Chapter Forty-Four
It was the night of the Vytal ball. I had a tie around my neck, and a hum in my throat. I had come alone to enjoy the punch, the music, and also to prepare my masterfully executed plan with all of the finesse and aplomb of a man that knows what's going to happen, and thus needs to be prepared for it.
I was as prepared as a man willing to get a splinter in his thumbs to avoid going over the trench.
"No dancing partner?" Yang asked, standing at the entrance with a white dress on.
"I like to live," I answered nonchalantly. "If anyone asks where I am, direct them to the buffet bar. That's where I'm spending the rest of the night," I winked, and walked past her.
She chuckled, thinking I had been joking. She didn't know me well enough.
Thus there I was, by the buffet table, with a non-alcoholic punch in hand and looking incredibly saddened by it. I took a sip all the same, and then grimaced. "What do I have to do to get some alcohol in it?" I grumbled, glancing to where professor Goodwitch was narrowing her eyes in my direction. "Hello professor, you wouldn't happen to have some alcohol on your person?"
"No, I would not, and neither should you think of spiking the punch-bowl," she replied quite sternly.
"I'm not planning on spiking the punch-bowl, just on spiking my own drink," I said. "I'm old enough to drink."
"Understandable, but not allowed," the professor replied. I sighed, and took another sip.
I hummed. "You wouldn't mind telling me who is a notorious individual that would, by chance, attempt to spike the alcohol given the opportunity?"
Professor Goodwitch stared at me as if I was the most horrible of existences deserving to die. Then, she looked away without another word.
I took a longer sip.
"So, any favorite student?" I asked.
"Mister...Wren, are you really attempting what I think you're attempting?" Professor Goodwitch asked.
"Trying to make conversation, and then attempting to get the name of whoever would be more likely to have alcohol on them? Yes, yes I am," I answered. "Is it working?"
"I...No, no it is not," she answered with a dreadful sigh. "You have no fear, do you?"
"We of Vacuo live with the desert around us. Compared to what the desert can do, the Grimm, or even you professor Goodwitch, you don't really compare that much," I said with a humming tone. "I can't speak for all of the students of Vacuo of course, but some of them had it tough getting where they are now. They don't want anyone's pity, but they do want respect. And I would like nothing more than to respect those who made it than with a good old glass of wine to spike this punch-"
Professor Goodwitch sighed, loudly. "You will not manage to get anything out of me, Mister Wren."
"I am incredibly tenacious, determined, and once I bite I never usually let go," I answered, taking another sip. "I suppose that should the punch finish, it will be refilled from the kitchens where more is in stock?"
Her eyes narrowed on me. "I can have you banished from the buffet table, do you know that?"
"That just gives me an excuse to hit the kitchens sooner than later, and you can't be in two places at the same time," I answered cheekily, filling my cup once more. "Though-" my eyes glanced at a nearby wall, where the figure of Penny was currently dancing by herself with two guards standing behind her.
I hummed amiably. "I can understand when I'm not welcomed, and I will see my way out. I hope you enjoy the rest of the evening, Professor Goodwitch. But know that I will return to the buffet table, in minutes or hours."
"I will dread to see you again, Mister Wren," she answered. As I left, I swore I could her add in a mutter, "It has to be the bird names. Has to be them."
I walked towards the friendly looking Penny, and the two guards briefly stiffened at my arrival before relaxing.
"Hello," I gave a friendly wave. "You look like you could use a dancing partner."
"I could? Am I not dancing appropriately then?" Penny asked, her eyes widening. She stopped dancing. "Maybe I should recalibrate-I mean, attempt to do better."
"That was not what I meant," I answered her. "What I meant was that I would like to dance with you, on the dance floor," I extended a hand towards her and then with my head pointed at the ballroom.
"Oh, that wouldn't be appropriate," Penny answered. "I'm not that good at dancing, I may just be a problem if I go in the middle of the ballroom," she said with an awkward and incredibly chagrined look.
I turned thoughtful, and then looked at the stairs leading upstairs. "The upper floor should have a clear spot then, if you want, I can teach you without anyone knowing, so there's no need to be embarrassed."
"Oh my," Penny said, her eyes bug-wide. "Is this-I think I know what this is," she said cheerfully. "But..." she turned towards her guards. "Can I?"
