"Hiya!"
Ruby brought her arms down, swinging her newly-acquired weapon in a quick swipe through the air. However, she had put too much force behind the movement, which resulted in her being unable to stop. The steel blade of the scythe hit the stone floor of the castle courtyard, and the whole of it shook wildly, along with its wielder.
"Hmm," Summer rubbed her chin contemplatively, standing a safe distance behind her daughter. "Perhaps it would be better to try another stance."
"Another stance? But we've gone through a dozen already!" Ruby exclaimed sharply, then looked away and pouted. "And none of them worked."
"Hey, don't be so disappointed. It took me a long time to get even a smidge competent at it," Summer said, moving to lay her hands on Ruby's shoulders. "I wish I could teach you better. I've used a scythe for so long, it's become second nature. It's like trying to teach someone how to breathe."
Ruby let the scythe drop to the floor and crossed her arms. Summer walked around her until they were facing each other. Gently, the older redhead lifted her daughter's chin, staring directly in her eyes.
"Don't be upset," Summer said calmly. "It's a needless distraction."
Ruby stared at her blankly for a few seconds before a smile formed between her lips. Summer chuckled and ruffled her hair playfully.
The sound of steel clashing against steel echoed nearby, prompting Ruby to turn around and look at the other training duo in the courtyard.
Weiss had a confident smirk on her lips as she held her rapier forward with one hand only, the other closed behind her back. Blake was in front of her, bending forward slightly as she let out short, irregular gasps. Her daggers had yet to come anywhere close to making contact with the princess.
"Why, Blake," Weiss spoke haughtily, dropping most of her formality on the battlefield. "I had thought you'd manage to best me at least once by now."
"It's been four days." Blake grunted defensively.
"And?" The princess's lips twitched. "I wonder what would become of you if I were to stop holding back…"
Blake's teeth closed into a feral snarl, and she dashed forward, raising her left hand threateningly. Weiss's rapier shot up to meet the attack expertly – but the princess lost balance as she unexpectedly met no resistance. Blake smiled and twirled around Weiss so that she was standing behind her, then elbowed her on the back.
Weiss shrieked in a not-so-royal manner as she tumbled to the ground. Blake stood there for a while, smiling in light of her momentous victory, until she looked over at Ruby and Summer, who were both shaking their heads nervously.
The faunus's face paled as she looked at the slowly rising princess. Weiss glared at her, and for a moment, Blake was sure she was going to announce her execution.
"Humph," Weiss looked to the side. "I suppose I should take that as a lesson in humility."
"I… Yes…" Blake gulped. She didn't know what was riskier, agreeing or disagreeing. "Perhaps that's wise, princess."
"Yes. But there might be other lessons to be learned from this defeat," Weiss's posture straightened. "For example… That I definitely should not hold back anymore."
Somehow, Blake's face became even paler. She sheathed her daggers hastily and went to sit on a bench. Weiss's eyes followed her with a mixture of suspicion and anger.
"I believe Blake is tired, my princess," Ruby spoke up, meaning to save her friend's hide. "We've been going at it for hours, after all. Shouldn't you rest too?"
"…You think yourself far more convincing than you truly are, Ruby," Weiss said, then sighed and went to sit beside Blake. "But you're right. I need to be rested for the dance tomorrow."
If they hadn't been restrained by her bow, Blake's ears would have shot up curiously.
"Dance?" She asked. "What dance?"
"What do you mean what dance?" Weiss scoffed. "The Moon Festival dance!"
"Oh, right!" Blake nodded. "How could I forget? It must be the exhaustion…"
The princess didn't know the brunette well enough to make out if she was saying the truth or trying to save face, so she only shook her head slightly in wonder and decided to not press the issue.
"Hey, maybe Blake could come to the dance too," Ruby suggested excitedly. "I mean, she's not a noble or anything, but she I could bring her as company, right?"
"The royal bodyguard should be guarding the princess, not enjoying the dance," Weiss interjected firmly.
"Oh, Weiss," Summer looked at her daughter pitifully. "I don't see any issue here. Ruby will always be near you during the dance, and she won't let herself be distracted by Blake. Right, Ruby?"
"Right!" Ruby nodded enthusiastically.
Summer turned to look at Weiss, her head tilting forward slightly as if to put pressure on the princess. Weiss was silent for a few moments, but eventually she raised a hand consentingly.
"I will allow it," she said. "But if anything bad happens, Ruby… I will be very upset."
Ruby continued to nod, much to the princess's amusement.
"There's a… Uh, a problem," Blake said shyly. "I can't really attend this dance. I don't own any dresses for that."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Summer swung her hand through the air dismissively. "I will buy you a magnificent dress. I know many merchants. There has to be one dress worthy of being worn by you."
Blake blushed and looked down. She wanted to refuse Summer's offer, but it would be rude, and perhaps even a bit suspicious.
"T-thank you, Lady Summer," she muttered. "You are too kind."
"I'm only doing my duty as a mother," Summer shrugged lightly, patting Ruby on the head. "I can tell Ruby would be very disappointed if you couldn't accompany her. She is very eagerly awaiting the chance to dance with you."
"What?!" Ruby exclaimed, her cheeks reddening. "No, I'm not!"
"I'm your mother! You can't hide such things from me!"
Ruby shook her head fervently, then took Weiss by the wrist and marched away in the direction of the princess's room.
