Note: Putting a bit of a short note here. I am changing a fair few things regarding our trio here in this story. Things like how Ruby affected Cinder on the tower as well as how long Em and Merc have known Cinder. So please don't go shouting that I've missed things and such, they were most likely intentional.

A Cinder in the Wind

1

Pale red eyes focused on the bare metal table before her, the chains of the handcuffs that tied the young woman rattling. She couldn't quite tell how long she'd been sitting there, a few hours at least. Her eyes darted to the long mirror that occupied one wall; she knew there were probably some guards on the other side, at least two huntsman, if they were smart. Not that she was thinking about escaping. There weren't anymore options, there was nowhere to run. Even if she made it out of there and into the city of Mistral at large she would die on the streets, most likely to a blade in the back.

Her ears pricked as she heard something from the other side of the door. A man's voice, raised, directed towards another, calmer voice that sounded like it belonged to a woman. The sound died down and the the young woman started as the knob on the door turned. When the door opened in stepped an older woman with a stern gaze set behind a pair of glasses. Their eyes met and the older woman forced back a glare before tucking a blonde lock of hair behind her ear. She recognized the woman, anyone in the Hunter circles would: it was Glynda Goodwitch, a face she had become very familiar with some months back.

The older woman sat down across from the cuffed woman, letting a rather large file slap down in front of her. Taking several long moments to open the file she observed the young woman in the custody of Mistral's Police department.

"Emerald Sustrai. You understand the charges against you, yes?" Emerald nodded, "To be honest I have a hard time believing your story."

The green haired girl didn't respond. She'd told the truth to the investigators yesterday. Whether they believed her or wouldn't change the outcome. They were finished. Emerald figured she wouldn't see the light of day again, not with what they'd done. The reasons or happenstance didn't matter at all to the public.

"The evidence against you is ironclad but there's one thing working for you three. The testimony of one Ruby Rose. Between her and Jaune Arc they swear by your extenuating circumstances."

Is she serious? Emerald looked up sharply, not wanting to admit to the hope that had sprung up deep inside her gut.

"This leaves us in a… bit of an odd situation. You see, I am now the headmistress of Beacon Academy. This affords me certain privileges, like a seat on the council." The shackled youth couldn't help but want to tell the woman to get on with it, instead she held her tongue.

It took a moment for the young man to realize he was expected to reply, their conversation having been short enough as it was.

"Well congratulations to you." Mercury Black smirked from his position handcuffed to the table. Glynda Goodwitch continued on despite the young man's posturing.

"It seems like it is actually more favorable for you. You see, Mr. Black. I know of Salem and her purpose, her goals."

The smirk on his face quickly faded, even someone such as he knew when to get serious, though Glynda suspected the foolishness he put out was merely an act in and of itself. She analyzed his movements and reactions. He pretended to be aloof but he hung on her words. His first question had even been about the status of the other two.

"And what would those be?" The silver haired boy responded, cocky smirk once more on his face. Glynda saw through his attempts to to put her on the back foot and simply stared him down.

"The destruction of humanity, more or less." He didn't even flinch, "I imagine some of the promises she made to those like you. The pawns at her beck and call."

"I wouldn't know. The only person who promised me anything was Cinder."

"And that would be?"

"Couldn't say."

Her eyebrow twitched and his smile grew, it was a point in his corner though she wouldn't admit how much pleasure she got from taking him down a few pegs.

"I have here a proposal." She flipped open the folder she'd brought and slid it over to him, Glynda watched as he carefully read through the legal document. The headmistress had to suppress a smile when his head snapped up in confusion.

"Community service?"

"In name, yes. You will serve the global community by assisting Beacon Academy, as well as Vale. Specifically against Salem. Though that part will be kept a secret."

Mercury leaned back, regarding her, "And why should I fight for you?"

"Depending on the length and quality of the community service, as stated there, you can have your crimes waived."

"So? If I had to choose prison or working for you…. Well…. I think I can pull orange off."

"You misunderstand, Mr. Black." Glynda leaned forward, "It is not prison time being levied at you but rather the death penalty."

For once the young man was silenced and at a loss for words, his mouth was even hanging open.

