Chapter 17

~ The worst time ever, part 1 ~

Crystal POV:

It's been weeks, tomorrow is the first day of the second semester and I've finally given up on trying to find Penny, I scoured the entirety of Vale, only utilizing my nose, multiple times, with barely any rest, of course, due to this reason, I missed... Actively decided not to join in classes, not like it matters at this point. My school experience isn't as fun as I expected it to be.

Due to the same reason, I also didn't meet Blake for the whole duration, the only time we spoke was through calls, which didn't last long, some small talk and that's it, the only important thing was me mentioning about not finding Penny. And apparently that Ruby was focused on creating an 'opportunity' to talk to me, at this point she could just walk up to me and talk, I couldn't be bothered anymore, one of my friends went missing, the other one had to choose between us.

I might as well visit the cafeteria, it's been weeks since I ate a full and decent meal, been going on scraps and apples. so I could cover more ground in my search for Penny.

I step into Beacon's cafeteria and check if there's enough space for me to sit alone somewhere, so nobody would bother me while I eat. I look around and spot just the perfect position, right in a corner, hidden from most people that are in the big room, except for those who are close.

First, let's take some food and then go sit down, ah, let's not forget to grab an apple, can never go wrong with one after all.

I sit down and start eating, finally, I might actually get a full stomach. As I eat, I start hearing people screaming and running in hordes, I look up from my plate, to see the cafeteria almost empty... What is going on? Is there an enemy or something?

I look around the place, only to see team RWBY and JPNR challenging themselves to a fight... with food? Great, this place isn't safe anymore, might as well leave, since I only have an apple left to finish.

I stand up and start walking out and a watermelon flies right past me, almost hitting my head. I look at the wall, where my head would probably be right now if I was slower in walking... I look towards the two teams again, none of them have noticed that they almost hit me... I look at my hand and the apple in it... Hmm...

I empower my eyesight to the maximum, turning off other senses, other than the smell, I see both teams move slowly, I aim the apple... Now, who to shoot at? They aren't paying attention to me, they probably don't even know that I am here... Jaune perhaps? No, he can't even get up from the ground, so that'd be overkill.

So it's between three people then. Ruby, Pyrrha, and Weiss. If I had only taken three apples, I could just hit all of them, but unfortunately, I did not do that. Okay, let's eliminate Ruby, just because she shares two of my friends, both Blake and Penny. Now, Pyrrha or Weiss... Pyrrha... Weiss... I quickly look at the apple... Split into two halves, perfect. Now just wait for the most opportune moment.

Okay, Weiss is down in Ruby's hands, should I just hit her in the head right now? Yeah, why not, I start pulling my arm out in a throwing manner, only to pause when I see Blake flying above my head from the impact of Pyrrha's attack... Forget Weiss, revenge time. I re-aim and just as I am about to throw, I stop again, but this time for another reason.

I just found a much better target for my apple halves. I just need to wait a little bit more, the target is about to arrive, I am so glad that I didn't turn off my sense of smell. Ruby speeds through the whole cafeteria, flying like a bullet and making a strong air circle that takes everything down, leaving her standing alone.

And just like that, Glynda blasts through the door, irritated and uses her crop to restore everything to its rightful place, somehow none of them have noticed me, but I guess standing in a far-off corner is a good hiding spot. I turn my senses back to normal.

"Children, please. Do not play with your food!" Says Glynda adjusting her glasses.

And here comes my target, I am glad that I waited. Ozpin... He's looking forward, towards RWBY and JPNR, I am behind him to the right, there's also Sun for some reason, but whatever.

"Let it go," He says to Glynda. Good, Glynda's unknowingly working as a distraction.

As he and Glynda talk between each other, I silently move to a better position, prompting Sun to be the first one to spot me, as he opens his mouth to call out to me, I put a finger on my lips in an 'sssh' manner, he gets the idea and stays quiet, even if he's slightly confused about it.

"They're supposed to be the defenders of the world" Glynda answers back.

"And they will be, but right now they're still children. So why not let them play the part?" Ozpin starts turning around... Now!

I throw both of the apple halves one after another, as hard as I can, one lower than the other, if he were to dodge by moving his head at the first, the second will hit his chest.

