"Guys! Guys!" The peaceful morning the team was trying to sleep through was rudely disturbed by a loudly excited Axel. "We have to go to town ASAP!"
"What the hell, man?" Sebastian asked as he got up, half groggy and all still not functioning. "It is way too early for this. We just got into a fight yesterday, so I think I can speak for the others when I say we want to sleep a little."
"Yeah I know, I know." Axel nodded, spinning around the room, excitedly gathering up everyone's leisure clothes. "But the clothing store is having a sale for us students because of the dance tomorrow night! I really need this guys! I SUCK at picking out fancy stuff!"
"Really?" Damien asked as he sat up, clearly not in the mood. "That's why you're all out of sorts? You need us to help you pick out some decent dance wear?"
"Hey," Axel retorted. "You guys are going to the dance too. As I see it, you all need to get some good looking clothes."
"Well, then we're ALL screwed," Damien said. "The runaway, the guy who wears his uniform wherever he goes, and the homeless teenager." He pointed to the people who respectively fit those descriptions. "If anything, we should be coming to you!" Damien shot back.
"Can't you give us…," Cyrus began as he glanced at the clock. "Thirty more minutes?"
"Ugh. fine. You guys get an extra thirty minutes. Then we get moving."
"And just skip breakfast?" Sebastian muttered, already sliding under his bed covers. "I don't think so."
"Alright. Thirty minutes, then breakfast, then we leave!"
After thirty minutes and breakfast, the team was back in their room getting ready to leave.
"So what's so important about all of this again? A sale or something?" Cyrus said as he tripped up while putting his shoes on.
"A sale for the good quality stuff Cyrus! I have to get something that screams fancy and 'charming'."
"I think what he means to say Cyrus," Sebastian began, "is that he needs to impress Gemma."
"Wha-?" Axel's face turned red from embarrassment. "Says the guy who's leisure clothes consist of a short sleeve shirt with a flannel and khakis. The only kind of pants you wear are khakis. If I were to say anything, I'd think you're trying to show off!"
"Probably for the ladies," Damien snuck in.
"Huh?" Sebastian was lost. "Why would I do that? I wear what I wear because it's comfortable."
"If I'm not mistaken," Axel continued, "you got a lot of notes from girls after you decked Russel, didn't you?"
"Whatever, man," Sebastian replied, ignoring Damien's comment, returning his attention to Axel. "That's funny, considering you're trying to look good for Gemma." Sebastian gave Axel a smirk and a laugh.
"Why you!" Axel tackled Sebastian to the ground.
"If you two are done discussing lady issues, then I suggest we get going." Cyurs was already halfway out the door when he said this. "Cause me and Damien can leave without you guys." He was ignored for a few seconds, the two boys standing up glanced at each other before Damien gestured his head to just keep going.
"They'll figure it out eventually. Plus, he needs these!" Damien said, pulling out some coupons for the store.
"Nice. Where did you get those?" Cyrus asked.
Damien, before giving his response, started grinning like an idiot. "I didn't. He did." he said, pointing at Axel.
"Wait!" shouted the unsuspecting pickpocket victim as he was pushing Sebastian off of him. "Wait, wait, wait! I need my discounts!"
The team departed for the store Axel had mentioned, and it was a fancy store indeed. A huge banner on one of the front windows read "Huge sale on suits and dresses! 50% off! A deal you don't want to miss out on!"
"See? It's like I said guys," Axel said while pointing at the sign and looking at his friends. "This is an important sale we can't miss out on!"
"So, how about we go in then?" Damien asked, already walking into the store.
They were welcomed by the lady at the cash register.
"Good afternoon, everyone. I assume you all are students of Beacon Academy?"
"Yeah. How'd you know?" Damien asked.
"I've had quite the number of students come in yesterday and even today. They all said they needed some "fancy" clothes for an upcoming dance. So I started a sale just for the students."
"Makes sense to me."
"Well then, feel free to look around and ask if you need anything."
