Warning for death and blood, mentions of suicide. Also, warning for OOC, namely for Neo since she can talk.
Another day, another murder.
I grimace at the rotting, mutilated corpse, batting away the legions of flies that whiz around it like miniature grim reapers. The mess I'm staring at is enough to make me lose my breakfast, but that would imply me having eaten that in the first place. The rate of decomposition is too severe for us to make out anything on the spot, which means that it's been here for quite some time now.
In any case, we detectives aren't paid enough to deal with this. But hey. Life sucks. And as I stare down at the body that's missing an eye, a leg, and both arms, I can't help but think that being this underpaid, overworked guy ain't so bad after all.
"Ugh. Another one?"
The rough, scratchy voice on my left makes me turn. Ah. There he is, the head honcho of this pitiful hierarchy – Qrow branwen. I shrug as he takes a sip from his flask, mumbling curses under his breath.
"You think that we've got a serial killer on our hands?" I ask him, wrinkling my nose when he lets out a long, torrid sigh. I never did like alcohol, and the scent of it mingling in his already bad breath just makes my stomach turn. "This is the third one this month that we've found this way. Limbs missing. Signs of the same weapon being used."
"Maybe. Maybe not. This town is full of nutjobs. We can't throw everyone in slammer now, can we?"
Qrow grumbles, annoyance seeping into his voice. A quick glance at him reveals that he's only annoyed because his flask is now empty.
"We'll just have to wait and see. And sides' the last body was a female right? This is the only male vic so far, and you know how rare that is. Save the theories for the next chump that turns up." He tells me.
I sigh, tucking the notebook back into my pants. Well this was an utter waste of time. And gas, too. The 'forensics' are tromping all over the crime scene like a bunch of infants, and I shake my head. Qrow suddenly scoff and shoves the flask back into his jacket before walking toward to the car. It looks like I'm not the only one who's tired of waiting for these bastards.
"Oy, drive me back to station will ya?" He calls, not even bothering to turn his back.
"Whatever you say, sir." I reply snippily, the gravel beneath my feet crunching noisily as I follow after him. Not even I would want to stand under the seething hot sun.
Neo perks up at the sound of our footsteps, and shoots me an impish grin when we walk through the door. The man stumbles toward the pantry, probably to find another type of alcohol to poison himself with, and leaves me with the stack of case files pressed against my chest. I growl at my partner's mocking laugh, dropping the stack on her desk in retaliation.
"Shut the hell up. You didn't have to keep a man drunk off his ass from throwing himself out of the car window." I say as I settle into my own seat. On the opposite side of her desk sits my own, and it's much banged up than hers for god knows what reason. It's been this way for as long as I can remember, and Neo's never bothered to tell me what happened to her last partner.
Not that I particularly care.
"Aw how sweet." She drawls, not at all disturbed by the papers I dumped on her already overflowing desk, "You should have just let him jump. No harm no foul."
"And be the only criminal in the history of Patch to get caught in the act? Fuck no. Qrow's going to off himself one day so why bother?" I tell her, unlocking my scroll. The damn thing stutters and freezes in mid act as soon as my finger glides over it, and I snarl angrily before hitting it on the edge of my desk. It bounces off without a scratch and I can only wish that its contents were as sturdy as the exterior.
"This thing is going to be the death of me. Piece of junk." I curse lowly, finally slamming it onto the table. It'll take about five minutes or so to revert back into its borderline usable state, so I'm stuck staring at the ugly beige wall until then.
"Just get a new one already." Neo huffs, her head barely visible over the tall stack of papers, "It's not like you can't afford it. Cheapskate."
"Says the woman who's leeching off her girlfriend. Find someone to take care of me, and then we'll talk."
"Details." She waves my comment away, unperturbed by the jab. Which is unsurprising, considering that nothing ever gets to her. She could take one look at a bloody corpse, walk away laughing and still keep down her lunch. Unlike most of us here.
"So this is the latest sod to turn up?" She says, holding up the file with notes I'd taken at the crime scene earlier. I shudder involuntarily.
"It's probably the same perp from last time. Remember that Chloris girl that we found in the dumpsters? She was missing some limbs and organs too."
"I dunno. It could be a coincidence." Neo shrugs my theories away. I roll my eyes. Why is everyone here so against a little brainstorming?
"Sheesh, then you come up with something." I grumble, picking up my scroll again. I let myself relax when I find that it's back to its normal state. Finally. The first thing I do is check my messages and….nothing. Typical. She's probably not gonna call back. Which is weird, because we just met up several days ago and everything seemed great.
"Uh oh." I look up to see Neo in all her short glory leaning against my desk. Her taste for wearing brown and pink contact lenses never ceases to amuse me, and add to the fact that she even went as far as to dye her hair in three colours? She's in a whole world of her own, this woman. "I know that look." She smirks. "Got dumped again, partner?"
