"So, what do we do now?"
The question hung in the air between the two girls as they lay on their backs, staring up at the sky in too much pain to move.
"Well, a battle like that couldn't have gone unnoticed. Neither Howard's sky blocking scrap tornado, nor that explosion from our weapons. So hopefully someone will have called the police and they'll be here shortly. If not, then…" Amber broke off her gaze shifting to her partner laying several feet away. She didn't see blood pooling under her like herself, which was a relief as it didn't seem the girl was in the same life threatening situation as herself.
"Well, even if they didn't, I'm sure Jiao will send someone here to help us. It's thanks to his semblance that I found you in the first pla-. Ow!" Cinder cut herself off to hiss in pain as she pulled glass shards from her face, flinching as one got caught on its way out.
"You shouldn't do that. You'll injure yourself more." Her partner chastised, her vision getting foggy making the girl force herself to try to move her broken arm, immediately sending waves of pain shooting through her body, keeping her awake. "Doctors say that when impaled, it's best to leave it in to cork your blood and avoid cutting anything else on the way out."
"Yeah well, doctors can suck my ass." Cinder replied, trying to put her usual joking irritation in, only to find herself too tired. "Besides, the last time I interacted with a doctor, he kicked me to the ground, then ran his mouth about how great he was for getting into college because his rich parents paid for every-."
"How'd you antagonize him?"
Cinder froze at the accusation. The teasing tone that held no hesitation telling her everything she needed to know about the kind of look that was on Amber's face right now. She could just picture her partner's smug look and her mischievous smirk. All making the girl let out a huff and turn away.
"Humph. He deserved it." She grunt irritably, turning her head away with a pout. Then, both girls burst out laughing. Or at least tried to before the both stopped when their shattered bones reminded them of their current condition.
"Now look at what you made me do." Cinder jokingly said as she coughed, each expansion of her lungs sending shocks of pain ripping through her body. "Damn it, you talk too much. Making me laugh when I have broken bones is just cruel. Do…you?…"
Amber's head immediately tried to shoot up as she heard her partner's voice starting to weaken. Rolling it over to look, she saw her eyes were starting to flutter shut as blood continued to dribble out of her mouth.
"Cinder? You okay?" The dark skinned girl asked, concern clear in her voice as she saw the dark haired girl's eyelids opening less each time they started to close. "Cinder, listen to me. Don't pass out. You need to try to hold on long enough for help to arrive. Don't you dare die on me now!"
"Don't…worry. I'm…fine." Wheezed the girl, her eyes now barely open and her breathing noticeably strained. Had her lungs been damaged during the fight? When she had been hit in the stomach, did it cause internal bleeding or ruptured an organ?
"Cinder. Listen to me! Do not fall asleep! I'm on my way!" Amber ordered, trying to get to her feet, only to fall back to the ground unable to even rise to her knees and elbows, causing panic to build inside her as she watched Cinder slipping farther and farther under.
Was she about to lose another person? Someone else she had put her lease on life on? No! She refused to let that happen again. Not after everything she had gone through! She couldn't lose another!
"Amber…re..lax…I'm…fine." Cinder's voice was getting weaker by the second, eyes closeting more and more. And try as she might, Amber found herself unable to do anything but watch in horror as yet another loved one slipped into the cold, unfeeling grasp of death.
"No! Please! Not you too!" Amber practically screamed before choking on some blood that worked its way up her throat. "Don't go. Please. Please don't leave me too."
Tears formed in the girl's eyes as she rolled onto her stomach and attempted to crawl to her partner, only to find she didn't have the strength to drag herself even an inch, leaving her helpless as Cinder's eyes became slits behind her rapidly closing lids.
"Don't…worry." Cinder murmured, her voice barely carrying now. "I'm…not…going…an…y…whe…re…I…"
And with that, the girl's eyes fluttered one last time, before shutting completely.
Amber's eyes went wide, tears starting to spill out as she felt her heart stop dead in its tracks. No. It couldn't be. Not again! Not when she finally had a chance at real happiness aga-!
"Calm yourself. She's going to be fine."
Immediately, Amber's head whipped around, practically pulling her neck out of place as she rounded on Howard, who was laying flat on his back, staring up at the sky with them. He was still conscious after all that!?
"Humph. Don't look that surprised." The old man grunted, his head not moving, but his eyes rotating to look at her. "Right at the point of the blast, I activated my planetary shield. And while I didn't have enough time to get it to a hundred percent, it did protect me from what might have been a fatal blow. Though I must say, I'm very impressed. I didn't think you had it in you to kill another human being."
At his accusation, Amber's eyes narrowed to slit and her mouth curled into a snarl.
"That blast wouldn't have killed you, not with your aura active." She said, trying to get to her feet, only to fall the moment she got half an inch off the ground, something that didn't go unnoticed by the old man.
"Oh relax, will you?" He said, eyes turning back up to the sky. "I'm in the same boat as you two, unable to move without killing myself. And just so you know, you're only calculating for a huntsman in his prime, not a sixty something year old man. When facing an opponent, always remember how their age affects their performance."
Amber thought about making a snide remark about him puking up more excuses, but found she just didn't have the energy to come up with one, settling instead on simply turning away.
"So what do you mean Cinder will be fine? How do you know that?" The dark skinned girl demanded, drawing a chuckle from her opponent.
"Well, maybe if you weren't so preoccupied with insulting me, you'd have noticed that sound in the distance. One that signals your salvation, and my demise." He said, a taste of humor in his tone, causing the girl to raise her eyebrow. What sound? What was he talking about?
Closing her eyes, she listened intently, trying to focus on what was around her instead of the old man's breathing in the background.
Then, she heard it. The sound of sirens in the distance, growing ever closer, making the girl's heart leap into her throat.
Emergency services. They were already on route. That was perfect! Now they could get Cinder to a hospital and arrest Howard! From there, they could get in touch with the Three Dragons and-!
Wait…what had Howard just said?
Slowly, Amber turned back around to face Howard, her eyes the size of dinner plates as she stared at him in disbelief. "Your…not even going to try to defend yourself?" She asked, completely perplexed by his decision. Right now it was her word against his, meaning there was a very real chance they'd be sharing a prison cell for the weekend if he tried to accuse her of attacking him, so why was he not going to try to protect his image?
"I know when I'm defeated." He grunted, answering her unanswered question. "The fact that your partner showed up means you've already defeated Adelaide. And I'm nowhere near stupid enough to trust Igor unsupervised. No, even if I did convince the police that you were the aggressors in this instant, by the time I was healed, Jiao would be back in Mistral, far outside my reach."
At his words, Amber let out a sigh of relief. She knew she shouldn't take pleasure in his broken will, but knowing that this long and harrowing part of her life had finally come to an end was a huge weight off her shoulders.
But even so, there was something eating at her.
"So, what's next for the great Isaac Howard?" She asked, sitting a little more upright, though doing this made her head spin. "Are you going to finally bow out? Leave the Enlightened Seraphim? I would hate to think you'd be coming after my team for revenge."
Howard chuckled at her question, though he still didn't turn to look at her.
"No, I don't think I will." He said calmly. "What happened here was simply a conflict of interests, nothing more. But I am still going to help my daughter protect this kingdom. So if you cross us again, then you'd better be ready for another fight.
"And it'll end the same as it did today." Amber shot back immediately, irritation gathering in her voice. "I get it, I understand why you are so obsessed with avenging your son. But why can't you even try an alternative? All the good you could do for the world but instead you refuse to move on, to heal. I know I'm in no position to talk, but there is good out there, if you only choose to see it."
