A piercing silence blankets the room as the final notes linger.
No one dares to release their breath, fearing that doing so would wake them from this moment.
When Cinder and the shop owner stand from their respective seats and take a bow, the audience comes to its senses and erupts into roaring applause.
"Bravo! Bravo!"
"Absolutely stunning! I've never heard anything like that before!"
Cinder lightly bows once more as the audience members continue to cheer, and the shop owner walks towards the center of the stage and announces, "Thank you everyone. This was all made possible, ironically, due to that incident. I am inclined to say at this point that tragedy was a blessing in disguise."
The guests chuckle at the owner's jest.
"Now everyone," the elder nods with a proud smile. "Please enjoy your stay for the grand reopening of this humble Garden."
Cinder removes her fingerpicks and leaves the stage to join her reserved table where Glynda and the shop owner's granddaughter are already seated. She strolls through a multitude of tables and is unperturbed by the attention given as she passes by.
"That was quite the performance," Glynda says, thoroughly impressed. "Well versed in combat, tea, and now music. Are there any other secrets that you're hiding from us?"
"That remains to be seen," Cinder lightly responds.
"Mary, that was amazing!" The waitress fawns. "I'm so touched! I had no idea that you could play so well!"
"I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it."
At this moment, the elder joins the table with a satisfied glint in his eyes.
"Thank you for the hard work, Mary. You did not have to indulge this old man with his whims."
Cinder shakes her head and replies, "It was my suggestion in the first place that we give this performance. I should be the one thank you for letting me use the koto I found in your storage space. I could not resist temptation. Both the 13 string and 17 string koto have been well maintained, despite the lack of use for many years."
The waitress turns towards her grandfather with bright eyes.
"I have no idea that you could play, grandfather. I always thought those were antiques that you were collecting."
The owner chuckles with a hint of longing and sadness.
"It has indeed been a long time since I've played. The last time was with your grandmother before you were born, and these two koto were passed down by my mother as heirlooms," he tenderly smiles. "This has brought back many fond memories that I'd feared were blurring with the passage of time. I truly am thankful, Mary."
Cinder's eyes soften.
"In that case, I will humbly accept your words of gratitude."
"If you are ever in the mood to play, please do not hesitate to ask. I only request that in return, you allow me the privilege of listening."
"Of course. Should another opportunity arise," she responds.
The waitress glances between her grandfather and Cinder. Ever since her grandfather had met Cinder, he's seemed far less lonely. Despite their large age difference, he seems to be extremely comfortable conversing with her as friends.
"So, what was that song you two played?" She curiously asks.
"It goes by the name of Kuon," Cinder replies. "It translates to eternity, long time, or distant."
"It was a very impressive piece," Glynda compliments. "Your playing is some of the best I've ever heard, and I've listened to many professional players in Mistral."
"As much as your praise is welcome, the credit is not mine alone to take," Cinder chuckles. "The elder's playing was easy to follow, and the instruments themselves are of exceptional quality."
"Surely you jest," the elder shakes his head with a smile. "You were the one gently leading me through the entirety of the piece."
The waitress clasps Cinder's hands with a flushed expression.
"I didn't really understand it, but your performance was sooo amazing! It was almost like magic how it captured my attention. While grandfather's sounds were warm and enveloping, yours felt like... like a tsunami that sweeps you away. I lost the track the time while I was listening."
She grins and bashfully scratches the back of her neck.
"That was little cheesy just now?"
"... Perhaps," Cinder teases. "It suits you, however."
"Geez, Mary!" She playfully pouts.
"But thank you for the compliment. It is one of the greatest praise one can receive as a musician."
"R-Really?" The waitress laughs. "Even though I didn't really understand much of anything I just said?"
"That is the point," the elder gently says with hand on his granddaughter's shoulder. "That is the mystery of music. So much can be conveyed without having to speak a single word. One's background, culture, language, or upbringing becomes irrelevant, and all that remains is the connection between the musician and the audience. The koto, in particular, has special significance, as it is the instrument that most resembles a dragon."
"A... dragon?" The waitress looks up at her grandfather and tilts her head. "Why a dragon?"
"Dragons... They are the bridge between that connects what are normally separate," Cinder solemnly explains. Her eyes grow dazed, as if she is peering out far into the distance. "Heaven and earth. Life and death. Mortality and eternity. If music truly does have the power of connecting people's hearts, is that not akin to the nature of dragons?"
"Okay... I think I get that, but why a koto specifically?"
Cinder's mouth curls up into an amused smile.
"Ah... Well that reason is not as abstract or profound, for it likely refers to the physical design of the koto itself."
