Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we may die.
Chapter 15-
"I guess. But you do know you'll cause quite a stir don't you?" Neo stated as they came outside seeing all the other students entering the hall. Her words having a double meaning with their conversation.
"Will I?" Ruby asked innocently, not understanding how she'd cause a stir.
Neo shook her head with a smile towards Ruby before saying, "I'm pretty sure you will, the choker alone will be enough but showing your tattoos as well will definitely cause a stir." Neo replied.
"You're showing off your ring." Ruby stated, noticing the ring sitting on Neo's hand on full display. "And it was Winter's idea to show them off after she saw them." Ruby said.
"Of course I am. And I'll have to thank her when I see her." Neo said just as they entered the hall.
They greeted Yang who was at the front welcoming people into the dance before they moved further into the hall itself.
They both heard Yang gasp as she spotted what was on Ruby's back but didn't say anything as they moved away from her quickly.
Ruby let go of Neo only to hold her hand out again to her asking, "May I have this dance?" Ruby asked gently to Neo.
Neo just laughed at Ruby's actions but took her hand as they started dancing to the slow beat of the music, they saw other students who had partnered up for the slow song as well. Ruby led Neo in the dance, surprising Neo in the fact Ruby knew how to dance.
"You got Winter to teach you, didn't you?" Neo asked.
"Why do you say that?" Ruby asked.
"Because you've got two left feet when it comes to dancing." Neo replied.
"I'm hurt that you think that." Ruby said, "But I did learn from Winter." Ruby said teasingly.
"Well I'm glad, otherwise this would have been awkward." Neo replied smiling the whole way.
The pair danced for the better part of an hour before they stopped to get a drink and just relax a little bit. They had quickly gotten away from the people to watch from above, knowing most would ask about Ruby's tattoo or try and talk to them, which was something they didn't want.
Grabbing a drink they stood overlooking the main hall when Winter came up beside them, "Beautiful dance, is it not?" She asked.
"It is, and just what we needed. Time to relax and refresh ourselves, and for some people to let go." Neo said, looking at how carefree people were being, especially Blake who was the most on edge recently.
"Though the talk of the dance is easily you two, Ruby the slightly reclusive student who doesn't attend many lessons because she's supposedly being taught by Ozpin personally and Neo her guardian and a force to be reckoned with." Winter said.
Neo smiled at the comment knowing there was a few instances where people had insulted Ruby or made comments about her, which Neo made sure they wouldn't say again. "What can I say? We can't help it." Neo stated playfully.
"That is very true, though one thing that's mentioned a lot is Ruby's tattoo. I asked her about it the other day but she wouldn't tell me about it, would you care to explain it?" Winter asked.
"Why not ask Ruby now?" Neo said.
Winter just smiled at her stating, "Because I know that's not Ruby, it's you illusion of her that is making it seem like she's here." Winter said.
"How did you know?" Neo asked, wanting to improve her technique if it was obvious it wasn't Ruby.
"Well she compliments it well for you with the fact she doesn't really talk much around others so she would act like she is now. But Ruby told me earlier because I was trying to get her into heels, plus she had her weapons with her earlier." Winter said.
Neo smiled replying, "Ah that makes it easier. Well Ruby's tattoo was done by someone on Patch, I can't remember the name but it uses dust to make it appear how it does." Neo explained.
"What's the meaning behind it? Or rather other than the obvious meaning." Winter asked.
"Fifty roses mean unconditional love which is why there is fifty in the shape of a heart, with my name in the middle, it was rather sweet when she surprised me with this. However the other one that you can sort of see underneath depending how Ruby stands is a wolf head surrounded by black roses, depending how closely you look you can actually see the ears have red tips." Neo explained.
"That's a little dark isn't it? Especially with what they symbolise." Winter replied, a little worried.
Neo remained quiet, unsure what exactly to reply back as she looked towards a group of guards running outside and towards the CCT.
