RWBYond Destiny

AN: We are halfway through this story. I like the way it's turned out. Honestly in terms of raw emotion I think this blows my previous story out of the water and I haven't even gotten to the best part yet. Remember to keep an eye on my profile for my schedule for upcoming stories. And leave a review because this begins the second arc in this story. We've seen Cinder's origins now let's see how the end began.

Chapter 4: School of Destiny

Haven was quite the beautiful city. Despite having lived around Mistral for her whole life, Cinder had never actually visited the capital. But she was seventeen and it was time to put her and Salem's plan into action. It was time to show herself, just not her whole self.

That was why she wasn't wearing her favorite dress. The dress and her swords were her forte. When it came down to setting the world on fire that's what she'd use. But until she was absolutely ready to bring a kingdom on its knees she needed to be discreet. Just enough to make an impression without causing too much attention.

So she wore a sarashi across her chest and around her hips. She had long brown pants with numerous pouches for dust. The outfit was completed with a sleeveless vest that really brought out the fire in her eyes. Her disguise was that of a dust mage. Someone who used raw powders and crystals to devastate the Grimm. In all reality, she was far and away the best at this within her age group. Even if she was much better with Ashes and Glass, her twin swords.

"If you screw this up I'll ring your neck myself." Tobi said. Cinder stuck her tongue out at him. If there was one thing that soured her day it was the fact that Tobi was the one who was signing her in. Despite him only being, what, 10 years older than Cinder? How old was he? She knew he was still a teenager when he got disfigured in the war, and Cinder was 3 or 4 when that happened.

"I'm not the one who constantly fails." Cinder scowled.

"Listen you little brat." He pointed a finger at her. "The only reason why I'm even helping you is because Salem has high hopes for you."

"Does it burn you Tobi? Knowing that our Queen has put her faith in me where she lost it with you?"

Tobi lashed out and grabbed her by the throat. She grabbed his hand using her semblance to burn it. He used his semblance to escape and leaped back.

"Fuck it, I tried." Tobi said.

"Oh are we really doing this right now?" Cinder smirked.

"Stop acting like children." Baldur said. He had been following them, apparently Salem didn't trust Tobi and Cinder alone.

"Yes sir." Cinder said. She peaked around the mountain of a man and spotted a short girl with pink and brown hair. "Hey Neo, didn't know you were joining us."

"I told her to meet up with us." Baldur said. "I had a mission for her in a village south of here." Neo gave a short bow.

"I'm going on ahead." Tobi said. As soon as he turned his back Cinder flipped him off and stuck her tongue out. Baldur rolled his eyes and Neo gave a silent chuckle.

"Why do you antagonize him?" Baldur said rubbing his brow.

"It isn't my fault he's a dick." Cinder crossed her arms.

"You know he can kill you." Baldur said.

"The hell he can." Cinder argued.

"You haven't surpassed him yet." Baldur said. "You haven't even surpassed me." Cinder's head dropped. He was right, as much as it pissed her off to admit it. Tobi was still the strongest fighter in their entire organization. Despite what failures he may have.

"Baldur, you know a lot more about who we have control of." Cinder said. "Why do I have to try to make this work on my own? Wouldn't it be easier to put together a team for me instead of leaving things up to chance at the risk of having to tie up loose ends later?"

"I thought you'd be the last person to ask that." Baldur said. "I thought you left things up to fate."

"I do…but it would ease my mind if I knew what I had to deal with." Cinder looked to Neo. "Like, why isn't Neo going with me?"

"Neo already graduated from Atlas Academy." Baldur said and Neo nodded. "If this was just a semester or two she could probably keep a low profile. But we don't know how long you'll be here. We can't risk her being compromised." Neo gave a frown.

"I see." Headmistress April set down the transcripts. Cinder had exceeded all the parameters for physical conditioning and combat prowess against the training dummies and low level Grimm. She passed the entrance exam with flying colors. And now was just the entrance interview.

"So I studied dust in the library." Cinder said. "As I said earlier, I grew up on the streets after my family was killed by Grimm. I've met some professional huntsmen and some…less than unsavory individuals."

"And your parents' death, that's why you want to be a huntress." April asked. Cinder contemplated her answer. She had to hide the truth. But it was better to slightly alter than downright forge just in case she had a slip up later.

"I want to be strong." Cinder said. "When I found out I had talent, I knew what I had to do. Huntsmen are the strongest warriors on the planet. This is the only way I know I can better myself, my peers, and the world around me." April nodded her head.

