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"...Where are we?" I remembered getting hit by a missile but after that I don't know how we ended up in a broom closet… or how we split our body apart… Then again it was sort of nice being myself once again even if Cinder was dressed as a maid while she sat hunched over in a corner... Why? I better ask, "Cinder?"

"It's my memory. We're in my memory." I knew our minds were merging and we were faintly getting each other's memories but I didn't know we were able to do this. Ozpin really needs to explain himself better. Or at all. Though the cute little pigtails on Cinder's head were no indication of this memory's importance. We were in what looked like a shabby closet. And she looked far from the most fearsome witch out there.

"Are you okay?" It wasn't like her to be afraid… of well- anything. That was my clue that something was-

EEEP!

Cinder hugged a book so hard it launched out of her arms. She scrambled to reclaim it and keep it out of my view. Small and leather bound… was she afraid that I would take it? Or was this memory of someone taking it? I couldn't sit still, I approached her as she remained rolled into a ball. I allowed my hand to gently touch her back before it found its way around her front. I knelt down and hugged her from the back, "You don't have to be afraid anymore. We'll protect you from anything you can't handle… But I doubt that's very much."

"What… What are you doing?" Cinder was confused. She had to be but after so much I need her to know she can trust me.

"Hugging you… This memory must be hard-"

"Ohhhhh… you think I'm afraid… It's not fear…" Her voice was exceptionally squeaky as she trailed off. It provoked me to find my way to her front. She wasn't meeting my eyes, preferring to use them to investigate the floor or whatever entity was in the way. But there was the slightest red tint on her cheeks… The book in her arms was clearly a diary of some sort. What didn't she want me to see?

When her eyes found what my eyes were staring at she turned tail and tried to run. But she was significantly smaller than me at the moment making this easy, I barely had to stand as I grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, "LEMME GO YOU BIG FAT MEANIE! OH GODS EVEN MY INSULTS SOUND LIKE A CHILD'S!"

I wasted no time as I plucked the book out of her arms. If she didn't want to tell me then I would find out for myself. It was a simple leather journal, many huntsmen and huntresses own such a thing. I set Cinder down as I opened the first page, "DON'T YOU DARE! I SWEAR I-I-I-"

"Cinders-Supa-Sekret-Supa-Awsom-Plen-Too-Becom-And-Amzng-Huntrs-Tago-N-Avntres! Oh dear… this is embarrassing." I tried to stifle a laugh as Cinder began trying to reclaim the book. I placed my free hand on her head and kept her at arm's length. Though the little swinging fists were a slight distraction I continued reading anyway, "Lern ta fite! Mak kool wepen! Gro big n pretty! I can't believe what I'm reading… Cinder, this... is... hilarious!"

I was laughing to myself not even noticing when Cinder had stopped flailing. Yet when I did, I found her trying to cover the tears streaming down her face. She was embarrassed and in the body of a child… Did that mean she didn't know how to react anymore? I better reassure her, I closed the journal as I knelt down to offer it to her. She snatched it out of my hands as she refused to look at me, with a sniffle I got a few words from her "Big... dumb… meanie…"

"You don't have anything to be ashamed of. Frankly, I did plenty of similar things when I was your age. It's only natural for a toddler-"

"I'm ten…" That's a bit old for this kind of behavior… but to my knowledge she wasn't really literate until Watts taught her. I need to tell her not to worry… but then again she interrupted me with a declaration "I'm gonna be a Huntress and I'm gonna kill monsters and help people!"

That made my lips curl up. I guess she wasn't always a power hungry witch, "That is a fine goal. How about we get you that adventure?"

"Wha- But I don't have any friends tago with! I'll be alone if I go..." Her tears were suddenly gone and were replaced by vibrant eyes that demanded light.

"Well you have me, that makes one friend. Neither of us will be alone anymore," I smiled as I said that, luckily it made her beam as well. She was so glad that she wasn't alone anymore as she held up her hand. I took it before I asked, "So where's this adventure you want to go on?"

