Here we are at Chapter 7. Let's continue the gang's day off in Vale. I do not own RWBY or Genshin Impact. They belong to their respective owners. Here's chapter 7. Enjoy.
Chapter 7: Out on the Town, Part 2
Ei, Weiss, and Yang enter Chioriya Boutique and two of the girls are stunned by what they see.
"I know. Impressive, right," Weiss smirks.
They see dresses, skirts, shirts, accessories, just about everything a girl in the fashion world could want. The place is so dazzling it might as well be out of some magazine.
"Again, are you sure I can afford something here, Weiss? I doubt I could even afford a stick of lipstick here," Yang actually feels intimidated by the place.
"And I'm not an expert when it comes to things like 'fashion' I'm afraid," Ei replies.
"Well, I guess you might have some trouble here. Some of their items are reasonably priced here in Vale. The prices tend to change with the items and the location. In Atlas, the owner made high-quality items for the upper class. But, for other areas, it's more to the community's price range. I'm sure we can find something for you, Yang. As for you, Ei, allow me to teach you a thing or two about fashion. We'll start with hair accessories," Weiss says, guiding Ei over to one section of the store with Yang following.
Weiss explains to Ei the importance of a woman's appearance and their care with their skin and hair. However, Ei has a hard time understanding some of what she's saying. All the time spent isolated from the world severely dampened Ei's appreciation for things that most normal girls would think about. Another thing about her she would try to remedy during her time in Vale.
Just then, a store employee approaches them, "Good day, ladies. How may we be of assistance, today?" she asks politely.
"Yes. Would you be willing to recommend anything for my friends here? We're starting with hair accessories and products for them," Weiss asks.
"Ah, of course. Please, allow me," the clerk gets to work.
The first thing she does is gently inspect Ei and Yang's hair to get an idea of what products they normally use. Out of the two, Yang uses far more. While Ei's hair has more length, Yang's has more volume.
"I see. The boss would have a better idea for you two, but she's not available at the moment due to her handling another order. But, if I may make a recommendation..." the clerk says.
The clerk shows some hair bands and ties for the two girls. She also selects a few hairpins for Ei that match her outfit. She was originally surprised by out similar they are to her own, but when she remembers that the store started in Mistral, which is the closest kingdom to Inazuma, it's not that much of a stretch.
"I think this one would suit you perfectly," the clerk says, showing a hairpin with several flowers in different shades of purple to Ei.
The design was truly lovely. The only thing Ei was concerned about was damaging it if she wore it in a fight.
"It's lovely, but would I wear something like this in a fight?" Ei wonders.
"Oh heavens, no! This wouldn't be recommended for something like that. This would be recommended with a dress for a ball," the clerk corrects her.
"A ball? I don't recall huntresses going to balls for work," Ei notes.
Weiss sighs and facepalms, "Forgive her, for she knows not what she says. Give us a moment," she takes Ei away. "The clothes they make here aren't for fighting, Ei. They're for formal occasions or even just semi-formal stuff,"
"I see. Apologies. It would seem I misunderstood your intent, Weiss. While I have learned some things, I admit there is much I do not know about what common people do in their lives," Ei replies.
"Common people?" Weiss mutters. "Is she from such rich family like me? I've met a few upper-class people my age that have no idea what normal people do, but I wasn't expecting this here."
Yang walks up behind them, "Uh, are you guys done? Because I want to continue looking around,"
"Yang, perhaps you could lend me your aid? I'm afraid Ei is hopelessly out of touch with the reality that is fashion," Weiss asks.
Yang smiles, "I'm sure between the two of us, we can help her learn a thing or two,"
They would spend the next half-hour teaching Ei a thing or two about clothing and fashion. Ei tries to learn what they teach her, but some of it still goes over her head. They decide that this would be a long-term project for another time and finish their shopping. In the end, Weiss gets a new pair of shoes, Yang gets some hair products, and Ei gets the hairpin recommended by the clerk. Right after they leave the building, the clerk turns around just in time to see someone walk out from another room.
"Oh, Lady Chiori, do you need help finishing the dress?" the clerk asks.
