A/N: a look in Cinder's back story into how she met Emerald and Mercury, and gained half half the powers of the fall maiden.

(Long Flashback).

There was nothing but blackness. All that could be heard was the sound of voices.

Cinder: I want to be strong.

Salesman: A beautiful ring... for a beautiful woman.

Woman: I'm sorry?

Cinder: I want to be feared.

Salesman: What!?

The sound of running footsteps were heard.

Salesman: Impossible! What did...!?

Man: She went that way!

Cinder: I want to be powerful.

Woman: Someone, call the police!

Salesman: How'd she do that!?

We then move to the smirking face of Cinder. However she had shorter hair and a metal version of her dual swords with arrows on her back. This was Cinder a few years ago.

Cinder: How did you do that?

The person she was talking to in the abandoned alleyway and cornered against a wall. The person was Emerald. She had a ponytail instead of her usual locks and was wearing a different outfit, missing her usual white top and arm accessories. Some of the clothes' colors – gloves, pants, even her guns – were switched for different hues. She didn't have much before meeting Cinder. She glared at this stranger while glancing around, backing away slowly and not answering. Without warning, she attempted to get her revolvers from their holsters.

Cinder: Don't.

Emerald grimaced before Cinder continued

Cinder: Unless, of course, you want them to hear you.

The sound of footsteps running past were heard while she spoke.

Emerald: What do you want?

Cinder: I've already told you. And I don't like repeating myself.

Emerald: I didn't do anything! Just leave me alone!

Cinder: I know my fair share of liars and thieves. Stealing is an art of patience, coordination, and in a pinch, sleight of hand. But you didn't steal the ring in your pocket.

Emerald looked shocked and checked the pocket where her prize was as Cinder crossed her arms, continuing.

Cinder: You took it right before the jeweller's eyes. And he smiled.

Emerald: Who are you?

Cinder kept on smiling as she approached her.

(Then we get another one of those moments when everything's black and you can only hear sounds again).

Cinder: You will question everything you know.

Emerald: This is impossible.

There was a sound similar to something vanishing in a puff of smoke, and a growling sound instantly fell silent.

Cinder: I wish to take on an apprentice.

Large Man: He lives in the mountains with his son.

Cinder: Follow me, and you'll never be hungry again.

Emerald: Thank you...

The two were standing in front of the panting, bruised and bloodied face of Mercury. He did not yet posses his armor and sash, and his knees were bandaged and stained with blood. There was light from a burning house dancing to his back as he stood before a confident Cinder and wary Emerald.

Mercury: What are you looking at!?

Cinder: I'm looking for Marcus Black.

Mercury spat blood on the ground as he gestured back at the burning house and the white-haired man lying face down behind him.

Mercury: There you go.

Emerald: That's... the assassin?

Cinder: And you're his son.

Mercury didn't acknowledge it and merely wiped his lips of blood. But Cinder soon grinned.

Cinder: We saw your fight from the treeline. He's taught you well.

Mercury: Guess so.

Cinder: What's your name?

He didn't respond for a moment before fianlly telling her.

Mercury: Mercury.

Cinder: Mercury... Tell me, are you anything like your father?

(And you get the drift, scene blacks out and stuff goes on that I won't be able to extend for this or anything).

Cinder had eventually gotten Mercury on board and now the there were in the tent of Adam Taurus.

Adam: So, let me get this straight... You could've gone to anyone for help. You could've made a deal with a gang leader, paid off some Huntsmen that have strayed from their... righteous path... but instead, you choose to seek an audience with me.

Cinder: You're the one we need. Your skill, your ability to lead those beneath you. You're an exceptionally valuable man, Adam. And we've put a lot of thought into.....

Adam interrupted her as he stepped forward with his finger raised.

Adam: Then you're clearly not thinking straight! If you truly understood me, you would know coming here was a mistake. The White Fang is not an organization for hire. We're a force of revolution!

Cinder looked on at him, unintimidated.

Cinder: I believe our plan will be beneficial for all parties involved. I have... an associate in Vale. He and I are working on a revolution of our own. But we can't do it without your forces. We need.....

Adam: What you need... is to leave.

He said while hosting up his weapon at them.

Adam: You're asking my men to die for your cause - a human cause. That is not an idea I am willing to entertain.

Cinder scowled in obvious displeasure, but made herself bow to him.

Cinder: Very well.

The three left the tent and gone off into the nearby woods, with Adam stepping out to look at them from behind his mask. Blake step up from behind him to see what was going on.

Blake: What was that about?

Adam: Nothing. We need to finish preparing. The train will be here at dawn.

Blake followed her mentor as Cinder, Emerald and Mercury was long gone.

(TimeSkip).

