A week had passed since the dance. Things were mostly back to normal. She still needed to get up, drink lots of coffee in the teacher's lounge, make small talk with the other educators and then go to class.
However, this week had something different. The normally quiet teacher's lounge was stacked and had many educators talking over each other, discussing different proceedings. Some were nervous, others exited, and a third party that treated the event as any other day.
She really didn't feel like dealing with a team of teens that morning. She found herself missing Winter and her relatively calm and composed demeanor. And that only showed her how bad things were.
She took her mug and sat down besides Oobleck, who was chatting with Port.
"Ah, Miss Cinder!" Oobleck noticed her, and she cursed internally. "Glad to find you here on time! Excited for your first year mission?" Cinder placed her elbow on the conference sized table and used her arm to support her head.
"What?" She asked, eyes half closing.
"You haven't been informed?"
"Give it a rest Oobleck. It's not a big ideal. She'll get used to it!" Port said, grabbing his shoulder.
"But it means she's not prepared, and lack of preparedness is…!" She didn't know what the two were talking about, or more like, she felt she did but her memory was foggy.
All conversation in the room died when Glynda Goodwitch appeared through the door, with many teachers taking their seats. She could see Peach, the Forgemaster, and others look at her with intrigue. Luckily not all at the same time.
"Ok, everyone, settle down!" She said, as if they were schoolchildren. Cinder took another sip from her mug. "As you have been informed, today we'll be taking the first years to their very first missions. In case you forgot or are you too sleepy to remember…" Cinder could swear she saw Glynda glare at her, and she returned the expression. "… Each of you will be assigned to a mission on the board we have set up in the auditorium this morning, and will accompany whichever Team picks it. So… let's begin." Glynda lifted an old fashioned Clipboard and shifted through the pages.
"Peach, you'll be assigned to a settlement infested with Cenitaurs. Your expertise will be helpful and show the students why big weapons and powerful semblances may not be enough."
"Acknowledged, Goodwitch." Said the chipper Peach, with a mock military salute.
"Port, you will be assigned…"
And so Goodwitch went on, assigning each teacher their mission. As she did, they received the details in their scrolls and were dismissed to the waiting Bullheads. However, something was off. The list seemed to be in alphabetical order, somewhat. When the time came for her to be called, she was not. After half an hour of uncertainty, she was the only teacher left in the lounge.
"Professor Cinder," Glynda called her, not looking at the clipboard anymore.
"What's… going on?" Cinder asked with some hesitation. She tried to drink her coffee once again, but she had ran out.
"Ozpin has a special mission for you," She said. Cinder groaned. One week, that was all she asked for. One week of routine normalcy. She didn't mind random thrills to liven things up a little, but this was too much, too often.
"Really?" She asked, tone laced with displeasure.
"Yes. Follow me, please."
With a groan, she got up and tailed the Deputy Headmistress.
"Are you going to tell me what this is about?" Cinder asked. They were ascending Beacon Tower towards Ozpin's office. It had been a mostly silent trip, although Cinder could tell Glynda was on edge the entire time.
Goodwitch looked at her with a side glance and then said, "We found where the shipment of Atlas Paladins and dust was headed, thanks to one of our agents," Cinder raised an eyebrow. She was growing tired of the secrecy.
"What 'agent'?" She asked.
"You'll see." As she said that, the elevator doors opened to reveal Ozpin's office. It was as immaculate as ever, with green decorations, old man smell and clockwork working constantly over their heads.
Both women stepped inside, and Cinder was so focused on Ozpin's face that she didn't notice the others in the room. Ironwood and Winter were there, but on the opposite side of them was a man with a red cape and a haircut similar to a ravens.
She stopped in her tracks, mouth agape. "Uncle Qrow?"
The man turned around, alcohol canteen in hand.
"Hey Hotstuff. I see you took my advice. Having fun these days?" Cinder was too surprised to even retort, but nonetheless she smirked. She walked up to him and punched him in the shoulder. He was a little taller than her, and almost as slim. "Ow!" He mocked the pain.
"You drop come tell me happy birthday and then vanish forever? Asshole," At this, Qrow smiled.
"You can always call, you know." He said, rubbing his arm.
"I tried a million times and you never answered," She replied.
"You know how it is, Cin," She hated that excuse. Qrow would disappear for weeks or months at a time. The exception was after Summer died, where he stayed home a few months to help the girls (and Tai) cope.
They heard someone clear their throat, and turned to a frowning Ironwood.
"You two done? We need to move," At this, Qrow waved his hand around.
"We're on it James, don't get your panties in a twist. I'm just catching up," Replied Qrow.
"Do it when you're off duty. This isn't a game," Qrow narrowed his eyes, tucking his canteen away and facing Ironwood fully.
