Chapter IV
Police Code 10-23: Arrived at Scene
Disclaimer: Still don't own RWBY, not even my OC.
Back to our unlikely crime solvers who had an agreement in the nature of the use of the pregnancy tests (I know that sounded weird) Yang persuaded Ask that they'll get to that after the case is done, he agreed to those terms, now with a less sulky mood due to the annoying problem no longer plaguing his sanity. Yang said something in the lines of "Drama Queen" afterwards, but Ask was always theatrical in his line of work. "Theatricality and Deception are powerful agents," he would often recall. As for where they were, knowing full well that neither of them had any lunch or food of any kind Ask led Yang and himself to a rather decadent and expensive looking restaurant. How both of them were now currently know eating in the same fancy restaurant was a funny story involving a proposal that Ask helped orchestrate.
FLASH BACK.
"You sure about this place? You and I aren't exactly dressed for a place like this." Yang asked who feeling rather under-dressed at the moment.
"We're both famished, I don't really care really." Ask confidently declared as he walked with no hesitation our doubt. He stopped in front of the maître d'hôtel (yes that's a real word) Yang right behind him.
The snobby looking waiter barely looked at the two, thinking himself far above them. But when you kick someone out one must always follow procedure (or you look like a jerk). He looked up from his book full of reservations and prayed that the two in front of him didn't have reservations. 'Well one looks homeless and/or broke and the other looks like she's a filthy biker's whore'were his impressively rude and snobbish thoughts, He cleared his throat and asked " Do you have a reservation?" in a very pleasing voice that he has no doubt perfected from years of sucking up to the rich and powerful of Vale.
Yang was a bit uneasy about this 'Well so much for lunch' fully knowing that her detective-for-hire hadn't made any reservations in there short amount of time with each other's presence.
Ask however didn't falter at all, of course he's aware of a dress code and 'reservation only' rule. He was also very much aware of another thing.
"I should, I own the place..."
With that simple line the maître d'hôtel did an incredibly hilarious mix of expressions, first skepticism the kind of expression an overly mannered person will react to a prank but after he finally had a real good look at the person in front of him, a new expression graced his perpetually condescending face: Shock. The head waiter's eyes were now the size of saucers thinking back to every little action he may have done in front of his...well for a lack of a better word Boss. The waiter went on a full apologetic mode.
"F-F-Forgive me sir, I-I was not aware that-that you'd be here-ah...I mean you-you hardly ever visit our-I mean your place of business" The head waiter practically ended this as a grovel
Ask rolled his eyes at the hypocritical display "That would be a table for two."
The waiter tore his gaze from our favorite detective, and cast his gaze to Yang's direction and saw her face and how it was in a very unsatisfied look. The reality however was that Yang was wearing her 'I'm surprised that I actually got surprised' face 'He walks into a restaurant like he owns the place, and look at that, he actually owns the place'. Still whatever truth you say that didn't stop the not-anymore-smug waiter from going into a full panic mode. 'Oh God she's is displeased, Oh no! If this goes on I'll-'
"There's a line now if you haven't noticed." the distracted waiter heard Ask say.
Yang turned around, and so it was, another pair of guest was in line. This forced the waiter to regain his composure. A clear of the throat later he was back with his old façade.
"Please come this way." And so Ask did, and Yang followed. Stepping through the double doors the whole restaurant was in view. Yang could go on and on talking about the grandness of it, how it was elegant and spacious as if it could dine a hundred but currently had a far less number of people it would usually house. Ask however kept his attention to the maître d' and faintly heard him order a waiter below him the words
"Prepare the best table, it' Mister…" the rest of the sentence along with Ask's name was drowned out by strategically saying…
"Oh look is that Ruby dining with a much older looking gentleman."
"WHAT! WHERE?" was the expected reaction Yang gave.
"My mistake it was just another girl with red-highlights."
"O-Oh"
"We have prepared our finest table for you and your-ah date, sir" Yang expected Ask would react to the whole 'date' thing, but Ask had other ideas and filtered whatever nonsensical wording anyone said.
The maître d' led the two to an elegant table at the very end of the restaurant, it really did deserve the tittle 'finest' table with its general location being so private one could say almost romantic in its appearance. As the table was finally in their line of sight the maître d' politely said
"Right this wa- SIR that's not your table! "
Yang turned to where the waiter looked and caught Ask (rather defiantly) sit at a table for two that he knew full well wasn't exactly his to seat at.
