Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Glynda had never been one to openly admit it, but sometimes she felt lonely.

The life of a huntress was one of endless adventure and thrilling danger, or at least it had been before she accepted the teaching position at Beacon Academy. She wouldn’t say she hated her new occupation. Teaching had always been one of her passions, being able to nurture and educate the next generation of huntsmen and huntresses was a dream she had sought and successfully fulfilled.

Yet… it was undeniable that she’d slowly regressed from the huntress prodigy who’d inspired others to a tired workaholic who lacked a social life outside her workplace.

She seldom conversed with anyone outside of Beacon’s faculty and a few students seeking pointers in their performance. In the times she did have off, she was either in her classroom or at her small apartment on campus, working on her class curriculum. 

Perhaps, that was why she had chosen to tag along with the faculty and student body to attend the 33rd Vytal Tournament in Atlas rather than lock herself up at home preparing lesson plans and combat scenarios….

“Glynda? Are you alright?”

Glynda blinked and looked up from her meal, finding her date for the evening watching her curiously.

“Oh, my apologies, James.” She poked at her food and exhaled. “I was just… distracted.”

General James Ironwood, newly promoted from his previous station to become both the figurehead of the Atlesian military and headmaster of Atlas Academy, studied her face for a moment longer, then grew a small smile.

“Am I really that boring?” he teased.

She shot him a look, then grew a coy smile of her own too. “I’d be remiss if I said you weren’t.”

He chuckled, then feigned heartache by pressing a hand over his chest and giving a melodramatic groan. “You wound me, Glynda.”

She tried her hardest to not laugh, but inevitably a snort escaped her followed by a quiet fit of giggling.

Around them, a few huntsmen and huntresses scattered about the atrium of the Glass Unicorn glanced in their direction. Most lost interest and returned to their previous engagements, chatting with acquaintances or finishing meals. Some, however, kept staring in fascination as the infamously aloof Professor Goodwitch giggled like a schoolgirl in front of an uncharacteristically lax General Ironwood.

They were surely a strange sight in the middle of one of Atlas' finest hotels, a place James had personally chosen to house the visiting faculty members while the visiting students roomed in Atlas Academy. Though Glynda would admit, she wasn't one for opulence or ostentation.

She hadn't sought luxury, wealth, fame, or fortune when she became a huntress. That being said, it was nice to indulge herself with some modicum of splendor now and again.

“Not so boring now, am I?” James wore a smug smirk, directing all of his glowing pride toward her.

She, in turn, shot him a pointed look and took a sip from her wine glass. “I suppose not.”

He laughed and cut a slice from his steak. “So, how are things at Beacon?”

“They're well.” She shrugged and thought back on any recent events. “This year's initiation was rather mundane compared to others. Though, it was due in part to a lack of Grimm for the students to combat.”

“Ah, yes. The infamous Beacon initiation.” James chewed on his slice for a moment before swallowing and sipping from his glass. “Sometimes, I wonder if Ozpin should retire early.”

“Oh?” Glynda sat up and arched an eyebrow. “Why is that?”

“Well, to put it bluntly, he's a loose cannon.” He waved his fork about in a matter-of-factly manner. “He throws his students blindly into danger, randomly pairs them into teams, and believes that they can excel. In Atlas, we have a more… orderly method by which we educate our students.”

Glynda wasn't sure what rubbed her the wrong way, the fact that he had disavowed Beacon tradition or that he’d praised his own academy's methodology in comparison, but either way she huffed and picked up her glass. “Yes, I've heard about your… regime , as well as the concerns that they raise.”

He sighed tiredly, obviously having dealt with the same accusations before. 

“I will admit, our curriculum and programs can appear to be rather unsavory at first glance,” the general acquiesced, gesturing with his hands as he spoke. “However, they're designed to ensure that every student can graduate from the academy regardless of their background.”

“I understand, James, but I also have to disagree.” Glynda sipped her wine and set the glass down, then intertwined her fingers as she looked him in the eye. “Perhaps there is merit to installing military doctrine into your academy, but you're turning huntsmen into soldiers. I'm sorry to say, but this feels like the early days of the Great War.”

James gave a disturbed frown, his eyes narrowing at the comparison. “I'm not trying to turn them into emotionless machines, Glynda.”

“Maybe, but there's a fine line between teaching youths to follow your instructions or to follow their instincts.”

“Military oversight ensures that Atlesian huntsmen never turn their backs on their kingdoms.”

“But what if military oversight compels them to only look out for their kingdom ?" Glynda argued and held up a hand to weigh the hypothetical outcomes. “Doing what you’re told is one thing, James. But doing what’s right is another.”

He raised an eyebrow and watched her with a measured stare. “You'd rather allow them to roam freely, knowing they could step out of line?”

She nodded without hesitation. “People are flawed, I will admit that. But sometimes, you just need to have a little faith in humanity.”

Her voice softened as she let the words sink in. He seemed to mull over them, lamenting over the differences in their ideologies and viewpoints. They'd had these debates before, and they'd always end up back where they started, but she liked to think that, little by little, she was breaking through to him.

James had always been one to demand the trust of others, but never extended his own. If only he could offer a hand rather than ask for others to do it first….

Wearing a disappointed frown, Glynda took a deep breath and let it out in a heavy sigh.

“I… think I'll turn in for the night.” Glynda dared not meet his eyes as she stood up and smoothed the wrinkles from her attire. “Thank you for the meal, James.”

Out of the corner of her eyes, she glimpsed James opening his mouth to say something and for a moment she wished he would. Tragically, he faltered and then turned his face away from her too.

“Of course,” he replied in a voice full of regret. “Good night, Glynda.”

Ironwood paid for their meal and left without another word. Glynda did the same, taking the elevator from the atrium up to the second floor where her room was located.

Lying down on her bed, Glynda breathed another heavy sigh and dwelled in her solitude until she fell asleep.

The next morning, Glynda was suddenly startled awake by a raucous bang outside her hotel room.

Her instincts kicked in immediately and the veteran huntress tossed her bedsheets aside, slipped off the mattress, and called the Disciplinarian off her nightstand. It flew into her hand and she flicked it, extending it to its full length while she flew across the room to the door. Then, pressing herself against it, she listened to see if another bang would sound, and after a second she chose to take a risk.

Pulling over a night robe from a table with her semblance, Glynda slipped it on over her nightwear and held it close with one hand before she opened the door.

Raising her aura and peeking outside, Glynda snapped her head left and right. Down to the left, she found nothing, but down to the right, she saw a thick plume of steam obscuring the mezzanine and pouring over the railing into the atrium.

Furrowing her brow, she took a tentative step outside and moved towards the steam cloud.

The closer she got, the more she could make out.

Amidst the thick white haze were two silhouetted figures stumbling around, waving their arms about wildly, likely trying to waft away the steam–

Glynda abruptly stopped when her bare foot smushed something cold and wet under it.

She blinked in confusion, her mind trying to make sense of the strange, disturbing feeling. Then, after the ringing in her ears and pounding of her heart ceased, she managed to tilt her head down and find out what she’d stepped in.

Lifting her right foot up, she took a look at the lump of mud she’d left a footprint in.

Mouthing a silent ‘what?’, she studied the lump but then noticed it was less of a lump and more of a puddle… and there was another one ahead of it… and another one behind.

Following the trail, Glynda looked behind her, following the muddy bootprints she’d neglected to notice leading down towards the stairwell.

Suddenly, the door to another room in that direction slammed open and a huntsman jumped out, fully suited up in his gear, only to sully his boot when he stepped in the muck.

The man about slammed into the railing but saved himself at the last second. Then, he glanced around before noticing her. They shared an acknowledging look before turning in the direction of the rapidly dissipating steam cloud.

“Ugh!” one of the silhouetted figures, a blonde adolescent whined as she picked at her hair. “Did you do that? Do you know how long it takes me to curl my hair? This is going to ruin it!”

“And our dresses!” the other figure, a dirty blonde added in the same tone. “You better hope our clothes don’t stain or you’re going to be cleaning them too!”

As Glynda approached, she watched the former of the two stomp a pair of muddy shoes on the carpet, splattering the muck in front of a raven-haired girl, dressed in a simple, white uniform.

In the span of a few seconds, Glynda noted the bucket next to the cleaning girl as well as the wooden brush lying on the ground, its wood blackened and wisps of steam clinging to the bristles.

“What are you doing, Cinder?” the offending girl taunted, kicking the brush back over to her. “You better hurry up because you’ve got a lot of work to do!”

The blonde girls burst into a fit of giggles, holding their stomachs as they trembled with delight. In turn, the cleaning girl’s face contorted with barely withheld fury.

However, as quickly as her face had reddened with rage, it rapidly paled when she noticed Glynda storming up to them.

Both blonde adolescents continued to guffaw for a few more seconds before they quieted down, heads tilting in confusion. They watched the cleaning girl for another second and then spun around to gawk at Glynda upon realization.

The duo performed amazing imitations of a few of her students whose grades had slipped last semester. Just like them, they flapped their mouths like fishes out of water, trying and failing to come up with some kind of excuse for their behavior.

Towering over them, the Beacon deputy headmistress growled out, “What. Happened. Here?”

All three girls quaked with fear, unable to answer her for a moment, but then the dirty blonde managed to swallow a lump in her throat.

“W-We were just t-telling her about a mess in…” She swallowed another lump. “…th-the atrium!”

She glanced at her friend. Sister? The other blonde nodded in agreement frantically.

“Y-Yeah!” The blonde put on a smile that stretched a little too widely. “Someone must’ve tracked in mud from outside. We had to find her before someone else stepped in it!”

Both girls hurriedly scraped the muck off their soles with their shoes. Then, they tried to step around the huntress.

“We’ll be leaving now!” the dirty blonde declared. “Bye, Cinder–”

Before they could take another step further, Glynda snapped her riding crop up. Reaching out with her semblance, she entrapped the pair in an amethyst glow and lifted them off the ground. And then, moving them back to where they stood, she held them an inch above the ground.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Glynda snapped, a bit of the frustrated educator bleeding into her current mood.

Tears welled in the blondes’ eyes as they eyed the Disciplinarian in her hands.

Suddenly, doors began opening around them. Hotel guests staying on the second floor, as well as a few hunters, stepped out onto the mezzanine. Glancing over the railing, Glynda spotted a small audience gathering on the atrium floor as well.

Then, suddenly, a shrill voice cried out indignantly, “What is going on here?”

A tall, imposing woman—the Glass Unicorn’s proprietor, if Glynda recalled—stormed up the mezzanine, weaving her way past guests. She wore a deep frown and held her head high, clearly prioritizing her composure over her fury. However, that stern countenance of hers faltered when she laid eyes upon the Beacon instructor using her semblance in public.

“A-Ah, Miss Goodwitch?” The manager’s eyes blew open wide for a second, but then she cleared her throat and composed herself once more.

Glynda let the girls go, both of them landing on their feet but losing their balance. They stumbled and bumped into each other before freezing on the spot when the manager leveled a sharp look at them.

“I believe you have a case of workplace misdemeanor,” Glynda remarked, collapsing the Disciplinarian. “There was a loud sound and I came out to investigate. It seems like your girls were playing a meanspirited prank.”

“Yeah, sounded like a gun went off,” the huntsman who’d jumped out right after Glynda corroborated. “Was that what that was?”

Glynda cocked her head and glanced down at the burnt brush on the ground. Before she could make another comment, however, the hotel manager interjected.

Holding up her hands and putting on a stern expression, she called out, “There’s no need for alarm, everyone, please! I’ll personally take a look into what happened here, but I’m certain it was nothing dangerous. For now, allow me to apologize on behalf of the Glass Unicorn for the disturbance.” She clasped her hands together and smiled apologetically, meeting the eyes of every guest watching the scene. “Now please, continue to enjoy yourselves and if you have any complaints, we will take them at the front desk.”

Several moments passed as guests exchanged looks and murmurs were passed around. Then, the audience began to disperse. The observes on the atrium floor returned to whatever engagements that had prior, the guests on the mezzanine returned to their rooms, and Glynda was left alone with the manager and her employees.

“We deeply apologize for the commotion, Miss Goodwitch.” The manager bowed her head low. “Please, allow me to compensate you with a free breakfast. Maybe even a room upgrade?”

Glynda pondered the offer for a moment, then shook her head.

“Free breakfast will be fine,” she said before pursing her lips and scraping her foot against the carpet.

Glancing down, she curled her toes and felt drying mud crack between them.

The manager followed her gaze and paled.

“Ah, of course!” she said happily, a plastic smile plastered on her face. “Any preferences?”

Glynda shrugged and rubbed her neck. “Something simple. Biscuits and bacon, please.”

“Well, you heard her, Cinder. Please bring breakfast for Miss Goodwitch in room…?”

She cast an inquiring look at Glynda, who answered, “Room 207. And just leave it inside.”

“Room 207! Leave it inside!” she repeated with a smile before shooting a sharp look at the girl. “Go on, Cinder.”

The girl Cinder stood up, having been seated on the ground the entire time. She made to move but hesitated, her eyes flicking between the bucket at her feet and the woman giving her instructions.

“Cinder!” her employer snapped before smiling. “It’s perfectly fine.”

Cinder hesitated again, glanced at Glynda who raised an eyebrow, and then she dashed off.

“Feel free to return to your room, Miss Goodwitch.” The manager turned to the blonde girls. “I’ll deal with everything out here.”

Cooking food took time. It took patience. Cinder had neither.

An eternity passed as Cinder tried to cook up the guest’s order, baking the biscuits and grilling the bacon. She trembled during every second of it, almost burning the food as she lost herself to her own dread-fueled imagination.

She imagined the Madame striding through the door behind her, remote in hand. She imagined her stepsisters storming in and shoving her down. She imagined them hurting her. Torturing her. Beating her. Cutting her. Doing something horrible and terrible, and a dark part of her wished they did.

She wished they did something blatant and bloody so people would finally notice that she was trapped in a waking nightmare. They’d see she’d been suffering in this gilded cage. They’d–

“Ahh!” Cinder yelped, burning her wrist on the tray of biscuits.

She almost dropped the entire tray but managed to secure her grip before depositing it on the counter.

Slipping off her mittens, she checked the burn and pressed her lips together at the sight of the reddening skin. Glancing over at the first aid cabinet nearby, she thought about checking to see if there was something she should do to the wound.

Ultimately, Cinder decided she didn’t have enough time for treatment and began setting up the guest’s breakfast tray.

Cinder had just placed the lid over the tray and was preparing to lift the whole thing off the counter when she heard the kitchen door open.

“What did you do?” the icy cold voice of the Madame asked from behind her, venom dripping from every word.

Cinder turned slowly, trembling as she did, and she came to face her stepmother.

The Madame stood stiffly across the kitchen, her arms held behind her back and head tilted back, eyes glaring down past her nose as the little girl quaked in fear.

Cinder struggled to swallow the lump in her throat but eventually did. 

“I-I didn’t do anything.”

The Madame’s eyes narrowed further and her face grew a tint redder, but then she closed her eyes and let go of an exasperated sigh as she reached into her pocket.

Cinder’s eyes widened, alarms going off in her head.

“Madam, wai–”

She was cut off by the opulent shock collar she’d been gifted discharging hundreds of volts into her body.

Cinder tried to scream, tried to shout, and holler in agony. Tragically, all her efforts were in vain because the electric dust crystal dangling from her neck caused those sounds to get caught in her throat as she convulsed uncontrollably. She could only stand there, trembling in agony as white-hot pain seared through every seizing muscle in her tiny body.

Above her, the Madame glared down at her furiously as she held down the button on her remote. She only lifted her thumb off of it a long and terrible moment after Cinder had fallen to her knees.

“Let’s try that again, shall we?” The Madam strode across the kitchen, heels clicking on the tiled floor until she stood a few inches before her. “What did you do?”

Cinder took shuddering breaths in and out as tears ran down her cheeks and then dripped onto the kitchen floor.

“I-I didn’t… I don’t know what happen–”

The Madam pressed the button again. Cinder convulsed violently and writhed on the linoleum for an agonizing eternity.

“You know I don’t like it when you lie.”

The thumb left the remote. Cinder took shuddering breaths in again.

“I-I’m not lying!” she shouted in a quiet, hoarse voice.

“Then what happened?”

Cinder flinched, preparing herself for another shock. When it didn’t come, she laid her hands flat on the ground and pushed herself upright.

“I don’t know…! M-Maybe a… a pipe broke!”

“A pipe?” the Madame scoffed and lifted the remote up high so Cinder could see her thumb about to press the button.

Her eyes widened and she blurted out, “Or… Or maybe they had a smoke bomb!”

A hundred volts flooded her body for several seconds and she dropped down to the kitchen floor again.

“Blaming others won’t help, Cinder,” the Madame sneered before she reached up and stroked her jaw. “Though, I suppose those girls did cause quite a ruckus today…. Fine, I’ll go ask them again.”

Shockingly, Cinder felt a smidgen of joy ebb into her body. Her stepsisters were going to take the fall for the incident.

With trembling hands, she laid her palms flat against the ground again and mustered the strength to push herself up to face her stepmother.

“Thank you–”

“But, let’s not forget that you started it,” the Madame snapped, eyes narrowed dangerously as she raised the remote back up. “That wasn't very ladylike of you, was it?”

She clicked the button. Cinder’s screams became caught in her throat.

“I suggest you remember your place,” her stepmother sneered as she loomed over her, casting her in her shadow. “Say. It.”

Cinder opened her mouth to obey, but then heard the click of the button before she could even try.

Her limbs seized and a barely restrained scream leaked through her clenched jaw. Her back arched painfully as she snapped up, unable to control her spasming muscles.

Once her stepmother let go of the button, she gasped for air. Giving labored pants, she tried her best to sit upright on her knees and raise her voice loud enough for the Madame to hear.

"Without you… I am nothing…."

There was a pause, a momentary lull that filled her with dread. Had she said it too slowly? Too quietly? Was she going to be punished again?

“Good.” Her glorified stepmother huffed and crossed her arms as she glowered down at her, then stashed the remote away in her pocket. “Remember who feeds you, girl. Who shelters and clothes you.” She glanced over to the door to the atrium, then back at her. “Now, clean yourself up and deliver that food. Room 207, remember.”

Her stepmother made to leave but paused and held up a finger. “Oh, and also, apologize for your tardiness if she’s there, understood?”

Cinder panted and nearly fell over, but managed to prop herself up with a hand pressed against the floor.

“Did you hear me?”

She looked up in terror as the Madame pulled out the remote again.

“Y-Yes, Madame!” Cinder struggled to rise as the woman turned and departed without a word.

Cinder waited until she could not hear the clicking of her stepmother’s heels before she took a minute to sob quietly.

Moments later, Cinder stood before Room 207. Nearby, she noted that the bucket and brush were gone, and the muddy footprints had been hastily cleaned up. She couldn’t tell if her stepsisters had purposely made sloppy work of the chore or if they were truly incompetent enough to not know how to clean a carpet. Either way, she was likely going to be instructed to clean up the mezzanine again.

Sighing despondently, the ten-year-old reached up and knocked on the hotel room door.

A second passed before she recalled that the guest had requested the food be left inside the room.

Patting around her waist, Cinder dug into her pocket and pulled out the spare room key. Swiping it, she unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Glancing around, she noted the disheveled bedsheets and the closed bathroom door, the sound of the shower running tipping her off to where the guest currently was.

Stepping around the bed, she set down the tray on the table… and then she glanced over her shoulder at the hotel room door.

The phantom scent of sweet biscuits and sizzling bacon wafted to her nose, and Cinder immediately dashed over to the door and eased it shut.

Then, she seated herself down and stole a biscuit off the tray to shove into her mouth. She picked up two slices of bacon and tore them apart. She poured herself a cup of the guest’s tea and drowned down her breakfast.

Swallowing her ill-gotten meal down, Cinder took in a deep breath and glanced at the bathroom door. She heard the shower still running and breathed a sigh of relief before she placed the lid back on the platter.

It was then that her eyes landed on the huntress’ collapsed weapon sitting right next to the tray on the table..

Cinder froze at the sight of it, her mind replaying the moment the huntress had lifted her stepsisters off the ground, holding them prisoner with some kind of purple magic.

She remembered how terrified she’d been of the weapon. Of the woman. And then she remembered how awestruck she felt as the huntress struck fear into her stepsisters.

She wished she had that kind of power. That kind of control.

She wished she could make them respect her. Make them afraid of her.

Cinder wished she could be that woman and escape the confines of the Glass Unicorn, seize control over her own destiny, and wield the power to carve her own path in life.

Her eyes continued to linger on the huntress’ collapsed weapon, and she noted the button on the side of the grip which probably extended it to its full length….

Glynda exhaled deeply into the towel she pressed against her face, dwelling in its comfy softness for a moment before she pulled it off and dried the rest of herself. Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped the towel around herself and grabbed another to wrap up her hair.

Then, she looked at the fogged-up mirror above the bathroom sink.

After a brief, mental debate, she chose to approach the mirror and wipe it down. Given a clear reflection, the veteran huntress examined her face, thankful she hadn't earned any terrible scars during her active career. Then, she stepped back and posed for herself, striking dynamic stances she had taken many times as a teenager back in her old dorm room as a Beacon student. 

A worrisome tickle at the back of her mind told her to try and work on her cardio; she didn't want to get too out of shape grading homework behind a desk. Maybe she should also watch what she ate?

Glynda crossed her arms and huffed as she deliberated on the thought.

That dinner with Ironwood had certainly been delicious, but it had also been chocked full of carbs… 

A few seconds passed before she was pulled back to reality, finding herself staring at her figure.

Blushing, she reached over for her clothes and dressed herself quickly.

Today marked the second day of the Vytal Festival and the second half of the four v. four team rounds. If she recalled, Teams IRYN, CAMO, and MGMA were lined up to fight around noon, and she was intent on attending their fights. She had personally overseen CAMO and MGMA’s training regimen, pushing her students to their limits per their request. A victory in the tournament could earn them world renown for their futures as huntsmen.

All of that being said, she had lost an hour or two to that ridiculous commotion outside. If she was lucky, she could catch the next airship to Amity Arena before the first fight began.

After buttoning up her top, she took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.

“Oof!”

Glynda froze when she heard a soft thump on the other side like something had struck the mattress. There was a quiet yelp and then silence that went on for a long moment before she heard quiet grunts.

Quietly opening the door, Glynda peered into her room and found the most peculiar sight.

A young girl, the same one with raven-black hair from before it appeared, was waving around the Disciplinarian. She swung it about, striking at imaginary targets, wielding it as if it were a sword. For added effect, she struck the bed and the pillow, anything soft and plush that might not make too loud of a sound.

The sight might have been cute if Glynda wasn’t in a rush.

Reaching out, Glynda called her weapon back to her.

The girl froze as the weapon suddenly pulled against her grip and she struggled to hold onto it for a moment. Glynda motioned with her hand, trying to throw the girl off, but she held fast to the riding crop.

In the end, Glynda had the Disciplinarian swivel, causing the girl to twirl around on her heel and come face to face with the huntress.

Amber eyes blew open wide in terror and the girl let go of the Disciplinarian immediately, letting it fly into its owner’s hand.

“I believe this is mine,” Glynda remarked, collapsing her weapon tightly as she lowered it. “Now, just what were you thinking playing around with it, young lady?”

The child trembled before her, terror showing in her eyes which began to water. She took a few shaky steps back and brought her shaking hands close to her chest. And then, without warning, the girl dropped to her knees and bowed her head low.

“Please, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Glynda blinked in surprise, caught off-guard by the sudden and overwhelming display of fear.

“I- Uh…!” Glynda tried to make sense of the sight before she knelt down and reached out her hands, hovering them over the girl's shoulders. “It’s alright! It’s fine! Calm down, young lady!”

The girl quivered on the ground for a few seconds before she lifted her head, eyes red and puffy.

“…I–”

Glynda put on the stone-hard face she wore during her lectures and straightened her back.

“It’s. Fine,” she declared firmly before she offered out a hand. “Come on, get up.”

The child stared at her hand as if it were some foreign object, and then she took it.

Softening her face, Glynda helped the young girl up onto her feet, one hand squeezing hers and the other hovering over her opposite shoulder.

“Alright,” Glynda spoke softly yet retaining her stern countenance, “do you feel better?”

The girl watched her for a second, searching her face for something. Then, she sniffled and rubbed at her wet eyes before she looked away.

“Y-Yes,” she muttered.

Glynda frowned and studied the girl, noting the sullied state of her pant legs and sleeves. It took her a few more seconds to discover the stains on her shirt too, looking like a film of dust and dirt had gotten on the white cotton. And from this proximity, she noted how greasy her hair looked.

The poor girl must’ve had a rough morning, likely forgoing a proper shower to start her shift. Dealing with her co-workers’ mean-spirited prank along with the subsequent scene it had caused must not have helped either.

Glynda could sympathize, she had certainly experienced her own workplace nightmares and emotional meltdowns in back rooms during her teenage years in retail.

Reliving the past, Glynda’s stern countenance began to crack and fall away. Eventually, she bore a sympathetic frown and a compassionate gaze.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Glynda looked away and tried to rationalize the fact that she was going to be late to the arena if she spent any more time here….

Ultimately, her bleeding heart won out and she glanced around for some way to comfort the poor girl.

“Here–”

The girl’s eyes widened in an instant and she jumped back with a yelp. Glynda retracted her hands and held them up high.

“Sorry,” she apologized before gesturing at the bed, “I was just going to tell you to take a seat. It looks like you need one.”

The girl—her name was Cinder, if Glynda recalled—gave her a frightened look, but then nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Glynda stepped over to sit next to her but then mentally chided herself for even thinking of doing that just after witnessing the girl jump at almost being touched by her.

Glancing around, she spotted the table topped by her breakfast delivery and she moved over to sit in the chair. Taking off the lid, she inhaled the scent of sweet biscuits and salty bacon before she grabbed one of the former to eat.

Just as Glynda bit into it, however, she heard a stomach growl from the bed and looked over to see the girl watching her intently.

With how the morning was going for her, she didn’t imagine Cinder had much to eat thus far.

Picking up another biscuit off the platter, she held it out for her.

“I don’t imagine you had much to eat this morning?” Glynda inquired with a smile.

Cinder stared at the piece of food, suspicion in her eyes before she took the offering.

They sat there for a while, eating in silence. Every now and again, Glynda would offer out another biscuit or a few strips of bacon and Cinder would take those too.

At one point, Glynda poured herself a cup of tea and tried to offer it to her companion. Cinder, however, refused it and instead got up, walked over to some cabinets, and dug out a stack of foam cups still in the package.

Eventually, they ate the platter dry and Glynda smiled at the sight of the child giving a content sigh at having a full stomach.

“Um… Thanks,” Cinder spoke up, looking up to meet her eyes. “I… don’t usually get much to eat in the morning… Because of the rush and all….”

Glynda nodded in understanding. “No, I understand. When I was your age, the only thing I had to eat before I got to work was a piece of toast and a cup of coffee. I was starving half an hour into my shift.”

The huntress let out a soft laugh but frowned when she noticed the girl looking away with discontent.

Coughing awkwardly to change the subject, Glynda flicked her eyes to Cinder’s hands. She thought about the incident earlier, about the burnt brush and the cloud of steam that had erupted from nowhere.

“Back there, earlier,” Glynda spoke softly, nudging her head back in reference, “that was your semblance, wasn't it?”

Cinder furrowed her brow and looked back at her, tilting her head in confusion. “What?”

“The accidental steam cleaning you gave the carpets,” Glynda elaborated. “I'm guessing you activated your semblance.”

“Semblance?” the child picked up a foot on the bed and rested her arms on her knee. “What's that?”

Glynda’s face dropped and her cheeks flushed red at the realization that a girl her age working at a hotel probably didn’t know too much jargon about auras and semblances.

“Hmm…. Right….”

The teacher recalled the definitions and the way she explained the concepts in the lectures she taught. Then, however, she realized that Cinder probably wouldn’t understand those terms either. In the end, she settled for a much more simplified explanation.

“It's… your superpower.”

A part of the teacher withered and died inside of her at the infantilized definition.

Cinder blinked at her, brow furrowing and mouth parting open in disbelief. Offense crossed her face at first, but it was followed by curiosity as she picked up her hands and studied them.

“I… have superpowers?” Cinder questioned, glancing between both of her palms.

Glynda gave a soft huff of amusement and nodded.

“In a sense. And to an extent,” she elaborated as she raised her hands and began to gesture like she did during her lectures. “Huntsmen use them to fight stronger. Harder. Everyone's semblance is unique in their own way.”

Glynda picked up the Disciplinarian and pointed it at her breakfast tray. Activating her semblance, she caused it to become encased in an amethyst glow and then she levitated it off the table.

Glancing over, she spied Cinder’s mouth drop and her eyebrows shoot up into her hairline.

“My semblance is telekinesis,” Glynda explained, motioning with her crop to make the tray move about. “I can make things levitate and move them however I like.”

To demonstrate, she moved the tray to hover in front of her, food and all on it. She then willed the teapot to pour itself into the cup and she picked it up with her free hand, all the while the tray continued to float.

After drinking from the cup, she moved the tray back to the table, collapsed her weapon, and looked back to find Cinder flexing her hands.

The young girl curled her fingers and spread them wide. She got up and flexed her limbs, seemingly trying to feel something abnormal with herself.

“…Then… what's my semblance?” Cinder asked, searching for it as if it were a tangible object to be found.

Glynda breathed a sigh and stood up too. Cinder backed away from her by a step, but she smiled brightly at the child.

“Well, I’m not sure,” she stated gently, clasping her hands in front of her. “That’s something you’ll have to find out for yourself, but from what I saw, it looked like you burned the brush you used earlier.”

Cinder’s lips curled into a frown as she recalled the memory of the incident. Glynda mirrored her frown and quickly spoke up before the girl lost herself to the past.

“If you’re going to learn more about your semblance, then you need to be careful not to use up your aura.”

Cinder’s brow furrowed and she flicked her eyes up at her in confusion.

“Aura?” she inquired.

Glynda nodded with a smile, glad to see her losing focus on the past.

“Mmhm. Aura is like….” Glynda hummed and tried to come up with a proper, simplistic analogy. After a minute, she began glancing around the room before she took notice of the lamp nearby. “It's like electricity; or fuel. It's what powers our semblance, but more than that it's what gives us the power to fight Grimm.”

For a demonstration, the huntress closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. Focusing, she channeled her aura around her, letting a soft, purple corona envelop her briefly.

From the bed, she heard Cinder gasp quietly.

Opening her eyes, she let her aura fade.

“Every living being on Remnant has Aura, but not everyone can use it. It takes a considerable amount of training to even awaken it.” Glynda poured herself another cup of tea and sipped from it. “But for us, huntsmen and huntresses, aura is a necessity. We can use it to shield ourselves. Make ourselves stronger. And we need it to use our semblances, like I said earlier.”

Cinder stared at her, lost in thought as the lesson sunk in. Glynda smiled and waited for the girl’s mind to fully capture the scope of what she’d just learned.

Eventually, the raven-haired girl blinked as she was brought back to reality.

“But… So then, that means… I also have that?”

The teacher nodded. “Well, every living being with a soul has an aura. So yes, you do–” 

Suddenly, her scroll on the nightstand across the bed shrilled aloud, rudely interrupting her lecture.

Cinder jumped and gave a squeak while Glynda sucked in a sharp breath.

All of a sudden, she remembered the fact that she was in Atlas and that she was only here for the Vytal Festival.

How much time had passed? How late was she?

Jumping onto her feet, Glynda rushed past Cinder and snatched her scroll off the nightstand.

“Sorry, someone's calling me!”

Checking the caller ID, she frowned at seeing Bartholomew Oobleck’s name.

“Glynda!” Bartholomew's voice cried out from her scroll the moment she tapped the answer button. “Where are you? Team IRYN's match is about to start!”

Glynda slapped a hand against her forehead and hissed past her teeth in frustration.

“I- I'm sorry, I’m still at my hotel!”

“What?” Bartholomew screamed on the other end of the call, his voice muffled by a sudden uproar around him.

“I'll be there as fast as I can, Bartholomew!”

She ended the call and ripped the towel off her head.

“I'm sorry, Cinder,” she apologized as she began untangling her hair, “but I need to go catch my airship and I've yet to do my hair!”

“Oh, right….” The young girl got up and grabbed the tray off the table, then walked to the door “I should also get back to work…. Um, thank you for the food.”

Glynda paused and looked at the girl standing before her. She briefly recalled seeing her on her knees, a trembling mess suffering from an emotional meltdown. Then, she studied her affectionate smile and the blush on her cheeks as she shifted in place.

“Of course. A growing girl needs to eat.” Glynda checked the time, fretted over how long it would take to finish her morning rituals, and then cast a final look at Cinder before she offered a friendly smile. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

Cinder blinked at her and then beamed even brighter.

“Of course!”

Semblances. Aura. Superpowers.

Cinder kept trying to wrap her mind around the concepts the guest had provided for her. The idea that she could do things no one else could, that she had the potential to fight… like her! Like a huntress!

The ten-year-old beamed with joy as she walked down the stairwell to the first floor. However, when her foot scraped against a patch of dried mud, she was pulled from her revelry.

Right, her stepsisters had done a poor job of cleaning up after themselves. She was probably going to have to get to that after cleaning the dishes.

Cinder shook the distractions from her head and focused her mind on navigating across the atrium, getting to the back, and pushing the kitchen door open.

Thankfully, the room was empty as she deposited her load in the industrial sink. After turning the faucet on, she grabbed the sponge and scrubbed off the leftovers of the guest’s breakfast. Of their breakfast.

Warmth blossomed in her heart as she thought of their shared meal.

It had been silent. Almost overbearingly so. Yet, the blonde woman hadn’t forced her to stay silent, and she hadn’t forced her to speak either. She had just kindly offered another biscuit and a strip of bacon. She had just sat there, gifting her reassuring smiles every time she finished her food and silently asked about getting another piece.

That was the first time any of the guests had done that. To be fair, however, it was the first time a guest had even seen her eat their food….

After setting the dishes up to dry, Cinder turned off the faucet and dried her hands on a towel. Then, she turned to find the Madame before the Madame found her–

The sound of the kitchen door opening reached her ears and Cinder inhaled sharply.

“Well, well, well,” Ana hissed as she strode across the room, tucking dirty blonde strands behind her ear. “You were gone for quite a while.”

Cinder didn’t answer for a moment, too busy staring at the floor. Eventually, she mustered the courage to speak up.

“I was busy…. The guest wanted help with something.”

“Yeah?” Rizel remarked, stepping around with her blonde curls swaying as she bounced her head between her shoulders. “And what was that, huh?”

Cinder tried to come up with an excuse, something plausible that they couldn’t deny. However, the fact of the matter was that anything she tried to say would ultimately be warped into a lie when they reported to their mother.

“Well?” Ana inquired tauntingly with a sadistic giggle. “Go on, Cinder. Tell us–”

Suddenly, the kitchen door opened again and the clicking of heels echoed in Cinder’s ears.

“Girls,” the Madame called.

All three of them jumped to attention.

“Mother!” her stepsisters addressed.

“That’s enough, get back to work,” she instructed, folding her arms over her chest. “I’m still not sure what happened, but until then all three of you are shouldering the blame.”

“What!” Rizel shrieked and stomped her foot. “But-”

Something flashed in their mother’s eye and Cinder flinched. 

“Get. Back. To. Work.”

The girls exchanged looks, then bowed their heads and stormed out of the kitchen. However, just as they stepped through the threshold, they shot Cinder gleeful looks before the Madame blocked her vision.

“Where were you?” the Madame asked.

Cinder trembled and bowed her head. “The guest’s room.”

“You were ordered only to drop off the meal.”

“The guest needed help.”

“With what?”

“She asked me to… clean her bedsheets for her.”

She risked glancing up and briefly met her stepmother’s derisive gaze.

“…I don’t believe you.”

Her hand reached into her pocket. Cinder braced herself.

That day, Teams IRYN and MGMA bested their opponents and moved up to the next rounds.  It was a close victory for the former, Yarrow Everpetal and Norman Shrubish going down nearly immediately. In contrast, the latter team had experienced a total, sweeping victory with Marsh Macaw showing off his prodigal skills as a huntsman and as a leader.

Sadly, CAMO had been unable to get over their infighting, which Glynda had specifically warned them about, and were beaten. Though they showed promise, they lacked cohesion….

A tired sigh escaped the Beacon instructor as she lay across her hotel room bed.

She’d arrived back at the Glass Unicorn an hour ago, having spent the rest of the day after the tournament touring Atlas Academy. She’d spoken with the instructors there, swapping notes and sharing stories about classes. She had also gone out with Peter and Bartholomew, the trio of them exploring the academy’s facilities to… gossip about how Beacon felt much friendlier in architectural design, advanced tech or not.

Throughout all of her adventures today, she’d also been watching her scroll, waiting for a certain message. Something along the lines of an apology or something close to that….

James never sent anything.

Glynda laid an arm over her forehead and closed her eyes, trying not to let her disappointment claim her.

Thankfully, before she could spiral down that rabbit hole, there was a knock at her door.

“Room service!”

Opening her eyes, the instructor grunted as she sat up, popping her back and neck.

“I’ll be right there!” she called.

Getting up, she took a moment to arch her back and stretch her legs before she strode across the room.

Opening the door, Glynda found a familiar raven-haired girl standing with her meal in hand.

“Oh, Cinder,” Glynda greeted with a smile, “hello again.”

The child flushed red. “Hi… Um, here’s your meal.”

She held up the tray topped with a lid-covered platter, a pot of tea, plastic utensils, and a few napkins. Taking that from her, Glynda nodded respectfully before she stepped back into her room.

In mid-step, however, she stopped and glanced back at the girl. Her mind traveled back to earlier in the morning and a pit formed in her stomach.

It certainly didn’t seem too busy tonight, with most people likely dining out. However, the nagging thought didn’t leave her alone.

“Have you had your dinner yet?” Glynda asked, turning fully to face Cinder again.

Cinder stood on the balls of her feet and swallowed a lump in her throat. After a second, she shook her head.

“N-No, not yet.”

Glynda hummed, then held out the tray a bit. “Would you like to share again?”

The raven-haired girl’s eyes widened briefly before she looked away.

“I… I shouldn’t.” One of her hands caressed her belly. “I have more work to do.”

The instructor narrowed her eyes and watched her for a moment, then nodded.

“I understand,” she relented before stepping back. “You have a wonderful night.”

Just as she stepped further away, however, she heard Cinder loudly gulp and then take a few steps forward.

“A-Actually… maybe a bite?”

Looking over her shoulder with a smile, Glynda watched Cinder follow her into the room.

Some time passed as they ate together again, mostly in silence like before. Glynda had ordered for herself steak, potato wedges, and a side of vegetables along with another pot of tea, which she had happily poured for the both of them. The steak slices and potato wedges Cinder had ravenously inhaled, but she had misgivings on the vegetables until Glynda had pushed her to try them.

Near the end of their meal, Cinder decided to stand and bow her hand.

“Thank you for the food again, miss,” she said, bringing her head back up with a grateful smile.

“Of course,” Glynda replied with a smile of her own. “Remember not to overwork yourself too hard, alright?”

Cinder nodded back and threw her paper plate away in a trash can, then pulled the bag out. However, as she went to stand, a quiet yelp escaped her and she stumbled against a cabinet next to her.

Glynda was on her feet immediately. “Are you okay?”

Cinder didn’t turn back to look at her, but her free hand ghosted over a spot on her side.

“I-I’m fine!”

From where she was standing, Glynda could see the blood draining from the corner of her face.

The girl turned away from her, trying to hide the spot she was tentatively touching. However, Glynda could still spy a hint of dark red tinting a bandage on her side as Cinder lifted up her shirt to check the hidden wound.

“You’re bleeding.”

Glynda hurried over as Cinder turned to her and backed away.

“I-It’s nothing.” The girl pursed her lips and glanced at her face before she looked away. “I just… got caught up during the rush earlier and cut myself on a table. It’s fine, I can go bandage myself again.”

Doubt crossed the huntress’ face as she studied the girl’s face. She was panicking, obviously frightened that someone had seen the wound. But why was she so afraid?

“I can help you with that,” Glynda offered, holding out a hand. “In fact, this could be a good opportunity to show you what you can do with your aura.”

Cinder blinked at her in confusion for a second. Then, she flicked her eyes down at her side.

“…Really?”

Glynda nodded and held her hand out further. Cinder stared at it, hesitating to take it while a myriad of emotions played out across her face, ranging from fear to wonder. 

Eventually, she reached out a hand that hovered over Glynda’s. She retracted it though, but still stepped up to the huntress.

Taking that as a sign of accepting the offer, Glynda led her over to the side of the bed again.

“Here, sit down.”

Cinder obeyed, seating herself on the bed again, scooting back a bit to not slip off. Meanwhile, Glynda pulled her chair over to sit directly opposite of her.

“Alright, now sit still.” Glynda reached out, but faltered, realizing that she’d need to make physical contact for this. “Can you give me your hand?”

The raven-haired girl looked her in the eye, suspicion lurking in those amber orbs. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded.

Glynda held a tiny hand in hers, cupping it gently and placing another hand on top of it.

She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, then focused. She felt her aura stir deep within her like a pool, a wellspring that she reached into and touched then drew from. She took that power and she gifted it outward, pouring it into her hands so it might flow into Cinder’s.

As her aura left her, Glynda could feel her mind straining to hold focus. Though it was only slight, it became harder to breathe, to think. The strength in her limbs was sapped away bit by bit, enough to leave her with a noticeable fatigue.

Eventually, she stopped, opening her eyes and letting go of Cinder’s hand.

Across from her, she bore witness to the color Cinder’s aura, a bright, fiery orange like the glow of a flame.

Cinder herself was in awe of the burning corona that enshrouded her, watching the light dance across her knuckles and then her palm when she turned over her hand.

The moment she was pulled back to reality, she lifted the hem of her shirt and looked at the bandage on her side. She touched it tentatively, giving it a quick tap with a finger, and she waited to feel a flair of pain.

A second passed before she tried again, and when she felt no pain again, she carefully undid the bandage, revealing pale, unblemished skin.

“What…?” Cinder breathed in astonishment before she looked up at her with wide, amber eyes. “How did you?”

“I gave you a portion of my aura,” Glynda answered, wearing a tired smile, “and your aura healed you.”

The girl’s jaw dropped slightly. 

“It can do that too?”

“Aura can do many things,” Glynda remarked, rubbing her forehead as her eyelids grew heavier. “It’s why we huntsmen and huntresses rely on it….”

A yawn escaped Glynda as her body tilted to the right.

She propped herself up in the chair by putting her elbow on the armrest, keeping herself from toppling over. Squeezing her eyes, she took a second to breathe in and then out, focusing on herself. And then, she sat back up.

Glynda smiled apologetically at Cinder, whose face had become riddled with worry.

“I’m sorry, one of the downsides of using your aura is that if you use too much of it you’re liable to tire yourself out.”

The young girl mouthed an ‘o’ and nodded her head in understanding. Then turned to look away absentmindedly.

They sat there for a while in silence, awkwardly waiting for the other to speak up to start more conversation. In the end, neither of them said a word.

Eventually, Cinder chose to slip off the bed, stretching her legs and giving a polite nod.

“Well, thank you for teaching me about that, miss.”

Glynda smiled. “Goodwitch.”

Cinder stopped in mid-turn and looked back at her. “Hmm?”

“My name is Glynda Goodwitch,” she said. “I don’t think I ever properly introduced myself, did I?”

Cinder pursed her lips and looked at the ground, then looked up and shook her head.

“Well… thank you, Miss Goodwitch. Um… My name is Cinder.”

Cinder shared a smile with her for a long time, but her eyes began to travel away. The foot that was stepping forward came back and she started to shuffle in place awkwardly. It was clear from the conflicted look on her face that she wanted to say something.

The Beacon instructor watched her for a while, waiting to see what she’d do and eventually, she was rewarded with the girl turning around to look her in the eye.

The raven-haired girl swallowed hard, lifted her head up high, squared her shoulders, and straightened out her back.

“I… I don’t want to be a burden to you, but… Will you keep teaching me?” Cinder held her composure for a second longer before she flushed red and waved her hands in front of her. “If you have the time, I mean!”

It took a moment for the request to sink in, but once it did Glynda sat up a bit straighter and tilted her head in confusion.

Her eyes widened in shock and conflict played out across her face as she pursed her lips and looked away, not wanting to see the desire in the girl’s eyes.

She couldn’t teach this random hotel employee about the workings of aura. That required a whole lesson plan, a curriculum, and intense training! There was a reason the subject of aura had a whole class as well as an advanced version of the course dedicated to it!

Glynda wiped a hand over her face, eyes widening further as panic set in.

God, what had she done? Giving this girl hope about a subject she wouldn’t be able to find a teacher for.

The only reason they’d met was because the girl had accidentally activated her semblance! 

She hadn’t come to Atlas to become a tutor. She was only here for the Vytal Festival, to get away from this exact kind of work.

She was here to relax. To learn how to relax. To socialize with others and find some kind of remedy to her workaholic lifestyle…

“I… I don’t know….”

Out of the corner of her eye, she briefly glimpsed Cinder’s face falling.

“I’m only here until the end of the tournament.” Glynda shifted anxiously in her chair, rubbing at the back of her neck as she crossed her legs and bounced one of them. “I’m sorry, Cinder… but I can’t.”

She kept her gaze glued to the floor, not wanting to see what kind of devastated look the girl was wearing. Already her heart was breaking at the image her mind conjured up, the real thing might have her in tears.

“…Not even a little? Not even a little bit in the morning or at night?”

Glynda breathed in sharply and held her forehead in her hand. “Cinder–”

“Please, I want to learn!”

Suddenly, her voice changed from desperate to insistent. A harshness bled into her tone as despair transformed into aggravation.

Cinder entered her vision in a blur of white and black, falling to her knees and holding up clasped hands. Glynda jumped, startled by the image of the pleading girl.

“I want to learn how to use my aura! I want to learn what my semblance is! I want to learn!”

“C-Cinder!”

Glynda got up onto her feet and grabbed the girl’s shoulders, hoisting her up. All the while, she kept begging– no, demanding profusely.

“You’re the only one who can teach me! My mother–” Cinder bit her tongue and looked away, face pale but eyes narrowing. Glynda arched an eyebrow at that. “My mother won’t let me go learn from anyone else. Anywhere else. She… She has me working day in and day out. I have to take care of the hotel, I don’t have any time to go to school for that!”

Tears were fully welling and pouring down her face now. But at the same time, she bore grit teeth and a determined look in her eyes as if she were ready to fight for this opportunity. She was struggling to hold herself together, caught somewhere between dismay and willfulness.

“Cinder, please…!” Glynda begged back, pressing her lips together tightly as she tried to calm the girl down. “I’m a busy woman! I live in Vale, I teach there! Learning how to use your aura takes time, and I can’t stay here!”

“B-But I just want you to show me how to start!” Cinder stomped her foot and swallowed down the lump in her throat. “Please! Just a little bit of your time while you’re here!”

Glynda watched the poor girl’s face for a long, terrible moment. She studied the desperation and despair that was evident in her watery eyes, her running nose, clenched jaw, and her quivering lips. She saw the raging fire in her amber eyes, a look shared by many failing students who struggled to match their ambition, but magnified ten times over.

Glynda saw a desperate girl yearning for a future outside of her reach, and as ruthless as she was in class, she was still weak to children. A part of her that was buried deep beneath professional stoicism caved in then.

“I… suppose I can…?”

The huntress squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her jaw tightly. In front of her, she heard Cinder sniffle but quiet down.

“Y-You will?”

Taking a deep breath, Glynda nodded and opened her eyes, finding a wide-eyed, adolescent student staring up at her.

“If you want, you can bring my breakfast up tomorrow and I’ll talk to you a little more about auras,” she conceded before she rubbed her forehead and tried to recall if she had any plans later that night, “but I’ll be dining out with colleagues tomorrow night, so I won’t have time to tutor you then.”

Cinder wiped the snot and tears off her face before she nodded.

“O-Okay… but what about after– er, the day after tomorrow?”

She shrugged and shook her head as a headache began to come on. 

“We’ll see about after.” Glynda heaved in a deep breath, filling her lungs, and then she let it go as she slouched her shoulders. “For now, just… I need to sleep.”

“Of course!” Cinder snatched the tray off the table and stepped out of her way, quickly hurrying over to the door. Once she was there, she stopped and looked at her with a worried look.

Glynda locked eyes with her and for a moment she stared at her tiredly, but then she offered her a reassuring smile and a nod.

Taking those, Cinder smiled weakly and left, leaving Glynda to undress and redress in her nightwear.

Then, slipping under the covers of her bed, she laid her head back and pondered about what she had done.

As the comforting dark took her, a sudden realization struck her: she didn’t realize that the Glass Unicorn was family-run.

The next morning’s lesson was about the textbook definitions of aura and semblances, how people discover them, and how they use them. It was all jargon Cinder struggled to understand, trying her best to keep up, but Miss Goodwitch had been patient enough to explain the details to her piece by piece.

Aura was the manifestation of a person’s soul. It was something mystical made scientific, a theory that became a study. It could be used in a multitude of ways: defending oneself like a shield, lashing out with it in attacks, healing oneself like Miss Goodwitch had helped Cinder with last night, and a variety of other ways.

Apparently, Aura was also how people were able to use Dust by hand. 

All in all, the lesson had mainly been a review of what she had been told, as well as covering details that had been passed over. However, it was fairly abrupt, owing to the fact that her tutor hadn’t intended on taking her up as a student at all before last night.

Truthfully, Cinder felt extremely guilty about pressuring Miss Goodwitch into tutoring her. She didn’t mean to come off so desperately, but… she wanted this. She needed this.

The only thing Cinder had ever truly owned in her life was her name. But now there was something else that was hers, something else that could be more than intangible.

This thing she owned, her aura, could help her be stronger. It could help her protect herself, and endure the suffering. It might help her fight back .

A dangerous thought entered Cinder’s mind as she closed her hands into fists and clenched them tightly.

She tried to summon her aura, focusing on that wellspring of life force Glynda claimed was within her. Yet, she felt nothing. No power. No energy. Nothing but emptiness and sorrow.

Sitting alone in her room, that dark, dirty cellar in the depths of the Glass Unicorn, Cinder let out a frustrated cry.

She was anxious to learn, to seize this strength within her! She wanted to be strong enough to stand on her own two feet! To have that same power that her stepmother and her step-sister had!

She–

“Cinder!”

Jolted out of her racing thoughts by the sound of Ana’s voice, Cinder spun around and found her step-sister standing at the entrance to her room.

“What are you doing back here?” she snapped, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

Cinder held her balled fists for a few more seconds before she dropped them. Then, she made sure to flinch when she touched the spot on her side that’d been cut open yesterday, courtesy of a glass statuette she’d been carrying and fallen onto after she’d been tripped by Rizel.

“The Madame said to swap my bandages before my cut got infected.”

Ana cocked her head and looked down at the spot that had been bleeding yesterday. Thankfully, Cinder had been smart enough to slap on a new bandage to keep up appearances.

She didn’t want to know what the Madame would do to her if she found out Cinder had aura.

“Hmph! Well, you’re taking too long!” her step-sister whined before twirling around. “Come on, you need to finish dusting the statues in the atrium! Rizel and I are going out to buy groceries.”

Without another word, Ana strode out of the room and left Cinder alone once more.

After holding a vengeful glare at the doorway for a few seconds longer, Cinder dropped it and held up her hands again. She clenched them and tried to channel her aura for the umpteenth time, wanting to see the burning orange corona dance along her skin again.

Nothing appeared and she closed her eyes shut, holding in a breath of resignation.

“Uh oh, folks, it looks like Yarrow and Norman are losing ground! Their aura is on the verge of red and– Whoa, did you see that!”

Glynda dug a finger into her ear and grimaced as the arena went up in an uproar. On her right side, Peter jumped to his feet and bellowed proudly at the sight of the second-year Beacon students performing a perfect combo against their competitors. On her left side, Bartholomew smiled and sipped from his coffee, but then turned and looked at her.

“Is something wrong, Glynda?” he asked.

She didn’t answer him for a second, mind catching up with her ears.

“No,” she answered. A second passed before she sighed and dropped her head. “Yes.”

“Oh? Oh! Oh, did you see that? Beacon’s Norman Shrubish has been knocked out! Now it’s a two-on-one scenario!” the arena announcer declared, the crowd roaring in his wake. “Is Beacon going to be able to pull back from this?”

Glynda eyed the battlefield, watching Yarrow as he gripped his great axe and bounced his eyes between his opponents. The pair of Haven hunters-in-training stalked around him, flanking him on both sides.

“He can’t hold his ground there,” Glynda remarked boredly. “I’ve told Yarrow before, his battlefield awareness isn’t the greatest and with his axe, he’s too slow. He’s already wasted too much of his strength to boost his reaction time as well.”

“Indeed,” Bartholomew agreed. “He should head for the treeline, put cover between him and his opponents.”

Peter huffed next to them. “Come now, give the boy a chance! Lesser contestants have pulled themselves from the brink!”

Glynda shrugged and continued to watch the battle. A few seconds in, though, it all became a blur of glinting steel and kaleidoscopic dust explosions.

“May I ask what’s the matter, Glynda?”

She glanced to the corner of her eye where Bartholomew was holding an inquisitive look.

“It’s nothing… It’s just… Nothing.”

She couldn’t very well confess to agreeing to tutor a child working at the hotel they were working at. Well, she could, but it would be a very awkward conversation that brought up some very personal feelings connected to why she was even attending the Vytal Festival!

“Often, nothing is in actuality quite something, you know?”

Glynda blinked and picked her chin up off the hand she’d been cradling it in, then turned to face Peter. Next to her, she spied Bartholomew leaning over to peer around her as well.

Peter raised his eyebrow and tilted his head.

“What? I can give good advice!”

Some time later after one of Beacon’s teams had been tragically eliminated in the duo rounds, the three instructors met up at a bar.

It was an elegant place, smooth jazz filtering through the air while a woman sang on a stage nearby. Many of the faculty members from visiting academies were scattered across the bar as well. 

Glynda recognized some of them, but none of them had their eyes on her and her compatriots.

“So, this ‘nothing’, Glynda?” Bartholomew prodded, both verbally and physically as he bumped his elbow into hers.

She lifted her elbow away and shot him a glare, then looked away. Her eyes circled around the ceiling, and then the other side of the counter they sat along.

“Is this in any way connected to why you suddenly changed your mind and decided to come to Atlas for the Vytal Festival?”

Sighed, knowing the green-haired teacher wouldn’t cease his inquiries until he received a proper answer.

“I’d assumed it was to see General Ironwood,” Peter interjected.

Glynda blushed and tried her best to hide her best.

“That was part of the reason, yes.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “His invitation was… inviting.”

“And the other reason?” Bartholomew asked.

She stared at the dark brown wood of the countertop for a while before she sighed and sat up a bit straighter.

“I suppose… I wanted to socialize a bit. I’m always cooped up in my office and I decided that, maybe, I should try meeting people.”

“Meet people?” Peter repeated before he leaned over a bit closer; too close for her liking. “Or meet people?”

The Disciplinarian flew into her hand, extended to its full length, and was in her older colleague’s face within a few seconds.

“Peter, do that again and Ozpin will find a submission of workplace harassment on his desk the moment we get back to Vale.”

The Grimm Studies instructor raised his hands in surrender. Bartholomew mimicked the action too.

A thick tension filled the air between the three of them for a while, none of them knowing what to say or ask next. They mostly spent the next several minutes drinking.

Eventually, however, Bartholomew cleared his throat and spoke up, “It’s a shame Team IRYN won’t be making it further into the tournament.”

Glynda nodded. “Indeed. I had high hopes for them.”

“I’d put it down to bad luck,” Peter remarked, stirring his glass. “The battlefield changes so often and some people can’t adapt fast enough. That’s a lesson Mr. Everpetal learned today.”

They all shared a nod, and Glynda had a feeling they were all recalling their private one-on-ones with the team of hunters-in-training.

“Well, Team MGMA’s still in it to win it!” Peter declared boisterously. “I’ll say, I haven’t seen a finer huntsman than Marsh in years! Quite the sturdy character, he is!”

“I remember when he was more malleable,” Glynda remarked, recalling a more timid version of the mentioned student. “When Ozpin launched them into the Emerald Forest, he crashed into a tree and–”

“–lost his weapon,” Bartholomew chuckled. “I remember all of us having quite the laugh watching him dig around the forest until he decided it was better if he went on the defensive for his partner rather than the offensive.” The history teacher sipped from his drink and then turned to look over at Glynda. “But I think that built character in him, that and you , Glynda.”

The combat instructor blinked at her reflection in the glass she held, then looked up and at him.

“Me?”

“Yes, he’s right,” Peter agreed before he gestured at all of them. “Well, I’d say it’s a mix of all of us, but you did help. The boy had no spine until you started whipping him into shape.”

She shrugged. “He just needed encouragement… and some harsh words.”

What was it she had said to him in the hall outside her classroom that day? Get your act together? Stop thinking about what-ifs and start thinking about what can you do.

It had been something harsh and direct, but it had also been something true.

So often the students that entered Beacon were aspiring youths looking for glory, but not many of them realized how dangerous their line of work was going to be. What they needed going forward were sharpened skills, sharpened minds, and a set of morals that would keep them on the straight and narrow.

“You do have your way with students,” Bartholomew said with a small smile. “And I have my way, as does Peter.”

“Aw, Barty!”

Peter cast an affectionate look down the counter and Glynda leaned back to get out of the way of it.

“The fact of the matter is, Glynda,” Bartholomew stated as he sat up a bit and held up his glass, “if you’re worried about your work, you have nothing to worry about. If you’re worried about your personal life, then I think it’s fine that you came out here. People need people. Why, when we fall alone, it's a struggle to get back up. However, when we fall together, we can help each other.”

Glynda hummed in thought, a smile crossing her face. However, it fell when she thought about a raven-haired girl in a hotel, struggling to stand after she’d fallen to her knees and begged her to teach her.

“Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

Every day, Cinder awoke bright and early, mostly because she would be startled awake by a foot against her frail body or a jolt of lightning distributed from her shock collar. But now, she found herself getting out of bed from an actual desire to do so.

It was a chore to slip out of the rags she called sleepwear, wash away the grime so as not to smell too terribly around guests, and then get to work. Now, however, she diligently scrubbed her hair and picked the dirt from her uniform, trying her hardest to present herself before Miss Goodwitch every time she delivered her breakfast.

Over the past two days, she’d been taught basic training exercises to awaken her aura. It had all been dumb things like breathing in and out. Meditation. Cinder couldn’t wrap her head around it, but her teacher had insisted that while she had the ambition to use her aura, she didn’t have the patience. First, she needed to know how to feel it, whatever that meant.

A sigh escaped Cinder as she sliced the strawberry on the cutting board in front of her, bringing the knife down harshly. The loud chop echoed through the kitchen.

According to Miss Goodwitch, in order to awaken her aura she needed to train hard. Awakening her semblance was one thing, a spontaneous eruption of emotions that brought her aura forward explosively. However, consciously drawing it out was a different story, one that required an attunement of spirit and mind. Things she apparently didn’t have.

Cinder chopped another strawberry in half.

Why did it have to take so long? Why were there so many hurdles? Couldn’t she just learn this tonight? Get lucky?

Didn’t she deserve to at least have this? After everything she’d been through, after everything she was going through–

“Ahh!”

Cinder dropped the knife and held the thumb she’d accidentally sliced open, squeezing it tightly as blood ebbed out.

Gritting her teeth, she hurried over to the first aid cabinet and knocked it open. Pulling out supplies, she washed the wound and wrapped it up. Then, she held it, feeling the pain pulse from the cut, feeling her thumb throb.

If only she had her aura, if only she could heal it… if only Ms. Goodwitch were here to help her heal it–

The sound of the kitchen door opening prompted her to freeze on the spot. The clicking of heels caused her heart to beat faster.

“Cinder,” her stepmother coldly addressed.

Another pair of footsteps entered the kitchen and moved to the side.

When Cinder looked up, she found her stepmother glowering down at her, arms crossed and nose scrunched with distaste. Over to the side, her stepsisters giggled, their lips pulled into smug smiles.

“I see you’re slacking off,” her stepmother scoffed. “Again.”

Cinder swallowed. “I cut my finger open.”

“While cutting the strawberries?” Her stepmother huffed and glanced over at the cutting board. “Throw them all away and start over, you’ve probably contaminated them.”

She opened her mouth to argue that she’d only cut her thumb open on the last one, but thought better of it.

“Y-Yes, Madame.”

Walking over, she took the strawberries and delivered them to the trash can, watching her work disappear. Then, putting the cutting board back, she moved to grab another box of strawberries–

“Hold on for a moment.”

Cinder’s heart stopped at the sharp tone in the woman’s voice.

“This morning, you spent an awful long time delivering Miss Goodwitch's food.”

She inhaled sharply, her eyes widening in panic for a moment. However, she mustered the strength to calm down and put on a straight face; well, she tried to and failed. 

Thankfully, she’d prepared a list of excuses to give, ones that her stepsisters had bought every time they nagged her about it.

“She needed help with something else,” Cinder claimed, eyes glued to the floor as she faced her stepmother.

“And what was that?”

“She…” Cinder tried to recall the excuse she’d made this morning to Rizel. “She needed me to replace her towels. A-And also to take out her trash.”

She had made sure to grab the trash bag before she left. She remembered that much.

Taking a deep breath, the young girl looked up and locked eyes with the Madame.

Across from her, the Madame hummed and watched her with a critical eye for a long moment. Under her gaze, Cinder shifted in place and trembled with dread.

Eventually, after an anxious eternity had passed, her mother sighed.

“I see.”

The fear in her pounding heart ebbed away bit by bit and relief flooded her body–

“And what did she need help with yesterday morning?” Her stepmother took a few steps forward, growing taller and taller before her. “What about the day before that?”

Cinder’s eyes widened and she backed up. “I-I… I don’t remember!”

“Try.”

Cinder glanced around, briefly spotting her stepsisters giggling.

“Y-Yesterday, she needed me to clean her bedsheets! And before that… Um… I-I can’t remember!”

The Madame scoffed. 

“I wonder, if I ask her the same thing, will she share the same answer?”

Cinder's blood ran cold and she shook her head. “She probably doesn’t remember eith–”

She had failed to spot the woman’s hand slipping into her pocket.

Suddenly, volts of electricity coursed through her body, seizing her in a surge of pain. Her scream became caught in her throat as it always had and she quaked, unable to control herself.

“Insolent rat!” her stepmother hissed, slapping her across the face.

Sent sprawling onto the ground, she writhed on the linoleum and let out a whine past her clenched jaw.

Even if her eyes were closed, she could see her stepsisters giggling in delight as she convulsed in front of them.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” A foot kicked her side. Cinder whimpered. “Did you think we were stupid? That I was stupid?”

Her foot connected with the girl’s side again. Cinder’s yelp never escaped her throat.

Sometime later, the Madame lifted her thumb off the remote.

“What did you tell her?” she demanded, crossing her arms. “What did you say to her? And don’t! Lie!”

Cinder whimpered and shook her head as she lay curled up on the floor.

“I-I didn’t say anything.”

Her stepmother pressed the button again. Cinder arched her back and her legs flailed uncontrollably.

“What did I tell you?”

They continued going in circles for some time as the torture continued.

The Madame seethed, her scowl growing deeper and the fire in her eyes burning hotter. Her sisters giggled louder, holding their stomachs and wiping tears from their eyes. And Cinder hurt, she hurt badly.

Her cheek rubbed against the linoleum hard enough to burn and her teeth cut into her cheek and tongue. Blood leaked out of the corner of her mouth and pooled with the foamed spittle under her face.

She was close to telling her everything about her semblance, her aura. She wondered for a second if it was better to expose her lessons with Ms. Goodwitch than to endure this torture.

Then, her mother lifted her thumb off the remote and Cinder had a brief moment to remember why she was trying to awaken her aura. It was to protect herself from this.

She pressed her thumb down again and the abuse began anew.

Cinder didn’t know how long the interrogation lasted, the only thing she knew was that it was long enough for the Madame to tell her to throw the cake she was working on away.

“It’s gotten cold,” the Madame growled. “Bake another one, then apologize for the delay… Did you hear me?”

Cinder lay there for a while, dazed and uncertain if she had the strength to stand. A swift foot to the stomach caused her to throw up the breakfast she’d shared with Ms. Goodwitch.

“Ew! Gross!” Rizel whined from afar. “That stinks!”

“Clean this up and get back to work!” her stepmother ordered, growling louder. Harsher. “Understood?”

Cinder’s eyes were blurry, but after a moment she focused them and nodded weakly.

“Y-Yes, Madame.”

She waited for them to leave her be, to let her wallow in her misery. Unfortunately, after a few seconds had passed and the sound of clicking heels disappearing into the hall didn’t reach her ears, she realized they had more to say.

“You’ve been a disobedient rat, Cinder,” her stepmother remarked with disappointment. “I thought better of you. I thought I’d trained you to be better.”

Her heels clicked louder as she approached, coming to loom over her. Cinder tucked her arms and knees closer to herself, hoping to secure some form of comfort in the shadow of her stepmother.

“I forbid you from interacting with Miss Goodwitch any further. Do you understand?”

Drawing in shallow breaths, Cinder struggled to slip one arm under herself. After succeeding in that, she lifted herself off the sullied, linoleum floor, using that same arm to prop herself up. After shifting around and getting on her knees, one hand hovering over her bruising stomach and the other swaying at her side, Cinder nodded.

“Y-Yes, Madame,” she croaked out, bile still burning her throat.

Above her, she heard her stepmother huff in acknowledgment, but she didn’t leave just yet.

“Don't think about trying to be deceptive about it either,” she sneered, taking a step back and letting her see more of the room, specifically her stepsisters standing further away. “Ana and Rizel are going be keeping an eye on you.”

Both girls giggled and waved at her, faces beaming with impish grins.

A vile mix of blood, spittle, and vomit ran down Cinder’s jaw as she stared at them, feeling something boil deep inside of her. Something dark. Something burning hot. Something that clawed out of a dark pit in the depths of her stomach. It yearned for release, it screamed to be unleashed.

The arm swaying at her side flexed as she clenched her hand into a fist, feeling hate pour into her palm.

She smelled the faintest hint of something burning, and then she was racked with pain as her opulent shock collar went off again.

“Are you even listening, rat?” her stepmother screeched, holding the button down on the remote for a little longer before she let it go. “Do. You. Understand?”

Keeled over on her hands and knees, Cinder mustered all the strength she had left to nod hurriedly.

“Yes, Madame,” she sobbed, voice trembling harder than it had ever before. “I understand.”

“Hmph! Just to be sure. I want to hear you say it.”

Cinder swallowed the blood, bile, and saliva down her throat as she looked up at her stepmother. She looked at her, studied the withering look in her eyes, and she opened her mouth.

“Without you… I am nothing,” she lied, feeling her hands heat up against the floor.

The second to last day of the Vytal Festival had come. Marsh Macaw and his partner had prevailed in the duo rounds, and now he was chosen as Beacon’s representative competitor in the finals. All of Atlas was abuzz with talks about which Kingdom would be taking the metaphorical cup home with them.

Glynda, however, was not partaking in the bets and gossip. Instead, she was finishing up her review of the lesson plan she’d drawn up for the morning. It was nothing more than another list of basic exercises for Cinder to do, ways to help her begin attuning to her soul step by step.

The girl certainly had ambition, but she also lacked patience. It was a tragically common incident at the academies, both primary and secondary, with so many students trying to unlock their aura or pushing the limits of it to the point that they collapsed.

Glynda just hoped she could get through to Cinder before she got hurt trying herself.

“Room service!” a voice chirped outside her room.

Glynda perked up and glanced at the door, then smiled, “Bring it in, please!”

She turned to set her scroll down on the table and scooch the chair over so she could sit across the bed like she had every morning thus far.

Then, she turned to face Cinder with a welcoming smile, only to drop it when a dirty blonde girl carried a tray of food into her room.

“Good morning, ma’am!” the adolescent greeted with a smile.

Glynda blinked at her, then shook the shock from her head.

“Oh, hello. Thank you.”

A smirk seemed to cross the girl’s face for a brief moment, but then it turned into a worried frown.

“Is something wrong?” the server asked, tilting her head before she smiled and teased, “Were you expecting something else?”

Glynda scratched the back of her neck as the girl walked over and set the tray down on the table.

“Yes, I actually was.” She glanced at the open door in the corner of her eye. “The girl with black hair, Cinder, she usually serves my breakfast.”

The dirty blonde stepped back and put a finger to her chin. She hummed and nodded, then flashed her an innocent smile.

“Oh, well, our mother had our shifts switched,” she explained. “Cinder’s cleaning the backroom right now.”

“I see.”

A glum frown crossed Glynda’s face and she sat down in her chair. She felt… well, she wouldn’t call it excitement but something close to it draining from her body. She simply deflated, knowing that her plans for the morning were gone now.

Honestly, she could chalk it up to the fact that she’d spent a better part of the night thinking about what to teach Cinder today and a bit of the morning drafting up the exercises.

“Hey, so, I’m just going to leave your food on the table, okay?”

The girl cocked her hips to one side and shot her an impatient look. That prompted Glynda to frown in offense and shoot the adolescent a sharp look.

“Alright,” she replied, glancing at the table. “Could you also set it up for me?”

The girl’s face blanked and then she nodded with a sigh. She pretended to glance to her right and roll her eyes, but Glynda caught the act as she did.

Something felt… off. Suspicious.

Glynda kept stealing glances at the dirty blonde girl as she set her table for her, feeling a bit of tension fill the air.

She could feel pinpricks on the back of her neck, at the ends of her fingertips. That feeling usually came when she was hunting Grimm in the deep forests around Vale.

“You two seem friendly,” the girl suddenly remarked, glancing at her briefly with that innocent smile of hers; a smile that seemed to be stretched a little too thin every time Glynda took a look at it.

“Yes,” Glynda answered, “since she serves my breakfast so often we’ve built a bit of a rapport.”

Rapport? Rapport didn’t sound right. They weren’t necessarily close, they were simply tutor and student. Temporary tutor and student.

But… there was something there, Glynda would admit. Something that she felt for the girl.

It was certainly sympathy, the girl had a dream she couldn’t achieve normally and Glynda was helping her achieve it. Likely, she’d go on to leave home and become a huntress like many others did.

…But….

Glynda hummed to herself, holding her chin in one hand as she tried to sift through the mixed feelings stirring within her.

“What did you talk about?” her server suddenly interjected, peering over at her.

“Nothing much.” Glynda set her scroll face down on her lap. “I usually had her cleaning up the trash and a few other things while I prepared to go out.”

“I see.”

“Are you sure that’s all?”

Glynda furrowed her brow. She didn’t like how pointed that inquiry was.

“Yes, I believe so… Speaking of which, could you take out my trash too?”

The girl paused, made a face, and then forced out a new customer service smile.

“Uh, yeah… Sure.”

The blonde made another face as she pulled out the trash bag, visibly gagging as she tied it up and left.

A few seconds passed before Glynda decided to start eating. All the while, she pondered on the girl’s rudeness and whether she should have a word with her manager… er, mother?

The hotel was apparently family-owned and the girl claimed her mother had switched their shifts. So, was the entire staff part of the same family? That would certainly explain the similarity in looks, save for Cinder. That would also explain the mean-spirited prank that siblings tended to do to each other… although, Cinder seemed rather sensitive for them to be doing that to her….

Glynda tried to dismiss the ugly thought that arose in her mind while she finished her meal.

“And here is your champion, Remnant! Beacon Academy’s very own Marsh Macaw has triumphed!”

A smile broke out across Glynda’s face as she stood and clapped, watching the young man raise his weapon in the air and cheer along with the crowd. To her right and left respectively, Peter bellowed so loudly a few other people around him had to stumble away and Bartholomew plugged in the earplugs he’d brought for the occasion before he continued clapping.

The applause continued for a good half hour as the announcers read off their scripts. They read off the history of the last tournament’s victor, compared that tournament to this one, and then reminded the crowd what the prize was.

And then, the prize was presented by General James Ironwood himself.

Glynda sat up, watching the man rise up from a hole in the platform, joining her student. He handed over a golden chalice marked with the four emblems of each kingdom merged into one and shook his hand, and then they both waved at the crowd.

Later, after the crowds had begun filtering out of the stands and her party of colleagues had managed to squeeze their way through the packed crowds to the designated academy-exclusive air pads, they met Beacon’s newest star.

“Congratulations are in order for you, Mister Macaw.” Glynda held her head high and smiled proudly at the young man. “You’ve made Beacon proud.”

Marsh Macaw grinned wider than he had before and nodded, golden chalice tucked under one arm.

“Thank you, Prof. Goodwitch,” he laughed, seemingly incapable of holding in his jubilance as he scratched his neck. “I learned from the best.”

Peter clapped the boy on the back and guffawed.

“That you did, my boy!” he agreed wholeheartedly. “We’ll carve your name in the halls of Beacon! We’ll have a statue in one of the campus buildings! We’ll–”

“Get you a plaque on the wall and a picture in the glass cabinet in the Beacon Tower, like the rest,” Bartholomew interjected. “It’s what all the others get.”

Marsh laughed and nodded shortly before a voice pierced the air behind him.

“Marsh!”

A body latched onto the young man’s back and he yelped as his partner pulled him back. The rest of Team MGMA ran up and grabbed their leader in a hug.

The instructors watched the Beacon students celebrate on the spot for a moment before they stepped a bit away.

“Congratulations on the victory, Beacon,” James said, tipping his head at them with a smile. “Ozpin’s sure to be overjoyed about this.”

Oh, he certainly would be.

Despite Ozpin’s calm and composed demeanor, there lurked a mischievousness to the headmaster. When she first joined the staff, Glynda hadn’t realized just how… petty the man could be until after she’d received a report about him getting back at Bartholomew for stealing a meager amount of his coffee roast.

If there was ever a time or thing for Ozpin to gloat, it would certainly be this.

“Yes, I’m sure he will be,” she remarked, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to one hip.

“I expect he’ll hold a small party at the start of the next semester,” Peter stated. “What better way to cement Team MGMA’s status now as champions of the Vytal Festival!”

Bartholomew nodded silently as he sipped from his mug.

They stood around a while longer after that, Peter continuing to go on and on about the merit that their students had earned while the rest of them absentmindedly agreed. After a while, they chatted about the ending of the festival itself, the logistics of getting their student bodies untangled from each other and flown home. 

The whole time, Glynda noticed James stealing glances at her. Anxious glances.

She knew what it was about because she did the same.

“We’ll be boarding the airship now, Glynda,” Peter boomed as he and Bartholomew stepped away. “Remember, seven o’clock tonight!”

“Of course!” she called back as they departed.

Once the boarding ramp closed and the airship lifted off the pad to make the trip back to Atlas, the Beacon deputy headmistress and Atlas academy headmaster.

She made eye contact with the general for a moment and then she looked away, grabbing her arm and rubbing it nervously. He did the same, rubbing at his shoulder instead.

The unresolved, awkward tension from earlier in the week filled the space between them. Neither of them knew how to disperse it exactly. They tried now and again, opening their mouths to say something but ultimately going back to silence.

After what seemed like an eternity though, James sucked in a deep breath and forced himself to look at her straight.

“Glynda. Um….” He sucked in his lips and rubbed the back of his neck. “I, uh… I… It’s been a while.”

He shifted awkwardly, his boots scraping against the ground as he anxiously waited for a response.

Glynda couldn’t help but smile affectionately. He was like a puppy.

“Several days, yes.”

James swallowed and nodded, then he closed his eyes as he apologized.

“I’m sorry about that, they needed me overseeing things at the academy during the tournament.”

He opened his eyes again to look at her as he gestured about with his hands. Glynda nodded along with the answer, but felt her heart hurt at the excuses he gave.

“I see….”

She looked down and away from him. In the corner of her eye, she saw his gloved hand reach out at her, hesitate, and then pull back.

“You’re planning on leaving today, right?” he asked glumly.

“Tomorrow morning, actually,” she answered, crossing her arms and taking a deep breath to compose herself, “with the rest of the Beacon faculty and students.”

“That’s great!”

James caught himself immediately and blushed. He cleared his throat then and looked away while rubbing a gloved hand against his neck.

“Ah, I mean…! I understand that you’ll probably be celebrating with your colleagues, but I was hoping–”

“For a private celebration?” Glynda finished, her cheeks dusted pink as well.

The pain in her heart faded and instead it throbbed with a different kind of pain. A preferable kind.

She cast him a small smile and he mirrored it back.

“If you have the time,” James repeated, wringing his hands. “And if you want to.”

Glynda’s smile widened and she nodded but then held up a finger.

“No drinks, I think I’ll be sharing plenty of those with Peter and Bartholomew. But afterward, I think I’d like to walk around Atlas. See the sights while I’m here.”

James nodded in agreement, his shoulders squaring and his back straightening. The burden that had been weighing him down seemed lifted now.

“Then… it’s a date?”

Glynda smiled and nodded fondly. “It is.”

They met again outside of the raucous bar Beacon’s faculty and students of age were celebrating at. When she received the text from him on her scroll, she slid off her stool at the counter and bid farewell to her colleagues. Bartholomew had wished her luck and Peter had hollered something incomprehensible out, his words bleeding together due to the twelve glasses he’d already downed for the night.

Stepping out into the evening light, Glynda took a breath of fresh air before turning to find James sitting on a bench nearby.

She walked over to him and the moment he caught sight of her he jumped to his feet and met her halfway.

“Glynda,” he greeted, “you look lovely.”

She looked away, trying to hide her rosy cheeks.

After returning to her hotel, she’d dressed down from her usual attire and chosen a more casual outfit. She’d kept her blouse but discarded her pencil skirt, leggings, and cape for a pair of slacks and heels. It was merely a simplistic version of her usual look, but it was nice to have it appreciated.

“And you look….” Glynda hummed as she studied his outfit and tried to come up with the right words.

He’d taken off his overcoat and undercoat, instead settling for just his black sweater and red necktie with a pair of suit pants. In a way, it made him seem naked, losing those rigid shoulders of his and leaving his… chiseled figure open for all to see.

“Good.”

She resisted the urge to chew on her lip.

James smiled appreciatively and held out the crook of his arm.

“Well then, shall we?”

And they did, arm in arm they walked the streets of Atlas. They passed shops and stores, plazas and squares. They strolled through a small park and spoke about Atlas’ flora, the variety of which had increased. And they strolled all the way to the edge of the city, where cold, hard concrete ended and fertile soil began.

They stood there for a while, admiring the farmlands that stretched out towards the edges of the floating kingdom. And then they made their way back.

At some point, they came upon an intersection, traffic moving perpendicular to them. They waited for the light to change and as they did Glynda noticed a bookstore tucked into a corner nearby.

“‘Lilac’s Literature,’” she read aloud.

James followed her gaze and arched an eyebrow. “Need some new reading material?”

“Just wondering how much of Atlesian literature is made up of hardware manuals,” she joked coyly.

He laughed and smiled, then looked up at the bookstore again.

“Did you want to go inside?” he asked, stepping in its direction.

She hummed and thought about it. Then, she let curiosity win her over.

“Why not?”

A bell rang above them as they parted the door open and stepped inside. They were greeted by a woman behind a counter and invited in.

Glynda browsed about the sections for a while, going through several genres she had dabbled in throughout her life and wondering if she felt like revisiting them. Eventually, she passed on to other sections, her finger combing over cookbooks, self-help books, and drawing guides….

“Hm.”

Her finger pressed on the top of a book and she pulled it off the shelf.

“What’s that?” James asked, peering over her shoulder as she opened the book up. “A book on aura? Planning to teach a new course?”

“No,” she answered with a smile and a small laugh before she frowned with uncertainty. “Well, somewhat….”

There were basic instructions in here. Good definitions too. It mostly went over what she had with Cinder, along with some extra things. It wasn’t as malleable a guide as she was as an instructor, but… it was something someone could keep around, take a peek at every now and again, and use as a reference.

“…I’d like to buy this,” Glynda said, closing the book and looking up at James.

He arched an eyebrow again but didn’t question it. Instead, he reached down and pinched the edge of the book.

“Let me,” he said.

She frowned. “James.”

“Please.” He flashed her a reassuring smile. “I insist.”

In the end, Glynda allowed it and they walked out of the bookstore with the purchase tucked into her purse.

Today was the day most of the guests visiting Atlas for the Vytal Festival were leaving. Today was the day Cinder’s hope died.

Dragging her feet under her, Cinder traveled down the mezzanine of the fourth floor, dirty towels and sheets in her arms. It was her task today to start cleaning out the emptying rooms and replace what was dirty with what was clean. It was a tedious and repetitive task, but unfortunately, not one she could fall into a rhythm for. The state of each room was different, everyone’s mess was worse and worse than the last.

It didn’t help that she was wearing a bandage on her burned cheek and her stomach was still heavily bruised.

“So, see you in two years?”

Two men ahead of her—huntsmen, Cinder presumed—clasped their hands and pulled each other close for a brief hug.

“Hey, maybe another year if you’ll come visit me in Vacuo.”

“You know I hate deserts, man. Too dry.”

“Wuss.”

They laughed and walked past her, wholly ignorant of her pain and suffering. Just like everyone else.

Cinder bowed her head and let her shoulders slouch as she continued onto the next room–

“Excuse me?”

A hand touched her shoulder and Cinder yelped. She immediately jumped and recoiled, tensing her shoulders and clutching the sheets in her arms tightly. She nearly fell onto the floor but managed to catch herself with a foot forward.

“Oh, I’m sorry!”

“I-It’s okay–”

Cinder furrowed her brow, recognizing that voice.

She spun around and looked up at the blonde woman standing above her, amber eyes locking with emerald ones.

“M-Miss Goodwitch?” she breathed, a smile breaking out across her face as joy and relief flooded her body.

The huntress blinked at her in surprise, and then she smiled too.

“I’m sorry for startling you, Cinder,” Glynda Goodwitch apologized with a pitiful look on her face. “I just haven’t seen you for a while--Did you hurt yourself again?”

The pressure of having the bandage on her cheek grew.

“I was cooking,” she lied. “Some hot oil got on my face.”

The woman cast her a pitiful look.

“Well, I hope you get better soon,” she said with a smile before she moved their conversation along. “But, I only glimpsed your uniform up here from the atrium, so I thought I’d run up here and see if it was you.”

Cinder sucked in a sharp breath, eyes widening slightly.

She’d come looking for her?

Something wonderful filled her heart, made it swell. She was almost moved to tears but managed to fight the urge to. She didn’t want to make the woman panic like she did earlier in the week.

“S-Sorry about that.” Cinder hugged the sheets in her arm tightly and hid her frown behind them. “I had my shifts reshuffled with my stepsisters.”

“One of them mentioned as such.” Ms. Goodwitch crossed her arms and pursed her lips, tilting her head with a curious look. “I don’t mean to pry, but does that mean the manager is–”

Cinder nodded. “My stepmother.”

Disapproval crossed the woman’s face. “She seems a strict type.”

The huntress didn’t know the full scope of it. She didn’t know about her torment, her abuse. The pain. The suffering. The nights she lay starving and the days she spent sore.

“She likes keeping us on our toes.”

Cinder must’ve been staring at the ground for some time with a rather aggravated look because when she snapped back to reality, she found Ms. Goodwitch studying her with a concerned gaze.

“Cinder,” she asked softly, her eyes gentle and voice caring, “are you okay?”

‘No,’ she wanted to answer. ‘No, I’m not.’

The words were right there in her throat, ready to come out. But they got stuck, caught there as she felt the phantom pain of her body seizing and convulsing.

The past three years of abuse flashed through her mind, every kick, every slap, and every moment she spent on her knees struggling to breathe as the collar on her neck choked her with a hundred volts of electricity. In her ear she heard her stepmother snarl and hiss, and she heard her stepsisters giggling and spitting. And she wondered what kind of pain she would feel if she answered ‘No. No, I’m not.’

“…Yes,” she ultimately lied.

She couldn’t bear to look Ms. Goodwitch in the eye, too ashamed to meet her gaze. After a moment, though, she realized she had to, otherwise, the illusion would shatter, and that pain she imagined would become real.

Forcing down her sorrow and shame, Cinder looked up and found the huntress watching her with a strange look. There was acceptance on her solemn face, but there was also suspicion in her eyes too.

A second passed, and then another. But then, her tutor for the past few days reached into the bag hanging off her shoulder and produced something.

“Here, it’s a parting gift,” Ms. Goodwitch said, handing over a small book titled ‘Life In All Places, Especially You.’

Cinder blinked at it for a moment, and then she awkwardly maneuvered her hand to hold the sheets between her arms so she could take the gift.

“A book?” Cinder asked.

“A book about aura,” her tutor clarified with a smile. “How to train it. How to use it.”

She stared at the book for a long time, dazed by awe and wonder. Everything she had ever needed, right here in her hands. And it wasn’t something stolen from a hotel room, it was something gifted to her. Offered out of compassion , not pity.

“…Thank you.”

Cinder looked up at Glynda Goodwitch, her quivering lips stretching into a wide smile as tears welled in her eyes and then fell down her face.

The huntress tipped her head and smiled back at her. “I can’t stay here and teach you everything, Cinder, but I can get you started. I hope that’s enough.”

“It’s more than enough.”

For a moment, the raven-haired girl let her stepmother be damned and she dropped the sheets in her arms. She let them hit the floor as she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the woman in front of her, the only person in the world who had ever cared about her.

Cinder felt Ms. Goodwitch tense and worry briefly struck her that she had messed up. Then, however, she felt hands gently patting her back, then rubbing awkward circles into it.

They remained like that for a few more seconds before Cinder pulled away, sniffling and snorting.

“S-Sorry, I, uh–”

“No need to say it,” Glynda said, holding up a hand. “I was emotional at your age too. It’s fine.”

Cinder knelt down and picked up the sheets on the ground, then rose up again. She looked up at the huntress and she opened her mouth to say something but then realized she didn’t know what to say.

What more was there to say? Goodbye? She didn’t want to say goodbye. She didn’t want her to leave….

“So, is this it?” Cinder asked, face falling with disappointment.

Glynda offered her a pitiful look and nodded. “I’m afraid so, yes.”

“…Thank you, Miss Goodwitch. You’ve helped me so much.”

To her surprise, the huntress knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Ms. Goodwitch squeezed gently, reassuringly. Then, however, her face turned serious and Cinder frowned, her heart thumping a bit faster and the ugly feeling of anxiety reaching out of the pit in her stomach.

“Before I go, Cinder, I want you to promise me one thing,” Glynda Goodwitch demanded, voice serious and stern like that of her stepmother.

“Wh-What is it?”

“I know you’re going to try and test your semblance again. I know you want to figure out what it is, but semblances can be dangerous.” Her face softened something like fear and heartbreak crossing it. “You can hurt others around you. You can hurt yourself . Promise me you’ll be safe about it.”

Cinder swallowed and thought about it. She thought about what her semblance could do.

She had felt the brush burn in her hand, the soap and water steaming. She had felt the linoleum heat and warp.

She had hoped she could use it to warm herself at night… and use it to hurt her stepfamily… but, if Ms. Goodwitch was asking….

“I… I’ll try,” she said.

Glynda Goodwitch’s eyes narrowed. “Promise me.”

Cinder sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “I promise.”

All the seriousness, the solemnity that made things feel heavier and darker suddenly faded away.

The huntress’ face which had been hardened from severity returned to its gentle shape as she stood and clasped her hands together.

“I’ll be leaving now then… Good luck, Cinder.”

She then turned and walked away, giving her one final look.

Cinder stood there for a moment, stunned by the shift in her attitude. But then, she shook off her shock and rushed forward a few steps.

“Will I see you again?” she asked desperately.

The huntress stopped and bowed her head, but then turned and looked over her shoulder.

“I seldom visit Atlas, and usually only for business…,” she stated, but then shrugged her shoulder, “but, I think I can come by now and again.”

Ms. Goodwitch kept walking then, turning the corner and stepping into an elevator, and with that, she was gone.

Cinder remained standing there for a long time, not knowing what to do now. Her job came first because it was the only thing stopping her from being tortured. But… now, she held in her hands a way to stop the suffering. The pain.

In her hands, she held the key to her future.

Cinder looked down and held the book in her hands tightly as a tear of joy dropped onto its cover.

Chapter Text

Holly Vera, a first-year student with a handgun in hand and a knack for taking risks, sprinted to her right, narrowly avoiding a haze of gunfire while she unloaded her firearm.

Across from her, Slate Springtail, another first-year student with a rifle gripped in his arms, squinted and continued trying to get a lock on his target.

Both first-years continued their dance for some time until the latter dropped his gun, slipping the empty magazine from its place to load in a new one. Unfortunately, Mr. Springtail made the mistake of letting the pressure get to him.

His new magazine fell from his fumbling fingers and he gasped loudly. Snapping his eyes up, he met Ms. Vera’s, who narrowed as a grin broke out across her face.

The former student rushed forward, reloading her handgun with a new magazine. She did not fire any shots though, not until Mr. Springtail had gotten his rifle back up and aimed at her.

As he trained his weapon, Ms. Vera spat out three shots, each apparently infused with ice dust because the front half of Mr. Springtail’s rifle became coated in a misting sheen.

The former student’s grin widened further as she crossed the last few meters between them and unloaded the rest of her weapon’s magazine.

Mr. Springtail, however, clenched his jaw and pulled up his aura, shielding himself as he flicked out his weapon arm. The rifle transformed, the plating along its front breaking up and shattering the ice encasing it.

Ms. Vera’s eyes widened as the automatic rifle turned into a shotgun aimed right at her.

A loud bang echoed through the auditorium and Ms. Vera’s aura dropped into the red.

Striding forward from the arena sidelines, Glynda tapped on the tablet tucked into her arm. She turned on the lights above the auditorium stands, revealing the rest of the class of first-years attending combat instruction for the period. Then, she lowered the tablet and met Mr. Springtail’s gaze.

“Congratulations, Mr. Springtail,” Glynda remarked with a slight nod. “Your quick thinking paid off.”

“Thanks, Professor Goodwitch!”

The young man stood and wore a tired but proud smile, but it quickly fell when he noticed her frown.

“However,” she continued, casting him a disapproving look, “you allowed the pressure to get to you. Try to make sure you keep your head in the game. Every second in a real fight counts.”

Glancing over at the other combatant, she studied the defeated look on the young girl’s face.

“If you could help up, Ms. Vera?” she asked.

The young man nodded and reached out a hand. Ms. Vera took it and was pulled upright in a seating position, her legs clearly tired and her pride bruised.

“I applaud you on your quick thinking as well, Ms. Vera,” Glynda said, watching the girl’s face light up a bit. “However, your gamble failed, due in part to your diminished aura. Taking risks can be helpful in battle, but they can also get you killed. It certainly didn’t help that you used your semblance to show off earlier.”

Ms. Vera huffed and sighed, but nodded affirmingly.

“Those precious few seconds of using your aura could have shielded you from Mr. Springtail’s shot.”

She nodded silently again.

With all that said, Glynda then turned to address the rest of the class, her eyes roaming over the stands.

“Let this be a lesson to all of you,” Glynda declared, raising her voice so it could echo off the auditorium walls. “Use your aura as you wish, but remember to gauge it. The moment you run out, the moment you slip up and miscalculate may be your last moment.”

A quiet mumble arose among the assembled first-years and she allowed them to banter for a bit. Some of them were clearly just taking the moment to gossip, but there were a few whose calculating gazes she noted.

After a while though, Glynda decided to call an end to her lecture.

“And that would be the end of class!” She declared, tapping along her tablet to deactivate the safety shielding for the audience stands and turn on the rest of the auditorium lights. “I’ll be sending my notes to your scrolls, make sure you read them and know what you have to work on!”

The class of first-years trickled out of the auditorium, chattering amongst themselves about their performances.

Glynda herself remained standing there for a while, studying her own notes on her tablet before she chose to start making her way to Ozpin’s office.

Stepping outside, she gazed at the noon sky painted a bright blue with drifting clumps of soft white clouds. Beneath them, Beacon’s spires, towers, and buildings shined, and at the foot of every construct passed students heading for class, security guards on their patrols, and faculty moving to their next activity.

The sight was a daily one for the huntress, but it was one she was fond of every time she laid eyes on it.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, Glynda let out a content sigh before she walked forward.

It had been five months since she’d returned to Vale since she’d resumed her life as Beacon’s deputy headmistress and combat instructor. Nothing had really changed since then, save for a few lunches she had started to share with Bartholomew and Peter; but even those were few and far between. Just like before, she found herself mostly cooped up in her office or on the training grounds instructing students.

Although, she had started to exchange a few messages with James here and there. Mostly ‘Good mornings’ and ‘How are you doing’. Beyond that, they didn’t share deeper conversations.

Ultimately, she supposed that her life was changing bit by bit at a pace similar to molasses traveling over a flat surface. It might be slow going, but there was progress nonetheless.

Some time passed by as she traversed the winding paths before she finally arrived at the central tower on campus and took the elevator up to the highest floor.

Tablet in hand, she double-checked all her notes and reports before she pushed open the doors to the headmaster’s office. Natural light bled through the divide and she blinked it away as she stepped inside, discovering Ozpin at his desk. Though, instead of turning to look at her, his attention was centered on a familiar, snow white cloaked figure who seemed to be sharing a conversation with the headmaster.

“Miss Rose?” Glynda called out, watching the Beacon graduate turn to face her.

A pale face framed with black hair that brightened into crimson locks looked in her direction. Then, a pair of silver eyes widened in terror, but then in joy.

“Professor Goodwitch!” Summer Rose called, a beaming smile breaking out across her face. “It’s so good to see you!”

Glynda hummed and strode forward, feigning a frown. “That’s not what you’re expression said just now.”

The cloaked huntress chuckled nervously and twiddled her fingers. “Sorry, old habit.”

At his desk, Ozpin chuckled before taking a sip from his coffee. “Welcome in, Glynda. Ms. Rose and I were just finishing our conversation.”

“Not gossip, I hope,” she remarked, coming to stand beside the other huntress in the room. “We have plenty of that on campus as is.”

Ozpin smiled in amusement while Summer giggled.

Once the latter had calmed down, Glynda looked her in the eyes with a curious look. “May I ask what you are doing here?”

Summer nodded as she crossed her arms. Behind her, her weapon was collapsed behind her waist. Beside her, a few papers were stacked haphazardly on Ozpin’s desk.

“I got back from a mission for Ozpin,” she answered, putting a hand on the papers. “I thought I should let him know about more of the details before I head home.”

Ozpin nodded in affirmation as he reached over to take the papers from her.

“And I thank you for that, Ms. Rose. I’ll contact you if I have further questions.”

Summer smiled and nodded, then gave another nod to Glynda.

“I’m going to go talk with Professor Port! I think I saw him downstairs!”

Waving goodbye, the cloaked huntress departed, disappearing behind the doors to the office. A few seconds later, Glynda held up her tablet and tapped on the screen, sending her notes to Ozpin.

“Our first-years are improving,” Glynda remarked. “Most of them at least.”

Ozpin hummed as he tapped the keyboard on his desk, letting a built-in projector play one of the recorded fights.

“Indeed.” He sipped from his steaming mug, then frowned as one fight played out. “Mr. Snap should rely less on his semblance.”

“I noted that,” Glynda stated, swiping on her tablet to pull up her report on that class. “He uses too much of his aura and ends up tiring himself out. In a team fight, he’d become a prime target in a prolonged battle.”

Another affirming humm left him as he watched the fight play out until it ended. Afterward, he watched three more battles before he shut off the projector and looked up at her.

They noted more performances, picking out moments and actions that caught their attention. Per usual, Ozpin had little notes to give, whether it was due to the fact that he wanted her to do most of the work or the fact that she had already done most of it, she wasn’t sure. Their meeting lasted a total of thirty-four minutes, and at the end of it he thanked her for her work before giving her a nod as she left.

Standing in the elevator heading down to the ground floor, Glynda looked over her schedule.

Next up, she had time to take a break in her office and maybe look over the third-years’ performance. She could also find someone to take a break with as well. Bartholomew should be available if he wanted to share a meal–

Her thoughts were interrupted the moment the elevator doors opened.

Almost immediately, Peter’s obnoxious laugh spilled into the elevator and echoed in Glynda’s ear. She flinched and hurriedly stepped out into the lobby of the CCT.

Standing just outside the elevator entrance was Peter, who guffawed in front of Ms. Rose. The young huntress had already plugged her ears while he held his stomach. Glynda took the chance to mirror her actions.

“Peter, if you could keep your voice down?” Glynda snapped, walking over to the duo.

The Grimm Studies instructor stopped, hearing her voice pierce through his boisterous one. Clearing his throat, he turned to face her as she approached, his hands moving to his hips as he produced a smile.

“Ah, Glynda, you look as lovely as ever!”

“Mmhm,” she replied apathetically.

Next to them, Ms. Rose chuckled under her breath.

Crossing her arms, Glynda stared at Peter, a thought tickling the back of her mind. Her brow furrowed and she tilted her head while pursing her lips. 

All the while, Peter arched an eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder in confusion.

“Peter?” she inquired. “Don’t you have a class soon?”

He blinked at her, then lifted his right arm to check his watch.

“Oh, good heavens!” He checked his watch and suddenly his bushy eyebrows shot up to the middle of his forehead. “Oh! I should be on my way! It was wonderful seeing you again, Ms. Rose, do take care!”

With that, Peter bounded off at a speed that didn’t seem possible for the older man.

Pressing fingers against her forehead, Glynda sighed in exasperation. Across from her, Ms. Rose burst into a fit of giggles. Meanwhile, several of the lobby’s other occupants watched the scene with curiosity before they returned to their prior engagements.

“He hasn’t changed at all,” Ms. Rose laughed, wiping a tear from her eye.

“Unfortunately,” Glynda remarked with a tiny smile.

She had her issues with Peter, but for all his bravado he was a good man with a good heart. He would spend almost all of his class time boasting about his ventures and personal achievements, and that irked her greatly. However, there were also times she heard of him pulling a struggling student aside to share humble words of wisdom, and that earned her begrudging respect.

Although, she could do without his habitual flirting.

“So, Professor Goodwitch….” Ms. Rose rocked on the balls of her feet, acting as childish as she did during her time in the academy. “How are you doing?”

Crossing her arms, Glynda studied the huntress’ face, seeing the hesitant curiosity in her eyes.

It seemed like she was forcing herself to engage in conversation, and understandably so. The two of them didn’t have a… great relationship, considering the number of times Glynda found the young woman and her team creating havoc around campus back in the day.

“I’m well, Ms. Rose, how are you?”

“You can go ahead and call me Summer now, professor. We’re colleagues.”

“You’ll always be the bright-eyed troublemaker to me,” Glynda remarked a little too harshly before she cleared her throat with a blush. “Er– But, very well, Summer.”

The cloaked huntress giggled and then scratched the back of her neck with a bright smile.

“To answer your question, I’m doing great!” she declared. “Just got back from a mission along the border with Mistral, like I was talking about earlier. Apparently, a village lost communication with Vale and started to panic, so a pack of beowolves showed up.”

Glynda hummed in understanding.

“I’m sure you dealt with it promptly.”

Summer nodded. “Promptly and efficiently! They didn’t even get a chance to touch me.”

A proud smile crossed Glynda’s face, recalling this particular student’s ferocity in battle.

Armed with Sundered Rose, the cloaked huntress was a menace on the battlefield. Matching unparalleled speed with vicious might along with a particular knack for creative strategy, she had remained at the top of her combat instruction class for most of her time at Beacon.

“I certainly believe that,” Glynda said, nodding at her before she pursed her lips, a question coming to mind. “How is the rest of Team STRQ anyway? I understand you’ve gone your separate ways more or less?”

Summer’s face fell slightly, her beaming smile and glinting eyes dimming.

“We’re doing alright. Tai’s teaching at Signal now, which I’m sure you heard. Qrow does too whenever he gets a chance. Oh, speaking of which!”

The cloaked huntress patted around her waist until she jammed a hand into a pocket. Digging around, she eventually produced her scroll and opened it up.

“Can I show you something?” she asked, eyes twinkling with excitement.

For a moment, Glynda hesitated with fear. An old instinct warned her of her student’s antics. However, that momentary panic passed when she remembered it had been years and that hyperactive young woman had grown into a powerful huntress.

“Of course,” she answered with a nod.

