Our Way (Sequel To Her Way)

by AlmaArachnidFriendEmpress

It's been two years of peace and healing, since saving Atlas. But for Cinder, there's still more to do. Luckily, she won't have to do it alone - Flora comes with her, as do friends old and new, on an adventure across Remnant. A personal one, in search of the one tangible piece of her past that still exists. But what if finding it releases brand new dangers and threats on the world?

8. A Cold And Broken Hallelujah

Author Note: There's some pretty major rated M stuff in here! Graphic/disturbing violent stuff and scary situations/implications, heavy dealings with trauma and PTSD - and explicit, implied, and mentioned violence against a child. On the sexual side of things, there is one tiny nonspecific implied act of masturbation, and there IS ALSO one explicit sex scene between romantic partners that only lasts like two paragraphs, and then some wholesome casual talking afterward! Because communication and healthiness is good for a relationship, people!

Author Note End!

---

A child's mind, warped by the Relic. And then she had gone on to take and twist so many others...

Maybe she hadn't even realized it at first, or been able to stop herself, and it had just all gotten out of control.

To the point that now, after three hundred years imprisoned in another realm...all that girl wanted to do was to free herself - and everyone else in there, too. Her people, her species, her...Ascendants. A whole new people, come into existence out of accident and chance.

The child didn't care what she had to do to get free - she didn't even understand what she was doing to get free. Not really. A normal one wouldn't, and one with a magic-warped mind wouldn't especially. Would she? Kids didn't have great empathy, did they? Or any real understanding of the world, of action and consequence. Of hurt. Of trauma. And most of all, they didn't have experience or knowledge.

And was the child, the first of them all, the central point, the "head"...even the one in charge of all this? All that talk of everyone else telling her what to do, feeding her ideas and plans, and the child's own admittance about not even understanding half the shit she was doing...suggested otherwise. She was just...doing; a child doing what the adults said, because they knew best, even still. Just a figurehead, and a tool, and a- a desperate and naïve kid. A kid...eternally stuck as a kid? Trapped as one?

Was every Ascendant that way, or just the first? Just Imryll?

Mercury had reported that Lisume had told him and Miltia she was three hundred - but she had hardly looked mid twenties. Clearly their high levels of regeneration worked to prevent aging in some way, too, but...was it more than that?

When you became an Ascendant, did you get stuck? Frozen? Trapped as you were? Same maturity, same mentality? Unable to grow, in your mind - in your very soul? Stagnant?

Cinder could see how any kid would be desperate to escape that. Being a kid forever was nice in fairy tales, but for it to really happen...

You'd go mad, wouldn't you?

Wanting to mature, to grow, to learn, to...expand and move on in life.

But you couldn't.

You never would.

Unless...you got free of it all.

Unless you found a way to be reborn, rebirth yourself through another, and come out a normal child again - in body, mind, and soul.

But Imryll wasn't willing to just do that, not yet - she wanted to create that passageway between realms first, that way out for all of those thousands of others first. She wanted to free all of them first. Except they weren't going to be normal again, not like her - they'd retain those powers, those warped mindsets.

They'd be threats to Remnant, to everyone, all the same, once they spilled out into the world again. Even without that mental network between them all anymore. Even without a leader, a central hub that was Imryll.

And for that...

Cinder couldn't let it happen.

If Imryll could just agree to rebirth herself and forget the rest...Cinder would have been willing to do it for her! Have the girl, birth a normal girl, and wash her hands of it all! Know that the thousands of monsters would remain trapped in that other realm forever, especially with their leader gone.

But that wasn't in the cards.

Maybe it was compassion, maybe it was empathy, maybe it was the Relic's affects on her mind at play...but that child was totally unwilling to just let the rest go and free herself alone.

Cinder wondered if she could ever even convince the child. Could any argument even work on someone whose mind had been altered by a godly magical artifact? Especially a child?

Cinder could hardly talk to her own girls in the right way - Flora was always better about that! Flora was always better with them.

But if Cinder were to just continue on as intended, stop all of this before it could happen - stop the plan to open the way between dimensions, and stop the plan for Imryll's rebirth after - by destroying the girl's soul essence slumbering inside of herself...would that make her a murderer of another child? Or did it not count if that soul wasn't exactly fully awake or aware yet? Was it more akin to an act of abortion? Could she square it with herself that way, then? Still go through with it? Would Flora agree with her about that if she did, or would she judge her for it? Judge her guilty?

Ugh! Why did she have to think?! Why did she have nothing but all of this in her head? Why couldn't it all just go away?

Was there even another way? A way for everyone to win, but for all of this to still end? And for Cinder to keep a clean damn conscience?

Maybe.

She recalled Ozpin's words, about the other Relics being able to be used to open the seal, simple and easy, in their own ways.

What if...what if that seal was opened, and one Relic in particular was used on those inside the other realm? Just as was being planned for those Ascendants still here on Remnant?

The Sword could destroy the Plague inside of those on Remnant, and then...it could do the same for those in the other realm - Kintu, Imryll had called it.

And if they were all human again, all normal people, couldn't they all just...come back? Be fine and normal again? All of them?

There wouldn't be any need for all of this, no need for Imryll's extreme plans (or, the plans fed into her ear by adults around her), no need for magic workarounds, or anything else.

It would all just...end. And everyone could go home happy.

And then, then, Cinder would be willing to just go through with what the girl wanted and free her into this world again as a normal child - knowing that not her, and not any of the rest, would be threats anymore to Remnant. And to her own family.

Everyone would be free, and normal, and it would be over without anyone having to die.

And things would be just fine...right?

Well, maybe not; just because someone's mind was repaired, their thoughts straightened out, didn't mean their own free will and opinions couldn't hold aggression and negativity about being reverted. Towards the ones who'd done it to them. What if they missed it, wanted it back, like addicts? What if they were still desperate enough to get it all back again? Go after the Relics, try to return themselves to what they were?

There were thousands of them in that other realm - more than a few of them were bound to have unhappy thoughts about being turned back. To have to give up all those powers, abilities, and even that mental network of theirs.

Warped minds or not, all of those things were...beneficial.

Hell, Cinder herself was, right now, dearly missing her Maiden powers - and even her grimm arm! And she would have taken them back in a heartbeat if she could!

They were hers, they'd helped her do so much good lately. And now they were just...gone. Cut off.

It was still a bit of a system shock, honestly.

How couldn't she expect it to be the same for those Ascendants? At least some of them? Enough of them...

Cinder growled and slammed her fist onto the harsh stone floor.

What was the solution? What was the way? Clean and easy, for everyone?

Or was there no such thing?

Was someone just going to have to hurt, to give up - to die?

Was that just how it was?

No reasoning, no compromise, no other way?

Was any solution that anyone came up with...just going to be imperfect?

Would there be fallout and dangers after the end, no matter what happened? No matter how it all ended?

Would Cinder just have to accept that? Deal with it when it came her way? Pick one path, and stick to it, no matter where it led? Knowing it might not be the best one out there?

She hated the thought of that; she couldn't tolerate it. Not from herself. Even the smallest speck amiss on a shiny floor could be spotted, and could result in so much pain and grief. Imperfection was not something she did! Imperfection was intolerable, it meant risk of suffering ahead, it meant a hand on her throat and many hours spent cowering away in some dark room. It meant starving, it meant cold, it meant...

It meant she couldn't let it be.

With all her allies, friends, with the Relics and magic on her side, there had to be a solution that was so perfectly perfect that it would ensure nothing bad could still rear its head for her later!

Hours of hard work, and a bit of dirt could ruin it all for her - spell an awful time later. It just meant she hadn't worked hard enough. Even to the point of exhaustion, of aching arms and bleeding fingers.

Cinder just had to think harder, she had to do better with this!

Because it wasn't just her that would suffer for it, not this time, not with this: it was her partner, and her kids who would get hurt if she didn't get this right!

Cinder lifted her head as the door creaked open, pushing herself up on her side and bracing on her remaining arm; she was relieved to get some of her naked body off the cold stone floor.

She'd been stripped of her clothing a while ago, hadn't been given even a blanket or a pillow.

Tyra had told her she wasn't going to risk her making any attempts to escape. Cinder had asked, very quietly, what she thought she could even do to escape with a pillow. Tyra told her she wasn't stupid enough to risk finding out.

No weapons, no tools.

Nothing.

But at least she'd been left with only a single chain attached to a metal collar around her neck - she had a good bit of slack to work with, to move around the room a little. Stand up, if she wanted to - practice some hand to hand combat on her own. Though, she hadn't actually done that yet (she'd just been really cold, and really tired in here).

Footsteps entered the room. Stopped directly in front of Cinder.

A familiar, hated voice above her head.

"Can you move? Stand?"

Cinder shook her head. "I'm not sure..." she said honestly. "Why?"

"Because we need you to do something for us."

