Mercury was in trouble. Way out of his depth. It wasn't like he was upset that he was in this position though. After all, he'd been gunning for precisely this outcome. The only problem was that he had absolutely no idea what he was doing. Though, he normally didn't.

That was why he had Emerald after all.

"No. Way."

"Come on won't it be easy for you?" Mercury pressed, fully expecting an eye rolling flat out refusal, "You're always talking about how clueless I am, and how you know so much better."

"Nice try, that might have worked on me when I had parents, but I've grown just a little bit since then. And I've long since learned not to get involved with you if I can help it."

Emerald turned and started to walk away, luckily he came prepared with something he knew she couldn't ignore. "See this? Do this and it's yours." he said holding up a book bound in red leather.

When Emerald stopped in her tracks and turned around unable to pick a place to look he knew he had her. Hook line and sinker.

"Where did you get that?" She demanded in what he was sure was supposed to be a not desperate tone at all.

"Doesn't really matter does it?" Mercury said with a smile as he flipped to a random page, "But it sure would matter if Cinder were to see this wouldn't it- oh my you really are a talented artist, aren't you?"

Emerald made a swipe for the book which Mercury danced backwards from.

"Mercury, I'll pull that diary out of your cold lifeless hands if you don't give that to me right now."

"Why pry it out of my cold dead hands when you could take it from my warm and pleasantly soft hands? If you want this you're going to have to get it fair and square," Mercury taunted waving the journal in front of her.

Emerald's face remained still for a moment, when it changed it was much further than arm's reach and wore a large smirk as she held up the diary.

"Too easy Mercury. If you focused more on anything other than your own ego you might have a chance. But t-" She opened the book, "This is blank." She sputtered out.

"Maybe if you focused more on me and my ego then you'd understand we're a double threat and hid the real one somewhere safe. So what do you say?"

Emerald's will broke, "Fine. I can't believe I'm saying this but just what do you want me to do?" She asked.

"Like I said nothing hard. I just need you to...you know…. help me on my date," His voice cracked as he rushed the last words out.

Coughing he tried to cover it up but Emerald's smirk told him it didn't work quite as well as he'd hoped. She might not want to do this but she'd love to see him squirm, he did not want to give her the pleasure of that.

"Hey it's not like I need you, I just want to make this night perfect for a lovely lady and what better way than to have a wingman with your semblance?"

"You want me to help you score, and you went to the trouble to steal my journal to blackmail me into doing so," Emerald deadpanned, "You are a disgusting human being, how did you even get this date?"

"Online," Mercury coughed.

"Of fucking course. I'm sure she'll be just as well adjusted as you."

"I guess you can pick a decent place for a first date," Emerald admitted.

The two of them had arrived outside a small restaurant called Old Newark. It wasn't overly busy with different groups coming and going as they pleased, and neither was the sort of cheap shithole that Emerald said he would have picked. He had class.

Smirking he turned to her, "Told you. So here's what you need to do: pick a seat near our table and use your semblance on me to give me advice."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just use it on her?" She asked.

"That would be you going on a date with her using my body which is just sick Emerald, keep your fantasies in your diary. Now come on she'll be here soon."

The inside of Old Newark was warm with a friendly feeling to it. There were pictures of Vale and the surrounding landscape hung on the walls and large windows that let in the fading light of late afternoon.

Mercury took a booth set off to the side and by the window, while Emerald slide into a small, round table away and behind Mercury, which was sure to give her a clear line of sight to his unfortunate date. When the waitress came Mercury said he had a party of two and when she came back she placed two menus and glasses of water on the table.

"This has got to be the weirdest way I've used my semblance," Emerald's voice came from in front of him instead of behind, "And I've used it to get extra free samples in the past."

Turning around he saw that Emerald had not moved from her seat, her semblance was never something he particularly enjoyed because of how it was usually to fuck with him. But with his insurance tucked away seeing a second Emerald sitting on the back of the seat wasn't that bad.

He opened his scroll underneath the table and sent a message to her.

"You are way too good at that, I can't even tell you were typing." Emerald said after a moment.

"How do you think I get through any of our meetings?"

"Figures. When's your date going to show up?" She asked, "I want this to be over with as soon as possible."

"Excuse me are you Mercury Black?" A new voice asked, clipped if not unfriendly.

"No. Way." Emerald said, breathlessly.

Standing at Mercury's table was a blonde woman wearing a white sundress. Her hair was done up in a bun and glasses covered a pair of verdant green eyes.

"Glynda. It's good to actually meet you," Mercury held out his hand.

"A hand shake? Is this a date or a business meeting?" Emerald quipped. Mercury ignored her.

"And you as well, it's good to put a face to the man that can make me laugh after a long day," Glynda shook his hand before sitting down, "But I must admit it is a younger face than what I was expecting."

"What can I say I've just got one of those faces, makes it a little awkward always pulling out an ID but that's the price you pay for these looks," He said earning a smile from Glynda. "And you look very-"

"The next word you say better be mature," Emerald warned from her perch.

"Mature." He finished.

