Chapter 23:Slater is What Slater Does

"So you actually had friends?" Dylan chuckles, humoured at the idea.

"Oh ha, ha," you sarcastically laugh, washing your hands in the bathroom. "You know I'm actually a pretty likable guy when you don't have the initial intention of killing me... like some people," you quickly cough.

Dylan rolls his eyes. Fidgeting on his bed.

"Whatever."

You smile, turning off the water and proceeding to dry your hands.

"Well, now's not the time to think of Rogue and the guys. I have to take Ruby on a date. You know, relationship stuff," you snicker.

"Is it even possible for you to be romantic?" Dylan asks, staring at the ceiling.

You start laughing as you grab your jacket and slip it on.

"Ah... no, not really. At least not intentionally. I honestly have no idea what I'm going to do. I just sorta... promised it," you shrug.

"That is you, in retrospect. You always jump headfirst into battle without a plan."

You chuckle, heading for the door. You stop at it and wink at Dylan.

"You know it."

You open the door and leave the room, letting the door close behind you. You walk down the hallway and make your way to Ruby's dorm. Right before you turn the corner you see Dior come through the door and intently make his way to you. You stop walking and let your golden friend reach you.

"Heya, Dior. What's up?" Your eyes widen in fear. "Is Rogue coming?" You whimper.

"Huh? N-No. I have your glove," he states before swinging his briefcase in front of him and opens it up to present the new glove.

"Oh, hey! That was fast," you remark as you grab the glove and slip it on.

You articulate your fingers, testing how it fits on you.

"Heh... fits like a glove," you joke, eyeing Dior.

He blankly stares at you, then suddenly comes to a realization.

"Oh, was that a joke?"

You start laughing.

"Damn, what's with everyone just hating on me lately."

"Unless there's something I don't know, didn't that happen all the time?" Dior corrects.

"Dior... Dior..." You wrap your arm around him and pull him close. "I love you... but shut up," you swiftly whisper.

Dior smiles.

"You haven't changed much. Anyways, I made a change to the glove I want to explain."

You release him and cross your arms.

"Alrighty. Hit me."

Dior closes his briefcase and prepares himself.

"Well, I extended the range of the transponder so your sheathe can be attracted from anywhere on Remnant, unless they're some sort of... overwhelming disturbance. Besides that, I added a, what's the simplest way to explain... lets say I added a 'push/pull' feature," he says with air quotes. You raise your brow which results in Dior quickly explaining. "Before you could only attract your sheathe, but now, if you wish, you can push it away from you. I'm sure you could find creative uses for it in battle," he smiles.

You pat Dior's back.

"You're a miracle worker, Dior. You know, I still wonder why you have difficulty in crowds when you talk to me so easily," you remark.

Dior shrugs.

"I don't know. You're... easier? I guess."

You accept his reasoning and start examining the glove. Just to give it a test you turn your body towards your dorm and reach your hand out. You soon hear a crash.

"AH! Even his weapons undermine me!" Dylan shouts from your dorm.

You hold in a laugh, your eyes watering, then you try the push mechanic. You hear another small crash.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?" He screeches.

You burst into laughter at the thought of Dylan being kicked around by your unmanned sword.

"If I'm correct you can move it side to side as well," Dior comments before starting to walk away.

You're absolutely giddy at the potential of Dior's new installment. If you weren't tied to going on this date, you'd practice right away. You mentally kick yourself for even thinking that. Ruby's your girlfriend, she should be top priority. Perhaps all you need is some time to get used to the idea. You've been single for a long time, and there's a certain mindset that's adopted when in a relationship. Then again you're pretty stubborn, as everyone likes to point out.

You shrug and spin on your heel until you're facing down the hallway. You start walking in a fairly goofy manner that's expected from you at this point. You reach Ruby's dorm, spin all around on your heel, then stop when you face the door. You're about to knock but the door opens to reveal Ruby at the door waiting. You note that she's not wearing her regular garbs, but rather the outfit she wore during the dance. She even has the heels on, which is the biggest shock to you. Her face soon turns to horror and she slams the door. You blink twice, bewildered by your sudden experience.

"Go ahead. Knock," you hear Ruby speak from the other side of the door.

"I..." You shrug. "Okay..."

You knock on the door, but you're left waiting for a few seconds. Finally Ruby opens the door attempting to be casual.

"Oh, I wasn't expecting you for another ten minutes," she happily greets, a thin layer of nervousness in her voice.

"I... but... you..." You can't even formulate a cohesive thought at this point, but Ruby takes over.

"Oh, it's fine. Come on, I'm sure this'll be great," she cheers, walking beside you, facing the opposite way.

You notice Blake in the room, chuckling at the scene before her.

"She was waiting at the door for the last ten minutes," Blake whispers, which you barely hear but you fill in the gaps as you read her lips.

She gives you a shrug, to which you respond with one right back. You grab the handle of the door and start to close it.

"See ya around, Blake."

"Have fun," she wishes before the door closes.

You and Ruby start walking down the hallway towards the exit.

