The night of their brief separation and reconciliation was one of the soundest nights Cinder had ever slept., with Jaune's arms wrapped protectively around her and holding her tightly. Sometime during the night Khione had snuck in and curled up in front of Cinder, and now Cinder found herself dreading the moment the Arcs would awake as it meant she wouldn't enjoy the feeling of being cuddled up with the two people she loved more than anything she ever had before and ever will have.
Sunlight spilled in from the crack in the curtains, illuminating the room with the soft glow of dawn light. Cinder had been smiling since the moment she had awoken, and although her face was starting to hurt she felt like nothing would ever stop her from smiling so much. Khione was snoring softly, a little trail of drool pooling near the corner of her mouth as she cradled Cinder's arm like it was a teddy bear, clinging to it like a sloth clinging to a tree trunk. Cinder brushed an astray curl of snow white hair away from her face, before leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss against Khione's forehead, smiling as the girl mumbled in her sneak before nuzzling her head deeper into the crook of Cinder's shoulder.
Behind her, Jaune's warm breath billowed against her shoulder and the back of her neck, sending pleasant tingles down her spine. She tilted her head forward and shuffled back slightly, shivering slightly when she could feel his lips brushing against the back of her neck, conjuring up images she really shouldn't be thinking of with Khione right next to her. She wrapped a firm hand over her overactive imagination, crushing the conjured images and relaxing against Jaune's chest, feeling the gentle rhythm of his heart a soothing balm over the way a child would relax upon hearing the gentle voice of a mother singing a nursery rhyme to put them at ease or to sleep.
Cinder was starting to feel drowsy again, her eyes falling shut despite a lack of exhaustion. She wasn't tired...just content. So much so it made her heart ache and feel fit to burst. Perfection had always been a concept she had strived for but had never believed to be real or truly attainable. She was starting to come to terms with the fact that she was wrong, because nothing could ever be more perfect than this.
The sound of shattering glass made her eyes shoot up and any contentedness that had been swelling inside her wash away faster than one could say the word 'Neo'.
"Well the lack of scorch marks and general lack of a burned down building tells me everything went at least okay last night." The insufferable voice of Roman soon-to-be-dead Torchwick said, tone muted by distance but still managing to seep down the hallway from wherever he was and into her bedroom like an odious, toxic chemical. "Here I was worried we'd have to try and avenge the Huntsman or something."
Cinder listened quietly, body stiff as she tried to move into a better defensive position without awaking Jaune and Khione, who were both still sound asleep.
"No you wouldn't be able to take her in a fight." Torchwick said, and Cinder felt her eyes narrow. "Especially not a one on one! I'm not a handicap!"
"You are." Cinder grumbled. "Or at least you're handicapped if you think you can disturb my peace and live."
"You're cute when you're threatening." Jaune mumbled, making Cinder startled. Her jolt stirred Khione for a moment, before the little girl grumbled discontentedly and fell relatively still.
"How long have you been awake for?!" Cinder hissed quietly, face flushing at the thought of him hearing her content sighs or her watching Khione lovingly or being aware of the amount of times she had pushed up and relaxed against him.
"Since I heard robbers breaking in." Jaune sighed, eyes still shut as he pulled Cinder tighter against his chest and nuzzled his face into the back of her hair, making her let out a quiet yelp. "Just stay quiet and they'll go since we're not being entertaining."
"Mhm." Cinder said, not trusting her words as Jaune relaxed behind her.
"She has fire magic! Of course she'd beat you!" Came echoing down the corridor, and Jaune chuckled quietly. Cinder allowed a small smile, not wanting Jaune or the universe to know she had found Torchwick even remotely funny. "Don't even joke about that! If the Nefarious Nightstalker even thinks you're having thoughts like that then we can kiss our heiney goodbye."
"Damn right you should." Cinder hummed, closing her eyes again and focusing on the warm feeling of her family to let herself relax despite their recent pest infestation. "Little midget thinks she can take me in a fight? Hah!"
"Besides, Jaune isn't going to so much as blink your way now that he's a taken man."
Cinder stiffened suddenly. Jaune did the same behind her, and not in the way Cinder would have liked.
"You just want him because he gives you free ice cream."
"He gives me free breakfast, lunch and dinner." Cinder scowled, feeling Jaune's hold on her start to feel a little bit more restrictive as he likely realised what she was thinking of doing. "Don't breathe near him you insufferable little goblin. He's mine."
"I mean, I don't swing that way, but I guess he is attractive by most accounts."
"I love you Cinder." Jaune said quietly, kissing the back of her neck. "Don't doing anything rash. They're just talking."
"They're idiots."
"That they are."
"How the hell do you know that?!" Torchwick exclaimed suddenly, making Jaune jump and loosen his hold on her slightly. "You did what?!"
"I don't think I want to know." Jaune sighed, and Cinder very much agreed with his sentiment.
"Neo!" Torchwick scolded, before pausing. "Wait, are just trying to make me wake them up so they'll kill me?"
Jaune let out a sigh of relief. Cinder let out a sigh of exasperation.
"For god's sake Neo!" Torchwick huffed. "Let's just check in, if they're asleep, we'll leave. If not, Jaune can make us breakfast."
"Close your eyes!" Jaune hissed, even if Cinder had already done so and didn't need to be told. Cinder play acted like she never had before as she heard the bedroom door click and swing open slightly, making sure to keep her breathing consistent and normal in an Oscar worthy performance she prayed Jaune was doing too.
