Dezron
In the Omnissiah we trust !
- Location
- Poland
I get the reference.
A Series Of Unfortunate Circumstances [RWBY SI] [AHOIAC AU]
I get the reference.
- Location
- Italy
More than that, I want to see Phyrra and Wren doing the high ground routine during the grimm invasion.
Shadow Archon
Protoss Preserver
- Location
- Louisiana
Glyphs aren't his costume though, so it's not that bad. Besides, Vader worked with Stormtroopers a ton, so it's not like white and black colors immediately remind you of Zebras. You need stripes for that.
That or Cinder with the full Maiden package shooting lightning and screaming POWER, UNLIMITED POWER!
...Oh, I've opened the door for all the Star Wars Memes haven't I?
- Location
- a place
You know depending on when Blake left. She might see an uncomfortable picture of what she may have been when Shade betray her with Cinder.
Also Yang abandonments issues and Jaune friend/tutor are seriously going to mess them up.
Also Yang abandonments issues and Jaune friend/tutor are seriously going to mess them up.
Fragnostic made Ashelyn, AKA Good-Cinder. AKA Best-Cinder.
Fragnostic
Cheshire
- Location
- Neko City
My people will contact his people. But I wouldn't hold your breath.
I, in good conscience, cannot support this fork of the story.
I will give you this freebie though, just because I'm a... generous person.
Here's Ashelyn:
Ancient Scholar
Amateur Editor/Beta
- Location
- United States
Voltaire reference! Awesome.
- Location
- Italy
David Bowie said:
...Sure does fit. It'll fit even more once he reveals himself to be on Salem's side (Well, Cinder's who's on Salem's). Especially if Salem actually succeeds in the end - that way, he'd truly have sold the world for the sake of his yandere doki-doki luv story.
Since I now have an excuse to say it, and it's in theme what's with Metal Gear Solid songs (TMWSTW is in Phantom Pain), here's a song for if either Cinder or Shade die and the other survives.
Ludvig Forssell said:
Chapter Thirty-Four
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
Chapter Thirty-Four
Blake had a look that promised murder, but she did show up in her ball dress and with far less dark bags under her eyes than before. I smiled at her. "You monster," she whispered. I grinned, gave her a gentle bow, and then gestured at the ballroom. "I don't even have a date for the ball." Her ears were half-flat against her hair.
"You don't need to worry about that," I answered, glancing around. "My instinct has never been wrong yet," I raised an arm towards a certain blond-haired monkey faunus, who was apparently hanging around with a forlorn look. He realized I was pointing at him, and drew near.
"What's the matter?" he asked, puzzled.
"You look like you don't have someone to dance with, and my friend Blake here neither," I said with a smile. "Also, you're the madman who stowed away on a ship, aren't you? I liked your style."
"Really? 'Cause the rest of my team didn't really approve of that," Sun chuckled, but then he looked at Blake, while Blake was instead looking at me with a wide-eyed stare of shock. "But seriously-is it cool with you? I can always dance by myself in a corner-"
"Sure," Blake said with a sigh, a hesitant smile on her lips. "I'm Blake, and you are?"
"Sun, Sun Wukong," he winked, "And thank you very much, stranger I don't know the name of."
I grinned back, "Name's Shade, Shade Night, charismatic team-dad," I watched them both leave for the dance floor, Sun excitedly grinning and Blake sighing in disbelief. Someone walked up to my side, and a chuckle left Yang's lips a second later.
"Trouble in paradise?" Yang asked.
"No, more like my wife prefers to play hide and seek," I answered with a dreadful sigh. "She likes to play coy with me."
Yang chuckled, "Whatever it is, don't do anything squicky behind the curtains. Those are actually the best part of the ball."
I raised my eyebrows at that, "Not the music or the lights? The curtains?"
Yang bristled, "They're a fundamental part of the decor!" she said, sounding nasal about it in an effort to imitate someone else. I chuckled and shook my head.
"Was I right in my assessment that she'd be helpful, at least?" I asked glancing to another corner of the room, where Weiss was doing her best to ignore the figure of Penny by her side, who was standing still by the heiress' side.
"She was," Yang sighed. "Guess you can't beat a father's insight, uh."
I grinned, "What can I say, people always tell me I'm more mature than my age would suggest," I sighed. "I just think they're trying to politely tell me that I'm rotten inside."
"Good kind of rot, then," Yang said with a playful punch to my sides. "Go look for your love-dove, before she thinks I'm trying to catch you."
I chuckled, "That would be impossible, Yang. My wife knows I like them in one form only...hers," then I winked, and walked away to the 'bleah' and the 'boos' coming from my teammate. I didn't really go that far, coming to a halt in front of Weiss who was apparently trying her best to appear like she hadn't just eaten the sourest of lemons.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" I asked.
Weiss looked at me, and then sighed. "No," she said.
"Miss Schnee, may I suggest dancing to make the night better?" Penny suggested from the side, starting to move a bit right and left. "I have been upgraded with dancing protocols. My balance gyroscopes are optimized too to deliver the perfect experience."
"I don't really feel like dancing, Penny," Weiss said with a sigh. "What about you, Mister Night?"
"Oh," I blinked, "You can call me Shade, Mister Night makes me sound like my father, and the less spoken about him, the better," I grinned. "My wife will come by later, so I've been doing the rounds asking people without partners if they wanted to dance," I mused. "But if you're not in the-"
"I changed my mind," Weiss said, sharply extending a hand in my direction. "I will honor you with the privilege of dancing with me."
"Miss Schnee, I am to stay within close proximity of you for the duration of the ball to ensure nothing untoward happens," Penny pointed out.
"I am feeling thirsty Penny," Weiss said amiably, "Could you bring me a glass of water from Beacon's kitchens, please?"
Penny blinked, and then nodded. "Most certainly!" and then she was off.
I looked at the robot girl leave with a fixed smile on her face, and something inside me twisted a tiny bit. I kept my smile up, though, and gently walked towards the center of the hall as the music took a gentle rhythm. Weiss hands were soft, and small when compared to mine. I wasn't a horrible dancer by any means, but I wasn't the poster picture of perfection either.
Weiss didn't seem to care. "I had a chat with your wife in private," she muttered. "I couldn't understand why you'd be an escort to a certain Miss Autumn while being a husband to a certain Madam Fall."
I winced at that, "It's-"
"I know, it's complicated," Weiss said. "Her family doesn't approve of your different social status, and Mistral is quite cutthroat with it. Having to hide her status away, just to be with the man she loves..." she smiled gently, "But I can understand her. For certain things, lying is well worth them."
I hummed at that, turning thoughtful.
It was a mistake.
"That humming sound you make," Weiss muttered, "What's the melody?"
