A/N: I'm sorry for not getting this out in a couple days now! :( I made it twice as long as the last two chapters to make up for it though! I wrote a lot on it! :) :) The other chapters were 5,000, and I made this one 11,000!
A dark room, lit with lamps and candles. A symbol on the wall; a circle encompassing two curved lines facing inward, and six dots arranged near the bottom of the circle beneath those lines...
Two figures alone in the room, cast with orange glow and together in warmth.
Tyra was pulling Cinder into her arms, she was holding her close. "All those years ago, I made a mistake. I was acting...on information that wasn't whole. All I saw was all the worst things about you - but I never saw your best. I never really saw...just how special, how wonderful, how beautiful you are. I never should have sent you away. I should have kept you, I should have tried harder. I know I can never make that right with you - I was scared, and I panicked, and I can't defend myself on it - but if you give me a chance, I want to show you I can still give you all that love you deserved from me...I want to have the chance to still be in your life somehow..."
"Are you going to t-throw me away again when you see something bad again?"
"Are you planning on doing something bad again?"
"N-no, no, I- I'm done fighting, I'm done running. I just...I just want to be here with you."
Tyra Aryle came back to the present with a start. Awareness sharpened.
Lamps lit around her. The engraving in the stone wall, the insignia - a circle, two curved lines, and six dots beneath them.
The whispers were already there, all around her. Excitement, expectation. And in her mind were all those presences, swarming and pressing, all eager to sample what new information had joined the pool to make a ripple.
Shadows cast by flickering candles themselves flickered; the mesmerizing face emerged from the wall, those eyes locking onto Tyra.
She beamed widely, rising to her feet. "She's still going to be here with me!"
We see that; we are satisfied. We hope that you are, as well.
"I'm only happy I'm able to do what you ask," Tyra assured. "I just want to keep you happy."
You are; and you will continue to.
It wasn't a question, but Tyra felt the need to answer anyways. "Of course I will! I'm so grateful that you're going to let me see her soon...before we...thank you. She doesn't understand yet - but I'll be so glad to see her anyways. She deserves...at least once, I need to tell her - and, afterward, she'll be so...we're going to be so close! Just like this, and it will be so wonderful!"
There is no need to thank us - the Order satisfies its own. We'll speak again soon. We hope that it will be truly face to face; we draw so close now to our return. Your daughter only needs...incentive, to walk toward that which you see for her. We will give her as many incentives as it takes.
Neo checked in on Maggy in her little bed, kissing her on the head and giving her hair a stroke.
She sighed, smiling to herself. If only she could have this for herself - full time! Since starting these visits, she'd begun to miss her own baby. Begun to miss her brief little period of domestic teenaged bliss more than ever. But that wasn't for her; it couldn't be for her. If there was even a tiny chance! Even this was terrifying her inside; she'd wanted to refuse Cinder's request outright.
At least she had plenty of reasons to keep herself apart - and ways to keep occupied!
Neo quickly fled the child's bedroom and made her way to the back of the house, and stepped outside.
Into a nice little area shielded by high stone walls.
She hopped and skipped her way over to the bubbling hot tub, and joined Emerald there after a quick strip down; she settled in with her hands behind her head, flashing a smile at Emerald.
"This is why I like coming here," Emerald sighed, tilting her head back. She had a smile of her own.
Neo nodded, letting out a contented sigh of her own. No need to worry, way out here now, whether or not a hand might twitch, time might just vanish for her and she'd come back to herself to see...
There were several doors between her and those girls now.
The only one who she might hurt was Emerald - and Emerald was the Winter Maiden, and could definitely handle herself.
If she even felt a little stirring, Neo would just ask Emerald to flash-freeze her on the spot with that Maiden magic of hers!
Minutes of pleasant silence passed the pair by.
Until Emerald stood, stretching high and yawning. "I'm going to take a nap - babysitting is exhausting work," she murmured casually.
Neo gave an absent little wave, glancing at the woman - and she did a double take. Her lips parted. She blinked rapidly. Oh.
"Please don't tell Cinder."
Neo nodded enthusiastically, pulling a wide smile. She offered a thumbs up. It wasn't like she cared at all - and she was pretty sure Cinder wouldn't, either. But, either way, it was Emerald's secret to keep. And now, Neo's to respect.
Relief broke over Emerald's face. "Thanks." She turned away and climbed out of the tub, dressing herself and then disappearing into the house with quick footsteps.
Neo sank down into the waters and settled again. She took no notice of the way her own shadow on the stone wall shifted without movement from her.
Her scroll beeped at her from the side of the tub.
She sighed and sat up again, taking it in lazy hand.
She became much more alert when she saw who had sent her a text message - Cinder!
Neo opened up the message and scanned it over quickly.
She jumped out of the tub and got dressed, hurrying inside the house with scroll clutched tight in hand.
"We are not sleeping in a shelter," Cinder hissed. "We just called plenty of people, we can call someone again for a place to stay!"
"We're not sleeping on the ground because you have ego problems!" Flora retorted firmly. "Who are we going to call within walking distance for a night on the couch? Look, it's right there for us, so just humble yourself. You've done it before when it was necessary! Why is this so different?"
"I humbled myself when I had no other choice - and for very important reasons," Cinder replied, face hot. "And I didn't enjoy it when I did. And I told myself I wasn't going to do it again in life!"
"What's the difference between staying in a shelter for a night, and staying with Lisari and Jenna when you were a kid?" Flora questioned.
"That was- I was a kid, and I was- they were-"
"It's not humiliation, or- or weak, or whatever you think it is to just throw up your hands and get help however you can sometimes!"
"Help from- from people, from friends, not- not from-"
"Oh, so is that it?" Flora said, quite reasonable. "It's like your issues with Huntresses and Huntsmen. It's about society, about government - about authority? You don't want to accept any help from that because it's like admitting that it was never there to swoop in and save you as a little girl?"
"Can we not have an impromptu therapy session on the streets!" Cinder gritted, throwing up her hands and whirling away. "It is fucking humiliating to have all my problems yelled out to all of Valleth!"
"Well, either we discuss this out here, because you want us to sleep out here, or we go in there and at least get a private room," Flora said fiercely. "It's just for a couple of hours - it's almost morning light anyways - and then we can move on! No one ever has to know! Come on, Cinder - please, I promise you I won't think you're pathetic or something for it! I'll be doing it, too!"
"I just- I've never- do we seriously have to?!"