She gestures towards the instruments in question with a hand.
"The top is the shell. The bottom is the belly. This part with the colorful fabric may be considered as the head, which consists of the horns(string nuts), the tongue(saddle), and the eyes(holes for the strings)."
"Oh... That really isn't as profound as what you just said before," the waitress laughs.
"Right?" Cinder returns a grin. "But that speaks volumes to the historical and cultural impact of the instrument. It would do us well not to ignore that."
"Young miss," the elder says with some hesitation. "At your level of skill, you should have no problem playing professionally and earning a comfortable living. If I may ask, why pursue the perilous life of a Huntress?"
Cinder ponders for a moment then waves a hand dismissively.
"The stage does not suit me. Whether it be drinking tea or playing the koto, both are things I do for my personal pleasure and benefit."
She glances at the blonde professor.
"Glynda. If a career opportunity in the tea industry presented itself to you, promising the same level of comfort and privilege you currently enjoy now as a Huntress, would you take it?"
Glynda, though surprised by the question, instantly shakes her head.
"Of course not. What a silly question.
"And there you have it, elder," Cinder smiles back at the shop owner. "There are things we all must do and achieve. I can not fully speak for Glynda, but I can not picture myself sitting on my laurels with a clear conscience when there are more crucial matters that I'd prefer to take into my own hands."
Her Scroll suddenly buzzes.
"Ah... Please excuse me for a moment," Cinder says as she stands up from the table and makes her way towards the door. She glances down at the caller ID, and her mouth curls into a mischievous smile.
"Excellent. Very good work, Roman. Indeed, it was the right choice to employ you once again."
*** Several days ago ***
*Knock! Knock!*
The sound of a knuckle rapping against a wooden door echoes through an empty hallway. Not a minute later, the door slowly opens and the one waiting is tapping his finger against his arm impatiently.
"You the one Junior mentioned?" He bluntly asks.
Cinder glances over the ordinary looking man with an unreadable expression, until her lip twitches due to amusement.
"Interesting choice," she remarks. "Roman Torchwick, I presume? Come on in and make yourselves comfortable."
'... Yourselves?' Roman thinks to himself, then notices Cinder's gaze looking past him with a knowing glint. 'She... Well damn.'
He looks over Cinder once more, but this time taking in all her features carefully. Observing her every movement and trying to scry her tendencies.
With a mental sigh, he steps inside and closes the door behind him, but not before subtly nodding to his side.
The air surrounding him shatters and crumbles into invisible dust, and his true physical features are revealed: bright orange hair, flamboyant white suit, and his distinct trademark bowl hat.
From behind, a petite girl with striking chocolate brown and bright pink hair hops out. Her mismatches pair of eyes cautiously looks over Cinder before she takes her spot beside Roman.
"How'd you know?" He asks with a steady voice.
"I was expecting no other guests and your appearance did not match the images shown on the-"
"No. I mean her," Roman interrupts and points a thumb at Neo. "How'd you know she was there?"
"Ah... Luck, perhaps?" Cinder playfully suggests.
Roman's eyes narrow.
"Luck huh?" He mutters, clearly not buying such a flimsy excuse. "Fine, we'll just leave it at that. Let's just get this over with. I'm a busy man."
He pulls out a chair at the dining table and sits down. He looks over the luxury suite they're in, then glances back at Cinder and her demeanor.
'What a strange woman... As far as I can tell, there are no traps. She's completely relaxed... Is she taking us that lightly? Carelessness? No... That's not the feeling I get from her. She doesn't have the typical naïve eyes most around her age have. Then there's this place to boot... She's no small fry, that's for sure.'
Roman silently gauges her, and Cinder merely stares back calmly. Before this meeting, he'd put in a considerable amount of effort into looking into Cinder's background, but everything he'd found was either obviously fabricated, or straight out missing. Quite frankly, he has little idea as to how he'll navigate this meeting as the woman sitting before him seems to be a complete enigma.
After several more moments of silence, Cinder's mouth arches up into a small smile.
"I'm sure you are," she lightly replies. "An accomplished individual such as yourself must have much to deal with on the daily. Before anything else, would either one of you care for some tea or coffee? There is some cake and ice cream in the refrigerator that you may help yourselves to."
Neo's eyes instantly turn bright, and without skipping a beat, she skips over to the freezer door and swings it open. Her hands clap together in glee upon the sight of a fresh rub of ice cream. She glances back at Roman with a glint in her eyes and sends him a confident nod.
Roman's eye twitches.
'Ice cream is hardly a good reason to trust her, Neo...'