"So... whaaat are we gonna do?" Ruby asks with a hopeful tone.

"It's... a surprise! Yeah... surprise," you say with a false confidence.

Ruby joyfully smiles at your words.

"Awesome! I bet you have something really REALLY cool planned."

"Y-Yeah... really awesome... By the way, what's with the getup? You're making me feel underdressed."

Ruby looks down at herself, waving the ends of the dress.

"Oh, you know, just thought I'd look my best. But you look good, don't worry! You always look goo- I mean... you don't need to change," she ends quietly, poking her two index fingers together.

You bend over and plant a quick kiss in her cheek, making her flare up.

"You look beautiful, Ruby. I guess that means I have to treat you with the utmost respect and kindness."

"Psh, I'm not Weiss," Ruby giggles.

"Mm, true..." You lean close to her ear and whisper. "You're better."

Ruby curls in on herself in pure joy. You chuckle at the response then rustle her hair up a bit.

"Alright, so let's take an airship down or something."

"Why not just... step or whatever?" She asks, jolting her shoulders up.

"Well, we'd spend as much time together as possible," you casually say as you hold the door open for her, then follow once she passes. "But if you want we can just leap to Vale."

Ruby thinks on it for a second.

"I suppose more time would be cool, yeah. Alright!"

You two continue small talk as you approach the docking area. Fortunately there's an airship still loading students and visitors. You two enter the airship and take a seat along the side. You relax, kicking your feet out and cupping your head in your hands. Though you may look tranquil, you're mind's abuzz with what to do with Ruby. What do people do on dates? You haven't dated in so long, and Ruby's definitely a different girl than Rogue was. You'll have to think of something that'll live up to Ruby's expectations. You do care, so you want to show you've put in maximum effort.

Then it dawns on you... you don't have any lien. You stand up, making Ruby perplexed.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, uh... nothing! I just, uh, forgot something at my dorm! I'll be right back, alright?"

Ruby shrugs.

"Okay... I'll be here."

You close your eyes and lock on to Ozpin's office, which takes little time considering the short distance. You leap out of the airship and land right in the middle of Ozpin's office. He's at his desk looking over student dossiers and reports. His eyes drift up to meet yours, then he leans back to give you his full attention.

"Ah, (Y/N). To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing my son?" He calmly greets.

You rub the back of your head, chuckling.

This is such a teenager thing, but...

"Well... you see, Ozpin, the greatest dad ever-"

"Oh, this oughta be good," he chuckles, getting ready for your request.

You droop your shoulder, unamused at his statement.

"Look, I... heh, well I don't really have a JOB, per se," you speak with a certain finesse, walking side to side. "But, you know, being my dad and all, I think it's... sorta appropriate that, you know, I ask if I could, maybe... borrow a few... lien?" You end, one eye closed, shoulders up, muscles tense.

You've never had to ask this of anyone before, and for some reason asking Ozpin just seems to be all the more difficult. But you truly don't have much lien. But Ozpin merely chuckles at the request.

"I suppose this is one of the burdens of being a parent, and this is the first time you're asking. But, I must ask why you need lien?" He says with a polite tone.

"Oh, uh... dinner?" You answer, though your tone is more as if it's a question.

"A dinner? With anyone in particular?"

"Um... nooooo."

"Perhaps with Ms. Rose who's waiting in the airship which is about to leave?"

"Um... maaaaybe?"

Ozpin chuckles.

"Well, I wouldn't want you to be lacking on your 'date,'" he starts as he grabs a small envelope from a drawer and slides it across the table.

You approach the table and grab the envelope, then proceed to open it.

"Three hundred lien?" You question, to which Ozpin shrugs.

"Treat her well, (Y/N). I'll help you as much as I can, whether it be in battle or in love." You blush a bit, rubbing your neck.

"Well, I mean, love is a little much, don't you think?"

"Perhaps, but you best get going. The airship is about to leave."

"Ah, right," you nod. "Thanks Ozpin!"

You quickly leap to the airship, standing right in front of Ruby. She shakes, being startled by your sudden appearance.

"Ah, oh, hey! You're alright now?" She asks with some concern.

You nod with a big smile on your face.

"Of course!" You take a seat beside her. "Anyway, it's just about you and I now."

Ruby smiles, nodding.

"Yeah... you and me."

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Everyone starts pouring out of the docked airship, which includes yourself and Ruby. She's relieved to get off the airship since she was being stared at by nearly everyone for her attire. It would have been extremely uncomfortable if it wasn't for you resting your hand on hers. Of course her face was as read as her abandoned cloak, but she appreciated the subtle support you offered her. She didn't even say anything either – you just knew.

You and Ruby leave the airship side by side, nearly touching. Ruby really wants to hold your hand again, but she's scared to do it for some reason. Holding a hand? She's done it with you so many times but it's usually you holding her hand, and not the other way around. But you're boyfriend and girlfriend. You're in a relationship, so she's allowed to hold your hand. Ruby almost violently grabs your hand, making you jump. You look down at Ruby's face and notice her determination to hold your hand. You chuckle at it and simply return the favour by maneuvering your hand so she's properly holding it.

