Jaune straightened out his tie one last time, giving himself a once over in the mirror and grimacing self consciously. He looked decent, in all honesty…he just wasn't sure what the standard was going to be at the SDC Gala.
Daniel had called him the day prior with an unexpected invitation to the event. At first, Jaune was befuddled with even receiving the offer, but upon explanation that there would be quite a few business folk there potentially seeking out new hires. It…wasn't the worst idea, honestly, even if Jaune held no lost love for the company itself.
Still, maybe this party will be kinda fun…if nothing else, Daniel will be there to look out for me. Maybe he could introduce me to more of his friends in the Atlas Military? He mused silently to himself, before stepping out of the bathroom and immediately being greeted by a low, teasing whistle.
"Brothers be damned, Jaune. You clean up nice!" Yang complemented with a bright grin, chuckling as his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Blake smiled and rolled her eyes at the blonde's cackles, but nodded to Jaune all the same.
"You look very handsome, Jaune. I'm sure you'll fit right in." She assured him with a soft smile, before crossing her arms as her ears twitched mischievously. "And I assume if I asked you to slip a laxative into Jacques Schnee's drink on the off chance you see him tonight, the answer would be a soft no…?"
"Oh, tempting, but I'd prefer not to risk getting caught and thrown out onto the streets…but it is truly tempting." Jaune snickered, laughing along with the two girls at the thought of giving the notoriously unsavory business man a taste of his own medicine. "I'll be sure to put in a good word for you regardless, Blake."
"My hero~" She hummed in a teasing tone before breaking off with another giggle, while Yang shook her head in fond amusement and likewise continued to laugh to herself. "When should we expect you back by?"
"Eh, probably around midnight, depending on how this actually goes. If I end up leaving sooner, I'll text one of you." Jaune replied, straightening out his outfit one last time and flashing the duo a nervous smile. "Well…wish me luck!"
"Eh, you don't need it. Go knock 'em dead, Ladykiller!" Yang replied with a thumbs up, making her fellow blond chuckle as he turned on his heel and slipped right out of the apartment, heading down the nearby stairwell and out to the street below, where his ride was waiting.
Daniel stood waiting beside his car, clad in a classy black suit with a baby blue tie and white trimmings. As Jaune approached, he flashed him a massive grin as he held his arms out wide. "Looking sharp, my man! Ready for your first grown up party?"
"You make it sound like I'm 15, Dan." Jaune groaned, grimacing as Daniel patted him on the shoulder and gestured to him to get into the passenger seat. "How bad is this going to be?"
"Oh, not that bad! It'll just be a little stuffy, is all." Daniel assured him, moving around the car and slinking into the driver's seat, shooting his friend another smile as he turned the key. "Besides, I have good news! Winter said her little sister is attending, so you'll have someone your own age to talk to!"
"Little sister…?" Jaune asked with a tilt of his head, wracking his brain for a moment as the very idea triggered something in his mind. Didn't Ruby's roommate have the last name Schnee? Had he already met her? "Do you mean Weiss?"
Daniel blinked, and gave Jaune a befuddled side glance before turning his attention back to the road, tone concerned but not quite accusatory. "How do you know her name already…?"
"She's Ruby's roommate at university! We took a trip last week to visit her!" Jaune explained, chuckling a bit as Daniel's expression softened with the slightest hint of relief. "How did you think I knew her?"
"I dunno, maybe her music or something? Winter mentioned she was some kinda teen idol a few years back." Daniel shrugged, focusing on driving them to their destination for the most part. "Just wasn't expecting you to know her name…small damn kingdom, I guess."
"Yeah, guess so…well, maybe I can use this as an opportunity to get to know her better!" Jaune replied, his expectations for the evening brightening a bit. It'd be nice to have the opportunity to get to know the girl one on one.
"That is an excellent idea, go for it, man!" Daniel chuckled, finding Jaune's optimism a bit infectious given his own expectations for the night. "Y'know, who knows! Maybe this'll end up being one hell of a party!"
Jaune snorted at Daniel's attempt to match his energy, taking advantage of the moment as he tilted his head curiously to the driver and crossed his arms.
"If that's the stakes…think tonight's finally the night you tell Winter how you feel about her?"
Daniel made a choked noise and nearly made the car swerve as he shot the younger man a menacing glare that only elicited a cackle in response. "Very funny, Arc. I'd like to see you jump that shark, ask out either of your dearest roommates."
