FYI : Update of my plans/ideas on my profile page.
/==/
Her hand shook as she picked up the round off the metal table. She had never been one for guns, but the round felt heavy in her fingers. Her face was ashen as Yang told her things. Things she hadn't realized by the object of her affections had suffered. She had known about Pyrrha, she had a direct hand in that tragedy. The others, she had never known their fates. Jaune had never told her. There was so much he never told her.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why tell me all this?" Cinder asked, as her amber eye studied a pair of lilac ones. "I know you hate me. I know you don't trust me. So why?"
"There is something between you and Jaune. I don't know what it is, or if I can even think about accepting it. But it's there, and if that is all that is keeping me from loosing another good friend; I damn well will use it." lilac eyes glared back into the single amber. "As I see it, there is only a promise and you keeping him from joining his team. So I'm going to tolerate you, for Jaune's sake."
"I..."
"Don't even try to offer anything. I don't want to hear your empty words. I heard enough of them. All I want from you is to listen. I'm not loosing Jaune, I was too busy to see how Ren was slipping away, I wont be for Jaune."
"So what do you want from me then?" Cinder asked as she replaced the round on the table.
"Give him a place to stay. Watch him, and CALL me if things start looking bad, before they can get bad."
"I saw the scar on his right arm."
"It happened at Ren's memorial. Blake was the one that caught him doing it." Yang's hand reached out and closed around the round, "It really shook all of us. Ruby in particular. We made him promise us in the hospital never to do something like that again. We had him promise us, if he ever felt like that again, that he would come to one of us."
"You think he was going to break that promise?"
"He did in a way." Yang opened her hand and looked at the round sitting in her palm. "I was busy with training, and entrance exams, so I let the others reach out to him."
"Doesn't seem like they had much luck; or did they even try?"
"How dare..."
"Be honest. For five years I've been seeing him, on the same day without fail. How is it that the famed team RWBY couldn't keep track of him? I'm nothing. I was an enemy. Yet I was able to get him to see me every year."
"I know they tried. I KNOW they did."
"Do you?"
"What's your game?"
"There is no game. I know you hate me. It's written all over your face. You also have no reason to trust me, and to be honest I understand why. But I also don't fucking care. My only concern is for Jaune, and regardless if you can accept it or not; makes no difference. I'm here for Jaune."
"I don't trust you." Yang's lilac eyes narrowed, "There is some plan, or scheme. You've always had something up your sleeve. Some hidden agenda. I'll find out what it is, trust m,e, I'll find out."
"There's nothing to find, so go ahead and look." a single amber eyes glared back.
"I think it's time to take you back to the waiting area. I need to talk to the Captain and see what the Crown has decided."
"Fine by me. The sooner Jaune and I leave the better." Cinder sneered as she rose from her seat. Yang followed her example and also rose to her feet. Moving to the door she held it open; but just as Cinder moved to pass by her; Yang reached out and grabbed her by the shoulder with her prosthetic hand.
"You hurt him, or allow him to hurt himself. Fuck the job... you and I will have a go."
Cinder turned her head from Yang and raised her chin, putting on a show of not being intimidated. But her heart was thumping in her chest. If something did happen to Jaune, and Yang followed through on her blatant threat; Cinder would be helpless. She had no powers, she had no allies. She was alone, and was feeling very vulnerable.
/=/
Cinder sat in the front, on an uncomfortable hard plastic chair. She had been there for maybe five minutes, possible more; but to her time was dragging on. She could feel the looks from the various personnel working in the station. She knew they knew about her, and what she had been done. She had never truly been pardoned for her part in the fall of Beacon, nor had they thrown her in a cell and tossed away the key. With so much chaos after the return and subsequent leaving of the Brother Gods, she had just been dealt with hostile indifference. They kept tabs on her, and for the first couple years they had nearly inundated her with surprise interviews, bordering on hostile interrogations. But as with other things from before, from the time of super powered individuals; it fell by the wayside. Now she was almost forgotten. Treated with indifference, and open disdain.
Cinder looked up every time a door opened, and was constantly disappointed that it was not Jaune being out to her. Until finally it was. Yang lead him forward towards were Cinder now stood. Her flesh and blood hand holding on to his bicep; as she guided him past desks. His head was down, his eyes looking dull. Cinder's heart nearly jumped into her throat, worry and concern taking hold of her. He looked broken, distant, pitiful. This was not the image of the young man who she had seen just after the final moments of the eons old conflict between Ozama and Salem.
Moving forward she intercepted the pair as they stepped past the duty desk. Yang releasing her hold upon him.
"Jaune?" Cinder inquired.
He said nothing in response. He just stood there, looking like all the strength of his body and persona had bled away. Cinder turned her gaze to Yang.
