A/N: PLEASE READ THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE, WOULD YOU KINDLY?
EDIT: Freaking flames. Stop telling me to die!
Must...ignore...pain...and update...!
I can barely walk at the moment, but I promised an update today, so here we are.
Spoilers for Volume Eight, of course. BECAUSE HOLY CRAP. Well, we've got Cinder's past and ohohoho I am running with it! Full speed ahead! All aboard the NarutoxCinder train! I could say more, but the web is dark and full of spoilers. All I'll say is this. Be prepared. Get ready to laugh...and cry.
Nooow then, time for the questions! Five should suffice for now, I think:
Q: Who would you say is stronger? Kaguya or the brother gods?
A: That's...rather debatable, given what we've seen.
Q: When are we getting that Roman scene?!
A: NOW. It helps that he's effectively immortal at the moment...
Q: Will Cinder reveal her past to Naruto?
A: That's complicated. She's slow to trust, but Naruto literally brought her back to life, healed her, and mellowed her out a bit. Cinder is still Cinder however. She never wants to be weak again, never wants to suffer as she did when she was a girl.
But she's got another reason to fight now, and that makes her dangerous.
Q: Salem...she does realize she needs DNA fro her children to revive them, right...?
A: Its heavily implied that Salem kept some of her daughter's old things over the years. She still has them, even now. Resurrection won't be a problem.
Forging an alliance with her however, getting her to forgive what is essentially a betrayal not only on Cinder's part, but Emerald, Mercury, and Hazel as well...yeah that's gonna be difficult. As we've seen, she's not the sort to forgive easily, and even she "forgives" Cinder's disobedience, its quite clear that she's up to something.
So many death flags for Cinder this season. Bit of a shame, that. Her backstory has the potential to be so much more; I look forward to see what many make of it.
Now then, lets get ready. Set! Go! Once again, chapter title is part of the lyrics from the song "All Things Must Die."
Also from a certain RWBY song you might recognize here. Yeah, its THAT ONE from Volume Eight.
As ever, I own no references, themes or memes!
And so, with that said...away we go~!
Minor timeskip of a few hours!
"Let me do this. Ya can't nick a bullhead with half the city bearing down on you, and in case you've forgotten, I'm still immortal. Might as well put this new body of mine to use before you resurrect me properly. You know Neo can hold her own in a fight, too. Let us have our fun. Go on. Get. Steal the biggest damn ship you can find. I wanna fly to the Grimmlands in style. We'll lead the kiddos around by the nose until you're ready."
...fine. Take one of these. Its a Hiraishin knife. If worst comes to worst, place your hand on the hilt and I'll yank you back."
"Heh. So nice to have a retirement package. Better than what that Cinder gave me."
"Emerald. Keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't run off."
"Sure thing, dad. He won't leave my sight. Promise.
"Dad...never gonna get used to hearing that...
~a discussion.
Yours is Near its End
What a night to be alive!
Technically speaking, Roman Torchwick was very much an undead. He could move, think, even feel to a limited degree, but he simply wasn't alive in the traditional sense of the word. Not yet, at any rate. His heart didn't beat. He had no pulse. Food was bland and held little taste for him. Even his precious cigars didn't quite give him the fix he'd grown accustomed to. Being dead did that to you. Good 'ol whiskers hadn't quite got around to resurrecting him properly yet in all the chaos. But hey, that worked in his favor.
Y'see, the boss needed a distraction while he and the others were off filching an airship from the Mistral docks. They needed that bird if they were going to meet Salem.
That...was not neccessarily a meeting Roman was looking forward to, but for now he was happy to play the bait and intercept their pursuers. Really, he was! He'd all but jumped at the chance and Neo with him. A bit of payback was in order...the explosive kind. Little Red might have learned a few new tricks since they'd last seen one another, but so had he. What is dead may never die again. Whatever bullshit Ruby Rose had to her name, she wouldn't be able to put him in the ground. A chance to torment her and make a fool of her friends? Really, it was almost too good to be true.
Whistling a merry tune, he twirled Melodic Cudgel in one hand and pushed a fresh cigar between his teeth with the other.
"Whaddya say, Neo?" Piercing green eyes sought out the shadow at his elbow. "Up for a little mischief?"
Mismatching orbs of cream met his, framing a vicious grin. A thumb rose.
"Now remember, we can't kill anyone...
Her smile died an ugly death.
