To the guest who left a long "review" asking me to write another story, I don't take requests.
—
Emerald came to consciousness slowly, pain spreading out from her chest to her fingers. Eyes flickering open, she found herself in a hospital room, the soft beep of a heart monitor finally registering alongside the awkward sting of an IV in her arm and bandages wrapped around her chest, arms and throat. A police officer in the corner noticed her movement and stood up, walking out of the room. A few minutes later, a familiar man with graying black hair and a raged red cape walked into the room.
"So, you got yourself in a mess, kid," he said, grabbing a chair and flipping it so he could lean towards her while bracing his arms on the back, "And I mean a big mess. You do realize you're staring down the barrel of life in prison for this stunt, right?"
"W-where's Cinder?" Emerald croaked in response, feeling her throat ache as she said it.
"Her? She's also under arrest, though I hear they're pushing for execution in her case. The Council isn't exactly happy with her after your bullshit."
Emerald felt her heart rate spike at that, accompanied by an increase of noise from the monitor, "No!"
"What were you expecting? You, one, attacked the Autumn Maiden, and two, set up a massive Grimm attack on Vale. Listen, kiddo, I wish I could say I thought you were just some misguided kid trying to do what they thought was right, but your actions have consequences."
"I-I want to see Cinder," Emerald croaked.
"You're in no place to be making requests, let alone demands," the man said, shaking his head, "You're loyal to someone who doesn't even care about you."
"That's not true," Emerald tried to argue, only to fall into a coughing fit.
"She hasn't said a word about you, you know?" The man said, "as far as she's concerned, you're dead."
Emerald shook her head, tears stinging her eyes, still refusing to believe him. Cinder cared about her, once Cinder broke out, she'd come rescue Emerald. She knew it.
She knew it.
—
Mercury was approaching the portal to Earthland, just about the only place where he would have even a chance to not be hunted till he died, when the jellyfish Grimm bobbed in front of him from behind a tree. A deathly pale woman appeared in its depths and said, shortly, "Report. What happened after I ended the attack on Vale."
Despite the fact that they were phrased like questions, Mercury instinctively knew they were absolute orders. He would tell her what happened.
"Cinder went after the Maiden's powers. The last report I heard before leaving Vale is that they're seriously considering the death penalty. She failed at getting the half of the Maiden powers she didn't get, and got herself arrested.
"I see," the woman said, "and how did you escape?"
"She had me standing guard outside the room. When they came up with her in rock cuffs, I cut my losses. There's no way I could beat Ozpin."
"True," the woman said, "I can't blame you for not entering a fight you could not have won. Where's the other girl she had in her service?
"Dead for all I know. She took a huge blast of fire for Cinder and wasn't moving when we left her."
"Disappointing," the woman said, without changing her calm inflection, "It would have been useful for you to have an assistant for the job I'm going to assign you."
"Which is?" Mercury decided to humor her.
"You are the son of Marcus Black, yes? I used his services several times; now it's your turn to take over his role. I have someone I want dead."
"Who?"
"A young woman, she was at the battle. She has a pair of tattoos marked on her neck."
Ruby Rose.
Shit.
"What do I get in return?"
"I will allow you to replace Cinder on my council."
Mercury nodded, faking the idea that he wanted to be on that council, "I was heading to Earthland to hide out until some of the heat on me died down. I'll kill her there."
"Very well. Do not disappoint me."
—
Arthur Watts sat waiting for Lady Salem, already perfectly aware of what this meeting was about. He was hacked into each Kingdom's news system. And the attack on Vale was all over every news site and channel, alongside the arrest of the brat Cinder. He deeply hoped Lady Salem wasn't planning to rescue the fool, not that it was possible.
Lady Salem entered then, sitting at the head of the long table in Evernight. Sitting down, she said, "Cinder has failed me."
It said something that Tyrian didn't laugh at that. Everyone knew Salem didn't take failure well. And they had devoted considerable resources to this effort. Ancient Grimm, an almost certain one time use backdoor into the CCT, and of course, the half of the Maiden powers Cinder had obtained. All down the drain. They were too far away to save her before her execution, if she was to be executed (and Arthur knew she would be).
"Should we rescue her?" Hazel asked.
"No," Salem said, "Ozpin will certainly be keeping her in maximum security. It would take several of you to throw your lives away to retrieve her. We'll acquire a new pawn, I already have one in mind, and aim for another Maiden. It will require you to go to Vale, Hazel, and rescue someone. Someone who will want to avenge Cinder."
—
Ruby stared at the ginger girl standing besides besides Ozpin and General Ironwood. Heaving a sigh she said, "Fine, she can come along."
