JET SHELL!~ Nice I managed to make my two-day deadline. One more chapter after this one to tie up a few loose ends and I'm finally done with the Vacuo arc folks. I hope this ending doesn't seem too forced, but I felt it was a decent way for things to play out.

And I finally hit 100 favorites too, Yeeee Boi!

Also, I've got the majority of the Menagerie arc figured out, and there will be two sub-arcs included.

That said, I'll be sticking to 1-4 days for chapter uploads. It's just easier for me to manage and it doesn't dry out my creativity too much.

Not much to say for this author's note, so as always happy reading everyone.


"So you have... a family now... Hawkins?" Kuma asked as he pushed aside a jagged boulder.

"More or less. I am the adoptive father of Jaune and Emerald, but I don't have any legal documents to prove it. Then again, a former pirate usually doesn't have such things after he's voyaged out to see the world and plunder its riches." Hawkins sighed.

"I don't think that matters Hawkins. There are many families with differing heritage whose bonds are stronger than those entwined by blood. Take pirate crews for example. I'm sure you had a few members by your side who weren't directly related to you." Kuma said.

"My crew is dead, it's best not to remember the past when I have present responsibilities to attend to," Hawkins mumbled.

Kuma paused and slowed his pace. A few sparks sputtered from his wounds as he remembered a crucial detail. His thoughts aligned and his mind made up, the warlord asked his question.

"Am I... responsible... for their deaths?" Kuma asked in a slow and slurred tone.

Hawkins stopped walking and turned to the towering man beside him. How could he have forgotten the dread and malice he imposed on the grounds of Sabaody Archipeligo? Did he suffer from some sort of memory loss?

"Kuma, what can you recall when you were summoned alongside the navy admiral?" Hawkins asked in genuine curiosity.

"I remember, sending the straw-hat pirates away... then the rest is blank." Kuma cupped his chin in deep thought.

"Is that all? You told me yourself that I was no longer needed in the grande-line, then you transported me here with your devil fruit powers. You didn't spare any details either. Even my dying crew were able to bid their final farewells before they departed for the afterlife along with my ship."

"..." Kuma's eyes lowered to the ground and his lips veered to a frown.

Hawkins knew something was off with the former pirate, but he couldn't muster any ideas as to why. Yet, there was an odd resemblance that stung a memory in the magician's mind. The face Kuma wore was one of a defeated loser. He was a world-renowned force of devastation in the grande-line who rightfully earned his infamous title of Tyrant.

Like Hawkins however, the infamy he'd earned over the years had been tarnished and wasted. Though compared to Hawkins, Kuma seemed to get the shorter end of the stick. The grande-line was blatantly racist, and the celestial dragons and rich nobles even treated their own kind with disgust and cruelty.

Kuma was probably under the SDC's heel since he first arrived in Remnant, and that was while he was a pathetic slave with no will of his own. Though it felt awkward and forceful, Hawkins felt a pang of guilt twitch in his subconscious when he considered leaving the supposed bear Faunus in Vacuo territory.

Kuma's sheer size and physical strength were without a doubt exceptional, but with a broken mind, it wouldn't be hard for the lackeys of the SDC to subdue the warlord with their technological weaponry. Drawing a deep breath, Hawkins made a proposal.

"Kuma," Hawkins said in an assertive voice.

"Do you want to stay here in the sands of Vacuo?"

The warlord slowly shook his head.

"Then..." Hawkins couldn't believe he was extending a hand of respect to the one who played a role in the annihilation of his crew.

"Would you like to come back to Vale with me? You'll be safely hidden in the agricultural district, and you'll be surrounded by Faunus and humans who would treat you with respect."

For the first time since they'd met in Remnant, Kuma's lips lifted to a polite smile. His reply answered in silence, Hawkins did his best to not sweat at the fact that a world-renowned warlord in all the four seas of the grande line was now going to be living in the same district as he. In a few moments, the two former pirates arrived back with the other Branwen members above ground. Hawkins however, returned to the dusty tunnels to retrieve his children and ordered Kuma to wait for him in the meantime.


"So have we all gathered our bearings?" The one whom Jaune had come to dub as his new brother in arms, was idly twiddling his thumbs as he awaited the questions his audience surely had for him.

"Did all of this happen because I ate a bogus fruit?" Jaune blinked.

"Not bogus my boy, a powerful devil fruit of the common paramecia variety. Now, to get the business side of our conversation done with, I'm going to lay out the rules and responsibilities that come with digesting said fruit." Genie pulled out a long scroll and unrolled it. The end trailing along the ground, the genie plucked the feather from his turbin and dabbed it on his tongue.

