SHADE-EA always listens to his readers. Except when it doesn't. Do you still love SHADE-EA!?

  • Yes, SHADE-EA IS LOVE. SHADE-EA IS LIFE.

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  • There can be no Waifu without Laifu.

    Votes: 138 12.4%
  • Through the fire and the flames we will Waifu on.

    Votes: 299 26.8%
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  • SHADE-EA, DO NOT GIVE US THE COLORED ENDINGS, PLEASE

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  • SHADE-EA, PLEASE BUGFIX! NO COFFEE FOUND!

    Votes: 224 20.1%

  • Total voters
    1,115
Well, shade/wren, your other versions manage to do it. Man up!

One actually had the requisite self-replicating Von Neumann machine, and it did the job quite effectively. The second had the combined might of Plot Armor, Friends, Catgirls, and Deus Ex Machina on his side, which made a much better story, but was much closer in the end, and didn't even more the world nearly as far.

I want to see how this route ends :)
 
Welp Pyrrha lives hopefully I see her being one of the most hurt by hes betrayal atleast to me get rid of Amber cinder gets whole power man I'm hyped I like that he's preparing hes friends for when he leaves I'm always waiting for new chapters it's too fun evil will always find a way
 
Guys, don't believe the writing. It's a fake out. Shade's conversation will convince Pyrrha to take the deal because rather than do it for the sake of the world or some nebulous, grand concept, she'll do it for the sake of her loved ones to protect them and the time they have together, and if it helps the world that's a bonus.

Thus in the final confrontation, Shade will be forced to kill Pyrrha by his own hands for the sake of Cinder, because Half-Maiden!Pyrrha would overpower Half-Maiden!Cinder. And both teams Abyss and Team...which ever one Pyrrha was one will see this cementing Shade's ultimate betrayal.

...Just my thoughts. I couldn't help but think Shade is going Darkest Timeline on this. Hopefully it doesn't go this way.
 
@Silver W. King You lack vision, Shade will betray everyone, including Cinder, to try to give everyone a happy ending but himself. This is classic Shade, and we still need to see why he needs his lightsaber, it is not to kill huntsman.
 
Damn you Shade, why do you have to toy with my emotions like this? I'm still holding out hope that your somehow going to betray everyone's expectations an pull and ironic twist out of your ass where this ends up being the happiest story, I can dream dammit!!!
 
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@Silver W. King You lack vision, Shade will betray everyone, including Cinder, to try to give everyone a happy ending but himself. This is classic Shade, and we still need to see why he needs his lightsaber, it is not to kill huntsman.
Nah nah imagine he goes off the deep end like starts losing he's shit all the betrayals the love he feels for cinder yet the conflicted emotions start breaking him to the point that he just goes bat shit crazy and cinder literally begs rwby and others to save him would be the biggest wtf moment haha
 
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Six

Beacon at night was peaceful and quiet. It remained so until the morning after, when an air of tension made the rounds. Someone had broken the elevator leading to the headmaster's office, melted it with a Semblance or something similar.

While the professors had cordoned the area off and were investigating the tapes, they would hardly find anything of notice. All camera recordings had been erased, after all, and no backups were available.

I sipped my hot mug of chocolate, and cracked my neck to clear the kinks out of my spine. It had been a rough night on my part, and I was just meeting my team in the cafeteria.

Forming an alibi had been the matter of claiming the most obvious thing of them all.

"I just don't understand what putting make-up on has to do with fighting with one's wife," Jaune said. "I'm not that stupid. My parents do the make-up thing after every fight, but they never tell me what it involves..."

"Jaune, seriously, how many sisters do you have again?" Yang asked. "You're not that little anymore, you know?"

"Am I hearing Yang say that she'll explain things properly to Jaune, then?" I mused as I took a seat, my own decadent breakfast composed of chocolate cookies, chocolate chips, chocolate milk and pretty much everything chocolate-like under the light of the sun. "Blake?"

"I can confirm that," Blake said with a slow, methodical nod.

"I think he's just joking with us," Yang said with a huff. "Right?" she arched an eyebrow at Jaune, who snickered in return. "Why, you!"

