Jet Mace!~ Phew! Finally, we're on the boat to Menagerie folks!
Now, for the RWBY characters introduced into the chapter, there's almost nothing on the wiki for me to off of other than a very vague and brief explanation of their persons, much like Trifa, so I hope I'm writing them as most would perceive them.
With that, cheers everyone and happy reading!
The bedsheets rolled and the pillows tussled. The magician groaned and rose from his bead in a sweaty heap. No matter how many times Hawkins tried he couldn't fall asleep. Carla offered Hawkins some medicine to ease his rattled mind, but Hawkins didn't want to depend on them if the migraines continued.
The sleepless nights all started after Jaune's tenth birthday. The reason was a conundrum to Hawkins, and no matter how many tarot readings, he couldn't find the right question to ask. The lids of his eyes lifted to reveal a pair of weary hollow crimson. The skin beneath them weighed down by several bags, Hawkins decided a late-night stroll would ease his mind.
He glanced toward his sleeping son and daughter who snuggled together under the blankets. Not in an intimate way, but Hawkins had to admit the way Jaune would subconsciously wrap his arms around Emerald was cute. Hawkins gripped the headrest of his bed and hoisted himself up. Not only was it harder to fall asleep, but whenever Hawkins tried to move around and do anything it felt like his limbs were clasped with heavy chains.
"Pao?" Funkfreed lay perched on the wall on the new sword display Sam built for him.
"I'm going for a walk Funkfreed." Hawkins wheezed and left the room as quiet as a ghost.
His boots left deep imprints on the soft soil as a gentle wind combed his golden locks. Hawkins made it a quarter of the way down to the city road until a friendly voice called out to him from behind.
"Hawkins-rero?" Instead of his magenta suit, fur-collared coat, and bowler hat, Vito sported a simple white shirt, black shorts, and leather slippers.
"Vito, you're still awake?" Hawkins grumbled.
Vito hurried under the moonlight to walk beside the stoic magician.
"Nyororo! So I'm not the only one who's been having trouble sleeping. That's good to know-rero." Vito chuckled.
"Really, when did all of this start?" Hawkins asked.
Vito tilted his head and cupped his chin. "Since the day we celebrated Jaune's tenth birthday-rero."
Hawkins was taken aback. He knew something was had changed that day, and Vito's opinion confirmed it.
"It's odd isn't it?" Hawkins mumbled.
Vito moved his lips to reply but bit his tongue. His past of being an advisor for the FireTank pirates had made him well aware of when he needed to keep his mouth shut. Hawkins was simply speaking his thoughts out loud and elaborating on their situation. Now was not the time to interrupt.
"... When was the last time you saw Jaune use his devil fruit, Vito?"
"That's easy, it was when... rero." The gunslinger was at a loss for words as his brain failed to produce a memory.
"I actually don't know. There were those times you started teaching Jaune how to master his devil fruit, but that was when you and your family got back from Vacuo four years ago when Jaune was six. Though, why are you asking me this Hawkins, is Jaune in trouble-rero?"
Hawkins' nose scrunched and his brows furrowed. What was it that he didn't understand about the situation?
"There's a 67% chance our problems are coming from Jaune. Yet there's only a 15% chance that he is related to it." Hawkins said.
The magician's train of thought would derail for the moment, for Vito had a concerned look on his face. Though this one was more of fear than confusion.
"What is it, Vito?" Hawkins pondered.
"Y-Your chest is glowing-rero!" Vito gulped.
A swift sensation of scorching heat plowed through the nerves of Hawkins' skin. He hadn't had a conversation with Bastion or Malika in years, but they always gave the magician a warning before they called him. His vision spinning like the head of a top, Hawkins lost control of his body and fumbled to the ground while gasping for air.
"Huff... Huff..." Jaune's breath grew louder and louder and the hug he had around Emerald tightened. His dreams plagued by horrifying nightmares, sweat flooded from his pores and drenched his clothes, and stained those of his younger sibling.
"Knock Knock Knock~"
A gentle fist tapped against the clear glass of the bedroom window and Jaune's eyes opened as a result. He released the embarrassing hold on his sister and rolled from the bedsheets and onto the ground with a thud. His stomach ached and it felt like someone was trying to dig out his insides with a blunt shovel.
"Jaune, is everything alright?" Bartholomew Kuma asked in a calm tone. Being the enormous man, or rather, bear Faunus that he was, could see the boy was distressed from the backyard.