"Alright, rule number one: you cannot swim in the sea for the rest of your wonderful life, and ixnay on the rock commonly addressed as seastone!"

The life in Jaune's eyes faded a tad. No more swimming? It was one of his favorite pastimes! Before the blonde could utter a response, the genie continued.

"Rule number two: The power of the Puff-Puff fruit can only be activated by the action of rubbing. I'd recommend wearing long-sleeved shirts from now on Jauney-boy. Otherwise, you'll burn your skin like sandpaper."

Jaune tilted his head. Did he need to rub himself to keep his genie around? But he wasn't rubbing himself in any way at the current moment.

"Rule number three: The strength of the Puff-Puff fruit's genie depends on the summoner itself. So make sure you workout that body Jauney-boy and maintain a good diet to boot!"

Hastily scribbling the information down, the list was presented to Jaune and the others with a beaming smile on the genie. He'd explained the concept of being a devil fruit user as simply as he could, but grew worried when all he received were bewildered expressions.

"Do I die if I'm in the water too long?" Jaune managed to mumble.

"Yes," Genie replied in a flat tone.

"Oh." Jaune whimpered.

"No need to look so glum Jauney-boy. Despite those annoying drawbacks, you've got this spectacular fiend who's willing to lay down his life for you at any given moment. That is if you have me summoned at the time." The genie laughed.

"Hold on, if I'm supposed to be rubbing myself to keep you around, how are you still here if I'm not?" Jaune asked. The gears in his brain coming to a standstill as the genie stroked his chin.

"Do you remember when I said I had to wage war to settle my place in your soul?" The genie curled a brow as Jaune shook his head.

"Well, instead of fighting to the point of tearing my new master's body apart, I decided to try and merge my powers with the mysterious energy inside of you. Shockingly, my plan worked and now I can feed off of that white stuff you call aura. So until your aura reserves run out I'm free to do as I please Jauney-boy." The genie hummed.

"Oh, that's cool," Jaune said as his face paled.

"Jaune?" Emerald asked and rested a hand on her brother's shoulder in concern.

"I don't feel so good," Jaune grumbled and closed his eyes. Before he knew it, his back was against the ground as his tongue lazily hung from his open mouth.

"Uh oh, that's not good." The genie felt his presence fading as his pigment of dark blue grew more and more transparent.

"Might want to get a doctor to look at him girls because there's definitely something that's running amok in Jauney-boy's body." With his summoner's strength fleeting, the genie exploded in a spectacular cloud of blue smoke leaving nothing of himself behind.


"Emerald?" Hawkins entered the open chamber with a skeptical eye. In the distance was a young girl with green hair and an unmistakable white elephant behind her. There was also a brunette, but Hawkins couldn't name her.

"D-Dad?!" Emerald squealed as tears burst through her eyes.

Hawkins fidgeted, his daughter running toward him, he didn't know what to do when faced with such energetic innocence. Jumping for her father, Emerald's forehead knocked against that of Hawkins earning a wince from both persons.

"I-I'm so happy to see you're alive!" Emerald held nothing back as she continued to squeeze her father's neck as she dangled below his shoulders.

A thin smile peeked through the magician's lips, but a frown quickly replaced it when he saw a blonde boy gasping on the ground in pain.

"Is Jaune alright?" Hawkins asked.

Emerald snapped from her jolly stupor and dropped from the warm embrace.

"J-Jaune's sick!" Emerald cried.

Hawkins rushed to Jaune's side with Emerald trailing behind him. Kneeling, Hawkins placed a palm on Jaune's forehead and deduced his temperature was rising to one of a fever.

"We need to get him above ground. I met up with Brick and Richie before I arrived here and led them with Kuma to the world above. Come on, we can't afford to waste any time." Hawkins ordered.

He picked up Jaune and tossed him over his shoulder. Funkfreed turned back into his sword form as his size would slow him down in the tight tunnels, and slung himself around Hawkins' belt. As for Emerald and Vernal, they did their best to follow Hawkins up the dim and winding passages.


Above ground, the Branwen tribe managed to solidify their position and establish a temporary base of operations. Many of their fallen brethren had been respectively put to rest, as those who remained rested in pitched tents to ease their wounds and suffering.

Raven had also woken up along with the other bandits who hadn't been swallowed by the tremors, and immediately sent a number of search parties to retrieve those who had been plunged beneath the rubble. What surprised her was that Hawkins' lion had also joined in the rescue missions when he emerged from the ruins with Brick. Perhaps he was trying to find Hawkins instead, but he assisted in carrying the other wounded nonetheless.

