Vale

by gamer4

Every town has its secrets, and a sudden murder in the peaceful hamlet of Vale begins an investigation that will bring them all to light. One question burns in everybody's mind- who killed Jaune Arc? AU, based in Twin Peaks.

18. Arthur

Gamer4 in. While I have never cut myself, I will admit that Penny's plight hit rather close to home-and it seems Goodwitch noticed my discomfort. "Sometimes," she said, almost soothingly, "we wish to hide from ourselves. To become someone who is not us. In these moments, it is too difficult to be us.

"It is in these times that some turn to drugs or alcohol- anything to help us forget that we are who we are. Needless to say, this solution is only temporary to a problem that will simply return, again and again. Often, these temporary solutions cause problems worse than that which they are meant to cure.

"This is quite the dilemma. Is there an answer? Of course.

"As a wise person once said with a smile, 'The answer lies within the question.'"

Chapter XVII

Arthur

"I trusted you!" Penny wailed, her eyes wide with pain. "I invested my heart and soul in you!"

"It's not like that! We didn't mean any harm!" Jacob cried, his eyes fixed on the knife.

"We just wanted to read it- to know what happened to Jaune!" Sun added- he was less concerned about the knife than what this would do to Penny psychologically.

But she seemed beyond reason. "You seemed so... so different! You made me feel like there was something out there- something pure. Only Jaune ever made me feel that before... but there is nothing, is there? Just like my parents said- to be out in the world it to be corrupted. Even you... even you are just like all the others. You lie! Cheat! Steal! Betray! Then LAUGH ABOUT IT! LAUGH ABOUT CAUSING OTHERS PAIN! YOU ARE UNCLEAN! And you contaminated me! GIVE ME BACK THE BOOK!"

She advanced, knife still in hand. Whether she would have used it or not became immaterial when Pyrrha kicked down the door- with her limited scope, she saw only a crazed woman advancing on her friends with a weapon, and immediately leapt into action, seizing her arm and forcing it away. A sickening crunch echoed as Penny's arm fractured- she screamed, dropping the knife and falling to the ground, giving Pyrrha ample opportunity to herd her friends out, Sun dropping the journal and screaming tearful apologies all the while.

"She's not coming!" he struggled to explain as they reached the sidewalk. "She can't! She won't- she's afraid! She's just... she's just afraid... Oh, God... what did I do?..."

He trailed off into silent sobs.

Behind them, Penny loped back to her greenhouse, attempting to stave off the pain through care of her flowers, but every last bud reminded her of Sun, leaving her to scream her despair to the ceiling.

XXXX

The river flowed, and the owls crooned their songs, as Ruby, Yang, Fox, and Ren pulled Weiss towards the Library, towards a room containing a nice, soft bed for her to finally rest.

Ruby bent over, giving her a closer examination. "Pulse... slow. Pupils... constricted. Breathing... slow, shallow. Needle marks on the arm... they've been force-feeding her heroin."

"Bastards," Yang hissed.

"K...Klein?" Weiss whispered. "I... I'm here, Klein... can you see me?"

"Try to stay awake, Weiss- stay awake!" Ruby quickly ordered.

"Can you... catch me?"

"Weiss! Talk to me Weiss, talk to me! Stay awake!"

"Tongue... heavy... hand on my throat... it hurts... it hurts! Black cold! I can't breath! Help me! Please, help me!"

"It's okay, Weiss! It's all okay- I'm here! I'm right here!"

Ruby grabbed one of Weiss's flailing hands and wrapped her own hand around it. Weiss clung on as if for dear life. Finally, her eyes opened. A spark of recognition crossed her eyes, and a smile appeared on her face. "I... I prayed! I prayed that you would come! And... you did!"

"It's okay," Ruby repeated, allowing a smile onto her own face. "It's okay."

XXXX

Pyrrha guided Sun and Jacob back to her own house, where they broke up- Jacob took off back towards his own home.

Sun was still weeping. "I... I could have gotten him killed... there's no telling what this'll do to Penny... and for what?!" He remembered the book he'd left on Penny's floor- could anything in it really be worth what he had so nearly sacrificed?

Pyrrha crossed her arms, attempting to look stern, but her eyes were rather watery as well, and her voice sympathetic. "No more going off on our own, okay? If we're going to find this person, we need to stick together."

"That damn book," Sun voiced some of his feelings. "I thought it might have had answers, but... look what it almost cost us... what an idiot..."

Pyrrha turned to face him. "After Jaune's death... everything started going by so fast. There's so little I know to believe in anymore. But... when I saw you tonight... I knew what I believed."

"You don't say?" Sun sniffed.

"I do," Pyrrha nodded. "If... if we could put our hearts together and keep them that way, we'd be safe. No matter what."

"You and me, huh?" Sun forced a smile.

"You and me," Pyrrha agreed.

"...That doesn't sound half bad."

She leaned forward and pulled him into a kiss.

XXXX

Yang left the Library and headed to the police station, where she began looking through old mugshots in search of the man she'd seen at the Widow's Web.

