Writes story about a dream-based Semblance.

No one falls asleep for, like, six chapters.

Cover Art: Curbizzle

Chapter 90

Cinder didn't protest being disarmed. Not that she had much on her anyway. Watts' angle was that she'd forgotten about her Semblance and its ability to conjure weaponry, since he'd replaced her memories with ones of a civilian life. By all accounts, she shouldn't know what she could was capable of, and that'd act as a negative placebo that prevented her using her Semblance.

Watts took them off the ship and away from the Grimm-infested waters, off the pier but not toward the forest. He had parked his Bullhead behind a storage warehouse, out of sight from the direction of Beacon where they'd come from.

"If you think we're getting on that with you, you've another thing coming," said Weiss.

"I'm well aware our level of trust is not yet that high."

"Mostly because you're continuing to be vague on what it is you want from us."

"From Jaune's Semblance," Blake added.

Watts chuckled. He kept his gun on them and Jaune wasn't sure why. The man had to know it'd do him no good. Was it a nervous tick? Some effort to feel in control? If any of them could pilot a Bullhead, they might have subdued him and taken it already, but they couldn't. Piloting licenses weren't something they handed out to first-year students.

"What I don't want is him in my dreams toying around with my mind and body. I like to think I've earned some small amount of faith."

"For this?"

"Not only this. I kept Salem from finding you after your date with your lady friend. I steered her the wrong way. Bought you time to escape."

Had he? There was no way to confirm that as fact and yet it had been awfully convenient Salem hadn't chased after them. Watts pointing her in the wrong direction would explain it, and it was no different to what he'd done here.

"Why?"

"Self-preservation, mostly. Salem would have kept you in her tower. You'd be a coin toss between her dreams and mine, and would no doubt feel rather vengeful over your abduction. She might not care about that, but I certainly do."

It was sensible if nothing else.

"But even beyond that, why would I want her to any more powerful than she already is? You're aware of her end-goal, no? To destroy all life on Remnant. While I agree that culling the world's population bar me would greatly improve the average intellect around here, it's still not something I really fancy."

"Then why join her at all?"

"To serve my own ends, of course. Why else? No one ever said I'd have to stay along for the ride. People use each other all the time. We're not all idiots like Hazel and Tyrian. I stayed because it suited my interests to, but I always intended to abandon her eventually. Once she'd outlived her use. To that end, her fixation on you was especially problematic. Not only would a power-up for her make me leaving all the harder, but her obsession with you has had her outliving my use far sooner than expected."

Jaune cocked his head. "Should I apologise for that?"

"No. No. There's no need. Your Semblance represents interesting data, but I'm a scientist. I prefer to observe from a distance."

"Then let's get to the point," Weiss snapped. "What are your demands?"

"There are a select number of people in Atlas who need to die."

The team recoiled. "We're not assassins!" Ruby yelped.

"You don't need to be. Arc only needs to get into their dreams. I don't care if it's immediate or not. Give them cancer for all I care."

"That's sick—"

"It's the ones from that talent show, isn't it?" asked Jaune.

"T—Talent show!?" Watts seethed. "That was no mere talent show, boy! That was a chance for our inventions to be funded by the military! It was a chance for me to be recognised as one of the greatest minds of Atlas. And if you know of it then you know what happened!"

"You were cheated out of it. Your invention was sabotaged and the judges refused to give you another chance despite the fact you proved the sabotage."

"Yes!" Watts looked equal parts angry and thrilled to have someone believe him for once. "Yes, you saw it with your own eyes! Those corrupt hacks wouldn't accept it, too afraid to admit the corruption within their ranks. The military always protects itself, you see. The former terrorist among you knows that well enough. All those atrocities against faunus brushed under the rug because it'd make the army look bad. War criminals quietly advised to retire on a generous pension so no one can make them face justice."

"That doesn't justify murder."

"Then what does? Do you think exposing them to the law will make a difference? They are the law. It's military courts, boy. They'll rule as they're told to rule – in the interests of the country. When the guilty won't be punished by the law, what else is there? Being the bigger man? Pah. You're a fool if you think that will change anything. Inaction here will only push them to commit greater atrocities."

