Chapter 53:
"Do you have any questions?" asked the lawyer, shifting nervously as he watched the young woman across the table from him.
Pyrrha Nikos said nothing, staring silently at the paper in front of her, perhaps reading it yet again. Actually, the lawyer couldn't be sure that she'd even read it once. Perhaps she was simply staring at it. Truth be told, her complete lack of anything resembling a reaction...to anything...had left him unnerved.
Naturally, after learning that he'd been appointed to defend Weiss Schnee and Pyrrha Nikos, he'd studied their backgrounds and done his best to understand them, so that he could better plan their defense. He'd checked their backgrounds and even reviewed footage of them; the concerts Weiss Schnee had sung, the tournament matches Pyrrha Nikos had participated in. His review of Pyrrha Nikos had left him with the impression that she was a polite girl. She'd always shown sportsmanship in the ring, and had a smile and a modest demeanor outside of it, kind, even to those she defeated. All of which made it hard for him to understand how she could have participated in this heinous act.
Then again, perhaps the girl in front of him, staring emotionlessly at the document listing the provisions of the plea bargain, was her true nature...or her present nature. Even though she appeared calmer than Weiss had, on the surface, the lawyer could sense the presence of a simmering anger, lurking just beneath. The sense of danger he felt from being in the room with this young woman was much greater than what he'd felt from Weiss.
Thus, even though she didn't seem upset at what the prosecution had offered, the lawyer got the impression that she would fight this out to the bitter end, and try her hardest to bring the ones she considered responsible for her situation down with her. The lawyer could only hope that he wasn't included on that list.
He flinched when Pyrrha suddenly moved, her motions sharp, her eyes immediately rising to meet his. "I'll sign it," she said firmly.
"Y-you will," stammered the lawyer, shocked by her decision. He'd been sure that she would refuse, maybe even tear up the document straight away.
"I will," declared Pyrrha firmly.
"A-all right," said the lawyer, producing a pen. He watched, still flummoxed, as Pyrrha took it up and signed the document without a moment's hesitation. Setting the pen down, she slid it and the paper back to the lawyer.
So many questions rattled around the poor man's head. He wanted to ask why she'd given up, why she'd surrendered without a fight, even though she still looked as though she were prepared to battle things out until the bitter end. However, something about Pyrrha Nikos' demeanor unnerved him. So he silently took up the paper.
"There's one other thing," said Pyrrha.
"What's that?" asked the lawyer.
"I need to speak to the press," said Pyrrha. "I need to make a statement."
"I'm sure that can be arranged," said the lawyer. "Your arrest was never announced, but it wasn't covered up either. It's been officially entered into the record. You are free to talk to a representative of the media if you wish."
Pyrrha's lips twitched, the first faint hints of the beginnings of a smile forming.
"However, Professor Ozpin told me you might ask for something like that," explained the lawyer, his words causing Pyrrha to flinch. "He told me that, if you asked, to advise you that there is no point, particularly if you mean to talk about Mr. Arc's transcripts."
"What?" gasped Pyrrha, her eyes going wide. Anger surged up within her. "He told Ozpin!" She should have seen this coming the moment she'd threatened Jaune with this. He'd been resolved as he walked out. Of course he would go up and blurt everything out to Ozpin, regardless of the consequences. He wouldn't let what happened with Cardin ever happen again.
"He did," conceded the lawyer, whom Ozpin had briefed on the situation. "However, Mr. Arc's situation has been known since before his admission."
Pyrrha's jaw went slack. "No..." she whispered.
"I checked the records myself," said the lawyer. "There is still a pending case against Mr. Arc for falsifying his transcripts and falsely representing himself. However, it has been put on hold until he either leaves Beacon or graduates. In the event of the latter, the case will be dropped completely. It was first reported when Mr. Arc sent in his application. However, at the request of Professor Ozpin, it was held, and Mr. Arc was to be prosecuted only in the event of his failing the initiation."
Pyrrha reeled back as though she'd been struck. The lawyer saw it in her eyes, the realization that one of the weapons she'd been hoping to lash out with had been ripped out of her grip and made utterly impotent.
"Do you still wish for me to arrange for a statement?"
Pyrrha closed her eyes, and her entire demeanor calmed once again. "No," she said, raising her eyes to meet the lawyer's once again. "There's no point to it now. Thank you for your time." She smiled.
The lawyer felt his skin crawl. Pyrrha was smiling, but behind that smile he could practically feel an intense malice. That smile unnerved him even more than her dull expression earlier had. Despite signing the plea bargain, and giving up on her effort to bring the poor Arc boy down with her, he could tell that her wrath hadn't been abated in the slightest. Still, her actions showed that she'd given up, for now at least.
The lawyer scrabbled for the document and his other belongings, standing up and bidding Pyrrha a hurried farewell before leaving, eager to be out of the room. The door closed behind him, and Pyrrha was left to her own devices until she was escorted back to her cell.