Ruby eventually caught up. "How is she?" Yang asked immediately.

"She's gotten through the worst," Ruby answered, sitting sullenly across from her sister. "She was... really close to a lethal dose." She raised her left hand, her thumb and forefinger an inch apart. "I would ask who could do something like this, but... I have a feeling I know already."

"Tyrian Callows," Yang answered, finding the picture in her book and turning it around for her sister to see. "He killed Miltia, too."

"I know him," Ruby nodded. "He's a very dangerous criminal, and he's got his fingers in just about every pie you could think of. Remember I told you how I met Oscar? He was doing a sting operation on one of Tyrian's businesses, but got caught. I went in to help, ended up fighting him, and... well, long story short, I cut his stinger off. I guess he hasn't forgiven me yet."

Yang pursed her lips- this wasn't what she'd had in mind when she imagined Ruby telling her the rest of that story.

Ruby nodded, her eyes vacant. "You get it, right? He was going to kill me, using Weiss as bait. This... it's all my fault. None of this would have happened if I hadn't gone out of my jurisdiction. Did things I shouldn't have done- broke the Hunter's code. And now... Weiss is paying for my mistakes."

"But you've already fixed it!" Yang countered- she was not going to let her sister beat herself up over this. "You got her back, and she's gonna be okay!"

"You think this is the first time, Yang?" Ruby asked, her silver eyes glistening with hurt. "Weiss isn't the first person I cared for to suffer because of me. I should have learned my lesson already... but here we are."

"Yes, here we are- making sure Weiss is here, not at the Widow's Web getting doped up by a bunch of freaks."

Ruby didn't answer, simply looking down at her hands. Yang smiled. "Ruby, you're the best huntress- the best law enforcer- I've ever seen. Not saying that just because you're my sister- you're blowing a lot of the people I've worked with before out of the water. But... sometimes you think too much."

Ruby smiled wanly. "That... sure sounds like something you'd say."

XXXX

Ruby was relieved when she returned to the Austin Hotel to find it empty. She entered the Gold Room and deposited the case of ransom money on a table just as Willow Schnee entered. "Ms. Rose- I got your call." Her face paled when she saw the briefcase. "What happened?"

"I saved Weiss without giving them the money," Ruby explained emotionlessly.

Willow smiled. "Well, that certainly worked out for the-"

Ruby interrupted. "The kidnappers had her at a brothel just over the border- the Widow's Web."

Willow's face returned to its pale state. "No!"

"Looks like the managers were in on the scheme," Ruby nodded.

Willow's eyes narrowed. "Tell me you arrested them."

Ruby shook her head. "They're dead- courtesy of Tyrian Callows."

Willow bit her tongue. "Did you catch him?"

"Sorry- can't say we did."

Willow sighed, turning her attention to the case. "Well, that's unfortunate. However, everything else seems to be accounted for."

"Weiss is at the Library- recovering from a drug overdose," Ruby reported, carefully gauging Willow's reaction.

Her reaction was the appropriate horror. "Drug overdose?!"

"She's going to be okay," Ruby assured her.

"...Can I see her?"

"For now, I'd give her some time to rest," Ruby instructed. "I'll take you to her in the morning."

"Of course," Willow sighed in resignation. "And thank you... for bringing my daughter back to me."

"Good night," Ruby bid farewell before turning and loping back to her room, leaving Willow alone with her money.

XXXX

Steering Adam's wheelchair through his house was proving to be more difficult than Cardin had previously expected- he could scarcely move a single foot without bumping into something, causing Adam's head to flop about listlessly. Velvet and her insurance agent watched with mild concern as he finally arrived in the kitchen and steered him up to the table.

"Poor bastard's really gone," Ms. Insurance Agent muttered, wide-eyed as she spied him. "I must say, I admire you two for standing by Mr. Taurus in his time of need like this. You could have just taken the easy way out, sent him to a home."

"What can I say?" Cardin forced a lopsided smirk. "Adam's... special to us."

"He must be," Ms. Insurance Agent agreed. "In-home care has been known to work miracles. I'm sure he'll benefit enormously simply from being among his loved ones!"

"That's... certainly our hope!" Velvet smiled through gritted teeth.

"Do you intend to hire help, full or part-time?"

"Not as of yet," Velvet denied. "Cardin and I will likely be here full-time."

Ms. Insurance Agent grinned. "I truly admire your dedication. Everything looks in order here, so... Ms. Scarlatina, your check!"

"Thank you!" Velvet smiled... until she looked at the check itself. "Excuse me, ma'am... I think there's been a mistake."

Cardin quickly jaunted over to take a look for himself. "...Seven hundred lien?"

"It's very sad," Ms. Insurance Agent agreed, nodding in faux-sympathy. "Cost of health care is really skyrocketing."

"You're fuckin' tellin' me! It's supposed to be five thousand!"