Flora took calming breaths and came to set a hand on Cinder's arm. "Look, no matter what you decide you're doing, I'm going in there for a nice, soft bed and a few more hours of napping until our friends get here. If you can stand to join me...just try to think of it as another hotel."
"No you're-"
"Excuse me?" Flora pulled her hand away and shoved her face in Cinder's, fury etched in every pretty line. "Were you just about to say, No you're not to me? And there are the control issues again; I guess we know we still have a lot to work on when we get back to Atlas - our therapist is going to love hearing about this one."
"I- I'm sorry!" Cinder looked down, clutching her arm. A breath hitched. "I j-just- I can't- why..."
Flora sighed, stepping back. "Because beds are nicer than concrete. It's that simple." She turned away, toward the building - but didn't set off for it.
A lengthy silence came between them.
Cinder filled it with hated sniffling. Why the hell did they have to do this? Why the hell had she done that to Flora? She didn't want to be that way, she didn't want to- she loved her, she...but even now, it was the way she was. She was just a bit better about hiding it these days; but would it ever really go away? Cinder needed it to - she couldn't keep being that way toward Flora. Flora didn't deserve it, it wasn't right, it wasn't...god, Cinder hated herself...
Suddenly Flora was whipping back around for her, a grin fixed to her face and a light in her eyes.
"I've got it; just, oh, think of it like you're sticking it to them by taking advantage of their moronic, open hospitality!" Flora exclaimed. Then, she continued on, adopting an unheard of sultry voice. Low, husky - alluring. "Stupid kingdoms and their stupid shelters - ripe for the taking! Call it- infiltration! Right? The pack of fools! Muhahahaha!" Flora swept an arm out theatrically, pointing at the shelter. "If all those idiots want to leave what they've got wide open, then we'll waltz right in and take it for ourselves! Claim it as ours without hesitation! Because it's their own damn fault for being so damn stupid! They might not have helped us before, or be willing to help us today, so by all gods we're going to walk in and help ourselves to all that they have! Neo style; anything that's not bolted down, we're snatching up for our own ends! And nobody is even going to realize we took it! Because they are just so stupid! What fools!"
Cinder stared, wide eyed. "Is t-that...what you think I sound like...?"
Flora put hands on hips, cocking her head and twisting her lips into an outright smirk. Or, something resembling one. It looked quite out of place there on her face, either way. "Oh, sweetie, I think you shouldn't be wasting your time questioning me when you should just be obeying me! The Kingdom of Vale is in for a rude awakening once it realizes we passed our way through it! I mean, really...do these cultist morons and low rent bounty hunters really think they can bring down the Fall Maiden - and partner? Do they think that stolen lien is enough to drive us to our knees? Hah, it's just so laughable! We'll turn the tables on them, as only we can do, and then we'll burn them to ashes and walk our sexy asses home with a swing in the hips! Because damn do we look fine when we do that!"
"Okay, okay - alright, I'll go in there with you! Just, please god, stop it! It's a terrible impression! I do not sound like that!"
Flora gazed at her sidelong, raising a hand to flourish. "But you do, babe..."
"Alright, I'm going, I'm going!" Cinder threw up her hands and stalked for the building's entrance.
"Hah! Of course you bend to my will, honey, for it's the will of Flora the-"
"Stoooooop! I am walking, see?"
Flora caught up to her and seized her arm, resting her head on her shoulder, smiling at her quite innocently. "I see that! I'm glad to see it."
"I'm glad you're back to being you again..."
"I don't know, I kind of liked being you. It was really confidence boosting! Is that why you put that act on so often?"
"You know it is..." Cinder murmured, cheeks hot. "We've had enough therapy talks about that part of my personality..."
"Well, I might just take that leaf out of your book again sometime - because that was great."
"Please don't; you don't need a coping mechanism like that in your life - not like me."
"Who says?" Flora pouted.
"The trained therapist we see every month?"
"Oh, fine. You do it better anyways. So effortless - even in battle!"
"Thanks..."
After a brief few hours of rest, Flora called to check in with Blake again - told her exactly where they were (to make Cinder squirm).
Cinder called home again for the third time in the last hour; Neo texted her back saying everything was as fine as ever in Mantle (but that Emerald hadn't left the girls' room for even a second). That was almost good enough news to put her somewhat at ease.
The door to their tiny - absolutely tiny - room was knocked on, and then opened.
"Cinder? Flora? I'm-"
Cinder rose to her feet and summoned twin blades of glass - and then she let them dematerialize.
"S-sorry!" Blake said, flushing, hands raised as she came through the doorway. "Sorry."
"I didn't even hear you coming down that hall," Cinder muttered, falling back onto the bed.
"I try not to be - sorry. It's just habit." Blake's cheeks were pink as could be.
"At least the enemy won't hear you either," Flora said brightly, moving to hug Blake. "Thanks so much for coming. We really need the help."
"I'm glad to help," Blake assured. "Although, investigating an attempted kidnapping and a shadowy cult also sounds like just the job for a Huntress!"
"I'm not paying you for this," Cinder said instantly.
"And I don't expect you to!" Blake laughed, rolling her eyes. "I'm only saying that it's more than personal connection that has me interested in the situation - I have a general duty to society, as a Huntress, to investigate all of this!"
"So you do," Cinder murmured, rolling her eye right back. Huntresses...
Flora checked her scroll, gave a shake of her head. "Qrow still isn't going to be here for another hour."
"You asked Qrow for help?" Blake said, shocked.
"Is that a problem?" said Cinder.
"No, of course it's not. I'm just surprised you'd reach out to him, too. Considering..."
"Considering what?" Cinder pressed.
"Well - you two weren't exactly best friends, even after Atlas," Blake explained, shrugging.
"We aren't," Cinder agreed. "But, he's competent enough, and has unique skills that can help us right now. I can't afford not to use those."
Blake smiled. "Right - that makes sense."
"Yes." Cinder hesitated, then she moved forward to imitate Flora in hugging Blake - much to Blake's surprise. But, to her credit, the girl said nothing about it; she just looked rather pleased with life. Cinder drew away quick, gesturing at a chair in corner of the little room. "Well, since we're going to be waiting a while, why don't you tell us how you've been lately?"
Blake nodded and sat herself down. "I'd love to."
Don't say a single word.
"It's a bit cramped in here."
Cinder glared murderously at Qrow Branwen.
"But hey, you make do with what you've got - I've holed up in worse places before," Qrow continued, shrugging.
"Have you found anything out about this Order?" Cinder snapped out.
