SICKLE!~ Dang man, I didn't expect this much positive feedback to be honest... I really don't know what to say. Rereading my apology, I'm sorry if I came off a tad depressed (Don't worry I'm not and the chapters for Basil in Remnant will continue on their 1-4 day uploads!) That said, I'm truly grateful for the reviews and time you guys took in your replies, PM's included of course.
So in regards to the character intro in this story, I brought him in after the one-piece time skip. I hope his introduction makes sense as I did hint at a huge Faunus being an addition to the SDC that Jacques purchased from Carmel.
Anyhow, I hope this chapter is a satisfying token of appreciation for all your kind words, and there's a lot of plot to be delved into with and after this chapter. As always, cheers everyone, and have a nice day!
:3
"So... Hawkins, who is this?" Willow's business smile replaced by a disappointed visage, the magician couldn't help but shudder slightly at her ice-cold stare.
"Raven Branwen. Esteemed leader of the Branwen tribe and superior of Hawkins. I take it you are acquainted with my subordinate?" Raven's tone was anything but welcoming.
The ferocity that burned behind those blood-colored pupils, Hawkins used to think they were pleasant to observe, but since their aggression screamed with bloodshed Hawkins felt his hand subconsciously moving to the handle of his blade.
"Believe it or not I am. In fact, Hawkins happens to be hired under my name. I'm sure you know what that means?" Willow snapped. Her hands clasped together beneath her waist, Willow veered all her attention to the ravenette on display. She was a tad close to her blonde mercenary, and that unnerved the noble.
"Under hire? So you see Hawkins as nothing more than a possession? Of course, that kind of talk would be the first thing you snooty rich girls resort to. You wouldn't understand what a real family is. I bet your kids are spoiled rotten, aren't they? That is if you managed to find someone willing to marry and put up with your plastic charms." Raven put both hands on her hips and smirked at the frozen Schnee.
Hawkins' eyes widened and he felt his head reel back. Those words were harsh, like really harsh. Despite Hawkins' opinions of friendship being nothing more as a means to an end, he felt a twinge of sympathy for Willow. However, despite his expectations, the Schnee still held her smile. Though, a menacing glint twinkled in the corners of her eyes.
"Is that so? Nothing but useless prattle coming from an unrefined and barbaric woman. Such vulgar insults are fitting of someone with average intelligence, but I never expected to hear such statements from an atrocious and ugly boar." Willow placed an open hand near her mouth and haughtily giggled as Raven's expression soured.
Her advantage rising, Willow pushed on and addressed the man whom her priorities resided.
"By the way Hawkins, since I am able to converse with you on this private network, it means we must be close enough for me to lock onto your scroll. I'll arrange a bullhead to pick you up, all you have to do is download this app, and your all set!" Willow said with a tone a bit too sweet for Hawkins' liking.
Feeling this vocal encounter would come back to bite him in the ass, Hawkins stepped forward to pick up his scroll, but a strong grip clasped itself on his shoulder.
"What are you doing Hawkins?" Raven hissed.
"I'm going to retrieve my scroll..." Hawkins muttered.
"I don't see any problems with his actions Ms. Branwen. The scroll belongs to him does it not? Besides, he initiated the call with me, so your presence here is only a nuisance." Willow huffed.
The grip on his shoulder now crushing, Hawkins was glad he had his full stock of straw dolls. Unfortunately for one bandit in the camp, his fellow tribesmen could only watch with puzzled faces as their cohort rolled on the ground while clutching his shoulder.
"As the leader of the Branwen Tribe, Hawkins must obey my orders without question. Isn't that right Hawkins Branwen?" A snarl from the other line seeped through, and Hawkins stood himself straight.
"I never acknowledged you as my superior Ms. Branwen. We agreed to a shared partnership." Hawkins sighed. "And my name is Hawkins, don't add your tribe name after it."
Willow released a sigh she hadn't known she was holding. Her strong composure returning, she once again addressed her blonde mercenary.
"Hawkins, please, tell me where you are and I'll have my pilots turn the bullhead around immediately!" Willow decided to take matters into her own hands and almost squealed in delight. She'd have Hawkins all to herself and the magician would feel indebted to her for her generous actions.
"I'm afraid I have no idea of where I stand. All I know is that I'm in the northern wildlands of Vacuo." Hawkins sighed.
"Not to mention you can't shirk off your duties as a tribe leader." Raven butted in. Taking a step in front of Hawkins, she glared at the rich noblewoman and cocked a brow.