"Well-" Ms. Insurance Agent seemed to lose some of her confidence beneath Cardin's glare, "-between taxes and equipment fees, medical and maintenance costs, administrative fees-"

She continued backing away as Cardin advanced menacingly. "I mean-" she continued to babble, "- you see the results! But- er, fortunately, with you two caring for him, I'm sure he'll be provided for just as well!"

Cardin crossed his arms. Ms. Insurance Agent gulped. "I'll... find my own way out!"

And soon enough, she was gone.

Velvet immediately turned to Cardin. "I'm going to have to quit my job at Coco's, Cardin! How am I supposed to make it on this?"

Cardin bit his lip. "I... don't know."

"You don't know? This was all your idea!"

"Sorry, Velvet, but this is a curveball for me, too!" Cardin barked, turning away from her and beginning to pace. "This'll take some thinking..."

"Think fast," Velvet ordered. Her voice was growing stern, but she faltered when she heard a faint groaning noise- a noise that seemed to be coming from Adam.

Cardin's reaction told her it wasn't just her- he turned to face the bull faunus with wide eyes.

But stare at them all they did, that was the only sound he made all day.

XXXX

It was still early morning when Sun rushed into the police station to tell them about the incident with Penny.

"Sun, we already have Jaune's journal," Yang pointed out.

"He had another one," Sun explained. "A secret journal."

"And he gave it to... Pippi Polendina?"

"Penny," Sun corrected, perhaps a little more forcefully than he'd intended. "Penny Polendina."

"...Why?"

"I don't know," Sun admitted. "She never really said. I mean, I'm guessing it was to keep it hidden."

Yang nodded, though she still seemed skeptical. "Did she actually show you the journal?"

"No," Sun acknowledged, "but I got a good look at it. It had his name, and it was his handwriting. Believe me, it was the real thing."

Sun leaned forward. "...Are you and Pyrrha up to something?"

"No!" Sun exclaimed. "Pyrrha's got nothing to do with this!"

"You've gotta admit, Sun, you've led us on chases like this before," Yang pointed out. "And last time, Dr. Oobleck paid the price."

"I want what you want," Sun stated firmly, leaning forward to meet her eyes in full. "For Jaune's killer to be found."

Yang maintained eye contact for a full minute before raising her arms. "Alright, have it your way. I'll send Ren over to have a look. But I can't promise anything."

"EXCUSE ME, I'M LOOKING FOR A SHERIFF YANG XIAO LONG!"

Yang blinked as she looked into the hallway. "In here!" she called.

The shouter circled back, peering in- even only a few feet away from her, she continued shouting. "EXCUSE ME, YOUNG WOMAN, BUT I'M LOOKING FOR SHERIFF YANG XIAO LONG!"

"Yeah, that's... that's me!" Yang nodded, raising her voice as well.

The shouter was an odd woman- short, and on the old side- her long black hair had several streaks of grey. However, the thing that immediately caught Yang's eye was... well, the woman's eyes. They were silver, and while there were a few more cataracts, in her youth, they must have been the same shade of silver as Ruby's.

"HUNTER'S GUILD, DIRECTOR MARIA CALAVERA!" the woman introduced herself. "A MOUTHFUL, I KNOW, BUT I CAN'T HEAR MYSELF ANYWAYS. RUBY ROSE ANSWERS TO ME."

"Oh- pleased to meet you!" Yang smiled, leaping to her feet and shaking this woman's hand.

"I'D LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU A MOMENT, IF I MAY."

"Oh, right- er, Sun, wait here, would ya?"

She stepped outside and closed the door.

"NOW, WHO DID YOU SAY YOU WERE, YOUNG LADY?" Maria asked.

Yang rolled her eyes. "Sheriff Yang Xiao Long."

"OH, GOOD! I WAS LOOKING FOR YOU! MAY I ASK YOU TO SPEAK UP? MY HEARING'S BEEN GONE FOR A GOOD LONG WHILE NOW- LONG STORY. YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED MY HEARING AID- CRANKED UP TO THE MAX."

Yang sighed, and raised her voice. "ARE YOU LOOKING FOR RUBY?"

"ABSOLUTELY- WHEN A HUNTER GOES DOWN IN THE FIELD, I PAY THEM A VISIT."

"Well, she's not here right now."

"WINTER SCHNEE ISN'T COMING BACK- SHE GAVE ME THE LAB REPORT TO PASS ON. ITEM 1- SHE FOUND FIBERS FROM A VICUNA COAT OUTSIDE RUBY'S ROOM."

"A... Vicuna coat?" Yang repeated- for some reason, that tickled her memory.

"I APPRECIATE THE OFFER, SHERIFF, BUT I JUST ATE," Maria politely declined. "ITEM 2- AN ANALYSIS OF MR. TORCHWICK'S MEDICINE. IT'S VERY UNIQUE, VERY BIZARRE. CORE COMPONENT IS A PLANT CALLED LUSUS NATURAE."

"Anything else?"