"So, um... what are we doing?" She excitedly asks.

"I... thought that, maybe, you know, a common dating thing, would be to go for dinner? Maybe a fancy restaurant or something?"

Ruby nods her head.

"That sounds cool! I haven't gone out to eat in... hm..."

"Evidently a while. Well, it's my treat, so order whatever you want!"

"Anything?"

You think on this promise for a moment.

"Almost anything," you quickly correct.

Ruby giggles.

"I know."

Soon enough the wave of people from the airship all disperse, going their separate ways. You're only close to about two people and they're not even together. It's an odd feeling to be walking around everywhere, especially after being so used to just leaping wherever you have to go. You'll probably continue doing it at Beacon, or on your own, but even if it's just small talk, Ruby is definitely enjoying this small time together despite having to walk in her dreadful heels. True, she can walk far easier than before, but that doesn't mean she likes them by any means.

Unknown to the two of you, two people are following you that managed to stay out of your sight, despite their bright hair colours that could give them away in complete darkness. Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao Long stealthily stalk you two, assuring your date goes well. They were waiting on the airship for some time, wearing silly disguises that Yang grabbed at a local costume shop. They were nothing more than hats and cheap black suits that fails to comply with Yang's fuller chest. Weiss, on the other hand, has no problem in that department. Whether she's happy about that or not is a whole different story.

"I'm still surprised Ruby's wearing her dress," Yang comments as she keeps looking down at the old newspaper she and Weiss are holding.

"(Y/N) is horribly underdressed. If this was my date I would be disgusted."

"If this was your date you'd probably be as giddy as a little school girl," Yang fires back, smirking.

"I WOULD NOT!" Weiss shouts back, but quickly shuts her trap.

Yang and Weiss look forward, hoping you and Ruby didn't hear the Heiresses outburst.

"You gotta be quiet, Ice Queen," Yang whispers, scolding Weiss with a finger wag.

"That's gold, coming from you," Weiss hisses back.

Yang sighs.

"Why did you even come, anyway? What's your stake in this?"

Weiss' eyes widen at the question, but she quickly looks away.

"I don't have to tell you that," Weiss quickly shuts down.

She doesn't allow herself to look forward until she's sure her blush is gone.

"I just... wanted to see..." She mumbles to herself.

You lead Ruby to a nearby restaurant that you know. In fact, it's the same place you, Ozpin, and Glynda went to when you first came to Vale. You solemnly smile as you think back to that time. Glynda really didn't like you back then, not that she does now... then again she DID kiss you, albeit on the forehead. That's a pretty clear sign she ended her feud with you. Though that feud, to your knowledge, was mostly based on your dad. You don't really know why Glynda had a hatred for your dad... that's something you should inquire about.

Still, the food in this place was delicious so you bet this'll be a good place to take Ruby on a dinner date. It may be for the... more sophisticated people of Vale, but you and Ruby can at least act it for a short while. Ruby notes the place you're entering and stops you.

"(Y/N), this place is waaay expensive! You can't take me here!"

You wave her off.

"Psh, you're my girlfriend, nothing's too expensive for you... well, don't use that against me, okay?"

Ruby taps her chin with a mischievous grin.

"Hm... maybe."

You and Ruby enter the building and approach the waiter. He raises his brow at the sight of you two.

"Hey Ruby, stay here a second. Gotta, you know... confirm the reservation."

You leave Ruby and approach the waiter.

"Hey, so, table for two? Yeah?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but we're full at the moment."

Your face drops, almost making the waiter smirk.

"No, no, no, no, listen, buddy, pall, I think you have a table you juuuuust don't want to give us," you whisper, leaning a little closer.

"Sir, when I say there are no tables, there are no tables. It's unfortunate, but that's how it is. You're not the only gentleman on a date," he politely says, brushing off some lint on his shirt.

You quickly try to think of some way to get a table. You can't let Ruby know you lied... even if you did... but it was totally for her! No, that's also a lie. The thought of bribing comes to mind, but Ozpin probably wouldn't appreciate... OZPIN!

"You know," you clear your throat, making your voice deeper and more mature. "I AM the son of Professor Ozpin."

The waiter's mood quickly changes to one of slight distress.

"T-The headmaster of Beacon Academy?" He clarifies, a drop of sweat sliding down from his brow.

You confidently nod.

"The one and only. I don't think he'd be happy to know I was turned down at a place like this," you start whistling arrogantly, flashing a smile.

The waiter grumbles something to himself as he grabs two menus.

"This way."

You smile, spinning on your heel to face Ruby.

"Come on, we're good."

Ruby nods and quickly follows the man with you to the same back table you ate at before. He sits you both down, setting the menus in front of you both, then excuses himself for a few minutes.

As he heads for the tablet to register the new guests, he notices two more strangers walk into the restaurant. He quickly approaches the front and greets them.

