The hot sun reigning over the clear skies, the bountiful farms of the agricultural district were in full production for the upcoming summer harvest. The standard chores would usually harbor the usual farmers, but the aid of a very special someone eased their burdens a great deal. Trading his ruffled cloak for a plain white shirt, he kept his orange sash around his waist, his checkered green pants, and his trademark leather boots as they proved to be the most comfortable attire for heavy labor.

"Oi, Hawkins, the boys need your help with the plows!" Sam called while dressed in his favorite faded overalls. The farmer hitting the mark of his early fifty's, he no longer participated in the more rigorous farming activities, but his leadership over the younger men held firm.

The magician at the front, he took the reigns of the plow and shoved it forward with all his might. The opened trails of earth left behind were quickly filled with new seeds from the heavy sacks of the younger teens and middle-aged men who trailed the plow's path.

"Come on, Max, you and the boys are falling behind! Hawkins has already passed a quarter of the field!" Sam chuckled as the scrambling workforce groaned. A large suitcase and two smaller ones beside him, the old farmer sighed in amusement as his friends tried to keep up with the blonde cohort's pace.

"Is Hawkins at it again, honey?" Carla hurried to her husband's side. Adorning a pink summer dress and open-toed sandals, she threw the sling of her handbag over her shoulder and sighed.

"You shouldn't be depending on Hawkins too much. Oum knows how his presence stirs the boys and their egos."

Sam tapped the rim of his straw hat. "You think I don't know that? The main reason I let Hawkins work in the fields is that he's so capable!"

Truth be told, ever since the incident against Vergo, the stoic magician had been putting more effort into his physical stature and overall power. The blonde surmised that the heavy duties of the agricultural district were decent basic muscle training, and it was free of charge with little danger to worry about. Though Hawkins did wander off every now and then to deal with the Grimm whenever the malevolent beasts reared their ugly heads.

"Hi, Granpa!" Yelled a blonde tyke. His backpack stuffed with his favorite snacks and books, Jaune ran to his grandfather's side while wearing a toothy smile.

"Ah, there's my little knight!" Sam leaned down and patted his grandson's head. "Say, where'd Trifa get off to? The boats for Patch arrive in the next hour, so there's not a lot of time to be dilly-dallying."

"I'm... here..." Trifa panted as she joined the group. Her face covered in sweat, the obvious reason for the girl's short breath was the thick bunny-themed hoodie she had on.

"Trifa, it's twenty-seven degrees, and it's expected to hit thirty by mid-afternoon. "Why in Oum's name are you wearing a hoodie?"

The spider Faunus sent a glare Jaune's way and the blonde responded with a dumb expression and tilted head. Though once their eyes met, Trifa turned away to stare at a fence post that was suddenly very interesting.

"Come on, take it off, I won't have you passing out from the heat before we have our vacation in Patch." Carla snagged the hoodie by the hem and removed it in one swift pull.

Trifa seemed reluctant to part with it, but let out a relieved sigh after parting with the sweltering cotton.

"Wait, I thought we were going to Patch next week?" Jaune asked.

"That was the original plan," Sam cupped his chin, "but your dad's been asking me about places that have a lot of foliage. I originally pointed him in the direction of the neighboring forests or the ones farther north, but the stoic magician wanted a place that you weren't familiar with."

"Me? Why does it matter if I know the place?" The blonde tyke wondered.

"Sorry, Jaune, that's a question you'll have to ask your father. Though there'll be plenty of time to ask on the boat and when we get to Patch."

"Which reminds me, how long is Hawkins going to plow? He's been at it since this morning, and I don't think he ate breakfast today either." Carla squinted at the magician from afar. Though as seconds passed, the kind woman soon realized that she wasn't the only one staring in Hawkins' direction.

"Oh, girls, look who it is!~" Giggled a group of farm girls. Their clothes battered in white flour, they gossiped about Hawkins' splendid form as he vigorously performed his tasks to perfection.

"He really does do the work of ten men doesn't he?~"

"It's a shame he keeps to himself, a man with dedication like that is bound to be quite a catch.~"

"You'd think Carla would've let more information slip about that stoic blonde. He might be hard to approach, but I think he's just playing hard to get.~"

Sam placed a palm over his mouth to stifle a chuckle. "It looks like Hawkins' usual ogling party has arrived."

"Is that so?" Carla grumbled. "If those girls think that they can skip out on their chores then they've got another thing coming."

Splitting from the group in haste, Carla made herself known and the gossiping troupe were quick to flee. Sam watched the scene unfold with amusement, Trifa seemed indifferent to the situation, but Jaune held an air of curiosity.

"Granpa, why do so many ladies stare at my dad?"

A mischievous twinkle in the deer Faunus' eye, he coughed into his fist and cleared his throat.

"The answer is simple, Jaune, the reason why so many nice girls are staring at your dad is because he's a respectable kind of guy. Though he'd do better if he actually interacted with the friendly farm folks instead of scaring them off with his stiff face."

"Respectable?" Jaune asked.

