AN: Yeah, TBH I probably should have written out the stat sheet for yall to see earlier... sorry about that, my bad.
Stat Sheet:
Name: Mowgli De Coquina Belladonna
Alignment: Lawful Good
Race: Faunus (lynx)
Class: Arcana Cleric 1
Character Level: 1
Exp: 150/300
AP: 40
HP: 10 = 8 (Base) + 2 (Con. Mod.)
AC: 17 = 14 (Scale Mail ) + 2 (Dex. Mod.) + 1 (Shield)
Initiative Bonus: +4= 2 (Dex. Mod.) + 2 (Racial Trait)
Speed: 30ft
Saving Throw Proficiency: Wisdom and Charisma
Skill Proficiency: History, Aura Use, Perception, and Persuasion
Strength: 0 (10)
Dexterity: +2 (14)
Constitution: +2 (14)
Intelligence: +2 (14)
Wisdom: +3 (16)
Charisma: +2 (14)
Cantrips: Light, Sacred Flame, Thaumaturgy, Guidance (Cast once per long rest), Mage Hand (Cast once per long rest), Blade Ward (Always Prepared), and Firebolt (Always Prepared).
Spell Points: 4/4
Prepared 1st Level Spells (Casting Cost: 2) : Find Familiar (Can be Cast for No Cost once per long rest), Detect Magic (Always Prepared), Magic Missile (Always prepared), Cure Wounds, Guiding Bolt, Protection from Evil and Good, and Bless.
Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields, Remnant The Game, and Simple Weapons.
Languages: Vytalian, Vacish, Mistralian.
Currency: 2,500L
...
Review Responses:
ProfessorGoblitz: Thanks for the info on the Piety points, as for Spell Points, I found out why I thought they were so complicated. Turns out I accidently found one for 4e, so nothing lined up. Anyway, I have added them to all the chapters, thx for the help.
GhostlyDrew: Surprisingly, no, they never brought up the idea of Menagerie's name in the show, and it pissed me off so much that I wrote about it in the last chapter.
andielgranrayo and Darkfire1202: Some might consider this spoilers so consider yourself warned. No, he will not be an Ozpin pawn, I'm not 100% sure if he is going to make his own faction or be his own solo player, however, he will help out Ozpin from time to time if need be (i.e.: He'd help Ozpin if the Winter Maiden were under threat, but he wouldn't go be his scout in the wilds like Qrow is). I hope that made sense, I'm writing this super late and I'm sooooo tired, but I'm glad yall are enjoying the story.
Anonymous: Thank you, my whole point in making these fanfics (This is part of a 3-part set, one of which hasn't had its first chapter published, and the other is "An Artificer's Account of the Boiling Isles"), was to be a practice of subverting expectations, and adding a twist.
Vertias123: Thanks, I enjoyed writing it!
RoyalBurrito999: Thank you, I've been rewriting a couple of my summaries to streamline them, but also be more enticing to possible readers, glad to know it has been working.
2002coletait: Thank you sooo much, I'm still pretty new to writing fanfiction and any help is great help. Have a good day too!
Guest: Sorry to hear that, I wasn't trying to make it sound that simple, but I can see how it came across that way. I have rewritten that part of the story so that it better conveys the idea I was trying to send. The kingdoms have kept one part of their authoritative aspects from before the war and have used that to try to suppress the old languages of Remnant in order to encourage greater international unity. The old definition has also been replaced by modernization and changing of cultures, so for many of the few resources that describe the old languages of Remnant, the old meaning is missing. I hope that at some point you may come back, read this, and give my story another chance!
Raxon1221: Using 5th edition, as referenced by the system being 5.2, the .2 is a reference to the fact that the current edition has gone through a few updates with new book releases.
DeloreanMail: Thank you, couldn't find a straight answer online.
...
...and here's this chapter.
