Emerald Sustrai/History

Background
Emerald lived in a city before being recruited by Cinder Fall. She lived day to day without a guarantee of enough food, always resorting to stealing to get by. Cinder saw her use her Semblance to steal a ring from a jeweler and asked her to come with her, guaranteeing a source of food. Cinder later recruited Mercury Black, and the three have traveled together since.

The trio first appealed to the White Fang's Adam Taurus, proposing an alliance. However, they were turned down. But, the three were able to ambush and sap Amber of half her Maiden abilities, before retreating due to the timely intervention of Qrow Branwen.

They were able to leverage Adam into their alliance after killing many of the members in his camp. Adam was forced to accept the offer, where the three would provide him with resources, such as Dust and funding (with Emerald presenting a briefcase full of crystals), or face death if he refused.

Episodes Covering These Events
 * "Beginning of the End"

Touring Vale
Emerald appears lost and runs into the Shopkeep of the newly reopened From Dust Till Dawn, asking for directions to a certain address. As she rounds a corner, Mercury states that he knew she was lost and she offers to pay him to be quiet using money she stole from the shop owner. They arrive at a book store owned by a Faunus named Tukson.

Emerald begins to ask if he has certain books because of his shop's catchphrase, but she eventually asks him for a book he doesn't have. Things turn serious as Emerald reveals that she knows he is planning on running from the White Fang and that he knows why they are there. She asks him if he is planning to fight back and he shouts "Yes" before lunging at her. She ducks under him and Mercury kicks him out of the air, killing him instantly.

Emerald and Mercury return to Roman Torchwick's base and he questions where they were all day, taking the address from Emerald's pocket without her noticing. Emerald and Mercury confirm that they were cleaning up Roman's mess. When Roman threatens them, Cinder appears and Emerald informs her that they killed Tukson, but Cinder seems more annoyed at their actions as it risks ruining her plan. Emerald then leaves with Cinder, but shows Roman that she managed to steal his lighter.

After the events involving Tukson, Emerald is seen with Mercury and Cinder inside Beacon Academy, who bumps into a running Ruby Rose. The latter helps her up, but tells her to mind where she is going. She is then redirected with Mercury and Cinder by Ruby who points them in the direction of their building as transfer students.

Emerald is first seen observing a battle between Pyrrha Nikos and Team CRDL, and later Pyrrha against Mercury. Later that day, in a dorm room with Cinder and Mercury, they all begin to talk about Pyrrha's semblance, and how skilled she is, as also listening to Cinder's plan.

During the Beacon Dance, Emerald and Mercury enter the ballroom together. From here, the duo spends the evening keeping track of the attendees, watching to see if anyone could interfere with Cinder's infiltration of the Cross Continental Transmit System Tower. At one point, Emerald warns Cinder that James Ironwood is leaving to check on the tower. However, Cinder is able to finish her task and return to the dance before he can see her. Emerald then lets Cinder take her place as Mercury's dance partner for the remainder of the evening.

During the events of "Breach", Emerald assists Teams RWBY and JNPR in killing Grimm. She easily slays an Ursa using her weapons, and is seen after the battle, smiling with Ruby. She is later present as Adam Taurus appears by Cinder's side, explaining that the Faunus will listen to him, despite numerous losses in the caves during "No Brakes".


 * Episodes Covering These Events
 * "Best Day Ever"
 * "Welcome to Beacon"
 * "Extracurricular"
 * "Burning the Candle"
 * "Dance Dance Infiltration"
 * "Breach"

Vytal Festival Tournament


At the Vytal Festival fairgrounds, Emerald steals Ruby's wallet before returning it to her. She strikes up a friendly conversation with Team RWBY, and it is revealed that she is participating in the tournament alongside Mercury, Cinder and an undercover Neopolitan. After exchanging pleasantries with Team RWBY, she turns to Mercury and expresses her distaste for all of them, telling him she cannot stand how they always seem so cheery. However, she also shares the intel they had been sent to get: Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao Long will be fighting in round two. Emerald, Mercury and Cinder are then seen spectating the match between Team JNPR and Team BRNZ.

Emerald is later seen at Cinder's dorm room when Mercury reports Qrow Branwen's presence at Beacon Academy. She asks Cinder if they need to change their plans, but Cinder tells them that they will stay the course. After Cinder gains access to Ironwood's Scroll, she tells Emerald and Mercury to return to their dorms. Cinder then engineers the next match of the Vytal Festival tournament doubles round: Emerald and Mercury against Coco Adel and Yatsuhashi Daichi of Team CFVY. Emerald and Mercury easily win the match.

After Mercury "loses" his match against Yang and has his leg broken by her apparently unprovoked, Emerald calls out his name and immediately rushes to his side, apparently showing concern for him. This was ultimately revealed to be an illusion created by Emerald, designed to trick Yang into attacking.

She is later seen in an unknown location, leaving Mercury behind. Cinder and Emerald head back to the Vytal Festival.

Ruby sees Emerald in the front row of the Colosseum for the match between Pyrrha and Penny Polendina, even though Ruby was told Mercury's team all went back to Mistral the previous night.

Emerald uses her Semblance to make Pyrrha hallucinate during the conflict, with the latter seeing thousands of Penny's swords, over the dozen or so there actually are. This results in Pyrrha panicking, and overusing her Semblance, causing Penny's weapons to tangle around her limbs and body, quickly tearing her apart. Soon after, Emerald leaves the grandstands of Amity Colosseum.

Episodes Covering These Events
 * "Round One"
 * "It's Brawl in the Family"
 * "Lessons Learned"
 * "Fall"
 * "Beginning of the End"
 * "PvP"

Attack on Beacon
Emerald is seen on a rooftop with Cinder and Mercury, expressing a hint of remorse at the destruction caused by the chaos. Suddenly, she is interrupted by the arrival of the Grimm Dragon, as she remains on the rooftop.

Episodes Covering These Events
 * "Battle of Beacon

After the Fall of Beacon
After the fall of Beacon, Emerald is seen present at Salem's lair surveying its surroundings and accompanying Cinder alongside Mercury. She acts Cinder's voice due to the loss of her own speaking capabilities. When a Seer enters the room during Cinder's treatment, Emerald is disgusted and fearful of it.

Episodes Covering These Events
 * "The Next Step"
 * "Of Runaways and Stowaways"