Chapter 13: Corruption
The first thing Cinder and her friends were bombarded with when entering the City of Vale were warnings from train station staff that a killer was on the loose. Not only that, Cinder got separated from her friends. "Sorry, but there's a killer who we suspect is a Faunus," one of the police officers said.
"You'll be reunited with your friends once she's cleared of her innocence," the other officer said.
"This is outrageous! We just got here!" Winter shouts.
A large group of cops blocks Cinder's friends from reaching her, "Sorry, but-" Vernal cuts the officer off.
"Orders and orders, right?" Vernal growls.
"We will get you free, Cinder! We promise!" Ven shouts.
CInder expects the cops to take her to prison or that one place cops go that Cinder can't recall the name. All she knows is that it starts with a P. But the cops didn't take Cinder to either of those places. They took her under the city. She is stunned to see ruins.
They were made from white brick and were pretty big. Despite how old they are, the ruins still hold their beauty. Cinder thought these ruins would be destroyed by now because the Faunus of the past made them. She can tell these ruins were made by them because the ancient Faunus emblem is plaster all over the ruins. The symbol her father showed her years ago.
Cinder is amazed by the beauty of the ruins. But there's a scent that sends a shiver down her spine. Blood. Lots of blood. Some smell old, and others fresh. Her lion ears pick up screaming. Cinder shakes out of the cops' grip. "What's going on here!" Cinder demands
"Calm down! We're just doing interrogations!" one of the cops said.
"YOU'RE LYING!" Cinder roars. "I CAN SMELL THE BLOOD! I CAN HEAR THE SCREAMS OF TERROR FROM FAUNUS COMRADES! THERE WAS NEVER A KILLER! IS THERE!" Cinder draws her katana.
The cops drew their guns. "DROP THE WEAPON!" both of them shout. Cinder can tell they are afraid by how their hands are shaking. So Cinder lets out the loudest roar she can muster. The cops drop their guns and fall to the ground. "Okay! Okay! There is no killer! We just want to relieve the stress we got from the job!" the cop says in fear.
"And you took out that stress on us, Faunus?!" Cinder growls. She walks up to the cops. Gripping Yamato tightly as she can. "Spilling our blood on sacred Faunus grounds?!"
"It's because these ruins are out of sight!" the other cop said. They shouldn't have said that because Cinder became consumed with rage. She struck the cops down. Now their blood stains these ruins.
Cinder runs to the nearest building because she can hear the screams of a Faunus in there. She does come across other cops, but Cinder strikes them down. Some took more hits because they had an Aura, but they fell all the same.
When Cinder finally entered the building. Is horrified to see a Faunus tied to what looks like a big, wooden X. They look badly hurt. The cops stopped what they were doing. Cinder lets out a low growl when she sees blood on their batons and hands. Before they could say anything, Cinder struck them down.
Usually, the Faunus would be horrified by how brutal Cinder was but with everything they went through. They found it cathartic. "I'll set you free!" Cinder said and cut the restraints holding the Faunus. She didn't let them fall and helped them in her arms. "I got you." Cinder said.
"Thank you!" the Faunus said. They smile and hug Cinder tightly. They had tears running down their face.
"You're welcome." Cinder smiles. She looks at the wooden X and growls. "I can't believe those crooked cops set that up."
The Faunus shake their head. "They didn't. It was already here. Most buildings have stuff like this."
"What?!" Cinder gasped.
"I was shocked too. Our ancestors had a dark secret."
Cinder is disturbed by that news. "Do you know where they're keeping the others? I want to free them too."
"Sure! I'll lead the way." The Faunus tried to walk but couldn't because of how hurt their legs were. Sheathing her weapon, Cinder carries the Faunus on her back. "Thank you." the Faunus said with a smile.
The Faunus leads Cinder to a large temple; there are two giant marble statues of lions at the front of the temple.
Entering the temple, Cinder and the Faunus come across a makeshift cage holding their Faunus brethren. The cops thought Cinder could not fight because she was carrying the Faunus with both arms. But they were dead wrong. Cinder still has her Semblance, the Summon Swords. The conjured-up swords flew like bullets.
There weren't many cops guarding the cage. Show how arrogant they are. Cinder sets Faunus down and uses her Keyblade not only to unlock the cage. But the restraints the other Faunus had on.
