BEACON HUNTERS' ACADEMY

HALLOW'S EVE PROMENADE DANCE AND BALLROOM PARTY

IN ATTENDANCE:

Staff Chaperones:

Prof. Glynda Goodwitch (The Awful, Terrible, Not-Very-Good Witch)

Dr. Bartholomew Oobleck (My Dissertation)

Prof. Peter Port (No Costume Needed)

Prof. Shion Zaiden (The Hot Guy from Hoal's Non-Stationary Battlement)

Student Union Committee:

President: Coco Adel (Many Dead Animals in a Trenchcoat)

Vice-President: Shiro Inoue (Mummy 2)

Treasurer: Velvet Scarlatina (Bald Man)

3rd Year Tribune: Logan Negras (Mummy 3)

2nd Year Tribune: Perri Killgore (Nasty Nasty Trash Boy)

1st Year Tribune: Blake Belladonna (The Looming Shadow of the 'Free' Market. Did You Include the Airquotes?)

Student Prospect Representative: Gary Green (Gary Not-Green)

Elected Prominees:

Third Years:

· Prom Queen 1 - Alabastre Llewelyn (Alabastre Doll)

· Prom Queen 2 - Genji Yü (The Prince Princess)

· Prom King 1 - Iseult Deathshead (The Moth. Like my it'd Be Pretty Obvious; I Do the Same Thing Every Year. But. Uh. This One is the Best)

· Prom King 2 - Ashur (Mister McDreamy)

Second Years:

· Prom Queen 1 - Coco Adel (Many Dead Animals in a Trenchcoat)

· Prom Queen 2 - Yatsuhashi Daichi (The Black Swordsman— er, Woman. Oh [expletive] Do I Have to Wear a Dress?)

· Prom King 1 - Fox Alistair (Your Dad, Hot Edition)

· Prom King 2 - Pavel Purpure (All Eyes on Me)

First Years:

· Prom Queen 1 - Skye Lark ('Till I'm Blue)

· Prom Queen 2 - Pyrrha Nikos (Vellum Dress)

· Prom King 1 - Yang Xiao Long (So Sharp my Partner is Handing Out Safety Glasses)

· Prom King 2 - Ruby Rose (Uh. I Don't Really Know, I Didn't Pick it. Do I Have to Do This? What? Who Would Vote for Me? Are You Still—)

SPONSORED BY THE VALE DUSTWORKS COMPANY

Weiss couldn't even count how many times she'd stomped past that poster. They were plastered over every wall, every door— even the insides of the bathroom stalls— as they had been for the past week leading up to the event. Orange and black things, lining the corridors like a festive fascia.

She half-tripped, and that was the first and last straw for her pumps. She kicked them off and kept stomping, her white socks threatening to slide with every step, her sheath slapping her skirted legs with every heavy footfall. She moved with singular purpose: fucking up Pyrrha Nikos.

Ruby was hers to hurt. Hers to injure, hers to make weep, hers to hold— er, put in a hold. A chokehold. To kill her.

But that birdbrained dolt had to let the heathen First get her claws in her. Dammit! There was only one set of claws that should be getting in that girl and it was hers! In a violent way!

'You kissed me.'

'It's just friggin' buttons.'

'Ugh. You wish, princess.'

'Now, princess!'

'Oh, uh, thanks princess.'

' Princess, I mean. Whatever.'

'Princess' 'Princess' 'Princess'

'This is the least you could do, Weiss.'

'Or the most, really.'

'It's certainly more than you deserve.'

'Don't act like I don't know.'

'Degenerate.'

'You should be thanking me.'

'Don't you understand? Doing this— it'll fix you.'

'One way or another.'

'My apologies, did I make it seem like you had a choice?'

'Just because you're my spawn, you think you're some special princess?

'You're a child, Weiss. A useless little creature. Plaguing our name since the day you were born.'

'Creatures don't get choices. Beasts don't get choices— have you never listened?'

'You lost your right to those the day you killed my wife.'

