Chapter Six – The Ball

Warning: This fanfic will spoil the events of RWBY up to Volume 5. The story picks up immediately after the events of Downfall

"B... R... E... A... C... B-Breach!"

"Ma'am, target is moving down Corridor 6-"

"Camera 347 is down- "

"Camera 348- "

"361- "

"He's moving. Fast."

Neo sighed and slapped her face with her palm, her triple colored hair rapidly flushing between pink, brown and white. She shoved the surveillance trooper aside and pulled up Camera 347 for its last frame before it was destroyed. She squinted her eyes at the poor resolution but she could make out the blurred figure. Dressed in a black stealth suit armed with a single crescent silver blade, Neo knew at once who she was dealing with.

"Orders Ma'am! Should we alert Lord Jansen- "

The command center echoed with the furious scribbling of pen on paper, and all the troopers fell silent. Neo held up her drawing block - [Not HE you incompetent idiots, SHE. You useless bums have been bested by a crippled girl. Lord Jansen has other things to deal with tonight, I'll deal with her. Force her down toward Corridor 9 - it's a choke point, I'll intercept her there.]

Neo fitted her helmet over her head. Her helmet heavily contrasted that of her subordinates, instead of its usual dull tactical gray, Neo's was stylishly painted with her favorite bubblegum pink. The helmet was waxed and polished till it shone bright from its mirror finish. She jettisoned her rifle, choosing to arm herself with her lacy pink umbrella instead. With a push of a button, the tip of her umbrella spewed a gleaming silver blade concealed within its central tubing. She inspected it with a satisfied grin then lowered the visor of the helmet to conceal her heterochromic eyes. This is for you, Roman.

From her perch atop the porcelain-tiled roofs, Cinder watched the steady stream of guests gathered at the gatehouse of the White Castle like a hawk. She then turned her eye to the high outer walls to count the troopers patrolling the castle as they passed through the gaps of its crenelations.

Six guards. It's going to be an easy brute force entry. How's that sound?

Brute force? Have you gone mad Scarface? Just going up those walls will cost us almost all our Dust supply. Why can't you just go in like every body else?

Because clearly I'm not every body else. I'm not invited. And stop calling me that.

Scarface? Nah, it's grown on me, I'm sticking with it. You could give me a shitty nickname in exchange you know.

Remind me again why am I even entertaining you? Let's see you're just an arm so... Armiel.

AHAHAHA what? How bad are you at names? You should have chosen to be the Winter Maiden, maybe the Relic of Creation could create some creativity for you.

SHUT UP!

Cinder narrowed her eye, watching the legions of Remnant's richest and most influential people make their way into the White Castle.

Armiel, what's the plan for getting past the front gate?

I need you to get closer, I'll figure something out when we're down there. I've got the power over Knowledge after all.

Yeah. Just a real small portion of it.

Still cleverer than you, Scarface.

Cinder sighed. She leapt from her perch, snapping her fingers as she somersaulted mid-air. A brilliant vermilion flame engulfed her body and when she landed gracefully on the ground, she was dressed in her long flowing black dress that shimmered with the light of its woven Dust particles. The dress exposed Cinder's back, her back that now no longer showed her iconic emblem between her smooth shoulder blades. Vanity still burned deep within the fallen Maiden, she designed her dress so that it was translucent in areas where Cinder had not been scarred, she was desperate to show off what precious little that remained of her beautiful body. She chose to drape her now shoulder-length hair over her left face to hide her ugly scars instead of a mask. Long sleeves and black gloves covered both her arms, but while her right was snug and form-fitting, her left hung comparatively loose to break the shape of her ugly gnarled Grimm arm. To top off her look she wore thin black stockings with a matching pair of obsidian black heels that rang pleasantly in her ears with every step she took.

You know Scarface, you're actually really hot. Even as a Grimm, I must say I'm quite turned on.

Don't patronize me, you sad excuse of a Grimm. Flattery isn't going to talk me out of doing this-

Is it wrong for me to offer my honest compliments?

It's not. Sigh... you should have seen me back in the day before all this.

