CinderBella Chapter 1 (Rewrite)
After coming back to my original story, I wasn't happy with where It was going, So I decided to rewrite it. Please tell me what you think, and enjoy :)
As a Faunus, Blake Belladona has always been different from those around her. Even those that consider themselves to be her friends, don't know the real Blake. Once she decided to leave the White Fang to join Beacon Academy, she decided to also turn over a new leaf regarding her personality, and while she was still a cold and distant person, she was no longer the heartless woman that she once was.
During her time in the White Fang, Blake quickly gained rank and respect for her abilities in the field. Her agility, speed and utility as an operative helped her beat those that were considered to be her competition. And because of this, was brought into the higher echelons of the organisation. During her time there, she met many people. People with "business ventures" that some would consider questionable. And now, standing in front of her in the halls of the Beacon Academy Dorms, was one of those people.
Cinder Fall. With one look at her you could tell what kind of woman she was. Ebony black hair that rolled off her shoulders like a waterfall. Amber eyes so deep, you can almost see the flame burning inside them. With the uniform of Haven Academy on, she fit perfectly into the role of a visiting student.
Standing behind Yang and Weiss, with Ruby sprawled out on the floor after bumping into Emerald, Blake was staring daggers at the Amber Huntress, to which she returned a flirtatious wink matched with a coquettish smile.
"...and we're Team RWBY, are you new here?"
Ruby asked with a genuinely innocent face. Clearly not recognising her aerial attacker from the night at From Dust til Dawn.
Hearing her question, Cinder steps out from behind Emerald and Mercury and responds,
"Visiting from Haven actually."
The line clearly part of a well thought out back story.
Clearing up the situation, Ruby explained to the "visitors" that their rooms could be found in a separate dorm to theirs.
Cinder gives her thanks to her, and begins to walk away, with Mercury and Emerald In tow. Seeing this as good opportunity as ever, Blake tells her teammates to go on ahead without her, then moves to follow after Cinder.
Just outside of the Dorm, Cinder waits patiently, sitting on a bench in the centre of the courtyard. Walking with purpose out of the Dorm, Blake walks over to Cinder, and sits beside her.
"Wanna tell me what you're doing here Cinder?"
The Faunus never expected to see one of her former partners showing up on her doorstop.
"Well my little kitty cat, I'm doing here what you used to do so well for us...sound familiar?"
Cinder said. While Blake may be a student of Beacon, Cinder knew that Blake couldn't stop living the life she loved. A life of crime.
"...Scouting out the enemy."
Blake reluctantly said.
"Wow Blake, how did you know?...its almost as if you've done this before..."
Cinder said with a sarcastic tone, she knew that she was hitting a sore spot.
"..."
Blake held back the urge to retort, while she knew what Cinder was doing, Blake knew that starting an argument was the last thing she should do. She learnt that after sharing a room with a certain frosty heiress.
"Oh my, has the kitten lost its claws? No poor attempt at a comeback Blake?"
Cinder feigned astonishment, rubbing salt into the wounds.
"While I do enjoy our chats Cinder, I'd much prefer to have them without your goons lurking in the shadows."
Without even blinking an eye, Blake stared into Cinders, showing a bit of condescension. Suddenly, Cinders smile disappeared, and she clicked her fingers.
At that moment two shadows erupted from the nearby shrubbery, one lunging forward with a pair of sickles, the other with his boots aflame, closing in on Blake's head.
With no signs of flinching, Blake maintains her eye contact with Cinder, and just as the blazing kick connects, Blake shatters into Ice.
Stepping out from behind a trees trunk, Blake gave the pair a slow, almost sarcastic, applause.
The two, Mercury and Emerald, now unable to move due to being frozen solid, couldn't do much but swallow down curses.
"Wow Cinder, those henchmen of yours sure are improving, They almost surprised me."
Blake now returning to her position on the bench. Settling into the seat much more than she previously had.
"...Almost"
She repeated, now staring straight at Cinder, with her returning the strong look.
After a long pause, both burst Into laughter. Surprising both Mercury and Emerald, who were slowly defrosting.
"You haven't changed abit Cinder, always trying to kill me one way or another..."
"You say I haven't changed? Little Miss "I've turned over a new leaf" is still able to manage herself in combat."
"Well, if there's one thing I learnt in my time with you, its that you can never be too careful. You used to send people to attack me in my sleep, remember?"
The two went back and forth reminiscing about the times they shared in the White Fang.
However, Blake realized that this cheery conversation couldn't last forever.
"Cinder, how about you tell me what you're really doing here."
Blake asked with a completely serious face.
"I'm here for you Blake."
Cinder's response brought both a blush and a look of questioning to Blake's face. Sensing the tone, Blade quickly rattled herself and focused on the point.
"We're going to be making some big moves in the coming months, and we're going to need the best and brightest for what's to come."
Cinder reinforced her point by maintaining a stoic expression.
"Ever since you left Blake, we've struggled finding anyone to replace you. The Intel we've been receiving from our scouting agents has been insufficient at best. We need you to come back Blake. I need you to come back. Your skills and efficiency helped build the White Fang Into what it is today, and I can't continue to run it without you by my side."
At some point during their conversation, Cinder had placed her hand upon Blake's, and was looking endearingly into her eyes, with almost a look of desperation in her gaze.
Blake pulled away from Cinder to both hide her slowly growing blush, and to show her rejection of the offer.
"Cinder...we've already talked about this..."
Blake couldn't find the words to properly describe how she felt.
"I'm not here to force an answer out of you Blake, I came here to give you this."
Cinder held her hand out, displaying the earpiece. Used to communicate with team mates from long distances.
"Tomorrow night, we'll be hitting a shipment of dust coming Into the harbor. If you show, I'll take that as your agreement to coming back. If you don't... Then please destroy the earpiece."
Cinder had leaked Blake alot of information, just to try to get her to return to the White Fang.
"Cinder...I..."
Before Blake could say another word, Cinder had silenced her with her finger.
"I'm not doing this for business Blake. Since you left, things have been hectic, and I've decided to start doing things for my own interest. I suggest you start doing the same."
Blake was silenced by this comment. She has never really done things for her own sake, only for the sake of others.
Thinking back to her time in the White Fang, Blake was a member that believed all of her actions were for the greater good, for the liberation and equal rights of Faunus. But she soon realized that things were difference once Cinder joined the organization.
At first, Cinder was very standoff-ish as a person, however, as time passed those that collaborated with her regularly realized that the girl wasn't as bad as everyone thought her to be.
One of, If not the, first to notice this about Cinder was Blake.
The two girls quickly grew close in the organization, due to Blake and Cinder's respected abilities they were commonly paired together for missions, and they got very close very fast. Blake was scared that it was too fast, and she quickly distanced herself from the girl, deciding to leave the White Fang altogether.
Thinking about Blake and Cinder's history, the faunus quickly grew a shy smile and a low crimson blush grew on her face.
By the time that Blake had calmed down, she realized that Cinder had already left, leaving behind the earpiece and a note to the side.
"I hope to see you soon, Kitty cat..."
Blake quickly pocketed the note and earpiece. Telling herself she'll decide on what to do another time, but without realizing she'd already made her decision...