Chapter 25: The Jedi

The darkness that surrounded the sleeping man transformed into light as he opened his eyes. But this was strange; he had no memory of falling asleep. In fact, he had a strange gap in memory of the events that made him fall asleep in the first place.

"He's waking up!"

"Someone get the Headmaster! Quickly!"

Two voices surprised the man as he tried to move from his bed. "Wha-? Grr!"

A nurse rushed over to place her hands firmly on her patient. "Stay still, you've been injured!" A loud cough was the only response she received. The sound of the office door opening and the set of footsteps behind her didn't make her move, as her patient was still insistent on getting up.

"Is he alright?" Ozpin asked calmly.

"His Aura kicked in as soon as he woke up, but his chest must be bothering him," the nurse replied, who took her hands away as her patient became aware of what was going on. "As of right now, his chest was the only thing affected. But he should stay here for a little bit to make sure nothing else is wrong."

"I agree." Ozpin turned to the man on the hospital bed. "Mr. Djarin, it would be wise for you to listen. You took a very bad hit."

"..."

The Mandalorian looked down to his chest to see that his part of his armor was removed and a few lines of gauze was in its place. His armor was next to him, and his helmet hadn't been removed. "What... What happened?" he asked with a cough.

"Nurse, I'd like to speak with your patient alone," Ozpin politely requested. "I'll call for you if we need anything."

"Of course, sir," said the nurse, who made her way out of the room with her partner.

Djarin began to shift his position on the bed, even though his chest still hurt. Just as the nurse said, he engaged his Aura as soon as he felt the pain, but the rest of his body wasn't hurt. At the moment, Djarin felt like he had just been crushed like an ant under a boot. He needed answers, and he needed them now. "Ozpin, what happened?" he asked again.

"I'm afraid you were in a training accident," Ozpin replied as he sat in a chair next to the bed. "One of... Cinder's actually."

"What?" Djarin began to move again, but Ozpin put a hand on his shoulder. "Where is she?"

"..."

"Is she alright?"

"...Physically, yes. Unfortunately, I don't think she's doing very well."

"Why? Was she in the accident?"

"No, Mr. Djarin. Cinder... caused your accident."

Earlier

Cinder and Ozpin were training once again in the room below Beacon Tower. Ozpin had been focusing on Cinder's defenses by attacking her, and she was able to counteract with her fire and wind. After she insisted on advancing, Ozpin began to have doubts she was ready. Cinder's counterattacks were potent, but they were overpowered and unfocused. And with each passing day, her patience became thinner and thinner. Today, she lost all control in her lessons.

"I already told you, I can do this!" Cinder yelled as she let a fire ball make its way to Ozpin.

The ball impacted with Ozpin's cane and exploded, but Ozpin was able to use his Aura to block the flames and hit Cinder in the side. "Are you sure?" he dubiously asked, sending another strike towards her.

Cinder was able to use her wind to blow the cane off course and land to the side. "Why do you keep asking me that?" she demanded, annoyed at the repetition she was enduring. "This lesson should have been over by now!" The fire in her eyes continued to burn, shining upon the dark walls she was close to. "I mastered this days ago!"

Ozpin had heard something similar for the past few days, and now he was starting to lose patience himself. "A student doesn't decide when a lesson is learned," he said as he picked up his cane. "A student normally listens and learns, not complain in order to get their way." He lunged at Cinder again, who took to the air and continued attacking Ozpin. He was able to quickly deflect all blasts of fire before lunging in the air.

Cinder's anger and impatience boiled to the surface as she performed her next attack. Rather than creating more waves of fire or a gust of wind, Cinder suddenly launched a tornado of fire from her hands, catching Ozpin in the center. As he spun and felt his clothes begin to burn, Cinder threw him in the direction of the elevator with a yell.

Ozpin was in disbelief as he hit the ground. He never taught Cinder that move, and he couldn't remember the last time she had such a powerful offense. As he began to stand up, Cinder landed in front of him and the tornado began to surround her body.

"Cinder, listen to me!" Ozpin pleaded, fearing the consequences and damage of her lashing out. "You're not ready to do what you're doing, this is too powerful for someone your age! You need to focus on-!"

"On what?!" Cinder spat. "I already mastered this lesson!" The ground beneath Cinder began to crack. "And yesterday's lesson!" A chunk of the ground began to rise, as Cinder managed to connect to the earth and use her fire tornado to keep it in the air. "When?! Are you going to teach me?! Something I don't already know?!"

Cinder launched the piece of earth with fire. Ozpin made his decision quickly, and he dodged the large projectile. As he did, the Headmaster turned to see the rock head straight to the wall.

But in its way was an unsuspecting Din Djarin, who came down to see how Cinder was doing.

The rock collided into the Mandalorian before he could activate his Semblance, not even his Aura was engaged. All Djarin could do was feel a tremendous force crash into him and send him flying backwards to the wall with a scream. The rock cracked, but didn't break once it made contact. Instead, it stayed still, leaving the Mandalorian stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Ozpin's jaw dropped at the incident, his neutral glance transformed into shock and concern. "By the Gods," he whispered to himself. Just as he did, the fire died and the rock fell down, leaving an unconscious Djarin to fall with it. Ozpin turned to see Cinder, her powers disappeared and her jaw open wider than his.

"...Dad?" she whispered, on the verge of tears.