He was probably right. That was the most painful part. Atlas had broken a lot of rules even around the Vytal Festival with Penny, and then they'd tried to arrest and deport him, probably so they could force his Semblance to their own use just like Salem wanted to. Atlas was a law unto its own, and it made its own laws.

Watts doesn't care about justice, though. That's just a façade to cover for the revenge he's after.

"How about you get us out of here first and then we talk?"

Watts laughed. "I don't think so. I wasn't born yesterday."

"But you'll believe us if we agree even though we might be lying to you?" Blake asked. "That's even less likely. You don't trust us. What's your game?"

"Simple. Arc comes with me. Alone. You flee. Salem won't chase you."

"Uh." Ruby giggled. "No."

"Come now. Arc's combat skills eclipse my own and he has aura where I don't. He'll be safe. If anything, I'm the one taking the risk since he could kill me. I'm counting on his naivety to keep him honest."

It could work. He'd be safe from Watts outside of the man delivering him straight to Salem, and he could always kill Watts or jump off the airship if that happened. He'd survive a crash if he was able to leap out before impact. The only problem was leaving the others behind.

"Alternative idea," Blake said. "We take you down and steal your Bullhead. I can pilot one. Turns out you learn a lot in the White—"

Bang!

Arthur Watts pulled the trigger. Blake sliced upward with Gambol Shroud and almost caught the bullet. Almost. It didn't matter anyway since the round flattened and exploded on her chest, aura protecting her from the impact.

But what she didn't expect was for the round to burst into greenish smoke that splashed into her chest and in every direction – up, down, to the sides. The smoke engulfed and wrapped around her and splashed onto Weiss and Ruby on either side of her as well. Ruby shot off to the left with her Semblance to escape it, and Weiss lurched right, but Blake was stunned by the impact and took the full brunt of it.

"Ugh…"

Blake dropped first to her knees and then forward, thudding onto the tarmac.

"Blake!"

Ruby skidded to a stop and twisted her scythe around to take the shot, only to stumble, somehow off-balance despite making such manoeuvres hundreds of times before. It wasn't until Weiss' knees hit the ground that Jaune realised the problem. Poison. Some form of knockout gas concealed in the rounds. Aura protected against the bullets but it didn't line the insides of the lungs and prevent gas being observed. They'd suffocate for lack of air if it did.

"R—Run…" Weiss croaked, before she – and Ruby – collapsed.

Cinder, who had been on Jaune's other side and so spared the assault, made a mad dash for Watts but he fired faster. Jaune jumped aside, letting the bullet pass by rather than block it as Blake had. Watts turned the gun on Cinder and forced her to abort, but she flanked wide, trying to pincer him so he couldn't shoot both ways at once.

Her instincts were still in there – and they might well save the day.

Until Emerald Sustrai came barrelling out the trees to attack her, forcing Cinder to abort with a startled cry. Jaune swore. Emerald's arrival was the worst outcome, especially since this Cinder didn't fully know how to defend herself.

The distraction was all Watts needed to strike the ground and send smoke bursting up Jaune's body. He did his best not to inhale but it clung to the insides of his nostrils. With a furious cry, he charged the man, hoping to cut him down before he passed out. He got halfway before his right foot failed him and he tumbled to hands and knees.

"Brain will always best brawn in the end. You huntsmen think your aura makes you invincible, but it really doesn't." Watts aimed once more at the floor beneath Jaune. "Rest assured that Salem won't get you. Pleasant dreams."

Smoke exploded right under Jaune's face, throwing him into unconsciousness.

/-/

Emerald fought like a woman possessed to keep Cinder away from that bastard as Watts dragged him towards his Bullhead. Arc could drop dead for all she cared. He'd ruined everything. Everything. He'd taken Cinder away from her, upended the world, and now mentally killed the woman she loved.

But she's still in there somewhere. I just need to break her out.

"Cinder!" she shouted. "Wake up! It's me, Emerald! Come back!"

