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So it is done: Jonathan and Cinder
🕑 Added 2022-10-02 16:39:01 +0000 UTCAs he leaned against the wall and looked out the large panoramic window, Jonathan could see the surface of the water slowly passing beneath him. He was transfixed, it was as if Jonathan was trying to find answers to his questions in the reflections.
Huh, if he had been trained in another Tradition – who knows, maybe that's what he would be doing right now?
However, the water of the vast ocean dividing the continents of this world did not respond to his thoughts, only continuing to roll over silently, causing him to sigh. Then with a shake of his head, he returned his mind back to his own reality before turning away and picking up his trusty cane. Leisurely, he took the few more steps to his desk, staring at the unfinished sheets of paper full of typed letters.
Not that Jonathan really counted on being able to solve a couple more government problems on his way to the summit to solve other government problems. Still, work had a way of piling up in the few days that no one was doing it. Plus, thanks to teleportation, he need not worry about moving documents that were state secrets – or that documents left unattended would find their way into the hands of people with whom Jonathan did not wish to share confidential information.
After making himself a little more comfortable at his desk, Jonathan reached out toward his pen and the pencil next to it, preparing his workspace. With a start, he returned to the list of documents he had taken from his desk along with a small folder, the ‘sensitive’ material in question.
Jonathan's avialinkor had already travelled some distance from the city to its destination, but the flight to Atlas was not instantaneous, they were due to arrive at best by six p.m. tonight, maybe eight. In other words, Jonathan could devote at least a few hours to solving problems.
The first thing that caught his eye was a report on the status of the RATS. With the passing of Aisa, her position had been inherited by Jonathan himself, temporarily being appointed as ‘acting director’. Thankfully, for his full workload, not for long. Just below the brief report that Jonathan had seen before, in far more prominent detail, was an explanation of the contents of the folder.
The brief about the new director, well the prospective one, then…
Jonathan would have been happy to hand over the reins directly to Cinder, but at the moment, she was still eighteen and only halfway through her first year at Hunter Academy. Yes, she may have already found a place in the RATS hierarchy, albeit as a 'trainee', but the leap from the position of trainee to the director's chair was too quick, unexpected, and too unreasonable even with Jonathan’s pull…
Not as abrupt as the jump from criminal and courier to king, really.
Jonathan grinned slightly at the joke.
She’s definitely her Father’s daughter, it seems.
Setting the report aside, Jonathan reached into the accompanying folder and then without much trouble pulled out several files. Files on recommended candidates for the position of director of RATS – very sensitive information.
The first one is a short and slightly overweight balding middle-aged man with a weary look with his mouth sporting drooping corners. He’s the current deputy director of logistics. A scrupulous, meticulous, good manager. And because of that same nature, he did not make a lot of friends.
By doing his job well, he has earned a good reference from his former bosses, but not from his subordinates. In addition, there was still an unpleasant story that happened about five years ago, accusation of embezzlement. Still, an internal investigation had found no evidence of his crimes, otherwise he would not have held his post in the RATS for long after. But, his reputation after the incident, especially given his character, has never fully recovered. It would be quite the miracle if there wouldn’t be an internal revolt, or some factional war, within RATS if he’s appointed as Director.
The next candidate is a woman who carried her years well. With neatly combed ivory hair and an unconvincing smile that fails to give her predatory face any hint of amusement, along with a gaze more befitting an eagle closely watching her prey cowering beneath her feet, made her look dangerous. Perhaps fitting for her position as the head of the counterintelligence department.
As the head of the counterintelligence department, she was an excellent rank and file member and as a Director she shows excellent results. Aisa even mentioned her once before, though perhaps not in the most celebratory manner. According to Aisa, she was nothing special, just an experienced official who had even been in Vale's service in the past.
Nothing surprising really, the Kingdom of Glenn was only nine years old after all, so most of the experienced professionals in the government must have worked somewhere else before.
Then Jonathan read the third file, a fourth, a fifth… No one really caught his eyes.
The problem was that Cinder would most likely take over as Director, so finding an interim Director seems like a waste… Maybe in five years? More likely seven.
So, a figure that is not only suitable for the position of Director was needed, but someone who would agree to step down easily as the head of RATS in a few years.
