A Series Of Unfortunate Circumstances [RWBY SI] [AHOIAC AU]

[shadenight123]

Chapter Nine

Aura was great. It made me feel energetic. It made me feel capable of doing a hundred thousand push-ups. It also had to be willingly brought to the front of my mind's eye to be used. I could channel it in my body. I could channel it in my weapon. Where it went, it strengthened, it quickened, it made things that seemed impossible happen. And when it ended, I suffered.

If twenty Grimm stepped inside, then twenty Grimm I would face on that day. Learning how to pace oneself was important, apparently, because I wouldn't be allowed respite. There were no breaks. There were no time-outs. When a Beringel slammed one of his fists into my guard and sent me flying for the wall, they wouldn't stop to check if I was still alive, but simply pounce further on the occasion.

When a Boarbatusk would initiate a rolling attack and grind against my armor, sending sparks to fly, they wouldn't stop but instead bite down hard with their tusks on my flesh.

I accrued such a vast quantity of wounds that to call me a patchwork of them wouldn't have been wrong. I survived because of Aura, and because Arthur was actually a pretty good Doctor, provided you didn't piss him off by bleeding all over his research.

There was a certain sense of relief filling my frame when the week came to an end and Hazel and Tyrian returned. The relief was short-lived, because it was replaced with a new sense of nervousness.

I was going to die, or I was going to have to kill someone.

The meeting hall had us all there, though this time both Cinder and I were seated. I had the unfortunate luck of being seated next to Tyrian, while Cinder got lucky with Hazel and Arthur being on her side. Salem stood at the head of the table, as always.

"Goddess, we have completed our mission," Tyrian said with a maniacal smile, "The heathen barely saw us arrive, and we cut him down! Yes, we cut him down and chopped him up and heard him cry and-"

There was a manic glint in Tyrian's eyes as he clasped his hands together while giggling furiously.

"Tyrian," Salem said, firmly but politely, "Well done." She turned her eyes towards Hazel. "Were you seen?"

"No," Hazel said. "We were not discovered. Leonardo sent them away from the city for us to ambush."

Salem nodded. "Then, pick your next target carefully, and bring Shade with you," she gestured at me, and I swallowed as I felt Tyrian's gaze settle on me. It was far more terrifying than that of Hazel, who seemed simply uncaring about it. "He is to deliver the final blow. I will be incredibly displeased, Tyrian, if you take the opportunity away from young Shade to prove his loyalty." Her eyes narrowed, and Tyrian shuddered, from sheer grief I reckoned. "There is to be no hesitation," she added next. "He will prove his loyalty on this mission, or he will die."

Cinder swallowed nervously from her side, but said nothing. Her eyes stared into mine, silently pleading me to do exactly as was said, and I looked back at her with a chagrined expression.

Perhaps the man or woman we'd be charged to kill would be an evil huntsman. Maybe someone who used their powers irresponsibly, to make the world a more horrible place. Maybe they were some kind of arrogant, racist jerk. That would be the most optimal solution. I mean, if Salem wanted to convert me to her cause, then showing me the kind of horrible things evil huntsmen could do would be the best possible solution.

Anyone with half a brain would do that, but then my loyalty would remain in question. If she was measuring my loyalty, then perhaps having me kill some kind of loving huntsman who was a father or a mother to someone would be better. It would arguably be hell for me, but-

"Don't think about them," Hazel said as he realized I was actually pretty much torn over the entire issue, walking by his side while Tyrian had gone ahead. The meeting had ended, and we had our mission to get to. "Kill them because you must. Do not ask yourself anything else."

"But what if-"

"Do not think about that," Hazel answered flatly, quietly looking at me. "They are no more than corpses that walk. If not us, then others will come anyway. You are merely the instrument, the tool that can be used or discarded for another."

I swallowed my replies, because they wouldn't change anything.

Hazel was right on a certain level. These people would die all the same. They were already dead by the time Canon timeline would come around. I wasn't technically needed to kill them. I wasn't drowning my hands in the blood of people-I was just...I was just stabbing corpses that still walked.

I could see it like that.

Oh, who was I kidding. I didn't want to see it that way.

It was true that they would die anyway. They'd be crawling on the ground, perhaps with their bodies broken, and then I'd have to stab them or let Tyrian and Hazel do it before they'd then proceed to kill me in turn. If it had been just Hazel, maybe he might have been convinced to lie -but Salem would have probably found out.

No, the only way to make it was to do the kill myself.

Salem would probably know if I didn't return with feelings of shame and guilt within me.

And if I didn't return at all, Cinder would probably take it hard.

The airship that left Salem's domain was quiet as it floated through the air. I stood on the deck, looking at the land beneath us go by. The dead land transformed into green, lush jungles after a certain point, high cliffs and barren wastelands rife with crystals and Grimm acting as an invisible natural barrier.

Nevermore flocks flew in the air around us, Griffin and Sphinxes as well as many other Grimm of various, yet terrifying nature. They were the guardians of the land of Destruction, and some of them had bodies fully encased in their white bone armors, signaling they were as old as Remnant itself.

I had little doubt that anyone seeing such monstrosities would lose hope in mankind's future. Now that I could look around with ease, no longer clutching on to a Nevermore for safe passage, I could see that the path to Salem's domain was hard and tortuous, and the Grimm would stop anyone mad enough to attempt it.

"If you think about jumping out," Tyrian cackled, having quietly appeared from behind me, "I'll let you reach the ground before hunting you down like the traitorous animal you would be," he giggled with the face of a true madman, his scorpion tail twitching behind him, the stinger gleaming with poison. "Then I would bring your severed head back to the Goddess, and she would show it to your friend, wouldn't she? And then she'd scream oh, I wonder if she'd scream," Tyrian laughed loudly at that. His scorpion tail slithered around me, coming to a halt by the other side of my face. "Or I could let my poison do the work. Leave you to die, eaten alive by the Grimm."

I clenched my fists. "You're the fun soul at the party, aren't you?"

"Oh? Oh oh oh!" Tyrian laughed, "I am! I always bring a lot of laughter to the parties I attend," he snickered, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Hazel's no fun because he doesn't talk much. Just remember-we are not friends, we are not allies. We are fellow servants of the Goddess."

I looked at him. "We are, aren't we?" I muttered. An idea formed in my head. My right hand went to the handle of my sword. "We should train, then, shouldn't we?"

Tyrian's eyes widened as he jumped back, his shoulders twitching from hilarity. "Train!? Train! Ha!" he laughed, a wicked smile on his face. His scorpion tail rattled behind him. "Don't blame me if you die."

I brought my sword in front of me. "Likewise-"

"If you break the airship, we will have to steal another and Salem will not be pleased," Hazel's voice grumbled. "Once we land in Mistral, then we can find somewhere you can fight."

The plan for my escape was simple.

I just had to become stronger than Tyrian, I just had to become stronger than Hazel.

I just had to become stronger than them both combined, and then break free.

Unfortunately, one couldn't just swallow back his words once spoken.

That was why I ended up hurting all over, my body wrecked and my soul actually on fire, not ten hours later. The clearing where we'd be camping was just outside the city of Mistral, and as Hazel had promptly decided to procure wood for the fire and wild game for dinner, I was beaten black and blue and even various shades of purple and red in-between.

Tyrian laughed through it all.

His laughter grated on my nerves more than anything else.

"You just keep trying!" he snickered. "Your efforts are so adorably worthless!" he swatted me down with his tail, before jumping and landing a twin kick into my guts. He crouched atop me, his full weight making me hiss from pain. His face was inches away from mine. "I'd love to cut you in pieces, you know that?" he hissed into my ear. "But the Goddess doesn't want that. Not yet." He tapped the tip of his fingers together. "Oh, how I hope you won't do her commands. Your blasphemy will bring me much joy as I cut you apart!"

I slammed my free left hand against the ground, grasping for the dirt. His tail slammed down on my wrist, and then he hopped off. I couldn't move anymore.

I had to move, but I couldn't.

Come on, my body. Move.

Move.

And move it did as every fiber screamed. It moved as every muscle burned. "Still here," I hissed, my breathing harsh as my vision swam. Sweat dribbled from my forehead. I clutched my knee as I got back on my feet. "Didn't even...feel it."

Tyrian was already coming in for another kick in my sides, when Hazel arrived with a dead dear over his shoulder, and the Faunus-assassin stopped.

"After dinner, we can go again," he snickered. "I'll never tire of beating you up, don't worry."

I tightened my hands into fists from sheer frustration. "One day."

Tyrian laughed, "But not today~" he said with a sing-song voice.

And that day it would not be.

That week, it would not be.

My hands tightened the grip on the handle of my sword at the end of the week, and the pact with the demon known as Salem was sealed with the blood of a huntsman that I did not wish to know anything about, neither the good, nor the bad. Hazel's words stung, Tyrian's laughter echoed in my skull like a most horrifying cacophony, and our return had Salem simply smile.

She smiled at the guilt that poured over me, and she smiled even further at the clenching of my fists and at the ferocity of my training afterwards.

She didn't send me on further missions with them.

She saw no further point.

When push came to shove, I had chosen to do as she had commanded.

My loyalty, for the time being, was proven.

My bitterness was the catalyst of my training, and she knew that too. Perhaps she had foreseen it, perhaps she had planned it, perhaps she had realized that the only way to get me to the very best of my abilities was to frustrate me with my own powerlessness.

I was fifteen years of age when she deemed it righteous to send me on another mission.

I would not be going alone, though.

Cinder would be in command.

"I have no doubts you will obey her as you would obey me," Salem spoke with an amused smile, knowing fully well what her words would have on my thoughts.

I said nothing. I just nodded very slowly, as if giving the impression of reverence whereas there was none within me to be found.

What I was surprised on was what we would end up having to do.

"We're to steal funds?" I muttered.

"Yes," Cinder explained calmly as I looked at the large Nevermore that would bring us to the outskirts of Mistral, and that we'd have to ride. "There is...something to come, and we will need funding for certain parts of it."

"So we're going to rob a bank?" I asked, extending a hand to help settle Cinder atop the Nevermore before climbing behind her.

"Something of the sorts," Cinder acquiesced. "Just do what I say, Shade."

"You're the boss," I mused.

Her hands tightened on the Nevermore, and I couldn't help but feel a slight bout of nervousness from her. "Yeah," she said. "I am."

She didn't sound convinced of it, though.

Then again, perhaps her nervousness was just my imagination?

Still, to send us both alone, wasn't Salem going to wonder if we'd run-wait.

Ah. I got it.

If we attempted running, we'd be hunted and killed, or maybe Cinder herself had been tasked with killing me if I attempted to run for it. This was Salem giving us a slightly longer leash, and seeing if we'd follow through with it or not. Maybe Tyrian would secretly shadow us, or even Hazel.

