- - -
Cinder Fall truly resented having to maintain her cover. Putting up with these ingrates was bad enough in school: Now they had to go on training missions? It took a lot more work to stay within the bounds of relatively average Hunters-in-Training.
Having to go and protect some yokels in a bubble town outside of Vale's walls was deeply degrading to her sense of pride.
Having to work alongside Pyrrha Nikos and her irritating team made it even more difficult. To see the confident young woman approach every challenge with a determined smile, a hopeful look to her hillbilly leader and her orphan teammates. Ugh... It was so disgusting.
Still, at least this mission was fairly straightforward. Team JNPR had taken the lead, and Cinder had begged off going right into battle in favor of guarding the civilians. Which was at least simple: The ingrates had obeyed her orders to move to the shelters without argument, and they'd kept watch for Grimm.
Cinder naturally had just ordered any Grimm to stay away from the town itself. It had been tempting to direct the Grimm in the area to rush JNPR and slaughter them, but her cover needed to be maintained and such an upset would draw too much attention.
Finally, they got the call on their Scrolls that JNPR had repelled the Grimm attack. They headed for the western walls, where the fighting had been most intense. They walked up and saw numerous holes in the wall, all the result of the fight. Team JNPR was there, sweeping the area carefully. Jaune Arc, the team leader, was chatting on his Scroll while Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren swept out further. Nikos was keeping watch, sitting on top of Arc's horse.
She hadn't known that students could bring their own horses, but that was fine: Cinder hated the animals anyway.
A feeling that was mutual, as the horse looked up with a side long glare. Arc smiled at her as she, Emerald, Mercury and Neo approached.
"Howdy, Miss Fall!" He greeted her. "Everything okay?"
"Yes, the townsfolk are unharmed," she said, using her best 'relieved and awed young lady' voice, "Wow, you took them all down?"
"Pyrrha did most of the work," he said modestly. The Amazon blushed, and smiled.
"You did plenty as well, Jaune," she complimented him. The smile they shared was sickening. Emerald and Mercury barely hid their disgust, as Neo played on her Scroll.
"So," Cinder said, in as business-like a manner as possible, "Shall we call for evac?"
Arc shook his head.
"Not yet," he said. Cinder frowned.
"Not yet? Why? Are there more Grimm to kill?"
She was sure there weren't. Arc looked at the wall.
"We ain't done yet," he said. He saw the townsfolk emerging, and smiled.
"Hey folks! Don't you worry none about your wall: We're gonna rebuild it for you!"
The mayor of the town, a thin, graying man, gaped in astonishment. An expression Cinder would share if she wasn't such a good actress.
"Y-You will?" He gasped.
"We will?" Mercury muttered.
"Sure as shootin'!" Jaune said with a grin. He held up his Scroll, showing a map. "There's an old granite quarry close by. We'll get enough stone to rebuild the walls. Just need you folks to help with the clean up."
"That's very generous, uh, Mister Arc was it?" The mayor said, "But we can't pay you any more for the mission-"
"Shucks, don't you worry about it," Jaune chuckled. "We're all in this together, right?"
Cinder frowned. She had to phrase this just right to keep their cover...
"Jaune," she said quietly, walking up alongside him, "I don't think we're qualified for this kind of work. We're Hunters-in-Training, after all, not builders-"
Arc smiled and patted her on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, Miss Fall. You ain't gonna be doing any building. Though I would be mighty obliged if you helped out in other ways."
"What other ways would those be?" Cinder asked, even as the townspeople got to work clearing up the debris behind them. Jaune smiled.
"Well one... Mind if I borrow Mister Black?" Jaune looked over at Mercury. "Your feet look like they'd be good at breakin' stone. Am I right?"
"You're right, Cornpone," Mercury deadpanned, though there was a hint of pleased surprise in his voice. Jaune nodded, and looked back at Cinder.
"And you know how to cook, right Miss Fall?"
"I... Yes," Cinder said. Jaune beamed.
"Great! Then that makes it easy!"
Which is how Cinder found herself cooking on a hastily assembled grill, her hair tied back in a bun, an apron around her waist, as she and Emerald prepared food the villagers provided. Neo made herself useful getting water and ice, and distributing it. She bounced around like a waitress, using a discarded shield as a large platter. Cinder wiped her forehead free of sweat as she flipped some burgers, and then slid them over onto a plate for a waiting worker.
"Thank you, Miss Fall!" The man said happily, sharing the food with his two children: Both young boys. They smiled up at her with eager smiles that just made her ragged, blackened excuse for a soul curl in on itself.
"Thank you, Miss Fall!" They chorused, as their father guided them away. Cinder let out a breath, her eyebrow twitching. Emerald, cooking some vegetables in a pot nearby, looked over at her mistress in concern.
"Cinder...?"
"Just bear with it, Emerald," Cinder muttered, "Just bear with it..."
The hot sun beating down on her was the worst part. Even her Semblance didn't protect her from all aspects of the elements, and this was approaching intolerable-!
Shade fell over her. She looked to the right and saw the mayor and a few other men hefting up some tents over poles. The mayor smiled.
"Pretty ladies like you shouldn't be working out in the sun too hard! Especially if you're cooking for us!" He winked.
Cinder adopted an embarrassed but pleased look, while inwardly she seethed.
"When is that idiot gonna get back here," she muttered, glaring up at Nikos. The Argusian champion was on overwatch above, though she too had gotten an umbrella from the grateful townsfolk. Neo was even sharing some ice water with her, the little traitor.
Cinder sighed.
"He's going to take a while," she decided, "The among of granite you'd need to repair this wall is astronomical. One horse isn't going to-"
The ground shook and rumbled. All eyes turned to the largest gaping hole in the white walls. A horse trotted into view through the trees, large chains around her chest. Behind her was a boulder the size of a small house, and the mighty mare was dragging it with only minimal effort.
