Hello Again, Happy New Year! Hope the holidays treated you guys well. Now without further ado, the chapter ! Once again, I'm sorry to report I can't commit to any specifics about the next chapter's release date.
That being said I hope you enjoy this one.
Chapter 2
So far, each step Cinder made on her journey toward destiny posed its own unique set of challenges. Infiltrating Vale's Cross Continent Transmit System tower was no exception. Detection avoidance was practically impossible. The talking heads comprising Vale's Council had at least planned that far in terms of safeguarding the technological marvel Atlas so magnanimously shared with the Kingdom.
For her that only meant having to neutralize any active resistance in a timely and conspicuous manner. A kind of stealth Cinder didn't practice when hiding in plain sight around Beacon. All the same, it was a challenge she welcomed.
To further complicate matters, there was one additional parameter for this mission; no killing. The armor adorned by the personnel of the tower came fitted with an alarm system, set to go off should any of them die. It meant her blitz on them had to thread the needle between handily knocking them down and magnanimously sparing their lives. Having determined her vector of attack, she moved out.
The skirmish was over in mere seconds. There was never any doubt in her mind.
With that taken care of, she slotted the Scroll above the appropriate module and, just like that, the package had found its receiver and Arthur Watt's virus had found its home. A home from where it shall enable Cinder to carefully comb through every detail the CCT's data banks had to offer. Maybe even influence a certain few should the need arise, before, of course, dropping the façade and having the virus expose the true heights of Ironwood's folly.
To blindly place all his faith in nuts and bolts as he has.
Her flawless performance tonight further validated Cinder's belief the path she walked was the right one. The resolve of her belief has been briefly shaken after Amber and her magical prize were stolen from her, but now the information hoarded in this facility would soon illuminate the way forward. With a hint of satisfaction, she realized that before long the secrets hermetically sealed by Ozpin and his co-conspirators will be laid bare before their eyes. Just like her; secrets completely unseen by the old Wizard and his fools today, destined to soon become their ruin; When she's finally earned the power to take anything by force.
Suddenly, the distinct sound of a woman in heels approaching came within earshot of Cinder.
The doors to the control room slid open with a mechanical sheesh as Cinder seamlessly found cover behind a console. She was concealed there well enough to hide her location, while also allowing her to steal a peek at the surprise interloper.
If there was one thing she was starting to think even the Maiden powers could not secure, that would be competent minions. Ruby Rose had somehow waltzed her way into the heart of CCT tower and no one had seen it prudent to inform Cinder via Scroll. How the tiny reaper had managed to sneak past Mercury, Emerald and Jaune truly befuddled her. She is practically doddering like a drunk in her short heels.
Cinder's opinion of Roman reached abyssal depths with this realization. His supposed bitter rivals, the team of hunters that hounded him for the past few months…was led by an actual child. She would need to have a talk with her accomplices in general once she was out of the tower.
"Is anyone there? Hello?" Ruby tried gingerly.
Oh, screw it.
Cinder revealed herself, ambling directly into the center of her new target's vision. No plan survives contact with the enemy. What ensures victory is the ability to make do once matters inevitably askew. Like they had now.
Cinder lunged with superhuman speed.
In an instant their blades locked, Cinder's Midnight against Ruby's overdesigned giant scythe. Ruby was proving herself a rank amateur before Cinder; unable to even find stable footing after each altercation. The Beacon student came dressed in her dance attire; not equipped with any way to alert anyone of Cinder's infiltration. Cinder even doubted the young huntress's dress came with any pockets for her Scroll. Something which, to the half Maiden's delight, meant she'd have the chance to dispose of this witness the old fashioned way.
Or rather she would have, had she not detected the thud of panicked footsteps rapidly approaching the room. Another was coming to the scene of the crime and that would make for one too many. Once again she'd have to prove her ability to think on her feet tonight.
Her getaway maneuvers were near instant. She shook the floor with a volley of Dust infused arrows, stopping Ruby dead in her tracks and preventing any attempt to close the distance as she made her escape. The smoke screen her fiery attack left behind concealed her features to the man entering the room just as she was exiting. She was gone and they just stood there.
