Author's Note:
This took a while. Not going to lie, the delay was all because of my own laziness and unhappiness with how the chapter turned. I needed to rewrite this chapter two times before finally settling on this. Wanted to add a couple more segments to the chapter, but after seeig how long it has taken to finish this, I decided to settle with what is here.
Still not wholly content with what I have done, but I will try to do better next chapter.
Also, I have decided to do away with this rather silly rule I set for myself when writing fanfic chapters. That being every chapter I write must be at least 10,000 words long. Not exactly sure why or from where such an idea came from, but I have stopped following.
Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter.
The Giant and Cinder
"What to do? What to do?" Ozpin mumbled as he wracked his brain over the information placed before him.
It was the term break for Beacon, a time for rest and respite from all the hardships of the past semester. Yet Ozpin had not found much rest since it began, his workload still a major burden he could not ignore. He would dearly like to rest, to take his mind off of everything and retreat to somewhere that no worries could reach him.
Due to the responsibilities piled on him year after year, however, such occasions were becoming fewer and far between. He delegated plenty of his work, especially the more menial administrative work being Beacon's Headmaster brought, but the more vital and clandestine affairs needed his more direct involvement. In recent months more and more kept on piling on his mind.
Reaching for his mug, the Headmaster paused when he heard the faint sounds of heavy footsteps coming from the door that led to Beacon Tower's rarely used stairs. Ah yes, his special guest.
Surtr Brann, the famed Jotunn Huntsman.
Last night, Taupe had met Surtr and informed Ozpin he would be coming to Beacon, although he had already expected as much when he learnt the Jotunn was in the city. Travelling incognito was very difficult for Jotunns, their tall stature making them stand out among any crowd, and he was first made aware of Surtr's arrival when he disembarked an airship at Vale's airport.
Unfortunately for Surtr, Beacon Tower's elevators were too small for a Demi-human his size and, additionally, could not carry his weight. So the Jotunn was taking the long way up, going up the rarely used and deeply feared stairs. Ozpin himself used them only on a couple instances, both of which were when the elevators were being repaired. The Headmaster suggested that he could go down and met him, but Surtr insisted he would go see Ozpin no matter how trying the climb might be. The Jotunn could be stubborn like that.
His guest's footsteps progressively got louder and louder until they were right outside the door, ans ceased for a half a minute. Patiently waiting at his desk, Ozpin took a long sip from his mug when the door swung open. Revealing the great Jotunn behind it. Grunting as he squeezed his large frame into the office, Surtr ran a hand down his face as he let out heavy, exhausted pants.
"Surtr, I am glad to see you are here." The Headmaster spoke as he turned off his computer display, set aside papers, and stood up from his desk to greet the veteran Huntsman. "I am sorry about the elevator. We'll see to imrpoving it whe we have the time and funding for it."
"No rush, Ozpin. No rush," Surtr said in a rumbling voice as walked over to Ozpin's desk, bending down a little further to shake his hand. He looked down at the mug in Ozpin's hand, and a dash of amusement flickered across his tired face. "Over a decade and you're still using the same old mug."
"A new mug, actually. The old one broke some time ago," Ozpin ruefully remarked as his hand nearly disappeared between Surtr's fingers. "Your arrival at the Vale airport caused quite a stir, Surtr. Nearly five years since you were last seen in any of the Kingdoms, and you chose Vale to be the place to go. Here for the Vytal Tournament?"
"In a way, Ozpin. In a way," the Jotunn muttered. Pausing he looked out to the expansive view the top of Beacon Tower afforded them, becoming ever so slightly engrossed with it for a moment before speaking again. "Ironwood specially requested for me to come through one of his Specialists. Part of his plan to gain support and deter any troublemakers from propping up during the festival."
"I heard James wished to garner support for his new position as head of securtiy, yet I am surprised he would try to enlist your aid in this plan." The Headmaster mused as he sat back onto his desk. He had guessed Surtr's sudden return to the Kingdoms to be related to the General, for a Huntsman in Vale informed Ozpin of Ironwood messaging him to publicly support the Atlesians.
As to why Surtr's arrival was a tremendous surprise, though, it was due to his currently antagonistic relations with Atlas.
Despite the Jotunn graduating from Atlas academy, and helping the Kingdom on numerous occasions, he had chosen to withdraw from the Kingdoms in protest to actions that took place in Atlas five years ago.