Outside of a forest, a single path with a wooden fence to either side cut through the green. From the trees came a lone white horse trotting along slowly, a green-cloaked rider with golden armor and her hood up on it's back. The animal came forward as the sharp sound was heard once more, and the two stopped when they come across the scene of a young green-haired girl curled up and crying next to a felled bicycle. The rider dismounted from her steed and slowly approached the child, who looked up as the mysterious stranger kneeled down to her level and smirked. The girl flinched in fright when the woman reached into her clothes and pulled out an apple, not realizing she's only offering it to empty air. Emerald stood only a few feet away from the oblivious heroine, scrunching her face up in determination and readying to attack by grabbing her weapons and sliding a foot back. The kicked-up dust managed to be seen behind the girl even when the one who kicked it didn't, and the woman gasped as the image of the child happily reaching for the apple suddenly disappeared. Dropping the fruit and leaping back quickly as the horse turned to run away, Amber ditched the cloak and pulled out her weapon, expanding the double crystal-headed staff to full length. She saw Emerald running towards her, guns blazing green shots, each of which were deflected against the Maiden's hand. Amber twirled the spear around her body, kicking up the winds and blasting it towards her opponent, forcing Emerald to slide back. Just as she did that, Mercury came up from the side and jumped over the fence, landing on her staff as she forced him and a returning Emerald back with another gale. Mercury simply leapt on a post and launched himself at her, forcing Amber to unleash a stream of fire from the red crystal on him, but her attacker merely curled up and let his legs take the brunt of the damage, flames burning away the orange pants as the complex machinery and lit-up metal making up the robotic prosthetics underneath was revealed. With his artificial limbs, he continued to come forward through the fire and kick Amber on her back, only for Emerald to land on her from above, cracking the very ground underneath. She and Mercury jumped back and got ready to fight again when Amber got up, head bowed until she looked up with orange energy pouring from her eyes. The winds erupted from the Maiden, swirling around and making her enemies cover their faces from the force, when she lifted off the ground and spread her arms to the sky, lightning now rumbling in the clouds for her to aim at the two, who barely got out of the way in time. Calling upon more of the storm, Mercury and Emerald continued to dodge each bolt as Cinder stepped in a few feet away from the fight. The two ambushers fire on Amber, but the invisible shield now covered her whole body, taking each shot as she reached to her side and clenched a fist, making the leaves rise into the air and come to her. With a raised arm, the leaves turn from green to frozen ice, and she rained the newly-sharpened projectiles down on her foes, who were unable to avoid the attack. Amber continued the assault until she sensed Cinder running towards her from behind, face set in determination, and summoned a fireball to launch at her third adversary, who managed to leap over the attack. Cinder slided across the ground, kicking up dirt. Cinder faced her palm to the dirt, the yellow fabric on her sleeve started to glow, and coalesces the dirt into several glass shards, which she aimed at the floating Maiden. Amber was knocked back from the damage, face down in the dirt, until she looked up with normal eyes just when the sharp sound was heard again. She first saw the area empty, but Emerald flickered into view for a moment, and Amber slowly realized what was happening as Mercury also shifted into her frame of vision, with Cinder coming forward in spurts, swords raised. She attempted to slice Amber with the two blades, only for the Maiden to deflect each hit and kick the assailant away just as Mercury and Emerald came forward in her stead. The two miss their initial attacks and get kicked for their efforts, but Mercury landed a blow on her only for Amber to rush at him, not noticing Cinder connect her swords together into their bow shape and notching three arrows. Amber managed to punch Emerald and kick Mercury away right before turning around and seeing Cinder launch the arrows at the ground around her, which erupt in a high whistling noise and a burning explosion from each projectile. She felt the full force of it all, her Aura disappeared entirely from the damage. Everything was white for a moment before Cinder appeared with her partners behind her, slowly approaching their target as she got up from her hands and knees. She swiped at the three with a gust of wind that blew them all away, but Mercury raced back towards her until he's blasted back by a bolt of lightning from the now burning-eyed Maiden. She suddenly turned back and sent a fireball at Emerald, only for it to disappear and the real thief to be revealed on the other side, also getting a blast of flame. With all three of her opponents down, Amber grabbed her staff from the ground and used it as support to walk over to Emerald, wincing and clutching her side all the while. Emerald only had time to look up in fear before Amber raised her weapon to finish the fight. But, now wide eyed, gasped in pain as she collapsed forward, an arrow sticking out from her back while Cinder lowered the bow and smiled once more. She dropped her weapon and calmly came forward, taking out a white glove as Mercury and Emerald forced their defeated foe to her knees. Amber and Cinder meet eye-to-eye before the villainess lifted up her now gloved hand, the back of it marked with the red symbol of an open eye in a compass shape, broken on one side by five diamond shapes. Cinder reached down, palm towards Amber when the white suddenly opened a small red portal, out from which a Grimm bug comes out.

Amber: Please don't...

The creature spat out a web of black, attaching to Amber's face in a familiar pattern. When she looked up screaming, her one free eye was blazing, a final blast of wind erupted from her as the glow faded into the inky strands, up through the glove, and into Cinder's body. Her own victorious eyes light up with power, a shower of sparks surrounded her and black-and-red circle appearing under their feet. Amber closed her eye. Then without warning, Qrow toward the ritual, and Cinder only had a moment to look up and see him swinging Harbinger down on them, severing the web and making the three leap back. The Huntsman grabbed the unconscious Maiden before she hit the ground, and Cinder watched to her hand as the glove burned away into nothingness, leaving only a tattoo of high heels between her exposed shoulder blades. Cinder looked up with a grin, right eye now brimming with golden energy, as she got up from her position and raised her arms, embers circling around her. Qrow could only see her shimmering face for a second before the ground under him started to glow, and he got himself and Amber out of the way just as it exploded. He looked back and found that the three were gone, then turned his worried gaze to the marked and comatose face of Amber.