"I like it here" he said to no one in particular. Yang not really caring which table they would use chose to sit across from Ask.
"It's fine by me" She said all while wondering Ask's course of action.
"But what about the table we've prepared" The maître d' had to ask.
Ask fiddled with a table fork, as if secrets were hidden in the tines. This however meant he required silence to continue.
"Give it to the young couple you've ignored at the front door." He said eyes still locked on to the fork.
"A-As you wish, sir" was the maître d' reluctant reply.
As the head waiter was out of earshot, Ask now turned his gaze from the fork back to the front doors. He was looking far too excited than he usually was.
Mentally rewinding the last minutes and taking into account Ask's behavior, Yang in a scolding tone said "That was rude, don't you think."
"Not when he was thinking of you as my sexual conquest, no, not really" Ask said not meeting her eyes as he seemed to be following the young couple he gave his table up for.
That prompt Yang to ask another question, but Ask beat her to it.
"You got questions to ask. I'll save you time. Yes he does. No you're not. That couple is off interest, but not case-wise, you'll see in a while. You order whatever you want and for me as well. Oh and tell the waiter coming from our left to hold the bag for us. Ask said all in one breath and not even tearing his gaze from the couple. The waiter soon came and Yang ordered for the both of them, making Yang question how Ask saw the waiter in the first place.
FLASH BACK END
So, both of them dined in silence. For a while until much later when Ask finally tore is gaze from the couple. He then initiated some conversations to keep things less awkward on Yang's behalf. As they brushed passed topics one of them didn't fine intriguing, such as Ask's real name
(He didn't like it), how Yang used her 'abortion' excuse in such a casual manner and how she even thought of it (she didn't feel like it), to a unanimously dismissed topic of why the moon sometimes looked shattered in the sky (both of them hated it), and now their recent one: the man they travelled hours to talk to, it was less of a conversation, more of a 'who dislikes him the most' contest.
"Man that guy was a perv!" was Yang's third- fourth?-uncountable attempt for the same topic, small talk was never really either one of their expertise
"Yes, I concur for I was also there" the ever dry tone of his voice was a sign of a repetitive action on Ask's part, 'Oh dust, she can hold a grudge' However despite Ask's unpleasant expression, Yang continued her rant.
"I mean he's trustworthy I guess but me and him in a room alone was kind of-"
Ask cut in "Unsettling."
Yang shrugged out of agreement "Yeah that and creepy too"
"I assure you, you're not the first to feel that way." was Ask's attempt of tempering her.
"I mean if you didn't trust him as you say I'd probably have...I don't know-"
"Press charges for sexual assault." Ask concluded or suggested, one can't say really.
"Beat'em up, I was gonna say beat'em up." she said as if the easiest thing in the world
'Not as simple as you make it out Xiao Long, not as simple' was Ask's current train of thought, until he doubled back as if he had missed a crucial bit of information.
"That said, why is my trust such an important factor?" was the question he'd almost overlooked
"Cause you're you." was her casual answer, not really the one Ask wanted to here
"That barely answers any of my inquiry."
"I mean since you barely trust me and trust this guy allot, of course he must be special." Yang said before taking another bite.
"Fair enough." sound logic was sound, he couldn't argue with that.
"So who was he anyway?" Yang said after she swallowed.
"During his prime he was a truly formidable hunter."
"He's a hunter?"
"Keyword was, he was a formidable hunter and by my research also a notoriously effective clandestine agent and seduction specialist."
"So you're telling me our...what is he to us again?"
"He is my lawyer "emphasis on the possessive tense of the word.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, details, details…" Not that Yang minded but she really just didn't mind
"So you're telling me our lawyer was a smooth, old-school, super spy."
"Not quite as you put it, but accurate."
"And he was using his old moves on me, WOW a menopausal James Bond who's still horny as ever is now our-"
"My" Ask corrected again, not out of annoyance but professional courtesy of being a client. (So he says)
"-lawyer. God! Well I guess when someone's good at their job, you tend to look past there faults."
Ask couldn't help but sincerely clap at that "Indeed wise words Xiao Long, very wise words"
"Well as long as you trust him its fine with me, I'm use to guys checking me out by now"
Ask the in the lowest, possibly most nonchalant voice he had said to Yang.
"…He's also my godfather"
Those words had a most noticeable effect, an effect similar to a girl telling her boyfriend the words: 'I'm late'. And by the powers of dust, does that start a hell of chain reactions.