"Shut up." I snap. I try to make my words sharp but it wavers when I try to explain myself. "It's nothing like that."
"Right." Neo rolls her eyes. "If telling yourself that helps you sleep at night, by all means."
I don't reply and just stare sullenly at my table as she shuffles off to the pantry. I bring up my scroll to eye level again and with a sigh, shut the damn thing off. It looks like I'll be paying her a visit soon.
Qrow slams a small bottle on my desk, the wooden legs trembling. I wince, steadying it before it gives way completely. I don't really feel like spending lien on shit like this.
"Drink up pal. After what I just heard, you need it more than I do." He says, shaking his head. I can't decide whether to be pissed that he eavesdropped on our conversation, or be mortified that he's pitying me. This man got wrapped up in a double lover's suicide of his own a little over 3 years ago, his wife and best friend offing themselves on a sunny afternoon. That had been back when I just joined the force and trust me. There was nothing 'friendly' about Qrow back then.
Still, what could you expect? Finding your wife and best friend dead, and also discovering that they'd been having an affair? It's no wonder he drinks as much as he does.
"Thanks but no thanks." I say as I push the bottle back to him. "I hate whisky."
"Eh, really? Suit yourself. More fer me I guess." Qrow snatches the bottle away and tucks it into his jacket. That thing must have a ton of pockets, from the looks of it. As he saunters back to his office, I pull out a bunch of papers to write down the latest case details. Nothing like killing a bit of time before I go off to do my own thing.
Work ends right on time. The lot of us stumble out of the station, giving careless nods of goodbye. Neo drags me to my car, the little leech intent on making me drive her to her girlfriend's house for some reason. She usually heads back on her shiny new convertible but that's nowhere in sight today. I sigh and get into the driver's seat, purposefully telling her to strap in before patting her head like one might a child.
She elbows me in the gut, and we leave the station slightly later then intended.
Cinder fall's manor is right outside of town, and though it sounds far, it's only a ten minute ride away. I never really liked her to be perfectly honest. Too many schemes, too many skeletons in the closet. Unfortunately, she's one of the most important people in patch and holds more sway then the police. But as far as I'm concerned, she doesn't have any run ins with the law so I guess she's kind of alright.
I glance at Neo. Then again, anyone crazy enough to date this pint sized hellion must have a few screws loose.
"Alright you twerp." I snap as we pull to a stop in front of the steel gates. "Get out of my car."
My partner rolls her eyes and flips me the bird before unbuckling and slipping out of the vehicle. "See you tomorrow asshat. Good luck with getting your girl back." She snickers and flashes me a predatory grin. "You'll need it."
Neo turns and disappears behind the gates before I can fire back an equally scathing reply.
Bah, everyone's a critic.
I pull up to the row of houses located near the edge of town. It's not as bad as the slums of Patch, but it's still no match for Cinder's swanky manor. I park the car and make sure that the doors are locked and the windows are wound up tight before I head up to her apartment.
The last time I left my windows slightly open, it ended up getting ransacked and doused with gasoline. Those fuckers deserved what I brought to them.
I leave my car and stomp up the rusted staircase that leads up to the apartments. The toothless landlady shouts at me to keep it down which I blatantly ignore, and within minutes I find myself standing outside of Emerald's apartment.
"Oy, Emerald!" I rap my knuckles on the thin mesh door. "It's Mercury, open up."
I wince at the annoyance in my tone, knowing that she wouldn't come out peacefully. Taking in a few deep breaths, I struggle to contain my composure, running my hand through my hair a few times. I knock again, but lighter this time.
"Em." I call out, my voice going all soft. "Just open up, will you? We can talk about this."
Ten minutes pass in the blink of an eye, and still no answer. The blinds on her windows block out any possible hope of catching sight of her. I sigh forcefully, biting my lip. So much for that meeting I was expecting.
Deciding that standing here for the rest of the evening would be a spectacular waste of my time, I pull myself away from the door and head back down. Just as her door disappears out of sight however, I give into the biting urge and ungracefully give her door the middle finger.
"Fucking hell." I snarl, kicking up the dirt on the way to my car. I unlock the door and fall into my seat, still mumbling angrily under my breath. I don't drink, but a cold beer sounds bloody amazing right now. And you know what? I'm gonna get that goddamn beer.
I pull out of the parking lot and into the streets, heading in the direction of the only bar in town.
The Juniper soon comes into view after a five minute drive. I pull over one block away from the bar since the lots are usually filled at this time, and shoddily park wheezing vehicle before making my way over.
The patrons don't even bother to look in my direction when I push the door open. Not that I mind to be honest, no attention is better than having all their half drunken gazes on you. I take the seat in the furthest corner of the bar, huddling up to the peeling, cracked wall that has a stool placed calculatingly beside it for anyone looking for some alone time.
