The Dahlia Enlists a Knight [Closed]

[Takes Place on Beacon Week Four, Saturday]

The Queen Anne was a masterpiece ship that sailed back and forth from the eastern regions of Remnant to Vale. Crafted beautifully on the outside and luxuriously inlaid on the inside, it wasn’t a surprise that the passengers were only the highest of nobles and their familiars.

It was around sunrise when Mirai had set foot on the still empty deck, wearing her thick layered black dress with a coat and bonnet. Since Ren and Honne had been sent to “investigate” the incident that happened at Hotel Histoire, Mirai was with her mother’s old bodyguard, Wanyu, an elderly man with a bald head who wore nothing but a yukata and a fedora hat. Mirai leaned on the railing of the deck and yawned.

“Wanyu, I’m bored,” Mirai sighed. “How much longer ‘til we reach Vale to board an airship back to Beacon Academy?”

“Not until tomorrow morning, Little Miss,” Wanyu said as he crossed his arm. “But if it suits you, you can liaison with the other nobles aboard.”

“Heh?” Mirai raised an eyebrow. “All the ever do is butter up to me. And let’s not forget the last time I spent with a noble when I was invited to dinner.”

“He tried to poison you, I believe,” Wanyu said. “And then you attacked him with a butter knife.”

Mirai nodded and took out her fan. Despite it being cold, she couldn’t seem to do without one to cover half her face at most times. It was a sort of mannerism that acted pretty useful when needed.

“I hope something interesting happens soon,” Mirai said. “I can’t wait until I get to Beacon for something amusing to happen.”

“That would be bad,” Wanyu said, recalling how Mirai forced him to dance as a kabuki.

“Indeed.”

Rayden walked around the ship's deck trying to not draw attention to himself. With his black suit and blade at his hip he feared the other passengers might think him out of place. Perhaps this attire is unfit for a setting such as this? Rayden takes a quick look around the area, noting how the other people are dressed, Nay, it matters not. Nobility of this class have nary a worry for themselves, let alone for a stranger. The reason for his carefulness and lack of armour was his status as a passenger. Rayden could not afford his ticket on the ship as he had used most of his money to send Black Knight over to Beacon in preparation for his arrival and had to resort to being a stowaway in order to 'afford' the trip. Upon arrival at Beacon I mustn't tarry and seek out the headmaster. My only hope being that he finds my skills suitable for a scholarship at his academy.

"Wanyu," Mirai said bluntly.

"Yes, Little Miss?" he asked.

"You're going to have to dance for me."

Wanyu flinched and almost slipped on his wooden sandals. He fixed his hat and looked back to Mirai.

"Y-you can't be serious!" Wanyu said worriedly. "I'm sure this something else you can do."

Mirai's sharp emerald eyes turned to the old man with set gravity.

"Like what?" she said.

"Well, er..." Wanyu felt a cold drop of sweat trace down the side of his temple. "How about your books?"

"I've read all ten of them thrice," Mirai said. "At the same time."

"Uhh...cards?"

"You're awful at cards and you know it," she said.

Wanyu looked around flustered, he was running out of ideas.

"How about chess?" Wanyu said. He got on his knees and began to bow. "Please, mistress, don't make me dance anymore! It's absolutely embarrassing!"

"Ugh!" Mirai groaned as she thrashed her hands in the air. "None of those things are interesting! The least I can get from you dancing is your wariness and humiliation as the other passersby come around and go around! You're going to dance or I'm going to have to shoot bullets at your feet to make you!"

As she said the last part, a strong cold wind blew and Mirai's bonnet flew into the air.

"My hat!" she exclaimed. She picked up her skirt and began running towards it, realizing it was headed towards a dark-haired stranger who looked nothing like a noble at all. "Hey! Hey, boy! Fetch that thing if you want to keep your head on!"

She continued to run towards him, her long golden hair flying behind her like a ray of sunlight itself.

