Chapter 14: From The Pinnacle To The Pit

The evening air was cold. Unbearably cold, in fact. The sun was setting in the west, a massive ball of orange-red casting long shadows across the ground, and the clouds were tinged with pink as it slowly descended towards the horizon. For all intents and purposes, it shouldn't have been so cold, and Nyx Fall knew this very well, but it was. In fact, it was only mere hours after leaving Erebos Kraid's side after serving as his informant for nearly a decade, and already the entire world was feeling colder, as though her departure had served as the catalyst for a sudden change in the atmosphere around her. She'd spent decades of her life living in the wild, away from people, away from society, a dryad in all but blood. The world was dark and cruel, as she'd found out in the most horrible way possible. It was filled past the brim with people and creatures who wanted nothing more than to harm, manipulate, and destroy, and she'd had quite enough of it years and years ago. And yet now, she was going to meet someone, a person she'd met before, but hadn't interacted with; Kraid had done the talking during that meeting. And indeed, she felt that her presence alone would likely do her no favors, but she had to try. It was the best option she had, and she had to make certain that it wasn't going to work before considering anything else.

The cold around her hastened her trip, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible, needing to make sure this option was considered. The house she was approaching was in a location that only she and Kraid himself knew of, though she knew there was no chance of Kraid finding it. It was relatively small, isolated, and appeared to be cramped from the exterior, but Nyx knew this only suited the person living within it. She was hesitant, but after a moment knocked on the door, closing her eyes for a moment as though concentrating very hard on something. She knew what kind of person was behind the door, and wanted to be prepared in case something went wrong.

For a long moment, the door remained still, the house completely silent and perfectly still, not even the slightest noise was heard. Then the doorknob slowly turned, and the door began to open slowly. Nyx opened her eyes and looked towards the door, and found herself looking down the barrel of a heavy-caliber 8-round revolver, made out of some black metal, mere inches from her face. Within the shadows of the house, a pair of glowing red eyes stared at her; every light in the house was off, and these red orbs stood out like strobe lights, narrowed into a menacing glare.

"What does he want now." A low, gravely voice, a man's, spoke. This wasn't a question it was a demand. Just as Nyx expected, he was not at all happy to see her there. No surprise there. Nyx inhaled slowly, closing her eyes for a moment more and then reopening them.

"He has nothing to do with why I'm here-" She didn't finish before the man spoke again.

"Then you're going to have to explain to me why his baby mama is on my doorstep while his rebound girl is shacked up with some greenie from Vacuo, Fall." The man's voice was edged and sharp; evidently he was far less than pleased to see her than she'd suspected he'd be. Regardless of her intentions or reasons for being there, if she didn't tread lightly, this wouldn't end well. Despite this she kept her cool, rolling her eyes slightly and not all wanting to discuss said 'rebound girl'.

"I am no longer in his employ. I..." She paused for a moment, the memory of her departure still very vivid in her mind, and decided not to go into any details. "...I left."

"Left, eh." The man sounded bemused, not to mention skeptical. "I imagine that didn't go over too well." Those vivid red orbs narrowed once more. "How do you know he hasn't had you followed with that pet devil of his?"

"That child has been given another task." Nyx stated sharply; if that man only knew what she did about Rouge Etille and what he was going through. "There would be no way for me to be followed. Besides, why have his "baby mama" be followed? I already produced a child for him… He is done with me."

"Really." Skepticism was practically dripping from the man's voice as he regarded Nyx coldly. He opened the door wider and stepped into the light. He was tall, garbed mostly in black with hair as red as blood. His eyes were almost entirely white, save for his pupils, which were vivid red and glowing. "I find that hard to believe from the woman who fucked him." Nyx stiffened at this statement.

"He slept with a woman besides me, you know. I was not the only one." She snapped.

"Irrelevant, Fall." The man sounded near anger now as he stepped closer, not lowering his gun even for a moment. "Whatever you're here to ask for, forget it. If not for you, I wouldn't be in this house, or in this area, or retired at all. Thanks to your intel expertise, that little Reaper who worships the very ground he walks on took out all of my potential business. And I know why, too." He glared angrily at Nyx in earnest now. "To make a point. He asked me for help once already, and I declined, and then I was suddenly forced to retire. Why should I trust you?"