"If you do not leave the building, Penny," one of the two guards said, "There is nothing wrong with mingling with the other students."
The other placed an amiable hand on my shoulder. "You hurt her feelings, we hit you with the General's flagship's main missile salvo and laser beams. We clear?"
Somehow, I didn't doubt it.
"Yes sir, back home by midnight sir," I said with a charming chuckle. "My name is Wren, by the way," I said to Penny, extending a hand which she took graciously, "Wren Shade."
"Fascinating," Penny answered with a smile, "Mine is Penny! Penny Polendina," she added. "Are you participating in the Vytal tournament?" she asked as we climbed the stairs to the upper floor.
"That I am," I said, "You too?"
"I am going to participate as a student from Atlas," Penny answered with a bright, cheerful smile. Once we reached the empty space above, I heard the rhythm of the music change to a new song. "I am not prepared on all variances of dances and songs, so I will attempt my best to improvise."
"That's quite all right," I said, "It will be an interesting experience for us both then."
There was another reason why I had picked the upper floor, and most importantly, the balcony. I needed justification. We did some dancing, my eyes going to the communication tower every now and then. Penny didn't notice, because we were practically dancing some kind of really strange "Do the Robot" and "Dance like you're a headless chicken" thing.
Still, every dancing needs to end, sooner or later. And ours did when I caught sight of a red-haired girl coming to a chagrined halt by the doors.
"Ah, Pyrrha," I said with a grin, "Come to the beginners' dance floor?"
Pyrrha looked surprised, but an awkward smile settled on her face. "I don't want to interrupt."
"Nonsense!" Penny said, "I should probably return downstairs before my companions think I have eloped!" she giggled as she said that. "I will see you later then, dancing partner!" and with that she walked off and back down to the main party.
I chuckled and then sighed in relief, placing my back against the stone handrail. Penny didn't know what being tired meant. "Come for some fresh air? Some clear skies and some beautiful moon?"
"Something like that," Pyrrha said. She came to a halt by my side, and then plopped her crossed arms on the stone handrail. "I would have thought you would be dancing with your teammates. They were enjoying themselves down below," she added with a teasing smile.
"We have reached an agreement of sorts," I mused. "I don't want to ruin our team's dynamics, so we're postponing it. At the very least until after graduation, what happens afterwards, well, Gorm has placed bets but he's not telling me on who."
Pyrrha smiled. "I wish I had their courage."
"Don't wish for something everyone can have," I answered. "Wish for something that's impossible to have." I winked. "I mean, if you want I can give you a charm to make your wish come true, if that's what you wish."
She chuckled, "Really? Magic?"
"The most powerful magic of them all," I agreed with a knowing nod. I lifted my index finger and pointed at the door. "Mister Arc, please, come on in."
Pyrrha blinked and turned towards the door, where Jaune was apparently caught by surprise. I had heard him come up, and true to form, there he was. He had stopped when he had seen Pyrrha talk to me.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't want to interrupt."
"You are not interrupting," I said with a bright smile, "I am, after all, the greatest magician ever to exist. I was expecting you, Mister Arc," I said with a bow as I walked towards him with a grin. I placed a hand on his shoulder, and then amiably pushed him towards Pyrrha, whose eyes were now widening.
"Oh no," she said.
"The most powerful magic of the whole world," I said with a knowing nod, grabbing hold of Pyrrha's hand and placing it on Jaune's own. "Is communication. She loves you. Dance with her, you dumb blind boy." I patted his shoulder once more, and then walked away. Just in time to catch Neptune by the scruff of the neck as he was about to get into the middle of their mood. "You, instead, you're coming with me for some personal spine-ripping."
"B-But I don't even know what I did!?" Neptune exclaimed even as I dragged him boldly back down to the lower level of the dance-floor.
Seriously, even though I was hiding that Weiss was my sister, if she wanted to dance with this blue-haired moppet then she'd dance with him.
All it would take would be some good old communication.
Just like the one I was going to do in half an hour circa.
Why, yes, General Ironwood.
I most certainly did see a certain black dressed infiltrator step out of the tower and into the dance room from the backdoor.
I even saw her face.
Ozpin might have honestly not received my letter or done anything about my message.
But if you cannot hit the King, then at the very least, aim for his throne.
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