Monster Chapter VII: A Rud(olph) Awakening
Bats and dogs, oh no.
Carmine did not like the new addition to their group one bit! First of all, Frank was paying attention to their new entrant, when he could be focusing on her and secondly, she was not getting the proper respect!
She tightened her corset a little more, knowing that the abrasive wolf Faunus was going to be complaining about her looking like a hooker again! She was not a hooker! Kleo was adjusting to the new person as well!
"HEY BATSY!"
'You!'
She hissed at the wolf Faunus, whose tail flicked, the furs that Carmine had never seen Rudolph without tightening a little, as the angry look on the other Faunus' face showed clearly that they had an issue.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
Frank was still staring at the two of them, his mask in place, without the awkwardness that came from staring at the two of them, the weapon that had been furnished from one of the leftover tools, an axe that had been used for logging once having received a little upgrade from some of the wreckage, the bow spun with some extra twine that Frank had with him 'for emergencies'.
This annoying bastard didn't need to be muscling on her turf! She was the student of Frank, Rudolph could be taught by Kleo for something, if the woman would stop sneezing for once!
"Batsy, all upset. I bet you're waiting for your owner to come and-"
Carmine shrieked in frustration, poking her 'Pokey Grade Two' at the other person, the vampire bat Faunus huntress(in training) missing by a few inches as she dodged out of the way, Carmine stabbing at the wolf Faunus again, who managed to dodge it.
"Hey! If you've got some need for your owner to-"
Carmine stabbed again and then felt herself being arrested, Kleo's hand on her corset's back, pulling her back.
"Quiet… you… two."
She didn't have any kind of stake in this argument, but Kleo had interfered anyways!
"You're not my mother!"
Kleo's expression turned a little bittersweet.
"May… be? I… feel… like… your… mother… some…times."
Rudolph snickered, Carmine's blood boiling at the annoying hound-like snicker.
"You're not! Ugh! Stop it, you stupid dog!"
Frank moved between them, his large body planted there, giving her a silent look, Carmine feeling a little flustered at him putting a wall between the two of them that was solid Huntsman muscle. It wasn't like she hadn't gotten a good look at his body when he was infirm during the recuperation time, and he was not…
He was muscular, something that befit his body size. He was very physical in his style of fighting in the melee, with reach having often given her cause to dodge back quickly, her weapon blocked when she thought that she'd gotten a good hit on him.
"I bet you're just waiting for your master to come and-"
Frank held up a hand and silence happened, nearly instantaneously. Rudolph, that annoying ass, shut up immediately, maybe coaxed by the fact that Frank was getting his weapon ready to fight.
"Left."
The man turned and then pushed forward, a massive wolf-like Grimm bursting from the underbrush, as Kleo got ready, Rudolph backing away, a shrill almost girly shriek coming from his throat as the Grimm was batted away by Frank's axe-strike, the axe cutting through the hide of the Grimm without any sort of hesitation, another of them coming from the side, as Kleo moved with the grace that her slow method of speaking wouldn't usually endow her with, her weapon thunderous as the heavy ka-chunk of the weapon firing off once came loudly through the air, Frank's body in motion.
"Fall back. We'll take care of them. Kleo, on your right!"
The orders were obeyed, as Carmine caught sight of one of the Grimm coming in from the side, an arrow shot into the hide of the Grimm, only impeding it a little, as her weapon was ready to rip and roar, her rapier shooting forward, impaling one of the Grimm that'd had an arrow sticking out of its hide, her weapon cutting easily through the Grimmflesh without any sort of hesitation, huntsman-enhanced chain roaring, as she continued to nearly dance through the next few enemies, her hair whipping back and forth, as she wove through the motions that she had been taught, manners of the body's way of swaying to a tune that was a melody of Grimm death.
She noticed that Rudolph was doing his best, stern-faced, the features twisted in seriousness, as the pale eyes seemed to glow, and nothing seemed to be happening.
"Work on the left ones!"
She could show Frank that she was able to fight just as well as he could, her eyes paying attention to how he moved through the Grimm that came at them, his masked face showing no emotions behind the mask, but his motions something that was like a choppy, hacking and slashing dance.
She found that there was a thinner dog-like Grimm with a maw that was filled with sharp protruding teeth, trying to snap at her with those weird teeth, her weapon finding its mark and chewing through the bony armor on its head, as Rudolph moved in with the axe, the Grimm smashed into the ground, as she pulled her weapon free.
She wouldn't thank Rudolph, but there was that feeling of power that came with her weapon, as she poked at another of the dog-like Grimm, built like something that resembled a fighting pit dog, the ones that were used for the fights that received bets.
"Heee-yahhhh!"
Her screamed war cry was loud, as the other Faunus flinched a little at the volume, Carmine not liking him one bit. He should be more respectful to them, rather than accusing her of being some- some floozie!
She was still a virgin and there was no thought of her being some sort of bed warmer for Frank Stone, or something like that at all even if it was a naughty sticky dream that she might possibly have had. Totally influenced by a fever, nothing less than a fever, because who would dream about a man with very big hands and a voice that told her that she needed to work harder to get his respect and-
'I didn't do anything! No, he's wrong!'
She was nobody's bed-warmer! She had her own bedroll!
"YAAHHHH! TAKE THAT, DOGGIES!"
She wasn't some great inspiring leader, but she was faster at speaking than Kleo the Slow! She wasn't going to let her thunder be stolen by some sort of weird grungy-looking dog Faunus with light eyes that freaked her out!
'Who cares about that?!'
She was going to have the best time of her life with being a Huntress and learning how to fight Grimm and save the world! She was going to make Frank 'I am stupidly telling Carmine to be a wife' Stone admit to the world that she was his student and that there was nothing but that weird glowy thing that he could teach her and-
"Watch out."
She was pushed to the side and Frank hewed through one of the Grimm, one that she'd apparently missed mid-thought, coming in from the flank. She might've gotten a little carried away, but she was not going to let herself be left in the dust by some mutt that thought that she spread her legs for Frank Stone!
