Cinders And Sins
It all began with one rejection too many. Jaune wasn't sure why it had taken him so long to realize that Weiss was never going to be interested in him, but when the realization had finally sunken in, it'd hit hard. To her credit, she hadn't purposely tried to humiliate him or anything like that, but that didn't change the fact that he was finally realizing he'd made a complete ass out of himself, and that the shame was downright palpable. It was that special kind of shame that he couldn't just shake off, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. No, this kind of shame required desperate measures.
This kind of shame required nothing short of redemption.
And so, his mind set, Jaune had spent the last few weeks before the week of the dance doing research. The only way he was going to get his redemption was if he managed to make it clear to himself and everyone else that he wasn't completely hopeless with romance. That was easier said than done, primarily because he was completely hopeless with romance, and so he'd eventually drifted away from the realm of shady pick-up artists and towards something a bit less esoteric.
Namely, black magic.
"Let's see…" Jaune mused to himself as he pored over a book that was bound with a suspiciously skin-like substance. He had to give that guy at the book store credit – he really did have every book under the sun in there. "Did I do it right?"
It seemed like he had, at least – he'd followed the instructions in the book as closely as he could. It had told him to draw an inverted pentagram and place a lit black candle at each tip of the star. Jaune wasn't sure what made it an inverted pentagram in the first place considering that it was just a regular pentagram depending on how he looked at it, but whatever, it probably wasn't important. And he unfortunately didn't have black candles, so he'd had to make do by borrowing Weiss' expensive scented candles she apparently insisted on using whenever she took a bath. That had defied expectations by being easier than he could've possibly imagined, primarily because the moment he'd asked Yang if he could borrow them for a bit, she'd thrust them into his arms and commanded him to make sure they were burnt down to the very end of the wick, apparently because she was sick of the room always smelling like artificial vanilla. Jaune didn't care for the specifics, however; all that mattered was that he had his candles, and they were arranged properly, white as they were.
Next up, the blood of a virgin dripped into the center of the chalk. For a moment, he'd considered asking Ruby if she could do something for him, before eventually realizing that he qualified, too, which was nice, because it avoided a very awkward conversation. So he'd cut himself on Crocea Mors a bit, dripped some of the blood into the center of the chalk, and then stepped back to admire his handiwork.
And with everything set, it was time for the last step.
"Step 4: Utter the sacred words," he read. He furrowed his brow as his eyes scanned over the book. "Hm… I wonder what this means? Klaatu… barada… nikto?"
For a moment, nothing happened. Jaune stared at the book, perplexed, taking his attention away from the pentagram for just a moment.
And the instant he did that, the room exploded.
Jaune stumbled as he felt the room shake, and white smoke began to billow up from the center of the pentagram. He coughed, waving his arm to try and clear the smoke out the window. The book fell from his hands, and he let out a muffled curse as he dropped to his hands and knees to search for it through the smoke. His hand fell upon something fleshy, and a wave of relief washed over him as he realized he'd found it. And so, with the book in his grasp, Jaune pulled.
And to his surprise, he was rewarded with a pained shout.
"Wha-"
That was as far as he got before his world erupted with pain, and he was sent flying back into the wall across the room. He struck the plaster back-first and fell down onto Pyrrha's bed, where he laid, grimacing in pain. With a small wince, he sat up, just in time for the smoke to clear. He wasn't sure what he expected to see when it dissipated – a Grimm, perhaps, or even worse, a very pissed-off Weiss.
He certainly didn't expect to see a completely different woman standing there, glaring at him.
Jaune had to blink when he first saw her. She wasn't like anything he'd ever seen before – she was tall, maybe just a few inches shorter than him, with bright yellow eyes and long black hair. Most striking of all, however, was her outfit… or rather, her lack of one. Jaune felt himself flush a deep crimson when he saw her. She wasn't naked, but her outfit didn't leave anything to the imagination – it was more like a set of black lingerie than an actual outfit. She even had on thigh-high leather boots with high heels.
He was so distracted by her near-nudity that for a moment, he didn't even realize that she wasn't quite human. Jaune was suddenly taken aback when he realized that she had a set of leathery wings folded against her back, two curved horns curling up out of her head, and a thin black spade-tipped tail poking out of her lower back, contrasting with her cream-colored skin. Faced with the sudden impossibility of what had to be either a Faunus with multiple traits or something straight out of one of Blake's books, he almost forgot that this woman, whoever she was, was clearly very mad at him.
Or at least, he forgot until she spoke.
"You."
Jaune couldn't help but wince at her tone. She sounded like his mother whenever she scolded him for doing something stupid… which, given that he'd just blown up the room, probably meant he deserved whatever was coming to him. "...Yes?" he ventured.
"What do you want, mortal?"
Jaune blinked, confused. "...I'm sorry?"
"What do you want?" the woman repeated. She folded her hands across her chest, and Jaune had to swallow nervously when he realized just how bouncy she was, and oh Gods, if he wasn't a dead man before this, he certainly was now. Her eyes narrowed. "Are you an idiot or something? Answer the question."
"Uh… can you explain, please?" Jaune asked.
She rolled her eyes. "You summoned me," she hissed. "Now, what do you-"
"Whoa, whoa, hold on," Jaune managed to get out. "I… summoned you? That spell worked?"
"Why wouldn't it have worked? You read from the Book of the Dead, the one bound in flesh-"
"Wait, that's actual flesh?"
"Yes, it is. The Necronomicon-"
"Eugh…" Jaune couldn't help but shudder. "Sorry, but I really need to wash my hands. I was wondering why touching that thing was like poking at a big scab, and now I know, and now I'm grossed out. Excuse me, I'm just gonna go into the bathroom and-"
He went to stand up, but his new visitor suddenly waved her hand, and a set of black chains materialized from nowhere and bound his arms and legs to the posts of Pyrrha's bed, holding him in place.
"You will stay," she growled, "until I have explained things."
Jaune didn't argue, both because he was suddenly very intimidated and also because he knew better than to argue when a really attractive, really scary woman suddenly started telling him what to do.
Unless that woman was Goodwitch, because she wasn't really scary, she was downright terrifying, and even his boner had its limits.
The woman gestured to herself. "I am Cinder Fall," she explained. "You summoned me using the Necronomicon, and the dark magic held within. In so doing, you have bound your soul to mine for the duration of the contract-"
"Whoa, whoa, hold on," Jaune said. "Contract? We didn't make a contract."
The woman – Cinder – smirked. "Did you not read the fine print?"
"What fine print?"
She thrust the flesh-bound book in his face, then pointed to a very tiny line buried deep within the margins of the table of contents.
"In choosing to cast the dark magic held within this book, you offered your soul to the Underworld in exchange for your heart's desire," Cinder said, a wicked-looking grin on her face. "Now, before I whisk your immortal soul down to the Underworld for an eternity of damnation for meddling with powers far beyond your understanding… what is your heart's desire?"
