Vacuoian society was founded on the belief that the strongest thrived. A culture of strength, resilience, and arrogance. Vacuo City, the capital of Vacuo. Their strength broke ground through the sandstone they set upon. The people's resilience tempered them through great sandstorm, and harsh winter. However, their arrogance destroyed the most defining landmark of their culture. The Great Oasis, once one of the largest inland pools of water, was now mostly polluted sludge. Grimm activity surged higher the more the oasis died, leading credence to one of the theories that Grimm were a natural phenomenon. Nature's inevitable retort to the destruction wrought upon the lands.
High society in Vacuo City, unlike most cities, was centered in the outer layers. The further away from the sludge filled oasis, the more filtered the water. The middle class's drinking water was at the very least passable but being poor in Vacuo was more of a pending death sentence. Cholera, Cryptosporidium, various parasites, and toxicity would eat away the person. It was why most of the poor drank alcohol, better filtered than even common water.
These abhorrent conditions led to the formation of many small gangs across the city. Children, especially young orphans, were often recruited. It was the choice of lesser evils, and sometimes morality did not fill the stomach. Coin, hard cash, and respect often put more food on the table than running a donation charity. A result of their strength, resilience, and arrogance. Now, only through strength does one gain power in the high council. To be resilient enough to weather morality, and squash down dissidence. All while being too arrogant to realize that the city you rule is slowly being taken increasingly by the desert around it.
Most children had to grow up in the school of hard knocks. In the end, though, one child stood out from the others in Vacuo. A Fox Faunus, with crimson shoulder length hair, azure eyes. That very same child jumped over a cart, and then slid under another. An apple placed firmly in his hand. His back tunic fluttered in the wind as he ran past a law enforcement officer. He barely dodged the man's grab for him. He turned around, running backward, flicking the man off. The boy's azure eyes scanned over the surroundings.
Finding a piece of stone loose on the side of a building, he ran to it. Stepping up on it, he jumped up, grabbing an overhanging rafter. The man chasing him stopped, growling at the young boy, who sat on the wooden beam of the rafter. He waved the apple back, and forth, teasing the LEO. The man bunched his face up, and then gave the child a death stare.
"Kurama, get down from that fuckin' support beam right now!" The officer yelled.
Kurama chuckled, speaking with his mouth full, "Or what? You can't catch me, you're too slow. Besides, its an apple, can't a little poor sector like me have a charitable donation?"
The officer growled, "You little shit, when I get my hand on you…"
"Pfft, yeah right," Kurama finished stated while finishing the apple, "You can't even keep up with me."
"One of these days you little bastard, I'm going to beat you bloody!" The officer screamed, walking away, only to have the core of the apple hit him the head.
Kurama chuckled mischievously, and then taunted the officer, "Bullseye!"
"That's it you little shit!" The officer screamed, going for his taser gun.
The boy reacted quickly, dodging the fire prongs, and then somersaulting onto another beam. He looked at the officer, smirking. The man was fuming, how could have missed?! The crimson haired child jumped back onto another beam. He then sat down on the rafter beam, taking out the stolen scroll, smirking at the officer. He quickly changed music, Rojo Miller's Joker began playing. Kurama got up dusting off his tan sweatpants, then he smiled brightly.
He called out the officer, "You know one of these days I'll be grown up. I'll take that baton you like hitting us with and smack you around with it!"
"Damn you, you little son of a bitch, how about you come from there and try it now?!" The officer screamed, picking up the apple core.
He spiked it toward the faunus child, who caught it easily. He tossed it into the air, kicking it down toward the guard full force. The man barely dodged out of the way but watched as the child ran on the rafters. Hopping from one to another with each stride, he leapt across larger gap, landing on top of a two-story building. He stretched, yawning lightly, and popped shoulders. The boy waked toward the edge of the city, looking at the port near the sludge. He grimaced as he saw group of men wondering the street. They wore brown leather coats, with a black cat emblazoned on the back of them. Some carried rifles, some swords, hatchets, and any weapon of murder.
"Crap it's the Black Cats," Kurama observed as he took a seat near the edge of building. "Wonder if their leader is there?"
Kurama noted some of men began terrorizing some of the shops, obviously it was a shakedown. More often than not locations subscribed to a gang for protection, however these same gangs often shook down a rival's territory. Territory, like money, changed hands often. The Black Cats meanwhile were a very violent bunch. Kurama knew to stay out of the way, but he felt his stomach growl. He needed more than just an apple and carrying a plate of food is a lot harder to escape with than just mere fruit. He then heard a commotion. Looking down the street, he saw another group coming. They were more well dressed, mainly black suits, red ties, and black leather shoes. They all wore black shades over their eyes, black gloves on their hands.