'I'll show you who the Huntress is!'
Who cared about Faunus stuff when there was her pride at stake, huh?!
Frank observed Rudolph while he was in the process of eating his food, turned to the shadows so that his mask could lift a little to eat his food. There was no burning in his scars, but Carmine was saying something to Kleo, who was amusedly watching the young bat Faunus say something.
'You should be at home with someone to protect you. The life of a Huntsman is not for women.'
She should have happiness, compared to a monster like him. He was never going to find a woman that would be able to stomach his marks, the curse that was laid upon him by fell fate, enough to draw his attention to the young man that they'd had as a travelling companion for a few days, maybe a week.
It was still rough with the movements that were the standard style for using an axe. A chop, a hack and then a double-handed strike that'd make a Grimm take a dirt nap permanently, but Rudolph didn't seem to have a great aptitude for that sort of thing.
'Maybe a personalized weapon, something that can be used…'
A more physical style for Rudolph's body, which was a little shorter than he'd guessed. A little taller than Kleo, who already wasn't a champion in the height department, but still… The furs that the young man wore as some sort of makeshift armor were still pretty serviceable, and would bring some good warmth during the colder months of the year, even with the rough stitching that'd been made, and the amateurish way that they'd been pulled together.
It was not right yet, Frank guessed, but he could at least think about what it would give him, if he were to take Rudolph as his apprentice instead of Carmine. Carmine could study under Kleo, if the woman would let him and he'd get the young man as his ward.
Boys should be taught to defend their women, or so Percey had taught him. For a monster, disfigured from birth with the curse of the Grimm and abandoned by his parents, Frank Stone would never taste the joy of having a place to remain at, knowing that he could teach the arts to a student and then to ensure that Carmine would marry said student, to give some peace of mind.
A boy could be moulded into a proper student, enough for the charnel pit that was being a Huntsman, but a girl should be looking at a proper dress and some plans for her future husband. Carmine was someone that could be considered to be eye-catching, if her bat-like ears were only an accent to her attire.
He had seen the looks of the young men from settlements that they crossed through, Kleo barely spared a glance, yet Carmine, with her loud voice and her go-getter attitude, drawing the eye. There was a curse in him that undoubtedly had attracted Carmine's attention, something which was getting harder to ignore, since she pestered him.
He could have awoken her Aura, but due to the sickness that had afflicted him after the venom had worn out, he had been prevented. Another miracle, as a woman should be at the house with her husband and not traipsing through the world, shouting that she was a Huntress.
'Why must she be so difficult?'
"Rudolph? Follow me."
He got up, the mask pushed back into place. Three spare masks were in the process of being carved, just in case. There was one that was carried below his coat, there to be the replacement for the one that he wore if the Grimm managed to score a hit on his face, Rudolph setting his fletching down and Kleo sneezing loudly as Rudolph passed her by, her eyes a little teary, as she wiped at them.
It was pretty clear that Kleo might have some ill humour or something, as she kept on muttering darkly as Rudolph came past, Rudolph holding his bow at the ready, the makeshift quiver something that'd hold twenty or thirty arrows. Not an ultimate weapon, but compared to Frank's own…
"Get your axe."
The young man pulled the axe out and Frank tested the balance a little, trying to impart some wisdom. Boys were better than girls to teach, as Percey had taught him, telling him about the feebleness of women and how it was best for a Huntsman to teach a young man.
He did not deserve love, as any woman that saw his face would shun him.
"Alright, alright… Stop fondling my axe, you creep!"
The silvery eyes that peered at him were hostile, the tail batting back and forth, as Frank straightened, letting his attention linger on the young man's face, the reddish hair framing his face, pulled back a little, as the annoyed look reminded him of Carmine.
"You will strike three times on my mark."
Rudolph got into a ready stance and Frank felt a small spark of amusement shoot through him.
"From the right."
A swing of the axe. Clumsy and uncoordinated, the axe cleaving through the air and not arrested with the full strength of the muscles. Frank got behind Rudolph and adjusted the grip. Rudolph stiffened when Frank's hands grabbed the hands and adjusted the position.
"Strike again. Stop half-way. Never swing fully, or the weight of the weapon will let it easily tumble from your hands."
His voice instructed him like how Percey Shells had done to him, his voice having ran out as Frank tried his best with the weapons that he'd learned to wield. Thousands of repetitions until his body was ready, hundreds of emergency drills, readiness whenever readiness was not expected.
'A slow process…'
Carmine could be his wife and that would mean that he would be free. His misfortune would not spread to his fellows. They were innocent and did not deserve a monster around, as Rudolph started up.
"Stop messing with me, you creep! I can do it myself, I can adjust it myself! I don't need your help!"
Frank didn't really stop the young Faunus, whose wolf tail brushed against his leg, without intention, as he intoned sharply.
"The left, low. A sweep."
Another sweep of the axe and another over-exaggerated swing that'd send the weapon tumbling from the grip of the young man if there was more force applied. Frank supposed that a civilian could already show some improvement over the course of a few instructions, as he gave the guidance in softer words than Percey would have.
'He was strict but fair. A monster is needed to deal with monsters.'
He didn't think very highly of his own skill, knowing that there were more experienced people out there, fighting the fight against the Grimm with their weapons much more powerful than his own combination of an axe and a rifle, but he tried to do what he could do best: killing monsters as a monster himself.
"Keep your balance. Swing it half-way until you meet the point where you want to hit and then stop. If you miss, you die."
He could work with the young man to impart some wisdom, make the young man understand that there was a good life in being a Huntsman.
Boys were easier to teach than girls. Girls were not suitable for the Huntsman life and had to be protected.
"So… are… you… trying… to… get… with… Frank?"
Carmine's ears fluttered as she turned to the older woman, who was busy with tinkering with her entirely overblown loud cannon weapon, pushing the ball back into the barrel and then tightening something, as Carmine got thoughts of big hands on her and she blushed.
