Cinder's Younger Sister

Chapter 24: The Fall

I groaned getting up holding my head as I did so.

I slowly got up and heard Willow Schnee, Winter's mother say, "Welcome back to the land of the living.".

I groaned, "Where am I?".

She said, "The Schnee Manor. Your friends brought you here.".

I sat up on the bed and said, "They're not my friends. Not anymore.".

I looked myself over and saw that I had some bandages.

I slowly got up saying, "Friends don't punch each other knocking each other out.".

I held my side and some guy came in saying, "You need rest miss.".

I said, "I've rested enough, now where are my things?".

Willow pointed at a nearby table and I slowly made my way over to it.

I said, "Friends don't ignore others.".

Willow said, "Yeah, but as Weiss put it, you've been kinda harsh to them.".

I began getting my black button-up on and I asked, "Did she tell you why?".

There was no response and I said, "Think how you would feel if your sister ruined your entire life in one evening. You get saved by a general who immediately puts you to work as an assassin not caring about your mental state. You go through the motions for years, finding love, making friends, only for her to ruin it all again for other people this time. You get patched up, take a breather and then immediately start trying to track her down, only this time you have help. After helping those friends get where their going you can hear them talking bad about you, so what do you do, help those who insult? Or leave? After leaving they just drag you all the way back and you finally tell them the truth, you help them understand, and in the process lose trust and the only love you've ever known. But in expressing the truth and going through a new set of motions, you learn acceptance, and try to forgive your sister, only for her to stab you in the back. I've known nothing but suffering with brief glimpses of happiness." and I finished getting dressed.

I turned to Willow and said, "Oh and should I forget punching someone hard enough to knock them out while they're already near unconsciousness.".

I started slowly walking away and I said, "If they ask where I went, tell them I went to get The Staff, and if they have a plan for it, to call me at the earliest convenience.".

I snuck out of the Schnee Manor and to Atlas Academy.

I got to one of the exterior air vent exits.

I sighed and said, "Better than taking another bullet.".

I entered and started sneaking around The Academy.

I stopped my travels when my Scroll started going off.

I stopped in the air vent and pulled my Scroll out and the CCT broadcast was going before it cut to Ironwood.

Ironwood said, "I have always promised to defend this Kingdom. Its technology, its future, from those who would see it destroyed. Our enemy is crippled, but one individual still denies Atlas its salvation. The one known as Cryomancer. Wherever you and your friends are, I need you all to listen. I know how much being a hero means to you, so I'm going to give you a choice. You can bring yourself to Atlas Academy and do your duty, and help me save as much of Atlas as I can, and Mantle will be left to fend for itself. Or... you can all watch as I destroy Mantle and its people. I have one bomb. That's all it'll take. If there's no Mantle then there's no reason for you not to work with me. Neither of us want it to come to that, but one of us is willing to do it. If anyone tries anything other than what I've ordered, Mantle... is gone. You have one hour to respond. I hope you live up to the respect and admiration I have in you.".