Greetings and... greetings and... What did I say again? It's been a while.

Ah, right! Greetings and salutations! Welcome to chapter 37 of OFNT. Rewritten, reimagined, and overall a real pain in the ass for me. I thought this chapter was going to end my writing full-stop. It has weighed on the back of my mind whenever I try to write anything else. Thank god it is done.

Keeping the list of things I talk about as short as possible, new season of RWBY drove me to drink. Watched it with a friend and we knew it was going to be a doozy when Blake and Yang were smashed together like plastic dolls as the creators tried to make them kiss. Got to a point where I actually said "What's next?! Is Qrow going to be gay?!"

Needless to say, I was disappointed on many levels. I can get behind some representation and other-sexual characters, but Blake and Yang were not it. Blake had two entire seasons of development with Sun and Yang had repeatedly commented on appreciating the male form. They could both be bi, admittedly, but before the newest season, those two characters showed arguably zero interest in each other that way as well as zero interest in the same gender in its entirety. I'm down with some homosexual characters and thought Jaune's sister was a good way to do it, but just jamming it into the main story where it doesn't fit bugs me. I feel like they're sacrificing authorial intent to pander.

Scooby-Doo villain Jacques Schnee was my personal tipping point as the man we've long been led to believe ruled over Weiss with an iron fist and blistering business acumen gets thwarted by a bunch of meddling kids and acts like a complete chump. As incompetent as they portrayed Jacques to be I'm amazed the SDC hasn't self-destructed in the RWBYverse. They literally faked video of Penny butchering civilians and then when they catch HIM on video talking to Watts he doesn't even try to accuse the 'good guys' of doing the same to him. He flat out confesses and takes the fall like a chump. Seven-year-olds lie better than, let alone the CEO of an entire world's richest company. Seeing a potentially clever villain being reduced to a chump so RWBY could triumph over him was immensely unsatisfying to me.

Much more to talk about, but let's save that for after the chapter. For now, thank you for your patience. I am not as dead as rumors and upload schedule would lead you to believe. See you at the end.

Chapter 37

Rule of Desire

Naruto had remembered something the night of the dance that he hadn't even known he'd forgotten. As important as the choices you make are, it's the people you're with that make those decisions come to life.

He'd been fighting that fact since he'd come to Beacon. It's not like he didn't understand why he applied to be Remnant's version of a shinobi — taking the opportunity to indulge both the road taken and that which he'd not. The world hadn't needed Naruto the Hokage. It needed a vanguard against the coming tides. And he was right too. If he'd had a layer of rust instead of five more layers of skill when the Otsutsuki clan invaded, he might not have been able to stop it at the Chunin Exam.

After being forced to Remnant it hadn't taken long for him to pine for simpler times. Psychopathic mercenaries with ridiculous swords, creepy snake people, playing hide-and-go-seek with Sasuke. Those crazy teenage adventures had always felt so full of life and purpose.

It hadn't taken long for him to feel like a complete idiot.

He'd fought through wars. Plural. He'd come face to face with multiple harbingers of potential apocalypse. He'd slapped down each and every one in turn… with some help. He'd even ended his time in the Elemental Nations as a Kage of sorts. The issues he grappled with were in the stratosphere compared to the students at Beacon.

Or so he'd thought.

While none of them had prevented the end of the world, that didn't mean they were the children he'd made them out to be. Pyrrha had been afraid of her own strength. He'd noticed near the beginning when she hardly ever used her semblance. He knew firsthand how powerful the ability to control polarity was. That she had such a weak grasp on it with no aspirations to increase its potency told Naruto that it was intentional. He understood that fear all too well.

Ren had a unique sense of energy that no one else in Remnant seemed to have. That wasn't his biggest strength in Naruto's eyes. That would be his courage. When Ren looked into the abyss of their combined powers he did not back down. He flinched, true, but Ren faced his fears and confronted him directly. In the face of total inequity of power, Lie Ren stood tall and brave. He had Naruto's respect.

Nora's strength was more subtle than his other teammates. Funny, considering that 'subtle' was probably the last word he would use to describe her normally. If Ren was the navigator of their duo then Nora was the wind propelling — or in most cases, dragging — his sails. She never let her friends get bogged down by uncertainty. If nobody knew where to go, Nora would pick a direction and drag them all along. There was no quit in that girl. And she didn't let her friends quit either.

Naruto had judged them all as kids and put them in a box, but there was more to them than that. And It wasn't just his team, either. Velvet had let herself be bullied so that CRDL wouldn't move on to someone who couldn't handle it. Cardin himself had worked hard to see past the race of those who'd murdered his father-figure. Ruby always tried her best. Weiss' goodness shined through what Naruto had to guess was some impressively bad parenting. Yang, for all her bluster, looked after those who needed help like the older sister she was.

Blake… existed. Pity, that. While he admired her desire for equality, Naruto had substantially less respect for the sacrifices she was willing to let others make on her behalf. She wasn't strong enough to handle the White Fang on her own, yet she wasn't willing to back down to keep her team out of harm's way. With Team Seven's history, maybe it was hypocritical to judge her for that. Still, Naruto felt like his team had been far more prepared than Team RWBY might ever be.

That only served to make his point. Put him in close proximity with Blake and a headache was a foregone conclusion. Put him on a bench with Pyrrha and she'd know exactly what to tell him to ease his heart. Put him on the dance floor with Velvet and the girl would go ten miles outside of her comfort zone to make him laugh.

But put him on that same floor with Cinder? That changed the dance in its entirety.

Dancing with Velvet had all the cooperation of working in a two-man squad. They worked together to make the most of the song. She'd trusted him to catch her when she jumped. Faith and friendship were the stars of their dance.

Now the orchestral strings being plucked at a steady tempo served as the meter that measured the pace of combat. What would have been a relaxing spin around the floor with Velvet felt like two opponents circling each other to try and find their way in.

That was a common misconception Naruto had noticed among civilians. Apparently, the hero and villain circling each other before dashing into combat was a common enough sight in movies. It was so common that people had started thinking the pre-fight ritual was only for the big screen. That wasn't true at all.

Circling was something of a medium-advanced facet of fighting that a normal person would overlook or dismiss as theatrics. It was more than that. The way someone walked could easily tell you which leg was their dominant. A mere rock by your foot could become the weapon you used to trip your opponent during your advance if only you could get them to rotate a single half-circle. It was a way to feel out your opponent and gather information before committing to a charge you couldn't take back. In a fight between beginners it was even possible they tripped themselves up.

No chance of that here.

"You know," Naruto spoke quietly to Cinder as the two of them waltzed across the floor. Of all the dances his clones had learned for him, they hated this one the most. "I'm curious what you were going to try tonight."

"Were?" Cinder asked with a coy smile. Naruto returned it with a grin of his own.

Her body was a little less than a foot away from his as they strode across the floor. Naruto didn't mind the space as it had given him time to frisk her for weapons. Weapons that he was fairly sure she had despite said frisking saying otherwise.

What he didn't enjoy was having to keep his arms perfectly parallel to the ground. Leaving his ribs open around Cinder made him incredibly uncomfortable. His ability to regenerate any wound she could likely give him didn't suppress his fighter's instinct .

The two of them continued to circle on both the floor and the conversation. "Yes, were. You actually thought I wouldn't notice what you were doing? Or did you think I'd give you a slap on the wrist and let you go on your way?"

"Why not? You have a hook in my lip and yet still I swim in the stream of life… or is it more accurate to say you've saved me for your own personal aquarium? If not catch and release, what game are we playing?"

Cinder pulled his arms lightly. When Naruto loosened up, she pulled a little more to do a short spin out. The motion emphasized the part of her dress, revealing the smooth contours of her shapely leg. That part was made in the dress to give its wearer more freedom of movement and Cinder's steps in it were immaculate; completely unfettered by the confinements of her dress while her heels did nothing to take her off balance.

When Naruto pulled her back, she coiled her body into him and pressed her back against his chest. It would have been the perfect position to strangle her if not for the fact that she still held a firm grip on both his hands. This too was a facet of the waltz. One of the only positions in which the two dancer's bodies weren't separated by a wide berth.

Cinder leaned her head back and let it rest on his shoulder as they continued to step in rhythm. Her amber eyes looked up to him. A twinkle in her eye revealed her shameless amusement.

That partly annoyed him."It's not a game, Cinder. Not if people are going to get hurt."

He meant that. Strength came with responsibility. As much as he wanted a world where Cinder changed, Naruto knew it would be his job to put her down if he failed. This wasn't a joke. It was serious and she needed to take it seriously. He needed to take it seriously.

"Now that isn't true at all. For one, if this isn't a game then why are we both playing?" She whispered into his ear before letting go of his left hand so she could turn to face him again, setting her hand on his side in the traditional waltzing fashion. Her amber eyes, the blood-colored dress, the playful antagonism that may have sounded innocent were it not for the subtextual promise of violence.

This wasn't a game. He knew that.

"And two," Cinder continued, her words possessing the hiss of a seductive serpent. "There's nothing to play for if there are no stakes."

But Naruto also knew what he wanted.

It's a simple thing to lose sight of what you should be asking. For Cinder, it was the desire to find the answer that sometimes made her forget the question. Focus, as it turned out, was a double-edged sword. To hone in on something was to isolate your attention. Observe one tree too pointedly and you would miss the forest.

Naruto Uzumaki. The name and problem that had plagued Cinder since she arrived at Beacon. Not Ozpin. Not General Ironwood — the man who was presently dancing near her with one Glynda Goodwitch, who was also a non-factor. Naruto Uzumaki. For weeks that name had been synonymous with hassle and headache.

It started when he thwarted Roman at the docks. At first, she simply believed that Vale's prodigal thief may have been overrated. Maybe he'd intentionally botched the job as part of some plan to escape her grasp. If only that were true. Something so petty would have made things vastly less difficult than what she was faced with now.

She had known that he would be a problem from the moment they'd met in that Beacon hallway. When he'd asked that Ruby girl to stop running it was worded as a request, but Cinder heard a demand that would not be refused. And it was not refused. The way he spoke, the way he walked, every small detail of every modicum of minutia all pointed towards immense experience. She had Naruto pegged as a threat within five seconds of seeing him.

And he'd done the same.

Every interaction since had been a game of cat and mouse. A game where Cinder worried she might not be the one with claws. Although she hadn't taken their schoolyard brawl as seriously as she could have, Uzumaki's strength could not be denied. Their dinner? Disaster. Not only had she lost the maiden powers, but she also lost her composure. That was unacceptable and Cinder demanded more from herself because of it.

Thus the question was formed; how could she triumph over Naruto Uzumaki's strength and cunning. Eagle-eyed focus on Nevermore's leader had revealed the truth to Cinder. He was smart… selectively. His skills were varied yet had little crossover into similar realms of expertise. His circle of companions had included everything from wealthy heiresses to prized champions to worthless vagabonds that would have been more at home on the island of misfit toys than at a huntsmen academy. That team of boys who wouldn't have been fit to be called pawns at first glance were swiftly being elevated to knights by Uzumaki's hand.

Thoughts such as those more than justified Cinder's nigh single-minded focus on Naruto Uzumaki. If she committed anything he considered an irredeemable offense then Ozpin would no longer be blissfully unaware of her goals. Like it or not — and Cinder very much did not — her plans now hinged on the whims of Naruto Uzumaki.

So how did you deal with a fearsome combatant? A knife in the dark was her first answer. She'd assassinate him while he slept. The problem was his knowledge of her, after all. That was a problem that would easily die when he did. To most, that would have been enough.

Cinder was not most people. Assassination was an all or nothing gamble. If Uzumaki survived the attempt, he'd confess what he knew to Ozpin and ruin her. Not knowing the true extent of his capabilities made that less than desirable. There were other factors to consider, too. While his fox wasn't with him at all times, it was probable that it guarded its master as he slept. Any attempts to isolate him from his team and take him out of the picture were subject to the same level of variance. Besides, if combat was his domain than Cinder knew it best to keep their fight in a different arena.

Working her way towards the answer of what arena that would be had been a lesson in insanity. She dissected the problem in every way imaginable, seventy-three ways so ridiculous they might as well be unimaginable, and then attempted to put the pieces back together in a way she found more appealing. Every reimagining she created felt more fantastical than the last. One sharp blade lodged firmly into Uzumaki's heart had begun to feel like the only way forward.

But she needed to succeed and that risk was too high.

"It's not a game, Cinder. Not if people are going to get hurt."

Cinder wanted to laugh when Naruto spoke those words. What a fool she'd been. So obsessed with winning that she hadn't been able to find the path to victory. She felt the back of her neck rest against his shoulder as she pushed her entire body into his. Her hips pressed firm into his groin. When she looked for his eyes the fire of lust greeted her. Not for her body — though she could very much feel that as well — but rather a desire for what she knew would be his undoing.