Seemingly understanding his thoughts, Neo shrugs her shoulders and rummages around the drawers for a suitable bowl.
"... Coffee is fine," he relents. "And Neo, don't eat too much. You'll end up with a stomach ache."
She sticker her tongue out at him.
"You damn brat. Don't say I didn't warn you later."
"You two get along well," Cinder comments with an amused smile.
"Mm..." Roman grunts. "I guess."
It isn't long before a comfortable silence settles into the room. As the pleasant aroma of tea and coffee beans perfumes the air, Roman's shoulders inadvertently relax as the tension melts away. A natural sense of calm fills his mind as he doesn't think about anything in particular. The warm afternoon sun spilling through the windows and onto the floor. The ambient sounds of the city down on the streets below. Everything feels... right. Roman subconsciously releases a sigh as Cinder sets his cup down in front of him.
"I hope that it is to your liking," she gracefully says before she takes her seat across from him.
Her voice pierces through the calm and drags Roman back to a state of alert. He gasps and frantically glances at the clock attached to the wall.
'20 minutes... 20 minutes?! What was that?! Was that some kind of Semblance?'
A bead of sweat runs down his cheek as he glances back at Cinder, who is preoccupied with the enjoyment of her tea. When her eyes glance up from her cup and notices Roman staring at her, she amicably smiles at him.
Her smile is one that could melt even the coldest of hearts. There is zero hints of discernible deceit or malice, and its brightness is as warm as a passing spring wind.
And that is precisely why Roman's back breaks out into a cold sweat.
'Hmm? He looks rather nervous,' Cinder wonders to herself. 'I believe the atmosphere is rather comfortable?'
Meanwhile, Neo is in her own world with her ice cream and cake, seemingly oblivious to Roman's borderline nervous breakdown.
Struggling to maintain a straight face, Roman clears his throat in order to strengthen his wavering composure.
"So, back to the original topic. What do you require my services for? I'm afraid that Junior was not able to fill me in with any details."
Cinder takes a sip of her tea.
"Roman Torchwick. Wanted by the officials due to a variety of crimes, some of which are robbery, extortion, bribery, forgery, and alleged murders, as no evidence has ever been found. It's an impressive resume, to say the least," she calmly recites.
Roman can't help but give off a small, prideful smirk, but what Cinder says next hits him like a bucket of ice cold water.
"But most importantly, these seemingly random acts of crime are nothing but a front. In truth, your influence within the underworld comes from the fact that you have access to some of the highest levels of information that should only be accessible to the highest level government officials in Vale. It is no wonder that the Xiong Group is so powerful. You are their backer in the shadows, and you have great influence over the majority of the crime syndicates in Vale."
His complexion grows pale, but his eyes darken dangerously. Even Neo's expression has taken a drastic turn, and her ever present playful eyes have turned sharp and cold. Her body tenses up, ready to leap forward and slit this woman's throat as soon as Roman gives the signal.
"... What a ridiculous tale," Roman scoffs.
He quietly palms a piece of fire Dust crystal from underneath the table. As he prepares to detonate it, Cinder suddenly glances downwards, making no effort to hide the gesture, then looks back up at Roman with calm, knowing eyes.
'?!'
Roman freezes in his tracks
'Shit.'
Making no comments towards what'd just happened, Cinder continues, "Assuming that my evaluation of your activities are accurate, I am hoping to contract you into reporting any and all suspicious movements within and near Vale. In addition, there are several key locations that I would like some extra care given to their surveillance. Is this at all feasible and agreeable?"
Roman's jaw tightens as he mentally weighs his options.
'This woman... she's practically daring me to refuse or admit ignorance. Agreeable? You might as well be holding a loaded gun to my head! Refusal means that she will likely contact the city officials, and ultimately, the Huntsman association. Police, I can deal with all day, but having a target painted on my back for Huntsmen to chase? I might as well admit myself into prison... Should I take my chances and try to eliminate her right here and now? Though, according to Junior, this woman is monster of a fighter, which means that even Neo might not be able to take her out in time. Also, even if we do kill her, there's no guarantee that her death won't trigger a response of some kind by her potentially allies... So if running and fighting aren't promising options, then that only leaves... Well shit. I thought blackmail was supposed to be my speciality.'
"Okay... Let's assume that your assumptions are correct. This job isn't going to be cheap," he slowly says. 'Let's see what you have to say...'
"Of course," Cinder nods without hesitation. "Naturally, you will be compensated accordingly."
She slides a folded piece of paper across the wooden table.
'Alright... Let's see just what kind of trickery you're up to.'