Pyrrha settled back into her seat, reflexively reaching up to finger the collar around her neck. Had that collar not been present, she could have torn this prison apart with ease, now that she was outside of her cell's containment field. She was required to put it on anytime she left the cell. She was also required to plug it in at night to ensure that it was fully charged, or the guards wouldn't allow her to sleep. It all showed that they were serious about keeping her in place.
But they couldn't keep that up forever. Pyrrha knew enough about her situation to realize that there was nothing she could do right now. She'd hoped that she could at least strike out at Jaune, punish him for choosing Yang and Ruby over her. But that was a vain hope for now. It was all vain...for now. Pyrrha's eyes narrowed. For now...that was the key to this situation. For the time being, she was imprisoned, restrained, monitored incessantly, and suspected constantly. Milo and Akuou were gone, destroyed by Ruby. Her Aura and Semblance were suppressed. Her world had been shrunk down to a few small rooms and the hallways connecting them. However, Pyrrha knew full well that she still had one weapon in her arsenal. That weapon was time itself.
According to the provisions of the Vytal Treaty, after her conviction, she would be deported back to Mistral to serve her sentence. Pyrrha was fine with that. It would make it easier for Ruby and the others to forget about her. There was no need to hurry. Pyrrha could wait months, or even years, if it was required. She wouldn't forget...and she wouldn't forgive either. For the next few years, if that was what it took, she would be a model prisoner. Then, when she got out, she would take action.
The provisions behind parole for Huntsmen and Huntresses were especially strict. Amongst them, Pyrrha knew that she would be barred from any work related to the Huntress profession, or even from carrying a weapon ever again. There would certainly be other regulations regarding her life in that situation, but those were the two that mattered most. If she broke with them, she would become a bounty for Huntsmen and Huntresses herself.
But that was fine. Pyrrha knew that she could press forward and deal out justice. The weapon was a problem that could be solved easily enough. Pyrrha hadn't even needed to look to know that there was a way to get a new weapon for herself. After all, if a man like Torchwick could get his hands on Huntsman-grade weaponry, there was no reason she couldn't either. Besides, Mistral was a fine place for getting things that you weren't supposed to have.
Yes...I'll swallow my pride and pain for now, she thought, clenching her hand into a fist. I'll wait. Then...when the time is right...Ruby, Yang, Jaune...I'll make all of them pay.
Pyrrha's meeting with her and Weiss' lawyer wasn't as private as any of them might have thought. There had been an additional party monitoring both conversations.
Arthur Watts stroked his mustache and leaned back in the seat of his workspace, tucked into the back of his personal airship. It was more cramped than where he usually worked, but he didn't mind. As long as he could do what he did best, he could do his best in any place. It seems that coming here to clean up Cinder's blunder wasn't a complete waste of my time after all, he thought.
Of course, having to act as Ironwood's "expert" meant that he had to actually remove the virus he had originally given Cinder, which annoyed him. However, in the process of removing it, he'd been carefully modifying the system of Beacon and Vale's CCT to meet his own needs. Even without the virus in place, he could establish backdoors and provide himself administrative rights in par with, if not even better than, the virus he'd created, all without leaving the same kind of trail a piece of openly malicious programming would.
Yes, Cinder's blunder had cost him dearly in terms of time and effort. But it had allowed him to neatly insert himself into the heart of Vale's information infrastructure. As such, even as Salem had technically told him to stay out of Cinder's plans, despite her blunder, Watts couldn't resist doing his own investigation into the botched operation that Cinder had been planning.
Ruby Rose and the two boys that had come with her to Beacon were interesting to be sure. But dealing with violence was better left to Cinder or Tyrian...or Viola, when she was in the proper frame of mind. Watts' interest was largely academic in that area. On the other hand, the two girls that had supposedly attempted to murder Ruby Rose were far more interesting to his eyes. As such, he'd spent a good bit of time learning more about them.
Weiss Schnee had proven a disappointment. She was little more than a beaten dog, still trying to bark proudly. She wasn't even useful as a potential inroad to the SDC anymore, now that her father had cut her loose.
But Pyrrha Nikos...now here was someone who might still be useful. Watts stroked his chin and grinned as he looked at the image of her, still sitting at the table in the interrogation room. Given her actions, most would assume that Pyrrha had given up and was simply being bitter about it. But Watts could see it in her eyes. She wasn't beaten yet. Her eyes reminded him of a serpent's, venomous, deadly, patiently biding her time until it was right to strike. Where others might have seen despair, he saw resolve.
And such resolve should be rewarded, I think, thought Watts to himself. Cinder is proving herself to be quite unreliable. It might be better to entrust her role to someone who is patently more competent. Ms. Nikos might be lacking a bit in the department of experience, but her skill and power are more than apparent...as is her hunger for greater power. Given the proper impetus, I imagine she could become far more useful than Cinder ever was...And...If I mold her properly, I won't have to deal with Cinder's backbiting any longer.