Domination. Uzumaki did not want her dead. He wanted her to submit. Uzumaki would not be content with her death because that was not victory to him. Killing her meant a need to kill her. A need to kill her meant she had not convinced her to take up his beliefs — that he'd not succeeded in changing her.

Failing to subvert Uzumaki would be her loss.

Failing to convert her would be his.

And Uzumaki craved victory.

Cinder had been so focused on how to triumph over his power that she hadn't seen the obvious answer. An answer impossible to see when her obsession for victory matched his own. When Uzumaki had become mired in his own personal difficulties, he'd all but forgotten about her.

Cinder could not allow that to continue. To do so meant fewer opportunities to observe him. Fewer opportunities to shape the narrative of his thoughts. If Uzumaki thought he could not handle her then he would come to the conclusion that she would need to be turned over to someone who could. It would be his duty as the protector he'd proven himself to be. To be too challenging for Uzumaki was how she would fail.

So all she had to be was complicatedly easy.

"Now that isn't true at all. For one, if this isn't a game then why are we both playing?"

If Naruto Uzumaki was every bit as morally righteous as he pretended to be then she should have seen shock, revulsion, hatred in his deep blue eyes. Cinder saw plenty of things in those blue orbs, none of them close to what a starry-eyed hero should have shown. She had known those things wouldn't be there and she knew what would be found in their place. Thrill and desire.

She freed her left hand from his and turned to face him, resting it right below his ribcage. She let him keep hold of her right while she poised herself to strike with her left. There was no way she would, of course. She pressed her body deeper into his. A paltry act of physicality that Uzumaki may react to in body, yet would no doubt resist mentally. His weakness towards acts of sexuality was known to her. More important was that Uzumaki knew that she knew. His guard towards such tactics would then be high.

So she would focus her attacks around it to bolster his confidence.

"If you want stakes then bet money. Bet your pride. Bet yourself," Naruto said in hushed tones, his attempts to avoid the almost adjacent Ironwood and Goodwitch making his clear motivations even clearer. This was a game and he was playing. "Leave innocent people out of it."

"Please, nobody in this world is truly innocent. Least of all the people of Vale."

The look in Naruto's eyes at that moment was different. It wasn't playful. They weren't the eyes of a beast stalking its prey as she'd seen them before. A new seriousness "I'm going to ask you this once, Cinder. You should tell me the truth. Do you intend to get innocent people involved in whatever you're up to?"

The question was as simple as it was dangerous and it instantly revealed she'd stuck one toe too many over Uzumaki's line in the sand. It was bound to happen sooner or later with this strategy. Tactically failing was not something she was versed in.

Her immediate impulse was to lie and offer honeyed assurances, except Cinder knew better. Where Naruto excelled, he excelled greatly. If there was a victory which she needed, Cinder knew it was essential to avoid his areas of expertise. Much like a fencer facing off against a brawler, she mustn't let him drag her into his territory.

Naruto Uzumaki would spot a lie if she told it. That was something Cinder knew in her soul for a reason completely inexplicable. Those blue eyes bore down upon her with force unrelenting. Were she to open her defenses with a lie, they would find their opening. This feeling of constantly being pressured was a core pillar of Uzumaki's strength.

Lies would not be the hors d'oeuvres she served tonight."You've no reason to fret. While not entirely wholesome, my goal is to hold the culpable responsible. I've no desire to involve your precious innocents."

Oh, how obviously those words placated him. He found no lie because there was no lie to find. She did not wish to hurt those who weren't deserving. With so much of Vale being guilty, there was simply no way to hold those responsible without setting the whole city ablaze and she'd like to believe those guilty would find it in their hearts to forgive her. After all, it was Vale that had taught her the necessity of accepting collateral damage.

The two of them continued their dance. The tawdry triplets of this particular song were winding down. Much like their conversation, this dance would not build with a glorious crescendo into a powerful ending cord. There would be no sparking fireworks to signal the finale. It would fade from existence to be replaced by whatever song came after having been little more than a placeholder; a mere one among many.

It wasn't enough. Cinder needed him to look at her and only her. The black dress she'd intended for the night sat useless in her closet as she donned a gown of blood; a red flag to wave in front of her bull. A bull whose field of vision was still far too wide. While she could not allow his horns to gore her she would at least need to be grazed. This waltz would not suffice. ,

As the recorded orchestra plucked their last dainty chord and Uzumaki continued to hold her at a distance, Cinder brought her hand to his face and brushed her fingers against his warm flesh. She looked into his eyes and made sure that neither his nor hers strayed. She cupped his check in her hand; not holding it in place, but prepared to act should he make to turn around. She knew better than to expect him to fall for such transparent wiles. That was not the purpose of her action.

"What is this?" Naruto asked unimpressed. Grabbing her hand and removing it. He wrapped his fingers around her own. It felt far more like he was restraining her hand than holding it.

Her flirtatious smile worn like a suit of armor, Cinder watched as Mercury flagged down in her peripherals. She didn't dare show any pleasure on her face as the man leaned in to hear Mercury speak and accepted the offered lien. She didn't dare let her gaze wander from the two expanses of blue probing for information she refused to let her expressions give.

"I was going to suggest we go for another round," Cinder said with a smile. "I wouldn't be satisfied with just one go."

Uzumaki rolled his eyes. "Give it a rest. You caught me off guard before. I'm not gonna blush like some brat because you push up against me and bat your eyes."

Cinder did just that. She could feel his pulse rise the smallest of modicums as her other hand slipped inside his suit jacket and rested against his undershirt.

"Liar."

She was not above using her body for her cause. In fact, there was nothing beneath her should it help her achieve vengeance. She would have thrown herself at Uzumaki in earnest if she believed he could be turned. He alone was easily worth more than Mercury and Emerald combined.

But no…

Cinder could tell it was not to be and she didn't need the dragon's horde of evidence she possessed to know it. She believed in destiny.

"Just one more dance. I promise to return you to your adoring harem after we've finished."

"I don't have a-" Uzumaki stopped himself mid-sentence, took a breath, and recentered himself, trying to regain control of the pace of the conversation she had run away with. "Why should I want to dance with you?"

"Besides all the fun we're having?" Cinder laughed airily which quickly proved to be a mistake. His eyes began to regain their previous focus. That same look she'd seen minutes before. Cinder quickly headed it off. "If you do think I've something to do this evening, what better way to prevent it than to claim me yourself?"

Uzumaki contemplated her words openly. Cinder would never let her expressions be so easily discerned, but he had no such reservations. As much as it spoke to his idiocy, it also spoke to his strength. Only those who'd never known or long forgotten what it felt like to be at the mercy of others wore their expressions on their sleeves as he did.

"And why would you want to dance with me?" He asked.

That is the first obstacle cleared. Convincing Uzumaki that he wanted to stay with her was easy enough. Convincing him her intentions were… not innocent, but not problematic, would be more of a challenge.

"I would want to dance with you," Cinder lifted the hand being restrained by Uzumaki up so that their form was remotely proper for the dance she knew was to come. "Because you are a threat."

"What?" Uzumaki's confusion shone like the stars in the sky.

"You know I have plans, and yet you've neglected to do as I wish to do to you and end this with a knife lodged in my throat."

The truth was a weapon. Many people could be lied to. For those few who possessed the ability to know a lie when it was told, manipulation of their logic and morality was key. For Uzumaki, she would weave the threads of truth into a tapestry. She'd use the colors of truth to paint a picture for him to see far from the imagined reality she had planned.

"You honestly believe you can change me."

Naruto looked at her with something she couldn't quite discern. He breathed deep, shook his head, and looked at her with those damned eyes. "Yes."

"I do not," She replied instantly. "But I will use your belief to my advantage. Any hour, minute, and moment you give me I will use to probe your defenses. I will use your overconfidence to find your weakness and triumph over you with it."

Uzumaki flashed a condescending smirk. "That seems like a stupid thing to admit to. Why not do what I ask, pretend to play nice, get your power back and then kill me?"

Why indeed? Cinder smirked back. "That power cannot be used by a man. That you could steal it, hold onto it, and still be willing to give it back to me says it all. Even with my power returned you believe you would triumph."

Uzumaki didn't answer. He didn't have to.

"That, I believe. You handle combat like you were born in it; your character forged in its fires. For me, it is a means to an end. If you believe your victory assured, then I will respect the opinion of the professional," Cinder teasingly lobbed his own words he'd used at dinner back at him. "But you have a choice, Uzumaki; you know I must be dealt with. Whether it is through persuading my heart or ending me by the sword is your choice, but a solution is required."

It was manipulation so transparent that Uzumaki recognized it on the spot. Did that matter? No. It did not. Everyone — no matter how thick the armor they used to guard them from the world — had sore spots that you could poke. And poke she did, albeit gently. Cinder did not wish to cause Uzumaki pain. Not yet. Her goal was to use the sore spots she'd found and position her needles. Pain was one of the most effective tools at breaking or making one's resolve. But what was better than pain?

The threat of pain.

"I would turn myself in and be done with it," Cinder continued. "I'd wash my hands of the responsibility and give it to someone else," Every word was carefully chosen to poke at a weakness she suspected Uzumaki had. This needle hovered over his sense of responsibility. "Condemning one damned woman who could potentially be saved is worth it to protect the masses," She targeted his empathy towards wayward souls; those who had lost their way but could be helped to find their way towards the 'light'. "At least, I know the Valean council would say as much."

And one last blade poised atop his distrust of authority. She'd seen the way Ozpin and Beacon tried to control and then woo him. That he'd not succumbed to their overtures assured Cinder he took issue with either the headmaster or had a broader dislike of those who sought to control others. For now, it mattered not. Her barbed web now wrapped around his being. Should he attempt to move in the direction against her wishes, Naruto knew a thorn was waiting to prick him. Now it was time to offer a path he could take on which those poor sore spots would be well protected.

"But if your goal is to prove to me that I could be better — that life could be better — what time like the present to start? You'll hardly change me by avoiding me as you have been."

The music started again. A loud thrum of a cello accompanied by the hit of a large drum. The music was so distinct that it sent many students fleeing. The Schnee received an exasperated look from her blonde teammate; one she responded to with confusion. Such was natural, for as much as the blonde would rightfully suspect that the heiress had been the one to select something as inappropriate for the venue as a tango, she had not.

This was Cinder's gambit. To keep Naruto at ease she would need to lose to him. Appear to lose. This charade required her to become his transfixion. If Uzumaki did not have his eyes on her constantly, how could she convince him he had her under control? Succumbing to his desires bought her time. All Cinder needed from Uzumaki was time.

Cinder would lose so that her army could win.

"If you believe me lost, then is it not your obligation to provide me guidance?" Cinder opened her hand and began to pull it from Uzumaki's slackened grip. She pulled her body away from him slowly, but in such a way that he could not miss it. A specific action to goad a specific reaction. Another layer of manipulation added to the dozen or so she'd already used.

Naruto seized her, pulling her body against his and reclaiming her hand fully before it could slip away. Cinder hid her smirk of triumph behind a neutral smile.

Naruto glared at her. He wore his emotions on his sleeves. "You can quit trying to bait me. I'm not doing this because I have to. I'm doing it because I want to."

The reality was that Cinder found his admittance less of a revelation than Uzumaki himself likely did. He was attracted to her and the excitement she offered. Men oft had a weakness for dangerous women. In Uzumaki's case, Cinder suspected his fetish was the danger itself.

"Then you should commit. Show me why you're so confident you can bring light to my darkness."

The tango's music had cleared the hall even more than the waltz before it. Cinder and Naruto stood alone in the center of everyone, visible for all to see. No one would wonder where Cinder Fall was this evening. As Uzumaki finally forced her into the dance she'd been waiting for, Cinder allowed herself a genuine smile of victory.

Her plan was back on track.

Weiss hadn't been used to frustration before she came to Beacon. In her high-society circle, people conducted themselves with a certain level of decorum. Frustration back then was a word she'd use to describe the feeling she'd get when her fellow twelve-year-olds still failed to differentiate their salad fork from their dinner fork. Frustration with Team RWBY meant a state of lividity where she'd spend the evening on her scroll to look up the rates of various… contractors after Yang's eighteenth pun of the evening.

Without her consent, Beacon had forced a measure of patience on her so great it bordered on sainthood. It must have, for Xiao-Long's mouth had not yet been sewn shut. However, on this night — the night that should have been her earned celebration after a month of battling her pun-addled teammate on the songlist and theme — Weiss' patience was tested and found inadequate.

Where is he? Weiss scanned the room, her eyes lasers tracking a silhouette she'd yet to find in the hundred sweeps she'd done prior. She'd chosen to stay at the greeting desk she'd set up to welcome people to their soirée. First impressions are important, after all. And try as she might to keep herself from appearing as desperate as she felt, Weiss knew she looked every bit as stood up as she was beginning to feel. An hour into the dance and Neptune had yet to show up.