I see his eyes widen a little behind his glasses as he sees an apple half coming towards his face, he tries to tilt his head sideways in an attempt to dodge, but he isn't fast enough and gets hit right between his eyes, slightly knocking him back, he hasn't gone down yet... But the second half hits him in the chest, effectively making him let out a groan as he falls on his back to the floor.

Hell yes, bullseye! He finally looks up from the ground to see me laughing, now both teams and Glynda, plus Sun and some blue-haired guy are looking at me surprised at my actions. To them? (Minus Glynda) I just hit the headmaster of Beacon, to me? (Plus Glynda) I just hit an enemy, of both my school life and my personal life, it felt great.

"How was that, Ozpin? It's pretty nice to be on the ground once a while, hmm?" I mock him, not paying attention to the others looking at me like I am crazy. None of the looks are new anyways.

"Hello to you, too..." He stands up, straightening up his clothes while saying 'cooly'.

I roll my eyes at him "Seems like you can't actually see something coming... If you aren't looking through cameras, hmm?"

His eye twitches a little "I don't know what you mean, Ms. Rose"

"Sure you don't... Answer me this... Did you like what you saw from me and your lackey behind you?" I point to Glynda for the show.

I hear no answer, so I get bored and turn around to leave the cafeteria since I had my fun. As I start to walk, I pause, turn back to look at Ozpin for a moment.

"Oh, and it's Mrs. Rose for I am married, unlike somebody else I know, who's lost children in the past" I finish and turn to walk away, as I do that, I see Ozpin's eyes widen to the point that it would seem they'd pop out.

"How..." I hear him whisper to himself, I grin in victory while I finally leave the cafeteria.

After walking away, a few minutes later, I hear somebody following me... A familiar smell, somebody I shared the same bed with before Ozpin had the bright idea to make her spy on me and subsequently spy on both of us with cameras in our room.

"What is it, Kinky?"

"I see it's back to nicknames and where have you been? It's been weeks, you missed multiple classes and haven't been to our room during the whole time, you just left after that night when you came back disheartened" Glynda says back.

"Well, of course, even I don't enjoy voyeurism and exhibitionism as much as you seem to do, so Kinky is pretty accurate, right? And where I was for those weeks. doesn't concern you" I turn around to face her.

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"You actually don't get it? My remark on Ozpin just now and 'voyeurism' doesn't ring any bells?" I ask back.

As Glynda opens her mouth to say something, I continue "It's because he put cameras in the room just to spy on me"

Glynda looks at me for a second, then finally realizes what I mean "He didn't look at us while we had sex"

"Right... How do you know that exactly? Were you there with him, to look at what he's doing while we had sex? No... You were with me in bed. Oh and I know for sure, that there are at least three cameras in your room and one is right above our... your bed"

"I trust him, he definitely didn't spy on us during those moments"

"Trust? Right... trust, something I thought I had earned, at least a little from you, but I was wrong, wasn't I? So who's to tell if you're wrong about you trusting him?"

"That..." Glynda turns sad for a moment, before regaining her composure "You and me both know why Ozpin did what he did, it's because you're an enemy"

"Yes, yes, we are enemies, whatever... What? Can't think for yourself and need him to tell you what to always do? We were getting along quite nicely, but I don't know if any of it was real, hell, maybe the whole 'rape' dream thing was a lie too? For you to just get my guard down. We are enemies, just another nuisance to deal with, I have plenty of those. So? Don't bother, pretty sure you only followed me here because Ozpin told you to, just like he told you to get on my 'better' side for answers, so what is it now? Does he want to punish me for hurting his annoying face or something?"

"You're wrong, I came here, because I was worried"

"Worried? Really? Like I'd believe that"

"It's the truth" Glynda continues to convince me.

"Right..."

"A student missing for weeks, haven't been to any classes, hasn't... been seen by anybody at all and hasn't been in her and my room. Of course, I'd be worried"

"While I don't believe even for one second that you're worried for 'my' sake and not your own to try and get answers out of me. But even if you were telling the truth, there's no need to worry about me, I've survived this long without much help due to me being stronger than anybody, so I will be fine"

"That's not how that works, you can worry about somebody even if they are strong" Glynda remarks back.

