Jumping back away from the glass arrows hurtling towards him, Jaune immediately regained his balance before going back into the offensive as the blonde quickly made his way into into Cinder's blindspot - that is, her left side - before delivering a flurry of swift blows with Crocea Mors.
In response, Cinder formed a sword in her hand before she clashed with the blonde, neither of the two willing to give even a single inch during their intense duel. Finally, after being in a stalemate for what seemed like an eternity, Jaune found the opening he needed when he ducked under one of Cinder's attacks before crashing into the woman with his elbow.
The attack sent Cinder crashing to the ground before she rolled back up. Not willing to give the woman any time to recover, Jaune immediately continued his offense.
Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Cinder backed away as the woman made use of her Maiden powers to float a few feet off the ground, a triumphant smirk on her face as she looked at the blonde.
"Hey, that's not fair! You said you wouldn't use your Maiden powers!" Jaune protested through heavy breaths as he pointed his sword at the Fall Maiden.
In response, Cinder merely quirked an eyebrow before summoning a fireball in the palm of her hands.
"Really? That's how you plan on doing this?" Jaune argued once more only for his words to fall on deaf ears as Cinder hurled the balls of fire at the blonde. Eyes widening in terror, Jaune was barely able to dodge the woman's attacks before the spot he was just standing on exploded into rubble.
Another fireball came hurtling towards him not a moment later. Thankfully, Jaune was able to raise his shield just in time as Cinder's attack sent him flying across the arena.
"Alright, alright! I yield, I yield!" Jaune shouted out just mere seconds before Cinder was about to resume her offensive. A triumphant laughter echoed throughout the arena as the blonde stood up with an annoyed frown on his face.
"Oh, Jaune. You should have given up the moment I was ten feet above the ground." Cinder said, a self-satisfied smile on her face as she floated back down.
"I was told that you weren't going to be using your powers. That this was to strictly be a normal fight." Jaune said as he dusted himself off.
"And you believed me?" Cinder asked, a playful smile on her face as she approached the blonde.
"I don't remember you being this petty." Jaune said as he put Crocea Mors back in its sheathe.
"It's good to know that even after all this time, I can still surprise you." Cinder said, a playful look in her eyes as Jaune rolled his own, "Come on, lets go. After that satisfying win, I feel the need for a relaxing bath."
"Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?" Jaune asked as the two of them left the arena behind.
"Not at all."
"What do you plan to do after… all this is over?" Jaune asked.
"What do you mean?" Cinder asked, a confused look on the woman's face.
"I mean what do you plan to do after getting all four relics and the remaining Maiden powers for yourself?" Jaune asked as he looked at the woman beside him, "Have you ever given that any thought?"
"Not particularly, no. I consider myself as someone whose sole focus should be on the here and now." Cinder replied, "And right now, that focus includes the Spring Maiden and the Relic of Knowledge. Why? Do you have something in mind?"
Jaune was silent for a few seconds before the blonde finally spoke.
"Let's get away from all of this, just you and me."
"...Huh?"
"You and me - maybe Emerald, too - let's get away from here, start a whole new life together." Jaune said, completely missing the bewildered expression on Cinder's face.
"Jaune, what are you talking about?"
"Exactly what I just said. Away from all this magic crap and most importantly, away from Salem." Jaune said before Cinder halted in her tracks as the woman stared at the blonde, a frown on her face.
"That fireball must have done more damage than either of us thought." Cinder said, "You might even have to go to Watts for a checkup."
"Cinder, I'm serious." Jaune said before he was cut off.
"Well, don't be." Cinder said, an exhausted sigh leaving her lips, "Jaune, where would we even go? What would we even do?"
"I don't know but we won't find the answer staying here." Jaune said, "Cinder, we could-"
"Jaune, stop." Cinder said as she rubbed away an incoming headache, "We'll discuss this later."
"But-"
"I said we will discuss this later." Cinder said before she stormed off, leaving the blonde behind.
"That could have gone better." Jaune said to himself as Cinder disappeared around a corner. The blonde was about to follow after her before he was interrupted.
"Oh, my. Might there be some trouble in paradise, Jaune?" Tyrian asked as he slid up beside the blonde.
"No, everything's fine." Jaune said.
"You know, I've been known to give excellent advice, if you need any." the scorpion Faunus said.
"Tyrian, the last time I took your advice, Cinder laughed in my face." Jaune said before he started to walk away, "Also, leave me alone."
"Well, my offer stands, child!" Tyrian shouted before the man descended into a fit of maniacal laughter.
[~]
Cinder scowled as she stared down at the city of Atlas, the woman having forcibly rented a suite of a prominent hotel. Her mind wandered as the woman thought back to the events that had transpired the past few weeks. The failed attack on Haven Academy where she and her companions failed to retrieve the Relic of Knowledge. Losing against Raven wasn't even the worst of it.
"The worst thing is…" the woman said, her thoughts trailing as her grip around her Sun pendant tightened. Her expression worsened as her new companion strolled up beside her.