"I don't know if I should tell you," Jaune ventured. "Because I quite like my soul not being roasted like chestnuts over an open fire." He paused. "Oh, my bad – it's still the spooky month; forgot that we're not supposed to make jokes like that for at least another month. Then again, the holiday season does get earlier and earlier every year…"
"For the love of the Gods, just tell me what lewd things you want to do, already!" Cinder commanded. For some reason, her face was flushed red, and her tail was lashing back-and-forth behind her.
Jaune blinked. "...Lewd things? What lewd things? I mean, yeah, you're hot as hell – no pun intended, I swear – but the reason I summoned you was… well… succubi are literal sex demons, right? So I figured you'd know a thing or two about picking up women. So basically, I was just wondering if you could help me get a girlfriend in time for the dance this weekend?"
Cinder stared at him in disbelief. She held his gaze for a few seconds, not saying anything or even moving a muscle. Eventually, her eye twitched, and she looked away.
"...A girlfriend," she muttered. "You summoned a literal horny devil… so you could ask her for help with getting a girlfriend on short notice? That's truly your heart's desire?"
"Pretty much, yeah," he confirmed with a nod.
"You… don't want to do lewd things with me? Not even a little?"
"I mean, you're very attractive, but that'd be moving things along a bit too quickly, you know? Besides, I want to be happy, not horny."
Again, her eye twitched. Cinder looked away and began muttering to herself.
"Not what Lady Salem said it'd be like… said my first time being summoned would be a lot different… thought for sure I'd finally get to see one for the first time…"
"Uh, hello?" Jaune asked. "Everything alright?"
Cinder suddenly rounded on him, her expression full of resolve, and said four words he never thought he'd ever hear anyone say in his life.
"Show me your cock."
He froze for a minute, completely unable to believe what he'd just heard. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Just one peek," Cinder insisted as she stepped over to him. "My master tried to train me for this, but training is no substitute for the real thing. I need to see one to know what I'll be dealing with."
"Wait, wait, hold on!" Jaune said as he thrashed in his restraints, Cinder drawing closer with every passing second. "You mean to tell me that you're a virgin succubus?!"
"We all have to start somewhere," Cinder insisted. "Now hold still while I get these pants off of you."
She drew closer to the bed, and naturally, Jaune didn't listen, instead continuing to thrash around. He thrashed so hard, in fact, that he eventually managed to break one of the bed posts off Pyrrha's bed. Cinder was forced to suddenly dodge to avoid the incoming piece of wood, and in doing so, her hand fell and rested upon Jaune's wood. They both suddenly paused, their eyes widening.
"...Huh," Cinder announced as they both flushed red. "Wow. I… did not think it'd be there. Figured it'd be somewhere else, but wasn't sure. Back of the knee, maybe..."
"You're not a very good succubus, are you?" Jaune deadpanned.
"How the hell am I supposed to get experience aside from actually being summoned for the first time?" Cinder protested.
"There's this thing called the DustNet, it has all the naked people on it you could ever hope to see," Jaune informed her. "If you wanted to see what one looked like, or know where one is actually located, you could have just looked it up. Then again, perhaps hell hasn't gotten with the times and installed WiFi just yet."
Cinder scowled. "Whatever. This was a waste of time, anyway – you clearly aren't going to give me the experience I want, so all that's left to do is fulfill your stupid request so I can head back to the Underworld and hopefully be summoned by someone who actually wants to have sex."
"You know, I was a lot more confident about this before I knew that you were as big a virgin as I am," Jaune pointed out. "How am I supposed to trust that you know what you're doing when you thought the male genitalia was located behind the knee?"
Cinder rolled her eyes again. "Oh, please. Getting a woman is easy – being a succubus, I am a master of seduction."
"Is that what we're calling this?"
"You got hard, didn't you?"
"Oh, so you know it gets hard, but you didn't know where it was located?"
Cinder ignored his comment. "Anyway, men are pathetic, always willing to sell their souls over something as simple as companionship. You could have asked for anything and I would have been contractually obligated to assist you with attaining it. You could have been the ruler of the entire world, if you'd so desired, but no, you just want someone to hold your hand. It is, like I said, pathetic."
"Yeah, yeah," Jaune said dismissively. "Fact is, lady, I don't want to rule the world, or be rich, or anything like that. What I do want is someone who actually cares, and who I can take to Beacon's Halloween dance this weekend. Unfortunately, in this day and age, it literally takes dark magic to find that. I'm not sorry."
"Very well," Cinder said begrudgingly. She snapped her fingers and the chains surrounding Jaune's limbs suddenly dissipated into nothingness. "Let's go, then."
Jaune gave her a surprised look as he sat up and rubbed his wrists. "What, right now?"
"Yes, right now. I want to hurry this along and be back in the Underworld as quickly as possible. Besides, it's not like it's going to be hard."
"If you insist," Jaune said, skeptical. "But you can't just go out dressed like-"
Cinder snapped her fingers again, and just like that, she was surrounded by purple flames. They cleared after a moment, and when they did, she was different – she was now dressed like a standard office lady, with a white blouse and a pencil skirt and pantyhose, and even a set of thick-framed glasses. She looked a lot like Glynda Goodwitch, actually, only less intimidating. Her demonic features – her horns, her tail, and her wings – had disappeared, too, meaning she just looked like a normal person now, albeit one who still looked like a supermodel.
"...Alright, that's that concern taken care of," Jaune said. "I guess we should go, then."
"Excellent," Cinder replied, a smug grin on her face. "Lead me to the first object of your affections, mortal."
"Alright," Cinder began as they walked down the hall. Jaune couldn't help but notice that all the guys were staring at her in open-mouthed shock, as were plenty of the girls, but Cinder herself didn't seem to notice or care. "Who's first on the list?"
"Does it have to be a list?" Jaune complained. "That makes it sound like I'm just ticking boxes."
"They taught us to always have a backup plan in succubus school," Cinder explained. "I mean, not that we'll need one because obviously this is going to go off without a hitch on the first try, but in the infinitely small chance it doesn't, it'll pay to have something to fall back on."
"I suppose you're right, even if it feels wrong to put it that way," Jaune said reluctantly. "I guess… we might as well start with Weiss? I mean, she's the one I initially fell for, so we might as well try her first… and, between you and me, I'm already pretty much at rock bottom with her, so no matter how badly we mess this up, it's not like her opinion of me can sink any lower than it already has."
"A good plan," Cinder confirmed. "Very well. Where can we find her?"
Jaune thought for a moment. "Practicing her singing, maybe?"
Instantly, Cinder perked up. "Singing, you say?"
"Uh, yeah?" Jaune ventured. Somehow, he could already feel like he was going to regret this. "Why? You know a thing or two about it?"
"Of course I do!" Cinder said proudly. "I am a succubus, we are taught to be charmers. I know all about music. I can teach you a surefire way to impress a woman with song."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes, of course. Here, allow me to demonstrate."
