"I Still Can't Believe You Did That." Scythle whispered to her sister as the group sans Blake picked at their breakfast. "After Everything I Said About Getting Back On Junior's Good Side, You Just Go Behind My Back And Ruin It."

"I said I was sorry." Ruby whispered back. "And it's not like you need him anymore. You're not a criminal, remember?"

"But Still." Scythle said before shoving a piece of pancake into her mouth. "Hmmhmmf-Hm-Hm-Hmmhmm."

"Eh, what?"

Scythle swallowed the wad of food in her mouth before giving her sister a scowl. "I Said It Took A Lot Of Work."

"Eh, he didn't give us what we wanted anyway." Yang shrugged. "Why should he get everything he wants?"

"Eh, I Guess Your Right." Scythle shrugged, taking another bite of her meal before looking back at the girls next to her. "By-The-By, Why Are You Guys In Those Things?"

"Hm, what do you mean?" Ruby asked as she, Yang, and Weiss looked down at their clothes, the same outfits they usually wore. The only exception was Ruby, who was still wearing her sister's cloak after Scythle took hers. "This is what we normally wear."

"Yeah, But We Had An Entire Section Where We Got New Outfits." Scythle said as she sat up, gesturing to her purple corset and black skirt. "It Was Kinda Tricky For The Author To Figure Out How To Describe Them Without Hitting Pause On The Story."

"We only needed those for our outing." Weiss stated, gesturing to the girl with the apple in her hand.

"Why?" Scythle asked. "Blake I Get, She Was Going Undercover; But Why Did You All Pick Out New Threads?"

The three girls beside her all shared a look before Yang and Weiss directed their attention away from the former criminal. "We felt kind of left out." Ruby admitted with an embarrassed shrug.

Scythle rolled her eyes as she took another bite of her breakfast, letting her eyes wander across the crowd before spotting familiar mint hair. A smile spread across her face as she saw Emerald appear from the crowd before she jumped out of her seat and wiped a napkin across her mouth. "Well, Girls, Thanks For Establishing The Scene." Scythle said before darting off.

Emerald smiled as she saw Scythle running up to her, and opened her arms before Scythle hugged her waist and lifted her up, spinning the girl around. "And How Are You This Morning, My Precious Gemstone?" Scythle asked as she held the girl against her, feeling Emerald close her legs around the other girl's waist.

"Perfect now." Emerald giggled as Scythle lowered her before the two brought their mouths together. Mercury and Neesha rolled their eyes at the display before Scythle placed her girlfriend on her feet. The two refused to let go of the other, however, holding their girlfriend against themselves as they nuzzled their cheeks together. "So I take it this means your team bonding is over?"

"Just Finished Last Night." Scythle said as she began guiding the girl to her table. "Once Class Gets Out, It's Officially Emmy-Day. Who Do You Have Today Anyway?"

"Someone named, 'Goodwitch.'" Emerald answered. "I think she's like the disciplinary or something."

"You Mean Glynda Goodwitch?" Scythle asked, earning a nod before her smile brightened. "That's Our Class Today Too!"

"Really?" Emerald asked as she and Scythle sat down next to each other. "Finally, we can spend some more time together."

"I Know." Scythle said as Emerald scooted into her lap. "Hey, How's About During A Match, We Sneak Out To The Restroom And-"

"Hey," The group heard a voice call out, glancing over to see Blake approach them. "Sorry I took so long, I lost track of time last night and needed a bit more sleep."

"Eh, It's Fine, Blake." Scythle said as she and Emerald began eating their breakfast. "I Mean, Name One Person Who Doesn't Forget The Weekend Is Ending."

"Right." Blake silently nodded before grabbing Scythle's shoulder, pulling the girl's attention away from her girlfriend. "Hey, after class, how about we take the team into town? A new book just released and I want to get it while I still can."

"Eh, That Sounds Like You Can Do It Alone." Scythle said, letting Emerald take a bite of her pancake. "And I Kinda Promised Emmy-"

"Come on, Scythle, you'll like it." Blake said. "They have a lot of interesting stuff there. I'm sure you'll find something you like."

