A/N ARMV7: Back again and ready with another Chapter! This one isn't my best in my opinion but, eh. I'll leave the proper judging to the readers who have graced me with 50 follows! Thanks guys!

Enjoy!

Chapter 3. The Good, The Bad, and The Fall.

"Clink!" Went Yang's fork, inadvertently missing her plate and stabbing into the hard table beneath it. The blonde had been doing this repeatedly as she closely eyed a certain table a few meters away. The table in question was the one Ruby was currently sitting at, along with a certain girl that she wasn't to fond of.

Cinder.

Her fork smashed into the table again as it missed her salad. Weiss and Blake were both eyeing the blonde as they ate. Weiss watched in a mix of curiosity and fear, not for herself, but surprisingly for Cinder. Weiss knew how Yang overreacted when it comes to those around her; and if Cinder tried anything on Ruby, she didn't even want to know what Yang would do. As for Blake she shifted her attention from Yang's near snarl to the table Ruby and Cinder were sitting at. Sure, Weiss was one of Blake's closest friends, but after she heard what Weiss had dubbed "A near death experience" the raven-haired girl wasn't as angry at Cinder as you'd think. Why? Blake isn't stupid, and she knows how Weiss shifts her disposition to others when they seem below her, and was probably her poor attitude that got her in that situation to begin with. For all Blake knew; Cinder could be one of the most kind and caring people around, so she'd stand back for now, and watch the situation carefully.

But there was something about those two being together that picked at Blake, and it bothered her because she didn't know why.

"Yang?" Weiss gently asked "Are you alright?"

Yang didn't even move, still eyeing the latter table 'Weiss, I'm fine. Really."

"You don't seem like it. Look if this is about yesterday, I'm fine, just... ignore Cinder." Deep down; Weiss wanted Yang to go and beat her up right then and there, but her mind flashed back to the previous day; when Cinder brought her face just inches from her own, there was pure hate and anger in her amber eyes, but Weiss could see just a tinge of one thing in those shimmering orbs;

Dejection.

Weiss was all too familiar with that feeling, before Signal High, back in her elementary days; Weiss was constantly subjected to ridicule and dejection because of her family name. She was bullied, berated, and ignored by her fellow peers. Everyday she'd walk home alone, nearly in tears at the hands of her classmates.

She carried her baggage with her all the way until her second year of High School;

Until she met a certain blonde one day.

On yet another lonely walk home, Weiss stopped off at a variety store to purchase some magazines, and upon leaving found said blonde with her arm elbow deep in a vending machine, whispering profanities about a lost can of Coke.

Weiss smiled at the sight, this mystery blonde was... cute. So when Yang's arm became caught in the machine, Weiss helped her out, to which Yang thanked her with a big, bone - crushing hug and for once in her life; Weiss felt... good.

Their relationship sprouted from there; Yang would walk home with Weiss, she would help Yang out with homework, and so on. When one summer Yang had finally come out and asked her on a date, and Weiss couldn't have been happier, because for once in her life she felt loved, finally someone had come along who saw past who she was, and took Weiss for the girl she really is. Sure they've had their disputes; but the White and Yellow pair always saw past it and their relationship remained strong.

Long story short, Weiss knew how Cinder felt, but nothing would come between her and Yang.

"Yang you have nothing to worry about, Ruby is fine." Blake stated.

The blonde dropped her fork, "She gets one chance, if she slips up once, it's over."

Weiss tried to lighten the mood, "Yang you make it sound like they're dating."

Blake frowned at that.

Yang took one last look at the pair, before finishing her salad, Ruby was talking, smiling, and laughing over there. Something she cut back on greatly after the passing of Summer.

Despite what she had said the previous day; Cinder would get one chance.

One.

######

Cinder paced through the halls of Signal High, fingers gracing over the locker doors as she went. Her time with Ruby at lunch today had gone... inexplicably well. The way this girl acted was funny to Cinder. One minute the girl was going on and on about her mechanical engineering genius, and the next she'd was almost jumping out of her seat because someone walked by with cookies on their lunch tray. Cinder didn't really talk much, she mostly just nodded along to what Ruby had to say and ate her lunch.

