Note: Ah, the first day of Vytal has come to a close, and with it, most of our character introductions. Thank you very much for all of the patience, because I know bombarding you with a bunch of side characters is a lot. I will never complain about RWBY canon ever again lol. If you need help keeping track of everything, here's a reminder that on my Discord, I'm hosting a tournament game that allows you to predict the outcome of Vytal. You get an Excel sheet with all character profiles included, and it's also free and just very fun. I have promised them that the more competitors we get, the more steamy I will write for a certain ship coming up soon. So hopefully that's temptation enough lol.

Also, huge thanks to SwagWizardSupreme aka Ashe for helping me with the prose and editing for this chapter! I promise I will read A Throat Full of Feathers eventually.

The parade was glorious. The parade was grandiose. The parade was… way too loud.

So loud Ruby couldn't hear herself think.

"Cinder… I mean, Miss Fall… it's an honor."

"Likewise. I hope we have time to get to know each other."

The conversation drifted in and out of Ruby's mind like the tide. There was simply too much stimulus. Ruby stood on a wide, flat carriage, enough to easily fit all four members of her team. The floor was carpeted and the railings were laced in gold. The sides of their carriages were painted with Valian flowers, and three white stallions pulled them along the cobblestone Main Street while the Beacon flag waved from the back of the cart. Ruby looked up at the night sky. There were more stars above her than she had ever seen in her life, twinkling and beckoning, and the shattered moon seemed to grant the festivities a radiant glow. Every street corner was lit in by hanging torches, and streamers were thrown from the rooftops, transforming the coastal town into a multicolored paradise.

And then there were all the people. Ruby wasn't sure how so many people could fit on a single road. The procession included a variety of dancers and showmen, moving down the streets in unison. They were spread between each carriage, dancing in either classic Huntsmen garb or, depending on the kingdom, something far more scandalous. The sidewalks were packed with cheering, adoring fans, waving around flags, showing merchandise, screaming, so much screaming. And of course, there were the musicians, overlapping harmonies creating an overwhelming cacophony of noise over Li Caccia. Trumpets and trombones, singing and chanting… loud. It was so freaking loud. All Ruby wanted to do was think about Cinder, and Ozpin, and Vytal, and Vivian, and so many important things.

But maybe this wasn't the time for that. She was in the Vytal Parade of the Opening Ceremony. Maybe she should be celebrating. The fans definitely thought so, and so did her teammates. At least, some of them. Yang was having the time of their life, giving thumbs up and fist pumps to every person they could. Weiss waived politely, almost like a princess. Ruby focused on holding a smile at the head of the carriage. Blake was being Blake.

"So, who the hell is Cinder Fall?" Blake asked in Blakely fashion. She leaned against the side of the carriage, ignoring the screaming fans desperate to get her attention. Ruby, Weiss, and Yang all continued to wave, though Ruby had difficulty hiding her disappointment. Really? Not even Cinder?

"She won the last Vytal," Ruby explained. "She's from Beacon. She's a twin swordsman who can superheat objects. You really didn't follow any of it?"

"I was a bit busy making terrible life decisions," Blake shrugged. "I don't have time to pay attention to all of Ozpin's pets."

"She isn't Ozpin's pet," said Weiss. "At least, I didn't think she was."

"She looked pretty friendly."

"She's probably just being polite," Ruby stated. "They had a very public falling out."

"What for?"

"Well…" Ruby held her breath. Was it really her place to be saying any of this? She remembered watching it live, her cheering turning into abrupt horror. She distinctly remembered the visual: the whites of Cinder's eyes glaring out from the blood smeared across her face. She shuddered and Weiss rested a hand on her shoulder.

Yang took a break from giving thumbs ups to the crowd to explain on their behalf. "Cinder was supposed to be the next big thing. You gotta remember, this is right when Pyrrha was starting to make a name for herself in Mistral. Beacon wanted their own Pyrrha, so they picked Cinder. She tore through Vytal easily, all the way to the Finals. But her final opponent…" Yang grimaced. "It was her teammate."

Blake nodded carefully, crossing her arms over her chest. "And let me guess. It didn't end well for the teammate."

Yang gave a forced smile to the crowd. "No. It didn't."

Blake sighed. Ruby quickly jumped to Cinder's defense. "It was an accident. I don't think anyone believes she wanted to kill Gretchen. It would be like if I killed you. They were friends."

"Never said it was intentional. Just… fucking hate Vytal, is all," Blake said. "Sending a bunch of kids to fight each other while the headmasters reap all the benefits. And look at all these people." Blake sneered at the crowd, though it did nothing to dissuade them from celebrating the presence of their favorite Huntresses. "They paid thousands of Lien for front-row seats to watch children dying. When Cinder killed her teammate, how many of them do you think went online to talk about how great of a tournament it was? This world is fucked beyond belief."