Baleful amber eyes stared back at the headmistress sitting across the table. Cinder Fall showed few emotions but something about the woman was different from the last time they had met, back before the fall of her school. She almost didn't recognize the woman and the tale itself was almost unbelievable. When you knew a few thousand year old wizard, however, it made it easier to believe what had happened to her. She almost pitied the woman. Captured and used by Salem against her own will, trapped in her own body. Glynda shuddered at the thought.

"You want me to serve Ozpin." It wasn't a question, more a statement or summary of the legal document before her.

"In a word, yes." Glynda steepled her fingers, "Regardless of if you asked for them or not, you have the Fall maiden's powers now and Salem still wants the relic at Beacon. She will come for you. The options before you are limited. Waste away in a cell until you are either executed or Salem comes for you, or you can face her alongside us."

Cinder's eyes looked down to the table briefly before lifting up and meeting the other woman's gaze once again, "Emerald and Mercury?"

"They've been given the same deal."

There was a few minutes of silence as Cinder no doubt weighed her options. Both women were intelligent enough to know there was no real choice anymore, not if she wanted to live free. She'd only just regained control of herself and wasn't about to jeopardize it.

"I'll take it if they do." She finally answered. And there it was again. Who said there was no honor among thieves? Glynda was surprised yet again by the solidarity among these three, it was almost as if they'd been a team from her school with bonds forged in flames. Then again, that probably wasn't far off the mark. After all, she was just getting to know the real Cinder, not the one that paraded brazenly around Beacon but the one that Salem took and tried to twist to her will.

A small smirk played across her lips, "The other two said much the same thing. Just sign where marked and I will notify Mr. Black and Ms. Sustrai."

Glynda slid a pen across to the other woman who took it tentatively, her grip tightened around it just before she put it to the paper and signed the document. After taking both the pen and the folder back the older woman looked it over briefly before pulling out her scroll and thumbing out a quick message.

"Now Ms. Fall before we get to the terms of your service and the specifics of what you, and your associates, will be doing for Beacon Academy. We need to record your side of the story."

Cinder squinted both eyes at the older woman, "But I've already given my account."

The door opened for the first time since Glynda had entered and another woman approached. This woman was younger than the headmistress by a handful of years. She wore a dark blue double breasted coat that trailed down to her knee high boots. Her black hair was cropped short except for a single braid hanging by her right temple.

"Thank you for coming Claudia." Glynda turned and addressed the newcomer who simply nodded before taking a spot in the corner of the room, resting her back against the wall with her arms crossed, azure eyes never leaving Cinder for a moment.

"Now, Ms. Fall, Claudia is here to help me in your testimony. Part of the stipulations in your deal are is that the offer is only extended if you are, in fact, under extenuating circumstances. Claudia here works for the Valean council utilizing her unique set of skills." Glynda checked that she had the full attention of Cinder, "Since there is almost know way to tell whether or not your story is true, given the circumstances, Vale has elected to send Ms. Cobalt to corroborate your story."

"How?"

"Ms. Cobalt's semblance is to detect lies. Though that's the simple version, that's all I am allowed to tell you. Now. How about you tell us what happened? From the beginning, if you would?"

Cinder sat for a moment, staring warily at the woman named Claudia for a moment before slowly opening her mouth, "I honestly don't remember much. I know things, information, but the memories themselves aren't there. Like they aren't my own."

Glynda glanced at Claudia who nodded back, "From where do you remember?"

Cinder looked up and met her eyes, "The top of Beacon tower."

Four Months Ago - Twenty hours after the Fall of Beacon - Somewhere outside of Vale

Mercury Black considered himself a good assassin, maybe even one of the best. His father, bastard that he was, had trained him well. So well in fact that Mercury had managed to kill him, though it had cost the young man his legs. As an assassin there were some things that had stuck with him, that Marcus had drilled into him. One was that sleep made you vulnerable and you had to keep one eye open. He prided himself on the fact that almost no one could sneak up on him which was why it put a cold vein of fear throughout his body when a warm, soft hand clamped over his mouth in the middle of the night.