Roman suspiciously narrows his eyes as he picks up the note. Without taking his eyes off of Cinder, he unfolds it. When he glances down at the written contents, he nearly spits upon reading the number written down on it. His eyes blink several times in order to make sure that he is not hallucinating or misreading the text.
'What...'
"Did you happen to... write down an extra zero or two?" He weakly croaks and flips the note around towards Cinder.
She lightly laughs into her hand with undisguised amusement.
"Shall I take it that you're satisfied with the proposed amount?"
'Satisfied?!' Roman mentally exclaims. 'I've no doubt in my mind that no other family but the Schnees could cough up this amount without batting an eye! Satisfied, your mother!'
Taking several deep breaths, he calms himself.
'Alright... Think about this Roman. With the leverage she holds over me, she doesn't have to pay me shit. So, this has to be a trick of some kind. This amount is absurd, and only a mad man or woman would offer this kind of money when there is logically no need. A bluff, then? It has to be...'
He flicks the piece of paper back across the table.
"As impressive as that number is, in the end, it's still just a piece of paper."
'I'll call your bluff. What is your next move?'
His stomach slightly turns when he sees Cinder nod, as if in agreement.
"Very true. In that case, let us proceed with the transaction right away and finalize the deal."
'Is she serious? There's no way...'
With doubt in his eyes, he gives Cinder the account information. Then, she promptly taps on her Scroll for several minutes, and sets it aside before calmly taking a drink from her cup in a graceful manner.
'What is this game she's playing? I serious don't understa-'
Roman's thoughts are interrupted by the buzzing of his Scroll. Maintaining a straight face, he takes his device out and flips it open to check his balance. It doesn't take long until his palms grow slick with sweat as he repeatedly verifies the transaction. His head pounds with the sound of his heart beating, and his ears buzz due to shock and utter disbelief.
'She... actually paid... I... I seriously don't get it. What's going on?!'
"You've successfully verified the transfer?" Cinder pleasantly asks.
"Uh..."
He gives a half minded nod in response to her question.
"Excellent," Cinder claps and holds a hand out. "Our partnership is now official. I'm greatly looking forward to our future endeavors, Roman. I trust that you will handle this job properly?"
Without taking his eyes off his Scroll, his hand limply reaches up and takes her hand.
"R-Right..."
One may ask where Cinder's massive wealth came from. Logic would dictate that whatever amount is in Watts' account could never compete with the Schnee family's. Yet, Roman has verified that to be the case.
In reality, Cinder has been siphoning and investing large portions of Watts' funds into rather... lucrative ventures. To be more specific, gambling on competitive events whether it be sports or fighting tournaments. Armed with her knowledge of the future, these events became free money simulators. On one hand, the results of these events act as a check on the divergence of the timeline. And second, she'd rather not rely on Watts' remaining ignorant her activities upon his savings. Finally, a significant portion of the Lien she's earned is being invested into several budding companies throughout Remnant. In addition to providing her another source of income, many of these companies will end up developing significant pieces of technology in the future. It is prudent, in her mind, that they get as big of a head start as possible.
In conclusion, Cinder is filthy rich and money is no issue.
"Would you care for some more coffee?"
"... Sure."
*** Present Day ***
"Not all of the Viper members were present during the sting, and some are foolish enough to stick around in Vale," Cinder mutters to herself. "Perhaps I'll have Glynda deal with this. That will be less work on my hands, and she gets the opportunity to vent out her frustrations. A win-win."
With a mischievous grin, she schedules an anonymous report to be submitted to Vale Police.
*** From Dust Till Dawn ***
The night sky peaks through the haze of dusk as the sun begins to settle over the horizon. In a certain shop near the center of the city, a young girl can be found drooling over a magazine.
"Ooohh, reinforced allow sniper barrel," Ruby salivates. "Crud, I can't afford it this month, but I can already picture it on Crescent Rose... Ah! These hard light Dust crystals are really tempting too. I bet they'd work REALLY well on Ember Celica as a defensive mechanism. If only Yang would let me mess with them more..."
She continues to flip through the pages and fantasizes on a variety of potential upgrades that she hasn't had the chance of experimenting with yet. As she continues to hum cheerfully, she yelps when someone suddenly yanks her headphones, then is shoved from behind.
"Hey!" She angrily cries out as she catches herself and turns on her heels. "Uh..."
She stares into the end of a gun barrel.
"Dumb kid," a rough looking man growls. "Hand over your Lien if you don't want a third eye. Don't make me repeat myself for the fifth time!"
Ruby glances past her aggressor and notes three other similar looking men threatening the shop owner.
