With the smell of Ren's cooking drifting throughout the home, Pyrrha felt it would be beneficial to start setting the large dining table to lessen her teammate's workload. Alone at first, she had returned from the kitchen with more utensils to discover that someone had wandered in to join her.

"Jaune," she smiled, "I thought you were taking a rest."

"Woke up," Jaune shrugged, "Figured I should try to be useful and help someone out."

She could tell by his flared nostrils and slight drooling that he wasn't exactly being truthful.

"You smelled the food, didn't you?"

Arc slumped, defeated. "…Yeah. I can't resist turkey."

Giggling, Pyrrha held out a stack of plates. "Here. You can help me out while you are here, if you want."

"Well, I can't just walk away now, can I?"

Taking the opposite side of the table, Jaune went down the line placing plates all willy-nilly, clearly not worried about presentation. Pyrrha sighed lightly, having expected this from him. This was the same boy who designated his shoes with R's and L's; proper placement etiquette was clearly out of his range. She didn't want to call him out on his untidiness, but she wanted to make an impression on the rest of the housemates.

"I hate to ask Jaune, but could you perhaps be slightly more refined with your placements?"

"…Say what now?"

"Your plates are crooked. Very crooked."

He looked back over his handiwork. "Huh. I guess they are."

"I'm not saying you are doing wrong, but I just wanted this first dinner between all of us to be a little more… formal than our usual meals."

"Oh no, it's cool," Jaune said, doing his best to even up his work, "But just so you know, I don't think some of the people here will worry about that too much. I mean, you've seen Adam and Mercury. They aren't exactly the gentleman type".

Frowning slightly, Pyrrha placed her last set of silverware. Jaune met her at the end of the table, both of them looking over their finished presentation. "You are right about that. I just hope they will appreciate the effort, however little that appreciation may be."

"Ah, don't worry. I bet they'll love it… Even though my side is still pretty crooked."

"I think it looks fantastic for your first try, Jaune," Pyrrha stared at him from the corner of her eyes, hoping he would notice. When she saw him getting ready to try and fix his plates, she just stood back and smiled. Something about him carefully adjusting each china dish with a single finger stirred up the ever-present butterflies in her stomach whenever he was around.

"You just couldn't help yourself, could you?"

Propping her friend up in a chair, Weiss heard the sound of footsteps entering the door behind her. Yang and Blake had finally arrived after having heard about their youngest teammate's latest predicament.

"Oh, what now?" Yang groaned upon seeing her aching little sister.

"Cookie… Overdose…" Ruby moaned, clutching her belly, "Tummy… Hurts…"

"How long has she been like this?" Blake asked, looking at Ruby with concern.

"Ren sent me a text message that she had curled up in a corner of the kitchen with empty cookie bags around her. Apparently some of them were expired, but she was too busy eating to notice."

"Still tasted yummy…" At that, Ruby's face began turning a sickly shade of green.

"I bet they did," Yang replied sarcastically, looking around the room for a bucket. Spying one, she quickly nabbed it and placed it in her sister's hands. Weiss had a look of worry when she realized whose trash can that was.

"That might have been a mistake."

"What? I can't just let her puke on the floor."

"That trash can belongs to Cinder."

"Well, she'll probably understand. Emphasis on probably."

"I doubt that," Schnee rolled her eyes, "I have only said a few words to her, and I can already tell she is a total bitch."

Yang and Blake shared a quick glance. "I don't think you realize how lucky you are, Weiss."

"What? What do you mean by that? You've got Sun and Jaune for roommates. They can't be that bad."

"Funny story about that," Blake said, with a hint of resentment, "Adam and the Lieutenant took it upon themselves to take their places."

"Oh my God. I take it all back."

"Now who's got it bad?" Yang put a hand on her sister, patting her on the back, "And it looks like you won't be having dinner tonight. And since someone has to stay and watch after you, it looks like I won't be having any either."

"I'll be fine Yan- URGH!"

"Yeah, I don't think so Ruby. Blake, Weiss, you guys go enjoy whatever Ren's cooked up. Try and save me some leftovers if you can. I'll be here if you need me."

Nodding, Blake and Weiss left the two sisters in the room. Closing the door, the Faunus noticed that the door to her own living space was open slightly. She hadn't remembered leaving it like that…

"Hold up, Weiss," Blake beckoned for Schnee to come with her. Stepping inside, the feline carefully examined her side of the room. Her eyes were immediately drawn to her bookshelf, where one of her favorite books was suspiciously missing.

"Is something wrong? Did Adam do something?"

"I want to say no, but then I'd be lying to myself."

To say that Ren may have gone a bit overboard with his cooking would be an understatement. Even with the combined efforts of Neo, Pyrrha, Jaune, and himself, it had taken a good thirty minutes to fully set the table with all the platters of food he had concocted. It was a feast worthy of the Round Table, with two full roasted turkeys, crab legs, prime ribs, rolls, veggies, and of course ice cream pancakes for a certain someone. He was just adding the finishing touches to the fruit basket centerpiece when nearly the entire house made their way into the dining room.