Despite Rayden's attempts to not be noticed a young lady was coming toward him with a demanding look on her face yelling something about a hat. Hat? Turning his eyes toward the sky Rayden notices a plum bonnet slightly over his head. Without a second thought he reaches out and grabs the bonnet making sure to not damage it in the process. A few seconds later the young lady stops in front of him and Rayden remembers the words of his master, 'A knight presents himself properly in front of a lady.' Rayden drops to one knee and lifts the hat up to the girl while looking down at the ground. "Milady" Not having seen the young lady's face curiosity builds in Rayden but he forces himself to stay in his position not wanting to appear rude.

Mirai stopped in front of the stranger, but with his bowed head, she could not see what he really looked like. She almost felt herself smile at his courtesy and recognition of her status, but she did not. Instead, she took her bonnet carefully and tied it back on, Wanyu following behind her.

"Little miss, are you alright?" Wanyu said as he caught up.

"I'm fine," Mirai said. "This young gentleman saved my bonnet before it went into the water."

She looked down again to him, her fan once again to her face.

"Thank you, good sir, for getting my hat," Mirai said. She tried to peer down to see his face, but, still he was kneeling quite low. "You may rise. I'd like to thank the person who saved my hat personally to the face."

Relieved his curiosity could be sated Rayden raises his face in order to look at the young lady's face. As he gazes at her face, Rayden cannot help but stare in a low whisper one word escapes his mouth, "Beautiful". For a moment Rayden forgets his place and stares at the lady before him not sure how to respond but finally remembers the obvious difference between them. "I beeseech thine forgivness for my rude behavior. How rude of me to speak without nary an introduciton. I am Rayden Niles, at your service milady." 

Mirai wouldn't have minded the small comment Rayden had made as he looked up to her, but she was staring too intently at him. Dark haired with black eyes, he didn't seem to have the appearance of a noble, but there was a refined handsomeness about him. That wasn't however, why she was staring. There was something about his expression, a docility, perhaps, that brought her back to the image of someone from long ago.

"Will..." she said soundlessly. Realizing what she was saying, her eyes widened and she closed them, trying not to look at the stranger. She gave him a rough look.

"Rayden Niles, eh?" Mirai said. "You're forgiven as you did save my hat. Anyways, it's strange for people to be at the deck so early in the morning. But now that you're here, I believe you have saved me from a terrible doldrum."

She looked at him and his attire. This person is definitely not a noble and it'll be fun making him confess that.

"My name is Mirabella Cinq, though people usually address me as Mirai. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Niles. Now, why don't you accompany me to the dining area? I do believe breakfast is close by."

Rayden was prepared to deny the young lady's offer, hating the idea of taking a handout, but his stomach began to rumble at the mere mention of breakfast. The stowaway meal plan wasn't exactly extravagant and Rayden had yet to eat making the offer of food all the more enticing. 'A knight dost not deny the request of a lady.' With a heavy mixture of reluctance and gratitude, Rayden bowed his head. "Of course milday" Rayden stood from his position and awaited for the Mirai to start walking toward the dining area.

Mirai smiled smugly behind her fan and made a short nod.

"Lead the way, Wanyu," Mirai said.

"Ah, yes, of course," Wanyu smiled, relieved he had been spared from dancing ridiculously.

The sun was now shining faintly in the sky, but the dawn's clouds still lingered. The room for breakfast was filled with tables draped with fine cloth and decorated with fresh cut flowers. A hostess was waiting at a stand and greeted them in. There weren't that many people yet but Mirai knew that each table had been counted for. Mirai sat down at a chair pulled by Wanyu who left right after to eat at his own quarters. When he did, she looked at Rayden.

"Do sit," she said.

After that, an array of fruits and breads, coffees and cakes, were served. Mirai, herself, sampled a croissant but then commented she wasn't hungry otherwise. As hotcakes and more pastries were served, Mirai looked at Rayden.

"Go ahead and eat," Mirai invited. "I'm sure you're more than hungry."

Mirai had gone back to covering her face with a fan.

"So, what brings you to ride on the Queen Anne today?" Mirai said. "I'm going to be blunt with you, but your behavior and appearance make me assume you're not a noble. Are you here with someone?"