"I'm sorry, but we really don't have a table right now. Perhaps ano-"

Weiss removes her hat for this short conversation.

"Not even for a Schnee?" Weiss inquires.

The waiter weighs his options but gives in by the end.

"Oh, of course, Ms. Schnee. You and your friend may follow me.

Weiss places the hat atop her head and nods at Yang.

"Nice one, Ice Queen," Yang smiles, patting Weiss' shoulder.

The waiter leads Weiss and Yang to a table not too far away from yours. They take a seat, Weiss drinking some of the prepared water, then bows her head to the waiter to dismiss them.

"Alright, now let's see what they do," Yang smirks, putting her full attention on you.

"It's weird, though... I wouldn't expect those two to be in a place like this," Weiss points out.

"So many people... this is kinda weird," Ruby nervously chuckles, looking around the room.

"Yeah... now I'm REALLY underdressed."

Ruby thinks for a moment, looking cute as she does it.

"Wait, if you knew we were coming here then why are you underdressed?" She innocently asks.

You blink twice, your stare goes blank but your mind is on full alert. You did not think of that at all. That's a pretty crucial part of your lie that you TOTALLY didn't even think about.

"I, uh... well, hehe, you know... I just, well... I don't have any nice clothes?"

"But you were wearing a suit at the dance."

You let your shoulders roll forward, hunching.

Goddamnit, Ruby...

"Well, you know... it's... dirty. Yeah, dirty! You know how Dylan can be!"

Ruby places a finger on her chin, almost like she's just toying with you at this point.

"I was lead to believe he's quiet the neat and tidy guy."

You hunch even further, staring at her with squinting eyes and tight lips.

"You... are the worst."

"Aww," Ruby pouts. "That's not a very boyfriend thing to say."

You lean back, chuckling.

"You... can be just evil, can't you?"

Ruby shrugs, smiling with a bit of pride.

"I've been around Weiss a lot. I've learned."

You shake your head, laughing even more. As you look back at Ruby you realize some people are looking at you both. You ignore them and just focus on your beautiful girlfriend.

"Oh, I noticed you have your glove back," Ruby points out.

You lift your hand up to display the aforementioned glove.

"Yeah, Dior fixed it up for me. Apparently it can do more now."

"Ooooh," Ruby ogles the glove, her inner weaponista igniting. "What can it do now?"

You think on what Dior explained earlier.

"Well, I can now have a lot more control of the direction of the sheath. I might actually be able to control it like Ms. Goodwitch controls... anything she wants."

"That sounds really cool!" She cheers.

You grab the nearby glass of water and take a sip.

"So have you done any upgrades to Crescent Rose, lately? Last one I remember is the mod we got at the carnival."

Ruby nods enthusiastically, adjusting herself in her chair.

"Yeah, I made it even lighter for me without sacrificing hitting power! I'll be able to move and strike a lot faster for the tournament! On top of that I've really been testing my dust rounds."

"Didn't you already use those?" You bring up, drinking a little more.

She nods once more.

"Mhm, but now I'm stealing some of Weiss' to add some extra butt kicking power to them."

"Since you said 'stealing' I assume she doesn't know?"

Ruby nods, then quickly shushes you.

"And she doesn't need to."

"Need to know what?" You shrug.

You both smile at each other, soon breaking out into laughter. This time both you and Ruby notice that all these people are staring at you as if you're two delinquents, which... to be fair, you both are, but it's sad that you can't have an enjoyable conversation without being looked at funny. You somewhat slouch in your chair when you realize this, debating whether you two really belong here. Everyone is older, wealthier, and far more mature than you and Ruby. This only becomes more apparent when you notice Ruby become a little more timid.

"Hey, Little Red, what's wrong?" You pleasantly asks.

"They... they're staring at us... maybe we're too loud?"

You shrug.

"Maybe... okay, let's try and talk more... mature!"

She nods, on board with the idea.

...

...

...

Neither of you know how to really have a mature talk. There's nothing serious to talk about! Sure, there's what happened before with Harrier and the others but you've said everything that needs to be said. Any "proper" topics don't interest you two right now. You're here to have fun, here to bond further to make your relationship flourish! Being constricted by being proper and quiet really leaves a gaping hole in what makes you two have so much fun together. So... you come up with an idea.

"Hey Ruby, may I see your hand?"

She tilts her head, confused at why exactly you want to see it. You have a look in your eye like you're planning something, but she can't quite make out what it is. It can't be anything bad though, so Ruby places her trust in you and reaches for your hand. Your skin touches, sending small shivers through both of your arms. You smile at her, then close your eyes. You can't quite remember where this place is, but it isn't too far from your current location.

You finally lock onto your desired location and open your eyes. You look into Ruby's silver eyes and wink.

"I think you're gonna like this."

You leap out of the restaurant, leaving small shadows in your wake.

Weiss and Yang start freaking out.

"Where did they go?" Weiss moans, resting her head on the table.

"Why did they leave? Where'd he take her? Oh if he thinks he can drag her to some motel an-"

"Yang," Weiss cuts in, noticing the firecracker's eyes shift red. "I don't believe they're doing that. Still, we have no idea where they are, now."

