Chapter V: The weight of one's nature
There are some Huntsmen problems, but they know when to cut the line and get to safety with a losing fight.
Frank's eyes went for the first signs of the danger, the stragglers of the settlement probably making a run for it after the first defenses were smashed down. He didn't stop though, knowing when to cut his losses and accept that the village was doomed from the start, his eyes going for the moon and hearing the sounds of the Grimm.
"To the side on the left, Stone. Down there, and to the east. There's a relatively clear path there."
Already, Miss Parsley-Trappe was in motion, leaping off the wall with the agility of someone that was used to moving faster, his body moving with the aid of his Aura, Carmine's body jolting with how they moved through the sides. With the Grimm Tide coming through this area and the Howler calling for more Grimm to join them, the settlement was probably going to be another of the ruined enclaves that they occasionally chanced upon while traversing the world.
"Get the one on the right."
The cannon's barrel blazed with a shot as a charging Beowolf was smashed by the ball, the mechanism retracting immediately to make sure that the next shot would take care of the next one, as Frank's axe moved, cutting through the thick hide of an Ursa that had been in his path, Lightning Blitz not needed yet, as they kept calm and professional. With the darkness, it meant that the natural eyesight of humanity was less keen, but with the apprentice slung over their shoulders, they could make do.
"Switch with me!"
Carmine was thrown through the air, as they dealt with another two Beowolves, Frank feeling Carmine's weight against him as he continued to work on his balance, the darkness around them like an encroaching veil that never stopped, his expression barely lightening as he caught a flash of motion, Carmine dropped, landing on her face as he struggled with one of the Prime Ursa that had assaulted him in his moment of inattention.
The weight of the strike that he'd blocked nearly buckling his knees, as he struggled to remain standing upright. His aura might not hold out against two or more strikes, with the force that was expended to fight off the Grimm draining from his aura with every moment that he fought.
The high-stress of having to fight at night was offset by the partner that he had, Miss Parsley-Trappe assisting him in the melee. Without Carmine awake and aware, they were fighting mostly blind, but the majority of the Grimm Tide would surge towards the settlement.
Frank Stone was a man that was pragmatic. It was better to escape and avoid the danger of a Grimm Tide than to be caught up in it, as his warning had not been heeded by the townspeople, his fingers seizing a hold of Carmine and lifting her up, as another of the fell beasts came bounding at him.
"On your right!"
He cut through the stalking Beowolf with a single slash, Carmine's weight barely jolting him, as they continued, another ghastly howl coming from the distant settlement, a sign that the Grimm Tide was swelling. Frank didn't let up, as Miss Parsley-Trappe was already on the move, to stray from him a little.
"Will we split up after it reaches daylight?"
He asked, the woman gasping and groaning a little, trying to get breath into her lungs.
"Survive first, ask stupid questions later, Stone."
There was nothing but harshness in her voice, but Frank nevertheless admired her professionalism. He would like it if Carmine were to be in this woman's care rather than his own, since he did not think that he could teach her, their progress through the surroundings smooth, with him taking careful watch, as Miss Parsley-Trappe guarded his side. It would have been better if Carmine had been awake, but the girl wanted to show her prowess, and dying here would not be very good for her future prospects.
'She deserves to live a long and happy life with someone that can take care of her, not hanging around a monster like me.'
"Let's set up a temporary camp in the cave over there."
They moved faster than they had, the light of one of the Dust-powered lamps that they both had as a part of their Huntsmen's gears lighting the path, a cave up ahead, covered in the darkness.
"I scouted it out before. A good Huntsman is never caught off her guard."
The woman was speaking quietly, as they entered the cave, Frank dimming the light a little, as the woman shone her light through the cave. It was more a hollow rather than a cave, but it served as their shelter until daylight, Miss Parsley-Trappe opening a small case and pulling out a sliver of Earth Dust, activating it and planting it in the ground.
As they were already in darkness, the pitch blackness of the earthen wall that rose from the ground at the activation of the Dust was barely a change, as Frank lit his lamp a little more by infusing the Crystal with some dust for a slow wick's light, finding the rough edges.
"I left enough for ventilation. This is enough… for… the… Grimm not to… find… usszzzz."
The woman's voice was tired, as Frank caught sight of the woman slipping down, his breathing growing a little deeper as he found a comfortable spot and sat down, Miss Parsley-Trappe already off into slumber through exhaustion or some sort. Carmine was sat in his lap, her body laid against him for safekeeping, since he didn't know whether she might lie on something uncomfortable, willing to take the sore muscles the next day, if it kept her functional. She was still someone that needed to be taught that her place was at someone's home, not acting like a man and fighting with Grimm.
Frank knew that he'd have to make some sacrifices, but as he drifted off, he barely noticed that his arms had wrapped around Carmine, his mask still covering his face, as his arms adjusted the woman a little to be comfortable.
'We survived. That matters. I can tell Carmine that she would be better served to study under Miss Parsley-Trappe and then I can continue on my way.'
He would just destroy whatever happiness Carmine had gained by being present. She did not mind his disfigurement, but she could tell others. Others who might see him as an affliction and a curse, tainted by the marks on his face.
He didn't trust anyone to see him as someone worthy of trust, not after knowing that there were many who would gladly sell him out for coin, as he knew that those tainted by the Grimm marks were often chased out or killed.
'I am a monster…'
The Grimm outside howled, as the Grimm Tide continued, Frank remaining half-alert, keeping a half-slumbering vigil, though the wall kept them relatively safe from danger due to the Grimm needing to break it down with enough strength to wake them.
Carmine opened her eyes, her head hurting like she'd had six glasses of wine. It had been a thing to try, even though she'd remained in bed for most of the day after it, her father amused by it, to her great displeasure.
A throbbing pain in her skull made her look up, her vision catching sight of the man that she was the apprentice of, a set of arms wrapped around her in a manner that was not entirely uncomfortable. She was not sure why, but she was feeling a little awkward now, with his mask so close.
'Wait, where are we?'