"Y-yes, I know that, I..." Nyx's stutter was uncharacteristic of her strong nature, and she took a moment to take a deep breath. "...pushed you towards an early retirement. But I assure you, I plan on atoning for my past decisions"

"Oh? And how, exactly, do you plan to do that? I'm not exactly out of the loop, Fall." The man smirked; his teeth were white as porcelain. "Well done, telling your daughter that fairy tale, look where it's gotten her now."

"And my daughter is the reason why I am here…." Nyx replied, more calmly than before, and the man's eyes narrowed into slits.

"….so first he wanted muscle, now you're here for a sitter, is that it?"

"Cinder is being forced to stay at Beacon Academy, that devil child is watching her closely." Nyx remained as calm as she could, but her words were as edged as his now.

"Of course he is. I'd be watching her too. After that last fuck up? Blowing up the street? Letting Grimm into the city? Getting her biggest asset captured, causing the Atlas Military to double their presence in Vale? I'd make sure she was staying put too." The man paused for a moment, before giving Nyx a look that made it feel like he was x-raying her. "What's it to me?" Nyx kept her expression as straight as she possibly could.

"I'll pay you. To watch over her from afar and make sure Kraid doesn't… terminate her position." After a moment her expression softened, and she lifted her fist to her chest. "Please, Vukan. I just need to know she's safe. She's my beloved, darling daughter. You know I'd do anything for her." Vukan Vesuvius was silent for a long moment, as though he was actually considering her request this time. It was a long and tense moment before he finally lowered his gun, sighing a bit.

"….as much as I sympathize with your plight, I'm afraid I still have to decline." He said it flatly, but the previous edge in his voice was gone. Nyx sighed deeply, nodding to Vukan in understanding.

"I understand. Should you need anything, intel or otherwise, let me know. After all..." She turned to leave. "I am self-employed again." And with that, she walked off. Vukan watched her walk away, seeming to reconsider his decline before shrugging.

"Meh...can't afford to be in the open anyway. Too risky." And with that he re-entered his home and bolted the door shut. He wouldn't re-emerge for a long time.

The air felt colder now, almost unbearably so, and for the first time it actually made Nyx Fall shiver. It felt like a stiff breeze would freeze her very blood, and as she departed the vicinity of Vukan's home, she could feel a palpable change in the atmosphere around her, as though the world around her had just contracted a bit more than it had been before. It almost felt suffocating, and as bad as it certainly felt in that particular moment, she knew that far worse was still to come.

I think I bet too much on Vukan… She thought to herself as she departed for Vale, her mind working at top speed as she began considering other options. Vukan Vesuvius had been Nyx's best option, with his knack for intel and observation as well as lethal weapon skill, and he wanted nothing to do with her and her own. She could only respect his decision, however, especially since the last time he'd seen her, Kraid had been present, and when one's first meeting ends with a death threat and then forced retirement mere months later, hostility is to be expected from the one on the receiving end of all that. As such, it seemed that with her best option exhausted, it was time to seek assistance elsewhere. Perhaps the youngest Xiong would be of use.

The City of Vale was a blaze of lights and holographics as Nyx arrived, night having fallen in earnest now in the vast metropolis, and despite the cold that Nyx perceived, she knew that the rest of Vale could not have felt more heated with excitement and anticipation. The faces of Noir Harceleur and Rouge "Remmy" Etille were all over the city, displayed on posters, screens, and in holograms with a massive, fiery 'VS' between them, with the caption beneath them reading 'The Vytal Final' with a smaller caption underneath it that read 'It All Ends With Them.' The match was on everyone's mind, as Nyx herself was very well aware. But the native citizens of Vale had their excitement tainted with anxiety, nor could Nyx blame them for such. Indeed, the presence of the Atlas Military made her uneasy, especially considering what they were there for, or rather what they were there to prevent. Ironwood may have been warranted in bringing his military force to Vale, but the atmosphere it was creating was a massive risk, an oversight that Ironwood had paid for with his life, it seemed. Whatever the case, all of it was a prelude, and Nyx knew it. A prelude to a disaster that would shake the world to its foundations, if it went according to Erebos's plan, and he was certainly going out of his way to make sure nothing went wrong. It was the very reason she wanted to insure Cinder's safety.

