Our new septic tank is finally settling, and the house no longer smells like human waste. Thank god for that.
Cover Art: Mystery White Flame
Chapter 30
It was one thing to look the part but another entirely to feel it. Jaune knew he looked good in his dress uniform, and he knew he looked like the most confidant man in the world dancing with Ciel, her shimmering dress brushing against his trousers, but the reality of it was that he really didn't know what he was doing. He'd never been at a real formal dance before, the silly discos his old school had run not counting, and Beacon's ball was more than a little formal.
But he soon realised he was in good company.
None of the first years really knew what they were doing. Beacon catered for people from seventeen to twenty-one, with a few outliers like Ruby and maybe one or two older students. He wasn't sure. Either way, while the older students might have swanned about laughing and chatting, a lot of the newcomers, seventeen – or fifteen in Ruby's case – had very little formal event experience to fall back on. They were the kinds of people who went clubbing, and this was the kind of event where punch was served in champagne flutes. It was a very different vibe. A lot of people were dancing because it made them feel less awkward than standing on the edges nursing drinks and shuffling their feet. Jaune counted himself among their number.
He wasn't sure if Ciel did or didn't. The short girl was very good at not giving anything away, and at spotting his discomfort. "What's wrong?" she asked. There was no suggestion that she thought he had an issue with her, which he was grateful for. Ciel was perceptive enough to pierce through all that drama. "You look lost."
"I feel a little lost to be honest. What are we meat to do at an event like this? Other than dance, I mean."
Ciel's smile was patient. "We're not supposed to do anything. We can do what we like."
"I guess it's the formality that's getting to me."
"That or the awkward atmosphere," said Ciel, glancing around. She might have had a point. He hadn't felt quite so self-conscious arriving but seeing everyone else standing around staring at one another had him on edge. Ciel looked much more comfortable with it all, which made him wonder.
"This isn't your first formal event like this, is it?"
"No." Her eyes closed as she reminisced. "My old training academy did something similar. Stiflingly formal, overly pretentious, and far worse than this. We were sixteen I recall; we couldn't even drink. If you think this is bad, you've seen nothing."
"Was it for graduation?"
"Something like that. Mixed with a job prospects sort of deal. There were some powerful people there that made it even worse. There's nothing like objectives to muddy the waters even more. This isn't so bad by comparison. I'm sure they'll all come to realise that after an hour and loosen up, and then dancing won't feel like you're being watched by a hundred pairs of eyes at once."
Jaune laughed. "It's not just me who felt that, then?"
"No. We're being watched."
Ciel said it dramatically, like they were under threat, but she rolled her eyes at the audience to dismiss it. Even if they were in danger, there would have been no way to tell given that two thirds the attendees were watching people dance. It wasn't him and Ciel getting all the attention, but they still got a fair share. Mostly, it was single guys and girls staring glumly at the dancing couples, or very awkward dates not looking at one another and fixing their eyes elsewhere. No less embarrassing, but a little less pointed. He glanced up and spotted an array of people on the second-floor balcony leaning on the railings and watching the dancers.
He supposed it was because there wasn't much else to watch. The band were playing, but they weren't famous and they were relatively still. No stage presence or movement since they were there to provide ambiance instead of entertainment. If you came single and didn't have someone to talk to then there wasn't much to do other than drink punch and watch other people dance. Or, well, they could go talk with all the other single people but that was easier said than done.
"A lien for your thought," said Ciel.
"Just thinking how fortunate I am to be here with you tonight."
"Flatterer!" Ciel slapped his arm, though she did smile brightly. "Where is all this coming from? You're not normally so suave in Atlas."
"To be fair, our interactions in Atlas involve the two of us throwing up or gasping for breath after our morning jogs."
This time, she laughed. "True! I'd forgotten about that. I kind of miss it. The irreverent singing, the silly chants, and the overall sense that we're rebelling against the officers. I always thought Atlas would be so strict there would be no fun at all, but it isn't like that."
"Well, I don't think their officers are going to be unhappy with them putting in extra training. They probably think it's worth being the butt of insults if it means their troops are working out more. Same goes for us, I guess. It's a shame there isn't such a club in Beacon but I guess they can take to the forest when they want to work off steam."
"Maybe we should do that," said Ciel.
He glanced her way. "Now?"
Ciel chuckled. "Not now. Not unless you want me to break an ankle in these heels."
"I've seen some of the huntresses here fight in heels."
"They're not human," Ciel said, flatly. "I'm convinced Weiss Schnee is an alien with backwards knees and six ankle joints. There is simply no other explanation for how she jumps and flies around like that without breaking her legs."