"PAPERS! PAPERS FOUND NEAR THE BLOODY TOWEL DOWN THE TRACKS FROM THE MURDER SCENE! THEY WERE FROM A JOURNAL!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

Yang looked up to see Fox dragging Torchwick through the station. Maria's face lit up. "AH! SPEAK OF THE DEVIL! WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT YOU, MR. TORCHWICK!"

"About what?!" Torchwick snarled. "What am I in for? I'm a shoe salesman, for chrissakes!"

"You're not in for anything," Yang attempted to calm him. "We just need to ask a few questions. Doesn't even need to be the interrogation room- we can talk in my office."

She moved to lead the way, internally sighing when Maria didn't move. "MY OFFICE!"

"RIGHT!"

Maria fell into line behind them, leaving Sun to peek his head out of the room, wondering what was going on.

XXXX

"She looks like an angel," Willow smiled when she saw her daughter, safe and sound in the Library. For the first time in years, it wasn't a self-satisfied smirk, but a true, from the heart smile. She crossed to the bed and gently shook her. "Weiss?"

Weiss awoke and groggily rolled over to see Ruby and Willow standing over her.

"Thank God," Willow sighed. "Thank God. I was so worried about you!"

"Oh, were you?" Weiss asked, unable to summon the energy to put vindictiveness into her voice.

"Worried sick," Willow nodded. "It's... times like these that make one aware of the true value of life."

"I've become aware of many things myself," Weiss agreed.

"Perhaps you can tell me later," Willow decided. "First, we need to get you home- nice, save, and warm in your own bed. You've had a terrible experience among terrible people. I don't like to think about the things you must have seen."

"I saw quite a bit," Weiss agreed.

"We'll take care of everything," Willow assured her. "You and I... together."

"...I'm sure we will."

"A true Schnee," Willow grinned, rising to her feet. "I'll get her to my car, take her home now."

"Mother?" Weiss piped up. "If it's all the same to you, I'd actually prefer to be taken home by Ms. Rose."

Ruby winced internally, while Willow's eyes briefly widened- then went back to normal. "Very well. Perhaps we can go together."

It wasn't what Weiss had been hoping for, but she sensed it was the best she was going to get.

XXXX

"YATSY, I'M HOME!" Neon crowed as she skipped into her house. "I found the coolest clothes out there, you've got to see them! And they didn't even think about charging the card! Say, Yats, when are my parents getting back, anyway?"

"...Pretty soon," Yats decided- thank god for his usual stoic nature.

"Cool, cool. It's so neat having the place to ourselves!" Neon skipped over to the couch and began jumping on it. "Y'know, just pretend it's ours! We could even pretend we're married!"

Yats exhaled through his nose in amusement. "That sounds perfectly doable. Now, Neon-"

"Yeah, I can think of other things that are 'perfectly doable' too!" Neon laughed.

Yats decided to play coy. "Such as?"

"Oh, you know, silly!"

She delivered a punch to his arm that was no doubt meant to be playful, but in practice, sent Yats sprawling onto the sofa, struggling not to cry out, as Neon continued to prance around.

"I had an idea- maybe tonight, we could go up to the lake and- WAIT A MINUTE!"

Yats's eyes bugged out as Neon leapt onto him, crouching like a bizarre animal. "We don't haveta go anywhere, do we? We can do anything we want here!"

Yats had never been so panicked to receive a kiss before.

XXXX

Blake kept her eyes on Yuma as he pored through her things. "You've been doing well for yourself, Blake- crystal earrings, Mistralian perfume, fancy coats..."

"Feel free to leave when you're done analyzing everything," Blake scoffed.

Yuma smirked as he produced a piece of paper and tossed it on her. "Here, have a one-way ticket. Vytal City to South Menagerie."

"I don't have to go- not yet," Blake countered. "I still have one more day."

"Take what you can fit into your suitcases," Yuma fired back. "We're leaving tonight."

"I don't have the insurance money yet!" Blake pointed out, standing to meet him eye-to-eye. "And I still don't have the money from the Schnees. After five years, do you really want everything to go to waste?"

"Forget about the Schnees," Yuma scoffed. "Anything you miss out on, Sienna will repay."

"You're not making me leave, Yuma!" Blake growled.

"You need to be more adaptable," Yuma smiled- as he wrapped his hands around her throat.

Blake refused to appear fazed. "This wasn't the arrangement."

Yuma abandoned his friendly facade. "Let me put it this way, Blake. You're coming with me tonight, or I'll tell Sheriff Xiao Long everything about you... and then I'll kill her."

"Leave her out of this! She doesn't know anything!" Blake hissed, her ears flattening.

"The plane... or it doesn't matter."

XXXX

As the sun climbed high into the sky, Jacob found himself at Haven Park, gazing into the river's water, going over the events of the past few days on a loop in his head.

It was no surprise to him when he heard a motorcycle approaching, and even less when Pyrrha stepped off and sat down beside him. "...Hey."

"Hello again. I... I believe I owe you an apology."

"Nah, I wouldn't say so."