"No?! Get your mind out of the latrine, you- you old mummy!"
A languid laugh, as a bolt was pushed into the hole and then fastened, the mechanical wonder clicking and humming a little after that was achieved. Carmine didn't like it one bit.
"Why… not?"
She wasn't thinking about that. Not at all! She needed more training and he was off teaching the mutt tricks about how to be a better Huntsman than she was! She'd tell him what she thought of that later.
"Because he's not- He's going to teach me! You're going to teach me, and- and!"
She floundered, for just a moment. She didn't really know what else he'd do for her as her teacher and the thought of maybe having some time together, making certain that they were alone and there was no teasing Kleo around and then letting her corset loosen a little to-
'No! I can't think like that.'
Curse her mind and weird thoughts! It wasn't that she was charmed by him or anything! He was just someone that had to teach her and there were no feelings what-so-ever, even if Kleo hinted about masters and students getting together.
"Do… you… know… you… are… blushing?"
She wasn't blushing!
"Shut your mouth, bandage woman!"
The laughter came again, as Kleo put her weapon aside, her expression sobering a little.
"I… will… say… Love… him… before… he… dies. It… is… not… a… long… life… for… a… huntsman."
He was strong, stronger than her! He dealt with Grimm that she hadn't even noticed!
"Don't go and say that he'll die so quickly! He's strong! He's stronger than you, you- you!"
It kind of hurt to think about burying him. But she wasn't feeling close to him or something! Nothing like that! It was gratitude!
"You… never… know… Car…mine. My… house… and… husband… and… the… dog. They… were… gone...so… quickly."
That sucked and Carmine might feel just a bit guilty about pressing the issue. Just a light little smidgen of guilt, nothing like 'guilt-guilt', of course.
"I'm sorry. That… that isn't nice to know."
The woman must've loved her husband. For a moment, Carmine tried to imagine the woman with a man that was her husband. They'd be doing all sorts of intimate things, like hand-holding, his hands on her body, and-
A brief image of Frank and Kleo like that brought an even deeper blush on her face as she was trying to banish it from her mind. It wasn't her fault that it would be a thought she'd have, and she knew that he would be a man that would-
"Oh… do… you… want… him… to… touch… you?"
Carmine kind of did. It was natural to feel somewhat indebted to your saviour and he was not too bad when it came to teaching her. He could teach her more, of course, but that didn't mean that she was blind to how he cared for her and Kleo's safety.
"I don't want him to touch me, you perverted woman!"
Frank would not do something like that, because he would teach her first. She didn't feel a little twinge of something in her groin at all, knowing that if he did that, getting behind her and adjusting her grip, those big hands, the pulse that beat with that rhythmic manner that was very comforting and quiet when she thought about it now…
"Oh… I… see. Care…ful. A… girl… may… just… take… him… from… you… if… you… are… too… slow."
Carmine doubted that anyone would! He was her teacher, other girls could get in the back of the line and that annoying asshole Rudolph could just watch.
"Who says they'll have a chance, huh? We travel a lot! We're not settling down anywhere! Keep your thoughts to yourself, mummy!"
Kleo smiled.
"So… possessive. Oh… You are… sure… right?"
Carmine was pretty damn sure that she wouldn't be seeing some other woman go and-
'Wait a minute, she's a woman too!'
That woman had plans for getting with Frank! That meant less training time and listening to him make those weird groaning and grunting sounds that had always accompanied some of the flirty girls in the settlement! She had sensitive ears! The 'oh no, ah, oh yes, ahh, ahh, harder' had been something of a curse.
He had big hands.
"Yes, I'm sure! They don't stand a chance! You were married!"
Carmine wasn't going to let this woman just dictate to her that there were going to be more of those sounds in the night! She wasn't stupid! Frank Stone would be getting weird thoughts if this slow bandaged-up woman was getting herself out of said bandages and she most assuredly did not feel jealous!
She didn't feel anything like that, even if the thought of-
'It's none of my business! He's a man, he is older than me and she's someone that speaks at a glacial pace!'
She couldn't squash the feeling inside her chest that that was wrong, though. The feeling that it felt wrong and that she should do something about that wrongness wasn't going away at all, her mind set on that feeling of being-
'I'm not-'
She definitely wasn't blushing! She wasn't imagining him just towering over her and telling her to go to the kitchen to make food or something! That was housewife stuff and she was no housewife, even if many of the girls her age had already been married with several kids.
They'd probably be wearing masks like their father, no matter the trait that they'd have. It'd be Frank Stone doing whatever he always did, and that was generally not her-
'I can't be disturbed by these weird thoughts! I've got a world to explore! Heroics! Boom boom stab stab!'
She was jabbing her finger accusingly at the wrapped woman, who seemed to be highly amused if the lazy smirk on her face was any indication! Carmine didn't know it for sure, but there was nothing that she could not do if it got her that title of 'Huntress Supreme, Carmine Von Blut'!
"Oh… I… won't… marry… again. But… you… should… be… wary. It… was… very… swift… that… I… lost… my… apprentice… and my… dog."
The woman seemed to be cautioning her against such impudence, even with the feeling that came rushing through her, a dark and secret feeling that no sane woman would feel when pressed, the woman's expression showing clearly that it was well-meant advice.
'He's nothing more than my teacher!'
She was not going to let something like a teasing old woman go and delay her! The scandalous little cloth was still in her pack, stuffed tightly there where nobody would be seeing it, least of all Frank Stone!
'She has one too…'
It was probably the girliest thing that they owned, if Carmine had to be brutally honest. The girliest, least Huntsman-capable thing that was soft to the touch and made her look… decent, if her mother could see her wearing it she would be sent home to dress more modest.
Modelling it and then showing that stupid Frank what he had for an apprentice and-
"You… are… thinking… naughty… thoughts… daughter. Tell… your… mother… dearest… Car…mine."
