JET LANCE!~ An early upload for you guys today as I'll be taking a short hiatus until the next week of January as I've got a few things going on and plan on relaxing for a bit before my holiday is over.

Not much to say, today guys, so as usual, have a nice day and happy reading!


"Hawkins?" When Kali opened the mansion door, she expected a white fang member or Vergo to stop by.

Instead, a tall, pale blonde man with crimson eyes wore a stoic face as he greeted the chieftain's wife. A longsword strapped around his waist, he explained that he had come to claim something that belonged to him, but there wasn't anything in the Belladonna mansion that he should want.

"My son's sword was stolen yesterday, and there's a 73% chance that's it's in this household," Hawkins grunted.

Kali was taken aback, and the shocked look on her face said it all. Funkfreed was here, and Hawkins was determined to reclaim what was rightfully his.

"Please come in Hawkins; I'll have Ghira fetch your sword, and perhaps this would be a good chance for us to talk." Kali giggled nervously.

"I don't need to come inside. I want my possession returned, that's all." Hawkins deadpanned.

The cat Faunus shook her head and led the magician through the main doors and down the hallway. The Belladonna mansion had a quaint appeal to it, with lanterns for lights and sliding doors with cotton sheets entwined in their design.

The brown floors recently polished, Hawkins could see his reflection as he was led to a dining room with four pillars surrounding a short rectangular table. Seated around it were a group of Faunus, one with a green feathered tail with matching hair and amber eyes, another with a set of tiger ears and dark skin, and lastly, a very tall Faunus with yellow eyes, a thick beard, and hairy arms.

"Kali? Who is that?" asked the muscular Faunus.

"That Mr. Belladonna is the human who has your island in a state of panic. I'm Monet, by the way." The amber-eyed woman giggled.

"Hawkins, I believe? It's nice to meet you. My name is Ghira, and I'm the chief of Menagerie." Ghira stood himself up to shake hands with the magician but hesitated when he got a frown in return.

"I'm not here for idle chit-chat. I want the sword that was stolen from me returned. Nothing more and nothing less." Hawkins grumbled.

Ghira's eyes widened, and so did the ones belonging to the tiger Faunus behind him. On the other hand, Monet had a thin smile on her visage, though Hawkins couldn't understand why.

"Sienna, Monet, if you would allow me a few minutes of privacy." Ghira sighed and gestured to the door.

The two women nodded, but as Monet passed Hawkins, she offered a sultry wink and coy grin.

"I'll see you later, magician." She teased and left the room with a sway in her hips.

Ghira sat back down, and Kali placed herself beside him. Hawkins chose to sit across from them, and once everyone was settled, an awkward silence filled the room.

"Would you care for some tea Hawkins?" Kali poured a serving for the magician to take, and he offered a slight nod in thanks as he took the cup.

"This brew is delectable. What sort of tea leaves are these?" Hawkins asked.

Kali's ears twitched in delight. The stoic man actually initiated a conversation, and there was no malice in his tone.

"It's a special sort that only grows in Menagerie. I'm sure you can find a few farmers selling them in the markets if you look hard enough."

"Whenever I step out of the house, I'm given disgusted glares, not to mention I was literally spat on yesterday." Hawkins snarled and put down his empty cup.

Kali chuckled nervously and glanced at her husband for support. This was news to Ghira, but despite his previous efforts of maintaining peace within the island, he could not doubt these claims or defend the Faunus who scrutinized the blonde man. There were claims Hawkins had assaulted a sheep Faunus, but Kali had already debunked those accusations.

"You have my utmost apologies Hawkins, but I cannot say the hatred of the citizens does not stem from mere assumption. The majority of the Faunus who migrate here are usually forced due to harassment and abuse, and their stories spread to the citizens of the island. I'm sure you've seen racist acts against my kind?" Ghira's said in a sympathetic tone.

Hawkins rolled his eyes. "I didn't come here to discuss the prejudice your people suffer. I came here to reclaim what was stolen from me. Even if I am a human treading 'sacred grounds,' it shouldn't abolish the law against thievery."

Ghira frowned. This wasn't the outcome he desired. He wanted to make Hawkins feel welcomed on the island and have him serve as a positive influence for the human race. Unfortunately, the blonde magician's stoic and rude attitude did well to deter from setting a positive example.