At this, the old man's eyes darted over to the girl for a second, seeing that same determined look in her eyes. Even now, she hadn't lost that spark. And while this was only one of the many trials she would face in the future, so far, she had held firm to her convictions even when faced with near impossible odds. Even managing to beat them.
With a dull chuckle, Howard turned away, tearing his gaze off the furious look she was giving him just to avoid seeing Silver in her daughter. Once a figure who had even helped ease his incurable ache. One that, had she been alive, maybe this world would have taken a very different tone.
"Very well." He said, staring up at the sky. "As a reward for beating me, I shall tell you a secret. One only my loyalist companions learned. One that is the sole reason I refuse to trust the peace between kingdoms and those who sit upon them."
Slowly, Howard turned his head to face Amber, both his expression and tone deathly serious as he continued to speak.
"You have been deceived." He said, locking eyes with the girl. "Everything you think you know is a lie. One carefully fabricated by a meticulous, silent hand, manipulating everything from the shadows. It does not sleep and it will not die, for just as one should get close, they are cut down in a heartbeat."
Amber, sitting up a little straighter, looked at the old man in total and utter confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"There is a shadow organization that has been secretly controlling everything since the end of the Great War. They have manipulated not only high ranking officials, but also control the military power of each of the different kingdoms, ensuring their rule is never threatened. And if anyone gets too close to the truth, one of their lesser grunts takes care of them." Eyes shifting slightly, the old man repositioned to send the girl a hard look, one that was befitting of a war hero.
"The headmasters of the huntsmen academies are in cahoots. They are all working for this organization and act to control the flow of information within and without their sphere of influence. And right now, they are all taking orders from your headmaster himself, Ozpin."
Immediately upon hearing this, Amber slumped forward, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Seriously? Conspiracy theories? That's your big monitor?" She asked, sounding completely exhausted. "Look, I don't think I should have to tell you this, but the headmasters working together is a way to not only strengthen our unity, but also to ensure the Vital Festival goes off without a hitch. Collaborating four different schools and cultures isn't-."
"Ozpin became headmaster of Beacon Academy in record time thanks to receiving a vote of confidence by the other academies leading boards. What's more, there was a series of strange events that allowed him to reach that height that are extremely lucky at best, and a set up at worst. Doesn't that seem a little bit strange to you?" Howard cut in, his sharp gaze still fixed on the girl as she immediately froze.
Now that he mentioned it, when she had been reading about professor Ozpin's rise, there had been a series of strange coincidences that had helped propel him through the ranks and into the position. As well as a strange, almost disproportionate amount of support from headmasters abroad. Something that no other headmaster had before or since.
"I'm glad to see you didn't believe me right off the bat. That's good. It means I wasn't mistaken for entrusting this information to you." Howard continued, his words becoming faster as the sound of sirens drew ever closer. "I know there's nothing I can say that will make my word sound credible, but just listen. I don't know what their end goal is, but throughout history, they've influenced every major event for nearly a century, maybe longer. And every time, they use the same tactics to get what they want."
Amber knew what she was hearing was probably nothing but lies. Nonsense thrown out in an attempt to get back in her good graces for…whatever Howard was planning next. Yet despite this, she found herself unable to tune him out. Each word drilling into her skull as if he was personally punching them in, making every one stick.
"Secrecy, espionage, political manipulation and corruption. All to hide the truth of what they're doing. Everyday their power grows and soon, it'll be too late to stop them. I don't know what they're planning, or how to stop them. But I know one thing for certain. You mustn't trust Ozpin! No matter what honey coated words he might say, or however many generations acts he does, remember that there is nothing more dangerous than a man with the buddha's mouth, but a snake's heart!"
Amber sat there, thunderstruck by the wild actuations Howard was throwing out. This sounded far too crazy to be pulled from the internet. What's more, she knew Howard wasn't an idiot, he must know that after everything that happened between them, there was no way she would take his side over the headmaster's, if it ever came up, which it most certainly hadn't! Which made this even more confusing.
This didn't seem like a ploy to get her back on his side either. If he was, then why bring up this subject instead of something like her mother? It just didn't add up for that to be his motive. Nor could it be some way to discredit her as a witness. If anything, something like this would throw his credibility away, not her's.
But before she could put more thought into it, the sound of sirens reached them and several emergency vehicles pulled up, which included not only an ambulance, but several police cars and even a swat van. Clearly they were really feeling the pressure from this.
However, with them here, the conversation between the two came to an end. And as she told the head cop what had happened, she shook off what the old man had said. Regardless of if he had a motive or if he had gone senile, it didn't matter. The Seraphim were finished, that was what was important right now. Everything else she could deal with later.
After all, what was the worst that could happen?
Music Fest later that day.
"Unacceptable! I refuse to have the team I paid for spend their entire mission in the hospital! I paid them to do a job, not lay around doing nothing because their generation is a bunch of degenerates! I want them to do what I paid them to do!" Bobby screamed into his phone at the hospital receptionist. "If you don't want to hear from my very robust team of lawyers, then I suggest you discharge them within the next two hours. No Exceptions! Or else I will ruin you and your family! Got it!? Two hours, you stupid bitch!"
With that, he hung up, furiously turning to the empty office he now sat in, staring at the expensive awards that decorated the wall, trying to calm his racing heart.
But his accolades did nothing to ease his tension and with a last furious scream, he hurled his scroll to the far side of the room.
"Damn it! Howard was supposed to free me from that insurance claim! Now that fool has practically turned himself in! What am I supposed to do now?! Pay it?! I'd lose way too much money on that stupid mutt! He not even worth the flees I pick off him!" The man slammed his fist onto his desk as he continued to rant, hitting it with more force each time.
Then, after several more seconds, he let out an exhausted sigh, leaning back in his chair, opening a drawer on his desk, pulling out a thumb drive and calmly inspecting it.
"Well, I suppose I can still make a pretty penny with this." He grunted, spinning the hardware in his fingers. "It'll probably be worth a few thousand if I sell it to everyone, but I'm sure I could get an even better deal with an exclusive. I'm sure Vixen News would be more than willing to make a deal with me for this gem. I might even be able to get in good with Anodeser if he hears it came from me. He's been looking for dirt on that old man for years now. If I'm lucky, he might even relieve me of my insurance issues. But one thing at a time Bobby. First I need-."
Bang!
The sudden sound of his door being kicked in made the man jump, screaming in surprise as he fumbled his thumb drive, almost dripping it as two huntsmen stepped into his room.
"Interesting conversation. You talk to yourself often or just when doing illegal things?" Fang asked, folding his arms as he stared at the man who was now cowering behind his desk.
"W-what is the meaning of this!?" He yelled, trying to sound intimidating. And failing miserably. "T-this is breaking and entering! I could have you thrown in jail for this! Leave at once!"
"You're in position to be making demands." Eric said as he too stepped father into the room. "We just heard everything. Planning to commit murder, or having someone commit it for you. Either way, I don't think that's going to be a very good look for you in court. So are you going to make it worse for yourself? Or will you come quietly?"
"Y-your bluffing!" The man stammered, slowly rising from behind his desk to give the two an angry look. "You aren't going to do shit! I could easily incriminate both of you for a crime and get you both thrown away for a very long time! Just laying a hand on me will end with you being imprisoned for assault!"
"Oh, we know. We can't touch you. That's why we brought some backup."" Fang said as he and Eric took a step to the side, leaving the door completely open, letting an entire swat team storm inside and surround the man, all pointing guns right at his face.
"Bobby Rocks, you are under arrest under suspicion of attempted murder, blackmailing and assisting with gang related violence. Please place your hands behind your head and get on your knees." One of the swat team members said, immediately making the man begin spluttering furiously.
