The Way of the Maiden

by The Court of Talons

The world of Remnant is notable for warriors such as Huntsmen and Huntresses. It is also notable for the Mandalorians, groups of mysterious and nomadic warriors just as ruthless as the Grimm. This is the story of one particular Mandalorian, and how a chance encounter with a child leads to the adventure of a lifetime.

45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45: The Mind

"It's true, I was the first one of us to be a Fully-Realized Maiden. It must have taken half of my life to get where you are. You should be proud."

While she still found herself in the void, Cinder also found herself to be in pleasant company. As she previously promised, Fall took it upon herself to introduce Cinder to all of the past Fall Maidens. Together, they shared their wisdom and experience with the young girl in the hopes that she could return to the real world and become a great Maiden.

Right now, Cinder was talking to a woman named Mary. Mary was a sheep Faunus with hair as white as snow and a heart as big as Remnant itself.

"Oh, that," Cinder said as she remembered the first time she felt her powers become what everyone called "Fully-Realized." She was slightly bashful at being called a rather advanced Maiden, since Mary spent many years as a Fall Maiden before she was Fully-Realized. And so, Cinder decided not to rub it in and simply be humble before a far more experienced Maiden. "Thank you, but it was nothing."

"Nonsense," Mary said with a smile. "Do you have any idea how long it took me to get where you are? I don't mean to pry, but I saw every step you took with Ozpin while you grew up. You're well on your way, Cinder."

"Thank you," Cinder said again. "Well, what about you? Do you remember how you became Fully-Realized?"

"Yes, I do." Mary thought back to a certain day in her life. "I like to think I was in my prime, but I also like to think that strength alone wasn't the cause of it."

"Oh?"

"It was a day when Vacuo had a horrible sandstorm. By the second, almost a dozen villages packed closely together were being swallowed whole by the ground. I reached into the sand with my powers to keep them standing until the storm was over."

"But you said there were more than one. It... sounds like it was a strain."

"It was. I could feel all kinds of pressure in my arms, like every muscle and bone was about to break. But the word to evacuate never reached those villages. So I had to stay, do something while they were all there."

Cinder thought back to the night she started to become a Fully-Realized Maiden. She too was under a lot of pressure, due to being weakened by Aurora. So she found Mary's experience to be relatable.

"I was under a lot of strain too," she said. "My powers were being stolen and I needed to act fast."

"Yes, you mentioned that," Mary remembered. "I still can't believe the nerve of that woman. It's people like her that give the Faunus a bad-!" Mary quickly realized how angry she was getting, and how needless it was. And so, she took a deep breath to calm back down. "I'm sorry, I just... get a little emotional when some Faunus fight hate with more hate. You may not have seen it, but behavior like that simply gives some humans the belief they can treat Faunus however they want."

"No, I understand," Cinder admitted honestly. "I've seen Faunus who never got the respect they deserve. I can't imagine what that's like." While Cinder herself was discriminated by people who thought themselves above her, her situation was never as bad as what the Faunus had to endure.

"I hope you don't have to," Mary said calmly.

As Cinder thought about all the times she had to see the Faunus go through such hardships, a good memory came to her. "But you know, there are still people who fight a different way. I've seen peaceful protests in Vale that got the right kind of attention and responses."

"I went to a few of those myself when I was alive. I couldn't use my Maiden powers, but I like to think I was fighting the good fight."

"Trust me, you were. And when I get back, I'd be happy to continue that fight for you."

Both women smiled and relaxed as the comfort of the Faunus' situation getting better began to seep in. It was indeed a slow path, but results were visible. When Mary realized this, she decided to continue her story.

"Anyways, I had to dig deep to find the strength to hold on to those villages," she said. "At first, I didn't think I was going to make it."

"So, what happened?" Cinder asked.

"There was this... this little girl, staring at me through a window. She was no older than six, but she was just like everyone else who didn't get the chance to evacuate. She wasn't crying, she wasn't screaming, she was just... staring at me. Like she knew what was going to happen." Mary had to rub sweat off her forehead as the memory returned to her. "I was never scared easily, but that face... it terrified me."

"..."

Mary looked down at her hands. "Something changed after I saw that face. I felt... different. Not like that I could keep doing it, more like... I had to do it. My powers came back to me tenfold that day. Not that I lost them, but they came to me at a time when I needed them most. The villages felt as light as paper when I got that feeling, and not a single one sunk beneath the sand."

Cinder had only heard this story once, and she only used the powers of a Fully-Realized Maiden once; but she was starting to understand why this power came to be in the first place.

"You knew what you had to do as the Fall Maiden," Cinder declared.

"Exactly," Mary said as she reflected fondly on the day she saved those villages. "Ozpin already told me what I was expected to do, who I was expected to be... but doing what I did that day was different. I had to grow stronger, become wiser. And more importantly, I had to see for myself what I had to do. I think 'Fully-Realized' is one way to put it, but the way I see it... I needed to fully understand who I needed to be. The only way I could do that was by pushing myself past what I thought was my limit."

"..."

The more Cinder thought about it, the more sense Mary's story made. A Fall Maiden needed all the necessary experience and strength to truly understand who they needed to be. Many things could be said and explained, but it took something else to fully realize what the power of the Maidens meant.

Only then could their true potential be unlocked.

"I couldn't have said it better myself."

Both Cinder and Mary turned to see Fall approaching them with a soft smile on her face. She had left Cinder in the company of Mary, but she had just heard the ending of the Faunus' story. Fall knew that she would be the perfect woman to explain the concept to Cinder, since she didn't have to fight like the two of them had to. Fortunately, Cinder agreed as she stood up to talk to Fall.

"You were right about Mary," Cinder said as she turned to the Faunus. "She and I have a lot in-" Cinder saw that she was talking to nobody. She was slightly upset, but this wasn't the first time a previous Maiden disappeared when she reunited with Fall.

"Oh, don't worry," Fall said as she understood Cinder's disappointment. "She's still with you, Cinder. We all are."

"I know," Cinder said as she began to walk away. "I'll see them all again, won't I?"

"Of course. When you leave, you can talk to any one of us." Fall began to smile more. "I actually know someone else who wants to talk to you. Are you ready?"

While Cinder was grateful for the chance, and that she wanted to learn more about being a Maiden, she couldn't bring herself to have another long conversation.

"I'm sorry," Cinder said as she moved away from Fall. "I can't."

Fall immediately became concerned for the young Maiden. Ever since she met her, Fall could tell that Cinder never wanted to stop learning. She wanted to know anything and everything she could about the Maidens, about their powers and their respective histories. She had offered to give Cinder a break after meeting a few Maidens, but Cinder insisted that they press on. Which was why Fall was concerned as to why she wanted to stop all of a sudden.

"Are you okay?" Fall asked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overextend-"

"No, it's not you," Cinder insisted. "I just... don't understand."

"Understand what?"

"...Why do they keep leaving?"

Fall could tell that there were some aspects of the void that Cinder didn't understand, so she was happy to explain them. "They're not being cruel, Cinder," she explained. "They just... know when they're needed. The void knows it too."

"So... the void makes them leave?"

"Sort of. I know it's hard, but we're all still with you. And we'll never leave you."

Cinder appreciated the sentiment, but she couldn't shake the feeling that each departure had left her. "I know, but... all of this coming and going... it's starting to get kind of lonely."

"..."

Fall was saddened when she knew that Cinder had a point. She hadn't seen her father or any of her friends in the longest time, it seemed that loneliness was inevitable. And with everyone coming and going, it seemed that a real connection was complicated to make.

Despite the fact that she was feeling lonely, Cinder decided to clear her head on her own. "Look, I'm going to do a little exercise," she said as she began to walk away. "I'll find you and the other Maiden when I'm done."

"Alright, then," Fall said as she watched Cinder leave. When the young girl left her sight, Fall immediately gained a sense of empathy with Cinder. No friends, no family, all with the promise to one day return to the real world must have been taking its toll on her.

The worst part, however, was that Fall had found someone to help Cinder get back home faster.

Fall taught Cinder that the Maiden powers were connected to her mind and soul as well as her body. And in order to reclaim the part that was lost and return home, the young girl had to reestablish a connection with all three. Cinder was able to partially connect with her physical body again, but now Fall was ready to teach Cinder how to connect with her mind.

And based on the sounds of footsteps behind her, Fall knew that Cinder's new teacher was here. And so, after reassuring herself that Cinder would welcome the lesson, she smiled at the new company she found herself in.

"Perfect timing. She went that way."

---

When Cinder realized that she was alone, she set off to do what she said she would. In the early days of her training, Din Djarin introduced Cinder to a multitude of rigorous exercises. They were the same ones he would have to do on a daily basis when he was a Foundling, and he easily discovered how much stronger it had made him. Which was why he decided to help Cinder keep up with Ozpin's training and make her body's strength match the strength of her will.

