A little bit of a more timely release because I knew exactly what I wanted to do and it seems the Monty Gods are on my side as this episode had exactly what I wanted out of it. Now I will let you know I do write all my music, I've had people ask me questions about that in every story I've done where someone sings, so yes I do write the lyrics. Anyway, we get some awkward teens, some pretty clothes, and some speech. Onward to PROM, I mean, BEACON FORMAL!
RWBY: The Darkness Within
Season 2- Chapter 12
The Dance
Music can change the world
The band started setting up for their demo in front of Yang, Weiss, and Ruby to show off what they could do. "Are these outfits necessary?" Knives asked from the changing room they had set up behind stage.
"Oh don't be such a wuss, every band had a theme based on the music they play." Mason responded. He wore a sleeveless hoodie top and had gelled his hair into a Mohawk. He had spiked leather wristbands and some tattered jeans and converse. Lee stood beside him in a button down and tie with sunglasses.
"I'm guessing our theme is, 'Hey, look at my inability to dress like anything but an angsty teen?" Rory said as he walked out in the torn up jeans, combat boots, and denim vest with Vav's symbol on the back.
"Yeah, I'm not doing this." Edan replied, "Pyron, you're up, give it a whirl."
"Me? Awesome!" He cried.
"Hey, we agreed he was composing only!" Mason fussed.
"Yeah, well I only tried out because Mary made me, you know Pyron was as good as me and our music sounds better with two guitars anyway." Edan said, "I'll handle lights and stuff."
Mason opened his mouth, when Lee set a hand on his shoulder, "It's fine, let's see what he's got."
Pyron walked out in his usual garb, with a flame pattern bandana on and a flaming skull shirt, as he was joined by Xich who wore a button down with no tie and a open vest, "I feel a little rebellious in this." He said with a smirk.
"Fine, I guess I won't look like a complete idiot." Knives said as he stepped out, wearing the button down and loose tie, with the sleeves rolled up and his scars exposed while he wore fingerless gloves and various bracelets from chains to studded leather bands. "I feel like an idiot." He said as he pushed his hair back into a slight ruffle.
"You look fine, let's go." Mason said as they walked out and set up. They tuned their instruments and looked at their audience, Yang sat up interested as she wanted this dance to be fantastic, Weiss sat judgmentally eyeing them, and Ruby seemed to be very uninterested. "We're really going to have to shine here."
"Then let's kick it up with Blood Red." Knives said as he took the mic and the rest of the band got ready.
"One, two, one, two, three, four." Knives said as Pyron played out a slow sad melody, before picking it up into a thrashing duet with Rory as Mason kept the beat, and Lee provided the backdrop with Xich keeping the rhythm.
"Blood Red is the color that I give to you, pouring from my heart which is torn in two. Broken like my mind, from insanity, Red Like Roses is the only color that I see!" Knives started before the music switched up again, "Tragedy is all I know, a bloody history I stand alone in the snow. Frigid, closer to death by the hour, a family history of those obsessed with power. Saw you cross the room a beautiful read rose, you struck me as someone who also knows. Loss and pain, we fight to gain, any sense of fucking normalcy, but the odds are just enormously, stacked against us higher and higher, stand by me we'll face the fire! Accept me, give me peace; let the screaming finally cease. Blood Red I give to you, just say you love me too!" He took a break to catch his breath as they continued with the main piece, Pyron and Rory alternating between lead and accompaniment as Xich played a hypnotic climbing and descending of scales to Lee's solid bass line and the rhythmic drumming of Mason before Knives was ready to continue, "My bleeding heart is pouring out for you, please just tell me that you love me too. Split between two souls, all that's left is me, rejected and cast out by society. They call me a freak, a horrible sinner. Pushed under the tide I was never a winner. I strive and strive for something more. And then they opened up the door!"
His expression shifted, "The levee breaks and the madness is free, I delve into a pool of insanity."
He shifted back, "I want to stop the sea of pain, the blood it falls like the pouring rain."
"Why stop now, it's so much fun!? Fight and kill, you'll be number one!"
"I don't want to take victory this way, give me peace please go away!"
"I'm part of you now, there's no mistake. The second soul, I'm not a fake! You can run all you want, I'll always be here. The voice of madness in your ear."
"STOP!" He screamed into the mic, as Pyron stepped forward and began a thrashing solo, flames flying from his gloves across his guitar in a cascade of bright orange. Yang was on the edge of her seat, while Weiss seemed unimpressed by the whole display. Knives had gained confidence now and stepped forward for the final verse, "There's redemption of the horizon, as you stand true and tall. I swear to catch you whenever you fall. A knight in the shadows, I await your command. To end your suffering if you demand. Because of you I was able to break free, through the screams I found the real me. So, accept me, give me peace; let the screaming finally cease. Blood Red I give to you, please say you love me too!"
Yang turned to Weiss and Ruby with a smile, "Well they rocked!"
"I feel we should find a DJ, it would give us a better selection in music with types to suit everyone's needs." Weiss responded, "And I can say you weren't terrible."
"Weiss is right," Ruby said, "We're organizing a dance, not a rock concert. Although we'd love to have you there, we'd prefer you participate in the dance rather than play music."
Mason lowered his head with Pyron as Rory kicked at the stage, and Xich began to pack up with Lee. Knives leaned back with a smile and helped the guy's pack up, "Hey don't sweat the dance guys, I think we rocked the show, so let's just schedule another concert for another time, The Screaming Ursi aren't out yet."
"I've been meaning to talk about that," Rory said, "I think we need a better name, I was thinking, 'Crimson Android'"
"That makes us sound like a techno band," Xich replied, "How about Sonata of Agony?"
"Um, something that doesn't sound like we're torturing our fans," Pyron said to Xich's weird expression, "Maybe Firebird?"
