Chapter Text
Saturday, January 20
“Yo, the big man wants to see you,” Archer said, entering the team dorm.
“Hm? Why?” Cinder asked, perplexed.
“I dunno. He didn’t give me a reason.”
“Ok…”
Was she in trouble? Cinder couldn’t think of anything that would warrant another meeting with the headmaster. Heck, she had only been back for, like, five days!
Headmaster Lionheart was seated behind his desk as usual when Cinder walked in.
“Ah, good afternoon, Miss Fall. Please, have a seat.”
Cinder obeyed, nervously sitting down on a chair.
“Are you adjusting to classes fine?”
“…I am.”
“Good, good,” Lionheart cleared his throat. “Now, for the subject at hand. It was been brought to my attention that you and another team member were involved in a…public disturbance recently.”
Crap. Cinder instantly knew. The fight at the restaurant.
Wait a second, how did he know we were there…?
“Am I in trouble, sir?”
“No. I am simply trying to get the facts straight. Now, is what I just said true?”
“…It was.”
“Alright. What happened exactly?”
Well. No getting out of this one.
Cinder explained everything truthfully. How she got a job over the winter, and how that inadvertently led her to that chicken restaurant that Archer also frequented, seemingly. Then, the fight. How those Spider goons had trotted in talking big, how one of them had threatened her with a gun…
“…After that, we dragged Archer to a hospital,” Cinder concluded her story.
Lionheart nodded.
“I see…”
Cinder rubbed her hands awkwardly, no longer able to meet the headmaster’s eyes. For the past week, somehow, she had disregarded any possible consequences of someone finding out about this incident. How stupid was she!
Still…the police never ended up showing, at least until we got out of there. Who else was there that could recognize me?
Archer…Archer, he didn’t just rat me out, did he?!
Wait, wait, wait, hold it. That doesn’t make sense. He would’ve had to snitch on himself for that to be true. He would literally die before he’d admit he did anything wrong.
So-
“Considering the circumstances, you and your teammate did well.”
Huh? Cinder looked up.
“However, I do have to give you words of caution. Do you know what Spider is?”
“…some sort of criminal organization.”
“Not just some sort. The most powerful criminal organization in this kingdom.” Lionheart rapped his fingers in his desk.
“For years my predecessors tried to eradicate this stain on our society. However, this is a very difficult, if not impossible, task. The grip Spider have in the lower levels is extensive. When I became Headmaster, there were major incidents or killings on almost a monthly basis. For the sake of peace, I was forced to make…certain concessions to them.”
“…what kinds of concessions?”
“None I can share with you, I’m afraid. But I made myself very clear that the instant these agreements were broken, all bets were off. So, if they’re now resorting to indiscriminately accosting people on the street…this is a worrying development.”
“I do not blame you for doing what you did. No one would if they were put in that situation. However, I urge you to be wary. These people do not take perceived ‘provocations’ like these lightly.”
“…I understand…sir,” Cinder said after some silence.
“Good. Now, get some rest. I’m imagining you’re full of anticipation on some possible…changes of atmosphere.”
Heh, he’s right there.
Wait, was he just trying to imply something…?
Monday, January 22
The general atmosphere in the Grand Hall was one of anxiety. All eyes were on that elevated balcony, waiting for Headmaster Lionheart to announce the list of teams selected for the Vytal Festival.
“Is he here yet?” Pyke walked in, out of breath. He was so chock-full of anticipation that he couldn’t take standing still any longer. This was his fourth lap running around the quad outside.
“Nope.”
“Drat!” Pyke walked straight out the door he had just entered through.
In the meantime, Cinder had done some more research on the Vytal Tournament. 32 teams would participate in total, eight from each kingdom. The teams were chosen via skill level alone, so it wasn’t necessarily two teams from every year.
Archer idly adjusted his cufflinks nearby. Evidently, he had his suit cleaned recently.
“You look surprisingly sober.”
“Trust me, I won’t be after this.”
"...regardless of the outcome?"
"You bet."
The latch to Lionheart’s door unlocked with a thunderous clang, immediately silencing the hall.
“Oh boy, now he’s gonna be late,” Archer remarked, referring to Pyke.
One by one, the professors filed out of the office, taking their usual positions by the side. Lionheart was the last to exit, taking center stage.
“Thank you all for joining us. Now, after careful deliberation from the faculty and myself, I shall announce the teams selected to participate in this year’s Vytal Festival.”
For some reason Lionheart decided to start with the higher-year teams first. As he got to end, however…
“…and finally, Team ARTC and Team SAFR.”
…
…
…holy shit.
People around Cinder were celebrating, some actively jumping up and down. And yet, there was no sound.
…
…
…ccciinnndderrr!!!
Something hit Cinder from the side. It was…Pyke?
“We did it! We got in, Cinder!”
“Gah…we did! Now…get off me!”
Wobbling, Cinder fell over, taking out some other students behind her. However, there were no hard feelings. In fact, people were…congratulating her?
“…Give ‘em hell, ARTC!”
“Yeah! Show those stuck-up elites what Haven’s best are made of!”
Getting up, Cinder noticed the other members of her (and Pyke’s) team were being similarly swarmed. Archer was actively being tossed in the air; even Rosie seemed a bit overwhelmed.
“…Now, now!” Cinder could barely hear Lionheart. “To the teams just mentioned, you will depart for Atlas next week. In the meantime…enjoy yourselves!”
“WHOOO!” Archer shouted from somewhere. “LET’S PARTY!!!!”