"The...melody?" I blinked. "Ah, it's a song. A recent one I overheard at the radio," I added.
Weiss frowned. "I've definitely heard it before too," she muttered. "What's the title?"
I helplessly shrugged. "I listened only to the jingle part of it. I don't know all of it, much less the title."
Her face looked crestfallen enough that it made me feel bad for it, but as the music came less I returned her to the side of the dancing room, watching as Penny had meanwhile arrived with a glass full of water, and a scowling Glynda Goodwitch was inches away from saying something to the poor android about breaking and entering into the school kitchens' at night.
I walked away, dimly realizing there was another figure looking like a kicked puppy. Ruby was standing by her side, on heels and looking incredibly uncomfortable about them.
"Would you ladies care for a dance too?" I asked, extending a hand in their direction. "My wife's hiding nearby and I'm trying to coax her out." I grinned. "She thinks she can be coy with me."
Ruby giggled but shook her head. "Maybe without heels, stupid Yang saying a dress isn't a dress without heels," she grumbled.
"I-I wouldn't mind a dance," Pyrrha said, smiling gently as I grabbed hold of her hand and brought her to the dance floor. Her smile was blinding in its honesty and ingenuity. "Thank you for this," she whispered as we danced.
"Please, you make it sound like this is a chore," I answered with a chuckle. "It's always a pleasure to dance with a friend, Pyrrha. Though I wouldn't know if the opposite is true. I could be the devil, after all."
Pyrrha giggled at that, "Then I can understand the charm of dancing with the devil under the pale moonlight," Pyrrha answered back, grinning. The dancing continued for a couple more minutes, until the song was over and she found her way back to Ruby's side, while I ended up being tapped on the shoulder by an unlikely couple.
Jaune looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Emerald looked like she had the most fun in her life. The pairing itself had me traumatized somewhere in the depths of my soul. "An exchange in dancing partners," Emerald said gently, somewhat pushing Jaune in a friendly yet not-so-friendly manner towards Pyrrha and Ruby and then taking my hand. "Enjoy him."
We were on the dance floor again, and I had a deep sigh in the back of my throat. "Emerald," I said in a soft whisper, "Did you traumatize my teammate?"
"I asked him some questions," Emerald retorted. "After I saw him hug you, I had to make sure he wasn't a threat."
"A threat to what, exactly? My virtue?" I muttered with a chuckle, but the chuckle came less when I realized that Emerald wasn't really joking with her deeply unsecured issues. I sighed, "You know that's ludicrous, yes?"
"I wouldn't know," Emerald muttered. "You've been here longer than us. Maybe-Maybe you've gone native or something-I...I just don't know how to parse what you're doing and saying," she looked up at me, "Please just tell me Cinder knows of what you're doing."
I grinned. "She kind of does," I acquiesced. "And she kind of doesn't. But I'd never let anything bad happen to either her, or you, Emerald," I added with a small hushed whisper by the side of her ear, it made her blush up a storm, as I suspected it would. "You're both precious to me. Even grumpy Mercury has a spot in my heart."
"I-I see," Emerald stammered out, her fingers clasping a bit tighter my hands as if afraid to let go. The smile on her face was wistful, and innocent enough to make me think it was truthful. We danced to the other end of the dance floor, and as a figure appeared wearing a beautiful black dress, we swiftly exchanged partners as Mercury stood at the ready.
My hands linked with those of Cinder, who was breathtakingly beautiful, as always.
"My love," I whispered into her ear, "I missed you."
"And why would that ever be?" Cinder whispered back, as we danced back into the middle of the crowd, the Atlas soldiers hot on her tails at a loss for where she might have gone, "I was here all night, after all."
I chuckled at that. "Of course, my love-dove," I said.
I had kept the lowest profiles of them all...
...right under the spotlight of everyone's gazes.
Blake had a look that promised murder, but she did show up in her ball dress and with far less dark bags under her eyes than before. I smiled at her. "You monster," she whispered. I grinned, gave her a gentle bow, and then gestured at the ballroom. "I don't even have a date for the ball." Her ears were half-flat against her hair.
"You don't need to worry about that," I answered, glancing around. "My instinct has never been wrong yet," I raised an arm towards a certain blond-haired monkey faunus, who was apparently hanging around with a forlorn look. He realized I was pointing at him, and drew near.
"What's the matter?" he asked, puzzled.
"You look like you don't have someone to dance with, and my friend Blake here neither," I said with a smile. "Also, you're the madman who stowed away on a ship, aren't you? I liked your style."
"Really? 'Cause the rest of my team didn't really approve of that," Sun chuckled, but then he looked at Blake, while Blake was instead looking at me with a wide-eyed stare of shock. "But seriously-is it cool with you? I can always dance by myself in a corner-"
"Sure," Blake said with a sigh, a hesitant smile on her lips. "I'm Blake, and you are?"
"Sun, Sun Wukong," he winked, "And thank you very much, stranger I don't know the name of."
I grinned back, "Name's Shade, Shade Night, charismatic team-dad," I watched them both leave for the dance floor, Sun excitedly grinning and Blake sighing in disbelief. Someone walked up to my side, and a chuckle left Yang's lips a second later.
"Trouble in paradise?" Yang asked.
"No, more like my wife prefers to play hide and seek," I answered with a dreadful sigh. "She likes to play coy with me."
Yang chuckled, "Whatever it is, don't do anything squicky behind the curtains. Those are actually the best part of the ball."
I raised my eyebrows at that, "Not the music or the lights? The curtains?"
Yang bristled, "They're a fundamental part of the decor!" she said, sounding nasal about it in an effort to imitate someone else. I chuckled and shook my head.
"Was I right in my assessment that she'd be helpful, at least?" I asked glancing to another corner of the room, where Weiss was doing her best to ignore the figure of Penny by her side, who was standing still by the heiress' side.
"She was," Yang sighed. "Guess you can't beat a father's insight, uh."
I grinned, "What can I say, people always tell me I'm more mature than my age would suggest," I sighed. "I just think they're trying to politely tell me that I'm rotten inside."
"Good kind of rot, then," Yang said with a playful punch to my sides. "Go look for your love-dove, before she thinks I'm trying to catch you."
I chuckled, "That would be impossible, Yang. My wife knows I like them in one form only...hers," then I winked, and walked away to the 'bleah' and the 'boos' coming from my teammate. I didn't really go that far, coming to a halt in front of Weiss who was apparently trying her best to appear like she hadn't just eaten the sourest of lemons.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" I asked.
Weiss looked at me, and then sighed. "No," she said.
"Miss Schnee, may I suggest dancing to make the night better?" Penny suggested from the side, starting to move a bit right and left. "I have been upgraded with dancing protocols. My balance gyroscopes are optimized too to deliver the perfect experience."
