Preparing for a ball

It's been a few days since we trained in the training simulation, and things have been a bit more tense for us.

The reason being is that most of the students look at us in disgust. Since not only we are currently staying at a racist kingdom that was more racist than America, but also because we were watched twenty-four seven.

Each corner we turned, there were two to three guards in the halls. They would all stiffen at the sight of the four of us but would say nothing.

Currently we were finishing with today's training, and I was on the floor panting. Sweat dripped from my brow, while blood was splattered on the floor.

Harriet on the other hand was still fine, but there was a small bruise on her cheek, and a black eye.

"Not bad, for a kid." She grinned, I only stood up and closed one of my nostrils and shot out some blood.

"This coming from the temper tantrum midget?" I countered, hearing me call her a midget made her growl in annoyance, she knelt down and activated her backpack.

Causing two metal gauntlets to wrap around her arms, her eyes lit up and yellow streaks of lightning flowed around her.

She rushed towards me and reeled her fist back, aiming at my face. My eyes were able to track her, since the speed I've faced against my mother was faster.

But the same couldn't be said for my body, I was barely able to tilt my head to the side, but I could feel the metal grazing my skin.

I winced at the pain at first, but I gritted my teeth and countered. My fist was slower than her speed, but she was distracted enough for me to land a hit.

When my fist slammed against her stomach, I made sure to add some aura to enhance the punch.

She was sent to the other side of the wall easily, the force of the impact was enough to cause her aura to flicker.

She gasped from the impact and wanted to rush towards me, but the sound of the loudspeaker crackle in game the voice of James stopped her.

"Stand down, that's enough training for today." Harriet's fist was a few inches away from my face, she scoffed and pulled her fist away and grinned.

"If it weren't for the general, you would have been sent flying." She said with an arrogant smirk on her face.

"Sorry, I thought I was dealing with an adult, not some child." Blake covered her mouth to hide her laughter, while the rest of the ace ops, minus Winter, chuckled at my comeback.

Harriet fumed at my words, but she sighed and grinned at my words. She playfully punched my shoulder, and soon began to guide me back to the rest.

"By the way, why didn't you use your semblance?" She asked me while the two of us walked back.

"Think of it this way, imagine if a person relays on coffee to wake up, would he stop?" Harriet shook her head.

"No, he would continue to drink it every morning, just to wake up for work." I smiled at her answer and began to form the said man in front of us.

He is walking to work, sipping the coffee. Greeting the people, working diligently. At the end of the day, he is exhausted and soon falls asleep home.

"Exactly, every day, he wakes up, makes his coffee and has energy for the day. But let's think that one day, he didn't take his coffee." I then began to show a day where he was mostly exhausted, and couldn't function.

"He would be tired, barely think. All because he missed one day of coffee." After hearing my explanation, she sighed.

"Guess that means you rarely use your semblance, and only use it when it's necessary." I smiled and nodded my head.

"Yup, I would he useless if I ran out of aura, so I mostly focus on facing them head on, forcing them to use their aura." After our conversation, we soon arrived with the others.

Blake ran towards me, hugging me and began to giggle at my fight, while Sienna and Ilai looked at me in concern. James himself chuckled and patted my back, while the rest of the ace ops stayed silent.

"Good job, but the reason why I stopped you two is because of something that is happening tonight." His demeanor soon changed and he sighed.

He looked more tired and stressed, liking closer, I could see small bags under his eyes. Seeing how he was exhausted, Sienna narrowed her eyes, but still asked.

"What is happening tonight?" The rest of the ace ops looked at one another in concern, soon Winter sighed and stepped forward.

"My 'father' has invited you four to a special celebration on his marketing achievements tonight." She said with venom in her voice, I was curious on why she said it with hate, but seeing her like this, I decided to not pry.

Both Ilia and Sienna on the other hand scowled, the CEO of the SDC invited us was inviting us. Jacques Schnee, formerly known as Jacques Gele, was someone I barely knew in my last life.

All I knew about him was that he was racist and a greedy bastard, hearing him that he invited us, I suspected that he wanted to use us as a facadé to abolish the rumors that were spreading through all in Remnant.

I made sure to hide my smile at what I was hearing and was already scheming to blackmail him. Sadly, that would have to wait, since the four of us had to get ready for tonight.

As we made our way back to our room, I decided to ask Winter about some things. I was nervous at first since she looked like she hated her father, but I needed information, so I gripped her hand and gently tugged it.

"Yes?" She looked at me with annoyance in her eyes, but I was determined to find more information.

"D-do you have any siblings?" At my question, her eyes showed guilt and regret, and her fist clenched hard, causing the glove to crease.

"I....I do." Seeing her act like this was odd for me, since most of the time she is strict and confident, but when I asked her about her siblings, she looks less confident, and somewhat vulnerable.

