Cardin's eyes had a bit of fire in them until he saw Alabast shrouded in darkness.
Cardin understood the saying: 'If you stare into the Abyss the Abyss stares back at you'. Cardin begins to cry as he remembers his childhood.
Cardin goes back to when he was a kid. Maybe around 7 years old. In a big house, and not a care in the world. A happy family with a loving mother, a not so loving father, and a brother. Sure his father wasn't the best, but that was only because he was busy with the Winchester family business. They were a family that made it rich by making various weapons that became popular because of their durability and effectiveness in combat. It was a relatively new business with Cardin's grandpa starting it and passing it to his father. This kept his dad busy most of the time, and left him exhausted the rest of the time.
Cardin's father was a decent man. He had morals and honor. But that proved to be the downfall of his family.
When Cardin turned 7 his brother was 5. They were in the car with their mom and dad. A driver was taking them to a party with some other rich people but Cardin didn't really know or care at the time. He only wondered what he was going to eat and getting back home to watch the new cartoon that just came out.
But he never did end up watching that cartoon, or even get to go to the party.
They were a family that didn't discriminate against Faunus and viewed people based on the skill they had. Their driver had been with them since the beginning of their family business and they trusted the raccoon Faunus like family. He wasn't just a driver but a butler and loyal friend. Cardin liked playing card games with him like go fish and crazy 8s.
They were driving down a road that no other cars were on. It wasn't unusual since the party was far away and the sun was beginning to set in the horizon.
Cardin blinks and all of a sudden he sees the outside upside down.
His senses quickly come back and he can feel his seatbelt digging into him slightly.
Cardin sees his brother not moving and his arms above his head, or is it below since he's upside down? Either way, his brother wasn't moving. He couldn't hear the best but he saw his mom and dad try and check on them.
His mom and dad unbuckled themselves and landed onto the ground with a crunch. The glass and whatever else broke had fallen to the ground to 'cushion' their fall. But the parents didn't care and scrambled to their sons. They didn't care what happened to them as long as they were safe.
They were only able to get to their sons when they were dragged out of the car.
Cardin watched as men in black uniforms came and broke the doors away and grabbed his parents by their ankles and yanked them out.
At this point he could hear their shouts and cries. He watched as they blew the driver's/butler's brains out and plastered the windshield and seats in red. Similar to the eyes currently gazing at him from Alabast.
Cardin was able to get to the ground without injury, just dizziness and confusion. His brother still unconscious.
He saw the men with various animal traits stand around his parents. But what confused him is they only beat his father and mother. His dad was the strongest Huntsman there was and could never lose to these clowns. And his mom wasn't a joke either. He remembers their stories about them fighting Grimm like it was cup of coffee in the morning. A ritual to them that required few steps and was fairly simple unless they added things to the coffee every now and then.
Cardin couldn't believe that his dad and mom just took the beating without fighting back.
Then a huge man that had the ears of a bear approached him. His skin was dark and his muscles were bulging beneath the combat suit he was wearing.
The bear Faunus grabbed his brother and him from the car. The guy wasn't gentle and horrified Cardin. His brother was limp in the mans huge hand while he tried to get away. But his body wasn't strong enough and he was in slight pain from the car crash, he only found that out after he started kicking and clawing at the mans grip on him.
But it didn't matter when both brothers were dropped to the ground. The brothers were dropped in front of their parents who were beaten on the ground and were bloodied. Cardin didn't understand since they couldn't be hurt. They were invincible and they showed him when his mom accidentally cut herself while cooking one day. She explained that she and his father could heal rapidly and that's if they get hurt to begin with. Cardin read between the lines and combined that info with their stories to understand they were invincible.
Then the bear man put his index finger on his forehead.
Cardin's world went pitch black. Except for his parents and the Faunus around them. His body wouldn't respond and he was forced to watch as his parents were beaten.
It was 3 minutes later that he passed out.
When he awoke next he was in a hospital room with his brother in the bed next to his.
The doctors said a lot of words he didn't know or didn't care about. It was hours later that he was able to see his parents. His brother had woken up after 2 hours of waiting and they talked and cried together, but for different reasons. Cardin's world had came crashing down around him. And he was alone with his brother and not knowing what will happen next. His brother was because he was in a place he didn't know and he was hurting slightly, as well as his big bro was crying and seemingly in pain as well.
The brothers were allowed to go to their parents, but they didn't seem to be the same. They seemed...distant and cold almost. Like something had changed who they were.
After that night, their family wasn't the same. After those Faunus came and forcefully opened Cardin's eyes to reality. They lost the family business and the family love they used to have. Cardin remembers the way the butler was executed like he was just an animal.