"C'mon, don't pout!
Together, the three of them -yes, three!- sauntered deeper into the forest, making as little noise as they possibly could. Wouldn't be much of an ambush if they were caught out now, would it? All the while Roman kept a weather eye on the trees ahead of him. They were close. He could feel it. Any moment now and the damn brats would come crashing down on their heads. They wouldn't have choice. Goody-two-shoes were easy to read like that. The hook was baited, and they were going to fling themselves on it like the foolish little fishes they were.
No doubt they'd still be reeling from Jaune's return -poor kid- and who he brought back with him.
News like this brought problems all its own, arguments that fractured teams. The dead should stay dead. He spoke from experience. That little Nikos chit had been dead for months now. Her return was almost certain to start a stir. All part of the plan, really.
"Remember, Roman. If you step one toe out of line...
Aaand there was the catch for this little jaunt of theirs. They had a minder.
"Yeah, yeah, I know." he muttered, tugging his hat down. "I ain't gonna run away. Can't say anything for her, though."
Neo flipped them both off.
Emerald Sustrai -or Emerald Fall as she'd taken to calling herself of late- didn't take her eyes off him for a moment as she walked behind them. Even now he could feel those keen red eyes searing into his back. Had she already caught him in one of her hallucinations? She'd been getting better with those lately; she could successfully snare at least two people now without draining her aura too much. In the end, he had no way of knowing. This could all be one giant trap for all he knew...nah, that was the paranoia talking.
Best not to think about it overmuch.
"Dad doesn't trust you."
"Of course the boss doesn't trust me." He gave his cane another twirl as pushed aside a branch. "Only a fool trusts a thief."
Emerald ducked before it snapped back. "Some thief you were. You died to a Grimm. Doesn't that make you a thug?"
"Oho?" Two could play that game! "Aw, does widdle Emerald want to impress mommy and daddy dearest?"
Dark cheeks burned chocolate-red. "Sh-Shut up! You don't know anything abut me."
Roman knew enough. Emerald had gone soft. Her and Mercury both.
Even now, he could scarcely believe it.
These kids were cold killers through and through yet one mention of Naruto or Cinder would have them clamming up. Cinder herself wasn't half as vicious as he remembered. He hadn't thought it possible. On the other hand their newfound attachments left these three emotional...and emotions were pretty damn dangerous in their own right. He had no doubt the kids would try to crack his skull given half a chance. Cinder would scour the very flesh from his bones if he stabbed them in the back. Naruto would probably let her, too. Just a few flick of his fingers would strip away his invincibility and see Roman mortal once more. Which meant death would be but a discreet knife thrust away. He had no desire to go back to that.
But damn if he wasn't going to abuse this while he could.
Two illusionists and an immortal walked through a forest late at night. It sounded the like beginning of a bad joke. But it wasn't. Little Red and her friends were gonna have a bad time.
Sure enough, Neo nudged his side and jabbed a finger forward. Roman followed her gaze, spat out his cigar, and crunched it underfoot.
"Yeah, I see 'em. Lights up ahead."
Emerald hummed. "Good. Stick to the plan-
"Mention the plan one more time and I'll shove it down your throat!"
Stooping down, he bid Emerald and Neo to do the same. Together, the three of them crept forward at a sedate pace.
Judging by the faint light glimmering through the branches they were in the clearing up ahead gathered around a fire of some sort. Good. They must've broken off their pursuit; which meant blondie had caught up to them, and Oscar with him. Something like that was bound to stop them in their tracks. Even now he could hear raised voices.
-were you thinking?!"
"How do we know its really her?!"
"She could be an impostor for all we know!"
"I'm not!" A voice near tears pleaded with them. "Please, believe me!"
"Quiet! Prove you're Pyrrha!"
A pause. "Well, there was that one time Nora drenched her bed in syrup-
"SHE'S REEEAAAL~!"
Creeping closer allowed Roman to finally catch a glimpse of them through the thick foliage. What he found didn't much impress him, but alarmed him nonetheless. Their numbers had grown since he'd seen them last. Teams RWBY and JNPR aside, there were a few stragglers down there he didn't recognize. One must've been Qrow Branwen. Weapon was a dead giveaway. The other was a girl with dark skin, her russet red hair bound back in a strange curling ponytail. Huh. Chameleon faunus. Didn't see those every day. Who was she?