"Will do."
The team got around to looking through the store, combing through different articles of clothing. Damien was the first to pick out what he wanted: a simple black suit and tie with a plain red button up shirt.
Cyrus took a little longer because he couldn't figure out what color of blue he was looking for. There were just too many, after all. However, he eventually settled on a silver sport coat over a greenish-blue button down shirt, with a shiny black tie. He completed the ensemble with a pair of tailored black dress pants.
Sebastian was busy looking at pants, as he had already picked out the suit and tie he wanted. He concentrated hard on the pants, staring them down intensely.
"Do you need help sir?" The girl store owner walked up to him.
"I uhhhh," Sebastian fumbled, "can't pick out a pair of pants. It should be easy, you know? But the problem is I only wear khakis, so my expertise on pants is limited."
"I see," she replied, giving him a distressed look. "Well, the best thing to do is to pick out something that matches and or compliments your other attire. Your suit is white with a black coat, and your tie is a dark shade of teal. So I'll recommend black pants. Of course you'd like these," she said, pointing at a pair of black relaxed-fit slacks. "They are very comfortable and the pockets are of decent size. It should feel similar to your khakis."
Sebastian's eyes lit up like wildfire. "I'll take them."
Only Axel was left. It felt like hours for the others, who sat and moped around, but in reality it was only short 45 minutes for Axel to wander between two different sets he had picked out. He was pacing quite fast, mumbling to himself about which one Gemma would like more.
"Would you like some advice sir?" The store owner cautiously approached Axel.
"No." He was straight in his response. "I need to pick it out. I have to make sure everything is perfect."
"This girl must be important to you, yes?"
"Yeah, she is. I gotta ensure that everything goes smoothly." Axel took a few more minutes and then finally decided. "It's this one!" His teammates looked excited that they could finally go. "Wait, maybe not." The others all shared the same pained expression. They were mentally screaming. This continued on for another twenty minutes, then finally for the last time, he picked out the outfit he wanted: a black vest, pants, and shoes with a royal blue button-down shirt and a black tie.
"That's perfect. Thank you." Axel said to the clerk as he paid and turned to his friends.
"HOLY SHIT. FINALLY," the rest of the team said collectively.
They all thanked the clerk and walked out with their prized possessions. It didn't take long before they all saw Team MGAT rushing over to the same store. Oddly enough, not one of them noticed Team CSRD at all as they sprinted past.
"I wonder if they're in the same boat?" Cyrus sarcastically laughed at their plight.
"Well, that does give me plenty of time," Axel tapped his fingers together.
"You're going to formally ask her then, aren't you, Axel?" Sebastian took a look at him. "If so, then you're going to need a lot more than some nice clothes. Maybe make a sign and definitely have a flower bouquet on you."
Axel tilted his head in confusion.
"I thought Cyrus was the girl expert."
"Eh." Sebastian shrugged. "It's common sense, really."
"Ya know," Damien said looking at Sebastian, "For someone so dense, you seem to know random stuff."
Sebastian decided to ignore the comment and the group pressed on. The next stop was a simple arts and crafts store, where Axel picked up the basics to make a decent sign. As they walked out and headed towards the flower shop, the group noticed once again that MGAT was going into the arts and crafts store. They all eyed each other eerily.
"You think they're following us by any chance?" Damien asked the group, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Noooo," Cyrus said sarcastically. "I could never have guessed."
"Imagine Gemma doing exactly what Axel is going to do. That would make for a hilarious situation wouldn't it, Axel?" Sebastian put his arm over Axel's shoulder.
"Not helping, man." Axel brushed Sebastian's arm off and they continued forward.