Another job well done.
Her Scroll vibrated with a new message as she made her way back to the Academy grounds. It was Jaune. It didn't come as any surprise to Cinder that this complete unknown would somehow outperform both Mercury and Emerald in giving the heads up. He had also managed to fail being of any use by warning her much too late.
'Oh wait, I think Ruby left,' his message wrote. He was still typing.
'Sorry I didn't tell you sooner by the way, couldn't find a place to put the scroll in my dress. No pockets!'
As the words on the screen were registering in Cinder's mind, her Jaune flooded their correspondence with more messages. Ones clearly hoping to provide a much needed - and ideally sane - explanation.
'... I can explain.'
'See, I kinda lost a bet…'
'Well I set a bet and now I owe it to a friend.'
'Look, I also brought a suit!' He finally assuaged her as best one could over text.
It was almost a shame he remembered to explain, even as clumsily as he did. Had he not, Cinder would've had the pleasure of watching him fumble with words attempting to explain everything in person. That would be entertaining.
Let the children enjoy their antics for the night, she thought to herself. This may be their very last chance to play before it all comes crumbling down. And she'll be there to dance atop the wreckage.
Cinder strutted into Beacon Hall with earned aplomb. Tonight she brought herself one step closer to victory. With one uninterrupted motion, she channeled the magic of the Maiden and used it to mold the dust woven into her catsuit. The fabric moved and reformed as the power willed it and, in no time, Cinder was dressed to impress at Beacon; a backless sheath dress of pitch darkness, highlighted by obsidian patterns from the dust crystals on display running along its surface. Haute couture is a magic of its own.
She was greeted by a funky if insipid tune permeating across the hall. One not deafeningly loud, thankfully. No DJ to be seen, which was probably for the best, Cinder surmised. Few things are as tasteless as teens trying too hard. And trying too hard via music can only cause headaches.
Or via what passes as music, at any case.
Contrarily to Cinder's worry, the hostesses of Beacon's little event had kept things in good taste. Perhaps a tinge bland, but that was a compromise she was willing to bear tonight.
A quick survey around the hall confirmed she had made the right call in attire. Not too revealing but not too modest. The student body had generally gone with simpler sartorial themes, with monochrome and pastel dresses being dominant among the women and the standard academy uniforms complimented with neckwear among the men. The hostesses themselves had gone with elegant if puerile simple white dresses, probably making a point about form over function. Or maybe playing host was their way of avoiding too much attention to begin with.
Children are such prudes sometimes. And somehow blowhards all the same.
Although one Faunus student did elect to go for a bolder look, Cinder noticed. Bold and ridiculous.
Learn to button your shirt.
Her entrance had struck the balance between eye-catching and unpretentious she was aiming for. Many were turning their heads in her direction as she ambled deeper into the court, some letting their eyes linger longer than others. Others still seemed to be focused elsewhere. A crestfallen Mercury among them. Lamenting the untimely demise of a giant fruit punch bowl, whose glass remains Cinder could see shattered and scattered before the credenza.
An accident had taken place prior to her entrance.
Was this what kept them from giving me a warning earlier ?
She put a raincheck on that thought as her vision caught Emerald approaching. Always eager to be near her mentor.
"Cinder! I'm so sorry! We would had warned you, but Mercury had gathered way too much attention to himself right after Ruby had-" Emerald began.
"There's no need to pry other people's business, dear Emerald", Cinder cut her off lest any eavesdropper intercepted whatever details her fumbling subordinate might let slip.
"Now, what happened to Mercury?"
"What happened to the punch, you mean," Mercury corrected, beating Emerald to the punch as he joined in on their conversation.
"The punch," Cinder intoned.
"The punch," Emerald confirmed.
"Nora Valkyrie, the girl from Nikos's team, punched the punch," Mercury finally clarified.
"I think you'll find the turn of phrase is 'spiked the punch'," Cinder corrected.
"No, that was Xiao Long. Valkyrie punched the punch. Left hook."