"Dhere." She pointed at the door to the room, "We're gonna leave and go on fun adventures all over the world!" She was dragging me at this point. I didn't know if it was childish ambition or raging stupidity but the way she pulled me was full of hope. Then she got to the door, and with a click the sound of her disappointment was heartbreaking "Aw right… It's still locked."

I couldn't let that stop her as I waved my hand over the simple metal mechanism. It didn't take long for me to reach out and open the door. Cinder was smiling ear to ear as I pulled her through the door. I didn't think she could be this happy. But the outside world was unexpected. We were suddenly in a blacked void with only several thousand doors sat atop a flat checkerboard floor, "Where in the world are we?"

"It's gotta be a mental projection of my soul… I always thought there would be more fire." That was surprising, Cinder was suddenly capable of making coherent sentences again. I turned back to her expecting to see a child only to find the fully grown woman still holding my hand. I don't think she realized it either.

"Ya feeling better champ? Need a juice box after acting like such a child?" That sass may come from her but I earned just a little bit of it.

"...I mean, do you have any?" I was not expecting an earnest response. She was using me against me. When my slight recoil was over with, we both giggled ever so slightly. Though I couldn't help but refocus on the nigh empty dark void we were currently in.

"I figured our soul would look different… more bright at the very least. Guess I'm just a little surprised."

"I'm not. I am a deeply disturbed person." That is not something you want to hear from someone who is currently sharing my soul. But the way she said it was so open… like she was begging for someone to come help fix it. Well that's a problem for later. But Cinder's attention was drawn elsewhere, "Salem told me the soul is a void filled with all the important choices I made in the past so I should recognize them, hence the doors… Yet I haven't the foggiest idea where that door came from though."

It was a simple wooden door that I knew all too well. Well worn, nearly falling apart with several barnacles on it. The thing looked like it was going to collapse any second, just as I remember it.

"Pyrrha wait! Slow down," Okay so maybe waking up in one of my memories was weird, not uncommon, just weird, but being in my soul felt weirder somehow. And being a child again was probably the weirdest part, but wanting to enter a memory where the same could happen to her was insane. But even against my protests Pyrrha dragged me to the door. But when she flung it open the tidal wave that hit my chest shocked me less than the sinking did.

I had never learned to swim. Any time I was in water I was always paranoid that I would drown… and right now was no different. I couldn't! I had to do something! Fly! No! Why can't I fly?! Quick think! Boil the water to create air! Why isn't it heating up?! COME ON! My vision began to fade as the air in my lungs began to run out. I had to do something! SWIM MAYBE!

I flailed my arms hopelessly trying to save myself but when I hit the soft sand bottom of the water I knew my time was up. I would be done in by the lack of air… after everything this is where it came to an end. Drowning in a memory. The last bubbles of air escaped my lungs as they had filled with water. Cold, cold salty water. Death would be coming for me very soon.

…

…

…

Why wasn't I dead? There was no air in my body and nothing felt any different. I sat up and looked around. I was underwater and suffering no ill effects… because this wasn't real and this isn't my body. Of course I was fine, I began to feel stupid for not realizing it sooner.

I tried my semblance again to no result. The maiden power had a similar effect. I was powerless here but then again I was alive and not breathing under water. Fun. I could see the surface but with no way up I needed to come up with a way out. Then I noticed the incline. There had to be a beach up there. And I had been taken by the tide out into the ocean. Just my luck.

I walked up the incline with mixed results. Mostly sliding down it. But after what felt like an eternity it got close enough to the surface for me to emerge. Which was a bad idea as I was immediately smacked back down by a wave. Fine! I'll crawl my way to the beach. That was a humiliating thought. And after another eternity later I found my way out of the water. Onto the freshly wet sands of a beach.

"Mad-BLLLAAAARRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!" They may not be real but my fake lungs were definitely full of water. Coughing up all that water was far from pleasant and exceptionally salty. But after a while and enough heaving I heard a small pop. My eardrums reopened to suddenly hear the cries of a child.