"I'm fine Kuma, I just had another nightmare that's all." Jaune chuckled weakly. His face still against the cold floor when he spoke.
Unconvinced, Kuma opened the window and reached inside the room. He plucked the anxious blonde off the floor and fixed the blanked over Emerald.
"U-Uncle Kuma?" Jaune stammered as the former warlord carried him out of his room.
"Growr?" Richie yawned in a curled position. Jaune was plopped atop the lion's back, and Richie accommodated his new snoozing buddy with no argument whatsoever.
Richie made space near his stomach which Jaune huddled into as the warmth of the lion's plush fur offered was heavenly. With the benevolent presence of Kuma behind him and the comfort Richie had bestowed upon him, Jaune, for the first time in ages had himself a peaceful sleep.
"This place again?" Hawkins found himself alone, beneath the withered tree centered in the rounded crater. The area was the same as the last time he visited, but there was no breeze present or talking puffs of smoke.
"Bastion? Malika?" Hawkins yelled. His voice carried to the ends of the crater, but no reply came from his elongated echoes.
Hawkins walked along with the roots of the tree, his destination was the staircase that served as the escape from this strange realm, but his body lurched forward as his barefoot tripped on a root. Or that's what Hawkins assumed. The magician peered down to see a vibrant green stem had somehow defied the laws of life and sprouted in the wasteland that surrounded him.
Hawkins knelt down and pushed aside the clumps of gray dirt and cracked pebbles, to find a small black fruit with swirls that matched the size of a large onion and had wavy green leaves around its base. Hawkins blinked, once than several times. Another devil fruit?! None of this made a lick of sense. What world did Hawkins find himself in where he could reap the potential powers of the devil with no effort?
Hawkins brought the fruit closer to his meticulous pupils and tossed it between his hands a couple of times to make sure it was real. However, the oddity, or rather normality, of this devil fruit was that it did not glow like the one Malika produced. It was plain as can be and with Hawkins' own experience with the cursed gifts of the devil, he was sure this devil fruit was genuine without a doubt.
"Oh, Hawkins, what the heck are you doing here?" Called a familiar voice.
In a white puff of smoke, a tall and sturdy frame was produced with the thin outlines of eyes, a mouth, and a nose wafted into view.
"Bastion?" Hawkins tied the devil fruit with his sash and shifted it behind his back. His history with Bastion was favorable, but he couldn't be sure without his tarot cards to weigh the odds so he chose to keep the devil fruit he uncovered a secret.
"If you're hoping for an answer Hawkins, I have none to give you. This world you're in is meant for souls, not human beings who are still alive. How on Remnant did you get here?" Bastion crossed his arms and tapped his foot.
"...What?" Was all Hawkins could ask before the world around him began to tremble.
The clouds above worked into a frenzy and the earth around Hawkins' feet wrinkled and tore itself apart. Bastion urged the magician to leave before the worst outcome could claim him, and Hawkins had no choice but to flee. He clambered across the dismantled staircase as debris and dust whizzed past his face. The wind returned full force and the mighty roar of a malevolent predator screeched through the clouds.
This time, Hawkins had the chance to catch a glimpse of the monster responsible for such a cry, but all he managed to see were blinding rays of yellow light.
"Hah!" Hawkins shouted as his mind and body became one once more. He woke on Vito's shoulder, as the man was currently running him to the nearest hospital in Vale.
The shout from the magician startled Vito, and the two men toppled to the ground with Hawkins landing on his back and the gunslinger on his face. After a few moments of panicked speech, Hawkins shut up his ally with a punch to the gut. With his lungs depleted of air, Vito could do nothing but listen to Hawkins' elaborate explanation of the situation.
"H-Hawkins! Thank Oum you're okay-rero!" That was all Vito could say when Hawkins finished. Though Vito dotted on the blonde man from time to time, Hawkins managed to convince Vito that they should return home to rest.
"By the way-rero." Vito slowed his pace and pulled something from the pocket of his shorts.
"This fell off of you earlier when I was running and I don't think you want anyone else getting their hands on it-rero." Vito presented Hawkins with the black swirled devil fruit he obtained in the other world. Though one question stemmed above all others that ran in Hawkins' muddled mind. How did he manage to bring back a physical object with him yet bring nothing when he arrived?
These questions would have to wait, as Hawkins couldn't focus and ponder with the migraine that thundered in his skull. However, the absence of Jaune drew concern. Luckily, Vito was quick to inform Hawkins of his son's whereabouts and pointed to the backyard where a small patch of blonde was snoozing peacefully in Richie's embrace as Kuma patrolled them.