"You and Cinder might get along then," Ruby suggested. "She basically said the same things. Then she, well, vanished for four years. I don't even think she technically graduated. She basically just up and quit the Huntress career altogether."

"And yet, here she is. Back again," Blake claimed. "What do you think changed?"

"Who knows?" Weiss said. "Maybe she got over it?"

"Getting over killing her friend? That's pretty heartless," said Yang.

"Maybe she just needed a paycheck," Blake speculated.

"It doesn't really matter why she's back," Ruby claimed. "She's not a competitor. Let's try to remember who the real threats are."

Ruby's point was salient, and she looked straight ahead past the horses. All of Beacon were clustered together by year order, with JJWL at the helm and JNPR taking up the rear. Team JJWL was placed in their own custom cart, and they made no effort to interact with the crowd. The cart was decorated with a large throne, on which the King took her rightful spot. Ruby could just imagine the disdainful expression on her face. Cinder was just a distraction from Ozpin's newest toy.

Still… she had returned to Ozpin. Were they working together now? And if so, to what end could he use another strong Huntress by his side? It would likely keep her up at night.

Focus on the fans. Smile and wave. Until the panic subsided.

The parade lasted an eternity, each stone brick passed taking roughly three billion years. The procession marched and danced all the way to Main Street, and Ruby was taken aback when she saw just how big the welcoming party was.

The stage constructed for the Opening Ceremony was massive, a hundred and fifty feet wide and taller than every other building in the city. Its arch was golden and lined with carvings of Huntsmen in various states of battle. The back of the stage was decorated with the four Kingdom flags. A crowd of thousands was packed in front of the theater, flags and streamers waving overhead. Locals hung out the balconies of nearby buildings to get a proper view. Off to the side, there was a row of tables with journalists speaking into microphones: every major news network on the planet covering the events as they unfolded. It put the event into perspective. The crowd that gathered before the stage… they were a fraction of a percent of the total viewing audience. No pressure.

Slowly, the parade splintered. The performers filtered into the crowd, but the carriages continued toward the stage. They filled the pit, sixteen of them lined up neatly. Just gated off from their section were even more cameras, more than Ruby could care to count. The trainers corralled the horses and soothed them from the loud noises. The carriages came to a halt, and Blake went to leave before Yang stopped her.

"Hey, anthems. Remember?"

Blake did not remember. A voice came over the speaker to remind her.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we ask that you be quiet as we honor each Kingdom's glory with their national anthems."

Oh, right. That.

A hush fell over the crowd. Everyone turned to face the flags upon the stages. Ruby nudged Blake in the shoulder and forced her to show respect—merely for the sake of the infinite cameras that were watching them, if nothing else. Blake reluctantly put her hand over her heart, though she crossed her fingers when she was sure no one could see it.

The Kingdom of Vale's anthem played, and Team RWBY stood in silence.

The Kingdom of Mistral's anthem played, and Team RWBY stood in silence.

The Kingdom of Vacuo's anthem played, and Team RWBY stood in silence.

The Kingdom of Atlas's anthem played, and Team RWBY stood in silence. But like, an aggressive silence.

Then, the crowd cheered. New music started up. The theme was not of a Kingdom, but of Vytal itself. It was time to take the stage. As the horns blared, the various teams were emptied from their carriages in a particular order. One by one, the teams were led up to the stage, where their members formed a straight line, shoulder to shoulder. Team RWBY, by chance, was one of the last teams to be released. They followed the group ahead of them like cattle to the slaughter, ignoring the calls for their attention from the onlookers.

Ruby took one step onto the stage, and then another. And then, a funny thing happened. She was transported—not in body, but in memory. With each step forward on the stage's wooden surface, she recalled watching this very scene through the sterile barrier of a television screen. She remembered being the one cheering for her favorite event of the year. She would look at each of the faces of the Huntsmen, trying to scrounge up details on each competitor she could. She felt Yang sitting next to her on the couch, never doing any research, attempting to pick the tournament winners. She could hear her father getting drunk from the kitchen, calling for her to turn off the television

With each step, it became more real. This was the Vytal Festival. There were children around the world watching her, believing in her, wanting to be her.

As she moved into place, she could feel her mother's presence, cheering her on, proud of her for achieving her dream. Summer Rose never had the chance to participate in the Vytal Festival. Her legacy was tainted and destroyed by the Kingdom her own daughters were forced to honor moments ago. But now, the Roses were where they belonged. They had reached the pinnacle, their name exhumed from the mines of Memoria to be upheld among champions.

Ruby entered the row, hands clasped behind her back, staring out at the entire world. The spotlights scorched her skin. The faces of the crowd blurred together into an indistinguishable mass. She had been somewhere similar after vanquishing the Grimm, but nothing was like this.

This was the peak.

This was her legacy.

Ruby Rose was, by sheer virtue of standing here, one of the greatest Huntresses in the world.

And she wanted to scream.