Cinder pinched the ridge of her nose in defeat. Mercury decided he would elaborate further.
"See, after her team's group dance thing, they decided to celebrate. And Valkyrie celebrated all over my gin spiked pineapple and cola."
"You know, drinking gin, pineapple and cola together is weirder than punching glass, she did you a favor," added a smug Emerald.
"At least I narrowly avoided the splash zone," scoffed Mercury. Clearly some others weren't that lucky, ergo the scene. But still no logical explanation for what devilry compelled Mercury to imbibe that pineapple concoction. Nora Valkyrie did him a favor.
"So what's in store for the rest of the night?" Thankfully Emerald was there to readjust the trio's focus.
Cinder elected not to spend the night with her socially awkward minions.
"The package has been delivered. You can run along now and frolic with your…classmates. Only, avoid any more splash zones, Mercury."
The silver haired man took the hint and quietly withdrew. Emerald begrudgingly followed, understanding her leader's patience for them had started to run thin. The girl was visibly dejected by the thought.
Don't beat yourself up too much, Emerald. There's only so much malarkey one can tolerate.
With those two taken care of, she turned her attention to finding her third assistant for the night. Her impromptu dance date was easy to spot; approaching her clothed in the same school uniform-turned tux every boy had gone with. He had just returned to the hall from somewhere and was currently trying to make his approach known to her by waving wildly in her direction. And stopping every other step to tighten his bowtie.
And every step after to ensure he waved at her enough times to be seen by the blind.
And to check if his laces were tied securely.
Is he doing these theatrics on purpose, wondered Cinder. She wouldn't lower herself to waving back at him.
"Hey! Hello!" the eager teen exclaimed as he closed the distance.
"And here I thought the plan was for me to make an entrance."
"Entrance ? Oh, right. I had to leave to get dressed again." he explained. It didn't explain much.
"Again ?" she raised an eyebrow.
"My man!"An admirer of Jaune suddenly appeared to interrupt her. A tall student with an abhorrent fashion sense, noticed Cinder. He must've also spotted the blond's loud return.
But seriously, goggles?
"Killer moves back there, Jaune!" He declared fervently.
"Hehe, thanks," Embarrassment creeped into Jaune's voice as he tentatively accepted the other boy's compliment.
"Seriously, you were great ! Plus I was worried you were gonna set the bar too high for us guys when I saw you go to the dance floor. Turns out you showed up the girls!"
"Haha, Thanks Neptune! I think…" Jaune's hand awkwardly reached for the back of his head, ruffling his hair. Clearly feeling a tinge awkward.
"And, oh! Excuse my manners: Neptune. Neptune Vasilias." The teen introduced himself to Cinder with a half bow and an extended hand. Likely inviting her own hand to rest in his palm.
How can a man so young already have mastered the art of appearing that smarmy and overweening stumped Cinder. She supposed she should've expected to be approached by a vain teen who fancied himself a ladies man at a place like this. Though she'd rather not say anything, she elected to introduce herself using words alone, choosing to ignore Neptune's gesture. One world, rather; as few as she could spare.
"Cinder." She flatly stated.
"I didn't see you around earlier, guessing you just joined us."
"Yes well, my date was preoccupied changing into…men's wear. It wouldn't do for us to appear separately." Cinder purred as she leaned her head to rest on Jaune's shoulder. To the blond's credit, he didn't jump up at Cinder's unannounced theatrics. Cinder was pleased at that, she could see their little performance achieved the desired result on the blue haired flirt.
He took the clue, she could see it on his face. But to further drive the point, Jaune added something more.
"You know, Neptune, this is the perfect moment to ask Weiss for a dance, the slower tracks are starting to play."
So that buffoon was who the Schnee elected to choose over the goofy blonde ? Cinder couldn't help but let a snide smicker escape her.
"Haha, yea…totally... And thanks again, man." The idea didn't seem to enthuse Neptune. Cinder questioned if Weiss was this bad of a date. Jaune really is lucky if that's the kind of date the little heiress chose over him, after all. It would be reasonable to deduct the heiress must be equally rancid.