~Five Days After Mowgli's Aura Ceremony~
"Oh my baby! Remember to write every day and stay out of trouble. The moment anything starts to go wrong you come straight back here!" Kali ordered as the family stood on the Kuo Kuana docks.
"Of course mother, though I'm going to be very busy, so only every other week." James negotiated.
"Every week." His father stated.
James sighed, "... Every week."
"Here," Ghira handed Mowgli a manila folder of documents. "I've already sent a letter ahead to the Vacuoan council. These are the various items I want you to discuss with them, along with my notes and the various related reports. Read over them on the trip there, I trust your decision making to negotiate on these matters, they will meet with you at the councilor hall 4 days from now. They had an election recently and inaugurated a new councilor, who will be picking you up from your hotel." As he spoke, Ghira also handed him both a set of boat and bullhead tickets, along with a map. "I've marked out a Faunus safe hotel, which aren't too hard to find in Vacuo, but not ubiquitous. Your mother and I once stayed there for our honeymoon. The owner's name is Jessie Alvarado, and a family friend of ours." The Panther Faunus then handed his son a stack of Lien. "This is 800 lien, twice the amount you will need for food and board. Do not hesitate to use this money in case of an emergency. Whether it be smuggling yourself back to Menagerie after something goes wrong, or anything otherwise, use it."
"Understood." James nodded to his father.
"Dear, I'm not going to give you some big talk about the reality of the Faunus life outside of Menagerie. You have read up enough on the reports and your smart enough to understand and predict it. You shouldn't have to worry too much in Vacuo of all places as they are big on strength, no matter your race. However, there are powerful crime groups there, and they have footholds in many towns. If you ever come across some of them trying to extort a toll out of you, you first tell them you are a Coquina, they are usually less harsh to locals, and if they don't let up, give them what they want. We can replace the money, but I want you safe." Kali spoke lovingly.
"Well..." Ghira interrupted. "If your pretty sure you can take them-"
"Ghira Belladonna! I did not just hear you say that!" Kali admonished.
"What? He's a strong kid, he's got Aura, he can wipe the floor with most of those thugs." Ghira reasoned.
Kali sighed, "Cub, just ignore your father, he is still mad about some individuals we ran into during our honeymoon."
"Bastard spoke to you like you were some kind of prostitute. Then he had the cowardice to run off." Ghira grumbled.
"Dear, that was after you threw his friend through a brick wall." Kali spoke in good-natured exasperation.
"So... any description on the guy you can give me." Mowgli stage whispered to his father.
"Oh, not you too!" Kali exclaimed.
"He had deep wavy green hair, three golden teeth, about 4''5'-"
"Enough!" Kali ordered huffing, "Shoo, get going, I better not hear that you attacked anyone." She said as she began pushing her son onto the ship.
As much as she tried to act like it was otherwise, Mowgli and his father knew that Kali thought it was endearing.
Mowgli idly noticed that the captain, ship, and a few of the crew, were the same ones from the show when Blake returned home. It wasn't too surprising as there wasn't much traffic to and from Menagerie by civilians, with most of it being cargo. As such, it was no surprise that there were few companies that invested in the support of a Menagerie oceanic transport lane.
Mowgli gave a quick hug and kiss to his parents before walking up the gang plank of the vessel, leaving Menagerie for the first time in 10 years. The last time had been when Mowgli and Blake had insisted on following their father to Atlas to take part in a protest there.
They should have noticed Blakes zealousness back then...
'Maybe she would still be here otherwise...' A traitorous thought broke through in the back of Mowgli mind, before quickly being pushed away. 'No, she made her choice, no point on dwelling on it.'
...And so Mowgli boarded the ship, for the real adventure to begin.
~A Few Hours Later~
As Mowgli sat in his cabin as he idly shifted his amulet in his hands. Watching as the light streaming through the porthole window would dance across its surface. All but the 'null' would gleam with the rays of sun.
