Jaune to Joan Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Cinder tried to sleep. She tried to sleep as long as she could. She didn’t want to end up out of the room without Joan. She knew that going just about anywhere would draw plenty of suspicion and doubt for doing anything but sitting like a vegetable. She knew this, and yet within an hour or two of trying to sit steady, she felt like she was going insane. Dawning her tattered, old dress, she forced herself out and about for a walk.

Ren and Oscar lingered in the living room, and both of them locked their eyes on Cinder. “I’m going for a walk! Or is that not allowed?”

“You’re fine!” They both threw up their hands in innocence.

“Good.” Cinder snarled.

They both turned to look at each other, clearly passing mental thoughts about how scary she was and how evil her intentions must be. Cinder hated it, and she hated how much she knew they were right, that they had every reason to blindly assume such horrible things about her. In an effort to rehab her image in their eyes, she paused just before she stepped out. “I- is Joan alright? How did she seem before they headed off?”

“Nora and her seemed to have a small snafu. I am hoping they work it out by the time they get back, but if they don’t, Joan might need some comfort.” Ren advised.

“Are- are they alright? What happened? I know that Joan had… something happen last night, she went out and got help from someone because I was sleeping, but I didn’t know she and Nora-”

“They didn’t really fight. And… and she told me about that. I am hoping they get to talking. That should fix everything- I… actually.” Ren looked around as if hiding a secret.

“What?” Cinder urged.

“Could you use someone to walk with?”

“Sure? As long as you’re not afraid I’ll… burn you?” Cinder menacingly summoned a maiden flame only to realize how poorly the joke had landed. “I- yes. Please. I would appreciate that.” She tried again.

“Thanks.” Ren stood. “You take care?” He offered to Oscar.

“Take my cane.” Oz winked through the young boy.

“Ah- don’t think I’ll need it but…” Ren took the cane anyways. “Good to go?”

“Yeah, lead the way. I’m sure you know the grimm free trails.”

“Of course.”

They were quick to find a heavily trodden road. One well worn and frankly a pretty area of the woods. Cinder could add one and one together to get two, she knew there was more to the boy than had been shared with her already, but the fact that he had Ozpin’s old cane was just too much for her to ignore, even if questions would inevitably draw Ren’s suspicions. “So… and I just to supposed to imagine you all found Ozpin’s cane and passed it down to a kid, or are you going to share whatever’s going on there? Some magic fuckery, I presume?”

“You’ve pretty much got it with that. It’s… quite the fuckery.” Ren affirmed. “But, I was hoping to ask you some questions about Joan, what you did to and for her?”

“Huh?” Cinder looked over Ren. He did have quite long hair and a feminine outfit… “What about it?”

“Nora told me she came looking for pads yesterday?”

“Yes.” Cinder nodded.

“I didn’t even know that was a thing… that women like Joan could get that.”

“Traditionally, they can’t. Salem just so happens to have one of the foremost scientists on developing artificial and cultivated female biology under her employ.”

“Oh…” Ren visibly deflated.

“Why? You wanted a uterus?”

“I- well… not exactly… but I presume that if Joan has one of those, she might also have…”

“Spit it out.” Cinder huffed at Ren’s wacking around the bush.

“You gave her a vagina, no? Took away her old stuff?”

“Yes. And that, is more than possible, even with average doctors.”

“Do… do you know any way that one might be able to…”

“I didn’t much peg you for a girl, but with the hair and outfit, I guess it makes sense.” Cinder shrugged.

“I! Umm! Well, no- but… I- I just...” Ren deflated. “Is there anyone you know, anything you can do to help someone who wanted that and maybe some other things like that?”

“Personally? Me? No, but, you lot were friends with robolady.”

“Ok, yeah?”

“Her father is the only man who knows more about it all than Watts. And Pietro isn’t working on a remote continent with scraps. That plus Joan’s semblance… if you wanted… whatever done, you could be up and on your feet in less than a week after getting Pietro to help you out.” Cinder shrugged. “But if you want to do the whole thing, you might need other stuff done and hormones. Those I can steal for you in any town.”

“I-” Ren hesitated. “I’m not a fan of that idea, but… if you find yourself in a town, that would be appreciated.”

“Well, there you go. I presume that’s what you wanted?”

“It… it was. But what about Joan’s semblance?”

“Oh… we only discovered it just before we left. But, it seems that she can give her aura to strengthen someone else's. She saved my life… I wouldn’t be here if your friend wasn’t kinder than I deserve.” Cinder admitted.

Ren looked particularly taken aback. “I- well… I’m glad you know how great she is.”

“She is spectacular.” Cinder reeled. “And… she can heal people through her power. It’s… I can make fire at will, and I think it’s truly magic.”

“Yeah. I… I’m glad she makes you happy. And… it seems you make her happy too. So… yeah.”

“You can go back now, instead of being all awkward and following me around. Tell Ozpin his secret is up.”

“Can do.” Ren affirmed.

Cinder continued on her walk without Ren. She didn’t much want company, but it was clear he wanted to ask something and allowing him to tag along surely garnered some good will. Or rather should she think as Ren as a she? Cinder couldn’t tell, and didn’t feel like stumbling into outting any of Joan’s friends if it was the case, so, she left it be for the time.

The further into the woods she got, the further Cinder strayed from the trail. Trails were boring, and they seldom ever lead to anything fun. Plus, if she did happen to stumble upon any grim or anything else, it could only be something to fill up her dull day. Something to get out all the energy she had on.