Cinder took a deep breath, and for a moment, Jaune thought she was going to sing… but instead, all she did was let out an ear-piercing shriek. Jaune winced, suddenly thankful for his Aura protecting his eardrums.
"What the hell was that?!" he protested.
"Did you like it?" Cinder asked proudly. "That was hell's very own music – I think you mortals refer to it as heavy metal?"
"No, I didn't like it!"
"Truly? That's a shame; a scream like that would have instantly gotten me laid back in the Underworld."
"Then why are you still a virgin?"
Instantly, Cinder flushed red. "...Stage fright."
Jaune stared at her in disbelief. "That's-"
"What's with all the noise?!"
Jaune winced at the new voice, knowing he was already in trouble. "Oh, hey, Weiss," he said as he turned around.
True to his word, Weiss was there, storming out of one of the nearby practice rooms, a book of sheet music in her hands. And she was furious.
"Of course, this has something to do with you," she growled. "I was trying to practice my singing, and I was doing very well, when suddenly I heard what sounded like a dying cat. And just like that, my concentration was shot. What do you have to say for yourself, Arc?"
"I'm sorry, Weiss."
"You'd better-" Weiss suddenly paused, her gaze drifting over to Cinder. "...Who's this?"
Jaune and Cinder exchanged a quick glance with each other, neither of them sure what to say.
"She's my cousin," Jaune hurriedly explained.
"Your cousin?" Weiss asked, confused. "I thought you didn't have any siblings aside from your sisters."
"Oh, no, it's a big family."
"Forgive me for saying this, but she looks nothing like you."
"We're distant cousins," Jaune hurriedly amended. "She's my fourth cousin five times removed."
Weiss' brow furrowed. "I don't think that's how that works, but okay. It's… a pleasure to meet you, I guess?"
"Oh, it'll be your pleasure, alright," Cinder said. "But anyway, I hear you've been spurning Jaune."
"Oh, dear Gods..." Jaune muttered.
Weiss' gaze narrowed, and she put her hands on her hips. "Well, yes, I have. And the reason why is simple – because I don't like him in that way."
"Why not? He clearly likes you in that way. Do you think he's ugly?"
"He's not ugly," Weiss insisted. "He's just… scraggly and awkward."
"Thanks," Jaune deadpanned again.
"Awkward and scraggly, he may be, but you know what he does have that you might like?" Cinder asked.
"What?" Weiss ventured.
"Jaune has a huge penis."
Silence reigned over the hallway. For a moment, nobody spoke, until Weiss cleared her throat, an awkward look on her face.
"Um… is that really appropriate to bring up?" she asked. "And… how would you know, anyway?"
"Simple," Cinder said. "I felt it just a few minutes ago."
Jaune heaved a sigh of resignation, his shoulders slumping. Weiss was horrified.
"You… felt it…?" Weiss managed to get out. "And… you're both… related?"
To her credit, Cinder seemed to realize her mistake, the proud look on her face fading instantly as she searched for an answer. It returned after a moment, indicating she'd found one.
Unfortunately for Jaune, it wasn't a good one.
"Well, what's a bit of incest between family members, right?"
That was all Weiss needed to hear. She suddenly took off down the hallway, even using her Semblance for a speed boost, purely to get away from the two of them faster. Jaune watched her go, then let out another sigh.
"Well, looks like I was wrong," he said. "Apparently, my reputation with her can sink lower than I thought it had."
"Lighten up, Jaune," Cinder said. "That was no-good, anyway – she was clearly a prude; she'd never have put out for you."
"That's the least of my concerns," Jaune deadpanned.
"Well, what's done is done. Shall we move on to the backup plan?"
"Only if it gets you to leave faster."
With that, Cinder motioned for him to follow her, and the two of them set off again.
"Okay, so the thing with Weiss didn't work out," Cinder said as they walked through Beacon's halls. "But I think I know what the problem was – we came on too strong."
"You think?" Jaune asked sarcastically.
Cinder nodded. "Oh, yes. That was the big problem, but the really big problem is that the two of you didn't have anything in common."
"You know, that's actually pretty much right," Jaune noted. "Weiss and I don't really have much in common, do we? Now, somebody like Ruby, on the other hand? We've got a ton in-common – we're both dorks, we both like dorky things such as comic books and video games… I think that might work. And the age difference isn't much of a concern – I'm looking for a date to the dance, and not much else. Plus, it's only two years."
"Only a date to the dance?" Cinder asked. "You mortals are so prudish."
"You're just as much a virgin as I am," Jaune reminded her.
"Oh, details. Just point me towards where we can find this Ruby, already."
"The gardens, probably," Jaune mentioned as they continued walking, emerging out onto Beacon's campus. "She likes to look at the flowers."
"What are we waiting for, then? Let's go."
The two of them headed for Beacon's gardens. True to Jaune's expectations, Ruby was there, sitting on a bench and enjoying the scenery. She perked up when she saw him approach.
"Jaune!" she greeted, only to pause when she saw Cinder walking alongside him. "Who's this?"
"This is my cousin, Cinder," Jaune said. "Say hi, Cinder."
Naturally, Cinder didn't say anything,. Instead, she stared at Ruby in open-mouthed shock for a second before shaking herself out of it.
And then she said arguably the worst thing Jaune had ever heard anyone say to anyone else, aside from his attempts to hit on Weiss.
"Hey, you're Summer Rose's girl."
In a moment, Ruby's demeanor changed completely. Her jaw dropped in shock, and she sped over to Cinder using her Semblance, leaving a trail of rose petals behind her.
"You knew my mom?" Ruby asked, excited. "What can you tell me about her?!"
"Cinder, I am begging you," Jaune began. "Please don't say anything TMI."
"Know her?" Cinder said, against Jaune's wishes. "Summer is an absolute party animal."
"Huh?" Ruby asked, confused. "Why are you talking about her in the present tense? My mom's… not around anymore."
"Well, of course not," Cinder said with a scoff. "She's dead and in hell."
Again, silence reigned. Jaune sighed, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Yup," he stated. "That's about how I thought that was gonna go…"
"What…?" Ruby asked, taken aback. "How can you say that…?"
"Because it's true," Cinder insisted. "Summer Rose is dead and in hell. And let me tell you, nobody messes with her down there, both because she's really tough and because she's a hard-drinking party girl. She's out-drunken arm wrestled just about everyone in hell save for Salem herself. It's quite something."
Ruby took a step back, then looked over to Jaune. "O-kay," she began. "I'm just gonna… you know, leave."
"Ruby, don't leave," Jaune begged. "She didn't mean it."
"Sorry, dude," Ruby said. "I just… I can't right now. This is weird, even by our standards. See you around, Jaune."
With that, Ruby sped off. Jaune watched her go, then let out a sigh and turned back towards Cinder.
"And another one bites the dust," he said.
"Like Summer Rose?" Cinder asked.
"Oh, shut up. Did you really have to tell her that her mom was in hell? Ruby was arguably my best chance of getting a date to the dance."