There was little choice then, at least, if I wanted to play a better card in the future, I'd need to play the game for the time being.

Stealing wasn't that bad of a thing anyway.

When compared to murder...

...many other things were the lesser evil anyway.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Ten

Cinder remained quiet throughout the trip. I reckoned it had to be the wind keeping her from speaking, but as we landed by the outskirts of civilization and proceeded on foot, it was clear that there were a lot of things bothering her, and she didn't seem keen on talking about them. It didn't mean I wouldn't attempt to find out all the same.

"Something the matter?" I asked.

"There's nothing," Cinder said, sharply. She then took a deep breath, and looked ahead at the road we had to travel. "I just-There are a lot of things that Salem told me, and I need to gather my thoughts on how to do this."

I glanced at the path ahead of us, "How are we supposed to bring the funds back, anyway?"

"That's just a small part of what we're supposed to be doing," Cinder acquiesced. "But Salem taught me how to call the Grimm and...how to control them," she looked at me as she said that, and I raised an eyebrow in reply. "I'll have a Nevermore bring the jewels and the Lien back."

"Uh, neat," I muttered. "Then we're not just supposed to steal funds?"

"No, we're not supposed to do just that," Cinder added, "But we'll begin with what is easier and then-then we'll see."

For the first few minutes, I didn't say anything.

There was an air of awkwardness around us, which I couldn't quite place. "Did she say something like 'if he attempts to escape, kill him or face my wrath'?"

"She-She did not," Cinder said. "She has the utmost trust in us both." I glanced at her, and then sighed. "She truly does."

"She doesn't," I mused. "We don't even belong to the same race to her. We're pets. We're nice when we're belly up, and we're dead if we disobey her commands. She'll put us down without regrets, or care."

Cinder hissed sharply. "If Tyrian heard you, he'd kill you for that."

"No, he'd attempt to, and I'd stop him by stating that his Goddess doesn't want that," I remarked. "She wants us to do something, I'll do it. However the truth is the truth, regardless of anything else that may happen." I glanced at her. "I'm here for you, Cinder."

Cinder looked away, and then a scowl settled on her face. "Then for my sake, keep quiet about those thoughts." She hurried her gait, and I did the same.

The city we stepped into wasn't Mistral, nor was it a small village either. It was some kind of middle ground, a city built on the side of a lake and near a mountain cliff. It was a place with some walls, and more than a few guards stationed by them. There were no Grimm attacking, and as we walked to the main entrance, the first problem came to my attention.

I didn't have any documents. If somebody asked for identification, I'd be screwed. Still, Cinder drew closer to my side and linked arms with me, smiling demurely as a guard stopped us from entering.

"Reason for entering Wind Path?" the first guard asked.

"We're on our honeymoon," Cinder said with a gushing voice that had me freeze my own brain. I was tall, admittedly, and the armor did its job, but saying honeymoon when I was a fifteen year old wasn't really what I was expecting her to go with.

The guard was definitely not buying it. I had no doubts he wouldn't buy it. There was no reason for him to buy it.

I wouldn't buy it.

Oi, don't look away while blushing, stupid guard.

I mean, yes, do look away because we have to get inside, but don't really do that. It was incredibly frustrating how I wanted the mission to fail, whatever it was, but also didn't want it to fail because otherwise we'd be in trouble.

Cinder presented some papers to the guard, who took and gave one long look at them before nodding and letting us go through.

"Since when are we married?" I whispered once past earshot.

"Watts has a cruel sense of humor," Cinder replied. "He gave us the same surname."

I raised an eyebrow. "Like siblings?"

Cinder blinked, acting nonchalantly about the whole thing. "Clearly, he did not intend it that way," she added with a huff.

"Cinder, he literally intended it that way," I grumbled. "And since when is my surname Fall?"

"That's-Well, it's mine," Cinder said, still holding on to my arm as we kept walking through the now bustling streets of Wind Path. "It's ours, darling," she added with a smile that was anything but honest, or pure. It was the kind of smile that meant if I kept disliking the option, I'd get a foot stomping down on one of my own.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "The things I do for you, Cinder, the things I do for you."

She looked slightly crestfallen, "You really don't like it?"

"It's fine," I chuckled. "Guess we're going to need a ring to make it official?"

Cinder grinned, "Why, I think that is indeed what I was thinking we should do."

We ended up stepping inside a couple of jewelry stores, looking at them, Cinder falling easily into the role of a newly minted wife looking for the perfect ring. Her smile, false as it was when compared to the original one I had witnessed, was still good enough to convince jewelers to bring out their best and priciest diamonds, showing off their collections and then, in the end, wave us goodbye as Cinder needed more time to think about it.

Something was nagging in the back of my mind, and once we stepped into another jewelry shop, it became clear. There was a street urchin with green hair accepting a ring from a smiling jeweler, but the moment we stepped in the spell seemingly broke, and the girl hastily ran out, leaving the man puzzled about it all.

"Call the police!" a woman exclaimed, and Cinder looked intrigued enough that she added, shortly thereafter.

"We'll catch up to her!" she said, letting go of my arm and starting to run after her.

I glanced around, if briefly.

I could run away. I was extremely confident it would mean Cinder's punishment.

With a deep sigh in the depths of my soul, I rushed out behind her, my eyes fixed on the street ahead of me and the people that were moving away as the green-haired thief rushed for the side-alleys, Cinder hot in pursuit.

I took a turn and fired my weapon up towards the top of a roof where it stuck to a wall, letting the chain then drag me upwards as physics cried in dismay. I am sorry physics, but this is the world where I can do this, and so I will let it happen.

Once on the rooftop, I began to hop to the next one while my keeping my eyes on the chase below. Eventually, Emerald took a shortcut that led her into an alley. Her exit way was cut-off as I watched Cinder stop, smile, and start to speak to the scared young girl. Nearby, police officers rushed past them.

That was when I jumped down.

"...who are you?" Emerald Sustrai asked, before turning her gaze towards me.

"Hello there," I said with a friendly smile, "I'm-"

"Late," Cinder grumbled. "I am Cinder, Cinder Fall, and this is my brother-" she looked at Emerald as if to dare challenge that fact, "Shade."

"So, we're no longer a couple on a honeymoon? Talk about the shortest marriage ever," I chuckled as I said that, receiving a full-out glare in reply as I placed both hands behind my head. If Cinder wanted to play the card of the tyrannical queen, she had something waiting for her. I had no intention of letting it happen.

I kept my eyes on Emerald, however. "You look like you could use a meal kid," I said with a smile. "Want to come with us?"

Cinder had many things she seemed like she wanted to say, but she didn't. "Follow me, and you'll never be hungry again," she extended a hand towards her, a smile on her face.

I couldn't help but imagine Scar of the Lion King speaking to the hyenas as she said that, the thought crossing my mind and a snicker leaving my throat as I turned my attention elsewhere. I was going to receive the mother of all tongue-lashing by the time this was over with, but Cinder wasn't Salem. She wouldn't kill or hurt me.

"Why should I trust you?" Emerald asked.

"I will make you question everything you know," Cinder said with a smile. She extended her hand, and from within it I saw a small black beetle with a white Grimm mask emerge.

"Im-Impossible," Emerald muttered at the sight of it, her eyes wide.

I stared, and then I knew that deep down there was no other choice but for Cinder to do as asked. If she didn't, then I had little doubts that the parasite Grimm would activate, and kill her. Perhaps that was Salem's best reason for letting me go with her. She knew I wouldn't leave Cinder to her gruesome fate, or at least she suspected it.

"So," Cinder continued after the beetle disappeared back into her hand. "How about we find somewhere to eat, and you can tell us all you know about this city?"

Emerald swallowed. The prospect of good food was too much for her to pass, I realized. I could share her feelings about it. My stomach was no longer empty on a regular basis, but I did know what it meant.

"I'm...I'm Emerald," she said.

I grinned, "That's a pretty name, like the gem it comes from."

Cinder's eyes narrowed in my direction, and I simply smiled back at her.

As the unlikely trio walked out of the dead-end, and headed for the closest food joint, I finally looked at my surroundings with a bit more of care.

And there, plastered on a nearby wall, was a giant picture of young Wren Schnee, his face staring right ahead.

Have you seen this boy? Contact the Schnee Foundation for reward.

Fact of the matter was, his face and mine were no longer the same.

Mine was way thinner, and gaunt. My hair was ashen, nearly whitened from the stress, and the one in the picture was a healthy dark color.

"The lost Schnee heir," Emerald said, realizing I had stopped to look at the giant picture. "The White Fang captured him years ago and then killed him, but rich folks just can't accept reality for what it is," she spat to the side with a scowl on her face.

"A realist who deals with illusions," I mused back with a good chuckle, "We'll talk more over lunch, wouldn't want my sister to get angry we're not giving her the due importance." I smiled as I realized that Cinder had indeed turned back to look at us with a scowl on her face.

My smile was disarming.

Cinder had no choice but to melt to it.

She would never admit it, of course...

...but I had her wrapped around my finger just as much as she had me around hers.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Eleven

Emerald ate like a famished wolf. I smiled at that, and it was pretty clear that Emerald had noticed because she blushed, before attempting to slow down. "Don't worry about it," I said with a chuckle, my own plate already empty. "I'm a quick eater myself."

I took a gulp of water, and then looked at Cinder's smoldering gaze. "Now that you're eaten," Cinder said after Emerald was done. "Why don't you tell us how you came to be a street rat, when your Semblance is so...intriguing."

"It's-It's not that great," Emerald muttered back. "It only works for a few minutes at most, and only on one person. But...my story isn't that interesting."

"Let me be the judge of that," Cinder said, trying to sound gentle.

"I'm a street rat," Emerald muttered. "I don't remember who my father or mother were. I just...I just knew I always lived in the streets. There were other kids, grown-ups, they took care of the small ones and had us beg or keep watch in the streets. I was good at keeping watch, so then they taught me to steal with them. I got my hands on a knife, then two, and I just go to the point...where I quietly crept on a rooftop near a combat school to steal some lessons from them. I-I got my Aura unlocked by sheer luck, after-after a nasty fight that went really wrong." She swallowed. "I discovered my Semblance the same way. I just wanted him to not know I was there. I wasn't there, I didn't want him to know and-and he started yelling that I had disappeared."

She exhaled a moment later. "That's when I felt stronger all of a sudden, and so I stabbed him, stabbed him until he couldn't move anymore," she took a deep breath. "I've been on the run since then. He was...a big shot in the underground. I've had little luck here, but-I thought if I could make my way out of Mistral, I heard that Vale's a rich city."