Her attacks were meant to divert and occupy rather than harm. The last thing she wanted was to kill Cinder. The fact that Cinder could dodge and deflect them with her bare hands showed the old her was still in there. Some useless civilian wouldn't have been capable of that, so her fighting instincts were still around.

That meant she was still in there.

"Cinder—"

"Leave me alone!" Cinder barked. "I need to save my father!"

"He's not your father! He's a fraud!"

"Adopted—"

"It's all a lie!" Emerald roared. She got in close and kicked Cinder back, using the moment where Cinder's eyes met hers to activate her Semblance. "And I'll prove it to you!"

Emerald's control over her Semblance always worked better when it was on a single person, and it was even stronger when she was showing them memories. Rather than having to create a convincing hallucination, she could rely on her memories to fill in all the details.

Cinder recoiled as she was bombarded with memories.

Their first meeting on the streets of Vale, their first meal, the first time Cinder trained her, the ambush on the Fall Maiden, their time in Haven, their arrival in Vale. Emerald continued the flow of memories as Watts dragged Arc onto his Bullhead and fastened him in the back.

Cinder meeting Arc in Beacon, their flight from Beacon due to her putting an arrow through his leg, their plans to capture him, Mercury's betrayal, their own betrayal of Salem. On and on, every memory she could think of to prove to Cinder that the ones in her own head were nothing more than lies.

The Bullhead took off.

"Wake up!" Emerald screamed. "You've been stuck in a dream ever since we captured him, Cinder. It's time to wake up!"

"Rarghhhh!"

Cinder's eyes ignited. Golden fire, the one that Emerald had seen in the maiden. For a moment she was alarmed, but then Cinder summoned a bow of glass and her smile blossomed in full. That was Cinder's Semblance. The real Cinder's Semblance. Spinning on her heel, Cinder drew back and summoned an arrow of glass on the string, releasing it at the Bullhead. It struck the left engine and exploded, spinning the aircraft around in the air.

Watts had only gotten about fifteen feet up when Cinder struck, and the tail of the aircraft struck the warehouse's roof, carving a hole into it but also making the Bullhead list dangerously. It practically flipped backwards, the nose pointing upward as the remaining engine tried to move it forward but the warehouse said "no" and held on tight.

In the end, the warehouse's roof did give, releasing the Bullhead with a horrible screech of metal. That wasn't to say it hadn't done great harm. With one engine down and now the tail broken beyond repair, the aircraft spiralled out of control, striking a tree and spinning over onto its back before crashing into the forest.

With any luck, Arc had died in the crash. Aura didn't work when someone was asleep, so he wouldn't have been protected.

"Cinder. Is that you? Are you back…?"

Emerald lessened the hold of her Semblance on her.

"It's me," Cinder hissed. "I am myself. How far away is Salem?"

That was a good sign.

"Watts sent her after the wrong party. I was working with him, but only to save you from her." Emerald felt nothing for what might well have been his death. He'd been using her as well, after all. "He planned to betray Salem and wanted to use you as a distraction. I played long to rescue you."

"Good work. Our plans haven't changed, however. We will take Arc and leave."

"After all this? Cinder, he's too dangerous. He brainwashed you. He could have killed you!"

"I was reckless. I won't be a second time." Cinder strode toward her. "We will take more care with him. Make sure he can't use his Semblance to supplant my memories." The fact she said that, acknowledged it, had Emerald lowering her guard. "But first we need to take care of a few loose ends."

"What are—"

Cinder's glass sword, summoned in her hand, sliced through Emerald's throat.

Her head sailed up into the air.

And dissolved into nothing.

"Even now!? You still believe his lies!?"

Emerald had lowered her guard, but she had not removed it. The Emerald Cinder had been talking to had also been a hallucination. It would have been reckless to trust her own body to Cinder with uncertain results. Her caution had proven prophetic.

Cinder puffed angrily. "Where are you, Emerald?"

"He's lying to you! He isn't your father!"

"I know that. I've always known that."

"No! He isn't your adopted father either. He's younger than you, Cinder. It's all fake memories he planted in your head when—"

"When I allowed him into my dreams to give me power. I know."