Present

"She... She did this?" Djarin asked in disbelief.

"Not intentionally," Ozpin answered, worried what the Mandalorian was thinking. "I've known her long enough to know that she would never hurt you. She wouldn't want to do this... under normal circumstances."

"..."

Djarin stared down at his chest, and the memories in the room came back to him. He could feel the rock and flame hitting him, hear Cinder scream out in pure rage. He then realized that Cinder wasn't with them. "Where is she?" Djarin asked.

"I believe she may have gone back to her room. When you were brought here, Cinder ran away. I tried to call out to her, but she continued to run away crying."

"..."

"And that is one of the things I am concerned about now." Ozpin stood up and began to walk to the door. "She should know that you're awake."

"She will," Djarin promised. "But first, what else are you concerned about?"

Ozpin moved back to Djarin and sat back down. "I wanted to talk to you about this sooner, but I never found the time. Cinder's training has become... complicated. Not that she isn't learning, but it's the way she's been learning."

"The way?"

"I'm sure you've noticed that Cinder has been growing... frustrated. She's been using her frustration while learning to perform stronger feats than ever. I first noticed it before you came back from your mission with Glynda, but I didn't think too much of it at the time. Has she talked about this with you?"

"She comes home annoyed, sometimes," Djarin confessed. "Ever since we came here, she's been hard on herself. She wants to do better, be stronger, and she's been telling me she tries harder at each training session with you."

"She has, but she's also been growing angrier. I was hoping to control her emotions when they came to a head, but I failed. And for that, I'm sorry you got hurt."

"...She could have killed you. She... could have killed me."

"Which is why she needs to control her anger. But I can't help her with that."

Djarin began to move again, ready to move out of the medical room. "Let me talk to her," he said. "I don't know how I can help, but I can tell her what you told me." He began to lift himself off the bed. "I'll go-"

Opzin's cane pressing below his chest made Djarin stop moving. "It's not that simple, Mr. Djarin," he said. "Cinder's anger isn't that of a child simply acting out. Something like this, especially involved with a Maiden, is far more crucial than you think. She's corrupting herself, she opened a can of worms that only she can close. And I fear... she is not ready for the burden she carries."

"Of course she's not." Djarin pushed the cane away and grew frustrated himself. "Cinder's just a little girl. What else could you expect? That's why we came here in the first place!"

"I knew her training would be arduous, but I didn't consider her emotions playing such a role in her status as a Maiden."

"So give her time! She's handled worse, she can control her anger for a little while!"

"Such as you're doing now?"

"..."

Ozpin sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "Mr. Djarin, when I took you and your daughter in, I swore to myself that I would help Cinder through thick and thin. Now, I am prepared to help both you and her. And I believe I may have a solution."

"...I'm listening."

A half hour had passed since Djarin was taken to Beacon's medical room. In that time, Cinder had lost all of her pride and self-respect. After she was taken out of Beacon Tower, Cinder immediately ran back to her room and couldn't stop crying. She could still see the fire and rock hit her father, she could still hear him scream out in pain. She didn't need to see his face to know that he was afraid of her. In fact, everyone was afraid of her. Cinder knew Ozpin, Glynda, and now her own father had every right to be scared of her.

But the worst part was, Cinder had scared herself. She had no idea she was capable of such strength, or such destruction. All she could remember feeling was untamed, raw anger. It was just like the anger Aurora had when she tried to claim the power of the Fall Maiden, when Glynda recklessly attacked Djarin. Ozpin tried to tell her what she was doing, how her anger was getting the better of her. But Cinder didn't listen. Maybe out of a childish nature, or out of her hate for Salem, Cinder didn't know.

The only thing she did know was... she had turned into a monster.

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

Cinder didn't get up.

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

"Cinder?"

The Maiden could hear Ozpin's voice, but she continued to sit still and cry.

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

"Cinder, open the door," Ozpin called again. This time, Cinder responded.

"Go away, Ozpin," she whimpered. "I just... I can't..." She immediately resumed crying.

"Your father is fine," he called out, ignoring her request. "He wants to see you. I'd like to see you too."

Cinder got up off her bed. Drying her tears, she moved to the door and slowly opened it. Ozpin looked down on her and sighed. "We should talk."

"..."

Cinder dried her eyes again and nodded. Ozpin began to lead Cinder out of the teacher's dorms and back to Beacon, his cane softly striking the ground. He had a few things he wanted to talk to Cinder, but not only was he having trouble thinking about the first, he was worried about her reaction. He doubted she would be angry again, but he wasn't in a mood to hurt the child's feelings. So, he decided to let Cinder make the first move.

And she did.

"You were right," she confessed. "You were right about me."

"...I know," he said, maintaining his present speed. "I wish I saw it earlier." Ozpin looked down to Cinder again as he spoke and walked. "I've seen Maidens-"

"I'm not a Maiden," Cinder said. "If I were, I wouldn't have done what I did. I... I'm not ready."

Ozpin didn't kneel down, but he put a hand on her shoulder. "You wouldn't be the first. And you certainly won't be the last. All of the Maidens I've seen and trained had their flaws. Where one girl primarily acted out of her own self interest, another lacked the confidence to do what Maidens do. But one by one, they overcame their flaws, and knew what it meant to be a Maiden. In time... you will do the same."

