A/N: Nyarlathotep: Ugh... My head... I sense powerful imagination energy...
Azeroth: Taking you away?
No... Just... Why... You'll...
I'll what?
You'll... Float... Too...
...What?
You'll float too! You'll float too!
Team RWBY sat in Ozpin's office, slightly worried.
"First of all, Miss Schnee, are you all right?" Asked Ozpin.
Weiss nodded weakly. "Just... My weapon was the one that exploded in the match between us and her... And yet she was the one who took the brunt of the blow..."
"And you were all left practically unscathed." Finished Ozpin. "Meanwhile, it took her nearly three days to fully heal, and then she walks away like nothing happened."
Weiss nodded.
"We were trying to figure out how to apologize, when, out of nowhere, she knocked on our door." Began Blake. "She was wearing something different. She told us that an apology was unnecessary. Then she just left. No warning."
Ozpin's eyes narrowed. "Do you know where she went?"
"No." Said Ruby firmly.
Cinder was not simply upset.
She was pissed.
First, Neo had been acting weird for the past month.
Second, that Miandui girl randomly slammed her into a wall so hard that she passed out.
Thirdly, after waking up, and retreating to Neo's hideout, she discovered that the place had been trashed in the twelve hours she had been unconsious.
Apparently, according to Neo, who was a sobbing wreck, for the past month she had been the plaything of a giant squid-thing that ripped her arm off so it could take Neo's form.
Neo kept saying something about being defiled.
She had claimed that, today, she had heard battling, with a large amount of screaming, for a space of about three hours. Then she had been freed. By a monster, covered in blood.
It had called itself Miandui Ta, 'The Face Eater'.
At least, according to the screaming Neo had heard from outside.
It was time to confront Miandui Ta.
And see what she knew.
She was coming.
The smell of an extinguished fire.
It proclaimed her.
It was her.
Ashes.
No. Cinders.
Could she stand to see what the God Of A Thousand Faces could show her?
No.
No one could.
She was so hungry.
She would not be able to eat, though.
Oh, the fun she'd have.
She was a monster.
But she was more than her.
Miandui would annihilate Cinder.
But... Miandui?
Was that right?
No. It didn't seem...
It.
It.
IT.
Yes.
Robert Gray would meet Cinder.
Bobby was the favorite face.
The Deadlights.
They would annihilate her.
It was time.
Time to prepare.
Doesn't every child love a clown?
Bill did.
So did Ben.
And Beverly.
And Mike.
And Richie.
And Eddie.
And Stan.
Especially Stan.
He was floating too.
She'd float too.
They'd all float.
Not RWBY, JNPR, or CFVY.
Not Emerald.
Not the weaklings, CRDL.
Not the staff.
Not them.
Nor others.
Neo. Roman.
They interested her.
No.
Not them.
Cinder would float.
Mercury would float.
Adam would float.
Tyrian would float.
Robert Gray didn't like Tyrian.
He'd hurt Qrow, after all.
Rather, he would.
Tyrian would be given the honor of seeing true despair.
His goddess would insult him.
Salem would kill him.
Hazel and Watts would float.
Salem...
WOULD DROWN.
Wait...
Wasn't Robert Gray dead?
Yes.
How strange.
She'd forgotten.
That she'd given the children the power to kill IT.
She'd made IT.
Along with the turtle.
She could always steal ITs face.
Or, rather, eat it.
In the dining hall, five minutes before Cinder made her way there, Miandui laughed.