"Now this is rare." A calm voice, with an amused lilt to it clues me in on who it is. "I'd never thought I would see you here without company. Or at all, actually."
I shrug, setting my car keys and wallet on the bar. "Shit happens." I turn around to see her giving me a wry look. I purse my lips, knowing what she's thinking. Like she said, I rarely come here without any company. And for the past few months, the only person I've been coming her with is Emerald. And my lack of a partner speaks volumes.
"Can I get a drink? No hard stuff, just the usual."
Pyrrha smiles and gives me the barest of nods and I turn my attention back to the dark grainy wood of the counter. Its liquored surface feels oily yet smooth under my palm, and after barely a minute a mug slides into the corner of my vision. I look up and give Ren a half smile in thanks, grabbing the handle and bringing it to my lips.
He flicks his head up in reply and goes back to fixing more drinks for the rest of the customers. His silence is more than appreciated today, and I thank my lucky stars that his partner, Nora, is nowhere in sight. I polish off the first mug with ease. I signal him for another. Before I know it, I've downed at least six glasses and the time I spent there blends together into a seamless blur, and the next thing I know, I'm shaken awake by a pair of gentle hands.
"Shit. What time is it?" The words tumble out of my dry, cracked lips before I set my forehead on the counter.
"Nearly seven." Pyrrha's tired voice cuts through my alcohol addled mind.
I groan. "Let me go back to sleep then. Work starts at nine." My limbs are stiff, leaden with sleep. But it doesn't take much for Pyrrha to pull me off the barstool and send me stumbling in the direction of the door. "Fuck." I spit, when I miss the door by several inches and collide with the disgusting wall.
Behind me, I can hear the waitress make a small noise of exasperation. I weakly lift my hand, not in the mood to fight with her. I've seen her throw out grown men three times her size without breaking a sweat, and the last thing I need is to eat dirt when my head is giving me hell.
"I'm going alright – just give me a sec." I take in deep breaths, becoming aware of my roiling stomach. Even my body won't let me catch a break, will it?
I stumble out of the bar as soon as the merry-go round in my head halts. The walk to my car is excruciating, the gleaming morning sun spitting its radioactive rays on me. After some pathetic attempts unlock my car door, I finally succeed and fall into the cushioned seat with a tired moan. Damn this hangover.
Just as I find myself drifting off to the peaceful sought out land of sleep, a series of sharp mocking beeps jolts me to attention. Getting more than irritated at the untimely interruptions, I pull my scroll out of my pocket and glare at the screen angrily. My anger melts into something like surprise however, when the name 'Emerald' flashes across the screen. I answer the call without hesitation, pressing the scroll against my ear.
"Em?" I wince at how hoarse my voice sounds, but shoulder on. "Hey. Where have you–"
The call cuts abruptly. I sit frozen, not really understanding what happened. I look at the scroll and stare at the name in the call log, my chest a boiling pot of emotions. The strangeness of the entire situation sends a shiver down my spine, and an irrational fear seizes me – the emotion wringing all common sense out of me.
I fling the scroll into the backseat and start the car, the engine roaring as I blaze down the road towards the apartments.
I burst into her apartment looking like a wild, unkempt animal. The door was closed but unlocked – probably had been when I visited the day before. My gaze darts around to the destroyed room, the couch cushions reduced to nothing but white stuffing and ripped cloth, the tables flipped over and drawers flung around messily with their contents all over the floor. I step over the mess and stomp towards the bedroom and reel back at the thick scent of blood.
"Shit shit shit." I curse, my feet lingering at the mouth of the room. Even as a cop, I'm hesitant to enter because I already know what to expect. Steeling myself, I barge into her bedroom…only to step into a puddle of blood. My shoes squelch uncomfortably, and I force down the bile threatening to escape my throat.
The first thing I realize, is that there is no body.
With stiff movements, my gaze flits around the room in search of said cadaver, trying not to think about the blood beneath my feet. The blood. Emerald's blood. I wished I could bluff myself into thinking that it wasn't hers but I found it highly unlikely.
A quick search around the room revealed that there was indeed no sign of the body. But there was no way someone could lose this amount of blood and still be alive. I still can't believe that I already stumbled on a murder at seven fucking am in the morning. And for the victim to be someone I car – know no less. I pick my way through the equally messy room, taking note of several things that just seemed odd.
A suitcase under her bed.
Her closet. Empty.
Her drawer where she kept her essentials was flung on the floor, the lock gleaming lazily in the pool of blood. I bring my hand to my mouth at the sight of it, quickly turning away. But then a thought was sparked in my disturbed mind, the faint whisp of a memory surfacing. The last time I saw Emerald, she was acting strange. Jumpy, flinching at shadows when I mentioned the latest case – and she'd never been one to flinch when I regaled my tales of the details of the latest victim.
