章 26: Chapter 26: Butterfly Effect
~Third POV~
"Are you positive this is everything related to Cinder Fall?"
"Yes, Ozpin this is what I can collect from this."
"Same here Ozpin."
"Thank you very much, Lionheart and James."
Speaking through the screens of his office Headmaster Ozpin has been speaking through with his closest friends as he views him from his safety distance of Atlas Headmaster of Atlas General Ironwood and Headmaster of Mistral Lionheart.
The office of Headmaster Ozpin was situated at the top of Vale's Cross Continental Transmit System, also known as Beacon Tower. As the highest point at Beacon as well as in Vale, it sat high above the clouds and afforded an impressive view of the surrounding area.
Ozpin's chair was positioned to face away from the main room window which was also a large clock The main window behind Ozpin's desk was circular and functioned as a clock face.
The office had two elevators that both featured Ozpin's Emblem above. The elevators lead down to the CCTS terminals, the entrance to the tower, and even lower into the Beacon Vault beneath the school.
Ozpin's office was a circular room in grey-green tones below the tower's tip which housed green spheres, likely the CCTS technology.
The chair, table, walls, and ceiling all featured intricate clockwork mechanisms consisting of many interlocking cogs and gears. Despite Ozpin's desk looking old, it was capable of interfacing with scrolls through touch and could project holograms across the room.
Glancing at the holograms was Ozpin along with his ally Glynda Goodwitch as they read reports about the info tip provided from Albus info about her during the night a week prior. His eyes narrowed at the info of Cinder Fall former resident citizen of Mistral and Atlas hearing her story.
In her childhood, Cinder Fall lived in an orphanage in Mistral, where she scrubbed floors and was bullied by the other children and was implied to have also been starved and overworked by her caretakers.
However, one day, a Madame came and adopted Cinder and took her to the Glass Unicorn hotel in the City of Atlas. There, Cinder was introduced to Madame's two biological daughters.
Once there, the Madame explained Cinder's new duties and work of cleaning the hotel and delivering food to the rooms, and making her position and responsibilities as her "step-daughter" clear.
Since then, both the Madame and her Two Daughters heavily mistreated, overworked, and abused Cinder and forced her to singlehandedly do all the needed maintenance to keep the Glass Unicorn running. In order to keep her in line, the Madam would have Cinder wear a shock collar disguised as a necklace.
During her time with her new "family", Cinder was constantly shocked by her "Step-Mother" for even the smallest of blunders in order to keep Cinder under control during the times she would act out due to her mistreatment from them and mostly for her own amusement at punishing her "daughter".
The Madame would also psychologically abuse and degrade Cinder by shocking her constantly until she said the phrase "Without you, I am nothing" to further demoralize her from fighting back.
Cinder also faced constant bullying from her two "Step-Sisters" who made a point of constantly picking on her due to her status as essentially being their servant and making her chores even more difficult by purposefully causing messes and snickered and laughed whenever Cinder made a mistake, an attitude enabled by their biological mother.
Sometime later when she was ten years old, Cinder stole one of a former Huntsman Rhodes' swords, having seen him flaunt one of them in the Hotel's lobby and due to being tired of the abuse, planned to use them to harm or possibly even kill her "family" to finally be rid of their abuse.
A few years went by, with Rhodes coming and going from the hotel and Cinder continuing to do her work and enduring being tortured by Madame for even the smallest of things. Whenever Rhodes was at the hotel, he would train Cinder in hand-to-hand and dual-wielding at night in secret. Eventually, with a few years left until she would turn seventeen and join a Huntsman Academy, Rhodes gave one of his swords to Cinder.
Late one night, the stepsisters discovered Cinder's newly gifted sword and reported it to Madame. Around fifteen minutes later, Rhodes arrived at the hotel, heard a noise in the storage room that served as Cinder's bedroom, and discovered that Cinder had murdered the stepsisters and was strangling Madame to death.
Although Madame continuously electrocuted her to get her to let go of her throat, Cinder persisted and proceeded to spitefully state that she was the reason for her everything has turned out this way and proceeded to break her neck. Repulsed and overjoyed at finally being rid of her abusers and killed a Huntsman Rhodes during the act.
Ozpin shakes his head as he dismisses his two allies' reports of what he could gather on the name of Cinder Falls as he replied to them, "Thank you two very much about the news. This has been very… enlightening details knowing about one of the Queen's Pawns. I thank you both for your assistance for the last week."