She'd beaten them— robbed them of that which they spoke of with such value, but treated with none. No matter what, she'd already taken her crowning triumph. Everything else was a victory lap, more proof she was better, more evidence that they held her back.

She was special to someone, whether that someone liked it or not. She'd made sure of it. That was what nemeses were for, by their very definition. The person who hated her— who she hated— without nuance or care or difficulty. The person who was her rival. The person she could strive to conquer.

The first step of conquest: ensuring nobody else can take it first.

Ruby was drunk.

She was… really drunk.

Fuckin'... whoever spiked the whatever-juice, fuck 'em. Fr fr, as Blake would say.

If nothing else, it kept her from ticcing. If everything else, she wanted to fall over and vomit.

She stood by the juiced juice-bowl like a statue. A shitty statue that swayed a lot. It was the only place she felt she could be kinda out of the party without obviously avoiding it. And Weiss told her to stay put.

No. Don't think about Weiss. Thinking about Weiss made her want to cry. She didn't want to cry. That'd make Pyrrha think something was wrong.

Which, to be fair, something was wrong— everything.

Everything that was wrong:

· Ruby had never been to a party

· This was NOT a good introduction so far

· Ruby could not dance

· Pyrrha wasn't talking to her

· She kept bringing people over and, like, introducing them instead?

· She didn't know any of these people!

· She didn't care to know!

· Yang and Blake were too busy owning the floor together to see how much panic she was gulping down

· Jaune wasn't even here!

· None of her friends were!

· God, she still didn't have any friends!

· Also, she hated her costume!

The shitty statue of Ruby Florabel Branwen Rose was clad in a long, thick white cloak— quite like her mum's, actually— that covered her back and most of her front, save for the one hand poking out to hold her red party cup. There were other things under the cloak. Things Pyrrha also chose for her, all matching the whole 'Eidolon of the Second' theme, topped by a big, genuine scythe that she had tucked in the crook of her extended arm. If this weren't in a school of Hunters, they probably wouldn't let her have it.

She felt like some kind of makeup golem with how much stupid bullshit was all over her face. Being drunk and dressed in too much stuff was making her hot and sweaty; she felt like a pig, but one that people showed off at fairs and stuff.

So far she'd met all the other prom nominees… prominees… prom… whatevers. They were all human. Everyone was human. She draped her cloak awkwardly over her extended, drink-holding arm, better hiding her feathers. She just… she hated it. All of it. The whole place was full of noises and lights. The only thing keeping her from ticcing like mad was the alcohol. It felt like the only thing keeping her sane.

She just wanted to leave. But Weiss said to stay. Weiss… Weiss…

Fuck it, just… keep thinking about Weiss. Don't cry and keep thinking about Weiss.

That was okay. Even if it wasn't. She didn't care. She wanted it to be okay, so it would. With all the power of a prominee, she would make it so.

She could almost hear the sound. The scratch of it. Like the most awful, wretched, disgusting, lovelyplates getting scraped by the infinite hellish tines of a jagged, monstrous, beautifulfork. Nobody else made that sound: 'Florabel'.

'Florabel.'

"Florabel."

Ruby jumped, but a hand grabbed at the back of her cloak and forced her still.

"Quickly," the worst person in the world whispered. "We need to go."

Ruby stayed still, too drunk not to listen, but not drunk enough to act stupid. "B-but someone'll see."

"I set a distraction."

Ruby felt pride boil in her chest. Or acid reflux. "You did?" she asked with undisguised wonderment.

"Come. It is going to—"

Across the room, the other punch bowl exploded with a spray of anomalous mixed juices. Ruby let herself be tugged away, uncaring of how her drink and her stupid scythe hit the ground— among the chaos, nobody would notice.

Then she was being led out the doors, everyone ignoring her in favor of the exploded thing she had already forgotten. Then she was walking down the halls. Then she was talking.

"Where're we goin?"

"The dorm."

Ruby hummed.

"'Twill be safe enough. I shall lock the door so thou canst change and free thy face of that awful gunk."

Ruby lolled around uselessly in her partner's grasp, feeling warm and hot and sweaty and drunk. "Yer… thoughtful."