"Unless it's comic books, they don't have any." Emerald said.

"It's okay, this book is pretty much like a comic." Blake continued. "It's about this group of girls who are trying to stop a terrorist group from attacking the kingdom of Vale."

"… Eh, Not Interested." Scythle shrugged at Blake's obvious change of tone. "Hits A Bit Too Close To-" Scythle's words got caught in her throat as she realized what Blake actually wanted. "Oh, You… You Mean That Book." Blake gave Scythle a slow nod, confirming the girl's suspicion before Scythle let out a sigh.

"Alright, Then." Scythle said, causing the green-haired girl's eyes to widen. "Sorry, Emmy, But I Guess Team Bonding Is Going A Little Longer." Scythle nuzzled herself against her girlfriend's cheek, wrapping her arms around Emerald's waist again. "Next Time, I Promise."

"… Alright." Emerald nodded before Scythle gave the girl a quick, sweet kiss.


"First Floor Restrooms, Cafeteria, And Now The Combat Arena!" Scythle ranted, letting out a growl as the rest of team RWBYS followed Blake down the streets of Vale. "Am I A Student Or A Janitor!?"

"Considering what you did to earn this punishment, you should consider yourself lucky." Weiss pointed out.

"Yeah, Yeah, Doesn't Make It Any Less Annoying." Scythle sighed before turning her attention to the raven-haired girl. "So Care To Explain Why You're Actually Dragging Us Out Here?" Scythle asked. "And No, 'You're Jealous Of Me And Emmy,' Isn't A Good Answer. I'm Open To Polygamy."

"It's not like that." Blake said, giving the purple-haired girl a scowl before she began explaining. "You guys remember how I used to be a part of…" Blake quickly glanced around, reminding herself where she was before resuming. "A… Certain group of people?"

"It's Like Your Only Defining Character Trait." Scythle quipped.

"Well, I wasn't the only person who wanted to leave them." Blake continued. "There was a guy named Tukson who helped people who wanted to get out of it. He was the guy who suggested I go to Vale. He even talked about leaving himself."

"So you think he might have a bit more intel for us?" Weiss asked, earning a nod from the black-haired girl.

"Why Didn't You Mention This Guy A Few Chapters Ago?" Scythle asked. "Sounds Like You Could Have Saved Us A Lot Of Work And Get More Out Of It."

"I didn't want to get him involved." Blake answered. "But with how little our investigation has yielded, it doesn't look like we have a choice."

"'Tukson,' 'Tukson,' I think I've heard-" Ruby muttered to herself before her eyes lit up. "Oh, wait, you mean like Tukson's Book Trade? I think I've been there a few times."

"Oh, So You Weren't Lying About The Whole 'Book Store,' Thing." Scythle said to herself.

"You pe-I mean-" Weiss began, shaking her head before she began again. "These people aren't much for subtlety, are they?"

"He didn't go out with the rest of them on missions." Blake explained. "He mostly just handled supplies."

"And Sometimes The Best Place To Hide Is In Plain Sight." Scythle added. "Last Place You'd Ever Think To Look."

"Maybe we can pick up some stuff while we're there." Ruby said, placing a hand on her twin's shoulder. "There are a few series I want to introduce you to."

"I'm… I'm Not Much Of A Reader." Scythle muttered.

"Ah, come on." Ruby began. "You'll like these books, I promise. They're these real fun adventures about-"

"N-No, I…" Scythle began, letting out a sigh as she continued. "I… Kinda Can't Read..."

The group came to a stop as they all looked at Scythle, processing what the girl had just told them, trying to wrap their heads around the statement. "Um… What?" Ruby asked.

"I… I Never Learned How To Read." Scythle admitted. "I Know A Bit, But… It Gets All Confusing And Hard, Especially The Long Words."

"That… Would explain your notes." Weiss stated, thinking back to Scythle's terrible handwriting and how most of her notes were more akin to drawings.

"And your general grades." Blake added.

"How could you have gone this long without learning how to read." Yang asked. "That's… Kind of an important skill to have."

"Most Of My Childhood Was Spent Learning How To Pick Pockets And Rob Stores." Scythle stated. "Then I Became An Assassin To Some Wannabe Kingpin."