"No, I do. I... I looked at you, and I couldn't see the real you, I could only see-"

"Jaune?" Jacob guessed. "Yeah, kinda figured that out. If it's any consolation, you weren't the only one. And... I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it... in some weird way. He and I were best friends growing up. We were like twins- I could almost feel his thoughts. I already told you how I felt the night he died- way before I knew it actually happened. And then, before I could even wrap my head around it, it was like this town reached out, asking me to be the new Jaune. I'd be lying if... if I tried to say I didn't like the way you looked at me."

"That doesn't make it right," Pyrrha shook her head. "It... doesn't make it right for me to force that on you."

"It wasn't all good or all bad," Jacob reflected. "It was... the chance to be somebody else. But that time's over- it's time to go back to being Jacob Arc."

He turned to smile at her. "I saw it from the beginning, you know- it's supposed to be you and Sun, not me. Everything I can't give you, he can."

Pyrrha nodded. "It's... been difficult. When you truly love someone, you can feel this light shining within you. It's the greatest I've ever felt, but... it can't be maintained. Not forever."

"I think it can," Jacob speculated.

"Well, it would be nice," Pyrrha nodded. "And... maybe I'm willing to try."

"You do that," Jacob smiled. "As for me... it's about time I go home. I came here for Jaune's funeral, and it's been a ride, but come tomorrow night... I'll be on my way back to Argus."

"Time to say goodbye?" Pyrrha asked.

"For now... I guess so. But I won't let it be forever, so just... see you around, Pyr."

Jacob gave that Arc-brand winning smile of his as he rose to his feet and headed back towards his car.

XXXX

Willow was surprised to see Blake entering her office, but poured them each a drink anyways. "To the fire," she proposed. Blake did not go along with her toast.

Willow rolled her eyes. "Okay, out with it- to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I've got the contract with Tai's signature," Blake declared. "It's time for you to hold up your end of the deal- where's my money?"

Willow sighed deeply. "Blake, I'm sure I don't need to point out the complicated nature of our situation at the moment? Do you wish me to grant you money I do not have?"

"You're a Schnee," Blake scoffed. "Pay out of pocket if you must!"

"Would that it were so simple," Willow snorted derisively. "I will get your money to you once all payments with the Atlesians have gone through."

"I'm not leaving this office until I have my money," Blake stood firm.

"Unwilling to negotiate, hmm? My, if I didn't know better, I'd say you're under pressure."

"I'm not in the mood to play games," Blake snarled.

"You want to talk about games?" Willow scoffed, reaching into her desk and producing a small key. "This key unlocks my personal hotel safe, inside of which is a full dossier on you, and the accident with your parents. If you don't toe the line, I will not have a second's hesitation in burying you!"

"Fascinating," Blake smirked, reaching into a pocket to produce a key of her own. "It just so happens that, if anything happens to me, it will lead Ruby Rose to a certain safety deposit box containing enough evidence to lock you and your husband away for several lifetimes. Wouldn't that be an interesting twist of fate- the Schnees buried in the same grave as a faunus?"

Willow's eyes widened, and she broke into a smirk to match Blake's own. "Well, it appears we have reached a stalemate."

"Indeed- and it's your move."

Willow schemed for a moment, then snapped the fingers of her free hand. "By sheer happenstance... I can accommodate you."

She sat at her desk and wrote a check. "This money was intended for me, from a Kirigiri bank for five million lien- but I am willing to hand it to you as a sign of good faith."

In one motion, Blake grabbed the check, and Willow grabbed the contract.

"And with that... we're done," Blake decided.

"...Well played," Willow chuckled as Blake made her exit.

XXXX

Night fell to Cardin and Velvet throwing a party, including putting a party hat and sunglasses on Adam, and sticking a kazoo in his mouth. Velvet watched, holding back laughter, as Cardin paraded around him, playing For He's a Jolly Good Fellow on another kazoo.

He tossed her a beer, and they knocked their cans together. "To Adam!"

Cardin began talking to Adam, chuckling all the while. "So, Adam, with you getting out and everything, we kinda sorta figured- ah, what the hell, you deserve a party. Our way of saying, 'Welcome home!'"

"Welcome home, darling!" Velvet giggled, sprawling herself over the table.

"Because you're a special guy," Cardin continued, patting him roughly on the shoulder. "We wanted to show you we haven't forgotten all the great stuff you've done. Exhibit A- Velvet!"

He kissed her upside down before continuing. "Who could have asked for a more caring, thoughtful husband? Making her clean up after you all the time- all your dirty clothes and dishes, mopping your floors- pure class act!" He booped Adam on the nose as Velvet giggled- she was already rather tipsy.

"Class act!"

"Oh, and the abuse!" Cardin pressed forward. "Soap in a sock? Genius! That's a guy I want to party with! Internal injuries and barely abused! And lest we forget, Adam Taurus- wife murderer! Hanging her up like a piece of meat and leaving her to burn- how could anyone say you don't know how to treat a woman?"

Cardin picked Velvet up and carried her to a counter, where she took a seat, still beaming.