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"Wow..."

"Yeah."

"It's... pretty big."

"I mean, maybe. I'm sure you can handle it, though.

"Oh, it'll be no problem for me!"

"Okay, okay... feel it up... and..."

"THIS IS AWESOME!"

Ruby fires the gun and gets a direct hit on the dummies head. Ruby lets go of the sniper and throws her hand in the air, screaming in victory. She lands and gets ready for another shot.

"Alright, give me a challenge!" Ruby purrs, completely in the zone.

You snicker, moving to your gun and loading up.

"Alright, Little Red, you're on. Loser-"

"Loser becomes a slave!"

"But... that-"

"What? Chicken?" She smirks.

You sigh, shaking your head.

"Alright, that's your call. Ready... set..."

The green light flashes, signaling you to start. Ruby loads up, getting an expertly done head shot on the first dummy to pop up. You scoff, quickly shooting the next two that pop up in rapid succession. She scoffs at you.

"Ha, I let you get that!"

"Oh, sure! I'm surprised you can even shoot in those heels," you tease.

"I took'em off!" Ruby shouts, firing at a few more dummies.

The sounds of rifles firing fills the room, only rivaled by the shells falling out of the body and hitting the cold floor. You and Ruby stay neck and neck, though Ruby always has the slight edge. She does normally handle a sniper rifle so her skills are refined. You haven't used guns for at least a year, but you still know how to handle them. Still, you would rather not become Ruby's slave. Sure she won't make you do anything really weird or sexual, but you'd rather not have this title hanging over you. The worst she'd probably do is make you get her cookies whenever she wants.

You shoot for one of the dummies but you're caught off guard when another bullet ricochets with yours, knocking your bullet away whilst sending the opposing bullet to the dummy.

"Oh how dare you!" You shout.

"Not my fault you can't shoot," Ruby menacingly laughs, taking more shots.

You load up your gun and fire as quick and accurately as you can. Ruby's starting to gain the advantage with a blend of her semblance and pure skill. You're losing drastically and there's honestly not much you can do about it. You're quickly regretting ever agreeing to this bet. It's like competing against Ren in a silent competition with your mouth taped shut – you're still at a disadvantage. This becomes more and more clear as Ruby's points skyrocket, while yours remain at a steady pace. She's at least a dozen more than you now, and the timer is counting down.

But there's nothing you can do now. The timer rings, the dummies rest, and Ruby jumps.

"HAHA! I DID IT! IN YOUR FACE!" She leaps in front of you and shoves her finger right in your face, then jumps around. "I WON! YOU LOSE! HAHA- whoa!" Ruby missteps, forgetting she's wearing heels. You catch her mid fall with one arm slipping around her waist.

"Mm, won, huh? Guess I should just let the great victor fall," you smirk, slowly taking your arm back.

Ruby latches onto your arm for dear life.

"NO!" She squeals.

You chuckle, pulling her back to her feet.

"Alright, Little Red, you won. You can boss me around for... hm... let's say a week."

Ruby deviously smiles.

"A whole week... well, let's get started! Give me a piggy back!"

"What?"

"I don't wanna walk in these shoes anymore," she cheers, running to your back and hopping on.

Ruby wraps her legs around your waist and wraps her arms around your neck. She rests her head on your shoulder and sighs.

"Alright, let's go," she says drowsily.

You move your hands over her legs and start walking.

"Alright, I'll leap us back."

Ruby shakes her head, rubbing your cheek and shoulder.

"Mm mm. We get to walk. I command it."

You snicker.

"Right, your majesty. I'll just walk to the pickup zone, then leap us there. Fair?"

"Mhm, that's acceptable," she giggles.

"Oh, oh I'm so glad it's 'acceptable' to you," you jokingly criticize.

You carry Ruby out of the store, giving the owner a nod to thank him for his time. You exit the building and proceed down the street, keeping a relatively slow pace to appease your clingy red overlord. You can feel her body getting heavier as her leg and arm grip loosens. You compensate by gripping her legs gently so she stays in her position. Soon enough you hear cute snores erupting from the small head beside yours. It's almost impossible for you not to smile at the sleeping beauty beside you.

You turn the corner and continue your journey. Unknown to you, mostly because you're not paying attention, you pass by the restaurant you were at not too long ago. Just after you pass, Weiss and Yang exit, stumped and frustrated.

"I can't believe we lost him," Yang frowns.

"Oh please, you got a meal out of it. Don't whine."

Yang chuckles.

"Yeah, I guess that... hey," Yang grabs Weiss' shoulders and turns her towards you. "That's them!"

They watch a you keep Ruby on your back as you carefully walk, enjoying the night sky and cool breeze. She may be asleep, but you still appreciate this time you have with her. It's such an innocent time but it means a lot to you, and her, if she was awake. Though you're not the only ones part of this moment. Weiss and Yang follow behind, but... slowly they start to feel bad for seeing this. Yang can tell Ruby's asleep. She's carried her the same way dozens of times back at home. This should be your moment, your date, yet she insisted and butting in from a distance.