"What?" Cinder felt something hard and cold press against her fingers on the smooth stone floor. She instinctively grasped. "You're giving me a knife?" she spoke quietly. "Why? I'm out of eyes to give you. Unless you want me to cut something else out now."

"Nothing from you," Tyra replied. "In order to wake up the part of Imryll inside you - to strengthen it - it needs to be fed. The diet is souls."

"I can't absorb souls."

"We have a way to make sure they get to the right place," Tyra assured. "Don't worry about that. Just do your part, and release the soul from the body."

"You mean you want me to kill someone," Cinder said flatly.

"Yes." A heavy scraping sound, a loud clack - wood on stone - right in front of Cinder. "Let's start with this man here. Wanted across Remnant for the triple homicide of his entire family; he was on the run for it for a while, until we found him. It should be easy enough to shove a blade into his chest."

Cinder remained on the floor, listening to the muffled noises, the struggles of her intended...victim in that chair.

"It would be easy," Cinder agreed tonelessly. She threw the dagger away with an absent little toss. "But I've spent two years trying not to be the woman who it's just so easy for. I've spent two years realizing just how horrible it all was - how awful I was for it all. I'm not going to make myself do something like that again - not even to someone who might 'deserve it'. I'm not going to feel that way again. I already feel too much, every day, just from these memories of the victims I've already made. It might be easy for you to keep going, keep doing things like this...but I never want it to be again, not for me. I've been down that road before, and I hate who I was back then. I was arrogant, I was deluded, I was cruel, I was selfish, and I was wrong."

"Then you're going to feel even more awful knowing that you're causing your daughter to come to harm with your own decisions."

Cinder remained motionless, staring into the abyss. "You're disgusting. You're every bit the monster I fought back in that forest."

"And you're going to have to live with the choices you've made, that's right - this will just be one more."

The sound of that door opening. New footsteps. And then another familiar voice. Terrifyingly familiar.

"Mommy!"

No. "Don't...don't do a thing to her, don't- just- please-"

A single footfall, the knife being pressed to her palm again. "Then make your choice. Make the one that doesn't result in her getting hurt. It should be easy, put in those simple terms, shouldn't it? Any mother would go for the obvious..."

Cinder gripped the blade tighter, pushing herself up onto her knees. "Get her out of here."

"I knew you'd see sense."

That door closing again, the cries of Maggy fading, pleading her name, not to leave her, not to let them take her away again...

Cinder stood on shaking legs, staggering forward to touch knife's tip to the bound man's chest - her foot banged against the chair leg. She traced, finding center...rising lungs, beating heart...

"Sorry..." She drew her arm back, and thrust forth with all her strength.

---

Cinder was tired. Numb.

Impalement, throat slitting - alternating at random with every new victim.

There had been five so far, scattered between the endless hours.

And then a new one came before her, and she couldn't anymore.

She dropped the knife and stepped away. "Please. Just stop it. I just want to stop."

"You've already come so far. We can't just stop now. Keep going. You're almost done; one or two more should do it. Can't you feel her in there?"

Cinder could - had felt those pulses in her soul, a rising burning, had felt strange surges of emotion and even heard stray thoughts alien to her own mind - and that was the problem. "I can't. I- I won't."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well, alright, then. If you're trying to stall, or call me a liar - I don't bluff. We're serious about the consequences. I suppose you just need to be motivated - disillusioned, if that's what you think."

"Please. Please just don't. Just stop...just stop it all..." Cinder said heavily.

"We're not stopping. This is your choice."

That door opened.

That voice again, so happy to see her again - and then calling for her to help her, get her away from these people, that she didn't like it here, that it was just cold and that they were mean and she was scared...

"Please, please, please...I just can't, I can't, don't h-hurt her for it, don't-"

"I'm not hurting her. You are. You're the one in control, Cinder, not me. You're the one with the power here - not me. This is your own decision. You made the choice to hurt her, not us."

A little cry, a growl, and then a high, piercing scream filled the room.

Shrieking, wailing...

Noises that receded after a slammed door.

Screaming for her, for Cinder, for mommy, help me, mommy please it hurts so bad...

"What did you do, what the hell did you do to her!"

"It was just a little cut on the cheek," Tyra's steely tones came. "Nothing too serious. Just to show you that we are serious; the life of one little girl isn't more valuable than the hundreds of others imprisoned in Kintu, just because she's yours! She can be a necessary s-sacrifice...if she has to be. I don't like it-"

"Funny, you don't seem that b-bothered..." Cinder choked out.

"I don't like this! Do you really think I like doing any of this?!" Tyra erupted. "But I'm going to, b-because that's the only way to get through to you, apparently! You're uncooperative, you're-"

"Figures you'd be fine with just following disgusting orders," Cinder cut her off in a murmur. "You've had so much practice at it already. Raping the man you're supposed to love? No big deal. All for the Order. Kidnapping and torturing your own daughter - and her daughter? It's a piece of cake. Just tell yourself it's for the good of thousands, and you can keep sleeping at night..."

"Shut. Up! Shut up, or I swear - it was nothing this time, but the next time, it's going to be something much worse. Maybe a slice across the chest, or a much deeper one on the face, or even something a bit more involved. It's probably going to be difficult for her to use a crayon with four fingers! Do you want to keep mouthing off to me?! Or do you want to get on with this! Or should I bring her back and punish her for you?! I'm doing what I can for countless families, countless suffering people-!"

"O-okay, I'll do it, I'll do it! Just..."

Cinder hefted the blade in her hand, let loose a feral scream, and then she was driving the blade into her latest, helpless victim's throat. She pulled it free and stabbed it in again, and again, and again - all over the woman's front, into her cheek, through an eye...

She fell back, the knife clattering, hot blood all over her hand and her arm.

The cold tendril touched Cinder's chest on schedule, worming its way in between her ribs again-

She screamed as the burning magma poured into her, filling up her chest - and then subsided. The tendril ripped free of her, and Cinder collapsed in a heap, a mess of mewling cries and tears, curling up on herself.

"That's more like it," Tyra's approving tone came. "Only a few more of these, and you'll be done. Don't lose your resolve again. And try to have a more positive attitude about it: you're going to be seen as a heroine to millions! Every single person in the realm of Kintu will remember you for centuries to come, as the one who set them free!"

Cinder couldn't think of any clever line, or witty retort, or even any kind of threat.

Nothing sounded right to her; she let Tyra walk away without a word.

And she just kept crying to herself.

---

In an abandoned house on the edge of the city of Podaris, in central Anima, a large group gathered.

Ozpin regarded them all, giving a nod, and began to address them. "Thank you all for coming. It has been two and a half days too many, and it is time we acted. For we are all here, and we are all prepared. I'd like to take the time, however, to go over the plan again, and the roles you'll be playing in it."

"Raven, you'll be our rapid extraction method - Qrow will remain here in this safe house to act as our exit point, and to keep young Bae safe should the enemy attempt to attack us here. Yang, while inside the enemy structure, will act as the secondary point by which Raven will be able to move back and forth between here and there as she must. We will prioritize locating and rescuing Maggy Rynon, as Cinder would doubtless have wished us to over even herself. As the only known remaining people infected with the Keshiri Plague on Remnant are now Tyra Aryle, and our stolen friends and allies - Ms. Belladonna, Ms. Malachite, and Neopolitan - Ms. Sustrai, you will engage any one of them on sight and attempt to land the singular winning blow that we need. If you are still certain you're willing to-"

"I am," Emerald said firmly. "For Cinder! She gave me her Maiden powers; I can't let her down! She died for Maggy, and she trusted me with the power to save her. I'll give my life to do it if I can. And to save Neo, too; it isn't right, she isn't right - I want to put her right again."

"All right, then." Ozpin nodded. "It is the most noblest of sacrifices I could imagine, and I commend you for it, Ms. Sustrai." He stepped over to her, and offered the Sword of Destruction's hilt.

Emerald took it, and slid it into her belt.

"Team JNPR will act as protective guard for Raven while she searches for Maggy Rynon. Team RWBY, you will accompany Emerald on her assignment, and act in a similarly capacity for her."

"Hazel and Mercury, and Sinna, the three of you will remain at a distance from the location we are all going to be infiltrating - you will act as additional backup if necessary. If all goes well, Raven will use her bond with Sinna to simply retrieve the three of you, and bring you back here to meet up again with the rest of us."

"Ms. Castella..."

Flora looked at Ozpin.

"You still wish to go on this mission?"

"I have to," Flora croaked. "I have to be there for Maggy - a-and...even if Cinder's dead in there...I want her body. She deserves a funeral, not to rot in some monster stronghold!"

"Very well. Then you shall accompany Raven and team JNPR in their pursuit of your daughter within that place - and, after successfully getting her to safety, you may then also accompany them in a second search of the stronghold for Cinder's remains. If Raven is open to doing so."