"Hello Cheri." Ruby whispered next to her, replacing the illusion Ruby.
"Hello sweetie, did it go well?" Neo asked the same question Winter wanted to know.
"Yes it did." Ruby said and began to recant her tale.
She had snuck out when Aria informed her of Cinder entering the CCT which was the same time Neo had gotten a drink and went upstairs.
Wrapping her cloak around her body and placing her mask onto her face she followed Cinder up the tower. She remained in the shadows while watching the woman take out the guards and upload the virus, seeing the skin tight suit she was wearing which seemed pointless.
Once Cinder had finished uploading the virus Ruby revealed herself with Aria speaking for her, "She dwells with beauty, beauty that must die. And joy, whose hand is ever at his lips. His soul must taste the sadness of her might. And be among her cloudy trophies hung." Aria said darkly as Ruby moved from the shadows to become in full view of Cinder, her scythe fully deployed.
Cinder turned deploying her bow from her semblance and fired a series of three arrows at Ruby, "Try and defeat this." She stated.
Ruby vanished from sight in a flurry of rose petals before reappearing just behind Cinder with her scythe's blade resting against Cinder's neck, no words were spoken but the threat was obvious as the sun returning in the morning.
Cinder froze as she felt the blade resting against her neck, feeling that in an instance her life could be ended by the blade.
"You have one chance, vanish from the world." Aria said, leaving the threat hanging in the air as it was clear what would happen.
Cinder felt the blade and the Reaper behind her vanish after the threat was given to her but before she could interpret the words she heard guards coming getting her to quickly escape past them.
"The promise was given, it is up to her as to whether she heeds my warning." Ruby said cryptically.
"I see, well we just have to wait and see." Neo replied.
"Well now that I've said hello, I'm going to find myself someone to dance with." Winter replied smiling.
"Would you care to take Neo for a dance? I believe she wants to get back on the dance floor but I can see Ozpin eyeing me at the moment." Ruby replied.
"Of course." Winter said, holding her hand out to Neo, "My lady." She said.
Neo just laughed at how Winter was being as she turned back to Ruby, "Be quick." Before she was pulled away by Winter towards the dance floor.
Ruby allowed herself to smile watching Neo get pulled away while she remained where she was watching the pair dance happily in the crowd, while receiving some odd stares from a few students.
"It is nice to see the students so carefree and relaxing, it is rare for them to get this chance. Although it seems not all here are relaxed." Ozpin said, his infamous cup in his hand as he leaned against the barrier next to Ruby.
"Some of us don't have that luxury. Time is not always on our side." Ruby replied, not taking her eyes off Neo.
"No time isn't normally, however I believe you have a different reason as to why time isn't on your side, am I correct?" Ozpin asked.
"Cinder planted the virus into the CCT, Aria has contained it and currently working on the programme itself to find out what it does." Ruby said, avoiding the topic easily.
"I see. Have you worked out who gave her the codes to access the CCT and to get into the main system?" Ozpin asked, clearly sensing the topic was out of bounds.
"Not yet, I've narrowed it down however I can't say for certain yet." Ruby replied.
"I see. Well Miss Rose I shall leave you to enjoy the rest of your evening." Ozpin said, walking away before saying, "Before I go, may I ask who you were talking about with Beauty and Joy?" Ozpin asked as an afterthought.
"Cinder of course" Ruby replied, her voice betraying her true thoughts.
"I see." Ozpin said, leaving the woman alone to her thoughts.
Ruby waited to make sure Ozpin had left before she went back down, cutting in with Winter and Neo as she took back her partner to dance with again.
For the rest of the night the pair just enjoyed the calm before the storm, spending it with just the two of them being normal people on a date to a dance.
Neo had noticed it before Ruby had as they were dancing, she spotted Winter and Blake dancing together not too far away from them and when she pointed it out to Ruby her only reply was.