Kali decided to ease the tension and sway the conversation down a less stressful path. However, a young girl with cat ears and amber eyes walked in.

"Mom, have you seen my black bow? I can't find it anywhere-" Blake bit her tongue when she locked sights with a pair of narrowed crimson pupils.

"Ah, good timing Blake, I believe you owe Hawkins an apology." Kali wiped a drop of sweat from her brow and waved her daughter over. Blake wanted to run, but there wasn't any point seeing the stern face her father was shooting her.

"U-Um..."

"So you're the thief who stole my son's sword?" Hawkins grunted and stood up from his seat. Ghira rose from his spot as well, his fingers twitching in fear of what could become of his kitten should Hawkins act out of line.

"Don't do anything rash Ghira, Hawkins isn't the kind of man who'd assault someone for no reason," Kali whispered and grabbed her husband's wrist.

The magician crossed his arms and leaned over the young girl. Was this really the culprit? Hawkins knew enough not to judge a book by its cover, but he was skeptical that a child this timid committed the act. Hawkins remained silent and pulled out a deck of cards. Ghira and Kali curled a brow but were too intrigued by the blonde man's actions to interrupt him. Blake missed the tarot shuffling due to her eyes being glued to the floor.

"17% chance you stole the sword. 22% chance you thought of the idea. 39% chance you helped in stealing my son's blade."

The Belladonna's tilted their heads as Hawkins read the possible scenarios. However, it was his last reading that caught their attention.

"88% chance you know who is responsible for the crime."

Now it was time for the parents to take action. Blake trembled as all eyes focused on her.

"Hawkins, I promise that your sword will be returned, but could you let me have a word with my daughter?" The chieftain said calmly.

The magician was annoyed to be put on the back burner, but he allowed the chieftain this respect. Kali followed Hawkins closely with an apologetic smile and offered to keep him company until things were settled. Led to a small library with shelves stacked with books, Hawkins tilted his head when he saw a familiar title.

"You're fans of Sora, the warrior of the sea?"

Kali turned to the side with a sheepish expression. She didn't dislike the novel series by any means, but the number of throat lozenges she had to consume when a new installment came out was atrocious. Hawkins approached the shelves and plucked the second novel he ever printed, Sora the warrior Dengeki Blue.

"Be careful with that. Blake doesn't even let her close friends touch her books without washing their hands first." Kali giggled.

Hawkins inspected the book and was amazed by its condition. Not a single seam along the spine was out of place, and the entire cover was clear of any blemish. The magician offered a humble nod of respect. At least this Blake girl knew how to take care of a book.


"Tell me the truth, Blake, did you steal that sword from Hawkins' son?" Ghira crossed his arms as his kitten shot him a pleading look.

"I-I didn't steal it!" Blake whimpered.

"Alright, then who did?"

"I-I don't know!" Blake sputtered.

Ghira frowned, he loved his father to death, but this was more than a trivial matter. His kid had committed a crime, and as a responsible parent and chieftain of Menagerie, it was his duty to discipline her properly.

"W-Why do you believe what that despicable human has to say anyway? He could be lying to us for all we know!" Blake wailed and gripped the hem of her white shirt.

"Blake Belladonna!" Ghira snapped and raised his voice. To hear such prejudiced words from his own offspring was unthinkable, yet here Blake was spouting insults about a person she barely knew.

"Has any of the rumors against that man proven to be true?!" The chief's voice bellowed through the mansion, and he stomped towards his crying daughter.

"Th-They could be!" Blake screamed back.

Before Ghira could shout another word, Kali dashed into the room in hopes of stopping things from going too far. She blocked her husband's path, and frantically waved her arms. When the chieftain's blood cooled, Kali took control of the situation and turned to her kitten.

"Blake Belladonna," Kali said sternly.

The kitten's eyes veered to the floor, and her ears laid flat on her scalp.

"You're going to apologize to Hawkins for your rude words personally. Do you understand?" Kali huffed and gripped her child's shoulders.

"B-But." Blake's cheeks were covered in salty droplets as she furiously shook her head.

"You will, Blake Belladonna, and you won't get any dinner tonight unless you do! Now, Hawkins is patiently waiting in the library, and he could use some company. As it turns out, he's also a fan of your favorite book series." A glint in Kali's eyes sparkled when her child's ears twitched.