A lady would wait. A lady would be patient. A lady would be proper. Weiss mentally recited the lessons bestowed upon her by her etiquette teacher. The proper proceedings by which a perfect princess would conduct herself at all times. Of course, a proper gentleman should never have left her waiting like this, leaving Weiss to consider proper candor something she need not worry about reciprocating at her current juncture.

"This is nonsense."

Neptune being late was nonsense. That she was continuing to wait for him was nonsense. That anyone would have the gall to stand her up at the dance she worked so hard for was nonsense.

And Weiss had had her fill of nonsense.

She looked through the crowds for an entirely different target. Although not who she was looking for, Blake would also be acceptable. Locating her teammate would be synonymous with finding her target.

It didn't take long before she found him scurrying off under the threat of the impending waltz the change of music signaled. Weiss was surprised it took her as long to find him as it did, all things considered. Everyone else in attendance had made some effort to dress up for the event she'd worked so hard for. Not him.

Weiss would never describe the way she moved as stomping. No lady of the Schnee family would ever be permitted to behave in such a way. However... she did suppose a correlation could be drawn between the loud crack each of her heels made as they impacted the floor and the sudden desire many found to make way for her. Really now, she probably was stomping. An uninhibited expression of emotion that would have surely earned her father's scorn. Her team had certainly changed her. Her father would never have approved… yet Weiss found herself happier for the difference.

What hadn't changed was her ability to harness her displeasure and espouse it in a form so vitriolic that it would have Blake's date wishing he could flee. And she was resolved to retrieve Myrtenaster and hamstring him should he try.

By the time Weiss was close enough to consider calling out for her teammate, Blake had already noticed her, offering a small wave which caused her date to notice as well. Sun Wukong took one look at her and balked. Any attempt he made to disguise his pained grimace could only be described as a total failure.

"Sun. Blake. How are you two this evening?" Weiss defaulted to an overly formal address. Her mind was too cluttered for much else.

Blake's smile in response told Weiss that at least she was having a good time. Sun, on the other hand, looked like his good time had been relegated to the past tense by her arrival. The blond wore his nerves not only on his sleeves, but as his entire outfit.

"You and Yang really outdid yourselves. Everyone I've seen is having a good time," Blake congratulated her, pulling her attention from Sun. Weiss was rather proud of her efforts. The dance had done double duty as a worthwhile endeavor and something to throw herself into. That being said, she was not so caught up in her pride that she didn't see Blake's cat-ears twitch beneath her black bow. "Though I might not have done so many classical pieces in a row. I don't think many people know how to dance them. My date included."

"Hey! We don't do these fancy pants dances back in Vacuo."

Weiss was robbed of her purpose as her earlier confusion came back to the fore. The previous waltz has most certainly been of her choosing. A simple classic she'd chosen to help those less familiar with their footwork participate nonetheless. The bawdy tango playing now was not. Arguing with Yang for hours on end over song selection had been enough for her to have the playlist memorized. Some thumping technobabble should have been playing now. Had the song been substituted out?

"It isn't so bad," Blake offered conciliatorily — likely seeing the confusion on her face and misattributing it as disappointment caused by her previous comment — before her gaze wandered towards the dance floor and soured. "At least someone is dancing. The rest seem to be enjoying the show too."

Weiss hadn't taken the time to look. Her head had been abuzz with far too many thoughts. Now that she was looking, Weiss very much wished she hadn't. The canvas of her pale skin made blushing all the more apparent.

"Wow. Those two are really going at it." Sun remarked.

He remarked accurately, too. Cinder and Naruto were the only pair dancing the tango. They did so as Weiss had learned to expect of Nevermore's leader; with no consideration to those around them and dramatic aplomb.

Naruto spun Cinder like a top, her short crimson dress revealing far too much of her legs in Weiss' opinion, while his feet kept in time with the strumming chords as he walked her forward. Weiss didn't know if Naruto let her go or if Cinder escaped, but she spun four feet out before stopping, her body sideways to him as her hair dangled over her shoulder, blocking one eye from view. The one that could still see had never left Naruto. They regarded each other, two predators sizing up their opponent.

Naruto took the initiative of taking one step forward, Cinder stepped back. He advanced again. She retreated again. Step by in beat step, Naruto backed her to the edge of the audience, cornering her against the perimeter formed by the crowd. Weiss' instincts flared up like she was watching the two in combat. It was a ridiculous notion and she knew better. The man was traditionally responsible for the initial aggression in a tango. Sexist at first glance, the mythos of the dance had the woman tempting the man to lower his guard.

When Naruto took one step too far, Cinder shot out at him and plunged herself into his body and retook his hands for her own purpose. She sent them both spinning in turns so fast it made Weiss dizzy to watch. Cinder's heels kicked out and Naruto's well shined black dress shoes followed suit. Each of them driving the pace of their dance ever faster. It felt like they were each trying to force the other to blunder. Instead, both continued to keep up with the pace and then set it a bar higher.

They were well matched.

That was the thought that brought Weiss back down to Remnant. She'd be distracted no longer. "On the topic of going at it, I was hoping to have a dance of my own. Where is Neptune?"

There was a more patient way to phrase that question. Since patience was something she was in previously short supply of, Sun would have to deal with her impatience.

He dealt poorly. "Nep isn't here?" Sun asked with a nervous chuckle. His eyes searching for anywhere to look but her own. "He must have gotten lost or something. Do you want me to go find him?"

Weiss sighed. "I know he's your partner and I can understand why you'd lie for him, but could you at least lie well enough that I could reasonably pretend to believe you?"

Blake was already staring her date down by the time Weiss had finished. Her teammate moved away from her date and stood next to her, making Blake's already obvious feelings on the matter even moreso.

"It's not like it looks," Sun rushed to assure her now that the jig was up. "Nep was going to come but he got sick and… and… forget it," Sun gave up, the posture of his body matching the resignation of his words. "Sorry. When your best friend messes up you feel like you've gotta cover for him."

Weiss nodded, buying Sun a stay of Blakexecution… Weiss reminded herself to never work on another project with Yang so long as she lived. Sun reluctantly recounted where exactly her date had disappeared to under the implicit threat of how his own night would be ruined if he didn't and the implicit bribe that he might salvage it if he did.

When he'd finished, Weiss knew Neptune would have no such chance with her. "He was afraid of dancing in public?"

"He doesn't know how. Nep works constantly to maintain that cool-guy persona he's got going on. He thought screwing up the dances with you would embarrass you both."

From Weiss' angle it looked like Neptune was far more concerned about embarrassing himself. Standing her up at the dance she'd co-founded? Even an imbecilic attempt at dancing would be less embarrassing!

"I swear I talked to him about it. I thought he was fine and he looked ready to come to the dance but-"

"Spare me the excuses," Weiss cut him off. Sun hung his head in shame. She offered him the most reassuring smile she could muster given the circumstances. "I don't blame you. It was his choice. I would ask you do me the courtesy of making sure he doesn't ruin my night further by showing up with some half-baked excuse."

"Done." Sun agreed immediately. It seemed like he too was somewhat bitter at how his partner's choices had impacted his night.

Weiss didn't make the effort to excuse herself. Drifting away from the pair as she tried not to make a nuisance of herself, placating Blake with a look when she made to follow. Weiss wanted to be alone right now. She could safely say there had never been a time her self esteem had dropped so dangerously low. Stood up at her own dance? What a disgrace.

All of the ingredients of the night blended into the perfect concoction for her to consider a ludicrous idea she'd just voiced aloud without realizing it. That idea would then give birth to a plan, albeit a reluctant one. Weiss scanned the hall until she found the imbecile on her mind and made her move.

Sky had established protocols for the mundane misery commonly referred to as a school dance. Simple rules that if followed, while not making the dirgeful experience feel any shorter, would at the bare minimum allow him to pass the time without drawing anyone's attention. It was almost an art that he'd perfected in order to avoid asking someone to dance, avoid being asked to dance, and most importantly, avoid anyone noticing that neither of those events had taken place. His well-made plans had yet to fail him throughout his life.

Eight successful years was a streak that had lived far too short a life in Sky's opinion. "I would offer to freshen your drink if it wouldn't be your fifth of the hour," Dove smiled at him in his pristine tuxedo. Unlike the rest of them, Dove's was custom tailored and fitted while also being more expensive than the rest of CRDL's put together. "It is most fortuitous for you that Russel failed to go through with his plans to spike the punch."

Of course Dove noticed. His partner had always been too smart for his own good. That wasn't all there was too it, though.

The drinking of punch was one step of the simple rotation he'd come up with. It started by filling up a cup of punch from the communal bowl. Only after taking the longest possible path as far away from the bowl as he could get would Sky start to drink it. At this point, most people would slowly nurse the drink so they'd have something to do. Thing was, staying in the same place too long was begging for someone to track you down and coerce you into a conversation. Sky would finish it in no more or less than four minutes before slowly meandering his way back to the punch.

Rinse, repeat, and visit the bathroom every hour. A foolproof plan to avoid any unwanted attention at any school festivities. Barring the intervention and snooping of a particularly keen partner, that was.

"Grateful?" Sky scoffed and lifted his plastic cup. "If this was alcohol I'd have the motivation of drinking towards a goal.

"That goal being a blissful blackout?"

"Amen."

Dove chuckled and moved to stand beside him next to the wall and on the outskirts of the perimeter people had formed around the dancing area. He didn't say anything more as the two of them looked towards the dancers. Rather, what were the dancers. Another plucky orchestral tune had started to drone through the speakers and it had an almost identical effect as it did every time prior; sending people scrambling off the floor with their dates in tow. Thrusting their hips and waving their arms to Yang's tunes was a lot less technically demanding than whatever posh crap had obviously been selected by Weiss.

Except this time there was one clear exception.

"Of course," Sky groaned and massaged his temples with both hands. "Why wouldn't he know how to dance to this too?"

Dove shook his head with an exasperated smile. "My instructor would dock his posture for being too lax."

Sky gave his partner the flattest of looks and the larger boy capitulated immediately. "Obviously he dances it with more finesse than I expected. Yet another thing Beacon's golden boy can do," Cardin chuckled again. "If he wasn't so mentally unhinged my sense of inadequacy may be crushing."

Sky resisted the urge to glare his partner into submission. As the least talkative member of CRDL, he still managed to maintain a vocal protective streak towards the person he believed to have done nothing less than save their team. Dove knew about that protectiveness better than anyone.

"Those two are quite the pair, though," Dove mused, maneuvering past the potential issue. "Do you think he's interested in Cinder?"

The two of them watched the referred pair waltz circles around the otherwise vacant space. The look in both their eyes was the same; like they were in their own world together. The two of them didn't appear to have noticed that most everyone else had stopped dancing. They weren't aware that they'd become the center of attention as people pointed and talked about them. It was a bizarre thing to see Naruto — the man who ate, drank, and breathed huntsman — dancing so intently.

"He's definitely into her." Sky concurred.

"You think so? I'm skeptical."

"If you're skeptical then you're also blind."

Dove smiled. "Do tell."

Sky bit back a groan and collapsed onto the back wall. His body only shifted twenty degrees or so, but emotionally it felt like a collapse. This wasn't really a topic he wanted to talk about. "He came here with that bunny faunus we used to bully."

Dove didn't grimace. He wasn't as expressive as the animated Russel or their bombastic leader. Instead, the corners of his mouth curled into a slight frown before quickly resetting to a neutral expression. "Velvet Scarlatina. I remember."

"Yeah, well she danced with him too and he was looking everywhere. His eyes haven't left Cinder's once since they started," Naruto proved his point as he pulled the crimson-dressed seductress closer and bent down to whisper something into her ear. All the while the two continued to put on a dance that may not have impressed Dove's personal coach, but certainly was working magic on their classmates. "He might have come with the bunny-girl, but he was nowhere near as focused on her."

"You say focused. I would say tense."

There was some notable distinction between the two that Sky wasn't sure he saw. "Alright. I elaborated. Your turn. What do you mean, tense?"

"I've been around Naruto enough to observe a few habits. Suffice to say he doesn't act like this around his companions."

"That suffices nothing," Sky stared at his teammate flatly. "Tell me what you meant or I'm off to start another punch bowl circuit."

Dive chuckled glibly. Sky knew his teammate didn't actually have an issue with telling him. What Dove was after was the act of making him ask a second time. That asking made Dove feel in control — something he had a pathological need to be.

"It's a difference of degree," Dove began to elaborate. "When he watches us train he pays attention the degree necessary to educate us on our shortcomings and the opportunities therein. Cinder meanwhile has commanded his whole focus to the point he is failing to notice his date watching their dance with an expression I would fail to describe as anything other than tragic."