Cinder looked down. "I need to stop acting like a child," she said. Ever since she fought in Nevarro, Cinder had a feeling her life wouldn't be normal. Even though it wasn't normal at the Glass Unicorn, she dreamed of having a better life. But Cinder had a new normal now, one that required her to forget about a normal life and do things she never dreamed of.

Ozpin shared her sentiment, he had started training Maidens that were only a few years older than Cinder. But he had another feeling he needed to convey. "It's not that simple, Cinder," he said. "I wish it was... but it's not." He began walking again, with Cinder following him. "What you did earlier was perhaps one of the strongest things you've done. But the cause of it is what scares me; your anger."

Cinder spoke from her heart again. "You might have an idea of its cause. Ever since I met Salem, I had these... feelings. I was scared, even when we started training. I was... I am scared of what she can do while I'm training." She looked up at Ozpin. "Salem won't wait until I'm ready before she tries something else."

"No, she won't. But we need to take whatever time we can get. And I think I know what's going on with you Cinder. Your fear led to your anger. And in time, that anger will lead to hate. And that hate... will lead to suffering."

Cinder stopped walking. "You're saying that like it's inevitable."

"It doesn't have to be." Ozpin continued to walk, leaving Cinder to run up to him. "Your anger cannot be easily suppressed, nor can it be removed. This is something I cannot teach you."

"..."

Cinder began to feel even more hopeless than before. She ruminated on his words, trying to find some kind of solution to her problem. But once the duo reached a building and went inside, Cinder knew what she had to say. "I can't take care of it alone," she confessed.

"I know," Ozpin confessed. "Which is why it is time for you to leave."

Cinder's gaze snapped off the floor, her neck slightly hurting from looking up so quickly. "You're kicking me-?!"

"No, I'm not throwing you on the streets," the Headmaster said, feeling some regret for scaring Cinder. "I'm sorry, what I meant to say was that you must take some time away from Beacon, to train with a new teacher. One who has experience with these feelings."

Cinder began to calm down, but Ozpin's wish left her with more questions. "Who is he?"

"The new Headmaster at Haven Academy. His name is Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Obi... what?"

Ozpin slightly chuckled. "It's quite a name, isn't it?" He quickly regained his focus and explained more. "It's uncommon in the Kingdoms, but not where he used to call his home."

"Used to?"

"You'll learn more once you meet him. It took some convincing, but he's agreed to help you to the best of his ability."

"So, we'll meet him soon?"

"You will. But I believe it would be best if your father stayed behind."

Cinder stopped walking. "I thought you said he was fine?!" She began to tear up again. "Oh, no, how bad is-?!"

"Mr. Djarin doesn't need recovery, Cinder. But his presence will make your training... complicated."

"What? How?"

"We can talk more afterwards. You'll find your father in there."

Cinder turned to see a closed door in front of her. She recognized that this was the medical room Djarin took her when she was hurt in the fight with Corvo Nightshade. Once she realized what was on the other side of it, her body immediately became numb. She couldn't move her hands to open the door or step forward to push it. Not that she didn't want to, it was that Cinder couldn't imagine what was going to happen. Djarin had every right to turn her away, and she didn't have the strength to see what she did to him. Cinder's second thoughts had minds of their own as they slipped and whispered into her ears.

As her ideas went on a loop through Cinder's mind, the door opened to reveal the nurse who took care of Cinder after her fight. "Oh, there you are!" she said with glee. "Come on in, your dad has been asking for you."

Her doubts disappeared. "He... He has?" she asked. "So... is he-?"

"Oh, he'll be fine. Once his Aura healed, his body fixed most of the damage itself. All we needed to do was look at the bruises on his chest." The nurse gently took Cinder's hand and led her inside the room. After taking a few steps inside, Cinder and the nurse came to a bed where Djarin was sitting upright. He immediately looked down to see his surprised daughter.

"Could you give us a minute?" Djarin asked the nurse. She simply nodded and walked away. Djarin began to get up slowly, his chest still hurting. When the large rock hit the Mandalorian, his Beskar was able to protect him. But when he hit the wall, the applied pressure hurt his chest, and it became difficult for him to breathe, which was the cause of him losing consciousness. His chest was still sore, but he didn't care about that now. His immediate concern was to tend to the young girl who looked like she had been crying her eyes out, and was just about to do it again.

"Dad, I..."

Cinder wasn't able to finish as her tears began to fall again. The Mandalorian wished he could tell Cinder that he was fine, that his injury wasn't as serious as it looked. Instead of lying to her, Djarin decided that now was the best time for an honest conversation. So he led Cinder back to his bed and asked to hear her side of the story, specifically why she was so angry. After she told him what she told Ozpin, Djarin was starting to understand.

"He told me about Obi-Wan too," he said. "He said that what you're feeling is serious."

"I think he's right," Cinder replied. "What about you?"

It was at that moment that the Mandalorian decided to take a risk. He knew what he was feeling and thinking, and while he knew Cinder wouldn't want to hear it, it needed to be said. "Cinder... I can't pretend that all this didn't happen. If I wasn't wearing my armor... you could have killed me. The way you're thinking and feeling is dangerous."

Cinder wasn't expecting Djarin to be so blunt and brutally honest, but she couldn't disagree with him. "I know," she choked out. "I know."

"Then you know that this is something you need help with."

"So... you agree? About Obi-Wan?"

"I want to meet him first, to know if he can actually help. Then, we'll decide what to do."