"How interesting," Cinder mused. "We were headed to Vale ourselves. One more good reason to thank your lucky star that brought us together."

Emerald's eyes widened, "R-Really? I-Thank you."

"But there have to be some changes," Cinder acquiesced. "You'll need new clothes. You can't go around wearing stitches, not in my company."

Because they'd be a reminder of her past, and would hurt Ashelyn far more than Cinder would ever dare to admit to her inner self.

I grinned at that. "Guess I'll have to come along with you two fair ladies then?"

"Someone will have to hold the clothes," Cinder said with a huff, even as Emerald looked surprised by it.

"I-I don't have the Lien for-"

"We're paying for them, if you hadn't realized," I pointed out with a smile. "Stick with us, kiddo, and we'll show you the world." I sighed, "Just know that there's no running away afterwards. If you want to go," Cinder snapped her eyes towards me, but I looked straight back at her, "Then go now, and forget everything you've seen. If you stay, the tunnel goes deep, way deeper," Cinder's hands went beneath the table, her eyes smoldering in fury at me.

"I'm staying," Emerald said instead. "Whatever I can do-I'll do it," she added, a hand pressed against her chest. "I'm not afraid of anything, and I'm a quick learner, really. I learned how to read all by myself-"

"Oh?" I blinked at that. "Really? I liked reading too, once." I smiled at that. "What kind of books do you like read-"

"Enough," Cinder snapped curtly. "We are done eating, and I think it's time we get the clothing sorted before we move on to the pressing matters that brought us into town to begin with," she added, gesturing for the bill.

Emerald winced at the tone, looking worriedly in my direction for some kind of hint at what she had done wrong. I shook my head slowly. Cinder was just being testy because I was undermining her whole glorious idea of being this kind of sexy villain of doom and iron fist obeisance, and she couldn't properly come to grip with the fact that I wasn't scared of all, not at all, and nothing she could do would rein me in.

It wasn't like I was talking back at every instant, of course. I just picked my battles wisely.

I waited outside a couple of shops, and as Cinder and Emerald were left to their own devices, I began to ponder on the next step. This was the prologue to Amber's ambush, and her wounding. Only with my presence, it might either become a triumphant success, or an incredible failure.

There was just one thing I was hoping for. One ace in the hole I could use.

That would have to come later. As things went, I raised an eyebrow as Cinder and Emerald stepped outside the latest shop in a long list, with Emerald looking slightly pale, if more properly dressed.

"Everything all right?" I asked.

"Yes," Cinder said. "Everything is quite all right, Shade."

"You didn't deliver some kind of subtle threateningly hushed set of whispers to poor Emerald while out of earshot, did you?" I asked next, eliciting a choked gasp from Emerald, and an awkward cough from Cinder herself. I rolled my eyes. "Your jealousy is incredibly endearing, Cinder, but you know there's only one woman in my heart for me."

I sighed, "And her name's Ashelyn."

Then, I looked at Cinder's slightly shaking shoulders, and her eyes fixed on my form, even as they spoke a lot of unspoken words that I couldn't properly understand, nor comprehend. "Then you're a fool," Cinder hissed back, "But we have tarried enough. We will find somewhere to spend the reminder of the day, and tonight we will begin with our plan."

I gave her a gentle nod, and a sad smile. "There's a jewelry store that all rich folks of the city go to, and I know there's also a smuggling ring beneath it, so there's a lot of stolen stuff that won't be reported if it gets stolen," Emerald spoke as she walked by Cinder's side. Cinder gave a curt nod at that information, and then began to walk without a particular destination in mind.

Halfway through our walk, Cinder took the lead and I ended up walking by Emerald's side.

"Have you read The thief and the butcher?" I asked.

Emerald's eyes widened. "I have," she said. "What about Violet's Garden?"

"Eh, I read it until it was clear that it was going to be a tragedy. I'm a sucker for a happy ending," I grumbled back.

Emerald snickered, "The Third Crusade then?"

I rolled my eyes. "That one was a low blow. It was looking like a happy story with victories over victories, but then-well, the last chapter being the downer ending was unexpected," I sighed. "Still, I guess what's even sadder is that you can't change that. You can't use your fingers to plunge in the written word and change the fate of those people, or make it a better world for the characters within," I chuckled at the irony of what I was saying. "Sometimes, you enjoy the ride until it plummets down the rapids."

Emerald had a wistful smile on her face. She turned her attention ahead, to where Cinder was furiously marching with her fists clenched and a clearly frustrated feeling to her steps. I did the same, and as the day left the place to the evening, and finally the night, we were ready to steal from a smuggler.

It went predictably well. Emerald knew how to get inside to sell stuff, and the moment the guard opened the backdoor for a potential thief, Cinder slammed into his guts a high-powered kick that held all of her frustration of the day with it, and probably pulverized the poor man's ability to have children. I stepped inside after the two ladies, and basically acted as a glorified mule by grabbing hold of the priciest objects, as well as some Lien from the unconscious guards' wallets.

We left in a hurry, stashes of jewels in large crates held by my arms. The hotel room we had booked for the night was on the first floor, and as Cinder and Emerald stepped inside first, and opened a window, I simply jumped my way up.

Then, I dropped the crates softly on the ground and sighed in relief.

"And we're done for the day, aren't we?" I asked, looking at Cinder.

"We are," Cinder acquiesced. "Tomorrow we'll have to find a way to bring them out of the city, but you have done a good job Emerald," she added, looking at the girl who preened under the praise.

"Yeah, you were awesome kid," I added with a smile of my own. "I'll leave you two girls to sleep," I yawned, "I'm in the room right next door, so if you need anything, just knock."

"G-Good night, Mister Fall," Emerald said, stammering it out.

"Call me Shade," I said with a grin, "And good night to you too, Emerald. Sleep well."

Then, I left the two alone.

My hands clasped together in the silence of my room, the window's curtains sharply closed as I stared at the slowly glimmering Schnee Glyph beneath my feet.

It pulsed, it shone.

It refused to become invisible, or to hide from sight.

"I can't use you like this," I whispered in disbelief. "I can't use you." I tightened the clenching of my hands. "Why won't you just work?" I whispered further, and then I exhaled. I wouldn't dare do this in Salem's proximity, because the fear and the guilt of being discovered would probably have her zero in on me, and realize I was up to no good. However, out here, I thought I could finally attempt some practicing.

Perhaps it truly was a muscle, one that I had not exercised for so long, that it had stopped working properly in the end.

Or maybe it was something else, and I couldn't understand what it was.

The frustration within me bubbled however.

It wasn't possible.

It just wasn't possible.

But then again, had I ever truly believed myself a Schnee to begin with?

Instead of attempting to be what I wasn't, perhaps I should attempt to become what I truly was?

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Twelve

Rome wasn't built in a day and, at the same time, didn't fall in a single day either. Emerald clung to Cinder and I with tenacious alacrity and desperation born of the singular desire to never be lonely again. It was the same kind of desperation that had brought Ashelyn to take care of me at my lowest moment, the desire to have someone, anyone, willing to stay by your side when the night was dark and filled with terrors.

She didn't have much that was hers, and what little she had could easily fit a small backpack.

Gathering funds was just a small part of the job. Apparently, Salem managed to keep in contact with Cinder through the use of the Grimm implanted within her, because there was no other reason for her receiving new orders every now and then, and us moving to follow them.

We had come to Wind Path to look for funds, but soon we would move further away to look for an assassin, up high in the mountains. He was good at what he did, and those who sought him out usually paid a premium to get him on their sides. He was the most unsavory of types, at least listening to the rumors, and as we walked up along a barely visible path amidst the trees, the Grimm that prowled the grounds nearby didn't impede us, merely letting us go through.

Emerald had soon understood that Cinder controlled the Grimm in some way, and had been in a state of religious veneration ever since then. Cinder had looked pleased at that, until she had understood that by elevating herself on a pedestal, it meant that Emerald would turn to me to ask questions, in order not to displease her further.

Those who stand above others will live a lonely life, or so the saying went.

"This assassin," Emerald muttered, "Will he be coming with us?" she asked.

"Probably," I acquiesced. "I do not know what the plan is, but I reckon the assassin was a calculated move. And assassins are usually good at killing people, so I think we have to kill someone and we'll need his help."

I watched Emerald barely hide her frustration at the thought. "I'd be enough. We don't need anyone else."

"Again, Emerald, it depends," I said with a sigh. "Maybe the mission's suicidal, so risking you would be counter-productive. Maybe more people are needed because there's a need for distractions. If I knew what the plan was, in its entirety, I may be able to to at the very least give suggestions," I said, my voice loud enough to be heard by Cinder, "But since I wasn't told a single thing, the most I can do is just enjoy my place as a subordinate. We're quite lucky in that regard."

Emerald looked at me, "We are? Why?"

"Because it means we don't have to think," I said. "Leadership is a burden I can go gladly without. Have you read the last chapter of The Vulture? What do you think about it?"

"I-" Cinder stopped, and Emerald quieted down.

"Not having to think isn't a merit, Shade, it's a flaw," Cinder growled, "But I'm hearing fighting," she added in a whisper, "So keep your senses alert."

She was right, of course. There was the sound of crashes and that of fire burning. By the time we reached the treeline, and stepped into the path proper, Mercury Black had delivered the final blow to his father, and was standing on his own two bleeding legs. They hadn't yet been modified with prosthetic enhancements, but I had little doubt that a certain Doctor would be involved with them in short order.

This was Cinder's moment to shine.

I glanced around at the Grimm in the tree lines. "What's in it for me?" Mercury asked in the end, the boy panting and straining to stay on his wounded legs.

"Everything your heart desires, provided you do exactly as I say," Cinder answered.

Mercury seemed to think about it. Then a Grimm from the treeline emerged, and growled. Mercury's gaze went to the Grimm in question, an Ursa Major, and then turned back to stare at Cinder's face, still expecting an answer from the boy in question.

It was pretty clear what the subtitled conversation was all about.

"Sounds great to me," Mercury said, struggling for a smile. "I'm going to need a hand moving, I think both of my legs are broken-"

I neared, hooking an arm around his shoulders. "Lean on me," I said.

Cinder turned thoughtful. "If your legs are broken, it will take time for them to heal, Aura or not." She looked at Mercury, now held by me. "How do you feel about prosthetic implants?"

Mercury realized where the question was going, because it wasn't a question. It was a simple, unspoken, unquestionable reality. Even if he didn't like the idea, he was still going to go for it. "Sure," he said once more. "I'm all for having new legs."

