A Gem In The Crowd Isekaied in RWBY: Shrunk by Emerald Sustrai (Please Add) chapter 5 by Moon

Kaito still couldn't believe his eyes, Beacon Academy towered above him — elegant spires gleaming under the late afternoon sun, its architecture every bit as grand as the animation had made it seem. Students mingled in clusters, their laughter drifting across the stone courtyard. Weapons shimmered in the light, elaborate pieces of artistry that belonged to warriors, not cosplayers.

Kaito’s heart hammered. This wasn’t a dream, that much was confirmed when Ruby tackled him in the Emerald Forest; the crisp weight of the air, the distant smell of oil and bread from the cafeteria, the faint hum of aura in the background noise… it was real.

He knew exactly where he was in the timeline — his mind replayed the end of Black and White: Blake had just rejoined Ruby and the others. Torchwick had gotten away. And somewhere in Vale, Cinder was moving her pawns into place. Pawns like… Emerald Sustrai.

Kaito swallowed. He knew who Emerald was. He knew what she would eventually do. But here, now, she’d be walking the streets freely, playing her long game.

He needed to blend in. To play dumb.

Kaito wandered toward Vale’s marketplace later that evening, hoping to orient himself. Merchant stalls lined the streets, their awnings fluttering in the breeze. There was noise everywhere — calls for fresh fruit, clinking of trinkets, the chatter of a multicultural crowd. He ducked between shoppers, feigning interest in a stand selling strange Dust-infused trinkets.

That’s when he heard the voice.

Smooth, friendly, not overly loud — just enough to cut through the din.

"Never seen you around before."

Kaito froze.

She stood a few feet away, hands resting casually on her hips. Mint-green hair framed her face perfectly, the long twin locks swaying slightly as she tilted her head. Her dark-red eyes caught the light in a way that was… disarming. She wore her casual attire — the shallow-cut crop top layered over her thinner white shirt, cropped white pants and brown chaps, boots polished to a muted shine. Her rings glinted faintly as she shifted her weight, smiling in a way that was more observant than it appeared.

Emerald Sustrai.

Kaito forced a polite grin, acting as though she were just another stranger. “Uh… yeah. New here. Just trying to check the place out.”

Her smile didn’t falter. “Vale’s great for that. Tall buildings, crowded streets, all kinds of people. You never know what you’ll find.”

Her tone was light, playful — but her eyes were calculating.

Kaito kept his responses short, letting her talk. She was good at this, weaving friendliness like a net. She asked about where he was from — he deflected vaguely, telling her it was “far away.” She seemed amused at that.

“Not a local, huh? Guess that makes two of us,” she said, leaning a little closer, as if sharing a secret. “I’ve been around for a while, but there’s still stuff I haven’t seen. Books, little shops… Tukson’s place is a favorite. Ever heard of him?”

Kaito nodded slowly, a knot tightening in his gut. Emerald liked Tukson’s bookstore. That meant this was right before she and Mercury paid him a visit under Cinder’s orders.

Her gaze flicked over him, assessing. “You look like you’ve got some time on your hands. Maybe I can show you a few places?”

It was framed like a friendly offer, but there was an undercurrent — a subtle test.

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Over the next hour, she led him through Vale. Always at ease, chatting about architecture, food, and yes, books. She had a way of making it feel... normal. Yet Kaito noticed how her eyes darted around them, how she took note of alleyways, escape routes, and crowds.

Twice, she slipped close enough for him to feel the faint brush of her sleeve against his arm. Once, when they stepped into a quieter street, she stopped abruptly, watching him with that half-smile.

“You’re not… all that nervous, are you?”

Kaito shrugged, channeling calm he didn’t feel. “Should I be?”

She tilted her head, and her smile sharpened. “Some people get overwhelmed here. You’re holding up fine.” She stepped past him, but her gaze lingered — almost as if she were measuring him.

The longer they walked, the more Kaito noticed her small tricks. A momentary shift in her tone that drew his focus entirely onto her voice. A subtle change in distance that put him in her space just long enough to make stepping back feel unnatural.

It was like she was probing — testing how easily she could control his sense of reality.

And that’s when Kaito noticed, somehow he foresaw this moment. But how and why? Yeah sure, he knew by Volume 8 Emerald turns over a new leaf, but this wasn't the Volume 8 Emerald he was with.

In a trinket shop, she picked up a delicate figurine — a miniature iron knight that had  been carved from ivory Dust. She turned it in her fingers, smiling faintly before setting it down in front of him.

“Funny how something small can feel… important,” she mused. “Sometimes the tiniest piece changes the whole game.”

Kaito’s stomach tightened. He knew enough about Emerald to suspect this wasn’t idle musing.

Later, passing a tailor’s stall, she leaned in so that he could catch the faint, teasing lilt in her voice. “You’ve got a good height. Makes you stand out. But you’d be surprised — changing perspective changes everything.”

The words hung between them.

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By the time they reached the edge of the marketplace, the sun was lowering into a warm gold haze. The streets here were quieter, the crowd thinner. Emerald stopped, glancing toward a narrow alley.

She looked back at him. “Ever wonder what it’d be like… seeing the world a little differently?”

Kaito kept his voice carefully neutral. “Different how?”

Emerald stepped closer. She was smiling, but her eyes were sharp now, a glint of challenge in them. “Smaller. More… vulnerable. Makes you realize who’s really in control.”

For a moment, the air between them was loaded. Her voice had softened into something hypnotic. He felt a faint pressure — not physical, but a kind of sensory skew, as though the space around them had shifted.

He knew her Semblance had to do with hallucinations, making people see things that werent actually there. He also knew when she got angry she was capable of making a giant and accurate hallucination of Salem, he shivered just thinking about that immortal witch. 

Kaito’s pulse quickened. Suspense clawed at him — the knowledge of what might happen meters away from the safety of the crowd.

Emerald’s smile lingered just a beat too long before she broke the tension, pivoting back toward the busier street with an easy laugh. “Come on. Let’s see if we can find something sweet before the shops close.”

The moment passed. But the hook was set.

They walked on, her conversation light again, but Kaito couldn’t shake the way she’d looked at him in that alley. Friendly, yes — but behind it, there had been a predator’s patience, one that showed a hint of playful demeanor and hunger. 

She’d let it go this time. Perhaps she was curious. Perhaps she was waiting for the right moment.

And as they reached the lit storefronts of Vale and the smell of baked sugar filled the street, Kaito knew one thing for sure.

Emerald Sustrai wasn’t done with him.

Not by a long shot.