In my first life, I was a villainess. Cold, calculating, and murderous. My beginnings were rather unsavory, though of course, I know better than to use that as an excuse for all of the heinous acts I'd committed. Poverty and hunger was not a problem exclusive to me, after all, and you didn't see millions of others go down the same path that I did. Well... to be fair, none of them were taken in by an immortal witch, but that is besides the point. I grew to be very powerful, but in the end, I died a rather pathetic death. It was not during a bout of strength, but the result of my fatal flaws coming to haunt me as karma. What were these fatal flaws, you may ask? That is quite easy to answer, my friend. I was overly ambitious, arrogant, and impatient. This perfect storm of characteristics made me short sighted, and my growing thirst for power made me blind. There is the saying, that even a blind tiger can be killed by a child. Whose saying is that? Mine.

In my second life, I was born on a planet called Earth. Unlike the world of my previous life, Earth did not have the creatures of Grimm, Dust, or immortal witches and wizards manipulating from the shadows. It is, overall, a peaceful world. Of course, there was the occasional war erupting between nations, but what can you expect? Humans and conflict go hand in hand, and war is in our nature. Despite all of that, Earth was a prosperous world. I was born into a loving family. My mother and father were your typical parents who worked hard, raised their children responsibly, and were successful. My siblings, despite being quite annoying at times, were always there for me when things became tough. It was a good family. I had zero memories of my previous life, and lived as a carefree girl. Despite that, I suppose some things never change, as I'd gained strong interest in fighting. Not to brag, but I was pretty talented at it whether it be through weaponry or hand to hand. At first, my parents were against it, but they quickly changed their minds when I beat up some robbers who broke into my siblings' room. Also, no one dared to mess with them in school, so that's a plus. Don't look at me like that. I never once abused my position over others so long as they did not provoke me or anyone close. Now that I think about it, my charisma must have carried over as well, since I was pretty popular with both males and females. I eventually met my husband, raised a normal family, then passed away peacefully at the ripe old age of 85 surrounded by my loved ones. It was a good life, and I have no regrets.

So, why am I bothering to monologue about any of this? That is because I am currently in my third life, and this time is a little different. I remember my past lives. Apparently, I hit my head during training, which triggered this reaction. At the moment, I am unconscious and alone with these foreign, yet greatly familiar memories. But seriously, is this some kind of cruel joke? Can this even count as my third life? I'll have to think carefully of my actions, lest I meet a tragic end.

"Cinder, are you alright?"

I squint my eyes open, find Emerald sitting beside me with worried eyes. I take a look around at my surroundings. A cabin.

'I was hoping this was a dream.'

That's right. I'm back as Cinder Fall. I have returned to my first life as my third life, but with all of the memories of my first and second lives. You think this is confusing? Trying being in my position.

"How long have I been out? What's today's date?"

"It's been about 5 hours since you hit your head," Emerald replies.

"And the date?" I calmly remind her. "My head is feeling rather foggy. I suspect I am suffering from a minor concussion."

Concern etching her face, Emerald says, "It's half moon of the 13th month."

"Half moon of the 13th... and just to be sure, how old am I?"

"Are you sure you're okay, Cinder?" Emerald asks worriedly.

I lightly smile at her.

I wonder why I decided to treat her so terribly during my first life? Don't answer that. That was a rhetorical question. Emerald reminds me of my younger sister in my second life.

"I want to ensure that I am in the right state of mind," I calmly reply. "It is not unheard of for people to become delirious after hitting their head. Wouldn't it be unfortunate if we do not address a potential preventable problem?"

"I... guess that makes sense," Emerald says after some thought. "You're eighteen."

'Eighteen on the half moon of the 13th month... Just as I suspected. So that event is going to happen soon. How troublesome.'

"I see. And where is Mercury?"

Emerald lightly frowns, "He's currently scouting out our target. Can you believe that he showed little to no concern for your wellbeing?"

"Hmm... I can, actually. As far as he's concerned, and rightfully so, we are in a contractual relationship. By no means is he obligated to treat you or me as anything but that."

"But..." Emerald looks down and whispers to herself. "I don't think of you like that..."

I tilt my head.

How adorable and sad. Emerald is mainly attached to me because she has no one else. What did they call this back on Earth? Dependent personality disorder? The previous me took advantage of this, and Emerald obediently followed like a dog, no matter how cruel I was. In the end, she died as nothing but a disposable tool. Thankfully, her mental state is not that bad yet, but it will take some time for her to break out of it.

"I know you don't," I sigh.

Emerald looks up in surprise.

"Perhaps Mercury's opinion will change over time, but it is ultimately up to him."

Emerald stares at me with a strange expression.

"You... seem a little different than usual, Cinder," she comments, then quickly corrects herself. "U-Uh... I mean- I didn't mean it in a bad way-"

"It's fine," I shake my head. "Hmm... Maybe you're right that I'm a little different. Is that a bad thing?"

"No!" Emerald quickly shakes her head. "I-I think it's a good change. N-Not that you were bad before!"

I lightly snort in amusement. I glance towards the cabin entrance, sensing someone approaching, so I sit up on the bed.

Emerald looks back at the door as it creaks open, and Mercury strolls in.

"Oh. Looks like you're finally awake," he casually comments. "Who would have thought you would be knocked out like that?"

"She could have been seriously hurt," Emerald glares.

"Are you kidding me?" Mercury scoffs. "I think it's weird she went unconscious in the first place. It's not like she was out of Aura or anything."

What Mercury says in true, but that would only apply under normal circumstances. When I hit my head, the sudden rush of memories was too much for me to handle at once, so my body shut down in response. Imagine a sledgehammer being driven into your skull. Anyone would get knocked out by that.

"Stranger things have happened," I calmly respond. "Aura is not a topic fully understood, so who is to say what it definitely can and can not do?"

"Yeah, whatever," Mercury shrugs. "Anyways, you want the report now or later?."

"The Fall Maiden," I nod. "Go ahead and give us the information you've gathered. We can not afford any more delays."

'This is a pivotal moment. Depending on how this turns out, it will dictate future events greatly.'

"Alright. The Fall Maiden was last seen in..."

*** Later that night ***

I open a small container and stare down impassively at a white glove.

'I made a huge mistake in my first life, and thought too little of the long term repercussions in using this in order to steal the Fall Maiden's powers. If possible, I'd like to avoid confronting Amber, but failing this task means that Salem will undoubtedly kill me. Right now, I do not have enough power to defend myself against her. Perhaps I can feign death? Hmm... unlikely to succeed. Salem is no idiot, and she is keeping a very close eye on this operation. The timing would be far too convenient, and the number of spies she has can not be overstated. Seek refuge with Ozpin? What an unsavory choice... He and Salem are far too similar. The only real difference is that he is not as murderous as that witch, though one could easily argue that his personality is even more rotten. I'd rather not, but I suppose that is an option if push comes to shove.'

I smirk at the glove.

'This damn bug. Let's see you try imprisoning me within Salem's grasp this time... I look forward to tomorrow. It will be very interesting indeed.'