Violet arrived in her spectral form among the nervous bustle of the White Fang. The large warehouse buzzed with activity, faunus running to and fro in an attempt to appear as busy as possible. Cinder sat on a crate near the edge of the room, legs crossed and her back turned to a map of Vale along with the surrounding area. Her arms were folded, finger tapping impatiently against her forearm as she glared at Roman before her. The thief shrunk beneath that gaze, his eyes darting from side to side, both apparently waiting for something.

"I-I'm sure Neo will be here soon enough," Roman said with much less bravado than he usually possessed, "And she'll have your two henchmen in tow… just you wait."

"I am tired of waiting, Roman," Cinder growled, fingers stopping to grip her forearm tightly, "You had better hope your little pet shows up soon."

'You're going to be waiting a long time if you think those two are still alive,' Violet smirked, getting at least some enjoyment out of Cinder's current mood. The 'woman' was a menace planning to slaughter all the citizens in the city. Violet's empathy was sorely lacking as far as Cinder was involved.

After a few minutes of Cinder becoming increasingly more and more impatient, Roman's scroll finally buzzed, setting off a jingle that sounded suspiciously like an ice cream truck's. Roman exhaled deeply and pulled it out, sliding it open to read the message sent by Neo. His eyes widened, hand shaking for a moment before he recovered and typed out a response.

"Well?" Cinder's eye began to burn as her frustration reached its boiling point.

Roman's face relaxed, breathing out a small sigh of relief, "Their mission was a success. More huntsmen arrived so they were forced to flee, but Neo managed to help them escape. They're headed back now and should be here very soon."

'What!?' Violet stared at Roman in confusion, 'I obliterated Emerald, and there's no chance in this world, or any other, that Mercury survived…'

Cinder relaxed slightly, though not by much, "Those idiots. Can anyone identify them? We'll need to get started soon if so. I'm not jeopardizing my plan over random chance."

"Neo didn't mention it. I suppose you'll have to speak with them yourself," Roman perked back up into his usual demeanor and began swinging his cane on his finger, giving Cinder a coy grin, "I told you my plan would work. That's one less 'S' tier huntsman at Ozpin's disposal, and the thorn in my side is gone. Very fortunate, don't you think?"

"It was a small issue on the grand scale of things. Our ultimate goal will be easier, now," Cinder agreed.

'What is going on?' Violet's spectral brow furrowed as she placed a hand to her chin in thought, 'Did Emerald just make me think I'd killed them? That isn't really possible. She had no clue that I was a maiden, as far as I'm aware. She couldn't have replicated my powers the exact same way I meant to use them…'

Violet returned to staring at Roman more closely, noticing the slight grimace to his smile. The corner of his mouth dipped minutely whenever Cinder turned her head away, and returned once more the instant her focus was once more on him.

'He's lying…' Violet's eyes roamed over those present, eyeing the faunus and their overall surroundings. Movement at the corner of the building caught her eye. She turned in time to see a door swinging shut of its own volition, 'Neo… What are you…?'

All at once, it clicked in Violet's mind, 'They think Cinder is weak without her lackies. They're going to try and betray her!'

Roman's eyes flicked to the door as well, then returned to Cinder before the half maiden could see him glancing in that direction. The dapper thief smiled slyly and stopped spinning his cane in order to lean on it instead, "You know, you never explained where Neo and I fit into this grand scheme of yours. Once our usefulness is over with, then what? We part ways and never see each other again?"

Cinder smirked, raising an eyebrow. She appeared to almost stare him down from atop her box, despite Roman standing nearly a foot taller, "Oh, Roman. Who says that I won't have use for you once Vale has been dealt with? There are three more kingdoms, after all. I wouldn't want to waste good talent~"

Roman pretended to check his nails despite wearing gloves. "I am rather amazing," he gloated, giving a slight head bow and tipping his hat in Cinder's direction. "Oh!" Roman raised a finger as if he'd just thought of something important.

Cinder's attention was wholly devoted to the thief in the instant that Neo took his signal and attacked. Her bladed parasol struck out towards the base of Cinder's neck in an attempt to skewer her through the back of the throat. Neo appeared in the same instant, a manic grin clear on her face and eyes sparkling with the intent to kill.

