Author's Note:
I do not own Library of Ruina or RWBY. These series belong to Project Moon and RoosterTeeth respectively. Everything I say is to not be taken as canon, they are merely add-ons to the story to flesh it out.
Hey guys, I'm back, and I'm also very tired of college. Finals are coming up and it's not gonna be fun. I'll post sometime after finals so stay tuned for that. I'll spare you guys my real-life problems, now my story problems. This story was made with the intent of being short; there's nothing much to the Beacon Dance other than Team JNPR's dance and Cinder's infiltration. Thus, I decided to just make this a build-up chapter to future ones. Let me know if y'all like it or not because I feel like this chapter's quality is pretty low. Either way, enjoy the chapter!
Reviews:
worldbusk11s - I have a faint idea of what to do with Chesed's floor, but it's not solid yet. Also, for the other Abnos not in Library of Ruina, I think adding them would be nice, but I just don't know where they would even be at.
Argorok - Thank you, I take pride in pairing the Abnos to the characters. There are some more Abnos I want to introduce, but I just don't know where.
Guest - Oh no... Did I start a new ship? This is scary.
holygamer123 - Oh God... Binah and Knight too? Jaune is too dangerous to be left alive.
konmek43 - Weiss receiving Knight's gift is just one step toward bonding with the Abnos; I'm actually planning for almost all the characters to bond with some Abnormality, but I'm still deciding on who should be with whom. Regarding King and Queen, yeah... they're uh... a bit eccentric.
Emm - Oof, "Nothing There" A pain in my ass, but it's going to be fun writing him.
Scifive - Nora is just a god in Remnant, what do you mean?
[Malkuth: Heya everyone! Good morning!]
[Chesed: Hello, a good morning it is~]
[Gebura: yo]
[Netzach: hello]
[Roland: Good mornin]
[Hod: Hi Malkuth. You're up early.]
[Malkuth: Yeah! Didn't you hear?]
[Malkuth: A dance party is tomorrow! I don't know why they don't call it prom though.]
[Hod: Oh my. I haven't been to prom since forever.]
[Malkuth: You went with someone?]
[Hod: No, not really. I went by myself.]
[Netzach: i like dancing]
[Yesod: Please refrain from talking in the group chat about frivolous topics. This is meant for important subjects.]
[Malkuth: Boo hoo]
[Malkuth: I bet you never went to prom with someone.]
[Yesod: As a matter of fact, I did.]
[Roland: Damn, who's the lucky gal?]
[Yesod is typing…]
[Netzach: hes gonna not say anything]
–A FEW SECONDS LATER–
[Netzach: called it]
[Gebura: disapointing]
[Chesed: disappointing*]
[Netzach: girls talk to the viper? dang]
[Roland: Not gonna lie, I'm kinda curious as to what kind of girl picked Yesod.]
[Yesod: Fine. I suppose it does not matter, I will tell you at a later date.]
[Roland: Wait a minute, you might take the time to fabricate a story.]
[Malkuth: Yeah that's right, tell us now!]
[Tiphereth: Can you all please shut up? There are so many notifications. It's too early for me to wake up right now.]
[Roland: I guess nappy nap time is over.]
[Tiphereth: I'm going to beat your skull in.]
[Hod: Now, now. Let's not get angry over text. Roland didn't mean any of it, right?]
[Roland: Yeah, you're fine Tiph.]
[Malkuth: Why not put your Scroll on silent?]
[Gebura: how is she more agresive on line than in person?]
[Chesed: Aggressive* Online*]
[Gebura: Chesed, im going to kill you.]
[Chesed: I'm* ;)]
[Netzach: many questions, no answers; the world may never know]
[Tiphereth: Whatever, I'm up now.]
[Netzach: what kind of music do you think they'll play?]
[Malkuth: Probably something classical]
[Hod: I think something romantic, but that is just a guess…]
[Chesed: Perhaps they would let us try to play music from the City?]
[Roland: I know a few songs, but do any of the others know how to play?]
[Malkuth: I could play the violin]
[Yesod: Violin as well. Music was a general education class.]
[Hod: I played the cello at one point.]
[Netzach: nope]
[Chesed: Although I do enjoy listening to music, I can't say I have the ability to perform.]
[Tiphereth: I've never played an instrument before.]
[Roland: That's cool and all, but I rock the guitar. The best instrument there is.]
[Tiphereth: Leave it to Mr. "I gotta brag about me" over here. Playing a plastic guitar doesn't mean you're a musician.]
[Netzach: burn]
Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Roland remembered that he was supposed to be watching the match right now. He looked up to see that Team CRDL was fighting still. He expected them to win most of their fights, but the person they were fighting was Pyrrha.
Regarding the fight, he didn't need to fully pay attention; he knew that Pyrrha would win and didn't need as much teaching as her peers. On the other hand, Roland had assessed Team CRDL the other day and could tell they were gradually improving their teamwork. Their strategy mainly relied on wearing down the enemy and then allowing the powerful Cardin to strike when they were vulnerable. It's a good strategy, making use of their abilities, it's just useless against someone like Pyrrha.