Whoever she was, she seemed quite fixated on that sneaky little cat.
The third, however, Roman recognized. What the hell was that damn monkey doing here?! What was this, a regular jamboree or something?!
"That's a lot of them." Emerald hissed in his ear. "Guess they were busy recruiting while we were away."
Closer inspection confirmed his suspicions.
Oscar could be seen hunched down near the fire, both knees tucked into his chest. One the damn kids -aha! The Schnee!- was comforting him, murmuring something to him as she stroked his back. Even that crazy blond brawler seemed determined to try her hand at cheering him up. Lucky kid. You lose an ancient Relic and suddenly the girls just swoon over you.
Jaune Arc received no such comfort.
Qrow Branwen was glowering bloody red daggers at him, one fist wrapped around the collar of his hoodie. Poor kid. He really had gone back. He should've known better.
Pyrrha Nikos was currently trapped under a very enthusiastic Nora and one weeping Ruby. Even Ren had been dragged into the pile somehow.
Everyone else looked lost. Confused. Afraid. A good hard blow would shatter them forever. Fear and betrayal tended to do that sort of thing. They had lost the Relic of Knowledge, and Ozpin with it. They were aimless. Lost and adrift in a sea of confusion. Roman bit down a shiver. Sealing a soul way, locking it in an endless dream...it sounded real nice on the tin, but he wasn't in any hurry to try that.
Melodic Cudgel twitched in his hand. He raised it between the branches, gazing down the sights toward his target.
A single shot could kill Little Red before she reacted. And her power would go to another.
Roman made a face at the thought. Cinder was bad enough with the Spring Maiden under her belt. Downright insufferable, really. The last thing she needed was the power of Fall added to that. Least of all for Red to suffer an...accident. A dust round between the eyes would change that. The power of Fall would go to some random stranger, and Cinder would be none the wiser. Nothing personal, that. Just good business. Cinder would come for her sooner or later. He was only delaying the inevitable. It would be best to take the shot now and spare her whatever hellish fate that bitch intended for her.
Emerald glared at him. "Roman, don't. Drop it. Cinder isn't nearby. Her power could go to anyone."
Kinda the point, that. Anyone was better than Cinder. Just squeeze the trigger.
He tried. He really did. Just couldn't bring himself to do it.
With a long-suffering sigh, the gentleman thief lowered his cane. He couldn't kill her in cold blood. Nothing personal, kid. Little Red hadn't been the one to get him killed in the first place. Damn gryphon did the deed, not her. Still, he wasn't above making her squirm a little for ruining his plans in the past. There was strength in numbers of course; but all the power in the world didn't mean anything when you couldn't keep your opponent down. And they weren't here to fight. They were here to terrorize them.
Well, that, and maybe have a little fun.
"Alright." he rasped, lowering his voice to a stage-whisper. "How're we gonna do this?"
Emerald drew her blades. "We wait for Naruto's signal. Hit them hard, hit them fast, scare the shit out of them. Do you have the knife?"
Roman slapped a hand to his belt where he'd kept it bound. Hard to believe such a little thing would teleport them back to the boss, but he wasn't about to question it. If something as farfetched as magic was real, then it stood to reason that chakra would be the same. At least in theory. Each of them had one. He'd not lose it. They were the only three Naruto had, and quite possibly the last. Relics in every sense of the word, made ages ago back when his hands had been steady.
"Wait." a thought occurred to him. 'What's the signal?"
With a deafening crack of thunder, the dark clouds above-long since threatening rain-finally releases their bounty.
In the clearing below, Ruby and her friends cried out as they were soaked to the bone. Their fire went out, plunging them into darkness.
Well, damn. Guess that was their cue.
Roman's fist instinct was to duck back into the cover offered by the branches, but the deluge didn't linger long enough to reach them. It hit hard and fast, leaving an unnatural fog in its wake. Just as quickly the rain was gone, sweeping across the horizon with unnatural speed to harass the rest of the forest. Naruto's work. Had to be. That, or Cinder. She could control the weather too, couldn't she? Perhaps they had worked together. Who could say? It made his night all the same.
"Well." Roman chuckled. "That takes care of our Faunus friends."
Neo tugged at his arm again. Her grin was just the right shade of vicious.
"Alright, alright." He shooed her upright. "Slap an illusion on me first. I wanna look extra spooky."
She did as he hasked.
"Thatta girl." he patted her back. Go have some fun in the fog. Just don't get caught."