"I-! W-Wha!? How dare you order me around! This is my trespassing! Harassment!" The manager screamed, shoving one of the officers as they approached with handcuffs, spitting venomous words as fast as he could." How dare you barge in here and start barking orders! On whose authority are you poking around my temporary residents! My lawyers will-! Don't you touch me! You have no authorization without-!"
"They have my authority."
Immediately, the struggling manager came to a complete stop, looking up to see Jiao standing in the doorway, arms folded as he glared at the shorter man.
"Yeah, thought you could get away with throwing me under the bus, did ya?" He asked, his own words filled with venomous intent. "Maybe you could have, once upon a time. But recently, I've been looking back at my mistakes, and the things I abandoned along the way. Back then, I would have been content to simply live as a bitter and angry little boy who earned a ton of money and nothing else. But after these past few days, I've decided that isn't enough for me anymore."
Calmly, the singer took a step into the room, stopping just behind the police, close enough that the man could see him, but far enough so that he was powerless to do anything.
"Over the course of this week, I've watched someone force themselves to change, become better. And watching that, I decided I want to change to." He paused here, the anger temporarily leaving his face as his gaze shifted away from his manager and to his hip, where his gun lay hidden beneath his shirt.
"It'll be hard, I know that. But a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step." He quoted. "I won't get anywhere simply by being angry at everything around me. And while I'm not sure what I'm going to do out there, I'll finally be able to become someone I can call the true me. A happy me. A me I can actually be proud of, not someone who's constantly bitter about what he lost. That's the me I want to be."
With one last sentimental smile, he turned his attention back to Bobby, his hard expression clear and a fire in his eyes.
"And I think a good place to start is by cutting ties with you." He said, looking at the man with complete disgust. "So as of today, consider yourself fired for incompetence."
A long silence followed Jiao's words. Bobby stood there, eyes wide as he stared at the young man who had just sacked him. Then, his gaze became filled with rage and he immediately lunged at his former boss, hands outstretched to thrutle him by the throat.
But before he could do anything, one of the police hit him on the back of the head with the butt of his rifle, sending the man crashing into the ground face first, twitching weakly as other officers rushed in to restrain him.
"Well, that was satisfying." Eric said as the three young men made their way back toward the trailer, his hands tucked behind his head. "Put a bunch of bad guys behind bars, took care of a bunch of emotional trauma issues, and got some sweet payback against that wealthy asshole. All while getting some cool battle scars as a bonus. Overall, I'd say that was the best first mission ever."
"I'm not so sure I'd call that a win." Fang chimed in, ignoring the knight's sarcastic last remarks. "All the evidence was obtained illegally. And while I scattered it enough to ensure it can't be traced back to me, it'll probably only hold Howard and Adelaide for a week at most. Bobby even less as he isn't a Vale citizen. Like it or not, someone is still going to have to take the fall for all this chaos."
Calmly, he turned to face Jiao, a questioning look on his face.
"Are you sure that was the right call?"
"I am." The singer replied without hesitation. "Once word gets out that Bobby was fired for shady conduct, it'll throw his credibility into question, lessening the video's credibility. What's more, he'll be in jail for a little while. That will give us time to act first, create a first hand basis with the people. If we sell a convincing enough story, we should seriously take the edge off the backlash. Maybe even completely discredit it."
Fang said nothing as he turned away. He knew full well that the notion of completely discrediting that video was foolhardy. No amount of propaganda they could cook up would sway enough people to sweep everything under the rug. Still, he supposed he could look into trying.
"Well, with that done and dusted, I still have one final concert tomorrow." Jiao chimed in, breaking the white haired boy from his thoughts. "After that, I'll have a QnA afterwards where I'll address the firing of our manager. For that, I'll need a pretty good script. And as I'm gonna be tied up with writing, could I ask the two of you for a favor?"
The two huntsmen came to a stop as Jiao walked a little in front of them before turning around, a grin spread across his face.
"Consider this part of your payment. A little bonus for all the unexpected ups and downs." He said in an uncharacteristically polite tone. "I know it won't even begin to cover what I owe you, but I think it'll be something nice for your team."
A week later.
"Wow! I've never seen a concert like this!" Yang yelled happily as she looked up at the large screen displaying the Three Dragons final performance at Music Fest. The little girl bounced up and down on Cinder's bed with excitement, causing said girl to push her head down with a chuckle as she scolded her.
"Yang, this is a hospital. Keep your voice down. Besides, this is a recording, not the real thing. It's no different than what you can find on the internet." The blond let out a huff and playfully punched her sister's arm.
"It's so different! This is a personal recording the Jiao gave to you! You have any idea how many people would kill to have something like this!?" The dark haired girl rolled her eyes at her younger sister's antics, calmly ejecting the disk.
"I'm pretty sure most people would want them with an artograph. Something this one thankfully doesn't have." Cinder said as she slipped the record album back into its cover. "And one more thing, it was a gift to the team, not just me. So technically it belongs to four people, which is something I imagine most fangirls wouldn't be able to stand for. You know how possessive they get when it comes to their boy band idol crap."
"Speaking of that, what happened to your teammate?" Ruby asked as Cinder handed the record to the little girl. "Mom said that by the time medics personnel arrived, his organs were seriously damaged. Is he-?"
"He'll live." Cinder cut in, quickly raising to grab her laptop from the bed and set it in her bag. "Doctors want him to take things slow for a while, as well as return for weekly checkups, but are otherwise convinced he'll have no lasting repercussions."
The oldest girl let out a sigh of relief as she saw the faces of her little sisters light up at the news, completely unaware of the lie that she had just told.
"That's good." Ruby said, helping pick up the girl bag and hand it to her. "I was worried he might not recover. Isn't he some kind of big deal in his organization? A sign or something like that?"
"Symbol. And yes, it might be bad if he suffered life altering damage." Cinder said with a fake smile. She couldn't tell her sisters the real story of what the doctors had said about his injuries and the real reason why he had to come back in for several weeks.
When Igor had polluted Adam's aura, it had tried to fight the infection the only way it knew how, sending more aura to the part that was taking damage. As such, the inflection point had been torn to pieces by the time they had gotten him to the hospital and he had been rushed to the ER. Which luckily had a doctor with a medical semblance, an event that had saved his life.
Unfortunately, the damage had been done. And even with the incredible doctor, he had still needed a special machine placed inside his intestines to keep them functioning properly. Which was an experimental procedure here in Vale. Hence why he had to return for regular checkups.
But she couldn't tell that to her younger sisters. It would scar them for life!
Fortunately, she was saved from needing to answer by Yang piping up with her own opinions.
"I still can't believe mom got pulled into the same mission as you. What are the odds, huh?" She said happily. "That's totally awesome to have an overlap like that! Still, why were you even fighting someone like that? Wasn't your job to protect a singer? How'd you end up tangling with someone from the Starless Platon?"
"I told you, that's confidential." Cinder said immediately, standing up and slinging her bag over her shoulder. "You'll find out at the same time as everyone else when the report goes public. Until then, I'm not allowed to say anything that might affect the police investigation."
"But that's never stopped you in the past!" Yang whined. Folding her arms and beginning to pout. "Come on, what harm can one little hint do? Please! You were never this lame before."
"I wasn't a Huntress in training before." Cinder countered as she stood up, carrying all the possessions she had been allowed to keep during her hospitalization. "I'm not the same now. I have responsibilities and people who are counting on me to look for them, as much as they do for me. I can't let them down or give special treatment to my siblings without their consents. Because like it or not, this is as much their report as it is mine."
Yang opened her mouth to argue some more, but was cut off by Ruby, happily jumping up and down beside her.
"Wow! That was so professional! You sounded just like mom there! Like a real huntress!" She said with a big goofy smile on her face drawing a much gentler one from the older girl.