"CINDA! CINDA! ARE YOU OKAY!" Who- oh please tell me I get to see little kid Pyrrha. I finished coughing up my lungs to be greeted by the best sight imaginable. Little kid Pyrrha, short hair, wearing a bright purple one piece that displayed what she was: A flat little kid. She couldn't be more than 10. She stood barely taller than I was at the moment while on my hands and knees. I didn't waste any time as I wiped off my face before standing.

"Please tell me you were this flat until you attended Beacon." When I was her age I was already budding but her- she looked like a fat little baby. She looked down before she looked up at my chest. It was ever so slightly odd to be the taller one of us, granted she's only an inch or two taller. I grinned as villainously as my cheekbones would allow when Pyrrha made her declaration.

"I dunno. But I hope to grow up to be as pretty as you!"

"Of course you do, I am beautiful after all." Ooh. I liked Young Pyrrha. She knew exactly how to flatter me. But when she began giggling I may have taken that the wrong way. What did she think! I AM BEAUTIFUL! With a new scowl I leaned in as I spoke ever so murderously, "What, you don't think I am beautiful! I will have you know- You are messing with me aren't you?"

She nodded before she spoke, "Most adults don't act like that!"

"Yeah… well… yeah they don't." Her smile made me melt. Just the joy of a little child was something that I hadn't seen for ages. Or ever for that matter. It was nice. But Pyrrha took my hand as she gasped before making another declaration.

"I gotta show you the statue!" I couldn't slow her as she began dragging me down the beach. Why was her memory about a nice beach when mine was about a little journal Rhodes gave me when I was 10? This beach looked like it was popular, towels, umbrellas and chairs strewn about but there wasn't a single person anywhere in sight. It was unnerving. Though the dock at the end of the beach looked like it was moments away from collapsing. Oh please tell me she isn't taking me there. Oh no, "COME ON! It's over here!"

She charged over the rotting planks and decaying place going to a place I feared would be my untimely death. But more likely my second drowning in one day. Though the dock didn't collapse it did lead to a sight I had never seen. Just off the dock was a small island… or a large stone. It had the remnants of a Mistralian ship crashed into it but the most shocking thing was on top of the island. A statue.

A single woman stood facing the ocean as she stood firm. I didn't understand at all until Pyrrha clarified it for me, "That's my great grand Aunt, Odysseus Nikos. She took a single ship out and fought a leviathan! Then when she got lost at sea she killed every monster on the way home! Now they say all the Grimm are terrified of this beach because she's still protecting it."

"Oh… that's quite a… tall tale…" For some reason I know that's not true, but I'm not gonna tell her that. Chances are she was a warrior during the great war and did something so terrible they built a statue of her facing the sea to prove a point. But that doesn't explain- "I'm gonna be like her one day… a huntress I mean. I'm gonna save people and fight Grimm."

"Ah… I guess you-we will…" It was a nice thought; childishly making the promise to be a hero to a statue. But then again I wasn't much different, writing that journal. I'm pretty sure it's still in Evernight somewhere... I'm not going back for it. I mean my door made sense, hers was completely different. I had no idea where it could be, "We just need to get out of here first."

It could be anywhere. It was an old wooden door with barnacles on it. So the door had to be somewhere those grew, which meant it was underwater. Great, I'll have to cough up more water. Pyrrha stopped me from dragging us into the water when she pointed at the crashed ship on the island. Ever so barely visible, a single door that was half submerged half the day. She beamed at finding it for me, "I always wondered what's on the other side."

"If I can ever get there it's a void… And I can't fly at the moment…" Great more swimming. I rolled my eyes as I got ready to jump yet I was delayed when Pyrrha stopped me.

"Why can't you fly?"

"I don't know. It's probably because of this memory, I don't have power here so I can't fly us over." I rubbed my temple as I began trying to piece together how swimming works. But Pyrrha tightened her grasp on my hand before she made another declaration.