Dove's blue eyes fell to the right and Sky's followed their course. Velvet stood off to the side watching Naruto and Cinder's sexed up tango like someone had strangled her rabbit. If her drooped ears didn't give away her obvious feelings, the gauntness of her face even through the blush she'd applied did. He hadn't been watching her ten seconds before she turned tail and fled out the main entrance.

"I imagine it must be hard to see the object of your affection so beguiled by another." Dove commented off-handedly.

Sky rolled his eyes. He knew there was a barbed tongue hidden in Dove's blankly delivered words. "She better get used to it. In those heels Cinder is nigh on six feet of aggressive sexuality. She's not going to get him by running away and hoping he chases."

"So one who wishes to pursue Beacon's savant would be best served by attacking directly?"

"I'd say so," It was Sky's turn to respond pointedly. "Though that's one crowded arena. Anyone with half a brain would choose somewhere else to pick a fight."

"And how mindful are you?"

Sky's sigh was one of exhausted acceptance. "Varies from day to day. Right now I'm far less interested in Naruto than I am Weiss Schnee."

"Truly?" Dove arched an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware she had the proper hole punch for your dance card."

"And I didn't think Russ had the right punch for hers."

It was Dove's turn to follow his eyes to the scene Sky still felt should be described as impossible even though it was playing out before his eyes. Weiss was dragging Russel to the dance floor. An impressive feat with how hard their teammate was trying to walk by her side. The tango had finally died out and was replaced by a slow tempoed piano and the melodic crooning of an older woman. A classic slow-dance song that clearly didn't fit Naruto and Cinder; the two parting with some deal of reluctance on both sides.

Get a room. Sky thought not for the first time that night. His annoyance at their wanton public flirting was subdued by his amusement at watching their rough and ready Russel try hopelessly to keep up with the practice and refined movements of the Schnee. Their dancing posture embodied face to face with space, yet Russel still had the face of someone who'd won the lottery. Sky couldn't help but grin for his teammate. Good for you, dumbass.

"It would appear that Cardin owes me a sizable sum," Dove mused with an uncharacteristic grin. He embodied the cat that caught the canary as he gestured Sky to look towards the door once more. An irate Cardin stormed out of the hall muttering presumed obscenities under his breath. "I can't tell which victory I enjoy more."

"That's because you're a prick," Sky drolled. "Celebrate your friend's victory more than your own at Cardin's expense."

"Mmm… I suppose you're right, not that it matters. They're one and the same, really."

Considering that his enigmatic farewell, Dove descended back into the crowd and asked a girl Sky was sure he didn't know for a dance. A few exchanged lines and he was escorting the brunette by a gently held hand before raising it to rest on his shoulder, letting his own fall around the waist of her teal dress. Several others joined him this time around; the slow-dance proving far less imposing than the previous tango. Glancing over the assembled mass of dancers, Sky noticed that Naruto had once again taken the floor. This time he did so not with Cinder or his date, but with his red-headed fitness model of a partner. Go figure.

Sky allowed himself a sigh he wouldn't have when Dove was present. He'd been hoping that Naruto didn't even know how to dance. That would have been some common ground between Beacon's strongest and weakest first year. A talking point outside of training that Sky wished they had. But no, Naruto was as perfect as ever.

Watching Pyrrha stare longingly into his eyes was making Sky want to hurl. Tearing himself away from the scene, he began his arduously convoluted journey back to the punch bowl.

Cardin never believed in gods. Sounded stupid when he thought about it. If gods existed and they let good people like his grandfather die while scum like Sienna Khan got to keep breathing then they were pretty shit at their job. Same thing had gone for demons too. Anything that could be explained by some sort of devil could also be solved by accepting that people are assholes.

This, though? Proof positive that Russ had sold his soul to one.

"I have decided to acquiesce to your previous request for a dance." Weiss said, or more like decreed as she stood before them in her white dress and heels. It was a plain thing compared to what Cardin would have expected from her. Not like she didn't have the money to have a dress custom made for the night that she could throw in an incinerator the day after. Not that the simple dress detracted her appearance in any way. She still looked worth as much as her net worth, which sort of pissed him off.

Russel looking like a piano fell on his head balanced that out. And the dumbass still looked better than he sounded. "A dance? With me? I mean," Russ coughed and lowered his voice an octave. "Of course I want to dance with you, beautiful."

Her Schnee upbringing was very obviously compelling Weiss to resist the urge to palm her entire face in exasperation. A task which she very obviously managed due to the most iron of wills. Cardin didn't have her sentiment to restrain him and so facepalmed so hard that he might as well have slapped himself.

The cracking noise of his hand meeting his nose sparked Weiss back into action. "Yes… well unless there are any more unforeseen editations, we should be due for a slower Atlesian ballad. It's a personal favorite of mine composed by one of Atlas' greatest-... needless to say it would be suitable for a more simple variety of dancing," Weiss' eyes took on an edge. "Though I will of course dance to the best of my ability. My father had me train with the best instructors money could buy. Are you confident you can keep up?"

Russel clicked his tongue. Weiss' lips tightened as she waited for an answer. Cardin's mind was torn between wanting his partner to score — because even if they punked each other on the daily it wasn't like he actually wanted Russ to eat shit here — and calculating how much money he was going to lose if Weiss did take his partner's hand.

A bit of mental math had Cardin hoping Russ ate shit after all.

With the ball in his court and not being one for silence in the first place, Russel did make a move not with a swagger, but with a grimace. "Never danced a day in my life. No point lying about it when you'd figure it the second we got out there."

Cardin didn't get Weiss' reaction at all. Not that he understood why she'd asked Russ in the first place either. It sure as hell didn't feel like she wanted to dance with him all that bad when she asked, so why did her wistful frown look so defeated?

"It's fine," She almost sniffled. Not Ice Bitch, though. Too tough for that, Weiss bore whatever shit she was feeling with grace. "You won't be the first to avoid me tonight because of it. Coming to you was a foolish notion in the first place. I don't know what came over me. If you'll excuse me I'll-"

"What the- hold it!" Russ lurched forward and grabbed the retreating Weiss' hand. He immediately wilted under the fury burning in her eyes. Not that it mattered how mad the princess was. His partner was too stupid to stop when he started something. "That's it? I don't know how to dance so you won't even give me a shot?"

Fury turned to confusion on Weiss' pale face. "Give you a shot? I'm trying to be considerate of your circumstances! If you don't know how to dance then doing so with me will only make you look like more of a churl."

"That like an idiot or something?"

Weiss' resistance ran out as her dainty palm made a very undainty noise smacking her forehead.

"For lack of a desire to explain the finer points of language, it is safe for you to assume so."

"You high?"

Russel could make a strung-out Ursa look graceful sometimes. This was ten feet of dumbassery below that. Weiss barely managed to process the question.

"Am I what?!"

"High. You know, like shrooms or someth-ow!" Russel collapsed forward and, in the heat of the moment, Weiss caught him.

If Cardin didn't have such a thick skin it would have hurt to see his partner turning his head to glare daggers at him for the noble act of saving his ass in front of the hot girl. That doing said saving involved kicking his idiotic friend in the back of the knee before he could fuck things up further was honestly gravy.

Dumbass the he was, Russ wasn't beyond taking a hint. He turned back to Weiss whose hands were still on his chest like she was deciding how hard she wanted to push him away. "What I mean is that you've gotta be high to think something that dumb. I'm going to look like an idiot dancing with a good- great-" Russel corrected himself, possibly due to ferocious look from Weiss that Cardin couldn't see. "looking girl? Where the hell'd you get an idea that stupid?"

"You'd look like an idiot not knowing the basic steps beside someone who mastered them when they were four."

"Great, then you can teach me."

"It is not my ability to educate you that I am worried about," Weiss pokes him in the chest hard. Enough to build more than the few inches distance they'd had prior, though not enough to move him away entirely. "I would be teaching you in front of everyone. Naruto has single-handedly turned the dance into a spectator sport. You would have all of our classmates watching… if you would forgive my use of the term — watching you make an ass of yourself."

"So?"

Cardin snorted at the Schnee Princess' reaction. She didn't notice. Weiss was too shocked by the question to pay attention to much else; all the whirring machinery of her brain grinding to a halt from Russel's dumb wrench.

Go get her. Cardin allowed himself to support his partner at the expense of his wallet.

So? So?! What kind of question was that?! Of course playing the fool in front of the entire school was a big deal. So much as she was enraged at Neptune for abandoning her, Weiss at least understood why he'd done so. She'd been educated, admonished, and even been shouted at the importance of one's reputation her entire life. That he'd seek to protect his own was some sort of sensible.

"You're not getting it?" Russel half asked and half stated. "I get it. Hard for me to figure out what girls are thinking too. Makes sense it works the same the other way around."

"What on Remnant are you going on about?"

He smirked. There was condescension in the way he looked at her… she thought so, at least. It was not an emotion Weiss was unpracticed in recognizing and she could swear she saw it, yet it was so different than the condescension she knew. It held none of the superior chest-puffing her father was known to show and was more akin to a playful puppy who had just claimed the sofa you'd been on as a pointless show of dominance.

"I gotta assume that's a girl's view. Going out and looking stupid 'cus you don't know what you're doing. Who cares? Babe, I live not knowing what I'm doing most of the time."

Weiss rolled her eyes at him. "That's nothing to brag about." And why was he still so close? It was faint, but she could feel the warmth and scent of his breath. It smelled like he'd devoured a dozen breath mints to make sure no one could even suggest his breath smelt bad. Obviously all that accomplished was making his breath reek of artificial mint. What was she saying?

"And I ain't bragging. Fact is that no guy who's gotta pair is gonna give up a chance like this because of how he'd look."

"... You would be wrong about that. It turns out that my date has... declined to attend," Weiss forced the words out. "Because he knew how woefully incompetent he'd look in comparison to myself while we danced."

Russel blinked disbelievingly. "Neptune? Blue-haired pretty boy?" Weiss nodded. She'd told him as much earlier when he'd requested a dance. "You're joking."

"Yes, because I would joke about being stood up for the dance that I co-founded. Ha ha! It's hilarious, is it not?"

Russel, the absolute cur that he was, actually laughed! "Snrk! Haha hoho… damn that's funny. You got me there."

"I was being sarcastic! It isn't actually funny, you twit!" Weiss hissed. It was mortifying! The fact that she'd actually been stood up on the event she helped plan was-

"What a cuck." Russel concluded succinctly.

"... What?"

"Seriously," Cardin agreed. "What a loser. Fuck 'em."

"Like, I get the nerves and all, ya know? Shit happens. But ya push past that and get over yourself."

"Nothing lamer than saying you're going to take a girl out and then abandoning her cuz you're a chicken."

"Right?! That's like taking your man card, ripping it to shreds and then setting it on fire!"

Cardin nodded sagely. "Doomed to be a little bitch for the rest of your life."

"Exactly!"

Weiss was in a bit of a daze. Not at the profanity — the somewhat more than little time she'd spent with CRDL had already worn out that culture shock — but the easy acceptance they'd given. Not a word nor notion had been breathed that she was the fool for coming alone tonight.

"Whatever," Russel spit the word from his mouth like it was poison. "Dude's a loser. Hottest girl in our year asks me for a dance? I'm game. Try and make me look as stupid as you want out there and I won't look half as retarded as the guy cowering in his room."

Russel was a vagabond, a churl, and thousand other types of unrefined. She could never deny that. But as he snatched her hand and started to drag her towards the floor without even noticing the song hadn't changed, Weiss had begun to reassess the qualities he did have. She yanked her hand out of his and he turned back from his leading position to face her, the nervous expression that had overtaken him revealing his bravado as such.

She let him think about that for a few seconds before smirking back at him and presenting her hand. "Remember that I did not ask you to dance. I acquiesced to your request for one."

Looking at her hand like it was going to bite him, Russel hesitated to retake it. Only once Weiss gestured that it was alright did he do so. Good. She was not some weak-willed woman to be led around by the nose and he would do well to remember that. The tango ended to applause. Apparently Cinder and Naruto had given quite the show. She would have to do her best to carry her current partner so they could provide one of their own. Weiss tugged at his hand and began walking towards the dancing area. He followed, walking in step with her after quickly catching up.

Weiss took the few seconds before the song change to explain. "Hands directly above my hips," She took his other hand and placed them exactly where they were intended to be. "Any higher and I shall chastise you. Any lower and you will lose them. Do I make myself clear?"

"I think?"

"You know," Weiss corrected him. "You know or I shall excuse myself."

"Fine. Then you wanna define that chasty word for me? Probably should explain acquish… acquiesh? Whatever the hell that other fancy word was too."

"Acquiesce."

"That one. I think I know what chasty means, but I ain't got a clue what the hell that one is."

Weiss sighed. This was not the charming prince she thought she'd be dancing with tonight. Neptune had a gentlemanly roguish charm and Russel was closer to being a bumbling country bumpkin than a proper gentleman.