Surprisingly, the team of boys wanted to fight her. It seemed like they were more determined than ever to beat her. Usually, they would avoid strong people like her entirely and try to pick on the weaker students, but it seemed like they changed their tune.
Oh well, Roland turned back to his Scroll after getting another message.
[Angela: Is this what you all do on your Scrolls?]
[Roland: Oh Angela, you finally decided to join us?]
[Roland: Now you can join us in our delightful conversations.]
[Tiphereth: I wouldn't call them "delightful" as most of it is just complaining about the students not following the rules of the Library.]
[Malkuth: Though, we rarely use this.]
[Angela: I do not see Hokma or Binah sending messages?]
[Hod: Ms. Binah does not like sending messages, she just likes reading what we talk about.]
[Roland: I'm pretty sure the old man doesn't know how to use a Scroll.]
[Hokma: Do not make baseless assumptions. I am perfectly fine not including myself in the conversation.]
[Malkuth: Either way, are yall going to the dance?!]
[Roland: Maybe.]
[Netzach: yeah, im kinda interested]
[Hod: I'm a little hesitant, but I'll go.]
[Yesod: No. I am busy with the task Angela gave me.]
[Tiphereth: I got better things to do.]
[Tiphereth: Also, I think Gebura left to kill Chesed, so I'd say that they won't be there.]
[Roland: Nah, they'll be there.]
[Roland: Well, at least one will be in perfect condition.]
[Hod: Angela? What about you? Will you be going?]
[Angela: I don't know.]
[Angela: I do not know how to dance, nor do I understand the implications as to why people dance.]
[Malkuth: People dance because they wanna feel the music!]
[Angela: Feel the music?]
Roland chuckled to himself, "Same ol' Angela. All that knowledge, yet she can't understand it." Looking up once again, as expected, Team CRDL lost. It's just that they lacked the experience and training that Pyrrha did before everyone else in this room.
"And that's the match," Professor Goodwitch concluded. "Well done, Ms. Nikos. You should have no problem qualifying for the tournament."
"Thank you, professor," Pyrrha responded.
"Alright," the blonde professor said, tapping on her Scroll. "Now, I know that's a tough act to follow, but we have time for one more sparring match."
Roland mentally groaned. He wanted this to be over since he hadn't had breakfast and Glynda had asked him to come last minute. With a yawn, he muttered, "Let's just get this over with."
"Any volunteers? Ms. Belladonna?" The professor called out, causing the girl to slam her book shut and stare back at her. "You look rather docile for the past few classes. Why don't you—"
Interrupting the professor, Mercury casually raised his hand. Glynda's gaze shifted towards the raised hand, catching Roland's attention as well. He couldn't help but stare at the gray-haired boy. There was something about his aura that felt off; he didn't seem like an ordinary student. There was a hint of cockiness emanating from him.
"I'll do it," Mercury declared.
"Mercury, is it?" Glynda pondered for a moment as she checked her Scroll for his name. Once she found his profile, she continued, "Very well, let's find you an opponent."
"Actually, I wanna fight…" Mercury pointed toward the red-haired girl. "Her."
Shocked, Pyrrha spoke up, "Me?"
"I'm afraid Ms. Nikos has just finished the match. I recommend you choose another partner," Professor Goodwitch tried to dissuade the boy.
"No, it's fine!" However, it seemed like the red-headed girl actually agreed to fight. "I'd be happy to oblige."
As the gray-haired student confidently strode onto the arena, Roland returned his gaze to his Scroll. Being essentially an instructor, he had been granted access to the student body's database, which was necessary for assessing their psychology, skills, and background training. Scrolling down the list of names, he located Mercury Black's profile.
"Mercury Black," Roland repeated the name, delving deeper into the gray-haired boy's information. "Haven Academy student. Freshman. Weapon: Talaria, boots with guns on them, of course. No Semblance. Above-average Aura levels. Personality..." Roland skimmed over that section. "A bit of a troublemaker. Background: admitted to Haven Academy as part of a new program for young orphans."
Roland hummed at the mention of the orphan program. A fellow orphan, perhaps he carries some emotional baggage as well. After a few seconds, the black fixer chided himself for the tasteless joke and looked up from his Scroll only to realize that the fight had already begun.
Mercury attempted to land a kick, but Pyrrha skillfully used her shield to block his attacks. Simultaneously, the red-haired girl tried to strike with her weapon, but Mercury proved too quick to be hit. With no other option, Pyrrha pushed him backward using her shield, causing sparks to fly from Mercury's feet, revealing his hidden weapon.
"Hey, your friend's doing pretty good," Ruby's voice reached Roland's ears. He looked over to see that Ruby was talking to a green-haired girl with red eyes. He surmised that the girl was probably Mercury's teammate.
Nodding in approval, Mercury charged once again, this time leaping into the air and delivering a series of bicycle kicks to Pyrrha's shield. For some reason, Pyrrha released her weapon to block Mercury's kick to her face. Then, both fighters twirled, resulting in Pyrrha losing her weapon as Mercury kicked it out of her grasp.