"YOUR GODFA- I-I ah...mean of course he's your godfather, man he's...he's... a very uhm...sorry." Yang reaction was of course expected; when a guy takes you on an expensive lunch don't insult any of his relatives.
'Well this is awkward'
"Don't be?" Ask practically yawned those few words, no emotional depth what so ever.
Yang now more curious than apologetic couldn't help but press on.
"But I just-"
"You were describing him, not insulting him. I know full well he's a womanizer; you didn't need to censor your description on my behalf. And believe me he's a dirty old man, just his payment method is a testament to that." He ended in an unlikely disgusted tone.
Yang could only imagine the number of embarrassing moments Ask had to go through because of his lawyer/godfather.
"In spite of that however he has yet to show signs of treachery towards me, and perverted mindaside he does do his job right."
"…" was pretty much all they said for a while and continued to their meal in silence, that was short lived as Ask had an idea.
"Waiter a bottle of your finest wine, please" Ask said breaking the heavy air of silence. Yang just stared as the waiter said yes anyway.
Ask caught Yang's stare and out of discomfort exclaimed. "What?"
The waiter arrived quickly and presented their best bottle of wine. "Is this to your liking, sir?"
"Fine, it seems fine" the obvious hint of displeasure was absent as Ask said those words.
Throwing caution to the wind, Yang accepted whatever series of bad judgment alcohol will bring.
"Well after that embarrassing thing, I need a drink." She justified herself
"Oh it's not for us Xiao Long, it's for the soon to be proposing couple behind you."
A quick turn of the head later the 'proposing couple' was into Yang's line of sight, a quick observation they were a man and a woman, both young about early 30's at most, a guessing from the intimacy of their conversation, and above all, in love, Yang can just tell from first glance. 'It's a girl thing' .The very same couple waiting behind them in line, the one Ask gave what was supposed to be their table to How Ask could see that the man would propose now was beyond anything Yang could guess from this distance.
"The way he feels his chest pocket" Ask's voice from behind her answers the question.
Turning back to look at him Yang's suddenly reminded who she's with and returns her sight toward the couple, allowing Ask to continue.
"The moment I saw him he has been repeatedly checking his chest pocket and judging by the size its small and a box, and the way he checks if it's still there means it's truly precious, and next clue is his suit."
"…his suit?"
"I'm no expert in suits, but the number of times that particular set has been washed and pressed indicates that that's his only one, he's also freshly shaved and even used a generous amount of cologne, the type I believe is her favorite judging from the number of times she's inhaled deeply from her nose and sighs contently afterwards. Wearing his best and only suit, shaven, and wearing cologne. He wants to look and feel his best, top that with a fancy restaurant way above his pay grade to smother her up, she can't help but say 'Yes' as she has been thoroughly spoiled, and my contribution, referring to the table."
"But how can you tell he's going to propose now"
"Body language, Xiao Long, body language"
"Look at him, his erratic breathing; his knee twitches as if practicing kneeling and of course the drinking. He's drank at least twice the number of glasses of champagne she has had, and a guy only gets that drunk when he wants to kill a man or-"
"Kiss a girl." Yang finished for him, being familiar with the same literature he was trying to quote, which gave Ask an approving smirk, not every day someone finishes a quote from a book you've just read.
"Correct. In this case marry one. Besides their table is the most romantic spot, if I were him I'd use this pleasant unforeseen circumstance to my advantage." He fished with a tone that fit more in explaining a strategy than a proposal.
"And thus the bottle, for congratulations or when she says no, my condolences"
"Uh…I'm still here by the way…"
Yang eyes shot at her right, Ask's gaze lazily drifts to the origin of the noise. Their waiter, young, tired of standing, and still holding out the bottle was still where they left him, thoroughly ignored.
"Good, then I don't have to repeat myself."
Hesitation was broken as a feminine voice in the background screamed a joyful "YES! YES I WILL MARRY YOU!" and a chorus of applause quickly followed.
"I believe that's your cue, tell them it's on the house a not from me."
"Understood, sir."
"Oh and a bit of advice, happy people are generous tippers."
The sight was a pleasant distraction; a proposal was a heartwarming thing to witness everyone in the restaurant could agree, especially if it was one's first time seeing one in real-life. Though some of the men on dates with their girlfriends felt a tiny bit of contempt, not because they hated the newly engaged couple, but because whatever romantic plan they had couldn't beat that, add their significant other being planted with a new idea and there goes lunch out the window.