But as they began to slowly start into the dance she noticed how he took in her every word. He faltered — oh did he falter. At one point coming so close to stepping on her foot that she almost kicked it away. In spite of all his faults, there was a difference between the two boys that Weiss now valued in Russel's favor. That willingness to make a fool of himself trying his best was the only reason either of them were dancing at all tonight.

She found herself thinking that perhaps even a bumpkin could be taught to be a gentleman with the proper teacher.

As his partner walked off with the girl, Cardin decided that he was going to bill Russel for his gambling debt with Dove. He'd been five seconds away from winning his bet before his damn bleeding heart caused him to lose a catastrophic amount of money. Money that didn't matter to Dove, but he would collect to rub his victory in.

Being happy for his friend was damn hard given the circumstances. Would have helped if he wasn't the only one who struck out. Dove was chatting up his third girl of the night, Naruto was finishing his sex dance with Cinder, and Sky didn't really give a shit about this kind of thing. Sometimes he thought that guy was a eunuch or something. No magazines under his bed, no hot background on his scroll, nothing.

So with one teammate scoring, one going for the grand slam, and one abstaining out of the gate, Cardin was the only one of them hosed.

Finding Pyrrha in the crowd was pretty easy considering he'd had an eye on her all night. The look she was giving her partner told him that she was ready to pounce the second the song ended. It did right then, Cinder bent backwards showing some lucky assholes her valley as Naruto loomed over her. Her right leg was lifted to practically straddle the guy upright.

Whoever invented the tango was one horny bastard.

There was a round of applause for the only pair dancing. Applause that Cardin did not participate in. As much as Naruto and Cinder running off to bang after this would be a good thing for him, he knew it wasn't happening. They looked at each other with finality and parted reluctantly, their eyes lingering on each other as they did. Pyrrha locked on to her partner like a missile as soon as he was clear of Cinder which meant Cardin had to resign himself to more time on the bench.

Soon as he did that he looked around and realized he wasn't the only person not giving the two a standing ovation. Little bunny wasn't either. Velvet was watching the two part like it was a slasher film.

Don't you do it. Don't you fucking dare after I went through the damn trouble to gird you up.

Velvet turned away from the scene and ran before a searching Naruto could find her. Not that he had much time since Pyrrha scooped him up almost as soon as he hit the sideline.

"Why'd you have to be a rabbit in ears and spirit? What the hell is her partner doing? Do women not tell each other to sack up?"

Those were the questions on Cardin's breath as he growled and tore himself away from the starting slow dance. Watching himself lose all that money while Naruto and Pyrrha danced as well was about the only thing he wanted to do less than help this damn bunny. Again!

But when the choice is a dick in the ass or a dick in the mouth, you better start sucking.

"Oh come on," Coco begged. "Give me one more dance. I'm going to look like a spinstress at this rate."

Velvet giggled and made a show of looking her partner up and down, taking in her black designer dress, her typically matching beret, and six inch black heels that probably cost more than Velvet wanted to know. "I don't think you're in danger of that."

"It's appearances, Bun. Dancing with my girl shows that I didn't want a man with me tonight. Not dancing at all makes it look like I can't get one."

"Since when do you care what others think?"

"Since never," Coco declared smugly. "Could give a shit less if people quietly keep the fact that they think I can't score to myself. Problem is-"

"Hey there, beautiful," A male classmate of theirs had approached them without Velvet noticing and was trying his best take on being suave. It kind of worked? She guessed? "I notice you haven't let a man take you out tonight. Wanna give me a go?"

Coco looked at the man, groaned, and then turned back to Velvet. She didn't finish her sentence with words… she instead thrust her hands towards their classmate as if he conveyed her point well enough.

She had to admit that he did.

"You're really still here?" Coco asked the guy who was starting to shrink in on himself. He stopped when Coco smiled at him. He might have been reassured by that smile, but Velvet wasn't. She knew that sharkish smirk. "Fine. Maybe you wouldn't be so bad after all."

"I won't be. I-i mean I'm not." He stuttered, looking embarrassed.

"Of course not. Since your so interested in me, I'm sure you know my favorite color?"

"Errr…"

"No?" Coco continued to smile, though even their classmate was beginning to realize how cold it was. "What about my favorite food? What do I do to unwind? What hobbies do I have? Got any idea about those?"

"Well, no," The boy — as Coco was doing her best to make him look like less than a man — admitted. "I was thinking we could get to know each other."

"Well I see plenty of fine huntresses here you could get acquainted with. If the only reason you decided to go after me is because of how fine I look, why don't you go try your luck with one of them instead. Mkay?"

Dejected, embarrassed, and plenty trodden upon, their classmate retreated with haste outside of the dance entirely.

"Coco!" Velvet hissed at her partner, slapping her on the bare shoulder. "Why do you have to do that every time?!"

Coco scoffed. "Because they never have an answer. First time I press a guy and he tells me anything he likes about me that doesn't relate to my looks I'll take that man out for a cup of joe. Until then, I'll stick to admiring the fantastic selection of ladies we've got here tonight. Think Cinder would go for a round? I ain't gay but whooooee. If she asked…"

"Coco!" Velvet admonished her partner yet again. Coco was beyond help in this area and she knew better than to try. That didn't mean there weren't times she couldn't help herself and lectured her leader anyway. This wasn't one of those. "Oh, whatever. Pointing you at Cinder takes care of the both of you. Like I needed another rival. I'd better find Naruto before she-"

"Actually why won't we go enjoy the night for a bit," Coco laughed anxiously as she hooked an arm around her shoulders. "It gets stuffy in here with all these people. A bit of fresh air will help us out."

Coco was her best friend and Velvet knew when she was hiding something, even when she did a better job of it than she was doing now. "I'm not that bad, Coco. I knew Pyrrha was going to take him the second I left him alone. It's fine."

"Yeahhhhh…" Coco drawled, clearly unconvinced and judging by her grip, also unwilling to let her turn around. "I'm damn sure it ain't fine as much as I'm damn sure that's not Pyrrha."

"What?"

Coco stopped her from turning around once. The imploring look she gave told Velvet how much she didn't want her to see whatever she'd seen. It wasn't Coco's style to force her to do anything. Pushing ninety percent of the way was fine, but her partner always made her do that last ten on her own. It worked the same way in reverse.

Velvet decided that whatever Coco was trying to prevent her from seeing was something she needed to see.

It wasn't that easy. A tango was playing and that had scared everyone off the dance floor, herself included. Velvet thought it was a silly song for Weiss to pick for the night. Beacon was an academy for huntsmen. Who knew how to dance that here? Politely maneuvering past the people who'd began to crowd the outer edges she got her answer. Her date.

The short crimson dress that Cinder wore was already provocative enough by itself. Almost her entire back exposed from its contours and her lengthy legs for the most part were left bare too. The scandalous dress turned completely obscene as Cinder wrapped her arms right around Naruto, wantonly draping her body on his indiscriminate of the zounds of eyes watching them. More than one boy was adjusting their neckline to try and catch their breath. She'd known Cinder had that effect on most men.

It hurt to realize that she had it on all men.

Cinder pressed Naruto, striding into him as he was forced to retreat. At the end of the musical phrase, Naruto seized dominance back and started pushing her back. The roughly strummed chord of strings brought them both to a halt as Cinder hiked her leg against his thigh and her dress along with it, coming dangerously close to revealing herself to the massive crowd. Velvet didn't think she noticed; Cinder only had eyes for Naruto while they danced… and Naruto for her.

He didn't look at me that way.

No! Velvet gave herself a mental slap. She kept getting negative at times like these. She gripped the hem of her chocolate brown dress tightly and counted to five. It was fine. The tango was an… intense dance. That's why they Cinder was doing a forward split, her bare leg held up by her date's hand. It was the dance. It. Was. The-

"Damn, dude," A blond boy swore next to her, his voice spiteful and his face contorting to match it. "Can he save some for the rest of us?"

The brunette boy next to him shrugged, trying to appear apathetic. The way his brow furled and the tightness of his lips made that hard to believe. "What can you do? Some guys have all the luck."

"No joke. I could burn all my life's luck in one go and still not have enough to land the Invincible Girl, yet here this bastard is doing double duty with her and the hot foreign-exchange student."

Velvet's ears burned as she eavesdropped. It was fine… of course their random schoolmates would think it was like that. Naruto was nice to everyone. Even when he got angry with people it was never for his sake, but their own. Cinder probably asked him for a dance, forced herself on him, and he was going along with it because that's who Naruto was.

"Triple duty. Can't forget the bunny faunus he came in with."

The other boy stared at him completely puzzled. "Who?"

Velvet bit the inside of her cheek.

"Like I'd know every person who goes to this school. Probably some first year he flexed his muscle at and swooned over him," The boys shared a sardonic laugh. "Brown dress that danced with him earlier?"

"That girl?!" The blond boy asked incredulously. "He came with her!?"

"Yup."

Does he have to look so shocked about that? Velvet fumed. I was the one with the guts to ask him! Not Pyrrha and certainly not Cinder! I asked-

"That's a pity date if I've ever seen one."

Velvet's thoughts came to a full stop.

"Pity date?" The brunette asked.

"One-hundred percent," Blond reaffirmed confidently. "She corners him, asks him out, and the dude doesn't wanna say no. Probably couldn't take the hit to his ego to lose a fan girl or something. Point is that there's no way that blond bastard is playing with the bunny girl when a babe like that-" He jabbed a finger at Cinder, somehow in a more lascivious position than the last. "Is riding his jock."

Velvet hadn't realized that Coco had figured out she was listening in on someone. Figuring out who she was eavesdropping on and having moved close enough to do the same, Coco looked five seconds past using her weapon to beat their heads like whack-a-mole. Those two would be lucky to see the morning. Or, as was more likely with her partner, unlucky since they'd likely regret being alive to feel the pain of whatever retribution Coco had planned.

Velvet didn't notice any of it. His all too believable description of what had transpired blew up the dam she'd stymied her negativity with. All of those restrained thoughts burst forth and flooded her mind, ricocheting around her skull as they did.

"Velvet. Do. Not. Listen. To. These. Fuckboys!" Coco emphasized each word through gritted teeth. "They're pathetic losers who couldn't get a bite if they had the last poles on Remnant. They can't get any so they're trying to-"

Velvet didn't stay to listen. She'd already turned away, dodging her partner's lunge to restrain her in the process. Coco cursed and almost chased after her best friend. She made the smart decision and stopped herself. Bun needed a few to cool down and Coco knew she needed to vent before being the supportive shoulder her partner needed.

Luckily, there were two assclowns who had volunteered for that. To drive home that they should never do so again, Coco grabbed them both by the shoulder, flipped them around to face her, and then grabbed them both by their equally sloppily done bowties. Blond and Brunette were — in addition to being functionally braindead — huntsmen trained. The second she assaulted them their fight or flight instincts kicked in.

Half a second of her staring them down was more than they needed to figure out flight was the only option. Not that Coco had any intention of letting them.

"Both your mothers must have abandoned your dumb asses at birth," Coco seethed. "That's the only explanation I can think of for your lack of anything within the same hemisphere as common sense!"

"What the f-"

"Zip it," Coco hissed, every ounce of her being threatening violence should they not immediately comply. To her chagrin, they did. "Good. In case you didn't know, that 'bunny girl' is my teammate. My teammate who heard everything you two fecal stains just shit out of your mouth."

The brunette had at least the barest of human dignity left in him to flush. Blond and soon to be bloody didn't show any of that remorse and glared at her balefully. Brunette spoke up before Coco could beat him flat. "We didn't know she was there!"

"Don't care. If you're going to talk shit then have the balls to do it to our faces. No wonder you're back here holding each other's tools. If you've got time to waste bitching, try something it's damn obvious you never considered; make yourselves into men your mothers could possibly regret leaving at the orphanage's doorstep. Shit," Coco swore as she dropped the two, denying herself the satisfaction of smashing their heads together like coconuts. "I thought that last guy was bad. I'll take a hundred of him if it means I never have to look at another beta incel like you clowns."

Coco's heels didn't click, they crashed into the floor as she left before doing something there was no way she'd regret. Convincing yourself that dumbasses weren't worth the trouble was a lot harder when their dumbassery was pointed towards your friends.

Coco stopped at the double doors and let out a big breath, her lips motor-boating as she prepped herself. Velv had been meek as long as Coco had known her. That she'd even asked a guy out proved how much Bun had changed since their first year.

Hard to blame either of them for the whole situation. It was pretty easy to tell Nevermore's leader had a few screws loose, yet even more obvious than that to everyone in a five mile perimeter was that Velv and Pyrrha both had the hots for him. That he somehow hadn't figured it out meant Naruto was an exceptionally dense type of moron.