And so, Cinder began to perform a series of clapping push-ups. Just as she did before, Cinder then moved on to burpees and sit-ups. The exercises were indeed powerful, but Cinder found herself unchallenged today.

"It's time for a change," she thought to herself as she moved off her back. Cinder then moved into a push-up position, but moved her arms closer and turned her palms into fists. The current Fall Maiden found herself to be in a plank position, an exercise that would strengthen her spine and abdominal muscles.

"Gods, I hate this," Cinder cursed as she began to feel the exercise taking its toll. It was true that the plank was one of her least favorite exercises, but she was disciplined enough to include it in her routine. The last time she did a plank, Cinder managed to hold it for five whole minutes; now she was ready to see if she could break this record.

But she wasn't concerned with breaking the record for its own sake; deep down, Cinder hoped this exercise could build the connection she needed to return home.

"Nice day for a workout, huh?"

Cinder moved her head upwards when she heard a voice. She expected it to be Fall, but the voice and the lower half of the woman were both different from the first Fall Maiden.

"Looks like I'm meeting another Maiden," Cinder realized. It would have been nice to have a longer break from training, but everyone seemed to think that there was no time like the present for her. So Cinder reached out her right hand while maintaining her plank position. "I'm Cinder," she said without looking up more. "It's nice to meet you."

The woman before her didn't shake her hand, but she still addressed Cinder. "It's nice to see you again, kiddo," she replied.

Cinder immediately became confused. "Again?"

"We've met before."

This time, Cinder moved her head to get a good look at the woman. And then she fell to the ground when shock overcame her body.

Standing in front of Cinder was a blonde woman with amber eyes, wearing a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt. She looked like a regular woman in her early thirties, but Cinder knew there was much more to this woman than an average person.

She knew her.

---

Five years ago

This was it.

This was finally it.

After years of pain, suffering, forced labor, and immediately after a rather uncomfortable flight, a little girl was experiencing freedom for the first time in her life.

A ten-year-old Cinder had just been given the chance of a lifetime, one that she didn't waste. For reasons currently unknown, a man in rusted armor had released her from the pain of a shock collar she was still wearing. Only now, should someone try to activate it, the collar would vibrate without delivering pain.

It could be assumed that the armored man merely attempted to let her live and work without pain, but Cinder saw a bigger picture. Nothing could stop her from running out the door of the hotel that served as her home and running far away from the woman who tortured her rather than loved her.

Rather than take any chances, Cinder ran so far from the hotel that she had made it to what looked like some kind of garage. And by pure coincidence, the man that saved her was also there with an airship and a mechanic.

Once again, Cinder saw a chance to get as far away from her master as possible. So when his back was turned, Cinder slipped onto the ship and waited for the armored warrior to fly away.

The ship had landed somewhere in the woods, far away from Atlas and the woman of the hotel. And so, when she was certain that the Mandalorian was gone, Cinder got out of the ship and tasted a new sense of freedom.

And it was perfect.

Unfortunately, the taste of freedom was not enough to satisfy Cinder's grumbling stomach. All she had to eat recently were bread-crusts that one of the hotel's customers left as trash. The young girl was in such a rush that she didn't even bother to take anything with her. With that in mind, Cinder knew that she had to find her own food now.

The search, however, didn't take as long as she expected. After a few minutes of walking through the woods, Cinder found a promising sight: an apple tree.

At first, Cinder took one apple off the ground and looked it over. But when she saw a worm inside a small hole, Cinder chose to pick another apple off a branch. This one was whole and fresh, and it was a delicious treat for the hungry girl.

After finishing the scrumptious fruit, Cinder came to believe that the apples at the top of the tree would taste even better. In order to test this theory, Cinder began to climb the tree all on her own. Her pants got stuck on a branch or two, but she simply pulled them free and made her way to the top. It was there that she decided to rest and pick another apple.

*GROWL*

An unfamiliar sound from below caught Cinder's attention, and the sight she looked upon almost made her fall off. Right at the base of the tree was a Beowolf, one of the feared Creatures of Grimm

Cinder had heard of the Grimm before, but she had never seen one up close. It was enough to make her panic as she kept a firm grip on the tree, but the panic seemed to do nothing but attract the Beowolf. It soon began to claw at the bark as it attempted to climb, but the attempt was to no avail.

In an act of desperation, Cinder grabbed an apple and threw it at the Grimm. She missed, but the Grimm didn't seem to care. After she repeated the action two more times, Cinder was able to hit the Beowolf's nose. Unfortunately, it only made the Grimm angry.

Cinder was about to grab another apple, but she instead lost her grip on the tree and slid downwards. She was able to catch herself on a branch, but she had merely succeeded in coming closer to the Grimm. Fear was practically coursing through all of the child's veins, and she knew her last hope was a desperate one.

"Help!" Cinder screamed at the top of her lungs. "Anyone! Heeellllpppp!"

"..."

The only response to Cinder's cry for help was the sound of claws scratching the tree. Along with that, the branch began to move downwards because of the child's grasp. When Cinder saw how close she was to the Grimm's open jaw, she closed her eyes and held even tighter as tears moved down her face.

*WHOOSH*

*BAM*

Cinder felt like she had been trapped in the tree for hours before a new noise approached her. She couldn't see anything, but the source of the sound seemed to have collided against the tree, where the Grimm was. While she was curious as to what happened, Cinder couldn't bear to look.

"Hello up there!"

Cinder finally opened her eyes when she heard a voice. Unlike the Madame at the hotel or the armored man, this voice sounded friendly and somewhat playful. The source of the voice was a woman with blonde hair and amber eyes, who was simply waving and smiling as she walked over to the tree.

"How's the view up there?" the woman asked while continuing to smile.

"..."

Cinder wasn't used to being talked to like this, which was one reason why she was confused. The second was that the Beowolf was nowhere to be seen. So Cinder decided to focus on what she could actually see.

"Are... Are you talking to me?" she asked skeptically.

The woman looked away from Cinder for a few seconds and around the tree before she answered. "I don't see any other kids up in trees, do you?"

"..."

Cinder looked around and indeed saw that she was alone.

"Hey, I'm just kidding!" the woman said. "Yes, I'm talking to you."

Cinder looked down at the woman and continued to hold the tree as tight as she could. Given her earlier experience with people older than her, the child wasn't ready to come down. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The woman stopped smiling. "I'm sorry, what?" she asked in disbelief. "You were the one calling for help, remember?"

"..."

Cinder indeed remembered calling for help, but she wasn't expecting someone to come and save her. She was almost expecting the armored man to come back, but it seemed fate had defied her expectations.

The woman could easily tell that Cinder was confused and unsure about everything, so she decided to show that she meant no harm. "Come on down," she said with a hand gesture. "We'll talk some more."

Cinder looked around the base of the tree again. "Wh-Where's the wolf?"

"It's gone, don't worry."

"..."

"I promise, I'm not going to hurt you. Come down, I can help you."

"..."

Despite the promise and the fact that the woman wasn't lying about the Grimm, Cinder refused to come down from the tree. The woman wasn't offended by the apparent distrust, she simply believed the child was scared to come down. "Okay," she said. "Don't worry, I'll come up."

Suddenly, the woman's eyes gave off a strange light, almost like fire. The woman then lifted herself off the ground and floated in the air, where she found herself closer to Cinder. She then reached out her arms toward the scared child. "Come with me," she said. "I'll get you down."

"..."

Cinder was astonished by the display of power before her. She was familiar with the concept of Auras and Semblances, but the only one she ever saw was her own. However, she was still reluctant to let go of the tree.

"You're in safe hands," the woman said as she moved her hands closer and smiled. "Trust me."

"..."

Cinder wasn't entirely sure if she was ready to trust someone. The last time she did, she found herself as a slave while being uncared for by anyone.

Then again... she didn't want to be in the tree anymore.

Slowly but surely, Cinder let go of the tree and reached out towards the woman. And to her surprise, the woman held her close as she moved past the tree.

"There," she said as she continued to float in the air. "That wasn't so hard."

Cinder looked down at the ground and desperately wanted to go back there. If she needed to, she could run back into the woods. "Put me down," she said.

"Good idea," the woman responded. "I don't think I should be using them anyway." With that, the woman moved back to the ground as the fire disappeared from her eyes. "So, where are we going?"

"...We?"

"I have to get you back to your parents, don't I?" The woman looked around. "Are they around here?"

"..."

Cinder wasn't sure how to respond to that question, so she simply looked down in silence. Unfortunately, the silence left the woman to draw her own conclusions.

"Oh, no," she said as she looked around again. "Were there more Grimm?"