"We'll… Get you something out of the easy to read section." Blake suggested as she continued down the sidewalk. "We can figure out the rest from there."

"Yeah, we can teach you." Ruby said. "It can't be that hard."

"For now, let's just focus on getting that-" Blake began as she rounded a corner before her eyes widened as she came to a stop.

Police tape lined the storefront, creating a large, empty area for a group of policemen to walk in and out of. The windows were darkened, reflecting the street back at the girls as the lights from within poured out.

It took Blake a moment to find her breath. She rushed forward, ignoring whatever her teammates were saying as she came up to the yellow tape, looking to the officer with a dark beard as he began to enter the building. "What happened?" Blake asked, distress obvious in her voice. "What's going on here?"

"We got reports of a gunshot three days ago." The man explained. "There weren't any reports of who went in or out, but when we got here…" The man took another look at Blake before letting out a sigh, turning away from her as he continued to the door. "The guy who ran this place is dead."

Blake's eyes widened again before she jumped over the tape, rushing past the man into the store. "Hey, didn't you hear me?" The man asked he grabbed her wrist, trying to pull the girl back. "This is a crime scene!"

"Huntresses-In-Training, Don't Worry." Scythle said, flicking open her Scroll to show the officers her credentials as she pulled the tape over her head. "I'm Pretty Sure We're Allowed In Here." The man looked back at the purple-haired girl, eyes widening as his grip on Blake loosened. Ruby jumped over the line, and the cable between her and her sister pulled through it, ripping the tape before the man grabbed the Scroll in the former criminal's hand.

Blake looked around the store, taken aback by the sight of blood covering the back walls and the white outline of where Tukson's body used to lay. A large, dry red splotch marked where his head had been, and everything on the front desk had been knocked over, with other items scattering the floor.

Scythle leaned over the girl's shoulder, cocking an eyebrow at the outline before looking at the back wall. A hand went around her chin as she went further in, stepping over an evidence indicator as she approached the counter. She stared at the bloodstain before running her eyes along the countertop and then turned to face the front of the store again.

"Do you guys know what happened here?" Ruby asked, looking to a corner to see another policeman.

"Well, at first we thought it was a burglary." The officer explained before gesturing to the counter. "But the money's still in the register, so that's right out."

"… Hmph." Scythle said, looking down at the floor between her and Blake before glancing at the officer. "'Vale's Finest.' You're Really Bad At Your Job. Can Never See The Obvious." Scythle got down on her knees before running a finger along the gunpowder, rubbing it between her fingers.

"…" The officer scowled at the purple-haired girl as he marched towards her. "Kid, I don't need the likes of you telling me how to do my job. Especially not when you're contaminating the crime scene"

Scythle sniffed the powder on her fingers, fighting back the urge to sneeze before giving it a lick. She rolled her eyes around in her sockets as she got back on her feet. "Huntsman Grade Gunpowder." Scythle said to herself. "Pretty Expensive For A Hit And Run." Scythle looked back at the other end of the store, furrowing her brow before turning back to the group. "Did You Dim The Windows?"

"They were like that when we arrived." The policeman answered.

"Figured." Scythle said. "I Think Tukson Knew He Was In Danger And Was Shot Trying To Defend Himself."

"Huh?" Ruby asked as the group cocked an eyebrow at the girl.

"The Windows Were Dimmed, So Whoever Did This Knew What They Were Doing." Scythle explained before pointing to the counter. "The Blood-Splatters Are Mostly On The Ceiling, Which Wouldn't Make Sense With The Bloodstain Indicating He Was Shot In The Face. But There's A Boot Mark On The Counter. I Think Tukson Jumped At His Attacker Only To Get Shot." Scythle turned back to the bloodstains on the ceiling, wrapping her hands around her chin as her brow tightened. "Ah, But That Still Doesn't Explain The Angle. The Attacker Would Need To Be Very Short For It To Work."

"You said you were in training, right?" The bearded officer called from outside the store. "Where's your supervisor?"

"Ma Wha?" Scythle asked, broken out of her contemplation as she turned to the man.