Back then, a survey team from a Dust mining company based in the Yggdrasil Collective struck gold, and discovered a large deposit of Dust in Solitas. Almost immediately the Schnee Dust Company attempted to acquire the rights to the deposit from the Yggdrasil company, but were refused. Finding that method not to work, the SDC chose to instead take over the company and convert it into a branch of the larger company.
Many Yggdrasilian citizens were incredulous when word got out. Viewing it as an outrage that a Kingdom company would dare to takeover an 'honest and long trusted' Enclave business. Matters were made worse by a leak claiming members of the Atlesian Council voiced approval to the takeover. Surtr was among the dissenting voices of Yggdrasilians and made his thoughts known even in the heart of Atlas itself.
One thing led to another, and Surtr was said have to stormed out of Mantle after word that a legal case against the SDC over the takeover was resolved in the company's favour. The last anyone in the Kingdoms saw of the Jotunn was of him marching into the snowy expanse around the city, the snow around Surtr melting as he passed. Since that day, Surtr operated solely in territories belonging to the Enclave, primarily the Yggdrasil Collective. Until now it seems.
"I am not here for Ironwood. My reasons for coming to Vale were to see just how 'troublesome' Vale had gotten, and to see the 40th Vytal Festival for myself." Surtr rumbled, his arms crossing and face frowning as he spoke. The veteran Huntsman's face appearing older and more weary when he did so.
"Hmmm. Regardless of your reasons, it is good to have you here in Vale."
"Thank you," the taller Demi-human nodded once as he replied. For a second time he paused, his face softening a little as he looked out the office window again. "I forgot how good Vale can look in Autumn. A sure change from Solitas."
"How long will you be staying with us, then? For the entirety of the Vytal Festival?" Ozpin then let his lips for a small smile and asked another question in a joking manner. "Can I persuade you into teaching a couple lessons to our students while you are here?"
At the suggestion posed by Ozpin, Surtr let out a loud guffaw which turned into a low laugh. The Headmaster knew full well that Surtr how felt about teaching, and was informed of how he turned down invitations to teach at other Kingdom Academies and Enclave Martial Schools.
"Why did I know you'd ask?" Said the Jotunn with a slight smirk on his face, his eyes looking down at the stwcks of paperwork on Ozpin's desk. "I am not going to be a teacher, Ozpin. Taupe and Qrow have told me what it's like, and it is for the best that these children don't learn from me. Besides, I doubt plenty would be able to stand what I would put them through, or that they would listen in the first place."
"You would be surprised, Surtr. These students are far stronger than you may think they are, and the grit of some may yet eclipse even your own." Ozpin put up a small smile as he spoke for not just Beacon's students, but all who currently attended the Huntsmen Academies, although Surtr did appear convinced. This was of some concern to Ozpin.
While only few, there was a small percentage of Huntsmen, particularly from older generations, who did not look favourably on those who followed in their footsteps. Some going as far as to say they were unprepared and should not be come Huntsmen. The argument was that the younger generations were growing up softer than those who remembered the hard days after the Great War, and not joining the Academies for the sake of being Remnant's protectors as they ought to. But to become famous and reap the rewards from that status, instead.
Ozpin knew more so than anyone else how institutions like the Huntsmen Academies could change with the passage of time, and the chances of its purpose shifting away from how it began. He knew how time changed people to an even greater extent. Despite this, Ozpin held onto hope the Academies and they who attended them would hold onto their values, and prove as valorous as they who came before.
He also hoped Surtr was truly not among those skeptics who doubted the Huntsmen who came after them.
"So I have heard. That Team RWBY of yours maybe, but plenty of the rest do not stand out to me." Surtr shook his head, while Ozpin was happy enough knowing he was willing to acknowledge one of Beacon's rising star teams at least. "Taupe spoke of another team which she seems to have taken a shine to. Not heard much of them, though."
"Ah yes, she has informed me of her interest in that team. Not very common for her to be that way, I assure you. If you can, please find the time to see for yourself why I am hopeful for this new generation of Huntsman."
"Sure, sure. If it means you and Kallisto will stop pestering me with the matter."
