But I provided.

So yeah I'm sticking with this title.

People said this would be worth a story so I spent a couple days working on tightening up the story and now I think it's ready.

The story is going to be split up into arcs.

Alright. Let's Rock.

3.2. !

The Mistral Arc

Chapter 2

"Jeez, kid, slow down…You're gonna make yourself sick."

Emerald just barely heard the man as she tucked into the deliciousfood in front of her. She had a feeling she was causing a scene but that hardly mattered. She needed to eat.

"Oi, I'm serious. Don't make me change my mind about paying." Qrow's stern voice cut into her food frenzied mind again, only this time she knew better than to ignore it.

She slowed her pace, actually taking breaths before bites, which seemed to be enough for Qrow. But she didn't stop eating and probably wouldn't have if the man had asked her too.

It's soooo goooood…

Her tummy began to groan in protest as she ate, but she kept eating until every last bit of her food was gone. And once she was done, she puffed out a happy little sigh and leaned back in her seat.

"You eat like my niece," Qrow grunted out with a sly smile. "Actually you have better table manners."

Emerald didn't really know what to say to that so she just didn't answer. She only stared.

Qrow chuckled taking a swig of whatever it was he kept in that flask he had. "I'm assuming you don't have a family or something looking for you."

Emerald's head bowed a little at his words. She had had a family at one point, she could remember them. A man with green hair darker than her own and a woman with lovely bright red eyes, both with skin as dark as hers own and big happy smiles on their faces. She remembered having a little sibling too, they were a snotty little thing that she had forgotten the name and gender of much to her dismay.

"Yeah… I figured as much. Sorry if that brought up any unpleasant memories."

She shrugged. She didn't really remember what they were like, personality-wise anyway. Her dad could cook, her mother liked jokes. He little sibling never stopped crying. Other than that she remembered nothing about who they might have been. And she didn't remember what had happened to them either, she just knew that they were dead….

"What about some friends or something? Ya got a little crew you run around with or something."

"No.." She muttered out. She'd never felt the need to be around others.

I can take care of myself.

Qrow quirked a brow. "So you've just been running around this city by yourself? No offense, but I find that hard to believe."

She huffed and crossed her arms. "I don't need anyone to look after me."

Qrow scoffed. "You at least need somebody to keep you from trying rob a guy with a weapon. I mean come on I carry a giant freaking sword on my back, you call that taking care of yourself?"

Emerald bowed her head again. "You weren't supposed to catch me…" She muttered out. She couldn't bring herself to be angry about it. It did get her free food after all.

"I don't think that excuse would hold up, had I been somebody else." Qrow smiled shaking his head. "Ya got lucky this time."

This time. If she were to be honest with herself she would tell herself just how right Qrow was. For a test run of her semblance it had gone unbelievably well for her. She had known that it would be dangerous to try and steal from someone with a weapon, but she had hoped the danger would help her focus on keeping herself hidden. And she was right. The fear of what could happen if she were caught had helped her keep her illusion up. If she hadn't bumped those crates she would have been home free.

But I did.

"Hey. How about I get us some dessert?" Qrow asked, tapping her empty plate with a fork. She perked up at the idea of more food, but then her stomach reminded her just how full she was.

She very reluctantly refused the food. It took a lot of self control, but she knew from experience that overeating led to throwing up.

"Guess you're pretty full then. Not many a kid are willing to duck out on dessert."

She gave an exasperated sigh but didn't disagree.

Footsteps sounded from behind her. She quickly scrambled further into their little booth as a server came by. She watched warily as the suspiciously chatty woman gave Qrow the bill before sashaying off. Not walking, sashaying. And it was only made worse by the fact that Qrow was watching her go.

Qrow turned around with a cheeky grin. She raised an accusatory brow at the man.

"What?"

Emerald shook her head, wiping the weirdness from her brain. When she stopped, her eyes fell on the blade next to their booth.

It was huge. Bigger than herself even. It seemed to glow even in the low light of the restaurant. Emerald eye had been drawn to it even as she had tried to rob it's owner.

"Why do you have a sword."

Qrow's head quirked to the side and a smile fell across his face. The smile quickly turned into a grin as he hefted the gigantic hunk of metal onto the table, making the plates and silverware clatter. He startled her a bit when he did this, but her fear was soon replaced with awe and Emerald had to resist the urge to reach out and touch the incredibly sharp looking blade.

"I'm a huntsmen." Qrow said his smile now a cocky grin that dripped with pride.

"A- a huntsman?!" Emerald stuttered out eyes wide. "From Haven Academy?!"

Emerald had known of the huntsmen and huntresses, of course. You didn't live in Remnant and not know of the Creatures of Grimm, or more importantly the insanely powerful monster hunters who combated them. And it was practically impossible to go anywhere in the city of Mistral without the spralling towers of Haven Academy constantly over the horizon.

