Crimson Immoderation Chapter 30

The cliffs below Beacon aren’t a sheer drop, thank Blob. But an inverse incline is barely improved with viable handholds to make our way down. It is a long drop to the city below. A hundred foot? A bit more than that? We never did find out exactly how deep that sub-basement is below the school. I have Amber hanging onto my back, doing her best to not freak out. Regardless of how much or how little she trusts me right now, panicking would be bad for us. Amber is nowhere near as much of a concern as Cinder who is making this climb with an injured arm. I’m keeping a close eye on her. If she falters I can probably catch her but that won’t be fun for any of us either.

Forty feet away from the ground I make an executive decision that this needs to stop. “Cinder,” I call out to my partner in this, “Drop on my mark. Now.”

We both release our hold on the cliff wall. My spear comes out of my sleeve, the grapple firing out to catch the wall. Amber and I swing, colliding with Cinder and arcing along the wall thanks to the grapple line, coming down to the ground in a heavy but relatively safe landing.

“Hah,” Cinder pants, clutching her injured arm with a pronounced grimace. “Thank you. That was taxing.”

“You’re welcome.” Landing strategies are all well and good until you’re trying to get down quietly while injured and/or carrying someone else.

Speaking of carrying someone else, Amber is fidgeting on my back. Not speaking up which is interesting. I told her to be quiet and she’s still doing so. That means that particular power of mine is quite strong. “It’s alright,” I speak in hopes of soothing her. If she actually starts fighting me this will get... Complicated. 

She gets off of my back and takes three quick steps away. Still wearing a hopsital gown and looking around furtively. She’s unarmed but that probably isn’t much of a hindrance if she’s motivated. “Who are you?” she demands, though her words are uncertain. “What did you do to me?”

“You were in the care of people who planned to kill you,” I answer entirely honestly. “We got you away from them so we could help you recover.”

“Recover?” she echoes, her eyes landing on Cinder as her elbows bend, her legs shifting into a ready stance to do whatever she might do if provoked. “She was the one who hurt me!”

“She did and believe me, she regrets everything about that.” Maybe stretching the truth slightly. “Please, I can explain. Come with us and I’ll tell you everything. We won’t force you, but you deserve to know everything and I guarantee no one else will be willing to tell you.”

Blob how I love the social perks I have. The sheer ability to convince people is astonishing. She can see her state of undress. She can see where we are. That we tunnelled out from under Beacon. She knows as well as we do that this situation is a little strange. But she also knows that she is alive and in good health, which she clearly wasn’t before we abducted her. The combination of perks and just how uncertain she is lets me watch her come around in real time, her expression shifting to wary acceptance. “Just keep her away from me.”

“Understood. Cinder, if you could go ahead of us please?” I request. The villainess’ eyes roll but she turns and walks into town, surreptitiously cradling her arm. “She couldn’t do anything to you in that state anyway,” I tell Amber as I gesture for her to follow, “Nor would I let her.”

Perhaps there’s also another factor in this I realise as she reluctantly follows. She wants to know. She’s curious what I have to say. But she can also make a good attempt of murdering the shit out of us before running away if she really wants to. I remove my coat and drape it over her shoulders, letting her at least cover up. The staff usually kept in my sleeve instead hangs from my belt.

We make our way into Vale, supported by an unseen Emerald keeping aware of anyone who might see us as we make good speed toward the industrial district. The streets are near deserted at this incredibly late hour so there’s little trouble. Just avoiding any moderate crowds and staying beneath people’s notice.

The warehouse isn’t empty when we return. I slightly sweaty Ilia arrived before us. “Did anyone see you?” I ask, not even bothering with a greeting.

She shakes her head, her ponytail flicking from side to side. “No. No one saw. Hell, I didn’t even see any kind of alert. The only reason I knew you were done was the elevator moving.”

That makes some amount of sense. The vault was secure because no one knew about it and in practical terms, no one knowing about it wasn’t just for security. People would have questions if they knew Ozpin was keeping a girl in intensive care in his super secret dungeon. Either he checked it out alone or he took Glynda with him. In either case, they wouldn’t raise a fuss. Not yet. “Cinder, how is your arm?”