Grateful to be finally free, the Faunus rushed out of the cage and thanked CInder profusely. Some did see the injured Faunus Cinder brought with her and tried to tend to their wounds. All of them see Cinder's ears and tail and know right away what kind of Faunus Cinder is. "You're a Faunus Princess?!" a rhino Faunus said happily.
"It's weird hearing someone call me that." Cinder blushed.
"Well, you look to me more like a prince than a princess." a zebra Faunus said.
"That's because there's no way in…" Cinder sees a child, Faunus. "I am fighting in a dress. It's too prim!" Cinder said with a frown.
"I think you'll look pretty in a dress." The child Faunus said.
"You think so, huh?" Cinder smiles.
"I think you'll look lovely in a dress," Raven said as she came out of a red portal.
"Mom!?" Cinder gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"Your sister sent me a message about what happened. So I came as fast as I could." Raven said. She then looks at the Faunus, Cinder saved. "The headmaster of Beacon Academy found out what is going on here. He'll house you until the cops answer for what they did here."
The Faunus are happy by the news and rush into the portal Raven made. Expect the Faunus child. They ran to a nearby table. They pick up a dark red mini-dress that has small yellow accents. They held it close when they saw a bloody hole in the dress. Tears start running down the child's face.
"What's wrong?" Cinder asked and put a hand on the child Faunus' head.
"This used to belong to my mom!" the child Faunus sniffed. They then hold the dress up to Cinder. "I want you to have it!"
"Are you sure!?" Cinder gasped.
The child Faunus nods. "Yes. She was a fighter like you. So it suits you."
Reluctantly, Cinder takes the dress. "I'll take good care of it. I promise."
Raven helps the Faunus child into the portal, but Cinder stays behind. She is looking at the dress. Cinder looked back at the table and saw more clothes. She spots things that go well with the dress she's holding. Cinder decides to put this dress on. She was quick about it because her nose picked up a peculiar scent underneath the temple.
"Fits like a glove." Cinder said. She follows the scent that leads to a lion statue. Summoning her Keyblade, Cinder holds it over her head, and the tip starts to glow a golden light. The state shakes and moves backwards and reveals stairs leading down. Cinder runs down it. It's a good thing Cinder is used to running in high heels.
Cinder comes across a large chamber that has a lot of computers, cops and banners that have the image of the commissioner, who is currently sitting in the middle of the room. By the looks of her, you wouldn't think she's the commissioner. Her clothes show a lot of skin, and she is putting on makeup.
"Commissioner! We have an intruder!" one of the cops said.
"Deal with them." the commissioner said with a bored tone and is putting on eyeliner.
"B-But she's the one-" the corrupted cop can't finish their sentence because Cinder ran her Yamato through their heart. Cinder keeps an eye on the commissioner as she pulls her katana out of the cop's lifeless body. Cinder expects the commissioner to sit up in fear. But that didn't happen. The commissioner sighs and sits up.
"Now I have to get more goons." the commissioner sighs. Cinder can feel her skin crawl as the commissioner looks at her dress and animal traits. "You have two." the commissioner said.
"I do! And I'm proud of them!" Cinder growls and grips her katana with both hands.
The commissioner chuckles. "I bet you do. For a filthy animal, you look beautiful, especially with that red dress. It looks familiar, though."
"That's because it once belonged to a mother your thugs killed! I wear this dress in her memory!" Cinder shouts and points her blade at the commissioner.
"Oh, right. I did order my men to take any beautiful clothes undeserving from you, Faunus." the commissioner chuckles, then blood starts coming out of her mouth because Cinder ran Yamato right through her stomach. "You're not going to ask me why I did what I did."
"No!" Cinder growls. "I already have a good idea. You just like seeing us Faunus suffer."
The commissioner chuckles again. "Well, you're half right. I hate your kind, but not for the reasons you may think." the commissioner coughs up blood. "I was envious of your kind." she leans forward and puts her hand on Cinder's shoulders. "I desired power and beauty. I've always believed those two go hand in hand. I used my beauty to gain strength, but it was not enough. I wanted to be strong and beautiful like you."
"I'm faltered." Cinder said with a disgusted tone. Cinder is about to pull her katana out, but the commissioner stops her.
"I was like you once. Believing in the light but know this, my fellow Keyblade wielder, darkness…always…wins. And this world has a way of corrupting you." using the last of her strength, the commissioner summons their Keyblade, much to Cinder's shock. It's jet black with a gothic design with a crown keychain. "This…is yours. It's called Oblivion. Think of it as a gift for being the stronger one." Cinder sees the life leave the commissioner's eyes and drops the Oblivion Keyblade.
