I apologize for another late upload, last weekend was a bit chaotic and I was ring shopping this weekend ;) Hope you all enjoy the new chapter!
A/N: I put ~ this ~ in to signify a flashback in this scene, otherwise we would have had an excessive amount of page cuts.
"It's kind of a blur, to be honest…" Tawney said rubbing the back of her head. Her mind flashed back to the night before, the strobe light blinking in the dorm's recreational room as the music thundered loud enough to at least reach two other dorms and shake them with the body-wrenching bass. The music had been chosen by Tawney, the lighting was thrown together in a pinch by Cobalt, and IVRY had come through with the booze. It was a perfect storm and before it was all said and done, she'd proven her teammates right, blacking out from drinking her liver into submission. It hurt, and it was the majority of the reason that she now sat before Velvet trying to recall anything that might help with their interrogation. On top of trying to find out who had provided the alcohol to the minors, one of the students had broken into the administration building and stolen the footage from the arena battle.
"Can you tell me what you do remember?" Velvet asked pushing up her glasses and glancing down at her clipboard…
~"This is going to be off the chain!" Tawney shouted into Cobalt's ear as he finished the wiring and admired his work.
"Do people still use that phrase?" He asked. She laughed as she flopped back onto one of the couches and shrugged.
"I don't know, but I'm bringing it back!" She exclaimed, sighing happily. She pulled him onto the couch next to her and threw out her arms. "Look at it! Eliana got her hands on the speakers from the dance, we have beer incoming, and once the sun goes down, the girls only get hotter!" Cobalt chuckled.
"I think that's more on account of the alcohol," he explained. She put a finger to his lips.
"Don't ruin the moment with logic," she scolded him. ~
"Did you say alcohol? Who brought the malt beverages?" Tawney shrugged.
"I don't recall," she told Velvet. Velvet stared at her for a few seconds before sighing.
"Continue," Velvet instructed her.
~"Why did we agree to do this with her again?" Lykos asked as he set down the stereo from their room and placed it on one of the tables.
"Tawney said that it would be good for both of us to talk to more people. Get to know them and all that," Bái reminded him. He groaned and let Bái wrap her arms around him, staring up at him with a smile. "Someone seems a little on the grumpy side…" Lykos chuckled and kissed her forehead.
"I'm just not much of a social butterfly," he said.
"He's more like a social rock of sorts," Cobalt said.
"That's the cleverest thing you could come up with?" Tawney asked. ~
"I know that I asked you to tell me everything that you recalled, but could we maybe get to the actual party?" Velvet asked clicking her pen as an anxious tick.
"Sure," Tawney replied.
~"Don't you think that maybe you've had enough Tawney?" Cobalt asked. Tawney pushed him away from the table and cracked open another beer, tapping her bottle against Ivory's as the both chugged them hard, Tawney finishing first and giving an 'ah' afterward. "That's like the fourth one."
"That's nothing," she said laughing. "I'm a huntress, my aura takes most of the damage that it would do to my pancreas anyways."
"Liver," Cobalt corrected. Tawney shook her head.
"Smart ass," Tawney slurred. She looked at the door spotting Titus with his arms folded, Ilia slightly behind him, but Neela and Eliana nowhere to be found. "Look at you two! You came! I mean, I get Ilia being here, but Titus, I'm surprised… You want a drink?" She tossed a bottle to Titus and he caught it, looking it over before stepping in with Ilia. Ilia took it from him and joined Vincent, allowing Titus to walk over to Tawney and take her by the arm. "Don't be so forward, have a drink first."
"Tawney," Titus said. "As much as I would have loved to ignore all of this, the sound of this party can probably be heard all the way back in Vale!" She broke free and looked hard at him.
"Did you and Ilia get kicked out because Neela and Eliana are finally doing the deed?" Tawney asked.
"Tawney," Titus reiterated shaking his head. "I literally only came down here to tell you that if you don't turn it down, the teachers are going to shut it down."
"Nonsense! They were students once too, they get it!" Tawney shouted at him. He looked at Ilia and sighed, heading outside for a moment to decide how to proceed.
"Where's Rowan?" Ilia asked. Ivory shrugged.
"He got a message on his scroll and said that he had to go," Ivory told her. Tawney popped in between them, wrapping her arms over Ivory and Ilia.