"Y'know Hawkins, I'm surprised you'd submit to such a clumsy and spoiled bitch. I mean, look at her skirt, she's got shit stains all over them." Raven pointed a teasing finger at the brown blotches on Willow's attire, and the Schnee gasped in mortification as she tried to cover the hem of her skirt with her hands.
However, Willow's retort ended up as nothing but incoherent sputtering when she saw Hawkins curl a brow in curiosity. Of course, he wouldn't consider someone of Willow's stature doing such a disgusting and childish action! Though a jolt of doubt racked her mind when Hawkins tilted his head.
Her lips fumbling for words as the blush on her cheeks increased tenfold, Willow desperately tried to explain herself as Raven raised her nose in triumph. The tribe leader considered Hawkins as an equal of sorts, and his contributions these past weeks had solidified his position among its ranks.
"Ms. Schnee." Hawkins was fed up with the banter between these two stubborn women. He didn't care about the insults, but from the fading signal on his scroll, Hawkins knew his time was running out.
"Y-Yes Hawkins?" Willow replied with as much grace as she could muster.
"Would it be possible too-" The call was cut off and the screen on the scroll went black? The magician facepalmed, the banter between Raven and Willow had exhausted all the energy in his scroll!
On Willow's end, the absolute look of horror on her face could not be described by words alone. With a scowling grimace and eyes hotter than frostbite, the Schnee yelled at the top of her lungs the first thing that came to mind.
"KLEIIIIIN!"
The butler in question, while undoubtfully loyal, opted to remain outside his master's private chambers. Well, at least until Willow's finished yelling her lungs out.
Opposite to what the magician assumed. In reality, his scroll had been forced to shut down by a hacker who intercepted his call the moment it was made. In the confines of a parked Atlas military truck, Custard giggled with glee as she tapped her scroll.
"Yes? What do you... Custard? What are you doing calling me at this time?" The suited man on the screen cupped his chin and tapped his foot. Time was of the essence, and he'd already completed what the violet-haired mercenary wanted.
"Yes, it's good to see you too Watts. Now, have you completed the modifications of our little project?" Custard grinned maliciously.
"Indeed, though I can't imagine how sabotaging SDC property is beneficial in this circumstance. Carmel did mention the new code she wanted me to create and modify would prove useful, but I assume it was meant for you?" Watts sighed and pulled out a USB from his coat. Rain pittered against his umbrella, and the dimly lit alleyway did nothing to lighten the mood.
"Of course, this behemoth of a 'Faunus' Jacques bought from Carmel is wasted on the Schnees mines. If that stupid businessman had any notion of the true potential of his secret purchase he would have been jumping for joy." Custard's brown eyes veered to the chained slave in front of her.
Her initial reaction when Jacques presented his new 'employee' Custard drew her sword and prepared herself for a fight. This earned a petty scolding from Jacques, but when he confirmed the Faunus was meant to haul mine carts and heavy equipment, Custard couldn't help but laugh at the Schnee's naivety.
"Custard, I'm sending the files to you now. All you have to do is insert the USB extension into the chest compartment on the Faunus' chest and my codes should rewrite its mind to your desired outcome. I do hope you know what you're doing, you're already treading on thin ice as it is." Watts grumbled.
The loading bar at the top of her scroll filled, Custard ended her call with Watts and made her way toward the hulking Faunus.
"To think someone with a 296,000,000 berry bounty would be reduced to a zombie-minded pawn. I truly pity you, warlords. To pledge allegiance to the world government, only to be thrown away and replaced at a moment's notice when you've become too weak or lost your purpose."
The Tyrant before her was nothing more than a memory long forgotten. His glass eyes were cracked, but that only signified his loss of spirit. No longer did he adorn his intimidating black jacket, instead a tattered gray coat covered him with the SDC company logo imprinted on his back. Chains clasped around his neck, arms and legs, forcing him to hunch at half his height. Though he still had his bear-eared cap on his head.
An emotionless frown plastered on his steeled visage, Custard unbuttoned the front of his coat and pulled out a key card she had stolen from one of the SDC's engineers. Sliding the card down the scanner, the compartment door blinked green and popped open. Thankfully the process was easy, and all Custard had to do was insert her scroll's USB extension into one of the many slots.
Echoes of gears turning rattled in the military vehicle, and Custard jumped back and drew her sword. Had Watts betrayed her?! The answer was no, it was just some sand had assembled in the Faunus' torso which caused a short moment of tension in its internal mechanisms. When the coding downloads finished, a dark red shined through the cracked eyes of the former legendary pirate.
"Hello PX-0, or rather, Tyrant of the sea... Bartholomew Kuma. What are your duties?" Custard snorted at the warlord's response.