She let her gaze go through where they were, a dark room of sorts, or maybe some sort of shelter that had been made. Frank Stone was entirely too close to her, and she opened her mouth to tell him that, only to feel his big hand shift down and grab her rear.
She froze up, mouth still open, as he held her behind, her legs up in the air a little. She was laid in his arms, held in a manner that was almost like a bridal carry. His big hand was on her butt though. He squeezed.
"Don't… wake… him… up."
'EEK!'
Carmine would have screamed if she had the presence of mind, turning her head sharply to look at the horrible woman sitting there against the other wall, her weapon already half-opened, the woman tinkering with it.
"He… does… not… sleep… much."
That he most certainly did not! She could deal with things when they came, and she wasn't-
Another squeeze and she fought to keep herself under control.
"His hand is on my butt!"
She hissed at the woman, whose expression turned almost amused, as she put something back inside the weapon, a framed picture of sorts, if Carmine guessed right, or perhaps a cog. Something clicked and the impudent woman with her incessantly loud cannon weapon smiled.
"And… do… you… like… that?"
She didn't like it at all! She didn't like it at all, and she'd deny it and he was just manhandling her! He was manhandling her, there were people that had to be saved from the Grimm and-
"Where is the settlement?!"
She raised her voice, as Frank shifted a little in his grip on her 'very fine and perfectly proportioned, thank you very much for the compliment' rear, a shudder racing down her spine. She should give him an earful, as his hand-
"Ee-ya-ah-ha-haahhhh."
Kleo looked like she was satisfied with that, as Carmine didn't feel satisfied at all! Her ears were flicking up and down and she was going to give Frank a lecture on why he should not-
"Eee-hhhyaaahhhh."
She was sensitive in that spot. She felt anger go through her body at the sight of his masked face.
"Now… not… loud, Car…mine."
The woman was mocking her. Carmine wanted to say something, but the words didn't come out, as he continued to touch her. She knew that he was sleeping because she could hear the rhythmic breathing and heard the heartbeat thump with her ears. She knew well enough when people were sleeping, because the heart was pumping faster when someone was awake, and experiencing certain emotions.
"I'm getting out of his grip."
She pulled herself up on his shoulders, cursing her height for once, as she felt his hand fall down to his lap again, mentally counting this as enough incentive for him to start to teach her to be a Huntsman fully! She'd rather have him as her teacher than the Kleo woman, who teased and taunted her! The horrible garment was still in her pack!
'Never will I let him see me in it!'
She pointedly ignored the thoughts that came with the imagination of wearing it. She was not going to be some- some housewife. Not some housewife that would join her husband in the bedroom and wear that scandalous thing that would draw his eyes. She wasn't thinking about his big hand on her at all, as she straightened herself out a little.
'We can talk about his crimes against me later! I am still unspoiled!'
The thoughts that were decidedly of a different nature made her feel queasy. It wasn't that she was not unappreciative of Frank.
"He… kept… you… safe."
She pulled out a small mirror from her pack, checking her face. Her face had smudged with dirt and stuff that looked like she'd made an intimate connection with the forest floor, her skin dark with the mud, sand in her hair.
'I suppose it could be worse…'
She should ask the important questions now though.
"The settlement. What happened to it?"
She knew that they weren't in the settlement anymore, but the older woman looked at her, those eyes of hers light. It was a contrast to how she'd spoken, as the woman's body shifted the bandages around a little.
"A… Grimm… Tide. You… were… too… emotional. We… evacuated. Better to… live… than to… die."
She would've said something about it, until she remembered what had happened when she'd still lived in her village. Scavenging during the day, going to the abandoned settlements or the farmsteads that laid on the outliers of the forests, returning with food and missives from those farms that hadn't seen a Grimm tear through the defenses yet, earning a wage. She was quick on her feet, thankfully, but still, it was not going to her own plans.
'That does make sense, but there were still people!'
It wasn't something that felt right. Abandoning her duty as a Huntress was still not something that sat right with her, and she'd have words with these two- these two- Whatever they were.
"That's not right. Those people could've survived if we'd fought."
Kleo looked like she wanted to say something to counter woman's bandaged body shifted a little, the fabric showing her skin, pale and almost mockingly twisted, as her expression seemed to shift from sleepy to active, her facial expression changing to something that was more serious.
"They would… have… died. A Grimm… Tide… requires nine or ten… huntsmen working… together."
That didn't tell Carmine very much, but she was still upset that they'd have let those people defenseless, Huntsmen were in the line of duty to defend the innocent and the weak!
"But-!"
There was a look on Kleo's face that was dark and gloomy, something a little swifter than her usual slow expressions.
"We… would… have… died."
The slow pace with which the woman spoke was great at emphasizing how it would have been, in this case. Her expression changed little, Carmine feeling the dark emotions rise, knowing that the jackass that'd wanted her to do things with him was likely dead.
"Hm. We should have fought and-"
Kleo looked at her and Carmine felt something that just might be fear creeping through her, those eyes looking like they'd seen death.
"I… am… not… letting… you… die, daughter."
There was no anger, as the woman stared at her for a moment, as Frank Stone, the asshole that was supposed to teach her important Huntsman stuff, stirred awake. Carmine could tell from how he'd slept that he hadn't been in the best of states before.
'How many watch shifts did he pull?'
She did not know the answer. It was likely enough to keep them fed, but she didn't know, which made her ball her fist.
"Is the coast clear?"
The man's voice was like a fist to the stomach, Carmine not raising her voice but instead settling for something of a glare. In his sleep, he'd molested her butt and touched her sensitive spot! The nerve cluster at her tailbone was sensitive and she might have made some sounds that were not becoming of a girl like her.
"Yes… No… signs. I… kept… the… watch. You… need… more… rest?"
He shifted a little, Carmine feeling a dash of worry as the expressionless mask seemed to show not a single expression, the eyes that peered from behind the mask looking at her for a moment before he got up.
"I am fight-ready."
Kleo made a sound and then crossed her arms.