"Now that warm-up exercise is over, lets continue with my-the investigation" the seriousness in Ask's voice was evident, the room felt darker now as reality came back, they were here to eat and that couple was a distraction Ask used as a detective's workout.
Yang approached the topic objectively "So have you got any ideas?"
"434 to 503 logical possibilities, theories, ideas, and guesses, but scientific data is hard to get when all you have to go by is a picture." Ask answered.
"500 theories from a picture?" Yang said in a jokingly skeptical way.
"I've worked with far less before. How'd you find it?" He admitted but Yang felt it was a humble brag.
"Found it online, it's more of a picture of a picture." She answered; it didn't give much of what Ask needed.
"Now back with the picture, look at the one on your phone for me" Yang follows a pops it open, the only piece of evidence they have of her 'friends' existence "What do you see?" the cryptic Ask ordered not asked.
"Huh?"
"A second point-of-view is irreplaceable"
"Okay-erm a girl, looks about our age, a loose dress, styled hair, stiletto boots, and uh allot of lace and I guess that's about it."
"Good. Now what do you observe?"
"I just did that…"
"You saw not observed. There's a significant difference in the two. Tell me, do you see all the tables?"
"Yeah."
"Do you know how many they all are?"
"Nope."
"76 in total, 47 are currently in use and one-judging from the gentleman's stiff left arm- is wobbly."
Yang realized just how a detective's observing skills turn off, they don't. But as the word detective sprang to her head she just got that feeling you get when you wake up in the middle of the night when you just remembered a homework assignment was due tomorrow. That she, Yang Xiao Long forgot to learn how someone she probably never noticed and vice versa, knew almost everything someone needed to know about her.
'He even knew I wasn't wearing a bra for dust sake!'
"Let's cut to the chase you should just tell me how you deduced me. Okay?" Blunt and direct, just like him. Yang knew he'd answer if she asked him that way. Besides, who doesn't want to show-off? Ask did leave her hanging and it would be rude to deny her.
Ask let out a moan, one that pretty much translates as: let's get this over with.
"You raised you're hands up to your chin," he started.
"And that tells what?" Yang asked casually.
"Boxers and MMA fighters raise their hands when there surprised due to muscle reflex. Since you were surprised and raised your hands in a fist it was safe to assume that you were indeed a boxer and or a kick boxer, you're leg placement did strike me as a kicker too, so what else?"
"How'd you know I was in a fight-"Ask out of eagerness cut her off not really caring the last part of Yang's sentence.
"Too easy from your posture which told me you've sustainedminor-ishdamage, you're breathing tells of an adrenaline rush that has faded, and accumulated sweat tell off strenuous activity, how you're sister wasn't in it due to the fact all her ammunition was present but yours were not, that clearly show you used your weapon's recently, that and your weapons' gunshot or to be less vague dust-shot residue permeates you're sleeves, and let's not fail to notice the tiny shards of glass embedded in your back when you came to my establishment. Obviously you won said fight for if not I doubt you'd still be sitting with me, let alone breathing." Ask finally took a breath finally pleased with himself.
-with twins" Yang finished adding difficulty.
"Oh, so they were twins" Ask said smug and calculated. There was never any doubt, but being proven right was always a good feeling.
"Just answer it, okay."
"Height, the attackers who were skilled enough to injure you had the same height judging from the injuries you received, twins first came to mind but could have just been one opponent, though an acrobatic or flexible one and thus created a double possibility but I took the safe side and said one or twins, safe to say my first instinct was right"
"How'd you know my babies were my weapons?" obviously referring to Ember Celica, her beloved weapons of mass ass-whoop.
"We have classes together; I could just say I saw you use them." Ask hinted and/or suggested.
"No you didn't." Yang answered in a teasing tone.
"Okay fine, I didn't" Ask admitted with a shrug.
"Process of elimination" He finally answered, sort of. Sensing the discontent the answer he gave, he expanded further.
"How can a huntress eradicate Grimm for mankind's prosperous existence using her boxing skills?" was Ask self-inquiry, no sarcasm just a detached tone in his voice
"Answer: Her weapons, her punches' power increased by those burn dust ammunition that she carries around. It took me awhile but it seems I'm still spot-on, aren't I Xiao Long?"
"You're not done yet, so don't gloat yet."
"Very well, I'll let you pick since I've already explained how I know about you're love of your hair...I'll let you pick between-"
Yang couldn't help but deflate his bubble "I'm popular with boys, why is that?"
For once Ask's rather impressive mind clouds thrown off his game it would seem, but it was an unavoidable topic to begin with.