"Okay."

"In the meantime, don't focus on your training. Don't think about your powers, your hand-to-hand, just... take a breather."

"...Okay."

Djarin laid back down on his bed. "You should head back to the room. I'll meet you there in a little while."

Cinder softly got off the bed and made her way back to the dorms. But before she left, she turned back to the Mandalorian. "I'm... glad you're alright." Rather than waiting for a response, she left the room. Djarin didn't have much of a response anyway, just a long sigh. He wished he could say the same to Cinder, but he had a feeling her situation wasn't good.

She needed help.

Help he couldn't provide.

The next day was the day Djarin and Cinder left Beacon. Rather than going straight to Haven by using his Semblance, Djarin hoped a trip in the new Razor Crest would give him time to clear the air with Cinder. After he found her asleep when he came back to the dorms, Djarin knew she was still upset over what happened. He was glad he was honest and that Cinder seemed to understand the gravity of the situation, but he was concerned about the future.

And from her silent demeanor, so was Cinder.

"The Crest has a lot more room than it did before," Djarin said after the ship took off the ground. "I think you'll find it more comfortable than before."

"..."

Cinder seemed to be a million miles away as she looked out the window. It didn't take a genius to know that she still had her mind on the accident. But that didn't stop Djarin from trying to get her to open up. "Hello? Cinder?"

The child blinked as she turned back to Djarin. "Sorry, what?" she asked. "Did you say something?"

"I was just saying that the ship is bigger than before. Maybe you'd like to see the rest of it before we get to Haven?"

"Oh. Okay." Cinder got up from her seat and walked out the automatic door. Djarin didn't try to stop her, it was clear that she still wasn't herself. He hadn't seen her this quiet since he met her at the Glass Unicorn, and he knew her reasons for that. It only made his concern for her grow even more, he knew she was suffering again. Possibly more than being a slave or a lab rat with Watts.

And the fact that she had been gone for ten minutes made things even worse.

After the eleventh minute passed, Djarin put the ship on autopilot and went to find Cinder. It wasn't hard, she was inside a small room that opened with another automatic door. She looked up at him to ask a simple question. "Are we there yet?"

"No," Djarin answered, not moving. "I just want to talk."

"I really don't want to talk right now. You can close the door on your way out."

"..."

Djarin began to stand up, but stopped himself. He heard Cinder, he knew she wanted him to leave. But his gut was telling him to stay, that she needed him more than ever. Even if she wouldn't admit it, Cinder needed to hear something from her father. So the Mandalorian knelt down again and defied her wish. "Cinder... this has to stop."

She looked up at him with a scowl. "Why?" she spat out. "If I were to do that, I'd just be lying to myself." She looked down at her knees again. "I was being stupid. Thinking I could do this, lashing out... hurting you. I was acting like a kid."

"But you are a kid, Cinder. Nobody's expecting you to be a Maiden now, isn't that why we went to Beacon in the first place?" Djarin touched her shoulder. "We're... I'm going to help you be ready."

"We shouldn't lie to ourselves," Cinder said as she shook his hand off. "Salem's not just going to wait to fight us until I'm fully trained. And going to Haven will just waste more time. We'd be better off with a new Fall Maiden." She looked back to Djarin this time. "Ozpin said it was possible to transfer the powers. Maybe we can find someone less angry and less scared."

"Cinder, I don't think we can do that. Look, I know how you feel, I know-"

"No you don't."

Cinder pushed him aside as she stepped out of the small crawlspace. "You don't know what it's like to be scared of hurting people you love," she continued. "You don't know what it's like to have this power and these rules forced on you. And you don't know what it's like to have some witch and her friends want to drain your blood."

"Cinder-"

"But I know how you feel." Cinder jabbed a finger at him. "I know you're scared. You need to stop lying. You're scared of me, just like Ozpin. Scared that I'll do something like this again until I calm down!"

"...We're both wrong, then."

Cinder put her finger down. "Huh?"

Djarin simply took her hand and led her back to the cockpit. "I'm sorry, I don't know how that feels. As for my fears... let me show you what I'm afraid of."

Djarin took the ship on another path, off the course to Mistral. He instead stayed in Sanus, but flew westward. After a few minutes, the Razor Crest landed close to a dirt path, where Djarin walked outside the ship.

"Where are we?" Cinder asked, looking around the wooded area.

"Still in Sanus, but outside Vale," the Mandalorian replied. He held out his hand to Cinder again. "Come with me."

Cinder slowly took her father's hand and he led her deeper into the woods. His only opposition was a few Grimm, but he quickly took care of them with the Darksaber.

"You're getting better with that," Cinder observed.

"I had some practice with Death Watch," Djarin said. He stopped walking as he got a familiar feeling when he looked around the area. "We're here."

"What?" Cinder asked as she looked around. "This is just the woods."

Djarin kneeled down. "This is where I was found by the Mandalorians." He picked up a patch of dead flowers and put them aside. "It's also where I'd like you to meet someone."

"Who?"

Djarin stood up. "I think... she could be considered your aunt." He moved aside and let Cinder look at a headstone with a name carved on it.

Ikki Djarin

She looked back up at the Mandalorian. "Was... Was she-?"

"My sister." Djarin put his hand on the headstone. "We were from Mantle, the city below Atlas. Things were always bad for everyone in that city, but we couldn't afford to live there anymore when my father died. So we saved what money we could to come to Vale. The money only got us a ship to Sanus, so we planned to travel by foot with my mother and friends. That's when the Grimm found us."