"Run along now. Your father and I will be attending the white fang meeting today, so be a good girl, okay?"

Blake stiffly nodded and quickly fled the dining room. Though Ghira had more to say on the matter, Kali shook her head and told him they would deliver a proper punishment depending on the outcome of Blake's interaction with the stoic blonde.


The library door creaked open, and a small head poked through the gap. Her eyes set on a blonde man adorned in a ruffled green cloak, Blake cautiously tiptoed to the end of the room with a glass of water. Hawkins heard the door open but remained behind the bookshelves as he indulged himself in varying literature. Minutes passed, and the room remained still and silent. Neither individual was keen on conversation, but Hawkins' patience ran dry, and he opened his mouth.

"Ms. Belladonna, am I going to get my sword back today or not?" Hawkins grumbled.

When all he got was soft sobs, he curled a brow and peeked through a gap in the bookshelves. By Hawkins' expression, it was clear he didn't expect to see a child. The little girl shook her head and gripped the hem of her shirt. Her cheeks were wet, and her eyes moist. Hawkins assumed she must have been the person Ghira was yelling at earlier.

"U-Um..." The child fidgeted nervously.

"Speak up, girl, I can't hear you." Hawkins groaned from behind the bookshelves.

"D-Do you like Sora, the warrior of the sea?"

"...What?" The magician closed the book in his hands.

Blake lifted her gaze and almost squeaked when she realized the human was nowhere in sight. Though she quickly caught that he was behind the shelves by the sounds of his footsteps. In the magician's mind, he came to the assumption that this young girl was around Jaune's and Emerald's age. Her ears were a dead give away that she was a Faunus, but Hawkins couldn't care less about that fact.

"The third novel is my favorite. The one about Stealth Black, he's my favorite character." The girl gulped.

"Really now? Why is that?" Hawkins asked in an ominous tone.

"I-I like him because he's smart about his approaches, and the techniques Sora had to come up with to defeat him was amazingly smart."

"Yes, out of the four commanders of Germa 66, Stealth Black is the most tactical. Though this could be argued if you compare him to Judge." Hawkins muttered.

The Faunus' ears twitched rapidly, and her eyes widened. This random human knew so much about Sora, and he seemed passionate about the series too!

"What's your name, girl?" Hawkins asked.

"B-Blake Belladonna." She stammered.

"Well, it's nice to meet a fellow fan. Tell me, what are your opinions on Sora the movie?"


"This isn't a smart idea, Minty. What if we get caught?" Jaune gulped. He and his sister managed to get over the fence and into the backyard, but how would they enter an occupied mansion without being noticed?

"You want Funkfreed back, don't you, Gold Nugget?" Emerald smirked at her brother's annoyed expression.

"Yeah, but I thought dad was going to get him back. He left this morning, and it shouldn't take that long to prove that Funkfreed belongs to me. I wrote my name on one of his leather straps behind his ear." Jaune said proudly.

"Well, your tarot reading said there was only a 43% chance dad would get our elephant back, so while dad distracts the people in the mansion, we're going to sneak in and take what's rightfully yours." Emerald snapped.

Jaune scratched his cheek and looked around. Odd, the mansion seemed quiet, a little too quiet actually.

"Are you sure that the white fang meeting wasn't going to be in the mansion, Minty? What if we get caught? We're already viewed as outsiders on this island. I don't want to be treated as criminals next." The blonde boy gulped.

"Besides, we should have brought uncle Vito or uncle Kuma. Who knows what might happen if we get caught."

Emerald rolled her eyes and huffed.

"They're going to the white fang meeting with the others. It turns out they're willing to hear their personal opinions on us humans." Emerald said in a mocking tone and shrugged.

"Trust me, Jaune, the meeting today the Faunus are having is going to be done in the city square. I overheard a few citizens talking about it."

"How do you manage to get this kind of information, Minty?" Jaune tilted his head when his sibling turned away with a pink hue on her cheeks.

"I-I learned a thing or two when I was stuck working for those assholes in Vacuo." She grimaced.

Jaune clamped his jaw shut and nodded. He couldn't afford to anger his sister now, but the nerves in the back of his mind screamed of danger. The two kids managed to reach the mansion's back door, but Emerald pulled Jaune underneath a balcony instead.

