Chapter 18: Meet the Cinderella

~Third POV~

A ship flies through the skies over Vale down to the city streets. The owner of the Dust shop From Dust Till Dawn is hanging a sign declaring its re-opening. As he climbs down from his ladder, he stumbles and falls. Emerald Sustrai appears next to him.

Emerald is giggling as she helps him to his feet acting to be nice to the shopkeeper of the Dust Shop, "' Scuse me, sorry. I'm not really from around here. Would you mind pointing me in the direction of this shop?"

Emerald produces a piece of paper with writing on it and the shopkeep looks it over as he gave Emerald the information needed making her smile at this. Emerald walks away from the shop owner as both wave goodbye and passes Mercury Black at a corner.

Mercury smirked at her knowing that Emerald was lost as he had a smug grin on his face that said I knew you were lost.

She produces a wallet with Lien and waves it in Mercury's face as she makes an offer to him in a childish tone, "Mercury, I will seriously pay you to shut up. It can be yours for 5 minutes of silence."

Mercury thinks about this seriously then jokingly replies to her about it, "Mmmm... no deal. Sorry."

She rolls her eyes at this as Emerald takes the Lien and tosses the wallet, turning to walk away from the scene.

Mercury then taunts her with his eyes and mouth as he began to speak to her in a flirting manner, "Whatever. You know you want me."

At these Emerald laughs at this joke as she replies harshly to him at the mention of her ally, "Ha! That's funny Mercury. That implies you can get past my friend first. You would get better luck getting a girl at a brothel than with me. That depends if they are interested with a sorry chump like you."

Mercury just rolls his eyes at this not caring about it that much. With that, the two began walking through the city from the info they collected from the Dust Shopkeeper. The two discussed the city of how plain it was and how it was easy to get their money.

That was when Mercury plays acts as a victim to get under Emerald's skin to get a rise out of her at the moment, "Ooh, Emerald! Master thief! Please don't take my money! I barely have enough to get by!"

Emerald glares at him, groaning angrily as she then walks away from him as she calms herself down inside her head at that hitting her sore spot, 'Just calm down Emerald… just be calm down and follow like Jae tells you to do. I only have to put up with them for now.'

Mercury follows behind Emerald as he mumbles disappointed to not get a rise out of her, "Ugh... you're no fun today."

That was when the two found the place they were looking for as they both began to enter a shop full of books. The shop owner can be heard humming a tune. Mercury stops near the door to look at books while Emerald approaches the counter and rings a service bell.

Tukson began to speak happily as Emerald looks back at Mercury Tukson is going through a set of double doors carrying stacks of books as he walks backward and out toward the counter, "Be right there! Welcome to "Tukson's Book Trade", home to every book under the sun! How may I... "

Turning around, he gasps and hesitates upon recognizing the two of them. Mercury is now holding a book distracting the man as he speaks, "How may I help – "

*BANG*

*Splat*

*Thud*

Silent gunfire was shot at the entrance of Tukson mouth as he was momentarily distracted by the illusion of Emerald but in reality, she already had her weapon at the ready. When Tukson was distracted she took her chance to fire at the mouth as the bullet went through the head killing him instantly through the brain and the skull.

<Hallucinations>, is the Semblance of Emerald Sustrai. The ability allows Emerald to modify the sensory information in a person's head while their brain is processing it.

Emerald's Semblance, <Hallucinations>, is individual mental hallucinations - the ability to modify the sensory information in a person's head while their brain is processing it. Emerald can make one person or more see and hear things that are not necessarily there.

In other words, instead of generating an illusion that everyone nearby can see, she causes her target to hallucinate, unlike Neopolitan, which creates physical constructs with her illusions.

However, her Semblance <Hallucinations> have its limits. Whilst she seems capable of easily controlling a single mind, controlling any more than that seems to tax her head severely, and doing it on more people will result in her headaches and needs to take a lot of concentration or Aura to maintain.

Slumping down to the ground with the blood and brain matter splattered on his walls as Mercury raises his eyebrow at Emerald at her as he spoke, "Hmm… you didn't even give the guy the chance for us to interrogate the guy? Any reason master thief?"

Emerald then began to loot the dead man from him professionally as she laughs at Mercury's question to her as she replies coldly, "Hehe… why prolong the result. We came here to do the deed no need for the theatrics and strike when they least expect it. I mean Little Green taught that to me. Like seriously though why listen to them when you just end them before they act he was always the cautious type."

Mercury then expresses a mischievous smile as he speaks to Emerald as he looks over the books taking a few, "Well then how hard did this little green did you? Front the bottom or the top?"

Emerald scoffs at this but a noticeable blush of the idea did appear in her mind with him riding her but soon takes the idea off the table as she shakes it off as she warns Mercury of Jae, "I wouldn't call him little green if I were you, Mercury. Only those he has ties can call him that you on the other hand will get punched in the face for it. But the idea is tempting so go ahead and try I want to see that caught on camera."

He only raises his eyebrow at that as he took some comics with him. Mercury and Emerald exit Tukson's Book Trade. Emerald stretches her arms overhead. Mercury is carrying a comic.

Out of curiosity, she began to question Mercury about what he was holding, "What's with that? Comics?"

Defending himself from the comics he got he argued back with her coolly, "I like the pictures. Got a problem with Justice League Comics?"

Emerald laughs at this as she shakes her head not remembering how shocked Jae was finding them having an identity and fourth wall crisis.

*Beep*

That was when she heard a beeping sound from her scroll revealing a text from Neo she rolls her eyes at this getting Mercury's attention, "Oh what's with the sudden change there Em. Looks like someone is texting you what is it?"