They'd migrated from the dance floor to a quiet alcove as they chatted, unconsciously joining the throngs of awkward onlookers and even gaining a few unwelcome looks for it. It wasn't even because they were particularly lovey-dovey. He'd seen some couples already slip off together or be shooed away by the teachers for getting frisky in the corners, and the outside area had fast become a lover's retreat for those who just wanted to hold hands, stargaze or find a tree to make out behind. Maybe that was the main reason; maybe it was because inside the hall was meant to be a paradise for the awkward and uncertain, and he and Ciel, by virtue of a little laughter, had been branded as a highly successful couple. Or, if nothing else, an outsider to the awkward couples.
And there were plenty of those. He spied Weiss Schnee looking down in the dumps as her teammate, Yang, did her best to cheer her up. There was a simmering anger to the blonde that wasn't so unusual in her, but she'd seemed cheerful and even a little flirty earlier, so he wasn't sure what had happened to upset her. It might have had something to do with Weiss' misery. Come to think of it, he was sure she'd come with a date of her own. The guy must have done something wrong. Pushed his luck, maybe.
Flynt had a new woman on his arm that he was talking to. Far from making him look like a player, it made Jaune think that he'd bombed out with the first ones. He couldn't see Neon or Penny, but that didn't mean anything. They might have been dancing together or just chatting quietly somewhere. He had a feeling they'd be more comfortable here than a lot of the people with dates. Friendship was easier than romance.
"You're distracted again," said Ciel. "And not with your date. How very rude."
He could tell she was teasing. "Just checking up on my team and making sure they're not embarrassing themselves. I haven't seen Penny or Neon yet."
"I saw them earlier," said Ciel. "They were talking by the buffet tables." Her voice lowered. "I hope Penny wasn't trying to pretend to eat food again. It was embarrassing the first time she put an entire ice-cream cone into her mouth and ate it in one go."
He choked. "That happened?"
"On my first meeting with her, yes." Ciel sighed. "I'd been briefed on her condition but didn't know what to expect, and they wanted to hold a meeting to see if we got along. And to allay any concerns I might have had, I suppose. Penny was… not very good at being a human back then. You wouldn't think it now with how much she's improved, but she was painfully obvious at the time."
"Her manner of speech is still a little odd at times. It's gotten better but she still sometimes calls me friend Jaune."
"Believe me, that's an improvement. When she first met me she said: How do you do, fellow human child? I am Penny Polendina, and I am a fully functioning human girl." Ciel tried to mimic Penny's overly exuberant voice. "I think that calmed me down. I was a little worried at first, what with the whole robot human thing, but hearing her be so genuinely clumsy at it pretty much convinced me we didn't have to worry about AI overthrowing us."
Jaune laughed. "Ha. Makes sense. I guess I'm the idiot who didn't catch on. I was convinced she had a robotic prosthetic."
"It's honestly not the worst assumption to make," said Ciel, with a shrug. "The headmaster has one after all, as do a lot of people in Atlas. Most people would say it's more unreasonable to assume she's a robot."
It was nice to know he wasn't a complete idiot, then. There were times Jaune knew he could be a bit oblivious, but he genuinely didn't think his thought process had been too stupid to assume Penny had a prosthetic. Another waiter came up and they replaced their empty glasses with new ones, toasted, and drank. The punch was only slightly alcoholic. Very weak, in fact. He was kind of glad for that since he didn't want to make a fool of himself tonight.
"I see Miss Winter's sister isn't having a good evening," said Ciel. Jaune followed her gaze.
"Hm. I saw her earlier."
"Is that what you were looking at?" Ciel chuckled. "I should be offended. It looks like her date has stood her up." Ciel took a sip of punch. "Brave of them. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes when Winter gets a hold of them."
"Do you think she would do something?"
"Not in public, no. But in private? I wouldn't be surprised if she cornered the individual and gave them a piece of her mind." Ciel glanced around, but Winter was nowhere to be seen. "If she notices, that is. I wonder where she is. I don't see General Ironwood either."
Jaune wriggled his eyebrows. "You think-?"
Ciel punched his arm. "He's almost twice her age!"
"Love knows no bounds-" He was cut off by a finger on his lips. Ciel was smiling, eyes twinkling, but she shushed him all the same.
"Love may not, and Winter's punishment won't either if she hears us spreading rumours about her." The finger came away. "You should go ask her sister for a dance."
Jaune blinked. "Should I?"
"The poor girl looks embarrassed, and it will restore a little confidence even if she says no."
He didn't doubt that. "I more meant leaving you."