Hawkins, as well as all others in the Hawkins household, fell asleep in peaceful bliss for the rest of the night and Hawkins made a mental note to elaborate the sensitive topic with Vito on another date.
"Ding~"
"Ah, Hawkins, there you are. I was worried I'd miss you after store hours." Tuckson chuckled and popped through the back doors of the storage room. His hazel eyes weighed down by several wrinkles.
"You said you wanted to see me as soon as possible last time we met. Do you need my assistance with something?" Hawkins asked.
"Don't worry Hawkins it's nothing serious. I just wanted to give you this present before I forgot about it." Tuckson pulled out a small box and put it on the counter.
"Please tell me this isn't another scroll. I had my old one in Vacuo broken and already replaced it." Hawkins sighed.
The bookstore owner shrugged and his lips spread into a wide smile.
"No need to lose hairs over this Hawkins, it's as plain as can be and its purpose is simplistic." Tukson tore the seal off the package and presented his friend with a polished silver locket. It's center round, it had four rectangular protrusions that matched the tattoo on Hawkins' chest.
"What is this?" Hawkins took the trinket and eyed it meticulously. It was a tad smaller than his palm with rounded edges and carefully lined with brass. Hawkins had a keen eye for treasure from years of piracy, and after some observations, he concluded that the locket was hand made.
"Come now Hawkins, haven't you ever seen a locket before? It's something you store precious photos into for sentimental reasons. To keep what you hold dear close to your heart at all times. You know what I mean right?" Tukson smiled and pointed to the small clasp at the top of the locket.
The magician clicked it with his fingers and the metal device split in two. Hollow on the inside, there was a tag where one would hang a miniature photograph.
"The gift is appreciated Tukson, but I don't have anything of equal value to offer in return." Hawkins sighed.
The puma Faunus blinked. "Wow Hawkins, I didn't expect such kind words. Don't think too much about it though, you literally saved my business with your books and I've been striving for success ever since. To be honest, I wish I could give you something even better, but you can already buy whatever you want."
Tukson's deep chortles echoed through the store and unbeknownst to the magician, his lips spread to a wry smile which Tukson noticed, but the Faunus wanted to savor the moment so he didn't mention it and turned to a different topic.
"So Hawkins, you're going to the haven for Faunus eh?" Tukson grinned.
"Ms. Thyme has been annoyed me to no end to join her, Carla, and Sam on their trip to see Carla's niece. That damn huntress is too stubborn for her own good." Hawkins grumbled and crossed his arms.
The wall on the clock struck 10:00 pm sharp to alert Hawkins that his time was short.
"What other business do you have with me Tukson? If I'm late to the docks I'll never hear the end of it."
The Faunus scratched his cheek and his expression shifted from jolly to cautious.
"Look Hawkins I know I shouldn't be saying this, but I think as a friend I have to." His tone sullen, Tukson looked around as if he were being watched. Luckily his store had been closed for the week after the fan raid of Sora merchandise, but the sheepish glint in his pupils sent Hawkins ominous messages.
"Don't stall Tukson, just tell me what I need to know," Hawkins said impatiently.
Tukson took a deep breath and let his shoulders slump. In a meek whisper, he conveyed his advice.
"Menagerie is a place that is praised as a holy land for all, but ever since the great war, it was given to the Faunus populace as a reward for their participation in countless battles." Tukson paused and his tone darkened.
"But wouldn't you consider it a slap to the face if your reward for selfless sacrifice was a lonely island that's territories are mostly inhabitable deserts riddled with Grimm and natural disasters?"
The blonde magician curled a brow. "So what you mean to tell me is that I, a human, will be viewed as a cruel reminder of their confined oppression and constant abuse."
His blunt delivery landed right on target. Tukson managed a feeble smile of apology, but there wasn't any polite way to say it. Hawkins contemplated the scenario's that could play out if he ventured to Menagerie with the aid of his tarot cards. He knew his stoic nature would deter most Faunus from taking action against him, but what of his carefree son and timid daughter?
Tukson witnessed the magician's visage change from neutral to muddled. He hated that he served as a poor representative for the many good-willed Faunus in Remnant, but like all people, there were a few rotten apples in the bunch wherever you looked.
"Ding!~" The store bell rung once more, and in came a stressed sheep Faunus with a gunslinger in tow.
