly.
"It would be a pleasure," he replied as he left with her. Ilia watched for a long moment as they disappeared into the crowd.
"You two are a thing now, right?" Cobalt asked. Ilia chuckled and shook her head, sighing.
"Nope. Just really good friends," she answered.
He followed her out of the cafeteria and onto one of the greens that were littered with students that needed a breath of fresh air or wanted to show up and get the music without the feeling of needing to get all dressed up. Titus noted their faces, not recognizing him and his mind thrashed suddenly, turning over into some irrational idea that he was being ambushed but he brushed the notion off. He could take these students. He wouldn't even have to break a sweat. She smiled at him softly and he returned it. At this point, they were both playing a game of cat and mouse, and only one would be able to outmaneuver the other.
"Camellia," he finally spoke breaking the silence. Her resolve never changed and her expression never faltered as the song that had been playing ended, and a waltz began to play. She curtseyed, glancing at the other students whose attention had been lulled in at the scene. She was well aware that students at Atlas Academy were required to take a ballroom dancing class. It wasn't that he hated dancing, but he could feel so many eyes on him, waiting in silent wonder to see if something amazing happened. He didn't have a choice. He needed to talk to her, and he didn't know that he'd have another chance. Just as they had told him it would, it seemed that the dancing classes would pay off. He positioned his hands on her waist and in her hand, and they maneuvered flawlessly as if they had been practicing for this moment for months as if they were being judged at a competition. Students gasped and drew the attention of friends, taking videos on their scrolls. She sighed softly, as though she were content.
"I was afraid that maybe you had forgotten us," she told him. "You didn't have the slightest tell that first day." She searched his eyes and he trembled inside. He knew the dangers of meeting eyes with this woman, but he peered back into hers for answers and somehow they seemed soft and kind. She looked past him, staring blankly, not focusing on anything in particular. "You suppressed it, didn't you? The fear… Or what you could." He was frozen again as he returned to her gaze and darkness consumed him until he was alone and his body moved by itself. He couldn't hear the music, he couldn't hear her breathing. He could only hear his own heartbeat before the familiar ringing of a sniper rifle filled his ears. "The lesson was taught well. Admon had really outdone himself with that plan."
"You're wrong," Titus spoke with a smirk. She looked up from his chest and peered into his distant eyes. The darkness cleared and he was returned to his dance, a mass had collected around them and he smiled wildly now, more aware of the development around him. She shook her head and sighed, glancing over his shoulder at Ilia who had appeared, her mouth agape. "Letting others help you through trials isn't a sign of weakness. Sometimes strength is recognizing a need for outside help. A new perspective-"
"You learned nothing then," Camellia told him. "What's to say that they won't betray you? Who's to say that they aren't just using you for your strength?" Titus glanced over at Ilia and Camellia grabbed his face, pulling him towards her so that they were only a nose apart. "You can still join us, Titus. You don't have to admit weakness. You don't have to admit defeat." He swallowed hard and pushed her away slowly.
"The difference is that we can trust each other," he explained as the music ended. She bit her lip and nodded slowly.
"I guess you might be right. Perhaps that is what we lack," She told him. She curtsied again and he bowed as the students erupted into applause and she made an attempt to walk by him but he grabbed her arm. She looked at her arm and then up at him, his thoughts were somewhere else as he stared up at the stars.
"Do you know where Nat is?" He asked her. She shook her head.
"You have nothing that I want, and for that, I have nothing to give," she replied. She pulled herself in and softly kissed his lips, a gesture that shocked him. "Just remember that trust is easily broken." She managed to free herself and she left the crowd as they swarmed in and greeted him. Camellia managed to sneak away and walked down a long pathway back towards the dorms, circling over to the woods that separated the safety of Beacon from the dangers of Remnant.
"Do you have the information?" A voice asked stepping out from the tree line, her sneer now visible. Crimson moved out of the shadows and stood several feet away from Camellia, her hand extended, waiting for an item to be placed in her palm. Camellia removed the flash drive, watching Crimson's eyes follow it, enraptured by the object.
