Disclaimer: RWBY and all characters associated belong to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth, not GrimGrave.

Commission Slots Open: 2

Commissioned by Rashaan Butler, who has the patience of a saint.

Read this under the premise that Grimm doesn't exist.

Duality

Chapter 1 - The Law and the Rogue

Harmony; the world of Remnant was united by it. The world was a better place because of it. The four kingdoms were now living in an age of peace and cooperation after a long history of war and broken alliances, but everything is far from perfect even in this day and age.

The four kingdoms still had their own ideologies and beliefs, their own police and military, and their own ways of handling things, specifically anything criminal. These would often clash and cause unneeded dispute about who had more authority over what. This is where a certain police-force, unified and sworn to Remnant as a whole and unaffiliated to no one single kingdom alone, would step in.

The R.I.P (Remnant International Police), an international police-force tasked to handle nearly any and all assignments across Remnant, ranging from apprehension of petty thieves and criminal mastermind kingpins to rescue-missions and protection-escort duties. R.I.P was as fancy and respected as one could get in the hierarchy of police/military and their reputation was unblemished as it could be.

But even amongst R.I.P was an outstanding agent, known as the force's most decorated officers; Ruby Rose, codename: Scatter. Starting from a young age, Ruby showed great promise when it came to fighting and was considered as Huntress-material, although she was by no means a prodigy; she had her quirks and faults, strengths and weaknesses, just like everyone else. But her knack for leadership as well as fighting had earned her access to Beacon Huntsman Academy, (Vale Kingdom's advanced combat-school for individuals seeking to train in evolved combat, involving Semblance and Aura, where graduated Huntsmen and Huntresses served as special forces), at the age of 15, a whole two years earlier than the required age. Upon graduation she had been offered to join the program for R.I.P and after a full year had earned herself quite the reputation.

Steadfastly loyal to R.I.P and optimistic with a heart of gold, Ruby was not naïve; hardened from the field and having encountered people from all walks of life, the young sniper was not blind. She knew of certain injustices that happened under the kingdom's watch. This knowledge served as a reminder and reason as to why she remained loyal to R.I.P and does as well as she can; because the kingdoms are not perfect and the Law needs an unbiased, unified front to support the countries where they fall short.

It was also in her nature to help people.

Her dedication had led to a remarkable record; having solved many a case for just about any crime and delivering many a perpetrator to justice, Ruby was a maven and a credit to the force.

But her record was not perfect. All of her targets had been captured except one; the ever-elusive Lady-Thief Emerald Sustrai of the infamous Sustrai family of Gentle(wo)men Thieves, also known as the "Mirage-Mistress" or "The Illusionist."

Theirs was a relationship of duality of opposites; Ruby, an officer, and Emerald, a thief. One upheld the Law and peace while the other caused mischief and worked in the shadows. Their rivalry was as fierce as it was intimate as far as two people working on opposite sides of the Law could be; there was a mutual respect and admiration between them, masqueraded as witty, flirty banter while they fought each other.

Tonight was just another night.

The Mistralian Institution, one of Remnants largest museum complex with over 20 galleries and millions of objects spanning in detail Mistral's story as well as ancient findings from around the world, was a hot-spot for theft, but luckily the complex employed security from Atlas. No ordinary burglar could even set foot within the area.

But Emerald Sustrai was no ordinary burglar.

The usually silence of the complex was disturbed by gunfire and rapid footsteps reverberating throughout the halls. The bullets ricocheting and of course missing their mark as the pair battled through the moonlight lit chambers was partly deliberate; neither wished serious harm upon the other even if they knew both were active Aura users. The shots were meant to slow down, disarm, or incapacitate the other.

As they found themselves in a deadlock, weapons trained on the other with the moonlight illuminating a perfect circle of the room, the two took a moment to catch their breaths, gazes firmly locked.

"Don't think I'll let you leave with the artifact this time, Emmy," Ruby confidently said, her face a complete mask of stoicism.

"`Let me´ ?" Emerald snorted. "Ruby, dear, you've never `let´ me escape, we both know that. We've been over this; I'm a mastermind. I already have five possible escape routes mapped out from where I'm standing."

"Only five?" Ruby snickered. "Sounds to me like you've gotten rusty."

"Then what does that say about you who still have trouble keeping up, let alone catching me?" The Lady-Thief stuck out her tongue.

"Cheeky."

"As if you would have me any other way."

The pair eyed each other and exchanged knowing smiles as they dared the other to make the first move.

Ruby pulled the trigger and the bullet hit Emerald's revolver and knocked it out of her grip. As she held the artifact with her other hand, Ruby used her Semblance and tackled the perpetrator to the ground to pin her down.

