Chapter Eight: The Obligatory Flashback Chapter


"I guess you have some questions," Phoenix said, looking over at Blake, who'd come to the courtyard like he asked.

"Some, yes," she replied slightly annoyed, "For starters, who are you really?"

"I've already told you that one. I'm Phoenix Fall, adopted son of Professor Ozpin. I didn't lie about that."

"Fine. What were you doing out there tonight? How'd you know what was going on?"

"As you probably already guessed, I'm a vigilante. As for how I knew about the White Fang target, I found them stealing SDC shipping records for the nearby port. I suspected they would use that info to steal the cargo being delivered. I've been staking out major shipments for the last couple months."

"Two more questions, which I'm guessing are related. Why the last name Fall, and why be a vigilante?" Phoenix sighed.

"Well, I suppose if anyone would understand wanting to make up for the past, it's you…"


Four years ago…

"I surrender! Please don't hurt me! I have a family!" The mercenary begged. He was one of the many unfortunate enough to have been hired by Cinder for Phoenix's training. Phoenix had just disarmed him (of his weapon, not his arm, much to Cinder's disappointment) and had his swords at the man's throat.

"Good my son. Now finish him," Cinder ordered. She'd been trying to sharpen her son's killing edge for months now. She'd sent him on countless sabotage missions that should've caused multiple deaths, but he went out of his way to keep everyone alive.

"No," he simply responded.

"Come now," she said walking over to him, "You know if you don't kill him I will." Phoenix winced, remembering all the previous "trainers" his mother had killed.

"I said no!" He yelled.

Cinder whipped around, slapping him. "If you ever speak to your mother like that again I'll cut out your tongue you brat," she hissed. She immediately regained her composure like nothing had happened. "You know, if you kill him, I won't have to go through this nonsense again." Phoenix remained silent. "Fine then, just know that the blood of all the 'trainers' I kill after this is on your hands." Still silence. Cinder drew her bow, but just as she was about to fire, two tiger hook swords pulled her weapon out of the man's path.

"Run!" Phoenix shouted at him. The terrified man happily obliged.

"You treacherous scum! How dare you defy me!" Cinder screamed.

"I'm tired of standing by while you butcher innocents! No more! I will stop you or die trying!" he responded as he remembered all the death he'd seen. Everyone he'd ever known had died by her hand.

"I assure you it will be the latter," she responded as she broke his hold on her bow and slashed him across the chest.

"Then so be it," Phoenix said as he charged at her. She easily dodged him and made two slashes in his back and right arm. He turned around to make another strike, but she dodged again, slashing his left arm and kicking in his knee. "Gaaaaaaahhhh!" he screamed in pain, dropping his weapons to grab his knee. Cinder took this opportunity to stab his hands. He screamed again. With her opposition incapacitated, she grabbed one of his swords and knelt down by him.

"Foolish boy," she said sweetly bringing the hilt blade of his weapon by his mouth, "Did you truly think I would have you trained so well you posed a threat to me." as she said this, she dragged the hilt blade by his right upper lip. "Still, your treachery is unfortunate. If you'd simply done as you were told you could have been a valuable resource."

"Can you just kill me already. Making me listen to this stupid monologue is crule, even by your standards."

"Why you little-" Cinder was cut off by a head-but. This pushed her over the edge, causing her to stab him. As she walked away she left a fire Dust crystal by him. "Any last words?" she asked once she reached the door.

"Whatever you're planning, it's going to fail. I only wish I could be there to see it happen."

With that she shot the crystal, causing the room to burst into flames. The flames, however avoided Phoenix. At first he was confused, but then it clicked. "Bloody hell! I can control fire!" he exclaimed in his head. As his vision started to fade he realized he was losing blood fast. "This is going to hurt," he thought to himself as he tried to control the fire so it would cauterize his wounds. He screamed in pain, nearly going unconscious. After he suspected his mother had left the area he caused the flames to dissipate. As Phoenix lost consciousness, he heard the sound of sirens in the distance.


When Phoenix woke up, he was almost blinded by the light. When his eyes adjusted he saw that he was in a mostly white room, and was surrounded by medical equipment. When he tried to move he felt a searing pain throughout his entire body. "Ah, good, you're awake. I've been wanting to talk to you about how you got your injuries." Phoenix looked over to see a man with white hair who was dressed mostly in different shades of green sitting next to him, sipping a cup of coffee.

"W- who are you? Where am I?" Phoenix inquired, confused by what was going on.

"You, young man, are at the hospital," the man answered, "as for who I am, my name is Professor Ozpin."


Present

"After I told him everything that happened, he took me under his wing, helping with my recovery and training me. After about a year of training from him, I took to the streets, fighting crime while keeping my true identity a secret. As time went on I got more and more advanced gear from scraps I picked up from criminal weapons and the occasional donation from Oz. As for why I kept the name Fall after everything she did to me, I did it as a reminder of what happened, and what will happen if she's not stopped," Phoenix finished his story, looking over to see a stunned look on Blake's face.

"But why keep it secret?" she asked after she recovered from the shock.

"Well after tonight I'd have a reason to keep it secret from you. That Torchwick guy we saw with the White Fang is working with Cinder. Therefore she's now indirectly controlling them."

Blake gave him yet another shocked look, "So she's-"

"Behind all of this? Yep," he responded, "Now do you see why I try to keep my past a secret. You saw how Weiss responded to yours. Think of how everyone would respond to finding out my so-called mother is an amoral sociopath."

"You're not your mother Phoenix," Blake retorted, "You don't have to keep this secret."

"I do from most people remember. Vigilante with a criminal past."

"But why us?"

"I… I guess I was afraid of how you guys would respond. I didn't want to lose the only friends I've ever had."

"Trust me," Blake said, "if you told them who you were they'd be fine with it. Ruby may even like you more. She wouldn't be quiet about how the 'mysterious hero' saved her."

"She did?" Phoenix's asked, blushing slightly. "I'll think about telling them. Until then, please keep it secret."

"Fine, but if you don't tell them, they'll find out."


Wow, that escalated quickly. Anyway, thanks for reading!