"This is the information that you want, but you're going to have to talk to my brother one last time in order to access what's inside. The staff here at Beacon is very thorough, so I was forced to decrypt the files and encrypt them in a way that's more specific to Atlas Tech, but it won't be an issue for Admon to pick apart." Camellia held it out but kept her grip as Crimson tried to pry it free. "Why do you need this so badly, and what's in it for us?" Crimson smirked before stepping closer, her hand on her hip, gently feeling her weapon over.
"If it wasn't for me Admon would still be in that prison in Atlas, don't forget that," Crimson reminded her. Camellia gave a fake smile and let Crimson take the drive. "Not to mention your brother is getting exactly what he wanted as we discussed initially. If anything, you owe us again."
"We've already made arrangements, have we not?" Camellia asked. "Admon's been keeping me out of the loop so that if I'm questioned they won't be able to get anything out of me." Crimson walked back towards the woods.
"Of course. We've sent some of our fighters to assist your brother in smuggling Dust into our possession from the mining trips that the SDC is making to Menagerie. In return, you're going to help us lift some Atlas Tech in the coming months." Crimson stopped for a moment and chuckled. "I guess now if they question you, you have no excuse." She sauntered away and Camellia watched her disappear into the darkness before turning back to the dance. There was still much work to be done before Admon could get his revenge.
A strange feeling had overcome Ilia as she had witnessed Titus kissing the mystery woman and she walked alone towards the cliff, the area devoid of all students, as any stragglers that weren't already in the building had been drawn in by Titus' performance. What was this dread that gripped her, this strange feeling of disappointment? He had lied to them, hadn't he? Titus said that he was only going to focus on schooling and nothing else… So then why did that woman kiss him the way that she did? It looked tender, and it was knowing! Why was Ilia so worried? She had no reason to be jealous.
I think of you three more like sisters. That's what Titus had told her, over and over, and she wondered at first if maybe it was just a coping mechanism to keep him or them from becoming too close to one another. She knew it wasn't, but she had hoped secretly. Part of her wanted to know more about him, to know everything about him. Part of her wanted them to be each others. But is that what she really wanted, or was it a past of loneliness crying out for affection? She wasn't sure. Like my sister. Ilia sighed. He had told her countless times, and it wasn't just a deflection. He meant it.
Ilia looked out at the moon and sighed. It was a subtle yet throbbing pain. Dull. Confusion set in slowly and she trying to brush it off but she glanced back at the school and realized that despite how much she had connected with her teammates in the first few months, she still felt very alone. She wanted to tell them what she was going through, but putting it out there risked bringing in people from her past. She couldn't let that happen. She felt safe for the first time since the accident.
"What's a pretty girl like you doing all the way out here?" A voice asked behind her. She became slightly rigid for a long moment. She didn't recognize the voice and turned slowly to find a student wearing a Haven uniform peering out at the moon over her shoulder. He seemed taken with it as he stepped up so that stood beside her. He had a jet black faux hawk with gold tips, captivating the eyes of would-be love interests, but not as much as his piercing gold eyes. The moonlight seemed to reflect right off of them, making them shine even brighter, as though they were giving of their own light. Ilia was intrigued, his mustache-less goatee with a pseudo-soul patch was a bold choice, but he pulled the look together nicely. He couldn't have been any more than one year ahead of her.
"Maybe I should be asking why you'd follow a girl out here who's all alone," she replied defensively. He chuckled and raised his hands, taking a step back.
"I didn't know that you were out here alone," he replied. "Bold of you to tell me so." She rolled her eyes and began walking back towards the school. She didn't know him, and it really wasn't wise to put herself in this situation. She was tough and scrappy, fighting her way out of many situations in the past, but the students here and at the other academies weren't like the men in the Vacuo Military. They were trained, fine-tuned for fighting Grimm and other huntsmen and huntresses.
"It was a pleasure," she called back to him.
"Do you ever get the feeling that you're alone in this world?" He asked. She paused for a moment. He didn't know, did he? He couldn't! No, he was probably just making an observation, but she lingered a moment longer to hear him out. She had always been overprotective and he hadn't done anything up to this point to make her distrust him. "Like the moon."
"What are you talking about?" She asked. She looked back at him, his eyes still mesmerized by the celestial body.