For a time Ozpin and Surtr remained in the office. Discussing all manner of things; such as happenings across Remnant, old friends, and odd bits about their daily lives. The Headmaster was glad for the opportunity this meeting posed, as it allowed him to temporarily direct his mind away from his more major troubles. And there were many.
This could only last for so long, and, after nearly an hour spent conversing, Surtr needed to depart for personal business while Ozpin handled his own. It felt good to speak with Surtr, but as soon as he was out the door, all his responsibilities came crashing back onto Ozpin.
Turning his computer display back on, Ozpin's bespectacled eyes fell on a report submitted to him regarding recent activites suspected to be related to Salem. As was so often the case in their long war, it was hard to determine which was actually related to her and their intended end goals. The one he had been going reading prior to Surtr's arrival was an overview of an incident last night, where one of the Order's lower agents raided a pawn shop in the Demi-human District.
The agent followed leads acquired from renegades she suspected to be affiliated with those she faced at Hearth, and discovered the pawnshop was part of a smuggling ring moving illict goods in and out of Vale. There she found a hidden stockpile of munitions, and two disabled Atlesian Knight-130s which were planned to be moved somewhere outside the Kingdom.
Most concerning of all were tools designed to combat Aura-users deemed illegal by most of Remnant's governments. The agent herself was victim to one; a trap that immobilised a target by shooting a constant barrage of electricity into a target which should last long enough to disable their Aura. A highly problematic trap, for it fired enough volts to potentially kill anyone without an Aura. Fortunately, the agent broke free from it in time before it reduced her Aura reserves to zero.
This could have been a mere criminal operation, for Vale was no stranger to organised crime. Yet the links to the Demi-human renegades the agent had faced prior to this, and the presence of weapons designed to counter Aura-users had him pondering whether this was a part of a grander schemer.
A mere few minutes after Surtr had left, Ozpin was now wishing for him to return and distract him from this matter. In fact, he wanted just about anyone to break his solitude and speak with him about anything. Still, he pushed on despite his weariness, as he had always done.
Going for his mug again, the Headmaster accidentally knocked a stack of papers and forms he had set aside while chatting with Surtr. Sighing, Ozpin stood up from his chair and began picking it up, when he noticing among these papers was a book with a leather cover. Ah yes, the journal the same agent from last night helped bring to Beacon. The journal of Steropes the Blacksmith.
His attempts to decipher the journal were still underway and he was making gradual progress. What he found within these pages were insights into the life and mind of the Cyclops. Steropes had been a blacksmith since his early life, yet also had an interest in weapon engineering and mechanics. He had gone to Hearth to hide from something he had yet to reveal, a threat Steropes often mentioned and feared would come for him.
It was all information on this unspecified threat that Ozpin kept his eyes out for, but Steropes frustrated him by refusing to speak of it in detail. There was a fear in Steropes' hand when he wrote of this threat to his life, and at times he pondered leaving for an even more remote location. Both to be harder to find, and to spare the villagers of Hearth from becoming entangled with whatever business Steropes had been a part of in his past.
Ozpin would keep trying to learn what he could from the journal. He was, as far as he knew, the only one in the Order who could translate the writing within. If something truly important were to be found, Ozpin would inform his Circle of it.
For now though, the Headmaster had many more things to do before he could return to this task. So much more.
"Hi guys! We're back!" The young voice of Ruby Rose was heard to call out to the assembled students currently occupying the common room.
Looking up from what he had been doing, Faen laid eyes on Ruby and Yang, who had just recently returned from their stay in Patch. To see the two had finally arrived gladdened the Elf, and he joined the others in welcoming the two sisters back to Beacon. The others present being the two members of RWBY who elected to stay in Beacon, and the entirety of Team FFOG. Their other friends and companions were elsewhere at the moment.
"Ay, how are ya doin' girls? Things were gettin' way to peaceful around here without you two to help cause a ruckuss." Friesian enthusiastically welcomed the sisters. His body walked up to the pair, leaving his head on the common room's table while the body clasped forearms with Yang.
"Hehe, well I'll be glad to help spice things back up here in Beacon." Yang looked past the Dullahan's body and grinned at his head. Alongside Friesian came Blake and Odori, who, while outwardly looking calm, had a mildly apprehensive look in their eyes after hearing what Yang had to say to Friesian.