Undeterred, Mercury continued his assault, overwhelming Pyrrha with rapid kicks that pushed her shield downwards, leaving her defenseless. With a sweeping motion from above, his leg was about to strike Pyrrha's head. However, Pyrrha placed her hand in front of her, activating her Semblance and deflecting the gray-haired boy's attack. The sudden change in momentum caused Mercury to use Pyrrha's shield as a platform to propel himself away from her. He then came to a stop, pausing all movement.
Roland observed the pause in Mercury's movement, sensing that something was off about the boy. Although he couldn't see his face at that moment, Roland had a feeling that he was smirking. However, he lacked concrete evidence to support his suspicions. Glancing back at his Scroll, he read about the team Mercury belonged to: Team CMSN, consisting of Cinder Fall, Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai, and Nea Politan. As he looked at all of them, Roland couldn't help but notice something peculiar.
"They don't look like fresh—" Roland stopped himself as he witnessed Pyrrha charging forward with her sword and shield in hand.
However, it appeared that Mercury had different plans. He turned to the blonde professor, exposing his back, and casually declared, "I forfeit." The sudden announcement caught Pyrrha off guard, causing her to stumble past him and come to a halt.
"You…" Pyrrha slowly turned to face him. "Don't even want to try?"
In response, Mercury shrugged. "What's the point? You're a world-renowned fighter. We're obviously leagues apart," he explains. If that wasn't enough, Roland saw the shit-eating smug on the boy's face as he looked down on Pyrrha. It somewhat pained him to see a person he was acquainted with getting looked down upon, especially Pyrrha since she was the best fighter of the student body.
"In that case…" Glynda tapped on her Scroll, and the screen above the arena displayed Mercury's Aura Gauge shifting from green to red, indicating his loss. "Pyrrha Nikos is the victor of the match… again. Next time, you may want to think a little harder before choosing an opponent."
"I'll be sure to do that," Mercury sarcastically agreed.
"That is all for today. And remember, the dance is this weekend. But you all have your first mission on Monday. I will not accept any excuses."
The sound of the bell signaled the end of classes, prompting most of the students to leave. A few remaining students gathered around Professor Goodwitch, talking about miscellaneous topics like their grades. Off to the side, Roland noticed Mercury stopping next to his teammate, Emerald. He couldn't hear their conversation, but there was something about them that felt off. It probably wasn't anything, they were probably just cocky, weird students, but Roland's instincts as a Fixer were tingling.
Just as he was about to depart to follow the two Haven Academy students, Glynda called out his name from behind. "Roland," she beckoned, motioning him to come closer. Roland let out a sigh and turned around, making his way back towards the blonde professor.
"Yes?" Roland inquired.
"Professor Ozpin would like to see you," Glynda informed him.
"For what reason?" Roland asked, curious about the purpose of the meeting.
"That will be discussed when you meet with him," Glynda replied firmly.
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Now go."
Letting out another sigh, Roland reluctantly accepted the request and left. He caught sight of Emerald and Mercury walking away toward one of the dormitories. He couldn't help but narrow his eyes at them but gave up as he had to go in the opposite direction.
–MOMENTS LATER–
—HEADMASTER'S OFFICE, BEACON ACADEMY—
"Dammit," Roland muttered to himself inside the elevator. Remembering the fight between Mercury and Pyrrha left a sickening gut feeling that wouldn't fade. Now that he was heading to the headmaster's office, on the other side of the campus, he was surely going to lose track of Team CMSN.
When the elevator doors opened, Roland stepped out to find Ozpin sitting in his chair, sipping from his mug, and a dusty old crow leaning against a wall, arms crossed and head turned towards Roland.
"Roland," Ozpin greeted. "How was your day so far?"
"It was alright: a nightmare about the trauma inflicted upon me by the City woke me up, some kids were yelling, breakfast could've been better, the coffee machine broke, I read an actually decent book, sat through some of the most unexciting fights I've ever seen in my life, and have severe paranoia against some of the students."
"…"
"…"
"I'm joking," Roland confessed. "Although, some of it was true, but regardless, my day was fine."
"Right..." Qrow responded dryly, then turned his attention to Ozpin. "Mind telling us why you brought us here, Oz?"
In response, Ozpin tapped on his desk, projecting an image of a map displaying the northern side of Vale, particularly the Forever Fall Forest. Roland hummed at the sight, recalling his last visit there, which was about two months ago, give or take.
"What are we looking at?" Qrow questioned, his gaze fixed on the map. Ozpin tapped on the desk again, causing a red dot to appear on a northern point of the red forest.
"Red on red?" Roland voiced his complaint.
Ozpin gave the fixer a deadpan stare, then continued speaking. "This red dot represents the tracker you placed on Torchwick's Bullhead. If I may jump to conclusions, this may be where the White Fang and Torchwick have established their headquarters."
Interested, Roland asked, "What do you want us to do? Eliminate the threat?"
"Nothing of the sort, Roland," Ozpin shook his head. "You and Qrow will infiltrate the presumed headquarters and conduct reconnaissance. Then, depending on the situation, you will gather any bit of evidence relating to their operations. It is better to know what we are up against before heading in without a plan."
