Here we are at Chapter 20. We're getting closer to the big dance. And plenty of more fun as well. I do not own RWBY or Genshin Impact. They belong to their respective owners. Here's chapter 20. Enjoy.
Chapter 20: Dance Lessons
Ei and her friends return to Beacon and inform Ozpin about what transpired. Ozpin was deeply concerned about this, but didn't show it. Instead, he told them to rest for the time being and allow him and his associates to look into the matter further for the time being. Team RWBY thought to ask Ozpin about how he knew of Ei's godhood, but decided against it for the time being. They have a feeling he wouldn't give them all the answers anyway. And it's been a long night for them. They're exhausted. Once the meeting's over, they leave, though Ei sticks around a bit longer.
"So, she knows of the Archons and has two Gnoses in her grasp. We should be thankful that she hasn't mastered them yet. But... in time, that may change," Ozpin notes.
"Indeed. No doubt she'll come for mine. She may believe I have it with me, but I left it in Inazuma. However, I'm thinking of having Miko bring it here," Ei says.
"Are you sure that's wise? To bring it to the place that's most dangerous right now?" Ozpin cocks an eyebrow.
"At least it will be with me at all times. What's safer than at an archon's side?" Ei counters.
"More importantly, are you sure it was okay to tell the others about your origins?" Ozpin asks.
"They were getting suspicious, and asking questions. I knew they wouldn't be satisfied with the half-baked story I gave them before. And no doubt they wouldn't listen to me if I told them to stay out of this from now on. They'd most likely get involved anyway. There wasn't much choice," Ei explains.
Ozpin sighs, "I suppose we have little choice then. As long as you're sure they won't go around spreading this information. I'm not saying I doubt them, but to the rest of the world, the idea of gods literally living among them would cause many to fly into a panic. The more religious fanatics would try to use you for their own ends, or cults would form and that usually never ends well. Finally, like this woman named La Signora, there would be those who would come after you or those you care about to gain your power for themselves. I trust you, Ei. I'm just trying to protect the rest of the world as well,"
Ei nods, "I know. I'm just trying to make the best decisions that I can... and not repeat the same mistakes that I made so long ago,"
"Well, I think that's enough for now. Go, return to your team and rest for the night. I'll be sure to inform you if I uncover any information for your quest," Ozpin smiles.
"Thank you, Professor Ozpin," Ei bows before taking her leave. However, once she exits the elevator down on the first floor, she finds Nilou waiting for her. "Nilou, what are you doing here? I thought you'd return to our dorm room to rest."
"I wanted to wait for you. The others have already gone back. Everything go okay with Professor Ozpin?" Nilou asks.
"For now, yes. He'll continue the investigation on his end. Without any good leads, there's not much we can do right now, I'm afraid,"
"Don't worry, Ei. We'll find that woman, Signora, and we'll get back those Gnoses. You may be a god, but you're still just one person. There's only so much one person can do on their own," Nilou notes.
Ei sighs with a smile, "You're right. That's an important lesson I learned a long time ago. Thank you, Nilou,"
Nilou smiles back, "Of course, that's what friends are for. Come on, let's head back to our dorm. I could use a rest after such an eventful night,"
"Yes. Indeed," Ei agrees and the two head back to their dorm for the night.
...
The next day, everyone is back at it with classes as usual. For the time being, Ei asked her teammates and Team RWBY not to tell anyone else about her godhood, including Team JNPR. Eventually, she may tell them, but for now, she needs to keep as few people in her little inner circle as possible. She took a big risk telling the seven of them already, and she'd like to avoid taking that risk again so soon. Especially since Jaune almost spilled the beans on Blake being a Faunus and a former member of the White Fang. Being a former member of an extremist group is one thing, but being a god that's lived for thousands of years is something else entirely. However, after their class ended and they were leaving, Professor Goodwitch approached Team RWBY.
"Miss Xiao Long. Miss Schnee. May I speak with the two of you for a moment?"
