Patriot-112: And another chapter for you all! Nothing much else to say except leave a review, Fav, or follow.
Disclaimer: RWBY belongs to Monty Oum (RIP) and Rooster Teeth.
Now with that out of the way...On with the reading!
Chapter Three:
Question of Sanity
Unknown
"You've been quiet for hours," she said with concern in her voice, "What is it that you have to tell that we have to be so far away from the compound?"
A sigh was heard, as the woman she was following, and who had raised her since she was little, turned to her, her lone eye holding regret.
"Dorée...I...I have something, that you need to know," she said as Doré blinked in confusion and worry at the apprehension in her caretaker's voice, but what she said next made her eyes widen, "It...it concerns your Parents' deaths,"
"W...W-What is it?" the blonde-red streaked girl asked, and she watched as tears fell down on the older woman's cheeks.
"I-I...I've been holding this secret from you for so long. Long before you came into this world...but, but the truth is...," her face then formed a smile, which had no mirth, no happiness, and no love. Instead, there was only regret, and self loathing, "...I'm the one who killed your parents!"
Dorée felt as if the air was sucked out of her, as her face morphed into horrified shock.
"...I'm the one...who killed Pyrrha Nikos! I shot her in the heart with my arrow on that day Beacon fell, and I watched with glee as she took her final gasps before I finally incinerated her corpse," she said, as Dorée's expression turned even more horrified, "I was the one, who wounded your father, and brought him before Salem, before she had him tortured, while I listened to his screams of agony, before I finally put him out of his misery and burned him alive!,"
As Dorée heard everything that she said, a dark cold feeling began to form within, as a voice whispered in her head.
"She betrayed you...she murdered your family, and robbed you the chance of being born into this world instead of being created in a tank. She even denied both your parents a proper burial, and bodies for their friends to mourn! Kill her...KILL HER NOW!,"
The more the voice spoke, the worse the feeling got. Soon, one emotion immediately began to fester as it slowly but surely began to burn into her soul...rage.
"And thus, after I found out what Salem really planned to do, I had him use the cloning technology, using the DNA of your parents to create you. You are the only hope left now, that could stop this from ever happening." the now revealed Cinder Fall said, as she looked at the girl, whose head was bowed, the hair shadowing her eyes, as tears leaked down the sides of her face.
But then, her face snapped up as her brilliant green orbs were replaced, by something much different.
Even Cinder was shocked by this, before realization clicked in her mind.
'No...Merlot, you bastard! What have you done!?' she thought, as she looked at the girl's eyes.
The sclera was blood red, while the iris and pupil were now colored a sinister yellow...these were not the eyes of a human, or a Faunus... but of a Grimm.
Present
Dorée continued to glare at the face of the Fallen Maiden, who looked shocked as she looked at the girl who looked like the Invincible Girl that Ozpin had chosen as candidate for replacing Amber as the next Fall Maiden. True she had plans to ...remove Nikos from the equation if the opportunity arose, which the possibility was likely high due to the said Mistralian's sense of duty. But the question was how did this girl find out about her plans.
"You would succeed in fulfilling your dark desires," the girl spoke up, causing Cinder to blink, "But in return, you will suffer humiliation at the hands of Ozpin's hidden Ace in the Hole,"
Cinder's eyes widen at that.
'Hidden Ace? Ozpin is hiding something else other than the Fall Maiden...?'
Before she could think more on that, the strange girl threw her shield at her again, forcing her to dodge out of the way.
The girl then dropped the no longer needed mask to the ground, as the shield, like a boomerang to Doré's left arm, while she redrew her sword from the ground.
"But..." she said, before entering a combat stance, "...I'm going to make sure you don't get anywhere near them!,"
As she spoke this, something happened, that shocked Cinder to her core, as the girl's eyes suddenly lit in flame...like her powers. Only it was in both eyes instead of one.