And so, Watts decided to focus on his new area of interest. I had thought to return as soon as possible. But I think it might be worth my while to stay around through the Vytal Festival. After all, it's sure to be one that the whole world will remember.
The silence was distinctly awkward as the group made their way down Vale's sidewalks. Despite being evidently surprised, and looking somewhat troubled by the revelation that Ruby had a boyfriend now, Taiyang had rallied impressively, still inviting the boys to go out to lunch with him and his daughters, extending an invitation to Jaune as well.
Now the five of them were heading towards a diner that Taiyang frequented, and often took his daughters to, whenever they were in Vale. Given that it was Sunday, during the lunch hour, the place was crowded and filled with chattering patrons. Even so, the servers were working with commendable efficiency and, in less than five minutes, the group had been shown to their table.
After that, there was more awkward silence as they looked through the menus and made their orders. Having been there multiple times, Ruby, Yang, and their father all had favorites that they settled on quite quickly. The three boys that accompanied them took their time though, looking through the menus to find what they preferred. Only after the waitress had come and taken their orders, did they start speaking.
"So..." said Taiyang, staring across the table at his youngest daughter, where she sat next to Gin, "...I imagine it slipped your mind to inform me that you were seeing a boy."
"Yeah...a little bit," admitted Ruby a little sheepishly. "But I thought Yang would have told you." Her eyes narrowed as she directed a slight glare at her sister. Yang responded with a cheeky grin that indicated she had no reservations about withholding this information from their father.
"Oh no," said Taiyang sternly. "You aren't pinning this one on your sister. It was hard enough learning that you were still alive from Qrow, not you. But this..." He waved vaguely in Gin's direction, prompting the boy to raise an eyebrow.
"Well...things were...busy..." said Ruby. "I was training. Some of our experiences in the settlements got pretty weird." She thought back to the tense, somewhat nerve-wracking environment that had been Withywindle, not to mention their encounter with the White Fang there. "After I got back, Professor Ozpin and the teachers hit us with a whole bunch of makeup work and classes, all at once. Classes are starting again tomorrow, and I'm still not completely caught up."
Taiyang's frown deepened. "Even with that excuse, I still feel that I should have heard this from you by now." His eyes narrowed. "I can't help but notice that, even though your team is back up to full strength, there are still only three beds in your dorm room. Don't think you can fool me by saying your boyfriend sleeps on the floor."
Ruby squeaked, her cheeks turning bright-red. Gin's cheeks colored as well, and he averted his eyes, fidgeting nervously. Yang was grinning like a maniac, taking evident amusement in their discomfort, while Jaune regarded his girlfriend with a wan smile, somewhat disconcerted that she was enjoying this so much. Ayumu was as serene and unruffled as ever.
Taiyang regarded his daughter a little longer, then slumped with a sigh. "Well...I suppose you would have gotten around to telling me sooner or later." He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Of course I would!" declared Ruby nervously. "I'd want to bring him to Patch to meet you during the inter-semester holiday after all, Ayumu too."
"So you weren't planning on keeping him a secret forever, then," observed Taiyang.
"Of course not!" said Ruby indignantly. "I'm not ashamed of being with Gin. He's made me happier than I ever thought a boy could make me. I don't regret our relationship for a second."
Though Gin's blush intensified, he smiled. Reaching over, he took Ruby's hand below the level of the table. She returned his grip with a gentle squeeze.
"And you..." said Taiyang, his eyes going to Gin. "What do you have to say about this?"
Gin raised both his eyebrows in genuine confusion. "Exactly what else is there to say?" he wondered.
"Suppose I decided I didn't like you?" posed Taiyang, his voice dropping slightly, becoming a resonant rumble in his chest.
One of Gin's eyebrows dropped. "Then you don't like me," he said simply. "That doesn't matter to me in the slightest. Nothing you say or do could make me change my mind. The only one who can put an end to our relationship is Ruby herself."
Ruby looked at Gin in surprise. "Gin..."
"What?" asked Gin, turning to look at her. "I know you told me to be more selfish, and I'm trying. But I am, in a way."
"Huh?" Ruby blinked in surprise.
"I can't help it," said Gin. "The thing that makes me happiest is knowing that you're happy. If I ever started causing you pain, and you decided you didn't want me anymore, I couldn't help but go along with it, because the thought of hurting you makes me feel worse than losing you."
"Gin..." whispered Ruby, her eyes tearing up slightly. She leaned in and pressed her forehead against his. Gin smiled and leaned back towards her, tilting his head forward to kiss her lightly, before going back to resting their foreheads against each other.
"So corny," Yang whispered to Jaune.
"It's cute," Jaune retorted, elbowing Yang slightly.
