PISTOL!~ Phew, the first major arc of the revised series.
To be honest I'm really enjoying this new upload schedule that I've got going on. It's really satisfying to just shoot off a bunch of chapters knowing that I've concluded all the necessary plot points that I had to convey without the need to rush.
Anyhow, as the new approach, I'll be trying to keep the story on a more down-to-earth level, well for RWBY standards at least. Granted things will get a little wacky, but I'm saving those chapters for big events and such.
I've also decided to delete my old story, as I don't want there to be two products sharing the same goal. I will be drawing inspiration from my previous work, but I'll be elaborating a whole bunch of scenes and fights that I left out.
This also marks the timeskip as it'll be Jaune's turn to venture out into the world at his father's side. Also, the blonde knight is gonna be six years old at the start of the next arc, just letting ya know.
With that, cheers and happy reading everyone!
Searoar.
*Hunter Mission Arc. Begins.*
A clear sky accompanied by the songs of birds, Hawkins strolled through the farmlands of the district with an air of purpose. He'd spent the majority of the day huddled in his room, scribbling down on his blank papers and filling them with eligible ink letters.
Sam took it upon himself to ensure the magician didn't starve by leaving a hot meal every morning, noon, and night while Carla tended to Jaune's needs.
A leather satchel, provided by the generous farm couple, its strap slung over the magician's shoulder as he passed over the northern bridge of the agricultural district. Now in the streets of the large city, Hawkins strolled through the doors of Tukson's book trade.
"Ah, now this is early, I'll have the books you ordered packaged in five minutes tops Mr-" Tukson bit his tongue as his gaze landed on a ruffle-cloaked man with crimson pupils and long golden locks.
"You expected someone else?" The magician curled a brow.
"Haha, don't worry about it. So, what can I do for you?" The store owner hurried behind the front counter with a bundle of pamphlets in hand.
"I'm here to deposit the story I've written for the contest." Hawkins withdrew a thick folder and placed it next to the cashier.
"Huh, that's quite a novel you got there." Tukson's eyes widened at the 500 pieces of paper that he'd sold to Hawkins a few days before.
"It's all double-sided and evenly spaced, I've done my own spellchecking and assure you that there are no grammatical errors. Also, I need more paper."
Tukson's jaw slacked. "Wow, I didn't expect you to have such devotion to literature. Well, nice to have a fellow bookworm join the apple, I'll make sure to get this delivered to the Valesian press first thing next week. I've got to sort a few things in the back, but you're free to peruse any of the novels I have on display."
Gone with the click of the back door, Hawkins turned toward the store's exit. Only to be smacked aside by an incoming blur of green.
"Tukson! I've come for my order!" Yelled a man with short, unruly, olive hair and round spectacles. The ends of his white, long-sleeved shirt dangling over his belt and black slacks, he furrowed his brows at the blonde person blocking his path.
He took a swig from his thermos and smiled.
"Forgive me sir, but I have business with the reliable store owner. If it is a hunter mission you have, you can head straight to the mission's board located at the center of the commercial district! I'd also recommend you request the service of the ever-dependable GPPO!"
The energetic man whipped out a business card and slapped it into Hawkins' palm. He then spun on his heels and paced around the store, blitzing past the wide shelves in mere seconds, it didn't take long for the doors of the store to open once more.
"Oobleck, how many times do I have to tell you to stay with your team! Port and Peach are waiting for us at the docks, and I don't want our first accomplishment outside of Vale to be a tardy one!"
Strutting into the room was a tall, dainty young woman with pale blonde hair strung up in a simple ponytail that reached a tad below her shoulders. A long, dark violet dress that ended at her ankles, she gave the impression of a witch with the aid of some sort of wand in her right hand.
"Forgive me, oh stern leader of GPPO! But this is a case of much-needed research so I ask that you make an exception!" The green-haired man, now known as Oobleck, returned to the entrance with a pamphlet in hand.
"And who's this?" The blonde woman said with a hint of annoyance and veered her attention to Hawkins.
"I'm not here to talk, I just want to leave." The magician sighed.
Oobleck coughed into his sleeve. "Please ignore the snappy tongue of my leader, she's too occupied in competing with team STQ to mind her manners."
"That's not true. I just don't like the idea of having questionable characters like Qrow being the lead representatives of the morals our academy stands for!" The blonde woman fussed.
"Hehe, you're competitive Glynda, and that's a trait that rewards the winners! Now, to the mission boards, I heard Summer and Qrow are also keen on collecting a profitable endeavor!" Oobleck chuckled then downed the contents of his thermos and ran past his leader with a jolly smile.