"Hah! I got you now, Mirage Mistress! Looks like you really are getting—" The mocha-skinned woman underneath vanished before the officer's eyes, revealing only a broken vase in her place. "…rusty?"

"You missed me, you missed me~" The sniper whipped her head to the direction of that wonderful voice. The Lady-Thief was leaning against the wall at the other side of the chamber and glancing back over at her. "I suppose now you've got to kiss me?" She chuckled. "Honestly though; how did you not see that coming?"

The sniper blushed at the remark, but quickly shook it off. "Your Semblance is so broken and OP, I swear."

"Nah, you just need to get on my level." Emerald blew her a raspberry. "Try again—" Another shot hit barely an inch from the woman's head and she yelped as she vaulted out of the way. "Whoa! Aiming for headshots now are we?"

"Your Aura is not depleted; that shot would've incapacitated you at best," Ruby replied slyly. "Or is there something you're not telling me?"

Emerald laughed. The sound was airily and wonderful. "Even if that was the case with my Aura, you wouldn't be able to hit me. Am I standing in front of you or am I behind you? Mysteries, mysteries…"

Ruby giggled. "God I hate your Semblance, Emmy."

A chuckle. "I was born with a gift, what can I say?"

The redhead got up, her gaze steely and intense with confidence. "I'll get you someday. Mark my words."

The mocha-skinned woman smirked back at her. "I bet you will, officer. Until then…" She blew her a kiss and stepped forward with a sealed envelope in her hand. She waved it to get the sniper's attention before tossing it to the floor in front of Ruby…and stood there. "See you next time."

Ruby grabbed a piece of the vase she had broken and tossed it at her elusive target and the illusion was dispelled. By the time the piece clattered against the floor the window to the left shut close.

She hurried over and opened it, but the Mirage Mistress had already disappeared into the night.

"Gone again…" Ruby shook her head and chuckled. Her heart was beating wildly beneath her breast. "What a woman."

She stared out into the darkness and the lights of the city beyond.

"I wish I could've gotten a good look at her butt."

It was always bittersweet whenever they met. Emerald always got away with whatever she had targeted, but there was one thing that separated the Lady-Thief from the rest of the criminals; she only ever stole from other criminals. Specifically, Emerald targeted high-class criminals the law declared `untouchable´ or did not have enough evidence against. The wealth she earned went to the people who suffered under their yoke and in a way, tipped the scales in favour of justice.

Ruby was aware of this and while it had not made much sense to her at the beginning, she knew that this world needed rogues like Emerald Sustrai.

Ruby smiled a silly smile. She could not wait until their next encounter.


Emerald ran across the rooftops of the city, the museum now a good distance away. With the dark of night as her ally, the infamous Lady-Thief slipped away as she always did. With her "OP Semblance" she blended right in with what little people were still out. Intense training had allowed her to use it on multiple minds if needed (though one could argue if the heavy migraine that came after was worth it) and just like that she was like a shadow in the dark.

She smiled to herself as she made her way through Mistral's alleyways. Having once again secured valuables that didn't belong in stuffy, dreary museums and using their wealth to help the needy was one thing, but every encounter with the prodigy of the R.I.P always lifted her spirits.

Ruby Rose; the cute and stalwart officer. Growing up, Emerald had always despised the kingdoms' authorities with their hypocrisy and inaction. All the talk about justice and laws seemed to only go so far before they allowed the innocent to suffer and criminals to go free.

And then there was Ruby.

What a woman. The level of respect Emerald had for that woman was beyond comparison. Ruby was one of the few officers of the Law who recognise that the most dangerous and despicable criminals of Remnant don't always make their home in underground caves and barren neighbourhoods. She knew that criminals could work their way up, hide amongst the normal folk and get away with their shady dealings – she knew how corrupt the kingdoms were and understood Emerald better than anyone.

The Illusionist chuckled. Ruby Rose was the only woman on Remnant who could keep up with her in wits, combat, and beauty.

Especially beauty; heavens above, the sniper was sex-on-legs. She pulled off the Sexy-Cute look with ease. The Lady-Thief had spied on said sniper in her home several times (purely for intel about her rival, obviously) and seen what the officer had to offer; an athlete's body with noticeable musculature from years of Huntsman Academy training and from handling a crazy weapon like hers; a thin layer of feminine curves blended with toned abs, thighs, and biceps harmonized into the perfection that was Ruby, coupled with softer aspects from habits of having a sweet-tooth.

