You remain as smoke for several days, mulling things over in your head, but at the same time thinking of nothing at all. The winds scatter your consciousness across Remnant. Part of you is in Vacuo, drifting lazily over the arid ground and desert sands. At the same time, you linger over the island of Menagerie, watching the Faunus population as you hang overhead. You look down upon the people below you with curiosity, watching them simply go about their daily business. All of them wear bright smiles and greet each other with such joy. How? How can they be so happy? They've been treated like animals and herded onto a small, overpopulated island that is two thirds desert. Compared to you, they're little more than insects. They have nothing, but somehow, they still manage to smile. They took the shitty hand life had dealt them and had managed to turn it into a slice of paradise. They're happy. Happier than you've been in a long time. Longer than you can remember. And they've lived. They live more in one day than you have in your entire life, their pathetic, irrelevant routines giving them a sense of purpose, something you lack.

Across the world, carried by the winds, you see more people like those in Menagerie. Happy, joyous, content with their insignificant lives. You're perplexed. You hold so much more importance, so much more power than any of them. Your influence over the world, the things you will help achieve are beyond what they could even begin to imagine. And yet you still find yourself jealous of them. Envious of their lives and the illusion of purpose they possess. What do they have that makes them so happy? What do they have that you lack? In Mistral, you watch as a family of three exit an ice cream store. A mother and father both carry a cone in their hands. The mother's other arm holds onto a small girl who holds the largest treat of the three. The father looks over and kisses his wife while the little girl sticks out her tongue in disgust. Laughing, the man stoops down and picks up his daughter in one arm, kissing her cheek. The daughter squeals while her mother laughs.

Without giving it much thought, you will your consciousness to follow the family as they walk throughout the Kingdom. They stop in a small store and leave minutes later, the father carrying a newly purchased hoe over his shoulder, the little girl's head donned with a flowery sun hat. As the sun begins to descend, the three make their way to the outskirts of the Kingdom. The little girl has fallen asleep in her mother's arms, head resting on her shoulder as her parents continue walking towards the setting sun. You don't know why you continue to follow them. Perhaps to see what allows them such enjoyment in life. You hover in front of the parents, examining their smiling features with curiosity. Such light they have in their eyes. Drifting around to the back, you look at the sleeping girl, her tiny features resting peacefully, head bouncing ever so slightly with every step her mother takes. She suddenly sneezes, surprising her self and waking her from her sleep. Her eyes shoot open and you're greeted with brilliant blue orbs staring at you. You take pause at her eyes' unique appearance. She reaches a hand out and snatches her hand at you, probably trying to catch some insect. You continue to follow the family, the little girl's eyes continuing to stare through you. The sun has almost set by the time they reach a small village. Bored, you turn and begin to float away.

"Bye bye!" The little girl waves.

You stop and turn around. The little girl is looking up at you, waving. It's almost like she can see you. Squinting, you focus you gaze upon her. As she sneezes again her eyes glow blue and a strong gust of wind blows you further away. Allowing yourself to be carried away, you find yourself stunned. If you weren't mistaken, that was the Spring Maiden.

"(F/N)!"

Salem's voice rings through every part of your being.

"Mistress." You respond.

"Where are you?"

"Many places." You answer.

"Return to me at once." She commands. "You've been absent for far too long. I'm beginning to wonder if you aren't conspiring against me."

"No mistress. I'll be back shortly."

Your collective consciousness reassembles within Salem's castle just a few minutes later. Making your way through the fortress, your just about to enter your room when Hazel approaches you.

"(F/N)." He says in his deep voice.

"Hazel." You respond.

"The mistress wishes to speak with you." He informs.

"I'll be there in just a minute." You tell him, opening the door to your room.

"Now."

Stepping back, you nod and follow Hazel to the throne room. He opens the door for you and ushers you in, closing them behind you. Salem is sitting in her large throne, chin resting on her hand as she gives you a threatening look.

"And where have you been for the past five days?"

"Out."

