For the bijilionth time I adjusted the straps of the black cocktail dress that Andy blackmailed me into. It took a lot of coaxing, a lot of Andy threatening me, and a lot of her wrestling with the top half of my body to get me to wiggle myself into this thing.

"I hate you," I said pulling the ruffled and poufy skirt down. Its black waves stop at my lower thighs, clearly showing the slim mechanical braces clamped on each one of my legs. "I really, really hate you."

"You don't… like it?" Andy asked. She quickly turned away so I couldn't see her face but I clearly heard her sobs and the beginning of tears.

"Andy, no I didn't mean it like that! I didn't know this meant that much to you. I think… I think it looks kind of nice," I said quickly.

She turned back to show a clear face void of tears. She had been faking. "Really? Told you," she looped her arm in mine.

"Y-yeah, but I don't think I look as good as you though," I scratched her ear. Andy had donned a slim-fitting purple dress that stretched to her thighs. It contrasted and complemented her orange hair and ears. She was spectacular compared to me.

"Thank you Skye."

"Geez you wear that easily but getting you into a swimsuit was a monumental chore. At least you let me wear normal shoes," I said wiggling my toes.

"If you wore heals then you'd be way taller than me!"

"Easier access to these," I said, chomping on one of her ears.

"Ow, ow, ow! Don't bite!" she wailed making me laugh hysterically.

Andy escorting me out of my room. In the hall though two armed Atlas guards stood waiting for us. Immediately I grabbed her and pushed her behind me, readying to fight… in this prison of an outfit.

"No, no, no! It's not what you think!" she warned as she grabbed my hands. "They're here to escort us."

"Escort us? Where?"

"To town," one of them said in a deep voice.

"I wasn't asking you!" I shouted angrily. The staff and I weren't exactly on good terms, especially the guards and soldiers.

"Yes Skye," Andy said, "Come on." She tugged me along and explained as we walked. "I got them to let us go out, and I mean properly got their permission. We are going on a date."

"A d-date?!"

"Oh don't tell me after all these years that makes you nervous," she teased.

"No," I said defensively, "A date doesn't really, exactly uh bother me too much. Being seen in this dress though uhm… kind of does." I glanced back over my shoulder to see the two guards following us.

"So you can wear a bikini in full view of the public but not a pretty dress? You're silly."

"I'll remind you that you tied me up to paint my face and then forced me into this thing. Not exactly naturally for me. Are these two apes going to be following us the whole time?" I said still glancing at them.

"Yes," she sighed, "it was the condition for letting us out."

We exited the facility through its main doors. For once it wasn't sneakily or us escaping to do something mischievous without the scientists knowing. Outside was a simple, nondescript car waiting for us. I knew though it hid armor within its doors, not to protect us but to protect the facilities investment in us.

"Well," I said with renewed vigor, "Might as well enjoy the night we've been given."

"That's the spirit Skye! And to start," she got on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on my lips. "I've got plenty planned for tonight."

She opened the door and was about to step in when I caught her by her fox ear, holding her back.

"Owowowowowow! Skye, let go, that hurts!" she whined.

"One condition for me," I said into that ear of hers.

"Okayokayokay!"

"No. Pictures."

Andy gasped.

"I knew it!" I exclaimed.

"B-b-b-b-b-b-but," she began but I tugged on her ear gently.

"Nope. If you do, I'll rip off this dress and walk around in my underwear," I proclaimed, making one of the guards behind me snicker. I kicked backwards, landing a strike right in his family jewels making him collapse onto the ground. "And you two, don't think I can't beat you up."

The guard on the ground moaned in agony and the other had become visibly shaken. "O-kay," he mumbled.

"What?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Better. So Andy, do you accept my terms or do you want your date to be naked?" I asked her.

"Yesyesyes!" she barked like the cute fox she was. I let go of her ear as she rubbed it. It flicked back and forth adorably.

"Alrighty then," I said, stepping past her into the car.

We took a lengthy drive to get into town. Town was an understatement, Andy had somehow managed to get us two tickets into the city, downtown where it was bustling. The whole ride she laid against me and I toyed with her ears. Our faces were glued at the windows, seeing the world around us for the first time. We were used to hallways, rooms, walls, everything that was inside the facility.