It was her instinct to blame him for all this happening. An instinct Coco desperately wanted to follow. Fact of the matter was that she couldn't. Velv knew what she'd gotten herself into and Coco knew it too. If her partner thought she was going to quietly abscond into the bushes tonight without a word from the competition, she was dead wrong.

Coco was stomping after her partner to remind her of that fact. Thing was, she might not have needed to.

"Are you fucking with me?" Were there first words Coco heard upon exiting the event.

It didn't take long to find the rabbit. Velvet had tucked herself away near the edge of the building sitting on a bench. Her position alone screamed 'find me!' if Naruto put in the effort to look. Since he was probably too busy letting Pyrrha make goo goo eyes at him, Cardin would love to make a bet that wasn't happening. If he could find a sucker to take the wager he could recoup some of the night's losses. He'd have to settle for making up some moral losses by putting the bunny back on track.

Cardin got girls, ok? Not like he got them in the sack, but he got how he was supposed to talk around them. Nice and soft like they were some skittish animal that would run off scared if you got too loud. Knowing that didn't mean he gave a shit.

"Are you fucking with me?"

Whatever grouchy bitchy look she tried to give him lost any impact due to her watery eyes. "No I'm not- why are you even here?" She parried his question and shot one of her own.

"Because hooking you up was a way to clear my conscience. Doesn't work as well when you bitch out halfway through," Velvet's expression started to harden, making Cardin smirk. "Wow. Turns out you can look like a huntress if you try. If you can do this much then why'd you turn tail and hop away?"

Velvet flung herself off the bench and got in his face. Cardin stood his ground, unimpressed. "Can you quit it with the rabbit jokes! Are you too thick to understand how much of a racist pig you're being, or do you not even care?!"

Cardin laughed and that only galvanized Velvet further."Thought it was more tactful than calling you a puss. Coward, wimp, pansy, I've got a hundred words to describe hiding out here while the guy you want gets mobbed by strange. I'll spare your faunus feelings and call you a coward until you stop acting like one if that makes you feel better."

"It does. It really, really does," Velvet snarked. Who knew she had it in her? "Thanks so much for your consideration."

"No problem."

Velvet snarled and whipped away from him, going back to the bench and crashing down on it. That gave Cardin the freedom to move around now that he wouldn't be seen as the one retreating. Pride and all that. He shook his legs a bit to get the blood flowing and stretched as much as he could in his penguin suit. Then he waited.

He gave her ten seconds to do something. When she predictably didn't, he pushed her again. "I get that he's dancing with other girls and that'll feel like shit. Makes sense. What I want you to run me through is how you win by hiding out here."

"Win?" Velvet laughed coldly. "What do you mean, win? You obviously didn't see the way he was dancing with Cinder."

"I did. Basically pillow play without the pillows," She cringed at his choice of metaphor which made him snort. "Pretty sure some guys popped just watching them go at it. Bet you feel like crap."

Velvet didn't meet his eyes. "Obviously."

"And you got my sympathy for that," Her muddy brown eyes found him, surprise evident as they shimmered wetly. "Give me a break. I'm not heartless. Hot girl makes a spectacle with your guy and you're left looking the cuck. That blows, I get it. What I don't get is what that has you doing out here. You giving up on him? Not really a question, I guess," He added when it looked like she was going to respond. "You're out here while they're all in there. You've given up."

"Not on him," Velvet disagreed weakly. "Just on this night. It's ruined."

Cardin did not get this chick at all. One moment she's standing up to him strong and confident, next she's floundering like a teenager with a grade school crush. Guess it doesn't matter if I get it. I still owe her tonight. Once this was all said and done he'd wash his hands of this crybaby for good. For now he'd dig Velvet out of her hole. That was his debt to pay. "If this is all it takes for you to tap out, might as well throw in the towel now. And you should know better," Cardin sighed annoyedly and plopped himself on the bench next to her with a thud. "Since you know Naruto better than most."

Velvet didn't respond so Cardin kept on going. "It's obvious to all your friends and the rest of us that you want him. It ain't obvious to him and you know that," Cardin took a breath and looked straight ahead. "Pyrrha's got the same problem you do. He doesn't know that she wants him either. Know what she's doing right now? Staking her claim on your-" Cardin lightly tapped her shoulder with the back of his hand. "Date. Think she feels any differently about Cinder going after him? Doubt it. Difference is that little miss champion knows she's not going to win him by giving ground to her competitors. If you want him, go get him and stop crying that he isn't falling into your lap."

Cardin knew how damn hypocritical he was giving that advice. Didn't mean it wasn't good advice.

Meek as she was, it looked like Velvet realized that too. "You're right… it's just… well, I mean…"

"I don't. Spit it out."

"You saw how they looked at each other!"

The worst burst forth from her lips against her will. That was made all the more obvious by the way her hands reached up and covered it. Cardin tried not to laugh.

He failed. "Snrk!" He stopped himself after the one involuntary burst. Cardin realized he'd turned to look at her at some point when he saw the fire in her eyes. "Come on, give me a break. That's it?"

"That's it?!" Velvet echoed back to him sarcastically. "She was practically seducing him!"

"You can drop the practically. Far as I could tell she all but invited him to bone."

Velvet looked about ready to deck him. Which was, as far as Cardin gave a damn, another improvement. "Do you enjoy rubbing it in?!"

"If I had to choose between saying I do or don't… Yeah, I'd say I do."

Velvet slugged him right in the cheek and holy crap could she throw a punch. Cardin's vision went out for a second, his brain unable to decide whether things were incredibly bright or pitch black. Good thing he was sitting down or his ass would have hit cement. Blinking away the black blotchy stars, he looked to a horrified Velvet and did the only thing she wasn't expecting.

Cardin smirked. "Nice one. About time."

"What do you mean it's about time?!" Velvet's voice came out as a weird hybrid of growl and whimper. Idiot couldn't process being pissed at him and herself at the same time. "I can't believe I snapped like that! Are you alright?" Velvet's hand darted towards his face. Cardin, much to his chagrin, flinched against his will. "Awww… I didn't mean to make you frightened."

Cardin rolled his eyes. "Soon as you figure out whether you wanna be condescending or apologetic, let me know. I'll try not to die of old age in the meantime."

"Jerk," She commented softly, grabbing him not all that gently by the chin and twisting his face around as she examined the impact. "Doesn't look like it will leave a mark so you shouldn't need to ice it. You'll be flushed for awhile, though," She took one last look at it before dropping her hand back down to the hem of her short chocolate dress. When she looked at him again the watery weakness was long gone. "You baited me."

"Basically," Cardin admitted, rubbing his jaw as he opened and closed it to make sure it was still in working order. "You've got a fight ahead of you. Meant I had to get you ready to throw a punch. Mission accomplished."

"It's not a fighting spirit type of problem," Velvet sighed. This conversation had gone so far outside what she'd anticipated that her nervousness had been left behind with those expectations. The words flowed freely and naturally as she spoke. "I didn't like how he was looking at her. So intensely… he's never looked at me like that."

"Obviously."

Now that Cardin knew Velvet had a line, it was easier to see the dangerous glint when it crept into her eyes. "You've made it abundantly clear that any faunus is not your type. That doesn't mean it's the same with everyone."

"Not what I meant, but I suppose I deserve that. You've got your…" Cardin cringed, the word he was about to speak physically paining him. "Charm? I'm sure someone finds you… adorable?"

"Gee, thanks," Velvet drolled. "If you're that good at giving compliments it's a wonder you're not taken. Not to mention that distinctly bunny-like descriptor," She added sarcastically. The brief annoyance faded to exasperation as she waved the feeling away. "You were going somewhere with that?"

Cardin was glad to avoid yet another setback. This conversation was a pain in the ass. "Yeah. Cinder isn't like that. If you've got a pole and a pair of sinkers and she invites you in, then you'll be tempted to cast your line in her pond."

"Ohhhhhh… so you're saying I'm doomed because she has more sex appeal? Thank you so much! That's soooo frickin' helpful!"

Cardin snorted at that. Velvet actually had some pretty biting sarcasm when you broke her out of her shell. "Not doomed, disadvantaged. You and Pyrrha are playing the emotional game. Makes sense; you wanna date him, not bang him. Not just bang him," He corrected himself. Hopefully Velvet's tomato red flush right then was a hell of a lot worse than the one he had from her knocking him. "Point is, Naruto doesn't seem to get that shit. He'd have sniffed you and Pyrrha out a hell of a lot earlier if he did."

"Ok… that makes sense," Velvet nodded. "Now where are you going with that? And what does that have to do with the way he looks at Cinder?"

"She's hotter than you," Cardin delivered the reality check as hard as he could. He was sure Velvet knew it, but it needed to be said. "Plus you play the cutesy angle while she plays the 'bend me over a table' one. That route is a lot less subtle and it looks like even Naruto can figure it out. He looks at her that way because they both know the game they're playing. Between the two of you he doesn't even know there's a game."

Velvet pouted. "Sorry not sorry to kill your fun, but can you get to where you're going with this and stop rubbing it in?"

"Works for me. Stop trying to bait him into chasing you and get ready to duke it out. That's why I had you give me this." Cardin tapped his cheek twice. It was still sore.

"You want me to fight for him?"

"I don't give two shits if you do or don't," Cardin admitted, rising from the bench. "But if you think the fox is going to chase after the running rabbit, you got another thing coming to you. At this rate he'll either bang Cinder or fall in love with Pyrrha — the girl who is actually trying to get him right now despite seeing the same shit you did. Rabbits don't catch foxes, huntresses do. If you want him then you better start hunting and stop whining."

Cardin didn't stay to listen to her response. He'd said his piece and he was at peace. If she didn't listen to that then- He didn't get to finish the thought as Velvet blew past him, clearing the stairs with strides so wide she was practically vaulting them. Looks like you can tell women to sack up.

Doing a few neck rolls and allowing himself a satisfied grin, Cardin prepared for his own battle. If he talked that big of a game and then pussed out himself, he'd be the scared rabbit. No way, no how was that happening. Cardin focused up and followed in Velvet's wake to rejoin the rest of his team.

So focused he didn't notice that a different pair of brown eyes had been watching him the entire time.

Watching her partner dance with Cinder was something Pyrrha had suspected would be annoying. The woman was so egregiously fake that Pyrrha couldn't tell where her mask began or ended. She'd left Mistral because of how fake and forced her life had become. And now Cinder, a Mistralian transfer student, was whispering those fake nothings into her partner's ear while she forced herself so close that you could likely measure the space between the two of them in molecules.

Pyrrha suspected it would be annoying. It was actually infuriating.

The best thing about their dance was that it was over now. The worst thing about it was the intense look of reluctance on both their faces as they separated to raucous applause from the crowd. Pyrrha's patience was nonexistent at that point. After doing a quick scan to make sure Velvet wasn't trying to take him back, Pyrrha parted the crowd and hastened to her partner's side.

"Naruto!"

He heard her through all the noise. The music and shuffling of feet as many more couples retook the floor. A perfect slow dance song was playing. With something that was little more than rotating in circles, people felt their confidence restored. Naruto's face was glistening as he made his way to her. His sheen, the figure he cut with his black tuxedo and orange tie, and everything about him had her stamping down the urge to swoon.

She only ever saw her crush in sweatpants! There was that one time they tricked him into the school uniform… but from that to this?! She hadn't been prepared!

She needed to be. Her cheekily grinning partner was upon her. "Damn, that was intense. I never knew dancing could be like that," Naruto laughed mirthfully. His eyes shone with confidence different than the absolute assuredness she knew well. "How's the night been for you?"

Pyrrha's annoyance dried up under the warmth of his sunny expression. "Weiss and Yang really outdid themselves. Watching Nora try and drag Ren out for every dance has been almost as fun as actually dancing."

Her two teammates had finally started to dance, Ren's excuses having run dry. As much of a fight as he'd put up, Ren looked content as Nora's pink dress twirled in her overly enthusiastic interpretation of the slow dance.

"I notice you didn't mention your own dancing. Don't tell me the Vulnerable Girl couldn't find someone to dance with!" Naruto gasped in mock horror. "However will you face your adoring fans?"

"I'm sure my adoring fans," Pyrrha air quoted. "Would prefer I stay the partnerless maiden of their fantasies. And Vulnerable Girl?"

"Invincible Girl doesn't fit now that I've lost track of how many times I've beaten you."

"Twice. It's been twice."

"Really?" Naruto asked in mockingly overacted disbelief. "Feels like I've pounded you flat more than that. You think I'd remember the fights, but I just can't… Maybe you should try harder next time."

Pyrrha let out a low growl. "You haven't sparred me since I started training my semblance. I'll get you next time."

"Yeah, oookay Pyr. Whatever you say."

His cartoonish way of goading her as he waggles his eyebrows tauntingly was transparent to the point of ridiculousness. What was even worse was that knowing he was trying to get a rise didn't placate her. The impulse to snipe back at him was too great.

"I think you're scared I'll win our next bout."

