Midnight
Divergence is a RWBY fan fiction by AlmaArachnidFriendEmpress.
Rather than snapping and killing her abusive adoptive family when they came across her swords, Cinder managed to put up with the abuse long enough for her to leave the Glass Unicorn and become a Huntress. That doesn't means her personal demons are gone and she'll have to deal with these if she wants to become the best huntress she can possibly be.
Midnight Divergence contains examples of:
- Abusive Parents: The Madame. Not only did she treat Cinder like garbage she also threw her biological daughter out of the house and onto the streets simply for saying that MAYBE they shouldn't just get another slave to replace Cinder.
- Ascended Extra: One of Cinder's stepsisters (Amarill) reappears trying to make amends with Cinder.
- The Atoner: Amarill is trying to be this. It's marred by the fact that while she does regret her actions she's primarily focused on relieving her own guilt. While she's willing to put herself in danger for Cinder's sake, it also pushes her to enter situations she has next to no realistic chance of either helping out or escaping with her life, something Cinder calls her out on.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Cinder's childhood in an orphanage and her abuse at the hands of the Madame.
- Easily Forgiven: Averted. Cinder does NOT forgive Amarill for the abuse she inflicted despite Amarill's apology, ripping into her for years of abuse and bluntly telling Amarill that she wanted to kill her multiple times. Her coworker is also openly disgusted with her when she confesses what she did to Cinder. In the sequel its stated that she's made multiple attempts to contact Cinder only to get rebuffed.
- Fallen Princess: Amarill was thrown out of the house by her mother after suggesting that maybe they shouldn't get another slave to replace Cinder. It gets to the point where she's forced to resort to prostitution in order to survive.
- Hates Rich People: Cinder hates the rich elite of Atlas for obvious reasons. She immediately despises Weiss the second she meets her.
- How the Mighty Have Fallen: Amarill goes from living the high life to being forced to engage in prostitution just to survive. She herself bitterly admits that she deserves it for what she's done.
- Irony: Cinder and Pyrrha become a couple in this story.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Amarill freaks out when she sees Cinder's broadcast.
- Rage Breaking Point: Interestingly, what makes Cinder lash out at Amarill is when she attempts to apologize for the abuse; Cinder is deeply angered that Amarill thinks a simple apology will undo years of torture and abuse.
- Sacrificed Basic Skill for Awesome Training: Cinder is an incredibly skilled fighter with years of training, but her skills in other and knowledge in other areas being almost nonexistent to the point of being partially illiterate. However most of this is due to being Made a Slave by her “family” who obviously never saw the need to give her any sort of education and her only interaction outside of that was being trained by Rhodes.
- Secretly Selfish: While Amarill DOES genuinely regret what she did to Cinder, it's marred by the fact that she mostly wants to feel better about herself. That said there are hints she's trying to be a better person.
- Sociopathic Hero: While Cinder is not evil, she's downright ruthless at times.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Cinder, Amarill and Adam have to work together in order to save Blake and a small child, but it's made clear that they barely tolerate each other, except for Amarill towards Cinder.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Cinder absolutely rips into Amarill when she tries to apologize, calling her out for all the horrible things she'd done to her. She also gives one to Rhodes, pointing out that he could have done more to help her while she was at the Glass Unicorn.
- Took a Level in Kindness: While still somewhat selfish, Amarill has come to realize that her abuse of Cinder was wrong and wants to make amends.
- Trauma Button: Cinder has a massive panic attack when Amarill approaches her years later.
- What You Are in the Dark: Cinder sees Amarill being chased by a Beowulf. Despite hating her and realizing that no one would ever know if she abandoned her, Cinder still saves her because that's what a huntress does.