"Speakest not, Florabel, thou'rt of unsound mind."

"Prin-cesssss," Ruby whined. "Whyrn't'cha talking normal?"

Weiss huffed. Or chuckled. Or something. "This be my normal, Florabel. I simply assumed thou too lush to understand." After a second, she asked, "Would it comfort you if I spoke normally?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Fine, then. Whatever."

"So nice…"

"What was that?"

"Nothi—"

Ruby's world turned upside down as she was tugged around, pushed, and sent stumbling over her own useless bird-feet into wherever she was. She started to fall. With Ruby's track record, who could possibly guess what happened?

Obviously, Weiss caught her. "Watch yourself, Florabel."

Ruby's head rocked back loosely, her gaze meeting with Weiss'. "Mmnm," she hummed contentedly, though her face crested with worry as she noticed her partner's uniform. "Oh, weryouatwork?"

Weiss picked her up, nodding.

"Whywuryaatwerk?"

Weiss shrugged. She looked down the hall both ways before locking the dorm behind them. "I didn't have a date to the prom," she answered simply. "Twas— it was— an opportunity for overtime."

Weiss set her on the bed and Ruby flopped over, whinging as Weiss took off her sword belt. "'M sorry, Wei-ss… szhsh…"

"Sorry? What for?"

Ruby opened her mouth, only to be silenced by a sharp hand gesture from Weiss.

"No. Nevermind. Not now." She hoisted Ruby up— much too quickly, judging by the stars that blew out behind her eyes, but Ruby managed to hold onto consciousness as Weiss started dragging her into the bathroom. She set the stupid, useless drunk that was named (in short) Ruby Rose down on the lid of the toilet, and returned shortly thereafter with makeup wipes— definitely stolen from Yang, since Weiss… never wore…

Weiss never wore makeup.

Well, she was now, but it was probably for work. And it wasn't nearly as gruesome as what Ruby had actually seen happen to her face, so she hadn't cared to notice. Weiss wiped herself off first.

So she just… looked like that. Why was this only hitting now?

Weiss let out a long, grateful sigh that made Ruby's toes curl, then she got really close and started wiping her nemesis' face clean. She had this focused look on her, and her one eye was like hard, glowing steel. Her little towelette scrubbed over Ruby's cheeks, down her nose, under her eyes… why was it the nicest feeling in the whole world? Why did it have to end?

Weiss tossed the used wipes away and turned towards the door. "I'm going to leave you in here to undress. I'll be right outside."

"You could stay."

Weiss didn't even turn, as if she'd expected that. "No. I'll be back with some clothes and I'll pass them through the doorway."

God, what was wrong with her. "Please?"

Weiss met her eyes again, but her jaw was set forward despite the red over her face. "No, Ruby. You're drunk."

It was stupid the way Ruby mumbled, clearly desperate as Weiss started opening the door. "A-and what if… whatifIwasn't?"

Weiss looked at her. Weiss closed the door on her way out. She returned with a shirt and some pants— her patchy sweatshirt and the joggers she'd made for Ruby— and closed the door again.

Ruby put them on. She opened the door. She cried.

Weiss took her just… instantly. She scooped her stupid bird body into her arms and she rocked her to the floor without any hesitation. Even when Ruby started wailing and snotting on her, even when Ruby wrapped her legs around Weiss' waist and latched on like a bug, even when Ruby started babbling things that didn't really start, finish, or even make sense to either of them, she held her. She held Ruby's face against her… her stupid… her wretched… her thin and warm and good-smelling neck.

Ruby said she was sorry. A lot. Weiss just stroked her hair and rocked her.

"I— I thought you were supposed to hate me…"

Weiss nodded sagely. "I do. I hate you so much."

"Is… is that supp-posed to… be…" Ruby mumbled between sniffles. "A eu… euthanasia… or something?"

"Euphemism, Florabel."

"F-fuck you."

Weiss snorted. "Not this night."

