Patch

"I'm not sure what help I'm supposed to be," Tai remarked.

"You're the one I'm turning to because I know I can count on you," Ozpin explained. "I don't have the time afforded to me that you do, and I wanted to find somewhere I could keep the child safe."

"Oz, I already have a girl to take care of," Tai reminded him. "And it's hard enough as is. If Summer wasn't stopping by to help…"

"This child is a bit further along; she is quite capable of looking after herself," Ozpin assured him.

"What does she need me for?" Tai asked.

"She needs someone who will help her see the world is more than pain and misery," Ozpin answered. "She needs to see that life can be beautiful, as well as harsh. There is nothing so apt at demonstrating that as hearth and home."

"Level with me, Oz," Tai requested. "What's so special about this girl?"

"She has been blessed," Ozpin replied. "But unfortunately, to the world at large, that blessing is a curse. I wanted you to be the one to help her, because you are more well-versed in that than most. You know what it is to deal with an… unconventional Semblance."

"Can I talk to this girl before you foist her on me?" Tai requested.

"I hoped you would," Ozpin confirmed.

He stepped away from the door for a moment. When he returned, he was holding the hand of a seven-year old girl with long black hair and amber eyes, one hidden by her bangs. She was looking at the floor, but gradually turned her gaze upwards, shyly examining Tai.

Ozpin thought this girl was worth protecting, which could only mean she was very powerful. Tai wanted to know what he'd invite into his home, and what he'd expose his daughter to. Still, he wanted to be kind when he knelt down to introduce himself; she was still a child. "Hi, I'm Taiyang. What's your name?"

He offered her his hand. She was slow to take it, and dainty little girl that she was, her hand was burning hot. "C-Cinder."

Tai looked at the tiny hand shaking his and the heat radiating off it. When he took his hand back he saw tiny scorches in the indentations of his skin, and looked back at Cinder, who meekly remarked: "I-I'm sorry."

"It's okay, sweetie," Tai assured her, still looking at his hand then glancing back up at Ozpin. He smiled knowingly at Tai, and then opted to fill in the rest of the details for his former student.

"Cinder has an incredible Semblance," Ozpin explained. "A truly exceptional gift."

Tai looked down at the shy, timid girl… and then at the hand she'd barely touched. He suddenly felt relieved Raven wasn't around, because she would encourage this girl to use her talents in the most direct –and most destructive- way possible, and take advantage of the incredible raw power at her disposal.

Tai tried not to see that. He tried to see the scared little girl in an unknown place, on an island in the middle of nowhere. He already had one small life to look after… how hard could it be to add another?

"Okay," Tai agreed. "I'll help her."


Yang was crying. That was a rare enough sight, and Tai hadn't had to intercede for a while. He rushed over and asked: "What happened?"

"We were just playing!" Cinder replied. "Honest, I just… I just tried to pick her up and she uh…" She pointedly averted her gaze. "…fell."

She was a terrible liar. "Cinder…" Tai patiently began.

Cinder gave up quickly enough, showing her palms. The flames had disappeared, but the wisps of smoke were still lifting from her hands. "I didn't mean to. I just- I just felt how warm she was in my hands, and it… it just came out."

Tai picked up Yang and held her, comforting the girl and helping her with her little burn. She was burning hot, even without Cinder's hands to infuse the heat. Once Yang calmed down, Tai turned his attention to the still-guilty Cinder.

"It's okay," Tai assured her, "she knows you didn't mean to. But the world is full of people every bit as vulnerable as she is now. They aren't all as strong as you. And hopefully, most girls your age won't have to be."

Cinder nodded, still averting her gaze. Tai reached down, shifting Yang to his left side and placing a free hand on her shoulder. "I'll help you again today, and we'll see if you've made progress."


Summer dashed past a burst of Cinder's flame, quickly moving in and tapping the girl on her forehead. Cinder fumed and huffed, crossing her arms.

"You're still too angular in your attack," Summer remarked. "You need to learn to anticipate where the target will move to."

"What's the point?" Cinder demanded. "I'll never be as good as you."

"You will," Summer promised. "You can be so much more powerful than all of us, if you just learn to control it."

"I thought that's what I was doing," Cinder muttered.

"What are you two doing?!"

Tai rushed over, out of breath, holding an amused looking Yang. "Summer, you didn't tell me you were going to train with Cinder today!"

"It seemed like it'd be fun," Summer whimsically replied.

"Summer, you can't- I mean, you… you shouldn't…" Tai began, trying to find the words. Summer seemed amused by his flubbing, and Cinder cast her a curious glance.

Summer saw Cinder's gaze and smiled, patting her stomach. "He's just worried."

Cinder didn't quite grasp her meaning, still eyeing Summer curiously.

"Cinder," Summer began, kneeling down beside her. "How to put this… when… two people love each other very much…"


"Good luck, sis!" Yang called, holding little Ruby's hand as she waved. Cinder tried to play it cool, tried to look disaffected, but she was going to miss her little sisters so much. She gave them a lazy wave back, trying to stay composed.

Summer helped Cinder put on her pack, reaching up to help the taller woman. It still took Cinder aback to see how short her mother was; she'd never thought she'd become taller than her. "Oz will meet you before initiation begins. He's really looking forward to seeing you again."

"And taking me away," Cinder mused.

Tai reached over to put a hand on her shoulder. "Oz can play whatever games he wants, Cin- this is your home. You're our daughter. You always will be. We'll always be there when you need us."

He was so cheesy. Cinder rolled her eyes, then reached over to pull both of them in for a big hug. Yang and Ruby were quick to join in, and Cinder shed any pretense of being cool and pulled them in too.

She'd lost her parents in Mistral, and thought herself doomed to be alone. It had never occurred to her fate would give her a second family, or one she couldn't imagine life without at that.

And now she was going off to Beacon, and would be away from them for four years.

"I'll come back in a few weeks," Cinder promised. "I'll tell you all about it."

Summer knew better, but played along. "Have a good time. We love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, mom," Cinder confirmed. She gave her dad a kiss on the cheek and then headed for the ship to Beacon.