"Winter said she was going with someone, I didn't realise it would be Blake." Ruby replied.
With Winter and Blake.
"May I cut in?" Winter asked, approaching Yang and Blake who were dancing together.
Yang looked at Winter for a few seconds before stepping away and allowing Winter to dance with Blake.
"It's a wonderful dance isn't it?" Winter asked as she started leading Blake through the next song.
"It is. Yang and Weiss worked hard on making it something that everyone can enjoy and just unwind." Blake replied.
"And are you unwinding?" Winter asked next.
Blake just smiled lightly as she said, "As best I can, although there are a few things on my mind." She replied.
"Oh well that's not good, what's on your mind?" Winter asked as she spun Blake.
"Well I want to know why you asked me to the dance, you could have picked anyone but you picked me, a Faunus. Why?" Blake asked, her worry and unease slipping into her voice.
Winter just glanced around the room briefly before saying, "I'm rather thirsty, would you like a drink?" Winter asked.
Blake worked out what the excuse was for and nodded in agreement as Winter led them towards the drinks table and out of the way of everyone.
"Why wouldn't I want to ask you to the dance? You're a beautiful woman and easy to talk to, understanding and just fun to be around. So why wouldn't I?" Winter asked.
"But I'm a Faunus, you're a Schnee. We shouldn't be getting along." Blake exclaimed.
"Why shouldn't we? Because the man I call a father says so? Because the White Fang say that Faunus shouldn't get close to a Schnee unless it's to kill one? Which is it?" Winter asked harshly to Blake.
Blake kept silent as she looked away from Winter, unsure how to answer the question and not wanting to answer it.
"Sorry, it's just stupid. I don't follow my father's ideals, Faunus are people all the same and well to me it doesn't matter what you are to me. You're kind, easy to talk to and just fun to be around so that's why I like you and asked you to the dance. So what if some people don't like the fact a human and Faunus are together, it doesn't matter to me. Does it matter to you?" Winter asked.
"No." Blake replied in a whisper.
"Good. Now how about we dance some more before the party is over?" Winter asked, smiling brightly as she held her arm out.
Her smile only grew when Blake replied with a smile of her own and taking her arm as they went to the dance floor once more.
With everything that was going on around them, with the White Fang, Cinder, Roman and just society in general. Neither woman cared as they simply lost themselves in the rhythm of the music and the movements of their bodies in time with it. Worries escaping them for at least a short time before tomorrow came again.
They say that either you're out, or you're in
After a few more hours the dance starting to slow down as people left, but not before JNPR's performance in front of everyone. After that everyone seemed to slowly trickle out of the hall all heading back to their rooms either alone or with someone.
When Ruby and Neo returned to their room it was peaceful as they both undressed for bed with Neo commenting, "It seems your tattoos surprised a lot of people tonight." Neo pointed out.
Ruby just shrugged her shoulders as she pulled Neo into the bed with her and underneath the covers.
"Are you going to be alright?" Neo asked after a little while of both women attempting to sleep.
"I'll be fine Cheri." Ruby replied with a gentle kiss.
"If you're sure. You'll tell me if something is wrong, right?" Neo asked.
"Of course I will." Ruby said, kissing Neo once more as the pair fell asleep in each other's arms.
A/N
So this ending has a double meaning, you'll see soon enough.
So latest episode, episode 2 is amazing. It has really gotten so much better and well Qrow is different and we see who Gavin voices, at least I'm pretty sure it's him.
Now I will be writing about the festival and past it, currently around that point now but one thing I'm debating at the moment is who Ruby and Neo plus two other people will fight, at least in the first match of four vs four. I'd want it to be one of the new teams but I'm open to it being another team or possibly an OC team. Do note though if I go with an OC team they'd have the shit kicked out of them by Ruby and Neo.
Not much else to add at the moment, so thanks for reading and until next time. ^_^
Also internet cookie if anyone recognises the song lyric ;)