"Oh, for the love of Oum..." The witch rubbed her temples and turned to the flapping front door.
"I'm sorry for all this, please have a nice day."
Alone once again, Hawkins shook his head and peered down to the small card in his hand.
~Team Glyptography, a dependable team whose goal is to defend the public and accomplish our missions as efficiently as possible!~
"Well, that was strange..."
/-/
"Hey, mommy, look at that weird man he's dressed funny!" Laughed a girl with pink hair that was tied in loopy pigtails. She pointed at the stoic blonde man.
The mother shook at the ominous glare of the stranger and hastened her steps while ushering her daughter to follow.
Hawkins pursed his lips. He'd done several tarot readings to ensure his writing wouldn't be disturbed, but life loved to throw curveballs. Glancing at his surroundings, the majority of folks occupied themselves with small talk and light banter.
His gaze landing on a bench tucked away in the corner of the park and away from the action, Hawkins made a beeline toward it and made himself comfortable. Finally some peace and quiet.
"Tug~"
Or maybe not...
Rigid crimson meeting tearful cobalt, the magician curled a brow at the whimpering child who stood at his feet. Her head tilted toward the ground, her gray hair was ruffled by dust and dirt and her torn clothes smelled like rotten fruit.
However, the child carried an oddity. Her hands the color of dark storm clouds, tinted veins trailed from her palms, stopping just before her shoulders, but covered her stomach and chest. The details giving Hawkins the assumption that the orphan was a Faunus. Hold on a minute, isn't she the same beggar from yesterday?
"What do you want?" Hawkins grunted.
The girl shook her head, refusing to meet the magician's stare, she raised a shaky finger towards a pizza stand.
"I don't have any money. Ask someone else."
Several tugs on the hem of his cloak, the girl lifted her head and clutched her grumbling belly. The blonde rubbed his temples and tucked his pen and papers in his satchel. A quick tarot draw, Hawkins concluded a 63% chance of being left alone after he provided a meal for this pathetic orphan.
Feeling the stares of those within the vicinity, Hawkins rolled his eyes and stood up with the little Faunus still gripping the end of his cloak. Killing the kid would be too cruel, even for a former pirate. Thus, Hawkins aimed to settle the tedious issue in a peaceful manner.
His tall stature proved useful, as the crowds in front of the stand cleared out as he approached. Arriving at the front counter, Hawkins curled a brow at two separate signs. The one beside the stand showed the prices for special deals and the usual menu, but the other was huddled in the corner, significantly smaller and over-priced. Squinting his crimson pupils, the magician concluded the meek sign was designated for Faunus.
The magician shrugged and met the gaze of the grimacing stand owner.
"I'll take this one here." Hawkins gestured to a medium-sized pizza with cheese and bacon bits.
The owner shook his head and crossed his arms. "Take a closer look man, this menu isn't for you."
Hawkins frowned and noticed the rude remark had been directed towards the trembling girl who quickly scampered behind him.
"She's not the one making the order. I am, and I'm human." The blonde retorted. His cloak dragging downward, Hawkins paid no mind to the muffled sobs of the little Faunus.
"Look man," The pizza seller leaned forward and took off his cap. "Take some advice from your fellow man, don't stick your nose into the business of her kind. Believe me, you'll be a lot happier when it comes to the long road."
"Can't we skip this useless banter, I just want this brat to leave me alone. So just sell me a pizza slice and we both can continue on like nothing happened."
The stand owner frowned. "Maybe come back when you don't have company, I don't want to lose the positive reputation my humble stand has earned."
'Is all of Vale really this racist? At least the majority of establishments in the grande line were welcome to do service when offered enough coinage.' Hawkins thought to himself.
"Hey, can you move on now? You're attracting bad attention."
Oh, right, there was still the matter of feeding this orphan to attend to. His right hand drifting to his sword's hilt, Hawkins unsheathed the sharp instrument and slashed the smaller sign designated for Faunus.
"There, now you only have one menu to offer. I suggest fulfilling my demands with haste, otherwise, my blade will find itself hacking through flesh and bone instead of cardboard."
"O-Oi, I'll have you arrested for that!" The stand owner raised a fist but cowered behind the counter when Hawkins slashed the stand in half.
The seller started shouting, but clamped his mouth shut as the tip of the blonde's sword nicked against his forehead.
"Make one move and I'll sever your stupid head off your shoulders." The magician growled.