A man with orange hair, a top hat, and a woman by his side walked with the other group. He twirled a cane around and had pistol on his hip. He looked at the rival gang, smirking. Obviously, this was his territory, perhaps they misunderstood the word "border," and just decided to pop in.
"Roman Torchwick!" The man leader The Black Cats called out, stepping to the front.
The orange haired man handed his cane to the woman, walking forward. He smirked, feeling for his knife behind his belt. His white jacket fluttered in the wind, no stain on it. However, Kurama focused on the left pocket, noting a wallet full of paper bills. He stood up, noting that there was enough there to feed himself ten times over. He geared up, watching as the leader of the Black Cats started screaming at the orange haired man. The man simply stood there, and when it seemed like they were about to come to blows the orange haired man simply brought hands up. He backed away, only to turn around after a few feet. The leader of The Black Cats never saw it coming. The knife Roman had flew right into the man's head, right between the eyes. A minor twitch ensued before he just fell forward. Then, just with that, all the tension started to break loose.
Some shouting between the two groups gave way to an all-out brawl. Kurama pursed his lips, jumping back over the gap. He jumped across rafters, stepping over the beams, until he found a building close enough. Kurama dashed toward the side of the building, jumping and then rolling forward. Getting up, he ran full force towards the fighting and slid in between two men throwing punches at one another. He ran toward the orange haired man, getting his hook out. Slinging the hook out, he smirked as he pulled the man's wallet out of the coat pocket he was wearing.
"Hey, wha-gah!" Roman started only to stop when a punch was slammed into his stomach.
The orange haired man, growled, getting a pistol out and just simply shooting the man. He went to aim back at the kid, only stop noting that his wallet was laying on the ground. He walks over to it, wiping his bloodied lip. Little punk must have dropped after he shot the man, but when he picked it up, he noted that it was lighter, much lighter.
"Damn it all," he opened the wallet seeing his paper money gone, "Little bastard was fast…heh…could us him on one of crews."
Kurama climbed down a building, having successfully escaped the fighting. He leaned against the wall, looking at his haul. Each bill was worth ten liens, and he just grimaced. He expected a person leader group to have carried bigger bills, but all that was there was little more than two hundred liens. He rolled his eyes, stuffing the bills back into his sweatpants right pocket. He just risked his life for poultry pickings.
He griped a little, walking toward a food stand, and was about a few feet away from the stand when he felt something dig into his right pocket! Turning around, and grabbing at the offending hand, he missed and watched as a green haired girl ran forward. She looked back at him, smiling, with red eyes. Her dark skin shimmered from sweat, and he couldn't lie to himself. A small blush formed over his cheek when she blinked at him. Then he remembered that she stolen from him. Minus the irony, Kurama took off running after her.
She jumped up on loose stones, getting onto the rafters. He followed, surprised at how fast she was moving. Jumping across a gap, he began to teeter a little when he landed on a beam wrong. She, on the other hand, kept running full force. Heading east, they both started running toward the poorer sectors. Watching as she climbed up another building, Kurama sprinted full force. Lining the building were wooden beams that stuck out, like a stair case. He ran up them, almost falling. He made it to the roof just as she did.
"Okay," Kurama breathed out while catching his breath, "I think you got something that's mine."
She smirked, and then backed up towards the edge of the building behind her. He didn't waist anytime, lunging at her, she just dropped backwards. Her body hitting a clothed overhead of a street stall. She slid off it and began running again. Kurama jumped down, sliding on the cloth overhead, slipping when he landed in some muck. He gave chase once more after gaining his footing, sprinting to keep up. Launching himself forward, he began to run faster. She looked behind her, but then quickly stopped and swiveled to the left. He ran right past her, sliding on the muck on the ground. He caught a smile on her face before he stopped sliding, and she once again started running.
He ran full force, trying to keep up with her. She was faster than most other kids he knew, which was very few. He leapt over a car blocking the mock covered road, only to hear sirens going on the background. He had just accidentally hopped over a police car, and it began a pursuit. Rolling his eyes, hissing at his terrible luck. He turned, down a street, managing to find a spot he could get on top of a building. He sprints across the rafters, leaping onto another building. He watched as the cops whistled past him, going the wrong way.