"I know that perfectly well James. Thank you." He said, nearly growling. Ironwood simply glared daggers at her Uncle. Cinder answered in kind by giving him the same look. She did not like Ironwood trotting around like he owned the place. This was not Atlas, this was Vale.
"Stop this at once. Fighting will do us no good," Said Ozpin, in his usual calm and old demeanor. He then turned to her. "Cinder, you're going to mountain Glenn. We've found that the White Fang and Roman Torchwick took the stolen Dust and Paladins there, but we don't know what for. It is attracting a lot of Grimm, however. We need you to wipe them out while Qrow surveys the area. Once that is done, we'll send in an experienced team of huntsmen to handle it. This is a threat not only to Vale, but to the stability and peace of Remnant as a whole. Understood?" She had never heard Ozpin so on edge outside one particular time her entire team, including herself, screwed up on a mission.
Even so, she would not humor his commander attitude. "Alright. How many White Fang are there?" She asked, crossing her arms.
"I don't know for sure. I barely could get near the place without Grimm overwhelming me. That's why we need you to clear them out while I scout." Cinder looked at her uncle, who had an apologetic look. If she knew him well enough, she'd say he blamed his semblance for the difficulties.
"I see. So just the two of us?" She didn't doubt that they could take them on, but it seemed reckless of Ozpin to only send two huntsmen to such a big mission. Ozpin smiled once she finished talking, which brought a chill on her spine. It was the kind of smile you gave someone when telling them your strategy after they beat you.
"No. You'll have a team assisting you. They'll be waiting in the Bullhead bay in half an hour. Better get ready." With that said, Ozpin moved his head, pointing at the door. They were dismissed.
Cinder turned around and grabbed her Qrow's shoulder.
"Shall we?" She asked him. She really felt the need to catch up with him, and ask him some questions while on that track.
"I need to stay here to discuss some more… private things. I'll see you down in the bay, Hotstuff." He said, smiling. Cinder left, giving one last glance at Ozpin's group.
She got into the elevator. As it began descending, generic music began playing, she thought about Qrow. She didn't doubt he loved her nieces Ruby and Yang, and Cinder herself by association, but she wondered how that love compared to his loyalty to Ozpin.
She shook her head. Not the time for dark thoughts. She needed to get ready. This time, Torchwick would not escape.
Cinder donned her huntress outfit. As she was tying her gold and red cape around her waist. Her curtains were closed, submerging the room in dark.
She needed to call Taiyang. That thought had been festering on her mind since that mysterious woman addressed her as 'Cinder Fall'. The Madame was not called that, and her parents neither. Or so the orphanage had told her. Summer… she would have known for sure, but left her without last name, so Cinder probably had none.
Still, the need to know ate at her mind. Maybe that was what Yang felt when she was told about her birth mother.
The concept of talking to Taiyang made her nervous. She feared anger or resentment, despite her experience telling her he would feel nothing of the sort.
However, she had to do it. Otherwise, she would not be able to fully concentrate.
Finishing tying her red and gold cape around her waist, she took her scroll and searched her contacts. Taiyang popped up near the end, since she saved him by his real name. With a few taps, the call began. It did not take long for him to answer.
"Hello?" she asked into the open line.
"Hi Cin, how's it going?" He sounded nervous as well.
"I'm… fine." She wanted to say more, but her words died in her throat.
"I'm glad to hear it. How's Beacon treating you?"
"How did you know?"
"Ruby. You should have heard her, she was so happy."
"Of course she was." Hearing that made Cinder smile involuntarily.
"So… how is it then? Like teaching?" Cinder pondered it for a moment. She focused on the memories. The irritation of grading papers came to mind, along the frustration when students failed and Ozpin would tall her to do better. But… some kind of satisfaction surged through her as well. Seeing her students, more specifically Teams RWBY and JNPR try so hard, inside and outside the classroom, seeing them grow so much in a few months, it was undeniable it made her happy even if Cinder suppressed that feeling whenever it came up.
"It's alright. It's hard at times, but…"
"Seeing them grow is unlike anything else, right?"
"Y-Yeah. How…?"
"I'm a teacher, remember?"
"Right. Well, I kind of like it, even if the brats piss me off."
"That is inevitable. Nothing to be ashamed off, unless you take it out on them. Think you'll stay?" Staying at Beacon… she never gave it much thought. At the end of Ruby and Yang's first year, her contract would end. She didn't know if Ozpin would be willing to have her again, but that didn't matter. Being able to witness Yang and Ruby grow even more, help them on the way, was appealing.
But what about Cinder's growth? She was still not strong enough, not on Isshin's level at least. She did want to be stronger, and that required facing powerful opponents and Grimm. She doubted she would find any of that sort in Beacon. And if she wasn't powerful, she would not be able to pass that strength to her sisters.