The parasol's blade sparked off Cinder's aura, a brief flash of orange that rippled from the point of contact. Cinder narrowed her eyes and extended her hand out to point behind herself. An icy stalagmite erupted from the ground in an instant, spearing into Neo's stomach and knocking the small assassin backwards to pin her against the wall. The stalagmite crackled, still attempting to grow even as it pressed harder and harder. Neo's aura scattered outward in waves, her eyes widening in sheer terror.

"Neo!" Roman shouted. He had been about to attack as well, his cane raised in the air to fire a round at Cinder. He glared, grinding his teeth together as all that could be heard from Neo were the slight gasps of her breath being forced from her body. The ice continued to grind against her aura. Her face twisted in an intense pain that she could not express.

All of the White Fang members in the vicinity either froze in shock, or outright fled. The group ignored the sound of the door repeatedly slamming open as those that chose retreat ran out into the street.

Cinder glared right back, "You thought it wise to try and attack me!?" she fumed, hopping off the crate and striding up to Roman with her right eye blazing, "Perhaps you have outlived your usefulness."

The crate that Cinder had been sitting on shook in place, rattling with a dull thump that only Violet seemed to notice. Roman and Neo were too preoccupied with their imminent death.

'What did you already bring into Vale, Cinder?'

"Wait!" Roman let his cane swing back down to point at the floor, now limply held in his hand, "Can you really blame us? We can still serve a purpose!"

"Can you?" Cinder quirked an eyebrow and sneered, "What really happened to Emerald and Mercury?"

"Neo went to the scene! If you let her go, she can tell me and I can tell you!" Roman pleaded, hearing Neo's gasps cut off as all of the oxygen was finally expelled from her body. The small girl struggled futilely against the maiden powers holding her in place.

Cinder turned an eye to Neo with a menacing grimace. The point of the stalagmite retracted, instead contouring around her upper chest and stomach to keep her pinned, but able to breath. Neo gasped quietly, lungs straining to regain some of the oxygen that had been forced from her so brutally.

"Out with it, before I change my mind," Cinder threatened, a narrow tendril of ice spiking off the top section to point menacingly at Neo's throat, "Or the inability to speak will be the least of your worries."

Neo glared at Cinder before looking to Roman. She raised her hands, mimicking holding a gun and pretended to fire it.

"Charades? In all your time together, you never learned sign language?" Cinder scoffed in annoyance. She stepped to the side, allowing Roman a better line of sight to Neo's actions.

"A gun?"

Neo raised her hand high.

"A big gun."

Neo nodded, then used her semblance to change her hair the same shade of purple as Violet's. She once again mimicked firing the gun, then changed her hair once more to be the color of Emerald's. Neo put her hands together in front of herself, then tore them apart as if showing off an explosion.

Roman paled, reaching up to tug nervously at the collar of his coat before answering Cinder's impatient frown, "It appears that thorn in my side isn't as… righteous… as the rest of her fellow hunters."

"Explain."

Roman raised his hands, palms upward on either side in a gesture of defeat, "That 'Violet' girl uses a weapon like none I've ever seen before. It tore through the engine block of our getaway van and the buildings behind it in a single shot. I thought she was bluffing when she threatened to use it on me… It sounds like our dear Emerald may have called that bluff, and paid with her life."

Cinder ground her teeth together, "And Mercury?"

Both turned back to Neo, only for the small girl to frown in confusion and copy Roman's previous gesture. With body language alone, she clearly said, 'I have no clue.'

"What do you mean, 'I don't know'?" Roman demanded harshly, his voice rising a few octaves. Cinder's gaze narrowed further and her eye began to burn once more, "Was he cut? Stabbed? Shot?"

With each guess, Neo shook her head 'no'. Roman continued guessing with mounting frustration, each time being answered in the same way by the small girl.

Cinder grew tired of their back and forth act, the ice expanding to cover the entirety of Neo's body aside from her head, and raising a hand in Roman's direction that was engulfed in brilliant red flames, "Enough!"

Roman raised his hands as if to ward off the fireball, "Now Cinder, let's not get hasty! Who else are you going to use if not us? Do you think Adam won't try the same once he finds out?"