"Well, I wasn't going to lie!" Cinder protested. "Besides, where else would she have gone? The Gods abandoned Remnant, leaving Salem the sole steward of wayward souls. Like it or not, everyone ends up down there eventually. And honestly, it's not nearly as bad as people make it sound."
"You don't even have WiFi down there," Jaune pointed out.
"Alright, yeah, that's pretty bad, but aside from that, it's really not an issue," Cinder argued. "Anyway, who's next on the list?"
"I don't know, Yang or Blake," Jaune said. "It doesn't matter, because it's just going to end badly anyway."
"Oh, ye of little faith," Cinder said. "Come with me, let's find ourselves the next girl to woo."
Against his better judgment, Jaune didn't argue, instead following after Cinder as she searched for their next target.
"Let's see…" Cinder muttered as the two of them walked through the halls side-by-side. "If I were a girl desperate for a date to the dance, where would I be?"
"Why did you have to specify that she was desperate?" Jaune asked.
"Because one of us has to be realistic, here."
"I thought you said this was going to be easy."
"Yeah, well, that was before I found out that you're so… you."
Jaune frowned. "Thanks," he said. "Thanks for that."
Cinder ignored his obvious displeasure, instead bringing a hand up to her chin in thought as she walked.
"Hm…" she said. "If I were a lonely, introverted loser who desperately wanted people to avoid looking at me, where would I go…?"
"The library?" Jaune ventured.
Cinder stood up straighter, snapping her fingers. "Perfect."
"Hang on, why are we specifically going for that kind of person?" Jaune asked as they kept walking.
"Simple," Cinder explained. "Weiss and Ruby are both gregarious and outgoing, and both of those attempts went horrendously terrible, so I figure we'll have much better luck if we went after someone who's the exact opposite."
"I suppose that makes as much sense as anything else you've said," Jaune said dryly. "Alright, fine. I have a feeling I know exactly who we're going to find in the library anyway, and honestly, I struggle to see how it could possibly go worse than the last two."
They both made their way to the library. Once they stepped through those double doors, Jaune immediately made a beeline straight for one of the darkened corners off in the edges of the library – the kind of places that only the loneliest and most voracious of readers dared to venture. And true to his expectations, Blake was there, her face buried deep within a book. Jaune wasn't sure what she was reading, but the blush on her face gave him a pretty good idea.
"Oh, good," Cinder said, relieved. "She's already horny. This should be easy, then."
Jaune sighed tiredly. "You ruined it."
Cinder blinked. "...Sorry."
"Whatever. Let's just get this over with."
They both approached Blake's table. It took her awhile before she noticed they were nearby, but when she did, she jumped up with a start, hurriedly slamming her book shut.
"Jaune!" she exclaimed as she took her book and hit it behind her back. Her gaze slid over to Cinder. "...And friend, apparently. Who's this, Jaune?"
"Her name's Cinder," Jaune said dismissively.
"Who I am is not important," Cinder interrupted. "What is important is that there's a dance coming up, and you two both do not have a date. I want to know what we're going to do about that."
Blake just stared at her. "Are you… asking me out for Jaune?"
"That depends. Is it working?"
"No."
"Damn." She turned to Jaune. "Well, we tried our best. Time for Plan B."
"What's Plan B?" Jaune asked, even though he knew he was going to regret asking.
"This."
Then, before either of them could react, Cinder snapped her fingers. Blake chains suddenly materialized out of thin air and wrapped themselves around Blake's arms and legs, binding her legs together and her arms at her sides. Blake fell to the ground, completely immobilized. Jaune stared at her for a moment, then looked back to Cinder, unamused.
"I take it that this is you taking the direct approach?" he asked, unconcerned.
"You'd be right," Cinder answered. "You're taking this very well. I thought for sure it would've freaked you out."
"Honestly, as bad as this is, it's still better than the last two."
"Great. So take your new catgirl and let's go."
"Uh, no."
"Why not? Have you not read the Nekonomicon?"
"Is that like the Book of the Dead I used to summon you?"
"It's similar, except it concerns itself exclusively with dealing with women of the feline persuasion. Since you clearly haven't read it, I'll walk you through what we do next. Alright, so, first we're going to have to take her somewhere safe, and then we're going to have to do some weird post-hypnotic suggestion stuff to her involving catnip and laser pointers. Once that's done, she'll be like putty in your hands."
"That sounds somewhat unethical."
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Jaune."
"You may have a point," he conceded. "Alright, you grab her legs."
He turned towards Blake, intending to pick her up from her shoulders, only to pause when he saw that she was just lying there, not doing or saying anything. He stared for a moment, then leaned in, concerned.
"Uh, Blake?" he asked. "You alright?"
Then, to his surprise, Blake shuddered. For a moment, Jaune thought she might have been injured in her fall, and leaned in to try and get a closer look. It was then that he realized she was muttering something under her breath. He angled an ear towards her to try and listen in.
"H-harder, daddy~"
And regretted it instantly. He pulled back, a disgusted look on his face, and turned towards Cinder.
"I think you broke her," he stated.
"Why?" Cinder asked. "What'd she say?"
"She revealed her daddy fetish to me. I want a refund, Cinder – a refund on my catgirl GF."
"What?!" Blake suddenly stated, turning towards him. She was still bound so she kind of had to flop around like a fish out of water in order to look over to him, but she managed to pull it off after a few tries. She fixed him with a harsh glare. "You can't just leave me like this!"
"Yeah, you're right," Juane agreed. "Cinder, can you let her go?"
"Not what I meant," Blake growled. "You did this to me, so now you need to finish it."
Jaune quirked an eyebrow. "Finish it?"
"Oh, you know what I mean. I'm tied up and completely at your mercy. That's your cue to have your way with me."
Jaune's brain froze for a moment. He looked over to Cinder, who seemed proud of herself.
"Well, what do you know?" she said. "She's already ready for you, Jaune."
"I don't know how I feel about this…" Jaune muttered as he turned back towards Blake.
"What do you mean? There's a sexy catgirl with a dump truck ass who's literally tied up and begging for it."
"I'm not even going to ask how you know what a dump truck is."
"Of course I know what a dump truck is. I know what all the different kinds of trucks are. Do you have any idea how many people die by getting run over by trucks and then end up in the Underworld afterwards? It's a lot of people, Jaune."
"Whatever." He looked back towards Blake, who was drooling by this point as she rubbed her thighs together. He shuddered involuntarily. "I'll be honest, Cinder – this is seriously weirding me out."
"Oh, come on!" Cinder protested.
"No, I mean it. It's one thing for her to not be into it at all, but it's just as bad for her to be too into it, you know? Especially now that I know she has a daddy fetish."
Cinder threw up her hands in frustration. "Oh, whatever. Fine, then – apparently, beggars can be choosers. Well then, mister picky, I guess we'll leave the cock-hungry neko behind and find you something a bit more appealing to your ridiculous standards."
"Hey, I was perfectly okay with just taking her to the dance," Jaune said as he began to walk off, Cinder following after him. They didn't even bother trying to free Blake, instead leaving her behind as they marched off. "You're the one who made it weird."