"If we have the time," Raven said simply, with a nod at Flora - but her expression was almost on the verge of softness, for her.

"Thank you," Flora whispered, ducking her head.

"Salem," Ozpin spoke clearly. "You and I will also be remaining here with Qrow - unless things go so terribly wrong that we must enter the fray. I trust you have no objections to that?"

"None at all," Salem said simply, crossing her legs and sitting back on the couch.

"For someone who said Cinder was like a daughter to her, you don't look like you even care that she's dead now," Flora snapped out. "Go figure!"

"We all mourn in our own ways - not all of us show it."

"How convenient for you."

"Flora - please," Ozpin spoke, raising a hand. "I realize that the immortal former foe among us is quite the suitable target for venting our emotions onto - especially after the loss of a significant other - but I'd ask you to refrain from that for the sake of group cohesion."

Flora turned away, wordless.

"Thank you." Ozpin swept his gaze over the assemblage of huntsmen and huntress - enemies and allies alike. "Now, if we are all ready - if we all understand our roles in this mission? Let us move out in half an hour's time."

---

Cinder kicked and punched the air furiously.

She dropped low and swept a leg around, bracing herself on single palm to the stone floor.

She lifted her lower body and threw a series of kicks aimed high, imagining an enemy's chest at just the right height.

She threw herself into a backwards roll-

And the chain reached full extension, violently halting her in her tracks and yanking her forward again to sprawl on her face.

Cinder growled, curled her fist and slammed it into the stone.

She really wasn't going to have too much range of motion when she made her escape attempt here...

That, and trying to practice with one arm was a hinderance all its own. A massive one.

She let her frustration go and sat back on her rear end, lifted a knee to sling her arm across.

She tried to just breathe. It was just out of her control - all these factors.

She could still do what she could still do. She had plenty to work with.

She ran her fingers along the chain's length itself, thoughtful; what was keeping her here could be a good weapon to free her...

Key word "Could".

Cinder sighed, falling flat onto her back and bringing her hand to her face.

This is still all going to be way harder than I thought.

What did she even have to work with here again?

What control did she have?

What was in her power here?

Her thoughts turned to Flora. She could picture that face so perfectly in mind's eye, the way her hair hung sometimes, the way her lips just...every single detail of her bared figure...

A heat spread through her body to counteract the cold.

Well, Cinder knew one thing she had control over in here - and she still had a hand full of fingers to work with there...

The chain was actually helpful for that too.

She wasn't a chains kind of woman - but she thought she could be now.

After working herself till she'd seized, a gasping smile come over her face, she put her hand behind her head and laughed to herself, letting her body sink into its relaxed state. A small bit of pleasure in the worst place to be.

I can still do whatever the fuck I want, she swore at her mother in her own head. And I can still kill you with my bare - hand. I'll kill everyone in here with it!

After she got out of here, she decided she was going to go shopping with Flora for a replacement outfit; she really missed the one the Order had stripped her of. That had been one of her favorite pairs of pants. And she wanted a new dress, too - something short, something...backless, maybe? Nylon? Leather? Maybe even...

Ugh. What am I doing? Am I really this bored?

Yes, yes she was.

She let her mind continue going all sorts of places, fantasizing as it pleased.

She didn't know how long of time had even passed since her last...murder.

Just food and water, intervals of the door opening and closing.

Nobody ever even talked to her - except Tyra, who tried (and Cinder tried to ignore her).

After an unknown amount of time, she heard noises beyond the door.

Screaming and yelling, and gunfire.

Cinder sat bolt upright, grasping hold of the chain.

It had seemed like an eternity in this place, and with all she'd done and thought in it so far, she had honestly forgotten...

That was right: there had been a plan, an end in sight.

A reason.

An escape.

An escape that had come now for her.

The door burst open.

Boots, rapid on stone.

"You - get up, we're going." Someone was grabbing her arm, yanking her up on unsteady feet.

Well, you're not my mother, but you'll do.

Cinder hurled herself at them with the left side of her body, taking them to the floor. She seized the chain's length and wrapped it around their neck and pulled. She reinforced and empowered with her Aura, keeping them pressed beneath her as they struggled, as those choking noises continued on...frantic beats of feet, a hand seizing her hair trying to tear her away-

Cinder gritted her teeth and let go of the chain, reaching up for their head and putting her hand against their face; she shoved all her Aura out through her palm, and there was a loud crack.

The struggling ceased under her instantly.

The arm fell away from her hair.

Cinder blindly felt around the corpse, finding the hilt of some weapon. She examined it quickly with fingers alone, and tapped a button.

A sword, she realized. And with the button press came a buzzing sound to fill her ears.

She slashed it across the chain where it joined with the floor.

Cinder rose to her feet, weapon held at her side. The chain dragged along between her legs as moved for the door.

She slammed up against it - and it didn't move.

She yanked on the handle, pushing her Aura into it; nothing was working - it wouldn't budge an inch.

Dammit, no!

Cinder threw herself at the door, over and over again, screaming and snarling.

It might as well have been a solid wall.

A wall, she could have blasted apart - if she'd still had her Maiden powers. But she didn't. She had nothing. Nothing but a single arm, and a thick chain hanging from her neck.

She was trapped here still.

Cinder blew a breath, fighting for control. She drew on her Aura senses - something she'd never been very good at - and tried to get some feel for what was happening here.

Energy, power, rippling across the door in mind's eye...

Someone was using a Semblance to keep her locked up here. Something to stop the door from being opened.

Some stasis power, or maybe something to do with gravity, or an increase in mass...

Who knew?

Cinder didn't really care how it was happening; she just knew that it was.

And she couldn't do a thing about it. Not here, not as she was now. She would just have to wait for her friends to kill the one trapping her here.

But why hadn't they done it immediately, she wondered. The sounds of battle had initially been right out in that first hallway, but then it had all quickly moved away from her.

Why hadn't they just checked the damn door?! It was the first thing you saw after dropping down the trapdoor!

Why the hell hadn't they, then?

---

Flora moved through the dense forest and thick bushes, doing her best to stay near Raven Branwen.

She stumbled into a hole and let out a cry of surprise. Raven's arm flashed out behind herself and caught Flora, mid-tumble, without even looking.

"Thank-"

"Quiet," the bandit hissed. She crept forward another few feet and then stopped by a tree, hand resting on her weapon hilt in its sheath. She payed Flora a glance over a shoulder. "Try lifting your feet more - and make sure you actually check what's ahead with the tip of your boot before you go taking another step in this kind of terrain."

"Thank-" Flora began again, automatic, before catching herself. She nodded.

Raven gave a simple nod back. She raised her hand and gestured, and then started off again.

Flora took a breath and looked down at her feet, focusing intently on just where she was placing them each time she moved.

The huntsman team JNPR, comprised of Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, and Lie Ren, seemed to be having varying levels of success on that front - so Flora didn't feel completely like a screw up. Ren was almost as good as Raven in the stealth department, followed by Nora, and lastly, Jaune. Flora knew she was absolute bottom of the rung, even below Jaune Arc, but she told herself that was obviously to be expected.

She had zero training in this sort of thing. She wasn't a huntress at all - not even a fully trained combatant. All she had was two years with Cinder under her belt (who, it was true, had always been a very fierce teacher, even when she was trying to hold back - but that didn't come close to huntsman academy courses or army training). And now she'd never have another sparring session with her again.

Why had she let Cinder go? She had raised the objection herself to her that the Order would surely just kill her - after using her, of course. And now Cinder was dead, confirmed by her Maiden powers flying into the safe house two days ago, and soaring right into Emerald's chest. All Flora even had left in terms of hope now was that those monsters hadn't also killed Maggy. She'd even take them having twisted her little mind and body with that plague of theirs, because at least that meant there was a chance to save her - turn her back, along with their friends!

But if Maggy was dead too...

Flora didn't even know if she'd be able to hang on for Bae's sake.

It would just be too much. Far too much...

Even just the confirmed death of her partner had been almost too much to bear, these past two days now.

All she had was that one hope for Maggy, and a desire for closure - if she could have that, she was reasonably certain she could make it through. Move forward, in time. Properly. All of those healthy stages of grief. A nice funeral. Things to occupy her time going forward in life: raising the girls, getting herself a job (she could go back to the one she'd had back in Mistral - the humble shop clerk).

She just had to know, she just had to see it...see them. Whatever had happened.

The group emerged into an incredibly small clearing, where a single, isolated, tiny old cottage was found. Overrun with vines, bushes, and rot and mold. There were fallen logs around it. One of the windows was broken.

Team RWBY (plus Emerald) emerged into the clearing from behind the cottage, cautious and primed for battle.

Raven gave them a look; she pointed to Ruby, then at the house.

Ruby looked confused - the girl shrugged and flushed.