"I'll survive if it's only for one dance. I wanted to have a chat with Penny anyway." Ciel gave him a gentle push. "Come find me after. Remember, you're my date. I'm simply loaning you out to cheer Winter's sister up."
"Am I helping Weiss or buying us favour with Winter?" he joked.
"No comment. Now go play knight in shining armour."
/-/
Weiss both appreciated and despaired of Yang's attempts to cheer her up. It was hard not to genuinely love her teammate for caring so much that she would sacrifice her whole evening to keep her company. It was such a touching and loyal experience that it elevated Yang in her mind far beyond what any first impressions would have led to. On the other hand, it was a constant emotional thorn in her side.
Having Yang there helped, but it also reminded her of how she'd been stood up by Neptune. If Yang wasn't here, she could have slunk off to a corner to feel miserable for herself – which Weiss freely admitted was not a productive way of dealing with things, but it was what she wanted. Yang wouldn't allow it and kept trying to distract her with stories and babble about the most random things. There were times Weiss wanted to snap at her to shut up, but she knew it was a sentiment born of pain. A desire to hurt Yang because she, herself, was hurting.
Weiss had experienced that too much in the past from her mother. Willow often lashed out at her children as if they were to blame for her loveless marriage and the loss of control she felt around her own life. There was simply no way she would allow herself to do the same to Yang here, so Weiss weathered the storm of negative feelings and reminded herself that, come the morrow, none of this would matter. Neptune would be nothing more than a memory, and truly it was he who had lost out. Better she find out he was a terrible person now rather than in the future when she might have been more emotionally involved.
That truth didn't make it hurt any less.
A masculine voice interrupted Yang's latest topic. For a second she thought it might be Neptune, and Weiss hated the way her heart leapt. If he did come back then she should kick him to the curb, not be excited. It didn't matter anyway because a quick glance revealed it as Jaune Arc instead, the Atlesian student who had bested their team. He looked handsome in his uniform, she noted. It might have annoyed her usually, but now it just made her sigh. At least one woman tonight had a date who would show up for her.
The man cleared his throat. "Would you care for a dance?"
"I'm a little busy right now," said Yang.
"Ah." He laughed, awkwardly. "Not that I don't love the confidence but… uh… I was asking Weiss."
Despite herself – and there were many reasons to not – Weiss snorted. It was the look on Yang's face that did it. Not shock or disbelief, as Yang was never that arrogant, but the sheer cringe she let off at making that mistake. Yang looked like she wanted to bury her face in a pillow and scream.
"So," he said, offering a hand to Weiss. "Would you?"
It was pity. Weiss knew. She'd worked the front desks and seen him come in with his girlfriend, so she knew he wasn't here tonight tyring to pick her up. Not that she was in the mood to be picked up after what Neptune had done. Weiss had half a mind to say no, but Yang made the decision for her, too embarrassed to speak, and pushed Weiss into Jaune's arms. "She says yes."
"I didn't-" Weiss sighed. Maybe it would be fine. A distraction if nothing else. "Yes. I'd love to dance."
He held her hand gently and guided her out onto the dancefloor. His suit matched her own, which was less a stroke of luck and more her family colours matching those of Atlas. He looked good in his dress uniform, she would admit, and her treacherous mind imagined Neptune's face over his. To her relief, she was able to shake it away. Neptune had his chance and threw it away. She was better off without him.
"Your girlfriend won't be angry, will she?"
"Girlfriend!?" His cheeks flushed pink. It was more cute than handsome. "C-Ciel and I are just here tonight on a date. That doesn't… or does it?" He swallowed. "I… uh. Ciel said I should do this, so I think it's fine."
Weiss placed her free hand on his chest and fought down a tiny smile. His embarrassment made her feel at least a little more in control. It was also just plain funny. "Then I'm sure it'll be fine. Though I'm not sure what I've done to earn her sympathy. Or yours. I was abrasive to you in our team spar, and you hardly welcomed me to your leadership sessions with Ruby."
"You're Winter's sister," he said, as if that explained everything. "Miss Winter is one of our favourite teachers. I think that means you're sort of adopted by all of us Atlas students whether you like it or not."
Weiss' eyes dipped. "I'm glad to hear Winter is so regarded."
The music began and they moved slowly. It wasn't really dancing, at least not by the standards of dance she'd been taught by professional tutors. It lacked soul and elegance, and their movements were small and soft. It couldn't be helped, though. There were a lot of people together on the dancefloor and not enough space to properly dance, and it would have been like showing everyone up had she tried. This was meant to be a quiet evening for couples to gaze into one another's eyes. Weiss kept her eyes on his chest.