Pyrrha then learned what it felt like to be simultaneously happy and egregiously irked as Naruto laughed so hard he started choking on air. She loved the sound of his honest laughter, her partner who she'd seen under intense mental strain after the warehouse. Watching him slap his own knee as he snickered and grinned was cathartic. That his laughter was directed at her day in and day out training to beat him? Pyrrha found that far less enjoyable.

"Kami, Pyr. If you decide to give up being a huntress you'd probably make a better comedian."

If there was one thing that had gotten even better than her fighting since joining Team Nevermore, it was her banter. "The world will have to live without Pyrrha Nikos, the stand up comic. Unfortunately, she's the huntress partner to a certain Naruto Uzumaki. It's a full time job. Believe me... And I am seriously going to beat you next time!" She poked a finger challengingly into his orange tie.

"Maybe if I was crippled, poisoned, and asleep at the same time," Naruto ceded with a shrug and the smallest of smirks. "Course I'd still take my odds over yours."

Pyrrha was one taunt away from forgetting her original goal and instead dragging her partner by the ear to a practice ring where she could put any such thoughts to rest. She'd been relentless in her training for weeks now. Naruto had trounced her. Twice. As exhilarating as that had been, Pyrrha was over the experience. Losing so embarrassingly had brought back the drive to improve she wasn't sure she'd had anymore. She'd corner him for a match another time. Right now, she had a different goal in mind.

"Did you want to dance?" Pyrrha didn't have the time to muster the courage to ask before she was looking at her partner's offered hand, looking at her with his blue eyes and an easy smile that started to twist mischievously. "I was hoping to talk to you. Figured a good partner would bail you out of being danceless the whole night too."

The Pyrrha Nikos of the past might have called his request a failure. It wasn't an offer with the romantic overtures she obviously hoped for. That Pyrrha was so far back on the road of life that it would have been hard to find her even if she looked. That Pyrrha hadn't suffered two horribly one-sided defeats. Now she'd take her advantages where she could get them. By hook or crook she'd have her chance.

"It would be rude to deny my partner who wishes to talk to me." Pyrrha shrugged and offered her hand.

Naruto snorted, acknowledging her tongue-in-cheek attitude for what it was. His response was to take her hand and pull her towards the dance. The way he did so wasn't particularly gentle nor was it forceful. Maybe she should have been disappointed at the lack of ceremony. A small part of her might have been, but a much more substantial part was glad. He hadn't put on airs. He never did. That was what had attracted her to him in the first place, after all.

Pyrrha followed after him, enjoying the light pull of walking a half pace behind his tempo. She fell into the posture of the dance naturally. Her hands rested on the upper part of his ribs, the tips of her long fingers curling around to his back while his own wrapped around her waist.

The music had started earlier and many of their schoolmates were already dancing. Their late entry didn't matter to him. Naruto whisked her right onto the floor and into the dance like they'd been there since the beginning. Not that his doing so posed a problem. While Pyrrha was sure she'd had it easier than Weiss, being a prize fighter in Mistral had come with its fair share of events to attend. This dance was little more than a slow circular turn. When he'd been dancing with Cinder it felt like the crimson of her dress and the black of his tuxedo were trying to swallow the other. Now that she was standing face to face with him, when she looked down what she saw was not his black suit, but the orange of his tie. It went together with the brighter red hue of her dress and made the two of them look like an errant flame swaying in the breeze. If she ignored the slightly excessive space between the two of them, it was perfect.

With her black heels on she danced an inch or taller than her partner. They were more showy than the one's she normally wore for combat. The slow circle they moved in was nothing compared to the flips, slides, spins, and everything else she normally did. That too was perfect. She didn't want the smallest glimpse of this moment to pass her by because she was thinking of her next dance move. Pyrrha wanted to savour this.

"I thought you'd have bailed Ren out earlier."

"I'll have to pass," Pyrrha smiled fondly as she found the pair sharing their own dance. It wasn't their first of the night. It actually would have been easier to count the number of songs they'd sat out than those Nora had successfully compelled Ren to dance to. Compelled technically described what she'd done since repeated force was a method of compelling. Ren looked positively exhausted and Nora was inversely radiant. "I'm not entirely sure how Nora would take her revenge and I'd rather not find out the specifics."

Laughter overtook him again. Her partner's mirth made Pyrrha feel like she was dancing on clouds. It all felt so easy and perfect that she could forget all the problems still to deal with. Naruto and RWBY still stood at odds, Cinder had dogged her partner's steps far too closely for Pyrrha's comfort, and so many more besides… but right now as they danced those problems felt far away.

And the best part was that it felt like Naruto thought the same.

"I never expected to be so grateful for a school dance," Naruto confirmed her thoughts with his admittance. "Kind of thought this kind of thing was long behind me."

"Is Old Man Naruto too serious for a school dance?" Pyrrha teased.

Naruto's eyes twinkled at the joke. "I guess I thought I was, now that you mention it. Training, missions, and then more training for more missions has been all that I've done for a long time. Probably thought any chance for dancing was long behind me."

"That makes sense. You'd have to train hard to be able to drag anything fun down to seriousness as well as you do"

Naruto wasn't often bewildered. That made the owlish blink mixed with a deer in the headlights look he was sporting all the more enjoyable. Pyrrha was forced to smother a snort into the shoulder of his jacket.

"Where did I go wrong? You weren't this mouthy when we met."

Pyrrha batted her eyelashes at him innocently. "I think that proves you only have yourself to blame."

Naruto rolled his eyes wordlessly. A small smirk involuntarily creeping across his lips has he joined Pyrrha in enjoying the moment. The slow circles they made failed to distract either of them from the closeness of their bodies or the warmth shared between them. Maybe it was only the heat of having so many bodies in a singular room, but Pyrrha could swear she saw an abnormal tint in his cheeks.

She was able to confirm that when he bent his head down, his cheek almost brushing against her own as he whispered into her ear. "Thank you. That's what I wanted to say."

"... What?"

"I said I wanted to talk to you. Remember?" Naruto reminded her quietly. Pyrrha thought she did, but with his face so close to her own she was having trouble recalling. There was less than an inch between her lips and his cheek and that fact seemed to be taking up far more of her ability to think than it should have. "I think you were right. I've spent too much time at Beacon doing what I thought I should do."

A surge of empathy righted Pyrrha's bearings. "Things people expected you to do that you didn't want to?"

"So many people that I'd started expecting to do it too," Naruto shook his head, his self-admonishment easily apparent. His hair tickled the side of her face. "I came to Beacon to make connections and have some fun. How did I end up being such a stick in the mud?" Naruto chuckled at himself.

Those reasons would have sounded ridiculous to most anyone else. Not her. Pyrrha knew better than to dismiss them. It wouldn't have been hard for her partner to challenge a huntsman's license and skip schooling altogether with his skills. Being a freshman at Beacon probably had been his idea of a break. He likely had come here for the simple purpose of making friends.

Pyrrha felt a strong kinship with him for that.

"I've had more fun tonight than it feels like I have in the past month because I took your advice. So I wanted to say thank you," Naruto withdrew his head from its hovered perch on her shoulder. Pyrrha had to stop her lips from chasing their target as it left. Naruto's face back in full focus gave her a grin that tried to be smarmy and joking yet came across as vulnerable. "And sorry for making this serious too… maybe we could go spar after the dance?"

"Really?" Pyrrha asked, trying to conceal how hopeful that question felt inside her head. "I mean- I'll be up for it, of course. Why tonight, though?"

If there was a third thing that Pyrrha had learned since joining Team Nevermore it was exactly how her partner's face looked when she'd stepped into a trap. The shit-eating grin that formed, dragging his lips up like a cartoon. It looked like his very smile was goading her when he did that.

"You were saying how I keep making things serious so I thought I'd try and end the night on a joke. A fight between the two of us was the first thing to come to mind when I thought of a joke. Funny, isn't it?"

That was it. The last straw. As the music began to taper off and couples began to sequester themselves off to the sides to see if the next song was one they could dance to, Pyrrha stood rigidly and glared into the blue eyes of her partner. Right then and there the only thing she was thinking about was something she'd known long before Team Nevermore.

Pyrrha Nikos hated losing.

"That's it! You, me, and a training arena. Right. Now." Her slow emphasis of those words punctuating her seizing his left arm and coiling her own around it in a tight grip. His constant poking and prodding had broken her past the point of caring how her actions might have been perceived by onlookers. The way Naruto never noticed nor cared that the crowds constantly talked about him was a trait that had rubbed off on her.

Right now there was nothing anyone could say more important than proving herself in the ring. That gave Pyrrha focus and concentration in spades. Too much, frankly. The proof was in the pudding as Pyrrha Nikos let her competition sneak up on her without even noticing.

"Naruto!" Velvet interrupted Pyrrha frog-marching her partner out of the venue. Naruto turned into a tree as he rooted himself in the spot as his bemused eyes wandered away from her own to look at the chocolate dressed intruder.

"I was wondering where you went," Naruto replied as he turned his whole body to face her despite Pyrrha doing her best to dig in her black heels and stop him. "I was thinking I might have gotten ditched at my first school dance." He added with a grin.

"No! It was just… I... " Velvet began to stumble over her words, though she didn't let it last. The older student's jawline hardened as she sucked in a sharp breath and refixed her gaze on Naruto with new focus. "I saw you were dancing and didn't want to interrupt… but you're my date for the night," She emphasized strongly. "So if you're done dancing with your friend, I'd like to go for a couple more dances."

Just like that, Naruto disentangled his arm from Pyrrha's and stepped away without a second thought. It made it easier for Pyrrha to glower at the other girl. The normally shy girl who was right now acting anything but. "I have a few more in me," Naruto agreed with an easy smile as Velvet claimed him, coiling her arms around his in much the same way Pyrrha had moments prior. It was a silent rebuke from one huntress to another. "Sorry if I took too long. I was trying to keep an eye out for you. And we'll have to rain check that match, Pyr." He tacked on at the end.

Velvet's eyes softened as she turned away from Pyrrha. "I was getting some air so you couldn't have seen me. Then I got held up by Cardin and it took a little longer."

"Cardin?" Naruto asked, surprised. "How'd that go? I thought you two didn't get along."

"Good. Great, even. He's… not as bad as I would have thought. Rough around the edges, and sides… basically just rough."

Naruto laughed bodily and their conversation faded out of Pyrrha's hearing. She was left standing alone without her prize once again. This time around it bothered her less than it had before. Pyrrha and Velvet were still gunning for the same boy, Cinder had practically thrown her dress in the ring too, yet the Mistralian champion wasn't discouraged. Starting with their talk at the bench it felt like they'd grown closer. Three steps forward and one step back was still progress, and step by step Pyrrha would claim her victory.

One step at a time.

People benefitted off others. Someone you couldn't benefit off of was a waste of time, so don't bother. That was what Roman had told her a long time ago. It checked out as far as Neo could tell. They'd stuck together this long because Roman always had a use for her. He made more splitting the loot with her than he could possibly make on his own so he stuck with her. Life was better with Roman than it'd been on her own so she stuck with him.

That was loyalty and friendship Neo knew she could depend on. Roman would never sell her out because no one could do more for him than she could. Roman knew the same of her. That perfect trust was why they owned Vale.

Correction, had owned Vale. Would own again if Roman could convince Uzumaki to lodge an ice pick in Cinder's eye.

The cloud descending on Neo was dispelled by her silent snort as she looked to take advantage of the benefit the good soldiers of Atlas had left her. People who needed to guard something overvalued the hell out of having eyes on the single entrance leading to their treasure. Didn't they know better by now? Had they never heard of windows? She could only imagine she'd start to feel bad for taking advantage of it at this rate. No idea when that would happen. It had to with everything she'd lifted because of it. Probably? Maybe?

Neo silently snickered as she looked at her goal. A windowed room near the top of the building they were guarding. The CCT. Remnant's end all be all for global communication. Neo tapped her pocket and felt the flash drive where she'd stowed it. With a frown she focused on the window.

And then she was in the room. No broken windows, no noise. They'd notice if somebody reviewed the tapes — Neo noting at least three cameras in this new room from her quick sweep. No time for much more as this was very much an in and out job. One she was doing at Cinder's command.

Hence her piss poor mood.

The room she was in was the CCT communications room. Row after row of computers on desks all wired directly into the system. Booting up a system when they'd all been meticulously shut down was almost certainly going to set off an alarm, but that was her job. Roman said they either had to give up everything they'd built up in Vale or find someone who could push Cinder off a cliff. With option one not being something either of them would consider, she'd been almost as giddy as she was peeved after their fight with Naruto at the docks. Finally they'd found someone who could give that bitch the boot. Except he didn't want to. Typical.