"Aww!" Torchwick cooed, and Cinder fought off the urge to scowl. "Neo get the camera! Get the camera!"
Cinder had never fought harder in her life than in that moment. The urge to move, to burn Torchwick and his annoying acquaintance to a crisp was a powerful urge, more powerful than ever urge she had ever felt. It took every ounce of her willpower, all the tight knit control over her muscles and fibres, all of her sheer determination to not move to the extent she could practically feel herself forcing the atoms that made her...well...her to stay utterly still.
There was the silent click of a Scroll camera and the sound of padding feet followed by more clicks. Cinder resisted the urge to reach out and throttle Neo as she felt her hovering over Khione, the Scroll clicking again before Neo padded around to the other side of the bed.
"Don't do anything stupid Neo." Torchwick warned sternly, and Cinder knew enough about his goblin comrade-in-crime to know that telling her to not do something inevitably meant she would do that something.
She felt Jaune stiffen suddenly behind her, startled, and considering what she had overhead earlier it didn't take much for Cinder's overactive imagination to kick in as to what the cretinous little midget might be doing to her boyfriend.
"That's it!" Cinder bellowed, shooting up and grabbing at Neo, who leaped away with a smirk, hand falling away from Jaune's hair which she been stroking like a dog. "Stay away from my man you little gremlin!"
"Whadbah!" Khione yelped, startling awake and rolling off the bed. Cinder's eyes widened and she whipped around so fast her neck jolted from whiplash, hand outstretched to catch Khione before she fell, only for dark globes to beat her too it and scoop Khione into his arms.
"Morning sport!" Torchwick said cheerily, booping the handle of his cane against Khione's nose gently. "Miss me?"
"U-Uncle Torchwick?" Khione blinked blearily, before her eyes widened and her arms shot into the air as if she had just scored a goal. "Uncle Torchwick!"
"There's the adorable little munchkin I missed so much." Torchwick grinned, and Cinder fought had not to retch at the sight unfolding in front of her.
U-Uncle Torchwick?
Uncle Torchwick?!
"You woke...humha...you woke me up!" Khone accused groggily, excitement fading with a yawn as she poked Torchwick's cheek accusingly. Torchwick held up the arm not holding Khione up to his chest in surrender before flipping his cane and pointing it Cinder and Neo.
"Woah now little miss police officer!" Torchwick retorted. "Actually it was those two that woke you up."
"Momma?" Khione blinked, squinting at her before beaming. "Mom!"
Torchwick released Khione just as she started to squirm and mere milliseconds after doing so Cinder felt Khione slam against her in a fierce hug that knocked her back against her pillow.
"Good morning Snowflake." Cinder blinked, wrapping her arms around Khione as the little girl nuzzled her face into her chest, looking up at her with watery eyes. "What's wrong?"
"You didn't come back and dad was all sad and I was scared something had happened!" Khione exclaimed, clutching to Cinder tightly. "I remembered seeing you last night and thought it was just a dream."
"Aw sweetie." Cinder sighed, kissing Khione's head as the girl trembled against her, not caring whatsoever at the presence of Torchwick and his gremlin seeing a side to her she'd rather they wouldn't in case she ever had to threaten them again. "I already promised you I'd never leave. I was just...busy last night. I promise I won't be out so late again."
There was a clatter and Cinder glared at Torchwick, who's mouth was agape and cane was on the floor.
"What?" She demanded, earning a silent shake of his head, mouth still open. Khione giggled.
"Stop antagonising my girlfriend Roman." Jaune said, still lying in bed but watching Khione and Cinder fondly. Cinder's eyes met his for a moment, and the love shining in them was enough to make her flush slightly, especially when he reached up to play with the end of her loose hair. "Go put the kettle on and I'll make breakfast. Pancakes sound good?"
"If you're the one making them then sure." Torchwick shrugged, half-turning before shooting her and Jaune a dirty look. "Were you two pretending to be asleep so we'd leave without breakfast?"
"Yes." Cinder said, in sync with Jaune, who said it in the same deadpan tone as herself. Torchwick scoffed. Neo pouted. Khione giggled again, and that sound alone was enough to confirm to Cinder that she had made all the right choices in her life.
Grumbling as he did so, Torchwick left her and Jaune's bedroom. Cinder narrowed her eyes when Neo didn't do the same, her mismatched eyes staring at Jaune's upper torso, which was bare apart from the bed sheet covering the rest of him.
"Out." Cinder instructed, glare a promise to end her and her entire lineage. Neo raised a brow at her.
"Stop being creepy Auntie Neo!" Khione chirped up, and Jaune laughed at the scandalised, betrayed look on Neo's face.
"You heard the ladies." Jaune teased, and Neo scoffed quietly before stomping out of the room with her arms crossed over her chest, face flushed with embarrassment. Cinder found herself taken aback. "We're not the only ones wrapped around Khione's fingers."
"Is that right Snowflake?" Cinder asked Khione, who nodded with a devious smile.
"Yup." Khione said, popping the 'p' mischievously, and Cinder couldn't help the laughter that spilled out of her bright smile.
"I best go before those two throw a tantrum at not having any food." Jaune said, rolling out of the bedsheet with a heavy sigh as if they were chains.
"I'm not leaving you alone with that gremlin." Cinder warned, turning to Khione and booping her nose. "Do you want a mission sweetie?"
"Yes!" Khione cheered, and Cinder smiled at her, half her attention on the sight of Jaune pulling on a shirt, the muscles on his back flexing oh so wonderously as he did so.
