RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC99: Belly of the Beast (Cinder & Co.)-4

"I agree. But how?" Mala mused. "Which method should we use first? And what to do with that guy in there. He's pretty cute...might make a good toy."

"Are you sure, milady?" Striker said.

"Why not?" Mala suddenly was on edge.

Apparently she didn't handle being told "no" that well.

"As much as that would probably humiliate them all," Striker said, rubbing his chin now, "I've heard things about this fellow. Something about dispelling the Grimm. You shouldn't expose yourself to that."

Mala frowned. "I suppose that's a fair point, if it's true...but it's likely limited. All of them crack sooner or later. And if they don't, they die. It's just another game to find out how."

She looked in the door. "So, Mr. Zapato, I hear you're pretty resistant to Mind Grimm. That's what you all call them, don't you?"

"I can't claim any special talent," Royal said, stiffly. "Gifts as God gives."

"How quaint," Mala said, but there was venom in her tone, "that you actually believe that... We'll see."

Cinder felt cold.

"Well, Cinder, any last words for your hero?" Mala shoved halfway her into the door frame.

Royal glanced up at her.

The eye contact said a lot...

Cinder saw at a glance he at least didn't look like they roughed him up much. Yet.

Though Royal had screwed up all her hard work, so she was going to give him her mind if he got out of this.

On his part, he didn't see much sign that she'd been manhandled, and she didn't seem that afraid, but it was hard to tell with her.

Mala already was freaking him out. She could be vile even without seeing what she did.

"No words?" Mala said.

Cinder frowned.

Any word she said, Mala would be checking to see if she let anything drop.

No way they could try to even hint at the real plan. It was better to say nothing at all. Anything they said so far wasn't evidence that Cinder hadn't told her the whole truth. No time to let anything else out of the bag.

Silence was a defense at time like this...

She just gave him a kind of desperate look like "don't talk."

Royal at least knew better than to ask her if she had any plan or anything like that, but also it seemed like a waste of a chance... But no, Mala was watching them--no way she didn't intend to use it against them.

"How disappointing, nothing to say," Mala said. "As far as you know, lovebirds, this could be the last time you see each other alive if I don't feel generous."

Cinder just looked down.

"Pity." Mala shrugged. She motioned at the others, and they grabbed Cinder again. This time they pinned her hands more effectively.

"Well, to be continued," she called at Royal.

Cinder was marched away.

* * *

"So we're going to intercept the pirates' ship here." Raven was showing the team on her holographic map. "I'm fairly certain this has to be the same one."

It had been hours by now.

"Mom--" Yang was checking her scroll. "--I still haven't heard anything from Team Obsidian or Zapato."