Figuring he had nothing better to do, and it was his duty as a cleric of Mystra, Mowgli tried praying.
He squeezed tightly onto the gift from his Goddess before starting to whisper. "Lady Midnight, I must be honest and admit that I'm not sure if I am doing this right. As their isn't exactly a handbook on this matter. But I hope that I have your blessing in my endeavors in Vacuo, and the rest of the lands beyond, conducting your holy work. I thank thee for the kindness you have bestowed upon me and will do my due diligence to be worthy of such gracious favors."
Religion Check: 14 (Rolled) + 2 (Int. Mod.) =16
Great Success!
Blessing Received: Blessing of Knowledge
"Thank you my lady, for hearing my plea." Mowgli spoke to the empty space above him.
Checking over the new status effect, Mowgli was intrigued.
Blessing of Knowledge:
[Those blessed by a deity of knowledge can expect good fortune in the near future to arrive at a new source of knowledge. This source can take many forms and those blessed would be wise to keep a constant vigil on where it may present itself. Knowledge is a powerful tool, and therefore may hide itself, whether it be through deception of the senses, or deception of the mind, none can ever predict.]
'Well, that's not ominous at all...' He thought dryly. 'Wait! What the shit happens if I get one of those for Arcana? I'm I just gonna walk into one of the relic chambers or are Ozpin and/or Salem gonna jump me in a back alley.'
"This is a notice to all passengers that we will be arriving in Kitakyushu, Mistral in 30 minutes. If that is your stop, then I would like to thank you for travelling with us today. If you are part of the group that will be continuing on to Coquina Vacuo, then please know that we will be stopped for only 1 hour and will not delay for stray passengers." The captain's voice echoed from the intercoms across the ship.
Making sure he had everything on him, Mowgli stood up from his seat on his cot and made his way out of his cabin and out onto the deck of the vessel. He noticed a few of the crewmembers moving a gangplank into place to allow for the passengers to walk down onto the dock, however Mowgli, feeling a little impatient, hopped the side of the boat and allowed his legs to absorb the minor impact from the 10 foot drop.
Acrobatics Check: 20 (Rolled) + 2 (Dex. Mod.) = 22
Extreme Success!
...And he rolled so high that he somehow ended up doing a front-flip before landing on one knee, along with his cloak billowing behind him. Needless to say it looked cool and drew a lot of attention.
'Dammit!' Mowgli internally screamed. Doing his best to not let his anger show, Mowgli walked into city with a blank expression upon his face, his mouth and glowing eyes being the only visible features beneath the hood of his cloak.
Advantage on Intimidation Checks Gained! (For Looking Badass)
Time Limit: 10 minutes
Rolling his eyes at the notification, Mowgli continued into the port city, or perhaps town would be a better description. The place was small, probably only 70 Acres in size, and while it appeared well-developed with a large wall visible in the distance, it was clear that the town would only hold a small number of regular residents, and even then, they would be tightly packed like most in frontier towns.
Looking around, the aesthetic was roughly similar to that of the depictions of Japan in old paintings. There were many market stalls and carts lining any space available within the streets, and a continual flow of people congregating at various entertainers. With the aid of Dust, and some entertainers even having Aura, the acts were quite a bit more extreme than the ones on Earth. People would eat Lightening Dust and breathe lightening into various shapes and pictures. He even passed by a woman who had balanced three swords end-to-end on top of one another and was holding herself aloft atop the highest one by her finger-tip.
Deciding that now was the best time to grab something to eat, Mowgli began browsing the various stalls for something to catch his eye. Eventually, he came upon Remnant's version of sushi. It was nearly the same to Earth's, but with one key difference. That being, that they added small amounts of Fire Dust to the wasabi. Taking out a bit of cash, he bought a hand roll with tuna in it. Say what you will about stereotypes, but Mowgli knew that he loved fish. It honestly wasn't even that far off of a stereotype. One of the few studies that had been performed, to look into Faunus genealogy, had found that they did have an extremely high chance of exhibiting food preferences relating to their animal trait.