Ruby felt like a fraud. She thought the fears would vanish, but she couldn't be more wrong. She and her team cheated their way to her life's dream, had taken the pageantry of Vytal, the prestige and glory, and made it into another proxy war. The trophy given to the winner may as well have been made of sand for all it was worth. To stand here with those myriad cameras glaring, with the adoration of the entire world… her inner child was rolling in its grave.

She didn't look at her teammate's expressions. She didn't want to see their joy or fears. She didn't want them to know what she became.

Her eyes wandered elsewhere. She saw President Pygmalion off the edge of the stage, going over his notes one last time with an assistant. She leaned forward and looked down the long row of Huntsmen and Huntresses. She saw Team JNPR, and more specifically Pyrrha Nikos, fidgeting under the spotlight. Down the row, she saw the long lineup of Atlasian students, all indistinguishable from one another. Except, of course, Penny, who couldn't keep her posture straight with the rest. What had shaken her so badly? This was what she chose. And then beside Atlas were the students from Haven, led by Team BRIR. Even now, Bianca Prisma continued to look like a literal goddess, proud and noble and sparkling. Under the spotlight, she was home. And then next to them, was…

Um…

Well, there was a team that RWBY didn't recognize. They stood at the edge of her vision, their eyes shifting about nervously as if they weren't used to the attention. They had a vaguely alien look about them—not wholly unusual, but just a certain combination of elements that didn't quite fit together. Like mimicking an accent but misusing all the slang. She didn't meet them during the day, so their names escaped her.

One of them was pale—paler than any woman Ruby had ever seen. A dark purple hood was thrown over her face, casting her eyes in shadow. Her chin was pointed like a witch, and she was incessantly mumbling something to herself that Ruby couldn't detect. A red, diamond jewel sat squarely in her forehead, glistening through the dark.

Another was a woman with a dark complexion and a permanent scowl. Her brown hair was shaved at the sides, and she wore a black and yellow bodysuit with a high collar. Small bits of metal were clasped around its seams like an animal's teeth. She wore a huge necklace unlike anything with which Ruby was familiar: shaped like a golden fox head and adorned with more animal teeth on either side.

The third was the only man of the group, and he stood head and shoulders above the rest. His body was adorned in dull cybernetics. His chest, as well as the left side of his body, were entirely metal. It wasn't entirely unusual for more connected individuals to use prosthetics, but Ruby wasn't sure she had ever seen so many of them on a person. His chest and left eye glowed a steady red, yet there was something domestic about his temperament.

And the last, a woman who Ruby remembered from a brief encounter at the museum. A timid-looking thing highlighted in green, a prominent ring around her finger. She seemed so small and meek compared to the others, as if she wasn't supposed to be there. Her eyes drifted about, and she eventually caught Ruby's attention—though only for a moment before breaking away. No wonder Ruby thought she was a fan instead of a Huntress.

Still, there was something so… wrong about them.

She couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Wait… wait, wait, it was coming to her, like a memory long forgotten

The girl with the green ring…

Yes… yes, of course!

That's where she had seen them before. They weren't strangers at all. They were regulars in the Mistral Team Carnival. The previous year, they fought Team BRIR in an excellent final match, though their seniors were proven the superior team. Ruby had seen them around other places. She was pretty certain she had seen the cybernetic man in the Mistral Cup, and she read some kind of story many years ago about the woman in green, though she couldn't recall exactly where or when. But she definitely knew them. Honestly, it was a little embarrassing they had slipped her mind, but staring at them now, it was so clear she couldn't believe she had forgotten.

Jessica Cruz.

Victor Stone.

Mari "Vixen" McCabe.

Rachel Roth.

Team Crossover—CSVR.

Like old friends.

Suddenly, Ruby didn't feel so out of place.

Luckily, someone came along to remind her. The moment the students had finished lining the stage, it was time for the headmasters to take their spots. They arrived in carriages of their own, fitted and decorated, to a swarm of media attention. Ruby hadn't had a chance to meet either Theodore Lage or Leosandra Lionheart. She didn't think either would be a fan. She took mental notes of them as they joined the stage, walking across the line of students and shaking the hands of those they came across.

Theo was older than Ruby expected. She had heard all these stories about the young and exuberant headmaster of Shade that she sort of forgot that he, like all people, aged over time. He was a bit greyer than her memory served and slightly slower in step, but he shook the hands of every student as he walked down the line, hers included.

Leo… well, she didn't give Ruby any time of day. She marched down the row to her Haven students, ignoring all others. Her rainbow robes flowed behind her like a great tail, and Ruby could see her sneering beneath her golden mask. Something had pissed her off more than usual. She hoped it wasn't her.

And the new guy of Atlas: Ace Operative Clover Ebi. The Ironwood replacement she heard rumors about. He was an expert Huntsman but did not move like one, instead gently swaying like an easy breeze and smiling like summer. He was only slightly younger than Theo, but looked like he hadn't aged a day past thirty. Despite his disposition, Ruby didn't trust him for a second.