To his credit, Archer did have something prepared when the team returned to the dorm that night. Even if most of the “refreshments” were only able to be consumed by him. So, while he did his own thing, Cinder decided to get some fresh air.
Even though she had walked the quad plenty of times, perhaps hundreds, something felt different about this particular instance. Cinder was suddenly able to put things into perspective, just how far she had grown since she first walked through those front gates. For the first time…Cinder felt like she had accomplished something. She had the prestigious honor of being one of the very best Huntresses the entire kingdom had to offer; everybody was watching her, her and her team.
Heh, yeah. It was a rocky road…but I made it. We made it.
Ever since that last mission, Cinder was feeling better and better about her team. She had mostly gotten used to Archer’s antics. Rosie was still Rosie. And Trifa…
Ooh, on that subject…
Cinder searched around the usual spots, until she found Trifa and Mina at one of them. Even though she had stemmed her inherent curiosity that day, that day was also in the past. She just had to know – what was their relationship?
“Never miss a beat, do you?” Cinder said, approaching the two. “Mind if I join in?”
Stopping, Trifa gave Cinder an unreadable stare. She nodded.
…
“Whoa, sheesh!” Cinder exclaimed as she had to jump to dodge a slash from Mina’s axe. While she hadn’t had many opportunities to see her fight, Cinder had the feeling that Mina had greatly improved under Trifa’s tutelage.
Oh no, I’m not about to be knocked down by another person!
Crossing Sunrise and Sunset, Cinder parried a heavy swing. Utilizing “Form One,” she struck down Mina’s weapon before doing a characteristic spin. For just a second, her killing instinct kicked in; she was left scrambling to stop her momentum.
Sunrise’s blade stopped inches from the side of Mina’s face; nonetheless, it had cut something. With its strings broken, Mina’s mask fell to the floor.
…whoa.
Cinder could see Mina’s full face for the first time; that meant she could finally see the two large fangs that jutted out of her mouth. Covering her mouth, Mina immediately turned around.
“Whoa, I’m sorry-“
Cinder felt a cold, sharp blade at her throat.
“State your true intentions for coming here, now,” Trifa demanded.
“o-Ok, Ok! Relax!” Cinder stammered. “I just wanted to know if you were…you were…”
Why does this feel so embarrassing to say all of a sudden?
“…if you were friends.”
Silence. The blade remained at Cinder’s throat.
Oh Gods, am I about to die? Tonight, of all times?
“…I’m ok, Trifa.”
Slowly, Mina turned around. She had put another mask on.
“Let her go.”
The blade lowered, although Cinder sensed it was with great reluctance. Rubbing her neck, she stumbled a few steps away.
“Was that really your only reason for coming here? To see if we were friends?” Mina asked.
“I know it seems really lame…but yeah. Ever since last semester, when I saw you two out here one night.” Cinder went on, even noting that encounter in the clothes shop.
“…why?”
“I…” Cinder tried to choose her next words carefully. “Being completely honest…I didn’t think you were the type of person to have much friends, Trifa…”
Fuck, fuck, fuck! All wrong!
Understandably, Trifa’s expression darkened. She turned her head away, in…embarrassment?
Hang on…is she blushing?
Mina rubbed Trifa’s shoulder. Her eyes gave a vague indication of a smirk.
“I’m not sure if she would’ve known at the beginning of this semester, either. Heck, neither would I…”
“…what do you mean? Is it because you’re-“
Trifa suddenly glared daggers into Cinder’s eyes, shocking her into silence.
“Now, now, don’t assume the worst,” Mina kept taking the role of a mediator. She considered something briefly.
“Are you aware of the history of the Faunus?”
“…no. I’m kinda bad with history in general…” Cinder scratched her head.
“…she…she doesn’t…no…impossible…” Trifa muttered.
“I’ll ask a different question then. Do you care that we are Faunus?”
“No. Not really,” Cinder replied bluntly.
“Then you’re already one of the good ones,” Mina replied.
“Huh?”
Mina pulled down her mask, revealing her fangs once more.
“I’ve grown to tolerate initial reactions like yours. However, unlike you just right now, some people never get over the shock. They turn that shock into fear, hatred. They think we’re some sort of animals, not deserving to be on the same level as humans.”
“…who does that?” Cinder asked, genuinely. What a despicable concept!
“Many, many people,” Mina replied. “All we’ve ever wanted is to coexist peacefully; we’re not bad people. However, no one seems to listen…”
Cinder suddenly had a flashback.
…here I hath held the belief that Arachnid Faunus were just a mere myth…!
Trifa and Mina were rare sub-types of an already stigmatized group; so, it was only natural that they find solace with each other’s company.
“Ah…” Cinder made a sound of understanding.
“Do you understand now?”
“I…do. Thank you. And…I’m sorry.”
Cinder unconsciously got on her knees; she didn’t know where this came from, but she felt that it was appropriate for the situation.
“If I had known about all this…I wouldn’t have bothered you, I swear. But that aside, I bothered you in a way I shouldn’t have…I’m really sorry about that.”
…
Finally composing herself, Trifa took a step closer.
“…apology accepted.”
Whew.
Slowly, Cinder got up. She knew that this wasn’t done; her and Trifa’s relationship had hit a big setback. She would have to work doubly as hard to repair it.
“…I’ll be heading in, then. See you tomorrow. And nice meeting you too, Mina.”
“Same. I hope you enjoy yourself in Atlas.”