Cinder moved closer to the gravestone. "So... you found her? After-?"

"After I became a Mandalorian. I buried her and I come here from time to time."

"I'm sorry." Cinder looked up at Djarin. "But... why? Why did you bring me here?"

"To share a few things with you." Djarin kneeled down to her. "First off, you should know Ikki was a great teacher. She taught me a lot, tried to make me look at the bright side of things. But there's one thing I remember her telling me, something that I need you to know yourself. You're in a tunnel right now, Cinder. You think everything is hopeless and dark, since that's the only thing you're seeing. But there's something else in that tunnel."

"What is it?"

"A light. You can't see it right away, which is why you need to find it for yourself. I can't help you there, but I know you'll find it. Either on your own or when we meet Obi-Wan, you'll find it. And once you do, you'll find your way out of the tunnel and everything will be okay."

Cinder began to smile. "You really think so?"

"I know so." He looked back at the grave. "When she and my mother hid me from the Grimm, I was scared of being alone. Scared of not having a family anymore." Djarin put a hand on Cinder's cheek. "Seeing you like this... makes me scared that I'll lose another family. That whatever is going on will take you away from me, just like Gideon did. I don't want that."

Cinder grasped his hand. "Neither do I."

"Not just with your anger, but your need to think you should be better. You're just a kid, Cinder. Don't put the world on your shoulders, and don't push yourself when we meet Obi-Wan. Let things happen at their own pace. If they don't-"

"I'll be back at square one," Cinder finished. "I won't do it again."

Djarin smiled and hugged Cinder. She embraced the hug for a moment, feeling a weight come off her shoulders. "We should get going," she said. Djarin silently agreed and walked Cinder back to the Razor Crest. "I'm sorry I never got to meet your sister. I think I would've liked her."

Djarin looked down and smiled at his daughter. "Well, you're a lot more alike then you might think." It was really easy to see the physical similarities between his daughter and sister, and it had formed a warm spot in Djarin's heart.

A man wearing a hooded brown robe was sitting in the middle of a large room, a statue of a woman behind him. At first glance, one would think he looked weird, as if he was sleeping in a very peculiar way. But in reality, the man was meditating, focusing his mind on the events that would follow shortly. For he was expecting a different kind of company, one that he was both intrigued and cautious about.

His meditation was taught to him by many teachers, all of which had the goal of connecting their minds to both themselves and the world around them. After years of practice, he made a connection that made his teachers and friends proud. And even now, with his current state of mind, the act of his meditation was an easy feat. He felt connected to himself in a way that would strengthen his Aura and allow him to contact things in the material world that nobody else thought was possible.

But the rest of his meditation would have to wait, as his connection helped him sense a new presence. The company he had been preparing for had arrived.

So the man stood up, but jumped on the statue and hid in the ceiling rather than greeting his new guests. It would be wise to observe them in private to see how they interacted and what their true intentions were. And what he saw seemed to be what he was told earlier, of how a Mandalorian would walk inside Haven Academy's auditorium with a little girl.

"Here we are," said the Mandalorian. "Haven Academy."

"You came here before, right?" the child asked. "When you were looking for me?"

"Yes. And it seems not a lot really changed."

The hidden watcher was already learning much. "So, he was the man from before. The one at Satine's ball." He didn't reveal himself just yet, he wanted to know a little more.

"Didn't Ozpin say the new Headmaster would meet us here?" the girl asked. "We're in the right place, aren't we?"

"We are," the Mandalorian confirmed. "The Headmaster might be in his office if he's not here."

"What did Ozpin say about him?"

"Before we left, he actually gave me a warning. He said we shouldn't be... 'alarmed when he presents himself.'"

"Wh-What does that mean?"

"Ozpin also said he might be brave enough to try and sneak up on us."

"You think he'll try that now?"

The Mandalorian removed the rifle he was wearing on his back and took off its scope. Putting it against his vizor, the Mandalorian looked around the room. Putting it down and looking back at the child, he made his guess. "I don't think so. Nobody seems to be here."

The man slightly chuckled to himself, surprised that Ozpin chose to describe his love for surprises out of all his other qualities. So, he decided not to disappoint his guests by taking off his robe and jumping down behind the duo, still able to keep his presence hidden. They were still walking away, and he knew the best way to reveal himself.

"Hello there."

Djarin and Cinder quickly turned around and pulled out their weapons, Cinder with her swords and Djarin with his pistol. But once they came face-to-face with a bearded man in light brown robes, Djarin began to relax. "Headmaster Kenobi," he said, still holding his weapon. He began to frown under his helmet, surprised how someone was able to catch him off guard. "You are a bold one."

"I see Ozpin shared some things about me... Djarin, is it?" The Mandalorian nodded, and the Headmaster shifted his gaze to the child. "And this must be your daughter," he assumed with a smile.

"..."

Cinder didn't lower her weapons, unsure what to think at the moment. Djarin still had his pistol, but his finger was off the trigger. "Yes. This is Cinder," he said calmly. "And you're right, Ozpin told me about you. Did he...?"

"He told me everything, mostly that Cinder is the new Fall Maiden." His smile disappeared. "He also told me about the accident."