Ironwood nods at this as he felt disgusted himself reading the reports as he spoke, "Same here. But reading the report myself though I can't help she would've turned a better life from the witness reports and past caretakers if – "
He then goes silent as Ironwood fails his duty thinking of those he can't save from people like them as Lionheart soon makes a respectful leave, "If that's the case I'll be sure to leave. But Ozpin how did you know this urgh… Cinder Falls is one of the people responsible for being in leagues with the Queen?"
Taking a sip from his mug he replied ensuring his promise to not reveal his newest card in his hand as he replied to his ally, "No worries Lionheart. I happen… to have recently met an interesting individual is all. But requires that power to be kept hidden so I'm afraid I can't comply… at least till we find the Queen Pawns."
Lionheart reluctantly agreed as he left the chat leaving with Ironwood wondering but stopped knowing it might be a friend but asked, "Tell me is it Qrow that knows this person?"
Shaking his head Ozpin was adamant to not let them know at least till they were out of danger as he responds, "No. It's not someone you know General. But I would rather keep it a secret at least till that person feels confident to speak. I can certainly tell that its semblance… is very telling. But I'll be sure to let Qrow know he can come back now since searching for the person is already accomplished."
Ironwood raised his eyebrows at this but didn't pressure any further trusting in Ozpin's words as he responded, "Very well then Ozpin. I hope to meet this individual you speak of later. For now, though I'm going to check where was this Cinder Fall's latest whereabouts for the last known years. This is James signing out."
Like that Ironwood was gone leaving himself to question the life choices as he answers himself the knowing tone, "Due to her helplessness at her situation as a child and the abuse she suffered, Cinder developed deep psychological scars still in the present day that would ultimately lead her to a dark path. Hmph. Makes me wonder how many Salem has collected people like her to her cause."
Glynda frowns at this as she speaks about this as if they spoke through experience about their troubles, "Not like Salem has chosen people like her before… and it won't be the last that she will prey on their weaknesses…"
The somber tone in the atmosphere was in the air as they were left knowing what should they do as Ozpin glances at the hologram screen showing Amber inside the Aura Machine preserving her life but for how long he doesn't know but is short that's for certain…
…
…
"What do you mean she's already been compromised…?"
"It is as I say my Q-Queen. Cinder has been found out by someone else that Ozpin won't speak of…"
What Lionheart was talking to was a Grimm called a Seer as he made his report to Salem in exchange for his life to be spared.
Seers have small, black spherical bodies resembling a smoky crystal ball that is covered with bone-like plates and spikes. They have six long red tentacles they use to interact with their environment or attack. They somewhat resemble jellyfish.
Salem heard everything from Lionheart's report as it made her eyes narrow as he didn't know how Ozpin figured out who Cinder was or even made the assumption of who the Fall Maiden power was made her truly angry but curious as to how.
She received reports of it through Cinder herself about her missions thinking everything was going to plan… or it was. Salem takes this time to calm herself as she responds to Lionheart in a calm tone, "Very well… Lionheart collects any info you can about Ozpin 'new' help. I want to everything about this person as much as you can collect."
Lionheart took a large gulp of his saliva out of fear of getting killed if he fucked up as he replied to her, "I will search as much as I can about this person my Q-Queen…"
Salem nodded at this as she made her own call to a certain failure as she wanted to speak…
…
…
Elsewhere inside deep within the Vale City Cinder kneeled down as her eyes widen in fear seeing Salem speak about her fuck up of letting herself be known as she spoke, "Cinder… why must you disappoint much child. From the news you have been found out… explain."
Cinder didn't have the words to know or answer hearing that Ozpin already knows her name and is searching around as beads of sweat are apparent on her forehead as she didn't know the real answer for this.
She wasn't even aware that she was found out at all.
Nor did she speak to any strangers or any of Ozpin's allies as Salem took the expression of this as she came to her own conclusion, "It seems that you truly don't know? Seems like a third party has joined. No matter. Cinder adjust your plans as you can't be known so do as you must to keep your identity a secret and adjust. DON'T disappoint me. You are nothing without me."
A cold chill ran down Cinder's spine as the words coming off from Salem left a deep impression of fear in her as she had to change her plans but one thought did come to her mind, 'Where exactly did I fuck up…?'
Like that the wheels of fate are ever coming closer to either Butterfly Effects of Gamer actions changes the pace of the world. The question would be this be LUCK or MISFORTUNE?
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