"Well… Why don't we try to fly? I bet we have to work together to fly!" I rolled my eyes again as I was about to discourage her. Even if we were together I was the maiden, she kind of just tagged along. But it hardly means we had to work together- Pyrrha's eye was glowing. I shifted my right hand from my temple when I went to inspect her, but it passed through a flame of my own. OHHHH. We were the maiden. Explains why I couldn't use it earlier.

"I guess we do… Alright! Come on up." She was so small that I was able to pick her up like she weighed nothing. Pyrrha may have had to uncomfortably sit in my arms but she didn't try to struggle to escape. If we looked at all alike I would say she looked like my child as I held her in my arms. It was cute. Now I just needed to figure out how to fly again.

Levitating was easy, I had done this plenty but then again I had never done this with a child… well... Neo is the size of a child. I can't tell her that to her face. Ignore it. I tried to remain as level as possible while crossing over the water. I didn't want her to have to drag me out of the drink once again. Especially when she's so small.

It wasn't that difficult, but I didn't land when I got to the ship. I kept us just gently in the air as she grabbed at the handle, "It's not opening!"

"Just try being a little firm with it."

"I am trying!" The way she lightly pulled at the handle made me furious. It was like she was determined to get me to do it with my hands full.

"Well try harder!" She kept at it with the same lackluster determination. Well I'm not dealing with this forever. If she didn't want to really do it her way I would do it my way. I pulled her away as I leveled my heel at the door.

"WAIT! NO!"

"Too late!" With one swift kick it was open, revealing only a bright void visible on the other side. Pyrrha's grip around my neck tightened as her fear intensified. I reassured her while I walked through, "It's safe… well maybe not, but I'll be there to protect you."

"Oh, how thoughtful." Oh dear god- Yep. Full sized Pyrrha. Welp time to be dramatic.

"Oh no- you got too fat for me to carry. Whoops." I dropped her. But Pyrrha just landed on her feet as she raised her nose and eyebrows at me. The grin on her face was driving me mad. I had to put an end to it… Oh… that's too far.

Perfect.

"We're more alike than you admit-" I didn't get to finish as Cinder leaned in, stealing my lips. Why! She wasn't attracted to me nor the other way around so why was she trying- she wants me to shut up. Is this the feminine charm that Nora keeps talking about? I wonder if Yang and Blake have gotten this far? Why hasn't she stopped yet!?

Cinder was clingy and didn't really know how to express her emotions properly. But this was definitely not an emotion of care, more of shutting me up. Probably an attempt to gain the upper hand… but she still hasn't broken it off.

…

…

…

I didn't know what to say. She wasn't exactly my first kiss but she was still trying something with her arms wrapped around me. I was both confused and happy that she was attempting to feel something more than hate… I just wish it wasn't with our mouths pressed against each other.

MmpH!

I blinked several times after she separated. I didn't know what to say as she leaned into my face, "Your corset is pretty hard to untie."

Glass crossed my eyes as she separated my arms and pulled my top off. This had to be revenge for the several times I had exposed us to Jaune. But it was so ill timed and petty… just like her. So I couldn't help but chuckle as she celebrated getting my top off, "You know we're in our soul. The chances of getting me naked are next to none."

"What are you- Oh come on!" Like it had never left a new corset had appeared on my chest. The one in her hands had found its way into oblivion disappearing entirely, "My first kiss all for nothing…"

"I'm sorry, your what?" Had she just given her kiss away to me? Oh gods I could use this against her… or I could let it go.

"Nothing! Never mind!"

"Of all the things you two could be doing…" Who was that? It wasn't Cinder, not enough arrogant sass. And I hadn't said it… Why are we in our soul? We would have to be- Oh no. I snapped my head to the voice where I found someone small and annoying. There stood Harriet in all her short arrogance.

"Oh they didn't…" I muttered as I realized what this meant. Cinder just stood there with a grin on her face. Wait what!

"Well, well, well. If it isn't little miss Napoleon complex, how is sucking the dick of a tyrannical dictator going?" Why was she so calm?! If Harriet was here that meant here was our soul going over to her! We had to act otherwise-

"Better than being a traitor!" That's fair. Even Cinder had to agree to that fact, "I'm going to take everything that made you special and use it to save Atlas!"