Yang stops Weiss, placing her hand on Weiss' upper chest.

"Hey, what's that for?" Weiss questions.

"Maybe... maybe we should head back. I think we got everything we needed."

"I... okay, I guess," Weiss stutters.

Yang looks back to you two one more time, smiling.

"Thanks, (Y/N)."

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Finally you appear at Beacon, shadows swaying off you and Ruby. You're standing in front of RWBY's dorm, proud that you've cut the habit of just appearing in people's rooms. You kick the door in place of a knock, but the result is the same. Blake answers, surprised you're back before her teammates. She looks at your shoulder, seeing the sleeping Rose.

"Busy night?"

"Meh, kinda. I'm a slave now," you casually say, entering the room and approaching Ruby's bed.

"A... slave?" Blake questions, getting her mind out of the gutter considering a very similar situation in her book.

"Yeah, I lost at a game so she can bully me around," you explain, placing her on her bed, then wiping your hands on your jeans. "Well, I won't take up any more of your time, my beloved Blake," you bow. "May you have a restful... rest!"

Before Blake can even respond you leap out of the room, leaving dissipating shadows where you once were. Blake's ears twitch as some of the shadow touches her, giving her a very strange tingling sensation. It... was actually kinda nice.

"You can come out now," Blake giggles, looking to her bathroom.

The door opens and Dylan walks out.

"What? What's with the look?"

"You were scared," she teases, completely entertained by the notion.

Dylan rolls his eyes.

"That's untrue, I simply didn't want to deal with Slater's childish assumptions."

Ruby starts to mumble in her sleep before flipping over. Dylan crosses his arms.

"Perhaps we should take this elsewhere. Come on, I get a nice spot."

"What?" Blake questions as Dylan approaches the window. "Dylan we can't leave in the middle of the night."

Dylan opens the window and looks back at Blake.

"We're not leaving... we're just at a... higher altitude."

Dylan looks back outside and summons a platform of water, then hops onto it. He turns around and beckons Blake to follow. Blake chuckles at the act, but does follow Dylan.

"This isn't what I had in mind, but I suppose from fresh air can do us good."

Blake steps onto the platform and the water latches onto her feet for safety. Dylan lifts the two of them into the air, flying high and proud above Beacon Academy. They can see everything from their vantage point – Vale, the brilliant moon shining on the water, Mt. Glenn, everything.

"Wow... I've never seen it like this before. It's beautiful."

"Yeah..." Dylan sits down, leaning back on his two hands. "I come up here sometimes when Slater's being annoying."

"So why're you bringing me up here?" Blake teases, nudging him.

Dylan pushes back, chuckling.

"Well, nobody can interrupt us up here. We can just converse with no care."

The setting, the brilliance, everything takes over Blake's senses. She looks to Dylan who's staring out at the world in the happiest state she's ever seen him in. Soon a question pops into her head that was brought up some time ago. The question of who she's interested in, if she's interested in anyone. Dylan was one of those people mentioned, and now she doesn't know. She feels very safe right now, with him, up here.

But nothing can last forever, as something catches Dylan's eye. A small streak of red shoots out from the Forest of Foreverfall. That's a signal for him, he knows it.

"Hey, Blake... you know it is late. Perhaps you should get some sleep too."

"Hm? I was enjoying myself up here."

"Yeah, but..." Dylan stands up. "Perhaps we can have a raincheck. There's something I forgot to do. We'll do this later," he says with a reassuring smile.

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You appear in Ozpin's office to return the leftover lien he lent you. You don't expect him to be there, but it's unlikely anyone's going to break into his office and steal it. To your surprise, he's still in his chair, eyes on you.

"Ah, (Y/N). Did you have fun on your date?"

"Uh... heh... yeah..." You shake your head, ridding yourself of your bewildered state. "What are you doing awake? It's quite late," you speak, approaching Ozpin's desk and taking a seat.

"Yes, but there is always work for me to do, especially since our kingdom is hosting the Vytal Festival. Of course, your admittance is a little more paper work, but that's miniscule compared to other things."

You look down and rub the back of your head.

"Yeah... thank again for that. I won't let you down," you finish with a confident smile.

Ozpin chuckles, admiring your confidence.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you and Dylan fight as a team. Anyhow, what can I do for you? There must be a reason you dropped in."

His words spark your memory and you grab the envelope of lien and slide it across the table.

"Here. I only used a little over a hundred."

Ozpin chuckles, slowly pushing the envelope back to you.

"Keep it. Consider it an allowance, or reward. Whatever you find most fitting."

You reluctantly grab the envelope, holding it in front of you.

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

You shrug, then place the envelope back in your pocket. You can put the lien in your wallet when you return to your dorm.

"Can I ask you something?" You start, changing the subject.

"Of course."

"My dad... you once said he and Glynda were together."

"I did, yes. Why do you ask?" Ozpin takes a sip of his coffee as his intrigue heightens.