That darkness he was surrounded in while he watched his parents get beaten black and blue. The darkness that haunted his dreams. The darkness that radiates off of Alabast. The darkness that always threatens to bring pain to him is right before him.
He hates Faunus. Because of what they did to him and his family. He trusted a Faunus and it ruined his life and got that Faunus killed. He know it wasn't that Faunus' fault, but it had to be somebody's fault! So why not all Faunus? They all deserved to be below his boots. Or at least nowhere near him and his family.
"Say"
"My"
"Name"
These words shook Cardin to his core. His tears streamed out more as he saw Alabast look down at him.
He saw his parents get beaten in Alabast's Darkness and his butler's blood douse the cars interior with red, just like the glowing eyes staring into his soul.
Cardin felt like he was 7 again. Like he was back in that car crash. Like he was in the car but also on the cold and hard pavement forced to watch the beat down.
His body was shaking. His trembles were like Remnant was about to fall apart. Just like his world had fallen apart that night.
The sun setting in the distance, red like the leaves and gras of Forever Fall forest.
He hadn't had these feelings hit him so hard in years. It's gotten better but now it's back in full force. If not worse.
Cardin pleaded for them to stop. For them to leave him and his family alone. He hated himself for being so weak. He couldn't do anything at the time and swore that he would become invincible like his parents were supposed to be….
But he was brought back to reality when the air in his lungs disappeared from his lungs.
He gasped for breath but it was like the air couldn't enter his mouth or nose. He came back to reality and saw Alabast's fist planted just below his chest armor. Hitting directly into his diaphragm.
He now realizes that he has his mouth free from the darkness. But his body was still frozen, just like when he watched his parents lose who they used to be.
"You and your team deserve much worse Cardin Winchester. And then getting beaten is on you. You led them into this. Into attacking my team and my friends. You sealed you're fate the moment you threw the jars and released the wasps. I would have shoved those wasps so far up your asses you would taste why they are called Rapier Wasps. Now be a good boy and take your punishment" Alabast stands up and raises the belt into the air. "Daddy's just getting started"
——————
Ren, Nora, Pyrrha, Ruby, Yang, Blake and Weiss watch all this go down.
They don't know how to feel about this to be honest. And they all have mixed feelings.
Team CRDL deserved this. But it just seemed like torture almost. But they knew this was the only way for them to stop their bullying. And they all would say that they would change their actions after this.
They watched as Alabast brutalized already captured enemies that couldn't even talk. But they were in Remnant and they were training to become Huntsmen and Huntresses.
But in the end they enjoyed the view. It was actually awakening some things in a few of the girls watching.
Nora was beside Ren and tugging on his sleeve as they watch from behind a tree. Nora and Ren watching from different sides of the tree.
Everyone else was hiding behind a tree or in a bush.
The most notable girl was Blake who was hiding in a bush and one could only see golden yellow eyes peeking from the bush. It was like an animals eyes hiding in the darkness with only glowing eyes being seen.
But they all stayed silent as they watched.
——————
Alabast was about to punch Cardin again when he lowers his fist.
"I don't want to see you four doing anything stupid again for the next 4 years. You will become perfect students and won't fuck around with anyone. Or I will never have to see you again" Alabast makes his nails turn into sharper claws with his darkness.
Cardin's aura had already broken and his beating already dished out.
Alabast drags his nails across Cardin's metal armor chest piece. It doesn't break his skin and draw blood. But it shreds the metal leaving a nasty looking claw mark.
"Now here's what happened you child. Daddy came and saved 4 lost ducklings from a giant Ursa after the ducklings took a beating. Then Daddy just left with his friends. Afterwards you 4 have a sudden realization. You don't need to be racists and bullies and get your act together after a near death experience. Doesn't that sound accurate" Alabast just lets the 4 of them drop to the ground. None feeling like they can or want to stand up.
They all could have died, and were then beaten because of their previous actions.
Cardin slowly nods his head like a robot. Barely even registering what was said.
"I'll accept that after you….say….my…name" Alabast growls out.
Cardin looks up with hollow eyes. His brain wondering if this is what his parents felt like when they didn't fight back.
"I…I…I-w..we understand…." Cardin hangs his head. "D-da"
Alabast kicks him in his right shoulder forcining him down into the dirt. "I don't want to hear you call me that! Only special people to me can call me that! You just have to understand that that's my position to you right now. You guys are like children in comparison to me!" Alabast shouts for the first time in a while. Then he calms himself down. "Now…What….Is….My…Name"
"A-Alabast.....Noir"
And when Cardin looks back to where Alabast is, he sees nothing but the previously beautiful forest and his beaten teammates.