Not to mention her special "characteristic"; the tight, round curves of her breasts and hips, combined with Ruby's cock – a hermaphroditic trait which wasn't too rare nowadays, good thing the redhead had opted to masturbate that time – only added to the attraction Emerald had gathered over the time they had become rivals. It was enough to force the thief to change her underwear far too often for her liking and had on at least one occasion driven the Mirage Mistress crazy to the point she had masturbated outside her window thanks to her nifty Semblance.

Unfortunately that was as close as they could ever get. Due to their stations in life they were destined to remain in conflict; a duality of good and evil at least by the rules of society.

She would not be able to act upon her emotions or attraction, but this kind of relationship was bittersweet, but better than nothing. At least this way she was part of the redheaded officer's life.

Emerald frowned as she made her way to the underground tunnel leading to the harbour. For all her good intentions, the way she did her family's `business´ was through shady means and as such she was a criminal like any other in the eyes of the Law. Ruby, an officer, had to bring her in.

Being the good intelligent officer that she was however, the redhead knew the way Emerald worked; the Lady-Thief only ever targeted shady people herself and would always walk away with whatever she had pilfered. In the process she always left behind some `compensation´ for her rival: evidence.

Evidence that would lead to the arrest of Emerald's victim; that way neither Emerald nor Ruby would walk away empty-handed and do their parts for the sake of society. It was a neat unofficial agreement between them. After all, Emerald always did her homework on her targets; whatever intel that existed of them was hers to collect and surely she didn't need all of it…so why not throw it away and if someone happened to pick it up it was not her business.

Emerald exited the tunnel into a hallway and then into a busy nightclub, provided by fellow rogues and outlaws. Avoiding the crowd she met the gaze of the owner and bartender with his two twin bouncers and nodded curtly before heading out. She had a ship back to Vale waiting for her.


Ruby stepped out to a gathering of local Mistral police officers and a few R.I.P agents, as well as the useless museum security guards. She winced at the flashing bright lights as a familiar face jogged up to her.

The woman brushed her black-ash hair aside and straightened the collar of her dark-grey coat. "She escaped you yet again, huh?"

"Lieutenant Calavera." Ruby straightened herself and quickly saluted the older woman. "Yes, the Lady-Thief managed to get away with the artifact…"

Lieutenant Calavera – a young woman in her prime and veteran of R.I.P, as well as Ruby's mentor-figure –saluted back. "I see. I cannot blame you; the Illusionist is a crafty one. It's like she's two steps ahead of us at all times."

Ruby could not agree more with that statement.

"For what it's worth, you did well. A shame about the artifact, but there's always next time." The lieutenant offered a reassuring smile. "We need to bounce back or else there's no point in continuing; that goes for everything in life. Her Semblance may give her an edge, but she's not invincible. We need to step up our game, too."

Ruby smiled at the older woman. The mentor-figure always had wisdom to share and the patience of a saint. Had this been anyone else, they would have chewed the sniper out. Maybe. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

As more people gathered the sniper noticed a certain woman with shoulder-long black hair, clad in a fancy crimson dress as if she had arrived from a party stand out from the crowd. Her amber eyes met Ruby's and glared daggers before looking away.

"Lieutenant Calavera, who is that woman? The one in red."

"Hm?" Maria glanced over. "Oh, that's Miss Cinder Fall, the director of the Mistralian Institution."

"Huh. I thought she looked familiar. Could you do me a favour and keep an eye on her for a little while? I suspect we will pay her a visit in the near future."

"You got it, but don't expect me to do anything until you can give me a good reason," the older woman replied and winked. "Rumours about her are not enough for us to act unless we can back them up."

"Don't worry Lieutenant, I think that can be arranged. Think you can give me a lift back to HQ?"

x.x.x.x

Once back at the immense R.I.P headquarters, Ruby had gone through the contents of the envelope Emerald had left her. She had given them a quick scan before leaving the museum, but now she was sure of it; there was more to Cinder Fall than rumours. All the information traced back to the director: smuggling and selling of artifacts and art (including the famous painting `The Four Maidens´ painted by Ozma Pine about a few hundred years ago) as well as other shady dealings and more importantly, names; several of which, under pressure, had spilled the beans and taken into custody.

The Black father-son duo was highest on the list and was known assassins and thieves. They had been last sighted around the outskirts of Vale and a team had been dispatched immediately.

Next was a Faunus named Tukson; also stationed in Vale, this shady dealer apparently ran a small underground black market and was currently in custody and interrogated. According to officers Nebula – codename: Vapour— and Ciel – codename: Chrono – (lovely gals, really, especially the latter in terms of appearance), all three had eventually "generously told them everything."

The decorated officer peeked at the clock and yawned. It was practically morning already, but there was no time to rest.

Ruby smiled to herself and arched back into her chair with a tired sigh.

