Chapter 60: To live

In the early morning hours of the weekend, Amber lay awake in her team's room. The sound of Eric's snoring masking the faint creeks of her bed as she rolled over once again to stare at the small bottle that sat on her nightstand.

There, printed on the side, was a word that wasn't designed to be pronounced by any mere mortal, as it was a powerful ant-hallucinogenic, one that was probably used in the creation of meth or something else illegal that was sold by shady merchants in dark alleys.

Her's however was prescribed. Something her therapist had suggested when she had opened up about the blood on her hands that she could never wash away. He had told her that to take these things in her line of work was risky as they could worsen the effects of not taken regularly. And getting them while on a mission in the middle of nowhere would be tricky if not impossible.

Of course she already knew that. She had lost count of how many huntsmen and huntresses had died from an overdose while on the job. As such, she only took the recommended amount at the recommended times. Never touching it otherwise.

But now, laying in bed, waiting to head back down to Beacon to be on in a tournament that could attract a hundred people, she found herself almost wishing she could take more.

The blood on her hands hadn't faded, nor had they shown any signs of disappearing. In fact, now they were starting to leave prints on everything she touched. Turning the entire room into a reminder of all the things she had caused when she faced down Howard.

The tension in the city, the much higher hate crime being committed against those of Atlas, the jobless rating skyrocketing as Howard's partnered businesses were forced to shut down until the trial. Everything was just too much for her. She never asked for this, never. She just wanted to make amends, not make everything worse! But no matter what she did or where she went, the only thing she brought was death and destruction to everyone.

Why? Why did this have to happen to her? Why couldn't she just be fixed already? She was trying so hard, but nothing seemed to help. All that mandatory therapy wasn't helping her, and if that wasn't bad enough, neither were her medication. All it did was seemingly cause her more pain and distress as she ruined everything for everyone. All the damn time.

Maybe it would have been better if she had never been-.

Immediately the girl shook those thoughts from her head, dismissing them as she pressed her bloodstained hand against her face, desperately trying to calm herself down.

"I'm a horrible person." She thought to herself. "Mom literally came back from the grave and forgave me, dad too. So why does everything still hurt? Why can't I just be satisfied that I got a few seconds with them, seconds nobody else could even have. Why can't I just be happy with that?"

As her mind continued to torment her, Amber realized there was no way she could take this anymore. Raising slowly, she quickly made her way to the bathroom, quietly shutting the door behind her.

After flicking on the lights, she made her way to the sink and turned the water on, making it as cold as it would go. And then, she began scrubbing her hands rigorously, trying to clean the blood off.

Why did she have to be so selfish? She had friends, a team, got time with her dead parents, what more could she want? She had been given so many miracles yet for some reason she couldn't just be happy with them. Still wanting to just make all this pain go away no matter what. To just finally be free of its clutches and remember what it was like to not feel like her chest was about to burst.

Cinder had become her new reason to live, her new lease on life. Yet she found herself wanting more.

Now, Amber wasn't stupid. She knew she couldn't rely on someone else for her entire reason for living. But for right now, it should be enough. To live for her sake, the sake of her team. That was as worthy a cause as any, right? So why, even after everything she had gone through, why did she still feel like something was missing?

Looking up, Amber stared at her own reflection, its monstrous appearance staring right back, though this time it mirrored her own expression, one of hurt and confusion. She knew a part of her still wanted to make amends to someone for something. She had lived for years with that goal. Yet after Cinder's speech and her reunion with her mother, she didn't know who she had left to make up with. Neither of them blamed her for what happened, and neither believed she had to atone. Yet something deep inside her told her there was someone she was forgetting, someone she had wrong horribly and had yet to-.

"Amber?"

Immediately the dark skinned girl spun around, nearly banging her head against the light as she did, her shocked scream being stifled in her throat as she came face to face with Cinder, who raised her hand in response to her reaction.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you." The dark haired girl said, taking a slow step into the bathroom. "I just…I saw your bed was empty and heard the water running. I guess I got a bit worried and wanted to make sure you were okay."

At her words, Amber immediately, almost automatically switched on her happy go lucky persona, giving her partner a big, goofy smile.

"Yeah, sorry if I woke you." She apologized without thinking. "I was having a weird dream about my math teacher was yelling at me about showing up to school in my underwear, but apparently it was heart boxer day and because I wasn't wearing a pair she said that she'd have to write me up while I sat in the corner until my spear underwear got out of the wash we had at school for some reason. It was when I started questioning why we even had a day specifically for underwear that I woke up and seeing as I didn't want to go back to sleep back, and I mean who can even go to sleep after-."

"Amber, please, just stop." Cinder cut in, her gaze darkening as she approached the rambling girl. Stopping her mid sentence as she came to a stop beside the sink. "Your act is slipping. You had another nightmare, didn't you."

It wasn't a question. Amber could tell Cinder had seen right through her, seen through her lie. But despite this, she actually felt somewhat relieved. Knowing she didn't need to put on a front was such a relief after so many years of holding it all in. Of choking down her screams, her sobs, her everything, it felt good to finally have someone who would call her out on her BS. To make her feel like didn't have to always hide her scars.

Honestly, she wasn't that surprised Cinder had. Ever since they had created a perfect link, she had been able to spot the times she had been faking her smiles for the sake of others. As well as stepping in during those times when the dark skinned girl was just about ready to break.

And while not always perfect, it felt good to have someone looking out for her well being while she retaught herself to do that.

Reaching out, Cinder turned off the water and took both her partner's hands, gently pulling them in front of her where she examined them, rubbing her fingers across her knuckles, making the girl flinch.

"You rubbed your hands raw." The dark haired girl observed. "Let me guess, you were so wrapped up in your thoughts you didn't notice." Once again, this wasn't a question, it was a fact. One said in a tone that wasn't quite concern, but more a harrowing understanding.

Amber said nothing as she lowered her head, expression becoming somber as she felt her partner begin wrapping the injury with gauze from the medical cabinet Adam had installed after Music Fest.

She knew she owed Cinder an explanation, telling her what was on her mind at the very least. But right now, she just didn't know how to vocalize her thoughts, didn't know how to portray them to her partner.

For a split second, she thought about using her semblance, conveying her thoughts and emotions without the need for complicated words, or elegant poetry.

But she quickly dismissed that idea. To do so would require Cinder to share all her emotions as well, something that was a violation of the girl's privacy, as well as a grossly inappropriate behavior for a team leader. To not only force her insecurities onto someone else but seeing their most private thoughts as well. That was a line she didn't want to cross.

And so, taking a deep breath, Amber prepared to tell Cinder her real feelings and what was really bothering her.

"Cin-."

"I'm not going to ask." Amber broke off as Cinder spoke calmly and collectively, not even looking up from her work. "I can tell you don't really feel like sharing yet, that's fine. Not everything has to be open between us. You can keep your secrets and I'll keep mine. I'm not gonna force you to do anything. Sometimes forcing yourself to do something is the exact opposite of what you need to heal."

With that, the dark haired girl looked up, her yellow eyes locking with Amber's golden ones, care and passion meeting depression struggles against hope.

"But just know that if you ever want to talk about it, or anything really, I'm all ears." Cinder said. "I haven't forgotten what I promised you back in that scrapyard, and I want you to know I meant it. So if you ever need anything, feel free to come to me."

Amber was taken aback by this statement. She hadn't realized how tactful Cinder had become ever since Music Fest. A part of her still half expected to wake up one day to be greeted by the arrogant, self-absorbed, reckless Cinder who acted first, thought never.

Still, she greatly appreciated it. Being able to talk, or in this case, not being forced to was very welcome.

And so, they settled into a comfortable silence as Cinder bandaged her hands. Simply enjoying one another's company in the quiet, early hours of the morning.

"There, all done." Cinder said as she finished treating her partner's hands. "Now, normally I'd tell you to get some sleep, but I get the feeling you don't want to go back to sleep. So how about instead, we go to the library and you get a few practice games under your belt? We have a big day ahead of us and while I'd prefer you rested, I get the feeling that's not happening."

Amber smiled and nodded, following Cinder out of the room and into the hallway. She appreciated the distraction, even if it was only for a little while. And while she knew she'd have to face these demons again, for today, she had a chess tournament to look forward to and-.