Nyx made her way towards Vale's shadier side, the holograms and lights more sparse and fewer to no law enforcement to speak of in the area. Hei Xiong likely had them paid off, which made perfect sense all things considered. He wasn't exactly a squeaky clean person, after having dealt with Torchwick and countless other shady individuals in the black market. His club was underground, and as Nyx entered the building it was under, she could feel the thudding beat of the club beneath her. Every step of her descension towards the club entrance increased the volume of the beat, and soon her hearing was dominated by it.

The door slid open, and a pounding dubstep beat slammed into Nyx's ears unimpeded, causing her to take a step back to allow her hearing to adjust. The club was alive with patrons, the dance floor dotted with dozens of people, the air reeking with smell of alcoholic beverages being served and consumed left, right and center. The club's infamous Bear-head DJ was there, keeping the music going as Nyx walked across the floor, sticking out like a sore thumb in her forest green attire and causing several people to turn their heads in the direction of the blindingly beautiful woman. Indeed, Nyx Fall cut quite a striking figure, leaving no doubt as to who her daughter got her own beauty from, as well as her style of dress.

The beat ascended in pitch as the DJ began building to a drop, and the crowd clapped along with it in anticipation. The lights began rapidly flickering in conjunction, and the beat accelerated, reaching a crescendo and stopping before a massive bass drop rocked the club floor to ceiling. The patrons all began dancing wildly, women grinding up against some of the men, others dancing solo. Nyx winced in utter disgust as the wild behavior and the amount of people in the club. She never did like people as it was, and seeing them act so wild and out of control only served to enhance this feeling of dislike. People were were dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, as Nyx had seen herself firsthand, and only a handful among them displayed any signs of real intelligence to speak of. Nyx grimaced as she made her way towards the bar, deftly avoiding an inebriated pervert who attempted to cop a feel, only to end up flat on his face when Nyx moved aside.

Animals, the lot of them. Nyx thought to herself in disgust as she made her way towards the bar, which for a club this busy was rather sparsely occupied. Around half a dozen patrons were there, preferring to sit out on the wild dancing and even borderline debauchery that was going on mere yards from them on the dance floor. Once more, Nyx's beauty spoke for itself, as Hei "Junior" Xiong himself, behind the bar and attending the patrons there personal, looked up to see her walking towards him and smirked widely. Now there was a unique beauty he rarely ever saw in his club, a very unique beauty indeed, and Junior was ready to make this woman feel as at home in that club as she possibly could, maybe even get some time alone with her should the opportunity arise. Just as he opened his mouth to greet Nyx with his smoothest line he could muster, a very different voice suddenly spoke out through the cacophonic mayhem transpiring around them.

"Nymoor?"

Nyx visibly cringed at the sound of what she felt was an absolutely horrific nickname, and then stiffened for a moment as she realized what she'd just heard. Only one person in the world ever knew her by that name.

"Silver."

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Meanwhile, high above the city in the Clock Tower of Beacon, Noir Harceleur leaned against a support pillar, sighing in an admittedly bored manner as he listened to an intense debate among the others present. Ozpin had called a meeting of his council, and everyone was present: Noir himself, Ozpin, Winter Schnee, Qrow, and Glynda Goodwitch, and Noir thus far had been listening to the discussion without comment; indeed the debate as it was now held no interest for Noir personally, though he admitted it was relevant to their current situation as a whole.

"No, Winter." Ozpin was saying firmly. "A larger Atlas Military presence in Vale will only create more anxiety in this city, and there are too many people here now-"

"That's my precise concern, Ozpin!" Winter interrupted angrily, clenching her fist in frustration at Ozpin's stubbornness. "There are thousands upon thousands of tourists in the city, and the more that show up, the harder it will be to keep them safe in the event of-"

"The event you speak of will only be more likely to happen with a larger military presence in Vale!" Goodwitch put in, siding with Ozpin on the issue. "More shows of force mean higher anxiety! More uncertainty, more unease! Even the smallest panic would bring the creatures of Grimm clawing to our doors!"