"Still, wonder why someone would want to destroy an elevator," Blake remarked. "Must be a team angry at the loss?"

"They're investigating it," Yang said with a shrug, "Can't have been someone from Beacon. There's cameras and everything."

"Well, I, for one, am glad I don't have to take the stairs to any meeting with the headmaster anytime soon," I mused, sipping on my chocolate. "Though are you ready to rumble for today, Yang? The fate of Beacon's pride rests on your shoulder, since I'm sure you'd punch me if I was anything but supportive to your impending victory."

"Sheesh," Yang clicked her tongue. "Sure," she flicked her hair behind her, "I'll do my best." Then she grinned, and made an excited fist-pump motion in the air. "Just you wait! Team ABYSS will triumph!"

When the match came, for there was no reason it wouldn't come, I took a seat by Emerald's side. Mercury was on the roll-call for today, and I suspected he was ready to fight against Yang. I drummed my fingers against the armchair's armrests, and watched as the match-roulette program began to spin.

I knew what was going to happen. Yet, even so, I wondered what this would mean for the match that was meant to have a death in it. Then, the roulette came to a halt and I exhaled.

Pyrrha Nikos was on one side, as I had expected. Yet, rather than Mercury, Yang's face appeared on the other side. As that happened, I realized Mercury was walking together with the other potential fighters back into the arena's insides, but I doubted he'd wait for his turn in the locker room.

If anything, I reckoned he was headed somewhere else.

"Cinder says there are enough Grimm to launch the attack," Emerald whispered by my side. "Mercury's going to start deactivating the coliseum's floating system the moment the Grimm attack."

I looked at the crowd. I looked at the people. I looked at the families.

The midnight bell rings. Have you made your decision?

My fists clenched against the armrests.

You will live through this; and that will be the greatest of horrors. Do you understand that?

"I understand," I whispered whether it was to Emerald, or to my own conscience, I didn't know.

"Cinder wants me to have one kill the other when their aura goes low," Emerald muttered. "Do you...do you have a preference?"

I exhaled. I exhaled a long, hard breath.

"Try...try to have Yang lose her right arm," I whispered instead. "It will yield better results, and stick to people's memories longer."

Emerald glanced at me, briefly, and then a small smile settled on her lips. She nodded at my suggestion.

I shuddered inwardly, somewhat understanding what her thoughts might have been on the matter, and outwardly steeled myself. "What's our exit strategy?" I asked next, as the match began right in front of our eyes.

"When it happens, we rush as if to check on her," Emerald muttered, "But we're headed for an air ambulance instead."

"I understand," I took the deepest breath my lungs could hold, and then exhaled in an equally slow way.

You can still stop everything. Emerald, Mercury, Cinder-they are all within arm reach. But you won't.

I wouldn't.

They are your family. They will not abandon you. They will fight by your side. They will protect you, and you them.

They would.

You will never be Wren Schnee again.

I never was.

Yang's aura dropped, her Semblance activated. Pyrrha fought her in turn. Her semblance subtly making sure hits miss, and guiding her spear with added strength against Yang. I realized Emerald was concentrating on her semblance now, and brought my attention to our surroundings.

Yang's aura kept dropping. An alarm blared and I watched as Pyrrha took a couple of steps back, while Yang herself groaned in disbelief, and defeat. She smiled, and then was just about to graciously accept her defeat when Pyrrha bent her knees, and charged forward.

I watched as time seemed to slow down. I watched as Pyrrha's spear slammed into Yang's side and cleaved the girl's arm off. I heard the screams, and in a split-second, Emerald and I were rushing.

We weren't the only ones. Even Blake and Jaune were doing the same, but as the crowd grew terrified, as the darkness of their emotions echoed and increased in pitch, I could hear Cinder's voice come through the speakers of the Amity Arena.

"And what do we have here? Once more, a bloodbath. Once more, callousness and cruelty from the so-called sworn protectors of humanity."