"I… don't know. I'll get back to you on that. I've been meaning to ask you something,"
"Anything Cin,"
"Did mom- I mean Summer, ever mention my last name?"
"Huh?"
"Somebody called me Cinder Fall. Fall, does that ring a bell?"
"N-No. No, your mom told me everything about what happened and how she found you, but a Fall family never came up."
"Sorry, it's-"
"No. Let me… look up some things. Your whole adoption was messy in the first place."
"Okay. I gotta go, a big mission is coming up."
"Alright. Take care sweetie."
"You too, Tai."
When the call was over, Cinder let out a shaky breath. Tai had sounded… good. Not angry or annoyed. Maybe she gave him too little credit for his patience. He DID raise Ruby and Yang after all.
She grabbed her scroll, a bag with some supplies and Midnight as well as a red and gold vest that matched her waist cape and set off for the door.
When she opened it, she found Qrow waiting for help, gulping down his canteen.
"Hey, Hotstuff. Heading out?" he asked her.
"Yes. I hope you're not drunk." She said, glaring at him.
"Not yet. Anyways, there's something you need to know, about the mission." She raised an eyebrow.
"What?" she asked, leaning against the doorframe.
"It's… technically off the record, if you know what I mean." She narrowed her eyes. She was no stranger to more 'dirty' work. The kind of jobs where just having a license was not enough to keep you off trouble. Still, having legitimate work now, it felt… wrong. Especially doing it under her stepsister's noses. Moreover, what did Ozpin need to hide? Taking out terrorist was sure to boost morale on the kingdom.
"I see. Well, I'll try to be quiet." Qrow looked at her awkwardly, which made her eyes narrow even further, looking for any sign of trickery. It felt wrong to be skeptical about her uncle, but knowing he was in Ozpin's 'inner circle' (Or whatever it was) did not alleviate her doubts.
"Actually, it's me who is off the record. You will be doing legitimate work, as a professor taking students on their first mission," her eyes widened as she stepped back a little.
"You want me to take kids into heavily Grimm infested territory? Near terrorists as well?"
"It's a requested mission. With you at their side, I'm sure nothing will happen."
"It's not about that, Qrow. It's about knowing what they are getting into. What they're signing up for. This is no regular mission, they deserve to know."
"They do know what they signed up for. It's just a little cleanup, a distraction. They'll never-" She slammed the side of her fist against the doorframe, slightly cracking it. She felt pain, but aura would fix that.
"They're not tools, Qrow!" She screamed at him. If she could, she would set her eyes ablaze to emphasize her point. Not it was her uncle who stepped back, with the expression of someone who had realized their grave mistake.
"I-Sorry it's just- That was insensitive of me," he admitted, scratching the back of his head.
"You think?!" he seemed to recover his composure, fixing her with a sad look.
"Yeah. Listen, nothing's going to happen. Okay? It will just be a regular mission for you, and I'll coast off it to do mine. In and out, I'll barely be there. You don't need to worry about anything." Cinder took a breath to calm herself.
"I'll still worry, a bit. But then… why all the secrecy?" She asked, crossing her arms. Qrow looked away, as if ashamed.
"If it were any other huntsman, they wouldn't even know what I'm doing. I just thought you deserved to know, so I insisted Ozpin let you. I can't tell you everything that's going on, but at least I can let you know what I'm up to." She raised an eyebrow, trying to keep her skeptical facade. In truth, she was kind of happy her uncle was so considerate. Yet some uncertainty remained.
"Why?"
"We're family, right?" That hit her hard. Her chest tightened suddenly, and a shaky breath threatened to escape her lungs.
"Right," What else could she say? Family was… She herself was trying to get to the point she wouldn't need anyone. Yet, her… family was always trying to have her back. And she was glad for it! Such contradictions tugged at her mind every second she spent on Beacon.
"Well, I'll see you on the drop site. Go meet your team." She nodded, strolling past him without looking back.
As she mindlessly traveled the halls of Beacon, she took out her scroll. Indeed, a message from Glynda arrived. Bullhead D on port 5. Whoever was assigned to her, she would make sure they knew what a true huntsman mission looked like. What they would need to face in the future.
When she caught sight of the individuals from her assigned team, Cinder cursed under her breath. Unfortunately, they were not as upset about it as her.
"Hey, Super sis!" Said Ruby, petal bursting around her before landing in front. "Who did you get assigned? I hope it's JNPR. They're amazing!" Said Ruby, excited beyond belief. She saw yang approach from behind, shaking her head. Weiss and Blake followed her.
"Actually…" she said with a sight. This was worse now. Lying to her stepsisters in the face was not a problem in itself, but knowing the true nature of their danger was. She shook her head. Her sisters were strong, probably stronger than ever. She did not need to worry. "… You are."