"That's what my soldiers would be here to prevent!" Winter was almost shouting now. "The Vytal Tournament has attracted more civilians to this Kingdom than has been seen in decades, and just over a month ago, this very city was attacked by the creatures my Military Forces would have prevented had they-" At this, Noir could no longer keep silent, and cut Winter off.

"That attack was not caused by a citywide panic of thousands of people, Schnee." Noir said it with a sharp edge to his tone that made even Goodwitch raise an eyebrow. Ozpin smiled to himself. This was one reason why he'd wanted Noir on the council: his bluntness and straightforward attitude. "That attack was executed after months of premeditation and careful planning, and only worsened after people panicked. It also happened in the early hours of the morning when very few people were awake to be present at the attack itself, resulting in an exponentially smaller panic than would have happened in the middle of the day with everyone going about their lives. Additionally, that attack was only made possible through a particular set of circumstances, and had Team RWBY not been there to intervene the result would have been far worse." Noir stepped forward and glared Winter Schnee right in the eye; since she was only a few inches taller than him, they were very nearly level with one another. "What you are suggesting is to preemptively bring in a larger Military force to prevent a full-scale Grimm Invasion should panic ensue, but you're doing so with a profound lack of perspective. Namely that of the average Vale citizen."

"Then enlighten me, Harceleur!" Winter growled. She hated being lectured by someone so much younger than her, and it more than irked her to have this boy telling her, a professional military specialist and acting General for the Atlas Military, how to do a job she was practically married to to begin with. "Tell me how a Vale citizen sees these actions taken to ensure their safety!"

"Do not yell at me. I'm right in front of you." Noir growled back. He was in no mood to be talked down to either. As far as he was concerned only Ozpin and Goodwitch had any right or authority to do so. "I'll make this easy to understand, Schnee. You are proposing to bring in a full-scale security force comprising entirely of you own soldiers, soldiers that every single citizen of Vale knows, for a fact, is a foreign military force that is on their home soil. Meaning you are effectively occupying this city with a potentially hostile military force that not one civilian in this city has ever seen in their lifetime! You're proposing to effectively occupy this city as a means to protect, while disregarding that occupying a city scares its people!" Noir grew steadily angrier as he continued to speak. It absolutely galled him to see such a lack of concern for the public at large on display from someone dedicated to protecting the very same, and despite his efforts to remain calm, his anger showed in his eyes and tone of voice. For a long moment the room was silent as Noir's words rang in the air, and he took a moment to fully calm himself before continuing on. "You are essentially enabling a full-scale panic in your efforts to prevent one, Schnee. Your own sister would be able to see that." Winter stiffened as Noir mentioned Weiss, and very nearly backhanded him across the face for it, but instead restrained herself as best she could, knowing it wouldn't do to lose her cool now.

"He's got a point, Ice Queen." Qrow concurred, taking a long drink from his flask before continuing. "Ozpin tried to explain that to your old boss, too. Now look where we are, having this discussion aaaaall over again..."

"Ironwood was here because our Military strength was necessary for a secure environment!" Winter snapped, and once more Noir spoke up.

"Wrong again, Schnee. Ironwood was here because Professor Ozpin wanted him here, and that same reason applies to you as well." He said flatly, albeit much more calmly than before, his arms crossed as his wings ruffled a bit on their own, betraying his agitation that he was holding back as best he could. "If he wanted, he could very well order you to leave the kingdom, and I wouldn't blame him, personally."

"Right on the mark, kid." Qrow grinned. He was really liking Noir now, he had to admit the kid had some serious balls to talk back to someone like Winter Schnee. Then again, it took someone with some serious balls to date his oldest niece.