"We have to protect your father from creepy Auntie Neo." Cinder instructed, fighting down bile at the thought of addressing the gremlin as such, even if it was for Khione.
A determined look fell over her daughter's face, and she nodded emphatically.
"We'll protect you dad!" Khione exclaimed, scrambling out of the bed and running down the hallway with a war cry. "No more creepy-ing! No more creepy-ing!"
"She woke up five minutes ago." Jaune shook his head in wonder. "How does she have so much energy?"
"Why does she call Torchwick and his gremlin friend 'uncle' and 'auntie'?" Cinder asked pointedly, and Jaune looked down at his bear wrist.
"Oh would you look at the time..."
"Jaune!"
"I'd better set off for work."
"You're so insufferable."
"You love it really."
"I love you." Cinder sighed, reluctantly leaving their bed. "Sometimes I wonder if you punched me in the head too hard one too many times."
"Oh come on!"
"Better hurry up darling." Cinder teased, pausing at the door to smirk at Jaune. "Don't want to be late for work now do we?"
"Now who's being insufferable?"
"You love it really."
"Damn me for a fool but I do." She thought she heard him grumble as she stepped down the hallway to the kitchen, where a pale-faced Neo was being poked fiercely by Khione for being a creeper.
Perhaps this morning wouldn't be so bad after all?
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Cinder's theory about the goodness of the morning was both sorely tested and proven right in the minutes that followed Torchwick and Neo breaking into her home.
It started off with a right. Torchwick had brewed the kettle but it was Jaune who had made her coffee. She had taken it with the right amount of milk and the little drop of sugar that she enjoyed to treat herself with on every other morning.
It continued on with a right. Khione continued to poke and prod at 'Auntie Neo' for being a creep towards her father, leaving the goblin in a flustered state that Cinder was honestly surprised to see, even if said state was conjured by Khione, who had the strange ability to make even the iciest of hearts to melt.
Then came the first wrong. After being laughed at by Torchwick, Neo turned the tide of teasing and threatened to withhold the gift she and Torchwick and had acquired for Khione, leading to tearful apologies and fervent statements like "Auntie Neo isn't creepy she's super nice and the bestest Auntie and has the best taste in ice cream!"
Then came the second wrong. When Cinder righteously stepped in, more than ready to murder Neo where she stood for having the gall to tease her daughter and extract utter falsehoods and an apology for doing nothing more than wishing to protect her father from the little midgets even littler wandering hands and lecherous eyes, Jaune had stopped her from turning Neo to ash under the reasoning it would upset Khione.
Then came the next wrong. Neo noticed and promptly sent an insufferable smirk Cinder's way before disappearing into the living room.
Then came the next wrong and the next right in one, overly large package. Whilst Torchwick sipped his coffee, Jaune flipped pancakes, Khione eagerly awaited Neo's return and Cinder wearily awaited Neo's return, Neo stepped into the hallway, huffing and puffing silently as she lugged a giant penguin teddy bear that was taller than Khione out from the living room, the damn thing barely being squeezed through the door. From the mischievous gleam in Torchwick's eyes, she knew that not only he had let Neo drag the gift that nearly outsized her alone in retribution for Neo's earlier antics, but also that the duo had gotten the gift precisely because it was cute enough for Khione to adore and large enough for Cinder and Jaune to supress groans at the thought of having to tidy it up.
Naturally that wrong was unbalanced by the right that followed, with Khione tackling the penguin teddy bear to the floor with excitement, and conveniently bringing a surprised Neo down with her.
Cinder would savour the memory of sipping her morning coffee whilst seeing the wide-eyed, utter shock on Neo's face. She'd also conveniently forget spitting her coffee out all of her pyjamas, making her slink off to the bedroom to get changed.
She returned to the smell of pancakes and syrup. She took her seat eagerly and smiled at Jaune when he delivered his dish to her second, with Khione understandably coming first. She kissed his cheek, and smiled at Khione's retching noise that was mimicked in a much more insufferable fashion by Torchwick. Cinder only had pancakes and syrup, enjoying the basic, delicious simplicity of it, whereas Khione also liked syrup but also had an additional little bowl of juicy strawberries, an addiction to the fruit that Cinder suspected was partly driven by the time Khione spent with Rose, who had a similar addiction to strawberries as well as cookies.
Torchwick received his plate next, forgoing delicious syrup the colour of molten gold with a smattering of sugar and a healthy helping of jam. Cinder stared at the culinary mistakes, earning shrug from Torchwick as he tucked in and a confused look from Jaune as she shot him a disappointed look.
"How can one ruin pancakes?" Cinder thought to herself, shaking her head and resisting the urge to retch at the sight of jam on pancakes, ruining the soft deliciousness with a contrastingly stark, dark liquid mush.
Neo clapped, a happy a look on her plate as she received her plate. Cinder's face was as flat as an ironing board at the sight of numerous scoops of ice cream practically smothering the poor pancakes beneath, a few chocolate sprinkles added on top.
"Bon appétit guys." Jaune smiled. "I'll just get mine."
Cinder waited a few more seconds, the only person to do so, waiting for Jaune to sit down before tucking in heartily. Her stomach felt like a black hole, and she devoured her pancakes with gusto. The family, with the addition of two unwanted pests, ate in silence, though there was plenty of noise, be it the scraping of plates, smacking lips, sips of coffee or juice. Cinder would have been much more content if it was just her, Jaune and Khione, but even the presence of Torchwick and Neo wasn't enough to drag her mood down enough to not feel the soft warmth of contentedness that she had felt earlier that morning in bed.