"What happened? What made them split up?"

Ozpin continues to drink, thinking carefully on how to answer this. He sees no reason to hide the truth on this subject, but this could easily be taken to a more delicate matter. Ozpin stands up and turns to his window looking out at Mt. Glenn.

"You've seen the statue of your father and uncle, correct?"

You nod.

"Yeah, they did something or something." You shrug. "Saved Vale or... something?"

"Hm... well, they captured a very ancient, very powerful Grimm in Mt. Glenn. Doing this requires a sacrifice..." He turns to face you. "A sacrifice your father was willing to pay."

You scratch your head.

"But... I'm alive. How did he die, but meet my mom?"

"Well, obviously he didn't really die like we all thought. He was considered killed in action for five years... but then he came to me..."

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Mt. Glenn's edges crumble as they do every so often. Random rocks and broken pieces trail down the mountain to fall at the base. This would be a regular occurrence if something wasn't forcefully pushing out of the mountain. A hand bursts from the rocks, attempting to latch onto anything it can. The hand soon clutches the rocks and forces more and more of itself out. Eventually an entire body tumbles out of the whole, rolling down the mountain. The man manages to stop himself, resting against the mountain and looking out at Beacon Academy.

Jet Slater, the Huntsman-in-Training who dived into hell to stop a menace, finally takes his first breath after so long. His clothes are torn and burned, all that's remaining is charred pants, his golden arm brace, and his weapon, Crimson Blaze. His beard is full and bushy, his hair long and unruly. He's sweaty, dirty, and an utter mess. Above all else, however, his muscles are tight and lazy after what felt like an eternity of stillness.

Jet allows fresh air to fill his body before attempting to move around to any degree. Lucky for him, Mt. Glenn's settlement isn't far. Food, rest, and transportation isn't far... though food is definitely what piques his interest the most at this time. He pushes off the mountain and starts stumbling down the incline. He's surprised that his body is still healthy considering him being stuck for so long. Though not confirmed, the only thing he can think of is a mix of Harrier's power and Jet's own semblance.

Either way, the settlement is not far and he needs to focus on recovering. He needs to return to Beacon, to Harrier, and Glynda.

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Jet steps off the airship and looks around Beacon Academy. It's been three days since he emerged from the mountain. The only thing he still has is his weapon. After revealing who he was the people of Mt. Glenn took him in and gave him a fresh set a clothes and a touch up. They really aren't Jet's style, now donning a plain black t-shirt, jeans, and a green jacket, but it works for covering his body. His hair is also trimmed back to its original look and his beard is completely gone.

Immediately something piques his interest. He doesn't recognize any of the students loitering around.

"Hm... maybe some new students?" Jet shrugs. "Whatever, I might as well drop by the Headmaster's to get my schedule back. I wonder if Glynda will be mad at me for missing a few months of work," he chuckles to himself.

Jet slips his hands into his pockets and walks the grounds of Beacon. Other students recognize him, staring at the man who's been missing for so long. Jet has no idea who any of these people are, however, but Jet did have a reputation that proceeded him. Perhaps these are just new students that have yet to meet him. Something he'll correct soon enough.

Jet strolls to the tower, passing through the first set of doors and entering the elevator.

"Huh..." Jet watches the floor count speed through. "Guess they improved this while I was gone. Used to take forever."

The elevator comes to a smooth stop, dropping Jet off at his destination. Jet exits the elevator and enters the room where Ozpin is sitting. He looks up at his guess, then quickly drops what he's working on.

"Jet?"

Jet smiles wide as he widens his arms.

"The one and only."

Ozpin swiftly leaves his chair and approaches Jet for a comforting hug. The two break off and smile at this reunion.

"Jet, I thought you were dead! We all did."

Jet shrugs.

"Well, you know how hard it is to kill me, right Oz?"

"Well, you have to give us credit, you've been gone for quite some time."

Jet waves Ozpin off, stepping past him to look out his window.

"Come on, don't flatter me. How long's it been? Three months? Five?"

Ozpin goes deathly silent. He approaches Jet and places his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Jet... it's been five years."

Jet spins around, his face completely changing to a panicked realization.

"What? Five years?" He shouts. "How... why... what happened to everyone?"

Ozpin sighs, pondering how to explain this to Jet. He gestures for the chair opposite of his desk as Ozpin takes his seat. Jet begrudgingly takes a seat, his leg unable to stay still from anxiety.

"Well, everyone has moved on – graduated. Harrier is... somewhere. He was in Vale not long ago, and I believe he mentioned heading to Vacuo."

"What about Glynda?"

Ozpin sighs, looking to his desk.

"She's here at Beacon, teaching. But... she's..."

"Did I make her suffer?" Jet asks in the most serious tone Ozpin's ever heard.

Ozpin slowly nods.

"She was not herself for some time, but she healed, eventually. You can see her if-"

"No," Jet firmly shakes his head. "I mean... I want... damn..." Jet huffs, his posture waning. "I don't know what I want."

