Y'know, despite the fact that I should be drop-dead tired, I was doing okay for myself. A change into a fresh uniform courtesy of my inventory's instantaneous 'equip' function and a use of Lisica's discerning nose to make sure I didn't smell, and I was really none the worse for wear.
I walked into the cafeteria, grabbed myself my usual breakfast, and then some bacon and eggs for Lisica, and sat down in my usual spot next to RWBY and JNPR
"you look like you had a rough night" Yang commented
"would you believe me if I said I pulled a solo all-nighter in the Emerald forest?" I asked between bites
There were several "what?!"s and more than one person choked on their breakfast
"you're kidding me, right?" Yang asked
No response, I was busy eating my sandwich
"c'mon Cobalt, tell me you didn't" She pleaded
"so apparently in the past... seventy two plus... ninety six hours, I've made more bad, crazy or just outright dumb decisions than I ever thought I could possibly make." I began "including charging out into the Emerald Forest on my own to gain levels quickly after a major, sixteen level setback, after realizing that RPG characters seldom need food, sleep or water, unless you're in a post-apocalypse"
"oh my god"
"good news is, everything went just as planned. No wounds, no curses, nothing to suggest I'm a weirdness magnet at all and that was all just a one time thing. I even found that Lisica's handy in a fight. I'd provide details but I want to eat breakfast right now. No way in hell I'd miss this kickass bacon." I said, taking another bite from my sandwich
"speaking of, where is she?"
I glanced at my side and noticed that the gold fox was not at her spot, and was instead acting "cute" to beg a belly scratch from Velvet, who was sitting on her own again.
What the hell is she- oh, she just likes Velvet. Okay.
"wow belly scratches sure feel nice" I murmured, which drew a few concerned glances from the others at the table, though they returned to what they were doing when I said "telepathic link".
Wait a minute... doesn't Lisica have all my memories up until sometime yesterday evening? So isn't she basically me right now? After all, the memories make the person... well, barring stuff like instincts... So wouldn't that imply... oh, wow... well, she is cute and all... and team RWBY and JNPR felt too... close-knit for me to want to just inject myself there... adding to that, the chances of awkward, neurotic, and idiotic old me getting a girlfriend at long last thanks to 'fanfic logic' were pretty good, and if I didn't want it to be with some yandere... still man, I'm not sure I'm ready for that sort of thing.
besides, how does one say "hi, my familiar helped me realize that I think you're really attractive"
I felt my cheeks flush red as the image of me doing just that played out. I reckon we'd both die of embarrassment if I just went up and said that.
Besides, I hardly knew her. I'd helped her out and cheap-shot a bully for her...
So I guess that's what I'd do. I'd spend some time and get to know her... but just up and doing that is creepy, I'd need to get my foot in the door, so-to-speak... but how?
Bingo... or rather, Lisica.
I made my excuses and walked over to the pair, tapping Velvet on the shoulder to grab her attention, which caused her to 'eep' and jump slightly.
"hi there, uh... Velvet, was it? sorry, I'm just horrible with names." I said quickly, trying to be as friendly as possible
She nodded, still looking nervous
"don't worry, I just wanted to ask a favour from you." I said "see, I've got a bit of free time on my hands, sick leave and all, and I've been sorely needing some essentials down in Vale, and I'm basically going to be out most of the day because of this... I was wondering if you could keep an eye on Lisica whilst I'm gone"
"Lisica?" She asked
"ohrightsorry- that would be the name of the fox you've been scratching to somewhere between bliss and cloud nine." I clarified, indicating the now disappointed looking fox.
"oh...why me?... and why does she have two tails?" Velvet asked
"she's a magic fox... a very magical fox" I answered. "she seems to have taken a liking to you... uh, feel free to say no and all... I don't mind, really" I replied
"I'm sorry, but I have a lot of classes today" Velvet said
"ah, I see... well... hmm..."
With a little quick thinking Lisica was in on the plan, which seemingly amused her to no end.
She made the biggest most adorable puppy-dog eyes she could, and was honestly giving the few times Ruby had used hers on me a run for her money. The adorableness overload was too much, and I had to avert my eyes, lest I d'aww
It didn't take long for Velvet to cave
I felt dirty, and had to reaffirm to myself that I would make it up to her.
"Thanks a bunch. You just need to keep an eye on her; she's smart enough to look after herself for the most part" I said, turning to leave before stopping.
"since I'm going to be in Vale anyway, you want me to get you something whilst I'm down there? Y'know, for kinda just up and dumping this on you" I asked
My watch beeped out an alarm.
"crap, sorry, I gotta go. If you think of something, Lisica knows my phone-number" I said, quickly heading out to the airship landing pads
You'd be surprised what being a Hunter Trainee gets you in Vale.
For example, most places had a nice little discount... which was not unreasonable, since it was basically the armed forces discount you can get on Earth.
That, and apparently there's a special selection of hunter's clothes in most clothes stores that have special fibres woven in to help keep them from wearing out or getting damaged in a fight, which had come about due to hunters constant demands for hard-wearing outfits that were still somewhat fashionable... it wasn't bullet- or stab-proof, at least against anything carried by any self-respecting hunter, and most grimm, but I'd have to worry less about my clothes catching fire or tearing when my aura got low, and it was supposed to repel water and, well, blood... somewhat, which would be useful.