Looking into Ruby's surprised silver eyes, Cinder saw…
… Ruby being pummeled by Isshin…
… Yang dragged through the ground and slammed into the night club's wall…
… Weiss punched into a pillar, aura shattering in one blow…
Cinder shook her head. Beacon was definitely getting to her.
"Really?! That's amazing! I can show you all my skills, and our teamwork, and our maneuvers…" Ruby rattled on, only stopped by Yang putting a hand on her mouth.
"I think she gets it. You'll be surprised, sis." Said Yang, winking at her.
"It's only a practice mission, Yang. We don't even need to complete it, just return alive. And with a huntsman, I doubt it will test our skills," Said Weiss with her head held high, carrying a big silver case.
"Isn't that the point? Watch the professionals do it and gain experience?" Blake pointed out.
"What experience can we gain if we have our hands held the entire time?" Weiss did have a point. It reminded her of… one other person on Cinder's Beacon team. She liked him, because he was as ruthless as her, and did believe in her 'Sink or Swim' methods. What would he think of her now? He'd say she'd gone soft.
"Look, I'm not going to do everything. We're going as a team, so you need to pull your weight and not hold everyone else back. If things get hairy, I'll pull you out of the frying pan, but I won't be a babysitter. Is that clear?" at her harsh words, the girls nodded with varying levels of determination. Weiss seemed particularly satisfied. "Good. Let's go then."
And so Team RWBY and Cinder boarded the bullhead. Cinder gave a nod to the pilot. The engines rumbled, the passenger cabin shook, and then the vehicle lifted up and began taking them to their destination.
It was going to be a half hour trip at least. RWBY submerged themselves in different activities while waiting. Ruby and Blake were reading (what she assumed were) comic books together, sitting side by side and discussing them despite reading separately. Weiss was fidgeting with her weapon and the dust flasks from her luggage. Yang was listening to music on her scroll.
It irritated Cinder how easygoing they were being, only to remember that, for them, this was their exciting first mission. No secrets involved.
"So… how's everything going? Found anyone interesting" Said Yang, leering over her. Cinder scooted away a little, chest tightened. Did she know?
"What do you mean?" She asked her. At this, Yang began wearing the smile of a demon.
"Don't think I didn't see you with Big Schnee in the dance. You were actually enjoying yourself, despite having that 'I hate everything' face." Said Yang. Cinder glared at her.
"I don't have an 'I hate everything' face." Yang seemed to find that phrase funny.
"You do. Besides. Isn't it true? That you hate everything?" She asked. Cinder looked away. She never gave it much thought. Many things angered her, most of them in relation to society and the world. Her entire childhood was suffering, and the rest of that was an unending quest for strength. Happy moments were far and few between. Yang and Ruby were in many of those.
"I have a few things I like," Yang looked at her with a smile and an arched eyebrow.
"Really? Who or What then?" Cinder clicked her tongue.
"What do you care?" She asked her, deflecting the question.
"You know I'm a thrill seeker. I'm always open to new stuff." Yang replied.
"Not everything is fun and games, Yang," This time, Yang was the one glaring.
"Sorry for enjoying life," Her sarcasm was not unnoticed.
"It's not about enjoyment. It's about goals. When you run out of fun, you'll be empty." Both sisters were now locked in a staring contest.
"Same will happen when you achieve your goal, sis." That last word was laced with edge. Not wanting to escalate the situation further, Cinder turned away and crossed her arms. She heard a sigh beside her.
"I know your goal, whatever it is, is important. But why not have some fun now and then? You looked pretty happy at the dance," Yang was not wrong, Cinder did enjoy the dance. Not because she did dance, but because she was able to see her loved ones in a good mood and share it with them. For that night, there was no worry, no fear, no obligations. Everything she did, she chose to.
"I was," she admitted, looking away.
"And that's great. So, how about you listen with me?" Cinder looked at Yang, who was offering her one of her earbuds.
"What?"
"Yeah. Try my music. If you don't like it, we can change it. My playlist is quite varied." Yang's smile was genuine, it reminded Cinder of when they were little and Yang was beaming every other day, like a ray of sunshine.
She stood no chance against that.
"Alright. Give it here." Her sister handed her the earbud, and the two women began to listen to Yang's music while she pointed out the bands, why she liked it, the meaning of the lyrics, and other particulars.
Every so often, Cinder would like Ruby's way, and catch the girl's smile over her comic book.
Cinder enjoyed Yang's music. She would listen to every beat, try to identify the strongest and the weakest and see how they interacted in the song itself.
That was all cut short when the bullhead shook violently.
"We're near the drop zone. ETA five minutes!" Shouted the pilot from the cabin. Pulling her single earbud off, Cinder got up and headed towards the pilot seat. As she did so, the bullhead shook.
"What was that pilot?" She asked the brown-skinned man.