"Yep, most people aren't fans of the Faunus folk, but your dad's an honest exception. My only wish is that he would be more enthusiastic when he interacted with people in general."

"Yes, so make sure you keep that kind attitude you have there," Carla quipped when she returned, "now have you packed all your belongings, Jaune? We won't be coming back for a while so I trust you double-checked."

"Yep!" The boy grinned, "I've packed all of my books and the tarot tests my dad wrote last night."

He unzipped the zipper of his stuffed backpack and once he did a handful of papers littered the dusty soil.

"How many tests did Hawkins prepare?" Sam scratched his chin as he assisted Jaune in gathering his papers. Trifa also lent a hand, furrowing her brows at the lengthy explanations and difficult questions that appeared to all be handwritten.

"It gets really boring," Jaune shrugged, "but dad's always saying that you should never overlook a detail no matter how small it is."

"That's good of him," Carla approved, "you never know when a single variable can make all the difference. It's like when your Granpa and I do our taxes or buy our groceries, every lien must be accounted for and properly exchanged."

"Are you all finished yet?" Grunted the voice of a familiar magician.

Hawkins, his body and face drenched in sweat, his crimson eyes scanned the happy group as they stood themselves up.

"Yup," Sam tapped the handle of the largest suitcase, "I've already got your ticket, Hawkins, so why don't you clean up and we can get going?"

Hawkins nodded and left without another word.

"See ya later dad!" His son called with a jolly wave.

The stoic father turned his head slightly so he could witness the sight with his peripherals then swiftly put his attention forward in the direction of his home.

"Grandma, why is my dad so quiet?" Jaune asked, his fair face quirked in a speculative expression.

"It's nothing to worry about," Carla said reassuringly, "he just goes about his business in a different way than most folks."

"Huh, is that why you call him a rude tongued lout?"

The cow Faunus' eyes widened as well as her husband's. Trifa hid her emotions better than the old couple, but she was clearly confused.

"W-Where did you hear your grandma say such a thing?" Carla huffed.

"It's when Mr. Max and the other men came for Grandpa's birthday," Jaune spoke nothing but utter truth, "Grandma's face was red like the stuff she was drinking and then started saying a bunch of things about my dad."

The boy's cerulean gaze holding absolute innocence, Carla's mouth fell agape as she fumbled to form a proper sentence.

"Alright, that's enough of that!" Sam chuckled awkwardly and picked up the suitcases. "How about we get some ice cream on the way to the docks?"

"Really?" Jaune and Trifa licked their lips in anticipation of a sugary treat.

"Sam, we shouldn't be spoiling them before we arrive in Patch," Carla warned.

"Do you want Jaune to forget about your drunk rants?" Her husband shot back under his breath.

Unable to sway the situation in her favor, Carla relented and accepted the inevitable outcome.

As she did so, Hawkins had returned while dressed in his new attire. Over the past few years, the magician had traded his original cloak for an olive green, ruffle-collared, long-sleeved shirt that was similar in design to the one he wore at Glynda's grad reunion. A pair of navy blue checkered pants with a plain orange sash around his waist, the only things that stayed the same were his worn-down leather boots and his restored longsword.

"Now that everybody's here, let's get a move on!" Sam announced and led the way over the northern bridge and into the commercial district.

/-/

Summer fashion on bold display, it was the season of bright colors and beach-themed attire. Store panes proudly displayed their wares for all kinds of body shapes, heights, and ages.

"Come on, Glynda, learn to live a little!" Thumbelina sighed as her partner refused to leave the changing room.

Saddled in the bustling confines of a well-renowned clothing store, the peach-haired huntress puffed her cheeks and put her hands on her hips.

"There's plenty of violet sundresses and bikinis to choose from, and I've spent the last thirty minutes picking them out myself!" Thumbelina pushed on, but no matter how determined she was, her partner's stubbornness proved a formidable opponent.

However, a spark, nay a ray of hope had decided to shine upon Thumbelina as a familiar stoic figure and his family strolled down the sidewalk just outside the store. Though the man seemed vexed while fiddling with the controls of his new scroll, the peach-haired woman's eyes narrowed on their target and she abandoned the bundle of clothes she carried then rushed outside to bolster her resolve with numbers.

"Thumbelina?" Glynda said cautiously after not hearing anything from her partner. "This is the last bikini I'm going to show you for the rest of the month so I hope you're happy with yourself."

"Huff... Are you... huff... sure?"

"Why did you drag me here Ms. Pea-mpf!"

"Thumbelina?" The witch curled a brow as the muffled echoes of a second voice brought her attention to the booth's door. It was kinda like someone was trying to speak through a fluffy rag.

Sighing in the idea that her partner had probably brought her boyfriend for backup, Glynda inspected her reflection in the changing booth's tall mirror before accepting her fate. An elaborate purple-colored, one-piece swimsuit, the sides had been cropped to expose the sides of her stomach with two thin straps tied around her neck and generous chest for support. Also, instead of her usual hairstyle, she allowed her pale blonde locks to flow freely, its length nipping just a tad past her shoulders.

"Well, are you going to show us that breathtaking figure of yours or what?" Thumbelina panted.