"Hunt down Basil Hawkins, the magician. Bounty 249,000,000 lien. Wanted Dead or..." The second half of the sentence was never spoken. The malevolent expression on Custard's face beamed with pride.
"Y'know, it's a pity that I won't be the one to kill that blonde bastard, but having a horrific sense of nostalgia do it instead isn't a bad outcome either. Hawkins was forced to retire as a pirate because of the Pacifista modeled after your person, and I can't wait to see the look on his face when you tear apart everything he has left!" Then another idea dinged inside the twisted mind of Custard.
Unplugging her scroll, she flicked through the images she had taken while hacking Hawkins' conversation. A woman known as Raven stood beside the blonde magician, and from her conversation with the spoiled Schnee, it was obvious Hawkins considered her an ally.
"We wouldn't want to leave any of the magician's friends behind would we?" Custard snickered and texted Watts.
Soon enough, a call was initiated.
"For the last time Custard, I'm busy and don't have time for idle chit chat." Watts huffed.
"What? You want me to create a new code? What's this an image? Who is this ravennette?" Watts took out a notepad and scribbled down the information Custard relayed to him.
"Yes I can add that tidbit of programming, but is this woman really worth that much lien?"
"Alright fine, but you owe me a big favor after all this is over. And I might cash it in sooner rather than later." Watts grumbled and set up his laptop. Tapping keys at lightning speeds, the new code was created and sent to Custard.
"Thank you, Watts." The mercenary smiled.
"Hmph." The gentleman ended the call leaving Custard to skip toward the hulking tyrant in glee.
Again she downloaded the information into Kuma's code, and now both his eyes glistened a burning crimson.
"Raven Branwen, bounty 100,000,000 lien, wanted dead or..." The tyrant said in a low robotic voice.
"Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" Custard skipped around the dim room like a little schoolgirl but did so with a vile smirk on her face.
"What did you want to see me for Ms. Branwen? I told you everything I know about Ms. Schnee, what else do you want from me?" Hawkins sighed and leaned himself against a wooden support. Huddled under the Branwen leader's tent, Hawkins assumed the ravenette wanted to discuss the path the tribe would take to get to the ruins but curled a brow when all she did was sit herself down at her table.
Motioning for Hawkins to take a seat, the magician obliged but did so with a grunt. A bottle of red wine and two glasses between them, Raven poured herself a serving and did the same for Hawkins. With silence between them, Hawkins racked his brain for any reason Raven would want to see him, but nothing came to mind.
His options open and ominous, Hawkins pulled out his tarot cards and began to elaborate on his situation. Raven said nothing, seemingly content as she observed the blonde man's actions. Mutters of numbers and percentages filling the room, Raven decided that now was the time to enact her plan.
"You spend a lot of time playing with those cards of yours don't you Hawkins?" The tribe leader quipped.
"It's one of my greatest assets and a skill I plan to bestow upon my son. Perhaps my daughter as well, but she's already shown reluctance on the subject." Hawkins grumbled.
"I see. So with those cards, you can find anything you want?"
Hawkins shook his head. "I can only predict the chances of discovering what I desire. There have been moments that I've failed to locate what I needed despite the percentages being on my side."
"Hm... But the talents you possess are fascinating, how long did it take for you to learn it?" Raven finished her drink and raised her hand to pour another, but a firm grip around her wrist stopped her.
"What answer are you looking for Ms. Branwen? I'm tired and want to check up on my kids." Hawkins might have missed it if he were still shuffling his cards, but there was definitely a twitch in Raven's eye when he mentioned his children.
"The tribe does have plans of heading north, but not entirely for plunder." Raven sighed and shook off Hawkins' hold.
The blonde man lowered his cards and crossed his arms.
"I'm searching for someone Hawkins, and with your ability, I was hoping to finally find them." The grip on his glass tightened. Raven could mask her emotions well, but Hawkins' skeptical nature nicked his conscience.
"Is this person relevant to the prosperity of the tribe, or is it your own ambitions that are fueling this dangerous pursuit?" The magician countered.
"Dangerous? I never said the person I was looking for was dangerous." Raven cocked a brow and smirked. She'd piqued Hawkins' interest, and that was the first step to her plan.
Slipping a photograph from under the table, Hawkins observed the image and narrowed his eyes.
"You're looking for a teenager?"
A young girl with green hair tied in short pigtails, freckles covered her cheeks as her eyes reflected the same color of her hair. She wore a uniform, but not one Hawkins recognized. A black jacket with a light gray outline around the edges, a white undershirt, and a white band around the girl's left arm with a matching skirt to finish it off.