"Oh really? So it's better to be a mindless machine than thinking for yourself? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You know as little as your height. Let me explain something to you-" Cinder was stepping to her like it was nothing. She even approached the woman, "You don't just have the right to something from suffering a little, you have to be worthy. And more importantly- we don't consent to you taking the power."

Cinder wasn't wasting a second as she decked Harriet. It may not have done much but the shock from it was enough for Cinder to shout, "GO FIND THE FIRE!"

"BITCH!" Cinder got gut checked when Harriet delivered a full force punch to her gut. Those mechanical arms had to be good for something. If I ran Harriet would take out Cinder then catch up to me, that meant my only option was to fight! Milo and Akouo found their way off my back as I charged the little woman. Her first response was a right cross as it impacted Akouo, it was powerful and I could barely stop it. Why was I so weak?

"I told you to run!" Cinder sliced down with a pair of steel swords that looked very similar to the swords she used against me. But then again her outfit was similar to the one she wore at beacon just with two straps tied around her neck. She also looked slightly younger. She tried to cut Harriet's arm but they just reflected off her aura. Why were we so weak all of a sudden? Harriet just threw an uppercut at Cinder who was barely able to dodge.

"Come on! I thought I would get a fight from the fearsome Witch and Gladiatrix! I guess you aren't what you're cracked up to be." She wasn't wrong, we were far weaker now than either of us had been in the past. It made no sense. Why?

"You try fighting with your soul stretched between two bodies!" Oh. OH. OH! How did Cinder know so much more about this than I did? Was Salem that through teaching her? And how do we match her with our soul split- Waitaminute!

"Oh I'm sure that's why! You can't just admit that you-" I cut Harriet off.

"Why don't we make it a fair fight then?" I didn't know if this would work but I dashed at Cinder with open arms as she had a look of concern and fear that she was about to get tackled. OW! Was it really necessary! Probably- Waitaminute.

"You must really like this form, I don't get it. It just looks like you forced two styles together." Well then she was gonna learn why it was a bad idea to torment me. Or I'd kick her out of my soul.

"Well, it's either this or being short. And I gotta say- I'm sure this is better." I raised my eyebrows as her scowl deepened, "If you keep doing that you'll get more lines on your face."

"I'm gonna enjoy gutting you," Well that was stupid. I didn't have to gut her, I just had to find the flame of my soul and kick her out. Without the parasite guarding it that made that all the more difficult. If she found it she could really pull me out of my body, then it would be ritualistic suicide. I hope it doesn't come to that.

"Have fun with your raging insanity." I jumped over several doors as I began my search for the flame. It could be anywhere. It was really wherever I felt my heart belonged… Which is a funny way of saying it was in a memory that mattered to both of us. Which could be any one of these! It could take hours to search and I would run out of time. There was a ticking clock on my back and every second I wasted I was going to get weaker while getting drained into Harriet's soul. That was a much worse feeling than being in Pyrrha.

So I needed to think. What memories mattered to me? Beacon? No, that's mostly regret from both sides. Meeting Jaune again? No, that was just Pyrrha's memory. Growing into my role as their friend? Maybe. I had no idea where to start- "GET BACK HERE YOU FUCKER!"

"Oh seriously-" I may have underestimated Harriet when she dashed across the top of the doors to get to me. She tackled me like I was a sack of nothing on the way up. She was ever so lucky to catch me with my attention elsewhere. Though the door we rolled through as we hit the ground wasn't exactly the best.

"You are nothing without me." From the surroundings I could tell we were back in the Glass Unicorn talking to the Madame but I just remained focused on Harriet as she was startled. This was easy. I created a flame behind me as I launched myself into the short woman throwing us back through the door. She responded by planting her feet and bringing us to a dead halt.