Cinder: The Huntsman severed the connection before it was complete....... Yes. It's... an emptiness. It burns. Like hunger. I like it....... Yes. I will claim what is ours.......... Thank you.

Later on, the three ruterned The White Fang camp. Adam and the Lieutenant were in a different tent around a table with maps, masks, and vials of Dust all around.

Lieutenant: We'll find her, sir. I swear on my life.

Adam: Forget it. It's time I returned to Mistral and...

His sentence was cut short with the sounds of groans, explosions, and crashing were heard outside the tent flaps. The two came out of the tent, blade and chainsaw raised.

Adam: What is this!?

Cinder's swords were drawn amid the still-smoking battlefield, with White Fang soldiers laying all around and her subordinates kneeling on the ground with cases in front of them.

Cinder: We could've gone to anyone for help.

She discarded her weapons and strode toward the two.

Cinder: But we chose you, Adam Taurus.

A wall of flames abruptly started at their feet as she raised her hand.

Cinder: Our plan will be beneficial for both of us. Or one of us.

Emerald opened her case to reveal Dust crystals and collector canisters inside, while Mercury showed the neatly-arranged stacks of Lien in his.

Cinder: So, which will it be?

Adam slowly straightened up while Cinder lowered her arm, clothes going back to their regular colors as she smiled.

(End of Flashback).

Mercury was still cradling his injured limb with Emerald kneeled beside him and Yang in the center of a ring of security, all with rifles aimed at her.

Emerald: Please, somebody help him!

Paramedics soon came over with a stretcher, lowering it to Mercury.

Emerald: Can you do something!?

There was a rip in the leg of Mercury's pants, and skin and blood were visible through the rip.

Paramedic: We need to get this boy to a hospital. Grab a blanket.

They got Mercury on the stretcher and rushed him off, Emerald followed right behind. Yang looked on with a horrified expression, her lilac eyes now almost colorless.

Yang: You don't understand! He attacked me, I swear!

Atlas Security Guard: Stow it! You've already caused enough of a scene!

You let out a frustrated growl while glaring as the two left.

(Y/N): something is definitely wrong.

(Meanwhile).

Emerald ran alongside the two paramedics as they came across an open door with a woman in the same outfit inside.

Woman: Here! We've got an ambulance ready to go!

They got Emerald loaded in the emergency airship and it was ready to take off.

The Paramedic sighed before talking with the "other paramedic, who was Cinder in disguise.

Paramedic: Hope they'll be okay. That girl won't leave his side.

Cinder: We'll take good care of both of them.

The transport flew away from the Colloseum, and Mercury was lying on a cargo box in the back, still moaning and crying beside Emerald sitting next to him.

Mercury: Oh doc, tell me, will I ever walk again?

He received a punch in the arm from Emerald.

Mercury: Ow! What's your deal!?

Emerald: Ugh, headache. One mind I can handle, but two is a stretch.

Cinder: Well, you all performed marvelously, driver included.

The "driver", being Neo, wore a similar uniform as Cinder, nodded in silent gratitude.

Mercury: So, you think it worked?

TV static cutted to the Vale News Network with the combined kingdoms' symbol and a caption reading "Tournament Tragedy".

Lisa: A terrible tragedy took place this afternoon in the one-on-one rounds of the Vytal Festival Tournament....

TV static switched the channels to...

Haven Tourist: I don't know what Beacon's Headmaster is teaching his students, but that was disgraceful! Completely uncalled for!

TV static switches the channel to a news reported with a video of several Grimm running across Mount Glenn toward the city.

News Reporter: Despite Atlas reinforcements, local authorities are still calling on any available Huntsmen to aid in suppressing the spike in Grimm activity.

The projected screen in the warehouse switched off entirely.

Mercury: Hey, I was watching that!

Emerald: Shut up!

Mercury: Is this how you treat a patient?

Emerald reached over and twisted the screwdriver in his leg, causing him to wince.

Mercury: Ah, too tight!

Cinder: Enough. Our Mercury put on a wonderful show. He was quite brave.

Mercury: These things aren't exactly cheap, you know.

He said while fixing his parts. But Cinder and Emerald ignored him.

Emerald: So, what's next?

Cinder: You and I will ensure that our next matchup goes just as smoothly.

Mercury: What about me?

Cinder: You get to lay low until the end. We wouldn't want people to see you on your feet and have this all be for naught, now would we?

Mercury: Can do.

He went back to screwing his limbs back to perfection, smiling, and the blue area under his artificial knee lights up.

A/N: he's gonna need more than a mechanical leg when (Y/N) is finished with him.