"Your supervisor." The officer repeated. "Huntresses-in-training can only get involved in police investigations if they have a professional Hunter with them."

"… Oh…" Scythle said, looking between the group and the crime scene. "Well Then, Forget Everything I Just Said. I Don't Work For Free."

"Get out of here!"


"Weren't you just talking about how you never learned to read?" Weiss asked as the group walked up the streets once more, heading back to Beacon. "And then you just waltz in there and play junior detective?"

"I've Seen A Lot Of Murder Scenes." Scythle shrugged. "I Know A Thing Or Two About Them. And I Think I Know Who Did It, Too."

"Huh?" The group asked.

"Blake Said Tukson Helped People Escape The White Fang And Was Planning On Leaving." Scythle explained. "And That Was High-Quality Gunpowder. Quite The Coincident, Don't You Think?"

"... My Oum…" Weiss muttered.

"That officer said this happened three days ago…" Blake began. "Did the White Fang go after him because we…"

"… Maybe," Scythle shrugged. "Depends On The Timing." Scythle brought a hand to her chin, tapping her fingernail on her teeth as she scrunched her eyebrows again. "Ah, But I'm Still Bothered By The Angle. Do You Know Anyone In The White Fang That Short?"

"No," Blake shook her head. "But I didn't know everyone."

"It would also need to be a powerful gun." Ruby pointed out. "He was thrown from one end of the store to another. That'd create a lot of kickback."

"Uh, guys," Yang began. "As cool as playing homicide detective sounds, shouldn't we leave the police investigation to, you know, the police?"

"They'll stop caring once they realize he was a Faunus." Blake pointed out.

"And The Police Around Here Aren't The Brightest To Begin With." Scythle added.

"… Now what do we do?" Weiss asked the group, and team RWBYS shared silent glances before they each shook their head.

"I have no idea." Blake said as she hung her head down low.


"Back already?" Pyrrha asked as Team RWBYS came down the hall. "I thought you five would be gone longer."

"Eh, They Sold Out As Soon As We Got There." Scythle lied with a shrug. "After That, Blake Didn't Feel Like Looking Through What They Had."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Pyrrha said with a shake of her head. "It sounded like a very interesting novel."

"Guess We'll Need To Wait For The Reviews To Find Out." Scythle said. "Ain't That Right, Blake?"

The raven-haired girl remained silent, looking down at her Scroll as she shifted through paragraph after paragraph. Scythle jabbed at the girl with her elbow, snapping her out of her trance before she looked up to see Pyrrha in front of her. "Huh-oh, right-yeah, tragic." Blake said before stepping past the red-haired girl. "Excuse me, I want to look into something real quick." With that, the girl left the group, heading in the direction of the library.

"Is something bothering you guys?" Pyrrha asked, looking over the remaining members of the team in front of her. "You seem a bit out of it."

"It's nothing." Ruby said. "Don't worry about it."

"Well, if you need help with anything, let me know." Pyrrha said before turning back down the hall. "In the meantime, I need to meet with Jaune for our weekly sparring session."

"Oh, Before That," Scythle began, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder as she spoke. "How's About You And Me Head Down To The Combat Arena For A Quickie?"

"Don't you already have a girlfriend?" Pyrrha asked.

"What gave you that idea?" Weiss asked.

"I Meant A Sparring Match." Scythle said. "You And Me, One-On-One, Ma'am-O-E-Ma'am-O."

"You are oddly fixated on fighting me today." Pyrrha noted. "You volunteer for a match with me three times during class."

"People Think You're The Best Fighter In The Whole School." Scythle explained. "Obviously, I Need To Prove How Awesome I Am, And Taking You Down Is The Fastest Way To Get There."

"Scythle, you…" Pyrrha began before heaving out a sigh. "You're not going to let up until I say yes, aren't you?"

"Why Would I?" Scythle said.

"… Alright, fine." Pyrrha said. "One battle. I'll see you in the combat arena." With that, Scythle let go of the girl as Pyrrha turned down another corner.

"Sis, are you sure this is a good idea?" Ruby asked as Scythle smirked.