Emerald crept after her, red eyes intent on Branwen. Clever girl. Distract him first, and the rest would follow.
"Sorry, red." Roman hummed to himself as he sprinted down the hill after her. "Nothing personal, but its time for a little payback..."
(.0.0.0.)
Ruby wasn't afraid of the dark.
The very moment the fire went out, her eyes had lit up. Burning silver flames shone through the shadows and glinted harmlessly against the fog.
She wasn't afraid. Really! She wasn't! What?! Her!? No! Never! Who was afraid of the dark? Only little itty-bitty babies jumped at their own shadows! Not her! Nope! Nuh-uh! She wasn't afraid of anything! She was the new Fall Maiden! She was brave! She was fearless! She was...
"W-Weiss...?" she called out into the gloom. "Yang? Blake? Anybody there?"
A ghastly wail filled the air.
"Little Reeed...Reeed...REEEED...
Ruby flailed blindly in the gloom. "Whuzzat...who'se there...?!"
She turned and found a frightful face scant inches from her ghastly grinning visage of Roman Torchwick loomed before her, grinning from ear to ear like a man possessed. Ruby's world shattered. Any hope of calling out or defending herself fell to the wayside as she gazed at him. He...he didn't look right. His face was pale and cracked, the whites of his eyes gone dark and twisted. His body was little more than a wraith, and she could see right through him. Was this ghost? It had to be a ghost. Why did it have to be a ghost?! She was TERRIFIED of ghosts! Why was everyone coming back to life?!
She tried to scamper back, but a hand caught her wrist, reeling her back in like a fish.
"No!" she wailed, kicking at him! "Lemme go! I didn't mean to get you killed...!"
Roman leaned forward. Pressed his forehead to hers.
The eerie grin stretched further still.
"I'mhauntingyou."
Silver eyes absolutely bulged. Haunted?! Her?! Nope! Nope, nope. nope! A thousand tiny Ruby's shrieked in her head and fainted as Maiden's mind retreated. Her body shut down. Her legs went limp. Eyes rolled up into the back of her head. Danger! Danger! Danger! Critical failure! Somebody send an error report! Ruby had stopped working. Would you like to reboot?!
She slumped at his feet, a twitching puppet severed from its strings.
"Huh." Roman nudged her unconscious form. "Neat. Guess I'll leave her here-
"RUBY!" Sure enough that set Yang to squawking and the air came alive with buckshot.
Roman dropped her and raced away into the fog with a mad cackle.
"You'll never take us alive, coppers!"
(.0.0.0.)
The journey to the Grimmlands was not a silent one.
Bereft but for the faint whine of the airship's engines, their trip should have been relatively unspectacular. It was not. Such a time should have been spend brooding, or barring that, concocting a plan to entreat with Salem and if that failed, escape her lair in one piece. This was no mere mortal they were dealing with. Here was a being that could not be beaten through force of arms. Queen of the Grimm. Avatar of destruction. Immortal and eternal, unable to be slain. That Salem.
And they needed to work with her.
Rather than dwell on that crippling notion. Cinder sought to distract herself the only way she knew how.
Their stolen craft was of a decent size; bearing three cabins in addition to the cockpit and cargo hold below. Naturally, Naruto claimed the largest room for himself by right of conquest. Cinder took one look at the spacious interior with its large bed and soft silk sheets. An hour later, her meager possessions joined his.
Her lover hadn't objected overmuch, for obvious reasons.
Of course, that left Emerald and the rest to sort out the remaining bunks among themselves...with Jinn. Cinder was content to let them suffer the Spirit of Knowledge for now. They did done their deed well and returned safely. Their pursuers had no way of tracking them to Salem's domain; if anything, they were too busy reeling from Jaune's revelations and Roman's attack to even consider the possibility of pursuit. A divided enemy was an unfocused enemy. And they had divided enemies...well. They fell.
At any other time, she might have given the impending doom of Ruby Rose more thought. But she didn't. After all, she was...preoccupied.
"Oh gods, yes!"
Cinder tilted her head back with a cry bordering on blissful euphoria. White light burst behind her eyes and her legs clamped down. Below her, she heard a similar sigh of release. A small, lazy smile plucked at her full lips as she came down from her high. Even then she clung onto him, savoring every last moment. It was bound to happen sooner or later. They could only dance around the matter for long. Confined spaces only hastened the matter along. One thing led to another, and here they were.