"Oh, that's not the same and you know it!" Jaune replied through his laughter, waving his hand dismissively while trying to banish the thought from his mind, ignoring the way it made his cheeks light up. "Look, I'm just saying. You gotta pop the question sooner or later."
"Yeah, yeah, I know…just not tonight." Daniel huffed, shaking his head as the embarrassment subsided and he focused on getting them to their destination. "Let's just hope this shindig ends up being a bit more on the exciting side…"
"Oh Brothers, this is certainly a version of exciting."
Jaune couldn't help but agree as he walked alongside Daniel into the heart of Vale City Plaza, the hotel hosting the Gala for the Schnee Dust Corporation. There were people everywhere, all dressed up prim and proper, talking amongst themselves in the lobby. It definitely wasn't a crowd either of them were used to.
"Good news is, my boss should be around here somewhere. It'd be nice to have a friendly face for the time being." Daniel mused, guiding the blond along through the crowd and into the main hall where the event was taking place, eventually moving towards a nearby stairwell up to the second floor.
Standing there, to the left of the stairs, was a stoic and proud looking man in a white overcoat and gray undercoat, sporting matching suit pants, a red necktie, and a white glove on his right hand. He noticed the two approaching, and gave Daniel a polite nod and warm smile.
"Specialist Wilson. Glad to see you heeded my suggestions for formal attire." He hummed, before his gaze flicked to Jaune and he extended a gloved hand. "And you must be Mr. Arc. Daniel's told me quite a bit about you over the last few years, young man."
"Thank you, sir. Assuming you're General Ironwood, Daniel's told me about you as well! All good things!" He chuckled as he gave the man a firm handshake, noting Daniel's slightly nervous expression and suppressing an evil grin. "He thinks very highly of you, I can tell you that much for sure."
Ironwood raised an eyebrow at that, turning to Daniel confirmation and chuckling slightly at the barely restrained panic playing out in the man's eyes. "Well, I'm certainly glad to hear it. Working with Wilson has been an…enlightening experience for me."
"Well, it was absolutely a mistake letting you two meet. I'm regretting this already." Daniel groaned, raking a hand down his face while the two men laughed, before his gaze flicked to the top of the stairs and his hand fell away, a look of pure astonishment crossing his face. "Woah…"
Jaune and Ironwood followed his gaze, their expressions soon shifting into mutual awe. Slowly descending the stairs was the Schnee matriarch herself, along with her two daughters. Willow Schnee was clad in a tasteful baby blue dress, Winter in a casual white one, and Weiss in a glittering gray-blue dress.
They all looked absolutely stunning as they made their way down the stairs, coming to a halt just a few feet away, with Willow seemingly leading the group over to them. Ironwood was naturally the one to recover first, slapping on a composed smile and nodding to her.
"Mrs. Schnee, it's been quite a long time. You look well." He greeted respectfully as he offered her a hand, earning a soft giggle from the eldest Schnee as she placed her hand on his own.
"Ever the gentleman, James. No need for the formalities, I won't tell anyone if you won't." She assured him in a kind tone, making it evident there was some history between the two. She then turned her gaze to Daniel and Jaune, who had likewise recovered at this point, and smiled. "I don't believe we've met yet; Willow Schnee, pleased to meet you both."
"Likewise, ma'am. I'm Daniel Wilson, I work with your daughter. This is my friend, Jaune." The specialist introduced, plastering on his best smile which Jaune followed suit with. A surprisingly mischievous gleam entered the older woman's eyes, while a subtly panicked one entered Winter's beside her.
"Oh, I've heard quite a bit about you, Mr. Wilson. Wonderful to finally put a face to the name." She hummed, before leaning over to her eldest daughter and whispering conspiratory. "You never mentioned he was so handsome~"
"M-mother, that's quite enough!" Winter sputtered, prompting the older woman to chuckle while Jaune and Weiss did their best to restrain their laughter as well. Huffing in exasperation, Winter turned to Ironwood, who hid his own amused smile well. "Sir, permission to borrow Wilson for a moment? I have something I need to discuss with him."
"You're off duty, Winter. As long as he's willing, take Wilson where you like." Ironwood replied, a slight grin playing on his face. Winter simply nodded, grabbing Daniel by the arm and hauling him off into another room. Naturally, the man had a slightly befuddled smile on his face as he was hauled off by his partner.