For some reason, Roland felt like he had forgotten something. Before he could voice his concern, Qrow interjected, pointing at Roland and questioning his presence. "Why's he here? I've done this a million times before, I can handle it myself."
Snapping out of thought, Roland silently agreed with Qrow. Although Roland had his Perception-blocking mask and Gloves of the Black Silence, this seemed like a one-man type of mission, there was no need to add extra people; either Roland or Qrow could do it. If anything, the more people, the more chances of getting caught. However, the look on Ozpin's face told him that the headmaster was second-guessing himself.
"Qrow, I assure you that you are indeed capable of handling this mission alone, but..." Ozpin turned to Roland. "I fear that something may be approaching, and I don't want to lose any more allies. After Summer, we can't risk it anymore. With more resources at our disposal, solo missions are no longer permitted."
"Oz, you... Never mind," Qrow responded with a slouch on his shoulders, heading towards the elevator. "Just send us the details."
Ozpin remained silent, leaving the room filled with an air of anticipation.
Roland stared between the two. This conversation implies that someone named Summer died under Ozpin's watch and that Qrow hates him for it. He had no business in the matter, so staying quiet right now should suffice. He simply walked alongside Qrow, entering the elevator and catching a glimpse of the harrowing expression on the headmaster's face before the doors closed.
As the elevator descended, silence enveloped the small space. Roland and Qrow stood side by side, waiting for the elevator to reach the first floor. Once again, that questionable feeling lingered in Roland's mind. In time, someone eventually had to break the silence. It was Qrow who let out a heavy sigh.
"You're training my nieces, right?" Qrow asked abruptly.
Unfazed by the sudden change of topic, Roland replied, "Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"
"Uh, how're they doing? While Yang trained under her dad, I took it upon myself to train Ruby. I'm curious to know what someone from a different world thinks about them," Qrow explained, seemingly attempting to distract himself from the earlier conversation. The elevator came to a halt, and the doors opened, allowing them to step out.
Roland hummed thoughtfully as they walked outside the CCT Tower. "I said this to someone else, but if I had to compare them to my world's equivalent of Huntsmen, then Yang would be around Grade 5 with only Ruby being Grade 4."
Curious about the Fixer system, Qrow inquired, "How does this grading system work?"
"From nine to one, the lower the number, the higher the rank," Roland clarified. "For instance, most kids here range from Grades 7-9. Ruby's and Yang's are higher because they probably received top-notch training. While Grades aren't just based on combat, if we're just basing their skills, Ruby's speed is why she's ranked higher, but Yang can probably be higher if she wasn't as hot-headed. Going into a fight blinded by rage half the time isn't going to cut it."
"Yeah, Yang... she has her reasons," Qrow responded with a hint of sorrow in his voice.
"Well, I won't pry into family business," Roland reassured him.
"Appreciated."
"Anytime," Roland nodded. "Anyway, did you get the mission details?"
"Yup." Qrow pulled out his Scroll, showing Roland the message. "Got it a while back. Let's just get this over with."
"Aye aye," Roland responded. Suddenly, a realization struck him. He had completely forgotten about Team CMSN. "Hold up, I'mma make a call real quick."
A confused look appeared on Qrow's face but quickly faded. "Sure, we got some time." Then, the huntsman went to sit on a bench while he waited.
Without wasting a moment, Roland swiftly retrieved his Scroll. He needed someone to either investigate or take care of Team CMSN. Going through his contacts, he spotted the person and clicked the call button. After a brief wait, the call finally connected.
["What do you want, Roland?"]
"Sorry ma'am, but I got a favor to ask of you," Roland began. After a slight hum of interest, Roland continued. "Ozpin gave me and a fellow coworker a mission so I won't be here, but I got some rats creeping around the school. They're in the walls at the student dorms."
["I see," Gebura acknowledged.]
"A green, gray, and two black rats specifically. I just want you to watch out for them, they could bring a plague or something."
["Sure, sure. Give me a second, I'm rearranging a blue idiot's spine." A faint crunch sound could be heard from the Scroll. "Oops."]
"...Tell him I send my regards and that I'll see him later," Roland nonchalantly asks.
["Sure."]
With the call concluded Roland pocketed his Scroll and let out a sigh. "Well, I hope he doesn't die."
Qrow's expression turned to one of concern as he asked, "Who doesn't die?" emphasizing the word 'who'.
"Chesed," Roland replied, waving his hand dismissively. "Don't worry, he'll survive... probably."
A look of bewilderment crossed the drunken huntsman's face. "You Librarians are twisted in the head, aren't you?" he commented, shaking his head.
"We try," Roland replied with a hint of humor in his voice. Hopefully, Gebura would be able to figure out the secret of Team CMSN.
—A DAY LATER—
—DANCE HALL, BEACON ACADEMY—
"Ruby," Weiss called out to the girl sitting at a table. "I need you to pick a tablecloth."
The team leader looked over to see two sheets of cloth. Both of them were exactly the same color. Weiss was looking at her with a smile. The only thing Ruby could give her was a confused expression.