Blake's eyes stayed trained on the ground, her hoping Summer wouldn't notice her particular reaction to the accusation.
Yang stretched her arms above her head as she walked home. The moon was rising steadily on the sky, and she had begun to feel its influence already, playing at the back of her head, but she didn't have to worry about losing control for two days still.
However, she had more to worry about than her inevitable week of nightly raging and destruction. She was slightly anxious about the notion of Ruby meeting with her mother everyday now. It wasn't that she disliked Summer, quite the contrary… But she feared her sister would grow too fond of someone who had been absent for ten years. Who knew what disappointments Summer held secret from her daughter.
Not only that, but Blake was going to Vale Castle along with her. Of all places for an escaped slave to go… She had met Blake only barely a month ago, but she already cared a great deal about the girl. If some nasty noble got their hands on her… Yang didn't know if she would be able to contain her fury.
Lastly, and most certainly least, Sun was missing. He had the annoying habit of showing up during Yang's work hours, begging for food, but ever since the day of Weiss's visit, he hadn't appeared.
Oh well. He was probably stuck in some hole or another.
Yang finally saw her house in the distance, so she shook her head, as if to forget about all those worries. She couldn't be a good sister if it she let her fears be apparent.
"Hey," she said as she entered. "Anybody home?"
"Yang!" Ruby yelled happily, almost tackling her to the ground.
"Hi." Blake spoke much more quietly, sitting cross-legged on her bed.
Ruby hopped back from the hug, giving Yang the opportunity to look at her. For once, the younger sister wasn't wearing her black and red leather uniform. Instead, she wore a silk dress that dragged slightly on the ground. Its red color was a few shades darker than Ruby's own hair.
"Wow!" Yang exclaimed. "You're looking great, Ruby!"
"Thank you!" The redhead spun around briefly. "Mom gave it to me to use at the dance. She had me bring a dress for you, too! It's right over there!"
Ruby pointed to a desk that was unusually organized for their standards. Yang wandered over to it and found two dresses folded neatly. She hesitantly took the one she assumed was hers and laid it out before her. Normally, she abhorred getting any kind of charity, but the sight of the dress had her eyes twinkling like stars.
"Oh, I have to try it on right now!" She yelled decisively.
Blake covered her eyes immediately, knowing very well what was to come next. Ruby nodded approvingly, then turned to face a wall.
A minute passed before Yang exclaimed happily. Blake's fingers parted cautiously. To her relief, Yang was already clad in a nice, frilly yellow dress.
"Don't say it! I already know it!" Yang tittered. "I could pose as a queen in this damn dress!"
"Until you opened your mouth, that is," Ruby muttered, then smiled widely. "You look gorgeous, sister!"
"Thank you!" The blonde laughed. "I can't wait to thank Summer too. This is too good of a gift…" She looked at the last folded dress at the desk. "And whose dress is that?"
"That's Blake's," Ruby sighed. "She refuses to try it on."
The faunus nodded firmly and crossed her arms. Ruby looked at her sister, begging for help, but Yang only smiled kindly.
"If Blake wants to wait, then she can wait," Yang granted, much to Blake's happiness. "If it comes down to it, we can force her to do it at the last moment."
Blake's expression immediately changed to one of dismay. Yang chuckled, then proceeded to spin joyfully, appreciating the unexpected gift.
"You know, you don't have to do this for me, Pyrrha."
Jaune turned his head to look inquisitively at his companion as they walked to Vale Castle's main saloon. He was dressed in his usual guard uniform, armed with his sword and shield. To his dismay, she was as ready for combat as he was – in fact, even more than him. Neither of them would blend in at a formal dance.
"Jaune, it's very sweet of you to insist on the matter, but," the redhead smiled anxiously. "I have a bad feeling about this night. If something bad happens, I want to be ready to fight… Besides, I'm not really the dancing type."
"You aren't?" Jaune scratched the back of his head. "That's surprising."
"Is it, really? I've been a soldier all my life," Pyrrha noted, her eyebrows rising ever so lightly at him. "What about you, Mister Arc? How fleeting are your feet?"
"…They're, uh… fairly fleeting? I can dance."
Now it was her turn to be surprised. Not necessarily because of what he claimed – there was nothing to suggest he was a bad dancer… No, what surprised her was the fact that he wasn't hesitant to say it. Usually, he was rather modest, if not self-loathing and nervous.
"Well, then. If the night comes to an end without any danger presenting itself…" Pyrrha blushed. "Perhaps you could teach me how to dance."
"Oh. Uhm… Sure," Jaune looked away nervously. "That would be nice."
"That's a promise?"
"Yes. Of course…"
The two arrived at the saloon, but instead of entering and mingling with the nobles that were already there, they stayed near the open doors, watching vigilantly.
Jaune cast her a discreet look. He really couldn't wrap his mind around her not wanting to mingle with the nobles. She was a foreign guest in the castle, and no one would turn her away. Did she not like dancing, or parties? Every female guard had been complaining over the last week about not being allowed to participate…
Pyrrha had told him about what she had seen at the walls… A Grimm, larger than most. He already feared the simpler Beowolves… A Death Stalker? That was the stuff of nightmares.
Perhaps that was why she was so sure things would go bad soon.
Jaune was shaken out of his thoughts by a sharp, but yet familiar yell.
"Hey, Jaune!" Ruby appeared in front of him, wearing a silk red dress. In an almost comical fashion, she still had her sword and pistol in a belt around her hip.