What was more interesting however, was the fact that each shop had sales going on. Upon walking into the flower shop, Cyrus, Damien, and Sebastian all feared the same thing. That Axel would take an eternity in choosing the flowers. Needless to say, they were right. It went from rock, paper, scissors to I spy, then a stare down. This could not keep the three entertained forever. They soon caught boredom and resorted to looking out the window. Then they spotted them. It was Team MGAT across the road, staring directly at the inside of the store. Obviously it became clear to MGAT that they had been had, although they made no attempt to come out from their hiding spot. The three decided to play it off for Axel's sake. Still, it would take Axel just another twenty minutes of pain staking choices, before finally reaching a conclusion.
"All done, lover boy?" Cyrus asked Axel with an ass look.
"Yeah, yeah. Can we just get back to Beacon now? I need to set all this up. By the way, can I ask you three to give me some alone time to work on this?" Axel begged them. "I really need privacy. "While you're at it, try and keep those mischievous MGAT's occupied."
"Sure. we can do that," Cyrus promised.
"No guarantee on the second part, though," Sebastian added.
It was all coming together. He got the flowers, he had the clothes, he had a plan… All he had to do was execute the plan. Yes, the plan. But what was the plan exactly? Axel couldn't remember. He didn't even remember if he actually had a plan to begin with. He froze for a moment. He honestly didn't think he would get this far. The whole situation seemed surreal. Before he came to Beacon, he and Gemma had been friends. Ever since their childhood, they'd been just that. Now, he was about to try to go to the dance with her? Why? Because his friends told him to?
All these questions forming in Axel's brain paused. He paced the room, thinking about what he was doing, and what he was about to do. Was it worth it? Why was he doing it, really? He thought back on his time here at Beacon: Meeting his team, going through initiation, meeting Gemma again, fighting Noir and Sierra…
That night on the roof.
He gasped. That was it. The moment that something changed. Well, there were others: the field trip, the arena fight... but they all culminated in that one moment, that one conversation. He couldn't have talked to anyone else about his father and his shop the way he had with Gemma. She just got him. He plopped down on his bed and hung his head. She did get him, more than anyone else on the planet. His cocky, goofy facade, she could see right through it. She could always tell when something was bothering him, even through the most convincing smile. And he could tell her. And she could tell him her problems, too. They just had that chemistry.
He picked his head up and smiled a little. He pictured her there on the roof with him. He'd never noticed how grown up she'd become. He chuckled to himself, thinking about how the definition of "grown up" could be interpreted a little differently in this case. But it was true. She was a huntress in training. She could handle herself. She even acted older, almost serious in serious situations.
"Yep," Axel said aloud to himself, "Let's do this." He got up and opened the door.
"Figured I'd find you up here," Gemma said as she opened the door to the roof. Axel was leaning against the railing again, staring into the distance just as he had a few nights before. "Still in your head, huh?"
Axel jumped a little as if he didn't expect her to be there. He gave a nervous laugh and a nod, looking down at his feet.
"Hehe. Yeah. I guess you could say that." he replied with a soft smile. Gemma smiled back and gave a reassuring nod.
"What's on your mind this time?"
"Oh, just… Stuff."
"Stuff, huh?"
"Yeah. just… stuff."
Gemma walked over and joined him at the railing.
"You know, you can't keep beating yourself up over coming here. I'm sure your father is as proud as ever." her smile grew a little. The corners of Axel's mouth twitched a bit, his eyes still on his feet. He began shifting nervously. "If it's any consolation, I'm happy you're here." she added, putting her hand over his on the railing.
Axel flinched a little, straightening up. He honestly did not expect that. He turned his gaze over to Gemma.
"Thanks. That means a lot." He said with a nod. Gemma gave a nervous laugh.
"Besides, you should be excited."
"Oh?" Axel replied with a dorky "playing dumb" kind of face. "What for?" Gemma gave him a playful shove.
"The dance, silly!" she said.
"Really?" he asked. "You know that I dance like a crippled grandpa that just lost his walker." Axel laughed.
"That you do." she replied with a laugh.
Axel's jaw dropped.
"Gemma!"
"What?"
"You weren't supposed to AGREE with me!"
"Well it's TRUE. What was I supposed to do? Lie?"