"Take care of yourself. Working with less than four hours of sleep every night for nearly a week is not good Huntsmanship."
The man didn't respond, only placidly staring at the other woman, whose bandages were shifted around a little.
"Hn. I can travel. I am still fit."
Carmine didn't like it.
"We… can… rest. They… might've passed… by, and-"
He held his hand up, Kleo looking serious, yet allowing him to speak by.
"A Grimm Tide does not disperse so easily. There will be more Grimm in this area for the foreseeable future, before they migrate. Every time a Grimm Tide rises, it will lead to them sticking around in order to scour the place for survivors."
He seemed to know his business, more than what Carmine knew, as he rubbed over his neck, undoubtedly not as fit as he claimed to be. Carmine was torn between two options, either letting Frank take a rest or to get out of the area. They were probably still within a few miles of the settlement, thus at risk of the Grimm.
"Then… do… we… leave?"
Frank looked for a moment and then nodded.
"There is a ruined hamlet that used to be along the east-leading road, closed due to a massive Grimm attack. I checked the maps earlier, in search of something that we could use as a temporary resting stop, provided it was not infested with Grimm."
There were reasons for that, Carmine guessed, the settlements and hamlets that were scattered around the countryside once more proving that the people of this world were hardy, as Frank got up and punched through the stone wall that'd covered the side, Carmine's eyes shrinking a little at the sunlight that fell in.
"We shall make camp there and keep a firm lookout for Grimm. We don't want to run into an Apathy nest, if we can avoid it."
Carmine didn't know what those were, but she wasn't afraid, as her weapon was in her hands, the pistol loaded and her pack pulled on, as she knew that she was going to make him teach her some more things!
She would be a protector!
Even if her butt burned a little from his touches.
Frank pushed through the underbrush, looking down at the small hamlet that had been erected in the middle of the valley that they'd crossed through, the stone road that'd been laid to connect the hamlet to the trade route already overgrown and uncared for. With the major trade route that'd connected the settlement to the major Kingdom, it had fallen into disuse, the sunlight already starting to fade, as Frank motioned for the others to follow along, as they descended the hill, Frank keeping his attention sharply on the surroundings.
They'd hacked their way through Grimm, keeping Carmine safe. The Bat Faunus was adamant that she could fight, but he was certain that she would not be able to fight until her Aura was awakened. A Master ignited the flame of life within his apprentice, and he was not taking her as his apprentice. A young boy would be perfect for something like this, to teach the trade and to kill the Grimm.
He had always been taught that it was best to be as quiet as the night when one departed, as he scanned the houses for any sign of inhabitation, for any marks that had been left behind, Carmine remaining quiet for once, after she'd brought half a pack of Beowolves down on them earlier when he'd accidentally seen her half-undressed when they had stopped to clean themselves up a little.
The shrieking from the Faunus girl was definitely one of the demerits of having her around, since she seemed to take everything as a mortal slight against her, for some reason he didn't get. If she had been frightful of his appearance after he had shown her once the mask came off, he would understand it, but why she would be having such a problem with him being observant and taking care of their safety was beyond him.
Miss Parsley-Trappe seemed to take her duties well, without any sign of complaining. As the woman raised her weapon up, the large shield-like construct easily swung with the elegance of a true Huntress, yet deferring to him, as if he had some sort of authority over her actions. She could have cut her losses and ran, like any sane Huntress would, but she stuck around.
Whether it was in order to teach Carmine the tricks of being a Huntress or out of some loyalty to their survival, Frank did not know. He just trusted her at his side, knowing that there were two of them versus one Kleo Parsley-Trappe.
Betrayal was something that could be expected, but Carmine seemed to be on his side, for some reason. A woman's place was at the house if her aura was not awakened, and he saw one of the decrepit buildings have marks of the Grimm on it. Black mould covered the side of one of the walls as they walked past it, the inhabitants of the settlement having been torn to shreds. The low light of the fading sun was drawing long shadows on the walls, already starting to bring the shadowy reaches to the hamlet that they were entering.
"Oh god, I saw a skull!"
He noticed a body that'd fallen, the skull visibly pale, already overgrown. Settlements like these were commonplace in certain parts of the countryside in the region, the fertile ground having had a good boost on crops, as Frank pulled a small flask out, taking a sip from it.
Already, he was thinking about the possibilities that would come, knowing that there were probably a few choices for them, as he spotted the local church. Never had he been much of a man of faith, yet the walls still stood, the door half-opened, bashed open by someone.
"We will shelter here."
The fundaments of a church building always were reinforced, with a small shelter built below, just in case of a Grimm Tide. If nobody had looted it, it would remain, a shelter for those seeking to hide away for a while. Even if it had been looted, it was still capable of being reinforced for a night before they'd continue their trek through the lands.
He wasn't going to let it be their grave. As they entered the church, he took store of the insides. A hole in one of the walls, grass growing through the entrance, a mouldering sign on the wall calling it the 'Happy Fields Community Church', something from a foregone era, before the Great War had happened, which made the settlement older than he'd thought. It would be little that they could scavenge from the surroundings save for some firewood for cooking, which'd be dealt with before they'd settle down for the night, to let another day pass.
There was no use in returning to the settlement, knowing that it would be ravaged, useless and undoubtedly still infested with the Grimm. Frank knew that it would take a bit to get set up in the shelter, should it not be blocked by anything, but they would at least be able to heat some of their meal if they made a fire in the hearth one of the buildings nearby, in the event of raiders coming across them.
'Best to keep the shelter as a safe place, yet with the fighting…'
He wasn't sure whether Carmine would survive, but there was little more reason for them to be unaware of things. Three balls of string and twine, stretched with small little metal shards that would create a ruckus while they slept, would suffice for the immediate vicinity. In the darkness, you'd have to be a Faunus or really wary of things to notice them.
