A/N: Sorry, a few of you have complained about last chapter. I wrote it this morning, and I was kind of in a rush, and didn't feel in the mood to write an emotionally heavy chapter. So I wanted to write a comedic piece. Guess it didn't really work. Thank you everyone who commented for letting me know! I will endeavor to do better in the future.
Cinder landed softly on the balls of her feet. She tread softly in the bushes toward Beacon's front entrance. It wouldn't do to get caught now. Her plans were going so well.
Cinder smiled to herself. The debacle with Ozpin had caught her by surprise. While questioning Adam's girlfriend, who would have thought that the old man himself would make a move? Her cover was obviously blown. Most likely Roman's doing, that spineless cretin.
Still, this was a blessing in disguise. Most of her plan could continue unchanged.
Emerald would still be in position to cast her illusions during the Vytal Festival.
And now that Cinder was outside, she could more directly coordinate the White Fang. Who knew how much Adam could screw up if she wasn't there to direct things. Although she hoped he liked her gift. Perhaps that girlfriend of his would make him more pliable.
A rustling in the wind was all the warning Cinder got before she instinctively ducked.
A razor-sharp blade passed over her head. Cinder rolled forward to put distance between her and her assailant.
Her attacker was a familiar face.
"Neo. I was wondering when you would find me. Have you considered my-" Cinder almost bit her tongue as the girl appeared right under her, blade sweeping for her throat.
Cinder leapt back, conjuring an obsidian knife. Soon, words were scarce. Cinder was pushed back by a storm of savage blows.
Cinder marveled. It was like fighting a demon. Gone was the girl's usual elegance. Gone was any wasted movement.
What remained was pure, unmitigated offense. Blow after blow, leaving no space for Cinder to breathe. The girl gave no regard for her injuries. Cinder inflicted a shallow cut to the arm and almost lost her head in response. She dodged a cut to the chest and immediately had to duck a horizontal slash. She parried the followup stab then was forced to step back from a powerful overhead swing.
This was ridiculous. Each parry rattled Cinder's bones. Where was this strength coming from? Cinder had always known Neo was strong. Why else would Roman feel safe enough to work under her for so long? But this? Cinder nearly bit her tongue as she avoided a stab to the eye. This was a force of nature.
A miscalculation tore a chunk out of her cheek. Cinder grit her teeth.
"Enough."
She reached inside and pulled out the power of the Maiden. There was a sucking feeling in her center, and then a feeling of hot power infused her. A wreath of flames set off in front of her with a whompf, repelling the wildling Neo who had been in mid-thrust. The girl caught the full brunt of an 800 degree fireball. She fell backward limp as a ragdoll, before hitting the ground was, bounced, and was still.
Cinder took a moment to breath. The girl was prone, but alive. Her skin was charred but not to the point of death. There, a twitch in her finger.
"This is power, Neo. A shame what happened to your employer. But if he had more power…You are different. If you truly want to avenge your employer. Work for me. You will have ample opportunity to take revenge on me. And I can also teach you the true meaning of power."
Cinder looked into those pink and brown eyes. Ever clear. Oh so cunning. Neo did not speak, but Cinder knew she was considering her words. Soon she would understand-
Ptooe. Cinder caught a wad of blood in her eye. Neo snarled viciously, unable to even smirk as was her inclination.
Cinder sighed. "So be it. A wild dog needs to be put down. I am sorry for this." She met the girl's eyes mercilessly as she ran her through, watching as the light and clarity faded slowly.
The air froze.
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Neo opened her eyes with a quiet gasp. The cold night air bit into her.
What happened? Had that been a vision?
She'd died!
Neo realized that she was in the bushes outside Beacon, the same ones she'd been in just a few moments previously. Cinder was nowhere to be seen, oh wait, there she was! Ambling as easily as Neo remembered her doing three minutes ago.
What was going on? Neo shook her head. It didn't matter. Her body was already heating up in preparation, muscles tensing to put to reality the vision she had in her head of Cinder's shocked face as her head flew off her neck. Neo was sure of only one thing in that moment. Cinder had to die!
Neo willed her body to move. But it wouldn't move. Neo looked down in confusion. A small voice in her head had been growing larger in her head in the past few seconds. She had been able to ignore it but couldn't anymore.
"-you died you died you died YOU DIED YOU DIED CINDER KILLED YOU STOP!" Memories caught up with her and Neo staggered as she remembered the horrible burning pain and then the cold glass in her chest as she breathed her last.