Emerald slapping her head could be heard both from the illusion and her seat, "That is not what I meant."

This time he got a small laugh from her, "I suppose I do. It pays to look unapproachable when you teach students and have a figure that even begins to look attractive."

"You teach?" Mercury asked.

"It's a long story."

"We are supposed to learn about each other here right?"

"Well I suppose you could say it started…"

Glynda began to tell him about her career, as she did he could not help but keep glancing downward. He knew better than to stare but come on he'd have to be dead.

"She's telling you her life story and you're staring at her rack. Real nice Romeo." Emerald said.

"Have you seen her?" He texted.

"Yes and unlike you I have basic manners."

"Well Miss Manners how about you give me a crash course?"

"What am I supposed to do, teach you which fork to use?"

"Well figure out something unless you want Cinder to learn about your imaginary friend."

"Ugh, there's no way you are going to learn anything. Here."

Emerald's image pressed a finger to her temple, after a moment Glynda's entire body seemed to be shifted into the air. To Mercury it looked like when a video game glitched and someone sat above their seat.

"Em?"

"There, now you can look at her bust and it will actually be her eyes."

"Holy shit you should do this more often."

"Pig."

"And that's how I got to Beacon,"

As Glynda finished her story the waitress came to take their orders. Glynda chose a steak with a side of vegetables, when she turned to Mercury he knew what he had wanted a specialty burger from the house.

"Fish sandwich."

"Fish sandwich." He repeated

"What the hell Emerald?" He texted, "You know I hate fish."

"Did I do that?" Emerald asked putting a hand on her head shaking it, "My bad, I was ordering at the same time. Funny how that happened isn't it?"

"Yeah real funny."

"What is it that you do then since we are learning about each other?" Glynda asked giving her menu to the waitress.

Mercury froze, if she was teaching at Beacon and wanted to know what he did then that meant. Oh no.

"You didn't even think of that? Wow no wonder you needed me. Just think about something that handles unwanted problems."

"I'm in human resources," He lied.

Emerald sighed, "Really you can't even get that right? I was going for pest control, but I guess that would have meant you'd have to kill yourself."

"And how did you get into that? It's not a field kids want to grow up to be in one day." Glynda asked.

Mercury shrugged, "I guess it's because my dad did it, he taught me a lot of that stuff."

"So you'd say you started with a foot in the door?"

"Yeah I guess so. The company I'm with is actually about to blow away the competition and they don't even know it." As he talked with Glynda he also sent a text to Emerald.

"It's what I thought of ok? If you want me to say something just say it."

"Ok then how about this? Don't blow our plan for some tail genius."

Glynda smiled taking a drink before setting her glass back down, "Well it seems you have a leg up on the competition."

"I uh yeah, guess that's right too."

Their food arrived and Mercury's stomach churned at the sight before him. Something about fish had always made him queasy, but he had no choice without causing some kind of weird situation and he would not mess up a date with a woman that looked like Glynda did.

So he suffered through it. Every piece of the gut wrenching creation that some called food. He would have been gone through it and not complained if Glynda was happy to enjoy their meals in silence, but it seemed she had other ideas.

"So what about outside of work? What do you do when you're off?"

Mercury swallowed down on his sandwich with a hard fought gulp, "I don't do much outside of it. It takes a lot of effort and most of the time I'm tired after it."

"A real ball and chain," Glynda laughed lightly at her own joke, "I know how that is but must do something in the free time you do have. I have my reading don't you have anything like football or running?"

"Well I did actually visit a bookstore a few days ago."

Emerald sighed, "The bookstore we shut down, remember?"

"Oh did you get anything?" Glynda asked.

"The Gaze of the Sea," Supplied Emerald before he could start to stutter.

Mercury repeated the book title without a thought. Glynda blushed furiously at this.

"Well that is quite the novel to admit reading Mercury, but I do admire your openness on the subject."

"Seriously?" Emerald said, voice laden with disbelief.

"Em what is that book?" He texted back.

"I thought you wanted me to keep my fantasies to myself." Emerald's projection moved to lean against the wall, "This actually worked out for you though since you know what she's into now. My advice is to bite your wallet to keep from screaming."

Mercury gagged only half of it from the fish, "I'm just getting started on it actually. So what else have you read?"

The rest of the meal was much less charged moving to chat of books with less intense themes, most of what Mercury said being supplied from Emerald. They finished their food much to Mercury's dismay and got the check which Emerald made sure he paid.

Before they left Mercury excused himself to the bathroom and leaned against a sink. After a minute he pulled out his scroll.

"I hate you so much."

"You're the one that dragged me here," Emerald texted back, "I could leave now if you'd give back my journal though."

"Nice try you don't get it until this is done. Follow us to the boardwalk and try to not look like a stalker." Putting his scroll away Mercury left the bathroom.

"Are you ready?" He asked Glynda offering an arm.

"Already a step ahead of you," She said putting on a light jacket and taking his arm.

The two of them left Old Newark and a minute later so did Emerald trailing the gold and silver heads of hair through the streets of Vale. It wasn't long before they reached the next half of their date at Vale's boardwalk.