'If life was this easy…'
He pushed the shelter door at the basement open, knowing that the opening was narrow enough to let them through, but not any type of broader-built Grimm. Hiding in place was a valid strategy, and the air holes that had been drilled in the sides of the bunker would have valid vents to allow the air the time to circulate. A generator powered by Lightning Dust would have to work a little to supply the fresher air down below, but that was hardly a problem, provided it was in good shape. If not… they'd have to improvise.
"This place looks like shit."
Carmine, never to be quiet and meek like a woman her age should, spoke up, as Miss Parsley-Trappe inspected the shelter, her weapon left at the side, since it did not fit through the narrow entrance.
"It… is… not… good. The… generator… is… dead."
That was a nasty surprise. That meant that they couldn't use the church as their base for the night, which required them to look for another place to shelter. Ideally, the church shelter would be perfect, but with shelter like that, it would mean a house that was in a decent state.
"It… was… smashed."
That indicated sabotage, likely by people who saw that the hamlet contained little to no value, or intentionally so nobody would be spending the night there. It was too late to make a camp up further in the town, but there was that feeling that this was going to be one bad night.
"We should find a building and take shelter there. We can cook in one of the intact fireplaces for the meal tonight."
He knew that making the best of the situation was going to be important, feeling like he was on edge, his expression changing behind the mask, though they wouldn't see it, as he indicated one of the other buildings once they'd emerged from the church.
"Check that building out, Carmine."
Carmine, like he'd trained her to do, advanced with her weapons at the ready to fight, not taking this as casually as someone with no experience would, aware that a Grimm could be bursting from the hovel without warning.
He didn't stop to keep his own attention on their surroundings. The marks on his face had been aching for days and nights, undoubtedly as a result from the Grimm Tide. He had escaped the harrowing danger with the others, but his marks did not stop pulsing and twitching, though daylight made the pain lessen a little.
"She… has… some… skill."
The words from Miss Parsley-Trappe were quiet, for his ears only, as Carmine advanced to enter the dwelling, entering through the decrepit door, pushing it open further, but not letting the darkness beat her, as she was alert.
"You… gave… her… an… empty… one?"
Frank nodded quietly. The damages to the house looked like it'd been done in the past, Grimm tended to make a mess of things if they were in the area.
"She needs to learn."
A few stragglers could get stuck in the interior and not be able to emerge from it. There had been a Beowolf locked in a cellar, or an Apathy that he'd encountered that'd gotten trapped in a barn. The effect of the emotion Grimm was lessened due to their proximity, luckily, so it was not too troublesome. Apathy and their ilk were easier to deal with if you spotted them before, but their ghastly breathing often clued you in to their presence.
"It's safe!"
The loud screech from Carmine made him wince a little, as she kept the volume as loud as possible, Miss Parsley-Trappe going to one of the other buildings, the weapon held in front of her like a shield, before she moved with decisive steps, pushing the door open and then checking the interior.
"Clear!"
He pushed into another dwelling, the wall half-rotting and already pushing towards the side, half of the interior smashed up, a table with three legs remaining, as creeping black mould was growing on the side. A single cast-iron pot laid within the embers of a fire, Frank guessing that it'd been left by the original inhabitants.
'It should work for cooking.'
It wasn't like he was going to waste a perfectly decent pot, if things weren't as they should yet.
He lugged the pot out of the dwelling, to one of the other dwellings, the weight not as heavy as he'd thought, spotting the well at the edge of the village, checking it to see that the water in the well was at a point where they'd be able to use it to fill the cast-iron pot to see whether it would be serviceable as something that could be used to cook in.
It would be less time spent using their own cookware, Frank knew. Economical decisions were the best. If there was a pot, why not use it?
He pulled up the bucket and then emptied it in the cast-iron vessel, filling it up with the water and then raising it, checking for any sign that it would leak. If it leaked, there was something that could easily plug the hole. You never planned for a trip without at least having some way to repair your weapon. The additional gears and weapon oils that he'd bought would come in handy.
"It isn't leaky! Good, I've been waiting for some soup!"
Carmine spoke up, as she bustled off into the distance.
"Miss Von Blut! Where are you going?!"
He called out, but the crass response from the woman caught him off his guard, his 'apprentice' giving a soft little huff as she did.
"She… is… loud."
Miss Parsley-Trappe was right.
Carmine pulled the root vegetable out of the ground, checking and inspecting it for anything. They could be washed and scraped a little later. It was a good thing that she knew how to get fruits from the surroundings, and she'd spotted several wild onions and chives readily available already.
It wasn't like she wanted to make something to show her appreciation for that stupid man that had touched her in a place where no man aside from her husband should touch her. Her mother had taught her somewhat how to cook, so she'd cook something nice for them. A soup would do. Soup went great with the rations that they'd been eating for the past day.
'I don't want to owe them anything…'
His big hands on her rump, his body so close. She was a woman, and it had been… awkward to deal with certain emotions that rose.
Damn Kleo for teasing her about it. At least Frank had not seen her fully in the nude, but still. Didn't he know that women needed time to wash?! She had been subjected to teasing from Kleo for the last two days, the mummy woman giving her a few suggestions for her bodice being unlaced a touch too much due to the heat.
It had been due to the heat! She was getting a sunburn already and she hated the shrill light of the daytime. Nights were better, but Grimm were not so great.
'I can do this on my own!'
She wasn't going to suffer from anything like the death of her teacher, Frank Stone. She was sure that he would defend her if it came to it, the lessons that she was given every evening before it had been time to stand watch becoming harder.
Getting punched by the man was rough on her, but she took it as a challenge.
Washing the vegetables in the bucket and then pouring it out, arranging them in a neat fashion before she touched against the sweet spot at the stem, her expression darkening a little at the sight of it, her fingers running over the vegetables. Seven onions, which would do well for a thick onion soup, or a vegetable soup. They didn't exactly have the beef available, but with some meat, she'd make do.
'A few more… Didn't I see some thyme over there?'
She turned her head to one of the dwellings and then checked it out, her expression changing little as she spotted the thyme growing at the edge of the dwelling, in what had been undoubtedly a small garden. It had sprouted inside, but with the arid conditions of the soil, it hadn't spread very far, as she grabbed one of the sprigs and tugged it, making sure that she got most of it.