"Don't mention it, Neptune. You'd have done the same." The bashful teen said. Clearly not being nearly as annoyed by Neptune as Cinder was.
"I don't know If I would have before," the taller boy admitted " but I have your back now! I already liked your video on Dustnet!"
"My….video?" Jaune was lost.
"You know, of team JNPR's dance number!"
"Oh…that's already online. Figures." Jaune mumbled in bitter defeat. Neptune didn't seem to notice.
"Yup! Be seeing you guys! Nice to meet you, Cinder. You're one lucky guy, Jaune!" The Vacuan hunter said his goodbyes as he turned around and got lost in the crowd once again.
"Man, first time I wished the CCT didn't exist." A despondent Jaune murmured to himself.
"Monkey's paw." Cinder commented.
"What ?"
"Nothing," she dismissed, "I do believe you owe me a dance now."
She ended up being the one to invite him to dance, exchanging pleasantries with the prom's attendees growing dull fast. She signaled him to follow by raising her right hand at a right angle, her gloved palm facing forward, steadfast but relaxed. Jaune picked up on the idea behind the gesture and mirrored the motion, their palms hovering parallel to each other as they strutted to the dance area.
Jaune had certainly made an impression on his fellow dance attendees; Cinder could see how people would steal glances at the two of them as they cut their way through the crowd. That was partly to be expected, exceedingly rare prize that she was. What piqued her interest, however, were the approving comments and cheers Jaune was getting. Comments complimenting the boy, not for landing her, but for skill on the dance floor. She was pleased. Yet another calculated risk she'd taken tonight was paying off; she'd gotten herself a dancer who won't foul up her performance and enjoyment of the night with incompetence. She made a mental note to look up that group dance number of his on Dustnet before bringing everything down.
Despite Cinder's newfound confidence in him, Jaune's expression betrayed how pressured to perform he felt.
By the time they'd arrived, Cinder could nearly feel jaune's sweaty palms through her velvety glove. Which wasn't pleasant. Despite his previous exploits winning over so many, a sort of pressure was inhibiting him.
"Just pretend they don't exist." She advised snapilly. Whatever hangup he had, she wouldn't have it.
"It's not them," he managed, his free hand opening and closing; possibly a subconscious tick.
Cinder realized what the problem was.
What a dork.
The couples dancing were holding onto each other in a closed position, the leads holding their partners with their right hands hugging theirs …and their lefts resting on their partners waists.
The nervous looks Jaune has been shooting Cinder were to allude to this triviality. He looked for approval, for permission before he made a move clearly much too bold for him normally. He was just too self conscious to ask.
Cinder tacitly sighed.
There was no helping what needed to come next. Without breaking eye contact, she took Jaune's restless hand in hers. His eyes widened with panic, but the rest of him wouldn't react before she secured a resting position for it over her hip.
"There. That's nice, isn't it?" She gibed. Jaune's face was beet red.
The knight inaudibly gulped before giving an assenting nod. Finally, it was time for the waltz to commence.
As they reached the heart of the spacious dance court, they positioned themselves at the very epicenter of the floor's opulent marble pattern. Cinder leisurely motioned her gloved hand forward to lead with the waltz. The action jolted some urgency into Jaune, as he nearly fell over himself to follow in the tempo she was setting.
Despite that rocky start, step by step, move by move and sequence by sequence, the young hunter was proving his boasts from yesterday true. If only he could soothe his tensed nerves, he'd probably be able to outdo Cinder herself, the terpsichorean beauty realized. Not that she'd ever admit it.
She didn't know how to quite feel about that, for her part; his nervousness around women was clearly hindering his abilities on the dance floor. But he still was upholding his promise and keeping apace with her. All in all, she decided to be impressed by it. After all, it was another form of adapting to one's circumstances. And why let something so miniscule blemish the triumphs she achieved tonight ?
Their audience was even more impressed than Cinder. And they were equally impressed by Cinder. She was leaving the impression she set out to for the night, she surmised, with a healthy helping of satisfaction.
