The Vytal Festival was in full swing. People had traveled from all four kingdoms of Remnant to witness the tournament. Streets buzzed with excitement, merchants shouted, children laughed, and the skies were dotted with airships bringing even more eager spectators. The city pulsed with life and anticipation.
But elsewhere, away from the cheering crowds, in the quiet confines of a Beacon guest room, Ashborn sat with Amazo, both shrouded in silence.
"I believe some idiots will try to do something funny during the festival," Ashborn said, reclining slightly in his chair, one leg crossed over the other. His voice was calm and relaxed.
Amazo glanced toward his father but said nothing. His expression remained neutral.
Ashborn smirked slightly, the corners of his mouth twitching with amusement. "Keep an eye on Penny. She's a possible target."
A faint red glow flickered in Amazo's eyes… brief, but unmistakable. His face twitched ever so slightly, irritation breaking through his usual calmness.
Ashborn noticed and chuckled "It seems you've gotten close to her."
Amazo's voice was cool but direct. "Why not eliminate the threat ahead of time?"
Ashborn stood up, placing his hands behind his back as he walked toward the window.
"Because I'm curious. I want to see how things play out with our presence here. Let the players take the stage first. Just stay near your girl and leave the rest to me. I'll stop things from going out of hand when needed."
Amazo nodded. There was no doubt on his face or in his thoughts, he absolutely trusted his father.
Suddenly, a knock echoed at the door. Both father and son turned to look at it simultaneously.
Ashborn smiled knowingly. "Well, well. Things are getting fun now. The ringleader is here to visit us."
Amazo's eyes peered through the door with a silent scan. "The amber-eyed woman, Cinder Fall" he said. "She sat beside me on the first day."
Ashborn walked to the door, the familiar glint of amusement never leaving his eyes. He opened it slowly.
Cinder Fall stood there, a warm and a kind smile on her face "You must be Mr. Ashborn Black," she said with deliberate charm. "I've heard about you and wanted to meet in person."
Ashborn returned the smile with one of his own. "And you must be Cinder Fall. I've heard about you… from a mutual acquaintance."
Cinder paused, her smile tightening ever so slightly as her mind raced through the implications. Mutual acquaintance? Who?
Then Ashborn stepped aside, revealing Amazo sitting silently in the room.
Cinder blinked, caught off guard. Her mind recalibrated, perhaps Ashborn learned about her through Amazo. That was safer. Expected.
Composing herself with practiced grace, Cinder said "I didn't expect Amazo would speak of me."
Ashborn shrugged casually. "The world is full of unexpected things. Such as your visit here. I didn't know you had an agreement with Amazo."
Cinder's smile never faltered. "Actually, I just wanted to meet you. Amazo spoke of you with such fervor… I became curious to meet you in person." She tilted her head. "Would you mind joining me for breakfast?"
Ashborn returned her warm smile with his own. "Of course. It would be my pleasure."
With the same grace, Cinder turned and walked down the hall, Ashborn following her with calm, measured steps.
Left alone, Amazo sat quietly in the room, watching the door close behind them.
He narrowed his eyes slightly. He wondered what his father was plotting now and part of him felt pity for the woman, he had a feeling she was his father's new source of amusement.
___________
Cinder led Ashborn through a narrow path, guiding him to a secluded school garden tucked away from the bustle of the rest of the school.
Ashborn glanced around the serene space, noting the colorful flowers and the well-tended hedges.
"It's interesting to see a garden in a combat school," he said, his tone casual but observant. "Don't you think?"
Cinder smiled kindly, her amber eyes softening. "This is a reminder to all of us… for what we stand for and try to protect."
Ashborn hummed thoughtfully. "It seems you've given it more thought than most students in Beacon."
Cinder laughed lightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm not the only one. All students understand this… even if they might not be able to articulate their thoughts on the spot."
Ashborn gave a small nod of approval. "That's a talent on its own. Now, I have another question, why did you bring us here instead of the cafeteria?"
Cinder's smile widened just a bit. "It's kind of noisy there, and here… it's much quieter. You could say we're even alone."
Ashborn raised a brow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "It feels like this is a sudden date."
Cinder looked away with a small, embarrassed expression, like she'd been caught doing something mischievous. "I just… I wanted to talk to you alone. After hearing from Amazo how you took him in and cared for him so deeply…"
She walked ahead, moving past a cluster of bushes and emerging with a picnic basket. From it, she pulled out food and drink she had apparently prepared in advance. She set everything down neatly on a blanket laid beneath a tree.