"Excellent," Cinder said. "My name is Cinder, keep in mind that the only thing that keeps you alive is-"

"The fact she's adorable," I added offhandedly, eliciting a choked gasp from the woman in question, and a bug-eyed look from Mercury. Emerald remained quiet, a hand covering her mouth because she had gotten used to my incredibly time-inappropriate remarks. Then I grinned. "This guy's bleeding, Cinder. If you want to grandstand-monologue, please, let's do it after we've bandaged him at least. He's not going anywhere."

"Very well," Cinder added, a light blush on her cheek. "Then what are you waiting for?"

"We're not going back to town to treat him?" I retorted. "Aura'll keep him from bleeding out, but if I bandage him out here-" I glanced at the Grimm that were waiting patiently for further orders.

"They won't take a bite," Cinder said crisply.

With a dreadful sigh, I gently lowered Mercury against a tree, "Emerald, come give me a hand."

"Yes," Emerald hastily complied.

"Careful with those," Mercury grumbled as Emerald lifted one leg, making him hiss. "They're not toys."

"No? They're as useless as toys anyway," Emerald retorted sharply.

"Children," I said with a dreadful sigh, "Survival instincts should tell you, Mercury, not to snipe at those treating you. And Emerald, do try to be nice. Kindness goes a long way, being grandstanding monologue-prone evil villains usually don't fare as well."

"Is that so?" Cinder spoke from behind me, and I could feel in her voice her simmering anger. "Do you have any helpful suggestions, then, Shade?"

"Kill'em with kindness," I said with a shrug. "Kill'em with abundance. Throw food, not bombs. And once they're too fat to move, then it means the job's done anyway, only they die happy rather than try to fight back."

"Interesting thoughts," Cinder said with a curt tone, "And you'd propose this to our mistress, then?"

"I'm not suicidal. If she asks, I'll be honest about it. If she doesn't, then why should I risk my neck?" I remarked as I began to clean the wound with copious amounts of disinfectant, before applying bandages. It wasn't the best possible job in the world, but it would suffice until he got under the tender hands of a specialized surgeon.

I had the unfortunate sixth sense that the kind of surgeon he'd be going under would be an ill-reputable one, which had so many prosthesis hanging around his workshop that I'd normally be surprised if Mercury left with only his legs modified. Still, it would mean going back to Salem, and since that would waste time, it was pretty clear it wouldn't happen.

Instead, Arthur Watts would come to us.

A private room sterilized to its very best and a couple of bottles of anesthetic that I had liberated from a hospital, which had made Mercury look relieved and Watts disappointed, but I wasn't going to let someone do surgery-altering operation without some form of pain relief.

After a few hours, the operation was over with and Mercury could now rock his trademark metallic legs.

"Now that my precious time has been taken," he mused, "There is another thing I must deliver," and as he said that, he extended a small Scroll-memory card towards Cinder. He was still wearing his medical scrubs, and he had patches of dried blood on it. "Install the application on your Scroll, and once you're done patch your Scroll to the CCTS terminal. It will do the rest."

Cinder nodded at that, while I remained with my arms crossed and my back against the nearby wall. The private room had been taken from a not-so-scrupulous landlord who didn't really care what people did into the privacy of his small apartments, provided nobody bothered him with laws, or pesky troubles. Emerald was reading a book near the window, letting the sun shine on the pages.

Mercury would be out of it for a few hours at least.

"The next step will be more complicated," Cinder said. Her eyes turned towards me. "I have no further use for you right now, Shade," she added. I raised an eyebrow at that. She didn't? What came next was the White Fang, if I remembered correctly. She did know of their torture on me, though, and it was a good call not to have me present. I wouldn't have minded meeting Adam again. Just so I could stab him.

Just so I could slice him to bits.

Just so I could make him feel the heat of a branding poker.

Emerald closed her book quickly, eyes wide at the realization that we were splitting ways for the time being. She didn't speak up, but it was clear she didn't like the idea at all.

"Is that so?" Arthur remarked, "You are in charge, but if he is not to assist you, then what is he to do?"

"From what little I gathered," I said, "The great plan has something to do with Vale, correct? I can head there," I pointed out. "Scout the place out, do stuff like that," I remarked.

"Perhaps so," Arthur said, "But not without speaking with Salem first," he added.

Cinder curtly clicked her tongue against her teeth. "He'll do as I say," Cinder said. "There is no need for him to go back, because I will guarantee he'll do exactly as planned."

Arthur had a smug smile on his face. "It is not me you need to convince, Cinder. It is our beloved queen," he added with a sarcastic voice. "You do know she has a personal interest in him."

I didn't like the way it was worded. I didn't like it at all.

"Even so," Cinder said. "She left the plan's execution to me, and I will not fail it."

Arthur nodded, the smug smile on his face not dropping one inch. "I will refer your words to her, then."

He removed his Doctor's scrubs and walked out of the small apartment without a second word.

Cinder rounded on me within seconds. "Emerald," she said. "Go make sure Mercury lives."

"I-"

"Now," Cinder snapped, and Emerald went, leaving me alone in the hallway with an angry-looking Cinder.

I looked at her, the smile on my face slipping into a serious gaze. "Cinder?" I whispered as her hands found the scruff of my neck, and tightened their grip on it.

"We have to look for someone in Vale," Cinder whispered. "If not in Vale, then around its settlements," she added. "We need to infiltrate Beacon Academy too, and we need to get Dust, all the Dust we can," she squeezed her eyes shut, and then placed her face against my chest, her arms engulfing me. "If I let you go, will you come back to me?"

I sighed, and then chuckled gently as my arms engulfed hers. "If you truly love someone, let them go. If they come back, it means they love you in turn," I murmured, "I could infiltrate Beacon. I'm seventeen now-I can enter a preparatory combat school, and get into Beacon within the year. If Leonardo cooperates with false transcripts-"

"I will make the appropriate calls," Cinder said, her eyes looking straight into mine. "But look into my eyes, Shade, and tell me that you will never, ever, betray me. Or leave me. Tell me that you love me, and make me believe it."

I smiled gently, my hands cupping her cheeks. "I love you, Cinder, and regardless of what happens, of what you'll do, of what you'll have me do, I'll always love you."

My lips gently met hers.

"I love you too," Cinder whispered back once the kiss ended.

She giggled briefly, and that giggle held the tender honesty that Ashelyn used to have.

She was still in there, and it was up to me to bring her back...

...and I would drag her screaming back into the light, whether she wanted it or not.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Thirteen

I was alone.

For the first time, in a long, long time, I was alone. Nobody was breathing down on my neck. Nobody was keeping tabs on me. If I ditched the Scroll that felt heavy in my pocket, I'd be unreachable.

I could be free, and all it would cost me would be Cinder's trust and love, and perhaps even her life if Salem found out.

For the love of a single woman, how much of a city are you willing to burn, Emiya Shirou?

You know how this is going to end, don't you?

Even so, it was the only path I would take.

There were many combat preparatory schools in Vale. Some guaranteed a chance at Beacon, others stated that so and so had gone there. I had a backpack on my back, enough Lien to last me a lifetime, and a credit card connected to a few accounts that Arthur Watts had put up for the sake of undercover jobs in the civilized parts of Remnant. I could probably make a run for it and escape.

I would not.

I would do exactly as I had promised Cinder I would do.

I found a small room for rent, got the false transcripts sent by Leonardo, and enrolled into an advanced combat preparatory class to further confirm the goodness of the reports from Mistral. It wasn't that difficult. I had combat experience with Grimm, I was skilled enough in using Aura that I could do anything a student could do, and I was strong enough to swat away the students around me with relative ease.

The city of Vale, by itself, was beautiful. I enjoyed the relaxed and peaceful atmosphere, the friendly, smiling people, and inwardly I seethed.

It was no fault of theirs that some corners of the world were places of evil, I knew that, but behind every smiling human face there could be a racist faunus-hater, or behind every nice Faunus there could be a horrifying White Fang monster.

There was evil hidden behind those faces, there was no doubt about it. Some forms of evil were selfish, and others were more pronounced, but they existed.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have suffered as I did.

Otherwise, Cinder wouldn't have become what she was.

Emerald wouldn't have had a childhood of fear and terror, that led her to wake up sometimes in the middle of the night looking for something to clutch to tell her it was all right.

There would have been no work for an assassin like Marcus, and he'd definitely wouldn't have had a child to succeed him unless the jobs kept coming.

Still, my thoughts were just the product of my selfish jealousy. I knew that, deep down. Yet my return to civilization brought information I hadn't ever thought was possible.

"Willow Schnee, female industrialist of the year?" I muttered as I stared at the headlines from a nearby newspaper stand. I froze at the image of my mother's face, looking onward with deep, unsettling bags under her eyes and her hair neatly arranged in a bun behind her, with two white twirls going down the sides of her face.

I bought the newspaper without a second thought, found myself a quiet bench, and then furiously flipped through the pages to the article that interested me.

Willow Schnee - Nominated as the first Female Industrialist of the Year!

Willow Schnee, daughter of Nicholas Schnee, founder of the famous Schnee Corporation, has been nominated following the new and improved safety measures in Dust fabrication and refinement, bringing the profits of the Schnee Industry to an all new high. This divorced mother of four children (for more information on the tragically mishandled investigation on the reported murder of Wren Schnee, see our previous articles on the online version of our newspaper) singlehandedly holds the reins of the greatest Dust manufacturer of Remnant, and still has time to take care of her family.

We have an exclusive interview with Willow Schnee, and we of The Remnant Times are quite proud to present it in its integral version.

My fingers traced the lines of the picture taken for the inner article. Mother was sitting on a plush and white armchair, a picture of young me on a nearby table right next to one of the rest of her family. The face of Jacques Schnee was noticeably absent. I read through the article quickly, tracing every word with my mind and memorizing every sentence that she spoke to the journalist interviewing her.

Madam Schnee, after all these years you still keep your hope of finding your eldest son alive. Your determination is an inspiration to many other mothers who have no news of their children, considered lost to the Grimm or to bandits-what makes you so certain that he still lives?

A mother knows these things, and I know that my son is still alive, out there. And I will not rest until I find him, and know he is safe.

I took a deep breath, and then folded the newspaper and looked at the beautiful blue sky over my head.

I did wonder what had happened to Jacques, but I didn't really want to look for him. I was currently more interested in a couple of birds chirping amiably away on a tree nearby.

Though the leash was long, it was still a leash. A leash that wouldn't be broken so easily, but yet could still be torn asunder if the right method was used.

The things I did for the woman I loved, truly.

I yawned ever so briefly as the heat of Vale's sun gently rubbed my head. My weapon by my side, I must have been an incredibly funny figure. A huntsman wannabe falling asleep on a bench in the middle of the city park. Still, the weather was mild, and pleasant. I felt relaxed for the first time in years.

That night, I slept like a log for the first time in years. There were no evil monsters seeking to read my secrets, no lurking double-agents, nothing but me, a mattress, and the quiet silence of my cheap apartment.