"The moon. It has to be lonely, doesn't it? Fate has damned it to an eternity of never knowing the warmth or the touch of the sun, the moon's obvious beloved. The night was filled with stars, perhaps to keep the moon company, but because the moon never knew the love of the sun, it knew that something was missing, but it didn't know what, it felt lonely despite being surrounded. Perhaps that's why it's shattered. Maybe the Brothers ripped it from the day, hoping that it would be okay on its own and give light to the night. But it only desires to reflect its beloved. It can always see the sun as it rises and sets, but it will never reach it," he spoke.
She looked at the moon and his words settled with her. He was a romantic, to say the least. She didn't want to trust him, it was in her nature, but with the feeling that was poured out in his words, there was no doubt that he was describing his own feelings. He grabbed her hand and she snatched it away, glancing up at him.
"Perhaps you are my sun?" He asked. Her face became dark red and she punched him in the gut without giving it a second thought. He groaned before hitting the ground, coughing violently. "Too much?"
"Laying it on a bit thick, aren't we Romeo?" She asked. He chuckled.
"I read it in a book once," he told her. "Usually that line gets them." She scoffed. Of course, he had used that line before. Of course, he hadn't come up with it. What was she, crazy? To think that this stranger could catch her attention so easily! She commended his effort, but she wasn't about to become the target of a one-night stand.
"So you say that to all of the girls?" She asked. She turned and sauntered away, back towards the school.
"Wait!" He called out. She stopped. She couldn't exactly explain why she did, but she stopped. "Let me make it up to you." Her body froze, torn between leaving him there on the ground, and waiting to hear him out.
"How?" She asked. He found his feet after a moment and walked over to her. He was a few inches taller than she was and she met his eyes. They were kind… Dammit! Why was this happening? She did want to become interested in this guy, wasn't she just getting over Titus?
Like a sister.
"How does ice cream in Vale sound? My treat?" He asked. She looked up at him, her eyes still deeply involved in his. The moon bit was too much. His opening was rehearsed. She should tell him to get lost… but what did she have to lose? She only had one chance to live her life, and he seemed decent enough for now. Plus, it was just ice cream, and if she got in trouble, she could always call Titus. She shoved him back.
"Yeah. Sure," she replied.
"Funny as this may seem, I didn't go to the dance with Yang," Blake told Eliana as the two of them walked towards the cafeteria from the teacher apartments on the other end of campus. "Yang went alone; she was more or less in charge of coordinating the event with Weiss. I went with Sun." Eliana was shocked to hear that. She had just assumed that Yang and Blake had been an item the entire time that they were in school. "Yang is the one who convinced me that I should go though." Eliana nodded and chuckled.
"Blake, when did you and Yang start dating?" Eliana asked. Blake hesitated for a moment, the question surprised her and made her anxious for Neela's sake.
"Our situation was a little bit different than what any of you are going to go through," Blake said forcing a laugh. "We were only here for our first year of school. The school was destroyed after that and Yang and I didn't see each other again for almost a year. Why do you ask?" Eliana stared up at the stars.
"Mom and dad used to always talk about how they met while he was at the Academy, and how if they hadn't met while he was still in school neither of them would have had time to have gotten married," Eliana explained to Blake as they reached the tower. "I haven't met anyone yet. I'm just hoping that I still have time." Blake rubbed the top of Eliana's head.
"There's still plenty of time for you yet Elli. It's only your first year, and everyone is different. Who's to say you won't have time after you finish schoo-" Blake trailed off halfway, her mouth agape as she stared past Eliana. Eliana acknowledged Blake's shift in attention and glanced back to see Coco who was standing beside Neela, her arms stretched out as though she was presenting the girl as some kind of piece of art. Eliana stood in awe, Neela did look like a piece of art. Her makeup was done in a way that only Coco could have pulled off, bringing out all of Neela's features, her hair was even permed. She wore a long and exaggerated dress, strapless, which left her back bare. "Neela…"
"Neela, you look amazing," Eliana said, her own jaw slightly slack. Blake glanced over at Eliana before looking back at Neela who was blushing and she felt herself on the verge of tears. Her little huntress had been reduced to no more than a beautiful shy girl, ready to join her date for the dance. Neela averted her eyes and traced the ground with her foot, her hair sparkling as the moonlight danced off of it and she looked sheepishly up at Eliana.