"So Cinder...," the armored huntress said, "...wanna see who is the false Fall Maiden, now!?"
Meanwhile, Amity Colosseum
Pyrrha and Jaune couldn't comprehend what they were seeing.
It was just...just plain insanity...
The reason they were feeling this way, was the profile page of the owner of the scroll...
Subject Profile: #0010
Name: Arkos, Dorée
Weapon: Aurea Mors (Sword/SMG transforming shield combo)
Reserve Weapons: *Classified*
Handedness: Ambidextrous
Semblance: Polarity
Aura: Gold
Gender: Female
Age: 17 years
Hair color: Blonde with red highlights
Eye color: vivid-green
Complexion: Pale white, brand burn scar on back
Height: 6'0" in heels (1.83 meters)
Genetic type: Human Clone
Skill Levels: A-class Stealth Expert, A-class Assassin, S-class CQC specialist, AA-class Markswoman, B-class computer hacker
Genetic Donors/Parents:...Arc, Jaune (Status as of 30 AFB*: Deceased)...Nikos, Pyrrha (Status as of 30 AFB: Deceased)
Other genetic modifications: *Classified*
While they were shocked and confused at the last parts, the one thing they focused on the most, was the picture of the girl herself...without the mask.
The face...the eyes...it was a perfect picture image of Pyrrha...with the exception of the blonde/red streaked hair.
"But...but how...?" Pyrrha said, barely able to form any words.
"Miss Nikos," she turned and saw General Ironwood holding out his hand, "Let me see the scroll, if you please,"
Pyrrha hesitantly handed the scroll to the General, as he took and proceeded to do something as he took his own scroll and used a scanner on the device to sweep over the device.
They then watched as the General waited patiently before they heard a ding and a green light blinked on his scroll. They heard James sigh.
"No signs of tampering, photoshopping, or manipulating of any kind..." he said handing the scroll back to Pyrrha, "...the photo is real,"
The Spartan and her partner only continued to look at the picture of the girl. Their thoughts running a mile a minute.
"Wait...didn't that scroll say that girl is...a clone?" Weiss queried, and looked at Jaune and Pyrrha, "Of you two no less. And...why does it say that you're dead?,"
Everyone eyes widened at that, before double checking it, and saw that Weiss was right.
They were even more confused by the '30 AFB'*.
What did it mean?
Pyrrha then redirected her gaze at the photo of the girl, and felt, for the life of her she couldn't understand, a very strong feeling for her. She was not alone in that regard as Jaune looked at the picture.
However, it was Yang that made the comment that caused the two to blush atomic red.
"Clone or not, at least we know what their kid would look like," she said, causing the said two partners to snap their heads toward her eyes wide in shock.
"YANG!" they both shouted, "NOW'S NOT THE TIME!"
They couldn't believe that the blonde brawler said that...though Pyrrha, began to think of a possible future with her team leader, before remembering the possibility of never seeing him again if she accepted the Fall Maiden powers.
She felt her heart clench at that. Sure it sounded plausible to actually say yes, if it meant to protect the world...but actually making the decision was easier said than done.
Not to mention there is the danger of the transfer changing her into someone or something she didn't want to be.
But most important and foremost to her...is losing the blonde knight, forever.
"I hope you're all done,"
Everyone blinked and turned to the source of the voice that had just spoken up.
What they saw was an individual, hooded and cloaked in grey, with the hood covering their head, with the only thing visible being the grizzled bearded face of a man. Other features on the person couldn't be seen except a pair of black hard leather jackboots.
The man then spoke again, with his voice holding disappointment and annoyance.
"Up to your own arrogant tricks again, Ozpin?," he said, making blink and look at the headmaster who sighed tiredly.
"Hello Canus, it's... been a while," the headmaster said, as the man pulled back his hood, revealing a middle aged man, with greying brown hair, and a pair of grey colored eyes, that held wisdom beyond his years, along with a trace of annoyance.