"Ruby. You're looking great!" Jaune said honestly, flashing her a wide smile. "Though the weapons clash a bit with the dress."
"Yeah, I know. But a job's a job," she shrugged, then turned to look at Pyrrha. "Hello, Pyrrha! I mean, Lady Nikos. Lady Pyrrha. Lady… Pyrrha Nikos?"
"Pyrrha is just fine," the mistralian giggled. "Jaune's right. You look stunning."
Jaune's eyes widened. The two girls' conversation went on, but he tuned it out, mind fixed on one particular detail. Lady Nikos? Was Pyrrha… A noblewoman?
"Ruby!" Another voice reached his ears, breaking him out of his stupor. "How many times do I have to tell you… Stay near me!"
As Ruby turned around, her face deathly pale, Jaune tried to find the source of the voice. It didn't take long for a white-haired girl in a blue dress to approach them. She didn't look pleased at all.
"I-I'm sorry!" Ruby whimpered. "I just got excited. It won't happen again!"
"It better not," the white-haired girl glared at her for a moment, then turned to look at Pyrrha. "It is a pleasure to see you, Lady Nikos."
Pyrrha smiled and bowed slightly. The stranger's sight fixed on Jaune, her eyes narrowing slightly, as if she were trying to remember who he was.
"Ruby?" Jaune whispered nervously, edging towards his trusted friend. "Is she… your friend? Your, uh… girlie?"
"Girlie?!" The white-haired girl repeated sharply. "How dare you! I am not anyone's girlie, and much less Ruby's!"
"Oh! Oh! I'm so, so sorry!" Jaune shook his hands fervently.
Ruby wasn't in a fit state to correct him. Not only was she embarrassed by Jaune's suggestion, but also a bit flustered by Weiss's immediate reaction. So Pyrrha took upon herself to help him.
"This, Jaune, is the princess heir, Weiss Schnee." She informed slowly.
Jaune's eyes widened as he stared at the princess.
"You…" Weiss took a deep breath. "No. I won't even bother to learn your name. Let's go, Ruby."
The princess turned and strutted inside the saloon. Ruby smiled apologetically to Jaune, then followed her liege silently, one hand hovering near her pistol.
"Jaune," Pyrrha sighed. "Did you never see the princess before this day?"
"Maybe… Maybe I did and just didn't know who she was?" Jaune defended himself, feeling pathetic and humiliated.
Pyrrha shook her head and looked away, hiding a shining smile from his sight.
To Ruby's relief, the princess's anger didn't take too long to fade after the encounter with Jaune and Lady Nikos. Weiss seemed comfortable in the noble-crowded saloon. Mingling and conversing was second nature to her… And not so much to Ruby.
Luckily, Summer joined them soon enough, which was a great comfort to Ruby while the princess talked with men and women she had never even seen before in her life. Summer was wearing a dress much like her daughter's, except it was, of course, fit for a more mature woman.
"I assume you've never been to an event like this one before, dear," Summer commented after a while. "What do you think of it?"
"It's…" Ruby gulped. She couldn't bring herself to lie about it. "Unnerving?"
"Ah, of course. I used to feel the same way," the Reaper smiled. "But I grew accustomed to it."
"I guess you had to participate when you became a noblewoman, right?" Ruby asked.
"Yes, but I had been to noble gatherings like these before, when I was much younger," Summer winked to her. "Of course, none of the nobles knew they had a rebel right in their midst."
Ruby covered her mouth with her hands to contain her laughter. She doubted Weiss would find the quip as funny as she had.
As they moved through the saloon, Ruby became more and more worried about her sister and Blake. Yang had promised she would bring the faunus to the dance, if she had to use sheer force… But what if that had crossed some line? What if Blake had run away? If that were the case, Ruby would blame herself for the rest of her life.
Her mother tapped her on the shoulder, then pointed at the direction of the main door.
"Look who's finally here," Summer's voice was filled with mirth. "Oh, she looks just like Raven…"
Yang smiled widely and strode towards them, drawing as much attention from her new dress as from the way she bumped every noble on her path. Ruby laughed nervously as she noticed Weiss tense up beside her.
"Hello, ladies!" Yang exclaimed cheerfully. "Ruby! Nice to see ya. Summer! This… this dress! I can't thank you enough!"
"There's no need for that," Summer smiled. "You're my daughter in all but blood."
Yang seemed taken aback by the sudden declaration. For the first time in years, she was at a loss for words. In an effort to find a way out, her eyes settled on the princess, and a smile appeared between her lips.
"Hello, Weiss," the blonde put a hand on her hip. "Pleased to see me?"
No. "I didn't expect to see you here… Yang," Weiss forced herself to smile. "It's… a pleasure…"
"I know," Yang wiggled her eyebrows. "You can't seem to take your eyes off me."
The princess took in a deep breath and counted to ten several times in her head.
Ruby looked around confusedly, panic creeping into her features.
"Wait… Where's-"
"Hi."
Blake caught up to them, her head bowed slightly, as if she feared she might receive a blow from behind at any given time. Her dress was as black as her hair, but contrasted richly with her pale skin. Her amber eyes looked up shyly, meeting with Ruby's first.
"I… Uh… Uh…" Ruby stammered. "Hi."
"Hi." Blake repeated, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice.
"Hi."