Emerald sucked in a shuddering breath. "Then… Then you accept what I've said? But why do this? Why side with him? Power!? Cinder, are you seriously faking being his daughter so he'll give you a power up? If so, just say it! I can still serve you from a distance!"

"Yes. That's what I'm doing."

Emerald bit her lip. "I don't believe you. You're lying."

"All I've ever done is lie to you, Emerald." Cinder scanned the area, searching for her. Emerald swallowed and backed behind a tree, even if it shouldn't have mattered since she was making sure Cinder couldn't see her. "I lied to you when I recruited you, I lied to you when I told you I cared. I was well aware of your feelings, Emerald. I cultivated that affection you had for me and grew it into an obsession, all so I could trust you to do anything and everything I asked."

"…" Emerald scrunched her eyes shut. "Shut up!"

"You know it's true. You always did. You simply chose to believe the lie."

"Because it was better than the life I had before!" Emerald screamed. "Because believing you might one day love me made me happier than being the useless street rat no one ever wanted! I was happy to believe that lie!"

Cinder laughed.

Laughed!

"Oh, Emerald. In that case, how can you act so surprised when I do the same…?"

"W—What…?"

"The fake memories my father planted lasted a day or two, but my old ones soon came back. His Semblance didn't destroy my old memories; it simply layered a bunch of new ones on top. My brain was able to parse them after a few nights. Soon, I had my Semblance back, and after that my memories as a whole – though I made sure to keep both a secret from him and his friends. Really, even if they didn't come back, I'd have noticed problems when my father is the same age as me and my so-called childhood friends. There was enough that didn't add up that it's a miracle I managed to act convincing at all."

"But even as I bided my time and played dumb, I could still experience the fake memories in the back of my mind. I could recall them, experience them, almost relive them. The feelings behind them may have been fake but the human mind is easily tricked into feeling what it shouldn't, so I felt that which I never had before – the love of a parent."

"Fake love! Lies!"

"Lies," Cinder accepted. "But those lies still made me feel things I never knew I wanted. When I sleep, I'm swept away into blissful retreat. There, I live a life I never did. But isn't that what all good dreams are? We wake up wishing the dream were the reality. Well, now I can make it my reality."

This was a nightmare. It had to be. Tears pricked at the corners of Emerald's eyes as the horrible reality settled in. Cinder hadn't been stolen away from her.

Cinder had abandoned her.

"No. It's not true. It's not!"

"You were desperate, Emerald. Helpless and desperate for anyone to show you a shred of kindness. I preyed on that. The worst part is that I don't regret it even now." Cinder sighed. "Father would be disappointed in me."

"HE'S NOT YOUR FATHER!"

"He is. Because I'm accepting the lie. I'm choosing it. Leave, Emerald. I was never good for you. I used you. Leave like Mercury did and find your own way in the world. Perhaps you'll find a way to make your dream a reality as well. With someone who will treat you better than I ever did."

No.

No, no, no.

This couldn't be happening.

No.

It wasn't happening.

Cinder… Cinder was still trapped in her dream. That was the only explanation. It was the only explanation that made sense. Arc must have double-layered it, trapped her in a dream within a dream.

I can fix this, Emerald thought. I can fix this. I just…

Arc.

If she killed Arc, Cinder would be free.

Emerald bolted from the treeline toward where the Bullhead had fallen.

"So," Cinder said, letting out a heavy sigh. "That's your choice. For what it's worth, I'm… am I sorry? No. But I feel like I should apologise because that's what he would want me to do. So, I'm sorry, Emerald. Sorry you chose me."

Something heavy hit Emerald in the back and toppled her forward.

Her body felt tired all of a sudden.

So tired.

Maybe… Maybe this would all be a dream when she woke up.

/-/

Cinder stepped over the body as its leg gave one final kick.

The arrow faded from her back.

Internally, she felt she ought to feel bad about it. Emerald had trusted her, loved her, and Cinder had killed her for it, but she was but one more of a million other sins on her conscience. Not that she had a conscience, but still.

Jaune would be disappointed to know I did this, she thought, and that made her grimace.

"I'll say Watts did it. He won't be able to tell. What daughter doesn't lie to her own father?"