Oh yes, I would have loved to do nasty things to you.

Cinder strutted confidently down to the gatehouse. Heads turned, eyeballs followed her as she brushed past the guests and lined up behind a woman with snowy white hair.

Well, let's talk business then Scarface. That maneuver you pulled, that dress-change thing?

Cinder folded her arms and tapped her feet impatiently, her foul fiery temper started to build up as she queued for her turn to enter the White Castle.

What about it?

Yeah it just cost us 5% of our Dust supplies. Try not to do that again unless we have to.

So nice of you to point that out.

"That is ridiculous! What do you mean I'm not on the list?" fumed the woman in front of Cinder, she too had her arms folded in frustration. She had long snow white hair tied into a tight bun, her fringe cascaded down the by side of her face. She wore a long white coat over her dark blue vest with her long white pants tucked into her silver boots. Military, judged Cinder eyeing the saber that hung from her belt, Atlesian at that.

"James. Ironwood." repeated the white-haired girl, rolling her light-blue eyes at the guard blocking her entry.

"Yes Ma'am. His name is on the list, but yours isn't- "

"Look sweetheart, I don't have time for this," lashed out Winter Schnee impatiently. "James Ironwood finds himself indispensable tonight."

"Yes Ma'am. I'm still going to nee- "

"So I, Winter Schnee, Ironwood's most trusted assistant and the eldest daughter of the man who actually owns this goddamned castle will be taking his place tonight. You can either stand aside now, or you can risk your precious Lord Jansen's wrath if he needs to come pick me up personally."

Cinder's turned her gaze, squinting her good eye to scrutinize the white marble walls of the castle. Winter was right - every single slab of stone had the words Schnee Dust Company carved into its corner.

The guard gasped at the mention of Jansen Arygyros' name and stepped aside visibly traumatized, allowing Winter Schnee to pass into the inner bailey and courtyard unhindered.

"Alright next," sighed the guard, returning to his clipboard.

"What's your name Ma'am?" he asked Cinder listlessly.

Crap. Armiel what was the solution again? Now's the time.

Sigh. I'd thought the solution was pretty obvious after watching what that woman di-

What? No. No it isn't-

Are you serious Scarface? Just give them anything, then intimidate that gutless gatehouse guard with his LORD Jansen's nam-

That's it. I'm calling it. You're useless.

"Jessica," lied Cinder. She immediately regretted her decision. She buried her face into her right palm, flushing red at how stupid she must have sounded, but her left hand crept slowly towards the handle of her sword Silver's Cry, preparing herself for a brute force entry.

"O-Of of course you are!" exclaimed the soldier in delight. "I am soooo sorry! I get it now - you're so into your character I couldn't recognize you! For the record, I'm a HUGE fan."

Cinder forced an uneasy shaky smile and slid past the guard laughing to herself awkwardly. She made it through somehow. She quickened her pace into the statue filled courtyard before the guard realized his stupidity and changed his mind.

Jessica?! Where did you get tha-

Heck it just popped up in my head. Who the hell cares? It worked.

Sigh... With luck like this we might just make it ou-

Don't count on it, Armiel. We're not making it out alive. We've talked about this.

The White Castle's courtyard was heavily littered with tall white marble statues of dragons, spewing fire from their jaws, rearing up on their hind legs spreading their menacingly large wingspan glaring down at the people below. Cinder strolled past the statues paying little attention to them, she had her amber eye fixed instead on the castle's keep that she knew Jansen Argyros would be in. She quickly ran her fingers across the ruby rose shard in her hair and her heart burned with her thirst to avenge Ana, an innocent girl wrongfully slain because of Cinder's lack of power, tonight she was going to make right what was wrong.