Carmine shrieked in frustration, mock-punching at Kleo, who took it with that insufferable smirk on her face. Whatever embarrassment came from the whole line of thought that she'd had earlier was now gone, as Kleo teased her some more.
"I see you've been keeping busy."
Frank's voice cut through the chatter like it had suddenly blown the air out of the space, her head turning to him, the expression on Rudolph's face something that was dark.
"Undoubtedly, the retard needs some help with her stuff, if she's as slow as she talks. Your little Faunus bedwarmer's already getting ready for your bed, creep."
Just like that, Carmine's temper exploded again.
"I AM NOBODY'S BEDWARMER!"
Rudolph sniffed, in a very dog-like manner! Carmine's ears fluttered.
"Just because you're just some civilian that's getting a bit of training doesn't mean that I am not his student, you mangy bitch!"
She'd show this civilian that she, Carmine Von Blut, was more than sufficient to take down Grimm! Who needed arrows when you could just stab them to death with your rapier and then destroy all of them, right?
"I'd like to see you try, you busty little freak! Just salivating to be some human's little c-"
Carmine's fist smacked into Rudolph's face, as they tussled on the ground, Carmine getting a good few hits in. She wasn't going to let some uppity asshole get the better of her! She was someone that was going to kick some major ass, not be some sort of slave to some weird desires that brewed inside her lower body!
"Are you okay?"
He asked Rudolph, after he'd pulled Carmine off by the arm, dragging her away and letting Kleo deal with her. Women should deal with women and men should deal with men, that's how things should be.
"It's fine. Why are you concerned, huh? You like me or something?"
The hostility was expected. One couldn't accept others without judgement, without the pre-ordained feeling of being someone that would eventually bring the death of others. He was aware of how people like himself were shunned, when the time came for revealing one's face. He grabbed Rudolph's shoulder, trying to get the young man to look at him.
'A curse by another name-'
Rudolph pushed him away, his tail between his legs. The furs were bundled tight over the body and Frank was helping the Wolf Faunus up, Rudolph glaring at him, obviously resistant to being touched.
"I am here trying to keep you from being pummeled by a Faunus, young man."
Rudolph sniffed disdainfully, a quiet 'Jerk' coming from the young man. Obviously, it would be struggles for some sort of place in their team, but Frank was pretty sure that the young man would grow to accept his teaching.
'A good student is one that obeys.'
Individuality was praised, Frank knew, as something that gave people their own place in the world, the foundations of what the Great War had allowed humanity to achieve.
He was pretty sure that Rudolph would accept his offer.
"I don't need your help. You're not going to be helping me much anyways, what with your creepy way. Keep the tavern girl out of my sight and we're good."
Frank didn't think that Carmine would be very well-liked in a tavern. She was loud and judgmental, unable to keep her cool under pressure as well as always talking. How someone could like such a loud woman was beyond him, but some people married them for that reason.
He didn't see the benefit in it. Marriage was not something that people like him would be able to have, due to the monstrous nature that was within the marks on his face. Rudolph should never see his face during their training, since trust was hard to establish.
Frank was sure of it. He adjusted the mask a little, the eyeholes probably requiring a bit more work on the carved holes, but that was only half a morning's work, when the spare mask was with him, or there was a need for a night guardian.
'I can instruct him in the proper way to wield his axe.'
It was not a suitable weapon for the young man but it would work. Strength was built up with the repeated motions of training hard, letting the body sweat and burn with the excitement of combat.
It did not require anything more than the raw talent, of unleashing the light of one's soul. He might unlock Carmine's aura if she showed such great progress.
"I'll take first watch."
He announced, and Kleo nodded.
"I will take second. We will not be ambushed until the earlier hours of the morning if I am standing guard."
Frank could feel like Kleo could be trusted with that, his attention driven solely to the woman for a moment, the marked features of the woman's face, her hair brushed through, turning a deeper shade in the darkness of the evening, as the small campsite was made, sheltered between several trees. Enough vantage points and less signs of being occupied from any travelling bandit's view, and only a very small fire during the evening to cook their food, and Frank was a happy huntsman.
'It will not be bad.'
Carmine would learn how to be a Huntress, as he watched her from the corner of his eye, getting comfortable in her bedding. It was a sacrifice that had to be made, Frank knew, but she deserved better than the chill of death, or his monstrous nature. He should let Kleo take care of Carmine while he took Rudolph, but there was still that respect for the elder Huntress that kept him from announcing his plans.
He found a place to get comfortable, listening to the conversations that slowly died down, Rudolph letting himself fall asleep in a defensible position, ready to move if the need came be, cautious, as Frank was. Frank approved of such caution, because people could barely be trusted when one held such a curse as him. A mob would gather, if he showed his tainted visage, and a Faunus could relate, undoubtedly.
They had a harsh lot in life before the Great War and he had only seen some minor improvement. A young Faunus male as his student would allow him to leave a legacy behind, when he fell to the Grimm like a monster should.
'He would be good as a man that would take care of Carmine.'
He had seen plenty of women and their husbands on his travels. The men took care of the defense of the home and the trade that they practised, while the woman took care of the children. He was pretty sure that someone like him would hardly have the interest of a woman.
He wore the mask of someone that would never be able to show his face to his lady, or someone that would be the hero that could go into town and be greeted like he was normal. Compared to what he could leave behind as a legacy, a Huntsman that would protect the normal civilians of the settlements or the travellers that would peddle their wares between them, he was only a footnote, a strange masked figure.
The marks on his face were a hindrance, and he knew that he had the mark of the Grimm on his face, his body adjusted to the harsh ravages of living in the world of being scorned.
He was not like others, so who would want to be around him? He would die in the wilds, killed by the Grimm that'd finally done him in, to ensure that others did not have to die. Culling Grimm was a worthy task of a Huntsman, so he did what he did best.
He had been taught, and that was what Frank Stone could, teaching Rudolph the art of being a Huntsman.
Carmine was still an issue, but Huntsmen would be transient and without a fixed abode, so she could be given to Kleo, while he trained Rudolph.