"He's being released into your custody." Yang informed her former foe, "He is also being charged with Assault causing Bodily Harm, and Possessing of a Prohibited Device."
"That means?"
"He's going to have to stay were he can be found. He's not allowed to leave Vale, and has to attend court in a weeks time."
"Anything else?"
"I'm to take both of you home, and seize any weapons he brought into the city." Yang informed Cinder as Yang's eyes never left the figure of her longtime friend and companion. SO if you'll follow me, I'll take you out to a car, and drive you home."
Cinder didn't even respond. She just kept her gaze upon Jaune. Her mind tumbling with the revelations of what she and Yang had discussed, along with all the in hindsight observations and tells that had been happening over the years during their annual visits with each other.
/=/
The ride through the darkening streets of Vale, from the station to her apartment building was silent and heady. There was tension in the air; and it was either from the distrust Yang and Cinder shared of each other, or the worry of both for the state of the blonde former huntsman seated next to Cinder in the back seat.
Once at their destination, Yang followed Cinder and Jaune up the stairs, and to her door. Cinder unlocked the door, and stepped through, holding it open for both Jaune and Yang to enter her humble abode. Jaune just headed straight into the living/dinning room, as Yang stopped just over the threshold.
"I need any weapons he brought with him when he arrived; and I also need to be informed of any you may have."
"His stuff is in that closet, and I have nothing."
"Nothing?"
"What you want to confiscate all my kitchen knives?"
"This closet?" Yang asked pointing to the small door just inside the entry way. Cinder responded with a nod. Sliding open the door, Yang quickly looked inside, and found the object of her search. She said nothing as she extracted the heavy revolver, along with its holster and ammo belt. "Is this everything?"
"I don't know?"
"Jaune, do you have more ammunition in your bags?" Yang asked the slumped over form sitting on the couch.
Cinder let the door close, as Jaune nodded and Yang proceeded to search through his duffle bag removing a couple boxes of ammo. Pulling a clear plastic bag from her back pocket she placed all the items in it and then rolled the top down before pulling the paper strip from the glue stripe and sealing the confiscated items inside.
"This will all be returned to him, depending on the result of his hearing."
Cinder just nodded, and opened the door to hurry Yang's progress out of her apartment. Yangs topped just as she was walking past. She took a long hard look at her former enemy, and frowned.
"Remember what I said, and know that I'll be letting the rest of RWBY know where he is, and with who."
Cinder just closed her eye and sighed.
/=/
Jaune didn't even look up at the sound of the door closing. Letting out a slow breath, he just allowed his body to fold in upon itself. He was drained, physically, mentally, and emotionally. He heard soft clip of feet approaching him. He didn't raise his head, and just sat there, unable and unwilling to make and movements.
"Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"No."
"Jaune."
"I said I don't want to talk."
"Jaune?"
"Drop it. I don't want to talk about anything. Everything is fine."
"Things are not fine. I can't help if you wont let me know what is going on with you."
"Who says I want help? Who says I need it?"
""I do. I can see it."
"I said... I'm fine." Jaune raised his head, his eyes taking on a hard tint. "I don't need any help. I can do this on my own."
"You can't..."
"I can and I will."
"Jaune..." Cinder moved and took a seat on the couch beside him. She made no move to reach out to him, even as much as she felt compelled to. "I can see something is not right. So can Yang. You're being bothered by something, and until you tell someone what that is, it can't get better."
Jaune turned his head from her and once again stared at the floor.
"What happened at the bar? Why did you get into a fight?"
"Someone needed help."
"Who?"
"A young couple. They were being harassed, so I stepped in."
"So you went to rescue them?"
"Shouldn't I have? That's what I had trained for, what my team..."
"Jaune?"
"It's nothing."
"Don't lie to me."
Jaune scoffed and stood up. He needed to put some distance between himself and Cinder. He wanted the isolation. Craved it.
"Jaune you shouldn't feel the need to keep trying to save people. You saved hundred of thousands already. Maybe you should take a break? Focus on yourself?"
"It's not enough." he muttered in reply.
"How can that not be enough?"
"I couldn't save THEM!" Jaune snapped, his head shooting up and his eyes glaring at Cinder's form still seated upon the couch. "I failed THEM! Failed THEM! I messed up and they're not here anymore. It should have been me!"
"Jaune..."
"No! You don't get to speak. It's because of you that I lost Pyrrha. Did you know she confessed to me just moments before she ran off to be murdered by you!" Jaune spat with a venom filled voice.
"I..."
"You and that fucking cunt of a queen you served. Took everything I cared about! You've forced me to be alone! I'm the last one! I shouldn't be. They should be the ones here in Vale, living full happy lives!"