Arc walked alongside his horse. Valkyrie, Ren, and Mercury were riding atop the boulder. Arc waved with a grin.
"HOWDY! SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG!" He shouted to the shocked townspeople, "I THINK THIS'LL BE PLENTY THOUGH!"
Cinder and Emerald's own jaws fell as they beheld the spectacle. The crowd cheered happily. Nikos of course was smiling broadly and almost dreamily at her hillbilly leader. Something he entirely failed to notice.
Idiot...!
Hours later, night began to fall. Thanks to the assistance of eight Aura-empowered teenagers, Nora and Mercury's strikes, and the townspeople's chisels and hammers, the walls were fully restored. Underneath the repaired walls, the townspeople celebrated with music, dancing, and bonfires.
Cinder finally got a break, going off with the excuse of needing to powder her nose. She made it into a small alley near the walls, sat down on a low garden wall, and she seethed. It felt good, it powered up the Grimm inside her.
Being made to work like a-a scullery maid! Again! Her hand went up to the choker around her neck. Painful memory after painful memory burned through her mind. She clenched her fist, letting flames burn around it.
She could burn this entire fucking village down, right now. Make them pay for these insults. Pay for laughing and dancing and smiling while she had to hide her rage, hold back her true feelings the whole fucking time-!
"Howdy Miss Fall!"
She turned and glared at the cause of these painful reminders. Arc stood there, exhausted, sweaty, but smiling. She quickly schooled her features into something more neutral at the concerned look he wore.
"Oh, I'm sorry Miss Fall. I just wanted to check on you. Are you all right?"
"I... I-I'm fine," she grunted. She rubbed her choker again. "Just fine..."
Arc stared at her. He walked up and sat down next to her on the stone wall she was perched on. He doffed his hat and scratched the back of his head nervously.
"I... I know it was asking a lot of you to handle all the cooking," he said quietly, "But thank you. Everyone's mighty grateful to you."
"It-It wasn't an issue-" Cinder lied, but Arc shook his head.
"It's all right. I ain't gonna pry," he said, "But you made a lot of folks happy. So thank you again. We made their lives a lot better."
Cinder looked away, glaring down at the ground.
"Why bother?" She muttered.
"Hm?" Arc asked, leaning forward. Cinder started, and then sighed. She kept her rage under control, but a deep nihilism rose.
"Why bother? The walls will be broken down again. These people... Eventually, they'll die," she muttered, "So... Why bother with any of this?"
It was why she had set herself on her path, after all. Her life was destroyed over and over by people with power over her. A power she sought desperately, so that she would never be hurt again.
This village would be destroyed and all the smiles wouldn't matter then. All the gratitude shown her wouldn't have changed anything...
"You're right," Arc said. Cinder started again and stared.
"Huh?"
"Walls get knocked down and people die. That's the way of the world," Arc agreed, his eyes staring up at the stars as they began to come out into the night. "It happens enough to you... Sometimes... You wonder why you bother."
Cinder blinked in confusion.
"So... Why do it?" She blurted out despite herself. Arc turned back to her and smiled.
"Cause life's all about getting back up again. And continuing on. And if you help someone else get back up, well... Then they ain't getting back up alone. Maybe they can keep getting up, and help others too. Cause there's a lot in life worth getting back up for."
"... Is there?" Cinder asked softly. Arc nodded.
"Sure is. These kids have another day to grow up, play, and have fun. These adults have another day to do something, be something. The old folks get to see everything they did wasn't for nothin'."
"It might only be for one more day," Cinder argued quietly.
"One more day can make all the difference," Arc argued back gently. He reached into his messenger bag, and pulled out a bright red and orange wildflower. He handed it over to her with a smile.
"I hope you like it. It reminded me of you," he said.
Cinder started. She stared at the flower intensely.
"I-"
"It-It's just a friendly gesture!" Arc insisted, his cheeks going red, "Honest! D-Don't mean anything romantic by it! Th-Though you are mighty pretty, I just uh... I ain't focused on that right now, you know?"
Cinder stared for a long moment. She held out her hand.
"Just give me the flower, you hillbilly," she sighed. Arc smiled, and handed it to her. She took it in her hand and studied it.
"The townsfolk have food and drink if you'd like some," Jaune said, putting his hat back on and tipping it to her, "And our Bullhead will arrive early in the morning. Goodnight, Miss Fall."
"Goodnight, Mister Arc," Cinder muttered. He turned and headed off, his poncho waving slightly in the nighttime breeze. Cinder glared down at the flower after he left. She clenched her fist around it.
She should burn it right now. Her facade was such she could be mercurial. Just burn it, toss it away. A bit of kindness by some stranger didn't change anything. He was some slack jawed idiotic yokel, what did he know of pain or suffering?
She should burn it in front of him, just for the sight of his face falling and the pain it would cause. It would feed her inner Grimm, make her stronger...
That's what this was all for, right?
"Cinder?"
Cinder looked over at Emerald. The green haired girl was staring at her in concern.
"Cinder? Are you all right?"
Cinder glared at her.
"I'm fine," she muttered. She thought for a moment, before tucking the flower behind her ear. She sighed, and stood up.
"We need to put in an appearance at the celebration," she stated formally, "Just to avoid suspicion."
"I... Yes Cinder," Emerald said with a nod, "Um... The flower-?"
"The flower," Cinder stated firmly, "Is none of your concern."
Emerald nodded quickly.
"Y-Yes ma'am."
Cinder's scowl softened. She schooled her features to be tired but grateful. Another mask, one of many, and one of her most useful.
Yet for some reason, it didn't feel quite as taxing...
- - -
