Chapter 3
Hello again! This is it! In many ways this is a make-or-break chapter for this fic depending on what you expected out of it. Please let me know what you think about the direction things are going in! Heartfelt thanks to Max for helping by proofreading as well as brainstorming with me for this chapter, you were invaluable help !
The slow melodies gave way to an energetic beat, forcing the couples to either retire or adapt to the new tunes. The show she put on the dance floor, much like the night on the whole, was a runaway success for Cinder. She formulated a plan, came in contact with her obstacles and adapted swiftly to get what she wanted.
First she was successful in infiltrating CCT Tower, then she succeeded in establishing a solid, if showy, alibi. Beacon's ball had been essentially turned into a victory parade for her under the very noses of the Hunters and Huntresses it celebrated. Not only that, she'd earned the envy of a substantial number of them, exposing their superficiality. The self congratulatory nature of this event was evidence enough for Cinder, but she didn't mind being proven right even further by the jealous looks so many huntresses shot at her. Never content to share with others, needing to hoard everything to themselves.
But life has a funny way of teaching us, she ruminated. For their hubris, humanity's supposed protectors would soon be taught a lesson. In many ways a reckoning of their own making.
The joke was on her enemies tonight and she could hardly mask her satisfaction at that. However she could -and indeed had- channel it into a splendid dance performance and generally amicable mood. Amicable even to her present company. The same couldn't currently be said about her date.
The boy's furrowed brows framed a pensive pair of sapphire orbs. As their time dancing together ended, and he could stop being so nervous, his attention had gradually turned inward. So much so he had visibly retreated into his own thoughts as they were distancing themselves from the ballroom.
The boy had lost some of his cadence after they spoke during their final dance; her words about naïveté having possibly gotten to him more than he had cared to admit. Cinder gathered that ought to have been the cause; Jaune was embarrassingly easy to read and she hadn't said or done anything else that could have been the blond's chagrin.
She suppressed the urge to scoff at the thought. Having already shown him one kindness by agreeing to accompany the teen. Now he seemed just about ready to forget that and give her lip- for her other kindness to him, no less! She had only done him a favor by elucidating how people actually get what they want in social occasions like these. Strategy, politicking or even downright manipulation, should the situation call for it. Jaune failed to see the wisdom in her counsel and was only upset by it.
Jaune's innocent outlook on such matters was exactly as she might've expected given first showings from the idealistic boy. It was also partially the reason Cinder made the choice to take him up on his offer and fraternize with him, realizing how his resignation and gullibility made it a low risk proposition. He was entirely out of his league and he knew it. And he didn't know how to hide it. Cinder had seen completely through him during their initial exchange and surmised the blond would go along with just about anything she asked of him and count his blessings while he did. It was reassuring, knowing he lacked the backbone to object to her.
And for the most part he hadn't, being an oblivious accomplice to tonight's infiltration, although a redundant one. Unfortunately, his obsequious streak was starting to break. Cinder didn't fear he might suspect anything but she equally did not care to barter words with him.
The frown worn by the young man did not blemish tonight's victory for her, he had already fulfilled his role and would be disposed of in good time. The Altesian soldiers, Ozpin and the rest of the teachers present had discreetly excused themselves by that point, likely to discuss the break-in behind closed doors. She knew if she indulged in pushing Jaune just a bit more she would not be imperiling her cover. It's not like she was planning to make an enemy of him anyway.
"Out with it. Something is on your mind," she declared, not caring to skirt around the topic.
"Oh, it's okay. It's no big deal,"Jaune played it off nonchalantly. Probably thinking it politer to spare Cinder from his opinions.
He couldn't stop her. Though she agreed it was no big deal –it was absolutely insignificant to her. Unfortunately, Jaune's expression told her it wasn't to him, despite what his words claimed. How callow.
"I know you're lying," she intoned.
"It's a habit I'm trying to shake," the knight admitted, still rather guarded.
Whatever, mused Cinder, and turned her attention to spotting the court's timepiece. She had just pinpointed it above the room's lavish main entrance when Jaune finally spilled open with his thoughts.
"It's just that… you are wrong," he protested meekly. The woman was not keeping up. Nothing she'd told him so far was anywhere near wrong.
"Wrong to have picked you?" she shot back, "You do make some compelling arguments…" she jabbed.
"Oh! no no, not that!" he shot out, shaking his head in disagreement. Or distress, Cinder couldn't determine which.
"I mean, you were wrong when you said people get what they want by telling others what they want to hear," he explained.
She had to fight the urge to roll her eyes at him.