"...Your...ehm... provocative attire and general demeanor towards a male being in such close-proximity...is a sign...of a-um-"
"Slut" Yang finished for him, knowing where he was leading to.
"Not the way I'd put it but, you do have a rather lascivious air about you" Ask flatly said.
"So you're saying?"
"You dress slutty and act as such but not enough data for me to say so" Ask seemed a bit off, less himself when he said that.
'Holding back.' Yang figured out.
"Now about you're form of transportation" he started to continue. "I could tell you used a motorcycle-"
"Because hair gets pressed flat when we wear helmets. And people only wear helmets when? You've guessed it: When riding motorcycles" Yang cut in and self-deduced herself dead-on exactly the way Ask would do it.
"..."
"What?"
"Just impressed is all" Ask admitted rather sincerely with a hint of admiration in his voice.
Shaking off foreign and unnecessary distractions his mind plotted, he quickly regained his old ever-so robotic demeanor. "Now all that's left is…" Ask started…
"How you found out I love my sister, and in your words more than my hair"…but never did get to finish.
"Helmets, you let her wear the only helmet you had."
"Oh you, uh-saw that." feeling a twinge of how Ruby was supposed to feel more than her, Embarrassed
"No Xiao Long, I observed it."
"I also observed the condition of her ammo supply: full, that says you fought alone earlier that night, which means you wanted to keep her out of it, and away from danger. Add that with disregard for your own safety to ensure hers… and let's not forget how hostile you looked when I kept looking at her."
"Damn I hit the jack pot."
"Pardon? I delve deep into your conscious life and meticulously observed and theorized every miniscule detail, which told me your very nature and all you say is YOU HIT THE JACK POT. "
Ask exasperated feeling less appreciated and more annoyed than complimented.
'This woman makes me feel like a prostitute, a cheap one…Oh Dust from the almighty! I am aren't I?"
"Yeah so about the picture…" (AN: This could be a good time to look at the same one on Monty Oum's account)
"Location taken must have been somewhere remote judging from the lack of air-ships also from what I can tell a very tall building with a large balcony, could be a castle. Now for the girl herself I can't deduce much from her by just this shot alone, but something about her gown feels off to me." Ask wasn't going to hold anything back with this one, Yang could tell he was actually exerting effort
"What about her gown?" she asked Ask
"It's white." Was Ask's simple answer.
"How's that helpful, any girl can wear white"
"White perhaps, but an elegant white gown, and you said so yourself she styled her hair. You're a girl, why would a woman wear a flowing white gown and look her best?"
Yang wondered what being a woman had to do with white…Then it hit her, like a blow from Ember Celica.
"W-Wedding…" she finally choked out.
"SHE WAS ON HER WEDDING!"
"No"
"But you said her wearing white was-"
"But you yourself said anyone can wear it…either way this complicates things, many things. Like; if this was a wedding photo or just an outfit style she likes. Either way it gets complicated, on one hand we have a missing bride with no groom to have someone to miss her, and on the other hand, a girl with an expensive taste and high-maintenance lifestyle, a wealthy girl. A girl who, at that age with money to live such a luxurious lifestyle by wearing such expensive lingerie and a high-maintenance life or a too-soon-to-be-married girl who's far too young to be married and judging from her solemn look: doesn't want to be, OH it's frustrating AND confusing…I love it, I'd forgotten what it felt like not knowing, a challenge and only one piece of evidence that's beyond circumstantial not even a single form of assurance that this girl is real -other than your word- and NOT a cleverly made digital work, it's like a treasure hunt for the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle!"
Yang finally snapped him out of his mental utopia "Are you done, people are starting to stare."
Composing himself and taking a deep breath to counter his excitement he said "Her underwear and footwear also give us some information" That did not sound right, not even in the slightest. Even to the person who said it wasn't convinced.
"I know you're skeptical, I am too, but I've read some blogs on how to spot personality traits from the type of underwear a woman wears, and a research paper on footwear with the same concept. They were both rudimentary but insightful."
"Your godfathers a bad influence" was all Yang needed to say to aggravate Ask, who once again ignored it.
"Stiletto boots are uncomfortable to wear, aren't they?"
"Yeah, really uncomfortable"
"The paper said that those who wear uncomfortable shoes have a calm personality" Ask explained.
"And her underwear?"
"As I recall from the blog, that women who wore underwear like hers (French knickers) is stylish and glamorous, comfortable in their own skin and has a love for lingerie." Ask said in a way that sounded as if he'd read it off directly from the blog.