"Hawkins, there you are. You were right to check here first Vito." Fiona chuckled and skipped over to Hawkins. Her boots plunked against the floor with every giddy step.
"Nyororo! The bookstore is one of Hawkins' favorite places to visit-rero!" The gunslinger laughed.
"Ms. Thyme. Vito." Hawkins sighed.
"Why do you always have such a sour face when I see you?" Fiona pouted. Her ears flapping in annoyance.
"I don't think that's a sour face. It's his usual one isn't it-rero?" Vito said.
"Oh well, sorry Tukson, but we need to get going so we can pack!" Fiona motioned to the clock on the wall which read 10:30 pm.
"Fiona's right, Jaune and the others are fully prepared and Carla took the liberty to gather the majority of your belongings for you Hawkins. The ship sets sail at 7:00 am tomorrow and they don't wait for any latecomers-rero!"
Hawkins stiffened when Fiona wrapped her arm around his and shot a glance at Tukson. The huntress and Gunslinger sensed something was amiss, but they didn't have the time to elaborate or interrogate.
"See you when I see you Tukson!" Fiona chirped and forced Hawkins out of the store with Vito's help.
"Just don't forget what I said Hawkins and make sure to keep your wits about you!" Tukson called before the glass doors of his shop clanked to a close.
"I pray to Oum you don't have to spill any blood..."
"So what say you Hawkins, do you want to join us when we go to Menagerie? It's not that different from the agricultural district, the only difference is the island is tropical and is praised as a haven for Faunus." Sam plunked down a few dishes of roast potatoes onto the kitchen table.
"I'd rather stay here," Hawkins said calmly. There was no malice in his words, and he ate his potatoes without a care in the world.
"Come on Hawkins, its not that bad, trust me you'll love it there!" Fiona chirped in.
"Why aren't you headed for the air docks Ms. Thyme? They stop general boarding after eleven." Hawkins deadpanned and pointed to a square clock hitched on the wall.
"My happy huntresses and I managed to earn ourselves a vacation. Ever since Mantle received that laid back but powerful individual, there's been less crime in the city to crack down on." The sheep Faunus explained.
"Powerful individual?" Hawkins slowed down on his potato munching and looked to Fiona for further explanation.
"He patrols around the streets of Mantle with a carefree personality. At first, everyone thought he was just any regular person keen on enjoying life to the fullest. Though that all changed in the Grimm outbreak two years ago. Since then he's been praised as another rising hero of Mantle."
The sheep Faunus giggled. "Robyn was pretty aggravated at first, having her stardom swept from under her feet, but once we got to know more about the man, we started hanging around him more and he even treated us to lunch a few times!"
"That's all good and everything, but come on you two lovebirds, the food is going to get cold if you dawdle too much." Sam chortled and took out a steaming pork roast from the oven.
"L-Lovebirds?!" Fiona squeaked. The huntress in question turned to the blonde man with whom Sam affiliated her with. What she got was nothing more than a stoic glare and confused frown.
Why was Hawkins such a difficult person to get along with? Then again, if he truly was an isolated individual he wouldn't have allowed a chatty person like Vito to stick around. Then there was that pet lion and the gigantic bear Faunus Hawkins helped build a shed for.
"Hey Jaune, can you bring these to Richie and Kuma? They're probably starved." Sam handed Jaune two warm pots of stew and the blonde boy waddled to the kitchen door.
"Jaune," Hawkins called from his seat at the table.
"Y-Yes, dad?" Jaune fumbled with his dishes and Vito walked over to help.
"I know I told you not to rely on your 'semblance' too often, but why don't you use it to assist you in a matter such as this? If you spill the food in those pots you'll have to give Kuma and Richie your portions." Hawkins sighed.
Though the magician's statement held an ulterior motive. Since Jaune's tenth birthday the boy continued to avoid the subject of his devil fruit. Sure, at first Jaune was using his genie for the most mundane of tasks, but after a few weeks, it seemed his enthusiasm vanished overnight. Not to mention Jaune barely managed to last through five minutes of training before he was reduced to a sweaty and panting mess.
"I-I'm fine, really dad! There's no need to worry about me!" Jaune chuckled weakly and trundled through the door.
"Hm..." Hawkins narrowed his eyes at the fleeting back of his son.
"Hawkins? Is everything alright with Jaune?" Fiona nudged the magician's shoulder and Carla and Sam turned to him for answers.