"Ah, young love…reminds me of simpler times." Willow chuckled softly, before turning her eyes back to Jaune and smiling once more. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, young man. I do believe my daughter has mentioned you before."
"That's possible, ma'am. I'm friends with her roommate, we've met before." Jaune confirmed, before turning to Weiss and managing a shy smile and wave. "It's great to see you again, Weiss."
"It's good to see you too, Jaune." Weiss chuffed softly, the smallest of smiles on her face as she stood diligently by her mother's side, much more closed off than when they first met. To be fair, he couldn't really blame her, given the atmosphere in the plaza was much more formal than a simple dorm room.
"Well, I'm sure you two have some catching up to do. James, would you like to join me on the dance floor?" Willow hummed, offering the General her hand once more with another sweet grin.
Ironwood smiled in return and took her hand, nodding as he fell into line alongside her and followed her off to the nearby dance floor on the far side of the hall. "I would be honored, Willow."
As the two adults headed off, Jaune and Weiss were left alone at the stairwell. The silence that sat between them was less than comfortable, and neither seemed quite capable of finding the right words to continue their conversation. Luckily, a fresh subject of conversation damn near fell into their laps.
"Weiss! There you are! I told you to wait for me!"
Jaune blinked at the shockingly familiar voice, turning to look back up the stairs and balking at the sight that followed. Slowly stumbling down the stairs with a wobble in her knees was one Ruby Rose, clad in a black and red dress with matching heels, struggling with damn near every step. Of course, she didn't do any better as she realized who was looking up at her, silver eyes blowing wide in shock as she nearly tumbled down the remaining steps.
"J-jaune?! What are you doing here?!" She squeaked, wobbling still as she lost her balance and nearly fell down the last few steps. Luckily, both Jaune and Weiss crossed the gap and caught her, the latter muttering about how she really hadn't expected the young woman to struggle this much.
"Daniel invited me! What about you?" Jaune replied as he and the heiress guided Ruby down the last few steps, supporting her on both sides so her legs stopped shaking. Ruby groaned, looking embarrassed by her current situation as she answered.
"Weiss invited me, said it would be a good chance to 'get out and socialize'...I think she just wanted a friend around for this." She explained, dutifully ignoring the irate sputter of the whitehead in question as she shot her a glare. "I would have said no if I'd known I had to wear these darn lady stilts! They're impossible to walk in!"
"Considering I've been walking absolutely fine thus far tonight, I'll have to disagree." Weiss sniped in an irritated tone, before sighing and shaking her head as she retracted her arms as Ruby seemed to finally get her balance. "With that said…I did want a friend around. I can't say I've ever enjoyed these events, I just figured that maybe it would be more tolerable with you around."
"Weiss…" Ruby gasped gently, standing fine now as Jaune retracted his hands and let the two speak independently for a moment, standing off to the side. "You could have just told me, we're friends! I'm happy to back you up however I can…even if it means wearing dumb ol' heels."
Weiss chuckled softly at Ruby's ever-infectious optimism, and nodded in understanding as she took Ruby's hand and gave her a warm smile. "And for that, I will be eternally grateful for your friendship…even if you are an absolute dolt."
The two giggled amongst each other, and off to the side, Jaune couldn't help but smile. He'd known Ruby far longer, but it was clear that both girls had needed a proper friend and had now found one in each other. It was heartwarming, honestly.
Eventually, Ruby looked back over to him and smiled, scratching the back of her neck with an anxious chuckle and apologetic smile. "Sorry about that, Jaune. Didn't mean to cut you out like that, heh."
"No apologies necessary, Ruby. Just glad you guys settled things." He assured her with a subdued grin, before noticing the odd look Weiss was giving him. Before he could comment on it, she stepped forward between the two and nodded back towards the stairs.
"Would you like to join us, Jaune? We had a plan for the evening, to avoid my father's eventual pompous tirade…I suppose it wouldn't hurt to invite you along."
The offer surprised him immensely, but given by the immediate megawatt grin that split on Ruby's face, it couldn't have been anything too nefarious…what the heck, Daniel was already busy anyhow.
"Sure! Sounds fun, thanks for the offer!" He agreed, receiving a small smile from the heiress as the two started to ascend the stairs, before pausing and looking back at the helpless Ruby a few stairs behind, staring at them like they were a nightmare. "...we're gonna have to carry her up, aren't we?"
"Seems quite likely, yes…you take the left, I take the right?"
"Sounds fair to me."