The excitement on Summer's face softened into something like pride. Though, there was a hint of something else in there. Something Glynda thought she could recognize but couldn’t quite place a finger on.

Swiping through her scroll and opening an app up, Summer showed her a picture of two children. One was bigger than the other, a head of wild blonde hair on their head while the other was dwarfed by them, their head topped by a patch of black hair. Both of them sat on a couch, a familiar blonde huntsman playing with the both of them.

“These are my girls,” Summer said in a gentle, loving voice, “Ruby and Yang.”

Glynda blinked, her mind trying to make sense of the claim.

Admittedly, it was hard for her to understand that the bright-eyed student who started food fights in the cafeteria had become a proper mother. It was easy to think of the inevitability, but it was hard to see it be real.

Eventually though, as she stole glances at the cloaked huntress’ face that glowed with pride and love, it became easier to come to terms with that reality.

“They look lovely,” Glynda remarked, feeling a small smile cross her face. “Who’s the father?”

Summer opened her mouth to speak, but then she stopped herself. Her eyes flicked away to the side and she pursed her lips, seemingly trying to say something but not knowing how.

After several seconds, the corner of her mouth pulled aside and she clicked her tongue.

“Actually, Yang is Raven’s daughter.”

Glynda’s eyes widened. “Miss Branwen’s?”

Ah yes, that was right, the famously rebellious Branwen girl had grown close to Mr. Xiao Long in their later years at Beacon. There had been an incident reported of them… canoodling in a storage closet once.

A giggle bubbled out of Summer’s mouth as she nodded fondly.

“Yeah, she and Taiyang got together. They settled down in Patch, had Yang, and then….” Summer’s face fell, a shadow concealing the darker emotions on her countenance. “…then she left.”

The life of a huntress was one of thrill and adventure. It took them far and wide, beyond the horizon and to places full of danger. It was not unheard of for some to go missing, for some to never be found.

At first, Glynda assumed Ms. Branwen had befallen a terrible fate. But then her mind caught up to her ears and she realized that Summer’s teammate had not been taken but voluntarily disappeared.

“Oh…,” was all the elder huntress could say.

Summer nodded, face sullen and a hint of bitterness showing in her eyes.

Glynda cast her a look of pity for a moment, and then she cleared her throat to change the subject.

“So then, if Ruby is yours, then can I assume you and Mr. Xiao Long…?”

Warmth returned to the cloaked huntress’ face and she nodded.

“I was there for him. One thing led to another and then we had Ruby… She’s the light of my world.” Summer beamed once more and swiped a finger across her scroll, showing another picture of the mother cradling both children on her lap. “Her and Yang. Both of them.”

Glynda stared at the young woman’s loving face and that familiar feeling tickled the back of her mind.

It was a warm feeling, something comforting and genuine. However, it was also vague and....

Standing there, the elder huntress tried to recall the last time she had felt that feeling. She searched her mind and reached deep into her heart to stir up some memory. And for a while, she was stuck thinking and thinking and thinking.

Eventually, a face flashed in her image.

It was a pale face with a bandage over one cheek. A pair of watery, amber eyes were set in that countenance, looking up at her with absolute joy in them.

“…Are children truly like that?” Glynda asked, pursing her lips and furrowing her brow, her stomach twisting into knots. “The light of your world?”

In the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Summer giving her a confused but curious look.

“Well, they can be.” The cloaked huntress shrugged her shoulders and rubbed at her neck as she stowed her scroll away. "Sometimes, they’re the most precious angels and sometimes they’re the worst devils. But at the end of the day, they’ll never leave your head because you’ll never want them to.”

Glynda licked her chapped lips and swallowed a lump in her throat. A discomforting pang in her heart caused her to suck in a deep breath.

“I see….”

It was well past midnight and Glynda lay awake in her bed, unable to fall asleep.

She had arrived home to her small apartment on Beacon’s campus hours ago. After a long day’s work, having strode all across campus to deal with issues here and there—some even beyond her assigned field of instruction—she had fully intended to get a good night’s rest. And yet, after slipping into her nightwear and getting under the covers, she could not find blissful rest.

All she could do was stare up at the ceiling, her head heavy and eyelids heavier.

It had taken her an eternity in the darkness of her bedroom to figure out why she couldn’t fall asleep. Eventually, she realized that there was a feeling that kept tickling the back of her mind, a voice that kept whispering in her ears.

She tried to recognize it as she stared up at the ceiling, but the voice spoke so softly that she couldn’t understand it. It was only after she closed her eyes and listened intently to the longing in each word spoken that she realized it was a voice speaking from the past. From the recent past.

“Will I see you again…?”

She felt the phantom touch of a tiny body wrapping its arms around her waist. In her palms, she felt the soft linen of a snow white uniform. And in her mind, she saw a pale face with amber eyes looking up at her with fondness–

Glynda was startled by her thoughts when her scroll suddenly buzzed on the nightstand beside her.

Mustering the strength to roll her over, she looked and saw her scroll’s notification light blinking, probably from a new message.

Who could it be at this hour?

Reaching over to her nightstand, she snatched her glasses up first to put them on and then her scroll second. Then, after blinking away the screen’s light as she opened it up, she read the text notification.

A single message from James Ironwood showed on the lock screen.

<James Ironwood> Sorry for the late night message. I just wanted to say goodnight.

He had probably just gotten into bed himself, likely having been held up with political and logistical nonsense with his new position.

Under normal circumstances, she might have rolled her eyes and groaned that he’d message so late at night; but also blush at the thought. However, with how she could not find sleep on this particular night, she found comfort in knowing there was someone she could talk to.

<Glynda Goodwitch> That’s alright, James. I haven’t gone to bed yet.

She crossed her fingers that he hadn’t collapsed in his bed after sending his text. A few seconds passed before her hopes were rewarded with a new message.

<James Ironwood> Well, sorry nonetheless.

<James Ironwood> Having trouble sleeping?

<Glynda Goodwitch> Something like that.

<Glynda Goodwitch> Just too much going on in my head right now.

Sitting up, she slipped her pillow behind her and put her back against the headboard of her bed.

<James Ironwood> Has it been a good day or a bad day?

<Glynda Goodwitch> Good actually. An old student of mine showed up, we talked about the past and her family. 

<Glynda Goodwitch> How was your day?

<James Ironwood> I was forced to attend a ball and Jacque Schnee tried to appeal to me for more rights for his company. That should be enough to explain everything.

Glynda frowned immediately, remembering the one time she had met the rat of a man when she and Ozpin had visited Atlas years ago. He’d attempted to cozy up to them, wanting to dig his greasy fingers into Beacon as a possible customer for his dust company.

Ozpin, of course, had rejected the offer and given him a good verbal backhand as well.

The memory of that moment brought a smile back to Glynda’s face and she typed back her response.

<Glynda Goodwitch> That man’s greed knows no bounds.

<James Ironwood> Indeed.

<James Ironwood> Neither does his daughter’s apparently.

<James Ironwood> I mean that jokingly by the way. Ms. Schnee thought she was clever, but I noticed her taking more than one hors d'oeuvres from the food tables.

The huntress tried to imagine the Schnee family heiress standing stiffly in her lavish dress swiping food off the tables when no one was looking. It was a comical thought, one that got a quiet laugh out of her.

<Glynda Goodwitch> Children will be children, regardless of their background.

<James Ironwood> I certainly hope so. Nicholas Schnee may not have been a huntsman but he certainly acted like one. I’d hate to see the line end with him.

It certainly would be a shame.

There was a time when she had admired them too, years ago when she was still a starry-eyed child reading tales of mighty huntsmen and the accounts of valiant huntresses.

<Glynda Goodwitch> Maybe it won’t. Children will always surprise you.

Willow Schnee had trained herself to fight before she married her rat bastard of a husband. Perhaps, her dreams could be passed down to her children. Perhaps they could reclaim a legacy poisoned by their father….

Sitting there in the dark, lit only by the glow of her scroll, Glynda pondered on the future.

She thought about the line of Schnee and its potential fall. She thought about Atlas and where it was heading. She thought about Beacon and Ozpin’s leadership. And she thought about the next generation, with their bright eyes and big dreams… and her amber eyes and her great aspirations….

Glynda swallowed as she thought about Cinder and her future.

Had she learned the basic exercises to awaken her aura? Had she managed to activate her semblance again?

What did she intend to do with that? Be better at her job? Or did she aspire to join the next rank of huntsmen and huntresses?

Her lips pursed and she sat up a bit straighter.

The thought had never truly crossed her mind when she was staying at the Glass Unicorn.

Teaching Cinder about aura had felt like teaching a little girl about the world. If she wanted to stretch her belief, it also felt like teaching her how to heal herself… but, she supposed that in the back of her mind, she knew she was planting a seed.

And if that seed grew, how would Cinder manage to enter an academy? Who would teach her how to swing a sword or hold a gun?

Certainly not Glynda, she was all the way in Vale, teaching children here. She couldn’t fly across the world to tutor one little girl living in a hotel how to fight….

<James Ironwood> It’s getting late. Are you starting to fall asleep too?

Glynda typed out a new message without thinking and then deleted it immediately.

Her stomach twisted itself into new knots, tugging harshly and agonizingly.

Glynda chided herself for being distracted like this, for even contemplating the idea. She was a teacher for goodness sake, her priorities were here in Vale, instructing her students.

Cinder could do very well on her own.

She was an ambitious child. Not the brightest or the most patient, but she had drive. She could take care of herself.

Could she? With how hurt she got doing her job? That hot oil accident had seemed particularly harmful. Maybe Glynda should have helped her heal that before she left….

In the back of her mind, a dangerous thought made itself known.

What if it wasn’t an accident?

Her mother was strict. Her sisters were meanspirited. Cinder worked day in and day out, what if her work conditions were worse than she thought–

Glynda closed her eyes and shook her head.

She shouldn’t be thinking like this. She shouldn’t be making up assumptions. This was wrong…

“Ugh,” Glynda groaned, knocking the back of her head against her bed’s headboard.

Why couldn’t that little girl leave her alone?

“But at the end of the day, they’ll never leave your head because you’ll never want them to.”

Glynda licked her dry lips and breathed in then out.

The school semester was almost over, there was just a single month left and summer break would begin.

This year, she had volunteered to stay at Beacon for an extra few weeks to help Ozpin finish auditing the departments. As the deputy headmistress and therefore second head of Beacon Academy, she had responsibilities. Duties. The headmaster himself had expectations for her as his right hand.

She had a secure position at Beacon, could she risk that?

Steadily, Glynda began slipping back down into her bed, the weight of her thoughts bringing her down.

She kept going in circles for an eternity before she finally decided to bite the bullet.

<Glynda Goodwitch> James, what do you think about me taking some time off next month to come visit Atlas?

There was no immediate response and Glynda sucked in a sharp breath. Her thumb nearly moved to delete the message when he suddenly replied.

<James Ironwood> That sounds fantastic!

<James Ironwood> Actually, I’m not sure. I’m going to be busy with auditing the engineering department then.

Her fingers moved quickly, typing out a reply before she backed out again.

<Glynda Goodwitch> That’s fine, I was hoping to look around the city as well.

The next day, Glynda stepped into Ozpin’s office first thing in the morning with her tablet and a stack of paper forms tucked under one arm. 

“Good morning, headmaster,” she greeted, head held high stiffly.

From behind his desk, Ozpin looked up at her with a curious eye. “Good morning, Glynda. You’re here unexpectedly early. Has something come up?”

He brought his coffee up to his lips while he set down a report, silently ushering her over. 

“Nothing, no,” she said, taking deep breaths while her heart pounded loudly in her ears. “I just… have a sudden request.”

His arched eyebrow raised higher and he set his coffee down. Both of his arms pressed against the glass of his desk, hands clasping each other, and he leaned forward.

“And what might that be?”

Reaching under her arm, Glynda produced the stack of papers she’d brought with her.

“Sir, I’d like to file for some vacation time starting at the end of the semester.”

She drew in a sharp breath as tension filled the air, thickening the atmosphere until Glynda felt like she couldn’t move.

Standing there before the headmaster, she barely had the strength to keep her composure, her body wanting nothing more than to tremble and fall apart. She was wholly unprepared for this situation, never having even thought of ending up here. It was only the years of she had spent honing her skills as a huntress that gave her the ability to not back down on the spot.

After what seemed like years had passed, Ozpin reached out and took the forms she held out.

He tapped them on his desk, straightening them out, and then adjusted his spectacles. Seconds passed by as he read through each one, his eyes scrutinizing every paragraph and every signature she had scribbled on.

Glynda swallowed a lump in her throat when he glanced up at her briefly, a drop of doubt ebbing into her heart. However, she was certain she had filled everything out correctly.

She’d spent her morning prior to this reading up on her employee benefits as a Beacon faculty member. She’d searched for anything that might get her out of performing the audit, eventually coming upon holiday leave—which, admittedly, she should have thought of first.

Considering the years she’d been working and the fact that she rarely took time off in the first place, she’d allotted quite a bit of time off. The only issue was persuading Ozpin to let her use that time off after the semester ended.

“I do believe you agreed to help with the audit this summer,” Ozpin suddenly remarked aloud as he moved to the next page.

Glynda cleared her throat and nodded. “Yes, that’s right. However… I decided that I would like to take some personal time.”

He hummed. “May I ask what you intend to do during your time off?”

She swallowed. “I don’t believe that is any of your business, sir.”

Ozpin nodded affirmingly. “Yes, I don’t believe that is. Forgive me for my curiosity.”

Another moment passed before he set the papers down on his desk, held his hands again, and looked her in the eye.

“Everything seems to be in order,” he said with a small smile. “I’d be happy to let you have some time off, Glynda. You’ve certainly earned it.”

She blinked at him in surprise, her solemn countenance breaking for a moment. Then, she smiled and bowed her head in thanks.

“Thank you, sir.”

Glynda was really doing this. She was really going to Atlas for one girl.

Sitting in the airport, she waited for her terminal to signal that her airship was ready to board. Around her, crowds of fellow passengers sat around, chattering with each other and what they were going to do in Atlas. Most were going to visit for vacation, others were going for business, and some were simply moving there. Amidst all those reasons, hers felt so embarrassingly insignificant.

Suddenly, Glynda felt her scroll buzzed and she opened it up, finding James calling her. Her lips pulled into a smile and she answered the call button.

His face appeared, eyes searching the screen until he recognized her countenance.

“Hello, James?” she answered.

“Glynda, I was hoping I could catch you before you started boarding,” he said, relief bleeding into his voice. “Have you already decided where you’ll be staying when you arrive? I have some recommendations.”

It was thoughtful of him, but she already knew where she was heading.

“I chose the same place I stayed last time,” she answered before she scratched her head, trying to recall the establishment’s name. “‘The Glass Unicorn’, I believe it was?”

Surprisingly, the general’s eyes blew open wide with shock. 

“What?” he squawked before clearing his throat and giving her a stern look. “I don't think you'll want to stay there.”

“What?” Glynda arched her eyebrow. “Why?”

“Why?” he repeated before realization seemed to dawn on him. “Right, you probably haven’t heard, have you?”

Glynda furrowed her brow. “Did something happen?”

“Yes. Well, somewhat. Apparently, the Glass Unicorn has a strictly anti-faunus policy, something I wasn’t privy to when I rented out rooms for you all.” He combed his fingers through his hair, shame washing over his face before he composed himself again. “Anyways, they rescinded that rule during the Vytal Festival for more foot traffic, which is why I didn’t know. The day it ended, they brought it back and there was public backlash. Not too much of course because, well–”

“It's Atlas,” Glynda finished with a disappointed sigh.

James sighed and nodded. “Unfortunately. But, regardless, I don't think you'll want to stay at a place like that.”

She sucked in her lips and nodded, trying and failing to imagine herself supporting such bigotry. It was revolting, to say the least. Even knowing that she had accidentally done so made her stomach roil and jaw clench.

That fact might also explain the rudeness of the staff… but, what did that say about Cinder?

Breathe in. Breathe out. In and out.

Focus on the core. Focus on the will.

Ignore the cold. Ignore the hard floor. Ignore the air on her skin, the roughness of her nightwear. Ignore everything.

Look inwards to the wellspring inside of herself and draw from it.

Deep within, Cinder could feel her aura stir. She could feel the surface rippling, but she could not draw from that pool of energy.

She focused her mind and cast aside all distractions. She focused and she focused, but every time she scratched the surface of the pool not a drop would cling to her fingers.

Cinder clenched her jaw and gritted her teeth, anger blossoming in her heart. Her calm demeanor burned with frustration and eventually, she found it impossible to ignore the itch on her neck, the tickle of her nose, and the goosebumps on her arms.

“Ugh!” Cinder scratched at her arms and nose, arching her back forward as she scratched at her neck too. “So close! Every single time!”

Standing up, she started to pace in her glorified bedroom, walking the length of the cold basement floor.

It was near midnight now, moonlight filtering through the glass windows high along the wall above, catching motes of dust in the air. She had spent the better part of the past half hour trying to awaken her aura. Again.

Just like every day since Glynda had given her the book before she had left six months ago.

Cinder stopped in her pacing at the thought of the blonde huntress and her kindness.

Crossing her arms, she held them tenderly as she wondered after the only woman to have ever cared for her.

Cinder wondered how she was doing. She wondered if she was thinking about her. She wondered if she was ever going to come back like she had promised….

If she didn’t… if she broke her promise… She wouldn’t be the first.

Anger welled within her, burning hot like a flame.

She focused on that heat, imagining how well off that woman must be while she slept on this ancient spring mattress on a cold cement floor. She fed fuel to the flame, let it rage and grow uncontrollably.

And then Cinder held up her hands, curling her fingers as her aura began to flicker a bright, heated orange.

The book’s exercises required focus and patience, and sometimes they worked. Those times were few and far between, but Cinder kept at them. However, she also tried this method, focusing on her anger because it seemed easier to do, easier to take that constant in her life and use it as an anchor to reach the wellspring of aura deep within her.

Suddenly, her aura sputtered out and Cinder sighed.

Of course, using her anger to activate her aura only let it light up briefly. Maybe if she trained with that, she could use it longer?

It was near evening when Glynda finally landed in the floating city.

Stepping out of the terminal, she was greeted immediately by a bustling airport. Throngs of station goers moved to and fro, shoulders bumping against each other as people made to leave Atlas or enter it. It was nearly impossible to navigate her way through the crowds.

Thankfully, Glynda found a beacon waiting for her, a beacon in the shape of three Atlesian Knights standing stock still across the airport atrium. One of them held a holographic sign that read out her family name in bold, glowing letters: “GOODWITCH”.

It seemed James was eager to see her as ever. Not that she was complaining.

Not too long after, Glynda found herself in a limousine, a few Atlesian soldiers escorting her to the academy.

Before long, she was dropped off outside her chosen hotel, a modest place a little farther away from the upper-class district the Glass Unicorn was located in. The soldiers helped her bring her luggage in before one of the hotel employees arrived to finish the job. Then, they were gone and Glynda was left to lie down and recover from the airship lag.

When she awoke hours later, she found a single message waiting on her scroll.

<James Ironwood> Would you like to get some breakfast?

That was how she found herself sitting in a local café sharing a table with James.

“Really, a student did that?” the general laughed, coffee in one hand and the other combing fingers through his hair.

Glynda nodded as she nursed her own cup in her hands.

“Yes, you think you’ve seen it all and then an adolescent with too much to prove tries using a nevermore to get around the Emerald Forest faster. The lengths these kids will go to.” She rubbed her forehead and sighed. “Thankfully, Bartholomew stepped in for us.”

He hummed in acknowledgment and then opened his mouth to say something further. He stopped himself, however, a pang of regret showing itself on his face.

The esteemed general was likely going to make another comment on the way Ozpin ran his school. Thankfully, he seemed to remember how she had taken his words the last time they shared a meal together.

A few more minutes passed by as they shared some banter, speaking of work and the things in between. He spoke of the absolute catastrophe his predecessor had left behind for him to clean up during his academy’s audit. She spoke of the fact that she practically did the whole of Beacon’s audit with Ozpin’s help rather than the other way around.

Then, after a while, Glynda decided to take the leap and ask after the reason she was there.

“James, what do you know about the Glass Unicorn’s proprietor?”

James sat up, his brow furrowed deeply and suspicion creeping into his eyes.

“You’re awfully curious about that place, Glynda,” he remarked with a frown. “Did it really pique your interest so much last year?”

She crossed her arms and looked out the window next to them.

Outside, she watched pedestrians pass by, men and women taking strolls from here to there. She saw a family crossing the street, two women with their daughter dangling from their hands as she laughed and swung.

“…It’s just… Last year during the Vytal Festival, I met one of the employees,” Glynda confessed with a worried frown. “She was a little girl, one of the proprietor’s daughters.”

He hummed and nodded. “Yes, that makes sense. The Phyrite family has owned that place for years. If I remember right, it was their mansion.”

Glynda cocked her head back. “Really?”

James nodded. “They’re old money, just like the Schnees. Unlike them, however, their old business venture fell apart a long time ago. I can’t remember what it was, just that they lost the race and ended up having to switch business models. It’s been the Glass Unicorn ever since.”

He took a croissant from his plate and bit into it while Glynda downed the last of her coffee.

“So, what’s so special about that girl?”

Glynda pursed her lips and sucked them back. Blood rushed to her cheeks as she thought of how to explain her simple yet complicated relationship with her.

“It’s… well….” She cleared her throat and shrugged her shoulders. “I… took a liking to her, I suppose. She awoke her semblance while we were staying at the hotel and I… starting teaching her how to activate her aura.”

In the corner of her eye, she glimpsed James frowning.

“You taught a random girl how to use their aura?”

“I taught her the basic exercises,” she corrected. “She asked me to. Begged, really.”

“Begged?”

“She seemed desperate. Determined.” Glynda held her forehead in her palm and sighed. “I don’t know, she just… I feel worried for some reason.”

Seconds passed in silence before she heard James sigh and scoot his chair back.

“Well, if you're interested, the Glass Unicorn is going to be hosting a convention here in a couple of weeks,” he stated, slipping his scroll out of his overcoat. “It’ll mostly be an assembly of corporate bigwigs trying to peddle their wares to the Atlesian military and I had planned on spending the night nurturing a champagne glass. However, I do have a plus one spot if you were interested?”

James leaned forward with an expectant look and an offering hand.

Glynda blinked at him in surprise, and then she smiled before slipping her hand into his.

“I would be honored.”

“Cinder, get over here!”

Cinder practically snapped her neck as she glanced over her shoulder, finding her mother storming through the kitchen doors.

“Madame?” she squeaked out in fright.

“The statues in the atrium are filthy! They need to be dusted again!”

Exhaustion washed over the girl’s face, her trembling lips falling into a despairing frown and the bags under her eyes weighing them down. Her back ached and her arms were sore from all the extra chores that had been continually dropped on her these past several days.

“But the dishes–”

“Can soak! Now go!”

“But–”

Her body seized as lightning coursed through her, discharged from her opulent shock collar.

“No arguments,” her stepmother growled, stuffing the remote back into her pocket. “Now get moving! Ugh, miserable rat.”

She swiftly left the room as quickly as she had come, her heels clicking loudly. Meanwhile, Cinder propped herself up on the edge of the kitchen counter.

She breathed in heavy breaths before she pushed herself up and off, stumbling towards the exit.

The Madame had been in a frenzy for the past week, forcing Cinder to work to the bone—well, more than usual, at least. Even her stepsisters weren’t spared; although, their jobs were certainly much easier than the tasks she had been forced to perform.

From what she’d picked up from eavesdropping on her stepsisters, the Glass Unicorn was going to be hosting some kind of big convention. A lot of important people were going to be here and the Madame wanted the hotel to be spotless. Not a stain to be seen, not a speck of dust to be picked up, and not a single odor to be sniffed.

That was easier said than done, especially when Cinder was the one doing the heavy lifting.

“Oh, Cinder!” Rizel called in a sing-song voice, waving her over from the front desk the moment she stepped out from the back halls.

Cinder cast her a withering look, but shuffled over to her nonetheless.

“Yes, Rizel?”

“I have a job for you,” her stepsister huffed, folding her arms over her chest. “Mom wants me to polish the tables, but I’m organizing the desk right now.”

Cinder frowned. “I’m already dusting the statues–”

“Then do it after.”

“The Madame wants–”

“Uh buh buh!” Rizel grinned sadistically at her. “We wouldn’t want her to hear that you were slacking off on your job, would we?”

“I would!” Ana called from the second-floor mezzanine, flashing a sadist’s grin herself.

Balling her hands into fists, Cinder barely withheld a furious scream from spilling out of her mouth. She hated this, she hated being their slave. She hated every day of this, and she hated that she could do nothing about it.

After taking a series of deep breaths, Cinder sighed defeatedly, “Fine.”

Rizel laughed and shooed her away, sending Cinder to do her job, and then her stepsister’s.

Just a few more days of this, and then things could go back to normal… Her normal at least….

It was around seven o’clock on the day of the convention when Glynda and James arrived outside the Glass Unicorn.

They rode up in a limousine with a small escort of Atlesian Knights and were dropped off at the front steps to the hotel. Climbing out, they were greeted by their guards, the automatons standing stock still as they made their way inside.

Climbing the steps up to the frosted glass doors, Glynda couldn’t help but feel herself burn up with embarrassment in the lavish, emerald dress she wore.

She had hoped she could wear the evening gown that she’d brought in her luggage, fully intending to use it if she went out for a formal dinner with James.  However, when she had asked the man himself on his opinion, he had warned her that the Atlesian high society would either eat her up or laugh her out of the hotel. Thus, she had been forced to spend some lien at a local boutique and get something affordable, but passable as upper-class attire.

Speaking of which, Glynda stole glances at the general escorting her, his gloved hand tenderly holding her as he pulled open the doors for her.

Honestly, she had doubted that James was capable of wearing anything besides his usual military overcoat and uniform. However, he had proven her wrong when he came to pick her up, wearing instead a fine charcoal suit with an indigo dress shirt and a scarlet cravat.

Although, he had spent a few minutes during the ride over to the hotel complaining about his limit of movement.

Glynda giggled quietly under her breath before she composed herself and looked up at the atrium of the Glass Unicorn.

The entire atrium had been rearranged from the state she had last seen it in, tables and chairs pushed to the right side of the vast room, and the sofas were entirely done away with. Long tables topped with covers and platters of freshly cooked food were lined up to the left side. She even spotted a chocolate fountain and a fondue pot.

The gaudy sight was almost too much to take in, a slight headache coming on in the back of her head.

Thankfully, James took her hand against and led her inside.

“So, where to?” Glynda asked, shirking away from glancing eyes.

“Nowhere,” James sighed tiredly. “They’ll come to us.”

As if on cue, a voice called out to the general from nearby.

“Ah, General Ironwood, my friend!”

They both turned and watched as a man dressed in a pristine white suit with slicked back, silvery white hair, and a matching moustache over his lips, crossed the atrium with his arms spread out wide.

Glynda recognized the Schnee Dust Company’s CEO immediately and struggled to cool her expression as he stepped up to them.

“Mr. Schnee,” James addressed with a feigned smile, “a pleasure as always.”

The slimy bastard smiled and nodded. “I would say the same. You look wonderful, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you out of that charming uniform of yours.”

Ironwood shuffled uncomfortably, his hand squeezing Glynda’s. She squeezed back and that was when Jacques seemed to notice her.

“Oh, and who might this be?” he asked, turning to regard her with his hands clasped and eyes critical.

Glynda produced the kind of smile she wore when she addressed 

“Professor Glynda Goodwitch,” she introduced, holding out her hand, “from Beacon. I’m visiting on business.”

“Beacon, you say?” Jacque chuckled and smiled. “Well, are you to blame for our dear general’s sudden change in attire?”

James blushed and Glynda sucked in a deep breath not to giggle.

“It would seem so,” she remarked coolly. 

The Schnee patriarch seemed to get a kick out of that because he guffawed loudly and wiped a tear from his eye.

“Dear,” a quiet voice called out.

Glynda glanced over and found a woman with snow white hair striding over, her elegant navy blue gown swaying with her. At her side was a little girl with hair of the same color and eyes as critical as Jacque’s.

“Oh, pardon me!” Jacque reached over and took the woman’s wrist, pulling her over. “Allow me to introduce my dear wife, Willow Schnee, and our oldest, Winter.”

The snow white-haired woman offered a tired smile and Glynda inwardly frowned. She watched slate blue eyes glance and narrow at her husband before she looked back at the huntress and offered out a hand.

“It’s an honor, Professor Goodwitch.”

“The honor is mine, ma’am,” Glynda said, shaking her hand before she looked down at the child. “Hello, Miss Schnee.”

The young heiress seemed to study her face for a moment before she extended a hand out too.

“Hello, Professor Goodwitch.”

Glynda cracked a small smile and shook her hand.

“So, general, if I could pull you aside for a moment and speak to you about my company’s partnership with the Atlesian military?” Jacques asked, gesturing over to a table nearby.

James sucked in a deep breath, clearly preparing himself for a long, drawn-out debate on whether he should concede to the slimy businessman’s demands. Before he departed, however, he glanced at Glynda with a worried look.

“Er, Glynda–”

She smiled reassuringly and pointed her chin at the table.

“I’ll be fine, James,” she said, “I’ll still be here when you’re finished.”

He cast her an apologetic smile but nodded as he was dragged away by Jacque. Not too long after, more vultures disguised as businessmen flocked over to the general.

Crossing her arms, Glynda cast him a pitying look before she turned back to Ms. Schnee. However, the matriarch had disappeared, only to be rediscovered near food tables nearby, grabbing a glass of champagne.

“May I ask you a question, professor?”

Glynda almost jumped, realizing the Schnee heiress was still beside her.

“Er, certainly?” she replied, looking down at the girl.

“What is it like being a huntress?”

Oh, well that wasn’t the question she was expecting. Although, it made sense too. Many children she had met through her travels with her team asked that same question. Almost all of them wanted to know if it was a life worth pursuing.

Just like all those times, Glynda gave the same answer.

“It’s a life of adventure,” she said, “that’s for certain.”

Winter watched her for a long moment, brow furrowed and eyes critical. Then, after a minute had passed, she tipped her chin up and gave her a scrutinizing look.

“Can anyone be a huntress?” she asked genuine curiosity in her voice despite the intimidating countenance she tried to wear.

Glynda blinked at the girl, seeing a spark in her eyes.

She hadn’t pinned the heiress as someone who might aspire to be a huntress. She seemed a formal sort with a life already laid out in front of her. Also, with a father like hers and a mother who seemed cowed by his ambition… it seemed like the line of Schnee was heading towards corporate interests.

But then, Glynda remembered her exchange with James some weeks ago.

Children will always surprise you.

“Yes.” Glynda knelt low and wore a warm smile as the girl watched her, bright blue eyes widened with shock. “It takes a lot of time and a lot of effort, but if you dream hard enough. If you work hard enough, then the answer will always be yes.”

Briefly, the girl’s lips curved into a smile and excitement seemed to sparkle in her eyes. However, she immediately cooled her expression and cleared her throat, composing herself once more.

What a bright child.

“Thank you for answering my question, professor.”

“Of course,” Glynda said as she stood back up and scanned the room, searching for wherever James had been dragged away.

It was then that she spotted her, a familiar head of raven-black hair dipping in and out of sight.

“Excuse me, Ms. Schnee, I have somewhere I need to be.”

Leaving the girl behind, Glynda made her way through the throngs of convention attendants. She slipped past chatting friends, weaved her way around groups of guffawing colleagues, and crossed the space between parties. She searched the crowd of lavishly dressed persons for that one little girl who had begged her for knowledge, but she had lost her in the sea of chromatic fabric and sparkling jewelry.

Where had she gone? Don’t tell her she had slipped into the back.

Thankfully, or perhaps unfortunately, there was a loud crash and the sound of shattering glass nearby.

“Cinder!” a startled voice snapped.

Cinder milled about through the crowd of gaudily dressed men and women, performing her task of serving drinks. She asked the guffawing men and giggling women with empty glasses if they’d like another and they swiped new drinks without even thanks. And as she did her job, she shot brief glares in the direction of her stepsisters, both of whom wore gaudy dresses and mingled with the guests.

She hated them so much. She hated that they were rewarded for their meager work and she was left to pick up the slack.

At least she could take comfort in knowing she wasn’t doing everything tonight. One of the guests, Mr. Schnee had offered his services for the party. Her mother had happily accepted—her stepsisters gossiped about how some of Mr. Schnee’s opponents had their invitations rescinded—and now several faunus in serving uniforms were meandering the crowd with her–

Cinder stopped, her amber eyes blowing open wide when she saw a familiar head of blonde hair wandering the crowd, a light curl on one side of her face and emerald eyes scanning around the atrium.

“Miss Goodwitch?” she breathed.

She was here! Ms. Goodwitch!

Cinder hurried forward without abandon, trying her best to navigate through the ocean of bodies.

Her teacher was back. The only woman who had ever cared was here! Right now–

Suddenly, fate reminded herself how cruel it was by having a guest stumble back and collide with her.

A yelp escaped the young girl as she toppled over, the silver tray slipping out of her hands. She hit the ground hard and grunted while the tray clattered obnoxiously. The champagne glasses too exploded on the ground, shattering into glinting shards while the alcohol splashed on the golden marble.

For a while, Cinder lay there with her ears ringing, her heart thumping quickly as fear and terror bled into her heart.

Her worst nightmare was realized tonight, and she knew it was when she heard the hurried clicking of heels.

“Cinder!” her stepmother snapped, rushing over and grabbing her by the wrist. “Get up!”

She was pulled up to her feet and held by her shoulders. Though her feet slipped out from her for a second, her stepmother held her in place.

Cinder looked up at her and felt a chill run up her spine at the fretful look the Madame feigned.

“Go to your room and clean yourself up,” her stepmother instructed before she hissed in a quiet whisper. “When you’re done, get back to work. We’ll see to your punishment tonight.”

Her heart stopped and she lost control of her body. Her mind fled inwards, trying to escape reality as she subconsciously imagined what terrible fate awaited her when the party finally ended.

Then, however, she felt her stepmother’s nails digging into her shoulders and she quickly nodded.

“Y-Yes, Madame.”

Quickly, she picked up the silver tray off the ground and hurried out of the atrium.

“I apologize for the disturbance, everyone!” the proprietor spoke aloud, clapping her hands and bowing her head. “Good work is hard to find!”

Many of the guests chuckled and some of them cheered in agreement, raising their glasses. Glynda did neither.

She merely watched from the sidelines as Cinder disappeared into the backroom and then watched as a faunus dressed in uniform came to clean up the mess of glass and alcohol.

Her hand balled into a fist and Glynda glanced around, searching for the Glass Unicorn’s staff.

She noted the proprietor speaking with some guests, laughing along with them. Her two daughters were further away, giggling with girls their age.

Her eyes then traveled over to the front desk at the far end of the atrium. A faunus sat behind it, his eyes cast down towards the counter.

The door Cinder had run into was down a hall past the desk. She likely needed a key.

Glynda looked over at James, who was busy fending off Atlas’ wealthy elite. She gave him another apologetic smile before she hurried over to the front desk.

Women laughed and men tipped back their glasses as she strode down the velvet red carpet bisecting the room. She maneuvered past faunus servants and looked up at the clock hanging above.

It was around ten o’clock now. James might come looking for her in a bit, but if the party ended at twelve then he could wait till then too.

Making her approach, she held her head high and shoulders squared, imitating the same imposing stature she wore in her classroom when she found a student using their textbook as a pillow.

The faunus behind the counter —a man with chestnut brown hair, blue eyes, and a pair of horns curling out of his head—looked up at her.

“How may I help you, madame?” he asked.

Her eyes flicked from him to the key ring next to him.

“I was actually wondering where the lady’s room was,” she demanded in the tone she reserved for distracted students.

“Oh, it’s just down the hall on your right,” he answered.

She swallowed and stepped back a few paces. “Which hall? Where?”

The faunus man stood up and stepped around the counter. She circled back around him as he pointed down the hall.

“Down there,” he said, completely oblivious to her using her semblance next to him.

It was a tad harder to control her semblance without the Disciplinarian in hand, the riding crop acting as her focus of sorts. Unfortunately, she couldn't very well unsheath her weapon in the middle of the party. Thankfully, it was far easier to use on smaller objects like keys.

Glancing over her shoulder, she spied her prize and curled her fingers, causing an amethyst glow to envelop them. Gesturing with her fingers, she called them over the counter and they flung over into her palm, landing softly in her grasp.

“Thank you,” she said, bowing her head and stepping away.

The moment he sat down behind the counter, Glynda stepped around the side into the hall Cinder had gone down.

Then, after ensuring no one was looking in her direction, she slipped into the employee-only area.

Cinder should have been changing out of her clothes, she should have been hurrying right back out there to get back to work. If anything, she should be praying that the Madame had mercy on her tonight of all nights, but she knew it was all in vain.

The Madame was going to hurt her. She was going to hurt her worse than ever before, and she didn’t want to imagine how.

Already, she could feel the phantom pain of lightning coursing through her body. Already, she felt the sharp toe of her heels kicking her stomach, her heels stabbing into her tiny form.

She didn’t want to hurt anymore–

“Cinder?”

Cinder froze up, her heart stopping as terror pierced it like a cold spike. Petrified absolutely by fear, she was unable to do anything but remain curled up on her bed.

Heels clicked on the floor behind her and she trembled, breaking from her stupor as her fight or flight instincts began kicking in. However, she only became trapped in between those, her body quaking as she tried to flee but also tried to remain still, hoping obedience would stay the Madame’s hand if only a little.

“Cinder, is that you?”

Knowing it best to face the Madame before her punishment, Cinder slowly got up from her mattress on the ground. She turned and gripped the sides of her uniform and looked up at… a blonde-haired woman with wet, emerald green eyes.

“Miss Goodwitch?”

Glynda Goodwitch stood before her, dressed in an opulent emerald dress. Yet for all the glamor and beauty she wore, none of it could mask the horror on the huntress’ face.

A shuddering breath escaped Ms. Goodwitch as she stepped forward, trembling hands reaching out to her. Cinder flinched, however, and the hands retracted quickly.

When Cinder looked back up at her, she saw the woman examining her fingers. Realization seemed to dawn on her and she clenched her hands into fists before looking back at her.

“Cinder… what are you doing back here?”

Cinder opened her mouth to answer, to tell her everything. However, the opulent shock collar around her neck seemed to tighten and any words that might’ve spilled out of her mouth became caught in her throat.

In the end, the girl swallowed it all back down and Ms. Goodwitch’s face fell further.

“Cinder… do they hurt you?” The huntress knelt down in front of her, coming to meet her at eye level. “You don’t have to say it, just nod your head. …Your stepmother… Your stepsisters… Do they make you sleep here? Do they hurt you?”

She opened her mouth again, then closed it. She opened it a third time, and it closed again. Her voice refused to leave her, no matter how hard she tried.

Her heart pounded faster and she breathed faster, quickly hyperventilating as gentle hands touched her shoulders and held her up.

Tears welled in her eyes and poured down her face as she mustered the strength—all the strength left in her tiny frail body—to finally nod and tell the truth of her life.

“Oh God….”

Staring at the floor, Cinder watched her tears drip on the floor. Then, she watched with shocked eyes as tears that were not her own began to hit the ground too.

“All this time…,” Ms. Goodwitch breathed. “I-I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Cinder. I–….”

She felt the older woman shaking, absolutely quaking with overwhelming emotions. Her gentle hands squeezed tighter and she could hear the sharp breaths leaving her lips. Her lavish dress scraped against the ground, but she didn’t seem to care as she knelt there, weeping for Cinder….

A long time passed as Cinder tried to focus her breathing, thinking about the exercises in the book Ms. Goodwitch had given her.

Breathe in, and then out. Breathe in, then out. In. Out.

Slowly, her racing heart calmed and she managed to regain control over her shivering body.

Steadily, but with great effort, she managed to wet her chapped lips and suck in a deep breath to speak in a quiet voice.

“P-Please help me, Miss Goodwitch.”

Lifting her head, she looked up to find emerald eyes watching her with remorse.

“She’s going to hurt me,” Cinder explained, the tears falling faster down her face. “I don’t want her to hurt me! Not anymore!”

Suddenly, she was snatched into a tight hug. Strong arms held her in place as she was smothered into the woman’s chest.

“She won’t,” Ms. Goodwitch said– No, declared with a steadfast certainty. “She. Won’t.”

The sorrow in her voice, the breathlessness in her words, completely vanished. In their place was a burning fury, a hot fire that lashed out from between gnashed teeth.

Cinder was let go then, allowed to stumble back as Glynda Goodwitch rose up to her full height.

No longer was she the gentle and kind woman she’d known six months ago. Now she was the huntress she’d heard of in stories, trained warriors who roamed the four kingdoms hunting Grimm and slaying bandits. She radiated an aura of vengeful rage, of wrath unbound. Though a shadow was cast upon her face by the light, her emerald eyes were alight with a kind of hatred Cinder had never seen before; not even by her stepmother.

Cinder was afraid again, but not of Ms. Goodwitch. She was afraid of anyone who stood in the huntress’ way.

“Cinder… I’ll be back.”

The woman turned to leave and Cinder felt dread grab her heart in an icy cold hand.

“Wait!” Cinder threw herself at the woman, wrapping her arms tightly around her. “Please don’t go!”

“It’s okay, Cinder.” A gentle hand touched her left shoulder lightly. “I won’t be gone for long. I’m going to get help, people who can put your mother away forever. Do you understand?”

That wasn’t possible. People like that didn’t exist.

But Glynda Goodwitch did….

“They can do that?” she asked, loosening her hold and looking up at the huntress.

Ms. Goodwitch nodded. “Yes, they can. But I need to tell them about this first, okay?”

It took her a while to muster up the courage, but after she had Cinder nodded.

Ms. Goodwitch took the moment to take a deep breath and swallow a lump down her throat. She wiped the tears and running makeup off her face, scrubbing it all off on the gloves she wore. And then she stuffed those gloves in her purse before she smoothed the wrinkles from her dress, rubbing out the dust off of it too.

“I need you to be brave, okay, Cinder?” The huntress leaned down to look her in the eye. “Just one more time. Be brave for me, and then this will all be over.”

She watched the blonde woman reach into her bag and pull something out, a device she’d seen often but never owned.

“Here, my scroll.” She opened it up and showed her a button on the lock screen. “If anything happens, if they come to hurt you, you push this button and then that one. It’ll call this number automatically. Okay?”

Cinder nodded frantically as she took it.

“…Please be back soon.”

Standing at the doorway, Glynda Goodwitch cast her one more remorseful look before she hardened her countenance and nodded. “I will. I promise.”

It was around ten thirty when Glynda stepped back out into the atrium, taking a side hall to reach the restroom, clean the rest of her face, and then return unnoticed.

She stormed through the throngs with purpose, slipping past mingling guests and making her way over to James who sat at a table, still conversing with Jacque Schnee.

“Listen, Jacque, I understand what you’re offering, but we’re still getting everything in order at the academy,” the general stated, gesturing with his hands to the businessman who sat with his arms crossed and mouth in a frown. “Maybe in a month or so, we’ll be able to entertain the deal. Right now, I’d appreciate if you give us a little time to sort everything out. Who knows, maybe we’ll find a discrepancy we could use your help with.”

Jacque huffed, but then stroked his jaw and hummed. “Well, I wouldn’t want to put you under any pressure, general. Very well.”

James sighed and reached for his glass, but then noticed her approach.

“Glynda,” he greeted with a relieved smile, “I hope I didn’t… keep you waiting.”

His smile dropped into a frown as she got closer, probably noticing her severe expression.

“James, I need to speak with you,” she declared in a stern tone as if she were admonishing Peter about his ramblings in class or Ozpin for his lack of work.

That voice of hers was enough for the Atlesian general to sit up straighter.

“Of course–”

“In private….” She glanced around at the many guests meandering around them. “This is serious.”

James cocked his head back subtly, confusion riddling his face. However, after he took a moment to study her hardened countenance and the frantic look in her eyes, he nodded.

“I understand. I’ll meet you in a side room in a moment.” James got up and bowed his head at his conversation partner. “I’m sorry for cutting off our meeting, Jacque, but as you can see, I’ve been ignoring Professor Goodwitch for most of the night already.”

Jacque guffawed and motioned with his drink, the whiskey sloshing around in the glass. “No, no, please! Go ahead, I understand. God knows Willow gets the same way.”

Both James and Glynda hid their distaste for the man as he tipped his glass back. They ignored him too as the latter led the way to a side room nearby, stepping inside and closing the door shut when the former entered.

She stood in front of the door for a moment, though, hands pressed flat against it as she let the weight of the situation drag her down.

“Glynda, what happened?”

She felt James’ hand on her shoulder, the one made of flesh and bone.

“…It’s Cinder, James,” she explained. “The girl I was looking for… she’s locked up in the basement.”

“What?”

James’ hand slipped off her shoulder and she stood up to turn around. When she faced him, she found the general giving her an incredulous look.

“They’ve been abusing her,” she explained, tears welling in her eyes again as she recalled the sight of the poor girl sitting on her tattered mattress. “Who knows for how long! But I found her in the basement crying on a mattress! She said her stepmother was going to hurt her.”

Her composure started falling apart again. She could feel her harsh, rigid visage cracking and breaking until her distraught eyes and quivering mouth were revealed.

“James, what can we do?”

Across her from, General Ironwood stood tall and steadfast. His expression had cooled as his eyes had become distant. One hand now stroked his jaw while the other was put behind his back. Not a second later, he began pacing the length of the room.

His semblance must have been activated, Mettle forcing him now to study the situation, its factors, and all the angles they could approach it from.

Glynda knew better than to interrupt him in his planning, his hyper-focus turning him more machine than man. It was something she hated most of the time because it only pushed him further into that side of him that needed to control everything. But in times like these, when she needed him to disregard all instinct and work on intellect alone, she let the necessary evil slide.

So, folding her arms over her chest, she nursed her aching heart and waited for him to finish thinking.

A long time passed before he stopped in the middle of the room and closed his eyes, a remorseful sigh escaping him.

“I'll inform the police,” he declared firmly, turning to face her. “They'll look into this.”

Glynda paused, stolen from her fretful thoughts, and she stared at him. She blinked several times, trying to comprehend what he had just said, and then her jaw dropped to the ground.

“‘Look into this?’” she hissed back at him incredulously before she stormed up to him. “James there is a little girl only a few rooms away from us sleeping on a bare mattress in a cold basement, there must be something we can do now!"

He sucked in his lips and closed his eyes as he bowed his head, unwilling to look her in the eye.

"I know this is hard, Glynda, but this isn't Vale.” He placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to keep her down. “Atlas has different laws about a citizen's arrest, you could have your license suspended until the courts make a ruling. Maybe even revoked."

Glynda opened her mouth to argue but shut herself up before she screamed.

The facts made sense, but she didn’t want them to.

“But….”

She heaved in shuddering breaths, her heart breaking.

“And not only that,” James continued, stepping past her to eye the door to the room, “the Phyrite family has influence. As much power as I hold with my seat on the Council, the fact remains that a lot of Atlas is old money and they’re capable of bending the law in their favor.” James threw a hand out towards the door. “Take a look outside, do you think all these people came here just for the food? They know each other. They’ll protect each other.”

She held her arms tighter around her and turned her face away from the truth. Ultimately, however, she couldn’t ignore it.

“Please, Glynda, trust me on this.”

James took one of her hands and squeezed it comfortingly. Seconds passed before she forced herself to look at him and nod.

“Fine… but, we’re leaving now. We’re telling them as soon as possible.”

He nodded in agreement and seconds later they were on their way out the door. However, before they could make it to the frosted glass doors a voice called out to them.

“General Ironwood!” A familiar, dirty blonde woman stepped into view, dressed in a velvet red gown. “Leaving so soon?”

They stopped and stared at the woman, not knowing what to say to this… vile creature.

She seemed confused at their silence for a moment, and then she laid eyes on Glynda.

“Oh, Miss Goodwitch!” Cinder’s stepmother plastered a plastic smile on her face. “I didn’t know you were here!”

“I’m General Ironwood’s plus one,” she stated, squeezing James’ hand tightly.

“I see! I do hope you enjoyed the party.”

“I did, but… I’m feeling tired now.” Glynda studied the woman’s face as she swallowed a lump in her throat. “Could you tell me when the party ends?”

“We’ll actually be ending the event early tonight.” The dirty blonde woman sighed and looked away with disappointment. “Unfortunately, an issue has come up.”

Glynda eyed her suspiciously. “I see.”

Winter Schnee watched from her mother’s side as the huntress Glynda Goodwitch and General James Ironwood left the Glass Unicorn.

Disappointment crossed her face, but then confusion replaced it when she saw Ms. Phyrite hurry over to her father.

“What do you mean you’re ending it early?” her father hissed, jumping to his feet.

“Trust me!” the hotel’s proprietor hissed back. “I might have a rat issue in my basement!”

“I’m this close to sealing the deal with the general!”

“The general just left, you won’t be sealing anything! Now get your damn animals and leave!”

Her father grew visibly livid at her tone. “Remember who you’re talking to, Trema.”

“…I’m ending it early. You’d better clear out, I have some house cleaning to do.”

Ms. Phyrite stormed away, face reddening and lips carving into a frown. Not too long after, father stormed up to them too and snatched up her mother’s wrist.

“Come, Willow, we’re leaving.”

“So soon, Jacque?” Her mother griped, nursing a champagne glass.

“Unfortunately,” he huffed. “Come along, Winter.”

Winter obeyed diligently, striding with her father as he hurried over and snapped at several of their servants on loan to the hotel. They immediately began packing things up as Ms. Phyrite announced an abrupt ending to the convention.

As they descended down the front steps of the Glass Unicorn, Winter looked up at her father who bore an aggravated scowl.

“…Father, What did Miss Phyrite mean about a ‘rat problem?’” she asked. “Should we seek compensation?”

Her father huffed but smiled at her. “Oh, the Phyrites have a way of employing good labor, darling. But sometimes good labor goes bad.”

It was finally happening! She was finally going to be free!

A jubilant laugh bubbled up Cinder’s throat as she slipped on a fresh uniform.

Just one night. Just one more night of this and then Ms. Goodwitch would come back, she would deliver her from this waking nightmare. If she was lucky, maybe Ms. Goodwitch could… maybe she would… take her.

The thought made her blush and Cinder hugged the scroll she’d been gifted tightly.

A new life was on the horizon, and her past… it could stay in the past–

“Cinder.”

Heels clicked on cold cement and Cinder froze where she sat on her mattress.

She dared not turn around. She hadn’t the courage to turn and face her stepmother. 

“M-Madame?”

“What did you tell her?”

“M-Madame–”

Without warning, lightning burned through her body and Cinder seized on the spot. Her back arched painfully and her arms were forced to her sides. Thankfully, the scroll she’d hugged landed on the mattress beneath her.

After several seconds, her mother stopped and Cinder fell forward. Her hands landed on the ground and she heaved in breaths of air.

“You insolent rat.” Her stepmother stormed across the basement. “After everything I’ve done for you. After everything I’ve given you!”

A heel-clad foot kicked her and Cinder was launched forward, her head hitting the wall. She clutched her head with a whimper and curled up on the ground to protect herself. However, there was nothing she could do to stop the lightning dust dangling from her neck from discharging a hundred volts into her tiny body.

Another scream was caught in her throat as she involuntarily convulsed, arms and legs flailing. Her hands struck cement and her feet slammed against the metal bars of the shelves next to them.

After a minute or so, her stepmother stopped again and released a feral growl.

Nearby, as she heaved in more breaths, Cinder heard her stepsisters enter the room. They giggled and laughed, but then they yelped.

Mustering the strength to look up, she saw the Madame glaring at the girls.

“Not now, girls. Mother has to deal with the rat!”

She clicked the button again. Cinder’s jaw clenched and her teeth slammed against each other painfully.

“I knew you were an untrustworthy wretch! I should have never brought you into my home!”

Her stepmother delivered another swift kick to her stomach. Cinder wheezed as her stomach roiled and flipped. Then she cried out in anguish when the heel came down on her leg, stabbing into it.

Tears trickled down her face as she whimpered, struggling to find some way to calm the Madame down.

However, as seconds passed, she realized that her stepmother had stepped back. Was it over?

“Get up.” A short shock surged through her and a yelp escaped her. “Get up!”

Cinder obliged, forcing herself to move. She took all the might left in her to roll onto her hands and knees, then pushed herself onto the latter. When she tried to stand, however, the leg that had been stomped on flared with pain and she cried out, toppling over.

“Stupid girl!” Another shock passed through her, forcing her back to arch again. “Can’t even follow simple instructions! Get up!”

She obeyed again, forcing herself to ignore the pain as best she could.

Hours seemed to pass before she managed to get herself to stand on frail, wobbly legs.

It did not last, however, as the Madame stormed up and pulled her hand back to deliver a stinging slap across her face that sent Cinder back to the ground. Almost immediately after, her stepmother pressed down on the remote and Cinder convulsed again.

When the shock torture ended, Cinder lay there weeping. But then, she noticed the moonlight filtering through the windows above glinting off Ms. Goodwitch’s scroll.

When her stepmother clicked the button again, she made sure to surge forward before the lightning coursed through her again. And when she was done convulsing, she opened the scroll and pressed the two buttons.

“You stupid, stupid wench–”

“Hello?”

The entire room fell silent as a man’s voice called out through the scroll.

Then, a blur passed through her vision and the Madame slammed a heel onto it. The screen flickered and died, then the heel slammed into Cinder’s chest.

“What was that? Who did you just call?” The Madame brought her heel down on Cinder’s hand, causing the girl to scream. “Answer me!”

The ride to Atlas Academy had been silent entirely, the cabin thick with tension to the point that Glynda had to open the window to be able to breathe.

Her stomach had flipped and there were moments she felt like she wanted to throw up. From the glances she had stolen at James, it seemed Mettle had him stuck in his head, reexamining everything again even after he had already called Atlas’ child protective services.

“How long will it take?” Glynda asked, pacing in his office.

James loomed over his desk, a shadow veiling his face. She couldn’t get a good look at his face, but she could only imagine how he felt. His wonderful evening with her suddenly spiraled into a horrific case of child abuse.

“I don’t know,” he said, hands clenching tightly. “A day at best. The CPS isn’t under military jurisdiction, that’s a public government agency.”

“I thought the military was the law here,” she snapped.

James cast her a contrite gaze. “Glynda….”

She knew she was lashing out. She knew she needed to stay calm, but she couldn’t.

They fell back into silence, Glynda not knowing what to say without screaming or weeping, and James not knowing how to comfort her in her fretful state.

Then, James sat up suddenly, perking up in shock with his eyes widening and lips pursing into a thin line. Glynda gave him an odd look as he patted around his suit-clad body before he dug a hand into his pocket and brought out his scroll.

“Hello?” he answered, face scrunching with confusion as he read the caller ID. “…Glynda? Did you just call me?”

She blinked and shook her head.

“What? No, I gave my scroll to– to–” Her eyes widened in dreadful realization. “Oh no. Cinder!”

Glynda practically flew out the door, tearing the Disciplinarian out of her purse.

“Glynda!” James called out after her, but she did not heed him.

Her mind was focused on one thing and one thing only: Protecting a little girl from a cold, cruel world.

There was no way out of this. Ms. Goodwitch had been wrong. There was no escape.

Cinder was going to die here tonight.

A hand gripped her collar and pulled her up before she was slapped across the other cheek. Another heel-clad foot kicked her in the shin and then the stomach.

She curled up and tried to roll away, but the heels came down on her back, forcing her flat on the ground.

“You stupid rat!” Rizel spat. “Messing up our party! Embarrassing us in front of the Schnees!”

“What did you think was going to happen?” Ana mocked.

Blood and snot and tears mixed on the ground under Cinder as she endured the beating. The puddle grew wider and wider by the second until half her face was lying in it.

However, after a few long, torturous minutes had passed, the abuse ended for a brief respite.

“Mother, what should we do?”

“Mother?”

“Silence!” their mother shrieked, shooting a harsh glare at the both of them. “Both of you, just shut up! And you… this isn't enough for you, is it? I want to hear you scream!”

In the corner of her eye, Cinder saw her fiddling with the remote–

A new kind of pain exploded through her body. It seared through every nerve, through every muscle, and it felt like it tore through every vein. She was being ripped apart, torn asunder by pure, undiluted pain.

“I should've used this setting from the start, shouldn't I have?”

Cinder could practically feel the necklace melting into her skin now. Her ears were beginning to ring and her fingers scraped against the floor.

She was going to die here. She was going to die!

Be brave for me, and then this will all be over.

No, she couldn’t die. Not now, not when she was so close to freedom!

Focus. Just focus!

She hated her family! She hated her stepmother, who beat her and shocked her! She hated Ana and Rizel, who worked her to the bone and laughed at her misery! She hated the Glass Unicorn, her gilded cage from which she had never been able to escape!

She hated it all! It made her angry. Furious. 

Focus on that. Focus on the one constant in her life: Pain.

The agonizing feeling of lightning surging through her body began to numb, but she knew it wasn’t because she was fading. She knew because she felt herself becoming invigorated.

The strength that was sapped from her ebbed back into her limbs. The ringing in her ears was fading and the laughter of her sisters became clearer.

Her limbs that had flailed uncontrollably slowed in their erratic movements until they were limp on the ground.

Outside, she heard the distant ringing of the clock in the lobby.

It must’ve just turned midnight.

Her fingers spread on the floor as she lay her palms flat against it. Her knees pressed hard against the concrete as she pushed herself up.

Slowly, Cinder rose up, struggling against the arcs of lightning that tried to constrict her again.

Craning her head with a barely withheld scream, she met her stepmother’s wide, aghast eyes.

She saw her clicking the remote, eyes flicking from it to her with a startled look.

“What? How are you?”

“S-Stop it.” Cinder stumbled forward, barely holding off the lightning dust from tearing through her aura. “Stop it!”

Cinder flung herself forward and her fingers wrapped around the Madame’s wrist. Hate and rage poured into her palm and the smell of burnt flesh reached her nose.

The Madame shrieked and dropped the remote, then slapped her across the face.

Cinder stumbled away as the remote bounced on the ground and skittered away from them.

The lightning dust deactivated and Cinder heaved in deep breaths of air. Propping herself up against a shelf, she reached up and tenderly touched her neck. Then, she grabbed the opulent shock collar she’d worn since her arrival at this hellish place and tried to rip it off.

Before she had the chance, however, something heavy and metal struck her in the back of the head and Cinder was sent falling forward.

“Get back down, freak!”

Cinder looked up, spotting Rizel standing over her with one of the silver trays they stored here in her room.

The blonde girl stared at her with… fear. Dread.

A dark part of her took pride in that.

“You– You rat! How dare you!” The Madame nursed her burnt wrist while Ana snatched the remote off the ground. “How dare you, after everything we’ve done for you!”

Cinder’s hand clenched around something on the shelf. Her semblance activated and she felt it melt, felt it shape itself into something new, something sharp.

Her fury unleashed, Cinder screamed and charged her stepmother. Her shock collar activated and she faltered only a step, her aura protecting her.

Her focus shifted immediately to Ana, who pointed the remote at her and held the button down furiously.

Their eyes met just before Cinder swung and stabbed a shard of molten metal into her shoulder.

Ana screamed, blood squirting from the wound. Rizel shrieked and slammed her tray against Cinder’s back. And somewhere behind her, she heard the Madame crying out Ana’s name.

And then, as the world slowed to a stop, an amethyst glow flashed through the room.

“Enough!”

Suddenly, Cinder felt herself being yanked away by force. A sharp gasp escaped her as she was thrown into a corner and then dropped down on the floor. Across from her, she saw her stepfamily get thrown back against the wall opposite of her, held pinned there.

The three of them stared at her, terror in their eyes, and Cinder reveled in that feeling. That power over them.

Heat burned in her palms again and Cinder got up to rush them, but suddenly she was tackled by a bigger body.

A hand snatched her own and a yelp escaped the woman above her.

She recognized the voice a second after she pushed the newcomer away.

“M-Miss Goodwitch?” Cinder breathed, looking up at the blonde huntress nursing her hand.

Emerald eyes met amber ones and they stared at each other. Then, Cinder looked at the huntress’ burned palm and she backed away.

“Cinder,” Ms. Goodwitch spoke softly. Gently.

The huntress hesitated for a moment, the fear of being burnt staying her hand. But a resolve showed in her eyes and she reached out as far as she could.

She snatched Cinder's hand in an instant, and even as the child tried to pull away out of fear of burning her again, she held fast.

She pulled Cinder into a tight hug, squeezing her with all the care and comfort she could muster.

“It's okay, Cinder. It's okay.” Glynda Goodwitch whispered as the girl sobbed. “I'm here. It's over.”

Chapter Text

It was well past midnight when James Ironwood finally returned to the Glass Unicorn.

When Glynda had flown out of his office, he’d gone to pursue her. However, he stopped himself and thought of a better way to help her. It was a certainty that the Phyrites would turn the courts against her, but not if he pulled some favors first.

Child protective services was a public municipal agency outside of his sphere of influence. However, he knew people who weren’t, a few old friends and a few acquaintances.

In the end, he got the proper authorities to arrive on site within the hour. He then spent the next hour discussing the deals he had to make with his acquaintances before he left to find Glynda.

Stepping through the frost glass doors of the hotel, he found Atlesian policemen securing the area. Guests currently staying in the building were being ushered back to their rooms, and told to remain there while the police gathered evidence.

Down in the atrium, he spotted Trema held at a table, surrounded by officers. Her right wrist was wrapped in gauze.

Their eyes met and the Glass Unicorn’s proprietor shot up.

“General, you have to do something!” Trema Phyrite shrieked, storming up to him with her hands cuffed and officers holding her back. “That woman barged into my establishment, broke into an employee-only area, and–”

“Shut up,” James snapped back, eyes cold and mouth in a scowl. “You have the right to remain silent. God, I wish you’d exercise it, Phyrite.”

With that, James watched her flap her lips like a fish out of water. Her guards grabbed her shoulders and forced her to sit back down with her daughter, the one with dirty blonde hair who wore streaks of dried tears on her face.

James furrowed his brow and looked for the man with the highest rank in the room. Eventually, he spotted one Captain Bayard over by the front desk, barking orders.

“Captain,” the general called, walking over to him.

The man saluted. “General Ironwood, sir.”

“At ease, captain.” James flicked his eyes over to the Phyrites. “I thought Phyrite had two daughters?”

“The other one is being treated, sir,” the captain stated. “She was stabbed in the shoulder during the altercation.”

His eyes widened slightly, but he narrowed them immediately.

“I see… Where’s Miss Goodwitch and the girl?”

The captain looked across the atrium and James followed his gaze to a pair of officers guarding a side room. James gave an appreciative nod before he strode across the atrium, shooting another glare at the Phyrites along the way, and approached the officers. Both of them saluted and stepped aside, opening the door for him to enter.

Inside, he found Glynda sitting on a sofa beside a young girl, somewhere between eleven and twelve, he thought. She seemed older, but he couldn’t be certain.

Her raven-black hair was tied up in a pair of buns on her head and the uniform she wore was soiled with dirt, dust, and blood. A blanket was draped over her shoulders and gripped tightly by her bloodied fingers.

When the doors clicked shut behind him, Glynda looked up and met his eyes. She had yet to wipe the tear streaks from her face.

James swallowed a lump in his throat before he gestured at the little girl.

“This is her then?” he asked quietly.

Glynda nodded and sucked in her lips as she glanced down at the girl, who clutched her blanket tighter around her.

He sucked in a deep breath and stepped forward before kneeling down in front of her.

“Hello, my name is James Ironwood.”

The little girl didn’t look up at him, instead turning her face further away. “…You’re the general.”

He nodded. “I am.”

From this angle, he watched her amber eyes glance around at the floor for a moment before she quietly asked, “What happens now?”

He breathed in and sighed, trying to remember all the steps to an investigation.

“Now, we gather evidence, we take testimonies, and then we make sure your mother gets put on trial.”

“…Will she get punished?”

“If everything works out right. Yes.”

“…How badly?”

James sealed his lips, pulling them into a thin line. He glanced up at Glynda, who shook her head.

The girl didn’t need to hear about that. She didn’t need to focus on violence after experiencing it.

“Do you need any food?” James asked. “Water?”

She shook her head even when her stomach growled.

“What’s going to happen to me?” The little girl looked up at him, suspicion in her eyes. “Where am I going to go?”

He opened his mouth, then shut it quickly. Looking up, he met Glynda’s shameful gaze.

“You’ll probably be sent to an orphanage while everything is being worked out,” Glynda answered in a calm, gentle voice. “When everything’s over….”

She looked to him for the rest of the answer and James elaborated further, “They’ll probably find you a new foster home. A better one–”

“So, that's it then?” The girl clenched her blanket tightly, fingers visibly heating up with aura. “After everything? I just get passed along again?”

Both James and Glynda shot up in alarm as her blanket lit on fire.

“Cinder, your hands!”

The girl threw the blanket on the ground, not so much out of alarm but more out of frustration. James stamped out the flames before smoke reached the fire alarms, but he was too late.

Suddenly, the alarms blared and the sprinkles activated, spraying water all over them.

“Cinder!”

A blur of black hair and white clothes shoved past them, barging through the doors of the room.

“Stop her!” James barked on instinct.

Unfortunately, these were police officers, not his usual men. They stumbled and gawked, stunned by surprise. However, when they looked back and met his eyes, they immediately jumped to attention and ran after the girl.

It was too late, however, as James and Glynda stepped into the atrium. 

The frost glass doors slammed shut behind her as she escaped into the streets of Atlas.

It wasn’t fair! Even when she was free, she wasn’t!

Cinder sprinted as fast and as far as she could, her chest on fire and her heart throbbing with pain. She ran from her prison, she ran from her past. She threw herself into the darkened streets of Atlas, seeking refuge in the shadows.

At least out in the unknown, there was a chance she could find a happy ending. Anywhere else they were going to send her would only be her doom–

Suddenly, she collided with a body and stumbled backward until she landed on her butt. A sharp cry escaped her mouth and she propped herself up with her elbows.

Looking up, she found herself sitting before two men, both wearing scowls.

“Hey, watch where you’re goin’!” the man barked angrily as he rubbed his leg. “I think you broke something just now!”

She shot him a baffled look. “Wh-What?”

“Yeah, you just hurt my friend!” the other man cried before he pointed at her. “But, uh, that’s a pretty fancy-looking uniform you got on. You must have some money to pay for the hospital bill, right?”

“…I don’t have any money.”

“No, no, come on,” the first man urged as he rubbed his leg. “You gotta have some. Wouldn’t want us to take this to court right?”

Cinder sucked in a sharp breath and pushed herself back. “Stay away from me!”

The other man slipped something out of his pocket. It was small and thin, and then a knife blade flicked out of it.

“Where do you think you’re going, huh?”

Cinder scrambled back and away, quickly spinning around onto her hands and knees before she pushed herself up. However, before she got back onto her feet, she stopped and found herself facing a pair of legs dressed in black trousers.

Her eyes traveled north to find a solemn face tucked into an olive green scarf. Tosseled, silvery hair brushed the top of a pair of spectacles that concealed the man’s eyes. However, it was clear he was leering down at her.

The mysterious man reached up a hand and Cinder flinched, but then peeked up at the man as he pulled the glasses down his nose.

He watched her with a pair of soft, almond brown eyes. Then, he pushed the glasses up and smiled.

“Please close your eyes and ears for a moment, young lady.” He gestured at her with a cane in his hand, a few exposed gears in its handle glinting in the street lights. “Go on.”

Cinder obeyed, entranced by his weird nature.

The last glimpse of the world she had was the sight of the silver-haired man wearing a scowl as he looked up at the thugs.

Wielding the Disciplinarian, Glynda shot herself up to the top of a nearby building and scanned the streets below.

“Cinder!” Glynda called, one hand cupping her mouth. “Cinder! Please, come back!”

She stepped back to get a running start and leaped onto another building. She scanned the alley in-between and then moved to scan another. Her investigation kept her going from block to block, her body tiring but her spirit unwavering.

How could things have turned out like this?

Regret filled Glynda’s heart as she continued deeper into the city, moving from the upper class district into the the commercial district. Her heart ached with remorse as her determined eyes surveyed the streets around her.

Cinder deserved the truth, that was certain. But she should have been more reassuring, she should have told her that a happy ending was possible….

Stumbling across a roof, Glynda fell to her knees and took heavy breaths.

She couldn’t fail that little girl now. She had failed her once already and she refused to do it again.

“Glynda!” James voice called out from the street below. “Are you up there?”

Climbing back onto her feet, she walked over to the edge of the roof and looked down. James looked back up at her, climbing out of a police car.

Using her semblance, she jumped down and descended slowly until she was standing in front of him.

“I can’t find her,” she said tiredly.

“The police have cars patrolling the area,” he claimed, grabbing her shoulders and holding her tightly. “They’ll find her.”

“What if they don’t?”

“Glynda.” James looked her in the eye with a stern gaze. “It’s almost three in the morning and you’ve been going nonstop since the convention. You need to rest. You’re going to collapse before you find her.”

“But–”

Glynda cut herself off then, hearing a faint sound nearby.

Even if she was exhausted, her legs burning and her head heavy, she knew the sound of fighting when she heard it. There were cries and yelps, the thwacking of something hard hitting skin.

“Do you hear that?” she asked, standing up a bit straighter.

James raised an eyebrow and opened his ears before he nodded. “Yes. I do.”

He reached into his jacket and unholstered Due Process, pulling back the hammer.

“Officers, with me,” he ordered before hurrying with her to the source of the commotion.

Just around a nearby corner, they stumbled upon a fight. At least, the aftermath of a fight.

Two thugs lay on the ground unconscious with a familiar, silver-haired man standing in defense of a raven-haired girl.

“Headmaster?” Glynda balked incredulously.

“Ozpin?”

Ozpin turned and regarded them with a friendly smile, a playful look in his eyes.

“Greetings, Glynda. James.” He set his cane down on the ground and leaned on it as they approached. “It’s a wonderful night for a stroll, don’t you think?”

Glynda gaped at him, trying to comprehend the sight.

The man should be back in Vale at Beacon! There was an audit and he was the headmaster! What was he doing here in Atlas and who was taking care of all the paperwork?

This was why she never trusted him to keep the academy actually going.

“What are you doing here?” Glynda hissed, throwing out her arms as she shot him a furious look. “The audit!”

“No need to fret, Glynda.” He waved a hand dismissively and flashed her a reassuring smile. “I’ve already got Bartholomew taking care of it. Well, him and Peter.”

She blinked at him. “Bartholomew?”

Ozpin gave a light chuckle and nodded.

“Who do you think helped me with the audits before you joined the staff?” He scratched his chin and pursed his lips as he looked up with a pondering look. “Well, I suppose it was actually him and Bren, but Bren retired, so… here’s hoping he remembers where everything goes.”

Glynda gawked at him for a long moment before she stuck her fingers in her hairline and threw her head back with an aggravated groan.

God, it was going to be a nightmare when she got back.

“Ahem! Ozpin?” James stepped forward, gloved hand curled into a fist that he coughed into. “If you could answer Glynda’s question.”

The silver-haired headmaster arched an eyebrow before he recalled the inquiry. Then, he mouthed an ‘o’ before he smiled and nodded.

“Ah yes,” he said, “why, I had to come and see what my dear deputy headmistress and right hand was up to. It’s not often she takes vacations. Even more so when there’s work to be done.”

With that said, he stepped away and looked down at the child curled up on the ground, her hands covering her ears and eyes squeezed shut.

“I believe I found my answer,” Ozpin said before he knelt down close to the ground. “You may open your eyes now, young lady.”

He touched her arm and Cinder blinked open her eyes.

The young girl looked up at him with suspicious eyes and then looked at the bruised men taking involuntary naps on the ground.

“Is it over?” she asked.

Ozpin nodded and held out a hand. She put her smaller one in it and the headmaster helped her to her feet.

Once she was standing again, she noticed Glynda and James standing before her.

Cinder immediately looked away, shame and anger mixing on her face.

Glynda gripped her left arm and squeezed it uncomfortably as she looked at the little girl, not knowing what to say. Meanwhile, James silently directed the police officers with them to pick up the men on the ground.

“Can I assume they were causing trouble?” he asked.

Ozpin nodded and the officers called over a car on their radios before they dragged them over to a street pole, tying them to it.

“Now then,” Ozpin spoke, checking the time on his watch, “it is currently three forty-five in the morning. You’ve all been running around, taking in rather unsavory sights, and I imagine you’re quite exhausted. I suggest we head somewhere warm to catch some rest, and once we’ve recharged our batteries, we can continue where you all left off.”

Cinder glanced up at him and then at Glynda. Glynda met her eyes before she sighed and nodded.

They ultimately chose to convene in James’ office the next morning, Glynda choosing to sleep in James’ quarters at Atlas Academy rather than return to her hotel. Cinder herself was gifted her own quarters, a pair of Atlesian Knights guarding the door. James meanwhile disappeared off to sleep at his private residence while Ozpin said he would take a stroll through the academy.

It was sometime around noon or later when Glynda left to visit her hotel, get out of the dress she’d worn to the convention, and then return to the academy in her standard attire. There, she met Ozpin, who had been chatting with several Atlesian students about their curriculum. And then, together, they headed up to James’ office.

“So, here’s how things are going to proceed going forward,” James declared, hands clasped and set on his desk as he leaned over it. “The Phyrite family is in custody and they’re currently attempting to call in favors. It’ll take a few days for the defense and prosecution to process all the evidence. Then there’s the trial, and depending on how long they intend to drag it out it could take weeks. Ultimately, I’m confident that we’ve got them cornered, especially with yours and Cinder’s testimony, Glynda.”

Glynda nodded stiffly, her arms folded over her chest. Beside her, Ozpin hummed and stroked his jaw.

“Are we not concerned about Cinder’s state?” he asked. “Are we certain she can take the stand?”

Briefly, Glynda recalled the state she’d found Cinder in last night. The hate in her eyes and the fire in her palms.

“I don’t think she is, or if she ever will be,” Glynda remarked. “That girl has been through a lot. She needs time to recover.”

James let out an exasperated breath and wiped a hand over his face before holding his forehead.

After a second or so had passed, he wet his lips and held his chin.

“If I remember correctly, we might be able to circumvent that.” He gestured with his hands and then leaned back into his chair, arms crossed tightly. “A recorded confession still acts as evidence, but the Phyrites could also contest that. Call it altered evidence. It would draw out the trial for much longer.”

“But it would spare Cinder having to see them again?” Glynda inquired.

James nodded and Glynda smiled.

“Good,” was all that she had to say.

It was at that point that Ozpin stepped forward with a finger held up.

“That still leaves the issue of the aftermath,” he remarked before he grasped the head of his cane. “Miss Cinder was quite vehement about not returning to the foster system.”

The two other adults in the room shifted uncomfortably, not entirely sure how to broach that subject.

It felt wrong to do that to the young girl, but they had no other choice. She deserved the world after everything she’d been through, but the world was harsh. It could be cold and cruel, and right now it was choosing to be just that.

In the end, James let out an exasperated sigh and leaned forward, giving Ozpin a frustrated look. 

“Is that really an issue we need to bring up?” he asked, throwing out a hand to gesture. “She has no relatives we’re aware of, and according to the adoption papers we recovered from Phyrite’s office, she’s only ten. Almost eleven if the date of birth is right. She won’t be going anywhere else until she’s seventeen, so either way, she’ll have to be sent there.”

Ozpin’s frown deepened. “I imagine she has poor experiences with such places.”

“Unfortunately, her personal feelings don’t matter,” James sighed, placing his face in his hands, “not to the law.”

Then the law had to be wrong.

Glynda sucked in her lips and paced away from James’ desk. She looked up at the ceiling, searching it for answers before she did the same to the floor.

Her stomach twisted and tied itself into knots while her heart ached for the poor child.

After a while, she stepped back up to the others and gazed sadly at James.

“…Is there really nothing we can do?” she asked.

James threw up a hand again, letting it slam back on his desk. “Not unless one of us wants to become her legal guardian.”

The proposal was put into the room, taking up the entirety of its space. None of them dared to meet each others’ eyes, not wanting to prod the others into taking up the offer.

Then, however, Ozpin’s cane clacked on the ground as he stepped forward, drawing both Glynda’s and James’ attention.

“I do believe we’re forgetting an important note,” Ozpin interjected as he put his weight on the top of his cane, “we have yet to ask Miss Cinder her opinion on the matter.”

When Cinder had woken up this morning, it had been from a nightmare.

She had relived last night’s events: the pain and torment inflicted by the Madame and her stepsisters. She had felt it all over again, and then she relived her rampage tenfold.

Her hands had melted flesh and burnt bone. She had created knives from melted metal and stabbed and cut and sliced. She had performed so much carnage that the last recognizable memory that still lingered in her mind as she ate her breakfast was a pair of bloody hands.

Cinder swallowed down the fluffy pancake provided to her by the man in uniform and downed it with a cup of milk.

Her breakfast was sweet and salty, a whole meal cooked just for her. She had never eaten a full meal before, the closest being her shared meals with Ms. Goodwitch. 

While she ate, she eyed the door to her room, this stuffy place with beds built into the wall and bare furniture she didn’t know what to do with. It was far cozier than her previous arrangements, but it also felt just as confining.

What were they going to do with her now? She had tried to run away… Was she going to be punished for that?

As if the world had heard her, the door to her new room opened and the three adults who had come to her rescue last night stepped inside.

“Good morning, Cinder,” Ms. Goodwitch greeted with a tiny smile and a stiff wave.

Cinder looked away, not knowing how to greet her now after everything that had happened.

She heard the woman sigh and move to stand somewhere in the corner of the room. The other two men walked past her, and from a quick glance, she noted that General Ironwood was taking a seat at the table with her while the silver-haired man—Ozpin, as he had introduced himself late last night—was standing over his shoulder.

“Okay, Cinder, I’m going to explain what’s going to happen next, alright?” the general stated. “Could you please look at me?”

Cinder swallowed down the remnants of her breakfast and the lump in her throat before she mustered the courage to meet his steely gaze.

The stern man gave her a nod before he started.

“Starting in a few days, your stepfamily is going to be put on trial,” General Ironwood declared firmly, his voice stern and face impassive. “For the trial, we need either of two things from you: You can either go there and testify that they abused you in person, or you can record a testimony and we’ll take that instead so you don’t have to see them. It’s up to you which one you’d like to do.”

Cinder imagined what the first option would be like.

She had no knowledge of anything concerning trials or whatever the process was for getting her stepfamily in trouble. From what she was hearing, however, it sounded like they needed her to go up and tell people that everything that happened was real. That the Madame and her stepsisters were terrible people, and they deserved to be hurt and punished.

However….

“You stupid rat!”

“How dare you, after everything we’ve done for you!”

“Say it!”

Cinder shook and she balled her hands into fists. She briefly relived the abuse in her head before she bowed her head low, tears welling in her eyes.

“I-I don’t want to see them.”

“Then you won’t,” Mr. Ozpin declared nearly immediately, tapping his cane on the ground.

In the corner of her vision, she spotted General Ironwood nodding affirmingly.

“We’ll need to record you giving us a testimony later then.”

She nodded obediently, and then, after a few seconds, looked up at the three adults.

“…Am I still going to the orphanage again?”

Regret and remorse crossed all their faces. General Ironwood and Mr. Ozpin looked away, but Ms. Goodwitch stepped forward over to her.

“That’s something we also wanted to talk about with you,” she claimed, letting her arms fall from her chest. “We– I–….”

Ms. Goodwitch closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, standing up straighter and fixing her stance before she exhaled deeply.

“If… you could go wherever you wanted right now, where would you like to go?”

Cinder stared at her, processing the question.

Where would she like to go? Where was there to go?

Mistral had been nothing more than a creaky, dilapidated cabin passing as an orphanage. The only people she knew there were bullies and an uncaring adult who gladly let her be taken by the Madame.

Here in Atlas? She had only ever known the Glass Unicorn.

The orphanage here… could it be anything more than the same one she knew in Mistral? Likely not….

Looking up at the adults, she studied their faces as they studied hers.

General Ironwood wore a stony expression, appearing more like a statue than a man. He seemed intent on making sure her stepfamily was put on trial, but he didn’t seem to care what happened after. Or, at least he cared that it followed his rules.

Mr. Ozpin seemed like a nice man, but she had only met him last night.

And Ms. Goodwitch… was the nicest, most caring person she had ever met.

At first, she had appeared as stiff and straight as the general, but she had offered out a warmer side of herself. She had taught her about aura when she begged, she had given her a parting gift and a hug as a goodbye. And when she found her in her room, she had wept for her and promised her that she would deliver her from her suffering. And she had.

Cinder stared at the table in front of her for a long time before she licked her chapped lips, wetting them as she turned her gaze up and looked at Ms. Goodwitch in her emerald eyes.

“…I-I… I want to go with you.”

Emerald eyes widened with surprise… and something else, something warm and bright that made eyes glisten with tears.

The huntress took a step back and bowed her head, an arm coming up to dry her face immediately.

“I see!” Glynda turned around and looked up, sucking in another deep breath. 

Behind her, General Ironwood swiveled around in his chair, shooting her some kind of concerned look while Mr. Ozpin… smiled?

A moment of silence passed before the general stood up and cleared his throat.

“Perhaps we should discuss this all in my office.” He turned to regard Cinder with a scrutinizing gaze before he nodded at her. “Here in a moment, someone will be down here to record your testimony. They’ll ask you a series of questions, some of them might be… uncomfortable, but you need to answer them truthfully so your stepfamily can be put away. Understand?”

Cinder nodded, lips sealed in a thin line and eyes narrowed in a determined gaze.

With that, the three adults left the room and Cinder looked after them as they disappeared behind the door.

She was really thinking about this… God, she was really thinking about this.

Glynda breathed in and out, in then out. She tried to calm her racing heart as her stomach tugged uncomfortably. However, all her efforts seemed to be in vain because she remained caught up in the storm of emotions that swept her off her feet and sent her tumbling through her chaotic mind.

The only thing that seemed to stop her from going mad right then and there was Ozpin clearing his throat, pulling her from the thousand thoughts racing through her head.

“So….” Ozpin closed his eyes for a moment and then turned to direct a smile at her. “Have you ever thought about being a mother, Glynda?”

Once, yes. A long time ago when she’d dated a classmate. And then again later when she dated a fellow huntsman during her time as an active huntress.

She also supposed her teenage years counted when she had an adolescent crush on the headmaster next to her.

“No, we are not entertaining the thought!” James blurted out right after Ozpin’s mouth closed.

He stormed out of the elevator and into his office, one hand rubbing his jaw softly as he paced. 

Glynda and Ozpin stepped in after him, and they watched as he burrowed a trench into the floor before he stopped and pointed a finger at the huntress.

“Glynda, you– She– You can’t be seriously thinking about that?”

James pressed his gloved knuckles to his chin and clenched his jaw. All the while, Ozpin remained standing with a smile and Glynda looked away, folding her arms over her chest again uncomfortably.

“You seem rather frantic about this, James,” Ozpin prodded.

The general immediately exploded, spinning around to point an accusing finger at Ozpin this time.

“Of course, I am!” he yelled. “How can’t I be! Glynda can’t adopt a child! She’s– She’s a busy woman! She has responsibilities! She– She’s your right hand–”

“And she can speak for herself, James,” Glynda intervened, looking up to meet his eyes.

His fretful countenance softened, the worry and apprehension in his wild eyes, his clenched jaw, and his knit brow easing away.

“…You’re not seriously thinking about–”

Glynda swallowed and nodded. “I am.”

Something in him seemed to shatter, she wasn’t sure what it was. Maybe it was his belief that he knew her deeply and intimately, or maybe it was his belief that he knew what was best for her. Either way, a crestfallen expression took the place of his heated one and James stepped back to sit against his desk.

“Think this through, Glynda,” James pleaded. “Raising a child is a massive responsibility and a costly one too.” He wiped a hand over his face before he threw it out to gesture at her. “And you're the deputy headmistress at Beacon, you’ll be spending most of your time on campus, not at home.”

“Technically, the campus is her home,” Ozpin remarked, albeit with a noticeable frown. “Though, I must agree with the general, Glynda.”

Her eyes widened in surprise as the headmaster turned to face her, his face as solemn as ever.

“Children are a heavy responsibility, especially at Miss Cinder’s age,” he proclaimed, visibly seeming to have some intimate knowledge on the subject. “She’s been through quite a lot and it won’t be easy raising her. She isn’t going to be a student you can praise or admonish. There isn’t a way to grade her growth. You’ll need to nurture her, comfort her, and above all, she will need you to be there with her, from start to finish.”

For whatever reason, Ozpin’s face grew melancholic. His eyes seemed tired and his lips curved ever so slightly down into a slight, but wistful frown. His shoulders drooped as if a great burden had suddenly dropped on top of him; or perhaps it had always been there and only now was he revealing this side of him to her.

Glynda watched him for a long moment and then turned to look at James. He wore the same sullen face, still against the idea of her adopting the little girl downstairs. And so, the choice was ultimately up to her.

Was she ready for this? Would she ever be ready for this? And if she wasn’t ready, when would she be? Did she even need to be ready?

Wetting her lips, Glynda tipped her head back and she sucked in some air to fill her lungs. She paced, the sound of her heels clicking echoing through the office as she moved to and from between the sides of the office space.

She was spoiled for choice right now, so many paths forward to choose from. But which choice was the right choice?

It was all too complicated, too confusing. Everything was mashed together and knotted up, layers upon layers of conflicting issues making it impossible to see what one decision could eventually lead to….

But, if she broke it all down… If she tore away the details and stripped away the what-ifs, and if she let all her worries fall away, then only one gleaming truth was left to see: There was a little girl downstairs who needed her help.

“…I’m taking her with me.” Glynda nodded her head as she affirmed her final decision. “I… I’m not leaving her here. Not alone. Not again.”

Both men in the room cast her dumbstruck looks, and then Ozpin bowed his head with a proud smile.

“Very well then, if that’s your decision then I suppose you’ll need a raise,” Ozpin proposed, stroking his chin. “You work hard enough to have earned one.”

James reared his head at his fellow headmaster. “Ozpin!”

“What? You yourself said that taking care of a child was costly.”

“That’s not– I didn’t– Aargh!”

James grabbed his head and released a furious growl, slamming a fist on his desk before he took a deep breath. Then, he pushed himself up, took a moment to compose himself, and turned to face her.

“Glynda….” A myriad of emotions crossed his face—worry, regret, doubt, fear among them—and he slowly stepped over to her. “Are you sure about this? I don’t… I don’t want to see you put yourself in this situation and… something bad happen.”

A fond smile crossed her face as she reached up a hand to cup his. “I understand your worry, James… but I think I can do this. Besides… I think I’ve been getting a little lonely.”

Just like General Ironwood had said earlier in the day, a few men came by to visit Cinder. They said they were with social services and had asked her a list of questions. They recorded her the whole time, keeping her on video as she talked about her life at the Glass Unicorn.

They asked her about her meager meals. They asked her about her daily life. They asked her about her beatings, about her shock torture, and about her cold, dark bedroom in the basement.

When they were finished, they gave her a pitying look and Cinder hated it.

Sitting alone in her room, she waited for someone else to come. She could have turned on the TV on the wall or opened the scroll they had given her, but she didn’t know what to do with either of them. So ultimately, she just sat there, waiting for the next part of her life to begin….

It was near the end of the day when the door to her room opened and Ms. Goodwitch stepped in.

Amber eyes looked up and locked with emerald ones.

The huntress smiled at her fondly and handled a stack of papers in her hands anxiously.

“…Cinder….” Ms. Goodwitch sucked in her lips and then moved to sit down at the table in the room. “Come over here. There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

She obliged her, getting off her bed and shuffling over to seat herself across from her. 

“Are you here to say goodbye again?” she asked.

Emerald eyes flicked away for a moment but then flicked back to her.

“Actually, Cinder, I wanted you to help me with these.”

Ms. Goodwitch set the papers down on the table and showed them to her. Cinder furrowed her brow and looked them over, trying and failing to read a lot of the paragraphs. There was a lot of confusing jargon and repeating phrases, things that talked about laws, and things like them. Then, there was a page just full of empty blocks that asked for names, dates, and other information.

“What do you need help with?” she asked in confusion, looking up at the beaming huntress.

“Well, I learned a moment ago that I never asked you for your last name,” Ms. Goodwitch said, pulling out a pen from her pocket. “I imagine you won’t want to use your stepfamily’s name, so… do you remember your birth family’s name?”

Cinder shook her head. “No.”

Her former tutor blushed and rubbed her neck as she remarked, “Then what if we use mine?”

Amber eyes blinked in confusion, and then in surprise. They stared at the benevolent huntress that smiled fondly at her, and then Cinder sifted through the papers until she found the page that was titled ‘Application for Adoption Registration’.

Cinder stared at the title for a long time, and then she looked up at Ms. Goodwitch before she wept with joy.

Chapter Text

It had taken time, almost a week in fact, but by the time they finally left the cold north, she had officially taken on the family name Goodwitch. Cinder Goodwitch….

Sitting on the airship, Cinder looked around and marveled at the interior design. She had walked into rooms made of wood, cement, and carpet, but she’d only ever been in a cabin composed of metal and glass once before. Though it was a normal sight for others, it was a marvel for her as she craned her head around for the hundredth time through the flight, peeking over the chairs in and behind her, watching attendants pass up and down the aisles, and looking out the window at the ocean rushing by beneath them.

Originally, when they had first boarded and taken off, she had been frightened. Then, after minutes had passed, she had taken to staring out the window in awe as they flew above the icy tundra of Mantle with wonder in her eyes.

Seated beside her, Ms. Goodwitch and Mr. Ozpin shared smiles whenever she peeked at them, both of them enjoying the sight of her awestruck face.

Her curiosity only grew when Ms. Goodwitch showed her the in-flight movies she could watch on the TVs built into the back of the chair in front of her. She had ended up watching a show about transforming robots from outer space.

In the middle of an episode, the intercom in the ceiling suddenly buzzed as a voice called out, “Ladies and gentlemen, we are now approaching Vale.”

Next to her, Ms. Goodwitch and Mr. Ozpin perked up, the duo popping their necks and arching their backs.

“Almost home, it would seem,” Ozpin chuckled. “I do hope Batholomew’s nearly finished with the audit.”

Her guardian sighed and rubbed her eyelids. “I cannot believe you pushed the task onto him and Peter of all people.”

“He had experience.”

“‘ Had ,’ sir. That is the keyword.”

Ozpin chuckled while Ms. Goodwitch crossed her arms, sat back, and groaned.

Very soon, the vast expanse of glimmering blue waters outside the window began to change. Distant mountains stood faintly in the distance with a scarlet forest encircling their base. The rolling tides were replaced by barrages of white foam washing onto golden beaches. And a great city of colorful roofs and bustling streets lit by a shining sun was sprawled out over the land close to them, becoming more detailed as they drew nearer.

Unlike Atlas, the city of steel and stone that glowed under the aurora at night and was golden under the noon sun, Vale seemed like a chromatic metropolis. There were no clusters of great spires or towering skyscrapers, but there were wide open streets with a myriad of different buildings of varying architecture, all of them adorned with bright and colorful decor. Even from so high up, she could see that everything was so… expressive. Alive.

“This is Vale?” Cinder breathed in awe yet again, her amber eyes wide with reverence.

A presence made itself known over her shoulder and she spied Ms. Goodwitch leaning over to take a look out the window with her. 

“Yes,” her guardian answered with an amused smile.

Cinder looked at her. “And you live here?”

Ms. Goodwitch opened her mouth to answer but then closed it as the airship slowed and turned. A playful look crossed her face and she lifted a finger to point out the window.

“Well, technically, we live over there.” 

Cinder followed her finger to the far distance, down the great river that cut through the city and led to what looked like an enormous castle.

“Beacon Academy.”

They landed at Vale’s international airport, gathered their luggage, and then took a short walk over to the airships that would take them to Beacon. The entire time, Cinder had marveled at the sights around her.

Glynda smiled and looked over at the little girl beside her. Her adopted daughter.

That was going to take a while to get used to.

A smile spread across her lips nonetheless as she watched the girl look out the window, studying the commercial district as they moved up the river and to Beacon.

Upon landing, they gathered their belongings and stepped out onto the landing platform. Near immediately, they were met by Peter and Bartholomew, the former running over in a frantic sprint, his face drenched with sweat and his double-breasted suit opened to reveal his undershirt also in a similar state.

“Headmaster!” Peter called out, slowing to a stop. He took a moment to hold his knees and heave in a few deep breaths. “H-Head–…master.”

Next to him, Bartholomew sipped from his mug and lifted a finger.

“What Peter means to say is, we’ve managed to finish a good thirty percent of the audit.”

Glynda’s right eye twitched.

“…Only thirty percent?” Ozpin inquired, tugging on his scarf as he swallowed.

He attempted to discreetly take a peek at her expression, only to discover her already giving him a seething glare.

“I see… Well, I suppose I should get right to it then,” he declared, voice weak. “Glynda, please feel free to take the day off.”

She huffed and took Cinder’s hand. “I certainly will, sir.”

It was then that Peter and Bartholomew noticed the raven-haired child standing beside her.

The rotund Grimm Studies instructor raised himself up to stand straight and buttoned up his coat as he watched Cinder with a curious look. Meanwhile, the history teacher fixed his tie and put on a friendly smile.

At her side, Cinder stepped back and behind Glynda, her hand squeezing hers tightly.

“Now, who might this be?” Bartholomew asked, tipping himself forward to take a closer look at her.

Glynda wet her dry lips and breathed in deeply before she introduced her.

“This….” She squeezed Cinder’s hand reassuringly and used her other to take the girl’s left shoulder, pulling her forward a step. “…is Cinder… Goodwitch. My daughter.”

Her face warmed considerably and she struggled to hold a stoic demeanor in front of her colleagues.

Meanwhile, Peter’s bushy eyebrows shot up into his hairline, which was quite a distance up his forehead. Bartholomew merely raised an eyebrow and pressed his lips together before he smiled again.

“Well, that explains the sudden vacation, Glynda!” Peter remarked loudly with a boisterous laugh before he knelt down, placing one hand on the floor as he met Cinder at eye level. “It’s wonderful to meet you, dear Cinder. My name is Peter Port, I work with your mother.”

Cinder glanced up at her and then at Peter before she swallowed and then waved.

“Hello there,” Bartholomew greeted, raising his mug. “My name is Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck and I too work with your mother, young lady.”

Cinder glanced between the both of them and opened her mouth. “H-Hi.”

Peter chuckled and nodded before he got back up onto his feet, grabbing the edges of his collar to adjust his suit. “I suppose there’s a story here, dear Glynda?”

“Quite,” Ozpin interjected, walking over and past them, “one we can speak of elsewhere… If that is alright?”

The headmaster looked back at Glynda and she nodded but then frowned.

“I believe there’s time to gossip later, sir. I do believe there’s work to be done… such as the audit,” she said, her stern tone falling into an angry growl.

He smiled nervously and nodded before hurrying off, waving the two other Beacon professors to follow him.

As they departed, Glynda collected her luggage and nudged her head to signal Cinder to follow her.

“Come along now, Cinder, it’s time to show you where you’ll be staying.”

Cinder nodded and fell into step with her. “Okay, Miss Goodwitch.”

Pushing open the door to her on-campus apartment, Glynda held it for Cinder to walk past and inside. She followed her in, carrying and dragging her luggage with her before setting them down on the ground. Then, reaching over, she flicked the lights on, revealing her apartment’s living room.

“So, here we are… home sweet home.”

Glynda glanced around the living room, suddenly feeling like the room was… smaller.

As she surveyed the shelves, furniture, and wall decorations, Cinder stepped over and put her hand on the coffee table in the center of the room. She wiped her fingers over the top of it and rubbed them together.

A sneeze escaped the girl and she rubbed her nose. “It's dusty.”

Heat rose to Glynda’s cheeks and she nodded in agreement.

“Yes, well, I haven't been home in a while….”

Placing her hands on her hips, Glynda breathed in and she plotted the rest of her schedule for the day.

First thing on the list, getting some rest now that they were back in Vale.

There was nothing more that she wanted to do than drag her feet down the hall, step into her bedroom, and collapse onto her bed. Already, her limbs were feeling heavier, her mind was slowing down, and her vision was blurring every so slightly.

As if on cue, Cinder gave a loud yawn, stretching her arms as she did. It seemed like she was ready to flop onto her own bed… Right, Cinder needed a bed to flop on too.

Unfortunately, when Glynda joined Beacon’s faculty and paid for on-campus housing, she chose a single-bedroom apartment. It was a smart move for a single huntress starting her teaching career, but now it was an issue she’d need to address soon.

“Alright, Cinder,” Glynda yawned, tapping a hand against the girl’s back to lead her further inside. “Let’s get you to bed.”

Cinder obeyed, following her past the living room and to the right, down a hall that led to the bedroom and a bathroom. After pushing the door open, Cinder took a look around and Glynda did the same, taking a brief look at the pictures and framed degrees before she ushered the girl further in.

“Here, you can have the bedroom,” Glynda said, peeling the covers back.

In the corner of her vision, she caught Cinder rubbing her arm nervously. “What about you?”

What about her?

She stopped and wondered for a moment before she relented.

“Well, I'll sleep on the couch outside,” she answered.

“…Are you sure?”

Glynda looked over at Cinder, whose gaze was cast to the ground. Her sock-clad feet rubbed against the carpet as she shifted in place, clearly uncomfortable with all that she was being given.

Leaving the bed behind, Glynda stepped over and knelt before the raven-haired girl. She waited patiently until her newly adopted daughter looked up and met her eyes, and then she smiled fondly.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“I should've used this setting from the start, shouldn't I have?”

“No!”

Cinder’s voice echoed through the darkness around her. She heaved in sharp breaths of air, her heart racing in her chest. Near immediately, she curled up and prepared herself for another jolt of lightning to surge through her body… but it never came.

Minutes passed before she peeked open an eye and studied the dark around her. It took her a moment to realize it wasn’t that dark actually, sunlight filtering through curtain-covered windows behind her and faintly illuminating the room around her.

Uncurling herself, she looked down at the soft bed she laid on and up at the picture-clad walls around her.

It came back to her again like it had the many nights she’d awoken from the nightmares. Her abuse was over, she was with Ms. Goodwitch now.

Slipping out of bed, Cinder took a deep breath and stood up. She stretched her body and let the tension seep out of her. Then, she went over and stepped out of the bedroom.

Walking around the apartment, she searched for her guardian but found every other room empty. Had she gone out?

Returning to the bedroom, Cinder sat down on her bed and bobbed her knee before she got back up.

She strode around the room, touring her guardian’s apartment. She glanced over all the picture frames and wall decorations, taking in the sight of Glynda Goodwitch in her younger years.

There was one picture that stole her attention more than the rest: a framed photo of four girls, a young Ms. Goodwitch among them.

At the bottom of the picture was written in red marker: ‘Team GLDN shining forever —Laurel Elms.’

Cinder studied the image for a long moment, taking in the sight of the posing young adults. She noted their outfits, their glinting weapons, and the bright, beaming smiles on their face. And she wondered if this was her guardian’s team of huntresses. That was how huntsmen and huntresses worked, wasn’t it?

At that moment, she heard the door to the apartment shut and she jumped. Walking over, she peeked out of the bedroom and spotted Ms. Goodwitch carrying several plastic bags.

Their eyes met when she glanced down the hall and the huntress smiled.

“I bought you some new clothes,” she said, raising one of the bags before she set it down. “I realized that the only clothes I had for you were what you’re wearing now, so….”

Ms. Goodwitch pulled out a black t-shirt that opened up and revealed a graphic image of a castle enshrined with a laurel wreath. Beneath it, were some words in another language and then the title: ‘Beacon Academy’.

Her guardian cringed and grimaced as she folded the t-shirt up. “Unfortunately, the only place I could buy clothes on such short notice was the gift shop… We’ll go into town later to buy you more. I promise.”

Walking over to her, Cinder picked up the shirt and unfolded it, staring at it for a long time before she pressed it against herself to compare the size.

It was the first article of clothing anyone had ever gotten her, and now she was saying that they would go buy more later.

A jubilant smile cracked her stunned facade and Cinder beamed at her guardian. “Thank you!”

It was well past midnight, long after Cinder had eaten her dinner—food taken from the academy’s cafeteria—when Glynda left her apartment.

