GOMU GOMU NO~ Hey everyone, this set of chapters took me way longer than I expected. The main reason is that my pc broke down and I ended up losing 50kb worth of words XD. At least I had my laptop to type, so not all was lost.
Also, I've realized there are a few grammatical errors in my writing. I do use Grammarly to double-check my work, but for some reason, the editor ends up messing with my sentences sometimes instead of fixing them. While I do care a great deal about my paragraph structure and grammar, I'm kinda lazy when it comes to rewrites so please bear with me if you do notice an error.
With that said and done, there will be a few more arcs before a time skip where I make Jaune six years old. For those of you who read my previous work, I'll be sticking to a single devil fruit this time but I've made a good amount of changes to make it really interesting.
And don't worry Xrunner, I'm planning on having Yang, Jaune and Ruby interact a bit before introducing another set of characters.
With that, cheers everyone, and happy reading!
/-/
*Lost And Found Arc. Begins.*
"So, what do you think of this place?"
His polished ebony shoes clicked against the pearl-colored tiles, the golden buckles atop them reflecting the soft amber lighting, the swish of his dark olive cloak with a furred trim swished just above his ankles.
"It's humble, I'll give it that." The low voice belonged to a dark-skinned man with long, thin, but muscular limbs. His head clean-shaven, his narrowed eyes were umbrellaed by a thick black unibrow. He adjusted his collar and tie, then turned to his superior.
"Are you sure that you want to get involved in this kind of work? Most businesses don't make it past their grand opening before they're shut down by the SDC."
The broad man chuckled. An abnormally large golden hook scratching his smooth chiseled chin, the sharp tip skimmed the stitched scar that bridged across his nose from ear to ear.
"Don't tell me you're actually scared of that pompous white-haired pansy."
The suited assistant crossed his arms. "We could kill him at a moment's notice, but the people he's established ties with do make up for his physical stature. After all, Carmel isn't a woman we should take lightly."
Another chuckle, but this one sounded sarcastic. "You think I'm afraid of that fake holy mother? Or any of the pale witch's lackeys?"
His dark-skinned partner shook his head. "She's not the only one we need to be worried about. We're not the only ones who made it to this strange world. Maybe we should lay low and see how things unfold. There's nothing wrong with being patient."
A heavy drag from his cigar, the suited man's boss sighed with a slight smirk. "I'm not interested in what that group of idiotic cultists are planning, they can follow that pale hag to the end of the earth as long as they don't bother us."
His deep-set and heavy-lidded gray eyes toward the window, airships with cream-colored sails bearing the Mistralian emblem glided onto the metal platforms that protruded off the mountain capes below.
"Which reminds me, what name should we pick for our new business?"
"Hm... How about Baroque Works for nostalgia's sake?" His partner shrugged.
The taller man took a long drag from his cigar. "We're not in the grande line anymore, Daz. I want a new name for my fresh start."
"Hm... Then what about Reptile Dust Industries? Wasn't that the name we drafted over coffee?"
With nothing but a few stacks of lien bills and a less than honest dream, a former warlord and west blue assassin set their sights on the industry of dust. After all, it couldn't be any harder than selling rain powder right?
/-/
"Is this matter really that important?" Hawkins grumbled as his peaceful afternoon had taken a turn for the worse.
"A baby's first word is one of the most important steps into becoming a toddler!" Carla huffed and held Jaune a few inches from his father's face.
"Ababa?"
"What am I supposed to tell him to say his first word? I can't enter his mind and make his lips move on their own." The magician sighed.
"You can start with this." Carla waved a brown baby sling above Jaune.
"I am not wearing that."
"Yes, you are, because if you don't spend some quality time with this little bundle of joy then he'll end up as a rambunctious hooligan!" The Cow Faunus growled.
"The chances of him becoming a criminal stand at 15%." Hawkins deadpanned after a tarot shuffle.
"If the chances are in the double digits then that should already be a sign for you to take action! If you spend just one whole day with him, I'll bake a batch of those honey-coated fortune cookies you love so much."
A glimmer sparked in his crimson pupils, the magician mulled over the thought of eating his favorite dessert.
"I'll keep him with me until noon, will that suffice?"