"She's the real reason my tribe is heading north, I want to find her and recruit her under the Branwen name." Raven grinned.
"What for? I should also bring up that the SDC company is planning on securing the northern territories soon, I know this because it's the reason Ms. Schnee had me under hire. To lead the scout team and protect the supplies and workers should any bandits or Grimm threaten them."
Hawkins did not enjoy the shift of tone in Raven's voice. "This isn't up for debate Hawkins, as a member of the tribe you have to concede sometimes, and this choice to head north is not up for debate."
"Then I rebuke that command. As a joined leader of this bandit group, I will not endanger the lives of my children because you want to expand." Hawkins slammed his empty glass against the table. He wasn't against searching for this uniformed girl, but he was not willing to head north.
"What if I offered a trade for your efforts?" Raven resorted to her trump card. She may have used it earlier than she'd liked, but Hawkins' abilities were crucial in finding Haven's maiden.
"A trade?" Hawkins grunted.
"I remember you said you didn't possess aura. It's an asset that is required of every hunter and huntress, I could unlock yours and the possibilities of your powers escalating are guaranteed." The alluring smile of the woman in front of her held many promises, but Hawkins only cared about the probability of the truth behind Raven's claims.
"There's only a 29% chance you can achieve such a feat, Ms. Branwen." Hawkins deadpanned.
"Is that how you're going to play it? Fine then, I'll unlock your aura first then we can find the girl I'm looking for after." Raven stood herself up and Hawkins did the same.
His guard on the rise, Hawkins reached for his sword, but a firm hand ceased his attempt.
"Calm down Hawkins. This will only be a moment." Placing an open palm on the magician's chest, Raven channeled her aura into his person.
Hawkins remained silent but felt nothing. Seconds turned to minutes, and soon enough Hawkins felt like an hour had passed. Raven, on the other hand, closed her eyes and poured even more aura into the blonde man's being. What was this... resistance she felt when delving into Hawkins' soul?
Then, a spark finally occurred, but not in the way Raven expected. The faint swirls of Hawkins' aura taking form, instead of accepting Raven's generous gift, the purple embers within the magician took some sort of... devilish form... and growled back! Nay... IT SNARLED AT HER!
Her palm retracting as if it'd been bitten, Raven felt her knees buckle and a trickle of sweat fall down her cheek. Why did her hand feel like it was on fire? Clenching it with her other hand, Hawkins curled a brow in concern. Raven looked as if she'd seen a ghost!
"Ms. Branwen are you alright?"
"S-Stay away from me!" She yelped.
Hawkins stepped back and allowed his arms to limply fall to his sides. He was confused, but now was not the time to ponder about himself, he needed to deduce why Raven was treating him like some wild beast.
"... Is my aura unlocked?" Hawkins deadpanned. It was the only thing he could think of to rouse Raven from her stupor.
"N-No." Raven shivered and took several deep breaths. She'd never encountered such a sensation, she'd unlocked Vernal's aura last month, but it was as easy as clapping her hands when it came to the brunette. Why was Hawkins so different?
Seeing the quivering woman in front of him, Hawkins acted solely on his recently strengthened fatherly instincts and stepped forward to comfort the tribe leader in front of him. He extended a pale hand and placed it on top of the ravenettes scalp. Raven's hair was surprisingly soft, and Hawkins weaved his fingers through it with ease. Ignoring the sudden hitch of breath that escaped Raven's lips, the blonde continued to console the trembling woman before him.
As for the one receiving the head pats, Raven did not know how to react. Not even Tai would dare go past the boundaries of touching her hair, and while Raven considered herself as a person who didn't prioritize her looks, her hair was the only exception. Deciding to blame it on recent events, Raven allowed Hawkins to comfort her, and oddly enough, the magician's hands were shockingly gentle.
They never tugged on any strands and made sure to tread delicately when it encountered a knot. Swallowing a thick lump, Raven stepped forward, and Hawkins, in turn, stepped back. Respecting her personal space. Hm, so he's not going to take advantage of this situation? Hawkins continued to amaze the ravenette.
"If you cannot unlock my aura, perhaps you can bestow the gift upon my children in my stead?" This was a logical compromise. Hawkins was satisfied with how his own powers were growing, but he didn't want to leave Jaune and Emerald behind.
"O-Okay." Raven managed to say through flimsy lips. She leaned forward and allowed her knees to cave. Wrapping her arms around Hawkins' chest, she buried her head on his shirt. Ruffling it as she bit her lip to hold back the tears.