"Well of course you can, but, even I know that to be able to worry about something/somebody, you first need to care for them... And you clearly don't, since you had the wonderful idea to let Ozpin put LITERAL CAMERAS in your room just so he could get the chance of getting any little thing out of me... You not only sabotaged any goodwill between us, but you also sabotaged your own privacy by agreeing to it... And that is just messed up, it's as if you're willing to be a slave, to do anything if Ozpin asked you... You have no will of your own, you're just a doll to be played around with, as higher-ups see fit"

Glynda only stares at me in bewilderment, with anger rising at what I am saying.

"You know what I think is truly happening? You're just missing your bed warmer because you could get it any time you wanted, your body is missing me, not you, so because you can't go for any other student to help yourself, here you are, talking to me"

"I am not like you, I don't jump around giving my body to others so easily," She says back in anger.

"Oh..." Glynda's eyes widen after she realized what she just said.

"wait, that came out wrong, I didn't mea-" Glynda tries to backtrack in a panic. But I cut her off.

"I see how it is... Well, at least you're not the first one that I slept with, to think that I am a slut for sleeping around at any possible opportunity... And you won't be the last. Oh, and please, don't say that you didn't mean to say it or nonsense like that... If you say something, even in anger, while drunk, etc. That means you believed at least some of what you said, otherwise, you'd never say it in the first place, because you wouldn't think about it, so, I am just going to go, I really don't want to see you for longer than I need to, I will eventually come back to your room, to finally take my stuff back... Oh and I will be coming to classes again, so you don't need to 'worry' for me and my whorish body, teacher" I turn around and start walking away.

And she doesn't follow me, but I do hear her start asking something, which makes me pause in my step.

"How?... How do you know that Ozpin asked me to spy on you and for my permission with putting cameras in the room?"

I turn back, walk back to her. take one of my knives out, get really close, I see her confused at my actions, and grip her crop in defense. But I don't look at her, only at her collar. My arms get close to it, I take it with my left, while I move my right closer to it and slice off a small part of the collar, effectively taking out the microphone I put there during our last night.

I back away and throw it to her, which she barely caught, because she was still gripping her crop. She looks down at it with confusion.

"Turn it around and look closer," I say.

She does as I told her and looks at it for a moment, before snapping her eyes at me, then looking down again and putting her crop back in its place, with the now free hand, she raises it to the sliced off cloth, lets her fingers pinch and rip off a small black microphone, she looks at it, then back at me, with an unreadable expression.

"You... listened to my conversations... spied on me"

I smile, walk closer to her and pat her cheek, lightly, making her look at me intensely.

"Kinky dear, did you forget? We are enemies, you said so yourself" I move my hand away and throw her one last dejected look "But unlike you, who was ordered to do so, I did it in my moment of weakness due to my past and what happened that night, I wanted to say it to you the very next day... But the downfall between us happened before I could do that, because Ozpin had to pick the day after our last time, to talk with you about your 'mission' of getting information out of me... But there's no actual excuse, if you have to answer for your mistakes, so do I... Basically, we screwed each other over..."

I step back and turn around and start walking away "Bye, bye Glynda".

And this time there were no questions, no pauses, and no stops, I only continued to walk away, while I heard Glynda turn around and start walking back. Bye, Glynda, and hello, just another teacher...

Narrator POV:

A week or so later... My role is very small in this one.

Crystal POV:

"So, what is it, Sun?" I ask the monkey-Faunus who just appeared before me with the blue-haired guy from last week.

"I want you to formally meet my oldest friend" He points to his side.

"Right... I am Crystal" I say not interested.

"Neptune" I nod at his introduction and try to move on with my day. But Sun doesn't let me.

"No, no, no, you're coming with us, I want to talk to you about what happened back in the cafeteria"

"What about it?" I ask back, while we start walking towards somewhere.

"While I enjoyed watching you throwing food at Ozpin, why'd you do that?"

"Do you even have to ask at this point?" I answer back.

"Because you wanted to?"

"Because I wanted to"

"Ha, nice"

"Indeed"

Neptune looks between us "Uh... Sun, why did you not tell me that you found yourself a girlfriend?"

We both pause, look at each other and start laughing at the same time. While Neptune looks at us confused.