"As much as I would prefer not to." Ozpin stated, sitting behind his desk as calmly as ever, a small smile on his lips as he watched his student prove why he'd added him to his council to begin with. "Unity is the greatest asset we could have in this troubled time, and allies are needed to keep things from getting out of control." He slowly stood for a moment. "The Vytal Tournament has drawn a far larger crowd than was initially projected, and hotels throughout the city are packed to their fullest capacity. If we are to keep these people safe, we are to do so quietly. Only then, can we avoid panic. A public show of force, as Noir succinctly put it, will heighten the anxiety of thousands. 'Just what exactly are we being protected from' they will wonder. And should a panic ensue...the temptation would be too much for any Grimm." Winter stood stock still, every person in the room against her plan of action despite her best intentions.

"I can see that I will make no headway in this discussion..." Winter sighed in a resigned manner before turning to Ozpin. "Know this, Ozpin, if something does indeed go wrong, then it's on you. It's on all of you." She looked at each member of Ozpin's council with a cold glare.

"..." The headmaster was silent for a beat, and Noir sighed aloud.

"I need to get some rest, the Final is tomorrow...but I have one last thing to say." Every person in the room turned towards him. "So much has happened in so little time, and the rest of the world is still running to catch up. Atlas may be fully aware of our situation, but Mistral and Vacuo are likely still in the dark about a lot of things, and with the Festival and Tournament dominating the airwaves, they likely will continue to be until it's all over. Right now, Vale is effectively on its own, and while Atlas is able to help keep things under control...have you ever considered the possibility that this may be what our enemy wants?" This question hung in the air as he spoke it, and it was clear from Winter's expression that she apparently hadn't considered such a possibility. Noir paused only for a moment to let the question sink in before continuing. "Torchwick may have been the figurehead in all this, and the Academy's infiltrator may have pulled his strings, but, most importantly, it's possible that they're both pawns in a much larger game. As of this moment, everything we're doing may very well be playing into someone's hand, and we need to act as though every choice of action may have the reverse of the consequences we want." He looked directly at Winter. "Including bringing in a much larger military force. And consider for a moment that since the Grimm invasion that resulted in the capture of Torchwick...both crime in Vale and Grimm activity have come to a complete stop."

"We're aware of this, what are you-" Winter was once more cut off.

"Think about it. A train bursts through the ground and brings an invasion of Grimm along with it. The Huntsmen and Huntresses drive it back, seal the ground, and arrest Torchwick, the man who supposedly masterminded the operation to begin with. Within less than a week, crime stops in Vale. The White Fang goes silent, not even a peep to be heard from them. Dust stocks go through the roof, prices drop drastically. Shipments start moving smoothly for the first time in several years. Law enforcement reduced to chasing down overdue library books and giving out speeding and parking tickets. And at the same time, as though in perfect sync, Grimm activity in the area suddenly stops. There hasn't even been a beowolf sighting anywhere near Beacon since the invasion, and the Emerald Forest is right on its doorstep." Noir's eyes narrowed. "Do you honestly mean to tell me it's all coincidence?" And with that, he entered the elevator and pressed the ground floor button. Before it could descend, Qrow entered it with him.

"I need to rest, alcohol's gettin' to me." Before any of the other three could speak, the door was closed and the elevator was moving. For a moment, Noir and Qrow didn't speak, simply standing in silence as the elevator descended. Noir spoke first.

"You know, of all the excuses you could have made to be alone with me, that had to be the least convincing." He said flatly, and Qrow chuckled.

"I'm drunk, kid. Not exactly a good liar, either." Qrow shrugged his shoulders a bit and looked down at Noir. "There's something you weren't telling Oz...what is it?" Noir glanced up at Qrow and sighed a bit. No avoiding it then.

"I'm convinced that Remmy from Haven is Diabolus." Noir said flatly. Qrow raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you so sure of that, exactly?"

"Since arriving, he's been displaying a level of erratic behavior that denotes a facade. He seems to flip personalities on a whim, and his combat vacillates between utterly annihilating his opponent and playing with them til he gets bored and knocks them out." Noir furrowed his brow. "It's as though he knows that he's beyond everyone here, and just enjoys the adrenaline...or the pleasure of putting people down."

"Hmm..." Qrow stood in thought for a moment, thinking this over.

"Regardless, I still can't prove anything." Noir sighed as though in annoyance. "Perhaps...the match tomorrow will provide a more clear picture."

"Watch yourself out there, kid." Qrow cautioned him. "If he really is Diabolus..."

