So it's been a long time.

Cinder flicked her cigarette off of the balcony, watching its glow descend into the darkness, eventually being snuffed out as it hit the ground. She smirked, a natural look on her face, and one she'd taken too much pleasure in wearing years back. She shook her head, no point revisiting a time long since passed, she got up and headed back inside. She laid down on her bed, her smaller lover shifting, putting her arm around the older woman. Despite the movement, she little redhead hadn't woken up, she was still fast asleep, and drooling no less. Cinder smiled, nestling into her sheets and the warm embrace of her partner. This was good.

Cinder dreamt. Her dreams betrayed her wishes, and took her a few years back. She was fully committed to the cause back then, a cause she no longer has any use for. She was directionless and, if she was being honest with herself, perhaps not entirely mature. She'd married young, but he died in an unfortunate accident. She flitted from place to place, person to person, uncontent and aggressive she took the latent and simmering anger out on people, anywhere. She didn't choose the dancefloor, as it was said.

Salem took her in, gave her direction and a cause. Focused her, and gave her power like she'd never imagined. Power meant nothing to Cinder now. She was stationed at Beacon, so that she might become a maiden. She had a cause, a purpose. Those silver eyes, those damned silver eyes. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and there be no power stronger than love.

Cinder first met Ruby in a rather mundane encounter, a small chance passing in the halls. Innocence was not something Cinder possessed. She'd long since traded it for knowledge and power, although the two were not mutually exclusive. Her eyes were cold, and had been for a very long time. When amber met silver, something changed. Ruby had no evil in her, she was good, pure, uncorrupted. Cinder hungered for that, and the destructive part of her wanted to destroy the innocence.

Corruption was simple enough. Cinder would make "excuses" to see Ruby. They'd talk, and Cinder would show her the world and tell her about things Ruby had never thought of. Ruby changed, Cinder could not deny that, but along the way Cinder changed as well. Her eyes warmed, her features softened, she walked lighter, and she smiled. Ruby, however, began to hunger, like Cinder, for something more.

Ruby had a certain wanderlust to her, and while she would at one time deny it, she also desired similar things to what Cinder desired. Power was enticing, and to Ruby it was doubly so. It was for good reasons she sought it, but there was that dark part of Ruby that began to grow. For a girl so obsessed with weapons, strength was a concept respected by her.

When beacon fell, the two had a falling out. Cinder, still blinded by ambition, struck a killing blow to one of Ruby's classmates. Ruby was upset, but there was some voice in both their heads. They couldn't resist each other, they knew that, and they knew that they'd have to fight for each other.

"Watch the blade," Ruby said, the girl ran her hand along the razor sharp edge of her weapon.

"What'll you do with it? Cut wheat?" Cinder laughed her own joke, amused that the young girl took so much pride in an oversized weed whacker.

"Just because you think you're all fancy with your glowly hands and the likes, don't mean this ain't cool," Ruby put on a faux accent, mostly southern but drawing from others.

"You're fighting people in the Vytal festival, Ruby, not corn"

"You're just jealous." Ruby stated, matter of factly.

"How do you figure?" Cinder smiled, wryly, bemused by the girl's accusation.

"Well, I can see it in your eyes," Ruby scooted close, and plopped onto Cinder's lap, getting so close that her breath was warm on Cinder's face, "I can see what you truly desire,"

"You're watching that show again, aren't you?" Cinder asked, laughing.

"I can neither confirm nor deny," Ruby held her hand up, like she was taking the oath of office.

"Goof,"

"No you!"

Sorry for the short length, but I want to get something out to you guys. I just need to get the ball rolling. It's not been fair for people who've enjoyed the story, I've had some… less than stellar chapters, and I'm deleting the ones I'm not proud of and that are too different in tone. If you want to see them back, leave a review, I'll put them in a separate story, but I think they'll sit in the vault. I want to take some time to do some thanking, and all the people thanked have probably all received a PM but I'm doing this anyway. Thank you to Aceina, your PM kind of spurred this soft reboot angle I'm gonna be working for the next few chapters. Videocrazy, you're critique has been incredibly helpful. Bob115, you're absolutely right, and in the coming chapters I'm going to work to improve. Fanfiction's Rookie and KHARAKI TAKAN have both criticized my pop culture references. They're gonna be gone.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your reviews. Almost every single one has been critical, and I do listen to you. To those who have taken the time, I've explained my struggles and processes with you. I hope you continue to keep reading, and I hope I can really capture what interested you all in the first place. Thank you.