"You look great too Elli," Neela replied quietly. Eliana smiled and ran to Neela, looking her over. She lightly bounced on her feet.
"Doesn't she look outstanding?!" Eliana asked Blake. Blake nodded, still forcing her tears to stay where they were forming. "It's not every dance that I can say I was the date of the most beautiful girl in school!" Neela's eye grew as she looked at Eliana.
"Elli…" Neela managed, a smile creeping onto her face. She began to smile from her cheeks and she laughed as Eliana grabbed her by the hand, helping her to hike up her dress and began running towards the cafeteria.
"Come on!" Eliana exclaimed. "Let's show you off!" They disappeared and Coco joined Blake who was inhaling deeply to keep herself composed. Coco looked her over before looking up at the sky.
"You can let it out Blake," Coco told her. Blake threw her arms around Coco and embraced her tight, burying her head in Coco's shoulder.
"Thank you, Coco!" Blake sobbed. "I don't think I can thank you enough." Coco held her close for a moment.
"Think of this as my thank you for Neela's help earlier this week, I owed it to her," Coco reassured her. "Now let's go chaperone some kids, shall we?"
"I've never been this dressed up before," Neela explained as they headed towards the tower from Coco's office, she had made a few last minute touches to Neela's makeup, and they were finally ready to show Beacon what their star huntress had been transformed into. Coco was proud of her work, as always, but she had transformed Neela from a warrior into a princess in a matter of a few hours. Neela was grateful, albeit a bit embarrassed. She wanted to look perfect for Eliana, but she didn't want to attract the attention of everyone.
"How does it feel?" Coco asked.
"It makes me feel a bit nervous, to be honest," Neela explained. Coco nodded.
"Perfectly normal, but you'll feel better in just a few minutes," Coco reassured her.
"Why's that?" Neela asked as they rounded the corner. Neela spotted Blake and Eliana, Eliana looked just as amazing as she normally did in the little black dress that she had picked out, and Blake spotted her first. Her mother's mouth unhinged, eyes moistening as Eliana realized what was happening behind her and turned around. For some stupid reason that Neela couldn't explain she felt more bashful than she ever had before, Eliana's eyes had lit up at the sight of her and it was almost like they were drinking her in.
"Neela…" Blake managed before she was cut off by Eliana, which was probably for the best.
"Neela, you look amazing!" Eliana declared, her mouth open in wonder as well. Neela blushed at the words and glanced at the ground, trying to find something to focus on as she dragged her foot across the walkway. Amazing. She said amazing. Neela felt a warmth and happiness fill her slowly. Eliana said that I look amazing.
"You look great too, Elli," Neela managed. Amazing. The word had touched her deeply. Eliana was instantly at Neela's side and she looked her best friend over from head to toe.
"Doesn't she look outstanding?!" Eliana blurted out. Neela watched as Blake nodded gently, her mother trying her hardest to stay composed. "It's not every dance that I can say I was the date of the most beautiful girl in school!" Everything became black instantly and Neela's eyes widened as they searched for the light. They found it quickly, Eliana's hand, outstretched for Neela to take. Elli. What are you doing to me? Do you mean it as my friend, or as more? Neela was shaken. Beautiful.
"Elli…" Neela found the girl's name as an overwhelming happiness molded face into the largest grin she had ever felt. She laughed and Eliana took her by the hand, practically dragging her towards the dance.
"Come on!" Eliana demanded. "Let's show you off!" Neela ran as fast as she could in the heels that Coco had picked out for her and stopped Eliana short of the doors. "Neela, what is it?" Neela looked away and stared into the distance. "What's wrong?"
"Everyone's going to be watching us," Neela said. Eliana laughed.
"As they should!" Eliana exclaimed. She pulled again but Neela refused to be moved and she slipped her hand from Eliana's turning around so that she could see Neela's scar. "Is that from…" Neela nodded. She sighed as she looked back towards the tower, becoming rigid and nearly jumping out of her skin as Eliana traced the scar with her finger. "Another memory." Neela looked back at Eliana.
"What?" Neela asked. Eliana smiled at Neela and it melted her as it always did.