Down 8 Lien, Mowgli considered what to do from there. He tried to consider what events would be occurring in Mistral at the moment. The only one he could think of however, would be Lionheart's efforts in aiding Salem by sending Hunters to their demise. However, he wasn't even 100% sure Lionheart had betrayed the order yet. Even then, if he had betrayed them, Mowgli only had about 45 minutes left in Mistral, which was nowhere near enough time to do something about it.
Turns out, he didn't need to worry about finding a way to help out. The problem came to him.
"Stop that man!" A guard shouted, bring in silence to the nearby area of town.
Being as tall as he was, Mowgli was easily able to look over the throng of people and see an individual carrying what was quite recognizable as a large barrel of Fire Dust. Looking back in the direction the man came from, he saw the initial guard, but also an obvious fuse trail.
'Hmm... He was trying to blow-up the walls.' He mentally surmised.
Quickly pulling his crossbow from his belt, Mowgli sent a bolt into the guys calf. The crowd had already departed around him, meaning Mowgli wasn't too worried if the barrel went off when it hit the ground.
Ranged Attack: 12 (Rolled) + 2 (Prof. Bonus) + 2 (Dex. Mod.) = 16
Success
Damage Given: 5 Piercing (1D8 Rolled) + 2 (Dex. Mod.) = 7
-1x Bolt Used
The bolt arched through the air before hitting the man in his right thigh, a bit higher than Mowgli's original mark, but still a hit none the less.
"Aghh!" He let out a half grunt have scream of pain before falling over and dropping the barrel. Fire dust powder poured through the small hole in the lid.
The guard, easily catching up to him now, dragged the man to his feet and began pulling him away. Another guard swiftly stepped-in and carefully lifted the barrel upright and began walking away with it. The Fire Dust upon the ground quickly became inert when a third guard poured a barrel of water over it, carefully watching as the volatile substance seeped in between the cracks of the brick road.
The event had only taken about 30 seconds, and it was a testament to the familiarity this world and the people in it held with dealing with such dangerous materials on a daily basis.
However, the brief sense of calm did not last. All of a sudden, several bells began to ring through the town, originating from the outer wall. The people at once started to panic. Merchants drag their stalls off the streets and began to hide them, and themselves in the alleyway. Citizens of the town quickly scurried into their homes and locked their doors. A series of guardsmen now marched through the town and towards the front gate, which was rapidly closing before a loud 'Thwump!' sounded as it fully shut, and the air was pushed out of place.
...
The bells were no longer ringing.
...
Silence reigned throughout the town.
...
Mowgli, wanting to know what exactly was going on, clipped his crossbow back to his belt, and steadily made his way to the front gates where the guards were stationed.
One of them, who stood a bit taller and wore more extravagant armor than the others, turned to him. He raised an eyebrow at Mowgli.
The cleric, understanding his non-verbal question, lifted the side of his cloak to show Crackdown at his hip.
The man that Mowgli now recognized as the commander of the guards nodded at him, recognizing that Mowgli was the one to put down the man from earlier.
Finally speaking, Mowgli inquired "Grimm?"
The man looked disappointed, not in Mowgli, but rather the situation in general. "No, in a morbid way I wish it were. The town's people would suffer far less to Grimm. No, it's bandits. They're a bunch of sadistic fucks. Like to torture people, and it doesn't matter how young, old, rich, nor poor you are. Specifically this tribe." The man spat.
He proceeded to let out a string of curses in Mistralian.
"What tribe?" Mowgli asked in Mistralian, having a feeling he already knew the answer.
The commander, for his part, only let the briefest flickers of surprise color his face before responding. "Branwen."
The whole time Mowgli was speaking with the man, he was constantly listening out for noise beyond the walls, until finally.