Winter never expected it to be such a struggle just to find a single quiet hall within the sprawling plaza. It was quite the large building, after all, sporting a number of ballrooms and conference halls. She'd expected a moment of privacy to be much easier to attain, but apparently not.
"So…you gonna tell me what this is about eventually, or you just plan on dragging me throughout the entire plaza before letting me in on the secret?" Daniel commented, reminding her that she was damn near dragging him through the halls. She finally released his arm and cleared her throat, finally slowing down and turning to face him properly.
"Apologies, I was hoping to find a place for us to speak in private. There's…something I wish to discuss with you." Winter explained, still dodging the subject itself for the time being. Daniel raised an eyebrow, a bemused smile playing on his lips at this point.
"Okay…starting to get me with the cloak and dagger at this point, but you've got my undivided attention." He replied, gesturing to the hall around them, which was actually quite empty now that she took the time to glance around. A smirk arose on his face as he crossed his arms and tilted his head to her teasingly. "Don't tell me that my rugged charms have finally worn you down, and this is your way of asking me out~"
Winter sputtered at that, cheeks flushing a bit at his expression before she straightened herself out and cleared her throat. She needed to do this, no matter how difficult it was going to be.
"Do you remember the day we first met?" She asked conversationally, wiping the smirk from his face as curiosity took its place, a soft smile arising on her own as she continued. "We were assigned as partners during orientation, just after stepping off the bullheads. The first time we were face to face, I felt…"
"Pure, unadulterated loathing?" Daniel supplied as the grin slowly slipped back onto his face, laughing slightly at the embarrassed look that crossed her face. "I could tell. I mean the way you looked at me, sheesh. It was like you bit into sour lemon."
Winter chuckled in response, knowing damn well she couldn't deny it. Back then, she'd been far less tolerant when it came to people she didn't click with. She'd been young, eager to find herself in a brave new world, and prove her worth to Atlas…she'd come so far since then.
"Indeed. I remember a time where I detested the idea of working with someone so immature…I could have never predicted what good friends we would become." She admitted, sighing again as she laced her hands together, bracing herself for what was to come. "Speaking of which, there's something I need to ask you about…"
Daniel quirked an eyebrow at her tone, sensing how serious she was. He nodded slowly, and offered her a reassuring smile. "I'm all ears, Winter. Whatever you gotta ask, hit me with it."
Winter tried her best to return the smile, though it felt particularly weak on her face as she took a breath and finally popped the question, eyes steely as she awaited the answer.
"Do you have feelings for me?"
Daniel froze for a moment, a myriad of emotions playing out on his face as his mouth opened and closed a few times before he eventually sputtered out a question of his own. "What in the hell prompted a question like that?"
"My mother asked me earlier today if I had any suitors I was interested in at the moment. I insisted to her I did no, and that I wasn't interested in a relationship at the moment. I'd rather focus on my career." Winter explained, sucking in a breath as she looked away with an anxious expression. "But then, I thought of you. All the nights we've spent working or training together, the horrid jokes you make that I've grown accustomed to…and the thought occurred that you may be interested in being more than friends."
A heavy silence fell between the two, and when Winter looked back at him, she could already see the answer in his eyes. There was a sadness evident in them, one that matched the way his tone and smile depleted.
"Well…I gather that the smart answer here would be no, huh…?" He replied in a weak attempt at humor, which just made Winter feel worse at that moment. She shouldn't have done this here, but her mother's comment had spurred her to action, and now she was paying the price for it.
"I'm so sorry, Daniel. If I lead you on in any way, I take full responsibility…" She tried to apologize, before Daniel rose from his leaning position against the wall and waved her off, still fighting to keep his tone positive.
"You don't owe me an apology, Winter…that's just life. Not your fault you don't feel the same way." He reassured her, clearing his throat before turning back to her and flashing a painfully plastered on smile. "I'm, uh…I'm just gonna get out of your hair for the night, yeah? Make some good impressions on the other guests then take my leave early."
Winter fought to find the right words, but they all escaped her at that moment. Eventually, she managed a simple nod, and watched as her partner walked down the hall back the way they came. She sighed heavily and covered her face, a cold feeling of remorse swirling in her gut.
Dammit. I should have waited, why did I do this here? She thought to herself, letting her hands drift down her face and fall to her sides as she shook her head. She owed him a proper apology in the morning, not to mention a better conversation. The last thing she wanted was their friendship to be ruined now because of her hastiness. Even if I don't feel the same, I should have expressed it better…what an absolute mess.