It was not a bad idea.
Carmine's eyes opened, as she got up, spotting Kleo sitting at the fire, the sneeze that she'd just given having woken her up. She could see Rudolph half-passed out on his bedroll, something that had been loaned to him until they got to the nearest village, where they'd be able to get something, according to Frank.
It was not going to be fair to have some other Faunus stealing her thunder, as Kleo turned to her and motioned for her to get up, another sneeze rippling through her body, which was annoying.
It was pretty clear that the woman wished to talk, which was fine with Carmine! She felt like talking, because Frank was ignoring her! She could understand that he was getting Rudolph up to speed but it was not going to be her that was left behind!
'Stupid Frank! I mean, yes, he's probably trying to make the guy survive, but I need some training too!'
She'd never admit that Frank had been someone that struck quite a pose when he was instructing someone. He was rougher with Rudolph than with her, which might be due to the training that he'd already pushed onto her.
She wasn't some sort of girl that could break easily!
"So… thinking… about… our… glorious… leader?"
The woman teased her as she came closer, Carmine giving a snippy response, not rising to the bait.
"Oh yes, he's just dreamy with that mask on and that barking voice that tells me to be better, it's refreshing, you know?"
The woman was a menace, but she would not rise to the bait. Rudolph was sleeping and Carmine was pretty sure that the wolf Faunus would be screaming at her about her being Frank's bed-toy or something!
It wasn't that she didn't have the ability to deny it, but there was a hesitation inside her body that surfaced, as she tried to think about something different! She had heard from her mother about how a man could be with you and how it would feel, but that didn't mean that she wanted his big hands-
'No!'
"Ah… naughty… girl. It… is… nice… to… lie… in… bed, you… know? A… hand… around… your… waist. Naked."
He'd probably wear the mask to sleep if she didn't tug it off. It was important that she-
'No! This woman is a menace too!'
"I don't want that."
She hissed at the older woman, who softly clucked, shaking her head.
"You… know… it… feels… good, Car…mine."
Carmine didn't want to think about it, even with her bat ears fluttering a little, her expression blushing beet red at the impudence of the woman. She wasn't thinking about it at all!
'Stupid woman with her loud cannon!'
It was a menace to her, her poor ears! Frank just condoned it, as Kleo gave a quiet sigh.
"We… were… fond… of… sitting… on… the… rock… near… our… home. My… apprentice… was… happy… to… get… water… while… we… sat."
Carmine humphed. An older woman telling her story about some stuff that didn't really impact Carmine at all. The thought of sitting with Frank on a stone, on his lap, because that man was gigantic compared to her, his big hands under her corset and-
'Oh…'
Kleo could fetch water for them! The woman was a menace and there was nothing that she would be able to do about that!
"Did… you… know… your… ears… tremble… when… you… think… naughty… things?"
Her ears did not do that! She wasn't thinking naughty things at all!
"Shut up! You- You bandage woman, what do you know about being a young maiden, huh?"
Kleo tilted her head to the side, giving that slow lazy smile at her and telling her everything she did not need to know with said smile, her fingers gripping the hilt of her own weapon, the rapier ready to stab the woman if it was necessary.
'She's going to tease me. I just know it!'
Kleo lowered her head, before she looked bitterly at Carmine, an expression on her face that Carmine could tell was from the heart.
"Love… Carmine. Love like… there… is no… tomorrow. My… husband… and… our… Our little home... gone in less than... a day."
The little dog too. Carmine's expression darkened, as she saw the woman struggle with her emotions, her expression dark and terrible, the hand gripping the shield-like weapon with a grip that had her knuckles whiten, the bandages that covered her body leaving her to look a little like someone that'd survived a horrible event.
"Before… it… is… too… late."
Her mind was thinking about it. It wasn't going to be quick, Frank Stone was a man that did not easily let someone close. The weird way that he handled himself, the marks on his face not that bad.
"What do you think about him?"
She jabbed a finger at Rudolph, who was sleeping, the tail flicking back and forth a little, Frank's slumbering form looking like a large hill compared to Rudolph's slighter build.
"Not… much. I would not say… you… are… dissimilar."
Carmine frowned, but she supposed the woman was talking about the two of them being Faunus, Kleo suddenly laying her hand on her side and pulling her close.
"Remember… Car… mine. A man… likes… to… be… told… he… does… a… good… job."
The woman's eyes looked sincere, Carmine feeling a little offended at being touched like that, as Kleo's expression turned bitter.
"Do… what… you… can."
There was a pause as Kleo looked like she was going to say more, before her eyes looked away.
"My… husband… and… our… dog… I… remember… it… well. Never… give… up… on… love, little… daughter."
Carmine wasn't going to raise her voice, as those eyes looked so dark and depressive, Kleo letting go of her, just sitting there.
"It's not like you need to think about it, bandage woman. I'm… Bah. You need to think about the future."
Kleo didn't respond, Carmine finding herself drifting away into the land of sleep, subconsciously leaning closer to Kleo and then being shifted into her lap, dead asleep in twenty minutes.
Frank stirred awake to see Carmine and Kleo together, the latter looking very much smug as she stroked over Carmine's head, the Faunus out cold, sleeping and snoring lightly, her head in Kleo's lap, apparently very comfortable, until she knew that there would be grass stains on her outfit.
'She will be loud.'
There was no telling how loud Carmine could get if she was woken from her sleep. Frank wanted to prevent that, so he woke up Rudolph by lightly shaking the young man, eyes flickering open and annoyance entering their silvery spheres.
"The hell you touching me for, creep?! Didn't the other bitch take care of you last night, huh?!"
The loudness woke up Carmine, who got up and turned heatedly to Rudolph.
"SHUT UP, DOG! He's still someone that should be respected!"
Frank didn't really care about it, since Carmine was someone that would immediately snap like an angry guard hound, Rudolph getting up, the furs that he wore being slept in. Frank supposed that it was just how people adapted to the stresses of the world, but he minded it not.