Qrow shifted, ran a hand through his hair as he leaned against the wall. "Yeah. Yeah, I've found a couple of things out."
"Well?" Cinder said impatiently.
"Well...I found a nice, tight bundle of references in history books- to some 'Keshiri Plague' three hundred years back. Apparently, it was let loose on Remnant by the self proclaimed Order of Keshiri. But that's about all I found."
Cinder growled at him. "That's it?"
"Hey, I can't help it if history is vague as hell," Qrow replied, holding up his hands. "But you know what, I just might have a way you could get more specific details on that whole time period. If I'm not mistaken, we both know a guy who was alive three hundred years ago..."
"Ozpin. So he's reincarnated again?" Cinder said.
"Yeah - took a while, after...what happened to Oscar. Poor damn kid," Qrow sighed. "Ozpin was a mess over it - still is - but he's back, yeah. He got in touch with me months ago, and we've stayed in contact ever since."
"Where is he?" Cinder asked.
"Well..." Qrow pulled out his scroll, tapped at it with furrowed eyes; Cinder's gave a high trill in her pocket. "There you go: Oz's location, and I wired enough lien for public transport there and back. It's only a two hour trip. If you want to go interrogate the living hell out of him, be my guest; I'll stay here with Blake and look after your lady."
Cinder looked to Flora.
"Go," Flora said. "The more we know, the more we know what we're up against - I'll be fine with them."
"I'm- I'm sorry. I love you..."
"I know; it's just stress, and the fact that we have a lot to lose. But we're going to get through it. Together."
"Yes...alright, okay. I'll- I'll be back."
"I'll be waiting."
Cinder stepped off the transport truck and wandered the tiny village, in search of the one house she needed to find.
On western edge, she strode up to the door of one and gave a firm knock - it had to be the one.
The woman who opened the door shuffled back immediately, staring at her feet. "H...uhm...h-hi?"
"I'm here to speak with...Ozpin?" Cinder said awkwardly. Did she have the wrong place? No, Qrow's information had said it was this village - this specific little cottage on the western edge!
"...y-yes...I'll...let him t-talk..."
The woman startled, and she straightened with eyes that briefly flared emerald.
"Ms. Rynon," she spoke, now with total confidence. Or- "It is a great surprise to see you again. But I'm pleased to see you looking so well after our fight for Atlas."
Cinder cocked her head. "I had no idea you could take over the bodies of women as well."
"I do not take anyone over; the magic of the Gods merely selects a like-minded soul for me to be paired with. I have no control over the process - it can be women as much as men. Though, it rarely ever is, as a large part of being a similar soul includes the gender being the same as my own." She- he- Ozpin trailed off. "Though, I sorely wish I did have control; another child lost their life because of me."
"Are you planning on making her lose her life too, then? Do you plan on coercing her into going out to fight Salem too? Being your latest meat puppet? Just from those few seconds, I can tell that she won't be up to the task. She seems like an anxious wreck."
Ozpin looked away, sighing. "I...no, of course not. We're of the same mind on that front, Ms. Rynon. It is because of what happened to Oscar that I'm...inclined to do my best to let this woman live her life as it is. As she wishes. I wouldn't force her into anything. And, yes, you are right: Natalya is a very anxious and introverted sort. Not at all the type to become a fighter, even if I wanted her to try to be."
"Good. Now, are you going to invite me in?"
"Of course."
Ozpin stood aside; Cinder strode past him with her head high.
They sat together in a small, dirty, cluttered living room.
"It actually used to be much worse," Ozpin spoke, gesturing generally. "That is actually something I've been able to help her with since...getting here. Help she very much appreciates."
"I'm sure," Cinder retorted, mocking. It was a real treat to be able to let loose on someone like this, especially after recent events. And, well...she knew she'd never have gotten away with it with Salem...
Another sigh. "So then, what is it that brings you to me? I can only assume that Qrow was the one to inform you of my current...location?"
"Yes," Cinder said shortly. "Tell me, in the course of your very, very long life of body-snatching, have you ever heard of the Order of Keshiri?"
Ozpin's expression grew dark, and somber. He leaned forward, hands resting on his lap together quite naturally. "Unfortunately, yes - it is also a name I...hoped never to have brought to my attention again."
"Tell me what you know about them," she demanded.
"Of course," Ozpin said simply.
Blake's eye caught the motion.
The strange movement of shadows that shouldn't be moving at all.
She launched to her feet, drawing out her weapon in its gun form - aiming right at the wall, feeling a bit stupid about it (because what could you do to fight a shadow on the wall?). But she knew the description from Cinder and Flora, and so she knew some of what to expect out of it.
Qrow was up too, pulling out his new scythe in sword form; he put himself squarely between the shadowy wall and Flora.
"Hey, is this-?" Qrow started.
Flora gave a nod, face pale. "It's the same thing. Expect either tentacles, or someone to come stepping out of it to fight in person."
Qrow shook his head, gave a nervous chuckle. "Starting to think there's no end to how strange this world can get..."
"Focus!" Blake said sharply.
"Hey, I'm completely-"
The shadows burst out from the wall, and the room was filled with a multitude of harsh whispers.
Shadowy tendrils reached for them, unhesitating and incredibly fast.
Blake Shadow Cloned and dodged left, flipped off the wall to sail right. She backflipped with another Shadow Clone, slashing her weapon and blasting out an Aura beam.
The tendrils were destroyed - they dissipated in smoke - but then they reformed and came right back for them.
Qrow twirled his blade and turned to Flora. He ran at her, snatched her up and leaped out the window, shattering it.
Blake twisted and rolled under a tendril, came up out of it and quickly followed after them.
As she did, she glimpsed a hulking monster with a long beard and a face full of scars beginning to emerge out of the shadowy wall.
Oh, great. That looks like trouble.
Shrill screams rang out from the bedroom.
Neo jumped up from the couch, snatching up her umbrella and racing down the hallway.
Bae was hauling Maggy back down it Neo's way. Emerald was in front of them - had both her weapons in hand, guns aimed at some kind of terrifying monster.
It was some kind of twisted imitation of a woman, tall and burly, with horns and spikes all over, a whip-like tail ending in a stinger, massive claws of steel, and different kinds of eyes littering the face. The mouth was full of sharp teeth. There were giant mandibles attached to the jaws. The body was as dark as any other grimm, but none of the eyes were glowing red. They were mild blues, greens, and a few browns. Very human colors. The monster's hair was like steel wire, barbed and shimmering, strands screeching against each other with every motion of its head.
