"Give me one reason not to tell the headmaster all of what you've told me as soon as I leave."
"Because if you tell him, then you will never be able to get your bending back," the woman says, voice a dark mixture of confidence and cold and mocking. "Because Ozpin covets his power, and if you become an obvious threat to it, he will be sure to have you eliminated. Because you owe me a debt for the information that I have revealed to you, and we have made a deal, and it is on your honor to uphold it."
"What would you know about honor?"
"I was Fire Nation once upon a time, too."
She says nothing for a while, simply studying the woman with the orange eyes. Then, she barks a laugh.
"You're an interesting person, 'Ash'," she says. "I don't recall agreeing to any deal with you nor do I owe you any debt. But I'll hold what you said in consideration, and I won't say anything of what you've told me to any other person."
"Oh? How so very considerate of you."
The bullhead jerks under Weiss's feet from turbulence, jarring her from her recollection. She grabs the handlebar in time to steady herself.
"Bumpy ride, huh?" Yang says beside her.
"Yeah," Weiss says. "I, um…" She trails off uncertainly.
(...)
"Are you nervous?" Yang says, sympathetically. "Me too, actually."
Weiss blinks, then cracks a faint smile. "Maybe I'm still asleep. Did the great Yang Xiao Long just admit to me that she's nervous?"
"Nobody can be confident 100% of the time," Yang says. "Though, you know, I can get pretty darn close to that 100%."
The field mission Ozpin that ended up choosing for Team RWBY laid in a quadrant due north of Vale. It seemed like Ozpin was sticking true to his decision of not letting them anywhere near the southeast where the White Fang hideout supposedly was. Blake more than the rest of RWBY was a little upset by his decision. So far, the professional group of Huntsman Ozpin put together had turned up nothing in Mountain Glenn.
Weiss told the rest of Team RWBY that she had, unfortunately, learned nothing of substance either from her meeting with the woman who snuck into the CCT Tower. She told them that the woman had spent most of their time in the restaurant alternating between posturing about how evil she was and making kidnapping slash death threats to Weiss on account of Weiss's family background. She told them that the woman ultimately had possessed enough common sense not to try and make good on any of her threats in the middle of a crowded restaurant, and she had just let Weiss walk out, though not without dropping a few more unspeakable insults and obscenities first.
(Even Zuzu lies better than you, and that's saying something.)
"This 'Ash' person sounds so cartoonishly villainous," Blake muttered. "I find it hard to believe that the White Fang would actually work with someone like that. Then again, the White Fang is working with Torchwick…"
"Well, we don't know if she's actually working with the White Fang working with the White Fang," Ruby brought up. "It's just a hunch we have. For all we know, she could be completely unaffiliated with them. I mean, the only thing we know for sure she's done so far is sneak into the Beacon CCT Tower and inflict property damage, right? Do you think we should still talk to Professor Ozpin about the meeting at the restaurant?"
"It seems like she has some kind of weird obsession with you and your family name," Yang said to Weiss, who looked away and said something deflective. "That kind of fits with the White Fang profile. What did she look like without her mask?"
"She had freckles. And a beauty mark under her left eye," Weiss said. "And I noticed that she, um, she kind of smelled like pine. Maybe her… shampoo?"
Weiss really was a horrible liar. She hoped that the one non sequitur truth she threw in last minute there would be enough to confuse her teammates and throw them off track. On the other hand, Weiss hated this. Lying in the first place. It was even worse than what she had been doing before the Dance and CCT Tower, going from omission of truth and reluctance to talk to straight up, bald-faced lying.
(_zu_ always lies.)
Lying to herself is one thing. Lying to her friends and the people she cares about is another.
"You're weak the way you are now, but that doesn't mean you don't have certain advantages," Ash says. "For example, as the Schnee heiress, people will look at you and automatically assume you're a spoiled rich girl who has always gotten everything she's ever wanted. So they'll underestimate you."
Weiss frowned. "Sure, that might be helpful in a physical battle against some people. But it's not much good when you're trying to gather intelligence and track down a person, as you're suggesting I do."
"I disagree. People are more likely to have loose lips around someone they think is too stupid to realize what they're saying. Not to mention you have other advantages, too. I'm sure you've noticed that Ozpin favors your team quite a bit. Your leader, Ruby Rose, especially. And you are close to Ruby Rose."