"Uh, look whatever it is, I had nothing to do with it... I think," Yang waves her hands frantically.
"Excuse you. If she came to reprimand someone for something, it certainly wouldn't be me," Weiss scoffs.
"If you please follow me," Goodwitch groans, not having any time for their silliness.
The three walk away, leaving the others confused, "Ruby, did Yang do something stupid again?" Dehya asks.
"No, she didn't. I'm sure... I think?" Ruby's response doesn't sound very confident, earning a few stares from the others.
"Oh, there you guys are," they look to see Navia and Clorinde approach them. "We were hoping we'd bump into you. We heard you guys got into some trouble and were sent on a mission to hunt grimm as punishment," Navia says.
Yeah, that was the cover story for their secret mission. Can't exactly tell them that was a lie.
"Truth be told. General Ironwood has done the same thing with students who caused trouble at Atlas Academy. Though, from what I can tell, while Ironwood may be more brutal in his punishments, Professor Ozpin seems a bit more..." Clorinde thinks of the right word.
"Sadistic?" Navia suggests.
"Yes, I believe that would be the most apt word for it," Clorinde nods.
"Well, it wasn't too bad. We dealt with the grimm without much trouble," Candace says.
Navia looks around, "Hey, where's Weiss?"
"Professor Goodwitch came to speak to her and Yang about something. What that is, we don't know. We assume Yang did something to get herself in trouble again and might've gotten Weiss involved as an unwilling party," Dehya says.
"That seems pretty likely," Blake giggles.
"Don't worry. Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll work out. If Weiss is still feeling down about it, my homemade cookies will cheer her up," Ruby gives a thumbs up.
Navia and Clorinde glance at each other with matching smirks, "While she'll never admit this out loud, Weiss has always had a weakness for sweets. So, if you're cookies are really that good, then She'll be fine,"
Clorinde pats Ruby on the shoulder, "We're entrusting our friend to you. Please take good care of her for us. She can be cold at times, but she's a real softy on the inside and just doesn't like to show it sometimes,"
Ruby gives them a salute, "Um, yes. I'll do just that!" she feels like she just accepted a very big responsibility now.
"Well, we'll catch up with you guys some other time. Next time, we'll introduce you to our teammates. Ta-ta for now," Navia waves goodbye before the pair leave.
Dehya slaps Ruby's back, "You heard them, Ruby. Better take good care of the Ice Queen now," she chuckles.
Ruby scratches her cheek, "I'm just baking her a few cookies. I don't see what the big deal is,"
Her Faunus friend sighs, "Maybe one day I'll explain it to you, kiddo,"
With that done, the team head off to their next class. Luckily, Yang and Weiss return just in time before class begins so they aren't late. After class ends and they head off to lunch in the cafeteria, Yang and Weiss drop a bombshell on the group.
"You're what?" Blake asks.
"Professor Goodwitch has put Yang and I in charge of the preparations for the upcoming school dance. Team CFVY was supposed to be in charge of getting the dance ready, but they got sent on a grimm hunting mission and apparently it's taking longer than they thought. So, Professor Goodwitch has asked us to take their place and get the party ready," Weiss explains.
"Which means this dance is going to be awesome!" Yang cheers.
"Oh yes, I remember talk about the dance. We already went to a local clothing store to have our dresses made. They should be ready before the dance. We just have the fitting and that's it," Ei recollects.
"Ei, are you sure you should be thinking about the dance right now? What about your mission?" Blake asks.
"While I am still concerned about that, there's little I can do when we have no leads to work with. Just running around blindly will not solve our problems more quickly. Besides, I originally came to Vale and Beacon to learn more about humanity. We have a few special events at home that include dancing in the festivities. Nothing wrong with that, although..." Ei glances up in thought.
"What is it, Ei?" Candace asks.
"While I am quite confident in my athletic ability and my skills as a warrior, I'm afraid I'm not very experienced when it comes to something such as dancing. I've never really needed it before or during my time in the Plane of Euthymia, so I never took the time to learn it," Ei says.