"Scatter." The silver-eyed girl turned to the fellow sniper by the doorway (when had it opened?) with her beanie covering her left eye as per usual. "We're ready to move out when you are."

"Of course, Deadeye," the crimsonette replied. "Let's do this."

All that was left was to confront Miss Fall.

x.x.x.x

"Think she's awake?"

Maria shrugged her shoulders. The small aircraft she piloted made a low humming sound as it prepared to land, still a good couple of feet above ground. "It matters not. With your newfound evidence she'll be under arrest one way or another. Speaking of, how did you even come across them?"

"Oh, uhm…I've been digging around. Clues popped up here and there, you connect the dots, and bam; I traced them back to Cinder. I've been working on this on the side whenever I could and it finally paid off."

The Lieutenant briefly eyed her. "Impressive, girl. You make the R.I.P proud with that level of diligence. Not to mention your good eye."

Ruby giggled, albeit nervous. It was not a lie – she had a habit of multitasking cases whenever she could afford the time to do so – but the evidence left behind by Emerald had confirmed the rumours regarding the director; she had been on various authorities' lists for a long time, but there had never been anything substantial to warrant her arrest. It was like catching smoke with your bare hands with the way she continuously slipped through the authorities' fingers.

Until now.

x.x.x.x

"There has to be some kind of mistake." the director nonchalantly said. She played with black tresses and curled them around her finger as she stared, bored, at the officers. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Ruby glance over at her two fellow agents and back at Cinder. "Oh, but I think you do," she replied. "After all, both Marcus and Mercury Black have confessed about your dealings with them; smuggling, theft, the list goes on."

The director cocked an eyebrow seemingly unfazed, but body-language tells you more than anything else. The subtle fidgeting with her fingers, the shift in stance, it all betrayed the mask she wore.

"We've also got a confession out of Mr. Tukson. You remember him, don't you? You pretty much orchestrated the whole thing with them doing the dirty work. Do I need to go on? We have—"

"She's got a weapon!"

It was a split-second decision. Ruby narrowly avoided being slashed across her face as she vaulted backwards. The other agents had opened fire against Cinder, but the director deflected the bullets with ease. Where had she concealed a pair of swords and how on Remnant had she managed to unsheathe them before anyone noticed?

Ruby's finger's traced across her weapon behind her back and it clicked and hummed as the machine changed shape—

"Stay at range, Scatter!" her lieutenant commanded. Ruby frowned, but knew better than to question the older woman.

Cinder was a flurry of blades and fire. She practically danced chaotically as she fended off against officer Nebula and Lieutenant Calavera; the older agent was famous within R.I.P, but she struggled to get the edge over the director as the latter swung in wide arcs in quick succession. She vaulted and slashed in crescent arcs, fending off the Lieutenant's scythes with one sword and officer Nebula's bayonet with the other without even blinking.

The director was clearly not an ordinary civilian when she could handle a lieutenant and an officer of R.I.P; she dodged their strikes with the gracious movement of a dancer, not one step out of place, with deadly agility that's put some officer's to shame. The director vaulted and spun mid-air, a whirl of steel and heat. It was as if she was on fire and her swings ignited in the air, scattering sharp flames and embers as protection; it was difficult to approach her.

And even more difficult to avoid. Calavera shimmied around the director and met strike with strike, but the wild fire was unpredictable and a clean cut of embers struck the lieutenant's eyes.

The scream that followed was heart-rending.

"Lieutenant!"

A loud, shattering noise broke the fight as one of Cinder's swords fell to the ground in pieces and the woman staggered backwards in shock. Before she had time to catch herself Ruby propelled forward in a torrent of rose petals and tackled the woman.

Over the years at Beacon Academy and in R.I.P, the young redhead had been told time and again that she relied too much on her weapon; that she needed to improve her hand-to-hand combat as well. With help from Yang and Arslan of R.I.P, Ruby had improved significantly.

The director crashed into the wall and dropped her other weapon in the process. Ruby, quick on her feet, kneed the brunette's abdomen and with a slight burst of her Semblance threw the director over her shoulder and used her own weight against her.

Ruby wrestled the woman over to her stomach and swiftly pinned her down with arms twisted behind her back. Her gaze trained on the brunette's hands as cogs began to turn. "Target secured! Requesting Aura-nullification cuffs asap!"

"On it!" Officer Nebula was immediately at her side, cuffs at the ready.

"Get off me! Get off me!" The director shouted and thrashed. "Unhand me at once!"

She kept screaming at the top of her lunges as she writhed and thrashed against her binds. Resistance, assault on agents, on top of all her other crimes did not bode well for the brunette, but that was not Ruby's concern. She rushed over to the lieutenant, the older woman clutching her eyes and wailing.