Ruby backed up a little, getting front-row tickets to her nemesis freezing in her own skin, her pretty face going taut as she realized herself. Ruby grinned despite the tears. "It was a euf… whatever."

Weiss didn't correct her this time. "I'm starting to think you might be correct."

"So—"

"For the final time, no," Weiss asserted. "I'm not taking advantage of you, especially not while the Honored Martial is your mate."

Ruby rolled her eyes, still sniffling. "S-stop being… racist. Mating is not a thing."

Weiss groaned. "So oversensitive, you people."

Ruby blinked at her, gathering as much sober anger as she could— which was none, so the effect was probably nonexistent. "If you 'you people' me again, yer never gettin' anything."

"I doubt that."

"Weiss."

"Fine," Weiss acquiesced, rolling her eyes. "Whatever."

Ruby tried to give her a stern look, but she really couldn't. Not with the way Weiss' eye was so easy on her. Why hadn't Pyrrha looked at her like that? Why hadn't anyone? Ruby nuzzled back into her neck.

"Weiss?" she mumbled pathetically, her voice still thin and weak. "You won't stop trying to kill me, will you?"

Weiss barked out a harsh laugh that sounded so good with Ruby's ear right against it. "Of course not, idiot. Thou'rt my nemesis."

Ruby's whole body sighed into Weiss, relaxing even further than previously thought possible. "Thank god. There's no thrill quite like kicking your ass."

"Verily."

"Don't act like the challenge is mutual, you just enjoy getting' beat up."

A long pause. Quietly: "V-verily."

Ruby chuffed. Weiss squirmed.

"That doesn't mean my day won't come."

"Don't threaten me with a good time."

"Incorrigible."

"Corrige deez nuts."

Another pause, eternities long. "I think it's time for you to sleep, Florabel."

Ruby groaned. Weiss stood up. With Ruby still attached to her, it was more than a little embarrassing the ease with which she lifted the hollow-boned Faunus. And more than a little… well she was about to dump her into bed, she could be forgiven for… whatever she was thinking.

"Could you—"

"Florabel, I'm not stupid enough to get in bed with you tonight."

"Whyyyyy?"

Weiss pursed her lips, disappointed. "I have things to do."

Ruby sat up desperately, scooting forward and patting the space behind her. "Then just… here. For a moment. Just sit. I won' do anything."

Despite the long look of obvious suspicion, Weiss did eventually oblige, sliding in and spooning Ruby's back sitting-up. She buried her face in the back of Ruby's hair, pulled back, took out Ruby's hair tie, and put her face into the scraggly, jagged mess that was now free. She grumbled when Ruby craned back to put her own schnoz on Weiss' neck, but chuckled a little when Ruby contentedly mumbled 'mmm, skin'.

She went to sleep. Probably. At some point. She just hoped that Weiss wouldn't do something stupid.

Something like

Weiss jumped up on the long table, knocking party things off its surface with a mocking, dismissive sweep of her sword and a false curtsy of her maid-skirts. She figured this would be one of the few timed nobody would question the outfit.

Pyrrha clambered up on the long surface across from her, using her classic crux as a support. She had an incredible red dress with a long, dramatic train and a half-cape of golden chains. On anyone else, that and her drunken sway would probably be encumbering enough to matter.

"Shouldn't we… stop this?" Dr. Oobleck asked, looking a little frazzled himself.

Port cuffed him lightheartedly across the back. "Of course not, my boy! This is the nature of our craft!"

Oobleck looked across the room, seeking support with another chaperone, only to find Glynda Goodwitch passed out, sprawled across a chair with a red party cup spilling over her lap. Professor Zaiden sat next to her more soberly, but shrugged, maintaining an obviously interested gaze towards the bout at hand.

Pyrrha drummed the butt of her crux against the flat table, summoning all the seriousness her alcohol-twinged mind could muster. "You're gonna regret this," she said, though the tone of her voice said something more like 'I'm gonna enjoy this'.

Weiss was really glad Ruby had texted her when she did; another hour and she would've been way too high to be doing this. Her confident grin came with ease. "Prove it."