"So this all tells us what exactly?" was Yang's skeptical line.
Ask looked at her and grins as if he's solved it all with his impressive intellect. "Nothing at all, not a single thing" was the immediate reply.
Ask pulled out his fork, dangerously eyeing it with an intent to use in a homicidal manner. Fortunately he wouldn't do such a thing… or so Yang hoped, he was looking at it desperately, it was quiet around their small dining table, until, too much relief Ask filled it by saying "…Nothing we can prove anyway, everything I've said about the photo was purely theoretical, which makes it difficult to point out as evidence, no judge would prosecute anyone via blog as a bases of a prosecution. So all we really know so far is number one: she's missing, number two: you're looking for her-reason why however still questionable, number three: she's neither in the morgue nor hospitalized-which is a good sign if you care and of course are latest piece of evidence number four: someone clearly took this photo other than her, and judging from the angle and quality someone who practices photography and as I've said before it was taken in a secluded and tall castle-like structure. I can't have personality traits from her clothing as a clue either but neither can I dismiss it, but psychological analysis through underwear and shoes is too new to me that it would be too amateurish to rely on it entirely, if only we have a piece of her handwriting THEN I-I mean we'd get somewhere."
"I see that's all you've come up with."
"It's difficult with the lack of evidence and crime, all of I've ever been able to get has been secondhand data to go by."
"It's fine okay, you did your best. But I got to ask, why is her hand writing important?"
"I'll demonstrate" Ask lifts his now fork-less hand "Waiter, the bag I asked you to hold please." Ask ordered, the same waiter who has waited on them for the duration of their time him returned with their paper bag of pregnancy tests, Ask merely pulled out the contract, the one which Yang signed.
"I'll use your handwriting as an example, if you don't mind" Ask said while thoroughly scanning her signed: Yang Xiao Long with utmost precision.
"I can assume you are not familiar with the art of graphology,"
"Gryfala-what?"
"I'll take that as a yes, no worries only few seem to know and fewer seem to acknowledge the art"
"Graphology, the psychological analysis of handwriting, which with your approval I would like to apply to your signature."
"Take a crack at it."
"Judging by the large capitals...you have a healthy ego, the rounded middle zone such as the 'n's show an interest in people, speaking of your middle zone the uncompleted 'a's suggest a casual demeanor, your rather clean 'o' indicates a blunt personality and by how the dot in your 'i' is before the line tells of a caring nature...But..."
"The high pressured flick at the end of your 'Y' show an aggressive side and if one were to notice the full loop with heavy pressure in the 'g's this a suggestion of a passionate individual with high-energy, money making and a very powerful...Ehm...sexual appetite."
"Wow all that by just the tiny detail on how I write my name."
"It's often the smallest of details that are the most important; I should know it's my job to find them"
"Don't pretend I didn't notice you pause when you said the 'sexual appetite' part."
"Merely my mind calculating the outcome of what I say."
"Oh and what outcome did you calculate."
"Your fist in my face, a relatable reaction though. Not that I deserve one I did have your consent and you are fully aware of my analytical skills of reasoning"
Yang nodded weakly and in an almost disappointed tone asked "As you've analyzed my personality and seen first-hand that I won't punch you…" there was a pause, a long pause, too long for it to be healthy.
"…So that means?"
"You are still the prime suspect but the possibility has lessened considerably as I see no psychological markers that say you're capable of such crime, Graphology is usually used for suicide cases when checking the validity of suicide letters and unlike lingerie and shoes this method is a well-respected and scientifically proven means of investigation and could be something a court would believe in if the proper individual explains it." He answered nonchalantly. "Don't take it bad, not all my suspects look like criminal master minds"
"Thanks, I think?"
"But good news, you're not the only one."
"Really! Who else is there?"
Ask leans forward with utmost disregard for personal space and says to her in a crafty voice "The photographer."
As if a new spark ignited Yang's hope, she excitedly wanted to say "So next we find the-" until a ringtone stops her mid-sentence
And were stayin alive, stayin alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin alive, stayin alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin alive
Ask's ringtone.
An embarrassed looking Ask looked at her apologetically and rolled his eyes as though self-conscious about the phone. "Would you mind if I get that?" was the polite thing he had to do.
Well now, I get low and I get high,
And if I can't get either, I really try.
Got the wings of heaven on my shoes.
I'm a dancin man and I just can't lose.