"You think?" Cinder asked, blushing slightly as she looked away, rubbing her cheek with her finger. "I can't say I really feel all that different. No magical power up or anything of the sort. And it feels like I'm still always getting yelled at by someone. But if you say so, then something must be happening. No way your careful eye could be wrong."
Ruby let out a giggle as Cinder reached out and began rubbing her head, messing up her hair as she went.
Seeing the conversation take a turn, Yang let out a huff, turning away as she folded her arms, puffing up her cheeks as she continued to pout.
"So lame." She muttered under her breath, drawing her older sister's attention. And with a smirk, the dark haired girl knelt next to her sister.
"Come on, don't be a brat." She said digging around in her pocket before pulling out a large ticket with gold outlining. "Keep calling me names and I won't give you this very special present I got."
"Present?" Yang asked. Despite her still being left out of the loop and her sister's mischievous tone, her curiosity was peaked. Reaching up, she took the ticket out of Cinder's offering hand and brought it closer for a better look. "What is this?"
"Well, I'm not really supposed to talk about this, but seeing as the rumor mill has already started to turn, I see no harm in letting you know that the Three Elements Dragons are planning on disbanding sometime late this year, early next year. All the drama at Music Fest made them go through an early life crisis and they decided spitting up would be best for everyone." She said in that same mischievous tone, folding her arms as she straightened up and winking at her sister with a smug smile.
"Jiao, once everything is sorted, plans on opening up his own idol teaching program. Basically something to help teach kids not only the tricks of the trade, but also the hardships, trials, and warning signs to watch out for." The girl said, reaching out to point to the ticket. "That is a special little gift he gave to me as thanks for helping him. A free, two year plan with lessons, practices, and even some side promotions to help get you started. You know, to help you after your late start."
Bewildered, the blond girl looked up at her older sister, eyes wide in disbelief, her jaw hanging open.
"You're okay with me having this?" She asked, her voice hitched as she spoke. "I thought you didn't approve of this career path. I thought you wanted me to continue trying for a huntress. Why-?"
Before she could finish, Yang was cut off as Cinder knelt down and gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, gently running her fingers across her face as she spoke in a shocking quiet and gentle tone, one she rarely ever used, even with members of her family.
"I'm not going to say I approve of it as I definitely have my concerns. But mom's right, you're old enough to make your own decisions on what you want to do with your life. So while I may not like it, I've chosen to support it." She said, looking right into her sister's eyes, her own filled with compassion. "And the way I see it, there's nobody I'd trust more to teach you what the industry has to offer than Jiao. He has enough knowledge and experience to tell you what to look out for and how to win over audiences. As well as protect you from sexual abuse from managers and other corporate scumbags. Plus, he knows if he does anything I don't like, I'll find him and beat him up."
Yang normally wouldn't have laughed at the joke at the end, but today she just stopped there, eyes wide and mouth hanging open as her sister stood back up, looking away as a blush spread across her face.
"Look, I know I'm not always the nicest or most accepting person, but I'm trying to change. So as long as you're sure this is what you want, I'll support you the best I can. Just please don't go around wearing some glorified leather bikini for your-."
Cinder was cut off by Yang wrapping her arms around her waist, burying her face in her sister's stomach as she gave her a tight hug, catching the older girl completely by surprise.
"Thank you." She whispered, tightening her grip slightly, drawing Cinder out of her shock, letting her return the gesture.
"You're welcome." She said, pressing her face onto the top of Yang's head. She had missed this. Just being close to her sister. With all the chaos surrounding her entrance exam, as well as the madness of her first mission, she hadn't had time to just be a sister or a daughter. And while Tai and Summer were neck deep in paperwork from the incident, she was looking forward to being with them again too.
"Aww yeah! Dog pile!"
Suddenly, Ruby threw herself onto her oldest sister's back, wrapping her arms tightly around the girl's ribs, squeezing her tightly, rocking herself back and forth as she laughed happily, making the blond sister quickly join in. Clearly Cinder was the only one who missed this.
But while she wanted to join in, there was one, very painful reason she didn't. One that flared up when Ruby's hands touched the base of her chest.
"Broken ribs. Broken ribs!" Cinder cried as she bit back a scream, immediately making her sisters release and scamper back.
"Sorry!" They both said as the older girl grabbed the bed frame, steadying her breathing as the pain slowly died down. She had hoped her aura would have fixed the damage Howard had done, but clearly she was a long way off from being at a hundred percent.
But before she could reassure her sisters that while she was in a bit of pain, she was ultimately fine, the sound of the door opening drew all three girls attention.
"Knock, knock." Amber said, poking her head into the room, a goofy smile on her face. "How's sleeping beauty doing? I heard you were discharging yourself today so I decided to do the same and join you. Didn't whack the nurse when she gave you a checkup?"
"Oh put a sock in it will you." Cinder sighed back immediately, then drew herself up, her face and tone shifting to a more gentle one. "But are you sure? You needed more surgery than me and I even got words from Fang that Professor Ozpin was more than willing to let you stay a few more days just to make sure you're completely healed."
Smiling, Amber reached up and tapped her stitched up chest with the arm that wasn't hanging in a sling.
"Don't worry, my aura recovers quickly." She said, "The only difference between me staying here and leaving is that the school would have to pay a good few hundred dollars so I could keep my room. Plus, there's nothing to do here and you know me, I can't live without my history books! So as long as I take it easy while at school, I should be fine. And besides, time isn't technology on our side."
The dark skinned girl's tone took a slight downhill shift as she said the last part, making Cinder glanced over at her sisters.
Right, can't talk about it here.
"Well, if you say so." The dark haired girl said with a shrug, trying to play it off like she wasn't worried. "As long as you don't do anything to reopen your wounds, I guess it'll be fine to go back to school. But so help me, if you overdo it and drag us back here to be fixed up, I'll chain you to your bed and make you get your rest, got it?"
"Yes ma'am!" Amber said with a solute, then backed out of the room giving the two little girls one last wave before disappearing into the hallway outside, letting Cinder turn to her sister as she made to follow her partner.
"Okay, dad will be here shortly. So you go to the lobby and wait. Don't leave the receptionist's sight and don't talk to strangers." She spoke quickly as she reached the door, opening it but standing there blocking the exit as she continued to give her sisters instructions.
"Don't go wandering around. Yang, you're in charge, so keep an eye on Ruby. Ruby, listen to your sister and do everything she says. Vale's had an increase in crime rates especially towards minors. Don't leave the building without mom or dad. Not with a college, not with a friend, not with a distance-!"
"Okay, don't go anywhere without mom or dad. We get it." Yang said as she tucked her hands behind her head, looking up at with a tired expression. "We get this talk whenever dad drops us off here. We know the drill. We'll be fine. You get out of here and go finish up that report, or whatever it is you're doing. We won't go anywhere."
While not entirely reassured, she gave Yang a thumbs up before slipping out of the room and making her way towards the exit, Amber falling into step beside her.
"So, are you sure you want to do this?" She asked, her tone becoming much more serious as they walked. "I'm fine taking the entire blame for this incident and we only need one scapegoat. You don't have to drag your reputation through the mud as well."
"Okay, can you stop trying to do everything yourself?" Cinder replied, turning her nose up as she spoke. "I already told you, I'm going to stick by your side through this mess. So stop trying to change my mind, it's annoying. Also my reputation is literally already in the mud. Just ignoring my own actions, the fact I got you as my partner means I'm always compared to the model huntress. I wouldn't live up to you no matter what I do."
She peeked out at her partner from the corner of her eye, a smile playing on her lips for a few seconds before she slumped forward slightly, her expression and tone becoming significantly more grim.