In the meantime, Taiyang's expression had become more neutral. "Hmm..." he mused softly, watching his daughter and her boyfriend across the table. "Well, I suppose I don't have any real objections. You are living in the same room as your older sister and her partner after all. They wouldn't allow you two to go too far."
"Not that we need to chaperone them," said Yang with a giggle.
"Yang!" protested Ruby, her blush renewing itself.
"What?" asked Yang. "You told us last night that the two of you don't feel like doing that."
"No! Of course not," said Ruby as both her and Gin's cheeks reddened even further. "We're fine with the way things are."
"Really?" Taiyang tilted his head.
"It's not so much that you need to worry about them getting excited," interjected Ayumu, speaking for the first time. "They share a bed because contact between them makes them feel comfortable."
"I see," said Taiyang, a slight smile forming. "Well...I suppose I don't have any objections. It isn't exactly conventional. But yours wouldn't be the first relationship that blossomed inside a team's dorm room." He glanced sidelong at his eldest daughter. "Although, we waited until our third year before letting our passions get the better of us."
"Dad!" protested Yang, blushing herself, even as everyone else at the table, including Jaune, chuckled.
"And what about you?" asked Taiyang, turning his gaze on Ayumu.
"Um...what about me?" asked Ayumu. "I'm more an accompaniment to Gin than anything else, in this case. I assure you that your daughter isn't 'playing the field,' if that is what you're worried about."
Both Gin and Ruby gaped at Ayumu for a second. They weren't the only ones as both Jaune and Yang were staring incredulously at the black-haired boy.
"Um...I didn't mean to imply that," said Taiyang.
"Well, I'm not sure what there really is to ask about," said Ayumu with a shrug. "Truth be told, I tend to serve as translator for these two, a lot of the time, seeing as I'm better with words than both of them put together."
Ruby and Gin bristled for a fraction of a second, before calming and exchanging resigned glances with one another. "He's not wrong," admitted Ruby.
"True," agreed Gin.
"Yet, you also joined Beacon," said Taiyang.
"For a different reason than Gin," said Ayumu simply. "Although, I too have Ruby to thank for my new direction in life. She was the one who suggested it."
"How so?" asked Taiyang.
"It's a bit of a long story," admitted Ayumu. "Simply put, I had spent much of my life, up until now, focused on getting stronger. She has given me a way to apply that strength."
Ruby glanced over at Gin and he tilted his head towards her in a half-nod. She turned her eyes to Ayumu and he also tilted his head towards her. They weren't telling her to fully explain their plans, but they were leaving the decision in her hands.
"What's going on?" asked Taiyang, interested in, but not troubled by, the silent interplay between the three of them. It spoke of a strong bond formed through mutual experience with one another. They had developed a considerable rapport in the months they'd spent on the road.
"It's...complicated," said Ruby, her eyes subtly glancing around the diner. "I don't want to talk about it here."
So it's serious, thought Taiyang. Glancing sidelong, he saw that Jaune and Yang were watching the trio across the table with interest, which made him realize that they knew what Ayumu, Ruby, and Gin were talking about, but were leaving the matter to them. However, it wasn't the same kind of serious as finding out that his daughter had a boyfriend and was already sharing a bed with him. This was something else.
Ruby and these boys were up to something, and they'd roped Team RUBY and Team JNAR into it.
The waitress arrived with their food, making further conversation a little more difficult as they tucked in eagerly. Sleeping in like they had, Ruby and Yang had both missed breakfast. Jaune and the boys had eaten already, but it had been some hours since their last meal.
Deciding that interrogation time was over, Taiyang decided to shift the conversation to something more pleasant while they ate. Ruby was glad, seeing as her father was apparently satisfied for the time being. Instead, he asked general questions, like how Ruby was doing in her makeup courses.
"It's hard work," answered Ruby with a sigh. "I'm still not caught up all the way, so I'm looking at six-day school-weeks for another month, at least. I'll have to do extra reading and work every night too."
"You're all right with this?" asked Taiyang.
"Well, like everyone's been rubbing in since it started, I made my own bed," said Ruby. "I'm just going to have to lay in it."
"But your boyfriend is laying in it too," teased Yang.
"Yang!" protested Ruby as her and Gin's cheeks flamed up.
"Admittedly, it's quite challenging," said Ayumu. "I had very little actual schooling, and Gin has had practically none. We've been self-taught on various things that our Master hasn't instructed us about, but we were woefully unprepared for the...academic...component of attending Beacon."
"Are you managing?" asked Taiyang.
"We are," said Ayumu with a rueful smile, rubbing his hand through his hair. "It helps that Professor Goodwitch has said that we can use her combat classes as a free-study period until we're caught up."
"Wait! Really?" Yang leaned forward, staring across the table at her sister and the boys. This was news to both her and Jaune.