Neo dashed forward, pushing the girls behind her and pulling out the blade from her umbrella.
Emerald glanced back at them as she unloaded onto the monster with rapid Dust rounds. "You need to get them out of here - get them outside! I can take this thing!" Her eyes lit up with dark green flames. "Just keep them safe - Cinder's counting on us!"
Neo nodded, sheathed her blade and snatched up Maggy in one arm. She grabbed up Bae in the other and swiftly retreated back down the hall, making for the front door.
After making it out onto the streets with the children, she turned to watch as the light of magic and Dust flared out of the windows. As the sounds of battle raged.
And then the front of the house was exploding as Emerald came flying out of it, hitting hard and rolling across the street. It collapsed with a loud crashing sound; but that didn't stop the monster within. It emerged from the debris like it wasn't even bothered, shrugging stone and wood off like nothing.
The monster's gaze found Neo, and it gave a wide smile of sharp teeth. And then, it spoke - in a sweet, feminine voice. "We see you now, Neopolitan - and we'd love to have you with us. We could do so much to help you, to heal you. We could give you a voice! You, and-"
Emerald pushed herself up and flashed out a hand; intense flames burst forth to shroud the monster.
The monster turned back for Emerald, seeming largely unaffected. It fell down on clawed hands and bounded for Emerald like a primate.
"Neo, go!" Emerald yelled, backflipping as the monster swung its lengthy claws for her flank. She coated her sickles in electricity and began to leap about the monster, slashing and scorching beneath the skin of every wound she made to it.
Neo turned to run, darting down a narrow alley. She couldn't do more than a Maiden could here, and Cinder would kill her if she didn't run with her kids anyways!
"A little over three hundred years ago," Ozpin was saying, measured and quiet. "the Order of Keshiri used the Relic of Creation on themselves, in hopes of becoming more than human, than faunus, and even grimm. They, regrettably, became something like all three - and none of them. Veritable Chimeras. Yet also, something entirely new. Capable of still hiding behind human forms. They came to call themselves the Ascendants - a whole new species, as they believed of themselves. Their numbers were great, and spreading all the time. It was an epidemic, of sorts. Thousands of people were being...taken. Changed, by these- monsters, into still more of them. And not only physically; those who were taken had their minds warped, and...also linked with others like them. They all shared a psychic connection, it was learned. Allowing instant mental communication, and the ability to see and hear through each other's eyes and ears at any time."
"I believe that, at first, they may have had good intentions - to become so great and powerful that they could rid the world of the grimm, or to protect the people from them with ease of newfound power and strength - but, as these things often go...those noble intentions became corrupted by the godly powers they couldn't truly understand or control. In the end, I was forced to use the other Relics to seal them all away, somewhere they'd continue to exist yet be rendered harmless. Another dimension I created, much like I used the Relic of Creation to create the vaults that once stored the Relics themselves. In fact, it was the Order's very dimensional sealing away that inspired me to later create the vaults and tie them to the Maidens in the first place - after all, it had worked so well the first time I tried it. You could call it a test run."
"That's all very interesting; but what matters to me is that certain people harassing me lately claim to be modern members of that Order," Cinder responded. She hesitated. "Apparently, my birth mother is one of them."
"That's deeply troubling," Ozpin sighed. "While I did seal away the majority of their...ill-transformed members, there was still a certain minority of normal people belonging to the Order that remained within society - fringe, but remaining. They were fanatical, devoted, to that dream of ascension into something 'more.' And they remained well hidden. But without access to the Relic of Creation, and with no evidence of any further movement on their part, I assumed...I assumed that time had done its work, and they had merely fallen apart. Disbanded completely. The cause abandoned, and lost. But, evidently, that did not happen. If there remains a very real, acting membership of that Order in present times. And if they are in fact moving again...Tell me, if you would, everything that has happened lately."
Cinder obliged, recounting every detail she could.
Ozpin sat back at end of her tale, looking more worried than ever. "What you described, about the shadows becoming real, and this figure emerging out of them..." He sighed. "While I did seal away thousands of their numbers in another dimension, if even one of their Ascendants remained behind, the connection between them would act as a bridge between the two realms. It is through this bridge that they may reach out across the realms and observe the world. And even still, evidently, to some limited extent, interact with it. And," he concluded. "it would seem that their members that remained are even capable of utilizing this...bridge...to traverse the world instantaneously. A corridor between realms, exclusive to those of their nature. Highly fascinating."
"Could they try and go after the Staff of Creation again?" Cinder asked, pointedly ignoring everything Ozpin had just said.
"No," Ozpin said firmly. "While it is true that the Relic of Destruction could destroy the seal and set free their numbers, or the Relic of Creation could create a doorway to bypass the seal, or the Relic of Choice could be used to force me into undoing the seal for them that I myself placed...No. Even if they were to attempt to do so, they would not succeed this time. They have no way to access any of the Relics. Nor does anyone, now. The Relics have been relocated, hidden in a far different manner than before - I did realize, these past months now since my latest reincarnation, that what had held for this past century could not hold for further centuries anymore. So I decided to do something quite differently this time, to keep them out of Salem's hands...or anyone else's. Qrow helped me with this."
"Okay..." Cinder said slowly. "So then what do they even want?"
"Well, from what you told me of your encounter with that particular Ascendant: you," Ozpin said simply.
"I-" Cinder froze as a great swelling of whispers filled the room - so numerous it was as if they were yelling.
Ozpin's expression changed - overcome with an emotion Cinder could not recall ever seeing on the immortal wizard's face (not even when she had killed him before): fear.
"Get out of here, now!" he yelled, leading the way for the front door. He grabbed a familiar cane on the way out.
Neo skidded to a halt as flames roared overhead, and Emerald came down to land in front of her in the alley.
Relief flooded her at the sight of her friend!
"Is the monster gone now?" spoke Bae immediately, desperate eyes fixed on Emerald.
Emerald met Neo's gaze, shook her head. "Whoever these people are that are after Cinder, they're very powerful - and magical. There's no other way to explain- that thing just kept...reforming; I hit it with everything I could think of, I even decapitated it and it just came back together again - twice!"
"And it was incredibly painful - and rude."
Neo and Emerald turned as one, weapons drawn and ready; a woman came walking out of the alley wall, shimmering in shadows. She was tall and fit, with light blue eyes and an abundance of freckles. Long hair of golden hung in curls to frame her face, streaked with forest green highlights.