"It won't be any different if it were any other opponent." Noir replied calmly. "If he is Diabolus, he can't afford to expose that fact with the entire world watching. Hiding in plain sight is a delicate dance. One wrong step, everything goes wrong."

"Good point." Qrow paused for another swig from his flask. "Think you can handle it?"

"I got this far. Not much point backing out now." Noir remarked.

"Again, good point." Qrow grinned a little. Of course Noir knew what he was doing. After all, would Ozpin have included him in their council otherwise? "So. Where are you headed after this?" Noir actually blushed slightly.

"If you must know, Yang and I have a date planned...the evening is still young after all."

"Heh, figures." Qrow rolled his eyes at Noir's embarrassment. "Did you already use that condom I gave ya?"

"It was expired." Noir said with a slight grin.

"...so that's a no."

"Believe me, I'd already be dickless if I made a bad decision." Noir reminded him.

"Fair enough." Qrow chuckled as the elevator came to a stop. "Well. Guess I'll see ya from the stands."

"I suppose so. And by the way?" Noir gestured to Qrow's flask. You really ought to cut back."

"Like I haven't heard that before." Qrow rolled his eyes.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Yang waited outside the academy a bit restlessly. She sat in the courtyard, near the fountain, tapping her foot rather impatiently. She'd been waiting for Noir to emerge from the Academy for what felt like several forevers, and was getting rather antsy. She was eager to go on their planned date for that evening, as any date with Noir, as she'd found, was a guaranteed fun time. She stood and paced around a little, checking her scroll every so often to see if he'd messaged her, or to check the time. She truthfully hadn't been waiting there for too long a time, but it was still starting to drag, especially for her. What didn't help was that, for some reason, the air felt uncharacteristically nippy for that time of year. It wasn't cold, or even chilly, but the drop in temperature was noticeable, and for that time of year, with summer still very much in effect and autumn still yet to roll in, it might as well have been snowing.

Finally after what felt like forever, Noir finally emerged from the Academy, still grinning a little from his exchange with Qrow in the elevator, and upon seeing Yang by the fountain quickened his pace towards her, that feeling of excitement once more welling up within him. It never failed. Whenever he saw Yang by herself, whenever he had the opportunity to be alone with her in earnest, it excited him. And really, why wouldn't it? Yang had a way of brightening everything around her, and for someone like Noir, whose worldview was nestled somewhere between "bleak" and "grimdark", this was a beyond refreshing thing to see in someone, particularly considering he'd never seen it in anyone in his life. Admittedly Coco was an outgoing individual, and had the spunk and charisma to woo any boy who laid eyes on her, but she simply didn't brighten things up the way Yang did.

Noir smiled a little to himself as this ran through his mind, and quickened his pace further still, eager to reach Yang. As he got closer, he called out to her.

"Yang!" The buxom blonde stopped her pacing and immediately brightened up, turning towards the familiar voice calling her name.

"Damn! Took you long enough! What were you up to? A little rendezvous with a male lover?" Yang teased him, flashing him a playful wink, at which Noir chuckled and rolled his eyes a little.

"Meeting ran longer than I thought it would, plus I had the...privilege of being skewered with a pitchfork by your Uncle on the way down." Noir returned Yang's joke with a joke of his own, embracing her warmly as he approached her. Yang giggled at said joke as she returned the embrace.

"If you saw Qrow, then it's be more with a scythe….and booze. Buuuuut whatever." Yang giggled. "So what did he say to you? I bet ya 100 lien it was something inappropriate." Yang grinned widely as the embrace parted.

"He asked me if I used that condom he gave me. I told him it was expired." Noir returned Yang's grin, and honestly, Yang had to admit he looked far more attractive when he wasn't scowling or looking like a blank-faced statue. "Nice bit of levity after a meeting like the one we were just in."

Yang grinned ear to ear and held out her hand. "100 lien, please~!"

"You really think I have that much on me?" Noir grinned as he proffered this query, and for a moment he simply let the question linger. For a long moment, neither said a word, Noir grinning widely, and Yang holding out her hand for him to pay up. Finally Noir let out a poorly restrained chuckle and reached into his overcoat, pulling out the proper lien card. "Here. Maybe you can pay for the date this time."