"Who are they?" Winter was hesitant, but she composed herself and tried to speak, but only small sounds escaped instead.

"I-I have a younger sister named Weiss, while also having a younger brother named Whitley." I was now concerned on why she was l still hesitant, but if I tried to pry even more, something bad would happen.

"Well, I can't wait to see them." I said with a smile on my face, Winter just looked away, but her fists were more loose.

After returning to our room, Elm pulled out her scroll and entered with us. She was muttering something while pacing around the room, before we could do anything, she grabbed me and Blake.

"Time for a makeover." Was all she said before running through the halls, Ilia and Sienna shouted at Elm to come back, but with how fast she was running, she didn't hear them.

The two of them then had no choice but to follow us and see where Elm was taking us. We passed by many studentsc professors, and even some Faunus students.

After running for a few more minutes, we arrived in front of the entrance of the academy.

Ilia, Sienna, and Winter soon caught up and were confused on what happened. But they soon realized what was happening.

"Don't tell me….." Sienna said, but before she could continue, Elm grinned and faced them, with me and Blake still under her arms.

"Yup, we're going clothes shopping!" She exclaimed, Sienna and Winter winced at Elms words.

Ilia smiled, while Blake gasped, her eyes contained stars, and her ears twitched. I on the other hand looked emotionally dead, since I knew what was going to happen.

I turned up and saw multiple students staring at us, the girls looked disgusted, but were slightly jealous, while the boys all looked at me in pity.

'Even if racism exists, they still feel pity for their fellow men when women shop.' I thought, i tried to convince them to save me with puppy eyes, but they just shook their heads and mouthed good luck.

My ears flattened at what they did, and I just limped in Elms arms. The girls soon began to make their way to one of the shops, while I was still forced in Elm's arm.

I tried to struggle out at first, but with how Blake, Sienna, and Ilia were looking at me, I just gave up. Especially since my mother would just beat me if I slept.

"Here we are! The best shop for suits, and dresses!" The six of us, I'm still being carried, stood in front of an expensive looking dress store.

Inside were multiple dresses and suits, on display. Some were more elegant than others, while others were slimmer.

Entering the store, a small bell chime was heard. The store clerks turned towards us with a smile, but soon reeled in shock.

"W-welcome to the Atlas Emporium, h-how may I assist you?" She said with a forced smile on her face.

Elm wanted to speak, but was soon caught off by Winter, who stood in front of her. Seeing Winter, the woman gasped and bowed her head.

"Ah, Miss Schnee, it is an honor." Winter didn't bother looking at her, she turned to us and began to observe.

"I need three dresses, one for adult, one for a young adult, and one for a child, and one suit for a boy." The lady then turned towards us, and her disgust was seen in her eyes.

"Of course, please follow me." The lady then guided the six of us inside and began to take our mesurments.

"So, are you two excited to go to an expensive party?" Elm asked with a large grin on her face.

Sienna, who was being measured at the moment, just huffed and rolled her eyes. Yet she didn't want to prove the humans right that we were just animals.

"Somewhat, but, I don't have much go-hgnh?!" Sienna went rigid and looked at the woman, who was different from the one that brought us in.

She was a bit chubby on the face and stomach, and her fingers were short. In her hand, she held some Bobby pins, and stabbed Sienna on purpose.

"Apologies, my finger slipped." Said the woman, but I just narrowed my eyes at her lie.

'Not with those fat fingers you didn't.' I thought, I made a mental note to burn her money later.

After measuring out clothes, we soon left with bags in our hands, while also with minor injuries.

"Now that you have the clothes for the ball, it's time I teach you the right etiquette when it comes to the parties that my father hosts." Winter said with a strict tone.

Hearing it, me, and Blake shivered in fright. Once you return to the Academy winter placed pile of books on the girl's heads.

"We only have three days to prepare you for the party so we will have to prepare quickly." In her hands was a ruler, and she was pacing back and forth.

Blake, Sienna and Ilia stood still, not wanting to make Winter mad at us. Soon we were told to move forward, but when the book was about to fall from Blakes head, Winter smacked her back, causing Blake to yelp.

The books didn't fall, and Blake sighed, however she was smacked once again, Winter was glaring at her and she wore a frown.

"You mustn't relax, you must show confidence, that you aren't afraid." She then saw that Blake was about to cry, she sighed and removed the books.

"I'm....I'm sorry, I was disciplined this way." She whispered; Blake only sniffled but smiled.

"I....It's okay, I forgive you." Hearing this, Winter coughed and quickly composed herself.

"Well then, let us continue." 

(A/N) Hey hey, here's the chapter for this week, I'll try to start doing two per week, but I won't hold any promises.

Send power stones for support, and maybe I'll do three.

For now, peace.