"Look at you for example," Jaune continued.
"Me…?" She raised a questioning eyebrow. The knight realized he may be treading on thin ice. He quickly added more.
"Yes, I mean, you were honest with me!"
"Right," she said with a knowing smirk.
Still, his perceived win over the fiery woman could not stand. It was his way of contradicting her. Haplessly wrong as he was. She knew exactly how to put him in his place once and for all.
"Do you also make a habit of making fans wherever you go?" she set the bait, making her voice all saccharine sweet.
"Oh, the cheers? The laughs? That was inevitable the moment I showed up in a frilly dress," Jaune played off nonchalantly. His focus not quite on the topic at hand. Just like Cinder had hoped.
"Even world famous Pyrrha Nikos?" the fatal shot. She caught Jaune entirely off guard.
"Pyrrha? What do you mean?" he asked, with a mix of worry and sincerity in his voice.
"Don't tell me you didn't see her? During our time together?" she said breathily, enjoying every second of it. Jaune took the bait hook line and sinker. Cinder could tell he was the emotional type and had used that fact against him. He cared about Pyrrha. Hopefully to the extent of chasing after the downcast girl. Or, at least, enough to close himself off for the rest of the night, making him less of a nuisance.
Jaune's eyes lit up with epiphany. Then immediately filled with panic and regret. He was putting on quite the show for Cinder. His mouth opened but no words came out for a long time before he finally pronounced a single name.
"Pyrrha…", his voice sank.
He stumbled backwards, not knowing what to do with his realization. His mind fixated on things further away than ever. Cinder decided to snap him back to reality.
"I'm parched," she drawled.
A beat.
Silence, but for music and distant chatter.
"Would you, uh, like something to drink ?" he offered, too dazed to see Cinder was offering an excuse for them to go their separate ways, "The fruit punch is pretty good."
"Was," Cinder corrected, "But actually no, no it wasn't."
"They do have just regular juice and sodas," Jaune suggested.
The ravenette didn't expect the blond would fetch her something to drink. He was preoccupied with far more pressing matters. However it was the perfect opportunity to offer him an excuse to go after Pyrrha and free herself of him. After that, it wouldn't be long until Beacon's gargantuan clock tower chimed for midnight, freeing her to retire alongside her team. Finally free to report their success back to Salem and end the day.
"Do they serve wine?" she inquired.
After another delay he answered her, "Uh, no."
"Get me something a teacher would drink," she suggested, just in case the boy did remember his offer to bring her a beverage.
"Right," Jaune immediately turned to start his search.
"Not coffee," Cinder added before he got far, realizing that not giving specific directions to the boy could result in being served something comically replete with caffeine. She had seen Ozpin and Oobleck with a coffee mug later in the night than this. Damn nearly every night at that. It wouldn't shock her if the hostesses had accounted for the faculty's caffeine addiction; every other facet of the Academy seemed to.
"But isn't that the only thing they drink?" Jaune wondered out loud, confirming Cinder's worst suspicions.
"I'm sure I'll find something," the anxious teen said dismissively as he resumed his course. He was not heading for the tables.
Finally, Cinder thought, some quiet.
With Jaune taken care of, the half Maiden turned her attention to the intricate timepiece above the grand entrance of the ballroom. She had opted to sacrifice a bit of function in favor of form when creating her dress and that unfortunately meant she had to trust her Scroll with Emerald. It was a burner Scroll she had zero attachment to, but, without it, she did have to check the clock on the wall to tell how long it would be until she could gather with her underlings and leave.
Only a short thirty minutes. Not too bad. All in all everything went better than expecte-
"HELLO!" screamed a voice unfamiliar to Cinder, abruptly cutting into the woman's inner monologue. She turned to see where the greeting came from.
It was a shorter girl with short carrot colored hair. She had apparently made the call to attend the ball as somebody's bridesmaid, judging by her choice in dress. A less eye-catching Mistrarian boy, with a pink strand to break the monotony of his jet hair, accompanying her.
Nora Valkyrie. And Lie Ren.
Two names Cinder vaguely recalled from the student team briefings. The owner of the shrill and chipper voice greeting her was the former, currently cutting through the crowd to Cinder. All the while gesticulating wildly at her with one hand, whilst the other, linked to Lie Ren's, was dragging the unresponsive teen along. For his part, Ren had a distinctly apologetic look on his face.
"Woah! I can't believe you're real! I mean, I can, but you know what I mean. I'm Nora!" The words spilled out in a single breath.