“In significant pain, thank you for asking,” she breathes out, “Though it is healing. Slowly. Still better than the alternative.”

“What is this?!” Amber demands, her patience seeming to have run out. “You said you’d tell me something important and then you drag me to a warehouse! I know you took me from Beacon! If you’ve got something to say then say it! Otherwise I’m leaving!”

“I did promise, didn’t I?” I ask, hitting the button to close the entrance shutter. “What do you remember?”

“Her,” she answers with vitriol, glaring at Cinder. “And... And then pain. A lot of pain. Like... Like something was tearing at my soul...” She can’t help the fear that creeps into her eyes as the memory comes to the fore.

I’d call that a mistake, but I genuinely needed to know what context I’m working with. She remembers the attack. Not ideal, but I can work with it. I approach her, take her hand. “Hey, you’re okay. Everything is okay.” Arousal control is an awkward power for this circumstance but with only slight increase she’ll have a better opinion of me. Match that with the authoritative control I have like someone who can be relied upon and...

She chooses to look away from Cinder, focusing on me. On someone she instinctively sees as someone dependable even if she isn’t sure of my motives. “Who is she? What happened? I don’t understand any of this!”

“Your power,” I say, once again speaking in a smooth, authoritative voice in an attempt to bring her back from the brink of hysterics, “The power of the fall maiden. She was told if she attacked you she could have the power for herself. Only a partial truth. It was a trick so she would steal your powers for the woman who gave her the method she used.” I look significantly at Cinder’s bandaged arm. “A method she gave up at risk of great injury to herself for the sake of helping you recover.”

“Wait, are you talking about–?” The fall maiden cuts herself off to not say a name that shouldn’t be known.

But of course I know it. “Salem? Yes. She has a way of picking at people, twisting them to her own ends.” And as someone who does the same thing I can say her methods are solid! “And now, by reviving you, we are all now her enemies. Not that we weren’t before as living beings. This just makes things rather more official.”

“Don’t take his words the wrong way,” Cinder chooses to interject, “I didn’t get rid of that thing for you. It would have made me a slave and that is something I refuse to be.”

I wince slightly. Not particularly helpful, but then again Cinder claiming honest indifference to Amber’s fate would probably be an easier sell than her doing something truly altruistic. “Thank you Cinder.”

“Then why were we running from Beacon? If you were trying to help me, Ozpin would–”

I put on a look of regret for what I’m about to say. “Ozpin’s plans for you did not include your recovery.”

“I don’t understand. Ozpin is a good man. He–”

“Is a man who will do what he must to keep the darkness at bay.” I offer her a sad smile. “Including sacrificing a young woman caught in dire circumstances.”

I give her a general gist of the event that led up to this moment. Making sure to frame Ozpin’s role in this as worse than it is not through his actions but through the actions of his supporters. Which... Put in another way, I basically blamed Ironwood for everything. He has a reputation and she might actually know him decently well. So painting him as a stubborn authoritarian with no tolerance for shades of grey, of course we had no choice but to go about things this way! Ironwood would hunt us to the ends of Remnant for the actions taken by Cinder. And of course Ozpin is hardly much better for being so quick to give up on her. To accept the plan to violate someone else’s soul with hers just to maintain a holding pattern against Salem, no endgame in sight.

Some parts of it land easier than others. I remember she was inexperienced as a maiden and Ozpin’s inner circle didn’t want her off on her own so she was already willing to flout his authority. Already had some misgivings about him and his methods.

“Why should I believe anything you’re saying?” she asks, already believing a lot of what I’ve been saying.

“Believe it because it’s the truth.” I phrase it very carefully. Her breath hitches slightly as my story and framing of the events solidifies into truth for her simply because I commanded it. The process seems to shake her deeply. I imagine she’s realising that yes, it fits some of her preconceptions and the ones it doesn’t are simply less important. With how much of what I said fit the facts it must be the truth. It must hit her like an epiphany.

This is probably the most overt use of my influence since Cinder and Emerald. Two women who would do horrible things together if left unchecked. I didn’t feel remorse for that. And to be honest, I don’t feel that much remorse now. The truth is we saved her from a fate worse than death and this really will be a better path for her. I suppose the lack of attachment to her character (beyond her voice, which is still lovely in person) means I simply care less about her. I hope that changes in future. I do plan for her to be one of my brides after all. But for the moment she is a means to an end.

