Disclaimer: RWBY isn't mine! Please support the official release!
Charred Cherub
"There's no point in pushing her this hard. It will only make her recovery take longer."
"She has to be able to bare the pressure of her own mortality. Even as a Maiden-especially as a Maiden. Stop protecting her."
"Sure. As soon as you get the guts to kill me alongside her."
Salem gritted her fangs as her red eyes burned and her head rattled. With an inhuman growl, she glided out of the training room and down the hall.
"She won't be talking to me for a while," Summer noted with a click of her tongue before turning to Cinder.
The Fall Maiden was on her knees staring up at her with indignant respect. It was impossible for her not be a little stupefied every time she witnessed it with her own eyes: the ruler of Grimm retreating from a woman that was smaller than Cinder herself. It was this spectacle that reinforced the idea of Summer's tether to the Immortal. A stringent bond that could not be beheld by anyone else.
The Rose knelt in front of the girl with that patient look that rarely faded when it came to Cinder or the others. She drew a hanky and the crippled woman defiantly turned her head. A gentle hand on her cheek made their eyes meet again. The blood was gently dabbed from her chin. "She believes in you just as I do," Summer spoke without falter, a small smile gracing her lips. "She just doesn't know any other way to admit it."
The fire in Cinder's throat kept her from speaking, but she'd gotten pretty good at talking with her eyes. I don't need your pity. The narrowing of her remaining eyelid was the most she could do in that moment to show her disapproval.
"Pity's never been a factor between you and me; We're closer than that." She retracted the cloth from her face. "There we go!" Her expression was that of patronizing parent.
Another thread, am I?
"You know you are," Summer said rather testily. "That was practically true from the beginning."
Summer was the one to bring Cinder to Salem. It had a been a chance meeting while the Ex-Huntress was roaming Mistral, looking for anything useful. The brunette had looked like any other delinquent then, a bundle of misguided energy that turned into be a hired gun. That was until Summer approached her and asked her what she would do be willing to do to control her own fate.
"Nice mask. Are you some bizarre cultist?" Cinder had responded with her trademark condescending tone.
"You could say that."
"Looking for converts, are we?"
"You're sneering at me, but you haven't walked away from me yet."
"I always welcome another source of amusement."
"Well, I'm glad to be worth a laugh or two," Summer chuckled good-naturedly before going stark serious again. "But amusement isn't really what you want most, is it?" Her voice wasn't sinister. It was simply full of intrigue. "If you could live to embody anything, what would it be?"
Cinder appraised the short figure in front her. Her posture was almost challenging, but it searched for something different than a fight. They were having a standoff of purpose. She closed her eyes and thought for a moment before saying, "Power."
"And why is that?"
"Look at all these bodies," Cinder gestured to the passersby with disdain. "No organization, no greater picture." She breathed out impatiently before her amber eyes sparked with something dangerous. "You must acquire only the truest strength to rise above the mere day to day madness. Only then can you create true order amidst the sea of chaos."
"Very true," Summer purred approvingly, before stepping closer. "But how far would go to get such a power?"
Ignoring the look of anger from Cinder, she took the Maiden's arm onto her shoulder and hoisted her up off the ground. When they went into the hall, Emerald was pressed up against a nearby wall. The petrified look on her face said that she had been there since Salem stormed off.
"Em," Summer called to her, "help me get Cinder back to her quarters."
The thief snapped out of her doe-like trance when she confirmed her leader wasn't standing on her own power. She was on Cinder's other side in less than a blink.
"Holy shit," Emerald commented as they continued down the hall.
Holy shit indeed. Claw marks and fist-sized holes sparingly peppered the stone.
"Yeah, that's my bad," Summer admitted with a remorseful look "She hates it when I use our relationship to threaten her."
The mint-colored girl took in Cinder's poor attempt to hide her gnashing teeth and limp, "She deserved it."
Don't let her childish point of view rub off on you, Emerald.
"There's nothing childish about you being beaten black and blue," Cinder's vassal fired back.
I'm not black and blue…
"You know what she means, Cindy," Summer sucked her teeth.
…
Summer and Emerald shared a look. Cinder must have been doing bad if she gave up the argument that quickly. Especially after being called by her most hated nickname. Thankfully, they came up to the rogue trio's quarters.