Nilou brightens up, "Then in that case, I could teach you. I know a number of dance styles and a couple of them are perfect for something like a school dance," but then blushes when she realizes she's getting a little too excited. "I-I mean... if you want to, that is..."
Ei nods, "Actually, that sounds like a wonderful idea. You are an amazing dancer, Nilou. I would be honored to learn from you,"
"Then how about we get started after classes are over. I know the perfect spot where we can practice without getting interrupted," Nilou suggests.
"That's fine with me. Thank you again, Nilou," Ei replies, making the girl scratch her cheek, all giddy.
...
Soon enough, classes end for the day and just as they agreed, Ei and Nilou head to a spot behind the school for Ei's first dance lesson.
"Okay, we'll start with something simple. The waltz. It's something ideal for beginners to learn. No doubt some attending the dance aren't skilled at dancing, but the waltz is something everyone can do with a little practice," Nilou says.
"Very well. I leave myself in your capable hands," Ei bows her head.
"Now then, let's take the position," Nilou claps her hands.
She takes one of Ei's hands with her own and positions Ei's other hand around her waist while she places her free hand on her shoulder. Nilou blushes a bit at their close proximity, but tries to focus on the lesson at hand.
"Now remember, don't hold your partner too tightly or too lightly. Move in tune with them in complete harmony. Most importantly, don't step on their toes. It'll hurt and that will ruin the mood," Nilou instructs.
"I'll do my best," Ei replies.
"And a one, two, and..." Nilou starts moving.
She has her scroll off to the side playing some waltz music to keep them in a rhythm. They take things slow, and Ei keeps glancing down to make sure she doesn't step on Nilou's toes. She'd be a poor student if she stepped on her teacher's feet.
"Try to relax a little more, Ei. It'll help. If you're too nervous, it'll make your motions stiff and that will throw you off," Nilou instructs her.
"Uh, right," Ei mutters.
She's becoming more aware of her hand on Nilou's waist. How close their bodies are. Her nose inhales Nilou's scent. Something flowery, likely from body wash or perfume.
"How am I doing?" Ei asks, curious about her performance so far.
"Not bad, surprisingly. Perhaps your long time as a warrior/god has something to do with it. You've got good instincts and great control over your body's movements. You may not see it, but dancing and fighting aren't that different from each other. Two partners, interlocked in motion. Though, one is more brutal than the other," Nilou notes.
"I can see your point. But, perhaps it's because you're an excellent instructor," Ei says.
Nilou blushes at the compliment, "W-Well, let's just focus on the lesson, shall we,"
They continue for about an hour so Ei can get the waltz down. While she won't have it perfected in just one lesson, she'll have a good starting point. Ei finds herself really enjoying dancing with Nilou. For what reason exactly, she can't put her finger on, but... it's a very pleasant feeling.
"Thank you for the lesson, Nilou. I quite enjoyed myself," Ei notes as they make their way back to the dorm.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. To be honest, I've never really taught people how to dance. I mostly just stuck with performing in front of people back in Zubayr Theater. But, it's a nice experience," Nilou thinks.
"Hmm, I heard that some people will ask another to go to such dances with them as partners. I'm not quite sure about the importance of such matters, but many people value it highly. I wouldn't be surprised if you had a bunch of people asking you to be their partner a the dance," Ei surmises.
The idea of someone asking her to the dance makes Nilou freeze for half a second. She almost forgot about that sort of thing. However, it wasn't the idea of someone asking her out to the dance that made her nervous. It was something else entirely.
"What about you? No doubt a few boys would like to ask a beautiful girl like you to the dance. You might... even have a few secret admirers," Nilou says, blushing slightly at the last part.
"While I'd like to think I'm not displeasing to the eye, I never considered myself to be beautiful. Then again, that's probably just the warrior in me that thinks that way. I don't expect anyone to ask me to the dance. Of course, I intend to go so I can enjoy the experience with you and everyone else," Ei says.