"Welcome to Haven Academy Ms. Fall." April stamped an approved sign on her transcripts.

All four academies had different means in which to create teams. Beacon created the illusion of chance while Ozpin controlled factors in the forest to bring specific groups together. Shade made their initiates survive out in the desert and watched while they formed their own social hierarchy. Atlas used a computer to generate the best combinations and tailor made their teams accordingly. Haven used massive psychological evaluations in order to form teams that would best work together. In a way, it was the same as Beacon, only they weren't so cloak and dagger about it.

Cinder gave a bow as she left the office and made her way down to the ballroom. Many of her fellow students were already set up. Cinder put a hand on her hip and strut her stuff as she made her way to a nondescript part of the room. That way, she would go noticed without being the center of attention.

She didn't have many provisions. A pillow, blanket, two or three books, a dust kit and a candle were all she had brought. But, if she ever had an emergency, she also had a Redstone pendant in one of her pockets that she could use to make a portal.

After getting set up, she used her semblance to light her candle. She got in a comfortable position and began reading a history book that chronicled the exploits of this Ozpin. Cinder was already sold on making her big move at an upcoming Vytal festival, not next year's at Shade, but the following festival at Beacon. And she needed to know as much about the man she'd be dealing with before that happened. Even if she had three years.

"That's a pretty hot power you got there." A boy said as he took a seat next to her. Cinder just rolled her eyes.

"Was that supposed to be cute?" Cinder said.

"Was it?"

"No." Cinder gave him another look over. He was quite handsome. He had dark hair that hung to his doe brown eyes. He wore a yellow shirt and a red jacket that Cinder definitely thought looked good. And strapped to his hip was an ornate feather accessory strapped to his hip. "Cinder Fall…what's your name?"

"Erid, Erid Mason. Born and raised hear in Haven. Where are you from?"

"Bogden originally."

"Ooh…sorry to hear that." He joked. She held back a laugh.

"Have you ever even been there?" Cinder asked.

"No, I just hear a bunch of shitty things about it."

"It's even shittier than you've heard." Cinder jked.

"Well it can't be all bad if someone as cute as you came from there." Erid said.

"Are…you hitting on me?" Cinder said. Thank God her semblance controlled temperature. Otherwise she'd be blushing.

"As a matter of fact I am." Erid said. "You don't look like the kind of girl who would get offended with a few empty compliments."

"And what kind of girl do I look like?" She had set her book down and stared at him.

"The kind that can kick my ass if I cross you." Erid said with a smirk.

"So why are you trying?"

"Because I know what it looks like when I get on a girl's nerves. And you...well you're enjoying this."

"Well, it's been so long since I've been hit on. I thought I'd see how this plays out."

"I find that hard to believe. You probably have guys drooling all over you, especially with how you carry yourself."

"Well you might be surprised to know that I don't know very many people my age. And what do you mean about how I carry myself."

"Oh don't play coy." He rolled his eyes. "You walked in here like you owned the place. Like you want all of us to bow down to you but you know that's a bitchy thing to do so you stay quiet."

"And you liked it. So it must have worked." She gave him a shit eating grin.

"I like girls with confidence. I have no gripes or preconceived notions on gender roles. I'd just as soon follow a woman as a man. And just from a look at you, if you aren't leading a team, there's something wrong with Headmistress April."

"That's pretty sweet of you." She couldn't hold back that blush.

"It also helps that you're insanely hot."

"And there it is!" Cinder clapped her hands.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush…not unless you want me too." He gave a grin. "Aesthetics are the first thing people notice. It's a big part of first impressions and you are easily a nine out of ten."

"Only a nine?" She raised an eyebrow.

"That as high as I'll go for a first impression. You can go up or down from there."

"Well I never go down."

"I bet you're right." Erid winked at her. They continued to talk about their interests, semblances, and styles until they were both too tired to carry on any more and ended up sleeping next to each other.

"Lucille Diamond, Cinder Fall, Erid Mason and Ornate Chires." April called out. "The four of you will become Team COLE (coal) led by Cinder Fall."

"I hope someone answered that phone because I freaking called it." Erid whispered into her ear. Cinder gave a confident smirk. Lucille snapped her fingers in indignation. Ornatejust gave a shrug.

"Looks like you won the lottery." Cinder did.

"Don't think yourself too high and mighty…but you're right."

"You got the pick of the litter with three good looking short haired girls." Cinder mused.