"Don't play games with me (F/N)." She slams her fist on the table. "Tell me where you've been."

"Am I a prisoner? Not allowed to leave the confines of this place?"

"No. You are free to come and go as you choose. But, your recent behavior has proved to be troubling. It would be unwise of me to lose track of someone with your knowledge and power, especially with the way you've been acting. Now, I'm only going to ask you this once. Did you finish what you set out to do?"

"No." You respond.

"And why is that?" She asks, the tone in her voice a cause for concern.

"I was, distracted."

"By what?"

"The Spring Maiden."

Salem's response dies in her throat. "The Spring Maiden?" She repeats.

You nod. "I tracked her to a small village just outside the Kingdom of Mistral."

"I see." Salem says, interlacing her fingers.

You wait for Salem to say more, but she remains silent. "Will that be all?"

"For now, yes." She says, staring at the table. "However, Cinder has been eager to see you. I suggest you don't keep her waiting."

Nodding, you turn and exit the room. Returning to your room, you find Cinder waiting for you, laying naked across your bed.

"Hazel told me you returned." She smiles.

"What do you want Cinder?" You ask, your shadows hanging your black trench coat in your closet.

"Don't be like that." She says, hopping off the bed and sauntering her way over to you. Wrapping one hand around your neck, she moves the other to stroke at your groin. "Come on, my pussy's been aching for your cock. I've been longing for you to fuck me all week."

Something about your encounter with Team STRQ has shaken you to the core. You feel empty inside; an emptiness that no amount of power seemed to be able to fill. So, you tried to fill the void inside with Cinder. The sex isn't the same as it usually is, it's less rough and more passionate. Cinder seems to take notice but doesn't complain as you steadily bring her to orgasm. In the past, after finishing Cinder would gather her things and leave until you called for her again. Swinging her legs over and off the bed, she's about to rise when you grab her wrist.

"Wait." You say quietly.

She turns and looks at you quizzically. "What?"

You avoid her gaze, staring intently at your hand on her wrist. "Would you stay?"

Looking up, you can see the surprise in her eyes. Regardless, she moves her legs back on top of the bed and lays down next to you.

"Cinder, what is this?"

"What?" She asks, propping herself up on an elbow.

"This." you say again, indicating the two of you, "Us. What's going on between us?"

"Some extremely phenomenal sex."

"And that's all this is to you? Just a quick fuck, no strings attached."

"Well, I wouldn't say 'quick'. You have a pretty impressive endurance."

"Cinder." You say sternly, asking her to take this more seriously.

"(F/N), what's gotten into you? I thought we had a good thing going on."

"We do." You assure her. "And by no means do I want it to stop."

Cinder releases a sigh of relief. "Good. Neither do I."

"But," you continue, causing her to pause, "I want more."

"What more can I give you? Does my body not bring you pleasure?"

"It's not that." You take a deep breath before diving head in. "Look, our relationship is unorthodox to say the least. But I think we have an unspoken mutual agreement that we at least appreciate the other's presence."

"Yes." Cinder nods. "And?"

"Well, would you perhaps like to explore our relationship outside the bedroom?"

"You mean like dating?" Cinder asks. "Like we love each other?"

"Not quite love. I don't think either of us are capable of such an emotion. That being said, I still find myself... more pleasant when you are by my side."

"I see."

"I suppose I really should have just asked; would you like to stay here tonight? With me?"

Cinder moves closer to you and places a soft kiss on your lips and looks you in the eyes. "I think I would like that. Very much."

The two of you smile at each other. It's a strange sensation, you haven't smiled in lord knows how long. Turning her back to you, Cinder presses her frame against yours, her head resting on your arm just under your chin. You wrap your other arm around her and hold her close.

"For what it's worth (F/N), I think I might be capable of loving you."

A warm feeling fills your chest as you listen to Cinder's peaceful breathing. Kissing the top of her head, you close your eyes and you drift off into a dreamless sleep, devoid of Summer.