Chapter 8: Why does your sister hate me?!

~Blake POV~

The new weekend came quickly much to a certain Cat Faunus’ initial relief.

While the days that followed the little situation that saw Weiss forced to leave the Morning Sip proved to be surprisingly normal, or as normal as her life now was, the constant paranoia of ending up encountering the Schnee around during their walk back to the flat was more than enough to give her some negative thoughts to enjoy.

It wasn’t like Blake was actually worried of being discovered by the pretentious brat that was the Atlesian girl, but rather she was irritated by the fact that the team-member would go as far as ridicule someone just because of her own mistakes.

While the Belladonna was perfectly aware of the petty behavior Weiss has, her initial perception of such foul mood was connected to the Schnee’s biased views on Faunus.

It was blatant how such judgment was actually a complete understatement of the problematic element that was Weiss Schnee.

While the white-haired girl was polite and very punctual with her homework for the sake of showing a proper attitude towards the teachers at Beacon Academy, her overall ego managed to shatter the ‘model student’ character before the eyes of fellow students.

Even others on the team had been targeted by her mood-induced tirades over homework, room-cleaning and general responsibilities.

With Ruby being considered ‘naive and too young to lead’ (ignoring that Weiss herself had wanted to just be a ‘second-in-command’ rather than the ‘official leader’ during their second day at school) and Yang being ‘terribly unruly and crass’, the Schnee was so hopeful of gaining a prominent role in the leadership of the team.

She had almost wanted to try to condemn Blake’s lifestyle, mostly because the Cat Faunus was seen the least around school books compared to the other members but the positive results from the tests at school proved her rhetoric far too superficial to be introduced.

Until her hidden traits had been revealed, the Faunus didn’t have any major quarrel with the heiress, mostly because she wanted to have as little as possible with the bratty girl.

Time passed and… now the situation had changed to a curious degree.

While Blake could have easily let go of the little exchange of words shared by Sid and Weiss, just like she had done back at Beacon, there was something that made the young man worthy of some simple defending.

Maybe it was because for what he had done for her until now. For giving her a home, for giving her a chance to hide away and… for giving her some faith in her good reasons.

It was almost nostalgic, the only time she had gone out of her way to defend someone… had been years ago.

The Belladonna could remember the crying red-haired child, she could remember the chuckling bullies as they ridiculed his scars and she could remember when she went to slap the ringleader of the foul children.

A single intervention and… she ended up meeting with him.

Her chest would tighten at the mere memory, the painful squeeze of a long lost chance of having a peaceful world for herself… deprived by her lack of interest to someone that always needed help along his way.

But despite the emotional burden presented by such sight, the Cat Faunus couldn’t help but remind herself of a major detail she was close to forget.

Sid… wasn’t Adam.

He wasn’t the leader of the Vale-based section of the White Fang, he wasn’t a brutal warrior, he didn’t believe in violence before dialogue and...

He wasn’t the weak child she had met so many years ago. He was strong enough in her eyes to not lay down through the insults and he certainly proved to be better than the violent actor of the tragedies unfolding thorough the kingdom… by just being a sane person.

It wasn’t humanity that made him stand up before the long-lost friend, but rather his willingness to grasp his sanity and never let go out of his hold.

Common sense and… an admirable sense of self-control.

Still, these thoughts were hardly important after some days spent studying more while also approaching the mind owned by human known as Sid Tremaine.

Small steps that drew little results, just like it had been before and… just like it is even now.

Finally, they managed to share some minutes of mutual enjoyment by watching some channels on the TV before going to sleep, ending up finding the programs that they both found common grounds with.

It was incredibly little but her nightmares had started to reduce as this new routine began.

Her mind would just remind her that she wasn’t alone in that place. No more alone for the shadows to ridicule and poke at her with dramatic versions of her memories.

He was here, just around the corner and right to his bedroom, sleeping but always vigilant for any intruders.

A silly development that actually helped her gain some more energy from her sleep, enough to properly sustain the working schedule while also giving her the chance to plan out any contingencies over possible scenarios.

From her Team finding out about her current whereabouts, to dealing with another attack of the White Fang.