Jaune started pacing, his hands clenching into fists. "I lost them all! Do you know how that feels? Do know what it's like to be the last one standing! RWBY is still all together. They have each other, but what do I have? Huh? What the FUCK do I have?"
"You have family, people that..."
"What would you know about caring bitch!"
"Jaune..."
"I don't want to hear it! No more empty fucking words. No more fucking pity. I don't want any of it. I should never have agreed. I sould have just..."
"Jaune..." Cinder was taken aback by the fury and venom in his words, but inside her heart should understood where it was coming from. She and her plans had been the catalyst to so much of his pain. She had personally ripped someone he deeply cared for away from him. It hurt, hurt so much, and she wanted to so desperately go back and change what she had done. She craved getting up and rushing over to him, to embrace him, to scream out her apologizes, and remorse; but she held herself in check. She could tell right now wasn't the time.
"Fuck off."
"Jaune, please..."
"I said FUCK OFF!" Jaune twisted about on his feet, and stomped towards the door. "I'm... I'm... I have to go!"
"Jaune, where are you going? What are you going to do?" Cinder jumped up from the couch, and started to rush forward to intercept him before he could leave. "You can't! Don't!"
He was out the door before she could reach him. She tore it open behind him and stumbled out into the hallway. She saw his broad back moving away from her, towards the stairs. She wanted to rush after him, to grab him, to hold him. To find a magical way to make all his pain to vanish. But she hesitated. She watched as he turned a corner and vanished from sight.
/=/
"Yang is calling." a synthetic voice called out from the modified scroll laying upon a coffee table.
"Answer."
"Ruby?"
"I'm here."
"We need to talk."
"About?"
"How soon can you get to Vale?"
"Why?"
"How soon?"
"A day or so." Ruby replied.
"Do you wanted me to make the arrangements?"
"I'm not helpless Yang!"
"I know. I know. But still..."
"I can handle it. So you going to tell me what is so important, that is making you sounds so desperate for me to go to Vale?"
"It's Jaune..."
"Is he OKAY!"
"He's... he's not really okay. He's not hurt, just not okay."
"Is he in Vale? Is he in trouble?"
"Yes to both, and there is something else..."
"What?"
"He's with Cinder."
"Do... do... do Weiss and Blake know?"
"I'm going to call them right after this call."
"Okay, I'll call in a couple favours. I'll be there tomorrow."
"Ruby?"
"There's something else?"
"After all this time... I know I wasn't, I didn't... did you stay in touch with him?"
"I tried. He stopped returning my calls, and just started sending the odd text message. Always said he was fine, and doing good." Ruby sat down on her couch and reached forward, gliding her hand along the coffee table until it touched her scroll. Grasping it, she pulled it close. "He's not doing good is he?"
"I'm afraid, Rubes. Really afraid."
"You think, he'll..."
"I'm not sure. I want to say no, but..."
"Get hold of Weiss and Blake. I've got some calls to make."
"Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow."
/=/
"Nope. You mister are cut off!" Miltia snapped as she watched the familiar blond haired, blue eyed figure of Jaune approach the bar. "In fact Mel and I have half a thought to ban you from here."
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah, yeah. Heard that before, from more than just you."
"Well I am sorry. Never meant it to get out of hand like it did."
"Fine." Miltia growled in an almost playful tone. "So why are you back? You here to take me up on that offer? I'd make it more than worth your while."
"No, sorry."
"Way to dash a girl's hopes and dreams." Miltia sighed. "You're still cut off, so you can't be here to drink."
"Put me in the Pit."
"No, Jaune. That is not going to happen."
"What's the current record?"
"Mel and I are not letting you into the Pit, so why does that matter?"
"Humour me." he gave her a smile lack that lacked any warmth, or conviction.
"It's five."
"I can double it."
"No you can't."
"Bet I can."
"That's a sucker's bet, seeing as you're not going there."
"I need this. So I'll make you a deal. Put me in the Pit, let me work out some shit."
"Some shit?"
"Personal stuff."
"That's not the place to work things out in."
"It's what I need. Let me work out some stuff, I'll double the record, and you can do me a favour."
"Favour? I'm not going to like this, am I?"
"Nothing to serious. That little incident the other day got me into a little trouble. If I double the record, think you can make it less trouble?"
"You serious?"
"Whenever am I not, with you and Mel?"
"Okay. Deal. Mel will take you to the Pit. You double the record and we'll see what we can do to help with your troubles."
"Sounds fair."
/==/
Not entirely sure how this chapter works. It fits, but I feel like I could have done much better.
There is an UPDATE on my profile about what is going on with me stories, and some plans for future stuff. Feedback on it would be great, if you are so inclined.
Anyway, any and all feedback is always welcome. Enjoy.