"Funny with the phoenix motif, but we're not a pop band." Mason said, "I still want Mason of the Damned."
"We're not feeding your ego." Lee replied, "I vote for Blood Stained Tears."
"Hey, that's not bad!" Xich said, "And we can have Knives be the poster boy of that one!"
"Hey, yeah!" Rory said as Knives backed away.
"Why me? Can't we just stick with the name we have now?" He said, his anxiety building.
"Oh come on," Pyron said, "You're the lead singer, plus we need a name that represents our music, which isn't screamo it's more mournful metal."
"Okay fine." Mason said, "We're Blood Stained Tears now, happy?"
"Yeah!" They cried in unison except for Knives who simply snuck away to prepare for the dance tomorrow.
Dancing is like Fighting, you watch your Partner and Give and Take
Knives struggled with his tie as it soon became tangled in his fingers, "Stupid Formal Noose!" He screamed as Mary walked over and undid the tie and redid it for him in perfection.
"You and Edan are both so bothersome." She said as she as she had tied her hair back in a little bat wing hair accessory she'd borrowed from Luna, her glittering purple sequin dress with lilies along the straps. Teena joined her in a bright yellow dress with a red, blue, and yellow rose corsage. Sammy and Edan stood in the back wearing suits, Edan keeping his jacket open however as he didn't like closed jackets. He wore a navy suit with a light blue shirt and an azure tie with a light blue flame patterned on it. Sammy however had a green suit and tie with a pink shirt. He had put away the rabbit for the occasion and was on strict orders to behave himself as Teena kept him close like a dog on a leash.
"Whatever." Knives said as he looked down at the black tie he wore with his red shirt and black pants. He brushed back his hair and tussled it, because Luxus had tried to gel it back and Knives preferred a sophisticated mess. He wore his checkered shoes and looked to the rest of his team. Deverou and Luxus were in their element as Deverou simply had changed to a black shirt and red tie with his white vest that bore the Schnee emblem on the back and his white pants. Luxus wore a stark white suit with exception of the light blue shirt and golden tie he wore with his coat resting on his shoulders as always. Caradin had been forced into a suit, but he wore it the same way as Edan, the black suit with a yellow shirt and grey tie.
"I'm with you, I hate formal gatherings." Caradin said, "Especially when you don't really have anyone to go with."
"The punch bowl can keep you company." Newt mocked as she walked up in her shimmering teal dress, with her team in tow. Carlos wore a simple with shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a black tie with a lightning bolt on it. David wore a full suit with a blue shirt and light blue tie, while Pyron wore a suit with flames patterned into the sleeves and an orange shirt with a red tie.
"Shut up." Caradin said as he fell in line with Carlos and began to talk about what they would do when they arrived. Teena and Mary chatted away about fashion and makeup while Edan and Sammy tailed behind and discussed combat strategies. Luxus and Newt walked off making puppy dog eyes and talking romantically as David and Pyron spoke about the team and how they should prepare for their mission, while Deverou and Knives hung at the back.
"How are you feeling?" Deverou asked.
"No different than usual, a little nervous and tired."
"Well try to have fun here, I know dancing probably isn't your thing."
"You've guessed correctly."
"Again, try to have fun, I'm off to check in on Lady Weiss." He replied as he walked towards her with a big smile on his face.
Knives walked over to the punch bowl, and thought back to the parties he used to have with Volk and remembered that punch was never good, especially since they always spiked it. Instead he drew a metal flask from his back pocket, unscrewed the lid and took a large swig. It was going to be a long night. He looked over to Ruby talking to Ozpin and decided to say hi.
"Hello Professor, Ruby." He said with a grin.
"Alex, you made it!" She said bouncing a bit before slipping and he caught her.
"Why are you wearing those crazy stilts?" He asked straightening her up to Ozpin's smirk.
"That's what I said!" She cried straightening up and finding her balance again.
"How are you finding the night, Alexander?" Ozpin asked.
"I've had crazier parties before, I'm not a fan of the big crowd, but I doubt I'll care in a while." He said reaching to take another swig and stopping himself under Ozpin's strong gaze of disapproval. "I mean, after all I am here with friends so soon it'll just be another social gathering."
"Mmhmm." He said raising an eyebrow, "I'd rather you not adapt any of General Ironwood's habits young man, it'd be better for your health."
He grinned messing with his hair nervously, "I'll keep that in mind."
He walked off and Knives stood alone with Ruby, "I still think it'd have been cooler if we'd preformed."
"Well it is a formal." She replied.
"If we'd preformed you wouldn't have to wear those shoes." He smirked.
"Yeah I know." She said quickly lowering her head.
"But hey, you look beautiful." He finished as he took another swig discreetly.
"Well you look nice, too. I like your hair." She added.
"Thanks."
"It really shows off your eyes, I like it when you aren't hiding them. They're really beautiful." She added with a smile.
He choked on his alcohol and forced himself to swallow it as he coughed and resumed, "You think so?"
"Yeah, you shouldn't be so reserved Alex, we're all friends here, and as the years go on we'll only grow stronger and closer." She added.
"Yeah." He said contently.
"So chin up, and look nice, there are plenty of girls here who seem to be looking at boys for some reason." She added as she pinned a rose to his shirt. "So put on a good show and behave yourself."
He blushed, "Y-yeah." He finished with another drink.
She stumbled off no doubt to handle something else as Knives looked around the room and wondered if it was always going to be this way.
Well, suffice to say that could have gone better for Knives, but he will be moving forward from now on, so let's expect a side chapter soon with more teams at the dance to get an idea of what's going on. But for now please review and enjoy, and if you can art and like the ships we've got in this story, I'd love to see some fanart sometime! Just PM me and I can give you my email.