"Lieutenant! Are you alright?!"

"Her aura is still active, but pure embers in her eyes must've been a shock to her system," Nebula shouted. "I'm calling for a medic right away!"

The older woman fumed. "Aura or not, it hurts! I can't see!"

"Medic is on their way, don't worry," Ruby comforted. She gave Calavera's hand a gentle squeeze. "Your Aura may heal you, but the medics will take a look at your eyes just to be sure." The lieutenant seemed to calm down at that, but from the looks of it her eyes had taken a nasty hit. Ruby glared sideways at the director, her mind a whirl.

There were more people like Cinder Fall out there. She could not help but to wonder how many, and just how far the underground network expanded.

But at least for now, she could finally take a breather and rest up.

"Good work, Deadeye," she spoke into the comdevice and glanced at the direction the fellow sniper was likely hiding. A chuckle at the other end confirmed as much and the redhead rolled her shoulders.

She would go straight to bed when she got home.

x.x.x.x

Emerald slumped into her sofa and sighed. It had been a long night and she could go for a cold beer right about now. Avoiding detection and slipping by the authorities all the way back to Vale was taxing, but it had been worth it. Not only did she have the artifact in her possession and ready to be sold for a hefty sum to the right people, but being able to spend time with the Ruby Rose? Priceless.

That little redhead sure was a cutie; a sexy cutie if you will.

Emerald snickered. "I wonder if she has looked at the evidence yet." She got up and walked into the kitchen for aforementioned beverage. "I guess I'll hear it on the news."

Back on the sofa with demon drink in her hand, the mocha-skinned woman took a swig. Tonight had been fun; who would have thought the prodigy agent would open fire in a museum of all places? How reckless. Emerald liked that.

"Poor little Rose, unable to catch me yet again despite the good effort." The Lady-Thief chuckled. "Well…maybe not `little´ now that I think about it."

The Lady-Thief had a bit of mild obsession with the prodigy officer; she enjoyed the attention the latter was giving her and when she could, she would seek her out. Having spied on Ruby a few times, Emerald knew just what kind of gun she was packing between her legs; 7.75 inches in length and 6.5 inches in circumference, thanks to the thief's perceptive eyes.

That was 7.75 inches of rigid flesh that could probably reach a woman's cervix and utterly pummel it to mind-shattering orgasms. 6.5 inches in circumference that would strain a pussy so much and stretch it so unbelievably—

Emerald downed the last of the beer and tossed the can aside whilst her other hand fumbled with her pants. Not bothering to take anything off, the thief dived right in there, past the tuft of hair above her slit and touching herself to the thought of Ruby and her `baton´; imagining the officer taking her from behind, maybe utilize her flowery Semblance and just go wild until the thief howled her name.

She shuddered as heat spread through her body. "Fuck, Ruby…!"

She could get some rest later.

x.x.x.x

"I'm home~" Ruby called out, expecting no answer. There was no roommate to greet her or a pet to welcome her back – as an agent she could be gone for days at a time on short notices – as she stumbled inside her apartment. It was large for belonging to just one person with all the necessities and more plus some unnecessary luxuries thanks to having a well-paid job.

She kicked off her shoes and hung up her cloak as she rolled her shoulders and fatigue caught up. It was early morning by now. Ruby had been given permission to take the week off to rest and rest she would, but…

Mental images of the Lady-Thief flashed before her. The laptop that had unfortunately been left on was still humming softly and a sneaky suspicion of the agent's last `activities´ gnawed at the back of Ruby's mind.

As the screen came to life silver eyes widened. "Oh yeah; I was in the middle of something."

Porn sites: several tabs of porn sites with specific videos. (She was only human after all. And lonely.) Having been forced to cancel her alone-time and chasing the Illusionist around all night and the whole investigation of Cinder had left the redhead pent up and energetic despite the bed calling for her.

She eyed the tabs and her mind ran wild. The fatigue seeped away as her heartbeat jumped up. She smiled giddily and took off her overbust corset and skirt as she got herself seated and comfortable. Her dick throbbed, rising to attention as she spread her legs a bit and caressed its base.

Her mind wandered as she eyed the tabs. She was a decorated R.I.P agent, a prodigy and credit to the force, but she had one weakness.

Emerald Sustrai was many things; a thief, a thorn in the sniper's side, a master escape artist, but above all else she was a woman with unmatched sex-appeal. Her dark skin, mint-green hair, crimson eyes that winked and stared with such playful wanton, and her rear…

Heavens above, Emerald's butt! Ruby had a strong fondness (as well as weakness) to exotic women and Emerald was as exotic as they come. She had firm, nicely-shaped butt and it certainly appealed to the redhead, being the centre of the sniper-agent's jerk-off material more often than not. And it didn't stop there.