Last on the stage was Ozpin. He hid his smirk from the cameras as he approached them. Ruby fully expected him to ignore them completely, as he did earlier in the day. Now was not the time to start drama in front of all of the media. Yet, Ozpin found a way to surprise her. He walked up to one of them. Just one. Not Ruby, not even Vivian. He approached Pyrrha, of all people, and extended his hand.

"I meant to say this earlier," he whispered. "But… I wish you the best of luck."

Pyrrha stared at his hand, dumbfounded. She scrunched her nose and felt more attention on her than she could handle. Why was he…

She didn't have the chance to think it over. Ozpin quickly turned his palm and patted her on the shoulder. She slumped under his touch. He moved toward center stage to join the rest of the headmasters. Ruby watched the display in silence. She took note of Pyrrha's expression, then tried to refocus. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Vivian frown.

The four headmasters posed together at center stage, then took a step backward. The opening speech was set to begin. With another blistering anthem, President Markus Pygmalion walked out onto the stage, shuffling to his position. He greeted the four headmasters with weak handshakes, and turned toward the microphone with a bright smile. He beckoned the crowd to be quiet as he leaned inward. His eyes drifted up to a teleprompter standing in the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow citizens of the world! I welcome you to the 25th Vytal Festival Tournament!"

He paused for applause, which he received in good measure. It was a rarity for him these days, and he let the moment linger.

"As the President of Vale, I am honored to represent the host nation for this year's tournament. One hundred years ago, the world suffered tragedy on a scale that was never seen before, and we pray will never be seen again. Our Huntsmen and Huntresses were turned from brave protectors of peace into horrible bastions of a senseless war. The carnage that was wrought has stained our collective memories as Kingdoms. And yet, from that darkness, a new Age was born. One that places value on liberty and individual expression. One that emphasizes what binds us together, rather than what tears us apart. One that…"

President Pygmalion went on, and on, and on. Meaningless patriotic fluff dribbled out of his mouth. The nobility of Huntsmen. The value of sportsmanship. How great it was that Huntsmen fought to death in regulated combat instead of on real battlefields, and the symbolism of blah and blah. Huntsmen this and Huntsmen that. He stayed on topic, guided by words offstage, and the dullness of it all caused Ruby's mind to drift.

She returned to Ozpin. He occasionally leaned over and whispered things to Clover. Ruby focused on his posture. Relaxed. Confident. He even nodded his head now and then, a break of discipline Ironwood never would have allowed. The other headmasters seemed distant or distracted, but Clover was engaged. Politeness? Or something more sinister? Ruby squinted. Ironwood was gone—at least, she believed. She didn't put it past the General to attempt to manipulate events from the shadows. But the Atlasian headmaster that had been such a thorough pain in her ass was dealt with. How would his substitution act differently?

She had to assume the worst. Think. Why would Clover turn to Ozpin, the man who contributed to his general's downfall? She could only assume it was survival. Atlas Academy had been stripped of its resources, after all, thanks to Ironwood's negligence. Its students were left with a highly limited Dust supply, cut off from the SDC. If Clover struck a deal with Ozpin—perhaps, a guarantee for shared usage of the Holy Grail—he might be able to access some of Beacon's Dust. That's what she would do with his hand.

Or maybe she was overthinking it. Maybe they were just being polite before a big event. Dammit, she didn't need even more wild cards to think about. Her mind was basically overloaded trying to keep track of everything. Focus. Focus. Focus.

"—and now, it is my honor to welcome to the stage: the winner of the 24th Vytal Festival Tournament. Here to present the trophy and introduce our teams, the Host of Vytal… Cinder Fall."

Ruby stood up straight. Oh, shit, it was Cinder's time! Stay cool, stay confident. The crowd applauded wildly as Cinder Fall took the stage from Ruby's left. She had a profound smile on her face and carried in her arms a gigantic trophy. It was gold, ornate, and had the names of every prior Vytal winner etched onto its base. It was the greatest championship Ruby could ever dream of, and it was nowhere near the most valuable prize offered to them. Still, Cinder appearing was a spectacle in and of itself. Ruby was forced to look away as she strode across the stage, making sure to show off the trophy to every student along her path. The headmasters stepped off to the side of the stage, and Cinder shook Pygmalion's hand. She handed him the trophy and took her place at the microphone.

Four years out of the public eye. Four years since one the most vicious feuds in Huntsmen history. Four years of blacklisting, controversy and intrigue.

The unbelievable had happened. Cinder Fall was back at Vytal.

And they gave her a live microphone.

Ruby could feel her heart skip a beat. She hoped whatever Cinder had to say wouldn't be too embarrassing. She would never use this invite as an excuse to slander the schools… or maybe she was going to suck up to Ozpin incredibly hard? God, which would be worse to sit through? She could feel the world hold its collective breath as Cinder adjusted the microphone to her lips.

