MEMORY LANE

"Are you sure you're alright over there, Ez?"

Ruby asked, as we walked down the crowded hallways leading to the cafeteria. I rubbed the scar underneath my left eye that ran from the side of my nose down to my cheek, while trying to keep up with Ruby amidst the traffic of transfer students walking pass us.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I've had scratches before, it just feels a little weird that this one actually left a scar, but more importantly..."

I look back at the giant binder that Ruby was hugging. It had the words 'Vytal Festival Activities. Property of Weiss Schnee' crossed out with red mark, and was dubiously replaced with a hastily written 'Best Day Ever Activities.'

"Are you sure it was necessary to use Weiss's binder? You know she's not gonna be happy."

Ruby stuck out her tongue while she scratched the back of her head.

"I-I know, but I couldn't find any place to write my ideas in. Besides..."

She stretched out her arms and gazed at the binder that she -proudly- vandalized.

"Weiss had a lot of really good ideas here! They just needed a bunch of tweaking, cause most of them are, you know, Weiss-y."

I couldn't help but laugh at the idea of what she said, seeing as how I helped 'modify' most of her plans. All joking aside, we eventually made our way to the cafeteria, where the rest of our team and JNPR were messing around with their food. Without waiting up on me, Ruby merrily jogged towards the end of the table and slammed the binder with such force that everyone's neck practically snapped in her direction. She cleared her throat, as I stood right next to her with a huge grin.

"Sisters!"

She gestured at our team.

"Friends!"

I continued, and looked at Team JNPR.

"Weiss!"

Ruby casually joked, to which Weiss immediately complained.

"Nice improv."

I whispered in her ear, as she winked back and raised her thumb in response.

"Four score and seven minutes ago, I had a dream."

I doubt she could say any of this legally, but it sounded good when we were writing the script, so I let her keep it in there.

"Did you just steal my binder? Ezra?"

Weiss gave me a glare that terrified me so much that I panicked and replied without thinking.

"I am not a crook."

Blake giggled at me and Ruby then asked what we meant. Ruby sighed in reply, then pointed her fingers at her.

"I'm talking about kicking the semester off with a bang!"

Yang decides to intervene at this moment to make the corniest joke I've ever heard in my entire life.

"I always start my semesters off with a Yang! Eh? Eh? Guys? Am I right?"

No. That was awful, and Nora seems to share my sentiments as well, courtesy of the apple that hit Yang smack dab in the center of her forehead.

"Look guys, it's been a good two weeks and between more exchange students arriving and the tournament at the end of the year, our second semester is going to be great! But, classes start back up tomorrow! Which is why I've taken the time to schedule a series of wonderful events for us today."

While Blake, Weiss, and Ruby talk about what we should do for the last day of our break, I put both my hands in pockets and silently watched Yang, glare at Nora. She picked up an apple and threw it at her, only for said apple to zoom pass a book's length away from Nora, missing her completely and hitting another student in the back of his head a couple of rows further down from where she was sitting.. It doesn't take an owl's eye to tell how horrible her aim is,

"Sit out or not, I think that however we spend this last day, we should do it as team!"

Weiss then proudly stood up.

"I think for one that..."

But before she could finish her sentence, a plate full of pie landed straight at her face. Of course, Weiss wasn't one to take this sitting so naturally, she decided to retaliate. Next thing you know, one thing led to another, and all of a sudden, vegetables, bread, and huge chunks of meat began flying everywhere. Tables were flipped and pushed aside, and along with the commotion that ensued, I too was flipped and tossed, and was buried underneath a pile of bottles and utensils. When I came to, I was greeted with the sight of a pyramid made out of stacked up tables with Nora on top, laughing and yelling 'I'm the queen of the castle' over and over again.

"Justice will be swift! Justice will be painful! It will be delicious!"

Ruby crushed the carton of milk in her hands, while the other three members of Team RWBY yelled at the top of their lungs in response to Ruby's declaration of war against JNPR. Nora pointed her finger at them with a fierce look on her face eager to accept to her challenge.

"Off with their heads!"

In response, Ruby commanded her team to attack. She pointed at the two lump of meat on the ground and immediately looked at Yang.

"Yang! Turkey!"

Yang rolled forward and jammed the two turkeys in her hand, using them as gloves to punch the barrage of incoming watermelons that JNPR launched at us. The sight of food being used as weapons is utterly ridiculous, but something about the peculiarity of it all made me want to join in, so I did. I grabbed a tray and ran as fast as I could, tossing it on the table in front of me. I jumped up and landed on the tray, using it to glide across the cafeteria, passing by Ruby along the way.

"Mind if I join the fight?"

Ruby pumped her fist in the air at the sight of me coming in hot. Overfilled with enthusiasm herself, Ruby grabbed a tray of her own and rode the wave with me. I looked at her as she caught up and pointed my finger up in the ceiling.

"Give me a boost."