…wait…

"We?" Amber came to a stop behind her partner, eyebrow raised in confusion. "What do you mean we?"

A little while later, Amber sat on a bus taking her to uptown Vale, where the tournament was being held. Here, the buildings were much nicer and much more well guarded. A police station and fire station were seated right next to each and could reach just about any place in this part of town.

Unsurprising really seeing as most of these people were very well off. Something that was on full display going by how much space was between each property and that the property was on a hillside overlooking most of the rest of the kingdom.

"Still can't believe they're living like this when most Faunus can barely afford a roof over their heads, yet these guys seemed to have plenty and to spare." Cinder said as she looked out the window, a mocking sneer plastered to her face as she watched the house go by. "You know, I've never been to this part of Vale before, but how much you wanna bet these guys are all CEOs or other corporate assholes who all inherited their fortune?"

"Everything I have actually." Amber replied, not looking up from her book. "The majority of people who live here are older, white collar workers, with positions in management or oversight. You won't find people like Bobby Rocks, or the Schnee's living here, but mostly older hardworking people who probably made bank during the war manufacturing weapons or transportation."

"Huh. Interesting." Cinder grunted, not sounding interested in the slightest. "Basically these guys profited off people suffering indirectly. How much did you say the tournament was given in total again? Because I'd think people like this could probably afford to pay double what's being given out."

With a sigh, Amber shut her book and looked up at her partner, trying to keep her annoyance out of her face.

"You know, not everyone in this world is some evil villain who's trying to screw everyone else over to turn a buck." She said, more shortly than she intended. "And sometimes, a job is just that, a job. And if someone earns their money legally, who are we to say how they should spend it?"

Her words seemed to shock Cinder as the girl just stared at her, mouth hanging open for a second before she regained her composure and leaned back in her seat, tucking her arms behind her head and turning to look out the window to avoid making eye contact.

"Just saying." She grumbled quietly, making the girl let out a sigh as she lowered her head.

"That was uncalled for. I shouldn't have snapped like that." She thought, lowering her head, staring at her hands that were folded over her book. She knew she should apologize, but she was just so tired she couldn't bring herself to muster the energy to face her partner again. She just-! She was so tired, tired in a way that no amount of sleep seemed to fix. She just wanted to feel some semblance of normalcy one again, for this pain to go away. But until she could truly start to heal, she knew needed to do something. But what, she had no idea.

She wasn't stupid, she knew there was something she was missing. Something that still chained her to her past, stopping her from revolving, from moving forward. But no matter how much her therapist probed, or how much she opened up, she couldn't figure out what-.

"Hey. Look at that."

Cinder's words snapped Amber out of her thoughts. Quickly looking up, she followed the dark haired girl's gaze down the hill and onto the city of Vale.

There, she saw a single column of black smoke rise up from the old abandoned district right next to the wall, billowing out into the sky painting it black against the bright sun.

"Damn, those guys can't catch a break, can they?" Cinder said, staring out at the smoke. "First the Seraphim move in, now a fire? At least the only people who live there are bums and hobos. They'll be able to move their stuff and keep away until emergency services show up."

Amber nodded her head, those she wasn't actually listening. Once again she felt her instincts kick up as she stared at the rising smoke. Something felt wrong. First the mass agitators patrolling the streets, now a fire in the same district that their creepy machine was? All while Adelaide was still behind bars felt a little too convent to be mere coincidence.

Was this some new strategy they were deploying? Destroying evidence to cover their tracks? No. That didn't make sense. While yes, it would make a conviction harder, that didn't change the fact her entire team was scheduled to make an appearance for the trial. Meaning if they wanted to cover their tracks, it would be more effective to just her team and get rid of the bodies.

And while that would be hard with Howard being scrutinized and Igor still nowhere to be found, why destroy other evidence and alert them that this was on their agenda? Surely it would make more sense to kill them first, then destroy evidence, right?

Amber would have pondered the possibility more, but before she could, the bus came to a stop, signaling that they had reached their stop.

"Welp, that's us." Cinder said, quickly rising to her feet. "Come on. We don't want to be late. Fang said chess players could be very elitist and we don't want you to look like an amateur, do we?"

Amber said nothing as she rose, following her partner out of the vehicle. Right, the chess tournament. She still had that to deal with. Honestly, a part of her felt like she should just give up this trivial thing to go see what the Seraphim were up to. You know, something practical.

But she had promised Fang. And after everything he had done for them at Music Fest, she owed him this if nothing else.

The inside of the theater was set up in an interesting way. Instead of a single stage where all the musicians would play had been split into five different tables with cameras placed on each one. Each one connect to a large tv hanging from the ceiling in full view of the audience, as well as a podium where a commentator was setting up a microphone.

"Yikes, this is an expensive setup." Cinder noted, looking at all the equipment, coming to a stop next to one of the tables, picking up the oriental black queen and spinning it in her hand as she examined it. "This is more expensive than the stuff used in our entrance exam. How can they afford something like this when they're already handing out less than ten thousand dollars in prizes? Seems like they could afford to give twice as much just by using second hand stuff. Or hiring someone who knows how to get a good experience while on a budget."

At this, Amber let out a sigh as she walked over to her partner, plucking the queen out of her hand and placing it on the board.

"Like I said, it's their money, so it's up to them to decide how to spend it." She said as she ran her fingers over the detailed wood, letting herself become filled with disappointment as she took in the masterfully crafted pieces.

"But you are right that a charity event does start to ring hollow when they use Burst Boxwood for the pieces and Black Ash Burl for the board."

With that, before Cinder could even begin to wipe the confusion from her face, Amber turned and made her way towards the back of the stage where the competitors were instructed to go.

"Come on, let's get this over with." She called back to her partner as she hurried after her. "I'd like to get back to Beacon quickly. So the sooner we start the sooner we finish. And I don't want to spend any more time here than necessary."

"H-hey! Wait up!" Cinder called after her partner as she watched her disappear behind the curtain on stage. "What's the hurry? These pieces are nicer than Fang's set. If we can't enjoy them now, can we at least make a plan to swipe them for ourselves later? I mean it's such a waste to leave them here for these people. Why not-?"

"What are you doing here!?"

Cinder was cut off as she and Amber took their first step back stage where they were greeted by a not so friendly, but very familiar face of a Mistral girl jabbing her finger into Amber's chest as she held a clasped paper fan in her other hand.

"In case YOU didn't get the memo, this isn't a place for someone like you!" Lee Zetian said, her voice filled with contempt as she gave Amber a light shove. "This is a place for true competitors who actually care about the game. People like you, who just do EVERYTHING halfheartedly, making everything that much harder for everyone else has no right to be here! I don't think I've ever even seen you play, so when I heard you and your obnoxious partner outside, I told myself I must be imagining things! Because there was no way someone like you would dare to disgrace a place like with your-!"

"Hey!" Cinder snapped, immediately positioning herself between Lee and Amber, glaring daggers at the former. "Why don't you shut your mouth before I shut it for you? Amber doesn't need to take this shit from someone like you! What are you even doing here? I thought this was a charity event. Why are you here throwing your weight around like you actually care about someone other than yourself?"

At this accusation, a superior smirk spread across the girl's face. Immediately she took a step back, turning to the side to look at Cinder from the corner of her eyes as she opened her fan with a flick of her wrist, partly covering the condescending smile on her face.

"Why, you don't know? My, my, your ignorance is truly unfathomable." She said, shifting her hand slightly to show more of her smirk. "Why, I am one of the top chess players in all of Mistral! Winner of the junior cup, as well as the holder of the world's youngest competitor to make it to the semi finals of the national chess championship, and of course, the title of the Chess Queen of the world, a title given to only three people who managed to beat the best chess player in the world in a fifty vs one match! Many around the world sing my praises as the soon to be best chess champion who lost herself to her bleeding heart when she chose to become a huntress instead. Why, the fact that I'm here has only driven up ticket sales to the point half the people here are to see me and me alone! A lowly little girl like you should be grateful to be allowed to bask in my presence everyday! Why, it's more impressive that we've been school mates for so long without you hearing about my greatness! Mwhaha!"