"No, Eloffe. It's just about done," Chiori says before casting a quick glance at Ei just as she exits her vision. "Wasn't that... no, probably just my imagination... Eloffe, come, we just need to finish the embroidery on the dress and it'll be ready for pickup,"
"Yes, ma'am," Eloffe follows her to the back.
"It couldn't have been the Almighty Shogun... But if it was, why is she all the way out here in Vale?" Chiori wonders before getting back to work.
...
Meanwhile, Ruby and Dehya check out the local weapons shop. While Ruby looks over the Dust rounds in a display case, Dehya checks out the swords on display.
"Hey Dehya, I was wondering, does your sword have any special gimmicks to it?" Ruby asks, not taking her eyes off the Dust rounds.
"Huh, gimmicks? Well, it does have one little trick, I suppose," Dehya replies offhandedly.
"Ooh, what does it do?!" Ruby starts going into 'weapon nerd' mode.
"Easy there, Ruby. I'm not about to reveal all my secrets so soon. You'll just have to be patient," Dehya replies.
"Oh, no fair. You've already seen everything my Crescent Rose can do," Ruby puffs her cheeks, making Dehya chuckle.
"That's because you were so eager to show off during the initiation exam. You should always keep some cards in your hand close to the chest and wait for the right time to play them," Dehya replies, walking away from the swords on display.
"Huh, that sounds like something my uncle would say," Ruby notes.
"He sounds like a smart guy then," Dehya says.
"Yeah, well, he did teach me how to wield a scythe. But... he is drunk all the time. Like, literally all the time," Ruby says.
"Uh, okay... he sounds... unique," Dehya tries to keep it civil.
"Yeah, well, he can be immature at times. My dad and him don't always seem to see eye-to-eye, but they get along well enough," Ruby replies.
"Huh. And what about your mom?" Dehya asks.
At the mentioning of her, Ruby's smile gets smaller, "Mom... passed away years ago when I was little. She went out on a mission and never came back,"
Dehya rubs her head, "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories,"
Ruby shakes her head, "It's okay. It was a long time ago,"
"Well, I never really knew my mom, and my dad a while back. So, I can understand how you feel," Dehya replies.
"Sorry to hear that. So, you were pretty much on your own for a long time?" Ruby asks.
"Not exactly. I did have some people who looked after me for a while. Later down the road, I met Candace and the people of Auru Village. She's always kept me out of trouble, and they were really good people," Dehya says.
"Sounds like me and Yang. For the record, I'm the one having to keep HER out of trouble. Not the other way around," Ruby says rather quickly.
Dehya cocks an eyebrow, skeptical. But, she decides to leave it alone. They finish looking around and Ruby buys some Dust rounds for her scythe before they leave the store.
"So, if your uncle taught you how to wield a scythe, then who taught your sister? Was it your dad?" Dehya asks.
"Yep, they have similar fighting styles. You could say that Yang gets her tomboyish side from him too... and his tastes for bad puns," Ruby groans at the last one.
"Bad... puns?" Dehya gives Ruby a weird look.
"Trust me, sooner or later, you'll find out. I apologize in advance," Ruby sighs.
Dehya has a bad feeling about that. The pair decide to look for the others before heading to get something to eat.
...
A little later, Candace, Blake, and Nilou are making their way towards the town square to meet up with everyone else.
"So, everyone took care of their business?" Blake asks, earning nods from the other two.
"Well, the only business left is food," Nilou notes.
Blake's stomach growls, making her blush, "I could go for a bite. Any suggestions?"
"I heard there's one place nearby that's reasonably priced. Once we meet up with the others, I'll lead the way," Candace says and takes the lead.
The group follow her towards their destination. However, as they do, they walk past a couple of guys, with one of them smirking at Nilou. As soon as they pass, he grabs one of the horns on her headdress and pulls, hoping to mess with her.
"Hah, another animal-what the?!" the guy is surprised when he finds the headdress come off with the horns. "She's not a Faunus. They're fake. Man, being a freak is one thing, but being a fake freak is even worse. You actually like pretending to be one of those animals?" the guy sneers while his two buddies start laughing.
"Hey, give that back!" Nilou goes for her headdress.