It made a lot more flavor pop out from the soup, but she'd invent some way of making it, once the man had finally made the preparations.
'I'm going to serve him the best soup, and he'll have to eat it with his mask out of the way.'
Frank Stone always ate facing away from them, which Carmine didn't really like. She didn't think that he had any reason to hide his face. It wasn't like she'd had weird dreams about being his wife or something! It was-
'But you don't want to be alone, do you?'
A treacherous voice that sounded very much like Kleopatra, that horrible woman that just put her through the training methods that involved women-only exercises, disguised as training but really being a Faunus punishment method, if the sore body afterwards was any indication, the thought turning to different things.
She was young. A new-fledged woman, no longer a child. It wasn't fair that he kept the secret stuff from her, but she wasn't thinking about the dreams of a nice little home somewhere quiet, where she'd be…
Children.
It wasn't like she was thinking about it at all. She wasn't thinking about how it would be with a husband that would protect her and stuff like that. Big hands.
'No, not thinking about that. Not thinking about that at all. I don't want it, I don't want it. Curse you, Frank Stone, for saving me.'
"I'm not thinking about it. I don't think about it. It's not something I want."
The quiet snicker from behind her alarmed her to the fact that her life's bane was standing there.
"He… was… worried… that… you… needed… help. So… what… were… you… thinking… about… daughter?"
The woman wasn't ever going to be a person she'd put her faith in, with her slow way of speaking and her lack of anything regarding modesty!
"I was thinking about soup. Nothing else, bandage woman."
The woman sat down, grabbing a knife that'd been made for Huntsman stuff and starting to prepare some of the onions, the woman's hands moving faster than her own. She'd never had much of a head for domestic duties.
The small image of her wearing a nice dress and letting her husband come home to a well-cooked meal was just a hunger-induced fantasy.
"Oh… I… see.'
The onions had all been shredded into neat little slices, laid out on the edge of her weapon, the smell of onion in the air, as Kleo continued to work on the other vegetables. Carmine felt a little hurt in her femininity as Kleo immediately made minced vegetables out of the vegetables, cleaning and prepping them for the soup.
"Here… you… go… daughter."
She wasn't going to be this woman's daughter! She was half the woman's age!
"Hm. Did you cook for your husband and your apprentice often? You were a wife, weren't you? And I'm not your daughter!"
Kleo nodded once, clearly busy with some more of the preparation work for the soup, her eyes looking at the spices, before she turned to her weapon and pulled something out, a small cutting board.
"I… did. My… husband… liked… the… stew… I… made."
The woman's expression was definitely dark as she undoubtedly recalled the circumstances of her husband's demise, her expression looking like it'd aged years.
"Just… a… nice… house. I… hope… you… will… be… happy."
Carmine frowned at the woman's words, not sure what she meant but undoubtedly getting another teasing comment from her, the woman's expression lightening a little.
"You… should… live… with… him. It… is… not… bad… to… live… with… a… good… man, Car… mine."
That wasn't her intention at all! She was someone that would be a Huntress! Bandage-wearing women like Kleo wouldn't make the world a better place with their teasing! She wasn't thinking about marriage!
Frank Stone was a man who wore a mask and who had very big hands.
She didn't like that one bit! He was her teacher, not her husband to be.
"I don't want that. He's there, watching us."
Frank stood there, his mask still covering his face, the large figure looking like a statue of a guardian of sorts, his head turning to the sides, inspecting for any dangers that were lurking, as Carmine saw Kleo already gathering the vegetables up and moving to the pot.
"Hey! Wait up! Bandage woman! Kleopatra!"
The woman wasn't going to make it a good soup, she just knew it!
Frank watched the last bowl of soup disappear down into Carmine's gullet, the girl drinking her soup without any hemming or hawing about having too little. She was a girl that wanted him to train her in the art of being a Huntsman, but he had his reservations.
"You… should… awaken… her… inner… light."
The soft reminder from Kleo was there, as he observed the woman, who was speaking quietly, Carmine too absorbed by the food to listen, or so he could tell from how relaxed she was. Warm food brought out a torpor within people's bodies, as he tried to remain standing. Hunger refined the senses to a needle-point, while satiety made them dull like an unsharpened edge.
"Can't you do it?"
The woman's hand ran through her sandy brown hair, her expression looking with that hint of something in them that made him not ask.
"I will do so."
He was going to have to awaken the aura of the girl before she would be formally known as his student, but she was nearly ready to fight with him. She was faster, quicker on her toes than he was, but with the boost that Aura gave her, it would not be a hindrance in the field for them.
He got up and then lumbered over to Carmine, her head turning to look up at him, as he laid a hand on her shoulder.
"After… tonight… Sun… light… is… good."
Carmine's red eyes blazed.
"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH ME LIKE THAT!"
The screeching from her was loud enough to make him wince, as he let her go, unsure whether he could even awaken her light. He had felt it like a warm little flame inside him, burning brightly and warming him, but that was it, and it was what he had to deal with, now.
"I was checking something."
Whether she could awaken her aura or not, he didn't know. If that wasn't the case, then he would teach her as much as he could, without destroying her hopes too much. Aura was a fickle thing that only awakened in the hearts of those chosen by fate, as his teacher had taught him.
"Check it somewhere else! Check it on Kleopatra over there! Touch her! I have my dignity as a woman!"
Women were good for being wives. They weren't good for being around monsters like him, cursed by fate to have the worst luck.
His veins still throbbed with pain, as he turned to Miss Parsley-Trappe, who seemed bemused by it.
"Very… well?"
The woman was pulling the bandages looser, looking at him with a look that he didn't quite understand. He wasn't sure whether she wanted him to inspect her, as he walked to her, the woman getting up, her pale skin a little reddish at the part where the bandages were. He patted the shoulder of the senior Huntress, so Carmine wouldn't be too loud.
"I… will… take… first… watch. You… will… rest, right?"