Raven glowered at her, rolling her eyes. Then she whispered across the distance. "Inside - back door. Now. Speed blitz it."

Ruby nodded quickly, setting her jaw and gripping her scythe more firmly. Then she burst into rose petals and disappeared in nearly the blink of an eye.

Crashing noises inside the house - a flutter of petals seen through a front window.

Then the door opened, and the girl stepped out, shaking her head. "There's no one here."

"They have to be," Flora spoke, desperate. She started forward. "Let's look-"

Raven flung out an arm, stopping her. She gazed at her, inscrutable. Then, she sighed and lowered her arm. She strode forward herself, on past Ruby to enter the house.

Flora hurried after the woman.

Raven moved swiftly through the cottage, eyes roaming without stopping. Guarded but thorough, fast but not sloppy. She moved down a short hall and stalked into a tiny little bedroom.

She paused, putting hand on hip and turning back to gaze at Ruby Rose with absolute disdain. "You missed this how?"

"Hey, I didn't exactly check the whole place out in one go! Just the kitchen and living room for obvious camping baddies - of which there were none," Ruby defended, blushing.

Raven huffed, striding forth and reaching for the handle of the metal trapdoor built into the middle of the bedroom floor. She flung it open and whipped out her sword. She paused, her eyes straying to Flora. "Any more stupid mistakes from here on out...and any one of them might be the one to cost your child her life. If it hasn't already been lost, along with your wife's," she added, with only a hair's thin touch of softness.

Flora nodded. "I understand."

"For her sake, I hope so." Raven took a step forward, boot right on the frame of the trapdoor. "Emerald - I want you to go down first; be prepared with that Semblance of yours to mask us from sight."

Emerald scanned the great group they had assembled in the tiny room. "This many people, I'm not sure if I can hold that for any decent length of time. But I'll try my best!" she said hastily.

"As long as you can will have to do," Raven responded simply. "Now, let's do this."

Emerald shuffled forward, pulling her weapons out. She took a deep breath, and then she jumped down into the darkness.

Flora brought up her Aura and jumped down right after her.

She hit hard and bent her knees on landing; it was a lot farther of a drop than she'd thought. She quickly moved out of the way as Raven came dropping down next.

After teams RWBY and JNPR joined them in the stone corridor, Flora gazed up and down it.

To her right, there was a dead end - just a plain stone wall, totally smooth and carved out.

To her let...a "T" intersection.

That was the way to go, then - the only way.

Flora started off for it, but a hand from Raven was yanking her back by the shoulder.

Raven gave her a look as she passed, taking the lead again - a shake of her head.

Flora frowned, and followed.

Lie Ren put hand on her arm, catching up with her.

"What is it?" Flora said quietly to the huntsman.

"You have to remain focused - put your feelings aside," Ren replied, just as quiet. "Believe me, I know; letting vengeance dictate your actions is only going to lead to recklessness, and mistakes - which could very well get you killed. You need calm, to center yourself before you engage an enemy."

Flora sighed, pulling away from the young man. But she gave him a nod; she knew he was right. She might have been brand new to going on a huntsmen rescue mission, but she wasn't new to that kind of advice: Cinder used to tell her all the time, during every sparring match - think, observe, get creative, and wait for an opening. And above all else...maintain your awareness of your surroundings, and of your enemies themselves.

But it was so much easier said than done - especially now. With this all-consuming cloud in her mind, this weight to her chest, and this vibrating in her soul...

Her body trembled with it all, an outward reflection of the inner.

Raven led them down the hall - decided to take them right. Down a new one.

It wasn't long before they met their first sign of resistance; there were three people milling about, casual as could be, with weapons on their belts and backs.

A dust rifle, one with a skinny black scythe, and another with twin pistols.

Raven's eyes lit up, and she swept a hand forth almost casually; the three enemies were taken up in a mighty gust of wind, sent rolling and bouncing down the hallway like toys.

But they weren't too badly hurt - or even dead. Their Auras flickered, and they took their weapons up and came racing for Raven without hesitating.

Raven flew forward with Maiden winds swirling around her, sword slashing.

The one with the scythe engaged Raven directly. The rifleman retreated and took a knee, aiming for Flora and JNPR. The one with the dual handguns took a flying leap to sail over Raven and her compatriot, and came down right in front of Flora.

A pistol was thrust right at her, the trigger pulled! A powerful flaming Dust round struck her in the chest, bursting with fire and force to send her reeling back. The second pistol was twirled in hand, and then it was an electrifying dagger - which was promptly slashed across Flora's stomach with a streak of blue lightning.

Flora gasped, feeling the pain distant, even through her Aura, and hurled her first real punch in life. The woman dodged her easily, ducking and shoving the pistol against her chest and pulling the trigger again. At the same time, she slashed the dagger twice more across Flora's stomach to make her Aura sputter something fierce.

Flora grabbed the woman's wrist and yanked herself inward, bringing up her knee to catch her in the gut; it worked, and the woman bent over from it, her red Aura flaring briefly!

And then Flora was regretting it when the woman placed her gun against her temple, and fired a third time.

Flora fell aside, hand going to her head, stumbling into the wall.

Team JNPR moved to engage the woman as one - a clean, cohesive unit of fighting prowess.

Flora clenched her fists, shaking her head, and refocusing herself. She looked past JNPR, beyond Raven, to the one with the rifle; the man was taking shots at Raven when he could, making her fight a bit more difficult.

Flora ran past JNPR, leaped high to soar over Raven and the scythe wielder, and came down a few feet from the rifleman. She burst forward with her Aura in a flying kick.

The rifleman straightened up, and just stood waiting for her.

Flora's leg was grabbed, the rifle was aimed at her chest from the hip, and the trigger was pulled; a dozen rounds blasted into her. The rifleman twirled Flora around and slammed her into a wall, and then backflipped away and began firing on her further.

Flora focused on her Aura and wildly slashed her arm out in front of herself; a wave of energy blasted out, sweeping for the rifleman.

He just flipped up again to avoid it, and even fired a burst at her at height of his arc!

Flora managed to roll aside and avoid it this time, though; she was pleased with herself for that.

But this was definitely going to be far harder than she'd ever thought.

It made her admire these huntsmen all the more - and admire those memories of Cinder all the more; if her wife was still alive, if she was here...she would have wiped the floor with these people.

But she wasn't.

And Flora just had to do her best to remember everything Cinder had ever taught her, if she wanted to even make it through this mission in one piece.

---

After descending two whole levels, flights of stone stairs, and fighting through many hallways that all looked the same (fights during which Flora had to rely heavily on her friends for assistance) - Flora, Raven, and Team JNPR finally found their objective.

Flora had lagged behind the others, and she hurried to catch up; she raced around the corner, and then she came to a dead halt.

Team JNPR were standing very still, weapons lowered.

Raven wasn't moving either, looking incredibly tense.

Cinder's mother - the resemblance was so horrifyingly striking that it left no question of who she was, even if Flora had never seen her before - was holding Maggy by an arm, just dangling her out in front of herself like a doll.

Maggy, who had a large gash on her forehead, who had one of her eyes swollen shut and discolored a sickening dark purple, who had a massive, deep laceration on her face, starting from her lip's corner and going all the way back to right beneath her right ear...

Maggy was screaming and crying and squirming, but it was all useless. She was helpless.

"Let her go, let her go or I'll-" Flora was screaming.

Raven shoved her backwards, a hard look on her face. "Don't threaten people when you don't have the will to follow through on it - I know you don't, and so does she. I, on the other hand..." She turned, and took a step toward Tyra, sword brandished. "Let the child go, or I'll take your head off. This is your only chance."

Tyra laughed at her, high over Maggy's pleadings and screams. "I don't doubt you. But it still won't do you any good. I-"

Maggy let out a piercing wail, and suddenly burst with a green light. An inexplicable, powerful wind erupted in the room - right from Maggy herself; Tyra dropped her out of sheer shock, and was sent flying back across the room. Tyra struck the wall so hard that the stone cracked.

Raven flexed her hand at her side, and a magical aura covered them all as the powerful wind reached them, threatening to sweep them off their feet as well! Her magic kept them rooted.

After several seconds, the winds died; in that time, Tyra merged with the wall and became shadow, disappearing - taking advantage of her own situation.

A green swirl of energy flickered across Maggy's small frame, and then it shattered into many shards that dissolved into the air.

Raven rushed forward, scooped her up in her arms, and then slashed her sword at the air. A swirling red portal appeared, which she immediately disappeared through with Maggy.

She returned a moment later, empty handed, sword sheathed.

The portal vanished.

Flora sighed from sheer relief, starting toward Raven with welling gratitude.

"Don't you dare." Raven held up a hand, eyes glinting; Flora stopped instantly, dropping her arms to her sides. "Stay focused for me: do you still want to look for your wife's body?"

Flora nodded. "Yes."