She'd died! Cinder had killed her! Neo took a calming, shuddering breath. In the background, she sensed Cinder walk past. It would be the perfect opportunity to attack.
But Neo didn't move. She understood, even as anger burned in her heart and railed against her mind (kill kill kill kill kill!) even as she thought of Roman and was instantly sad. She wasn't ready. She knew if she attacked now, she would die, just like in her vision.
Patience was crucial. She would kill Cinder. This was fact. But Neo had to make sure it was 100% certain. And she would make it slow. So painful. She would make Cinder remember what she had done to Roman and then feel it ten times worse.
But now was not the time. Cinder had already walked past, heading no doubt back to the warehouse, where she would see Neo's present. She let the feelings of satisfaction that thought brought tide her over for the moment.
For the moment, she was at Beacon's door. It had felt so long ago. A lifetime ago, when she had been happy. She wondered how Jaune was doing. Her feelings for him hadn't died so much as deadened under the weight of her grief. There was so much going on in her life. She didn't feel ready to give herself to a relationship, even if it was Jaune. After, she promised. Once it was all over, and she had avenged Roman and patched over the hole in her heart just a little, she would go back and live happily with Jaune and her friends at Beacon.
Still, since she was already here, taking a quick peek wouldn't hurt right? Having convinced herself, she made for one of the windows on the Southern wall facing the Emerald forest. She'd already done this so many times, it was no problem at all to scale the wall, unlock the hatch and slip into Team JNPR's dorm.
When she took in the scene, her heart went both hot and cold. Jaune was sleeping at his desk, but Pyrrha had her arms around him and was sleeping on his chest. Neo's first thought was to throw that bitch off her man, and she made a step to do so, fingers twitching on Hush. But then she checked herself. What was Neo playing at? She didn't belong here. She looked at the two, sleeping peacefully, then at Ren and Nora. They were so innocent. She was a criminal. She had blood on her hands and fully intended on bloodying them further. Jaune had probably never killed a person in his life. She liked his innocence, but what right did she have to stop him if he wanted something else? If he didn't want to love a murderer. If that's what Jaune wanted, Neo clenched her eyes shut, then Neo could let him go.
And wasn't this what she wanted? She'd said she didn't have time for love anyway. How could she stop Jaune if he found someone else while she was gone?
Neo let out a shaking breath, steadied herself. She left a longing glance at Jaune, thinking of better times, then left through the open window, quiet as a breeze.
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A tiny breeze brushed Jaune's nose. Jaune blinked awake. He had fallen asleep while working again.
He checked the paper in front of him to make sure he hadn't drooled on it. Good. He could still see the annotations where he'd marked the different gangs in downtown Vale.
For the past few days he'd been doing research on the coming and goings of the underworld. He'd accepted that Neo was or had been a criminal of some sort. He'd wrestled with it initially, but now was at peace. It didn't matter what Neo had been, he'd decided, but Jaune knew who she was. And that was a loving, witty, proud, kind soul who loved him just as he loved her. Nothing would change that.
Jaune looked at two parts of the map he had circled. District 12 and 14. That was where, from what Jaune had gleaned of Junior's information, where Neo was most likely staying. Jaune planned to make a trip the next weekend. Hopefully he'd be able to see Neo. Hopefully he could talk to her, convince her to let him help her. He understood that she must be going something terrible. Whatever it was, Jaune was resolved to suffer through it together. Neo needed him.
Jaune smiled, comforted. He tried to get up to go to bed, but then realized he couldn't. Somehow, Pyrrha had snuggled into him when he'd been sleeping.
Sighing, Jaune gently let down her arms and carried her back to her bed. Pyrrha had confessed to him the other day. And Jaune had been surprised. Pyrrha? Liked him? But he'd also been distressed. He was in no condition to reciprocate. He couldn't do that to Neo. His heart would split in two trying to fit another woman. So Jaune had gently let her down. She hadn't taken it well. And it was moments like this that Jaune realized the depths of her feelings for him. How had Jaune not realized until now?
It didn't matter. Jaune couldn't return her feelings. At least not now. Maybe in another time, Jaune and Pyrrha could have become loving partners, both partners in profession and lovers in life. In this time, however, Jaune could only be the best partner he could be. And if that meant providing a shoulder to sleep on and tucking her in bed every so often, then so be it.
Jaune pulled the blankets over his partner, smoothing it down, before returning to his own bed. His empty bed that he now slept in alone, missing Neo.
A/N: Remember the "dream" from chapter 1? Well, it's back kinda! Not a full day like last time, but still! I wonder what's the deal with that? Hmm...