There were street lights and neon signs, people dressed up like us, and buildings that reached for the skies. Cars and trucks did a dangerous ballet on the roads. Shops were closing and other places were opening. It was like another world. It was another world.

The car stopped in front of a tall building, Andy getting out and pulling me with her. Now people were staring.

"Andy?" I said nervously.

"Hmm?"

"They're staring."

"Well of course. You look dazzling," she said, strutting onto the sidewalk to the entrance. Our two guard escorts trailed behind.

"I look weird. They can all see my leg braces with how short this damn skirt is," I moaned.

"Relax," she told me as we entered the building.

I tried but I felt like I was walking into a warzone with all the eyes that glanced at us. We strolled through the lobby of the massive hotel. People were all dressed up in fancy clothes, waiting at the desk for rooms, sitting and conversing, or doing whatever was on their agenda. Andy took us straight to the elevator which walls were complete glass. As we rose higher and higher both of us awed at the growing view. The higher we went the more of the city we could see with all its sparking and dazzling lights. We got so high that I could see over the neighboring buildings. Twilight had traced the horizon in the distance, the moon high in the sky tonight.

Finally the elevator stopped on the top floor and we walked into a grand restaurant. There were tall windows that allowed you to see in every direction, a large dance with a live piano player, a bar stocked with all sorts of bottles, and tables everywhere I could see.

"Ah, Ms. Skye and Ms. Andy I assume," a host came up to us.

"Yes, that's us," Andy said cheerily.

The host eyed the guards behind us nervously but continued on cooling. "We received your reservation and are delighted to have you stunning ladies tonight."

At 'stunning' I scoffed, fiddling more with the skirt of my dress.

"We have your table set and hope to make your night unforgettable," he finished.

"Thank you very much," Andy replied suddenly sounding very regal and high class.

He led us to our table at the edge of the restaurant, right next to one of its windows.

"When did you begin to be so proper?" I whispered to her teasingly.

"When you began to look so lady-like," she teased back.

We both giggled quietly causing our host to glance back at us. He sat us down, pulling out the chairs for us and lighting the candles that stood on the table.

"And what would you ladies like to drink?" he asked clasping his hands together.

"Wat-," I began but Andy quickly said, "Wine, please."

"Excellent choice!" he said walking away.

My jaw dropped as I stared in disbelief at Andy. She despised alcohol. She despised that I drank alcohol. She just ordered alcohol for the both of us.

"What?" she asked, noticing the expression on my face that the make-up couldn't hide.

"You hate alcohol."

"I don't hate alcohol. I just choose not to drink it. I hate how you drink alcohol all the time," she corrected me. "And this is a treat, just this once!"

Our host returned with a bottle, pouring each of us a glass of red colored liquid. He showed us how to properly drink it, sipping instead of gulping. I had to admit that the wine tasted like the stars. It was the same with the plates of food he brought, the champagne after that, the desert, everything was magical.

With the alcohol slowly filling us along with the food Andy and I felt wonderful. We talked about everything, anything. We giggled and laughed between every sentence. We kissed, then kissed again and held hands when we didn't. Then to my dismay I got up and asked her to dance and then we danced. We danced until our feet hurt and until the music filled us. We left, our host informing us that our check had already been paid for, and walked. There wasn't any place we had in mind, we just walked. We walked by street vendors and extravagant performers, through a park and monuments, past flashing signs and blinking lights. We walked until we were out of things to say, only holding on to one another and find pure bliss in each other's silent company.

"Ladies," one of our escorts said, getting our attention. "It's time to leave."

"Awwwwwwww," whined Andy, disappointedly tipsy from all the wine. "But the moon is still up," she slurred.

"Now, now my lovely fox," I slurred as well, "Our night had to end sometime."

She complained the whole way back to the car but she was drunk and easy to handle. It was actually extremely cute. I ruffled her ears as we sat down in the back seat making her purr happily. She nuzzled into my side, quickly passing out. The whole ride back I petted her and watch her breathe against my chest.

"I love you," I whispered to her.

We arrived back at the facility and I carried her in my arms back inside. The guards left us then going to do whatever it is they did. I walked her back to the room, laying her on the bed clumsily fighting against the effects of the wine.

"Crap," I mumbled, staring at her curled up on my bed. I needed to undress Andy and that was a problem. "Please don't wake up, please don't wake up," I mumbled as I did the task at hand.

