Both of them had decided to stop at a nearby settlement to get something to eat. This settlement was known for its vast cuisine and Walker soon found that out after stopping by a little stand. There were a couple of seats and he pulled her chair out first before sitting down. Both looked at the menu and she quickly decided what she wanted after looking at it while he was still deciding. He shrugged and picked some spicy noodles while she picked something with fish in it.
They felt the heat from the fire and the smell wiggled its way into their nostrils. Both of their stomachs gurgled loudly and the cook laughed while he just cooked their food. Walker sighed a bit before tapping his hand against the counter in anticipation. Blake on the other hand just read her book quietly and glanced when he slumped down before smirking at him. She found him funny at times despite meeting him two days ago. In some ways, she was glad she was traveling with him. It made her journey to Beacon more enjoyable.
Overall, he was a nice person. Some of the jokes he told were corny, but they did their job in making her smile. He was also odd at times when asking about Remnant. It was like he didn't really know about some things and that made her raise an eyebrow. Either he's been living under a rock his whole life or just didn't really pay attention, but she doubted it was the second option. She found out he was extremely perceptive, to the point where it scared her.
Her thoughts were interrupted when their food was slid in front of them and she set her book down, picking up the chopsticks and beginning to eat. She held her hand to her cheek when some of the flavor made her beam in delight. Turning to her right, she saw him staring at the sticks then at his food. He muttered a curse underneath his breath and looked at her.
"What?" She asked, slurping up some of the noodles.
"What am I supposed to do with these?" He asked.
"You use them to eat." She answered.
"..." He didn't say anything but look at her right hand then try to mimic how she was holding them. A giggle seemed to erupt from her lips and she had to cover her mouth when she saw him struggling a bit. He let out a single curse slip out while squeezing his hands in frustration when the chopsticks fell out of his hand.
"Do you need help?" She asked.
"I got it." He waved, trying to adjust his hands. It took a couple of minutes, but he finally got the hang of it and tilted his helmet up. She eyed him curiously as he started to eat his food.
"Do you always keep your helmet on?" She asked.
"Yep." He nodded, slurping up some noodles.
"Doesn't it get uncomfortable?" She asked.
"Not really. It was at first but then I started to get used to it." He answered.
"What's it like in there?" She asked.
"Confined, but it keeps my head protected." He said.
"I bet." She said. The two of them ate in silence and she asked to try some of his, to which he nodded and let her eat a cut of pork chop while he tried some of her fish. Both dishes were pretty good and he decided that he'd come back here another day. If it had food for him to try and eat to his heart's content, then he'd do so. She watched as he finished his dish then ordered two more, eyeing him curiously.
"What?" He asked.
"You eat a lot." She commented.
"Kind of have to." He said.
"They go to these?" She poked his bicep, only to recoil back quickly. It was like poking a stone and she quickly realized how weird it must have been, but luckily he didn't say anything.
"They do." He chuckled. She smiled at the atmosphere and the two of them talked for a while. It was a nice change of pace for her. She was so used to being alone or with others who didn't talk much, so it was nice that someone outside her bubble was so vocal and polite. Not to mention it would be a stupid thing to be rude to her only ride to Beacon. She found out that he came from Vacuo, but didn't really have a home. He seemed to wander around for some time and she could see it by his choice of apparel; it looked like it was made for hot weather.
She didn't know that he was practically lying through his teeth. He couldn't tell her that he wasn't even from Remnant; that his place of origin was another world and the only reason he was here was because he got too damn curious.
He found out that she came from Menagerie, it was a tropical continent and he would probably go there one day. Her parents were too keen on her going to Beacon but ultimately decided to let their daughter go there. They had given her enough money to get there but she got somewhat lost along the way. Needless to say, her missing the train and leading her to him was both considered unfortunate and fortunate at the same time.
Overall, it was a nice thing for both of them. They met somebody new and found themselves enjoying each other's company. He ordered some food to go and paid for his while she paid for hers and they waited. She played on her scroll and he eyed the device with some interest. Maybe that would be his next investment when he got around to it. It certainly would make communication easier and he wouldn't really have to drive all this way just to meet with someone.