"Thank you, Mr. President," she said calmly. "The Vytal Festival is a chance for the best and brightest Huntsmen trainees to show their skills. These sixty-four competitors have proven that they have what it takes to be champion, and it is an honor that they will cherish for the rest of their lives."

Ruby relaxed a little. That sounded… normal?

"As the previous Champion, I look forward to handing off my title to the next worthy fighter."

Banal, even.

"I wish all of the competitors the best of luck in the tournament!"

There was a slight applause, and Ruby realized that was basically it. She wasn't going to stir up any controversy. Her appearance only stirred further questions.

"Now, it is my honor to formally introduce this year's competitors. Please join me in paying respect to our Huntsmen! First, the Huntsmen and Huntresses of Beacon Academy. Please welcome: Team JJWL. Vivian Jupitarian, Nevan Jupitarian, Luci Wyld, and Calaheart Luvcano."

Team JJWL, as expected of them, took several steps forward to the front of the stage and bowed, like theater actors after a show. The audience cheered them, and then they returned to their position on stage. Cinder went down the row.

"Next, please welcome: Team RWBY. Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long."

Showtime. Ruby led the others to the front of the stage, where they were greeted with what would certainly be the biggest cheers of the night. Just once, Ruby let the pageantry hit her. She let it feel good, however fleeting a moment it was, before they returned to their position on stage.

"Please welcome: Team CFVY…"

One by one, the teams had their day. Ruby did her best to keep track of them, small mental notes to remember their threat.

"Please welcome: Team JNPR…"

When the Atlasians had their turn, they were introduced in squadrons.

"Please welcome: Squad One. Penny Polendina, Moon Forester, Jen Aurora, and Tii Tulf."

Ruby looked away as Penny took her turn in the spotlight.

"Please welcome: Squad Two…"

The only reason the squadrons existed was to keep uniformity for the opening ceremony. Ruby wouldn't be surprised if the students barely talked to each other.

"Please welcome: Squad Three…"

Did the Atlasians enjoy their time in the sun? Or did they prefer their winters?

"Please welcome: Squad Four. Wayward Bound, Coulson Smith, Tiddilydingle Atlas…"

Weiss's ears perked up. "Wait, what was that?"

Ruby shushed her. "Weiss, be quiet."

"That name. Did she just say—"

Blake nudged her in the hip. "Zip it."

Cinder continued as if nothing happened, while Weiss internally questioned her sanity. "Please welcome: Team BRIR."

Haven next. The famous seniors got their turn next. Bianca seemed deeply satisfied.

"Please welcome: Team CSVR."

The old friends. Ruby wondered why they seemed so nervous in front of a crowd.

"Please welcome: Team MNSS."

Ah, the bad boys. Mercury Black and his gang of goofballs. Their applause was louder than most.

"Please welcome: Team FNKI."

Ne0N Katt practically ran to the front of the stage, jumping up and down like an idiot. She sloppily chugged the applause like an energy drink.

Lastly, came the Shade students.

"Please welcome: Team NDGO."

Prissy, rich bitches. They seemed like they belonged

"Please welcome: Team NTMR."

Ruby never heard of them. Didn't recognize any of them either. They shuffled to the front of the stage, standing awkwardly at attention. Then they returned—three of them, at least.

"Please welcome: Team ABRN."

The team with Arslan Altan, the weaponless monk. She didn't react much to the crowd, though the rest of her teammates enjoyed their time with the… hey, was that girl from NTMR still standing there?

"And lastly, please welcome: Team BRNZ."

Brawnz Ni, the horrible person, led his team to the front of the stage. Yet, the spotlight he craved was taken from him by an interloper. He sneered off to the side. Cinder didn't react to the distraction, but others had started to take note of the cringey situation. Was someone going to tell that woman to leave yet?

Team BRNZ grumpily returned to the line-up, and so too did the President to the microphone.

"Thank you very much for the introductions, Cinder," he said graciously, flapping a hand to the many students behind him. "In a few days, these talented young men and women will put their lives on the line for the greatest honor in the world. Though they will all fight valiantly, in the end, only one of them can… can… um…"

The President's train of thought drifted away.

His mouth ceased moving.

Cinder finally noticed the intrusion, and so too did the other students who hadn't before.

At first, it seemed like a miscommunication. Now, no one was sure if it was stage fright, an act of defiance, or a serious medical situation. All of their attention fell to the one student who never returned to her starting position, the one who teetered at the edge of the stage.

The one student who just kept… standing there.

The President went silent. The crowd murmured awkwardly. Yet, the girl did not budge. She was a junior from Shade hand selected by Theodore. She had dark brown skin and matching hair that was frizzy and misshapen. Big, innocent, hazel eyes stared out at the crowd, unblinking. She wore a sky-blue dress that seemed better suited for someone younger, puffy and fluffy. A single curl of brown hair rested in the center of her forehead. A blue headband stuck up in the air like rabbit ears.