Exhaling her frustration, Neo jammed the drive in and powered on the terminal. That was all she'd been told to do so that was damn well all she would do. Cinder had planned on doing this herself and Neo had been pulled in as a ringer as the last second. Neo assumed they were sabotaging the CCT in some way. That had to be so important that Cinder not doing it herself was weird. That she didn't get one of her two lackeys to do it for her instead was even stranger. Naruto had said he was going to deal with them somehow. Was this a result of that?

Neo yawned as system files flitted around the screen. Computer crap was not her thing. Didn't matter since Neo was positive that Cinder's join or die package didn't include provisos protecting her from boredom on the job. Since it didn't seem like she was in any danger of imminent invasion, Neo paced around as she waited.

Beacon was in view right outside the window. Naruto was probably there too. Ahhhh… she wanted to fight him again. The docks had been the highlight of her year. Everyone in Vale was so tame. Boring little huntsmen children obeying the rules and fighting like it was baby's first sparring session. He'd started the fight by having his pet rend the flesh of the White Fang chaff so he could savor the real fight to be had. It made her shiver to remember it.

Where was he now? Probably dancing to Cinder's tune and that was a dangerous song. Neo and Roman worked so well because she was vicious and he was crafty. A winning combination. Cinder was just as vicious as she was and smart enough to put Roman not only on the backfoot, but flat on his ass. Neo shrugged, though it was directed at no one in particular. It was a shrug of acceptance that there was nothing she could do right now. The players were still moving pieces on the board. All she could do was wait until Roman told her to take one of them out. Neo knew she was smart enough to play the game if she wanted to, but Roman was smart and had experience. Best to leave it to him when the stakes were this high.

One last silent sigh was punctuated by all the terminals beeping and lighting up. A black queen displayed on all the screens. Cute. Cinder had told her to take a picture as proof when the task was finished. Neo hadn't been told what that meant when the instruction had been delivered. Probably so they couldn't try and fake it. She took out her scroll and managed to snap a picture before all the screens blacked out again. The job was done.

The lack of huntsman interference was a letdown. Even if Naruto himself was busy, she'd hoped someone would have responded if only so she could stretch her legs. After taking the drive out of the port for Cinder, Neo lackadaisically walked towards the window. At this point she was baiting out any huntsman or even some Atlesian goon. She'd been on the bench too long and was getting restless. Stupid Naruto. If he'd iced Cinder she could have snuck into the dance and dragged him out for some fun. As it stood, Cinder had claimed the CCT and thus one-upped him. So much for him handling her.

She lied. This was the last sigh. Looking out the window and down on the lights and people below she accepted no one was paying attention. Too much focus on the entrance and not enough on the treasures inside. She saw it all the time. What she didn't see all the time was two red embers smoldering in the trees below. Embers that had pupils which were watching her.

Maybe the game was closer than she thought.

There was a bit more I'd intended to squeeze in, but the runtime was already long and it wasn't necessary. This is a superfluously long ending AN so I'll start by saying there will be nothing you need to read in this. This is more a 'man behind the curtain' section than anything to do with the story.

OFNT has a lot of elements I love about the story, but it also has the most negatives. That makes sense because it was my most virginal work, but I tend to have a disposition that lets bad outweigh good where it shouldn't. I know this and thus wanted to finish the chapter regardless of personal opinion. Action begets motivation is something of a turn of phrase with me and my friends. I didn't want to write at the time but finishing a chapter and the comments of people who enjoyed it provides me with sustenance to continue onward. Being overly sensitive to criticism, I'm inclined to blow out of proportion negative comments made to a far lesser degree. My good friend and companion while writing has given me Cardin's advice to 'sack up' and I know that he is correct. This chapter is dedicated to you, you Rapanse playing, Dark-elf abusing, Alarielle picking when I want to have fun as chaos fucker. May you forever detail in 105 degree weather with a mask on.

Special thanks to Agent Orden, Metalhead, and Shattering for the continued support. If you're reading this Juggler, I want that first chapter.

And now for everyone who made it this far, a little further explanation as to where the fuck Neptune went.

Dove didn't consider himself overly kind, nor did he think he was overly cruel. He was no Pyrrha Nikos but that didn't mean he couldn't hold his own. Not too talkative nor too quiet. He was no tactical mastermind yet still stood ten men's heads and shoulders above Russel.

Not that the last one was unduly challenging.

One thing he did believe himself exceptional at was dealing with people. Being a spare intended for marriage had meant plenty of time making best impressions on young ladies, gentlemen who had sisters, and far more importantly all the ladies' fathers. A few dozen attempts at gentlemanly behavior as dictated by his etiquette trainer had taught him a valuable lesson. Geniality only got you in the door. It was never enough to win you a home.

"If you don't man up and pick Weiss up for the dance now then I swear I will get Scarlet and Sage to help me move your bed into the middle of the nearest lake." Sun threatened with a colossal amount of exasperation weighing down every syllable.

"Mind explaining how I wouldn't wake up during that eight-mile hike?" Neptune tried to retort jokingly, except Dove heard how stilted it sounded. He heard the nerves plaguing his pitch.

"Of course you'd wake up. We'd have just bound you with so much rope by the time we started moving you that you couldn't do anything about it."

"And I wouldn't wake up while you were doing that because…?"

"Look, it's a working plan," Sun admitted and won a laugh from his partner for his trouble. "So don't make me figure out how I'm going to pull it off, okay?"

"You got it, man. I was already heading up there when you found me. I was just nervous before, that's all."

Sun clearly didn't believe that even though he let it slide. "Works for me. I'll see you there?"

"You're not picking Blake up at their room?" Neptune asked.

"Nah. We're meeting up at the dance. She texted me that Yang was trying to get Ruby in a dress and heels at their dorm so I couldn't pick her up there."

Neptune blinked a few times and then shrugged. "I'm going to pretend that explains it even though it really doesn't."

"Good plan."

"Is it though?"

"It's working well enough for me."

With another round of laughs, some parting remarks, and the ritualistic male slap on the back the two partners sent each other off to their respective conquests. Dove had been watching and waiting as the scene played out, relaxing against a wall out of sight in his formalwear. It was inconspicuous enough so he wouldn't be readily seen without being too hard to explain if someone did.

That was the art of speechcraft in its barest form. Intending one thing while always leaving a route open to excuse it as another. If all went well, Russel would soon receive a windfall because of that. Regrettably for the pretty blue-haired boy, that wind would have to be stolen from his sails.

Dove approached him as he hesitated. Neptune had hesitated every step on the path of asking Weiss to the dance even though he had no problem intermittently flirting whenever opportunities had arisen.

Dove estimated he had three guesses to find out why. "If it isn't Neptune," Dove acknowledged his classmate after almost passing him. It gave the air of coincidence to their meeting he needed it to have. "I believe you're headed the wrong direction. If you're looking for the dance it is that way," He pointed opposite the direction Neptune faced. "Beacon can be hard to navigate."

Neptune quickly plastered a phony smile on. "Thanks, but I wasn't going to the dance yet. I was going to surprise Weiss by picking her up. And you were…?"

"Dove," He extended a hand that Neptune shook. A courtesy more than anything, Dove presumed. "Not something to worry about. I've only heard of you through our mutual friends in Team RWBY. Snaring Weiss is quite the accomplishment. Congratulations."

Neptune preened at that. Russel would have likely done the same were he to receive such praise. Knowing such didn't stop him from assigning further demerits to his evaluation is this Neptune's character.

Deciding it was time to take a stab, Dove continued his plan to kill him with kindness. "I'm relieved you asked her. Frankly, I was worried Weiss wouldn't find a date and I do know how much she wanted this dance to go off without a hitch."

Teams CRDL and RWBY had gotten closer in the time since the warehouse debacle. The one-two punch of the girls being grateful for their assistance compounded by their loneliness having been disavowed by Naruto — and thereby losing contact with most of his team as they flocked to spend their time with him — had mixed together into a lovely cocktail that lowered their inhibitions and had somehow allowed his team to close the distance. Weiss had confided in such an instance that she'd yet to be asked to the dance and was worried she wouldn't find someone in time.

Russel had taken that as the hint it wasn't and faceplanted shortly after.

Jagged around the edges as Russel was, Dove could not deny the hint of irritation that Neptune had succeeded where his teammate and friend had failed. If Neptune's grin was any indication, he'd failed to find that small resentment in Dove's placid features. "Worried Weiss wouldn't find a date? You've got to be messing with me. She's easily one of top three prettiest girls in our grade."

Dove continued to bite down the rising bitterness and let his long-taught smile defend him. "You know how it is with the wealthy and famous. The fear of the normal protective father is bad enough. Stealing the daughter of someone who could afford an untraceable tactical squadron should he not approve ofttimes provokes one to flight."

"Guessing you'd know something about that," Neptune laughed easily. Dove didn't sense a spike in his voice at all. That was one miss. "You talk like you're one of them. Rich, I mean. No offence."

"None taken. My team has tried to get me to talk more normally, but it's always easy to fall into old habits." He remarked in an attempt at a more pedestrian dialogue. Hopefully it would buy him some goodwill in case he needed a fourth attempt.

"It's fine, dude…" Dove recognized the silence for what it was a moment too late and thus was too slow on the draw to prevent what he knew was coming next. "But anyway, I need to pick up Weiss for the dance. I'm like fifteen minutes early still…"

"But who can tell what time is considered late by a woman. I understand." Dove chuckled to cover his panic.

A probable three tries and a hopeful four had been swiftly cut down to two. He had one parting remark to push the right button that would bring whatever worry Neptune had about escorting Weiss to the surface. If he overcame it then Dove would no longer interfere, but as of now the competition between Russel and Neptune felt horribly rigged. Sun had clearly talked his partner past his problems but CRDL was more like a pack of wolves. It hardly seemed fair that Neptune should win because he had more supportive people in his life.

All he knew was that Neptune projected the image of a confident lady's man. Clearly a facade since Dove had just watched him be propped up by his partner. One who needed to project confidence cared about image. So why would he not want to attend a dance publicly with Weiss? Crass though it may have been, Neptune had not been wrong to place her in the upper echelon of bachelorettes. Attending with her would only improve his profile. Taking Weiss tonight was the holy grail for the image obsessed.

… Unless the specificity of the outing was the problem. How would taking Weiss to the dance make Neptune look like a fool?

A real smile held Dove's lips aloft far more easily than the forced composure he'd been using prior. "Well, I'd best be going then. I wouldn't want to get in the way of that," Dove lied as he started to turn away. He stopped himself right before he began his stride as if he remembered something. When he turned back around to Neptune he did his best to look bashful. "Before I did I… this is embarrassing," He tittered and glanced away to try and sell the bit. "I really do wish to thank you."

"Thank me?" Neptune asked with unabashed confusion. "For what? Weiss?"

Dove laughed as he nodded. "It really isn't that strange. Finding a date for the dance was more important to her than she likely let on. From what I could tell Weiss was genuinely starting to worry that if it wasn't her family scaring the boys away from asking then it was the dancing itself."

Dove watched Neptune's spine go rigid. Saw his face twitch. The involuntary psychosomatic swallowing when one is forcibly fed a bitter pill. Dove saw all that and he knew that he'd struck gold.

"It's hardly a shock when you think about it," He continued, pretending not to notice Neptune's mounting dread. "Weiss was thought to be a spare for the longest time. Since the time she could walk she must have been tutored by the best instructors Schnee money can afford. Which, obviously, means the best tutors in all of Remnant. I'd thought of asking her myself as a friend if no one else came forward simply to spare her any potential embarrassment she might have perceived by attending alone," Dove drove the spike deeper with a relieved chuckle. "I suppose that means I'm also thanking you for sparing me from making a fool of myself. My own dance training only started when I was eight and I've not practiced since initiation. I'm relieved I won't have to embarrass myself dancing in Weiss' shadow."

Dove could see the mental breakdown play across Neptune's face clear as the evening sun setting through the window. Inflicting that upon the man — or boy as he now appeared — may have bothered him once upon a time. Such empathy was a trait that had been disciplined out of him.

"Let me apologize again for holding you up. I wouldn't want to be the reason you're late picking up Weiss. Give her my best."

That was how Dove left him. Rooted in spot like he'd been flash-frozen to the ground with naught but a parting wave to warm him.

Perhaps he should have felt guilty. He'd been raised to believe there was only so much wealth to go around. Securing it for you and yours was the name of the game known as life. It was a philosophy he was sure RWBY — Ruby especially — would not appreciate. His team might, though he'd never aired it with them. He'd followed his mother's teachings to the letter for most of his life without much question. He might not be feeling guilt, but should he be?

"I may need a therapist." Dove sighed the admittance and checked his black bowtie.

Perfect. All of it. If Neptune found the courage to push past his fear he deserved the chance he'd won at Weiss' affections. Truly all he'd done was balance the playing field after Sun interfered. It was at that moment that Dove had a brilliant idea.

"Perhaps I can interest Cardin in a bet…"