Once I was done I pulled the blankets over her, giving her a kiss on the head before I left the room. I went to the bathroom, stripping off the dress and hanging it nicely. As much as I hated getting into it I had grown fond of it. The memories tonight were partly because of it and staring at it gave me joy. I washed the bits of make-up from my face and then reached into my pocket and pulled out what I had been hiding all night.

I searched all my drawers and my cabinets, raiding them for what I knew was somewhere around. Finally I found it tucked away in the back drawer of a dresser. Carefully I slid the picture into the frame and held it to examine.

In the frame was Andy and I, all dressed up. I was holding her by the hip with one hand against me, she had her arm around my waist. We stood with one another on a balcony, the moon and skyline alive behind us. We weren't focused on that though because the camera had clicked right when we kissed, our lips touching, our eyes closed, our hands interlocked. It was beautiful, even though it broke the promise I made Andy make.

I took the picture frame back into my bedroom where Andy was still fast asleep, setting it on the nightstand beside my bed. Climbing into bed I slid under the blankets, wrapping myself around Andy, careful not to wake her up.

Oh so lightly I kissed her on the lips, causing her to stir ever so lightly.

"My dearest fox, I love you," I reached up and gently bit one of her fox ears.

A hand came out of nowhere and slapped my face. I was stunned.

Andy mumbled not even awake, "No biting…"

Something fluffy flicked against my face. Twitching I tried to go back to sleep. Those things kept prickling my nose, forcing me to open my eyes. As soon as my eyes adjusted I saw two mountains of orange fur filling my vision. They looked like fox ears and that didn't make any sense because they were attached to a human head. I tried to move my hands to get up but found them trapped, wrapped around a girl in front of me.

"Andy," I hummed, slowly grasping reality.

It was one of those rare morning that we could sleep in. In contrast, it wasn't so rare that Andy or myself woke up in each other's' arms. After the day's work was over we usually always came back with one another. We'd get cleaned up, eat, relax or do whatever but it was always in the same dorm room. So it wasn't a surprise when we both started to sleep in the same bed. Both of us were usually in so much pain or so worn out from the day that we simply collapsed onto the bed. I almost thought it was silly each of us having our own rooms now.

Andy's ears flicked cutely as I blew air at them. She was sound asleep but they reacted subconsciously giving me another way to play with them. I had to stop myself before I went any further less I woke her from her slumber.

As a result from sharing the same bed with Andy so much I had learned to sneak away without waking her up. Getting my arm out from under her was easy. The hard part was rolling off the bed without making a peep. I grit my teeth and grunted against my closed lips as I hit the floor. There was a rustle from the bed as Andy moved about but after a moment it was quiet except for her steady breathing. Crawling on my belly I labored my way up and into my chair. Putting on my legs would have made things easier but even after years of experiencing that pain nothing could silence my screams.

The morning was silent, peaceful, hell it was almost afternoon. Most of the staff and workers at the facility had left for some holiday. Unlucky for us, we had to stay here. Glancing back at my lovely fox curled up under the blankets I mumbled, "It's not too bad."

I went out to get some coffee or tea started but stopped myself outside. The long wall behind the couch which was barren when I first got here was now covered in picture frames. On Andy's birthday I had got her a camera for her gift since she was so delighted with how our date photo turned out. That photo was still bedside and on this wall too accompanied by many, many more. There were plenty of us together, eating, sitting, and doing normal things outside and in the facility. For obvious reasons we had more photos that we taken inside. Much to Andy's horror there were plenty embarrassing photos of her on here too from when I stole her camera to use. I managed to snap her at her cutest times, stuffing her face, chasing me, curled up asleep on the couch like a fox, carrying her in my arms or my chair. This had become a real joy for both of us, decorating this wall with our memories.

Reaching into the side pocket of my chair I pulled out another photo to add to our wall. I tacked it to the wall carefully and leaned back to admire it. While Andy was asleep one morning I managed to tie bows to each of her ears, the same way she did on my birthday a while back. The flash from her camera woke her up and once she had found out what I had done she chased me around the room, took her ears away from me for the rest of the day, and literally put me on a time out. I sat snickering in the corner until Andy came over and faked a C-ydna voice. It literally scared me to death.