Making her way across campus, she headed for the CCT Tower. There, with her ID, she stepped inside and took the elevator to the top floor. The whole trip up, she gripped the Disciplinarian in her hands and tapped her foot impatiently.

When the doors opened, she stormed into Ozpin’s office.

Inside, she found a mess of papers scattered across the floor in a haphazard pattern. Boxes of files were stacked against one wall and the other had a table set up with a coffee machine on it.

Ozpin sat behind his desk, reviewing documents with a steaming mug next to him. Peter was on the ground, scratching his head while he sifted through a box. And Bartholomew was making some sense out of the aforementioned scattered papers on the floor.

The latter two looked up at Glynda, giving her nervous smiles. Meanwhile, Ozpin left his eyes on the documents in front of him and raised a hand to wave at her.

“Welcome, Glynda, I’m glad you could join us,” he said, setting his papers down to move on to another set.

Glynda sighed and strode into the office, tapping the Disciplinarian in her hand.

“How far along are we now?” she asked.

Bartholomew sipped from his own steaming mug before he answered, “We’ve managed to finish approximately… two and a half boxes since we last saw you.”

The history teacher pointed at the stacked boxes against the wall. Looking at it again, she realized it was divided between two different stacks. One was shorter than the other and thankfully it seemed like the shorter stack was the one that needed to be gone through still.

Using her semblance, she telekinetically pulled one of the unfinished boxes over to her as she moved to sit down at Ozpin’s desk.

Time passed slowly as she got to work, sorting through all the documentation on Beacon’s expenditures. She compared numbers, making sure everything evened out correctly. The papers she got through were stacked next to her, and around forty-five minutes later the stack had come up to around shoulder height for her.

“So, Glynda, how is Cinder?”

Glynda narrowed her eyes and exchanged the page in front of her for the one behind it.

“Well. She’s asleep right now.”

Several seconds passed and Glynda flicked her eyes up from the paper in front of her, feeling the others staring at her. Immediately, she met Peter’s and Bartholomew’s eyes.

A sigh escaped the huntress and she returned to scanning the document. “Boys, this is not gossip hour. We have work to do.”

“Ahh, but we’ve been throwing our backs out all day!” Peter declared, holding a finger in the air as if proving a point. “If there ever was an hour to take a break why should it not be now?”

Bartholomew shot his finger up too. “I concur!”

Glynda pressed her lips together into a tight line and she looked at Ozpin. He met her gaze and set his papers down, silently announcing his agreement with them.

God, it was like working with children sometimes.

Letting her head drop, the deputy headmistress groaned in defeat and set her papers aside. After a second of ruminating, she got up and walked over to the coffee machine they’d set up, getting herself a steaming cup.

“So… Glynda…?”

She arched an eyebrow and glanced over her shoulder. The rest of the room was watching her, the men on the floor giving hesitant looks.

Glynda already knew what they were asking about. The look she must have given likely tipped them off to that fact.

“Ozpin’s told us about how you came upon Cinder, Glynda,” Bartholomew spoke, his usual spitfire manner of speaking slowing down a touch. “I don’t even know what I can say other than that you did the right thing.”

Returning to her seat, she nursed the cup of coffee in her hands. She stared into the steam, watching it absentmindedly as she replayed all that happened in Atlas in her head.

“…I should have done it sooner.” Glynda squeezed her cup tighter. “I should have known.”

“They hid their ill deeds well,” Ozpin remarked from the other side of the desk.

“But I felt something was wrong,” she argued, leveling a sharp look at him. “I should have acted. If I had, maybe Cinder wouldn’t have been….”

She sucked in a deep breath and held it for a moment, cooling the fire in her chest. Then, she let it out and sipped from her cup.

“…Young Cinder has been through so much.” Peter gave a heavy breath, his voice somber as he spoke. “Regardless of the suffering she has endured, she was lucky to have met you, Glynda, my dear. The world is brighter for what you did.”

Glynda shook her head, wanting to deny his proclamation. If her actions were so great, then why did Cinder flinch when someone raised their voice, why did she wake up in the middle of the night with a cry, and why did she have to wear a scar around her neck for the rest of her life?

Her eyes watered and Glynda wiped them away before she took another sip of coffee.

“We have work to do,” she declared, setting the cup aside and grabbing her papers again.

None of the men argued with her, all of them getting back to work immediately. However, it seemed they worked with more vigor and she was thankful for it.

The next morning, Glynda woke up to the sound of bare feet padding along the wooden floor paneling of her apartment. Her eyes fluttered open and found the morning sunlight piercing through the windows, flooding the living room with light. It burned and prompted her to squeeze her eyes shut, a groan slipping past her lips.

She tried to roll over and escape the light, hiding her face from it. Unfortunately, her bed was unusually lumpy and short…?

A dozen questions popped into Glynda’s head as she struggled to find a comfortable sleeping position. It dawned on her as the sound of small footfalls approached her.

“Miss Goodwitch?”

Glynda blinked and rubbed at her eyes as she pulled herself upright, shoving her blanket down into her lap.

“Cinder?” she murmured, squinting at her. “Yes? What is it?”

Emerald eyes squinted at the coffee table across from her and she reached out for her glasses. A smaller hand snatched them up and handed them to her.

“Thank you,” Glynda yawned, slipping them on and stretching. “What time is it?”

The little girl in front of her pursed her lips and looked around for a clock. Meanwhile, Glynda picked up her scroll and checked the digital clock on her lock screen.

It was well past ten, almost eleven. God, she was going to be late for… something. Wait, no, it was summer break.

Glynda groaned and dropped her scroll onto her blanket while she rubbed her temples.

When had she gotten back last night? Three in the morning? Four? They’d managed to complete a good chunk of the audit before calling it a night. Today, they were going to clean up the last of it after lunch, according to Ozpin’s instructions.

A loud gurgle yanked Glynda from her thoughts and she looked up at Cinder. The ten-year-old shifted her bare feet anxiously and held her stomach.

Alarm bells rang in the huntress’ head as she jumped to her feet, throwing her blanket off.

“Oh! Breakfast!” Glynda shot past Cinder and into the kitchen. “I’m so sorry, Cinder! I, uh– What do we have here?”

She swiveled left and right frantically, bouncing her eyes off the fridge, the cabinets, and the pantry before she threw open her first option.

The fridge was mostly empty, with some water bottles and leftovers from before and after Atlas sitting inside. She shut it with a grimace and moved on to her next option.

Digging through her cabinets, she found some cans of soup, beans, and other foods that were certainly not for breakfast; at least, in the traditional sense.

Finally, she opened her pantry and found boxes of cereal and oatmeal. Just how old were these? Wait, did she have milk? 

Glynda blinked, quickly shot across the kitchen, and threw open the fridge again. She grabbed the plastic carton of milk inside and gave it a shake. Oh God, it was expired.

The fledgling mother suppressed a frustrated cry and stole a glance at Cinder, who stood at the kitchen entrance watching her.

Fiddling with her blonde tresses, Glynda swallowed and calmed her frayed nerves. She didn’t have any food at home for Cinder, not ones that were healthy for a girl her age. She wasn’t about to start being an irresponsible parent right off the bat. No, she was going to figure this out….

What time did the cafeteria open? Seven. Oh God, but it was ten. Breakfast was about to end!

Glynda shut the fridge and looked at Cinder, emerald eyes locking with amber ones.

“Okay, let’s get dressed and head to breakfast!” she exclaimed, feigning cheeriness. “Have you taken a shower yet?”

Cinder shook her head quietly. Glynda inwardly grimaced.

“Alright then, come along!”

Glynda led Cinder over to the bathroom, opened the door, and ushered her in. She quickly checked all the bottles in the shower, making sure nothing was empty before she gave a relieved sigh.

“Alright, let me go find your clothes. You can go ahead and get in the shower.” Glynda grabbed the doorknob and her eyes moved past the empty hooks on the wall, making her freeze. “You… need a towel. Right. Of course.“

The huntress took another deep breath and exhaled heavily.

“I’ll be right back!”

Two minutes later, after dashing into her bedroom and ripping open her luggage, Glynda returned with everything she’d promised. She carried a bundle of clothes in her arms, a t-shirt, pants, underwear, and socks balled together, and she had her towels draped over her left shoulder.

Pushing the bathroom door open with her other shoulder, the huntress stepped inside with an exhausted sigh.

“Alright, this should be everything….”

Emerald eyes widened and Glynda’s voice left her as she stared at the shirtless Cinder. The tiny girl was pale and her skin was marred by old wounds carved into her flesh. Three years of abuse was laid bare before her and Glynda was petrified by horror.

God, just what had her stepfamily not done to her?

Amber eyes blinked at her, and then Cinder quickly covered herself up, pulling her shirt over herself with a squeak.

“I’m sorry!” Glynda blurted out before she hurriedly placed the clothes on the bathroom counter, then hung up the towels on the hooks on the wall. “Go ahead and take your time. I’ll go ahead and grab breakfast for you.”

She closed the door immediately afterward and stepped back. She stood outside the bathroom door for a moment, listening to Cinder fumbling around inside. It was only after she heard the shower start running that she collapsed against the wall behind her.

Her stomach roiled, churning uncomfortably as she breathed shuddering breaths. Tears welled in her eyes and dripped down her face as she tried to keep herself together.

The sight of Cinder’s scars made her want to throw up. It made her want to hold the poor girl tightly. It made her want to go back to Atlas immediately and rip Trema limb from limb.

Disgust and grief turned into vengeful wrath so easily.

Glynda breathed in then exhaled, barely suppressing a growl as she remembered that night.

Cinder had all but collapsed into her arms, her anger and fury burning her out. Glynda had held her so tentatively, terrified that she’d been hurt terribly. Thankfully, her brief use of her aura healed her from the abuse. The abusers, however, had still been there at her mercy.

The only thing that saved the Phyrites that night was the fact that one of the daughters had been bleeding out. The makeshift knife Cinder had used cut deeply into her shoulder, almost cooling and fusing with it. Driven by duty, Glynda had saved the girl's life before the paramedics arrived.

Sitting with her back pressed against the wall, Glynda looked up at the bathroom door and sighed before she got up. After grabbing her scroll from the living room, she gave the cafeteria a call.

“Hi, this is Professor Goodwitch, I’d like to have some of the breakfast catering put on hold for me.”

Twenty to forty minutes later, Cinder found herself seated inside Ms. Goodwitch’s office inside the massive tower at the heart of Beacon Academy.

Ms. Goodwitch had cleared off her desk to make room for the trays of food she’d picked up for them. Then, she’d grabbed one of the chairs in front of it and brought it around so Cinder could sit next to her. Together, they dug into their breakfast, a mishmashed collection of waffles, pancakes, sausages, bacon, bagels, and cinnamon rolls. They’d also grabbed a few cartons of milk to drown down their meal.

Cinder inhaled her breakfast immediately, biting off chunks of sausage and ripping apart bagels. She gulped down milk and stuffed her mouth full of fluffy pancakes. Her favorite piece of food though was the cinnamon rolls, these big, rolls of cinnamon spice covered in sticky icing.

Of all the foods she’d prepared at the Glass Unicorn, she’d never been able to steal a cinnamon roll before. Whether it was because she had to run or the icing could stick to her fingers and expose her, she ended up never being able to feed herself one. Now, however….

“Someone is enjoying themselves,” Ms. Goodwitch teased.

Cinder’s cheek flushed pink as she looked away but continued to savor the cinnamon roll. She savored the spice and sweetness of the next one too, and then the third. When she went for a fourth, however, Glynda grabbed her tray and turned it so the portion of sausage was facing her.

“Don’t forget your protein, young lady.”

Cinder flushed pinker and obeyed, chewing on the sausage. Beside her, Ms. Goodwitch sipped from her milk carton and chewed on some bacon. All the while, she tapped away at her computer, the desk projecting a holo-screen for her to view.

Now and again, Cinder tried to make sense of all the things her guardian was working on. There were files and recordings, videos of young men and women fighting with awe-inspiring weapons that Cinder had never seen or dreamed of before. While the videos played, she saw the huntress typing up things up on a separate document and addressing who she assumed to be the people in the videos.

“What are you doing?” Cinder eventually asked.

Ms. Goodwitch perked up and looked at her, then at her computer.

“I’m working,” she explained, typing away. “I’ve told you before that I’m Beacon combat instructor, yes?”

Cinder shrugged and her guardian hummed.

“Well, a part of my job is to study my students’ performance and give them notes on how to improve.” She pointed her chin to the screen in front of them. “Miss Aronia here has a tendency to remain stationary in a fight when she should be moving. She’d be an easy target for long-ranged opponents.”

Amber eyes blinked and Cinder processed the information. She imagined her guardian standing watching two students fight each other, studying them. She wondered how she could tell who fought better than the other. Then, she thought about all the different people she’d seen on campus by just walking around.

The place they’d gone to get their food had been massive, this enormous building practically the size of the Glass Unicorn’s foyer if not bigger. It had hosted rows upon rows of tables where crowds of young adults were eating, many of whom looked at her guardian with fear or reverence. If that was just a small part of Beacon’s total population, then just how many people did Ms. Goodwitch teach?

“You do that for everyone here?” she asked, looking over at the huntress next to her.

Ms. Goodwitch glanced down at her and nodded, but then paused.

“Eventually, yes,” she said, correcting herself. “Technically, I’m the ‘Chief Combat Instructor’. I have subordinates who oversee other classes I can’t teach, but every student eventually cycles through my supervision.”

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and they both watched it open.

“Speaking of which,” Ms. Goodwitch remarked as a man stepped through

A faunus man stepped through, tufts of fur running down the back of his neck. He was dressed in a burgundy suit, similar to Professor Port but significantly younger in appearance.

“Atro,” Ms. Goodwitch greeted with a nod and a stoic face, “how may I help you?”

“Good morning, professor,” he greeted with a wave, “I just wanted to ask– Oh, am I interrupting something?”

The faunus man Atro glanced between Ms. Goodwitch, Cinder, and the desk full of food.

Cinder herself looked at her guardian, who held her finger steepled on the desk and kept a straight face.

“Unless it’s something quick or important then no, you’re not,” she stated.

Atro glanced at Cinder, who shrank in her seat. Then, he cleared his throat.

“I was just wondering if you could review my notes.” He pulled out his scroll and flicked through it before holding it out. “I was going over the performances in the summer combat courses, but I wasn’t all too sure if what I wrote down was up to your standards.”

Ms. Goodwitch took the scroll from him and looked through a bunch of notes typed on it. Cinder watched her work for a moment, then she stole a glance at the faunus man.

Their eyes met and amber eyes immediately darted away, her cheeks flushing pink. Choosing to slip out of the conversation, the young girl grabbed another cinnamon roll and bit into it. All the while, she listened in on the conversation.

“Everything looks to be in order, although I would recommend you focus more on how each student’s performance affects their teammates’ during combat.”

The huntress looked up at Atro, and he nodded. Meanwhile, Cinder was struggling to open a carton of milk. The wet paperboard wasn’t cooperating with her–

A gasp escaped Cinder when an amethyst glow covered the milk carton. It immediately opened and she stole a glance at her guardian, who had a finger pointed in her direction. She hadn’t even batted an eye during her conversation with her co-worker.

Although, the faunus man shot her a curious look.

“Um, so,” Atro said, rubbing his neck, “just how should I–”

Cinder slurped on her milk, cutting him off. She immediately stopped, of course, freezing up in surprise at just how loud she’d been and also out of fear of repercussions.

On the other side of the desk, Atro pointed a finger at her and looked at her guardian.

“I’m sorry, who is she?” the faunus man asked.

Cinder flushed bright red and tried to shrink on the spot. Ms. Goodwitch, however, didn’t bat an eye.

“Ignore her,” her guardian remarked in a cool, unbothered tone.

Atro gave Cinder a perturbed look before he obeyed.

“Okay,” he exhaled, “but… what was I asking again?”

“You were inquiring about how to study the effects of one student’s actions on the performance of their team,” Ms. Goodwitch answered, her brow lowering. “I’m rather concerned that you aren’t capable of doing so.”

Amber eyes glanced from the huntress to the huntsman, who sat up straighter.

“I was just– I mean, I can do it!” Atro blurted out. “It’s just a little hard for me to, well… I see it this way and trying to articulate it the way you’d like me to is a little hard.”

Ms. Goodwitch raised an eyebrow. “Mmhm….”

Cinder continued to glance between the two as she slurped on her milk.

Suddenly though, her stomach gurgled and Cinder felt a bubble of gas inflate in her chest. The urge to let it out came over her and before she could stop herself, a burp escaped her.

Cinder immediately slapped a hand over her mouth and flushed bright red. The faunus man across from them shot her a perplexed look, then he pointed a finger at her before locking eyes with her guardian.

“I’m sorry, professor, but–”

Emerald eyes visibly narrowed.

“I said ignore her, Mister Atro!” Ms. Goodwitch growled as she stood up and leaned forward, hands spread flat across her desk as she locked eyes with her subordinate. “When we hired you we did so under the presumption that you were capable of performing the duties described to you. Knowing how to scrutinize and note the efforts of a student against their team is one of the most basic and crucial skills needed for this position, are you following?”

Atro had jumped to his feet and stepped back a few paces. He hastily nodded, fright in his eyes.

Cinder felt tiny in her chair, seeing this side of her guardian. The kind and caring woman who had saved her in Atlas was gone, replaced with the force of nature that was Glynda Goodwitch.

“We here at Beacon are preparing students to fight Grimm, to fight bandits, to put their lives on the line against the enemies of humanity, and that requires us to teach them how to improve their capabilities.” The huntress stood up, crossed her arms, and narrowed her eyes dangerously. “In order to help them do so, we need to know how to study them for imperfections and flaws, something you are seemingly incapable of at the moment, do you see where I am going with this?”

Atro quaked with fear as he nodded again. “Y-Yes, I do, ma’am! And I assure you I can get the job done!”

Ms. Goodwitch scoffed. “Prove it. Show me your next batch of notes when they’re prepared, I want to make sure you’re giving our students the best possible education they deserve.”

The faunus man nodded for a final time then rushed out the door. A few seconds passed before Ms. Goodwitch sighed and plopped back down in her chair.

Cinder watched her guardian exhale heavily as if the weight of the world had just slipped off her shoulders. She curled a hand against her forehead, shielding her closed eyes as she collected her thoughts. Her brow continued to tense and loosen for a few seconds, and similarly, her lips pursed then loosened until she took another breath and exhaled heavily again.

Guilt pricked at Cinder’s heart as she curled up in her chair. She felt her stomach tug painfully and she felt a great fear looming over her. Ms. Goodwitch was a busy person with dozens of responsibilities and she might’ve just ruined something important.

“…I-I’m sorry, Miss Goodwitch.”

Her amber eyes bore into the floor as she waited painfully for her guardian to react.

Several seconds passed before she heard the huntress sit up.

“Don’t worry about that, Cinder.” Ms. Goodwitch’s chair squeaked and Cinder looked over to see the woman giving her a reassuring smile. “You did nothing wrong.”

“That was the single most embarrassing conversation I have ever had with a colleague.”

Glynda buried her blushing face in her hands while Peter guffawed, his laughter echoing off the walls and threatening to shatter the windows of Ozpin’s office. Meanwhile, Bartholomew was recovering from spitting out his coffee all over his pants, dabbing at it with a handkerchief and Ozpin himself was keeping his lips pinched tightly together as his face got redder and redder.

They sat in together at the headmaster’s desk again, having finished the audit at long last. All the papers were filed away and all the boxes were stacked against the wall next to the elevator, ready to be delivered to the archives. All that was left to do was just that, right after they were finished unwinding with some gossip.

“I don’t think I can ever look Atro in the eye ever again,” Glynda breathed in horror.

It had taken all her strength not to react to Cinder’s interruptions. She didn’t want to frighten the poor girl or admonish her, but she really wished she had kept to herself quietly while she conducted business. She should apologize to Atro, she really should.

Across the desk, Ozpin cleared his throat but failed to hide a snicker on the last cough.

“Well regardless, I’m glad to know you handled the situation well,” he declared. “I’m sure Atro will take to heart your instructions.”

A quiet groan slipped past her lips before she looked up, cheeks still pink. At the same time, Peter had managed to pick himself off the floor and Bartholomew had gotten his pants dry enough that they wouldn’t stick to his legs.

“I’m so terribly sorry, Glynda!” Peter coughed out, his voice hoarse and his hand over his belly as he panted. “I just couldn’t help myself!”

She shot him a pointed look and he looked away, face still red. Beside the Grimm Studies instructor, Bartholomew retrieved his thermos from Ozpin’s desk while wearing a humored smile.

“Where is Cinder now, Glynda?” Bartholomew asked.

“My apartment,” she answered, rubbing her forehead. “I dropped her off before I came here. No need to repeat what happened in my office.”

Her colleague hummed before he sipped from remaining in his thermos. Meanwhile, Peter cleared his throat, struggling to hide a few more snickers.

At that, Ozpin sat up and gave her an intrigued look.

“How is Cinder settling in?” the headmaster asked.

She took a deep breath and sighed before shrugging.

“Rather well, I think.” Glynda leaned back with a groan and then stroked her jaw. “I gave her my bed, I’m sleeping on the couch right now. I got some clothes for her from the bookstore on campus, but I need to take her to Vale to buy her some real clothes. And once I have the time, I’m going to fill out the paperwork to upgrade us to a two-bedroom apartment.”

The men with her all hummed in acknowledgment, and then Peter sat up and scooted forward in his chair.

“Why not find yourself a nice house in Vale?” Peter questioned, holding up a finger. “It’d do any child some good to run around a yard, say ‘Good morning’ to their neighbors, and maybe own a pet.”

“Most of campus is already our ‘yard,’” Glynda pointed out. “And I’d rather not take airships back and forth, leaving her alone for hours on end. Here at Beacon, I can come back whenever I need to, even when classes start again.”

Bartholomew poked his head in then, leaning out from behind Peter’s larger frame. “What about food?”

She raised an eyebrow. “What about food?”

“Certainly a growing girl needs proper nutrition!”

“The cafeteria provides plenty,” she refuted. “We’re a huntsmen academy, proper nutrition is what we provide.”

“Ah, but there’s nothing like a home-cooked meal!” Peter declared heartily. “Why, how about I come over sometime and show you some recipes, hm?”

Glynda sighed and let her head sink between her shoulders.

“Thank you for the offer, boys, but I’ve plenty to do right now and no time to entertain any of you,” she said. “I’ll be heading out now to check on Cinder. Message me if there are any issues.”

She stood up and smoothed out the wrinkles in her pencil skirt before stepping away from Ozpin’s desk.

“Do give her our greetings, Glynda!” Ozpin called as she entered the elevator.

The fledgling mother cast him an intrigued look before she nodded with a smile.

“I will, sir.”

Glynda arrived home around seven, dragging her feet under her.

“Cinder, I'm home!”

She heard swift footfalls and Cinder appeared ahead of her. For a moment, a pang of nostalgia struck Glynda and she wasn't certain why until she recognized the pair of buns tied on the little girl's head.

Cinder was dressed up in an apron and wearing the old clothes loaned to her by Atlas Academy. In one hand she held a duster and in the other, she wielded a rag. She looked at every part of the hotel employee she’d appeared to be when they’d first met.

“What are you doing?” Glynda asked as she stepped into the living room.

Glancing around, she found a small collection of cleaning supplies on the ground nearby. Included among them was some glass cleaner, wood varnish, her vacuum, and a mop she hadn’t used in forever.

“I cleaned everything!” Cinder flashed her a proud smile before she gestured around the living room.

Emerald eyes blinked and studied her apartment. The dust that had settled and disturbed was gone now. The coffee table, the kitchen counter, and even the decorative table stand seemed to shine. The floors were notably cleaner, finally free of splatter marks from spilled coffee and failed cleanup attempts. This girl had cleaned everything, even the framed pictures showed with a little glint and sparkle.

Glynda was beside herself with wonder, but then guilt filled her heart.

How long had this taken her? Had she been doing this all day?

“This is wonderful, Cinder,” Glynda said tentatively as she looked around, a little overwhelmed, “but you didn’t need to do all of this.”

Cinder frowned. “I didn’t?”

All that pride that glowed on her face dimmed and disappeared. Immediately, worry took its place and Glynda swallowed, feeling a knot in her stomach tug painfully.

That was the wrong answer. She spoke too bluntly.

Cinder wanted to clean for her, probably to show her appreciation and Glynda gladly accepted it. However, she didn’t want the girl to prove her worth by cleaning. She didn’t want to make Cinder do anything for her just like the Phyrites did.

Glynda breathed in and looked away from the crestfallen face in front of her.

Should she dismiss this behavior or encourage it? Cinder wanted to amaze her, but this just felt wrong.

This little girl was so used to having to do the heavy lifting all by herself. For her, living free of pain wasn't a basic right, it was a reward. But she was free of that now… she knew that, right?

Stealing a glance at Cinder, Glynda’s heart ached and she exhaled.

She couldn’t force Cinder to not want to impress her, but she could probably help her ease out of a life full of chores and favors.

“Thank you, Cinder. I appreciate all of this,” Glynda reassured, crouching down to offer her a grateful smile, “but when you clean the apartment can we do it together?”

“Together?” Cinder paled and glanced around. “Was I supposed to not touch something?”

Her amber eyes bounced around the apartment anxiously, searching for a missed spot. Thankfully, Glynda found a little mark on a picture frame nearby.

“No, I just thought we could do it together.”

Glynda snapped her fingers and the spray bottle on the ground lifted up, an amethyst glow covering it.

Cinder stepped back and watched as she commanded the spray bottle to spritz some glass cleaner on the glass frame. Then, she pointed a finger at the crumpled-up paper towel, making it scrub the glass clean.

“See?” Glynda said with a small smile. “You missed a spot.”

Cinder blinked at her, and then she giggled. Her face warmed, the color returning to it and Glynda couldn’t help but feel her heart swell with affection.

Many days later, after spending countless hours catching up with work, Glynda had finally found the time to take Cinder into Vale to buy more clothes.

Unfortunately, having never shopped for children’s clothes before, Glynda had taken Cinder on an unintentional tour of the commercial district. They had visited at least three children’s clothing stores and discovered they had actually been selling exclusively baby or toddler clothes and accessories; much to Glynda’s embarrassment.

On their fourth try, they managed to finally find a place with clothes for Cinder. It was a Kaiser’s department store at the intersection of Shercross and Meridian, a place Glynda should have thought of first but neglected. Thankfully, it had everything they needed and more with a wide variety to try from.

Cinder had been hesitant to make her choice of clothing, not entirely sure what she would look like in anything other than what she was already wearing. Glynda could not blame her seeing as the only clothes she had ever worn before was a plain white uniform.

Hours upon hours passed by as the huntress tried to dress her ward, grabbing a collection of outfits of varying colors to dress her in. Some Cinder liked, others she did not. After a while, Glynda took note that the young girl seemed to favor warmer colors, picking out a lot of crimson and burgundy shirts, dresses, and a few jackets. Apart from that, she had also taken to some outfits in orange and black.

It was some time later into the afternoon that Glynda found herself waiting outside the changing rooms and she began to start fretting again.

Certainly, they had piled up a sizable wardrobe for Cinder to wear now, but when would they need to go shopping again? Should she plan for the future or wait? And what should they eat tonight? Should the huntress stick to a healthy diet? And on top of that, what about medical needs? Should they find a primary doctor?

Twiddling with the blonde curl on the left side of her head, Glynda closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

Maybe there was someone who could help her, someone who knew a lot about children.

Since they had settled down in Patch, Summer had taken it upon herself to cull the woods surrounding their homely cabin of Grimm every other month. This month, it seemed like a pack of beowolves had decided to move in, forcing the young huntress to move fast before they took to hunting anywhere near settled territories.

With a battle cry, Summer brought Sundered Rose down, severing a beowolf’s shoulder from its neck. A gargled cry escaped it as she ripped the axe out and brought it down again, bisecting the beast.

A black blur appeared in the corner of her vision and she threw herself forward. Tackling into the rapidly disintegrating body of her prey, she twisted around and waited until her second opponent had pounced on where she’d been. It appeared at the last second, eyes widening in surprise when it saw her grinning.

Pulling the trigger on her weapon, the rifle portion of Sundered Rose spat lead and slew the grimm.

“Alright,” she breathed, flourishing her weapon before collapsing it, “that should do it for now.”

At that moment, her scroll buzzed and she glanced at it sitting on her waist before she snatched it up. She expected it to be a call from Tai about groceries she needed to buy, or maybe even a text from Qrow on whether he was going to be heading back to Patch soon.

To her surprise, however, Glynda Goodwitch’s caller ID had appeared. The last time she’d seen it was from a prank she and Qrow had pulled on the, at the time, combat instructor. They’d spent the next week cleaning the cafeteria for that one.

Well, better to not get punished again.

Summer giggled as she answered the call, “Professor Goodwitch?”

“Hello, Summer, er– How did you know…? Oh, actually, I remember now.”

The cloaked huntress pressed her lips together as tightly as she could to not laugh.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, professor?” she asked, walking forward to make her way back home. “Did something come up at Beacon?”

“…In a way, I suppose.” On the other end of the line, she heard her former teacher taking a deep breath and then sighing. “There’s no easy way to ask this, Summer, but I need your help. Or at least some advice.”

Glynda had visited Patch on the occasion, usually for field trips with students to test their might against Grimm or to visit the local combat schools. It seemed like a beautiful place to live, surrounded by nature and its wonders. However, she could never imagine herself settling in a cabin in the woods.

Arriving on the island via airship, she and Cinder stepped off onto the landing pad with several other passengers. Many of the people they had come went their separate ways, heading off the landing pad to a building nearby or simply beginning their trek down a path into the island.

Thankfully for them, there was a dandelion-painted car sitting by the building waiting for them.

Out of the driver’s side window, an older, rougher Taiyang Xiao Long than the one she remembered teaching waved at them.

Taking Cinder’s hand, Glynda led them across the way to meet her former student. 

“Professor Goodwitch!” he called as they got closer, a smile on his face.

“Hello, Mr. Xiao Long,” she greeted back curtly with a tilt of her head. “It's been some time, hasn't it.”

“It certainly has,” he replied before he looked at the girl beside her. “You must be Cinder, it’s nice to meet you.”

The ten-year-old nodded back at him. “Uh, nice to meet you too.”

He flashed her a smile, then clicked something on his door. The locks on his car audibly clicked and he patted the seat beside him.

“Come on. Go ahead and get in.”

They obliged him and moments later they were on the road to his home to meet his family.

Along the way, Glynda stole glances behind her at Cinder. She spied the young girl peering out the window, studying the natural landscape. She watched the trees go by and studied the houses they passed. Her jaw dropped a few times, observing the forests of Patch in bloom.

A smile crossed the huntress’ face every time she saw that look of awe in those amber eyes.

“So, professor…?”

Glynda glanced over at Taiyang, who kept his eyes on the road but stole the occasional glance at her.

“Yes, Mr. Xiao Long?”

“Please, Taiyang is fine, we’re both adults,” he joked with a laugh before he cleared his throat. “Summer told me everything and honestly, you couldn’t have picked a better person to get help from.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” she affirmed, crossing her legs. “But to be fair, it was either her, Ozpin, Kup, or god forbid Peter.”

Taiyang visibly perked up and blinked. “Professor Port has kids?”

“Two, if I recall.” Glynda tapped her chin, trying to remember their names before she gave up. “One is here in Vale. The other is in Mistral.”

“Huh.” The huntsman cocked his head back and then chuckled before he flicked his eyes up at the rearview mirror. “So, Cinder, how old are you?”

Glynda glanced over her shoulder, finding the girl shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She fiddled with the hem of her crimson shirt while she stared out the window.

She opened her mouth to call her name, but Taiyang spoke first, “You don’t gotta answer if you don’t want to. Just curious.”

Several seconds passed before she heard Cinder answer meekly, “Uh, Eleven, I think? Twelve, maybe?”

It had been one of the unknowns they had tried to figure out while filling out the adoption forms. Cinder certainly looked older than she was—likely one of the reasons her stepmother had taken her in the first place—but the adoption papers from the Glass Unicorn had stated she had been around seven when she’d left Mistral.

Almost four years of endless torment, of slaving away for a cruel stepmother….

“Do you like cookies?” Taiyang asked, pulling Glynda from her regretful ruminations.

“I guess?” Cinder answered from the back.

“Well, let me tell you, you’re going to love Summer’s cookies.”

They fell back into silence but it was short-lived because they arrived at the Xiao Long-Rose household a few moments later.

Parking outside, Glynda climbed out of the car and Cinder followed suit. They waited a few seconds for Taiyang to lock up and then followed him into his home, a homely log cabin in the woods. A rather large one at that.

Glynda took in the sight of the two-story building and its welcoming decor. Then, she stepped inside onto a graphic welcome mat hosting the image of a garden on it.

“Summer, we’re home!” Taiyang called, stepping past them.

Not a moment later, the huntress’ voice called out from further inside, “I’m in the kitchen, honey!”

The blonde man cracked a smile, glanced back at them, and then waved for them to follow. However, before he could take another step forward, a small, blonde blur suddenly tackled his legs.

“Daddy!” a little girl with a veritable mane of blonde hair cheered with a giggle.

“Hey there, Yang!” the father laughed, picking the girl up and holding her high. “Now where’d you come from?”

“The living room.”

“And what were you doing in the living room?”

“Watching TV.”

“What on the TV?”

“I dunno.”

“Whaddya mean you don’t know?”

The child held in a laugh but then noticed Glynda standing there with Cinder at her side.

“Who’re you?” Yang asked, staring at them with big, lilac eyes.

Glynda glanced left and right, hoping someone could answer the child.

Though she was an esteemed instructor of Beacon Academy and handled rowdy young adults well, she was in no manner an elementary school teacher. She had little experience with children below the age of seventeen and would prefer not to; Cinder was the sole exception.

At her side, she felt Cinder squeezing her hand a bit harder as she shuffled a bit backward. It appeared she felt the same way.

“This is my old teacher, Yang.” Taiyang set his daughter on the floor and then gestured at the two of them in the doorway. “Professor, this is Yang, our oldest. She’s a real firecracker.”

The blonde girl beamed at them and waved energetically. “Hello!”

“Yang, this is Professor Glynda Goodwitch and her daughter, Cinder.”

Glynda forced out a smile at the child. Beside her, Cinder shifted uncomfortably again but nodded.

“Come on, let’s not keep them standing there.” Taiyang tapped the girl’s shoulder and she fell into step with him.

Cinder glanced up at Glynda and she offered her a friendly smile before pointing her chin ahead.

Following their hosts, they navigated their way down the atrium and into an open living room. Bookshelves lined one wall and sat beneath a window. Paintings brought color to the wooden interior and a sofa sat in the middle of the room facing a holo-projector currently playing some cartoon.

For a log cabin in the woods, she had expected the home to be more… rustic. Appearances could be deceiving it seemed.

“Professor, in here!”

Turning her gaze to an open threshold nearby, Glynda stepped towards it and caught a sweet scent drifting from the other side.

Walking in, she found Summer dressed in an apron, her cloak discarded somewhere else in the house. Standing at the kitchen counter topped by what appeared to be freshly baked cookies, she slipped off her oven mitts and turned to regard them with a warm smile.

“Welcome in, Professor!” Summer greeted, laying the mitts down and walking over. “And you too, Cinder.”

At her side, Cinder quietly waved.

Glynda forced herself to smile back despite the awkwardness of standing there in her former students’ kitchen. She then squeezed her adopted daughter’s hand reassuringly.

“Thank you for inviting us in, Summer. I deeply appreciate it.”

“Hey, it’s no problem,” Taiyang said, pulling out a chair and seating his daughter in it. “Least we can do for you!”

“Absolutely!” Summer agreed, clapping her hands together before she reached over to grab the plate of cookies. “Did you want to try some of these? I just baked them.”

Glynda shook her head apologetically, but the crimson-haired huntress held the plate out insistently.

“What about you, Cinder?” she asked.

At her side, Cinder stepped back but then stepped forward again. She looked up at Glynda, quietly asking for permission—or maybe she was just asking if it was safe. Either way, the huntress shrugged and pointed her chin again.

“Uh… sure,” the raven-haired girl answered.

Reaching out, she took a cookie off the plate and bit into it. A few crumbs fell onto her shirt, but she seemed too busy savoring the taste to care.

The corner of Glynda’s lips tucked up into an amused smile at the sight of her amber eyes widening.

The moment she was finished with the cookie, Cinder’s eyes darted to the plate then up at Summer. Their host giggled and stepped back to set the plate on the table before she waved for them to come sit down.

They obliged the quiet request and once they were seated Cinder was chewing on another cookie.

“Don’t eat too much,” Glynda said, tapping the girl’s shoulder.

She didn’t get much of a reaction out of her, unfortunately.

“So, professor, what did you want to talk about?”

Both Taiyang and Summer looked across the table at her, and Glynda looked back hesitantly. While the children plucked cookies off the plate in the center to eat, she leaned back and rubbed her neck, trying to find the right words to say.

She was here to talk about Cinder, to talk about what she needed to do with her. She needed to know what to expect, what to plan ahead for. More than that, she needed to know what the role of a parent meant in all its facets.

Of course, the Xiao Long-Roses only had young children and had yet to take care of them in their teenage years, they were the only ones Glynda could trust in for proper guidance.

She didn’t trust Peter to have any real advice for her.

“Well… I have a lot of questions actually. I don’t even know where to start.”

“How about the beginning?” Summer proposed innocently, unaware of her adopted daughter’s dark beginnings.

Cinder tensed, her eyes widening in fright. She glanced at Glynda, clearly uncomfortable with discussing her past; and she doubted that the girl wouldn’t mind if she were in the room or not.

“I, uh….” Glynda tugged on her collar and swallowed. “Actually, I did think of something… I just bought Cinder some clothes and… how quickly do kids grow?”

All the blood in her body rushed up into her face as she sat there, trying to hold it together.

In front of her, Taiyang and Summer exchanged confused looks. One looked to the other for answers but inevitably they both shrugged.

“Well, we only really have experience with Yang and she’s still only four,” Taiyang answered, rubbing his neck. “But, if I had to guess, you should probably just stick with what you got her right now. Kids grow, but you’ll notice when there’s a growth spurt.”

“Uh, between us girls though,” Summer interjected, “I’d say you should probably get some training bras. Maybe elastic instead of wired too.”

Glynda opened her mouth but then nodded. She had honestly completely forgotten about the difference between underwired and non-wired, so used to buying the former.

Glancing over at Cinder, she noted the raven-haired girl glancing down at her chest before she wiped off the crumbs on her shirt.

Suddenly, Taiyang snapped his fingers and pointed one at Glynda. “Oh, is she going to school?”

She blinked at him, the gears rotating in her head.

Did Cinder need to go to school? Had she ever gotten an education in any form?

She was able to read and write, but there were times when they were filling out the adoption forms that she’d struggled to comprehend several words. She assumed her work at the hotel afforded her some measure of learning on the job, but she also doubted that it had given her a full education. And she was already ten years old….

“Er– No. No, she’s not,” Glynda admitted, her frown deepening.

“Well, that’s a great place to start!” Taiyang declared, Summer nodding in agreement. “Ooh, also, have you looked at any dentists, yet?”

They went back and forth for a while, the couple slinging questions about their current living conditions and Glynda answering, her heart plummeting further and further. As they helped her construct a loose plan for raising Cinder, she became reminded of just how much the raven-haired girl had been deprived of.

“Mama?”

Glynda perked up and glanced over her shoulder as a tiny figure stumbled into the kitchen, a head of black hair brightening into crimson on its head.

“Oh, Ruby!” Summer stood up and strode past the table, picking up the child. “You’re up. Say hello to Professor Goodwitch!”

She made a show of making her daughter wave, giggling at the act while Glynda awkwardly forced another smile out and waved back.

Big, silver eyes studied her face before Ruby Rose let out a giggle.

“Excuse me?” Cinder spoke up in a quiet voice, shifting anxiously in her seat. “Can I use the bathroom?”

Glynda perked up and looked at Summer, who smiled and stepped away from the open threshold behind her.

“Of course, let me show you where it is.”

Cinder didn’t like it here in this house. Everything was so… warm. So glaringly personal. Even if the rooms were wide and open, it felt stuffy with how everything tried to push into her personal space to make her feel comfortable. She didn’t want to feel cozy, she just wanted to go back to Miss Goodwitch’s apartment.

The cookies were nice though.

Stepping out of the bathroom, Cinder listened to the distant chatter of her guardian and the Xiao Long-Roses. Her guardian seemed as uncomfortable as she was, clearly more used to life at Beacon than… whatever this kind of life was.

Though she loathed to admit it, Cinder was also used to the nonstop workaholic lifestyle. Not by choice of course.

Maybe. Hopefully, she could get over that. One step at a time though; no need to rush any of it.

Walking into the living room, Cinder looked at the holo-projector and watched what was playing. It was some kind of children’s cartoon with talking animals, they were on a quest to find a shovel.

Standing there in the middle of the room, the young girl watched the TV for a minute, curiosity stealing her attention for a brief moment. Eventually, she stepped away and looked around before noticing a window nearby. Beyond it, there was something in the yard.

Moving over there, she saw a wooden pole in the yard outside. Well, calling it was a weird kind of pole, with many more arms sticking out of it. Was it some kind of training equipment?

Cinder glanced over at a door next to her.

She stared at the handle for a moment before she reasoned that she needed some fresh air. The coziness of the cabin was smothering her.

Glancing over her shoulder, she heard the Xiao Long-Roses laughing in the kitchen. They wouldn’t mind if she stepped outside, would they?

Moments later, she was crossing the yard, coming to stand in front of the weird pole.

It was well beaten, the wooden surface flattened in places and cracked in others. Touching the arms that extended outwards, they jiggled but didn’t fall out.

When she lost interest in the training equipment, Cinder took a look around at the yard, noting the shed on the other end of it and the forest surrounding the cabin.

“What happened to your neck?”

Her eyes darted to the little girl with blonde hair walking over to her, a cookie in her right hand. She stared up at her with large, lilac eyes and an innocent face.

Cinder froze up immediately, the scar around her neck constricting her. Reaching up, she rubbed it and swallowed.

“…I don’t want to talk about it.”

Yang tilted her head. “Why?”

“I just don’t,” Cinder stated, taking a deep breath before she tried to walk past her and back into the house.

“But why?”

Yang immediately fell into step with her.

“Because I don’t!” she hissed, shooting the little girl a glare.

The blonde kid stopped and Cinder held her glare to make sure she didn’t ask any more questions.

“You’re mean,” Yang said, eyes narrowing before she put one hand on her hip. “Mommy says mean people are just mean because they’re hungry.” 

The blonde girl tipped her head up in a know-it-all manner and Cinder rolled her eyes before she tried to step away. Unfortunately, she felt a tiny hand grab her ring and pinky fingers, tugging on them.

“What?” Cinder growled, quickly getting fed up with the girl’s antics.

Yang poked her hand with her cookie. “Here!”

“I don’t want it.”

“Come on! You’ll feel better–”

“I said I don’t want it!”

Cinder smacked the cookie out of Yang’s hand, sending it flying across the yard it crashed on the ground. It broke apart and the crumbs scattered amongst the dirt.

Yang looked after it, eyes wide and mouth dropped in horror.

Good, she deserved it.

Cinder stomped past her, but suddenly she felt a pair of tiny hands pushing her to the side.

“Meanie!”

An inferno blazed in the pit of her stomach and it consumed Cinder’s mind. In the brief second that it took her to find her footing, she could only think about how infuriating the blonde child was.

“Would you stop that!” Cinder shouted, shoving Yang onto the ground.

She realized only after the four-year-old was on the ground that her hands were steaming. Her eyes studied the fading fire from her palms before she looked at the little girl, noticing the burnt shoulders of her shirt.

Yang’s face shriveled and her eyes watered. Her lips quivered for another second and then she released a loud wail that pierced Cinder’s ears.

“Stop that!” Cinder barked, covering her ears. “Shut up! I didn’t mean to push you down, alright!”

Suddenly, the sounds of feet stamping on dirt caught Cinder’s ear and she looked over as a tall figure rushed across the yard. She immediately attempted to run, but on instinct stayed her feet because running only meant her punishment would be worse.

A few seconds later, a man dressed in a grey shirt with a tattered red cloak hanging off his back came to a stop before her, a cloud of dust sweeping past him when he did.

His pale, red eyes darted between Cinder and Yang, who continued to sob on the ground.

“Yang?” he called with worry before he directed a furious glare at Cinder. “Who the hell are you?”

Cinder swallowed a lump in her throat and she averted her gaze to the ground. “N-Nobody.”

He bore a scowl then bared his grit teeth. The man rose up taller, casting his shadow over her.

It took all of the raven-haired girl’s strength to not fall over and beg for mercy.

“Alright, ‘nobody’, what the hell did you do to my niece?”

His hands clenched and Cinder suddenly realized there was a weapon collapsed on the back of his waist.

Her heart raced and she breathed faster. Her ears started ringing and dread reached up to grab her heart with an icy hand.

Suddenly then, the door to the cabin opened and Cinder looked up to spy Summer Rose bursting out the door.

“Yang? Cinder?” The woman stopped and cocked her head back. “Qrow?”

“Summer–”

The man named Qrow became petrified when a purple glow entrapped him, lifting him off the ground.

Ms. Goodwitch appeared, leaping off the porch and over to Cinder.

“Cinder, what happened?” her guardian asked frantically, one hand hovering over her and the other wielding her weapon.

Cinder opened her mouth to speak, but the words got caught in her throat. A second passed and the blonde woman seemed to come to her own conclusion as she snapped her attention to the cloaked man.

“Mr. Branwen!” she growled.

“Oh shit!” the man choked out as he flailed his limbs uselessly in the air. “Professor Goodwitch? What the hell are you doing here?”

Nearby, Taiyang picked his daughter up off the ground, consoling her.

“Yang? Are you okay?” he cooed gently. “What happened to your shirt?”

The blonde girl sniffled and pointed a finger at Cinder.

“She pushed me!”

All eyes fell on the amber-eyed girl and she flinched then shrunk inwards. Her knees were tucked into her chest and she held them close with her arms.

No! No! No! No! She couldn’t disappoint, Ms. Goodwitch! It wasn’t her fault!

If she disappointed her, then it was all over!

“Cinder?” Ms. Goodwitch breathed in shock. “What did you do?”

“Nothing!” she squeaked out. “Sh-She’s lying!”

The sound of feet hitting the ground echoed in her ears and the man named Qrow strode past her.

“The burn marks on my niece’s shirt beg to differ–”

“Qrow!” Summer snapped nearby.

A tense moment passed, then Cinder felt her guardian lifting her up but facing her away from the Xiao Long-Roses.

“I… I think we should leave,” Ms. Goodwitch said, voice stiff and curt.

“Yeah,” Taiyang agreed, his warm, friendly tone now lacking any of that.

Cinder clenched her jaw tightly when she felt her guardian squeeze her shoulder tightly.

“I’ll drive them to the airship, honey, okay?” Summer suddenly declared. “Make sure Yang is alright.”

The drive back to the landing pad was silent, the air in the car thick with tension. No one spoke a word, none of them knowing what to say or even wanting to say anything. What could they even try to do to remedy the situation?

Cinder had attacked Summer’s daughter, shoved her to the ground, and harmed her with her semblance….

Glynda flicked her eyes to the side mirror of the car, spotting Cinder in the back seat staring out the window. Her face was sullen, eyes unfocused as she held herself with her arms crossed tightly.

Stealing a glance over to the driver’s side, Glynda spied Summer watching the road with a stony countenance. In all the years she’d known the young huntress, she had rarely seen her this way; she only ever wore that face when someone on her team had been seriously harmed.

After a terrible eternity, they finally arrived at the landing pad and climbed out of the car. 

Glynda took a moment to look back at Summer, who was still staring ahead out the windshield. A few seconds passed before she worked up the courage to speak.

“Thank you for… Thank you.”

Summer’s silver eyes fell to the steering wheel, then she looked over at her with a hesitant gaze.

“Um… Yeah… Good luck, Professor Goodwitch.”

Half an hour later, the airship arrived to take them and a few other passengers back to Vale.

It was around seven o’clock as they sat inside the passenger bay, Cinder still curled up and Glynda looking out the window.

In the back of her head, she could hear James exploding at Ozpin again. Maybe he’d been right after all….

Beside her, she heard Cinder letting her legs drop down and she glimpsed her looking away. The raven-haired girl held her arms crossed still, but she seemed to be taking deep breaths and working up the courage to say something.

An eternity passed as emerald eyes watched the scared little girl tremble, her mouth parted open and a quiet sound escaping her. Ultimately, however, nothing escaped Cinder escaped a few glistening tears that pattered on her jeans.

Grief festered in the huntress’ heart and she reached out a hand to comfort her adopted daughter. Yet, she also faltered, just like Cinder.

Glynda watched her for a long time, waiting for her to face her so their eyes could meet. She wanted her to see that she wasn’t mad, that she forgave her for what she did. She knew there had to be more to what had happened, even if only a little.

Ultimately, however, Cinder never looked back at her and Glynda could not muster the courage to make her.

Her hand retracted and it fell into her lap as shame washed over the fledgling mother.

Ozpin had agreed to meet her in his office later that night. Upon returning to Beacon and sending Cinder to bed after dinner, Glynda made a beeline for the Tower. Much to her gratitude, the headmaster had already prepared some tea for the both of them.

“She attacked a four-year-old!” Glynda vented, shrieking so loudly that her voice echoed off the polarized glass walls. “I thought she was in trouble, but she attacked Taiyang’s daughter! What was I supposed to do? What do I do now?”

She gave a frantic look in Ozpin’s direction and he inhaled sharply, managing to keep a solemn face. She didn’t fully expect him to have the answers to her problems, but she dearly hoped that he might. The headmaster had guided her well thus far, why not help her navigate this new, mortifying crisis of hers?

Glynda bobbed a knee anxiously while she leaned against Ozpin’s desk. One hand was curled into a fist on her lap and the other was tangled up in her blonde hair, scratching at her head.

“Oh God, was James right?” she asked. “Did I make a mistake?”

Tears were welling in her eyes now as that frenzied ball of anxiety in her chest buzzed. It burned and sizzled inside of her, threatening to explode and make her flail about in a panic. She didn’t know what to do. Everything was in chaos and all she could do was watch in horror–

“Glynda?”

Her chest felt tight, too tight. Oh God, she needed to breathe.

“Glynda.” A pair of hands grabbed the one on her lap and she blinked, seeing Ozpin kneeling in front of her. “Look at me.”

Her emerald eyes focused on his almond brown ones.

“Breathe.”

The headmaster squeezed her hand gently. Reassuringly. He inhaled slowly and she did the same, following his guidance like she always had.

They breathed in and out for several seconds, steadily calming her erratic heart until it finally settled into a healthy rhythm again. A few more seconds after that, Glynda found the strength to break eye contact with him and hand her head low with shame.

For a veteran huntress, she’d let herself get distracted so easily.

Wetting her lips, Glynda sniffled and then freed her hand from his. Then, she wiped the tears from her face and composed herself.

“Sir,” she inquired, a hint of desperation in her voice, “what do I do?”

Ozpin sucked in a deep breath as he got up, moving to sit against his desk. He pursed his lips and sucked them in as he looked up then away. For a moment, he collected his thoughts, searching the office for words to give to her. Then, he looked down at her again with a sympathetic face.

“Glynda, I want you to listen to me closely.” He crouched down again, holding his hands tenderly as he locked eyes with her once more. “Mistakes are when we fail and you haven't failed yet. Saving Cinder's life wasn't a mistake, and neither was taking her in. Do you understand?”

A pale face with amber eyes appeared in her mind and Glynda was reminded of why she chose this path in the first place.

The fear and anxiety lurking within her remained, but it was countered by the love that swelled her heart. No amount of dread could make her hate that little girl who needed love and kindness in her life.

Hardening her countenance, Glynda nodded at Ozpin. He nodded back.

“What has yet to be determined is whether you can help her adjust to a life free of pain or not,” he continued before standing up. “So the question remains, are you going to give up on her so easily?”

“No,” Glynda answered immediately. “Never.”

A proud smile crossed the headmaster’s face as he watched her, studying her visage for any signs of falsehood and finding none. Once he was finished, he moved around his desk, seating himself behind it again. All the while, Glynda sat up and rubbed at her face, trying to clean off her ruined makeup.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Glynda looked over at her boss, who had quickly become her confidant over these past few weeks.

“How do I help her?” she asked.

Ozpin shrugged and steepled his fingers. “Perhaps you should start by culling her fears. She should have no right to be afraid of punishment from you after all.”

Glynda remembered the airship ride back to Beacon. She remembered how Cinder had clammed up, pulling her knees to her chest and sealing her lips after failing to utter a single word. She had thought her to be seized by guilt, but maybe it was fear that had kept her silent. Fear of repercussions, of being beaten and abused again….

Her jaw clenched and a growl sounded under her next heated breath. What Trema and her daughters had done to Cinder was monstrous, and what they were still doing to her infuriated her. When she returned to Atlas to take the stand, she was going to make her pay, one way or another.

“Though that also begs the question,” Ozpin added, stealing her attention back, “there do need to be consequences to her actions, lest she get the idea that violence is the best solution.”

That… was true.

Glynda swallowed and nodded grimly, then she held her head in one hand as she thought about how to best approach the situation.

It had been almost a week since the incident a the Xiao Long-Roses’ residence in Patch. Since then, things have been… tense. Ever since they returned to Beacon, Cinder had been unable to meet her guardian’s eyes. Shame held her head down and fear of being punished or rejected stopped her from explaining herself. Thankfully, the huntress never pushed the subject.

As wonderful as this new life seemed, it seemed so fragile. So frail and unbelievable.

It was still hard for Cinder to believe that it was even real, that this wonderful dream was her life now. No more slaving away for an abusive stepmother, no more looking over her shoulder in fear of her stepsisters, and no more nights going hungry. But just how long could that last?

Cinder walked the length of the living room and did laps around the coffee table. She’d woken up at six, ready to get to work only to remember she didn’t need to do that anymore. Since then, she’d eaten breakfast with Ms. Goodwitch, seen her off as she left for her office, watched some TV, ate the lunch left in the fridge, watched some more TV, and now she was pacing.

Her stepmother trained her to work, not sit around. She wished it wasn’t the truth, but it was….

A fire lit inside of her and Cinder sucked in a sharp breath. She clenched her jaw and scowled, seething at the thought of that vile monster. She hated her for doing this to her and she hoped dearly that she was suffering wherever the Atlesian police had put her.

The thought made Cinder smile before she sat back down on the sofa.

A few seconds passed, and then she got back up to walk into Ms. Goodwitch’s room to check the time. According to the little clock on her nightstand, it was around six.

Her guardian should be home soon.

Before they visited the Xiao-Long Roses, the thought had filled Cinder with a warm and fuzzy feeling. Now, it came with dread.

She realized one night after the incident that maybe she had been in a honeymoon phase. She had been so caught up in the delightfulness of finding someone who would care for her that she never questioned if there was an ulterior motive.

But Ms. Goodwitch wasn’t like that. She had torn open her gilded cage and saved her, pulled her from her stepmother’s arms, and embraced her with kindness. She’d never hurt her… right?

Cinder clenched her jaw and balled her hands into fists.

She hated this. She hated wondering if there was danger around the next corner. She despised having to fear the dawn, dreading what would come with the next day.

She just wanted to feel safe. Free. Loved.

“Ugh!” Cinder groaned loudly as she sat down on the floor.

Pulling her knees to her chest, she cradled her chin between them. Pressing her back against the wall, she anchored herself to the real world. Then, she sighed and wallowed in her emotions, hoping that this dream continued on, if only for another day–

“Cinder?”

The sound of Ms. Goodwitch’s voice was followed by the slam of the front door.

Cinder perked up immediately and then stood up. Her back scratched along the wall until it hit something. A picture frame.

A quiet yelp escaped her as she jumped and swiveled around, hoping to fix whatever she’d messed up. Tragically, the picture she’d hit came off its hook and it plummeted to the ground, hitting the floor hard.

The sound of shattering glass echoed through the apartment and Cinder felt her blood run cold.

“Cinder, what was that?”

Her heart leaped into her throat while her chest grew tight. Her stomach flipped and Cinder wanted to jump out the window to escape. She knew she couldn’t do that, however. The best she could do was what she’d always done when the Madame found her: try to lie her way out of it.

While Ms. Goodwitch’s footsteps traveled down the hall, Cinder squatted down and picked up the picture. She hid the frame behind the dresser nearby and she slipped the photo out, clutching it in one hand. The glass, however, was the hardest part.

Unable to shuffle it away, she ended up picking up as many shards as she could and carefully cradling it in her palm as her guardian appeared in the bedroom doorway.

“Cinder?” Ms. Goodwitch called as she turned around, hiding the evidence behind her. “What was that noise?”

Cinder stared at her for a moment, face pale and heart pounding against her chest like a drum.

“What noise?” she forced out, relying on gut instinct.

Emerald eyes glanced around the bedroom, scanning it for discrepancies.

“I heard something break,” the huntress stated with a frown.

Ms. Goodwitch crossed her arms and knit her brow, confusion riddling her face. She stepped into the room and looked around some more. At the same time, Cinder shuffled around her, pinching the corner of the picture with one hand and holding onto the glass shards in the other–

Cinder flinched and held in a hiss as a shard cut into her hand.

Glancing over, she studied the pictures on the wall. Which one had she broken? 

The ones she saw up there still were: a picture of a younger Ms. Goodwitch on a beach, one of her shaking Professor Ozpin’s hand, one of her and a woman with emerald green hair, and… and…. Oh no.

Cinder paled further, knowing that the picture she’d knocked down was the one featuring Team GLDN, signed by one of her guardian’s old teammates.

On instinct, she clenched her hands tighter and then hissed when she felt the glass cut into her hand further.

“Cinder?” Ms. Goodwitch turned and looked at her in alarm. “What was that?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

A dubious look crossed her guardian’s face. “You look pale. Are you alright?”

The blonde woman stepped toward her and Cinder backed up a step. She bumped against the wall and her hold on the glass tightened again, letting the shards dig and slice open her palm. She could feel blood running freely, pooling in her hand and running between her fingers.

Rubbing the blood off on the back of her pants, she tried to keep up her act.

“I’m fine,” she said. “I just… haven’t eaten anything yet.”

Ms. Goodwitch hummed with a disappointed frown. “Did you have lunch?”

“Yes– No,” Cinder answered. “I’m going to go get that now!”

Given her exit window, Cinder dashed out of the room, past the living room, and into the kitchen. She dropped the glass into the trashcan, then grimaced when she saw her lacerated hand, blood let freely from her cut-up palm and fingers. It was stung and burned, but it was also starting to feel cold….

Heels clicked behind her and Cinder jumped, turning to hide her hands and the picture behind her back before the Madame could see it–

Amber eyes blinked and shook the thought of her stepmother out of her head. At the same time, Ms. Goodwitch gave her a bewildered look.

“What has gotten into you?” she asked, looking her up and down.

Her heart beat faster and that terrible voice in the back of her head taunted her.

“I said I’m fine!” Cinder barked, trying to warn her away.

Ms. Goodwitch’s eyes blew open wide in shock, and then her guardian shot her an indignant look. She stood taller, her shoulders tensing and her brow furrowing deeply as she narrowed her eyes.

“Young lady!” she snapped.

Cinder winced and backpedaled a step, squeezing her eyes shut in fear because for just a moment she saw her stepmother standing there.

“Cinder, what are you hiding behind you?”

Her heart stopped and she looked up at her guardian. The blonde woman studied her, emerald eyes darting over her until they locked onto her arms that disappeared behind her back.

“I’m not hiding anything–”

Her guardian flicked up a finger and an amethyst glow washed over Cinder’s right arm. She panicked and tried to resist her telekinesis, but ultimately she failed.

Her arm was pulled out from behind her and the picture was revealed. She snatched it with her left hand desperately, hoping Ms. Goodwitch hadn’t seen it. Unfortunately, it seemed like she had, judging by the way the huntress cocked her head back and shot a startled look at the picture.

Ms. Goodwitch motioned with her finger again and the picture slipped out of her fingers, bloodied on one end. It flew into her guardian’s hand and she examined it with a curious look that quickly turned into a confused one.

“What are you doing with this?” she asked.

Cinder backed up again and blurted out instinctively, “I-I’m sorry, I knocked it off the wall and it broke! I didn’t mean to break it!”

The huntress watched her for a moment, then she looked back at the photo. She rubbed a thumb over it, smudging blood across her memento. Then, her eyes widened and she held it up to the light before she gave her an aghast look.

Ms. Goodwitch’s hand shot out and snatched Cinder’s left arm. She yelped and flinched, squeezing her eyes shut and bracing herself. However, instead of feeling a slap or a strike, she felt gentle hands opening up her left hand.

“You’re bleeding!”

Suddenly, she was being hurried over to the sink, her hand forced under the faucet. Lukewarm water poured over the lacerations, forcing white-hot pain to flare from her palm.

Cinder cried out and hissed, trying to pull her hand away, but Ms. Goodwitch held it there.

“Keep your hand under the water!” she ordered, pressing a hand into her back to push her up against the counter.

Cinder obeyed and endured the pain. All the while, she watched her guardian throw open various cabinets before she rushed out of the kitchen and then came back with a plastic first aid kit.

“Okay,” Ms. Goodwitch stuttered, ripping the box open and pulling out a few smaller boxes. “Uh… God, think! Cinder….”

She hurried over to her again and pulled her hand out from under the water. The cuts began oozing blood again and Cinder felt her stomach churn. Glancing up, she saw Ms. Goodwitch pale.

“They’re too deep,” she muttered breathlessly. “But there’s no shards left… Okay, hold still.”

Emerald eyes closed and the huntress drew in a deep breath. She took her bloody hand into her own, clasping it gently between them even as Cinder hissed and whined in agony. Then, she bowed her head and breathed in and then out. In, then out.

Slowly, an amethyst corona enveloped the huntress as she focused, washing over her like a shimmering blanket. It glowed radiantly and Cinder looked on in awe as the light reached across Ms. Goodwitch’s arms and poured into her hands.

A second later, warmth bloomed in her own hand and it flowed from there, through her arm, and into her body. Her aura reacted in kind, a burning orange radiance dancing along her pale skin.

Gradually, the lacerations on her hand began to close. She could feel it, her skin stitching and the pain fading. Even more, she felt her body lighten and any ache in her bones heal.

It was just like that night….

Seconds turned into hours as Cinder watched Ms. Goodwitch focus, pouring all the aura into her hand. Her brow was tensed and wrinkled, her eyes squeezed shut tightly. She was visibly putting all she had into healing her hand, making the pain go away.

Eventually, after an eternity had passed, her calloused hands slipped off of her wounded palm and revealed it to be marred by tender wounds. The cuts hadn’t closed up fully, but the bleeding had stopped and none of them stung harshly. There was only a faint discomfort that came when she curled her fingers and tensed her hand.

Cinder stared at her guardian’s work for a moment, and then she looked up at the blonde huntress as she walked over and grabbed some items from the first aid kit. When she walked back over, the eleven-year-old remained quiet as her hand was bandaged up.

It was only after Ms. Goodwitch had finished tending to her that Cinder found it in herself to try and speak up. The words, however, got caught in her throat at first. Eventually, she forced them out with all that she had.

“I’m sorry,” Cinder whispered.

Her amber eyes bore into the ground as she stood there, unable to look up. After all this woman had done for her, she kept stumbling. She kept burdening her with her doubts and fears–

A hand cupped her chin and raised her face up until she was looking at Ms. Goodwitch. The blonde huntress stared at her with an anxious expression, nothing but concern in her eyes as she scrutinized her countenance.

A minute passed by before her guardian wet her lips and swallowed hard.

“I should have addressed this sooner,” Ms. Goodwitch said slowly, voice quiet and solemn.

Cinder felt her heartache, a cold spike of dread piercing it. This was it. She’d forced her to her limit.

The hand under her chin moved to cup the left side of her face. Another one came up and cupped the other side. Caught in the huntress’ grasp, amber eyes were forced to look into wet, emerald ones.

“Cinder, I am not mad at you. Okay?” Ms. Goodwitch inhaled a shuddering breath, her lips quivering as she struggled to hold herself together. “I… will never hurt you.”

Thumbs brushed aside her raven black locks as Cinder started to cry again, seeing in her guardian’s eyes nothing but the absolute truth. In response, her guardian’s lips trembled into a fragile smile as tears rolled down her face.

There were so many things she wanted to say to her. So many questions she wanted to ask about how she deserved such kindness.

“I attacked Yang,” Cinder confessed.

Ms. Goodwitch nodded. “Why?”

She relived that moment. Anger flared in her briefly and then it was followed by fear. Yang’s face appeared in her vision, pouty and judgmental before it became stunned then frightened. Her uncle towered over her and then Ms. Goodwitch was there, defending her despite her actions.

“She… made me mad.” Cinder’s hands balled into fists. “She annoyed me and I pushed her! I didn’t mean to! I just–”

“What you did was wrong,” Ms. Goodwitch interrupted, her voice sharp and stern before it immediately softened, “but I’m not going to hurt you for what you did, not like Trema would have.”

“…Really?”

“No child should have to feel pain. No little girl should have to go hungry.” Ms. Goodwitch’s hands slid down her face, then rested on her shoulders. They squeezed gently and gave her soft shakes with every declaration she made. “She shouldn’t be afraid of her caregivers. She shouldn’t have to hide. You shouldn’t have to be so scared of me. Of anything.”

Ms. Goodwitch squeezed her shoulders tightly as Cinder listened intently. The more she heard, the more tears cascaded down her face. Her heart ached more, with pain or love she couldn’t tell, it just swelled and swelled.

Suddenly, Ms. Goodwitch was hugging her tightly again, holding her close and telling her in a quiet way that she was safe as long as the huntress was there with her.

“I will never hurt you like they did,” her guardian declared for the world to hear. “Do you hear me? Never.”

The dam broke and Cinder quaked with sobs. She hugged the woman back, hands pawing at her back under her cape. She tried to hug her as tightly as she did to her, but she was so small and frail compared to the veteran huntress who had saved her. One day, she wished she could have that same strength.

They remained like that for a long time, up until her tears finally ran dry. Up until her throat was scratchy and her voice was hoarse.

They remained there, Cinder standing and Ms. Goodwitch kneeling down to hold her close, until the former finally understood that this dream was real and the nightmare was finally, truly over.

The waning sunlight had stopped pouring through the windows by the time the revelation dawned on her. Now, the moonlight was filtering into the apartment and everything had gone suspiciously quiet.

“Miss Goodwitch?” Cinder called, slipping her hands off the woman’s back.

A quiet snore answered her and suddenly her guardian started sliding off of her.

Cinder panicked and grabbed her again, barely managing to stop her from crashing to the kitchen floor. She gently lay her down and then stood up to watch the woman slumber.

“One of the downsides of using your aura is that if you use too much of it you’re liable to tire yourself out.”

Glynda Goodwitch had passed out giving all that she had to heal her.

A final tear rolled down Cinder’s cheek as she smiled fondly. Then, she wiped it away and tried to pick her guardian off the ground.

“Mm….”

Glynda tensed her brow and shifted under her sheets, trying to find comfort on her lumpy bed.

Lumpy bed. Oh, right.

Forcing her eyes open, she blinked the sleep away and looked around at her blurry environment. She fluttered her eyes, then spied her glasses on the coffee table. After grabbing and slipping them on, she looked around at the moonlit room before she noticed the lump of raven black hair lying down beside her.

Cinder lay with her head resting on her arms by her bedside as if she were a nurse caring for a patient.

Emerald eyes studied the slumbering girl for a moment before a fond smile broke out across Glynda’s face.

Quietly, she climbed off the sofa and picked the eleven-year-old up off the ground. Cinder didn’t stir as she carried her down the hall and into the bedroom, and she only gave a quiet moan as she tucked her into bed.

Kneeling down at the bedside, Glynda tucked a lock of black hair behind Cinder’s ear and then watched the girl sleep for a moment.

Dried tears and snot had been haphazardly wiped from her face, some residue lingering on her pale skin. Yet, they did nothing to marr her fragile beauty.

“…I won’t hurt you,” Glynda whispered, thinking about all the times she’d stumbled but not fallen so far, “I will never hurt you.”

She hoped she’d shown her that fact today. Tomorrow, they could work on consequences.

Chapter Text

“Cinder, we need to talk.”

The cold ball of dread Cinder had held onto since she woke up dropped into the pit in her stomach.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Cinder forced herself to look up from her breakfast. Across the dinner table, Ms. Goodwitch sat up stiff and tall, a solemn look on her face. She showed no derision or sympathy, only a neutral, stoic expression.

“I am your legal guardian now,” Ms. Goodwitch declared out loud, “which means it’s up to me to raise you.”

Cinder nodded hesitantly. Although, it sounded like she was saying that to herself rather than at Cinder.

“You shoved Yang. You could’ve harmed her– No, you did harm her.” Ms. Goodwitch closed her eyes, cupped her nose, and exhaled. “And yesterday, you broke a picture frame and tried to hide it. There have to be consequences.”

Cinder shrunk under her emerald eyes, paling and feeling fear reach up with a frigid hand to grab her heart. However, she fought back against her dread, reminding herself that the huntress in front of her was not her stepmother. She was kind and considerate, and she had promised never to raise her hand against her.

“So… you’re grounded.”

Amber eyes blinked and looked up. “Grounded?”

Uncertainty flashed across Ms. Goodwitch’s face. “Yes, grounded….” Glynda pinched her lips and sucked them in, glancing around as if looking for the meaning of the word. “So, that means… no TV.”

It took a moment for Cinder to process her punishment. Once she confirmed it, the twelve-year-old tilted her head and then looked behind her over at the holo-projector for their TV.

That was it?

“Okay.” Cinder stared at her guardian, who wore a tentative look. “Is that all?”

Ms. Goodwitch’s face fell a touch and she pinched her lips again. Her emerald eyes glanced around once more and she inhaled sharply. After a few seconds, she let go of her breath with a sigh.

“Y-Yes, that’s it for right now.” She hardened her face and held up a finger, wagging it. “However, once I think of a more suitable punishment, I will be putting it in motion. Do I make myself clear?”

Shaking off the shock, Cinder nodded obediently. “Yes, Ms. Goodwitch.”

Today’s schedule was filled to the brim with meetings and paperwork. Summer break was about to end and that meant the faculty needed to convene to discuss their lesson plans for the fall semester. Furthermore, there was a great deal of clerical work to be done for each and every one of their departments, and as deputy headmistress Glynda’s job was to check up on all corners of Beacon’s campus.

Thus, right after breakfast with Cinder, she started running to and fro. Hours passed by as she strained her legs and burned her lungs, going from meeting to meeting. It certainly didn’t help that she spent a few hours in the early morning tossing and turning on the couch, thinking about how to discipline Cinder properly. It also didn’t help that those same thoughts that kept her awake plagued her mind throughout the day.

Her one reprieve was her lunch break.

After the faculty had gathered in the main auditorium for a speech from Ozpin and a summary report from Glynda, they let out to take a break. Some of them left to tend to private matters, but a good majority of them ended up in the primary faculty lounge in Beacon Tower. That was how Glynda found herself sharing a table with Peter and Bartholomew.

“All I’m saying is that our third-years would benefit from a little more hands-on experience with particular species of grimm,” Peter reasoned, glancing between her and Bartholomew.

Glynda rolled her eyes and picked at her salad while Bartholomew sighed.

“For the last time, Peter!” the doctor tutted. “Transporting a live megoliath is not feasible!”

Peter scoffed and then threw his arms in the air.

“But imagine having one on campus! Whoever slew that–”

“Would likely end up in the infirmary,” Glynda interrupted, pointing her fork at him. “Need I remind you of when you requested we bring in a live dromedon?”

She shot him a pointed look which Bartholomew mirrored. Beacon’s resident Grimm Studies professor cleared his throat and tugged on his collar awkwardly as he tried not to meet their eyes.

“I will admit, I did not account for the acid spit to eat through the wall so thoroughly.”

“We had to put the entire campus on lockdown,” Glynda growled. “It took us five hours just to find that damn thing and kill it!”

“Ah, but it was one grimm in the home of huntsmen!”

“That’s correct, old friend!” Bartholomew affirmed with a frown. “Our home. I’d rather not have pests running amok on our lawn.”

Peter opened his mouth to argue further, but then shut it and chose to concede.

“Very well, I know when I’ve been outvoted,” he sighed.

Glynda gave a small smile in victory before she stabbed a leaf and chewed on it. Several seconds passed as they ate, enjoying their brief respite from work by savoring their meal and engaging in small talk. All the while, emerald eyes glanced about the lounge, taking note of everyone there and their mood.

Professor Spectra Prism, Beacon’s resident expert on stealth and tracking shared laughter with Professor Harold Mulberry and their blind Aura Instructor Jiang.

Professor Thumbelina Peach sat at an island counter, eating quietly as she listened to Mr. Preston Inque, an active huntsman with several degrees in law, speak with Instructor Chandra Chalk, their resident physicist and educator on dust sciences.

Everyone seemed tired and yet in high spirits. It was the fall semester, which meant they were on the home stretch but running out of juice. Although, that only seemed to embolden them to work harder. The students they’d known since they were first-years were set to graduate, and the third-years were preparing to begin their fourth. The freshman and sophomore students were eager to finish their first years at Beacon, and the fire in their eyes was going to give the teachers a reason to keep going.

Glynda smiled and thought about her combat instruction classes. Though she was harsh on her students, she saw their promise and wished for nothing more than to see them come into their own….

“Say, Glynda, how is Cinder?”

Glynda perked up and looked over at Bartholomew, who drank from his thermos.

She immediately shrank and instinctively put on an apprehensive expression. At that, her colleagues raised their eyebrows.

“We’ve hit… a rough patch,” the huntress confessed, bowing her head and resting a hand against the right side of her face to shield her countenance.

While blood rushed up to her cheeks, she glimpsed Peter raising a fist to his chin and then chuckling in amusement.

“Ah, so young Cinder has hit her rebellious phase early, has she?” he concluded.

Glynda shrugged. “I suppose you could call it that.”

“What bold act has she committed?” he prodded with a grin barely visible beneath his waxed moustache.

Briefly, she remembered finding Cinder cowering outside the Xiao-Long-Rose Cabin. She could feel her gut knotting and twisting agonizingly as she realized Cinder wasn’t in danger but she was the dangerous one. And she recalled feeling her blood run cold when she discovered Cinder’s lacerated hand.

Swallowing, Glynda peeked past her hand, spotting Peter watching her intently and Bartholomew doing the same.

She frowned and shot them sharp looks before she darted her eyes away. A few seconds passed before she sighed and fidgeted in her chair, scooting back into her seat before crossing her arms.

“I’d rather not discuss it.” She stabbed another leaf of her salad and munched on it. “All you need to know is that I had to ground her.”

“That bad was it?” Peter hummed and then took a bite from his sandwich.

“It’s much worse,” Glynda grumbled under her breath. 

In the corner of her eye, she spotted Bartholomew lifting an eyebrow and then tilting his head.

“I do hope Cinder is taking her punishment well,” he stated, pointing a spoon in her direction.

She shrugged then sighed tiredly.

“In spite of a lack of options, I told her she can’t watch TV.”

Both men sharing the table with her exchanged curious looks before they turned back to her. Immediately, she felt her face warm and she tried to stare intently at her salad to escape their judgmental stares.

“That’s all?” Peter questioned.

She stewed in her shame and embarrassment for a long moment before she gave a quiet whine under her breath.

“I didn't know what else to do. She's not the average child. She doesn't play video games, she doesn't read books, she doesn't go outside, and anything tantamount to a literal slap on the wrist might provoke her,” Glynda rambled, looking away and fiddling with her blonde curl. “Grounding children is harder than I expected.”

She felt like one of her students before her colleagues, an amateur in this field of study admitting their incompetence… God, she hated this.

A guffaw escaped Peter and Glynda scowled, shooting him a glare.

“You know if you ever need help, you can always come to me!” he declared. “Why, my dear Lime and Brecchia are the light of my world!”

One of those daughters had left home to study in Mistral. The other was rather terse with her father from the one conversation Glynda had accidentally walked in on between her and her father. Of course, that never stopped the Grimm Studies instructor from preaching his love for them….

A bit of guilt dripped into Glynda’s heart as she thought about how much she’d jotted down the man’s affection as bravado alone. Not a moment later, she wondered just how well she compared to him.

Glynda picked at her lunch for a while after that, mind and body weighed down by the stress of work and motherhood. Then, however, her scroll buzzed and she pulled it out to find a new text.

<James Ironwood> The trial date is set. They’re going to need your testimony.

“Do you have to go?”

Cinder watched helplessly as Ms. Goodwitch packed her luggage, gathering enough clothes for a week or more.

“Yes, Cinder,” her guardian answered with a sigh. “They need my testimony for the Phyrites’ trial. If I don’t go then there will be a lot of issues.”

“But, can’t you record one like I did?” Cinder asked, getting off the bed she sat on.

Ms. Goodwitch shook her head. “No, that’d only complicate the trial.”

Her guardian zipped up her luggage and stood up with a grunt. Then, she rubbed her temples before sighing.

“Listen to me, Cinder, you’ll be staying here, okay? Ozpin agreed to look after you while I’m gone, but whatever time you spend you’ll do it working on the online programs I have you on and not watching television, okay?”

Cinder frowned and crossed her arms.

The silver-haired man was nice and he liked to give her snacks every so often whenever they crossed paths. However, he wasn’t her guardian.

“But, what about your job? You have to teach, don’t you?”

“We’re recruiting a temporary combat instructor while I’m gone. He’ll be teaching the students until I get back.” Ms. Goodwitch shifted her weight from one hip to the other and rubbed her brow with a frown. Eventually, though, she opened her eyes and cast the girl a sympathetic look. “I understand you don’t want me to leave, Cinder. I’d rather stay here with you too, but I have to make sure those people never hurt you again. Okay?”

The huntress knelt down and touched her shoulders, holding onto her. Cinder looked up and tried to meet her eyes, but failed.

“…I understand, Ms. Goodwitch.”

A second passed, then a hand touched her chin and lifted her face up.

She saw her guardian giving her a wistful look. “Cinder, before I go, can you do one thing for me?”

“Yes.”

“Call me Glynda.”

“Yes, Glynda.”

Glynda’s face glowed with warmth and affection as she drew her hand back.

“I’ll make you a deal, Cinder, okay?”

Cinder tilted her head. “What are you talking about?”

A playful smile crossed her face. “If you stay on your best behavior while I’m gone, and that means no outbursts, no TV, doing your homework, and listening to Professor Ozpin, then when I have the time after getting back, we’ll start training you on controlling your semblance. Alright?”

Cinder perked up immediately, her eyes blowing open wide and her heart leaping with abject joy. Everything she had ever wanted had been offered and she was going to seize it no matter what.

“Yes!” Cinder agreed.

Glynda smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Then, it’s a deal.”

It had been two days since Glynda had left for Atlas to attend her stepfamily’s trial, leaving Cinder to spend her time enduring her punishment: boredom.

At her guardian’s behest, she was banned from watching TV. That meant all she could do was either kick her legs or try to read some books. Nothing caught her attention though, and it was admittedly hard to figure out the meaning of bigger words sometimes.

There were the online courses Glynda had signed her up for, but she didn’t have the desire to immerse herself in mathematics, history, or grammar lessons. Of course, she also didn’t want to just lay down all day either.

Currently, she was in Professor Ozpin’s office, allowed to sit at his desk with him while he performed his daily tasks. She’d brought a scroll with her, a lesson plan loaded up on it for her to work on learning word definitions and proper grammar.

The hours passed by frustratingly slowly and every so often Cinder tore her eyes off the screen to give them a break. She’d squeeze her eyes shut, take a deep breath, and then take a look around the room to see if anything had changed. Of course, nothing interesting was there for her to find.

Her backup plan on finding something to pique her interest was stealing glances at Professor Ozpin, who… well, she was never sure what he was doing. At one point, the Beacon headmaster was reading papers, then writing them, and then he was checking things on his scroll–

Almond brown eyes flicked to their left and met Cinder’s amber ones.

Cinder froze up and the professor cracked a smug smile.

“Getting bored now, are we?” he poked, pushing up his glasses.

The man sat up and arched his back, popping it with a grunt before he leaned back into his chair.

“Admittedly, I am as well,” he spoke further, resting his interwoven hands on his chest. A few seconds later, he turned to meet her eyes again. “What do you say about taking a walk around campus?”

Cinder had never really toured Beacon’s campus before. She’d gone out with Glynda to get food and go to her office, but she’d never really explored the maze of towers, gardens, and lecture halls.

Walking around now, she gazed in awe at the sights around her. Vale had been a city of expression, a sprawling metropolis of different cultures and styles. Beacon, however, was home to Vale’s past if the classical design and looming statues were anything to go by.

In the corner of her eye, Cinder caught Ozpin glancing at her.

She looked up at him with an arched eyebrow and the headmaster gave her an amicable smile.

“I’ve not had the chance to ask, but have you been enjoying your time at Beacon so far, Cinder?”

He looked forward and kept walking, but the expectation of an answer hung in the air.

Cinder shrugged as she followed him through a garden sitting between two buildings.

“Yes, sir,” she answered.

Ozpin hummed and spoke no more as they continued on.

They continued their tour and during their journey, they passed groups of students, faculty members, and security guards. Many of them looked over to wave at the headmaster, who waved back. Some of them looked down at her, who just looked back at them with the same curious look they gave her.

Eventually, they passed the cafeteria and Cinder’s stomach rumbled. She blushed when Ozpin glanced down at her, and she blushed harder when he asked if she wanted a snack.

A few minutes later, she left with a full stomach and a granola bar just in case. 

Time passed quicker as they walked, far quicker than when she was sitting in Ozpin’s office working on homework she didn’t care much for. As much as she wanted to fulfill Glynda’s wishes, exploring this new world of hers was far more interesting.

Maybe an hour or so later, they took a break in the shadow of a large monument at the end of the extensive avenue that ran from the airship landing pads to Beacon Tower. 

Cinder sat on the rim of the statue’s base, studying the two figures wielding weapons and standing over a beowolf. One huntsmen looked to the right with the beowolf. The huntress looked forward and Cinder looked into her stone eyes, wondering what she was thinking.

After a while, amber eyes glanced down at a bronze plaque on the statute’s base and she tried to read the the text inscribed on it. It looked familiar.

Cinder squinted, then looked down at her t-shirt. She pinched the fabric and pulled it up, comparing the foreign text written around the Beacon emblem graphic with the text on the plaque.

They were a total match.

“Professor Ozpin?”

The headmaster looked up from his scroll and glanced at her. “Yes, Cinder?”

“Can you tell me what this says?” she asked, pointing at her shirt and then at the plaque.

Ozpin turned and regarded the statue with a solemn look. After a moment, a smile crossed his face and he lowered his gaze to the plaque.

“‘Fortis solus. Fortior unitum,’” he read before he looked down at her and translated with a knowing smile, “‘Strong alone. Stronger together.’ Our Beacon motto.”

Cinder tilted her head and listened intently. She pondered on the answer, thinking about what it meant. It was so simple but it felt like it held weight, a meaning that eluded her.

She looked up at the statue again, at the two huntsmen standing over the grimm.

“In our battle against the Creatures of Grimm, we find strength in numbers,” Professor Ozpin stated, his voice and face solemn. “That is why huntsmen operate in teams.”

“‘Strong alone. Stronger together,’” Cinder recited.

Ozpin nodded with a smile.

Amber eyes continued to study the monument for a long moment. They followed the edges of the statues, tracing their figures. They imprinted the image of the woman’s axe. They watched the woman’s face, and then they placed her own face over the statue’s.

What was it like being a huntress?

“Get back here!”

Fright seized her heart with an icy hand and Cinder sucked in a sharp breath. She seized up still for a moment until a gentle hand touched her shoulder. She jumped again with a quiet yelp and flicked her eyes up at Ozpin.

A worried expression was etched into his face, but it quickly became a gentle one as she calmed down.

The two of them turned to look as a pair of students ran past, an older man dressed in a security guard’s uniform following them up Main Avenue. As the latter man grew closer, Cinder got a better look at the bright, blueish-green cap on his head and the chestplate of the same color he had strapped over his black uniform.

“Damn rotten, punks,” he wheezed, taking off his cap to comb fingers through his sweat-soaked, graying hair before arching his back and breathed in deeply. “Ain’t no one these days that knows how ta show respect to their elders.”

He turned to face them, regarding them with a severe look. Cinder shrinked away from him at first, but that was until she noticed Ozpin giving the older man a smile.

“Having a pleasant day, Kup?” the headmaster teased.

The security guard named Kup groaned and unstrapped his chestplate to ventilate it.

“Those pranksters thought they could get away with spray paintin’ the side of Dorm Buildin’ C,” he griped, wafting some cool air onto his chest. “Chased ‘em all the way up main avenue. I reckon they’re headed for Charoiteson Hall.”

Ozpin tipped his head back and hummed in understanding.

“Well, if I recall, Mister Cara tends to use vertical movement in combat,” he remarked, “so, I’d suggest checking the rooftop access in Charoiteson Hall.”

The older man’s wrinkled face cracked into a smile and he playfully punched his superior’s shoulder.

“Huh. Must be some kinda spider monkey,” Kup chuckled wryly as he strapped his chestplate back on. “Alright, I'm off then. Thanks for the tip, sir!”

With that, the security guard threw himself into another sprint, quickly moving down the path ahead of them and disappearing around a corner.

A second or so passed before Cinder made a comment, “He was… grumpy.”

Beside her, Ozpin nodded with an amused smirk.

“That was Kuprum Verdigrison, our chief of security. ‘Kup’ for short,” he explained as he began to walk again. “Don’t be fooled by his age, he’s as vigilant as they come. Our academy remains secure under watchful eyes like his.”

“Do people try to break in?” she asked.

“On the occasion,” he answered with a shrug. “Few are brave enough to try and infiltrate a school for training huntsmen. But of course, there are those bold enough to steal our dust reserves, equipment, and sometimes just to perform vandalism. Then there are the internal issues.”

Cinder furrowed her brow and tilted her head. “Internal issues?”

“We’re a co-ed school for young adults ranging from seventeen-years-olds to the early twenties.” Ozpin chuckled as he eyed two students sitting along a fountain nearby holding hands. “There are several complications that come up with the youth.”

She remained confused for a moment before her imagination got a little vivid. Then, she flushed red and pushed the thought out of her head.

The hours passed by quickly as they continued their tour and the sun fell further in the sky.

It was some time in the afternoon when the young girl finally piped up.

“Why are we looking at all of these?” she asked while they took a break in a pavilion, taking a seat at a metal chair and table.

Ozpin took a drink from a water bottle he’d purchased from a vending machine before he gave her a nonchalant shrug. 

“I thought you might like to know more about where you’re living,” he answered simply. “Your guardian is a professional huntress after all. It wouldn’t hurt you to know more about what she does.”

Cinder cocked her head back. “I thought she just taught?”

He nodded, then looked away and out of the pavilion towards the bright sky beyond. “Every now and again, veteran huntsmen and huntresses are called back into the field when needed. But for the most part, Glynda remains here teaching, yes.”

She hummed and scratched her cheek. “She teaches people how to fight, right?”

He nodded again. “She’s our chief combat instructor.”

“And your secretary?”

Ozpin choked on some water for a moment, almost spitting it out. Cinder jumped and sat back as he swallowed his drink, then coughed violently before he sucked in a deep breath.

The headmaster gave her a strained smile and laughed nervously.

“Well, her title is ‘Deputy Headmistress.’ She helps me run the school in the most basic sense, yes.”

Cinder knit her brow and shot him a sharp look.

“She said she was ‘your glorified secretary’ when I asked her last week.”

Ozpin watched her for a second, then looked away. “You’re already beginning to take after her, hmm?”

They fell into a silent lull, resting from their long journey around Beacon. Ozpin took several sips from his bottle before he tossed it away and Cinder kicked her legs as she studied the environment around her. Eventually though, a question popped into her head.

“What happened to Glynda’s team?”

Ever since she’d discovered that picture in her guardian’s room, Cinder had wondered after the other woman. Everything she’d ever heard about huntsmen was that they were close knit teams that went everywhere together. At the Xiao Long-Roses’ cabin, they were now a family with kids.

She watched the silver-haired man straighten up and look away, his pursed lips thinning. His brow knit itself and he seemed to debate whether he wanted to speak or not. 

After a while had passed, he looked back at her. “I’m sorry, Cinder, but that’s a story your guardian will have to tell. But, what I can say is, they’ve gone their separate ways.”

Cinder hummed as she bowed her head. A question for another day then.

The next day, Ozpin was too busy with meetings and officework to look after Cinder. The good news was there were plenty of volunteers willing to look after Cinder. The… other good news? The other good news was that Professor Port ended up becoming her caretaker for the day.

“And so, I slew the beast with a single swing!”

Port guffawed and slapped his gut while Cinder glanced around his office.

Compared to Glynda’s workplace, Port’s was… packed. Not in the sense that it was messy, there were just a lot of trophies. Stuffed animal heads mounted on the walls. Stuffed, fake grimm heads mounted on the walls too. Tons of plaques, certificates, diplomas, etcetera were in a glass case along with smaller trophies littered between them.

His office was like a giant trophy room with a desk and a filing cabinet sitting next to a giant, wooden ursa statue with chipping paint. The Madame’s glass grimm statues would’ve fit right in here.

Sitting down on a chair opposite of him, Cinder listened to the man go on about one of his hunts. She’d only asked him what time it was.

“So, my dear Cinder?”

Cinder perked up, darting here yes to the bigger man as he gave her a friendly smile.

“Yes?” she asked.

“Tell me, how are you? Doing well, I hope?”

Cinder rubbed her left hand, feeling over her healed palm. Not a single scar had been left after Glynda had treated her.

She shrugged noncommittally. “Alright.”

“Just alright?” he teased.

Cinder shrugged again, then fidgeted in her chair. He seemed to sense her discomfort and backed off, leaning back into his leather chair and humming.

After a moment, he turned on his computer and started working on something. A few seconds later, Cinder opened up her scroll and got to work on her math homework.

A hundred times one was still a hundred because there was only a hundred to begin with. A hundred times zero was only one. Two by two was four. Three by three was nine. Four by four was sixteen. Five by five was twenty-five.

Multiplication was easy, it was just adding by doing all the math in her head. Division on the other hand….

Cinder scratched her head and tried to make sense of the math problem on the screen.

Seventy-five divided by four… Ugh….

She scratched on the hard light screen, drawing a ‘house', writing ‘75’ in it, and putting ‘4’ outside of it. She worked her way through the problem the same way the online course had taught her. Yet, the numbers didn't look right. There was a decimal, why was there a decimal now? Was there supposed to be one?

Her stomach twisted and anxiety built up in her chest, welling and scratching at her insides. Her brain throbbed and anger boiled deep down in her.

Seconds later, she dropped her scroll on her lap and growled quietly.

“Having trouble?”

Glancing up, she found Port watching her with an inquisitive look.

God, why did he have to ask so many questions?

“A little,” she answered with a growl and a roll of her eyes.

He visibly frowned and she derived a small bit of joy out of that. However, she felt the angry fire in her burn hotter when he got up and circled around the desk.

“Come now, my dear, there’s no need to act that way,” Port reasoned, coming to squat down beside her and squint at her scroll. “Math gets the better of us all.”

She glanced at him in the corner of her eyes, and then scowled as she stared forward.

“Then can you tell me the answer?” she asked, holding up her device.

The academy professor, who was several decades older than her and multiple degrees ahead, looked away with pink cheeks.

“I, uh… I'm afraid not.”

“Seriously?” she jabbed.

Whether he heard the snark in her voice or not, he tugged on his collar and cleared his throat.

“As I said, math gets the better of all of us. And quite frankly, I've discarded with what I don't particularly utilize while on the hunt.”

“You don't need math?” she jabbed again.

He huffed and adjusted his suit. “Well of course I need math! I just don't do complicated math much without a calculator!”

Cinder hid an amused smile as proverbial steam puffed out of his ears. He did had a point though.

Minimizing her online course app, Cinder navigated to the built-in calculator app and punched in the problem. Eighteen point seventy-five.

“Now, hold on, young lady!” Port crouched down next to her again. “That's cheating!”

She fully directed a scowl at him and scooted an inch away.

“So?” Cinder hissed.

What did it matter? She got it done.

“Cutting corners is not always the right answer,” he insisted, “especially not when you're learning.”

Cinder groaned and rolled her eyes.

“It's just math.”

Port nodded. “Indeed, but it’s a skill we must all learn, it’ll help you in the real world.”

Cinder sat up and glared at the large man.

Was he seriously trying to give her a moral talk right now. Did he even know what the real world was? How cold it was? How cruel and uncaring?

She already knew everything she needed to know to get by. This was just to refine her skills, nothing more. Not all of it was necessary, and she had every intention to speed through what she didn't need to learn. She was only finishing this for Glynda's sake anyways.

“Really?” Cinder snapped at Port. “How?”

Tell her. Give her an example. Spell out this truth for her so she could laugh at it.

“Well, it’s hard to bring up a specific moment,” he sighed and she smirked, only to frown when he got up and placed his hands on his hips, “but trust me. If you ever wish to be a huntress, your most basic skills will be the foundation for your prowess.”

Cinder knit her brow.

“What if I don’t want to be a huntress?”

Absolute shock seemed to cross Port's face, his bushy eyebrows shooting up his forehead and his jaw dropping slack. For a second, she was worried she'd broken him, but then the Beacon professor gasped in horror.

“With a mother like yours, why wouldn’t you?” Port bellowed, slamming a fist to his chest. “You've seen Glynda in action, have you not?”

Her mind raced back to that night immediately. The cold, dark basement. The fear and the blood. That dark, ugly feeling in her heart that grew malignant, but so wonderfully like a bloody flower blossoming. It was a warm, cathartic feeling that made her want to draw more blood, but every night she woke up that euphoric glow soured and she had to take a moment to reflect.

She would lay awake sometimes, struggling with the moral dilemma of seeking revenge or simply letting her stepfamily rot in prison. If it were up to her, she'd make them pay horribly, but Glynda didn't seem like the kind of person to approve….

Before Cinder could spiral further down the rabbit hole, a thick arm draped itself over her shoulders.

Port pulled her back an inch across her chair and threw out an arm in front of them.

“Can’t you imagine it yourself?” he cried. “The cheering crowds! The splendor and glory! Your weapon in your hands, that golden feeling of triumph! Ah, actually… Here, why don't you try this?”

Port let go of her and darted across the room. Cinder swiveled on her chair and squinted at him inquisitively.

“Try what?” she asked in suspicion.

Port grabbed something off the wall. A weapon. It was a massive gun with two axe heads protruding from the stock, the length of the firearm almost her size.

“This is my beloved ‘Blowhard!’” Port declared proudly. “I've had this weapon since I was a boy! It's a bit of a family heirloom, you see. My grandfather passed it to my father who passed it to me.”

He beheld the weapon for a moment, studying his reflection in the polished barrel. Then, he strode over to her and held out the gun.

Amber eyes widened and she leaned away. Did he really want her to grab that?

“Come on, go ahead,” Port urged, adjusting his grip and holding it by the battle axe's shaft. “It's not loaded….”

Port frowned and quickly opened up a compartment in it. He pulled something out, ammo probably, then smiled and held his weapon out to her.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course.”

Cinder stared at him warily for a minute or so, but eventually she slid off her chair. Standing up, she walked up to him and stared at Blowhard. Then, she wrapped her hands around the shaft and squeezed tightly.

Port chuckled and let go. Big mistake.

Immediately, Cinder yelped as the heavy weapon slipped out of her grasp. She let it go and watched the axe blade sink into the floor. An ear-splitting crack echoed through the room and a few splinters clattered along the ground.

Cinder stared at what she'd done for a second. Then, she looked up at Port.

He scratched his chin and hummed.

“Bah, no need to worry about that!” he declared, waving a hand dismissively. “I'll just ask Glynda to fix it when she returns.”

Cinder pursed her lips and gave him a hesitant look. She glanced between the instructor and the floor before she grabbed the axe again.

She grunted when she tried to pry the weapon free. However, she was too weak and Blowhard was too stubbornly stuck in the ground for her to yank out.

“Here, allow me!”

Port freed his axe with a single pull, holding it like it weighed nothing in one hand.

Cinder stared at him in shock for a moment, but then she blinked and stepped back when he offered the weapon to her again.

“Here, like this.”

He put her left hand on the base of the battle axe, near the mouth of the rifle barrel, and he put her right hand under the shaft near the axe head. The weight was put on her latter hand, letting her balance it out.

“It feels good, doesn't it? The weight. The heft.” Port beat his chest with a fist and huffefd. “You’re a hero beholding your weapon, standing triumphant above your prey. Neither grimm nor man could best you because you are a champion of good, a protector of mankind. A huntress.”

Cinder nodded along to his words, picturing herself as he said. A defender. A warrior. A conqueror. It felt… good.

Her fingers wrapped around the shaft and she tested Blowhard’s weight. Not exactly her style, but it was strong and sturdy. Powerful. She liked that.

“I'm certain that one day you'll wield a great weapon of your own, my dear,” Port declared, taking his weapon back from her.

Cinder furrowed her brow for a moment, then looked up at him.

“Really? How?”

“Because,” Port said as he took her scroll off her chair and offered it back to her, “Great things come from small beginnings.”

Cinder took the device back and stared at her homework. Then, she glanced back up at Port as he set his weapon on the wall.

His words echoed in her head and took root in her heart. They didn't help her with her math homework, but they lingered in her mind the rest of the day.

The next couple of days passed in much the same manner as yesterday. Cinder sitting in someone’s office, reading a book, or working on her online courses while they performed their duties. Then, after a while had passed or after they had shared some lunch, they would take her for a walk around the campus. And, after the sun set far enough, Cinder would get home with some dinner from the cafeteria and lounge around before she headed for bed.

Glynda had been worried she’d need a caretaker at night too, but Cinder had reassured her she could take care of herself. She’d been doing that her entire life until now anyways.

One night while she was watching the TV in his living room, she found her attention drifting to her scroll.

The thought of calling Glynda crossed her mind, but usually the huntress gave her a call in the morning and at night. Right now, it was almost time for that call. Being a little early would be a nice surprise though, unless her guardian was busy….

Cinder sighed and leaned back into the sofa.

She crossed her arms, inhaled, and then exhaled. Silence responded to her heavy sighs.

Amber eyes drifted down to the remote control on the coffee table for a moment, then they tore themselves away from it.

Cinder got up and walked a few paces away, listened to the echo of her bare feet on the wood paneling, and then looked back at the remote again.

It was so quiet and she didn’t want to do homework. She was so bored and the apartment was so quiet… It wouldn’t hurt to just watch a little right? Glynda wasn’t here to see her….

Amber eyes glanced around and she quickly shuffled over to grab the remote.

The TV turned on and she quickly adjusted the volume to a quieter level, just enough for her to hear but not so loud that anyone outside the front door could listen in.

Cinder swallowed as she sat down on the sofa, watching a commercial end and a news report begin.

“Titan Thundercrash returns a hero once more after defeating a small herd of Goliaths making their way up Shattercliff Pass!” the woman on the screen declared, a picture of a man dressed in a heavy suit of armor posing with a shouldered weapon in the corner of the screen.

She pictured herself in his place. Armored and armed, or elegant and deadly. Something fierce and powerful, exuding authority and strength.

She wanted to be that. Unstoppable. Unconquerable. Invulnerable. Not… this….

Cinder frowned and held up her left hand.

Suddenly, a knock echoed from the front door and she perked up.

“Coming!”

A moment later, she opened the front door and found Professor Ozpin standing outside.

“Good evening, Cinder,” he greeted, tipping his head in a polite nod. “I thought I’d stop by and check in with you before your curfew.”

She gave a silent, acknowledging nod, hoping he’d give his piece and leave. A second passed before Beacon’s headmaster smiled and nodded back at her. Then, however, he frowned and looked over her head.

Cinder furrowed her brow and followed his gaze inside to the TV’s light reflecting off a few pictures against the far wall of the living room just down the hall.

“I thought Glynda said you were grounded from the TV?”

Almond brown eyes turned to regard her with a knowing look. Cinder flapped her lips like a fish out of water.

Thankfully, there was no derision in his eyes, just a playful glint. 

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell,” Ozpin teased with a reassuring smile.