The cook gave him his food to go in a container and he put it in one of the pouches on his bike. Scooting forward and allowing her to climb on, he started the bike up and sped off. The air was warm and they found a spot to rest for the night. He unrolled the bedroll and let her lie down on it while he just leaned against the bike with his Lancer in his lap. She opened her book and read it in the dark while he just spread his weapons out and began to clean them. Neither one wanting to break the silence.
The only sound was the flipping of pages and wiping of a cloth against metal. Hal beeped and appeared next to him, making his eyes widen and try to usher him away. It was too late though since she already saw the bot and stared at it. Nothing was said for a while and Hal just hovered in place before lowering and plopping down next to him.
"What's this?" She asked, setting her book down and flipping onto her stomach.
"His uh... his name's Hal." He sighed, getting out his screwdriver kit and working on the bot. He didn't know why he always tinkered with him, it just became a habit.
"It has a name?" She asked.
"Yeah." He said.
"Has he been following us the whole time?" She asked.
"Yep." He nodded. It was quiet as she just watched him tinker with the bot, taking stuff off before putting it back on or cleaning his chassis. She noticed how many tools that the bot seemed to have on him, and she saw him carefully take a scalpel off and clean it before attaching it back on. He tapped Hal a few times and she watched the bot hover before giving a happy beep and shutting down. A sigh escaped his lips as he lied down on the grass and closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of nature. It lulled him to sleep and his hands were wrapped around his Lancer.
She closed her book and sat up before rolling up her sleeve. On her bicep was a tattoo of a wolf's head with three slashes through it. A flash of regret washed over her face and she squeezed her arm, nails digging into it until she felt a flash of pain. She wanted to rip that section of her arm off and wipe it clean.
In truth, she knew she couldn't do that. So wearing long sleeve shirts was her best option. For now at least.
The two of them were on the road once more and they drove on a path that was in the middle of a field. She looked to her right and her eyes lit up in wonder as she stared at it. A large open area with flowers decorating certain sections and she saw several animals in the distance. He glanced at it before turning his head back to the road and had to stop. She looked at him and he got off before bringing out the map and looking around then rolled it up and stuffed it in one of the bags. He got back on and took off once more.
While she probably would have been at the city by now, she couldn't help but enjoy the journey. She gave some thought about what he said though, asking him for a ride despite her not knowing him. There's no telling what another person would do to her and she kept that in mind. Although, she was glad that he was a decent person in the end, even offering her advice.
For the next few hours they just drove along the path. As much as she'd like to read her book, she knew that the wind would be a problem and she wouldn't be able to actually enjoy it. Trees surrounded them for a while and they eventually came across a large opening. In the distance they could see a giant wall available for all to see, it stretched so far that both of them couldn't see the ends. The walls seemed to stretch into the sky and he faintly saw some birds flow over them.
For the next several minutes they drove along the road and eventually had to stop at a gate. The guards opened up and stopped him, checking his bike then asking for his weapons, to which he didn't move. He just stared at them and everyone felt that gravity seemed to become heavier. Blake tapped his shoulder and he looked at her before staring back at the guards with an unflinching gaze.
Neither party said anything until she told them they were headed to Beacon. One of the guards coughed in his hand before instructing them to drive down the road and turn left on a certain street. Walker just stared for a few more seconds before taking off and driving along the street, avoiding traffic and stopping when pedestrians walked across the crosswalk. The two of them stopped at a stop light and she tapped his shoulder again, making him look back at her.
"What was that?" She asked.
"I don't like people touching my things." He answered, turning back around and went when the light turned green.
"Got it." She said then went quiet. Her eyes constantly scanned the environment and she looked at her scroll, seeing that she had two days left to get to Beacon. She jerked forward and slumped against his back when he stopped when somebody rushed in front of them. He glared at the person before shaking his head and continuing. His eyes flicked down to the fuel gauge and looked around before finding an empty parking lot.
He stopped and the two of them sat on the bike while he took her scroll and looked for the nearest fueling station. After several minutes of searching, he found on nearby and started to drive towards it. The drive there took a few minutes but he was glad he had enough fuel to actually get there, otherwise pushing the bike would have been a different story.
