RWBY||Rising Phoenix

Chapter 14: Burning Ice

3rd Person POV

Beacon

Ruby was zoning out at the table as the others set up the dance when Weiss slapped two pieces of tablecloth in front of her. "I need you to pick a tablecloth," she said, sliding them toward her.

Ruby examined them. "Aren't they both the same?" she asked in confusion.

Weiss sighed. "I don't even know why I asked. Phoenix?"

"Yeah, Ice Queen?" The mercenary poked himself out from beneath the stage where he had been hooking up the sound system.

"First of all, don't call me that," Weiss said, walking over. "Second, which do you prefer?" She dangled the two pieces of cloth over his face. "Left or right?"

"The one in the middle," Phoenix replied.

Weiss looked confused for a second before she blushed. "Th-that's not what I meant, and you know it," she stammered.

"Still prefer it," Phoenix replied. "But for the tablecloths... aren't they both the same?"

"Ugh! You're just as hopeless as Ruby!" With that, she stalked off.

Phoenix just shook his head and slid himself back under the stage.

Setting down a large speaker, Yang glanced over at Ruby, who was still slumped at the table. "So," she said, walking over and dusting off her hands. "Have you picked out a dress yet?"

"What's the point?" Ruby complained. "Who cares about the dance if Blake isn't going?"

"I do!" Phoenix called, sticking a thumbs up out of the floorboard of the stage before popping back down.

"Oh, don't worry, she's going," Yang assured, ignoring Phoenix's antics. Turning, her jaw dropped. "Weiss! I thought we agreed! No doilies!"

"If I don't get doilies, you don't get fog machines," Weiss countered, walking back over.

"Just let her have the doilies!" Phoenix called, his legs poking out from underneath the stage. "No one will see them through the fog machines! They were invented for a reason, you know!"

"Shut up!" Weiss snapped at him.

"Your dance is going to have fog machines?" Neptune asked as he and Sun walked over.

"We were thinking about it," Weiss replied.

"We're doing it!" Phoenix corrected.

"So, you ladies all excited for the dress up?" Sun asked.

Ruby snorted. "Pfft. Yeah, right."

"Laugh all you want," Yang said. "I'll be turning heads tomorrow night."

"Yeah, all of them wondering who invited the blond-shell queen," Phoenix deadpanned. "Hey, mind passing me a wrench? It's on the table."

Picking it up, Yang gained a wicked idea and chucked it between Phoenix's legs, only for the mercenary to catch it with two fingers. "Nice try."

"Worth a shot," Yang muttered.

"What are you two wearing?" Weiss asked.

"Uh... this?" Sun snorted, gesturing to his outfit.

"Ignore him, for he knows not what he says," Neptune said, stepping in front of Sun.

"Hey, I may have moved to Mistral, but I grew up in Vacuo," Sun complained. "It's not exactly a shirt and tie kind of place."