"Uh, she made it weird, not me," Cinder protested.
"Yeah, I guess that's true. Anyway, that's three down, so we might as well go for the last one."
"Who's the last one?"
"You'll see, unfortunately."
Jaune knew pretty much exactly where to find Yang right from the start; he knew her well enough to know that she was only ever going to be in either one of two places – the garage, or the gym. Despite his inexperience, even he knew better than to try and pick up girls at the gym, so it was just a matter of waiting for her to show up in the garage at some point.
Which was easier said than done, because he also had to deal with Cinder.
"This is stupid," Cinder commented. "We're really just going to wait here in the hopes that she decides to show up at some point?"
"This is Yang we're talking about," Jaune answered. "Yang loves exactly three things in the entire world – working out, her little sister, and her motorcycle. She'll be here at some point, trust me."
"What is a motorcycle, anyway?" Cinder asked. "Is it like a truck?"
"Aside from the fact that it has wheels, drives, and is a steel-metal death trap? No, it's nothing like a truck."
"Well, what does it look like?"
"It's that black-and-yellow death machine over there," Jaune said, motioning towards Bumblebee. "And I know what you're thinking, but if you want me to even have a chance with Yang, then you shouldn't mess with it. Like, at all. Please do not get within thirty feet of the bike, if I'm not being obvious enough yet."
Cinder glared at him, then crossed her arms."You act as if I am some avatar of destruction and chaos." Jaune just stared at her, and she pursed her lips. "...Okay, you may have a point."
Jaune heard a door open, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of yellow, which caused him to sit up straighter. "Look alive, Cinder," he said. "Looks like she's coming."
"So soon?" Cinder asked, surprised. "I thought you just wanted a date, but I'll take it."
Jaune ignored her, instead standing up from his spot on the curb as Yang rounded the corner. She stopped for a moment, seemingly surprised to see him in the garage, but then gave him a friendly wave.
"Hey, Jaune," she said. "What are you doing here?"
"Ah, you know," he replied. "Just hanging out. Have you met Cinder?"
Yang looked over to Cinder, her eyes widening in surprise. She let out a whistle. "Damn, dude – where'd you find her?"
"Oh, it's not like that," Jaune said. "We're not together, she's just… a friend. A friend who's helping me with something."
"You sure?" Yang asked, surprised. "Because I know how badly you want a date to the dance."
"Well, actually, that's what I was hoping to talk to you about, if you catch my drift."
Yang's eyes widened. "Wow. Um, that's unexpected."
"You don't sound impressed," Jaune noted.
"Well, I'm certainly flattered, but the thing is, I'm kinda in charge of putting everything together for the dance, along with Weiss. And given that she's already set to go with Neptune, that basically means I'll be in charge of running the dance at some point, because one of us has to and it won't be her."
"Ah," Jaune said. "Well, thanks for hearing me out."
"Yeah, no problem. Hope you find someone, dude."
With that, the two of them parted ways. It hadn't gone the way Jaune had hoped it would, but he could appreciate the fact that Yang let him down easy in the end.
Unfortunately, Cinder could not.
"What the hell was that?!" Cinder exclaimed as Jaune marched away.
"Give it a rest, Cinder," Jaune said. "She's busy that night, and I don't want to push it."
"But pushing it is exactly what you need to do!" Cinder protested. "Look at her, she's more concerned with running the dance than finding someone to make her happy! That just isn't right!"
"Well, what's done is done. Might as well let go so we can move on to the next person."
Cinder glared at him. "I refuse," she said. "Hold here, I'm got to go do something."
"Do what?" Jaune asked, but it was too late – Cinder was already storming off towards Yang. Jaune cursed under his breath, then took off after her.
He got there just in time to see Cinder call out to Yang.
"Hey, Yang," Cinder shouted, getting her attention. "Do me a favor – look into my eyes and tell me if my makeup is smearing?"
"Wha-" Yang began, only to be cut off when her gaze met Cinder's. The moment that connection was formed between them, a thin line of purple light shot out from Cinder's eyes into Yang's. It lasted for just a moment before dissipating, and when it did, Yang stumbled for a bit before falling over, slumping against her bike.
"Yang!" Jaune called as he rushed over to her. He cradled her in his arms, then glared at Cinder. "What the hell did you do?"
"I got fed up with doing things the old-fashioned way, so I used my magic on her," Cinder said as she examined her nails. "Is it ethical? No, not entirely. But I'm past the point of caring."
"Cinder," Jaune growled. "What is this magic supposed to do?"
"Well, it's simple – it'll reach deep within her mind and draw out any hidden feelings or personality traits she has buried within. Now, I know what you're thinking – 'Cinder, why not just cast a love spell on her?' Well, it's not that simple – I can't just make someone fall in love with you, there has to be a spark there first. So I cast a spell that will bring those feelings to the forefront."
"Well, I suppose that's better than-" He paused. "Hang on, did you say personality traits?"
"Oh, yes," Cinder said with a nod.
"Ah. I was afraid you'd say that."
"Why?"
"Because-"
Jaune was interrupted by Yang suddenly letting out a loud shout and launching herself towards him, her fist cocked back. Thankfully, his Aura was raised, because her punch landed and sent him flying back into a nearby truck. He impacted against the passenger side door back-first, then slid down to the ground with a groan.
"Because… Yang has a bit of a temper she tries to keep buried…" he wheezed. "Especially towards me..."
"You threw up on my shoes a few months ago!" Yang roared. "They still smell like Pumpkin Pete's and failure! Prepare to die, Vomit Boy!"
Cinder threw up her hands in frustration. "Oh, come on! Do all the women in this school just have some problem with you?!"
"Pretty much…" Jaune groaned as he picked himself up. "Please get me the hell out of here; I can't get a date if Yang rearranges my face."
His statement was punctuated by Yang launching herself at him again. Thankfully, Cinder was there with her chains, and suddenly, Yang was immobilized. She thrashed on the ground, desperate to free herself from her restraints in order to choke the life out of him, but thankfully, Cinder's magic chains held. The two of them cautiously approached her and looked down upon her.
"How long is the personality thing supposed to last?" Jaune asked.
"It's not permanent, if that's what you're wondering," Cinder offered. "A day, at most. After that, she'll be back to normal."
"And she won't remember any of this?"
Cinder pursed her lips again. "...I wouldn't go that far."
Jaune sighed tiredly. "Alright, I see how this is gonna go. Let's just move on to the next one."
"No offense, but who's left?" Cinder asked as they began walking again.
"Oh, there are plenty of women in Beacon. Now, if you mean women I have a chance with, well, that's different. I can think of exactly one, and she's currently out on a mission."
"Let's hear it."
"Velvet Scarlatina," Jaune admitted. "But like I said, she's away on a mission and won't be back in time for the dance."
"Well, there has to be someone," Cinder protested. "Just start throwing some names out."