Yang looked between the two of them confusedly for a few seconds, before realization dawned upon her. Her jaw dropped, but she held back from speaking her thoughts aloud.
"I managed to get her to come," the blonde said, proud both of her feat and of her self-control. "And she even put the dress on all by herself."
"It's not funny," Blake grumbled. "I wasn't as excited about this as you were, alright?"
"Sorry." Yang raised her hands peacefully.
Weiss nodded approvingly as she examined Blake's appearance.
"I must say, Blake," she said. "You look splendid," her eyes narrowed on Yang. "Much better than Yang, even."
"Excuse me?!" Yang exclaimed, then turned briefly to pat Blake on the shoulder. "No offense meant, of course, but," she turned back to Weiss. "Excuse me?!"
Weiss smiled much too devilishly for a princess and went to talk to another noble. Ruby followed dutifully, along with the growing entourage.
After a some more minutes of that, the crowd grew quiet as a large group passed by the doorway. First came a dozen faunus, their heads low and obedient, then some select noblemen and women, and finally, the Queen herself.
More than a few gasps echoed through the saloon as she stepped towards its center. Her white dress seemed to give off a faint glow, as if it were made of reflective crystal shards. A few of the nobles recognized it as a dress that had once belong to her late mother.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my greetings," she spoke solemnly. "We gather here today to dance not only in joy, but in humility and gratitude. Humility, for we know we are not the greatest beings in this land; and gratitude, for It who showed us mercy when we once didn't have that humility."
Yang snickered quietly. On the corner of her vision, Ruby saw her mother smirking too, as if she also found the speech amusing.
"This night, we shall remember the shattering of the Moon," Winter continued. "And let us not forget for the next week, and until many, many weeks."
A wave of murmurs spread through the saloon as the nobles uttered their prayers collectively. Blake looked at Ruby inquisitively, but the redhead only shrugged. She wasn't particularly devoted, either.
"It is tradition that the King and Queen of Vale should lead the first dance," Winter spoke. "This is, unfortunately, not possible this year. I have no King, and have yet to find a suitable candidate. I will, then, choose amongst my most dear and trusted…"
Her eyes scanned through the crowd, as if she were testing every single person in the room. Ruby shared a baffled look with her sister once they noticed Summer was shuffling her feet anxiously, and not so subtly at that.
"General Ozpin," Winter's lips curved into a smile. "If you might step forward."
Summer's face turned red, and for a scary moment, Ruby thought she might shout furiously at the Queen. However, the Reaper seemed to notice her daughter's curious stare, and, just like that, she was all smiles and giggles.
"Oh, well," Summer said quietly. "There's always next year."
Ruby giggled and looked at Weiss, and almost burst into complete laughter. The princess hadn't missed Summer's indiscretion either, but she seemed mortified.
Ozpin broke from the crowd and neared the Queen, leaving his cane behind. He smiled to her, and she did her best to respond, though teeth had yet to be shown by her. Their hands interlaced, and as the musicians started again, they settled into a slow, methodical dance.
Other pairs started to form and join the dance, and the faunus started to move around the saloon, offering food and drinks.
"Hey, Weiss," Yang spoke suddenly. "How would you like to dance with me?"
The princess's face underwent many conflicting expressions. On one hand, she wanted to reject the offer immediately and absolutely… But she had been raised to be courteous and accepting of any offer, no matter how undesirable.
"I would be glad to," Weiss finally decided, smiling perfectly.
Yang blinked. She hadn't expected that answer at all. Her only intention had been to annoy the princess… Well, she supposed she had an even opportunity to do that now.
As her sister took Weiss's wrist and dragged her away, Ruby turned to look at her mother.
"I have no clue how to dance." She revealed, with the finality of someone who had prophesized the end of the world.
"Don't worry," Summer chuckled. "I'll teach you."
She took her daughter's hand and pulled her towards the center of the saloon, spinning her playfully under her arm.
Blake stayed behind, head low, feeling like an ant amidst giants.
Emerald's eyes flickered open, narrowing angrily at the darkness of her cell. A few minute ago, she had thought she had heard a few scarce notes of music, but now she knew they were real. Not only that, but they were much, much louder.
"Fucking nobles," she muttered under her breath.
Slowly, her anger turned to relief and glee. She knew what the occasion meant for her. It wouldn't be long before the nobles were cursing the music instead of dancing to it.
After a few minutes, she heard the jingling of a key chain, and suddenly the door of the dungeon swung open, flooding it with light. Emerald covered her eyes with a hand, but still saw a familiar shadow appearing on the floor in front of her.
"Hello," he chuckled. "It's about damn time, right?"
"You're telling me?" Emerald grunted and tried to get up. "Just get me out of this cell."
"Don't worry," he shook the keys he held in his right hand. "A little gift from our patron. Don't forget…"
"I know, I know…"
She shook her head violently, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating for a brief moment. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Ozpin, who smiled and leaned his cane on his right shoulder.
"Let's get you out of this castle, dear."
Time seemed to pass by like a blur. The saloon was filled with the charming color of hundreds of dresses as the nobles danced. Only a select few didn't participate so enthusiastically, though they were more than happy to digest whatever the faunus offered to them.
After a few hours, the effects of the drinks were becoming visible as the dancer's steps fumbled occasionally, and laughter echoed through the crowd much too loudly. But Summer refused to indulge herself in a similar fashion. Her eyes stayed sharp as she took on different dancing guests, though she paid virtually no attention to most of them.
