Board Thread:Speculation House/@comment-4830106-20151115174306/@comment-24994749-20151115212748

86.14.243.230 wrote:

Cinder has to be very confident in Mercury and Emeralds abilities to put them up against CFVY, so either actually winning the tournament isn't part of the plan and its just part of the cover, or Mercury and Emerald turn out to be fighting prodigies. Which wouldn't be too far from the truth; the only person who's ever given Pyyrah; probably the best fighter attending beacon, an even fight is Mercury himself. I feel like CFVY will put up a fair fight, but Merc and Em won't exactly be winning by the skin of their teeth. Cinder is likely around the age of a 4th years student, probably older, and Emerald and Mercury can't be much younger than her is they are passing as members of the same team (they would have to look the same age).

So they are not necessarily prodigies, just have a handful of years more of experience under the belt. There is also that they are likely to fight people, against the students whose training fpcus is fighting non-humanoid monsters.