"Yeah, enough for me to see all the fuckups you did," he said, and looked to Glynda, Qrow, and James, while noticing the students "Ah, and you brought the whole gang here, good. Now I can tell everyone at once."
"I don't think now is the best of times, Canus," Ozpin said, with a tone that sounded both desperately and warning, something that the students all blinked at.
"Oh, it IS a perfect time, Oz," Canus rebuked, "Besides, I'm tired of all the secrets being kept anyway,"
"Okay hold on," Weiss spoke up, and then pointed to Canus, "Who is this man? And how do you know him?"
"It's...a bit complicated Miss Schnee," James said with a sigh.
"It's not complicated at all General Ironass," Canus mocked, causing the said general to glare at him and Ozpin to sigh.
"Canus...," said Headmaster warned, "Please don't start an argument,"
Canus only made a scoffing sound at that.
"You're right, but only because I'm here because of that girl who, rather recklessly, sliced off that one little prick's legs off, and made your men Jimbo, look like a joke," he said, causing James to growl a bit, while everyone else blinked.
"You knew about her? And didn't bother to tell us!?" said Glynda, her face scowling at the man.
"Hey, don't blame me!" Canus retorted, "You all decided not to listen to me when I suggested placing an escort for newly made Maidens who were inexperienced, but did anyone listen to me? Nope! And did you listened to me when I strongly advised not to bring Amber here after she was attacked!? Hell no, you didn't! And when I suggested to move the relics to different locations, what did you do!? You flat out did NOTHING! And finally, this the kicker, you broke the number one Cardinal Rule of the Maidens... pick a girl who doesn't have anything to lose! Instead you picked one who has A LOT to lose!"
Pyrrha's eyes widen at that, while her partner, along with everyone else not in the know, was confused. Jaune made a mental note to talk to her about what the man was saying later.
"Canus, don't talk about the Order's secrets here," Ozpin whispered in a warning tone, "And Miss Nikos is a perfect candidate-,"
"Don't give me that shit, Ozpin," Canus growled out, "Just don't. I served the Order faithfully, but when it started to ignore my suggestions and warnings, and led to many losses for us, all that faith went out the window. That's why I had to fight her, in my own way. Of course, thanks to my semblance, I had to endure a hundred deaths to learn her secrets,"
All three of the adults eyes widen at that.
"You...you mean?" James said in shock, causing Canus to sigh.
"Yeah, and let me tell you...it was not sunshine and daisies," the grey eyed man said, before his face hardened, "But right, we don't have enough time. We need to get to that girl before...wait, where's the green haired girl? The illusionist!,"
Everyone's eyes widened before they snapped over to where the two members of Cinder's posse were. And though Mercury was still there, a certain green haired thief was now missing. Needless to say, Canus and a certain, now pissed off, blonde had the same thought.
"SHIT!"
It was then made worse...when the sound of a explosion got their attention making them look in the direction of the Emerald Forest.
"Okay...make that double shit!" He then turned to Pyrrha and Jaune, and immediately gave a irritated sigh, "I think you two and your team, should come with me..."
This caused the said partners and their fellow teammates to look at him.
"...there is a lot that needs to be told, and it concerns you two most of all," he said before turning to head into another direction.
The said team blinked before they followed, with slight hesitance of course. The teachers and other students looked on as the five people left to where most likely the masked girl was.
Ruby looked at her quickly departing friends with concern, especially since that girl...Dorée, was basically Jaune and Pyrrha's daughter...genetically, or some scientific thing, of course.
However, confusing science stuff aside, she knew that her friends were gonna need help. She then turned to her teammates, who looked at her.
Yang gave a smirk, Blake just nodded, while Weiss sighed.
"Well, another adventure involving something that is dangerous and that can most likely kill us," she grumbled, before shrugging as a small smile adorned her face, "I guess we'll never get out of this habit,"
Cinder cursed as she ducked a flaming ball...of metal.