"..."

The woman suddenly gained a new insight as she looked down at Cinder. "Are you... alone out here? You came here all by yourself?"

"..."

Cinder continued to stay silent, but hoped a nod would make the questions stop. But the woman was rather resilient with finding the truth.

"Kid, you can't be out here alone! What were you thinking?! What would your parents say?!"

The word immediately brought a surge of anger to Cinder. "Stop it!" she screamed as she backed away. "You don't know anything about me, just stop it! Leave me alone!"

"..."

The silence and the request started to make Cinder cry. She was free, far away from any kind of harm for now; but that didn't change the fact that she was alone. And the Grimm taught her that this wasn't a world where one could survive on their own.

Free or not, Cinder was doomed.

"I'm sorry."

Cinder looked up at the woman again when she heard an unfamiliar phrase. "Wh... What?" she asked.

The woman kneeled down in front of Cinder as she brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you upset," she said. "I was just confused, that's all." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small handkerchief, one that she handed to Cinder. "You were the last thing I was expecting to see today, you just... surprised me."

"..."

Cinder looked at the handkerchief, but wasn't sure what to do with it. And so, the woman moved it closer to Cinder's face and wiped off a tear rolling down her cheek. The child hesitated for a moment, but quickly understood that the cloth was harmless.

"Why were you in that tree?" the woman asked when she was finished. "Did the Grimm chase you up there?"

"I..."

Cinder wasn't sure what to do at this point, since she met someone who defied all of her previous thoughts of people. She didn't want to risk being sent back to the hotel of all places, but she didn't want to be abandoned either.

"I was hungry," she said.

The woman looked back at the apple tree and understood a child on their own would surely be hungry after a while. "I see," she said. "Well... what are you doing out here?"

"...Hiding," Cinder replied.

"..."

The child immediately regretted answering the question when she saw the look on the woman's face. A million questions about her future swirled in her head, but she was certain that her freedom was over now, that this woman wouldn't stop until she was back at-

"I guess I am too."

Cinder slightly gasped when she heard this. Once again, the woman defied any expectation the child had about people older than her. And she was even more surprised when the woman offered her a hand. "Why don't you come with me?" she asked. "We'll figure out what we can do from there."

"..."

Despite the fact that this woman was nothing like she was expecting, Cinder couldn't find it in her heart to trust her acquaintance just yet. She was grateful to be alive, but she wasn't ready to relinquish her freedom just yet.

The woman wasn't offended by this, however. It was common sense not to speak to strangers after all.

"Maybe we should try this again," she said as she offered her hand again, but for a handshake this time. "My name's Lila. Lila Birch."

---

Present day

It didn't take long for Cinder to realize who she was with, which was why she immediately stood up and pointed at the woman. "It's you!" she finally said without breaking her gaze. "The Maiden before me! You're Lila Birch!"

The woman smiled and laughed at Cinder's surprise. "Yep," she replied calmly. "Good ol' Lila Birch, that's me."

From the woman's appearance to the almost carefree attitude she had while socializing, Cinder knew that nothing had changed about Lila since the last time they met. Just like before, Cinder's head became filled with a million questions about her immediate future. The first one was hard to ask, since she felt like she was experiencing an overdrive of emotion.

"I-I-I don't believe it!" Cinder finally said. "I can't believe it's you!" Without warning, Cinder embraced the woman who saved her life with a hug, something that she should have done the first day they met.

Lila kindly returned the hug to ease whatever tensions could have existed based on what Fall had told her. Her original plan was to give Cinder the perfect amount of space she needed, but she was happy to see that she provided a semblance of comfort for Cinder.

"I can't believe it either," Lila said as the two women let go of each other. "I mean, look how you've grown!" Lila was impressed by how much bigger and stronger Cinder had become. It was obvious that she wasn't the same girl she had met five years ago. "And a Fully-Realized Maiden no less! That's really impressive, Cinder."

Cinder stopped smiling when the familiarity and reality of the situation kicked in. "Oh... right," she said as she began to calm down. "Is that why you're here? You wanna hear about that?"

"No, there's no need for that," Lila replied with a smile. "Fall filled me in before I came to see you. I think you helped enough Maidens gain some knowledge for today. Now it's my turn to help you, just like I did before." Lila stopped smiling. "Well, I mean... tried to help. I'm... I'm sorry about what happened."

The memories of their first meeting were unforgettable for Cinder. From bringing brought to a mountain camp to being saved from IG-11 by her father, all the details of the incident stuck with her for many years. Not long after she began to train, Cinder wished there were some things she did differently with Lila.

Which was how Cinder knew exactly what to say next when the rare opportunity presented itself.

"No, Lila," she began. "I'm sorry." Despite not being in her actual body, Cinder felt rather hot and uncomfortable as she recounted her meeting with Lila in shame and self-loathing. And yet, she continued to speak from her heart to the previous Maiden. "You were just trying to help when we met, you were just doing what you thought was right. But I wasn't being fair to you. I was mean, closing myself off, I didn't give you the chance you-"

"Cinder, I understand now." Lila put a hand on Cinder's shoulder as she continued to speak. "You escaped one horrible woman just to encounter someone else who wanted to take you with her. How could you not be distrusting?"

Cinder's eyes widened when Lila recounted the exact thoughts she had on the first day they met. She was certain it had something to do with the void, since she never mentioned who she was hiding from.

"Yeah... I saw it all when I came here," Lila confirmed. "It's easy to understand why you weren't so trusting."

Cinder was glad to see that she was being understood, but she still felt the need to make amends. "Now it's easy to understand why you helped me," she said. "You must have been a great Maiden."

Lila chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far. I'll have to tell you about it sometime."

"I'd like that." Cinder smiled and extended a hand to Lila. "Friends?"

Lila smiled back and shook Cinder's hand graciously. "Friends."

After the duo stopped shaking hands and took a seat on the invisible floor, each of them shared their own story. Lila had seen Cinder's memories when she came to the void, but wanted to hear what she had to say about it all. She was mostly interested in the Mandalorian who adopted her, since he and IG-11 were the last opponents she faced in her life. Cinder wanted to know more about their encounter as well, since Lila hid her in a cave when the sound of gunfire reached their ears.

"I was in Atlas on a special assignment," Lila explained. "The Winter Maiden had a problem of her own, so I was called in for this one. But when I was using my powers, I didn't use them too carefully. Some Atlesian Knights belonging to some scientist saw me and tried to take me when I was weak."

"Watts," Cinder remembered. "His name was Watts."

"Yeah, that's right. I found out later that he had his eye on the Maidens for a while, for you-know-who. And after I finished my mission, he took his chance and had his droids attack me. I was lucky he underestimated how fast my powers came back to me, even when I was at my weakest. I got away, but I guess he had some kinda tracker on me."

"How did you end up in Vale?"

"I was on my way to Beacon, but didn't want to attract more attention to myself. I had some friends who took me to the mountains to lay low for a while. One day, I went out hunting, and... Well, I think you know the rest."

Cinder immediately knew where the story was going. She remembered being brought to the mountain with Lila, despite some protest from her friends. She made sure to keep out of their way to dampen said protest, but things changed when the Mandalorian and IG-11 found them.

"I'm really sorry about that day," Cinder said. "My dad had no idea about the rest of the story, he thought it was just..." Cinder knew that no matter what she said, nothing could make up for the fact that Lila died much sooner than she was supposed to.

Lila sensed these feelings within Cinder, so she decided to change the subject. "Never mind that," she ordered. "I'm here to help, just like I said. Fall told me that you're trying to reconnect with your powers."

"That's right. She said the best way I can do that is to connect my body, mind, and soul together." Cinder tapped her hand to her chest. "I mean, this is supposed to be my soul right now. At least, that's what Fall said." The teenager let out a small sigh. "It's still pretty confusing."

"I know it is. But maybe I can make this next part less confusing."

Cinder looked up from her chest. "What do you mean?"

"Fall did a good job helping you connect to your body. She said it needs a little more work, but I'm gonna do something different." Lila moved closer to Cinder. "I'm going to help you connect to your mind."

Cinder immediately became surprised at the idea. She knew what Fall had said, how connecting with all three aspects could help her regain her powers and return home, but the very idea of connecting to her mind seemed foreign and impossible.

But it also sounded incredible.

"You... You can do that?" Cinder asked in astonishment. "How?"

"I'll show you," Lila said as she put a hand on Cinder's shoulder. "If you're ready."

The opportunity to reclaim her powers and return home faster was too good for Cinder to pass up. So she eagerly accepted the offer and told Lila that she would do whatever she needed to do.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Lila said. "Okay, the first thing you have to do is relax and close your eyes." Cinder immediately did so and took a deep breath to relax. With that, Lila closed her own eyes and focused on her hand. "Just one thing; this might feel... funny."