Cinder strolled past two long corridors before stepping foot into the Great Hall. Aptly named so, the hall was enormous even for a castle's standards, the Lord of Mantle-3 had a distinct taste for lavish vanity that made even Cinder smirk with approval as soon as she laid her eye on it. The Great Hall was lined with rows of towering windows, an absolute abomination from the perspective of a castle's practical defense, but was incredibly gorgeous to look at. Massive chandeliers shimmering with the best and brightest gemstones from the Dust mines hung from the high ceiling that seemed to stretch on for an eternity and at the end of the Great Hall sat Jansen's monstrously large empty white throne. Constructed entirely from Dust of all seven colors, the fusion of the Dust crystals formed an iridescent white amalgamation that was then eventually carved into a seat fit for a king - a symbol, a reminder to all the peasants that Dust was Mantle-3's most precious resource and the lord who sat on a heap full it held absolute power over them.

Cinder sat herself down by the bar and waved for the bartender.

"What can I get you tonight Ma'am?"

"Shirley Temple." replied Cinder.

The bartender handed Cinder a blood red mocktail, a mix of ginger ale with a splash of grenadine syrup then garnished with a slice of lemon and a single succulent cherry. She sipped her drink, savoring its sweet fruity flavor slowly while scanning the Great Hall for her target.

Non-alcoholic. Are you a lightweight Scarface?

Of course not. But I'd rather not let alcohol affect my judgment tonight. We've got work to do.

If it were my last drink, I'd make sure it was alcoholic-

Do you have anything useful to say? Anything at all.

Haha I thought you'd never ask. I've been conducting my own survey of the castle, I've pretty much memorized the architecture we've laid eyes on so far. You can thank me later.

Excellent. And Jansen...?

Ten o'clock. He's headed towards that woman we met at the gatehouse.

Winter... Schnee?

Yes Winter. A very interesting name I must say. Are you thinking what I'm thinking Scarface? Cinder...?

Cinder ignored the Grimm, instead her attention was fixed on Jansen Argyros. His bright blond hair was carefully swept to the left of his face to show off his beautiful features. The Lord of Mantle-3 wore a midnight blue three-piece suit and a matching pair of dress pants with leather shoes. To Cinder's delight he was not wearing any armor, but she noticed his iridescent silver blade hanging at his belt and she cursed.

Winter Schnee felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She wheeled around to face the one person she dreaded to meet tonight.

"May I have this dance, my lady?" Jansen bowed, extending his hand towards hers.

Winter frowned and declined politely.

"I'd expect Ironwood to be most displeased if Mantle-3 were to pull out all our Dust exports to Atlas," said Jansen in a dark voice, his face soured and his handsome features now became a terrifying sight to behold. "That would make Father really happy I'd imagine? Prices soar as Dust supply dwindles, is Remnant truly finished this time? What a headline that would b-"

"That's enough Jansen," interrupted Winter, she dipped her head and reluctantly took Jansen's hand. As their hands connected, an old fire kindled amidst Winter's frozen heart and the Ice Queen struggled to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.

"How long has it been since we- "

"Four years."

"Has it only been four years? My, my... the way Ironwood dresses you these days... You look just like one of my lackeys."

Winter held back her anger. She didn't take insults to the Atlesian Military or James Ironwood lying down, but tonight it was different. The fate of Atlas' supply of Dust depended on her temperance.

"Have you spoken to your Father- "

"We haven't spoken in years. I don't plan to end that tonight."

"Most disappointing, Winter. The SDC's influence grows larger every day, and so will Father's reliance on Mantle- "

"Father..." chuckled Winter, her voice filled with disappointment. "You talk as if he was your father. Your real father loved you and-and yet you..."

"Drove a sword through his back?" finished Jansen, not a single hint of remorse in his voice. "I disposed of a weak and foolish old man too cowardly to take his rightful place to rule over these wretched people. Too afraid of his own destiny. But I'm not my father. I'm stronger than Jonathan Arc could ever imagine to be."

"Jansen, those were just stories!"

"Just stories? Nonono those weren't just stories, Winter. They were my life."

"Stories fed to you by Jacques Schnee. Father is using you Jansen. He is the true Lord of Mantle-3. The writing is on the wall Jansen, its all over your castle. Wake up!" cried Winter lashing out her anger, tears rolled down her cheeks and they stopped dancing. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of her father Jacques Schnee staring at the couple, flanked by his elite guard Laevro and Dextro.