"Aren't they both the same?"
Weiss sighed frustratingly. "I don't even know why I asked!" With that, she walked away, carrying both tablecloths in her hands.
Meanwhile, Yang walked past Weiss, carrying a giant sound speaker on her shoulders. As she approached Ruby, she dropped the speaker and dusted off her hands. With a smile, she asked, "So, have you picked out a dress?"
Ruby shrugged, feeling unsure. "What's the point? I can't dance."
"Are you still embarrassed about that? That was years ago," Yang reassured her, remembering the time Ruby had fallen face-first while dancing in front of a crowd.
Yang's words didn't seem to console Ruby. "Yang, if I can't dance, then what's the point of going to the dance?" Ruby pouted.
"I mean, you don't have to dance," Yang countered, trying to offer an alternative perspective.
"I don't know, Yang," Blake chimed in from her spot next to the stage, where she was immersed in a book. "Dancing is part of the dance. It's in the word."
"Not helping, Blake," Yang deadpanned, though she couldn't hide a small smile. She was glad that her recent conversation with Blake had helped her teammate. Well, it could have gone better if those "magical" girls hadn't shown up, but overall, things were improving. Yang noticed that Blake wasn't as obsessed with the White Fang and Roman Torchwick as she had been before, and no bags were under her eyes. Just as Yang was about to respond, she spotted Weiss. "Weiss! I thought we agreed: No doilies!" Yang exclaimed, clearly annoyed.
Weiss walks up to Yang and points in her face. "If I don't get doilies, you don't get fog machines!" Suddenly the doors to the dance hall opened up, stopping Yang and Weiss from bickering. The doors revealed the S and N members of Team SSSN. Both of them walked into the room and toward the girls. Sun, especially, spotted a certain black-haired girl over by the stage.
"Your dance is gonna have fog machines?" Neptune asked as he overheard the girls' conversation.
Weiss, unexpectedly, walked up to the light blue-haired boy. "We were thinking about it..." she said with a smile.
"That's pretty cool."
"You ladies all excited for dress-up?" Sun barged into the conversation, acting sauve. Although, it caused the ire of the white-haired girl in front of him. She slightly slouched in response.
"Pfft…" Ruby could only sputter. "Yeah, right!"
"Laugh all you want," Yang directed that to Ruby, before turning to the others. "I'll be turning heads tomorrow night!"
Rolling her eyes, Weiss turned to address the two boys. "What are you two wearing?"
"Uuhhh…" Sun gestured to his current attire: shirtless. "This?"
Quickly, Neptune places a hand over Sun's mouth. "Ignore him for he knows not what he says."
In response, Sun knocks his hand away. "Hey, I may have moved to Mistral, but I grew up in Vacuo. It's not exactly a shirt-and-tie kind of place."
"Well, you're in Vale now," Blake chimed in, deciding to join the conversation after growing bored of simply listening. "I'd say it's best to wear something appropriate for the occasion."
"Well, I would wear a suit if..." Sun walked up to Blake, putting on a smile. Everyone watched their interaction. "You were also dressed up."
"I guess we'll have to see," Blake reciprocated his thoughts.
Meanwhile, everyone else in the room stared at the two Faunus with wide eyes and open mouths. They couldn't believe that the two were openly flirting with each other in front of them. Needless to say, it was quite embarrassing to everyone and indecent to the white-haired girl. After they were done flirting, Sun and Neptune ran out of the room as they realized they needed to go buy suits. Once it was just Team RWBY left, Weiss voiced her complaint.
"Ew."
"Oh please, you were all starry-eyed over Neptune," Yang pointed out. "Like you're any different."
"There's a difference between flirting and merely improving a friendship, Yang," Weiss weakly countered. "Not like you, a barbarian, would know the difference."
Yang smirked, unfazed by Weiss's comment. "Hey, I actually have experience with boys. It's just that they aren't up to my standards. It's not my fault they can't handle me." When Ruby heard her sister say that, she was confused, as Yang never had any boyfriends.
"Rightfully so," Weiss said as she rolled her eyes. "Either way, I do believe we're done here. Ruby, you mentioned that you don't have a dress. You know what that means."
Ruby slumped in her chair, expressing her reluctance. Blake also shared a similar sentiment. "Not again," Ruby groaned.
Yang nodded her head, a mischievous smile on her face. "Shopping. The only thing we can agree on, Weiss."
—HOURS LATER—
"Tiph," Malkuth called out, grabbing Tiphereth's retreating body. "Come on! We're right here!"
"Let go!" Tiphereth fumed.
Beforehand, Malkuth convinced Tiphereth to go to the dance, however, it seemed like the yellow librarian changed her mind. Malkuth had also brought along Hod, Netzach, and Chesed, all of whom were simply watching the two struggle with each other. Surprisingly, Chesed had managed to recover from Gebura's wrath after toying with her. The others wouldn't know how he survived, but they were glad to see him alright.
"You've been cooped up in the Library for god-knows-how long," Malkuth complained. "It's time for you to socialize, otherwise you'll end up becoming a hikikomori."