"You ask me, Adam, you've gotten everything you deserve," he smirked, picking up Velvet again and carrying her back to the table, getting on top of her and beginning to forcefully kiss her.

Velvet reciprocated initially- until she glanced to the side and saw Adam's head move, just an inch.

She screamed, struggling- Cardin hopped off of her, and she immediately got as far away from Adam as she could. "He moved!" she screamed. "Cardin... I don't like this. This is creepy, I don't like this!"

Cardin looked at Adam closely- he couldn't tell if it was their imagination, but his head did seem to have moved, if only slightly. "Okay, alright, Vel- maybe you're right. I mean, I obviously don't wanna exploit him or nuthin'. Sorry, Adam- I guess we got a little carried away. No need to... make all this harder than it needs to be."

He moved back to the table and began pulling Adam's party gear off. "I mean, the doc said you needed familiar stimulus, so we figured... what the hell. Kazoos.

"Serious, Adam- Velvet and me are gonna do everything we ca to keep you safe and happy."

A light bulb seemed to appear over his head. "Oh, right, cake! You want some cake?" He rushed to the counter and placed a cake on the table, before rushing to grab the ice cream. He patted Adam's shoulder- unwittingly sending him face-first into the cake.

Velvet gasped, not seeing the pat. "Cardin!"

Cardin turned and gasped, rushing over and pulling him back out. "Oh, Adam! Oh, geez! You... uh, you should be more careful! Can't go diving in like that. Hey... at least we didn't light the candles yet!"

Velvet couldn't fight back one last giggle.

XXXX

Maria remained absolutely silent in the police station's lobby- just out of sight of the entrance. Nevertheless, when Ruby entered, the first thing she did was snap and point directly at her, bringing a smile to the older woman's face.

"RUBY ROSE!" she greeted, pulling herself to her full height.

"Maria!" Ruby beamed, hugging her briefly. "Hope you haven't been waiting too long!"

"I DIDN'T JUST GET HERE, I'VE BEEN WAITING ALL AFTERNOON!"

Ruby laughed. "WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU, MARIA?"

"DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT, RUBES, NO APOLOGY NECESSARY! GAVE ME A CHANCE TO MEET THESE FINE POLICE OFFICERS! THEY'RE ALL WONDERFUL! AND YOU, RUBES- YOU REMIND ME OF A SMALL CHIHUAHUA!"

Even Ruby seemed surprised by this, but before she could ask, Maria continued. "I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU IN PRIVATE FOR A MOMENT, RUBES."

"OH, OF COURSE!" Ruby nodded. "Hey, Yang, can we use your office?"

"YOU MIGHT ASK YOUR SISTER IF WE CAN USE HER OFFICE!"

The sisters exchanged eyerolls. "Go ahead," Yang blessed them.

Ruby sighed, and gave Maria a thumbs up, which she gleefully returned.

As soon as the door closed, Maria began. "I BELIEVE IN SECRECY, RUBES! I'LL MAKE THIS FAST, I DIDN'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING IN FRONT OF THE MEN! FIRST OFF, IS THIS A WHITE ROSE CASE?"

Ruby thought for a moment. "Hard to say, Maria, but it definitely looks like the case Amber was working last year."

"I THOUGHT SO," Maria nodded. "WINTER FILLED ME IN ON THE DETAILS. SHE ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT YOU MAY BE GETTING IN OVER YOUR HEAD! AS A SURROGATE MOTHER, OF SORTS, I FEEL CONCERNED FOR YOU!"

"There's no need to worry about me," Ruby insisted.

"SHE FEELS THIS MAY BECOME A REPEAT OF THE HOPE'S PEAK INCIDENT- I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN! UNDERSTAND?"

"Hope's Peak was completely different," Ruby shook her head.

Maria adjusted her hearing aid, prompting Ruby to speak up. "HOPE'S PEAK WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT- I WAS WOUNDED, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S THE SAME!"

"YOU DEFINITELY LOOK ALRIGHT!" Maria agreed. "YOU COULD CATCH UP ON YOUR SLEEP, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT. BUT I SUPPOSE THAT RESTLESS NIGHTS AND UNEASY DREAMS COME WITH THE TERRITORY!"

"What can I say, there's work to do," Ruby shrugged. "Don't worry, though, I'm up to it!" She flashed the okay hand sign to emphasize how good she was.

Maria smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "I'M PROUD OF YOU, RUBES."

"Thanks- but what's this about a chihuahua?"

"FORGET THE CHIHUAHUA!" Maria ordered. "WE'VE GOT OTHER PROBLEMS! AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, TWO AND TWO DON'T ALWAYS EQUAL FOUR!"

The door creaked open behind them, and Yang stepped in. "We just thought you oughtta know, we can hear everything you two are saying."

"We're through the- er, confidential stuff," Ruby muttered through her facepalm. "Come on in."

"WHY NOT INVITE HER IN, WE'RE THROUGH THE CONFIDENTIAL STUFF!"