The guy keeps it away, "And what are you going to do about it, Miss fake freak?" he snickers. However, a hand wraps around his wrist and begins squeezing. "Ow, ow, ow, ow! Hey, what's the big... idea?" the man starts to turn pale when he turns his head.
Candace stands next to him, her hand on his wrist, and a calm, but menacing glare aimed at his face.
"Kindly return what doesn't belong to you, now. Otherwise, you'll see exactly how we deal with rats in the desert," Candace threatens him, her grip on his wrist tightening with each word.
"Ow, ow, ow! Alright, take it already!" the guy throws the headdress back to Nilou and Candace releases him. "Damn it! You animal lovers are what's wrong with this kingdom. I'll bet it's much better in Atlas! Why take their side, or even try to look like one of them?!"
"What would a racist idiot like you know about what's right or wrong with the kingdom If you ask me, it's because of people like you that so many problems still exist in Remnant," Blake retorts.
"Why you little-," the man growls before Candace suddenly kicks him between the legs.
The man falls to the ground, barely conscious. His buddies look as Candace activates her shield. She brought it with her in its compact form for just such an occasion.
"I don't need my spear to deal with the likes of you. Now then, you want to join your friend on the ground there, or would you rather carry him away on your own two feet? The choice is yours," Candace glares at them.
The two flunkies glance at each other before picking up their friend and making a break for it. Candace sighs before putting away her shield.
Candace looks at Nilou, "Are you alright, Nilou?"
Nilou puts her headdress back on, "Yes. I'm alright. Thanks for the help. This kind of thing happens from time to time,"
"Well, it shouldn't happen at all. That was beyond despicable," Blake shows her own displeasure.
"I know there are people who don't like Faunus, but I never had an issue with someone being Faunus or human. I mean, we share a whole world. And the grimm don't care which one we are. I believe there has to be some way we can coexist in peace," Nilou says.
Candace smiles, "You're right, Nilou. And maybe one day, that dream will become a reality. For now, let's just take it one step at a time. The future can wait one more afternoon while we enjoy ourselves,"
Nilou nods, "You're right, Candace. Come on, let's go find the others,"
The three begin their way to their next destination to meet with the others.
"By the way, Candace... I don't mean to sound rude, but... has anyone ever told you can be pretty scary when you're angry?" Blake asks tentatively.
"Well, I'm sure some have. Just not to my face, anyway. To protect my home, and to survive in it, you have to be strong and stern. A friend back home is very similar to me in that regard. People are deathly afraid of his interrogations and usually confess their crimes before he's even halfway done," Candace smiles, back to her big-sister self.
Nilou and Blake laugh nervously. Just what kind of friends besides Dehya does Candace have back home?
...
Later in the day, everyone gets back together and decide on a place to eat. Candace leads the way and they find a spot early before the evening crowd arrives. Thanks to that, it doesn't take long before they get a table. They put two tables together for everyone. After ordering their drinks, everyone talked about their activities. Of course, some people were upset when they heard about what happened to Nilou.
"That's messed up. People like that are total jerks!" Ruby fumes.
"I'll say. We got a few of those back in Vacuo whenever I had to make a visit. Of course, things are different in Vacuo, so there was nothing holding me back from breaking their faces in. Of course, some places, and some people, are worse than others," Dehya gives a subtle glare in Weiss' direction, making the heiress hide behind her menu.
"Dehya," Candace mutters, making her friend roll her eyes.
"Still, at least you guys were there to help her out. I don't see any issue with her headdress. I think it looks good on you," Yang notes.
"Thank you," Nilou replies.
"Personally, I don't see any issue with someone being a human or Faunus. If you ever wanted to visit my home, Dehya and Nilou, I will ensure you receive a proper welcome. Any friend of mine is welcome," Ei says.
"Well, I'll hold you to that," Dehya grunts.
Just then, the waiter comes with their drinks and asks if they're ready to order. Everyone makes their order and simply wait for the food to come.
"So, you used to be part of Zubayr Theater. Perhaps sometime in between classes, could you dance for us? I'm interested to see it," Ei asks Nilou.
Nilou claps, "Oh, yes, I would love to. Dancing has always been so much fun for me,"
At the mention of dancing, Weiss lowers her head a bit.