She smirked and nodded without ever missing a beat. I jumped up doing an ollie with my tray, and with all her strength, Ruby caught the bottom and pushed me up as high as she could. I scoured the cafeteria, looking for a good place to land and join the fray. I leaned over towards the center of the room where Blake and Pyrrha were duking it out with their french breads. I reached inside my pockets and tossed the clam shells that I picked up as ninja stars, that landed right in front of Pyrrha's feet. I rolled forward as soon as I landed, and quickly beckoned Blake.

"Hit me!"

Without hesitation, Blake tossed one her french bread towads me, and we tag teamed Pyrrha together, attacking one after the other, pressuring her to the point that she was forced to backpedal away. Pyrrha's fighting skills however, proved to be unmatched, as she quickly found an opening in our attacks, stabbing me right at my gut with her bread, knocking me back a couple of feet away while she made quick work of Blake. Before she could do anymore harm, however, Ruby came in from out of nowhere and slammed her tray against Pyrrha, knocking her back against the vending machines, temporarily taking her out of the fight.

"Woah, woah wooooah."

I looked back at Yang who was slowly losing the stalemate in her fight against Nora. I ran towards her as fast as I can, but not before Nora sent her flying up into the ceiling and out of the cafeteria. I quickly grabbed a packet of powered juiced and slammed it against the floor, covering my assault with the smoke. I jumped forward at the startled Nora, and swung a basket full of fruits at her hand, knocking her makeshift hammer out of her grasp.

"Got you now."

Nora looked at me with a grin, grabbing a spare watermelon she tied behind her back. Ignoring the fact that she even had one, I quickly tossed the apples and oranges at her knees, thighs (big mistake), down to her foot, causing her to slip down the floor. I picked up an unusually roll of spaghetti and did my best to use it as a whip, slamming it down on the ground, but Nora quickly rolled away. She swung her hammer left and right, and I desperately try my best to roll through each one of her strikes, counter attack with my pasta whip with each dodge.

"Grrrr!"

Clearly pissed off, Nora swung her hammer at a table, hurling it towards me. There was no other opening for me to dodge except under it so I ran as fast as I can towards the table, and executed a pretty smooth baseball slide under it. To my surprise however, Nora was already up in the air, about to swing her hammer down on me. Thankfully, before she can capitalize, a barrage of juice cans came raining down on Nora. I run back to cover as fast as I can, and watched Nora get hit in the head a couple of times, knocking her down to the ground.

Out of the corner of my eyes, all I see is Ruby running at full speed with her semblance, creating a tornado of food and utensils that quickly overpowered Team JNPR, slamming them across the jelly covered wall.

It would seem that the match has ended just in time for Professor Goodwitch to come in and clean up the mess we've made. We all slowly sat down, looking at our shoes, getting ready for Professor Goodwitch's lecture, about proper manners, I assume, but Ozpin wasn't far behind to stop her.

I looked up, waiting for Yang to fall from the sky, when Pyrrha leaned her hips at the desk I was leaning on.

"Those were some good moves you threw at me. I can really tell you've been putting in the work training with Blake and your team. I wouldn't doubt it if you showed the same chemistry with Yang."

She winked.

"Flattering, coming from the star athlete on the cover of Pumpkin Pete's!"

Pyrrha tossed an apple at me, which I easily caught without looking. It seems Pyrrha's been paying attention at how I interact with Yang. Screw the team, that much is obvious, I've worked with them enough to know their moves. During that whole food fight however, me and Yang never had the chance to fight together, so Pyrrha bringing her up means that she knows about our early morning get together at the dorms' kitchen.

"Keep the Yang part a secret though."

I took a bite of the apple she just handed then winked back.

"Sure thing!" She smiled. "You and Yang huh? I like it. I'm rooting for you Ezra."

Pyrrha teasingly joked, just as Yang landed right in front of us.

"OOOOOOH WOOOOAAH!"

Yang slowly stood up, dazed. She shook her head left and right, desperately trying to focus her vision. She slapped her cheeks twice and looked at me.

"Ezra!"

I smiled and waved, then she looked at Pyrrha, who had her arms crossed in front of her chest, and her waist close enough that it nearly touched mine.

"Pyrrha… ?"

She stood up from her spot and smiled at Yang.

"Hello again!"

Yang raised an eyebrow at her, as she hesitantly waved back, then quickly glanced at me with her glaring red eyes.

"Ez? What's that about?"

I grinned at her angered face. I'll admit, her red eyes used to frighten me because of how clearly it showed her anger, how it often portrays that something had gone wrong, but now I see that her red eyes are more than just rage, but rather, her passion… passion that she has no idea how to manifest and control, and somehow, I find it very endearing.

"Let's just say she was cheering you and me on."

Shocked, the red tint in her eyes quickly vanished, her furrowed brows loosened, and the angered look on her face was replaced with that of confusion.

"Huh?"

I giggled in response, opting to not reply to which she playfully protested. Before she could pry any further however, Ozpin stepped forward to speak with us.

"If you're worried about the repercussions of the mess you've made here in the cafeteria, don't. You're all not free from 'punishment' however, as I'm instilling a curfew tonight, in light of the recent crimes that have occurred in downtown Vale."

Ruby slumped her shoulders after hearing what Ozpin said.