"You know all of this could be yours too, Winter- "

"Yeah? I never asked for any of this. But when will it be enough for you? Another castle? A castle in every kingdom? You've changed, Jansen- "

"No. You've changed, Winter." replied Jansen coldly. His emotionless silver eyes fell on Jacques Schnee, the President of the SDC beckoned him, tapping his silver wristwatch furiously.

Jansen nodded and he tore his hands away from Winter. The fire in her heart flickered and died, with it she lost all her strength, her legs buckled and she fell on her knees, but Jansen Argyros never turned back, instead he continued to follow Jacques Schnee, the two men were laughing. Winter sank deeper, tears streamed ceaselessly as she clutched her chest that hid her broken heart.

Armiel, he's leaving.

Yes yes he's leaving, big fucking deal. I bet he's got a thousand other guests to entertain-

Cinder traced Jansen's movement. The Lord of Mantle-3 trailed after Jacques Schnee into a dark room flanked by a pair of knights in shining white armor. The door was immediately locked and guarded by six guards in gray armor.

No, he's leaving with the President of the SDC. Whatever business they have, they intend to discuss it far away from here. Where does that door lead to?

Well, if my predictions are correct, it should lead up to the Donjon-

Speak english, genius.

It's the highest tower of the castle, you idiot.

The one with the big ugly ballista?

Yes that one. The Donjon is the most secure room in the castle, that door is the only way in or out, but I've got a plan around it. Take a turn around that corridor leading to the Great Hall, we'll try to get to it from the outer walls. We might need to pass some guards, but they'll be coming at us in small numbers, we shouldn't have any problems with them.

Cinder's heels clacked furiously as she scurried out of the Great Hall.

"Hold it there, Ma'am! Who goes there?" yelled a guard.

Cinder sighed. Lightweight. Immediately she pretended to be drunk, clutching her head and wobbling towards the guard. She threw herself into his arms and the revolting stench of sweat under his armor filled her nostrils but she resisted the urge to throw up, instead she held her breath and began to feel the guard with her fingers. Her head rang with the Armiel's fanatical laughter, clearly the Grimm was enjoying at the situation Cinder was forced into.

"M-Ma'am I'm going to need to see some kind of identificatio-"

"Siiiiirrrr..." slurred Cinder, she pressed her chest onto the guard and he stiffened. "I-I... think I've had ahahaha... one tooooo much... which waaay back toooo... the hall?"

The guard shoved Cinder away, his rifle made a whirring noise as it charged up its non-lethal round, pointing the barrel at the fallen Maiden.

"Ma'am keep your distance from me. I'm going to need to see- "

"Identification, yes I get it," interrupted Cinder, her head tilted to one side in frustration. Nobody had ever resisted her charm. Nobody. Not even women. Especially not when she offered to let them touch her perfect body. "Baby because I think you're cute, I'm going to cut you one last offer. Turn around, pretend you didn't see me and maybe I might even let you feel me... Oh and you'll get to keep your head on your shoulders."

More foot steps echoed along the corridor. Two more soldiers showed up both pointing their barrels at Cinder and she sighed.

"Ma'am we have reason to suspect you are a wanted person. I'm going to need to se- "

Cinder ignited the Dust woven into her dress with her Aura, a brilliant rainbow flash blinded the guards and she attacked. Her Grimm arm became a black blur, stretching to anatomically impossible distances, destroying the cameras on the wall just as she sprang forward with the force of the ignition, with a single slash of her sword she decapitated the guard. Vermilion flames engulfed her body and Cinder swapped out her dress for her black stealth suit - she knew needed all the mobility she could get to silence the guards as quickly as possible.

The two guards were stunned as they witnessed the horrid sight of the corpse of their headless comrade. They instinctively aimed their rifles at Cinder and pulled the trigger but it was already too late. Cinder threw a handful of Dust and a dozen shards of razor sharp glass materialized, piercing the rifles and jammed their firing pins, rendering their guns useless. Gunshots were loud and messy, they were a sure-fire way to draw attention. As such, Cinder took extra steps to ensure the guards would not be able to successfully squeeze off even a single round. A flash of crimson and Silver's Cry severed the arm of one guard, but before he could scream at the stump his missing hand, Cinder drove Silver's Cry down his gaping mouth and through the back of his skull, impaling him to the wall. Her Grimm arm reached out an unnatural length, grasping the last guard by his helmet, crushing it effortlessly with the herculean strength of a Grimm, bits of gray matter and caked blood splattered across the white interior of the corridor.