Carla opened her mouth to protest, but Sam walked and took up the role of peacemaker.
"Easy there, Carla, the fact that our stoic card reader is considering the idea of being around Jaune is a small first step to great memories. Just make sure you're back by lunch alright, Hawkins?"
The blonde nodded with a grunt.
"Also, take Trifa with you, that little girl deserves a reward for all the chores she's done," Sam added.
"U-Um..." Trifa, who'd been silent the entire conversation, glanced up at the magician.
"What am I supposed to do with her?"
Both farmers deadpanned. "You don't have to do anything too elaborate, just take the kids out for ice cream or take a walk around the farms. Any bonding is good bonding."
/-/
"Hiya, mister Hawkins!"
Not even a block from his home, the magician tilted his head to meet the owner of the merry tune. A young Faunus with a curly pig tail smiled brightly.
Her hands clasped on the straps of her blue overalls, the little girl asked if the magician could do his card tricks again.
Hawkins frowned. His tarot readings were a testament to his ability of fortune-telling and were not meant to be seen as a means of entertainment.
"Hey, Penelope, is the guy gonna do his cool card tricks or what?" A handful of children, all bearing a Faunus trait, joined their pig-tailed friend with curious faces. Though some spoke up about the risk of interacting with the human, the pig Faunus now known as Penelope shut them up real quick.
"Sam and Carla don't mind having o'l Hawk around the farms, so why should we?"
"Old Hawk?" The blonde grumbled.
Penelope nodded with a pearly smile. "That's what the folks around here have been calling you. Ma and Pa say it suits you just fine seeing that you're face is always set to a neutral frame. So, are you gonna show us some cool card tricks or not, o'l Hawk?"
The kids cheered her on, much to the magician's ire.
"Ababa?" Jaune tugged his father's collar.
Veering his crimson gaze to the innocent bundle of infancy, Hawkins rolled his eyes and found a convenient crate to sit on. The Faunus children followed suit and soon the stoic wonder was surrounded by a muttering crowd. Penelope took her usual place on Hawkins' left, leaving Trifa to fidget awkwardly on his right.
"Oi, what are those kids doing over there?" Whispered a nearby ram Faunus as he tossed a corn bundle into a crate.
"They're with that rude human." Sighed a dark-skinned Faunus with scales.
"Yeah, the one that Sam told us not to bother. You don't want to end up like Larry, do you? Poor guy's finally back on his feet after the thrashing he got from o'l Hawk." A slim lady with a bushy dog tail interjected.
"Yeah, but shouldn't we do something about him?" Growled the ram farmer.
"Are you kidding?" The lady snapped. "I don't think I've ever seen my little boy so tame. Whatever the o'l Hawk is doing, he's keeping our kids in line while we're at work and that's good enough for me."
A loud bang interrupting the conversation, all the nearby farmers snapped their sights to a rowdy crowd huddled at the end of the road. A few shouts succeeded by a swift punch, a straw hat flew into the air and drifted to a certain magician's feet.
"W-What's going on, Penelope? I've seen those rude louts yell before, but they've never been brave enough to hurt anybody!" Squeaked a boy with ram horns.
"H-Hawkins!" Trifa yelped.
The blonde lowered his cards.
"T-That hat, it belongs to Sam!"
His crimson eyes narrowed, Hawkins untied the knot of Jaune's sling and handed him to Trifa who fumbled to properly support the baby.
"Aba?" The little tyke raised his arms toward his father, confused as to why he'd been put down.
Hawkins picked up the straw hat and inspected the damage. The top cut in two and the hem's edges burnt, an ominous sigh escaped the magician's lips as he made his way down the road.
/-/
"So, are we still refusing to pay?" Sneered a curly-haired man, his brown locks flowing in the wind as his blade dripped with blood.
"Sam!" Max and the other boys ran to aid their fellow Faunus. With a deep gash in his left arm, Sam struggled to a knee and glared at the hunter.
"I haven't missed the deadline for my taxes since I settled in the agricultural district. This is the only time that I'm asking you to extend my due date."
"Unfortunately we care about consistency around here, and if you can't keep up with the rest of us then I'm afraid you'll be forced to vacate the premises." The hunter cackled, his three teammates chuckling in the background.