"Psh. You're funny. Just like how my Uncle would be in that meeting of yours." Yang grinned widely, and though Noir chuckled in response to this, in the back of his mind the atmosphere was shifting. The meeting had been far from amusing especially for him, but, he couldn't go into detail, per Ozpin's orders. Not that snapping at Winter Schnee wasn't rather satisfying in hindsight.

"Thanks." Noir smirked a little. "I'd go into further detail, and believe me there's a lot to laugh at buuuuuuut….Ozpin's orders. You know how he is." Noir chuckled a bit sheepishly and Yang simply shrugged.

"I guess if it's that important, it'd be that way. Nothing can be done about it, no matter how curious I am." Yang's grin widened and she gave Noir a suggestive look.
"No matter how much I wanna threaten to punch you in the nads to tell me."

"And you certainly would." Noir smiled a little. As the conversation continued it slowly dawned on him that he had no idea what they were going to do for this date they had planned. He hadn't thought that far ahead, with so much being on his mind. For a long moment they were both rather quiet, the silence becoming a bit awkward for Noir within moments, and he finally spoke. "So...what exactly do you have in mind for the evening? I'm fine with pretty much anything you want to do."

"You want me to plan and pay? What kind of boyfriend are you?" Yang giggled again, still teasing him. At this remark Noir actually blushed a bit.

"….one who didn't plan ahead very far, perhaps?"

"Or one who has a lot on his mind." Yang said with a knowing smile. She knew what was up. If Noir didn't plan that far ahead it was likely due to him thinking about too many things at once, and Yang took this in her stride. "C'mon, let's go to the town for a stroll, we can figure out what we want to do on the way."

"Sounds fine to me...so are we driving or flying there, I'm fine either way." Noir looked around, noting the absence of Yang's signature motorcycle, Bumblebee.

"Well, I thought that walking would be nicer." Yang smiled. She wasn't about to miss the opportunity to spend every possible second she could with her boyfriend, and really, who didn't like taking a stroll every so often? Even she liked to slow down every once and awhile. Not to mention...

"Plenty of time to think from here to Vale. Smart." Noir sighed a little awkwardly and then smiled a bit, gesturing for Yang to lead the way as though saying 'ladies first'. Yang joked by doing a Weiss-curtsey before walking onward first, Noir unable to resist a chuckle as he followed her closely.

For a long while neither of them spoke. The conversation lingered incomplete as Noir somewhat awkwardly walked next to Yang. For several moments he tried to think of a way to start a new conversation, trying to keep things flowing unimpeded, but each time he thought of something it fell flat in his mind. So many things were on his mind at once, it was messing with his train of thought. The meeting in Ozpin's office was replaying again and again and again in his mind, the weight of the situation very heavy indeed. This combined with the mounting pressuring of the approaching Vytal Final was making it difficult to focus. but more than that, the question still lingered in his mind: Why was he still in the Tournament? What was he doing it all for? Was it for himself, or for Beacon? The same questions were continuing to loop in his mind, and as they continued to do, Noir said nothing. And this silence on his part did not go unnoticed by Yang.

Yang, growing increasingly concerned, stopped walking, placing a gentle hand on Noir's shoulder, jerking him back to reality. "Hey…I know that you're under some pressure, but you're much more quiet than usual. Don't revert back on me."

Hearing her words, and not wanting to hide this from her, Noir opened his mouth to speak, but stopped short as his hyper-hearing detected several people nearby, his left ear twitching slightly. Hearing the voices of nearby people made him rethink what he wanted to say, and now that he really thought about it, this wasn't something he wanted to discuss in the open. Much less within earshot of a group of unknown students. Who knew who could be listening in?

"I'd...rather not talk about it publicly, Yang…" Noir said rather softly. This reply seemed to somewhat aggravate Yang.

"Why not? If it's bothering you that much…" Yang's voice trailed off, frustrated at her apparent inability to help at this moment.

"It's a personal matter, Yang." Noir glanced in the direction of the same gaggle of students walking by, and spoke in a lower voice still, "I'd rather this be for your ears only." Yang glanced around at the students passing by and conceded.