The woman's slow way of speaking, every word laboriously uttered, was something he was getting used to. He could understand the woman's circumstances, as he nodded, and the house that they'd made into a makeshift shelter, the exterior of the house unmarred, but the wires crossed over the entrances to make a racket if there was something that came up to it, a good trap set up with only minimal sound for the experienced Huntsman to react to.
"I will."
He settled into a comfortable position when he'd finally gotten the food down, finishing it with some bread, trying to get some sleep, hearing Miss Parsley-Trappe speak quietly to Carmine about proper Huntsman etiquette when dealing with the bounties that were posted in most settlements.
'It is a good thing that she's getting some education in the formal etiquette by someone that was actually taught better than I was…'
Compared to miss Parsley-Trappe, he was but a Huntsman that knew how to act around the people that were in the same profession, knowing that there was a distinction between those taught in the Kingdoms and those that were not taught in a formal manner. He was the latter, learning from his adoptive father, rather than a formal institution.
A monster like him had not needed more than the teachings of a man who was nearing the end of his life, turned into a monster that had no recourse but to take enough Grimm with him to save the lives of others.
Others would see it as a curse, but he would find it a relief of being accursed with the marks of stigma and loathing.
For the Geist-cursed, there was no fate other than death that would soothe the burning in his veins.
"I know that!"
Carmine hissed at the woman, who was already going through her second lecture, after what felt like an hour. Frank had went to sleep earlier, the older woman's voice like a droning boring lecture in the air, as she let her mind wander a little to other things than 'how to greet a fellow Huntsman'.
It wasn't going to be boring with Frank. They were going to have adventures and maybe, just maybe after a year or ten, she would settle down with him. Only if he asked to marry her. She wouldn't give in so easily!
"I… see. My… husband… thought… I… talked… a lot."
Carmine couldn't see why. With the woman speaking as slow as she did, it was like watching a slug crawl up a tree. Slow, unwieldy and without anything that was remotely resembling speed.
'I bet he made a joke about that.'
She shouldn't feel irritation at the woman, yet she did. Kleo looked at her, a bitter look on her face again.
"He… was… nice. When… we… had… our… dog… he… was… always… talking. Our dog… liked… to…go… running."
Hunting dogs were like that, Carmine could tell, as the older woman ran a hand through her hair, as she looked at the woman.
"Go to sleep, Kleo. I will take the first watch before I will wake you up."
The woman looked at her and then nodded.
"I… used… to… be… woken… up… by… my… dog."
Undoubtedly, it'd be a mutt that would have made the woman's face a slobbery mess. Carmine wasn't overly fond of dogs, but she had seen plenty of regular hunters that used them to drive game up to them.
"That's nice. I will keep watch, so you can sleep."
She could fight if something bigger than a rabbit came around! She wasn't untrained at all! She was showing some improvement, and she knew that she'd be a great Huntress one of these years, with a lot of people knowing that the Faunus known as Carmine Von Blut was one of the best people.
Old pokey would stab a lot of Grimm, as she ran her fingers over the part where the chain blade was visible, spotting the oil, oiling the blade's edges up a little, before experimentally jabbing without the mechanism being used.
She waited, without much happening. There were sounds of animals outside, but Carmine did not let that make her be discouraged, looking at Frank's silent form, as Kleo twisted and turned a little, her body jolting from time to time, as if she were having a bad dream.
Carmine focused on the time passing, the hour piece that they had to keep the time observed. She kept alert, as she could hear the sleeping sounds of the two experienced Huntsmen, but she knew that she should not go too far away. They were still trained Huntsmen and would probably kill her… maybe.
She roused Kleo, whose gaze snapped to her, getting up from her rest.
"I will… take care… of it. Sleep."
The words came out quicker than before, as the woman got up and in an awake position, already getting into the guarding stance that Carmine had been instructed in a week ago, for overwatch positions, if one had to defend an area.
Frank didn't know about it, but Carmine knew that Kleo was able to teach her a few things.
Frank Stone was not a man that let things be so easy as to just teach her everything that he knew, and that weird glowy thing that they had was going to be hers too.
Kleo had laughed it off, as Carmine got herself comfortable in the soft spot that she'd created her herself. It was not a 'bat nest' like the insufferable woman had claimed, but just a comfy spot.
Frank stirred awake when he was touched by someone, Miss Parsley-Trappe standing there.
"You… should… take… the… last… shift. I… will… nap."
He nodded silently, as the woman curled up next to her weapon, wrapping a cloak around her, the bandages offering her some warmth, the linen cloth she wore below it giving her the look of some sacrificial offering, before she straightened it a bit and then came for some rest.
"Thank you for keeping watch."
He wasn't going to waste many words on it as he took the next watch, already preparing for the next battle that they'd be fighting.
He would need to activate the aura of Carmine, to see whether she could activate her Aura with a push from him or not. The thought frightened him a little, as the warm sheath that Aura provided to him was something that would possibly never cover Carmine.
It had no guarantee of success after all.
He kept watch until the sun rose, waking the others up when his shift was done, taking a small nap of nearly fifteen minutes, resting to keep his eyes closed, his body trying to get as much energy from the rest in order to get the fuel to awaken the aura of Carmine.
"Stone! Wake up!"
Carmine's voice was loud, as Frank's eyes opened when he heard Carmine's clarion call for his waking, getting up and seeing Carmine standing there, her pale skin flushed with a faint pink sheen. Kleo looked at him, a serious expression, holding her hand up and letting him know through sign language that there was trouble afoot.
He got up, Lightning Blitz in his hands, a fresh crystal socketed into it, the old one put into the small pouch that he kept for the nearly empty ones. A fight was not going to end up with him dead, knowing the proclivities of the bandits that often roamed the lands, though Carmine probably would have tipped them off with her shouting.
"We're going to get walking and you're going to-"
Miss Parsley-Trappe shut Carmine up as Frank peered out of the shadows, his expression behind the mask pinched, as he could see the loping forms of the Grimm that came to wander through the town.