"Who the hell else am I supposed to suggest? The only other girls I know are my teammates, like Nora-"
"Great. Let's go find her."
"I can't date Nora!" Jaune protested.
"Why not? She's female and cute, isn't she?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"Great, then we know what to do next."
Jaune had no chance to argue any further, as Cinder suddenly took him by the hand and began dragging him back towards his dorm.
They both arrived back at Jaune's dorm room after a few minutes. Jaune threw open the door and stepped inside, and found Nora there, on her bed. He wasn't surprised to find her by herself – Ren often went to meditate by himself around this time every day, and as much as she liked Ren, Nora found that boring, so often he was left to entertain her himself.
"Hey, Nora," Jaune greeted as he stepped inside. "Is Pyrrha around?"
"Nah, she's out getting a replacement bedframe," Nora answered from her spot on her bed, a magazine in her hands. She turned a page. "Some yahoo broke one of her bedposts and she doesn't want Professor Goodwitch to find out that school property got damaged."
"Fair enough," Jaune said. He made a silent note to himself to apologize to Pyrrha for breaking her bed next time he saw her.
Nora looked up from her magazine, her gaze settling on Cinder. "Who's this?"
"I'm the one who's going to set you up with Jaune," Cinder said. "Hold still for a second."
There was a flash of light, and Jaune expected that Nora was going to go berserk or something. He was stunned when she just blinked instead.
"Nice light show," Nora complimented. "But was that supposed to, you know, do something?"
"Um, yes," Cinder said, suddenly off-kilter. "You're supposed to fall for Jaune and go to the dance with him."
"Oh. Well, I'm sorry that Jauney's having trouble getting a date to the dance, but I'm already going with Renny as friends, you see," Nora explained.
"They're not just friends," Jaune whispered to Cinder. "They just refuse to admit it. Everyone can see it but them, though. That's probably why your spell didn't work."
"Now you tell me," Cinder growled.
"Hey, I tried to explain before we set off for the dorm room. You just weren't hearing it."
Cinder threw up her hands in frustration. "Well, this has been a complete waste of time. Thanks for nothing, Jaune."
With that, she stormed out. Jaune hurried after her as she walked.
"What's going on with you?" he asked. "You seem frustrated."
"I am frustrated," she said. "It should not be this hard. I mean, you're all a bunch of horny teenagers! At least, you should be horny teenagers, but apparently, nobody has a sex drive anymore."
The two of them rounded a corner and just about smacked right into Ren, of all people.
"Oh, hey, Ren," Jaune greeted.
"Jaune," Ren answered. He gestured to Cinder. "Friend of yours?"
Cinder looked to Ren, then to Jaune, then back to Ren, then back to Jaune, then to Ren again. A confident smile slowly crossed her face. Jaune knew what she was thinking of the instant he saw it.
"No, Cinder."
"Why not?" she protested.
"Because Ren's a guy."
Cinder blinked, then looked to Ren again. "...I don't believe you," she said. "I mean, look at her."
"Yeah, yeah," Jaune said with a sigh. "Sorry, man – I'm just gonna take my friend here for a bit, we've got something we need to take care of."
"Sure," Ren said. Jaune went to walk away, only for Ren to suddenly call out to him. "Actually, Jaune, there's something I had to tell you."
"Yeah?" Jaune asked.
"You know, Pyrrha doesn't have a date to the dance," Ren said.
"What?" Jaune asked. "That's crazy."
"Yeah, I know. Someone should probably ask her."
"Yeah, they should. It's not right that a girl like her doesn't have a date to the dance."
"Yes. So it'd probably be helpful if somebody close to her took this advice and asked her out."
"Yeah, it would."
Ren stared at him for a second. Jaune stared back, confused. After a moment, Ren sighed tiredly, then brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Just… forget I said anything," he said. "She'll find someone, I'm sure. If not, then she can go as a trio with Nora and I, as friends… or with Team RWBY. Or maybe the red-haired girl from Atlas. I don't know."
"She'll figure something out, I'm sure," Jaune said. "Pyrrha's a nice girl, I'd be very surprised if it didn't work out for her in the end."
For some reason he couldn't quite figure out, Ren sighed again, this one dripping with resignation. "I suppose… anyway, see you around, Jaune… and friend."
Ren continued on his way. One he was gone, Cinder turned to Jaune, a disappointed look on her face.
"I just don't get it," she complained. "You're a guy, surrounded by plenty of beautiful women who are still single. All of you need a date to the dance, yet not one of them even considers you?"
"I guess they're just not attracted to me," Jaune lamented.
"Why not, though?" Cinder asked. "I mean… yeah, you're a bit of a dork, and you can be awkward around women, but you look nice, you're not a jerk, and underneath that dorky exterior lies a nice personality. They should be all over you."
Jaune blinked. "...Was that a compliment, Cinder?"
"I'm just telling it like it is," Cinder insisted. "Objectively, you are quite good-looking. Objectively, you aren't a jerk. Objectively, you have a good personality. It makes no sense that out of all the women we've tried approaching, not a single one has been interested."
"I mean, generally your antics drive them away."
"Jaune, even without my antics, as you called them, they still wouldn't have been interested," Cinder pointed out. "And for the life of me, I don't get it."
"They must see me as a friend," Jaune said.
"So? When has being friends ever stopped two people from banging? Unless the world has truly changed that much since I began my Underworld studies, people are just as horny and liable to make poor decisions as they ever were. It defies all rational belief that I am here, in a school, and nobody is making bad decisions and getting all pregnant with their friends."
"Well, maybe they just value studying more than romance," Jaune explained.
"Bah," Cinder said dismissively. "A passing grade is, what, a C average? Anything more than that and you studied too hard. Work smarter, not harder – put in just enough effort to get that piece of paper signifying you're not an idiot and spend the rest of your time breeding like rabbits, I say. You only live once, and I guarantee that nobody's ever been on their deathbed, wishing they had studied harder."
Jaune sighed tiredly. "Well, if they're not interested, then they're not interested."
"I know, and it bothers me, because it doesn't make sense."
"You can give it a rest, you know. I know you're just trying to be nice-"
Cinder suddenly lunged forward and grabbed him by the chin, then turned his head towards hers, a baleful glare on her face.
"You listen to me," she growled. "I am working as hard as I can to try and set you up with someone in time for the dance, and I do not need you being a sad sack and making it even harder for me. I'm only going to repeat myself this last time, Jaune – you are not the problem, okay? It's everyone else being difficult. I mean, the least they could do is give you a chance or let you down easy, but they don't even have the courtesy to give you that much. They're a bunch of immature teenagers and petty bitches, I say."
"That's because everyone in this school is an immature teenager," Jaune explained.
"Hm. Then I suppose there's only one person left to approach."
Jaune's eyes widened in surprise. "You don't mean-"
"Oh, yes," Cinder said with a nod. "The Good Bitch, herself. Her virginity is legendary, even down in the Underworld – so legendary, in fact, that succubi have taken it upon themselves to visit her despite her never summoning one, only to be repelled by the sheer stench of inexperience radiating off of her."
