Capítulo 77: Whereabouts
Neo and Arturia returned, right on time to see Fou shoveling cinnamon into Cinder's nose and taping her mouth shut. All the while Blake was removing her aura by casually hitting her. Neo took a deep breath and smiled.
"Ahh.. the god awful heat. I won't miss it. I'm back, ya'll" Neo walked over, getting Blake and Fou's attention.
"Fou!" Fou waved at her with his small paw and gave Arturia a hard look.
"How was the trip? Where'd you even go? And uh.. who is that?" Blake asked, her interest showing as she looked at Arturia.
"Went to a post apocalyptic world. The reincarnator there being part of this 'Light' faction. Worst part is, they basically forcibly converted the inhabitants there as slaves.. but worse. I can't fucking stand that" Neo shook her head with a scowl.
"Oh and I was accompanied by a small Goddess Kitsune with the fluffiest tails you could ever imagine. Ahh... I already miss Plushwyn" Neo sighed, then took a look over at Arturia.
"And finally, this is Rhongomyniad. Given human form. Though you can call her Arturia" Neo finished, patting Arturia's shoulder before she bowed.
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance formally. You're quite dear in Ma-Neo's heart. I can tell" Arturia complimented, earning a blush and a smile from Blake.
"Kyu?" Fou strutted up to Arturia and seemed to ask a question that went over Arturia's head.
"Hm.. you seem familiar..." Arturia commeted thoughtfully.
While Arturia, Blake and Fou were talking, Neo watched Cinder's now more controlled breathing and decided to be offended by it. Hitting her ribs hard, she forced Cinder to take in a huge breath, which then made her inhale a ton of the cinnamon in her mouth. Starting to cough and wheeze uncontrollably with no way to get it out, the cinnamon had to be shot out her nose, mixing with the pained tears coming down her face.
Nodding in approval at Cinder's agony, she got another notification.
[An offer has been made! Pledge to help another Neopolitan when called upon.
In exchange: Tearwyn's accompaniment.
Accept?]
"FUCK YEAH I ACCEPT!" All three were startled at Neo's sudden shout before seeing a blonde, cat sized, adorable girl with nine tails bigger than her body appear on Neo's shoulder.
"I'm back~! Big sister Lilith gave me a chance to accompany you!" Tearwyn exclaimed before hugging Neo's head.
"Is.. Is that the Goddess you referred to?" Blake asked, disbelieving the sight in front of her.
"Yes! This.. is Plushwyn!" Neo held her up proudly as if she were Simba.
"Hello~" Plushwyn waved, earning a smile from Arturia, a wave back from Fou and a slow wave from Blake.
"You have interesting friends, Neo. Oh~? I didn't miss the torture!" Tearwyn turned her attention to Cinder, whose face was red from trying to cough out the cinnamon that was suffocating her.
"Nope! It just started up again. So what's that pledge again? What other Neopolitan do I gotta answer the call to?" Neo asked the tiny kitsune on her shoulder.
Adopting a thoughtful expression, Tearwyn kicked her little feet and nodded to herself before answering.
"That Neo is someone who fell into a Grimm pool and was adversely affected by it~. She officially became the world's first humanoid Grimm over there. See, that Remnant over there has two Neo's. They're twins. One doesn't have an aura and she fell in while being chased by Huntsmen while patrolling with her sister for Salem" Tearwyn explained.
"Yeah so if her sister can't help her all by herself then maaaaaybe, you can~?" Tearwyn asked, seeming pretty confident she'd be able to.
"I'll definitely try if I get summoned" Neo responded with a smile before looking at Cinder again.
"But for now, let's continue to 'soften' Cinder up" Tearwyn and Neo's smiles sent shivers down Cinder's back as they approached, struggling in vain to break free.
-Five hours later-
Cinder was drained. Of energy, will, loyalty, sanity. She was spent. Her eyes begged to be asked for the information they needed so the torment could finally pause, if not stop all together. Finally, hours later, it came. Neo roughly tore off the tape on her mouth and Cinder puked on the floor, spilling the copious amounts of cinnamon until she could heave no more. Before she could try to get up, Neo grabbed the back of her head and lifted her up in the air.
"So, where's Salem? Let's start with that" Neo asked jovially, much to Tearwyn's amusement.
"She... has a castle... in the ruins of that city.. Dragon Continent.." Cinder hoarsely replied, resisting the urge to cough.
"Mhm.. mhm.. What did she do in your world?" Neo asked, feeling Cinder shiver.
"We.. were in Haven.. She arrived but... she wasn't.. the same Salem.. Came from another Remnant.. a ruined one. Said she was.. was bored.." Neo frowned and urged her to continue by tightening her grip on her head.
"She arrived..! Urgh.. consumed the other Salem.. Drowned the whole city in Grimm, death and magic.. Corrupted everyone into those things.. Anyone who didn't.. died gruesome deaths. Then the world.. It was so easy for her.. All the Maidens could never match up.. She kept.. k-kept experimenting.. she reveled in it all.." Cinder shivered.
Taking a look at Tearwyn, Neo saw her nod back at her before she commented, "Yes, it's as you think. The Dark Gods have corruption too. You saw Raven and Pyrrha under Artoria but they were still themselves at their core. But this is much like the Light's 'infected', Neo" Tearwyn answered, looking a little saddened seeing the unsettled look on her friend's face.
Neo's resentment grew. What was irritation and anger at someone who essentially forced people she knew and liked into rewritten slaves that were shadows of their former selves, was now hate. Her grip tightened as a result and Cinder felt as if her head was going to pop from the pressure before it was relieved.