80% Dust left, and watch that body count Scarface. We're piling up more bodies than we can mop up already.

Which way to the Donjon? And no, we're not mopping up. We're on a timer now, reinforcements are coming soon.

Cinder sprinted down the corridor, conjuring shards of glass that destroyed the cameras as she passed.

Timer? What are you talking about? You silenced them all didn't yo-

That last guy managed to get off a message.

What message?

Sigh... All that Knowledge wasted on a Grimm. Not all language is spoken, Armiel.

Cinder smiled to herself, basking in her superiority. Finally, something she knew more than the Grimm.

Don't gloat you idiot. Alright, alright you win this time. Get to the point already.

It's Morse Code. These assholes have been communicating by clicking their walkie talkies with long and short taps.

Cinder's skidded to a halt as she turned the corner and she tightened her grip on her crescent silver blade when she saw her adversary. A diminutive soldier dressed in her well-starched white uniform and long pants with brown boots stood in Cinder's path, blocking off her access to the narrow doorway behind. The soldier's flamboyant bubblegum pink helmet obscured her face and concealed her identity, but Cinder could tell from her battle stance that this soldier was something else.

Under her helmet, Neo grinned.

A bright flash of vermilion. Cinder ignited the Dust in her stealth suit, launching herself forward instantaneously closing the distance between them both, bringing her shining silver sword down. Neo somersaulted sideways and met Cinder's blow with a high guard using her lacy pink umbrella. Cinder scowled and disengaged, clearly frustrated she didn't take Neo out with a single strike. The two traded blow for blow evenly, it was gradual but Neo could feel the vast difference in their swordsmanship, Cinder was outmatching Neo with every blow. Even without the power of the Fall Maiden, Cinder firmly retained her skill as a master swordsman, but Neo knew from her clash with Jansen in the Dust mines that fights almost never boiled down to who was the better swordsman.

Neo leapt forward, feinting her first strike and Cinder took the bait, slashing at the air and leaving her side exposed. Neo pounced at the opportunity, she pushed the catch on her umbrella and a gleaming silver blade erupted from the tip of her umbrella. She thrusted the umbrella forward like a rapier with a strike that would have pierced Cinder, fatally puncturing her vital organs but instead it ground to a halt inches away from touching her waist. Cinder's ugly grafted Grimm arm stretched out and grabbed the umbrella by its pink canvas. A maneuver that would have fractured a normal person's arm due to the anatomical limits of their joints was instead made possible by how malleable her new arm was. The Grimm wrung the umbrella from Neo's hands with its superhuman strength, forcing Neo to activate her Semblance. While Neo had her helmet on, it concealed her identity; she still held the edge of surprise, Cinder still had no idea who she was or what her Semblance did.

She conjured a mirror image of herself while the real Neo re-positioned herself behind Cinder with her bladed umbrella ready to lance the fallen Maiden from behind. The mirror illusion shattered as Cinder landed a deadly draw cut on its torso and Neo thrust her umbrella once again. Fully anticipating the backstab, Cinder parried the blow without even looking behind her back. Neo gasped silently in disbelief, even the loss of her left eye had not dulled Cinder's instincts as a swordsman in the slightest. Cinder rammed the pommel of her sword into Neo's helmet and she was knocked off her feet, crashing into the door she was guarding.

"If you know what's good for you, stay down Honey," whispered Cinder condescendingly. "Last warning."

Neo got to her feet defiantly, she threw aside her ruined bubblegum pink helmet and whipped free her triple colored hair. Cinder's amber eye widened with shock when she saw Neo. Neo grinned and held high a pre-written drawing block - [This ends here tonight, Cinder Fall. You will pay for taking Roman Torchwick away from me.]