"Neo." Cinder said, not bothering to take her eyes away from the skyline of Atlas, "Have you located the Winter Maiden yet?"
The petite woman nodded, a sly smile having formed on her face.
"Excellent." Cinder said, her expression unchanging, "Now we move on to the next step."
Neo, in response, held up her scroll for Cinder to read.
"And what is this next step of yours, Cindy?" Neo asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't call me Cindy." Cinder said as she sent a death glare at Neo before she turned her attention back towards Atlas, "This next step is where we meet… an annoying associate of mine."
Before Neo could respond, the door to their suite opened as Cinder's associate stepped inside, "And I do believe that is my cue to make my entrance."
"Watts. Must you make a spectacle of everything?" Cinder asked, the woman's mood instantly becoming worse upon Watts' arrival.
"My dear Cinder, how nice to see you again." the man said, ignoring her question, "I must say, when Hazel returned from Haven without you, we all feared the worst. I even shed a tear at your… supposed demise."
"I'm sure you did." Cinder said, the woman rolling her eyes at the man's idiocy, "Did you bring what I asked for?"
"Straight to business, is it? Not going to ask me how I've been lately? It has been quite some time since we've seen each other, after all." Watts asked, a mocking smile on his face as Cinder slammed the window in frustration.
"I don't have time for your stupid games, Watts!" Cinder shouted, the woman's right eye quite literally blazing with anger, "Do you have the program or not?!"
"Is it just me or has your temper become worse since we last met?" Watts said, a chuckle escaping his lips before he fished out a thumb drive from his pocket, "As for the program, of course I have it."
"Good. Then we can proceed to next part of the plan." Cinder said, the woman snatching away the thumb drive from the disgraced Atlesian doctor.
"Sheesh, somebody sure is in a mood tonight." Watts asked as Cinder walked past him. Looking at Neo, the man asked, "Do you have any idea why she's more… irritable than usual?"
Neo typed her response on her scroll before holding it up for Watts to read.
"It's because she misses her little blonde boytoy."
Watts and Neo shared a small laugh at the woman's response.
"Ah, that would explain it. I did notice a lack of blonde clinging to her like a lost puppy." Watts said aloud before he addressed Cinder, "Which reminds me that on the way over here, I heard some interesting news about him."
"About Jaune?" Cinder asked, the woman immediately rounding on Watts, "What did you hear?"
"Well, if that isn't the quickest mood change in history, then-" the man was interrupted as Cinder formed a ball of fire in her hands.
"Watts, if this is another one of your stupid attempts at playing games, I will not hesitate blasting you out of that window. Now, tell me." Cinder said, the woman stepping towards the man in question, "What did you hear about Jaune?"
"Yes, o-of course… I'd forgotten how sickeningly lovestruck the two of you were for each other." Watts said, the man taking a small step back, "Well, from what I've heard from my sources in Argus, Jaune has been very busy these past few days."
"Explain." Cinder said, the woman narrowing her eyes as she extinguished the fireball in her hands.
"Not only did he and his little group of friends successfully broke into the local Atlas military compound and stole an airship, they also successfully killed a Leviathan in the process."
"Heh, of course he did." Cinder said, a small hint of pride in her eyes as she heard the news, "You mentioned he was with a group of friends. Am I right to assume you're talking about Ruby Rose and the other students from Beacon?"
"Them and one Qrow Branwen. An interesting group, if nothing else."
"That's certainly one word for it." Cinder said, the woman frowning at the memory of Qrow's previous interference of her plans.
"There is one more name you'd be surprised to hear that's travelling with them." Watts continued, catching Cinder's attention, "The former leader of the White Fang, Adam Taurus, has joined up with them."
"Adam… Taurus? I don't… understand…" Cinder said, a look of confusion etched onto her face as she tries to make sense of the new information she just received, "You're sure about this?"
"On my honor, I swear that is the truth." the man said.
"You have no honor, Watts." Cinder replied.
"That's harsh but also true."
"And you say they're on their way here?" Cinder asked as Watts nodded in response, "Good. I suppose I'll just have to ask him myself when he gets here, then."
Turning around, Cinder made her way towards the bathroom, eager for a bath. Unbeknownst to the other two, a small yet bright smile had appeared on the woman's face at the news she had just received from Watts.
[~]
"Sheesh, talk about third rate room service, am I right? I mean, what even is this stuff?" Jaune asked aloud, the blonde looking at the contents of his bowl with disgust before turning towards the Faunus in the cell next to him, "How's your own food looking? Better than mine, I hope?"
Silence was the only response Jaune received.
"Okay, I guess you're giving me the silent treatment now, is that it?" Jaune asked only to receive more silence in return, "Look, you're angry. I get it. But how was I supposed to know that the General was just going to throw us in jail without letting us defend ourselves?"
This time, there was a response as the Faunus growled as he glared at Jaune.
"Maybe it's because I'm a Faunus and you're part of the people responsible for the Fall of Beacon?" the Faunus asked only for Jaune to bark out a laugh at his statement.