Ruby's mind kept wandering as she searched through the tabs. Her fondness for exotic, dark-skinned women extended to her job; fellow agent Ciel Soleil, as meticulous as she regimented, had a cute body and the fantasy of her secretly being lewd had often crossed the redhead's mind.

Arslan Altan, the "Drill-Sergeant" and CQC trainer was a hot woman. The blonde had muscles and abs for days and the thought of her riding Ruby in the Amazon position had often made short work of the sniper's alone-time.

Ruby eyed the videos appearing on screen. There was a new pornstar rising that had caught her attention; the Sensual "Tiger-Mom" Sienna Khan, a Faunus woman so exotic and practically oozing sexual tension and her tattooed tiger stipes only added to her appeal.

And yet none of them could hold a candle to Emerald Sustrai. Ruby could envision that smirk she gave her, the way her body has the right amount of slim and litheness of a master thief combined with the right feminine curves. And her ass: curvy, heart-shaped perfection – her butt bouncing as she rode Ruby like a bucking bronco in the latter's mind.

"Ooohh…Emmy…" She huskily uttered as she pumped her cock. She could rest later.


Emerald woke up the next day less than cheery. Why dreams either escaped her by the time she regained consciousness or seemed real (oh how she wished Ruby sitting on top of her bed had been real, alas, the rosy succubus slipped through the thief's grip) was beyond her ken, but at least she had a day to kick back and relax before planning the next heist. That usually took time and required every ounce of Emerald's analytic mind; pathways in and out, emergency escape routes, countermeasures for every possible scenario, the best time to strike, etc. Not to mention secure a way back to Vale if the target was outside the kingdom.

And so it happened that Atlas was her next destination. Nearly a year's worth of investigation based on rumours and seemingly dead ends had led Emerald to two interesting pieces of information; a priceless artifact was said to be somewhere in Atlas' main city, and the research centre had some equally valuable technology that could benefit the lower city. Two birds, one stone.

The second piece of intel were the rumours about the person in possession of the technology; a renowned scientist named Arthur Watts. While it was no secret that Atlas' population was heavily divided, the rumour about Arthur Watts was as shady as it could be; the man had connections, however loose, to Cinder Fall and a man named Roman Torchwick, the latter whom had his own rumours. If those were true…

"I could always take a slight detour," Emerald thought out loud. "Just to confirm something. That's all."

There were all kinds of gossips regarding Atlas and certain individuals, but this one in particular had the Lady Thief's attention. Perhaps she would get ready and depart tonight; she needed a temporary hideout while there, map out the city and the like. The sooner the better.


They say that Huntsmen and Huntresses develop a heightened sixth sense that goes beyond normal perception. Ruby, stepping outside her apartment, knew something was up, but not what or why. Upon arrival at the R.I.P's headquarters there was something in the air; a tension, thick enough to be cut with a knife. The atmosphere inside was eerie despite everything seemingly being no different from usual. Just what was it…?

"Rose!" Another fellow agent, a cute redhead named Octavia, was walking over to her. "There you are! The Lieutenant is looking for you."

"The Lieutenant is? How is she feeling?"

"Better," Octavia replied. "She was lucky it wasn't too severe; she could've lost her eyes. Anyway, she told me it was urgent so you should go see her right away."

"Of course! Thank you!" Ruby jogged past her co-worker. Could this urgent business be the tension she had felt so far? Something was about to go down; she'd stake her life on it.

Ruby didn't bother to knock on the door. She stepped inside, happy to see the Lieutenant relatively unharmed, but the tension in the air sucked the joy out of her.

"You wished to see me, Lieutenant?"

"Have a seat, Rose," the older woman told her. She sighed, her silver eyes slightly bloodshot. "I'll cut to the chase; we have uncovered something disturbing." She paused for a moment. "Actually, let me ask you something; how much do you know about the missing person cases?"

Ruby shot her a puzzled look. "I remember that there were reports about people gone missing, mostly in Atlas and Argus, but the police haven't found any of them nor are there any leads. The victims are almost all Faunus."

Calavera nodded. "Correct. Whoever the culprit is, they've covered their tracks very thoroughly. We haven't had any leads to go on…until now."

Ruby's eyes widened. "We do?"

"It's not much," the Lieutenant began. "But we searched through Cinder's house and managed to get a name; Roman Torchwick. It would seem that he had connections to Cinder that alludes to trafficking."

"This is great!" Ruby exclaimed. "Then what are we waiting for? A name is a start and should make our search—"

"We already located him. It wasn't easy; he was a known criminal master-mind and as cunning as a weasel. He has evaded local authorities across Remnant and R.I.P for years."