"I wouldn't even spare a look at this child," I say after stopping my laughter.

"Yeah, and I wouldn't survive for a day with how annoying she is" Sun continues.

"You took the words right out of my mouth" I agree with him.

"Oh, besides this one only has the hots for people that have a decent rack on them" Sun jokes, while pointing at me.

"He means, I only like females, I don't care what size breasts a girl has, he just saw me looking at a waitress one time and she just so happened to have big ones"

"Okay... My bad, I guess?" Neptune says after hearing our answers.

"Anyways... Where are we?" I ask.

"Seems to be a library, haven't been here before?" Neptune asks me.

"Nope, haven't had a chance to come here yet" I answer back.

"But you're a student, no homework or something?" Sun asks me.

"Hmm... I am sure there was homework for others, but I've missed almost as many classes as I've been to, so for me? Homework didn't exist, not to mention the homework that I got, I failed, so there was that"

"Well, alright then"

As we continue walking around the library, I look around at all the books... Maybe I should visit this place a little bit more, I could find something interesting. I catch Blake's smell and if she's here, that means everybody else is too.

"Hmmmmm... All right... All right! Yang Rose, prepare your kingdom for battle!"

"Bring it on!"

And hearing Ruby and Yang talking to each other also solidifies that idea. I don't want to deal with any of this right now. While Sun was a good distraction, I don't want to see other people having fun whatsoever. With me not fiding Penny and the talk with Glynda made me annoyed with others.

"Anyways, Sun, you got your answer on the cafeteria thingy, so... I will be going, byee, oh and you too, Neptune," I say and jog away without giving them a chance to keep me there.

As I run out of the Library, I smell something very nice... Something familiar... Something I like a lot... She's finally here. I put more strength in my legs and start running as fast as I can to my destination.

And I make it there quite fast, the smell only getting stronger and stronger. Behind me... Of course. I turn around, only to get disappointed by not seeing who I wanted to, instead I see a girl with green hair... But it doesn't make sense, I know how she smells, why does this girl smell like her?

As I open my mouth to say something to the green-haired girl, I hear a voice that I ran here for.

"Foxie"

I turn around and finally see the one I smelled first "Cinder" She smells differently... I will have to ask her about it later, but for now? Huggie time.

I spread my arms out and run at her, with full expectation of her catching me, but as a surprise to me, she dodged and in confusion, I fell to the ground. While on the ground, I blink several times, then turn myself around to look at Cinder. I see her looking at me for a moment, before turning around and looking at the green-haired girl who's watching me... So she wants to act... again. I sigh dejectedly while standing up.

"Well, I guess I was too excited, so, introduce me?"

"Later, when somebody else shows up"

"Right..."

She starts walking to the green-haired girl and I follow behind her and we walk in silence, I feel the other girl's eyes jump on me multiple times during our walk.

But the silence is finally broken, when I smell an... irony? The smell coming towards us.

"Hey, you two... Three?" I see a gray man staring at us... more so at me than at Cinder and the other girl "Cinder, what's the name of it behind you?"

It? What a way to be subtle on your dislike for Faunus... But Cinder should protect me here, there's no way she won't.

"For now 'Foxie' is good enough" She answers back.

"But..." Cinder hearing my voice snaps her eyes at me, I shut up immediately... that... name... is for your use only... What are you doing? Cinder "Yes, Foxie is fine" I agree, smiling, while slightly hurting inside.

"Right..." The man says, losing interest in me, and goes near the other girl, who's still looking at me intensely, but I try and ignore it, which is easier now because I am lost in my own head, I get that Cinder likes to act with me to not show others that we know each other intimately but isn't this too much?

"Foxie" Cinder's voice breaks me out of my reverie, the other two are further away in front, it seems we are in a corridor that has the dorm rooms... I was lost in my mind for a while.

"Yes?"

"The girl is Emerald, the guy is Mercury" Cinder says and turns to look forward again.

"Mhm..." I let out a muffled sound in agreement while looking down at the floor.

And just after I answered I hear somebody falling to the ground and a voice I heard just earlier today "Oo-oof! Oh, g-!... Sorry. Are you okay?" I look up, to see Ruby on the ground and the now named Emerald putting her hand out in front for her.