"Now kiss!" Tawney yelled. Ivory looked at Ilia and blushed before Ilia shoved Tawney away.
"I don't think so!" Ilia replied. Tawney laughed as she doubled over.
"Alright, calm down," Tawney told her. "At least have a beer with me." The door slammed and someone ran by in the hall.
"Wait up!" They called out. ~
"Who was that?" Velvet asked. Tawney leaned back and stretched, groaning in pain.
"I'm not really sure. Couldn't tell you much of what happened after that," Tawney informed her. "Chugged a few more beers and passed out real good." Velvet nodded to her and walked to the door, opening it.
"When you get back to the dorm, can you send Titus is here?" Velvet asked. Tawney nodded slowly as she stood and cautiously left.
"Not a problem. Glad I could help. Bye!" Tawney stepped past Velvet preparing to run but the bunny grabbed her arm giving her a menacing look with a grin, her eyes black as she pushed up her glasses.
"You will be punished appropriately," Velvet told her. Tawney nodded furiously and broke free, taking off running and not once looking back. She huffed and puffed as she barreled up the steps to their floor and knocked on NITE's door. Ilia opened it, wearing only a towel and Tawney peered into the room. Titus had headphones on, his head bobbing slightly as he filled in his study guide, Neela examined her arrowheads, acknowledging Tawney with a nod. Where was Eliana? Tawney shook her head noting the frustrated look on Ilia's face.
"Yes?" Ilia asked.
"Velvet wants a word with Titus in her office," Tawney said through labored breathing. Ilia glanced back at Titus and dropped her towel, the movement caught Titus' eye and he glanced up before realizing what had happened. He quickly shielded his eyes, blushing hard at the site of Ilia in her underwear.
"For the love of Oum, Ilia! What do you need?" He asked removing his headphones.
"Velvet wants to see you," Ilia told him. He stood and used his hands as blinders as he left, Ilia giving Tawney a nod before closing the door. Tawney smiled before feeling something tickling her upper lick. She wiped it away and examined the red liquid. A nosebleed, yeah, that made sense.
"Titus," Velvet said as he sat before her and he adjusted his seat.
"How can I help?" He asked.
"I'd like to know what you were doing before and after the short time you were at the party when you spoke to Tawney," she said. Titus chuckled.
"I told her that she'd get found out. If this is about me not saying anything…" She cut him off.
"It's something more pressing than that," Velvet informed him with a stern look. Titus seemed intrigued and took a deep breath.
"Let's see then…"
~"Where's Eliana at right now?" Titus asked Neela as he stood up and moved to the bookshelf to browse the contents.
"She's getting something to eat at the cafeteria," Neela said, though she sounded less than enthusiastic and distracted. Titus and Ilia looked at her for a moment before sharing a glance as they usually did.
"Speaking of eating, what's eating at you?" Titus asked.
"You don't sound as excited as you should be for showing up Soya and coming in second to Orin. You have to admit, he would have been tough to beat no matter what," Ilia offered. Neela shook her head and pulled at her hair, leaping to her feet. "I know that look…"
"It's Elli," Titus said.
"The training got me really thinking about it again!" Neela exclaimed. "When I was on that battlefield I almost felt pathetic, deep down everything in that win was for her! Not for my family, not even for me! For Elli! And she's just too dense to see it!" She breathed heavily.
"It's not that she'd dense, she's just a free spirit," Ilia said.
"You haven't tried telling her yet," Titus said. Neela cringed, looking at Titus with large, heartbreaking eyes.
"When I was young and I lost my parents I barely ate and I had troubles sleeping for months. Yang and Blake were worried that I was going to die because I was so unhealthy. I have separation anxiety and I can't just buckle down and get over it, I have to do it gradually. It's why I visit my moms almost every weekend. I had a sleepover once with Eliana and went home before the end of the night because of a sharp pain in my chest, some stupid fear that I'd lose them forever! It's irrational I know, but if I were to tell Elli and she became distant or estranged… I don't know if my body could handle it!" Neela was on the verge of tears.
"Neela…" Ilia said softly.
"But the pain of not telling her is almost worse. What if she wants to say yes? What if she's just waiting for me to make the first move? My heart is ready to explode and I need to accept the fact that maybe we're just better off as friends and I should just forget my feelings for her…" She ranted.