Pulling out her Katana, Cinder lets the commissioner hit the floor. Looking at the black Keyblade, Cinder decides to take it because she believes it will be better with her than gathering dust here in this temple.
When Cinder grabs it, the Oblivion turns to black smoke and violet sparks and goes into Cinder's arm. Pain shoots through Cinder's body. The pain was so great that it made Cinder fall to her knees and grab her arm. Thankfully the pain didn't last long. So she gets up and goes to the computers. Because Cinder figures these corrupted cops have what they were doing here recorded.
However, a password blocks Cinder from accessing the computer. "Good thing Keyblades work on any lock." Cinder smiles. She summons her Keyblade, but instead of her golden Keyblade answering her call, it's the black one. Nonetheless, Cinder uses it to undo the lock on the computer.
Cinder's gut feeling was right. The cops had everything recorded. It was difficult for Cinder to keep her anger in check because of all the horrid things she saw. What keeps her rage in check is the scent of the cops' blood on her katana. Cinder can't help but smile. But she shakes and holds her head. "What?" she asked out loud. Not once had she ever enjoyed killing. "This place is getting to me." Cinder said.
She sends everything she finds on the computer to the one trustworthy person, the headmaster of Beacon Academy, Ozpin. She got his email from Raven. "And send! Now I can finally get out of here." Cinder said. Her lion ears then pick up familiar growls. "Grimm. Of course." Cinder sighs, then look at her new Keyblade. "Time to see what you can do."
With how much Dust Cinder can sense in the Oblivion. This Keyblade has hardly seen any battle. With how reflective it is, Cinder figures the commissioner used this Keyblade as a mirror than as a weapon. "Time to bust you in!" Cinder smiles and runs out of the temple.
She is shocked to not only see her friends fighting her Grimm. But Raven too. How did she not hear this battle? But that didn't matter to Cinder. They are Grimm to slay. There's a Beringel Grimm that is perfect to use her Keyblade against, and it's the one she heard. "That Beringel is mine!" Cinder said as she walked past Winter.
"I thought you hate dresses." Winter teased.
"I have my reasons." Cinder said with a sincere voice.
"I see," Winter said with a surprised tone. "Well, he's all yours."
Cinder looks over her shoulder and smiles. "Thanks."
As she walks up to the Beringel Grimm, Cinder uses her Aura to summon her Keyblade Armour. It was the armour her grandpa Xehanort once had. The only thing Cinder added to the armour is a white and red cape.
The ape Grimm roars at Cinder, who just chuckles. "You call that a roar?" Cinder smiles and roars back. Cinder's roar is louder than the Grimm's.
The Grimm was a bit surprised but roared again and tried to smash Cinder with his giant arms. Usually, Cinder would have used her speed to dodge, but since she's wearing this particular armour, she doesn't have to. Using the Oblivion keyblade, Cinder blocks and stops the Grimm's attack.
"Thank you, strength-enhancing armour." Cinder chuckles. She kicks the Grimm and sends it a few feet. The Grimm gets up, but Cinder uses her super speed to close the distance. Cinder lets loose a flurry of slashes onto the Grimm. She cuts its arms off to take away its one means of attack.
It tried to bite at Cinder, but she slammed her Keyblade into its mouth and fired a massive torrent of light. The headless Grimm falls to the ground and vanishes. Cinder lets out a sigh and dismisses her armour. "I needed that." she feels a familiar hand on her shoulder. She turned to look, and it was Raven.
"Let's get out of here," Raven said.
"Yeah." Cinder smiles.
"By the way, I'll be joining your travels. I can't have kids travelling around the world without adult supervision." Raven smiles.
Cinder gasped. "You are?! What about the tribe?"
"I have someone looking after things," Raven reassured.
The next day, the Faunus Cinder saved came to the train station to see Cinder off. "My mom's dress looks great on you!" the child Faunus said.
Cinder smiles and pats the child's head. "Thank you. I'll be continuing to wear this on my travels!" Cinder hears the train blowing its whistle. "I need to go. Take care of yourself, and that goes for all of you."
The other Faunus nods. "We will not forget what you did for us! You take care too!"
Cinder nods and gets on the train, and waves at the Faunus. They wave back and continue to wave until they don't see the train heading for Vacuo. But Cinder and co will make a detour halfway because on the way to the Keyblade Graveyard.