They placed the frail Maiden in her bed, the poor girl's eyes half-lidded at that point. Summer went to check her forehead and her face gnarled in anger. "Damn her!" she cursed Salem. Her head snapped to the dark-skinned girl. "Em, get me some water and cloth! Hurry!"
Not a moment passed before her request was fulfilled.
Summer patted a moistened rag on Cinder's forehead as the younger woman's breathing became shallow. She lost consciousness.
"Why would Salem take her to train if she still wasn't ready yet!?" Emerald demanded with her frightened gaze fixed on the person who had become the guiding star of her life.
Summer made sure her student's head adjusted at the right angle for easier respiration. She darkly answered, "It's not just her injury's that are hurting her."
Ruby's resemblance to Summer was nearly frightening to behold. Only, she didn't have the same...defiled feeling to her Aura as her mother did. Maybe it was because she wasn't at all "attached" to Salem. But Cinder could give credit where, credit was do. Little Red was most certainly cute in her own way.
"Are you new here?" was the first thing out of the Summer Clone's mouth.
"Visiting from Haven, actually," Cinder corrected with a smirk.
Ruby's confusion lasted for a few seconds before she perked up. "Oh, you're here for the Vytal Festival! But exchange students have their own dormitory."
"I guess we just got turned around," Mercury shrugged.
"No problem! Your building is just…east of here!"
Cinder walked past her with a wink, "Thanks. I guess we'll see you around, cutie~."
"S-sure!" Ruby stammered as her silver eyes did double-takes. "Uh…Welcome to Beacon!"
The incomplete Maiden watched Ruby rush away from over shoulder. She chuckled to herself. Cinder would most certainly be seeing her around.
Ruby smacked into Cinder the same way she did Emerald a few weeks before. "Little Red," the girl offered her hand up, "You simply must be more careful."
The redhead sheepishly took the helping hand, "Sorry again." Her fingers pressed together as she scowled. "I guess I'm just in klutzy mood."
Cinder couldn't let that train of thought slid through unopposed. "I'll give you the benefit of a doubt and ask what was on your mind."
Ruby's mouth pressed into a line as she looked up and away, clearly trying to figure out what she could say. "I…" she dawdled, "…got into a bit of a scrape with someone last night." She bit her lip. "I would say they got one over on me."
Cinder was careful to make her grin look encouraging instead of triumphant, "I'm sure you did fine." She had quite enjoyed their little dance inside the CCT Tower, to be honest. She had gained just a little extra resentment towards the General for cutting their waltz short.
Summer had been correct when she had said, "Ruby's better than me, she just doesn't know it yet." It still wouldn't have ended any differently, but Red's odds of success would have been better had she not been new to wearing high heels. People made light of the commitment it took.
"You're a prodigy, Red," Cinder purred while patting the shorter girl's head. "It's plain to see. You must simply be willing to notice it as well."
Ruby blushed as she started crooning, "Aw, shut your stupid little face!" Her top half rocked side to side in ecstasy at the mere observation.
Okay, she was also more of a spaz than her mother. Though she wasn't quite a Tyrian.
Even with that thought in mind Cinder couldn't help giving her a sultry look. "On the contrary, Little Red, these lips were made for appraising." Her hand went to her chin thought. "Would you like to accompany for coffee? People watching gets boring without a partner."
"B-but…Your team. My team-" Cinder could almost see smoke coming from the girl's ears.
"-Can manage without us for a little while, I'm sure. Your first official mission outside Beacon isn't until later, correct?" She gently took mousy girl's hand and started leading her, "Shall we?"
"Okay…!" Ruby squeaked back, not fighting her grip.
It's best I get a feel for your mind when I have the chance.
People's every action said something about them. What she learned now could be used later.
Maybe you're holding back more about yourself than you let on, Little Red. And I want to know as much I can.
Cinder intercepted Ruby while she was headed towards the stadium. It would be her last chance to see her, the last time the younger Rose would tolerate her existence.
As expected, the scythe-master had a slight sag to her frame. And why not? Her sister had been defamed as a brutal savage very recently. The Fall Maiden would have preferred to not use Yang as a lynch pin for the Beacon's fall, but it was just the way things turned out. Still, she would need to apologize to Summer the instant she returned "home". Or more than she was already going to have to.
"Ruby," Cinder greeted her with an empathetic smile, "how are you?"