However, their laughter ceased at the presence of a pale blonde. His face void of emotion, he demanded the tax collectors leave before things got messy.
"Oh great, it looks like someone wants to entertain us, boys! How about we give him the old one-two?"
The brown-haired man and his cohorts drew their swords. Their eyes sparkling with malice, they whispered to each other before breaking into a triangular formation.
"H-Hawkins," Sam wheezed. "I know you're strong, but these boys are professional hunters. It's hard to believe, but they've got quite a bite with their barks."
"Get this old man out of my sight. I don't need any hindrances." Hawkins said firmly and the farmers complied.
Parents quickly fetched their young, the little tykes struggling in their embrace in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the action. Trifa, Carla, and Jaune among them, the three huddled with Sam as worry racked their minds.
"This is not a fight you want to provoke. I'd rather not make myself a target for the authorities, but if you force my hand then there will be no going back." Hawkins grunted.
His words mute as the hunters circled him, the magician figured it'd be best to subdue the rude tax collectors with a severe reminder of their position in the pecking order. The assumed leader of the opposition charged forward, his sword raised, his steel met with the stoic blonde's as sparks flew between them.
"Now boys!" The curly man shouted.
His partners rounding Hawkins' flanks, the magician did nothing and allowed their swords to pierce his arms and legs. These wounds weren't fatal, but Hawkins assumed that the intention of his enemy's assault was not to kill, but to set a gruesome warning to the inhabitants of the district.
Triumphant cheers and horrified gasps filling the air, the dastardly hunter and his men withdrew their weapons and stepped back.
"H-Hawkins!" Carla and Sam screamed.
"Waba! Waba!" Jaune bawled.
"..." Trifa's voice dry of words, she settled with wide eyes that drenched her flushed cheeks in woeful tears.
"Hahaha! That'll teach you! Maybe next time you'll reconsider protecting a bunch of dumb animals!" The hunter jeered at the pitiful state of the downed... Hold on, why was the blonde idiot still standing?!
A small voodoo doll wiggled out of a patch of straw on Hawkins' forearm. Its limbs severed, a high-pitched cry erupted from the Faunus farmers. Larry, the moose Faunus, lay flat on the dirt as he clutched his aching injuries in a pool of blood.
"Hmph, and here I thought that dumb moose had decent durability." The magician grunted and turned his sights to his initial opponents.
"Hmph, with all your boasting I assumed you could actually entertain my sword. You've done nothing but disappoint me, for that your lives will be the penalty." Hawkins grimaced. His arm arched back, it came down with a morphing blade of straw with serpent-like qualities. The hunters raised their swords and managed to swat away the incoming attack. Or so they thought, to their utter shock the sharp straw line continued to wreak havoc. Bobbing and weaving around the bewildered huntsmen, Hawkins added in a few extra jabs and thrusts into the mix.
"How the hell are you still fighting?!" Wailed the curly-haired man.
"Curious, I'd like to ask why you and your men haven't succumbed to any visible injuries. I'm sure my assaults have met skin several times now." Hawkins furrowed his brows as his straw snipped the man's cheek and yet no blood was spilled.
The hunters jumped back, their weapons shifting to a set of rifles, they let loose with no regard to where they were shooting. The surrounding civilians ducked for cover as burning bullets detonated around the fields. Crops were set aflame and loaded crates exploded with their scorched produce littering the ground.
The blonde grit his teeth. So the tax collectors had no qualms with destroying the source of their profit? Very well, if they wanted a fight with no restraints, then that's what they'll get.
Immediately, Hawkins changed tactics. Instead of approaching in a roundabout manner, he got straight to the point and commanded his extended straw to ravage the hunters by any means necessary. Hacks, stabs, and a few slashes later, the greedy group fell on their knees, their swords shaking in their trembling grip.
"O-Oi, this isn't looking good, our aura's going in the red!" Shouted the hunter's subordinates.
"Aura?" Hawkins muttered. He'd elaborate on the topic another time, he still had some garbage to throw out after all.
