"So, to recap:" Ruby began as she pinned notes to a board in team RWBYS dorm room, linking them with string. "Tuscan, a White Fang member in the process of deserting, was found dead a few days ago. The gunpowder, according to Amethyst, was high-grade Dust, typically used by Hunters. Giving the angle of the shot, it is unlikely the gun was fired normally unless the gunman was very shot. Meaning that we're left to look for an assassin armed with ankle-mounted firearms."

"Wouldn't that be fire-legs?" Yang joked, looking around the silent crowd before letting out a sigh. "Yeah, that was a bad one."

"… Anyway…" Ruby began as she turned to Blake. "Does this sound like anyone you knew from the White Fang?"

"… No." Blake shook her head. "I didn't know everyone, but nobody I knew used weapons like that."

"Well… Maybe Ruby's wrong." Weiss suggested. "Maybe it wasn't a leg-mounted weapon. Do you know anyone with a weapon that could leave an angle like that?"

"… One person." Blake answered after a brief pause. "And he wasn't in the city at the time of the murder."

Silence hung over the group as the Huntresses-in-training looked between each other and the board. After a moment, Blake stood up, eyeing the picture of Tuscan's bookstore. "Maybe it wasn't the White Fang."

"Huh?" Weiss asked.

"Didn't I Say It Would Be A Hell Of A Coincidence?" Scythle asked.

"Yes, I know, all the facts add up." Blake said before pointing to the picture. "You know what doesn't, though? The fact that there's nothing to say it was the White Fang. When the White Fang kill people, especially deserters, they make it look like an example. They kill people to send a message. So if this was a White Fang assassination…"

"What doesn't it look like one?" Weiss finished.

"And The White Fang Have Been Going Out Of Their Usual Wheelhouse Recently…" Scythle said as she approached the board. "Working With Torchwick And For Cinder… They Were Behind The Gun…" Pulling out a piece of scrap paper, Scythle drew a question mark on it before pinning it to the board, trying it to the White Fang symbol, a picture of a boot, and a photo of Tuscan and the bookstore. "But They Didn't Pull The Trigger."

"So we're looking for a hired gun?" Ruby said more than she asked.

"We find whoever killed Tuscan, we might be able to figure out where this all goes." Blake said.

"Oh, right." Weiss chuckled. "That's way easier. We just need to search 'assassin with gun boots' online and we'll have our killer."

"Do you know anyone like that?" Ruby asked her twin.

"Blake Doesn't Know Every Fang Grunt, And I Don't Know Every Criminal." Scythle shrugged. "I'd Ask Junior About It, But Someone Had To Ruin Our Deal!"

"Are you seriously still mad about that?" Ruby asked.

"Ugh, Whatever…" Scythle grumbled as she turned back to the board. "We'll Just Need To Figure This Out Ourselves."

"We can't just search the entire criminal underbelly of Vale." Weiss pointed out. "At least not on school nights. We'll graduate before we make any progress like that."

A moment of silence passed before Blake let out a sigh. The girl rose to her feet, silently turning to the door before glancing at the group behind her. "I'm heading out." Blake said. "There's one more person I might be able to talk to. Don't follow me."


Blake felt as though a chunk of ice had been shoved down her throat as she knocked on the door. Her other hand fidgeted before it began pulling on her vest. She looked up and down the doorframe, stared at her reflection in the knob and the hinges, tried everything she could to calm her nerves. She didn't realize how deep her breathing had gotten before she saw the handle turn.

"You sure took your…" Emerald began before her eyes met Blakes.

She immediately pulled her green bathrobe in, bringing the collar closer to her neck to hide the revealed skin. "You-you're not-I thought you were-"

"I need to speak with Ilia." Blake requested. "It's something important."

Emerald stared at the raven-haired girl for a second before sighing. "Ilia." She called out before stepping aside. "It's for you."

Ilia looked up from her bed, and her eyes widened upon seeing Blake in the doorway. She glanced between Emerald and the visitor before she hopped to her feet, slipping out of the room before letting the mint-haired girl close it behind her. "Blake," Ilia began. "What are-"

"We need to speak somewhere more private." Blake said as she took the girl's hand.