"Come with me, Mister Rot. We need to go and run some drills. Carmine is more advanced than you are."
The praise was to spur on Rudolph to improve, the scowl on the wolf Faunus' face clearly showing that there was nothing positive to be said about Carmine getting praised. To Frank's understanding, Carmine would be a Huntress if she practised hard enough and worked on her confidence. Overconfidence was the killer of many, and one should never get overconfident.
'It will be enough to set the two up.'
He was not able to love, because who would love a monster like him? The marks on his face were as sure a sign of how he was a blight on the world as the way that people treated him. The marks were not aching right now, but he could tell that there would be more Grimm in the future.
It was some sort of sense that he always had, allowing him to plan ahead when dealing with the Grimm.
He would give the world a legacy in Rudolph Rot, and he would make sure that Rudolph knew enough to take care of Carmine as well if things worked out between the two of them.
The settlement they arrived at a week later was larger than the ruined one where they'd met Rudolph, a ramshackle-looking forge at their disposal, as Frank started to instruct the blacksmith to forge some of the parts for the weapon that Rudolph would be using. The instructor had a lot of things to instruct, but Rudolph was one of those people that had a lot of strength due to some reason, as the blades were forged and then put onto the bracers, a gun pushed into the right one, at Frank's instruction. He had a melee weapon and a rifle, and this would involve the weapon in a manner that would let Rudolph deal with Grimm both close-range as well as mid-range.
'A solid frontal brawler-fighter…'
The talent that Rudolph had for that had become apparent during the last week, when Rudolph had shown that he was more of a brawler than an axe-wielder. It was regrettable, but Frank could teach Rudolph a few moves that Percey had taught him, leaving him to work with things on his own, the shotgun given a fresh set of shells and being used as a backup for the weapon that was being forged now.
'It will be better to diversify Rudolph's loadout. The shotgun for those close encounters when you have to pierce through armor and the bow… Ah, we should see a carpenter for some good wood. Since most civilians have either a firearm or a bow, it would be prudent to get some decent arrows as well.'
Frank supposed that there would be a need for that. Rudolph needed something for the arrows that he used to shoot at targets that hadn't noticed him yet, or for hunting, so a quiver would be needed, as well as the tools to craft arrows in the wild.
Training a student would bring him someone that would have his back and maybe, with time, someone for Carmine to find herself love with, if the thought of settling ever entered her batty brain, the loud shouting having been a constant ever since he had picked her up from the settlement that she'd called home.
He supposed it was his fate, being someone that was too monstrous to really be considered human, with every little addition to his little group of Huntsmen having something about them which was off, or which had been barely able to be contained before their first meeting, but now exposed fully.
At least Miss Parsley-Trappe, Kleo as she wanted to be called, was someone that had the right frame of mind to be a Huntress, who was able to remain quiet until the action had to be done with Grimm and whatever they faced. The constant bickering between Carmine and Rudolph was starting to wear on him a little.
The girl should settle down and be a housewife or something, not wasting her time with thoughts of heroism and being a Huntsman. Women did not belong on the field of battle, they deserved to be with the home and the family that they had.
Lives of regular people would be safer, with monsters like him out in the world, hunting the Grimm that threatened to destroy their safety and their sanity. With the Grimm that he fought, through the ailment of his birth alerted, he would keep others safe, against the tide of the Grimm.
"Ensure that the metal is forged properly. I will be back in a bit."
A carpenter would be able to get some good wood for a bow, with the string made from something that would be able to be replaced in a pinch. Expensive materials were only functional as long as the base material was something that would be easily replaced in the heat of combat.
A weapon that worked was one that did not fail you. Frank knew it well, and he could hear Carmine loudly screaming at Kleo again.
"I WILL NOT DO THAT, YOU CRAZY WOMAN! KLEOPATRA, I WILL NOT!"
The two women were currently standing in front of a tailor's shop, Kleo currently looking at ease as she held up something that looked like leather armor, but much thinner, allowing one to look at it and see some holes in it. It did not cover overly much, the seamstress looking a little panicked.
"Dear customer, please don't flaunt it."
He was not sure what exactly they meant with that, but Carmine looked like she was going to explode, like there was something that had been lit inside her that made her scream even louder, her voice almost hoarse with protestations, as Frank allowed his eyes to wander just a little over Kleo's almost smug features, clearly letting him and others know that Carmine's reaction was something that she enjoyed immensely.
She was a fighter and someone that he would go and keep an eye on, if not for their future partnership to be broken off, a little later in Carmine's studies. A woman should teach a woman and a man should teach a man. Rudolph would need his guidance so he could learn to be a Huntsman, which would make him much more able to go and defend the world than a man like Frank Stone, accursed blight on the world, ever would be.
He was not someone that would be loved by someone, as he had been branded with the marks of sin, the venomous curse that formed his face into a mockery of humanity, the black veins pulsing with life once the Grimm came close.
Selecting the wood for the bow was not really his forte, but he selected the options that the carpenter had for them, knowing that there was at least something skilled about the man's trade, as he continued to leave his musings to himself, aware of the feeling of loneliness that worked through his veins like a venom, like something diseased that came like a tide.
He was accursed by cruel fate after he had been born, and so, he was the one that would be sent to the darkest depths if they found out about his facial features, marked with the taint of Grimm.
He knew that there was nothing that he could do about that, as he looked over the wood, trusting the carpenter's expertise in handling it, his gaze drawing to the grain of the wood, remembering the wood that he'd been told to carve during the winter, to have things to do while the snow kept them indoors most of the time.
Frank's gaze stopped onto the wooden boards, knowing that carving a mask would be another duty for him, in the case this one split. Metal was more sturdy than wood, but wood was in greater supply in the world than metal.
'A bit more effort and there'll be a fine huntsman apprentice made out of him.'
The clothing that Rudolph wore were coarse and unfitting, so that might be another area that they'd pay attention to, even with the working conditions shifting. They should not stay for too long either way.