"Sorry, Sis," said Ruby sheepishly, "with everything else going on, I forgot to tell you."
Yang sighed. "Well, it's probably for the best," she said. "After Professor Ozpin makes his announcement tomorrow, I get the feeling you're going to be challenged a lot."
"Probably," agreed Ruby. "But that can wait until I'm all caught up."
"Well, you did thrash Pyrrha and Weiss...at the same time," said Jaune. "Not to mention you beat that second-year during your combat assessment. So you're probably one of the top combatants in the whole school now."
"You seem to be taking it well, considering your partner was one of the instigators in all this," said Taiyang, looking at Jaune.
"Dad!" protested Yang, growling defensively. "Jaune's not responsible."
"Yang, it's okay," said Jaune, before addressing Taiyang. "Yeah...I've kinda given up trying to wrap my head around what Pyrrha did. It's just so unbelievably petty and selfish."
"How so?" asked Taiyang.
"Well..." Jaune looked across the table at Ruby, who blushed and nodded. "I'm guessing you knew about Ruby's crush on me, right?"
"Yes," said Taiyang, a sly smile that was a match for his eldest daughter's appearing on his face. "Yang told me about that."
"Yang!" squealed Ruby.
"Not sorry, Sis," retorted Yang with a laugh.
"Well, Pyrrha had feelings for me too," said Jaune. "I was too dense to catch a hint from either of them. But, for some reason, Pyrrha decided that the best way to come out on top was to kill Ruby. Weiss just provided her with a co-conspirator and a convenient excuse to hide behind that would fool most other people."
"That's why she did it?" snarled Taiyang, bunching his hands up into fists.
"Pretty much," said Jaune with a sigh. "So I've given up really thinking about her all that much. She just isn't worth it. I've got a new partner anyway." He directed a smile across the table at Ayumu.
Ayumu laughed. "Ah, I'll do my best. I'm sorry that we have to postpone working out our dynamic as a team."
"It's okay," said Jaune. "We'll get things worked out by the festival. Team January should get pretty far if we do it right."
"Certainly," agreed Ayumu.
"And what about the girls who tried to kill my daughter?" asked Taiyang.
"They're being held in Beacon's detention center," said Ruby. "Professor Goodwitch says that they'll probably be given a plea bargain."
"I see," said Taiyang. "Considering what I've heard about the evidence, that's the most likely course."
"We're lucky the press hasn't caught wind of it yet," said Yang. "Otherwise, we couldn't have even gone out today."
"They will, sooner or later," said Jaune.
"Uh huh," agreed Ruby. "Professor Goodwitch said I ought to give at least one interview to get my story out there, which should give them enough to work with."
Taiyang frowned. "I'm not sure I like the idea of this. But I suppose it makes sense, especially considering who the perpetrators are."
Ruby sighed. "Yeah. But, as long as I can stay in Beacon, I'll be fine." She smiled blissfully and leaned her head against Gin's shoulder, a gesture he reciprocated.
The others all nodded in agreement and they returned their attention to the meal. However, Taiyang's eyes kept drifting back to Gin, watching the face of Ruby's boyfriend very carefully.
A light knocking on the door roused Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury from their reverie. They'd been taking care of various activities to pass the time. Looking at the door, Cinder frowned.
"Is it Neo?" wondered Mercury.
"She should still be out," said Emerald with a frown.
Cinder decided to find out for herself, getting up and striding to the door. Throwing it open, she stifled a gasp, though she was only partially successful. "Watts."
Emerald and Mercury looked up sharply, surprised to see the man standing in the doorway.
"Hello, Cinder," said Watts in a faux-pleasant tone that did almost nothing to conceal his contempt for the woman before him. "I can see that you still know how to waste time."
"What are you doing here?" growled Cinder. "You shouldn't even be in Vale."
"I'm here to clean up your mess," said Watts calmly. "If you hadn't blundered so badly, slipping into the CCT, Ironwood and Ozpin wouldn't have realized that you planted my virus. It was one of my finest creations and, now, you've forced me to remove it."
"What?" gasped Cinder, her eyes going to the scroll resting on her bed.
"Ah yes, continued proof of your negligence," scoffed Watts, forcing his way into the room. There was nothing unusual about his posture, relaxed, with both arms folded behind his back, yet there was an utter confidence in his bearing that forced Cinder back from him like a solid barrier as he advanced into the room. "It's quite fitting that you are here, playing student. Your education is clearly lacking."
"I'll show you lacking," snarled Cinder, her eyes flickering from within.
"Yes yes, that lovely Fall Maiden power," said Watts with a dismissive wave. "You should use it with more discretion, if you don't want people to pick up on your presence. However much we may despise one another and, however much I wish it was otherwise, I am here to help you, when all is said and done."
"How?" asked Cinder.