"And I'm Ren," her companion added. Sounding sincere yet embarrassed. Likely thanks to his date.
Having to relinquish any hope for peace and quiet, Cinder begrudgingly played along with making introductions. "I see. I am-"
"Jaune's date!" She was promptly cut off by the ginger, "he mentioned he found one. Last night. Right before bedtime. At the very last minute he possibly could have!"
There was tension in the girl's voice. Cinder couldn't quite parse the cause. She decided it was better off being ignored. Both for the sake of her cover and of her nerves. Ideally she hoped to exchange pleasantries and be done with Pyrrha Nikos's sidekicks. She wondered if Pyrrha sicced them on her to do the dirty work the prim and proper champion wouldn't.
Ultimately it didn't matter to Cinder. Whether this was about Pyrrha's celebrity being eclipsed during the ball, or about losing her blond dork, or just plain bad luck, Cinder couldn't care less. She just wanted not to be pestered.
"Right, I am-"
"An amazing dancer! I didn't think anyone could touch our team's dance number! But you and Jaune did!" Nora thwarted Cinder's attempt to give her name again. Ren pinched the ridge of his nose.
"Cinder," she resumed as soon as Nora was finished.
"Block?" the high-strung huntress guessed.
"No," Cinder deadpanned.
"And I'm Ren."
"You already said that", Nora reminded her partner, Ren's attempt to redo the conversation from the start going up in flames.
"Charmed," Cinder at long last completed her greeting, "and I'm glad you enjoyed our dance."
"Boy, did we ?" Added Nora, "You really pulled some moves on Jaune!"
"Uuh… Nora?" Ren tried.
"With Jaune!" She amended quickly, "Pulled some moves with Jaune. Killer moves!"
"You were really good," the hunter assented.
"Thanks…" Cinder managed, understanding that Nora Valkyrie was not in fact a fan of her, or her dance with Jaune; The girl's chummy exterior was merely a front to disguise her real disposition. Despite seeing through Nora's act, she had no choice but to endure the thinly veiled belligerence. A slip of the tongue and she'd be giving Nora exactly what she wanted; fuel to ignite rumors to drag Cinder's name through the mud. Personally, she couldn't care less if Jaune's social circle approved of her. But she could not allow prying eyes to fixate on her during her time undercover. They'd look for insipid gossip but could potentially stumble upon much more.
She resolved to give the girl nothing. She only has to humor her for a few minutes…
"You know, we care about Jaune a whole lot. He is our fearless team leader!" The girl explained.
"Well, I am glad he has such good friends," the woman gave a stock response.
"Oh yeeah! We are practically siamese quintuplets! Joined at the hip, all of us! We spend every single waking moment with our fearless leader, don't we Rennie?"
"I like to think we aren't codependent," he politely protested.
"Aw , Rennie," Nora pinched his cheek, "We are totally all up in Jaune's face, all the freaking time!"
And you're threatening to be all up in mine, is that the idea, Cinder desperately wanted to ask. "If that's the case, why aren't you with him now?" she instead suggested, hoping to shoo the two away.
"Why aren't you? Trouble in paradise? hmmm?" Nora immediately countered.
Is this girl's semblance being an irritant ?
"He offered to get us refreshments," Cinder said. She ensured her voice sounded pleased enough to reassure Nora everything was fine between her and Jaune, aiming to end her interrogation. She'd have no luck.
"Already whipped, huh?" Nora remarked, her resolve to get up in Cinder's face unshaken. She stepped closer to the woman to drive the point home. A wide grin threatening to split her face.
These thirty minutes couldn't pass fast enough.
"Hey you guys," a new voice interjected.
In walked Yang Xiao Long, greeting Cinder's unsought companions before turning her attention to the Maiden.
"You're in one of the Haven teams, aren't you ? Awesome dancing back there!" The Huntress acknowledged Cinder, the joviality in her voice coming across as completely genuine. Maybe she was her reprieve.
"The name's Yang, pleasure to meet ya!" the taller girl announced.
"Cinder," Cinder begun.
"Not Block," Nora finished for her.
"Not Block," Cinder confirmed, "and yes, I came representing Haven," she said coolly.
"Cool! I hope you can represent as well as you can dance. Especially if we meet in the arena," the blonde blustered.
"If we do, I'll try my best."
"I'll say! You're certainly the second best exchange student on the dance floor," Yang grinned.
"Oh? And who is the first?" Cinder questioned.
"Clearly you guys didn't see Penny doing the robot. Freaking insane!" the flowing-haired huntress exclaimed. "Anyhow," she continued, "I actually came to ask you guys if you know where Pyrrha went." Nora's expression froze for a fleeting moment.