His eyes shot open and were met with gold, the dark raven locks of his boss cascaded around his head as Cinder leaned in close over his sleeping form. Several thoughts ran through his mind in his brief panic, even thinking that she was finally going to get rid of him for one reason or another. Instead she put one digit of her free hand to her lips in a shushing motion.

"Mercury I need you to listen to me. This is of grave importance." Her eyes bored into as she awaited a response and he nodded readily, "Good. This is no time for questions, I will explain everything later but I need you to answer me this one question."

He nodded again.

"Are you loyal to me and only me?"

The question confused him, for the last few years all she'd been going on about was loyalty to her mistress and such, that they were merely pawns. Looking closer at her he could see something that was not normally there. Fear. Mercury was good at reading people, a part of the training his father had put him through. Days spent in the city, profiling random people.

Slowly but surely he nodded to her and her hand removed itself, "You promise?" Her voice sounded weak, almost fragile. That the confident woman who bossed him around on the daily could sound like this put him on on edge.

"It will take control again. She… she put something inside of me. Something Grimm." What?! "It controls me. It has for years now. Ever since she took us in. But that girl. Ruby. Whatever she did on top of that tower weakened it. I'm myself again but I don't know for how much longer."

"Wait, what?" He couldn't make heads nor tails of what she was saying but she pushed her finger to his lips.

"No, Mercury. I need you to do something for me. Find her. Find Ruby and do whatever you have to to ensure she helps. Take Emerald and this note. It has as much of an explanation as I can give."

She pushed a thick envelope into his hands and her eyes shifted to a pleading look he had never seen on her face before. The envelope was addressed to both him and Emerald.

"I don't know what will happen when it wakes. That's why you have to leave now, while it sleeps."

"But.."

"Go!" Her eyes flashed and flames erupted from her eyes, signs of the maiden's powers, "If you are truly loyal to me. If you care for me at all then do as I ask, Mercury. Wake up Emerald and leave. Find Ruby and get her to use whatever powers she holds to free me from Her control."

Cinder whirled around and disappeared from his tent leaving him with his growing headache until he decided that it wasn't worth finding out what she would do if he didn't do as she asked. All of their tents were cutting edge Atlas design which really only meant they could be taken down and put up in seconds. Mercury stowed his in his duffel before moving to Emeralds tent which he zipped down slightly before sticking his head in. Her pale red eyes snapped open instantly, he hadn't been trying to hid his presence.

"The hell Mercury. If you're trying to sneak into my tent, we'll see how well you can without balls."

"Shut the hell up, Cinder's got a task for us. We need to move now." Emerald bolted upright, "I'll explain on the way." Her mouth snapped shut and she glared at him but didn't argue. She knew better, or was too smitten, to question Cinder's orders. How she'd react to this, he didn't know. Something was wrong with the boss, she wasn't acting like herself. Or rather more like her old self.

It had been years since either Mercury or Emerald had seen the woman look anything other than murderous or seductive. Once they'd gotten far enough away from camp they opened Cinder's letter to them, using the light function on their scrolls to read it. By the time they were done Emerald's eyes were wide with shock, one hand to her mouth. Even Mercury was feeling angry, and a little terrified if he was being honest. This was the woman who had taken him in and given him new legs. From what he knew she'd done much the same with Emerald.

The letter detailed information about who she was working for and the true nature of their employer. Magic they believed in, the Maiden's were definitely real.

"So let me get this straight Merc." Emerald paced in front of him, "We're supposed to find Ruby, personification of innocence and joy, convince her to use her crazy powers to save our boss, who she thinks is the one who killed her friend, just because Cinder has some kind of Grimm mind control bug implanted into her by the Queen of the Grimm?"

"Seems like it."

The two stared at each other and no doubt thinking the same thing. This might just be impossible.

A/N: A short introductory chapter for the next story of mine that I will be writing. This was probably the hardest first chapter I've written so far.

Anyways this is the last of the four story rotation I've set up and is in slot #4 in the rotation. The rotation is as follows Lithium Rose - Displaced - Old Man Jaune - A Cinder in the Wind

I will also probably shorten it to CW when talking about it in notes.