"Oi, brat," Hawkins peered down to the girl whose hands were still gripping his cloak. "Get your food and get out of my sight."
"T-Thank y-you!" The young Faunus bowed and snagged a box from the broken food display. Her cheeks drenched in tears, she devoured the pizza slices but did so with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.
"I hope Faust saw that..." The blonde muttered.
"H-Hey, you didn't pay for that! O-Oi, you're a huntress, aren't you?! Arrest this man!" The sniveling stand owner frantically waved to an approaching female.
"I'll take care of this man, sir. Please vacate the premise and see to it that your stand is refunded with your insurance." A soft voice spoke.
"Thank Oum there are still people like you out here, now slap some cuffs on that barbarian! He destroyed my stand!"
With a soft tap on his shoulder, Hawkins turned and his crimson pupils met with a pair of bright silver. Though the fair woman wore a neutral face, a glimmer in the corner of her eyes didn't sit well with the magician.
His eyes narrowed as her gaze flicked to him and the park several times.
The woman clasped her hands behind her back and whispered. "Let's get out of here before the police arrive. We'll talk about this in private, sound good to you?"
His options limited as a crowd began to surround him, Hawkins compiled and trailed the footsteps of the rather petite lady who ordered the observers to make a path.
"Phew, the atmosphere back there was pretty intense wasn't it?" Dressed in a high-neck décolletage blouse with studded wristbands on the arms with a white hoodie overtop her shoulders, gray leggings wrapped her sleek legs and ended at a pair of armored black boots.
"Aren't you going to cuff my hands?" The magician deadpanned as the stranger plopped herself down on the same bench he'd been sitting on moments earlier.
A giggle followed by a wide grin, the woman shook her head and shrugged.
"While I don't agree with the way you handled the situation, I don't think you were in the wrong for helping out a child in distress. If anything, I should've arrested that racist stand owner."
"I see." Hawkins sighed, he didn't feel like fighting over such a petty issue anyway.
"By the way..." The woman hummed and tapped her chin. "My name is Summer Rose, what's yours?"
"Do we have to do introductions?" The magician grumbled. "I can be on my way and we can pretend this whole pizza debacle never occurred."
Summer puffed her cheeks. "Hey, the choice of putting you behind bars is still an option."
The blonde groaned, no use in exerting energy on a battle that gave nothing in return.
"Hawkins." He said curtly.
The huntress flashed him a pearly smile and tapped the tips of her boots on the ground.
"There, was that so hard? It's nice to meet you, Hawkins."
The magician rolled his eyes and turned to leave, but a blurry haze of rose petals Summer reappeared in front of him with a pout.
"Hey, it's not nice to leave without saying goodbye. We're just getting to know each other too."
"Your name will suffice. I'm not interested in getting chummy with you." Hawkins sighed.
Summer gasped in an overdramatic manner then put her hands on her hips. She leaned forward and poked the rude man's stomach with a frown.
"It sounds like you really want to go to jail."
"I'd advise you from wasting both our time," Hawkins replied with his trademark stoic expression.
Fiery crimson clashing with a determined silver, the staring contest ended with the ring of a scroll.
"Oh shoot, I didn't expect him to actually reach the bullhead platforms on time..." Summer rubbed her temples and typed a reply, but one sentence led to another and soon enough four pages worth of text was written down.
"I'm not a child, Qrow. I can take care of myself." The red reaper huffed and pocketed her scroll.
"I'm sorry about that, now where were we, Hawkins?"
The blonde gone with the wind, all Summer could do was puff her cheeks and head off towards the bullhead platforms located in the eastern parts of the commercial district.
The wide concrete covered by humming bullheads and bustling passengers, Summer wormed her way through the
"There she is, the lady of the hour." A man with chiseled features and pale red eyes smiled softly.
"I'm surprised you got out of bed, Qrow. On-time no less." Summer shot back with a hint of venom.
The man in question stepped back, his hands raised, he chuckled as his smile turned sheepish.
"Also, you reek of booze. What alcohol did you drown yourself in this time? Did you drink with anyone else?"
Qrow winced, and took another step back, but was followed in his retreat. Both hands on her hips, the silver eyes of his leader burned a hole through his chest as he coughed out an answer.
I stopped by the Crow Bar for a couple of drinks."
Summer tapped her foot, her glare intensifying by the second.
"I was with... you know who."
Any hint of warmth in her gaze was now replaced by cold betrayal. Her face a replica of stone, tears threatened to spill but were halted by rapid blinks.