Still, she had never actually met a huntsman or huntress before.

"Not Haven, Beacon. I'm from Vale. I'm just here on an assignment." Qrow said idly running his fingers across the runes engraved on his sword.

"I was actually about to head home when you uh..." Qrow smirked. "Introduced yourself."

Emerald blinked, leaning back as she realized just how incredibly lucky she had been. She tried to steal from a huntsman. A man trained to slay monsters, a man that could have easily cut her into ribbons. The thought should have terrified her, but the grinning man in front of her clearly didn't want to hurt her, else he wouldn't have saved her.

He saved my life.

She couldn't fear him.

"So you've fought Grimm?"

"Oh tons. Beowolves, Ursa, Griffons, it's all just part of the job." Qrow glowed. He had stopped slouching and his demeanor had changed too. Before he had been nonchalant, unenthusiastic. But talk of his work seemed to bring a spark to the man.

"You ever seen a Grimm, kid?" He asked her. She shook her head.

"Good. They may just be angry animals to me, but people with no training would be hard pressed to run into a Beowolf and live to talk about it."

She nodded her head. Qrow gave her another grin before standing up.

"Alright. I'd say it's time we left. Unless you're still hungry." He mused grabbing his sword.

She shook her head and was quick to scramble after him. They made their way to the front of the restaurant and Emerald pouted when Qrow teased her about paying.

And then they were outside under Mistrals chilling night sky. Emerald rubbed at her shoulders, the restaurant had been so warm, she didn't want to return to the cold.

"You're cold…"

Emerald shrugged off his concern. "I'm fine."

Qrow gave her an unhappy look and let out a long sigh. His hand ran through his hair and down to his face covering his eyes. Then he peeked out a her through his hand.

"Uh…. Kid, I know I said before that I was gonna head home. But if you need a place to stay or something…"

Emeralds eyes widened.

"I could get you a hotel or something."

Emerald let out a sigh relief and disappointment. He had already done so much. She didn't want him wasting anymore on her.

I tried to steal from him… I don't deserve his kindness.

Emerald took a few steps back shaking her head as she did. "I'll be fine."

"You sure, kid? It wouldn't be any trouble. Wouldn't take long either I know a pla-."

"No." She said firmly. She would be fine. She had never needed anybody else's help before and that wouldn't change just because she had one decent meal.

"I'll be fine." She repeated stuffing her hands into her tattered pockets eyes locked on the ground.

Qrow didn't push after anymore. But he did take a couple steps forward.

"Here."

Emerald flinched away as something soft grazed her cheek. She looked up to find a deep red pristine looking cape in her face. His cape.

She looked up over the cloth at Qrow.

"Come on, kid, take it."

"But it's yours.."

"You weren't thinking that when ya tried to rob me. Or when I gave you that money afterwards." Qrow smirked.

"That was different." Or at least she wanted to believe it was.

"Yeah, whatever, take the cape, kid. I can't force you to stay in a hotel, but I can't just leave you out here to freeze."

She did as she was told and took the warm cape into her hands.

She tried to fasten it around her shoulders like Qrow did but she couldn't get pins to stay in place.

"Here let me get it." Qrow said stooping down onto his knee and fastening the cape.

"There. Now you won't be so cold." He said stepping back. He stood back inspecting his work and grinned. "It suits you. Though on you it looks more like a cloak than a cape."

Qrow let out a laugh. "Actually you kinda remind me of… ah never mind."

Emerald didn't care what it looked like. She pulled the sides around herself. "Thank you." She mumbled out.

"You're welcome, Emerald"

A soft tone sounded from Qrow's pocket and the man cringed as he looked at the scroll he pulled from it.

He looked back to her and gave her a sad smile. "Looks like this is where we part ways, brat. Duty calls and all." He said waving his scroll around.

Emerald's shoulders drooped. He was leaving. Going all the way to Vale. She wasn't ever going to see him again.

Qrow gave her a sad laugh."Yeah, I know. I was just starting to like you too." Qrow said. A hand found its way to her head and she had to swat at it as it ruffled her messy hair.

Qrow laughed again. "Stay safe brat." He said somberly walking past her and heading down the road. He stopped just before he made it to the nearest street corner and turned around.

"Oh and by the way, if you run into anyone else walking around with a weapon, try not to rob them. Yeah?"

Emerald couldn't help the small smile that formed.

"I won't."

And done.

So yeah that's chapter 2. Chapter 3 should be posted soon. I was going to combine 2 and 3 but I don't want the chapters to be so long.

Any way would love to have some feedback or just to hear your thoughts.

Ciao*\(^-^)/