It took some time, but all those who had been missing were found, earning a sigh of relief from the stressed tribe leader. Though, there was a certain head of blonde, mint, and brown that was still missing from her numbers.

"Brick!" Hawkins shouted from the tunnels and a certain ravenette's neck snapped toward the entrance.

"Hawkins, did you find your kids?!" Brick scampered off the ground and grabbed a small bag of medical supplies. Rushing over to the scene, the doctor's lips veered to a frown when he saw a panting Jaune.

"Jaune is ill, I need you to treat him." Hawkins laid his son down on a bedsheet and allowed Brick to make his analysis.

Luckily most of the medical equipment had remained intact after the earth-shattering battle, so Brick could at least deduce the basic problems with Jaune. A few minutes after, the doctor had glum news to deliver.

"Jaune's leg is infected, and if he doesn't get proper treatment and medication, he might kick the bucket sooner rather than later."

True to Brick's words, Jaune's bandaged leg was swollen and dripping with puss. Whatever bacteria had managed to worm its way into his injury, it was serious. Emerald's eyes widened in shock and she turned to her father for guidance.

"We can't let Jaune die dad!" She yelped.

"Can't you treat him with the supplies you have here?" Hawkins grumbled.

"I'm sorry Hawkins, my stocks have long dried out from treating the other bandits. If I could help Jaune I would, but I don't have what I need to treat him." Brick sighed.

Hawkins scowled and his skin paled. His son was about to die and he couldn't do anything about it!

"I... can help." Said a familiar voice.

Crimson pupils meeting a pair of bloody red, Hawkins turned to see Raven standing beside him with her arms crossed. Bandages covered her arms, head, and legs, but most of them were hidden beneath her huntress attire. Who would've thought the tribe leader would carry around a spare outfit?

"Do you have a semblance that heals?" Hawkins curled a brow at the nervous-looking woman. She looked like she wanted to say something, but couldn't muster the courage to say it.

"Just... follow me and you'll see. Where we wind up though is anyone's guess, but I can at least get you into a city that has hospitals." Raven replied.

Having no reason to refuse such an offer, Hawkins decided to trust Raven, even though she was acting a tad suspicious. The magician was quick to gather his belongings and called for Richie to join him. The lion complied but made sure to lick Brick on the cheek before he left.

"Kuma!" Hawkins shouted. All eyes jerked to the patient warlord who was sitting cross-legged in front of a bonfire a few bandits had set up.

Nonchalantly, the giant bear Faunus stood himself up and walked over to Hawkins' side. The impact of his footsteps thundering along the ground as he wore a neutral face. Kuma nodded at Hawkins and waited for the journey to begin.

'If Kuma's mind was still intact I would have asked him to bring us back to Vacuo with his devil fruit powers.' Hawkins pondered. But decided against Kuma using his deflecting abilities seeing there was only a 12% chance he'd end up in familiar territory.

Oddly enough, Raven presented a 78% chance of bringing Hawkins to the kingdom of Vale. The reason why this was was anyone's guess, but Hawkins' didn't have time for elaborate tarot readings. His son was in pain and he needed medical attention immediately.

"Ms. Branwen?" Hawkins crossed his arms but his face was etched with worry.

Raven sighed and led the Hawkins family, plus Kuma, to a hidden section of the ruins. Though, a certain brunette with spiky hair managed to follow closely behind. Drawing her weapon, Raven slashed at the open air and produced a flickering hazy portal of red aura. Then Hawkins made an unexpected action. Grabbing Raven by the wrist with a shaky hand, the magician shuddered as his paling face looked almost pleading.

"Please, Ms. Branwen, hurry," Hawkins said as he took a nervous gulp.

"Wait here for a bit, I need to settle things with 'him' before I let you through." Raven's stuttered as a blush swept across her cheeks. Her face spoke of regret, but she owed Hawkins after all his contributions to the Branwen tribe. Maybe the action of saving his son would earn her some positive points with the blonde magician's heart as well...

Raven's teeth clenched and she shook her head violently. Now was not the time to be thinking of such things. She had a debt that needed to be repaid.


The Crow bar was silent on Sundays, mostly due to the owner closing up shop at 8:00 pm sharp. He used to keep the doors open for longer, but too many instances with crazed drunks who staggered out of the bar had begun to destroy its public image. Though there were a few exceptions. Namely, a spiky-haired hunter who had been sent on yet another mission after making a full recovery from his defeat a few weeks ago.