Seeing the food before him Rayden started to feel a frenzy of hunger take over him but managed to hold it back. His master did not bother teaching him proper etiquette on eating but after a number of mistakes back at Signal he knew at the very least to not make a mess and to not talk with his mouth full. Rayden chose foods he felt would be the easiest to eat with out creating crumbs everywhere. He choose to have a cup of coffee and a few slices of cantaloupe. "Thank you milady." Rayden began to have a few bits but was stopped as Mirai asked him a question.  More talking and a sensitive subject at that. Rayden made sure to swallow his food and wipe his mouth before replying. "Thou art correct, noble maiden. My blood is that of a commoner. I ride on this vessel alone on my journey to Beacon Academy where my studies await." Rayden takes a sip of his coffee, talking to this extent was not something he was used to and left him quickly parched.

Mirai stopped sipping her tea as she heard the words Beacon Academy.

"Beacon, eh?" Mirai said. "So you're going out you're way to be a Hunter. I guess that explains the sword always at your side."

The breakfast area was filling up just as the sunlight grew stronger. There were more and more nobles. Mirai looked around before she spoke again.

"There are 30 guests on board minus the assistants," Mirai said."And there are thirty seats here, and thirty courses reserved. The fragments and pieces tell me, however, that one of the guests will come here to have no seat and no meal. It will probably be one of the finer guests, a lady who likes to be fashionably late and takes her time to get dressed. When she comes here, she'll be upset to know that her meal's been 'stolen'. The waiters will go through the trouble of making her a new batch just for herself as we watch them get embarrassed."

As Mirai put down her cup of tea, she smiled at Rayden knowingly. As if on cue, the whole room was full and a lady with a full dress and tightly upped hair was gaping at the hostess.

"No room!?" she said. "What do you mean no room!? I'm a guest, aren't I?"

Mirai's eyes turned to Rayden.

"The moment we met, you made it clear you were lower than a noble by bowing down to me," Mirai said. "An ordinary noble would maybe bow and kiss my hand, but you got down onto your knee. As we entered for breakfast, you seemed unfamiliar with the setup, telling me this is your first time dining here, which would be absurd because Queen Anne only takes in guests who have been with them since their first departure. You're applying to Beacon, but I have a feeling you're relying more on your skills than your money to get there. You're clothes suggest you didn't even carry any lien onboard."

Mirai turned to the woman who had been given a table and fresh food, slightly appeased of her irritation and anger. She then looked back at Rayden.

"The fragments of chaos can only lead me to conclude one thing," Mirai smiled. "You're not a passenger on this ship. You're a stowaway. And I've caught you red-handed."

With a calm expression Rayden sets his coffee down and smiles at Mirai. "Thou art quite cunning fair maiden." When he speaks Rayden's voice is devoid of any panic but inside his he can feel the anger building, not at Mirai for deducing his situation in fact he was quite impressed but the anger he felt was toward himself for being foolish enough to be caught. "Now pray tell what dost thou plan to do with a criminal such as I?" Rayden had no intention of fighting the girl. The thought of escape did cross his mind but it was hardly an option while they were surrounded by water and he would never dream to leave his armour behind. Tis such a cruel fate for my journey to end with my own goal so close. My only solace would be that I had the pleasure to meet such a beauty before being imprisoned.

Mirai could read Rayden's expression through his hollow eyes. She closed her own and let out a satisfied hum.

"If you're stupid enough to think I'm going to have you arrested, you're quite mistaken," Mirai said as placed her napkin down. She turned to Rayden, a rue smile on her face."I think I've already told you that you're my ticket out of an entire day of doldrums. So, as your punishment for stealing a ride, you are going to take Wanyu's place for the day and entertain me."

She let out a small yawn and covered her mouth.

"Now, why don't you help me get up so we can go to Wanyu's quarters?" Mirai said. "If you're going to be my servant, you should at least look the part."

