Hello People! First time I dip my feet into the world of fanfiction - or creative writing in general for the matter - but, hey, better to suck and to know you suck than to suck in pure ignorance. Or so I like to think as I type these words. Being this green there's nothing I would appreciate more from you, dear reader, than some constructive criticism and advice. Unfortunately my schedule is on the hectic side so I cannot guarantee a consistent publishing schedule for subsequent chapters or works. Became a fast fan of RWBY recently but am by no means a newby in matters of IPs and their fandoms.

With that all being said, please enjoy.

Edit: Goodness gracious, looks like this one needed another day in the oven! Heartfelt thanks to my friend, GGL for helping with suggestions and Proofreading!

Chapter 1

"We've gone over this a million times already," protested an inattentive voice from the dorm room of a team of future Hunters and Huntresses.

A dorm room Beacon intended for future Hunters and Huntresses at any rate.

"We've gone over it zero times tonight, Mercury. And besides, you're the sole reason I feel the need to repeat myself so close to our next move," explained the voice of the man's leader, none too thrilled about having to do so.

"I'm the reason?" is everything the aloof assassin could contribute.

"If you weren't so indolent I wouldn't have to impress on you the importance of fitting in. Every. Single. Day." Cinder spoke with a patronizing calm.

Emerald groaned in frustration. Her beloved leader copied the act internally. They were on the precipice of the next stage of the plan. A stage which would very likely see them in action once again. Utmost vigilance was the name of the game now and, despite the notable successes their operation has enjoyed up to now, not all proceeded smoothly. Their correspondence in Vale had made sure to make that explicitly clear.

Not that Roman's craven attitude was enough to deter a woman like Cinder Fall, but the long wait thus far did seem to have an adverse effect on her teammates' patience. Truth be told, being so close yet so far from her prey for so long wasn't ideal for her mood either. Had her team neutralized Amber sooner, she'd be freer to enjoy Salem's designs for the Hunter Academies with the added insurance of her magical power and importance to said designs.

And tomorrow wouldn't be just any day.

Tomorrow not a hair could be out of place. Tomorrow under the alibi of attending the Beacon dance, she would finally make her next move. Infiltrate the CCT, upload the Black Queen virus into the mainframe and make it out in a timely fashion to be seen partaking in the blasé festivities of an adolescent-ridden Beacon Hall. Emerald and Mercury will be there to reassure attendees of her eventual arrival.

All in a night's work for her. Provided her team didn't draw undue attention to themselves whilst pretending to know how to socialize with teenagers. Or with anyone for that matter, Cinder corrected with a mental addendum.

And Mercury had so far proven how profoundly uninterested in attending the dance he was, if his rapidly degenerating attention span whenever she'd elaborate on his role and cover story was any indication.

A cover story she prepared specifically to justify her tardiness to the dance to her fellow aspiring Hunters, Huntresses and other hero wannabes who will be attending before she'll have the chance to join her date for the night. Joining fashionably late is certainly a good enough front, and the lethal woman had to admit she did have a certain flair for the dramatic. It's been too long since she was allowed to play. Still, joining while pretending her delay was to make Mercury's heart grow fonder with the wait was not a dramatic effect she'd be happy with; not for the dance, nor for any other occasion - the thought alone nearly made her gag.

More and more, Emerald's various protests to that part of the plan made sense to Cinder. Yet the plan would have to come into effect in less than 24 hours and implementing changes at the last minute and over something so small as Mercury's role was not something she would entertain, even for herself.

Emerald was clearly unenthused by the dance, frowning at every mention of either herself or Cinder dancing with Mercury. She never was much of a social butterfly and having to potentially address the ever nosey team RWBY about her leader's absence and eventual grand entrance must be a harrowing prospect for the poor girl. Yes, that must be it, she concluded.

Alas, the devil's in the details as far as Cinder Fall is concerned. Juggling the various disagreeable aspects of her minions' personalities was nary a worry; they know to disengage before risking compromise when mingling. They aren't stupid; having been undercover for so long and on the trail prior to that. They are just understandably testy. As was she, never getting the chance to bask in her newly acquired power or toy with the weaklings surrounding them.

