Title: Dim

Fandom: RWBY

Author: ice shredder

Disclaimer: everything is the property of RT

Warnings/spoilers: 4x03 after the episode fades to black. Emerald voices her concerns as she and Merc are dismissed because Salem wants to continue Cinder's treatment in private. Fourth in the Gemcutter series and a small rebuttal of sorts to those who believe Emerald will switch sides. She's in way too deep to back out, same with Mercury. And even if she DID have a change of heart, Ruby wouldn't forgive her for tricking Pyrrha into killing Penny and help destroy Beacon and Vale. Not the way she is now.

Summary: "Emerald, there's no way we can back out now. We know too much and Salem would kill us if we tried."

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She hated this.

Hated the way she and Merc had been rendered almost powerless in Salem's domain, just as Cinder had at the hands of that tiny, meddling silver-eyed bitch when they found her on the top of the CCT tower at Beacon, a broken and mutilated mess.

It pissed her off, looking at her boss reduced to a heavily scarred near mute-a shell of her formerly confident powerful self-as she and her butcher partner stood like sentries at the great double doors leading into Salem's nightmarish conference room.

But there was nothing the thief could do about it. All she could do was watch and wait as she served as Cinder's aid, more than willing to become her voice until the older woman could regain some semblance of speech and motor functions.

She was jarred out of her thoughts when the spherical bulbous head of a Seer floated through the corridor, gliding into the conference room to report to its mistress. It slowed its forward approach to take her and Merc in with its gaze only moving on when it deemed them unthreatening. Emerald found herself shrinking from the orb in disgust and fear, hating the glow pulsing inside the purple-black membrane and trailing tentacles.

She hated the hellish landscape dotted with spiky purplish crystals and spawning pools where newborn Grimm crawled out in a never-ending parade, the thick, tar-like substance blacker than the void.

Hated the blood-red sky dotted with stars-if it could be called that-as they offered no light in this slice of hell on earth. There was a reason despite the hunters' best efforts, they were unable to locate Salem's headquarters over the centuries. Oh, they suspected she was somewhere on Remnant, but it was in an inhospitable location.

The only way to gain access to Salem's lair and the surrounding nightmarish landscape was through portals or secret entrances. It was closely guarded knowledge that would spell disaster should any of that information-accidently or otherwise-fall into enemy hands.

And it was a fearful privilege seldom granted to those select few who had proven themselves useful and were high in the Witch's favor.

She watched as the Seer communicated with its mistress in a series of rapid clicks. Stiffened as Salem placed her veined arm on the polished surface of the table.

"Cinder," the Witch cooed, causing a chill to slide down Emerald's spine. "I am going to ask you this one more time, and this time I expect a clear answer. Did you…kill Ozpin?"

What? Why is she asking that again? Fear caused her tongue to stick to the roof of her mouth. Suddenly she was very, very concerned for her boss' safety. If Cinder's answer wasn't an affirmative, things could get ugly fast.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cinder raise a gloved hand to summon her, but Salem slammed her clawed fist down on the purple crystalline table with a sharp crack.

"NO!" The demon queen's burn dust orbs flared in tandem with the shouted command. "I want to hear you say it."

The pair kept their eyes glued to their boss, Angry heat flared in Emerald's gut as she watched her mistress struggle to form a reply. She wanted the fire witch-no-the Fall Maiden-to regain her powers of speech so badly she could barely stand it. Mercury never mentioned it, but she knew he wanted the same result. Of course, it would never again be the seductive, charismatic harlot's purr that drew them both to her, dripping with smooth honey that concealed the woman's dark, corroded nature.

As long as she could form words without sounding like she had glass slivers lodged in her throat.

Finally, after gathering enough air in her lungs, Cinder managed to croak out a raspy yes to the only being on Remnant that could make her bow.

"Send reinforcements to Beacon," Salem instructed the Seer. "The Relic is there." Phosphorescent golden light blinked rapidly as it promptly glided out of the room to carry out the Witch's orders, passing a thoroughly confused and freaked out thief and disgusted butcher. "What are you planning?" She murmured to no one in particular, before realizing the two children standing at attention.

"Leave us," she commanded, beads jingling in her pale white hair. "I am about to intensify Cinder's treatment. When the Seer has finished informing my children to swell our numbers at Beacon, he will report to me and I will send him to summon you when Cinder is finished for the day."

Emerald swallowed, moistening her trembling lips.

"Yes m-ma'am."

"There is no need for fear, child. Not unless one entertains thoughts of betrayal or escaping my domain. Or failing one of my assignments. Now go. You may explore the building but do not venture outside. I will not be held responsible if my Grimm devour you." She waved a veiny hand in a shooing motion and Emerald took the cue.

She cast Cinder an encouraging look, then began walking away from the door as fast as she could, heels clicking over the polished floor. To her relief, Mercury's steady mechanical gait was right beside her as they traversed the candle-lit hall in relative silence.

It wasn't till they rounded the corner and walked down another corridor bathed in the ever-present crimson sky and eerie glow of those dark crystal growths that Emerald ventured to speak.

"Merc, I-I'm scared. This wasn't supposed to happen. Cinder…she's…"

He grunted keeping a sharp eye tuned to their surroundings.

"Yeah. This whole silver-eye legend being true. I shoulda known something was off with that girl. Shoulda killed her when I had the chance. She was right there Em. And I let her get away, and then she goes berserk on Cinder. This is all my f-hey!"