Ruby notices, "Hey, Weiss, everything okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine, Ruby. Just... dancing was never about fun back home. For me, it had to be perfect. Every step, every movement. Everything had to be absolutely perfect... Or else my father would be quite upset with me. I like to think I'm good at it, but it's been a long time since I've ever been able to enjoy doing it. It was the same with my singing," Weiss looks away as she lets it out.
"But, that's not right. Everyone should be able to enjoy themselves when they're dancing. Even those who are not well-versed in dance still do it for fun because they enjoy it," Nilou says.
"Well, not everyone gets to have fun in their lives whenever they want," Weiss' frown gets bigger.
Ruby glances around, trying to find a way to help her partner.
"If you want fun, then you simply need to have the will to grasp it," Candace says.
"Huh?" Weiss looks up at her.
"I'm not gonna say that I know everything about you Weiss, and there are still some things about your family and your family's company that I have a special distaste for. However, I should remind you that this isn't Atlas. Remember what you told me a while back? Your father can't control you here," Candace says.
"What, is that your 'women's intuition' telling you that?" Weiss scoffs.
"Do you really want to know?" Candace smirks.
"Actually, I'm a little curious myself," Ei confesses.
"Yeah, me too," Ruby says, and the others nod.
"Well, if you insist," Candace says before her golden eyes starts glowing. "My semblance is, for lack of a better term, Foresight,"
"Wait, are you saying you can see the future?" Blake asks.
"Something like that. Sometimes it's just images or even colors. Sometimes t's just a few seconds ahead of now. Other times it comes up on its own, but usually for a good reason. It comes quite in handy in a fight, but that's not all it can do," Candace explains.
"Oh, so you're like a fortune teller. Can you tell my fortune?" Ruby gets stars in her eyes.
Just then, their food arrives and everyone starts chowing down.
"Ruby, don't be rude," Weiss tells her.
"Well, perhaps I'll give it a shot. Though, I can't tell you anything specific. It's whatever my semblance shows me," Candace replies.
"Oh, please, tell me!" Ruby's almost bouncing out of her seat now.
"Calm down, little sister," Yang grabs Ruby by the shoulder to keep her down.
Candace smiles before focusing her gaza on Ruby as her golden eye glows again. Ruby stares into the vivid glow of the older girl's eye. A moment later, the glow starts to dim.
"Hmm, interesting," Candace mutters.
"What? What is it? Is it good? Is it bad?!" Ruby wants answers.
"I saw... white. The color white, with a little hint of blue and red. Though, I can't really say what it means," Candace replies, rubbing her thumb on her chin.
Weiss rolls her eyes, "Please, that's all? I can't say that's seeing glimpses of the future if all you're seeing is a few measly colors,"
"Well then, would you like me to try it on you?" Candace smirks.
"Hmph. Fine, go ahead. It'll probably be nothing," Weiss doesn't care.
Candace accepts her challenge and uses her semblance on Weiss. A moment later, her eye dims.
"Hmm, for you, I see red. Red with hints of pink... and silver. Very interesting," Candace replies.
"Huh? Red?" Weiss was surprised to hear that.
"What's that mean exactly?" Ei asks.
"Again, the message isn't always clear. But, if I were to guess, that color will become very important to Weiss in the future. Or something related to it, anyway," Candace answers.
"That makes no sense. I knew better than to think too much on it," Weiss rebukes the little 'fortune'.
"Makes no difference to me," Candace simply smirks as she glances between Weiss and Ruby.
"I'm sure it'll be fine, Weiss. Besides, if you ever need help, I'll be right there beside you," Ruby pats Weiss' shoulder.
"Stop patting my shoulder, you dunce. You're gonna make me spill my soup!" Weiss says.
Dehya leans in close to Candace, "Hey, care to fill me in? What did you see?"
Candace just continues smiling at Ruby and Weiss, "Oh, I don't want to spoil it. Just something... very interesting," she says before going back to her meal along with the others.
And that's the chapter. The gang finish their day off in Vale, even with the sight hiccups. I decided on a future-seeing semblance for Candace with her eye because I always thought it was cool how her eyes were like that and decided to give her golden eye its own power. Anyway, classes will begin again soon. What lessons await Ei and the others? Until then, please Read and Review.