There was no place she'd rather be.
She tumbled off her place atop him and into his arms, seeking his warmth. Strong arms wrapped around her, and in a rare moment of vulnerability, she allowed it. For a few blissful moments, neither spoke. Cinder placed her ear against Naruto's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. It threatened to lull her into sleep. Her eyes drooped for a moment. Sleep sounded nice...but she knew better than to slip into his grasp. Instead she shook her head forced herself back to wakefulness and luxuriated in blessed bliss of release.
"Finally had enough?"
"Says the glutton." she murmured into his chest. "You're going to get me pregnant at this rate."
He granted her a lazy grin from the sheets. She couldn't see it, but she knew it all the same. "Would that be so bad?"
"Absolutely." She slapped at his chest with her restored arm and glowered golden daggers at him. "I'd be a terrible mother. You know that."
"Really?" A blond brow quirked in mild amusement. "Emerald doesn't seem to think so. She's all but claimed your last name now. Emerald Fall. Adorable, really."
...shut up."
She slumped against him, happy and spent. Content even, in as much as she could be. How long had they been at this? Hours? A day at the very least. Didn't matter. She had stress to relieve, and he was happy to be her willing partner in this. Just the thought of it drew a smile to her lips. She had power again, more than most could ever dream off. She was whole. Human. Salem held no sway over her, no way of controlling her, no means of harming her. A wise man once said living well is the best revenge.
But her vengeance was not yet complete; if only because there was so much yet to do.
First and foremost, they needed to convince Salem to aid them. Assuming they did, that still left the matter of the Maidens and the magic they possessed. Once they held that, with her help, they might, eradicate Kaguya once and for all...and then...? The thought alarmed her. What then? Rule the world? Face the gods? She didn't know Salem's end goal. That worried her. Surely she had a reason for collecting the relics, two of which they were all but bringing to her doorstep. She wasn't sure whether that would embolden her former mistress or give her pause.
Thankfully for her, Naruto was the one to speak his mind first. "What can I expect from Salem?"
A post-coitus Cinder was a talkative Cinder. She was happy to warn him.
She rolled over to look up at him.
"Salem is...intense." she said after a moments pause. "You must understand that she does not think as human being would. Time means nothing to her. She's incomprehensible. Do not expect her to be swayed by reason or logic. You will regret it."
"I thought as much." he heaved a sigh and leaned back against the mattress. "There's a reason I avoided her and Ozpin for so long. I didn't want to be drawn into their conflict. But its alright now." a hand came up, idly stroking her shoulder. "We'll get through this. Together. We'll find a way."
Together. She loved that word.
Something unspooled in Cinder's chest.
A burning flame sprung to her life in her hand. "Let me tell you a story."
She expected him to challenge her, to say there was no need for such a thing. What she received was silence.
"Once upon a time, there was a girl." Amber eyes regarded the fire in her palm silently. "She was no one. She was nothing. A woman took the girl in."
Naruto frowned. "I don't like where this is going...
She pushed a finger to his lips.
"But rather than raise her as a guardian should, she chose to abuse her." even now, speaking the words provoked a dull ache in her chest. "She put a collar on her. When she disobeyed, she was shocked. When she spoke, she was shocked. When she wasn't fast enough, she as
"Cinder...?"
She barely heard him.
"She would work from sun up to sun down, every day. All the while, her Stepmother berated her with these words:
Naruto sat up. She shifted against him.
"Clean the linens, sweep the floors, shut your mouth and do your chores." she whispered the words softly, shoulders trembling. "Scrub the dishes in the sink. No one said that you should think."
Naruto's eyes flashed white.
"Shine the silver, wash the clothes, and when you're finished darn the socks." Cinder went on, inner demons raking cruel claws across her mind. "Draw my bath, fetch my slippers, fill my glass and wash my feet. Hurry up. You're so slow. You're no good. I hope you know that your life is of no use, and the truth is that no one's ever loved you."
...what happened to the girl?"
Fire. Vengeance. Ash. Miserable. Hopeless.
Cinder choked down the bile in her throat and continued.
"Without you, I am nothing. Ever day the girl was made to recite those words. Every day they ground her down. Piece by painful piece." her fingers shifted, curling around the flickering flame like a claw. "She became their slave, their tool, a broken and wretched thing."
Golden eyes flashed.