"Hmph. That's underhanded."
"I prefer strategic."
"So in the end, that's about what your big proposition sums up to. You want me to leverage my 'advantages' to figure out where Ozpin is hiding this Maiden girl then kill her and steal her power. Do the dirty work for you."
"I'm living proof that a Maiden's power can be split 50/50," Ash purrs. "If I'm being honest, I don't much like the idea of sharing it with anyone. But it's much more important that the Maiden's power does not remain in Ozpin's hands, so I'm willing to compromise. To let you have part of it. Doesn't the idea of getting your fire back sound grand?"
"Sure. Grand. I find this to be all so very generous of you. And for what reason is it so important that the power doesn't remain in Ozpin's hands? What's the catch?"
"I can't tell you any more than that. Not until you've proven that you're loyal and trustworthy. I admit there's a bit more to the plan than simply killing the Maiden."
"You know that I'm not anyone's servant. I won't simply serve you. Tell me everything that you know."
"Doing what I say is the only way you'll ever be able to bend again."
"The only way I'll ever be able to imitate bending, you mean."
"The closest imitation you'll ever get in this world," Ash smiles, eyes glowing. She says, "We are compatriots, you and I— kindred spirits. If you don't want to serve me, perhaps you would consider being my partner."
"I already have a—"
"I could care less about you, as the Schnee. You, as the firebender, on the other hand."
Weiss can almost feel the ghost of the woman's breath passing over her skin. Even now, truthfully, Weiss was still thinking about it.
All I have to do, Weiss thinks, is kill—
(All I have to do is kill—)
The bullhead's loud drones drown out the rest of the thought. Across from her, Weiss sees Ruby and Blake having a conversation with the Huntsman who they are supposed to be shadowing. As a would-be Huntress, her job is to save lives, not take them. Yet here she is, entertaining the idea of murder.
It's just thinking, Weiss tells herself. Thinking about hurting people doesn't actually hurt people, because it's not as if she's actually going through with it. Besides, it'll be useful to keep in contact with this Ash person from a purely tactical, informational perspective, and if Weiss has to make it seem like she wants to kill a person in order to do so, then so be it. Besides. Weiss hasn't actually agreed to anything concrete either.
"Having gone through the process myself, I could tell you everything that will happen to you. But I've already given you enough cards to play with," Ash says. "I'll ask you this, though. Do you really believe you died?"
"Do you remember when I asked you if you believe in reincarnation?" Weiss speaks, suddenly.
"I remember what happened afterwards. Your spar with Jaune and the infirmary," Yang says, quietly, seeming to sense the shift in the mood.
"What about now?" Weiss says. "Have you given it any thought since then?"
"Not really. I just… I think it's a better idea to focus on living in the here and now," Yang says. She gives a hesitant shrug. "Let the dead people worry about what happens after you die. I mean, no one can really know what happens then anyways, right? So let it stay a mystery. Anyways, there's so many other things to think about when you're alive and well. Adventures and family and all the things you love and live for."
"How would you react if you did die, but came back to life?"
"Uh, hm. Well, I'd probably be really confused at first. But after a while, I'd also be really happy, too. I mean, who wouldn't be happy to have a second chance?"
A second chance. Weiss chews over the words. Is she happy here, having her second chance?
"You have that conflicted expression on your face again," Yang says.
"What conflicted expression?"
"The one you wear before you start saying something weird, disturbing, or sad," Yang says. She shifts closer. "Weiss. I'm not stupid. What really went down during your meeting with the woman?"
We discussed how to find and murder someone in the name of getting power, Weiss doesn't say. She can't say it even if she wanted to. She can feel something in her stopping herself, binding the words to the air in her lungs. It's because she gave her word that she wouldn't tell anyone, her honor, and the other her is forcing her to hold to it.
"She doesn't want me to trust Ozpin," Weiss says. "She doesn't like him. I don't know why. That's all."
The bullhead finally touches down on the ground. The aircraft doors lift open. Ruby and Blake as well as the Huntsman come over to rejoin Weiss and Yang.