"Tuscan's… Dead?" Ilia asked as her brown hair was blown in the night's breeze.

Blake's eyes, sorrowful yet determined, almost seemed to shine with the light of the city behind her and the stars littering the sky. "Yes. And I'm trying to figure out who did it." Blake said. "The White Fang is planning something – or is a part of something – absolutely terrible. I need your help. Do you know anything about this?"

"I-I…" Ilia began, her skin taking on yellow and blue tints before she shook her head. "No… I… I don't know anything."

"Ilia, please, I need something." Blake said. "You were in the White Fang longer than I was. Did you notice them dealing with any humans?"

"No, none." Ilia said. "Adam would never… I left before… I don't know anything."

Blake looked down at her lap, shaking her head as a hand went to her hair. The cold breeze tickled her ears through her ribbon as they tried to flatten out. "You were my last chance…" Blake muttered.

"I'm sorry Blake." Ilia said as she reached for the girl's hand. "I-"

"No, it's fine." Blake said, pushing the gesture away before she stood up. "I'm sorry for bothering you with this."


Emerald stared down at her Scroll, looking through the messages before she heard a knock at her door. Looking into the peek hole, Emerald's eyes lit up as she saw familiar purple hair. Excited, she threw the door open, putting on her best smile before she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. "Amy! You took your time."

"Sorry," Scythle said, planting a quick kiss on her girlfriend before stepping into the room. "Something Came Up And I Totally Forgot." Emerald pulled the door closed behind her as the two stepped into the green-haired girl's room, unwilling to let go of the other. "See, Me And My Team-" Scythle began before noticing the other occupant of the room. "Uh, Do You Mind-"

Scythle's eyes lit up as she saw the corner behind the grey-haired boy playing on his Scroll. The black boots by his bed almost shined in what little light they could find. A caracole wrapped around the ankles, loaded with silver rifle rounds.

"Ooh, What Are Those?" Scythle asked, letting go of her girlfriend as she sped over to the boots.

"Those are my weapons." Mercury said before he reached over to grab the back of Scythle's hood. "Enthesis on the, 'my' part."

"They're A Real Unique Thing." Scythle said, still trying to get a good look at the weapons as Mercury pulled her back. "Not Many People Go For Leg Weapons These Days. You A Kick-Boxer?"

"Taekwondo." Mercury stated.

"Oh, Interesting." Scythle said. "I'd Love To Have A Sparing Match With You."

Mercury eyed the girl before he let out a chuckle. "Maybe next time. Those are called Talaria, by the way."

"Uh, Amy." Emerald asked.

"Oh, Sorry, Got Distracted." Scythle said before pulling out her Scroll. "Mind If I Get A Picture Of These? My Sister Love Unique And Exotic Weapons."


"They really didn't know anything?" Weiss asked.

Blake shook her head, hanging it low as she looked down at the floor. "They left before Adam met Cinder or Roman."

"Great." Weiss said as she turned back to the board. "That was our last lead. Now, what do we do?"

"Maybe if we go to whoever sold the criminals the bullets?" Ruby asked.

"And how do we find them?" Yang asked.

"Well, maybe Amethyst knows-"

"Good News, Girl!" Scythle announced as she abruptly threw the door open. "I Just Found Something!"

"Tone it down, will you?" Weiss said. "You'll let Tuscan know we're investigating his murder."

"While I Was Meeting Emmy For A Bit Of Fun Time," Scythle began, producing a picture from her pocket as she approached the board. "I Noticed Something In Their Room." With that, Scythle pinned the picture of Mercury's boots to the wall next to the question mark. "These Are Mercury's Weapons."

"Mercury's?" Ruby asked. "You mean the guy on Emerald's team?"

"You really think a student from Mistral did this?" Blake asked.

"Why Not?" Scythle asked. "Think About It: The Officer Said Tuscan Was Shot Three Days Ago, Which Was Also When Students From Mistral Were Just Arriving. This Means A Lot Of People Unrecognized By Vale Law Enforcement Came In Armed. It Would Provide The Perfect Cover To Commit The Crime, And Give Them The Perfect Place To Hide." Scythle spread her arms, reminding the group they were standing in Beacon Academy.