Perhaps he should request the files of the most suitable of the high-ranking commanders, rather than administrators? Commanders are used to frequent changes in rules of engagements and their stationing, unlike officials who try to arrange their new workplace as thoroughly as possible.
A light knock echoed through Jonathan's small office, causing him to put down the file raised to his face for a moment.
After half a second, glancing at the documents in front of him and seeing no answers forthcoming in the next five seconds, though, Jonathan finally replied.
"Come in.”
If the Captain of the vessel had any questions, he would have called on the intercom, at the very least he would have raised his voice along with the knock. Knocking with no further courtesies by the visitor in the current situation was typical only of several people that Jonathan knew.
And in that list of people, they had no reason to approach him – except for one person.
As was to be expected, the next second, Cinder appeared on the threshold of Jonathan's office, glancing quickly at the figure of Jonathan himself before closing the door behind her and walking lightly towards Jonathan.
Strictly speaking, Cinder shouldn't even catch a glimpse of the documents currently located on Jonathan's desk. Cinder, being only a child barely months ago, a first year student and an intern of RATS, shouldn’t have any access to classified information.
But practically, something like that made little sense.
Jonathan wasn't even sure exactly at what point Cinder began to seemingly build her own network of ‘acquaintances’ and ‘contacts’, as much as he simply found out one day that one existed. And that it stretched much further than Jonathan thought or even wanted.
No, perhaps there was nothing wrong with the fact that Cinder had many useful contacts when thinking of her future prospects. But at the same time, discovering that your daughter had a network of acquaintances, contacts, and even ‘eyes and ears’ almost more than you had, was definitely strange, if not even a little frightening.
On the other hand, this was Cinder, while she could make ‘unexpected’ moves, she was by no means rash.
As Jonathan was deep in thought, Cinder had already reached Jonathan’s back – she was leaning slightly over, clearly looking at the documents lying in front of Jonathan. Her position also ‘coincidentally’ forced Cinder to press her body to touch Jonathan's neck and shoulders.
Jonathan, reluctantly forced to get used to Cinder’s actions, ignored such actions – and the slight exhalation on Cinder's part suggested that he was still not completely successful.
Could one really blame Jonathan? He was a man, with instincts and desires no less than others – and Cinder was a blossoming woman. Cinder might be young, but she’s old enough for any thought of her to not break any laws, and while she’s still growing, she’s already an established beauty.
Of course, while his hormones might no longer be raging when he was still a teenager now that he was already twenty-six – twenty-seven years old on the papers, but that doesn't mean that his libido is dead. On the other hand – Jonathan was disabled, which affected his life in various ways, including his libido.
No, he still definitely felt certain desires and his mind was intact, so he was definitely capable of such thoughts and desires, but his body was not in the best state for such a thing.
On the other, other hand – Cinder knew exactly what she was doing.
Jonathan wasn't blind, and at least he didn't think he was stupid or unintelligent enough to miss Cinder's actions, hints, thoughts, and even desires. Oh, it was most likely a product of her various complexes, perhaps a remnant of the scar on her psyche, inflicted sometime long ago in her childhood – but it was what it was, and Jonathan couldn't fix it.
No, he probably didn't even consider it possible.
To be honest, he didn't even want to.
Jonathan wasn’t really fully to blame, Cinder really was a beautiful young woman, unrelated to him by blood – they didn't even have the same last name. Though not through a lack of intent from Cinder’s part… And that aside, as a man, he did enjoy receiving that type of attention from a girl. Something of a rarity in his life, speaking perhaps of his lack of experience with the fairer sex – contributing perhaps to the fact that he was a virgin.
That's right, in his twenty-six years of life, Jonathan had never gone beyond kissing, hugging and maybe awkwardly touching certain body parts. And this was not because Jonathan himself didn't want that or practiced celibacy – on the contrary, he was even somewhat embarrassed and confused by his current status.
But when one finds themselves lost in a new world at seventeen, lurid relations are the least of one’s priorities. It also didn’t help that he was soon embroiled with various momentous events that occupied most of his mind – first was the damned hotel, then with doing work for a corrupt official, then, after Glenn, he had to recover. Almost learning to live again for almost a year – having to work all the while in the meantime. At first, his workload was easy, Aisa to credit for most of it, and then after that he simply didn’t have the time to socialize normally – least of all in a romantic sense.