"Come on, Adam, do you really think that's the reason why Ironwood threw you in here?" Jaune asked before the Faunus clicked his teeth in response, "Yeah, that's what I thought."
Adam was about to respond to the blonde's provocations before the doors leading to their room slid open as Blake stepped through.
"Hey, hey… It's Blake." Jaune said, an amused smile on his face as his eyes darted between her and Adam, "You came all this way just to visit me? I'm flattered, Blake."
In response, the cat Faunus merely sent a short glance at Jaune before making her way in front of Adam's holding cell.
"Just ignore him. I find that's the best way to handle whatever garbage he has to say." Adam said, the man standing mere inches from Blake with the only thing separating them being the invisible walls of his current prison.
"How are you? Are they… treating you well?" Blake asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"I'm fine… At least, as fine as any Faunus who's stuck in an Atlesian prison." Adam said with a humorous shrug, "The food could be better, though."
"You're telling me." Jaune said, his mouth full of porridge as he interrupted the two of them, "This thing is the blandest crap I've ever tasted."
"It's not like we've never had worse." Blake said to Adam, a small hint of a smile on her face.
"I'm not sure if that's even a good thing at this point." Adam said with a chuckle before an awkward silence dropped between them.
"Adam, I-" Blake started before being interrupted.
"I'm surprised you're here, actually." Adam said, the man turning his back to her before taking a seat on the chair in his cell, "I assumed that once Ironwood threw me in here, you'd just up and forget about me."
"I'm not sure what you expected. For the General to just let you roam the halls of Atlas?" Blake asked as the man in question snorted in response, "Even I have a hard time believing you're here right now."
"Then why are you here, Blake?" Adam asked.
"I… I just wanted to-" whatever Blake had to say was cut off as the doors behind her suddenly slid open as General Ironwood himself stepped into the room. With Winter to his right, the General glared at the two prisoners in front of him before his expression softened as he turned his attention to Blake.
"Miss Belladona, may I ask you to step out for while? If you don't mind, I would like to speak to Adam Taurus and Jaune Arc regarding… past events."
"I understand." Blake replied after a slight hesitation. Sparing one last glance at Adam, the Faunus then left the room behind.
"See ya around, Blakey. Tell everyone not to worry and I'll see them later, alright?" Jaune said from within his cell, the blonde lying down on a bed after having finished his bowl of porridge earlier.
"Mr Arc." Ironwood said with a stern voice.
"That's me. What can I do for you, General?" Jaune asked.
"I want you to tell me exactly what it is Salem has planned not just for Atlas but the whole of Remnant."
"What makes you think I have the information you want?" Jaune asked.
"You worked for her, didn't you? Surely there must be something you know that would help us in this fight."
"First of all, I was working with Cinder, not Salem." Jaune said, "Secondly, what's in it for me if I tell you anything?"
"Your freedom, for one thing." replied the General even as Winter gasped.
"Sir, you can't be serious?! After what he's done?!" the woman asked and was about to continue before the General held his hand up.
"Limited freedom, is what I meant. You're too much of a risk for me to allow free roam so you will be accompanied by my soldiers for every second you're awake."
"So many resources spent just for me? You flatter me, General."
"I would do anything to thwart whatever dangers that would threaten the safety of Atlas and its citizens." the General said as he glared at the blonde lying down a few feet in front of him.
Jaune stared at the man for a few seconds before letting out a small laugh, "I notice you didn't say Mantle. What, are they not worth saving to you, General?"
James was about to respond before he was interrupted by the other prisoner in the room.
"What did you expect, Arc? The people of Mantle don't have the valuable resources for the military to plunder so they obviously won't rank very high on the good General's list of priorities." Adam said, a chuckle escaping his lips, "That and the fact that most of its populations are composed of Faunus doesn't seem to be doing them any favors."
"Adam Taurus." James said, the man turning his attention towards the Faunus now.
"General Ironwood." Adam said, a deep frown on his face, "It's a shame we missed each other in Beacon. I would have loved to take your head that night."
"I'm sure you would. I assume it was because you were so busy killing innocent civilians and students, correct?" the General said. When he received no response from the Faunus, he then turned towards Winter, "Winter, we're leaving."
"Already, sir? But we've not learned anything from either of them." Winter said, confused at the General's sudden decision.
"Arc, think about my offer. I can guarantee you that a room in Atlas Academy is much more comfortable than in here."
"If you say so, General." Jaune said as both James and Winter left the two of them behind.
[~]
A/N: Finally, Chapter 12 is out. Boy, this one sure took a while, huh? I apologize for that. The creative well was just so dried up these past two months.
Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter. I've been trying to take some creative liberties in this one, where I have Cinder meet up with Watts (at least, I don't remember if they met this early into Atlas).
Next chapter, we see what both Adam and Jaune have decided to do about their time in prison. Here's hoping the next chapter isn't too far off.
As always, faves, follows, and reviews are always welcome.
Praise be to Cinder Fall