#agender!cinder

Salem looked around at her inner circle, smiling a bit. “Now that we’re all here, I think its finally time for us to start figuring out how we’re going to start gathering the relics. Normally, I’d do this myself, however, knowing Ozma, I wont be able to actually reach the relics.”

Watts’ gaze went around the table, stopping at Cinder. “And so that’s why we have that little girl-”

“I’m not a girl,” interrupted Cinder. Once they realized what they said, they paused and hesitated. “I’m not a little girl.”

Salem looked over to Cinder, giving a soft smile. “Speak your mind. You’re part of here and this will help us with our plans.”

Cinder sighed. “I’m not… I’m not a girl. I’m… not quite sure what I am, but… I’m not a girl. I’m not a boy either. None of it… sounds right to me.”

Hazel nodded a bit. “Then you’ll be of no use to get the maiden powers for us.”

“That is my problem to solve.” Salem looked towards Watts. “Arthur, I want you to make sure that young Cinder gets everything they need in order to make themself comfortable.”

Watts sighed, not willing to argue with Salem on any decision she made. “Right, make the young Cinder comfortable with… themself…”

“Well isnt this a wonderful turn of events!” Tyrian stood up and walked behind Cinder, letting his tail drag near their face. “Then you better make yourself useful-”

“Tyrian, that’s enough.” Salem stood up and turned around to look out the window. “Cinder will still be useful to us, even if they are unable to retrieve the maiden powers for us. We can still use them to get into the academies and find the vaults.”

“And… if not Cinder, then who’s going to be used for the maiden powers?” asked Hazel. “Even if we know where the relics are being stored, if we cant reach them-”

“I… know someone that can.” Cinder looked down at the table, hesitating for a moment. “I’ve… been recruiting a little help from people who can follow me. The son of a mercenary and a thief girl. The girl can help us with the maiden powers.”

Salem frowned for a moment before composing herself and turning to face Cinder. “Next time, let me know when you’re planning to recruit your own followers.”

“I thought they’d be useful. And so far, they have been. Emerald knows who the fall maiden is, so we can find her and steal her powers. Everything will be going according to plan. Just… with a different host.”

Salem thought for a moment, considering Cinder’s words. “And you’re sure this Emerald can be trusted?”

“I am.”

“Then bring her to me so I can prepare her to extract the powers from the maiden. Then, you’ll need to make sure you’re ready to go to one of the academies undercover.”

Cinder nodded. “Yes, my goddess.”

Cinder quickly started binding their chest with a roll of bandages, wincing a bit as they felt the pressure of each wrapping. Today, they werent exactly feeling fem, and wasnt feeling quite masc either. Either way, they wanted to hide their chest and make themselves seem a bit flatter to help with their image. Once they finished wrapping their chest, they slowly reached back to try to tuck the ends into the wrappings to hopefully keep everything bound for the day. “Come on… I can do this…”

“Hey Cinder, you wouldnt happen to have-” Mercury stopped in the doorway and sighed as he watched his “team leader” trying to finish. “I thought you said you werent going to bind with bandages anymore.”

“I know… but I dont… have anything… else.” Cinder finished tucking the loose ends into the tight bind, wincing a bit as they breathed. “T-there. All better.”

Mercury shook his head and grabbed his bag. “Alright, finish getting dressed and then we’re going into town.”

Cinder looked at him a bit confused. “I thought we were going to watch Pyrrha spar-”

“And that was before you broke your promise of not binding like that again. You cant expect me to believe that you’re comfortable like that, can you?”

Cinder sighed and started getting their combat gear on. “I mean, its not that bad…”

“And you know what Salem will do if you get yourself injured before we can follow through with our plan.” Mercury sat his bag down on the desk and started rummaging through it, pulling out a few wallets that he and Emerald had pilfered from the previous weekend. “And besides, Emerald told me about what you did to help her with her own situation. So today, we’re going to get you an actual binder. I’d let you borrow one of mine, but I’m afraid it’d be too big.”

Cinder paused for a moment as they put their vest on, taking a look at Mercury. “You… wear a binder?”

“Do you really think I’d have thighs like these if I was born a boy?” Mercury asked in a deadpan.

“...I just thought you were a natural runner…”

“Fair point.” Mercury sighed. “The point stands, I’m not going to let you hurt yourself by binding with bandages. And then we’re going to get you new clothes.”

Cinder frowned a bit. “There’s nothing wrong with my clothes.”

Mercury finished with his bag and put it over his shoulder before walking off. “Never said there was. But I think it’s time I give you lessons in turning heads as a gender enigma.” He paused in the doorway for a moment. “And for starters, that vest with those pants? You’re a disaster waiting to happen.”