As she was quietly mulling over just how badly she'd screwed things between her and her partner, a flicker of movement down the other side of the hall caught her eye. A few people darted into a nearby adjoining room, just far enough away she couldn't make out the finer details. However, something in her gut overtook her churning embarrassment and replaced it with suspicion.
Rising from her leaning position, she slowly walked down the hall and towards the room she'd seen the figures filter into. She heard hushed voices as she approached, and briefly considered that maybe it was just saw some staff slip into a nearby office.
That was until she heard the telltale whirr of a dust rifle being charged, her eyes sharpened as she flattened herself against the wall, creeping forward with the utmost care and peeking around the door to the room she'd heard the noise coming from. Needless to say, it wasn't the sight she was expecting.
White Fang soldiers, nearly thirty of them, gearing up in what looked to be an emptied out storage room. They had guns, swords, spears, and even what looked like a grenade launcher.
I don't have my weapon…I need to report this to Ironwood, immediately. Get everyone to evacuate! She thought slinking back from the door and turning around…only to come face to face with three more soldiers, their rifles trained on her, and the red-haired mastermind behind this dastardly attack.
"Winter Schnee, what a surprise…suppose that makes my job easier." Adam hummed, a wicked grin on his face as he stepped forward and held up a pair of aura dampening cuffs. "If you want to live through the night, you'd be wise to put these on."
"So…how have things been, Willow?" Ironwood asked gingerly as they danced, the music in the background fading as the two old friends looked into each other's eyes, focusing purely on one another as they danced. The Schnee matriarch sighed, her smile dimming a bit as she replied.
"Better. I've been…in a dark place, for quite some time. I committed myself to resignation and drinking for years after my bastard husband shattered my dreams." She admitted, looking ashamed and uncertain as they delicately danced across the floor. "Weiss leaving for university was enough for me to finally pull my head out of the sand and start working on myself. I've checked my addiction, and have done my best to be a better mother to my daughters, and my son."
"I'm very glad to hear that, Willow. If anyone would have the strength to overcome this strife, it would be you." Ironwood praised, some tightly wound knot of tension easing in his chest. So many years had passed since they last saw one another, he'd always held out hope that eventually, she would find a way to free herself. "Speaking of your son, how is Whitley? I didn't see him in attendance."
"No, he preferred to stay home in Atlas. I don't think Jacques cared enough to force him to come along." Willow explained with a small huff, her eyes rising back up to meet Ironwood's as she smiled softly. "A shame, I would have liked for the two of you to meet. He can be a touch insensitive at times, but I think you two would have gotten along just fine."
"I would have liked to have met him…perhaps another time, when I have a free moment back in Atlas." Ironwood agreed, before noticing the music begin to draw to a close, the crowd of dancers beginning to separate and move off the dance floor. "Ah, seems as though things are finally getting underway…I suppose I should let you get back to your husband."
"I suppose so…perhaps we could meet up later, once Jacques is quite finished galavanting around for the evening." Willow suggested, moving with Ironwood off to the side and giving his hand a soft squeeze as she smiled at him. "I quite enjoyed speaking with you, James. It's been far too long."
"That it has…we'll have to continue this conversation once you're free for the evening." Ironwood replied, releasing her hand as he returned her smile and stepped back. "Until then, best of luck, Willow."
She offered him one last riveting smile before strolling off through the crowd and towards the stage where a few SDC delegates were congregating, soon to be join by the man of the hour himself.
Ironwood sighed as he sunk back into the milling partygoers, looking down at his gloved hand and grimacing slightly. He wasn't the same man that Willow remembered from all those years ago. So much had changed since then…since Ozpin came into the picture. He recalled the old man's wisdom the last time they spoke in person.
You deserve something good in your life, James. Something besides this fight.
It was sound advice, truly…but deep down, Ironwood wondered if he really could leave the fight, even for a short while. Knowing the threats that were out there, the very real danger they posed to the world as a whole…how could he find the courage to step away, for even a moment?
His attention was torn away from the conundrum for a moment as the man of the hour finally stepped up on the far stage, the irritatingly smug visage of Jacques Schnee suddenly overtaking his brewing concerns as the business man addressed the crowd.