That is until Cinder looked up, and noticed the pleading look Ruby gave her lunch tray, Cinder smiled and then slid it across the table. She knew Ruby had left hers behind, and if she was to go and retrieve it, that sister of hers wouldn't let her cone back.

She did not want that to happen.

Could Cinder blame Yang though? Her actions were rather harsh towards Weiss on the first day. Cinder knew all about the Schnee family; owners of Remnant's largest tech company, if she remembered correctly, the family had two daughters; Weiss and Winter.

Weiss was rich, and Cinder had no idea what the girl was doing in a school like this.

For now however, Cinder could care less who's what. She was sitting with someone who was genuinely interested in her, and that's all the matters right now.

So they sat together, ate, talked, and joked. Cinder felt good for once. There was something about the innocence of someone like Ruby that warmed her heart and made her grin madly, something she wasn't doing enough.

Ruby was nice, smart, funny, and... cute.

Wait... where did that come from?

Shaking her head of those strange thoughts, she continued to walk her mouth twisted into a smile as she passed the still-dented locker she ouch ed the previous day. The sight of that brought her mind to another place, she punched it out of anger for screwing up on the first day, but as she looked back on it, she felt really stupid for doing something like that.

Since when was she interested in making friends?

"Ugh, what am I doing..." She muttered. One minute she's talking about Ruby being cute, and the next she's mulling over how stupid friends are.

Seriously what's going on?

Desperately wanting to change her internal subject, she tried to think of other things, until a girl with crimsonette hair graced her eyes.

Ruby was pacing outside of Mr. Port's History of Remnant class, her hands stuffed as far in as her pockets would allow, and her expression looked to be a mix of nervousness and fear. The five minute bell had already rung and students were absent-mindedly passing by her and into class.

Something was bothering her, and Cinder wanted to know who would have the nerve to do so.

Bag slung over her shoulder; Cinder swayed her way over to the shorter girl. Ruby jumped when Cinder approached her.

"Something wrong Red?"

"Hm, what? N-No, I'm fine really."

Cinder could see right through the girls fake smile.

"Don't lie." She stated simply.

"O-kay, look, it's about Cardin..."

Cinder frowned. "Look... don't worry, if that prick bothers you again, he's mine." Her tone was smooth and reassuring.

Ruby smiled "Thanks!" She grasped Cinder's sleeve clad wrist "C'mon, you can sit with me!" She beckoned. Ruby despite being the smaller of the two, dragged Cinder to the center of the classroom, and sat her down at a pair of desks. She began to take out her stationary, while Cinder just sat there and fiddled with her phone. As Ruby placed her books onto the desk, Cardin Winchester passed by; with a sarcastic "Whoops" he knocked all of Ruby's books and papers off the desk and onto the floor, scattering them everywhere.

Ruby just laughed nervously, and lent down to pick clean up the mess. As Cardin took his seat Cinder dropped the phone on her desk and slowly turned around her seat, trying to be as intimidating as possible, her face went stoic and she gave Cardin a venomous glare, to which he instantly averted his eyes too.

Cinder grinned and turned back, Ruby was finished cleaning up the papers and was neatly stacking them on her desk.

"Hey Red, what're you doing after school?" She insinuated.

The crimsonette shot up, her bangs covering her eyes "Wha? After school?"

"Yeah, I have nothing to do, and I need someone to get into... trouble with." She smiled.

"Sure, I guess... I mean, uh, of course I will!"

"Cool."

Ruby blushed and turned away "Yeah... cool."

######

"Bye, Weiss!"

Yang shouted to the white limo as it pulled away, around the school's front driveway and down the street. Weiss had chosen to go to a regular school, but the girl didn't give up all of the amenities of being rich.

Yang sighed, it's been two years and Weiss still hasn't brought her over.

Watching as the last speck of white turned the corner and escaped from the blonde's eyesight, Yang turned on her the heels of her boots and made her way over to the parking lot just across the way. She walked with a confident bounce in her step, within a minute Yang reached the student parking lot, forgetting where she parked Bumblebee; the blonde paced through the lot slowly eyeing over every car to see if she could where her beloved bike was.

"Ah there you are~"

Yang practically ran up to the thing, but she stopped about halfway, her expression changing from cheerful to concerned.

Ruby wasn't there... again.