Staying still let one grow accustomed to life. It was easier to keep on moving, before things got too hard to bear, too much trouble and the risk of being exposed.
"Are… you… looking… for… wood?"
Kleo's voice came from the side, the woman's eyes looking sturdy and solid, as Frank glanced at the woman, currently with her weapon at the ready, her expression looking a little grimmer than before, Carmine nowhere to be seen.
"Something for Rudolph's bow, the lad would be served with something that'll make him able to fight."
A sly smile teased on Kleo's lips, as she laughed softly.
"Oh… they will… have… something… to wield. I… quite… like… them."
She sneezed again, her eyes tearing up a little.
"Are you ill?"
It was rare that Huntresses and Huntsmen got ill, but it happened from time to time. He could tell that Kleo was someone that enjoyed a bit of fun sometimes with teasing words to Carmine, who reacted to her.
"No… just… a… reaction. I got… pills. They are… for me."
'That's good.'
He knew that some Huntsmen had health conditions that required a healer's aid, the medication for colds and flu stored in his pack. It was a useful thing to have. Rudolph would need some stuff as well for his own pack, if Frank had to prepare for that.
'Some more supplies, general cleansing stuff.'
He knew that there would be some preparation needed for their next journey out into the wilds, with training Rudolph to a level where he would be able to defend himself.
'Strength drills, making some effort to get him into the proper state to wield melee and ranged for engagements with Grimm. Awaken his aura once he is properly prepared, as a test.'
He could do that.
They'd have to get things ready.
He would forge a set of bracers with claws for Rudolph, whose form would be more suitable up close, wondering about the irony of a wolf Faunus wielding claws to fight Beowolves.
'I don't know whether it's ironic, but it is amusing.'
"Do you… require… help? You… will… forge… the weapons… for… them, right?"
He wouldn't disagree with Kleo, though.
"Thank you, Miss Parsley-Trappe. It is appreciated."
A small 'heh… heh…' from the woman was showing her amusement at the circumstances that he found himself in, clearly finding that it was amusing to her eyes to see him work for his new student.
"HOW DO YOU MEAN, WOOFLES THE FUZZY GETS A SET OF WEAPONS, FRANK STONE?!"
Carmine's volume was higher-pitched than usually was the case, as she spoke of his future apprentice getting a set of bracers made, Rudolph giving him a rough look, clearly showing that the weapon that he'd made was appreciated, but not very welcome yet.
'Well, I tried.'
The claws would fit over the knuckles, to give a punch with a bit of oomph. It had been a blade that he'd sharpened with a whetstone, with jagged edges for extra damage on live targets. It was a little bit of a challenge for Rudolph to learn, but Frank had the feeling that he could trust the young man to not stab him in the back. Kleo was around as well, so there was little chance of danger for him, with the two Faunus having their own little clique together as trainees.
'And if Carmine falls for Rudolph, it would keep her out of danger.'
There was nothing more he could do to make Carmine turn away from the lonely path of a Huntsman, because of her stubborn nature. She should have been going with Kleo if she knew what was good for her, settle down and raise a family. A cursed man like him did not deserve to drag her around and lead her into perdition.
Carmine was loud and acerbic, too high-pitched for his ears at this hour, while Rudolph was a little quieter, but more explosive in his temper, clearly giving as good as he got from Carmine, the two at odds with each other, the Wolf Faunus keeping his tail tucked at times when he was in the public, the furs that he wore covering him up well, despite the weather.
"Aww, Batsy gets jealous! Batsy wants the masked guy to kiss her boo-boo and make her feel-"
The irate 'raaaghhh!' from Carmine and the two of them tussling on the ground, Rudolph not even able to gain an advantage over Carmine's fury, as the two struggled with each other, Kleo clapping her hands together.
"Now, children, do not have a little wrestling competition here. Mister Stone knows best, after all."
Jarringly, both of the Faunus looked at Kleo, Carmine's expression foul as she got up, Rudolph's hand hooking in her top and Frank averted his gaze for a moment to Kleo for some guidance as Carmine's top went down but her body went on with the motion.
"YOUUUUU SON OF A BITCH!"
The sound of meat smacking, as Rudolph got smacked, Carmine's language growing even fouler, as Frank stared at Carmine, Rudolph pushing her off.
"Aww, Batsy's got her breasts hanging out! You should go and show them to the masked fucker and be his little toy, you-"
Rudolph went down with a punch right to his nose, growling at Carmine and trying to get back up again, clearly not down for the count.
'Great…'
He pulled Carmine off, the bat Faunus light, as she struggled against him, her red eyes almost alight.
"Let me at him, Stone! I'm going to punch his face until that asshole face of his is made into a- LET ME GO!"
He let go and Carmine face-planted right onto Rudolph, who growled, and the two Faunus were at it.
"Do you think this counts as a Faunus mating ritual?"
He asked Kleo, who shrugged, her eyes still a little teary, as she sniffled softly.
"Who… knows? They… must really love… each other, because they just don't shut up. I am- ACHOO."
A gunshot-like sneeze, as Kleo wiped at her nose with a rag, blowing her nose after a moment, getting the snot out.
"WE ARE NOT INTO EACH OTHER! WHY WOULD I WANT TO BE WITH A BITCH LIKE HIM?!"
"HEY! I'M NOT INTO A BOOB MONSTER LIKE HER! WHO WOULD WANT TO HAVE A LOUD SCREECHING BAT IN THEIR BED ANYWAYS?!"
They clearly were going to be marrying each other, Frank could already see that they got along swimmingly.
'I don't think that I need to nudge these two together.'
Carmine crossed her arms, still a little annoyed that Frank had made a weapon for the wolf bastard, seeing Rudolph sharpen the edges with a whetstone while they were preparing for another lesson.
'Who cares… It's just a stupid weapon.'
She had her own weapon and it was more amazing! Frank Stone was an asshole, even if he was someone that had to deal with a wolf bastard that kept on moaning and had even tried to SHOOT Frank!