"You really think you can stop me like this? You-"

"I don't have to stop you! I just need to find myself!" That confused her as I locked my arms around her and lifted her off the ground. If she was all about running then I would take that away from her. Harriet didn't even flinch as she swung around and planted her feet into my guts forcing her out of my grasp. I wanted her to slip and fall on her ass but she landed on her feet and slid to a stop. I couldn't kill her here and even if I did that would do little to stop the transfer. She was stalling for time and I couldn't let her. I rubbed my stomach as if I was in pain… I can't feel the pain…

Of course I couldn't, this was my soul! I literally can't die here! I can just ignore her until I find my way out. That would annoy the hell out of her, but who am I to care. Where did I belong? It had to be a recent memory, sometime where we were all together having a nice time. I began my search for any door that resembled the ones to the Atlas Academy Cafeteria. Those were the only places that I could remember off the top of my head that everyone was present for. It had to be one of those. Out of the corner of my eye I found one and darted for it leaving Harriet to think for herself. I threw myself through the steel doors where I found them to be more delicate than I thought.

"You're sure you don't want to come back to the room and gobble me up?" Pyrrha was attempting to seduce Jaune while they were both completely naked covered in whip cream. I stood there as I stared at one of Pyrrha's many wet dreams. These happened far too frequently since she appeared, but at least Cinder was staring completely confused as well. She had to witness both the dreams from an outside perspective. Harriet was quick to follow but came to a halt when she caught a glimpse of the memory.

"What the hell is this?"

"The horny dreams of the late Pyrrha Nikos." I was quick to shrug it off as Harriet kept focus on it for several more seconds. I needed to navigate the memories, yet even if I could I didn't know which one contained it. It was like looking for straw in a haystack, they all look the damned same! But there was something… I don't know if it was instinct or intuition but there was an uncanny feeling in the back of my head that gave me a direction. Probably because it was my soul at the moment.

I turned to run out the door only for Harriet to remain in the way. I doubt the same tactic would work twice, but then again I had more than one tactic to begin with. So a massive plume of fire would work just as well… but she could just run through it. Oh I've never done that before, with both semblances merging they had begun to heat metal while controlling it. So now was as good a time as any, even if I couldn't control it I began to heat her backpack. Without her weapon I wouldn't have to deal with her being a raging annoyance, "Whatever you're thinking won't work! I'm gonna beat you to a pulp- What the hell!"

"Or you could just shut up and explode!" I was right. Her soul replicated those arms perfectly, even right down to the individual grains of dust. With a blast she was sent flying... straight into Jaune and Pyrrha… Oh gods. I didn't waste time as I threw myself through the door before slamming it closed. I did not want to know what she was about to get herself caught in. I just had to ignore her as I searched.

Literally every memory. I couldn't, I didn't have enough time. I needed to narrow it down, what was something they both thought mattered. Probably something super important, like a mission where Cinder didn't try to accidentally anyone. Or when Pyrrha began acting slightly less goody two shoes. Was it the time Cinder confessed to liking who she had become? That was a start. It was in Schnee Manor so I just had to find the massive white and overly ornate door that didn't match any others.

THUD

Oh great, she's trying to get out of the memory the hard way. I'm not one to let things be easy, I should set a trap- No time! Need to find memory! I took off running, even if I couldn't navigate, the door had to be at least a size larger than the rest. I could just look for it above the rest of them. No need to panic- did that door just disappear?

As quickly as I had passed a door it disappeared before returning. Suddenly it wasn't Mistralian wood it was Atlesian steel- Oh gods! This was Harriet's memory! I had to hurry otherwise a moronic rod would be shoved up my- "FOUND YOU!"

"Oh you have got to be kidding-" Harriet returned, no worse for wear. Well her vest was missing several buttons and she had a dollop of whip cream on her nose but otherwise she was fine. I didn't have time to panic my improvisation out, she tackled me through her door. Great now I get to witness one of her super personality defining memories. But as she kept me pinned I noticed something far more surprising.