His new status as King, not helping matters.
The state never sleeps, unlike people. It turns, generating questions, problems, and mistakes that had to be found, corrected and solved all time of the day. For Jonathan, the workload only grew and grew, both in breadth as he began to become more involved in political and administrative institutions, and in depth, with Salem and then Ozpin becoming more and more of a complication for Jonathan.
And the maelstrom that sucked Jonathan in only grew larger and larger, robbing him of time until the moment he realized… that he was already a 26-years old virgin.
The moment of that realization strangely coincided for the first time with the time he had accidentally teleported into the bathroom occupied by Cinder at the time.
That had happened a couple of years ago, and since then Jonathan had been increasingly becoming aware of Cinder’s presence.
Cinder too.
That was one of the reasons why Jonathan and Cinder were in such a particular position at the moment, where one wanted to get certain results and the other didn't particularly want to stop her.
“You’re thinking about it too much." Cinder's voice coming right next to Jonathan's ear made him blink a few times, returning his mind to his surroundings. With a start, Jonathan realized that he had been staring blankly at the document in front of him, staring blankly through it. In his muddled state, Cinder had entwined her arms across his chest, embracing him even in his sitting position.
"If you care so much about it, I've done some thinking about the same subject before – the Head of Department A, Glintdale I think his name is? Is in my opinion the most appropriate candidate for the position… Or?"
Cinder shifted slightly, letting her head rest on Jonathan's shoulder, "Is that not the question you’re thinking about?”
Cinder did this sort of thing all the time, but her actions were not to the point of outright seduction. No, Jonathan was willing to bet his hand that Cinder wasn't trying to enjoy his reaction, she was not teasing him. Rather, she was trying to gradually undermine his willpower by making him think of her in ways that Jonathan had preferred not to think about in the past…
And it was working.
Shifting slightly in his chair, which immediately caused Cinder to remove her hands to allow Jonathan to move freely, Jonathan righted his position in the chair. In a practiced movement, Jonathan held out his hands, gathering the documents back into the folder, then teleported them to his office.
Not to review the documents another time, simply because he didn’t need them anymore, because the next Director of RATS is already decided. Of course, he would additionally request this Glintdale’s file, but if Cinder had chosen him – then it was likely that he really was the best of the options, and Jonathan would just make sure of that.
In some ways, it meant that Jonathan himself was practically a puppet in Cinder's hands if he valued her advice so highly that he didn’t bother questioning Cinder’s ‘advice’. But on the other hand – what was the point of having advisers if he wasn't going to take their advice?
Then again, it wasn't like Jonathan had appointed Cinder to the position of adviser, more that she simply became one, and he hadn’t bothered to challenge it.
A moment later, Jonathan put the documents back into the folder before teleporting it back into his desk drawer back in Glenn. As he turned to Cinder again, Jonathan noticed that for a small fraction of a second, she held her gaze on the disappearing folder before turning her gaze back to him.
Even after years of observing Jonathan's own magic, Cinder it seems even after having grown accustomed to it, still didn't take it for granted its capabilities.
I suppose the unawakened can never fully come to terms with it.
“Cinder,” Jonathan smiled slightly at his all-too-grown up daughter, childlike wonder.
“Not that I suspect you of anything, and your company is always a pleasure – but still, is there a reason for you showing up at this moment?”
Cinder half-smiled at his compliment before shaking her head slightly, "A little bit of both yes and no. I came primarily just to look at you, and secondarily to help if there was anything I could do. I knew you'd take your work with you on the trip…”
After speaking, Cinder glanced at Jonathan with a certain knowing look, their argument about how much he’s overworking a tired one. But with routine comes practice, and Jonathan easily ignored the raised eyebrow, but he couldn’t help but defend his actions. Reflex perhaps, or some vain hope that Cinder would agree with him literally working his life away, cooped up in his office.
“It’s not that I can’t just relax and enjoy the flight," Jonathan shifted his gaze to the panoramic window behind Cinder, still reflecting the same vista he saw not long ago. "It’s just that I have work to do… Much, much work. Besides…" Jonathan grinned crookedly, clearly not feeling any amusement at the moment,
"The situation at the moment is such that relaxation is exactly what I can't afford.”