"Little birdie," a voice like that one said behind me as two hands rested onto my shoulder. I froze in shock. "I thought…" Andy said bringing her mouth closer to my ear, "that we both had to agree on a photo before we put it on our wall…"

"A-a-andy?" I stammered, "When did you wake up?"

"Don't change the subject," her voice dropped almost like C-ydna.

"C-c-ydna?!"

"Maybe… Maybe not… I'm glad you're in your chair this morning."

"Andy, listen…"

Hands slid down over my shoulder and then onto my sides making me shiver. I still couldn't tell if I was dealing with Andy or C-ydna.

"I guess I have to punish you again."

"Andy… C-ydna…. Please no," I begged.

"ATTACK!" she bellowed beginning to tickle me.

Squirming in my chair I couldn't control myself. "A-andy! Noo! Stop! Stop it!" Despite my begging Andy didn't stop.

Somehow I reached up and grabbed her, pulling her down toward me. My chair rocked back and we fell to the floor. Andy didn't give up though and stayed over me torturing me. I grabbed her head and filled my mouth with her ear and bit down.

"OW!" she bellowed but kept tickling me. "Stop that Skye! It hurts!"

Still chewing on that fluffy piece of heaven I mumbled, "Mmmyyyooo Mfffffuuurst!"

We laid there torturing each other until we both couldn't take it anymore, relenting to lay with each other breathing heavily. My sides were red and raw from Andy's tickling and her ear was covered in my drool.

"My ear," Andy whined, rubbing her ears as they twitched.

"My sides," I shot back. "That was fun, haha," I said scratching her ears gently.

"Yeah it was. Still hurt," Andy moaned as she massaged my sides in return. "Just you wait, I'll get an embarrassing picture of you to put on the wall."

"Can't wait fox. Now uhm…"

"What is it?"

"Uh… I need to get up… and you're laying on me."

"Oh! I'm sorry!" she said, pulling me up and helping me into my chair. "Do you want me to get your legs?"

"No," I said cringing, "I don't want to deal with the pain this morning. Maybe later."

I sat staring at her and the wall behind her. She followed my gaze to all the pictures. "We've sure done a lot," I said softly.

"Yes, we sure have," she replied.

"We're running out of room on the wall."

"You're right."

"And we have so much more to put on there."

Both of us hummed silently, thinking the same thought at the back of our minds. It was something we never wanted to admit, something we always ignored and yet something we both accepted.

Andy hugged me from behind, resting her chin on my head. "So what do you want to do today?" she asked.

"Well first," I said rolling myself around so I faced Andy.

Her curious face soon was wiped away when I pushed myself off my chair at her, grabbing onto her sleeping pants and pulling them to the floor.

"SKYE!" she screamed in a high pitched voice.

"RUN!" I yelled, then I thought again, "CRAWL!"

I managed to crawl far enough that when Andy tried to come after me she tripped over her pants that were around her ankles. Bursting out laughing I kept crawling away for the bedroom since it was the closest door. Pulling up her pants she chased after me wailing. I got to the foot of my bed and picked up a limp, sleeping Basher. Forcing him into a lazily ball, which didn't work at all because his limps stuck out in every direction, I threw him at Andy. Mid-flight he woke up and screamed in terror before latching onto Andy's face.

"Skye! No throwing the pet Grim!"

"You're not my real mom!" I yelled giggling.

Spira was sitting curled up with her wing underneath her wing. I picked her up and flung her too. Unlike Basher she clucked and woke up midair, flapping her wings and hovering in place. She cocked her head around and then saw me red-handed.

"Spira…" Andy hummed, finally peeling the frightened Basher off her face, "If you please."

A shrill deathly grim caw cut through the air as the mini Nevermore assault me. Wings, feet, and a beak tore at my face. I knew she was taking it easy on me though because her talons were retracted into her feet.

"Andy! Andy help!"

"Sorry, Andy is not here right now. She politely got the hell out," C-ydna said. "You get the lovely C-ydna to watch over your torture session."

That fear I kept tightly locked deep within me burst out. I rolled onto my belly and made a break for my leg braces. A body collapsed on top of me and wrapped their arms around my torso.

"It's me! It's me! Sorry, didn't mean to let him out."

The waterfall of dark things slowed and stopped as I relaxed in Andy's arms. "Don't scare me like that. You know I don't like him."