"Cinder, can you pass the ketchup?" Ruby asked as she was having trouble stomaching the stale rations that passed for a meal in Atlas Academy. Cinder was hardly paying attention, more focused on reading 'The Man with Two Souls' she picked up the bottle on her left before tossing directly into Ruby's face. The glass bottle shattered, coating Ruby in even more red.

"CINDER!" Yang shouted as Cinder flipped the page completely unaware of what she did.

"Blake's over there." Cinder not looking up meandered her finger in the direction of Ren. She only caught a glimpse of hair and made the wrong assumption.

"You threw a bottle at Ruby''s head."

"That's ridiculous. I handed it right to her, there is no way I threw it."

"Really? Then where's the bottle?" Cinder rolled her eye at the prospect before she closed the book with a bang and pointed at the tomato sauce covered Ruby.

"Where else would it be? It's in her-" Cinder finally turned to see Ruby, "All over her face… How'd you manage that?"

"Seriously?" Ruby said as the ketchup began to slide off her face. It dawned on Cinder what she did was wrong, so to make up for it she offered a napkin to clean off the smaller girl's face. That went well as she began pulling clumps off of her face, but the others were just shaking their heads as Cinder began twisting her prosthetic arm.

"I told you to read the manual."

"And I told you it was a waste of time to read that thing!"

"Is it really a waste of time if you can't control your limb otherwise?" Ruby asked as Cinder was cleaning her face off. Cinder narrowed her eye as she began heating the rag she was using to clear Ruby's face. It didn't get much farther than warm when Ruby spoke, "It's okay, accidents happen. We just need to shake them off and apologize."

With a huff Cinder spoke clearly to be heard, "My bad."

Everyone began to shake it off as from the Ace Ops table came a mild moan, "Could those kids be any louder?"

"It's not like you were never young. It's to be expected for them to be this energetic in the morning," Vine tempered Harriet's unchecked aggression... Why was this one of her most important memories? The first one of her memories to invade my mind and it's one about me, come on! Is she obsessed? Well she has been gunning for the power since it became an option for her… But then again Winter was the obvious choice. Neo accidentallied into the power so why weren't they… Oh gods! They're going to drain her next!

"STOP YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

"Save it! I'm gonna take the maiden and use it to defend the kingdom!"

"Are you so short sighted?! Even if you succeed, what then?" She hadn't been expecting that question, "Ironwood is going to use you as a weapon to take over the world!"

"He would never do that! He is a good man!"

"AND I'M AN EVIL WITCH! YET HERE I AM TRYING TO SAVE PEOPLE!" Her eyes went wide after I said that, but it hardly loosened her grip. I had to stop her! I had to save people! I had to find my soul… WHERE IS IT!

"You don't know what you're talking about-"

"FORGET IT!" I was done playing around. If she wouldn't leave willingly I would be throwing her out the old fashioned way. My eyes began to burn as I lifted us off the ground, I was done running. I was going to do this the hard way. Harriet could hardly stop us as we floated up, but it didn't stop her from trying as I righted myself. My arms were still pinned behind my back but she wasn't exactly going to be able to keep them there for long. Now I just spin around- "is that a flaming cauldron?"

"What the hell!" In the middle of the memory sat an ornate bird bath that had fire instead of water. A nice amber fire… with specs of green scattered throughout- That's my soul! Forget everything else I need to get to it! Yet Harriet wasn't giving up without a fight as she tried to hold me back. I could almost touch it! I just needed to outstretch my hand out and grab it!

How was it that whenever I did anything I always ended up paying for someone else's failures? I mean, sure Cinder was usually incompetent, and the gaggle of moronic teenagers that she has allied herself with were less than intelligent but really, how was it my fault Penny was now a human. I put her back together and now it was up to me to chop her up and put her back into a robot. Ironwood was really losing it, "Are you sure you want me to do this? I mean give me a month and I could study how she was reverse fossilized. Hell I may even be able to replicate it and turn you back into a man."