"I'll figure it out soon enough," Hawkins grumbled. Though a hint of concern crossed his stoic features.
Emerald, all the while had remained silent. She was used to this by now and took after her father when it came to analyzing. She may not have the talent of the tarot cards, but her instincts and intuitions were enough to give her an edge in many situations. And what were those instincts telling her? That there was something definitely going on with her older brother.
"Come on Jaune, keep it together. You can do this!" Jaune stood perched on the rails of the ship to Menagerie. The next day eventually came and the Hawkins family were convinced to attend the voyage across the sea. Though Jaune was anything but a happy sailor.
His arms slung around the steel bars as if his life depended on it, Jaune hammered down the urge to vomit on the glossy planks of the double-decked resort ship. Emerald pulled out a few wipes from her new leather satchel, and Trifa opted to rub her best friend's back to ease his strife.
"Pao." Funkfreed slung on Jaune's back, wanted to voice his concerns too, but was ordered not to transform unless in a dire situation or Jaune granted him permission to do so.
"Are you alright Jaune?" Kuma's shadow loomed over the boy and Jaune swore he felt the floorboards beneath him sink a tad.
Over the course of four years, Kuma's rehabilitation had been a great success. Vito, along with Carla and Sam, often conversed with him and got him back into the habit of walking on his own two feet instead of crawling on all fours like a defeated slave. Carla and a few of the other farmers even gifted him a new homily attire. Kuma may be nowhere near his prime, but he seemed to be enjoying himself these days.
A woolly brown sweater with a large pine tree knitted in the center to cover his absurdly muscular chest, stomach, and shoulders, along with a pair of thick black shorts and large leather sandals. Kuma looked like your average Faunus, except that he was a daunting 22'7" man who dwarfed everyone he met. Though rest assured, unlike his title on the grande-line, he was a rather mellow sort.
"I'm fine Kuma, I'm just trying to get used to my motion sickness so that I don't have to depend on my pills every time I want to travel." Jaune coughed.
"I see. Good luck to you then." Kuma walked away without another word.
"He doesn't talk much does he?" Trifa muttered.
"Yeah, but he's kind in his own way. Like that time he brought us the biggest Christmas tree last year!" Jaune grinned.
"The faces of the farmers were really funny. Especially when Kuma threw the tree in the middle of the agricultural district." Emerald added.
"Blurp!" Jaune's face paled and his vision stirred. He felt his stomach churn in dismay, and he was tempted to rub it for comfort.
"Why don't you ask that Genie in you to set you straight? He's done it before on multiple occasions." Trifa suggested.
The thought of having the genie aid him was a useful idea, but Jaune was hesitant. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead and left a salty sting in his eyes.
"I... think I'm good you guys. How about we head to one of the restaurants and grab some food? I'm just going to get a hot drink to ease my stomach aches, but you guys said you were hungry right?" The blonde boy pushed himself off the railing and spun around. Setting the pace toward the kitchens, Jaune trudged while his sister and best friend followed.
Jaune didn't see it, but Emerald had a skeptical expression forming on her face. Ever since Jaune obtained his, as their father put it, devil fruit powers four years ago, he barely used it! There were plenty of times her brother could have put his 'Genie' to good use, so why did he stutter? By the end of this vacation, Emerald was determined to find out.
Meanwhile, in contrast to our blonde and green-haired duo, another family pair wandered around the upper deck with bored expressions. However, unlike the Hawkins' siblings, these two were blood-related and were mirror matches of each other.
"Melanie, I'm bored~" A girl dressed in a red shirt and black jeans whined. Her pale green eyes matched those of her sister and were highlighted by scarlet eyeliner. Her ebony hair done in a stylish bob cut, a white feather lay perched upon her left ear.
"Well, what do you expect me to do about it Miltiades? Her twin sister, Melanie, wore a white shirt and light green jeans. Though her eyes were emphasized by a line of light cyan. She kept her hair long, all the way to her hips, preferring the flowing feeling as the wind caressed it. A red feather lay perched on her right ear.
Though they wore contrasting outfits, they agreed to wear dark mauve sneakers and white socks.
"How long until we're back in Mantle?~" Miltiads pushed on.
"A couple more days Miltiades. This boat has to pass by Menagerie before it reaches Mantle territory." Melanie replied in an annoyed tone.
"Can you think of something for us to do?~"
"No." Her twin curtly replied.
"Aw, you're no fun~" Miltiades pouted, lightly pinching her sister's shoulder much to Melanie's ire.