"Let's go, then." Raven rolled her neck, throwing a look at Team JNPR. "You three - stay or go?"

"We're not leaving yet," Jaune said strongly. "Ruby and the others might need our help elsewhere around here."

Raven gave a nod. "Then come on."

---

Emerald froze as she came into that first hallway again.

The stone wall was gone - there was a heavy door there now, torch brackets crackling.

Laid out on the floor were two bodies. Two very dead bodies, blood pooled under them, and heavy wounds to them.

"Wh-what is that?" Yang gaped. "That was never there before, was it? Ruby, Weiss?"

"No, no it was not," Weiss said, shaking her head and blinking rapidly at the sight. "Some kind of illusion Semblance?"

Yang gestured at the corpses. "Nobody's making any illusions anymore."

Ruby rubbed her eyes furiously, then blasted forward in roses to touch her hand to the door. She turned back, wide eyed. "It's real!"

A feeling in Emerald came like a strike of lightning. She gasped and strode forward, pushing the girl aside and yanking the door open wide. Hoping to see, hoping it was possible-

Empty.

Except...there were signs that it once wasn't; a very cleanly broken little length of chain attached to a steel ring in the floor, blood dried on the floor in great splats and streaks...

Emerald whipped back around, gazing at the two bodies outside the doorway. She moved for them, reaching down - they were definitely dead. But they were also...warm.

Was it even possible? Was it really so obvious, two and two? Or was it just Emerald wanting to hope so badly she was grabbing anything to make it even a possibility?

"Cinder has to be alive!" Emerald said firmly, standing. "She had to have been here, right here - and she got away - she killed them! She's out there somewhere! Right now! Right in this building! Or- or she got out through there." Emerald gestured up to the dark shoot for the trapdoor. "Yang, Weiss - go back up, look around for her. Ruby and I will search for her here. We'll go back through the place, we'll look everywhere until we find her!"

"But that's impossible - your Maiden powers- she gave you- we all saw-" Ruby stammered.

"Her powers weren't taken the normal way!" Emerald insisted. "She- she could have lost them somehow, but still lived through it! She has to have. She has to be! Come on, go! We have to find her; I can't let her down!"

"If you really think so, then we will," Ruby agreed, nodding with determination. "Yang, Weiss - go on up. Look for her out in the woods."

"If that's your call," Yang said, sighing.

---

The thing about Semblances, was that unlike Maiden magic, they weren't infinite; if you waited long enough, even people with the largest pools of Aura, or the least draining Semblances - or even both - would have to let it go sometime.

And her captors had, after several lengthy minutes.

Cinder had made her move then, bursting out of the door and taking them by surprise.

She'd killed them with her chain, and the weapon she'd stolen up.

Constricting, relying on binding and close quarters strikes. Keeping them off balance and off foot.

She'd taken them both down.

Maybe it was luck, or they weren't too skilled - or she was just much better than she'd thought, even without an arm, or eyes to see with.

Whatever the case, Cinder was free now.

Superhuman senses aided her in navigating, brought fully to bear.

She raced for the opposite end of the hallway, intent on reaching her friends - those noises of battle echoing distantly.

Footsteps to her left as she reached the intersection on the opposite end of the hallway. "Hey! Put that down and get on the floor, right now!"

Cinder ran down the left hall, right for that voice, for those shifting boots in place.

She burst with Aura, slamming into a large body. She slashed the weapon across their torso, found the crackling of Aura there. A familiar crackling of energy, like lightning on her knuckles. Sheer muscle memory and spatial awareness alone to her, she flipped over their head and came down behind them - using her hand as a guide, trailing it from chest, up and over the shoulder, down to the shoulder blade on other side until she'd landed again. She grabbed the chain up in hand and looped it around their neck and tore it down, hanging from it with her whole body - they fell together onto hard stone, her enemy dragged unwillingly with a cry. Cinder grinded her weapon against their spine between them, holding the man apart from her with drawn up knees. She shoved her Aura through the weapon for greater force.

Aura sparked further, and then it broke, and shrill cries and wet hot splashes came down all over her front.

Cinder shoved the man off her and rolled away, hopping to her feet again.

She ran on, taking a right turn and reaching some stairs - which she almost barreled right down in utter stupidity.

After reaching the bottom, a new level in this hideout, Cinder was met with more opposition.

"How the fuck did you-" a woman's voice exclaimed.

Cinder sprinted forward and went into a slide, casting the chain out as she did. Around two legs it looped: she grabbed the end of it as it smacked into her own body, and pulled; her efforts were successful in yanking the woman off her feet - a loud thud and a hard oof confirmed that for Cinder. She jumped to her feet and leapt down for the woman, putting the weight of a knee to her chest and bringing the buzzing blade down across her throat.

To her surprise, there was screaming and a splatter of hot liquid - this woman hadn't even had her Aura up!

Idiot.

Cinder climbed up off her. She yanked her chain back and gave the weapon a twirl in hand.

And she pressed on, finding another right turn half way down the hallway she was currently in. She listened to the echoing noises of combat, and followed it down this new one.

It was so close now, it was so much louder.

She wondered absently just how big this place really was; she hadn't seen much of it when she'd had her sight - just the first hallway and a single room. Did it have even more than two levels? Three, four? Five or six? A massive, sprawling underground complex?

Cinder rounded yet another corner, heard a gasp, and then she slammed right into someone - this time quite by accident.

"Oh gods, Cinder! Cinder, you're alive, oh my gods, I- I'm here, it's going to be alright! Raven found Maggy, she has her, she's safe - they portal'ed out, far away - now come on, let's get you out of here too!"

Cinder felt the chain go slack, heard it fall - severed from her collar by some bladed weapon.

Hands were taking her arm, lifting her up.

She let her weapon drop and staggered against familiar figure, and familiar scent inhaled.

Flora.

Immediately, Cinder's head lolled forward, bowed, long, dirty, knotted hair over her face.

Hiding it all.

At some point Flora just lifted Cinder up and carried her in arms like a bride - her bride. It was really reminiscent of their wedding ceremony (except then, their positions had been reversed).

The air changed, a door was opened, and then another familiar voice.

"You look like you should be dead," Raven remarked, a trace of amusement in her voice.

Cinder didn't respond.

A feeling of freezing cold spread around her neck - the collar - and then metal shattered into hundreds of pieces, falling away to litter the floor.

Next a familiar feeling passed over Cinder's body, a warmth, a certain tingle - a noise.

Passing through one of Raven's portals.

Into a new place, a very quiet place.

A nice place.

It smelled good.

There was warmth from one direction - a window or door?

Cinder was set onto a bed.

Warm and soft...

"Cinder, you're safe now, it's alright. Can you- can you talk, or just- just nod? I need to know you're still...here. Please."

Cinder gave a simple nod.

"Alright, that's good." A hand on her head, stroking her hair. "Qrow, please go get her some water - something to eat, too!"

"You got it." Hasty footsteps, quick and fading.

"Cinder...do you think you could look up for me? Please? Look at me?"

Cinder lay back on the bed, and then turned on her side. Away from Flora.

A breath drawn sharply. "Alright. That's okay, that's fine."

Light footsteps returned. Qrow's voice, shocked - sickened. "Hey, have you checked out her...?"

"What's wrong?"

"Try taking a closer look at her face."

"What do you mean...? Oh...oh gods..." Cinder could just imagine the frown on her pretty lips. Some glimpse caught, something Cinder couldn't have... "Cinder, please, now I really do need you to let me look at you..."

A hand on her destroyed remnants of shoulder, turning her over forcibly. Smaller, lighter hands brushing her hair away, precise as any combat maneuver in their sparring matches.

Utter silence.

"Oh my gods...Cinder! Oh my gods, I'm so sorry, I am so-" Flora cut herself off. Her hand was squeezing now at Cinder, stroking at her. Caressing.

And then arms were enveloping her.

Cinder just went slack in that embrace, and cried silently.

---

After hardly an hour, there came the sound of the door opening slowly.

"Who's there?" Cinder said flatly.

Footsteps, uncertain. Shuffling. Stopped.

"Hey."

Cinder lay there a long moment. And then she started laughing. High, hysterical laughter. "What did Little Red have to do to get you to come in here for me? How much lien did it take to get you to agree to come and pretend to be nice and sweet to me?"

A sharp hissing breath taken in - likely through gritted teeth. "Look, I-" Yang began.