"Oh is that a fact?"

I yelped, curling up as much as I could.

"Kidding! Kidding my sweet little frightened bird," she told me as she nuzzled into my neck. Those furry ears tickling me.

"That's n-not f-funny. I'm completely helpless against him you know."

"I know and I'd never let him harm you," she kissed my ear. "Now let's get you up."

"To my legs please," I told her.

Andy slid an arm around my back and another under my legs, cradling me against her chest.

"So…" I said grinning, reaching a hand around Andy. "Growing a tail yet?" I asked as I took a handful of her bum and squeezed.

Andy's legs buckled but we were close enough that I caught myself on the waist clamps of my leg braces.

"S-s-s-s-skye! H-h-how many times do I have to tell you?! I don't have a tail!" she wailed, sitting on the floor and holding her backside.

"Ahahahaha, I always have to chec-," but I couldn't finish my sentence as it was drowned in my scream. Nothing would ever make me get used to the agony of putting on my legs. Andy was there in an instant to hold me until the pain passed. "Thank you Andy," I said as she helped me to my feet.

We began our daily routine, chatting cheerily as we begun making breakfast and laid out our table. When all was done we sat and ate, silence overtaking the room. Andy had negotiated with the staff and got us daily newspapers. She took to reading them more than I did. I cared only about the cartoon section when I did decide to read it or skimmed the front page.

I was sipping on the coffee that Andy had made for me, sitting across the table and staring at her. She tried not to notice me but her fox ears flicked and twitched nervously. They would turn to the side as if hearing a noise but immediately shoot back forward. Even then those orange points drooped lower than they normally would.

"Skye?" she said over the very top edge of the newspaper.

"Hmmm?" I hummed still staring.

"You're staring."

"I know."

"Is there something wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"No."

"Then is there something wrong?"

"Yes."

"What is it?" she asked shrilly, her ears pressing flat against her noggin.

"What's wrong you mean?"

"Yeah."

"You're just pretty… and cute… That's what's wrong."

Andy seized up even more embarrassed now, hiding behind the newspaper now.

"I can still see you ya know," when she pulled the newspaper closer to her I laughed. "Anything good in the news?"

"O-o-oh… nothing much. Grim attacks are down, faunus activists are getting violent," she said that bitterly, "they elected a new mayor in some town, and Beacon is holding another festival again."

I stood up and leaned over the table, pulling down the top of the newspaper and reading it upside down. Andy was just losing her flush when her ears perked up and her eyes shot up. They made a beeline to my neck and then followed my collar down my shirt which hung loosely. It was flattering but also made me blush. Shoving the newspaper at her face I pushed her back in her chair.

"Pervert!" I shrieked girlishly. "You like what you see fox?"

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-at?! N-n-n-no. Y-yes. Maybe. No…" she stammered cutely.

I played along with her, turning slightly and clutching my chest protectively. "I… didn't know you wanted things like that…"

Andy was utterly speechless, staring at me.

Laughing madly I reached across the table, grabbing her by her fox ears and kissing her passionately. "Aaaaaaaah, I love you."

She closed her eyes, openly enjoying the attention I was giving her ears. "Mmmm… I love you too Skye."

"So what were you saying about Beacon?" I asked interested.

"Oh," Andy said, searching the page with her finger until she found the article. "It says here that there a school that's holding a festival."

"A school?"

"Yes, I read about it a while back. They're a school that trains Hunters and Huntresses."

"What are those?" I asked now allured by its sound.

"Apparently, they are warriors trained to fight, mainly Grim I believe. They also help keep the peace through the world, traveling, doing jobs, and whatever it takes I suppose," she told me.

I imagined myself as a Huntress, using the skills that I had learned here to fight. Going to school with other students seemed so much like a dream now that we had spent so many years here at the facility. I tried to imagine what it would be like, the facilities halls filled with other students my age going to class and learning how to fight. It gave me warm chills.

"It sounds," I began.

"Magical," we both said at the same time, our eyes connecting.

Gazing at the ceiling I kept daydreaming about attending the school. "Huntress Skye," I said aloud.

"It has a ring to it," Andy said.

"So does Huntress Andy," I told her scratching her ears more vigorously. "Hey maybe one day," I said to her, thinking inside that it would never be possible.

"One day," she repeated.