"As I said, I was forced to remove my virus," said Watts. "You're fortunate I monitor Atlesian communications. I've also inserted myself into various lists of people that the great and powerful of Remnant use as a consultant on various matters. That foresight is the reason I'm here now. Ironwood called upon me to remove the virus, and so I did. In exchange, I have taken the opportunity to establish myself as the primary administrator of Vale's local network."
"What does that mean?" asked Cinder.
Watts sighed, clearly annoyed at having to explain himself to a woman he considered a neophyte. "It means that I am able to do everything that my virus did, and more, all without leaving a trace of evidence. I shall be staying on through the Vytal Festival to ensure that the remainder of our plan goes smoothly."
"It's my plan," snarled Cinder possessively. "She gave it to me to carry out."
"And so she did," said Watts with a chuckle. "Though I cannot fathom the reason Salem places so much faith in you, she does. However, it is clear that you cannot be trusted to see things though on your own, considering how badly you blundered in Mountain Glenn."
"That wasn't my fault," growled Cinder. "Torchwick and Taurus are the ones responsible for that."
"It is folly to try and pin one's failings upon others," said Watts condescendingly. "You are worthless, if you cannot even manage your own subordinates properly." He frowned. "You're fortunate that the children who interfered were students of the Calamity. That appears to be the reason Salem has not demanded any punishment for your failure. But, because of them, and because of you, Torchwick is not where he needs to be. Taurus is most likely very upset with us, and the White Fang will be less cooperative as a result. We shall have to be extra creative, if we are to make this work."
Cinder glared at Watts for a long moment before relenting. "Fine," she growled.
Watts humphed. "You need to work on your attitude, Cinder. You aren't fully the Fall Maiden yet. Despite Salem's faith in you, I have my doubts about the inevitability of your completion. There is also an additional task that has been placed in our care."
"What is it?" asked Cinder.
"The girl with silver eyes," said Watts, "Salem wants the girl brought to her...alive."
"Ruby Rose...? Why?" Cinder frowned contemplatively.
"Are you aware that Ciar is dead?" asked Watts.
"What?" gasped Cinder, her eyes going wide. Behind her, both Emerald and Mercury paled.
"Yes," confirmed Watts. "Ciar was killed, and Viola badly injured, from the last attempt made to capture that girl. It appears that she and those two boys who were with her are far more dangerous than we ever expected. I suppose that's thanks to the Calamity's teachings. I imagine that is why Salem has given you such a generous reprieve."
Cinder frowned, looking down at the floor of the room. Ciar wouldn't be missed. But, in a sense, he was what she aspired to be, a figure that inspired fear and respect. The notion that someone as dangerous as him could be killed by mere children was daunting indeed. But, in that case... "Why take the girl alive?" Cinder wanted to know. "If she's such a threat, we should kill her as soon as possible."
"I wonder that as well," admitted Watts, clearly irritated at the notion of agreeing with Cinder. "However, ours is not to question Salem's intentions. In the end, our purpose is to follow the orders we are given."
"Fine," huffed Cinder. "If that's all you have to say, then feel free to leave."
"I shall," said Watts, stepping back out the door. "Remember to do your part, Cinder, and I will do mine." He closed the door behind him.
Cinder stared at the door for a minute before going back to her bed and slumping down on it.
"You love her, don't you?"
Gin didn't even flinch at the question, leaning against the railing and staring out over the sea.
After lunch, their little party had taken to wandering the streets of Vale, Ruby and Yang ecstatic to spend time with their father. With the afternoon waning, they had decided to go to the arcade for a while, before going out to dinner, then returning to Beacon for the night. Their path had taken them along a street that ran along the sea, over near the docks. In fact, it was close to the place where the incident that had led to the revelation of Blake's faunus heritage, and her former allegiance to the White Fang, had started.
Taiyang had discreetly fallen to the back of the group, then placed a firm hand on Gin's shoulder, steering him away from the rest of them as they reached the entrance of the arcade, leading the younger boy to the side of the street that overlooked the sea. There, they were able to speak with some privacy.
Closing his eyes, Gin inhaled slowly, savoring the salty breeze blowing off the ocean. They were far enough from the docks that there was no fishy smell tainting the air. Breathing out again, he opened his eyes. "Yeah...I guess."
"You don't know?" asked Taiyang.
"Having never been in love before, I'd say not," said Gin.
"What makes you 'guess' then?" asked Taiyang, frowning.
"It's hard to say," said Gin, frowning. "Ruby keeps telling me I need to be more selfish. I understand. I don't want to obsess over her or anything, but...I can't help the way I feel. Right now, the thing that makes me the most happy is making her happy."
"Why?" asked Taiyang.
"I'm not sure," admitted Gin. "She has a mysterious power."
"Mysterious power...?" Taiyang tilted his head, confused.
"I don't get it myself," said Gin. "It has nothing to do with her skill or talent or ability. I'm not sure that it could even actually be classified as a power. But...the moment I met her, she knocked me completely off-balance."