Yang rolled her eyes as Maria produced an envelope. "THIS ANONYMOUS LETTER WAS SENT TO THE GUILD- THE ONLY ADDRESS WAS YOUR NAME! LOOKS FAMILIAR, DOESN'T IT?"

Ruby held the letter as if afraid it would blow up at any moment. She tore it open and unfolded the paper inside.

Pawn to K-4.

"A chess play?" Yang asked inquisitively.

"LOOKS LIKE A CHESS PLAY!" Maria put in helpfully.

"An opening move from Emerald Sustrai," Ruby whispered gravely. She glanced at Maria out of the corner of her eye. "EMERALD SUSTRAI."

Maria nodded. "WE'LL HAVE TO WATCH YOUR BACK FROM NOW ON," she determined.

XXXX

That night, Willow welcomed Nichole into her office. "Thank you for coming, Nichole. With Jacques still out of town, I need all the help I can get. Allow me to say that... I've become rather more sympathetic to your situation in the past few days."

"Thank you, Willow," Nichole smiled, sitting down on the sofa, just under the white weasel. "And the confidence- I really appreciate it all."

"Were it not for your indictment, I'd be fully willing to return you to full duty," Willow nodded. "For now, my prime concern is... are you okay?"

"Absolutely," Nichole nodded. Perhaps she'd have sounded more convincing if she hadn't taken the weasel off its natural position and begun stroking it as if it were alive.

Willow ignored the odd behavior. "We've taken a payment from the Atlesians for Hienton, but now we've got a group from Anima looking to get involved. That's actually where Jacques is now. It falls to me to take their representative to dinner. Our goal is to buy some time for Jacques to conduct as thorough an investigation as he can."

Nichole snapped her fingers. "Step one- resurvey the land. There was just a fire, after all. Make as big a deal as you can- inspectors, government from as many levels as you can get- anything until Jacques gets back. Bounce some money back and forth between dummy corporations, worst come to worst, have some drama with one of those companies contesting the contracts- play it right, you could even come out a hero."

Willow's eyes widened, then she smirked. Then, she laughed. "Now, that is the woman I remember!"

XXXX

Yang headed to the Haven Inn- she had to move quick, they'd be interrogating Torchwick soon. She arrived to find a bat faunus helping Blake pack her things. "Blake?"

"Oh, Yang!" Blake greeted, eyes wide. "I don't think you've met my assistant, have you? Mr. Fajardo?"

"Pleased to meet you," Fajardo nodded, shaking her hand. "I'll get these cases to the car."

"What's going on?" Yang asked as soon as he was out of earshot.

"I'm leaving," Blake explained regretfully.

"Where? Why?" Yang asked, panic rising within her.

Blake looked up at her sadly. "Yang..."

"Blake?" Yang approached her and caressed her face.

"I want... to stay here, with you, and be everything you want me to be."

"Then stay!" Yang pleaded.

"The mill is gone," Blake shook her head. "I sold the land... it's over. I'm going back to Menagerie."

More out of desperation than anything, Yang pulled Blake into a kiss- a kiss only broken when Fajardo reentered.

"I'm sorry," Blake apologized one last time. "Please... don't think badly of me."

"One more minute alone, if you would, Mr. Fajardo," Yang more ordered than requested. Fajardo shrugged, then turned back around.

"Blake... you can't leave!"

"Are you saying that as the sheriff?"

"No."

Tears began to leak from Blake's eyes. "It's best if you... forget about me."

"But I love you!"

Blake had been heading to the door, but this prompted her to turn around. They made eye contact, tears in both eyes... then Blake turned again, and was gone.

XXXX

"So, Mr. Wu Ya, would you like an after dinner drink?" Willow offered in the Gold Room, as a man played violin on a small stage.

"No... thank you. You have my check for five million. I have nothing. Why?"

Willow took a deep breath. "Well, Mr. Ya, I know so little about you. This is a small community- I must be careful, and sensitive to local concerns. Particularly the impact that this project will have."

Wu Ya's eyes narrowed. "You waste my time. We will withdraw."

Damage control time. "Please, Mr. Ya, I must ask you to consider my position. The fire at the mill created several unforeseen consequences- physical, psychic, and financial. As a civic leader of this community, it is my duty to help foster the healing process."

Wu Ya leaned forward, a very unamused look upon his face. "I know about fire. My parents died at Kuroyuri."

A grimace crossed Willow's face- Kuroyuri, the Animanian city destroyed by the Nuckelevee- the first and only nuclear bomb deployed in war.

"I am very sorry," she whispered.

"Sisters, sisters!

There were never such devoted sisters!"

Willow groaned- it seemed Nichole was having another episode, seizing the microphone on stage. "Excuse me," she whispered to Wu Ya as she headed up to try and stop her. Wu Ya, meanwhile, crossed to the bar.

Nichole did not stop when Willow confronted her- instead, she pulled Willow into her song.

Sisters, sisters!

There were never such devoted sisters!

Never had to have a chaperon, no sir!

I'm here to keep my eye on her!

Caring, sharing!