"Right, lucky us." Cinder replied, her upper eyebrow twitching as she stared at the girl deadpan. At this point, several of the other competitors had turned to look at what was causing such a commotion, some even blatantly pointing at Cinder while whispering amongst themselves. Though perhaps whispering wasn't the right word as many of the others, Amber included, could very clearly make out what was being said. And most of it wasn't very polite.

Despite this, neither of the other two girls seemed bothered by it. In fact, Lee seemed to Ignore it completely as she focused on the blank reaction from her classmate.

"Oh, were those words too big for you? Can't really comprehend my greatest as you are too simple minded to see it? Well, I guess I can't fault you for that." She said with a patronizing shake of her head before lowering it closer to her fan, closing her eyes as she went, as if tired of dealing with a child incapable of understanding basic adult concepts. "Well, how about I simplify it for you then. Using smaller, slower words that even someone like you can understand."

With that, she flicked her wrist, closing her fan as she opened her eyes to fix the dark haired girl with a smug look that carried a very special type of condescending arrogance.

"What I'm saying is, Fang can't hold a candle to me."

As Cinder bristled at this, another familiar face was caught in the corner of Amber's eye. Turning her head, she quickly scanned the faces of the other competitors, eyes quickly darting between earth one looking for the object, spotting them standing at the very back wall, nearly invisible to everyone.

With a glance back at her partner and seeing she was still pretty distracted by Lee, she quickly snuck out from behind her, making her way into the crowd of her competition where she dodged and weaves her way through until she reached the wall where the object of her curiosity stood, leaning against it, arms folded with a small smile playing on her lips as the dark skinned girl approached.

"Long time, no see." Violet joked, grinning at the younger girl as she approached, kicking herself off the wall to stand on her own feet. "I didn't know you were competing. Neither Adam or Eric said anything despite me mentioning it to them. They must have told you all my tricks and secrets by now, huh? Worked together to find out my weaknesses?"

Amber laughed lightly as she came to a stop next to the woman. She did remember them acting funny when she had told them her plans, but they hadn't mentioned anything about Violet being here.

"Actually, I'm just standing in for a friend." She replied. "Something came up with work and now he can't make it so he asked me to come instead. And after all the help he gave me and my team, I really couldn't say no."

"Aww. That explains it." The older huntress said, nodding her head as she spoke. "That's why you look like you don't want to be here. Not a fan of chess? Or these kinds of charity events? Or a bit of both?"

Amber dropped her head at this, blushing furiously at being called out so quickly. Was she being that obvious? She had hoped it wouldn't noticed, or at least not this soon.

"It's not that I'm against it." She said hesitantly. "It's just that…I feel like I should be doing more important stuff. Like…I don't know. Killing Grimm, or tracking down wanted criminals like Igor. You know, helping to fix the mess I made of the whole kingdom."

Amber shuffled her feet slightly at her confession, suddenly unable to look the older huntress in her eyes. She must look so pathetic to this professional huntress. Wallowing in self-pity and being so incompetent she couldn't even complete a basic bodyguard mission properly, throwing the entire kingdom into disarray in the process. All because she couldn't see through Howard's disguise.

Now, standing here instead of being out there, fixing what she had broken, she must look like such a selfish, worthless bit-.

"Well, we can't spend our entire lives on the battlefield, even if we might want to." Violent said, immediately making Amber's head shoot up, accidentally locking eyes with the woman where, to her surprise, she saw no judgment, no anger, irritation or disgust. All she saw in those bright, purple orbs was kindness, sympathy, and compassion. Nothing like what she was expecting. Or more accurately, what she was projecting onto the woman.

"Growing up, I thought that way too. That the only thing that mattered was killing Grimm, saving lives. Those days, I didn't have…well, any self-preservation beliefs whatsoever. Honestly, I used to work myself to the bone until I literally couldn't even stand." She said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "But then, I met someone, someone who helped me see my own worth, see that I was more than what my powers could offer others. And now, while I still struggle with balancing my personal happiness with helping others, I now understand that you have to learn to love yourself. Because if you don't love yourself, can you truly say that you're helping the world, not just punishing yourself."

The dark skinned girl stopped at these words. Punishing herself? What was the difference between helping the world and punishing oneself? Surely someone could do both at the same time, right? It wasn't like they canceled each other out or anything. She could still punish herself while-.

Amber broke off mid thought as her mind drifted back to from the dark, empty place it had returned to so casually. Punish herself, for what? Her mother had forgiven her, as well as her father. She had nothing to atone for, so why did she still feel the need to punish herself over and over again? Was there someone she had forgotten about? Someone she had or was still wronged by her? She couldn't remember anyone, well, anyone new. Not Whinny or his mom, not his brother or father, not even Cinder or the rest of her team. So why did she still feel the all consuming need to be forgiven?

Before she could dwell on these thoughts, a sudden shot from next to the curtains drew her attention. Looking over, she saw Cinder fighting with some security as they tried to pull her out from behind the stage. Explaining to her that this area was for competitors only, and that she'd have to leave.

Unfortunately, all that got them was a loud volley of profanity shouted at them, followed up by a quick swing as the girl punched near their heads. Not close enough to connect, but definitely close enough for them to feel the wind from it.

With a sigh, Amber began to stretch her neck, letting it pop as she slowly began to make her way over.

"Sorry to cut our conversation shot, but I'm going to have to go and deal with that." She said to the older huntress. "I'd love to talk a bit more, but I should probably stop my partner before she kills someone."

Violet let out a laugh at this, calmly leaning back against the wall as she watched the other girl walk off, calling out to her softly, but loudly enough to ensure she could hear her over the scene the other girl was making.

"Power is a burden as much as it is a gift. But try to remember, it's not a burden one should bear twenty-four seven. At least try to learn to take breaks and love yourself. A life of nothing but self-sacrifice isn't a life at all. It's a curse I wouldn't wish on my greatest enemy."

Amber nodded in response, but kept quiet. She appreciated what the woman was trying to do for her, but to take her advice would be nothing but selfish for someone like her. Not after all the death and destruction she had caused.

But then, maybe, just maybe. Being selfish once in a while was all that bad.

A little while later, Amber found herself seated in front of one of the chess boards, a camera being set up to get video of the board as it broadcasted to one of the screens. And while the fact that her face wasn't going to be on the feed, it did little to ease her worries as her name and picture was placed on the left side of the screen, showing who was playing each side.

Across the way, she could hear people filling in, taking their seats as an announcer spoke softly into a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to today's charity chess tournament. We appreciate everyone who took time out of their busy schedule to attend. We hope you enjoy it." He said, flipping a switch turning on the many screens that surround the stage, each one focused on a different table.

The plan was for each game to happen at the same time, without a commentator until they reached the finals. At that point, they would then have a panel of two watching the game, one the commentator, the other a chess expert, each one explaining the finer points to the less experienced audience.

Each contestant would be required to win only two matches to make the semifinal, with the winners of that facing each other for the grand prize. But if they managed to get up to that point, they would still be rewarded with a cash prize for the charity they were representing. Meaning they wouldn't walk away with nothing.

It was a pretty straightforward approach, one that didn't require a lot of money. But even so, as the screens came on and the room that was supposed to be quiet was filled with a very audible chittering, Amber found herself wishing they would have someone talking over each game to drown out the peanut gallery.

"Is that her? The one who accused Isaac Howard of running a crime gang?"

"No way, why's she here?"

"Hey! That's the girl who costed me my job!"

"Hmph! That bitch has some nerve showing up here."

Each word stabbed the girl like knives, twisting the blade as she felt their gaze on her back. She could feel the tension radiating off them as they stared at her, anger and disgust mixing into a tense aura that filled the room, making it difficult for the girl to breathe.

She had expected people to get riled up when they saw her, but for them to create such a hostile environment so quickly not so much. After all, she would have thought people would have better things to do than come here just to be angry at her. Especially since the demographics she was hurting was the middle and low class, not the higher, white picket fence types who made up the majority of the people at the event.

But before she could dwell on it further, she saw the clock on her side of the board flick on, immediately counting down the seconds she had to make her move. The games had begun and now it was showtime. Like it or not, she'd have to focus on what was in front of her if she wanted to even make it to the next round.

Taking a deep breath, Amber quickly took in her opponent, trying to pull any information she might be able to glean from his appearance.

A nice coat, with stainless pants, an expensive necklace and well cared for hair. Looks like her first opponent for today was a rich man who probably only was here to make themselves look good. Meaning they probably hit hard right out the gate, but wouldn't be trying too hard once they reach the semifinals.