"Just don't cause a fire, Yang. I think I've started to have nightmares about them," Blake spoke as she joined the gathering. Her words causing a couple present to look over their shoulders in something randomly chose to catch fire. Nothing had, and the gathered students were glad.
"Oh come on, Blake, that has nothing to do with me. Besides, it's not my fault things can get a teensy bit crazy when I feel all fired up. Eh? Get it guys?" Things when still and all noise appeared to stop after Yang's joke. Faen was even sure the pigeons outside had stopped what they were doing, and were staring judgingly at the Human for her bad humour.
"You know, that was one thing about you we all definitely did not miss." Odori sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose and shaking her head in an exasperated manner.
As Yang and those who welcomed her began to argue over what exactly qualified as funny, and how her jokes did not count, the others in the room looked to welcoming Ruby. Or they were about to, as Ruby rushed at them in a flurry of rose petals. Her first target being Weiss, and was practically in the heiress' face as she began talking.
"Weiss! Did you miss me while I was away?" Ruby excitedly asked her teammate, a joyous smile set on her face.
"Yes Ruby, I will admit I did miss you. Now can you please back up a little? You are invading my personal space," Weiss responded to her leader with an annoyed frown, but it was obvious she was happy to see Ruby. Realising her closeness to Weiss, Ruby stepped back a little and rubbed the back of her neck while still smiling at her teammate.
"Ruby. Nice to see you and Yang have chosen to return to us," Faen said as he welcomed his younger fellow team leader. By now, Ruby knew better than to suddenly get in his face without warning, and the two exchanged a warm look.
"Hey, Little Lamb. Good to see you again, same goes for Hot-head." Grey stepped past Faen and lightly ruffled Ruby's hair, eliciting a cry of complaint from the younger, shorter girl. Hot-head being her nickname for Yang. "Ooh, did you get taller? Or are you just wearing taller shoes?"
"Grey!" Ruby squawked as she looked at the Werewolf with an frustrated pout. Her height was one of the things Ruby felt a slight bit insecure about, and the rest of them would often poke fun at her for it.
When the students finally finished with their greetings, the students decided to continue their conversation whilst they were more comfortable. To that effect, they all sat down on the couches present in the common room. Both occupying one and facing the other, which was convenient for Faen, as he and Weiss were playing a game of chess.
Choosing to hear what Ruby and Yang had to tell of their stay at hime, the six others in the common room listened as they detailed how things went while they were away. Ruby and Yang were quick to recount their experiences at Patch, though they still took quite a while to finish. For such a short span of time, the pair sure knew how to fill it, though Faen supposed he already knew that by now.
They first spoke of how good it was to be back in Patch, and to be in the company of their father once again. From what the sisters told them, their father was a decent man, though he did worry a good deal about his daughters. They followed that up with their retelling of how they met up with friends from Patch, and how Zwei was doing. Overall, it had been a good time for Ruby and Yang, though the antics they got up to there paled to what went on in the Huntsman Academy.
"Well, I am glad you were able to enjoy your time away. You did not slack on your training, did you?" Weiss questioned the two sisters as she momentarily looked away from her and Faen's chessboard. On her lap was a open textbook which she read through while she lplayed and listened.
"Of course we wouldn't. Our dad wouldn't let us, and I'm sure you travel all the way to our home to make us train if we even tried not to." Yang responded to Weiss, who let out a quick 'hmph'. "Anyway, it looks as though you had a ball of a time while we were gone. Especially at that Demi-human District festival."
"Heck yeah we did! Here, lemme show you some of the photos I took. Anyone got anymore they'd like to share?" Grey jumped in and began searching through her Scroll's gallery for pictures from that day. She, Weiss, and Friesian showed off what photos they had to Yang and Ruby, who were impressed with what they saw.
"Aw man. That looks as though it would have been awesome if we had gone with you guys," Yang said after looking through what they had to show. Bemoaning the fact she had not been with them.
"We can go the next time they hold the festival. It would be pretty cool if we all went together," Ruby added in an effort to lift her sister's spirits. Faen had no clue when the festival would be held net, and was not sure the entire group would be able to find time for another trip like that, although they coud hope.
From where he sat, Faen watched them all chat away while contributing little, as was the norm. He was not alone, as Blake, who sat with the rest of her team, was half listening to the conversation while also being immersed in a book. More specifically, it was 'Embrace Amidst Spider Lilies', which she had purchased from festival. That book was not the only momento of the events from yesterday.