Neo glanced at Emerald; it was the same voice as the monster's, just not all raspy and garbled. It was clear and clean, light and friendly (if a bit disapproving at present).
The woman brought her hands together at her chest, her gaze squarely on Emerald. Almost looking...
"What?" Emerald spoke, lifting an eyebrow. "Are you waiting for an apology?"
"I'd like one, yes," the woman replied, frowning. "I only came here to give you all the most wonderous gift in the world: to help you, to heal you - no more sickness, no more dying! No more fear, no more arguments or misunderstandings, no more fighting!" Her light blue eyes fell on Bae. "And for you, and for the little cutie there too, you're going to get-"
"Don't talk to her!" Emerald spattered out a dozen Dust rounds into the woman's chest, sending her reeling.
The woman brought an arm over her chest, doubling over. Wisps of black smoke came from her wounds - before those wounds sealed before Neo's very eyes! She straightened, arm falling to her side again. "As I was saying, sweetheart, the Order is going to give you so many new friends. I've seen you at that school of yours - you don't have many. But we can change that! We have plenty of kids just like you with us, who'd love to talk and play with you-"
Emerald unloaded several bursts of Dust into the woman, stalking forward with jaw clenched. Once close enough, she lashed out with a roundhouse kick to slam the woman into the alley wall. She grabbed the woman's face and lit her palm up with flaring Maiden fires, scorching off flesh and muscle - bone deep! But with skin gone, Neo saw that her insides weren't quite normal; muscles were jet black, and as those went away, she saw her very skull was a glossy black, like it wasn't even bone, but something else.
Emerald dropped the woman without ceremony, standing over her with guns aimed at her smoking, exposed skull.
Neo watched muscles and skin regrow, forming over the skull like new in about a single second or two.
The woman pushed herself up onto her knees, gazing up at Emerald with outright offense now. "You're a very cruel young woman, little miss Sustrai."
"We don't need you giving the kid your psycho sales pitch," Emerald seethed. She put a gun's barrel directly against the woman's head.
"If you really want to talk about psychotic sales pitches," the woman began. "how about we talk about the one Cinder Aryle gave you? Or the one Salem gave you? Those were psychotic - evil, monstrous - setting grimm on cities, attacking innocent schools! And you want to say we're psychotic? What are we doing, compared to what you were doing? You were bringing down a nation, you were killing students, you were letting loose creatures of darkness on innocent people's homes! What are we doing? Just giving people the chance to be better, stronger, healthier and happier, to have friends, to be closer to people than you could ever dream of! And you want to try and pretend like you're the good guy here? What have you even done for anyone in this world except destroyed their lives?!"
The woman's chest heaved, and her cheeks flushed. Sparkling eyes turned again to Bae. A slender hand extended. "Come here; it's a crime for you to have to suffer a second longer in this world like this. For any child. But if you'd just come to me, I can make sure you never have to again! You never have to feel...how you did after your father was murdered - by a man who worked with the woman who took you in!"
"You're an evil liar!" Bae yelled out, anger in every inch of her small face. "Cinder would never do something like that - Emerald would never! You're just a monster!"
"That's right, she is - and we're done listening to her," Emerald said, a tremor to her voice. "You don't get to have some moral high ground; you broke into our house and tried to kill us! You came after us right here!"
"The house of a pack of terrorists who got off scot-free because of a corrupt general with a Council seat," the woman retorted. "But for the last time: I have no intentions of killing any of you! I'm only trying to make you all better - to help you!"
"Really?" Emerald twisted at the hips, showing off a flank of blackened, burning gashes in her ribs. "Because this sort of tells me a different story!"
"In order to help you, I need to perform a delicate procedure that requires you to hold still," the woman hissed, exasperation seeping into her voice. "You weren't holding still!"
"If the name of your procedure is 'death,' then I'm never going to let you do that to me."
"Nooo! You don't understand!" the woman wailed. Shimmering, wide eyes looked up at Emerald, past the barrel without a care. "Nobody understands, not until after! So if you'd just let me-"
"No! We're not letting you do a thing to us!" Emerald shouted.
"Just let me show you!"
Emerald fired three rounds into the woman's face and kicked her to the ground - and then she stomped on the back of her neck. "Neo: I'll take the kids, we'll meet up somewhere else later - I'll text you - I can travel faster than you."
Neo nodded. She handed Maggy off to Emerald, gave Bae a push toward her.
The woman at Emerald's feet stirred; Emerald blasted her in the head with several more rounds again, growling.
Emerald secured the kids, and flew off into the sky (worryingly unsteadily compared to Cinder's expert shows of flight, but Neo guessed she just had to have faith Emerald wouldn't drop them!).
Neo gazed at the woman recovering on alley floor. She pulled the blade from her umbrella, smirking. Someone who she could just hurt over and over and over again?
She was going to have a lot of fun!
Neo raised the blade high, high as her burst of manic euphoria...
And a hand flashed out to seize her ankle.
That hand was shifting, growing monstrous, and black tendrils were bursting out of it to burrow into Neo's leg!
She kicked and thrashed, stabbed the woman through the head viciously - but none of it did a thing!
The woman was rising from the ground, a monster again in full. Two powerful limbs held Neo now - an unbreakable grip! The stinger tail twisted around, and stabbed Neo through the throat, emerging out the back of her neck.
Neo gasped and choked, body convulsing as a burning spread through her...
"Just...hold still...and everything will be better soon..." the monster's voice rasped.
The burning was intensifying, it was bursting magma within Neo, every organ exploding, every vein melting to spill out into the rest with bubbling blood...
And then it washed away, and the most wonderful sensation overtook her in its stead...
Flora watched the two huntsmen fighting with the monster on the rooftop over from hers.
A monster with a familiar, long beard and a face littered with scars (twisted as that face was).
Qrow had ordered her to stay back - stay out of the battle.
She was listening, trusting the expert on the matter...but it killed her to inside; what was the point of all her progress these past two years now if she couldn't use it? Use it to defend herself for once, not just rely on everyone else around her (on Cinder most of all). Her latest sparring session with Cinder was still fresh enough in her mind, too - minus all of the sensual aspects and flirtations. And...
And Flora wanted to fight for her family, for her children - wasn't that her right, as much as it was Cinder's? They were partners for a reason, those children were both of theirs! Why shouldn't Flora be able to go for it, make a move on her own mind and merit? To be trusted to do something like that? She was just as capable! Why shouldn't she, instead of always hiding behind Cinder whenever a fight broke out? Whenever someone came to hurt them?