As every second passed, Jonathan was getting closer to the summit venue – and to the summit itself. This in turn meant that the moment of truth was gradually getting closer and closer. A moment perhaps that could decide the future of Remnant.
No, of course he did not go to the summit empty-handed, hoping to simply come to some conclusion during the discussions – this was not how giant geopolitical summits went. Jonathan was well-prepared. He had at least a few plans and discussion plans ready, he had prepared several options, and he had memorized them. His hand is at least enough to know which one could work and which one could not, the moment the discussion started to drift in one direction or the other.
Out of the many options he had prepared, he has three that are feasible.
And a fourth that shall remain a measure of last resort.
Different treaties – one that is balanced, another that is in Mantle's favor, and one that is entirely in Mantle's favor.
None that are to the benefit of Atlas, nor the status quo, was on the table.
Needless to say, he has his work cut out for him – even the balanced option required convincing Atlas, and Mantle at the same time, a task requiring Herculean effort and no small amount of luck.
The plans that would move things in favor of Mantle are unlikely to cause particular resentment in Mantle, but would definitely cause a serious reaction from Atlas – and the third option remained probably the most unrealistic of all…
The most realistic option was the fourth, but Jonathan preferred not to think about it.
“I understand," Cinder’s answer distracted Jonathan from his musings. "I admit… I'm not particularly relaxed at the moment, either.” It was impossible to see any sign of fatigue, anxiety, or stress in Cinder's eyes – at least not at first glance.
However, after allowing his gaze to linger a little longer on Cinder's figure, after passing over certain details of her appearance – he could see it. Cinder was holding herself with slightly less confidence than usual at the moment, her gaze was slightly less keen and her hands were held a little closer to her body. She was still exuding confidence and self-assuredness – just a little less than usual.
‘No wonder, it’s to be expected, really.’ Jonathan glanced silently ahead, as if trying to look through the wall in front of him and the ship, to their destination.
‘She's going to Atlas for the first time since… everything that's happened.’
Actually, Jonathan hadn't wanted to take Cinder with him, or anyone else other than RATS agents really, but she'd managed to convince him by literally forcing herself into his entourage. And yet, even so, it didn't mean that Cinder wasn't feeling any emotions going back to the place that still gave her nightmares… Probably.
Cinder – as much as she’s now comfortable with Jonathan, or perhaps precisely because of it – wouldn’t want to bother Jonathan, especially with something as silly, in her opinion, as nightmares. But, if she did have nightmares – it would probably involve Atlas.
Jonathan rarely got the chance to be a supporting pillar for Cinder, more often than not it was the other way around. But this time, when Jonathan reached out his hand and then squeezed Cinder's palm, it caused her to look up at Jonathan and a moment later spread out in a small but honest and open smile. Cinder taking Jonathan's palm with hers and squeezing it back.
There was complete silence in the cabin for a few seconds before Cinder took a step towards Jonathan, releasing his hand.
It was a rare occurrence – Cinder relinquishing any chance to interact with Jonathan. Cinder was willing to sit in one place next to Jonathan for hours, and it was usually Jonathan who needed to make the first move for Cinder to let go. But the unasked question was soon answered, when Cinder took a step towards him and leaned in to embrace him fully, making Jonathan respond in just the same way.
A moment later, Jonathan felt Cinder's chin rest on his shoulder, after which the girl pressed her cheek against his, causing Jonathan to remember for a moment that he hadn't had time to shave this morning. However, Cinder easily ignored such discomfort, only pressing harder into his cheek before, thirty seconds later, Jonathan did pull away slightly, fearing for fatigue on Cinder's part as she was bending her body into an uncomfortable position.
Cinder responded by taking a step back, before exhaling for a moment, thinking about something for a moment. "I want to visit them alone.”
Jonathan doesn’t need to ask who ‘them’ was – he and Cinder had been discussing this moment for a long time. Although he had 'overridden' Cinder's thoughts of the past, and she had said goodbye to her…
Jonathan would never use the word family in relation to them.
To her past dwelling place by making a rather weighty statement with the burned hotel, but he wasn't capable of completely burning the metaphorical bridges connecting Cinder with her past. She still had memories of the past, connections she wanted to get rid of, and she had to do it alone – for herself.
Unfortunately, in this matter, Jonathan could not help her.
