Cinder is Emerald's true love

Against her own better judgement, Emerald sticks to the plan- she used her illusion semblance to get Yang disqualified from the Vytal tournament.

At first, Yang thought she must have been going crazy when she watched footage of herself attacking Mercury unprovoked after their round was finished. It was clear that Mercury swung first... in her mind. Yang knew it had to be Emerald's semblance that played with her head, exactly the same way they used it to enter her bedroom.

Why did she go through with it? Both Yang and Emerald were heartbroken in an instant as a result of Emerald's betrayal. The worst was still yet to come.

But the question remains... Why? How did she end up here? Where does Emerald's lies end and her truth begin?

Emerald thought back to the first day she met Cinder. She was caught stealing and Cinder complimented her on skills. She remembers every detail vividly. The intense red of Cinder’s dress. The clothes she wore that fateful day. The tone of Cinder's voice. The fear and curiosity that Cinder stirred within her... but there is one small detail that Emerald felt was missing from this memory.

She replays the scene in her mind over and over- the conversation feels like it has been cut short. She knows there was more to this memory! Why does she not remember the true ending of her first conversation with Cinder?

Emerald clutches her head in pain- the aftereffects of using her semblance have begun kicking in. The pain triggers a deeper part of her subconscious to unearth.

The true conclusion of Emerald's first conversation with Cinder is blurred like a tape recorder underwater. The feelings she had in this suppressed memory return to Emerald before the scene itself becomes fully clear. It was horror followed by relief. What did Cinder do that made her feel so horrified?

Emerald replays the memory one last time. She used her semblance to make a beautiful woman appear in the mind of someone selling jewellery at a public stand. The mirage inquired about the jewels on offer while presenting her goodies. Meanwhile, Emerald's illusion made herself invisible to his senses.

"A beautiful ring for a beautiful woman!" the shopkeeper comments while ogling the mirage's breasts.

Emerald snatches a ring right in front of the shopkeeper's face while he is bewitched. She drops her illusion once she has made some distance between herself and the shop.By the time the shopkeeper comprehends what has happened, Emerald has bolted for it.

A nearby woman not targeted by her semblance knew Emerald was the culprit when the shopkeeper announced someone stole one of his rings. They shouted for someone to call the police. The shopkeeper was left puzzled when Emerald managed to walk right by him without him noticing.

A woman in red managed to track her down into a confined space caught between several buildings with flat windows facing each other.

"How did you do that?" Cinder asks.

Emerald reaches for weapons.

"Don't. Unless of course you want them to hear you..." Cinder adds.

Shoes clatter in the distance as men searching for Emerald talk among themselves. Her pursuers are not far away. Emerald opts to not open fire.

"What do you want?" Emerald snarls.

"I already told you. And I don't like repeating myself..." Cinder says as she approaches.

"I didn't do anything! Just leave me alone!" Emerald declares defensively.

Cinder smiles at her with a long pause.

"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 that ring in your pocket. You took it right before the jeweller's eyes. And he smiled," Cinder comments.

"Who are you?" Emerald asks.

Cinder gave Emerald a sly smile. Another long pause fills the air with dreadful suspense. Most days, Emerald remembers the conversation ending here. Today, Emerald remembers Cinder walking even closer to her. She is uncomfortably close to Emerald's personal space. Cinder licks her lips.

“How old are you?” Cinder asks as she scans Emerald's body up and down with covetous eyes.

“15… and a half...” Emerald replies, quaking in fear.

The sly smile on Cinder’s face turns into frown. She takes a deep sigh as her eyes dart up to the sky.

“Well, we have a lot of work to do, kid… follow me...” Cinder says authoritatively.

Emerald understands why she had tried to suppress this section of the memory. For it held a dark truth that Emerald was not ready to acknowledge until now.

Emerald looked up to Cinder like a mother, but Cinder did not intend on treating her like a daughter during their first interaction. Cinder was trying to seduce her!

When Cinder found out that she was underaged, her tone shifted. The way she would use the word “kid” was dismissive. She was talking down to her. Begrudgingly, Cinder treated Emerald like her own child and Emerald played along with the idea of Cinder being her adoptive mother.

Emerald lived in denial that she was just a peon. Likewise, she lived in denial that Cinder ever desired her as a partner. If Emerald convinced Cinder that she was an adult three years ago, Cinder would have been her lover instead of a mother figure. There were days when Emerald wishes she'd lied... She harboured romantic feelings for Cinder in secret for three years.

The rest of Emerald's memories cataloguing her journey begin flooding back to her in chronological order until she returns to the present.

Emerald never felt romantic attraction towards a woman until the day Cinder licked her lips, hungry for a taste of her. Emerald's denial of her sexuality doubled as a denial of her sexual desire for Cinder.

This was Emerald’s truth:

Her true love was Cinder from the very beginning. A love that Cinder would not reciprocate because Emerald was a minor when they first met.