The attack by the docks had proved her that they were still… doing something in Vale.

It didn’t just feel right to merely connect the Fang to Torchwick without some further evidence or clue that could consolidate this idea.

The group deployed was far too big to be just a handful of dissenters and since she was sure that Adam was still alive and keeping things from further escalating.

It had to have been the work of someone stronger.

If there was something that Blake was aware of her former leader, it was that strength came before ideals nowadays.

The Bull Faunus was obsessed with strength and pride, his ideals slowly receding to make way to the more animal-like tendencies of his personal brutality and that helped in pointing out that someone had managed to force the man to ally with Torchwick.

Someone that wanted all the Dust available in Vale for some major reasons.

But what kind of reason and why?

A deadend that the Faunus was unable to overcome after two to three days of minimal thinking and… then Saturday arrived to bring some more issues to her plate.

While Sid hadn’t given her any reason to worry for a change over their plans of spending the entire time indoor, the little order established by the two would soon meet a difficult obstacle in the form of a visitor.

It had all began when the doorbell rang, alerting all the occupants of the flat about the visit of someone that wasn’t planned to arrive.

It was an instinct at first, but then the young man confirmed that no one was meant to be coming for that specific day… or month.

The human went to check who it was, both were wearing casual clothes and so there wasn’t a worry for any major misunderstanding, but her sight was honed enough to pick up the sudden shock going through Sid as he went to the door-hole before opening.

He tensed a little, eyes widening in substantial surprise before a little smile broke on his face as he unleashed the sole barrier to this intruder.

It was a young woman with shoulder-length, black hair which covered one of her bright light-orange eyes.

She was wearing a red off-the-shoulders, mini dress with gold-like decorations.

It was incredibly small for someone to wear but the woman seemed comfortable enough to don it without any issues and Blake was no major judge considering her past choices. Battle-kimonos weren’t as comfortable as her younger, giddier self had thought them to be.

But despite the elegance offered by the unknown woman’s graceful display of expression and posture, she seemed to be quite elated to be pulled in a hug by the surprisingly-happy young man.

The Cat Faunus’ mind had to reboot momentarily at seeing Sid being the initiator of the intimate act. It was the easy-to-anger young man, the one that had been so angry to ignore the threat poised by a possible armed robber (which was her only trying to defend herself), the one that would never hug people so easily.

Yet the visitor smiled brightly at the embrace and returned it by wrapping her arms around the dark-haired youth’s neck.

“Cindy! I didn’t expect you to come here and-” Sid went to finally greet, before stopping suddenly and showing now a pout at this ‘Cindy’. “It’s been three years! Where have you been?”

Instead of being shocked by the mood-swing, the woman giggled and pulled the young man back in the hug.

“Already trying to pull the ‘tough brother’ act on me, little Sid?” She asked mirthfully. “And I thought that you would have received me with more… tact.”

Her eyes had been scanning around the living room and had stopped by Blake’s frame peeking by the couch, her happiness morphing in a scowl.

“Sid,” The woman started with a strangely sweet tone, one that the Belladonna had heard only being used by her mother when her father was caught doing something he shouldn’t have done. “Do you perhaps… have something to tell me?”

The tension was visible and palpable, the glare the Faunus was receiving from this intruder was filled with an unexpected degree of anger and hate.

Instead of reacting upon the evident aggressiveness displayed by the unknown woman, Sid merely sighed.

“Oh right,” The embrace dropped with limp arms as the young man turned to gesture at Blake.

“Cinder, this is Blake Belladonna, my housemate- and no, we aren’t a couple,” The Belladonna blinked in surprise at that quick quip, but she was glad that no misunderstanding was created upon the sight. In fact, Blake could now say that this ‘Cinder’ was now at ease about her presence here.

“Blake, this is Cinder Tremaine, she is my big sister and professional troublemaker back in Mistral-”

“I was a troublemaker until I started to work around the kingdoms, little brother,” Cinder interjected with an annoyed sigh. “But yes, I suppose I should also mention that I mean no harm towards you Blake by appearing a little… possessive. I’m only trying to keep my brother safe from certain… bad ends.”

The jab wasn’t missed by the Faunus, but the woman was already moving on to the next topic.