We met with Mercury near the air ambulance, "Explosive charges set and ready to go," he said with a grin, a detonator in hand. His boots were matted with blood. The guards had not survived the confrontation.

My stomach was no longer churning. It was cold, and a feeling of unease had overcome my limbs. I climbed on the bullhead, glanced briefly at Neopolitan in the driver's seat, and then extended a hand towards Mercury, getting the detonator at my unspoken order.

"We'll let a few evacuate," I said. "Their terror will bring more Grimm in."

As my eyes fixed on the Amity Arena, my Scroll began to buzz violently. I glanced down at it, and realized it was Jaune calling me. Very calmly, I snapped the Scroll in half.

Flying swarms of Grimm were coming over the air. Griffons, Nevermores, and meanwhile Ironwood's army up in the clouds wasn't firing on them.

My fingers tightened the detonator's handle. A few bullheads were now evacuating from the coliseum.

"We can't keep hovering around here forever, Shade!" Emerald yelled, but I just looked.

One more.

Just one more bullhead.

Then I lifted the detonator up, and pushed.

The explosion began from the lower half of the coliseum. It rippled across it, and though I could not hear them, I felt them in my very soul, the screams of the terrified citizens of Vale that had come for the match, and would probably not survive the day.

When we landed in Beacon's courtyard, the Atlas robots were already in a rampage. The huntsman academy was on fire, and at the very top I could see flames and lightning echo around.

"You can go rescue Torchwick," Emerald said to Neopolitan, "Cinder will be please he did his side."

Neopolitan glared at Emerald, but then hurried off, leaving us three theoretically stranded in the academy. Yet, slowly but surely, the Grimm tide would increase.

I made my way to the upper floors of the academy. Since the elevator was out, I had to take the stairs. Emerald and Mercury were both behind me.

"Can't believe it's really happening," Mercury said, looking around. "Fucking weaklings dying one after the other, can't even face tin cans and Grimm."

That wasn't true. There weren't deaths in the huntsmen or huntresses, but the majority of them had no choice but to leave to protect the city. Only some students remained around, and the unlucky ones had already been found, and dealt with. The lucky ones had missed death by a hair's breadth.

The noise of fighting came to an end with a peculiarly strong blast, and by the time we reached the top of what once had been the headmaster's office, only Cinder remained standing, alive and smiling brightly as the flames flickered across her entire body, casting her face into an eerie, dark shadow.

"Everything is going according to plan," Cinder bemused, chuckling and turning to look at us. "But I ordered a death, not a wounding, grievous as it may have been."

"Call me sentimental," I said back, "but I thought it would be more efficient, and slightly gentlemanly, to give an ex-teammate a chance at surviving today."

"I see," Cinder muttered. "Ozpin refused to collaborate," she added. "I would have made his death quicker, but...we will find the Relic eventually," she chuckled. "Even if we have to tear down every brick of Beacon, and of Vale."

A sharp sound echoed, the rumbling of an angry mountain. I walked towards the opening of the tower, freshly created from a fiery magical blast. Chaos was rampant through Vale. Flames spread everywhere, robots fighting hunters and shooting indiscriminately.

A massacre.

An unforgivable slaughter.

And I watched as it happened, and gazed at the Coliseum coming down towards the outskirts of Vale.

Mercury clicked his tongue in disgust. "Not enough explosive to make it crash fully."

"It was more than enough," Cinder mused, and as the mountain top detonated, the Wyvern Grimm roared and began to fly. Blobs of darkness spread from its wings and fell on the ground across the city, coalescing into even more Grimm that immediately began their rampage.

Nobody was coming to Beacon's tower.

Nobody was attempting to stop us, even as the Wyvern began to circle atop us, ready to land as if summoned by Cinder.

I took a deep breath, feeling the smell of ozone linger in the air, the pungent iron of blood, and then my ears perked up as explosions rang in the courtyard.

"Foolish of them to come here," Cinder mused with another chuckle.

"Their head's stuck in a fantasy world," Emerald added, "Perhaps it's time they got it unstuck?"

"I could kick them around a bit," Mercury helpfully suggested.

I turned thoughtful. "Chernobog," I said.