Cinder gave him a weary look, unsure of whether to trust the man. He had saved her life in Atlas, and he was her guardian’s boss. He always seemed a kindly sort, but she wasn’t ready to drop her guard around the kindly sort just yet.

He seemed to sense that because his smile fell and he stood up, gripping the head of his cane with both hands.

“May I come in?” he asked, arching his back slightly and giving a grunt. “It’ll be a long walk back to my residence and I’d like to take a moment’s rest.”

Cinder narrowed her eyes further and studied Ozpin for a moment. He seemed unreadable, his face solemn and his stance stiff. Though, after a moment, he offered her another smile, his one gentle and vulnerable.

She swallowed a lump in her throat as she stepped back and away, giving him entry into her and Glynda’s apartment.

“Sure,” she forced out.

Ozpin nodded at he as he stepped inside. “Thank you, Cinder.”

She locked the door behind him and followed him in, making sure her hands were curled into loose fists.

The headmaster chose to sit down on the sofa in the living room and Cinder took a chair next to it. She watched the silver-haired man close his eyes and take a deep breath, seemingly clearing his mind.

Meanwhile, the TV continued to relay the news, reports about a few things in Vale playing out.

Stealing a look at the screen, she watched it wipe and display a shot of a nighttime street lit up by a variety of shop windows.

“In other news, this Friday marks St. Clara’s Day,” the newsreporter declared. “In celebration of the holiday, small festivities are being held as always. Prices are being cut down so feel free to visit downtown Vale this coming weekend!”

Cinder tilted her head, studying the image of the street. Her eyes drifted between the people caught in the camera shot to the stores lining the street. She tried to make out what they were but failed to, so her eyes moved to the street lamps and then the sky above.

After a moment, she felt a pair of eyes watching her and she looked at Ozpin, who wore a smile.

“…Tell me, Cinder,” the headmaster spoke up, turning to look at her, “have you gotten to chance to visit Vale yet?”

She furrowed her brow, feeling an intention behind the question. After a moment, she chose to answer him.

“A couple of times.” She shrugged her shoulders then rubbed her arm self-consciously. “Glynda took me shopping for clothes and we went a few places, but nowhere else.”

“Then would you care for a trip into Vale this weekend, Cinder?”

Cinder would be lying if she said she wasn’t giddy to explore the city of Vale.

Though she had lived in Atlas for three years, her only memories of it were within the halls of the Glass Unicorn and the confines of Atlas Academy. Here in Vale, she had new memories of the fairy tale-esque campus of Beacon; and soon the city streets.

When she and Glynda had come down to buy her clothes, she had been in awe of the local businesses and department stores. Everything was so different from the steel and stone structures of the north. There was no desire to be as tall or monumental as the floating nation but there was a kind of… Well, things tended to lean towards a fancy design. It felt very… ‘classical’, was the best way she could put it.

Landing on the edge of the city, Cinder stepped off the airship’s boarding ramp with Ozpin at her side. With them came Professor Port and Dr. Oobleck, the duo having jokingly mentioned something about a boy’s night with the headmaster and her.

They took a bus further into the city—the whole way she marveled at the sight of bustling shops and groups of pedestrians filling the sidewalks—and they were dropped off on the edge of a public square.

A fountain sprayed glimmering water at the square center while people sat along the rim or strode around it. Street lamps lit up the area, illuminating what the storefronts and buzzing signs did not. Set up within the square were stands facing the fountain and facing the sidewalks, people peddling homemade goods and various foods.

The delectable smells alone caused Cinder’s mouth to water.

She took a step towards the nearest food stall, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Freezing up, she opened her mouth to apologize before realizing the touch was not to stop her, but to get her to look up.

Turning her gaze to Ozpin, she watched him flash her an apologetic smile.

“I believe I should have said this weeks before,” Ozpin remarked, “but welcome to Vale, Cinder.”

Cinder Goodwitch stared at him for a long moment, and then she hid a bashful smile. Not knowing how to compose herself as her heart swelled with radiant jubilance and her head said to keep her guard up, she ended up turning as red as a tomato while a few tears welled in her eyes. She sniffled and wiped them away quickly to hide her embarrassment, but she let that small smile sit on her face nonetheless as she stepped toward the warmth of the festivities.

Minutes later, they began their tour of downtown Vale.

Making up for lost time, Cinder dragged her caretakers to every stall around. She smelled the aromas in the air and salivated over all the foods she saw. She looked in curious awe at the handmade goods being sold and she managed to get Ozpin to purchase a little accessory for her, a little, glinting blue pendant with blue feathers sprouting from it.

They moved along down the street after a while, walking into a much more populated area of downtown where throngs of people were enjoying themselves.

She’d heard of arcades, bookstores, cafés, and movie theatres before, but she’d never seen them in person. Maybe for the regular, everyday pedestrian they were a normal sight but for her it was like being in a zoo full of exotic animals. Everything was so new and wonderful, and it was like she was in a toy store where every toy was glimmering and shiny.

Cinder wanted to step inside and see them all, experience everything she’d never gotten to experience before.

Unfortunately, she was one girl with three caretakers.

“Oh! Barty, weren’t you talking about purchasing some dust?” Port inquired, clapping the taller, thinner professor on the back hard enough that his glasses almost shot off his face.

The history professor coughed and affixed his glasses back onto his nose. “Why yes I was. Oh, and they’re having a sale!”

The two Beacon professors hurried over to a store nearby, the glass windows hosting the name ‘From Dust Till Dawn’.

“I do need to top off my fire dust,” Port remarked, tweaking his waxed moustache. “Do you think we can use our huntsman discount with the sale?”

Oobleck stroked his chin for a moment then shrugged. “Why don’t we find out?”

They stepped inside, leaving Ozpin to watch her alone.

“Professor Ozpin!”

Cinder froze up, hearing a familiar voice call out to the headmaster.

Peering over her shoulder, she spied Summer Rose and Taiyang Xiao Long across the street. The former waved at Ozpin while the latter hung onto Yang’s and Ruby’s hands.

Oh no. No! No! No!

Briefly, her mind replayed her last incident with the family and she felt a brief burst of residual anger in her. Seeing the blonde girl’s face didn’t help either.

“Ah, Summer Rose!” Ozpin greeted, tapping his cane on the ground. “Fancy meeting you here!”

What should she do? What should she do?

She didn’t want the withering gazes. She didn’t want their voices to rise at her. She didn’t want to hurt people and she didn’t want them to hurt her!

“Come on, Yang! Ruby! Come meet our old teacher!”

Her heart raced and her ears started to ring. Her stomach twisted into knots and she felt something cold drop into the pit of her stomach. Maybe it was heart as it immediately stopped dead with fear?

Either way, she felt her legs carrying her away and suddenly Cinder was dashing around the nearest corner.

She felt her heart shoot back up into her chest and pound against it like a drum. Her ears rang harder, almost buzzing while her blood ran hot. Her legs burned and her lungs burned harder as she disappeared as far into the dark as she could, running down an alley and coming out onto another street.

Everything felt like it was on fire when she finally sat down on a bench, panting erratically while sweat dripped down her face. An itch needled her head so she undid her buns and let her raven black hair drape down her back. And then, she leaned forward and buried her face in her hands.

“What did I just do?” she whispered to herself, mortified with her choice.

She should go back right now before Ozpin noticed she’d run. He probably already noticed, what with the man being nearly omniscient as he was.

She drew in deep breaths faster as fear latched itself onto her heart, bleeding her of any hope she had for forgiveness.

Was there something wrong with her? There had to be.

Normal people didn’t run away out of fear, right? Glynda didn’t. Ozpin didn’t. General Ironwood hadn’t.

Cinder sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes before she beat a hand against her chest, trying to forcibly stop her heart from banging against it.

After a few seconds passed, she stood up and closed her eyes.

Okay. Okay. Don’t freak out again, just… just think… How do I get back to Ozpin–

Someone bumped into her and she stumbled a few paces over.

“H-Hey!” Cinder stammered out, her panic quickly transforming into anger.

She clenched her jaw and shot a glare at the other person, a small girl holding a drink in her hands.

The little girl, er– Actually, she looked around her age, maybe just an inch or so smaller. 

Chocolate brown hair was done up in pigtails, hanging off either side of her head. She was dressed up in a brown blazer and pants with a white tanktop underneath, looking fairly… ‘fancy’, was the best word Cinder could come up with. The only thing breaking up that appearance, however, was the pair of white sneakers emblazoned with pink hearts all over them.

After studying the other girl’s attire in confusion for a moment, Cinder looked up and met a pair of mismatching eyes: one a deep chocolate brown and the other a bright strawberry pink.

The girl blinked at her, eyes starting to water. She stepped back a few paces, hugging her drink close to her.

Cinder wanted to apologize for her sharp words. She wanted to say she was sorry, but ultimately, her anger won out.

“Watch where you’re going,” she said, voice shaky as she struggled to hold herself together.

The other girl nodded hastily. Cinder nodded back affirmingly, swallowed, and huffed.

Then, the raven-haired girl swiveled around and stormed away, her clenched fists swinging as she went to meet her destiny–

A hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her back with a yelp. She stumbled and bumped back into the same body as before.

The fire in the pit of her stomach roared and Cinder whirled around to let out another enraged shout. She paused, however, when she saw the accessory Ozpin had bought her being offered out by the brunette.

Her open mouth flapped like a fish on land and Cinder hesitantly reached out to take the accessory back. She stared at it for a little bit, then up at the other girl.

Her emotions began to cool off and her composure managed to stitch itself back together. Guilt bled into her heart, and it ached as Cinder rubbed her neck awkwardly.

“…Uh… Thanks,” she said, slouching her shoulders. “And sorry… I just… Sorry.”

Cinder sucked in a deep breath and sighed.

Why was she so… weird. Why did she have to be so awkward and angry and… all of that all the time?

Looking up, she met mismatched eyes again and found the girl no longer frigid with terror. Instead, her face had softened and there was remorse written on her expression. There was also a hint of compassion there too, but it disappeared when she glanced at something behind her, brown eyebrows knitting and face wrinkling with disapproval.

Cinder cocked her head back and then glanced over her shoulder, finding nothing and no one hiding back there.

When she looked at the girl again, she found her wearing a straight face; Or at least trying to.

“…What did you just look at?” Cinder asked, narrowing her eyes with suspicion.

The girl shook her head negatively before she stuck the straw of her drink in her mouth. She closed her eyes and drank whatever was in the cup, and for a brief moment it looked like she was in bliss… Was it really that good?

When the other girl opened her mismatched eyes again, Cinder pointed her finger at the drink.

“Did that taste good?”

The girl blinked at her, and after a moment she smiled and nodded.

“Where did you get it?”

The girl pointed at a food stall nearby, some guy over there selling milkshakes. Cinder glanced at the distant menu, making out a few choices before she narrowed her eyes and looked at the girl with suspicion once again.

“Um… Why aren’t you talking?”

The color in the girl’s face drained immediately and Cinder wondered if she’d struck the wrong nerve. Fear seemed to bleed into her mismatched eyes and they darted around, looking for an exit.

“What’s wrong?” Cinder asked, putting her hands on her hips.

The girl touched her throat and shook her head.

“Your throat hurts?”

The girl shook her head again and wrapped her hand around her throat. Cinder knit her brow and studied her for a second before a thought struck her.

“Can… you not talk?”

A bitter smile crossed the girl’s face and she nodded. Cinder straightened up, her amber eyes widening with surprise that she’d guessed correctly.

“I’ve never met someone who can’t talk,” she said, combing fingers through her hair.

The girl shrugged and blushed, twiddling with the straw in her drink. Her mismatched eyes darted around as she rubbed one foot into the sidewalk. After a while, however, she reached down into her pant pocket and dug around in it before she pulled out a scroll.

Cinder watched her type something before she showed it to her.

<Hi, I’m Trivia> the message said on a note app.

“Trivia?” Cinder looked up at her and then tried offering a smile. “I’m Cinder.”

Trivia erased and typed again. <Sorry about bumping into you>

“It’s okay, I was just… I’m not having a great night.”

Trivia frowned. <What happened?>

Cinder shrugged. “I… kinda panicked earlier. I messed up and… I panicked.”

They stood around for a bit, shifting in place awkwardly before Cinder pointed at the bench she’d sat down on nearby.

“Did you want to sit down?”

Trivia shrugged but then typed on her scroll. <Did you want a milkshake?>

She tucked her scroll under an arm then pulled out a lien card from her pocket, waggling it with a timid smile.

Cinder was taken back for a second, the offer coming so abruptly. The last offer she’d received like this was when she first met Glynda. Now she was getting one from a girl her age….

“I really shouldn’t,” she reasoned.

Trivia shook her head and awkwardly typed on her scroll, tucking her milkshake in the crook of her arm and her lien card between her fingers.

<It’s fine> she wrote. <I want to do it>

“But….” Cinder turned her gaze away from Trivia, silently deliberating on the offer. After a few seconds, she slumped her shoulders and sighed concedingly. “Well, as long as you say it’s okay.”

Moments later she was sitting down on the bench with Trivia, milkshake in her hands.

Due to her partialness toward cinnamon rolls, she'd gotten herself a cinnamon-vanilla mix with some syrup. It was divine.

She slurped on the milkshake for a bit, reveling in the flavor. Beside her, Trivia seemed to do the same. They just sat there and did that for a while before Cinder’s drink reached half tank, at which point she decided to save the rest for later.

Leaning back, the raven-haired girl looked up at the sky and then around at the stalls littering the streets. The hustle and bustle of the weekend festival hadn’t declined in the slightest, the city still abuzz with life so late at night. It was intoxicating in a way, feeling this energy all around her.

“So, are Vale’s festivals always like this?” Cinder asked, looking over at Trivia.

The brunette shrugged and then typed. <I don’t know. This is my first one>

“Oh. Well, this is mine too.”

Cinder scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. Trivia did the same, though, her eyes seemed to flick past Cinder again.

Stealing a glance behind her, Cinder found nothing again. When she looked back, Trivia was typing on her scroll.

<Do you like playing games?> her scroll read.

Cinder shrugged. “I don’t know. I only read books and watch TV.”

<What about the floor is lava?> she typed.

“I’ve never played that before.”

<It can be fun> Trivia tapped her chin, then typed something else out. <Where do you live?>

Cinder sat up a bit and looked around, but unfortunately, the exact direction of Beacon Academy was lost to her.

“I live at Beacon,” she answered.

Trivia’s eyes widened and almost bulged out of her head.

<BEACON?> she rapidly typed in all caps.

Cinder blushed and rubbed her neck. “Yeah, my guardian is an instructor there.”

The brunette bounced where she sat and typed. <That’s so cool!>

She blushed harder, blood rushing to her cheeks as she squirmed on the bench. It felt great to be praised.

“So, where do you live?” she asked.

Trivia pressed her lips together and tugged them to the side. Straightening up like she had, the other girl craned her head in search of her home before she pointed in a general direction.

<Somewhere over there, I think?> she typed, erased, and then typed again. <I live in a mansion>

Cinder blinked. “A mansion?”

That explained her outfit a bit.

Trivia nodded. <My dad is the city manager>

“What does that mean?”

<I don’t know. He takes care of the city?>

Trivia scratched her head, and then her cheeks pinkened when she stole a glance at her. Cinder tilted her head as the other girl typed hastily on her scroll, writing a message, erasing it, writing it again, and then erasing it to do the process over.

A minute passed before she sucked in a breath and showed her what she wanted to say:

<Sorry, if I’m being weird. I only have one other friend>

Cinder blinked at her in surprise. She considered her a friend already?

“…That’s fine.” The raven-haired girl giggled, her cheeks flushed. “I, uh, I don’t have any friends actually.”

Chocolate brown and strawberry pink eyes widened with astonishment as Trivia’s jaw dropped. Cinder cast her a weird look, not exactly sure why she was getting that reaction from the girl.

Unfortunately, before she could get some clarity, a voice interrupted them.

“What’s wrong with your eye?”

Trivia perked up and Cinder mimicked the action when she saw it. Following the other girl’s gaze, she looked over and watched as a girl with streaks of green in her short, spiky hair came strutting over in a pair of chunky boots. The newcomer was quickly followed by two others, all of them dressed in identical short-sleeved black jackets, pale blue tops, and tight mini skirts with chain belts.

The trio was clearly older than them, maybe around fifteen to sixteen? The one thing she clocked off the bat besides that was the way they held themselves, all haughty and mightier-than-thou just like her stepsisters.

Cinder’s lips curved into a frown and she was glad to notice that Trivia’s did too.

“And what is she wearing?” one of the girls remarked in a singsong voice before pointing at Trivia’s shoes. “Look at those shoes!”

“Check out her though,” another one said, directing their attention to Cinder. “What’s up with the feathers? And what's wrong with your neck?”

Trivia flushed red and shrunk back. Cinder curled her hands into fists.

Before she could snap back at the trio, the third girl among them sighed.

“They’re just a couple of little kids,” she reasoned, glancing between Trivia and her.

The one who made fun of Trivia rolled her eyes.

“Nobody asked you, Heather,” she snapped, letting the name spill out of her mouth like an insult.

That girl glared back at her while the first one tilted her head, still watching them.

After a second, Cinder worked up the courage to speak up.

“Do you need something?” she growled, standing up.

The trio still towered over her by a couple of inches and so not a single one of them seemed impressed by her defiance.

“Hey, calm down, tiger,” the first girl, and the apparent leader of the clique, teased. “We just want to talk.”

“Yeah, well–”

She was cut off immediately by the girl as she gestured at herself, then at the second girl, and finally at Heather.

“I’m Cookie, this is Mags, and that’s Heather,” she introduced, though she rolled her name while doing so for the last member of her group. “We saw you guys hanging out and we thought you looked lonely.”

“Yeah!” Mags agreed, hands clasped behind her back as she loomed over Cinder and Trivia. “So we thought, why not invite you to hang out with us too?”

“But,” Cookie interjected, “only if you buy us shakes too.”

Cinder wrinkled her nose and furrowed her brow in bafflement. Were they serious?

“I’ll take butterscotch!” Mags announced.

Cookie laid a hand on her chest. “Mint chip for me!”

“I’m good.” Heather shrugged.

Apparently, they were serious.

Cinder pressed her lips together tightly and tried to not let the anger show on her face. Looking back at Trivia, she crossed her fingers and hoped her new friend wasn’t panicking.

Weirdly enough though, Trivia’s eyes were following something behind the girls attempting to coerce them.

“Uh, excuse me?” Cookie stepped into Cinder’s personal space, forcing the girl to tumble back onto the bench. “Are you guys gonna listen or not?”

Cinder shot back up, forcing Cookie back a step and reclaiming her space.

“No,” Cinder answered stifly, trying to imitate her guardian’s tone when she spoke with Professor Ozpin.

Anger crossed the older girl’s face and she rolled her eyes before looking at Trivia.

“What about you, huh?” she snapped. “You wanna leave this loser behind and hang out with us instead? We can go shopping after we get shakes?”

On the bench, Trivia glanced between the two of them, clutching her milkshake tightly. A second later though, she swallowed and stood up, then sidled up next to Cinder.

Trivia shook her head negatively and Cinder smiled smugly in Cookie’s face.

“She says no,” Cinder declared victoriously before taking Trivia’s hand and pushing past the older girl.

All of a sudden, however, a pair of hands pressed against her chest and pushed her back. She stumbled into Trivia, who tumbled back and tripped on the bench, taking another seat with her milkshake sloshing in her cup.

“I didn’t say you could go,” the bully sneered above her.

Cinder felt her eyes twitching as her brow furrowed deeper. Anger welled within her, burning hot in the pit of her stomach. Her fingers flexed and curled into fists, and she felt heat growing in her palms.

She opened her mouth to speak… but when she looked up at Cookie, who was silhouetted by the streetlight above her and stood towering in that blackened form, she saw the Madame instead.

“I suggest you remember your place!”

A phantom pain surged across her neck and through her body for a brief second. Cinder choked on her furious words and flinched.

“Uh, what’s up with her?” Mags asked, her voice sounding far away.

It was getting hard to breathe. Her throat wouldn’t open, too busy tightening with fright.

A hand touched her shoulder and she was pulled back a step, Trivia appearing in the corner of her vision.

“Just leave them alone,” Heather whined. “Let’s go see a movie.”

Cookie groaned and swiveled on her heel. “Sure, whatever.”

The trio stepped away and the moment they were out of sight Cinder heaved in a breath of air. She inhaled more, putting one hand over her chest to steady her heart before feeling along her throat.

There wasn’t a dust crystal dangling from her neck.

Cinder breathed in a final, deep breath of air and sat up. Her racing heart slowed its pace and the ringing in her ears faded away.

Slowly craning her head, she found Trivia watching her with a frightened face.

“I-I need to go,” Cinder blurted out, face warm.

She shot up, but Trivia shot up with her. She hurried after her as Cinder ran and–

A yelp escaped Cinder as her foot caught on something, sending her tumbling to the ground. Trivia followed the same fate, smacking into her back before she fell on top of her and rolled off. Their milkshakes splattered on them, soaking into their clothes as the world spun around them.

Cinder lay on her front for a while before she slowly got up, laying one hand flat on the ground and then another. She pushed herself up off the linoleum– No, no it was cement!

She heard her stepsisters giggling in the background. Somewhere nearby, she heard heels clicking and her breathing grew erratic.

“Seriously, what’s wrong with her? She’s, like, about to throw up.”

“What a freak.”

“You stupid rat!”

Rizel’s voice echoed in her head and the cement under Cinder’s hands heated up, glowing a hot, burning orange.

Screams echoed behind her and Cinder rose up, shoulders squared and a hateful scowl on her face.

She found the trio of girls stumbling around, splitting themselves up for whatever reason. But then, they turned to face Trivia who stood behind them, now dressed in a pink tank top, brown pants, and white combat boots, a head of bright, strawberry pink hair cascading off her head, and a vengeful fire in her mismatched eyes.

“What do you want?” Cookie snarked at Trivia. “Don’t tell me you’re friends with them?”

Cinder stormed up while they were distracted, her fist steaming at her side.

Trivia reeled back a fist as Cinder grabbed the closest girl by the shoulder and spun her around.

Cookie received a punch to the face just before Mags did.

Both girls dropped to the ground, slapping hands over their broken noses as blood gushed out onto their clothes. They looked better in red.

Cinder heaved in deep breaths as something dark, but immensely pleasurable welled in her heart.

A grin spread across her face, but it dropped when her brain caught up with her eyes.

Had Trivia just… shattered?

Cinder blinked and stared at the space Trivia had stood. However, her shoulder bumped against another and she looked beside her to find the real Trivia standing right there, her hair chocolate brown again. 

Amber eyes met mismatched ones and they shared looks of shock, confusion, and dread.

Suddenly then, she became aware of the small crowd gathering around them. People were holding up their scrolls, taking photos and recording the scene. Others were holding fists to their mouths and gasping while others just whispered in hushed voices, looking on with mixed expressions of fear and shock.

Both she and Trivia backed up slowly, and thankfully their audience parted ways for them–

Without warning, a siren blared, startling the entire crowd. Red and blue lights flashed across the buildings nearby and a black-and-white police car rolled up to the car.

A cop stepped out. “What’s going on here?”

A hand grabbed Cinder’s and suddenly she was being dragged along by Trivia into a dead sprint.

“Hey. Hey! Stop right there!”

Couples holding hands, kids skipping along, and families strolling across the sidewalk were all forced to the side as Cinder and Trivia dashed forward without abandon.

In the corners of her vision, Cinder glimpsed the flashing red and blue lights of the cop car behind them. If that wasn’t an indication of their pursuers catching up then the blaring siren and constant ‘Stop right there! certainly were.

They needed to keep running. They needed to run faster.

Unfortunately, Cinder could feel her legs giving out and her lungs burning up. Trivia herself was already stumbling, almost losing her footing on the ground beneath her as she pushed herself to her limits.

“They’re getting closer!” Cinder cried.

Trivia glanced over her shoulder, eyes flitting between the car behind them and Cinder. Then, she snapped her head forward and turned it to an opening in between the buildings along their right side up ahead.

The moment they reached it, Trivia pulled her into the alley. They passed through it, reached another street, and kept running up that one. Unfortunately, they only made it a short distance before a chain-link fence barred their way, a construction sign hanging on it.

“Crap,” Cinder hissed as she looked around for another way while Trivia looked up, gauging the length of a climb up it.

In the end, it seemed their best chance was straightforward.

Holding up her hands, Cinder closed her eyes and breathed in, then out. She focused on the wellspring within her, the pool of aura that was left untapped.

She dipped a finger in it… and she felt a thin string lift with it as she drew upon her life force.

“I-I got this!” Cinder said with a triumphant grin, grabbing the fence and focusing on her aura.

The thin, metal wires glowed a bright orange before they melted away. She snapped each one off, one by one until she was able to tear open a hole in the fence big enough for them to crawl through.

“Come on!” Cinder shouted, holding the fence down for Trivia to go through.

Trivia hesitated, but then nodded and crawled through. She stayed standing on the other side though, waving her hands for Cinder to hurry.

She slipped through immediately, right as the cops came barreling out of the alley.

“There they are!”

“Hey! How’d you kids?”

They didn’t give the cops time to answer, running forward towards–

Cinder’s eyes widened when she realized the darkness ahead was not asphalt unlit by the street lights but an abyssal pit.

“W-Wait!” Cinder grabbed Trivia, who was right on the edge.

The other girl let out a silent scream as she kicked her leg over nothingness. Thankfully, she managed to pull her back and shuffled away from the edge.

Glancing over her shoulder again, Cinder spotted the cops almost to the fence.

“This way!”

Cinder shuffled along the edge, skirting along the pit’s rim while using the fence as handholds.

Looking over, she saw Trivia frozen with fear, petrified on the spot. However, her eyes darted over to something on the other side of the obstacle and she sucked in a deep breath. Following her lead, she started skirting around the edge too while the cops rattled the fence.

“Get back here, it’s not safe!”

“Do we take the hole?”

“Are you even going to fit?”

Cinder ignored the rest of their bickering as she made it to the other side and used her semblance to carve another hole through the fence. Not a second later, she was through with Trivia following her a couple of seconds after.

They stared at each other for a moment, then looked back at the cops who watched them with a critical eye.

“You kids stay right there!” one of them barked while the other ran back down the alley they’d come from.

Cinder felt Trivia’s hand on hers and suddenly she was being dragged along again.

“Yeah, we should go!” she agreed, falling into step with the mute girl.

They sprinted up the street, then down another alley. Somehow, they ended up in a grimy space between a cluster of buildings, surrounded by trash bags, bins, plastic crates, and service entrances. Their eyes bounced around a number of different alleyways before they spotted a figure standing in one of them.

“Hey!” the cop shouted, jumping forward.

“Run!” Cinder cried, pulling Trivia with her this time.

They shot down yet another alley and Cinder swiped her arm out to knock over a stack of plastic crates. The stack toppled over and scattered across the alley floor, giving the cops another obstacle to overcome.

Emerging onto another street, the duo glanced left and right before Trivia seemed to spot something. Cinder followed her mismatched eyes, noticing a fairly wide alley with a fire escape in it.

Trivia tugged on her hand and met her eyes. She pointed over at the fire escape and Cinder nodded, following her lead.

However, before they could even cross the sidewalk, a hand snatched the collar of Trivia’s blazer.

“Gotcha!” the cop shouted.

Cinder watched Trivia struggle, giving a silent scream. Acting on instinct, she grabbed the offending hand, her hands burning hot.

“Let her go!”

The cop yelped and let the mute girl loose before she nursed the burns around her wrist. Trivia, though, stumbled and fell onto her knees, scraping them against the cement.

Cinder grabbed her arm and tried to pull her up, but their eyes met and she saw the other girl crying.

“Cinder!”

A hand grabbed her shoulder and she twisted around to attack the cop, only to find her burning palm slap against a shining, emerald shield.

Ozpin stood there, his brow knit and lips pressed together tightly. He had his cane in one hand and the other held out, holding the shield against her attack.

“That’s enough,” he said, taking on an authoritative tone she’d never heard him use before. “Now, calm down.”

Cinder obeyed as the other cop caught up with them, running out of the alley.

“Cloud? You okay?” he asked.

“Kid burned my wrist,” Cloud said, nursing the wound.

Cinder opened her mouth to apologize, but underneath Ozpin’s critical eye, she decided to shut up and let events play out around her.

Moments later, she and Trivia were both seated down on the sidewalk, a patrol car pulled up to the curb. Officer Cloud had her wrist wrapped up in bandages while Officer Arad was kneeling down in front of them, notepad in hand.

“So, the sooner we get through this, the sooner I can let you kids go, alright,” Arad claimed gently. “Why’d you two run?”

Cinder looked away, turning her face to the side out of shame. Though she wanted to clear everything up, she didn’t want to admit it was her fault in the first place. But it wasn’t. It was their fault, those bullies….

Next to her, she felt Ozpin’s presence grow and she stole a look at him, finding him looking down at her.

In the corner of her vision, she spotted Arad looking away from her in disappointment and turning his eyes towards Trivia, who sniffled and wiped the tears from her swollen eyes.

“Please, I just want to know why,” Arad said.

Trivia swallowed and dug into her pocket, getting out her scroll. Arad, however, frowned and reached over to snatch it from her.

“She can’t talk!” Cinder snapped before the cop stole Trivia’s scroll.

The cop narrowed her eyes at her, looked at Trivia, and then nodded. She waited patiently for the mute girl to type her message before she showed it to her.

<Not our fault> Trivia had typed. <They hurt us first>

The cop stared at her for a moment, scrutinizing her frightened, tear-stained face. Then, he looked at Cinder with a critical eye, and Cinder responded with a defiant gaze back.

“We were just sitting down and they started telling us to buy them milkshakes,” she answered, holding her arms tightly over her chest. “We told them no and they shoved us, then tripped us when we tried to walk away.”

After a minute or so had passed before Officer Cloud strode over with a sigh.

“Same thing as the witness said over there,” she remarked, throwing a thumb over her shoulder before she met Cinder’s eyes. “Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. Even for this.”

She showed off her bandaged wrist and Cinder looked away guiltily.

Arad nodded in agreement, offering a smile.

“Those girls have gotten in trouble before, so I believe you two,” he explained. “That’s why we were parked nearby. But then you were involved in some disturbance and you ran.”

“We had to get our facts straight,” Cloud elaborated further. “But, judging from what I’m seeing and hearing, I’m going to say you two were the victims. That being said, I think it’s probably time for you girls to get home. Can we get your names?”

Cinder tucked her knees closer to her chest and bowed her head. Ozpin’s cane tapped her shoulder and she looked up at the headmaster before she sighed concedingly.

Next to her, Trivia held up her scroll.

“‘Trivia Vanille?’” Arad read. “Vanille? As in Jimmy Vanille? I didn’t even know he had a daughter.”

Cinder arched an eyebrow and looked over at Trivia, who shrugged and spread out her arms, inviting them to look at her.

Arad huffed and then looked at Cinder.

“Cinder Goodwitch,” she answered.

Cloud blinked and looked at Ozpin. “Goodwitch? Like the huntress?”

“Professor Goodwitch is conducting business in Atlas at the moment,” Ozpin explained. “I’ve been taking care of her in her stead, but unfortunately things became rather chaotic tonight.”

Both officers hummed affirmingly before Arad got up with a grunt.

“Well, looks like we got a couple of celebrities tonight,” Arad joked, trying to lift the mood. “If your parents get worried about this affecting them, don’t worry about it. I doubt anyone’s going to press charges.”

“If there’s any further issues, please feel free to contact Beacon,” Ozpin stated, offering them an apologetic smile. “We’re terribly sorry for the trouble, officer.”

“That’s alright, sir,” Cloud said, nodding her head. “Are you guys needing a lift anywhere? We’d be happy to get you to the landing pads.”

Cinder shook her head. Trivia nodded.

Glancing over, she found Trivia curling up tighter as her eyes studied the sidewalk.

“Yes, I’m afraid Miss Vanille was not a part of our entourage tonight,” Ozpin said. “I’m not entirely certain if she has a way of returning home, or if her parents are searching for her. If I remember correctly, I thought Jimmy was hosting a party tonight actually.”

Officer Cloud narrowed her eyes. “Huh. You don’t say?”

Arad pulled out his scroll and dialed a number in. After a couple of seconds, his call went to voicemail.

“No answer,” he said before he pointed his chin at their patrol car. “Well, if it’s a ride you need, kid, we’d be happy to give it to ya. We’ll keep calling your dad on the way, ‘kay?”

Trivia sniffled as she climbed to her feet, flinching as she did. The bandages under her pants bulged against the fabric.

The mute girl took a deep breath, then looked over at Cinder. There was longing in her eyes, a kind of desperation born of loneliness—Cinder knew because she’d seen the same look in the silver trays she’d held at the Glass Unicorn.

Amber eyes stared into mismatched ones for a long moment then suddenly thin arms wrapped around her waist and Cinder stumbled back a step. She looked down at the smaller girl with wide, surprised eyes, then with watery ones. She awkwardly hugged her back, and then they separated, wearing matching smiles.

Moments later, Cinder stood beside Ozpin as they watched the cop car drive off and around the corner.

When she finally came down from her jubilant high, Cinder looked up at the headmaster and found him wearing a defeated frown.

“I won’t say a thing to Glynda,” he said before he looked down at her with a stern expression, “not until she gets back from Atlas.”

Cinder nodded sullenly as he led her away to meet Professor Port and Dr. Oobleck.

She didn’t want Glynda to know about tonight. She didn’t want her to find out how badly she’d messed up again.

Glynda would ask her what happened. Why it happened. She’d ask why she attacked another girl like she attacked Yang, and she’d be horrified.

But it wasn’t her fault! She attacked her first, provoked her like Yang!

But she made her bleed though, and Mags hadn’t done that… but she deserved it.

That dark and wonderful feeling of her knuckles crushing the older girl’s nose poured into Cinder’s heart for a brief moment before she flushed it out.

No, she shouldn’t feel that way! That was wrong!

Glynda couldn’t find out about tonight because then she’d have to tell her why she attacked her. Then, Cinder would have to say she did it because she heard her stepsister instead of Mags. She’d have to say it was because she felt her old shock collar constricting her neck.

Cinder didn’t want to admit that this had all started because she didn’t want to relive the anger and shame of what happened at the Xiao Long-Rose cabin.

She didn’t want to tell Glynda that there was something wrong with her because there wasn’t.

She didn’t want to say that she was broken, because saying it out loud made it real, and she didn’t want to be broken….

When the Atlesian Supreme Court gave their final verdict, Glynda had been grinning from ear to ear.

Trema Phyrite would spend forty years in prison. Her stepdaughters would face half the time in juvenile detention. When the latter two got out, they’d regain but a modicum of their former wealth, a vast majority of their family inheritance paying for the Phyrites’ collective fines and a good chunk being seized by the state.

Glynda could not have asked for a better ending to their story. Well, actually, she’d pay to see them watch their precious hotel being demolished. That or let them watch Cinder grow up loved while they languished in their cells.

“You know, Glynda,” James spoke up, obviously picking up on her inner thoughts, “I think Ozpin would say it’s unbecoming of you as a huntress to wish ill on others.”

She pouted and elbowed the general as they rode the elevator down. James chuckled as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

“I kid! I kid!” He fixed his overcoat and exhaled. “The Phyrites got what they deserved.”

Glynda shook her head. “Almost.”

The elevator car fell silent again. Then, James hooked a finger in his collar and pulled on it. He shifted his feet uncomfortably as he stole glances at her. She did much the same upon noticing, looking away from him as she thought about what she was going to do once they reached the detention center below.

Soon enough, they came to a stop and the doors parted open. Stepping out, they navigated down the halls until they reached the cell block housing low-risk inmates soon to be transferred out.

Glynda breathed in, steeling herself. “Thank you for letting me do this, James.”

She looked to her right, spying the general watching her with a weary look.

“Of course, Glynda. Just… control yourself in there, okay?”

She almost nodded, but then closed her eyes and exhaled. “No promises.”

In contrast to the sterile, brightly lit hall outside, the detention center was dimly lit despite the glow of the hard light shields locking each cell. Still, though, Glynda cast a long shadow as she strode past empty and occupied cells, searching for the number James had given her.

Eventually, she found it and stepped up the barrier between her and the woman who had abused Cinder for three years.

“Hello, Trema,” Glynda greeted, voice cold and emerald eyes sharped into daggers.

The once composed and refined owner of the Glass Unicorn looked up in surprise. She sat on a bench in the back of her cell wearing one of her outfits. She’d yet to be forced to give up her belongings, but that time would come in short order.

When their eyes eventually met, the other woman froze in fright before she trembled with rage.

“You!” She jumped to her feet and stormed across her cell to stand right in front of the barrier between them. “What do you want?”

Glynda stood unfazed, looking her in the eye as she spoke, “I never got to have a proper word with you after I saved Cinder that night. I’m glad I have the chance now.”

So many words were jumbled in her head. A thousand heated sentences fought against each other in her mind to be released. She wanted to scream and shout, let fire burst from her lungs, and burn the horrid creature in front of her to a crisp. Yet, she couldn’t find the right thing to say.

So, instead, she glared harder and prompted Trema to fly into a frenzy.

“You think you’re going to have the last laugh?” Trema beat a fist against the hard light barrier. “You’re going to pay for this! I have friends on the outside! They’ll tear you down from your high horse, Goodwitch! I’ll make sure that rat pays too!”

“You won’t touch a hair on her head,” Glynda growled.

For a moment, Trema smirked but then she scowled even deeper than before.

“That ungrateful little wretch will betray you too, you know that right?” she hissed. “After everything we gave her, she pays me back like this?”

A feral growl rumbled in Glynda’s throat, but she stopped herself from tearing the other woman apart limb from limb. She was better than that. Better than her.

Taking a deep breath, the huntress composed herself before locking eyes with her once more.

“Do you know what you are, Trema? You’re a relic. An atavistic has-been from an Atlas that was and never will be again,” Glynda remarked coldly, watching the other woman fume in her hard light cell. “You think you can get away with anything and everything just because once upon a time the working class shrank in deference to thugs like you, but the world’s changed and you’ve been so focused on clinging to the past that you haven’t noticed.”

Glynda cracked a smile then, a sadistic glee bleeding into her heart. “Well, I’m glad to be the bearer of bad news. Your actions have consequences. And now you’ll lose everything. Your inheritance. The Glass Unicorn.”

“The Unicorn is mine!”

“Not anymore,” Glynda snapped. “Not after what you did to Cinder.”

“That pathetic rat stole everything from me! We gave her a home! Clothes! Food! And all she did was cause trouble!”

“She gave you everything!”

Her aura flared with amethyst flames as she activated her semblance. Telekinetically, she threw the other woman across her cell, threatening her with violence but having enough self-control to not let her slam against the wall and crack her head open.

Trema hung in the air trembling, petrified by fear. All the while, Glynda seethed in outrage, baring her gnashed teeth and feeling anger boil within her like molten lava. 

In this very moment, she wanted nothing more than to educate the Phyrite matriarch the same way she had educated Cinder.

“She gave you everything,” Glynda repeated, voice trembling with barely withheld fury, “and you just kept taking! And taking! And taking! And she just kept giving until there was nothing left!”

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back.

Glynda gasped and looked up, finding James standing above her. He wore a stern face, but in his eyes, she could see fear. Whether it was of her or for her she couldn’t tell, it may very well be both.

“Glynda,” he whispered, pulling her from her rage-fueled thoughts.

His hand slid off her shoulder, down her arm, and touched her hand. She let her fingers interweave with his and she found comfort in the gentle squeeze of his hand.

Her lips parted so she could apologize, but when she saw Trema in the shadow of her cell she swallowed those words back down.

“I’m finished,” Glynda said. “Goodbye, Trema. We won’t be seeing each other again.”

Moments later, the doors to the detention center closed behind Glynda and she let a heavy sigh escape her. All the anger and outright hatred she’d carried with her from Vale was gone now. She felt lighter but in a strange way emptier. It was just so easy to want to strangle the Phyrites that she didn’t know what else to do now.

“Was that as cathartic as I hoped it was?” James asked, hovering a hand behind her in case she stumbled.

Glynda nodded quietly, then she adjusted her attire and composed herself. “It was, thank you again.”

They stood around there for a while, and then James gestured for them to start walking. The subsequent trip to the elevator was silent and the ride up was equally so. The car felt so very small and claustrophobic, the air too thick with tension that Glynda was afraid she'd suffocate. Thankfully, they arrived at James' office quickly and she swiftly escaped.

"Trema will get what she's owed," James declared as she took a seat at his desk. "I promise you that."

"I know," she responded in a quiet, tired voice.

It was over. The final battle had been fought. Cinder was safe from her stepfamily and Glynda could raise her in piece, yet she knew that this was only the beginning of a longer conflict.

"Glynda," James spoke up, stepping over to stand behind her, "about what Trema said back there."

She frowned and balled her hands into fists. "If you're worried that it bothers me, then don't be. She was lashing out like a caged animal."

James hummed affirmingly, but regardless, he rested a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

"I just want you to know that I believe in you. You chose to do good by that little girl, and I know you're doing your level best." He chuckled. "Perhaps, you've exceeded even in that like you always do?"

He joked so easily, but Glynda remembered that day. His frantic ravings still echoed in her head. She could still feel herself being pulled between his overt opposition to her adopting Cinder and Ozpin's casual proposition.

"This coming from the man who thought I'd make a bad mother," she remarked coldly.

She could feel James frowning. "I never said that."

"You made it quite obvious."

Silence filled the room once more. A few seconds later, she heard boots clicking loudly on the metal floor and James came into view in the corner of her vision.

"If I gave that impression, then I apologize," he insisted. "I would never think that of you, Glynda, I just-"

"Just what, James?" she sighed tiredly, not wanting to dance around subtle meanings and late apologies again.

Glynda buried her face in her palm and then pinched the bridge of her nose. Meanwhile, James knelt down and tried to meet her eyes, but she refused.

"I was just worried that I wouldn't be there for you-"

He bit his tongue and looked away. She peeked past her fingers and saw shame cross his face. For a moment, he lingered on the floor, but then he stood and turned away from her.

She saw him tense his hands, curling them into loose fists before he clenched them tightly and inhaled sharply Then, he turned and knelt again, moving slowly and gently.

"No, that's a lie." James squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw as if he were in pain. He breathed in deeply and then exhaled heavily before he spoke again, "I was scared, Glynda. I'll admit that. You were taking a big step forward and I couldn't follow you. I wanted to, but... I was scared."

"Scared of what?"

He looked up at her. Emerald eyes met blue ones and she saw then that the masks of the General, the Headmaster, and the Huntsman were gone. Laid bare before her was the man she'd fallen for so long ago. He looked so tired.

"That I wasn't ready," he answered as he reached out for one of her hands.

She didn't resist as he took her right hand, cupping it gently with one of his bigger ones. He then moved it so it rested against the side of his face.

"We've done this dance for so long, Glynda," James whispered to her tenderly. "We've come together and fallen apart so many times I've lost count, and each time it's my fault."

Glynda shook her head. "That's not true."

"No," he said firmly, "it is. I keep stumbling, but that doesn't stop me from dreaming. I still think about us. Time and time again, I see your face and I wonder about the future. Our future. I wonder what it could look like, but most of all I wonder if I'll be there."

Her face was already pinkened, but now it reddened until she looked the part of a tomato.

"James," she breathed, moving her left hand to the other side of his face.

They shared a tender kiss in that moment, and it was followed by another. And another. And several deeper ones. They didn't leave his office for a while.

When morning came, Glynda thought about the future too. She thought about her future with James. She thought about her future at Beacon. But most of all she thought about her future with Cinder.

Everyone Glynda knew wore their history on their backs, they bore their service on their bodies. Some were deeper than others, some were more extensive. She herself had the darkest moment of her career marked on her side, a gnarly patch of pale skin she stared at in the mirrors some mornings. She thought it would be the deepest scar she'd ever bear, but her hatred for the Phyrites had cut deeper into her ever since she first discovered the dark truth behind Cinder’s adoption.

That being said, she could only imagine how deeply the scars of her abuse ran, and just how much anguish festered in those old wounds.

Chapter Text

“You took her into Vale and left her alone?”

Glynda furious voice echoed off the walls and windows of Ozpin’s office as she seethed, glaring furiously at the three men standing before her. None of them could find the courage to answer her, only the ceaseless ticking of the tower clockwork responded to her outburst.

She’d arrived back in Vale the day after the Phyrites’ trial, James having prepared everything for her to get back to Beacon as soon as possible. Upon landing, her luggage was taken to her apartment while she headed for Beacon Tower to get a sitrep on the semester thus far. Everything had started out tame at first until Ozpin decided to drop the bomb on what Cinder had been up to since she left.

Running off in the middle of a crowded festival. Attacking two girls. Assaulting a police officer.

Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose and gave a quiet whine under her breath, feeling a migraine building in her head.

Peter stepped forward and boldly apologized, “Glynda, we’re sorry–”

“I don’t want to hear it!” She shoved a hand in their direction and sucked in a deep breath. “I… I don’t….”

Glynda inhaled sharply and closed her eyes. She massaged her forehead and tried to cool her nerves. Yet, panic and anger had lit her mind on fire. Rage bubbled up in her like rising lava, threatening to pour out more than it already had.

She crossed her arms and paced back and forth for a moment. Minutes passed before she managed to take even breaths. The moment she realized she was panicking, Glynda kicked her huntress training into gear. She cleared her mind and steadied her thundering heart, focusing on the sole matter at hand: Cinder had caused trouble, more than she had before.

Other anxious thoughts ate away at the edges of her mind, but she ignored them. Right now, she needed to deal with that girl….

Emerald eyes flicked over to her colleagues and they narrowed. Inhaling deeply, Glynda composed herself and stood taller.

“With all due respect, boys,” she regarded coldly, “I would like you to stay the hell away from Cinder for the time being.”

They seemed taken aback by how stoically she spoke such heated words. Regardless, they seemed to have gotten the message.

She shared a final look with the headmaster, Ozpin giving her a regretful look before he broke eye contact. Then, she left with her lips pressed into a thin line and her hands clenched into fists.

The first thing Glynda noticed when she stepped into her apartment was how clean it was. There was a noticeable lack of dust on the table in the hall, the floors gleamed in a way they hadn’t before she left, and everything seemed to be so… orderly. Unnaturally so.

Cinder must have cleaned everything, she reasoned.

She had told her to stop doing that alone. Perhaps that was the point?

Glynda frowned and moved forward, stepping into the living room and finding the twelve-year-old standing in the middle of the room.

For a moment, the world stood still. Waning sunlight poured through the windows, illuminating the room but also casting shadows.

As the world started turning again, Cinder’s pale face darkened with the falling sun.

Amber eyes met emerald ones and Glynda could only think about what Ozpin had told her.

Seconds passed, and then Cinder’s anxious face turned into a shameful one. She bowed her head low and shifted her feet on the ground. Under her gaze, the girl visibly shrank and struggled to hold herself together.

Glynda watched her fidget for a long, tense moment, and then she gave an exasperated breath and stepped past her to sit down on the sofa.

God, this was a mess.

She heard a fabric stretching as Cinder tugged at the hem of her shirt, and then she heard the girl intake sharply.

“Glynda–”

“Not now, Cinder,” Glynda snapped firmly. “Just…. Please.”

Glynda buried her face in her hands, smothering her eyes with darkness. Her mind was on fire, a thousand frantic thoughts running through her head at once. Her nerves were frayed and she was at her wit’s end with everything.

They’d taken a step forward before she left and now they were three steps back. Probably five.

Bouncing her knee, Glynda let herself go for a moment. That festering ball of anxiety fizzling in her chest burst and she sniffled. Tears welled in her eyes and she let them fall briefly. 

Just for a few seconds, she let the mask of professionalism and stoicism slip, allowing her to feel oh so human. Then, she took a deep breath, wiped her face clean, and looked up at her adopted daughter.

Cinder, all the while, looked away from her, visibly paler. The moment she looked at her, the girl froze.

“Cinder,” Glynda called, “they told me about St. Clara’s Day.”

She waited, hoping the twelve-year-old would be bold enough to respond. Seconds ticked by and the sun fell farther outside. The room darkened little by little, and soon enough Glynda had to get up to turn on the standing lamp.

The moment light poured into the room again, she heard Cinder speak, “It wasn’t my fault.”

Glynda turned around and met a pair of fiery amber eyes. Cinder stared her down like a caged animal, daring and steadfast.

A sigh escaped Glynda as she massaged her forehead. “I know, it wasn’t your fault, but what you did–”

“What’s wrong with what I did?” Cinder shouted defensively, balling her hands into fists.

Glynda had just about enough with this.

Standing up, she walked around the coffee table and stood before the adolescent.

“You attacked others! Again!” she shouted back at her, hoping harsher words might break through that thick head of hers. “You broke a girl’s nose! Two girls! And you assaulted a police officer!”

“I didn’t mean to hurt them!” Cinder argued. “But those girls were bullying me and Trivia! They had it coming–”

“Cinder!” Glynda gasped in disbelief.

Cinder visibly winced, but she kept ahold of her outraged countenance and barked back, “You know I’m right!”

Emerald eyes widened to the size of saucers as Glynda reeled from the sheer conviction in Cinder’s voice.

Shock petrified her for a moment, but then it was followed by fear. There was a wild look in Cinder’s eyes, something ferocious and demanding. Just after that, Glynda felt anger bubble up in her.

Never had she been talked to in that manner, not by her colleagues and certainly not by a child.

“No, you’re not!” Glynda roared, stepping forward to tower over the small girl. “Those people could have been seriously injured! For God's sake, that officer is lucky you didn't maim her wrist! You can't keep doing this!”

Her voice boomed like thunder, echoing off the walls as she cast her shadow over the twelve-year-old. Cinder, in turn, shrank and backpedaled a few paces, her eyes widening and her face paling as she realized the mistake she’d made. And as much as it pained Glynda to exert authority over the scarred child, she would not allow this behavior.

“Why not?” Cinder’s voice came out in a low growl before it exploded into a cry. “Why not?”

“Because a normal girl doesn’t do those things!”

The apartment fell deathly silent.

Glynda panted, feeling as if she'd just vomited up all of her pent-up frustrations then and there. She watched Cinder's face fall and her stubbornly resolute stance falter.

Exhaling, Glynda closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She sucked in a deep breath and cooled her nerves before she cast a severe look down at Cinder, forcing her back down before she could rebuke her again.

It was then that Glynda recognized the hurt look crossing Cinder's face, and the huntress realized just how deeply she'd cut with those harsh words.

“Cinder,” she stammered out in a panic, “I didn’t mean it like that–”

Immediately, like a switch had flipped in Cinder's head, her pained expression contorted into a furious one.

“Well, I’m not normal, am I?” Cinder screamed, her amber eyes alight with rage while she slapped a hand against her chest. “Don’t I get a pass, Glynda? Huh?”

Glynda pursed her lips and stepped back, but then she steeled herself.

“Watch your tone, Cinder–”

Cinder cut her off. “Answer me!”

“That is enough!” Glynda boomed once more, slamming a foot down on the floor and activating her semblance.

A dozen objects in the room lifted into the air, each seized by amethyst glows. The display caught Cinder's attention and reminded her who she was talking to.

“I am your guardian,” Glynda declared in a firm and uncompromising tone, “and you will listen to me! Do you understand, Cinder?”

Cinder opened her mouth to argue, but Glynda shot her a deadly glare. Immediately, the small girl shut her mouth. She crossed her arms and looked away, sucking in a breath and huffing it out.

Glynda felt her eye twitch and she took one step forward to loom over her. “I said, do you understand?”

Cinder shrank, even as she tried to hold a defiant stance.

“Yes, ma'am,” she grated out.

So often, Glynda reveled in the sheer authoritative power her voice exuded upon her students. Tonight, she tackled the ugly feelings it stirred within her.

After a tense moment had passed, Glynda pointed down the hall. “Go to your room. I'll get you when dinner is ready.”

Cinder visibly trembled, quaking like a volcano about to explode. Glynda narrowed her eyes further, daring her to talk back one more time.

“Cinder,” she growled.

Her rebellious ward stomped her foot, swiveled on her heel, and stomped down the hall loudly. The bedroom door slammed hard, the sound ringing in Glynda's ears as she watched.

A minute passed before Glynda let go of all the decor she'd grabbed with her semblance. She didn't have a care to set them down gently and the sound of them clattering on their stands and surfaces pierced her ears as she walked over to the sofa and sat down. She massaged her forehead with a defeated sigh, but it alleviated none of her stress. A few moments later, she tossed her glasses aside, bowed her head, and buried her face in her hands as she cried.

Neither of them spoke at dinner that night. The next morning had been quiet too, so unbearable quiet that Glynda left as quickly as she could. The same pattern followed with dinner, then breakfast and dinner the next day, and again after that.

They were ships passing in the night, never calling out to each other.

The cycle continued to repeat even after a week had passed. By then, Glynda had tried to reach out but Cinder was as approachable as a dying flame. The fledgling mother could get close and speak a few words, but the twelve-year-old ignored her. In fact, she snapped back and spoke curtly, answering only when she needed to and more often than not shooting her dirty looks. 

At first, Glynda had tolerated her behavior, she was a troubled adolescent after all. Unfortunately, she was a short-tempered instructor at her wit's end as well, and eventually, their small apartment became a battleground once more.

Every morning was quiet and every night was a cacophony of shouting until Cinder holed herself up in her room. Their living situation was horrendous and it was beginning to affect her work: showing up late to class, losing focus, and getting snippier with her students….

“I just… don’t know what to do.”

Glynda nursed her cup of tea as she leaned back into her chair. Across his desk, Ozpin nursed his as well.

It was near midnight now, Cinder having eaten dinner and gone to sleep an hour ago. After the lights had shut off in the adolescent's room, Glynda had slipped out of the apartment and met Ozpin in his office. They hadn’t tiptoed around the subject for a second, Ozpin already pouring her a cup of tea before she stepped inside.

Now here they sat, a fledgling mother moaning and groaning before her boss.

“I’m afraid that’s a part of parenthood,” Ozpin declared in a tired voice. He drank from his cup before he set it down and steepled his fingers. “Cinder is… troubled. I don’t want to make any accusations, but her past has left its wounds on her… and such wounds do not heal easily.”

Glynda nodded as she stared at her drink.

There was no way that three years of constant abuse would not leave their mark on any person. Human. Faunus. Child. Adult. Anyone….

Cinder was acting out. Lashing out. She was attacking people, getting violent then quiet. She was barely holding herself together while she held everything in.

Glynda had hoped that things would be easy, that Cinder could recover without stumbling or falling. Obviously, her hopes had been in vain.

“I suppose she’ll need therapy,” she said, cringing at how simplistic that sounded for an issue that ran so deep. “Will therapy be enough? Does she need more?”

A tear dropped into her cup and Glynda wiped her face dry.

Across the desk, Ozpin wet his chapped lips.

“They say time heals all wounds. That, with time, we can leave the past behind and find a better future.” He pushed up his glasses and bowed his head. “But I’m afraid that is a misnomer. Time alone heals nothing, not when your past digs its claws into you and haunts your every waking moment. What Cinder needs is people. To talk with. To listen to. To laugh and love.”

“Am I not enough?” Glynda demanded, her chest tightening and voice straining. “Are we?”

At first, when she brought Cinder to Vale, it felt like she had done everything right. It felt like she was an active huntress again, playing hero and saving the day.

Then Cinder started acting up, and now it felt like she was doing everything wrong. She was stumbling and it felt like she was hurting the little girl she’d saved from abuse.

“I’m afraid that’s for her to decide,” Ozpin spoke sternly in a manner that did not mean to ridicule her but to convey the harsh truth.

Glynda gave a light nod before she sat up and sucked in a deep breath, hoping to cool off the heated emotions inside of her. Afterward, she drank her tea and washed down the lump in her throat.

“You wouldn’t happen to know any therapists who could help, would you, sir?” the huntress asked, looking over at Ozpin.

He shrugged. “I’m afraid I do not. Though, I suppose you could consult our on-site counselor.”

She furrowed her brow and cast him a sharp look.

“Sir, Coral is a student counselor, not a… child therapist.”

“She has several degrees of varying fields, but focuses on being a student counselor,” he corrected with a finger held up. “Besides, Coral is a kind soul. Until you can find a proper mind, I think she would be a wonderful person for Cinder to meet.”

Glynda bobbed her knee and looked away, thinking on the proposal.

Cinder did need someone to talk to, someone who was professional about it. She needed to express her darker feelings, the facets of her personality that were scarred and bleeding inside of her. At the end of the day, maybe this would help; or at least, get her started on the path to healing.

“Very well. I’ll ask Coral for an appointment tomorrow morning.”

Ever since that night… things had been difficult. Glynda had been distant, especially after their fight.

Cinder didn’t want to argue with her, but she also didn’t want to answer all her questions. She didn’t want to feel so… weak. So vulnerable. It scared her.

Her stepmother had left her like that. Her stepsisters had left her like that. She knew Glynda wouldn’t do that to her, but the lingering doubt and despair in the back of her head whispered otherwise.

The sound of clicking heels made Cinder perk up and she saw Glynda step out of her bedroom. She glanced away quickly while the huntress affixed her cloak to her shirt and combed fingers through her blonde hair, making her way down the hall, through the living room, and over to Cinder.

Sitting at the kitchen table, the adolescent had a plate of breakfast in front of her and her scroll in her hands.

She hoped Glynda would pass her and grab something out of the fridge before she left. Unfortunately, the huntress came to a stop at the table, resting a hand on the surface.

Cinder opened her scroll to have an excuse to look away, turning her face from her guardian. Glynda tapped her fingers on the table idly for a few seconds, then she let out a heavy sigh.

A tense moment later, she bent down a bit, getting to eye level with her.

“Cinder?” she called in a stiff voice.

“What?” Cinder answered curtly.

In the corner of her vision, she noticed emerald eyes narrow in frustration. A part of her took delight in that, the other part shrank in fear. All the while, Glynda glanced away and sighed again before she audibly sucked in a deep breath.

Standing back up, her guardian crossed her arms, looked away, and then turned back to sigh and drop her head defeatedly.

“I want to take you to a psychologist.”

Cinder furrowed her brow in confusion for a moment, but then the words clicked in her head. Immediately, she snapped her head up to Glynda with a startled look.

“What?” she shouted incredulously. “A therapist?”

Her hands clenched on her scroll and she shot the woman a pointed look.

“A psychologist . Yes.” Glynda shot her a sharp look back, then laid a hand on the table and tapped it with her fingers. “I know it sounds bad but… I think she can help you–”

“I don’t need help!” Cinder blurted out, sitting up and dropping her scroll. “I’m fine!”

She was okay! She didn’t do anything wrong! She didn't need help!

Her chest tightened as her stomach lurched. In the corner of her vision, she caught Glynda’s face falling.

“I… I know you’re fine, Cinder, but….” Glynda turned her face away, blonde bangs swaying like a veil to hide her countenance. “I also know there's some things you don’t want to talk about… Things that hurt.”

“....”

The tips of Glynda’s fingers hit the table before her hand flattened and she leaned in closer to her. Her presence then was impossible to ignore.

“Cinder, get up,” Glynda ordered sternly. “I want you to talk to this person. She’s a friend. A nice person.”

Cinder crossed her arms over her chest and attempted to steel herself.

“I don’t need to talk to anyone,” she growled, continuing to hide her face.

“You don’t, but I want you to.” Glynda’s hand moved into her vision, sliding across the dark brown tabletop. “Please… can you just do this for me?”

Cinder’s mouth dried up while her heart beat faster, starting to pound against her chest. Her stomach twisted itself into tight, painful knots and its contents flipped. She held herself tight with her arms and tried to sort through all the complicated thoughts in her head.

She didn’t want to talk about anything because she didn’t need to. She didn’t have any issues, she was just… mad. She got mad because people wouldn’t stop messing with her. It was their fault.

Her eyes fixated on Glynda’s hand and she studied the little scars on it. Then, she looked up at Glynda, meeting her eyes.

They shared a long look, the first in days. Afterward, she caved in.

“Fine,” she huffed, letting her eyes fall down, “I’ll go.”

The place they arrived at was a building on campus, a tall, brick building that resembled a tower of sorts. A big sign next to it labeled it Rustian Hall.

Stepping inside, they walked down a few halls and took an elevator up to the second floor. There, they rounded a corner and ended up at a door painted orange, little paper cutouts of pink coral glued onto it with some bubbles as well. A gold plate on the door read ‘Dr. Coral Roberts’.

Balancing on her heels, Cinder waited for Glynda to knock on the door. However, she noticed her guardian pause and then pull her knuckles away from the wood.

She tilted her head in confusion, but then she opened her ears and listened intently, hearing muffled voices on the other side. She couldn’t make out much besides some loud sniffling and snorting like someone was trying to clean up after crying.

A few seconds later, there was shuffling and then footsteps.

Finally, the door to the office opened and a woman stepped out, tall and lithe with a head of platinum blonde hair cascading over one shoulder. She was blowing into a tissue, her face still red and glistening with tear streaks.

“Aurelia?” Glynda gasped.

The woman looked up and blinked at her guardian. She blew into her tissue again, then wiped away the snot from her nose before she presented her with a smile.

“Glynda, it’s good to see you,” Aurelia greeted. “Forgive me for… looking like this.”

Cinder glanced up at Glynda, watching her face fall with great concern briefly before she feigned a happy smile again.

“It’s fine, Aurelia. How are you, it’s been forever.”

“I’m….” The woman trailed off, her eyes staring off into the distance before she seemed to catch herself. “I’m fine.”

Behind Aurelia, another figure appeared, a shorter woman wearing huge glasses, the lens big enough that it eclipsed her eyebrows. A bush of ginger hair with a streak of white was pulled back into a bundle behind her. A coral pink pencil skirt covered her lower half while a sweater of the same color sat over a white polo with an orange color.

The new lady peered out from behind Aurelia and smiled before she shuffled out of the room.

Laying a hand on the sad woman’s arm, she squeezed gently.

“Always remember, Aurelia,” she spoke, “my door is always open. And if it’s not, then my scroll is too!”

Aurelia laughed and shook her head before she blew into her tissue again.

“Goodness… Sorry about that.” The woman cleared her throat and then stepped past Cinder. “We’ll have some catching up to do later, Glynda.”

Her eyes flicked to Cinder, who stepped a bit closer to her guardian. Aurelia smiled sadly at her, then waved at Glynda before disappearing around the corner and into the elevator.

Once she was gone, Glynda took Cinder’s shoulder and led her toward the ginger-haired woman.

“Cinder, this is Dr. Coral Roberts,” she introduced, “she’s Beacon’s counselor. Dr. Roberts, this is Cinder I’m sure you’ve heard from the rest of the faculty about her.”

The woman Coral smiled and bent forward a bit to wave at her. Cinder glanced around before she was forced to make eye contact with the doctor.

“Hi,” Cinder said, grabbing her left arm and wringing it awkwardly.

Coral gave an amused sigh and crossed her arms.

“Hi,” she said simply, adding no other attachment to her greeting for a moment before she continued speaking. “You probably don’t want to be here. Am I right?”

Cinder glanced up at Glynda, who looked down at her with a stern look.

Coral burst into a brief fit of giggles before she cleared her throat and composed herself. “I understand, don’t worry. Plenty of people don’t like coming here, but they always leave with smiles.”

Amber eyes blinked at the doctor. Therapist. Er– Psychologist. Whatever she was.

“And before you say it, Glynda, no apologies needed.” Coral held up a finger to her mother, who stood a good several inches taller than her. “No one likes going to the doctor. And they especially hate coming to a psychologist… unfortunately for me.”

A chuckle escaped Cinder at the self-deprecating comment, which Coral visibly caught, a smile crossing her face briefly before she clapped her hands together.

“Alright, Cinder, your guardian asked me to watch you for an hour while she gets to class. Why don’t you step inside?”

Coral moved aside, revealing the sunlit room behind her.

Glancing at Glynda beside her, Cinder gauged her guardian’s expression if she was sure this was something she really had to do. From the soft look she got, she remembered their conversation earlier and she caved into her guilty soul again.

Holding in a sigh, Cinder walked forward into the office and took a look around.

Huge, wide windows let sunlight pour into the office unfiltered, pairs of drapes for each one tied to their sides. The walls were painted a pastel pink color, but they were complimented by orange, wooden bookshelves stocked full. Two cushioned chairs sat against one wall while a rolling chair sat at a desk across the room, and then there was a long, reclining bed resting beside it.

Breaking up the professional office look, however, was a tall, glass case filled with seashells on the top shelves and little cards on the bottom ones. And up on the wall was a big, round clock with a sign just above it that read: “Don’t watch the clock. Do what it does: Keep Going.”

Cinder studied the glass case for a bit until she heard Glynda speaking with Coral.

“Don’t worry if you can’t get through to her, Coral,” her guardian said sadly. “She’s been through a lot and… she’s just having trouble right now.”

“It’s my job to deal with trouble, Glynda,” the psychologist laughed. “Don’t worry, I won’t harass her for answers, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m sure we’ll get along fine.” She shooed her away with her hands then and stepped into the room. “Go along now, you have future patients of mine to reprimand. Now get a move on.”

Before she departed, Glynda leaned into the room and locked eyes with Cinder. They shared a silent conversation between themselves: Please behave. Please try to do this. And, I care about you.

With that, her guardian left, and Cinder was stuck standing in the room with a psychologist.

“Go ahead and make yourself comfortable, Cinder.” Coral stepped past her to get to her desk, taking off her glasses and rubbing them with her sweater. “Or you can keep standing there if you want.”

Cinder glanced around, then shrugged and crossed her arms.

“I’ll just stand.”

Coral hummed and slipped her glasses back on. “Suit yourself.”

The psychologist sat down on her rolling chair and swiveled around to face the computer on her desk. She turned it on and typed a few things in before she picked up a tablet, swiping through it with her fingers.

“So, I don’t mean to pry too heavily, and I apologize if this makes you uncomfortable,” she spoke, looking up with a solemn face, losing all the cheeriness she’d just worn a second ago, “but Glynda’s informed me about everything that happened these past few months. She hasn’t told me much about how you met, but she surmised it as you being in a bad place and taking you from it.”

‘Bad place’ wasn’t enough words to describe the Glass Unicorn and all the terrible things that had happened inside of it.

“Yeah,” Cinder said, turning around so the psychologist couldn’t see her face, “okay.”

She heard Coral humming and tapping on her tablet.

“Glynda said she wanted you to open up to someone. She wants you to be honest about your feelings.”

“I am honest about them,” she snapped on instinct, looking over her shoulder.

Coral nodded and looked up at her, meeting her gaze.

“Can I ask you a question, Cinder?”

The young girl studied the psychologist’s face, scrutinizing the way she pushed up her glasses and pressed her lips into a thin line.

“…Sure. What?”

“What do you think about my collection?” Coral pointed over to the glass case nearby. “I’ve been meaning to ask someone for their opinion, but unfortunately, I didn’t get my last client’s comment.”

Her mind flashed back to the tall, sniffling woman from before, then Cinder turned to look at the glass case.

Stepping over, Cinder looked inside at all the seashells and cards.

All the seashells came in varying colors and sizes. Some more smoother than others, some were cracked and missing pieces while some were just in pieces. There was one that was more like a spike than a seashell and another that was just a starfish.

Each of them had a name painted on them in varying colors:

Melia.

Lapis.

Itsuki.

Zeru.

Varod.

And many more.

Crouching down, Cinder studied the little cards that were gathered on the bottom shelves. Each one shined, having some kind of reflective sheen to them. Pictured on every card was a person wielding a weapon with a name emblazoned beneath them and a number just under that.

“Are those huntsmen and huntresses?” Cinder asked, looking over at Coral.

The psychologist nodded with a smile. “That’s right.”

Cinder arched an eyebrow. “They make cards of them?”

She knew huntsmen and huntresses were popular, but she didn’t think there was actual… stuff people made of them. Were there other things? Toys? Books? TV Shows? Video games?

“Mostly the popular ones.” Coral walked over and crouched next to her. “These are all the special editions. Some cost a fortune.”

Suspicion played across the girl’s face. She had to be lying.

“Really?”

Coral bounced her head between her shoulders. “Well, depending on the card. That one’s a few hundred lien. But that one is over a thousand.”

First, she pointed to one card picturing a woman with emerald green hair spinning a polearm behind her back. Then, she pointed at another one showing a man in a red jacket hoisting a rifle in his right arm. Why was one worth more than the other?

“Why do you collect these?” she asked, glancing across the glimmering cards before she looked at the psychologist. “Are you going to sell them?”

Coral laughed and shook her head.

“Goodness, no. They might cost quite a lot, but I’m too sentimental to give them away for profit,” she explained, waving her hand about.

The woman decided to sit down on the ground then, stretching her pencil skirt a bit before she rested on her knees. Laying her hands on her lap, she studied the collection of cards again.

Cinder followed her example, sitting down to give her legs a rest too. Turning her eyes from the doctor to the glass case, she read off the names of each card in her head.

Alroy Hearthstead.

Deniz Depthpole.

Ori Orel.

Lokelani Sunstrider.

Titan Thundercrash.

Cinder perked up and pointed at the last card, picturing the same man dressed in armor she’d seen on the news a while back.

“I saw that guy on TV,” she said.

Coral followed her finger to the card and she smiled.

“Ah, Titan,” she remarked with a humored smile. “He’s a bit of a romanticist.”

She knit her brow at the term. She’d never heard that one before. Did it mean he was big into romance? Like, some kind of playboy?

“Romanticist?” she inquired aloud.

Coral opened her mouth to elaborate, but then she closed it. Putting a finger to her chin, she thought for a moment before she shrugged.

“I suppose the actual dictionary definition isn’t the same as I’d describe Titan, but when I say romanticist, I mean that he sees the world through rose-tinted glasses,” Coral explained with a snicker. “He has a big heart that he wears on his sleeve. He’ll give a stirring speech and throw himself into danger for others. It’s why he’s become so popular recently.”

Cinder hummed, trying to comprehend everything she’d said and picture the man in her head. Eventually, she managed to get a fair mental image of him, this dashing hero like a knight from a fairy tale defending Vale.

Pressing her lips together, she hummed.

“So, you know him?” she asked.

Coral nodded. “He comes by every now and again. We talk and he leaves feeling better.”

Amber eyes glanced over all the cards. “Do you know all of them?”

Coral’s smile grew wider. “That’s right.” A wistful look crossed her face, a distant look in her eyes as she seemed to relive meeting everyone on the cards. “These are all the huntsmen and huntresses I’ve helped over the years.”

Cinder looked at the case, counting how many cards were in there. It was quite a lot. She wondered if she had more somewhere else.

“They were all your patients?” she asked her, looking at the psychologist.

“At one point or another,” Coral affirmed, nodding her head.

“And you collect cards of them?”

“I try to.” She stroked her jaw. “It takes quite a bit of money, honestly, and not everyone I help has a collectors card of themselves.”

Cinder poked a tongue against the inside of her cheek. 

“What do you do for them?”

The psychologist held up a finger with a smile. “Those are what the seashells are for.”

Amber eyes looked up at the upper shelves, reading the names on each seashell again.

“Oh, right.”

Coral nodded and laughed. “When they get a chance, I ask my patients to find a seashell for me. I like the ocean, you see. It’s quite calming. There’s nothing quite like digging your toes in sand and listening to the tides washing on the shore.”

Between her toes, Cinder imagined grains of sand scratching her feet. She imagined stepping on a warm beach, the sun on her face. She imagined listening to the waves lapping at the shore. She could barely picture it in her head, hear it in her ears. But it was there, and she kind of wished she could experience it for real.

A tiny smile appeared on her face and she tried to hide it, looking to the side away from the psychologist. However, she had a feeling Coral had already seen it.

The next hour or so was spent bouncing remarks back and forth between the two of them.

Cinder asked her more questions about the room and her collection. She asked her about all her books and what they were about. Coral flippantly explained that they were mostly educational textbooks about the stuff she did. Big, thick volumes full of dictionary definitions and essays from people who came before her.

Cinder asked about the people Coral had helped and the psychologist explained the whole thing about patient confidentiality. Although, she did talk about who they were. Apparently, she’d helped many famous huntsmen and huntresses, as well as a lot of students on campus.

The psychologist knew that Titan guy, as well as another famous huntress called Jade. She had spoken with Glynda a few times too, as well as Professor Port.

Eventually, the door to the office opened and Cinder looked up from the cushioned chair she’d decided to take.

Glynda stepped inside, peeking in at first before she spotted Cinder.

“Sorry for being late,” her guardian sighed, heels clicking until they stepped onto carpet. “Class ran longer than expected.” She combed her fingers through her hair, then crossed her arms. “Did everything go alright?”

Reminded of the fact that her time spent here was involuntary—or at least she had been pushed to come—Cinder frowned and looked way. But, after a second, she nodded and looked up again.

“Everything went swimmingly,” Coral said, leaning forward out of her rolling chair. “I think she enjoyed it.”

Both adults looked over at her and Cinder flushed red. She tried to act cool about it, sitting up a bit straighter and nodding while forcing down the blood rushing to her cheeks. Inevitably, though, her face warmed and she squirmed in her chair.

She heard a quiet huff of amusement escape her guardian.

“Thank you for watching her, Coral, I really appreciate it.”

“Of course, Glynda. Anytime.”

Moments later, they were exiting Rustian Hall, a noticeable gap between them still.

At first, they walked in silence, then Glynda glanced down at her with curious eyes before she asked stoically, “Did you like Coral?”

Cinder glanced up at her too, then shrugged. “She was okay.”

Her guardian hummed affirmingly. “I’ve known her since I was a student. She’s a very kind soul.”

The girl nodded along in agreement.

They walked a little further before Cinder dropped another question in the air between them.

“Is she also a huntress?”

Amber eyes looked inquisitively, searching for the answer on a stony face. She watched Glynda’s face shrivel in brief confusion, then in surprise before her featured returned to a solemn countenance.

“She was once. Long before I was a student here,” Glynda explained. “She told me she wasn’t very good at it, but when she was active she saw a lot of dangerous things. It made her think that she’d be better at helping people work through their problems rather than swinging a sword.”

That certainly sounded like the kind of person Coral was, according to everything Cinder had gathered.

“She has a lot of cards,” she remarked.

Glynda chuckled and Cinder looked up to find her shaking her head.

“She really does.”

A thought struck the raven-haired girl and she tried to picture her guardian striking a pose.

“…Do you have a card?” Cinder asked curiously.

Blood visibly rushed to her guardian’s face and she tugged on her collar.

“I– Well, no.” Glynda scratched her neck and shook her head. “I got an offer once, but I denied it.”

Cinder tilted her head. “Why?”

Glynda cleared her throat. “Selling your public image comes with… issues that I’d rather not deal with.”

Her guardian’s face remained flushed for the next couple of minutes.

After a while though, she checked her watch and all the blood on her face drained.

“My next class starts in a few minutes!” she groaned, hurrying her pace.

Glynda glanced around, looking down the path they’d come and then up it. She looked up above the buildings around them and spied Beacon Tower in the distance, then she seemed to use it to find where the faculty housing was located.

“We’re too far from the apartment….” Glynda took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Cinder, can you stay with Professor Ozpin?” Suddenly, the blonde woman’s head snapped up, her eyes widening. “Wait, no, he’s meeting with the Council right now.”

Her guardian groaned again and she pinched the bridge of her nose.

Cinder stood to the side and watched her pace a few steps before she seemed to make up her mind.

“Alright,” Glynda conceded, “you’re going to have to sit in on my class. Are you okay with that?”

Emerald eyes met amber ones and Cinder sighed but nodded. “‘S fine.”

Glynda sucked in her lips and folded her arms over her chest.

“Very well then,” she said, moving ahead to lead her. “Let’s go.”

All the chatter in the auditorium ceased the moment Glynda pushed open the doors and stepping inside, the clicking of her heels and her authoritative presence snuffing out the laughter and gossip of her class. 

She held her head high and kept her face solemn as she walked down the aisle to the front of her class, letting the students know this wasn’t a pastime they could enjoy. It was a course they were paying for, a study they needed to learn if they wanted to become future huntsmen and huntresses. There was no room for playing hero or showing off, not in this line of work.

“Who’s the kid with her?”

Glynda’s lips pressed into a thin line as she faltered in mid-step, almost losing her footing. Thankfully, she regained it and fell back into her stiff rhythm.

In the corner of her eye, she saw Cinder shrinking down a bit, trying to minimize her presence amidst all the curious looks directed her way.

“Alright, class!” Glynda called, stealing everyone’s attention from Cinder. “We’re nearing the end of the first quarter of the semester!”

She got to the bottom of the aisle and glanced around, spotting an empty row next to the sections of the stands her students occupied.

“Cinder,” Glynda spoke softly, touching the girl’s shoulder and pointing over at the empty row, “go sit down over there.”

Amber eyes full of anxiety looked up at her, and thankfully they calmed as Cinder nodded.

Quietly, she hurried past the row of students to the empty space next to them, taking a seat.

“Class!” Glynda barked, stealing her students’ attention again before they could stare at the raven-haired girl. “You’ve been at Beacon for two years now. It will be three when the year ends. So far, you’ve shown promise, but also carelessness.”

She leveled a critical eye at her audience. Among them, she secretly denoted a select few youths who had yet to meet her expectations.

“Many of you have improved during your time here. But there are some of you who are lacking. This is not an admonishment, it’s a simple statement of fact .” Glynda brought the Disciplinarian into her hand and extended it. She lightly tapped it into her other hand as she cast a severe look across the assembled huntsmen- and huntresses-in-training. “The issue I bring up does not lie merely in the fact that you will receive a failing grade, it also lies in the fact that you will also fail your teams.”

Faces paled and audible gulps sounded off from the audience.

“The four of you are meant to work together. To support each other in battle and in strategy,” she remarked sternly. “Here at Beacon, you are meant to hone your skills and build cohesion before you graduate. If you cannot do that, then you and your teammates will be held back.”

Glynda gripped the head of her riding crop and shifted her weight from one hip to the other. Her eyes surveyed the crowd, searching for any particular team who believed themselves ready for the next step. Among the bowed heads and flitting, nervous eyes, she spied Team HLLI’s members lounging about, wearing smug faces and impatiently bouncing their knees.

Her gaze lingered on them for a brief second before she breathed in and then out.

“That is why today’s practice will be team combat,” Glynda declared before flicking her eyes up at her soon-to-be involuntary fighters. “Team HLLI, you appear to be quite confident about your skills.”

The four teens sat up, eyes wide and backs straight. They shared quick looks then their leader one Hunter Fern nodded.

“Yes, ma’am!” he shouted back. “We’re ready to do our best!”

Glynda hummed as he looked around the rows in front and beside him.

“We’re ready to fight!” Hunter grinned and his teammates smiled with him. “Who’s ready to throw down?”

The other teams shifted anxiously in their seats, not ready to take a step forward and accept the challenge. That was perfectly fine of course, because today was not going to be a four-on-four team battle.

“Your opponent will be me, Mister Fern,” Glynda declared, crossing her arms and locking her eyes with the young man’s as his face paled. “I want to see how far you’ve all improved.”

Team HLLI collectively gulped. A few other students covered their mouths and hid their snickers.

“Now get a move on!” the huntress barked, nudging her head to get them out of their seats and into the auditorium pit. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

HLLI shot up, shared distressed looks, then nodded at her and started moving. Glynda herself turned around to study her battleground, taking note of the arena’s freshly cleaned and repaired state.

Pulling out her tablet, Glynda unlocked it and accessed the auditorium’s controls. She raised the stands’ hard light barriers and turned down the lights, focusing the lighting on the pit. Then, she made sure to pull up the holo-projections of Team HLLI’s aura readouts, four windows popping up on the wall above the stage in the pit, each one showing the images on their student IDs. Her own face popped up next to theirs a second later.

Now that everything was set, Glynda tucked her tablet under one arm and moved past her students, but stopped when she passed Cinder.

Looking down, she found Cinder looking up at her with a curious face.

Her adopted daughter was about to watch her fight for the first time, wasn’t she? The only other time had been when she had separated her from her stepfamily with her semblance, but that hardly counted….

A sudden desire to show off filled Glynda’s heart then, but she forced it down. Should Cinder be allowed to watch this? Was it right for her to see violence firsthand after everything she’d been through?

“You’re going to fight?” Cinder asked, pulling her out of her fretful thoughts.

Glynda’s vision focused on her again and she nodded.

“Yes.”

Cinder gave her an inquisitive look, studying her for a moment. Then, she looked away.

The entire way down to the pit, Glynda thought about that look. It occurred to her that Cinder had never seen her in action. She’d probably never seen a real fight in person before. Was it okay for her to see this?

Well, she was at Beacon, and watching a sparring match was inevitable.

Several minutes later, Team HLLI appeared in the pit, bouncing on their feet and readying themselves for a fight.

Glynda glanced up at the holo-projected readouts above the stage and then checked to make sure all the hard light barriers were activated before she extended the Disciplinarian.

Up in the audience, she saw her students on the edge of their seats. Some had even gotten up to stand right against the barriers to watch her fight. And Cinder herself had taken to doing the same, peering down at her with curious eyes.

Glynda pressed her lips into a thin line before she called out, “Begin!”

Hunter Fern, a young man with a pair of clawed apparatuses on his hands and a penchant for hand-to-hand combat, rushed forward first.

Liadan Smoke, a faunus girl with wolf ears, a bandolier of different grenades, and a grenade launcher, loaded her firearm and shot a round at Glynda. It exploded a few feet in front of her, throwing up a dark cloud.

Glynda narrowed her eyes and studied the smokescreen, taking in the plumage before she ducked and waved the Disciplinarian.

She reached out with her semblance, grabbing Hunter just as he appeared from the darkness in mid-lunge. Throwing him over her, he ended up pancaked against the arena wall.

Lily Filova, a rather distant girl wielding a greatsword jumped into the fray next. Her gleaming blade cut through the smokescreen, sweeping it aside with the force of it. Glynda barely dodged it, leaping backward and skidding along the floor.

Her heels clicked as she stood up and pushed up her glasses.

Glynda glanced from Lily to Liadan, who reloaded her launcher. She glanced over at Iris Cunningham, the sharpshooter of the team, as she raised her automatic rifle.

Shifting her feet, Glynda jumped to the side and rolled as a haze of gunfire flew past where she’d stood. For better protection, she reached over with her semblance and grabbed Hunter as he was picking himself up.

Yanking him over, she held him up as a human shield, Iris yelping before she could pull the trigger again. The rest of his team hesitated too, which was the first mistake. Their second mistake was positioning themselves in her line of sight.

Glynda tipped Hunter on his side, bringing him perpendicular to his teammates. Then she launched him at Lily, who panicked and sheathed her greatsword to catch him.

Hunter’s body wrapped around Lily while Iris and Liadan raised their guns again. However, Glynda was ahead of the curve, swiping the Disciplinarian out and using her aura in coordination with her semblance to fire amethyst projectiles out at them.

Once upon a time, her teammates on Team GLDN had called them ‘magic missiles’ when they were younger, and she had taken to the name.

Each of the magic missiles came bearing down on her opponents, the barrage knocking them off their feet.

Team HLLI lay on their backs for a brief moment, moaning in pain before they remembered they were in class and they’d get points docked for slacking off.

As her students picked themselves up, Glynda stole a look up at the stands. Many students were watching with wide eyes and grins. Others seemed to realize they would be next and were discussing strategy, pointing fingers, and making estimations. And then there was Cinder, who had her hands pressed flat against the barrier, watching everything with awe and wonder.

The corner of Glynda’s mouth tugged up in yet another smile. She couldn’t seem to help herself.

In the corner of her vision, the combat instructor spied Iris aiming her rifle down at her feet. She loaded in a new magazine. Specialized rounds? Dust?

The girl fired and a column of ice shot her up to a higher position. Ice dust then.

There was a flash near her and Glynda flexed her arm, curling it up and focusing her semblance. An amethyst shield powered by her aura and shaped by her semblance blocked Liadan’s strike, the girl's grenade launcher transformed into a maul.

Liadan jumped back then, allowing Lily to jump in and take her own swing in quick succession.

Glynda blocked that attack too and held her shield as the girls swapped places.

As they wailed on her like a drum, the huntress took note of Iris loading her gun again, likely with standard ammunition, and Hunter in the background stalking around, attempting to flank her.

A strategy formed in her head, and she drew her aura back in, dropping her shield.

When Lily went for her swing, Glynda thrust her arms out. The girl was slammed by a sudden force and sent flying back, tumbling head over heel until she stopped several meters away.

Liadan glanced back at her teammate then quickly focused back on Glynda, rushing her while she had her defenses down. Smart girl. Unfortunately, she was too slow.

Snapping her riding crop forward again, Glynda blasted Liadan back. Then, she took a brief, better glance up at Iris, spotting her transforming her rifle into a sniper rifle.

Just as she trained her weapon on her, Hunter came barreling into the combat instructor, attacking wildly.

Admittedly, she was caught off-guard and was forced to raise her hands to defend herself from his flurry of blows. 

Stumbling back, she endured the onslaught until she noticed Iris training her sniper rifle on her.

Fixing her footing, Glynda slipped one foot behind the other and stepped around Hunter. He kept slashing and cutting, not giving her any quarter. But he also gave no thought to his actions.

Just as he went for another swing, Glynda raised the Disciplinarian and parried the blow. She parried the next with her hand, projecting a smaller shield with it. When he attempted a third attack, she thrust herself forward, knocked his swinging arm away, and then raised her right leg.

Her heel connected with his chest and Hunter was sent stumbling away from the blow.

Her attention then moved to the sniper on her perch.

Glynda lifted her riding crop before the bang of the sniper rifle echoed through the auditorium. The bullet meant to smash against her hung in the air next to her shoulder. The next one met the same fate, as did the third. She continued to whip the Disciplinarian up every time Iris pulled the trigger. Seconds later, a handful of sniper rounds floated beside her and Glynda directed them around with the tip of her weapon.

Before her, Hunter found his footing and rushed her again, probably hoping she was distracted.

Drawing her riding crop along her left side, she whipped it over her shoulder and trained every bullet on the clawed student. Then, she snapped her arm forward and rained hell on him, knocking the student down. Up above, his aura gauge fell into the red.

Free of her harasser, Glynda turned and swiped a hand through the air. The next sniper round was redirected to the floor.

Leveling the Disciplinarian with the ice pillar, she telekinetically grabbed the base of it. Focusing, she forced the ice to crack and cave in, crushing the foundations of Iris’ frozen tower.

Then, with a snap of her arm, Glynda tore out an entire chunk of the tower.

A frantic cry escaped the student as she was forced to abandon her position, jumping off as the ice pillar collapsed, fracturing and falling apart.

The moment Iris hit the ground and rolled into a crouch, Glynda swung the chunk of ice she’d taken and smashed it against her.

Iris’ aura gauge dropped to red.

Turning her head to the last two standing, Glynda watched both girls gawk at the sight of their downed teammates. Then, they looked at her before making eye contact with each other.

A silent conversation passed between the two of them before Liadan transformed her maul back into a grenade launcher and Lily threw herself forward with her greatsword.

Glynda waited a moment before she acted, watching Lily bring her weapon around for another swing.

As the blade neared her, Glynda performed an act of deftness that usually none expected from her.

Jumping up, she landed on the flat of Lily’s blade. The girl’s eyes flashed with shock. Then, she jumped off of it, flying across the arena and performing a somersault before she landed behind Liadan.

“Fix your stance!”

Glynda smacked Liadan’s back, eliciting a sharp yelp from her and making her stand straighter. She proceeded to smack the back of both her legs, making her crouch slightly. And then she smacked her forearms, making her raise her weapon higher.

“Now fire!” Glynda instructed.

On instinct, Liadan obeyed and pulled the trigger. Her grenade launcher spat its load and across the arena, Lily froze up. The members of Team HLLI locked eyes briefly before the grenade impacted against Lily, blasting her away and against the arena wall.

Up on the stage, her aura gauge dropped into the red.

Glynda stepped back and put her hands behind her back as she watched Liadan expectantly.

Meanwhile, the girl stood petrified by shock and horror, surveying the carnage of the fight thus far. Then, she twirled around and transformed her weapon into maul form again, wielding it with shaky hands.

Glynda held an impassive face as she watched the girl close her eyes and breathe in, then out.

Her aura began to glow a smoky gray along her figure, and then she opened her eyes and emitted a battle cry.

If Glynda recalled correctly, the faunus girl’s semblance was ‘Fog of War’. Enemies she made physical contact had their vision taken from them, or at least they perceived the world to be caught up in a smoky haze. It was a useful semblance, one she should have used earlier.

Unfortunately for Liadan, Glynda had no need or desire to be in close combat.

Whipping the Disciplinarian around while she dodged the girl’s attacks, Glynda called on the chunks of ice that had once been a part of Iris’ sniper perch. She encircled them around the two of them, the faunus girl too deep in her rage to notice until it was too late.

Performing an overhead swing, she smashed her maul into the arena floor and then looked up. Her eyes found Glynda slipping back several feet away while chunks of ice lifted up and aimed themselves at her.

Liadan’s aura dropped into the red after the ice chunks fell off of her immobile form.

Several minutes later, Team HLLI had picked themselves up and lay sprawled together on the side of the arena they had entered from. Above them, many students chattered excitedly about the match while others debated on what mistakes they made that they shouldn’t repeat.

Meanwhile, Glynda had retrieved her tablet and was in the process of jotting down he thoughts on the match.

“Sloppy work,” she remarked harshly, typing away on the screen. “You attempted to overwhelm me with sheer force and you expected me to cave in. Never expect your enemy to do anything. Anticipate their next move instead.”

Team HLLI grunted collectively.

“Miss Cunningham,” the combat instructor called, “your use of ice dust was a brilliant idea with poor execution. Had your team attempted to defend your perch, I might have actually had trouble. Mister Fern, remember that you are not just a fighter but a leader, it’s up to you to coordinate team efforts, not stalk in the background. Miss Smoke, please keep a focused mind in future encounters, taking orders from your opponent is considered treasonous. Miss Filova, you should have used your semblance earlier.”

Glynda went on for another several minutes before she finally finished her review of the team’s performance. All in all, it as a below-average performance.

Their match finished, Team HLLI picked themselves up and left the arena. All the while, Glynda turned her attention to the stands and watched her students freeze up. The only one not petrified by fright was Cinder, who held an awestruck expression

Glynda tried to hold it in, but was only able to diminish the smirk to a smaller size as she asked, “Who would like to go next?”

Two hours later, class ended and her students trickled out of the main auditorium. The last few participants limped, their aura still healing them. The first few hung their heads low with shame. Meanwhile, the rest chattered about strategy or their next classes.

Glynda herself left after checking everything in the building. By the time she finally set foot outside, the sun was beginning to dip down from its peak, which signaled Beacon’s daily hustle and bustle to begin slowing down. That let her and Cinder take their time walking home.

“I hope you weren’t too bored watching my class,” Glynda remarked as they strode down Main Avenue.

Beside her, she noticed Cinder shrug. “I was fine.”

She hummed in acknowledgment, waited a few seconds, and then spoke up again, “You looked rather excited about watching the matches.”

Again, she caught Cinder shrugging.

“They were good,” she said, shaking her head and shrugging again; although, there was a bit of forcefulness to the act like she was suppressing something.

“Just good?” Glynda pressed. “Not exciting?”

Cinder shrugged noncommittally, but quickly turned her head and hid her face. Glynda smiled and hummed to herself.

“You know, I could probably bring you to another viewing.”

In the corner of her vision, Glynda saw amber eyes widen for a second. The adolescent glanced up at her and their eyes met briefly before Cinder darted her vision down to the ground.

“Really?” she asked quizzically.

This time, it was Glynda who shrugged before she clasped her hands behind her back and put on a stoic countenance.

“Though, I suppose it would be troublesome to come get you in the middle of the day.”

Disappointment crossed Cinder’s face. “Oh.”

Glynda made an act of stroking her jaw as if she were in deep thought. “But… if I were to leave you with Coral… Hmm….”

She waited patiently for her to take the bait. A moment later, after wringing her hands and visibly arguing with herself, Cinder acquiesced.

“…I could stay with her.”

Hiding a smile, Glynda looked down at her with an arched eyebrow.

“Are you sure? I believe you’re quite busy with your lessons.”

“I can finish those,” Cinder argued immediately, breaking character for a moment before she composed herself again and shrugged. “‘S fine.”

This time, Glynda let herself wear her smile. “Very well.”

The next day, Glynda dropped Cinder off with Coral again. She’d argued against it at the last second just outside the front doors, wanting to turn back. She continued to claim she didn’t need to talk to a therapist, but she didn’t put up any resistance when they arrived. Afterward, Cinder got to watch another show in the auditorium, seeing her guardian tear through teams of Beacon students.

The day after, Glynda dropped Cinder off again. This time, she only griped but didn’t argue. Afterward, Cinder had her face pressed to the hard light barriers of the auditorium stands as she watched her guardian show off.

The next week went by similarly with a few schedule changes. But the epic sight of Glynda maneuvering across the arena, expertly dodging attacks and completely wiping the floor with her opponents was seared into Cinder’s mind. Soon enough, the sight of prospective students sparring was imprinted in her memories too.

Glynda should've thought about this from the start. Cinder had endured so much that normal punishments were numb to her. Leading her by the carrot, however, was proving to be incredibly fruitful; taking it away, even more so.

Cinder beheld Combat Training, she loved to watch every fight. Glynda herself felt a bit of excitement, an electric thrill surging through her before every sparring match she participated in. It was like she was a student again performing for her instructor, the wonder in those amber eyes giving her a reason to show off rather than mutely dismantle her students’ battle formations.

After discovering her trick for parenting, Glynda used it to its full extent. She checked up on Cinder's lessons at night and scolded her for any grade falling before a B. She would then instruct her to review the material again and get a better score before she could visit Coral, and thereby join her afterward in her class. Similarly, she expected Cinder to do her half of the chores and be on her best behavior, refusing to let her use crude language or act out.

The ball started rolling up higher and higher by the day. Cinder was more attentive and more studious. She got higher scores on her tests and she heeded her every call. They got a new apartment, moving out of her old one-bedroom living space and moving into a two-bedroom one, and now Cinder had her own room to decorate; and Glynda finally got her own privacy back.

Slowly, but steadily, both their lives were getting better. She was getting Cinder to walk down the right path with a carrot hanging in front of her. Hopefully, she could take the carrot away soon and usher her forward without incentives.

Admittedly, Cinder had no true desire to become a huntress when she first came to Beacon. She definitely wanted to learn how to use her aura, but she wasn’t interested in much else. Learning how to be a huntress required hard work and a lot of classes at Beacon, at least from what Ozpin had shown her on their tours of the campus, and she wasn’t interested in enduring long hours of training and boredom. Now, though, after seeing Glynda in action, she couldn’t help but wonder.

There were times when no one was around that she tried to recreate Glynda's moves. When she was watching TV, she tried to imagine herself as Glynda in whatever action scene was playing. When she found a stick on the ground under the tree outside of the faculty apartments, she would pick it up and swing it around, imitating her guardian. Port’s pompous speech to her weeks before rang in her head as she did so.

Weeks started to pass and the excitement in her heart never left. She could never get the fight out of her head, and she could not stop herself from thinking about what she would be like as a huntress.

“Glynda?”

Her guardian looked up from her scroll and set down the fork she was eating her salad with.

“Yes, Cinder?”

They sat at the dinner table together after another wonderful day at Beacon had ended. Today, Glynda had taken her out to meet Coral, who had asked her if she’d made any friends. It’d been awkward answering that question, and ultimately she’d pretty much just said that Glynda was her only real friend and everyone else—that being the faculty—were acquaintances at best. Afterward, Glynda had taken her to class and she’d gotten to see two teams spar.

She wondered when she’d be able to join a team. She wondered if she could lead one. First, of course, she’d need to learn how to be a huntress.

Cinder picked at her food nervously, wondering if she should really drop the question in her head. After a couple of seconds of feeling Glynda’s curious eyes on her, she wet her lips and cleared her throat.

“What was being a huntress like?” she asked, looking up and meeting her eyes. “I mean when you were still out there?”

She nudged her head away from the table and beyond the walls of their home. 

In her pastime, Cinder had tried to imagine what it was like outside of Vale. She tried to think of the beaches that Coral described, the great forests and jungles Professor Port talked about, and the battlefields Dr. Oobleck described.

Amidst all those distant places, she tried to imagine Glynda roaming the wilds with her team, facing all manner of thrilling dangers.

With all of that she had dreamed up, Cinder’s expectations were high as she nearly bounced in her chair. In stark contrast to her giddiness, Glynda set down her scroll and scratched her neck as she thought, a look of uncertainty on her face.

“It was… adventurous. I saw a lot of places. Did a lot of things,” she answered vaguely, her fingers moving to scratch her head now.

Cinder’s smile fell into a frown, but then it rose up again when another question popped into her head.

“Did you kill a lot of grimm?” she asked, thinking about the battles her guardian must have had.

Glynda tilted her head back and arched an eyebrow curiously but smiled and nodded.

“I did, yes.”

“What was the biggest grimm you killed?”

Glynda’s curious gaze turned into a suspicious one, but she answered nonetheless. “My team and I slew a Sea Feilong off the shore of Mistral once.”

Port had talked about a Sea Feilong once. They were like sea dragons or something.

An epic but imaginary portrayal of the battle was drawn up in Cinder’s mind and she leaned forward intently.

“How did you do it?”

Glynda folded her arms over her chest then, making Cinder pause.

“…Where are these particular questions leading, young lady?” Glynda asked, brow furrowed and eyes narrowed as she studied her face.

Cinder’s face warmed and she sat back, putting her hands in her lap as she squirmed anxiously. After a second, she started playing with a few strands of black hair that’d managed to fall in front of her face.

A part of her really wanted to say it out loud. The other part was incredibly embarrassed to announce it to the world.

“Cinder…?” Glynda asked again, drawing out her name in a teasing voice.

She was going to have to do it. She’d practically backed herself up in a corner.

Sitting up, straightening her back, and taking a deep breath, Cinder cleared her throat.

“I think I want to be a huntress.”

Cinder’s face was hot, practically on fire as she sat there and watched her guardian’s reaction.

Across the table, Glynda’s eyes widened to the size of the plates in front of them. Her mouth shut tight, the amused smile she’d worn flattening out into a small thin line while her eyebrows had shot up to her bangs.

“I– Really?” Glynda stammered out, bewildered.

Not exactly the response she was hoping for, but at least it was one of the ones she’d been expecting.

“Yeah! You’re incredible! I want to be able to do what you do!” Cinder pressed her hands flat against the table and shot up, showing off her gleeful smile. “I already have my aura and my semblance! I just need to learn how to fight!”

Glynda could show her! She was a combat instructor and her guardian. She was perfect!

Across the table, her mentioned guardian sat back and looked away, rubbing a hand against her nape.

“Cinder, I… Well, I should’ve expected this, but… I don’t know….”

Cinder pressed her lips together and frowned.

“I know I still have a lot to learn,” she admitted. “Literally.”

“Well, yes. There’s that, but….” Glynda sucked in her lips and covered one hand with the other, propping them up over the table with her elbows. “…I’m not sure if….”

She trailed off while her eyes looked into the distance far past Cinder’s face.

Cinder herself knit her brow and studied the reluctance on the woman’s face. A smidgen of fear was showing in her emerald eyes and her slight frown.

“What?” the young girl asked, an accusing tone building in the back of her throat. “You don’t think I can be a huntress?”

Glynda seemed to snap back into reality and she locked eyes with her. There was shock in her eyes, but then there was anger.

“Watch your tone, young lady!” Glynda snapped.

That cowed Cinder immediately and she shrank in her chair, instinctively averting her gaze from her guardian.

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

A second or two passed before she heard Glynda sigh. “It’s not that, Cinder, I just….” Stealing a glance, she saw the huntress dragging her eyes around as she searched for the right words to say. “I just… I’m not sure you should–”

“Should what?” Cinder narrowed her eyes pointedly. “You don’t think I should be a huntress?”

An angry flame burst to life in the pit of her stomach. She wondered what derisive thoughts were lingering in her guardian’s head. Just what was she hiding from her? She knew she’d messed up in the past, but she could be more! So much more!

Didn’t Glynda believe in her? Or… was she afraid of her?

Glynda opened her mouth again, and just like last time she closed it. After a second, she turned her face away and wet her chapped lips.

“Cinder, let’s talk about this later.”