"Sure, that sounds-" Yang at that moment was holding back a burst of giggles "-important."
You know it's all right. It's ok.
I'll live to see another day.
We can try to understand
The ne-
Ask answers and greets with a subtle. "Is this being recorded…again?"
He was silently for a second and a half as if getting an answer. "Good." Was Ask's singular syllable reply.
'Guess he got an answer.'
"Seems too typical, can't you just…Oh you believe that it was-Wait! Instruct your team to do nothing, and I mean this in a literal sense, STOP BREATHING ON THE CRIME SCENE! I'll be there shortly…" Ask hangs up (violently). "...waiter!" Ask called (loudly).
The waiter came in an instant as if his life depended on it "I-Is there something wrong sir?"
"NO! The meal was top-notch. Check please. And yes, call a cab if you will." was Ask's hurried response, compliment, order and request all in one.
"Where are you headed?" asked Yang
"To a side case, it seems that the police are bewildered by a destruction of an entire club, I suspect it to be run by criminals." Ask answered while getting up.
'OH SHIT THAT WAS ME! BETTER NOT-'
"You should come along; it would be a good exercise for you."
That was the second and ABSOLUTELY worst proposal Yang heard tonight.
"I really shouldn't, you know stuff to do, civilian status and all." That was as bad as an excuse could get.
"Nonsense, you might as well come along. Who knows, such a crime can't be coincidence. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if your friend's current whereabouts can be traced from there."
'Ohhhhhh shit'
"I don't think-"
"Sir, your cab is here"
"Splendid." Ask exclaimed with renewed vigor while paying and signing the check.
As the waiter gratefully accepted the payment he double-checked Ask's signature "Thank you for your patronage Mister…Allen…Edgar…Poe?" From such a fake name the waiter couldn't help but triple-check. The waiter wasn't stupid he knew the person in front of him was the owner of his workplace, but why on Remnant would he use a dead poets name as his own: to sign a check. Ask however kept his mystique and said in a line only the waiter could hear.
"Quote the Raven: Nevermore…" and left with Yang
SCENE CHANGE
'…gotta get out, gotta get out, gotta get out...' was Yang's inner-mantra as Ask and herself were proceeding to 'the scene of the crime'. How Ask convinced her to come along was almost funny, it would've been funny if she wasn't going to her own crime scene.
'How am I supposed to know he works with the police?'
In all honesty however, she really was in a cab with someone who could send her to jail. Most detectives would fantasize of being so close to the perpetrator, Ask however was too deep in thought to have led to that conclusion.
"Too quiet." He softly said.
"Who me?" Yang defensively reacted.
"Yes you. Quiet is not the many traits I have carefully linked to your character. Either I could've miscalculated somewhere – which hardly ever occurs- or perhaps an exterior force is making you act less…Xiao Long am I the reason?
"What? No of course not it's just…" she couldn't finish.
"I see, I understand, you're concerned that his recent development may make me throw your search to the side. Have no fear; this is merely a side case, one that could be another of my wild goose chases, just for formality. You see this –in my opinion- could be connected to a number of other cases yet to be solved. I make effort on this merely to deny or confirm a particular criminal's involvement."
'Is it me?'
"Who is it?"
"There's no clue to who that criminal is, but their methods gave them a particular nickname to many law enforcement groups…"
Yang held her breath.
"…Crimson, happily dubbed due to his/her use of pyro-techniques."
'Crimson… okay at least I'm not a suspect…I'm more Yellow than Crimson'
"Which is why, you're coming with me."
"But, but...Why?" In fairness going to your own crime scene to help solve it would shock anyone.
"Clearly judging from your fondness for dust, you seem to be my only logical choice as a consultant in this manner."
"I don't think I'm qualified for something like that."
"That maybe so, but searching for one would waste precious time and could –in some degree- cost us the investigation."
Translation: You're the best I've got…unfortunately.
"You use dust contained in shotgun shells, innovative and effective. Surely you've studied at least something on burn-based dust when you engineered your weapon(s)."
Seeing the conversation was getting to a danger zone that could lead to her arrest, Yang changed the conversation, same topic but different point.
"Where else has he struck?"
"She." He corrected.
"She?"
"Yes, I believe Crimson is a woman."
'Okay, okay, this is getting too creepy'
"Yes, I come to that conclusion from both a study on Aura, Semblance and weapon use among hunters and huntresses and from an old saying 'Poison is a woman's weapon'.