When he went into the station and paid for the fuel, he bought several snacks inside before bringing them out and putting them in one of the pouches on the bike. He saw her sitting in his spot and observing the bike with interest.
"Walker, how long have you had this bike?" She asked.
"A couple of weeks." He answered, remembering he told her his name.
"It looks kind of..." She trailed off.
"Old?" He guessed.
"Yeah." She nodded.
"That's because it is. It was a gift from one of the guy I was bodyguarding." He answered, sticking the nozzle in the tank. The sound of the fuel shooting through the hose and into the tank was heard and he gestured for her to scoot so he could sit down. Once she moved he plopped down and looked at her scroll before nodding and deciding to get one. Of course, he'd have to learn how to use it seeing how he's never even heard of the thing until a few weeks ago. There was still so much to learn about Remnant and it'd take some time to actually do so.
"When do you have to be at Beacon?" He asked, hearing the nozzle click indicating it was done. Taking it out of the tank, he put it back in its spot and put the cap back on the motorcycle, grabbing his receipt shortly after. The paper was stuffed in his pocket and he climbed on the motorcycle and started it up.
"In two days." She answered.
"Cool, because we're getting something to eat." He said before taking off.
"Didn't you just buy snacks?" She raised an eyebrow.
"That's for the road." He said before looking around. They traveled around the city for a bit before finding a little plaza and parking in one of the lots. He shoved the keys in his pocket before walking around with her. They trekked through the area and looked around for something interesting. It took a while seeing how there were several interesting places, but they eventually found a mall and entered it.
They didn't get very far since mall security stopped him and told him to either drop his weapons off or leave. His gaze hardened at them and he sighed before leaving for several minutes then returning without his weapons. Sometimes he forgot that a place like this wasn't abandoned and that he actually had to keep in mind that innocent people were here. He wasn't going to give them his weapons, but he also wasn't going to cause a scene because he was being stubborn.
He nodded at her and the two roamed around the mall for a while. It was bustling with people both young and old and there were times he had to stop and look at a family, not a single one worrying about surviving the next day. The most they had to worry about was silencing the cries of the infant or getting signal from their spot. These people looked so peaceful. It was... unnerving in some way.
Looking around, he saw Blake in a shop looking at some clothing. She picked up a flat cap and tried it on, rotating herself to look at from different angles before beaming in delight. She bought it and walked out before putting it on. Her cat ears poked through the holes and flicked around in comfort. All he did was give a thumbs up before going to a clothing store as well, buying some more of everything. Shirts, underwear, socks, and pants, he needed more in his wardrobe.
"I got a question." He said.
"Okay." She nodded.
"What type of scroll should I buy?" He asked, finding something that looked like a scroll shop and entering it with her. She started to explain several different variations of them to him and he just stared at her with confusion. Half of the scrolls were technically the same thing but at different prices, some even had better camera quality. She just turned to look at him and saw him staring at her, tilting his head.
"What?" She asked.
"Half of these are the same thing, just different prices." He said.
"Yeah, but this one has better camera quality." She pointed out.
"Why not just buy a camera if you want to take pictures with good quality?" He asked.
"That's because cameras are expensive." She answered.
"Yet... people are willing to buy the same thing for a more expensive price. This scroll is a thousand lien, yet from what you told me, it has the same features. Just a better camera." He gestured with his hands.
"Yep." She nodded.
"It's literally the same thing though..." He sighed.
"Well, that's how things are. Plus, this one looks newer and better. Not to mention it has more features." She said.
"Besides a better camera?" He raised an eyebrow underneath his helmet.
"More space." She said.
"..." He just shook his head. The scroll he got wasn't that new, but it was new enough for him to not be stuck in the older versions. It took a while for him to actually get set up, longer than what he'd like to admit, but he finally got his own scroll. By the time he was done with that, it was getting darker outside and they got something to eat really quick. It wasn't anything extravagant, but it did it's job in filling up their stomachs.