Glynda grabbed her dish and got up, ready to walk away. For a split second, Cinder felt something cold drop into the pit of her stomach, threatening to snuff out the flame within her. On instinct, she forced herself to act.

“I want to talk about this now!” Cinder smacked a hand on the table and her guardian immediately shot her a sharp look.

“Cinder!”

She winced and backed down, but then opened her eyes and held a determined look on her face.

“I want to be a huntress.”

The critical, emerald orbs watching her softened, then dropped down to the table.

“I know.” Glynda set her food down and cradled her forehead with her fingers. “I know, I just….”

Cinder grinded her teeth. “Just what?”

“I just don’t want you….” She sucked in her lips, closed her eyes, and breathed in before forcing out her answer. “I just don’t want you getting hurt.”

The huntress looked away further this time, her head facing a full ninety degrees towards the wall. Cinder held a pointed look as she scrutinized her pursed lips and tight brow.

“You’re lying,” she accused.

Glynda looked back at her, surprise on her face. It was quickly followed by anger again.

“Excuse me?”

“I said you’re lying.” Cinder stood up. “Tell me why you think I can’t be a huntress!”

Glynda crossed her arms and shot her a pointed look. “Cinder, calm down.”

Her knees weakened and she almost fell back into her chair, but she summoned the will to fight back.

“No!” A fire lit inside her and her hands started heating up. “I want to know!”

“Cinder, the table!”

Amber eyes blew open wide and she pulled her hands off the table. Smoldering embers pockmarked the blackened wood, but they started glowing hotter.

Thankfully, a cup of water was tossed over the table, washing away the fire before it started.

A tense silence filled the room afterward, the only sound to break it being the drips of water coming off the table. The air was thick with their echoes, unspoken words, and the acrid stench of smoke. It was suffocating.

Cinder fidgeted in place awkwardly, rubbing her feet into the wooden paneling and wringing her left arm. Her stomach twisted and tugged painfully as a thousand, nervous thoughts rushed through her head. A part of her was dismayed that she’d lost her cool but another part of her was just so angry!

In the corner of her vision, she saw Glynda shuffling around, hand over her face.

A few minutes passed before she broke the silence, gesturing at their ruined dinner table

“This is why I don’t want you to be a huntress.” Glynda looked up, folding her arms over her chest and shooting a severe look at her. “I don’t want you hurting people.”

It felt like a cold spike had been driven through her heart. It was quickly followed by the feeling of bramble coiling in her chest.

“What?”

Cinder looked at her guardian with betrayal.

Glynda refused to meet her eyes, “You’re young, Cinder, and you’re hurt. You need time to grow up first before you start making these decisions.”

Silence fell upon the room again, neither of them speaking a word. Not that any of them knew what to say in the first place.

As the seconds passed, all manner of torturous thoughts sped through Cinder’s head. It felt like her heart was bleeding out inside of her. Like she was dying and there was nothing she could do.

She trembled as she stood there, trying and failing to hold herself together. Tears welled in her eyes, filling to the brim before they started falling down her face. Her fists clenched tightly again, starting to steam after a second.

She really didn’t trust her. Even after everything they’d been through, after everything she’d done for her. Glynda didn’t trust her. She thought she was dangerous, but she wasn’t! She could control herself, she could learn! She’d been proving that every day!

“I’m not a child,” she growled past grit teeth.

“Cinder,” the huntress warned, voice low and accusing.

Something in her snapped at that moment. Like a flint striking steel, her guardian’s voice struck her nerves and a spark ignited an inferno in her. 

“Stop treating me like a child!” she practically screamed, stomping forward against the table as she leveled a glare. “I know what I can do, Glynda!”

The table caught fire under her fingers. Another cup of water grabbed by a purple corona splashed over the burning wood.

Cinder jumped back as Glynda grew taller, raising herself up in a way she so rarely did.

“Cinder, go to your room!” she shouted, her eyes furious.

Cowed by the unrestrained wrath of her guardian, all the girl could do was obey the command.

Turning around, she forcibly bumped into her chair, stomped across the living room, knocked her shoulder against the corner loud enough for her to hear, and then slammed the door to her room shut.

The mission had been simple. It should have been simple. Find the girl and get her somewhere safe. But nothing ever went to plan, did it?

Glynda inhaled sharply and struggled to keep her cool.

Her hands were pressed together in front of her as she tried to focus, as she tried to distract herself from her critically wounded teammate in the hospital bed next to her.

Nickel Nichols wasn’t doing well. Amidst the chaos of the battle, her aura had been depleted and her opponent had run her through. It was a near-fatal injury, but the mechanic was nothing if not tough; and thankfully, they were close enough to Vale to call for immediate medevac.

“How’s Nickel doing?”

Glynda perked up and emerald eyes looked at the dark-haired young woman who’d entered the room. Behind her, Glynda’s emerald-haired partner closed the door behind her.

The twenty-three-year-old leader of Team GLDN combed her fingers through her hair as she glanced from Dahlia Darkpetal and Laurel Elms to their bedridden friend.

“She’ll live,” Glynda sighed in relief, despite still feeling hollow on the inside. “The blade passed through her cleanly and I poured enough aura into her to stop anything from shutting down, so there won’t be any long-lasting issues.”

This time, Dahlia exhaled, all the fear and dread weighing on her soul slipping off. “That’s a relief.”

Glynda nodded numbly while Laurel stepped over to look at their friend. For a long moment, no one spoke, not knowing what else to say.

The mission was over. They’d escorted the girl back to Beacon and Ozpin had taken her somewhere to rest. All they were left with was proper payment for services rendered and a wounded teammate to remind them that their line of work was dangerous.

Glynda rubbed her knuckles anxiously, scrubbing the space between her fingers with the pads of her fingers to wipe away the phantom feeling of Nickel’s blood.

“This was all my fault,” she confessed hauntingly.

Dahlia regarded her with a sympathetic face. “Glynda.”

“I should have been more aware,” she stated, bowing her head low to hide her shame. “I should have helped her, I knew we were spread thin.”

She pressed her face against her hands, tears running from her eyes and into small pools in her palms. The sight of Nickel impaled on the bandit’s sword was seared into her mind, a horrifying visage that refused to leave her head.

Suddenly, a metal hand rested on her shoulder and Glynda sucked in a sharp breath. Next to her, she heard Laurel shift her feet and exhale heavily.

Sniffling, Glynda wiped her hands on her leggings, wiped the snot from her nose, and then looked up at her partner.

“It wasn’t yours,” Laurel spoke up, giving her a sympathetic look that quickly morphed into one full of simmering anger, “it was Ozpin’s.”

Glynda stared at her for a moment, and then she squeezed her eyes shut, feeling a headache building in the back of her head. Offense crossed her face and a quiet scoff escaped her as Laurel frowned.

“Laurel–”

“Glynda,” her partner urged before pointing her chin in her direction and then at her girlfriend’s, “you know it is. Dahlia knows it. We weren’t supposed to be there! We were supposed to be exterminating grimm, not doing Ozpin’s dirty work!”

“We were saving a girl’s life, that’s hardly dirty work,” Glynda snapped back, voice rising.

She was on her feet, marching up to Laurel. Her partner tensed her prosthetic arm, the bronze sheen glinting under the lights.

“We left an entire village undefended for her! What was so important about one girl?” Laurel seethed, fury in her eyes and fire in her throat. “And those men after her? Those weren’t bandits!”

A metal hand shoved her back. Glynda’s aura flared.

They weren’t in a hospital room anymore. They were standing outside Beacon Tower, tears running down their faces. The ground was carved up, marred by their battle of wills.

Then, a gentle hand touched Laurel’s arm and another caressed her face.

“Laurel,” Dahlia spoke soothingly to her lover, “calm down.”

They were back in the hospital room. Glynda’s aura faded as her anger subsided. Laurel’s metal hand unclenched and she let the weight of her grief finally weigh her down.

The tension in the room lingered, but now silence replaced shouting. Remorse replaced rage.

Glynda sat back down and wiped a hand over her face. A few seconds later, she sighed.

“Whatever is going on, Ozpin will explain it to us,” Glynda reassured.

Laurel studied her face for a moment before looking away with a huff. “He better.”

The emerald-haired huntress left the room, the clack of her boots echoing in her wake.

Dahlia sighed and cast her an apologetic look. “I'll talk to her. She'll listen to me.”

“You're the only one she does, these days,” Glynda sighed heavily.

Her friend gave her a smile before she left the room too. As the door closed, the blonde huntress turned to look at the hospital bed next to her.

A body covered by a white sheet lay on the gurney.

Glynda stood before it at a loss for words. Next to her, Nickel stared with red eyes and a tear-stricken face. And on the other side, Laurel towered over them, rage and grief mixing on her face.

Glynda awoke with a gasp, both sweat and tears running down her face.

Her heart was racing, about ready to punch through her chest. Her ears rang, the sound piercing her head and leaving her overwhelmed. And her body was numb, unmoving as her eyes remained stuck to that terrible image.

An eternity passed before her body began to calm down. Her heart steadied its pace, but her chest remained sore. The ringing in her ears faded and soon she could hear the fan running above her. And after a while, her limbs responded to her commands, letting her pull the covers off her sweat-drenched figure.

Slipping her legs out from under the sheets, Glynda sat on the edge of her bed and buried her face in her hands.

The scene kept playing over and over in her head. She couldn’t stop it.

Glynda forced herself to stand and stumble around her bedroom. She steadied herself on her nightstand, then her dresser. Walking laps around her room, she tried to use exercise to get rid of the nightmare.

Eventually, she tried picking up the picture of her team seated on her nightstand. It was bent and creased, soiled by Cinder’s blood from her frantic attempt to avoid punishment, but the faces of her old friends were still visible.

Those days had been full of joy and wonder. She wished she could turn back time… but the past was past, and the future….

Glynda closed her eyes and put the picture back before she turned around and left. Then, stepping out into the hall, she walked up to Cinder’s bedroom door. Finding it open, she parted it a little wider as quietly as she could.

She just needed to check on her, to see the little girl that defined her life now. Her team troubles were in the past, and Cinder was here in her present and would be there in her future.

Glynda gazed at her bed and found it empty.

“Cinder?”

Glynda swung the door wide open and rushed inside, looking around frantically for any sign of the raven-haired girl. She found none.

It occurred to her seconds later that Cinder had slammed her bedroom door shut after their argument.

She checked the bathroom next, then the living room and the kitchen. She checked the closet before she finally ran into her bedroom and grabbed her scroll.

“Hello, campus security,” Kup answered. “Whatcha needin’ tonight?”

“Kup, this is Glynda!” she said, frantically digging through her closet for clothes to slip on. “I have an emergency!”

“Whoa! Whoa! Slow it down, Glynda,” he urged on the other end of the line. “Take a deep breath. What’s got ya in a panic?”

“Cinder– My daugh–” Glynda paused for a microsecond, wondering what term would define her best. Ultimately, what she started with was what she ended up with. “My daughter. She’s missing.”

She awkwardly buttoned up her top and grabbed her cape, looked at it, then tossed it away.

“‘Cinder’, right?” he drawled on the other end of the line. “Black hair. Amber eyes. Yay, tall? Got the blue feathers thing?”

Glynda hurried across the hall and checked Cinder’s room. The accessory Ozpin bought her was still lying on her dresser.

“Not on her right now, no.”

“‘Kay, I’ll radio the boys, get the search net goin’.”

She held onto her sigh of relief, not yet ready to let it out. Rushing across the apartment, she went to grab her keys off the hooks on the wall in the kitchen. After searching for a few seconds, she realized they were missing.

“Kup, my keys are missing.” Glynda checked that the Disciplinarian was still on her boot. It wasn’t. “I think Cinder stole my keys and my weapon.”

“Gives us an idea of where to check out,” he remarked, the sound of doors opening filtering through the line. “Just messaged the airships to stay grounded. No way she’s hopping over to Vale. You got any clue where’d she run off to?”

Glynda shook her head, fighting back the tears. “No.”

“Any idea how long she’s been gone?”

“No!” she hissed, forcing herself not to scream as she exited her apartment.

There was some shuffling through the call, and then Kup spoke again, “‘Aight, well, we’ll do a sweep over the academy. I’m assumin’ you’re joinin’ the search?”

Glynda glanced at the elevator down to the first floor, then at the stairwell access.

“I’m leaving the building now.”

“Got it.”

The call ended and Glynda flew down the last couple of flights of stairs. She burst through the front doors of the faculty apartments and landed down at the bottom of the first steps in a crouch before she jumped into a sprint.

Where would Cinder go? Where had she been? Ozpin had taken her all over campus!

Glynda licked her dry lips and tried to think.

Cinder had spent a lot of time in Ozpin’s office, maybe she would go there. Her office? That was a possibility. The airships? No, Kup had said they were grounded for the night.

Where else? Where else?

Coral’s office? It was locked, her keys wouldn’t work on it. Even if she got in, Coral had retired for the night, she wouldn’t be there.

What about the classrooms? But why would she go into any of the classrooms?

Whats, Whys, and Hows ran through her head like trains running a thousand miles an hour. They burned through her mind, making her brain melt into fretful mush as she tried and failed to piece together a way to find her.

Ultimately, after she tried thinking of places she could be, of reasons why she would go anywhere. One last inquiry remained.

Why would Cinder run away?

Glynda knew exactly why.

She shouldn’t have raised her voice. She shouldn’t have shouted at her, glared at her. She shouldn’t have hurt her, just like her stepfamily–

The huntress faltered in mid-sprint, losing her footing and stumbling forward until she crashed into the ground. She tumbled for a bit, going head over heel before she went side over side. Her knees and elbows scraped against the stone bricks, her sleeves and skirt tore, and her skin broke.

When she finally came to a stop on the cold ground, Glynda laid her shaky hands flat against the ground and tried to push herself up. She struggled to, the weight of her mind and all she’d done keeping her down. In the end, she remained on her knees with her head in her hands.

Glynda heaved in shuddering breaths of air erratically as she worked through her troubled mind, sorting through the chaos of frantic thoughts and self-deprecating worries.

She wasn’t like Cinder’s stepfamily. She was better than them. She would never hurt her like they had.

But Glynda had still hurt her.

Kneeling on the cold, stone brick ground, Glynda let out a sob. She continued to sob for some time, letting her pent-up frustrations and all the grief she had sown within herself be released.

It was only after what seemed like forever had passed that she realized her scroll was buzzing.

“Hey, Glynda, ya there?”

Wiping the tears and snot from her face, Glynda swallowed and sniffled, then answered in a hoarse voice, “Kup, did you find her?”

Her heart thumped faster and a cold ball of dread hit the bottom of the pit in her stomach at the same time.

“Yeah, I found yer kid,” he answered. “We’re over at the main auditorium, come meet us.”

The call ended and Glynda fell back down onto her hands and knees. She breathed a sigh of relief and let a brief smile cross her face before she pushed herself up. Stumbling onto wobbly legs, she made her way across campus, up the main avenue, and past the statue to the main auditorium.

Presuming that they were inside, she pushed the main doors open and walked in. 

“Kup?” she called before noticing the older man leaning against a wall.

The security guard turned to face her, then held up a hand to make her stop before bringing a finger to his lips.

“Shush,” he whispered before he motioned for her to follow.

Glynda squinted at him but followed obediently.

They made their way through the halls of the auditorium, going into the stands and descending down past the rows until they were at the edge.

Cinder was down on the auditorium floor swinging around the Disciplinarian. She grunted and shouted with every attack she made, throwing herself around wildly.

“Found her down here swinging that ‘round. Kid’s been at it for a while, I think,” the head of security remarked, stroking the shadow of a beard on his jaw. “I’d have gone down there myself but, uh, I know a family dispute when I see one.”

He gave her a look and then a once-over. Glynda flushed red and rubbed her arm, fingers brushing over the tear in her sleeve and rubbing blood across her wounded elbow.

Kup made no comment on her state of dress but instead clapped her shoulder and gave her a nod.

“I’ll leave it to ya.” He walked past her and to the exit. “Just remember to lock up on yer way out. Good luck, Glynda.”

With that, the head of security departed, quietly slipping out the door while Glynda continued to watch Cinder attempt to train herself.

Cinder swung and knocked down a beowolf. She struck and pierced another one. An ursa bore down on her and she jumped out of the way before slashing open its stomach.

More imaginary grimm charged her, so she let loose a battle cry and cleaved them all with a mighty swing. However, the attack took more out of her than she realized and the young girl ended up on the ground, her backside stinging.

After breathing in and out for a moment, she tried to get up and failed. Then, she decided to just lie back and stare at the ceiling.

The glass roof above her allowed her to study the night sky, to watch the stars twinkle and the moon glow. The heavens seemed so vast and open, so free. She wished she could be up there and not down here, even for just a moment. At least up there she’d be far from… all of this….

Every time she thought her life was getting better, it just got worse.

This was nothing like the Glass Unicorn, but what was life without choice? She could live with Glynda without the pain of torment, but she’d never be able to follow this new dream of hers. Could she get over it? Maybe. Could she live with knowing Glynda thinking she was a monster? No.

How could she think that of her? 

Cinder tried to hold it in, but eventually, her lips quivered and her eyes burned hot as they watered. The tears fell before she could stop them and she rolled over to push herself up.

Getting back on her feet, she grabbed the Disciplinarian. Gripping it tightly, she got ready for another fight–

The sound of heels clicking filtered into her ears and for a moment she flinched, but then remembered that only one person she knew now made that sound and she promised not to hurt her. But now she’d broken that promise.

“What do you want?” Cinder snapped, refusing to look over her shoulder as Glynda strode onto the auditorium floor.

She waited a long time for an answer but didn’t receive one.

A whole eternity passed before Cinder got frustrated enough to spin around and face her guardian.

The moonlight illuminated Glynda’s tear-stricken face. It showed her disheveled clothes, her button-up top buttoned higher on one side. And it revealed the tears in the fabric and the blood staining it.

When their eyes finally all Cinder could see was guilt in those emerald orbs.

Her guardian tried to speak, parting her chapped lips to say something. A second passed before she pursed her lips again, but she didn’t look away. She held her eyes locked with Cinder’s, seemingly trying to convey all the emotions stirring in her head.

Minutes passed by before Cinder spoke up again.

“I want to be a huntress,” she proclaimed firmly, not backing down again. “I want to learn how to fight.”

Fighting meant she had power. Power meant she had control. Control meant she was free. And with freedom, she could be anything she wanted to be. And she wanted to be a huntress, just like Glynda.

Cinder stood defiant for a while, unmoving and steadfast in her position. Glynda remained where she was too, crossing her arms uncomfortably over her chest as she studied her face. Then, after what seemed like an hour had passed, the blonde woman crossed the arena.

The huntress seemed so… small as she approached, like she was afraid. But she kept going, her head lifting higher and her shoulders squaring themselves as she took the final few steps before she came to stand right in front of Cinder.

“Do you know what a huntress is?” Glynda asked her.

Was this a test?

Cinder scrutinized her guardian’s bloodshot eyes, searching for the right answer.

“You kill grimm,” she answered, shrugging her shoulders as she spoke. “You fight… bandits. Bad guys. Bad people.”

Glynda bowed her head, a shadow draping itself over her face.

She worried if she’d answered wrong. She wondered what the consequences would be for that.

Then, Glynda knelt down in front of Cinder and held up both her hands, facing her flat palms against the girl.

“Hit me,” the huntress instructed.

Cinder knit her brow. “What?”

“Hit me,” Glynda insisted, nudging her head encouragingly.

Cinder gave her a suspicious look, then raised her fists. After a moment’s hesitation, she punched the huntress’ right hand lightly.

Glynda put on her instructor’s face, her eyes turning critical and her lips pressing together tightly. She glanced at her palm and Cinder’s fist, then she cast a disappointed look at her.

“That was a tickle.” The edge of her lips tugged into a brief smile, breaking her stony countenance for a second. “Try again.”

Cinder knit her brow further, trying to figure out her guardian’s angle. Ultimately, she chose to go along with the game, punching the same hand again.

“Too soft. Try it again.”

Cinder punched. Glynda’s hand didn’t move.

“That wasn’t strong enough. Do it again.”

Cinder punched, putting more force into it. Glynda’s hand still didn’t budge, but there was a smile on her face now.

“Keep going. I want you to try harder.”

Cinder reeled back a fist, the corner of her lips pulling up in a smile now too. She threw the punch and struck Glynda’s palm, but it remained steadfast.

“Stronger, Cinder,” Glynda encouraged. “Do it again.”

Cinder punched. And she punched. And she kept punching.

Glynda nudged her head with a smile, and she kept doing it as Cinder’s smile grew wider.

“You have one more chance, Cinder,” Glynda said, adjusting her posture and fixing her stance. “Put all your strength into it. Do it.”

Cinder swallowed and spread her feet apart. She tensed her body and reeled back a fist, flexing her muscles and feeling her aura flair within her. 

Then, she let out a sharp cry and struck air. In the blink of an eye, a hand had wrapped around her upper arm and another planted itself on her stomach.

A scream left Cinder as she was picked up, flipped, and thrown across the room. A second later, she was grabbed by an amethyst glow right before she hit the ground.

Her heart beat against her chest like a drum and she sucked in quick breaths of air while her stomach untied itself. After a moment, she recognized the sound of Glynda’s heels clicking and looked behind her to watch her guardian striding over with a smile, the Disciplinarian aimed at her.

Glynda set her down on the ground gently before she collapsed her weapon. Then, she knelt down in front of her and helped her up onto her feet.

“That was a good try, but you need to learn actual hand-to-hand combat,” Glynda reviewed with a smug smile, her hands resting on her knee as she cast a fond gaze at her. “We can work on that.”

Her brain caught up with her mind a moment after she heard her words. When it did, Cinder let out a gasp and looked at her with wide, wondrous eyes.

“Then… I can– You’ll let me…?”

The huntress closed her eyes and breathed in deeply then exhaled. Her hands settled on the girl’s shoulders, squeezing them gently.

“Cinder, if you’re going to be a huntress, then you need to remember that being one is not about killing grimm and fighting bandits,” Glynda stated, giving her a light shake as her grip tightened. On her face, she wore a solemn look, her eyes hardened with the gaze of a veteran warrior. “It’s about protecting people. It’s about saving lives from monsters.”

The blonde woman let go of her and stood up, calling the Disciplinarian into her hand. She extended it and stepped back, turning around to walk a few paces away.

“I’ve seen people get hurt. Good friends. Huntsman and huntresses, I’ve known in passing. I’ve seen people die. And worse, I’ve seen some of them turn their backs on who we are.”

Facing away from her, Cinder couldn’t get a good look at her face, but she imagined there was probably something like betrayal and guilt playing out across her features.

“You’re young, Cinder. You’re so full of pain and anger-"

Cinder scowled and then scoffed at the mere mention. Almost immediately, she heard heels clicking and then she felt nails digging into her shoulder.

"Look at me!" she barked, her voice like fire lashing out at her. "I know you don’t want to hear that, but it’s true!”

Glynda towered over her, bearing a determined, stony countenance with a severe look in her eyes. Her hand gripped Cinder's shoulder tightly, and it was both her critical gaze and her firm hand that cowed Cinder, reminding her just who she was and why she was here.

“It’s been months since I brought you to Vale, and that’s not nearly enough time for you to work through everything that happened to you." Glynda's voice cracked and her hardened mask fractured. "Grief can become a weapon that good people turn on others. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen.”

There was a faraway look in those emerald orbs then, and it was quickly followed by regret.

Cinder found herself absorbed by her guardian’s words, and she couldn’t help but wonder what had happened for her to feel that way. And if that was personal enough of an experience it was the reason she was worried about her walking down the same path.

“Being a huntress is a dangerous line of work. We put our lives on the line so other people can live safely. We don’t learn how to swing swords and shoot guns for fun, we do it so other people don’t have to.” Glynda walked back up to her as she continued her lecture. “I don’t want you to be a huntress because I’m afraid that you’ll forget everything I just said, but if you keep all of that in mind… then we’ll get started right away.”

Gone was all the sadness and despair on her face. The grim remorse and anguish that plagued her countenance were wiped away by a glowing hopefulness in her eyes, a kind of optimism that burned away the bramble in Cinder’s chest and stole away the weight of dark emotions that burdened her shoulders.

Standing there, the raven-haired, amber-eyed girl processed all the words the huntress had spoken. She imagined the paths that lay before her and the futures that lay at the ends of them.

She didn’t want to hurt anyone, she just wanted to make her own choices. She just wanted to choose her own destiny and live the life she deserved.

But… knowing about what she’d done these past few months. Her uncontrollable anger. Her semblance acting up.

Cinder exhaled heavily and balled her hands into tight fists.

She couldn’t pick one choice without risking the other. If she wanted to learn how to be a huntress, she’d have to learn how to fight. If she learned how to fight, she’d need to learn how to be better, which meant accepting that there was something… wrong with her.

Tipping her chin up, Cinder met Glynda’s eyes and looked into them in the hopes that she had an answer to her problems. She couldn’t find anything solid though, only love unbound. That was more than enough.

“O-Okay.” Cinder nodded and took a deep breath. “I’ll try. I… I’m going to try.”

For a moment, Glynda watched her with a hesitant look. Then, she closed her eyes and smiled before she grabbed her in a hug.

“Then we’ll get started after classes end tomorrow.”

A sense of relief flooded through Cinder, flushing out the pain and anger that had festered within her. The cold, frigid spike piercing her heart melted away and the cold ball in the pit of her stomach was removed. Now, she felt elated, ready to jump off the ground and float in the air with glee–

“But first, you’re grounded.”

Cinder blinked. “What?”

Glynda let her go and crossed her arms.

“Young lady, you talked back to me, burned our kitchen table, and ran off in the middle of the night.” Her guardian narrowed her eyes. “I’m going to teach you how to be a huntress, but I’m also going to treat you like a student. Are we clear?”

Cinder had seen Glynda’s iron fist in class.

“Uh….”

The Disciplinarian, reclaimed by her guardian, poked her chest and Glynda’s eyes narrowed, sharpening until she was glaring sternly at her.

“Are. We. Clear.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am.”

Chapter Text

Most days, the halls of Schnee Manor were silent. There was only so much space that the family of five occupied and so much more that they didn’t. The servants of course were contracted to clean every inch of the property, but they rarely made much noise.

Today, however, the estate was abuzz with activity. It was the Schnee heiress’ birthday after all.

“It looks wonderful, mother,” the newly turned twelve-year-old Winter Schnee declared, looking up at her mother who stood beside her.

Standing atop the grand staircase in the manor foyer, they surveyed her birthday decorations.

Banners had been hung and unfurled, each was emblazoned with Winter’s visage. In each, she stood tall and primly, chin high, her shoulders straight, her hands clasped behind her back, and her lips pursed but curved ever so slightly into a subtle smile. Alongside those, flower arrangements and balloons of varying colors added life to the room, contrasting against cool tones of grey, marble, and slate. Not much else had been added, the rest of the decor reserved for the rest of the manor where the real gatherings would be hosted.

Although, first impressions did matter, thus the reason Winter and her mother had seen to check in on the servant’s progress here.

“Doesn’t it?” Willow Schnee remarked with a fond smile, squeezing her shoulders gently before glancing about the main floor. “I should thank them before the guests arrive.”

As the adult woman pursed her lips and craned her head around, Winter raised an eyebrow. 

“There’s no need to bother the help,” the heiress reasoned with a frown. “They only did what they were told.”

There was a glint in her mother’s eyes, something like disappointment flashing in those crystal blue orbs. Then, her expression flattened into a deadpan stare.

Winter blinked at her before she felt fingers grab her cheeks and pinch them.

“Look at you, twelve-years-old and sounding just like your father,” the Schnee matriarch teased, growing an amused smile.

She whined and pawed at her hands, trying to stop this– this– infantilization!

“Mother!” Winter mewled.

Her mother laughed. “Don't grow up on me too quickly, my little snow angel.”

Suddenly, she was grabbed in a tight hug and picked up an inch off the ground. A grunt escaped her, followed by a whimper as her face reddened. Her mother merely giggled and clutched her tightly as if she were a pet kitten.

Eventually, Winter was set back down and the moment she was she announced her displeasure by crossing her arms and huffing loudly. Laughter echoed through the foyer as the her mother descended the staircase, glancing between the floor below and the mezzanine above.

“Now, where are your siblings?” she asked, stroking her chin.

Winter shrugged and followed after her. “I don’t know. Should we call one of the servants?”

Her mother shook her head and extended a hand out to her. “Best not to distract them while they’re still setting up.”

“But it would be faster,” Winter argued.

A smile crossed the Schnee matriarch’s lips. “I suppose, but we could treat this like an adventure. Just like your grandfather would have.”

Willow Schnee spoke wistfully. Longingly. Her mother’s father, Winter’s grandfather, had passed not even half a decade ago. The wound was still fresh, and even Whitley, who hadn’t even been born yet seemed to feel the emptiness in the manor.

Winter frowned and sighed. “Mother, please.”

“Please, what?” Her mother crossed her arms and shot her a knowing look. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you sneaking in and out of your father's study recently.”

Her face pinkened immediately and Winter tried to hold a straight face.

“I’m merely checking in with father!”

“When he’s not in?”

“H-He is!”

“Oh?” Her mother rubbed her chin. “Then how do you explain your grandfather’s journals ending up in your room?”

The carpet running down the stairs became interesting suddenly. Winter just couldn’t tear her eyes away from it as she scratched her heels into the fibers anxiously. All the while, she struggled to force the blood rushing to her face back down to where it’d come from.

It wasn’t her fault her grandfather had traveled so far and done so much. It wasn’t her fault he wrote of his experiences so fancifully and hadn’t embellished a single detail! Well, perhaps he had embellished a bit, he was always like that: Boastful, but kind. Strong, but gentle.

Winter shook the memories from her head and looked up, pressing her lips into a pout.

“They're just good reading material!” she snipped, marching the rest of the way down the stairs to join her mother on the first floor.

Her mother laughed and took her hand, squeezing it affectionately. “Yes, they are. Now, come along, and let’s find Weiss and Whitley before the celebration starts.”

Winter sighed and nodded, though she couldn’t help but hold a tiny smile as she recalled the last few prose Nicholas Schnee had written into the journal she’d read last night.

If there was one thing that James Ironwood despised about his new position as general of the Atlesian military and headmaster of Atlas Academy, it was the political responsibilities that came with it.

The constant meetings, the bureaucratic nonsense, and the endless commentary on his political standing. One part of Atlas wanted him to support them, another side wanted his favor, and both sides kept nagging him to choose. Amidst all that was the old money families trying to get him to do them favors, and then there was Mantle raising their fists in the air at Atlas’ silent endorsement of social inequality and legal extortion.

It was all a never-ending headache that throbbed in the back of his mind, waking him up at night and getting him distracted at the worst times. Mettle helped him focus, but he was consistently afraid that his semblance would be the death of him.

All that aside, he was quite perturbed that instead of working on real issues at his desk in the academy, he was being coerced into attending a celebration at the Schnee estate. At least there would be cake.

“Really, James? That’s what you’re going to wear to the birthday party?”

On his scroll, Glynda covered the amused grin on her face as he looked down at his standard military uniform and overcoat.

“What?” he asked, adjusting his outerwear before turning around to check the back. “Is there something wrong with it?”

“You’re going to be a lone soldier among pompous civilians.”

“Then they know who’s in charge.”

“They’ll also know who’s going to bring down the mood,” she jabbed, still wearing her smile.

James sighed and conceded with a nod.

“Alright. Alright.” He slipped off his overcoat and tossed it onto his bed. “I’ll find something else.”

Moments later, he’d donned an ashen gray suit with a white button-up undershirt, and a scarlet tie complimenting the outfit. In addition, he added a black glove to his prosthetic hand and hid a holster for Due Process under his jacket.

“Better?” he asked, looking over to the scroll propped up on his nightstand.

On the screen, Glynda nodded. “Much better.”

Sometime after, he was on the car ride over to the Schnee estate. His scroll was plugged into a holo-projector, letting him talk to Glynda on a wider screen.

“How’s Cinder?” he asked. “I understand she’s had some issues?”

“Several incidents,” Glynda sighed. “She’s adjusting after everything that happened. After I agreed to start training her, she’s gotten much better. Giving her an incentive seemed to help.”

He huffed and nodded, his hands playing with the ribbon of the little, wrapped box on his lap.

“So… what did you get Miss Schnee?”

Emerald eyes gazed through the screen and down at the present.

James held it up and shrugged.

“It took me a while, but I decided on some earrings. Her mother helped me pick them out.”

A fond look crossed the woman’s face as well as a sense of familiarity. Quickly, however, he noticed a nervous quiver in her lip as she glanced away.

“You want to ask me something,” he declared before she could say it.

Glynda gave him a surprised look, then sighed and nodded.

“We’re approaching the anniversary of when I adopted Cinder,” she explained, her eyes glancing away as her lips curved into an affectionate smile. “I’ve spoken with Ozpin, Peter, and Bartholomew, and we thought it would be a nice surprise to throw her a birthday party, seeing as we don’t know her actual birth date.”

He huffed, thinking about the raven-haired girl they’d saved.

“She’d probably enjoy that.” James leaned to the side and rested his cheek on his knuckles. “But I have a feeling this is going to have something to do with me.”

She cast him a look of disapproval at his disinterested attitude. He quickly fixed it before she could snap at him.

“You were there, James,” she said. “You helped me get her out of that place. I think she would appreciate a gift from you too.”

He rubbed his neck and exhaled heavily. Choosing a present for Winter Schnee had been hard enough already. It’d taken a week and a quick call to Jacque, who’d passed him over to Willow to get a clue as to what to buy. Getting another gift for another girl around the same age was going to be just as hard.

“I’m not even sure of what she likes,” he reasoned.

“Then you can consider this little celebration by the Schnees as a way of finding out what a girl Cinder’s age likes,” Glynda huffed, crossing her arms and giving him a sharp look. “I’ll leave you to your duties now, general.”

With that, the call ended and Ironwood was left to sulk in the back seat of the car.

Not too long after, he finally arrived at the Schnee estate. Climbing up the rocky hill the manor was seated upon, James got a good view of the city before they passed through the main gates. Stretching out beyond his window, he saw the sprawl of a finely manicured courtyard, not a blemish in sight.

The Schnee Manor was as extravagant as ever. Planted trees stood at attention in perfect lines across the sides of the driveway, an island in the driveway hosted three pillars that beheld the Schnee Family crest for all to see as they pulled up, and the manor itself stole the entirety of the horizon. It was a testament to the line of Schnee, once an image of honor and pride now tainted by Jacque’s greed.

Already, he could see a line of cars pulled up to the curb, several members of the Atlas’ high society mingling on the front steps of the manor.

The moment he stepped out of his car, James was beset by the bourgeois. Men and women alike, all dressed in the gaudiest outfits they could, cried his title and sashayed over to him. They remarked on his attire and offered flatteries, and he politely thanked them while hiding his distaste for their presence.

Eventually, he managed to step into the manor foyer, discovering it was filled to the brim with chattering guests, wandering servants, and a good amount of birthday décor. Champagne glasses gleamed under the massive chandelier above, silver trays glinted, and laughter echoed off the walls of the room. Banners bearing the image of the birthday girl hung around the room, staring down at the crowd with a sophisticated gaze, displaying her maturity despite her age. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the festivities so far, so at least he didn’t have to worry about walking in on a scandalous event disrupting the night.

“Ah, General Ironwood!”

Glancing over from a group of socialites, Jacque Schnee grew a smile and stepped away from his guests to greet him.

“Mister Schnee,” James greeted, giving a slight bow of his head, “thank you for the invitation.”

“Thank you for taking the time to attend my daughter’s celebration!”

The man guffawed and clapped James on his shoulder. The general forced himself to keep smiling.

“To be honest, I’d thought your eldest would have grown out of birthday parties by now,” James remarked, his hands clasped in front of him. “She’s rather mature for a girl her age.”

Jacque huffed and fixed his collar.

“Between us, I’d hope so too,” he confessed, his jovial expression turning sour for a split-second, “but Willow insisted as well. Girls will be girls, no?”

“I suppose.” James glanced around in search of the matriarch and the heiress but found no sign of them. “Where is she, may I ask? Winter, I mean.”

“The courtyard. The main festivities are being held there at the moment.” The Schnee patriarch gestured with his glass towards the entrance leading to the aforementioned area. “I’m sure you remember the way?”

“More or less,” James admitted, slipping his hands into his pockets. That was when he remembered the present he’d purchased and pulled it out. “Ah, my apologies, where are all the presents being held?”

He showed off the wrapped box and Jacque tilted his head in the direction of a room nearby.

“Just through the door there.”

After depositing his gift, placing it atop a veritable mountain of presents the many families of Atlas’ upper crust had brought, James made his way outside.

It was cool out, but not so terrible that he shivered or his teeth clattered. Many people occupied the courtyard, enjoying the fresh air and the rows of fine cuisine set up beneath a tent.

It took him no time at all to discern the Schnees from the gaudy rabble, finding a crowd gathered around a spectacle of radiant glyphs.

Striding across the courtyard, James weaved his way through the crowd to the forefront and found a twelve-year-old Winter Schnee showing off for her audience.

Holding ice dust in one hand, Winter summoned a glyph in her right hand and held it up, letting it blow out a flurry of snowflakes. She sprayed the air around her, prompting the socialites to laugh and clap with glee. To wow them further, the prodigy summoned another glyph and lifted it into the air.

Seconds later, a very light sprinkle in a very concentrated zone rained on the heiress when she traded her ice dust for water dust, letting her replace the glyph that was spraying snow with a simple glyph shield, wielding it like an umbrella to stave off the self-made rain.

Her audience cheered for her as she smirked smugly beneath the praise of her guests.

Despite his misgivings for the Schnees, James had to admit that Winter was a prodigy. As long as he’d known her, she was a smart and intuitive child. She took after her father’s shrewdness, making use of her semblance and intellect to build herself a metaphorical stage to grandstand off of.

“What a wonderful show!” Willow Schnee appeared from the crowd clapping jubilantly.

Beside the Schnee matriarch, her five-year-old daughter and two-year-old son clapped as well, though the latter one seemed lost as to why they were clapping. Not too long after, the show ended and the crowd dispersed to chatter amongst themselves.

When he was finally able to, James made his way through the throngs of the crowd to greet the hosts.

“Good evening, Willow.” James bowed his head respectfully before meeting the woman’s eyes.

She gave him a smile and tipped her head too, her hands too preoccupied with holding her children's hands.

“Hello, General Ironwood,” she said with a bright smile, “thank you for coming. I apologize if we’re disrupting your schedule today.”

James shook his head and laughed. “No, no, it’s perfectly fine. I’m glad I could attend.”

Looking over, he spotted Winter staring at him with a scrupulous look, definitely studying him. Turning to face her, he met her icy blue eyes and the birthday girl perked up, composing herself in an instant.

“Greetings, general,” Winter said, bowing her head, “it’s an honor to have you at my birthday celebration.”

His lips tugged up into a smile and James gave a light laugh. “It’s an honor to be here, Miss Schnee. I thank you all for the invitation.”

“Did you bring a present?”

James blinked and glanced over to the five-year-old beside Willow.

“You need to bring a present for Winter,” the middle daughter stated.

“Weiss,” Willow tutted, squeezing the girl's hand a bit, “don’t be rude.”

He waved a hand dismissively and laughed fully.

“That’s fine,” he said before bending down to the girl’s eye level. “I did bring a present for your big sister. So don’t worry.”

In the corner of his vision, he glimpsed Winter turning beet red, clearly embarrassed by her sibling. To save her from further embarrassment, the general stood up and looked around.

“Well, I’ll be off to mingle then,” he remarked, crossing his arms. “Feel free to hunt me down when it's time for cake.”

Willow guffawed while Winter huffed in amusement. Meanwhile, Weiss and her little brother—’Whitley’, if James remembered correctly—glanced between them all in confusion.

The evening passed slowly, much to James’ disappointment. He tried to occupy himself with idle conversation but found all his dialogue with the other guests sprinkled with gossip and poorly made jokes on the topics of faunus rights, Atlas-Mantle classism, and the other kingdoms. The only person he managed to make any neutral but charged small talk with was his rival on the Atlesian Council.

“Councilman Sleet,” James called, spotting the man standing by the large fountain at the end of the courtyard.

The older man looked over with a stern countenance that cooled into a… less stern one.

“General Ironwood,” he greeted with a solemn face. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“I could say the same,” James remarked, gesturing with his glass. “I didn’t expect to find you here.”

“Nor did I,” Sleet sighed before sipping from his cup. “But public appearances are public appearances, and it’d do me no good to be the odd one out on the council.”

The general sighed as he came to stand beside his colleague.

“Unfortunately, I fear that you already are,” he remarked wryly.

Just as old money ruled Atlas, so did it rule a good portion of the Atlesian Council. Five seats controlled the laws of the floating kingdom, three of those were more interested in funneling money into their personal accounts and interests. Only James had a real interest in defending their borders and only Sleet had an interest in improving the conditions at home. Of course, neither of them could see eye to eye most of the time, only ever allying when they shared a common foe.

Tonight, that common foe was Atlas’ bourgeois, the high society that advocated for such atavistic beliefs such as racial purity and class divides.

“Ah, the Marigolds,” Sleet remarked, eyeing the family moving over to greet Willow Schnee and her children.

Sensing the derisive tone in his voice, James glanced over at his companion. “What have they gotten up to this time?”

Sleet huffed and sipped from his glass again.

“The same old self-serving drivel. They want more concessions on their business, and fewer restrictions and regulations. It’s all flowery words covering up the fact that they want exclusive contracts. Licensing. A virtual monopoly.”

“Let me guess, it would mean isolating Mantle's commerce,” James concluded.

Sleet nodded with a scowl. However, after a moment, he turned to look at James.

“Speaking of business ethics, I hear the Phyrites are continuing to plead for release,” the councilman remarked. “It was rather uncharacteristic of you to care about the small people, James.”

The general narrowed his eyes and shot him a sharp look.

“I ensure the defense of our kingdom, Sleet,” he stated firmly. “Caring about the little people is my job.”

The man gave a dubious look but didn’t antagonize him further and instead sipped from his glass.

“Regardless, I didn’t think the military was interested in one hotel.”

James nodded along before he gave a sigh, a bit of disappointment seeping into his voice as he replied.

“Admittedly, it wasn’t on our radar until an associate of mine discovered the little girl they were using as free labor.” His hand clenched around the glass in his hand, the material straining against his mechanical prosthetic. “I’m glad we resolved the situation.”

“As am I,” Sleet agreed.

They went back and forth for a little longer, going over the political landscape and the coming obstacles they’d need to face. They also traded barbs on each other’s place in the bureaucratic order. Thankfully, no one sought them out and they were left alone until several servants came around announcing it was time for the birthday cake to be cut.

Everyone was gathered in the dining hall, droves of folks from the upper walks of life standing shoulder-to-shoulder to watch the Schnees mark the climax of the celebrations.

James himself stood with Sleet close to the hosts, granted a nice view of Winter blowing out the candles.

A cheer went out over the crowd and James sighed, feeling his soul leave him as he endured the festivities. Truly, he just wanted to go home and lie down, perhaps even get some work done to let his mind exercise.

“What did you wish for, honey?”

“I believe it’s supposed to be a secret, isn’t it, mother?”

James watched Winter smirk at her family as Willow squeezed her daughter’s shoulders, giving puppy dog eyes at her.

“Maybe, but I am your mother,” the matriarch whined with a loving smile. “I’m sure you can tell me.”

Winter held her smirk, acting as posh and pompous as her family was. Although, her father didn’t seem very entertained, an impatient frown crossing his face before he put on a smile.

“Come now, Winter, we’re Schnees!” Jacque declared in front of the audience with an arrogant smile. “There’s no need to follow the rules!”

Both James and Sleet hid their frowns as the people laughed; or at least feigned laughter while they hid their jealousy.

Seated at the head of the table, Winter’s smirk fell and she squirmed awkwardly. A few seconds passed as she debated on whether she should reveal her wish. Ultimately, she looked up at her mother with a hesitant smile. 

“I wished I could become a great huntress.”

Jacque’s smile fell immediately as did a few others in the room. Those that remained grew wider and then those lips parted open to let laughter out.

“She wants to be a huntress,” someone guffawed. “How adorable!”

James frowned as he glanced about the partygoers.

He cast a forlorn look at the twelve-year-old sitting in front of her cake, a mixture of shame and anger playing out across her face.

As heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, there were certain responsibilities that Winter was meant to uphold. She had expectations to meet and exceed, such as learning the family trade in and out. And she was also expected to discard such childish dreams that might hinder her from taking on the mantle her father would one day give her.

And yet, despite everything her father said to her, all the things that her tutors lectured her on, she could not let go of that dream of adventure instilled within her.

Winter didn’t know when this dream was born. Maybe it had come from the stories her mother had told her before bed. Maybe it came from the personal accounts of her grandfather, written and stored within the Schnee Manor’s library. Or maybe it was from when she dug deeper into the accounts of huntsmen and huntresses online, exploring the stories of the defenders of mankind.

Whatever the case was, she had begun to imagine herself as a dashing champion of Atlas. Wielding steel and glyphs, she would protect her home and her people.

The dream was intimately more colorful and exciting than sitting behind a desk for the rest of her life.

Today, she had stupidly believed that her father would understand the allure of that lifestyle. She had concocted some vain hope that he would entertain the thought with her, but he had not.

It wasn’t just his reaction that hurt though, it was the entire party. The guests guffawed and joked about her dream, dismissing it as childhood wonder and nothing more.

Hours later after her presents had been opened and as the party waned down, Winter found herself being scolded by her father.

“I know you’re still just a child, Winter, but let’s keep our overactive imaginations to ourselves from now on, alright?”

Her father stood before her, tall and intimidating with his stature rigid and the light from the window behind his desk casting his shadow over her.

They stood in his study, her father having dragged her away from the party for a brief conversation. Although a conversation required two parties to share thoughts, this was just an admonishment and nothing more.

“Yes, father,” Winter spoke obediently.

Her father smiled. “Very good, Winter. Now, come along, we need to say our farewells to our guests–”

He was cut off when the door to the study opened and her mother stepped inside.

“Jacque? Winter?” Her mother’s eyes darted between them. “What’s going on in here?”

She stepped inside, her brow knit and eyes narrowed.

“Mother,” Winter breathed, walking over to her.

“Nothing, honey,” her father said, “I was just reminding Winter about proper manners. Can’t have her going around speaking her mind like that again, you know? The other houses might make us the butt end of their jokes.”

Winter balled her hands into fists but said nothing. Her mother, however, widened her eyes and clenched her jaw.

“Jacque!”

The matriarch of the Schnee household strode up to him, the click of her heels echoing off the study’s walls. Winter watched her glance over her shoulder at her before she hissed in a hushed voice. Despite that, however, Winter caught most of her mother’s words.

“…shouldn’t speak… harshly of her dream.”

Her father rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Willow, please.”

“Don’t ‘Willow, please’ me!” she snapped. “That’s your daughter, she needs you to encourage her, not dismiss her.”

“Encourage her dream of leaving the house and abandoning her duties?”

“Encourage her dream of growing up to be a strong woman,” her mother corrected.

Winter rubbed her foot into the floor, not knowing what else to do except shuffle in place awkwardly while her parents argued.

Thankfully, the tension in the air was pierced by a knock on the door. 

“Who could that be?” her father remarked, hurrying past her mother and her to open the door. “James?”

Winter perked up as the general waved into the room with a smile.

“My apologies, but I’ll be taking my leave now,” he said, his hands clasped behind his back. “Once again, I thank you for the invitation and I do hope to come for the next.”

Her father laughed and clapped the man’s shoulder.

“Anything for a dear family friend!”

Winter watched the general swallow, his friendly countenance revealing itself to be a mask for the briefest moment. Beneath the mask, he showed a disapproving frown that he quickly hid when her father opened his eyes again.

“Yes,” the general said as he turned to leave.

He stopped however when their eyes met, curiosity showing in his indigo orbs. Winter presented herself as formally as she could before the esteemed general of Atlas’ military and the headmaster of its academy, but for whatever reason his curiosity seemed to change to pity.

“You know, Jacque?” the general said then, turning back around to face him. “I don’t mean to interject on family affairs, but I will say that it was brave of Winter to speak about being a huntress.”

Her father’s smile fell and Winter stiffened up. She almost jumped when she felt her mother’s hand on her shoulder.

Looking up, she spotted her mother next to her, gently urging her forward.

Their family gathered at the doorway to the study, standing before General Ironwood who had a hand stroking his jaw.

“Please, general, you flatter her,” her father spoke dismissively.

“Perhaps,” the general laughed. “Winter is a born prodigy, that much is certain. We’d be remiss to not have her at the academy, but I understand she has responsibilities at home.” He then clasped his hands behind his back and tipped his head back, putting on a solemn face as he looked up and thought. “That being said, however, with insurrectionists and radicals growing bolder these days, having her learn to protect herself could benefit her greatly.”

Winter blinked at him, surprised at the man’s bluntness. Usually, no one dared to speak so directly with her father, especially on a subject that he disagreed with.

That being said, she felt a sense of… elation within her. Was the general really trying to support her right now?

“I suppose you have a point, James.”

Winter’s eyes widened and she glanced up at her father, who stroked his chin with a hesitant frown.

“But still–”

“I know plenty of huntsmen and huntresses who’ve retired but are still willing to privately tutor students on self-defense.” General Ironwood nonchalantly combed fingers through his hair. “Why, I believe the Marigolds have a huntsman teaching their son right now, and not just self-defense either. History. Literature. Foreign policy. Or am I mistaken? Regardless, being ready for any situation is certainly the best strategy anyone could use, wouldn’t you say, Jacque?”

Her father pressed his lips together tightly, seemingly still not convinced. But there were fewer wrinkles on his forehead and the tension in his jaw seemed to loosen slightly.

“Father would certainly be proud,” her mother remarked, rubbing Winter’s shoulders. “The line of Schnee continuing again.”

“Indeed,” her father said, a smile growing on his lips. “The Schnee heiress continuing the line of Schnee! Ha! Invoking the image of dear Old Nick, brilliant!”

Her mother visibly cringed at her father’s guffaw, or perhaps it was something else that Winter didn’t want to place. Either way, he seemed to celebrate the idea of her learning self-defense; from a real huntsmen no less.

Winter breathed in and almost wanted to pinch herself to see if this was all a dream. Her world was flipped on its head and her heart had plummeted into the pit of her stomach not but an hour ago. Now, it was flipped once more, her heart beating rapidly with excitement and anticipation.

“How thoughtful of you, James!” her father cheered, grabbing the general’s hand and shaking it profusely. “You wouldn’t be willing to send some recommendations to my desk, would you?”

“Of course,” the general laughed. “I know a few in-kingdom and some out. I’ll be sure to send you their resumes when I get back to the academy.”

“Of course! Of course!” Her father gave a beaming smile. “You have a wonderful night, my friend.”

“Yes, please,” her mother said, giving a friendly smile and a nod of her head. “Thank you for coming over tonight, James. We appreciate it.”

The general bowed slightly out of respect and waved his hand goodbye. “It was my pleasure, Willow. Jacque. Winter. You all have a wonderful night.” 

He departed then, a servant showing him the way out. Although, as he went down the hall, Winter swore he glanced over his shoulder and winked at her.

Glynda hadn’t been lying when she promised not to pull any punches in her training regimen. Since they’d started, Cinder had been forced to run laps around Beacon, push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups three times a day every day, do yoga and meditation with her guardian, and keep up with her online courses on top of all of that. Every night she went to bed numb and every morning she woke up sore. But she kept at it.

Her dream of becoming a huntress, of attaining that power, compelled her to keep going. Admittedly, however, it was a bumpy road ahead.

Cinder had a short fuse. She knew that even before her training began, but it became more evident every day she trained with Glynda. She got impatient waiting to see results and she got frustrated when there was a lack thereof. She was too ambitious for her own good, Glynda had told her straight to her face one day, knocking her down a peg.

Of course, Cinder had argued and claimed she knew her limits. And today, of course, she had gotten so frustrated during their training session that she’d accidentally activated her semblance while clawing at her hair.

The twelve-year-old quietly whined while she stared into the mirror, studying her recently cut hair.

An hour ago, she’d gotten to the hair salon with her hair frayed and burnt patches missing. She’d left with her hair cut to a short, middling style. Needless to say, her face had been flushed the entire trip back to Beacon and the trek back to their apartment. Her guardian, however, had snickered through the whole journey–

“Cinder?”

Speaking of her guardian and teacher, Glynda appeared in the doorway of the bathroom, peering in with a curious look.

“Yeah?” Cinder responded.

Glynda gave her a once-over and then grew an amused smile. “Is it bothering you still?”

Cinder frowned spitefully. “Yes.”

Her guardian snickered once again as she stepped inside. “Well, hopefully, this will cheer you up.”

She walked over and laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. Then, she pointed her chin out the door.

Cinder furrowed her brow and followed her direction. “What are you talking about?”

Glynda’s smile grew and a playful glint showed in her emerald eyes. She silently pointed her chin out the door again and she moved across to her other shoulder.

“Come along and see.”

Cinder squinted at her in suspicion and tried to surmise what was going on. Was it a special dinner? Did she want to raise her spirits after today’s incident? Maybe she wanted to show her something. Or maybe she had a new exercise for her? Ugh, so many possibilities.

“Fine,” she grumbled, walking past Glynda.

Her guardian hummed and walked behind her. But just as she was about to leave, a pair of hands slipped over her eyes.

“Hey!” Cinder yelped, trying to duck down.

“It’s a surprise,” Glynda said, keeping her hands level with her eyes. “Just keep going, it’ll be alright.”

Cinder grumbled but begrudgingly obeyed, carefully leaving the bathroom blind. She made steady progress down the hall, her guardian leading her toward the living room.

“What’s the surprise?”

“Something I’ve been planning for a while now.”

“Am I getting a weapon?” Cinder inquired, a bit of hope in her voice.

Glynda huffed and tutted, “Don’t get any bright ideas now, you’ll get yours when everyone else does in combat school.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed, but then stopped when she heard feet shuffling on wood paneling. The sound came from ahead, not behind. There was also some quiet tapping and the scent of something savory. Cooked meat? Steak?

“Did you cook something?” she asked. “Or grab something from the cafeteria?”

Glynda hummed. “What do you smell?”

“…Cooked meat. A steak?” She wet her lips, feeling her mouth watering. “Or, something else… Wait.” She listened to more feet shuffling and a quiet chuckle across the room. “Are we not alone?”

Glynda gave a quiet laugh and let her hands fall away, revealing the room to her. “You’re getting better at sensing your surroundings.”

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the lighting, but a second later she was able to take in the sight of colorful balloons tied to the furniture, a tablecloth spread over their dining table, and a handful of her guardian’s colleagues standing around the room. A cooked meal topped the table, but further across the room at the counter that separated the living room from the kitchen she saw a see-through box with a cake in it.

“Surprise!” Port boomed, throwing his arms out wide.

Next to him, Dr. Oobleck winced but smiled. Meanwhile, Professor Ozpin held up a red cup and offered her a smile.

Amber eyes blinked in abject shock, then she looked back at her guardian. Immediately, a shower of confetti rained on her head and she sputtered in surprise. Her guardian laughed softly while rubbing her fingers, letting the last few slips of colorful paper rain down.

“Hey!” Cinder cried, pawing at her further ruined hair. “What’s going on?”

She shuffled forward, taking in the sight of the decorated apartment. After a second of gawking, she started picking the confetti out of her hair and held a few of the pieces in her hands. Soon, her attention was also drawn to a small pile of wrapped boxes on a side table by the sofa.

Cinder directed her quizzical gaze up at Glynda, who graced her with an affectionate smile. Then, she rested her hand on her shoulder again and she turned her around so they were facing.

“Do you remember what today is?” she asked, tilting her head and giving her an expectant look.

“N-No?” Cinder wracked her brain, searching for an important date but came up with nothing. “Is it… a holiday?”

Glynda knelt down to her height and took a loose lock of raven black hair, tucking it behind her ear.

“One year ago today, I took a little girl who needed love in her life home with me.” A wistful smile crossed her painted lips as she cupped the side of her cheek with a warm hand. “And a couple of months ago, I asked that girl if she knew when she was born. She didn’t know, so we decided that today was a pretty good day to celebrate.”

Amber eyes grew as large as dinner plates in astonishment, and then they glistened as a flood of emotions overwhelmed the thirteen-year-old.

They’d planned a whole birthday party for her.

She stood stunned for a long time, her body shaking as she tried and failed to contain all the things roiling inside of her. She wasn’t sure how to react. A big part of her wanted to brush it all aside and keep up her loner act, to continue wearing her aloof mask so she wouldn’t be vulnerable. A bigger part of her, however, wanted to open up and show them just what their kindness had done to her.

Ultimately, she managed not to break down into a sobbing mess. However, her face burned red bashfully while she tucked her head between her shoulders. She sniffled and a few tears fell down her face, but she wiped those away before ultimately letting a joyful smile slowly grow across her face.

All the while, Glynda continued to give her an affectionate look as she led her into the living room so they could begin the celebration.

Apparently, dinner was all thanks to Port. He’d flexed his cooking skills and served up a meal of grilled, seasoned steak, a pot of broth, and a few other dishes. On top of that was a chocolate cake and a tub of ice cream Glynda had bought in Vale.

Needless to say, this was the best night of her life, and not too long after she opened her presents.

“What’s this?” she asked, holding open a small box with a strip of black cloth in it.

Ozpin strode up beside her with a smile. “A choker.”

“Sir!” Glynda hissed indignantly to him. “You got her a choker?”

Cinder glanced between them with a quizzical look, then picked the cloth up, finding a lock on one end.

“I understand it’s quite popular among adolescents right now?” the headmaster remarked, stroking his jaw.

Her guardian’s face reddened while Dr. Oobleck chuckled.

“People wear it around their neck,” he elaborated, rubbing a hand across his throat. “They consider it popular and fashionable, although it has a rather rebellious connotation to it.”

“Which is exactly why I’m not keen on Ozpin gifting it to you!” Glynda piped up, glaring daggers at the headmaster who took a long sip from his cup of soda.

After he’d washed down his throat, the silver-haired man shrugged his shoulders.

“I merely thought it’d be a nice gift and a choice for Cinder. I ensured that it was a nice length and width if you’d like to cover your scar.”

His eyes lingered on her neck and Cinder reached out to touch the scarred skin. She felt it for a moment, feeling the size of the wound she’d carry for life. Then, she looked at the choker, brought it up to her neck, and felt the cloth tickle her skin as she measured its size for herself.

It felt… weird to put something around her neck again. She hadn’t let anyone or anything touch her there since she’d escaped the Glass Unicorn.

For a brief second, she felt the phantom of her opulent shock collar constricting her neck and her chest tightened. However, the feeling gradually disappeared.

Mustering her courage, Cinder tried to lock the choker, fiddling with the ends of it on her nape.

A few seconds later, however, she felt calloused fingers touching hers and she felt Glynda’s breath on her head.

“Let me help you,” her guardian spoke, taking the choker and hooking it in place.

A moment later, Cinder was tenderly touching the cloth around her neck. It was a strange feeling, and she didn’t know how to feel about it entirely. There was a little bundle of anxiety buzzing in the pit of her stomach, but it was tolerable. Maybe she’d keep it on for a little bit.

Looking up, she offered Ozpin a bashful smile in exchange for the gift. He nodded at her with thanks, then quickly looked away when he saw Glynda’s glare still leveled at him.

Turning her gaze up at her guardian, she found the woman still wearing an apprehensive look. However, she didn’t move to have her take it off.

After that bit of bickering, Cinder opened up Professor Port’s and Dr. Oobleck’s gift, finding a… stack of lien. She held up the gift and riffled through it, counting out around a hundred lien total.

“Admittedly, we had issues about choosing a gift,” Dr. Oobleck stated.

“But you can never go wrong with lien!” Port declared right after with a finger held up.

Cinder’s mouth tugged into a smile and she shrugged.

Finally, saving the best for last, she opened Glynda’s gift, a big box wrapped up in shimmering, red and gold paper with a bow tied up. She undid the ribbon as best she could and tried not to rip the paper, giving it all the respect it deserved. Eventually, however, she was forced to tear some pieces off to reveal the box inside.

It was a purchase from a department store, the logo printed on the top of the box. Opening it up, she found a collection of clothes. Shirts, shorts, skirts, sweaters, things that were comfortable and things that were fashionable.

A hand touched her shoulder while she was going through it all and she looked at Glynda, who was smiling.

“Since you’ll be starting at combat school next year, I thought you’d like to fill your closet a bit,” she explained. “That and we don’t go shopping nearly enough, do we?”

Suddenly, her hands were in her ruined hair and Cinder was pawing at it to stop her guardian. A laugh escaped Glynda and Cinder whined before she started laughing too. 

A moment later, she was folding the clothes back into the box when she noticed a final present sitting on the table.

“Who’s this present from?” Cinder asked, picking it up.

There was weight to it and something shifted inside. Opening it up, she found a card inside signed by one James Ironwood.

“General Ironwood?” Cinder questioned, looking up at Glynda.

A fond smile crossed her guardian’s face and she nodded. “I asked James if he wanted to give you anything. He was there that night.”

Cinder pressed her lips into a thin line as she recalled memories of that man. He was tall and stern, like a male counterpart to her guardian but more straight-laced and stone-faced. Her opinion of him was… a little lower than okay, given his decision to follow the law then give her a chance. But, Glynda liked him, so….

She sighed and pulled out the paper stuffing, revealing the general’s gift: a thick book.

“Uh….” Amber eyes darted up at Glynda, whose jaw dropped to the ground.

“Oh, good heavens,” Glynda whined, pinching her brow as frustration crossed her face. “He did not….”

Cinder arched an eyebrow as Ozpin leaned over her to peer down at her new book.

“‘The Rubrum Primer,’” he remarked with slight amusement in his voice. “It would seem James is eager for you to become a huntress as well, Cinder.”

She gave him a quizzical look, then shot the same look at Glynda. Her guardian was too busy wallowing in embarrassment to answer her, so she looked over at Dr. Oobleck and Port.

“Ah, the ‘Rubrum Primer’ is a codex of military treatises, doctrines, and guidelines,” Oobleck elaborated, waving around a finger as he did. “It was written by Atlas Academy’s first headmaster, right after the Great War!”

Port cleared his throat, stealing Cinder’s attention. “In other words, consider it the textbook guide on becoming a huntress!”

Amber eyes blinked at them, then they cast a hesitant look at the book in her hands. “Huh.”

“I’m not sure if I should thank him or scold him.” Her guardian hissed under her breath. “In any case, I suppose you’ll need it in the future if you want to attend a combat school. It’ll save us money at the very least.”

The night continued on for a little bit longer, everyone chattering about what the next day would bring. They went on about Cinder’s presents and then about her future career.

All in all, the future seemed brighter.

Chapter Text

Cinder messed with her hair, reaching through the thick, raven black bush on the back of her head to scratch under it. Over the last two years, she’d tried to style it to her liking, never able to settle for something she particularly enjoyed.

After the incident where she almost burned her scalp off, she'd cut it short. After that, she let it grow out to see how it would look. It took a lot more effort to keep it that way than she’d like, so she’d cut it, trimmed it, and tried all manner of styling it. A few months ago, she had eventually settled on the middle of the road, keeping it shoulder length but tying her bangs back into a ponytail.

“Are you nervous?”

Glynda’s hand snaked across her back and came to rest on her right shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. Beside her, she heard her guardian exhale before she pulled her into a gentle hug.

“I’m nervous too,” Glynda claimed, her voice lilting as she squatted down to her level. “I never thought I’d be dropping my daughter off at school.”

Cinder’s face warmed and she quickly gazed down at the ground bashfully.

Ever since that night two years ago, Glynda had started referring to her as her daughter more. It was a little embarrassing sometimes—they were still getting used to this life. However, neither of them ever opposed the term, and they grew more affectionate of it with every use.

“I never thought I’d get to go to school,” Cinder remarked, shifting her feet and digging her shoes into the dirt.

They stood before Pharos Academy, the combat school they’d chosen after a few weeks of discussion. It straddled the river separating Vale's residential district from its agricultural one, drawing in students from across the city. Thanks to its close proximity to Beacon, it was an easy twenty-minute airship ride to and from the schools. Furthermore, it was home to some of the best instructors in the kingdom, many of which Glynda had either studied alongside or taught herself.

“You remember the airship schedule, correct?” Glynda asked, getting up and crossing her arms.

Cinder crossed her arms too and nodded. “Seven-thirty in the morning. Four in the afternoon.”

“And you have your fare?”

“Twenty lien each trip.” Cinder patted her wallet in her pants.

“And if you have an emergency–”

“–I’ve got your contact info, Ozpin’s contact info, and also Professor Port’s and Dr. Oobleck’s.”

A proud smile crossed her guardian’s lips as she bent down and grabbed her cheeks. The raven-haired teenager yelped and tried to stop her, but the woman kept pinching for another couple of seconds before she let go.

“Look at you, all grown up,” she said wistfully before she checked her watch. “Okay, I need to get going. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

“‘Kay.”

“I love you.”

Cinder blushed and rubbed her neck bashfully while Glynda cast her a fond smile, her own cheeks dusted pink.

After a second or two, Cinder mumbled a ‘yeah’ and gave a nod. That was more than enough of a response to let Glynda chuckle under her breath and walk away, leaving the fourteen-year-old to begin her first day at Pharos.

It felt weird being in a classroom full of kids her age.

Sitting at a desk that she’d picked out, Cinder bobbed one leg over the other and peeked out the window next to her. All around the room, her classmates were chatting with each other. Clearly, many of them knew each other, most of them likely neighbors or previous schoolmates. The rest were probably just sociable, unlike her. She’d come to learn, not make friends….

Amber eyes darted around before falling to the ground self-consciously. 

After a bit, Cinder opened her scroll and spent a few minutes scrolling through social media, not that there was really anyone she knew besides Beacon’s faculty. She’d tried following the few she knew but there wasn’t much buzz that intrigued her. Glynda didn’t have a social media account, Ozpin never did anything on his, Oobleck just shared random facts from history or posted some he knew, and Port just posted pictures of his ventures through the years.

Nothing caught her eye except the occasional news report on recent events:

‘Philanthropist Hei Xiong Funds New White Fang Branch In Vale.’

‘First Maglev Railroad Outside of Atlas To Be Constructed in Anima.’

‘Independent Mistral Village ‘Kuroyuri’ Proves Prosperous Despite Safety Concerns.’

‘How J. J. Greenscreen's New ‘Star Defender’ Movie Broke Another Blockbuster Record.’

Cinder closed her scroll and rubbed her eyelids with a groan.

Thankfully, her eternity of boredom ended only a minute later when a man with a clean cut of brown hair and streaks of grey walked into the classroom. The door shut behind him and everyone took notice of the adult as he strode up to the teacher’s desk at the front of the room.

Cinder watched him as he moved, noting the way he casually sashayed.

The apparent teacher was dressed in business casual beneath a brown leather chestguard and a spaulder on his left shoulder. A strap ran from that shoulder down to his right hip and a patchwork cloak made of different fabrics—of which she wasn’t certain where the original cloak started and ended—hung around his neck with the hood down.

“Alright, kiddos!” the man called with a thick western accent. “Find your seats, we’re about to get started!”

Everyone in the classroom who wasn’t already occupying a desk dashed to grab one. The fortunate ones with friends managed to grab handfuls of desks to sit together at. The unfortunate friend groups were forced to separate themselves across the room. Meanwhile, the man stepped over to a cabinet nearby, pulling out some markers.

The man wrote eight letters on the board, his name presumably: ‘BUCK HIDE.’

“A’ight, everyone listening? Everyone looking?” The man clapped his hands and grabbed the attention of anyone not already paying attention. “For those of you who know me, I’m Mister Buck Hide. For those of you who don't know me, there's no need to call me ‘sir’. Reminds me of the military and God if I don’t miss that gig.”

A few chuckles arose from the class, one slipping out of Cinder’s mouth.

“That being said, I am going to be your homeroom teacher for the next four years so you are going to address me as ‘Mister Hide’. No need to disrespect my degree like that,” Mr. Hide declared before wiping the whiteboard behind him and scribbling. “Today’s all about introductions, so I’m gonna do some rollcall here in a bit. You hear your name, give us a wave. Say hi.”

On the board, he wrote in big letters: ‘ROLL CALL.’

“Acacia Lumberfoot?”

A black kid at the front of the classroom stood up and waved before he pointed finger guns at the teacher.

“I prefer AC,” he remarked jokingly, getting a couple laughs out of the classroom, Mr. Hide included.

“‘AC’ then, I’ll keep that in mind. Alright, let’s see here… Amber Kindler?”

A girl with a bob of brown hair and lighter brown skin stood up near the front of class. She rubbed her neck and gave a pearly smile before sitting down. The other girls next to her giggled.

He went further down the list. More teens stood and waved. Some of them had the courage to say hi to the classroom. Eventually, her teacher made it down to her.

“Cinder Goodwitch?”

Cinder sat up straighter and breathed in through her nose before she stood up. She couldn’t manage to meet Mr. Hide’s eyes but she did give a tiny wave with her hand.

“H-Hi,” she greeted before sitting back down.

Mr. Hide smiled and pointed his pen at her.

“One question for ya: is that ‘Goodwitch’ as in the professor?”

Her face warmed and she rubbed her neck. “Yeah.”

Mr. Hide barked a laugh and scribbled on his clipboard.

“Hey, you tell her I’m sorry about the intercom incident, alright? She’ll understand.”

Roll call continued for quite a bit, their homeroom teacher calling out names and students all over the room greeting him. She didn’t recognize any of them, which left Cinder feeling a bit… self-conscious whenever she heard people talking to each other.

It sure was going to be a lonely couple of years coming up.

Examining the agenda she’d been handed in her homeroom, Cinder found her schedule packed tight with classes to attend. Most of it was introductory courses for various combat styles, ranging from hand-to-hand to archery. There were a few general education classes she needed to study, reviewing things like math, biology, language, history, etcetera.

Thanks to the online courses Glynda had set up for her, she managed to keep up with everything they were teaching; for the most part at least.

Also thanks to her guardian, she picked up fast on the combat-oriented classes. In hand-to-hand she breezed through the beginner exercises. In swordsmanship, she managed to not swing around wildly and trip over herself like the other kids. However, marksmanship was something they hadn’t covered.

Cinder learned that guns were loud and heavy, even if they were just simple, spring-loaded ones with gel pellets. She tried to grip and hold her firearm steady, aiming at the target across the range Mr. Hide had brought them to. Unfortunately, her shots went a bit wild, with only a few managing to hit the target board.

She had a lot more luck with archery and a lot more fun.

Maybe it was the fact that she wasn’t losing her aim with every shot she took or the fact that she had a lot more control over what she was shooting. Either way, she managed to get her arrows to sail across the range with ease. Although, there wasn’t any consistency in her shots.

“Hot dang, Goodwitch!” Mr. Hide suddenly appeared behind her and Cinder lowered her bow. “This your first time shooting?”

She shrugged and nodded, reaching a hand up to rub her neck self-consciously.

“Did I do alright?” she asked, feeling her face warm.

The combat teacher scoffed and grinned. “Well, let me put it this way. Most kids usually empty their quiver on the ground.”

Cinder tilted her head, then looked at the firing range where her classmates had managed to stick their arrows on the ground. Only her lane was clean, most of her arrows pinned on her target board with a few on the back wall behind it.

“You got talent,” Mr. Hide remarked with a chuckle. “Just don’t let it go to your head. Most of your targets don’t stand still.”

Later that day back at Beacon, Cinder relayed everything that had happened in her classes to her guardian.

She went on about how she’d done pretty well in all the classes thanks to Glynda’s lessons. She talked about Mr. Buck and his mellow attitude. She excitedly chatted about her apparent skill in archery, which caught Glynda by surprise.

Then, she recalled something her teacher had told her.

“Oh, and Mister Hide said he was sorry about ‘the intercom incident?’” Cinder said, poking a fork into her plate of spaghetti.

Across the kitchen table, her guardian perked up and gave her a puzzled look.

“Mister Hide?” Glynda furrowed her brow and glanced away before an exasperated frown crossed her face. She sighed then and rubbed her forehead. “Ah, yes. Buck. Glad to know he got his priorities in order.”

Cinder tilted her head, waiting for her to tell the story. After a while though, she realized she probably wasn’t getting one and dug back into her meal. They continued chatting for a bit longer, Glynda talking about what she might expect to learn at Pharos during her first year and what she could get excited for in the others that came after.

Eventually, though, her guardian’s remarks turned into questions and Cinder found herself squirming in her chair.

“Did you make any friends yet?” Glynda asked, peeking up at her from her dinner.

Her face warmed and Cinder poked at her food. “Glynda….”

A light laugh escaped the woman.

“What? I just want to know if I need to clean the apartment up for visitors,” she said optimistically.

Getting Cinder to interact with kids her age had been one of her guardian’s expectations. She’d made no small talk of it, constantly bringing it up around her both vocally and quietly by getting her things that kids would talk about. Glynda even got Ozpin to make some remarks as well as Professor Port and Dr. Oobleck.

That wasn’t to say that Cinder was entirely opposed to making friends. After the whole ‘running away from the cops’ thing that happened two years ago, she’d found herself yearning to get close to someone her age again. She’d tried finding Trivia online but had never found a social media account or anything. The only Vanilles she’d found mention of was the Vanille family that was in charge of the city, and she wasn’t entirely certain if she could just call up the city manager and ask him about his daughter.

Maybe one day she and Trivia would meet again.

“Remember, your next session with Coral is at the end of the week,” Glynda remarked as she picked up her dishes and moved over to the sink in the kitchen.

Cinder nodded and sighed. “I know.”

“She told me you’re talking about… what happened.”

Cinder squeezed her fork tightly. Glynda fell silent.

The Glass Unicorn. They were finally getting on the touchy subject that had started it all.

Ever since she’d started seeing her, Coral had been helping her sort out all kinds of things. Mostly, they just had talks about how Cinder was feeling today and how she felt during training with Glynda. She taught her some breathing exercises and ways to deal with anger, as well as some minor… episodes she’d have every now and again.

Lately, however, Coral had been trying to dig deeper into her, find whatever was sparking a dangerous fire in her that caused her to explode. A part of Cinder was thankful that she was getting to the heart of the issue. The rest of her was fearful of digging up something she didn’t want to acknowledge.

“Yeah,” Cinder said, picking at the last of her meal, “we’re getting to that.”

The next day, Cinder found her class gathered outside on the academy’s training grounds. Wire mesh fences cordoned off sections of the area, separating the different classes from each other. Through the screens, she could see other students practicing with weapons and others just running laps around a fenced-in track. Just beyond she saw the campus’ edge and the agricultural district across the river.

“Alright, show of hands!”

Cinder perked up and looked over, finding Mr. Hide standing over everyone as he pointed a finger and motioned it across his audience. 

“How many of ya’ll got your aura unlocked?” he asked, his other hand on his hip.

Cinder raised her hand along with at least three-quarters of the class.

“How many of you know how to use it?”

She pursed her lips and lowered her hand, but then kept it held up. After her training with Glynda, she at least knew how to keep her aura up in a fight.

Glancing around, she saw around half the class still holding their hands in the air.

“Alright, looks like we got an even split.” Mr. Hide motioned for them to separate. “All of you who know how to use your aura over there. The rest of you, stand off to the side, we’ll get you on some easier exercises.”

They followed his instructions, separating down the middle until most of the younger kids were standing off to the side and the rest were opposite of them.

“Alright, now all of you grab some–” Mr. Hide glanced over at an empty space by the fence. “Oh, for the love of– Did they put the training gear back? Okay, one second, all, I gotta grab some crap from the equipment room.”

He ran off, leaving them to their own devices while they waited. A few teens pulled out their scrolls, others sat down, and many others started up small talk with their friends. They shifted around idly, not knowing what to do besides goof off.

Cinder herself scooted away to the edge of the crowd and scratched her sneaker into the ground. She looked around and tried not to stare at her classmates for too long. She searched for something that could catch her interest, bouncing her eyes off the training grounds to the other classes nearby, and then over to the railing stopping people from falling into the river they gathered alongside.

Inching over, she peeked over the edge and watched the rushing waters glint with the sunlight. Then, she looked across the border at the other district, older buildings standing tall along the river's edge. It didn't seem like they renovated much over there.

“Hey, you’re Cinder, right?”

She perked up and looked behind her, finding a trio of teens standing there. At the forefront was a platinum blonde dressed in a white tanktop and a skirt with yellow trimming. A gold handkerchief was tied around her right arm.

“Uh, yeah?” Cinder answered, rubbing her neck.

“The name’s Helia.” She flipped a few locks of hair over her shoulder. “Did you want to join us?”

Cinder glanced at the other girls.

“For what?” she asked, glancing around.

Helia and her crew giggled. “For practice, duh.”

She pursed her lips and tilted her head, thinking about the proposition. She really didn’t have any reason to say ‘no’, and honestly this was a prime opportunity to socialize.

Glynda's encouraging voice whispered in the back of her head and Cinder's face flushed pink.

“Sure, I guess,” she agreed, prompting Helia to grin.

“Alright, welcome to the squad!” the blonde chirped before she threw a thumb over her shoulder at the girls behind her. “This is Selena and Eos.”

Both girls giggled again and waved at her, prompting Cinder’s face to warm.

“Nice to meet you?”

Helia opened her mouth to say something again, but she was cut off by the racket of wood bumping against wood. They all turned to watch Mr. Hide come back, pulling a giant rack of training swords with him.

“Son of a– I gotta have a word with the custodians!” the man grunted, getting the rack over to them. “Whew! Alright, everyone. All ya’ll that know how to hold your aura, come grab a sword first. Rest of you, wait your turn.”

Cinder felt an elbow nudge her shoulder and she watched Helia step forward with her friends. They waved at her to follow and she fell into step behind them.

After grabbing their training weapons, they were paired off and sent to different parts of the field to fight. Mr. Hide showed off the basic techniques to try and they mimicked the actions, swinging and blocking against each other.

“Hey, did your mom teach you this stuff already?”

Cinder glanced up at her training partner Helia, whose wooden blade was locked with hers. Cinder pushed her away and then lowered her sword.

“Not really,” she shrugged. “She doesn’t use a sword.”

Helia hummed and flourished her weapon with ease. “Well, my dad already taught me this beginner stuff. Wanna try something a little more fun?”

Amber eyes glanced around, flicking between all the other students practicing around them. Nearby, Mr. Hide was showing the kids without aura how to wield their swords, taking them through the moves slower and more carefully.

“What kind of fun?” Cinder asked.

“The stuff we gotta wait three months to learn.”

Helia took a different stance, one Cinder immediately recognized was probably from an actual fighting style. Her training partner held herself confidently and wore a smug smirk as she wielded her weapon, ready to throw herself into a fight.

“Okay, uh, what do I do?”

“Just try to block.”

Suddenly, Helia was coming at her, striking and attacking from angles Cinder couldn’t predict. Her moves were too fast for her to follow and the other girl’s stance let her advance quickly. Her own lack of swordsmanship let her stumble back and soon she lost her sword, a quick thwack of Helia’s weapon on her hand making her yelp and drop it.

“Ow! Hey!” Cinder hissed, putting up her arms to defend herself.

Helia laughed but lowered her weapon. “Come on, keep up–”

Before she could finish, Mr. Hide appeared. He towered over them, his carefree countenance hardened and his cloak helping him cast a shadow over them.

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” he called out. “Let’s slow it down here!”

Cinder dropped her arms when she heard Helia back up, and she looked up at the cloaked teacher. He wore his arms crossed over his chest and a deep frown on his face.

“I thought I told you to run the basic techniques, not go swinging wild,” he stated with an uncharacteristic lack of amusement.

Across from her, Helia shrugged flippantly. “We were just trying some better stuff.”

“Yeah well, I’d prefer if you stuck to my stuff, alright?” Mr. Hide pointed between them. “You calm down now and don’t let me see you trying that again. You’re here to learn, not play.”

He left then, leaving Cinder to give hesitant looks at her training partner. Meanwhile, Helia threw her head back and groaned.

“What a stick in the mud. Fine, guess we’re going slow.” She flourished her weapon again, then flashed her a grin. “Come on, what are you waiting for?”

Cinder rubbed the spots on her arm Helia had struck before she bent down and grabbed her weapon. Tentatively, she took her stance and started training again.

The week went by quickly, and Cinder yearned to get back to class. There were so many new things she’d experienced, so much stuff she wanted to learn. The only thing she didn’t want to do was deal with the homework; that and her weekly appointment with Coral.

“You were born in an orphanage in Mistral.”

Cinder sucked in a sharp breath as she lay on the reclining bed in Coral’s office. Her chest felt tight, stuffed to the brim with bramble while her stomach churned.

Nodding in affirmation, she remarked in a quiet voice, “Yeah.”

“And then you were adopted by a woman from Atlas.”

Her jaw clenched and a heated breath escaped through her nose. In the corner of her eye, she noticed Coral giving her a condoling look.

“Do you have a better word than ‘adopted’, Cinder?” her therapist asked patiently.

Cinder looked away, off to the side, and out the window next to her rather than face the woman. She ground her teeth as a better word manifested in her head.

“…’Bought.’” Cinder’s lip quivered as she clenched her hands together. “That’s a better word.”

“Thank you, Cinder.”

“You were bought by a woman from Atlas,” she said, voice quieter and softer as if that could cushion the impact of the statement. “And what happened next?”

“…You know what happened next.” Cinder sucked in a breath and exhaled sharply. “Glynda told you.”

“I want to hear it from you, Cinder.” She heard her therapist lean over and grip her clipboard.
“Please.”

“….”

Cinder looked up at the ceiling and tried mustering some courage to speak, but ultimately she remained silent. There was too much turmoil in her, too much conflict to try and push past. She couldn’t muster the strength or the words to recall it all. Not now, and maybe never.

Coral picked her glasses off her face and bowed her head, revealing the remorse on her face.

“I know you don’t want to remember any of it, Cinder. I know you don’t want to even think about that, but acknowledging that it happened and acknowledging that it’s in the past is healthy for you,” Coral claimed as she wiped her glasses clean and then set them down on her lap. “The woman who bought you and her daughters who hurt you, they’re all gone now. They can’t get to you. They can’t hurt you.”

Her stepmother appeared in her head wearing that furious scowl of hers and holding her remote. Her stepsisters came after, sadistic grins on their faces and manicured fingers curled by their lips. Fear overcame her for a moment, then anger followed.

She tried to imagine her stepfamily in jail, locked behind bars or hard light barriers, whatever Atlas had. Conjuring up an image of them suffering like she had brought her a moment of joy, but that feeling faded away.

No matter how many times she heard it, no matter how many things confirmed that they were gone, Cinder just couldn’t believe it. They were titanic figures of suffering in her life, immovable and immutable icons of torment that had seared themselves into her mind. They couldn’t have just gone down so easily. Not after everything.

“I think I’m done for today.”

Cinder slipped off the bed and got on her feet, head bowed and face turned away from Coral. She heard the woman exhale and set her clipboard down before she stood up too.

“Very well,” her therapist said, “thank you for coming by, Cinder. I can’t wait to see you next week.”

“Mmhm,” the teen hummed, grabbing the doorknob and stepping outside.

Two months passed relatively peacefully with only a few minor hiccups here or there, mostly homework trouble and paying attention in class. Other than that, Cinder was having a pretty good time at Pharos with her new friends.

“So, what's it like at Beacon?”

Helia and the other girls crowded around her lab station, watching her expectantly.

“It's pretty nice.” Cinder shrugged and rubbed her neck. “I mean, I don’t live in the actual school, just in the teachers’ apartments, so….”

She petered off and shrugged, which prompted Selena to scoff and lean over the table.

“But you live at Beacon!” she whined, tone full of despair before it bounced back to excitement. “Do you ever get to see Headmaster Ozpin?”

Everyone looked at her like starved puppies wanting to be fed with the juiciest gossip.

A smirk cut across Cinder’s face. “Yeah.”

A few of them gasped and at least one squealed. They chattered and begged her for more details.

Cinder had to admit, being around kids her age was still weird but it was also kind of nice. She liked talking about Beacon and they loved to hear her talk about it. She liked their awestruck looks and the glimmer of envy in their eyes. It felt good to see them wanting, scrambling over each other just to listen to her.

“Do you get to see your mom teach?” Eos asked.

“Not anymore,” Cinder answered with a sigh before giving them a smug smile. “I got to see her fight a lot before. She likes sparring with the students.”

They gawked at her, jealousy in their eyes. Cinder relished those looks.

“That sounds amazing,” Helia moaned, bowing her head. “I wish I could see my dad in action.”

Cinder laughed. It was a real, genuine laugh that she rarely let out. There hadn’t been much humor or glee in her life before Pharos, but now she was surrounded by it. 

Suddenly, the school bell rang, signaling the end of break and the start of Dust Sciences. Her audience dispersed and went to grab their seats as their teacher Mrs. Blossoms, a deer faunus with pointed ears sticking out of her pink hair, clapped her hands loudly. Stealing the class’ attention, she smiled and spoke up.

“Alright, everyone, open your textbooks. Today, we're going over grinding and mixing dust.”

Obediently, they pulled out the thick tomes they'd rented out from the academy at the beginning of the year. Each was as thick as their arms, a weighed as much as a large stone. It was a pain to lug them around and Cinder was glad they had assigned lockers at Pharos, but she really hated carrying four of these for each of her classes back to Beacon every time she needed to do an assignment, and thus far she'd had several from each class due on the same day.

Grimacing, she flipped open the book to the relevant page and tuned into Mrs. Blossoms’ lecture. At the same time, she opened her scroll and plucked out her stylus from it, taking notes on what seemed relevant:

Grinding dust down from crystal form into, well, dust form was an arduous but necessary skill they'd need to learn. Finely ground dust was an essential step in mixing different types of dust in order to create new ones. You could definitely buy canisters of what you needed in any shop in the city, but out in the wild, you never knew when you ran out of one thing and only had the ingredients to make some more of it.

Cinder hummed in thought as Mrs. Blossoms went over a simple process for grinding dust, putting focus on the motions of her hands as she held a mortar and gripped a pestle. Then, the fourteen-year-old perked up when their teacher announced it was time for some hands-on experience.

“Gravity dust is a combination of fire and lightning dust!” Mrs. Blossoms said as they lined up to grab their tools from her desk. “Remember, don't move your hand, move your wrist! Don't try to get ahead and mix anything yet! And above all, don't play with your dust! I don't want to see an incident in this class!”

Minutes later, Cinder was seated alongside Helia at their lab station, grinding down dust. It was a slow and tedious process, requiring them to strain their wrists and focus intently. The classroom was mostly silent for a while, everyone trying their hardest to get their work done right. The prospect of dust going off accidentally hung over their heads like a guillotine. Well, it did for most of them. There were still a few kids messing around, chatting with each other as they worked until Mrs. Blossoms came by to shush them.

Surprisingly, Helia wasn’t the chatterbox she usually was.

Glancing over, Cinder caught her friend grinding down her lightning dust with a mischievous smile on her face.

“You should slow down,” she whispered, warning her before something went wrong.

Helia snickered. “It’s fine. My dad already showed me how to do this.”

A little while later, Mrs. Blossoms stepped out of the classroom for a bathroom break. Almost immediately, everyone stopped working and started talking. Laughter and gossip filled the room as people drifted from their tables to their friends’. The only exception was Helia, who Cinder fully expected to meet the rest of their clique.

Instead, the other girl held up her mortar, showing off the bowl full of dust to her.

“Check it out,” Helia remarked smugly.

Cinder frowned, jealousy welling up inside of her. She glanced down at her own mortar, seeing the chunky bits of glimmering crystals mixed in with the grain. Then, she pushed her pestle back in and crushed them down, grinding them. She wasn’t giving up that easy–

“Now, watch this.”

She flicked her eyes over and watched Helia get up, stretching her tense limbs before she walked toward Selena’s and Eos’ table. Along the way, she flicked her wrist and tossed a pinch of lightning dust at one of the tables–

“Ow!” One of their classmates—her name was ‘Amber,’ if Cinder recalled—jumped up with a yelp, nursing her arm before shooting a glare at Helia. “Hey!”

Cinder held her breath as Helia stopped and glanced over her shoulder.

“What?” her friend asked innocently.

“I know you did that!” Amber jabbed, pointing an accusing finger.

Helia played dumb, widening her eyes and scratching her head dramatically. “Did what?”

In the background, Selena and Eos hid their snickers. A few other onlookers snickered too. Cinder herself coughed to hide her laugh.

Amber’s face darkened as her cheeks puffed out, clear anger on her face that she chose not to act on. Instead, the brunette plopped back down on her stool and crossed her arms. Although, she held her glare with Helia as the blonde walked the rest of the way over to their friends’ table.

Moments later, Helia returned and giggled while Cinder stole glances at her victim.

“How did you do that?” Cinder asked.

“Just a little dust,” Helia answered before she flicked her fingers at Cinder–

“Ow!” Cinder hissed, a tiny arc of lightning jumping across the hairs on her arm. “Hey!”

Helia giggled harder and Cinder growled, shooting her a sharp look.

“That wasn’t funny.”

She rubbed her arm while Helia took a deep breath and held her stomach, calming down. Anger bubbled up in Cinder, but she focused on her work. She almost had the chunks of fire dust ground down….

Her mind wandered elsewhere immediately, a touch of spite lingering in her mind.

Not a second later, she pinched some fire dust between her fingers and flicked it at Helia. It popped and sparked, doing no damage but making the other girl jump with a squeal.

“Hey!” Helia shrieked at her.

“Not so funny now, is it?” Cinder snarked with a smirk.

Helia pouted and grumbled, much to her amusement. However, she didn’t expect her to avenge her wounded pride immediately.

Lightning dust splashed into her mortar and before Cinder could react, it exploded. White smoke blasted her in the face, prompting her to yowl in fear and reel backward. Her stool tipped over and she hit the ground hard, her back aching as she lay flat on the linoleum floor.

Helia burst into guffaws and Cinder wiped the soot from her face, feeling no damage from the explosive reaction. At least, there was no physical damage, her pride, however….

Blowing smoke from her nose, Cinder clambered onto her knees, climbed up the table, and grabbed some dust from Helia’s mortar. Her victim was too busy laughing her butt off to notice her throwing lightning dust in her face.

Helia seized up, a strangled yelp escaping her as her blonde hair stood on end. She looked like one of Glynda’s students when she raised her voice, stiffening up like a statue with wide, terrified eyes. A second later, Helia clawed at her hair and whined while Cinder laughed.

“You psycho!” she shrieked. “What the heck is wrong with you?”

Cinder wiped a tear from her eye. “What? Can’t handle a little payback–”

Helia shoved her and Cinder stumbled back, the air pushed from her lungs by sheer shock. She blinked in surprise as Helia hurried out of the room, Selena and Eos swiftly running after her.

Cinder stared at the door for a bit, then she looked around at the rest of the room. Everyone was watching her, some with disapproval in their eyes and others with worry. She withered under their judgmental looks, shrinking away from them. Grabbing her stool, she sat back down at her table and hunched over her mortar, getting back to work before Mrs. Blossoms could return and question what was going on.

The rest of the day and the night after class, Cinder was on edge. She was terrified. Her gut knotted itself and tugged uncomfortably while her heart thundered in her chest. The prospect of getting in trouble kept her on her toes as she walked through the halls of Pharos, rode the airship to Beacon, and stepped around Glynda in their apartment.

She could’ve hurt Helia. But she didn’t! Did she?

Cinder didn’t know. All she knew was that she could be in trouble if someone spoke up about it.

Thankfully, when she returned to Pharos the next day, no one gave her strange looks. None of the teachers pulled her aside for a talk. No one seemed to be thinking about what happened in the lab yesterday. No one except Helia, Selena, and Eos, of course.

“I was just getting back at you!”

Cinder glared at Helia, who glared back at her. Selena and Eos backed the blonde, their arms crossed and sneers on their faces. The four of them stood in the girl’s bathroom in the middle of lunch. They’d been arguing since Cinder had cornered the three of them, intent on apologizing until Helia tried to blow her off. Things quickly devolved from there.

“You threw a handful of dust in my face!” Helia shrieked.

“You threw a bunch in my mortar!” Cinder snapped. “You made it explode!”

Helia rolled her eyes. “It was harmless!”

The very sight of the blonde dismissing her own actions filled Cinder’s head with outrage.

“You didn’t know that!” Cinder argued, jabbing a finger into Helia’s chest hard enough to make her back up. “Don’t try to act like you’re innocent!”

Helia slapped her hand away and shoved past her. Selena and Eos followed, their shoulders knocking against hers.

“Just stay away from us, you psycho!”

A few days later, Cinder realized that moment marked the beginning of the end.

When Cinder returned to school the next day, she discovered the world had turned against her.

Suddenly, she was being given strange looks and other teens were skirting around her in the halls. They whispered amongst themselves and she realized after the second class that they were whispering around her. The only words that she picked up were ‘weirdo’, ‘issues’, ‘psycho’, and ‘loner’.

In the restroom, she tried Coral’s calming techniques and that at least gave her some breathing room. However, she felt her chest tighten, constricted by briar and bramble, dread made manifest. Her stomach roiled inside of her, not flipping but churning uncomfortably whenever she noticed the eyes lingering on her and the other kids gossiping.

Cinder tried finding the other girls who’d scrambled over each other to talk to her, hoping she could at least find solace in their company. Tragically, the people she had prematurely called ‘friends’ conveniently had things to do. They distanced themselves too and now the fourteen-year-old found herself walking around Pharos alone again.

The days started passing and the isolation got worse. The walls started closing in and they grew spikes.

Her classmates still looked and whispered, but then they started laughing. She heard snippets of their gossip and realized their stories about her were evolving.

She was Glynda Goodwitch’s only child, but she had no dad. She was dangerous and liked to be alone. She attacked Helia at the slightest provocation because she was violent and crazy, and that’s why she didn’t talk to anyone anymore.

Cinder tried closing her ears to it but it was hard when the world was screaming at her.

“Have you thought about your weapon yet?”

Glynda tapped the stack of papers in her hands on the kitchen table, straightening them out. Then, she looked at Cinder who sat on a sofa in the living room just over, her attention captured by her homework.

“Cinder?” she called.

The girl perked up and looked up then over at her. “What?”

Glynda glanced down at the papers in her hands and set them down. “You’ve tried out all your combat classes, right? Do you have any ideas about what you want your weapon to be next year?”

She got up and popped her neck before she strode over to her adopted daughter. Taking a seat next to her, Glynda sat down and glanced over the assignment in her hands. Seemed like she was working through some world history problems.

“I really like archery,” Cinder said. “Mister Hide says I’m getting better, so probably a bow.”

“Just a bow?” Glynda inquired, watching her fiddle with her pencil. “Any idea if you want to try something in melee range?”

Cinder shrugged and leaned back into the sofa. She took a deep breath and sighed, a tired look in her eyes.

“I don’t know.”

The huntress arched an eyebrow. “You don’t know?”

Her daughter shrugged again. “I mean… I do a lot of hand-to-hand because you and I worked on that, but… I don’t know.”

Glynda studied the teen’s face, looked at the faraway look in her eyes and her tiny frown. There was an impassiveness to her, a lack of emotion that wasn’t the sign of a cool head but of someone drained.

“Are you feeling alright?” she asked, reaching over to press a hand on her forehead.

Cinder pushed her hand away. “I’m fine, Glynda.”

Glynda frowned at the girl, a worried look on her face as she watched the teen get back to her homework. A part of her told her it was just the teenage phase. Another part of her told her there was something wrong. The huntress wasn’t entirely sure which part to trust.

“Is everything alright, Cinder?”

Lying on the reclining bed in Coral’s office, Cinder frowned and glared at the ceiling. Why did everyone have to ask that question?

“Yeah, why?” she asked aloofly.

Beside her, Coral tilted her head and frowned too.

“You’re rather… quiet today.”

She shrugged. “School is making me tired.”

That wasn’t a lie. After Pharos let out and she took the airship back to Beacon, she was exhausted. She’d only gotten more tired, her mind a frenzied mess of frustrated thoughts and self-conscious reflections.

In the corner of her vision, Coral took a deep breath and sat up.

“Well, if that’s the case, would you like to call our session for today?”

Cinder sat up and gave the ginger-haired woman an apologetic look.

“No, it’s okay.” She laid back down and got herself comfortable. “I can do this.”

She waited a second for Coral to determine whether she thought she was ready. After a moment, her therapist sighed and nodded.

“Where did we leave off last time? The Glass Unicorn?”

“Yeah.”

Cinder stood with her arms crossed near the back of her class as they filtered onto the training grounds.

Her first semester at Pharos was almost over now and it had been miserable. All the excitement she’d held the year prior was gone, replaced by a tiredness she desperately wanted to relieve herself of. She refused to give up, but her stubbornness was costing her sanity.

People talked behind her back, they leered at her in the halls. People made fun of her and she could hear their jeers, but none of them were brave enough to confront her about their make-believe stories about her.

“Alright, everyone!” Mr. Hide called out from the front of the class. “Let’s partner up, time for you to throw some hands!”

A lot of the teens laughed. Cinder didn’t, too busy wringing her arm.

“Anyone who can’t find a partner, you come to me!” their teacher barked before he rubbed his neck. “Or I can come to you. Yeah, I think that’s easier. Alright, partner up! Chop! Chop!”

Friends grabbed their friends while strangers elbowed the person nearest to them. Cinder stayed shuffling around while those near her shuffled away. In the end, she had the misfortune of having Mr. Hide walk over with Helia behind him.

Their eyes met and the brunette backed up a step before their teacher glanced back at her.

“Here we go, one for one.” Mr. Hide looked over at Cinder and pointed his chin at her. “Come on over, Goodwitch, I got you a sparring partner.”

“But, Mister Hide–”

Helia shut her mouth when he looked back at her.

“What?” he glanced between them with a confused look. “Something going on here?”

“Er, no,” Cinder answered, breathing in and balling her hands into fists.

Mr. Hide wore a suspicious face, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he motioned for them to step toward each other.

“Then we’re set. Keep on your toes, practice what I taught ya, and don’t aim for the face. No need to lose a tooth over some training drills.”

With that, he disappeared into the throngs of teens testing their skills against each other. That left Cinder to stand in front of Helia, raising her hands up to start.

Helia gave her a spiteful look but got ready too.

They went through the exercises slowly, Cinder clearly more skilled in her technique. Helia was slower and more restrained, but she started getting more into the movements.

The other girl attacked and Cinder blocked, dodged, and parried a few blows. Helia struggled against her attacks though, trying and failing to do the same moves as Cinder.

“Hey, watch it!” Helia whined after Cinder caught her in the shoulder.

Cinder sucked in a sharp breath and froze. Inside of her, she heard an ugly side of her shrieking, wanting to lash out. She stifled the feeling, reminding herself of what happened the last time she resorted to violence.

“Alright,” Cinder hissed, throwing another straight punch.

Helia barely dodged and tried striking back. Cinder parried the attack, redirecting it away and shoving her opponent a few paces back.

“Calm down,” the other girl grunted, rolling the arm she’d thrown.

Cinder ignored her and kept going. They threw more punches, and blocked more attacks. She breathed in and out, focusing her mind on training instead of Helia’s words. It was hard, but she was managing it until the other girl snapped at her again.

Cinder had blocked an attack and moved with her legs, kicking the other girl’s shin. Her aura stopped the pain from being too great, but Helia still stumbled back with a hiss.

“Geez, you don’t hold back.”

Helia shot her a taunting look but Cinder rolled her eyes and got in a fighting stance once more. Helia groaned and put her hands on her hips.

“Guess you are the crazy silent type,” she spat, prompting Cinder to lose her cool.

“Would you shut up about that?” she hissed, trying to hold herself together. “It was just a prank! You did the same thing to me!” 

She pointed an accusing finger at the other girl, who rolled her eyes at her too. “Whatever, psycho.”

“Stop calling me that!”

Helia sneered and took a fighting stance. Cinder followed the example, glad they could skip the talking and just get this over with.

She threw a punch first, a slow one that Helia could block. Her partner did and then she went for two hits. The first hit Cinder redirected and the second she blocked, but then a third shot out.

Cinder gasped and jumped back, but she felt the fabric around her neck suddenly tightening.

The sound of fabric ripping filled the air and Cinder felt the choker around her neck coming loose.

“Whoops.” Helia grinned snidely at her, but then her eyes widened and she shot her a baffled look. “What happened to your neck?”