"But wait, I thought she dated Ironwood for awhile?"
Cinder waved her hand dismissively. "That's just as bad as being a virgin," she said. "Anyway, the women your age are all catty bitches, so we've got no choice but to go for someone so desperate, so close to having to freeze her eggs, and so pent-up and frustrated that she'll be bound to drop her panties for you the instant you ask her for a date."
"But… it's Goodwitch," Jaune said hesitantly. "If I mess this up, won't she eat me or something?"
"Ideally, it'll be the other way around, actually. But you're right – there is a risk inherent in this… however, given we're out of options, it's a risk I'm all too happy for you to take."
"I appreciate it, but I just can't," Jaune lamented. "Look, you tried your best, but I think we're just going to have to throw in the towel, already. So you can just hurry up and take my soul, already – I can see this is a lost cause."
"What did I just say?" Cinder demanded. "Look, I'll figure something out for the weekend, okay? You just… take tomorrow for yourself, would you? Do something fun and relaxing while I get things sorted in time for the weekend."
Jaune stared at her. "...You're not gonna kidnap someone and force her to be my date, are you? Because even I have my limits-"
"No, I'm going to do this legitimately," Cinder insisted. "Mark my words, Jaune Arc – by the time the weekend rolls around, you will have a date to the dance. The contract will be fulfilled."
Jaune stared at her for a moment, then blinked. "...You know, as long as we're giving out compliments, I have something to say."
"Oh, yeah?" Cinder asked. "What is this, another of your sarcastic comments? Next I suppose you're going to make some sort of self-deprecating joke at your own expense and expect me to laugh at it. Well, that won't work."
Jaune shook his head. "I just wanted to say that I appreciate you not giving up on me," he said. "It means a lot, Cinder. At first, I thought it was just because you were obligated to do it, but now that I can see how consumed by this you've become, I know that you're being genuine about it."
Cinder blinked, surprised. "Oh," she said. "Um… thank you, Jaune."
"I'm not done," he said. "Cinder, when I first saw you in that room, I thought you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. And I appreciate the fact that, even for a soul-sucking demon from hell, you're still a huge, inexperienced dork like I am – lets me know I'm not alone, you know? Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is… well, if anyone is going to get my soul, I'm glad it's you."
Jaune finished talking, and Cinder just stared at him, her expression unreadable. After a moment, she stood up, taking him by surprise.
"Cinder?" he asked. "Where are you going?"
"To get you a date," she said without looking at him. "Just promise me this, Jaune – promise me you'll be at the dance that night, no matter what. Do that, and I swear I'll have a date for you."
Jaune nodded. "I promise, Cinder."
With that, Cinder gave a brief hum of approval, and then walked off. Jaune watched her go, the whole time hoping he hadn't pissed her off somehow.
"Shit, I hope she doesn't actually kidnap someone."
The weekend arrived, and with it came the dance. And true to his word, Jaune had done his best to prepare for it, even without a date of his own. It was a Halloween party, and so, he'd gotten dressed up like he'd promised Cinder he would – he was going as the scariest thing he could think of, that being a disappointed father figure. To that end, he'd forgone shaving that day, he'd dressed in plaid and old khakis, he'd acquired a set of cheap eyeglasses, and he'd acquired one of those fake pipes that produced bubbles instead of smoke.
And now, he was standing outside of Beacon's auditorium, looking like an idiot.
Jaune sighed, shoving his hands into his pants as he blew bubbles threw his fake pipe. Everyone else was inside, having a good time with their costumes and their friends and their dates, and here he was, hanging out on his lonesome outside, waiting for Cinder to show up.
"She probably went back to hell," he mused. "Not sure why I ever thought I could trust a succubus to keep her word in the first place…"
That just begged the question of why he was still waiting for her, then. He supposed it was partly because he didn't like to go back on his word, but also because he was genuinely worried that she would follow through and end up creating yet another incident he'd have to defuse before it got too volatile.
"Jaune?"
The sudden voice from behind took him by surprise, and he turned around to respond. "Hey, Ruby," he said.
Ruby stood there, dressed as the Grim Reaper. He had to admit that the costume did suit her, especially because all she'd really needed to do was throw on a black cloak and paint Crescent Rose black. But hey, he had no room to talk, given his costume was equally as basic.
"What are you supposed to be?" Ruby asked.
"I'm a disappointed father figure," Jaune answered.
Ruby shuddered. "Okay, yeah, I can see it," she admitted. "Now I know why you're outside – because your costume was too scary for everyone in there, so they kicked you out."
"Much as I'm sure there's plenty of fatherless behavior going on in there right now, that's not actually the reason," Jaune said. "Truth is, I'm waiting for someone."
Ruby's face lit up. "Oh, you mean that weird older girl you were hanging out with a few days ago."
"Yes, I suppose that's an accurate description," he said dryly. "She's supposed to set me up with someone tonight, apparently."
Ruby suddenly looked off in the distance, squinting her eyes to get a better look at something. "You sure about that?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
"Because I think I see her coming, but I don't see anyone else with her."
Jaune followed Ruby's gaze. True to her word, Cinder was approaching, and she was alone. Jaune sighed as he pocketed his fake pipe.
"Well, I suppose that can mean only one thing," he said. "You should head back inside, Ruby. I'll see you back at the dorm."
Ruby gave him a sad look, but did as he asked, retreating back into the auditorium. Jaune went to walk away, but was stopped by a black chain suddenly wrapping around his wrist. He sighed tiredly, then turned around.
"Come on, Cinder," he protested. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I can tell you've failed."
Cinder narrowed her eyes as she approached, still clad in her office lady outfit. "I have not failed," she informed him.
"What do you mean? There's nobody else here."
"How nice of you to notice. I promised you that you'd have a date no matter what, and I intend to deliver."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
"Like this. Jaune Arc, would you be so kind as to accompany me to Beacon's Halloween dance for the evening?"
Jaune stared at her in disbelief. "You're joking," he said.
"This is no joke," she assured him. "I am asking you to the dance. Will you accept my invitation?"
"But… there's no way that can work. You don't even have a costume-"
Cinder snapped her fingers, and was suddenly surrounded by flames. When they cleared, she was back in her true succubus form, complete with the wings, the horns, the tail, and the stripperific outfit.
"Who said I needed a costume?" she asked with a smirk. "It is a Halloween party, after all."
"Well… okay, fine," Jaune said. "But I know you're just doing this because you're taking pity on me."
Cinder rolled her eyes. "And I knew you'd say that," she informed him. "Truthfully, Jaune, I've found myself quite enamored with you. It's like I said earlier – you've got a good personality, you're good-looking, and most of all, you're not afraid to trade barbs with me. I enjoy your company. Is it too much to ask for a night together?"
Jaune gave her a blank stare, unsure of what to think. After a moment, he let out a sigh of resignation.