"We have Griffons, Beringles, Beowolves down there! Nearly half a dozen of each!" Cinder bit her cheek a little. The Grimm were exceptional at tearing vehicles apart. If you kept them at bay with weapons, they were useful, but once they got their claws on the hull they easily destroyed them with little chance of taking them off.
"Leave us here. We'll make our way towards the drop zone." She said. The pilot nodded and pressed a few buttons while Cinder went to address Team RWBY.
"Listen here! Things are gonna get a little hot! I hope you practiced your landings." Previously jovial faces turned dead serious in a flash. Good. "Get ready for a drop off. Stick together, use what we taught you, and stick with your leader. Ready?" They all nodded. On cue, the doors of the bullhead opened. A griffon wasted no time to try and grab Cinder, but the huntress simply drew one half of Midnight and stabbed it through the neck, only to let it fall off the wayside.
Cinder turned back, wind blowing her hair on her face. She saw RWBY take their heavy equipment with them.
"Leave everything that isn't weapons, food, or camping supplies!" She shouted at them through the deafening winds.
"I have my dust here!" Weiss complained.
"Then make what you have loaded last! We're gonna be moving a lot, we can't afford to be slowed down by luggage!" All four girls nodded. Cinder then turned towards her door while RWBY took position on the opposite one.
Three fingers raised. "Ready?" She looked back, getting nods of approval.
Two fingers raised. Cinder looked down. Green fields with some trees and debris from the failed Mountain Glenn project where adorned with a multitude of black figures.
One finger raised. Cinder drew midnight and strapped her quiver along with her backpack.
No more fingers. "Go!"
With that shout, the huntresses descended upon the Grimm waiting below. Using their ranged weapons, the team cleared many approaching Grimm from their drop zone. Cinder smiled, her accuracy with a bow had only improved upon the years. Even when falling at top speed, she could still aim for the head.
After taking out a few beowolves and sabyr, Cinder grabbed a tipped arrow from her quiver. A gravity arrow. She shot it into the incoming ground, and upon impact a black aura emanated in a small circle.
She flipped herself, feet towards the ground, and the gravity dust did it's magic. A force stopped her fall, even lifting her a little, before fading away and letting her on her feet gently.
More Grimm jumped at her. Cinder threw firecrackers at them, using her semblance to activate them. The beasts were scared by the loud noise and flashing lights, and Cinder used this opportunity to slice and dice through them.
That group taken care of, she saw team RWBY land behind her. Ruby and Yang used the recoil of their weapons to stop their falls, while Weiss used Glyphs to allow herself and Blake to land safely.
Together, the team formed in a circle, back to back, to face the regrouped Grimm.
Loathe as she was to admit it, it felt good to be hunting again.
Being an actual crow was as natural as moving in his human body. That was why it felt so unnatural at the same time. But Qrow chose this, and so he could not complain. It also made his job infinitely easier.
He had followed his nieces bullhead while transformed, perched safely atop it. When the girls jumped into the action, he used the distraction to go to Mountain Glenn. He would have liked to help them, be there for them, fight with them. But with his semblance, it was better that they didn't even know he was there.
He maneuvered through dilapidated buildings and ruined parks. Mountain Glenn never stopped being a sad scene, absolutely gray with fog and dust, as well as the ambient darkness from being half submerged into the ground.
He went through a tube, and it lead underground. He could see some sentries hidden in the various buildings, wearing the White Fang mask, wielding Sniper Rifles. Otherwise, the area was dead silent.
As he ventured further inwards, he began to notice things that were not part of the scenery. Boxes with the SDC logo, functional vehicles, weapon crates, barracks. This was the place. He just needed to find the head honcho.
One particular building, triangular in shape and leaning to the side almost as if it were to fall off it's base had a flag on it's entrance. It was also in the middle of what would have been one of the cities main avenues.
He entered it, using the ducts and holes to crawl around in his bird form. Indeed, there were many guards roaming about, talking nonsense.
On the ground floor, what should have been a reception area had been repurposed with many tables, radios and maps. This was it. He switched to his human form on a balcony, overlooking the room. He could see Roman Torchwick down there, surrounded by White Fang members.
He leaned in a little, to better hear their conversation.
"–And I told you, we'll have it ready by noon. Yes, I'm aware. Don't you dare talk to me like that, you're half my age!" he seemed to rage at someone on the phone. Half his age?
"The infiltrator…" Qrow whispered to himself. By noon, whatever they were doing with dust would happen. He needed more info. Perhaps if he…
He heard something crack under him. Before he could react, the ground caved in.
Ha landed on the bottom floor with a crash, covering the area in grey dust. Sitting on his ass, he grabbed Harbinger. White Fang members surrounded him, rifles pointed at his face. Even if he cursed internally, this was an opportunity.