"What?! What?! You know what it's like, you know how I feel? You're going to be here for me? You?!" Cinder shrieked. She threw herself out of the bed, hit the floor hard. She stood, banged her arm on the wall. She stalked forward, hand reaching out ahead blindly. "What did she think was going to happen?! That we'd sit down, drink nice hot coco and talk about how much we have in common now?! That because we both lost a limb that that somehow means that you are any less of a goddamn fucking cruel bitch, every bit as much as your fucking filthy mother, that you even give any half a shit about my situation, or- or-"

"No, alright? I don't think any of that, and I don't think Ruby did either! I just- felt like it was-"

Cinder found an arm. She seized it, worked her hand up along it, feeling forearm, shoulder- face. Her fist clenched, drew back, and she swung for it with a scream. "Fuck you, fuck you, do you hear me, fuck you!" A strong hand took her wrist, immobilizing her arm with ease. "Fuck. You!" She thrashed and squirmed, she kicked out, she kneed, she spit and screamed and she bit! "You're the last fucking person on this goddamn planet I ever wanted to see, who I ever wanted to have see me this way- get fucking lost, get out, fucking get the hell out!"

That hand shoved out at her; Cinder fell hard to the floor, laid out on her side. "Yeah well you know what?! The feeling's mutual! Don't know why I even thought you'd appreciate a bit of sympathy!"

"Shut up, shut up, get away, I don't care, I fucking hate you, I'll fucking kill you, do you hear me?! I'll kill your bimbo ass!" Cinder hurled herself forward and felt for body, found feet, legs. She punched and hit with everything she had, every inch she could feel! "Get out!"

"Fine, if that's what you want so bad! Good riddance - I hope you have a miserable life! Or, whatever you want to call this now, I guess!" Those boots pulled away from her violently. "It's not going to be much of one, is it?!" Stomping footsteps.

Cinder heard voices talking in the hall.

"Why did I even bother...?" Yang's snarling tones.

Flora's voice, reproachful, and hopeful. "At least you got a reaction out of her. That's...at least something good - she wasn't saying a word to me or Qrow..."

"Yeah, well...if you want another reaction out of her, don't call me in again."

"I'm sorry she bit you."

"Yeah...just..."

Retreating footsteps, and silence.

And then a new voice, a small one. "Should I go and try talking to mom?"

"Bae - no." Flora's instant, firm tones. "You...you shouldn't see her like this. She's been through...a lot we don't know yet. And what we do know...she might like to pretend she can handle anything, but that just isn't true. It would be nice if it was - but it's not. So...it's best if you give her space - give her time."

A high sigh. "Ok..."

"You can see her when she's ready to. I promise."

Cinder dragged herself over and back up onto the bed again, burrowing into the covers and shoving her face in the pillows.

Her fist trembled, held to her chest.

---

A few more hours, and another voice floated in to bother Cinder.

"Hi - Cinder!"

Cinder buried her face into the pillow even further.

Emerald persisted, her soft footfalls coming closer. Settling at her bedside, creaking wood of that small chair. A soft hand on her arm. "I'm so glad you're alright! I was so scared, I thought you might have died before we even got there. Everyone did, when your Maiden powers came flying right for us. Right- right for me. You...you gave them to me, you...t-thank you, Cinder, so much. I won't let you down!"

Cinder pulled her arm away.

Emerald didn't try reaching for her again.

Didn't mean she stopped talking.

"I...are you hungry again? Do you want more water? I could get something for you. Whatever you want!"

Cinder breathed.

"Do you want help with- a bath? You were in that place for a few days..."

Cinder didn't move.

"A-alright, well, when you do need...anything at all...just call for me."

That creaky chair again. Light feet wandering away.

That door closing.

Cinder rolled onto her other side, staring at nothing.

---

Not long after Emerald's attempt, two more people tried their hand at Cinder: Raven, who offered the lovely advice of, "This is just sad. Would you woman up already; you're stronger than this. I know you are."; and Hazel, who was actually a lot kinder in his - "You've come too far in life to let this finally kill you; don't let this obstacle block your path forward. Find a way around it."

And then, Flora came back for a second time.

"Cinder...please. I thought you were dead for two whole days. And now you're just acting like you are."

Cinder moved her head just so. She sighed. Why was everyone wasting so much effort on her? Why were they all trying so hard? She was just a failure, and now she was a useless failure. "Maybe I wish I was."

Flora's familiar, soft, warm hand on her shoulder. "I told you I was going to be there for you - and I am."

"Then be here for me..." Cinder muttered. "Just stop trying to make me talk; I don't want to talk. Got it?"

"Okay. You're right - I am sorry. I'm just so worried... Can I...?"

"Can you what?"

"Lay here with you a while."

"Yeah...sure...I- I've missed that."

Flora climbed into the bed with her, pressed to her. Slender hand stroked at Cinder's side.

"You really need a shower, you know that. You're gross - and it's not just the blood."

"I'm perfectly aware of that, thanks..." Cinder grumbled.

"And...?"

"And...I'll take one later."

"How about we do that in the next few minutes here?"

"Fine."

"Thank you."

For many minutes, there was silence between the two partners.

"You know..." Flora started.

"What?"

"Maggy did something amazing back there, in that awful place."

"What did she do?" Cinder asked, curious - and confused.

"It was Tyra, she...tried to use Maggy against us when we cornered her - a human shield. Maggy was so- so scared and upset, and Tyra hurt her arm, and...then she just lit up. There was this huge explosion of- of wind. Tyra dropped her, got sent into a wall. Maggy blew her across the entire room. It was so strong. We almost got knocked over from it, too; Raven had to root us down with some of her magic."

"Maggy unlocked a Semblance?" Cinder said, amazed.

"She did. It was powerful - incredible! She's been really excited about it now, trying to make it happen again. But, no luck so far..." Flora laughed. Cinder smiled, a strong sense of pride bursting in her chest. "But, that huntsman - Lie Ren - he's been working with her, and she did manage to bring her Aura up for a few moments," Flora went on. "It was enough to heal her from...well, I think you'd know better about her state than me? But she's still going to have a really bad scar on her face now."

"Is it really...really bad?" Cinder asked.

"Not compared with any of yours, I guess," Flora said quickly. "Not that yours are anything bad, either - I love them, you love them. But for Maggy..."

"She's going to have to learn to love hers, too," Cinder stated.

"Yeah. But at her age..."

"Is it really going to be that much of a problem?"

"It- shouldn't be too- awful. We could always say it was a grimm attack."

"We could." Cinder worked her fingers up and down along the mattress, under cover of...covers. Push and pull, motions so familiar as to be automatic. Motions of scrubbing the bed down. "Did- did Tyra get away?"

"She did. Disappeared into shadows."

"What about Neo? Blake? Miltia...?"

"They weren't even there, as far as we know. They either got out long before even Tyra decided to, or they're doing something elsewhere in Remnant. Waiting, maybe. Plotting something." Flora sighed.

Then none of this is even over yet. Not even close...

"Can we get you into that shower now?" Flora said suddenly.

Cinder threw the blankets off, sitting up. "Sure. Let's go."

A hand taking hers.

Cinder pulled away, standing. "I don't need you treating me like I'm useless now; don't start."

A carefully taken breath. Carefully measured tones. "I wasn't holding your hand because you're a useless cripple who needs to be walked; I was holding your hand because you're my partner, and I missed holding it."

"Right. Okay." Cinder held her hand out for Flora to take again. "Sorry."

"I understand. It's okay. Why don't you lead?"

Cinder hesitated. She let her head drop, teeth clenched. "You- you should probably...get us there."

"If that's what you want."

Cinder let Flora guide her out of the room. Down a narrow hall, through a door on her left. Cinder let go and started exploring the bathroom on her own, taking note of the layout. Her blind hand knocked over a few things - but Flora didn't say a word about it.

The pounding of running water.

The humidity of steam.

Hot flesh pressing against her, bare on bare. "It's safe to hop in now."

"Thanks..."

Cinder shuffled her way forward, sticking a foot out for the edge of the tub. She stepped over and into it, under hot, streaming waters.

Flora joined her, staying close to her still.

Cinder leaned against the shower wall, bringing her hand up to her chest and bowing her head. Letting her hair soak through, sighing as the waters ran their course down her body.

She relaxed entirely, and let her mind drift off.

At some point, Flora had put her arms around her from behind. Just held her - didn't try making her talk again. Didn't even talk to her, herself.

Just...like that. For a long time.

Although, it came to a point where Cinder was suddenly jarred out of her mind by a wet cloth against her backside.

"I can do that myself..." Cinder murmured.

"Then you'd better hurry - it's going to get really cold soon," Flora laughed.

Cinder shook her head, noting that the water had become a whole lot cooler.

Either it was terrible pipework, or she'd gotten lost in her own head for far longer than she'd meant to.

Flora pressed a soap bar to her palm, and Cinder took up viciously scrubbing herself down. Or, trying to.

She slipped up twice. And then a third time.

She turned and punched the wall with a snarl! She punched it again, and again, and then she kicked at it-

"Cinder, stop, stop, it's okay - it's okay!"

"IT'S NOT OKAY, I'M- I CAN'T- WHAT DO I-" Cinder dropped to the bottom of the tub and slammed her forehead into the wall next. "How am I supposed to even..."