"A what!?"
"I don't know!" The Patron of History also shared the same confusion. "I overheard some of the students talking about something called anime. I did some research and saw that there are a lot of people with cool superpowers. There were these people that could fly and turn their hair golden yellow!"
"Malkuth…" Tiphereth deadpanned as she facepalmed. "Anime isn't real."
Malkuth dropped Tiphereth's arm, letting it return to its owner. She paused, processing Tiphereth's words. "...What?"
"It's not real," Tiphereth reiterated. "Did you actually think it was real?"
"...No," Malkuth replied, a guilty tone in her voice.
In response, Tiphereth could only facepalm. How was it possible that this girl had gone to college? Meanwhile, the rest of the Librarians, except for Netzach, giggled at their exchange. Ultimately, Tiphereth decided to go because Malkuth would continue to pester her endlessly. She would end up bickering on the way to the front doors. Once they reached the front, they saw someone unexpected there.
"Mr. Hokma?" Tiphereth spoke with surprise.
"Greetings," the white librarian spoke.
"What are you doing here?" Malkuth asked.
The white-haired librarian stood with his arms hidden underneath his coat. "It would be quite regretful if I had not participated in such an event. Although I do enjoy my peace at moments, I do not oppose some brisk moments," he explained. "Dances like these do remind me of memories."
"Huh, even the old like to party…" Netzach chuckled to himself.
"Woah!" Malkuth roared as she burst through the front doors, followed by her other fellow librarians. "Everything's so lively!"
"Hey!" A voice called out to them. It was Yang at a podium, presumably welcoming students and guests to the dance. "You guys came too?"
"Yeah! Staying inside the Library most of the time gets you cooped up," Malkuth responded. "By the way, you look pretty!"
"Aw, thank you!"
Inside the ballroom, pink streamers hung from the glass chandeliers, flowing all over the place. Pink and blue balloons were scattered throughout, adding variety to the space. Students were dressed in stylish dark suits and bright white dresses, dancing and twirling to the music. Tables and chairs were set up for those not partaking in the dance, just there to enjoy everyone's company. Also, next to the entrance, there was a small table with a bowl of juice and a ladle in it.
"Yes, Malkuth, it's a dance. Of course, it's lively," Tiphereth deadpanned. The short librarian started to walk towards one of the chairs. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be sitting down over here."
"Well, I'll be off now," Yang announced as she started to walk back into the crowd of students. "Have fun, you guys!"
"See you, Tiph, Ms. Xiao-Long," Hod waved goodbye. She looked behind her to see Malkuth waltzing about the room and talking to some of the students, and Chesed standing around and taking in the music. Hokma decided to sit with Tiphereth to keep her company. Then, suddenly, a tap on her shoulder spun her around. When she fully turned, she saw the green-haired librarian.
"Oh! Netzach," Hod jumped with surprise. "Uhm, did you need something?"
In response, Netzach held out his hand. "It would be uneventful if a lady didn't have a dance," he said with a small smile. The song immediately switched to a waltz, causing everyone around them to start dancing in pairs. The only thing the Patron of Literature could do was smile back and take his hand.
—SOMETIME LATER—
Since Glynda had taken off with James, Ozpin spent some time watching everyone else. Over to the side of the dance, Ozpin spotted some of the Librarians standing about and talking. Seeing their conversation, he decided to go join them. It wouldn't hurt to get to know more about the City. As he approached, he could hear their conversation.
"Angela, Roland, Binah, Yesod, and Gebura…" Malkuth counted.
"We knew that the latter three weren't going to come, but for Roland…" Chesed mused.
"He's on a mission."
"Roland went on a mission?" Tiphereth questioned.
"Yeah, I got his message right here," Malkuth replied as she read the message out loud. "'Got to leave for a mission, Ozpin's orders. I'm with Qrow. Probably won't be back for the dance. Have fun.'"
"So he gets to explore the rest of Remnant while we just sit here?" Tiphereth questioned.
"I guess so, yeah…" Malkuth grumbled. She wanted to see other places too.
"What a bummer…" Netzach commented. He was bummed out about his two drinking friends leaving him. Now who was going to drink with him later?
"Do we know what kind of mission it is?" Hod curiously asked.
"A reconnaissance mission," Ozpin revealed, surprising all the Librarians save for Hokma, who noticed the other white-haired man earlier. "Apologies if I startled most of you, it wasn't my intention."
"I see," Hokma responded, his green eyes meeting brown eyes. "If I may, you are the Headmaster, correct?"
"Yes, and I presume you are the latest individual to the Library?" Ozpin questioned as he put out his hand.
"Yes. Hokma, the Patron Librarian of Religion," Hokma nodded, reaching out his hand. "A pleasure to meet you, headmaster."
"Ozpin, as you know, the Headmaster of Beacon. A pleasure all the same, Hokma." Both of them shook hands.
"God, it's like looking at the same person," Netzach whispered to the rest of the group. Since Ozpin was here, it was the perfect time to ask what they'd all been wondering. After a group voting, it was decided that the short brown-haired girl would ask.