And her foot, in such a nice dress shoe, tapped repeatedly against the stage.

Someone muttered to her from offstage, telling her to step back. Theodore looked at her as if his glare could force her back without making a scene. The roll call had been over for a full minute, but she just stood there, her expression blank. That big, owlish gaze looked out onto the crowd. Ruby could feel the tension spreading among them. The President was frozen in place, waiting for the girl to come to her senses and move back into position.

But she never did.

She just stood there.

Waiting.

Watching.

The President cleared his throat. He leaned into the microphone… and then, she moved.

The girl bent her knees and squatted down low. She stuck out her arms in front of her. Then, she slowly raised her left hand to the sky. Her wrist turned so her pinky was out to the crowd. She inhaled sharply to her nose. Her right hand rose next, rising at a straight vertical and stopping so that her fingers lined up with her opposite wrist. She exhaled, and spread her arms out wide; like a clock, one hand at the ninth hour, another at the second. Her face was blank as she shoved both of her hands suddenly in front of her, palms extended to the crowd.

Then, she bent her elbows, bringing her palms to her neck. She stepped forward, not in any way natural, but in wide, arcing motions, her legs sweeping out to the side and brushing the surface of the stage as she moved forward one pace, two, three. She stopped mid-stride, one of her legs still extended. The pause lasted a second longer than it should have. The silence of the crowd was thick. She looked at them past her extended elbows—then, she gave her elbows a shake. One up, one down, in alternating fashion.

Her leg snapped back to position, but her opposite leg shot out at the same time. Her posture was mirrored. She shook her elbows again. Up and down, up and down.

She repeated the process, eyes and mind clear of distraction.

Ruby watched, enamored with her movements. She felt a nudge in her side. Weiss whispered in her ear.

"What the hell is she doing?"

Ruby didn't know. Was she sick? Was this a form of protest Ruby was unfamiliar with? The girl shot both of her arms in the air. She dipped the fingers of her left hand down, touching them to the top of her head. Then, she spun on her tiptoes, skirt gracefully flying around her. Each twirl carried her closer and closer to the center of the stage. The microphone. Cinder. The President.

After a few twirls, she stopped. She looked towards her host and slowly bowed at the waist. Her right leg extended straight behind her, and she flexed her arms up, over her back, clasping her fingers high in a bizarre, uncomfortable pose. Yet, she never lost balance. She even flexed on her tiptoes, her entire body slightly rocking up and down to an imaginary rhythm.

Then, she kicked out her leg in front of her. Her body snapped back like a rubber band. She took another step toward the President, madly shimmying her shoulders. She refused to break eye contact, wide pupils staring down one of the most powerful men in the world.

Only then, did Ruby understand what she was doing. Why, she couldn't figure out. But the what was clear.

"I… I think she's dancing."

If it was a dance, it was unlike any dance they had ever seen. Each new movement was stilted and disjointed, like the limbs of an action figure clicking into place. Her movements were either so sudden they could not be followed, or dragged out painfully. The style was inconsistent as well. Once, when she got close, she suddenly began to moonwalk, her upper body rigid like a statue. Then, she would crank her limbs into a modern, robotic strut. Or, she would let her limbs loosen up and flail about in some wild, partying craze; if there was a radio playing inside of her head, someone kept hitting shuffle every two seconds.

And Ruby realized that she never seemed to blink. Ever. Her facial expression wouldn't change, either. No matter how wild, how strange, how exhilarating her movements became, her face was stoic.

The Festival security let it happen. The media let it happen. The other students let it happen. As the minutes passed and her activity showed no signs of slowing, the grumbles of discontent became more prominent. Ruby could see Ozpin arguing with Theo, begging him to reign in his student's disruptiveness. The Shade Headmaster wasn't budging. President mumbled something to Cinder, perhaps asking if this was some unscripted part of the show, but she just seemed annoyed by the unwelcome display. Despite everyone having some internal sense that this should be stopped, no one really knew how. The security wasn't going to rush the stage and go after a Vytal competitor on live television, not when she hadn't done anything wrong. The headmasters weren't moving. The cameras were far too interested in catching a young girl making an absolute fool of herself for the entire world. It was as if all of Vytal had been placed under a trance.

Ruby was under the same spell. She only wished she knew the woman's name, but she wouldn't find out until the next day.

But for the sake of clarity, her name was Alyx.

Alyx Nevermore.

Leader of a team called Nightmare.

The girl whose name was Alyx spun again, but his time, she kept spinning. Each rotation took her closer and closer to center stage, an uncontrollable vortex of energy. President Pygmalion braced himself, almost as if he expected to be knocked over—but just before she reached him, she slammed her heel and came to an abrupt stop. She faced away from the audience, toward the other students, and Ruby could now see clearly every motionless contour of her face.