"I don't really feel like dancing, Penny," Weiss said with a sigh. "What about you, Mister Night?"
"Oh," I blinked, "You can call me Shade, Mister Night makes me sound like my father, and the less spoken about him, the better," I grinned. "My wife will come by later, so I've been doing the rounds asking people without partners if they wanted to dance," I mused. "But if you're not in the-"
"I changed my mind," Weiss said, sharply extending a hand in my direction. "I will honor you with the privilege of dancing with me."
"Miss Schnee, I am to stay within close proximity of you for the duration of the ball to ensure nothing untoward happens," Penny pointed out.
"I am feeling thirsty Penny," Weiss said amiably, "Could you bring me a glass of water from Beacon's kitchens, please?"
Penny blinked, and then nodded. "Most certainly!" and then she was off.
I looked at the robot girl leave with a fixed smile on her face, and something inside me twisted a tiny bit. I kept my smile up, though, and gently walked towards the center of the hall as the music took a gentle rhythm. Weiss hands were soft, and small when compared to mine. I wasn't a horrible dancer by any means, but I wasn't the poster picture of perfection either.
Weiss didn't seem to care. "I had a chat with your wife in private," she muttered. "I couldn't understand why you'd be an escort to a certain Miss Autumn while being a husband to a certain Madam Fall."
I winced at that, "It's-"
"I know, it's complicated," Weiss said. "Her family doesn't approve of your different social status, and Mistral is quite cutthroat with it. Having to hide her status away, just to be with the man she loves..." she smiled gently, "But I can understand her. For certain things, lying is well worth them."
I hummed at that, turning thoughtful.
It was a mistake.
"That humming sound you make," Weiss muttered, "What's the melody?"
"The...melody?" I blinked. "Ah, it's a song. A recent one I overheard at the radio," I added.
Weiss frowned. "I've definitely heard it before too," she muttered. "What's the title?"
I helplessly shrugged. "I listened only to the jingle part of it. I don't know all of it, much less the title."
Her face looked crestfallen enough that it made me feel bad for it, but as the music came less I returned her to the side of the dancing room, watching as Penny had meanwhile arrived with a glass full of water, and a scowling Glynda Goodwitch was inches away from saying something to the poor android about breaking and entering into the school kitchens' at night.
I walked away, dimly realizing there was another figure looking like a kicked puppy. Ruby was standing by her side, on heels and looking incredibly uncomfortable about them.
"Would you ladies care for a dance too?" I asked, extending a hand in their direction. "My wife's hiding nearby and I'm trying to coax her out." I grinned. "She thinks she can be coy with me."
Ruby giggled but shook her head. "Maybe without heels, stupid Yang saying a dress isn't a dress without heels," she grumbled.
"I-I wouldn't mind a dance," Pyrrha said, smiling gently as I grabbed hold of her hand and brought her to the dance floor. Her smile was blinding in its honesty and ingenuity. "Thank you for this," she whispered as we danced.
"Please, you make it sound like this is a chore," I answered with a chuckle. "It's always a pleasure to dance with a friend, Pyrrha. Though I wouldn't know if the opposite is true. I could be the devil, after all."
Pyrrha giggled at that, "Then I can understand the charm of dancing with the devil under the pale moonlight," Pyrrha answered back, grinning. The dancing continued for a couple more minutes, until the song was over and she found her way back to Ruby's side, while I ended up being tapped on the shoulder by an unlikely couple.
Jaune looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Emerald looked like she had the most fun in her life. The pairing itself had me traumatized somewhere in the depths of my soul. "An exchange in dancing partners," Emerald said gently, somewhat pushing Jaune in a friendly yet not-so-friendly manner towards Pyrrha and Ruby and then taking my hand. "Enjoy him."
We were on the dance floor again, and I had a deep sigh in the back of my throat. "Emerald," I said in a soft whisper, "Did you traumatize my teammate?"
"I asked him some questions," Emerald retorted. "After I saw him hug you, I had to make sure he wasn't a threat."
"A threat to what, exactly? My virtue?" I muttered with a chuckle, but the chuckle came less when I realized that Emerald wasn't really joking with her deeply unsecured issues. I sighed, "You know that's ludicrous, yes?"
"I wouldn't know," Emerald muttered. "You've been here longer than us. Maybe-Maybe you've gone native or something-I...I just don't know how to parse what you're doing and saying," she looked up at me, "Please just tell me Cinder knows of what you're doing."
I grinned. "She kind of does," I acquiesced. "And she kind of doesn't. But I'd never let anything bad happen to either her, or you, Emerald," I added with a small hushed whisper by the side of her ear, it made her blush up a storm, as I suspected it would. "You're both precious to me. Even grumpy Mercury has a spot in my heart."
"I-I see," Emerald stammered out, her fingers clasping a bit tighter my hands as if afraid to let go. The smile on her face was wistful, and innocent enough to make me think it was truthful. We danced to the other end of the dance floor, and as a figure appeared wearing a beautiful black dress, we swiftly exchanged partners as Mercury stood at the ready.
My hands linked with those of Cinder, who was breathtakingly beautiful, as always.
"My love," I whispered into her ear, "I missed you."
"And why would that ever be?" Cinder whispered back, as we danced back into the middle of the crowd, the Atlas soldiers hot on her tails at a loss for where she might have gone, "I was here all night, after all."
I chuckled at that. "Of course, my love-dove," I said.
I had kept the lowest profiles of them all...
...right under the spotlight of everyone's gazes.
- Location
- Where all the other people are
So Shade's still doing bad things behind the scenes, eh?
1. He's prevented Blake from doing things outside of the plan.
2. He's distracted Ruby from spotting Cinder
3. He's slowly turning Weiss towards an emotional / mental breakdown.
4. A less traumatized Emerald is never good. Especially when she has access to creative illusions...
Great Greedy Guts
Ceterum censeo Vigilam esse delendam.
Eh... there've been more than a couple of hints that he's not really on Salem's side, just on Cinder's. Getting her out from under Salem at this point is no doubt incredibly difficult, but I don't see Shade letting her win without doing anything, either. He hasn't done a lot to stop her, yet, but he's also done very little to help her in comparison to what he could be doing.
- Location
- Cebu City, Philippines
Which would make his inevitable switcheroo a tad bit painful. Eh. Who am I kidding. His switcheroo will hurt, a lot.
Until then, I eagerly await his grand reveal.
Here's his motif:
If she gets desperate, she might pull an Emma Frost. Use her powers to appear as Cinder. She might consider it worth it even if CInder kills her for it.
This Wren is very much a broken bird. Dude probably has the whole dull eyes of unhappiness down pat.
When he has to use the Schness semblance, he'll probably bust it out in true dramatic revelation fashion. "The Schnee boy was alive this whole time!". Looking forward to that moment.