Her interest peaked when she finally found the Queen had approached her gradually as she switched partners. The Reaper looked at her own partner and spoke a simple phrase, and he left silently.
"Might I borrow the Queen for a moment?" She asked innocently.
Winter nodded respectfully to her partner, then walked gracefully to Summer. The redhead smiled and put one hand at the Queen's hip, the other wrapping around an arm.
"My feelings are hurt," Summer muttered, faking a pout. "You chose the General over me."
"You hold yourself too highly," Winter noted, her face a mask of royal indifference. "Were you not satisfied the previous year, or the one before?"
"I want to be chosen every year."
The Queen hummed, one eyebrow rising slightly.
"Watch your words, Reaper," she warned. "One might mistake your pettiness for greed."
"Pettiness? You wound me," Summer frowned. "I truly love you, Winter."
Winter's only reply was an unreadable stare. After a minute, she parted from Summer – much sooner than she had with her other partners.
"I hope you have a pleasant night, Lady Rose."
Summer watched dejectedly as the Queen disappeared amongst the crowd, her silver eyes sparking with frustration. She held back a string of unseemly words and looked around, searching for something to distract her. It didn't take her long to find Yang, who was busy drinking something fancy from a full glass.
"I see the princess has escaped your grasp." Summer noted as she approached her adoptive daughter.
"I didn't make it easy, either," Yang smiled cheekily. "And the queen escaped yours."
"Royals," the redhead shrugged, taking a glass from a passing faunus. She took a long sip, then sighed. "Ruby seems to be enjoying herself."
Yang nodded, looking towards where her sister was dancing with Weiss. The princess's expression was hilarious – she seemed conflicted between enjoying the dance and repudiating her partner's excitement.
"I don't suppose she has any… interest in the princess?" Summer asked warily.
"Oh, no. Ruby wouldn't dare even imagine anything happening between her and Weiss, I'm sure," Yang chuckled. "Good for her. She deserves better."
"You judge the princess too harshly," Summer said. "She might seem cold at first, but she is a good person."
"Wow," the blonde frowned. "You really don't sound like a rebel."
Summer spun her glass absent-mindedly. Yang observed her quietly, wondering if she had said something wrong.
"I've put my past behind me, Yang," Summer said after a few minutes. "Though I haven't forgotten my companions – my loved friends. You remind me of your mother."
"Hmm," Yang looked away. "I haven't ever thought about her much."
"Raven was… peculiar," the Reaper turned to stare at Yang. "The Moon will be affecting you greatly the following week. Tell me, have you mastered your powers yet?"
"Mastered my powers?" Yang repeated dubiously. "No, I haven't. And I don't plan to."
"You should, or they'll be only a burden to you. You could do amazing things with them… Feats you cannot even imagine."
Yang stayed silent. It bothered her that Summer talked so bluntly about something she should have no idea about… But maybe she did? Raven, her mother, had been Summer's best friend, one of the only people she had truly trusted during her rebellious years. Perhaps Summer did understand Yang's natures better than she herself did.
Her thoughts where interrupted by her sister's sudden approach. Ruby's eyes were darting in every direction, a bit of sweat running down her forehead, as if she were about to have a panic attack.
"Sister?" Yang asked worriedly. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Yeah, I…" Ruby paused. "Have you seen Blake?"
"Blake? She was right over- Oh."
Yang froze as she looked to the side. Blake had been standing there at least ten minutes ago, quiet, but not so much that the blonde had had any reason to worry.
"Alright. Ruby, don't panic," Yang said softly, putting her hands on her sister's shoulders. "We can find her. She's probably just lost in the crowd."
"No! She's not dumb!" Ruby's eyes darted nervously towards her mother, then back to Yang. She gritted her teeth, lowering her voice. "What if someone found out? What if they took her?"
"That's a stretch," Yang took a deep breath. "Look. Go search for her, alright? You know the castle much better than I do. I'll guard the princess for you."
"I see at least one flaw in that plan." Summer spoke up amusedly.
"Don't worry. If Weiss complains, I'll just shove a glass of wine down her throat," Yang growled. "Go, Ruby!"
The young redhead nodded and walked away hurriedly, weaving around the dancing nobles. Yang shook her head worriedly and made her way closer to the princess, who thankfully was too concentrated on her dancing to notice the unexpected substitution of her bodyguard.
Summer hummed mutely, her eyes turned in the direction her daughter had left in. A runaway faunus in the middle of a noble festival… She hadn't expected that at all.
It would certainly make things… interesting.
She hadn't meant to run. The environment at the dance had been uncomfortable, to say the least. It had been unnerving to be so close to so many bluebloods… She knew that one slip-up, and she'd become a lord's slave again, or worse. Not only that… It would also mean almost certain execution for Ruby and Yang.
But she had steeled herself. Blake knew that enduring the experience would make her stronger, wiser… If she could stand before a smiling noble, eyes unflinching, and smile right back… Nothing else could ever make her afraid.
And then a faunus had approached her, offering a glass of wine to her. She had long, soft rabbit ears, and big brown eyes that stared at her pleadingly. Blake had frozen, unable to breath, and without a word of explanation, she had turned and marched away, breaking into a run as soon as she was out of the saloon.
Unfortunately, she didn't how to navigate the castle by herself, and the lack of daylight only added to her uneasiness. She raced for the first place with an open view to the sky and fell to her knees in soft grass, her chest heaving, letting out strangled gasps.