"Alright, then." Djarin began to lower his weapon, and Cinder followed his lead. He had a good feeling that nobody else was watching. If someone was, Obi-Wan wouldn't have mentioned the Maidens. But he didn't feel very safe talking about something like this out in the open. "Maybe we should talk somewhere else."

Obi-Wan began to lead them out of the room and into the halls of Haven Academy. As they passed through dorms and classrooms, the Headmaster decided to talk about something else. "So Djarin, Ozpin told me you've been teaching at Beacon Academy."

"I've been focusing on hand-to-hand without Aura," the Mandalorian replied. "After Cinder helped me with one lesson, more students have been willing to try harder and learn more."

"I see. Dangerous, but it could yield better results when fighting the Grimm. Anything else?"

"Ozpin and I have been talking about teaching the students how to modify their Dust ammunition." Djarin removed a magazine from his pistol and showed it to Kenobi. "The Mandalorians have been using this technique for decades, maximizing Dust's capabilities. Only a few know about it, even a few who are not Mandalorian."

"Remind me to ask you for a syllabus sometime. We could use lessons like these at Haven."

Cinder stopped looking at each hall and room as she heard the word "lessons," which made her curious. "Speaking of which, what is it you think you can teach me?" she asked politely.

Obi-Wan stopped in front of an elevator and smiled. "Much, my dear," he said with confidence.

The elevator ride wasn't a very long one, and after a little more walking, the trio found themselves outside another door, one that led to a large office, with a big desk and an even bigger bookshelf. The Headmaster raised his right hand, and the clan of two stopped walking. They looked around as if they were expecting danger, but they instead saw the Headmaster move his hand towards the side of the room. Once he did, two chairs lifted off the ground and found their way in front of the desk.

"Have a seat," Kenobi requested. He made his way to the large desk as the Mandalorian and Cinder sat down. The Headmaster sat down and put his hands on the desk. "I'd like to begin by saying that I'm glad you decided to come to me. If it's alright with you, I'd like to learn a little more about... the accident."

"We can explain everything," said Djarin. "But first, we'd like to know you first."

Obi-Wan slightly tilted his head. "I thought Ozpin told you-?"

"Not everything. All he told us was that you can help. He didn't say how, or why you could."

"I see." Obi-Wan seemed to understand that to the Mandalorian and his daughter, he was a complete stranger. If they were to trust him, he needed to give them a good reason to. But Obi-Wan also knew he needed to be careful with what he revealed. So he began to play the hand he was dealt by asking a question. "You seem to know about the Maidens. I can assume that means you know about the one who wants them?"

"We do," Djarin confirmed. "When we learned about Cinder's powers, my people quested me with finding Ozpin. As for Salem-"

"I met her," Cinder said. "Before finding Ozpin."

Obi-Wan was quick to notice the change in attitude. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said. "I know that must have been scary for you."

"Have you met her too?"

"Once. When I lost my home."

Cinder and Djarin looked at each other when the Headmaster said this. They both felt sympathy for him, as Djarin knew what it meant to lose a home while Cinder knew the fear of meeting Salem. "I'm sorry," the child said as she looked back to Obi-Wan. "I didn't know that-"

"Oh, I understand. If there's one thing my people excelled in, it was our ability to keep secrets. Hiding ourselves was no different."

Djarin began to have suspicions of what Obi-Wan was talking about. It was a long shot, but he couldn't ignore the similarities. "Are you Mandalorian?" he asked.

"Oh, no." Obi-Wan stood up and walked to his window. "Although... my story isn't entirely different from Mandalore's. Except my people were never as public as Mandalorians. You see, I'm a Jedi."

"A what?"

"A Jedi." Obi-Wan walked over to where Djarin was sitting. "Mr. Djarin, I couldn't help but notice the weapon you're wearing on your waist." The Mandalorian first assumed he was talking about his blaster, but he followed Obi-Wan's eyes to the Darksaber. Obi-Wan slowly extended his hand. "May I see it?"

"..."

Djarin didn't like the idea of handing a powerful weapon to someone he didn't know. Obi-Wan could try to attack him with it, or try running away with it. But he didn't want to ruin any chances he had of helping Cinder by saying "no." So he slowly took the Darksaber off his belt and handed it to the "Jedi." Once Obi-Wan had it, Djarin rested his hand on his holster and prepared to use his Semblance.

Obi-Wan moved out of harm's way to activate the Darksaber. Once he did, he found himself staring into the black light that it had produced. "Just as I thought," he said. Moving it to the left and right, Obi-Wan continued to talk. "It's truly an impressive weapon. The hilt makes it easy to wield than most weapons." Turning the blade off, he handed it back to Djarin. "Mr. Djarin, would you believe me if I told you that weapon wasn't as unique as you may believe it to be?"

"...No," the Mandalorian replied.

"I thought not." Obi-Wan moved his hands to his waist and removed a similar looking device from his belt. Pressing a button on the side, a blue blade appeared before Cinder and Djarin. Both were slightly surprised to see that the Headmaster's claim was true. "This weapon shares some similarities to the Darksaber. This is called a 'lightsaber,' the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or as random as a gun. An elegant weapon... for a more civilized age." He turned off the blade and looked back at the clan of two.

Cinder was more interested in the lightsaber than Djarin was. "You made that yourself?" she asked.