Hanging from Grey's hip on a chain was a new medallion bearing the image of a stylised tree on one of its faces, while the other blank face had Grey's name scratched onto it by the Werewolf herself. She bought it at the festival, and Faen could admit it somewhat suited her style. Grey did buy it with some of their school supplies money though, so if she were to lose it, the matter would be mainly hers to resolve. There were a few more things the team had brought from that night, but these were all he could see right now.
The Demi-human District's anniversary festival. A more enjoyable time than he initially thought it would be, in spite of his usual attitude toward events with large crowds.
"Anyway. When we told our dad about the festival, he told us of how he and our mom went a couple times. Said all kinds of cool stuff, and we'd like to hear what you guys did," Yang informed the Demi-humans.
"Well sit down, cus' we got plenty of things to tell you!" Grey replied as she dropped back onto the couch and, with the others' help, began telling of what went on at the festival. There was a good deal they could talk about, but none were in any rush to be somewhere, so the group of students tooks their time.
From the small things such as the food available, to the big like the attractions present, they relayed what they could. One of the bands who played on the music stage caught Yang's attention in particular, for they were a band she more or less worshipped according to Ruby. That earned the younger of the siblings a very rough hair ruffling from the elder.
Faen took a backseat in it all, as was the norm. Not only that, but the Elf had to devote a considerable amount of concentration on his game of chess with Weiss, who proved herself to be a highly proficient chess player over the past two games they played. She was either naturally talented, or just more experienced in the game than him.
Back at Vigil, Faen had similar such interactions with High Mentor Chiron, who would sometimes play chess or other board games like it with him. The elder Demi-human's reason behind them were to sharpen the Elf's mind, such was why he elected to partake in the game of chess. After that fateful discussion with Yasmin though, Faen wondered whether the Centaur had another reason for them. Faen's appointment as team leader still baffled him on occasion, and the idea Chiron had a hand in it ran through his mind a few times.
As he was on the fifth round of chess with Weiss, with two very close victories to his name, the common room began to empty.
Blake was the first to leave, seeking a quieter and more private spot to read her book. Grey went back to FFOG's dorm to catch a quick nap, but not before grabbing a few snacks to fill her rumbling stomach. Next to go were Yang and Friesian, who left together to 'settle' the dispute of whose motorbike was the best, although neither would come to an agreement despite their efforts. Ruby left to go perform maintenance on Crescent Rose, while Weiss followed soon after to train. For a time it was just Faen and Odori, although she too left to go on a walk around the campus.
Finally, it was just Faen in the common room. With none to keep himself occupied with, the Elf sat back and read through some books he had taken to the common room. Strategy and combat manuals he brought from Avalon and read maybe a dozen times, yet a refresher was always needed from time to time. He would have been content for things to be like this, yet the door swung open as he was starting to enjoy his peace.
Casting a sideways look over to the door, the Elf found his gaze landing on the ashen-haired Mistral student from Team CMNE (Carmine), Cinder Fall.
Instead of the dark Haven uniform she sported her combat uniform; which consisted of jeans, boots, a sleeveless jacket and wrappings over her chest and waist. A curious style, yet not the most outlandish he had seen.
Continuing to read from his manuals, Faen kept his eye on Cinder as she took a couple steps into the common room and appeared to assess it. Neither so much as uttered a word toward the other, despite being the aware of the others presence. For a moment he felt that Cinder had just walked in to explore the place, many other transfers did the same and this was her first being in the common room as far as he was aware. Yet he was proven wrong when she walked up to him and finally spoke, a small smile gracing her face.
"My, you certainly are a shy one. Or maybe something else," Cinder remarked whilst looking down at him. Her voice was smooth, alluringly so. Not receiving an immediate response, she sat down on the couch opposite from him, legs crossed and hands over each other on her lap.
Lowering his book slightly so to better look at the Human, Faen's eyes looked directly into Cinder's. White meeting amber. Again, more so than anything else about Cinder, it was those amber spheres that drew him in. Not for their colour or shape, for he had seen examples more unique than hers, but for a fascinating fiery quality that hid much.