The world slowed to a stop as she stared at her choker in Helia’s hand. Her frozen heart plummeted into the pit of her stomach. Her stomach itself flipped and knotted itself agonizingly in the moment. And from the deepest darkest part of her, a fire was lit that burned so hot it consumed everything inside of her until all that was left was a need to unleash all her pent-up anguish and frustrations.

In the blink of an eye, Cinder snatched Helia by the collar. The blonde’s eyes widened in shock as she pulled back a burning fist and swung.

The other girl spun and then hit the ground. The training ground around her fell silent until she got on top of Helia and started swinging again. And again. And again.

Cinder Goodwitch’s fist flared red hot as she pulled it back as far as she could before she threw it in a final swing. Her audience of classmates looked on in morbid fascination as Helia’s aura flashed a brilliant golden yellow before shattering into a shower of sparks.

There was screaming and shouting for help, but none of the teens rushed over to intervene. Thankfully, Mr. Hide appeared from the crowd a second later, grabbing Cinder and pulling her off Helia.

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” Mr. Hide kept his arms hooked under the furious teen’s arms, holding her back. “Take a breather, Goodwitch! All of you, give me some space!”

He barked in a voice he had never used before, sounding less like the happy-go-lucky teacher they knew and more like the veteran he spoke about being. The crowd of students obeyed, backing away until more teachers came running over to help their colleague.

They handled the situation with ease, some of them using their bodies to obscure the scene while others called out for everyone to head inside. It made sense they were experts at this, fights were bound to break out in a combat school. Judging from the looks they shot at Cinder and Helia respectively, it seemed like they already had their instigator.

But nothing in this world was ever really as it seemed. Not to Amber Kindler at least.

“Talk about anger issues.”

Earthen brown eyes flicked up at the tall, black teen next to Amber and she shrugged.

“I guess,” Amber remarked noncommittally. “But, I mean, Helia kind of deserves it.”

“You don’t gotta tell me twice,” AC said, a chuckle on his lips that he quickly swallowed back down. “But dang, I didn’t think Cinder could do that .”

“Mmhm.” Amber looked across the training area to spy on the raven-haired girl who’d been the talk of the rumor mill lately.

Just past the wall of teachers, she saw Cinder desperately clasping her throat, stretching her hand as far as it could go around a pale ring encircling her neck. She hid behind Mr. Hide, muttering something and the huntsman shielded her with his cloak as he guided her inside.

Was that a scar?

Earthen brown eyes blinked as her semblance activated, the single question prompting her to start glancing around inquisitively. She saw students being ushered back into the building. She saw teachers gathering around to talk amongst themselves. And she saw Helia getting taken inside too.

Looking back at where the fight had taken place, she found it abandoned now.

“Hey, Amber, you comin’?”

Amber glanced at AC, who was at the tail end of their class trickling back into the academy.

“Hold on,” she shouted back, stepping over to where Helia had been splayed out.

Amber narrowed her eyes and studied the slip of fabric on the ground. It was patterned and had a metal clasp. Most notably, it was torn.

Picking up the torn choker, Amber pursed her lips and thought.

Amber had never seen Cinder’s scar, only the choker. No one probably even knew she had that until just now. She hid it deliberately, it was a secret. Embarrassing? Or traumatizing? Either way, Helia took it a step too far and Cinder lashed out the only way she seemed to know how.

“Amber!”

“I’m coming!”

Quickly, Amber pocketed the torn choker and pondered on her brief investigation as they walked inside.

Her parents always told her that her semblance might get her into trouble. She was always too nosy about things. But sometimes being nosy solved problems. Sometimes it helped people, a fact they had eventually acquiesced to after she found mom's javelin when it got stolen by their neighbor's dog on accident.

Now it was time to solve another case.

Glynda got the call in the middle of combat instruction as she oversaw two third-year students' sparring. She’d called the match immediately and ended class before informing Ozpin she had family matters to attend to. An hour later, she arrived in Vale and stormed into Pharos.

Principal Celadon, a faunus man with elk antlers growing out of his head, was an old acquaintance of hers. He was a colleague she’d spoken with many times before concerning Pharos’ relationship with Beacon: organizing day trips, reviewing resumes, and consulting each other on student activities.

This was the first time she’d ever spoken to him about personal affairs.

Sitting in Celadon’s office, Glynda could only stare at him in dismay as he recounted the claims made by Pharos’ faculty on the incident. Cinder had attacked a classmate in a fit of rage during practice. She had committed an intentional assault that had resulted in putting the other girl in the infirmary. It was an offense serious enough to warrant discussions over suspension.

Plenty of misgivings about letting Cinder attend combat school had been nibbling at the back of her mind for some time now. Port had called it normal, just the maternal desire to protect her child. She’d gladly accepted the reasoning if only to ease her own nerves. Now, of course, she knew she was correct in her presumptions.

“Celadon, please,” Glynda argued desperately, giving the principal a pleading look. “Cinder’s… troubled. I know what she’s done, but please give her a chance.”

“A chance?” The other woman in the room, the mother of the girl Cinder had fought, scoffed loudly. “She broke Helia’s aura! Broke her nose!”

Glynda bit her tongue to not snap back with something unprofessional. This was a dangerous argument to be having as Beacon’s deputy headmistress. She couldn’t be seen abusing her station and she couldn’t make statements based on emotion.

“This is a combat school,” Glynda stated firmly, “you can’t expect these children to handle themselves accordingly. At Beacon, we have plenty of… kerfuffles that happen.”

Principal Celadon squeezed his eyes shut and breathed a sigh. “I understand, Professor Goodwitch, but this is a primary combat school. Our students, Cinder and Helia specifically, haven’t learned how to use their aura properly. We’re lucky Helia was able to protect herself from Cinder.“

Any hope the huntress had of protecting Cinder withered and died then. Her daughter had dug herself a hole too deep to climb out of this time. Yet still, Glynda tried.

“I’ve been training Cinder since she was twelve, Celadon,” she insisted, gripping her hands tightly till her knuckles were white. “She shows immense promise, she just has these… hiccups. That’s why I wanted her at Pharos, so she could learn control.”

“She’s clearly failing!” Helia’s mother snapped.

Glynda growled and shot her a sharp look, shutting the other woman up. Immediately, she heard the principal sit up in his seat, the chair creaking as he leaned forward.

“Professor Goodwitch.” He bore a hole into her head as she looked down at the floor in defeat. “Cinder has been a productive student since the school year started, but considering the severity of this incident I believe it safest for her to be suspended.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but the moment her emerald eyes met his she sealed her lips and swallowed her argument.

“I understand,” Glynda sighed.

“Suspended?” Helia’s mother shrieked, shooting a glare at her before storming up to the principal’s desk. “She injured my daughter! I want her expelled!”

Alarms blared in Glynda’s head and she gawked in horror.

“Now wait just a moment!” she stammered out. “That’s completely unreasonable!”

“Unreasonable?”

Helia’s mother stormed up to her and Glynda stood up from her chair. A very unprofessional desire to smack the woman in front of her made her fingers twitch.

Suddenly, however, the office door creaked open and everyone in the room stopped. They all looked over as the principal’s secretary, a young woman named Ginger with short, fiery orange hair peeked inside.

“Um, Principal Celadon?” she called.

The principal stood up and fixed his collar, glancing between Glynda and Helia’s mother tentatively.

“Yes, Ginger?” he addressed.

“There’s someone who needs to see you. A first-year student.”

Glynda crossed her arms and shot a glare at Helia’s mother as Celadon pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Please, tell them to wait–”

“It concerns this meeting, sir,” Ginger cut in, glancing to the floor for a second nervously. “She says she saw what ‘really happened’ during the incident.”

Glynda perked up, then looked at Celadon. He pursed his lips and pressed them into a thin line, a thoughtful look crossing his face. Helia’s mother let her jaw drop slightly before pulling it back up. They all exchanged tense looks before the principal waved for his secretary to bring the student in.

A few seconds later, a dark-skinned girl with a bob of brown hair stepped into the room. Her earthen brown eyes darted between the three adults and then she bowed her head.

They let her dig her foot into the floor anxiously for a second before Celadon cleared his throat.

“Miss Kindler, correct?” he addressed.

The first-year student snapped her head up, locked eyes with the principal, and then nodded.

“Y-Yes, sir!” she answered nervously.

Glynda exchanged a look with Celadon, who then breathed in then exhaled heavily.

“Ginger said you had some kind of insight to give on the situation concerning the fight that broke out today?”

Ms. Kindler nodded again. “Yes, sir.”

A long, tense moment passed, then the adolescent dug into her pocket before pulling something out–

Emerald eyes blinked in confusion at the sight of Cinder's ruined choker.

“Uh, this belongs to Cinder. I think.”

The girl offered it to Glynda, who took it, looked it over, and then nodded in confirmation.

“S-So, I’m–” Ms. Kindler cleared her throat, adjusted her shirt, and then took a deep breath. “I'm in the same class as Cinder and I was sparring with AC, er– Acacia when I heard Cinder hit Helia.”

“See! Your daughter is a psychopath!”

Helia’s mother directed a furious look at Glynda, who scowled back at her. 

However, before either of them could act, Ms. Kindler shouted, “But, Helia's also been bullying Cinder for a while now!”

The first-year student clammed her mouth shut, face darkening with embarrassment. All the while, Helia’s mother paused and the color in her face drained. Glynda herself felt like someone had punched her in the stomach, leaving her breathless.

Bullied? Cinder had been getting bullied all this time?

Horror festered in the pit of her stomach first, but it was overtaken by rage that bubbled up inside of her. Thankfully, she managed to keep a cool head long enough to listen to the rest of Ms. Kindler’s story.

“I mean, she hasn't been picking on her exactly,” the witness rambled, “but there was this whole thing that happened in Dust Sciences a while ago where Helia was messing with Cinder and Cinder pranked her back, but Helia blew it out of proportions then–” She sucked in a lungful of air. “Basically, Helia doesn’t like getting messed with and she always has to be right, so when Cinder messed with her back she started some rumors–”

“Rumors?” Glynda repeated.

Ms. Kindler stared at her for a second, then nodded.

“I heard it during class, but some kids were talking about Cinder attacking Helia just because she didn’t like her. She’s… Well, she’s quiet and broods a lot. People are a little scared of her sometimes.”

Glynda imagined Cinder at Pharos. She imagined her all alone, isolated and frightened. So many kids whispering about her, looking at her like she was a monster. Just like Glynda had that one night….

The huntress swallowed a lump in her throat as her stomach churned uncomfortably.

“But, anyways!” Ms. Kindler coughed into her fist and took another deep breath before twiddling her fingers. “Earlier, after the fight, I found Cinder’s choker on the ground and I saw her… scar? She was trying to hide it, so I thought she was probably scared of showing it. I asked some of the guys who saw the fight about it, then I asked them if Helia started it. They said Helia was egging her on and they were arguing, then Helia grabbed her choker and… Well….”

The brunette tipped her head and gestured at the choker in Glynda’s hand.

The huntress quaked with barely withheld fury at the mental image of Cinder being targeted.

“Thank you, Ms. Kindler.” Celadon stepped around his desk and planted himself between Helia’s mother and Glynda. “Please, go ahead and get home. If we need any further insight from you, we’ll contact your parents.”

“Of course, sir.” Ms. Kindler shifted her feet nervously for a second and shot Glynda an uncertain look before she scurried out of the room.

The door clicked shut behind her and the three of them stood silently for a long, tense moment. Then Glynda clenched the torn choker in her hand tightly and took a deep breath.

“Now, what was that about my daughter being a psychopath?”

Ultimately, Cinder’s punishment came down to a week of suspension from Pharos. She was excused from instigating the fight, relieving her of total blame. Meanwhile, Helia was suspended for a month, allowed to return under the pretense that the two of them get along or else they both get shuffled into other classes. Part of being huntresses was learning to work with others after all, something Glynda had spoken to her about when explaining the situation; although her guardian had done so through grit teeth.

The week she spent away from Pharos, Glynda had forced her to see Coral. Anytime she hadn’t been in her therapist’s office, she had been with Glynda. The huntress was near inconsolable the first day after she’d been suspended. She was both horrified by what had happened and absolutely vengeful.

According to a conversation she’d eavesdropped on between Port and Dr. Oobleck, her guardian might have tried to get Ozpin to ban Helia from entering any academy. She wasn’t sure how accurate that was for her stickler-for-the-rules guardian, but she hoped it was true.

Eventually, her week off ended and Cinder returned to her classes.

It was an uneventful return without much pomp and circumstance. People gave her some looks, but most ignored her. All the buzz about her seemed to have lessened but there were still some lingering whispers. The only thing that didn’t change was how she felt about Pharos.

“Hey, kid,” Mr. Hide remarked outside of class her first day back, “glad to have you back.”

“Thanks,” she replied as he got the door.

He didn’t turn the knob immediately, however, and instead bowed his head.

“Listen, Cinder, uh… I want you to know that I’m here for you. All of us. The teachers, I mean. You got any problems, you come to us first. Aight?”

Cinder nodded as her blood boiled.

If he was there for her, then where had he been before? How blind was he to the stares? How deaf was he to the whispers?

She scowled once he opened the door and let her walk inside.

Time passed slowly at first. Her dread weighed her down the first week she got back, making her drag her feet from one class to another. Soon enough, however, she gathered enough courage to stand up a bit straighter, to walk easier and stop tensing up.

People still stared of course, they still whispered. It was a little later that she realized that might be a good thing.

She was walking to the bathroom during lunch period when someone’s backpack knocked into her, shoving her to the side.

Cinder stumbled to the right until she caught herself, and instinctually she reared her head and spat out, “Watch where you’re going!”

Her unfortunate victim was a faunus boy with a pair of dog ears sticking out of his head. He yelped and shrank away from her, twisting around fast enough to slam his backpack against his friend who he’d been chatting with. Both of her classmates stared at her with wide, fearful eyes.

Anger burned in her at first, but it was followed by something darker, more intoxicating. She liked it.

The next day, she forced her way through a crowd of students by glaring. The day after that, she clenched her fist and got a girl to get out of the classroom doorway so she could leave. Later, she made someone give her their last cookie from the cafeteria with some strong, pressing words.

People were afraid of her and that would never change, she learned. However, shaping fear into a weapon was easy. It was delightful. Best of all, no one told on her, so Glynda would never know.

Cinder smiled as she stared out the window in her homeroom. Although, she was pulled from her reminiscing when Mr. Hide made an announcement.

“Alright, we’re doing group projects, and no, you’re not choosing your own groups. Now, let’s see here….”

Looking to the front of the classroom, she saw the cloaked huntsman glance over a clipboard. After a second, he called out a pair of names, followed by another pair, and then another pair. Some students who knew each other got on the same team. Others were forced to work with complete strangers.

Eventually, he got to her and her apparent partner.

“Cinder Goodwitch and Amber Kindler.”

The girl that sat down at the desk next to her seemed familiar. After a second, she recognized her as one of the first to answer roll call at the start of the year. 

“Hi, I’m Amber.”

Cinder sat up and eyed her project partner, giving her a once-over to see if she was the prickly type or the quiet type.

The brunette was dressed in an off-white frilled, off-the-shoulders top with a pair of overalls and sneakers. Dirt clung to her shoes, her overalls were weathered and ripped, and there were some paint stains on the denim too. She wasn't like the rest of the city kids, that was clear.

Finishing her once-over, Cinder met the girl’s earthen brown eyes and then looked away.

“Cinder,” she greeted monotonously.

They sat in silence for a little bit, Amber probably too scared to speak and Cinder not wanting to add to the nonexistent conversation. However, after the rest of the class started working, the brunette got the courage to pipe up.

“So, we have to cover one of the events during the Great War. Do you have anything in mind?”

Cinder shrugged. “No.”

In the corner of her eye, she noticed Amber grimace.

“What about the Battle of Burning Sands?”

Cinder shrugged again. “Sure–”

“The Siege of Argus is also pretty easy,” Amber surmised, unintentionally cutting her off. “There's plenty of stuff we could probably cite for that.”

“Sounds good–”

“Or, the Futaai Blood March? Pretty grim subject, but there's a lot of personal accounts. We could also do Magnus City because that's pretty famous.”

Cinder narrowed her eyes and shot a dirty look at the girl next to her. Amber, however, was too busy thinking to notice her frustrated countenance.

She waited for her to notice her glare, but the brunette didn't seem like she was going to get her head out of the clouds for a good while. Ultimately, Cinder rolled her eyes and growled, “Let's just do Argus.”

“The siege? Are you sure–”

She cut her off with an aggravated ‘Yes.’

Amber pursed her lips and shut up, giving her a stunned look. Then her face warmed and she quickly pulled out her scroll. After a few seconds, Cinder got hers out too and they started researching, sharing little conversation besides asking each other what part of the topic they wanted to cover.

Cinder was covering the actual siege, when Vale’s troops assaulted the Atlas garrison in Anima. Amber was covering the second half of the battle, when both sides stopped fighting to fend off the grimm that were attracted to the bloodshed.

Classtime passed slowly, moving like molasses spreading on a flat surface. Cinder kept bobbing her knee and glancing at the time on her scroll, waiting for it to signal the start of lunch. She was bored, she was hungry, and right after lunch she had marksman practice.

A tiny smile crossed her lips as she imagined drawing back the string of her bow, the thought eliciting excitement in her. She’d almost gotten a string of bullseyes last time, missing only three shots. Maybe today she could nail it, take a picture, and show Glynda.

Setting down her scroll, Cinder sighed and stole a glance at her partner.

Amber had already set up her workstation, laying a notebook down in front of her, a waterbottle next to that, and setting her scroll on a stand so she could just swipe on it without holding it. Also sitting on her desk was a thick novel, the spine of it reading ‘Departure’.

Cinder arched her back and stretched, subtly sitting taller so she could peer down at the book’s cover. It had the picture of a man holding a gun and a flashlight in a dark, misty forest.

“Are you an Alan Lake fan too?”

Cinder blinked and looked up at her group partner. Amber watched her with an inquisitive eye, studying her intently like she was the topic of their project rather than the assignment.

“Alan Lake?” Cinder asked quizzically as she eased back down into her chair.

“He writes crime dramas,” the brunette elaborated, picking up her book with a smile. “I like how he writes his mysteries.”

She shrugged. “Never heard of him.”

Amber frowned and glanced away. “Oh. Well, he’s a great author.”

“Alright,” she remarked dismissively.

Her partner’s frown deepened before Amber looked away defeatedly. Cinder watched her for a brief second longer before she reached down to grab her own notebook and a pencil from her backpack. She managed to get one of them, but when she opened her pencil pouch she had a sudden, frustrating realization.

Holding up her last stub of a pencil, Cinder sighed.

Right, she’d forgotten to ask Glynda for some new pencils.

The next day, Cinder sat down with Amber again. The brunette already had a few pages full of notes to work off of along with a couple of online articles and a handful of pictures. Cinder, on the other hand, came a little underprepared.

“Okay, I’ve got my half done,” Amber reported.

Cinder grimaced and glanced away from her partner, scratching her head self-consciously.

“I need to finish my part,” she reported.

Overnight, she’d grabbed a few article links to look up. However, she’d quickly fallen asleep before she could actually write out some relevant notes on her side of the project.

“That’s fine.” Amber shrugged and smiled before grabbing her novel. “I can wait.”

The brunette flipped through her book to a marked page and started to read. Cinder shot her a jealous look and then grumbled under her breath as she got her notebook and pencil pouch out. Flipping to an empty page, she got out her pencil and… Ugh.

She held up her stub of a pencil again. Right, she needed to tell Glynda she needed new pencils–

Suddenly, a few fresh pencils slid onto her desk and Cinder blinked. Then, she looked over at Amber, who flashed her a tentative smile before dropping her gaze to the floor bashfully.

“Sorry, I got nosy yesterday and saw you were out, so….” She fiddled with the page of her book. “Go ahead and keep those, I’ve got plenty.”

Cinder stared at Amber for a moment, then she rubbed her neck and shifted in her chair uncomfortably. A few seconds later, she grabbed one of her new pencils and got up to go sharpen it.

“Thanks,” Cinder mumbled as she passed her partner.

The project they turned in earned them an ‘A’ in class and both girls went their separate ways. Well, as separate as they could while still being in the same homeroom. Every now and again, they passed by each other outside the classroom or in the halls of Pharos, but the most they did was make eye contact.

That was until Cinder stumbled upon her rival trying to play yet another prank while walking to lunch.

“Helia!”

Cinder stopped at the mention of that name, a cold ball of dread dropping into the pit of her stomach. Goosebumps crept up across her arms and she glanced over her shoulder to see if the girl who had momentarily ruined her life was right behind her.

Thankfully, she wasn’t. She was around the corner just down the hall instead.

Taking a peek, Cinder spied Helia and her clique with their backs to her. Across from them was Amber and another girl with scarlet hair who was rubbing her arm. Both parties were having a staring contest.

“I know that was you!” Amber spat, pointing an accusing finger at Helia.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Helia responded, scratching her neck.

Behind her, Selena and Eos snickered to themselves. One of their backpacks was open, a dust canister with a yellow mark running up its side peeking out from the open zipper.

“Are you sure you didn’t just shock yourself?”

Helia giggled and Amber scoffed.

“Hey, I get you have a tiny ego, but no need to take it out on us,” Amber’s friend sneered.

Helia stopped, blinked, and then hissed, “Excuse me?”

“You heard her.” Amber smirked and her friend laughed.

Cinder snickered to herself too as she hid around the corner, but she couldn’t help but feel a bit of dread coiling around her heart. Helia was a jerk and a bully, there was no way she wasn’t going to get back at Amber.

Cinder shouldn’t get involved. She might lose control again. Yet, she couldn’t stop herself from storming over.

“Hey,” Cinder called.

“What–”

Helia clammed up the moment she saw Cinder looming over her, Selena, and Eos.

“Back. Off.”

Behind Helia, Amber blinked in surprise. The brunette’s friend backpedaled a bit too. Helia and her clique exchanged brief looks, then their leader glanced away with a pale face.

“Whatever, psycho,” she mumbled before scurrying off.

The trio disappeared around the corner, but Cinder held her glare until she was sure they were gone. Then, she looked back at Amber, who watched her with a curious look, like she was studying her again.

After a few seconds, a friendly smile crossed the brunette’s face. “Thanks.”

Cinder’s face warmed and she looked away. “Helia’s a jerk.”

“Yeah,” Amber agreed before glancing at her friends. “Hey, do you want to sit with us for lunch?”

The other girl shot the brunette a worried look, which made Cinder’s self-confidence wither.

Scoffing, she shook her head. “No thanks.”

“Are you sure? They’re serving chicken quesadillas today,” Amber pressed, taking a step toward her.

Cinder shrugged and looked away further. “It’s alright, I like eating–”

“Ooh, they’re handing out takoyaki too!” Her earthen brown eyes sparkled before they darted over to one of Amber’s friends. “Right, Flaire? Or was it just cookies again?”

“It’s takoyaki,” the scarlet-haired girl ‘Flaire’ confirmed.

Amber grinned but Cinder frowned.

“I don’t think I’ll like those,” she remarked, trying to back out of the interaction.

Amber huffed but then smiled excitedly. “You wanna give me yours then?”

Cinder furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes. Why was she being so insistent?

Well, either way, she was heading to the cafeteria too….

“Sure?” she answered hesitantly.

“Then come on!”

A hand grabbed hers and suddenly she was getting dragged along.

Ten minutes later, Cinder was weaving her way through the cafeteria with a tray of food in her hands. Leading the way was Amber and her friend Flaire followed right behind her, throwing looks over her shoulder to see if Cinder was still following them.

“Yo, Amber!” a voice called, grabbing their attention. “Over here!”

Amber and Flaire darted toward a table where that tall, black teen in their class sat. What was his name again? Acacia? No, he liked to go by ‘AC’, right?

AC grinned at them, but then his face fell when he caught sight of her trailing behind the duo. “Oh, hey, it’s you.”

Cinder swallowed a lump in her throat, feeling herself shrink under the gaze of her peers. She’d gotten so used to being at the top of the pecking order, but now she felt like the new kid again. It was like the first day of school all over again.

“Hi,” she mumbled as Amber plopped down in a chair.

“Guys, this is Cinder,” Amber declared, glancing up at her and then at her friends. “You already know her because of the– well, you know. Cinder, this is AC, he’s my neighbor. That’s Flaire, you just met her, she’s crazy.”

“I’m not crazy,” Flaire interjected pointedly, “I just like fireworks a lot.”

“I don’t call a rocket packed with fire dust a firework,” AC butt in, chopping his hands in the air to gesture, “I call it a ‘missile.’”

Flaire rolled her eyes. “You’re just mad I blew up your action figure.”

“Yes, I’m mad that you did that!”

The duo started bickering, completely steering the conversation off-topic. Cinder stared at them, then looked at Amber, who’d started giggling to herself. Lost as to what to do, Cinder craned her head left and right to find an empty table to sit at–

“Hey, what’re you doing?”

Cinder darted her eyes back to the table and found AC giving her a strange look.

“Grab some seat, dude,” he insisted, gesturing at the empty spot next to Amber.

Seeing no way out of this forced socialization, she conceded and sat down next to the brunette. As Cinder did, she couldn’t help but notice Amber trying to hide a grin.

“Alright, takoyaki please!” Amber demanded.

She held up her plastic fork and locked onto the mistralian snack on Cinder’s tray. Cinder shrugged and handed it over, letting her dig into it immediately.

“Wha– Hey!” AC cried out. “Share some with me!”

“She said I could have hers,” Amber jabbed back before biting down on another takoyaki ball.

AC looked at Cinder, who gave him a blank look and then nodded affirmingly. He exhaled heavily and then grumbled under his breath as he watched Amber inhale the snack food. At the same time, Flaire snickered to herself while getting out her scroll to mess with.

Meanwhile, Cinder bounced her eyes between the trio of friends, not sure what to do here.

When she’d been with Helia, she’d felt like she was getting pulled along with them. Now that she thought about it, she felt more like an accessory than a part of the clique. She was there to tell stories and get people to look at them.

Here, she was getting dragged along again, but… they weren’t looking to her for stories. She was just there, sitting in on an intimate moment….

“Okay, so, big question, who’s buying tickets for the next Star Defender movie?”

Cinder tuned back into their conversation as Amber leaned over the table, perching on her knees. Across the way, AC shrugged and then rubbed his neck.

“I already spent my allowance on a new scroll case.” He dug out the device and showed off the protective case. “I could buy the popcorn if someone else gets the drinks.”

“I can buy my ticket,” Flaire said, “but we have to go to an early showing. My parents don't want me out late.”

“Same,” Amber added with an annoyed look. “Ugh, I want to go to the big showing though!”

Cinder glanced between them all as they planned and griped. Then, she asked aloud, “What's ‘Star Defender?’”

They all looked at her, prompting her to shrink back.

“You haven't heard of it?” AC questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Cinder shrugged. She'd heard of it on the internet but never looked into it.

Flaire pressed her hands flat on the table and jumped up. “It's the biggest action movie ever!”

Cinder tilted her head and looked at Amber, who shrugged.

“It's a really cool sci-fi action movie. It's about humans who fight a bunch of aliens in space. The main character's this supersoldier–”

“Wait!”

Flaire leaned over toward Amber, narrowing her eyes to shoot an accusing look at the brunette.

“Don’t you have a ton of money right now?” Flaire interrogated. “Your mom gives you a big allowance for helping her around the house, right?”

Amber shrunk back and looked away. “Yeah, but….”

“But?” AC repeated, crossing his arms.

Earthen brown eyes darted around before locking with amber ones. Amber gave her a pleading look, but Cinder shrugged. She didn't know what she could do for her.

Several seconds passed, then Amber broke and blurted out, “I’m saving it for when the next Ryu Ga Gotoku movie comes out!”

Cinder raised her eyebrow in confusion. Across the table, both AC and Flaire groaned loudly.

“Seriously?” Flaire remarked, casting a pointed look at the brunette, who shot a glare back.

“It’s not my fault Ryu Go Gotaku is the best freaking movie franchise on the planet!”

“Ugh, here we go again.” AC dragged his gaze over to Cinder, then pointed his chin at Amber. “This girl, amirite?”

Amber visibly pouted, prompting Cinder to let out a quiet snicker. The brunette gave her a look of betrayal and she shrugged back, scratching the back of her head. Although, she did offer a tiny, apologetic smile.

The next day, for whatever reason, Cinder found herself eating lunch with Amber again. It was technically involuntary because she'd tried to veer away from their table, but AC and Amber had hailed her down and then called her over. The day after that, Amber dragged her over so she could get her portion of the cookies they were handing out. And then at the end of the week, Cinder had finally found a way to escape them, only for Amber to suddenly appear and plop down next to her, asking her why she was so good at archery. Not too long after, a grumbling AC and Flaire walked over and sat down with them.

Cinder acted annoyed at first, staying silent and ignoring Amber. Then, she answered a couple of her questions and snickered under her breath. As time passed, she found herself relaxing around the brunette. They walked from class and flashed smiles at each other in the halls. At lunch, Cinder talked about Beacon again, but only when Amber asked. Actually, Cinder was the one asking Amber about Vale this time around.

Apparently, Amber was from the agricultural district where industry and enterprise hadn't taken too much root. That part of Vale was older, a different kind of classical than Cinder was used to. It was farmland and towns as opposed to the residential district's apartments and suburbia, continuing to remain steeped in tradition. AC came from the same area and he helped fill in the holes that Amber left out, such as the taverns and guildhalls dotting the kingdom's border as well as the old forts and keeps leftover from an age before the Great War.

The more they shared lunches and traded stories, the closer they got; and the more Cinder felt left out.

She would never admit it out loud, her pride to fragile to do it, but she was a little jealous of how much time Amber, AC, and Flaire spent together. She wanted to go watch movies too. She wanted to hang out after school and go eat with them at pizza places. She wanted to study together outside of class....

“Cinder?”

Cinder blinked and looked up, seeing Amber giving her a quizzical look.

They sat in the school library after school, studying up for their first semester's finals. Flaire and AC were with them, both of whom had lost interest in their notebooks and had pulled out their scrolls. Cinder had already done much the same, although she'd stopped scrolling through social media some time ago after having apparently gotten lost in thought.

“Yeah?” Cinder replied.

“You alright?” AC inquired, leaning over.

“I'm fine,” she answered defensively, crossing her arms and glancing away quickly.

Amber and Flaire audibly snickered while AC scoffed.

“Aight, if you say so.” AC picked up his scroll and swiped across the screen. “Alright, I got enough money for my ticket and the bus fair. What about you guys?”

“Got it,” Flaire answered, patting the wallet in her pocket.

Both teens looked at Amber, who held up her stack of lien and smiled. “Just got it this morning from my mom.”

Cinder glanced between the trio, then bowed her head and sighed. Her chest felt empty. Hollow. And her gut was knotting anxiously.

Words wanted to slip out of her mouth, but she kept her lips sealed as she got up.

“You going somewhere?” Flaire asked, sitting up.

Technically, she didn't. The trip to the airship was a short one. She had plenty of time between classes ending and the airship leaving to hang around Pharos, which is why she'd agreed to study with Amber and her friends. But....

Cinder shrugged as she grabbed her backpack. “I should get home. I need to... buy some stuff still.”

She didn't dare look back as she walked away. She didn't want them to see the envy and guilt on her face–

“Hey, hold on!” Amber called out from the table.

Cinder took a deep breath and put her aloof mask back on.

“What?” she asked, turning back around.

Everyone stared at Amber, who’d jumped up from her chair. The brunette glanced between all three of them, earthen brown eyes blinking nervously now that she was under the spotlight. After a few seconds, however, she sucked in a deep breath and cleared her throat.

“I was gonna ask, since I got more money today….”

Amber rubbed the back of her neck and shot AC a look. He tilted his head, then gave her a startled expression.

Cinder darted her eyes between them, trying to figure out whatever they were silently discussing.

“I’m not paying for your food,” he suddenly blurted out.

Amber clasped her hands and shook them at him. “Please! Come on!”

Flaire leaned over the table and shot them an annoyed look. “What are we talking about right now?”

“Yeah.” Cinder scowled and stepped toward the table again.

Amber gave AC another pleading look and he sighed, wearing an aggravated face. Then, he nodded and the brunette gave a triumphant cry before digging out her stack of lien.

“So, I’ve technically got enough lien for two tickets,” Amber stated before shooting her a smirk. “Wanna come watch Star Defender 2 with us?”

Cinder blinked at the other girl, who placed one hand on her hip and held out her lien with the other, striking a confident pose. Flaire looked between her two friends, then shrugged and smiled, giving Cinder an encouraging look. AC sighed again, but gave her a smile too.

Her heart swelled and then it thundered faster. Her stomach coiled and knotted itself, flipping over and over. She felt sick… but in a weird, good way.

Blood rushed to her face and Cinder quickly yanked her gaze down to the floor.

“I, uh….” She grinded her shoes into the ground, shuffling anxiously as she tried to process the offer. “I mean, I have to ask Glynda.”

Hesitantly, Cinder looked up at Amber, wondering if that little requirement would deter her. It honestly felt easier to gently back out of this than to boldly accept it.

“That’s cool,” AC replied. “Movie comes out next week, then it’s probably going to stay in theatres for like a month.”

Amber grinned. “So go ahead, ask her. We got the time.”

Flaire coughed. “Not a lot of time.”

“Yeah, so, like, ask her when you get home,” AC demanded, “I wanna go opening week.”

“Heck yeah,” Flaire agreed, holding up a fist that he bumped.

Cinder bounced her eyes between the trio in disbelief, then she bowed her head again.

She thought about how Glynda might react if she asked her. She’d been helicopter mom-ing her since the fight earlier in the semester. She’d only started easing her grip recently when Cinder insisted she needed to study with Amber. But… maybe, she’d let her. Maybe if she asked Ozpin to help her get Glynda to let her….

For a long while, she shifted her feet and rubbed her arm anxiously. Eventually, however, she made up her mind.

“I-… Can probably buy my own popcorn,” Cinder conceded with a sheepish smile, face red but glowing.

Chapter Text

“So, you’re Cinder’s friends?”

Cinder flushed red as her guardian stared down the trio of teens she’d invited over to their apartment for a study session. Across from them, Amber, Flaire, and AC shrunk out of fear and deference of Beacon’s deputy headmistress. The blonde huntress herself cast a judgmental look across them, watching them with a critical eye.

“Glynda,” Cinder muttered out of embarrassment, brushing her arm against her guardian’s side.

Glynda glanced at her with a wary look. After a second, however, she sighed concedingly.

“Thank you for coming,” Glynda said, letting her crossed arms fall, “it’s nice to meet you all. Now, please follow me, I’ll be taking you to our home.” She swiveled on her heel to lead the way but abruptly stopped and looked over her shoulder. “And please do not wander off, Beacon’s campus is off-limits to visitors without an appointment.”

With that said, Glynda strode forward, her cape fluttering behind her. Cinder fell into step behind her, but after glancing back she realized her friends weren’t moving. 

She shot them a sharp look and nudged her head, gesturing for them to follow. Amber perked up first, followed by AC and Flaire. The trio scurried after them, coming to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Cinder.

“Your mom is intense,” Flaire whispered.

Cinder rubbed her arm uncomfortably. “Yeah, she’s like that.”

“All the time?” Amber asked.

Cinder shook her head. “Sometimes.” She paused and stroked her chin, then shook her head again. “Actually, no, just whenever she’s not with me.”

All three of them gave her fearful looks but said nothing more. Cinder herself exhaled quietly and prayed Glynda wouldn’t be like this the rest of the day. She really didn’t need her guardian scaring off the only real friends she’d ever made.

Trekking across campus, Cinder studied her friends’ expressions, watching them gawk at the academy sights. She relished their awestruck faces, eating up their reactions to her home. She practically lived in a castle compared to them.

“I still can’t believe you live here,” Amber remarked excitedly, giving her a jealous look.

Cinder smirked and shrugged. “The food’s not bad either.”

“The food?” AC asked.

She nodded and opened her mouth to speak, only for Glynda to suddenly cut in.

“Beacon’s cafeteria is catered toward providing our students and staff with all the nutrients they need, along with some tastes from across Remnant,” Glynda elaborated, peering over her shoulder at them. “Sometimes, I’m too preoccupied with work to cook, so we often order from the menu.”

Emerald eyes flicked over at Cinder and they gave her an inquiring look, as if asking her if her guardian had done good. Cinder smiled back at her, silently thanking her for the boast.

Striding up next to her, Flaire pouted and crossed her arms.

“Jealous,” the redhead muttered.

Cinder snickered and flashed her a smug look.

Moments later, they filed into their apartment, leaving their shoes in the entry hall and filtering into the main living area. Cinder took a seat on the sofa in the room and waited for her friends to settle down too, however, she inwardly groaned when she found Glynda standing to the side, tall and stiff like a statue while leering judgmentally at her friends, all of whom were frozen on the spot at the mouth of the hall.

“You guys can come in,” Cinder called, nudging her head.

The trio glanced between her and her guardian, then gave nervous smiles as they walked over and sat down. Cinder watched them dig out their books and notebooks, then she looked over at Glynda. Her guardian continued to watch them for a few seconds longer, turning her gaze from Flaire to AC, and then to Amber before she locked eyes with Cinder.

Fiery amber eyes shot Glynda a frustrated look and emerald eyes narrowed. Then, the huntress tipped her head back, gesturing for her to get up.

“Cinder, can I speak with you for a moment?”

Glynda stepped away and into the hall leading to their bedrooms. Cinder's face warmed as her friends watched her, waiting for her to follow. 

“Be back in a second,” Cinder muttered, getting up to confront Glynda.

She shuffled down the hall, meeting her guardian at the end of the hall where their bedroom doors were located. The blonde huntress stood stiffly, her back straight and shoulders high. Her face was hardened and stony, but after all these years of living with her, Cinder had started to figure out what hid behind that stoic mask.

“What is it?” Cinder snipped, folding her arms over her chest.

Emerald eyes narrowed at her, but Glynda didn't snap at her.

“I’ll be working in my room,” Glynda explained. “You and your friends can feel free to linger in the living room, but I don’t want you all in your bedroom and I most certainly don’t want you sneaking out of the apartment.” 

“We won’t,” Cinder replied dismissively.

“I’m serious, Cinder.”

“We won’t, Glynda,” Cinder snipped again, shooting her guardian a sharp look. “Why are you acting like this? You're embarrassing me.”

She flushed pink and while her Guardian scoffed.

“Watch your tone, young lady,” Glynda warned, giving her a sharp look.

Cinder bowed her head, cheeks heating up even further. A second later, however, the huntress exhaled and wiped a hand over her face.

“I’m sorry, Cinder, I just want you to be careful.”

The teen pinched her lips and held in a groan before responding in an irritated voice, “Glynda.”

“I don’t want to be overbearing, but after what happened before–”

“I know, Glynda!” Cinder interjected with a hiss, whipping out her arms and gesturing indignantly with her hands. “But, Amber, Flaire, and AC are… nice to me. They invited me to that movie, remember?”

A hurt look crossed her guardian’s face first, her brow furrowing and lips pressing into a small pout. Then, she cast Cinder a hesitant look, her emerald eyes briefly darting down the hall before returning to scrutinize her countenance, trying to see if she shared the woman’s doubts.

Eventually, after a long moment had passed, Glynda closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

“Okay, if you’re sure.” Glynda smiled at her wistfully and reached out, tucking a lock of raven black hair behind her ear before cupping her face. “I’m glad you found some real friends.”

Cinder shrank back and pawed her hand away, flushing bashfully. Yet, the corner of her lips quirked upward into a tiny smile. She gave her guardian a meek nod before she left, heading back to spend time with Amber, AC, and Flaire.

After what happened, Glynda had her concerns about leaving Cinder at Pharos. She’d understandably panicked and almost said some… unsavory things in the principal’s office, but she’d managed to keep it together. Of course, when she returned to Beacon she’d beelined to Ozpin’s office for some advice.

The headmaster had advised her that taking legal action against the other girl’s family was not a reasonable thing to do. That had all been a joke, of course, and Glynda had not thought about doing so—or at least, she hadn’t vocalized it. Besides that, Ozpin had told her to let Cinder make her own choices. In the end, that proved to be the right course of action.

Glynda breathed a sigh of relief as she cleaned up the living room, nudging things back into place with her semblance.

Cinder and her friends had wrapped up their study session a little bit ago. By now, she should’ve seen the trio off on the airship back to Vale and be on her way back.

As if on cue, Glynda heard the front door open and close. A smile crossed the woman’s face and she turned to watch Cinder shuffle back inside. After a second, however, she noticed her daughter’s tense brow and pressed lips.

Worry crossed the huntress’ mind and she opened her mouth to ask her what was wrong. Just as she did, Cinder looked up at her with a hesitant face.

“Glynda, can I ask you something?”

Cinder pursed her lips again and swallowed. Glynda studied the anxiety etched into her countenance for a moment, then nodded.

“Of course.” She stepped toward her. “What is it?”

The teen ground her heel into the floor, rubbed her neck, and swallowed a second lump in her throat before she mustered the courage to look her in the eye.

“Do you think it’d be okay if I tried out for the regional tournament?”

Glynda blinked, processing the question. A second later, she gave Cinder a stunned look. “You want to compete?”

Cinder shrugged timidly. “I want to try.”

“But, it’s your first year.” Glynda scratched her head and tried to recall all the details about the primary combat schools’ tournaments. “You haven’t even finished your first year! You haven’t even made your own weapon!”

“But the rules don’t say I need my own weapon yet,” she reasoned.

The huntress pinched her lips together and studied the girl’s face, searching for an answer to her question. This was unusually proactive of her adopted daughter. She never had this kind of ambition before.

“What’s brought this on tonight?” she asked, making the rest of the journey to the sofa to sit down next to Cinder.

Cinder exhaled and looked away, closing her scroll. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words became lost to her. For a moment, she just looked around for something to say, and then she exhaled again and shrugged.

“I don’t know,” she said, “I guess I just… after what happened with Helia… I’m tired of getting angry and messing everything up.”

Cinder folded her arms over her chest, a self-deprecating look on her face. Glynda’s heart ached as she watched her sulk, and she reached out a hand to drape over the teen’s shoulders.

“Cinder,” she cooed reassuringly.

“You know I’m right, Glynda,” Cinder stated simply. “I’m a mess. I keep saying that I’m going to try and keep my cool, but I can’t… I want to be a huntress, so I need to stop trying and start doing. Isn’t that what you teach all your students?”

Emerald eyes blinked at her in astonishment, and a moment later the huntress smiled.

“Yes, it is.” Glynda stroked fingers through raven black hair as she hummed and thought for a moment. “The regional tournament takes students from every year in primary combat schools. You’ll be fighting kids who have more experience than you. They’ll have their custom weapons too.”

“You want me to prepare for losing?”

“I want you to be prepared to fight as hard as you can.”

“I will.” Cinder gave her a determined look, amber eyes ablaze with ambition. “I won’t lose.”

The Vale Regional Tournament was a competition held near the end of every school year between the primary combat schools across the kingdom. Students of all years and ages could compete, regardless of their skill level and equipment. If anything, it was a way of publicly showing someone’s capabilities and something to put down on their secondary academy application.

For Cinder, it was a myriad of reasons, but primarily it was a chance to really test her resolve.

“Our next match features Bern Beoson, a first-year student from Lantern Academy!”

Cinder sucked in a sharp breath as she stood in the doorway leading into the arena. Outside, she heard the clamor of the crowds cheering as her opponent stepped out into the stage lights.

“And his opponent is Cinder Goodwitch, a first-year student from Pharos Academy!”

As her heart pounded against her chest and her fear attempted to creep its way through her veins with its icy claws, Cinder mustered the courage to walk forward. She stepped out of the hall’s shadows and into the light where the raucous cries of the audience filled her ears.

For a moment, she was blinded by the lights. Then, she saw the people around her, various families of competitors, people who wanted a show, and some members of secondary combat schools looking to scout potential prodigies all sitting together in the stands.

After a minute or so of searching, she managed to spot Glynda in the crowd, her guardian clapping her hands near the front of the audience. Next to the blonde huntress was her trio of friends, Amber, AC, and Flaire pushed up against each other waving at her with smiles. Although, they looked pretty scared sitting next to Beacon’s deputy headmistress.

Cinder smiled bashfully and waved at them. Then, she blinked in surprise when she recognized Ozpin’s silvery hair and Port’s bigger figure next to the huntress.

Both huntsmen smiled and waved back at her, which prompted Cinder to swallow a lump in her throat. Now, she had to represent herself in front of the Beacon headmaster and Grimm Studies instructor.

“Contestants, get ready!”

Taking her place on her side of the arena, Cinder handled the bow in her hands anxiously. She checked the shortsword on her waist, making sure it slid easily from its sheath, and then she adjusted the strap of the quiver on her back, making sure it was secure.

Across from her, she spied her opponent, a boy her age wielding a quarterstaff.

“Fight!”

At the announcer’s command, Cinder nocked an arrow and let it loose. Bern dodged the arrow and the next one too. He rushed forward, twirling his quarterstaff to tank a third arrow before he jumped in the air to bring his weapon down on her.

Cinder leaped away, landing on her side before she quickly scrambled back onto her feet.

Bern swept his staff, trying to catch her as she got up. However, she raised her bow and blocked the attack. Unfortunately, he spun his staff and went for another attack from the other side.

Cinder’s aura took the blow, but she found herself stumbling away.

She tried to make some distance, swinging her bow around as a pseudo-melee weapon. Bern didn’t seem afraid, however, and continued to push against her. Eventually, she was forced to drop her ranged weapon and pull the shortsword from her side, throwing herself into close-range combat.

She had some moderate luck, managing to get close enough that he couldn’t whack her around with his quarterstaff. In those moments when she was able to slash at him, she managed to cut his aura down significantly. However, he was able to escape not too long after, getting back to the perfect range to keep her at striking distance.

As they dueled, the crowd roared and cheered them on.

Cinder could practically hear Port at the forefront of the crowd, bellowing instructions at her: Move left. Right. Dodge. Play to her strengths. Don’t give him ground. Etcetera. Etcetera.

Every now and again, she stole glances at the Beacon faculty, spotting Port with his hands pumping in the air, Ozpin watching with an interested smile, and Glynda biting her fingernails.

Her battle went on for a few minutes longer before they reached a peak.

The screens above them that gauged their aura showed she was a good one or two hits from dropping into the red. Bern’s aura was still in the yellow too, a sizable chunk higher than hers.

Cinder felt her body tiring as she heaved in air, struggling to hold her ground against the onslaught. Bern, however, was still moving fast, his eyes focused as he went in for a final blow.

His quarterstaff was a blur as it swept in and knocked her shortsword from her hands.

Cinder gasped and then jumped back as he swung again, the weapon’s end just brushing past her nose.

She pawed at the tip of her nose, then took a fighting stance. With her bow too far from her on her right and her shortsword somewhere else, she was left with her hands.

Across from her, Bern flourished her quarterstaff before he jumped in the air and brought his weapon down overhead. Cinder stepped to the side as he struck the ground, dust and dirt flying into her face.

She sputtered and backpedaled until her foot caught on a rock, tripping her over. Panic exploded in her mind as she hit the ground hard, scattering her thoughts as she tried to get up. The arena lights blinded her and the ringing in her ears left her deaf to the world. For a moment, she was left dazed, not knowing where she was and what to do.

Then, however, Glynda’s voice whispered in the back of her head, urging her to calm down and gather her senses. At the last second, she caught Bern about to bring his quarterstaff down on her.

Acting quickly, she rolled to the side, dodged the attack, and scurried away. All the while, she focused on steadying herself, taking even breaths, and gathering her thoughts.

She needed to focus. She needed to think about her approach. She was weaponless, but she could still hold her own. Glynda taught her how to fight hand-to-hand, she just needed to get him disarmed too. Or better yet, she needed to get armed again.

But how? How!

At that moment, a memory came back to her. A feeling.

She remembered grabbing something metal, something on the shelf in the basement of the Glass Unicorn. Her stepmother and her stepsisters were shuffling away from her, afraid.

She ignored the memories of her stepfamily, but she felt her semblance activating.

Under her palms, the dust and dirt on the ground heated up, smoldering and melting. Then, she shaped the molten, bubbling material with her fingers.

When Cinder looked at her hand, a glass shard, sharpened and sleek, was in it.

In the corner of her vision, she spied Bern flourishing his quarterstaff. He shot her a pitiful look and that prompted her to scowl. Anger bubbled up inside of her at the thought of him looking down on her. However, exhilaration overtook her as she put her new plan into motion.

Just as Bern raised his quarterstaff for a downward strike, Cinder shot up and threw her glass shard, aiming for her opponent’s face.

Bern’s eyes blew open wide just before the shard smashed into his face, shattering into glinting bits.

Caught off guard, he was left stunned and defenseless. A second later, he slapped a hand against his face and brushed off any lingering debris, sputtering as he did.

At the same time, Cinder smirked and touched the ground, superheating it. She shaped new weapons, creating another shard to throw and a misshapen dagger to wield.

She threw the glass shard, hitting him in the chest and causing him to panic. Yelping, he tried to swing his quarterstaff in a wide arc to force her away, but Cinder rushed him, dropped down, and slid across the ground right past him. The moment she was behind Bern, Cinder jumped up, twirled, and slashed him across the back.

Her dagger shattered, but the display screens showed his aura taking a hit.

The crowd cheered for her. Somewhere in there, she could hear Port booming.

While Bern took a moment to collect himself, Cinder rushed over and retrieved her original weapons. The next time she locked eyes with Bern, she had an arrow nocked and aimed right at him.

That moment marked the turning of the tide. Having found her footing, Cinder grew bolder and more ferocious. She played to her strengths like Port had urged her to, using her lithe figure to dance around her opponent.

Bern was fast and he could create distance with his quarterstaff. Cinder, however, was smaller and nimble. She could duck in and out of combat if she timed her attacks right. What’s more, she didn’t need to rely on her weapons either.

At one point, she sacrificed her shortsword, inviting a blow so he could disarm her of it. However, she created another glass dagger immediately after and struck him with it. 

Steadily, she bled him dry of his aura until he was on the verge of hitting the red.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of combat, they reached the climax of their match.

Bern looked up at her, panting heavily as sweat beaded down his face. Frustration riddled his face, appearing in his creased brow and deep scowl. He glared at her, fed up with her sudden change in demeanor and style.

Across the arena, Cinder let a smug smirk cross her lips, no longer weighed down by thoughts of defeat. She had a taste for victory and she was going to pursue it.

As of right now, she’d discarded her shortsword earlier for a glass dagger. It was somewhere on the other side of the arena, but her bow lay nearby just out of reach. A plan formed in her head and she flashed Bern another smirk.

Raising her hand, Cinder curled two fingers at him, goading him into an attack.

Bern blinked at her in surprise, and then his face turned red with outrage. A roar escaped him as he rushed forward, jumped, and twirled, swinging his quarterstaff about in a wide arc.

Cinder waited for her moment, and then she dived forward over his sweeping attack, landing in a roll just behind him.

She didn’t waste a single second, snatching her bow off the ground and gripping it like a club. She caught Bern giving her a surprised look, fear in his eyes, as he turned to face her. Unfortunately, he realized he’d fallen for her trick far too late.

A battle cry slipped out of her mouth as Cinder spun around and brought her bow down from overhead, pouring the last bit of her aura into reinforcing it. Her pseudo-melee weapon slammed on his head and he crashed against the ground with such force that her bow snapped in half.

His aura gauge dropped into the red. The crowd went silent. Then, the announcer roared.

“We have our winner! Cinder Goodwitch!”

To her immense surprise, Cinder found herself shooting up the tournament rankings. Despite her lack of experience and a custom weapon, she was a quick learner and highly adaptable. Her opponents got harder, but after getting thrown around for a bit she figured out how to outmaneuver them. Every fight just made her smarter, each one taught her how to move swifter and more fluidly, when to pick her moments to strike, and above all how to keep getting back up.

Unfortunately, getting this far didn’t come without cost. In the intermission between matches, she was lying down in the infirmary getting painkillers and being tutted by Glynda for her risk-taking. When the first day of the tournament ended, she’d gone home and lay in bed, letting her aura regenerate and heal her body. She’d woken up stiff and sore, barely able to get out of bed. Thankfully, the rush of adrenaline from her first match got her going again.

Then, at last, she made it to the finals.

Waving at Glynda in the stands, she smirked and her guardian waved back with a proud smile. Next to her, Amber, AC, and Flaire tried to raise their voices above the crowd to cheer her on.

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!” the announcer called. “In a completely unexpected twist, Cinder Goodwitch, a first-year student from Pharos Academy has managed to make it to the finals! We’ve watched her struggle and stumble, but she just keeps getting back up! But now, she might have met her match!”

Across the arena, Cinder watched a young man with tan hair walk out. In his hands, he raised two single-edged swords, their hilts stocky with extra mechanisms. They definitely had alt modes.

“Everyone, please welcome last year’s winner, the fourth-year student from Signal Academy, Rime Blanche!”

Cheers went up and Rime raised one of his swords into the air. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he transformed it into a gleaming submachine gun. 

Meanwhile, Cinder sucked in a deep breath to calm the sizzling ball of anxiety inside of her.

Her opponent was a fourth-year student with a custom weapon and more training. She’d seen a couple of his fights and watched him tear through his opponents. He liked getting up close and personal, using his semblance to create shields of ice on himself. He liked disregarding any danger toward himself, trying to end fights as fast as possible.

If she were on his level, she could contest him and push him back. Unfortunately, she was a first-year student who was, at this point, in over her head.

“Contestants, get ready!”

This was it. One final round. She’d pushed herself to the limit and now she’d reached the end of the line.

Cinder was only here to prove herself to that side of her that aspired to leave the past behind. But now she had a chance to do more.

Her chest was tight, but her heart beat rapidly with excitement. Popping her neck, she bounced on her heels and then pulled three arrows out of her quiver, nocking them. Across the arena, Rime took a loose stance, ready to wield either his swords or his guns.

The world slowed to a standstill around Cinder as she breathed in, then out. In, then out. In. Out.

“Fight!”

Cinder let loose her arrows. Rime dodged two and deflected one.

He charged at her and Cinder quickly nocked then fired a fourth arrow. Her opponent sidestepped, narrowly dodging it, and then he twirled before jumping at her, swinging his sword about.

Cinder jumped back, barely dodging the gleaming scimitars. She landed on her butt, then scrambled backward quickly as he kept up his assault. He lashed out with his swords, slicing the air in front of her as she backed away as fast as she could.

She dared to steal a glimpse at his face and saw a grin on his lips. Outrage bubbled up inside her and she activated her semblance, crafting a glass shard behind her that she swiftly threw.

The shard smashed into his head and he backed off, giving her room to escape. He tried to swing wildly, probably hoping to catch her as she rolled away, but she dodged the attack and climbed back onto her feet.

Cinder went to nock another arrow but felt her quiver falling off her back. It took her a second to realize he’d clipped the strap of her quiver.

“Got ya!” Rime shot her a smirk and transformed his weapons, aiming both submachine guns at her.

Cinder dropped her bow, instinctively reinforced her aura, and ran, sprinting to the nearest boulder placed in the arena for cover. 

The battle was clearly one-sided, the less experienced Cinder barely holding her own against the fourth-year combat student. Most of the battle now was Cinder running, jumping around, and dodging gunfire to her best ability. She took moments to try and fight back, forging glass shards to throw back at him.

At least one of those shards found its mark, causing Rime to stagger and raise his arms to guard himself. That was the opportunity Cinder needed to get up close and personal, charging the older teen and swinging at him with her shortsword.

A furious cry spilled out of her lips as she got a couple of good hits in on him before he got his footing back, cutting him across the legs and catching him on the side. She tried to get another attack in, but hesitated, knowing she shouldn’t push her luck.

Unfortunately, her moment’s hesitation gave Rime an opening to strike back.

Suddenly, he swept out with his sword, catching her shoulder. Cinder yelped and stumbled backward, panicking for a moment as he sliced the air in front of her.

Thankfully, she managed to raise her shortsword, deflect one of his attacks, and then kick him square in the chest.

“Oof!” The older boy was forced back a step, letting Cinder swing upwards from his hip to his shoulder. Unfortunately, a protective sheen of ice covered his torso and the tip of her blade dragged along it, dealing no damage.

Still, Rime was staggered, and that let Cinder dash away, putting some distance between them again.

Given a brief moment of respite, she stole a glance at the display screen above them. Her aura was in the yellow. Rime’s had just dropped into that range.

Cinder grimaced, realizing how dire the situation was.

He wasn’t just stronger and better equipped than her, he also had more aura. Even if she fought harder, Rime could just outlast her.

Turning her attention back to her opponent, Cinder watched him smirk and flick his swords, transforming them into submachine guns again. She dashed for cover as he opened fire, starting their dance all over again.

Bullets zipped past her as she sprinted, a few clipping her as she dove behind a boulder.

Cinder growled and grimaced, frustration building up inside her. Her stomach churned and her chest was tight. Her head was packed full of frantic thoughts, an overwhelming feeling of despair draping over her.

She couldn’t do this! Not like this! How was she supposed to fight someone like him?

Reflexively, Cinder gripped her shortsword tightly and grabbed a handful of dirt to melt into a glass dagger.

What should she do? What could she do?

Cinder sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. She needed to focus and fight smart. Don’t panic, not like before. What did Glynda always tell her?

“Don’t expect them to do something… Anticipate what they do next?” Cinder recited from memory nervously.

Rime was a straightforward, direct fighter. He liked getting up close and personal, he wanted to get the fight over with as soon as possible. At least, these fights… He was overconfident, wasn’t he?

A thought came to her, not exactly a realization but a possibility. Thus far, she’d seen him rely on his weapons in every fight he’d been in. He swung and shot, but he never displayed any skills beyond that. If she could catch him off-guard again. Disarm him… Maybe she had a chance.

It was then that she realized the sound of gunfire had gone silent. Instead, she heard footsteps approaching her.

She could hear her blood roaring in her ears. Feel her heart beating like a drum. She trembled like the sizzling ball of anxiety festering in her chest, ready to explode into action.

It was now or never.

“Ah ha–”

He turned the corner, fully expecting to catch her off-guard. Unfortunately, all he found was empty space. A second later, Cinder jumped off the boulder, throwing a handful of superheated dirt in his face.

Rime cried out in alarm, pulling up his arms to protect himself, exactly as planned.

She tackled him to the ground, grabbed his wrist, and funneled her aura into her semblance. He panicked and fired his guns until they clicked empty, failing to hit her as they rolled on the ground together. He kept trying to knock her off but she held fast as she burned his arms, trying to get him to drop his weapon–

Cinder gasped, feeling the heat under her palms being repelled by biting frost. Steam arose where she applied her semblance, a thick sheen of ice now shielding her opponent's wrists.

Right. He had a semblance.

A foot pressed against her stomach and suddenly Cinder was kicked off of Rime. She landed a few feet away, curling up as her stomach roiled painfully.

“Smart move,” Rime lauded, transforming his guns back into sword mode, “but not smart enough.”

Cinder grunted as she got back on her feet, pulling out her shortsword.

Her opponent grinned while she scowled. A second later, he charged and swung at her. She caught his swords with hers, barely holding him back as he pressed down on her.

“It’s over,” Rime hissed, his eyes flicking to the screens above them.

Cinder didn’t need to steal a glance to know she was on the verge of falling into the red. Instead, she used the moment to snarl and disengage, stepping right and going for a swing.

Rime parried the attack and slashed her along her right arm. Cinder yelped and stumbled away, her aura flickering and fading, dimming like a dying flame.

Her opponent went for another attack, but she blocked it, barely holding him back.

She shot him a defiant glare as he looked down on her. God, she hated that look.

Cinder knew she was in a losing fight and she hated it. Some things couldn’t be helped, but they should! She should be able to win! So why couldn’t she?

Deep within her, something stirred. Anger. Frustration. A need to prove herself. A desire to be more than what she thought she was. It all bubbled up in her like lava, rising higher and higher.

Grinding her teeth, Cinder locked eyes with Rime and let out a feral growl. Her shortsword heated up under her touch, brightening to a radiant orange. 

A part of her wanted to yank him in and sock him in the face. She wanted to take another risk and throw herself into a furious onslaught, take Rime to the ground, and throw her fists until he was down.

Another part of her knew that was stupid. She knew it was over. She… Huh?

Cinder’s frantic train of thought stopped, hearing something hiss like gas leaking from a pipe. Across from her, Rime blinked and glanced down at her weapon.

Cinder followed his gaze to her superheated sword and her amber eyes blew open wide. Searing fractures spiderwebbed across it, spreading farther and farther as the hissing grew in intensity. Suddenly, a shriek pierced through the tension in the air.

Her heart leapt into her throat and her survival instincts went into effect.

Cinder kicked Rime away while he was distracted and then she threw the burning sword at him before she dived backwards. She only caught a glimpse of what happened next, a fleeting image of Rime’s horrified face as her shortsword exploded with a haunting scream.

The entire arena went silent and everyone stared as Cinder picked herself up. She stared at her hands, watching the burning glow fade from her palms.

“…That’s new,” Cinder breathed. A glint in the smoke nearby signaled Rime getting back up.

Her eyes flicked from him to her discarded bow nearby. Immediately, she dashed over and snatched it.

Before Rime knew what was happening, she’d retrieved her lost quiver and had an arrow nocked.

Cinder took aim at the stunned boy and then closed her eyes. She tried to do what she just did, focusing what little remained of her aura into her weapon. She felt her anticipation rise, her anger burn inside of her. She focused on her frustrations and put them into her hands, letting them take shape into something sharp and deadly that pierced the arrow she pulled back.

Then, she let the arrow loose as it cracked and hissed. Her opponent was sent rocketing back by another explosion, his aura dropping significantly.

She fired another arrow. It screamed across the arena and exploded again. His aura dropped just above the red. A third explosive arrow pushed him over it.

Cinder fell onto her rear and dropped her bow, her head spinning and her heart racing. Around her, the arena went into a joyous uproar, excited cheers filling the air at the sudden turn of events.

Mustering her strength, Cinder craned her head around until she spotted Glynda in the stands. Her guardian was jumping up and down, uncharacteristically screaming and grabbing Ozpin’s collar, pointing a finger down at her while she shouted something at him. The silver-haired headmaster seemed to be trying to pry her fingers off him while nodding his head affirmingly. Meanwhile, Port was bellowing loudly and doing the same thing to Dr. Oobleck, who was apparently in attendance too.

Then, there were her friends. Amber was screaming her head off with Flaire, and both girls were bouncing up high with exhilaration. Beside them, AC plugged his ears and pumped a fist in the air.

The corner of Cinder’s lips tugged up as she caught up with the exuberant energy in the air. Eventually, hysterical giggles escaped her as the announcers gave their verdict.

“We have our winner, folks!” the announcer boomed. “This year’s champion of the Vale Regional Tournament is Cinder Goodwitch!”

She won the tournament. A first-year student with no custom weapon and little to no experience won the regional tournament.

This wasn’t the first time life felt like a dream for Cinder, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. This time around, however, she let herself live in it.

Cinder spent most of the first day after the tournament ended excitedly texting her friends. They gave her congratulations and rambled about all her fights in the arena. They asked her about her new ability and she talked about how she didn’t even know she could do that.

Later that day, Glynda held a party for her victory. Pretty much everyone she knew on campus came to congratulate her, even Coral was there to give her a pat on the back. Port cooked dinner for them, an incredibly delicious dinner that Cinder devoured so much of that she barely had room for cake. The party lasted till midnight and she slept through the next day.

A week later, she finally returned to Pharos, met out front by Amber, Flaire, and AC. Both girls squealed excitedly and Cinder had flushed bashfully. AC had barked a laugh and patted her on the back. Together, they stepped into the school and Cinder found that a few things had changed while she’d been gone.

“You alright?” Amber asked, earthen brown eyes glancing over at her.

Cinder sank her head between her shoulders, darting her eye around. “They're staring.”

Students of all years were looking in her direction. Some were just stealing looks, others were openly watching her like she was an exotic animal. They were whispering to each other, chatting excitedly.

It was like when she had first met Helia and she’d told stories about Beacon. She’d been popular and praised just for being Glynda’s adopted daughter, a living celebrity. Except, no one had reacted to her like this before.

“Of course, they're staring!” Flaire giggled and flashed her a grin. “You're the regional champ!”

Cinder gave her a dubious look. “Is it that crazy?”

AC looked at her like she was crazy before combing his fingers through his curly hair.

“The last time a first-year won the tournament was like twenty years ago,” he elaborated. “Also, you were the crazy girl a couple of months ago. No offense.”

Cinder frowned and looked over at a couple of their classmates huddled together nearby. When their eyes met, the other teens looked away, but they talked loudly and mentioned her name a couple of times–

“Hey, Cinder!”

A couple of girls passed her, waving at her. Cinder tilted her head but timidly waved at them as they passed by.

“Who were they?” Cinder asked looking at her friends.

Amber shrugged and then smiled. “Well, they know you.”

“Everyone knows you now,” Flaire declared, grinning from ear to ear.

Cinder pursed her lips and glanced around at everyone in the hall. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Although, it did feel kind of nice being the talk of the town again, especially since it was because of her own merit.

Two months later, she finished her first year at Pharos Academy, coming out near the top of her class. She’d celebrated with her friends, the four of them heading out to play at an arcade before watching a movie together. It’d been her first time at the former and she’d enjoyed every second of it.

In the afterglow of that night, she’d thought about how far she’d come and how far she had left to go. Her first year was only the start, of course. What was it that Port told her when she was a kid? 'Great things come from small beginnings.'

She couldn’t wait to see what came next.

The way that primary combat schools functioned, the first year of schooling was meant to be introductory in nature. Freshman students were tasked with learning all forms of combat, or at least trying them out to find out what they liked best. Then, when they became second-year students, they would use their newfound knowledge to create the weapons they would take with them into their future careers as potential huntsmen and huntresses.

Naturally, Weapons Crafting was the class everyone was excited for, Cinder included.

“Alright, everyone, settle down!” the course instructor, a tall, faunus woman with black skin and a pair of bat ears on top of a bald head called out, hefting in a big boombox with her. “We’re gonna get started here in a second after a bit of roll call!”

She set the boombox down on her desk and clicked a button on top. Immediately, the speakers came alive, blasting out a hip-hop song and filling the classroom with music. She turned a dial on the device, lowering the volume before she started calling out names.

Cinder studied their Weapons Crafting teacher for a bit before she took a quick look around the classroom. A few blueprints of past weapon designs were pinned to the walls along with some posters of famous huntsmen showcasing their armaments. Shelves were topped by a variety of tools and supplies, locked cabinets were shoved up against the walls right underneath them, and there was some kind of 3D printer behind the teacher’s desk.

Once she’d surveyed the equipment, Cinder turned her attention to her classmates. Most of them were chatting amongst themselves, the rest were bobbing their heads to the music.

Looking over, Cinder found Amber tapping her foot to the rhythm of the music too, an approving smile on her lips.

Earthen brown eyes glanced over at her after a second and her best friend flashed her a grin.

“Okay, you all know why you're here!” Their teacher tossed her clipboard onto her desk, turned her boombox down further, and then placed her hands on her hips. “You want a cool weapon. Something flashy and shiny that all the boys and girls are gonna love. Well, let me tell you, they’re gonna love them.”

Wearing a grin, the bat faunus grabbed the handle on top of her boombox and pressed a button on it.

She pulled the boombox off the table as it transformed. It opened up and extended, parts shifting around until it became a massive warhammer, the subwoofers pointed out both sides of the hammer's head.

The class ‘ooed’ and ‘awed,’ Cinder included. She'd seen a lot of impressive weapons when she'd sat in on Glynda classes. The sights never got old.

Their teacher smirked, pressed another button with her thumb, and then flicked her wrist. The warhammer's shaft retracted and she spun the weapon in her hands as the head extended. A second later, the junk of metal and mechtech weaponry sat on her shoulder, fully converted into a huge rocket launcher.

She didn't appear to be finished yet, because she pressed down on a third button and pulled the rocket launcher off her shoulder. She hefted it up as the boombox-turned-warhammer-turned-rocket launcher transformed into a fourth configuration. Six barrels jutted out from the front of the weapon and a belt of ammo popped out the side.

Their teacher rotated the barrels of her minigun, showing off the weapon for a moment. At the same time, the exposed subwoofers on the exterior continued to play her music.

Everyone stared at her, jaws agape and eyes wide. Cinder herself managed to keep her jaw off the ground but even her amber eyes were widened with awe. 

“Now that is why I’m the Weapons Crafting instructor,” the bat faunus declared, transforming her weapon back into a boombox. “And this year, I’m gonna show you how to make something half as cool as Beat Breakdown here.”

She placed Beat Breakdown on her desk and patted it before pointing a thumb at herself.

“My name's Miss Camina Ferric and I'll be your teacher this year.”

Class fully began then, Ms. Ferric going on about how their fighting styles determined their weapon type. They needed something they knew they could use right and would complement them in any kind of fight. She then talked about weapons in general, going on about how some began and evolved as well as how people used them now.

“Making your weapon look cool is one thing, making it practical is another.” Ms. Ferric pulled out her weapon again and held it up for the class to see. “When I was drawing up the original design of Breakdown it was twice as big and had an axe head on the back. I figured out real quick that wasn’t really functional. On the other hand, I knew a chick from Beacon who used an odachi, a giant katana people used on horseback in Mistral. That thing is damn heavy, but she just carried it on her hip. If you know you can use it, then go ahead. If you can’t, don’t even try.”

Cinder hummed and glanced around as some kids erased ideas off their notebooks. Next to her, she glimpsed Amber listening intently, her notebook closed. Did she already know what she wanted?

Glancing down at her notebook, Cinder looked at the one word she’d scribbled in the day before: ‘Bow.’

Amber eyes glowered down at the word for a moment before Cinder looked up, a little bit of anxiety trickling into her chest.

Half an hour later, Ms. Ferric had them writing down ideas for what they wanted to make. Many kids were talking about big, flashy things: bazookas, greatswords, chainsaws, and miniguns like their teacher. Cinder, meanwhile, was busy tapping the eraser-side of her pencil on her desk absentmindedly.

She knew she liked archery, so making a part of her weapon a bow was a given. Figuring out its alternate mode was a bit of a headache.

She wanted something light, something she could use better. The Vale Regional Tournament, had taught her how to be light on her feet, adaptable in close quarters, and overall unorthodox to trip up her enemies. 

The shortsword she'd used in the arena had been mostly good enough to block and parry, but it was also clumsy. She'd dropped it most of the time to create glass shards. 

The way she moved, she needed something versatile. Something she could wield while dancing around her opponents.

Cinder exhaled and set her pencil down. Beside her, Amber glanced over at her.

“Can’t figure it out?” Amber asked, leaning over to check what she had so far.

“Yeah.” Cinder rubbed her temples. “I like bows, so I’m definitely using that. I don’t know what the next part should be.”

“I mean, there doesn’t need to be a next part,” Amber remarked. “Here, look at what I got.”

The other girl waved her hand and bid her to glance over at her desk. In her notebook, she had a crude drawing of a stave, both ends having some kind of slot to hold dust crystals. Arrows scribbled on the paper showed it collapsing into a smaller form and extending to its full length.

Amber smirked and remarked, “Simple, but effective.”

“Yeah, for you.” Cinder flicked the brunette's arm and looked back at her notebook, tapping her pencil on it rhythmically. “I got a bow… I got a bow… and it turns into….”

“Having trouble there?”

Amber eyes looked up and spotted Ms. Ferric standing over her.

“A little bit,” Cinder admitted, face flushing.

The huntress chuckled and moved to lean over her desk beside her.

“Bow, huh?” She stroked her jaw, bat ears twitching. “What else you got?”

She groaned quietly. “Just that.”

“Uh huh….” Ms. Ferric stepped back and scratched her head, then snapped her fingers. “Swords? What about swords?”

“To heavy,” Cinder answered, resting her cheek in her palm. “I like… moving fast. Maybe daggers?”

The Weapons Crafting teacher hummed and stepped back from her desk. She created a finger frame and placed Cinder in it, sizing her up. The fifteen-year-old gave her a curious look as she did.

“You're getting pretty tall, kid. I dunno if you wanna try that angle. Daggers need you to be really close. Knives too. You tried scimitars yet?”

Cinder looked down in thought. “Scimitars?”

“Their lightweight swords. Have a curved blade,” Amber interjected, leaning over. “Honestly, not a bad idea.”

Cinder hummed, then dug out her scroll to pull up images of scimitars to reference off of. The designs were… interesting.

“Think we got some of those for rent in the armory here,” Ms. Ferric commented, sashaying back up to her desk. 

The bat faunus stroked her jaw and breathed in, taking a moment to think. Then, she held up a finger and wagged it as she looked at the teen.

“Listen, first assignment for the class is having you guys test out the base weapons you wanna use,” Ms. Ferric stated, gesturing about with her hands. “For you, I want you to rent out those scimitars. Carry them around. Try ‘em out in a spar with your friend here.”

She pointed her chin at Amber, who smiled. 

Cinder gave her an uncertain look, but then she glanced at her mostly empty notebook.

“Alright.”

<Amber Kindler> So, tomorrow before school? Or during lunch?

<Cinder Goodwitch> What about after school?

<Amber Kindler> I gotta head home early. My mom and I have family coming over.

<Cinder Goodwitch> We can do lunch then.

<Amber Kindler> Sounds good.

Cinder closed her scroll, slipped it into her pocket, and arched her back with a whine. Looking to her left, she studied the sights passing by as she walked through the residential district to the airship port.

It was a little after noon, Pharos letting the second-years out early so they could rent their weapons and get right onto testing them out. Cinder herself had gotten her scimitars and now wore them on the back of her waist, both blades sheathed while a bow was slung over her back. She and Amber had intended to practice together, but a reminder on Cinder’s scroll told her she still had to buy a few vials of dust for Dust Sciences tomorrow.

Speaking of which….

Dug her scroll back out and Cinder opened up her message log with her guardian.

<Cinder Goodwitch> I’m going to be home a little late, Glynda. I need to buy some dust for class tomorrow.

<Glynda Goodwitch> That’s alright.

<Glynda Goodwitch> Do you have enough lien?

<Cinder Goodwitch> I still have enough, yeah.

<Glynda Goodwitch> Alright. Don’t get into any trouble.

Cinder smiled as she came to an intersection and looked up at the street signs. She was at 21st and Atkins, so she just needed to take a… right. All the way down to Ramsey St.

Breathing in the fresh air, Cinder started down the street, enjoying the hustle and bustle of the city as she went.

Vale was as lively as it had ever been, pedestrians traveling up and down the streets with traffic moving slowly here but faster there. The noon sun kept the city warm and brightly lit as Cinder navigated her way around, checking her notebook for what she needed.

“Fire. Water. Electricity. Plant. Earth. Gravity.” Cinder scratched her head and winced. “Geez, why so much?”

She should’ve probably checked her textbook to make sure she knew why she was buying all these.

Walking up to From Dust Till Dawn, she took a look at the storefront before stepping inside. The usual shopkeep, an older gentleman with black hair turning grey waved at her and she waved back.

“You wouldn’t happen to have all this in stock, would you?” she asked, holding up her notebook.

The shopkeep squinted and rubbed his chin before he nodded. He then pulled out a couple of canisters from under the counter he stood at, handing them to her, and pointed at the dispensers along either wall.

She smiled before taking the canisters to grab her purchase. “Thanks.”

Stepping over, Cinder glanced across the names of each dispenser before she spotted ‘Gravity’. Moving over to it, she planted the canister against the dispenser nozzle and waited for it to fill–

Suddenly, the back of her head warmed uncomfortably and the hairs on her neck stood on end. It was an old, familiar feeling, an instinct born out of fear from the three years she spent at the Glass Unicorn.

Snapping her head over, Cinder looked out the window and watched a couple walk past the storefront. She stared for a second longer before she hesitantly looked back at the dispenser.

That was strange. It was almost felt like someone was watching her–

The same, perturbing feeling came back and she looked back again but found no one on the other side of the glass.

Her nerves on edge, Cinder impatiently waited for the canister to fill up with gravity dust before ripping it off the nozzle. Hurrying over, she went to grab earth dust from the dispenser further in the back of the store, far from the window. She held onto the second canister, her shoulders hunched and her head buried between them as she tried to fill it up.

Thankfully, that feeling of eyes on her didn’t come back. Not until she was on her last canister.

Just when she thought she was safe, the tension easing from her body and the worry leaving her mind, something small but heavy latched onto Cinder’s back.

Cinder yelped and let go of the canister and stumbled into the dispenser, her head bouncing off of it. She stumbled back and barely managed to stop herself from completely toppling over.

As Cinder held in a scream, she felt a hot breath on her neck and a pair of arms wrapping around her collar. Two legs were curling around her waist and Cinder wondered if she was being assaulted.

“Hey!” Cinder grit her teeth and prepared to activate her semblance, but then the body slipped off of her.

She twirled around and faced her assaulter, a… small girl. No, she was her age, just shorter by a head.

The other teen in front of her was dressed up in a pink, baby doll shirt with white denim overalls and a pair of black combat boots. Her chocolate brown hair was draped down her back, a few locks of it cascading over her shoulders, and some bangs hanging just above her mismatched eyes….

A memory came back to Cinder of a shorter kid throwing herself into a hug around her waist and the fifteen-year-old, raven-haired teen reeled with astonishment.

“Trivia?"

Cinder gasped in abject shock, amber eyes blowing open wide and jaw dropping right to the ground.

Trivia Vanille grinned and grabbed her in another hug, holding her tightly. Laughter bubbled up Cinder’s throat and she held the other teen too, not wanting to let go lest she lose her again.

Her heart swelled and her mind exploded. Elation welled within her, overflowing and filling her to the brim with joy. She couldn’t stop smiling as she pulled the brunette close, feeling completely whole in a way she hadn’t before.

After they separated minutes later, Cinder found herself wiping the wetness from her eyes and struggling to make coherent sounds.

“You’re here! How are you– Where did you–” Cinder combed fingers through her hair and wore an excited grin, not sure how else to express the joy exploding in her heart. “You’re here!”

She gestured with her hands at the smaller teen, who straightened her back and posed, her hands on her hips and her face held high.

Cinder laughed and held her stomach while Trivia held the pose for a few seconds longer.

Eventually, Cinder calmed down, her stomach and sides sore as she wheezed in breaths of air. Trivia smiled happily as she watched her, then pulled out her scroll from her pocket.

<Surprised?> Trivia typed out.

“Yes. Absolutely.” Cinder rubbed her neck as she heaved in deep breaths. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

Trivia blushed and held up her scroll again. <Me neither>

“I tried looking your name up.” She threw out an arm and let it flop back at her side. “The only thing I found was your dad, I think.”

The shorter teen frowned and nodded.

<My dad grounded me. Took my scroll for a bit> Trivia typed out. <No social media. No gaming. Just TV and studying>

Cinder mirrored her frown and crossed her arms. “Sheesh.”

They dwelled in the melancholic atmosphere for a moment longer before Cinder shook off the doom and gloom.

Glancing back, she saw the canister of fire dust had filled up. Grabbing it off the dispenser, she gathered it with the rest and headed for the counter.

“So, what are you doing out here?” she asked as she walked.

Trivia fell into step with her, shrugging her shoulders and lifting her hands in a flippant manner. Then, she pulled out a wallet full of lien and pointed her chin at the bag of clothes hanging off her shoulder.

“Shopping trip?” Cinder asked, depositing her purchase on the counter for the shopkeep to ring up.

Her friend grinned and nodded, then started posing again to show off her presumably recently purchased clothes.

Then, however, Trivia leaned over and poked the scimitars hanging on her waist. Cinder followed her gaze and grabbed one of them by the handle.

“Oh, right. I go to Pharos now,” Cinder explained with a proud smile. “I’m going to be a huntress.”

Triva mimed a gasp, clapping her hands on her cheeks and letting her jaw drop. Cinder giggled at the act, then watched as her friend pulled out her scroll again.

<That’s so cool!> she typed.

“Do you know what’s even better?” Cinder shifted her weight to one hip and put a hand on it. “I won the Vale Regional Tournament.”

Trivia mimed a dramatic gasp again. More giggles bubbled up Cinder’s throat and spilled out of her.

“So, what have you been up to?” she asked a minute later, her sides burning.

The other teen’s face fell, the joy in her sparkling eyes disappearing while her lips fell into a frown. Cinder cast her a worried look as Trivia folded her arms over her chest and looked away, a frustrated look on her face.

A few seconds passed before she typed out her response.

<My dad’s making me study at home> Trivia erased the message after she read it, then typed up a new one. <I have a private tutor because he hates when I go outside>

“Seriously?” Cinder gave a disgruntled noise. “Is he overprotective?”

Well, remembering what happened four years ago, there was a high possibility he was. After learning his daughter was out alone with no chaperone and that she got into a fight on top of getting chased by the police, he must’ve had a heart attack.

Cinder blinked when Trivia shoved her scroll in her face.

<No, he just likes hiding me from everyone>

“What?”

<My parents like keeping their eye on me. Guess I’m a naughty girl>

Trivia struck another pose, this one a little more impish than the last.

Cinder huffed in amusement, but she felt a niggle of worry in the back of her head.

Moments later, they were walking out of From Dust Till Dawn together, both of Cinder’s hands occupied. One of them was holding onto her bag full of dust canisters. The other hand was being tugged along by her friend.

“Hey, where are we going?” Cinder asked, laughing under her breath.

Trivia pulled out her scroll and typed something down before showing her.

<Wanna go shopping?>

Cinder blinked at her, surprised by the invitation.

She almost jumped at the chance immediately to reconnect with the girl she’d met by happenstance four years ago. However, the weight of the bag in her hands reminded her she had places to be. Homework to do.

“Uh, I don’t know.” Cinder rubbed her neck and shifted her feet. “I’ve got to get home here in a bit.”

Trivia’s eyes narrowed and she shot her a sharp look. After folding her arms over her chest, she cocked her hips to one side and huffed at her. And then, she disappeared and was replaced by Cinder herself.

Cinder blinked at her doppelganger, who looked down at herself disapprovingly while she tugged on the simple, tan t-shirt she’d worn to school today.

“What’s wrong with my clothes?” Cinder looked down at herself and then back up at her doppelganger. “And is that your semblance?”

The other her smiled and nodded before she disappeared, swapping places with Trivia.

“You can disguise yourself?” she asked.

Trivia bounced her head between her shoulders and shrugged. Snapping her fingers, she suddenly put on an illusion of another set of clothes, swapped it with a third outfit, and then transformed back into Cinder before turning back to her normal self.

The smaller teen then pulled out her scroll and typed. <We should get you better clothes>

“I think these are fine,” Cinder argued.

Her friend rolled her eyes and then shook her head. She just exhaled and raised her bag of dust.

“Besides,” she argued further, “I don’t have a lot of money on me right now.”

Trivia smirked and typed out on her scroll.

<Don’t worry about it>

Dainty hands grabbed Cinder’s and tugged her in Trivia’s direction. A pleading look appeared in her mismatched eyes and the raven-haired teen tried her best to not cave in. After a few minutes, she ended up texting Glynda.

<Cinder Goodwitch> Hey, Glynda, can I stay out a bit longer?

<Cinder Goodwitch> I want to go buy some clothes.

<Glynda Goodwitch> Cinder, it’s a school night.

<Cinder Goodwitch> I’m just going to one place. Please?

Cinder waited anxiously for a reply and was relieved when another message popped up a minute later.

<Glynda Goodwitch> How long are you going to be out?

<Glynda Goodwitch> And do you have enough lien?

A grin crossed Cinder’s face and she looked at Trivia, who gave her a thumbs-up.

“Just one store, alright?” she stated, pointing a finger at the smaller teen who nodded excitedly.

<Cinder Goodwitch> I’m just going to one store, so I’ll be back before 5. And yes.

<Glynda Goodwitch> Okay, but don’t stay out too late.

“Yes!” Cinder pumped a fist into the air and Trivia grabbed her in another hug right before she pulled her down the street.

The first thing Trivia wanted to try out were shoes, something Cinder had never really given much thought to before. Some people were obsessed with them and she really didn’t know why. Sure some looked cool, but who looked at each other’s feet? However, when Trivia presented her with a pair of heels, Cinder was immediately intrigued. That was until she put them on.

“Am I doing this right?”

Cinder balanced herself precariously, trying not to lean too far forward or too far back. She didn’t want to faceplant on the department store floor or land on her back. She most certainly didn’t want to accidentally snap the heels off either and end up paying for them. Thankfully, she had Trivia there to spot her, although she wasn’t sure if the shorter girl actually knew how to wear heels.

Trivia herself sat on a bench in front of her, giving her a big grin and a pair of thumbs-ups. Cinder returned the smile, albeit a bit hesitantly.

Despite living with Glynda, who wore heels every single day, she’d never showed much interest in them. How did her guardian do this? They were chafing and uncomfortable, she felt like she was going to fall over just by standing in them.

Yet… they also made her taller. Bigger. She felt so much more powerful like she held an air of authority about her. Was that the appeal?

Tentatively, Cinder dropped her outstretched arms and placed her hands on her hips. A few seconds later, she let a smile work its way across her face.

“I think I’m getting the hang of–”

She lifted one foot, lost her balance, tried to find it again and failed, and then ate the floor.

Cinder had a lot more luck on the second try. Learning from her failure, she maintained her balance, and just in case she had Trivia ready to catch her. There was also a department store employee nearby watching them, which didn’t really help but it was good to know someone else would step in.

<Ready?> Trivia asked.

Cinder nodded and quickly put one foot forward. Then another. And again.

After a while, she found her pace, placing one heel in front of the other. She felt triumphant at first, then flushed bright red when she noticed Trivia staring at her hips. They wiggled with every step she took in a way that was far from unnoticeable.

“O-Okay, I think I’m good,” Cinder declared, face warm.

She spent the next couple of minutes watching Trivia pick out some sneakers, which she promptly discarded in favor of heels like Cinder’s. Although, she picked smaller heels that– Wait, had she tricked her into wearing higher heels than her?

Cinder didn’t get much of a chance to dwell on the thought because suddenly she was getting pulled over to the clothing area next. 

Fashion had never been one of Cinder’s strong suits. She enjoyed wearing graphic T’s of things she liked and some name-brand shirts, but she never went out of her way to find her own look. Most of the time, she was just getting what Glynda suggested when they went shopping. This time, however, she had Trivia’s opinion to rely on, and… well, her friend had a different idea of how Cinder should look.

Stepping out of the changing room, Cinder glanced down at the outfit her friend had picked out for her. She’d dressed up in a crimson, v-neck mini dress, the front of which was held up firmly by a strap that wrapped around her neck in a bow, hiding the choker she wore. Golden trimming highlighted the outfit as well as the unattached sleeves that came with it.

A part of her felt uncomfortable with the amount of skin she was showing. Another part of her really liked the amount of skin she was showing. It was both terrifying and liberating in its own way.

On the bench in front of her changing room, Trivia clapped her hands excitedly and smiled at her.

Blushing, Cinder struck an awkward pose for her friend before her embarrassment peaked and she dropped the act.

“It’s nice,” she remarked, tugging at the hem of the skirt and looking down at how the color contrasted with her pale skin, “but I’m not sure if Glynda would approve.”

Her guardian was a wonderful person with a big heart when it came to matters concerning her, but she was also very conservative when it came to what she herself wore and what she approved of Cinder wearing. When they’d gone out shopping a month or so ago, Cinder had picked up a skirt that was just a little too short of Glynda’s approval and her guardian had given her a stern look. She didn’t want to find out how she’d react if she saw her with this.

Exhaling, Cinder looked up and found Trivia giving her an upset look.

“What?” she asked.

The shorter teen pulled out her scroll. <But you look good>

Her face warmed, but Cinder rubbed her neck. “I know, but….”

Trivia rolled her eyes and then shooed her back into the changing room, shoving a couple of items into her arms. Cinder sighed and obeyed, swapping into the next outfit. 

This time, she came out wearing a yellow, v-neck tank top and skinny jeans. It was a little constricting for her lower body, she could barely move her legs. Alternatively, she rolled her shoulders and stretched her arms.

In the mirror, she studied the outline of her figure, rather pleased with how lithe she appeared outside of her loose, baggy t-shirt and jeans. She looked almost like Helia, except taller and… cooler.

An elbow nudged her arm and she looked to her left, finding Trivia standing next to her.

The smaller girl smiled at her, then struck a pose. Cinder raised an eyebrow when Trivia pointed her chin at her. After a few seconds, she realized she wanted her to mirror the pose.

Tentatively, she cocked her hips to one side, taking a dynamic pose. In the corner of her eye, she saw Trivia giving her a once-over with an approving smile.

Turning her amber eyes to her reflection, Cinder watched herself for a moment. Excitement sparked inside of her, a desire to show herself off lighting up like a flame. The more she stared at herself, the more she liked how she looked. She didn’t seem like the timid kid with anger problems at the start of her first year at Pharos, instead, she was… older. Refined. Mature. Hotter.

The corner of Cinder’s lips quirked up. “I like it. A little hard to move my legs in, but… I like it–”

Suddenly, Trivia was draping another, shorter top over her chest. Cinder flushed bright red as the smaller girl scooted up to her, mismatched eyes studying how the clothing draped over her curves.

Trivia snapped her fingers as a lightbulb lit in her head, pulling Cinder from her thoughts. In a matter of seconds, the brunette disappeared from the changing rooms. A few minutes later, she returned with some new clothes, shoved them into Cinder’s arms, and pushed her back into the changing room.

Cinder came back out dressed in a v-neck top, the straps wrapping around her neck like the mini dress before. Added onto it was a smaller, off-the-shoulder top that cut under her left arm and left it bare. The new outfit seemed to be a mix of everything Trivia had forced her to try out, and Cinder looked really good in it.

“Wow.” Cinder took the same pose as before, then dared to create her own dynamic pose, running a hand up her side while letting the other dangle. “…I look hot.”

What would her friends say? What would Glynda say? She wasn’t showing off too much skin unless her shoulder counted. 

Cinder flexed her left arm—her bow arm—watching her muscles tense. It certainly made it easier for her to move with it. She wouldn’t even need to roll up her sleeve to strap on an arm guard–

Without warning, she felt a finger run down her exposed back, right along the curve of her shoulder blade. A squeak escaped the fifteen-year-old as an electric zap surged through her, causing goosebumps to crop up across her skin.

Jumping, Cinder twisted around and found Trivia giggling. The shorter teen flexed her arms and then showed off her back, the muscles underneath barely visible under her clothes as opposed to Cinder’s.

“Yeah, I do archery,” Cinder said, face hot.

She crossed her arms and grumbled, turning her face away from the other girl. Trivia stumbled forward and grabbed her arms, trying to get her to open back up. Cinder feigned anger for a few more seconds before sighing and leveling a glare at her friend.

“Don’t do that again,” she hissed, to which Trivia nodded with an impish smile.

Brushing off her dainty hands, Cinder turned and looked at the mirror again before she made up her mind.

“Alright.” She nodded to herself, then looked over and smiled at Trivia. “I think I’m getting this.”

Trivia grinned and clapped excitedly before she grabbed the clothes she’d been wanting to try on. Moments later, Cinder stepped out of the changing room in her original, baggy clothes, her future purchase in hand. The shorter teen stepped past her with a skip in her step.

A moment later, Trivia reappeared dressed in a white ball gown, a pink lace trim and belt sash helping to make her pop out. The brunette might’ve been a smaller girl with fewer curves than Cinder, but the outfit emphasized that. It played on that charm of hers and made her look cuter like a precious, charming doll. A precious, charming, impish doll.

“Wow,” was ultimately the only word that left Cinder's mouth.

Warmth blossomed on her face again and Cinder looked away, a sudden rush of bashfulness overcoming her. Her heart beat a bit faster and she crossed her legs, discomfort ebbing into the pit of her stomach again.

Trivia strode up to her and bent down, peering into her vision with a smug look on her face. Then, she stepped back and did a spin, her arms spread out and her face beaming as if she really was in a glitzy ball.

Cinder snickered and then exhaled as she checked the time.

“Alright, I think I should get going now.”

Cinder grabbed her gear and her purchase, ready to finally leave. Trivia, however, stopped and pouted again. She grabbed her hand and tried to make her stay, prompting the taller teen to sigh.

“Trivia, I need to go home.”

The girl pulled out her scroll. <Can we at least get some food?>

Cinder sucked in her lips and looked around for the answer to that. After a second, she closed her eyes and breathed in.

“Fine. Just a snack.”

Trivia beamed and rushed back into the changing room. Cinder waited outside, tapping her foot. A long moment passed and she furrowed her brow, then knocked on the door.

“Are you alright in there?” she asked.

The other girl knocked back snippily and Cinder gave an offended look. A second later, Trivia came back out, albeit shuffling a bit in her normal clothes.

Cinder gave her a suspicious look. “Everything okay?”

Trivia nodded and shooed her to take the lead.

Together, they made their way through the department store, heading for checkout. Other customers passed them by, walking down the aisle or heading into the clothing sections. Some security guards moved here and there, glancing around. And there were some employees chatting with people asking for help.

Cinder looked around, giving the store another glance over as she paid for everything. As she did, however, she noticed Trivia adjusting her overalls, tugging on her pant legs.

“Are your pants tight?” she asked while stuffing her purchase into her backpack.

Trivia looked up at her and gave a strained smile then shook her head. Strange.

A security guard walked past them and the smaller teen jumped, stumbling a few steps closer to Cinder. She caught her by the arm before she fell over and an electric jolt surged up the taller teen’s fingers.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Cinder ignored the sudden heat in her stomach. She couldn’t ignore, however, the scent of vanilla coming off of her friend.

“You smell nice,” she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Trivia arched an eyebrow and shot her a confused look. All the blood in Cinder’s body rushed up into her face and she looked away.

When she looked back, Trivia was holding up a bottle of perfume she’d pulled from a bag hanging off her shoulder. It looked like an expensive brand.

“You ladies have a good afternoon,” the security guard at the exit regarded, tipping his hat at them.

Cinder nodded with a small smile, as did Trivia.

They were a ways down the street before Cinder spoke up again, finally managing to swallow down the lump in her throat.

“So, where did you want to eat?” she asked, looking over to find Trivia wearing the same ball gown dress she’d tried on in the store.

Cinder stopped and froze, her eyes wide. Trivia kept going for a few steps then turned and looked at her with a curious face.

Amber eyes stared at the shorter teen for a long moment while the gears turned in her head.

Why was Trivia wearing clothes she didn’t pay for? She took that off in the changing room, didn’t she? She didn’t just magically slip them on after they got outside, right?

“How– Where did you get that?” Cinder asked, tilting her head. “You didn’t buy that.”

Trivia looked down at her ball gown then back up with a smile. She did another jovial spin, but Cinder grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Trivia!” she barked before she glanced around. “Did you steal that?”

Her friend blinked at her, then nodded with a smile.

Cinder’s heart stopped and her chest grew tight. Her stomach knotted and tugged painfully as she took a step back, putting a hand over her forehead.

“What?” she gasped in disbelief. “Why? How?”

Trivia cocked her hips to one side and snapped her fingers. Immediately, her old outfit replaced the ball gown.

“Your semblance?” Cinder balked at her, then grabbed her again. “Trivia, you can’t do that!”

Her friend cocked her head back and shot her an offended look. Cinder narrowed her eyes and let her go.

“We’re taking that back.”

Trivia crossed her arms and shook her head fervently.

“Why not?” Cinder glared daggers at the shorter teen before she wiped a hand over her face and exhaled. “Trivia, I– Come on, take it back.”

Her friend pulled out her scroll then and typed out a response. <Why?>

She glowered at her. “First of all, it’s illegal.”

<I just want to have some fun>

“Fun?” Cinder practically shouted in disbelief. “We could get in trouble for this! Do you want to get caught by the police? Again?”

Trivia glared at her. She didn’t need to type out her answer to make it known: Maybe.

Tension bled into the space between them, thickening the air so much that Cinder could barely breathe. Her chest was tight as she tried to contain all the overwhelming feelings welling in her. Her heart ached at being betrayed like this, lied to and used to help steal something. But Trivia was a friend, probably her first friend in Vale; even if that was only one night running away together and a sudden reunion four years later.

Pain crossed her face and Cinder looked away from the other girl, not sure how she could even look at her again.

“Did you just come find me to help you steal stuff?” she questioned, voice cold.

In the corner of her vision, she glimpsed Trivia’s face fall, the anger in her eyes snuffing out immediately.

The shorter teen walked up and tried to touch her arm, but Cinder pulled it away.

“Stop,” she said, venom dripping from her words. “Trivia, I’m trying to be a huntress. I can’t just steal stuff!”

Mismatched eyes watered and her friend took a step back, hanging her head low. A second passed before she stood up and dug into her bag, pulling out something black….

Cinder’s face became livid when she saw her pull out the pair of heels she’d tried earlier.

“Seriously?” Cinder crossed her arms tightly as Trivia shrunk away from her. “You think giving me something you stole is going to make me forgive you?”

Trivia nodded. Cinder clenched her jaw and looked away.

She took deep breaths, trying and failing to calm down. It was hard though. The pain of betrayal was too great for her to handle. It felt like the first day at the Glass Unicorn and the day she’d gone back to school after Helia had turned the whole school against her. She had enough with people stabbing her in the back and she really wanted to yell at Trivia. She wanted to tell her to go away and that she never wanted to see her again.

But she couldn’t, so Cinder ended up balling her hands into fists and silently stewed in front of the shorter girl.

They both stood on the sidewalk for a long while, the sun getting lower in the background while cars passed by unaware of the situation going on.

Finally, after a torturous eternity had passed, Cinder closed her eyes and exhaled heavily.

“I’m not going to tell anyone about what you did,” she declared, still holding her arms tight around her chest. “But I don’t want to do this with you again, Trivia.”

Something seemed to break inside of the shorter teen at that moment.

Her mismatched eyes watered and then dripped down her face. Her tense shoulders drooped and the hands holding the crimson minidress clutched them tightly. Outrage crossed her face first, but it was followed by an overwhelming look of remorse. She opened her mouth and then closed it, desperately trying to speak her mind even if she couldn’t do that.

Ultimately, without any way to express herself, Trivia ran off. She dashed away, stumbling and almost tripping on her stolen gown, disappearing around the corner.

Cinder watched her go, feeling her own heartbreak as she did. After a little while, she backed up and leaned against a wall, the day’s events weighing down on her–

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?”

Cinder tensed up and looked down the way Trivia went.

Her brow furrowed and moved in that direction, her hand touching the pommel of a scimitar nervously.

Peering around the corner, she spotted Trivia’s diminutive figure, still dressed in her bright white ball gown, backing away from a group of unsavory types—three of them at least. Each one was dressed up in suits, a pair of shades covering their eyes. They all wore scowls though as they cornered the girl.

“You bumped into my friend here,” one of them said. “You going to apologize?”

Trivia shook her head and touched her throat.

Cinder had a brief flashback to the night she fled the Glass Unicorn. The cold dark streets that went on forever without end. The choking atmosphere that deprived her of closure and hope. The thugs who threatened her almost immediately, cornering her just when she'd earned her freedom.

She grit her teeth, anger flooding into her.

“What, cat got your tongue?” one of the thugs said, grabbing Trivia’s wrist.

The shorter teen let out a silent yelp and tried to get her arm free. The other two thugs moved in on her, but Cinder moved faster.

“Hey, let her go!” Cinde shouted, running up to them.

“Who the hell?” the lead thug, a man with red shades, remarked as she came to a stop a few feet away from them. “You friends with this kid?”

Cinder narrowed her eyes and nodded.

“Then you can clear this up for us,” he said, throwing Trivia over to her. “This here’s a fine suit. Cost me a nice four-digit number and your friend dirtied it. You gonna pay for that?”

Fiery amber eyes studied the man and the two other men behind them. One of them had a moustache and the other had a black bowler hat. Shades. Moustache. And Bowler. Three opponents on a backstreet sidewalk, no other pedestrians around.

Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted Trivia hiding behind her and the well-lit street farther back.

“I think we’re just going to leave,” Cinder answered, tapping a hand against one of her scimitars.

The lead thug huffed and eyed the weapons on her.

“You a combat student?” The lead thug tapped a holstered gun on his side. “Listen, I respect you all for defending our grand city, but I gotta let you know, around here it’s us who protect the streets, alright? We keep all the other gangs under control, so if you want to show us some proper respect that we’re deserving, then you can feel free to leave.”