"If it's not too rude to ask-" he began. Weiss cut him off.
"Neptune invited me to the dance weeks ago. I was looking forward to it. He told me he'd come find me once I'd finished at the front desks so we could dance, and he never did." Weiss did not cry. Would not cry. Not for Neptune. Her fingers did curl into Jaune's uniform a little. "I thought it just him losing track of the time at first, but I saw him. He was outside. And he avoided me when I caught sight of him. He won't answer his scroll either."
It wasn't hard to piece things together after that.
"Fuck him!" Yang had snarled.
"That's his loss," said Jaune. "And I think he's lost a lot more than a chance with you. I'd be surprised if his team respects him much after this, and a whole lot of people will have seen what happened tonight."
Weiss groaned. "Don't remind me."
"They'll feel sorry for you, but they'll think he's a piece of crap."
Probably. "It still stings."
"Did you love him?"
Weiss laughed. "Love? No. That would be too soon and I… well, I suppose I was flustered by him. He acted like such a gentleman, and he made his intentions clear so early. I hardly expected it to result in a lifelong relationship and marriage, but I thought he might sweep me off my feet a little. As first relationships go, it felt like a promising one. He wasn't a letch, didn't care for my family name, and he was handsome and funny."
"And unreliable."
"I hardly knew that at the time." Weiss huffed. "And Blake is here with his partner, too. I've been trying to avoid her."
"So you don't ruin her night or put him on the spot?" Jaune guessed why immediately. "That's big of you."
Weiss felt pleased by the compliment even if she didn't need to hear it. "Just because Neptune is an awful man doesn't mean Sun is. He showed up, for one, and he's not once left Blake's side. Though his suit could use work." If one could even call it a suit. It was hard to be too judgmental however, because Neptune had shown her a fancy suit didn't mean much if the one inside it was lacking. "I also don't want Sun to feel like he should go and deal with his partner. I'm sure he would, and that would ruin everyone's night."
Jaune Arc gently swayed her away from a couple who danced too close, lost in their own world. Lucky them. "It sounds like you're on the right track, Weiss. I mean, as bad as it sounds, this is just one night."
"I know. I'm not heartbroken; I'm just in a terrible mood and trying not to let it splash on the others." Her smile was a little more honest, and she met his eyes at last. "You needn't worry about me, though I appreciate the dance. At least I got one tonight."
He held her a little tighter. Like an older brother might have. "Do you want to hang with Ciel and I for the rest of the night?"
Weiss smiled. "No. I'll be fine. But thank you for asking. I should go back and keep Yang company before she drowns herself in the punch bowl out of sheer embarrassment. You managed to trip her up back there."
"Ah." He rubbed the back of his head. "I'd say she tripped herself up really."
"Yes. But only because three quarters of her attention was on trying to cheer me up. Believe me, she isn't normally that distracted." Weiss hesitated, wondering if she should offer him something. A kiss, even if on the cheek, might be too much and send a bad message. Instead, she touched her lips to her fingers and then those to his cheek. Even that made her blush a little, but she was sure his girlfriend wouldn't begrudge him it. "Thank you for this. Part of me hopes Neptune saw it and realises what he's lost out on."
"I'm sure he knows. If you want another dance don't hesitate to come find me. Or, you know…" He looked around. "I'm sure there are a lot of people here who would sell their arm for a chance to dance with you. You're…" He fumbled. "You know."
Attractive. Beautiful. Desirable.
Weiss wasn't sure which he might have said but she knew he meant it. Her cheeks dusted a little, and she idly wondered if things might have been different had he been at Beacon instead of Atlas. A silly little fantasy really, and she would never step on the toes of someone who was kind enough to let him dance with her.
"I know. Thank you. If I may, I'd love to join you and Ciel when you next teach Ruby. I think I could learn a few things too, even if it's only how to help her."
"That sounds like a plan. I'll tell Ruby to let you know when our next one is. I haven't seen her much tonight…"
"She'll be hiding somewhere out of sheer terror someone might ask her to dance," said Weiss, rolling her eyes. "It was hard enough forcing her into a dress and some heels. If I wasn't so upset, I'd go hunt her down. Maybe I will. It'll be a good distraction if nothing else." This time she forced herself to let go of him and step back. It wouldn't be right to monopolise his time. "Thank you again. Have a good evening, Jaune."
"Yeah. You too."
/-/
Well, that hadn't gone so badly. Jaune wasn't sure if he'd fixed whatever problems Weiss had, but he'd certainly cheered her up a little – and eased over their own issues. Ciel seemed to have an instinctive knack for things like that. He'd have called it manipulative if it wasn't more likely just a lot of empathy. Returning from the dance floor, he looked around to find her, and quickly spotted her and Penny off in a corner.