Before Cinder could ask what that meant, she soon began to feel a slight tingling sensation in her shoulder. A few seconds later, the tingling traveled across her shoulder and towards her neck. It then moved upwards until it reached her forehead. The sensation wasn't harmful, but it was indeed something her body wasn't meant to feel. Cinder grit her teeth and narrowed her already closed eyes as she tried to adjust to the feeling, but it was to no avail.

Fortunately, Lila told her that it was fine to open her eyes.

When she did so, Cinder noticed that the strange feeling had fully vanished from her body. She then became aware of her surroundings, which seemed to tell her that she was still in the void. Whiteness continued to entirely surround her.

But there was one significant change. The ground beneath her seemed... different.

The young Maiden looked around once again as she stood up, but at the ground this time. As far as she could see, the ground was covered in unique cracks. Parts of the ground were even in the sky. Not only that, but the surfaces were also moving very slowly in various directions. It seemed the ground had broken apart and transformed into unique islands. And Cinder just realized she was standing on another island.

"What the-?" Cinder asked as she fully observed the differences. "What is this?"

"This?" a familiar voice asked from behind. Cinder quickly turned around to see Lila Birch once again, staring at the pieces of white ground that were in the sky. "This is it, kid," she said with a smile. "Welcome to your mind."

"My-?" Cinder looked around her once again while getting over the shock of Lila's declaration. "My mind?" she asked in disbelief. "This is it?"

"Actually... more like your subconscious mind," Lila replied as she moved towards Cinder. "Lemme guess; you were expecting your mind to be a little more than this?"

"..."

Honestly, Cinder was thinking that her mind was going to be more than empty spaces. She was expecting private thoughts and ideas to be manifesting around her, like she had seen in cartoons and movies. Since Cinder wasn't ready to show those private thoughts, she began to feel grateful that this wasn't the case.

"I mean, yeah, a little," she meekly answered. When the embarrassment died down, Cinder began to absorb the reality around her. "So, this is my subconscious mind, then?"

"Yep," Lila bluntly answered. "This isn't like the void. Nothing's shared with the other Maidens right now; this is all you, Cinder."

Cinder remembered what Fall said about being able to see her life and memories, and she was somewhat relieved to have a semblance of privacy again. However, this didn't answer her next question.

"But how did we get here?" she asked. "I never heard about this being a Maiden power before."

"It's not," Lila confirmed. "I'm using my Semblance right now."

"Your Semblance? What does it do?"

"It wasn't much when I discovered it. I could detect hidden emotions with people I connected with. I could see if they were more vulnerable to attracting Grimm, lying about something, even see who had a crush on who." Cinder couldn't help but chuckle at the last idea. "But as time passed, and as I used my Semblance more, I was able to make it evolve."

Cinder hummed in understanding. "I heard about Semblances evolving," she said. "I don't think mine's grown too much, though."

"Give it time, it'll grow. In my case, I was able to do more than make bonds; I was able to make emotions manifest themselves. That way, I could make negativity decoys for the Grimm. Later on, I managed to use others' emotions to cloak them from the Grimm. By the time I graduated, I made a new connection that I hadn't even imagined." Lila spread her arms. "I connected with others mentally."

"Ooooh." Cinder couldn't help but be impressed with the possibilities Lila's Semblance offered. "So that's how we got here, to my mind."

"That's right."

Cinder immediately had a bad thought. "But... you're um... you're dead," she said. "How can you use your Semblance?"

"Remember when Fall said the void makes manifestations of our souls?"

"Yeah."

"And when you learned that Auras are also manifestations of souls?"

"..."

Cinder's eyes widened as she began to put the pieces together. "So... what you're saying is..." Cinder looked at her hands before she spoke again. "This is my Aura?" She then looked over to Lila. "Our Auras?"

"Sort of," Lila replied. "Our souls manifest through Auras in the real world. But here, our souls aren't limited by the body. So we can use our Semblances without worrying about our Auras breaking. I guess you could say we're goddesses in the void."

Cinder's eyes began to light up with the information she was absorbing. It seemed that there was indeed more than met the eye where the void was concerned.

"Cool..." she whispered. Suddenly, Cinder shook her head as she told herself to focus on the task at hand. "So what are we doing here? How is this supposed to help?"

"Fall's been trying to reconnect your mind, body, and soul together," Lila explained. "While you can see your soul and your mind right now, it doesn't mean they're connected."

Cinder looked at the islands around her. "Is that why everything here looks like a mess?"

"You got it. That's why we're here; to rebuild connection. And I'm gonna help you."

Cinder, while grateful for the much-needed assistance, couldn't help but ask one more question.

"Where do we start?"

Lila looked towards the floating pieces of ground before her. "There's a theory about Auras and Semblances," she began. "One that I really like. Some people think that one's personality and character can define their Semblance; I also heard it works the other way around. And given what my Semblance can do, it's a valid theory."

"So you think my Semblance is a result of who I am?" Cinder asked.

"It's possible. So, here's what I want you to do." Lila moved closer. "We're going to explore the emotions that make up your Semblance. Since it's related to your Aura, we can connect your soul to your mind. Then we'll work our way up to the Maiden powers."

"Okay. But how's my mind related to this?"

"It'll be easier if I show you." Lila put a hand on Cinder's shoulder and closed her eyes. "Now, think about the time you first used your Semblance. How were you feeling that day?"

"..."

Cinder closed her eyes and thought back onto the day she unlocked her Semblance. It wasn't hard, the memory was a very significant one. However, the circumstances surrounding it were also significant.

"You missed a spot!"

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

"Say it!"

"Without you... I am nothing."

Cinder's memories brought up one certain emotion, which answered Lila's question. "Oh..." she said with a certain degree of sadness and pity. "Were they-?"

"Yes," Cinder replied as she opened her eyes. "That was them, okay? The people I ran away from."

Lila easily saw how offended Cinder was, which was the exact opposite of what she had planned for. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Its fine." Cinder was obviously lying, since her time at the Glass Unicorn was the last thing she wanted to think about. "Look, can we just-?"

*RUMBLE*

A soft but evident tremor in the ground caused Cinder to stop talking and look down. Lila followed suit, but the two of them didn't see anything happening beneath them. And so, Lila looked beyond at one of the floating islands to see a smaller one move upwards and closer to it. They were both far away, but they were still there.

"It worked," she said in disbelief. "I didn't think that anger would do it, but-"

"What, what happened?" Cinder asked as she looked where Lila was looking. "Wait... was that island there before?" Cinder pointed to the smaller island touching the larger one.

"No, it wasn't." Lila looked back to Cinder. "That's why we're here, Cinder. See, these islands represent certain things you hold close to yourself. When you channeled your emotions, and with my Semblance, we just created the cornerstones for a bridge."

"A bridge?" Cinder briefly glanced at Lila in confusion before she looked back to the island. "A bridge to where?"

"Those things that left an impact on you. The mind holds and remembers all of these things easily. It could be a favorite memory, a favorite toy, or someone very special to you. So when we make a bridge to those things-"

"I'll be making the connection!" Cinder blurted out. She then pointed to her own chest. "If this is my soul, and everything here is my mind-!"

"Now you're catching on." Lila patted Cinder's shoulder in approval. "Your mind and soul will be connected. And then a connection to your body won't be as hard."

"Okay, I get it." Cinder prepared herself to conduct the experiment again. However, she couldn't help but open her eyes when she realized what she had just done. "Wait. If I just used my anger to start building a bridge..." She turned her head towards the large island. "Does that mean... they're at the other end?"

Lila looked back to the end and nodded slowly. "These islands represent impactful people in your life, Cinder. For better or worse. I'm really sorry, I just didn't think-"

"No, it's okay," Cinder said. "Really. But... I don't think making a connection with them will help with my powers."

While Lila didn't want to offend Cinder even further, she didn't necessarily agree with that idea. She believed that a balanced mind, one that connected to both the good and the bad, was a sign of growth and maturity. Nevertheless, she was prepared to accept Cinder's request.

However, her eyes fell on to something of great significance.

"You sure you don't want to work on your Semblance?"

Cinder looked back to Lila. "Yeah, I think so," she said. "Why?"

"..."

Rather than answering, Lila pointed to where she was looking. When Cinder followed, she saw another island that was much closer than the one she believed belonged to the Madame and her family. All it needed were three more pieces of land before it could be completed.

"My Semblance helped with that?" Cinder asked. "What's on the other side?"

"My best guess is something... or someone... that's really special," said Lila. "Someone you might have used your Semblance with. You wanna try thinking about it again?"