Cinder sucked in a sharp breath and grabbed the handle of her scimitar.

“No.”

The lead thug exhaled and shook his head. “Alright then. Boys, get them.”

Moustache and Bowler moved in on her, but Cinder was faster. She surged forward, unsheathing her scimitars.

They both pulled out handguns but she moved in a serpentine pattern, jumping from one leg to the other until she was close enough to swing. Her weapons came up from her right, slashing upwards and disarming Moustache.

He yelped and stumbled back while Cinder twirled and slashed at Bowler. He managed to dodge away and aim his gun, but then Trivia appeared.

Cinder had to blink for a moment, shocked as her friend threw a punch and hit the man in the side. It was only after the combat student had brought her scimitars down and disarmed the reeling man that she realized Trivia had shattered to pieces, just like that night four years ago.

Glancing back, Cinder spotted Trivia taking a steadfast stand against their assaulters.

Amber eyes met mismatched ones and both teens shared affirming looks. Then, Cinder turned to look at Shades, who exhaled.

“Good work’s hard to find these days.” He unholstered his gun but also drew something out of his pocket that he flicked, extending it into a baton that crackled with electricity. “Last chance, kids–”

Cinder didn’t let him finish, throwing herself forward. In a flash of glinting steel, she caught his baton with both her weapons. He held fast though and pushed her away before training his gun on her.

She steeled herself and activated her aura to take the blow, but Trivia appeared again, strawberry pink hair flowing off her head as she threw a punch and shattered.

Shades stumbled to the side, taken off guard.

“The hell?” he barked, waving his gun at Trivia’s projection that was no more. “Where’d she–”.

Cinder rushed forward again and jumped then spun, swinging her scimitars in a deadly twirl.

Shades tried to hold his own against the onslaught, wielding his baton to block the attack. He managed to stop the first hit, but the second threw the defending arm down. Her third attack, as she spun, made his aura flash and he was forced back.

A shot went off from his gun and it hit her in the shoulder but her aura held and behind his shades Cinder caught his eyes widening.

As he fixed his stance, Cinder took a moment to raise her scimitar up to eye level so she could examine it.

“Amber was right,” she murmured. “These are good.”

“Goddamn brat!”

Cinder focused back in on the fight, striking a fighting pose as Shades charged her with his baton.

She twirled and blocked his first swing with her left sword. Then, when her back was against him, she slashed up and batted away his gun before he could aim at her. Swinging her left scimitar back, she nailed him in the face with the pommel.

Shades stumbled back with a grunt and she spun around to charge him again. However, the sound of cocking guns echoed in her ear.

Looking back, she found Moustache and Bowler back on their feet, training their guns on her.

The real Trivia, with her chocolate hair flying behind her, rammed into Bowler’s side. He lurched forward and Cinder seized that opportunity.

Dashing forward, she dodged Moustache’s shot as well as the second one. She swung her scimitars up and disarmed Bowler again, then kneed him in the face as he continued falling forward.

The man fell to the ground, blubbering something as blood flowed from his broken nose.

Moustache stepped back and then aimed his gun again, but Cinder rushed him.

She tanked another shot from his handgun with her aura, taking the risk of swinging upwards. Acting like scissors, the blades would have sliced off the barrel of the firearm if they weren’t blunted. However, the action was enough for Moustache to flinch and drop his gun.

He stared at his weapon for a moment then met her eyes. Cinder glared at him and the man took off, running down the street.

“Goddammit!” Shades’s face grew redder and he aimed his gun at her. “You stupid brats! You’ll pay for this!”

He pulled the trigger and fired off multiple shots. Cinder tanked one or two of the bullets before she felt small arms wrap around her waist and yank her into the alcove of a building.

Glancing back, Cinder found Trivia shaking her head. The shorter teen held up her hands flat and apart from each other, miming the distance between them and Shades.

She was right. If they tried to rush him, Shades would probably get their aura down before they crossed the gap. Good thing she brought her bow.

Sheathing her scimitars, Cinder slipped her bow off and nocked an arrow.

Briefly listening to the bullets hitting their cover, she tried to gauge the distance between them preemptively before she stepped out of cover.

Glancing at Trivia, she flashed her a reassuring smile.

“You stay here. I got this.”

With that, Cinder took a deep breath and waited until she heard the click of an empty magazine. Then, she stepped out of cover and took aim with her bow.

Shades snapped his eyes up at her with terror and Cinder smirked as she activated her semblance.

Her arrows screeched through the air, cracking and hissing before it screamed and exploded right in front of Shades. He was thrown back and a wall of smoke blocked sight of either of them.

“Alright, let’s go–”

Cinder was cut off when Trivia dashed forward down the sidewalk.

The shorter girl barreled through the smoke and up to Shades as he picked himself up. The thug gawked at the sight of her and Cinder watched as Trivia performed a somersault, kicking the man square in the jaw. Just as she landed gracefully on her hands and feet, another strawberry pink-haired projection of her appeared, rearing back a fist and throwing it to knock the man down for good with an exhilarated grin.

Trivia proceeded to step back, wiping her hands smugly as she turned and faced Cinder.

Cinder leveled a pointed look at her as she stormed up.

“You could’ve gotten hurt!” she hissed.

Trivia narrowed her eyes and slouched, then gestured between herself and Shades’ unconscious body. Then she gave a thumbs-up.

Cinder glanced between them and sighed, wiping a hand over her face.

“Okay, yes, that did look cool.”

The shorter girl grinned. She hopped up and down, throwing her fists into the air–

Both girls froze when they heard the distant clammer of boots on pavement. Their eyes traveled down the street and around a dark corner where a group of men in suits appeared. Dressed similarly to Bowler and Shades, they glanced over at them then one of them pointed a finger. It was Moustache.

“That’s them! Get them!”

“Time to go!” Cinder shouted, grabbing Trivia and pulling her along.

The duo sprinted as fast as they could, Cinder awkwardly slipping her bow back on while Trivia grabbed the bottom of her ball gown and pulled it up to move unhindered.

Whoever was watching them was probably having a laugh as the two teenagers ran for their lives, a mob of gangsters chasing them down.

Running up the way they’d come, Cinder looked left and right, searching for a safe place. No cars were currently on the road, so they didn’t have the comfort of having witnesses. 

Should they go to the department store? Would the gangsters follow them inside? Would they be putting everyone inside at risk?

An elbow bumped against Cinder’s arm and she caught Trivia running in the opposite direction of the store. The shorter teen nudged her head, pointing her chin that way hurriedly. There was a desperate look in her eyes, an urgency and need for her to obediently follow.

Weighing her options, Cinder chose to place her bets on her friend.

Running down the street, they went past two corners before turning on the third into a parking lot. There, Trivia let go of her ball gown and patted herself down before producing a key. She snapped her head left and right before rushing over to a car painted a dull gold with a canvas roof, one of those fancy ones that could fold its roof.

“Is this your car?” Cinder gawked before she furrowed her brow. “Hold on, don’t you need to be sixteen to get a learner’s permit?”

As Trivia unlocked the car, she glanced back at her and shrugged before she jumped in the driver’s seat. She then waved at her to hop in and Cinder obliged, throwing a nervous look over her shoulder.

Climbing inside, Cinder studied the inside of the car. It was immaculately clean save for the Magic Beans coffee in the cup holder, little splatters of the drink staining it. There was also the stupid amount of bags in the back, each one filled to the brim with clothes.

“Did you steal all of that?” She paused, another, more pressing thought popping into her head as she looked over at Trivia, who turned the ignition. “Wait, do you know how to drive?”

The shorter teen just grinned at her and stepped on the gas pedal.

The engine roared and their tires shrieked on the asphalt. Cinder felt her heart almost leap out of her chest as she instinctively pushed herself into the back of her seat, and then grabbed her seatbelt to lock it. Right after, Trivia grabbed the gearshift and put it into drive.

They shot out of the parking lot, narrowly missing a few parked cars on the way, and screeched onto the street.

Cinder’s heart kept racing as they went, both from the adrenaline of running from a gang and also from the fact that Trivia didn’t seem to have a sense of self-preservation as she shot them down the road.

A few seconds passed before a realization struck the taller of the two teens.

“Wait, where’d those gangsters go?” Cinder asked, looking out the driver’s side and passenger’s side windows before she glanced in her side mirror.

After a moment, she realized that a black van was following them. Just after she took note of that, a pair of thugs leaned out of the windows, each gripping handguns.

“Trivia, drive faster!” she screamed as they started shooting.

The shorter teen obliged her, the roar of the engine indicating she’d put the pedal to the metal.

They tore down the street, Trivia taking slight swerves to try and limit the amount of bullets they were taking per second.

“We need to lose them!” Cinder shouted over the thumping of bullets on the car’s chassis.

Trivia seemed to take cue because she suddenly yanked on the steering wheel, turning a corner with a shriek and sending them barreling down through a pair of locked fences. A second later, Cinder realized they were bouncing along wooden planks, now riding on one of the ports lining the river that split up Vale’s districts.

And at the very end of the port was nothing but that river.

“Trivia?” Cinder called panickedly. “Trivia!”

She looked at the shorter girl and found her completely locked into her role as the driver. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, adjusting it every time it attempted to rock to the far right or far left. Her mismatched eyes remained narrowed and focused on the path ahead.

“Hey, Trivia!” Cinder shouted, reaching over to grab her shoulder.

Cinder was stopped, however, by a hand that grabbed hers.

Looking over, amber eyes met another pair of mismatched ones and Trivia’s strawberry-haired doppelganger pointed up at the ceiling. Cinder followed her direction and furrowed her brow, but saw nothing else she could do.

Unsheathing a scimitar, she sliced open the canvas, letting the new flap tear open from the sheer amount of wind rushing past the car.

“What’s the plan?” she asked, looking at Trivia.

Her friend, for the first time, let go of the driving wheel and grabbed a parasol from the back. She then grabbed Cinder’s hand and put it on the handle.

Their eyes met and Trivia grinned. Pure fear flooded into Cinder’s heart, but a spark of excitement coursed through her too.

The message was clear: Just like old times.

Before she knew it, Cinder found herself flying into the air, her aura pouring into the parasol to keep it solid. Trivia was with her, hanging onto the same parasol, her body curled up.

Beneath them, their car sailed off and broke through the metal fencing at the end of the port. It flew off and slammed into the water. Not a second later, the gangster’s car met the same fate, all of the men hanging out of the windows meeting the two teens’ eyes briefly with disbelief before they saw the approaching water.

Moments later, Cinder was on her hands and knees on the wooden floor, heaving in lungfuls of air as her body came down from its adrenaline-fueled high. Her head was buzzing and she could barely tell up from down, but the corners of her lips tugged up as a quiet laugh escaped her.

Next to her, Trivia was on her butt, holding her stomach as she tried to sit up but ended up falling flat on her back. She opened her mouth to let out a silent guffaw, kicking her legs as she laid the back of her hand on her forehead.

Cinder wanted to say something to encapsulate the sheer insanity of what had just happened, but she couldn’t find the words. Instead, she just lay there with her impish friend for a long while, waiting to take control of her body again.

It was around late evening when Cinder and Trivia finally got up, legs wobbly and lungs weak.

“We’re never doing that again,” Cinder wheezed in a hoarse voice, grabbing Trivia’s shoulders to make sure she looked into her eyes.

The shorter teen held a face-splitting grin as she faced her.

As they moved to leave, the sound of splashing reached their ears and both girls stumbled over to the nearest railing to peer down into the water.

The whole group of gangsters were wading below them, trying to catch their breaths too.

Amber eyes met mismatched ones, silently arguing whether they should do something or not. After a second, Cinder cupped her mouth and called out to them.

“You guys going to be okay?”

They waited a second for a reply.

“…Yeah!”

“Okay!” Cinder awkwardly waited a second, not sure how to end the interaction. “Bye?”

She shared a look with Trivia, who nudged her head to say ‘let’s get out of here’.

“So… what a day.”

Cinder rubbed her neck as she looked up at the sky, watching the sun fall and the moon rise. In front of her, Trivia shifted in place awkwardly as she nodded in agreement.

They stood at the airship port, the ship to Beacon ready to take off in a few minutes. The bus ride over had been a little tense, and both of them were unsure whether they should let their guard down or not. Thankfully, it didn’t seem like any police officers or gangsters were after them. The only thing alarming for either of them was when Cinder opened her scroll to find a text from Glynda asking if she was done shopping and if she was on her way home yet.

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Cinder looked down at Trivia and cast her a fond smile.

“It was….” She didn’t want to use the word ‘great’ exactly to encapsulate the day’s events. It was up there though, definitely. “…interesting seeing you again, Trivia.”

The shorter teen blushed and nodded, balancing on the balls of her feet.

Pulling out her scroll, she typed out. <It was fun shopping with you>

Trivia frowned and paled, then typed her message out again. <I mean, it was fun hanging out>

Cinder scratched her head and nodded. “Yeah, it was. Um, sorry for exploding on you.”

<It’s my fault> Trivia typed.

The shorter girl sulked, letting her shoulders slump and head bow.

Guilt bled into Cinder’s heart and she grabbed Trivia’s shoulders, pulling her back up.

“It’s fine, alright,” she said. “Just… try not to do that again. I don’t want to lose you again.”

A grin split Trivia’s face for the umpteenth time today and she nodded vigorously. Then, she retrieved the sole bag she’d apparently hung onto when they ejected themselves from her car.

Awkwardly holding onto her parasol under one hand while digging into the bag hanging off the opposite shoulder, Trivia retrieved something.

Cinder exhaled exasperatedly, recognizing the pair of heels. “Seriously?”

Her petite friend held it out, refusing to take the ill-gotten goods back. Ultimately, the taller of the two relented. 

“Fine.”

Reaching over, she took the shoplifted shoes from her. Their fingers brushed against each other briefly and Cinder’s heart leapt. She felt butterfly wings tickling her stomach and she couldn’t help but tense up, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks.

Quickly, she snatched the clothes away and packed it into her backpack, then pointed a finger at her.

“If I get into trouble for this, so help me, Trivia,” Cinder snapped.

Trivia just held up her face with a cheshire grin and stood on the tips of her toes, acting as innocent as she liked to appear. Her smug face, however, fell into a quizzical one when she found Cinder offering out her scroll.

“Here,” Cinder said, “give me your number so I can make sure you don’t do that again.”

And to make sure they never lost contact like last time.

Trivia’s face lit up and she snatched the scroll from her hand, typing in her number. Cinder proceeded to type hers into Trivia’s.

The first message they shared was: ‘See you later.’

It was past Beacon’s curfew when Glynda heard the door to her apartment open.

She looked up from the stack of papers she was reviewing and found Cinder shuffling inside. Her head bobbed up and down as she tried to keep it up and her feet barely picked up off the ground.

“You were out late, young lady,” Glynda remarked pointedly, watching Cinder walk over and then flop onto the sofa in the living room.

“It was a long day,” Cinder spoke, her voice muffled by the cushioning.

Glynda hummed and eyed the weapons strapped to her. “I see you rented out some equipment from Pharos. Have you figured out what you want to make?”

Cinder remained lying down for a minute before she flopped herself over onto her back. A groan escaped her before she managed to gather the strength to sit up.

Glynda held an inquisitive look as her adopted daughter unsheathed her scimitars and held them.

“…Yeah.” A wistful smile crossed her face. “I think I do.”

She sheathed her sword again then slipped off her bow and quiver. Setting them down, she unbuckled the sheathes on her waist, then zipped open her backpack.

Glynda narrowed her eyes at the red fabric stuffed between notebooks.

“Did you buy something?”

Cinder froze and visibly paled. The huntress narrowed her eyes and steepled her hands with suspicion.

“Uh… yeah.”

Slowly and almost hesitantly, she watched the girl pull out a small top with a single strap.

Near immediately, Glynda’s emerald eyes widened in shock and panic. Her jaw fell slightly ajar and all the motherly instincts in her screamed in alarm.

“Young lady!” Glynda gasped, shooting up. “That outfit is completely inappropriate!”

Cinder winced and shrunk away from her, but then got up and stomped her foot on the ground.

“What, but–”

Glynda pointed down the hall at her bedroom. “You put that in your closet and never take it out!”

“But–” Cinder bit her tongue and bowed her head, letting it sink between her shoulders. “Yes, Glynda.”

Her adopted daughter grabbed her things, tucking her swords under one arm, her quiver under another, and then her backpack and quiver slung over one shoulder. She awkwardly shuffled her way through the living room and down the hall.

As her figure grew smaller, however, a faint thought tickled the back of Glynda’s mind. Something was wrong about this image.

“Wait.”

Cinder froze up, her body going rigid in mid-step.

“Y-Yeah?”

“Didn’t you buy supplies for school? Dust?”

She watched her adopted daughter’s face contort with confusion. Then her amber eyes blew open wide before she smacked her forehead.

“I forgot it!”

As long as Amber had known Cinder, which was technically less than a year, the older, raven-haired girl was an introvert. She was ambitious, but she liked keeping to herself. She kept her head down, wore darker colors, and baggier clothes to hide herself, Getting all the attention from winning the regional tournament hadn’t sat well with her, which had prompted Amber, AC, and Flaire to keep teasing her about it. Yet, at the end of the day, they all understood that the newest addition to their friend group was more of a loner.

So, it was to their immense surprise that Cinder showed up the next day wearing tight-fitting, flashy clothes instead of her usual dark, baggy attire.

“Whoa,” Flaire whistled, seeing their taller friend sashay up to them with a skip to her step.

“What?” Cinder asked, pinching the neckline of the off-the-shoulder top she wore over her sleeveless undershirt.

Amber looked her friend over, feeling a tinge of jealousy as she examined the skinny jeans hugging her slender legs.

“You look… different,” Amber remarked dumbly.

She elbowed AC, wanting to get his opinion. He didn’t answer. She elbowed him again, then looked over at her neighbor to find him staring a little too attentively.

Amber gave him a hard elbow and he straightened up, blushing hard.

“Yeah, what’s up with the new look?” AC asked, rubbing his neck awkwardly.

A smirk crossed Cinder’s face, obvious pride showing on her face as she noticed his flushed countenance.

“I went shopping yesterday with a friend, she thought I could change my wardrobe a bit. It took forever to convince Glynda to let me wear this though.” Cinder walked past them, adjusting the bow slung over her. “Come on, pick your jaws off the ground, we got to get to class.”

In Weapons Crafting class, Cinder was a storm of activity.

While many of the other students were either missing from the classroom because they were testing their weapons on the training fields or sitting at their desks tapping their pencils in frustration, Cinder was busy drafting her weapon’s design. Last night’s events had given her a first-hand experience of what she could do. It had lit a fire in her heart and an itch to make her fantasy into a reality.

Already, she had sketched at least six different concepts for her weapon: a bow capable of becoming dual scimitars.

With the way she had moved last night, sweeping and slashing, she knew that the sword type was the right choice for her. Add on top of that her skill with a bow, she now had the perfect combination. It was just figuring out how to make that combination work was the issue.

“Looks like someone’s lightbulb got lit.”

Amber peered over at her desk, studying the different scribbles on her notebook.

“You liked those swords that much?”

“Yeah.” Cinder smiled, remembering how she’d handled Shades. “I did. Wanna go for a round later?”

Amber smiled at her. “We already agreed, didn’t we?”

At that moment, Ms. Ferric walked up to her desk and took a look at her current designs.

The one she was working on now had the scimitars attaching to each other at the pommels, becoming the iconic shape of a bow. It was ‘simplistic, but effective’ as Amber would say.

Looking up at her teacher, Cinder searched for her approval. Ms. Ferric stroked her jaw and hummed before she locked eyes with her.

“Looking good, kid,” she remarked before tapping on the tips of each scimitar with two fingers. “I have a question, however: Where’s the bowstring?”

Amber eyes blinked then darted down to the missing piece of her weapon.

“Oh….”

Her face warmed while Ms. Ferric chuckled.

“Don’t worry. Rookie mistake.”

Cinder sighed and flipped her pencil over, ready to erase the drawing. However, her teacher pressed a finger to the page again, stopping her.

“Hold on, we can still make this work,” she said, backing up before glancing at a cabinet nearby. “I might have something here that’ll help.”

Ms. Ferric walked over and opened the cabinet, sifting through it until he found a box. Then, she returned and opened it for her and Amber to look into.

There was a canister of dust inside colored a bright, cyan blue. With it were a few pieces of tech Cinder didn’t recognize.

“How far are you kids in Dust Studies?” Ms. Ferric asked, setting the box down on Cinder’s desk before plucking out one of the devices in the box. “They teach you about Hardlight Dust yet?”

Cinder shook her head but Amber shrugged.

“Read about it, never used it,” her friend stated before she leaned over and took a closer look. “Is that…?”

“Hardlight dust,” the bat faunus answered with a nod. “Pretty rare stuff. Kinda expensive, but it lasts.”

She tossed up the device in her hand, flipping it end over end before she caught it and set it down on Cinder’s notebook, specifically on the tip of a scimitar.

“If you’re looking to keep the design, then I suggest putting some projectors here and here, then a switch in the pommels,” she declared confidently. “When you combine your swords, the switch’ll make the projectors connect and create the bowstring from hardlight.”

Cinder blinked as she pictured the concept in her mind.

She swung her scimitars, flourishing them before she combined them at the pommels. Tiny projectors on the ends of each blade—maybe along the flat side of the heads—shot out light that hardened into a thin string.

“On top of that,” her teacher continued as her finger moved to tap on the hilt of each sword, “I’d add some rotary gears in the hilts, have ‘em activate with the switch so you get some draw strength in there.”

Cinder reached over with her pencil and scribbled in the notes. She nodded her head along as Ms. Ferric tacked on more tips and tricks on weapons crafting. All the while, Amber pointed at a few things here and there too.

A few minutes later, Cinder was staring at her first real design with a smile.

“Hey, and don’t forget,” Ms. Ferric remarked as she backed away to help someone else, “no real weapon’s finished without a name.”

Cinder nodded at her and then stared at the image of her future weapon.

Chapter Text

<Trivia Vanille> Yeah, you can relax. My dad okay'd us with the police, so we’re not in trouble.

<Cinder Goodwitch> How did he do that?

<Trivia Vanille> He's the city manager, he can do stuff like that.

<Trivia Vanille> I think.

<Cinder Goodwitch> Are you sure? Is that even legal?

<Trivia Vanille> Relaaaxxx. It's fine.

<Trivia Vanille> Do you want to tell your mom we fought a couple of gangsters and broke the speed limit?

<Cinder Goodwitch> Ugh. Fine.

<Cinder Goodwitch> Let's just not do all of that again.

<Trivia Vanille> No promises.

<Trivia Vanille> jk I’ll try not to.

<Cinder Goodwitch> You better.

Cinder sighed and closed her scroll, setting it face down on her desk. She squeezed her eyes shut and sucked in a deep breath, letting her frayed nerves finally cool.

After getting home that night, she'd stayed up till morning fretting over whether the police would identify and report her backstreet fight with Trivia and the subsequent car chase. They never did, but she remained on edge, tiptoeing around and jumping whenever Glynda got a call on her scroll. Now, though, it was relieving to know she wasn't going to get caught.

“What is it?”

Cinder glanced over at Amber, who chewed on a spoonful of macaroni.

“Nothing,” she shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

She wasn't too keen to talk about how she broke multiple laws the other day.

Amber gave her a daring look, less out of suspicion and more out of a desire to tease her. Having learned that game, Cinder put on a smirk and challenged the brunette to interrogate her. A few seconds later, her friend rolled her eyes and swallowed her lunch.

Snickering, Cinder glanced across the lunch table to check on the rest of their group. AC was busy slurping up a cup of ramen, having complained all morning about missing breakfast. Meanwhile, Flaire was poking her notebook absentmindedly, still struggling to come up with a weapon name.

“Hi, Cinder!”

Amber eyes blinked and Cinder looked up, spotting two girls walking past her lunch table.

“Oh, hey!” She smiled and waved back while trying to match their faces to their names. “…Alondra? Jay?”

One of the girls gave her a thumbs-up, then both giggled to each other as they headed further into the cafeteria. Cinder held her apprehensive smile for a bit longer before bowing her head with a relieved sigh.

She was getting a little better at remembering names.

Cinder’s social life had taken a turn since her outing with Trivia. Well, times had already been changing well before that given her rise in popularity after winning the regional tournament. However, back then she'd tried to stave off the inevitable socializing, backing out of interactions or mumbling under her breath. Now, though, she was embracing the spotlight.

She was greeting people back. She was actively initiating conversations. Steadily, Cinder was getting better at being sociable. In a way, it felt like she was getting better at being her —the popular and beloved huntress she yearned to be.

People sought her out now, they gazed and gawked at her in the halls. She reveled in the attention and she’d brag about it to her friends. They, of course, scoffed or teased her about it depending on the day and the interaction. Either way, their motley crew only grew more tight-knit as time passed.

Cinder would chat with Amber and AC in the morning during homeroom, and then they’d all meet up with Flaire during lunch. Some of them shared classes, so they’d get to buddy up or at least share a few words before tuning into their instructor’s lecture. They would talk about a variety of things, ranging from the latest movie in a blockbuster franchise to how miserable their last assignment was.

Thankfully, despite her troubled past and secluded upbringing in Glynda’s care, Cinder picked up fast on the topics her friends brought up: Movies. Games. Social media. Current events. Admittedly, there were a few things she did have a little trouble comprehending now and again, but Amber or AC could help her understand them.

The only thing Cinder couldn’t make heads or tails of however was Amber and Flaire's fixation with Blaine Fairlocke.

As if on cue, Cinder noticed both of the aforementioned girls giggle excitedly. Across the cafeteria, Blaine himself, a golden-haired teen with fair skin and a circle of friends, laughed at something one of his tablemates said. He rubbed his neck and guffawed, rousing a chorus of laughter from his companions.

Amber and Flaire’s faces visibly flushed and they tore their eyes off him before he noticed. Cinder rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Ugh,” she gagged.

She’d seen and heard about Blaine before, mostly from Helia’s gossip last semester and a few times they crossed paths in the halls. He was a good shot with a gun and was apparently pretty good at handling dust too. Somehow, that compelled her classmates to crowd around him and sing his praises.

Generally, everyone liked him. Cinder hated him.

How mister goody-two-shoes was so beloved she didn’t know, but it rubbed her the wrong way.

Suddenly, Cinder noticed earthen brown eyes shooting her a sharp look. Looking over, she found Amber huffing indignantly.

“You just don’t get it.”

Amber and Flaire rolled their eyes at them. Cinder gave her an aloof look while AC chuckled to himself, too busy enjoying his lunch to care.

“Yeah, I don’t.” Cinder drawled before picking up her sandwich and taking a bite out of it. “You guys keep staring at him. It’s kind of creepy.”

AC nodded and hummed in agreement, more out of deriving joy from annoying his friends than genuine disdain.

“He’s cute!” Flaire whined, managing to keep her voice low despite the excitement in her voice.

Both of Blaine’s admirers stole looks at the blond teen again. They grew grins and Cinder rolled her eyes again too.

“I don’t see it.”

“Well, I’m sorry you have no taste,” Amber scoffed, folding her arms tight over her chest.

At that, Cinder shot her a glare. A smug smirk crossed the brunette’s face.

“I have taste!” Cinder blurted out, sitting up and putting her hands on her hips.

“Do you really?” Flaire teased.

“Probably bad taste,” Amber snickered.

Cinder growled and crossed her arms. “Why am I friends with you guys?”

Both girls grinned tauntingly at her. Cinder scowled and got up from her seat, prompting both the brunette and blonde to shrink back. A smile crossed her lips and she tipped her nose up in victory, eliciting frustrated groans from her friends.

It was at that point that AC intervened, holding up his hands high.

“Alright, calm down, girls,” he said with a chuckle. “Blaine’s pretty, we get it, but I’m trying to eat here and you’re ruining the vibes.”

They all looked at him, then back at each other. After a tense second passed, all three girls shrugged and poked at their food. Although, Cinder pointed two fingers at her eyes and then pointed them back at her friends jokingly. Amber and Flaire laughed at that, but they both stole another look at Blaine across the cafeteria, at which point they made eye contact with Blaine and his friends.

Both girls turned bright red and ducked back down. Cinder, however, cast a disinterested look across the cafeteria at their object of affection.

Blaine flashed her an embarrassed smile and waved. Cinder rolled her eyes and went back to eating her food.

Two months or so into the semester, Cinder finished drawing the blueprints for her custom weapon. She finished and submitted it with Ms. Ferric's approval just after Amber and before Flaire, the brunette having already known what she wanted and the redhead having been stuck working out the kinks in her idea.

Disappointingly, none of them could get their hands on the final products until near the end of the year. It would take time for the foundries forging the custom parts of their weapons to make them and then ship them to Pharos. Until then, the entire second-year class had to make do with mockup versions of their desired armaments; not that it hindered Cinder's performance in combat training.

“That’s game!”

The tip of Cinder’s scimitar hovered a few inches from Flaire’s neck. The redhead sat on the ground, hands in the air and backed into a metaphorical corner. Nearby, Mr. Hide had his hands on his hips and a small approving smile on his face. Just behind him, the rest of their class sat on benches or the ground along the fence, watching the sparring session.

“Good work, Goodwitch!” Mr. Hide shouted, clapping his hands. “Nelson, watch your footing! Trippin’ over yourself’s gonna get you in trouble!”

“Yeah. Yeah,” Flaire grunted as she got up, wiping gravel off her butt, “I know.”

Cinder snickered as she flourished her blunted scimitars and sheathed them. Nearby, a few students watched her with interest. Flaire also seemed to notice because she looked over her mock weapons, a pair of gauntlets with retractable blades.

“Show off.”

Cinder graced her with a smug smile. Flaire groaned and walked off to go sulk next to AC, who greeted her with a thumbs-up. He then offered those thumbs-up to Cinder and she gave him a slight bow back.

“Alright, let’s see here,” Mr. Hide called out, holding up a clipboard, “Cinder, how’re you doin’? Need a break?”

Cinder shrugged and took a second to breathe in, then out. Her match with Flaire had been short, the redhead unprepared to match her ferocity. Swordsmanship had been one of the few things she’d excelled at in Pharos after all, the tournament was practically where she’d premiered that skill.

Swallowing, Cinder wet her lips and bounced on her feet before she gave Mr. Hide a thumbs-up.

“I can go another round!”

“You sure?”

She nodded.

“Aight! Let’s see who hasn’t gone up then….” He flipped through a couple of pages on his clipboard, muttered quietly to himself, and then snapped his head over to the class. “Fairlocke, you ready?”

Cinder perked up at the name and searched the crowd before she locked onto the golden-haired teen scratching his neck.

“Ready as I can be, Mr. Hide,” Blaine remarked, getting up and rolling his shoulders.

She sighed in exasperation as Blaine walked onto the field. Then, she gave him a once-over as he stretched before she put on an unimpressed look. Cinder still didn’t get it. He looked like every other lanky novice at the academy.

“Hey, good luck.”

Blaine flashed her a smile as he unsheathed his sword. Cinder sniffed and flourished her scimitars.

“Keep it. You’re gonna need it more.”

Concern crossed his face and Cinder smiled at him, relishing the fear in his eyes.

“Alright, take positions!” Mr. Hide instructed. “Three. Two. One. Fight!”

The match lasted the whole of five minutes.

Blaine was good with a gun but was weak with a blade. He could block well, but his footwork was amateur at best and he could barely keep up with her. To be fair, however, everyone had trouble keeping up with her, given that she'd picked up a lot of experience from the tournament.

In a storm of blunted steel, Cinder had forced her opponent back and then danced around him. She cut him down to size with a string of attacks before she disarmed him. By the end of the fight, he was on his butt and nursing a number of bruises.

Cinder allowed herself to smile, seeing him brought so low.

“And that's game!” Mr. Hide barked from the sidelines. “Reel it back in, Cinder!”

She glanced at their teacher and then sheathed her scimitars. Blaine hissed and rubbed his elbow, his aura shimmering before gently fading. He got up slowly, grunting as he climbed back onto his feet. Although, he paused halfway and sighed while he crawled over to his sword nearby.

Cinder put her hands on her hips and watched him, relishing the sweet feeling of victory.

“Hey.” Blaine looked over at her, walked over, and then extended his hand. “Good match.”

Cinder stared at it with a frown, then gave him a suspicious look.

“Uh huh,” she replied dismissively as she grabbed the hand and shook it.

He gripped her hand tightly, but his hands were surprisingly smooth unlike hers. A little soft too.

As he let go of the handshake, Cinder couldn’t help but notice how slender his fingers were as they traced over her knuckles–

“Alright, get back over here, you two!” Mr. Hide called, prompting them to jump. “We got a lot more of you kids to go through!”

Their teacher waved his clipboard at them and the duo immediately headed back. Cinder took long strides, trying to hurry over to AC and Flaire. Blaine fell behind, struggling to slide his sword back into its sheathe. After a few seconds, he quickened his pace and appeared in the corner of her vision.

Cinder tried to ignore him, but she noticed him stealing glances at her until he opened his mouth.

“You know, I was at the tournament.” There was admiration on his face as he grinned at her. “You did great.”

She sucked in a deep breath, feeling her stomach tug abruptly. Elation blossomed in her chest at being acknowledged and praised. It also came with a sudden feeling of discomfort, like she was being watched from all angles.

Eyes piercing her mask, waiting to see her stumble and fall. The prelude to laughter at her expense. Such a cold, dreadful feeling that clashed turbulently with the warmth of recognition and respect.

“I know,” Cinder sniffed and shrugged, turning her flushing face away from him, “I won.”

In the corner of her eye, she saw Blaine visibly wince at being brushed off.

“I, uh, really liked the move you pulled off in the final round. When you made your sword explode?”

Butterflies kissed her insides. “Mmhm.”

Cinder veered away from him before he could get another word out, beelining for her friends. The farther she got from Blaine, the faster her discomfort eased away. Before long, the only feeling left was an upset roil in her stomach.

Somewhere further down the line of students, she saw Blaine sit down with his friends. They blabbered something to each other and laughed. Then, however, the golden-haired boy looked over and briefly locked eyes with her.

She scowled and tore her eyes away from him. Crossing her arms, she sat down next to AC and exhaled heavily, forcing herself to relax. Unfortunately, she failed.

“You get another fan?”

Cinder shot AC a glare. Her friend leaned away from her, reeling from the intensity of the look.

“Whoa!” AC held up his hands diplomatically. “Easy.”

She eased her furrowed brow and narrowed eyes, almost giving him an apologetic look. Then, she instinctively doubled down, glaring at him harder before she placed her chin in her hands, slouching forward with a groan.

Cinder sat through the rest of swordsmanship training with a scowl.

She encountered Blaine a few more times over the next couple of days. They barely interacted. Well, she barely made an effort to. Blaine would flash her a smile or give her a brief greeting. She would just make eye contact and then brush him off, too busy dealing with the swarm of butterflies in her stomach whenever they were near each other. And they were near each other a lot.

Even though Pharos had multiple classes to divvy up the huge influx of teens aspiring to become huntsmen they received every year, Cinder somehow found herself sharing several of those classes with Blaine. Math. History. Language. And that also didn’t count the combat-oriented courses too, swordsmanship being the one she noted and dreaded the most.

She didn’t get the opportunity to spar with him again, but she did get to see him duel other students. His form was novice and it frustrated her when he got knocked down.

Cinder bore a deep scowl as she scratched at her notebook with her pencil. Near the front of the classroom, Mrs. Bekke was reading a quote from some Vacuan novel. In the desk to her right, Amber was scratching in her notebook too, except there was a notable rhythm as she wrote down notes.

Tragically, Cinder’s head was too much of a muddled mess for her to pay attention. She didn’t have the energy to listen to Mrs. Bekke recite some fancy words from an old book or write down something important for the upcoming quiz. The only thing she had energy for was doodling in her notebook, sloppily drawing out her thoughts on the borders of her pages.

She’d sketched out loose interpretations of Glynda’s emblem, hoping to recreate the iconic image that her guardian wore on her cape.

She’d also tried sketching out the icon she wanted to wear when she became a huntress, starting with her scimitars crossed into an x, then her bow pointed upwards with three arrows spreading out above it. She’d tried using the bow to create the top half of a heart with her blades framing the bottom half of the shape, but it just didn’t feel right.

Her doodles transformed from there into simplified blueprints of her custom weapon, little recreations using primitive shapes and disproportionate polygons.

Eventually, her drawings devolved into random thoughts penned down in visual form. Memories of the Glass Unicorn brought forth into messy scribbles. Significant monuments at Beacon she paid poor homage to. And then… well….

Cinder stared at the poor portrait of Blaine she’d sketched out. It was nothing more than an oval with some extra ovals on top to represent his hair. A pair of dots represented his eyes and two lines signified his nose and mouth.

It was a terrible job, but she’d just felt the urge to define his features on paper after a question had popped into her head: Was the curve of his face as smooth as she thought it was?

“Is that supposed to be a face?”

“No!” Cinder blurted out, her voice cracking while she slapped a hand over her drawing.

Next to her, Amber jumped with a squeak, her knees banging under her desk. The sound of their freak-out echoed through the classroom, causing everyone to look in their direction.

At the front of the room, Mrs. Bekke wore a deep frown. “Girls?”

Amber buried her head between her shoulders, trying to shrink down small enough to hide from the judgmental looks. Cinder herself looked down and away, unable to meet their teacher’s eyes. After a second, however, she mustered the courage to apologize.

“S-Sorry,” Cinder whimpered out, flushed bright red.

Mrs. Bekke regarded them with a look of disapproval before she went back to reading out of the book. The moment she looked away, Cinder turned her head to give Amber a furious glare for embarrassing her. The brunette offered her an apologetic smile and leaned over her notebook again. However, her earthen brown eyes remained locked onto the drawing.

A little while later, Amber whispered to her, “You didn’t answer the question.”

Cinder growled lowly, just loud enough for her friend to hear. Amber snickered and leaned over inconspicuously to peer at her desk. Unfortunately for her, Cinder had already turned to the next page, now actively taking notes.

Of course, that wouldn’t deter Amber’s nosy personality. That was a fact Cinder knew, so after a few seconds she muttered back angrily, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No, you do,” the brunette teased.

Cinder shot her a sharp look. Amber grinned at her.

“It was nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Cinder hastily scribbled down something Mrs. Bekke had written on the whiteboard. “Now, drop it.”

“Hey, you know me!” Amber chirped quietly. “If someone says ‘it's a secret’, that means I've gotta find out what it is.”

“You really don’t.”

Amber just flashed her another grin which elicited an eye roll from Cinder.

For the rest of the day, so long as they shared the same room, the brunette would not stop bugging her about the drawing. She peppered her with questions, never letting up. Even during Hand-to-Hand, she was yammering while dodging and throwing hits; she left class a bit bruised.

Still, though, Amber persisted.

“Come on, you’re killing me here, Cinder!”

Amber draped herself over Cinder’s shoulder, who unceremoniously pushed her off. Across the lunch table, Flaire watched them curiously and AC played with his scroll while eating.

“What’s going on?” Flaire asked before taking a bite of her chicken quesadilla.

Cinder grunted and Amber glared at her, probably hoping that if she bore a hole in her head she could peer into it.

After a while, Flaire turned to AC for answers. He glanced up from his scroll at her, then back down to it before sighing.

“Cinder drew something in her notebook during class,” he relayed. “Amber being Amber wants to know why she drew it.”

“She won’t tell me!” Amber whined, acting like she’d gone weeks without water.

“It was nothing,” Cinder groaned. “I was just drawing because I was bored !”

She shot Amber a glare to emphasize her claim. Earthen brown eyes narrowed but her friend ultimately relented, scooting into her seat and crossing her arms. Across the table, Flaire snickered and chewed on a french fry.

“Dude, you never change.” Flaire swallowed, but then an impish glint shined in her eyes. “You know what, Cinder? Back when we were what? Five? Six?” She looked at AC, who shrugged. “When we were kids, Amber fully believed in aliens.”

Cinder blinked at her in confusion. “What?”

Next to her, Amber visibly paled, her eyes blowing open wide and any sign of composure slipping away. Immediately, she jumped to her feet and leaned over the table, trying to shout in the redhead’s face.

“Flaire, shut up!”

“Oh my God, are we telling this story?” AC chuckled, fully setting down his scroll. Amber reared her head at him, but he held up a finger before she could open her mouth. “No. No. No, Amber, you’ve been bugging Cinder all day, she gets to hear about this.”

The brunette sat down and buried her face in her hands, blushing profusely. Cinder got a rise out of that, openly giggling for a second before she looked at the other two teens at the table.

“So, what were you saying?” Cinder asked, a delighted smile on her face.

Flaire looked at AC, who cleared his throat and sat up straight.

“So, we’re, like, six-ish? Yeah, six, because I had my growth spurt and kept making short jokes about you guys!” He burst out into laughter while Flaire glared and Amber moaned pathetically. “But, anyways, one night Amber sees a bunch of lights in the woods right next to our village. She, being Amber, sneaks out of her house to go investigate and she sees someone leave.”

Cinder arched an eyebrow and looked at Amber. Her friend sulked, clearly reliving the experience in her head.

“She was shouting about aliens for a month,” Flaire added, pointing a french fry at the brunette. “She kept saying there were aliens in the woods and she saw one. Then her mom made a joke that she was going to get abducted–”

“And– And for the entire next month, she thought she was actually going to get taken,” AC interjected with an uncontrollable laugh, “Amber was– She was so scared that– Ahem! She kept saying she was going to get abducted, so whenever someone at school saw her they’d shout ‘Amber Alert!’”

AC and Flaire burst into guffaws, slapping the table and doubling over. The story and the comical mood prompted Cinder to join them, laughter spilling out of her mouth as she thought about the brunette running around frantically yelling about aliens stalking her. All the while, Amber moaned loudly, covering her head with her hands.

They cackled for a long while, tormenting their nosey friend as retribution for all her badgering. AC and Flaire kept bringing up specific moments from the past to enlighten Cinder, who kept asking for more details. Amber begged them to stop, whimpering as they dug up her dirty laundry.

As they neared the end of lunch, they slowed down.

“You guys are the worst,” Amber grumbled while wearing a pout.

AC flashed her a flippant smile while Flaire let out a few final giggles, holding her sides. Cinder herself heaved in deep breaths, calming herself down from the jubilant high she’d been on.

She was thankful for the distraction. She really did need a laugh after suffering through the past couple of days. Speaking of which….

Cinder couldn’t help but glance over at the table Blaine and his friends usually occupied. They were there now, chatting and laughing amongst themselves. Every so often, she got a clear look at the object of her aggravation.

The curve of his face actually was that smooth….

Butterflies kissed her insides and Cinder tore her eyes off of him. She sucked in a deep breath and pressed a hand over her stomach, feeling it tug uncomfortably. At the same time, a thought tickled the back of her head, a foreboding realization threatening to shake the foundations of her personal identity.

Glynda’s perception of Cinder had changed since her victory in the Vale Regional Tournament.

Needless to say, seeing her daughter win the entire tournament was a boost to her own pride. The little girl she’d found so long ago had become a bright adolescent who was well on her way to achieving her dream. As a teacher, she was exuberant at the progress Cinder had made. As a mother—even if only in writing—she was over the moon.

That day in the arena, she’d acted rather unprofessionally in front of Ozpin. Grabbing his scarf, shaking him, excitedly yammering about how that was her little girl in the spotlight… He had yet to stop teasing her about that.

All of that said, since the tournament, Glynda had been keen on seeing her daughter’s progress in person.

“Good footwork! Keep your eye on me!”

Glynda waved the Disciplinarian about, using it as a focus for her semblance as she sparred with Cinder. Across from her, Cinder dodged a large rock barrelling toward her, dodged a second one, and then she swung about, empowering her scimitars with aura so they didn’t shatter when she deflected a third stone.

They occupied one of Beacon’s sparring rooms, the facility designed exactly for what it was named after. She often insisted on coming here weekly, wanting nothing more than to keep Cinder’s skills sharpened and to see her skills up close. She hadn’t been disappointed in her daughter yet.

A few more minutes passed as she tested Cinder’s agility, watching her dodge and weave. As headstrong and stubborn as the adolescent was, she was nimble and adept in her movement. Maybe it was the years she’d spent under her stepmother’s abuse, years spent lurking and scurrying that let her be so light on her feet; or perhaps she was simply a natural.

Either way, Cinder lent her lithe figure and graceful movement to her fighting style. Her scimitars in hand, she sliced open stones or directed them away from her. 

Glynda couldn’t be prouder; but of course, as the stern instructor she was, she hid her smile and offered Cinder only a content look. 

“You did well.” Glynda clipped the Disciplinarian to her boot as Cinder approached her, sweating and panting. “But you could do better.”

The huntress stood tall and unwavering like a statute, quietly informing the combat student that she would give no further praise. Cinder, in turn, gave her an aloof look, clearly knowing that Glynda was trying to goad her into trying harder. They had played this game for several years now of course.

Recently, though, Cinder had begun acting a little more… sardonically.

“What? But that’s impossible, I’m already the best in the world,” Cinder remarked with a sly smile.

Glynda frowned, displeased with the arrogance her daughter showed. Even if it was all for show, she’d rather Cinder be more humble.

Sighing, the deputy headmistress dropped her instructor’s mask and revealed the motherly face that hid beneath.

“Yes, the best in my world ,” she snipped back, walking over to the bench where their towels and drinks were held, “but most certainly far from the best in the real world.”

Glynda hid the pleased look that crossed her face when Cinder pouted.

Moments later, they were seated together, taking a well-deserved rest. Glynda sipped from her water bottle idly as she checked her emails, expecting a purchase order from Mulberry to give the okay for. Beside her, Cinder gulped down her bottle and then chewed absentmindedly on a snack bar. She seemed lost in thought, debating on something important to her.

Maybe she was wondering if her friends could come over during winter break?

If that was true, then the huntress would allow it. Cinder had certainly earned more freedom, given her successes and her triumphs.

Her victory at the regional tournament had been the talk of… well, everywhere. Beacon. Pharos. Vale itself. Glynda had received congratulatory emails and verbal praise from across the kingdom and beyond. James had called her himself when he’d heard, and they’d talked into the night about how proud she was of her adopted daughter.

A smile crossed her face again, the millionth of a million.

“Glynda?”

Emerald eyes blinked and glanced over at the mentioned prodigy.

“Yes, Cinder?” Glynda answered with a smile.

She took a long drink from her bottle to wet her dry lips as Cinder squirmed on the bench.

“I think I’m in love.”

Glynda spat out her water, hacked out what bit of it she’d accidentally breathed in, and beat her chest to clear her windpipe.

“I-I’m sorry?” she blurted out frantically, scrambling to gather her composure. “What was that, Cinder? I think I misheard you.”

In love? Surely not! Most definitely she had misheard.

Cinder flushed bright red and looked away out of embarrassment. “I think I love someone.”

Glynda paled, her blood running cold. She felt dread flood the pit in the bottom of her stomach, welling up high. At the same time, a sudden, overwhelming feeling of unpreparedness washed over her, dousing her with a reality she had thought about before but hadn’t fully expected.

“I, uh….” Glynda flapped her lips like a fish out of water. “I….”

Cinder watched her, waiting for an answer. A solution. Glynda swallowed and glanced around, searching for that answer. After several seconds had passed, she mustered the strength and resolve to offer one herself.

“Well, I don’t think you’re in love, Cinder.” She got up, clasped her hands, and paced in front of the bench. “Uh… You see when you’re in love with someone, you can’t live without them.” She scratched her head, digging under her blonde locks. “It’s… a very serious relationship.”

She presented her adopted daughter with a trepidatious smile, hoping beyond hope that she understood what she meant with that meager remark.

Cinder stared at her for a moment, face still flushed bright red. Then, she looked down at the ground and squirmed self-consciously.

“Well, I like someone,” she confessed.

Glynda hummed, satisfied with the more palatable declaration. Not by much, but it was much better than hearing her fifteen-year-old daughter say she was in love.

After clearing her throat, Glynda took a deep breath and addressed her stiffly, “Is it a classmate?”

The teen couldn’t seem to bring herself to look up and instead nodded affirmingly. Her head sunk between her shoulders as she did, the raven-haired girl slowly withering away out of sheer embarrassment.

Glynda stroked her jaw as she tried to figure out what to do. First and foremost was consoling her, having a school crush wasn’t something to be ashamed of. God only knew how many Glynda had at her age. Second, she needed to find out who this boy was. Was he the same year as Cinder? Or was he older? Oh God, had they kissed yet–

Wait… She’d never given Cinder the talk.

The huntress paled drastically, the realization dawning on her.

Did she need to? Cinder was far more mature than anyone her age. She’d most certainly known what sex was already, if not from the online science and health courses she’d taken then from working at the Glass Unicorn as a child. There was no way she could’ve avoided the topic till now. Yet….

Glynda cleared her throat and sat down on the bench again. It took her a moment to work up the courage to address her daughter, and another moment to wet her chapped lips.

“I realize now that I’ve never had ‘The Talk’ with you, Cinder,” Glynda spoke hesitantly, voice wavering ever-so-slightly.

Cinder visibly paused, then looked up at her with a baffled look. “‘The Talk?’”

“Y-Yes.” Glynda darted her eyes away, her cheeks dusted pink. “‘The Talk’… about sex.”

Cinder’s eyes narrowed and her baffled face turned into an offended one.

“Glynda, I know what sex is.”

“Oh thank God,” she breathed in relief. That cut out the first half of ‘the Talk.’ That just left the second half. “But, still though, I feel I should have the conversation with you because, well, you’re growing up and you’ll… feel some urges–”

“Glynda!”

“You look terrible.”

Amber watched Cinder, who lay sprawled over her desk. Bags hung under her dead eyes, exhaustion scribbled all over her face.

“I got ‘the Talk,’” she mumbled.

Amber raised an eyebrow. “The Talk?”

Hyper Cognition kicked in instinctively.

What talk? She was talking about something specific. Something she thought she knew. A generalized kind of ‘talk.’ What kind of talk did kids get? Teenagers specific–

“Oh,” Amber vocalized, cheeks darkening. “You just now got that?”

“I didn’t need to,” Cinder groaned, “but Glynda insisted.”

The brunette snickered to herself before reaching over and rubbing the other girl’s back consolingly. The ravenette’s face pinkened as she grumbled something and then buried her face in her arms.

They sat together in Aura Training, the classroom mostly empty. She and Cinder had arrived early along with a small gaggle of their peers, grabbing the best seats in the room. There was still plenty of time before class started, which meant there was plenty of time to chat.

“So, any idea on what to call your semblance yet?”

Amber tilted her head and watched Cinder sigh.

“No,” the ravenette groaned. “Not for my weapon. Not for my semblance.”

“What about ‘Burning Hands?’”

She got a dirty look.

“Seriously?”

“I'm just pitching ideas,” Amber reasoned. “What about ‘Burning Touch?’”

Cinder rolled her eyes. Amber frowned, crossed her arms, and sniffed. She was as prickly as ever. Maybe more so.

“…I've been thinking about ‘Molten Palms.’”

She glanced over, watching Cinder heat up her palm.

“That kind of works.”

“It's missing something,” Cinder agreed, closing her hand. “How did you come up with your name?”

“It was easy.” Amber poked her temple. “‘Hyper Cognition’ means fast mind. Loosely. And you know me. Always curious. Always figuring things out. Whether I like it or not.”

Cinder sniffed, probably still miffed about getting interrogated the other day. Amber flashed her an apologetic smile.

“What about AC and Flaire?” Cinder asked.

“AC got it from playing video games.” Amber snickered and elaborated, “I mean, he got inspired. ‘Titan’s Cuirass’ was an item from a game he played. It sounds pretty fitting for a guy who can use his aura to make himself a giant suit of armor.”

She recalled the first time AC had used his semblance. They’d been messing around in his house together when he’d wrapped himself up in aura, hardening it into an exterior shell that pushed outward. Before long, he was twice his size and busting open the ceiling. His parents had not been happy.

“And Flaire, well, kind of self-explanatory.”

Amber smiled wistfully, remembering when the redhead announced the super cool name she’d picked. She’d used it in the middle of school, bursting into flames that neither burnt her clothes nor her skin. Although, it set off the fire alarm.

“‘Roaring Ignition,’ right?” Cinder recalled, stroking her jaw. “Yeah, that makes sense. Maybe I should ask her for help?”

Amber hummed in thought. Both girls did have fire-based semblances. The only difference was that Cinder could superheat things into glass.

“Honestly, not a bad idea–”

“Hey, Cinder.”

Both girls perked up and whipped their heads in the direction of the blond guy passing their desks. Blaine Fairlocke stood right there next to them, his golden hair tousled and his shirt a little ruffled. He must’ve been running through the halls to get to class.

Seeing her crush made Amber immediately flush and shrink in difference to him. She shrank even more when he turned his attention from Cinder to her.

“It’s Amber, right?” he asked.

Oh God, he knew her name.

“Yep!” she squeaked, forcing herself to remain calm.

What should she do? What should she say?

“He– Hi!”

Cinder’s voice audibly cracked, peaking at an uncharacteristic high for the usually even-toned girl.

Amber glanced at her friend with a puzzled look, immediately intrigued.

Cinder's pale face burned red hot and her shoulders rode up to head-level. She sat up stiffly, like a deer caught in headlights, totally petrified by fear. Not a second later, a disgruntled look crossed her countenance and she gave the blond teen a sharp look.

“Do you need something?”

Amber stared at her, then glanced at Blaine. The gears turned in her head as Hyper Cognition kicked into gear.

She remembered the drawing Cinder had been dodgy about yesterday. She recalled Cinder groaning about getting ‘the Talk.’ She thought about the few times they'd discussed school crushes and how vehemently revolted Cinder had gotten when Blaine was brought up. And she thought about how Cinder showed affection by turning her face away from the object of her interest like the real-life tsundere she was.

Everything clicked in her head.

“I just wanted to say hi.” Blaine rubbed his neck awkwardly. “See you in combat training later?”

Faintly, Cinder's cheeks turned pink. “Mmhm.”

Blaine left after a moment, a carefree look on his face. Cinder rolled her eyes and ground her teeth. Meanwhile, Amber grew a maniacal smile.

She poked Cinder, who scowled at her. “What?”

“I know your secret.”

Her friend subtly tensed, trying to hide her reaction. She did raise an eyebrow, however, and after a second she asked, “What secret?”

Amber giggled to herself, cleared her throat, glanced around to ensure the coast was clear, and leaned over into Cinder’s personal space. Her friend tried to push her away, but the brunette got close enough to whisper into her ear.

“You like Blaine.”

Cinder’s face got as red hot as her hands when she used her semblance.

“Sh-Shut up, Amber alert!”

Practically every day of the week, Trivia liked to barrage Cinder with a series of text messages. She claimed it was out of boredom being stuck at home, a prisoner of her family’s overprotectiveness. Cinder believed her for the most part, given the stories she’d heard from her mute friend.

She lent her ear to Trivia to vent, and Trivia did the same. Although, between the two of them, Cinder was the more sensitive one.

<Trivia Vanille> HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!

<Cinder Goodwitch> Come on, Trivia! It’s not funny!

<Trivia Vanille> It’s hilarious!

Sitting in her bedroom late at night, Cinder quietly grumbled under her breath and shot another text back at Trivia.

<Cinder Goodwitch> Just help me out! Give me some advice or something.

<Trivia Vanille> With what? I’ve never talked to a boy before!

<Trivia Vanille> Did you forget how my dad never lets me out of the house?

<Cinder Goodwitch> But between the two of us you’re the actual bad girl. You gotta have something for me!

She rolled onto her stomach and kicked her legs absentmindedly. A few seconds later, Trivia responded:

<Trivia Vanille> Alright, alright! But you owe me ice cream the next time we go meet up

<Trivia Vanille> Gimme a sec, I have to find something

<Trivia Vanille> shared a link

<Trivia Vanille> Here’s some study material ;)

<Cinder Goodwitch> What do you mean by study material?

Cinder knit her brow and opened the link. It opened up some kind of web novel called ‘Warm My Cold Hands.’ She stared at the front page for a moment, studying the drawn image of a woman holding a man’s hands in a snow-covered park.

<Cinder Goodwitch> Trivia, is this another prank?

<Trivia Vanille> Just read the first chapter

<Trivia Vanille> Trust me, it’s good stuff!

Cinder was hesitant to believe her, but she had no reason to doubt her either. Opening the web novel, she started reading through the first chapter. It seemed like a pretty generic story about a man and a woman falling in love. She… did take some notes on how the female lead tiptoed around the male lead.

Before she knew it, she’d moved onto chapter two. Then three.

‘She gently caressed his face, fingers stroking across his jawline. Her touch was warm, almost scorching hot.’

Cinder blushed, imagining the act by her own hand. She thought about cupping the soft curve of Blaine’s face. She thought about him leaning into her touch, seeking her warmth….

Suddenly, she became aware of how flushed her face was and how uncomfortably hot she felt herself. Cinder shut her legs and sat up, minimizing the window she was reading the web novel on.

<Cinder Goodwitch> What did you send me!?!?

<Trivia Vanille> Did you like it?

<Trivia Vanille> It’s a smut story ;)

<Cinder Goodwitch> Smut?

<Trivia Vanille> Porn

<Cinder Goodwitch> TRIVIA

Two months later, Blaine Fairlocke got together with Alondra Lightfeather. They seemed good together, between Blaine’s lax demeanor and Alondra’s chirpy nature. Everyone was happy for them save for a few, and Cinder was glad too, mostly because that meant she didn’t have to fret about trying to ask him out anymore. Except, her body and mind would not let her stop thinking about him.

She couldn’t get his face out of her mind. She couldn’t not hear him laugh. She couldn’t stop but blush when she saw him.

“Aargh!” Cinder audibly growled through clenched teeth, holding up tensed fingers curled into claws.

Next to her, Amber snickered and Flaire snorted.

“Still thinking about Blaine?” the redhead teased.

Cinder moaned as she pulled her legs against her chest and buried her face up to her knees. That was all the confirmation she needed to give them.

They sat together at their shared desk in class, waiting for the instructor to arrive. They’d been gossiping about the going-ons at Pharos and eventually, they got on the topic of Blaine. Of course they had to discuss that, they all had a crush on him. The only difference between them was that Amber and Flaire were used to playground crushes and Cinder absolutely was not.

“Hey, there’s plenty of fish in the sea,” Amber reassured, gesturing with her hand. “I mean, have you seen Dove?”

Cinder arched an eyebrow. “Dove?”

“Small guy. White hair.” Flaire rustled her own hair for emphasis. “Kinda girlish. Really cute.”

“He’s a third-year,” Amber elaborated further, “we see him on the training grounds during sparring classes.”

She pursed her lips and tried to recall the boy they were mentioning. It took her a moment to sift through her memories, recalling blank faces and blurry colors. The only memories she retained of combat training were the moves she pulled and a few funny conversations she had with her friends. She didn’t pay too much attention to the other classes on the field.

“We’ll show you next time,” Flaire declared, pointing a finger in the air. “You can try asking him out.”

At that, Cinder tensed and shot her a sharp look. Flaire smiled at her devilishly, relishing the spark of annoyance she’d gotten out of her. Next to them, Amber sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Come on, don’t be that way.” Amber elbowed her arm.

Cinder groaned and buried her face in her knees again.

“Easy for you to say,” the teen mumbled.

She might be popular. She might be hot. She might garner all the attention and admiration of their classmates, but at the end of the day she hadn’t accomplished anything in the romance department.

Cinder was great at fighting and she had full confidence in her capabilities as a future huntress. However, she felt dismal in her chances of getting a boyfriend. She was already feeling miserable that she’d missed her shot. 

The fretful questions kept swirling in her head, distracting her every second of the day: What if she had been brave enough to admit her feelings? What if she confessed to Blaine? Would he have accepted her? Gone on a date with her? Would she be happy?

Her head sank lower past her knees.

“You’re the most popular girl I know, Cinder.” Amber sat up and grabbed her shoulders, trying to force her to sit up too. “If anyone can get a boyfriend, you can.”

Cinder turned her face away from her, trying to hide her bashful expression.

“Yeah, but….”

Amber and Flaire leaned over her, trying to get a look at her pink cheeks. 

“But…?” Flaire inquired with a smile.

“I'm… bad with feelings.”

Cinder sat up and rubbed her arms, holding her chest in a rare moment of uncharacteristic vulnerability.

One question that followed up the others plaguing her mind was: If she did get a boyfriend, would she be a good girlfriend?

Boys liked cute girls, sure, but couples went out on dates. They spent time together. They talked—a lot. 

Cinder didn’t like talking a lot. She liked fighting. She liked training. She liked showing, not telling.

Couples shared secrets. Cinder had too many secrets to share and she didn’t want to offer any of them.

She hadn’t even told her friends—the only people she considered friends because everyone else was classmates or acquaintances—that she was adopted. As far as the world knew, Glynda Goodwitch had a daughter with an unnamed father. Very few people knew she wasn’t originally from Vale, they all thought she’d lived at Beacon her whole life or had moved from another kingdom to live with her guardian.

If Cinder did get a boyfriend, could she tell him who she really was? Could she tell him she wasn’t just the champion of the Vale Regional Tournament but a rebellious daughter who often disappointed her guardian? Could she tell him she wasn’t just the beautiful, confident huntress prodigy but a survivor of abuse who could crumble at the mere memory of her old life?

If she did get a boyfriend, could she share even a single secret of hers?

Wallowing in her own self-doubt, Cinder barely caught the audible scoff that escaped the brunette beside her.

“Seriously?”

Pain shot through her heart at the callous remark and the critical look Amber gave her.

Gritting her teeth, Cinder growled, “What?”

Amber loosened the arms she crossed over her chest to throw them in the air. “Everyone’s bad at their feelings!”

Cinder blinked at her, trying to process Amber’s sudden shift in mood. Her friend was rarely angry, only ever justifiably enraged on behalf of others. And right now, she was angry at her for looking down on herself.

Her heart swelled for a moment and Cinder watched Amber’s rage melt away. In the blink of an eye, the brunette’s countenance shifted into one of empathy and kindness.

Amber grinned at her and Cinder couldn’t help but stare. Her teeth were a pearly white and with the sunlight pouring through the window behind her, the brunette’s bob of brown hair seemed to glow. She looked… pretty.

Cinder felt her face warm, blood rushing to her cheeks. Her chest tightened at the feeling of a swarm of butterflies kissing her insides. Their fingers brushed ever-so-slightly as Amber messed with her hair, wiping some bangs away from her eyes, and an electric thrill surged through Cinder’s body. She tensed and crossed her legs, feeling a fire light in the pit of her stomach.

Cinder sucked in a deep breath and quickly buried her blushing face down past her knees. At the same time, a thought whispered in the back of her head, and with it came a realization. Memories flooded her mind, laughter echoed in the back of her head.

Pieces fit together as she recalled her outing with Trivia. The way her old friend exuded nothing but jubilance and how dearly Cinder wanted to cling to her. The way she smelled so nice and just how brightly she shined. The way she looked divine and Cinder wanted to do nothing but praise her until Trivia might praise her back….

Cinder stole another glance at Amber, who giggled at something Flaire said. Her voice was almost melodic….

Oh crap….

It’d been over two months since Glynda had given Cinder the talk. Nothing had come up of it since, and the huntress was glad. Er, that sounded cruel. She wanted to support Cinder’s feelings and was fully prepared to interrogate– Welcome! Glynda was prepared to welcome Cinder’s potential boyfriend whenever she was ready to introduce him to her.

Although, she was still glad that her precious adoptive daughter wasn’t in the clutches of some boy she’d met at school. Instead, she was seated at the dinner table doing homework and not off causing trouble or getting into it with the aforementioned adolescent boy….

Glynda shook her head to get the fretful thoughts out of it and then looked at the reports on her scroll–

“Glynda?”

Emerald eyes blinked and then looked across the dinner table. Cinder wiggled in her seat uncomfortably, face flushed and head bowed.

A familiar feeling of dread washed over the blonde huntress as she picked up her cup of coffee. It was warm in her hands, the drink rippling smoothly as she pulled it up to her lips.

“Yes, Cinder?” Glynda asked.

The deputy headmistress took a sip as she opened her ears, letting the caffeinated drink soothe her nerves–

“I think I like girls.”

Glynda spat out her drink. Again.

Cinder jumped up and ran over to help her, but Glynda was already moving over to the kitchen. She hacked and coughed, trying to clear her scorched windpipe and only managed to alleviate the burning pain in her throat by downing a bottle of water.

A long moment later, her top drenched in coffee and water, her blonde hair frazzled, and her eyes wild, Glynda turned to regard Cinder with a smile that might’ve been stretched a little too widely.

“I-I’m sorry, what was that?” Glynda picked at her top anxiously.

Cinder stared at her for a few seconds, then she bowed her head and rubbed her arm. From what she could see of her daughter’s face, there was uncertainty and fear playing out across her face.

Guilt bled into Glynda’s heard and she took a few steps over to her. 

“Cinder?” she inquired gently.

Cinder cleared her throat, rubbed her heel into the ground, and then stammered out, “I think I like girls.”

Emerald eyes blinked and Glynda stared at the adolescent before her. She opened her mouth to speak, to say something but she didn’t have the words to articulate how out of the blue this was. Caught off-guard, she could only try to process what she was hearing.

Last time, she’d been frantic because Cinder had admitted to reaching a stage in her life Glynda had been wholly unprepared for. This time, it was almost the same thing just… a little different. Although, it wasn’t anything new honestly.

Glynda swallowed a lump in her throat and coughed into a fist, recalling the last time someone had admitted they liked girls to her. That had been an awkward conversation in her dorm room many years ago.

Taking a deep breath, she pondered on what to say. The adolescent in front of her was in a sensitive place, struggling with feelings she hadn’t felt before. Glynda didn’t know what was going on in her head, but she knew from prior interactions that Cinder was a volatile individual, even if she had made a lot of progress over the years.

Ultimately, Glynda chose to speak curiously, casting aside her panic. She indulged Cinder’s attempt at communication rather than stymied it, subtly urging her to share more. She had come to her guardian with this confession after all.

“You like girls?” Glynda reiterated calmly.

Cinder blushed harder and nodded, her amber eyes unable to meet her emerald ones.

“Not just boys?”

Cinder nodded again, face growing hotter. Glynda felt a tinge of amusement at seeing how timid her recently rebellious daughter was acting.

“Is there a problem with that?” she inquired thrice.

Cinder briefly tensed, pressing her knees together and rubbing her hands. Then, she shook her head with a furrowed brow and scoffed, “No.”

Glynda hummed acknowledgingly as she watched the girl’s shoulders ease. It didn’t seem to be an issue about who she liked. Did she just want to clear the air? If it was that, then why did she seem so afraid?

“Then, why do you seem so upset?” Glynda asked, reaching over with a gentle hand.

Cinder leaned away and didn’t answer. Glynda pressed her lips into a thin line and thought.

“Is it someone you know? A friend?”

Cinder tensed, her head sinking between her shoulders. It seemed she hit the nail on the head.

When she had given her ‘the Talk,’ Cinder had whined that she had no intentions of… well, being so intimate. The boy she had a crush on was someone she hadn’t interacted with in such a fashion. Instead, he was just a simple classmate.

Cinder had been open about ‘Blaine,’ because he was a faceless boy she knew nothing about. Her mouth was shut tight about this new crush of hers. She was scared Glynda would judge her for her interest, which meant that whoever she had a crush on was someone she knew… Oh.

Glynda pressed a fist to her mouth as she cleared her throat. An awkward second passed before she posed the question.

“Is it Amber?”

The adolescent tensed again, petrified by fright. Then, with her face burning red hot, Cinder nodded.

Relationships between peers were always awkward, Glynda knew that from experience. Whether it was instigated by her or not, such things always left some tension in the air. Even now, she was struggling with her relationship with James.

All that being said, things could still work out in the end.

“Cinder, it’s perfectly alright to have crushes like that.” Glynda laid a reassuring hand on the girl’s shoulder. “My partner Laurel had a crush on me when we studied together.”

Amber eyes glanced up at her in surprise. Glynda blushed and rubbed her neck.

“I, of course, didn’t reciprocate, but we settled everything quite well. We were good friends.”

Cinder gave her a dreadful look, a hint of fear in her eyes. 

“But, it didn’t work out?”

Glynda grimaced, knowing she’d backed herself up in a corner. After a moment, she chose to shake her head truthfully rather than dig herself deeper.

“Er, no,” she confessed, cupping her hands together, “but that’s not to say you won’t. That is to say, you are a beautiful and charming young lady, Cinder, I’m certain Amber has also already recognized that–”

“But what if she doesn’t like me?”

Panic crossed Cinder’s face and she scooted away from her. She crossed her arms and rubbed them in an attempt at self-reassurance. The adolescent seemed to shrink away from the world, trying to escape the reality of being rejected.

“What if… I ruin everything?” Cinder asked.

Glynda frowned, knowing that same feeling all too well.

“Amber is a kind soul, Cinder.” She rubbed circles into her back and spoke in a gentle voice. “She went out of her way to befriend you, I don’t see her doing anything to push you away.”

Cinder sucked in her lips and stared at the dinner table for a few tense seconds. Then, she looked up at her with a terrified face. “Even if I come off creepy?”

For the briefest moment, Glynda relived her youth. She stood in her dorm room, face flushed and heart racing. Her partner was right across from her, face pale and hopes shattered. The little flower Laurel had presented to her was crushed in her metal hand and her confession hung in the air.

It was a memory Glynda wanted to forget, a moment of embarrassment that she would rather not live with. And yet, she still clung on to it because in the minutes that followed she had laughed and reassured Laurel that despite the awkward tension between them they would still stand shoulder-to-shoulder against the world.

“Even then, Cinder.”

Glynda pulled her into an abrupt hug, prompting Cinder to squeak. The adolescent writhed in her embrace for a second but then surrendered into the comfort of it. All the tension in her body eased away, slipping from her so she might relax in Glynda’s arms.

When the huntress was sure that she was ready to listen, she spoke hopefully, “Matters of the heart are frustrating, yes, especially at your age. God knows I thought the world was going to end when I confessed to my first boyfriend. Yet still, we have to take a chance. Are you still listening?”

Once again, Cinder writhed in her arms and eventually managed to wriggle out of them. Yet, she nodded affirmingly while tucking a lock of raven black hair behind her ear.

“Yes, Glynda… Thank you.”

Conceding to Glynda’s advice, Cinder resolved herself to confessing her feelings to Amber. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done because schoolyard crushes on boys that Cinder and her friends shared were one thing. A schoolyard crush on her closest friend was another thing entirely.

Having mundane conversations with Amber was easy after the first few remarks, but every time she so much as attempted to broach the subject she chickened out immediately. Her face would burn hot and she’d panic, switching the topic to something else abruptly, which would get Amber to subconsciously activate her semblance, which would then get her to question Cinder. Ultimately, the ravenette would retreat and hide in the bathroom for a little bit.

As the days passed, it only got harder to talk to the brunette. The more she tried, the more she failed, and the more Amber started catching onto her. Her friend’s natural nosiness was going to be the death of her.

Cinder gave a heavy sigh and bowed her head, feeling a headache coming on. Beside her, AC hummed.

“Didn’t get enough sleep last night?” he asked.

Cinder nodded along. “Something like that.”

Glancing over, she saw Amber and Flaire comparing their mock weapons with some other students. All of them stood on the edge of the town of Dale, AC and Amber’s hometown in the agricultural district, waiting for their field trip to start. Speaking of which….

“Alright, everyone here?” Mr. Hide shouted over the cacophony of idle gossip and excited chatter.

He, along with several other teachers, surveyed the crowd of students gathered in the field with him. The entirety of the second-year class had been pulled from their usual schedules for a camping trip into Vale’s rural woodland. Now that they knew how to fight, it was time to learn how to survive. Thus, a trip into Vale’s countryside.

“Listen up!” Mr. Hide’s voice carried over their homeroom class, prompting Flaire to quickly disengage and run over to her group. “We’re out here teaching ya’ll how to survive out in the wild, got it? That means you’re learning how to start a fire, pitch a tent, cook some grub, and sleep in the dirt!”

Mixed reactions of excitement and disdain arose in the crowd. Despite all of them pursuing the same dream, some people were just more used to the city and others were most used to the outdoors. Cinder personally liked having functioning plumbing and microwaves–

“However!” Mr. Hide stabbed the air with his finger, holding it up high and wagging it around for everyone to see. “That does not mean we’re out here to hunt grimm, alright? You’ve learned how to fight. You’ve got your weapons on the way. But you are not huntsmen yet, got it? Our job’s to keep you safe, so don’t go making it harder. Anything goes wrong on this trip, you come grab one of us. Capiche?”

Everyone nodded in agreement, and some of them shouted ‘capoche’ back. Then, they were left to their own devices until the teachers could hash out the rest of the logistics so the trip could begin.

Given the time to sightsee, Cinder swiveled her head around to observe the town of Dale. It seemed like a homely community of shops and houses, many of the buildings looking like homes converted into businesses. Despite the town’s smaller size to the big city, it still bustled with life, many of the townspeople stepping in and out of storefronts, heading to and from town, or simply taking a stroll. 

Furthermore, nothing seemed particularly ancient—rustic maybe but not old enough to crumble to dust. In fact, it reminded her of Vale without the grid-patterned, asphalt streets. Here the paths were made of brick and sat on uneven ground, rising high and dipping low like waves.

In a strange way, it was like discovering a whole new city.

“Deery! Perry!”

Nearby, a tall woman dressed with vermillion hair and a pair of white animal ears stood next to a large truck. She wore a red fur-collared fleece with black gloves and a pair of thigh-high black boots, but beneath the fleece, a fuzzy red animal tail swayed from side to side.

“Deery! Perry!” the woman called again, waving at two teenagers down the street. “Come on, we’ve gotta move!”

Cinder watched a teen boy with floppy dog ears and a pair of glasses run over, spouting apologies. He jumped into the backseat of the truck and was quickly followed by a brunette girl with deer antlers.

The vermillion-haired woman sighed and got into the passenger’s seat. As the door closed, Cinder studied the white wolf’s head painted onto the side of the truck. 

Living out in the agricultural district had a few advantages for country bumpkins like Amber and AC. First and foremost, they were a little more used to the outdoors. Second, they’d explored the woods a bit as kids so they knew their way through the thicket. And third, they got to brag about those facts to their city friends who kept stumbling over the beaten paths and jumping at the slightest sign of wildlife.

The whole trek into the rural woodlands, Amber and AC told stories about their childhood. Amber talked about camping trips with her moms, climbing trees, stargazing, eating around campfires, and mock sparring with sticks. AC chatted about a lot of the same things, although he had stories about mountain hiking, scavenger hunts, and playing capture-the-flag with his extended family. They both reveled in the past and threw it in their friends’ faces, to which Cinder and Flaire stuck out their tongues.

When survival training started, both Amber and AC finished the first couple of assignments nearly immediately: Pitching tents. Finding kindling. Starting campfires. Getting their directions via seeing which side of a tree moss grew on.

The only thing Amber had trouble with was cooking.

“Oh my God, you poisoned Flaire!” 

AC gripped the sides of his head and stared in horror as Flaire fell to her knees in front of them, a hand around her throat as she hacked up the skewered meat Amber had cooked. Cinder was nearby, petrified by shock and surprise. And Amber herself stood by the campfire, clutching her cooking prongs with wide eyes.

After a second of gagging, Flaire spat out a glob of half-chewed meat on the ground.

“Was that meat or a rock?” Flaire cried out in horror, her eyes wide and wild. “How do you make something dry but chewy?”

Amber winced and squeezed her prongs.

“How long did you cook it?” Cinder asked, giving her a baffled look.

“I don’t know?” she whimpered. “I always like my steak a bit dry, so I kinda just let it sit there for a while.”

“A while?”

“Until it kinda got that crispy black look, then I flipped it over.”

“Then why was it spicy?” Flaire coughed.

The brunette shrugged. “I thought it needed taste, so I put a bunch of spices on.”

Cinder narrowed her eyes. “Which ones?”

Amber gulped, noticing a dangerous look in her fiery amber eyes. Nervously, she recalled everything she sprinkled on the meat.

“Uh… black pepper. Salt. Garlic Powder. Chili Powder. Cumin. Some basil–”

“Did you just put everything on there?” Cinder shrieked indignantly.

Amber stared at her, blushed bashfully, and then looked away with an awkward cough.

Suddenly, the prongs in her hands were snatched right out of them.

“Give me that!” Cinder barked indignantly before gently shoving her to the side.

The brunette backpedaled with a bewildered look, watching the taller girl inspect their campfire. Then, she watched Cinder rummage around in their supply pack full of food. After a second or two, Amber turned her attention to Flaire and AC, the former having recovered from her near-death experience, and they all shared a look of confusion.

Minutes passed in silence as they watched Cinder work, methodically slicing and skewering meat and then waiting patiently to grill it. Taking seats on the ground, all three of the adolescents observed Cinder as she cooked with a kind of skill only their parents knew. She seemed to know exactly where to cut, when to flip, what she wanted to sprinkle, and just how much she wanted to spice it.

Just for a moment, she stopped and hurriedly looked around the campsite before running over to another group cooking nearby. Amber couldn’t hear them talking, but she saw them hand Cinder something and she came back with some new spices.

Before long, Cinder handed them skewers, the meat glistening and the fragrance salivating.

At first, Amber was hesitant to take a bite. No offense to her friend, but she wouldn’t consider Cinder a cook. She was a lot of things: Former shut-in. New local celebrity. Combat enthusiast. Tsundere. But none of those really said ‘I know how to cook.’

That being said, AC didn’t seem to have the same misgivings.

She heard him bite into his skewer and she looked back to see him savoring the taste. His face exploded with delight and he quickly chewed up the meat, swallowed it, and took another bite. That was enough for Flaire to dig in, and after she started eating Amber did to.

It was probably one of the most delicious things she’d eaten all week.

“Dude, thish tashtes amazhing!” Flaire praised with a full mouth.

Cinder visibly beamed with pride, crossing her arms and lifting her face up. AC nodded in agreement and Amber swallowed her bite to grin at their friend.

“I didn’t know you were good at cooking!” she exclaimed, licking the taste off her lips.

She expected Cinder to huff and flip her hair over her shoulder. Maybe the taller adolescent might roll her eyes and feign humility. Maybe she’d even feign haughtiness and talk down on them only to apologize.

What Amber didn’t expect was to see Cinder freeze up and visibly pale.

“I… learned,” she seemed to force out, dropping the prongs.

Her amber eyes darted about for a second, searching for something. A way out?

“I’m going to grab, Mr. Hide!” Cinder declared, hurriedly rushing away. “I’ll tell him we finished the assignment!”

They all watched her run off for a few seconds. Then, they looked at each other and shared confused looks. Amber hoped the other two might know what was up with Cinder, she’d been jumpy around her recently. Neither of them seemed to know and both of them looked like they hoped she knew too.

“What’s up with her?” AC finally asked.

“I dunno,” Flaire shrugged while wearing her frown. “She’s been kinda off all week.”

Amber hummed noncommittally and looked across the campsite at Cinder. The girl was rubbing her throat, stroking the choker tied around her neck.

The brunette pressed her lips together and furrowed her brow, Hyper Cognition activating in her brain. Before she could try and figure out the new mystery in front of her, however, AC piped up.

“Maybe you can ask her later.” AC ripped the last piece of meat off his skewer, chewed it up, and swallowed it down before he continued, “You guys are sharing a tent, aren’t you?”

Flaire nodded and glanced over at the tent they’d pitched earlier. Amber looked at it, then back at her friend.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Amber answered tentatively. “We’ll be alright though. This is Cinder we’re talking about.”

Cinder hadn’t been planning on pulling out her cooking skills at all. She knew there’d be an assignment to cook something, but something instinctual took over. She got lost in the flow, letting herself fall back into old habits.

The moment Amber had pointed that out, she’d frozen on the spot.

No one needed to know about her past, which meant no one should know she could do things like that. But now, people knew. Amber knew, and Amber liked to ask questions.

As if having a crush on her closest friend wasn’t trouble enough.

Cinder glanced across the tent she was sharing with Amber and Flaire, seeing the two girls playing a game with their scrolls. Curfew had started an hour ago, forcing everyone to hunker down for the night. They’d taken turns changing into their nightwear before climbing into their canvas shelter, settling down with sleeping bags, an electric lantern, and a few snacks.

So far, Amber hadn’t interrogated her for answers, which was good. However, that didn’t stop Cinder from tiptoeing around her, expecting the brunette to corner her at any moment to pry into her personal life–

“Ha!” Flaire cheered, pumping a fist in the air.

Amber crossed her arms and grumbled under her breath. “Three out of five.”

The redhead flashed her a smug grin but then got up.

“After I get back. I gotta go.” Flaire rubbed thighs together and craned her head from left to right. “Where’s the bathroom at again?”

Amber threw her thumb over her shoulder. “Edge of the campsite. Should be a lantern next to them.”

“Thank, Gods.”

Flaire gave them a thumbs-up before she ducked out of the tent and disappeared into the night. An awkward silence followed in her wake, leaving the two other girls inside shifting idly as the tension welled up between them.

“So… Did you like your first trip?” Amber asked abruptly, swiveling around to face Cinder.

Cinder cleared her throat and shrugged, forcing herself to remain calm.

“It was alright.” She waved a hand flippantly. “Still prefer air conditioning.”

Amber chuckled and nodded. “Yeah. But hey, when we’re running around together after Beacon, I can use some ice dust to help with that.”

“…We?”

Cinder looked over at the brunette, feeling her heart skip a beat. Amber just flashed her a smile and nodded again.

“Uh, duh. Yes, ‘we.’” She scooted over and nudged her elbow despite Cinder trying to lean away. “What, you thought you were gonna get rid of me after Pharos?”

She had never thought such a thing. In fact, there were times she wished they’d never stray apart. Even if Trivia had been her first acquaintance and the closest thing Cinder could consider a friend, Amber was the one who’d stuck by her the longest.

Yet, the anxious twisting of her gut and the butterflies kissing her insides kept her on edge.

“No,” Cinder answered, turning her face away from her to hide her flushed face.

In the corner of her vision, she caught Amber frowning. The brunette had that look on her face, the one that said Hyper Cognition had kicked into gear. Her brow was scrunched and her lips were pressed into a thin line. Her earthen brown eyes narrowed with an analytical glint to them.

“Okay, I’m going to address the elephant in the room,” Amber declared while Cinder’s heart leaped into her throat. “Cinder, you’ve been acting weird.”

Cinder swallowed the lump in her throat and sucked in a sharp breath.

“What? No, I haven’t,” she scoffed, crossing her arms.

Her defense was poor, she knew that. Still, though, she wasn’t ready to give in—her pride wouldn’t allow it.

Amber’s gaze was scathing, threatening to bore a hole into Cinder’s head. The more the girl stared the more layers she peeled off of her, steadily tearing away the mask of irritation she wore through sheer thought and deduction. Inevitably, she’d manage to peer inside her mind and discover the dark secret she held.

“Would you stop staring at me!” Cinder snapped, gnashing her teeth at her friend.

Her friend backed off, physically scooting away a bit. However, she kept her critical gaze locked onto her.

“I’m gonna guess what’s up with you,” Amber suddenly challenged, sitting up on her knees with her arms folded over her chest, “and if I’m right, you owe me a soda. Got it?”

As much as Cinder liked her friend, she hated how persistent she was. The brunette just never knew when to give up.

“Amber,” Cinder warned with a growl.

“You’ve got a crush on someone else now, right?”

Cinder sealed her lips and averted her face from Amber, trying in vain to hide her blushing cheeks. In the corner of her vision, she saw her friend grin.

“I got it, right?”

“Sh-Shut up!”

“Cinder, calm down.” Amber scooted back over with a kind smile. “I'm not gonna judge.”

“That's not the problem!”

She was so sickeningly sweet to her. Ugh, why did it have to be her?

The ravenette's face grew hotter as she unconsciously recalled every kind smile Amber had ever given her. She was always beaming with her head held high, skipping through life with an optimism Cinder had never known.

Her friend was a light in her life, unintentional or not, and she was terrified of losing that.

“Is it Dove?” Amber poked, crouched behind her like a gargoyle. “Or is it Erez from our class? You usually only look at guys who Flaire or I point at out.”

“Would you stop it?” she hissed.

Cinde bore a scowl and directed it at Amber, resorting to her innate ferocity to stem her curiosity. Thankfully, the brunette seemed to get the message on just how peeved she was.

For a long moment, the tent was silent, both girls looking each other in the eye before they averted their gazes. A few more minutes passed quietly, an awkward tension stopping them from speaking up. Eventually, however, Amber’s resolve seemed to stir because she got up and sat back down, pulling her knees to her chest.

“You’ve been ticked off recently. I just wanna know what’s bothering you.”

Guilt welled in Cinder’s heart and she dropped her scowl. Her hardened countenance softened and she let her tense shoulders slump.

“I’m fine,” she replied calmly, looking back at Amber with an aloof expression.

Amber rolled her eyes and sighed, “You’re really not. Just the other day you almost took my weapon to your face while we were sparring.”

“I slipped up.”

“You don’t do that!”

“Well, sometimes I do!” Cinder argued, whipping around to shoot the brunette a scathing glare. “Would you just drop it!”

Turning her back to Amber again, Cinder folded her arms over her chest, heaved in a deep breath, and exhaled with a frustrated growl.

Another awkward silence permeated the space between them once more. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long because just as she had dreaded, Amber pressed on.

“Let me guess, is it Dove? Or is it Erez? Glas? Gran? Allon? Sal? I’m running out of boys in our class.”

Cinder bared her gnashed teeth. “Amber.”

“Is it Flaire’s class? If Blaine was your type, then I wanna guess Sher. He’s blonde and has long hair–”

“It’s not a boy, alright!”

Cinder panted, her face tomato red and eyes as wide as dinner plates. She felt the built-up frustration within her finally seep out, bleeding from her as the murky veil shrouding her recent actions melted away. Although, as she calmed down, she also tensed up, knowing now that she’d revealed part of what she’d been trying to hide.

Across the tent, Amber stared at her in surprise. After several seconds, she seemed to process her exclamation and flushed, her eyes widening and her jaw hitting the ground. A few more seconds passed, then she closed her mouth, swallowed, and scratched her neck.

“Oh… Uh… I wasn’t going to guess that.” Earthen brown eyes flicked up from the floor to meet Cinder’s fiery amber orbs. “But, I mean– That’s cool!” Amber cleared her throat and sat up straighter with a friendly grin.

Cinder blinked at her, feeling hope stir in her heart. Had her friend just… accepted that? She wasn’t… turned off? Disgusted? Afraid? Was she possibly… just like her?

“Is that why you’ve been jumpy? Dude, I have two moms!”

The brunette waved a hand dismissively and laughed, revealing just how ignorant she was of the full truth.

Seeing that, Cinder frowned and turned around again.

“I’m not– Ugh!” she groaned, grabbing her head and digging her fingernails into her skull.

For someone so perceptive and insightful, she was just so stupid!

“So, who is it?”

Cinder froze, her breath catching in her throat. She could see Amber’s shadow moving against the canvas wall in front of her, threatening to overtake her. She quickly scooted forward and away from the brunette, hunching forward and hiding her head between her shoulders.

“No one.”

Her voice was quiet and trembling, but it echoed in her own ears. Her words hung in the air and she hoped that Amber would at least buy that memo–

“Oh no, you don’t!”

Cinder yelped when she felt Amber jump onto her back, tackling her to the ground.

“Amber!” she barked in a mix of shock and anger.

Her friend just laughed as they rolled around, wrestling for dominance. Amber had her in the first half of their impromptu struggle, latching onto her back tightly. Maybe it was all that practice she had climbing trees that she boasted about earlier, or maybe she was just really good at holding on to things. Either way, Cinder had trouble getting her off.

In the end, she resorted to using her semblance.

“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Amber squealed as Cinder heated up her body, setting her skin alight with burning orange light. “That’s cheating!”

Amber let go of her, falling on her butt with a grunt. In that brief window, Cinder spun around with practiced grace and jumped at Amber.

Lost in her adrenaline high, she acted on instinct and muscle memory. She grabbed the brunette’s wrists and pinned them to the floor. She dropped down on her midsection, driving the wind from her opponent. And then she leaned down with a scowl, intimidating the other girl into silence.

Amber blinked at her in surprise, heaving in gulps of air. Cinder glared at her until her mind cleared and she realized the compromising position they were in.

A few lines from the smut novel Trivia sent her played through her head and she flushed bright red. At the same time, Amber burst into a fit of giggles, wholly ignorant of the dirty yet innocent thoughts going through the ravenette’s head.

“Alright,” Amber coughed, still panting between giggles, “ready to answer?”

Cinder remained petrified, crouching on top of her closest friend, but eventually she managed to muster enough courage to move. Her hands remained wrapped around Amber’s wrists, but her fingers subtly rubbed against her soft skin. She lifted her butt off her friend’s stomach and she scooted back, letting her lean down without bending too much. She let herself take shuddering breaths as she stared at Amber, seeing the light from the lantern splash across her face, making her chocolate skin glow and her earthen brown eyes shine.

Her lips looked so soft….

Cinder squeezed her eyes shut, clenched her jaw, and shook those thoughts from her mind. Then, she looked at Amber again and locked eyes with her. 

There was still amusement on her countenance, but it was mixing with confusion. Slowly but surely, any trace of her mischievous delight faded away, the radiance in her eyes dimming as they searched her face. 

She was piecing it together now. 

Amber’s smile gradually fell into a thin line and her brow knitted as the gears in her head turned.

Finally, after an eternity had passed, Amber’s eyes widened and all the blood in her body rushed up to her face.

Cinder immediately got off of her, feeling her heart race and her stomach knot torturously. She tucked her hands under her arms and averted her shameful countenance, unwilling to take another look at that horrified look on her closest friend’s face.

“…M-Me?” she heard Amber breathe.

The world slowed to a stop as Cinder panted. Her heart was racing. Pounding. Thundering. It beat against her chest like a drum, threatening to punch out of it. At the same time, her chest grew tighter, like there was bramble constricting her lungs. A cold ball of dread had dropped into the pit of her stomach, making her guts twist and tug agonizingly. And her head was full of terrible thoughts. Things she couldn’t articulate but kept screaming that she’d ruined everything.

“I need to go!”

Cinder scrambled to her feet and tore open the entrance to their tent, throwing herself out into the cold night. 

The last thing she heard past the wind howling past her ears was Amber’s desperate cries.

“Wait!” her closest friend called out. “Cinder!”

She didn’t stop. She refused to stop. She just kept running, pushing herself to her limit and past it.

The night was cold but her legs strained and burned hot. Her lungs shriveled and her vision was blurry, tears welling and trickling down from her eyes. She was only in her nightwear—which was nothing more than a pair of shorts, a tank top, and socks—and so she ran nearly barefoot through the dark woods. She stumbled and tripped over stones, roots, and undergrowth, but she didn’t stop that from letting her put distance between her and her problems.

Just like that night in Atlas, she kept moving as far away from everything as she could.

When Cinder finally slowed down, she found herself deep in the forest. The trees rose up high into pitch black darkness, only a few stars twinkling behind the thick roof of foliage above her. Around her, she found only the trees, bushes, and brush with more darkness beyond them.

She was lost.

Cinder pinched her lips together and tried to swallow the lump in her throat vainly. She failed, and in the end, she just screamed. She voiced her frustrations, roaring loudly so the world knew how fed up she was with her life.

Two steps forward and ten steps back. That was her life in a nutshell.

She could escape her stepfamily, but they would forever linger in her mind! She could meet Glynda, but still fail her at every turn! She could win the tournament, become popular, and gain everyone’s attention, but fall back into her old ways!

Cinder could have everything, but then just lose it all and more!

Falling to her knees, Cinder grabbed her head and cried. She let her tears fall freely, she let herself grieve.

Cinder was stupid! She was so stupid! Why did she do that–

A low growl echoed through the dark forest and a chill ran up her spine.

Cinder’s blood froze and she remained petrified on the spot. Another growl sounded nearby and she heard the crunch of leaves as something stalked toward her.

Mustering what little strength she had left, the fifteen-year-old craned her head to look in the direction of the noise. A pair of glowing scarlet eyes leered back at her.

What little moonlight that cut through the foliage illuminated a mass of black fur and bone plate. It was huge, larger than any person she’d ever known. As it took a few more steps closer, she got a better look at its canine features.

The beowolf snarled, its eyes locking onto her and narrowing. Moonlight glinted off its salivating maw as it stalked closer and closer, waiting to see if she’d make the first move before it pounced.

Cinder didn't know what to do. She didn't know what she could do. This was her first-ever encounter with a real live grimm, and probably her last. She'd left her weapons back at camp and no one knew where she was.

She was going to die here.

Her life flashed through her mind, every moment of terror and joy. She grieved over what she was going to lose and raged against the injustices against her. She saw every memory she shared with Glynda, both good and bad. She saw herself with her friends, before and after. And she saw the three years she spent at the Glass Unicorn, all the time wasted in service to monsters….

A final memory came to her. A night where she felt hope and dread at their most extreme. 

Her stepmother was driven back, her wrist burnt. Her stepsisters gawked at her in horror. The clock sounded loudly at midnight.

Faced with death once again, Cinder made the same choice she had chosen then. She fought.

The horror on her face morphed into rage and Cinder activated her semblance, digging her hand into the ground.

The beowolf, sensing her resistance, snarled and pounced. Cinder jumped away, narrowly dodging a claw swiping at her.

Her monstrous opponent sliced thin air before it landed, paws gripping the forest floor as it twisted around to face her. She held up her glass shard and glared back at it, daring it to attack.

The grimm howled and then ran forward on all fours. Cinder sucked in a deep breath, tried to study its movements, and then threw herself into the–

Without warning, someone tackled Cinder to the ground.

She gasped and watched the beowolf land right where she’d been standing. As it reared its head at her, whoever had grabbed her held up a firearm—a block of metal with a barrel and a magazine—and pulled the trigger.

Cinder flinched at the sound but watched as the beowolf staggered, a bullet hole in its shoulder.

“Get up!” her rescuer shouted, yanking her to her feet.

Cinder yelped but obeyed. She climbed up and held onto her savior, a woman dressed in a coat, fur lining the collar.

Something fluffy brushed against her leg and Cinder looked back, seeing a red tail swaying behind the woman–

Bestial growls echoed around the forest and Cinder felt her blood run cold. She snapped her head left and right, watching scarlet eyes appear from the dark. More grimm were closing in on them, likely drawn to her fear and anger.

A curse slipped past the lips of her rescuer and Cinder glanced up at them. A pair of furry, white ears on the faunus woman’s head twitched and she exhaled a heated breath. Then, she glanced down at Cinder with a trepidatious look.

A long, tense moment passed, then a sense of resolve flashed in the woman’s eyes.

“I need you to close your eyes,” she said firmly.

Cinder furrowed her brow. “Wha–”

“Close your eyes!” the woman shouted, grabbing Cinder by her arm and pulling her back behind her.

The grimm around them snarled and started moving. The woman looked over her shoulder, giving Cinder a stern look, one that spoke the same command.

Assaulted by all manner of dread and terror, Cinder obeyed and squeezed her eyes shut.

Everything went dark and all she could hear was the crunching of leaves, the cracking of branches, the snarling of monsters, the faunus woman drawing breath, and her own breathing.

Suddenly, however, she heard the familiar sound of something catching fire. A sudden whoosh, a burst of energy. Immediately afterward, she heard the sound of thunder and smelled ozone in the air.

Past her eyelids, Cinder witnessed a brilliant flash of light and an ear-piercing clap of thunder. She felt a rush of heat wash over her and she screamed, not knowing what else to do. A moment later, the cold night air draped over her again.

“You can look now.”

A hand touched her shoulder and Cinder sucked in a sharp breath but then nodded. She opened her eyes and looked around, seeing the faunus woman in front of her. Past her, she saw smoldering piles of ash and dust along with a few scorched bodies of dissolving grimm.

Fiery amber orbs blinked in shock and she turned around, searching for the grimm that had been coming from all the other directions. They too seemed to have been cut down by lightning.

“What was that?” Cinder asked, looking back at the woman.

The woman flashed a grin as she holstered her firearm and shrugged. “My semblance.”

“Can semblances do that?”

“Mine can.” She hesitated, her smile faltering, but then she dug into a pouch on her side. “With the help of some lightning dust of course.”

The faunus woman pulled out a canister of fire dust. Cinder looked at it with suspicion, then turned her attention back at her.

“What exactly–”

“Goodwitch? You out there!”

Cinder snapped her head in the direction Mr. Hide, hearing his familiar voice boom across the forest. She opened her mouth to answer but glanced at her rescuer. The faunus woman smiled and pointed her chin in his direction.

Cupping her mouth, Cinder called out, “Mr. Hide!”

A few seconds passed before she got a response.

“You stay right where you are, kid! I’m coming!”

A relieved sigh slipped out of her mouth, all the tension and unease ebbing away. Her high shoulders and stiff back loosened while her racing heart slowed its pace. The reassurance of knowing her teacher was on his way let her finally relax.

Although, she’d have to explain why she ran off in the middle of the night.

The dread that’d left her came back immediately, worming its way into the pit of her stomach. It coiled in there, twisting her guts and making her shift in place anxiously.

“Goodwitch?” the faunus woman with her repeated, arching an eyebrow as she looked down at her. “As in Glynda Goodwitch?”

Cinder looked up at her, pressed her lips into a thin line as she debated on whether to answer and then nodded affirmingly.

“I’m… her daughter.”

The faunus woman blinked at her, surprise evident in her eyes. 

“Huh. I didn’t know she had a daughter.” The woman tucked a lock of vermillion hair behind her ear while offering her a kind smile. “Can I know your name?”

The fifteen-year-old flushed and looked away. “Cinder.”

“Hello, Cinder,” she greeted with a wave, “you can call me Autumn.”

Autumn, like trees picked barren by the wind and encircled by thick layers of fallen leaves painted in warm palettes of red and orange.

Studying the faunus woman, Cinder took note of her vermillion hair, her red coat, and her red tail swaying behind her. Autumn seemed to notice and gave a quiet chuckle.

“I’m a red panda,” Autumn elaborated.

Cinder blushed. “I didn’t mean to stare.”

The faunus woman shook her head flippantly. “It’s fine. We draw people’s attention, it’s normal.”

They fell into an awkward lull, neither of them speaking for a moment.

Then, Autumn cleared her throat and gave her a tentative look.

“You know, your mom saved my life when I was a little girl.”

Cinder blinked and looked up at her curiously. “She did?”

Autumn smiled and nodded, memories playing out in her eyes. Her expression balanced precariously between fear and wistfulness as she briefly revisited the past.

“Yeah. Her and her team.” Autumn scratched the back of her neck. “I kinda owe her my life, and I never got to pay her back.” She chuckled to herself and then gestured between the two of them. “So, I guess you could call it destiny.”

Cinder arched an eyebrow. The word didn’t seem fitting for what had just occurred. If anything, it sounded cruel given the context.

“Destiny?” the adolescent huffed.

Autumn’s smile faltered, but she held it nonetheless. “Or fate. Or happenstance. Either way, I’m glad I found you when I did.”

The pair of fuzzy white ears on her head twitched. Cinder hummed acknowledgedly before a question popped into her head.

“Why are you out here–”

Cinder was cut off by the snapping of branches and the rustling of underbrush. Nearby, she spotted a familiar man clad in a patchwork cloak appear from the darkness, a hand cannon in hand.

Mr. Hide spotted her and Autumn, and then he sighed in relief.

“Oh thank the Lord, Goodwitch.” Mr. Hide holstered his weapon and pulled back the hood of his cloak as he sauntered over. “Who’s your friend?”

The vermillion-haired faunus woman strode forward with a hand held out.

“Autumn,” she introduced. “Beacon graduate.”

Mr. Hide cracked a grin. “Well, well, glad to meet ya. My kid didn’t give you much trouble did she?”

He surveyed their surroundings, spotting the smoldering piles of ash nearby. His expression shifted from nonchalance to sternness.

“I found her out here, a pack of beowolves almost on her.” Autumn patted the gun on her hip. “I took care of them. Didn’t let them touch a hair on her.”

Mr. Hide’s gaze turned to Cinder, who wrang her arm anxiously. She refused to meet his gaze, too ashamed to look him in the eye. For all her bravado, she’d messed up badly tonight.