The twins continued to bicker as they turned a corner, but due to their petty squabble, they failed to see the staggered pathway of a motion sick boy with messy blonde hair.
"Oof!" Miltiades caught her sister from behind, but the boy whom Melanie bumped into stumbled and bashed the back of his skull against the floor.
Jaune's luck dwindled by the second. He managed to convince Trifa and Emerald to let him walk to the restrooms himself, but he didn't expect to crash into somebody along the way. Still, on the floor, he blinked as a fair skinned face came into view. Ocean blue meeting pale green, the owner of the green pupils was rather miffed at Jaune's clumsiness.
"Hey, you have eyes, don't you? Pay attention to where you're walking!" Scolded the long-haired girl.
Still, on the ground, Jaune punched his chest to stop any vomit from rising and fumbled to his feet.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm a little seasick and was hoping to get to the bathroom." Jaune apologized.
When Jaune gathered his bearings, he realized there were two females present. They both had the same eyes, but the demeanor that they carried themselves in was the true differentiator.
"U-Um, my name is Jaune F. Hawkins. Nice to meet you." He flashed his goofy smile with as much gusto as a kid with motion sickness could muster and stretched out a shaky hand.
The girl wearing the white shirt and blue jeans scoffed and crossed her arms, but the girl with black jeans and red shirt accepted his greeting with enthusiasm. Her handshake was strong, or maybe Jaune's motion sickness came back. Either way, the blonde felt his feet flounder for stability as he tried to free his hand.
"My name is Miltiades Malachite, and this is my sister Melanie. She can be a meanie, but she's not all that bad." The girl with the bob cut giggled as her sibling argued against her claims.
"See? This is why you're going to get wrinkles in your twenties, Melanie. You're so short-tempered it's actually funny!" Miltiades sneered as a vein twitched in her twin's scowl.
"Um, Miss Malachite could you please let go of my hand?" Jaune begged.
"Oh! I'm sorry. Hey, how about you come with us to the east side of the ship? There's a viewing platform for the guests and my sister and I were hoping to use it, but I think you'd be a lot more fun to have around then Melanie here!" Miltiades' tone seemed apologetic, but a mischievous twinkle glittered in the corners of her eyes and smile.
The girl had a lot of enthusiasm for such a small kid and Jaune wanted to join her, but his stomach restricted him in more ways than one. He offered a humble apology, then left for the toilet that he would come to befriend for the next four hours...
"I do appreciate the offer, but I'm not in the best conditions right now." Jaune lamented.
"Forget it Miltiades, this kid looks like a loser anyway, I doubt he has any talents, to begin with." Melanie scoffed.
Jaune felt a chip of his pride fall into the ocean at that comment. Determined to make up for his poor first impression, he straightened his posture and flashed his new acquaintances his trademark goofy smile.
"I'll have you know that I've got plenty of cool tricks!" Jaune beamed and tapped the sword slung on his back.
"Really?!" Miltiades clapped her hands together and rested them on her cheek as her lips curled to a giddy smile.
"Really?" Melanie quirked a brow and wore a knowing smirk.
"Um... Yeah, but I'm still not feeling well, so maybe some other time okay?" Jaune grinned sheepishly. The effects of his motion sickness returned, and he aimed to flee from the scene to the nearest restroom possible.
But the Malachite twins had other plans. They finally found an idiot goofball to mess around and toy with and they weren't going to let it slip away from them. Four hands clamped themselves on Jaune's sagged shoulders and dragged him against his will toward the eastern side of the ship despite his woeful pleas. The twins hunched together and smirked as they neared the viewing platform.
"This'll be fun won't it Melanie?~" Miltiades whispered in a sing-song voice.
"I wonder what embarrassing scenarios we can bait him into doing," Melanie replied in a hushed tone.
Caught in the moment, Jaune forgot about his sister and best friend who were enjoying hot meals and cold drinks.
"Hey, Emerald, shouldn't Jaune have come back by now? I thought the intrigue of pizza would be too good for him to pass up." Trifa nibbled her crust and sighed.
"You don't need to keep doting on my brother. We both know that he's really responsible right?" Emerald pursed her lips around the straw of her cola drink and took a long sip.
"Come on and hurry back Jaune, I don't know how long I can last with this annoying and sassy best friend of yours!" Emerald mentally screamed.
Oof, Jaune's in a pickle, so how will he prevail this time? And perhaps his "devil fruit" isn't all that it seems...