Ashborn met her eyes, his own gaze sharp yet warm. "I hope you liked what you found."
Cinder lowered her head slightly, her voice soft. "I like it so far."
They sat together, the garden around them a haven of calm. For nearly thirty minutes, they ate and shared stories. Ashborn spoke of his life, fragments of it, carefully selected while Cinder offered up fabricated tales of her own, matching his tone and rhythm, weaving together a believable persona. All the while, Ashborn ate the food she provided and drank without hesitation.
Eventually, Ashborn rose to his feet, brushing his coat with a casual motion. "This was a good breakfast. Thank you."
Cinder stood as well, her smile still in place. "I hope we can do it again."
Ashborn offered a polite nod and turned to walk away. Once he was gone and the garden fell silent, Cinder's smile melted from her face, replaced by a furious glare. She reached into her pocket and activated her scroll.
"Emerald," she snapped, "did you really drug the freak's food?"
Emerald's voice crackled through the scroll, slightly nervous. "We did. There was enough drug in that food to knock out ten huntsmen in less than two minutes."
Cinder's voice dropped to a low growl. "Then why is he fine and walked away after consuming everything?"
Mercury's voice chimed in from behind Emerald, clearly unimpressed. "He's a freak. Maybe drugs don't work on him?"
Cinder ended the call with an angry swipe, her scroll beeping as the connection cut.
Meanwhile, Ashborn walked calmly through the halls of Beacon, an amused chuckle slipping from his lips. "The food was actually good if not for the drugs adding such strange after taste.... and how many kidnappings attempts I have been through now? "
___________
Ashborn walked leisurely through the open courtyards of Beacon Academy. After his quick meeting with Cinder, Ashborn decided it was time to head to the Colosseum to enjoy the show. As he turned a corner near the main building, he came face to face with Team JNPR.
"Oh," Ashborn greeted casually. "When is your match today?"
Jaune perked up. "We're the fourth match today!" He smiled, full of energy, then added, "But we're heading early to watch Team RWBY's match."
Ashborn gave a small grin. "Mind if I accompany you?"
"Not at all!" Pyrrha answered politely, and the group adjusted slightly to let Ashborn fall into step with them.
As they made their way toward the airship dock, Ashborn glanced over with a curious glint in his eye. "Anyone interested in a bet?" he asked lightly. "Let's say… we bet whether Team RWBY will win or lose. And if they win, how they'll win."
Nora's eyes lit up instantly. "You're on!" she said with a smirk. "My guess is they'll win with Blake doing some crazy ninja stuff and taking out the last one standing!"
Ren and Pyrrha exchanged glances, hesitating for a moment. Then, seeing Nora's enthusiasm, they joined in with more reserved guesses, Ren placed a quiet bet on Ruby's speed deciding the match, while Pyrrha guessed Weiss would use some clever glyph strategy.
Ashborn nodded thoughtfully before stating his prediction. "I bet they'll win… with Yang punching three opponents out in one blow into the magma ending the match after Weiss is taken out."
The three teammates stared at him.
Jaune blinked. "That's oddly specific."
Pyrrha raised an eyebrow. "Three in one punch? That seems… highly unlikely."
Ren remained silent but his expression mirrored the skepticism of the others.
Ashborn only smiled.
___________
Later that day, as the dust settled in the Colosseum, Team RWBY emerged victorious. The crowd roared, the cheers echoing into the halls as the girls stepped out of the arena.
They didn't make it far before they ran into Team JNPR, who were all sulking.
Ruby tilted her head. "Hey guys, what's going on?"
Nora huffed dramatically, arms crossed. "We made a bet about your match, and Ashborn basically took all our money!"
Jaune pouted, arms slumped at his sides. "That guy definitely sees the future. How else would he know Yang would punch three people out in one blow after Weiss is out?!"
Team RWBY froze on the spot.
Yang's breath caught in her throat, her hand instinctively gripping her arm. She paled, her expression falling into deep unease. That prediction, it couldn't be a fluke, could it?. No one could have guessed that.
Weiss, Blake, and Ruby turned to look at Yang, each of them sharing concerned glances. The fear they saw in her eyes was unmistakable.
If Ashborn could see something as precise as a triple knockout…
Then what about Yang's fate?