Perception Check: 8 (Rolled 6 and 8 with Advantage) + 3 (Wis. Mod.) = 11
Minor Success
It was faint, but Mowgli could hear the collective sound of many voices screaming out in chorus. Soon, the sound grew louder and everyone present tensed at the gates. Peeking through one of the holes in the walls for bows and arrows to fire out of, Mowgli saw them.
There was at least 80 of them. All wielding weapons of various qualities, all led by her. At the front of the running mob was Raven, Omen in her hands. Upon closer inspection, Mowgli realized that there were a few groups of individuals carrying ladders.
It didn't take a genius to figure out their purpose.
Turning to the commander, Mowgli informed him of the development. "They have ladders for climbing the walls."
The commander, apparently expecting such a prospect, quickly gave out orders to his troops. "Alright, squads Whale, Demon, and Dragon, Your up! I don't want a single bandit making it up those walls! Crayfish and Earthquake, your launching as much as you can at them from ground level. Thin their numbers!"
In response, a series of 35 voices gave an affirmative, "Yes sir!" Before marching up the steps in the inside of the walls, making it to the top of the ramparts.
The Mistral born man turned back to him. "Aura?" He asked
Mowgli felt his Aura thrum as it flowed across his body for a brief moment.
"There are some arrow slits in the wall, or you can head up top, take your pick." The man informed briefly.
While it may have seemed like he was brushing off Mowgli's offer for help, he truly was appreciative. However, with how close the bandits were, the commander knew he had to act fast and be up there ordering his men and women. He didn't have the luxury of time to thank the stranger that offered aid, only to guide him briefly on how to do so.
As the commander marched off, Mowgli considered his options. Not the one of whether he would be standing behind or atop the wall, he knew he was going to stand on it. No, he was considering whether or not to use magic. There was a significant number of bandits, and while there were a good number of guards, it was clear that most were militia, and not highly trained, meaning that he may need to go all out to drive off the assailants. However, using magic in this scenario gave a high chance of his ability being discovered. The sheer quantity of people who could witness it, and the fact the Raven Branwen, one of the few people aware of Magic's existence on Remnant, was there, meant that someone could recognize what he was doing, and word could spread. Or even worse, Raven might take an interest in him, either as a tool to keep Salem away, or a threat that needed to be culled.
A trill from his shoulder broke him from his thoughts. Archimedes was reminding him that he didn't have time to think on the matter. Deciding that he would make the choice if things got dicey, Mowgli once more grabbed his crossbow from his belt, and then marched up the steps of the wall. However, while he was halfway up, and after checking that no one was looking, he casted Blade Ward.
"Weave of Magic, ethereal in presence, protect me from the physical, Blade Ward." He incanted as he drew a rune in the air. Now, he had resistance to piercing/slashing, bludgeoning, and broadening damage from weapons until the end of his next turn, which, with the amount of people present, would take a while.
Making it to the top of the wall, Mowgli let his eyes trail along the mass of soldiers poised on top of it. They carried a mixture of Dust-tipped arrows, and general firearms. Looking out from the wall, Mowgli saw that the raiders were about 5 seconds out now. He was a bit curious as to why they had alerted the town of their presence even when they were so far out, but upon a closer look at some of the soldiers, he could tell it was fear tactics. Several of the men and women were in various states of fear. Whether that be shaking, sweating, or dilation of their eyes, depended on the individual.
To be perfectly honest, Mowgli didn't blame them, this was going to be his first real fight against human opponents, and while a subconscious part of him knew that he would be able to kill, if need be, his moral compass was revolted by the prospect. However, this was Remnant, and tough choices had to be made, and actions committed if you wanted to survive.
Yet, that didn't stop Mowgli from trying to diffuse the situation before it became necessary.
"Raven Branwen!" Mowgli called out. "I wouldn't come closer if I were you."