"`Was´, Lieutenant…?"

The older woman shook her head. "By the time we stormed his hideout, he was already dead; multiple bullet-wounds to the shoulders, kneecaps, and a slit throat. Whoever found him clearly held a grudge."

Ruby hung her head and sighed. "Oh…So much for a lead…What do we do now, then?"

"You'll be going to Atlas to investigate a man called Arthur Watts. He's a famous scientist, but his name did pop up when we searched through Cinder's house. We don't know the connection, but since there's a connection between Torchwick and Cinder, seeing his name as well does not bode well. And while you're there you can check in on Deadeye, Shocker, and Ardent over at Torchwick's hideout."

The redhead beamed at that. "Of course! When can I leave?"

Her Lieutenant chuckled. "Tonight, preferably."


Trips to Atlas always were a bit of a hassle, even with the fastest airships. The country was a good distance away from Vale and their borders were heavily guarded. But it was the suspense of what was waiting for her drove Ruby insane; she was jittery with excitement for following up an unsolved case, but many questions bothered her still.

Who were behind the kidnapping and trafficking? How was Torchwick involved and how was he connected to Cinder and who found him? Why kill him? Calavera had said they would interrogate Cinder while the sniper was away, but who's to say she will cooperate? A man like Torchwick couldn't have survived this long if his associates were willing to rat him out.

Even as she had arrived at his hideout, a somber place that made graveyards seem like a warm welcome by comparison, she was giddy at the prospect finishing an unsolved case. Unfortunately-

"We haven't managed to find much," Shocker – real name: Nolan Portfirio – stated, less than happy. "Say what you will about him, but the man knew how to cover his tracks. All we know that whoever got to him first didn't break their way in."

"No sign of forced entry at all?"

Nolan nodded. "Exactly. Either it was someone Torchwick trusted or someone managed to follow him inside undetected."

Ruby tapped her chin, locked in thought. She scanned the room. "Have you checked his computer?"

"Trying to hack into it as we speak," Ardent – real name: Reese Chloris – replied without as much looking up.

"Good. Maybe we'll find something there. Make sure to look for an email account; he must've contacted his associates somehow. Do we have his Scroll?"

"We're currently looking for it," May said behind her. "He didn't have it on his person, but it stands to reason that he would have at least a disposable one on hand."

Ruby nodded. There had to be a slip-up, a message that wasn't deleted or a call-ID, anything that the mastermind had left behind before his demise. "Very well. Contact me as soon as you find anything. We only have a name: Arthur Watts. I've been tasked to investigate him and his lab is the first place to go to." She turned on her heel-

"Why the lab first, Scatter?" Nolan asked.

"He's known to live just above it; a real workaholic." She flashed a smile. "If he's involved, the lab surely has the answer, given his profession. Can I count on you guys for backup?"

May and Nolan merely gave her a thumb up and Reese looked up. "I'll join you as soon as I'm able."

With a nod, Ruby headed out in advance. The sun was setting.


The laboratory was closely connected to Atlas academy, as was its military-base; Ruby had heard from Weiss that it was all merged into one, but the size of the area was staggering nonetheless.

The sky was on the verge of turning dark when Ruby arrived at the laboratory. With a flash of her R.I.P she was allowed access as she was "checking a potential security risk." It was mostly empty and thankfully she located Dr. Watts' quarters fairly easy. It was strange that such a brilliant mind –the man had greatly contributed to Dust science and the medical field alike – had a connection to someone like Cinder and Torchwick. Just what was it though?

Most of the staff was gone as night arrived, save for some personnel that were working in the other wings. She could head up to the second floor where the Doctor were said to live, but a quick scan through his lab was needed the sniper surmised. Thankfully May had taught her how to open locked doors (wouldn't do good to just blow it up with Crescent Rose, now would it?) and with minor effort it clicked open.

It was empty and dark. Ruby quickly scanned the room as she fumbled to find the switch and the room illuminated-

"Hey now, I just turned it off."

"Emerald?!" Ruby startled and recoiled as she swung her weapon around to aim at the Lady-Thief. Her poor confused heart didn't know whether to be shocked or positively surprised to see her. "What are you doing out here?!"

"That would be my line, I believe," the thief stated and chuckled in that husky tone that made the redhead's knees weak. "Not that I complain. I so enjoy your puzzled face. Perhaps we're destined to run into each other, hmm?"

Now that was a thought Ruby could get behind.

"I just happened to have business here," Emerald continued as she idly twirled her weapons around her fingers, unfazed. "Killed two birds with one stone, one might say. Now that I think about it, I should've known you would arrive, though I certainly didn't expect you to be here for ."