I was truly happy, blissful even.

That was when my eyes fell to my weapon, and I realized I could finally do what I had always refrained from doing.

Aura and Dust manipulation were the kind of things that Cinder excelled at, and it was no surprise with Salem teaching her how to do it. What was important however was a neat distinction. Once upon a time, one would use Aura to activate magic. Now, in order to use magic one had to use Dust, the ashen, crystallized remains of the past humanity turned to dust by the God of Destruction.

This didn't mean that feats of magic were precluded, provided one had the Dust to do so. Flying for example could be achieved by using Wind and Gravity Dust, forming walls of ice with Ice Dust or rock with Earth Dust, and flames could be generated with Fire Dust. Yet I had never bothered to learn it with Cinder, because it would have meant catching the attention of Salem.

It was better for her to think me a brawn for brains, someone only capable of swinging a heavy sword around with incredible speed and strength, rather than someone with an actual brain who could, perhaps, trick things a bit.

That was how I ended up buying quite a few vials of differing types of Dust and began my quiet practicing into the ancient art of tactical surprises.

Or, to be more precise, I wanted to make a Plasma Sword.

The concept behind it was easy. Lightning, Flame, Gravity to keep the field contained and then everything nice would happen afterwards. It was simple, and there were some example of stable electrical weapons, or elementally enhanced blades too. If I wasn't wrong, Raven's own sword could cycle its edge depending on the color the sheathe's mechanism picked.

All it would take was the modification of my weapon's handle, to allow for vials of Dust to be stored within, and the change of the mechanism of the chain that would allow it to unbuckle, leaving me with just a handle to hold and focus on.

What kind of person would I be, if I didn't at least try to make a blade of sizzling flames and lightning?

But before that, I had to play it safe. Wind and Water Dust were easier to work with. Even if I failed to contain it, I'd end up with getting wet, or getting a bit of a great breeze going on. A water tornado in my room wouldn't be so problematic anyway; it would just mean I'd get to washing the floor on a daily basis.

And if I added some soap to the mixture, I got a high-pressure washing machine for my clothes.

It was amazing what one could do with a pinch of Water Dust, a pinch of Wind Dust, some good Aura control and enough skill to throw detergent into the mixture.

I reckoned nobody thought about using Dust in such a way. Still, it did give me precious insight.

Because once you knew what was possible, it was no longer a matter of how to get there, but of when. And as long as you kept your mind to simple, efficient methods and listened to the professors, applied yourself to books and knew what to look for and what to seek out...

Then even the sky was no longer the limit.

The crimson blade that sizzled to life from my sword's dust-infused handle was beautiful to behold...

...and yet it paled to the letter of acceptance into Beacon that I received for the upcoming new year.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Fourteen

Some people might have argued that the key of infiltration was being average. Truth be told, the key to infiltration was to be exactly oneself, provided the self involved was someone that was meant to be there. If you want to infiltrate a military base, you can be a soldier, or a technician involved with their computers. I was a huntsman who really wished to become a student at Beacon, and had taken an extra year to get ready for it.

I hailed from Mistral, and had gotten one year of training in Vale before sending my application to Beacon. This served a lot of purposes. The first was that it made me the same year as team RWBY's class. It meant that when Cinder would transfer with her team near the beginning of the second Semester, I'd be in their same year. The second purpose was that as a first year, I'd probably have less classes meant for outside of Vale than a second year, and would be present for the Dance infiltration and everything else connected to it.

Thirdly, it made me capable of intervening on some incoming events in a positive manner. If I could keep most of the actions the same, but with less risks and victims, then everyone would be happy, and everyone would be saved.

I had promptly notified Cinder of my success, of course.

I have been accepted into Beacon. <3. - Shade.

My Scroll rang a few seconds later. "Love," I said amiably, "How are you?"

"I am pleased of your progress," Cinder said, her voice sounding incredibly suave and controlled. "Emerald and Mercury cannot wait to hear of your exploits."

"Is that code for the fact you are the one being incredibly curious, and you just can't wait to have me back in your life?" I remarked amiably.

There was silence on the other end of the Scroll. It lasted for a short while. I could imagine Cinder blushing. "Are you blushing, Cinder?" I asked nonchalantly into the silence of the Scroll.

"Frustrated with your idiocy is more likely," Cinder said in the end, raucously coughing. "I hope you have everything prepared on your end," she added. "Being accepted into Beacon doesn't mean passing their initiation."

"I have a plan," I mused. "You don't need to worry about that, I have everything under control."

"I would hope so," Cinder said. I heard the sound of a door opening and then closing. The voice changed, becoming softer, "I do miss you," she said in the end.

My brain quietly shifted gears. "I miss you too, love-dove," I said with a smile on my lips.

"Will you ever stop it with the silly names?" Cinder said with a gentle giggle.

"Only when I know you'll actually mean those words," I answered right back. "Can't wait to hold you in my arms again."

"Oh? And what makes you think I'd allow that to happen, and not the opposite?" Cinder mused, sounding positively delighted at the prospect.

"Because I'll probably hug you first," I said.

"Not if I hug you first," Cinder retorted.

"Not if I kiss you first," I added.

"Not if I kiss you first," she replied.

I snickered. "Yeah? Well, we'll just have to see who's the sneakiest between us."

There was a light giggle from the other end of the Scroll. "Shade, we both know you wouldn't be able to keep a secret from me to save your life."

I sighed, "But perhaps it's because I don't want to keep secrets from you, Cinder. Have you ever thought of it that way?"

There was a longer silence on the other end, followed then by a sigh. "You're a poet, Shade, but don't forget we have important tasks to do. Try not to undermine me too much in front of the new...allies. They may not be as easy to keep under check as Emerald and Mercury."

"How are the two lads doing anyway?" I asked, "has Emerald finished reading the latest book from the Vulture series? Is Mercury capable of fighting with the new prosthetic legs?"

"They will both be capable of answering those questions when you meet them," Cinder mused. "I am sure Emerald cannot wait to hear from you."

"You do know you should give them Scrolls, yes?" I said.

"When we are in Vale," Cinder said. "Emerald needs to be focused for her training to be effective, and the reward of being able to speak with you is too great an incentive for me to let it go."

"Are you seriously rewarding Emerald's good behavior with Scroll minutes to talk with me?" I asked.

"It is what she wants, and who am I to keep her from her desires?" Cinder said. "She thinks I have not noticed, but she is currently hovering by the door, waiting for the moment to ask if she may have some minutes."

"You make it sound like we're divorced and she's the daughter who wants to spend time with her father," I pointed out. "Give the girl some slack, Cinder. She thinks the world of us both, doesn't she?"

"Perhaps," Cinder mused. "But thinking the world of someone has seldom stopped people from being disappointments," she took a deep breath. "But enough about that. We'll be in Vale shortly, and I expect you to have a place prepared for our anniversary."

"Your wishes are my command, oh queen of my heart," I said with a chuckle. "If you can give me a precise date, I can even have a better plan involving a movie, or a theater piece-whatever you wish for, really."

"As long as we do it together," Cinder whispered, "I do not care what it is." The sound of a kiss being blown reached my ears, and I returned it myself.

Then I heard the door open, and Cinder smugly speak, "Emerald."

"Cinder-" Emerald's voice was hesitant, "I wanted to ask if-"

"Your combat style could use some improvement," Cinder mused, as if amusing herself with dangling the prize over the head of the hardworking Emerald. "And your Semblance barely lasts on two opponents at the same time. We need to improve that too, do we not?"

"I-I will work harder," Emerald said, "I will-anything to make you proud, Cinder. Really."

"Is that so?" Cinder chuckled, "Then here," I heard the Scroll exchange hands. "You have five minutes."

I heard Emerald thank Cinder profusely, and then reach hesitantly through the Scroll with her voice, "Hello?"

"Hey Emerald," I said. "How are you doing?" I asked with a bright smile.

Emerald didn't gush, because gushing was beyond her, but she did speak excitedly about everything she had done and the latest books she had read, and this or that new author I definitely should follow. In-between her flurry of words, I managed to get a couple of words in myself.

"You've beaten Mercury during the latest spar? Really? That's awesome, Emerald," I said. "I'm proud of you-"

"Five minutes, Emerald," Cinder said flatly. "The Scroll."

"I have to go," Emerald said hastily, "Bye, dad-"

The call ended, and I blinked at that. Then, I shrugged. I probably had misheard. She wasn't that much younger than me when it came to the age of the physical body I inhabited. Of course, the mental age was different, that much was certain without a doubt. Maybe mentally I actually was quite the father-figure, all things considered.

I took a deep breath, then began to plan the perfect date.

Everything had to be wonderful.

Cinder deserved nothing less, and I would give her nothing short than perfection.

So then, Emerald and Mercury, why are you two knocking at my door early in the morning?

Shouldn't Cinder be with you?

What do you mean she said I won the custody battle!?

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Fifteen

Emerald had a book in her hands and her eyes glimmered like miniature stars. Mercury snickered at the sight. "Aren't you a bit too old for bedtime stories?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Shut up Mercury," Emerald snapped back angrily. She then tightened the grip on the book and looked at me. "Could-Could we read this together? It's the latest installment in the Vulture series."

I raised both eyebrows at that. "Sure," I said. A moment later my kitchen had two chairs propped up near the table, Emerald waiting patiently on one with her hands on her lap while the book stood open at the very first page. She was shaking from excitement. Seriously, Emerald, it's not something to be excited about.

Mercury snickered and then moved for the fridge, opening it up. "Hey!" Emerald piped, "It's not your house!"

"It's all right," I said with a shrug as Mercury turned to look at me. "Knock yourself out, but warn me if you finish something. Television is in the bedroom."

"Nice," Mercury said with a smile. He grabbed a beer and then began to open the cupboards, until he found a bag of chips. "See ya."

I took a seat by Emerald's side as Mercury stepped inside my bedroom, the television buzzing on a few seconds later. It was kept at a low volume, and as my eyes turned to the prologue of the story, I grabbed hold of the book to better incline it.

"The Vulture and the Incredible Case of the Dying Clockwork Orange," I read. "It was a fine morning in Vale's best detective agency, and the Vulture had just finished his morning bath. His feathered wings were pristine, and..."

Emerald emitted some kind of small, girlish giggle and as I glanced at her, she grew quiet, if with eyes shining brightly. She could be such a kid, and at the same time she could be a cold-blooded murderer who wouldn't hesitate when the time came.

Was I any different, though?

Only time would tell.

A soft thing landed on my shoulder, and it took me a moment to realize it was Emerald's head, having plopped down with her eyes closed, and a pleased smile on her face. She listened on, because I could tell by how sometimes she'd mumble in disapproval of the Vulture's setbacks, or hum pleasantly at his successes.