Cinder looked back at the close island. One idea as to who it represented came to mind, and it was indeed someone she used her Semblance with. It was Din Djarin, and Cinder used her Semblance on his arm to heal him.

Cinder was expecting to see some kind of remnant of her father in her subconscious mind, but she wasn't expecting him to be so close. Then again, with all the adventures and memories they shared, it made sense. How could he not have played an important part in her life?

"Well..." Cinder began nervously. "What happens when I build the bridge? What happens when I step on the island?"

"Ah, that's the best part," Lila said excitedly. "You know how I said my Semblance is about connections? Well, once you step on that island, you'll connect to whoever or whatever the island represents. You can see where they are, what they're doing, and how much they're thinking about you."

Cinder gasped at the revelation. "You mean... you can help me see where they are? And what they're doing?"

"Exactly! It was hard to do when I was alive, but it's easy when I don't have any limits." Lila put her hand back on Cinder's shoulder. "So, you wanna think about your Semblance again? It might build that bridge faster."

"..."

The logic of Lila's idea was simple, and it seemed to have given Cinder a great opportunity. She had previously stated how lonely the void was, and the young girl knew she would love to see her family and friends again.

But Cinder believed that it was unlikely that Djarin would say the same.

"Um... maybe we should try my powers," the Fall Maiden replied.

"Really?" Lila asked calmly. "...Okay. I'm ready when you are."

Cinder closed her eyes after taking a deep breath. "I'm ready."

With that confirmation, closed her eyes again and spoke. "Okay, Maiden powers it is. When you first realized you were using them, how did that make you feel?"

"..."

Cinder thought back on the first times that she used her powers. Once again, the memories came back with clarity. She remembered accidentally destroying a part of Pietro Polendina's house as well as Djarin holding a mirror close to her face. In simpler words, Cinder was confused and scared the day she was granted her powers.

But then, she remembered how she used them to save her father from a wild Rinocer. While she didn't know exactly how she did it at the time, Cinder felt something that she hadn't thought of before that day.

Pride.

*RUMBLE*

The ground shook again, but with more force than last time. Three more islands rose from the invisible ground and moved to two different islands. Two of the three moved to one island to form a longer bridge than before while the third moved to the same island as before.

"I see," Lila said as she looked around. "I guess those are valid feelings for what happened."

Cinder, while proud of herself once again for starting two different bridges, found herself feeling one more emotion. She hadn't felt it before, but it was easier now that Lila Birch was here with her.

Cinder felt guilty for what happened the day she got them.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute," Lila said as she let go of Cinder. "Why are you feeling guilty?"

After Cinder realized that Lila's ability to sense her guilt was obvious, she decided to take another break from connecting her mind and soul to answer the question.

"You're here because of me," the young girl replied. "I knew that my... that Djarin was in Vale, but I didn't say anything. If I hadn't been there, at the mountain, you might have lived. I wouldn't have held you back." Cinder looked down in shame. "Maybe you would've helped at Beacon better than I did."

"..."

It would've been a lie if Lila said she didn't mind being in the void, or that Cinder was now the Fall Maiden. Her death was untimely and she too experienced the panic of being in the void like every Maiden before her. There was even a time when she wondered what could have happened if she had survived and beaten the Mandalorian and the droid.

However, these thoughts were put aside when Lila visited a memory of her own. One that she was ready to share with Cinder.

"It's okay, kiddo," she said. "You probably won't believe me, but I know how you feel."

Cinder looked up from the ground and dried one of her eyes. While this was a typical thing for a person to say, Cinder was expecting an agreement or a reminder that there was nothing she could do about it now. However, Lila's reply was so unexpected that Cinder almost believed her.

"...You do?" she asked.

"Sure, I do," Lila replied. "When I became the Fall Maiden, I had trouble sleeping for weeks. You see, the previous Maiden and I were really close. She was actually my mentor." Lila began to smile. "One of the best Huntresses I've ever met. So, when she and Ozpin told me about the real fight at hand, I was honored when she asked me to be her replacement. I said 'yes,' mainly because I thought we'd have more time together before she died." Lila stopped smiling. "I was wrong. She died right by my side."

"...Oh," Cinder whispered. "Lila, I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Lila slowly nodded before she spoke again. "When the powers came to me, I wasn't sure what to do. I wasn't sure I could ever be the Maiden she was. I couldn't stop thinking about what could have happened if she lived or if I managed to protect her. But in the end... I just had to accept the fact that she was gone. That I was the Maiden now." Lila made eye contact with the girl in front of her to emphasize her next point. "Cinder, like it or not, there's nothing you can do for me now. All you can do is what you promised earlier; be the best Maiden you can possibly be."

"..."

Cinder remembered her promise, but hearing it come from the Maiden before her gave her a new sense of confidence and inspiration. She was saddened to hear that there was nothing she could do to help Lila now, but the sadness was replaced by hope when she knew that Lila now believed in her.

Maybe it was time for Cinder to start believing in herself from now on.

"But... I wasn't chosen," Cinder replied, feeling one last twinge of doubt. "You didn't choose me to be the next Maiden."

"...No," Lila confirmed. "No, you weren't chosen like I was. When I remembered you were in the cave right before I died, the power came to you." Despite this being the truth, Lila refused to let it hold Cinder back. "But think about all you did, Cinder. You've saved dozens of lives, mastered every element known to our powers, and you're going to be a Fully-Realized Maiden. Besides..." Lila put her hand on Cinder's shoulder again. "You're not the first person to gain the Maiden powers through chance or coincidence."

Cinder welcomed the surprise with a pair of widened eyes. "I... I'm not?"

"No. And those who did left their own impact on the world, like you did."

Cinder swallowed the truth without a single problem. At first, she began to think that maybe she shouldn't doubt herself any more. But now, that idea was completely tossed out the window.

Now it was definitely time to stop doubting herself.

With that, Cinder closed her eyes and concentrated on Lila's hand on her shoulder. "Ready when you are," she said.

"That's the spirit," Lila thought proudly to herself. She then closed her own eyes and began to use her Semblance again. "Think of a time when you used your powers the way you think they should have. How did that make you feel?"

"..."

Cinder looked back on the time she used her Maiden powers. An argument could be made that she used them wisely when she began to train with Ozpin, but there were times before they met when Cinder used them to help and defend people. Whether it was her father, her friends, or complete strangers, Cinder had used the power of the Fall Maiden to help those who needed it most.

In those times, Cinder felt pride once again. However, she also felt brave and confident, like she could do anything she put her mind to.

*RUMBLE*

Cinder opened her eyes once again to see various pieces of rock move towards different islands. Some had more than others, but the bridges that Cinder was going to use to connect her mind and soul together were growing by the second.

"That's good," Lila said as she watched the bridges grow.

"Let's keep going!" Cinder said with enthusiasm. "I don't need to stop now!"

"Okay, let me think." Lila pondered on points in Cinder's life where both the Maiden powers and strong emotions were present. Fortunately, she was able to find a good idea. "Think about the people in your life who know about your powers and what you can do with them. What's the one feeling you have with them?"

"..."

Cinder mentally named all the people who knew she was the Fall Maiden. They were few in number, but strong in sprit and their dedication. And that's exactly how Cinder felt with them: strong.

*RUMBLE*

The strength Cinder felt for her comrades was even strong enough to lift a multitude of stepping stones. They went in various directions once again, and some of them did exactly what Lila wanted; they formed a bridge.

"Oh-ho, look at that!"

Cinder opened her eyes to see the same thing that Lila was looking at. There were three bridges that connected to three different islands, including the one that she believed connected to Djarin. But rather than crossing that bridge, Cinder decided to travel up to one of the other islands.

"Let's save the best for last," Cinder said as a temporary excuse. She then began to climb multiple stones with Lila by her side towards one island in the sky. The stones were simple to cross, as if an invisible force beneath it made it act as solid ground. When they got to the large island, it appeared to be similar to the first piece of land the duo found themselves on.

Until a green orb with a yellow light emerged from the ground.

"Whoa!" Cinder said in surprise as she slightly flinched back. "Where did that come from?"

"Ah, that's the best part," Lila explained as she moved closer. "This is what we're looking for, kiddo."

"What is it?"

"A manifestation of the emotions you used to make the bridge, as well as your connection to the person this island represents."

"Who is it?"

Lila gestured to the orb. "Let's find out. All you have to do is touch it."

"..."

"Go on, it won't bite."

Cinder approached the glowing orb and reached out towards it. When she touched it, the orb remained right where it was. Rather than moving or falling back into the ground, the orb began to pulse as a voice sounded all around Cinder.

"You told me you believed you could do more as the Fall Maiden. And I now see you were right."