They walked back to the bike and got on it, starting it up before finding a hotel nearby. The drive there took half an hour, but it was a nice four story hotel and two rooms were purchased. Both of them retired to their own room, he gave a whistle and Hal appeared. He gave a happy beep when he spotted Walker and hovered close to the ground quietly, allowing him to work on him.
Walker decided to try and figure out how to enhance Hal a bit, which he needed both resources and money. Something he didn't have too much of. That was okay though; he'd eventually get it figured out.
Blake really didn't expect Walker to board the airship to Beacon with her. The day they were supposed to leave, he woke her up earlier than what she intended and told her to get ready. It was a good thing too because they were stuck in traffic for a while. When she asked him what he was doing if he wasn't going to attend the school, he told her that a package needed to be delivered. From that point on, he'd leave and probably be gone for a while. Granted, they'd still be in touch because both had grown fond of one another's company over the course of a few days. She was probably the only person he consistently talked to for more than several minutes, the other being Richard.
He leaned against his seat on the airship and looked out the window while she sat next to him, reading her book. Both of them heard people talking with one another. He just brought out his scroll and started to toy with it a bit in order to get familiar with it more. Both of them had one another's number and would probably chat more when he left after delivering the package.
Shuffling around a bit, he closed his eyes and his helmet lights flickered off as he began to fall asleep. The Airship swayed every so often as it transported the passengers to their destination. He crossed his arms and leaned back to get more comfortable before finally dozing off. Nothing was heard from him and his chest barely made any movement. His appearance drew some eyes and a black and red haired girl pointed at him before turning around when her name was called.
His dream was about his parents, them stating how proud they were of him despite being gone. They told him that he couldn't let their deaths weigh him down but he still felt like it was. He blamed himself for not being faster for saving his father or being smarter for not finding a way to help his sick mother. Both deaths were out of his hands but he still felt guilt for them. He woke up with a small jolt and looked around to see that he was on an airship and reached underneath his helmet; wiping away a few tears before rubbing them off on his pants. He missed them so much.
An hour passed by slowly and he felt the Airship dock at the bay. There was an announcement over the intercom and the doors opened, allowing people to start exiting. He picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder. Blake closed her book and put it in her suitcase before looking at him while he stretched a bit. He sighed in relief before gesturing with his head that they depart. Walking down the ramp, they saw the campus for what it was.
A large tower was the most noticeable feature and several other buildings that shared some form of resemblance. It was nice in his opinion, but he had seen nicer from Jacinto, and that was even after it turned into a large bastion and been through wear and tear. Maybe it was because Jacinto was where he was from or he just didn't really share the same opinion of Beacon as everyone else.
To him, it was just... meh. Nothing grand, but nothing to brush over either. It's not like it mattered anyways seeing how he was leaving after today. He'd probably find some form of employment either in the city or in one of the settlements. All that mattered was that he was finally here after a few weeks and it meant he could get his task done. It also meant that he'd be saying goodbye to Blake, at least for now that is. Their little traveling was nice while it lasted, but it was time for them to go their different paths. She wanted to be a Huntress, while he was just was just content with doing odd jobs and finding a way home.
"Are you sure you can't come to Beacon? I think you'd do pretty good here." She commented.
"I haven't done the paperwork and I don't care about being a Huntsman." He shook his head.
"Alright... do you think I'd do good?" She asked.
"Yeah, why wouldn't you?" He asked.
"I... I don't know how the interview will work out. There's usually an interview before initiation, mainly regarding past accomplishments and such." She said, toying with her flat cap. He saw the nervousness in her eyes and just shook his head.
"I'm sure you'll do fine. Plus, the acceptance rates can't be that low." He said.
"..." She went silent and he glanced at her.
"They are, aren't they?" He stopped and looked at her.
"Yeah. I'm just nervous, you know? They already looked at me and accepted my application, but who's to say I'll actually get in or not?" She asked.
"I'm sure you will. Plus, if you don't... I don't really know what I'll do." He corrected himself. Neither one had actually considered the fact should she fail or get denied as to what would happen next. He hoped she at least got in and didn't have to worry about anything else other than her studies, but that was all he could do was hope.
"I don't know what I'd do either." She sighed.
"Well, the best thing we can do is hope." He shrugged.
