A.N. (10/29/20) - Just finished a midterm today, which I totally forgot I had when I scheduled this chapter. That's why the chapter's late, that and the fact that I don't write these ahead of time.

Chapter 24 - Time Passes

-9 Months Before the Fall of Beacon-

The entire room glowed in an eerie red glow as Rin concentrated on the experiment in front of her.

Grabbing several Dust crystals, she began to send slight amounts of Prana into them in a continuous flow. Soon, the crystals began to melt into a viscous paste. Pouring out of her hands and into the jar underneath them, Rin quickly closed it after completely melting the contents of her hands.

Mumbling to herself, she shot a look at a few sheets of paper on a desk next to her. Judging that everything was going according to plan, she quickly let out a sigh of relief.

"Yup, this should do it. A couple more tries of this, and I should be ready to mix them this weekend."

A voice spoke in her mind. "Are you done for today?"

"Not yet, I still need to clean everything first. But after that, we should be good for a few days until I'm ready for the final step."

Ana materialized into the room. Tilting her head, she looked up to Rin. "Do you need any help?"

Rin smiled at her. "If you can please. Can you help me carry a few boxes to the storage room next door?"

Ana gave a cute nod in response.

Rin yawned looked at the clock next to her and saw that it was already afternoon. Weird, since last time she checked it was midnight. "Do you want to get some lunch after this?"

The young girl shook her head side-to-side. "The red lady is still there. I don't like her."

"Neither do I, but Qrow says he's got it handled. I trust him to keep her in check."

Ana stared at her with a deadpan look on her face. "Qrow isn't trustworthy."

Rin tried to understand how her Servant even got to that idea. "Of course he's trustworthy. He's Ozpin's second-hand man and I've known him for years. He won't suddenly betray us and work with Cinder of all people."

Ana tilted her head in confusion before comprehension dawned on her face. "Misunderstanding. I meant Qrow isn't reliable."

"... that makes a bit more sense." Rin blushed as her brain finally started working again. "I think I might have taken too many hours out of my sleep schedule to work on this."

"Do you want me to take you to bed?"

Another yawn threatened to come out of Rin's mouth. "Mm, I'm good. But thanks for the offer."

}-{

It's been a few weeks since initiation, and Blake was finally getting used to the idea that she's in charge of a team.

After getting used to her teammates and their quirks, Blake found that being the team leader was actually quite nice. During those few and rare moments where she was able to exercise her authority, she found satisfaction in having her opinion actually heard and taken into mind, with surprisingly little grumbling from the Schnee. Quite different from her times during the White Fang, where she had to butt heads with more than the bull Faunus that was her ex.

So in conclusion, Blake found that her time at Beacon was going pretty nicely.

Most of the time.

"Hey, it's Team Brewery!" The mocking voice of one of their latest annoyances broke Blake's thoughts.

Yang glared back at the boy. "It's Team Bravery, Cardin. Can't remember the name of the team who wiped you out in class?"

"Bravery? Hah, more like Team Chicken."

"We're not the ones named after a bird."

"C'mon Yang, just drop it." Blake dragged Yang a little forcibly away from the other boy, who sneered at them as they passed the corner. "You already have detention from your fight with Cardin last week. Don't give Miss Goodwich a reason to give another."

"Ugh, I can't help it." Yang threw her hands up into the air. "Back at Signal, I'm too used to just duking it out in the hallways with Rin. Combat class aside, I'm brimming with energy and I have nothing to do with it."

Blake sighed. "I don't even want to know what you're talking about. But if you insist, I'll bring up the idea of having some team training sessions with Weiss later. Individual training doesn't seem to cut it for you."

"Nope. Mama needs something to pound her fist in." Yang emphasized that by punching her palm and making a loud sound. "And since Rin's busy with that big project of her's, I'll settle for us and Team Avalon. You are inviting them, right?"

"Might as well." The two of them finally reached the cafeteria, and Blake saw that Ruby was waving at them eagerly while sitting with Weiss and friends. "Why not ask them now?"

"Sure, but let's grab some grub first." Yang quickly moved to where the food was being served and... "Uncle Qrow?!"

"Who?"

But Yang ignored her and quickly ahead without her. Sighing to herself, she quickly caught up to Yang and found the blonde girl animately chatting with the scruffy-looking man at the end of the lunch line.