"A robbery?"
"No shit. Lien. Now!" He demands and jabs the gun barrel towards her for effect.
'This counts as self defense, right?'
Ruby's hand darts out and accurately yanks on one of the gun's mechanisms. When the thug instinctively pulls on the trigger, rather than firing a bullet, it breaks apart into its individual pieces.
"That's what happens for using an outdated design!" She yells before planting both of her feet against his nose, crunching it.
The sudden commotion alarms the other three men as glance towards the newly broken window.
'Need to take this outside. Not enough room for Crescent Rose inside the shop,' Ruby thinks to herself as she assesses the situation. With a quick burst of speed, she dashes past the assailants and leaps out through the broken window.
"You two get her," the group's leader orders before he grabs the frightened store owner by the collar.
Ruby narrows her eyes and unfurls Crescent Rose into its oversized scythe form. The street lights gleam off its sleek metal frame, and the razor sharp blades sends shivers down the men's spines.
"Holy..." One of them gulps.
"Don't be a wuss and get on with it!" The leader growls.
Once the two men step out onto the street, Ruby immediately jumps into action and turns into a blur with the help of her Semblance. A trail of rose petals are left in her wake as she darts back and forth with unnatural speed. The scythe effortlessly twirls around her as she deflects the incoming bullets and approaches the closest robber. The blunt side of Crescent Rose clubs him across the chest knocking the air out of him, then she digs the tip of her weapon into the concrete and flips onto the handle. As she twirls upside down, her foot kicks the man across the chin to put him out of commission for good.
In the meantime, the second aggressor runs towards her with a melee weapon. Ruby, still balanced on the handle of Crescent Rose, presses the trigger and launches herself into the air. At the peak of her ascent, she presses the trigger several more times and descends down onto her opponent like a meteor.
As the dust settles, Ruby spins her weapon and reloads the firing champion before mounting it in the concrete with her barrel aimed straight at the leader, who is holding the shop owner hostage.
"Let go of him!" Ruby demands.
The man savagely grins as he presses his knife up against the shop owner's neck, drawing a line of blood.
"Go ahead and shoot, but this geezer's blood will be on your hands."
Ruby feels her back perspire as her mind races.
'What am I supposed to do? What do I do? Take the shot? Let him go?'
The criminal's grin widens when he sees the hesitation in Ruby's eyes.
"The young ones are always so naïve. Now little missy, I'm going to need you to throw your weapon to the- Urk!"
A power force wraps around him, and the arm holding the knife jerks down to his side and deeply embeds itself into his thigh.
"Aaaaaaggghh!" He howls in pain. "What... the... hell..."
His grip on the shop owner loosens, and the old man quickly crawls away to safety.
"What's going on?" Ruby exclaims. Her ears perk up at the sound of heels strolling across the ground.
"Hmph! Looks like that tip off was accurate."
Ruby turns around and finds a bespectacled woman with pale blonde hair, sharp eyes, and a riding crop in hand. Sirens can be heard crying in the distance.
Glynda, with an icy expression, flicks her wrist, and the gang member's head smashes against a nearby wall several times, knocking him unconscious. With another flick, the other three are gathered and tied up with a piece of broken rebar.
'That felt very satisfactory,' she huffs out.
"A Huntress!" Ruby gasps with starry eyes. "You're the S-class Huntress, Glynda Goodwitch!"
Glynda glances down at the hyper energetic girl with a raised eyebrow.
'This is...'
"Can I have your autograph?"
'Definitely Summer's child,' she mentally sighs.
*** Several Days Later ***
Yang's hand claps down onto Ruby's tiny shoulders repeatedly.
"Ow! Yang! Stop that!"
"Ahaha! I still can't believe that they offered you a spot into Beacon," Yang proudly laughs. "That's my sister for you! I expected nothing less!"
"B-But all I did was help stop a robbery," Ruby stutters. "And I kind of froze up at the end too..."
"Oh c'mon! Don't sweat the small details! Beacon! This is Beacon we're talking about, you know! Getting in a whole 2 years early is almost unprecedented. The last time someone was admitted early was Headmaster Ozpin himself!"
Ruby shifts uncomfortably.
"Mm..." She mumbles. "This just all feels a little surreal, you know? Won't I be taking someone else's spot? I hope this isn't going to cause any problems..."
Yang pauses for a moment, then shrugs.
"You're probably right about that. Then that just means that all you have to do is prove those potential haters wrong by showing what you're made of."
"A 5'4" tall, 100 pound girl who can't hold a decent conversation with strangers?" Ruby sarcastically remarks.