Although the voice disappeared, Cinder easily matched it with its owner. "It's Ozpin!" she said with glee. Suddenly, the orb began to show an image of Ozpin himself, similar to how Salem used a Grimm of her own to meet Cinder. At the moment, Cinder could see that Ozpin was sitting at a desk while looking over some kind of documents. He appeared to be overworked and tired, but he was still alive.

Which made Cinder very happy.

Lila smiled at the sound of the voice and the emotions that matched how Cinder viewed the Headmaster of Beacon. "You hold him in really high standard," she said.

"Yeah, Ozpin's great," Cinder agreed with a smile. "He's wise, kind... he taught me everything I know about my powers. I don't know where I'd be if he didn't teach me."

"Same here." Lila looked down the bridge. The cracks that made up each small stone disappeared as the bridge became whole. Cinder's connection with Ozpin was whole once again. Lila smiled in pride as she gestured for Cinder to join her. "Come on, let's see who's on the other bridge."

Cinder obeyed and noticed how the bridge was in one whole piece rather than multiple stones. Taking this as a sign of progress, Cinder walked at a faster pace towards the center island. Once again, she decided to wait to build her connection to her father and see who was on the next bridge.

Once again, the path to the island was long. But when Cinder saw another orb, a red one this time, she touched it without hesitation and heard another voice.

"You haven't seen it, but I think I've done a good job at putting Salem's plans at a halt. Oz knows that's the best way we can hurt her. And you better believe you hurt her in those tunnels."

Cinder recognized the new voice and welcomed it gladly. "It's Qrow!" she said as she looked at the orb. Once again, Lila's Semblance allowed her to see an image in the orb. This time, it was Qrow enjoying a drink after killing a pack of Ursai. "That's Qrow Branwen!"

"Oh, yeah," Lila said as she recalled the voice. "I met him once or twice. But it looks like you know him better than I did."

"Yeah, I saw him almost every day. He and Dad are friends, but he likes to hang out with me too. And he taught me how to be brave when I thought I couldn't be." Cinder thought back on the day when she wasn't sure if she could tell Djarin about her desire to find her birth-parents, and how Qrow gave her the courage she needed to do so.

Once again, the bridge that Cinder made became a solid piece rather than floating pieces of debris. It was starting to become clear that Cinder's subconscious mind was slowly coming to order compared to the silent chaos she observed earlier. And now it was time to see who else Cinder was connected to in her mind.

"Let's try something a little more basic," Lila said as she joined Cinder at the center island. "You've done a lot with your Semblance and the Maiden powers. How about we see what you're capable of."

"Um... what do you mean?" Cinder asked as she failed to understand Lila's plan.

"You've done a lot in your life without both of those things. You've been with friends and lots of people who had to be kept in the dark. We should see how they've impacted your life and vice-versa."

"Oh, so what I did by myself? Without my powers?"

"Exactly. Wanna give it a shot?"

"Sure." Cinder moved closer and closed her eyes as she felt Lila put a hand on her shoulder.

"Okay, let's see..."

Lila thought on everything she did without her powers when she was alive and tried to connect those experiences with Cinder. When she thought of the friends she made herself, Lila soon had an idea.

"How would you say you try to act with your friends?" she asked. "What do you think they admire you for?"

"..."

Cinder easily found herself puzzled by the question. Not that she had trouble understanding it, but rather that it was a very good question. The circumstances of her life had forced her to discover what it meant to be a friend to others, and how to do so without her powers.

The people she considered to be her closest friends were Djarin, Winter, and Korkie. She had been through so much with them since she met them, and she thought about how she impacted their lives.

The best answer, one that Cinder wasn't trying to brag about, was that Cinder made sure to be there for them when they needed it. She was with Djarin with almost every battle he needed to fight, she was with Winter whenever her cruel father loomed over her, and she was with Korkie whenever he needed her.

And so, Cinder liked to think of herself as a loyal friend. She believed her loyalty was something her friends respected about her.

And according to the new pieces of land, Cinder was right.

"Good," Lila said proudly. "That's a good feeling. Okay, let's try something else; do you think you can tell me what your friends mean to you?"

"..."

"I'm sure they're all different, but can you think of the strongest feeling you have for them?"

"..."

Once again, Cinder believed the question to be a good one. There was once a time where Cinder had no friends at all, where she only had herself to depend on. And yet, she welcomed the friends she made with open arms when she had the chance. Each of them presented Cinder with new aspects of enjoying life, from Djarin teaching her about the Mandalorians to Winter simply enjoying her company.

All of this and more was how Cinder was able to resonate one emotion with all of the friends she made.

Love.

*RUMBLE*

Cinder and Lila opened their eyes and looked to see that more and more pieces of land had risen from the invisible ground and connected to the larger islands. Not only that, but they also connected to the island Cinder and Lila were standing on.

"That did it," Lila said in satisfaction. "So, where do you wanna go first?"

Cinder examined each of the islands. One was closer than the others, and she had a good idea as to who it represented. "Let's go to that one," she said as she pointed to the island.

Rather than waiting for acknowledgment, Cinder made her way to the island as fast as she could. There, she saw a blue orb in the center. Hesitation was nowhere to be seen as Cinder eagerly pressed the orb.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, Cinder. But when things are under control, I'm making sure you stop talking nonsense and get your head out of your behind."

Cinder couldn't help but laugh at the memory. Winter was always a no-nonsense type of person, but this was one of the times Cinder took inspiration from this quality.

"Who's that?" Lila asked as she caught up to Cinder.

"Her name's Winter," the Maiden replied without looking up from the orb. "She's my best friend. Well, besides my dad. She's from Atlas, and-Wait, what's that?"

Once again, the orb moved to show an image of the person that Cinder shared a valuable bond with. However, there was something different about Winter that Cinder couldn't ignore.

Where one of the girl's eyes should have been, there was an eyepatch instead.

"Oh, my Gods," Cinder whispered in shock.

With the first two islands, Lila let Cinder look at the people alone, since the bonds she formed with them were hers and hers alone. But the surprise Cinder was expressing was making her nervous enough to see what was going on.

"Is something wrong?" Lila asked as she moved to the image.

"There!" Cinder said as she pointed at the orb. "Winter never wore an eyepatch before! Something must have happened to her!"

"Oh, you're right."

Despite the fact that Winter appeared to be unharmed otherwise, and she was currently practicing her Semblance with her swords, Cinder became extremely worried about the well-being of her other friends. And so, she quickly ran over to another island, one that had another green orb in the center.

"Thank you, Cinder! You're the best friend anyone could ever have!"

"...Penny?" Cinder asked out loud. "That's... weird." As she began to calm down, Cinder turned to see that Lila had joined her once again. "Um, Lila? Does your Semblance work with people in my life who died?"

"Who died?" Lila repeated. "No, I'm sorry. I can only use it for people who are alive. Why do you ask?"

Cinder looked back to the orb. "This one's about a girl named Penny. I didn't know her for too long, but she was someone I could open up to."

Lila remembered seeing Penny in Cinder's memories, but she also remembered something else. "I'm sorry, but isn't she the one who-?"

Cinder nodded. "She was murdered by the Mandalorians. So why would my mind be able to-?" Cinder stopped talking when an image in the orb formed. And sure enough, there was Penny Polendina.

And she was with her father.

"That's it, sweetheart," said Pietro Polendina. "Take it slow. Nice and easy."

Penny began to walk towards the aging scientist, one step at a time. When she made it to the other room, her familiar smile seemed to brighten the entire room. "I do not want to speak too soon... but it seems I am as good as new, Dad!" she said with glee.

"That's my girl!"

Now it was Cinder's turn to smile, since she understand what was going on. "Oh, my Gods," she said. "He rebuilt her. He actually brought her back!" Cinder moved away from the orb and began to laugh. "This... This is the best news I've heard in forever!" Lila decided to stay silent and let Cinder enjoy this moment.

The moment ended surprisingly fast, as Cinder decided that she had been granted enough courage to do something she had been putting off for far too long. Lila seemed to recognize this as well, and decided that the other islands could wait.

"You got this, kid," she said as she led Cinder back to the mainland. The teenager simply nodded after she took a deep breath.

As Cinder walked across the bridge she made to her father, her nerves and excitement grew with each step she took. She loved the idea of seeing if he was safe and sound, but she was still unsure about the status he held her in. Perhaps Djarin would still consider Cinder his daughter, just like Fall believed. Or Djarin could understandably hold a grudge like Cinder believed.

Nevertheless, there was only one way to find out.

Cinder stepped onto the large island and moved towards the center. And just like before, there was another glowing orb in the center. Unlike the ones she saw for everyone else, this orb was gold. It was shining even brighter than the other orbs.

"I told you your bond was strong," Lila said proudly as she joined Cinder. "Go ahead."