At the same time, Flora wasn't...exactly deluded; she knew she was far from a master of combat, or anything on the level of her Maiden of a wife. Flora knew it wasn't the smartest, or most rational thing in the world - but, emotions were already flaring and tensions were at an all-time high.
She focused on bringing up her Aura, and she took a running leap over to the next roof.
Flora hit and rolled, coming up stumbling.
She got her balance back and gave her arms a shake at her sides. She clenched her fists, drew breath, and then she threw herself forward with a burst of Aura and a yell.
"Hey!" Qrow turned and leaped out of the way, yanking his scythe back. "You need to stay-"
"Flora, get-!" Blake started, alarm on her face.
Flora slammed her fist into the monster's chest and shoved all the Aura she could into it; her soul's power erupted, and the monster was blown flat on its back with a loud roar.
The rooftop partially caved in under the monster, concrete shattering and flying in all directions.
Flora leaped atop the monster and slammed her fist into its face with a smaller Aura blast that had it crying out in pain. She punched again, and again! "Tell me - tell me why you want Cinder, tell me why you're fucking doing this to us! Tell me!" she screamed in its face.
The monster laughed, deep and booming. Many eyes blinked at her with sheer delight. "Flora Castella, what I can give you amounts to very little unless you're a member of our Order. I can give you my name, but not much else - it is Darbron Yuun. Although, I can also tell you that the Order wouldn't be opposed to you joining us along with your partner - you have as much of a fighting spirit as her. Your daughters would be welcome with us as well."
Flora roared and punched again. But the monster caught her fist in hand, stopping it dead. It didn't even feel to Flora like the monster was straining or anything. It sat up and gave a little shove, which sent Flora flying backwards.
Blake was suddenly there, catching her in mid air and landing on her feet with her. She set Flora down and fixed her with a very disapproving look. "That was so incredibly stupid! So stupid that we don't have time to talk about it right now. Just, please, stay back and let us handle this. Cinder will kill us if you die on our watch - literally, I'm sure."
Flora stood quivering as her Aura dropped, fists at her sides. She gave a short nod and took a single step back.
Blake and Qrow engaged the monster in earnest again.
And Flora stood there and watched. Again.
In the forest depths away from the little village, Cinder fought alongside the man she'd once killed against an enemy she just seemingly couldn't.
Spears and blades, blasts of fire, freezing and snapping off limbs with ice, scorching with electricity, hurling around the forest with wind - nothing worked.
Why did the world seem so damn intent on reducing her to powerlessness?!
"It isn't going to do any good," Ozpin said, breathless as he backflipped and skidded across hard dirt. "The only way to truly defeat anyone infected with the Keshiri Plague is to destroy every last cell in their body near simultaneously; otherwise they'll keep reforming!"
Destroy their entire body in one go? I can do that. Cinder leaped for the monster, seizing it by its horns and pushing Maiden magic into its body, intent on disintegrating it and scattering the ashes to nothing (like she had once before, in memory held so shameful now, to a girl named Pyrrha Nikos).
The monster's body lit up, pieces began to flake off of it, and then a spike-covered limb was flashing up to bat Cinder away - and give a good tearing up of her Aura on the biggest spike in the process. Cinder twisted wildly through the air and crashed through several trees before a large boulder finally stopped her. She hit the ground with a loud grunt, slammed her fist into the dirt and then launched herself to her feet again.
She flew for the monster again with twin swords in hand and a blast of Maiden fires from her feet.
The monster's arms came up suddenly, and a voice issued forth. "Stop!"
Cinder twisted her mouth into a snarl. No calling for time-outs just because you might lose! I'm going to burn you to hell!
There was a burst of green light, and then suddenly Ozpin was in front of her, arms spread wide. "Cinder, stop!"
She pulled back in the air and hovered, weapons grasped tight. "What are you-"
"We are not going to win this fight, clearly - not this way," Ozpin spoke, in level tones. "And if we aren't going to win with weapons, then we shall try another tact. Shall we? If they wish to end this pointless exercise, then why not indulge them?"
Cinder gazed past Ozpin, at the monster now standing motionless. "Fine." She set down on solid ground again, but kept her blades in hand. One of which she pointed at the monster. "You: Start talking! Why are you attacking me? Why are you trying to take me? What does your Order want with me? What does my mother want with me now? If I heard it right, she wasn't so keen on keeping me around when I was little," she finished, voice dripping with utmost derision.
The monster hunkered down, and then it was shrinking, and transforming, wispy smoke drifting off of it, and then only a human woman stood there in the forest. An ordinary woman.
An ordinary woman with long dark hair in a side ponytail, and eyes a deep brown. Eyes that swept Cinder over and took her in with such ravenous hunger, and shimmered with more in those depths than just...
"I only wanted to see you again - Just once...C-Cindy. Before we get on with things."
"...Mother," Cinder spat the word like the worst of all damning curses.
"Yes."
"Emerald!"
An unfamiliar voice called, catching Emerald's ear.
She turned - and stared.
"N-Neo? You...you talked?"
"Yep!" Neo's semblance rippled over her, altering hair and clothing from her usual into something...normal. Drab, dull. Black hair, green eyes, an outfit of plain black pants and a long sleeved top to expose midriff. She set her umbrella against the wall and swept over to Emerald, taking her into a hug.
"Uh...are you okay? Did you beat her? Or is this all because you...didn't?" Emerald said slowly, her mind whirling. What the hell is going on? Why is she talking?! Wait, did I ever know if she could even do that, or if it was an injury or a choice...?
Neo's hands roamed her back, patting and caressing at her. A sigh into Emerald's shoulder. "Neither! Emerald, we don't have to fight them at all; we don't have to kill anyone - good thing, too! I hate killing people. I hate hurting people. But now...I won't have to again!"
"What do you- what?" Emerald pulled away, holding Neo at arm's length. Staring into her face. There was joy there, there was honest to god relief, and there was... "What's wrong with you? Were you drugged?"
Neo, for the first time ever, laughed. It was short and quick, and deep - and came with an adorable snorting sound. "Em, nothing's wrong, I wasn't drugged! It's just like she was trying to tell us: they can help us - cure us! And she did, for me. Everything in here-" she tapped a finger to her head. "-it's all gone now, it's all crystal clear. It's better now! I could spend hours reading to Maggy, playing with her, I could have her in my lap or sleep with her in my bed and I'd never have to worry!"
"Wh...what? What're you talking about?!" Emerald felt like she'd fallen into a lunatic's dream. Or a nightmare.