Based on what Mirai had told him Rayden could not tell if his time with the young lady would be a good thing or a bad thing. The one thing he did know was that he had been saved. To think I would be wouldst meet one so kind who would keep such a secret. Grateful for Mirai's actions and eager to be of assistance Rayden had no problem following her commands. He stands from his seat and moves to Mirai's side. After a short bow Rayden replies. "But of course milday. Tis a knight's duty to serve." Without any warning of his actions Rayden reaches down and places one arm under the back of Mirai's knees and the other arm wrapped slightly around her waist. With little effort Rayden lifts Mirai from her seat in a princess carry. After a brief moment of looking around Rayden faces Mirai who is nearly eye level with him now. "The direction milady?

Mirai was about to say the directions towards the room when Rayden suddenly lifted her up with both arms. Her eyes widened and she looked at him as if he were insane. Everywhere around, the nobles turned towards them and Mirai felt her cheeks blush in frustration. She thrashed around, the ruffles of her dress making noise as she did and her boots trying to kick hard on Rayden's side.

"What in Remnant are you doing!?" Mirai half-exclaimed. "Put me down this instant or so help me, I'll stab you with a knife!"

Shocked by Mirai's abrupt behavior Rayden places Mirai down and takes a knee with his head down. As his head bows he hides his look of confusion. Was that an act of utter folly. Nay it could not have been. Master clearly said 'When a lady ask to be helped up, a knight must carry her in the appropriate manner.' Unsure of what went wrong Rayden awaits Mirai's reaction but offers his words to ease the situation. "I humbly ask for thy forgiveness Lady Mirai. I bequeath my sincerest apologies for my actions. I knew not my place and overstepped my bounds."

Rayden dropped Mirai down, placing her at the tip of her boots and at the edge of her temper. She looked at him flustered and at the same time highly irritated. She was about to give it to him until he generously knelt down and apologized with his fancy chivalrous language. More people were staring and Mirai took Rayden's arm sharply and hoisted him back into a straight position.

"Idiot," Mirai said in a sharp whisper. "Keep bowing like that and people will surely know you're out of place."

She swung an arm to cross with Rayden's in a link and then she let out a peal of laughter.

"Dearest you really are quite the charmer!" she said with a light air and a sweet expression. "You haven't carried me like that in ages! You really surprised me there for a moment..."

She continued to laugh and even placed an arm over Rayden's chest, and she dragged him out of the dining room. When they finally left into the empty hall, Mirai let go and pressed down one heel on Rayden's foot. Her sudden change of expression was replaced with her previous vexation.

"Don't ever do any of that again!" she snapped. "Any of that ever! I don't know how people treat ladies in your hometown, but it's not acceptable here, got that?"

She stared Rayden straight in the eye, angrily, but then found she couldn't stay mad too long, Rayden obviously confused. She turned away, her cheeks still red from the blunder, and she crossed her arms.

"You're going to pay terribly for all this," Mirai said. "Thanks to the little act I put on earlier, now you have to play the role as my lover while we're on this ship, not servant. Now follow me. I'm sure Wanyu has a set of Ren's dress shirts and pants somewhere..."

Mirai made sure to walk ahead of Rayden at all times, unable to face him. She stomped harshly on the carpeted floor with her small black boots as she lifted her skirt. They came towards a set of room doors and Wanyu had just come out of one.

"Ah, Little Miss," Wanyu smiled. "Did you enjoy your meal with our guest?"

Mirai puffed her cheeks.

"My guest needs a good suit right now," Mirai said. "No time for explaining. Just let him in and get him changed.."

She turned to Rayden at last. She jerked her head towards the door.

"Go on," she said. "And be quick. I'm as impatient as it is."

After Mirai's exit of dining area, Rayden had only grown more confused but knew enough of what was going on to listen to Mirai's orders. As he enters the room Rayden tries to make sense of what just happened but isn't able to form a complete thought. Master never prepared me for one such as her she is far outside my expectations. A small smile appears on Rayden's face as he remembers her flustered face. Well unpredictability is not always a bad thing. Seeing the suit that Wanyu had left for Rayden he quickly undresses himself, making sure to keep Chevalier within arm's reach, and dresses himself in the borrowed outfit. A bit different but not too bad. Rayden exists the room and faces Mirai. "Milady, dost mine appearance please you?"