“By the way, Sid, you should do me a favor,” The dark-haired lady said as she turned her attention to her sibling. “Mom and dad, they don’t know I’m here and-”

“You want them to not know?” He piped in with a frown before appearing a little nervous at the sad look on his sister’s face. “I-It’s not that I will not do that, rather I would like to understand why and… where have you been in the last three years.”

She gave a slow nod and soon they were all sitting by the couch, with Sid taking the middle as to divide the two girls from interacting in any sort of violent way as, despite her words of being just ‘protective’, the quick glares were still there.

Seriously, what is wrong with this woman?

Soon Cinder started to tell what had happened in the last years, going through some specific details to add more legitimacy to the overall tone as the beginning of such tale just sounded… quite far-fetched.

“A rich businesswoman has got you roped for some long work with numerous tasks and-” Sid summarized with a confused tone. “And now you are the Logistical Manager for Dust coming by her company?”

“It’s more of a Logistical Director and… I make sure that nothing like what had happened in the docks happen once again,” Cinder nodded with a small smile. “It’s a newly-developing company and precautions are needed to preserve its survival.”

“And you are a strong lady that knows how to make things and people work properly and efficiently,” Sid complimented while nodding, gaining a bigger smile from his sibling. “Still, you should be careful about it. Seems like Torchwick allied to the White Fang and he is doing some funny business with Dust shipments.”

“And that is why we have the most efficient guards to make sure that none of those thugs get to us,” The lady replied with a nod, stealing another glance at Blake, this time stopping a little more than usual. “Still, one would be wary of the company you have-”

“She is fine,” The young man sternly interjected, catching a surprised look from his sister. “We might have some rocky obstacles, but Blake is someone I trust enough to know that she isn’t part of them.”

Still that surprise here for everyone to see looked more like disappointment to the Cat Faunus.

There was some bitterness at the defense provided by Sid and… why should it be a problem for his sibling.

“If you think she is trustworthy,” Cinder commented slowly, her voice dropping soft. “Then I guess I will support your judgment. After all… you are my little brother.”

“I thought we were beyond that nickname!” He exclaimed with a groan. “I mean, I was the one that helped you getting Stacy to back away from calling you ‘little’.”

“That is because he was annoying teasing me with that but… I don’t think I’m that-” She paused dramatically, her lip quivering in a faux sad tone. “Annoying.”

Blake could see it was an act, Sid surprisingly didn’t.

He gulped nervously. “Y-You aren’t annoying. It’s just that… I’m not little.”

In that very moment, the woman pulled the young man in another hug, this time humming happily as she softly ruffled his hair. “Of course you are my little brother and I love you lots,” Then her stare lifted up to Blake an ominous glow emitting from her dark-golden orbs. “And I wouldn’t certainly have you brought to harm by some silly fools all over this dumb Kingdom.”

It might have looked like simple baby-talking the poor owner of the flat, but Blake recognized that this wasn’t just a jab thrown at her… but a threat. A deadly one at that.

The conversation continued with a little while, with Cinder learning about her brother’s new life here in Vale, a fake story how Blake ended up in his flat and that things were going smoothly for them all.

She bought most of the lies told by her sibling, yet even after the woman had left the house and the premises of the building, the Cat Faunus couldn’t help but be wary for the rest of the day.

There was just something that… she couldn’t see about the woman. Something that made her somehow way more dangerous than she looked.

It was instinct.

It was fear.

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~Cinder POV~

Leaving the building, Cinder found herself followed by her two trusted followers, leading them back to their current headquarters.

Mercury looked bored, the waiting spent without ‘an apparent reason’ had left him quite irked if not annoyed at the strange situation that had just unfolded.

Maybe he had expected another assassination, or maybe he just wanted some general actions.

He was that much brutish, but also very submissive with her orders and that made him a perfect pawn to use to do some massacring.

Emerald looked less irritated, a good effort to hide her suspicions over the subtle request of visiting someone that they weren’t aware of and that seemingly had some good relationship with Cinder.

This very individual causing some confusion and distress to the tanned girl as, seeing the pleased mood which Cinder was displaying right now was more than enough to spring some jealousy out of the former thief.