"Are you an idiot? What kind of thief goes through the main door?" Emerald scoffed.

Jaune sighed and complied with his sister's demand for using him as a ladder. Emerald jumped off her brother's shoulders and latched on to the rail of the balcony. Jaune was surprised at how high his younger sibling was able to leap. If he were to try, he'd probably land face first in the dirt.

"Um, Minty? How am I supposed to get up there?" Jaune gulped.

"Huh, I didn't think that far actually."

Jaune deadpanned and scuttled behind a thick bush when the sounds of footsteps drew near. Emerald scurried to the other side of the balcony and pressed herself against the wall, but she made sure to keep Jaune in her peripherals. A man with short black hair adorned in an elongated white trench coat strolled around the corner with a long stick of bamboo in hand. He also had a loaf of bread stuck to his right cheek.

"Monet, has the white fang meeting begun?"

The man spoke into a scroll, his stoic gaze meticulously observing the area for any nearby Faunus.

"You're in luck Vergo-san, the meeting is underway and is being led by Sienna Khan. Ghira and his wife should still be inside the mansion. If you sneak in there now, you should be able to commit the assassination quickly." A womanly voice confirmed.

"You did well to coerce all the citizens of the island to attend today's meeting, save the children. Keep the meeting going as long as you can, and I'll report back to you after I've done the deed." With that, Vergo ended the call and jumped onto the balcony.

Jaune's eyes widened when he saw Vergo soar into the air. Loud thumps of air pockets exploded behind him, and he was on the balcony in no time. Sweat pouring down his forehead, Jaune crawled out from his hiding place to see if his sister was safe. Luckily, Emerald found a small bench to huddle underneath and controlled her breath to make it almost inaudible.

White shoes of the intruder clicked past her, and when the sound of a door closing echoed over the balcony, she scurried out and ordered Jaune to join her. Unbeknownst to them, however, Ghira and Kali were already on their way to the meeting with Saber and his guards close behind them.


"And the way Sora flew through the air to chase after Winch Green was amazing!" Blake hugged her novel close to her chest and did a couple of twirls around the room. She was glad a bookshelf separated herself from the human. This made it easier for an introvert like her to cope in the conversation.

At first, Hawkins was glad the girl wasn't flat-out racist, but dear Oum, did she have a yapper when talking about her favorite book!

"How large is your collection? Are you up to date with the recent releases?"

Blake's ears dropped, and her lips curved downward.

"No, my dad visits the bookstores when he can, but it's hard for him to get a copy, especially since not all stores sell a fair price to Faunus."

Hawkins curled a brow but said nothing. This was a development he would need to fix; perhaps he could convince Tukson to expand his store's reach to Menagerie. It would cost a pretty penny, but no one who appreciated literature deserved to be deprived of Sora, the warrior of the sea.

Observing the collection Blake had assembled on the shelf, she had every book except for two.

The list:

Sora and the red spark of Germa.

Sora the warrior Dengeki Blue.

Sora's test of stealth.

Sora Winched Green.

The novels glistened under their plastic protective covers, and Hawkins let out a satisfied sigh knowing the Faunus population held his work in high regard.

"Ding~."

A square clock that hung above the library door announced the arrival of noon. Seeing he was on better terms with the Fanus before him, Hawkins decided it was time to retrieve what he initially came for, but he wanted a few questions answered first.

"Oi, kid," Hawkins grunted.

Blake stiffened at the stern tone. Was she in trouble? She didn't say anything to annoy the human, did she?

"I know it wasn't you who stole the sword, and I know there's a 94% chance that the one who did is a friend of yours. I'd like a word with the one responsible, but I won't tell them that you spilled the details."

Blake shuddered at the thought. She knew it was wrong to lie, but what else could she do in this position then tell Hawkins the truth?

"I-It..." Blake's lips quivered, but the sudden skid of a sliding door interrupted her brave act. On instinct, Blake hurried behind a couch and peeked out just enough to see who had walked in.

"Hm, Monet said the Belladonnas would still be here, but by the looks of it, they're already gone. I knew I shouldn't have spent my morning hours looking for my mace." The strange man wore a long trench coat and white pants. He walked around the room and narrowed his sights on a tall blonde who returned his questioning gaze with one of his own. He cupped his chin and shifted the loaf of bread on his cheek upward.