"Well, I shall help you all I can. As far as I'm concerned, you're a full-fledged Huntsman. You can proceed onto that life, if you wish. Perhaps I can even help you find some new clothes?"

Jet chuckles.

"Thanks, Ozpin. I... I'll contact you another time, later... maybe."

Ozpin bows his head.

"I understand. As I said, I shall offer you all the aid I can."

Jet slowly nods as he leaves the chair. His usual upbeat energy seems to be drained from him as he shambles back to the elevator. Ozpin can't imagine what he'll do now, but he knows he'll be fine. Slater's have always been survivors, even if part of that is due to their semblance.

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Jet approaches one of the classrooms, his mind now blank and unbiased. His sorrow and confusion has quickly washed away as it always has before. A side effect of his Semblance, for better or worse. He slightly opens the door and peers in to see a full classroom looking somewhat bored. Glynda is at the front of the class explaining different types of Grimm. She's... older... beautiful. Jet inherently smiles at seeing his former love's face, her voice.

But of course his mind thinks back to what Ozpin says. He is a very old wound... a wound that needs not be opened by him.

Jet closes the door, and, inturn, closes off their relationship for good.

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"So your father decided it was best to avoid Glynda. He went after Harrier... but Glynda soon learned of his survival," Ozpin speaks as he looks out his window. "They met once after that, but it hardly went well. The last time Glynda ever saw Jet was when... well, you know." He finishes, alluding to his death.

"I... had no idea. Man, my father really was a piece of work," you speak, shaking your head as you rest in the chair.

"Are you implying that you're not?" Ozpin chuckles.

"Hey! I... okay, fine, you got me there," you laugh, getting out of your chair. "Alright... well, thanks Ozpin – for the lien and story. Makes me wonder what other stuff my father did." You stand in silence for a moment but quickly realize you could do this on your own. You look to Ozpin and smile. "Thanks Ozpin, I'll see you later."

You wave before leaping out of the room. Ozpin shakes his head as he smiles.

"The apple truly doesn't fall far from the tree."

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Dylan hovers over the Foreverfall, scanning for the meeting location. He's truly antsy to see who's there, considering only one person knows of this place and they're dead. Dylan descends into the forest, the platform slowly getting smaller as he reaches the ground. It finally dissipates once his feet are mere millimeters from the ground, and he lands. He surveys the area to assure there are no Grimm or enemies he needs fret about.

He does feel one person nearby, and it's exactly who he expected. Aza Brine steps out from behind a tree to face her little brother. She's heeled in new clothes that are a replica of her old ones, if a tad darker.

"Aza... I thought you died, you idiot. Why would you blow yourself up like that?" Dylan shouts.

"To kill Slater, but... that's not what I'm here about, Dylan. Right now I'll be a sister, and not someone associated with the White Fang."

Dylan's taken back by this approach. This speech, the calmness, it reminds him of when they were younger. It reminds him of the Aza he used to look up to.

"Okay... what do you want?"

"I want you to leave Beacon, at least. I don't care if you rejoin the White Fang, but if you stay at Beacon we will become enemies," Aza threatens.

"I can't do that, Aza. Beacon is to me what the White Fang is to you. Why can't you just leave the White Fang?" Dylan pleads, taking a step closer.

"Because it's what I believe in Dylan... and I suppose you believe in what you're doing..." Aza sighs. "If it comes down to it, I will cut you down in the name of the White Fang. You understand that, right?"

Dylan nods.

"You understand I'll stop you from harming my friends."

Aza nods.

The two siblings stare at each other, their wills clashing like their elements.

"Take... take care of yourself, brother. I truly don't want to see you die," Aza declares, a tear rolling down her cheek.

She turns around and starts walking, leaving Dylan to watch his only family leave him behind. Dylan reaches out for her, but his voice won't utter a sound. He just watches as Aza walks away, and the sister he cares for so much leaves with her. He will never see his sister Aza Brine again. From now on, it will just be Aza Brine.

So this chapter was a lot of fluff with only some things being relevant, however I think you guys like seeing relationship fluff from time to time. I don't think I'll ever dedicate most of a chapter to it, but expect more moments for Slater and Ruby in the future. It is why you're reading this story, after all, for Ruby x Reader. Or maybe you actually like to content I'm providing, the changes, the original story, the... no? No, just Ruby x Reader, gotcha.

Anyway, so it seems like I'll actually have to buy RWBY: Grimm Eclipse since it won the vote on Twitter. Yes, that story-line will be in Crimson Shadow, if a little tweaked for writing purposes. Yeah, now I'm actually spending money to provide this for you guys. Aren't I great? No? No, I'm not...

FACT: For me, Blake Belladonna is the most difficult character to write so far. Something about her character is difficult. She's shown to be reclusive and serious, yet very comedic and cheerful. As a character, that is a great trait and it is nice to have a character who isn't easy to write (such as Weiss or Yang) but it also makes me think twice on her words and actions. I'd say Nora is second hardest, considering she switches between rational and ecstatic, thus her character is very situational.

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