"Y-You promised me that you'd let me see her first!"
"I know, but she approached me out of nowhere, I was already half-drunk when she stopped by so I had to stay on her good side to avoid a fight!" Qrow spluttered.
Summer's nails dug into the skin to the point of drawing blood. She spun on her heels and furiously shook her head.
"We're supposed to be a team, Qrow. If we're not honest then what do we have?!"
"Look, Summer, I'm really sorry but-"
"Shut up! Just shut up! I don't want to hear any more excuses! Do you know what she did to us, to Tai?! He's on a medical bed, strapped to a machine grasping for straws! Even with aura, the doctors said it'd be at least a year before he's back on his feet! "
The raven-haired hunter froze. The back of his leader against him, Qrow was thankful he couldn't see the face of his partner. Though he couldn't hammer down the bricks of guilt stacked in the pit of his stomach no matter how hard he tried.
"Missions... are canceled for today. So go home."
"W-What?" Qrow leaned in to make sure he heard the red reaper right.
"I said missions are canceled!" Summer's shout made Qrow clasp his hands over his ears to save his hearing.
In a blurry of scattered and disoriented rose petals, Summer disappeared leaving Qrow to contemplate in silence.
"I knew I shouldn't have mentioned Raven. Shit, how am I going to tell Summer about Yang?" The hunter cursed and pulled out his flask.
Gathered underneath the roof of the hunter's mission assembly, or HRA for short, team GPTO meticulously searched for a mission worthy of their talents.
Screens and stalls littered with jobs, three hallways led to an assortment of offices and storage rooms with two narrow staircases that led to council affairs. An attendant stood by the doorway while handing out pamphlets with a map that described the layout of the building.
An occupied stand with difficulties ranging from finding a lost pet to Grimm extermination, Glynda checked her scroll and the time read twelve on the dot.
"How about this mission, Glynda?" Asked a stout man dressed in a double-breasted burgundy suit with gold piping and buttons with matching pants that were tucked in a thick leather pair of cavalry boots. His thin mustache twitched along with his thick bushes above his eyes.
"Hm, a mission of transport?" Glynda's ponytail whipped around her shoulder as she leaned closer to the mission board.
"It seems a Valesian merchant wishes to make a deal in Mistral. But why would such a simple task require a set of four hunters?" Oobleck peeked over his leader's shoulder with a curled brow.
"They're probably hiding their true objective, maybe we should report this sketchy mission to Ozpin?" Shrugged a girl with light orange hair.
I don't think Ozpin has that kind of pull in Mistralian territory. It should be up to Theodore to delegate the illegal actions of the lower communities."
"That's a fair point, Glynda. Hm, what else do you have to say on the matter Thumbelina?" The eyes of Oobleck and the others of GPOT drifted to the smallest member of their team.
Short, slim, and with tanned skin, the young woman had a heart-shaped face with an adorable set of dimples on each cheek.
True to her surname, her peach-colored hair was tied into a bun with a pink ribbon.
Her attire consisted of a long, white, laboratory coat that draped down just below her knees, with a matching set of black boots and elbow-long gloves.
With a pair of thick safety glasses and a belt fitted with several vials, the huntress now known as Thumbelina scratched her cheek.
"The mission seems interesting, but I don't want to play the role of a detective for our first mission. Why not choose this one here? It says the agricultural district is in need of some Beowolf extermination."
Intrigued, Glynda lifted a finger toward the blinking screen, but another hand beat her to it.
"Sorry, but we'll be taking that mission thank you very much." A tanned woman with light blonde hair and violet eyes greeted Glynda's stern glare with a toothy smile.
A hand on her hip, the young huntress had two beauty marks, one under her right eye and another on the left side under her mouth. A long green scarf draped over a black coat over a double-breasted sleeveless vest, a brown high neck shirt, and a light gray shirt with the right sleeve shorter than the left. Matching pants tucked into black knee-high boots with cuffs, the huntress sighed at the rising tension between her and the blonde woman.
"Excuse me, but we weren't finished with our selection." The leader of GPTO adjusted her glasses with a slight frown.
"Yeah, but first come first serve right? Besides, this mission is a tad personal for my lovely partner here. Ain't that right, Fiona?"
The esteemed huntress wrapped her arm around a messy flock of white hair and bright olive eyes.
"R-Robyn, we shouldn't stop them if they want to help!" A pair of fluffy sheep ears flapped furiously under the vice grip of her team leader.