Something that was as endearing as dangerous to have run rampant without ‘proper guidance’ as emotions could cause grand disasters if left unchecked, especially those Emerald harbored for her ‘savior’.

Still, she could also see some legitimacy within the confusion in her pawn’s face and… that was about Sid himself.

He was something that wasn’t supposed to be a target but rather someone that the half-Maiden considered important to keep alive even after the fall of Beacon and Vale.

The very idea clashing horribly with the known-plans involving the attack on Vale during the tournament, the chances of retrieving the young man before evacuating safely from the kingdom being close to zero.

Something that Cinder was aware of and acknowledged that the horrible scenario wasn’t just viable anymore.

Speaking with Sid had been… enlightening.

Especially since now the young woman was now aware of the little traitor he was harboring in his little home.

A stray cat that is bound to bring more harm to him than good, no matter how genuinely happy he looked around this mostly-silent girl.

Blake Belladonna, a name and a face that Adam had been bemoaning for some time, an individual that had initially been proposed to be kidnapped out of Beacon, an impossible action considering the tight security and the risks, before the leader of the Vale Branch settled for the assassination of Tukson.

Yet now that the little brat was out of Beacon and wandering a little too close to her little brother’s life, maybe it was time to consider some punitive expedition to get her removed from that safe environment.

With Adam soon to arrive to the Kingdom’s capital, it was going to be about time for the man to notice the very detail over his little ‘crush’.

The passionate Faunus would surely wage a crusade over her, maybe putting in danger her little sibling and…

Cinder wouldn’t certainly allow that to happen, even if it would end up with her tearing apart the brutish masked moron with her bare hands.

Calming down for a moment as she noticed her powers acting up and her followers tensing at her sudden anger at that impossible scenario, her mind returned back to her original mission.

The Maiden’s powers were hers to take, but the current security and the new unknowns were more than enough to make her backtrack about the full completion of things.

Salem hadn’t given her a time limit over the completion of her tasks, rather she had offered her ‘as much as she needed’ for the sake of success itself.

Joining the Queen of Grimm had been a hard choice, the woman being persuasive while also terribly helpful in pinpointing some clues of her past that were more than anything she ever dreamed of.

It was enough for her to go after the Maiden, to take her powers and to return the ‘favor’ extended by Ozpin several years ago to her previous family.

A family Cinder wasn’t truly aware of, rather remembering just a few glimpses of her mother’s face… before being given another chance with a new family in Mistral.

Charles Tremaine had been part of the Huntsmen sent to take to safety the survivors of that terrible Grimm attack to the village she was born into.

She could remember the comforting words of the man as she fell unconscious because of the ashes and cinders rising off from the ground because of the terrible fire spreading around the settlement.

She was brought back to the capital, her childhood slowing to a full halt as she failed to initially get to know with her new siblings. Estranged by the kind tones coming from the youngest of the two and distraught at the lack of effort from the more serious of the two, the eldest holding some distrust towards her.

But then… something curious happening.

It was slow, it was visible but also not for her younger self.

It all a peculiar route made by small steps committed by a shy but also brave child, a little boy with bright blue eyes and hair as dark as hers.

Sid was there for her from the beginning. He was the one that had dared her refusals until he had conquered his legitimate space in her heart, worming himself in a lovely spot that not many knew about.

It was a childish and innocent endeavor which turned out to become amusing and inspiring.

His stubborn attitude driving deep in her core, shaking her self-imposed shackles of isolation and… she was brought out to enjoy the fullest of her new life in the Tremaine family.

Charles became her father, Antoinette became her mother and the two children became her brothers.

But the youngest become something even more important than that.

Sid was a paradox within the limitations of siblings bonds she was aware of, someone that she would care as a younger brother but she would also considered much more more.

He was always yearning for her attention and she would happily give him some if not all of her free time for the sake of catching one of his bright and lovely smiles.

It was silly at first, but from that degree of stupid it then turned something a little more serious and worth of greater consideration.

Their growth spur in the decade that followed her introduction to the family was undeniably radical, their appearances and their attitudes developing for the best, but their emotions seemingly remaining unchanged… at least that small detail was correct about the young boy’s dense perception of the world around him.

