#source: transformers

Casey: What? My genius? My determination?

A Day in the Heaven

Nezha: "Hey, if we could shapeshift—"

Ao Bing: "I'd shapeshift into a shovel, and beat you."

What nobody was ready for was Cinder raising her arms and asking for asylum. She even formally surrendered herself.

It was unnerving, to say the least. At no point did her face betray any emotion. Not even when she was chained, and a Dust explosive collar was fixed to her neck.

And Ruby wanted to know why.

That's why she went alone to visit her cell, in the deepest darkest part of Shade Academy.

Alone.

--

Ruby: So. How are we going to play this? Are we going to spend the next hour posturing, or are we going to rise to the occasion and actually have a civilized conversation?

Cinder: 'Rise to the occasion'? What is this, a summit meeting? I'm chained to the wall, there's an explosive in my neck, and I'm precisely one rash gesture away from being executed by every Hunter in the city. It's hardly conducive to a frank exchange of views.

Ruby exhales slowly, glancing toward the door before stepping closer.

Ruby: Fair point.

She proceeds to undo Cinder's chains, careful not to yank anything or make any sound. Then, hesitant at first, she disarms the explosive collar.

Ruby: Take a seat.

Cinder does so, sitting on one of the rough benches carved from the sandstone walls, the room too small for comfort. Ruby did the same, both looking at each other like two lions in the savanna.

Cinder: Now [crossing her arms behind her back]. What did you want to talk about?

Ruby: You surrendered. Why?

Cinder: I thought we'd already had this conversation.

Ruby: No, we just went through the motions. You provoked me, I reacted. Same as always.

Cinder: What's happening to my - to Emerald? Have you gotten news of Mercury?

Ruby: Forget that, or Salem for what matters [taking a deep breath]. For the purposes of what follows, there is just me, and you, and a conversation we've put off for far too long.

Cinder: I've been preoccupied [shrugging, then examining her nail]. Kingdoms to conquer. Enemies to crush with my bare hands. I spend most days scrubbing sand and ash from my fingers.

Ruby: [interrupting] Cinder, everything you say -do you realize this?- Everything you say is steeped in hate.

Cinder: Ha! I learned to hate in a place much like this one [looking around her cell, gazing through the bars on the window]. I have Atlas to thank for it. For their laws. For the Huntsman who decided I wasn't worth breaking such precious laws. They all taught me what power and punishment really meant.

She closes her eyes, lost in her own memories before opening them again to look at Ruby.

Cinder: Now I live to hate. It sustains me. Sometimes I wonder if there's anything else left. Lust, rage, ambition. [her eye flickered with Maiden power] I've moved beyond them all. In fact, I look back over the last years of my life and recognize that there have been only two constants since Beacon; hate... and you.

Ruby: I'm surprised you can differentiate the two.

Cinder: Let me tell you something, Rose. I don't hate you [snickering]. Oh, I hate what you represent, and I hate the obstacles you put in my way, but don't think I don't understand why you're trying to stop me. I forgive you that much

Cinder leans over, the flame from her eye finally turning off as she smiles at Ruby.

Cinder: And you? Do you hate me? I don't think I've ever heard you say it.

There's a rather long pause. The memories, the losses. The ghosts. They all surround the cell.

Ruby: Yes...

Ruby: No...

Ruby: I don't know how I feel about you.

She exhales wearily, interlocking her hands while looking aside.

Ruby: Hate is too simple a word. Too... easy. It might sustain you, Cinder, but it diminishes me [their eyes meet]. I am lessened by it.

Cinder: Tell me [sitting up straight], were you always this sanctimonious or was it something you had to work at?

She gets up, opening her arms wide, turning around as if addressing their audience of spectres from past mistakes.

Cinder: Behold, the infallible Ruby Rose! Wise, charismatic, compassionate! A paragon of virtue in a red hood!

Cinder: [looking over her shoulder at Ruby] How tiring that must be. The insecurity. The loneliness. The agonizing self-doubt.

Ruby: You speak as if you know me [gritting her teeth]. You don't.

Cinder: I know you better than anyone [sitting back on her chair, smiling widely]. And it terrifies you.

--