"But why would he be working for the White Fang?" Weiss asked. "Sure, he's on a team with Emerald, but that doesn't mean he's a criminal."

"True, But He Has A Connection." Scythle stated. "Ilia's Has Something To Do With The White Fang, Right?"

The entire room stopped upon hearing Scythle's words, and everyone looked at her with wide eyes before Blake found her voice. "How… How did you know?"

"It Was A Guess, Really." Scythle began. "I Spent The Whole Day Thinking About It, And It Made The Most Sense. You Were A Member Of The White Fang Before Signing Up For Beacon, So I Figured Any Interaction You Had With Her Had To Be Through That, Especially Since You Were So Secretive About It. But The Fact That You Guys Were On Good Terms Must Have Meant A Shared History."

"She could have been the human who convinced me to leave." Blake argued.

"Yeah, But It's The White Fang." Scythle said. "If She Wasn't A Member And Knew You Were, Your Reunion Still Wouldn't Have Been All Happy-Happy Joy-Joy. Plus, There's Not Much Else You Would Privately Talk About."

Silence overtook the room once again, and the members of Team RWBYS looked between each other before Weiss spoke up. "Are… Are you a genius?"

"Imma 12th Level Intellect!" Scythle responded. "Also, I Read That Chapter After It Was Uploaded."

"So… Ilia's a White Fang member?" Ruby asked, looking between her sister and Blake.

"Ex-White Fang member." Blake corrected. "She said she left after I did."

"But… She looks human." Ruby noted.

"She's a chameleon Faunus." Blake explained. "Her skin and hair have the same pigment cells."

"She Must Be Really Popular At Raves Then." Scythle said.

"But she said she left." Blake repeated. "Even if Mercury's on a team with her, it wouldn't mean he's working with the White Fang."

"… Well, It's Still Something." Scythle shrugged. "Maybe She Inspired Him To Help Them Or Something?"

"Well, we can't just rush in and accuse them of this." Weiss pointed out. "Correlation doesn't lead to causation."

"Weiss's right." Ruby nodded. "We'd need proof that he would do something like this."

"Well Then," Scythle began. "I Guess We Know What We're Doing Tomorrow."


As Ilia came back into her room, she almost slammed the door shut behind her, turning to her teammates with concern in her eyes. "We have a problem." Ilia announced.


Once classes let out the next day, Mercury walked through the campus with his hands in his pockets. The metal of his boots clinked and clanged on the stone walkways with each step, and he let out a bored sigh as he stared up the ships hovering overhead. "Only been here four days," Mercury muttered to himself. "And I'm already bored out of my mind."

At the sound of a sudden rustle, Mercury turned around. He scanned the area, not seeing anyone who could have made the noise. The bench was empty, the trashcan looked untouched, and he didn't see the shadow of anyone hiding in the tree. "Darn squirrels." The boy muttered as he shrugged, resuming his pace.

As he walked off, Scythle poked her head out of the trashcan, bringing up her Scroll as she kept an eye on the boy. "Everyone There?" Scythle asked.

"I've got a scope on him." Ruby said, and Scythle took a quick glance at one of the building's roofs to see her sister perched on the edge, rifle in hand as the scope shined against the sun.

"Are we really doing this?" Weiss asked.

"Look, We Just Need To Find Anything That Points To Him Being A Bad Guy." Scythle said.

"And what, pray tell," Weiss began. "Makes you think we'll find evidence that he's a murderer on his after-class stroll?"

"Do You Want To Solve This Case Or Not?" Scythle asked before looking back at the boy. "Oh, Hold On, He's Almost Out Of Sight." With that, Scythle ducked back into the can.

As Mercury turned down another path, Scythle hid behind a bench before darting behind a tree. She took a glance at the grey-haired boy as he walked by before scanning the area. As she looked for her next hiding space, she saw Velvet sitting at a bench, fiddling with her camera. Before Scythle could get ready to move, she noticed Cardin creeping up behind the girl. "Oh…" Scythle whispered before smirking. "This Ought-A Be Good."