"I know it was you, Peacock," I read the final lines of the final chapter, "Because only you would use a peashooter as a weapon to murder the Pea family!"

Sheesh. Talk about stretching things.

"Drats, answered Peacock, you got me again, Detective Vulture!" I said in a hushed tone, Emerald's breathing even as she apparently had either fallen asleep, or was doing her best to feign being asleep.

With a dreadful sigh, I grabbed hold of her unconscious form and then opened the door of my bedroom. Mercury was snoring on my bed, the television going. He had probably woken up when I opened the door, but was faking being asleep to avoid unpleasant confrontations about the state of my bed covered in chips. I rolled my eyes, plopped Emerald down on the other side of the bed, and then closed the television.

"Sleep well you two," I muttered. I closed the door of my bedroom and waited a heartbeat. Then I waited two heartbeats. By the third one I could hear the sound of scuffling ensue within, and thus opened the door again. The two figures feigning sleep on my bed were stuck in a pose that had Emerald with a foot on Mercury's side, and Mercury had a fist popped against Emerald's cheek. "If you break my bed, I'm telling Cinder," I pointed out. "She'd be way more displeased than me about it."

I then closed the door again, and the scuffling stopped.

I put on a cup of hot chocolate as the clock on the wall marked that dinner time had come and gone already. I should have something prepared, but I guessed they'd be waiting on Cinder, and I'd be waiting for her anyway. I could order takeout, some of Vale's shops didn't close until two in the morning anyway.

Cinder, true to form, arrived at midnight.

I saw a shadow linger by the window of my apartment, and then the latch unlock.

Cinder's dress was stitched with Dust, and glowed a dim orange light that made shadows dance across the walls, her eyes smoldered like flame. The smile on her lips was full, and became even brighter when she realized I was standing in front of her, arms crossed and a smile on my face.

"Love dove," I said in a hushed whisper.

"My prince," Cinder replied, walking closer to me as I opened my arms to engulf her in a hug, my lips meeting hers as the rest of the world ceased to matter.

"I missed you," I whispered as I caught my breath. Her fingers traced a lazy circle on my cheek.

"I missed you too," Cinder whispered back. She glanced around, if briefly. "Where are Emerald and Mercury?"

"Sleeping in my bed," I muttered.

Cinder's lips twitched in a frown, "Is that so? And what about us then?"

Amiably, I placed a hand on the side of the living room's sofa and with a simple flick, it shifted into a bed. A couple's bed. "I have everything under control," I said with a chuckle.

And indeed, I had.

The next morning there was business talk to be had.

It was the kind of business talk that was better served with a cup of hot chocolate, biscuits and everything nice and sweet under the light of the day. The window was open to let the fresh air of Vale in, and as I hummed through the simmering pots of milk in which I would add the powdered cocoa next, I glanced at the unlikely group seated round my table.

"Last night things didn't go to plan," Cinder muttered, "Torchwick's hired help was a nuisance at best. We will have to use the White Fang to supplement the lacking manpower."

"We could have helped," Emerald said.

"And it would have ruined your cover," Cinder retorted flatly. "Do not forget that you are instrumental in the latter phases of the plan, Emerald."

"Yes, Cinder," Emerald said, looking sullen at the prospect of doing nothing.

I hummed as I placed a mug of perfectly hot chocolate in front of Cinder, giving her a gentle peck on the side of the temple before moving to hand over a mug to Emerald, grinning and ruffling her hair. I then returned to the simmering pots, "Mercury? I've got milk, chocolate and tea-what can I get you?"

"Chocolate sounds great," Mercury said. I nodded, and brought a mug to his side too.

"Here you go, champ," I then took a seat with my own mug, and took a sip.

"Does this mean we're going to have to twiddle our thumbs for the time being?" Mercury asked.

"I don't see how that would bother you," Emerald grumbled back, "You get to laze about."

"Just because you are not pivotal to the plan doesn't mean there's nothing you can't do, and the same applies to you, Emerald," Cinder said, before taking a sip of her mug. "We wouldn't want you to laze around and lose your edge now, would we?" her eyes narrowed. "Also, we would not want you to get used to certain privileges, which would make you dull. Shade will start Beacon soon, and it would do no one any good if they suspected him of having ties outside the academy. He will, for intents and purposes, be no more than a first year student."

"We...we could join him?" Emerald muttered, only to wilt at Cinder's stare.

"Cinder," I said with a roll of my eyes. "Don't scare the poor girl," I sighed. "I think what Cinder wants to say with her evil overlady stare is that she wouldn't want people to grow suspicious. The Vytal Festival is coming to Vale this year, and a group of four students coming in and forming a team right off the bat might sound too good to be true, and thus incredibly suspicious."

"I-I see," Emerald said, swallowing.

"Shade, you are spoiling Emerald," Cinder muttered. "She should know better than to question me."

"Cinder," I said with a dreadful sigh, "It is by questioning others that not only do we grow as people, but we also come to realize if there are any flaws in our plans." I smiled at her. "Kings had jesters by their sides, because they needed someone to point out the foolishness in their plans."

Cinder smirked, "So Emerald should be a jester then?"

"More like a clown," Mercury pointed out, snickering.

"Mine was just a tidbit of knowledge, Emerald's not a jester or a clown," I looked at them both. "Now, apologize to Emerald."

Emerald's eyes widened. She looked at Mercury, whose eyes were wide as saucers, and then they both looked at Cinder, who had both eyebrows raised. I looked back with a singular raised eyebrow.

Cinder stared at me, and I stared back.

"Do you think the weather's going to be-" Emerald blurted out, attempting to change the argument.

"Apologize," I said simply, cutting her off. "An apology costs nothing, and is always just a bit of kindness that can go a long way," I stared at Cinder.

Cinder's eyes narrowed. "You think I will-"

"Apologize," I said once more, firmly.

Cinder took a small breath, "Emerald, I apologize for calling you a jester. Clearly, the only fool at this table is the one standing in front of you."

"Sorry Em," Mercury blurted out the very next second.

I gave a satisfied nod, and took another sip of my mug.

"By the way, I'll leave you a copy of the house keys," I said. "The rent's paid for the rest of the year, so you can use it as a base of sorts," I added. "Are you free this afternoon, Cinder?" I asked, gently.

"Do you think bringing me on a date would make me forgive your foolishness?" Cinder asked, her voice curt and flat.

"I was thinking more about getting the size of your finger for a ring, but-"

There was a strange sound, a gargling noise of sorts. Cinder coughed, trying to catch her breathing and failing miserably at that for the briefest of instants. Then, she quietly looked down at her half-empty cup of hot chocolate.

Mercury had no words.

He just stared.

I had probably broken him.

I took another sip of hot chocolate.

"Wouldn't a ring attract attention at Beacon? How many first year students are married?" Cinder wheezed out in the end, seemingly fighting her very own words every single step of the way.

"If a young man finds the love of his life early on and wants to put a ring on it, then who's going to stop him?" I mused back, "Also, it would keep the other girls away. I wouldn't want to end up the target of attention of someone and cause misunderstandings down the line. A ring would put an end to those pretty quickly."

"S-Some girls might take that as a challenge," Cinder's words were hissed out, her fists clenched and her eyes seemingly about to cry tears of blood.

"Is...is it because I should have been more romantic about it?" I asked, softly. "I should have gone with the candle-light dinner, I know, but there's little time we have left before we split up again, and..."

Cinder lowered her head, seemingly defeated.

"It's a wonderful idea," she whispered in the end. "We'll do it. Emerald, Mercury, you're free to spend the day anywhere you want, but not here."

She looked at them both with a glare that promised murder if they returned before dinner time. "Are we clear?"

"Crystalline," Mercury said sharply.

"Yes ma'am," Emerald blurted out, both standing up and then leaving in a hurry.

I blinked at that, until Cinder's hands grabbed hold of my arm.

The look in her eyes was pretty clear.

It was a day I would never forget, and neither would the priest that married us in a hurry that very evening, because he definitely had never seen so many Lien thrown as a donation into his church box to make things happen so quickly.

Dinner was an awkward affair.

Cinder randomly bursting into fits of laughter was not how I expected it to go.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Sixteen

The airship leading us to Beacon Academy was packed full with prospective huntsmen and huntresses, and I was amidst them. There even was a holographic television inside it, Lisa Lavender giving her latest report on the situation in Vale about a Saturday Faunus protest turned dark due to White Fang activities. I kept my arms crossed and my back to the air ship's hull, waiting patiently for it to dock. There were multiple airships headed for Beacon, so I wasn't surprised at not seeing anyone I could have potentially known.

My Scroll buzzed, if briefly.

Missing you already. - Wifey.

It's just been half an hour. Aren't you supposed to be some kind of incredibly charismatic business leader and shark of business practices, love-dove? - Shade.

The fault is entirely yours, you are the one that makes me soft. You spoil me too much. - Wifey.

Then you'll have to tell me how to make it up to you. Airship's docking. Don't want to get lost. Love you, <3. - Shade

I received an equally sugary reply, and then placed the Scroll back in my pocket. My eyes went to the view of Beacon from up high, and then I walked with the rest of the prospective students onto the cobblestone path that led to Beacon's main hall.

Once there, I just patiently waited for the introductory speech. Everything seemed quite on track up till then. Sure, there were a lot of multicolored characters that trudged about, but the ones I was interested in had a pretty easy color palette to seek them out. One of them was also equally boisterous in that regards.

And where I saw blond hair, I also immediately saw the dark and red-tipped haired Ruby not that far.

I sighed in relief. If the Dust Robbery hadn't gone as planned I would have eaten a hat. Everything was, for the time being, perfectly on track. Now, if I wasn't wrong, there was supposed to be a White-clothed Weiss Schnee, and then-my heart squeezed at the thought.

I'd be close, but never too close. It would work. I'd make it work.

Whoever my teammates would end up being amidst these people, I'd make it-

"I'll... keep this brief," Ozpin's voice reached us from the stage. My eyes centered on him. "You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people," I straightened a bit, "But I look among you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction." Tell us what to do, general I do not Have a Plan. Please. By all means. "You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

The first step...on the road of disappointment. I awkwardly kept the snicker hidden. It wouldn't do to laugh at the headmaster, and especially not in a public setting.

I sighed. I looked around a bit more. I must have missed the second meeting with Weiss. Or perhaps I hadn't wanted to see it. I didn't know how I'd react to seeing her after all, but if I just managed to get a head start on my feelings, then everything else would go swimmingly.