"The magician, I assume?" The man adjusted his sunglasses and veered his sights to a young Faunus with black cat ears.

"Yes, that's my former epithet," Hawkins grunted. A bead of sweat rolled down his face. He didn't know what this random individual intended to do with his bamboo stick, but if he knew Hawkins' former title, then things could get nasty.

"Before I conduct my business, I feel obliged to offer you a proposition." The stranger cracked his neck and used his bamboo stick as a makeshift cane.

"My employer is always looking for potential recruits. From the reputation you gathered in the first half of the grande-line and north blue, I consider your strength valuable. What do you say, magician? There are many things my employer can offer once you've established yourself in the hierarchy."

"I'm not interested," Hawkins said sternly. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword. He didn't have enough time to perform a tarot draw, and he didn't want to leave any openings for the stranger to take advantage of.

"I see, that is unfortunate. No matter, this means you'll simply be a casualty in my mission. This situation isn't what I anticipated, but one dead Belladonna should suffice despite the age gap."

A shrill scream echoed in the room as the stranger darted from behind the shelves and attacked Blake.

"S-Stay away from me!" Blake screamed and threw the book at the intruder. It thudded against his skull, and the Faunus shuddered at his chilling glare.

"I'll deal with you after I've finished with the magician. Why don't you take a nap for the time being?" The intruder charged at Blake with a clenched fist and struck her right on the forehead.

Her head ringing in pain, Blake unconsciously fumbled to the floor as a thin line of blood trickled down her wound and nose.

"Belladonna?!" Hawkins hollered and unsheathed his sword. He ran around the shelves, and his crimson pupils flared in anger as they locked with a calm set of shade covered eyes.

"Let's get started then, magician." The stranger gripped his bamboo stick and raised it like you would a sword. However, the moment Hawkins witnessed the color scheme of his bamboo shift from dull green to a glossy black, Hawkins knew the stranger was trouble.


"Funkfreed, is that you, buddy?" Jaune grinned behind the window. Perched on a desk display was his loyal elephant, who he treated as a brother of sorts.

"Watch your step Jaune. Knowing you, you'll probably trip-" an abrupt faceplant cut off emerald from her brother as he toppled through the open window.

"I'm okay." He coughed.

"Pao?" The blade shivered and cheered in delight as Jaune rushed to his side.

"Funkfreed! I'm so glad you're alright!" Jaune grabbed the sword's handle and swung the steel over his head.

Emerald crossed her arms at the scene but did so with a thin smile on her face.

"I'm glad you two dorks are reunited, but we need to get going before anyone finds us remember?"

"R-Right, my bad Minty. But what do we do if dad is successful and convinces the chieftain to return Funkfreed? It won't look good when they find our elephant pal back with us when they come to fetch him." Jaune said anxiously.

"You're only considering the aftermath now?" His sister scoffed.

"H-Hey, don't try and pin all of the blame on me, Minty. We're in this together, aren't we?"

"Of course we are, you dummy. Now come on, I'll climb up first and lend you a hand."

"Okay, Minty!" Jaune chuckled, and the two made a hasty retreat. They made it halfway through the mansion's backyard but stalled when they heard a familiar voice followed by a loud explosion.


"Straw-urk!" Hawkins' jaw was smacked shut by a swift uppercut. In the span of a second, the trench-coated stranger had closed the gap between himself and the magician.

The blonde was lifted into the air, then returned to the floor via a bamboo stick to his mid-section. Hawkins anticipated his opponent to be strong, but he was blitzing at speeds Hawkins could barely keep up with! He gasped for air and shook his head straight. The next time he saw the stranger, he was running towards Blake!

The man charged toward the unconscious Faunus with a fist coated in haki, but the sound of clashing steel saved Blake. Hawkins scrambled to his feet and managed to intercept the stranger's path with his haki imbued blade. Sparks flew as hot steel gritted against black bamboo.

"Hoh, I'm impressed magician, I didn't expect you to have unlocked haki. No matter, the skill you display is that of a novice, I, on the other hand, am a hardened veteran."

"Hmph!" Hawkins separated their clasped weapons and parried the incoming swings of the stranger. His blade heavy, Hawkins winced as each impact forced his stance to stagger.

"What's the matter, magician? Can't keep up?" The stranger mocked.