"Straw Sword!" The attack whizzed through the air and met the curly-haired hunter's right shoulder. With a hard step forward, Hawkins pushed his attack through flesh and bone. Despite the cries of pain and mercy, the magician vaulted his opponent into the air and swiftly returned him to the dirt.
A small crater formed, all spectators fell silent. Confusion and fear gripping their hearts, the farmers gathered their children and fled the scene. Only Carla, Sam, Trifa, and Jaune remained, but Hawkins assumed it was because they were too scared to move.
"H-Hey, I give up alright!" The brunette shrieked. His face smudged in dust and blood, he clutched his broken nose before a heavy boot pinned his chest.
"Is that supposed to mean anything to me?" The magician shrugged. "I gave you and your lackeys fair warning to vacate the premises, yet your arrogance cost you victory."
"C-Come on, we can make a deal! I'll ease up the taxes for these stupid Faunus for a month!"
A neutral visage, Hawkins thrust his blade through the downed man's left hand. Blood drenched the hunter's leather jacket, dribbling down to his neck and stomach. The stabbed man squealed in pain, kicking his legs as his free hand wrapped around Hawkins' ankle in a feeble attempt to push it off his person.
"I-I can offer you so many things! We're both humans aren't we?! Have some mercy for your fellow man!"
A grunt, the blonde ignored his fellow man's pleas, withdrew his sword, and kicked his bloody body across the road.
"T-This isn't over you bloody freak!" The cowardly hunters, who'd stayed on the sidelines, gathered their bearings and fled with their unconscious leader dangling over their shoulders like a ragdoll.
"Huff... Huff..." His blood simmering to a reasonable temperature, Hawkins turned to Sam and the others. Though when he approached, they huddled back. There was no praise or any smiles. Instead, their faces held a look of horror and not even Sam was able to look the magician in the eye.
"Ababa?" Jaune held up his hands toward his father, but Carla aggressively put them down.
Again, Hawkins stepped forward, but his advance was barred once more when Sam protectively embraced his wife and ushered Trifa behind him.
"...Is something the matter?" The former pirate asked. His lips pursed in a solemn frown with his eyebrows scrunched upward, Hawkins appeared... hurt?
"D-Don't come any closer!" Carla growled in an uncertain tone. How was Hawkins acting so casual?! He was on the brink of committing murder for Oum's sake!
The blonde's pupils widened and he hesitated. Silently, he turned his back on his established allies and made his way home for what he assumed to be the last time. Hawkins didn't bother to look back or perform a tarot draw, as he already knew that after this incident he wouldn't be welcome in the Acres household.
/-/
"Samuel? Is he gone?" Carla stepped slowly into the living room with a sleeping Jaune snuggled between her quivering arms.
The afternoon long passed, the shattered moon took over the sky with thick layers of gray clouds obscuring its bright complexion. The light taps of rain pittering the rooftops of the Acre home, the setting was anything but pleasant.
"Ah, Carliana." The old farmer scooted over and patted the cushion next to him. His wife at his side, she rested her head upon her husband's shoulder and sighed.
"...Hawkins isn't anywhere to be found is he?"
Sam hummed. "I checked his room a few minutes ago and it was empty. It looks like our stoic magician decided to pack up and move on."
"B-But he left Jaune behind. What does that mean for us?"
Sam lowered his head. Resting a hand upon that of his wife, he offered whatever comfort he could in this grievous moment. "Hawkins said so himself that he doesn't consider himself a parent. I did my best to convince him to put in the effort, but sometimes it takes more than a few words to change a man."
"What about the other farmers? Are they okay?"
Sam nodded. "Other than Larry, everyone managed to stay in one piece. I decided to call off the usual chores for today and told Max to spread the word about a short hiatus. It'll take a while, but the crops will be harvested soon enough."
"I didn't think Hawkins had that kind of power." Carla whimpered as she nuzzled her forehead against her husband's chest.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm talking about how he shrugged off those stabs and thrusts of the hunters. Not to mention how Larry has to now cope with holes in his arms for Oum knows how long!" She hissed.
The old farmer could do nothing but sigh and shake his head. "I guess that's why he calls himself the magician."
"Magician?" Carla curled a brow.