Yang sighed again and turned to face the school, her concerning was instantly put to rest when she spotted Ruby along with Cinder exiting through the front doors and walking away in the opposite direction. She squinted her eyes at the sight of the pair, they seemed to be sharing a conversation with Ruby doing most of the talking, or rambling rather. They were about to turn around the edge of the schools brick wall when Ruby tripped on an uneven sidewalk slab and fell down. Yang was really watching now, she'd expected Cinder to point and laugh at Ruby's clumsiness as that's what is the people did. But no, Cinder set her nap sack down and offered a hand to Ruby, helped her up and brushed the dust off of her jacket. They briefly laughed at one another, and paced around the corner and out of Yang's vision.

The blonde tore her gaze away and began mulling over what she just saw. That was nice of Cinder to help Ruby up, but the fact that she was being... nice, didn't sit well with Yang.

That really didn't sit well with Yang, almost enough for her to go back on her words.

Yang wouldn't do that though, as the blonde mounted Bumblebee her mind rewound to the events of earlier that day;

"She gets one chance, if she slips up once, it's over."

She'd stick to those words... for now.

######

"He he, yeah, good'ol clumsy me." Ruby said as the pair rounded the corner. Cinder just said nothing, which made Ruby a tad bit worried until she looked up to the taller girl who was seemingly choking down a laugh. The crimsonette heard a loud motorcycle roar off into the distance not to far away, meaning Yang had left, wondering how her sister would react when she found out the reason for her not being home was that she was out with Cinder. Putting those thoughts aside she looked to the brunette.

"So... where are we going?" Ruby asked.

"We're heading to my house... well not e-xactly my house."

"Huh?"

"I live with a friend of mine, by the name of Mercury." She explained.

"Live? What about your family?" Ruby rambled on, one of her many quirks.

Cinder frowned at that word; Family. Something that had no value to her "They don't live around here." She stated, her eyes averted to the sidewalk ahead of them. Even Ruby could tell by Cinder's drop in emotion; that it was a touchy subject.

"So where's that at?" Ruby asked, desperately wanting to change the subject.

"Just a few blocks from here. He usually gives me a ride...but the idiot probably messed up the time, if it wasn't for Em, he'd probably be in jail by now."

"Em? Ruby asked again.

"Emerald, Mercury's girlfriend, nice girl... just don't get on her bad side, she will tear you a-part." Cinder spoke, grinning the whole time. Her phone started buzzing deep from within her pocket. "Hold that thought Red." She said before picking up.

"Mercury? What do you want? I though I told you to never call me."

"Are you serious, I'm still in this stupid school uniform? "

"What do you mean, you don't have the money?"

"Ugh, fine you're lucky I'm close by."

"Yeah bye... fool"

Cinder tapped end, and viciously stuffed the phone in her pocket, man did she look pissed.

Ruby raised an eyebrow "What was that about?

Cinder clapped her hands together and faced Ruby "That moron need us to... pick up... a few things from the Tukson's variety store."

"The one just down the street?"

"Yeah, wanna come with?"

"Sure I guess."

Cinder gave the girl a strange smile before turning around and walking a few feet in front of Ruby.

"Wait... what was that about no money?"

Ruby shrugged that off, and caught up to Cinder. The two shared a quiet and uneventful short walk to the corner store owned by a Faunus under the name of Tukson. The store was just what one would expect; a small two story building with a variety store taking host of the main floor, and a residential living space above. Ruby held the door open for Cinder as the two walked in, relinquishing In the cool air-conditioned space. It may be September, but the heat of summer still persisted even with fall only a few weeks away.

"Afternoon ladies." Tukson said from behind the counter.

Both girls said nothing, Ruby just nervously waved and then turned away, coming near inches from Cinder's own face.

"Alright Red, I need you to go chat up mister Tukson over there while I get what I need." She whispered.

"Wait why wou- oh, I see." Ruby caught on, Cinder wasn't going to be paying for any of this. "You're gonna just take it?"

"Yeah C'mon it's easy, Mercury and I have done it tons of times..."

Ruby knew it was wrong, but Cinder did just say it was easy...

Peer pressure nabbed at Ruby's mind "Fine, be fast." She whispered to Cinder before walking over to the front counter, she placed her hands down on it and looked up to Tukson.

"Hey, uhh, what's the age for lottery tickets?"