About to give up, Kurama looked across from him, seeing the girl. She was laughing with three others, but then turned toward his way. The other kids scattered, but she remained, even as he came over to her. The fox faunus crossed his arms, raising his thin brow.
"Well, took you long enough," She stated as she crossed her arms.
He held out his hand, replying, "Can I just get my money back please?"
She snorted, laughing at him before saying, "Well…about that…"
"Oh c'mon, you gave to the other kids?!" Kurama shouted, exasperated as she smirked.
She sighs, digging into her pocket, "I got four ten lien bills left."
Kurama went to snatch them, but she pulled her hand back, "Nah uh, I'll give you one."
"The fu…I mean the heck you will," Kurama almost cursed, but stopped looking off to the side.
She laughed, "Why didn't just say the word?"
Kurama mumbled, "My mother told cussing in front of girls is bad manners…"
"Oh, that's bull, you're manure farm of crap!" She laughed, slapping her knee. "No seriously, why didn't you just cuss at me?"
Kurama growled, "Ah screw you then! I just want my money back please."
"There is no honor among thieves, why should I give it to you, hmm?" She teased while waving the bills around.
He sighed, "Can I at least get one of them?"
"Well since you asked," she held out one of the bills, "What's the magic word?"
Kurama bit his lip, and answered, "Please."
She handed him a bill, and smiled, "See that's better."
"Hahaha, very funny," Kurama replied scrunching up his face.
Looking at him, she replies, "So, about your mom…"
"That was actually true, at least what I can remember…gave me up when I was three." Kurama told her, looking at the clouds.
"Shit, that sucks, bout the same boat. My parents kept doing drugs, rather spent the money we had on the needle vs. food for the family." She replied while uncrossing her arms, "School Of Hard Knocks, right?"
"Yep," Kurama agreed with her, "But one day I'll be off these streets."
"Pfft, maybe if you join a gang," She retorted, sitting down on the roof.
The fox faunus sighed, sitting next to her, "I'm not joining anyone's gang."
"Ooh careful there, lone wolf, people got beat up for far less." She tells him, while leaning back against an entry wall.
He smirked, and simply sighed, "You're right."
They both sat there in awkward silence, Kurama leaned back, laying on the top of the roof. He saw several hawks flying over, Vacuoian City Hawks to be exact. He noted that they had nest near the tallest building in the area. She took notice of the boy staring at them and gave a saddened smile.
"Sucks when birds treat their chicks better our parents treat us," She said to him, and then reached down. "Here."
She handed another of the ten lien bills, and smiled, "Half and Half."
Kurama smiled, grabbing the bill, "I'm Kurama by the way…no last name."
She smiled, "I'm Emerald, Emerald Sustrai."
Emerald got up, dusting herself off, "Well it was nice running from you. Got to get going."
"Yeah, see you later…" Kurama replied as he stood at the edge of building. "Emerald…"
She turned to him, "Yeah, Kurama?"
"Thank you," He said while bowing a little.
"Don't mention it," She stated while laughing as he watched her start running toward a gap.
She took a leap, narrowly making to the other side. Kurama looked at his even less amount of money but found himself smiling. For only being on this world a short time, he lived for moments like this one. He hoped he'd get to chase her again, perhaps next time he could get her to chase after him. In this weird version of tag, Emerald emerged victorious this round. However, she better watch her back.
Kurama doesn't let a score stay even!
Qrow stood at the deck of the LST, Desert Rose, watching the desert winds whip by. It would be a three-day journey to Vacuo City. Amethyst has been very accommodating for them. Summer got the privilege to change in the captain's quarter. The two women hit off a little bit rough, with Amethyst swearing up a storm last night since her negotiations got interrupted by someone accidentally destroying some cargo on board. Needless to say, that sailor was thrown off into Shrill Winds right then, and there.
Lucky for Qrow, since his only choice was sleeping on the floor in Amethyst's quarters. Not that he minded, but his back was getting sore. Thirty was creeping up on him, ever so slowly. Tossing back a bottle of water, he looked out to the sea of sand. Dunes over time would rise, and then fall, no different than waves upon an ocean.
The tracts of the LST roared over another dune, bringing him eye level with the swivel mortar. Grunting, popping his shoulders, and groaned in relief. Walking along the deck, he saw two sailors on the rotating turret platform. Each scanning the horizon on their gauss weapons. Amethyst came downstairs from her quarters, wearing a black uniform with dark blue pants. She held her hands behind her back.
"Good evening," She greeted Qrow, holding a smoldering smile on her face.