Then the door bell rang.
Just as Jaune was standing up to go answer it, it rang again.
By the time he had reached the door leading to the hallway leading to the door, it had rang for a third time.
"Coming!" Jaune called out, a hint of irritation in his tone. Cinder felt her own annoyance on the rise, whilst Torchwick had rather pointedly scooted away from the table so he wouldn't be seen by anyone at the front door. After an urging look from Torchwick and pointed glare from Cinder, Neo reluctantly followed suit, taking her plate of food with her to the kitchen counter which she perched on with a hop before continuing to munch away at her breakfast.
He opened the door. Two figures were standing there.
"Good morning Mr Arc." Qrow Branwen said. "Mind if we have a word?"
"It's about Ruby." Taiyang Xiao-Long said tiredly, and two more figures peered in from behind their father and uncle.
"H-Hi Jaune." Ruby said timidly, skin plae but with no other sign suggesting she'd been hospitalised.
"You've got explaining to do mister!" Yang exclaimed, likely believing herself to be intimidating. Cinder scoffed quietly.
"Well, I think it's time for me to go. Ta-ta." Torchwick said quietly, downing what was left of his coffee and pancakes before rushing over to Neo. "Say bye-bye Neo."
Neo offered a sarcastic wave before disappearing with the sound of shattered glass, stealing the plate, knife and fork with which she had been eating.
"Oh silly me!" Cinder deadpanned, with all the enthusiasm of someone being led to their execution. "I have dropped my coffee. Woe is me."
"Woe will be you!" Yang Xiao-Long exclaimed, and Cinder answered her with the sound of her chair scraping backwards as she stood up suddenly.
"Enough!" Jaune snapped, sighing before leading the Rose/Xiao-Long family to the living room. "Just sit in there. Do any of you want drinks?"
"No thanks." Taiyang replied politely.
"So you can poison us? Nuh-uh." Qrow scoffed.
"Orange juice please." Rose said timidly.
"Your girlfriend's soul." Xiao-long said, shooting Cinder a fierce glare. Cinder raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her in response.
"One orange juice coming right up." Jaune sighed, heading to the kitchen and then the fridge, pulling out said carton and pouring it into a glass. "I take it our guests managed to make a hasty escape."
"They did." Cinder hummed, burning away the remains of Neo's shards of glass. "Khione, do not tell our guests about your Uncle Roman or Auntie Neo. Do you understand?"
"Yes mom!" Khione said determinedly, a fierce look on her face. "What's wrong? Why are they mad?"
"The Nefarious Nightstalker accidentally hurt Ruby last night in a practice fight." Jaune explained. "It was an accident, one that won't be happening again."
"The retirement angle?" Cinder mused quietly.
"Retirement and community service." Jaune said, nodding his head at Khione. "Or is it civic duty? Something, something nice, something, something responsible."
"I'm sure that'll be enough." Cinder remarked dryly, but she couldn't think of anything better on the spot other than running away to bring the heat away from Jaune and Khione, something she had a feeling they would object to if they knew she was thinking it.
"Time to win an Oscar hun." Jaune said, kissing Cinder's cheeks before ruffling Khione's hair. "C'mon kiddo, we need to help defend your mother."
"Mission accepted!" Khione declared, hurrying out of her seat and down the hallway before barging into the living room with all the presence an angry child outsized by everything in the house could. "You leave my momma alone!"
"I was hoping we could do the taking first." Jaune sighed, making Cinder giggle slightly before following her daughter in the living room, where Taiyang and Ruby were busy trying to calm Khione down whilst Yang and Qrow hid guilty expressions behind poorly hidden, conflicted anger.
"Cinder Fall." Qrow stated darkly, eyes meeting hers the moment she entered the room. "For grand treason, multiple counts of theft, arson, public endangerment, manslaughter, disrupting the peace and terrorism, you are under arrest."
"Over my dead body." Jaune interjected, stepping in between Cinder and Qrow.
"That can be arranged." Branwen replied coolly, and Taiyang stepped in between the two men with his arms outstretched.
"Enough, both of you. Qrow, we agreed we'd talk about this before coming to any conclusions."
"Fine." Qrow scoffed. "Fall, are you the Nefarious Nightstalker?"
"Yes."
"Cinder Fall, you are under-"
"She's retired!" Ruby piped up, making Cinder blink as she turned to the girl in stunned silence. "She's rehabilitating!"
"Who put you in hospital last night Ruby?"
"We were just training! It was an accident!"
"Then Arc's to blame! Jaune Arc, for endangering my niece-"
"You better not finish that sentence." Cinder warned darkly, and Qrow pointed an accusing finger her way.
"See! She's not rehabilitating! This is letting her off scot free!"
"She's-!"
"I-!"
"Why-?"
"Just-!"
"Stop it!" Khione screamed, silencing the arguing adults. She was cuddling her new penguin, grabbing onto one of it's flippers before tentatively towards Qrow Branwen. "Mister Branwen? I know my momma did bad things, but she's not a bad person. She's really nice! She's has nice cuddles and a nice voice and nice hair and nice eyes and she also watches Pancake with me! I...I know she wasn't good, but she is now. Please don't take her away from me. She's my momma."
"Damn it kid." Branwen sighed, turning to Cinder briefly and looking away at seeing the tears in her eyes at the emotional little speech Khione had just gave. "Damn it."