"You mean she's not here? haha," she asked awkwardly. Cinder sensed the girl was feigning ignorance. What exactly did she know?
"Nope. Jaune came by the reception earlier, asking if we knew where she went," Yang elaborated, "He was in a real hurry, should I be worried?"
Finding a Huntress when she didn't want to be found is a daunting task. Nigh impossible with one of Pyrrha Nikos's caliber. Unfortunately throwing in the towel was not an option for Jaune. He understood he was woefully inexperienced when it came to women, he understood his date with Cinder came to be under questionable terms. And he could live knowing those things. What he could not live with nor understand was his absolute blindness to Pyrrha's feelings. In highsight the girl had practically come forward with everything during their talk on the balcony earlier that evening.
He felt terrible. Guilty of something heinous, something that wasn't part of him. And now he was letting two women down. Finding Pyrrha was only the first of his worries; he'd have to explain so much when he did. Both to his team partner and to Cinder. It was a difficult situation, the boy was keenly aware, but he couldn't afford to shrink from the challenge ahead. Delaying the inevitable would only make things even worse.
He checked the balcony, and every other balcony of the ballroom after. He sprinted into their team's dorm and to the rooftop he and Pyrrha would train. He checked the amphitheater,the combat ring and both locker rooms. He made a beeline to the cafeteria, only to discover its doors were locked. Could she be in the teacher's lounge? Should he risk the girls' bathrooms?
No, he decided to stop and reassess what he was doing. Obviously bolting after Pyrrha had failed. He'd have much better chances reaching her through a simple call from his Scroll. Though he did not wish to say what he needed to while hiding behind the device. The idea felt spiritless, mechanical. But he had no better option.
"Come on, come on," he chanted, urgency swelling in his voice.
His Scroll was left calling. He waited for a minute. He waited for five. He agonized every moment he spent. Every one of them was another he could've used searching on foot. Could he try reaching her using someone else's device and number? No, he didn't want to trick her that way.
The more he contemplated options, the more time passed with him calling Pyrrha in vain.
He was at an impasse. Stuck balancing against a column and gazing at Beacon's imposing central tower, waiting for her to pick up. Until inspiration came to him; the tower. Up until that point he'd omitted expanding his search outdoors, knowing the odds of finding her randomly around the vast campus were infinitesimal. The giant structure erected at the center of Beacon would allow him to survey the entirety of the campus from on high. Hopefully he'd be able to spot the redhead in the dark. With renewed hope, Jaune began making his way to the vantage point. He prayed the elevator was working.
Thank the Gods, it was. Ozpin's office at the top of the tower was bound to be locked, so he instead made his exit one floor below. The door windows adorning the floor's four walls gave him a complete view around the campus. His focus zipped from place to place, never lingering for long.
There she was! Slouched against a spruce tree at the northernmost edge of campus, her back turned to the boy's direction. If he descended the tower fast enough and cut across the ballroom, he might reach her before she moved. He didn't want to return to dance. He knew it would be rude to run past Cinder and his friends, but it was a breach in etiquette Jaune was willing to make.
Just as he turned to take the elevator down, its doors hissed open to let someone exit.
"I hope you don't mind I brought us some wine, James," Glynda Goodwitch announced, a glass of red wine in each hand and a coquettish smile under her resting eyes. It disappeared as soon as she opened them.
"Mister Arc! You're not the General," she said abstractedly.
"No, I'm not," the boy verified, "I saw him leave Beacon, a while ago actually," he explained, hoping he didn't somehow anger the teacher. He wasn't trespassing, but he had just witnessed something he likely shouldn't have.
"Of course you did," Glynda huffed, her joyous mood leaving with the air she breathed out.
She sharply extended her left hand, handing him one of the glasses.
"Please dispose of this, it's no longer needed," she intoned.
"Will do...But what about the other glass?" the boy wondered.
"Oh, that glass and I will linger here for a while longer. Alone," she emphasized. Jaune didn't need to be told twice. After a nod he'd immediately taken off.
Well that's convenient.
Having to walk with a glass in hand would prevent him from racing to Pyrrha at full speed but gave him something to hand Cinder as he passed over her. And sprinting through the courtroom's densely packed crowd was never going to be an option.
His time with Cinder hadn't been perfect but she did give him a fair chance by agreeing to accompany him to the dance. Besides, everything she'd said to him was out of a desire to help and teach, Jaune decided. And she had helped, she had opened his eyes. In a way, he owed didn't owe her enough to stay and chit chat, but he believed he could afford delivering her a glass of wine.