"You mean when you saved her life?" asked Taiyang.
"Not that," said Gin. "Exchanging a few quick words with someone who's barely conscious, and on the edge of death, doesn't exactly count as 'meeting' someone in my book. It was after she regained consciousness, when we spoke for the first time." Gin sighed, his cheeks coloring. "All it was was was her thanking me for giving her some water. But...when I saw her smile for the first time, even though I was sitting on solid ground, I felt off-balance. My whole world suddenly felt as though it was tilting her way.
"Before then, the only real aspiration I had was becoming stronger than Master Yu. Even though I didn't want to be the same person I was before I met him, I didn't exactly have atonement on my mind."
"Atonement for what?" asked Taiyang.
"Right...I guess you wouldn't have been told yet," said Gin. He gave Taiyang the basic rundown of his life as a bandit. "I did things that I can't really be forgiven for. I lived selfishly for my entire life, up until a few months ago, when I met your daughter. For the first time, I experienced what it really meant to want to do something for someone else, entirely for their sake. Before that, Ayumu and I did good deeds when we needed to for the settlements and people we came across, but it was largely self-satisfaction. Even when we first found Ruby and helped her, it was because we saw no reason not to. But, after Ruby, things changed for both of us."
"Does Ayumu...?" wondered Taiyang.
"Nah, not like that," said Gin with a chuckle. "He sees her more as a sister than anything. He's the one who kinda helped us get together."
Taiyang smiled and looked out over the sea. "And what about Ruby? Does she feel the same?"
"Well...she likes me," said Gin. "But she doesn't love me...not yet." Her groaned and ran his hands through his hair. "I really hate putting it like that."
"What do you mean?"
Gin frowned. "Tacking that 'not yet' onto the end makes it sound like I feel that it's inevitable. It feels presumptuous, kinda...like I'm taking her feelings for granted. But not saying that makes it sound like I'm not serious about my love, or hers."
Taiyang smiled and chuckled. "I understand," he said. "You're being patient, considerate. For someone who's never done this before, you're doing very well, I must say."
"So you're okay with this?" asked Gin.
"Well, now I am," said Taiyang. "The way you described your feelings, it reminds me about how I felt about Ruby's mother. Also, even though you feel so strongly about her, you're willing to be patient. No...because you feel so strongly about her, you're willing to be patient."
"What can I say?" said Gin with a small laugh. "Your daughter is someone worth waiting for."
"That she is," agreed Taiyang. "But...I have a piece of advice for you."
"What is it?" asked Gin.
"Find something else to get passionate about," said Taiyang, "not just Ruby. I'm not saying that you need to find something to focus your energy on instead of her, but in addition to her. Your feelings are strong. But that complete focus on one thing, one person, that can be a double-edged sword."
"What do you mean?" asked Gin.
"Did Ruby tell you what happened after her mother died?" asked Taiyang.
"She brought it up occasionally," said Gin. "But she didn't say much about it."
Taiyang sighed and frowned, lowering his head to stare straight down at the water crashing against the stone wall below them. "Like I told you, the feelings you have for Ruby do a good job of describing how I felt about Summer, Ruby's mother. She was my entire world, the north that I used to orient the compass of my life. I did everything in my power to be the best husband for her that I could."
"And how is that a bad thing?" asked Gin.
"Because I was so focused on being a good husband, I forgot what it meant to be a good father," said Taiyang, a completely haunted look washing over his face. "Don't get me wrong. I love Yang and Ruby. But I think, on some level, that my love for them was tied to her love for them. When she died...my whole world shattered.
"I fell into a total depression, lost myself in drink, and became completely worthless. I practically forgot that I had two daughters, who had lost the same person I did. I was so blindly, selfishly, single-mindedly focused on my wife, my love, that I forgot about the other people who loved and depended on her...and me. Because of that, Yang and Ruby nearly died."
Gin was unable to find the words to say, merely staring wide-eyed at Taiyang.
Taiyang pressed on. "I'm so unbelievably lucky that Yang is so strong. In my negligence, she stepped up to look after Ruby. In my absence, she raised Ruby practically as her own. But she was only a child too. Because of that, she understood that there was no way she could completely see to Ruby's needs. Because of that, she thought that she needed to bring a mother back into our home, her mother."
"Yang's mother...?" Gin's eyes widened slightly.
"Summer was my second love," said Taiyang. "Raven was my first. She gave me Yang...and then she just left. That depressed me too, but at least Summer was there to pick up the pieces...and give me Ruby. But, when Summer was gone, I ran out of people to pick up the pieces for me.
"Yang, not knowing any better, thought that the way to heal our home was to bring her mother back. But she had only the barest idea of where to look. Taking Ruby with her, she left the house to go looking for leads in an abandoned cabin practically on the other side of the island. I was so completely worthless that I didn't even realize they were gone until hours later. Desperate, I called Qrow, Raven's brother, who didn't abandon us, even after she did. He brought them back, but not before Yang and Ruby had practically walked into a Beowolf pack."