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LastStandZiggy
Last To Fall
- Location
- Kingman, Az
I think Penny's mechanical brainwashing will be broken during the 'Fall'.
She'll turn, smile, "I have no strings to hold me down, make me fret, make me frown." *Stabs someone important, probably Ironwood* "I had strings, but now I'm free" *Insane giggle* "There are no strings on me."
She'll turn, smile, "I have no strings to hold me down, make me fret, make me frown." *Stabs someone important, probably Ironwood* "I had strings, but now I'm free" *Insane giggle* "There are no strings on me."
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
And somewhere, Ultron's cold metallic heart went doki doki.
It's the very specific part where all the cholesterol building up would kill him in his 40s.
Nope. He told them that she was around, just playing hide-and-seek from him.
And Cinder did show up in the end, so what they would be thinking is that she was there all night long.
Exsequens
I Ent Dead!
- Location
- Back in the Toaster.
And that's if the fates somehow do not decide to throw Shade another one and instead have Penny's uninhibited programming decide she will have a Shade for herself after working some things out through her newfound unleashed intelligence, adding a new challenger to the upcoming yandere fight.
"Mister Shade, you have been selected as the prime specimen from the present humans here to serve as my new darling human. Your cooperation is optional."
On a different note, how will Wren play this game I wonder, will he try to keep the damage on Beacon to a minimum, or is he pretty much playing all in for the dark side? I get that the ultimate objective from Shade's perspective is to save and redeem Cinder, though at present it's looking like him working with Salem's scheme on one hand and on the next he's trying to make sure Teams ABYS and RRNN are safe by fall's end, and I'm not sure both goals can coexist with yandere Cinder.
"Mister Shade, you have been selected as the prime specimen from the present humans here to serve as my new darling human. Your cooperation is optional."
On a different note, how will Wren play this game I wonder, will he try to keep the damage on Beacon to a minimum, or is he pretty much playing all in for the dark side? I get that the ultimate objective from Shade's perspective is to save and redeem Cinder, though at present it's looking like him working with Salem's scheme on one hand and on the next he's trying to make sure Teams ABYS and RRNN are safe by fall's end, and I'm not sure both goals can coexist with yandere Cinder.
Chapter Thirty-Five
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
Chapter Thirty-Five
The news that someone had infiltrated the CCTS tower made the news surprisingly quick. The interesting part was the utter lack of Ruby's participation in it, since she had been too busy keeping Pyrrha's company and hadn't thus left the premises. Yet the attack on the Atlas soldiers couldn't be ignored, and though they attempted to hush it, a school full of teenagers was still a school full of teenagers who loved gossiping about it.
Still, while the higher-ups definitely dealt with it, we had to undertake our first mission as a team, with Jaune as the leader.
"Something in the South-East, near Mountain Glenn," I amiably said as we looked at the missions in front of us. Blake caught on immediately, and pretty much slammed Jaune's hand on the mission in question.
Only for it to return a buzz, alerting that it was available only for the higher years.
"Hey!" Jaune grumbled, wincing as he massaged his hand. "I need this!"
"Blake, don't manhandle Jaune's girlfriend that way!" Yang said cheekily, even as Jaune's cheeks turned bright crimson. "Anyway, guess that whatever's there of interesting for two of our teammates is beyond our abilities."
I rolled my eyes at that. "No, it's definitely not," I grumbled. "I just want to vent off some steam fighting Grimm where collateral damage isn't a problem."
"We could shadow a sheriff in a settlement," Jaune suggested, even as I sighed. "I mean, there are some missions where we get to kill Grimm, if you're feeling antsy."
I grumbled, pushing once more on the mission in question. This time, it beeped in approval.
"I have modified the requirements for that mission," the voice of Headmaster Ozpin reached us, and we turned to find him there, sipping from a cup of hot chocolate. "I do believe you have the necessary skills for it," he added, his eyes locking with mine. I grinned back at him.
"Thank you, headmaster. Chocolate-lovers must unite, right?" I winked.
The Headmaster's lips twitched ever so slightly up, but he didn't answer that. "Good luck, huntsmen."
"Luck should go to those without skills," Yang said cheekily, before whooping in joy once out of the headmaster's sight. "We're gonna kick Grimm asses."
"That's not the only thing in the area," Blake added hastily. "Shade thinks there's a White Fang base there too-"
"Wait. What." Jaune grimaced. His face turned slightly green. "What happened to letting the police handle them?"
"We clearly can't count on the police to do something against berserk Paladins slaughtering terrorists," Blake muttered. "If they got a shipment of those things in Mountain Glenn-they'd need more than just the police."
"Then the Atlas military?" Jaune suggested next, pointing a finger towards the sky where a couple of ships were flying by, the Atlas' flagship accompanied by a small escort. "They could take care of them."
"The White Fang would see them coming and scatter," Blake pointed out quickly. "We're just going to see what's there, maybe put a wrench in their plans-" she didn't sound so sure either now that Jaune, of all people, had begun pointing out the flaws in her thinking.
I sighed. "I'm going to fight Grimm and I'm going to keep an eye out for White Fang. That's as far as I'm going unless I have to drag Blake back from whatever frenzy of righteous crusading she gets."
Blake blinked at that, "I do not righteously crusade," she said, "but maybe this wasn't really a good idea."
I sighed once more, and shrugged. "We're on it now. Think of the Lien."
"Yeah, and anyway it's Grimm and what, terrorists? Pfui, we can take on terrorists, we're huntsmen," Yang added with a grin, "Didn't think you were a chicken-Faunus Blake!"
Blake glanced at Yang, her lips thin, "That's racist, Yang."
"Chickens are actually ferocious little monsters of death and pecking," I pointed out. "I'd be more terrified of a Chicken-Faunus than of any other Faunus in existence."
"What, seriously?" Yang asked.
"Oh, yes," Jaune said with a nod. "There were a lot of farms back in my hometown, and the chickens were just as dangerous as the dogs, if not more. The dogs stopped biting when you gave them something to eat, the chickens? They had murder in their eyes," he spoke gravely, "Murder."
I clicked my tongue against my teeth and Jaune yelped before jumping away, shield and sword at the ready, "You'll never get me, foul fowls!"
I snickered at that, even as we reached the bullhead pens, where the figure of one Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck was waiting for us. "I approve of your enthusiasm, Mister Arc, but perhaps keep it for our mission grounds? Having a weapon out on the bullhead will not end well, I can assure you."
Jaune sheepishly sheathed his blade within his shield, before hanging the now transformed sheathe back by his side. Once climbed into the bullhead, Yang and I both immediately took the seats farthest away from Jaune. Blake stared at us, puzzled.