As Velvet adjusted a dial on the side, she felt a flick at one of her ears. Flinching, she reached up as she rolled her ear down before the device was snatched out of her hand. "Well, well." Cardin said as he looked over the antique camera. "What do we have here?"

"Cardin, give that back!" Velvet yelled as she jumped up, trying to snatch the device back before Cardin lifted it out of reach.

"Is this your secret weapon for the tournament, Bugs Bunny?" Cardin mocked, moving the camera out of Velvet's reach again.

"Of course not." Velvet said. "Who fights with a camera?"

"Then what is it?" Cardin mocked, looking at his reflection in the lens as Mercury came up behind him.

"Here We Go…" Scythle muttered. "Whatcha Gonna Do Now, You Little Killer?"

"It's just a hobby, okay?" Velvet said, making another jump to grab the camera. "Now give it back before you-"

Seemingly from nowhere, a trashcan was thrown into Cardin's back, knocking the bully to the ground and spilling its content over him. The camera flew up into the air, and came down to rest in Mercury's hand.

"Okay, Not What I Was Expecting." Scythle said to herself. "But This Could Still-"

"I think this is yours." Mercury said as he held the device out to the brunette.

"Thank you." Velvet nodded as she reclaimed her device.

Scythle let out a sigh as she watched the pair turn to take a picture of the ginger. "Well, So Much For That."

"What were you even hoping for it to prove, anyway?" Ruby asked. "I mean, Cardin's a jerk, but he's not a killer."

"As far as we know." Yang added.

"Let's Just Keep An Eye On Him." Scythle said. "We Have To Find Something."


"Okay, Is Everyone Ready?" Scythle asked, watching the suspect from a tree branch.

"As I'll ever be…" Weiss grumbled.

"Good, He's Heading Towards Your Position." Scythle said, pointing at the grey-haired boy as he continued down the path in the shadow of the building. "And… Now."

"Good lord…" Weiss mumbled, and Scythle saw the girl step out of the building, shaking her head with each step.

Weiss walked down the path ahead of the boy, glancing behind her to ensure he was behind her before she let out another sigh. "It just had to be my wallet." Weiss softly muttered before she shook the purse at her hip, causing the plastic binding cards of Lien to fall out. As it hit the ground, Weiss turned a corner on the sidewalk, holding back the urge to shake her head. "If Scythle's right and he does steal it, then that's a lot of Lien-"

"Hey, Weiss, was it?"

Pausing, Weiss turned around to see Mercury standing before her, holding out the girl's wallet to her. "You dropped this." He said.

"… Thanks." Weiss said as she took the bound cards back. Mercury brushed past her silently, and as he left her sight, Weiss turned her attention to the container.

"He Take Any?" Scythle asked, hanging down from a branch above the girl as Weiss shifted through the cards.

"No, it's all there." Weiss said before looking up at the purple girl. "Hang on, if he was a thief, why didn't he take any of the money from the bookstore?"

"… I Mean," Scythle brought her hands out as she shrugged. "It's A Bookstore. It's Not Like Those Places Make A Lot-" The branch bent under her weight before it cracked, causing Scythle's legs to lose their grip, leading to Scythle falling on the white-haired girl.


"Okay…" Scythle said into her Scroll as she resumed watching the boy from around a corner. "This One Should Definitely Prove He's Our Guy."

"You said that about the last two." Ruby noted.

"Well, This Time I Mean It!" Scythle announced before taking another glance at Mercury. "He's Approaching Position. Yang, Blake, Are You Two Ready?"

"Roger." Yang said. "I'll shove Blake off once he's insight."

"Hang on," Blake said. "Aren't I shoving you off?"

"Why would that make sense?" Yang asked.

"Because you're a damage sponge." Blake argued.

"Yeah, but it still hurts."

"Well, it will hurt me even more."

"Guy's, He's Almost There." Scythle said, glancing between the boy and her Scroll.