"I've been ill, Em," Neo spoke quietly, ducking her head. That high, that joy of hers, was fading now. "Since I was a kid - it started when I was a teenager. I've hurt people, killed...and I couldn't help myself! But now I don't have to anymore; Lisume fixed me!"
"Lisume? She gave you a name?"
"In all that misunderstanding we were having back there, she forgot to give it," Neo stated. "But she fixed that with me now. I told you: we don't have to fight. We just had to talk it out together - and her and I did."
"Neo..."
"Yep?"
"Sit down, don't move, I'm fucking calling Cinder."
"Ok, sure! Oh, do you mind if I check on Maggy and Bae, though? Please? I can do that now! No problems!"
"I- I'd really rather you didn't," Emerald said honestly, hand drifting toward her weapon nearly subconsciously. Nearly.
Neo noticed; her gaze flickered down, then back up to her face. "Oh. You still think I'm drugged or something."
"I still do," Emerald confirmed bluntly.
"Ok, I'll wait right...here." Neo stepped away and plopped down on the floor, crossing her legs and leaning back on her arms. "Just hurry up with the call, please! I really don't want to waste any time now."
"Y-yeah...sure..." Emerald fumbled with her scroll, going through her contacts list with frantic fingers.
Cinder shoved past Ozpin and stalked right up to her mother, chin raised.
Stopping right in front of her, point blank, she glared at her mother with flaming Maiden eyes.
Her blades quivered at her sides, yearning to be raised. But we're not quite there yet.
"Why?" Cinder spoke, hard.
"Why what? Why did I wash my hands of you and your father? Why didn't I ever find you again, sooner than this? Why is the Order-"
"You know I want answers to all of those questions!" Cinder hissed, blade coming up in a flash to press to her mother's throat. A small smirk came to her. "And I'm going to get them - the only thing you get to do here is decide how painful it's going to be for you..."
Mother rolled her eyes, a hand came up to grasp Cinder's blade - and then push it away like it didn't matter. "Cindy, I deserve a lot of things - but not a sword to my neck. I won't tolerate that from anyone. Not even you. That's just...so overboard." A little snort, that for a moment Cinder mistook as having come from her own mouth.
Cinder swiftly swung her other blade around to replace the one her mother had removed. "You turned yourself into a monster. For what? Power? Status? Money? What was it for, and was it even worth it?"
Mother gave yet another eye roll, and swatted at the sword. "This isn't how I wanted this to go. It was supposed to be nice, and calm, and-"
"And I don't care," Cinder snapped. "You're going to tell me what I want to know, and nothing else; I don't care what you think, how you feel, or what you want out of this! Are we clear?"
"Cindy, I understand that this is a huge shock for you-"
Cinder dematerialized her left blade and seized her mother's neck in powerful grimm claws, growling like one herself. "Stop calling me that! You don't have any goddamn right to call me some cutesy nickname - like you care, like you...like you even raised me at all!"
"Cinder, then. All right," her mother said calmly. "This can all go so much smoother if you'll agree to stop being so-"
"It would have gone smoother if you'd knocked on the door, instead of coming out of a magical shadow portal with your disgusting claws swinging!" Cinder cut across. "I doubt you want to do anything genuine here. Not making up for lost time, not apologizing like a real human being - which would involve you being on your knees right now if you were serious! No, I think...this is either a stalling tactic for reinforcements, or you're trying to find some way to get me to drop my guard and capture me."
"But I do, Cinder. All I want is to tell you-"
Cinder squeezed. "I don't believe you! I'm not going to believe you!"
"Then we aren't going to get anywhere."
"Then we aren't," Cinder agreed.
Her mother's face changed. "But we do have places to be. Cinder, the reason I came to you, the reason the Order sent Darbron to meet you, we just want you back with us. The way you were meant to be. If I'd never...I screwed up, I know I did. But I want to fix that mistake now. You're very special, you're so- so special and beautiful, and I never saw it before, but I see it now. And we need you. The Order needs you. You're the-"
"I'm the key to victory? I'm the one you need? I'm your greatest asset?" Cinder interrupted, scoffing. "Spare me; I've heard all that shit before."
"But it's true! The very reason you were born was to do for us what none of the rest could ever do! All of us combined, and we can't - but you can!"
"And just what is it that I can do?"
Mother's gaze shifted to Ozpin. Hatred, disgust...and even fear in there. "You can set us all free, after what he did to us. Locked us away for centuries, in our own little world! Not only fighters, or soldiers, or adults - but children, Cinder. There are children behind the seal, by the dozens! Most of them haven't even done anything wrong. Certainly nothing to deserve three hundred years in another dimension..."
Cinder didn't move. "I can't tell if you're just trying to appeal to my limited compassion, or if you're actually telling me the truth."
"It's the truth," mother insisted. "But you can free them, you can free all of them..."
"I already have children to worry about - no thanks to you."
"C-Cinder-"
"They will all rot in there!" Cinder tightened her grip, brought up her other hand to grasp her mother's head, and she wrenched it to one side.
Her mother fell with a hard thud.
Dark smoke rose from her body, tendrils reached up from the ground to ensnare her, and Tyra Aryle disappeared.
"She is not dead," Ozpin said quietly.
Cinder grinned. "Lucky me; I'll get to do that a second time."
"Well...perhaps we should begin thinking of a way to put the information we've just been given to use."
"How so?"
"Theory and speculation could lead us to a concrete answer." Ozpin leaned on his cane, his expression turning to one of deep thought. "Something only I am aware of is that, in using the Relic of Creation on themselves, the Ascendants have gifted themselves a certain type of magic - a certain...portion. Not nearly so great as that of a natural born mage, like Salem and myself, but perhaps more akin to the Maidens. Though, in a world like today's, even that portion of power is not to be taken lightly." Ozpin eyed her a moment, pointed. "It is with this magic that I'm certain they can and have devised an alternative means of accessing their imprisoned - a means that just might involve yourself. As your mother just confirmed."
"How, exactly?"
"I couldn't say for certain - though, your mother could have," he added, with a disapproving look that had Cinder glaring back. "But the soul, and the magic of the Gods...are not things to underestimate."
"So you're useless then."
Ozpin laughed. When he regained himself, he studied her face intently. Searching for who knew what. "Tell me something, if you would, please: as far as you are aware, have your eyes always been that particular shade of amber?"
"Yes..."
"How curious."
"Mind explaining?" Cinder said, annoyed.