Ruby was puzzled. What did she mean by that? Was she expected to be elsewhere? But Arthur Watts was the only one connected to—

Dots were connected. Ruby's eyes widened and she uttered her suspicions; "You killed Roman Torchwick."

The Mirage Mistress nodded at her. "I did."

"Why?"

"I had my reasons." Nonchalant. Not even a hint of remorse.

"It was a pretty gruesome death for something so vague."

"Personal reasons." She scrutinized the sniper. "No, I'm not telling you; not now anyway."

"Don't worry; we got all the time to talk at R.I.P." She flashed the thief a toothy smile. "I'm bringing you in, one way or another."

"Personally escorted by Ruby Rose?" Emerald smirked at her. "Not gonna lie, that's really tempting, especially if cuffs are involved, but I'm afraid today's not working for me. Rain-check?"

"Oh, but I insist! I've booked a table and everything," she replied. God she had missed the thief and their banter.

"Oh my. Next you'll tell me there'll be candles and a dinner, too."

"I'll even bring some cookies if you play nice."

Emerald arched an eyebrow and snickered. "I think you'd like me more if I didn't."

They regarded each other with playful smiles, the gravity of the situation ignored while they enjoyed the moment.

"I'm sorry, Rubes," Emerald then said apologetically. "But I have somewhere else to be. I got what I came for." She patted the bag hanging by her side. "I'm sorry I can't stay and chat, as lovely as it is."

But then it happened too fast in such a short period of time; the sound of rapid footsteps, the door creaking back open, the flutter of a coat and a startled gasp. Ruby caught the man from the corner of her eye and that split-second of distraction was all Emerald needed. The thief was gone, vanished into thin air.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Dr. Watts shouted. The man was pale as a ghost. "Who are you? What are you doing in my lab?!"

She scowled at him. "I'm Ruby Rose, federal agent of the R.I.P. I'm here to investigate."

"This is ridiculous! What could you possible need to investigate here?!"

"Step away from the door, Dr. Watts."

"Preposterous! Have you any idea who I am?!" He wouldn't budge. The man, for all his achievements, was prideful to stubborn degree. "I will call the authorities—

"No need!" a chirpy voice said from behind, revealed to be a certain green-haired agent, her dual guns firmly aimed at the Doctor. "We are the highest authority on Remnant, after all. Now put your hands behind your back."

"I will do no such thing! I will speak to your superior—"

"She'll be happy to tell you that we found emails and text-messages connecting you to Cinder Fall and Roman Torchwick." Reese turned towards Ruby and winked. "You might want to take a look at them, Ruby."

"T-This is preposterous! I'm the most brilliant mind in Atlas! Do you know the consequences—"

"You're also the man who has committed a grave crime. One would think such a brilliant mind would know better or at the very least know of the consequences," Ruby interrupted. "Take him away, Reese. I still need take a look around."

"You brats are wasting your time." The doctor sneered even as he was handcuffed. "I have wealthy, powerful friends in high places. I'll be out before you know it."

He was removed from the scene and taken into R.I.P's custody. Ruby remained in his lab, pouring over any all clues she could find.

According to the emails and text-messages, Dr. Watts had met with Cinder Fall on a few occasions and `shipments´ had been brought up a lot and Torchwick had met them both. From what she had deduced so far, Cinder with her connections to the Black Market provided weapons and served as the middle-man, while Watts was the liaison for payments and the shipments. If that referred to trafficking, then how was Watts involved in it? He provided Dust, certainly, but was it technology? But there hadn't been any reports on missing tech.

It had been hours now and it was in the middle of the night. Ruby rubbed her temples, tired and mildly frustrated. It felt like they were so close and yet so far away from the truth. Cinder wouldn't say anything, Torchwick was dead, and Watts was confident he would be bailed out. They were all involved in the trafficking cases, but the question was in what way.

She got up from the chair and arched her back. A good night's rest might help.

Then she spotted it; right there on the floor near one of the tables was a small brown leather bag, similar to what the Lady-Thief had been carrying. Had she left it behind? She usually did leave something for the agent to pick up after all.

Ruby picked it up and opened it. It was a Scroll – worn, but the latest model – with the engraved initials A.W on the side.

She opened it, ready to call Reese to hack it open, but surprisingly there was no protection. Was Emerald behind this? The Scroll was completely open for her and something immediately caught her eye. It looked important enough, but the implications raised a red warning flag.

She opened up the folder. She read everything. Her eyes widened and all the colours on her face were drained. The doctor's words from earlier rang in her head, clear as a bell.

"No…" Ruby shook her head, whimpering. "No, that can't be true!"