"You could actually say it's a part of myself." Obi-Wan held the cylinder in front of Cinder. "This weapon is my life. This weapon... is my Aura." A blue light began to surround Obi-Wan, but it quickly moved towards the metal weapon. Just as the blade returned, Cinder gasped at the miracle.

"You... put your Aura into your weapon?" she assumed. Her curiosity grew when Obi-Wan nodded. "I've... never heard anything like that before."

"All Jedi made their weapons like this, it's a technique passed down from generation to generation. The Darksaber, on the other hand, is purely Magic. Created by Ozpin."

"You know about Ozpin? And his Magic? How?"

Obi-Wan chuckled and lifted his hands. "Because I share some of his Magic as well." Just then, numerous objects began to lift around the room and spin. Books, chairs, and the things on the Headmaster's desk became playthings to the air.

Djarin was silent while Obi-Wan explained who he was and what the Jedi were, but after seeing Obi-Wan do all of this without an Aura, he began to demand answers. "This isn't possible," he said. "Only the Maidens should have Ozpin's Magic." Cinder told him this a week ago, and this was his initial belief.

"And yet... a part of it remains," said Obi-Wan. "If you know about his Magic, then you know that he has walked the surface of this world for generations. Each new life brought new opportunities, and brought... descendants."

Cinder began to understand, but needed to confirm her theory. "Are you... related to Ozpin?"

"To one of his past lives, yes. The descendants of his reincarnations share a small link to the Magic of the first Humanity. We call it... the Force." The objects began to spin faster. "The Force surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the world of Remnant together." The objects moved back to their proper place as Obi-Wan sat down. "Through our connection to the Force, the Jedi were able to find strength, knowledge, and peace. It is through the Force that I believe I can help you, Cinder. But first, I need to know more about what happened."

The child looked back at Djarin, who nodded. He decided that they asked Obi-Wan enough and that now was the time to share their side of the story. Cinder was still uncomfortable about sharing the details, so the Mandalorian asked her to wait outside. Once she left, Djarin explained what happened and what Ozpin told him.

"I see," said Obi-Wan, who paid attention to everything the Mandalorian said. "I believe Ozpin may be right. Cinder's anger is stemming from her fear."

"She's been desperate to do better, to intensify her training," said Djarin. "And it seems she's getting stronger when she's angry."

"Well, we can't have that. Mr. Djarin, the Jedi have used the Force to train themselves, teach themselves to resist their fear. Cinder may not be like me, but I believe I can help her."

"How long will you need?"

"It's... hard to say, really. Right now, I can say there is one thing that is certain."

"Which is?"

"You must leave, place Cinder in my care."

Djarin quickly stood up. "No deal," he said. "Wherever she goes, I go."

"I see you've formed a strong attachment to her," the Headmaster observed. "And she's done the same with you."

"We're a family. We stay together."

"As most families should. But Cinder's attachment to you makes her vulnerable to her fears. Her anger."

"All the more reason to train her."

"Indeed. But she must put that attachment aside in order to achieve true enlightenment."

"And after that?"

"..."

Djarin realized he had an opportunity to prove his point, judging by the Headmaster's silence. So he continued to speak. "Once you train Cinder, she'll be back with me. Our connection, or whatever you call it, will grow stronger. Maybe even stronger than your training. Unless... you don't plan to let her leave."

"Once her training is done, Cinder is free to leave," Obi-Wan assured the Mandalorian. "And you're right, her connection will grow stronger." Obi-Wan still had the idea this was the best course of action, but she and Djarin would never allow it. So, he proposed a compromise. "How about this? Let me train Cinder alone for one night. You'll be free to come back tomorrow."

Djarin was still unsure of leaving Cinder behind, but he knew Obi-Wan was possibly the best chance Cinder had at controlling herself. So he reluctantly took the deal and went outside to talk to Cinder.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Djarin sighed as he kneeled down to his daughter. "Cinder, you remember how I said I would follow you wherever you went?" he asked.

"Umm... yes?" Cinder replied, confused about why he was asking that.

"And you know that I wouldn't be doing anything for you if I didn't think it was for the best?"

"Of course."

Djarin put a hand on her shoulder. "After taking with the Headmaster, I-"

Cinder began to back away. "You're... leaving?"

"For one night."

Cinder began to tear up. "But... But Dad, I-"

Djarin looked around the hall, seeing nobody in sight. So he took off his helmet and put it down. "I know you're scared," he said. "I'm scared too. I don't know if this will work, but I convinced Obi-Wan to let me come back tomorrow."

"So we'll go back to Beacon then?"

"...No. But when that day is over, I'm coming back and staying with you. I don't care what anyone else says, I am not leaving you."

"Dad, I... I don't know about this. I-"

Djarin gave Cinder a piece of paper with a phone number on it. "This is how you can get in touch with me. Go to Mistral's CCT and call me anytime. I'll come straight here."

Cinder looked at the number and began to have a good feeling. She was relieved at the idea that she wouldn't be abandoned, that her time at Haven would only be temporary. But she had one more question before making any decisions. "So... you're coming back. You promise?"

Djarin kissed the top of Cinder's head. "I promise," he answered. He stood up and put his helmet on. Knocking on the door, Obi-Wan answered it.

"Is everything alright?" he asked as he looked down to Cinder.

Cinder looked at the paper Djarin gave her, then looked up at Djarin. She nodded and gestured to Obi-Wan, who was patiently waiting for an answer. "I'll stay," Cinder declared. "But Dad gets to come back after one night."