It had been after work when I visited her, but I brushed off her state as her having a hard day at work.
But the one thing that stood out starkly in that memory, was her god to honest horrified face she'd made when I mentioned a name.
Neo.
The pieces didn't fit together, but at least now I knew who to find. Who to shake the information out of. And I swear to fucking god, if Neo had been the one to do this…but wait. She couldn't have, could she? I sent her to Cinder's house right after work and then came straight here after that. But that would mean that Emerald was already dead by the time I'd gotten here.
With all these questions bouncing off the walls of my skull, I whirl around, exiting the room. I don't need to look down to know that my shoes left bloody prints all over the floor, and as I am about to step over the mess that blocks the way to the entrance, a shadow by the door catches my attention.
Wait…not shadow.
Shadows.
I recognize the tri-coloured hair and though the other – taller shadow is standing at such an angle that I can't see their face, the sharp scent of whisky cuts through the lingering odour of blood. Movement ceases, my eyebrows pinching in confusion.
"You gu–"
A gunshot cuts me off, the bullet entering my chest.
"W-Wha–?" Is the only thing which escapes my lips as another bullet rips through my flesh, and the last thing I see is the metallic sheen of the gun before everything goes black.
He takes another large swig of his flask, trying to flush out the guilt gathered in his chest. What was previously small pinpricks have transformed into sharp, painful daggers, their tips brushing closely against his heart.
This is a different kind of pain.
"We didn't have to do it." He hears himself say, his voice soft but his tone, hard.
Neo looks up, her eyebrows arching in contempt at his weak tone.
"Of course we did." She states blandly. "He wouldn't have stopped for nothing when he found out she was dead. I know my partner that well at least."
"I – fuck." The man cradles his head in his palm. "He was a good guy."
Neo sighs, her eyes leaving the gathering of red and blue flashes that light up the night sky. She can't say that she's horribly upset, but she does feel a pang of regret when they cart out his bleeding, broken body. She imagines it, draped across the white sheet like the splattering of red across a white canvas.
The remaining detectives are writing it off as a break in turned violent, which is common crimes around these parts. And if they don't…well. She'll cross that bridge when it comes to it.
"Cinder's orders." Neo's hands brush against the gun at her hip, under her jacket. "The evidence wiped away at least."
Qrow says nothing to that statement, opting to stare out at the small crowd surrounding the apartment.
"You should have been more careful."
The words tumble out of his lips without permission, and in an instant, she rounds on him with fire burning in her mismatched eyes. He knows it's unfair to blame her, but that small part of him that wishes things could be different continues forcing words into his head.
"Sure." She spits. "Blame it on me. I didn't ask for this. It's not my fault the sustrai girl went and snitched on me to Cinder of all people. She tried to cut off the snake's head and went directly into its maw. You can hardly blame me for that." Neo cocks her head to the side and shoots him an unkind grin, one that shows her teeth and sharpens the fury on her face.
"And besides. I was only getting rid of him–" She holds up the photo of the victim they'd found this morning. Qrow knows his face darkens at the sight of it, and just grits his teeth until she puts it away. "Because you told on him to Cinder. The pricks from Vale haven't learned that trusting someone is sealing your own fate. And unluckily for him, he chose Qrow Branwen to trust."
Neo laughs harshly, crossing her arms.
"The man who killed his own wife and best friend."
His lips thin. "I didn't kill them."
"You might as well have. You asked Cinder for a favour and she granted it. No foul play suspected, and the poor, poor husband got away scott free. Don't act like a saint, we both know that you aren't."
Their spat lapses into silence when Qrow doesn't deign her with a reply, merely bringing the flask to his mouth as his eyes wander off to the memories of long past. The two continue standing there, even when Mercury's body has long since been carted away, their gazes only lifting at the first light of the morning.
Another day.
Another murder.
AN: Whelp so I caved and ended up posting this one day early. Eh, whatever. This started off as something else entirely, and became this weird thing. This has got to be the strangest out of canon thing I have ever written :/ but I can tell you that it was inspired by MilesMorales, RWBY Noir. Go check it out if you have the time!
And haha, I hope I'm not boring my followers with these random fics. I hope you enjoyed it, and let's face it, after the recent RWBY episode – we all kinda want Mercury dead lol. Also, Neo and Qrow's conversation eludes to the fact that the first dead body (the one at the start) is one of those secret 'spies' from Vale sent to gather info on Cinder. I tried to link everything back together in the end, and I think I managed to do it pretty ok.
And anyway, this is a early christmas fic for all my followers! Thank you for the support, this was a great year of fanfiction for me :D