"Yes!" They both laughed, and Axel shook his head in comedic disbelief. "But, my actual dancing ability aside, I don't really do dances."
"Yeah, but…" Gemma paused, looking down at her feet. "I mean, don't you have a date?" she asked, looking up at him quizzically. Axel raised an eyebrow, genuinely wondering if she was serious or not.
"Me? No."
"Really…" Gemma began, feigning curiosity while giving a slight fist pump with her other hand, too subtle to notice. "That's funny."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I just kinda figured that lightning bolt shaved in your hair would be a real girl magnet." She said with a chuckle.
Axel gave a sarcastic laugh.
"Very funny." he replied, shaking his head.
There was a brief pause, until Gemma noticed Axel hadn't pulled his hand away yet. She cleared her throat nervously.
"You know," she spoke up, shifting her weight awkwardly, "I don't have a date either."
Axel began to say "I know," but bit his tongue.
"Oh really?" he replied instead. "That sucks."
Gemma pulled away, her mouth opened in surprise.
"Wow…"
"What?"
"That's how you respond to that? 'That sucks?'"
"Doesn't it?"
She hit him in the chest, disgusted.
"I was going to-" she paused, thinking it over for a moment, then shook it off. "I was going to ask you, you idiot." she stammered, beginning to tear up. She puffed out her lip into a pout. "I've been waiting for you to ask me for weeks now. I figured I would give you some time to come to your senses after all the stuff with Sebastian, then Team CRDL, and everything else. But you never did."
"Yet." Axel said. Gemma, still pouting, sniffled and looked up at him, confused. He walked over and took her in his arms. Her eyes widened and she went stiff as a board. She hadn't known what to expect, but whatever it was, this was certainly not it. But still, it wasn't horrible. He was looking at her with an expression she'd never seen from him before. It was his signature crooked smile, but there was something different in his eyes. He nodded and clarified: "I haven't asked you 'yet.'"
"Wha-" she asked, sniffling and wiping away the tears. "What do you mean?"
"You never gave me a chance to finish." he replied softly. "Look." he turned her around and pointed in the sky. A lightning bolt shot from his fingertip and hit a hanging wire, and illuminated a hidden sign that read: "You know I can't dance, Gemma. But, for you I'll try."
She turned around and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Wait. Are you serious?" she asked, shaking him excitedly. He nodded with a smirk.
"If you'll have me."
She shrieked in excitement and hugged him so tight his face turned as blue as his eyes.
"YES YES YES YES!" she screamed. Axel tapped her on the shoulder.
"Can't… Breathe… Crushing… Internal organs…"
"Oh, right." she giggled giddily. "Wouldn't want my DATE to die the night before the dance." She joked, letting him go. He took a moment to catch his breath.
"Oh and these are for you." he said, grabbing the bouquet of flowers he'd bought earlier from seemingly nowhere. She shrieked again and grabbed the flowers, jumping up and down in happiness. Axel smiled and laughed, then paused, tilting his head slightly. "You wanna grab something to eat?" he asked, "I've been too nervous to eat, getting this whole thing ready."
"Sure!" she replied, "I've been nervous too, cutting meals so I can fit into my dress. I'm pretty sure I can eat more than you, right now."
"Care to test that theory?" Axel asked with a laugh. "I know a buffet place not far from campus."
"You're on."
Team CSRD sat in their room, filled to the brim with excitement for the next day's dance.
"I know the dance is happening tomorrow evening," Cyrus said. "However, I feel we should have a little celebration for Axel here, who got himself a date!" Sebastian and Damien began to clap for their fellow comrade.
"It's nothing special guys, really. Besides, if we all had dates, I'm sure that would be more worthwhile to celebrate."
"I'm just going to hang with Trucy," Cyrus said. "I never really had an intention for it to be a date or anything. With Sebastian and Damien, I don't have a clue."
"Actually," Damien interjected. "Against all known laws of probability, someone came to me."
"Wait, WHAT?" Was the general reaction met by the group.