Okay, she could work with that.

Moving her pawn to the center of the board, Amber hit the timer as she leaned back in her seat, locking her hands together as she stared at her opponent, mirroring her move. Seems he did know something about the game, but was far from a pro.

Good. She doubted she could focus on the game as she could feel the entire room glaring daggers into her back. Honestly, a more relaxing game would probably do her some good. Practice or not, she would need to keep her mind fresh as for the upcoming trials she'd face. Something that would be much easier if she didn't have too many things to stress about.

But even with that said, she was already starting to regret coming here. Owning Fang or not, she knew this LONG day.

A few hours later.

Amber stood on stage with three others, being presented to the audience as she had made the semifinals. She was standing on the left most side with Violet on her right, an older gentleman she didn't know in the middle and Lee at on his right. All four easily outclassing the competition, winning with little trouble even at this level.

Yet despite this, as she stood there with the spotlight shining down on her, a part of the girl almost wished she hadn't won as now, everyone was staring at her.

Shifting uncomfortably in the spotlight, Amber scanned the audience, looking for her partner who had said she would say for the event. But upon not spotting her, she assumed Cinder must have gotten bored and left.

She supposed she couldn't blame her. Chess wasn't the most interesting game to watch. But a part of her still wished she had stayed for no other reason than support. It meant more to have at least one person cheering for her seeing as everyone else was cheering against her.

Sighing, Amber's gaze fell to the floor, her hands tightening into fists. Why was she so selfish? Surely she shouldn't have asked for more of her partner's time than she had already given. Yet here she was, asking her to stay while a mountain of homework towered over both of them.

And it wasn't like Cinder could even cheer for her in the first place as shouting was prohibited, doing so would get you thrown out! And as she couldn't picture Cinder going without a fight, she'd probably have to forfeit the game to go and get her partner back under control. Yet here she was still wishing she would do nothing but sit and watch something she probably didn't have any interest-.

"Head up, Amber."

Broken out of her thoughts and taken completely by surprise, said girl looked up to Violet, who was looking straight ahead, yet her attention was focused on the dark skinned girl.

"Hold your head up proudly. You've made it to the semifinals, that's a testament to your skill. Act like it." She spoke again, her voice soft so only Amber could hear. "I don't know what you're beating yourself up about, but right now, you've got to show that you appreciate being here. That the people who got you here, their faith wasn't misplaced."

Her words made the dark skinned girl chuckle humorlessly, lowering her head and shaking it.

"I don't belong here." She whispered back. "The person who did had to cancel last minute. I was just asked to stand in. I had no training or preparation. I just happened to know my way around strategy, that's it. I hold no love for the game or the competition, I'm just here to represent my friend who couldn't make it."

"Then do it proudly." Violet countered without missing a beat. A small smile playing on her lips. "So what if you don't care about the game? You made it to the semifinals. Rather that was from skill, experience, or dumb luck, it's something to be proud of. Don't disregard your achievements, it's unhealthy. Learn to puff out your chest and represent your kingdom."

Amber once again found herself stifling a laugh. Her? Puff out her chest? For what? Her friend's misfortune of having to work today? That was nothing to celebrate. If anything, it was all the more reason why she shouldn't take pride in it. After all, she knew Fang, for all his humility, he was the better strategist. Better at prediction, batter at the game.

But instead of saying all that was burdening her, she instead put on her fake smile as she shifted her weight.

"I don't think the people of Vale want me to represent them right now." She joked, shifting her gaze to the older woman. "After all, I'm pretty sure most of them are hoping I get hit by a bus on my way out right now. Not a lot of fans right now if I'm being perfectly honest."

Glancing at the dark skinned girl out of the corner of her eye, Violet let out a chuckle as she turned her gaze back to the crowd.

"Well, it seems you have one fan. And sometimes that's all it takes." She said, sending the younger girl a smile, nodding her head towards the very back of the room.

Amber immediately followed her nod, eyes wide when she met Cinder's staring back at her. She was still here, sitting in the back where she could see now only her game, but also the whole stage at large, ensuring that whenever Amber moved, she could still see her no matter where she was reseated following her matches.

Seeing the younger girl's face lit up, Violet chuckled to herself as she turned back to face forward, breathing out one last piece of advice.

"Personally, I've found when on missions, you never want to think about the grand outcome of failure. Instead, think of that one person who means something to you and how much it'll mean when you succeed. That, is the secret many of us older vets use."

Amber turned her attention back to the older woman, eyes wide in surprise. Immediately she opened her mouth to ask how well that really worked.

But before she could, the announcer finished his speech, turning everyone's attention to the big screen as it displayed the two semifinal matches. Which immediately drove all thought of anything else from Amber's mind.

And given that her next match was against Lee Zetian herself, she honestly thought she was very justified.

"So, here you are." Lee said, fanning herself as she looked smugly across the table at Amber. "I have to admit, I'm actually pretty surprised you made it this far. If I'm being honest, I expect you to lose in the second round. But I guess everyone has a lucky day once in a while. Shame luck will only carry you so far."

Amber fought the urge to roll her eyes at the girl. Brothers, she was so annoying. She had honestly hoped she wouldn't have to face her classmates, secretly hoping one of them would lose.

But as that hadn't happened, Amber took a deep breath as her timer started, indicating it was game time.

"Pawn to E4." She said, moving her piece to the center of the board before hitting the timer to stop it.

"My, my, what an original move." Lee mocked, fanning herself as she smirked at her opponent. "Fan of the classics I see. Well, I guess I can't fault you. After all, anyone who doesn't take the initiative will often find themselves struggling. Though I guess in your case, even if you do, nothing can really help your stupidity."

Hands clenching into fists, Amber bit her lip to stoop herself from snapping the girl. Her own stomach starting to tense in response to her growing irritation. She knew she had screwed up, she felt horrible about it! But having this constant pain in the ass giving her grief about it neither helped, nor acted as punishment. It was just annoying!

"Make your move." She said shortly, fighting to keep her emotions out of her voice as she watched Lee's smirk grow wider in response.

"Getting hot under the collar? Well, that's just a sign of your lack of restraint." She mocked, not even looking down at the board. "Temper, Alsprings. Don't want to drag the name of huntsman through the mud anymore, do you?"

Bristling at the comment, Amber's gaze turned to a glare as she watched the girl fan herself, deliberately taking her sweet time to make her damn move!

Finally! After what felt like an eternity, Lee picked up a pawn and placed it in front of Amber's.

"Pawn to E5." She said, reserving her timer before leaning back, a smugly superior grin on her face. One that she made no effort to hide as she closed her fan with a click. "Your move, Alspraings. Better make it counter. I'm predicting a checkmate in the next twenty moves. Which is not a good look for a semifinalist."

Biting back her retort, Amber instead picked up another one of her pawns, moving it forward to apply pressure to the middle squares.

"Pawn to D3." She said, placing her piece before hitting her timer, shooting a glare across the table at her smug opponent. "Now hurry up and go. I don't have all day."

"Oh my, someone is in a hurry." Lee replied, her face growing even smugger. Slowly, she made a point to lift one leg, before lowering it so it crossed her other, letting her place both elbows on them as she leaned forward to lock eyes with Amber, her voice alight with glee as she whispered across to her.

"What's the matter? Don't want to be here? Well, unfortunately for you. You crossed the wrong girl. Cause I'm gonna take my time and savor this victory against you." Her voice was laced with malicious intent as grinned evilly up at her opponent, not taking her eyes off her even as she reached down and picked up another piece, moving across the board, pressuring the center as well.

"Pawn to D6. Your move."

Snarling, Amber looked down at the board, her eyes narrowed as she fought back her rage. Savor it? Of course! Why the hell not! Go figure this bitch would stick her here for as long as possible. That was just her style. Being petty and annoying at every fucking turn!

"Knight to F3." She snapped, slamming her piece to the board with an aggressive amount of force. "Now go!"

See this, Lee leaned back, her expression changing from one of gloating arrogance to one of annoyance. Souring her already unpleasant face even more.

"Geez. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." She said, turning her head up and giving a patronizing wave of her hand. "And here I thought I would be sporting and actually give you a chance to compete on the same stage with me. Oh well, I guess is shouldn't be surprised someone like you doesn't understand proper edi-."