The moment the bullhead lifted up, and Jaune's face turned green, she understood and she half-shrieked, attempting to claw her way to the back where Yang and I were holding the line. "No Blake, all seats taken, stick by the team leader," I said hastily, arms raised to protect my precious eyes.
"Don't you dare!" Blake hissed right back, "Don't you dare!"
"Come on Blake, there's a reason I called him Vomit-Boy," Yang added sheepishly. Still, she did nothing to help her teammate as Jaune stood against a corner of the bullhead while at the same time whimpering every now and then. It was professor Oobleck who found a solution. He placed his coffee-baseball weapon through Jaune's armor, and then hung the poor teenager out of the airship's side.
It worked.
Some unlucky bastard down below got a shower of something green, but it was not our problem, and rainbows could apparently be born of a retching huntsman too, so that was a nice plus thing to learn.
"Well," Doctor Oobleck remarked once we were left in the middle of the ruins of Mountain Glenn. "That was an interesting experience."
Jaune still looked green, a nice similarity with Doctor Oobleck's hair, at least.
My eyes turned to my surroundings just as Doctor Oobleck spoke about seeking out the Grimm. I glanced at the first Beowolf coming into the fray and trudging about, sighed when the conversation moved to a pack of them, and then brought my weapon to the fore when the pack actually began to engage us.
"Shade! Tank and spank!" Jaune yelled, and I groaned at the incredibly cheesy name of one of our team's most prized combo-techniques.
It basically consisted of Jaune and Yang taking the front to hoard the enemies in a line in front of them, while Blake and I went by their sides and proceeded to, indeed, spank them dead.
Magnistipula cleaved through the Grimm without meeting much resistance, their soft backs exposed, while Blake stabbed one before jumping on the back of another, opening fire against the back of its skull, pirouetting out of reach of a third that was quickly stomped into the ground by one of Yang's powerful shotgun-punches.
The group of Beowolves dealt with, Doctor Oobleck looked pleased at the results and then nodded. "Very well, split up and cover more ground. Let us try to discern where they are coming from, or where they are going."
It was not difficult to do as asked. What was difficult was maintain the illusion that Grimm actually cared to attack me, because in truth they didn't. Unless attacked first, the Grimm would happily ignore me, and apparently Salem hadn't told her troops to feign being interested in my flesh too. It felt a bit strange to me, though, since it would have meant a Seer Grimm nearby of all things-
And then I saw it.
Crackling and floating off in the distance, barely within my sight as if to announce it knew I was there, and it wanted to talk to me. And at the same time, I knew Doctor Oobleck was overlooking our progress, so it would have to wait until the night.
"So, Mister Night, why did you choose to become a huntsman?" Doctor Oobleck asked as I finished cleaving in half a Beowolf that truly didn't want to be there, but had little choice on the matter at hand.
"Justice," I said calmly. "I understood early in life that if I wanted to change the world, I had to be the one bringing forth the change."
Doctor Oobleck hummed at that, "That sounds like a rehearsed answer, Mister Night."
I chuckled, "Why? Would you prefer something like 'I dig huntress chicks and easy Lien'? I am happily married, Doctor," I pointed out, showing off my ring.
Doctor Oobleck hummed again, "It's not a matter of what I prefer, but of what is truthful or not. You don't look like the person who needs to seek more strength, and yet here you are. Working flawlessly a job that would have many a student concentrate on it, and you do not bat an eyelid."
I grinned, "I do have one year on my fellow students. Would a second year student take as much care as I?"
"Perhaps not," Doctor Oobleck mused, "You could have asked to move into the second year. Why didn't you choose that?"
"It wouldn't have been fair," I said. "Even if I'd been accepted, I would have either been without a team, or settled into one who lost a teammate," I grimaced. "Neither were options I particularly appreciated."
Doctor Oobleck nodded, and then made a thoughtful sound before running off to bother someone else.
I sighed, and rolled my eyes.
Truly. Night couldn't come any faster.
"What are those!?" Jaune exclaimed later on, his eyes scanning the horizon where Goliaths were traipsing by. I looked at the same thing he was, and grimaced.
"Goliaths," I said. "Ancient Grimm, smart enough to know when not to push an assault," I added, "And wise enough to know when instead it's a good idea to. Don't show them weakness, or they will trample you to death."
I crossed my arms in front of my chest as I looked at them go about their business. Doctor Oobleck had already set up a makeshift camp of sorts, and it was pretty clear we'd be sleeping there tonight.
"I don't think they'd stop even with all the bravery in the world," Jaune muttered.
"Oh, you'd be surprised," I mused. "There is a concept called 'The Curse of Knowledge'. Ironically, it applies to Grimm too."
Jaune blinked, "But isn't studying a good thing? That's what you kept drilling into my head anyway."
"Indeed, it is, but it's also a curse. Those who know the world are, on average, sadder than those who do not. Ignorance is bliss, and people sure love their ignorance," I chuckled as I said that, glancing at the Goliaths briefly stopping to glance our way, and the moving on, disinterested. "But what you need to understand is that a wild Grimm cannot be deceived. It cannot be lied to; you can't bluff with them. They will come, hungry for your flesh, and uncaring of the situation. Elder Grimm, instead, will judge the situation and act accordingly. Between a swarm of mindless Beowolves and one smart elder...pick the elder, Jaune."
Jaune furrowed his brows. "How do you even lie to a Grimm?"
I chuckled, and tapped my chest. "Have no fear. Do not doubt. Think that the Grimm in front of you is nothing more than a mass of mindless destruction that you've fought, and killed, countless times. Even if it's a lie, lie to yourself to the deepest of your abilities. Grimm do not know your strength unless shown it; and when facing a huntsman, a lonely elder Grimm will always choose to run away. Of course, if you are wounded, or show tiredness, or worry-then the bets are off, but otherwise..." I sighed. "Otherwise they won't attack. They'll let another, younger one go first. If you kill them quickly and with skill, they will further hesitate. But they have a hierarchy," I shook my head. "Like animals-and in the end, they will attempt it all the same if someone higher up orders them to."
"You make them sound like they're more than mindless beasts, Shade," Jaune muttered. "How would you know that?"
"Life experience," I said with a chuckle. "The place I come from did not have the kindest of teachers-and trust me when I tell you this," I smiled at him, "Regardless of the number of Grimm I've faced in my life...the greatest enemy has always been the cruel one clad in human, or faunus, skin."
I gently tapped his shoulder with my fist, "Whatever missions we take in the future, I'd rather we never stepped in Mistral, if that's all right with you, Jaune."
Jaune blinked at that, and then gave a quiet nod. "Sure," he said. He looked away after a moment, "You should have made Team Leader, not me."