"And then one day, a huntsman came."
Naruto fell silent. She suspected he knew where this was going.
"The hunter took pity on the girl. He trained her to be like him. He promised her freedom in seven years time. She just had to endure. And for a time, she did."
His hand curled around her shoulder. She reached up, threading her fingers with his.
"And then Stepmother found her weapon. She tried to take it from the girl."
"The girl snapped. Her stepsisters, she stabbed. Over. And over. Then over again. Her stepmother she choked to death. Broke her windpipe. There was an awful cracking sound. She reveled in it. The huntsman found her like that, standing over their corpses. The girl turned to the huntsman. "I don't have to run now." she said. Help me, she said."
Her partner swallowed but once.
"He could have saved her; helped her hide the bodies and spirited her away to safety." The memory came back again, and this time Cinder nearly lost herself to it. "He was her prince. Her father figure. Her everything. Her all. The one person she looked up to. But when she needed him most he drew his weapons and called her a monster. He attacked her. She killed him in self defense."
A deafening pall of silence fell between the two of them.
"And so the girl was truly free."
Naruto reached over for her other hand. "You're that girl, aren't you?"
"I was, once." she whispered. "A long, long time ago."
A tiny voice in her heart cried out, but the tears wouldn't come. She could no longer cry. She'd never told anyone that story. Not Emerald, not Mercury, not even Salem herself. To finally speak the words to another...it felt freeing. As if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Like lancing the puss from an bad wound and cauterizing it. There was a scar, there would always be a scar, but the worse was gone, taking the pain with it.
And she felt free again.
"Without you, I am nothing. But because of you?" her eyes ignited, trailing embers of golden flame. "I am everything. You resurrected me. You tended my wounds. You gave me perspective. You were there from me in my weakest moment. And you?" She tossed her hair over her shoulder, dark tresses falling over one eye. "You showed me that my destiny was my own. I choose. I make my own decisions. Me. No other. I serve no one. What we have is an alliance, no?"
He laughed and pulled her close. "Sure, call it that if you like."
In a moment of passion, she grabbed him by the chin. For once, he allowed her this display of defiance.
"This is your one and only chance to back away." she informed him. "If you betray me after this...I will kill you. I'm not sure how, but I will find a way-
His mouth crushed against hers in answer, stealing her fears away. Well! There was his answer. She yielded to him with a pleased hum and pushed him back down, watching as his eyes roved across her body. She turned and ran a tantalizing hand along her flank, fingers trailing over the round curve of her rear.
"Still hungry, are we?."
He laughed as she crawled back atop him.
"Has anyone ever told you you're absolutely insatiable?"
Cinder's laughed and ground her hips against his again, head tilting back as she rode him into oblivion.
She pushed him to her entrance and gasped as he filled her once more. They didn't have sex. Nothing so base as that. They made love.
She'd made her decision, she realized. The power would be hers. Fall, Winter, Summer. Cinder cared not in what order she acquired them. Only that she did. Spring was not enough. She knew that now. She wanted be stronger; no, needed to be stronger. But this time, that strength wasn't for herself. That strength was for another. If she didn't find that strength soon, Naruto would die.
And...well. She just couldn't allow that.
(.0.0.0.)
All too soon, they reached their destination.
Roman guided the airship in with brisk dispatch, but even his haste wasn't enough to mask their surroundings.
And the longer he looked, the more certain Naruto became. All things considered, the Grimmlands, or Land of Darkness as some called it...well. It certainly lived up to its name. Everything was a barren wasteland, not so much as a hint of life for miles. Enormous violet crystals jutted from the glow below, glinting ominously beneath the red sky. Even from this height he could glimpse dark pools below, see the Grimm crawling their way out of them.
This wasn't a good place.
"Last stop, apocalypse." Roman snarked over the intercom. "Everybody out."
No one spoke. They couldn't bring themselves to. Instead they gathered their things disembarked.
Naruto emerged first, marching down the ramp flanked by Cinder on his right. Hazel followed on his left, dragging a battered Arthur Watts over his shoulder. Bound and tied at the wrists and ankles, there was little the doctor could do but complain at his plight. Even now the surly scientist wriggled and writhed in the giant's grasp.
"Release me at once, you brute! Salem will have your head for this!"
Hazel scoffed. "Not likely."