"What are you even doing here?" Blake caught Yang asking. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching at Signal?"

"Naw, I'm done with that. Oz got me a better job working on a few things here in Vale, and sometimes that means working with Beacon for a bit. So you'll be seeing me around for a while whenever I'm working from here. Just like back at Signal, only this time I'm not one of your teachers."

Yang frowned at him. "You sure you just didn't get fired?"

"Brat," Qrow playfully swiped at her. Nodding his head to Blake, he asked Yang, "So kid, is this your partner?"

"Hm? Nah, this is Blake. She's our team leader and Ruby's partner."

Blake tilted her head towards him. "It's nice to meet you."

"Hey!" An annoyed voice interrupts them. "Are the three of you going to get anything or what? You're holding up the line."

Qrow frowned and turned to face the lunch lady. "Hey, cool it. You could've just asked nicely."

The annoyed lunch lady sneered at him. "I gotta feed a dozen more kids after you, so I would appreciate it if you would keep the line moving."

Qrow turned his body towards her. "You know, I don't think I appreciate that tone—"

"Now, now." Yang quickly moved in front of her uncle. "Let's not escalate into a fight. Seriously Uncle Qrow, not cool. She's just doing her job."

"Wha— but she's..."

"Seriously, just keep moving Uncle Qrow."

The man grumbled as they got their food and moved away to get a table. Qrow excused himself while Yang and Blake sat down at their usual table. Nora and Jaune waved at them briefly before going back to tackling their food.

Ruby beamed at the two of them. "Hi Yang, hi Blake. Guess you both met Uncle Qrow. Isn't it great that he's gonna be here?!"

"If he doesn't continue to embarrass us," grumbled Yang, picking into her food. "I mean, who picks on the lunch lady?"

"Oh, you mean Miss Fall?" Pyrrha interjected. "I talked to her when she first got here. Apparently, she recently lost her job and was hired once Ozpin heard about her situation."

Jaune quickly swallowed the remains of his sandwich and gave her a weird look. "Do you usually talk to the lunch ladies at Beacon?"

Pyrrha blushed and looked away. "J-Just when they're not busy. They make quite the conversationalists."

"As interesting it is to learn about Pyrrha's frankly depressing pastimes," Nora started, getting an indignant 'Hey!' from Pyrrha. "I'm excited about next Monday. Did you hear? Miss Goodwich is going to be gone for the week."

A gasp came from the two girls who didn't know.

"Does that mean we're getting a sub?" Yang started, imagining her Uncle Qrow taking over for the day.

"Does that mean the class is canceled?" Blake asked, thinking about that new book she's been hoping to read.

"Nope to the second question but yes to the first," Jaune answered. "And you'll never believe it. Apparently, Miss Goodwich asked Rin to teach for the week."

Blake merely blinked in response, while Yang's reaction was a bit more exaggerated. Falling off her bench with a loud crash, Yang stared at Jaune with wide eyes. "I'm doomed..."

Ruby pouted. "Yang, don't be mean. Rin sounds like she would be an awesome teacher."

"All those times I smashed her face into the floor. She's totally gonna get me back."

Weiss held out a hand and helped Yang back to her seat. "I've heard a few stories from Yang and Ruby about Miss Tohsaka, but is she truly qualified to teach the entire class by herself?" He quickly held up his hands in surrender when Ruby sent a look his way. "I mean... isn't she the same age as Ruby?"

"Actually, I think she's a few months younger than me," Ruby added.

Weiss continued. "The fact that she's already hired as a full-time researcher by Beacon shows that Rin is an accomplished and capable scholar. But the only qualification as a combat instructor she has is helping Jaune get ready to pass initiation."

Jaune froze as everyone looked his way. "W-Well, I was pretty much a horrible fighter before Rin helped out. I'd like to say she knows what she's doing since I learned a lot of what I know from her."

Nora patted Jaune's back. "If my partner says she's good, then she's probably amazing."

"More like horrifying," mumbled Jaune. "Just make sure to never ask her to help you learn how to dodge."

Ruby winced at that last word, then realized what he said. "She did that to you too?"

Jaune stared at her. "You too?"

The two stared at each other for a moment, before suddenly hugging each other with tears in their eyes and bawling into each other's shoulders.

"She always shouted that word."