"Sounds about right. Yeah, you know what? You might actually be in for a bit of trouble," Yang teases. "But don't worry about it so much sis. Think about the positives! The two of us are going to the same school in the same year! Be more excited!"
"Yeah... You're right," Ruby smiles. "If Professor Ozpin extended an offer, then it must have been for a good reason. I should have more confidence in myself, right Yang?"
"Don't ask for someone else's validation when you're talking about self confidence," Yang grins before roughly ruffling her sister's hair.
"Gah! Stop that!"
Taiyang solemnly watches his girls' banter with a complicated mixture of emotions. On one hand, he's incredibly proud of Ruby for distinguishing herself to the point of being pushed up several years through Huntsman training. On the other, he's mentally strangling a certain headmaster.
'I wish you'd consulted me before making this decision, Ozpin. Just what are you thinking?'
The family of three stop in front of a towering hotel building near the center of the city. Its dazzling lights and intricate architecture stands out above the rest of the other tall buildings in the same vicinity.
"Is this the place?" Ruby asks with a gaping mouth.
"The Four Seasons," Yang whistles appreciatively. "When you said dinner, I didn't think you meant here, dad."
Taiyang smiles, "This is a special occasion, after all. Getting into Beacon warrants this level of celebration, don't you think?"
His eyes stare off into the distance as he reminisces about the anniversary dinners he'd had with Summer at this very same place. Her figure slowly fades, to be replaced by his two angels. He blinks back a tear and wraps his arms around their shoulders.
"Let's go. The food won't wait for us forever."
*** Meantime ***
"That's enough for now."
Cinder stands above the exhausted forms of Mercury and Emerald, who are both laying on the training mats and breathing heavily.
"I... don't... get... how... you... haven't... broken... a... sweat," Mercury gasps.
"Ugh..." Emerald releases a groan.
Cinder arches an eyebrow and wipes a finger across her forehead, then holds it up for Mercury and Emerald to see. There is the faintest of glints reflecting off of the miniscule droplet of sweat on her finger.
"Not entirely true. This is proof that you two are improving."
"Monster. Demon. Sadist," Mercury rattles off.
"If you've the energy to complain, then perhaps you'd like to go for another round?" Cinder asks.
"Mercury... Please... Shut... Up..." Emerald tiredly glares.
*** Several hours later ***
Simply put, the dinner was, in Yang's own words, the "bee's knees". Every single dish was picked clean and they were all exceptional, no questions asked. To both Taiyang's and Yang's amazement, Ruby even ate all of her vegetables without a single word of complaint. Taiyang was half tempted to beg the chef for the recipe.
As the content family of three walk out of the venue with their full stomachs, Yang suddenly pauses and exclaims with a pointed finger.
"You! What are you going here?!" Her loud exclamation echoes off the walls, eliciting numerous glances from the other guests that are present.
Taiyang winces before clamping a hand over Yang's mouth.
"Keep your voice down. Everyone's looking," he sighs out.
Ruby tries to make herself look even smaller than she already is, while her cheeks and ears burn from embarrassment.
"Er... Whoops," Yang mutters.
"Now what in the world are you making such a fuss about?" Taiyang asks as he and Ruby look over to where Yang was pointing.
When Ruby finally notices, her embarrassment dissipates in an instant and she hops into the air with a wide smile.
"Oh look! It's Mary! Hey Mary!" She loudly calls out while childishly waving her arm.
"..."
Taiyang pinches his brow, doing his best to ignore the renewed glances of ire from the other guests. What can he expect? Subtly is most definitely not his girls' strengths.
"Ruby," Yang whispers into her ear. "Too loud."
"Ah."
She stiffens and nervously looks around, then gives off an awkward chuckle mixed with embarrassment.
From across the lobby, the slight look of surprise on Cinder's face quickly disappears, and she amicably smiles before elegantly waving back at Ruby.
"So, I take it that those three are friends of yours?" Taiyang asks.
"Hmm, the really pretty one is Mary," Ruby nods. "I haven't met the other two."
"My, what a pleasant surprise, finding you two here of all places," Cinder chuckles as she approaches
Standing behind her are Mercury, whose hands are stuck into his pants pockets, and Emerald, whose eyes drift over the family of three with indifferent eyes. Taiyang silently profiles and assesses them, while raising an eyebrow at the beads of perspiration and fatigued eyes of Mercury and Emerald.
