Neo and Cinder had been captured.

Now the two of them were locked in a small cell and handcuffed together. Cinder sat on the only available bench, her chin in her upturned palm, trying to think. Neo, however, was not making things easy. The tiny girl was standing and pulling on the handcuffs with all her might. Cinder didn't know what she was trying to accomplish, but it wasn't working. All it was serving to accomplish was annoy the hell of of her, and make her wrist hurt to boot. It wasn't long before she'd had enough.

"Stop it, Neo," Cinder commanded, "She caught us fair and square."

Neo stopped pulling on the handcuffs that bound her and Cinder together, glaring daggers at the other woman.

"Oh don't give me that look," said Cinder dismissively. "We need to think our way out of this. I know that'll be difficult for you, but try."

Neo plopped down on the floor with a huff, and sat cross-legged. She stared up at Cinder, her eyebrows knotted together in concentration.

"Good girl," said Cinder, "Now shut up and let me think."

Neo blinked up at her quizzically.

"You know what I meant!"

Neo rolled her eyes. She placed her chin in her upturned palm with her elbow resting on her knee. The other arm was outstretched to Cinder so the chain could reach. She sighed audibly and returned to her thoughts.

"Perhaps it would be more comfortable if we just held hands. These cuffs are starting to dig into my wrists and it's making it difficult to think."

Neo looked up at Cinder again, then covered her mouth with her unchained hand and giggled silently.

"And what is so funny?" demanded Cinder, her eyes flaring.

Neo batted her eyelashes at Cinder and wore a faux-bashful expression on her face. Though she was still sitting, everyone about her posture screamed, "Oh, Senpai, you noticed me!". Cinder was not amused.

"I am not flirting with you, you impossible wretch! Now wipe that stupid grin off your face and take my hand!" exclaimed Cinder, snatching Neo's chained hand and holding it tightly. She rubbed at her wrist with her free hand and winced.

Neo decided to let it go and want back to thinking. She admitted to herself that having the pressure taken off her wrist was nice. However, it didn't help her think of any way out of this cell.

Their captors had neutralized the dust woven into Cinder's dress. As far as Cinder's abilities were concerned: no dust, no Semblance. Neo's Semblance of teleportation was effectively neutralized by being handcuffed to Cinder. Without dust, Her Semblance was strong enough to teleport herself and her clothing. Cinder was simply too much to carry along.

They needed dust. The problem was figuring out where to get it.

Bonus content

"You sent Neo on a scouting mission?" asked Cinder in disbelief.

"Uhhh...yes?" answered Roman with a confused shrug, suddenly unsure of himself.

"Uhhuh..." interjected Emerald, "and how exactly is she supposed to tell us what...she...saw?" Emerald's speech slowed down because she was was watching Neo, who had started to dance.

Maybe dance isn't the right word. Neo had started waving her arms randomly, gyrating her hips wildly, and making strange facial expressions punctuated by occasional snaps of her fingers and stomps of her feet. This was 'dancing' in the same way screaming incoherently while mind-crushingly drunk was 'talking'. Roman watched her movements intensely, nodding frequently. Cinder looked on Neo's performance in utter stunned disbelief that slowly turned to anger. Emerald wore a mask of confusion, and Mercury watched in amusement.

Neo's strange, random dance continued for almost 3 straight minutes. She ended the performance with a stomp of her foot, then looked at the assembled party expectantly. Mercury started to clap slowly.

"What the fu..." Cinder began angrily, shutting down Mercury with a sidelong glare.

"Got it," Roman cut in suddenly. "Thanks Neo. Alright Mercury and Emerald, you should really get a move on or you're gonna miss your chance."

Three pairs of eyes; Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury; turned to face Roman in unison. They all held expressions of stunned incredulity.

"You understood all that?" asked Mercury, an amused tone in his voice.

"Ummm...yes? Wasn't it obvious?"