Until all at once, it came alive. Her eyes widened, jaw tightened and nostrils flared, energy breaching through her features like a demolition charge. She whipped around fast, mouth curling, desperate and mad. She stuck out her hands and her fingers exploded like firecrackers. She screamed, loud enough to be picked up by the microphone—loud enough to be heard by all of Li Caccia.

"Hark!"

Her voice was strained and heavy. She clenched her fists and thrust out her fingers again.

"Hark!"

And again.

"Hark!"

She bowed graciously before her audience, ignoring their frustrated glares, their judgment, their concerns and malice. She spoke as truly as she possibly could.

"Hear ye, hear ye! Those in Vytal, hark thee my decree! Thou'rt in grave danger of a mortal en-em-y!"

With one hand, she pointed at the President of Vale.

"Pygmalion! Oh, Pygmalion! Thy secrets art visible 'cross thither and yon! Beware, oh Vytal, for the deception of mighty Pygmalion is boundless! Tis true! Tis true! True and blue and so very un-new!"

The President narrowed his gaze. A younger version of him would silence her on the spot for her slander. But the version of him existing now was too slow to respond with anything other than a glare. Alyx stepped toward the crowd, waving frantically as if to gather all of their attention.

"But I cannot be silenced-eth. The horrid answers must be shone upon with-ith-ith blistering light! Expose! Expose-ith the hideous Pygmalion!"

The murmurs grew louder. Secrets?

Ruby couldn't help but lean in. What the hell was she talking about?

"For we all see the terrible truths of Pygmalion! We seeth all and we speaketh clearly!"

Alyx walked up to the President, the President of Vale, getting right in his presidential face.

"Tis clear to all that thy President, the great ruler of Vale…"

She paused. Ruby waited. The world waited. Alyx smirked.

"…has a butt three times the size of his head!"

Ruby blinked.

Wait.

What?

Alyx jammed her thumbs in her ears and wiggled her fingers. She closed her eyes, stuck out her tongue, and blew the loudest, fartiest-sounding raspberry she could. The President was forced to stand there and take her childish mockery, all the world watching him be ridiculed with little recourse. Cinder cleared her throat.

"Miss Nevermore," she said carefully. "Please return to—"

"Excuse me," said Alyx. "Miss Nevermore is the name of my fanny. Call me Alyx."

Cinder recoiled. "What did you—"

Alyx lunged forward like a panther. Before Pygmalion could react, she stuck out her finger and poked him in the nose.

"Bloop!"

A shocked gasp erupted from the crowd. Pygmalion stepped back, aghast.

Did… did she just bloop the President?

She did it again, jabbing him in his stomach. Her voice changed into a falsetto pitch.

"Bloop bloop! Bleep!"

The bleep was accompanied by a flick to his thigh, and that was enough of that. President Pygmalion, enraged, shouted to the side of the stage. "Security! Get her out of here!"

Alyx jumped back, smacking her palms to her cheeks in a dramatic gasp. She shouted in another new voice, frail and paltry. "Oh no! The monkey! It has captured the princess!"

She turned to the side, speaking gruffly. "Don't worry! I shall strike down the beast!"

She turned again. "But how? Ah! The plane! Let us take to the sky!" She stuck out her arms, bent over, and started running around the stage while making airplane noises. She spun in wide circles, pretending to swoop and divebomb. Afar, Ozpin grabbed Theodore by the arm and harshly whispered in his ear.

"What is your student doing?"

Theodore shrugged. "She appears to be a plane."

"Ratatatataatat!"

"And now she appears to be shooting at us with a mounted gun."

Two security guards rushed onto the stage, and President Pygmalion ordered them to grab her. Alyx stopped her pretend planning, grabbing onto her eyelids and stretching them down.

"Unnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggghhhhhhhh," she groaned lazily. "It's the po-po. Slow-poke, slow-slow po-po."

The two guards hurried toward her while trying to retain what little dignity the opening ceremony had left. They reached toward her—but caught only air. Alyx slipped easily under their grasp. Her voice changed again to something excited and youthful.

"You shall never take me alive! In fact, I'm already dead!"

She stuck out her tongue and let out a death rattle. The guards grabbed at her once more, but with an effortless twirl, she maneuvered just out of reach of their fingertips. She jumped in the air, clicking her heels.

"Is that the best you can do? I don't even need legs to outrun you."

The two guards grunted and gave chase. Yet, that was just what the young Huntress wanted. She returned to her abstract dance, but now each twitchy movement allowed her to sidestep the hands of the security. Another guard eventually hurried onto the stage as a frenzy broke out amidst the media. Who was this girl? Why was she doing this? It was disrespectful. Obscene. It became even more of those things when Alyx turned around and started shaking her butt as part of her dance, thrusting her hips for the camera. Yet, no matter how many times she stopped, she always found a way to slip through the guards' fingers.

Like an eel. Or a worm. Or some other slippery, limbless thing. Use your imagination, children.

Ozpin had enough. Theodore was doing nothing to reign in his student, so Ozpin was forced to once again take responsibility. He marched toward the young woman as she continued to dance around the security.