"Where are they? The ones bitchier Salem turned? Her Castle?" Neo asked, seething.
"Glenn... inside.. trap meant for.. team RWBY.. She wants to see which ones are.. superior" Cinder managed to get out with a painful hiss.
"Then this is still a game to her.. Better to just end her before she realizes it isn't. Are all of her allies in her castle with her?" Cinder almost laughed.
"Allies..? She has no allies.. Only experiments and lackeys.. even me.." Cinder replied, hearing a chortle from Neo after.
"Suitable punishment for someone who thought they were hot shit. Well.. not like I don't understand though. You were manipulated your whole life by her. Abused by your stepmother.. abandoned by your parents.." Neo let go and walked in front of Cinder, looking down at her with a smile.
"Honestly, I pity you. Tragedy can get the best of us. And all you wanted was to never be hurt anymore. It's a shame you ended up like this, Cinder.. Really, it is" Cinder looked up at Neo, clenching her fists in a strange mix of anger, sadness and gratefulness.
"How.. How do you even know all this.. What..? You think I can be saved?" Cinder growled with hurt in her eyes.
"I did save you. My Cinder? She's happy. Abandoned Salem before the attack on Beacon.. She's currently with an Emerald who isn't just a smear on the floor" Neo remarked, hearing Tearwyn evilly giggle.
"I'm.. I'm not-" Cinder stopped her words once she saw the cold, utter indifferent look in Neo's heterochomatic eyes.
"But you killed Pyrrha, so no. The only thing you get, is this" Neo then pulled out a Ranger Sequoia revolver she got from looting Vegas and shot Cinder through the heart, killing her immediately.
Turning back around, she saw Tearwyn fly over to her shoulder and pat her head softly. Fou took the other shoulder and nodded in understanding. Blake looked saddened but quickly stood up and hugged her. Meanwhile, Arturia watched her wielder with a thoughtful expression before dismissing it and joining them in showing their support. Though she had one lingering thought.
~Master just recieved another Divinity.. The very beginnings of one but still.. Now I sense four within her~ Arturia watched something within Neo that Blake and Fou didn't seem to see.
Though Tearwyn looked right at her and held her finger to her lips in a 'shushing' gesture. Nodding in response, the gestures of reassurance did its work to calm her down and return Neo to her default mood. Wiping away any unpleantness in her face, she grinned.
"Thanks" Neo simply said before walking in front of them.
"Now let's go tell Ozpin the deal" Neo stated before coughing.
"Everything but the fact that we sorta kinda murdered Cinder and her pals.." Blake and Tearwyn snickered in response, though Arturia sighed with a wry smile and Fou just nodded sagely.
-Beacon tower, 6am-
Ozpin felt older than ever at the moment. Not only was his peaceful sleep interrupted by his most interesting student, she brought strange guests. Apparently the smallest one was a Goddess, who laughed whenever she laid eyes on him. She gave him strange shivers for some reason and briefly felt overcome with pity for himself. The other was the small white creature who apparently was amazing at magic itself. Then there was the adult woman who felt oddly divine.
That was not the worst part, sadly for him. It was what Neo had told him that really made him feel his age. Salem destroying another Remnant. He knew she corrupted a good many of the other Remnant's people but going by what Neo told him, it's likely Salem doesn't need it. That she was so strong that this was all entertainment for her. This, on top of wanting to test her team RWBY versus Beacon's team RWBY. All for what he could ascertain as an experiment, or worse yet, entertainment. This was not the Salem he knew. This was something worse.
He sat there, looking at his mug of coffee and sighed, digesting the information. Then he turned his head back up at Neo.
"I was going to consider sending team RWBY over in two months. After the dance. I still may, if only to make them stronger in the fight to come. Can you train them?" Ozpin asked sincerely.
"I can. But I want to handle Grimm RWBY by myself. I want to see what kind of state they're in myself before deciding. If they're too far gone? I'll put them out of their misery myself. If not, we can capture them until I kill Salem. I do not want Yang and Ruby to see themselves die. Maybe Blake and Weiss could handle seeing to their counterparts but Ruby and Yang are sisters, it'll tear them up if they see me kill them" Neo stated with a shake of her head.
"Ah.. I couldn't imagine the pain of seeing your sister die.." Tearwyn wistfully muttered, receiving a comforting pat courtesy of Neo.
"I understand. Though kill Salem? Hm.. No, I wouldn't say that's not possible.. Not with what I've seen from you and given your current entourage. Though I do suggest you speak to team RWBY. Get their input on the matter" Ozpin finished tiredly.
"We should, Neo. It's their world. They have a right to fight for it" Blake chimed in.
"Fou!" Fou added.
"Hehehe~" Tearwyn laughed at Neo's small pout.
"Auufh.. I just want to keep them safe.." Neo sighed and finally agreed.
"From what I understand, they're more mature and skilled than their counterparts when you first saw them, yes? And even they were capable. Trust in them, Ma-Neo" Artura reassured her with a pure smile.
"Damn.. How can I refute you when you make that kind of face? Alright! Let's go see team RWBY.." Neo stood up and tipped her cowboy hat at Ozpin before stepping into the elevator with her entourage.
~Hm..? I just now noticed but why is she dressed as a cowboy..? And that coat.. Why does it say 'By any means necessary' on the back?~ Ozpin blanched in confusion before shrugging and sipping from his mug.
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