"Headmaster," Hod called out. After Ozpin turned to face her, she continued. "What is Angela making? Except for Roland, we haven't seen Angela at all."
"Oh," Ozpin hesitated. "Ms. Angela is working on something very important for Beacon. Although I would wish to discuss this… topic with you all someday, now is not the moment. Today is a good day to celebrate what we have, for I believe things will change soon."
"But why?" Tiphereth questioned.
"Now, I do believe that Angel—" Ozpin was cut off by the sound of someone talking.
"Ozpin," a new voice called out. Making their way toward them were Ironwood and Goodwitch. Both of them seemingly had a good time on the dance floor. "And the other librarians I presume."
To the Librarians, they had never seen this man before. He was dressed like someone important, but they knew that he wasn't a part of Beacon. However, one of the Librarians, a certain short yellow-haired girl, faintly recognized his face. She narrowed her eyes to see if she could remember. Then, she figured it out.
"General Ironwood, correct?" Tiphereth guessed.
"Why, it's very rare for a young lady like you to know someone like me," Ironwood said. A wave of realization that this was the General of the Kingdom of Atlas was in front of them. With command of an entire army, this man was technically the strongest man in Remnant. "It's nice to meet you…?"
"Tiphereth. The Patron Librarian of Social Science."
"..." Ironwood held a blank stare at the yellow librarian. He then spoke with unease, "A child like you was forced to..." He cut himself off from there. "Never mind me."
However, it didn't seem to stop the girl from grimacing. The blonde-haired girl was about to raise her voice at him, but it seemed like the blonde professor spoke up first. "Ms. Tiphereth is… seemingly not a child, James," Glynda pointed out. At his confused expression, she continued. "Many others had made the same mistake."
"Apologies, Ms. Tiphereth. I won't make the same mistake twice."
"Hmph." She turned away from looking at him.
The general grumbled at himself for a bad first impression. Next, he turned to the other Librarians. One by one, they introduced each other. Considering that he had already met well over half of the newcomers to Remnant, he could definitely say that they were an eccentric group of individuals. Once they were finished, he reintroduced himself this time.
"As you probably know, I am James Ironwood. General of Atlas, and Headmaster of its academy."
"Oh my~, not just a general, but a headmaster too?" Chesed sounded surprised yet intrigued. "Must it be hard to manage all that work, no?"
In response, the general let out a sigh. "Yes, but it is necessary. I'm willing to shoulder the burden for everyone else," his words steeled with determination.
Chesed let out a hum of approval. The general before him was miles better than what they had in the City. He could feel the general's passion for protecting this world, rather than corporate greed and pride coming first. The blue librarian couldn't help but wonder if he would have supported the military if it was someone like General Ironwood taking charge. Not that it matters, anyway, Chesed was somewhat glad to just be somewhere other than the City, so he was content with their current situation.
"Headmaster," Chesed said, grabbing Ozpin's attention. "You were going to tell us something about Angela~?"
"Ah, yes," Ozpin remembered. "Now that James is here, it would be a perfect opportunity. I believe that Angela's work is almost complete. It should be finished soon enough."
A look of excitement washed over Ironwood's face. On the other hand, the Librarians and Glynda were left curious as to what her work entailed. However, before any questions or comments came, laughter could be heard from the center of the dance hall. Everyone turned to see an embarrassing sight.
"Oh, dear."
"What the…"
"Mr. Arc…"
"He looks pretty good in it."
With most of the students backing up, giving him some space, Jaune and Pyrrha are in the center of the crowd. The latter wore a long red dress that reached the floor; on the other hand, Jaune was wearing a white dress with a bluish-white tie.
"Jaune! You didn't have to!" Pyrrha shouted.
"Hey, an Arc never goes back on his word," Jaune declared as he extended his hand toward her. "Now do you wanna stand there and laugh at me, or do you wanna dance?"
As soon as she took his hand, he swept her away into a twirl. Next to them, Nora and Ren were standing there; Nora jumping in place at the same time. Similarly, Nora grabbed Ren by the hands and dragged him towards the dance floor. When they met up, Team JNPR started to break into a dance, a choreographed dance as if they had practiced this.
"And here I thought that Mr. Arc in a dress would be the craziest thing tonight…" Glynda sighed.
On the other hand, Malkuth was tearing up. "Their friendship is so beautiful," she said as she sniffed. "I need a tissue."
"Here." Hod pulled out a handkerchief.
The long brown-haired girl took the handkerchief. "Thank you." Then, while still crying, she proceeded to blow her nose into it. Hod looked on with a grimace expression. After her handkerchief was returned, Hod uncomfortably put it away. However, she noticed two soldiers and an orange-haired girl making their way toward them. Both soldiers wore similar armor, except their accents were red and blue respectively.
"If you weren't so focused on dancing, we could've notified him sooner," the blue one chided his partner.
"Hey! Penny started dancing and I was kinda getting into it. I wasn't gonna stand there and do nothing," the red soldier shrugged. "Might as well have fun since we're here."
"We're here on duty. Plus, doing the robot? Really?"