"Please Uncle Qrow?" Ruby added, taking Cinder aback as Rose stepped up to her uncle and tugged at the cuffs of his sleeved shirt. "Cinder's becoming a good guy. That's why the only thing she did over the last few months was burn her compromised hideaway. Last night we were training, and an acdient happened. If...If you arrest her then I'll never forgive you!"
"Et tu Ruby?" Branwen grumbled. "I...Screw it. Let's all talk."
"Qrow!" Yang exclaimed angrily, earning a glare from Khione and Ruby at the same time that made the girl crumple like a house of cards. "Ruby she hurt you!"
"It was an accident." Rose said, turning to Cinder with indecipherable silver eyes. "And I forgive her."
"I don't deserve that." Cinder replied quietly, taking aback by the girl's kindness.
"So you'll make up for it. Right?" Jaune prodded, and Cinder nodded firmly.
"I will." She said sincerely, inclining her head at Ruby and offering a slight bow. "I'll do what I can to be worthy of your forgiveness."
"Well that's sorted." Taiyang sighed. "That just leaves everything else. You should all sit down. Me and Qrow have some talking to do now, and it's best you all listen since I can't be bothered repeating myself and I doubt Qrow will either."
"You can do the talking, I can't be bothered." Qrow sighed, sitting on Jaune's armchair and slumping. "All these years chasing her down and a freaking kid stops me? What a frickin' disgrace."
"Thank you for not taking my momma Mister Branwen." Khione said cutely, scrambling up onto Qrow's knee and startling him with a hug. "Also you need to be two Lien in the swear jar for cursing."
"You're lucky you're cute kid." Branwen sighed, flicking Khione's nose but doing nothing to dislodge her from his lap as she turned around to face Taiyang, was standing in the middle of the living room like a teacher about to give a lecture. Cinder turned to Jaune, who shrugged, before sitting down on end of the sofa. Jaune sat next to her, and Ruby sat next to him, and squeezed on the other end of the sofa was a squished looking Yang Xiao-Long.
"Okay." Taiyang said, breathing deeply. "You guys, with the exception of you Khione, are all idiots."
"What?" Jaune blinked.
"Excuse me?!" Cinder snapped.
"Dad!" Ruby whined.
"Huh?" Yang blinked.
"Oh come on!" Qrow protested.
"First of all, you're moonlighting as superheroes in an age where it becoming increasingly easy to surveil the populace, even in an unwitting way. Scrolls, the DustNet, it's all too easy nowadays to leave a lot of paper trails leading from you kicking butt in Butt-Kicking Avenue to your home. Do any of your know of the White Rose? The Drunken Crow? The Muscle Man?"
"Those are urban legends." Cinder scoffed. "When I was a child there'd be occasional news reports of 'sightings' of them running around Vale fighting crime."
"Yeah, there was the Black Sheep as well!" Ruby chirped up.
"I think we had a discussion about them once in English." Yang mused. "Something about urban legends and cult followings."
"They just disappeared didn't they?" Jaune said. "I always thought they were real, just never knew what happened to them."
"Well they are real. You're looking at one of them." Taiyang said, and silence followed as they all looked at one another.
Ruby started giggling. Yang started cackling. Jaune gave a sheepish smile and Cinder bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
Then he tossed a yellow domino mask at them.
"Shut the front door!" Jaune gasped. "It's a replica!"
"Seriously dad?" Yang said, giving her father an unimpressed look. Taiyang turned to Qrow for help, earning an evil grin.
"Who's an idiots not numb nuts?" Qrow taunted, making Khione giggle, before pulling something from his own pocket and tossing it at them. "Hey idiots! He's telling the truth."
Cinder stared at the bird like Venetian mask that Yang had caught. She turned to Qrow, a smug look on his face.
"So you're Muscle Man and your the Drunken Crow?" Cinder realised. "And you say we're stupid? You name is literally in your superhero name!"
"But its spelt differently." Qrow said smugly, and Cinder felt the sudden urge to scream.
"My point is!" Taiyang yelled, pre-emptively cutting off any hub-bub caused by the realisation two urban legends existed and were present in the room. "We quiet the business after the media attention got too hot. It was easier too back then, less good quality cameras and a significantly less quantity of cameras. We got to the point where we formalised the Conventions, but then most of us quit before we were outed when the government proposed the Super Registration Act to keep a reign on us all. Everything was put on the backburner until a certain duo made their skirmishes the evening news and inspired dozens of other superheroes and villains to emerge in Atlas, Mistral and Vacuo. Now Vale too."
Cinder turned to Jaune, who turned back to face her with a dumbstruck look.
"Surely it wasn't just us-" Jaune tried.
"You're the first confirmed superhero in history and the first in the last thirty years." Taiyang cut him off quickly. "Same with you Cinder, but for villains."
"How did you guys just keep quiet enough to play off everything you did as myth?" Cinder demanded. "Surely there was some damage."
"We know someone with a useful power of fixing broken things." Taiyang replied. "Made it easier to hide evidence whenever there was a big battle. Without proof it was just hearsay, and we let it stay that way. You two couldn't afford that luxury thanks to cameras and CCTV."
"What's the point of this?" Jaune asked, and Taiyang turned to the television, turning on the morning news.
"...debate in Vale's Council is heating up over the Super Registration Act, which has already been passed in Atlas despite the opposition of it's military leader, General James Ironwood, in the form of the Public Protection and Necessary Identification Act, in the early hours of this morning. This comes following a recent skirmish between the so-called Ice Queen and the villainous Pyro-Maniac that left two dozen wound and one police officer dead."