Those eyes. Those brown eyes, silently begging meaninglessly… She knew that stare, the stare of a slave that knew no one would answer to her plea, but who tried anyway.
And she had turned away like a coward.
Tears pooled in her eyes. She was angry at her friends for convincing her to attend the dance. She was angry at all the nobles, dancing away as if they weren't responsible for so much cruelty and pain.
Most of all, she was angry at herself. She might be free, but she still felt like a slave.
"Blake?"
The faunus's heartbeat stilled for a full second as she heard Ruby's voice nearing her. Blake held her breath and bowed low, hoping that the redhead would pass by without noticing her.
"Blake? I can see you. Are you… well…?"
"Stay away." Blake grunted.
"Aw, Blake," Ruby's voice was right above her now. "Just talk to me. Please?"
Blake looked up slowly, vision blurred by her tears. She wiped her eyes and saw Ruby standing in front of her, the moon's soft light shining behind her. The redhead's silver eyes seemed to glow in the dark.
"I'm pathetic," Blake muttered. "You must think I'm a fool."
"Not really," Ruby said kindly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone."
"It's not your fault. You have to guard the princess, first of all."
"Well, I care more about you than about the princess. I'm really sorry."
Ruby sat beside her, laying her sword in front of her. She looked around curiously, a slight smile forming on her lips.
"This is the royal garden," she said. "It's filled with all kinds of flowers. There's even roses here. Heh."
Blake couldn't help but smile at the quip.
"Why did you run, Blake?" Ruby asked seriously.
"I don't know. I was fine… Sure, it was… bad, seeing so many nobles at one place, and being in the middle of them. But I was handling it," Blake's hand clutched the grass beneath her, her eyes narrowing with anger. "But the faunus. Slaves. Nobody casts a second look at them. They spit on their backs. I just… I can't take it."
"W-well," Ruby gulped. "Not everyone here is like that. I mean, some people like the faunus. And I'm sure some of them would fight to free them, if it didn't mean… execution," she looked down. "I wish I could do it."
Blake jumped to her feet, fists clenched. Ruby tensed involuntarily. She had never seen Blake like this, not even the first time they'd met. When Ruby found her at the back of her house, Blake had tried to fight, but had been obviously scared.
There was no hint of that now. Blake had murder in her eyes. Ruby was glad she hadn't brought her daggers with her.
"I don't get it!" The faunus said, barely holding herself from screaming. "What did I do to deserve this treatment? What did any of us do? Just because we were born different… We're treated like animals…" She pointed to the top of the castle. "And they dare to keep their heads high?! They're no better – no, they're worse! They are animals!"
"Blake," Ruby tried to interrupt her, worried that someone would hear and come check the garden. "You might want to lower your voice…?"
Blake closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"They don't deserve the life they have," she said, voice heavy with emotion. "I wonder what would become of them… If we took away all they have. Their gold, their land, their precious surnames… Maybe then they would realize they are no different than the people they slave."
Blake turned, adrenaline pumping through her body. She felt like she might burst at any moment. So many emotions flooded her at once – anger, sadness, despair.
Ruby waited a moment, then silently approached her friend and hugged her from behind.
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Blake."
The faunus looked over her shoulder and saw tears clouding Ruby's eyes. At once, Blake spun and held the girl by her shoulders.
"I don't mean you, Ruby," she whispered. "You're… good. You and Yang. Without you two, I don't think I could keep on living."
"Don't say things like that, Blake!" Ruby whimpered. "It doesn't sound good at all."
"I'm sorry. But it's true."
Ruby took a step back and wiped away her tears.
"You know, if you gave that speech to other people… Maybe they would see your way," she said. "I'm sure Weiss would. My mother too."
"Your mother? Sure," Blake frowned. "Not the princess. I prefer my head attached to my neck… But maybe someday…"
Ruby smiled at little, sensing a bit of hope creeping into the faunus's voice.
"About that surname thing… It's not a noble custom, actually," she stated. "Well, not anymore, at least. It used to be. But now a lot of commoners take surnames too."
"Really?" Blake asked curiously. "I suppose it makes sense. It's not as if there's an official record, and someone may just make one up on the spot."
"Exactly," Ruby chuckled. "I'm pretty sure my mother and all her friends did something like that. Something along the lines of rising up to the tyrants' levels," she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You could do the same."
"Me?" Blake shook her head. "I wouldn't be able to come up with anything good."
Ruby's face lit up, and she looked around the garden eagerly. Blake stood by as the redhead darted around the place, oblivious to what was going through her friend's head.
It didn't take long for Ruby to return. She lifted her right hand, holding a flower with purple-colored petals in front of Blake's face.
"How about Belladonna?" She asked, almost giggling. "It's perfect! You can be Blake Belladonna, and I'll be Ruby Rose!"
"That's… pretty good," Blake smiled. "Thank you."
Ruby nodded and leaned forward slightly, fixing the flower on the brunette's hair, much to her surprise. Blake felt her face burn up, hoping that Ruby wouldn't notice in the night.
"Do you want to go back?" Ruby asked kindly. "Or I could take you back home, if you want."
"No. I'm not going to run away again," Blake decided firmly, then smiled knowingly. "Besides, the princess is probably-"
She paused, her eyes narrowing on something behind Ruby. The redhead turned to follow her line of sight, but she saw only darkness.