"Shut up."

Lee broke off mid sentence at Amber's muttered response. Her face growing dark as she turned to glare at the dark skinned girl, face barely hiding her rage.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly." She hissed, her face contorting with the effort of keeping her smug mask up. "Could you repeat yourself. I'm dying to hear what it is you just said, because if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were being very unsportsmanlike."

Amber, looking up, met Lee with an unflinching glare, mouth curved into a snarl as she balled her fists on the sides of the table.

"I said, shut up." She repeated, no hesitation, no restraint. "All you've done since Music Fest is constantly mock me for trying to make amends for what happened. You constantly bully me and Cinder, and I'm willing to bet Adam and Eric too. And while I can take it just fine at school, I'm now stuck here, at this tournament I didn't even want to go to, forcing myself to sit here and listen to you berate me on every little thing when I'm already feeling like shit, just because you feel like it!"

Leaning forward, Amber pressed her face right up into Lee's, so close their noses were touching, her breath hot and fast as the pressure from the past few weeks started to leak out.

"Do you enjoy it? Making others feel bad just because your miserable little life isn't as exciting as you'd like?" She demanded, her voice soft and quiet, but with enough force to make even grown adults quiver. "Well, I hope you do, because right now, I feel worse than I have in weeks! In fact, I haven't been this angry since Music Fest. All because you need a victim to bully to feel good about yourself!"

Pressing her hands on the sides of the board, Amber gripped it so hard, her knuckles turned white, each one itching to fly up and crash into the arrogant girl's face.

"I don't know or care what you've gone through, but I do know it's not an excuse for bullying! So, while I didn't come here to win, I think my agenda's changed! Because now, I'm going to beat you here, in front of this crowd just so you know how it feels to have someone else lay out your dirty laundry in front of EVERYONE just for the heck of it!"

Amber, red faced and panting, gripped the board harder, her nails digging into the wood so hard she could feel it peeling as she braced herself for Lee to snap back. The girl certainly knew her way around some hurtful words, but at this point, the dark skinned girl really didn't care. She already knew she didn't belong here, she already knew she had messed up. What more could this girl say that would leave a lasting impression? After all, while it'd hurt right now, she doubted it would be anything compared to the self hatred she already felt.

But instead of giving her a mocking smirk, Lee leaned back, a playful smile on her lips. Her eyes softening as she went.

"Well, it's about time." She said, rolling her eyes catching Amber off guard. "Honestly, I was afraid you'd never get your mojo back. Glad to see I was wrong for once. Good on me to help with that."

At this, Amber felt shock and confusion quickly smother out her anger, leaving her mouth hanging open as she stared back at her classmate, her eyes wide with surprise and bewilderment.

Seeing this, Lee let out a chuckle as she flicked open her fan, hiding her smile from the dark skinned girl.

"What's with that dumb face? Aren't you supposed to thank me for my help?" She asked, her tone completely different from before. "I got you out of your funk. Is that not a deed worth appreciating?"

Amber, now struggling to even understand what the girl was saying, found herself still too stunned to reply, still stuttering dumbly as she forced herself to say something, the first thing on her mind to be exact.

"What are you talking about? You were helping me?" She said, her voice making the other girl roll her eyes as she leaned back further, her smile growing behind her fan.

"What are you so surprised about? Don't tell me you thought I was one of those mean girl types with no depth like in those teen dramas?" Amber honestly had. Though, in her defense, Lee bullied just about everyone ever since coming to Beacon.

Her answer must have been on her face as the next second snapped her fan shut, a somewhat annoyed expression on her face.

"Oh come on now. Just because I bully a couple people doesn't mean I'm heartless." She said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "I may not like you or your bonehead of a partner, but that doesn't mean I want to see you fail. Well, not completely anyway."

"B-but you said I didn't belong here. As well as many other things." Amber said, finally finding her voice. Though her flustered confusion still made its way in. "In what way does that not mean you want me to fail? Or in what way does that mean you don't want me to-? Oh! Never mind! Just tell me what you're getting on about already?" Her confused stammering and stuttering, making her face turn scarlet.

Flicking her fan open, Lee put on her smirk of superiority, eyes closed as she shook her head like she was lecturing a child.

"Oh Amber. The reason I said you didn't belong here was simply because you weren't trying." She explained, calmly reaching down and picking up one of her pieces. "Someone who isn't giving their all shouldn't be allowed in a tournament like this. Especially if they're just here to cover for someone else, it's insulting to the other who worked their asses off to get here. But now that you're actually trying your hardest, I guess that means you've earned the right to participate. So you know, good job me."

Amber stared blankly at her opponent as she finished her speech, the dark skinned girl still trying to understand what was going on.

"Bu-! I-! Wait. Hang on one second!" Amber said, leaning back in her seat, raising both hands in front of her face as she tried to grasp what was happening. "You're telling me, that you've been trying to help this whole time? Why? You've never once shown any sign you like me. Quite the opposition, in fact! You bully me and my team even before Music Fest. And that was before I was letting others see the real me. How did you-?"

Amber broke off here, her own bewilderment rendering her speechless. She still couldn't figure out how Lee had found out, or why she was even doing this. It just didn't make sense! If she knew about her past before she told Cinder about it, why hadn't she said anything?

Her confusion and unasked questions must have been visible on her face. Or Lee was just really good at reading her because the next second, she calmly set the piece back down on the board as she answered her.

"Oh please, don't go getting the idea I'm some kind of mind reader. I had no idea what you were going through. Honestly, I still don't. But that's not the point here." She explained, hitting her timer before opening her fan in front of her face once again, but this time angling it so Amber could still her entire face.

"The point is, I don't like you. Never have really. That goody-two-shoes personality of yours rubs me the wrong way." She said, shaking her head patronizingly. "But even I know better than to kick a girl when she's down. Not only do you push them towards something I don't want, but there's no fun in it either. I mean, where's the excitement of beating someone down when there's no challenge to it? Sounds like a horrible waste of my time, doesn't it?"

"And that made you want to help me?" Amber asked, still struggling to keep up with this girl's logic. "You want me to feel better so you can make me feel bad? That's-"

"Correct. Glad to see something in that empty head of yours is working." Lee cut in, clapping her fan and using it to point at Amber. "I don't want to bully someone to kill themselves. I'm not that heartless. But if there's someone I can't stand, then yes, I want to see them frustrated, angry, upset, and know it was me who caused it. And now that I've got you back on your feet, I can crush you like I've always wanted to!"

With that, she swept her arms over the board, throwing them out wide as she grinned at the dark skinned girl across from her.

"You want to win, yes?" She asked, smirking at her as she spoke. "Well, now I can take that victory from you. Make you feel frustrated at your own lack of ability! Keep you up all night thinking of how close you got before I snatched victory right from under your nose. After all, isn't that the fun of making enemies? Knowing you've gotten under their skin for the most petty things? Take your mind and theirs off the stress of the situation and life for a few hours to focus on something completely irrelevant or unimportant? I mean, if you don't ever get mad can you honestly say you're living?"

Amber stared at Lee for a few seconds, her mouth hanging open as she processed what the girl had said. Getting mad to distract oneself from the stress of life? She had never thought of trying something like that? And while it did sound extremely stupid, she had to admit, for a few seconds when she was being berated by the girl, a part of her self-loathing had been temporarily forgotten.

Sure, it was far from healthy. She still remembered the mess Cinder made whenever she did that. But in moderation, used mostly to forget about the thing's outside her control? That didn't sound so bad. Distracting yourself was something that could definitely be beneficial to one's health.

The two girls sat there for a couple seconds, one contemplating the other's words. Then, Amber leaned forward, a small laugh escaping her lips as she did so.

"Okay, you got me there." She said, looking up at Lee, a smile on her face that made her eyes sparkle. "I needed something to distract myself from…well, you know. And you are so incredibly annoying, I actually wanted to beat you for a second there. Still do, as a matter of fact. I have to admit, I never would have thought of something like this to cheer someone up. You are surprisingly smart, I'll give you that."

Lee smirked at the backhanded compliments, flicking her fan open to cover her face.