"Weiss." Yang blinked, and Jaune sighed heavily next to her.
"You two are the face of the new superhero movement, so you need to get your act together and call for a meeting. Superheroes and supervillains, all of them, and you need to make sure to re-establish the Conventions."
"What conventions?" Ruby asked, before perking up eagerly. "Like Comic Con?"
"No." Taiyang sighed. "Not...They're an agreement between villains and heroes to not mess with certain things. Family, the police...weddings."
"And this is important because...?"
"It builds solidarity and prevents things like family members being taken hostage to lure you out." Qrow said, nodding his head at Khione. "There are well-founded and persisting rumours that certain departments and agencies within certain governments are eager to get their hands on Supers and their children to study them and figure out where their power comes from, the first step to that being identifying them. The Conventions work to build up a sense of togetherness between Supers to prevent outside factors like spies from making heroes turn on each other or vice versa, and gives off the image of a united front...within reason."
"How are we supposed to do this?" Jaune asked, earning a shrug from Qrow and a sigh from Taiyang.
"You could televise it." Taiyang suggested. "That way the message can spread a lot. First you need a location for the meeting as well as a time, as well as to know what you're going to say."
"I have a lair we can use." Cinder offered, earning a look from Jaune.
"Wasn't one of you lairs recently compromised?" He asked sceptically, and she swatted his arm.
"This one is much more secure. Trust me." Cinder said, and Jaune sighed.
"Is this really a good idea?"
"Probably not." Taiyang said with a shrug. "But the alternatives may be worse than whatever happens now."
"Can I come?" Ruby asked. "I'm your sidekick?"
"Tai?" Jaune asked, and the older blonde man struggled for a moment before sighing explosively.
"You'd just go anyway wouldn't you?"
"N-No." Ruby said unconvincingly, twiddling her thumbs guiltily. Tai sighed.
"Just keep an eye on them please." He implored, and Jaune nodded firmly.
"One father to another, you have my word." Jaune said, before turning to Yang. "Do you still want to be my sidekick?"
"Why not?" Yang replied, flicking Ruby's thigh. "Someone has to keep an eye on Ruby."
"Well then, all we need to do now is come up with a speech and get in touch with the media." Jaune shrugged. "How hard can that be?"
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Two weeks after their meeting with Taiyang and Qrow, formerly known as Muscle Man and Drunken Crow respectively, Cinder and Jaune donned their costumes after being driven to Vale's Central Park by Qrow, where they got changed in an obscure part of the woods before Cinder flew the two of them to City Hall, where a ring of police protected them from a ring press surrounded by another ring of police surrounded by a ring of protesters that had formed.
Even flying there they had heard the noise, but their arrival made it an uproar. Jaune sent a nervous glance her way, and Cinder offered his hand a reassuring squeeze before reluctantly letting go. None of them could suspect they were in a relationship, or that they knew each other much on a personal level. They were here to deliver a message, then leave.
"People of Vale!" Jaune called out, somehow managing to ring through the uproar for a moment. That moment passed quickly, with a barrage of questions and heckles and everything in between.
The Nefarious Nightstalker silenced them with a billowing inferno of flame being shot into the sky just over their heads. The police protecting them quickly drew their weapons on her, only to freeze when the Huntsman stepped in between them and her.
"Please listen." The Huntsman called out, as a hush fell over the assembled crowd. "We will not be here for long, so listen to what we say and we'll be out of your hair soon enough. We understand the Vale Council's decision to advocate for the Super Registration Act, and we are not here to protest that. We are here to announce to all Superheroes across Remnant, and all villains as well, that we wish to convene together to discuss a code of conduct for superheroes and villains, with the intent of limiting civilian casualties, preventing the targeting of loved ones and family members as well as to safeguard private events from ambush such as weddings, funerals and more."
"I stand alongside this goody two shoes fool despite my better judgement." The Nefarious Nightstalker intoned, stepping out of the Huntsman's protective visage with a look of mild irritation. Cinder had learned to be good at playing different parts over her long career, and this was no different. "Fellow villains and criminals, if we allow the heroes to dictate the terms of the Conventions we are proposing then we will gain nothing, as it will only be altruistic idiots telling us what to do. Come to us, say your piece so we can we get what we can from there naïve fools. If you wish to find the location of our proposed meeting, contact Roman Torchwick. He knows the location, and let me assure you, it will be a safe one."
"We have to do this to show that we are responsible enough to hold ourselves to account for out actions." The Huntsman added. "If we can come to terms, some sort of balanced agreement, then we can ensure a safe way to superhero without interference from outside bodies that may not have our best wishes, or the best wishes of our families, at heart."
"That will be all." Cinder finished, grabbing Jaune suddenly. He let out a yelp before they rocketed into the air, flying back to the Central Park where they de-costumed and made a hasty escape in Qrow's police cruiser.
"That was complete and utter garbage." Qrow snorted as he drove them home. "At this rate it will only be you two idiots at this damn thing."
"I didn't think we did that bad." Jaune said quietly, earning a chuckle.
"I've heard a more convincing speech from Ruby about cookies when she was a toddler."
"I don't see you giving speeches to the world." Cinder retorted, crossing her arms and looking away with a huff.
"I...I don't mean to be that guy but I can see it." Jaune said, and she raised her eyebrow at him. "Ruby really likes cookies okay!"
Now that was something Cinder believed. As for her speech...she had to be honest, she'd been to busy not panicking to focus on what she said. Hopefully it would play out well, besides, there were only a few dozen superheroes and whatnot in the world. Worst case scenario they were under double digits, best case slightly over.