"Hey fellas," he said while smiling. "I'm kinda lost. Care to point in the right way?" From near the same table, he caught Roman's annoyed face.
"Great," he grumbled before turning back. "Dispose of him,"
In a second, they were firing upon him. But he was already gone, having jumped into the air. He transformed harbinger, and fell down in a spinning motion like a lethal umbrella.
The walls were painted red as the landed on the floor, the decapitated White Fang members hitting the ground. Despite being taught to kill from birth, it never got easier.
He transformed Harbinger to sword mode and pointed it at Torchwick.
"You're coming with me. Also, your hat sucks," Torchwick simply addressed him with a glare, before turning around and picking up his cane.
"And you're trying too hard to be cool. And your cape is dumb." Qrow's eye twitched. Not the cape.
"What are you, five?" Qrow asked.
"Are you?" Torchwick shot back.
"Whatever. You're coming with me. If you don't, then I'd have to kill you and I don't really feel like doing that,"
"That's too bad." With that, Torchwick lifted his cane and began firing at him. Qrow blocked his shots with his sword while quickly advancing. In a second, he was upon the criminal. He slashed and stabbed, along with punches and kicks mixed in.
Roman did his best to deflect, and he did well enough against Harbinger, but the physical attacks were another story. Qrow was strong, far stronger than he was. Torchwick was an elegant combatant, or tried to be. Qrow was a bar brawler, and fought like one. Wild, unpredictable, but with purpose.
A kick to the stomach. Torchwick's aura broke, and then Qrow used Harbinger to bring the cane down. Without Aura, there were no physical enhancements, and thus the weight of Harbinger disarmed Roman. Qrow punched him in the face, throwing him off balance before delivering a roundhouse that propelled his opponent towards a wall. With a crack, Roman hit the wall and shattered a part of it. The fight was over.
As Torchwick struggled to get up, Qrow decided to put a foot into his chest while hoisting Harbinger over his shoulder.
"Nowhere to go now. Guess you'll have to humor me after all," Qrow said with a cocky smile. However, Torchwick returned it.
"I don't think so," The huntsman felt something picking him in his spine. A thin and sharp blade. "You'll be answering our questions. Isn't that right Neo?"
Behind him stood a lady wearing white, black and pink. Her hair and eyes were mixed, one half brown the other pink. It reminded him of ice scream. She was beautiful in her own right. Had she not been threatening him, he'd definitely try to flirt with her.
Without a word, Neo lifted her blade, and Qrow rose with it with his hands held up.
They thought they had him. They were wrong. He had aura to spare, he was bigger than her. He could take her down with a few maneuvers. And he would have, but then, he heard a slash, followed by the familiar sound of Aura breaking.
He turned his head. Neo's eyes were wide open, stare lost into the void. She then fell on her knees, and on her side, unconscious.
"Neo!" Torchwick screamed. But that didn't matter to Qrow. What mattered was the woman that had attacked Neo.
A white mask resembling a nevermore, black feather-like hair, a red and black outfit that was clearly made in Anima, and a crimson blade.
"Raven," he addressed her. The woman didn't move, opting to remove her mask to reveal her pale face and red eyes that showed age and exhaustion.
"Hello, little brother," she said in an emotionless voice. She sounded like she looked, exhausted.
"And here I thought I had already used my favor. What gives?" He asked, lowering his hands and grabbing Harbinger. He remembered the rules his sister had. One free get-out-of-jail card. One save. That was it. So, why had she helped him now? What did she want?
"I realized something," she looked to the ground, sword facing the same direction. That was… a new expression.
"What?" He looked at her, eager for an answer. Raven locked eyes with him, they were filled with what he could only describe as regret.
"I can't beat Salem, not alone." He guessed as much, that was why she had left in the first place. Fear of Salem, fear of being a mother, fear of attachment.
"So… what? You want to come back?" A part of him hoped so. He was so hopeful. He still believed in his sister, he believed in Ozpin. With Raven at their side, maybe things could change.
"I know what I have to do, brother. I can't run away anymore." she replied, tone somber. She only talked like that when her stubbornness was broken and she had no choice but to follow. Summer had many times gotten through her thick skull, and Raven was always left looking like that.
Still, everything felt so strange. Surreal. Wrong. He wanted his sister back but… the way she spoke, it was all flaring alerts in his mind. Yet...
"Well, I don't know if Ozpin will take you back… but I'm sure Tai will. If you apologize and cry maybe. You know how much of a softie he is," Something took him over. His memories of STRQ. He was lowering his guard.
Raven said nothing. She did that when not wanting to recognize something.
"Well, I can vouch for you," his chest tightened. He wanted to believe her. So… he did a foolish thing. He turned his back to face Torchwick. "Yang's been looking for you," Keep talking. Keep avoiding that nagging in the back of his mind. "A lot,"
More silence. He turned Torchwick over to cuff him.