"Okay. Let's just go back to your room. We can talk there."

Right. Noir wrapped an arm around Yang's waist, and after securing his grip on her took flight from the ground, his wings making them airborne with only a few flaps and taking them towards the dorm building. Yang held onto him tightly, as always feeling the rush that his flight afforded her, but not letting the situation at hand slip from her mind. True to form for him, his dorm window was wide open for him to fly through, and a moment later, he landed on his dorm room floor, removing his arm from Yang and taking a moment to let the adrenaline die down. Yang stood with her arms crossed in the center of the room, not wanting to sit and simply waiting for Noir to talk. Noir inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh as he gathered his thoughts, focusing on what was truly bothering him the most.

"….Yang...why am I doing this? The tournament."

"From what I remember hearing from Coco and from your run in with your former teammate, it's for your fallen teammates." Yang replied, somewhat confused. Was this what her boyfriend was truly bothered by?

"That's what I've been telling myself from the beginning, but…" Noir sat down on his bed, his gaze uncharacteristically looking downward. This immediately set off alarms in Yang's mind. Noir always looked someone in the eye when speaking to them. "The more I win...the more I progress through it, the further into the finals I go...the more I feel like it's more self-serving than I first thought." Noir shook his head a little as though bothered by a mosquito. This was bothering him so much it was physically showing in his behavior now. "What if they're right, Yang...what if I really am only doing this to prove something to myself…" Yang stood in silence for a long moment, processing what Noir said and thinking it over thoroughly before answering.

"You felt like you couldn't protect them, you felt..." Yang was trying to word this in the best possible way she could. "...like you were weak in some way. Maybe it's not self-serving, maybe it's…more like you're proving to them, as if they're watching, that you're stronger now. That you'll protect the people you care about in the future." Yang rubbed the back of her head a little, wondering if her point was coming across well enough. "I'm no psychologist, but I heard that from someone I met when I was little." Now it was Noir's turn to be silent for a long moment, processing this before looking back up at Yang from where he sat.

"I only want to do them proud...whatever it takes...they deserve that much." Noir inhaled for a moment, trying to repress the emotion threatening to overwhelm him. "And yet I constantly feel like I could do better...far better...and I keep finding myself second-guessing everything I do, and it keeps feeling more and more like I'm doing this for myself...and not for them…" He nearly choked saying the last words in that sentence. Yang was quiet for a long moment.

"….Do you know why I want to be a Huntress?" Noir looked at Yang for a long moment upon hearing this question.

"….because you're a thrill seeker, and like to have a life where you never know what will happen the next day?" Yang took a slight step back in surprise.

"Who told you that?"

"Blake." Was Noir's simple one-word answer. Yang almost chuckled at this.

"I'm not surprised." Yang took a moment to collect herself before continuing. "But yeah, you're right. I am a thrill seeker. It wasn't until RWBY's time with Dr. Oobleck that we, excluding my sister, realized that we wanted to be Huntresses for ourselves. Sometimes, we worry about what we want, and that's okay. It's okay to do something for yourself. As long as you don't forget the ones who need you, as long as you don't forget that your job is to protect the people. I feel that your team...they want you to be happy. To not forget them, but to not feel remorse for the rest of your life." Yang chuckled a little. "Again, not a psychologist or a philosopher. Just…a student." Noir looked at Yang intently for a very long moment, never once looking away as she says this, before finally breaking into a small smile.

"I can't refute that. You make a sound argument."

"Of course I do. You should ask Ruby how many times I've been right before." Yang stuck out her tongue a little in a teasing manner. Noir finally let out a chuckle of his own, smiling in earnest before firing back with a quip of his own.

"And you wonder why I asked you to plan the date." Yang rolled her eyes at this before a approaching the bed, leaning forward and kissing Noir softly on the lips. Noir returned the kiss softly, smiling at it parted. "This certainly sounds like a good plan to me."

Yang giggled and straddled Noir's lap, planting another kiss on his lips as the world around them faded away, leaving just the two of them.

For the moment at least, there were no troubles or worries. Just the two of them together, their love blossoming once more in earnest.