"So what's indolent mean?"

Cinder's thoughts were assaulted by Mercury's out of turn question as well as the onset of a headache. Perhaps she did overestimate the intelligence of one of her disciples.

"The night is still young, I'm taking a walk. See to it you've forgotten whatever insipid hiccups you have about tomorrow by the time I am back," intoned the nefarious leader of the four person infiltration team, before slamming the dorm door behind her as she exited the room.

"Why'd she never ask Neo anyway?" Mercury wondered out loud.

"And what do you think Neo will say if someone asks her where her partner is ?" the lettuce haired thief offered.

"... Ooooooh."

A beat.

"Probably something like this!" Declared the assassin, doing the clumsiest mime impression Emerald had seen in her entire life.

Tonight was not Jaune's night. Tomorrow wouldn't be Jaune's night either judging by how his latest confession to Weiss had gone. Or rather, by how it hadn't. He knew no plan survives contact with the enemy, but had always believed his worst enemy when it came to romantic pursuits was himself, not one Neptune Vasilias making his move on Weiss right before he had the chance to. In reality he still believed his worst enemy was himself, comfortably holding the record for most confessions ruined and social cues ignored.

"So take that, Neptune." Grumbled the crestfallen knight as he limped back to the dorm hallway he had darted out of earlier that night. He couldn't be mad at the young Vacuan man. Ultimately Neptune provided him with a sense of closure he was too pigheaded to accept otherwise. But the thought of Pyrrha's pep talk going to waste as he came back to the dorm empty handed did sting.

"On second thought, I don't have the energy to recount what happened to my team right now."

He sighed.

And they had such high hopes this time, Jaune could tell! He'd hate to take the wind out of their sails the night before the dance. Besides, tomorrow wasn't just about himself and he'd hate to turn the big event into a pity party with him as the man of dishonor.

"I'd better I walk some of the sulking off first. Night's still young."

With that he swerved and began making his way to the garden resting under the palatial arches of Beacon Academy's Dining Hall - a serene and relaxing place. The one farthest away from Weiss's and Neptune's moonlit rendezvous, of course.

"What's he got that I don't anyway?"

Actual combat aptitude. And an active role on his team that isn't just barking orders. And a badass electro staff-trident thingy. And those wicked cool fingerless gloves -Neptune knows to make his work-. Aaaand a Junior Detective license. Aaaand - He went on inside his head as he made his way to his destination.

Jaune's exercise in mental self flagellation was interrupted as his peripheral vision caught the form of another perusing the rich flora of the area as he entered.

Judging from her Haven Academy uniform, the young man could safely deduce she must've come from the Mistralian Hunter School to compete in the upcoming Vytal Festival. Though she currently appears to have other things on her mind. Woes, mostly.

Jaune noticed how striking the slender woman was, lethal and elegant. Her index finger rested on her chin as she stood in thought, her face contemplative. Her sharp eyes were almost predatory as she gazed into the dusk. So calculating and sharp. Her honeyed irises were crowned by a film of golden light. Her eyes, flecked with iridescent specks, were dangerously deep, the kind one could get lost in. Maybe it's eye glitter? He postulated.

"You know, it's rude to stare." The terse jab from her lips broke his reverie.

A pair of full lips that - Jaune halted his train of thought. His plan to zone out in the garden had suffered the same fate as his plans for the dance. Albeit, he had managed to zone out, he quickly amended.

He had to salvage the situation.

"Oh hey I'm sorry, I was kinda lost in thought. You know, because of the dance and everything."

She looked entirely unimpressed.

Despite that, the knight felt pressured by the situation and elected to keep going. As fast as his mouth would take him.

"Okay, okay I stare when I think sometimes but it's not everyday your plans are trashed!" the tall blond managed to deliver in a single breath, frantically gesturing something between consternation and an apology as he did.

As soon as he'd finished it dawned on him that the listener wasn't privy to the information he was, making his outburst completely nonsensical. Aw man, that's just swell, isn't it ? He immediately took to internally chastising himself again.

"Stupid dance…" he audibly let out. It was clearly time he cut his losses and called it a night. He turned toward the exit.