He once again popped his shoulder, "Don't you mean morning?"
"Sometimes I have trouble remembering the time when negotiations go heavy," Amethyst teased, tossing a beer bottle back and drinking.
Qrow took it from her, taking the next drink and said, "Sometimes it's best to have a heavy hand in those matters."
She giggled, taking the bottle back from him, "Perhaps we should renegotiate our times when we get to Vacuo City?"
"Well, Captain Amethyst Fleetwood, are you asking me out on a date?" Qrow teasingly questioned, pushing himself closer to her.
Amethyst chuckled, pushing him playfully away, "Perhaps…we'll see birdy."
Summer yawned as she came to stand next to Qrow, watching Amethyst walk away. She looked at grow, eying him incredulously. Of all the missions he could play the stud on, he chooses this one! Getting her robe fully on, she watched as several sailors dispense themselves toward tasks. Summer walked with Qrow to a more secluded part of the ship. She leaned against the metal frame of an entry way.
"You know as well as I do, after this, I'm out of the game for good." Summer told Qrow, and then sighed. "When we finally get to confront her, I pray for Ruby's sake that what I've train for all my life works."
Qrow nodded, and replied, "Short-Stack I'm with until the end."
"It could be years before we go home," Summer lamented and she thought of her children, "Ruby could already be in the prep academy."
"Ozpin would understand if we needed time to go back home," Qrow said to Summer, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What's a month to what we're up against?"
"Nothing," Summer agreed reluctantly, "But that's not the point. Qrow, my people dwindling every year. She's hunting us, and I love Ruby…but she's cursed …cursed with my eyes."
"You can't keep thinking like this, Summer, Ruby isn't cursed." He argued, and then he sighed. "I took the final treatment from Ozpin the other day…"
Summer looked at him, and then slapped hard across the face, "You moron!"
"Ow," Qrow whimpered a little, feeling the welt, "What was that for?"
"You damn well know why I did it! You gave up your chance at a family, something you deserve, damn you Qrow, why?!" Summer shouted, looking at him in the eyes.
He sighed, "I needed the extra power, Short-Stack. If I didn't and we faced her…what if we needed me at my best?"
"Is it reversible?" She asked, pleading with her eyes.
Qrow leaned his head back, licking his lips, "I don't know."
"Then you're a fool, Qrow, you deserved that chance!" Summer berated him.
"Maybe I just chose to acknowledge my nieces as my own," Qrow rubbed the back of his, looking a little dejected. "Ruby's already wanting to learn about scythes, she's becoming a weapon's nut."
Summer took a deep breath, calming down a little, "Just like her uncle…"
"See, in a way I do have my family, it's you guys. Besides, I'd probably just kick my son out of a bird's nest." Qrow laughed sheepishly, "Sink, or Swim is the family motto of the Brawen."
"No wonder your sister turned out the way she did," Summer spats as she remembered Qrow's sister. "Yang was still a baby when she left."
"That's Raven for you," Qrow replies with a sigh as he looked toward the desert dunes. "I hope she gets her head out of her ass soon."
"She'll never get her head from out of there," Summer states with crossed arms. "Too prideful."
"Speaking of Yang, she started Signal Academy this year, right?" Qrow inquired before taking a swig out of a bottle.
Summer nods, taking a drink from her bottle water before replying, "Yeah."
Both Huntsmen were looking at the desert, watching as the sun moved toward the west. Soon night would be coming, and then Grimm with it. Summer retired from the deck, walking toward the entrance to the lower corridors of the LST. Qrow stood there, gripping the now empty bottle. He looked at the setting sun with anticipation. Their accommodators were all meandering about, having finishing their work.
He walked toward the command tower of the LST. Going up the flight of stairs, entering where Amethyst was directing her people via radio. She stopped after her last orders, hanging the radio up on an overhang. She turned to Qrow, smiling sweetly. She sat in her chair, and he sat in a folding chair. Propping his weapon by his side, Qrow yawned a little.
"Normally I don't accept what we do as payment, but I have invested interest in this cargo getting to Vacuo City." Amethyst stated, breaking the tension.
Qrow chuckles, eyeing her, "Aw and I thought I was that good."
"Your good, lover boy," Amethyst teased as she propped her legs on the radio dash. "I've had better though."
He held his hand over his chest, his lips pursed, "Ooh that stings."
"Shut up, Qrow Brawen," She giggled before biting her lip. "I'll admit though…I do love those devilish rouge eyes of yours."