The other soldiers looked at him like he had been hit over the head to many times. The fact that a child, who looked barely old enough to even be going to a Huntsman academy, was ordering around Raven Branwen of all people was an astonishing sight, and for good reason. While it may not have been shown much in the show, Raven was feared throughout all of Mistral, and had an international reputation as one of the most fearsome people on the face of Remnant. The fact that the soldiers stood there, even as afraid as they were, was a testament to their character. It was well known that crossing her was typically a death sentence for all who opposed her, and yet they still stood there.
Surprisingly, Raven did slow their charge, holding a hand up so that her group stopped about 30ft out from the wall. Anyone could have fired and started the battle, but the shock at the situation had steadied their blades.
Wearing her mask, Raven stepped forward, looking up at Mowgli. As she spoke, Mowgli could practically hear her smug smirk from behind the mask, "And why, oh why, would I do that?"
This is the point, where Mowgli chose to do something dangerous. There was two things he thought of to say, both of which would put a target on his back from Raven, and possibly the order as well. However, he knew that they were outnumbered and outmatched, death lied in wait for all those in the town, including himself, if Raven were to attack it.
Hopping down from the walls, which was only a 15 foot jump this time, he walked right up until he was only 5 feet from her.
The first thing he thought to do was to lie, and subtlety tell her he was with Salem, and that she would be quite angry to hear that one of her subordinates had been threatened by her.
The other, the one he went with, was to say, "Because it would be a real shame if the Black Queen, came to hear about how much you love the month of Spring, wouldn't it?" Mowgli smirked down at her, his mouth and glowing eyes still being his only visible features aside from his ears.
Intimidation Check: 19 (Rolled 18 and 7 with advantage) + 2 (Chr. Mod.) = 21
Minor Success
The fact that it was only a minor success, with a roll that high, suggested just how high the DC (difficulty of skill check) was.
Then again, the show had done a good job with displaying Raven's cowardice, especially from Salem, so while what came next surprised the soldiers, it wasn't as surprising to Mowgli.
Raven visibly flinched, even from 30 feet away all the soldiers on the wall could clearly see it and judging by the gasps of shock that came from many of their mouths they were not expecting it. They couldn't hear from so far away, but it clearly had an effect on the woman that had terrorized Mistral unchecked for years.
Regaining her composure after a few moments, Raven responded, "And who exactly would tell her when your dead? What stops me from cutting out your tongue so that you may never speak against me again? Better yet, I could cut your head right from your shoulders, and you could do nothing to stop me."
Having a feeling that she would threaten so, Mowgli quickly replied, "Because I have an insurance policy, the moment I'm dead, that little tidbit goes right to the player's hands." Which was technically not a lie.
He had, before he had left, written a letter and gave it to his parents, instructing them to leave it in the safe. They were not to read it unless he had died, at which point they would learn it contents and pass it on to Ozpin, not the 'Player' Raven thought he was mentioning, but still one of them. It was to prevent his foreknowledge from being lost from an untimely death, and it was already helping.
Mowgli could see Raven tense with anger, easily deciphering that he was telling the truth. She questioned further, continuing their mutual effort to converse without revealing too much to those around. While they were talking quiet enough that no one else could truly decipher what they were saying, it paid to be cautious. "I must say, I'm interested in how you know so much. You're not part of the King's group, but you seem too noble to join the Queen. So that begs the question, who are you?"
It was rhetorical question of course, but Mowgli still answered it. "An enigma, at least for now, but if you truly want to find out, then all you have to do is fight me." He was trying to bring her to an ultimatum, to end their banter and get her to back off.
"No. At least not today, but... someday maybe." Raven spoke, her anger was no longer masked, and everyone present could easily tell she was seething with rage. However, she soon turned around and began to walk away, her bandits parting around her, shocked at her decision.
It took a few moments, but eventually the tribe began to follow after her, everyone unsure about what had occurred. At least, everyone but Vernal, who was close enough to hear their words and glared at Mowgli before following her chieftess.