"OH NO! 90% of MY plans involves us going out tonight!"

OUR plans. Weiss stepped in with her binder firmly grasped in her hands, and quickly argued with Ruby.

"You mean the plans you put in MY binder? Ruby! Where did you put all my homework?"

Ruby cringed and looked my way, urging me to help. The question had to be asked however: why should I? I certainly didn't know where she hid Weiss's homeworks. I looked at her confused with my shoulders shrugged and whispered at the same time, hoping that she would be able read my lips.

"That's sounds like a YOU problem there."

I can see where this is going and I have a feeling I'm not gonna like it, cause sooner or later, Weiss is going to turn her head and interrogate me. That's why I'm thankful that Yang is tugging at my jacket right now.

"Hey, come with me real quick, I gotta ask you something."

Curious, I followed her out the cafeteria through the back doors that lead out to the empty courtyard. I took a deep breath and composed myself before I looked at Yang, who looked hesitant and afraid. Something I'm not accustomed to seeing, so I asked.

"Something wrong?"

She quickly lifted her head, flustered.

"No, no! God no."

I urged her once more, knowing there has to be something she's hiding or holding back.

"Are you sure? You're a real firecracker, you know? Upbeat and a little bit hard to handle. Not really used to seeing you all confused and hesitant."

She smiled at me with a blush on her face, though there was still a hint of reluctance in her mannerisms.

"So… uhm. I… don't know if you're aware, but we're less than a week from the dance and..."

Yang looked away and tucked her arms close to her cheeks.

"I know we've gone through a lot lately with the White Fang, Blake, and Torchwick and all… but I was wondering… I mean, is there any reason why you haven't asked me to go with you… or do you have someone else in mind to go with you… to the… dance?"

The way she's cringing made it seem like she was shrinking from embarrassment. Of course I haven't forgotten about the dance. I want to go. With Yang. Unfortunately, I have other commitments that day. I made a vow to myself that I'll leave my criminal ways, and try to live an honest and straight life, but as shady as my business is, I still gave my current employer my word. Money is still flowing from my account, and my sisters are still under the threat of detection. Quitting ain't as easy as I thought as it was going to be.

I looked back at Yang with the exact same look she's giving me right now. I placed my hand at the back of my head, and shifted my body to the side, not wanting to see her response after I broke the news to her.

"Probably because I'm… not… going."

I looked down and waited a couple of seconds, before I finally decided to look back. The look of her disappointed face was one of the most heartbreaking thing I've ever seen in my entire life.

"W-why… oh… I mean, can I ask why?"

Before I could answer, my scroll began to ring. She looked at my face, then smiled at me. I can tell from her eyes that her smile was forced. One can almost feel the sadness she's feeling just by looking at them.

"Family?"

I nodded then looked away, not wanting to see her face anymore.

"I mean… you don't have to go with me. There's always-"

I tried to reason with her, but she cut me off. Even the tone of her voice echoed how disappointed she was.

"I don't want anyone else though. I want you to go with me… I-I understand. I'm sorry."

Hearing those words come out of her mouth made me want to drop everything here on the spot and give her a hug, but I held back. I raised my scroll and waved it in front of her, and she immediately knew what that meant - that I had to leave because of family.

"I'm sorry too, Yang. I-I want to go with you too, but..."

Before I could explain any further, my scroll rang obnoxiously louder than it usually is.

"You should go now Ez. It's fine. I guess it makes me feel better knowing that you wanted to go with me too."

I smiled, then turned around running away from her while I pretended to answer my scroll. I waited till I'm positive that Yang, and anyone else for that matter, wasn't around and called the person on the other line.

[Owl.]

I immediately recognize the voice of the person on the other line.

"Cinder."

I leaned behind one of the trees, as I scoured my surroundings.

[Initiate Phase 2]

As scheduled.

"Of course. Everything on my end is ready."

I can practically hear her breath through me scroll, so much so, that I can practically see how she's smirking right now in that dark and musty hideout Roman secured.

[Very good. Me and my team will be arriving in Beacon shortly. Make sure you show as around… as Beacon's newest exchange students.]

Phase 2 is infiltration, Cinder and her team's goal is to participate in the Vytal Festival in which she will initiate the final part of her plan, the likes of which I do not know. That is where my contract with her ends after all.

It won't be too long now. It won't too long till I can finally start anew, with Yang.

"Cinder."

There was a slight pause in between our conversation that felt like an eternity, but eventually, she answered.

[Yes?]

I braced myself for I know the request I'm about to ask of her would be unreasonable but, the thought of Yang's face earlier gave me the courage to ask anyways.

"The night of the coms tower mission. I understand I'm slated to go, but would it be possible for you to send someone else?"

Again she paused.

[Ah. The night of the dance was it? I understand you want to keep appearances Owl, but that part isn't as important anymore now that me and my team will be at Beacon by that time. Me and my team on other hand need to be there. It's our turn to keep the show going.]

I knew this was coming, yet I decided to keep a little bit of hope that somehow, Cinder would approve. Oh how quickly did she crush that light.

"Understood. Mission first."

Yang second...