“What... What will you do now?” she asks. Her real question of course being what happens to her now.

“Ozpin will be looking for you now. Quietly. I ask that you stay here for the time being. Not too long,” I clarify before she can protest, “Just a couple of days to let you recover and get your strength back. Then... You may do as you like.”

“Just like that?” she asks, surprised even though she believes in my altruism. “You’ll just... Let me go?”

Of course. I’m willing to do what Ozpin won’t. Because I’m the good guy. “You aren’t a prisoner. You’re someone who was in dire need of help. Help I was willing and able to give. I want to see you through this.” I raise my arm toward the stairs where Emerald stands. “Emerald will show you to a room.”

As Amber turns around, I mouth ‘apologise, be friendly’ at the dark-skinned verdette. She gives the tiniest nod before Amber turns back to look at me with worry. “Her?”

“Trust me.”

And she does.

“Cinder, Ilia,” I call as Amber walks with uncertainty toward the stairs. The two women fall into step with me as we move into the back office.

“You know, this whole ancient conspiracy stuff is still a little above my head,” the faunus complains as she leans against the office wall. “Magic, ancient Grimm witches, all that crap? Kind of wish I didn’t know about any of it.”

“Well the end goal is to put a stop to it if it helps.” I’ll be happy if I can be the only wizard in the world. Or at least have all the maidens under my control. And also Salem. Making her my bitch is kind of vital to my endgame, what with that being my endgame. “So Cinder. You’re looking to keep Amber as an enemy? Or is your pride worth that much?”

“You think only pride motivated me to speak?” she asks, still understandably irritable. “Foolish Vlad. She will never see me as some misunderstood soul. Only as an adversary.”

“True,” I grant her. “If she knows she can trust me but can’t trust you that will leave her surer of her position.” And also someone who will keep an eye on Cinder which is never a bad thing. She has a tendency to creatively interpret my intent.

“What about you?” she asks with a frown. “We went to all of this effort to get her out of Ozpin’s clutches and now you intend to give her back?”

“Cinder, I thought you knew me well enough by now,” I shake my head and smile at her. “She is exactly as free as you are.”

Her brow furrows, but then she smirks shaking her head as well. She doesn’t speak her conclusion leaving Ilia in the dark but she and I understand entirely. Amber isn’t free. I’ve bought us a couple of days. Long enough that I can more securely turn her to our side before she returns to Ozpin with some pointed questions. Ideally even long enough I can take her power. I’ll collar her with kindness. Then it will simply be a matter of getting enough points for purchases. I’ll have magic. Real magic, not just the rigid powers my lovers have given me. 

I had ideas for what we could do in different circumstances. Some would have been better. Some worse. I had assumed she would take a while to recover. Or that she wouldn’t recover. On the outside chance she did recover quickly, this seemed like the best play. Get her trust, Keep her docile for a short while. Seduce her. Then send her right back to Ozpin where she can monitor his activities for us.

I’m just lucky I can paper over any difficulties with the powers I’ve gained. Pressure is still building in some places but for now I think we’re in the clear.

Neo finally returns. I have to assume she covered her tracks well enough. Leaving parting instructions for Ilia to... Well, to try to be friendly, my team return to Beacon hidden under two different illusionists to return to our dorm undetected.

Not that I’m expecting I’ll be able to sleep. “Neo, I owe you don’t I?”

Her eyes light up, her little hands pawing at my pants. I lay back, letting my little shortstack get to work retrieving her snack to our mutual delight.

-(-)-

The next morning it’s still quiet. Many of the students are gone for break. Not all of them but enough to make the campus quieter than usual. And considering what happened last night it’s a discomforting quiet. During the night, sure. But I thought there would’ve been some sort of unrest going on. Glynda announcing some sort of security check, maybe? Just something. But no, all quiet on the western front.

Thankfully there’s nothing strange about me going into town. Something I’ve done fairly regularly over the past couple of weeks.

“Hey.”