"Don't think of it as a reminder of failure. Think of it as our first real fight as Team NITE. Remember how it felt to lead us into battle that night. Remember the smell of the fair and the sounds…" Eliana grabbed Neela's hands and Neela glanced down at them before looking back up into Eliana's eyes. "And the sights." Neela stood motionless for a long moment in thought. Eliana always knew what to say. Neela smiled and nodded her head in understanding.
"Right," Neela agreed. Eliana laughed and yanked her to the door.
"Now let's go!" Eliana shouted. She threw the doors open, they slammed loudly and drew the attention of half of the room, causing Neela to blush and Eliana to wrap her arm around Neela's waist. Neela looked down at the hand on her hip before looking over at Eliana. "Trust me. This will keep you from attracting any unwanted attention." Neela was dumbfounded. If only Eliana knew how counterintuitive she was being at that moment. Eliana waved and smiled at everyone before grabbing Neela's hand again and walking with her across the dance floor towards Titus who had amassed a small following of girls.
"It's a required course at Atlas, it's meant to teach dexterity and other applicable skills. If you ladies don't mind, I need to have a word with my teammates," Titus told the others, smiling and pushing his way through until he reached Neela and Eliana. "Thank Oum the two of you showed up…" Titus was cut short as he could make them out in the strobing luminance from behind him. "You two look stunning."
"Thanks, Gargoyle!" Eliana exclaimed. Titus's eyes changed and he moved in close so that only the two of them could hear him.
"Where did you hear that name?" He asked.
"It's not a secret," Eliana said. "Everyone knows that was the nickname you were given by General Branwen in Atlas. I was waiting for the right moment to use it." Neela didn't follow Eliana's logic, but it was true. Titus' nickname was well known by everyone who knew of his fame for being the youngest Lieutenant General. It was said that nothing phased him. He nodded slowly and shook off the crazed feeling that had overcome him.
"Right. It's just… only one person ever really used that name," Titus explained.
"Who's that?" Neela pried. He chuckled.
"It doesn't matter. A story for another time," Titus told her. "Have either of you seen Ilia?" Eliana shrugged.
"We just got here, we haven't seen much of anyone," Eliana declared. Eliana spotted Lykos and Bái and yanked Neela away. "See you later Titus!" Cobalt approached Titus as the two girls left and he held his punch cup to his mouth, shaking violently.
"Cobalt, are you alright?" Titus asked. Cobalt exploded, tossing his cup behind him and latching onto Titus' arm.
"They're just so damn adorable together, right? Are they an item now? Tell me that they are! I ship Neeliana so hard!" Cobalt demanded. Titus shook him off.
"I don't think so, but get a grip!" Titus yelled at him. "And do something about your nose, it's bleeding!"
"Perfect!" Cobalt exclaimed. Before Cobalt could turn back towards the snack bar Tawney had arrived and shoved a tissue up each of his nostrils.
"Jeff and Casey are about to go on!" Tawney shouted. "You're coming with me!" She dragged him away and left Titus in a stunned silence.
"What just happened?" He asked himself.
"Titus!" A voice called out. He turned to spot Coco and smiled as he waved to her. "They tell me you can dance." He laughed.
"Is that so?" He asked. She nodded.
"Want to show me what you got?" She asked. He smirked.
"I don't know if you can handle it," Titus informed her. Cheering erupted from across the cafeteria as Shine was being sung by the performers, and somehow JNPR had found their way onto the floor. Yang and Blake stood near one of the tables catcalling.
"Do it!" Yang called out. "You guys still got it, right? Don't try and ignore me! Come on! For the kids!" Blake shook her head. Another roar of approval exploded from the student body as Jaune and Pyrrha began dancing, followed by a shrugging Ren, and Nora, who dragged him out on the floor.
"Show offs!" Yelled Coco. Titus looked at her.
"They've done this before?" Titus asked. Coco nodded.
"Jaune was wearing a dress last time," Coco said with a wink.
"That was the most fun I think I've had since we started this year!" Tawney exclaimed. Cobalt nodded.
"I'll admit, it wasn't half bad," Cobalt offered as a truce. She smiled devilishly.