"No," Titus stated plainly.
"What?" Neela asked.
"No," Titus said again. "Those feelings don't go away. Even if the two of you were separated and didn't know where the other was. Even if you said something hateful that you didn't mean but you knew they could never forget. Even if they mean everything to you and they refuse to talk to you…" Titus stopped himself and looked at both of them, confusion plagued both of their faces. "The feelings you have for Eliana will never go away." Neela took a deep breath and flopped on her bed once more.
"We could tell her for you," Ilia offered. Neela shook her head.
"I don't think that would be any better," Neela told them.
"Neela, you'll be fine," Titus told her. He smiled at her and it warmed her, he hardly ever smiled genuinely. "If you just keep being her friend, for now, you're no worse off, right?" Neela hadn't thought that deeply about it and she nodded in agreement.
"Right!" Neela said beaming. Titus and Ilia both smiled with her. The door was thrown open less than a moment later and Eliana stood there smiling, entering the room and closing the door behind her as she threw a chocolate bar to Neela.
"I got your favorite!" Eliana exclaimed.
"Thanks!" Neela replied. Titus looked the two of them over and motioned Ilia towards the door with his head.
"I'm going to go talk with Tawney, we'll be back," Titus said. Ilia nodded, exiting ahead of him and they closed the door behind. The two of them headed to the party and Titus confronted Tawney.
"Tawney," Titus said. "As much as I would have loved to ignore all of this, the sound of this party can probably be heard all the way back in Vale!" She broke free and looked hard at him.
"Did you and Ilia get kicked out because Neela and Eliana are finally doing the deed?" Tawney asked.
"Tawney," Titus reiterated shaking his head. "I literally only came down here to tell you that if you don't turn it down, the teachers are going to shut it down. I'm cutting you a break instead of just turning you in immediately!"
"What's going on?" Ivory asked.
"Gargoyle and his heart of stone wants to shut us down," Tawney told her. "You're just spewing nonsense, Titus! The teachers were students once too, they get it!"
"Don't say that I didn't warn you," Titus replied as he headed into the hallway and left the building. He took a deep breath, the chill of the end of winter brought him comfort, reminding him of home and why he was there. "She really doesn't get how loud that is, and to be honest, I don't understand how the other dorms can sleep through this nonsense!" He made his way to the administration building to see if anyone was still around when he noticed a light still on inside the main doors.~
"So you don't know who came running out of the building at the party?" Velvet asked. "Tawney made it sound like it happened almost immediately after you left the building." Titus scratched his chin.
"I got nothing," he told her.
"So continuing?" She asked. He stared hard at the window behind her for a moment.
"That was it," Titus said. "I tried the doors for the admin building but they were locked, so I just left." He stood. "Am I free to go?" Velvet nodded and watched him walk to the door.
"Oh, Titus?!" She called out.
"Yes?" He said stopping at the far end of the room and looking back.
"Who brought the alcohol onto school grounds?" Velvet asked. It wasn't like Titus to lie about anything, but he had made a promise to Tawney, and he was going to let her have her moment, even if it tore him up a little.
"Yvonne? That was her first name, I'm not one hundred percent on her surname," Titus told her. "Part of Team IVRY." Velvet nodded again and smirked.
"Yes, I know them," Velvet said. "Can you send Neela here next?"
"No problem," Titus replied and left the office. Titus returned to the dorm to find that Eliana wasn't back yet and Neela in the same place she had been since he left.
"What's up?" Ilia asked.
"Velvet wants to talk to Neela," Titus said. They both looked at her and she leapt to her feet, leaving the room so fast that she forgot to shut the door behind her. Titus closed the door and peered around the room. "Isn't Eliana back yet? Not to mention, she seems a bit more energetic than last night. You think they're a thing now?"
"Neela hasn't said a word, so I couldn't tell you," Ilia said. "As far as Eliana goes, I think she said that she'd be training this morning."
"Neela, you look like you're doing well this morning. I'm guessing that you and Eliana had a good time together last night?" Velvet asked as Neela sat nodding her head. "I'm glad to hear it. Did you finally tell her?" Neela blushed and rubbed the back of her neck.
"Not quite," Neela suggested. "But things are going well nonetheless."
