Title: Contingency Plan
Fandom: RWBY
Author: ice shredder
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Spoilers/Warnings: slight ones for 3x07. missing scene after the episode cuts to black. 3rd in the Gemcutter collection.
Summary: "So, after you obtain the rest of Fall's power...what's next?" Emerald asks Cinder a question regarding Mercury's role in the final stages of the plan before they return to Amity Colosseum.
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Cinder and Emerald walked in silence towards the mini hangar-esque door of the ambulance ship, the clinking of glass and hard leather in perfect sync. Behind them, Emerald could hear the creaking of a wrench as Mercury worked on repairing his ultra-durable prosthetic. In no time the repair would be complete and the butcher back on his feet as if nothing happened.
But any satisfaction the red-eyed thief might've drawn from the international incident they'd just pulled off-with a combination of careful plotting and patience on Cinder's end-was marred with the possibility of someone figuring out there was a deliberate pattern to all the matches she and Merc had been involved in.
That annoying Ruby Rose was one such problem. Ever since Mountain Glenn and the breach, Emerald's paranoia stemming from her thieving ways that led to her being busted the day Cinder recruited her in an alleyway in Mistral raced back full force.
Despite the girl's youth and small size, she had a knack of being in the right places when something didn't feel right. Emerald didn't know how she did it, but the girl kept running interference with Cinder's plans. In fact, if it wasn't for Team RWBY's constant meddling there'd be no need to infiltrate Beacon.
Or mingle with a bunch of stupid, retarded kids most of who never knew what it meant to fight to survive out in the harsh, cruel world.
Or take care not to get too close to anyone outside their circle lest one of them slip and reveal a part of the plan by mistake-
"Something on your mind?"
Startled, the cocoa hued female blinked out of her self-induced stupor at her leader's silky purr. The whoosh of the wind against the airship's hull and the occasional creak of metal were the only sounds disturbing the otherwise peaceful interior.
"No ma'am."
Cinder narrowed suspicious amber eyes.
"Don't lie to me girl. I can see the cogs turning in your brain. You better not be actually thinking. That is my role. Your job is to obey."
Emerald felt like a deer caught in the headlights. She swallowed against a dry throat at the unspoken threat. Telegraphing one's thoughts in front of a keen observer like Cinder was just asking to get beaten. And she'd been slapped many times for thinking she and the older woman were peers. So she learned to cater to Cinder's moods and address her with respect, all to avoid punishment.
Come to think of it, her rebellious nature had all but been thoroughly quashed when joining Cinder's elite group of fighters.
Except when it came to Mercury Black.
Despite his compliance with Cinder's orders and schemes, he retained greater use of his personality and sass, not to mention the fire witch never abused him when he addressed her in a casual manner.
So when the pair were sent on errands or a kill order, Emerald was secretly glad to be out from under Cinder and her demanding perfectionism if only for a short while.
"I'm perfectly aware of my place ma'am," she replied with as much tact and respect she could muster. "But it's Mercury I'm worried about. What's he gonna be doing once I cast my illusion on the Pyrrha/Penny match? He can't show himself in public obviously, so I was curious. After you obtain the rest of Fall's power...what's next?"
Emerald held her breath. I can't believe I'm risking my neck for this guy. But I need to hear it come out of her mouth. I need to know what to do. At some point, Merc's gonna get in her way and I can't let anything bad happen to him.
Cinder crossed her arms, eyeing her charge.
"Don't sweat the details my dear. Mercury will continue to lay low as I have instructed. You have the biggest part to play in bringing the Grimm down on Vale and Beacon with your Semblance." A cocky smirk curled the side of her cruel mouth. "They along with the White Fang will do most of the heavy lifting for us. Besides, I'm sure the Fall Maiden is hidden somewhere on Beacon's grounds. After Mercury films the collapse of the CCT, make yourselves scarce. Escape the Kingdom and make your way back to Mistral. I'll meet you there once I've concluded business."
Emerald nodded, minty locks dancing around her face. Desperately trying to keep her panic from registering on her face. She had a direction, but it was vague and there were still too many unknowns for the thief's liking.
If she was a bolder person like Merc, she could push for more information. But Cinder hadn't gotten this far by spilling her secrets. The stakes were high and the tiniest slip up could spell disaster and unravel the carefully woven web Cinder and Salem had taken a good deal of time to create.
Faintly, she heard the whir of mechanics and a heavy clomp in the ship's main room where Neo skillfully piloted the craft. Mercury was finished with his repairs.
"So as long as he does his job, he'll be all right."
Cinder's brows smoothed out, pleased the girl was getting the picture.
"Of course. As long as this next match goes through, he is free to do whatever. But on the off chance someone attempts to interfere, you two may use any means necessary to stop it."
Emerald straightened as the sound of Mercury's jerky, metallic tread coming towards their voices.
She spoke just as the butcher's strong frame crossed into view. The sight of him walking again soothed something inside her. Reassured the thief that no matter what happened after this, she would stick with the man to the bitter end. After all the time spent together, in spite of his constant teasing and sexual innuendoes Emerald was finding it harder to imagine her life without the cocky assassin in it. If something happened to Mercury, the world would be a much colder and crueler place than it already was.
And Emerald Sustrai-master thief extrodinaire-refused to go back to a place of lonliness and abandonment. She'd been thrown out on the streets like a bag of garbage and left to fend for herself.
Merc was just like her.
Abandoned.
Abused.
Rejected.
Lonely.
Outcast.
No more.
The second she laid eyes on his battered, bleeding frame standing tall and defiant in front of his burning family home with his father a dead sack of meat on the ground, she was drawn to him despite her initial fears.
She wouldn't allow anyone else to get this close to her and he wouldn't either. Emerald never realized until Yang unloaded into her partner's 'knee' just how keenly possessive she'd become over the devious kicker.
She turned to face Cinder, determination steeling her cherry eyes.
It was time for her to perform the greatest deception of her career. And Mercury would be close by in case someone tried to stop the next match.
"Understood ma'am. We won't let you down."
Mercury cocked his silver head, gray eyes locking on hers an instinctive gesture that gave her an odd rush. She liked the idea that they lived in their own world silently communicating without words.
She raised her eyebrows and nodded once towards his leg.
You good?
He smirked, dipping his head slightly.
Hell yeah. I'm combat ready.
Cinder watched the kids wordless exchange before clearing her throat to get their attention.
"Let's go. We have a Kingdom to destroy. And before this night is out, I will claim my birthright as the new Fall Maiden."
-end