Shadows of War (RWBY X TITANFALL) Act 2: A Phantom Adversary

Chapter IX: Frozen Hearts

Carsen POV - Timeskip: One Week - January 22, 2219

Nathan: "I can't let you slip away/ The world's in disarray/ No one should have to stay/ I will take away the pain/ If only I remain/ To feel the acid rain."

(A/N: Lyrics belong to Aviators from the song: "Acid Rain." I'm an Aviators fan... what can I say?)

With the dance about five weeks away, we started practice immediately after school today. The stupid thing is we have been putting it off for two weeks now. As much as I would like to blame our procrastination, it was more our disorganization. The setup took forever, and we spent an hour and a half fighting over what songs to use. The dance theme wasn't picked, so we mainly covered songs we knew from back home. We don't know many pieces from here, and we didn't have our "songbook" with us - it was just a tiny notebook from Nathan's stash we would write lyrics in. That had a few of our best hits. "Acid Rain" is one of them. Ultimately, we had to do some of the songs from memory. Some worked well, others needed work. At the same time, which I hate this part, we were waiting for the White Fang to slip up on their coms. Reyes got into their coms with the communicators we snagged and the robes from the extraction. Since then, nothing, zilch, nada. With "Acid Rain" ending, we decided to call it there even though we didn't get much done. Progress is progress, though... we did manage to get some of the work forward. As I placed the guitar on the rack, I quietly exited and went for the bullhead station.

The cold air nipped at my face as I waited for the bullhead. My mind started to drift back to what Nathan had said last week.

Me: He's right, you know. Out of everything that has happened in recent years, you could've walked away and not let it be your problem. You've had every chance to walk away from everything, but you've allowed it to become your problem. Why? Is it because of how worthless you are? Is it because you're in desperate need of some validation deep down? To make sure that the only family you have now doesn't abandon you-

???: "Hey, dunce!"

Snapping me out of my thoughts, I see Weiss standing beside me. Damn... I must've been so deep into thinking that I did not notice her walking up.

Me: "Oh, Weiss... good evening."

Weiss: "This is a first... You don't sound as distant and cold as you usually do."

Me: "Well, consider yourself lucky you caught me off guard then. What brings you out here?"

Weiss: "My team was starting to get on my nerves. What about you?"

Me: "I needed to get away from my siblings for a bit. I forgot how jarring band practice can get sometimes."

Weiss: "I thought you all started earlier... like two weeks ago."

Me: "We WOULD'VE if it hadn't been for our disorganization. The last time the Resistance did a gig was over three years ago. Right before we... left Angel City. So we're out of practice."

Weiss: "And that spontaneous show back in September?"

Me: "We know those two by heart."

Weiss: "Hmm. So, I assume you have yet to make a real plan in Vale. You'll come with me and-"

Me: "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back up. Do you always drag your friends anywhere? Honestly, you need to work on your social skills."

Weiss: "Well, it looks like you're distracted about something. I thought you could use the company... I'm trying to be a friend here. Do you want some company?"

I looked at her, and something was shifting behind her icy blue eyes. Like she was taking a mask off. Something was starting to take the reigns.

Me: "I don't mind the company. Where are we going?"