Qrow smiles, looking at the cloudless sky. He yawned, leaning back in his borrowed folding chair. She smiled, and then got curious about something.
"So, that huntress you travel with, Summer…" Amethyst thought while speaking, and then smiled. "She's like your little sister, right?"
"Yeah, why?" Qrow asked while leaning forward.
"You, and her seem like you have a past." Amethyst points out, noting the look on Qrow's face.
He leaned back, biting his lip before answering, "We did during our freshmen year in Beacon."
"Bonafede relationship, like with sex and stuff?" Amethyst further inquired.
"Anxious know about my past relationships, why is that that, Amethyst?" Qrow asked.
She rubbed the back of her head, replying, "Maybe I like you."
Qrow chuckled, "Like me, huh?"
"Yep, so what, can't two adults knock boots and then casually date?" Amethyst playfully retorted, smiling a little bit brighter.
"Back to my original question, why does it matter?" Qrow replied, eyeing her a little incredulously.
Amethyst smirked, "We have a saying in Vacuo, Qrow. Don't crap in the well with clean water."
"What kind of saying is that?" Qrow asks, bewildered.
"It means you don't poison friendship, by doing things that make others uncomfortable. If you two are…" Amethyst motioned with her hands, "Still together…or done…"
"We never really got started," Qrow admitted, leaning back. "She's married to a nice man."
Amethyst smiled, "But you had something once, you both do the naughty back in the day?"
Qrow shook his head, laughing a little breaking the tension, "Couldn't bring myself to do anything past a chaste kiss. Felt wrong, couldn't explain why, but thinking of her that way just made squeamish of the entire idea."
"She was such a geek back then, teacher's pet too. A little uptight about rules," he continued while grabbing a water bottle from a minifridge.
"Miss perfect," Amethyst clarified.
"You could say that," Qrow agrees with nod. "She's got two little girls at home, and she's retiring after this."
"You're her best friend, aren't you?" Amethyst asks while looking him in the eyes.
"Best friends for all eternity, BFFAE," Qrow laughed while speaking. "She's my little sister, the one that actually did the right thing."
"Ooh, family drama, wanna talk about it?" Amethyst asked with a small giggle in her voice.
"Oh, hell no, we're not getting into the bitchining that is my actually my sister." Qrow refused but kept smiling.
Him, and Amethyst continued talking, even as the sun kept going down.
Summer Rose was sitting on her cot, looking at magazines. She was reaching for her bottled water when a large man handed it to her. He had claws on his hand, brown hair and beard. She smiled, leaning up and taking a few gulps from it. The large man sat on the cot next to hers. Watching as she finished the bottle of water.
"Thank you, Kuma," Summer thanked the man.
He grunted, smiling as he handed her a picture. It was of him, with two little boys. Kuma, and Summer, had been bunkmates on the LST. Both hitting it off well, with Kuma being the burly bear faunus of the crew. He was the father figure of the men around him, an old sand sailor, getting ready to retire.
"I've been travelin' these sands for decades mam. You're not the first ones we carted from Shrill Winds coming from Vale." Kuma told her as he watched the young woman adjust herself on the cot.
"My boys are waiting for me in Vacuo City," He stated as he stretched. "I'm retiring after this, its why Amethyst wanted you all especially on the transport."
"Why is that?" Summer inquired.
"Good ol' lucky charms," Kuma said between a throaty laugh.
"So, we're basically like rabbits feet?" Summer inquired with a warm smile.
"Yep, basically, you guys kick Grimm ass while we mainly deal with Sand Pirates." The large man grunted as he nods his head towards the wall.
A picture of Sand Pirates hanged on the wall, people who drove smaller versions of LSTs called FLSs. Fast Land Ships, which were smaller, but generally more modified for heavy combat. The two looked at the picture, with Summer contemplating. She looked at Kuma, who was looking at the picture with dread.
"We're crossing into their territory tomorrow," Kuma admitted as he looked down. "Sometimes I get scared during those times."
"Kuma," Summer reached out, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Didn't you promise your children you'd be home?"
Kuma nodded, smiling lightly, "I did."
Summer looked him in eyes, "I promise you, on my word as a Huntswoman. You'll make it back home to your children."
The man smiled, "Thanks Summer. This old sailor is just nervous…"
"Don't worry about it," She says, but then watched him do something he rarely did for other people.
She watched him reach his fist out, she smiled brightly while bumping it. Both of them determined to get through this voyage and be one step closer to their families back home.