Cinder actually felt something odd blooming about her bond with him, something getting stronger by the passing of days.

She had never made any permanent friends, nor she minded giving more time to her family than to other people.

That was why the girl hadn’t been aware of the full taste of what truly friendship was, thus leaving her to believe that it was mere friendly closeness at work.

The young woman could then remember when she first learned about love in a simple day at school, about that dumb emotion that would make girl go after men without an apparent reason and then she compared her strange interest she had over her adoptive sibling and then the realization struck hard.

It was difficult to stomach, but the signs were far too evident for her to blatantly ignore and...

Leaving home was painful but necessary to dodge the unpleasant repercussions she was suffering in that inner struggle.

Her mother was distraught, her father was shocked and Stacy was floored by her decision.

Sid learned of the news after some time had passed since her departure, his reaction reaching her in small fragments with the contacts she kept with her parents before joining Salem.

The ‘little boy’ had faced a sharp change about his future, deciding against pursuing studies in Haven and preferring to remain a civilian.

A decision that had left her horrified as Cinder had been there to hear her baby brother’s desire to become ‘their’ protector.

Now that dream was shattered and that, she was aware, had been her fault.

At least he wouldn’t be getting hurt because of the cowardly Headmaster in Haven.

It was temporary, she remembered thinking at first, it would go away by getting distant and letting time pass through and…

That idea was obliterated in that very day she decided to visit. It had been a surprise to learn about his presence here in Vale and part of her had wanted to make use of the visit to subtly pressure him to leave the capital and return back to Mistral, where he would have been safe from the dangerous plans she was pulling the strings of.

But then things changed when she was hugged.

From what she could discern from this visit, which should have been just one of courtesy, her mind was still intrigued by him to a concerning degree.

He had grown again, this time leaving the boisterous rebelliousness he had displayed in his teenage years and…

Sid had embraced a more mature and adult-focused mindset. He was slightly-taller, more confident and… that lovely smile of his was still there.

The way he was so eager to hug her, to show his love and support…

And his still-present muscles-

No!

She blinked, her eyes widening a fraction as she was brought back to the real word and she noticed that… she had digressed a lot.

She sighed, realizing that time was starting to run short over the decisions she had to take over the complex plan in her mind.

The initial draft wouldn’t do, especially because Sid was in Vale and living a normal life here.

Hesitation had been there for a long time since she had started with her tasks, her consciousness over her strength being targeted by the bad developments rising from her aggressive pace as Ozpin had indeed increased his security over the city.

The man was dangerous when given too many hints and clues and she would be lying in saying that she was ready to outmatch someone that was far too old and experienced to beat even in an unfair competition.

A quick operation would surely unbalance him in the long-run, but the destruction perpetrated would actually hinder her future plans.

If there was something she had learned from her past works under Salem, it was that old institutions were easier to manipulate and predict.

Killing Vale would only shatter the board and make people within the other kingdoms more paranoid.

Fear can do so much without having enough Grimm dispatched in the various weak areas present in Remnant and… the risk of losing Sid was a big one.

He cared for Vale, it was like Mistral for him and… that meant having to deal with the repercussions of having him hate her if she ended up getting caught.

It wouldn’t be acceptable. It wasn’t acceptable.

So the young woman started to formulate something of a devious plan.

Ozpin was restless, his little clique will surely continue to be causing some issues with their meddling, but given some time and preparation, Cinder was more than sure that something better could be born without shedding unnecessary blood.

Roman would surely be elated at the prospect of not being pushed into risky situations for ‘some Dust’, but the woman remembered that Adam would have wanted to ‘taste some blood’ after his arrival.

Something that wouldn’t just work and… she just had the right idea how to solve it.

Both Emerald and Mercury shuddered as a cool breeze reached down their spines, the two minions completely unaware of the machinations developing in the devious mind of Cinder Fall.

Blake Belladonna shuddered too as she took a bite out of the small basket filled by popcorn and chips, her full attention diverted at the comedy movie Sid had decided to show for the movie marathon of that day.

The Faunus completely unaware that her peace was going to be shattered fairly soon…