“I thank you for that, ma’am.” Mr. Hide strode over and patted Cinder on the shoulder. “Come on, kid, it’s the middle of the night, you’re dressed up in your pajamas, and it’s cold out. Should get you back to camp before you freeze to death.” He looked over at Autumn and pointed his chin in the direction of their class’ campsite. “You’re welcome too, Autumn. Plenty of food to go around.”

The faunus woman waved a hand and shook her head dismissively.

“Oh, no thanks,” she replied apologetically. “I have a camp nearby too.”

Cinder watched Mr. Hide mouth an ‘o’ and nod affirmingly. Then, however, she saw his brow knit and a suspicious look cross his face.

“Hey, by the way, you mind me asking what you’re doing out here?” he inquired, keeping up his amicable tone with a hint of something steely beneath it.

Autumn chuckled and shrugged. “I took my kids out camping.”

“Uh huh….” Mr. Hide hummed in thought for a moment, tension building in the air as he observed the vermillion-haired woman. Then, however, he shrugged and sighed. “Well, you keep your wits about you. If a few grimm out this far, probably means a couple more are around too.”

“Will do, sir.” Autumn gave a two-fingered salute to him and a smile for Cinder. “You two have a good night.”

Cinder nodded in return while Mr. Hide chuckled. “You do the same.”

With that, they parted ways. Autumn disappeared into the night while Mr. Hide guided Cinder back to camp.

Their walk through the woods was silent and tense, the teacher darting his eyes around in uncharacteristic alertness while the student was too frightened by consequences to speak up. Cinder didn’t know what awaited her when they arrived. Maybe a verbal lashing, a scolding about breaking the rules and potentially getting herself killed.

That was an inevitability, she presumed. What really worried her was Amber….

“Let me guess, team trouble?”

Cinder blinked, suddenly pulled from her fretful thinking by Mr. Hide’s heavy sigh. She gave him a quizzical look as he rolled his shoulders.

“Amber came runnin’ over to the teachers’ tents spoutin’ something about you running off,” he relayed, his expression lax but his voice solemn. “Kept skirtin’ around the why it happened, so I’m guessing you two got something going on between ya. Amirite?”

Cinder pressed her lips into a thin line and looked away, blushing. Mr. Hide exhaled and clicked his tongue.

“Listen, you’re not getting into too big a trouble for this. We’re grading you on your survival skills, not your relationships. That comes up at Beacon, not Pharos.” Her teacher rubbed his nose and sniffed as they walked. “All that aside, if you got trouble with your friends, it’s best to fix that fast. Out here in the wild, a few bad feelings can get you killed. I think you saw that for yourself.”

Mr. Hide kept his eyes forward and marched with an almost mechanical step. Something unreadable played out across his face.

His words lingered in Cinder’s ears, echoing in the back of her head. They were sound advice and she wanted to live by them, but the act of confronting Amber was daunting. Inevitably, however, she would have to do it.

Only a few minutes later, her hour of reckoning came as they arrived at the outskirts of the campsite.

“Alright, get to your tent and grab some shut-eye,” Mr. Hide grunted, arching his back. “You run off again and I’ll actually deduct some points. Got it?”

“Yes, Mr. Hide,” Cinder responded, her head bowed.

He wandered off to his shelter then, ready to fall back asleep. Cinder could and couldn’t relate, her body feeling rather lethargic after her flight from camp, her outburst of raw emotion, and then adrenaline high in her brief confrontation with the beowolf. The only thing keeping her awake was her sheer willpower and the dread of knowing that she needed to confront Amber, or else Amber would confront her.

So, dragging her feet across the camp, Cinder headed for her tent and found the flap open. She stood a bit away from it, not wanting to cast her shadow against the canvas and alert her friends that she’d returned. First, she needed to get her head in order.

Closing her eyes, Cinder took a deep breath and calmed her nerves as best she could.

This was Amber she was talking about. The cheery, sunshine girl who went out of her way to become friends with her. She was a nosey, persistent idiot who often got caught up in her hypotheticals that she didn’t realize she was pissing someone off, but she was also a kind-hearted teen with a big heart.

Cinder sucked in another deep breath, let it out with a quiet groan, and then took a step forward.

“Amber, calm down.”

The ravenette paused, hearing AC’s voice filtering out of the tent.

“How am I supposed to calm down!” Amber shrieked from inside. “I messed up really bad, AC!”

A loud groan sounded from Flaire. “Are you gonna explain how you messed up yet?”

There was a whimper, then a whine. She could practically see Amber burying her face in her hands.

AC scoffed loudly. “You woke me up for this?”

The corner of Cinder’s lips tugged up in a tiny humored smile before she bit the bullet and climbed inside. The entire tent quieted immediately, all eyes widening and watching as she sat down next to Flaire, putting herself across from Amber.

“Cinder?” Amber gasped after she’d recovered from the shock.

Cinder opened her mouth to respond, hoping to retort with something casual and witty. Instead, her words got caught in her throat and she almost ended up choking on them. 

Sealing her lips, Cinder looked away and flushed pink.

In the corner of her vision, she spied AC and Flaire exchanging looks, their brows knitted and eyes narrowed. They probably already knew something had gone wrong between her and Amber, but Amber was probably too embarrassed to explain it.

“So, girl of the hour, you wanna explain what happened?” AC demanded, glaring at her tiredly.

Cinder met his glare with an apathetic look and nodded, folding her arms over her chest.

“We got into an argument.”

“About…?” Flaire waved her hand expectantly. “Come on, you raced out of her just as I got back. Amber was pretty wound up too.” 

She caught a glimpse of Amber shrinking into her corner of the tent. Guilt welled in her heart and Cinder clenched her jaw. Deliberating on just how much information to give them.

Ultimately, she decided to bite the bullet.

“I’m gay.”

Cinder tightened her crossed arms, subtly holding her racing heart. On her left, Flaire blinked and her eyes widened. On her right, AC had about the same reaction except his jaw hit the ground.

Everyone stared at her for a long awkward moment, and then something seemed to click in AC’s head. The black adolescent glanced between her and Amber, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

At the same time, Flaire arched an eyebrow.

“But you had a crush on Blaine though,” Flaire pointed out, “so that makes you bi.”

Cinder felt blood rush into her cheeks and she looked away with a pout. “Then, I’m bi.”

Amber coughed into her fist awkwardly while AC scratched his neck, a hesitant expression on his face.

“Well, good for you,” he said with a fimble smile and a thumbs-up. “So, how did Amber have anything to do with…?”

AC petered off, watching Amber tuck a lock of hair behind her ear and Cinder tighten her arms around her chest.

“Oh.” AC glanced between them. “Oh… Oh n-no….”

The awkward tension in the air thickened, filling up the tent to the point they were choking on it. None of them knew what to say or do to lighten the mood. It didn’t seem like there was any way to do that.

Then, Amber whined and blurted out, “It’s my fault, alright!”

The brunette tugged on her bangs and moaned while everyone turned their attention to her.

“I kept poking Cinder about what was bothering her,” she confessed, her eyes glued to the ground. “One thing led to another and I got a little physical because Cinder doesn’t like opening up on her own. Then… Well….”

“I pinned her to the ground because she was being annoying.” Cinder blushed, recalling the memory. “She figured out the rest right after.”

“And you panicked then ran out,” Flaire finished.

Cinder and Amber nodded together. AC and Flaire both sighed in exasperation.

“Never a dull moment with you guys,” AC remarked, something between a frown and a smile on his face. “So, I’m gonna figure this out in the morning. Goodnight, guys.”

He quickly retreated out of the girls’ tent, not even waiting for a proper farewell. A yawn was the last thing they heard from him as he left.

When the tent fell quiet again, it was Flaire who chose to break the silence.

“Do you guys want some privacy?” she asked, throwing a thumb over her shoulder.

An anxious look crossed Amber’s face, but Cinder shook her head.

“No, we can settle this now.” Cinder looked over at Amber, narrowing her eyes. “Look, Amber, I… I’m sorry for… everything.”

Her earthen brown eyes bugged out of her head.

“What?” Amber blinked at her, then waved away her apology. “You shouldn’t be apologizing! I jumped on you! I kept nagging you! I made you uncomfortable and… you know….”

She blushed and so did Cinder. Flaire glanced between them, then threw another thumb over her shoulder.

Cinder shot her a sharp look and the redhead held up her hands diplomatically. Meanwhile, Amber sucked in a deep breath and blew it out.

“I’m really sorry, alright? You know I’d never want to hurt you, right?” Amber asked somberly.

Cinder sighed. “No, you wouldn’t. But it still hurt.”

Amber winced. “Yeah… Look, Cinder… I don’t like girls like that.”

Cinder rubbed her arm. “I know.”

“But you’re really nice!” Amber swerved, flashing her a big pearly smile. “And you’re really pretty too! And anyone who likes you is gonna be super lucky! Right, Flaire?”

Flaire glanced between them, then held up her hands again.

“Don’t pull me into this,” the redhead retorted.

Amber grumbled and Cinder huffed, growing a brief smile.

Scrambling to recover, Amber sputtered and stammered, “But just because I don’t like you like that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends anymore, right?”

Cinder feigned pain and anger for a few more seconds, bleeding Amber for her guilty countenance until she was satisfied. Then, she let go of a heavy sigh and offered the brunette an aloof look.

“I forgive you.”

Earthen brown eyes blinked. “Really?”

“Yeah… Amber Alert.”

Flaire snorted and immediately burst into laughter. Amber blinked in abject shock at the mention of her old nickname, then she flushed dark brown.

“H-Hey!”

Cinder guffawed and fell backward, sprawling on the floor of their tent. She pushed aside all the night’s trauma and forced it out of her mind so she could deal with it tomorrow, maybe even until she got back to Beacon and talked about it with Coral. For now, she just wanted to laugh in the company of her friends.

"Y-You know what?" Flaire chortled, hand over her stomach as she fell backward too. "This is actually- This is where Amber saw those lights."

"Flaire, shut up!"

This world was so messed up. Sometimes, it seemed to hate her. Sometimes, it wanted to give her a pass. She kept flip-flopping between extremes, stumbling through life but stumbling forward nonetheless.

Maybe she didn’t get the girl today, but maybe one day….

A tame scene from the smut novel Trivia sent her played out in her head, a moment in the novel that was more tender than steaming hot. 

Cinder imagined a featureless face, a future partner whose company she might enjoy as they might enjoy hers. She imagined holding their hand, touching their arm, stroking their jaw, and leaving them wanting for her warmth. She thought about running her svelte fingers along their arm, leaving burning touch, and cupping their face with a scorching caress… Huh.

Cinder pursed her lips and looked at her palm, activating her semblance to heat it up. She flexed her fingers and spread them, letting the semblance set her skin alight.

“What’re you thinking about?” Flaire asked, peering over at her.

Cinder curled her hand into a fist, snuffing out the heat.

“I think I figured out what I want to call my semblance.”

The year’s end had come and snow drifted freely upon the kingdom of Atlas. Rolling white hills had become an abundant sight outside of the main city and sometimes within, the public parks become glimmering monuments of winter’s beauty. Unfortunately, the courtyard of the Schnee Manor, did not share this aspect.

“Again!”

Winter thrust her saber forward and clashed with the woman in front of her. Steel struck steel, sparks flying as they trudged through the thick layer of snow covering the ground.

Before her, the huntress her father had hired to teach her swordsmanship Claret wielded her sword with finesse and was unbothered by the frigid air. Winter, however, struggled to keep her aura up and fight at the same time. That was why they were outside, to help her focus on both actions.

“Again!”

Claret surged forward, seemingly unhindered by the natural obstacle under them. Winter sucked in a sharp breath and raised her weapon, barely managing to parry a strike.

They dueled for a minute longer before Claret relented in her onslaught.

“You’re improving faster than I expected,” her tutor remarked, flourishing her blade. “You need to work on your aura, however.”

Winter nodded, taking in labored breaths.

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” she said, closing her eyes and focusing on using her aura to warm herself, “I’ve not used it in this manner before.”

“You will learn to in time.” Claret opened her scroll and checked something. “If I may, Miss Schnee, may I ask what you intend to do when your training’s concluded?”

Winter blinked at her, then looked down at the disturbed snow around her.

That was a question she asked herself quite often. Her dream of learning how to fight with steel and aura was becoming a reality. However, the inevitability of taking over the SDC was dawning on the horizon. Her skills would become null and void upon taking her place in the family business; unless assassins became a common event of course.

“…I don’t know.” Winter scraped the tip of her saber along the snow field.

Claret hummed and sheathed her weapon. “Your father tells me this is all for self-defense.”

Winter nodded affirmingly. “Yes, it is.”

“That’s a shame really,” her tutor remarked while crossing her arms. “Atlas Academy could use someone like you. Honestly, with your talent, I wouldn’t be surprised if General Ironwood tried to scout you himself.”

Claret stroked her chin and chuckled with a smile. Winter frowned and thought back to that day a year ago when Ironwood had convinced her father to let her train.

“Unfortunately, I am the Schnee Heiress,” she declared, pushing the thought aside. “I’m bound by duty and responsibility to uphold my family’s honor and traditions.”

In the corner of her vision, she caught Claret giving her a dubious look as if she knew what she was saying.

“If that’s how you feel.” Claret waved a hand about flippantly. “By technicality, you could apply to join the academy regardless. Anyone can once they’re seventeen.”

Winter blinked and then looked at her.

“Really?”

Chapter Text

No weapon was complete without a name. 

A simple blade or gun could be discarded easily, but a weapon forged and crafted by huntsmen or huntresses was more than a hunk of steel. It was a companion they would carry for life, a mark of their skill. It was a testament to their ferocity and might, and it deserved a name to be remembered by.

Cinder had gone through a whole catalogue of names trying to figure out the right one for herself. She’d mixed and matched all kinds of words pertaining to her semblance, her weapon, and her fighting style. She’d referenced the weapons of a few famous huntsmen and looked at her guardian’s colleagues for reference too.

The first name she came up with was ‘Silver Slayer’.

The second name was ‘Rubrum Mors’.

The third name had been ‘Burning Blade’.

And the fourth name before she gave up was ‘Infernal Breath’.

Amber had laughed at all of those names, then showed her a name generator on the internet. Cinder had tried it out, hoping that she could draw inspiration from something her scroll spat out. That had turned out to be a huge waste of time.

She’d tossed and turned in bed multiple nights in a row and stumbled her way through classes near the end of her second year trying to figure out her weapon’s name. She’d gotten reprimanded for being distracted, encouraged for her continued endeavor, and told that she could always submit a filler name before she could come up with a real one. However, like all her stubborn classmates, she wanted to get it on the first try.

Fortunately, the perfect name came to Cinder during one of her psychiatry appointments with Coral.

They had been talking about the Glass Unicorn again, specifically the night Glynda had rescued her. She’d squirmed on the reclining bed, trying not to let the phantom sting of her old opulent shock collar get to her. If had been hard to breathe and her body had tensed with the memory of every kick against her then frail frame.

Amidst the discussion and recollection, she remembered the moment she had fought back.

Glynda’s words—nothing more than a murmur in her memories now—had echoed through her head. In the face of death, she had chosen to fight back. Not only a few months ago, she had faced a similar situation with the beowolves in the Vale woodlands. Once more, she chose to fight back.

In both those instances, it had been the dead of night. The first time, she had clearly heard the clock ring midnight. The second time, she could assume the same.

Thus, when Cinder held her newly forged bow aloft, she named it ‘Midnight.’

It was the spring season in Vale, which meant two things for Pharos Academy:

One, the snow was melting and the rural forests were in full bloom. The kingdom’s beauty was on full display for the locals and visiting tourists. Even more importantly, it was time for the agricultural district to begin planting the year’s crops, plowing the fields, and sowing the seeds of the fall’s harvest.

Two, the Grimm population was about to boom now that winter was ending. That meant that the combat schools across the kingdom were deploying fourth-year students to test their might and cull the beasts before they could rampage through the south.

“Amber, on your back!”

Cinder nocked an arrow with Midnight and aimed, firing at a beowolf about to lunge at her friend. Letting the shot loose, the arrow flew and pierced the grimm’s head, killing it.

Meanwhile, Amber kicked away the decomposing body and twirled Mimameith, her dust crystal-tipped stave. Another beowolf charged her and she stood her ground before she jumped forward and whacked one end of her stave on its head.

The grimm whined and stumbled in mid-charge. Before momentum could make it barrel into Amber, however, the teen leveled her weapon and activated the wind crystal on the end of the staff. A burst of air suddenly launched her away to a safe distance, and then she got into a stance to throw her stave like a javelin.

Activating the other end of the staff which held a fire crystal, she let Mimameith rocket out of her hand and spear the beowolf, killing it. 

“That’s seven!” Amber cried as she ran to retrieve her weapon.

Cinder smirked and fired an arrow at a beowolf running after her friend.

“Ten!” Cinder shouted.

“What?” Amber shot her a dubious look as she pulled her stave out of the ground. “No way.”

She flashed her a smug smirk and lowered her bow.

“Yes, ‘way.’” Cinder flipped her hair off her left shoulder and put one hand on her cocked hip. “Remember the pack of beowolves earlier?”

“Yeah,” Amber answered before pointing a thumb at herself, “the one I blew up with my fire crystal.”

Cinder nocked her bow again. “Whose arrow blew it up again?” She raised Midnight and fired off another arrow, nailing yet another beowolf. “Eleven.”

Amber scoffed and shook her head as she collapsed Mimameith. “So, unfair.”

A smug smirk crossed Cinder’s lips as she watched the brunette channel her aura into her weapon. On command, the plant dust-laced, root-like appendage on the end of the stave holding her fire crystal opened up, letting Amber slot in a new one.

“So, that clears our area, right?” Cinder asked, separating Midnight into its scimitar halves.

Amber looked around and after a moment she nodded.

“Guess so,” she said, “time to meet up with Mister Hide.”

With their job finished, both girls left the area and made their way back to the rendezvous point with the rest of their class.

Four years had passed since Cinder first arrived at Pharos, a fourteen-year-old girl with anger issues and a desire to be alone. She still had anger issues, of course, but she hid those better and she since hung out with Amber enough she didn’t consider herself as much of a loner anymore.

Actually, she could probably call herself popular now considering her reputation as the reigning three-year champion of the Vale Regional Tournament.

Her first victory in the tournament had been two years ago. Afterward, she hadn’t considered defending her title until the next tournament came around and the hosts reached out, asking if she’d be attending again. She’d chosen to give it a go, to test her skills with Midnight in hand, and to her immense surprise, she’d triumphed again. 

Her laurels had come with greater fame and with greater fame came a taste for power—metaphorically, of course. Her classmates flocked to her, some of them outright worshipped her. She was invited to clubs and parties, asked for interviews now and again, and she even got to show up in Vale’s newspaper once—Glynda had framed that in their living room. Cinder had seized total influence over Pharos and she reveled in that fact.

That was why she defended her title a third time and came out on top once more.

Now, in her final year at Pharos Academy, she was at the top of the pecking order. And she knew it.

“Oh hey, there’s Flaire and AC!”

Cinder blinked and followed Amber’s gaze to their friends taking a rest on a boulder nearby. At the same time, the other party looked up and noticed them.

“Hey, how’s it goin’?” AC called, pushing off the boulder and arching his back with a grunt.

He stepped over to them while Flaire collapsed ‘Pyrotechnics’, a pair of gauntlets she wore armed with retractable blades and blasters.

“I got eleven kills,” Cinder boasted immediately, shooting Amber a sly look and a smug grin.

Amber shot her a glare and a scowl. “No, you didn’t.”

“Uh, yes I did.”

“Ugh,” Amber groaned, slouching forward and letting her arms dangle like noodles.

Cinder and Flaire snickered together while AC sighed and shook his head.

“You guys were keeping count?” AC asked.

The ravenette picked at her fingernails. “No, I was just killing grimm and counting numbers. Helps me focus.”

AC and Flaire shared a look, arching their eyebrows and wearing frowns.

“If you say so,” Flaire shrugged before presenting them with a smirk, “because I got twelve.”

Fiery amber eyes and earthen brown ones blinked in surprise as the redhead. Next to Flaire, AC grimaced and rubbed his temples.

“Twelve?” Amber questioned.

“She stole all mine.” AC glared at Flaire, who rolled her eyes.

“Implying they were yours to begin with,” Flaire quickly retorted with a grin.

AC groaned again while Cinder leaned to the side and tried to peer at the weapon on his back.

“Hey, how’s the old hand-me-down doing?” she asked curiously.

The black teen shot her a sharp look as he unsheathed his weapon before pulling the kite shield and the sword sheathed in it off his back. 

“First of all, it’s called ‘the Magnus Axe,’” he corrected pointedly. “But to answer your question, it’s gonna take a lot more than a few grimm to break my grandpappie’s hand-me-downs.”

He held the weapon aloft, letting the sunlight pouring through the foliage reflect off the blade. Old scratches and weathered grooves shone in the light, revealing its age. Despite that, however, the sword and shield appeared reliable still, if not from the sturdiness of their design then from the confident grin AC bore.

“Wait, hold on,” Cinder cut in, “you just called it a hand-me-down!”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “It’s my grandpappie’s so I get to say it.”

The ravenette crossed her arms and huffed, bearing a scowl. Meanwhile, Amber and Flaire snickered as AC sheathed his sword back into his shield and slipped that back onto his back again.

“Alright, come on,” Cinder commanded, pointing her chin in the direction of their class’ designated rendezvous. “Let’s get going. We’re going to be late for lunch.”

Her friends smiled and nodded in agreement, and then they set out. As they trekked, they chatted about their day, from the start of their hunt to the end of it. Cinder and Amber boasted about their clever ambush on the pack of beowolves they’d slain. AC and Flaire countered with their bombastic assault on another pack.

Before long, they arrived at the rendezvous point, coming upon a wide open clearing filled to the brim with fourth-year Pharos students. Dozens of teenagers were standing or sitting around chatting each other up, comparing their body counts or showing off their weapons. A good chunk of them glanced over and saw their group approaching, a good bit of that chunk flashed admiring looks in Cinder’s direction.

“Hi, Cinder!”

“Hey, Cinder!”

“Hey, Cinder, how you doing today?”

Cinder smiled and waved at the crowd of her classmates.

“Hey, boys,” she greeted coyly. “Hey, girls.”

Many of them blushed and looked away. Next to her, she glimpsed Amber rolling her eyes and sighing.

“Flirt,” she remarked, elbowing her.

Cinder laughed. “What’s the saying? ‘Flaunt it if you got it?’”

“Keep flaunting it and you’re going to give someone the wrong idea.” Amber crossed her arms and gave her a smug look. “Remember Lew last year?”

The blood in her face drained and the seventeen-year-old winced at the memory. Letting her classmate down was an incredibly awkward experience she never wanted to relive again.

Shaking her head to get the memory out of it, Cinder breathed in and looked across her assembled classmates again.

“Where’s, Mister Hide?” she asked with a frown.

“He’s out looking for Helia,” someone nearby answered. “I think she and her girlies tried going deeper into the woods–”

As if on cue, screaming pierced the air and everyone looked over at the brush nearby. The sound of creaking trees and cracking bark echoed as the foliage swayed above. Shadowy figures in the dark beyond the treeline grew clearer until Helia, Selena, and Eos leaped out of the forest, running as fast as they could.

Not a second later, a roar erupted behind them and a massive ursa with enormous spikes on its back came barreling out behind them.

Cinder’s heart leaped up into her throat as she reached for Midnight.

“Alpha ursa!” someone across the clearing shouted in alarm.

“Crap,” AC grunted, pulling his shield off his back.

At the same time, Cinder glimpsed Amber extending Mimameith and Flaire cocking Pyrotechnics.

“Scatter!” someone else cried and the group of students dispersed as Helia led the massive grimm barreling toward them.

If that wasn’t bad enough, a pack of beowolves arrived in their wake, likely attracted to the trio’s dread. Thankfully, a good bit of their classmates started pulling out their weapons in response.

“Lookin’ like we gotta get serious, girls,” AC groaned, unsheathing his broadsword.

Cinder looked over at him as he unsheathed his broadsword, but then inserted it back into the bottom of his kite shield, twisted the sword’s grip, and yanked it out. The grip extended into a long shaft and he pulled the shield off his arm, the combined weapons becoming a single double-headed greataxe, at last matching its name.

A smirk crossed Cinder’s face as she charged forward with her friends.

Teens scrambled left and right, blocking Cinder’s view of the advancing grimm. She tried to peek past the many bodies fleeing in all directions, but in the end, she was forced to shove people out of her way to get to the fight.

When she finally caught sight of the alpha ursa, she found it towering over Helia, the girl helpless beneath it.

To her left and right, Cinder spotted her classmates rushing to meet the other grimm in battle. Amber, however, stood by her side and aimed Mimameith over at Helia. Her stave was topped with a wind crystal.

Fiery amber eyes met earthen brown ones and they silently formed a plan. Then, they put it into action.

“Hey!” Cinder shouted, rushing forward with teeth bared. “Over here!”

The alpha ursa moved its attention from Helia to her, and Amber activated her stave as it did.

The wind crystal glowed as she created a vortex, sucking in dust, debris, and Helia off the ground, dragging her out of the line of fire.

The alpha ursa roared and turned to watch its prey get pulled way from it. However, as it moved to give chase Cinder leapt forward, dragging Midnight along her left side. Both scimitars sliced along the grimm’s belly, opening it up and letting black blood gush out.

The alpha ursa groaned but stomped forward another pace.

Twirling around, Cinder flourished her blades and thrust them forward, impaling the beast upon them. For good measure, she activated her aura and superheated her weapons, the conductive material Ms. Ferric helped her get letting the blades burn the grimm from the inside out.

Grinning, she watched the alpha ursa roar in agony, flailing its limbs wildly. However, after a few seconds, she realized it wasn’t going down. In fact, it just seemed a lot angrier.

Fear dawned on Cinder’s face as the alpha ursa looked down, its furious scarlet eyes glaring at her.

Its weight grew heavier as it tried to slide down her blades, lurching forward to crush her under it.

“Cinder!” Amber called from afar.

A thousand thoughts burned through Cinder’s head as she tried to figure a way out of this. If she stood her ground she could buy herself a couple more seconds. She could easily let go of Midnight and dodge away, but there was no guarantee she could escape without getting caught under the beast. But getting a leg caught or a slash across her back was better than flattened–

Suddenly, a gunshot went off and the alpha ursa lurched to the left. Two more shots echoed through the forest and the alpha urse arched backwards.

“Incoming!”

Cinder glanced over her shoulder in time to see Mister Hide rush up to her and the alpha ursa.

The veteran huntsman flicked his gun arm, transforming his hand cannon into a hunting knife. Then, he threw it, the blade slicing through the air in a silver blur before it jammed itself into the ursa’s head.

A second later, Mr. Hide jumped up above Cinder, wrapping his arms around the grimm’s neck. Momentum let him swing around to ride its back, his patchwork cloak flying in the air behind him, and he held himself secure up there, grabbing his knife and transforming it back into a gun.

Pulling the trigger three more times, he blasted open the alpha ursa’s head before he swung off his neck and down onto Cinder.

“Get down, kid!” Mr. Hide shouted and she obeyed, dropping down to the ground underneath him as he took the brunt of the dead grimm’s weight on his back.

A few seconds later, the decaying corpse got lighter and he rolled it off his shoulders.

“Cinder!” Amber shouted, running over with AC and Flaire behind her.

Cinder pushed herself up and flipped her hair over her shoulder before flashing her friend a smile.

“I’m alright!” she called back before looking down and grabbing Midnight off the ground.

Turning around, she faced Mr. Hide who was busy popping his back.

“Whew!” their homeroom teacher breathed. “Now that was a workout!” He looked around, scanning the students that gathered again. “Everyone good? No one hurt?”

No one called out if they were.

“Alright!” Mr. Hide holstered his hand cannon and clapped his hands. “Everyone form up! Let’s get some roll call going so I know we aren’t missing anybody!”

Twenty minutes later, their teacher was satisfied he’d wrangled them all together and allowed them to take a lunch break. Teens grabbed their packed lunches or offered out some to those who didn’t. They sat down on blankets or just the bare ground to chow down, inhaling their food after a long day’s work.

Cinder herself was munching on a sandwich she’d made earlier in the day with her friends when Mr. Hide walked up to her.

“Hey, kid, come here,” the cloaked teacher instructed, pointing his chin to the treeline nearby.
“Wanna have a quick talk with ya.”

Cinder arched an eyebrow and shared a confused look with Amber as Mr. Hide walked off. AC and Flaire shared similar expressions, but they shrugged. After finishing off the last bite of her sandwich, she got up and downed it with her water bottle before following him.

They walked a few feet into the forest, getting some distance from the class. Once they were a fair bit away, Mr. Hide stopped and turned around to face her, his arms crossed and face serious.

Cinder shifted her feet nervously under her as she rubbed her neck. “Yes, Mr. Hide?”

The man sucked in his lips and nodded to himself, figuring out the words he wanted to say before he said them.

“Listen, Cinder, you got talent. You know that, you’re the three-year running champ for Pumpkin Pete’s sake, but that’s not what I wanted to talk about,” Mr. Hide stated firmly, gesturing around with his hands before he gestured at her directly. “You’re good in a fight, but you’re reckless. Keep taking big risks like what just happened back there with the ursa and you’re going to get hurt. I don’t wanna see that happen. Capiche?”

Cinder squirmed awkwardly beneath him, a bit of shame squashing her spirit.

“Uh, yes, sir,” she answered, bowing her head.

Above her, she heard Mr. Hide chuckle.

“Hey, what’d I tell you kids about calling me, sir?” he joked, pointing an accusing finger at her to lighten the moon. “Alright, now get moving. Lunch break’s almost over and it’s a long walk back to town.”

It was around three in the afternoon when Glynda made her way to Ozpin’s office.

The school year was nearing its end, meaning everything at Beacon was spiraling into chaos. Students were scrambling to study up for their finals and finish projects. Faculty members were struggling to shove their lectures into class time and finish up topics less they drop them entirely. And Glynda herself had to deal with the fallout of it all, receiving reports from all corners of the campus.

She’d spent practically the entire day reading emails from her colleagues on their progress or lack thereof. Currently, Bartholomew was begging her to loan his class an airship ahead of schedule so they could take an impromptu visit to Mt. Glenn. Thumbelina was running low on supplies again and was requisitioning more. Peter had let loose a boarbatusk for a live demonstration and a student had gotten gored! And that wasn’t to mention the fact that Spectra had decided to take a mission in the middle of the school year, disappearing from campus and leaving a substitute teacher to take over her classes.

“Ugh,” Glynda groaned, rubbing her forehead as yet another throbbing headache haunted her bruised mind.

Shaking her torturous worries out of her head, Glynda quickly switched her focus to more uplifting topics.

The first and only thing to come to mind was Cinder’s upcoming graduation from Pharos.

It was so hard to believe that seven years had come and gone since Glynda first met Cinder; and by the end of this year that would mark eight. Eight whole years….

Glynda swallowed a lump in her throat as she imagined the graduation ceremony. The pomp and circumstance. The robe her daughter would wear and the smile that would be plastered on her face.

Her heart swelled at the mere thought, so big it pushed the air out of her lungs so she had to take a deep breath just to contain her excitement.

Just then, the doors to the elevator opened and Glynda quickly suppressed her smile. Placing her stoic mask back on, she strode into the headmaster’s office with her tablet in hand. Hopefully, he wasn’t busy dozing off because they were going to take an hour to go over reports whether he liked it or not–

“This is unprecedented, Ozpin,” a familiar, stern voice declared over a call, “losing one was enough, but two?”

Glynda stopped in mid-stride and blinked at the sight of Atlas’ general standing in a holographic window. On the other side, Ozpin glanced from James to her and his expression shifted slightly, his brow tensing and his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

“James,” Ozpin interjected quickly, “we have a guest.”

On the screen, James tilted his head and likely arched an eyebrow. From behind the projection, he couldn’t see her, so that afforded Glynda enough time to compose herself before she stepped forward and around the headmaster’s desk.

“Hello, General Ironwood,” she greeted.

The general’s hardened countenance softened and he offered her a smile. “Glynda, it’s good to see you.”

The huntress nodded, restraining herself from smiling back. She was here on business, not pleasure.

“Apologies for the interruption, gentlemen,” Glynda said, glancing between the two academy headmasters as she gestured with her tablet, “but I have a list of reports that need to be reviewed.”

At the beginning of her career, Glynda might have been reverent at the stoic face Ozpin wore. She might have believed that he was a seasoned headmaster, unmoved by even the hardest workload. 

Many years into her career now, however, she could see past his emotionless mask; she could see the subtlest of hints noting his fear of actually performing his duties.

Almost imperceptibly, Ozpin tensed. His lips pressed together tighter. His eyes narrowed. And his left foot shifted as he forced himself not to squirm. This man never changed.

“Actually, Glynda,” James cut in with a diplomatic tone, “Ozpin and I were discussing some serious matters. Surely, this can wait?”

Glynda arched an eyebrow, her interest piqued. Ozpin, however, raised his hand.

“James, please.” The silver-haired man sat up, adjusted his scarf, and picked up a cup of coffee off his desk. “Perhaps, this is a good chance for her to join the conversation?”

Emerald eyes and blue ones flicked over to Ozpin. He tapped along his desk, bringing up a new holographic panel alongside James’ projection. On it were a few Atlas Academy documents as well as a few marked by the Kingdom of Vale, all of them pertained to academy tournaments.

“As you know, Glynda, Atlas doesn’t hold regional tournaments, seeing as Atlas Academy is the only academy in the kingdom,” Ozpin elaborated before he gestured over at James.

Noticing the spotlight given to him, the general spoke up, “We hold in-house tournaments as a replacement, but recently student enrollment has been at an all-time low and our own students feel… discouraged from entering the tournament.”

“Discouraged?” Glynda questioned, crossing her arms.

James coughed tentatively into his fist. “With low numbers and recurring victors, a rather large number of our students feel that the tournament only has one outcome.”

“Some think it’s rigged,” Ozpin added bluntly.

The general shot him a sharp look. Ozpin remained unfazed.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, James sighed, “Due to those reasons, I’ve made a formal request to Ozpin regarding the inclusion of Atlas students into the Vale Regional Tournament to better test our primary combat students’ capabilities against Vale’s.”

Glynda stared at him for a moment, busy processing the explanation. After a few seconds, she pieced it all together and thought about all the possibilities. On all accounts, they could consider it a miniature Vytal Tournament between Atlas and Vale, a minimal exchange of strategy and experience between combat students. For Vale’s primary combat schools, it might make a good introduction to Atlas’ combat curriculum. On Atlas’ part, it might be a wonderful introduction to the wider world for their students.

“That sounds wonderful,” she agreed curtly, remaining tall and stoic. “Although, if we truly wish to push this forward, we’ll have to confirm it soon. The regional tournament here is coming up quickly and it will take an immense amount of effort to include Atlas Academy in it.”

Both men nodded in agreement.

“As far as transportation is concerned, my academy has that covered,” James remarked, pulling up a tablet to tap on. “We can transport our own students, faculty members, and any family members wishing to tag along. As far as security goes, we can provide as much as necessary–”

Glynda snapped her focus to him immediately. “Security?”

She snapped her gaze over to Ozpin, hoping he was as disturbed as her. Instead, she found him with the same impassive expression. No furrowed brow. No narrowed eyes. Only a slight frown on his lips.

“Just a precaution. We have been running into some issues with insurrectionist cells and increased grimm activity around Atlas.” James held a stern gaze as he watched her. “That’s not to mention the White Fang’s newfound aggression as of late.”

She hummed affirmingly and checked her tablet, minimizing the reports and opening a new document to record everything. They went on for a while longer, focusing on the issues of housing, catering, and arena seating. Increasing the size of the event came with all manner of issues, which was only further aggravated by the fact that Beacon would be hosting the Vytal Festival right after the tournament.

By the time they wrapped up preparations, the sun had fallen far from the sky. Down below, Glynda suspected that the hustle and bustle of the academy had slowed down.

“That should suffice for now,” Glynda sighed, closing her eyes and rubbing her temple. “I can review the paperwork in the morning, contact suppliers, etcetera etcetera…” She breathed in deeply and let out an exhausted sigh. “For now, here are the reports I came up here to give you, sir.”

She set her tablet on Ozpin’s desk and pushed it toward him. The headmaster glanced down at it, leaned back into his chair, and glanced back up at her.

Emerald eyes narrowed. Almond brown ones glanced away.

“Of course,” he replied pensively, “I’ll review it in a moment.”

“All of it?” she inquired pointedly.

If Glynda wasn’t mistaken, his cheeks tinted the lightest shade of pink.

“Yes, all of it.” Ozpin offered her a reassuring smile. “Rest assured, I am still the headmaster of Beacon.”

She gave him a dubious look as she stepped away from the conversation. “I’ll check in with you later, sir. Goodbye, James.”

Glynda gave the general’s holographic projection a short wave. He waved back with a smile, one that warmed her cheeks, though she continued to uphold her stoic mask as she left for the office.

As she rode the elevator down, she contemplated the upcoming regional tournament. A joint competition with Atlas. Regardless of her opinion, the northern kingdom often spawned some of the strongest huntsmen in the world. Vale’s students might be up against some stiff competition.

How would Cinder fair against Atlas’ prodigies?

“You haven’t told her yet, have you?”

The Atlesian general clenched his mechanical fist, feeling the servos strain. At the same time, he leveled an accusing glare at the illusive headmaster of Beacon Academy. In turn, Ozpin bowed his head and let a shadow conceal his face.

“No,” was all his colleague had to say.

James sucked in a deep breath, ready to let out a furious shout. For all the respect he had for the older headmaster, he also harbored a deep frustration with him. He played many games and he wasn’t privy sharing all the details with him. How was James supposed to help him save the world if he didn’t even know what was going on?

And now, whether she knew it or not, Glynda was entangled in all of this.

After holding in his outrage for a moment longer, James released a heated breath and spoke through grit teeth.

“When will you?” he demanded, boring a hole into Ozpin’s head.

“Soon.”

Beacon’s headmaster stood up and stepped around his chair, facing away from him. He didn’t relax, however, but instead remained with his back stiff and his head bowed while he stared out the window of Beacon Tower.

James sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’ve said that many times before, Ozpin.”

“I’m waiting for the right moment.”

“You’ve said that before too.”

“Things changed.”

Ozpin peered over his shoulder, a knowing look in his eyes. James met it and knit his brow, trying to pick up his meaning. If he was referring to their ongoing operations then nothing had improved or gone south until just recently.

“What did?” He crossed his arms and thought further until it clicked. “Cinder?”

“Glynda was ready until she decided to adopt Cinder,” Ozpin elaborated, turning back around.

Sheer anger was the first thing he felt the moment he heard the other man’s explanation. He had been the primary backer of Glynda’s decision to take an adoptive daughter. Now he had the gall of blaming his own actions for stalling Glynda’s entry into their inner circle?

“You pressed her to!” James spat.

“And it was a wonderful change in her life, whether you can see that or not,” Ozpin retorted immediately, snapping back around to lock eyes with him. “Since then, I’ve been gauging her. Having something to protect can make you walk away or stand your ground.”

He walked around his desk, moving up to his projection. Even if they were oceans apart, James could still feel his presence here in his office in Atlas.

“When the time is right, I will reveal everything to her,” Ozpin declared in a solemn voice while giving him an apologetic look. “Please, trust me with this, old friend.”

James scowled at him bitterly for a time, but eventually, he closed his eyes and swallowed a lump in his throat.

“It has to be soon, Ozpin,” he insisted, glancing over his shoulder and out the window of his office, almost expecting the enemy to be there. “Something big is coming, I can feel it.”

“So can I, James.”

The Schnee Manor was usually a silent household. So much of its vastness was taken up by nothing but decorative furniture, memorabilia from times long past, and things that had never or would never see use. There were parts of the estate that very few people had even visited, and much less returned to see again.

Winter remembered getting lost in the maze-like halls at one point in her life when she was a child. She shouted as loud as she could for her mother or father, but none could hear her because she was on the other side of the manor.

Today, however, she doubted that no one could hear the raucous shouting from her father’s study.

“That is enough, Winter!” the Schnee patriarch barked, waving a hand dismissively at his eldest daughter. “I knew hiring that private tutor was going to do more harm than good!”

Her father sat behind his desk, a fist planted on the hard mahogany imported from Mistral. His face was red with outrage as he fumed.

On the other side of the desk, Winter Schnee planted her hands firmly on the same surface as she stood her ground.

A week ago, Atlas Academy announced that its primary combat years would no longer compete in-house for the regional tournament. Instead, it would move its students to Vale for an international tournament between the kingdom’s many primary combat schools and Atlas’ single one. Not that it mattered to Winter, what truly mattered was that she attended the competition in the first place.

She needed to show her skill, to test her might in a real battle.

Her training with Claret had concluded some time ago and she’d been starved from a proper duel. The best she could manage was asking her mother to summon some grimm avatars with her glyphs, but even those were pale imitations of the real thing.

“But father, I can compete!” she argued. “You’ve seen me fight!”

Her father brought his fist down on the mahogany again and she winced.

“This isn’t about skill, Winter, it’s about public image! You are the heiress to my company! I will not have you gallivanting off and shirking your duties to this family!”

“But think about it! I’ll… bring honor to the Schnee household! If I win I can promote the SDC!”

“That’s a matter of ‘if’, Winter. Schnees do not dabble in matters of ‘if’. We ‘do’. And what you need to do is be rid of this childhood fantasy of yours!”

His scream echoed through the study and likely down the hall outside. It also echoed in Winter’s head as she backed away, breathing in deeply to maintain her composure. Tears pricked at the edges of her vision, but she forced herself not to let them grow.

Standing before her father, she found herself caught between two yearnings. One wished to push the subject further, to get him to somehow relent and allow her to compete. The other wished to back down obediently like the loyal daughter she was.

“Jacque? Winter?”

They both turned as the door to the study opened, her mother stepping into the room.

“I heard shouting,” her mother said, striding past the table and up the steps to stand with Winter. “What’s going on here?”

Her father sucked in a deep breath and then exhaled heavily like a furnace blowing out a plume of smoke.

“Maybe you can talk some sense into your daughter, Willow,” he spat, waving a hand at Winter. “She insists upon pursuing that inane dream of hers. ‘Becoming a huntress’. Bah!”

Winter bowed her head to hide her hurt expression. Her mother must have noticed it though, or maybe it was just her motherly instincts because the Schnee matriarch crossed her arms and stood up taller.

“Jacque, that’s no way to talk to your daughter.”

“It is when she continues to spout nonsense,” he argued, holding up a finger. “She’s the next in line to inherit my company. Your father’s company. She needs to study that field, not run off chasing her childish fantasies.”

Winter clenched her jaw and forced herself to not speak lest she unleash the vitriol inside of her.

A second after she had that thought, she quickly reprimanded herself for even thinking of having a childish outburst.

Looking up, Winter glanced between her father’s severe look and her mother’s uncertain one. After a second, she realized who’d won the argument.

“Come along, Winter,” her mother said, taking her hand. “Let’s go to the kitchen. Some food would do you good.”

Winter opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself. 

Obediently, she fell into step with her mother. In the corner of her vision, she spotted her father wearing a pleased smile.

Exiting the study, they strode down the quiet halls together. Now and again they would pass a servant, the faunus casting them curious looks briefly before they returned to their duties. There was no sign of Weiss or Whitley though, the former likely singing in her bedroom for her upcoming recital and the latter likely playing.

As they approached the atrium, Winter turned to step inside and down the stairs to the kitchen. However, she was stopped by a hand touching her arm.

“This way, Winter,” her mother said, giving her a playful smile.

Winter raised an eyebrow but followed her mother without a word.

They headed further down the hall and eventually reached her bedroom. Upon stepping inside, her mother pulled out her scroll and flicked through it until she held up a contact ID under the name ‘James’.

“Here,” her mother said, “add this number to your contacts.”

She gave her mother a curious look but obeyed, pulling out her scroll and typing the number in.

“Who is this?” she asked.

“General Ironwood,” the Schnee matriarch answered simply, prompting Winter’s eyes to blow open wide. “I’m sure he’d be willing to help you enter the tournament.”

Winter blinked at her and stepped back, placing a hand over her thudding heart.

“You– You’re certain?” Winter gripped her scroll and stared at the number. “But… wouldn’t this be going behind father’s back? He’ll be upset.”

Her mother laughed and placed a finger over her lips. “I won’t tell him if you don’t. And when he gets loud again I’ll calm him down.”

For a long moment, Winter held a befuddled face as she processed the offer being given to her. She thought about the consequences, the great upset that would stir up a brief chaos in the Schnee household. But then she thought about what this could mean for her.

If she won the tournament, she could make a name for herself. The legend of Winter Schnee would finally begin.

A jovial smile crossed her lips and the heiress looked up at her mother.

Swallowing down the budding joy threatening to choke her, she said, “Thank you, mother!”

Her mother smiled warmly and stepped forward to embrace her in a tight hug.

“Of course, dear,” her mother spoke softly. Lovingly. “Anything for my little snow angel.”

Winter blushed as she pulled away from the hug, her scroll still gripped tightly in hand.

“Alright.” Her mother glanced at the door and exhaled. “I’m going to go check on your father and then Weiss. You go ahead and give James a call, okay?”

Winter nodded and her mother departed the room.

A few seconds of silence passed afterward, and then Winter lifted up her scroll and stared at the general’s number.

This was it. This was the first step forward.

After breathing in and then out, working up all the courage she had within her, Winter pressed the call button.

A tense moment passed and she felt her heart thud against her chest, threatening to punch through it. Her legs felt weak so she stumbled over to sit on her bed.

A few more seconds passed and she started getting cold feet. Her thumb moved to hover over the end call button.

This was wrong. She shouldn’t do this. Her father would be furious. She was a Schnee. The Schnee . Heiress to her house, she shouldn’t be doing this–

“This is General Ironwood.”

Winter froze up like a deer in headlights and stared at the screen displaying the general’s face.

General James Ironwood held an impassive expression as he stared at her, eyes slowly examining her end of the call. After a second, however, his eyes narrowed and he leaned forward, trying to peer through the screen and study her face. Another second later, his eyes widened.

“Miss Schnee?” he remarked in bewilderment. “How did you get this number?”

Winter flapped her lips like a fish for a moment before she cleared her throat.

“My mother gave it to me,” she answered quickly then wet her chapped lips. “She said you could help me with something.”

The general furrowed his brow, suspicion in his eyes. “May I ask what kind of help you need?”

It was now or never.

“…I want to apply for the Atlas-Vale Regional Tournament.”

Her words hung in the air, echoing loudly in her ears.

On her scroll, General Ironwood held an impassive face again as he stared at her. Scrutinized her. He seemed to be trying to gauge something. Measuring her resolve or something similar to that.

“…Does Jacque know about this?” he finally spoke, leaning forward and weaving his fingers together to rest his chin on them.

Her silence gave away the answer.

The general closed his eyes then and exhaled. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach.

“Miss Schnee… Winter,” he addressed sternly, “your father and I have a close partnership. Though he regards us as quite… familial, at the end of the day it is a partnership based on mutual gain. The Atlesian military and Academy receive massive financial support from the SDC while we grant them exclusive contracts. Going behind his back could seriously damage that–”

“Sir, I want to be a huntress!” Winter blurted out before he could finish.

The general paused and narrowed his eyes. Her face reddened and her head buried itself between her shoulders.

A tense moment passed, but then the corner of his pursed lips tugged up.

“Claret showed me recordings of your training sessions. I was impressed,” he claimed, looking away to do something off-screen. “If you really want to compete, I want you to say it one more time.”

Winter sucked in a deep breath and sat up straight, steeling her resolve.

“General Ironwood, sir,” she addressed, “I want to compete. I want to be a huntress.”

The general grew a small smile and he nodded approvingly.

“Alright. I’ll pull some strings,” he declared and stood up, lifting his scroll with him. “I’ll contact you in a few days about the next steps moving forward.”

The end of her final school year was fast approaching and Cinder could barely contain her excitement.

Once she graduated—and there was no doubt in her mind that she wasn’t—she’d be moving on to Beacon. She’d be leading Amber, AC, and Flaire into the future, the four of them taking classes and sparring together under the watchful eyes of her guardian. They’d be living in a dorm room close to her guardian’s apartment and only four years after that they’d become full-fledged huntsmen.

In just under a year, she’d be following in Glynda’s footsteps.

However, there was still one final task left to do before Cinder graduated, and that was to defend her title as the regional tournament champion.

That was why she and Amber had decided to do some scoping out on the competition as they arrived in Vale.

“Check them out,” Amber remarked, holding a hand over her eyes as she peered into the distant crowd of Atlesian students. “The competition’s looking stiff.”

Standing beside her, Cinder held her arms crossed as she squinted and tried to see whatever she was seeing.

“How can you tell?” She looked at Amber who tapped a finger against her temple. “Right. Hyper Cognition.”

They stood near the edge of Beacon’s campus, the visiting Atlesian students arriving at the combat school’s landing pads. Seeing as Atlas had no proper place to stay during the competition, Beacon had offered to house the visitors in the extra dorm buildings usually reserved for the Vytal Festival. And since Cinder lived on campus with her guardian, she had invited Amber over to help her scout out their opponents.

“Hey, check her out.”

Amber elbowed Cinder and pointed at a girl near the edge of the crowd. She was a sheep faunus lurking in the back of the crowd, timidly scurrying around the edge.

“What about her?” Cinder asked inquisitively.

“She’s going for her suitcase,” Amber answered.

She arched an eyebrow. “And?”

Her friend elbowed her again. “Watch.”

Cinder squinted and put a hand over her eyes. In the distance, she spotted the sheep faunus reaching down to grab her luggage. Then, she watched the luggage dissolve into a cloud of dust she sucked into her hand.

She blinked at the sight then looked at Amber, who shrugged.

“Some kind of storage semblance?” Amber guessed. “Might need to keep an eye on her. She could pull stuff out of nowhere.”

“Noted,” Cinder hummed.

They stood around a while longer, lingering in the shadow of one of Beacon’s decorative arches the academy was so fond of. Every now and again, one of them would point out an opponent they thought might be trouble. Eventually, however, they were forced to leave when Ozpin and Glynda arrived, the two addressing the crowd before leading them to the dorms.

Cinder gave a wave to her guardian when she glanced over, noticing them. Her guardian waved back and Cinder smiled before she took Amber over to her home.

“You feeling nervous about this?” Amber asked as they walked.

Cinder shrugged. “Not really. I’ve won three times in a row, what’s a fourth?”

She flashed a confident simple at Amber, who frowned.

“You really don’t know much about Atlas, do you?”

The jab was meant to be about Atlas Academy’s curriculum, she knew that. However, the superficial meaning rubbed Cinder the wrong way and she crossed her arms.

“I know plenty,” she answered coldly.

Amber shot her a suspicious look. “What was that?”

Cinder swallowed and breathed in.

“Nothing, sorry.” She rubbed the back of her neck and looked back over at her. “But I mean, what’s Atlas got that we don’t?”

“Better tech? Stricter curriculum?” Amber answered, counting off her fingers. “Arguably better training facilities?”

Cinder rolled her eyes. “And that’s supposed to make them better?”

Her friend laughed and elbowed her. “All I’m saying is, keep on your toes. You never know when you’ll meet your match.”

True to his word, General Ironwood had pulled some strings to get Winter registered on the list of contestants for the Atlas-Vale Regional Tournament. It was only a few days after she’d called him that he sent her an email with a form to fill out. After that, he’d officially met with her parents and her father had been furious, and true to her mother’s words she’d kept him calm enough to see her off without blowing a gasket.

It was strange really, sitting on an airship that wasn’t first-class. There was no personal attendant to call on, no extra leg room to stretch her legs in, her seat didn’t recline nearly as much, and, just as General Ironwood had stated, her baggage space was limited to a single case.

Fortunately, she was able to get around the luggage limit by having the rest sent to the SDC’s subsidiary office here in Vale.

All that aside, the trip to Vale had been a rather long one filled with silence. She’d sat with two academy students who’d chosen not to interact with her, both giving her nervous glances every other hour. She’d chosen not to interact with them either, not seeing any reason to, and instead had buried herself into a book she’d brought with her.

Least to say, it had been a… humbling experience.

Upon arrival at Vale, she had stepped off the airship with her luggage in hand and waited with the crowd of academy students for Beacon’s headmaster and deputy headmistress to arrive. They gave some welcoming words and then invited the competitors to follow them to the dorms they’d be staying at.

Thankfully, Winter needn’t join them.

When she’d turned her form into the general, she had asked about alternative housing. Rather than sleeping in the same room with teenagers that she didn’t know, she would be staying with family.

Boarding another airship, Winter traveled to the city of Vale and was met by a limousine.

A smile split the heiress’ face when the door opened and a short, silver-haired man dressed in a white suit and dark grey vest stepped out of the vehicle.

“Uncle Birch!” she cried, hurrying over to greet her mother’s cousin.

“Winter, my dear!” Birch Schnee, owner of the SDC subsidiary Drifting Glacier Shipping Service, stepped forward and threw his arms out wide to embrace her.

She gladly took the hug, holding him tightly as he did her. After a second of lingering in each other’s presence, they parted and her uncle took her hands in his to give them a gentle squeeze.

“It's wonderful to see you, darling,” Uncle Birch said with a warm smile. “How is your mother?”

“She’s doing wonderfully,” Winter answered, recalling the last sight of the Schnee matriarch being a loving face with a beaming smile.

Uncle Birch hummed then gave her a knowing look. “And your sister? I do believe her birthday is coming up.”

Winter nodded affirmingly with an amused smile on her lips. 

The Atlas-Vale Regional Tournament was going to commence at the end of the week and should last a few days. Weiss’ birthday followed at the end of the week right after, giving Winter plenty of time to return home. Though, she would have preferred the two events to be months apart for some breathing room.

“Weiss is doing great.” Winter crossed her arms and exhaled. “She’s rather concerned about performing for her birthday, even though she was insistent on holding one in the first place.”

“Ever the achiever that one,” he remarked with a jovial laugh. “How old is she turning again?”

“Nine,” Winter answered before she adjusted her grip on her luggage.

Glancing down at it, her uncle huffed and then gestured at the limousine. “Come along, we can talk more on our way home. I’m sure you’re quite tired and quite famished.”

She nodded in agreeance and joined him in the car. Her luggage was packed into the trunk by a servant and soon they were on their way through Vale, traversing the commercial district until they entered the upper-class district.

Along the way, Winter watched the sights go by. She saw the pedestrians strolling the sidewalks and traffic zooming past them. She studied the various storefronts when they stopped at red lights, taking in the sight of the humble establishments. And she compared it all to her home kingdom which was full of grand architecture, and monuments of steel and stone that stood as testaments to Atlas’ industrial legacy.

Vale was a humble kingdom, one that had stood against the test of time while the other kingdoms struggled to hold themselves together after the Great War. The inner nationalist in her felt envious while the rest of her respected their ability to persevere.

Nearly half an hour later, they finally arrived at Uncle Birch’s estate, a three-story house on a street block. The topiary-lined driveway they pulled into extended well up to the building and curved to another side of the block, letting the limousine pull in and then roll forward to leave. The house itself was wide and spacious, letting Winter breathe in the smell of freshly cooked food coming from a kitchen just past the living room sitting at the end of the foyer.

“Let me show you to your room, Winter,” her uncle said, leading her up a staircase curling up the side of the atrium to the second floor. “We used to use it for storage but on such short notice we weren’t able to fully clean it up.”

Winter glanced around as they moved upstairs, noting a visible lack of faunus tending to the atrium.

“That’s quite alright, Uncle Birch,” she remarked. “Good help can be hard to find sometimes.”

Her uncle briefly stopped as he climbed the stairs and she tilted her head. For a moment, she thought she glimpsed him frowning but he turned away too fast for her to conclusively tell. After a second she heard him humm affirmingly.

“You’re quite right,” he said, making the rest of the trip upstairs.

A minute later, they entered the guest room. It was not nearly the same size as hers back home but it certainly served its purpose, gifting her a large bed, nightstand, and several outlets if she needed to plug anything in. Some pictures were hung up on the wall along with a decorative model of the SDC’s glyph emblem hanging on the wall. There was also a closet to hang her clothes and the luggage she’d sent through the Drifting Glacier sat in the corner.

“Here we are,” Uncle Birch said, ushering her inside before he pointed just down the hall. “Your belongings you sent us are right over there and the bathroom’s down that way, first door on the right if you need it.”

She set her luggage down on the bed and turned to regard him with a fond smile before she bowed her head slightly.

“Thank you, Uncle Birch,” Winter said, “for everything.”

He smiled and nodded, then stepped out the door.

“Go ahead and get some rest,” he insisted. “Come down whenever you’re ready.”

Winter nodded and watched him go, and then she breathed in and exhaled. Looking around, she took a quick sweep of the room, inspecting her lodgings. Everything was in perfect order, organized neatly, and without a speck of dust to tickle her nose.

A contented sigh escaped her before she opened up her luggage.

Unclasping the locks on the case, she flipped the lid off and reached in to pick up her saber, the same saber Claret had given her years ago.

She held it up and tested its weight, then set it down before grabbing the main gauche from sitting beside it. She tested the parrying dagger’s weight and flipped it over in her hand before she stowed it away too.

Then, Winter took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

All her choices had led to this. She needed to win this competition, no matter what.

The day of the Atlas-Vale Regional Tournament had finally come, and it was to be held on Beacon’s campus.

One of the open-air training grounds had been converted into a proper arena for the contestants to duel in. New stands were brought in to replace the old ones and hardlight barriers were set up to protect the audience. In addition, the arena floor itself was completely revamped so it matched the same terrain as the usual arena that the regional tournaments were held in.

Of course, with all the family, friends, and various other parties in attendance, the arena was twice the size of the usual venue. People from Vale and Atlas trickled into the stands until they were packed full, everyone chattering excitedly before the first duel began.

Cinder herself sat with Glynda and her friends near the announcer’s box. Sitting with them were also Professor Port and Dr. Oobleck, both chatting with her guardian on what they were hoping to see from next year’s potential students.

Across the way, Cinder saw Atlas’ students all gathered up in a blob of grey and white uniforms. They chatted with themselves and pointed fingers around, taking in the sight of the arena. Some of them were brave enough to point over at Cinder herself, probably recognizing her as the reigning champion.

Thankfully, she didn’t need to remain the center of attention for too long. Several minutes later, the speakers around the arena whined as they activated.

“Good morning, everyone, and welcome to this special occasion,” Professor Ozpin’s voice spoke. “Whereas we would celebrate the ambition and test the skills of our aspiring huntsmen- and huntresses-in-training against each other, today we invite Atlas to share their students’ prowess with ours.”

A cheer went up through the crowd, echoing off the walls and keeping the arena roaring for a good couple of minutes before Ozpin spoke up again.

“I now give the stand to my colleague. May I present General James Ironwood.” 

Cinder glanced over at her guardian, spying the corner of Glynda’s lips tug upward when the general took the stage.

“Thank you, Professor Ozpin,” the general said as he took the microphone, “greetings, everyone. I have few words to say besides that Atlas is honored to accept this invitation for an international competition and may the best fighter win!”

The crowd roared. The general stepped away from the mic and the announcers stepped up. Cinder leaned back and watched as the first duel took place.

The hours passed by quickly as Cinder watched the competition rise and fall simultaneously. Many of the younger students were pruned off the ladder, and like Amber had predicted it was the Atlesian students who were taking over the tournament. Maybe that military doctrine of theirs did give them an edge after all.

Many students from Pharos, Signal, and Lantern climbed their way up the ranks too. Cinder herself cut her way through the competition with ease. Amber followed, and a few of their classmates made it with them before they fell off.

The first day of the tournament wrapped up around four in the afternoon, Cinder, Amber, and AC were still in the competition. The second day wrapped up similarly, although AC struggled with his match.

Almost immediately, AC had his weapon stolen by that faunus girl who could store stuff with her semblance. Disarmed, he’d been forced to activate his semblance to become an aura-encased giant. The poor Atlesian had gotten stomped on and AC moved up the rankings.

On the third day of the competition, however, AC got knocked out of the competition by a kid from Signal. Meanwhile, Cinder and Amber moved up higher along with a few other students.

Sitting in the stands, Cinder got a good look at all the other competitors. She took note of a few of them, wondering if they’d make for tough opponents. A lot of the Atlesian students shared a lot of the same fighting styles, but their semblances made them unpredictable.

Case in point, she saw a faunus from Atlas who used his semblance, which apparently just let him command someone to stop, to wipe out his opponents in his first few rounds. He got beaten out of the competition near the middle however after accidentally using too much of his aura.

In contrast, Vale’s academies put forth a lot of unorthodox fighters. She saw a few of the competitors she’d faced off against in previous tournaments in the ring again. They’d improved since last time and she couldn’t wait to take them down.

The competition this year was a steeper hill to climb, but there was excitement to it.

Speaking of, she and Amber had yet to face off. If they were going to, Cinder would prefer it to be somewhere near the end, a real big bang to finish off her final tournament.

It was around noon on the fourth day when Amber got called up for a rather interesting match.

“Hey,” Cinder called, grabbing her friend’s arm as she walked away to get down into the arena, “it’s you and I in the finals, right?”

Amber flashed her a grin. “Oh, you bet.”

The brunette disappeared after that, then reappeared minutes later down on the arena floor.

“Competing in the next round, a fourth-year from Pharos Academy here in Vale, Amber Kindler!”

Cinder whooped and waved at the teen as she extended Mimameith, flourishing the stave to excite the audience.

In the corner of her eyes, however, Cinder noticed the competition stepping onto the field.

The Atlesian girl had pale skin and snow white hair tied back into a bun with a few bangs framing the right side of her face. She was dressed in a pleated, long-sleeved white button-up adorned with a red brooch, and a navy blue vest. Her legs were clad in a pleated skirt of a similar color to her vest with white leggings that ended in a pair of boots. And a pastel blue leather belt was wrapped around her waist, hosting two sheathes, one of which she emptied to flourish a glinting, steel saber.

“And hailing from Atlas, the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, Winter Schnee!”

At first, the competition seemed particularly one-sided, Winter had to admit.

Atlas Academy’s first-year students won many of the early rounds in succession—a consequence of their training regimen perhaps? Then, however, as the second-year and third-year students started appearing, Vale fought back. Students from the kingdom of the warrior king showed their teeth, beating back Atlas’ numbers.

She watched one of Atlas Academy’s students, a first-year by the name of Fiona Thyme try to beat a young man named Acacia. Her semblance allowed her to store items to some degree and she used it to steal the man’s weapon. He responded with his own semblance, however, which apparently allowed him to extend his aura outward, creating an enormous, secondary body surrounding himself like a suit of armor.

The faunus girl was stomped on and her aura promptly dropped into the red.

Of course, the competition wasn’t about one kingdom against the other. Plenty of Atlas’ students faced each other and she noted how fierce the competition between them was. Skills taught to them from their shared school were put to the test and Winter was slightly frightened by the possibility that she might get knocked out of the tournament early because she lacked those skills.

Thankfully, her time spent with Clarent wasn’t wasted. She managed to carve her path through the ranks, climbing the ladder fairly high.

As the matches went on, Winter pulled out her scroll and checked her messages.

<Mother> Weiss and I are watching the competition in the den. We saw your match against the deer faunus.

<Mother> Weiss was up on her feet shouting so loud she woke your brother up.

A laugh escaped Winter and she typed back.

<Winter Schnee> Tell her I’ll bring back the trophy just for her.

<Mother> Are you sure?

<Mother> She’ll be heartbroken if you don’t.

<Winter Schnee> I certainly will.

<Winter Schnee> But if I don’t I’ll get her something from Vale while I’m staying with Uncle Birch.

A few minutes passed before she received a new message from her mother.

<Mother> You’ve excited Weiss. Now you can’t turn back, Winter.

Winter let out another laugh as she imagined her little sister bouncing up and down, making exaggerated childish demands as she always did.

“Ugh, still can’t believe she’s here.”

Her laugh ended quickly and Winter blinked, hearing hushed whispers around her. She knit her brow and glanced around, searching for whoever had said that.

Were they talking about her? Surely not.

“She’s not even a student!”

A few rows down she spotted some Atlas students gossiping. They stole glances at her when she wasn’t looking.

Winter’s lips curled into a scowl and she opened her mouth to speak her mind when she heard another voice somewhere nearby, just above her.

“I bet she paid to be here.”

Her icy blue eyes glanced into the corner of her eye and she spied two girls speaking in hushed whispers.

“Paid? The SDC helps fund the academy. I bet her daddy made Ironwood put her in the tournament.”

“This is a tournament for students,” someone else said, leaning over to the girls, “not rich brats playing huntress.”

“I bet she hasn’t even read the Rubrum Primer.”

The heiress kept a stoic mask as she seethed. Her anger burned in the pit of her stomach as she tried to think of a way to speak her mind, to tell them she had as much of a right to compete as them.

Academy student or not, she wanted to be a huntress too.

However, as the gossip continued, a sense of discomfort festered in her. It grew into a sizzling ball of anxiety that grew and grew until she could no longer breathe.

She wanted to be a huntress, to join the academy when she was of age. However, was she really stealing this from someone else?

No, she had every right to do this. It was her way of making her dream a reality.

But still….

Winter bowed her head self-consciously, shrinking away from the eyes of the students around her. She would call them peers but they were proper students and she was just a dreamer entertaining her fantasies.

Perhaps her father was right–

“Miss Schnee.”

A hand touched her shoulder and Winter gasped, jumping in her seat. She looked up and found General Ironwood standing above her.

“You’re up next,” he said with a confident smile.

Right, she had a tournament to win. Now wasn’t the time to dwell in self-deprecation.

Getting up, Winter headed out of the stands and thankfully away from the gaze of the other Atlesian competitors. Moments later, she was stepping out of the locker room with her saber and parrying dagger sheathed on her waist.

Stepping down the hall leading into the arena, she took a deep breath to calm her thudding heart.

This was her fifth match. Her opponents were getting stronger, but she was stronger still.

“Competing in the next round, a fourth-year from Pharos Academy here in Vale, Amber Kindler!”

Standing in the shadow of the exit, Winter watched as a brown-skinned girl with a bob of earthen brown hair stepped into the light.

Amber Kindler was an average-sized girl dressed in a pleated tunic and leather corset with a strap running from over her right shoulder down past her left hip, a collection of pouches hanging off of it. Her legs were clad in dark brown pants and a pair of brown leather, thigh-high boots. In her hand, she held aloft a weapon that extended into a full stave, either end tipped by dust crystals—right now, she was sporting fire and wind.

The crowd roared at the Valean girl’s name and Winter mentally prepared herself to step out for them to cheer too. After a second, she walked forward to face her competition.

“And hailing from Atlas, the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, Winter Schnee!”

Winter unsheathed her saber and flourished it, putting on a small display for the audience.

The cheers for her sounded smaller, or perhaps she was just being self-conscious.

“Contestants, prepare yourselves!”

Winter took a ready stance and focused her mind, preparing to call on her semblance if needed.

Across the arena, Amber patted along her strap of pouches, glanced at her stave, and then got into a ready stance too. Perhaps the pouches held more dust crystals?

“Three! Two! One!”

Winter sucked in a sharp breath.

“Fight!”

Her left foot slipped in front of her right, then her right behind her left. Winter shuffled to the side and Amber followed the movement, moving to left.

They circled each other, waiting for the other teen to make the first move.

Minutes passed and the clamor of the crowd died down. Some rowdy audience members shouted for them to get on with it.

Then, in a blur of movement, Amber spun her stave and then trained it on Winter. The fire crystal at the end of her weapon blasted off a fireball that sailed across the arena.

In an instant, Winter activated her semblance, a white glyph appearing underneath her. It spun rapidly and shot her to the right, letting her dodge the fireball at the last second. She immediately summoned a second glyph to shoot her forward at Amber.

Swinging her saber, she went for an upward slash, but Amber brought her stave about, blocking the attack.

“Nice,” Amber remarked with a smile.

Winter narrowed her eyes and pulled her weapon back then went for a stab. Amber leaned back and stepped away, dodging the saber by mere inches. Her opponent then twisted and spun around, twirling her stave as she went.

The fire dust-tipped end glowed and when they met her saber there was a burst of flames.

Winter yelped and skirted back. She jumped forward again saber first when Amber had spun around to face her, but the Valean teen thrust her stave forward. The wind dust on the end flashed and when her blade made contact a burst of wind pushed Winter a few feet back.

Reeling from the blow, Winter had a moment to examine the situation. Her sword arm was thrown far back behind her and she was in the midst of being thrown off to her right. She was completely exposed to any attack from Amber if she didn’t act quickly.

Raising her left hand, Winter summoned a glyph right before Amber fired another fireball at her.

The glyph absorbed the explosion, saving the heiress from being blasted away again.

When the smoke settled and Winter had fixed her stance, she found Amber replacing one of the crystals on her stave.

Their eyes locked, icy blue orbs scouring earthen orbs for whatever plan the other teen had drafted in her mind.

A second later, Amber moved but Winter moved faster.

Summoning another glyph under her, Winter shot to the right. Then she shot forward and around Amber. 

Amber barely had time to twirl around before Winter sliced her across the side.

Glancing up at the aura monitoring screens above the arena, she watched Amber’s gauge drop a bit.

A smirk crossed the heiress’ face and she looked back to check on her opponent.

Amber had stumbled a step, her stance fimble before she strengthened it. A frown was on her face as she affixed a new crystal onto the other end of her staff, replacing fire and wind dust with something else.

Winter narrowed her eyes before she lunged forward again, ready to land a severe blow.

At the last second, Amber sidestepped and held her stave up defensively. Her saber cut across it, sparks flying as their weapons struck against each other.

Time slowed around them as Winter craned her head left, peering over her shoulder to catch a brief glimpse of her opponent.

Icy blue eyes met earthen brown ones as she witnessed Amber grow a smirk.

Alarm bells blared in Winter’s head as she shifted her feet and tried to plant herself. Her boots scraped against dirt as momentum kept her moving forward, but she managed to twist around and face Amber.

Instantaneously, the brunette spun her stave, flipping it over so the gravity crystal slotted into one end facing the ground. It suddenly flared purple and Winter’s eyes widened as Amber struck the ground with it, blasting out a sudden pulse of energy. 

Winter gasped as her feet lifted off the ground and she was pulled backward, the momentum from her previous attack keeping her moving.

Across from her, Amber grinned and flipped her stave over, leveling the other end—this one tipped with a fire crystal—at her.

“Gotcha!” the Valean teen snarked with a smirk before she shot a fireball.

Winter was struck in mid-air, consumed in a fiery explosion that lashed at her aura. She was sent hurtling out of the air with smoke trails following her, but before she crashed into the far side of the arena, she dug out a gravity crystal from a pack on her waist. Activating it in conjunction with her semblance, she summoned a black glyph in her path.

Passing through the gravity-manipulating glyph, she slowed her descent and allowed herself to perform a backward somersault, landing on her feet and digging her saber into the ground. She slid back a few feet further before coming to a stop.

Winter coughed at the acrid stench of smoke and looked down at her outfit, finding it blackened with soot. The mere sight of her ruined attire elicited a burning rage in her and she looked up with a furious glare at her opponent across the arena, who set back down on the ground gracefully and performed a flourish with her stave, focusing in on a cluster of teens from Pharos Academy.

Suppressing a growl, Winter sucked in a deep breath and cooled her nerves. She needed to stay focused and alert. 

Meanwhile, the audience roared with approval. They clapped and cheered, screaming their throats raw. Winter tried to tune it all out.

Glancing around the arena, she noted the various rock formations littering the dirt ground. She looked back at Amber, studying her for a moment.

The Valean teen seemed to know dust very well. Her stave was made to utilize its effects in a direct manner. Disarming her of her weapon was the best solution, but she’d still have her pouches of dust.

Taking a quick glance up at the screens again, Winter saw her aura gauge was in the yellow. Amber’s gauge was yellow, but a sizable chunk longer than hers.

Think. Think. Think.

Amber was using her own aggressiveness against her. She either needed to back off and wait for her to attack, or she needed to be more aggressive. Outmaneuver her… or overwhelm her.

Winter reached into her pack of dust crystals, mentally counting which one was which. Retrieving an ice crystal, she focused her aura and activated it. Then, as the crystal glowed, she pushed her semblance to the limit and summoned three glyphs above her.

Across the arena, Amber’s eyes widened as each glyph formed massive shards of ice in them.

The Valean teen jumped into a sprint right before Winter bombarded her position with a frozen barrage. Ice shards rained down in her wake, throwing up dirt, dust, and misty wisps behind her.

As the Pharos student evaded her bombardment, Winter summoned a glyph beneath her. She waited until Amber disappeared behind a rock formation before she made her move.

Just as the brunette reappeared, Witner activated her glyph. Her speed augmented, she shot forward and across the arena.

For a brief second, her eyes met Amber’s and those earthen brown orbs widened in abject horror.

Her saber cut across her opponent’s chest, sending Amber spinning. Winter’s heels dug into the dirt and she summoned another glyph as soon as she twirled around.

Shooting forward again, she sliced the girl across the back, forcing her to stumble again.

On a third hit, she came face-to-face with Amber and brought the pommel of her saber against her face. The sheer force of the blow kicked up a plume of dirt and dust as her opponent was sent flying back, tumbling end over end.

A loud dinging sound echoed across the arena and Winter looked up to find Amber’s aura in the red.

“Folks, we have our winner, Winter Schnee!”

Once the final match of the day had concluded, the tournament took recess. Tomorrow would mark the end of the Atlas-Vale Regional Tournament and its victor would hold a special place in history. Regardless of whether this was a training exercise or not, whoever held the title of champion would be renowned across the two kingdoms for their skill and prowess.

Needless to say, Glynda could see the anxiety eating away at Cinder while she ate her dinner; or perhaps it was because James was sitting right across from them.

The three of them sat inside a white-tablecloth restaurant in upper-class Vale, enjoying a high-end meal paid for by the Atlesian general. James had been rather adamant about inviting them out before he returned to Atlas, having spent the last four days of the competition working with Ozpin. What exactly they’d been discussing Glynda wasn’t privy to, but she was glad to see the general taking some time to finally socialize with her.

“So… how are you doing in school, Cinder?” James asked, presenting the teenager with an amicable smile.

Cinder glanced up from her steak with a startled look, clearly not prepared for a conversation with him. She briefly darted her eyes at Glynda, who pointed her chin at James. Despair crossed her daughter’s face, but she seemed to concede.

“Alright,” the girl shrugged half-heartedly.

James frowned at the lack of enthusiasm she showed. Glynda flushed pink as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, forcing herself not to scold the girl in the middle of a restaurant.

“What are your plans after graduating?” James inquired again, offering her another smile. “I imagine you’ll be attending Beacon?”

Fiery amber eyes flicked up at him, immediate interest sparked in the teenager once her future plans became the subject. A pleased look crossed James' face briefly and Glynda quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s right.” Cinder cleared her throat and scratched her neck. “It’s Beacon then the world for me.”

The seventeen-year-old—nearly eighteen—lifted her head up proudly like a smug cat. The mere sight almost made Glynda snicker.

“No need to grow up so quickly, Cinder.” Glynda reached over and tucked a lock of raven black hair behind her daughter’s ear.

Cinder shot her an indignant look and tried to paw her hand away, eventually succeeding. She then folded her arms over her chest and huffed angrily, her face red and head sinking between her shoulders. Across the table, James gave a laugh but stifled it a second after the teen shot him a sharp look.

Once he’d composed himself, Atlas’ general took a sip from his glass and then addressed the girl once more, “Well, in two years' time Atlas will be hosting the next Vytal Festival. I hope to see you there.”

“I’ll be there,” Cinder declared haughtily while stroking her jaw. “The four-year running tournament champion and the Vytal Tournament winner. I like the sound of that.”

“Four years?” Glynda inquired with an arched eyebrow. “I don’t believe that has been decided yet.”

The ravenette frowned and gave her an aloof look.

“Come on, Glynda.” Cinder gestured at herself with a smirk. “It’s me we’re talking about.”

Glynda grew a deep frown and sat up a bit taller, taking on the persona of Beacon’s deputy headmistress. In turn, Cinder’s frown turned into one of dread as she shrank back in deference, suddenly reminded how serious her guardian was about huntress training.

Seemingly sensing rising tension, James cleared his throat to grab their attention.

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so overconfident,” James interjected amicably. “You have rather tough competition tomorrow after all.”

“Like who?” Cinder asked, not letting go of her pride. “That kid from Signal? I beat him last year. Or are you talking about that rich kid from Atlas?”

This time, James frowned, almost like he’d taken personal offense to the remark.

“I was referring to Winter Schnee, yes,” James clarified, clasping his hands together. “She hasn’t attended a single year in Atlas Academy and has only ever been trained by a tutor. However, she’s proving herself to be a real prodigy.”

“Oh?” Glynda leaned forward and knit her brow. “How is it that she joined the tournament? I do believe only enrolled students were allowed to participate.”

“I made an exception,” he explained, picking up his glass. “She’s expressed interest in becoming a huntress in the past and contacted me prior to the tournament. I thought this might be a good… qualifier for her, so I granted her a spot on the roster.” He sipped from his drink with a pleased simple. “And it would appear I was right to do so.”

Glynda hummed affirmingly, adding his personal remarks to her mental notes. During the course of the tournament, she’d kept her eye on the Schnee heiress. The teen’s quick thinking and prowess in combat were exceptional, and her hereditary semblance was unique even among the most skilled and successful huntsmen of the era. Although she seemed lacking in some skills and rather limited by her lack of an academic education, Winter could still be considered a prodigy, just like James had stated.

“She certainly has proven to be a force to be reckoned with,” Glynda remarked, gesturing with her fork. “I would keep my wits about myself if I were you, Cinder.”

Cinder gave her a look of betrayal before she crossed her arms and grumbled.

The huntress frowned again, disturbed by her daughter’s arrogance. The teenager was only growing more cocky with every grade she earned and laurel she won. Hopefully, she learned to cast aside her pride before it became a detriment.

Valean cuisine was actually rather delectable. Certainly not as complex as Atlesian cuisine, but Winter could attribute that to the reinforced position of the upper elite in the north as opposed to the blended lines between social classes here in the south. Food was a good indicator of a house’s wealth and standing after all, a lesson her father had taught her once when they had attended a charity gala held by the Marigolds.

All of that aside, she had been enjoying the food presented to her over the last week. Tonight, she was eating Vytal-styled roasted branzino with a type of lemon dressing. It was delicious.

“You’re quite hungry today, my dear.”

Winter glanced up from her plate, fork and knife still piercing the cooked sea bass. Right beside her, her uncle gave her a charmed smile and chuckled as he cut into his food.

Blushing, Winter nodded and cut away again. “Yes, today’s match took a bit out of me.”

“It certainly was a spectacle,” Uncle Birch remarked with a chuckle. “She had you on the ropes for a moment, didn’t she?”

Icy blue eyes blinked and glanced at her uncle.

“You saw it? I thought you were busy at work.”

“I had my assistant stream it for me!” he laughed enthusiastically before gesturing out of the room. “Wool was adamant that I focus on work, but I just had to see you out there on stage.”

The adolescent flushed redder but managed to retain her composure.

“Thank you for the praise, uncle,” she spoke curtly before pressing a slice of roasted branzino to her tongue. As she chewed, she stole a glance at her mother’s cousin. “Will you be watching tomorrow?”

Their eyes met briefly and she quickly looked away, pretending to slice up the last of her food.

“I will most certainly try,” her uncle declared much to her excitement.

For the briefest moment, her face lit up. The aloof mask she usually wore cracked and the corners of her lips quirked upward. Then, however, she reinforced her composure and sucked in a deep breath, even as fireworks exploded inside of her in a brilliant display of jubilance.

In the corner of her vision, she caught her uncle chuckling to himself again.

“Speaking of ‘trying,’” Uncle Birch suddenly interjected, twisting in his chair to face her. “Tell me, have you managed to summon an avatar yet?”

Winter paused and then let her face fall with disappointment.

“Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to slay grimm yet,” she relayed, setting her utensils down and laying her hands on her lap. “Thus far, I’ve been restricted to fighting mother’s recollection of them, and she hasn’t actually fought one in years either.”

As realistic as one of her mother’s avatars could appear, they lacked the same ferocity and savagery that the real thing would have. Her mother had rarely ventured out into the frozen wastes like Winter’s grandfather had. She didn’t know how grimm moved or fought, she only had an inkling of the idea and it was that inkling that Winter had fought.

It was disappointing, to say the least.

In the back of her head, she heard the vile whispers of her fellow competitors. Their jealousy. Their distaste. Their outright hatred of her. It made her stomach churn and her chest tighten uncomfortably.

“Now, there’s no need to sulk.” Her uncle set his utensils down and turned to face her, discarding etiquette to lean over and pick her chin up with a finger. “Sooner or later you will have your chance, my dear. All you need do now is continue to strive.”

The hateful gossip of the other competitors continued to tickle the back of her mind, but they grew fainter with her uncle’s words. He shined through her dark thoughts like the sun, parting the discomforting thoughts that had clouded her mind these past few days.

A full smile crossed her face and Winter relaxed her shoulders as she turned to face her uncle Birch, taking comfort in his reassuring countenance.

Tragically, her moment of reprieve was interrupted by the clicking of heels.

Both Schnees snapped their heads in the direction of the noise, their attention stolen. A second later, her Uncle Birch’s personal assistant, a sheep faunus by the name of Wool, appeared in the threshold separating the dining room and hall. She had her scroll gripped tightly in one hand, her back straight, and her shoulders tense.

“Mr. Birch, I understand you’re busy, but could I speak with you?” she asked, glancing from her uncle to Winter. “It concerns our latest business deal with your favorite client.”

Her uncle sucked in a sharp breath and Winter darted her eyes to him. His smile had fallen far and his brow was knit tightly. Almost immediately, however, he turned to her face with an apologetic smile.

“Ah, Winter, my dear,” he spoke as he removed the cloth off his lap, “it appears I’m being summoned. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Left alone in the dining room, Winter had only her thoughts to give her company. Some of them were about her place in her family’s dynasty. Others were about her fellow competitors. And the rest were about tomorrow and all that it entailed.

The finals of the Atlas-Vale Regional Tournament. Her one, and perhaps only, chance at proving her skills as a huntress. Nothing was going to stand in her way.

The next day marked the ending of the Atlas-Vale Regional Tournament, beginning with the semi-finals.

Now that the rest of the competition had been culled out, only the best of the best remained. That led to prolonged matches where the top students of each combat school put everything they had into getting into the finals.

Cinder of course triumphed in her match, managing to outmaneuver her opponent and trip them up with her semblance. Afterward, she waited impatiently to meet her match.

To her surprise—and a bit of glee—she found herself matched against the rich brat who'd beaten Amber.

“We’ll be taking a quick break, folks!” the announcer called. “Use the restroom, grab some snacks, and get ready because the next match winner takes all! It’s the reigning champion from Pharos Academy Cinder Goodwitch versus Atlas’ rising star Winter Schnee!”

Cinder cracked a small smile when she noticed a good majority of Atlas’ students rolling their eyes or even openly groaning.

Over the course of the week, she’d learned that the Schnee heiress didn’t have as big a reputation as her daddy. All the other Atlas students were annoyed that she’d taken the spot on the register that should have been for students only. As far as they were concerned, it was a rich kid playing huntress and treating their future careers as a playground.

Honestly, Cinder sympathized with them. She also despised old money Atlesians throwing their weight around for obvious reasons. But at least now she had a chance to put one rich kid in her place.

Down in the arena’s locker room, Cinder busied herself with checking her scroll. A number of messages waited for her, but there was one she was the most excited to respond to.

<Trivia Vanille> Kick her ass, Cinder!

<Cinder Goodwitch> You know I will!

<Cinder Goodwitch> When I win, wanna get ice cream?

<Trivia Vanille> It’s on me.

<Trivia Vanille> I just have to find a good day to get out again.

<Cinder Goodwitch> I’ll be waiting.

Cinder smiled and put her scroll away before she set about fixing her outfit, adjusting her clothes, and fastening the straps on her sheathes. Then, grabbing Midnight, she made sure they were in top condition before she sheathed them and grabbed her quiver to count her arrows.

“Cinder?”

The teen straightened up at the sound of clicking heels echoing through the locker room. She looked up in time to see Glynda peeking around some lockers, obviously searching for her.

When their eyes met, her guardian smiled and folded her arms over her chest as she strode over to her.

“Glynda?” Cinder stood up, setting the quiver down. “What are you doing here?”

The blonde huntress frowned and huffed, tipping her face up in offense.

“I’m here to make sure my daughter is doing okay before she goes into the finals,” her guardian answered.

Cinder blushed and rubbed her neck bashfully. “Right. Sorry.”

Glynda let a soft laugh out before she sat down on the bench. Cinder sat down right after and picked up her quiver, running a thumb over the opening.

“So, are you nervous?”

A hand touched her shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly.

Cinder shrugged. “Nervous? I’ve won three tournaments in a row and my opponent is a rich kid who bought their way into this one.”

In the corner of her eye, she caught Glynda frowning.

“That ‘rich kid’ beat Amber,” she remarked. “Never underestimate your opponents, Cinder. I taught you that.”

She cleared her throat and nodded. “Right, sorry. But, I just have a good feeling about this.”

Cinder slipped on her quiver and popped her neck before she stood up.

She turned around and faced Glynda, who remained sitting with a watchful eye placed on her. Worry crossed her guardian’s face, then a conceding look.

“Be careful out there, Cinder,” Glynda said, standing and pulling her into a hug. “You keep your eyes on your opponent. Count your arrows. Be aware of your surroundings. And above all–”

“Don’t expect your opponent to do anything,” Cinder finished, knowing the lesson she’d learned all those years ago, “anticipate their next move instead.”

Amber orbs stared into emerald ones for a long moment, then Glynda closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She pulled Cinder into another tight hug and Cinder hugged back–

“Ow!” Cinder yelped, feeling Glynda pull on her hair. “Glynda?”

“I keep telling you to tie this up.” Her guardian tied her raven black hair into a loose ponytail. “One day someone’s going to grab it and you’ll be in big trouble, young lady.”

“General Ironwood?”

Winter blinked at the sight of the general in the locker room with her. He stood tall with his shoulders squared and his head held high, both hands clasped behind his back. He’d been wandering around when she called his name and now he had turned to face her with a pleased look.

“Ah, there you are, Winter,” the general greeted with a simple. “I came to check on you before your match.”

Her cheeks were dusted pink as she glanced down bashfully. “You did?”

He hummed affirmingly and strode over. “I thought I’d give you some encouraging words before you stepped into the ring.”

Sitting on the bench with her saber on her lap, Winter rubbed her neck and blushed heavily. She didn’t know what to say exactly besides a simple thanks, yet that didn’t seem enough. The man had literally brought her this far, giving her the opportunity to travel here and compete. Without him, this dream of hers would not be possible.

Winter froze up for a moment when the general sat down next to her with a grunt, resting his hands on his lap.

“You know,” he said, looking over at her, “I’m proud of you, Winter.”

She blushed harder.

“You are?” the heiress stammered out, giving him a startled look.

He laughed and nodded.

“You’re a born prodigy. I haven’t seen someone as skilled as you in years,” the general proclaimed. “Whatever comes, win or lose, the Academy would be proud to have you join us if you’re willing.”

A heavy hand touched her shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.

Winter’s heart thudded against her chest loudly, the sound echoing in her ears. Her mouth parted, her jaw ajar slightly as she processed his words.

The general had basically confirmed that her future as a huntress was secure.

“Really?” she asked, making sure this wasn’t a dream.

General Ironwood nodded and then stood up. He placed his hands on his hips and stepped forward, head bent back as he searched the ceiling for the right words to say.

“Yes,” he finally declared simply before he shook his head with a laugh. “Heck, if you keep showing that level of skill through the academy, I’d be willing to reserve a spot in Special Operations for you.”

Winter jumped to her feet and stood up straighter, a proud grin on her face.

“Then I’ll do my best, sir!” she declared, tipping her head in respect.

General Ironwood crossed his arms and nodded back at her. “I’d expect nothing less, Winter.”

Standing in the center of the tunnel leading out into the arena floor, Cinder took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself.

Despite her nonchalance earlier, she found her heart pounding and a bit of fear ebbing into it. There was a whisper in the back of her head telling her she’d become too overconfident and now karma was going to knock her down a peg. She silenced that whisper with a hiss, telling herself that she’d earned this after everything she’d been through.

Clenching and unclenching her hands, Cinder bounced on her heels and squeezed her eyes shut.

Outside, she heard the announcer’s voice echoing down the tunnel.

“And we’re finally here, folks! The finals of the Atlas-Vale Regional Tournaments!”

The crowd roared, their cheers ringing in Cinder’s ears. Briefly, she recalled the last three tournaments in her head, reliving every victory in the span of a few seconds.

A smile crossed the champion’s face.

“Before we begin, a few words from the headmasters of Atlas and Vale!”

<Mother> Weiss and I are watching.

<Mother> Weiss says kick her butt.

<Winter Schnee> Tell her I will.

Winter smiled at the message on her scroll before she stowed it away and unsheathed her saber, giving it another final glance over anxiously.

“Allow me to say this and this alone,” General Ironwood’s voice echoed down the tunnel leading into the arena, “over these past few days, I’ve seen nothing but the finest both Atlas and Vale have to offer, and I cannot wait to see them in the years to come.”

Her boots shifted against the dirt underneath her and Winter closed her eyes, imagining the future that awaited her. She saw herself dressed in the attire of a huntress, traversing the frigid tundras of Atlas, the forests of Vale, the jungles of Mistral, and the deserts of Vacuo. She saw herself climbing the ranks of Atlas’ military, coming to stand at the general’s side. And most of all, she saw herself gleaming in the sunlight, triumphant over the enemies of humanity.

“I concur, James,” Professor Ozpin’s voice called out next, “win or lose, every single student here has proven worthy of becoming huntsmen and huntresses. But now, enough prattle. I believe it’s time we ended this.”

Winter sheathed her saber and took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before she exhaled. No matter what the Atlesian students said and what her father bellowed, she would become a huntress.

She put one foot forward and stepped out into the light. Across the arena, she watched her final opponent do the same.

Cinder Goodwitch was a tall, lithe girl with a svelte build, appearing like a teenage femme fatale from a novel or a film. Her hair was raven black but lightened to an ashen gray near the tips. Her eyes gleamed with a fiery amber glow—or perhaps molten gold was a better color? She was dressed fashionably, her attire flashy and somewhat revealing, just enough to make a statement and draw eyes. Overall, she exuded pride and held herself up high, fully knowing her skill.

It was almost intimidating. Almost.

Cinder stepped out into the light and was briefly blinded before her eyes adjusted to the arena. In the stands, she immediately spotted Glynda clapping enthusiastically. Beside her, Professors Port and Oobleck hollered loudly, throwing fists into the air. And then there was Amber, AC, and Flaire, all of whom cried out their applause with the rest of Pharos, all of her classmates lending their voices to her.

“On one side we have the three-year running champion of the tournament, Cinder Goodwitch!”

The crowd roared louder, and they got louder still when Cinder unsheathed Midnight and flourished both blades before holding them high. She ignited them with her semblance for greater effect.

“On the other side, presenting the rising star from Atlas, Winter Schnee!”

Across the arena, the Schnee heiress held up her stoic face. She unsheathed her saber and held it forward, not bothering with theatrics but instead getting into an offensive stance immediately.

Cinder threw her a smug smirk and took her own stance.

“Three!”

What should she open with? Long distance? Close combat?

“Two!”

Winter Schnee narrowed her eyes and shifted her feet. Was she going to summon a glyph?

“One!”

Fiery amber orbs locked onto icy blue ones. A single message passed between them: ‘I won’t back down.’

“Fight!”

Cinder combined Midnight into bow form and nocked an arrow immediately. She pulled the hardlight bowstring taut and then let it loose. Her arrow sailed across the arena, nearly imperceptible until Winter pulled up a glyph as a shield.

Nocking another arrow, Cinder activated her semblance and shot a screaming arrow off. Winter dashed to her left and dodged, the arrow exploring harmlessly behind her.

Fiery amber eyes widened when another glyph appeared above Winter. A shard of ice grew in and fired from the glyph, streaking across the arena.

Cinder shifted left and leaned back, barely dodging the shimmering projectile. Immediately after, she noticed a glint in the corner of her vision.

Winter came charging at her, launched forward by a glyph.

Momentarily distracted and with her stance shifted, Cinder was left open. She only had a split-second to defend herself.

Winter swung her saber about, but Cinder brought her bow up and the razor edge of Midnight deflected the blow. However, Winter wielded her weapon like a pen writing cursive, swiftly and smoothly bringing the weapon around for another attack, this time trying to lop her head off.

Cinder ducked under the swing, then she quickly backpedaled two paces when the saber came straight down.

The world slowed down for a brief moment as Cinder watched Winter retract her weapon. The lights glinted off the polished metal as her opponent drew it back and aimed it right for her heart.

Her body moved on auto-pilot as she twisted and raised her bow up while Winter thrust.

Midnight’s razor-edged arm sparked along the saber’s edge as she blocked the attack and subsequently locked their weapons together, forcing them to a brief standstill.

Fiery amber eyes locked with icy blue ones and Cinder Goodwitch shot Winter Schnee a challenging glare.

The heiress returned the look before she retracted her saber and went for another stab.

Cinder dodged the next attack as she separated Midnight. When Winter tried a third time, Cinder held her ground boldly and let the saber’s tip nearly touch her before she leaned back and swiped up, catching the blade between both of her scimitars.

Winter’s eyes widened in surprise and Cinder grinned before she jumped off the ground, kicked the heiress in the chest, and used her like a springboard to float back a few meters to create some breathing room.

After adding a twist mid-air for some flair, Cinder landed in a crouch and flourished Midnight. Across from her, Winter brushed some dirt off her vest with an irked look before she flourished her saber and shot her a glare.

A moment later, they were mere feet away from each other.

Cinder slashed from the right, but Winter blocked the attack. As momentum kept them moving to the side, the heiress unsheathed a dagger from her waist and swung it.

Seeing the flash of silver, Cinder jumped back, barely dodging the smaller blade. When her feet touched the ground, she spun on the ball of her foot and flourished her scimitars before taking a ready stance.

Meanwhile, Winter flipped her dagger into a reverse grip and then flipped it back up. Her icy blue eyes studied Cinder, searching for a weakness. Cinder did the same.

Seconds passed before Cinder shot forward, swinging her scimitars wildly.

Streaks of glinting steel filled her vision as she tried to overwhelm the heiress. Her opponent, however, blocked and parried every blow, keeping up with her attacks. Even as she was pushed back, Winter kept up her defense, eyes flitting about as she followed all her moves.

Fiery amber eyes narrowed further and Cinder ended her onslaught by jumping up. She twirled around, bringing her scimitars around and overhead from the right.

Winter turned and leaned back, dodging the slashes, but when Cinder landed she dropped down and swept her blades across the ground, aiming for Winter’s ankles.

Suddenly, a glyph appeared under the heiress and she shot up into the sky. Cinder had a brief second to glance up, finding Winter perching herself on another glyph.

Letting momentum swing her around again, Cinder lifted her arms and flipped her swords into a reverse grip, the flat of the blades resting against her arms. Taking a defensive stance, she reinforced her aura as Winter shot down.

Icy blue eyes met fiery amber ones for a third time as steel met steel.

Her opponent was determined. Relentless. Ferocious.

They were locked in a power struggle, her saber clashing against Cinder’s scimitars. The entire world had slowed to a near pause, everything moving like molasses creeping across a flat plane in the Atlesian tundra. In that brief moment of stillness, Winter glared as hard as she could at Cinder, revealing her unyielding resolve to her rival.

When time moved again, Cinder attempted to shove her off. In accordance, Winter shifted her weight and bounced off her, arcing over the ravenette’s head and landing right behind her.

She summoned a glyph under her immediately and shot forward, drawing her saber forward to strike her down like she had Amber.

Cinder must have noticed her action because she twisted around immediately. She raised her scimitars, keeping them flipped upside down.

Too late to slow down, Winter let the attack play through. Her opponent blocked her attack, her saber sparking against her scimitars once more as she shot past the Valean teen.

Alarm bells rang in Winter’s head as she dug her heels into the dirt and spun around.

She quickly summoned another glyph to shield her just as Cinder combined her weapons into a bow and nocked an arrow. A second later, a screaming arrow exploded against her glyph. She successfully mitigated the intended damage, but was still left reeling, flecks of aura from her shattered shield disintegrating around her.

Slamming into the arena wall, Winter elicited a grunt and scowled when she heard the holographic displays above ring loudly, signaling her aura gauge dropping.

A smirk cut across her opponent’s face as she locked eyes with Winter.

“That won’t work on me, Schnee,” Cinder taunted, flourishing her blades.

A fire burst to life within the heiress, her rage ignited in the pit of her stomach. She clenched her jaw and gripped her weapons tightly, but kept her eyes locked on her opponent. The urge to charge the other girl and strike her down almost overcame her, but she just managed to temper her fury.

She darted her eyes across her opponent’s stance, studying her posture. Reading her. 

Cinder seemed to be doing the same thing, waiting for her to make the next move. Winter could continue to do the same, wait her out until her opponent got too antsy and made the first move. Although, that would just leave them performing the same dance again.

Thus far, the ravenette had attempted to overwhelm her through a flurry of blows. Cinder relied on her light footwork and ferocity with her scimitars to cut her opponents down to size. Her archery skills were much the same, though more direct. Bring them down with a rain of arrows or a single explosive one courtesy of her semblance.

If she wanted to win this, she needed to catch the Valean teen off-guard.

Holding her glare, Winter sheathed her dagger and reached for her pouch behind her. Cinder narrowed her eyes in suspicion, knowing something was up.

Tapping her fingers along the vials of dust she’d brought with her, Winter mentally counted down the line until she got to a vial of lightning dust. A smirk crossed her face and her opponent’s eyes widened in alarm.

Before Cinder could act, Winter summoned a yellow glyph above her. Lightning crackled across it, spiderwebbing from point to point as it spun faster and faster until it locked and fired a lightning bolt at the other girl.

Cinder jumped away deftly, escaping the attack. However, the force of the elemental strike made her fly a bit farther than she’d meant to.

Instead of landing on her feet, she hit the ground with her back. Winter acted immediately, summoning another glyph to launch herself forward.

Across the arena, Cinder seemed to visibly quake. One of her hands found its way to her neck and she rubbed it anxiously. She was distracted.

Winter happily capitalized on the opportunity, slashing her across the small of her back.

The Schnee heiress skidded to a halt while her opponent rolled. Their eyes met again when Winter turned to face her.

Despite the cold, stoic countenance she wore, the heiress remarked sardonically, “What was that you said?”

Much to her pleasure, her opponent bared gnashed teeth and shot her a death glare. Infuriated, Cinder smacked a fist against the ground and pushed herself up. Grabbing her weapons, she combined her scimitars into a bow and nocked four arrows.

Winter got into stance immediately, holding her saber forward.

Cinder fired twice. Winter deflected both arrows. 

She fired thrice, Winter dodged that one. Then, she deflected the fourth arrow.

Cinder held her scowl for a moment before she smiled.

Winter raised an eyebrow, then her eyes widened when she heard the arrows around her crack and shriek.

Apparently, her opponent could give her projectiles a delayed reaction.

The Schnee heiress summoned a glyph under her and attempted to shoot upwards, but the arrows went off. The force of the explosions threw her off balance, sending her tumbling straight up into the air.

A startled cry slipped out of Winter’s mouth as she flew upward uncontrollably. Panicking, she ripped out a vial of gravity dust from her pouch and summoned a gravity glyph to catch herself.

Hanging in mid-air, she had a brief moment to gather her bearings and compose herself. Tragically, just before she could cool her nerves, she spotted Cinder aiming a fifth arrow at her.

Her icy blue eyes widened in horror as her opponent let the arrow loose.

Winter tried to jump away, but the arrow struck her before she could. Losing control again, she could do nothing but fall down to the arena floor, crashing into the dirt and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Up above, she heard her aura gauge shrink.

“That one’s for Amber!” Cinder declared with a grin.

From the stands, she could hear her friend whoop with approval.

Suddenly, a bright, burning orange glow emitted from the cloud of dust, and Cinder furrowed her brow. She shifted her feet and took a tentative stance, ready to dodge if needed.

Thankfully, she made the right move because suddenly the dust parted and a fireball came barreling towards her.

Cinder’s eyes widened and she jumped to the side. She felt the heat of the fireball as it flew past her, and then she felt cold steel cutting through her aura.