"Do you want me to lend you an ear Qrow? You seem really out of it today. Is something on your mind?" Barry the bartender asked. He was the same as usual, his short brown hair slicked behind the ears, with a jolly mustache hanging underneath his stubbed nose. He still wore the same bartender suit but decided to change his bowtie from green to blue.

"Not tonight Barry. I just came back out of the medical ward and I'd like some time to think, thank you."

Barry thought nothing of Qrow's harsh tongue. When the hunter came into the bar it was clear he was upset. That, along with a thick layer of bandages wrapped around his forehead proved he'd been in quite the scuffle. Though, whoever gave Qrow those wounds had to be stronger than your average hunter.

Qrow, lost in his thoughts continued to relay the incident that knocked him into the hospital. The man who dwarfed the 6'1" was a good two heads taller than he. The condescending stare along with his golden hook didn't help to ease the situation either. However, one question racked Qrow's brain to no end. He'd researched all types of semblances of both hunters and criminals after his loss, but there was nothing related to sand manipulation.

"I shot that bastard right through his skull too," Qrow mumbled dreadfully. How in the hell was he able to put it back together with sand? And why did he let me live, was he just toying with me when he dried me to the bone on the Mistralian streets? Thank Oum Summer and Tai found me when they did. Otherwise, I'd be a dead man.

Qrow's train of thought would have to stall, as Barry had something to point out.

"I'm sorry Qrow, but it seems like there's an issue that has your name written all over it." Barry pointed to a glowing rift of aura that appeared out of thin air behind the hunter.

"You might want to head to the back Barry, but don't worry I promise nothing will happen to your bar," Qrow assured the kind owner.

Barry quickly stacked his shot glasses and headed to the back room. He was used to drunken scuffles in his establishment, and always kept the police on speed dial should anything develop. Through the fluttering portal, a thigh-high black boot stepped through, and eventually, a familiar figure revealed itself.

"What do you want, Raven?" Qrow grunted. He wasn't in the best of conditions, so if his sister wanted to kill him here and now, she actually could.

"Qrow, I need you to look away for a few minutes," Raven said sternly. A dangerous spark in the corner of her eyes that dared her brother to disagree.

"What?" Qrow mumbled.

"Don't make me repeat myself Qrow. I only activated my semblance for urgent transport." Raven hissed.

This random declaration was too weird for even Qrow to ignore. Sure Raven had contacted him many times before, asking about the situations of Vale and the other members of team STRQ, but a certain glint in her blood-colored pupils hinted at an ulterior motive.

"Give me one good reason I should trust you, Raven." Qrow reached for his blade and lowered his stance. If Raven was planning on robbing a nearby store or performing any act of thievery, it was his responsibility to stop her. Both as a hunter and a brother.

"I don't have time for this Qrow! Somebody is going to die if they don't get treated immediately, and I'm not going to let this chance slip past me either!" Raven shouted.

Qrow took a few steps back and furrowed his brows. This was not the cold-hearted killer he was used to. If Raven wanted something she would do her best to take it and only retreat if she knew there was too much to chew. So what's with those moist eyes and conflicted face?

"Is it the old doctor?" Qrow asked. Brick was the only one Qrow and Raven seemed to get along with during their younger years in the tribe, so if this was for him Qrow would allow it just this once.

"It's... a friend of Brick's who needs medical attention," Raven said hesitantly.

"That's too ambiguous Raven. Unless you start laying out the specifics I can't let you do as you please. It's the law and all that bullshit y'know." Qrow ran a hand through his black locks. He needed a drink for all this unexpected stress.

Her patience gone and the sands of despair ticking away, Raven lost her composure and let the lid of her bottled emotions pop.

"CAN'T YOU DO THIS ONE STUPID FAVOR FOR ME QROW?! JUST THIS ONE FUCKING TIME?!" The glasses and bottles of the bar shook as Raven balled her hands into trembling fists and bit her lower lip to the point of drawing blood.

She was about to lose all ounces of trust she'd earned with Hawkins if she couldn't fulfill her promise. If Jaune dies, so does her relationship with the powerful magician it was as simple as that. Again Qrow was sent for a loop. Is this really the Raven Branwen? The one who abandoned her team when they needed her most? What the hell happened to his elder sibling after their encounter in that forest?

Scouring his mind for an answer, the faint flicker of a memory popped into Qrow's mind. There was a tall blonde in that forest with Raven right? Wait, no, his assumptions of someone watching them ended up with a dead dear now that he recalled the whole incident. Yet, Qrow highly doubted his sister was alone despite not seeing anyone during their conversation.