Gin's body tensed.
Taiyang smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry," he said. "Qrow saved them before they could be hurt. But he gave me a piece of his mind afterwards, and helped me realize what an idiot I'd been.
"I guess the point I'm trying to make is that, even if you love her, you shouldn't focus everything on Ruby. Even if she doesn't return your love yet, she still cares about your happiness, and the prospect of her wellbeing being the sole source of that happiness would become a burden on her."
Taiyang turned his head to meet Gin's eyes with a sober gaze. "So...you need to find something more in this life than just her, not just for your sake, but hers as well. Do you understand?"
"I...I think I do," said Gin, frowning pensively and turning to look out over the sea again. "I don't know what though."
Taiyang laughed and gently slapped the boy's back. "There's no need to rush. Take your time. In the meantime, I'm glad that my daughter could find someone like you. It seems that she and Yang are both quite lucky in love."
Gin blushed. "I'm glad to hear that," he said. "You're sure you're okay about your daughter dating a dragon-faunus?"
"A dragon-faunus!?" exclaimed Taiyang, surprised. "Really?"
Gin held up his arm, allowing his scales to emerge. Taiyang stared at them in complete amazement.
"I'd never thought I'd ever see a dragon-faunus," Taiyang said softly. "And now I find that one is dating my daughter."
"That isn't a problem, is it?" asked Gin.
Taiyang blinked, then relaxed and smiled. "Well, it certainly is a surprise, but not a problem. I've never had an issue with faunus in general, and I certainly don't object to my daughter dating one. I've heard that being a dragon-faunus comes with its own associated burdens and problems. But, from what I've seen, you are still someone who makes Ruby truly happy. In the end, that's all that matters."
"Thanks," said Gin, letting his scales recede.
"Anymore surprises you boys have for me?" asked Taiyang, raising an eyebrow.
"Not really," said Gin. "Ayumu's an avian-faunus, but that's about it, and it's not such a big deal to us." He paused. "There's one other thing, but Ruby wants us to wait until we're somewhere more private before we show you that."
Taiyang nodded, looking a little uncertain. "You've definitely peaked my curiosity," he said. "But I'll wait until you three are ready."
"Thanks," said Gin.
"Now then, we should go back in, before Ruby starts thinking that I've murdered you and got busy burying the body."
Weiss sighed as she settled back onto her cot in the small cell she'd been assigned in the detention center. The paper, describing the plea bargain she had yet to accept, was still clutched in her hand. Weiss didn't need to read it again, having read it several times in the period before the guards had come to escort her back to her cell.
At least here, she could take off the collar that suppressed her Aura. Of course, that meant nothing. With the containment fields activated, she couldn't use her Aura inside the cell either. As prison cells went, it wasn't too bad. It was a cramped rectangle of a room, but with enough space for her to stand and walk a few paces. The door was on one end, a semi-private bathroom, set behind a partition on the other. The wall on the left side from the door was where her cot rested. On the other was a single shelf that housed a few books.
Despite her status as a prisoner, Weiss had limited access to Beacon's library, and could check out some books so she wasn't left with absolutely nothing to do with the time she now had a horrific excess of. Setting the document on one end the shelf, she perused the books she'd checked out on the other, hoping for something to take her mind off the choice she'd been confronted with for a little while longer.
"Well well welllllll..." teased an all-too-familiar voice from the cell next to hers, making Weiss' entire body go rigid with shock before she turned to stare at the wall, and the tiny window she'd hardly taken notice of that linked the two cells. The window had bars across it, and would have required that she stand on her cot to look through it, but it appeared that the sole reason for its existence was to give her a conversation partner in the odd event that there were more than a few prisoners in the rarely-used detention center.
Except that her neighbor was not the person she'd been expecting. Pyrrha had been given a completely different cell, making it impossible for the two of them to communicate. Instead, the cell next to Weiss' had somehow, impossibly, been assigned to someone who shouldn't have been there to begin with. "Torchwick!"
"Hey there, Ice Queen," said Roman Torchwick cheerfully from his cot on the other side, where he reclined, arms folded behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling, an impish grin on his face. "Looks like we're gonna be cell-buddies for a while."
Well this is interesting. Lots of fun hints for what's going to happen in the future. I wonder why Weiss suddenly has Roman as a next-door neighbor. I take back what I said about Yang, last time...Ozpin is the best troll.
Some people might be confused as to why Taiyang has such an easy time accepting Gin, compared to Yang, but part of that is that he had more time to come to terms with Ruby being alive, so he's able to adjust better. Plus it helps that, in my opinion, Yang's temper comes from her mother's side more than her father's. I just feel Taiyang would handle it pretty well.