"Your plans? Trashed?" drawled a female voice.

"No plan survives contact with the enemy," he defended with a sigh.

"I suppose you're right. Stupid dance," it was her turn to sigh.

"Huh?!"

Tonight was not unfolding as JNPR's strategic mastermind had anticipated.

Who are you again? Cinder pondered as she became aware of another entering the garden, examining them with the edge of her vision.

Oh, that's right, she thought, the information from Emerald's briefing on team JNPR swiftly coming back to her as she turned to better look at him; Jaune Arc. The tall, blond and scraggly pushover Pyrrha Nikos calls team leader. Team JNPR was among Beacon's strongest first year teams, if not the strongest. Likely in great part thanks to Pyrrha's celebrated combat prowess. And before Cinder stood the weakest link in the invincible girl's team easily. Easy on the eyes now that she'd taken a good look; an intermittent stage between lithe and boyish and hardened like a fully realized Hunter. Above everything he looked melancholic.

She couldn't blame the boy for needing a place to declutter his thoughts, he looked dejected enough to need to do so as he shuffled closer. Besides, the gardens are a nice choice of location for one to relax. She could still blame him, however, for depriving her of the opportunity to do just that with his unwelcome presence.

Cinder had been considerably faster at ascertaining her surroundings than him; his line of vision hadn't moved from her position from the moment he had spotted her farther into the yard.

She knew the reason why, of course.

Cinder was perfectly cognizant of the effects an attractive woman can have on another. She'd honed the perfect cocktail of decorum, scherzo, intensity and dominance. Even when someone isn't directly attracted to her, they intrinsically realize the power before them; a tacit signal highlighting how venerated and craved an individual like Cinder Fall is.

All that, and no audience to wow since forever. The mission and her Master come first. She began questioning how worth it was to abstain from being mean to this one, just this once. Give him a glimpse into the astronomical gap between them.

"You know, it's rude to stare."

Jaune's body jolted and his focus seemingly came back to reality as he delivered a word salad and a little dance number excusing his faux pas.

At least it's amusing watching him struggling to come to his senses, she consoled herself.

He truly was a bundle of nerves. The rise she so effortlessly got out of this whelp of a Hunter gave further credence to everything she already knew set them apart. It was a faint rush. Unfortunately his mad scramble to get a grip quickly came to an end.

"Stupid dance..." she barely managed to hear as he made to leave.

Ah, but of course; naturally, it had to be this glorified prom again, she almost snapped back.

For as deadly and impossibly more powerful the half-Fall Maiden was, she could relate to the boy's pedestrian travails in her own way. To be so close and yet so far from exercising any kind of power. That had been her lot for a while now. She understood the vanity of such fancies, but was the dance not designed with such superficiality in mind anyhow? Or maybe it serves as a reminder of the social pecking order to losers. That's also fun.

"Your plans? Trashed?" she finally jabbed, relenting and being mean, if only a smidgeon.

"No plan survives contact with the enemy."

And for her tiny indulgence, the universe paid her in kind by having this peon yanking her focus back to the problem that drove her here. Just grand.

"I suppose you're right. Stupid dance," she exhaled.

"Huh?!" This bewildered the young man enough to stop him dead in his tracks.

"You?! No way. You're too pretty to not have a date for the dance!"

"Aw, you know just how to give a girl a lift."

Universe be damned, nobody can help but be sarcastic after that, she decided.

"It's fine, I know I'm really bad at this." His blue eyes darkened with the memory of something.

Cinder loathed those who try to endear themselves by coming off as insignificant or pathetic. However the goofball before her genuinely was this socially clueless and easily undone as far as she could parse. And she could parse much, as the somewhat lanky blond wore his emotions on his sleeve. He mostly wore embarrassment.

Of course that wouldn't ingratiate him from eating up her garden time by mopping.

"Look, I didn't mean it in any way, you know, haha..." he added, realizing the suggestion he left unaired earlier.

"Besides," he continued, "one rejection by Weiss is crushing enough for a lifetime."

Weiss? The Schnee? That caught her attention.

"Unless you're me, that is! Ha ha..haaa." he lingered on that last breath.