"Quiet." He was stone cold heartless, having me operate on her in the middle of the room he was draining my pupil's soul in… I mean Cinder's soul had to be putting up a fight, right? Tactically I get it. Keep all the assets in one place while throwing the less than useful hostages in cells. That just left me, Cinder's boyfriend to act as my nurse, the former robot, what was left of his Ace operatives, Ironwood himself and a litany of soldiers to watch what would be my crowning achievement. Proving I'm smarter than that fool Polendina by turning his daughter back into a machine. Yet every time I finished sawing off a limb I couldn't help but glance over my shoulder to peer into the pod, "Stop wasting time."

"Alright then, would you like me to list why it makes no sense to turn her back into a robot or why it's a bad idea to begin with? All you will get out of this is a psychologically damaged girl with an indestructible body, you'll have no way of control-" Ironwood didn't even look my way as he made his final statement.

"She will complete her mission, I don't expect her to survive it." Oh. It was like that, lay a trap for them then capture everyone to get everything you want. He was more like the old witch than he realized. Cinder's boyfriend looked like he wanted to protest but he was left bound and gagged trying to stop everything. He was being struggling to keep up as a battery for the little girl but I don't think it would matter that much, Ironwood was going to kill the boy after I finished.

"It is unwise to do all the limbs in one go, the synaptic shock could short circuit her nervous system and kill her before she even gets off the table." That was a concern. Not a likely one, I would have to chop off all her skin and shave down half her nerves to get to that stage. But that was for a fully grown human… who didn't just get her body… She may die anyway. Ironwood chose to ignore that possibility… Two limbs down and my shirt was beginning to look like it had when Cinder returned from Vale. My charge had a way of getting hurt in ways that stained my clothes.

Stop looking at the pod. She means nothing to you…

*DING*

Oh dear gods. Please let him kill me before I have to witness my fosterling die. Nope. After a poultry two hours they managed to drain the fall maiden out of Cinder. All of it. Her mind, her soul, I feared what was about to emerge out of that pod. Even the hissing of the pods that deemed it was time to meet the new maiden was frightening. It wasn't going to be the ward I had brought to Evernight, it was some sort of rabbit Faunus.

After seconds that felt like eternity the hatches for the pods finished ascending. Ironwood remained perfectly still right in front of it, he wanted to see his abomination first hand. I stopped working as I witnessed it, she rubbed her head ever so gently as she pulled herself out of it. The woman that had stolen my protege's soul… I had to kill her. Ironwood spoke firmly as he glared, "Specialist Bree report your status."

"Mildly confused… What happened?"

"You absorbed the Fall Maiden's power from Cinder Fall. What is your status?" Ironwood remained stoic as he spoke but then again I don't think he had a heart to even show an ounce of emotion at this point. I guess that was mostly my fault.

"Uh," She began moving her arms as she got reacquainted with her body. That was until her eyes produced a bright pink flame, "I'm ready for anything."

"You will be escorting Penny Polendina, after she is reconstructed, on an assault against Salem wherever she reappears. Then when you remove her from Atlas we will launch into orbit." Ironwood hardly acknowledged her eagerness. But we were all distracted again when Cinder crawled out of her pod. She was still alive! How was that possible? She was supposed to be a husk at this point, wildly flailing her arms as she tried to steal the power back from the rabbit girl. Even though her boyfriend was trying to break his shackles to rush to her side, Harriet just walked over and planted a fist in her face before Ironwood gave his orders, "Dispose of her."

"I wouldn't. If you do, you'll have to finish this yourself," I wasn't going to let him, I hovered a needle large enough to kill three men over his precious little machine's neck. I wasn't going to take any chances if Cinder was still alive she could make it, I've seen her recover from worse. Ironwood didn't look like he cared enough to call my bluff, but as Arc's aura cracked so did he.

"Take them to the cells. We'll deal with them after." And that's what they did. The soldiers lazily picked her up by the shoulders while Arc's chain was freed and dragged along. I felt like I wouldn't see her again. Not grinning nor glaring like a demon. My daughter was dying and I couldn't do anything to help.

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I'm gonna be honest. I expected to end this differently, but then again I love padding for time.