From there, Emerald and Mercury shuffled nervously behind them, leaving Roman and Neo to bring up the rear. The latter looked about as skittish as the others felt. Jinn had hidden herself back in the lamp, unwilling to risk drawing Salem's ire onto her. Naruto couldn't much blame her for it. One question remained. Salem might try to use it, if she knew how.
Still, he couldn't bring himself to feel any fear. For Cinder and the others? Certainly. But for himself? Hardly. Everything felt so...distant. Detached. As if this were a dream. He knew it wasn't of course, but he couldn't muster it all the same. Salem was like him. No matter what happened here today, they wouldn't be able to kill one another. That didn't concern him. But if she turned her wrath on Cinder...
"You'll die here, Naruto." Kaguya snarled in the back of his head. "Everything you love will die here."
Naruto shoved her away and looked straight ahead.
Roman gulped. "Gloomy place, huh?"
No one dared answer him.
Because she was here.
"Cinder." an unfamiliar voice crooned. "How nice of you to return...
Salem was waiting for them as they disembarked.
Framed in the light of the shattered moon against her tower, she was every bit as Cinder had described. Beautiful. Eternal. Immortal. Scarlet eyes framed by a pale-veined face and ashen hair regarded them, narrow and intent. Her pallid tresses were the color of ash spilling down her shoulders, nearly reaching her knees. Clad in a seamless red-and-black gown with a plunging neckline, her shoulders were left bare, revealing ghostly skin rimmed with swirling veins and...was that armor on her arms? It was! A flowing black cape with a crimson trim completed the ensemble, leaving him even more ill at ease.
Really, she looked a villain through and through.
"Her hair's down." Cinder muttered beside him. "She usually keeps it up...
"I heard that, dear girl." Salem's retort had her jumping. "Can I not change my appearance?"
An alarm bell went off in the back of Naruto's head as the Queen of the Grimm approached. She looked pleased to see them. No. Not them. Him. Almost inordinately so. Was she preparing for war? Her plans were no longer known to Cinder, and as such weren't known to him either. She could have been preparing to invade Atlas for all he knew. Could they work together? The optimist in him wanted to believe such. The cynic said otherwise. Only one way to find out...
He stepped forward, putting three paces between him and Cinder as he met Salem halfway. Wisely, she didn't follow. Perhaps that was for the best.
Salem stopped a stone's throw away.
"A pleasure to meet you, necromancer." Pale lips pursed in small smile. "Thank you for accepting my invitation."
Not much choice, there. If he'd refused that "invitation" she may well have become hostile. No. Don't think about that. Happy thoughts. Even if she attacked here and now, he was certain he could handle her. She was an irritant compared to Kaguya. Then again...Salem didn't know that, did she? She might well believe that she held all the cards here. Even if she didn't.
Her eyes moved past him, alighting upon Cinder and Hazel.
"I see you left Watts alive." she intoned. "May I have him back?'
Hazel glanced at him. Cinder shook her head. Emerald and Mercury mirrored the motion.
"And why should we?"
"If its a sacrifice you need, I have many more in my dungeons." The Queen of the Grimm didn't frown. She simply...stared. "I'm afraid I must insist. Arthur is essential to my plans for Atlas. I would be in your debt for this."
There was no point in antagonizing her here. Whether she knew it or not, they needed her help. Riling her up served no one.
"One body for another?" he asked, earning a nod from her. "Fine. But if you're lying...
Salem scoffed. "I do not lie, necromancer. My word is my bond."
"Hazel. Let him go."
With nary a sound, Hazel broke the doctor's binds.
Arthur hit the floor and scurried into the tower, a frightened mouse running from a larger predator. He didn't look back. Salem didn't even deign to acknowledge his presence. If Watts was a mouse, then she was a dragon guarding her horde; an apex predator that deemed nearly everything be
"Thank you." but she favored him with a smile. "You have done more than you know."
Her eyes snapped down to the lamp at his side. If she noted the box containing Ozma's soul, she made no mention of it.
"My, my. You have the Relic of Knowledge." Her eyes rose to meet his, and he saw a glimmer of respect lurking in their depths. "Unexpected. And I expect dear Cinder claimed Destruction for herself. You've done much of my work for me, it seems."
Naruto found himself touching a hand to Jinn's container. She warmed in his grasp. "I didn't do it for you."
"Nevertheless, you have made my task easier." Salem chuckled at his words; it was a low, sensual purr. "Now only Choice and Creation remain. Have you used the lamp, then?"