Ruby, Weiss and Blake were still out for the count and Cinder sneered at their uselessness. They'd been morons to trust Watts, but then they'd been overconfident. Of course he'd have a trick up his sleeve when he knew he couldn't beat any of them traditionally.

"Now I've got to protect your useless selves so Jaune doesn't lose his mind to guilt."

Jaune first, though. They were asleep. Not dead. Jaune's fate was unknown. Cinder loped toward the forest where the smoke was still rising. If he was dead, she'd make sure the world felt it, but Cinder refused to believe that. The fall hadn't been from such a great height. Pushing through the trees, she quickly found the crash site.

The cockpit was shattered and impossible to see through, its glass covered with white marks of cracks but also splattered with red. Watts had been in a rush to get Jaune away, and obviously hadn't bothered to wear a helmet or even strap himself in. A fitting end for a man who thought himself the smartest on Remnant.

Reaching the hull, she found the release catch only to find it wouldn't open. The impact had damaged it. With an angry snarl she ran back to the cockpit and smashed through the window, pulling Watts' bleeding corpse out and climbing into the space he'd occupied, then through the hatch into the back.

Inside, Jaune lay slumped against the far wall, curled up on his side with a nasty bruise to his head and blood on his upper lip. Cursing, she climbed inside the still-burning wreckage and checked his pulse.

"Alive. Thank you." He'd taken a beating but the blood looked to just be from banging his face on the wall. Cinder slung his arm over her shoulder and hauled him to the cockpit, then out the window. "Come on. You'll make it. I'm sorry for the crash but better this than let Watts have you. And I wasn't about to do as you asked and kill you."

Not when she'd finally gotten herself a family.

A fake one.

But one that she could choose to believe was real, and which came with memories she could willingly embrace and experience. Those birthday parties might not have happened, but she had memories that said they did – and they brought warm, fuzzy feelings she'd never experienced as Cinder Fall. Power was nice and all, but why let go of this? Why not have both? She'd always been unbearably selfish, and that hadn't changed just because she had a few extra memories in her head.

Cinder had just gotten Jaune down onto the grass beside Watts when she noticed the Nevermore perched on the burning wreckage. The Grimm stared at her, but it didn't caw, nor did it attack. It simply watched.

"Well, well, well." That voice came from behind and froze Cinder's heart in her chest. "Look who it is. The traitor."

"Salem…"

There were Grimm arranged behind her, and Cinder had no idea how they'd managed to sneak up on her. It must have been when she was inside the Bullhead and too worried about Jaune's safety to pay attention.

"I see you've rescued my person of interest. A shame that Arthur isn't alive to give him to me."

Cinder couldn't help herself.

"Watts was planning to take him away and use him for his own ends. Or are you so stupid you didn't realise he betrayed you as well?" Cinder knew she'd hit gold when Salem's eyes widened. "You didn't!? How hilarious. You really are as dumb as bricks. It's little wonder you've failed to best Ozma even once in however many thousands of years it's been."

"I see you're back to your old self, Cinder. That will make this moment all the more satisfying for me. Or do you think you can best me, hmm?"

"I know I can't kill you. You're immortal." Still kneeling beside Jaune, Cinder reached a hand back, feeling Watts' body. Her fingers quickly searched for his hip and found his holster. "But I might know someone who can."

The gun came free with a snap. Cinder flicked off the safety and fired in one swift motion, striking Salem in the breastbone. The monster had no aura and the bullet pierced, knocking her back a pace.

Not that it would kill her.

"Was that supposed to achieve something?" Salem mocked. "Or is this one last moment of pettiness before I kill yo… you…" Salem swayed. "What…? What have you done? Poison can't kill me, you foolish girl." Salem slumped to one knee.

"You still have a human body, even if it's immortal. You'll not die even if I cut your head off when you fall asleep. But you will fall asleep."

"K—Kill her! Bring me her head!"

Salem toppled forward.

The Grimm surged.

"I've done my part!" Cinder shouted, summoning twin swords and the maiden's powers in a crackle of lightning. "I'll buy you time, dad. Do what everyone else can't!"

Next Chapter: 20th March

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