"Of course - forgive me. It's just that, well...don't you think that glowing orange eyes are a bit out of the ordinary? Can you recall ever seeing anyone else with eyes like yours?"
"Eye," Cinder gritted.
"Yes. So, you can recall no one else? Even your own mother just now had brown eyes - not amber. Curious, isn't it? I myself can remember only one other person in millenia of history with those same eyes."
"Who?"
"Imryll Mordeya."
"And just who is that?"
"Well, only the woman who founded the Order of Keshiri, and was the one to lay hands on and utilize the Relic of Creation three hundred years ago. To become the first of many to call themselves a whole new species: the Ascendants. The one who first began spreading their...plague across Remnant."
"What are you saying? That I'm related to her or something?"
"I think that it's highly likely by this point, yes."
"But she...is trapped in another dimension, isn't she? And my birth mother is Tyra Aryle. My birth father is Marcus Aryle. The Relic of Knowledge- Jinn- she told me herself. Unless you think she's somehow fallible."
"Well, the Gods themselves were very much fallible, Cinder. Why should any of their creations be different? Are we different, ourselves?"
"So, what, my parents aren't actually my parents - again?" Cinder snorted with utmost exasperation.
"Oh no, no - you misunderstand! The biological bodies that created you, and later birthed you, indeed were that of Tyra Aryle and Marcus Aryle. However, who can say if, during time of conception, either one of them was the one in control of either of those bodies?"
"You're talking about possession. Like some Geist grimm."
"Similar enough, yes," Ozpin said quietly. "I think that...if Imryll were to have taken possession over either one of them, her essence, her soul, and her unique magic, could have been poured into the new life created then. Fused with the new soul within your mother's womb."
Sheer terror exploded inside of Cinder. "So you think that I have Imryll's soul inside of me?! Is this like you, is she going to-!"
"No!" Ozpin said firmly. "No, I don't believe she could in any way consciously take control over you. I doubt she is like me in that way; it is likely her essence slumbers within you, unable to do anything else. Not at present, not on its own, at any rate. It would need..."
"What?"
"Feeding, is perhaps the best word. Feeding, and awakening."
"I-"
"I wonder just how much you took for granted that you were able to absorb and control the Maiden's powers, while being entirely removed from the system itself."
"Excuse me?" Cinder was getting tired of this old man's evasions.
"Did you think it solely to be because of the grimm fused to you? I think it's more likely that you were actually primed to accept and control magic all along - because you were already in possession of another soul, and the magic that came with it. Had you not been, I think you would have faced rejection. And I'm wondering now...whether or not Salem saw this in you, knew this about you. If that is why she chose you to begin with."
Cinder looked down into her lap, at her grimm arm laid across it. She flexed the claws, her mind in turmoil. "And did you know this about me, when we encountered one another in the Beacon vault? Did you know about Imryll, about some connection between us? Let alone her soul in me?"
"I had quite a lot else going on at the time," Ozpin said, with another pointed look. "But, yes, the unique resemblance of eye color was noted - and stored away for later musings."
Cinder clenched her fists in the ensuing silence. Like her heart was being clenched then, by some almighty force - imagined or not.
"Cinder-"
"You deal in body-thieving," Cinder said harshly, lifting her head. "You have more ancient magic experience than anyone else alive - you can take her soul out of me! You can get her out, you can do away with her. This can all end, and I can go home already without worrying about devastating my kids' lives!"
"Cinder, my power is at an all time low, and I'm not even certain I could do something about a soul-"
"Your contraptions at Beacon and Atlas were capable of transferring Auras - souls!" Cinder went on, relentless. "We'll go back there - either one - and we'll put me in it and you'll use it on me! It can work, it will work! Stand up and let's go!"
"Cinder, I can't, I'm terribly sorry, but this is a far different kind of situation than the Maidens!" Ozpin finally said, loudly over her.
"No it isn't, no it isn't, just fix me, just fix this dammit!" Cinder yelled in his face.
"You were born with this soul in you - and if I'm right, then further - fused with your own! From very conception! The Maidens don't even work that way! I could no more just remove her soul from yours than split yours in half! And that is nearly what I'd be doing if I tried what you ask of me! And if I were to rip your soul in two, you'd be rendered severely mentally damaged, robbed of most faculties, perhaps even entirely plunged into a comatose state! How would you go back to your children then? They would be the ones caring for you the rest of your life, instead of the other way around!"
Cinder whirled away - back again toward Ozpin. She lit her eye flames up and flew forward, taking him by the collar and shoving him into a tree. She raised a flaming hand and shoved it in his face, fingers curled into claws like that of her grimm. "Fix me, now - take it out! Or I'm going to-"
"What, Cinder? Are you going to mutilate the body of an innocent woman? As you yourself once were? What would Flora think of you then? What of your children?"
"H-help me," she said, in high tones. "Please..."
Ozpin raised his hands. "I will - I swear to you. But we cannot...be so reckless and hasty about it. Or the consequences to you could be...infinitely worse than anything else we might come up with. I understand how- how terrifying this must be for you...but we cannot give in to that terror, and let it control us. Do not let it control you, Cinder. You are the one in control - of yourself, your soul, and your life. No one and nothing else. Not your stepfamily, not Salem, not a single moment of your past. And not even Imryll Mordeya."
Cinder let him go, and stepped away. Her arms fell to her sides, her chin dropped to her chest. Tears rolled free from her eye.
Her beeping scroll pulled her free from the raging storm that was her mind and soul.
Automatic hands took it out - she tapped at it with quivering finger.
"Em-erald," she choked out, desperately trying to regain herself. "What is it?"
"The girls are fine - but, we were attacked by a monster. And now Neo is-"
"Lisume isn't a monster; none of them are monsters! She's just-" An unfamiliar, high voice cut across Emerald.
"-Neo's had her brains scrambled, and she's talking now," Emerald continued on firmly.
"Excuse me?"
"I know!" Emerald exclaimed. "It's really weird. That, and she keeps advocating for our attackers - claims it was some misunderstanding, that they just wanted to help us and talk!"
Ozpin's head came up, his eyes wide. "Your friend is infected. She's been taken by them. Ms. Sustrai, you need to get those children as far from her as possible! Keep yourself away from her. Do not listen to a word she says, do not let her near you! She'll try to do the same thing to all of you!"
"Get them away from Neo, right now!" Cinder yelled her agreement.
"A-alright! I'm on it!" Emerald ended the call instantly.
Cinder's violent tremors hardly helped her make her next call to Flora's scroll.