The air changed. He felt something pierce above his hip from the back. Looking down, he saw a red blade exciting his abdomen. Sharp pain and blood didn't take long to come.
He cursed himself. He could not blame his Semblance on this one.
Then, the blade lit up. His vision turned white as he was burned inside and outside. He screamed at the top of his lungs. Then his vision returned, the pain not gone but back to bearable levels, as Raven's blade was removed from him.
He fell to his knees, clutching his stomach. He could not move, but he had to.
"Don't bother," Said Raven's cold voice. Now that was more like it. Still…
He lifted his head, and watched her put Torchwick back on his feet. Roman was working for them, for Salem. He was sure of it. And that meant…
"Why… How can you do this?!" asked, even tough talking hurt.
"Like I said brother, I can't run anymore. The strong prey upon the weak, and I will be weak no longer. Take him away," He heard footsteps, a lot of them. He felt himself lifted, hands dragged to his lower back and clamped by something hard. He hissed.
Raven lifted his chin to look at her. She looked the same, but there was something in her eyes, like she would not hesitate to kill. "You know the rules. Focus for transforming, those cuffs will prevent that. Take him away." To that was what it was.
He was slipping away. His mind was foggy.
"There are more. Be ready," he heard her say before darkness overtook his senses.
Summer… I'm sorry.
Extra Scene: Home
Another day for young Cinder had ended. It was Friday, and thankfully classes at Signal Academy ended relatively early that day. She separated from the horde of alumni exciting the building. She didn't know anyone among the crowd except for a few faces from class. Even so, most kids would shoot her dirty looks or snicker due to some reason she did not know.
Friends were overrated in her mind. She didn't need them in the orphanage, and her late step sisters Lee and Amanda where mean to her since day one, so she didn't even try with them. Why did she care to remember their names anyway?
She saw red. Their faces were terrified, not a trace remained of the sadistic girls she knew. They always made the Madame hurt her, they would do the same now. She had to stop them, and so she swung her sword.
Walls painted red. Faces where still.
A forceful push on her left shoulder, and a boy looking back at her with annoyance. She had spaced out again.
Signal was in the middle of the little town that was patch. And why wouldn't it be, it was a Combat Academy for Huntsmen, and everyone knew how necessary they were to the kingdom. Making them visible and appealing was as important as their teaching quality.
She checked her scroll. No calls from Mr. Taiyang, which meant one thing; for the second month in a row she would pick up Ruby and Yang from school.
It was on the edge of the town center, a little ways off the main street so that people would be encouraged to expand the town. Primary school was the same for everyone one, but secondary school was optional, the alternative being combat schools or military academy.
When she arrived, she found Yang and Ruby standing next to the exit gate, waiting for her. Thanks to Yang's vibrant blonde hair she was easy to find, and Ruby was never far behind.
Cinder crossed the street, watching other parents taking their children home.
"Super Sis!" She felt a tug on her midriff. Ruby hugged her with a toothy grin. She was so small, even someone as jaded as Cinder had to smile back.
"Hi Cin," Yang greeted, following her little sister. The blonde girl was a little bit older, but still a kid. She was happy, but still lacking in enthusiasm.
"Hey you two. Ready to go home?" Both girls nodded, and the three sisters set off to their home on the town outskirts.
It was a long, loud trip. Ruby would not stop talking, and even when she did, it was to either yell she was bored or try to play 'I spy'. Yang, on the other hand, seemed distracted.
It was not Cinder's job to care. She had known the two for nearly a year, but she was still on the fence about their relationship. She just wanted to finish Signal, go to Beacon, become a Huntress and go wherever she wanted. Taking care of these two girls was not on her plans.
But neither was the passing of Summer Rose.
The woman was the second person in her life to show her kindness. She had taken her in. Without her…
she was nothing
She would be on the run, living off the streets. Not like it would be much different than her secluded room in the Glass Unicorn, but having a warm bed in a spacious room was something she was thankful for. And Cinder knew of thankfulness. The Madame had taught her that at least.
She was thankful to Summer, taking care of her beloved daughters was her payment for everything she had given her. Yes, Summer wanted her to be free, that was her stated reason for her rescue, but even so, Cinder had to do something for her.
"Cin!" Yang yelled in her ear, causing the older girl to reel back.
"What is it? Do you want to blow my brain away?" She asked, picking her ear. Yang was a loud screamer.
"You seemed out of it, again." She grumbled.
"Just tell me next time."
"How if you don't hear me?"
"Just… tug on my sleeve or something." Cinder said, glaring at her step sister and refocusing on the road. They were on a forest, following a dirt path adorned by several maple trees. It smelled fresh and warm, not like the cold and stale air of Atlas.