'Did these two just finish training recently? Hmm, the young man looks like he's standing casually, but the way he's positioned himself as well as his sturdy balance suggests that he's constantly ready for action. He does a pretty good job of hiding it too. The other one, while she doesn't seem as skilled as the boy, her eyes are wary and guarded. Then there's the final one standing in the middle... Mary, Ruby called her? Compared to the other two, she doesn't seem to be worn out. Her stance is, by far, the most relaxed out of the three and I can't get a good read on her...'
"Why are you stalking me and Ruby?" Yang demands.
"It is nice to see you again as well," Cinder smiles, unbothered by her attitude. "And what are you talking about, I wonder? I don't believe that I'd categorize this situation as stalking, as you so bluntly put it."
"See?" Yang loudly whispers to Ruby. "I told you that she's bad news. Take my advice this time and don't talk to the other two. They're probably as messed up in the head as she is."
"Huh? You picking a fight, blondie?" Mercury snorts. "If you want to talk about the ones out of place, it's you, considering that we live here and all."
A hand promptly chops down onto his head repeatedly.
"Ow! What's the big deal?!" Mercury exclaims while clutching at his head.
With a bubbly smile, Cinder continues to chop his head, and no matter how hard he tries to move out of the way, her hand inevitably ends up meeting the top of his skull.
"Mind your words and manners. There is little need to be so rude."
"She started it!" He complains.
"Hmm? Did you say something?"
Mercury gulps at Cinder's reprimanding smile.
"No... Nothing."
While Yang smirks and Ruby laughs at the scene, Taiyang adopts a more intrigued look.
'She's fast! But not only that... she's accurately predicting how the boy will move with apparent ease! And based on his movements, he's no amateur...'
Yang blinks once and pauses.
"Wait... You just said that you three live here. Like here, in Four Seasons?"
Her jaw drops when both Emerald and Mercury smirk in response to her question. Ruby, on the other hand, is more ecstatic than anything else.
"That's so awesome!" She excitedly exclaims. "Isn't it like, super expensive here though?"
Cinder lightly sighs, "My, now I'm feeling rather embarrassed. I hope that you won't take this as a flaunting of some kind of status, and that you won't treat me any differently despite this unintended revelation?"
An icy cold chill runs down Mercury's spine when Cinder glances at him momentarily at the tail end of her sentence.
'Oh... That's why she's... My bad.'
"What do you mean?" Ruby asks.
Cinder smiles in response, "It would seem that my worries are unwarranted."
"They sure aren't," Taiyang chuckles. "They've never been ones to care about such things, whether it be for better or worse. Mary, is it? Out of curiosity, just how did you end up meeting my two girls?"
From behind him, Yang gulps and crosses her arms into an 'X'.
Without sparing a glance towards her, Cinder naturally responds, "Truth to be told, there was a bit of a minor misunderstanding between the two of us in the shopping district. Thankfully, the dispute was resolved rather easily."
Yang's eyebrow twitches at the subtle jab.
"It was not long before Ruby had arrived at the scene, apparently searching for her sister," Cinder continues. "The exchange ended up as a pleasant one, and after exchanging some words, we went about our own ways."
"A misunderstanding huh?" Taiyang mutters while glancing back at his daughter with a knowing look.
'Given Mary's calm and polite demeanor, I have little doubt that Yang probably started whatever altercation there was, as much as I hate to admit it. I always do tell her that her fiery personality has a tendency for attracting trouble, just like moths do with flames...'
"My daughter has caused some trouble for you, it seems," he says apologetically.
Cinder politely shakes her head, then mildly smiles towards Yang.
"It really was not a big deal that we should make a large fuss about."
A vein bulges from Yang's temple.
'Oh? Well, wait until I wipe that stupid smirk off your face...'
She angrily pouts at Taiyang.
"Dad! Why are you siding with her and assuming that I'm the one that started it? What if it was her fault?"
Without saying a word, Taiyang looks back and forth between Cinder's graceful demeanor and his fiery daughter with a raised eyebrow.
"... Okay, you may have a point there," Yang coughs. "But that's not the point!"
"Heh," Ruby snorts. "I think dad's point is pretty strong though. Your track record is a little... yeah..."
"Not you too, Ruby!" Yang cries. "Where's my family support when I need it?!"
With an amused glint in her eyes, Cinder asks, "So what brings your family of three to the Four Seasons? A special occasion, I assume, considering that you three have just left from the hotel's restaurant."
"Yup!" Ruby nods with a wide grin. "Dad treated us to a fancy dinner, since Yang and I just got accepted into Beacon!"
"A midget like you?" Mercury scoffs.
"I'm average height for my age!" Ruby counters.
Cinder feigns surprise.
"That is certainly amazing. Does this mean that you're getting in about a year ahead?"