The corridor echoed with Cinder's fanatical laughter.

"Me? Pay for what happened to Torchwick? What about you? You let Ruby Rose get to Beacon tower. You failed your only job. You let her do THIS to me," Cinder pulled her fringe aside, revealing her horribly scarred left face and her missing eye. "I'll let that slide. But you're one of Jansen's lackeys now. YOU pulled the trigger that killed Ana. You're all going to pay for what you did to her. When I'm done with you, not a single scrap of ash will remain of your body."

Neo quickly scribbled on a fresh drawing block - [I didn't have a choice.]

"Bullshit," retorted Cinder, her voice shaking. "Everybody makes choices."

Another ignition of Dust and Cinder shot forward, closing the distance with impunity once again. Neo focused all her Aura to project her Semblance, the narrow corridor warped and twisted and became a massive mirror maze, endless reflections surrounded the two girls mimicking their every move. Cinder screamed at the sight of her own reflections, the once mighty Fall Maiden was now reduced to the pathetic state of a frightened little girl shivering on her knees, hacking and slashing frantically at every reflection, her own as well as Neo's. Her Grimm arm thrashed around randomly, scoring long deep claw marks into the carpet and marble walls. Neo grinned, she knew she had driven Cinder deeper into insanity, she picked up her umbrella and approached Cinder slowly, her smile widening.

Neo raised her umbrella triumphantly, ready to impale Cinder this time. A flash of silver and Neo was disarmed, she gasped silently in shock. Her umbrella spun high in an arc and landed on the carpeted floor. Cinder got to her feet and gazed confidently into Neo's eyes with the edge of her silver sword pressed into Neo's throat. Cinder had put up an act and Neo fell for it.

"Cheap party tricks, Captain Neo. I expected more from you," grinned Cinder, her sword gleamed iridescent from the chandelier lights that hung above them. "Reflections are supposed to produce non-superimposable images. Left becomes right, right becomes left. Leaving asymmetrical claw marks on the floor immediately exposed what was real and what wasn't. All that was left was for me was to throw my ego away, get on my knees and wait for you to come to me. It worked perfectly. It's over now, Neo."

Neo grit her teeth and somersaulted out of Cinder's reach, forced to abandon the doorway she was tasked to guard - it was her last ditch attempt to defeat the fallen Maiden. She spun and landed gracefully on the carpeted floor, straight into the waiting arms of the angry orange glyphs under her feet. Cinder had calculated and covered all her options, Neo was never her match, the fight was over the moment she chose not to stay down. The glyphs vibrated and let out a terrible high-pitched whistle, Neo raised her hands to defend herself instinctively but she knew without her Aura, the explosion that ensued would surely be her end. She closed her eyes and embraced death, maybe it wouldn't be so bad, she would be with Roman again. She waited. And waited even longer. But nothing happened. Was this death? Was it that simple? Neo had not expected death to be this painless.

She slowly opened her heterochromic eyes. The corridor illuminated by chandeliers came into view, its pristine white marble walls scarred by claw marks from the Grimm arm. Except Cinder was no longer in sight. Neo slammed her fist into the wall when she realized what Cinder was up to - she had been outplayed at every turn. Cinder never ignited the amber glyphs. She probably never intended to either. An explosion would have attracted attention, which in turn would have alerted her real target, Lord Jansen. Neo had already willingly abandoned guarding the doorway, killing Neo was unnecessary. Neo searched her uniform for her walkie talkie but it was gone. She cursed a silent curse. Did Cinder foresee even this? The fight itself, choosing to engage in melee combat just so she could pilfer the walkie talkie from her. Neo's hair rapidly flushed between pink, brown and white in stress, she had failed to defend Lord Jansen and she knew first hand how well the Lord of Mantle-3 took failure.

Author's Notes:

This is the longest chapter, so naturally it took me a tad longer to get it up. Alot happens this chapter, but every chapter has been very fast-paced anyways. Not much for me to say that won't spoil further events. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, please do leave a follow, favorite or review if you did and would like to see more. Cheers!