"I can't blame them", she said coolly.
"Pardon me ?" Jaune was either too focused on the dance or generally too oblivious to pick up on her insinuation.
"Admiring you, obviously", she half joked. Around half of them indeed were.
"A-admiring me ? Come again?" The boy had tunneled in on not blundering while dancing and wouldn't consider any of his surroundings but Cinder.
Oh, well, Cinder decided. Worth a try to get the boy flustered. Besides,at least his attention is where it ought to be.
"The other students, of course. I'd tell you where to look, but I'm worried you'd trip over."
"They are watching us", realized Jaune.
"As they should." purred a smug Cinder, leaning closer on Jaune, getting the two in a mock embrace for those watching. Too bad Neptune and the Schnee were still absent from the dance.
"When you are the best, admiration is...only natural."
They disengaged for a dramatic whirl. Cinder decided to reward their admirers with a masterful bend toward the ground. Jaune was quick to gracefully halt her fall.
"And you", she continued as she slithered back into position with his assistance "have made yourself the talk of the night."
"I just…know how to keep a promise, I guess." Jaune took the compliment surprisingly coolly. And the prospect of a scandalized audience didn't seem to fluster him.
What a shame.
The song playing slowly transitioned to another. The two kept the slow, close dance.
"That is two promises you kept tonight, isn't it ? And here I thought you said you had trouble finding a dance partner, Jaune." Cinder said, voice all amused. She knew what this dance meant to one particular onlooker. She'd figured it out while skimming their spectators' reactions after their earlier vaunt.
"Oh, the bet ? I guess I was just trying to be there for a friend."
Trying and failing, Cinder wanted to add. Clearly Jaune hadn't realized what was really going on with his teammate, Pyrrha Nikos. And a quick second glance at the disheartened Mistarian champion watching from the sidelines confirmed all of Cinder's suspicions. This was the friend he made a promise to. Or made a bet with, the way Jaune saw it.
Poor thing, it's too painful to watch but too scary to look away, isn't it?
And Jaune shares living quarters with her? Cinder realized. How he could manage to be so oblivious truly confounded her.
Whatever solace Pyrrha had found before in her team's dance number was getting systematically dismantled before her eyes as she laid them on Cinder and Jaune dancing the night away. Dancing to the slow music. The slow music dance Pyrrha had wanted for herself and the blond - it was written all over her grieving features.
The little champion would do well to learn what defeat feels like, Cinder thought in reverie. This one is merely a hors d'oeuvre for what's to follow, really. Beacon's impending judgment.
And, lo and behold, everyone was as oblivious as ever. As ignorant of her master and her plan as Jaune was to Pyrrha and the torment he put her poor maiden heart through. Cinder drowned a chuckle before returning her attention to her partner. The music was changing again.
Two dances became three as the tune they moved to shifted into a Bachata. Cinder would soon retire from the dance floor, but, before then, she decided she'd reward little Pyrrha for being such an attentive spectator.
And the others too, she supposed.
As the music neared a crescendo, she made her move. With a pirouette she let go of Jaune's embrace. Their hands letting go at the end of her furious whirl. Just as soon as they had broken apart, their eyes locked; Cinder could see Jaune understood what she had planned.
Her salto, returning her back to her dance partner was swift and silky smooth in equal parts. For his role, Jaune welcomed her into his arms right after the apex of her flying arc. He didn't jitter, he didn't bend, as they posed there. Like a statue of two star crossed lovers, the moonlight bathing their glistening forms. The perfect climax to their waltz.
Jaune landed Cinder on her feet and they continued at a more relaxed pace.
"Let us make this our last dance," she informed Jaune of her intention to retire soon,"I would rather leave before midnight."
"Early sleeper ?" He teased, trying to mimic Cinder. He needed a lot of work.
"Something like that."
"You know, I get it if it isn't my place to say anything, but you kinda hurt Neptune's feelings back there." Jaune said, seemingly out of the blue.
Cinder could hardly comprehend how the teen could be utterly blind to his own teammate's feelings toward him and yet somehow piece together what her words earlier meant for Neptune. She was even more astonished by the Vacuan philanderer's feelings somehow mattering to Jaune.