"Welcome, one and all! I do hope you're all having a fine evening, and I thank you for being in attendance tonight! This gala isn't just about me, but rather the hard-working men and women that make the Schnee Dust Company what it is!" He praised in his typical haughty tone. Scattered applause followed as he continued his speech, though Ironwood found his attention drifting elsewhere.
To the right of the left, there was a small flurry of activity. He couldn't see too much from his position in the crowd, but it was certainly unusual given the current goings on. Eyes narrowing, he started to make his way through the crowd as Jacques continued to drone on, a sinking feeling in his gut as the sudden inclination that something may be wrong sank in.
He'd only made it a few feet before a few shots rang out, dust rounds firing up into the ceiling as White Fang soldiers emerged from a doorway beside the stage, shouting out orders to the crowd, which promptly devolved into panic. Ironwood suddenly wished he'd brought at least one of his side arms to the event.
The soldiers rushed on stage from both sides, swiftly encircling the SDC delegates, including Jacques and Willow. With a low growl, Ironwood surged forward and weaved between the fleeing civilians, catching the closest Fang soldier off guard with an uppercut and sending him flying back into the stage. A few stranglers on either side of the stage turned to him, weapons raised in preparation.
"It's the General…do we take him prisoner too?" One of the grunts barked at his allies, making Ironwood scowl and raise his fists in preparation. With only his aura to protect him, the odds were against him, but he would rather die than allow these terrorists to harm more innocent people.
Before he had a chance to fight, however, another gunshot rang out and electricity arced along his back, his aura buckling unexpectedly as he fell to his knees, and then flat on his face as he writhed in pain. Heavy footfalls followed before a foot suddenly panted itself on his back, a low chuckle following.
"Not so tough against your own tech, huh, Ironwood?" Banesaw chuckled, shifting his weapon back into its chainsaw mode as he grabbed the General by the back of the neck and lifted him off the ground, shoving him into the arms of two soldiers. "Stow him with the other hostages for Taurus. The rest of you, fan out and make sure no one left inside gets out."
"Jaune, I…I wanted to apologize for earlier."
Jaune looked to Weiss in surprise, having been previously fixated on looking out the window awaiting Ruby's return. Apparently, whatever they'd had planned required her to grab something from their dorm room, so she sped off with her semblance and left the heiress and blond alone for the moment.
"Apologize for what, exactly?" He asked with a curious head tilt and slight smile. Weiss huffed softly in response, crossing her arms as she explained, a slight tinge of pink to her cheeks.
"I was a bit stiff earlier, when we first ran into one another at the stairs. Honestly, I was lucky enough to have Ruby along with me for this endeavor, I wasn't expecting to run into any more friendly faces." She admitted, sighing as she finally looked at him once more. "We might not know each other well, but I still should have been more courteous."
"Oh, that's not a big deal! I mean, we've only talked once or twice, Weiss. I didn't exactly expect you to be ecstatic to see me again." He assured her with a chuckle, a bit flattered that she even felt an apology was needed, even if it was likely just for posterity's sake. "I was hoping tonight we could get to know each other a bit better, honestly."
Weiss brightened a bit at his comment, pleasantly surprised by the implication. She really didn't have any friends of note back at Atlas, since most people only wanted to get close to her for her status and wealth. Ruby was the first exception to that pattern, and she seemed to get the same vibes from Jaune. He was earnest, polite…maybe even a smidge sweet.
"Well, I certainly wouldn't mind that opportunity, Jaune." She admitted, fixing him with a warm smile that he easily returned. Before they could continue their conversation further, however, a familiar blur of red petals slipped in from the window, developing into Ruby with a strange sword in one hand and a folded up Crescent Rose in the other.
"Hey, sorry it took me so long!" She greeted the duo, offering the sword to Weiss who accepted it delicately and with an amused expression. "So, there's this wicked cool weapons range a few blocks away. I talked Weiss into heading there as soon as she's finished with…well, whatever else she had planned tonight."
"I'll just need to show some face after my father's speech, that's all." Weiss replied evenly, a frown slowly forming on her face as she holstered her sword and pulled out her scroll, humming softly. "Odd. Mother should have called me down by now…"
A distant crackle of noise caught the three's attention, and they all looked amongst each other in mutual uncertainty and fear. Jaune was ultimately the one to break the silence, looking to the door in evident concern.
"Was that gunfire…?"
"I do believe it was…" Weiss replied, slowly rising from her seat and laying a hand upon Myrtenaster's handle with an unsettled look on her face. "We need to leave, now."