"Great. Is there anything that you can tell me about last night," Velvet told her. "Specifically after Titus left the room." Neela nodded and smiled at Velvet.
"Sure!"
~"I got your favorite!" Eliana exclaimed. Neela looked at the candy bar in her hand and thought about what Titus said before looking up at Eliana who already had chocolate around her mouth. She could lick it off… but she didn't want Eliana to freak out. Would she though? Eliana had always done crazy things, and Neela could finally return the favor. Neela stuck out her tongue and moved in for the kill but Eliana leaned back laughing, placing a finger on Neela's forehead. "Woah there girl, shouldn't you at least take me to dinner first?"
"I thought we could just skip straight to dessert," Neela said. Her mind crashed into a wall. What did you just say? You did not just say that. That… that was a thing... Neela, what is wrong with you? Eliana laughed and wiped her mouth, examining her fingers before offering them to Neela.
"Is this what you were after?" Eliana asked. Neela rubbed her neck and scooted away.
"Yeah, but it's fine, you can have it," Neela told her. Eliana looked at her hand again and shrugged before sucking on her fingers.
"Thoot yourthelf," Eliana replied cleaning them off.
"Did you want to go to the party downstairs?" Neela asked. Eliana leapt to her feet and threw open the door.
"I have something better in mind to commemorate today!" Eliana declared. She ran down the stairs leaving Neela behind in confusion. Her mind finally caught up with the situation and she jumped up as well, racing down the stairs and reaching the bottom as the door slammed.
"Wait up!" Neela yelled after her. She left the building as well, taking care to close the door more gently behind herself. She spotted Eliana and gave chase again. Don't ever change Elli. Neela noticed Titus at the administration building as she kept after Eliana towards the cliff, wondering if he was trying to report the insanity that was taking place on the first floor of the dorm. The thought disappeared as Eliana took a turn into the woods towards the river they had explored the night they'd first arrived. "Elli!"
"Come on, we're almost there!" Eliana called back to her.
"Almost where?" Neela asked. Eliana laughed as she kept a steady pace ahead of Neela. ~
"And where was it that you arrived?" Velvet asked.
"The river," Neela told her with a smile. "We skated around for a bit and then we came back, though I did see Soya and Rowan leaving the admin building. I was going to come in and say something about it tomorrow, I didn't think any of you would be working on a Sunday." Velvet jotted a few things down and stood, walking around the desk. She waited for Neela to stand up and rubbed her shoulder.
"Thanks for the help Neela," Velvet told her. Neela smiled and headed out into the hall.
"Any time Velvet," Neela replied. "You don't want me to go get Soya, do you?" Velvet laughed.
"No, I can go get her, thanks," Velvet replied. Neela headed back towards her dorm, taking a detour around the fieldhouse instead and watching Eliana spar with Neo from the edge of the building.
~"Almost where?" Neela asked as she tried her hardest to catch up to Eliana. Eliana laughed out once more, looking back at her friend as she slid over the river.
"It's a surprise!" Eliana cried out. She stopped after about twenty more seconds, waiting for Neela to reach her and she put a finger to her lips. Neela panted as she looked up at Eliana.
"Why are we being quiet?" Neela asked.
"I want to keep this place a secret," Eliana told her. She pulled back the makeshift foliage that she had tethered together, some larger leaves and grass and revealed a hole that appeared to drop directly down about nine feet before continuing down at an incline. Eliana leapt in, grinning up at Neela as she glanced back into the cave. "It's just in here!" Neela fired her grapple at a tree and prepared to repel down but was met with yelling from Eliana. "Come on Neela, it's not that far!"
"Fine, but if I break anything, I'm blaming you!" Neela called back playfully. She leapt into the hole, Eliana catching her by her sides and easing her to the ground. Neela's eyes locked onto Eliana's and never left them until her feet met the earth once more. She swept the hair out of her face, their breath causing steam in the cold air, clouding each other's vision.
"Hey little hawk," Eliana said quietly. "Wanna see something amazing?" Neela nodded her head, wanting to say something cheesy like, 'I already see something amazing', but her self-control convinced her out of it once more. She walked next to Eliana for a moment, the cave dark and hard to navigate even with her night vision. Neela shivered a touch but nearly jumped clean out of her boots as Eliana took her hand. Elli… What are you doing?! Neela's chill left immediately, replaced by a radiating heat that made her want to sweat as Eliana pulled her along. "Come on, I know the way."