"Or punch!" Ruby said, jumping between them like a frog.
"Good idea Ruby. That'll wake her up, and I'll be able to start practicing my huntress skills." Yang said, grinding her knuckles together. Cinder sighed. Of course they would chose being huntresses, that business seemed to run in the family after all.
"What are we eating?!" Ruby asked excitedly. "Is it cookies?"
"No. Ruby, no sweets for meals. They'll hurt your tummy." Yang said.
"But–"
"Listen to Yang. Besides, dad promised to buy for a tuna cake." Cinder said. She loved tuna, and her time watching the expert chefs in the Glass Unicorn certainly helped her.
"Nice! Can't wait. And talking of waiting…" Cinder raised an eyebrow as Yang began searching her bag for something.
"What?" Ruby leaned extremely close, with her big silver eyes peering into Yang's bag. The middle sister pulled out a large, yellowed map that seemed to have been folded and unfolded thousands of times. It showed patch specifically, and had various red marks on it.
"I found this while searching for Uncle Qrow's thinks–"
"Yang! It's dangerous!" Cinder said, quickly taking the map away from the blonde girl.
"But he's never home!" Yang whined.
"Doesn't mean you can take his things without permission. Besides, you don't know what they are for." She was a hypocrite. She had taken Rhode's sword without consent. Even so, he let her keep it.
"Well, this map is for patch, and…" she pointed to a circled spot, made with a purple pencil rather than red. "… there's a safe house where my mom–" A red flag sprung up on her head.
"Yang…" Cinder folded the map. She feared this would happen. Yang had been a little too obsessed with her birth mother, Raven, since Summer's passing. While at first Cinder was thankful that it distracted the girl from her grief, Qrow had made the dangers of that quest very clear to Cinder.
"But this time–"
"Not a discussion. You heard Qrow. Focus on your studies." Cinder said, putting the map in her pocket. Yang fumed and crossed her arms. Ruby looked at both of them, oblivious but perceiving something was wrong. Cinder closed her eyes, calmed herself, and decided to be diplomatic.
"Listen Yang. I'll help you with your homework, and then we can spar. Sound good?" Yang stubbornly looked away, but soon a smile crept upon her lips.
"Alright sis. But I'll kick your ass!" Cinder smiled. Nothing could keep Yang down for long, and she admired that. She wished she could be so brilliant.
The road kept going, but they took a turn. Soon, the three girls arrived at a clearing where a log house stood.
Home.
No one was home. It was dark, no one had bothered to open windows since they left in the morning.
Yang and Ruby went to the kitchen table, oblivious to the atmosphere. They instead opted to start either drawing or playing with something. Cinder placed her bag on a nearby stool and opened the fridge, hoping to find the ingredients for lunch.
But it was empty, only white walls and a singular branch of asparagus on a plate remained. Cinder grit her teeth. Most stores were closed now. Taiyang had promised to stock up. They weren't poor, yet he allowed them to starve.
"Fuck!" She yelled, slamming the fridge door.
"Language!" Yang complained. Cinder only grunted as she went to the stairs and ascended.
Upstairs she passed her room, Ruby's, Yang's, the bathroom, Qrow's and at the end of the hallway, Taiyang and Summer's. Well… only Taiyang's now.
She tried to open it, but a phantom pain in her neck ordered her to knock first.
"Mister Taiyang?" She asked, after three knocks. She put her ear on the door, hoping he hand't died while she was away. Luckily, she heard the rustling of sheets.
"Come in," said a tired voice. Cinder opened the door, and a odor that reeked of sweat and staleness hit her. The room was dark, windows closed and only lit by a tv screen. On the side that was supposed to be Summer's laid a big figure of broad back and toned muscles. Taiyang was facing towards the nightstand, where a photo of Summer was on display,
"Mister Taiyang?" she asked, stepping inside. He turned his head, barely managing to look at her with one eye.
"Yes sweetie?" He asked. He sounded… empty, uncaring.
"What happened to groceries?" At this he sighed and turned back around.
"There's money on the my nightstand. Go buy something," Cinder glared at him, even if he could not see it.
"You promised to go buy,"
"Sorry. I just… didn't feel like getting up. I might be coming down with something. Tomorrow for sure." Cinder rolled her eyes. Two months of this. She needed to keep her anger on check. Tai just needed time, that's what everyone told her.
"Okay. Get well," she answered meekly as she took the money and closed the door.
A/N: Not much to say, except 'No, Raven, no!', she's not the infiltrator, and that I don't know how to write Qrow well. Any corrections for that are appreciated.
One more thing: I'll try to do flashbacks to Cinder's past with Summer and the family with extra scenes; similar to what was present on Chapter 3. It will be occasionally, when I feel like it.
That is all, see you next chapter!