"Okay," Cinder said with a deep breath. "Here I go." With that, she moved her hand forward to touch the orb. When it disappeared, she once again heard voices. Now she was hearing the voice of her father.

But what she heard only confused her.

"I have done nothing but fight for the honor of the Way of the Mandalore. It is the one thing, the only thing I know."

"Huh?" Cinder asked out loud. "I don't remember him saying that."

Just like before, the orb began to show an image of who the island represented. Din Djarin was indeed talking, but he was also with someone else; it was the Armorer, the leader of the Children of the Watch.

"Yet you did not waver from endangering both Founder and Foundling tonight," the Armorer boldly declared. "Nor did you waver from removing your helmet to your daughter."

"We are our own clan," Djarin argued.

The Armorer appeared to be unaffected by the argument. "Only until one or the other dies. This is the Way."

"..."

As she watched the Mandalorians talk, Cinder became more and more confused about the nature of this argument. What started it? And did Djarin really endanger the people around him?

Silence soon fell on the area. Cinder had known her father for a long time, including how he could express emotions despite hiding his face. Right now, Djarin's body language displayed a sort of surrendering, akin to being beaten and left without many options.

But more importantly, Cinder was seeing her father feel hopeless and alone.

And that was making her very, very angry.

"Where the tribe is concerned... you are a Mandalorian... no more."

---

"..."

Din Djarin felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest.

Shame, devastation, and uncertainty swelled in its place as the Armorer's claim repeated itself in his head. While it was true that he had been away from the tribe for a long time, it was the first home and family he ever knew since he was an orphan.

Now, it had all been taken from him.

It was never Djarin's intention to hurt the tribe by accepting Cinder, but the Armorer's words were true. Maybe it would be best to leave the tribe alone and focus on Salem.

But to be a Mandalorian no longer? To be some pretender wearing armor that didn't belong to him? To be some... apostate?

Djarin didn't know if he could do anything or say anything to argue otherwise. The last time he argued with the Armorer, the truth was on her side. And her mind was very hard to change. How could Djarin continue to live like this?

Of course, the truth seemed evident.

For better or worse... this is the Way.

*BAM*

Djarin turned at the sound of something moving behind him, but it appeared that he had looked too late. The small hut he was standing in had not appeared to have changed; nothing had fallen over, nothing had been dropped, and Cinder was still asleep.

But she wasn't resting like before.

When the Jedi Knight Revan came into the hut, the only thing that was visible beneath a blanket over Cinder was her head. Now, Cinder's right hand was hanging over the side of the bed. And the blanket had apparently been shifted by the young girl beneath it.

"What?" Djarin asked out loud as he rushed over to the bed. The Armorer's words felt equivalent to prattle when Djarjn realized that the only person that could have caused this was Cinder.

She had moved. All by herself.

"She moved," the Mandalorian realized in a mixture of hope and uncertainty. Since his back was turned, he needed some kind of confirmation as to how she moved. So despite the new relationship the Armorer had established between them, Djarin turned to the clan's leader. "Did you see her move? What did she do?"

"..."

"Tell me, what did she do?!" Djarin implored.

"..."

The Armorer remained silent, but she began to back away. Djarin's eyebrows moved upwards in surprise since he had seen this kind of movement before. The Armorer wasn't moving naturally, she wasn't moving like a person who wanted to go somewhere else or had something to do.

The short, rapid movement of feet while hitting the wall behind her told the Mandalorian that the Armorer was also surprised. Not just surprised, but afraid. Cinder had done something to scare the Armorer.

But what was it?

"Cinder?" Djarin asked as he looked back to his daughter. "Cinder, can you hear me?"

"..."

Before he could ask again, a new but familiar voice reached the Mandalorian's ears. Greef Karga had returned with Nevarro's best doctor.

"Here we are," Karga said as he moved past the Armorer. "So, how do you wanna do this, Mando? Try to move the whole bed or-?"

"She moved," Djarin quickly replied.

"Huh?"

"Cinder moved, Greef!"

The doctor quickly rushed over to Cinder and examined both the machine she was connected to and the bed. "What do you mean she moved?" he asked calmly. "What happened?"

"I... didn't see it," Djarin admitted. "I was talking to the Armorer, my back was turned. But she moved! I heard it!"

Greef began to turn to the Armorer. "You saw it? What ha-?" Greef realized that he was talking to nobody when he turned his head. He looked around his entire surroundings before he saw her back at her armory, which was about twenty feet from Cinder's hut. "How did she-? Jeez, she can really run when she needs to."

The doctor finally stopped looking at Cinder and looked back to Djarin. "Her vitals are still normal," he said. "I'm sorry, Mr. Djarin. But I don't think this means too much."

"But she moved by herself!" Djarin insisted.

"Brief spasms and spontaneous movements aren't uncommon for comatose patients. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but this isn't a good or bad sign. Unfortunately... Cinder is still in her coma. I'm sorry."

"..."

Djarin's hope began to fleet as fast as the blink of an eye. Despite the apparent movement, the clan of two wasn't out of the woods yet. Perhaps it would be best to forget the whole thing for now.

"Let's just get her to the Razor Crest," Djarin said as he moved downwards. He saw four wheels on the bottom of the bed and he moved a switch by each one of them. "Greef, can you steer while I push?"

"Sure, no problem," Karga replied as he took the other end of the bed. The doctor moved out of the way and began to push the medical equipment as the friends pushed the bed. "Don't look so glum, Mando. Maybe she's getting used to not moving her body for a month."

"...Maybe."

Karga looked back towards the camp, specifically to the armory. "I could ask the Armorer what she saw before we go. What did you say you two were talking about?"

Djarin looked back to the armory and each Mandalorian he saw as he walked. To think that this would be the last time he could do so freely made his heart weigh even heavier in his chest. Nevertheless, he was able to hide these emotions well.

"Nothing important."

---

"Whoa-ho! Easy there, killer!"

Cinder and Lila were currently kneeling on the ground of the island. There was nobody else with them, there was no sign of a strong wind; but something had knocked them over.

It was an invisible force, like an earthquake had just occurred beneath their feet. Neither of the women were hurt, but Cinder was feeling different. When she learned what was happening to her father, how he was reportedly no longer a Mandalorian, Cinder felt a multitude of emotions. The emotions seemed to have served as a sort of rejuvenating force, one that made her feel a surge of strength that she hadn't felt in a long time.

And judging by the moving image of her father claiming that she moved on her own, Cinder began to understand that there was more to the surge than she believed.

When the shock died down, Lila quickly moved to Cinder to help her stand. "Did... I do that?" she asked as she came off the ground.

"Uh-huh," Lila said as she let go of Cinder's hand. Despite her feelings of the Mandalorian's involvement in her death, Lila couldn't deny the truth. "Your dad's a really special guy, huh?"

"What do you mean?" Cinder asked.

"I've seen reactions like this before. Usually when the body comes under stress or some kind of outside force. Especially when a bond like this is strong."

Cinder's eyes widened as Lila made her point. "Wait, did you say... my body?"

Lila sensed the hope in Cinder's voice and was happy to confirm it. "That I did. You just went the extra mile, Cinder."

Cinder's smile began to grow wider and wider. "You mean... I reconnected with my body?"

Lila looked around the islands for any more activity, but nothing was to be found. "Looks like it was temporary, but yes."

As Cinder understood that her connection to her mind, body, and soul was getting better, a wide smile spread across her face. Her time in the void had taught her much, mainly how to never give up when all seemed lost. She also gained much wisdom from the past Maidens, which provided comfort she desperately needed. But now, Cinder's heart was filled with something she had almost forgotten.

Hope.

Cinder's activities today sparked hope within her, hope that she could return home, continue fighting, and possibly being one of the best Maidens Remnant had ever known. Cinder had made promises like these in the void before, but now she had every confidence that she could make these promises a reality.

But first, she had to make this connection permanent.

"Let's do it again!" Cinder enthusiastically requested. "What do we do?! Where do we start?!"

Lila looked around Cinder again. "Doesn't look like we can do much more around here," she said. "Everything's looking better than it did before."

"But we can't stop now! I'm so close!"

"I know, and I'm proud of what we did. But as far as I'm involved, I've done all I can."

While she was beginning to understand that her quest in her own mind was complete, Cinder's spirits began to fade as a bad thought came into being.

"Is it... because I was mad?" she asked. "That I didn't control myself?"

"What the-?" Lila thought in astonishment. "No, of course not! You did good, we did good!" Lila soon realized why Cinder was upset; she was getting the idea that only negativity could restore her body. "Cinder, I get why you were mad. You recognized a threat to someone you hold dear, and you reacted. I mean, you weren't going to hurt... whoever was talking to your dad, were you?"