"Of Course, It Is." Scythle stated as she pulled out her Scroll. "Taking Down Pyrrha Will Make Me The Awesomest Person In School."

"'Awesomest' isn't a word." Weiss pointed out.

"It Will Be When We're Done." Scythle said.

"Sis, you've never fought Pyrrha before." Ruby said. "You don't know what you're getting into here."

"Relax, it'll be fine." Scythle said before tapping her screen. "Now, If You'll Excuse Me, I Have A Fight To Prepare For."

Ruby let out a sigh as she followed her sister down the hall. "If you're really going to do this, can you at least give me a few more minutes?" Ruby asked. "I should be able to finish your staff by then."


Emerald's Scroll buzzed on the table, drawing the girl's attention away from the papers in front of her before she flicked the device open. A message from Scythle came up over the screen. 'head 2 d arena & wach me kik as.'


"You did a good job cleaning up the combat arena." Pyrrha noted as she and Scythle stepped into the ring, the holographic banners above them displaying their Aura levels. "Are you sure you want to ruin all that hard work?"

"Eh, It'll Be Fine." Scythle shrugged, spinning a pistol in one hand and holding her staff over her shoulder in another. She glanced up to see Ruby, Yang, Weiss, and Emerald sitting in the bleachers. "Hope You Don't Mind If I Humiliate You In Front Of These Guys."

"I assure you, it will be fine." Pyrrha said, twirling her sword as she raised her shield. "Shall we say it's until our Aura is in the yellow? I'd hate to keep Jaune waiting."

"Eh, Fine." Scythle nodded. "Makes This Easier."

"Shall we begin, then?"

"Gladly!" Scythle said before launching forward with a bang.

Spinning around in the air, Scythle attempted to kick at Pyrrha with her Scythleg, only to strike her shield before the girl threw her back. Scythle flipped through the air, spinning her pistol around as she tried to pepper Pyrrha with shot after shot, only for the girl to block each one. As Scythle landed, Pyrrha reeled back before throwing her shield, only for Scythle to knock it away before Pyrrha's spear flew in, scrapping across her shoulder. Following the spear, Pyrrha ran in, jumping over Scythle's head before kicking her in the back, launching herself towards her weapon as her shield ricocheted back to her.

Turning to face her opponent again, Pyrrha brought up her shield as Scythle attempted to whack her with her staff, which sparked as it made contact with the bronze before Scythle spun it around, only to strike Pyrrha's spear. The purple girl bounced back and forth between the two attacks, trying to find the angle to get through Pyrrha's defense.

"Surprised you're focusing so much on your staff." Pyrrha said as she continued to block the attacks. "Hasn't it been broken twice since you enrolled?"

"True." Scythle said, blocking Pyrrha's attempt to slash her with her spear before pushing the staff against Pyrrha's weapon and shield. "But Thanks To My Genius Sister, This Beaut Is New And Improved!"

With that, Scythle shifted her hands down to the base of the weapon, grabbing handles that connected the two halves before twisting them. Pulling the pieces apart, Scythle forced Pyrrha's weapons out before delivering a kick to her stomach, shooting the girl back. Scythle spun the weapons around in her hands, letting them shorten before charging the girl again. Pyrrha shifted her spear into sword mode before blocking an attack from Scythle, only for the girl to knock her in the jaw with her other baton. Pyrrha stumbled back before Scythle jabbed her again, and went in for a third strike only for Pyrrha to block it with her shield.

"Pretty Cool, Huh?" Scythle asked before Pyrrha tried to slash at her, which she dodged out of the way of. "Ruby Figured It Would Be Helpful To Give My Staff An Alt-Mode, So She Figured Out A Way To Turn It Into Batons." Pyrrha attempted to slash at the girl again, swinging her sword and shield only for Scythle to block each attack with her new weapons. "And The Best Part? She Made Them Out Of Carbon Fiber. Makes Them Way Stronger."

As Pyrrha went in for another attack, Scythle brought up her Scythleg and kicked her sword out of her hand, and spun around before attempting to deliver a kick to Pyrrha's head. With but a slight movement, the attack missed its mark, leaving the purple girl open to be struck by Pyrrha's shield, knocking the girl over. Scythle rolled across the ground before Pyrrha threw her shield at her, and jumped in its direction as it bounced off the girl. The defensive weapon slid up Pyrrha's arm as the girl grabbed her sword and shifted her weapon into rifle mode, firing a shot at the purple girl.