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The girl was gone.
Whilst she had been wandering the streets in search of 'the one' to be her apprentice, Cinder had found herself outside the orphanage she had visited not too long ago, by a twist of fate no less. She remembered the girl with green hair and an apt name and had inquired about her whereabouts, thinking it may be possible to mould something of her yet.
Something had happened that night, something she was not quiet certain of. The headmistress had been screaming loud enough to awaken the dead, yet no one had come to her rescue, no one had been awoken and no one had investigated. The body was only discovered by chance, or so said the news, and little had emerged since. For all accounts and purposes Cinder was in the clear, and that befuddled her.
Unless, of course, something else had been at play that night.
The girl could have powers. Noise suppression? Noise blocking? Something else entirely?
Cinder didn't know. But she was determined to find out.
Which was why it was annoying to find the little bird had flown the coop.
"What do you mean she disappeared?" Cinder demanded, aware of the fact that she was caring far too much for a girl who's fate meant little to her in the grand scheme of things. It was just curiosity and luck that had brought Cinder back to here.
"S-She ran away shortly after the murder." Stammered the flushed, much more youthful face of the interim headmistress. "We've been trying to find her, and the police have been especially helpful since they think she may have witnessed more than what she initially said. It's like…like she just disappeared off of the face of Remnant entirely."
"Thank you for your help." Cinder smiled through gritted teeth. "Here's hoping the rest of your wards don't suffer the same fate until someone competent is put in charge of the place."
She turned around and stomped out, ignoring the young woman's sobbing that followed her out through the halls and out into the open air. Of all the things she was doing with her afternoon it was running around after a lost orphan with potential.
Potential to be her sidekick. To be Vale's next premier villain thanks to her own careful, masterful tutelage, a constant reminder of the long shadow cast by the Nefarious Nightstalker even long after Cinder's death.
"If I was an orphan wandering the streets of Vale, where would I go?" Cinder mused as she wandered down the street with a thoughtful expression.
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The girl was probably dead.
Cinder had walked everywhere. The parks, the shops, the high street, the busy street, everywhere. The news was still abuzz with her and Jaune's speech and invitation, but she found herself too busy to care what the drones were thinking and saying. Emerald was missing somewhere in Vale, for a fair bit of time as well, and she was nowhere Cinder could think of. All the homeless she tracked down were older than Emerald, and any children she did come across didn't fit Emerald's description and also ran whenever Cinder approached them.
That annoyed her slightly. She wasn't a predator for crying out loud, but at the same time she wouldn't begrudge children having good instincts.
Cinder sighed heavily. Considering the time frame there was a high chance Emerald was dead…or worse. There were many who would prowl the streets in search of vulnerable people, some who especially targeted young, vulnerable girls for purposes that made Cinder want to unretire her alter ego for purposes unrelated to stupid Conventions.
She'd send word to Torchwick. The man had his uses, especially with his ties to the criminal underworld and large intel network. If anyone with any sort of influence, whether major or minor, Torchwick and his people would be able to find out if they had Emerald. The only trouble with that being the fact it would take time. Time Emerald may not have.
Her Scroll rang in her pocket, and Cinder glared at the unknown ID popping up. She had little time for scammers and fraudsters and swindlers, so the only thing preventing her from immediately hanging up was the small chance the phone call could be from Jaune, borrowed from a stranger due to an emergency. Such a thought had her heart clenching and she answered without realising.
"M-Ma'am?" Whispered a timid, almost ghostly voice. Cinder almost hung up, writing it off as a prank call, before the shock of realisation sent jolts down her spine.
"Emerald?!" Cinder half-gasped, half-hissed. "Where are you young lady?"
"A-A building. I thought it was e-empty but these men in red shirts showed up so I hid after s-stealing one of their phones. Please help me!"
"I need to know where Emerald!" Cinder said, heart pounding in her chest at the young girl's pleas as she hurried into a nearby alleyway and thumbed on her domino mask. "I can't help you if I don't know where you are."
"I d-don't…wait, they're talking about places." Emerald said, and Cinder fell silent as the sound of rustling came across the Scroll, before faint voices could be heard.
"...there's a large chance this shindig is a trap, but the Nefarious Nightstalker isn't the type to turn traitor or go soft. She's too proud. I say we send the twins. Worst case scenario they get bored of the whole thing and take it out on the men when they get back. Best case scenario this thing turns out proper genuine and we get our word in."
"Worst case scenario is the VPD or Atlas Military rolling up our strongest allies. Don't forget that the Huntsman was with her outside City Hall."
'Sounds like the Xiong Family' Cinder mused. 'Junior has those twins loaned from the Spider."
"Look, the way I see it we either take a risk and win big and lose big or sint take a risk and win nothing but lose big. We gotta take a chance at least."
"Boss, you had dealings with the Nefarious Nightstalker before. Do you think she'd pull some sort of double dealing bullshit to betray everyone and get off scot free?"
"Probably. I don't think that's the case here though. Everything we met the Nightstalker complained about the Huntsman I doubt she would tolerate him enough to come up with a secret master plan to have the criminal underworld strongest assets arrested." Junior's voice replied.
Cinder winced at that. She really hadn't liked Jaune in the past, back when all she saw was an annoying goody two shoes sticking his nose where it didn't belong.
"The Xiong tend to operate out of clubs, to broker information, but Emerald said she was a warehouse…one of their liquor distributors perhaps?"