"Two years, actually," Ruby bashfully replies.
"So, what about you?" Yang bluntly asks. "You're around my age, right? Will you be a Beacon student too?"
"Beacon? No, I am not."
"What?" Yang says incredulously. "There's no way that you're not a Huntsman student!"
"Ah... My apologies for the confusion," Cinder lightly smiles. "The three of us are from Haven. You two, go ahead and introduce yourselves."
Emerald sighs and disinterestedly says, "Jade."
Mercury, looking like he'd just swallowed a frog, and remains silent.
"Uh... What about him?" Ruby asks.
"He can be a tad shy at times," Cinder says with a glint in her eyes. "His name is Uranus."
"... Pffft!" Yang loudly snorts. "Your anus!"
"Yang! Gross!"
Mercury glares daggers at them. If only looks could kill.
'Fuck! This god damn shitty name! Cinder, I'm going to strangle these two as soon as I get the chance!'
"The two of you..." Taiyang scolds while shaking his head. As expected of a Signal Academy teacher and veteran Huntsman, he is not remotely phased by Mercury's odd codename. Perhaps in the past, when he was much younger, but not anymore.
"Nice to meet you too," Mercury grits out. "Blondie. Midget."
"Hey! I told you, I'm not short!"
"Don't mind him," Emerald shrugs. "He gets moody at times."
When Mercury directs a scalding look towards her, Emerald looks away with a smirk playing on her lips.
"Haven, you say?" Taiyang asks curiously. "Then why are you three in Vale at this time of year?"
Cinder briefly repeats what she'd already explained to Glynda.
"Wow. So Ruby's not the only exceptional student here, it seems," Taiyang whistles. "Looks like the Vytal Tournament this year's going to be an exceptional one. Plenty of talented students' performances to look forward to."
"Mm... Though to be honest, I would be completely fine with it being like any other Vytal Festival from the previous years," Cinder lightly replies.
Yang grins, "Scared of the spotlight?"
"... Perhaps."
"So... Mary," Ruby mischievously says. "What's this about kicking Yang's butt?"
"Who said anything about that?" Yang defensively says. "I'm the one that does the butt kicking, Ruby."
Ruby's mouth widens into a knowing, toothy grin.
"Thanks for verifying my suspicions, sis. I always did think it was a little weird how you were acting towards Mary, even though she's so nice. You're always friendly with everyone new that you meet, especially to those in our age group. So why is it different with Mary? I can only think of one scenario. She totally whooped your butt, didn't she?"
"..."
Yang doesn't know whether she should laugh or cry.
"Ruby," she says while palming her face. "You think that you can at least try to save me some face?"
"Sure, but I have no idea what that means," Ruby nods.
Taiyang chuckles, "That means that your deduction is apparently correct, and now, Yang is thoroughly embarrassed."
"Oh..." Ruby realizes.
"Oops? Sorry, Yang," she meekly apologizes.
"It's... I'm used to it by now."
"But anyways, dad, aren't you curious too?" Ruby asks. "Yang's the top student in Signal when it comes to combat. I want to know how Mary beat her so badly, considering how Yang's reacting."
"While I am curious," Taiyang admits while scratching his chin. "I can't say that I'm completely surprised either. The world is a big place, after all."
"Can't say that I'm surprised either," Mercury grumbles as he holds back a wince due to his creaking body.
Emerald silently nods in agreement.
"I won't lose next time," Yang declares and points at Cinder. "You hear me?"
"I look forward to your improvements," Cinder nods with a relaxed smile, causing a great deal of annoyance to Yang.
Taiyang can not help but laugh into the back of his hand.
"I'll get a hit on you next time, dad!"
"I look forward to it, my sunny little dragon."
"Then, perhaps I may suggest a light spar between you two?" He inquires. "If you do not mind, of course."
Cinder does not respond right away and carefully studies Taiyang for a moment, before lightly saying, "Perhaps another time, as I and my companions are exhausted from our training session, and my poor joints are rather sore at the moment. If either of these two would like to join in the future... then here is my Scroll number."
Taiyang hesitates, then nods thankfully before they exchange their contact information.
"Now, if you'd excuse us," Cinder politely says, and the three of them walk towards the elevators.
"She may be someone worth getting to know," Taiyang says in a low voice.
Yang clicks her tongue, "I'm not really trying to be her friend."
"There's a difference between friends and acquaintances," Taiyang chuckles. "You'll learn the difference in due time. What about you, Ruby?"
"I made a new friend!" Ruby cheers carefreely. "Three once I get to know the other two. Actually... maybe two. The guy seems a bit mean."