Guessing that Cinder now desired a conversation, and honestly curious about her himself, Faen supposed he could humour the Human for the time being. Maybe there would be something of value that would come from this unlooked for meeting. He had already become associates with Team SSSN who were also from Haven. Gaining a connection with one more team from the Anima Academy might become useful in the future.
"Reserved is a better word I'd use. For what reason do you wish to speak with me?" He responded to Cinder, his eyes not leaving her face. What also did not leave was that confident look of hers, which Faen met with a somewhat aloof expression.
"Curiosity. I have seen and heard plenty about you, yet the two of us have never once spoken to each other." True, he had seen and heard of her several times, but the two never interacted on any of those occasions. "But we are getting ahead of ourselves, for I do not believe we have formally introduced ourselves yet. Cinder Fall, a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Faen Tatharion. It is... good to be speaking to you at last," the Elf nodded once as he answered the Haven student opposite him. Even while he was trying to be slightly more approachable to Cinder, Faen still kept his walls up. Faen supposed he should drop them to give Cinder a more positive impression of him, yet he found actually doing so hard.
"Hmmm, chess. Fancy a game?" Cinder gestured a hand to the chessboard he had left on the table. The pieces still arranged in the result of his last game with Weiss before the heiress left.
Deciding that he could just roll with it, the Elf put his book aside and reset the board in preparation of his and Cinder's game. As Faen prepared the board, he could feel her gaze on him, most probably trying to read his character through his body language. Honestly,he would have done the same if he were in her position. Once he was done they chose who would being using which pieces; Faen using the white pieces and Cinder choosing to use the black.
Now ready, the two commenced with their game while also resuming their conversation.
"Tell me Cinder, you say you have heard plenty about me. Dare I ask what exactly?" The Elf uttered as he moved his first piece forward; a far right pawn that he moved a single tile.
"Good and bad," she said, moving a knight to the far left end of the board. "People speak of you as taciturn and cold. Some are not sure whether they can trust you or not. Others spoke words of praise about how you held your own against the Pyrrha Nikos; that you are a fair tactician; and your team slew a Hydra at Initiation."
"I see," Faen hummed. He already knew plenty of what people thought of him from overhearing them, so what she had to say was not news to him. For a second he deliberated on what to do next, then moved another pawn forward to endanger Cinder's knight.
She let out a low chuckle and moved a bishop into a position that would allow it to take out the pawn in front of is king. From there she could take out his left bishop or queen, if he let her. He was now faced with the choice of either taking out the knight piece, or do something about the bishop. Choosing the former, Faen moved his pawn and eliminated Cinder's knight from the board.
"Still, in spite of your feats and striking appearance," Cinder proceeded to say as she assessed the chessboard, "there are those who do not know you. They do not notice your presence, or cannot place a name on you unless Team RWBY's name is brought up."
'Nothing new there,' Faen grumbled to himself internally. That, too, was something he knew and found to be of some annoyance. Leaning back into his couch and steepling his fingers, Faen spoke once more. "What do you personally make of me then? It is all fascinating to know what my peers think, yet your opinion would be more so at the moment."
"You are a person of interest. The things you have done, your nature as an Elf, and the fact few outside your friends know much about you makes you someone I seek to know more about." Cinder responded to him without taking her eyes off the chessboard. Instead of moving that bishop, she instead picked up the pawn in front of her left rook and moved it two tiles forward.
Did she knowingly let him take her knight and move that bishop simply to make him jump to conclusions? What was Cinder's plan for this pawn, or did she intend to move another piece?
No matter, he had removed one piece from the board. So long as he remained one step ahead of her, and eliminated as many of her pieces as he could, this game would be his.
"I myself have heard a couple things about you. You're intelligent, a skilled combatant, and rather mysterious." There was more said about the Human before him by those he had overheard, yet what Faen just stated were the most relevant and appropriate for the conversation. Cinder did not need to hear him talking about how many found her to be attractive. She was likely fully aware of them anyway.
"'Mysterious'." Cinder rolled the word on her tongue as though she were taste-testing wine, and appeared to enjoy it. "And it is other people who have said that about me. I guess I should be flattered."
"Truly you are. Few know anything about you," Faen continued to add as he attempted to discern Cinder's strategy. No one had anything concrete to say about her, not even other Haven students. Emerald, that friend of RWBY's from Team CMNE, always preferred to speak of something other than her team when a question regarding them was raised. So he learnt nothing from her, and barely found time to interact with the other two members of CMNE.