"...Alright, you've got me there," he admitted. "And, hell, what have I got to lose? My soul is already forfeit anyway, so I might as well have some fun before I get dragged down into the Underworld."
"Oh, ye of little faith," Cinder said playfully.
She snapped her fingers again, and the chain on his wrist dissipated into smoke. Once it was gone, she reached out and took his hand, interlocking her fingers with his. She looked up and gave him a thin, warm smile.
"Shall we?" she asked.
Jaune stared at her for a moment, suddenly very nervous. He nodded slowly, and Cinder turned and began to lead him into the auditorium.
Naturally, all movement stopped the instant the two of them stepped into the building. Everyone froze, staring at them as they stood there. Jaune wasn't sure if they were staring because his date was just that hot or if it was because nobody had expected him to even have a date, but for whatever reason, they were certainly staring now. He swallowed nervously, then looked over to Cinder.
"We appear to be the center of attention."
"Good," she said. "Let them stare."
She led him over to the dance floor. Jaune had half-expected some cheesy Halloween-themed pop music to be playing, but whatever Gods were watching from up above had mercy on him, because someone had put on something slow instead. Cinder grabbed onto his shoulder with one hand and he rested a hand on her waist, and the two of them began to sway in time with the music.
"Why are you doing this?" Jaune whispered.
"I promised you a date, didn't I?" Cinder asked. "And… between you and me, your compliments earlier may have pushed me over the edge."
"Then… what is this?" Jaune questioned. "A fond farewell before you whisk me off to hell?"
Cinder shook her head. "I have to take your soul, of course… but there's nothing in the contract that stipulates when. And, between you and me, the Underworld isn't that bad of a place anymore – the fact that Summer Rose ended up down there should be proof enough of that. Living under Lady Salem is certainly better than living under the Brother Gods, that's for sure."
"I'll take your word for it," Jaune said. "So, I take it you won't be sticking around?"
"On the contrary," Cinder almost purred. "If there's one thing I've learned over the past few days, it's that I still have a lot to learn about humanity and the art of seduction. I'd prefer to learn from someone who's just as inexperienced as I am – someone who doesn't mind being my exclusive teacher for awhile."
Jaune couldn't help but grin. "Considering you oh-so-kindly found me a date tonight, I think that can be arranged."
"Hm. The others are still staring. Shall we give them a real show, and really make them all jealous?"
"What do you-"
That was all he managed to get out before Cinder moved forwards and pressed her lips against his. Jaune went wide-eyed, his heart pounding in his chest, but after a moment, he leaned into it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Weiss faint, and couldn't help but grin.
It had truly been a night to remember, after all.
"I see that look on your face," Cinder said, interrupting his thoughts. "You think this is it, don't you?"
Jaune blinked. "...There's more?"
"Oh, yes. You do remember that I am a succubus, correct?"
"Yeah?"
"And you know what succubi need?"
Jaune's eyes widened, and his face flushed red. "U-um… yeah? But… isn't this moving a little fast?"
"Oh, Jaune, this is no time to be old-fashioned," Cinder said. She leaned in to whisper into his ear. "Besides, I can feel you pitching a tent against my hip."
Somehow, Jaune's face flushed even redder. Cinder laughed, then took him by the hand. "Come on, let's head back to the room."
Jaune blinked, and before he knew it, he was back at his dorm room. He didn't even remember making the walk back, his head was spinning so much.
And it only got worse when Cinder pulled him in for a big kiss.
The two of them stood there, savoring the kiss for what felt like an eternity but what was more realistically closer to a few minutes. That was still an enormous length of time for a single kiss, Jaune knew, but he didn't care – he was too busy savoring every part of her. Her lips against his, the feeling of her body as his hands roamed around it, and the feeling of her doing the same to him… it was overpowering, so much so that he didn't care that they were still out in the hallway.
Finally, Cinder broke the kiss, then took him by the hand again and led him into his room. Once he was inside, she closed and locked the door behind them, then gave him a gentle push back towards his bed. Jaune fell onto it back-first, and Cinder fell upon him, again pressing her lips against his. Out of the corner of his eye, Jaune saw her hands begin to wander to her outfit, pulling at her top, and his eyes widened when he saw the barest hint of yet more cream-colored skin begin to reveal itself.
And then, just like that, the moment was ruined by a loud moan.
They both paused, looking at each other in surprise.
"I'm sorry," Jaune said. "Did you just-"
"No, I thought it was you," Cinder answered.
"But if it wasn't you, and it wasn't me, then who-"
There was another moan, and this time, Jaune was able to place it. It was coming from the closet – which, he noted, was slightly ajar. Sensing shenanigans, he stood up and crept over to it, then threw it open. Then, he sighed.
"I don't know what I expected…"
Blake stared back at him, a camera on a trip in front of her, and one hand down her pants. She gave him a sheepish grin.
"Um… heh… don't mind me?" she ventured.
Jaune stared at her for a moment, then slowly closed the door. Once it was shut, he looked back towards Cinder.
"...You know, I'm suddenly not in the mood anymore," he said.
"Yes, I think it'd be best to wait," Cinder agreed. "But until then… hold me?"
That, he could do. Jaune stepped back over to the bed, then climbed inside it and threw an arm around Cinder, pulling her close. She let out a small shudder, but eventually reciprocated in her own way – by bringing her tail up to wrap around his waist.
"Goodnight, Jaune," she said.
"Goodnight, Cinder," he told her.
They closed their eyes and soon fell asleep, each held tightly in the other's grasp.
And here it is, the Halloween special I've been hyping up for the past, like, week or so. You can all thank Sunset Hunting for this one - he's the one who approached me with the idea to do a Halloween-themed Knightfall one-shot in the first place. In fact, he's got one of his own that should be getting posted later today (I had to post mine pretty early since I have work today). So you should all go check his story out when it gets posted today, because if you liked my story, then you'll definitely like his, too. Sunset's a great fucking writer and an awesome dude, so give it a look, you won't be disappointed.
Anyway, I don't have too much to say aside from that. This fic kinda consumed my life for a few days - I think I wrote close to 11k words for this story in like three days? It was all I was writing for that time. I don't get flashes of inspiration like that very often, so when I do, I make sure to work on them until the inspiration fades. I definitely don't regret doing it with this one here - aside from Plastered Paradox and Black Sun, this was one of the more fun projects I've undertaken in recent memory. I had a great time with it, probably because it brought back memories of working on Problems With Dating the RWBY Girls, what with the whole Jaune-trying-to-get-with-a-girl thing. Just an good, fun time all-around.
As for the rest of this week, I'm going to try and finish up Black Widow and MIA at some point. Not sure when, but I'm about ready to finish those stories, already. I don't know what the fuck is going to come after them - I'm too damn busy to even think about working on another story aside from PP, TSC, and Black Sun right now - but those two will be finished sooner rather than later, so stay tuned for those.
That's about all I've got. Hope you enjoyed the story, and again, be sure to check out Sunset Hunting's story when it gets posted! See you all next time!