"18" his gruff voice said. Behind Tukson's tall figure was a small dome shaped mirror that gave Ruby an overview of the entire shop, in the far corner Ruby could see Cinder stuffing various items into her bag.

"Okay..." She noticed the an unfamiliar book resting on the counter "Oh, do you read a lot?" Her eyes went from the book, to Tukson, to the mirror, and then back again.

"Yeah ... I do." He stated plainly. "Look kid are you buying something?"

Her eyes went to him "Uhh, well..." She was beginning to Crack under the pressure "uhh..." her silver eyes went to the mirror again.

This time Tukson noticed.

Her turned and faced the mirror was well, his expression changing to a snarl as he saw what Cinder was doing.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing! I'm calling the police!" He yelled while reaching for the phone. "Shit" Ruby heard Cinder say, the crimsonette raced over to her and grabbed her wrist.

'C'mon let's go!"

Cinder didn't even give a response before she was viciously pulled by Ruby, the brunette managed to grab her bag off of the floor in the process. The two escaped out through the back door, and started running along the dry, cracked and uneven pavement. Ruby was much faster than Cinder and pulled ahead, reaching the end of the rear lot; Ruby tossed her bag over a fence and began to traverse it. Quickly reaching the other side, which was the far corner of a park, Ruby waited for Cinder to follow suit.

Seconds later, she did, bag first and then herself. Landing with an audible 'Thud' Cinder gave Ruby a look of mock approval.

"Not bad Red."

Ruby started to walk away, before speaking "Seriously, what was that? Stealing? We could've been arrested!"

Cinder approached her "Look Red, it's p f- whoa!" Cinder didn't realize she stepped directly in a groundhog hole, her body lurched forward as all balance was lost and a pain started to well up in her right foot.

"Agh, Fuck." She pulled herself up, only to fall back down again as pressure was applied to her foot.

"Cinder, are you okay?" Ruby asked sincerely.

The brunette was on the ground clutching her foot "Ahh, I think I sprained it..." She spoke through the pain.

"Oh no! C-Can you walk?"

She tried to get up again, this time slowly putting pressure on her foot, as it eased down her face scrunched in pain. "No, I can't Red."

"Here I'll help." Ruby outstretched her arm, only to have it batted away by Cinder. "I'm fine l - Ow! Alright help me out here."

Cinder couldn't help but feel like a helpless fool as Ruby tucked her small arm around her and helped hoist her up. The girl was now acting as her crutch.

"Cinder... that wasn't good, stealing is never the right thing to do. Was us almost getting arrested and your sprained ankle worth it?"

"Yeah, I get it, stealing is bad." She said as they limped along.

Something touched Cinder at that moment, the look of disappointment and near sadness on Ruby's face almost made her feel bad for what she just did.

But she never felt bad before, so why now?

Cinder found her answer, Ruby was right, they could've been arrested, or wors- wait a minute, now she's contemplating her own bad behavior?

She was right though, a sprained ankle was definitely not worth the food and drinks she stole. She'd just tell Mercury no next time. Moron can do it on his own.

"Look Red... I'm sorry."

Now she was saying sorry? What is this girl doing to her?

"It's okay Cinder, I mean it was kinda exhilarating." She smiled, putting Cinder's worry to rest. "Just promise me, no more grand theft variety store." She giggled.

Cinder laughed to "What ever you say red."

Ruby helped Cinder all the way to her home, which thankfully was just a few minutes away; a small single story bungalow that rested on a crescent full of houses that looked similar.

"Thanks again Red." Cinder said as Ruby helped her up the porch.

"You sure you don't want to go to the hospital, it could be pretty serious?"

"No i... hate hospitals. I'm fine."

"Well okay, Uhh see ya tomorrow!" She waved goodbye before Cinder stopped her.

"Wait, you want to come inside?"

Ruby blushed a little "Sure!"

Cinder smiled as Ruby helped her back up again, she felt good and bad. Bad become of what she put forcibly put Ruby through, but that in turn made her feel good because Ruby didn't reject her after the fact. Ruby stuck with her and helped her all the way home.

And now she had made a friend.

A/N Lame right? Leave your feedback, thanks again for the amazing reception this is getting. Chapter 4 will be much better.

-ARMV7

[EDIT 10/28: Cleaned up a little]