Nora was at the head of the charge, zooming into the seat in front of her special dish. She hugged the cook, who had taken a seat beside her. "Oooh! You're the greatest Ren! These look amazing!"

"Dear God, she's still talking…" Roman grunted, making sure he sat as far away from the Valkyrie as he possibly could. He placed himself at one of the head seats, giving himself a full view of the table. "Only fitting that the oldest one here gets to be the head of the table. Isn't that right?"

"Head seats also belong to those with power," Cinder answered from far across the table, having taken the opposite end chair, "Something you do not have yet."

"You know, there are times I regret even working with you woman."

Emerald and Mercury took the two seats adjacent their associate, as Neo sat by hers. Jaune and Pyrrha sat by their fellow JNPR teammates, with Weiss and Blake sandwiching in between Jaune and Cinder. Sun was the only Beacon student separated from his classmates, hesitantly sitting by Mercury. He didn't really hate the guy that much, but he would be an idiot to realize not to realize how much of a douchebag he was.

The whole room went awkwardly quiet the moment Adam and his Lieutenant stepped in. They all knew it was a matter of time before Taurus and his lackey did something stupid to ruin everything. The White Fang leader's gaze never left Blake as he slowly walked to the last remaining seats, her 'sadistic' book tucked away in his jacket.

"He read my book," Blake face palmed as Adam rested his chin on his hands, staring down the table at her intently, "That jackass actually read one of my books."

"Is that a problem?" Jaune asked from aside, already shoveling down food.

"What do you think?" Weiss spat at him, "You can't be that dense!"

"Well, what kind of book was it?"

The two RWBY girls gave him one of those 'Are you serious?' looks, but the boy just wasn't getting it. Pyrrha, however, understood their message loud and clear. She leaned into Jaune's ear and whispered it to him. The shocking revelation of Blake's favorite genre sent Arc into a coughing fit as he choked on his turkey.

"Blak-ACK!" he lurched forward, hacking up on his plate, "You're not supposed to leave those kind of books out in the open!"

"Keep it down!" Blake hissed, covering Jaune's mouth with her hand and keeping his food stuck in his throat. By now her effort were too late, as everyone was staring at her and the choking boy. Pyrrha was more focused on Jaune's words than the coming storm from Adam.

"Wait, Jaune," Nikos asked nervously, raising an eyebrow, "Are you hiding… naughty books in the room?"

"PYRRAH!"

"I'm only asking!"

"I'm hiding some."

"You're not helping Mercury!"

Feeling like now was the best time to contribute, Adam slammed "Release of the Snow White Magnolia" onto the table as hard as he could, standing up in his seat. "Care to explain this filth, Blake?!"

"Oh God, here we go." Emerald groaned, pinching her brow.

"Explain what?!" Blake was standing now, pointing at her book, "You're the one invading my space!"

"Well, this is awkward," Sun laughed nervously, his seat stuck directly in the line of fire between his fellow Faunus. He slowly inched downwards as the conflict quickly escalated.

"What's yours is mine, Blake! That's how relationships work!

"First of all, we're not IN a relationship! And second of all, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"

"Well, by the transitive property…

"Wait, what the Hell is going on?" Torchwick shouted, throwing his arms out, "I demand order! I've already got enough of a headache as it is!"

"I'm should probably call Yang…" Weiss suggested to herself, only for the Lieutenant to overhear the mention of the Blonde Demon's name.

"NO! Don't bring her in here!"

"Why should I listen to you of all people?!"

"Because you're a filthy Schnee wench, that's why!"

Now, Weiss had attended many etiquette classes in her younger years. She had always done her best to appear prim and proper, especially at occasions such as this around those she was not familiar with. First impressions were always important.

But not anymore.

Taking a handful of mashed potatoes, she chucked it at the masked Faunus. Instinctively feeling that the food was being aimed at Adam, the Lieutenant took action.

"ADAM WATCH OUT!"

"JESUS CHRIST!" Adam was tackled to the floor, receiving more pain than he probably should have. However, as he fell his hand flipped his plate across the table sending its contents flying past Jaune, Blake, and Weiss and straight at…

*SPLAT!*

Cinder.

Gravy dripped from her obsidian bangs, obscuring the look of death focused on Torchwick who had burst into laughing. The crime boss was soon silenced, as an apple hit him square in the teeth. Cinder smiled evilly at him, but that grin was turned upside down as Neo retaliated with another dose of gravy and turkey.

Nora looked at Ren, a big Cheshire grin on her face. "It's happening again, isn't it?"

The cook looked over his precious food once more before lowering his head in defeat. "Yes, Nora, yes it –

"FOOD FIGHT!"