"Okay," Neela agreed, though she stuttered through the word a bit. There was a faint light at the end of the tunnel and Eliana reached out, swinging a crude hunk of tree bark that acted as a door out of the way. Neela's jaw dropped and she gasped as Eliana still held her hand. Eliana looked down at their grip and looked back up at Neela, her eyes twinkling with splendor and awe. It was a cave filled with crystallized Dust, the first time that Neela had ever seen something like this, and the crystals gave off brilliant light, like colored stars strewn across the sky.
"Do you like it?" Eliana asked.
"This is amazing," Neela said. Dust in its purest form, a sight to behold by anyone at least once in their lifetime. "It's beautiful, how did you find it?!"
"One day when you were at work I came out to the woods to clear my head," Eliana said. She released Neela's hand and sat cross-legged on the cave floor, staring up at the brilliant display. "I fell into the hole on accident and you know me…" Eliana smirked up at Neela and pat the floor beside her, Neela taking the initiative and sitting beside her friend. "I went exploring instead of going straight back and found this. I didn't want anyone else to know, I was afraid that others might come or that it might bring the SDC here and they'd start tearing the woods apart, so I hid the entrances."
"Do you come here often when I'm at work?" Neela asked leaning her head on Eliana's shoulder.
"Every day," Eliana told her. "It helps me relax and take my mind off of things." Neela sighed happily.
"Another memory," Neela told her. Eliana laughed before falling silent.
"What did you think of Orin?" Eliana asked Neela.
"He seemed nice," Neela told her. Eliana nodded.
"He did," Eliana agreed. She stared off towards the far end of the cavern. "Neela, I don't want you to wait to fall in love until I do." Neela was frozen, where had that come from?
"What do you mean?" Neela asked.
"You're always meeting these cute guys, but it always seems like you distance yourself from them to watch after me," Eliana told her. "I appreciate it, but if there's someone you like, go for it! Just promise me that we can keep having moments like this." Neela laughed in disbelief holding back tears that she didn't understand. She has no idea.
"You're so cruel Elli," Neela whispered. A few seconds later as they stared on in silence Neela passed out. Eliana smiled thoughtfully as she shifted carefully, sitting on her knees and placing Neela's head in her lap, stroking her hair, admiring the braids as she always did.
"You must be exhausted from that tournament," Eliana said. She sighed and looked up at the Dust as it dazzled and sparkled before her. "I want you to find that special someone who makes you happy, Neela. I hope they love you just as much as I do."~
"Ms. Kelly, no matter what you try and tell me right now, let us at least establish one fact that I know to be absolutely true, and that is the fact that both you and Rowan Aletta were spotted leaving the admin building late last night, this morning. If you come clean, there's a chance that we might go easy on your punishment, but if you choose to deny the fact, then may Glynda have mercy on you," Velvet told her. "Now, shall we begin? Did you break into the administration building after hours last night?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes," she agreed as she leaned back and shook her head back and forth, running her fingers through her hair. "I get the feeling that you aren't going to believe me when I tell you why we were in there, but let's get one other thing straight. I might have a bit of a reputation for being the bitch in charge among the third-years, but I would never do anything to tarnish my image on paper. I have near perfect grades and I'm one of the most capable students at this academy."
"Just tell me what happened," Velvet said.
~"Anything else that I can get you?" Rowan asked Soya as she cracked open the bottle and handed the lien over to him. She took a swig and smiled at him.
"I think you can be dismissed at this point Faunus," she told him. He smirked and moved in close, wrapping his arms around her and breathing in her ear.
"So cold," he said to her. "Here I was thinking that you might warm up to me." She shrugged him off and he took a step back, walking around her so that he was standing on the fountain's ledge. "A few more cold ones and maybe you'd enjoy accompanying me back to my dorm room. Aura or condom, I'm not really picky." She laughed and shoved him back, hoping to push him into the water but he used his wings to keep from falling in.
"Sorry, I think you must have misunderstood me at the little 'pep rally' earlier," Soya told him. "I don't care much for Faunus." He smirked and sat on the ledge, pulling her in by the shirt.