Mowgli let out a sigh of relief that his plan had somehow worked. He knew that down the road it may come back to bite him, but for now the town was safe.
The stunned faces of the various town guards met him as he turned away from the retreating tribe and hopped back up onto the wall, slowly crawling to the top.
Acrobatics Check: 9 (Rolled) + 2 (Dex. Mod.) = 11
Minor Success
As far as they were aware, a cloaked stranger had marched into town, stared down the most fearsome criminal out there, and then threatened her, and somehow drove her off. The criminal that drove fear into the hearts of nearly every family in Mistral, whether it be actual or crime, had just fled.
Jumping down from the walls back into the town, all the guards eyes on him. Mowgli began stepping over to the figure from earlier, now tied up by the guardsmen. Mowgli now recognized the individual, one of the few named members of the tribe, Shay D. Mann.
Placing his booted foot on the man's chest before leaning down and pointing his light, crossbow directly at Shay's eye, Mowgli began to speak. "Something tells me that in the end, you are going to end up back with Raven, hmm...? So, I want you to give her a message from me when you see her. Tell her, that the moment she started playing, there was no way to leave this game. The only way out is for one of the Players to die, and she needs to pick a side." Not waiting for any response, Mowgli ripped the bolt out of the man's shoulder and walked off.
Not looking back as he began walking away from the captive, and towards the cruise ship, part of Mowgli was a little horrified by the brutality that he showed the man, but the rest of him felt the gentle sensation of moral justice, knowing that, that man had probably robbed and terrorized many families. He idly noticed a single toll from the town bell letting everyone know it was safe to leave their homes. The sound of doors opening and feet pattering out echoed throughout the town. Mowgli also felt the collective stares of many of the townsfolk as he walked away. The ship's crew, along with a few passengers watched as Mowgli came back on deck and silently went to his cabin.
Once inside, Mowgli locked the door, before ungracefully falling face first into his bed, and falling asleep. His heart was still hammering away, but the residual stress from the situation was strong enough to help him drift off.
~3 Hours Later~
Knock Knock
A hand rapped against Mowgli's cabin door, disturbing him from his slumber. Rising up from his cot, he made his way to the door before unlocking and opening it.
The captain of the ship stood before him, a warm smile adorning his face. "Sorry to wake you, I could tell you were tired when you made it back onboard earlier. One of the town guards wanted to speak with you, but it was obvious you needed rest. I just wanted to let you know that the ship will be serving dinner soon, and that the man from earlier wanted me to tell you that, 'you will always be welcome in Kitakyushu after he tells the town about your deeds.' I must say, from what he told me, I myself am quite impressed."
As the captain talked, Mowgli couldn't stop the embarrassed smile and blush that tinted his face. It flattered him how much he was being praised for something that anyone who reincarnated with his knowledge could do, and in no small way did it encourage him to do it more often. Admittedly, Mowgli had been the most terrified he had ever been in his entire life, but the fact that he prevented at least one frontier town from joining the many ruins that dotted the surface of Remnant, had entirely made up for it. Mowgli was however, still terrified of how his mother would react when she heard the news. Thinking about it a little harder, Mowgli could honestly say he wouldn't be surprised if his dad was a bit perturbed too.
"Thanks, I was happy to help. It amazes me how so many people spend their efforts fighting each other instead of Grimm, they have the skills to make a living, but don't use them for such." Mowgli commented as he stepped out of his cabin and began walking alongside the captain to the ships dining hall.
"Agreed, a good sentiment that is sadly not shared by everyone. Thankfully, we still have the few that do share it, working to become Huntresses and Huntsmen like yourself." The captain spoke wistfully.
"Oh!" Mowgli spoke in surprise, "I'm not training to be a Hunter." He corrected.