"I'm not really sure what it means, but I've chatted with Hawkins a few times and he told me that 'magician' was an epithet he carried when he was still in the north blue, wherever that is... Well, I'm not sure if he has any outward power like aura, but after what he did today you could've fooled me." Sam chuckled weakly.
"We've seen Hawkins manipulate straw before..." Carla pouted. "But I never would've thought that he'd treat his own fellow man like a Grimm. Hawkins didn't show any remorse, Sam, and I'd bet he would've killed every one of those greedy tax collectors if he wanted to!"
His chest moistened by tears, Sam's ears perked toward the hallway when the front door creaked open and creaked shut. The Faunus couple felt their hearts skip a beat, and let out a long breath when a small girl with moppy blue hair stumbled in. An envelope in hand, she rubbed her arm nervously and refused to meet the gaze of her adoptive family.
"Ah, Trifa, I was worried about you. Where did you head off to?" Sam said with a soft smile.
"I-I..." Fiddling with the envelope, Trifa held it out but remained where she stood.
Easing away from Carla's embrace, Sam made his way over and accepted the envelope, though he nearly dropped the folded paper when he found what lied in store. A bundle of lien bills, far exceeding the price of Hawkins' medical charges, along with a neatly written letter of... apology?
~Though our time was brief, you have my gratitude for your services. Sincerely, Basil Hawkins.~
"Trifa, where did you find this?" Sam whispered hoarsely.
The young girl shook her head. "I-I didn't find it. H-Hawkins gave it to me before he left..."
A shiver passed through Sam's spine. His eyes narrowed, he stood off the couch then kneeled down to meet the girl eye to eye.
Trifa gulped. "I-I didn't plan to meet him! I just happened to pass Hawkins when you and Carla took Jaune out for a walk."
Sam wrapped his arms around Trifa and smothered her against his chest. "It's okay, I'm not mad, just curious is all."
Wiping the tears from her eyes, the spider Faunus took a deep inhale. "I-I passed by him when everyone went to clear the mess those tax collectors made..."
Her cobalt pupils, though moist, burned with determination. "H-He said he was s-sorry for the commotion he made and told me to give you this letter. H-Hawkins also said to forget about him and to tell Jaune that you and Carla are his true parents..."
The sound of a pin drop echoing across the household, the uneasy silence gripped the atmosphere for what felt like an eternity. At long last, the silence was broken, but by the most unexpected candidate.
"Hawb..." All attention veered to the groggy baby in Carla's arms.
"Hawbins!~" Jaune giggled with a goofy grin.
/-/
"Well, there's a new face! The name's Barry and welcome to the Crow Bar, anything I can get for you, sir?" The bartender and owner of the establishment tugged his thick mustache and gestured to the shelves of alcohol behind him.
He'd met many interesting people over the years, but the stoic mannerisms of the cloaked gentleman filled him with excitement. What stories did this man carry? By the longsword strapped to his hip, the man gave the impression of a hunter, and folks in that field always had a tale to share. Not to mention that it was a really slow day. Only a fraction of the regulars showed up, so the bar owner had time to kill.
"My intuition tells me that bars are a good place for information." The pale blonde grumbled.
"That depends," the bartender adjusted his green tie. "What kind of information are hoping to find?"
"What is a good kingdom for a useless man?" His dimmed crimson eyes vexed with a frown, the bartender rubbed his neck and diverted his gaze.
"Well, lotta folks who want to lay low usually head off to the kingdom of Mistral. It's not hard to stay off the radar if you keep your wits about you. However, if any of the authorities come looking for you I am obliged to relay what I know. Understand?"
The stoic man chuckled with his lips curled toward the floor. "No one will bother to look for me."
His information gathered, the ruffled-cloaked man turned toward the exit, but the bartender asked him to wait and fetched a bottle of cheap booze.
"It's on the house, if you ever decide to come back, tell me about your travels."
The blonde shook his head. "The beverage is appreciated, but I don't like being indebted to others." The clicks of his boots echoed as he passed through the door. With a heavy heart, the tarot reader set his sights on the shattered moon of Remnant.
"Well, it was nice while it lasted." The magician smiled bitterly. He knew he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up when the chances of him being a decent father stood at 31%...