Cinder blinked her eyes open. She was alive? The last thing she remembered was reaching in with her Maiden power to try to cushion her fall.
She looked around to see nothing but earthen wall and shattered concrete, and then up at the circle of blue sky from which her pile-driven hole began.

Well, that certainly worked. Cinder didn't know whether to feel pleased that her Maiden power had assimilated so nicely or annoyed that her plans had derailed so much.

So Emerald had finally stood up for herself. That was good. It was another obstacle in her original plan, but nevertheless Cinder felt pleased by the whole affair. No matter how much Cinder complained about Emerald or saw her as a tool, she had never hated the girl. How could you hate someone you spent half your life raising? The main reason she had ever felt bothered by Emerald was the strange infatuation the girl had with her, which, as she had mentioned, was unsettling because they had more of a big sister little sister dynamic or a mother daughter bond than that of lovers'. So if Emerald had found her own path separate from Cinders', then all the power to her.

But Emerald's defection or not, that still wouldn't stop her from getting Cinder what belonged to her. Cinder stared up through the hole in the ground up at the Beacon dorms' roof. They had probably left by now, off to inform Ozpin everything they knew. Cinder wasn't bothered. She'd see them again. And if Emerald wanted to protect that girlfriend of hers, she would have to fight. Sentiment or no, the next time the girl stood up to her, there would be no mercy.

But for now, Cinder groaned as she shifted some concrete slabs off her leg. She could feel the confused murmuring of students studying the new landmark in the middle of campus. She had to get out of here before she was discovered and arrested. Sure, she could break out of any jail easily, but if just one more thing got in her way this week, Cinder didn't know what she would do. Burn something, probably.

So Cinder called on her Semblance and melted the rocks of her her into slag. It didn't burn her; her Semblance never did. She was able to walk in a straight line through the ground until she reached the Vale sewage system and was able to leave Beacon without a trace. Well, other than a melted tunnel through the ground and a giant hole in the middle of campus. Details, right?

Cinder shook her head, this wasn't like her. Was the blood loss making her giddy? The Emerald plan was a bust, but at least she knew now who was the Fall Maiden. Ozpin would no doubt guard her even more religiously now, but Cinder had ways of cracking Beacon open. She just had to rely on-Cinder groaned. She just had to rely on that brute Adam and his gang. That meant dealing with that den of confusion and incompetence.
This week was just looking better and better.

XXXXXXX

Emerald stared down at her bloodied hands, which were shaking. She hardly registered it as the knife clattered to the ground. What had she done. To Cinder? Who'd given her everything. But, but. She'd. Emerald looked helplessly at Pyrrha.

Cinder had been about to kill Pyrrha, and she'd just tried to get her to stop but she couldn't move, and then she had moved, and now…It was all over. Emerald stared at the edge of the roof. Where she could still see Cinder's last face before she fell off. She had been smiling. It had been so bright, and proud. She hadn't smiled like that at Emerald in such a long time, not since that time. She remembered the first time she had seen Cinder, how Cinder had looked as she picked her up off the street on that snowy day, looking for all the world like an angel from heaven as she offered a hand with a smile so beautiful. Emerald had vowed from day on to follow her forever. And now, Emerald breathed a hitched sigh. There was only one thing to do. She took a step toward the edge of the roof.

A pair arms grabbed her from behind. "No!" Pyrrha cried, gripping her.

Emerald tried to free herself. "You don't understand. I have to. I betrayed her. I broke my promise. I have to join her."

Pyrrha was furious in her denial. "No you don't! You did that for me! How do you think I would feel if you went and killed yourself right after?"

Emerald stopped, shocked into quiescence. Pyrrha's eyes were red-rimmed and brimming with tears. Were those tears…for her?

Pyrrha continued. "You don't have to do anything anymore. You're free. You can make your own decisions. Isn't that what she meant at the end? That she was proud of you for breaking free? Stay. Please, don't leave me. Don't kill yourself. You hurt your mentor, but she was going to kill me. You saved me. You did well, Emerald. Thank you. So don't leave. Please."

"You're my friend, Emerald. A very, very good friend, even if you don't believe it. I've never been able to have friends that understand and accept me back home, and even my parents don't accept me for who I am. I don't think I could handle it if you left because of me."

Pyrrha stopped to turn Emerald's shoulders so they were looking each other in the eyes. Their faces were close enough to touch. Pyrrha was blushing.

"And, and. If you need another reason to not go. I believe I have feelings for don't have to say anything if you don't feel the same way. But I think it's more than what I feel for friends. At least I don't feel the same way about Nora or Ruby, or Yang or Weiss. And," Pyrrha gasped hotly. "I, I don't know what it is yet, but I'd like to find out, if you want. And, I won't be able to do that if you're gone, so. Don't leave me, yes? For me? Will you promise me that, Emerald?"

Tension drained from Emerald's body, and finally the two girls collapsed on each other, hugging and supporting each other, drained as they were from their ordeal.

There was only one thing for Emerald to say.

"Okay."