"Hah!" a mean snigger which caught him by surprise. Well that explains why he is so beaten down in retrospect, she realized.

"You mean to say this happens often?"

Jaune's bashful expression said it all. Regardless, maybe out of a sense of guilt, he soldiered on. "I...know this sounds bad, b-but..."

A long pause.

"But no buts. Guess I just suck."

This time she audibly laughed. How right he was.

His shoulders dropped in overexaggerated defeat. How cute.

"You misunderstood. As funny as it is watching you get beaten down by something so meaningless, what is even funnier is the image of a Schnee hounded around by an insignificant no name like you." She couldn't resist commenting.

It felt good to blow off some steam.

"It's Jaune. Jaune Arc, the ladies...don't love it." He delivered with a flop.

"And they're really not that bad! The Schnees I mean. The one I know, I mean."

"Cinder," she introduced herself in turn with a low voice and continued.

"I'm afraid you are simply naïve Jaune; naïve and clueless. You'll never be adequate in the eyes of somebody like her."

"Hey!" He protested. "First a no name, now naïve and clueless. I messed up, I get it already. I truly should've gotten a clue sooner…"

Get a clue now and leave, she wanted to scream.

"Oh, don't be too hard on yourself. Maybe you're just fun to tease," wreck as you are, she nearly added.

"But now, let's try to stay on topic. It might teach you something," she said before she expounded further.

"The Schnees are the posterchildren of the Atlesian elite. You will never find a more entitled and cushioned clique of parasites. Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you will always be a no name to them." Learning this will do him good in the long run, really.

"You have the looks," his stolid yet gentle dark blue eyes most notably "but not the things; not the material decadence, not the blue blood to make you safe to socialize with."

"A shame really," she remarked matter-of-factly, delivering the fatal shot.

"She does socialize with me! And you're wrong about her anyway," he forgot how defeated he was mere moments ago to object to her explanation. His tormentor really hoped he'd squirm more from her choice words for Weiss, but she can't be too acidic now, can she ? Not while posing as a student.

As soon as Jaune had defended his little crush, something plunged him deep in thought.

"...If you really hate the Schnees so much, you could…" Looks like he is summoning his strength for what is to follow, Cinder curiously observed.

"...go to the dance with me to make Weiss Schnee jealous?" He exploded with the payoff.

"...What?" He well and truly subverted her expectations.

"W-Well, you did say that I have the looks haha. And I also have the moves! And you did kinda imply you didn't have a date to the dance. Two birds, one stone and all that."

His right hand absentmindedly started caressing the back of his head, fingers running through his fluffy flaxen locks. Good grief is he petrified. And still…

Taking a moment to assess him, the boy is clearly an idiot, Cinder ascertained. She supposed pretty boys like this tend to be. Was he presentable enough to scandalize one from the cream of the social crop like he'd claimed? Doubtful.

What he was, however, is totally whipped. Not every minion knows its place. Enter Mercury. Unlike somebody like Jaune, whom she knew would worship the ground she walked on if she were to grace him by agreeing. He was dejected, rejected and struggling in his position in the totem pole. He wouldn't possibly disobey her. Not intentionally.

He reminded her a decent bit of Emerald. Another supplicant she took under her wing in exchange for absolute submission out of her. Ah, it's been too long since she had proven her control in this way, having to lay low in Vale and then play the part of Student at Beacon.

Thralls like Roman and Neopolitan may momentarily fear for their lives but, behind closed doors, they curse her name. It just isn't the same. The utmost devotion she had conditioned into Emerald is far more gratifying. She'd considered making the little street urchin her dance partner but knew that'd only give Mercury permission to skip the entire event in his mind. Best to tether them together.

Thinking about it further, should Jaune actually be a decent dancer, it may be her only chance to enjoy showing off after so long, befuddling her many onlookers. Weiss Schnee included, if Jaune's word is to be trusted. Seeing her seethe is tempting enough. Plus the prospect of Mercury's metal toes accidentally kicking her shin is extremely unappealing…

Maybe she could kill two birds with one stone.

"And you're certain you can make her jealous?" She finally broke the silence.