Agony, thy name is Nora Valkyrie.
That is what Cinder had discovered in her brief but torturous time around the girl. Lie Ren and Yang Xiao Long had long since given up trying to unglue the bubbly huntress from her. They had left Cinder all alone. The noirette had resolved not to let Nora get to her, but her patience had limits. And Nikos's orange crony had an incredible efficiency chipping away at it.
An efficiency only rivaled by her excessive talkativeness.
The infernal bridesmaid had an endless amount of talking material, never running out of topics and observations. Most observations concerning Cinder's looks and affect, all of them passive aggressive or patently insulting. Her grating voice added to the frustration.
Cinder was nearing her breaking point. Try as she might to divert the conversation, ignore Nora, or even stare daggers into her soul, the girl would always find a way to continue her mission. The Maiden had to admit Pyrrha knew how to pick her minions. If her only thought when looking at Nora wasn't to incinerate her using every ounce of magic she could muster, she might have even admired the girl.
"Oh, wow! Sparks flew out of your eyes, I swear," the huntress noticed, "You must have overdone it with the strass, sister!"
This couldn't go on.
Cinder had already tried the excuse of going to the ladies' room to which Nora promptly announced she'd be happy to join Cinder for 'girl talk'. She began frantically scooting for Emerald, Mercury, even Jaune. Anybody to give her a way out.
"Do you have attention span problems, hellooo? We're talking here!" The huntress called out her attempt to find an escape, determined to hold on to her target.
She swore she would make Nora pay. Though she'd be preoccupied with realizing her destiny when they locate the Vault and the moribund Maiden, there'd be other opportunities before then. Maybe not opportunities to reduce the little huntress to ash, but death wasn't the only form of retribution. She'd find a way to repay her in kind.
Nora was there to protect Pyrrha, that much she had inadvertently made clear. Not the amazon's social status but her. Her feelings. Nora's endless prose always found its way back to Jaune. His multiple flaws, his vomit boy moniker, his complete incompatibility with Cinder and perfect dynamic with Pyrrha. Cinder Fall had to go through all this verbal abuse because Pyrrha was feeling territorial over the scraggly blond.
Regrettably, she had already pushed Jaune away and into the redhead's embrace. She never thought she'd lament getting him out of her hair. But revenge was a powerful motivator for Cinder.
"Excuse me! Coming through!" a familiar voice called out.
It was Jaune. Cutting through the rabble of students as he approached. The fiery Maiden couldn't believe it. Instead of rushing to Pyrrha, the teen was returning to her with her wine in hand. His actions completely contradicted his initial reaction to what she revealed to him about his partner. It was bizarre.
Had he really gone on a search for her drink of choice? Perhaps he simply didn't reciprocate the feelings Pyrrha had for him. Perhaps he tried and failed to find Pyrrha and, defeated, he came back to seek solace in his date. Whatever the case, he was now there. Cinder's eyes lit up.
Pyrrha will regret sending her hyperactive enforcer to torture her.
"Oh….Jaune!" Nora was completely taken aback, her shoulders tensed up in shock. Her team leader was the last person she expected to see coming.
"Hey," the boy swiftly called to the two of them.
Cinder sashayed to her target, her hand gliding under his before taking the glass from it.
"W-w-what brings you here, Jauney?" Nora inquired.
"I'm actually only passing thr-" he began, his attention dead set on Cinders movements.
"Aren't you a sweetheart, dear," Cinder cut in, "you went through all the trouble of finding me what I asked," she purred in a breathy voice .
It was time for revenge.
Before Jaune could answer, her arms came to rest on his shoulders as she settled right in front of him. He was as stunned as Nora.
Carry on this news to Pyrrha, chit, she gloated internally.
"I had a really amazing time tonight," her eyelashes fluttered. She oversold her theatrics and the mirth in her voice. Making sure her thickheaded audience wouldn't mistake them for anything but pure passion.
"Wait, you did?!" Jaune and Nora said in unison.
Cinder's answer came as she closed the gap between her and Jaune completely. His eyes widened. He was about to voice his protest when,
DING DING DING
The mechanical chimes signaling midnight came at long last. They drowned any objection as she stole his lips.
The sound drowned out many things.
Jaune couldn't hear the oohs and aahs coming from admiring onlookers. He couldn't hear Pyrrha opening the heavy door far across the room to return to the ball.
He couldn't hear her walking away. He never saw her.