The captain raised an eyebrow at him, "Truly, you certainly have the spine for it, if what the guard commander told me was true. What other career calls to you if not being a Hunter, if you don't mind me asking?" He inquired curious, no judgment present in his voice. "Oh! And please forgive my poor manners, the name is Jason, Jason Iolcos, captain of this fine ship the Argonaut." He apologized.
Mowgli internally chuckled at the name, easily placing what fairytale the man was inspired by. "Mowgli Belladonna, it is a pleasure to meet you, and judging by the look in your eyes, I believe you've already figured out my future career." Mowgli spoke light heartedly.
"Aye, didn't be thinking that I'd have royalty on my ship today, but there's a first time for everything they say." Jason joked.
"Hah, royalty you say, I wonder if Jacque Schnee will bow before me if we meet." Mowgli joked back.
"Sure," Jason barked out in laughter, "right after he offers you one of his daughters' hands." The captain replied.
By the time the two made it to the dining hall, they were both howling with laughter, although neither of their jokes was that funny, the stress of the day had made them feel all the more humorous to Mowgli. The knowing looks on the crew members faces told him that this was a common occurrence with the charismatic man.
Mowgli sat down next to Jason after the man had invited him to sit with him at the captain's table. Good cheer was present throughout the dining hall as people ate good food and listened with rapturous attention to one of the passengers, who happened to be a travelling singer.
As Mowgli listened to the songstress bless the room's occupants with her rendition of "La Vie En Rose", Mowgli finally looked at the notifications he had received earlier in the day.
Quest Initiated: Raven's Raid
Objective: Prevent the Branwen Tribe from raiding Kitakyushu. [0]
Bonus Objective: Prevent the deaths of any of the Kitakyushu guards. [0]
Reward: 1,000 Lien, 100Exp, and the Respect of the Kitakyushu people.
Bonus Reward: ?
...
Quest Completed: Raven's Raid
Objective: Prevent the Branwen Tribe from raiding Kitakyushu. [X]
Bonus Objective: Prevent the deaths of any of the Kitakyushu guards. [X]
Hidden Objective: 'Defeat' the raiders on your own. [X]
Reward: 1,000 Lien, 100Exp, and the Respect of the Kitakyushu people.
Bonus Reward: 2,500 Lien, 250Exp, and the Adoration of the Kitakyushu people.
Hidden Reward: 5,000 Lien, 500Exp, and the Minor Worship of the Kitakyushu people.
...
Enemies Defeated: 2,400 (25Exp X 96 Bandits) + 7,400 (Spring Maiden/Raven Branwen) / 2 (Diplomatic Victory) = 4,900Exp Gained
...
Quest Chain Initiated: Sensational Seasons
Quest Initiated: Season Slayer (Sensational Seasons)
Objective: Defeat one of the four Maidens in Combat. [0]
Reward: ? and the next quest in the Sensational Seasons quest chain.
...
Exp: 5,900/300 Until next level up.
Level Up!
Level Up!
Level Up!
Exp: 5,900/6,500 Until next level up.
It took a few minutes for Jason to free Mowgli from his near catatonic state, as the Faunus was internally salivating over the rewards.
'Today, has been a very, very, good day.' Mowgli thought, pleased, as Archimedes fell asleep on his shoulder.
AN: I really need to do some better chapter planning in the future. I had started writing this with the intent that Mowgli would only briefly stop in Mistral before making it to Vacuo, however, I had felt that I needed him to do something in Mistral, and it spiraled from there.
You probably noticed the massive gains that Mowgli got, which you can all look forward to seeing in the next chapter. While some may see this as me making him too OP, please keep in mind that character's in RWBY are to be perfectly frank, extremely high in power level for characters without access to proper magic. They can take down hundreds of Beowulfs, and many of the larger creatures as well. Then, consider how Cinder thrashes Pyrrha without the Maiden's powers, and yet, it is pretty clear that later on, even with them, she is no match for Salem.
If you have anything you would like to recommend for the story, don't like about the story, or want more of a specific aspect of the story, please leave a review!
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!