Remnant's Maiden Of Dawn

Chapter 30: Strength Past Loss

3rd Person POV:

Screams. Screams were the only thing heard in Amity Colosseum as the crowd looks down at the corpse of the robotic girl named Penny Polendina, who was accidentally killed by Pyrrha Nikkos.

Y/N: (tearing up at the gruesome sight) My gods...Penny.

Oobleck: (putting a hand up to his ear) Broadcast, what are you doing? Kill the feed!

Broadcast OP: (over the earpiece) Something's wrong! We don't have control of the cameras! We can't even stop the broadcast!

Oobleck: What!? How is that possible!?

His questions are answered as all the screens change to an ominous bright red with a black queen chess piece hovering over the scene. They turn back to the arena as a familiar voice rings out throughout the Colosseum and the rest of the world watching these events.

Cinder: This is not a tragedy. This was not an accident. This is what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, your children, to men who claim to be our guardians, but are, in reality, nothing more than men.

Cinder: Our Academies' Headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both.

Ironwood, realizing who she's talking about, grimaces and rises from his seat, marching up the steps.

Cinder: They cling to this power in the name of peace, and yet, what do we have here? One nation's attempt at a synthetic army, mercilessly torn apart by another's star pupil.

Cinder: What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference.

Pyrrha continues to stare at the remains of Penny in dread and guilt. Lips parting as she raises a hand to cover her mouth. Then her eyes start watering, a single tear falling.

Back in the fairgrounds, a gaping Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna watch the hacked screen of the Shopkeep's stall. The owner and several others including Roy Stallion are gathered nearby. Blake's expression becomes a glare as the speech continues.

Cinder: And what, I ask you, is Ozpin teaching his students? First a dismemberment, now this? Huntsmen and Huntresses should carry themselves with honor and mercy, yet I have witnessed neither.

The two teammates share a look before the last member of RWBY, Yang Xiao Long, is seen hunching over her windowsill listening to the speech before she straightens and turns as Zwei barks behind her.

Y/N: (That voice...it's HER!)

Cinder: Perhaps Ozpin felt as though defeating Atlas in the Tournament would help people forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when the Grimm invaded its streets.

Cinder: Or perhaps this was his message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting kingdom with armed forces. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right and who is wrong.

Cinder: But I know the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves.

Ozpin watches the screen intently, The Long Memory at his side and Atlesian Airships hovering beyond his window. Amid the silence over the Colosseum as they absorb the revolutionary words, no one notices Emerald exit the stadium.

Cinder: As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you the situation there is... equally undesirable. Our Kingdoms are on the brink of war, yet we, the citizens, are left in the dark.