"I did." She said flatly.
She made a turn underarm. They locked gazes upon her return.
"With your assistance, of course. I wonder why..." The mirth in her tone came unmasked. Jaune was caught off guard by the implied accusation. His eyes darkened, he knew she had a point.
Neptune had clearly warmed up to Jaune after their heart to heart at the start of the night. He might even go as far as to call Neptune a fast friend by this point. But despite that, Jaune couldn't disregard the opportunity to be protective of his date when the teen approached the two. He had squandered his chances with Weiss long before Neptune entered the fray, and part of him did now wonder why he'd felt compelled to act that way - To play along with Cinder.
He felt protective of her. He also felt devious like her.
Cinder watched the cogs of Jaune's mind turn as they neared the end of their time dancing. Her remark had disarmed him. Part of her appreciated the honesty his reactions tonight betrayed; how he didn't, couldn't hide behind braggadocio and theatrics.
Too bad it makes him incorrigibly glubby. Unless …
"Ah." she realized,"It was payback for taking Weiss from you."
"That's not it at all." Jaune protested.
"Really? So what of all your talk yesterday? About getting back at her?"
Jaune's mouth opened but no retort came out.
"I only jest," Cinder eased his worries "I knew you didn't have the guts to follow through with anything unpleasant. I called your bluff yesterday and you broke immediately," she explained "asking me to go easy on poor Weiss."
The music they moved to gradually changed again. Cinder decided she had time to drive home her point and nudged Jaune to keep going.
"Am I to infer from that frown you actually feel bad for Neptune?"
Light returned to Jaune's vision. He looked at her like he had all night,
"The choice was always Weiss's. There was nothing to get back at her for. And I don't feel bad for Neptune, not really. I guess I thought I would."
"What was it then?" she asked in an unceremonious tone.
"I was feeling kinda bad for lying. Now I'm kind of relieved you knew." He was all too happy to confess.
"Is that so?"
"I didn't want to give you a false impression." He elaborated.
"How mature," her tone grew amused again "and yet you relied on your clumsy deception to get a date tonight."
"Sorry, I guess I can be a little immature at times," he sighed, guilt returning to him.
"Sorry? Don't be. You are immature, but not because of that little scheme."
"Okay," he intoned "this time I really don't know where you're going with-"
"The source of your immaturity is that naïveté of yours," she cut him off to elaborate, "Weiss and Neptune know what to say to get what they want. They are social chameleons, I bet they see the same quality in each other."
She knew a lofty fool like Jaune would never agree with her assertions about those two. But she still found some amusement in trying to plant the seeds of doubt in him and see him struggle with the suspicion and cynicism that shall sprout from it.
"And you're so much better ?" he countered, his mood clearly having worsened due to her commentary on his friends.
"Maybe I'm not. Maybe you're walking into a trap." She answered, a sardonic smile splitting her face.
"Maybe," he relented, guilt creeping back into his tone.
"Aw, don't feel bad. I already told you, you did not trap me. You never could." Cinder assured him.
"That's good, I think…."
"It is!" Now let's withdraw from the court."
The couple's performance on the dance floor was as advertised. The banter between the two entertained the deadly woman as well. Finally she was pleased Jaune was too tense to entertain thoughts of wooing her. He understood his part and played it as best he could.
As they exited the dancing area, the audience they'd gathered formed a crescent around them. Jaune froze, not quite realizing what they wanted. Before he could ask what the occasion was, their admirers showered them with adulation.
Hopefully this would undo some of the damage his dance with Pyrrha, Ren and Nora caused, Jaune hoped. He really should find out who uploaded it. Granted, he knew it would somehow wind up having been Nora.
Spectators applauded and cheered as the retiring Jaune and Cinder walked past them.
Pyrrha was not one of them.
And that is all for now ! The promised dance with Cinder was a runaway success, but the night, like this story, have only begun.
Once again I feel obligated to comment how bad poor Pyrrha has it sometimes.