We were moved to the locker room soon after, where we'd drop off our equipment before heading for the cafeteria for a quick bite, and then spend the night in anticipation of the initiation-thing of the next day. I'd probably need to find a teammate and drag him to the ending line. All of the protagonists, so to speak, were already spoken for and it was best to leave them to that to avoid further troubles. On the other hand, it would prove troublesome if I ended up being thrown into the forest only to lock eyes with Weiss, or Blake, or Jaune even-well, Jaune was practically spoken for, but everyone else was fair game.

What if I ended up in team RWBY in place of Blake? How would the White Fang trouble go from there? Yang was a non-issue, and so too was...no, wait. It had been so long ago, but...did they matter? Blake did, sure. Weiss and Yang? Were their actions or desires fundamental to some part of the plot? I groaned, and then took a deep breath. I couldn't remember. It had been so long.

I'd wring it.

I'd wring whatever would happen. It was useless to plan for anything right there and then. My teammate would determine what would happen.

I relaxed after that decision. Whatever would be, would be. I'd accept and move forth with my plan while keeping in mind the stations of canon. Or at least, what little I remembered of them.

Still, not feeling the sword on my back was making me just a bit nervous. It wasn't that I expected anything bad to happen for the time being, but then again, having one's own blade by one's side was better than not having it. Still, after stashing it in the Beacon-approved locker and locking it to my Scroll, I made my way to the cafeteria.

That was when I bumped into someone, or, to be more precise, someone bumped into me.

"Sorry!" Ruby blurted out, only for Yang to catch up to her by the scruff of her cape. "Yang, let me go!"

"You can't check on your weapon every five minutes, sis," Yang grumbled, "It's going to be fine."

"But it's my baby!" Ruby wailed, "What if she's feeling lonely!?"

"You'll see her tomorrow," Yang grumbled.

I chuckled at that. "I share the sentiment," I said, "But there is a function on the Scroll that allows the lockers to launch and home on you," Glynda had explained it to the newcomers, but apparently Ruby had probably not listened in. "We're not supposed to use it indoors, though."

"Oh, that's so cool," Ruby said, she wheezed out a big sigh of relief. "Now we can go eat, Yang." She quickly turned towards her older sister, who instead crossed her arms in front of her chest and twitched her lips.

"No," Yang said, sounding amused. "What do we say to the kind boy who's just explained why you shouldn't be worried?"

"Thank you, now it's dinner time so see ya?" Ruby hastily said, face red from embarrassment, even as she attempted to rush past Yang only for the blonde to grab her cowl once more and keep her where she was.

"Come on sis, try to make at least a friend today, all right?" Yang said, "This is Ruby," she added, patting Ruby's head. "She's looking forward to being a huntress."

"Yang-" Ruby whined pitifully. "I can do that by myself."

"Then why aren't you doing it, little sis, uh?" Yang retorted, her eyes then moved to meet mine. "She's a bit shy."

"I can see that," I said with a chuckle. "It's nice to meet you both," I added, "My name is Shade," I grinned, giving a friendly wave of the hand. My stomach took the cue to rumble, "How about talking more in the cafeteria?"

"That sounds like a great plan," Yang said, and as we began to walk towards it, she glanced back at me. "You've got a ring. Engaged much?"

"Married," I answered.

"Eeehhh?" Ruby's eyes widened. "Married!?"

"Geez," Yang said. "You don't look that old."

"I'm not," I pointed back, "I just found the right one early on," I added with a smile. "And I proposed to her before coming to Beacon because I didn't want anyone else getting funny ideas while I was gone."

"Yeah, but marriage? Sheesh," Yang muttered, "What if you end up regretting it?"

I snickered. "I would have regretted it more if I hadn't married her," a wistful smile settled on my lips. "She's just worth it."

Then, we hit the cafeteria. Once more, I began to glance around. How difficult could it be to find someone wearing white in this place? It shouldn't have been that hard of a task now, should it?

"Yang! We kept you a spot!" someone called from further down, and Yang had the glimmer of a bad thought in one of her eyes.

"Well, I gotta go eat with my friends," she said, "Ruby, you can find a spot with Shade here, talk all about how much you love your weapons so much," she gave a playful punch against my shoulder, "And since you're married, you can keep an eye out on her because otherwise she's so cute someone's going to steal her away!"

Ruby whined pitifully, head hung low, at the latest batch of embarrassment from Yang.

"I'm sure she doesn't mean it in a bad way," I mused. I glanced at the line for food, "Shall we?"

"Sure," Ruby mumbled, "You don't have to stick around with me if you don't want to," she added next as we grabbed trays. "I don't need a babysitter."

"It's all right," I said. "I don't know anyone here, so-"

"You don't?" Ruby asked.

"I'm from Mistral," I pointed out. "I decided I wanted to learn in Beacon, so I spent one year at a combat school here in Vale to get everything I might have missed," I grinned. "Call me a worrywart, but I wanted to be prepared for anything Beacon might have thrown my way."

"I don't know anyone here either," Ruby said. "I skipped two years because I'm just that good," she added, "But I don't have any friends here to hang out with."

"Well," I said, "If you'll have an old man like me as a friend, I'll gladly have a young lady such as yourself as a friend in turn."

Ruby snickered, making a 'pfsh' sound with her mouth and waving a hand in dismissal. "Friends then!" she said excitedly.

We got food.

We spoke a bit.

Yet the nagging doubt remained in the back of mind.

"How was your arrival at Beacon like?" I asked, "I was in awe when I stepped on the path for the first time and saw just how big the place was."

Ruby giggled, "Yeah, I know! Yang left me to be with her friends, so I had to walk by myself to the main hall," she said. She hung her head low. "Stupid Yang. I don't need friends to grow up," she muttered, "I drink milk."

I blinked at that.

My heart didn't know whether to be relieved, traumatized, or grieving.

It picked the better option of them all, and decided to just abruptly keep on beating at thrice the normal rate while I sipped a long mouthful of water to calm it down.

"I see," I said simply in the end.

Houston please advise.

Houston, was Weiss important for plot-related reasons? Houston. HOUSTON.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Seventeen

There was something to be said about being a married man surrounded by teenagers being hormonal and whatnot. It made you the most relaxed of the lot. I was in my happy corner of the world, enjoying my happy last minute Scroll-Novel before tucking in for the night, when noise happened. Said noise belonging to Ruby attempting to make friends with Blake.

I glanced at them briefly go about it, and then returned my attention to my Scroll.

Hello. This is Emerald. Cinder gave me your Scroll number. - Unknown Number.

I quietly saved the Scroll number as Emmy. She'd probably make a fuss if she knew, so I didn't tell her that.

Hey there Emerald. How are things going with the business practice? - Shade.

I had expected a small reply. I hadn't expected a large wall of text that spanned a few dozen paragraphs. I stared. Was this what the technological divide between young and old meant? Just-how could she write that big of a thing in such little time? I skimmed through a few lines, and then chuckled to myself.

I'm sorry Cinder's giving you flak. I think if I tried talking to her about it I'd just make it worse. - Shade.

It's all right! She's just nervous a bit, I'm nervous too. What if I'm not good enough? What if I end up disappointing her? - Emmy.

Nonsense, Emerald. You won't disappoint her. And even if you did, you'd never disappoint me. - Shade.

A new Scroll notification popped up, and as I moved to receive it, I sighed in disbelief.

Do not give Emerald false hope. If she disappoints me, I will expect you to be suitably disappointed as well. - Cinder.

Are you looking over her shoulder to see what she's typing? Cinder, please, give some privacy to the poor girl. - Shade.

I am above doing such things, but I do like keeping an eye on what's mine. And Emerald needs to learn not to push boundaries by coming to you whenever it pleases her. - Cinder.

I sighed. Holding a conversation with both women through the Scroll wasn't as easy as I'd liked it to be, but I did manage to cut it off and return to my Scroll novel after a couple more minutes of chit-chatting.

Then, I received one last Scroll message.

Mercury here. Why did you leave me behind, bro? - Mercury.

I snickered at that, closed the Scroll after a quick poignant reply, and dropped inside my bedroll.

The night was peaceful, barring a couple of snoring folks I hoped I'd never get to meet again. Still, when morning came I had a dozen more Scroll messages to read. I sighed in disbelief at that. Apparently Emerald had put up a Group Chat.

Cinder had found it silly, then had proceeded to use it to inquire if I felt the same. She had then sent me a private message about saying she was right. Emerald had sent me a private message trying to get me on her side. Mercury had just posted a picture of a cat with a beer in its paws and funny boots on.

Thank you, Mercury, you will be remembered.

Initiation soon. Please try not to kill one another over something like a Group Chat. Be adults. Love, hugs, and kisses. <3. -Shade.

Then I put everything on silent mode, and went about my life. Seriously. Murderers, assassins, deadly criminals...and incredible dorks. After a quick breakfast, a teeth brushing and the recovery of my wonderful weapon, I ended up walking up the way to Beacon's Cliff with Ruby and Yang in tow.

"Your weapon's a giant sword? What does it do?" Ruby asked, "What's its name?" she asked quickly.

"Well, my weapon's name is..." I turned thoughtful, "Magnistipula," I said in the end. "And it launches itself forward," I grinned as I said that. "I've also got a small firing mechanism on the sides of the blade for some shotgun-blasting love."

And the sizzling blade of plasma which would remain a secret, I quietly named Salvatrix. It felt right. Everything felt quite right with those naming conventions.

Still, as we reached for our spots on the jumping platforms, I pondered about what to do. We were practically there now. I barely heard Ozpin speak about finding our own landing strategy. I was busy concentrating on where I'd land. Perhaps I could head quickly for the relic and then come round the back for a teammate? No, apparently we had to team up while in the forest and then head for the relics while facing opposition. We'd be marked on it too.

I sighed as I watched the guy to my left jump. Perhaps I'd end up in a strange team I didn't know anything about, and we'd have some quirky moments before getting to know one another, developing friendships and-and I was in the air, flying for my objective. I sighed as I simply let gravity do its job. My eyes went to the missiles passing me by, some of them far more excited about this than me.

Then my eyes settled on a flailing boy who was pretty much going to splatter on the ground unless Pyrrha saved him.

I glanced to my right.

It was a matter of seconds.

Pyrrha wasn't aiming at Jaune. She was just looking ahead.

I turned my head back to where Jaune was going to splatter on the ground if nobody saved him.

Oh for fuck's sake!

I swung Magnistipula, unleashing the blade forward and slamming it in a nearby tree trunk only to spin around it and rip the tree's trunk off, diverting my path to intercept the screaming Jaune inches before he touched the ground.

His screams nearly deafened my ears as he clutched on tightly to me, my feet firmly planted on the ground as he had his eyes closed, shaking like a leaf.

Inwardly, I exhaled a set of curses I didn't think it would be possible for me to exhale.

So much for keeping things to the canon rails.