"Then use me," he told her. He grabbed her hand and placed it on his crotch. "No different than a human's and just as eager." She poured what remained of the beer on his pants and he shoved her back as she laughed, walking back towards the dorms.
"Sorry Rowan, but I'd be more interested in Ivory if anything," she called back. He flew to her, walking alongside her as she ignored him.
"That sounds hot too, and I don't mind watching," he told her. He stopped abruptly and she continued without him for a moment before glancing back at him.
"Giving up so soon?" She asked.
"I hear something," he told her. She shook her head, returning to him and straining to listen.
"I don't hear anything," she told him.
"You also don't have Faunus ears," he replied as he walked towards the admin building. She flipped him off for a long couple of seconds waiting for him to turn around, but once it became evident that he wouldn't, she followed after him.
"What are you hearing?" She asked.
"Someone moving around inside of the building here," he told her. He walked to the door and peered in, noting the light, but also noticing that the security camera wasn't sweeping like it normally did. "Something seems off here."
"I think you're just overreacting," she told him. "They wouldn't slip up and allow another security breach after that dumbass Cobalt was able to hack into the council's files so easily."
"True, but Mrs. Adel was working on finding a night watch for the school, the government provided added security at the tower," Rowan explained.
"Even if someone did break in, how do you propose we get in without setting off the alarm?" She asked. He opened the door and she stood stunned for a long moment before pushing past him. They both entered the lobby and stood in the middle of it, peering around the room and noting that the door on the opposite side of the room was open.
"I'm guessing the lock system works on the same one as the cameras and alarm," Rowan suggested.
"Inside job?" She asked.
"You could say that," a voice suggested behind them. They turned, the room empty behind them and Soya moved slowly, back away from the voice.
"What's going on here?" Soya asked.
"Simple," another voice replied, this time a woman's. Neither of them was visible and Rowan chuckled, preparing his weapon which he wore like a sash, two large hooks that were connected by a chain that wrapped over his shoulder three times. He smirked, wings spread wide as he slowly swung the hook in his right hand. "You kids are here without a hall pass, and we can't have that." Soya whips slowly slid from her wrists.
"Lady, if that's the best you can come up with, I think I can quip you to death," Soya replied.
"Puns?" Rowan asked. One of the attackers appeared before him, swinging for Rowan with his hook swords but Rowan caught both of them and leapt, kicking him in the chest which sent the man sliding.
"You said there wouldn't be any resistance Ebony," the man reminded her.
"They're kids Chameleon, they're harmless," Ebony told him as she emerged from the shadows and vaulted through the secretary's window. Soya and Rowan stood back to back. "Though killing you brats isn't off the table."
"That would be amusing," Rowan said, a flare in his eyes as he stared Chameleon down. The man wore White Fang attire though he showed no signs of being a Faunus that Rowan could pick up on immediately, a crude warped piece of metal that might have come off of an airship covered the man's chest. "Wouldn't that be amusing?"
"Is this the time for banter?" Soya asked. Rowan chuckled, his grin growing until it could expand no further, and his hair burst into flames.
"Why not? I'm just getting warmed up!" Rowan shouted. He charged at Chameleon who rolled out of the way and became invisible, Rowan searching for him as he landed gingerly on his feet and sought the man out. Soya's vines had slowly been growing from the ceiling without the Fang members noticing, striking down from above without notice and impaling the woman. Her body collapsed into smoke and Soya swung her whip around to defend behind her, the woman was inches from stabbing her but was deflected away. She skidded to a stop, watching Soya for a moment, disappearing into the shadows being created by the growing loom of greenery above. As Ebony launched herself from the ground she was surprised to find a large flower instead of Soya.
"Watch the girl," Ebony warned backflipping away from the giant Venus plant. It slammed its flower down in an attempt to bite Ebony but she evaded, throwing her connected daggers clean through it and pulling them back to finish slicing it in half. She caught her weapon, turning to be greeted by Soya from above. "The girl's mastery of her semblance is quite impressive." Chameleon chuckled as Rowan swung wildly, unable to find his target and occasionally taking a blow to the gut. His flames grew more intense, engulfing his weapon and body forcing Soya to stop her attack for a moment.
"Rowan! You can't let loose in here!" She reminded him.