"Oh, I see," Nilou can't really say much else.
They return to their dorm room and Nilou heads in to take a quick shower. As the water cascades down her skin, her mind drifts to thoughts of her previous conversation with Ei. The idea of someone else asking her leader to the dance and Ei agreeing to the invitation. It brought... a displeasing feeling into her chest. She's thought about why she has this feeling. Why it would upset her so much if Ei went with someone else to the dance. And why when she thinks about the two of them dancing together again... why that puts butterflies in her stomach. Her face turns red and it's not because of the hot water. Soon enough, she figures it out and can't help but silently admit to the truth.
"...I... like Ei," Nilou realizes.
...
The next day, everyone is eating breakfast at Beacon when they spot Navia and Clorinde approaching along with additional people with them.
"Good morning everyone," Navia greets them.
"Good morning, Navia, Clorinde," Weiss returns the greeting.
"I'm glad you're all here. I wanted to take this chance to introduce you to the rest of our team. Ahem, this is Layla and Diluc. Together, we're Team CLDN (Celadon), with Clorinde being our leader. Of course, I'm practically her second in command," Navia introduces her teammates.
"A pleasure," Dliuc waves.
"Nice... to meet everyone," Layla adds, though her demeanor quickly catches everyone's attention.
"Um... are you okay?" Jaune asks.
"Oh yeah... I'm fine... Just a little tired," Layla replies.
"Layla has a little issue with sleep deprivation. Has been ever since she was a little girl," Clorinde explains.
"You know they have sleeping pills for that sort of thing, right?" Yang notes.
"Yeah, those don't really seem to work with her. She does sleep... it just happens randomly at times," Navia replies.
"Okay, but if that's such a problem... Forgive me for asking, but why are you trying to become a huntress then?" Weiss asks.
"Huntsmen and huntresses don't exactly have a set work schedule, which works out better for me... Besides, I may not look it, but I am a capable fighter," Layla replies.
"Not to mention that when it comes to grades, she's one of the top students at Atlas. Even with her sleeping problems, she gets all her papers done in record time and passes all of her tests and written exams with flying colors," Clorinde notes.
"How is that possible when you have trouble staying awake?" Ei asks.
"I have the star's blessing," Layla replies.
"The what?" Nora cocks her head.
"Yeah. The star's blessing. Whenever I do fall asleep while working on my papers, the next time I wake up, my papers are all completed and correct. I can only say that the stars have given me their blessing. It's the only logical explanation," Layla replies.
"Um... Okay," Nora has no idea how to take that, just like everyone else.
"Yep, that's our weird honor student for ya," Navia pats Layla on the back.
"Um, please don't say tha in front of the others," Layla gets embarrassed.
"And we're here to help her out whenever she needs it," Diluc adds.
"Yeah. One time a couple of students decided to mess with Layla when she fell asleep and Diluc made them pay for it by rigging the combat drones we use for training at school. Those buffoons got quite the scare of their lives when those things were set to 'kill' rather than 'stun'," Navia giggles.
"I regret nothing," Diluc grunts.
"Oh, that sounds like a lot of fun. Maybe we should do that sometime. I bet that would be great for training," Ruby gets an idea.
Weiss frowns, "Don't even think about, Ruby. I'm not getting in trouble just because you want to tamper with school property," she says, making the younger girl pout.
"Well, it's certainly nice to meet the rest of your team. Perhaps you have a few other stories for us?" Ei asks.
"Oh, sure, as long as you give us some stories about you guys!" Navia says.
The rest of the meal is made with idle chatter as the teams get to know each other better and become fast friends. Meanwhile, the night of the dance gets closer and closer.
And that's the chapter. Ei and her friends meet the rest of Navia and Clorinde's team. Meanwhile, Nilou helps Ei practice for the upcoming school dance. Will there be some drama coming their way (most likely)? Until then, please Read and Review.