Cinder stood with her hand raised and the fireball rotating in place. She stopped for the moment, appearing to take Roman's words into consideration.

'He's right. I doubt Adam is at all willing to help Cinder at the moment. It's still fairly early, and a lot of his men have already died… Or is he as far gone as he was later in the show? He didn't mind those that were lost during the Breach...'

"My plans will have to change," Cinder said in a quiet, threatening tone, "Are you prepared to take on more responsibilities? You will have to, if I am to succeed."

"Hey," Roman adopted a hesitant smile, "I'm your guy. Whatever you need, I can handle."

In the silence, Roman and Neo finally noticed the shifting crate. Both retracted slightly, shying away as best they could. For Neo, that was to lean her head away. Roman nearly backpedaled a step before catching himself.

Cinder looked to the crate with a smirk, "I need to consult my Mistress," her eyes raised to those faunus that remained, a snarl twisting her features, "Out! Now!"

The last of the White Fang members scattered, fleeing to the safety of the streets and escaping from the volatile woman. The door banged shut one final time, announcing that they were alone.

'Except for me,' Violet grinned, 'This will be the first time I see Salem in… well, not in person, but close enough.' She had staunchly refused to drop in on the Grimm Queen's council meetings or activities for the last hundred years or so. It wouldn't due to have too much foreknowledge.

'Now is different… I need to know what they're planning next, don't I?' Violet let out an inaudible sigh as two parts of her conflicting nature battled it out, 'There's a thin line between boredom and falling head first into a hopeless situation… I need to keep them all safe.' She nodded to herself solemnly, firming her resolve.

Cinder waved a hand and the crate cracked open. Immediately, long tentacles tipped with sharp bony appendages shot out of the wooden box towards the nearest human, Torchwick. He backpedaled in earnest, putting distance between himself and the coiling mass of spiky tentacles. The rest of the Seer grimm slowly followed, floating out of the crate and then further up into the air in pursuit.

Cinder raised a hand and the grimm halted in place, its tentacles immediately falling slack beneath it. Its entire body drifted up and down ever so slightly, the globe atop glowing with a dull orange light that shimmered beneath the surface. Cinder crooked a finger, and the Seer floated in her direction to stop in front of her.

The light inside twisted like mist, contorting itself for a few seconds before clearing. Violet leaned forward, getting a close eye on the Grimm Queen that stared out of the globe. She sat with her hands clasped on the stone table in front of herself, clearly within the throne room.

"A bit late in Vale to be making a call, don't you think?"

"It's urgent. Could you spare a moment of your time?"

"It will never be in short supply," Salem sighed, "So I suppose I could spare a few. What seems to be the problem, Cinder?"

It was the half maiden's turn to be nervous, "My… My henchmen were both killed on a mission. I'll need to change our plans if I am to reduce Beacon to rubble."

Salem's face contorted in disappointment, "That is unfortunate, but these things happen. A plan only lasts until first contact with the enemy, as they say. What resources remain at your disposal?"

Cinder turned to frown at Roman and Neo, "These two, along with the leader of the White Fang in Vale. I won't be able to sneak into Beacon like this."

"Indeed," Salem took a moment, pondering in a deep silence that no one was willing to interrupt, "What of the grimm? Are they still congregating outside the bounds of the city's detection?"

Cinder nodded, "We will need more for all of Vale to fall, but there is a sizable amount currently in position."

"How far along are the plans for the Breach?"

"The faunus have excavated much of the tunnel out. Only a few blockages remain, but they need to make repairs. The explosives are completed and awaiting use."

"And what use are you?" Salem's eyes took in Roman as if piercing to his very core.

The thief trembled, "N-Neo is excellent at infiltration, the best, even!"

"Did I ask what the benefits would be of keeping the girl around? What use are you, thief?"

"Neo wouldn't help you if you got rid of me!" Roman ushered out in a single breath, "Besides that, I know all the ins and outs of this city, and I'm better than most hunters in a fight."

"Were you not bested by children?" Salem's lips quirked in a frown.

"W-we had them on the ropes until that bullhead crashed! If not for that, we would have left with the dust, and more kills to our names!"