Wanyu had been with Mirai as Rayden changed. She turned to Wanyu who seemed to be smiling.

"What outfit did you make him wear?" she asked him.

Wanyu grinned.

"Well, Ren is tad taller than him so I set out a different set of clothes," Wanyu said. "Since I'm also in Vale to see my grandson, my daughter made me bring his fencing attire. I think it'll suit young master Rayden quite nicely."

Mirai frowned in exasperation.

"First of all, I am your only Mistress on this ship, Wanyu," she said. "Second, if I don't like how he looks, you're doing the kabuki dance!!"

Wanyu looked at her flustered but bowed his head. "O-of course, Little Miss."

Finally, the door opened to reveal Rayden.

"Milady, dost mine appearance please you?"

Mirai's eyes widened as she watched Rayden walk into the corridor wearing a crisp gentleman's outfit. But it wasn't because he looked attractive, though he definitely looked that. It was another reason.

"You've saved yourself a dance, Wanyu," Mirai said in an absent whisper as she walked towards her "beau" for the ride.

She focused again, and circled around him looking him head to toe.

"It'll do," she said. "Though yellow's not your best color..."

She took Rayden's arm again, turning away because she was blushing again.

"Let's go back to the deck," Mirai said. "And as we do, I want you to tell everything you can about yourself. You're not getting off so easy, stowaway."

Yellow was most certainly not Rayden's color. Such a bright color almost pained his eyes as he looked at it having grown accustomed to his grey armor and occasional black suit. At Mirai's request to hear more about him Rayden grows a little nervous. Why must she insists on talking. Rayden takes a deep breath and prepares himself to answer Mirai's current question and any other she might have. "I am but a humble knight from a small village who has pledged himself to be a shield for those who cannot protect themselves. I will bear the burden of the Grimm so others do not have to. It is my purpose in life to do so, it is my only way to attempt to make amends for the mistakes of my past. No matter how broken and battered I may become I will hold strong and be the shield the people of this land deserve in order to bring them some kind of happiness." Upon finishing Rayden's expression is melancholic, his eyes set forward with an almost hollowness as he had abandoned meaning for his own life outside of being a shield for others. Without noticing, Rayden's arm had instinctively gone to his sword helping bring him back to reality away from the memories of his master's final moments.

Mirai listened patiently as Rayden told his story. From the way his eyes seemed to drift to a different place, she could tell that he wasn't lying. Having spent most of her time with nobles, she found it hard to see someone so dedicated to protecting others instead. Once again reminding her of her own past.

I serve to make you happy... a gentle whisper came into her ear. Mirai's eyes widened, but she pushed to false words away.

She took out her fan as they reached the deck and Wanyu opened a lace parasol to shade her and Rayden. The sun now high in the sky and the wind blowing only faintly. They came to a small table with an umbrella shading it as well.

"Quite a story," Wanyu remarked as he set out pulled Mirai into her seat and she let go of Rayden. "You sound like a very dedicated young man."

"A man with aspirations," Mirai said as covered her face with the fan again. "Dangerous ones, if I were to say."

She gave Rayden a small glance and smiled, pleased about something.

"However, I did say you were here to appease my doldrums," she said. "And so far, you've definitely taken the cake."

It was only then that a new group of people came to the deck, a cluster of men in black suits, red ties and shades. They walked towards Mirai's table, but Wanyu stopped them.

"I'm sorry but this table's taken," Wanyu said.

"No it's not," one of the men said as he pushed Wanyu aside. It was done with so much force that Wanyu fell to the floor and slid. The man who had done so slipped his hand into a coat and pulled out a handgun.

"Mistress!" Wanyu cried.

Mirai turned and stood just as the gun fired. A small thick wall of ice formed in front of her, catching the bullet only barely. Mirai tapped her feet and the ice spread on the floor to attach to the men's feet. She tugged on one edge of her skirt and a small silver ball with a red line crossing it rolled out in front of the men. She grabbed Rayden and her other hand came to a small gadget from her pocket. She whispered in Rayden's ear.

"Hold on," she said.