"Hey," Ruby gave her a fragile nod and a weak beam. "Sorry I missed our lunch, date today." Unshed tears stung her eyes. "Just this whole thing with Yang…And Mercury was your teammate-"
"You don't need to apologize," Cinder interrupted her with a wave of the hand. "These kinds of mistakes happen when you're a warrior. It doesn't make Yang a bad person." She squeezed the redhead's shoulder gently. "I've done worse." And the worst is yet to come.
Ruby squeezed her hand, "You're just saying that, but thanks anyway."
"I'm not. The world's a cruel place Little Red; no one's hands stays clean forever." In her head, Cinder was trying yet again to figure out how someone who made a daughter like Ruby ended up doing the things she did under Salem. It seemed so absurd. Maybe that was why she was disappointed by how easily Yang was triggered into attacking without thinking. For someone of the blonde's prowess and attitude, it seemed beneath her. Ruby and Yang's potential were horribly tapered by their lack of control over themselves, of their emotions. Without their mother there, it couldn't have been all their fault.
"Cinder?" Ruby's face had become worried. She must have been silent a little too long.
The taller female shook her head, "Just a few cloudy thoughts." She suddenly placed a peck on Ruby's forehead. "I need to go now," she said quietly. "But I'll see you later."
Ruby reluctantly nodded, "I love you~." It almost sounded like pleading.
"You'll see me later." You just might not recognize me anymore.
As she started away from her, she couldn't help speaking to her one last time. She didn't turn around. "Ruby…" For a moment, her conviction wavered. Cinder wanted to tell her everything, try and reason with her that things worth doing-that actual change-came at a price. But how could she when the young Rose and her friends would be the one to pay it? When they already were paying it? Instead she merely said, "Storms come and go all the time. Every time you brace yourself to make it through, you're that much stronger. Everything will be all right. You just have to hold out a little longer."
With that, she melded into Vale's shadows. Back into the underworld.
"It's a shame you were promised a power that was never really yours," Cinder spoke with a bitter frown. She absolutely believed that sentiment. As green eyes glared up at her, she wondered how things could have been different if they had gotten to her first.
The answer that came to mind was that nothing would have been different. At no point would Nikos have ever been willing to come with them or conform to one of them. No matter how gifted she was, the Invincible Girl was a guardian by nature, a true Huntress. She would not be willing to sacrifice anything but herself. That was never enough. If allowed to live she would become a massive problem later. Which was why she had to be dealt with now.
The last coherent thing Pyrrha would ever say was, "Do you believe in destiny?"
As her bow forged into existence and she knocked her arrow, a flash of Summer, Salem, Emerald, and Mercury came to her mind. "Yes," she breathed out as she released her shot.
Niko's dying gasp was almost drowned out by the sudden sound of sobbing.
Cinder didn't want to know how she knew that Ruby would be with her one last time. Here, like this. She didn't turn around as the sobbing became a wail. The Fall Maiden let the Silver Eyes Inheritance hit her. As the energy scarred her, the burning sensation wasn't what made her shriek. It was the emotions behind it. The feeling of a peaceful future being reduced to ash, love being twisted into torment, hope being stripped away. Ruby had loved her so much. A life that barely started was turned to dust.
And in the end, all she got for it was torn asunder.
Cinder's eye snapped open. She looked around as much as her stiff neck would let her.
Emerald had fallen asleep knelt beside her bed at some point. The girl's loyalty suddenly felt horribly misplaced. Cinder looked away.
Summer was in a chair right next to her. Her gentle look was sadly expectant. She didn't say anything as she tenderly replaced the rag on her student's head with a fresh one.
The Fall Maiden's throat burned more than ever before, but this next question had to be asked with her own voice. She had put it off for too long. "Ruby…my string…is it…Red?"
Summer nodded somberly, knowing exactly what she was trying to ask. Her hand gently caressed Cinder's cheek as the younger woman's face contorted in broken anguish. "It's okay to cry," the Ex-Huntress said comfortingly, although she was obviously struggling not to cry along with her. "I don't know how many tears I've cried for my bond or how many more I will. There's no shame in letting it out so that you could hold on that much longer."
Cinder wept for the first time in a long time, knowing she wasn't the only one feeling the scorching hollowness in her chest.
Note: I'm still not sure about doing anything big with this AU yet, but I did want to do a quick follow up. For what it's worth, I hope it did something for you guys. I really appreciate the feedback and support more than I can describe in this file!
Read, Fav, Follow, Review! Thanks a million for all that you do!