"Oh really?" She asked. She grabbed his arm and he looked at her with a bite of terror in him.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"If we get out of here now we won't have to help clean up, and we'll have the room to ourselves for a bit," she offered. He thought it over and smirked.
"Okay. Let's go," Cobalt agreed. They took off running as Neela and Eliana left the cafeteria, watching their friends run for their dorm. Neela noted that Eliana was still holding her hand and she smiled at her friend who returned the expression.
"Another memory?" Neela asked. Eliana laughed and leaned her head on Neela's shoulder.
"I think so," Eliana conceded. She sighed and looked out past the tower towards the moon. "I bet dad is really happy. I like to think that he smiled and laughed with every song that we danced to."
"I'm sure he did," Neela offered. Eliana snuggled closer. "It's too bad that we didn't get to slow dance together." Neela realized the words escaping her mouth too late and she cast a side glance at Eliana.
"That would have been the most convincing argument to make everyone think that you're taken," Eliana said. She looked up at Neela. "I think what we did was enough to let them speculate for a while."
"Unless you really want to," Coco said as she exited the building. "I can arrange something for the two of you." Eliana perked up and gently removed herself from Neela's arm.
"What do you mean?" Eliana asked. Neela's face was flushing already, and she turned away slightly, hoping to hide it from Eliana. Coco snapped and Flynt stepped out from behind her, tipping his hat and raising his trumpet, playing a soft and sultry tune on his horn.
"Well?" Coco asked. Eliana looked at Neela and smiled.
"Here's your chance Neela," Eliana told her friend. Neela looked at Eliana's hand which was extended towards her once more, remembering all the things that had happened that night. Neela took her hand, pulling her in and placing her hands on Eliana's waist and letting the girl slip her arms around Neela's neck. They bobbed back and forth slowly as they looked at each other, Neela could feel herself beginning to overheat. They were so close! They weren't saying a word, they were letting the music sway them back and forth, and they were only inches from one another. She could easily steal a kiss… but would that be the end of them? "I'm sorry Neela."
"For what?" Neela was stricken with fear. What did Eliana have to be sorry about? Eliana moved in slowly and rested her forehead against Neela's.
"For making you wait so long," Eliana explained. She slid her hands up, locking lips with Neela and holding her softly as she melted. Neela forgave her in that instant! Neela would have waited as long as it took if she had only known that it was going to feel so amazing! She returned the kiss with her own, another long gentle engagement that seemed to last forever and left both of them in need of air. "I always knew that there was something more to us." Neela's eyes pleaded for another kiss.
"You did?" Neela asked. Eliana smiled and kissed her again.
"Yes," Eliana replied softly. "But I didn't want to risk… us. What we had already that is," Eliana over-explained. Neela chuckled.
"I was the same way," she told Eliana. Eliana kissed her softly again.
"I want us to date Neela. I want us to be a thing. I want to be with you forever!" Eliana declared.
"Yes!" Neela hollered in agreement.
"Neela," Eliana's voice came in and shattered the movie screen in Neela's mind. Right. Of Course. Just another fantasy.
"Yes?" Neela asked trying to play it cool. Eliana sighed happily.
"Your mind is always so flighty my little hawk," Eliana told her. Neela tilted her head, wondering where the name had come from, but it didn't matter that much. Her little hawk. Neela really liked it. "He's done playing. We can head back to the dorm now." Neela smiled at Flynt and Coco, waving goodnight to them while red with embarrassment. Their first quarter at Beacon had come to a close, and it was anyone's guess as to how the next few months would go.
What would your ship name for Neela and Eliana be? Leave a comment and let us know!
It seems like the girls made themselves another memory, and there are questions that need to be answered. Next week: Chapter 32 - Twins!
Just a note to those of you enjoying the artwork, that Y8ay8a has drawn the official concept art for Eliana! There's also an image by Ookaminoki that goes with this week's chapter! Check them out over on Deviantart in my NITE folder!
A big thank you to Y8ay8a, Sa-Dui, Diyaru4500, Demize00Zero, TheCipherNine, SketchHungry, Ookaminoki, Lightning-in-my-Hand, and Dishwasher1910. All of their artwork can be found at Deviantart, you can search Silent-Celica and under my favorites tab, I have a collection for NITE.
Until next week, stay classy!