'Nobody shoots my teacher! He's got to teach me more things! That weird glowy thing that they have!'
She tried not to think about… other things. Big hands. Big hands and strong arms.
"Keep to yourself, Batsy. Wouldn't want to find shit all over my pack."
'I am not a bat!'
Faunus-wise, she was, but she did not make guano!
"I'll try my best, Rudolph."
She wasn't thinking about Frank anymore now, at least. Annoyance washed those thoughts away and she was thinking about Rudolph, with his stupid fur coat that made him look like he was always ready to be a wolf. She threw herself on the bed and tried not to listen too much to the sounds that Frank was making in his room, soft little sounds of sleeping, as he had retired for bed earlier.
'Hm. He will teach me.'
The brief image of his hands around her belly, with a very important little thing growing in it, came to her mind and she felt like she should banish it, only to linger on that thought a little. It wasn't like she was… okay, maybe she was.
He'd put the thoughts in her mind first! Telling her that she should find some guy and just… whatever. She'd think about it later, but first-
'How would it feel?'
Big hands. A hulking man that towered over her. She wondered how those hands would feel, her hands grabbing her bust and giving them an experimental squeeze, wondering whether they'd cover them whole and whether he'd-
'I'm not thinking about it! I'm not thinking about it!'
Kleo was a nuisance too! Hinting at things! She still had that night-gown-thingy…
'Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!'
"Oh… you… are… so… shy. You… can… just… tell… him… you… know?"
As if summoned by the evilest Grimm in the world, Kleo spoke up, her expression almost pitying, as she knelt at the bedside, the bandages pulled back a little, exposing her skin.
"Tell him what, bandage woman?"
A pat to her side that she did not like, as the woman's eyes looked at her.
"That you… think he's cute… and you want… to have babies… in your belly."
'THE NERVE!'
She opened her mouth to scream, before she realized that Frank was asleep and that she definitely was not going to be screaming 'I DO NOT WANT FRANK'S BABY IN MY BELLY!' at this hour, at least within hearing of that wolf bastard.
'Calmness and quietude…'
She would be quiet and mature about it.
"YOU! WHY WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT?!"
Okay, maybe not so quiet and not so mature, the woman's expression gentle, patting her belly softly.
"Silly… girl. I… am… older."
That wasn't a damn criteria for her to have a happy and fulfilling life!
"Why do you even think about that! Go and marry him, or that dog!"
She didn't like the look on the woman's face, as Kleo got up again, smiling sadly. Carmine was pretty sure that she'd had a dog, Kleo had said something about it.
"We had… a little… dog… at my home. He was… the liveliest… thing."
Carmine felt bad immediately, knowing that it must hurt to have lost her apprentice and her dog, but she wouldn't apologize, as Kleo sighed softly in mourning.
"We… went… on… long… walks. It was… nice. Calm. Grimm… were… not… a problem. He was strong… but our dog… not so… much."
Carmine could tell, but the woman was still an evil woman, teasing her with such weird images! She did not love Frank Stone, big hands or not!
'Stupid!'
"I don't need to- You're here! I don't need you to interfere, Kleopatra!"
The woman's expression turned placid, as she turned around.
"Good… night…"
The woman sneezed audibly once Rudolph came to join them again, his expression suitably dull, the weapons lookig like some kind of wolf's claws, and Carmine felt her annoyance rise.
"Batsy, got a fancy for little old me? Oh, I'm fucking thrilled! The masked man's little bitch, thinking that she has a chance with-"
Carmine threw her pillow at Rudolph, getting more annoyed, and Rudolph sat down on the bed, giving her a look, Carmine getting up and retrieving her pillow.
"You're a bitch, woofles."
She would stick to nicknames until improvement was made. It was a bit like that old saying 'the beatings will continue until improvements are made', but she was pretty sure that whoever coined that, had no idea what a hell it was to be locked with some wolf moron that thought nothing about things, as she smelled blood in the air, and felt a little prickly.
'Great… the monthly visitor.'
It sucked to have that come when she was not in the proper state, so she would have to find some time to suffer through the cramps for a while until her body decided that it was okay again.
"And you're a bat, Batsy. Are you gonna fight me, huh?"
Carmine didn't feel like she had the energy for that, as she got back to bed, rolling over in her bed and trying to let the cramps go away.
'Ugh, I bet Kleo is like this as well.'
It was commonly known that women tended to have similar 'visitors' when they were in close proximity, so the woman's whole changed nature was undoubtedly due to her getting the same cramps, and it explained those weird images about Frank Stone with her!
'That's it, it's my monthly visitor.'
Thankfully, she knew enough to make something to absorb the blood, which proved that she was a very fine and very fertile young Faunus. The image of herself laid on Frank Stone's chest with her body clad only in something very thin and scanty was something that only brought heat to her face, as she tried to think about something else, something that wouldn't bring her too many thoughts about her, Frank Stone, a bed and plenty of time to explore things that a man and a woman could explore together.
'I don't know anymore…'
She was pretty certain that he would be gentle with her. He was gentle when he instructed her, as if he feared that she would break into many fragments if he pushed her a little harder, and she wondered about that for a bit, as she tried to think about the possibilities that were in her life.
'Okay… Who else is there? Rudolph?!'
She could never see something like that springing up between the two of them! The guy was a little stronger than she was, of course, but that didn't matter too much to her right now, knowing that they were about equal. She would get Frank Stone to teach her more, to teach her faster than that stupid wolf!
'I am not his pet! I am not Frank Stone's pet, and he is not my master!'
The weird fantasy of him forcing her to wear a mask and then telling her that she was beautiful while there was a ceremony and she was not really all too upset about being given a wedding mask was… just incidental, she was sure of it.
She was quite unaware of that thought remaining in her mind for quite a while, and a wistful sigh escaped her lips.
Carmine Von Blut just might have some feelings.
Well, Rudolph and Carmine are going to be such great friends… or so Frank hopes.