I picked out a few outfits and changed into one of them in a bathroom
Since my name was Cobalt, and such was the colour of my Aura, I had decided to just make that my theme colour, since I was already two for three in that department.
I grabbed myself a light blue T-shirt and some black cargo pants and replaced the dress shoes I'd been using with a pair of short, dark blue combat boots, and over the top I wore a big cobalt blue greatcoat with a black inside, which was more of a stylistic choice, but I fully intended to take it apart to sew in armour plates, so it could actually stop swords and bullets... after all, I was basically relying on my big bag of tricks, and armour-plating my coats and jackets seemed like a good addition. They were basically Kevlar already, and the extra weight might even train my strength.
After pulling together some outfits (and a few prayers I wouldn't have the pleasure/misfortune to stumble across Coco anytime soon, lest I find myself here for a week) and paying for my purchases with a decent amount of my hard-earned Lien, I navigated my way to a hunting supplies store.
The walls were lined with just about everything imaginable, from utility axes and knives to power cells and a not-insignificant display dedicated to ammunition.
I browsed through, picking out a few pieces that I didn't think I was going to be able to make at the forge. things like flashlights and carabiners
Though I had something else on my mind when I approached the counter
"Hi, can I help you?" the Clerk asked as I neared
"actually, yes. Do you know if I can get some custom ammo made?" I asked
"Can I see some ID?" She asked
I brought up my scroll, which also served as a sort of Hunting License and ID, and tapped it against the scanner.
"Beacon? Well then, sir, do you have specifications for this ammo?"
"I do" I said, pulling blueprints Ruby had drawn up for me during the same design session that had produced the plans for Nemesis from my inventory.
"if you would leave that with us, we can get a quote to you in a few hours" she said
"sure thing"
"you realize exactly what these rounds are, and what they do" The man the clerk had said would be behind my new ammo asked
"yes, and yes." I said
"dare I ask how you came up with the idea?" The armourer asked
"I pulled them from a science fiction series I love dearly... they were used because the bad guys were so bloody tough, and I was looking for something to utterly ruin the bad guys... on that note, since you do ammo, do you do guns as well? I'd manufacture it personally, but I've got a short schedule and no clue how to do it myself." I explained, pulling more blueprints and a wad of cash from my inventory.
The armourer glanced the blueprints over
"I see... you're not skimping out on anything are you?" He asked
"Go big, or go home. If you're gonna take on the things that go bump in the night, you should walk softly, and carry a BIG gun" I said, quoting once more
"well... if this thing is as solid as it looks, you'll have exactly that" he said
"I know, this came from the same stories as the bullets... it's meant to clear closed areas quickly, but I'm sure I could threaten Nevermore with this thing" I said
"well, you're not wrong" the man said "I'll make it... You're still crazy though"
"what hunter isn't, just a little?" I asked
"even for a hunter, you're crazy"
"I read fucked up shit, there's a difference... and I'm far from the evilest thing out there. How soon can it be done?" I asked
"I can make two 30 round magazines today, and I think I've seen some of these parts before on other guns, it shouldn't be hard to scavenge some basic parts." He said
"when can the gun be done?"
"the day after tomorrow"
I whistled "that fast?"
"it'd be a lot longer if hunters didn't have such... non-standard weapons all the time. I've got a number of parts I'd never even consider stocking otherwise"
"tell me about it. I know a person with a purse that doubles as a fold-out minigun. how she carries the thing is beyond me, and the chances of something jamming and the whole thing exploding are... astronomical... how some people look at these things and say "that's a good idea" is beyond me" I said
"ah, a reliability man are you?" He asked
"and ease of use. It's nice to be able to pick something up and use it, no if, ands or buts. After all, 'all skill is in vain if an angel pisses in the flintlock of your musket'" I quoted
"heh, I'll have to remember that one" he said, actually smiling
"so, how much of a small fortune will this run me?" I asked
It was the armourers turn to grin
Okay first thing's first, an annoyed rant from a knife/gun nut:
I was browsing the RWBY wiki, trying to get details about Neo, because she was originally slated to appear in this chapter, and saw something that is irking me to no end when I was reading up on her umbrella.
The "sword" in Neo's umbrella is most certainly NOT an estoc. The estoc (or English 'tuck', they're the same thing) is a big honking thrust sword large enough to use as an emergency lance or a short spear by cavalry and hunters of the mundane variety, often with a cruciform hilt, like you see in Dark Souls, not the tiny thing in Neo's umbrella. That "Sword" is, what? 30cm? 40? that's the size of a large dagger or a "Short Sword" (read: a Dagger that's so large it really can't be called a dagger any more) at best, and to the best of my knowledge finely tapered, needle-sharp, edgeless daggers are called stilettos. A proper, Neo-sized estoc would be roughly the size of Neo's whole umbrella or Crocea Mors, not that pissy little thing. If you want to maintain that it's a sword, then it's a Neo-sized smallsword at best, not even a proper rapier.
I don't know who is spreading this misinformation in whatever circles anime writers subscribe to, but when I find them I will slap them silly for it.
/Rant.
I was debating with myself whether or not to post this yesterday, and thought I should finish up my 'buffer chapter' before posting this, so I had something for next wednesday.
Good news is: I'm done with that chapter, so you get this one only slightly late.