"I'm fine... Just watch where you're going" Ruby takes Emerald's hand. The gray man, who doesn't deserve to be called by his name stands beside them

"Oh, right, sorry" Ruby continues to speak as Emerald helps her to her feet "Um, I'm Ruby! Are you new?"

Emerald steps aside to reveal Cinder as she approaches "Visiting from Haven, actually" Emerald turns to look at her.

Ruby also notices me "Crystal? What are you doing with them?" She asks with a tilted head. This is my chance, I get to finally show something off other than my semblance and sex adventures. I step forward, proudly and with a puffed-out chest.

"Hi, Ruby, this is Cinder, she's my gir-"

"I am one of Crystal's friends, as she said, Cinder is my name, a pleasure to meet you" Cinder cuts me off... I look at her for a moment, catching her eyes...

"Y-yeah, she's my f-friend... Just a friend..." I finish dejectedly, my pride gone, any of my left good mood gone with it at the same time.

Ruby stares for a moment and Cinder stares back. Then Ruby looks at me, I force a fake smile. She turns back to look at Cinder.

"Ooh! You're here for the festival! But exchange students have their own dormitory..."

"Foxie, here, is showing us around, isn't that right, Foxie?" The gray man says, making me angry at him for using that name... But my anger quickly disappears as I remember that Cinder is the one that gave him that name...

"Hey, don't worry, it's fine, Crystal's doing a great thing showing you around" Mercury and Emerald walk past Ruby as she's speaking "But just in case, your building is just east of here" Ruby adds, I guess she now knows that I can get lost easily.

Emerald and the gray man, continue walking, while Cinder starts following them while answering Ruby "Thanks, maybe we'll see you around" I follow as well, but completely out of energy, with slumped over shoulders. As I walk past Ruby, she throws me a confused, but worried look, I only shake my head at her.

"Yeah, maybe" She starts waving her hand "Oh, uh, and welcome to Beacon!"

As the three of us (Plus the gray bastard) continue walking, I hear Cinder command the other two.

"Emerald, Mercury, continue without me for a bit, I and Foxie have something to talk about" The two look between us two, nod, and turn around and start walking away.

I stare at Cinder, who finally turns around to look at me. She moves closer to me and finally hugs me, taking my tails with me at the same time... My hands also go around her waist, she tightens her hold of me. But unfortunately, I can't reciprocate it the same way, because it's too late. She releases me and steps back a little, looks at me. Then holds my face with her palms and leans in closer.

She kisses me, I kiss back immediately, while I feel sad, I wanted to feel this for a while. We kiss each other for a while, Cinder licks my lips with her tongue, she wants an entrance, as I open my mouth to allow it, she steps back, leaving me slightly confused.

"We will continue later, come to this room" She puts a small piece of paper in my hand and turns around to continue walking. She stops for a moment to say something that I really don't like hearing from her.

"Crystal, you know why I stopped you from saying too much and from showing public affection"

"Yes..."

"To not put attention to us," Cinder says, but whispers the last part "It could put detriment to our plans" so only I could hear it with my enhanced hearing.

"Mhm..."

"Do you understand?" She repeats herself.

"I do, Cinder... I understand"

"Good. Good night Foxie"

"Mhm... Night... Cinder"

She looks at me for a moment more and continues walking in the same direction that the other two did.

I stand there, in the same spot for what seems to be hours, I raise my fingers and put them on my lips, a small smile appears on my face subconsciously, only for it to disappear quickly and a big frown to show itself when I move my fingers away from my lips and put it on my chest, where I hear my heart beating...

"Plans... Plans... Always plans... but what about me? And my pained heart... How much can it take being toyed with..."

I finally turn around and walk away, coming outside to the statue that I saw Blake show her ears after she had a falling out with her team and I was there for her when she needed somebody. But unfortunately... There's nobody here for me.

I sit down and look up at the night sky, the stars, the shattered moon... I make my tails encircle me in comfort, my time in Vale hasn't been going well so far. I lay down... and just close my eyes, a lone tear going down my cheek and I try to fall asleep, doesn't matter if anybody sees me here in the morning, wouldn't be the 'weirdest' thing people have seen me do anyways.

~ End of Chapter 17 ~