"There's someone… No, two people running there. They've got weapons," Blake's face paled. "I think one of them is… Emerald?"
"What?" Ruby picked her sword up. "Stay there!"
"No! You need my help," Blake whispered. "I can see in the dark much better than you can."
Ruby decided that it was to better to just go than to argue. She ran towards the darkness, passing through bushes of royal flowers, Blake following close behind her. Sometimes, Ruby saw momentary glimpses of the criminals, illuminated by the moonlight, but they were gone before she could get a proper look on them.
"There!" Blake exclaimed. "They're going up to the roof!"
Ruby nodded and jumped, years of intense training allowing her to close the gap between where she was and the neared tiled roof. Now that she was higher up, she could clearly see her targets. One of them was, indeed, Emerald. The other…
"General?!" She yelled. "General Ozpin?!"
The pair turned to look at her, startled by the sudden appearance. Before long, though, Ozpin seemed to regain his senses and raised an arm, revealing a pistol. Ruby dove to the side, dodging the round preemptively.
"Go!" Emerald screamed. "I'll distract her! Don't argue, you know it's better this way!"
Ozpin hesitated for a moment, then ran off on top of the castle, making his way to the city. Ruby jumped to the section where Emerald was standing, and saw the criminal had retrieved her dual knifes before making her escape.
"Just put your weapons down," Ruby spoke calmly. "I don't want to hurt you. Just let me take you back to your cell."
"Oh, alright," Emerald smiled. "Sorry for the inconvenience."
The redhead's mouth hung open, the response surprising her. Emerald took the opportunity to dash at her, swinging a knife towards her chest. Ruby focused quickly enough to avoid the attack by sidestepping, then used the momentum of the movement to bring her sword down diagonally.
Emerald ducked gracefully beneath the blade and slid back, a cocky smile on her lips. She paused momentarily, then dashed forward recklessly. Ruby braced herself, not wanting to do what she had to, but having no other choice – either she struck first, or she was done for.
Ruby trusted her sword in front of her, expecting a wave of blood to splash her entire body… But instead, she stumbled forward, losing balance as no resistance was met. Her eyes widened with confusion. Emerald was nowhere to be seen, she had simply vanished.
The noise of tiles cracking sounded behind her, and Ruby spun around, just in time to dodge an attack that would have pierced her through the back and killed her immediately. Instead, Emerald's knife sunk into her right shoulder and took both of the women down onto the hard roof. Ruby's sword bounced away loudly.
"You…" Emerald growled. "Damn you!"
She swung her other knife towards Ruby's head, but the redhead rolled to the side, blood pouring out of her shoulder. Hurriedly, she got up, only to notice she was right at the edge of the roof.
Emerald exclaimed victoriously and threw a knife at her. Ruby reached for her pistol quickly and raised it, managing to deflect the flying projectile with her own weapon. Then, as she hung precariously, she took careful aim and pulled the trigger.
The bullet raced through the air and hit Emerald right in her left thigh, not coming out at the other side. Ruby fell from the roof, knocked back by the recoil of her pistol.
Emerald gritted her teeth and turned, limping away hurriedly. Her leg was injured, but she knew the annoying bodyguard wouldn't be able to chase her because of her own wounds. But didn't manage more than a dozen steps before someone punched her at the back of her head, knocking her unconscious.
Blake towered over the fallen criminal, her teeth fixed into a feral snarl.
"Got you."
Winter's steps echoed through the halls of the castle as she strode towards the dungeons, still clad in her royal dress. Weiss followed her close behind. Unfortunately, both had had to hold off dealing with the failed escape, as they were expected at the dance until late.
The guards opened the door without even needing to hear orders, and the queen and princess entered the prison. Emerald was inside her cell, her leg being taken care of by the royal doctor, Bartholomew Oobleck. Ozpin was watching her attentively – his glare could have cut through metal.
While the queen immediately joined the general, Weiss made her way to Ruby, who was sitting on a bench, her shoulder wrapped in bandages. Summer, Yang and Blake surrounded her, as if to form a protective circle around her.
"Ruby!" The princess exclaimed. "What in the Dragon's name happened?!"
"I stopped Emerald from escaping," Ruby explained meekly, then nodded towards Blake. "Well, I shot her in the leg. Blake knocked her out after I fell off the roof."
"Oh," Weiss blinked. "Are you injured?"
Ruby smiled and nodded. The princess had put odd priorities to her questions, but at least she had asked all the right ones.
"Well, I can't be mad at you for leaving your post if it means you avoided a major crisis for the kingdom," Weiss said tiredly. "Why did you leave, exactly?"
"Uh…" Ruby gulped. She couldn't tell the truth… Well, not the entire truth. "I went to the garden with Blake."
"You… Left your post for…" The princess gave up midway through her sentence. She didn't have the energy to argue with her bodyguard anymore. "Good job. And that's meant for you too, Blake."
The faunus smiled slightly to the princess, then looked at Ruby. The redhead tilted her head, as if to prove a point to her friend.
Ozpin joined then solemnly, holding his cane anxiously in both of his hands.
"Well, you two just did the kingdom a massive favor," he sighed. "I can't believe this happened. It's my responsibility to keep the prisoners in constant watch."
"Have you any idea about how she managed to escape?" Summer asked.
"I don't," Ozpin shook his head. "No bodies were found, so we know that no guards were murdered in the process. I will find the ones who were on duty during the dance and interrogate them tomorrow."