"Yeah. Violet Ravenswood from History class from Team MAVR." Damien replied.
"Who?" Cyrus inquired.
"To be honest, that was my reaction at first. She's been really timid about approaching me, but I guess she decided to make her move the other day. We first spoke as I was prepping for the fight with Team CDRL. Then she asked me out after the fight."
"That's where you went?" asked Axel.
Damien nodded.
"I'm surprised Sebatian hasn't asked anyone yet," Axel mentioned.
"Who would I ask, Axel?" Sebastian tilted his head in confusion.
"Oh come on. You know."
"No, I really don't.
"Well guys," Axel said to Cyrus and Damien. "He's a lost cause."
"I'm only really going so I can relax. I need some time to unwind from all of this."
"He's got a fair point," Damien said.
"So, do we celebrate or nah?" Cyrus asked, already rummaging through his collection of party games.
"Screw it, why not?" Axel said.
The four proceeded to have a fun filled night; board games, card games, and other activities that shouldn't normally get people mad, but they do anyway. They partied hardily until almost early morning. It was at that point that they all decided that sleep was necessary, so they all climbed into bed, tired as can be, and drifted off to sleep.
Sebastian was the first to wake up, the sun starting to peak over the horizon. Even when we party like crazy, my body still refuses to sleep huh? I might as well check the time to see what I'm looking at here. Sebastian rolled over to check the clock. Four in the morning is it? Damn. Though I might see if Axel is awake so I can chat away some time before my body shuts itself down to actually get sleep. Sebastian looked over to check on Axel. To his bewilderment, Axel wasn't in his bed. What the? Where could he have gone? Sebastian scanned around to check on the other two. They weren't in the room either. This is weird. Too weird. Sebastian felt how unnaturally cold the room was. He put on his other clothes and his shoes and got up, looking around the entire room. Nobody was in there except him. He walked out of the room, only to be met by dark empty halls, the floors filled with mist. It was cold everywhere, not just in the room. Might as well knock on these guys' door. He approached MGAT's room and knocked quietly.
"You guys in there?" He silently spoke and knocked again. "Hello?" He felt the doorknob and it rotated slightly, giving way that the door was in fact not locked. "The hell?" Sebastian opened the door, his mouth opening wide in complete shock. There was nothing in the room. Nobody was inside, not a single piece of furniture, or anything. "This is getting weirder by the second." He stepped in for a moment. Eerie silence filled the room. He walked out and decided to investigate the rest of the school grounds. It was the same thing over and over. Empty halls and rooms, filled with a cold damp mist and not a peep from anything. Walking outside yielded more nothingness.
What are you looking for? There's no one here to help you.
A voice from beyond the mist alerted Sebastian.
"Who's there?!"
It's just you. No one else.
"Don't play games with me! Come out and face me!" He yelled, only for the voice to laugh at him.
You're all alone, like you've always been since that day. The walls are closing in on you Sebastian. You have nowhere else to run.
"Run? The hell are you talking about?"
A figure began to emerge from the depths of the fog. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." As the fog cleared around the person, their voice shifted and their figure became clear. It was Sebastian from two years ago.
"What the hell?" Sebastian reeled back with shock. "What's the meaning of this?"
"You know the meaning of this place. You stuck yourself in a cage, frightened like the animal you are. Too cowardly to face the truth."
"Well you can take your truth and shove it, whoever you are!" Sebastian yelled at the other version of himself, both out of anger and confusion.
"You can't deny it. You are exactly what everyone says you are. An animal, a beast. If you can't take that from me, take it from them."
Pairs of shadowy figures emerged from beneath the ground, the fog swirling around them. Their faces resembled those whose lives he took, their moans of pain howling in the night. Slowly Sebastian backed up, the shadows growing restless, beginning to surround him.
"You are the very thing they think you are. A monster."
"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Sebastian was shaking as he moved backwards, coming into contact with the shadows.
They began chanting one after another.
Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster.
"Stop it!" Sebastian shoved them away, fear engulfing him, a cold sweat over his face. "Stop saying that word!"
The shadows got closer, their chanting growing louder. They grabbed a hold of him, Sebastian trying to get them off of himself, but to no avail. He was being dragged down into the very earth itself by the shadows, only being stopped when half his body was in the ground, the fog beginning to surround him.
"Now tell me," the younger Sebastian said as it came right to the real Sebastian. A sword soaked in dry blood emerged in his hand, the same cold dead face Sebastian wore when he fought Sierra being plastered on their face. "Do you honestly believe you can change yourself?" All Sebastian could do was sit there in fear, unable to answer, his eyes rolling about madly. "Because there is no way you can." The fake put his sword around Sebastian's neck.
Sebastian woke up, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, almost choking on the air he was breathing. He clenched his chest hard, trying to calm himself down. He looked to see if the others were in the room. They were. Not one of them were awakened from Sebastian's loud movements. He checked the time again, the clock reading 7:00 A.M. Sebastian put on his morning clothes, consisting of sweats and a flimsy t-shirt. He got outside, breathing in the warm morning air. The sun was pelting down on the school grounds and there were few people outside, giving Sebastian the perfect chance for an uninterrupted morning run. He stretched out first and then headed on the usual path around the school. On most occasions Sebastian could complete the run without much interference but today was different. Thoughts kept flying into his head, disrupting his train of thought as he ran. Images from the nightmare flowed endlessly in his mind. Sebastian slowed down, his breathing becoming ragged. More flashes peered into his head, this time rapidly, including that town and that man. He tripped up, falling to his knees, tightly gripping at the area of his shirt where his heart was.
"Sebastian, are you okay over there?" The voice that called to him belonged to Gemma. She rushed over to him and bent down to meet him. "Hey Sebastian? Can you hear me?" Gemma snapped her fingers in front of his face.
"Huh!?" Sebastian's eyes flashed back to reality. "Gemma? Is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me. Here let me help you up." She grabbed Sebastian's arm, pulling him up as he still held on tight to his chest.
"Thanks." The pain slowly went away and Sebastian regained his breathing. "What are you doing out this early?"
"It is a wonderful morning. Plus, I'm having trouble sleeping. I have a lot to think about with the dance tonight. What about you?"
"I was trying to go for a jog. You really have a lot in mind, don't you?" He smirked. "Anything to do with Axel, I assume?"
Gemma smiled. "Of course. I just want tonight to go well, and I'm sure he does too." Her smile subsided as she focused on the half-faunus. "What about you Sebastian?" Are you going to be fine for tonight? You look a little rough.
"I'll make it, don't worry," he replied. "I just want to take the time to relax and clear my head. the best time to do it."
"I'm sure it is. You have a ton on your plate after all, much more than the rest of us. So I say go for it. But try to live a little tonight. You never know how that might feel."
"I'll keep that in mind, Gemma." Sebastian's stomach began to growl. Gemma chuckled and his face turned red in embarrassment.
"You seem to be worn out. Want to get breakfast?"
Sebastian took a look at himself. He looked awful. He was covered in sweat and his skin and hair were covered in grease. "Oh. Uh, I should probably get cleaned up first. If the rest of the guys are awake, I can bring em' over."
"Sounds good!"
They headed off in different directions, both teams winding up in the cafeteria as usual. They talked about what they were going to do for the dance and what time they should all meet up, besides Gemma and Axel as they would meet up earlier. Nobody could wait any longer for the dance to come.
Somewhere else, a plot was beginning to take form.
"How long till the asset arrives Noir? I'm starting to get impatient."
"Not too much longer Sierra. There were a few complications due to his high position and he was only able to fly out today."
"Good. I wonder why a high ranking Atlas military officer would help us?"
"Easy. We know where his son is. He gets him, we get our advanced weapons, and everyone is happy.
"Heh, they'll never know what hit them."