"There is nothing wrong with holding one's cards close to her chest, now is there?" She remarked with a slight smirk on her face as she watched him move a pawn forward. Speaking of, Cinder subtly opened the front of her jacket by a little, exposing a little more of her chest to him. A crude attempt to distract his mind from what was important right now, and one Faen refused to fall for.
"No there is not. Not at all," Faen uttered, his eyes concentrated on the chessboard. Narrowing them as he watched her move another one of her pawns.
As far as he was concerned, yes, Cinder was right. Nothing was wrong with a few secrets, so long as what you had to hide was not too dangerous, however. He himself kept things from his friends, yet none were secrets that could imperil their lives. It was one of the reasons why he could not fully trust Yasmin, even though they spent quite some time together and shared an odd sort of bond.
Far too many secrets with the potential to indanger him and his associates. Such was why, though playing chess together and seeking to connect with her, Faen could not immediately trust Cinder either.
"I have told my thoughts on you, now it is your turn. It is only fair after all, would you not agree?" Cinder asked him, resting her left arm's elbow on the couch's arm rest while also placing her chin on the back of her left hand. Her right closed up her jacket to how she kept it before after seeing he would not fall for such a base diversion.
"You... stand out. That is a compliment," Faen began, his eyes' focus now periodically shifting between Cinder's face and the chessboard. The Human's face changed little, although her eyes were fully concentrated on him. He wondered whether she was pleased to find someone who did not drool over her.
"I 'stand out.' Mind telling me how so?" A minor, almost imperceptible twitch of the eye, and slight tilt of her head to the side was all Faen needed to know he had to be careful with what he said next. He already planned to be, this was his first time conversing with Cinder after all, these hard to see signs only reinforced his cautious attitude.
"Your combat prowess and win tally in spars is impressive. Add the fact you have an enigmatic air about you, then what else do you believe would happen?" The Elf spoke after a pregnant silence, his eyes meeting Cinder's as he did.
Cinder said nothing after hearing his answer, and made no clue as to what her true thoughts might be. The look of confidence etched on her face remained, her smile unchanging, and with not even her eyes betraying anything of whatever was going on in that head of hers. He had been careful in his choice of words and selective with what he revealed, so she could not know his complete thoughts regarding her. She probably guessed there was more he had declined on revealing, and began thinking up ways to get around saying anymore.
After that little exchange, the two chose to focus on their game of chess while making idle chatter. The two's talk here was mostly about their Academies and some exploits. Like Weiss, Cinder was a skilled player and outfoxed him a few times, which cost him pieces.
As they played Faen noticed Cinder had an odd, seemingly subconscious quirk where she used a hand to rub one of her ears. Cinder would cease the moment she noticed what she was doing, and appeared both annoyed and somewhat embarrassed by it. Mostly annoyed. When she noticed him watching her, Cinder's eyes almost appeared to glow for a fraction of second, though Faen chalked it up to be the way the Sun shone through the nearby window and onto her face.
In the end, Cinder proved the ultimate victor of this game by checkmating his king. She manipulated Faen into exposing his king and forcing him into a position where he could not escape her rook, bishop and queen. Faen supposed he should now add 'cunning' to his mental notes regarding Cinder.
"Well played. Another?" Faen grunted as he crossed his arms and mentally replayed the match in his head. If Cinder wanted to play another round, he would be at least a little prepared for it.
"You as well," Cinder responded, her body relaxing into the couch while spending a moment to survey the chessboard. The cogs in her head turning as she processed thoughts he could not identify. "And no, I believe that shall be all for now. Another time, perhaps. That round of ours was quite satisfying and insightful."
"Inferred something about me from our game? Care to share?" It was unlikely Cinder would, at least not the full or the truth anyway. He would not, and what he learned of Cinder through their game and conversation was that she preferred not to be direct.
"One or two things. All I can say is that you continue to fascinate me," the Human answered as she looked up from the chessboard. A hand moving a few strands of hair away from her right eye and to the fringe covering most of her left. There would be no way for him to force her to spill the details, not until he knew her better.
"Hmph. Care for a drink?" Faen tilted his head over to the kitchen counter, his throat feeling a little parched.