Flora's arms around her, holding her tight from behind. "You'll figure it out, you'll get used to it - it'll get better. It's only been-"

"I w-won't...I'm more- h-helpless than I ever was as a kid, I can't even...if I can't even shower right, how am I going to fight? How am I going to do- anything?"

"We'll work on it, you'll get the hang of it! You're not helpless, you're not-"

"I can't do anything...I can't walk without you, I can't shower without you - what about the big things? What about work? What about caring for Maggy? What about p-picking up Bae from school? What about- how am I supposed to keep teaching you how to fight when I can't fight anymore? If I can't even d-do this on my own anymore..."

"It's brand new, it's frustrating, it's scary - but it's not always going to be. I swear it. You are not helpless - or useless either! You just need time, and patience, and...to adjust. I'll help you adjust, okay? I'm here for you."

Cinder twisted around in Flora's arms, reaching for her face. Caressing. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to her. Hard, with shaking lips. "Y-you're going to have to be here for me for...every second of every day. Because I'm just...I can't..."

"Then I will be. If that's what you need from me."

Cinder pressed as much as she could to Flora, kissing quick and desperate, hand roaming - shoulders, arms, neck, chest and stomach. She pushed her back, down, and lay atop her in the tub. She let a quivering breath go, dipping her head. Lips worked, tongue flicked - Flora's hands were in her hair, on her head, soft little noises and quivering breaths of her own as Cinder assailed her breasts. Her sole hand moved far down between them, finding already parted thighs and a slightly raised knee. Cinder's fingers touched, circled - pressed. Flora's pleasant tones, her words drifting to her, soft, encouraging...quickening breaths, sharp, shallow - her body beneath Cinder, moving, squirming, muscles tightening...pressing up to meet her with an urgency to match Cinder's...

Cinder swiftly abandoned Flora's breasts in favor of sliding her way further down - below stomach - to replace working hand with a well working mouth where it was needed best. Hand held thigh, caressed and squeezed at lifting buttocks - it was far more difficult than usual to stay on target. But Cinder realized Flora was trying her best to help her out with that, also...more than usual. Flora usually kicked around about as much during sex as she did in her sleep. She wasn't as much, this time, she was trying extra hard - but it was still starting to get a bit...

A long, soft sigh, and a slack form under Cinder.

Cinder moved up Flora's body again, holding her head above resting chest, where every heaving breath was coming from in aftermath of success. Then, she just turned her head and lay it down there.

Cinder felt a pair of lips pressing to the top of her head.

"There you go, see; you still have it," Flora's cheerful words, breathless.

"I- I do? That wasn't...?" Cinder began, breathing hard herself. She brought her hand up and found one of Flora's, entwining their fingers. "I-it...wasn't really as...good as usual, though, was it?"

"I thought we'd worked on those self esteem issues a long time ago." Cinder could almost see the frown.

"Was it?" she persisted, regardless.

"It was," Flora said firmly. "It was every bit as good and wonderful as before."

"Even without-"

"Cinder: the hand you still have works just fine - and your mouth definitely does. You're as wonderfully skilled as ever, down an arm or not. Anyways, what do you really need another hand for?" Flora continued, amused. "I don't remember you ever using it for anything too critical to the experience..."

"W-well, I did like to be...down there with both...sometimes. If I'm just using the one I have left now to just- keep a grip- how am I going to even handle anything else? More than one thing?"

"It was only sometimes - did you really like doing it that much?"

"There goes that forever, I guess, then," Cinder said hopelessly.

"Oh...you did. Oh, gods - honey, look, I'm sure you can find plenty of creative ways to make up for that."

"I- suppose..."

"Besides, you might actually still be able to pull something like that off if we get a bit twisty," Flora assured. "Thank gods for all those combat training sessions; I've gotten pretty flexible."

"You r-really think I could still...?"

"We can figure something out," Flora said confidently. "It'll be fun!"

Cinder smiled. "Y-yeah, okay..." She hesitated. "S-so, did you- it was good?"

"Yes! It was great. Really great. Thank you. Would like me to do you, now?"

"No...I just- you...I was just happy to make you feel nice again." And to figure out if I even still can. At least I'm not useless to her that way.

"Alright. Thank you, honey. It was so great."

"Do you know where the soap went?" Cinder asked, sighing.

A shifting leg. "Somewhere by your foot."

"Could you get it?"

"If you get off of me."

"I really like it here..."

"And I really love having you here," Flora agreed. "But it's really starting to get colder now - so we should get this done for you."

Cinder pushed herself up, sitting back against the wall. She sat a long moment. She let her head drop, cheeks hot. "C-could you...just wash me?" she mumbled out. "And- my hair, too? Please?"

"Sure."

After finishing up and stepping out - toweling off - Flora pressed some clothes to Cinder.

"I went out earlier and got these for you," Flora told her.

Cinder examined them with caressing fingers: nice enough undergarments - her favorite type - and a gown of some sort. Gowns were fine. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Cinder dressed, and then- she froze.

"What is it?" Flora asked.

"I...is there a brush around?"

A handle smacked into Cinder's palm. "Here - I bought it too."

"With what money?"

"Team RWBY's money."

"Specifically...Y's money?"

"She pitched in a bit," Flora said evenly.

Hah. Screw you, brat.

Cinder leaned against the sink, bringing the brush to her head. She quickly found herself met with what seemed an impossible task; she ended up swearing and tossing the brush down, whirling away with a stamp of a foot.

"We can work on it," Flora said quietly. "We can figure it out. Or- you can get cybernetics. After this is over. A nice new arm - even some good eyes; there are great ones these days, aren't there?"

"Great ones, sure - but they cost a fortune, and we lost our money, remember?" Cinder responded, biting back a snarl.

"We'll make more - and we could even get help with it," Flora said quickly.

"Right...but until then..." Cinder blew out a harsh breath.

"Do you want me to help you again - just real fast?"

"No. Just forget it. We have more important problems than hair care."

"Okay."

Cinder moved for the door.

Flora caught up to her and took her hand again; Cinder let her keep it.

---

After a long hour of debriefing everyone on everything Cinder had learned in that place, she took the shot at Raven's daughter that she'd been holding in the entire time (she'd gone through a few different alternatives in her mind, before settling on this one).

"Hey - Xaio Long."

"What?" came the snippy response.

Cinder pulled a wide smirk. "Thanks for the outfit."

"It was no trouble," Yang gritted.

"I'm glad to hear that; maybe you won't mind helping me out again later."

"Look, it wasn't- ow, Ruby!" A sharp gasp of pain, followed by a sigh. "Of course not."

"Wonderful; with not having a wallet of my own anymore, I'm glad to be able to use yours." Yes, Cinder knew well she was being petty - but damn did she love being able to be petty to someone right now.

The meeting ended; Cinder stood as everyone began to break apart, swiftly moving for where she'd last heard a particular other voice. "Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, Jaune Arc."

"Yes?" Ren's voice came, calm as could be.

"What do you want?" Jaune asked, only passably civil.

Cinder took a calming breath. "I just wanted to thank you for saving my daughter's life," she said, in the sincerest of voices.

"Yeah, well, it was for her - not you," Jaune muttered.

"Jaune," Nora warned.

A sigh. "We were happy to help you."

Cinder turned her head towards Ren. "And I wanted to speak to you."

"What about?" Ren asked, confused.

"You have an extremely highly attuned sense of Aura. Your senses are highly attuned."

"They are, yes." A pause. "You're hoping for my help in training up yours due to your newfound condition."

"Y-yes," Cinder admitted. "I want you to teach me. I've never been- good with that aspect of Aura application."

"I understand where you're coming from - but it's not something that can simply be taught in a couple of hours. Or even weeks. It takes years of dedicated-"

"I'm aware," Cinder interrupted firmly. "I'm not asking you to sit down with me right now and start on it. Just...be around later. Please?"

"Of course. Whenever you feel you're ready; I would be honored. But I don't pretend to be an expert, myself," he concluded in warning.

"You're the closest I have on hand," Cinder replied. Why did I say it like that?

"Well..."

"Well...good."

"I hope you well in your recovery."

Cinder managed a small smile. "Thank you. And..."

"Yes?" Ren said patiently.

"Thank you, also, for helping Maggy - her aura. I heard you...earlier."

"It was only for a few seconds - but, she was quite the attentive student, to have managed even that much at her age," Ren said lightly.

"How did you teach it to her? How did you...get her to do it?"

"I was only a handful of years older than her when I unlocked mine," Ren replied. "And it was under...similarly stressful circumstances."

Cinder nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"I've made my peace with it. I hope that your daughter will find peace with hers."

"Thank you. I'll see you around. Or- well- damnit, can't even say that anymore..."

"And I, you, Ms. Rynon," Ren spoke, entirely serious - as if he hadn't even heard that last part.