Almost immediately, Rayden was hoisted into the air as Mirai charged her boots into a powerful jump. As they hovered for a split second, Mirai pressed a red button on the remote she held and the silver ball that rolled towards the men blipped 3 times.

"Sayonara," she said in her mother's language.

The small ball exploded with powerful force, sending the men flying in all directions with burns and tears. There was a huge hole in the area there had been. Mirai and Rayden landed just as Wanyu took out two sai blades from his yukata.

"Mistress, we have to leave now!" Wanyu said.

More men came to the deck and this time they were holding bigger guns.

"Don't move, little lady, or we shoot!" one of them said.

Rayden took a step forward and put himself between Mirai and the armed men drawing Chevalier as he moved. "Milady, go. I will cover." To have the durst to attack a young lady. Animals, they must be put in their place. Tis a pity I do not have my armour. With his sword drawn Rayden gave each of the thugs a menacing look while he focused on seeing which would attack first. "Know you no shame, to attack a young lady with such a large number? The lady is under my protection and I would cut down whosoever touches a single hair on her head!"

"Is that so, Lancelot?" the man in front of the group said mockingly. "What are you gonna do? Swing your sword at us? I think you're forgetting we have guns. Now drop that thing before I turn you into f****ing swiss cheese in three...two..."

Mirai turned to Wanyu who was hiding behind a metal vent. With one look, Wanyu nodded threw Mirai's parasol into the air. Grabbing Rayden by the hand, Mirai darted towards it, shots fired, but she was swift to create a running wall of ice as she did.

"Stay back!" Mirai told Rayden as she caught her parasol. The ice shattered into pieces as more shots fired from the SMGs but Mirai stood sideways and opened her parasol, deflecting them.

"You're not the only ones with guns," Mirai said calmly. As one looked closer at the hook of the parasol, one could see it was actually the handle of a gun. Mirai pulled on the trigger sending out multiple shots and the men falling back and jumping over the railings and onto a speedboat.

"What's with this brat!?" one of them screamed.

"Who the f*** cares!?" another yelled. "Just move it!"

From above, Mirai could hear the sound of the jet moving, but she no longer bothered to attack. She turned to Rayden.

"Your valiant words could've meant something to a damsel in distress," she said as she closed the parasol. "But to be honest, I thought you lacked threat in your passage. I should know, I'm an actress."

The sound of more people were coming, but it was the ship guards this time. She took Rayden by the hand.

"Let's head back down," Mirai said. "If they question you, you'll blow your cover. And another thing..."

She looked at Rayden seriously this time, her sharp emerald eyes almost trying to pierce through him.

"Don't be so stupid as to threat a person with a gun unprotected, got that? If you're going to protect me, you're going to do it right."

As Rayden is dragged along once again by Mirai he starts to think of how much better a job he could have done. She's right, I would have been useless. "Milady, thou art correct but I ask ye to worry not about my well being. I do however apologize for my recklessness, should I have been cut down I would have failed in my duty." Rayden finished speaking and tried to relieve the soreness in this throat. He began to look around for some sort of beverage but a thought struck him. "Milady I know tis not my place to ask but who were those men?'

Mirai followed as Wanyu led her back to her quarters and locked the door. She half-listened to Rayden's knightly mumbling and apologies. The room was a finely furnished suite with a canopy bed and red velvet sheets. There was a small table where tea was being served by Wanyu. When Mirai closed the door, she turned back to Rayden and sighed.

"I guess it's only fair I tell you," Mirai said and then, with a sharp look at Rayden, "Though even an idiot could guess this one, actually."

She sat down in her chair and leaned on one of its arms.

"The men you saw were probably a bunch of kidnappers," Mirai said. "As you can see, this boat is full of nobles and kidnapping one fetches a good ransom. They probably thought it'd be good to kidnap me. I have a small frame and I'm young. My bodyguard was supposedly an elderly old man who knows nothing about fighting..."

She took out her fan again and started covering her face.

"But as you see, that's not the case. They were terribly mistaken. Because, if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm also going to attend Beacon. I've been trained in combat since very young and Wanyu is an exceptional ninja. So, now you know."