Every little thing that we are wearing!

When a certain gentleman arrives from Rome,

She wore the dress and I stayed home!

All kinds of weather,

We stick together,

Thesame in the rain or sun!

Two different faces,

But in tight places,

We think and we act as one!

Those who've seen us

Know that not a thing can come between us!

Many men have tried to split us up but nobody can!

Lord help the mister

Who comes between me and my sister!

And Lord help the sister who comes between me and my man!

"White Christmas!" Tai chuckled, turning from his position at the bar. He smiled at Wu Ya. "You like musicals?"

Wu Ya was oddly stiff as he turned to meet Tai. "No."

"Not even Chess? Some of the best music I've ever heard right there."

"I am a survivor- I find adherence to fantasy troubling... and unreasonable."

"If you say so," Tai shrugged. Abruptly, he narrowed his eyes at Wu Ya, as if he'd just come to a major revelation. "You're... not from around here, are you?"

"...No."

"Can I buy you a sake?"

"...No, thank you."

Tai shrugged, and gave it a moment before turning back. "How about some nice cold milk?"

XXXX

"Okay, deal!" Torchwick more asked than anything- he seemed to be growing desperate. "I'll tell you anything you want, just give me my medicine! I can feel him coming!"

"Him?" Yang asked.

"LUSUS NATURAE!" Maria reiterated.

Ruby's eyes widened. "Roman, do you suffer from schizophrenia? Dissociative Identity Disorder?"

Torchwick groaned, seemingly fighting some great internal battle. "Too late... too late!"

Ruby narrowed her eyes and produced a sketch of Cindy. "You do know this woman!"

"Not me, don't you get it! It wasn't me!"

"This is torture!" Yang crossed her arms. "Just give him his medicine!"

"Not yet!" Ruby denied.

"WE GIVE HIM HIS MEDICINE, RUBES, WE DON'T GET TO SEE THE OTHER SIDE!"

Torchwick screamed, and began thrashing around as if having a seizure. It took Ren and Fox working together to keep him in his seat.

"That's it!" Yang growled, prepared to wrestle Maria if need be. "I'm taking over- give him the medicine!"

"No!" Ruby shouted, but another, calmer voice intervened as well.

"That will not be necessary, Ms. Xiao Long- I am not in pain."

As sudden as the seizure had begun, it had ended. Torchwick was sitting upright, head leaning on his hand as if everything was perfectly normal. The oddest thing, however, was in his eyes- they had shifted from a vibrant green to a far duller, muted shade.

"Who are you?" Ruby demanded.

Torchwick turned to her. "My name is Arthur."

"And... what are you?"

"An inhabiting spirit."

Ruby tilted her head. "And Torchwick?"

"My vessel," Arthur smiled, running a hand along his chest.

Ruby sat across from him, meeting him eye to eye. "You spoke to me, in a dream- you told me about Cindy."

"We were partners, once," Arthur nodded. "How would you say it? She was my... familiar. We lived in a... convenience store. Yes, those are your words. We lived above it."

"The hell do you mean?" Yang demanded- she had gotten over the initial shock and was now just as invested as Ruby in getting some answers.

Arthur smiled up at her. "I mean it like it is, like it sounds."

"You lived in the convenience store," Ruby brushed aside, "but where did you come from?"

"Oh... that's more than I can say right now," Arthur shook his head. "Even if I could... I doubt you'd understand."

"Okay, then what does 'Cindy' want?" Yang demanded.

Arthur chuckled. "She is Cindy, eager for fun. She wears a smile... everybody run."

Ruby stared firmly into his eyes- his smile disappeared. "Do you understand the parasite? A loathsome creature, latching itself to a lifeform to feed. Like me, Cindy requires a human host. Through them, she feeds on fear... and the pleasures. I worked with her once... our pact was marked upon my left shoulder."

He began to recite his poem- Ruby joined him, as they chanted in unison,

Through the darkness of future past,

The Magician longs to see.

One chants out between two worlds,

'Fire, walk with me.'

Arthur smiled, nodding, and eventually, that smile broke into a grin. "Oh, but then, I saw the face of God, and was purified! I broke the pact- took off the arm. But still, I remained close to this vessel, stepping in from time to time, for one single purpose!"

"To find Cindy?" Ruby guessed.

Arthur slammed his fist upon the sketch. "To STOP HER! This... this is her true face, but few can see it." He looked Ruby in the eyes. "The gifted..."

He then leaned back, gazing up at something none of the others could see. "-and the damned."

"Is she near us now?" Ruby asked.

"She's been here for fifty years now," Arthur nodded.

"Where is she?" Yang demanded.

Arthur raised his eyes heavenward, closing them. "Hmm... she is... in a large house made of wood, surrounded by trees. Filled with many rooms, each alike, but occupied by different souls, night after night."

"Austin!" Ruby gasped, looking up at the others. "Cinder is at the Austin Hotel!"

XXXX

Please R&R, constructive criticism, theories, and guesses welcome, Gamer4 out.