"Besides, there's no telling how long Howard and Adelaide will stay behind bars. The more witnesses we have the stronger our case against them is." She said as both girls' gaze fell to the floor. They both knew that with all his connections, Howard would likely get out minimal charges as nobody had died in that fight, meaning it was the word of two students against Vale's richest, most powerful business man over assault charges. And while nobody could deny a fight had taken place, as for which party had started it was up in the air.
But while both were supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, the public had made it very clear whose side they were on.
The news of the old man's arrest had not gone over too well in yesterday's paper and now mass protests were being held outside the police station, demanding he be released and those who accused him be out in jail.
Fortunately, until the report went public, they were just four unnamed Beacon students. (Fang's involvement hadn't been brought up to avoid a gang war between Lil' Miss faction and the Seraphim.)
"It's hard to believe, isn't it?" Amber asked, her gaze heavy and sad. "All that work, all the pain and suffering we went through, as well as all the permanent scars we now have to bear. All just to put those two away for a few weeks. Makes you question if it was really worth it."
"It was." Cinder answered immediately, causing the dark skinned girl to look up at her partner to see her looking right back at her, eyes filled with an uncharacteristic compassion.
"I know it was tough, but at the end of the day, I got a chance to get to know not only myself, but you better." She said, reaching out and gently hooking her fingers around her partner's. "And what I said back there, I meant it. Come what may, I'm going to stand by you and support you the way I should have. And the court of public opinion and the trial between us and Howard are just more obstacles I'm more than confident will overcome, together."
Amber felt her heart calm as the warmth from Cinder's fingers wormed its way through her arm and to her chest, filling her with a sense of ease she was rapidly starting to associate with the girl.
This feeling was something she didn't want to let go of. And so she didn't, intertwining their fingers deeper together, soaking up their warmth. That was right. Whatever the world threw at them, she would face it head on, with her partner by her side.
And for right now, that was enough for her.
"Well, there's a chance we won't have to worry about either of the courts." She said, her tone becoming more light and joking as she added a skip in her step. "After all, first we need to survive the wrath of Professor Goodwitch. I'm sure she's going to have a lot to say on our…performances."
Immediately at the mention of her name, Cinder froze mid step, eyes wide as she pictured the verbal hellfire that the strict teacher would undoubtedly rain down on them, followed by a lifetime's worth of detentions and tighter curfews, on top of having to walk on eggshells for the rest of their school lives.
And that was if they were lucky.
Shivering at the thought, Cinder came to a stop as her jaw locked and her gaze became rooted to the floor.
"On second thought, I think I'll stay here for a few more days." She said in a quiet, scared tone. "I really don't want her to skin me alive today. Ask me again tomorrow and we'll see if I feel differently then, okay?"
They shared a laugh at this before (and after a little poking from Amber) they continued on their way, heading towards the airship docks where they could board one to Beacon. Together, they had nothing to fear, for together, they knew they could do anything, even facing down the terrifying teacher who would certainly not kill them the second she laid eyes on them.
Or at least that's what Cinder told herself.
Cinder was terrified as she sat across from Professor Goodwitch, hands wringing nervously as she waited for her verdict. The fact that the teacher could make even the simple action of reading a report scary should be a feat placed on her resume.
When the two had first handed her the report, she had silently gestured to the two chairs conspicuously set up across her desk, indicating them to sit before she took her own seat behind it.
After that, they had sat in absolute silence as the professor had wordlessly flipped through the binder. The only thing to draw their attention away was the ticking of the clock and the occasional cough from one of the girls. Aside from that, they sat perfectly still as the minutes became hours and before long, the sun had set and the many other students began getting ready for lights out.
After what felt like an eternity, Professor Goodwitch reached the end of the report, where with almost deliberate slowness, she closed the binder before reaching up and rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"So," she said, interlocking her hands in front of her face as she placed her elbows onto the desk, giving the two girls a stern glare. "Would you like me to go into your numerous failures, or would you prefer to use that time to pack?"
Immediately both girls felt their hearts sink. They had known that the odds of them staying in Beacon were slim to none, but they had still dared to hope that their performance in the later part of the mission would balance out the…rough patch at the start.
"Professor, if I may." Amber began, a slightly tremor in her voice. "I know what we did wasn't within protocol, but given both the circumstances and who we were up against, I think I can safely argue that an unorthodox approach was the only possible-."
"Ms. Alsprings!" Goodwitch snapped, cutting the dark skinned girl off and making her flinch back under the harsh tone from the older woman. "You failed to keep your team in line at almost every turn. As a leader, it's up to you to take the helm and make those who work under you follow orders! What's more, you used the one thing you were supposed to protect as live bait. Which isn't just morally wrong, but breaks every huntsman law that was put into place regarding client/contractor relationship! On top of that, you endangered many innocent people with your highway stunt. Not to mention that thousands of dollars in repairs your fights have caused! You're lucky nobody else was hurt from your antics or else we'd be having a very different conversation right now!"
Amber sank deeper into her seat with each accusation thrown at her, each one seeming to stab her in the chest with a blade she had no counter as, well, she was right. It was pure luck nobody else had been dragged into the fighting. Sure, she had picked spots where there wasn't much foot traffic, but during the high speed chase on the freeway, Igor had caused a mass pile up of cars when he chased them down, as well as the fight at Music Fest docks, which it had been a miracle that nobody had been hit by a stray bullet or got caught up in the crossfire with Adelaide..
Biting her lip, the dark skinned girl lowered her head, the fight taken out of her by the harsh tongue lashing she had just received. Not because it was anything too hard, but more so she didn't have any arguments against it. She had endangered her clients, as well as the general public. She had lost control of her team, multiple times. And had Howard and the Seraphim been fighting all out from the get go, the entire team would have been wiped out long before they counter-attacked.
Shifting uncomfortable, Amber gaze stuck to the ground as the weight of everything started to pile up on her once again. The feeling began to squeeze on her chest making it difficult to breathe. She had put even more people in harm's way because of her stupidity again. All for an elaborate suicide plan that she ultimately never went through, making their suffering completely pointless.
How many more people would be her by her selfishness? How many more lives would she put in danger because of her stupidity? After everything she had done, why couldn't she learn from it all instead of constantly burdening others with her existence?
Maybe it would have been better if she had never been bor-.
"That's not fair."
Immediately Amber's head shot up to see Cinder now standing, sending the teacher a hard glare. Completely unintimidated by the stern look said woman was giving her.
"I know we didn't follow the book, but if we had, then Howard and the Seraphim would still be at large." She argued, slamming both hands down on the desk with a loud thud. "You can't just punish her for her mistakes without rewarding her for her successes! She brought down the largest gang in the kingdom even with me not listening to order for the first half of the job! How many full time huntsmen can lay claim to even half that kind of results?! She's-!"
"Ms. Rose, incase you forgot, this wasn't a bounty quest, it was a guard job." Goodwitch cut in, her glare now fixed on Cinder. "And I don't find the the belief that the ends justify the means a valid argument. Especially if those ends weren't even what you were supposed to be doing."
Now it was the Professor's turn to rise, immediately making Cinder draw back at the woman's imposing figure, her glasses going completely white making it impossible to see her eye's behind them.
"Personally, I find your attitude a much larger problem than anything." The teacher said, her voice strict and firm as she prepared her verbal assault. "You think just because you achieve something that all your mistakes will be forgiven. That it doesn't matter the road you use to get there as long as there's some great accomplishment, you can use whatever method you desire. But that's not how the real world works, young lady. In the real world, we have rules to stop our society from falling to anarchy."
Reaching down, the Professor began turning the pages of the report, calmly reading out choice bits to hammer home her point.