'Great…'
They'd have ran into a pack of Stalk-Wolves, a subtype of Beowolf that often ranged far and wide, like a pack. It was not Beowolves that were the trouble, but the Stalk-Wolves, as they were generally known, could track their prey for months, searching for the best chance they had to ambush it when the target they'd selected was weak. Undoubtedly due to the Grimm Tide, it was going to be a pack of Stalk-Wolves that they'd run into… but that wasn't going to be a problem.
He checked with Kleo, Carmine flushing red and wriggling, as he grabbed Carmine's throat.
"Grimm."
His marks had not ached, as he had not felt them prickle, the Grimm Tide having overloaded his senses apparently, the lupine wolf-like Grimm stalking further, in search of their prey.
'They're not looking for us…'
But they might be looking for them. He chanced a look to Kleo, who raised her other hand again and counted three.
'Three counted for her before she'd need backup…'
A solid frontline and a heavy strike to the core of whatever laid in wait for them, with the Stalker-Wolves given little chance to react. A blitz tactic, with him providing the ranged support if it were needed.
His hand flashed two, knowing that with Miss Parsley-Trappe's estimation of her own skill and his weapon capabilities, he'd have the right to be supportive. They looked at Carmine, whose expression was turning orange, her ears flicking up and down with her eyes murderous, as they let go of her.
"You take on one."
It would be a good test for her to see whether at no Aura, she could take down a Grimm. Tactics and ability won out against overbearing overconfidence and arrogance.
He was used to working alone, but against a pack of Stalker-Wolves, even he would have backup, if he was not the target they were tracking. The Stalker-Wolves were a menace, but with good presence on the battlefield, they could beat them.
Frank checked with Kleo, who was readying her weapon in order to fight, the large shield weapon already shifting slowly into something that looked like it'd do some damage, large blade-like spikes appearing from the broad plate.
"It… is… going… to… be… tough."
He knew that.
"Get em from behind."
Grimm were still able to be surprised, mindless and soulless though they might be. Kleo Parsley-Trappe nodded, as she raised her shield, a look on her face as she opened the shield up to retrieve from the inner workings an odd blade.
It looked a little like a sword-axe of sorts, Dust crystals socketed within the blade obvious for igniting it.
"Yes. I… will… join… you… two… then. For… mall…y."
The woman raised her shield and wielded the blade, letting it spin in her hand a little, the grip on the blade swift. It was obvious that mostly during their escape, she'd only used the blunt shield for bashing and striking, most of the Grimm they encountered not needing the extra blade, possibly due to how she fought.
'I should look into getting a third weapon…'
He should get to a blacksmith and request to use the forge. His axe was great when it was shifted to the greater form, but something to mix with Lightning Blitz at medium range would be great.
"Go."
He commanded the woman, who moved faster than he'd guessed her able to be, her steps light, the bandages that covered her features making her look like a shadow warrior, as he followed after her.
"Mask man, don't move so fast!"
Carmine hissed and Frank didn't heed her words, seeing Miss Parsley-Trappe already barreling into the Stalker-Wolves, one of them blasted apart by the combination of fire-electric Dust, her axe-like sword cleaving through the Grimm with no issue. The tougher hide and bony armor plates that covered the Stalker-Grimm made them tougher targets, as Frank spotted that the pack had nine more left, with Kleo taking out two. Lightning Blitz in his arms continued to spark, as he blasted a bolt at one of them, the lightning Dust glancing off hermetically fused bone plates that'd grown into toughened hide.
"Yaaaahhhh!"
Carmine's war cry was loud, as she darted forward, driving the tip of her rapier into the Grimm, starting to poke at them, the sparks that came from the sudden assault making the Grimm bounce back, trying to slash at her with one of its massive paws.
'The danger is in their numbers and their agility.'
"Carmine… duck!"
Miss Parsley-Trappe was on the job, the boom of her cannon blasting the cannon-ball that'd got the chain attached to it through one of the Stalker-Wolves, Frank barely able in time to shift his weapon to the huge axe that it was, blocking one of the Stalker-Wolves with the flat of the blade.
'I've got it.'
He felt one of the claws bash against his Aura and he went flying, an unseen Stalker-Wolf having smashed into him with a claw attack, Frank getting back up, his jacket now marred with the damage of the strike.
'I was caught unaware.'
He could feel the spark of Aura inside him still able to flare up, his eyes opening as he got up, Carmine appearing at the side of the Stalker-Wolf and then driving her rapier into its torso and then stabbing it with a twist upwards, the blades chewing through the hide. His weapon was a large slashing weapon, where Carmine had more of a piercing weapon, with Kleo owning a blunt shield that could crush and smash. They were specialized to deal with different types of Grimm, and Carmine was busy with stabbing it again, Frank getting up again.
Already, the Stalker-Wolves were getting into position to strike, Kleo Parsley-Trappe moving in front of him.
"I'm okay. Take care of them, I'll deliver support."
The rifle sparked as he blasted a bolt of energy at the Stalker-Wolf that came close to Carmine, who turned around and shot her pistol into the skull of another Stalker-Wolf. The bullet glanced off the armor as it didn't have enough punch-through force behind it, the Grimm arrested in the strike that it would've made with one of its limbs, Carmine's voice shrill.
"Stone! Don't you dare hit me!"
Carmine at least used his surname now, which was a good thing, Frank realized in some distant part of his brain, readjusting his aim, blasting a hole in the Grimm that Carmine had failed to kill, getting up and then shifting his grip on his axe. The broad weapon was wielded with both hands, swinging it with the strength of a man possessed, cleaving through one of the Stalker-Wolves that was trying to pounce on Carmine.
"Strike in the places where there is no armor covering them."
He instructed, as he spotted a lone Beowolf loping towards them, drawn by the ruckus, the Stalker-Wolves thinning in numbers, as Kleo moved with an unseen swiftness, her eyes glinting, as her arm mowed the sword through the soft part of the Grimm's hide, the Beowolf sniped with a single slug from Lightning Blitz.