"Of course. I am my team's leader, after all. It wouldn't do for me to be an imbecile." She said as she fanned herself, letting her smug expression stay on her face. "I'm a genius who always thinks of different ways to ensure I always deliver superior results. And that's in both leadership and-."

"But." Amber cut in, leaning forward picking up one of her pieces with a smirk. "As grateful as I am for your help, I do plan on making you seriously regret it."

This comment brought Lee's gloating to a halt, a confidence smirk replacing the smug one."Oh?" She said, leaning forward crossing her legs and resting her elbows on them.

"Sorry to tell you, but I still plan on winning this match." Amber said, not backing down as the two locked eyes, fierce determination burning in both pairs. "As much as I appreciate you helping me, I still want to beat you and knock that obnoxious smirk off your face. And I think beating you in your game of choice is a fair way to do that. After all, if Mistral's junior chess champion to be, or whatever they called you, were to lose to a complete novice, I think that would make for some good revenge for all the snack talk I've put up with from you. An agreeable retaliation, wouldn't you say?"

With that, Amber placed her piece, hitting her timer as she stared at her opponent, eyes not wavering in their determination. She wasn't backing down, and quite frankly, her opponent wouldn't have it any other way.

Seeing the dark skinned girl's new found confidence, Lee leaned forward, getting right up in Amber's face without breaking eye contact. Her own face displayed her determination as she spoke with a noticeably less condescending tone.

"Bring it on."

With that, the two girls, with grins plastered to their faces, began to move their pieces in an elegant dance around the others, eyes darting from one corner to another, trying to out predict the other.

And as they captured and baited each other with clever tricks and tactics, the rest of the problems of the world seemed to fade into the background.

At the end of the tournament.

Amber stood on stage beside her competitors, once again facing the crowd as the announcer walked toward the stage, a ridiculously large check in his hands.

"First, I'd like to thank the incredibly talented people who made it out here today. They all played incredibly. Showing that even completion between minds is just as exciting as those with the body. These have been some of the most intense games we've seen to date. And I hope that everyone who participated will continue their careers into this wonderful game." He said, setting the check on the stage. "But alas, there can only be one winner. And today's winner, while not entirely surprising, out performed the competition by a hair. So, let's give this lovely lady a hand as she takes ten-thousands dollars to her charity of choice."

As the crowd began clapping, Amber shifted on her feet, taking a deep breath to let some of her feelings out. She hadn't expected to get this worked up over a silly tournament. Hell, she hadn't even expected to get as far as she did. It was a little of a miracle in her opinion.

But miracle or not, she had put her best foot forward and made the most of her situation. That was something she could be proud of. Nothing grand or anything, but it was a step in the right direction. But not one for her deceased family or village, a step herself. A step out of the shadow and back into the light, a step she honestly didn't think she could ever take.

However, she had done it. And now, she just had to smile and look pretty for the cameras, even if she really didn't want to.

Though she did particularly count this as a win, seeing as being upset over losing a game was something she hadn't felt for a long time.

"Lee Zetian, representing the Mistral home for displaced orphans. Congratulations." The announcer said as he shook the girl's hand as cameras flashed and the room was deafened by the sound of applause, catching the actually somewhat normal smile on her face this time. "I'll make sure to send it first thing tomorrow. In the meantime, is there anyone you want to thank for your victory today?"

"Actually yes, there is." Lee replied, turning toward one of the cameras. "I was hoping to thank my surrogate father at that home for supporting me in my endeavors to become a Huntress. After the war brought Grimm to my village and destroyed my family's farm, I knew what I wanted to do with my life, and that was to make sure nobody else would suffer at the hands of the Grimm. And if it wasn't for his support, I never would have made it here."

Huh. Amber didn't know Lee was an orphan like her. She had heard of the home for displaced orphans before too. The man in charge specialized in children likely to age out of the foster system, teaching them crafts to help them get a job once they hit adulthood. She didn't know they had a huntress course. In fact, she was pretty sure they didn't, which made it pretty impressive that Lee had even made it into Beacon.

That would definitely explain why she was so upset when she saw someone not even trying despite the opportunity. She must have had to claw her way up by herself. Interesting, who knew this little bully had something more inside her than just spite.

Still, Amber doubted she'd ever choose to be in her company if given the option.

"You okay?"

The dark skinned girl was broken out of her thoughts by a voice next to her. Looking up, she saw Violet standing there, looking down at her with a smile on her face.

"You two seemed to have some beef with each other." She said, answering the unasked question. "It must be frustrating to lose to someone you clearly can stand. Chess champion or not, I know I felt horrible after losing a sparring match back when I was attending Beacon. Even if they were older and more experienced than me."

At her words, Amber turned forward, her gaze falling slightly as a smile forced its way onto her face.

"I'm upset, that's for sure." She confessed. "I wanted to hammer her down a peg or two. Make her eat her words after all the boosting she had been doing. Coming so close to doing just that only to have that snatched away hurts more than it really should. It honestly feels silly to get like this over a game."

She paused for a second, her smile slowly widened as she shifted her gaze back up, this time looking the older woman in the eyes as she spoke again, her voice filled with a lightness she didn't know she still had within her.

"But that's the point, isn't it? To life I mean, happy, frustration, joy, rage, selfishness and selflessness. It's all a spectrum that paints life in vibrant colors and makes it interesting. Even if it is silly, it feels good to get upset over something stupid. To get angry over something without consequence. It feels so…I don't know…liberating? Like I'm finally-."

The dark skinned girl suddenly broke off, realizing she was rambling about a bunch of stuff that the older woman had no clue about. Quick as she could, Amber began planning a quick and effective way to apologize as well as change the conversation to something less serious.

But before she could, the huntress chimed in on her own.

"Unshackled?" Violent asked. "Yeah, I know what you mean. All this dogma about self sacrifice that huntsmen and huntresses are put through, it's easy to forget to take care of yourself. I know a few years back, I almost destroyed myself trying to use my abilities to help everyone. It took an embarrassing amount of time to realize I mattered too. To remember to just relax and enjoy the stupid, random stuff in life that makes it worthwhile. I'm guessing you can relate to that with all the hell you have put through."

Amber stared up at the woman, surprised written all over her face. It was like the woman had read her mind, immediately telling that there was something she desperately wanted to get off her chest, but was understandably hesitant. She didn't want to burden others with her problems.

However, with the obvious open invitation being offered not just to talk about them, but to also not talk about them out, put the girl's mind at a surprising amount of ease, making her smile and nod, for once actually happy their story had been so public. Saving her the trouble of having to explain everything.

"Yeah, exactly." Amber confessed, clasping her hands as she twirled her thumbs. "I just-. Sometimes I feel like I have to give everything up in order to help others. That because I'm in a more fortunate situation that it's an obligation to help those with less. Or that because of my screwup, I have a duty to fix everything and that I can't enjoy anything until it's done. And some days, I just feel like I'm never going to feel happy again. You know what I mean?"

Amber paused for a moment, waiting in anticipation for the woman's answer. She had left a couple details out, but she assumed the rest of the question would still hold its weight, just coming off as badly worded.

As for Violet, she too seemed to pause, thinking deeply about the question before answering in a slow, deliberate manner.

"Not long after graduating, I was given an incredible gift. One that, if I'm being perfectly honest, I was nowhere near ready for. But time waits for no one, and when it was passed to me, I had to make a decision on how I was going to use that gift to help others."

She paused here, letting out a chuckle as she looked up at the ceiling.

"At first, I did what I thought was right. Charging from village to village, helping as many people as I could. I believed that since I could save people, I should. That my needs were secondary and could wait until after I did everything that needed to be done. And as you might expect, this ended up very poorly for me."

Turning back down to Amber, Violet reached up and pulled her sleeve back, revealing a nasty looking scar on her arm that was in the shape of a web, but was blackened. As if burned so deep, even her aura couldn't heal it.

"Got attacked one day, a couple bandits looking for an easy cash grab. And in my weakened, exhausted state, I could barely put up a fight. Now, I wear this as a reminder that, as much as the media likes to cast it in a heroic light, complete self-sacrifice is little more than a short sighted endeavor that won't do anyone any good in the long run."

Amber watched as Violet pulled her sleeve back up, wondering what kind of bandits could do something like that to a huntress. That was no ordinary injury and she couldn't think of any form of dust combinations or weaponry that could realistically do something like AND still be practical in a fight.