Hawkins hoped to sway the fight in his favor with aid from his devil fruit on the defensive. He didn't have enough time to manifest Straw Man Branwen, and the limited space of the library would hinder its mobility. So his personal transformation would have to suffice. Straw swirled and entwined itself around Hawkins' limbs and covered his face in a menacing mask. His size growing two-fold, Hawkins now towered over his opponent with iron nails for fingers.

"Demon Face!"

"Another surprise. You possess a devil fruit, but against an experienced haki user, all you've done is give me a bigger target to thrash around." The stranger lunged forward and landed a strong fist to Hawkins' chest.

The scarecrow lurched back and retaliated with a wide swing, but the stranger blitzed past his attack and landed another wallop to the back of Hawkins' neck. His victim's face forced to the ground once more, the stranger shifted his attention to Blake and ran at her with his free hand.

"Finger Pistol!"

A horrid sound of pierced flesh rang in Hawkins' ears. His head snapped to the source, and a look of mortification crossed his features. A child with black hair and cat ears twitched on the floor as blood spewed from a hole in her shoulder. A surge of anger purged the magician of his stoic nature, and he blindly charged at his enemy.

"Groooaaar!" Hawkins tackled the stranger, and the two crashed through the balcony windows and doors then crashed into the backyard below. Broken planks and twisted metal railings pittered around Hawkins as he stood up. Before he could gather his bearings, the stranger was already on the offensive.

"Augh!" A fierce punch to his stomach followed by several finger pistols bent Hawkins forward and allowed the stranger to deliver a strong kick to his chin, sending Hawkins to fall on his back.

"A pity things had to end this way. While your potential is nothing compared to my boss, you could have earned yourself a spot among the top brass if you cooperated." The stranger patted the dust off his trench coat and approached his blonde opponent with a haki infused bamboo stick.

The battered straw slowly dispersed from Hawkins' body as his chest heaved in pained and shallow breaths. He should have used some of the Faunus on the island for voodoo dolls, but... He didn't want to be as careless with lives as he used to be, seeing he had been training to improve his own body and strength. Hmph, little good that did him. Hawkins tried to stand, but a thick boot on his chest pressed him down.

"I'll leave your unconscious body in the same room as the Belladonna child. When the guards find you, they'll see me shielding the girl from your menacing scowl, and I'll be hailed as a hero while you're locked behind bars, or better yet, sentenced for execution. Farewell, magician."

The stranger's obsidian coated bamboo stick glistened under the sun. Hawkins closed his eyes and wheezed as his lips curled downward. He internally screamed for his body to act, but the blood loss from the holes in his stomach stilted his abilities greatly. With the bamboo coming down and aimed for his skull, Hawkins could only put up a feeble barrier of haki to protect his bleeding forehead.

"Ivory Dart!"

"Pao!"

Hawkins' eyes shot open when he heard familiar voices. The stranger atop him turned to meet the source and was bashed off the magician by a pair of ivory tusks.

"Dad, are you alright?!" That voice, no, it couldn't be...

"Jaune?" Hawkins said in bewilderment.

"I'm coming, dad! Come on, Minty. You're gonna have to fight too!" Jaune shouted.


"Did you hear that-rero?" Vito and the white fang members, along with the other citizens of Menagerie, gathered in the city center for today's white fang meeting, fell silent.

"I did, Vito, and I see smoke coming from the Belladonna mansion," Kuma replied.

Vito jumped out of his chair, shot a bullet toward the sky.

"Oi, stop the meeting! The Belladonna mansion is on fire-rero!"

"What?!" Ghira shouted from his temporary podium.

"This meeting is hereby canceled! Saber, gather your men and follow me!" The chieftain ordered and soon had a mob of worried Faunus behind him.

"Oi, Kuma, didn't Hawkins say he was going to that specific mansion this morning-rero?" Vito said worriedly.

"H-He did Vito, but you don't think..." Fiona said with quivering lips. Carla reached over and tried to convince her that Hawkins wasn't to blame, but even Annabel, Sam, and Trifa had their doubts.

Hidden within the crowd was another concerned individual, but this particular Faunus had different motivations for her worry.

"What's going on, Vergo-san? This isn't what we planned at all! You were supposed to kill Ghira before he left the mansion!" Monet hissed under her breath and followed the frantic mob.