"What did you say, dear?" Cinder asked.

"If we made a team," I mused, "we would probably be team CENB, or Chernobog." I tightened the grip on the handle of Magnistipula. "I'll deal with the children. One last act of mercy, I suppose."

"Your kindness will be the death of you one day," Cinder said with a dreadful sigh, "But very well," she gently kissed me on the lips once, "one final farewell, but if they do not leave..."

"Then I will crush them where they stand," I acquiesced with a slow nod. "I won't allow them to threaten your mission, love-dove."

Cinder smiled, and I neared the edge of the tower.

Just as I jumped down, the Wyvern Grimm landed atop the tower.

Magnistipula slammed into the side of the tower, slowing my fall down. With a deep, unsettling breath I flexed my arm and launched off the side of the tower.

I could see Pyrrha and Jaune, both rushing across the courtyard. I could see Ruby in her typical cloud of roses, and Blake running alongside them.

A mighty Atlas Paladin had just fallen on the ground in a nearby courtyard, Ren and Nora on it with older students.

Yet, I landed in front of them.

And I did not land alone.

"Shade!" Jaune exclaimed, looking relieved. "You weren't picking up your Sc-" his voice died in his throat.

I tightened my right fist around Magnistipula. "For the glory of Salem!" I snarled with all of the anger I felt within my soul, coming out in a haunting scream. It was an anger meant for me. It was a burning, hateful anger that I could let out only in this way.

By my side, the Beowolves that had landed snarled in turn, howling loudly. They would not attack me, but they felt my anger, my rage, my grief, and they grew excited because of it. Griffons shrieked up in the air, and a Nevermore cawed as flapped its massive wings right behind me, wicked talons at the ready.

"Shade-" Jaune's shock was short-lived.

My feet shattered the ground, my fury drove my weapon forward. The air itself rippled like a tornado.

The swing connected and Jaune's body flew against the ground with a sordid noise, a cannonball of armor and flesh that impacted and rolled leaving clouds of gravel in its wake. Ruby's scream of disbelief was echoed by her quickly rushing towards the blond boy's unconscious body.

"What are you doing!?" Pyrrha's voice was a haunting shriek of sheer fear and disbelief, a sorrowful lament that echoed through my ears as I smiled, as wickedly as I could ever possibly make it.

"Isn't it obvious?" I chuckled. "I am stopping you. Come, invincible girl. Let me put you into the ground." I felt it bubble within me, my rage. "Like I will put everyone else that dares stand against Salem, the leader of the Grimm."

I gritted my teeth. The muscles in my body tensed.

"Please, no," Blake muttered, her eyes wide, her cat ears trembling. Her face was ashen. Was her heart even beating, or had it stopped in the moment that realization had sunk in that indeed, all of the pain, all of the carnage, all of the deaths that were happening right there and then...were also my fault?

"Shade-we trusted you!" she screamed, fury and rage taking over her shock.

"That was your mistake," I growled. By my side, the Beowolves lunged forward. The Nevermore flew.

"Allow me to rectify it."

Then Magnistipula met Pyrrha's spear, and the screams were lost in a sea of steel.
 
Ahh. The "make them hate you so they don't suffer from fighting you" thing. That and perhaps a touch of Zero Requiem "give them a hated enemy to unite against", except he doesn't plan to die and leave his family.

Very nice. I felt a little choked up.
 
And so it all comes tumbling down.

Now will his Schnee heritage come out in this fight, or not?
 
Ahh. The "make them hate you so they don't suffer from fighting you" thing. That and perhaps a touch of Zero Requiem "give them a hated enemy to unite against", except he doesn't plan to die and leave his family.

Very nice. I felt a little choked up.
With an extra side of "hey guys, the Grimm have a leader and here's her name so you can go try to investigate that a bit after we're done here."
 
...I dunno why, but now I have the image that at an opportune moment, right when it seems Shade and co are victorious and leaving, someone will make a last shot at Cinder that really seems like it will hit, only for Shade to finally use his Semblance.

Blake: Wha-what? You're a Schnee.