But she hit her tongue and didn't ask. People came in all different shapes and sizes, and for all she knew, that could have been someone semblance that was used creatively. After all, there was still a sizable chunk missing from her calf courtesy of her own run-in with a deranged maniac.

"Moral of the story, don't let duty completely consume your life." Violet said. "It's okay to give yourself a break, there's no harm in that. It's healthy, in fact. Especially for someone who has so much to offer the world. You have your whole life ahead of you, don't waste it wallowing in guilt. Take your time, let yourself heal, and when you're ready to jump back into the game, go for it. After all, we can't and shouldn't spend our whole life on the battlefield. Doing so can make us lose sight of our own personal battles, one that are arguably just as difficult."

Amber said nothing as she let the words sit within her, letting them weave their way into her mind. Their wisdom not lost on the exhausted girl. As cliché as they were, she did find that they had lifted a weight from her chest, one that was threatening to crush her heart back down to dust, like it had been before Music Fest.

"Right." She murmured, a smile playing on her lips. One that was neither forced nor dragged down by the crushing weight of her guilt. One that was finally starting to heal.

A little while later.

Violet waved goodbye to Amber and her partner as the bus departed for a stop closer to Beacon academy from the slums of the city. Watching the young girl disappear over the horizon before she turned and began making her way towards her grandmother's soup kitchen, the past few days events on her mind.

She was glad Professor Ozpin had told her about the depressed girl. If not, she might have misjudged her based on all the bad press she and her team had been getting. Honestly, it sickened her to think how people were treating her. Those reporters didn't know what it was like to be in a fight, what it was like to look death in its face.

She still remembered that day when she had first seen death barreling down on her, if it wasn't for her partner, she probably wouldn't have made it out alive. Though thinking back, she wasn't entirely sure if Oz would have stepped in to stop the exercise. He hadn't for Gretchen, but he had always given her special treatment.

It was unfair, but given that if he hadn't ignored all the rules they broke, all the chaos they had accidentally created, they would have been kicked out of Beacon before their third year.

In fact, if she didn't know any better, it almost felt like he was given Amber's team the same treatment.

This thought made the huntress pause, connecting the dots that scattered through her mind. Spring was struggling with basic training, and Winter was having a slew of health problems, and while Summer was as terrifying as ever, that left two of the four in a vulnerable position, easy targets for Salem.

Acting instinctively, she reached down and clutched her scared arm. Thinking back to the ambush all those years ago, it still terrified her how powerful those people were. Outnumbered and exhausted, had it not been for Qrow, she doubted she'd have survived that encounter.

However, the most worrying thing was that…woman. To be powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with a maiden without a shred of magic was an unprecedented achievement, not even Ironwood or Qrow could hope to do something like that, not without three or four guys backing them up.

Yet somehow, even after her goons were down, she was able to fight her back using…whatever that was. She honestly had no idea. She didn't even know where she had found it, let alone how it had been made so powerful. Molding them into weapons on par with her own element attacks, all with a snap of her fingers.

Closing her eyes, she remembered that heavy, metal helmet hiding the woman's face barring down on her, a bug like Grimm burrowing out of her hand, spitting its web into her arm, followed by searing pain so great she couldn't move. It was pure dumb luck Qrow had shown up and stopped her before she could steal any of her power.

But at the end of the day, the woman had escaped, with only a small crack in her helmet to show for both her and Qrow's valiant efforts. And even then, when the woman had said her goodbyes, looking over at Violet over her shoulder with a piercing red eye visible through the crack, it still sent chills down her spine thinking that she was still out there, still plotting her next move.

And while nobody had seen her for years, that did little to ease her worries.

After all, she had promised to come back and finish her work. And given her tone, Violet knew she wasn't breaking that oath.

Violet was broken out of her thoughts as she came to a stop outside the soup kitchen. Quickly dismissing those thoughts from her head, she calmly made her way inside, walking to the generator room to check the power.

Upon entering and finding it close to empty, she smiled a bit, grateful for the distraction.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and focused, feeling the air currents all around her. The flow and hymn of nature's bounty. This peaceful power, so gentle yet dangerous, was exactly why she had worked so hard to get to where she was right now. And while it had become a bit more difficult to control after she fully realized its potential, she still had confidence in herself to not destroy anything.

Taking another deep breath, Violet activated her powers, immersed levitating off the floor, hair wiping around her as a wind swept through the building, caressing her body as she opened her eyes, what looked like purple fire shooting from their corners.

Calmly, she raised her hands towards the sky, the beautiful bounty of the world that connected all, she felt the world reach back down to her, answering her call.

And as it did, the wind turbines began to turn as a powerful gust swept through the area where no wind could reach.

"So, what'd you think of the tournament?"

Amber's question was followed by the dark skinned girl leaning in, head turned to the side as she smiled at her partner, face radiant with honesty making the dark haired girl return the gesture.

"I actually really enjoyed it." She replied, tucking her arms behind her head looking up at the sky. "I can't wait to use some of the tricks against Fang and finally take him down a peg or two. He'll be wishing he never got me into it when I'm done with him!" She drove her fist into her palm as she spoke, a massive grin on her face.

"Honestly, I never thought a board game could be that much fun to watch. Some of those games were going so fast, I couldn't barely keep up. How do you think they got so good? I mean, if Lee won, they couldn't have been that great, but still." Cinder asked, turning to her partner, her cheery attitude surprisingly contagious.

In response, Amber rolled her eyes, playfully bumping into her partner's shoulder with hers.

"Who knows. It's not like they spent hours perfecting their craft. That's just ridiculous." She joked sarcastically, earning her a light shove from her partner, making her laugh pointedly at the dark haired girl.

"Sarcastic little thing, aren't you?" Cinder responded, though her words held no bite. "So, what about you? How'd you think you did? You seemed to enjoy yourself during that last match. Something good happen at the beginning? You seemed to be having a pretty heated conversation with that bitch."

At the question, Amber turned away, looking up to the sky as she tucked her arms behind her back, one hand gripping the other forearm.

"Yeah, something did." She said quietly, not looking at her partner as she spoke. "You know, after the events of Music Fest, I've felt like there was someone I was forgetting about. Someone I've wronged who I hadn't made it up to yet. And thanks to you, Violet, and surprisingly enough, Lee, I think I know who it is."

She paused again, causing her partner to peek at her out of the corner of her eye, trying to gauge the emotions going on inside. But as she started to speak again, her smile not wavering, Cinder knew that while she wasn't better yet, she wasn't faking this hopefulness.

"It was me." She said, still holding that smile on her face. "I hadn't forgiven myself for all the trauma and suffering I had gone through, for all the pain I put myself through. But I want to, and while I may not be currently ready to forgive myself, or even know how, I think I should give myself a break and let these old wounds heal."

With that, she turned to face her partner, a smile on her face that, when bathed in the setting sunlight, looked like the face of an angel. Perfect, pure, and while heavy, untouched by sin. A look so beautiful, Cinder was so taken aback by it, she might have missed what she said next had she not been paying such close attention.

"I do want to move forward again. Not just for my team or my partner, but for myself. I want to be able to smile without sadness or grief, I want to heal." Amber sped up, overtaking her partner where she turned around, walking in front of her backwards, her smile never leaving her face or wavering.

"'And while I know it's selfish, I hope to have you by my side for that future. After all, you're the best partner I could ever hope for, Cinder."

At this, the dark haired girl found herself speechless, unable to respond out of pure emotion. She didn't know what to say, what to do with someone being this open and honest with her. Something that only Ruby had ever really done.

But as she felt her heart quicken and her breath hitch, in that moment, she let her own heart slip out, as open and honest as the dark skinned girl. And while much shorter, her words were filled with her own heartfelt love and hope.

"I'd be honored."

With that, Amber and Cinder made their way back toward the air strip, the two fell into a calm, peaceful silence, simply enjoying the other's company. A perfect end to their long and exhausting journey of healing and self discovery. One that's while not complete, was more than either had expected when they had first come to Beacon, yet one they both sorely needed.

And as the sun began to set, the two returned to their school, ate dinner with their friends, and lived happily ever after as they faced the worse the world had to throw at them. Inseparable from now, to their graduation and beyond. Living rich and full lives, together.