"I know how to use it, yes." He heard the unspoken question. There was no point in lying to her. "And its been utilized. Once."
"And do any questions remain?" a note of hope crept into her voice.
"One."
Scarlet eyes flashed with something dangerously close to hunger, but rather than press him as he suspected she might, Salem restrained herself. Odd. For a moment there, he thought she was going to pounce on him.
"You wonderful man." Instead she graced him with a nod and stepped back. "Now that we've dealt with that bit of business...Cinder."
Slitted eyes locked onto Cinder like a heat-seeking dust missile.
"I'd say I was dissapointed in you, but really, what can you expect from mortals?" She shook her head, sending waves of ashen hair floating about her shoulders like a gleaming silvery halo. "You were ever a petty child. And in your pettiness, you have led others astray."
The Spring Maiden bristled. "I am no child of yours!"
"You are not." Salem agreed. "Were it up to me, you would suffer for your betrayal. Even now, I find myself tempted to pluck out your eyes." heat boiled in the air, bringing with it the implicit promise of pain. "However, whether you know it or not, you have brought me the greatest gift of all." with but the fainest breath, the spell she prepared guttered out harmlessly. "For that, I will spare you. Just this once."
...you're not going to attack, then?" Naruto asked.
"I have been betrayed time and time again. Theirs is hardly the first." the queen cocked her head, considering. "I could still kill them for you, if you like?"
Naruto heard Cinder hiss behind him. Nope, nope, nope!
"That's enough. I'm here, in the flesh, just like you asked." He intervened to stifle an waspish retort before it could bubble up. "Now what?"
"Don't be so droll." Salem stepped aside, sweeping a pale arm wide. "Won't you come inside?"
Naruto counted to three. Sighed. Then he walked into the den of darkness.
Salem trailed after him, still wearing that strange, satisfied smile.
Cinder followed them a heartbeat later, the others with her.
And so it began.
A/N: PLEASE. READ. THIS.
Else, you might be horribly confused. Wouldn't want that, would we?
Felt it best to dedicate an entire chapter to what's coming. Didn't want to waste time.
Next chapter's title is "Bloody Evolution" and within good reason. Don't worry, you'll see plenty of Jinn in that.
So begins the Salem!Arc and all the madness and mayhem that follows. Hope you enjoy it, and I'm looking forward to reading your reviews when I get backk.
Only a few chapters left, now! Lets see if Naruto and Salem can get along...and hopefully not shred one another to bits. To clarify, Naruto can still throw down with the best of them, he just risks Kaguya taking control the more he exerts his chakra.
He detoxed a bit when she got out earlier but Kaguya's knocking on the door, and she wants out. There's so much more that I want to say here, but I'm trying to hold myself back, seeing as we won't be getting another RWBY episode until late February at best. That...is a long time to wait, and after the cliffhanger they left us on, this could go any way.
Surgery hurts. Surgery hurts a loooot. But silence from readers and reviewers? That hurts even more.
As ever, reviews keep this old man alive during this dark and crazy time. I ain't joking.
Seriously, we're all locked away anyways these days, its all that sustains me.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas... Review...Would You Kindly?
And enjoy these previews! Remember those hints?
Yes? No? Hope you paid attention. Because!
SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
YE BE WARNED!
Read at your own risk!
(Preview)
Salem blinked at the box.
"Ozma's soul...
"I have a prisoner that girl might be interested in...
"I wish to slay the gods."
"Oh." Jinn sighed softly. "Oh, dear."
Naruto mirrored it. "Well, that's gonna be a problem...
Salem's smile only grew. "Do you know what Cinder fears most?"
Naruto sighed. "This is going to go poorly, isn't it?"
"Come, now. She betrayed me. Its only right that I make her squrim."
Cinder hunched over, cursing softly. She was just feeling ill. Yes. That was it.
Nothing else. Nothing at all. She refused to believe otherwise.
His fist slammed down on the table.
"I won't serve someone weaker than me."
"Bold, are we?" Salem smiled. "I have not been idle all these years. If you desire a contest of strength, then by all means. Let us take this outside."
"Thousand lien on the big guy." Mercury muttered.
Salem arched an eyebrow. "I find your lack of faith disturbing, dear boy."
"You think you want to die. But you don't. Not really. Death is the end. That's it. Once you're gone, you're gone."
"I'm afraid I require something more."
R&R~!