Summer nodded, then looked worriedly at her daughter. The queen joined their circle silently, casting a critical eye on the young redhead too.
"You said there was another person involved in the escape, right?" Summer asked. "Who was it?"
Ruby eyes wandered to Ozpin, her heart beating fast in her chest. He had shot at her? But… That was simply impossible. Ozpin had run away first, but when she and Blake took Emerald to the guards, Ozpin appeared in a matter of minutes. There was simply no way he could have exited the castle, returned to the dance, and then appeared to deal with the situation.
Not only was the timeline of the happenings too tight, but he also didn't look tired at all.
"I don't know," Ruby said hesitantly. "It was a man. That much I could tell."
"Right," Summer prodded. "What else? How did he look?"
"He… He was tall. And…"
Her voice caught in her throat. There was no way out of the situation, and her mother seemed to grow more impatient by the second.
"I don't think Ruby can answer your questions right now," Blake intervened. "She's exhausted, and she took a knife to the shoulder."
Summer blinked, then smiled kindly.
"Blake's right. I'm sorry, dear," she rubbed her daughter's shoulder comfortingly. "I don't suppose you know anything, Blake?"
"I'm afraid not," the faunus answered calmly. "Ruby spotted them first. I can't run half as fast as she can. By the time I caught up, the stranger was gone, and Ruby was already down. I was lucky to catch Emerald in time."
"For an untrained individual, it was still an impressive feat," Winter spoke regally. "You might want to consider joining the Guard. We need more soldiers of your caliber, Blake…"
The faunus stared at her, momentarily stunned. Then she smiled and touched the flower on her hair.
"Blake Belladonna, my queen."
Winter nodded respectfully, then made for the exit, signaling for Ozpin to follow her. Summer watched them go silently, but stayed with the young ones.
"Blake Belladonna?" Yang asked. "When did that happen?"
"Yes," Weiss agreed curiously. "I thought you had no surname."
"Well, it's not like it's a crime to make one up." Blake said bashfully.
The princess seemed to consider the statement for a moment before deciding there was nothing wrong with it.
"Uhm…" Ruby spoke. "Can I go now? I think I'm gonna faint from exhaustion."
"Sure," Summer smiled. "You can sleep in my room tonight. No need to walk all the way home."
Her daughter's eyes lit up with happiness, and, to everyone's surprise, she jumped up and clung to her mother's body like a child. Summer stared at her for a moment, not knowing how to react, before shrugging.
"Alright, dear," she chuckled. "I guess I can carry you there, but this is a one-time deal. You're not a child anymore."
She waited for a frustrated reply, but instead, Ruby snored loudly, her eyes closed already.
"That's a joke, right?" Weiss asked. "She's sixteen years old."
"Oh, Weiss, haven't you learned anything?" Yang snickered. "Ruby will always be a child at heart."
Long after midnight, the nobles trickled out of the saloon, headed for their quarters at the castle or their states in the city. Pyrrha watched them go by anxiously, knowing that some might recognize her and wonder why she hadn't attended the event fully.
When everyone was gone, she looked to the other side of the door, where Jaune was standing. Their eyes met, and, as expected, Jaune started to show signs of massive panic.
"So," she spoke teasingly. "Want to dance, my knight?"
"I…" Jaune stammered. "I don't think that's a good idea."
Pyrrha giggled and walked towards him. When she stopped in front of him, though, Jaune took a step backwards, which worried her greatly. It was one thing to be nervous, but this was… something else.
"Jaune," she crossed her arms. "You're not going back on that promise."
"I'm… really sorry, Py-" He paused, as if he had been about to make a huge mistake. "I really don't think that's a good idea. I… shouldn't dance with you."
"Why…" Pyrrha stopped herself, already piecing the reason together. "I see. It's because I'm a Lady. A noblewoman. Right?"
"…Yes."
Her fists shook with anger, but she closed her eyes and turned away.
"Fine," she said, maintain a composed tone of voice. "Have it your way. Good night, Jaune."
And with that, she walked away, eyes brimming with tears.
Jaune sighed and looked down at his sword, wondering if he had made the right decision.
This.
Damn.
Chapter.
Holy crap, did this grow out of control. I seriously didn't expect this size AT ALL. Those were 8k words. Just so you have a grasp of what that means... That is more than the Falling Petals Burn Brighter EPILOGUE (which was 7.2k words). Wow.
And, BY THE WAY, I still could have put some other stuff in if I wanted to. I was orignally going to have a more direct narrative of Ruby and Weiss dancing, but I trashed it as soon as I noticed how long the chapter would become. Also a potential Weiss and Summer dancing. And, MOST OF ALL, I had to postpone a MAJOR little point with HUGE minor implications to another chapter. (I actually forgot to put that in, and remembered it as I wrote this note. By then, there was just no way to insert it anywhere. Meh. It shouldn't be too much of a problem)
Please. Send help. My fingers will fall off.
Anyway. Enough whining about something I love doing.
I am so, so happy you guys are enjoying this story. I was this concept would have received little atention, and that by now most readers would have lost interest. This doesn't seem to be the case, thankfully. So thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for reading this! I promise to keep producing material of this standard! (And a little late every time, it seems, because THESE CHAPTERS ARE SO LONG OHMYGOSH AAAAAA-)
So, yeah. Thanks. Bye-bye.
-Zeroan