Cinder...appreciated that.

---

After returning to her own little room to attempt sleeping, Cinder was alerted to a presence in late hours of night - Cinder felt the warmth, the small weight on the bed with her.

She turned her head. "Maggy..."

"You ok mommy?"

"No. I'm not - what are you doing up still?"

"I'm sorry, mommy...can't sleep at all..."

"I can't either - you want to sleep with me, then?"

"Yes please..."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry mommy...You got hurt too?" Maggy questioned.

"Yes..."

Tiny hands on her shoulder stump. "'m sorry mommy. Make it better?" Small lips pressed to it.

"No, sweetie - this isn't...you can't just kiss it better." Cinder paused. "But I could...get a...metal one. Plastic. A fake one. Like...like one of your toys."

"When?"

"I don't know."

That body laying atop her flank now, splayed over her stump. Hugging her. "I'm sorry mommy..."

"Why do you keep saying that?" Cinder asked quietly, absent.

"Cuz...Tyra said-"

Cinder's chest grew tight. "Tyra said what?"

"Tyra said...said she hurt you cuz of me. Cuz she took me, made mommy find me...I got mommy hurt. Tyra said it was my...my fault."

Cinder slowly pulled her arm free, rolled over onto her backside, and squeezed Maggy in a tight embrace. She lifted her head and pressed her lips to the top of hers, that messy hair and fragrance she loved. "Don't ever listen to what she says. Ignore her. Forget it, Maggy. Forever. It was not...ever, ever, ever, never forever...not your fault. Do you hear me?"

"Y-yes mommy..."

"It was not your fault. It's never going to be your fault. Never!"

"Ok mommy..." Maggy said, in the most dismissive tone imaginable. Then, in a much more distressed tone. "Still sorry you're hurt..."

"I'm sorry you're hurt. I'm your mommy, I should've protected you, kept you safe. It's my fault, not yours."

"Both our faults!" Maggy cried.

"Maggy, no - just me. My fault. Never you. It was all mommy's fault."

"Still feels like my fault!" Maggy sobbed. "If I made wind faster maybe mommy not get hurt!"

Made wind...that was right. Her Semblance, unlocked in a most critical of time. A powerful one, at that. But...something that would, like the permanent scar on her face, serve as a permanent reminder of these horrible thoughts and feelings inside her little mind and soul right now. Drilled into her head by Cinder's biological mother, over the course of days of captivity.

Cinder squeezed her tighter, fighting back a sob of her own.

She wasn't successful at holding it in.

She took up stroking Maggy's hair. Her back. Maggy buried her face in her chest as she continued to cry.

They cried together.

And in the silence when they finally stopped, a thought came to Cinder.

Thoughts that...should have come much earlier.

She pulled her hand away from Maggy's body, down to her side.

"Maggy?"

"Yes mommy?"

"When you were...with Tyra...away from me - did she- hurt you more than just...on the face? Or your arm? Did she hit you, or- or use fire, or- electricity? Anything else like that?"

"Few times."

"A few times...what? Sweetie?"

"Hit me. Mostly when I yelled at her."

"You yelled at her."

"Yes..."

"What did you say?"

"Lots of things I hear you say before."

Oh. "What...kinds of things? Bad things? Like- the things Flora is always saying I shouldn't say around you and Bae?"

"Yes."

"Like...?"

"Mmm...said she's a brain dead idiot, said she's stupid to hurt me cuz mommy will hurt her more for it, said she's a big fucking asshole who-"

"Okay, those are definitely things I've said before!" Cinder interjected, cheeks hot. "Things that you...are not going to go saying to other kids. Right? Or we are going to be spending a really long time working on that with you."

"Right! Maybe..."

"No 'maybe', just no." Cinder paused. "But it was okay to say them to her. I'm- really proud that you did. Even if she...hit you."

"It's just what you would say to her! What did you say to her mommy?" Maggy asked eagerly.

"Well- just- a lot of the same things," Cinder stammered out.

"Bet!" Maggy giggled.

"Y-yes, well..." Cinder sighed, letting them fall into silence again. A comfortable one, for once. Because she had to make it very uncomfortable soon by breaking it.

"Maggy..."

"What mommy?"

"You're sure she never- hurt you in any other ways?"

"Nope."

"Are you- really sure? I- she- she never- did anyone ever...You know how we taught you that nobody is ever supposed to- to look at you under your clothes, or to- to put their hands on you in certain places? Not even Neo, or Emerald, or Blake? And not even me or Flora?"

"Except if I get dirty and in the bath with mommy, or if I get hurt and mommy has to look to fix it-"

"Maggy. Did anyone. Ever. Do that to you?"

"No! Mommy Flora asked too already!"

"She did?"

"Yes, she asked hours ago!" Maggy huffed. "Like ten times! I said no ten times!"

"Okay, then." Cinder breathed, replacing her hand on back of Maggy's head. "Good..."

"People did that to you though mommy. I'm really sorry..."

Right, Cinder realized. She had been naked in that room. Blind to her own nakedness, ignoring it fairly easily after a point. Because it hadn't been for those reasons - just to deprive her of any weapons or resources. But how the hell do you explain that to your distraught little girl who still clearly thought it was her fault! Well, you tried. "Sweetie - no, no, it wasn't- no. Nobody ever- well, I guess some people looked at me, but...nobody ever touched me like that. But it wasn't- like that. It was just...they had to make sure I wasn't going to hurt them, try to get away. You know, with my swords? Like when mommy and Flora go out play fighting?"

"But for real."

"Yes, that's right. They just didn't want me to fight. They wanted to make sure I didn't have any swords around."

"You didn't get touched where nobody's s'pose to either?" The most critical of voices - Cinder could imagine shrewd little eyes gazing at her, those cute eyebrows drawn in...

"I didn't," Cinder said firmly. "Nobody ever did that to me. But, thank you for...asking. That is really- so good of you."

"Can I fight with you and mommy Flora too?" Maggy said suddenly. "I want to learn how to do that too! I can use my wind!" she concluded.

"Of course, sweetie," Cinder said instantly. "But...we're just going to teach you how to use your wind. At least until you're older."

Maggy lay back down on her again, sighing contentedly. "I don't want nobody to hurt me again."

"Anybody," Cinder corrected absently. She sighed. "And, sweetie...you did see me in there. Sometimes you just can't...you just can't stop yourself from getting hurt. Even if you're strong, and fast, and even magic."

"Maybe. But you can still get rescued and then hurt them back after," Maggy said brightly.

Cinder snorted, and then she was laughing. "Right, yes you can..."

"Are you gonna hurt Tyra later?"

"Okay, calm down, you little blood knight. I don't need Flora chewing me out over how you're copying me too much."

Maggy huffed. "Just want her to hurt too. I hate her! She's stupid and evil and bad and a jackass bitch who-"

"I know! I know. I feel...just as mad. Okay? I'm mad too. I hate her too. It- sucks that we got hurt. But..." Cinder sighed. She hugged Maggy closer. "We can't just- go being mad all the time now. We have to try to- forget her, and be happy. Can you try that?"

"I can try, mommy."

"Good. Then let's try."

"Ok..."

Cinder held her daughter a long time, endless hours she thought she could enjoy - as opposed to the endless hours she'd hated in that place with her mother.

"Maggy?"

"Yes?"

"Is your face okay? Where Tyra- hurt you?"

"Aura made it better real fast."

"I know, but..." Cinder carefully reached for Maggy's face. There was a scar there on the right side of her face, alright - set and formed over already. And it was huge. Wide and deep, and...very long; her finger shakily traced along it - starting from the corner of Maggy's lip, back across her cheek, all the way to just below the right ear.

Just a little cut on the cheek...

"I- I'm so sorry..."

Maggy patted Cinder's hand - something she had to have picked up from watching her and Flora before. "It's ok mommy. Doesn't hurt at all."

"T-that's not the point..."

"Please don't cry again mommy!"

"T-trust me, sweetie, I'm doing my b-best not to again..."

Maggy pressed to her and started stroking Cinder's hair, cooing at her little assurances and comforts.

Cinder thought it was all actually rather effective.

Cinder hugged her tighter and rolled over onto her side with her, clutching her to herself.

"Try to sleep for me, okay?"

"Just try?"

"Yes. It's okay if you can't. I might not, either."

"I did nap earlier..."

"Good, then."

"Try to sleep mommy."

Cinder scoffed. "I'm the one who tells you what to do. Remember?"

"No."

Nnnnnggggg...

"I'm going to sleep - be quiet."

"Ok. Oops! I'm quiet..."

Cinder sighed.

But, mercifully, silence did come - and so, too, did sleep, in time.

Just before drifting off into slumber, an alien thought surfaced in Cinder's mind. A thought heard in a voice not her own - familiar, but not hers.

We're almost ready...