"Ready to do this?" Ruby says, voice cheerful. Ever the optimist, Weiss's partner. Her real partner, she emphasizes to herself. Not the woman with the orange eyes. Not ever.
Focus, Weiss. One thing at a time.
"Let's do this," she nods.
"We'll talk again."
From her spot in the corner of the room, Emerald watches the Schnee heiress incline her head, eyes a fierce and unwavering gold. Cinder stands up and makes a gesture with her hands, bringing them together— left hand in a palm held straight vertically, right hand in a fist below the palm— and gives a slight bow. After a second, staring at Cinder with an unreadable expression, the Schnee heiress returns the hand gesture but without bowing. She turns around and disappears out the door, the snowflake emblem emblazoned on the back of her jacket making for one last, prominent image.
Cinder speaks. "You can stop the act, Emerald. I know you're there."
Emerald releases her Semblance, letting out a sigh at the release of tension in her head. She starts to apologize immediately.
"I'm sorry," she says. "I shouldn't have stayed. I was just curious—"
Curious to learn more about you, but Emerald is smart enough to cut herself off. Cinder never likes it when Emerald uses her Semblance to manipulate her. Cinder likes it even less when Emerald asks her about her past.
Cinder, however, doesn't get angry this time. Instead, she just hums, settling back down into her chair to sip at her tea.
"Weiss Schnee," Cinder says, aloud. "Of all people for something like this to happen to. Weiss Schnee, really. She won't last much longer. I can see that her mind is already crumbling."
Cinder chuckles. Emerald says nothing. This isn't the first time that Cinder has brought up the Schnee heiress in this way. The first time was the night of the infiltration of the CCT Tower, when Cinder returned to the dance floor a mix of her usual self-satisfaction and something else Emerald couldn't read. The second time was when she asked Emerald to discreetly bump into the heiress and knock her to the ground in front of the cafeteria, just to see how the girl would react. The third was when she told Emerald to deliver the glass emblem and note.
In present time, Cinder says, "What did you think of her?"
"She was different from what I expected," Emerald responds, carefully.
"More spine," Cinder agrees. "But that wasn't from her. Weiss Schnee is just a lost little snowbird, caught up in a dangerous game."
"I'm confused."
"How much of our conversation could you follow?"
"You were talking about something about fire. Bending. Another… Another world, I think." Before Emerald's courage can fail her, she says, "Was all of that true?"
"Yes," Cinder replies.
"Even the part about—"
"I came from there, too," Cinder says. "Or my soul did, at least. It's all very complicated. Even now, I'm not quite sure how the whole process of it worked. But Remnant is as much my home now as that place ever was."
If it were any other person talking, Emerald would be worried about their sanity. But this is Cinder talking, and she sounds as poised and confident as ever, sipping her tea.
"She'll say yes to me," Cinder says. "She won't be able to say no to the promise of power— she's a firebender to the heart, through and through. It's curious that she can't remember her name, but that's not a significant matter. It looks like she's from a noble family. Served in the military. Clearly well-versed in political negotiations and maneuvering. She'll be a valuable ally."
Emerald still has no idea what Cinder is talking about, from where she picked up all those details, even when Cinder is speaking as if it all should be self-evident.
"Cinder," Emerald begins. "Were you serious about making her your partner?"
"Don't tell me you're jealous," Cinder raises an eyebrow. "Didn't we already have this conversation once about Mercury?"
Emerald flushes. "No! I was just wondering how it'll change the… the group dynamic and the plan."
"Well, you don't have to worry," Cinder says, waving a casual hand. "I'm not really making her my partner. The other her has more spine and she's sharp. But in the end, she's still just another pawn on the table. Like Torchwick and the White Fang and the rest of them. I'll devour her when she's fulfilled her purpose."
Like I'll devour you, Emerald hears the implication loud and clear between the lines, but she bites her lip and ignores it. Emerald is different. She has to be. She matters to Cinder in a way the others don't.
Cinder Fall's eyes blaze and she smirks. "After all, she has no idea who she's dealing with."
(She has no idea who she's dealing with.)
One part of Weiss smiles. The other part, midstep through the crunching leaves, shivers.
A/N I'm not super happy with how this story has been going in terms of pacing and character consistency and motivation, so I'm going to try something a little different in the next chapter. Thanks for reading everyone!