"Nah," I shook my head. "I don't know how to lead, Jaune. I prefer to follow. It keeps me happy knowing that nothing I do is actually my responsibility," I grinned. "Makes it easier to sleep at night too. Always a follower, never a leader, and it makes Shade a happy sleeper."
I chuckled at the rhyming I had done, much to Jaune's spluttering and then snickering in turn.
"If you two are done bromancing, come help get dinner ready!" Yang yelled from afar, and we both turned as one. I was the only one who caught Doctor Oobleck's gaze, though, the man standing to the side apparently keen on some rubble, but definitely listening in on us. Later that night, I'd go for a bathroom break.
The bathroom break did not end as expected, of course.
The Seer Grimm stood floating in an empty building not far from where I had last seen it, crackling ever so gently and apparently in wait for me.
The sleek spherical surface became clearer as the face of Salem appeared within it, and my arms crossed in front of my chest as I looked straight into the eyes of the leader of the Grimm.
"And how is my most honest of servants doing on this fine night?" Salem asked through the Seer, her voice pleasant, and sounding even gentle somewhat.
"I suppose I am interfering with something?" I asked back. "It was not my choice to come here."
Salem chuckled, a smirk settling on her lips. "You think your actions cannot be discerned by those close to you, Shade?"
"My actions are for Cinder's benefit, always," I pointed right back. Then, I exhaled. "It's too late for posturing, and I don't think you'd like it anyway. Whatever you want done, tell me and I'll do it."
Salem arched an eyebrow, and then smiled. "Always thinking the worst. I come bearing gifts. I understand I have given you little reason to trust me, or to be thankful for what I have given you," her eyes blazed briefly, "But I am nothing if not a kind mistress."
From the tentacles of the Seer a white centipede-like Grimm began to crawl down, twitching its pincers as the Seer's tentacles pierced through the air, grabbing hold of one of my arms. "Do not fight it, Shade," Salem mused as the centiped-like thing began to crawl ever forward. "With it, you will be able to order the Grimm just like dear Cinder."
"And if I ever disobey you, will it chew my heart and leave me dead?" I mused as I watched it crawl closer to my arm.
"Now that would be crass of me," Salem pointed out, the creature coming to a halt by my arm. I watched it attempt to burrow into my arm, only for my Aura to fend him off. "Let him in, Shade."
"I do not need gifts from you, Salem," I answered quietly back, my other had grabbing hold of the creature and crushing it with my fist. It shrieked once, before dispersing into ashes. "All that I ever want is for Cinder to be safe and sound, and you've already implanted one of these things into her."
The grip of the Seer increased, and betraying its shape, it truly was stronger than normal.
Salem's eyes stared right into me. "You understand that refusing my gift is akin to treason, is it not?"
"We both know that's a lie, Salem. You want to keep your underlings happy, and I'm not going to bother with that. All I care about is Cinder. Rather than attempt to buy my loyalty, perhaps you should ensure her happiness. As long as she is happy following you, then I will have no complaints and be dutiful in my tasks...but I am my own man, Salem," I snapped right back, my blade coming free to slice the Seer's tentacle off. I pointed the edge of Magnistipula against the Seer's sleek surface, "And you could use someone telling you no every now and then. A Queen surrounded by nothing but yes-men rules for a short time indeed."
Salem's lips pursed into a light scowl. Then, she returned to a pleasant, ever-gentle appearance. "I see distance has made you bold, and the lack of training made you foolish. That will be rectified at our next encounter, Shade...unless you bring me something to be pleased about." She smiled. "Ensure dear Cinder's plans come to fruition, and I will be a most gentle, and kind host. If something goes wrong, however..." her eyes narrowed and I felt something squeeze my very heart, forcing me down on one knee as I gasped for air, air which refused to come into my lungs.
"And you will find that distance matters not to the likes of me, for there is nowhere in the world you will be able to hide from my retribution," and as a tentacle of the Seer gently caressed through my hair briefly, I knew now what else the Seers could do.
Then the Grimm floated up in the air, and disappeared from sight.
Your will be done, mistress.
Your fall be glorious to behold.
The news that someone had infiltrated the CCTS tower made the news surprisingly quick. The interesting part was the utter lack of Ruby's participation in it, since she had been too busy keeping Pyrrha's company and hadn't thus left the premises. Yet the attack on the Atlas soldiers couldn't be ignored, and though they attempted to hush it, a school full of teenagers was still a school full of teenagers who loved gossiping about it.
Still, while the higher-ups definitely dealt with it, we had to undertake our first mission as a team, with Jaune as the leader.
"Something in the South-East, near Mountain Glenn," I amiably said as we looked at the missions in front of us. Blake caught on immediately, and pretty much slammed Jaune's hand on the mission in question.
Only for it to return a buzz, alerting that it was available only for the higher years.
"Hey!" Jaune grumbled, wincing as he massaged his hand. "I need this!"
"Blake, don't manhandle Jaune's girlfriend that way!" Yang said cheekily, even as Jaune's cheeks turned bright crimson. "Anyway, guess that whatever's there of interesting for two of our teammates is beyond our abilities."
I rolled my eyes at that. "No, it's definitely not," I grumbled. "I just want to vent off some steam fighting Grimm where collateral damage isn't a problem."
"We could shadow a sheriff in a settlement," Jaune suggested, even as I sighed. "I mean, there are some missions where we get to kill Grimm, if you're feeling antsy."
I grumbled, pushing once more on the mission in question. This time, it beeped in approval.
"I have modified the requirements for that mission," the voice of Headmaster Ozpin reached us, and we turned to find him there, sipping from a cup of hot chocolate. "I do believe you have the necessary skills for it," he added, his eyes locking with mine. I grinned back at him.
"Thank you, headmaster. Chocolate-lovers must unite, right?" I winked.
The Headmaster's lips twitched ever so slightly up, but he didn't answer that. "Good luck, huntsmen."
"Luck should go to those without skills," Yang said cheekily, before whooping in joy once out of the headmaster's sight. "We're gonna kick Grimm asses."
"That's not the only thing in the area," Blake added hastily. "Shade thinks there's a White Fang base there too-"
"Wait. What." Jaune grimaced. His face turned slightly green. "What happened to letting the police handle them?"
"We clearly can't count on the police to do something against berserk Paladins slaughtering terrorists," Blake muttered. "If they got a shipment of those things in Mountain Glenn-they'd need more than just the police."
"Then the Atlas military?" Jaune suggested next, pointing a finger towards the sky where a couple of ships were flying by, the Atlas' flagship accompanied by a small escort. "They could take care of them."
"The White Fang would see them coming and scatter," Blake pointed out quickly. "We're just going to see what's there, maybe put a wrench in their plans-" she didn't sound so sure either now that Jaune, of all people, had begun pointing out the flaws in her thinking.