"You don't know my full power," he replied, though Soya wasn't sure if he was addressing her or the invisible man. "He's really pissing me off!"
"I've seen you in a few spars before Cerise and I have taken the arena floor, you'll burn this place down!" Soya told him. She locked her whip together forcing it to become rigid and knocked Ebony away who wasn't expecting the sudden force and Soya dashed across the room, sliding to a stop beside Rowan and building a wall of ivy between them and the villains. "Rowan!"
"We can take them!" He shouted at her, his eyes black from his semblance. She wound up, punching him in the jaw and he collapsed, flames extinguishing upon impact with the floor.
"If we had more time, I'd thank you," Ebony called from the other side of the wall. "We were just finishing." The plants spoke with Soya and she pulled open the middle of the wall, charging Ebony only to be met with an invisible blade to the neck that clotheslined her. ~
"That's the last thing that I remember before waking up in the morning. It was still dark out, but we must have left before you arrived anyways. And Neo, what's she doing here on a Sunday anyway?" Soya asked. Velvet rubbed her forehead and chewed lightly on the end of her pen. "You believe me, don't you?"
"Well, the slightly charred flooring at least confirms that Rowan was also there," Velvet told her. "You said two White Fang members?"
"Right, one of them was this almost emo looking woman who could use shadows, and the other was an older looking guy who could turn straight up invisible. And he used hook swords," Soya told her. "I'm guessing that the first guy had been hiding in there most of the day and then let Ebony in." Velvet nodded without looking up.
"You're free to go," Velvet told her. Soya stood up and fixed her skirt. "Oh and Soya…" Soya looked back at her.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Can you tone down the hate a touch?" Velvet asked, her ears twitching slightly. Soya stared at her for an uncomfortable amount of time and left. Velvet walked over and shook her head, closing the door before moving back to her seat and removing her scroll to call her wife.
"Hey Coco, how was your trip yesterday, I expected it to last longer so I was surprised to find you in bed this morning," Velvet said.
"Hey Bun! I had a good trip! With how fast these airships are getting, I wouldn't be surprised if people could travel from Vacuo to Mistral in the matter of a day with the next few years. Lamar and I were starting to wonder if you were ever going to be done at the office this morning," Coco said. "What's going on over there?"
"It's a long story, but I'm pretty much done over here," Velvet admitted as she gathered her things and prepared to clock out. "Have you heard of a man known as the Chameleon?" Coco became silent for a long moment so Velvet continued. "He uses hook swords and apparently has the ability to make himself invisible."
"Velv, what's going on?" Coco asked sounding frantic. "Is he there with you now?"
"No, he was here last night apparently while the students were partying," Velvet explained.
"Were any of them hurt?" Coco asked.
"They were a little roughed up, but they're alright, Soya tells me that he was here with the White Fang," Velvet added. Coco's mind raced and she stepped out of the room that Lamar was playing in and into the hallway.
"Shit," Coco muttered. "I need to get security hired at the school as soon as possible. Hun, I think I might have to keep an eye on the school for the next couple of nights. Tell the students that from now on they need to get us involved and not take on intruders on their own."
"Easier said than done," Velvet said heading for the cliff side to board a ship. "He's that bad, huh?"
"The only reason he wasn't listed as the same caliber as most other villains with powers is that we didn't want to cause the public to panic. He broke out of prison close to a month ago I believe, and he is extremely dangerous. Had a thing for slicing up women, though no one knows at this point whether or not it's before or after he's killed them. When Alexander Latherus caught him, he said that he did it to make the women more like the Queen," Coco explained.
"Salem," Velvet replied emptily.
"Exactly," Coco said. "He can't be persuaded by logic, and he's obviously far more hostile towards women."
"Why does Mistral get all the freaks?" Velvet asked. Coco sighed.
"I don't know," Coco replied. "I just don't understand what he gains from helping the Fang." There was a long silence for a moment before Coco came back on the line.. "We can discuss things more at length when you get here, I have to go. Lamar is… in a bit of a bind."
"What do you mean?" Velvet asked.
"He's wearing some on my necklaces and they seem to be tangled around him," Coco said laughing.
It seems that the Fang were at the school and Neela and Eliana have found a private hideaway. Next week, Chapter 70 - D-D-Duels and Revelations!
A big thank you to Carlomontie, Nliast, 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!