Shade: Is it that surprising, Blake?

Blake: ...No. *Starting to realize who he is*

Shade: *Removes glove on branded hand* Is it really so surprising?

You know, just to add an extra kick of that "this is all happened because of the White Fang and thus your fault" knife into her guts.


...Wow, I'm in a cruel mood today.
 
No more holding back. No more playing with children.

Show them the bare limits of what they must surpass.

If you want to be really cruel then the Grimm Shade leads who died could technically have died because of him. Allowing him to summon them. Endlessly.
 
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You know later on since Shade defeated Adam he may be able to summon him to even the score a bit if he's outnumbered. Sure they would share one aura but it would be two combatant. Which would freak Blake out to see two people who she viewed as friends have more in common of hiding their true selves in front of her.
 
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Seven

Pyrrha was good.

She had won our training spar under the watchful eye of Glynda.

She had a semblance that was indeed the worst possible one for the likes of me.

She didn't understand why it wasn't working.

I could see it in her eyes as she hastily dodged out of the way of a swing that would have taken her head, and instead simply ripped the air with the aftershocks. Her breathing was short and ragged, and her eyes were wide as she attempted to keep an eye out for where my next swing would come from.

She had a spear, but Magnistipula had more reach still. She wouldn't be getting close unless she timed herself well, and one mistake would mean her death.

She knew all that. She was frustrated by that. She was angry. She was grieving. She was a myriad of emotions that made her weaker than she would have normally been, and as I lulled her into a sense of false security, I pushed a button on Magnistipula's handle and the blade itself soared forward, the chain rattling as my range suddenly increased.

Pyrrha's hands went to the chain itself, her semblance at full force twirling the attack out of the way as I simply recalled it back, snaking it like I would a whip.

"Is this all you have?" I asked, laughing. "Man, and here I was expecting something more! Did you sit on your laurels as a hero, Pyrrha? Is that why you're so-" I twisted my arm, and the chain rattled, wind dust infused throughout it, "slow?"

Then it shot forth once more.

This time, though, it moved like a snake with its own volition. It spiraled and struck from the sides, Pyrrha hastily letting the attack slide over her shield as she attempted to get closer, only to then have to jump over the returning blade, and then bring her spear into rifle form to open fire upon me. The large slab of iron rose to protect me, and as I slammed my left hand against its flat surface, it soared forward like a sledgehammer.

Pyrrha flew back, the strike sending her down on her knees. I extended my right arm to my side, the chain rattling back into its place, the blade once more fixed.

"What a pathetic hero you are," I mused, "You're not worth it, Pyrrha."

"You-" Pyrrha ground her teeth, her eyes were filled with hate, "Why are you doing this!? Was-Was everything you did before just a lie!?"

I snickered, "You lack one important thing, Pyrrha. You're unwilling to kill. That's why, invincible girl," I sneered, "You'll never stop us. Today, Beacon falls. Tomorrow, Haven." I chuckled. "And even if you do come, even if you do attempt to stand against us, you'll fail." I shook my head, an amused grin on my lips.

"I'll stop you, Shade," Pyrrha growled, standing back up. "I'm not defeated yet."

"But you are," I said. "Because tell me, oh brave heroine...what's the point of fighting, if you cannot even protect the people you love?"

And as I said that, a loud harrumphing shriek echoed nearby, and the walls of Beacon exploded as a Goliath, in all of its majesty, appeared on the battlefield.

Pyrrha looked at the massive Grimm with an aghast expression. She then looked back, to where Ruby was fighting an increasing amount of Grimm while trying to protect an unconscious Jaune. Even Blake was having a hard time due to the numbers, rather than the skills of the enemy.

"In honor of your weakness," I said, "In memory of your naivety, and to forever cherish this wonderful moment...I'll let you, and your friends, leave. The humiliation at being spared by the likes of me will perhaps break your weak souls," I shrugged, "if so, it will be ever entertaining."

I began to walk towards the Goliath, who thumped its hooves on the ground. He would have charged already, but I stopped him on his tracks, standing right in front of him.

He knew better.