"Besides," Blake added. "My bow might come off. It's safer for all of us if you do it."

"That thing's practically glued to your head." Yang argued.

"I'm not risking my secret for this."

"Guys, Figure It Out Now." Scythle said.

"You're the reason we're doing this." Yang stated.

"Well, I'm not about to throw myself down a flight of stairs for it." Blake said.

Scythle facepalmed upon realizing the two weren't listening to her before she turned around. In a blur of purple rose petals, she jumped up a tree before jumping to another, racing around the building as she climbed up the tall plants.

"Look, I'm just saying-" Yang began.

"Will You Two Just Go!?" Scythle yelled as she jumped up behind the pair, shoving them over the steps.

The yellow and black pair reached out to grab something as they were knocked by each step. The two eventually came to a rest at the bottom of the stairs, and Blake found herself crushed under Yang's weight.

"Okay," Scythle muttered before she began glancing around. "Now, Where's The Suspect?"

Yang rolled off of her partner, allowing Blake to sit up and reach for her aching head. "I swear that girl…" Blake muttered before hearing a muffled groan. Her and Yang's eyes widened before they looked beneath the girl. Mercury was spread across the ground, and with another groan, he brought his hands up to push the raven-haired girl off of his face.

"Oh, Oum, I'm so sorry!" Blake said as she jumped off the boy, placing her hands on her rear upon realizing where she had been sitting.

"It's fine." Mercury said as he regained his breath. "Not like you meant to fall on me." Yang offered the boy a hand, helping to hoist him up to his feet. "Speaking of, are you two alright?" Mercury asked. He glanced up the flight of stairs, and Scythle quickly darted into the door, leaving rose petals to be blown away. "I imagine that was quite a fall."

"We're fine." Yang nodded. "We just tripped on a step. Nothing our Aura couldn't take."

"Good to hear." Mercury nodded before turning to leave. "Guess I'll see you two around."

As the boy left, Scythle let out a growl. "I Don't Know What Annoys Me More:" Scythle began. "That He's Not Being Evil, Or That He Got A Face Full Of Bella-Booty!"

"You know," Weiss began. "Maybe we should try an investigation that isn't based on basic acts of human decency?"

"I'm Working With What I Have!" Scythle responded.


"Okay." Scythle sighed as she peaked out from behind her tree, staring at the grey-haired boy as he leaned back on a bench. "I Have One More Test Up My Sleeve That's Sure To Work."

"Are you going to walk by with an untied shoelace?" Weiss snarked.

"Of Course Not-" Scythle began before her eyes widened. "Actually, That's A Good Idea."

"Good lord…"

"But We'll Have To Save That One For Later." Scythle said before she stepped out. "No More Beating Around The Bush."

"I could have gotten so much studying done." Weiss bemoaned.

Mercury's thumbs darted across the screen of his Scroll before Scythle leaned on the back of the bench, giving Mercury a wide grin. "Why, Hello There, Teammate Of My Girlfriend Who Is A Former Criminal." The girl Loudly announced. "Are You Enjoying Being A Law-A-Biting Citizen Today?"

"… Yeah?" Mercury said slowly, leaning away from the girl as he cocked his eyebrows.

"As Am I." Scythle nodded before leaning towards the grey-haired boy. "Can I Interest You In Some Crime This Evening?"

"What?" Mercury asked.

"You Know, Crime." Scythle repeated. "As In Illegal, Unlawful, And Down-Right Immoral Acts That Have Been Outlawed. Would You Like To Join Me In Committing Such Acts?"

"Why would you-" The boy began asked, scooting across the bench only for Scythle to follow him. "Aren't you in a reform program or something?"

"Just One Last Nefarious Act Of Villainy Before I Go Straight." Scythle said. "What Do You Sa-"

"No!" Mercury proclaimed as he jumped off the bench. "Why-why would you just ask someone something like that?"

"Oh, No Reason." Scythle beamed. "MurdererSaWha?"

"That's it," Mercury growled, throwing his hands up as he turned around. "I'm heading back to my room."