I sighed. "I'm going to fight Grimm and I'm going to keep an eye out for White Fang. That's as far as I'm going unless I have to drag Blake back from whatever frenzy of righteous crusading she gets."
Blake blinked at that, "I do not righteously crusade," she said, "but maybe this wasn't really a good idea."
I sighed once more, and shrugged. "We're on it now. Think of the Lien."
"Yeah, and anyway it's Grimm and what, terrorists? Pfui, we can take on terrorists, we're huntsmen," Yang added with a grin, "Didn't think you were a chicken-Faunus Blake!"
Blake glanced at Yang, her lips thin, "That's racist, Yang."
"Chickens are actually ferocious little monsters of death and pecking," I pointed out. "I'd be more terrified of a Chicken-Faunus than of any other Faunus in existence."
"What, seriously?" Yang asked.
"Oh, yes," Jaune said with a nod. "There were a lot of farms back in my hometown, and the chickens were just as dangerous as the dogs, if not more. The dogs stopped biting when you gave them something to eat, the chickens? They had murder in their eyes," he spoke gravely, "Murder."
I clicked my tongue against my teeth and Jaune yelped before jumping away, shield and sword at the ready, "You'll never get me, foul fowls!"
I snickered at that, even as we reached the bullhead pens, where the figure of one Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck was waiting for us. "I approve of your enthusiasm, Mister Arc, but perhaps keep it for our mission grounds? Having a weapon out on the bullhead will not end well, I can assure you."
Jaune sheepishly sheathed his blade within his shield, before hanging the now transformed sheathe back by his side. Once climbed into the bullhead, Yang and I both immediately took the seats farthest away from Jaune. Blake stared at us, puzzled.
The moment the bullhead lifted up, and Jaune's face turned green, she understood and she half-shrieked, attempting to claw her way to the back where Yang and I were holding the line. "No Blake, all seats taken, stick by the team leader," I said hastily, arms raised to protect my precious eyes.
"Don't you dare!" Blake hissed right back, "Don't you dare!"
"Come on Blake, there's a reason I called him Vomit-Boy," Yang added sheepishly. Still, she did nothing to help her teammate as Jaune stood against a corner of the bullhead while at the same time whimpering every now and then. It was professor Oobleck who found a solution. He placed his coffee-baseball weapon through Jaune's armor, and then hung the poor teenager out of the airship's side.
It worked.
Some unlucky bastard down below got a shower of something green, but it was not our problem, and rainbows could apparently be born of a retching huntsman too, so that was a nice plus thing to learn.
"Well," Doctor Oobleck remarked once we were left in the middle of the ruins of Mountain Glenn. "That was an interesting experience."
Jaune still looked green, a nice similarity with Doctor Oobleck's hair, at least.
My eyes turned to my surroundings just as Doctor Oobleck spoke about seeking out the Grimm. I glanced at the first Beowolf coming into the fray and trudging about, sighed when the conversation moved to a pack of them, and then brought my weapon to the fore when the pack actually began to engage us.
"Shade! Tank and spank!" Jaune yelled, and I groaned at the incredibly cheesy name of one of our team's most prized combo-techniques.
It basically consisted of Jaune and Yang taking the front to hoard the enemies in a line in front of them, while Blake and I went by their sides and proceeded to, indeed, spank them dead.
Magnistipula cleaved through the Grimm without meeting much resistance, their soft backs exposed, while Blake stabbed one before jumping on the back of another, opening fire against the back of its skull, pirouetting out of reach of a third that was quickly stomped into the ground by one of Yang's powerful shotgun-punches.
The group of Beowolves dealt with, Doctor Oobleck looked pleased at the results and then nodded. "Very well, split up and cover more ground. Let us try to discern where they are coming from, or where they are going."
It was not difficult to do as asked. What was difficult was maintain the illusion that Grimm actually cared to attack me, because in truth they didn't. Unless attacked first, the Grimm would happily ignore me, and apparently Salem hadn't told her troops to feign being interested in my flesh too. It felt a bit strange to me, though, since it would have meant a Seer Grimm nearby of all things-
And then I saw it.
Crackling and floating off in the distance, barely within my sight as if to announce it knew I was there, and it wanted to talk to me. And at the same time, I knew Doctor Oobleck was overlooking our progress, so it would have to wait until the night.
"So, Mister Night, why did you choose to become a huntsman?" Doctor Oobleck asked as I finished cleaving in half a Beowolf that truly didn't want to be there, but had little choice on the matter at hand.
"Justice," I said calmly. "I understood early in life that if I wanted to change the world, I had to be the one bringing forth the change."
Doctor Oobleck hummed at that, "That sounds like a rehearsed answer, Mister Night."
I chuckled, "Why? Would you prefer something like 'I dig huntress chicks and easy Lien'? I am happily married, Doctor," I pointed out, showing off my ring.
Doctor Oobleck hummed again, "It's not a matter of what I prefer, but of what is truthful or not. You don't look like the person who needs to seek more strength, and yet here you are. Working flawlessly a job that would have many a student concentrate on it, and you do not bat an eyelid."
I grinned, "I do have one year on my fellow students. Would a second year student take as much care as I?"
"Perhaps not," Doctor Oobleck mused, "You could have asked to move into the second year. Why didn't you choose that?"
"It wouldn't have been fair," I said. "Even if I'd been accepted, I would have either been without a team, or settled into one who lost a teammate," I grimaced. "Neither were options I particularly appreciated."
Doctor Oobleck nodded, and then made a thoughtful sound before running off to bother someone else.
I sighed, and rolled my eyes.
Truly. Night couldn't come any faster.
"What are those!?" Jaune exclaimed later on, his eyes scanning the horizon where Goliaths were traipsing by. I looked at the same thing he was, and grimaced.
"Goliaths," I said. "Ancient Grimm, smart enough to know when not to push an assault," I added, "And wise enough to know when instead it's a good idea to. Don't show them weakness, or they will trample you to death."
I crossed my arms in front of my chest as I looked at them go about their business. Doctor Oobleck had already set up a makeshift camp of sorts, and it was pretty clear we'd be sleeping there tonight.
"I don't think they'd stop even with all the bravery in the world," Jaune muttered.
"Oh, you'd be surprised," I mused. "There is a concept called 'The Curse of Knowledge'. Ironically, it applies to Grimm too."
Jaune blinked, "But isn't studying a good thing? That's what you kept drilling into my head anyway."
"Indeed, it is, but it's also a curse. Those who know the world are, on average, sadder than those who do not. Ignorance is bliss, and people sure love their ignorance," I chuckled as I said that, glancing at the Goliaths briefly stopping to glance our way, and the moving on, disinterested. "But what you need to understand is that a wild Grimm cannot be deceived. It cannot be lied to; you can't bluff with them. They will come, hungry for your flesh, and uncaring of the situation. Elder Grimm, instead, will judge the situation and act accordingly. Between a swarm of mindless Beowolves and one smart elder...pick the elder, Jaune."