"I still freeze whenever someone says it."

"I had to replace my armor because of her."

"I don't even wear armor. I learned how to explode into a bunch of rose petals because I couldn't escape in time."

"Did she punch you in the face too?"

"Only all the time. She literally didn't hit anywhere else. And she used a sword half the time."

"Same!"

Ren looked at the two strangely before staring at Yang. "Should we be worried."

A shiver went down Yang's spine. "Yup."

}-{

Cinder stared at the large pile of dishes and trays in front of her. Her eye began to twitch.

Qrow watched with amusement from his little corner. "Get those hands working. That pile won't take care of itself."

She turned to glare at him with fire in her eyes. Not literally, of course. "I still can't believe you're making me do menial labor?"

"Hey, we're feeding and housing you. The least you can do is pay off your own expenses."

"I am a political prisoner working for the Queen of the Grimm. I should be in either a cell or being interrogated by an Atlesian general. Not cleaning up after your brats and doing the dishes."

"I'll have you know that this is how the Branwen Tribe makes prisoners useful. After all, anyone can do chores." He shrugged his shoulders. "Otherwise, they'd just get sold off or inducted into the tribe."

She tried to pounce on the man with the weapon in her hands - a frying pan she was scrubbing down - but her body suddenly froze and rooted itself to the ground.

The other man noticed and smirked. "Nice try. But as long as you got that cute magic tattoo on your belly, no more attacking others without permission."

She glared at him for another few seconds, before angrily stomping off back to the sink with the tower of dishes next to it.

He was right. Ever since she was captured, things had been getting worse and worse for her. At first, Cinder believed that she would hold out until Emerald or Mercury sent a rescue attempt to retrieve her. Even if they themselves didn't want to involve themselves, they would at least know to request anyone from Salem's court. Even if it would've burned her to be in debt to someone like Tyrian or Watts, she would've been free.

And then something happened to her.

Knocked unconscious, she wasn't awake to see how or what exactly they did to her. But after waking up one day with a burning tattoo on her midriff, she found out that the horrors of being Ozpin's prisoner were finally made aware to her.

Cinder's greatest fear was losing control of her own fate. Being forced to forever duck her head and be subservient to another, unable to make her own choices and decisions. Working with Salem somewhat fed that fear, but Cinder could ignore it in exchange for the promise of power.

This, however, was her nightmare made reality. Some kind of magic seal that made her unable to attack anyone without inflicting the same injuries on herself. Being forced to listen to the orders of her handler Qrow and anyone he allowed.

Every single scrap of information was extracted from her mind. Every precaution was taken on her while confined. And even now, with this cruel illusion of the freedom of not being in a cell was only to mock her.

Even if she escaped, she will have no place back in Salem's inner circle due to her betrayal, unwilling as it was. Her best hopes are to find an opportunity to escape and hope that neither side decides to chase after her.

It pains Cinder to realize that such an opportunity may only come at the hands of the possibility of a rescue attempt from Emerald. Mercury was too passive to attempt doing so, and Adam Taurus was barely considered an ally at the best of times.

So until that time comes - ignoring that voice in her head telling her that it might never come - she'll endure this humiliation and remember these moments.

"Hey, I don't see those hands scrubbing!"

Her teeth began to grind against each other. She decided at that moment that Qrow will definitely suffer the worst.

Another chapter, and this time, with a new month (in-story).

I know I'm a day late, and this is released pretty late at night. In my defense, I'm suffering from a slight fever due to the shift in temperature and I just finished one of my midterms recently. And in terms of importance, I rank first and foremost my academics over my health (which is pretty sad on my part). So I spent most of yesterday studying my butt off and most of today recuperating from cramming.

(Someone pass me the Tylenol. I'm not even sure if it's for the fever or the headaches from cramming.)

This chapter totally went in a different direction than I was planning, and it's kinda mostly filler. There are some hints at some upcoming things. Rin experimenting, her taking over Goodwitch's combat class for a week, and Cinder being an unpaid magically-bound indentured servant.

I'm still working on this story, and plan on doing so for a long time. But I have to admit that I'm interested in poking into other fandoms for a while. I'm planning on writing another story to make up for the hiatus of my other main story, so that'll take up some of my time. This will still be my main priority though.

And I think that's it. Hope none of you are getting sick. Stay indoors and have a nice day.