"Of course," the Headmaster promised. He then turned to the Mandalorian. "I'll have a room ready for you when you get back."

"Thank you," Djarin said. He looked down to Cinder and said one more thing. "Good luck, Cinder."

He disappeared without a word.

A group of students seated before Djarin watched as he lined up his pistol with a dummy target in front of a wall.

*BANG*

A red blast sent a hole through the target and managed to create a smaller hole in the stone wall behind it. And the hole where the target was hit had begun to burn.

"Whoa!" all the students cried. They were amazed by the act of destruction a single shot from a small pistol had just created.

The Mandalorian had continued his lessons at Beacon when he woke up that morning. Still feeling a little sore after the accident, Djarin suggested he wait a little longer before going back to combat. So Ozpin arranged for him to meet with another teacher at Beacon, Harold Mulberry. There, Djarin would teach students the effects of blaster shots compared to regular Dust ammunition. And once Djarin fired a regular Fire Dust round into the target, creating another small hole but doing nothing to the wall, they could all see the difference.

One student raised her hand to ask a question. "Are you saying we can make our guns fire shots like that?"

"Yes," Djarin replied. "It's just a matter of modifying the bullet with the Dust inside. The method I'm going to teach you can be applied to any Dust round you want."

"So we'll be tinkering with a live round?" another student asked. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Extremely. This won't just teach you how to increase the power of your weapons, but how good attention to detail is necessary in any kind of work you do."

Djarin conducted his lesson by handing out a regular Dust round and modified Dust round to his students, in order for them to see the differences. He then made a recording of himself tinkering with the regular round to make it fire blasts. His assigned homework was for the students to watch the video as many times as they wanted, in order to be ready for their own turn to modify Dust rounds.

After everyone left, Djarin prepared to leave too. After teaching only one of the morning classes, he figured his waiting to go back to Haven was over. He didn't have to take his ship this time, his Semblance could take him back to the academy at the cost of some Aura. And it would be good to see Cinder again, even if she was still upset about the accident.

As he prepared to make his move, the Mandalorian's gauntlet began to beep. Djarin pressed a button and a blue screen appeared with a message.

Incoming Call: Haven CCT

Djarin answered it without hesitation. Once he did, the screen changed into a video call, with a smiling Cinder. "Hi, Dad," she said calmly.

"...Hi, Cinder," Djarin replied. "I was on my way to see you, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. A little tired, but I'm fine." Cinder yawned before saying something else. "I'm sorry, I just... had a really long night."

"Well, how did it go?"

"The day was hard, but, I think last night opened my eyes. I'm glad I came here."

"So it worked? Your training's over?"

Cinder's smile vanished. "I wish it was, Dad. But it's like Ozpin said... it's not that simple. I know what I need to do, just..."

"Just not how to do it."

Cinder dried one of her eyes, but smiled again for her father. "Eventually, I will. I took the first step, but it's going to be a long walk."

"Do you... Do you need me to take it with you?"

Her smile vanished again, and she took a deep breath. "Dad... this is something I need to do alone. I don't know how long it will take, but I can't come home until this is done. Until I'm ready to be a Maiden. I..." Cinder looked away for a second, and took a few more breaths. But it wasn't enough, and she began to let her tears find their way down her cheeks. "I know that's hard to hear, and I don't want you to think I don't need you. I also don't want you to be mad, but I-"

Djarin ripped his helmet off so he could look at Cinder with his own eyes. He needed her to see how he felt rather than just hear how he felt. "Cinder, I'm not mad," he said honestly. "There's never been a time when I was mad at you. If anything... I'm proud you're able to make a choice as hard as this. Believe me, I've had to make hard choices too." Djarin remembered how hard it was for him to choose Cinder over his oath to the Guild, but he never regretted it. "And I know it will be a while before we see each other again. So for now, just know that I'm going to wait for you. As long as it takes."

"..."

"Cinder?"

"Yes?"

"...You know that I love you, right?"

Cinder smiled again as she nodded and cried. "I love you too."

Now, it was Djarin's turn to smile. But it was also his turn to make a hard choice. "...Goodbye, Cinder."

"Goodbye, Dad."

The call ended.

Djarin wept.

Author's notes: hope you enjoyed this chapter. Are you interested in learning more about Remnant's Jedi? Do you want to know what happened to Cinder? And do you want to know why she prefers to stay at Haven alone? Then find out next time, when the next chapter of The Way of the Maiden is out! Hope you're excited!

To GojiraFan455516, thank you. Hope you liked this chapter.

To Mandalorian00, yes she can. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To 54godamora, Samson is Pyrrha's uncle. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Marc Ello Re-Yes, you're absolutely right, things won't go well when the truth is out. Glad you liked the story arc for Glynda, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Rook435, glad you liked the last chapter and the answer I gave. You're right, it's definitely not good for health. I mean, look what happened to Nora in Volume 8. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Before I go, I just want to bring up one thing: I got a lot of views for the last chapter, but not a lot of reviews. There were only five reviews for the last chapter, and this might be a record low since this story came out. Please don't hesitate to leave reviews, I want to hear what you guys have to say. Even if you don't like the chapter and even if you never left a review here before, I care what you think about the story. So please don't forget to leave a review after you read this chapter. And thank you for reading, I'll see you next time.