"Insubordination, unprovoked assault, reckless endangerment of the general public, overzealous egotism, multiple charges of battery against the client, not to mention you single handedly generate several thousand dollars worth in damages alone to both personal and public property." The teacher came to a stop as she looked back up at the now white faced girl. "Any one of these things would get your license revoked. All together, you might be facing jail time upwards of ten years with fines of tens of thousands of dollars, if not millions. Why can't you understand that if you weren't a student, a stunt like this would cause more civil unrest then a gang the criminals you arrested. And I don't think I need to tell you what will happen if that kind of distrust builds within the city walls."
A heavy silence fell between the three women. They all knew what the teacher was talking about, they had all seen the ruins of destroyed villages outside in the wilds. As well as the much closer failed settlements and expansions to the city. They knew all too well the horrors that dwelled in every dark crevice and hidden corner of the world.
They also knew what would happen if they all swarmed the kingdom on mass, with the current military and huntsmen presence, they might be able to hold the line for a while, but even a day-long siege would break through, and leave the outer parts vulnerable to a full scale invasion.
With a sigh, Professor Goodwitch leaned back, her face softening as she slumped back in her chair, rubbing her temples.
"Look, even if I wanted to cut you both some slack, at this point it's beyond the point where I can do anything." She sounded legitimately apologetic as she spoke, something that didn't go unnoticed by the girls. "If I let you off with a slap on the wrist, it will call the school's integrity into question. And that will threaten to put this already on edge city into full blown chaos. We can't afford anymore fear and distrust right now, not with Grimm drawing closer every day. So I'm sorry, but you are both going to have to leave. That decision is final."
Both girls' shoulders slumped at this. They knew they weren't getting off scot-free, but they had hoped it wouldn't be a dishonorable discharge like this. Still, they knew with the current political situation, even if Professor Goodwitch did want to let them stay, her hands were tied.
Slowly, the two got up and turned toward the door, neither having the heart to say anything as they waved goodbye to their dreams.
And while Howard had mentioned something about other paths to becoming huntresses, they knew the odds of them getting fortune enough for something like that to just fall into their laps was slim to-.
Bang!
The doors to the office were suddenly thrown open, causing the occupants to jump in surprise, completely taken aback as Eric stumbled in, Adam slung over his shoulder for support.
And using their grand entrance that had stunned the three women, Adam began speaking very quickly.
"You don't have the whole story. Amber and Cinder aren't the only ones who caused everything to become so complicated. We were involved too!" The Faunus said, immediately snapping the professor out of her daze.
"Mr. Taurus, you should be in bed." The teacher said, raising from her desk and making her way over. "You've just gotten out of surgery. You are in no condition to-."
"No. I'm fine." The redhead cut in, wheezing as he spoke, leaning more heavily on his partner as he continued. "Look, I know what those two did was stupid, especially Cinder. But they didn't have the full picture. Neither do you. So please-."
The Faunus broke off, coughing violently, making his team rush to his side and help support him as Eric picked up where Adam left off.
"Back during the event, Adam noticed some shady stuff going on in the background. And with me covering his alibi, he snuck around and after a bit of digging, discovered some of the illegal activities they were up to." Eric spoke quickly and calmly, his more focused tone contrasting with Adam's coughs.
"But when he told me this, we decided to keep it to ourselves." He continued. "We arrogantly believed that if things went sideways, we alone could fix it. And by doing this, we kept important information that could have changed the outcome of the mission. We're also at fault, so please don't expel Amber and Cinder when they were just doing the best they could without all the information!"
Goodwitch stood there shocked, staring at the knight and the Faunus. What the hell had happened to them? Back when they had first become a team, she had seen how little respect they had paid either of the girls. And now, after a week and a half, they were risking their necks to try to stop their expulsion?
Now, she had obviously read the report, but even as she read about how Amber had turned into a somewhat competent leader during the end of it, had that really been enough to change the mindsets these two had?
Shaking her head, the teacher straightened up, eyes locking themselves to her professional face as she turned to address the two huntsmen.
"Mr. Taurus. Mr. Schwarz. I appreciate the gesture you're making for your friends, but my decision is final. I can't risk the security of our kingdom for the sake of two children who, if I'm being brutally honest, brought the circumstances that caused all this chaos in the first place. I-."
"Then expel all four of us." Adam said, trying to take a staggering step forward. Eyes fixed, glaring at the woman who stared back, face a mask of complete shock.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" She asked bewildered, giving the Faunus the floor as he, with the aid of his team, took another step toward the teacher.
"I said, expel all four of us!" He gasped. "If you really aren't willing to make an exception for the situation, then you should just kick all of us out. After all, me and Eric are just as much to blame as Cinder and Amber." His voice shocked with both passion and pain. But that didn't remove any of the power conviction behind his words. His voice was so powerful, it snapped the woman out of her daze.
"Do you know what you're asking?!" Goodwitch snapped, now taking a step forward to meet Adam head on. "If you get expelled, not only won't you be able to get back into the school. You'll lose your best chance to become huntsmen and be required to pay a portion of the debt! Are you really willing to give all that up?"
"Yes." The two said simultaneously, not a moment of hesitation or regret in their voices. Nor did the fire burning in their eyes waver. They were serious, anyone could tell that. And the strength of that conviction completely caught the Professor off guard.
"I-! You-! That's-!" She spluttered before stopping and taking a few seconds to recompose herself before continuing. "I admire your courage and willingness to put your teammates above yourself. It's quite a respectable deterioration, as well as an admirable improvement to your teamwork. In another time, I might have even considered changing my decision in light of how much you all have grown."
She paused, her gaze hardening as she gave the four a hard stare down, tucking her arms behind her back as she continued. "However, as I already said, the civil unrest that would result from this would put the entire kingdom at risk. As it stands right now, there are too many mistakes to simply excuse this as a learning curve or training accident. So-."
"What about we simply change the narrative to something that is exceptional then?"
Immediately, all five people in the room jumped once again as Professor Opzin calmly walked through the door, his cane calmly pressing against the ground with each step as he placed himself between the students and Goodwitch, who was the first to snap out of her daze and confront the headmaster about his suggestion.
"I'm sorry, did you say change the narrative?" She asked incredulously, eyes still wide from shock. "I can't seriously mean-."
"Actually, I do." The man calmly replied as he came to a stop in front of the woman. "I understand the situation is complicated, and that right now the city of Vale is a pot about to boil over. However, I think we can add a little extra without anything spilling out."
With another smile, the man began to pace the room, speaking with slightly exaggerated movements.
"If we can't go with a learning curve or an accident, why not just tell the truth? That a few mentally traumatized children fought against the most notorious gang in Vale and while not perfect, they did manage to arrest several of their high ranking members, including not only their leader, but also their secret supplier. I think that will tide over the masses while keeping some of the brightest students in our school, meaning everyone's happy." Stopping at the corner of the office, the man turned back around to face the other people in the room, hand stroking his chin.
"As for punishment, I'd say a year of mandatory therapy with someone to vet their experience, as well as a few hours of community service. I think that's an appropriate measure for their wrong doings." He finished, smiling pleasantly as all five of them stared at him, mouths hanging open.
"Y-you can't be serious, Professor." Goodwitch protested, taking a step toward the man. "While yes, it will lessen the backlash from this event, what you're doing is the equivalent of putting a bomb on an open fire. It won't go off right away, but it's only a matter of time. If the people don't feel that justice has been for to-."
"Glynda, if we let the public decide what punishment is suitable for every situation, then we'd still be at war with Atlas." He replied with a wave of his hand. "And as a very wise huntress once told me that we, the adults, should take some responsibility for ruining these kids' lives. And let's be honest, if they hadn't had their lives uprooted by our war, they'd never have let things get this out of hand."