Once the bullet struck her, Scythle brought up her batons and began knocking bullets out of the air as they approached her before charging at the red-haired girl. Scythle once again attempted to jab at the red-haired girl, only for Pyrrha to dodge out of the way. As she passed the girl, Scythle's prosthetic slipped under her, and the girl tumbled to the floor again before Pyrrha knocked her with her shield. Pyrrha shifted her weapon back into spear mode again before striking the girl in the head with the end of the shaft, only for Scythle to jab her baton into her midriff. Pyrrha stumbled back before Scythle jumped up, throwing one of the weapons at the red-haired girl.

Pyrrha attempted to dodge the attack, only for the taser to strike her arm, causing her to stumble before she shook it off. Scythle ran in, ready to swing at Pyrrha before the girl jumped out of the way. Pyrrha fired off a shot, propelling herself back towards Scythle before the girl brought up her Scythleg. A bang escaped the barrel, only for the bullet to fly by her.

Pyrrha slammed her shield into Scythle's face, and flourished her spear, repeatedly knocking Scythle with the blade and the end of the shaft before a buzzer went off. The two girls looked up to the banners to see Scythle's Aura level in the yellow, while Pyrrha's remained firmly in the green.

Pyrrha let out a sigh as she stepped off of the girl, offering Scythle a hand as she put her weapons away. "You did great out there." Pyrrha nodded.

Scythle let out a sigh as she accepted the lift. 'Not Great Enough.' She thought to herself, looking back at their Aura levels before going to reclaim her weapon.

As Scythle picked up the weapon, she cocked an eyebrow at its tip, glancing back at Pyrrha as the girl left for the other end of the arena. "I Couldn't Hit Her With My Scythleg At Point Blank…" Scythle said to herself before looking back at the baton. "But She Failed To Avoid You. What's Different…?" Scythle brought her Scythleg up to tap it on the ground, producing a slight clank before she shrugged. "Eh, I'll Figure It Out Later."

As Scythle left, she was greeted by her girlfriend and sister. "Amethyst, that was amazing." Ruby said. "You really had Pyrrha on the ropes there."

"Didn't Feel Like It." Scythle shrugged before Emerald placed a hand on her cheek.

"Don't feel bad, Amy." Emerald said, turning the girl towards her. "You might have lost, but you still get a consolation prize." With that, Emerald brought their lips together, and passion swept over the two as they melted into the act. After a moment, the two parted before Emerald turned to leave. "Let me know when you finish cleaning." Emerald requested. "There's more to your prize waiting for you."

Scythle nodded before turning to get started. As she left, Ruby followed after her. "That's not the only thing I wanted to say." Ruby whispered to her sister. "I just realized something about the case."

"Huh?" Scythle asked. "What?"

"Remember what you were saying about the angle of the shot?" Ruby began. "What if the murderer wasn't short? What if they fired a gun with a kick?"


I only really knew what I wanted to do for the first half of this chapter, having Team RWBYS learn about Tukson's murder to help further drive Blake's character ark of the Volume. After that, I was pretty stuck on what to do for a few days. I couldn't think of anything to add that didn't feel like filler. I eventually decided to have Scythle sparring with Pyrrha, using it as a chance to reintroduce Scythle's staff, now new and improved.

I realized during writing I could also use the fight to advance the investigation subplot while also allowing Scythle to begin to piece together Pyrrha's Semblance. I thought about putting that fight in between the establishing scene and the scene of Vale but decide that would feel too much like filler and that it could make more sense afterward.

The opening scene almost took place in Goodwitch's classroom at one point when I realized this chapter would be taking place on a Monday. I decided to leave it in the cafeteria, though. Felt like it made more sense for Blake to rejoin her team there.

This was also a good chance to show off Scythle's intelligence. Academically speaking, she's an idiot, but she can pick up on smaller details about something and piece together a few conclusions through deduction.