"Whatever." Once all three of them stopped near them, the group noticed that they were there so they turned their attention from Team JNPR to the three.
"General Ironwood, sir," both of the soldiers saluted. Penny next to them also saluted.
"At ease," Ironwood responded, addressing them. "Sergeant Phil, Sergeant Jenkins, what happened?"
"Some units stopped responding to their radios, we believe there is a situation," the blue soldier explained.
On the side, Malkuth blanked out. The soldier that just talked sounded super familiar. She didn't know why though. Due to the helmets they were wearing, it was impossible to see the soldier's face. Malkuth narrowed her eyes at the soldier, trying to see if she could force herself to remember. However, the blue soldier noticed her staring and stared back. Embarrassed, Malkuth averted her gaze.
"I see." Ironwood openly frowned. Turning to face the others, he apologized, "Sorry everyone, there's some business I have to attend to. "
"James, what's happening?" Ozpin inquired, concerned about everyone's safety.
"Later, Ozpin. Just make sure nothing happens here."
"..."
The general and his two soldiers walked away. The last to leave was the blue soldier, who looked back at the group with curiosity. Curiously, the orange-haired girl also decided to follow them. Although Ozpin and Glynda had never seen the girl before, they had other things on their minds. The only thing they could do now was worry. For the Librarians, they weren't in the know, but from the sound of it, it seemed like something bad was happening.
"Excuse my language, but I think shit's about to go down."
"Mr. Netzach!" Glynda shouted. "That was highly unnecessary."
"Netzach, you shouldn't say stuff like that. It's setting a bad example for the students," Hod commented as well. Malkuth nodded in agreement.
"I did say 'excuse my language'..." Netzach reasoned. He turned to see what the guys thought of it, but to no avail, he was alone on this. He cursed Roland and Qrow for not being there; he needed someone to joke around with. "...I'mma get some juice." Hopefully, it was spiked for him.
As he poured himself a cup, next to him, he saw the team leader of Team RWBY fidgeting. He didn't want to say anything negative so he decided to not say anything at all. It also seemed like she didn't notice him at all. After walking quietly away from everyone, Ruby walked out the door. Netzach took a sip and watched as she started to run.
"...It isn't spiked," Netzach sluggishly complained.
—A FEW SECONDS BEFORE—
—THE LIBRARY, BEACON ACADEMY—
["I think everyone's here," Mercury said as he finished counting.]
"Do it again. Make sure everyone is there."
["Gotcha."]
["Cinder," Emerald's voice through the Scroll showed concern. Her face also expressed the same concern. "Are you sure you'll be fine by yourself? I don't want you to get hurt."]
"Hurt? Me?" Cinder said with confusion as she put on a disguise. "Emerald, you should know who you're talking to by now. What can mere librarians do? They cannot fathom to put a scratch on me."
[Emerald's face didn't change at all. "Still, wouldn't it be better for one of us to plant the bug instead of that rat?"]
"Roman's pet is not of any concern. She will do anything for us as long as Roman follows us. Just watch the students and make sure they don't know anything. In the meantime, I will see why this 'Library' is so important."
["I don't see the black, purple, and red one," Mercury points out. "They might still be in there."]
"It's just three of them. Shouldn't be much of a threat. How long do I have?"
["You should probably be home by midnight, to be safe," Mercury estimated, before seeing something happen. "Oops, a party guest is leaving."]
"Who?"
["Ironwood," Emerald answered. "]
["I guess the general's had enough fun for one night. Should we intervene?" Mercury suggested.]
"No, she made her own mess. She'll just have to clean it up herself," huffing her breath, Cinder ended the call and pocketed her Scroll. She would scold Roman's pet later for her mess up.
Since she couldn't risk revealing her identity, she was wearing an outfit consisting of a sleeveless jacket, long gloves, stiletto-heel boots, and several straps with containers of powdered Dust lined across her pants. The gloves, boots, and pants also have black mosaic designs that are infused with Dust. To top it off, to hide her face, she used a black glass mask that only covered her eyes. It was a perfect outfit for hiding her identity. If she were to get caught, she could play it off as if she got lost, and act like a stupid brat would.
"Now then. Let's see what the Library has to offer," Cinder smirked as she started to walk further into the Library. She just needed some information; documents or a "book" would be nice. Once she got in far enough, the doors suddenly started to close slowly until they fully shut.
Author's Note:
Told ya that the chapter was short. Most of it was basically canon stuff, but little bits of influence mixed in. The story is changing, and so is my writing quality, for the worst that is. I'm really not as confident anymore in making quality writing as I was before. I'm not sure if it's the stress from college, this part of the story, or just that I'm actually losing brain cells.
Like before, I'm kinda pacing through the story right now so that we can get into the "juicier" parts, but I don't know if you guys will like that or not.
Now here's where I do something different. In that last part, as you read, Cinder is entering the Library. But where? That's up to you guys to decide. Choose one of the floors and I'll do my best to make it happen. Keep in mind that I'm also cross-posting this to AO3 so they will also have the right to vote. Thank you all for sticking with me, if you see a mistake or something wrong, be sure to tell me so I can correct them. Peace.