This warm embrace... How long had it been since she did so with Tai? His goofy smile, his jolly voice, Raven even missed his terrible puns!
But... For some odd reason... Raven didn't mind the contrast between her former husband and Hawkins. Sure, the magician was cold, rude, and ruthless. Yet, when she tilted her gaze to see those crimson gems he called eyes, she couldn't help but swim in a sea of familiarity when she saw them. Hawkins was like her, broken, lost, and always grumpy. If Raven were born as a man, she could imagine taking Hawkins' place.
Similarities aside, due to Hawkins taking on a more hands-on approach in his plunders with the tribe, his physique had drastically improved. His shoulders straightened with muscle, and the slight slouch in his neck had disappeared. Not to mention the height difference. Raven was content with being 5'10" but Hawkins was a staggering 6'11"! In order to reach his neck, Raven had to stand on her tippy toes! She allowed her eyes to wander the view but averted her gaze before Hawkins could notice the thick blush on her cheeks.
The two remained in each other's warmth for a good while, until Hawkins finally grew uncomfortable and impatient with the skin contact and tried to free himself from Raven's grasp. Unfortunately, the raven-haired beauty had grown comfortable with her position and squeezed her arms tighter as Hawkins tried to move.
Scouring his meticulous mind for an answer, a certain memory came to the forefront of his mind. The time Jaune was tied to the bridge in the agricultural district, it was because he tickled Trifa. Though that did get the blue-haired girl to leave Jaune alone... perhaps it would work for Hawkins as well?
Hawkins used his right hand to pat Raven's head, while his left worked its way to an exposed underarm of the woman currently clinging to him. Wiggling his index finger through the thin fabric of her shirt, Hawkins rubbed the soft and porcelain skin of Raven's armpit in small circular motions.
Hawkins achieved his desired outcome, but the way it was played out was definitely unexpected. First, Raven's body jolted, then her eyes widened slightly as her legs began to quiver. Hawkins ignored Raven's odd actions, seeing he wasn't ticklish, he was ignorant to the nerves his finger was prodding. Biting her lower lip, Raven clenched her teeth on the bottom of her lip to suppress the giddy smile and childish laugh that threatened burst through her throat.
However, not even the Branwen leader could fight a biological fact forever and relinquished to her instincts. Hawkins was glad the grip around his neck had vanished, though after what transpired, Hawkins wished Raven had never let go.
"K-KYAAAAH!~"
Raven's uncharacteristically girly squeal blew out the magician's eardrums and before Hawkins could react, an uppercut with the force of a thundering waterfall sent him spiraling through the ceiling of Raven's tent. When the blonde eventually hit the ground, a crater was left in his wake and a crowd of bandits rushed to the commotion.
Brick was the first to arrive, and seeing Hawkins was alright, he ran to the tent of his leader, and when he opened the front flaps the smile on the doctor's face was that of a goofy baby.
Raven's legs were buckled together and the blush on her cheeks was redder than a cherry. Unfortunately, Brick was spotted by his embarrassed leader and was punched just like Hawkins. Let it be known that night two patients were treated. Brick and one of his fellow bandits... seeing Hawkins still had a few straw dolls stored up...
"Hey, Jaune?" Emerald nudged her brother with a groggy elbow.
"What is it Minty?" The blonde boy yawned.
"I heard screaming outside, don't you think you should see what's going on?"
Jaune nuzzled his head deeper into his fluffy pillow.
"Sounds to me like the tribe is planning to head north to the ruins tomorrow." Jaune sighed.
"How can you be sure?" Emerald poked her sibling's cheek with a pout.
"Just a feeling," Jaune replied with weary lips. Falling back asleep, Jaune dreamed of sora the warrior, and the happy faces of Sam and Carla, along with an annoyed looking Trifa with a hidden smile on her face.
Meanwhile, Jaune wasn't the only one dreaming. However, the snoozing thoughts of this individual were filled with worry. Trifa, for the sixth time that night, got out of bed and skittered across the floorboards as quietly as she could as to not wake the sleeping seniors Carla and Sam.
Trifa climbed the ladder at the end of the hallway and opened the latch to the roof. Planting herself on the same spot she would always sit, her cobalt eyes veered to the crescent moon and its twinkling underlings. A cold breeze passing through her spine, Trifa snuggled herself with the blanket Jaune had gifted her on their first shared night.
Plucking out a small paper bag she'd snatched from the kitchen, Trifa munched on her chocolate chip cookies with moist eyes, doing her best not to soak her blanket in salty tears as she ate... alone.