Calmly, he approached the teacher and placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning forward toward her ear.
"I know you're upset, but remember, their children. So why not let them play the part? After all, it's not a role they'll have forever." He said softly, his voice so quiet it only reached the teacher. "Our war has already stolen multiple years from them. What's the harm in giving back a couple in return? And if I'm wrong, I'll take full responsibility for any civil unrest this causes. Trust me on this one, okay."
A heavy silence filled the room after this exchange. Team AACE stood still, frozen like a statue as they waited for their teacher's response. Her back was to them so they couldn't see her face, but going off her tense body, they knew the cogs in her head were turning. As for which way, they had no idea.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the strict professor let out a sigh, turning to her students with closed eyes and folded arms.
"Fine." She exhaled. "Beacon will take the full brunt of this failure. We should have checked on the mental health of our students. And that failure is what led to this massive screw up."
The Professor shook her head with a sigh as she opened her eyes and fixed the team with a hard glare. "Can't say I agree, but if the headmaster has decided to give you all a second chance, fine. However, I want to make one thing very clear. This is your last chance."
With that, she took a threatening step forward, raising her finger to point at each of them, making them all flinch in turn.
"For now on, you four are not to do ANYTHING that damages the school's reputation further. Do I make myself clear?" She asked in her hard and stern voice. And while she wasn't yelling, her voice alone would make grown adults cry.
"No public stunts, no sneaking out after dark, no going to adult clubs or businesses. You are not to involve yourself in anything even remotely shady or controversial such as politics or race. And yes Mr. Taurus, that includes White Fang rallies." She added sending the Faunus a death glare, daring him to argue back. (Which he didn't.) "Bottom line, if you, any of you, stick so much as a toe out of line, I will take much more drastic disciplinary actions. Understand?"
The four immediately straightened up, their hands flying to their heads in a frantic salute.
"Yes ma'am!" They said simultaneously.
Despite this, the strict teacher kept her gaze locked on them for a solid half minute, making sure they'd remember this with a hard glare at each one in turn. Then, once satisfied, she took a step back as she folded her arms over her chest.
"Dismissed." She said curtly. "You are free to go. However, make sure to report back to my office tomorrow to be assigned both your community service jobs as well as a schedule for your therapy. Oh, and you'll also have to inform your teachers that none of you are fit to take part in practical lessons for the rest of the week. After which, you will have a physical where the doctor will determine if you are allowed to rejoin. But until then, you are free to go."
With that, team AACE quickly turned and existed the room, making no attempt to hide their haste to leave behind one of them accidently said or did something that made either of the teachers rethink their decision.
And as the door closed, they saw Amber paused for a second, glancing back into the room at the headmaster. And as she stood there, the door swinging shut on her face, she opened her mouth as if to say something to the white haired old man, something she clearly thought was important.
But then she stopped again, shaking her head as she turned to leave with her team. Whatever she had been thinking of telling them, she must have changed her mind. Decided it wasn't important enough or something to bring it up.
And as the door swung shut, the two teachers could hear the sound of footsteps disappearing down the hall. And once they could not hear them anymore, Professor Goodwitch turned to her companion, eyes narrowed as she spoke in a tone that didn't hide her displeasure.
"So, care to tell me what that was all about?" She asked huffily. "Last I checked, we were supposed to uphold the peace in the kingdom by any means necessary. A massive failure of this magnitude will shake the public's faith in the school and cause a fair amount of fear and distrust to sprout. I know they have great potential, but is it really worth drawing Grimm to our borders during a migration period? You know that will only strengthen her position."
Ozpin stayed silent for a few seconds before he turned towards her and smiled calmly at his comrade.
"Glynda, you make valid points, but from what Qrow tells me, it seems that Salem's attention is currently focused on Mistral right now. That's a very far way away which gives us plenty of time to prepare." He said evenly, his face showing no signs of his true emotions as he turned toward the door and began walking toward it.
"I know the risks, but right now, I see the potential as worth it." He stated as he opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, smiling over his shoulder as he went. "While I do admit, I have apprehensions about certain members of team AACE, I do believe that they have the potential for greatness. So, if I have to bend the rules a little bit to draw it out, then that's a price I'm willing to pay. Besides, their opponent was Isaac Howard. Can't fault them to much given he could probably give us a run for our money."
With that, he disappeared from the room, the door clicking shut behind him leaving the still somewhat jaded Professor to return to her desk in a huff.
"Bend the rules he says? It's going to be a miracle if we make it through the year without half the kingdom calling for your removal." She grumbled as she began rewriting the schedule to fit the new agenda.
Sure she knew as a teacher it was her job to empower and cover for children as they learned and studied within her halls. But there was a fine line between that, and just plain negligence. And that team, no matter how much they improved during the last half, had too many loose cannons as it was. An incident like this would shake the very kingdom to its core, make the already scared citizens even more afraid, turning the entire city into a powder keg just waiting to go off. She just hoped Ozpin's gambit paid off.
Honestly, she hadn't seen him this lenient since the days of team STRQ.
"Woh! Told you we'd make it!" Cinder said as she threw herself down onto her bed. "I knew we'd get off easy once they saw who we were up against. No way any of the other teams could have even survived our first encounter with the Bane of Atlas, let alone twice. Honestly, we should be getting a Medal of Honor for this!"
"I wouldn't exactly say things turned out all sunshine and rainbows." Adam said with a groan as Eric helped him onto his bed. "Remember, the school's rep is going to take a big hit from this. And I can't imagine things will improve very quickly."
"Oh come on! Cheer up a bit would ya?" Cinder asked irritably as she looked over at him while still on her bed. "Besides, it's not like they're going to close the school or something dramatic like that. The kingdom needs huntsmen and huntresses. So while they might not be happy about what happened, it's not like they can do anything."
Adam didn't bother hiding the roll of his eyes as he turned to face his teammate, a harsh expression on his face.
"Okay, first, need I remind you that people can be surprisingly shallow when they want? All it takes is one person saying Faunus are lying about their treatment in the workplace and people believe it because it's easier than facing the truth." The redhead pressed, growing somewhat annoyed as he saw his teammate pointedly pick her ear at the last part before flicking the earwax at him. Something he ignored as he pressed on.
"And second, since when are you this cheerful and positive? Normally, you're all grumpy and irritable, with a permanent scowl stuck to your face. What's with the sudden change?"
At this confirmation, the dark haired girl shot up to a sitting position, glaring daggers at the Faunus.
"Hey, news flash asshole, I can be nice when I want to be!" She snapped. "I'm just like that when I'm around you because you're an insufferable ass! If you want to see me have any other kind of emotion instead of anger, why don't you go and stuff yourself inside a-!"
The two broke off when they heard a light laughter coming from their side. Turning to the source, they found Amber, sitting on her bed, hand pressed over her mouth in a futile attempt to stifle her laughter.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to laugh." She said when she found her teammates looking at her. Calmly lowering her hand letting them see a small, gentle, yet radiant smile on her face. "I just-. It feels so strange, sitting here after all we've been through. This sense of something…normal. I didn't think I'd ever feel it again after everything that happened. And I'm not just talking about the mission."
The room went quiet at this confession. During their stay at the hospital, Amber had told the boys a bit about her past. Namely what happened to her village, her semblance, and her time in the bandit's custody. All the pain and abuse she had gone through since before coming to Beacon.
With that said, Cinder had noticed she had left out some parts, such as her crushing guilt, both her friend and his mother, as well as the slaughter of the bandits.