Emerald ignoring the idiot next to her sees the text a look of surprise escaped her face as she read the contents out loud getting her and Mercury's attention, "Our little green is coming around the warehouse to be dropped off. Hurry up along to get the chance to meet the Happy Man and his newest minion. I think he's copying Roman shtick like Ow<!!!"

It was at that moment Mercury raised his eyebrow at that as he glanced at Emerald looking a bit nervous as he spoke remembering something, "Hey Em? Isn't that the guy that Cinder wants to meet? The Happy Man that has been causing trouble is the same guy you're talking about. Huh. What a small world we live in right."

She only nods at that as she worries a bit knowing Cinder strength and powers of using magic but could only sigh knowing how it's going to go down as she responds to Mercury, "Sigh… honestly though I would prefer that she didn't because of- wait a minute new minion!"

Rereading the text Emerald wants to hear an explanation about this as she drags Mercury to the warehouse of their destined point. Getting confused by this but continued to be following Emerald.

…

…

Later on the day inside an old warehouse, the White Fang are moving crates as Emerald and Mercury enter. Roman approaches the two from behind and wraps his arms around them in a group hug talking to them in friendly terms, "Oh, look! She sent the kids again! This is turning out just like the divorce!"

Shivering in disgust at Roman she replies to him with some manner of respect as she spoke to him, "Nice to see you again Roman it's been a pleasure to meet again. But spare us the thought of you procreating."

Emerald and Mercury pull away from Roman as he merely huffs his head at her as he spoke to her like an old friend, "Hmph! When you joined under me with little green you were hesitant of learning under me, but is this how you treat your master dear pupil! But still, thanks for taking care of the traitor though saved me the trouble."

Emerald nodded at this as Mercury was there to provide support as she began to give out the details to Roman. He listened as he sighs out loud about the messy job but still gave out some pointers for her, "Sigh… I see you still need to work on the clean job Em. Still, though that at least could be better with your semblance. But what –"

However, before he could continue he was interrupted by Cinder as she appears on a platform above them. She steps onto an automated lift, riding it down to their level as she spoke, "Do what, Roman?"

Roman nervously coughs at this as he remained silent as did the rest Cinder scolds everyone in the room in a harsh tone as she speaks to them, "I thought I made it clear that you would eliminate the would-be runaway. And you two? Did I not specifically instruct you two to keep your hand's clean while in Vale?"

As Cinder speaks, Roman points glance down as his top hat tilts down as the other two remained quiet with no words to defend their actions. Cinder then begins to command them as they remained silent only agreeing, "Don't think... obey. And you Roman Torchwick and Neo. Why wasn't this job done sooner than expected?"

Roman twitches his eyes at this as he speaks annoyed, he points to his right, then to his left, then behind him the large containment units of Dust, "Uh..? Eh..? Eh..? EHHHHH! Sorry if I've been busy stealing every speck of Dust in the Kingdom! Even for someone in my profession, it takes time to do and plan out! What am I a miracle worker or something!!"

Roman then began to speak quite annoyed by the fact of how much Cinder expects from her as he emphasizes the last word by clenching his fist clearly showing how much he's so done with this charade he's been doing but followed, "Look around, kid. I've got this town running scared! Police camping out at every corner, Dust prices through the roof, and we're sitting pretty on an old warehouse with more Dust crystals, vials, and rounds than we know what to do with! Speaking of which, if you guys wouldn't mind filling me in on your grand master plan, it might make my next string of robberies go a little smoother!"

Cinder approaches Roman as she places her hand on his face making even him seem entranced, but then looks away with a grunt, "Oh, Roman. Have a little faith. You'll know what you need when you need to know it. Besides, we're done with Dust."

That was when she begins to walk away from the group as she began to announce the next steps of her plan in a serious voice of tone, "We're moving. Have the White Fang cleared out this building? I'll send you the details and coordinates tonight. We're proceeding to phase two of the plans – "

*VROOM*

*THUD*

That was when Cinder was interrupted by a loud sound from the outside of the warehouse from a Bullhead as Roman receives text as he sighs at this, "Sigh… geez can't this kid a possible worst timing for these things?"

Getting Cinder's attention and the rest Roman began to open a pack of cigars as he talked to her with a knowing grin wanting to see the interaction, "Whew… Well, then Boss remember that talk a while back of wanting to meet all of the members me, Neo, Emerald, and Happy Man? Well, congrats he happens to be here right now."

Cinder looked confused at this as the same with the White Fang grunts and Mercury as those who worked for Roman and Neo before knowingly paling at the mention of Happy Man.

*BOOM*

Slamming the doors wide open to the warehouse to reveal a teenage man wearing his Happy Mask as he joyfully speaks to everyone inside in a very happy manner, "Hello my boys and girls your good old friend the Happy Man is here! Oh I just love you all for the heart home welcome I just love –"

*Pew*

*Swoosh*

That was before an arrow was thrown at him targeting the face Cinder was not having what this is in front of her as she asked seriously at them, "You can't be serious that this buffoon is the final member of your group Roman…"

However, instead of answering Jae cut his losses with his Happy Man act as he returned to his normal behavior as he caught the arrow crushing it as he spoke, "Really? I know my acting was good but clearly, some people think I'm just to die for this. Sigh… but seriously you can't seem to catch my joking geez lady you have some anger issues."

With that, the meeting of story antagonist and meta-antagonist meet face to face….

"Salutations allies of villainy!!"

And with his Penny the minion of course.

---

A/N: If any of you notice Emerald won't take chances taking down anyone even if they are weak to her as she took that trait being with the MC for a long while to never take chances even if victory is the guarantee.