"Thank you for the offer, yet I am afraid I shall decline." Cinder politely turned him down, taking out her Scroll and reading something on it.
Reaching the common room kitchen counter, Faen began to brew for himself a mug of coffee. As he did, he kept his ears peeled for any movement from Cinder. Sure enough, he heard her rise from her couch, and immediately turned his head to see what it was Cinder was doing. She did not walk over to Elf, but instead strode over to the couch Faen had occupied a few moments ago and picked up the combat manual he had been reading.
Holding back the urge to walk up to Cinder and snatch it from her hand, Faen watched her eye the cover and then open the book up. The book was an Elf combat manual and all within was in his people's language. This was not the first time someone picked up his stuff and tried to read it, with almost all setting it down after realising they could not read Elven. Cinder was unlikely to be any different from them, for she was Human, and the Elf language was not readily taught to those outside his people.
When he finished brewing his coffee, Faen picked the mug up and walked back over to the couches. He paused for a moment as he saw Cinder had not done as he expected, and still held his book in her hand. Not only that, but her amber eyes were scanning each page not with the cluelessness he was accustomed to, but a level of intent which got him wondering. Did Cinder understand Elven?
Yes, the Elf language and its dialects were not commonly taught to outsiders. That did not mean, however, people did not learn it. Those willing to go through the trouble to understand Elven were few, and the resources to learn were rather limited outside the Enclaves. Still, the way Cinder gazed at the book and turned its pages made him question if she really was capable of reading his book.
Then again, maybe she did not understand the Elf language, and the look in her eyes might just be her trying to figure out what she was looking at. Noticing his approach, Cinder looked at him and nonchalantly handed the book back to the Elf. No confidential information was there for any to see, not that many would know that, yet Faen was far from pleased with Cinder just picking up his things.
"Ask for permission before you start ruffling through someone else's things, Cinder. I tend not to respond well to such intrusions," Faen uttered with a slight edge to his voice. To this, the tips of Cinder's lips fell slightly, and her eyes narrowed just a little.
"My apologies, I have been told I forget to ask sometimes. I will keep that, and your threat, in mind for later." Her tone was not snide or challenging, as Halvard and Yasmin's might be if he spoke the way he did to them. Yet she most certainly did not like it, that much he could tell. "I will be taking my leave now. Perhaps we might find time to do this again sometime in the future."
"I... would not be opposed to the idea. If we are to play chess again, I will defeat you." He responded whilst setting both mug and book down on the table, and seating himself back down on his couch. Leaving Cinder to stand over him again, hand on hip and eyes peering down at the Elf. Gods, he knew quite a few who would kill to be in his position right now.
Their eyes clashed with each other again, and held for a prolonged moment. Now more than ever did Cinder seem to be trying to pierce through his aloof mask and try to read his innermost thoughts. He tried as well, but was ahain stumped by how good a job Cinder did of concealing her emotions.
Finally they broke away from each other, and Cinder left the common room for whatever venture she had in mind. Alone again, Faen let out a breath he had not realised he was holding, and started to reflect on his interaction with Cinder. It had been interesting to say the least, despite of how relatively uneventful their meeting was.
He still knew fairly little about her personally, and that did not sit well with him. Cinder also demonstrated she was cunning and elusive through both their conversation and chess game. Both traits Faen found to be intriguing and bothersome at the same time. Throughout their whole interaction, Faen felt Cinder had been gauging him in much the same way as he was doing to her, though, for what purpose he could only guess.
A very mixed impression overall, yet not the absolute worst he had of someone.
Picking up his mug and absorbing the warm smell of the coffee, the Elf shook his head at the thought of Cinder. There were gains to be had in becoming more acquainted with her and her team, yet there was still much about the Mistral student that left him doubting the idea. Further interaction and observation may be needed before he could come to a final decision.
"Such a pain," Faen grumbled to himself as he cast his eyes to the chessboard again. His eyes retracing the pats each piece had taken while his mind replayed the entirety of their game, and his hand lifted a coffee mug to his lips.
Cinder had thoroughly beaten him, and he wished to be prepared for when they next faced off against each other. Both on the tabletop and in the sparring area.
And there, done.
Again, apologies for the time it has taken me to finish this.
I will see you all when I next see you.