“Surveillance had never picked up anything unusual with them, but I won't let you go alone – not in Atlas," Jonathan spoke with seriousness, clearly making it clear that this point was not up for discussion.
Of course, there were a multitude of RATS agents operating in Mantle and Atlas – but Jonathan could not so easily direct a dozen suspicious people to watch a random family in Atlas without suspicion. Especially at the moment, when every intersection and every street in Atlas was crawling with Atlas’ army. But…
Teleportation could be about more than just moving physical things. If he could teleport, the concept of damaging the body – why couldn't he do so with his sight or hearing?
After all, that's how the scrolls RATS agents used for communication worked, bypassing the workings of the CCT system and the multitude of times ‘someone’ stole them. The scientists who were tasked with cracking the RATS’ network – and most likely someone with Ozpin's influence had stolen at least a few of them long ago – must have been very confused. The small flint plates with complex patterns on them along with the usual electronics with unnecessary parts ripped out not giving them any information.
Perhaps they even still thought they were plates of some kind? Though, with a plate or a magical seal, the only difference existed only in the name, and maybe in the principle of operation, but not in the bottom line.
Back to the point, RATS’ surveillance was not omniscient – covering the full range of dangers. Furthermore, it wasn't kept completely round the clock on every person in the area, an element of danger being added there.
But Cinder was strong enough, and Jonathan had taken serious care to prepare all kinds of protection for Cinder, enchanting and re-enchanting her equipment repeatedly. And with his strict orders that she had to have two RATS agents with the strictest orders and carrying the best equipment he could afford she should be safe enough…
But his heart was still restless…
She can do it, Jonathan. She would definitely make it.
Slowly exhaling, as if to breathe out his worry, Jonathan moved his gaze to Cinder, to which she only nodded slightly, as if trying to calm his thoughts. Though that was probably exactly what she’s doing.
“I believe in you, Cinder," Jonathan smiled weakly, again not feeling any amusement in himself, "But you understand my worries yourself… I'm just very worried.”
“I understand," Cinder nodded, "Perhaps I should have ten more showdowns with the other Hunter teams when we get back to finally convince you?”
“That would require you to defeat Neo first," Jonathan smiled slightly, then, looking at the slight wrinkle that had appeared between Cinder's eyebrows, smiled a little wider, feeling something warm inside for the first time… Not amusement, but definitely something pleasant.
“Fighting Neo in training conditions is almost useless,” Cinder shook her head slightly. “Especially considering with those conditions she even almost defeated Qrow Branwen…”
“I would refrain from being so generous in your assessment of her battle results,” Jonathan smiled again, remembering the outcome of the battle. No, Neo had performed admirably, managing to decrease the martial arts teacher's aura by almost a quarter before losing – but Jonathan seriously suspected that this was solely because Qrow himself hadn't taken her seriously initially. Something that he had paid the price for – with a couple of missed punches in the beginning that caused him to lose over fifteen percent of his aura as Neo took savage advantage of the opening.
“Good that she at least gave up on her original idea," Cinder sighed and shook her head, "I've seen weapons stranger than her umbrella rifle, but trying to do that with a scythe as well? It's beyond comical.”
“She just wanted a cool weapon”, Jonathan shrugged. “I don't see the problem with that, I see even more of a problem with you not wanting one, or your current one for that matter.”
“What's wrong with me using a cane?” Cinder smiled slightly, looking at Jonathan and then at his very own cane.
“I know the strongest man in Remnant whose weapon is a cane.”
“My weapon isn't a cane," Jonathan shook his head, "It's what's inside it…”
“I thought you enchanted your cane as well," Cinder smiled, "Two weeks drawing the plans, eight weeks enchanting it, and then another month telling me about the enchantments in it…”
“And I thought you were interested in listening,” Jonathan shook his head slightly, remembering the incident, where he explained excitedly all the features his cane has.
“I was interested, I'm ready to listen to it all over again right now," Cinder smiled, "It was just a reminder.”
“What was the point of me growing up if I couldn't afford to be a kid for just a few minutes?” Jonathan smiled before nodding, completing Cinder’s words. “Or a couple of months.”
Cinder only smiled at these words – but was it from joy that Jonathan was enjoying his hobby, or that Cinder was able to distract Jonathan from his sadness and work? It was hard to say.