"Yeah, I guess." She whispered.
"I wouldn't get too caught up in that though. You think about it too much then it'll be the only thing on your mind and it'll cloud everything else." He said.
"That makes sense." She nodded after some thought. They walked for a while, exploring the campus for a bit and seeing the various people wander around like them. There was an explosion and he whipped around, looking for the source; eyes darting around quickly before he saw a cloud of red. They looked at one another before walking to the commotion and heard a girl in white yelling at some girl wearing all black and red.
He quickly grabbed Blake's arm when she started to stomp forward and shook his head. When she gestured why, he just claimed it wasn't their problem and nothing could be done seeing how the girl in white already left. The girl in black and red just sighed dejectedly and he was about to help her up but someone else beat him to the punch. It was a blonde boy with messy hair and bits and pieces of armor, like a knight. He wore a black hoodie and a pair of jeans along with sneakers and brown, fingerless gloves.
Walker watched as the guy helped the girl up and narrowed his eyes before realizing who the boy was. It was Arc's younger brother. Well, he found him but that didn't mean he was going to waste his time looking after him. That wasn't his job nor did he care at this point. All he did was shake his head before noticing a map and going up to it, reading it carefully before looking around. He called out for Blake, but when he didn't hear anything his shoulders sagged when he saw her talking to the two. They sagged even further when she pointed at him and the three started walking towards him.
"Goddammit..." He sighed, then backed up in alarm when the younger girl zoomed up to him. She started talking faster than what he could comprehend and made some space between her and him when she started touching his weapons with excitement. He didn't like it one bit and ordered her to stop touching him, to which she did instantly. He stared down at her before sighing and shaking his head.
"Sorry." She apologized.
"It's fine. You guys should probably get to the hall or whatever." He suggested. He watched all three of their eyes widen before Blake scrambled into her suitcase and brought out some lien, thanking him profusely before giving it to him and taking off. The sound of shoes hitting the ground and the wheels of a suitcase rolling across the concrete was heard. He just shook his head and started to look around for Richard's daughter.
People on Remnant were weird.
He found her after a couple of hours, and by that time it was dark and nearly everyone was getting ready for bed. She was by her lonesome toying with her camera in a small corner and he was pretty sure it was her. Just to make sure, he had to look at a picture Richard gave of her before stuffing it back in his bag. He bent down and took off his bag before getting out the package and setting it on the ground. His bag was slung over his shoulders and he adjusted it a bit before walking up to her and noticing her ears twitch. She quickly stood up and looked like she was going to dart at his sudden appearance.
"Are you Velvet?" He asked.
"Yeah, who are you?" She asked cautiously.
"I have a package for you." He said, extending his arm out and waiting for her to take it. She eyed him and carefully took the package before unraveling the cloth, widening her eyes when she saw something inside the container. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't ask and watched her read a note. Just as he was about to leave, she stopped him by stepping forward.
"Are you the one who's been guarding my dad?" She asked.
"Yep, if that's what he wrote in the note." He nodded.
"Thanks, he's uh... he's been having some trouble with people lately." She said quietly.
"I noticed." He nodded.
"He says you're a good person." She said.
"I'm not a good person, not usually." He denied. That was the one thing he hated people saying about him, that he was a good person. If they really knew him then they'd know to say otherwise.
"I think you are. Thanks for delivering this though, I needed it." She said.
"No problem. I got to get going, so see you later." He said.
"Goodbye, and thank you." She smiled. He just gave a thumbs up before walking towards the door, noticing Blake leaning against the wall, reading her book. There was a group near her talking to her before her eyes met his helmet lights. She waved at him while he did the same before exiting out the door. The night air tickled his skin and he walked towards the spots where the Bullheads and Airships would be located, only to see that they were gone from their spots.
His shoulders slumped down in defeat when he looked at the time and realized he was too late. He had missed his window and now was stuck here for the night. It didn't sit well with him considering he didn't want to be here and the only people he knew was Blake and now Velvet. While he could stay out here and sleep, he really didn't feel like being cold for several hours until the next Bullhead or Airship arrived. He decided to take a small risk and go back inside.