"What are your thoughts then boss? Do we send the twins or not?"
"We send them. It's worth the risk."
"The Xiong have one major supplier that they actually own…perhaps there? What's the name though? The location?"
"I'm on my way Emerald." Cinder said quietly, getting ready to hang up and shoot into the sky.
The Scroll was quiet for a moment.
"Did someone hear that?" Junior demanded, and as Cinder panicked the line ended suddenly.
She shot into the air like a rocket, flames pushing her forward. The warehouse district was familiar to her, and the large alcohol storage warehouse at the northern end of it was not, so she opted to simply slate through the roof.
The goons inside shrieked like children and waved swords, guns and axes at her, but a sudden gust of flame from her palms sent them scattering backwards. Only Junior stood strong.
"Nightstalker." He remarked darkly. "What are you doing here?"
"A stupid friend of mine got lost and thought this warehouse to be abandoned. She called for help when you arrived. Emerald! Come out right now!"
There was the sound of shuffling feet, and Emerald emerged guiltily from behind a stack of boxes.
"You were spying on us?!" One Junior's goons demanded angrily. Cinder set his tie on fire, sending him running off with a yelp.
"No. I have no reason when I can just buy information I need from you." Cinder dismissed, casting away her flames and resting her hands on Emerald's shoulders as she stood in front of her. "Junior? Meet my new apprentice."
"Apprentice?!" Junior blinked, and Cinder smirked at him.
"Consider the information payment for the hole in the ceiling." Cinder replied, lifting Emerald into her arms before soaring into the air. The young girl shrieked and clung onto Cinder tightly as Cinder flew towards a quieter part of the warehouse district.
"Y-You came!" Emerald exclaimed breathlessly as Cinder set her down.
"What were you thinking!" Cinder scolded furiously, wiping away the look of wonder on the girl's face. "Running away from the orphanage? When did you last eat? How could you be so foolish? When did you last drink? Why did you do such a thing?!"
"I wanted to find you!" Emerald yelled miserably. "I wanted…I wanted to be your sidekick! Your apprentice! I wanted you to teach me to be as awesome as you are!"
"Why didn't you call me then?" Cinder retorted angrily. "You had my phone number!"
"You…You said it was for emergencies."
"I said it was for help." Cinder exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. "Becoming homeless on the streets is something you should call me for so I can help!"
"I-I-I'm sorry ma'am!" The girl sobbed, breaking down in front of her. Cinder blanched, before awkwardly reaching forward and patting the girls head.
"There, there." Cinder sighed. "I was just worried about you Emerald. Tell me…you left to find me, to become my apprentice. Is still the case?"
"Y-Yes!" Emerald cheered happily, wiping away her tears to beam up at her. "I want nothing more!"
"Do you have any powers?" Cinder asked curiosity, letting a small flame engulf her hand. Emerald watched in awe, before nodding shyly.
"I can make people see things." She admitted quietly. "Or not hear things. It's why no-one came to help when we murdered the Headmistress."
"Truly? How intriguing." Cinder noted, mind working at a mile a minute. Emerald was connected to the murder case, the interim Headmistress had said as much, and now Emerald was on the Xiong Family's radar as well. She couldn't take the poor girl home, there was just too much heat, so she'd make sure Emerald had the next best thing. "Come with me. You cannot live with me due to the police attention around the murder and my own activites, so you will be living with my…allies in-between our training sessions. I'll introduce you."
"Okay!" Emerald said, though there was an underlying hint of glumness in her tone.
Cinder opened the newly replaced door to the rundown warehouse, and Torchwick sighed from the sofa, a sports game on the television.
"What now-Nightstalker?!" Torchwick gasped, eyes quickly falling to Emerald, who Cinder had a protective arm over. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"
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Her lair was jam packed with dozens, maybe even hundreds, of different people. There was a strange stone golem thing and someone dressed up in way too much leather and another who only wore sunglasses, the rest of his...hers...theirs? It didn't matter. They were invisible, and Cinder was glad she wasn't sat too close to whoever and whatever it was.
They had chosen her very special there she had paid a fortune to build at the height of her criminal career. It was an underground base built near a volcano, with excellent sights of flowing magma and large auditorium that had once been filled by an overly large table with just two seats she had installed for power play reasons. Now it the table was gone, replaced by row upon row of seats that faced a small, raised dais where Cinder sat. On her right was Emerald, the now recently turned thirteen year-old looking menacing in her army-like costume that Cinder had gotten her for the birthday that had just passed. Cinder was proud of her apprentice, and had no doubt she would surpass both Ruby and Yang out of determination alone.
It helped that Ruby and Emerald were now in an active competition to win over Khione's affections.
Jaune sat to her left, looking incredibly uncomfortable. Ruby sat next to him, with Yang having enthusiastically taken up the position of security guard at the entrance to Cinder's lair. She patted his hand, and he shot her a grateful smile. She hoped that not too many noticed the action.
"I think it's time." Cinder whispered, and Jaune nodded, taking a deep breath before standing up and approaching the microphone on the dais.
"Greetings everyone." Jaune said, cutting a fine figure in his Huntsman costume. "Let's get this show on the road shall we?"
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Only a small minority opposed the Hero-Villain Code of Conduct Convention. The heroes argued they let the villains get away with too much. The villains argued the heroes stifled them too much. Everyone ignored them for the narcissists, psychopaths and fools that they were. No-one would dare risk breaking the Conventions, not went it meant the wrath of all the super-heroing world.
That, afterall, would be a fate worse than death.