Special: The Spider's Web

3 years ago...

In the land of Darkness... Haruki was practicing on the arena...

Neo was with Roman away from a mission.

He was planning on laying the groundwork for his plans...

He needed emerald to have a positive view of him. Mercury needs to view him as an ally.

Cinder However.... well... he'll cross that bridge when he gets there.

Emerald was watching Haruki train... She was surprised by his sword skills... she never saw him display his swordsmanship this openly before... it was mostly just quick deaths for his enemies.

He never really had a chance to show his skills. Emerald on the other hand thought of pranking Haruki.

So she jumped down to the arena Drawing her dual pistols. She shot at Haruki, Haruki parried all her shots.

He charged towards her and grabbed her arm performing an aikido throw...

She fell on her back, and when she looked up Absolute Demise was already pointed at her throat.

Haruki apologized "Sorry, I was too rough..."He grabbed her by the waist and helped her stand. "I was to immersed in training I didn't notice..."

Emerald smiled at him and asked "You're really good... I could learn a thing or two on your swordsmanship...

Haruki then noticed something was different. "You grew out you hair?" As he held her green hair... "It suits you." He smilingly said.

Emerald dubiously looked at him and said "Are you always this flirty towards women?"

Haruki held his hands up trying to defend himself. "Of course not! Only to the cuties such as yourself..." Emerald rolled her eyes at Haruki and said..."Oh please that kind of superficial BS won't work on me."

She then went outside to get some fresh air...

inwardly she thought... 'Holy hell that was my first time talking to him that long! I always found him cute but Cinder is and always will be better!'

Haruki then proceeded to wipe his sweat and he went back to change... he thought to himself. 'I have successfully made Emerald Train with me... now we can spend more time together...' I can learn more about her semblance...

A Few weeks pass Haruki, Emerald and Neo have been training together... Increasing both their teamwork and bond...

Little by little Haruki was slowly trying to woo emerald Trying to distance her to Cinder as much as possible... Neo noticed this so Haruki was getting beat up everyday.

Per Salem's orders, Haruki and Emerald were sent out on a joint mission with the white fang.

"Em it's our first time... Working together..." Emerald knocked on his head. "Haha, What's with that long pause?" Haruki rubbed his head. "Dramatic effect." Emerald Let out her tongue. " Well whatever you gigolo..." She jumped off the airship and landed down the forest. Haruki followed after... Landing beside her He asked "what's the rush??"

Emerald then brought out a map of the place "Firstly I want to go home... A phrase I never thought I would say... Secondly we need to find shelter, I feel like it's about to rain..."

Haruki looked at the Data Adam sent them... "So our Target is Slave Trader A and Slave Trader B..." Emerald took the scroll from him... "They are Arman Gregor and Geoffani Rancid... they have been in this business for years..." Haruki interrupted Emerald... "Who cares about their names they're nothing more than corpses, They probably have a fuck ton of cash stashed somewhere..." Emerald knocked on his shoulder. "Dibs on the jewelry!" Haruki replied "Wh- Hey! that's not fair!"

After walking for a while the rain started to pour.

She and Haruki dashed towards the nearest cave. Night came and the rain still hasn't let up. So Haruki went out to hunt.

"Hey I brought food." Haruki said as he was carrying a dead Deer. Emerald can't help but ask... "You know how to cook?" Haruki laughed... "Well Yeah... Me and Neo alternate on the cooking schedule, you really can't rely on Roman to do it... He always says cooking was to crass and it might ruin his image." Emerald laughed. "Pfft... hahahahaha! I can imagine him saying that!"

Haruki cooked the food with makeshift utensils... As he Barbequed the meat he told dumb stories to emerald, making her laughter resound all over the cave.

Emerald thought to herself...'I wish we could just stay like this...forever... but sadly... the one in your eyes in not me... but someone else.'

Emerald was slowly falling for Haruki...

After eating Haruki and Emerald sat close to each other... to fight the cold... Emerald then asked Haruki why he does this... "I honestly do not know, I'm just going with the flow you know... ever since I was young... my only thought was to survive and never starve again... I never had big goals, like making humanity suffer or conquering the world or what not ... I just wanted to enjoy life... but sadly reality made me realize that's impossible... I'm already too far gone this road I can't turn back..."

Emerald while listening to his story leaned on his bread shoulders. "You know we have similar reasons for joining... I always hated having to sleep starving... So I resorted to stealing from people, when Cinder approached me I was but a petty thief...

She turned me into what I am now. I am very grateful To her... She told me that I wouldn't have to go hungry again... the reason I joined was to survive... But I stayed because I owe cinder everything I have..."

Haruki smiled and pulled her close... "Yeah When Roman and Neo saved me from dying on that snowy day I vowed to help them on what ever path they may take...But don't mistake blind devotion with gratitude..."

He looked at emerald straight in the eyes... "You are still your own person... don't let cinder dictate how you live your life..."

Emerald sighed... "You don't understand I owe her everything..." Haruki smiled and patted her head. "Don't worry about it."

When he looked back at Emerald but she has already fallen asleep, he held her tight so she won't feel cold.

Morning came and the Rain finally let up...

Emerald woke up to the smell of meat being cooked. "Better eat up... We have a bigger Animal to hunt later." Haruki told her as he roasted the meat.

They exited the cave and the blaring sunlight glared at them with is rays.

Then they started the bloodbath.

This Mission was the only time Emerald really opened up to someone... She fell for Haruki's kindness, he was like a breath of fresh air in the midst of the corpses that surrounded them on the daily basis.

The reason why she helped Cinder, On trying to manipulate Haruki although she doesn't want to... was because Cinder wasn't the only one watching Haruki Hug Neo that night, she also saw it... She felt Jealous.

why can't it be her!?...

She was angered.

She used her semblance on Haruki... But it backfired... she doesn't know what Haruki saw but she was scared... of the killing intent directed towards her... scared that he would forever hate her... then she was woken up by a slap... Looking at Haruki with fear...

He asked her something but she couldn't hear it... She thought to herself whatever Haruki saw angered him to the point where he could even try and kill her...

She felt guilty... that's why she didn't move... She could only accept it, She has hurt him. So if he ever decided to end her... she won't budge and let it happen.

But when Haruki was about to stab cinder She could only use Neo as a shield...

When she came into Harukis room as per Cinders order... she wasn't reluctant, but scared that if Haruki discovered that she's not Neo... He would Hate her... she wasn't prepared for that...

But he actually apologized... He was sorry but she saw sorrow in his eyes...

She thought what she did was unforgivable...

That's why she resolved herself whatever Haruki decided she would do it...

However unexpectedly he accepted her... She was elated at the same time scared...

What if this was only a dream... and Haruki has already ended her...

what if she was just using her semblance on herself... To blur the line between reality....

But it didn't matter to her anymore... Even if someday this illusion comes crashing down...

As long as she could spend more time with him... nothing else really mattered...

And thus one vibration in the spiders thread could send ripples throughout the entire web... Haruki had made Emerald turn on Cinder...

Haruki knew about Emeralds feelings that's why he felt guilty for hurting her... but if he could kill two birds with one stone... he wouldn't mind using her...

Perfection needs no council. It knows best, even when others disagree...

Like I said I only care about the real objective I couldn't care less about prestige...