Sights and sounds assaulted them making it hard for Emerald to focus on them, her semblance, and not running into anyone. Strangely enough she didn't seem to be needed anymore because the two of them were hitting it off.

Somehow there was one person in the world that found Mercury funny and the teacher even had her own playful side to her. It was one of the strangest relationships Emerald had seen, mostly because Mercury was in it, but they were having a good time together.

They spent hours there as the sun set enjoying what was offered. Boardwalk food, games, and each other. If she didn't need to actually do anything for the rest of the night it would be fine by her.

"Uh sure I'll go get tickets. Wait here," Mercury said walking quickly in Emerald's direction. Apparently an easy ride through the rest of this night was too much to ask for.

"What is it now?" She asked falling in beside him as he moved for the ticket stand and out of Glynda's sight.

Mercury's hands clenched and unclenched a few times "Roller coaster," he said quickly.

"What are you afraid of a little ride?" Emerald laughed, "You ki- work in human resources and that's where you draw the line?"

"Human resources doesn't turn me upside down at fifty miles an hour with only a metal bar for protection." He explained getting into line.

"You'd survive anything it could do to you. Being shot won't kill you, this is nothing."

Mercury took a deep breath, "I know that. But something else could happen like the whole thing collapsing and I take ten tons of metal to the neck. It's a phobia Emerald, you don't just rationalize it."

"Yet you're doing it for your girlfriend. I'm so proud of you," she teased, "What do you want this time?"

"Use your semblance on her."

"But I thought I should keep those sick fantasies to myself," She said with a lopsided smile.

"Just make it look like I'm having a good time because so far I have and want that to stay the same," Mercury bought three tickets and handed one to her, "Here's yours."

She took it and once again followed at a distance but close enough she'd be able to get on the same ride as them. In the new line she was only a couple spots behind Glynda and Mercury who rapidly shifted his weight from foot to foot, part of her laughed at his misery and another wondered why he would even do it.

"Cold feet?" Glynda asked.

"What nah," He played it off or at least tried.

"Don't worry you can hold my hand if you want."

"Well since you insist."

Emerald prayed they wouldn't do any gushy crap.

Finally getting to the platform she gave one of the attendants her ticket and sat in the second to the front seat since Glynda had dragged Mercury to the first one. It seemed he had taken her offer of holding her hand for all the good it did for his nerves.

Reaching out with her semblance she took a hold of Glynda's mind as the ride started to move.

"Are you ready?" She asked to the fake Mercury who took a deep breath before giving a smile.

The real one however said, "Fuck no."

"Great!"

Higher and higher the cart climbed as Mercury started to hyperventilate unknown to Glynda who only saw him with a calm enough look. As soon as they crested the peak the illusion almost broke as Mercury screamed like a little girl.

"This is great!" Glynda shouted in agreement hearing something completely different.

"Holy shit!"

"Whoo!"

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Mercury! Strange place to ask but I'd like nothing more."

Coming to the end of the ride Emerald let go of the illusion and followed them at a discreet distance to the nearest bench that Mercury fell into.

"Lost your sealegs?" Glynda asked with a chuckle, "Wait here so I can freshen up and then we'll go."

She walked off to the nearest bathroom and Emerald leaned on the back of the bench.

"Em. What was that?" Mercury asked between breaths.

"That was you scoring idiot."

"Wait. You did that?" He asked.

"Who else?" Emerald gave him a light bop on the head, "You were taking too long to realize you found someone that actually wants to be around you."

A giant smile covered Mercury's face, "Yeah. Yeah you're right. Thanks Emerald, maybe you aren't just a puppy following the first person to give you a scrap."

"Right and maybe you are more than a boy that thinks he's hot shit for killing his dad. Can I get my diary back now?"

"Sure. It's under you pillow."

"Excuse me?"

"I knew you wouldn't check so I bought a fake and left the real one where it is," He explained, "You really should find somewhere safer for it."

Emerald pinched the bridge of her nose, "You're unbelievable and because of that I know that's exactly what you did. Remember what I said about biting down."

Emerald stormed away immensely frustrated for falling for such a trick, but finally relieved to be done with this nonsense. She did however spare a single glance over her shoulder she saw Glynda coming back and the two of them leaving together.

Half an hour later she had made it back to where they were staying and true to his word her diary was where he said it would be. She was about to fall asleep when her scroll rang, when she looked at it she saw it was Mercury. Against her better judgement she answered it.

"What?"

"I need your help," Mercury seemed to whisper over the line.

"What do you mean help? You got the girl now do the deed."

"I can't she'll see my legs and everything will be ruined!"

She couldn't believe him, "What do you mean she'll see your legs? She made jokes about them all night."

"I don't know what that was, I never told her," He said, "I just need this one thing I'll do anything Emerald."

"Just what do you want me to… no. NO WAY!" She shouted into the scroll.

"Emerald ple-" Mercury was cut off as she hung up.

"Sorry Mercury you'll have to stand on all of your own legs for this one."