"So, you've been following this for how long?" Elise asked as we watched Pyrrha completely wreck team CRDL from the floor up. I was surprised when after team MMCY had pretty much destroyed the last opponent in the team match ups when Pyrrha had volunteered to take on team CRDL by herself.

She was masterful and even I would be a little nervous going up against her. Luckily, Pyrrha and I were very close.

There is no way she'd fight me, ordered or not.

"Only since the dockyard fight. But I've had contacts since I arrived in Vale. I like to know what's going on wherever I am." I murmured back to her, showing her some of my notes from the case file I was putting together. She admired the scroll Peyton had made me that I kept just for my unconventional work. I had a feeling Peyton would be in good business if he ever made his talents known. Elise was already planning to ask Peyton for one similar to mine.

Team DEEP had officially decided to join in the secret mission. I had taught them a few new Protocol's that we ensured no one else would ever find and I prayed we would never have to use.

I looked up as Pyrrha used the finish move I taught her.

It was difficult to pull off and you could only use it when you had a spear or staff weapon.

It involved slamming your opponent up in the air, which just happened to be Cardin, and hooking your staff under their chin, around their neck and flinging them over your shoulder into the ground. Cardin had a nice thick neck for this move.

She added in a secondary kick when Cardin hit the floor that finished him.

His team just laid down.

"And that's the match." Goodwitch said, coming onto the stage with her Scroll in hand.

"Lucky shot." Cardin gasped before falling back over.

I had to hide a smile. Pyrrha was something else. She hadn't even broken a sweat.

"Well done Ms. Nikos. You should have no problem qualifying for the tournament."

Pyrrha demurred. "Thank you, Professor." She said sweetly. I winked at her when she caught my eye.

"Alright. Now I know that's a tough act to follow, but we have time for one last sparring match. Any volunteers... Ms. Belladonna?" She called softly, waking Blake from her light doze.

She looked dead. Bags hung under her eyes and she was pale and thin faced.

"You've been rather... docile for the past few classes, why don't you-"

"I'll do it." A bored voice said.

I turned and looked at the two exchange students.

The two I didn't like. Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black.

Mercury was the one who had raised his hand. He was a well-built boy, pale with gray eyes and hair that was partially slicked and spiked back while unkempt at the front. His hair was gray, mine was silver and it was more blue than Daren's ash gray. There's a big difference.

He wore a gray and black two tone partial-zip jacket that covered his upper body and black pants with a thick gray stripe up the outsides of his legs. He wore a notched belt with a bandana draped over it and braces on his forearms.

His weapon were greaves that were similar in design to Yang's Ember Celica.

"Mercury, is it? Very well, let's find you an opponent." Goodwitch said turning to her tablet.

"Actually. I wanna fight... her." He said pointing at Pyrrha after pretending to deliberate. "Me?"

I caught a feel of him and I felt an immediate need to break his limbs off.

"I'm afraid Ms. Nikos has just finished a match. I recommend you choose another opponent." Goodwitch had with ice in her voice.

I could feel her distaste for Mercury from where I sat. "No, it's fine!" Pyrrha said brightly. "I'd be happy to oblige." She finished nodded to Mercury who smirked.

I prayed Pyrrha killed the rat.

When he entered the stage, he swaggered on like he had all the time in the world his weapons clicking with every step he took. His shotgun boots would be interesting to see in action. He took his stance and attacked.

His style was more acrobatics than mine, limited by his weapon's placement.

Pyrrha knocked him on his butt and he quickly flipped to his feet.

He made a not-bad face and waited as Pyrrha attacked him.

The fight went on.

He actually did rather well against the formidable warrior.

But my eyes picked out some inconsistencies. He had been trained by someone other than Haven. I knew the style Haven taught. His was not theirs. It was one I recognized but I couldn't remember from where.

I glanced at Emerald, who sat looking innocently in the stands watching her friend. Everything about her seemed to whisper trust me, trust me.

It made me wonder what she was hiding.

Emerald was a thin girl with light brown skin and dark red eyes. Her hair was a strange light mint-green color, cut with a straight fringe and bangs as well as two long locks on each side in the back. They reminded me of antennas. On her hands were two bronze rings on her middle finger and she wore brown high heels. Her top was almost similar to mine, with a white over top trimmed with black that crossed over her collar bones into a high stiff collar that buckled underneath her breasts exposing an olive sleeveless crop top with a U ring between her small breasts. She had a three ring armband on her left arm and beads on her wrists. She wore white pants and brown chaps that ended at her calves and an overlong belt wrapped twice around her hips where she kept her weapons belted diagonally to her lower back.

She sat with a cool aloofness, even when confronted with Ruby's dazzling sweetness. Inside she was full of disdain.

Pyrrha got the upper hand then lost it when Mercury amazingly kicked her spear out of her hand, where it stabbed into the floor.

But his kick flew past her face and she was able to grab it again.

I studied him with an assassin's eye and began to wonder if I should kill him before he became a threat. Or maybe kill him since he already was one.

Pyrrha charged and Mercury didn't move.

"I forfeit." Pyrrha looked shocked and ran past him. "You... don't even want to try?" She asked incredulously.

He made an excuse about her being leagues above him but inside he was deeply satisfied.

"In that case, Pyrrha Nikos is the victor of the match, again. Next time you may want to think a little harder before choosing an opponent. He agreed vaguely and walked away with Emerald. "That's all for today. And remember the dance is this weekend but you all have your first mission on Monday! I will not accept any excuses." She said before dismissing us.

I walked up to her after class.

"Watch them closely, Ms. Goodwitch. They do not feel right." I whispered touching my chest indicating it was inside that they didn't feel right.

She nodded slightly and I asked a question about missions, my mind following the two exchange students who had given me cause for suspicion. Mercury Black's style was familiar but I couldn't place from where.

They didn't look or act like one of Omar's children. None of his children would been so bold in showing themselves to everyone. He always taught how to disappear into the background.

Especially since I would recognize one of his children.

But Mercury and Emerald did not belong here, that was for sure.

I left with my teammates whispering my warning for caution in their ears. I noticed the incredible subtle change in my friends.

They'd make good assassins.

The thought startled me and I shook my head. They'd never be forced to do that. We were the protectors of the people.

I noticed Blake reading a gray notebook and knew from her feelings that she was reading her own case file. I had yet to share mine with team RWBY.

Sun felt excited and anticipatory as he called to Blake.

He got all shy inside. "So I hear there's this dance going on this weekend. Ah, pfft sounds pretty lame but you and me, I'm thinking not as lame, huh." He said smiling that sweet infectious smile.

Blake looked confused and sleepy. "What?"

"The dance! This weekend, do you wanna go or what?" He said.

Blake's eyes grew chilly and distant. Her feeling were muddled and angry.

"I don't have time for a stupid dance. I thought you of all people would get that." She said, striding away from everyone.

Sun's feelings of rejection, failure and despair made me cringe.

I walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulders. "Give her time, Sun. She'll come around." I murmured pulling the sad monkey boy into a warm hug.

He hugged me back, feeling better without my special gift. "Thanks, Mommy." He whispered in my ear.

He walked back to his team, tail hanging low and shoulders hunched still.

Ruby looked worried and felt a little angry at her teammate. I understood it.

Blake was being unnecessarily cruel to people because she was feeling bad. But that was no excuse.

I'm an expert on other people's feelings and there was no need to hurt Sun that way. He was only trying to make her happy.

It's not his fault she hadn't slept in ages nor was it anyone's fault that she hadn't come to me for some medication to help her sleep.

I wouldn't interfere though. Not yet at least.

But when I did, Blake would get the full force of interfering big sister.