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

Chapter XIII: Something in the Air

Nathan POV - February 28, 2219

The dance was already in full swing as people started to flood in. I could only assume it would be since I was still at the dorms trying to tie a necktie Weiss was forcing me to wear. "It's a formal gathering, Nathan. Now stop acting like a baby and go put on a suit."

Since most of the band would probably be dancing to the music we're playing tonight, most would've changed into suit tops and pants to move freely into. Since Athena is an A.I., she can morph into anything she wants to wear. I'm still determining what she's gone for tonight, but it looked like something from Coco's fashion sketches she doodles in class and the fashion sense of Atlas. It was a mesh black body suit with a built-in heel meshed with a blue flapping coming from the torso; the rest of the torso had blue as the popping color with white and black standing on the sidelines. She chose a white choker with a light blue rock as the centerpiece on her neck and white, blue, and gold chained earrings. The only concerns were her back being exposed and the front slightly revealing. To rectify that, she morphed a white fur coat hanging on by the choker to her back and a tassel on her chest, big enough to cover but still had some skin showing. And when Yang saw Athena in the outfit, she saw it as a challenge. Heads turned that night, but it wasn't in Yang's favor.

I looked into the mirror and looked at my attire. I was wearing an all-black suit jacket (that, if you pay attention to the finer details) with illuminating hexagons on the sleeves and torso if put in the light at a certain angle, vest, tie, and shoes but didn't bother with putting on the pants because it felt a little restricted since I'm going to be somewhat dancing during the performance. Under the vest was the orange button-up shirt from October. After a few tries of trying to get the necktie properly tied and ending horribly, I threw the tie on my bed and walked out of the room. I checked the time and noticed I only had thirty minutes to return to the ballroom. Not exactly a good idea to run in something made out of material that could tear by making the wrong move, but f*ck it. It can be replaced.

I started to slow down once I got to the hallway and noticed Ruby walking to the ballroom door... without trying to keel over. She starts to fall back as I start running to catch her fall. I slide as her other foot slips falls backward, and catches her.

Me: "Easy there, twinkle toes. You'll catch your death that way."

Ruby: "Har har, Nate. Now, can you help me to a bench? My feet are killing me."

I picked her up bridal style and carried her to a bench a few feet from us. I set her down as she removes her heels and rubs her feet.

Ruby: "Can we have a serious conversation on how Weiss fights in these?"

Me: "Blake wears heels too, Ruby."

Ruby: "At least those are boots! Yang's making me wear these."

Me: "Maybe she wants you to break out of your shell a bit...?"

Ruby: "No, she's torturing me! That's what she's doing!"

I chuckled at Ruby's childish antics and sat beside her.

Me: "Could be worse. She could be setting you up with a date right now."

Then she started to act like an eight-year-old talking about boys. Saying "EWWWWWWW!" Again, I couldn't help but chuckle. After a few minutes of talking, we got off the bench and started to walk into the ballroom, Ruby not even bothering to put on her heels until we got to the door. She put them back on and hung on to my arm as we walked through the door. The first thing I see is Yang looking back at the stage, bobbing her head to the music while Matt's voice echoes through the room and the patrons dancing.

Matt: "Tonight it feels like the first night we met / when we felt so alive. / Lost in the shiver and the shake / like fire in the skies. / I'm right beside you when the ground gives way / and flames of fire descend. / I'd give up anything to save you now, / save you from the end. / I'm gonna rise from this ravine / and save you now, save the queen. / I'm gonna fight with gravity / to bring you back to earth / I'm gonna rise and intervene / and save you now, save the queen / I'm gonna turn the universe / to bring you back to me."