Or at least that's how it should have gone. Unfortunately, Fate had other plans.

As they made their way back to their school, they came to a stop when they spotted a large crowd gathered outside the CCT tower, staring up at a large screen hanging above one of the doors.

"What's going on?" Amber wondered as they came to a stop, looking up at the screen. It was playing the evening news, and while the tv was muted, there were subtitles provided below as the anchor spot.

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"Early this morning, an explosion in the abandoned district of Vale drew both police and huntsmen attention. What looked like an abandoned warehouse has actually been identified as a hideout for the anti-peace gang, the Enlightened Seraphim. What was originally believed to be a gas explosion has now been confirmed to actually have been a battle. Footage of the scene shows that this was no ordinary skirmish."

____________________

The scene cut to a scene of a warehouse with one of its walls having a massive slash in it, revealing the entire room inside which was littered with dried blood as well as white chalk outlines of where bodies had been found, as well as the massive, unspeakable machine that lay at its heart. One that, while once pristine and in working condition was now burnt and slashed, with several pieces torn off rendering it completely unusable.

Beside her, Cinder heard Amber gasp, her hands flying up to cover her mouth, the horrified shock mirrored in the dark haired girl's stunned silence.

They both recognized that warehouse. It was the one they had saved Jiao from during Music Fest! And the destroyed machine, it was what they had been trying to use on him to get his semblance. And while they still didn't know how it worked, seeing something so massive and powerful reduced to a pile of debris left them both shocked and mortified.

What kind of monster could destroy something like that? Let alone find it or get past the small army of huntsmen and huntresses Adelaide had left guarding it! To do so in the middle of the day would be akin to suicide! No way someone could get in or out before the police surrounded the area.

And as the news continued, as more people approached from behind, trapping them inside as they came to see what the fuss was about.

__________________

"At the scene, several huntsmen and huntresses were found dead. And while these people were originally thought to be behind the attack, after both identification as well as new emerging evidence has proven this to be incorrect." The screen behind the anchor lit up, showing ten different faces, each one with names below them, identifying them to the public.

"All of the huntsmen and huntresses are either strong anti-peace believers or active members of the Seraphim. What's more, they had all scheduled time off to help with the gang as their leader faced jail time. As such, it is unlikely that any of them were responsible for, or helped orchestrate the attack."

_____________________

Ten huntsmen? TEN HUNTSMEN?!

As this horrific revelation set it, filling the air around them with dread, Amber found herself struggling to breath, making her reach up and claw at her chest.

A coordinated assault on the Seraphim's most heavily secured would take either an incredibly skilled tactician or a team of experienced and well trained huntsmen by itself. But to hit them so quickly and do so much damage to render a machine of that size useless all while fighting off ten huntsmen? Even Amber couldn't come up with a way to pull something like that off, not without needing a couple million dollars worth of equipment and training!

Steading herself, Amber fought down the blood rushing to her ears, letting her hear the rest of the report, hopefully giving her a chance to get her heart rate and breathing under control. Hand clutching her broach so hard, if it wasn't for her aura she would be bleeding.

And she wasn't the only one having a negative reaction to the news.

"Ten huntsmen dead? Now? Who's gonna protect our borders during migration season?" One man asked sacredly.

"No way. Zatch's dead? Who the hell did it?! I want to see them hang!" A woman yelled angrily.

"First Howard, now this? The brothers really have forsaken us." An older woman whispered, crossing her chest with her arm.

All around them, the atmosphere changed. The hostility in the kingdom that had been brewing for months now was starting to spill over. The people becoming fearful as frustration turned to fury and outrage. Turning the normally civil and peaceful people into an uncontrollable, vicious mob. Angry and hungry, looking for someone to turn their rage onto.

And the next second, they got exactly what they were looking for.

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"While still unknown who's responsible, a critical piece of evidence was picked up from the crime scene. One that police believe is critical to the investigation. An Atlesian special operative badge was found at the scene. Allegedly torn off in the heat of battle. A clue that has many people wondering, is Atlas behind this butchery? Are they behind this unprovoked attack? And if so, what are their motives and plans? I for one say that General Ironwood had better have a very good explanation for this."

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As the news shifted to the weather, a deafening silence fell around the crowd. Nobody spoke, nobody made a sound. All simply standing there and processing what they had just learned. The words of both the anchor and the Seraphim agitator ringing in their heads.

Atlas was connected to the attack. Atlas had weakened their defenses against the Grimm. Atlas was profiting off their suffering.

This horrible revelation sunk into the masses slowly, leaving most in a trance like state unable to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. Flashes of the Great War echoing through their minds as they relived its events. The poverty, the despair, the terror. It all came rushing back to them, manifesting itself into something else this time, something ugly.

While before, they had only wished for the war to end, now, they saw only one path forward. One path for justice. They had spared the kingdom once, and now they got a knife in their backs as thanks. And now? Now they believed that now, there was one one course of action left to take.

"Death to Atlas!"

Nobody knew who had first yelled it, and at the end of the day, it didn't matter. For the next second, the entire plaza was filled with the chant, each and every person joining in, screaming their hatred to the sky.

"Death to Atlas! Death to Atlas! Death to Atlas!" They chanted, throwing their fists into the sky as they did. Together, as one, the people of the kingdom called for death to another, their united front forming a chorus of voices, creating a suffocating atmosphere that smothered all hope.

And at the center of it all, Amber and Cinder stood, looking around as the people shouted death wishes at Atlas, completely unaware of anyone else around them, elbowing each other as they punched at the sky.

As this went on, Amber found it harder and harder to breathe. The crushing weight of their hate came down hard on the young girl, squeezing her like a bottle until she had nothing left inside her.

She couldn't take this. She had to move. Get away from these people! But where? She was surrounded on all sides, pushing in on her like a title wave, impossible to escape. She couldn't-!

But before she could get any further, a warm hand closed tightly around her's, pulling her through the crowd and toward her freedom.

Looking up, she saw Cinder pushing and shoving her way through, elbowing anyone who got in her way and glaring daggers at those who tried to pick a fight with her as she dragged her partner out of the crowd. Then, once they were out, without letting go of her hand, the dark haired girl began pulling her partner towards the Beacon air strip, leaving the still chanting mob behind them.

"Cin-?" Amber began breathlessly, but was stopped as Cinder gave her hand a squeeze.

"Don't worry about all that." She said, not looking back at her partner. "All that shit, it's nothing you need to worry about. Those people are all talk, no bite. They won't do shit. So stop carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Let the adults, the ones who signed up to handle all that crap take care of that. You focus on yourself, everything else can wait."

At her words, Amber opened her mouth to protest. But stopped mid sentence, Violet's words ringing in her ears. "That's right. Take time to heal." She thought. "No need to rush it. All this hatred will be here tomorrow, ready for a fresh new me to take it on and try to get rid of. I can take care of it then. For now, I have other responsibilities. To my friends, to my partner, to myself."

As she thought this, a wave of calmness washed over her, easing the painful hammer of her heart and lightening the weight on her chest, letting her breath easily once again.

And as she allowed herself to be pulled along, she let out a single heartfelt whisper, one that was so quiet, even she couldn't hear it.

But despite this, she knew her silence prayer reached her mother, her father, and Winny as they looked down on her from above. Their love, shining bright even through all the hate, giving her strength to move into yet another day. A guiding light in the darkness, one that she knew would see her through the rest of her days. One no longer eclipsed by her own guilt.

She wanted to live, and while still bearing scars she knew would probably never fade, between their light and her friends' love, she was ready to face her next big challenge, whatever it might be, head on, and without regrets.

After all, she had a new lease on life, and this time, she promised herself she wouldn't waste it.

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And so we close the next chapter of the Burning Rose. I'm sure some people are going to disagree with the whole getting angry over trivial things point, but personally, with the stress of being an adult, I personally find getting frustrated over something like a video game (or my accurately my lack of skill.) nice. As it lets me blow do steam over something trivial instead of telling that one guy at my job who's always overstepping his boundaries just because his in a management position to go screw a goat. (His been getting better do to the numerous complaints I assume.)

But yeah, that about sums everything up. And now, the stage for the next arc is almost set. I also have a couple announcements when it does launch, but I'll save those for then.

So until then, thanks for reading and I hope you have a good day. See you next time, bye!