Jaune furrowed his brows. "How do you even lie to a Grimm?"
I chuckled, and tapped my chest. "Have no fear. Do not doubt. Think that the Grimm in front of you is nothing more than a mass of mindless destruction that you've fought, and killed, countless times. Even if it's a lie, lie to yourself to the deepest of your abilities. Grimm do not know your strength unless shown it; and when facing a huntsman, a lonely elder Grimm will always choose to run away. Of course, if you are wounded, or show tiredness, or worry-then the bets are off, but otherwise..." I sighed. "Otherwise they won't attack. They'll let another, younger one go first. If you kill them quickly and with skill, they will further hesitate. But they have a hierarchy," I shook my head. "Like animals-and in the end, they will attempt it all the same if someone higher up orders them to."
"You make them sound like they're more than mindless beasts, Shade," Jaune muttered. "How would you know that?"
"Life experience," I said with a chuckle. "The place I come from did not have the kindest of teachers-and trust me when I tell you this," I smiled at him, "Regardless of the number of Grimm I've faced in my life...the greatest enemy has always been the cruel one clad in human, or faunus, skin."
I gently tapped his shoulder with my fist, "Whatever missions we take in the future, I'd rather we never stepped in Mistral, if that's all right with you, Jaune."
Jaune blinked at that, and then gave a quiet nod. "Sure," he said. He looked away after a moment, "You should have made Team Leader, not me."
"Nah," I shook my head. "I don't know how to lead, Jaune. I prefer to follow. It keeps me happy knowing that nothing I do is actually my responsibility," I grinned. "Makes it easier to sleep at night too. Always a follower, never a leader, and it makes Shade a happy sleeper."
I chuckled at the rhyming I had done, much to Jaune's spluttering and then snickering in turn.
"If you two are done bromancing, come help get dinner ready!" Yang yelled from afar, and we both turned as one. I was the only one who caught Doctor Oobleck's gaze, though, the man standing to the side apparently keen on some rubble, but definitely listening in on us. Later that night, I'd go for a bathroom break.
The bathroom break did not end as expected, of course.
The Seer Grimm stood floating in an empty building not far from where I had last seen it, crackling ever so gently and apparently in wait for me.
The sleek spherical surface became clearer as the face of Salem appeared within it, and my arms crossed in front of my chest as I looked straight into the eyes of the leader of the Grimm.
"And how is my most honest of servants doing on this fine night?" Salem asked through the Seer, her voice pleasant, and sounding even gentle somewhat.
"I suppose I am interfering with something?" I asked back. "It was not my choice to come here."
Salem chuckled, a smirk settling on her lips. "You think your actions cannot be discerned by those close to you, Shade?"
"My actions are for Cinder's benefit, always," I pointed right back. Then, I exhaled. "It's too late for posturing, and I don't think you'd like it anyway. Whatever you want done, tell me and I'll do it."
Salem arched an eyebrow, and then smiled. "Always thinking the worst. I come bearing gifts. I understand I have given you little reason to trust me, or to be thankful for what I have given you," her eyes blazed briefly, "But I am nothing if not a kind mistress."
From the tentacles of the Seer a white centipede-like Grimm began to crawl down, twitching its pincers as the Seer's tentacles pierced through the air, grabbing hold of one of my arms. "Do not fight it, Shade," Salem mused as the centiped-like thing began to crawl ever forward. "With it, you will be able to order the Grimm just like dear Cinder."
"And if I ever disobey you, will it chew my heart and leave me dead?" I mused as I watched it crawl closer to my arm.
"Now that would be crass of me," Salem pointed out, the creature coming to a halt by my arm. I watched it attempt to burrow into my arm, only for my Aura to fend him off. "Let him in, Shade."
"I do not need gifts from you, Salem," I answered quietly back, my other had grabbing hold of the creature and crushing it with my fist. It shrieked once, before dispersing into ashes. "All that I ever want is for Cinder to be safe and sound, and you've already implanted one of these things into her."
The grip of the Seer increased, and betraying its shape, it truly was stronger than normal.
Salem's eyes stared right into me. "You understand that refusing my gift is akin to treason, is it not?"
"We both know that's a lie, Salem. You want to keep your underlings happy, and I'm not going to bother with that. All I care about is Cinder. Rather than attempt to buy my loyalty, perhaps you should ensure her happiness. As long as she is happy following you, then I will have no complaints and be dutiful in my tasks...but I am my own man, Salem," I snapped right back, my blade coming free to slice the Seer's tentacle off. I pointed the edge of Magnistipula against the Seer's sleek surface, "And you could use someone telling you no every now and then. A Queen surrounded by nothing but yes-men rules for a short time indeed."
Salem's lips pursed into a light scowl. Then, she returned to a pleasant, ever-gentle appearance. "I see distance has made you bold, and the lack of training made you foolish. That will be rectified at our next encounter, Shade...unless you bring me something to be pleased about." She smiled. "Ensure dear Cinder's plans come to fruition, and I will be a most gentle, and kind host. If something goes wrong, however..." her eyes narrowed and I felt something squeeze my very heart, forcing me down on one knee as I gasped for air, air which refused to come into my lungs.
"And you will find that distance matters not to the likes of me, for there is nowhere in the world you will be able to hide from my retribution," and as a tentacle of the Seer gently caressed through my hair briefly, I knew now what else the Seers could do.
Then the Grimm floated up in the air, and disappeared from sight.
Your will be done, mistress.
Your fall be glorious to behold.
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AzraelvonGruber
probably should put something here...
- Location
- somewhere in France
Oh no but what can a man do faced to such evil ?
Well i would say bang her ! Romance is always the solution !
That and Nukes.
Well i would say bang her ! Romance is always the solution !
That and Nukes.
Dragonskyt
Ashen one, hearest thou my voice, still?
- Location
- Kiln of the First Flame
The Queen glared into the eyes of the Shadow, blissfully unaware how deep the Abyss truly was.
- Location
- Portugal
With this "Rejection of the Gift" and Cinder augmentation in canon and the other two fics, it reminds me of Kreia´s lesson about true strength.
Better to be reliant on one's own strength rather be a slave of another's will
Better to be reliant on one's own strength rather be a slave of another's will
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- Location
- England
Is it bad I want to see a Salem Does Soul Gaze magic Omake (yes its an @$$pull but she has had millennia at min to learn) and gets her mind shattered looking at Shades true "Bond Breaker form ?(Since if memory serves all versions of shade are ultimately tied to it in the first story)"
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