He looked at me, and he understood, and he suddenly knew better.

He shrieked loudly with his long trunk, but knew better than to test me. He was wise. He was ancient.

"I hate you," Pyrrha whispered.

I smiled, "I cannot hate ants," I answered back.

I glanced, very briefly, to where Blake had just finished dealing with the Nevermore, and was now gasping for air herself. She turned to look at me, and at the Goliath behind me. She tightened the grip on her weapons.

"Run," I said. "If you do, you'll at least die later. But you'll probably die tired," I turned thoughtful, "There's that to consider too, isn't there?"

More Beowolves growled as they began to rush through the hole opened by the Goliath, a few King Taijitu slithering through in turn.

"We have to run!" Pyrrha yelled as the Beowolves lunged without awaiting orders, the Taijitu quickly behind them.

I smiled, even as Blake's incoherent scream of rage echoed in the air, the cat faunus' wail of grief probably a sweet melody for the Grimm nearby. Still, she ran away too, stopping ever so briefly to aid Ruby in bringing the unconscious Jaune to safety, the reaper herself busy until then against the Grimm.

There would be no shining flash of silver light to harm my beloved Cinder. There would be no silver eye magic to freeze in stone the Wyvern.

Beacon would fall, properly, and Salem would be happy about it.

"Now, now," I said to the Goliath who attempted to walk past me. "You stay right there."

The Goliath took the step.

My blade rattled an inch from the creature's neck.

The Grimm stopped.

"Good boy," I said flatly. A chuckle left my lips. "Why should I apologize for the monster I've become," I mused, "When nobody apologized for making me this way?" the Grimm did not know, nor did it care to answer.

I just laughed, and shook my head. I didn't want to do the stairs one more time. I still felt it within me, that deep rage of mine. It burned. It hurt. Was it pain? I was used to it by then. Pain was meaningless, merely a transient state of existence. You either were alive, or dead.

Pain was just an in-between that meant nothing.

The moment I moved out of its way, the Goliath charged all the same. Still, I had given them time to leave. I had wounded their hearts, and that kind of wound would probably never heal. It was good. Those were the best wounds; those that left scars that would forever be a reminder of just how horrible life could be.

I shook my head again, and walked towards Beacon's cafeteria. It was on fire, there were broken tables, and melted chairs. The machines were broken, but not all of them. I reached for the kitchen's pantry and my fingers grasped the powdered chocolate. I grabbed a pot and burst a carton of milk atop it.

I whistled as I slammed the pot over a crackling fire, perhaps the product of magic since it didn't appear to stop.

That was how Cinder found me a few minutes later, having filled a large mug grabbed from the floor with the poorly prepared hot chocolate.

"Hey there, love-dove," I said amiably. "What's the plan now?"

"We demolish Beacon and look for the vault," Cinder said, drawing closer and then glancing at the mug in my hand. I extended it wordlessly, and she took a sip from it. She exhaled, her fingers tightening around the mug. "I..."

"Yes?"

"There is another relic, in Mistral," Cinder muttered. "Once that relic is recovered...Salem has revealed to me that she will no longer have need for us," she took another hesitant sip, "And will allow us leave, if we swear never to aid Ozpin or hinder her future plans."

I blinked at that. "What?"

"She will not need us any longer after we recover the relic in Mistral, and will let us leave," Cinder said, she looked at me. I looked back at her.

My fear was visible. Her eyes told me that my suspicions were the most correct.

"I know," Cinder whispered quietly. "I feel the same." She handed the mug back to me, and I drained it in one go. "We cannot risk angering her," she quietly added. Her right hand gently grabbed my shoulder, and she squeezed. "Which is why we have to be there by her side, together."

For if she was willing to let us go, then it meant she saw no further use in us.

My hand went to gently engulf Cinder's own on my shoulder, and I squeezed it back in a show of support. "Until the world ends, Ashelyn," I whispered. "Until it ends."

"You foolish, kindhearted man," Cinder choked briefly, but said nothing more.

And if she saw no further use in us...

...then she would just kill us, would she not?
 
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