He stepped inside and closed the door quietly before finding a small spot to sit in and leaned against the wall. He closed his eyes and started to doze off, only opening them when he heard someone approach and saw Blake standing in front of him. She was in her pajamas and just unfolded her sleeping bag and getting in it next to him. She opened her book and started to read while he just fished through his bag, grabbing a snack and offering her some. A small nod of appreciation was given and the two of them ate in silence. Once they were finished with their food, he stood up and threw the trash away before going back to his spot.
His sawed-off was taken apart and he started cleaning it quietly. Others briefly looked in his direction before doing their own thing and the lubricant tickled her nose a bit, but she ignored it for the most part. After twenty minutes, it was finally cleaned and he inserted the shells, flicking it closed and aimed upwards. His Boltok was the next thing he took apart carefully and with practiced routine, he cleaned it. The Locust weapon was hard to clean when he first took it off a Bolter, but he eventually managed to get the hang of it.
In terms of power, the Locust weaponry never disappointed. Each time he fired a Hammerburst, he could feel the power and weight with each shot. The same could be said about the Boltok. He remembered when he used the Boltok on someone he cared about, punching a hole in their skull the size of a tennis ball to end their suffering. It was both a reminder as it was a weapon.
He was brought out of his thoughts when Blake tapped his forearm.
"Thought you would have been gone by now." She said.
"Missed my flight. I'll probably be gone by the morning." He responded.
"Oh, well that sucks." She said.
"It does. You take your interview?" He asked.
"Yeah." She nodded.
"How'd it go?" He asked.
"It went pretty well. While not officially a student until I pass initiation, they said I'm eligible for Beacon." She said.
"Nice, good on you." He nodded.
"Thanks." She said, looking at her scroll and going to the news. A frown seemed to worm its way on her face when she read it, seeing that a train in Forever Fall was attacked and the passengers had died. Authorities said that they found explosive residue on it and the train was derailed, killing dozens of the passengers. She set her scroll down and closed her eyes while he just glanced at the scroll and read it before leaning against the wall.
He'd leave in the morning then hit the road once more. Although it was warm in here, it didn't feel right and he looked to his left to see someone staring at him before they disappeared around the corner. His eyes narrowed and he kept his gun on him before letting the fatigue take him over after so long.
He wouldn't be the only one leaving Beacon to head out on the road.
Yes, another chapter so soon. Anyways, thanks for reading this and giving it a chance because it makes me feel like I'm doing something decent. I don't have much to say other than let's get into the reviews.
whatsupman: I won't say.
bmanbeast57: He probably will.
Guest: Yeah, I'll probably take that direction. I got tired of the whole MC joins Beacon thing.
Guest: I'm confused as to what you're talking about. If you're referring to Johnny Topside then you got the wrong mindset chief, that's a completely different story that has no correlation with this or the others. So you might want to not consider that a part of anything other than that one fanfic.
| Fredric |: Thank you, I'll try to keep it good.
Warmachine324: Pretty soon, that's one story I need to carefully think about when I write it.
Somerandomperson: Probably, been in the writing mood lately.
Austin: Another long review that I enjoy. Nice. Enjoyed reading that and hope to read another one like it.
R3WY: Probably, and don't worry about asking.
Gigglemesh: Yeah, I felt that the older version wasn't very likeable. I've had people tell me to stop writing because of that one character, then turn around and say I'm a good author for making Six so likeable in Wolves That Walk Alone. Anyways, thanks for reviewing.
So, people have been asking me what my upload schedule is and to answer that, I don't have one. This is a hobby of mine, not a job. When FanFiction becomes a job then there's a problem. I'm not getting paid and I don't expect to get paid. I do it because I genuinely enjoy writing at times, especially at my own pace. So to some who keep asking me or trying to get me to upload faster, some of you do realize I have a life outside of this site? I have a job I go to, bills to pay, family and friends to enjoy being around, and goals to achieve? I'm not going to divert 100% of my focus on FanFiction.
To those of you who are patient, thank you I mean it. Otherwise, I really appreciate you guys to for being there despite my flaws.
Take it easy, you guys.