"I'm not dead?" Jaune asked, before quietly cracking an eye open, and then the other. I was bridal-carrying him and he seemed to realize it, because he gasped. "M-My hero!" I dropped him on the ground.

"And we're partners," I grumbled, "Name's Shade."

"I'm Jaune! Sweet, short and it rolls of the tongue, the ladies love it!" Jaune hastily said, getting back on his feet and dusting himself off. "So, partner! Ready to...kick some opposition?"

I raised an eyebrow in his direction, then I glanced up at the sky. I had a set of curse words I wished to use, but wouldn't. We were being monitored after all. I simply smiled, and began to walk North. "Let's go," I said.

"Of course!" Jaune said, "I'll just...follow your lead."

I had no doubts this was going to end horribly.

I was proven incredibly right not three seconds later, when I absentmindedly let a tree branch strike Jaune in the face, just so I could see him bleed and go on the most incredible spiel ever about Aura.

Well, not really.

"You bleed," I said.

"Uh, yes?" Jaune said. "Everyone does, right?"

I gestured him closer. "Huntsmen have Aura to protect them from blows," I grumbled. "You don't even have it activated, and you hope to face the Grimm? Either you're suicidal or you're a fool."

"Or maybe I'm just hardcore?" Jaune hazarded, trying to sound funny about it.

I firmly grabbed hold of his forehead with my open palm. "H-Hey!" Jaune exclaimed, "I get it! It wasn't funny but-"

"I'm trying to concentrate to activate your Aura. Don't you want a force-field against attacks?" I grumbled back.

"What? Aura does that? Cool! I mean, yes, sure, I knew it did that!" Jaune quickly said.

With a sigh, I tightened the grip just a tiny bit more than necessary. I felt my own Aura tug and pull through my arm and into my palm, and then start to pour into the dumb blond idiot in front of me.

"For I am unbowed and unbroken, and I rise by my will and my command. I unleash you upon this world to rise above all. Unyielding in power and unquestioned by all, I free your soul from its shackles, and under my wing, protect thee." It was like jump-starting an engine. A few seconds later the drain upon my own Aura was over, and Jaune had his blinking white like some kind of Halo-Shield just there and then coming to the front.

I clenched my fist ever so briefly, feeling his Aura come into the fray, and then released his forehead. "Now you have Aura. Use it well, or die."

"That-That sounds like great advise," Jaune said nervously, even as I resumed my walk North.

A few minutes later, Jaune spoke again, "You know, I think North is that way actually-"

I stopped, and turned thoughtful.

We could battle an Elder Grimm, be graded on the battle, have Jaune's leadership capabilities come to the front or...or we could just grab a relic and fight some random small-fry Grimm on the way there.

One was far less annoying than the other, but if teams were decided based on combat abilities...

I hated my life already.

How far down had the mighty fallen.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Eighteen

I said nothing as Jaune actually made a nifty torch. I stared into the dark cavern, a brief instant of regret passing over my face. "You do know this cannot possibly be the temple ruins, right?"

Jaune looked at me, and then at the torch he had just finished crafting. "Could you have mentioned that before I built this?" Jaune asked.

I turned thoughtful. "No, if I had, you would have learned nothing from this. Now, you learned what a waste of time errors in judgment can be," I glanced at the dark cavern ahead of us and at the old drawings near it. "We should probably turn back. Something tells me there's a Deathstalker inside."

"Oh well if it's just a Death Stalker," Jaune made a 'pfuit' sound. "It's got to be something easy to fight if you know it's there. That's why it's called a Stalker, right? Cause it's as thin as a stalk and..." his voice died out as I glanced at him. I didn't say anything. I just looked at him. I just stared.

He swallowed. "I'm sorry please don't hurt me?"

"That's the most sensible thing you've said since we met," I mused, "Still," I pointed at the cavern. "You did make a torch. Do you still want to explore the dark cavern that will probably lead to a Grimm seeking to kill us, or do you want to cut your losses and attempt to navigate back to where the temple might be?"

Jaune looked at me, and then at the cavern. "I-What kind of huntsman would I be if I left a dangerous foe here for someone else to come across?" he spoke, boisterously, and then lit the torch before grabbing his sword with one hand and marching resolutely inside.

Four steps later he stopped. "You're...you're not coming?"

I took a deep breath. "Why, bravery is normally called such when you don't get someone else to come clean your messes for you," I mused. "Go on ahead, I'll wait for you here."

"S-Sure! Of course, of course!" Jaune stammered out. He took a few more steps inside, and I noticed he had stopped moving because the torch wasn't going anywhere further. "I-I think the creature of Grimm in question has already left! Why, clearly, this is-"

There was a deeper growl from within. Jaune's fear probably awakening the Deathstalker better than hanging from its pincer ever would.

I watched, with an amused expression, as Jaune screamed before letting his torch fall. He ran outside like a bullet, and I watched him go before the elder Deathstalker broke free from its stone prison to give chase. It didn't even bother with me. I wasn't afraid of it.

I had seen worse.

The Deathstalker was quite quick, all things considered, and as I jogged behind it I realized it was tearing up the trees on its path towards the screaming, running Jaune who had quite the endurance in him. He could run and scream at the same time, and that took lungs.

My Scroll rang, and as I automatically went for the call, I heard the soft purring of pleasure of Cinder from the other side, "My lov-is there a girl screaming near you?" Cinder asked, sounding more worried about the girl part than the 'screaming' part.

"Initiation is still underway, love-dove, and my teammate is being chased by an elder Deathstalker. I am delighted to hear from you, but...can it wait?" I asked. "I do need my teammate alive for the team."

"Your teammate is a girl?" Cinder asked again, sounding incensed. "Did you pick her or did she pick you?" both options were lethal answers.

"He's a man," I said. "And I saved him from going splat on the ground. Apparently here in Beacon the first person you make eye contact with is your teammate for the remaining four years, and-"

I realized Jaune had stopped screaming, mostly because he had reached the temple clearing. I watched the Death Stalker fumble about, breaking the columns of stone. I winced at the noise it made and at the scattering of the pieces on the ground. "I have to go now, love-dove. Talk to you later."

"Call me once you're finished!" Cinder exclaimed, "And tear that Deathstalker to pieces."

I heard the telltale sound of a kiss being sent my way, and returned it before closing the Scroll-call.

I knelt to grab a chess piece rolling in the grass, and pocketed it for later.

Dimly, I realized that nobody was present at the temple's ruins. Jaune had begun running in circles around the stone remains, and as I sighed and rolled my eyes, I jumped while unsheathing Magnistipula. It came cruising down with all of the momentum I could give it, and slammed hard home into the external armored plates of the Deathstalker. The Grimm flinched from the blow, staggering slightly back as it turned to stare at me.

"Shoo, shoo," I said, sharp sword tip pointed at it. "You're old enough to know when you're outclassed."

The Deathstalker snapped its pincers in my direction. Then, it rushed forward with its stinger going first. I moved to the side, the barest of motions to preserve stamina, and allowed the stinger to slide down the side of my blade before twisting it in an upward motion to strike and send the pincer rolling back. I sighed as the hardened plates of the Grimm refused to yield.

I'd need to put more strength into my blows to get rid of it.

"I can't believe this," I grumbled. I looked at Jaune, who had stopped to catch his breath. "Are you going to attempt to help, at least?"

Jaune looked at me, he looked at the Deathstalker. "H-How!?" he blurted out.

"Stab it with the pointy end, use the shield to avoid getting stabbed back?" I suggested amiably, before hopping out of range of a pincer-lunge, seconds before a stinger came down on the spot I would have been, had I not moved to the left rather than keep retreating. Elder Grimm knew the most basic of tactics, things like prioritizing the actual threats, knowing when to cut their losses, and being capable of dodging, parrying and counter-attacking if the situation warranted it.

Some of them could even manage some basic ideas on how to properly encircle someone.

This one hadn't missed his Grimm lessons on how to properly attack in rhythm to keep the pressure on a lonely enemy.

It had two pincers, one stinger, and didn't tire at all of using them in a beautiful deadly tango that I was dodging by a hair's breadth, because it suited me just fine to do so.

Then, its tempo was broken by Jaune coming into the fray. His sword swung clumsily against the armored pincer, and the noise distracted the Deathstalker that turned said pincer to swat the nuisance away. That was the moment I pointed my blade forward, unleashed it explosively forward, and once it was dug into the Grimm's face I pushed a button to let the shotgun blast shatter it in mushy, dark flesh before the rattling chain announced the blade's return to its rightful place.

The golden stinger fell down to the side.

"T-That was great!" Jaune exclaimed, cheerfully holding himself up as if his attack had determined the whole outcome of the fight. I rolled my eyes.

Apparently everyone else had either gathered their pieces and gone ahead, or was late on the timetable.

We began to walk our way back up the cliff, passing by a set of creepy ruins half-shrouded in mist and through a stairway built into the mountain side. "And then I swung my blade down and ka-blam, the thing was clearly wounded by that-"

I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time. "Your utility as live bait notwithstanding," I remarked with a calm tone, which perhaps helped in making the boy wilt like a dried up prune, "at least you possess the courage to fight against incredible odds. Treasure it, but don't let it grow into arrogance. Countless have died by making that mistake."

"Truer words were never spoken by one so young," Ozpin mused, having heard us -since it was difficult not to, what with Jaune blabbering about everything. He took a sip from his mug, and my nose twitched.

"Hot chocolate?" I asked.

"Quite so," Ozpin said with a nod.

I sniffed the air. "Dark, eighty-five percent, hint of cinnamon," I pointed out.

"Correct," Ozpin said with a small smile tugging at one side of his lips. "You have recovered your relic, I presume?"

I gave a nod, and then pulled the relic out of my pocket. It was a horse piece.

Oh. Well. It could have been worse.

"Jaune Arc, Shade Night, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao-Long," Ozpin said, sounding quite amused about it, "will form team Abyss, led by Mister Jaune Arc."

No, well, it could still go worse. I mean, I wasn't the leader but it was fine. I didn't want to be the leader. I-Still, I would probably end up snapping some of Jaune's bones eventually depending on how far he got me angry at life in general, but I reckoned the other two were pretty solid fighters, and-and I knew, deep down I just knew, that Cinder would take offense to me having to share a room with them both.

"While Ruby Rose, Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie will form team Runner, lead by Miss Ruby Rose," Ozpin said in the end, finalizing the deal.

We were students of Beacon Academy.

Now I just had to tell Cinder that my teammates were either males or horrible hags, and stave off the inevitable bout of jealousy that would come my way because of it.

Cinder, please, I'm not the one making the teams.

How was I supposed to know horse-piece meant Blond Bombshell and Cat-Girl!? How!?