Arguing.
Seeing it made him pause. There was no doubting the expressions on their faces, or the way Penny's arms came up and down to punctuate whatever she was saying. Ciel was calmer, but not by much. She had a hand cradling her face from exasperation, and she interrupted whatever Penny was saying, making his partner recoil a little. There was a stammering denial. He could see it in Penny's face. He wasn't sure if he should intervene or not, but he couldn't stand around watching. Taking a deep breath, he purposefully – and loudly – walked toward the two of them, making sure they'd hear him before he heard them.
"Hello girls!" he all but shouted. "I'm back."
Penny panicked. "Jaune! I… we're… it's-"
"Penny and I were discussing something," interrupted Ciel, cold, but not at him. Her tone made it clear whatever they had been discussing was now shelved. "Girl talk. You know how it is." Don't ask, basically. He could take a hint. "How was Weiss?"
"Upset, but better for a dance. She says she'll be okay."
"That's good. It wouldn't do for someone to ruin her night because they weren't ready for a relationship. Weiss should not have to face that. No one should." Penny flinched. Jaune pretended not to see it. He didn't want to get between the two of them, and it was clear neither wanted him to know what they'd been talking about. "Apparently, Flynt has retired with a young woman from Mistral."
Jaune saw the change of subject for what it was and grasped it. "Really!? I hope he hasn't taken her back to our room."
"Neon retired early," said Penny, "so he will be in for a nasty surprise if he tries."
"Did something happen to her?"
"Just a headache from what I could tell. One of the punch bowls was spiked."
He suspected the older years. Those people were probably bored of the stuffy atmosphere and much more likely to want to let loose. It was a shame Neon had called it early, but if she wasn't in the mood then he wouldn't force her to stay. There was a commotion off to the side that drew all their gazes. Winter Schnee had returned, and she was making a beeline for them, all but forcing her way past other people. Her face was set like thunder.
"Uh-oh," said Penny, echoing all their thoughts. They saluted as she came close, just in case.
"Arc, Polendina, Soleil. I need to know if any of you have had eyes on Ruby Rose at any point tonight."
Their hands slowly came down. Ruby? They shared gazes, and Penny shrugged. Ciel did as well, leaving him to clear his throat and say, "I spoke to your sister, ma'am, and she said that Ruby was avoiding the ballroom and dancefloor because she didn't like being forced into a dress and heels. I imagine she's outside unless she excused herself early and went back to her dorm."
Winter's lips were a thin line. "She did not. There has been… an incident. Report to my dorm tomorrow with your team. Soleil, General Ironwood would like to speak to you at 0900 hours. Do not leave the ballroom under any circumstances. There is a confirmed hostile within the grounds of Beacon."
Jaune sucked in a breath.
Penny asked, "Is Ruby safe?"
"Safe and alive, though lightly injured and undoubtedly questioning her choices right now. A better outcome for her than befell to of our soldiers tasked to guard the CCT." Winter's eyes closed slowly, confirming their deaths. Jaune felt his stomach drop. "Her attacker was described as a masked woman with long black hair wielding a summoned bow and swords. I trust this sounds familiar."
The one with the White Fang. "It does to me… but…" His eyes slid to Ciel, who hadn't spoken up yet. She wasn't technically a part of Warden, and he wasn't sure why Winter was being so candid in front of her. A simple mistake wouldn't explain it; Winter was too professional for that. The only reason would be that Ciel knew already. He made a guess. "Ciel, can you use a sniper rifle?"
His date smiled. "I could hardly let you die before asking you to the dance, could I?"
Was he surprised? A little. But only that she'd kept it secret this long.
"Soleil has her own mission," said Winter, "Her involvement was due to her being in the area and available to respond to a direct request from me to assist your team. As such, Ciel is also aware of the woman in question – and might have gotten one of our best looks at her through her scope. Quite frankly, Miss Rose is lucky to be alive. I want the three of you to stay together for the evening. I do not think this individual will try and kill any of you, but we cannot take the risk."
They saluted. "Ma'am."
About halfway through writing this the stray cat I've been feeding and looking after for ages has crept in through my window and curled up on the desk to my left, between a Wacom tablet and my laptop. I didn't even notice until I reached for my drink and there's just this ball of fluff there.
Domestication is in progress. After losing my old cat earlier this year, I've been thinking about getting another. My parents are big on adopting from shelters rather than breeders and pet shops, but I reckon adopting a stray out the countryside will count.
Next Chapter: 20th May
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