Frank had kept count, as another lightning flash came from the barrel of Lightning Blitz, as the thunderous sound of Miss Parsley-Trappe's cannon came, and Frank saw the woman move, bringing the shield weapon down onto the Stalker-Wolf, the audible CRUNCH from the Stalker-Wolf having its body broken, the Grimm slowly starting to evaporate in the light of the morning sun, the Beowolf intercepted by Carmine, whose war cry was more like a war yell, a loud 'DIEEEEEEE!' that was definitely hurting his ears.
He really hoped that she'd lower her volume a little, it was making his ears ring.
"Take that! And that! That too! Diiiiieeeeeee!"
Carmine had the fighting spirit, at least, though Frank knew that it would be futile for her to learn from him, as he had no experience in teaching. A boy, perhaps, or a teenager, someone that had the same level of strength as he had.
Men were stronger than women. Women took care of the household, men fought for their women's survival. That was how he'd always heard it, even with his teacher having been very brief about that. Carmine was loud and entirely too easily riled up about things that did not matter very much, but she would be much better off in a settlement with whatever teachings she had learned, rather than fighting Grimm with him.
'Miss Parsley-Trappe could take her in…'
He had not officially accepted her as his student. She was going to attempt to awaken her Aura, but he was not sure whether Carmine would be able to have her inner light awakened.
Miss Parsley-Trappe was still doing her best at fending the Grimm off, as Frank spotted Carmine overextending herself and tripping up, the last Stalker-Wolf leaping at her, as he moved forward, meeting it axe-first, cutting through the Grimm and then turning to her, feeling the bifurcated Grimm's body hit him, his Aura shattering as he took a deep breath, to keep on fighting, inspecting the surroundings, the adrenaline pounding through his body.
"We should be okay now."
He did not feel the ache very much right now, knowing that the Grimm often charged at their targets when one of them spotted a concentration of human negativity and then called in their brethren.
It was wise to be concerned about their security, as Frank saw darkness creep at the edges of his vision.
"Are… you… okay?"
Miss Parsley-Trappe was asking, but Frank realized that he felt kind of weak right now.
"Look at his back! Move it, Kleopatra! We need to get his back inspected! There's blood all over his back!"
'That might be a good reason why I'm not really feeling all that great.'
He definitely needed a rest. He didn't feel very well.
Carmine dragged Frank into their shelter, trying to be as gentle with him as she could, this stupid fool having gotten himself injured! They were now in some abandoned hamlet and they'd have to fend for themselves while Frank healed up!
She wasn't concerned or anything. He was a Huntsman, they were supposed to be tough and strong.
The blood was coming from a wound in his side, and Carmine could smell something from the wound, something that she didn't like, as Kleo laid her weapon shield next to the door, before she entered, the sword at the ready, as bandages were tugged off.
"He… needs… attention. They… are… stronger… Grimm."
Carmine didn't know how long it would take, as Frank's mask was still on, the wood covering his face. Removing it would probably make him frustrated, but Carmine didn't care.
"He's not going to be dying! Here, get those bandages off, you- you- Mummy!"
Kleo's bandages were still on her, which made Carmine even more frustrated, grabbing them and just tugged a large part of them off, before she grabbed the pot that they'd used to get water in.
"I'll get some water from the well to clean the wound! Do it, Kleopatra!"
The Vacuan woman could be so slow, but Carmine was fast on her feet. Scavenging through the ruins of deserted settlements made you quick on your feet. She grabbed the pot and then poured the bucket out into the pot, carrying it back. She was alert to every little sound, putting the pot next to him and seeing Kleo already having made headway with getting his jacket off.
'Big man.'
She'd remain as she was.
The bandages were soaked in the pot and one was used to scrub the wound clean, long gashed claw-marks visible against the skin, Carmine annoyed by the lack of visible worry that Kleo was showing.
"Damn it, bandage woman! How does he look? Is he going to die?"
She'd make sure to bury him and then find a way to make sure that he'd know what she thought of him being a stupid fool, for getting in the way and making sure that she didn't end up like he'd ended up.
It wasn't going to be something that she'd thank him for! He was hiding things from her, tricks that he could teach her! She wasn't stupid!
He'd get to know exactly what she thought of him, and where he could stick his whole spiel about her needing to learn some 'patience' and the bandage woman getting an earful as well for being a horrible tease!
She did not have feelings for anyone and she most certainly was not going to let her body be despoiled by some tall broad-shouldered man currently laid in front of her, getting his wounds cleaned up.
She was not going to be his wife or something. She was a student, he was a moron, she knew that he'd been hiding things and she was going to make sure that he'd be up again soon.
They'd need to get some more supplies for their survival in this little town, but Carmine would fix something. She knew where some of the herbs grew, so they'd be able to eat something healthy… probably.
"He… will…probably live. The… claws… didn't… pierce… him deeply but… the… venom… that they… have… probably will… make… him… struggle. A… few… days…should…be…good. Re…covery… should… not…be…rushed."
Carmine grimaced a little.
"Well, I'll make sure to take care of him while you scout the vicinity! Fire that loud cannon of yours when you find Grimm!"
She wasn't going to let this masked man get away from her! She required teaching and he was going to give her said teaching, even if she had to hound him for months!
It wasn't because he'd been like a Huntsman from the stories.
She was no princess!
She was Carmine Adora Von Blut, Huntress Apprentice and annoyed at Kleo for being a slow woman!
The bane of her sensitive hearing walked out after a 'yes… that…is…fine. I… will…be…back' had been uttered, Carmine looking at Frank's face, before she lifted the mask just a little, looking at his facial features, the pale skin marred by something like squiggly lines.
'I don't see why you'd wear a mask. Who cares about that, huh?!'
Certainly not her!
She was totally not thinking about other things, before the mask went down.
Nobody would know what she was thinking about.
She'd show him that she'd be the best thing since the invention of Ol' Pokey!
'And then you'll teach me!'
With our regularly scheduled monster gathering slightly delayed in their travel… It is time for more conversations and training for poor Carmine.