But the dark haired girl had chosen not to comment. She knew those were a bit more…personal. And as it technically hadn't affected the more critical points. And she had to admit, Amber was almost disturbingly good at keeping a straight face and not showing what she was feeling on the inside. If she hadn't heard the full version, she probably wouldn't have noticed.
Besides, it was Amber's story. And she could share the full version when she felt ready.
"I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm well aware that there will be the consequences of our actions, and I definitely feel like something is different. But it's just…" the dark skinned girl continued, unaware of her partner's thoughts, those she did notice her eyes on her. "Doesn't it feel a little strange that after everything we just went through, we're right back here as if nothing has changed?"
Amber shifted her weight to her other foot, turning her head in a different direction as she waited for an answer. Maybe she was just being paranoid, but she felt like she was being a bother to her team. Asking stupid questions like this must be annoying for them. And after everything she had put them through, it felt wrong to-.
"Oh course it feels a bit weird." Cinder said, breaking the girl out of her thoughts, making her look up. "But that just means we're not the same people as when we left. We all grow, learn, became stronger in that time. Things change, makes us different people as we leave the past behind and move into the future, that's just life. But at the end of the day, what's at our core, that will probably always stay the same. So at the same time, we're still the same people as before."
The dark haired girl paused for a second, before letting out a chuckle, lowering her as her voice became even more gentle.
"And it's not like we're done growing either." She said looking up, her gaze becoming fixed on her partner. "From this point forward, we will get stronger and stronger, becoming the people we want to be together. And as we grow and push forward, we'll have each other to not only watch our backs, but also challenge each other and help us grow even more. And once we graduate, we can get away from this stuffy kingdom and all its bullshit rules. Out there, we can finally be free to become the people we want to be. Because together, there's nothing and nobody who can stop us!"
Amber, as well as the rest of the team, stared at the dark haired girl for a few seconds, a warm feeling building inside the dark skinned girl's chest. That same feeling that she had felt when Cinder had promised to be her new lease on life, the feeling of finally finding a place she belonged, of coming home.
And as that feeling spread throughout her entire body, she couldn't stop a single tear run down her face and onto the floor.
"Right. Together." She said, looking up and locking eyes with her partner, who held her gaze with firm, unwavering reassurance. She hadn't forgotten her promise, and she never would. That was something Amber knew she could count on.
And as that happiness filled her whole body, she couldn't repress her smile anymore and let it shine to all in the room.
"Thank you. Thank you all for everything." She said, tears of happiness falling from her eyes as she gave her team the most radiant smile they had ever seen, one that seemed to fill the whole room with light, putting the stars and moon to shame. For as they saw it, they all saw how beautiful her smile could truly be.
After a few seconds, Amber reached up and began wiping the tears away as the mood in the room became more relaxed as her teammates eased back into the comfort of knowing they were safe, letting a respectful silence fall between them that lasted a few seconds before being broken.
"Well, color me surprised." Eric said, turning his attention back to his dark haired teammate. "You actually can think. And deeply to boot! And here I thought you were a brainless moron who only knew how to swing a sword and shoot a bow. Guess a broken clock really is right once a day. You are the living proof of this concept."
Said girl threw a pillow at the knight, hitting him right in the face as she lay back down on her bed.
"Yeah, well don't expect me to ever say that crap again." She said as her other two teammates laughed. "I'm done with all this sappy stuff for the rest of the year. And don't any of you dare tell anyone outside this team what I said. I have a reputation to keep and I don't want anyone to think I'm going soft. Besides, nobody will believe you anyway. So save yourself some embarrassment."
Eric, casually tossing the pillow back, shot the girl a mischievous grin.
"Oh I don't know about that." He said in a tone that immediately drew Cinder's attention as he held up his scroll. "I imagine they might believe me when I play them this recording. I wonder what Fang will think when he hears you actually speaking from the heart instead of your massive towering ego."
Immediately the girl leapt up, face burning red as she glared at the knight.
"G-Give me that, you irritating pest!" She spluttered, lunging toward him, trying to grab it as he held it above her head with one hand, using the other to keep her at arm's length. "You show that to anyone and I'll kill you! I swear, when I'm done, you'll wish you had fought Igor a hundred times over!"
As the scene played out before them, Amber found herself laughing alongside the boys, enjoying the antics of their dark haired teammate as they threw the scroll between them, playing the world's most volatile game of keep-away.
And after a few hours and a few more games, (at Cinder's expense.) the team went to bed, and there, coddled in their beds, the trails of the world that had been weighing heavily on them since the start of their first mission felt so far away.
Amber sat in a lone tavern in a small village on the outskirts of the kingdom. There, she spoke to the mayor of the town, calmly passing proof of the Grimm extermination she had just completed.
"There." She said, her tone a little deeper as she was now in her mid twenties, older and more weathered, yet still bearing the same scar on her neck she had received from her first mission back when she was in school.
"The Grimm have been cleared out, now you can return to your fields. I hope the damage my team caused won't be a problem, will it?" She asked as the man she was speaking to handed her the reward.
"Not at all." He said happily, smiling at her. "We're just glad to finally be able to return to our crops. We left the kingdom with intentions of being independent and with those fields returned to us, we can continue living that dream. I just wish we could offer you more."
"This is plenty." Amber replied with a smile. "We're just happy we could help. After all, huntresses are supposed to conduct themselves with mercy and honor. How could we say no to people in need during these hard times? The way I see it, it's our job to-."
"Humph. Speak for yourself." A grumpy voice cut in, making both huntress and client turn.
"Cinder, that's no way to talk." Amber scolded the dark haired girl who was lounging around at a table. Her feet kicked up and pushed her chair off the ground as she pointedly examined her nails.
"Hey, I'm just saying that what we got here barely covers my arrows. Dust is expensive and it's not like we have gold bursting out of our pockets." She retorted, turning her head to her partner as she spoke. "Besides, the way I see it, it's considered robbery if the compensation isn't worth the job. So how about you sweeten the deal with…a little extra?"
"W-what did you have in mind?" The mayor stammered, wringing his hands as Amber gave her partner a disapproving look. "Money isn't something we have much of, but if you want food for your travels, we can get you some next year when the crops grow."
"We're not waiting a whole year, old man. We'll have died by then from some rip-off deal this one put us through." She said, gesturing at Amber as she stood up and made her way towards them. "How about something right now. Don't worry, I don't mean anything material. I mean something more… artistic."
She strode past them as she spoke, not even giving him a second glance as she continued toward the door, confusing both Amber and the mayor. What was she doing?
"Now, this is just off the top of my head, but what about…a song?" She said with a wave of her hand as she reached the door. Pausing for a second, but still not looking back. "You know, something to remember us by. How about a heroic ballad of how we, despite not even being paid enough to resupply, fought bravely and won back your fields, effectively saving your lives as now you have food to survive the winter. I think that's more than a fair trade, don't you, Amber?"
At this, said girl's eyes softened and a smile spread across her face. Of course this is what her partner would want. She always had an ego, even back in school where it had been so much worse. It was honestly shocking how much she had changed since then, even finding positive vents for the need for validation. Something that at the time, Amber had thought was impossible.
"I-i suppose that's doable." The mayor said, wiping some sweat off his brow. "I know a young girl who's got a passion for singing. I'll see if she's interested."
"Good." The dark haired girl called before glancing back over her shoulder, gaze fixing on her partner. A gentle smile playing on her lips.
"Hey Amber, you coming?" She asked with a grin. "By now Adam and Eric will properly have finished preparations. If we don't go now, those two idiots will leave without us."
"R-right!" The dark skinned girl called, quickly running after her partner out the door, disappearing into the blinding sunlight, on the way to their next big adventure. Together.
And upon waking the next day, Amber found that she had had her first good dream in many, many years.