No, he thought. "Yes," he said.

"And you really are a capable dancer?" she sandered to his direction, her eyes sizing him up.

"I think I'll surprise you."

"Hmm, your little revenge plot is intriguing."

Jaune was in utter disbelief at what was transpiring. She could see his posture stiffen.

"R-right?! Plus you like to tease people! No better target than the Ice Queen!" he said with renewed vigor.

"Please don't kill me Weiss…" he added under his breath.

"It's just that…" Cinder paused dramatically, "we don't know each other that well, Jaune."

"Oh, don't worry. We'll only be going as friends. I promise I won't get the wrong idea." I won't, not again, he continued in his head, desperately trying to convince himself.

"Goodness, you're still hurting, aren't you Jaune ?" She placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He flinched at the touch.

"I trust you," she whispered, having closed the gap to his side."But I also need you to trust me, think you can do that, Jaune ?"

"Y-yeah, I know I can," he flinched a second time.

"Good. See, I'd feel very reassured if you let me arrive at the dance hall a little later. After all, every girl wants to make an entrance."

"Right, makes sense." He could barely suppress the enthusiasm in his voice at the hail mary he was about to pull off.

"Also, I will require you to be a very good listener; you will arrive when I tell you, tell anyone who asks what I tell you and you will stop anyone from leaving the dance should I tell you."

Weird.

"Please don't misunderstand, I just had a lot of things planned out for tomorrow night and I will need this help from you if I am to see my plans through," the brunette faux apologized, drawing patterns on the ground with the tip of her heel as she did.

I can't believe I'm about to agree to this, a meek voice in Jaune's head protested. In truth, knowing very well it was already a done deal.

"Sure. I'm a team leader. I know the importance of a good plan! But please go easy on her ?" he offered with a squeak.

"Oh, Weiss? You needn't worry, I do not wish to make the night about her. It's going be about me." she stated with a very satisfied expression.

"All right, that's good! I'll show you a great time! Man, first time I'm happy someone teased me."

"Oh?"

"I mean I could see you were just feigning interest before you started laying down the facts. It's nice to break the ice, you know? Also I appreciate honesty." It felt good to get that off his chest.

"I see. I suppose I'll be sure to stay brutally honest then." Her expression suggested she found his words quaint but not disagreeable.

"Now hand your scroll over Jaune. I will run late tomorrow night. I will keep you updated as to when I'll be ready."

Jaune pulled the device from his pants pocket and handed it to his alluring date to the dance.

"Good. Do not call me unless there's a commotion or attendees are departing. Also do not wait on me," she said coldly "I wouldn't want you to miss out on the party," she added with newfound warmth before returning the device.

"No problem. More time to hang out with my buddies!"

"So it's settled. I'll be seeing you, dancer," she declared, all amused and began making her way back to the building, leaving a stupefied teen behind. She knew he was hers.

Jaune stood frozen. Remnant's tallest garden gnome. What else was his reaction supposed to be? His lamest, laziest, corniest attempt to secure a partner for Beacon's biggest night was inexplicably successful. Not only that, somehow he had found said success with a mysterious beauty. It all seemed too good to be true. Did they really just hit it off that well? He was too afraid to allow this fluke to go to his head. His mind raced with possible explanations.

Cinder. She was... peculiar. Her demeanor had been so cool even though she'd apparently fussed over the dance enough to plan out the entire night. She delivered her instructions so naturally, she must've thought of them in advance.

Whatever, mused Jaune.

If she's too much of a control freak they can just end things with the dance. His track record suggested he liked bossy at any rate. Worth a try.

Maybe, just maybe Cinder was right and the problem was always Atlesian culture being snobbish, he concluded. The idea was enough to sate his search for answers for now.

"Man, can't wait to tell Pyrrha about this!"

Just to make sure he didn't hallucinate the entire exchange, he checked his scroll. Sure enough, 'Cinder' could be read among the contacts. He finally started walking to the dorms, giddy to break the news to his team.

"She'll be so glad I actually made something of all the resolve she gave me!"

Pyrrha should be glad her faith in Jaune was not misplaced, right? I think she genuinely would be happy for him...in part.