Fact of the matter, Crimson uses the classical method of using Dust and Aura and as I've come to learn very few still practice it, and among those few most of them and I mean a dominating number of them are..." he paused, encouraging her to answer for him.
"…women." She answered, but not without her inner feminist being slightly stereotyped.
"I'm not stereotyping, I'm using facts. Just three cases ago I was attacked by a practitioner of the style, she used-what did she call it?-glyphs, and yes she was also a woman, well a woman with…" 'Small boobs.' The blunt part of his mind butted in "…a young girl's body."
"Is that how you tell time: By the number of cases?"
"What of it?" he deadpanned.
SCENE CHANGE
Location: A recently decimated club. (The same one in Yellow trailer), Commercial District
Captain Price "Soap" MacAllen, leader of Major Crimes Unit, and a 20-year Veteran of VCPD(Vale City Police Department) was waiting (patiently) for a certain smart-ass kid to help him out with what should have been a simple gang related incident and arson, but instead the kid with his conspiracy theories told him otherwise. Captain Soap learned long ago that the war against crime was full of shadows as it was full of loop-holes, and in times of peace less people want to fight it. These days the number of recruits was falling and even less stay as cops, that's what happens when people get to use to peace, they get soft. Not to complain, peace is good, it's laying on your ass that gets you. Good cops are getting harder to come by, not uncorrupted cops, but cops that weren't total idiots, take the ones from the Industrial District for starters, you can't find any cops stupider, A crime boss could be hiding in there district for all they knew! But enough about that, if the kid says this is related to…Crimson then it's more than we have, might as well follow our only lead. The kid in question may be a pain in the ass, but…he's a good kid, and an ever investigator than all of the cops in the Industrial Precinct.
'If I had 2 men like him we would have wiped organize crime from Vale' but sadly he wasn't only a civilian, he was also a minor.
'Minor or not…he's good at what he does, and I couldn't fire him if I wanted to' you can't fire someone you don't even pay.
"Captain, the kid's here!" a young lieutenant, Lieutenant Amy Riley called out.
Hearing that, the Captain finally got out of his trance.
"That doesn't mean any of you can breathe on the crime scene." The Captain in an authoritative tone that calls for obedience barked.
Captain then looked at his team, all of them in a look of surprise and a few gasping from it; Lieutenant Riley had her mouth agape as if still in shock.
"What in bloody hell's the matter?"
An officer was the first to answer.
"I-I ah its better if you just look sir."
The Captain turned to what made his unit- a unit he himself hand-picked and has seen the maggots that feed of the dark recesses of the criminal soul of Vale- and see in his words 'The fuck they're staring at!". He was truly-hilariously unprepared to see what came through the door.
It was Ask and with the reason for every police officer to look comparable to a fish out of water. He was with a GIRL!, a living breathing girl, that to almost all male officers (pedophilic as it may sound) looked pretty damn hot, if only they knew the very girl they were currently ogling was the one who nearly burned this place half to hell, they wouldn't be so jealous at their unofficial member.
Only one question was unanimous to every officer's mind as they saw Ask walk towards them with a pretty blonde girl.
'Who is this chick and what in the name of The Law, Justice, Nature, Physics and every code they have sworn to uphold has she done to our favorite sociopath!'
"Well, seems you've got a dust user on your hands here, judging from these burn marks and those shotgun shells lying around. It must have been one hell of a fight, with a bazooka and everything. If somebody posted this on YouTube it might get…I don't know 3,586,889 views give or take more…" Ask told to the Major Crimes Unit who were still under a spell of paralysis.
"I thought I told you people; I hate it when people stare at me."
End of Chapter IV
A/N: I apologizing for not posting sooner, yes, Allen Edgar Poe is Edgar Allen Poe who wrote The Raven, where the name of the Nevermore was taken from, yes, that was Weiss he was talking about and no she will not appear in this story, yes, that is the exact number of views the Yellow Trailer has on YouTube so far, and to those of you who wondered what happened to Ruby as she went to the Principal's Office, here's a preview for the next chapter:
PREVIEW FOR NEXT CHAPTER:
It didn't take a long time for Ruby to notice this, even when all of the lights were dimmed. Spooky as it was she wasn't afraid to ask "You're not the principal?"
She was rudely interrupted by the…person. "Of course I'm not so don't waste time and just say what you're thinking."
A/N 2: And that's the preview.
And of course…HOLY 7 364 WORDS AND 20 PAGES BATMAN!
And the more you'll review, the more I'll be inspired to update. *winks*