"Is that so…?" Salem muttered, voice thick with doubt, "Well, perhaps we will put your claims to the test," her eyes returned to Cinder, "Give the virus Watts created to her. If she is successful, then you may allow them to breath a while longer. Fair enough?"

Cinder nodded and reached into her pocket to retrieve a flash drive. A small opening appeared in the ice, melting away at that point and then steaming until it was dry. Neo winced at the heat but beared it. Cinder placed the flash drive into the front pocket of her jeans and stared up at Neo threateningly.

"Fail, and there will be no more chances. I will force you to watch while I carve out dear Roman's heart. You don't want that, right?" at a fervent nod from Neo, Cinder smiled smugly, "Good~"

The ice shattered, dropping Neo roughly to the floor, her parasol clattering to the ground nearby as she fell to her knees. Her aura flickered weakly, finally visible once more after being removed from her icy bindings. Her arms and legs trembled, whether from fear, anger, or pain, Violet wasn't sure.

Salem spoke once more, "We will wait until we have more information before deciding how our plans change. Until then…" the Grimm Queen shared a motherly smile with Cinder. It almost could have been heartwarming, if not for who she was, "Stay safe, my Maiden. This plan hinges on you."

"Yes, Mistress," Cinder bowed low as the swirling mass of orange light inside the Seer returned, obscuring Salem from view within its murky depths. The Seer lowered itself, sharp tentacles dragging on the floor menacingly as it retreated within its crate. Cinder shut it tightly.

"So, we're friends then?" Roman gave a nervous laugh.

Cinder glanced up sharply, the fire returning to her eye, "Make no mistake. You are walking a thin line, and both sides will lead to death if you are not careful. Do not test me again, Roman."

"Gotcha!" Roman threw his hands up defensively, then looked to Neo, "Might as well get started on getting you into Beacon, eh? C'mon, Neo."

The small girl struggled to her feet after picking up her parasol and gave Roman a tired nod, refusing to look at Cinder again. As she stepped out of view, Violet could see the snarl contorting her face.

'Careful, Cinder. I don't think Neo's quite on board after what you just did…'

Seeing that the conversation had ended, and Cinder had been left to stand in the warehouse by herself, Violet returned to her body. She floated down into herself, spectral limbs reconnecting. Her eyes opened and she glanced to the clock.

'4:30… I'm really pushing it now,' Violet sighed and rolled over to face the wall, bundling herself into her blanket.

'In the grand scheme of things, I learned very little… Aside from Roman and Neo being on the fence about working with Cinder any more. I wonder if I could sway them? Offer them protection from Cinder as a 'full maiden' and learn her plans that way? I could always allow the Breach mission to begin and get to them that way… It's over a month away though... What happened between then and now…?'

Violet had to think for a second before the answer came to her, 'Right, 'Painting the Town'... Are they going to go through with that plan? Will there even be any mechs?' Violet turned over enough to look at the two teammates across from her, Blake and Yang, 'We are going to be investigating anyway. I suppose we'll find out in due time, eh?'

Violet squelched the nervous unease that began to surface, warning her that she needed to know, or risk losing the people she cared about once more.

'...We'll get there when we get there…'

Violet shut her eyes tightly, refusing to think any more on the struggle that raged inside. In a few minutes, she was finally successful, and drifted off into a restless sleep.

/

/

Sorry for the shorter chapter, but I've been sick the last day or so and still need to finish off the next Black Lotus chapter. These things happen, I guess. Still peeved since I've been trying to get my word count average up in general for both stories. Oh well.

Neo's Semblance -

Roman and Neo took their shot, and just like Emerald and Mercury, gambled on bad odds. As far as I'm concerned, Neo's semblance doesn't truly allow her to teleport. She's merely throwing up illusions while running away to give herself the appearance of teleportation. Due to the way Cinder trapped her, there was no way for her to escape the situation.

If only Cinder hadn't kept her aura up as a constant precaution. Could you imagine Neo as a maiden, even if only half of one? Yikes.

Thanks for reading!

- Sybaen

PS - Welcome to all the new followers! The count really popped off on both this story and Black Lotus once they hit 200. Let's shoot for 300, eh? Or is that a pipe dream?