Emerald grabbed his wrist effectively cutting off his sentence, as she cast about for a more private place. The dark-paneled halls seemed to stretch for miles and felt like a maze. Lucky for her, a large wood door with a brass handle was just a scant five steps further.

She dragged her startled partner toward the door, praying it was empty. She pushed it open and thanked Dust the room was vacant. It was a mini version of Salem's main conference/throne room, whitewashed walls and purple crystals with a few flickering candles. The only marked difference was the oblong table in the middle was a dark mahogany with four straight-back chairs to match.

Emerald pushed Merc through the door, hastily shutting and locking it tight. Finally alone, she allowed herself to breathe since first stepping foot in this place nearly eight months ago.

"Em?" Mercury's smooth voice was low and deep. "What's your deal? You're shaking-"

"I…" She swallowed again, hating how small her voice sounded in her own ears. Vulnerable. Unsure. The state she'd been in before Cinder cornered her in a Mistral alley and recruited her for her cause. A state she'd not been in a long, long time. Emerald Sustrai is never scared. Never, ever. I'm never going back to that place of being powerless. "Merc…how are we going to do this? The only reason I'm here was because Cinder saw potential in me. Told me my gifts would change the world…that I would never go hungry or lack for anything again…And you. To tell you the truth…I hated you for the longest time-"

Mercury snorted, earning a glare from his partner in crime.

"That was fairly obvious from the start."

"Would you shut up and let me finish?!"

He raised his hands in mock surrender. This was the most open the girl had ever been with him, and he'd be foolish not to learn the truth of what she thought about him.

"Anyway, you're the only constant in this hell hole. Cinder's almost always under Salem's watch with her treatments with hardly a moment to ourselves. And make no mistake Merc," she lowered her voice as she crossed the room to stand in front one of the large windows. "We're all on borrowed time. That stupid little girl just had to show up and pull some eleventh-hour magic trick and ruin everything we've worked for! And for what? So she can satisfy this craving to be the big damn hero?!" Her voice rose with her hysteria. "I want her to suffer Merc. I want Tyrian to return with one of those cursed silver eyes on a platter…see how well she fares with one eye. Hah! Let's see how much of a cocky little bitch she is then with every bone in her body broken. I'd pay all the lien in the world to see that go down." Slim chocolate hands clenched at her sides, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as she ranted. "Then maybe once Cinder's better we can figure a way out of this place-"

Large, rough hands encircled her toned shoulders. Warmth seeped into her back as Mercury invaded her space. They'd long ago abandoned any concept of personal space with the need for increased physical touch. Which given the current circumstances, Emerald would've scoffed that she would've permitted the butcher touching her in such a casual, intimate manner. Eight months of living in the bowels of hell tended to induce drastic changes.

Mercury continued to knead the rich cocoa skin with slow, methodical movements, his voice a near whisper so as not to attract any unwanted attention.

"Emerald, chill. You know we can't back out now. We know too much and Salem would kill us if we tried. Seriously, where would we go? Our covers are blown. Unless we can alter our appearances, we're too recognizable in public, and I don't think Ruby's gonna be in a friendly mood when we see her again."

She leaned into his solid body and let him massage her shoulders. Closed her eyes when he worked his way down her arms and shivered when he brushed his fingers along the tips of her breasts. She arched into his touch, wanting more. As long as they had chances to do this-and serve as Cinder's voice-she could endure hell.

In the meantime, she'd be counting the seconds till Ruby Rose was in Salem's custody. She couldn't wait to repay that silver-eyed brat in spades.

She wanted to see the girl beaten and beaten and beaten till every sound bone in her small body was broken.

Blood spurting, bones cracking, muscles tearing...those cursed silver eyes that dared to mutilate her mistress-one of them lay in a bloody pulp in Cinder's hand after being extricated by Tyrian...incinerated to ashes, never to cause any more trouble. A long slash decorated her stomach, the result of Tyrian's sadistic 'operation' because 'this little bitch cut off my tail, she doesn't deserve to poop out ANY future brats, EVER.'

She wanted to have a front row seat-as did Mercury-when Ruby had one of her precious silver eyes ruthlessly yanked out of her skull. Watch her scream and writhe and oh what a glorious sight that was going to be.

After all, fair was fair and Ruby would get far more than she bargained for. And then some.

She leaned her head back till his chin was aligned over her lips. Garnet eyes peered up into dark gray.

"Merc," she whispered, not bothering to contain the seething rage she felt churning in her gut since the Fall. "I hate her."

Lips met hers in a kiss that had her toes curl in her heels.

"Yeah," he murmured, voice husky and low. "Same."

"I want her to pay, Merc."

"And she will." Callused palms resumed their massaging efforts. "Trust me Em, she'll get hers. But we need to get stronger too. Those kids haven't been sitting on their hands for the past eight months, so..."

Slim hands threaded through his silver head as she urged him downwards and he obliged by shoving her against the wall, trapping her with his body as he grabbed her jaw in one hand before shoving his tongue through the seam of her mouth.

A muffled moan escaped before she could stop it. Her eyes fluttered at the sensation of Mercury's tongue twining with hers, quickly going to probe the back of her throat. Her ability for rational thought fled as he found the perfect angle. Damn...he's so good at...doing this...

All too soon he was pulling back, making her whine in displeasure but the clicking whirr of the Seer approaching their hiding spot killed any sort of protest she had.

He gave her a wink.

"Later. We've got work to do."

-end