I startle slightly. The demanding tone making me thing for a brief instant that I really have been rumbled this quickly. But on looking around I see it’s just Blake. “You startled me,” I complain with a genuine laugh. “Blake, what can I do for you?”

“I need to talk to you about something.” She wears very little expression, save her eyes are narrower than usual.

“Is it vital? I rather had somewhere to be.”

“It’s important.”

My eyes close. A few minutes won’t ruin anything. “Very well.”

“Not here,” she insists, leading me away to the northern cliff overlooking Forever Fall. Only then does she stop and turn to face me. Out here in a place where we can see for quite a way, where we know we won’t be overheard.

And also... Uncomfortably close to a high cliff she could throw me off of. I mean I’d survive just fine but still! “So, what can I do for you–”

“You’re Ilia’s boss.”

I blink. How. The fuck. “Pardon?” Showing confusion is easy when I really am confused.

“She works for you,” she rephrases with that same flat expression. “You saved her from Auburn and the White Fang and now she works for you.”

“Err, okay. You’re saying a lot about some things for which I have only tangential knowledge. Who is Ilia?”

“You can try to deny it all you want. You’re the one behind it all. The dust robberries, taking down the White Fang, all of it. I don’t know how the White Fang got involved but–”

“Okay,” I hold up my hands, palms out, “Let me stop you there. The dust robberies? I seem to recall those started before I even had a reason to come to Vale. And weren’t the White Fang responsible from the start? I mean I saw the story about that train heist... But the first time I got involved with the White Fang was because of that thing at the docks–”

“How did your weapon get damaged?”

“Blake, are you alright?” I ask with affected worry. She... Does not appreciate that, her head tilting in a way that turns her flat expression to a warning one. I sigh. “The cable snapped. You remember your team leader helped repair it?”

“Yeah. I asked her about it. She said it looked like it was cut. You and I both know how tough grapple style weapons are designed so that doesn’t happen.” She smirks ever so slightly. “It must’ve been a pretty sharp blade with a lot of force behind it.”

... I remember. Way back when. I think my very first conversation with Blake. We had an argument about privilege. I didn’t quite accuse her of ignorance for her views then. She did largely the same to me. Honestly it was an ugly conversation. One that left me with a bad impression of her, an impression informed by everything about her from the show.

And yet. Clearly I didn’t give her enough credit. “I maintain,” I say, my concerned expression smoothing away to show my true feelings. Namely amusement. “I wasn’t responsible for the dust robberies. So! What were you planning on doing with this information?” I would bet the entire take from the dust sale that if I attack her now she’ll be a clone, the real her running off to tell the nearest authority. I might have to go hard on control. Things are too precarious to be upset by Blake right now.

She wears a grin of victory at my effective confession. My good mood fades slightly as she lets the moment drag on so she can savour it, but she speaks again soon enough. “I wanted to thank you.”

I don’t say anything, but my eyebrows rise at that.

“Auburn... I don’t know how well you knew her?”

“Not very, I admit. We only met twice and both times she tried to kill me,” I shrug helplessly. “I can’t help my appraisal that she was somewhat unhinged.”

“I guess that’s true,” she admits with sorrow. “I... Even knowing what she ended up doing, I know I could never have stopped her myself. I have no clue how she got so twisted. I remember when we were younger. She was so full of passion I couldn’t help but admire her.” Her smile is a sad one. “I’d like to think the woman she was then would be glad you put a stop to the woman she became.”

I... Sincerely doubt it. “You’re being surprisingly understanding about all of this. When you came up to me all but screaming j’accuse, this wasn’t what I expected.”

“I was proud I figured it out. No one else has,” she smirks at me. This is a side of Blake I might actually be able to admire. “And Ilia trusts you. You. A human. I don’t know if you understand just how much that means.”

“Well. I hope I live up to that trust.”

“You better. I’ll be watching.”

She turns and walks away. I’d be more convinced by her threat if her ass wasn’t swaying quite that much. Only when she’s entirely out of sight do a let my control slip and take deep steadying breaths.

Okay! Okay. Everything’s fine. Blake didn’t decide to ruin everything at the last second. Great! Time to seduce a maiden.

And never participate in any gambling ever again. You only get that lucky once in your life before it’s all used up.