"Try Not To Commit Crime Along The Way!" Scythle called out as the boy walked away. The former criminal let out a chuckle, and once she was sure Mercury was out of earshot, Scythle let out a huff, scowling as she brought her Scroll up to her ear. "Well, That Was A Bust, And Not Even The Fun Kind."

"That was your sure-fire plan?" Blake asked. "Walk up and ask him?"

"You were able to piece together that Ilia was from the White Fang," Weiss began. "How are you having so much trouble figuring out if someone's a killer?"

"Look, I've Not Normally On This End Of The Investigation." Scythle said. "It's Not Like We Can Just Look Up 'Top Ten Signs Someone Is A Murderer.'"

"Oh, hang on, let me try." Ruby said.

"Oum, We're Worse Than The Detectives Of Vale." Scythle sighed as she brought a hand to her head.

"By the way, Blake, I really like that book you lent me." Ruby said. "I'm at the chapter where the main guy's on the run because gunpowder at a crime scene was matched up to his… Gun…"

Scythle's grew wider as her sister's words grew slower. Even though she couldn't see her teammates, she could tell they had the same revelation. "Man, we're dumb." Yang said.

"Okay." Scythle sighed. "Let's Head Back To The Crime Scene And Get A Sample Of Gunpowder. We'll Figure Out How To Steal A Bullet From Him Later."


"What Do You Mean You Cleaned Up The Crime Scene?!" Scythle yelled as she and her sister stood in front of Tuscan's bookstore. Despite the police tape surrounding it, the door had been closed. The windows were still dark, reflecting the empty street back at the pair.

"There wasn't anything left to find here." The officer said. "So we cleaned it up. What, do you think we just leave it forever?"

"Ugh, Never Mind." Scythle shook her head. "We Need A Sample Of That Gunpowder For Our Own Testing."

"It's really important." Ruby said. "We think we can figure out who did it."

"Sure." The officer shrugged. "You got a supervisor?"


The door to team RWBYS dorm slammed open, and Scythle let out a groan as she stepped in.

"I take it you weren't put in charge of the entire investigation?" Weiss asked, looking up from her notes as Ruby followed behind her sister.

"No." Scythle growled.

"Do you even know how to test gunpowder?" Yang asked.

"No." Scythle repeated as she marched up to the board. With a snarl, she grabbed one of the strings before she yanked on it, pulling all of the pictures out. She threw the clump to the ground and brought her foot down on the pile. "I Officially Declare This Case Unsolvable!"

As her sister continued to stomp on the notes, Ruby glanced around the room. "Where's Blake?" Ruby asked.

"In the library." Yang said.

"I guess I'll text her, then." Ruby sighed as she pulled out her Scroll.

"That's A Day I'm Never Getting Back." Scythle grumbled, lifting up her foot to stomp the pile again before her eyes lit up. Reaching down, the girl plucked the White Fang emblem up. Staring at it for a minute, Scythle turned to face the group behind her. "I'm Reopening The Case."


"That was the worst experience of my life." Mercury said as he fell back into his bed.

"Oh, quit complaining." Emerald told him as she filed her nails. "It couldn't have been that bad."

"Says you." Mercury threw up his hands before sitting up to point at the girl. "I had to be nice to people today!"

"Well, between Blake and what Emerald told us, we need to keep them off of our trail." Ilia said.

Mercury let out a sigh before he fell back into bed. "How long am I going to need to keep up this nice guy act?"

"However long it takes for them to drop this whole thing." Ilia responded.

"I'd give it a week just to be sure." Emerald said, letting out a chuckle at Mercury's moan of displeasure.


Probably one of the weaker chapters I've written. Team RWBYS are kind of ineffective when it comes to anything outside of combat, and while Scythle can sometimes be pretty smart, the keyword there is, 'sometimes.'

The part where Scythle deduces that Ilia was a White Fanger member was originally included in chapter 23, but I felt it didn't add anything and - worse - slowed the chapter down with needless exposition.

The final test Scythle pulls on Mercury originally had Emerald in it, but I decided to cut the girl out of the scene. She didn't really add much to it.