This girl just kept surprising her, and surprising her...first, she knew of their plan, then she revealed her apparent connection to the 'Invincible Girl', and then she revealed that she was a Maiden.
But the most shocking part was...that she was the Fall Maiden! A full powered one at that, while she only had half of the power she stole from the previous Maiden, which didn't make a lick of sense to her.
How could she have all of the Fall Maiden powers!?
Her thoughts were interrupted as the girl flew through the air, via the powers, and delivered a kick to Cinder's head sending her flying back a good distance away.
Dorée growled ferally, as her irises shifted to a mixed red/yellow slightly, before she shook her head, and grabbed her head, as she felt a sharp pain.
'No! This is my fight! Not yours!'
"You need me to defeat her, girl. With me you'll be able to ensure she won't make it out of here alive, instead of just losing a eye, an arm, and being temporarily mute..."
'No...I won't use you again! ...Not after that day,'
"Don't you want them to survive!?"
'...Shut up...,'
"DON'T YOU!?"
"SHUT UP!" She screamed into the air, "I don't need you! I don't need anyone!"
She then proceeded to rush after Cinder, as a single tear fell from her eye.
"...No one,"
Emerald breathed a sigh as she just managed to get away from the Hunters. Of course, and to her hidden regret, she had to knock out Mercury to shut him up while she got away, and head to the loading bay of the Colosseum where Adam said he will meet her, along with a dozen White Fang members.
Her scroll then beeped and she cursed, before looking around to check if anyone was around before he drew her scroll from her pouch. She knew it was undoubtedly Cinder, probably demanding where she is.
After turning it on, she heard said Fallen Maiden's voice.
"Emerald!? Where are you!?"
"Sorry Cinder, the bimbo brawler caught me and Mercury...," the thief apologized, before sighing, "Also, they now know the full plan. I just got away, but I had to leave Mercury behind due to his legs,"
She heard Cinder curse a mile a minute, before she stopped.
"Alright. Just find Adam and meet me at the ruins of the Emerald Forest, that crazy bitch is after me and- AAGGH-! *SMASH-zzzzzttt!*"
"Cinder? Cinder!" Emerald said, before cursing herself and she continued on her way toward the loading bay.
"Let's just keep this between us, alright?" Dorée said, Cinder's scroll now smashed under her foot, "No need to call your little pets into this battle between us Maidens,"
Cinder only glared at her.
"You're fucking insane!" the Fallen Maiden shouted, while the blonde haired version of Pyrrha just shrugged.
"Maybe. Maybe not." she said, before she narrowed her eyes, "But at least I'm not an anarchistic murderer,"
Cinder's mouth formed into a snarl in response at her, "You think killing me will stop Beacon from falling?" she said, not bothering to hide the plan, anymore, "You think killing me will stop the inevitable!? It won't! She will simply send someone else to take my place! They will succeed where I didn't!"
Doré looked at her impassively at that.
"I know...," she spoke softly, "...but that doesn't mean I won't stop. Whether your Queen sends that psychotic Scorpion, that condescending arrogant doctor, or the silent giant, or any of her more powerful children, it doesn't matter to me,"
She raised her sword arm, with the tip of the weapon aimed directly at Cinder.
"But what does matter, is if I delay your and her plans long enough for them to endure peace just a little longer," she then assumed her stance once more, "And to do that, I will be the one to shoulder their burdens,"
Patriot-112: ...Oh man, it appears this version of my character has some secrets, other than being a clone of our favorite lovebirds. And it's definitely not a good thing.
For those of who guessed it was Merlot, congratulations! I always thought he was a bit of a geneticist, since he experimented with Grimm. What's to say he could've done experiments by combining both human and Grimm genes? One thing is for certain, it definitely would've caused our favorite teams some trouble.
*: 30 AFB: 30 years after the Fall of Beacon
Until then my friends, later!