"Child, stop this!" he ordered. "You are embarrassing yourself."

Alyx ducked to her knees and slid to a stop in front of Ozpin, outpacing the guards yet again. She jumped up to her toes, raising her index finger to the sky.

"Nonsense! Shame affects only those with pride, and I, good sir, have none!" Alyx declared this mightily.

"This is no place for your games," Ozpin hissed.

"Ooh, games?" Alyx asked happily. "I love games!" She reached out and smacked Ozpin on the top of the head to loud gasps from the crowd. "Duck!"

Ozpin shook away her hand, but she had already moved on. She sprinted toward the guards, eager to meet them head-on. One reached for her, but she ducked his arm, turned around, and pressed her back against his chest, nestling against him like a lover. She threw back her hand and smacked his face with her palm. "Duck!"

He reacted with a grunt, trying to wrap his arms around her. She slipped under and crawled to the next guard on all fours. He reached down to grab her, but as she moved between his legs, her leg swung up over her head and clobbered him in the face. "Duck!"

Alyx flattened herself against the ground. The third guard snatched her by her frizzy hair, but as he pulled her up, her body winded around him like a snake. She turned and twisted so suddenly that he lost track of her. Climbing his body like a post, she came to a stop on his shoulders. Her legs swung down over his arm as she rode him piggyback style. He wobbled off-balance as she repeatedly smacked the top of his head. "Duckduckduckduckduck duckity duckduck duck!"

She leaned backwards, rolling off her perch. She gracefully landed on one leg, and then smacked herself in the head. "Goose!" She gasped with wonder. "I have made myself a goose! The cycle is broken! Freedom for all!"

Ruby had given up trying to make sense of any of this. So had her teammates. So had most everyone else. The Opening Ceremony was supposed to be a celebration of their accomplishments. In mere minutes, Alyx had turned it into a playground. The newspaper headlines the next day wouldn't mention Cinder's return at all, nor any of the traditional finalists. The only subject of discussion would be the chaotic actions of one of its competitors, who chose for inexplicable reasons to make the show all about her. Ruby may have felt like she didn't belong on that stage. Vytal in all of its essences left her with a sour taste in her mouth. But she still felt like this was wrong. The students deserved better than this.

Alyx danced and danced, seemingly unstoppable, each action carrying her across the stage like a tornado. Bored of the guards, she started approaching random students, none of whom were happy to see her usurp the festivities.

"You smell like bacon!" Alyx said to Nebula cheerfully.

"Your hair is funky!" she told Roane with a sexy base.

"Mama mia, you got all the spice!" she whispered to Neptune.

Down the row she went. Some of the other Huntsmen tried to stop her, but she just avoided them and continued down the line. There was no rhyme or reason to where she would end up, but Ruby could sense her presence. She was coming. Should Ruby try to stop her? A quick blast of her Semblance would surely disorientate her. Then again, she wasn't sure if she wanted the extra attention either. Like a moth to a flame, Alyx gradually made her way to Ruby Rose. She brushed past Team JJWL—smartly, since Vivian was going to clobber her if she got within a few feet—and waltzed up to Team RWBY. She stood squarely before all four of them, and though the guards were hot on her trail, she took the time to pose for them.

One arm at her side.

One arm up in the sky.

One knee bent and propped against her opposite thigh.

Her torso twisted slightly.

She hesitated in front of Team RWBY, a peculiar darkness behind her hazel eyes. Ruby braced for something stupid.

Instead, Alyx spoke in a new voice. Something cold. Quiet. Real.

"Everyone is going to die here."

Ruby felt a pit open in her stomach. She looked at her teammates, who were left in a state of stunned disbelief.

"What?" Ruby muttered.

Alyx just smiled at her.

Footsteps. The guards were rushing in. She hesitated a moment too long, and the guards were able to tackle her to the ground. The idea of treating her respectfully had been thrown out the window along with all of Vytal's integrity. Now, they were eager to just get her off the stage. Alyx stopped struggling when they finally had her in their hold, though that didn't stop her from running her mouth.

"You are so pale, girl! Get some sun!" Alyx laughed at Weiss, before switching to a glorious, operatic singing voice. "Soooooooooooooommmmmmmmmeee daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy, my priiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiince will coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommeee!"

Weiss shuddered. Blake flipped her off. Yang rolled their eyes in frustration. But Ruby just watched Alyx as she was dragged off of the stage. The other Huntsmen were all talking amongst their teams, bitter that the celebration had been spoiled by one bad apple. Ozpin openly chewed out Theodore, and very publicly apologized to President Pygmalion on Shade's behalf. The cameras kept rolling on the festival, but no one quite knew what to do next. Fireworks? Speeches? Who cared? Alyx's show was over, but Ruby had a horrible feeling that the nightmare was just beginning.

Whatever it was, it made for a hell of an opening day of Vytal.