Cinder actually rather expected to find a series of grimm. They always seemed rather attracted to her, even before she had in part become one of them. She knew it was likely because of her emotional disposition, a young Cinder likely made for a delicacy to grimm. All wound up with anger, sorrow, and hate. She knew why they liked her; or rather wanted to eat her when not in Salem’s castle. No, instead of finding the manifestation of her own rage, Cinder found serenity. The bare forest and all the beauty of it. She was familiar with wilderness. The two weeks she and Joan spent trying to find Joan’s friends was nothing. Once upon a time, Cinder spent more than a year, striving to find the mythical queen of grimm. Almost all of it had been spent on the forest, the wilderness, alone, on the floor, cold, alone, hateful of the whole world. For whatever reason, she found exactly what she was looking for, and other things that reflected herself at the time. But with nothing to find, nothing to hate, and very little to be angry over, all Cinder could see was color. The vibrant green, blue and white skies, even the trees wood seemed to pop beautifully. She almost wanted to be angry about how long she had gone blind to it… but for whatever reason, she failed to muster such anger.

Calm and serene, she walked. Cinder’s only regret was that Joan couldn’t partake. She was the type of person that would love being stupid and enjoying the woods. Cinder reeled at how Joan could really make a good situation out of almost anything. Joan had literally found love in torture. Damn if Cinder didn’t appreciate it. Either way, if Joan could make that much out of her, she would be able to make the moon of the beautiful forest.

Cinder had decided it was about time to turn around when she first heard the beauteous sounds of the forest broken by something else. First, she heard the yowls of grimm, then their snarls. They weren’t just roaming, they were hunting- fighting. Someone was being attacked. Thinking, more or less only about what Joan would do, Cinder found herself running for the noise, racing to find whoever was being harmed. She could help. A handful of grimm were noting for a half maiden. She was strong. Not like she had been in the past. She could- Cinder stopped dead in her tracks as she spotted the small horde of grimm and the half maiden failing to fight them off. Four beowulf alphas, three beringels, two boarbatusks, a king taijitu, manticores- Cinder couldn’t even identify them all. All she could do was watch with a not insignificant amount of horror.

Pyrrha did well to fight them off. Melded with another, she seemed almost able to keep up. If only there hadn’t been so many. She nearly blocked every attack, even managed to counter, but in between efforts to knock one back, another took its place and regularly one would slip in with what looked to be a decimating hit. Pyrrha’s aura was waning, and even her fires seemed to be petering out fro what Cinder could see.

If she did nothing, Pyrrha would likely die. If she attacked, the maiden powers could be hers. She could take full control and return home a hero. A traitor to the only one who was actually kind to her, but a hero all the same. Cinder found herself summoning fire with both her hands. She was ready to strike. She was ready to strike, and she did. Cinder felt almost horrified to see her hand blast through one of the borbatusks. It seemed to be them that Pyrrha was having the most trouble with. Why in the hell would she strike it rather than the woman who had stolen her maidenhood!

When she forged a bow and arrow with her semblance to loose shots at a beringels, Cinder was beyond disgusted with herself. What the hell was wrong with her! It- it was just about to strike, to kill Pyrrha and- “Cinder!” Pyrrha screamed, burying her spear in the back of its neck as the beat turned to see what had shot at it. “What the hell are you doing?!”

“I- saving your ass!” Cinder snarled and loosed more arrows at the grimm about to kill Pyrrha.

“Wh- why!” Pyrrha panted as she dodged away from the second boarbatusk.

“If you die, Joan will never forgive me!” Cinder went with the truest lie she could. It was true, Joan wouldn’t. But… that wasn’t why. She just… did. Maybe, after years and years of reflection, Cinder would progress to a point of understanding that she never wanted anything more ha for someone to save her, and that by doing it for Pyrrha, she could right that trauma. Maybe she never would. Either way, her true lie was enough to convince Pyrrha.

“Watch out!” Pyrrha warned as Cinder and tossed her spear to stop the king taijitu as it went to strike at her. She gave up her weapon to protect Cinder, left herself bare and exhausted with nothing but her shield.

Cinder was painfully aware of Pyrrha’s exposed position, how easily she could turn this around. She could still take her place back under Cinder’s thumb. She could go home, never have to worry about a warm bed again. She could a million things, but as she picked up the spear, her maiden powers flared around her. The fires burned the ground under her as she damn near flew across the small clearing to kill two beowulfs, the king taijitu, and another beringel as it was about to kill Pyrrha. “Don’t loose it this time.” Cinder stabbed the end of the spear into the ground between them.

“I saved your-” Pyrrha cut herself off as her eyes darted around them. “Your powers not on the fritz?” She asked, displaying a weak failing flame.

“They seem strong.” Cinder was surprised to see she could make a small inferno with ease. She suspected for a while now that one’s grasp on the power they shared weakened and flowed depending on the strength of the other, but the proof was quite a sight.

“Attack me on three.”

“What?”

“Use all that fire you meant for me but that struck Joan that day.” Cinder flashed a face- one furious with the bitch for reminding her that she had hurt the woman she loved, but Pyrrha doubled down. “Just do it, on three! One!”

“Two?” Cinder prepared herself.

“Three!” Pyrrha threw up her shield to take the hit for her. The fire of Cinder’s attack sprayed off the shield and easily chared the whole field around them. The grimm evaporated in clouds of smoke, and the two half maidens collapsed to the ground.

Later, the two of them would return after Joan and everyone else. Leaning onto each other for support, they would stumble into the home to be taken care of by the others. And that, would be the first time, team RWBY and team PNR would earnestly begin to believe Cinder was there to help.

End of Chapter 34