"... Alright Raven. You've got five minutes. Any longer than that and I'm turning away from the wall to see what you're scheming alright?" Qrow grunted.

It took all of the hunter's vigor to utter out that resolve. His mind waging wars between duty and family ties, Qrow turned his back on his sister and stared at the bar's display of various alcoholic beverages. He felt his neck tilt slightly to the left, but punched his noggin and closed his eyes to stop them from wandering. Raven hadn't shown such resolve in ages. Whoever was motivating her actions had to be important.


"Dad, is Jaune going to be alright?" Emerald winced as Hawkins' stoic gaze snapped to her.

His face twisting into a scowl, Hawkins' grip around his son tightened as the portal Raven walked through began to waver. Raven said to wait, but if the magician waited any longer, there was a high chance Jaune wasn't going to make it.

Stepping forward, Hawkins approached the portal. His face inches away from the sparkling aura, Hawkins hesitated for a few seconds which gave the owner of the portal enough time to come back. Her head knocking against a wall of pale and hardened abs, Raven shuddered at the contact and instinctively ducked to the side with her hand on her blade.

When she realized what she was doing, Raven did her best to ease her troubled mind and ordered Hawkins and the others to enter the portal. However, the conditions were they had to be silent and head straight for the hospital when they reached the other side. Also, they couldn't be seen or rouse the attention of the stranger in the room no matter what.

Hawkins found these rules odd, but they didn't hinder getting medical treatment for Jaune, so he agreed with no issues. Finally granted passage, Hawkins ran through the portal with his eyes closed. It was an exhilarating experience. As if Hawkins had just stepped through a murky ocean at the speed of light. If that makes any sense. His mind was groggy by the end of the journey, with a slight migraine to boot.

When Hawkins opened his eyes and took in his surroundings, he felt as if a crippling weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He was in the Crow bar. A place in Vale where people gathered to release their stress and worries drift away. He also noticed the back of a spiky-haired man. A ragged red cape on his back, he had his hands shoved in his pockets as he whistled a boring tune.

No matter, Hawkins had a mission and that was to get Jaune to the hospital. Emerald arrived shortly after with Richie, but a sudden fact slapped Hawkins in the back, literally. Kuma, being the enormous man that he was, squeezed through the portal and his head slammed against the building's roof. Wood planks and dust spilled everywhere as Kuma's feet plunged into the flooring.

Hawkins' heart thundered against his chest. He couldn't afford to be seen now, not after making it this far. But with the shifting back of the stranger tilting towards them, Hawkins knew he and his family were doomed.

"Okay, what the hell Raven?!" Qrow whipped himself around, only to see a gaping hole in the ceiling and floor.

"Qrow, is everything alright?" Barry peeked through the backdoor and felt his jaw slack. His eyes bulging out of their sockets as they processed the destruction of his bar.

Before Qrow could rush through the portal and get deserving answers from his sister, the portal fizzled in sputtering heaps until nothing remained. Stuck with a dismantled bar and a bewildered Barry, Qrow could only curse his bad luck as he mentally cussed.

"So um... who's gonna pay for this?" Barry asked in a confused tone. The mere utter of his words causing a flickering lightbulb to fall to the ground.


"Swoosh!" In the form of a speeding projectile, the Hawkins family, plus one Richie, crashed in front of a familiar household.

Hawkins landed on his feet with his arms wrapped around Jaune. Emerald landed on top of Richie's head, eliciting a painful yelp from the girl as Richie shook the dirt out of his mane. Kuma, on the other hand, was completely fine. His right hand exposed, Hawkins noticed a pulsating pink palm on the warlord's hand.

"Of all the times to use your devil fruit Kuma..." Hawkins wheezed.

The scent of fruits and vegetables, along with manure lingered in the air. Hawkins' crimson gaze focused on the sight before him. He instantly knew where he had landed.

"What in Oum's name!" Shouted a familiar and elderly voice. Gasping for breath, Sam burst through the front doors in a pair of blue pajamas with a double-barreled shotgun in hand. The old farmer squinted at the group with a bead of sweat treading down his forehead.

"Sam?! What's going on?!" Carla screamed behind him. With a flashlight in hand, she stood behind her husband in her white nightgown.

The last to join the scene was a spider Faunus with blue locks and cobalt eyes adorned in a black long-sleeved shirt and orange shorts. All attention on two recognizable blonde heads, Sam and Carla were the first to holler.

"HAWKINS?!" Their unified shout reached all the way to the corners of the agricultural district. Much to the ire of many sleeping farmers.