"Hold on a minute, you're Robyn Hill, correct? I've heard about your grande exploits in the city of Mantle," Oobleck twirled around the new company and extended a hand toward Robyn.
"Always a pleasure to meet with upcoming stars who strive for peace and equality. My name is Bartholomew Oobleck, proud Beacon graduate, coffee entrepreneur, and history enthusiast!" His glasses drooped to the tip of his nose at the end of his sentence.
"Same here, Oobleck." Robyn hummed. Though she curled a brow at Glynda's inquisitive expression.
"Ah, so you must be the happy huntresses, the infamous graduates of Atlas Academy."
That pricked a vein as Robyn puffed her chest and furrowed her brows. "Yep, whatever needs to be done to protect and sustain Mantle, especially since those snooty nobles decided to leave without any regard or compensation. The only thing those ingrates did leave behind was rusty scrap metal and smog. Am I supposed to be thankful for that?"
The witch grit her teeth, her partners doing their best to put themselves between the hot-headed leaders.
"While I admit the Atlas separation act is a distasteful decision, that doesn't excuse illegal activity on your behalf. As huntresses, your very presence impacts the minds and outcomes of the civilians you are sworn to protect." Glynda growled.
Robyn opened her mouth to protest, but the pale blonde beat her to the punch.
"And yes, I've heard the rumors of the rising hero of Mantle. You steal from the rich and feed the poor. The cause seems valiant on paper, but the destruction you've caused to both Atlas and Mantle property cannot be overlooked."
With the sound of a pin dropping in the background, the other members of the happy huntresses joined the banter and stood by their respected leader.
One, a girl with blue hair tied in a thin ponytail ending at her hips with a set of yellow eyes and a short-sleeved jacket to match.
The other, a dark-skinned huntress with beige pupils and a set of tattoos on her nose and forehead. A thick brown jacket that reached past her ankles, she kept her crossbow holstered on her back like her fellow teammates, save for her leader.
"You wouldn't understand, being a pampered girl in a prosperous city like Vale, where you can find food whenever your hungry or shelter for a reasonable price." The blue-haired girl said with clenched teeth.
"From the day the northern half of Mantle split from its southern brother, the citizens who were left behind are forced to fend for themselves and scavenge for basic necessities. So call us what you want, but the happy huntresses are here to serve the people no matter what."
Her speech done after a deep inhale, Robyn turned to her friend with a satisfied smile before shifting her sights back to team GPPO.
"That was one hell of a speech, May."
The yellow-eyed huntress nodded and crossed her arms.
"I think we're just about done here. Have a safe trip wherever you're going, Glynda." Robyn added a tint of venom in that farewell.
"Well, that could've gone better."
Thumbelina scratched her cheek and turned away at Glynda's sharp glare.
"It's... fine." Her expression softening, the witch did her best to maintain a neutral visage. "Let's just pick out a mission and move on with our day."
"Alright, then let's get our muscles moving!" Port exclaimed, slapping on a forced smile as he corraled his tensed teammates to another mission board despite their protests.
"... Hey, Robyn?" Fiona's ears drooped as she walked beside her leader. Her gaze glued to the floor, she felt a soft palm grasp her shoulder.
"I know I got a tad heated there, but that snobby girl had it coming! I've heard all about the golden generation of Beacon and the reputations of its students, but I didn't expect them to be as rigid as Atlas graduates." Robyn sighed and slowed her pace.
"U-Um..."
"Let the girl talk, Robyn. I think you missed the mark on what Fi was trying to convey." May butted in and stretched her arms above her head.
"I-It's just that," the sheep Faunus bit her lip. "We might want to dial it down a bit since we're not in Mantle anymore. Vale, from what I've heard, is a decent enough kingdom but there are still blatant acts of racism and prejudice against the Faunus." Fiona said with moist eyes.
Her leader cleared her throat with a cough. "Alright, that's enough negative energy, we need to keep our spirits up if we plan on tracking down those shady dust shipments. May, do you have the list?"
The blue-haired huntress withdrew a folded piece of paper from her pocket. On said paper, was a list of companies and low-scaled mines dedicated to the people of Mantle, or that's what the company CEOs proclaimed.
"So where do we start looking? There are plenty of warehouses in the commercial district, and it's the easiest place to hide stolen goods." Joanna cupped her chin.
"Sounds like a plan, but I think you're both forgetting something." May, once again directing all attention to Fiona who was pressing her index fingers together with her sights still downcast.
Robyn face-palmed and chuckled.
"Of course, how could I forget? Our little sheep has to pay a visit to her favorite aunt!"