"Short haired girls…my…one…weakness." Erid hammed it up by dropping to his knee.

"What are you doing?" Lucille (or Lucy for short) said as she walked over to them. She had short, neck length blonde hair and sky blue eyes. She wore a simple yellow shirt and had a blue dust crystal necklace.

"Dying…I think." Cinder said. Erid got back up as Ornate walked up.

"So…I guess we're a team now." She said in a hushed voice. She had teal eyes and purple, shoulder length hair. She wore an orange combat vest that went halfway up her neck.

"And I'm the leader." Cinder said. "I say, there's three girls and one boy…how about we make Erid do all the grunt work."

"Cinder, you and I are going to be good friends." Lucille said putting an arm around Cinder.

They were training in an old arena in downtown Haven. Cinder and Erid vs. Lucy and Ornate. Ornate generated a volley of bees with her semblance and sent them all towards Erid, who blasted them away with a microwave blast. Lucille used her spear to create ice trials to hit her targets. But Cinder just slid in, melting them. Cinder kicked up a bunch of dirt and cooked it to create glass projectiles. Lucille blocked the attack as Ornate jumped in to fight her.

Ornate was woefully out matched hand to hand. These combinations were to balance long range and close range prowess. And even though, at least with the act she put on, Cinder was the third best at hand-to-hand, Ornate was dead last.

Cinder swept Ornate's feet while Erid leaped in with a flying kick. He was the all-around best fighter of the three. Cinder even believed that without Ashes she wouldn't be able to beat him. Erid leapt and ran along the walls firing dust from with special gloves. Cinder intercepted it with some of her dust to create a special explosion that knocked Lucy out.

"That's enough guys." Cinder said. Erid collapsed onto his back.

"That was a workout." Erid said. "How the hell are you able to stay standing after a move like that?"

"Maybe I'm just that strong." Cinder took a seat next to him. She took a drink of water and passed it down to her partner.

"Hey uh…we're going back to the room." Ornate said.

"Have fun." Cinder said as Ornate and Lucille left. Cinder and Erid sat together for a minute.

"So…what do you think about dancing?" Erid said. Cinder moved a stray hair from her cheek. The annual dance was this weekend and everyone had been coming to her team to ask one of them out.

"I think it's similar to fighting. So you're probably not that good at it." Cinder leaned back as he laughed at the joke.

"Want to put that to the test?" Erid challenged.

"Ooh…are you asking me out and challenging me at the same time?" Cinder said.

"As a matter of fact I am. I know it's the only way for you to find pleasure in trivial things." Erid said.

"I don't consider this trivial." Cinder said sweetly. "I'd love to go to the dance with you."

"Huh." Erid sat up. "That was easier than I thought."

"Well, we know each other pretty well now. Our first year is ending pretty soon. I thought, why the hell not?"

"I can buy that." Erid said.

"Erid…if something bad were to happen…and I did something that…some might consider…not the best…would you stay by my side?"

"It would have to be really bad for me not to." He rolled over and put a hand on his leg. Her heart skipped a beat from his clutch. What was happening? She just wanted to use him right? Recruit him to Salem's cause to make the transition smoother. That was the plan. And if not…

"Erid, I…I'm tired of keeping face around you." She leant down and kissed him. He gasped in surprise but then melted into the kiss. She climbed on top of him and kissed his neck. "Remember that conversation about impressions. Well you went from like…a seven to a nine."

"And you're the only ten I know." One of his hands went to her waist and the other cupped her cheek. Cinder could feel his arousal beneath her hips. And she was feeling it to. She couldn't tell if what she was feeling had any real emotions behind it or if it was just her bodies pleasure. But she didn't care.

"After the dance…I think we should try to beat the others back to the room to have some…alone time."

"That's an excellent plan boss." Erid said. She poked him in the stomach and got up. "Why'd you stop?"

"I'm not about to reveal the good in a place like this. I'd rather save it for this weekend." She winked at him with a sultry look.

"Meeting you at this school was like destiny." He muttered.

"What did you say?" Cinder looked back.

"Just saying how lucky I am." Erid said.

"Luck had nothing to do with it. It happened because this was the only way things were going to play out."

"That…actually helps." He followed after her.

An: So Cinder had a team before the rogues' gallery we know. This…is not going to end well is it? You'll have to read the next chapter to find out. What do you think of this team? What do you think of this relationship I have? Leave a review, follow, favorite and stay classy.