"No," Cinder replied. "I was just going to tell her off, that's all. I did it before, and I wanted to do it again. I mean, this was kinda impulsive, but my dad needed help."

"And you'll give it to him. But right now, we gotta focus on yourself. Know what I mean?"

"...Yeah. Got it."

While she was still happy at the progress she made, Cinder wished she could help her father here and now rather than in the future. Lila recognized this, so she offered a hand to Cinder with a smile. "Come on," she said politely. "Let's tell Fall how close we are to getting you home."

---

"Okay, just a little more to the left... There! That's perfect!"

Djarin and Karga moved away from Cinder's medical bed and looked at the position she was in. Her bed was against the wall of a slightly larger room than before, one that had a window that would give the sleeping girl fresh air and sunlight. The owner of this room was a woman with green eyes and brunette hair that was slightly beginning to gray. She owned many rooms like the one Cinder was residing, since it was part of an inn she ran by herself.

Her name was Emily, but everyone always called her "Auntie Em." And she was a friend of the Mandalorian, one that Cinder knew herself.

"You were right," Djarin said as he looked at the room. "This is perfect for Cinder." He then looked at his old friend. "I'll have the rent for our rooms at the end of each week."

"Oh, don't pay for both rooms, Mando," Auntie Em insisted. "Your room will be enough. This one's on me."

"Are you sure? You might need the money. And I might be drawing unnecessary atten-"

"That's nothing I haven't handled before Mando. Besides, this place has seen worse than what's going on right now."

"...Thank you."

"My pleasure."

"..."

Auntie Em quickly noticed that Djarin wanted to be alone for a little while, so she excused herself and left the room. Karga, however, stayed behind for a minute longer.

"You sure you wanna stay in Vacuo?" he asked. "I'm sure this is the best place to lay low, but I never heard the safest things about this place."

"Neither have I," said the Mandalorian. "That's what makes it perfect. Besides, Ozpin said he needs my help with the surplus of students coming this way."

"Ah, point taken." Greef felt a soft vibration in his pocket and took out a Scroll he was carrying. "Good news; the doc said he'll have someone from the city check on Cinder when they can. But he needs to get back to Vale. I think I do too."

"..."

Greef took another look at Cinder before he changed his mind. "I can try to stall if you-"

"Go where you're needed, Greef," Djarin said politely. "We'll be fine."

"You got it." Karga made his way to the door. "Take care, Mando."

"You too."

Djarin soon found himself to be alone with not just a comatose Cinder, but his thoughts as well. The Armorer's words still haunted him, as did the "Jedi" who came close to making sure that Cinder would never wake up. But he could deal with Revan another day; right now, Djarin needed to think what he could do now.

The Armorer wasn't lying when she said that Djarin and Cinder's presence in the camp had risked their safety more than once. But there were times when they didn't bring war to the tribe. Perhaps it was the war that Vizsla and Saxon started that had the Armorer on edge.

But Djarin still believed banishment was an overzealous punishment. After all, had he not fought to defend the tribe whenever conflict arose in Nevarro? What would Cinder say about this?

"..."

Or rather... what did Cinder try to say about this?

The Mandalorian looked back to his daughter, who was still comatose. And yet, something happened in the hut after the Armorer made her declaration. Djarin and the Armorer knew that Cinder moved on her own, whether it was a spasm or intentional. While the former seemed to be the most logical assumption, Djarin couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it than that. After all, whatever happened was enough to scare the Armorer of all people.

Maybe, just maybe... Cinder heard what the Armorer said. And maybe she was trying to fight for him.

"He may not have been born on Mandalore... but he did a lot to show that he'll always be one of your kind."

The memory of Djarin claiming Cinder as his daughter and Cinder's defiant spirit came back to the Mandalorian naturally. He then thought back on all the times he proved himself to be a Mandalorian. Djarin was a proud warrior against humans, Faunus, and Grimm alike, and nothing could change that. Before he left, Djarin always defended his home and his people from any force that tried to eradicate it.

But more importantly, the Mandalorians were a people who respected tradition and honor above all else. While he was trying hard to do so, Djarin could not recall a time when he ever broke his word or did the opposite of what was asked of him. Even Ozpin once mentioned how Djarin understood honor towards his people and their code.

The only time he chose to break the Way of the Mandalore was when he became Cinder's father.

Cinder, however, was a Mandalorian unlike any other. She was indeed a Foundling and now an armored warrior, even the Armorer believed so. But Cinder possessed certain traits that did not fit an average Mandalorian.

Where most adhered to the Way of the Mandalore, Cinder carved her own path.

Where most saw glory in their kills, Cinder found glory in doing what she believed was right.

Where most chose loyalty to their own kind and themselves, Cinder chose to be loyal to the people counting on her to help, Mandalorian or not.

And where most were obedient to whoever they considered their leader, Cinder could be stubborn and defiant when her heart didn't agree with certain declarations; this was possibly what happened earlier.

But who could say that these traits were wrong to have? What was wrong with someone seeing a bigger picture instead of a narrowed mindset? And why should that declare who was a Mandalorian and who was not?

Djarin had heard stories of disgraced Mandalorians seeking redemption, by seeking the "living waters" beneath the mines of Mandalore. The mines were all destroyed now, but Djarin didn't believe redemption was necessary for him. In fact, it was the last thing on his mind.

For it was at this moment that Djarin had a very important epiphany.

"The Way is wrong," Djarin thought to himself. "The Way is cruel, biased... unfair." Djarin stood up and began to pace the floor. "The Saxons, the Vizslas, the Wrens, the Carids, they're all Mandalorians. But there's no way they follow the Way of the Mandalore. They didn't let it stop them from being who they are. Why should I let that stop me from being a Mandalorian? Why should that stop Cinder from being one too? She knows who she is." Djarin stopped walking. "I have to remember who I am too. The Way... can't stand in my way."

Djarin quickly walked over to Cinder and grasped her hand. "Cinder, I know you're in there," he said. "And I'm sure you can hear me too."

"..."

"I've been a fool, all these years. I raised you to know that the Way of the Mandalore was sacred, the one thing that sets us aside from any one else who called themselves Mandalorians. I taught you to honor it, follow it without question. But I was wrong."

"..."

The Mandalorian refused to let Cinder's silence stop him from sharing his epiphany. "Cinder, I had no idea how cruel and biased the Way actually is. How it made us... made me... appear to everyone else."

"..."

"Since the day I swore it, I became stubborn, closed off from anything and anyone that I didn't consider Mandalorian. Even when you told me you wanted to join us, I narrowed my sights on making you just like me, for better and worse. But I am so proud that you didn't let the Way change who you are. You became better than any Mandalorian back in Nevarro... including me."

"..."

Djarin held Cinder's hand. "I thought the Way of the Mandalore and the... the Way of the Maiden... could coexist. That we could use both to our advantage. But I was wrong. We need to be better, be open to whatever future lies ahead."

"..."

Djarin immediately stood up without breaking his grasp on Cinder's hand. "In fact, I'll start right now," he promised. "My eyes are open, thanks to you. This will be my new beginning. I'll get us started down the right path, and then... together... we'll make every Mandalorian walk it with us."

"..."

Before he began to make good on his promise, to set out into the world with his new code of honor, Djarin had one more thing to say after he remembered the last thing Cinder said to him.

"Thank you, Cinder. For everything."

---

Author's notes: hey everyone! I hope you're all having a great day today. Sorry this chapter took so long, I appreciate your patience. I don't have much to say right now, but I am still working hard on the next chapters for the current arc. And I think you'll really enjoy them.

To ARC-5597, thanks! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, thanks for reading!

To Servos New Head, I'm glad you liked my ideas for Revan. Yes, he is sort of a boogeyman for the Mandalorians as well as a Gray Jedi. The Mandalorians who saw his handiwork would definitely be afraid of him and Revan still suffered from delusional lines of thought in his final days. I hope you liked Djarin reaching the light in his tunnel, thanks for reading!

To GojiraFan455516, glad you liked my ideas for Revan! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To CT7567Rules, I have plans for the clones, don't worry. You'll see them eventually. Glad you liked the Halloween part I wrote, I hope you enjoyed yours as well. Yes, Revan is very powerful and I was took inspiration for his actions from the last fight he had in The Old Republic. Revan may suffer from delusional thinking, but he is capable of respecting others. You'll see more of this later on. I think I know the song you mentioned, I'll check it out. And lightsabers in this story are actually a person's Aura (I'll explain how Revan has two lightsabers later in the arc). You have some good ideas for vehicles and characters, I'll see if I can include them. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Once again, thank you all for reading. Don't forget to leave a comment before you go, and to all of the new favorites and followers, welcome to The Way of the Maiden.

The Court of Talons is adjourned. See you next time!