"Us?" Glynda's stern tone schooled her features.

"Yup!" Thumbelina replied in glee. "I'm sure you'll consider buying that bikini after he's seen it!"

"I don't see why I need to see your lead-mpf!"

"Thumbelina," Glynda said crossly, "I'm not in the mood to play games. I agreed to go shopping with you, but all you've done is throw clothes at me left and right. Port texted me a while ago and said he needed to talk to us before we head to Mistral, and I don't want to be tardy for our upcoming missions."

"Then get out here and show us that confidence you're so proud of!" The peach-haired huntress goaded.

"Fine..." The witch closed her vexed eyes and pushed aside the velvety curtains, revealing her modelesque form that most women would kill for.

"See, I told you that swimsuit was perfect for you! Don't you think so too?" Thumbelina nudged her surprise guest in the ribs and removed the shirt she'd shoved over his mouth, though she held a finger to her lips telling him not to speak.

The stoic blonde took a deep breath and though his expression remained stiff as a statue, his crimson pupils wandered his fellow blonde's attire lazily. Pulling out his tarot cards, the magician shuffled for a reading, but since neither he nor Thumbelina spoke, Glynda could clearly hear the sound of shifting paper.

Glynda bit her lower lip as her brows scrunched together. "O-Oobleck, that is you isn't it? I understand that you want to assist your beloved's endeavors, but you really should restrain yourself more."

Thumbelina giggled. "While my Ooberry will always be my number one, I have someone who comes close to number two!"

Glynda's fingers clenched around the curtain and wall of the booth. "P-Port, that's you isn't it? Why didn't you say that you were joining us? I'm sure your best friend would've said something about it..."

"Nope, our mustached storyteller is still talking with Ozpin back at Beacon, but the one beside me is a well-read individual all the same! But I'm generous so I'll give you another hint for your third guess, he's a member of team STHQ."

Her legs trembling, the witch prayed to Oum that her partner was simply messing her for giddy hysterics and when she opened her eyes there'd be nothing but empty air next to Thumbelina.

"T-Tai... It has to be Tai right?!" Glynda's voice snapped to a higher pitch. "W-Why didn't Summer or Qrow say anything?!"

"Hm... and here I'm always assuming that my leader's foresight is unmatched," Thumbelina was definitely embezzling on her partner's strife at this point.

"Then who is it?! For Oum's sake, Thumbelina, stop teasing me and just tell me who it is!" The witch barked.

"Why don't you open your eyes and see for yourself?" The peachette's pearly smile stretched from ear to ear.

"You know what? I bet that you're just mocking me for your own petty amusement, there's nobody there, and when I find out that I'm right I'm going to make you regret it!" The witch roared as her iron grip ripped off the booth's curtain and lifted the lids over her eyes.

For a moment, all was silent and still. Bright green eyes that were once fierce, widdled to a frozen and panicked state as they registered the person who stood firmly beside her giggling teammate.

His stone visage on full blast, the corners of Hawkins' lips twitched downward as he wiped the small specks of spit he'd been plastered with from his fellow blonde's shouting.

"The chances of that attire matching your figure comes to 89%. There, have I completed the task, Ms. Peach?"

"I-I... W-Why..." Glynda mumbled softly, her demeanor like that of a child who'd been caught with their hand in the cookie jar, she pulled the torn curtain over herself in an attempt to regain her decency. Though she couldn't hammer down the hot blush that marred her cheeks no matter how hard she tried.

"Oh don't be so shy, come on, give me that curtain!" Thumbelina pounced forward and before the witch could react, the velvety cloth was snagged from her trembling clutches.

After a high-pitched squeak, Glynda stood ramrod straight on reflex, allowing Hawkins' stare to roam her entire body.

Clearly unamused by the situation, the magician gave a careless shrug and informed the two ladies that his boat to Patch would be due within a half-hour. Bidding them a polite farewell, Hawkins turned toward the store exit but made sure to leave with a genuine comment to ease any potential scoldings from Glynda in the near future.

"You look delightful, Ms. Goodwitch, I hope your day at the beach is a restful one."

Watching him like a pair of hawks, the paired huntresses followed the former pirate's steps until he walked past the building's exit. The moment he was out of sight, the leader of GPPO addressed her subordinate in a venomous tone.

"THUMBELINA." Glynda's teeth gnashed together as both her body and the loose items on the floor were enveloped in a violet hue. Though her face was still red, what was once embarrassment had been swapped for righteous fury.

"Aw, that's not the tone you want to take with me dear," the snickering culprit wagged a playful finger.

"Oh? And what makes you think that you're walking out of this establishment alive?"

"Because," Thumbelina put a hand on her hip and pulled out her scroll, "in exchange for Hawkins' opinion I helped him with his new scroll."

"And?" Her patience thin as a blank sheet of paper, Glynda's stared down the peachette similar to a judge who was about to deliver the death sentence.

"I have his scroll number, something that no one, not even his own family has ever obtained until this day. I could share it with you, but seeing that you're the opposite of calm, maybe I should just delete Hawkins' number and forget about the whole thing?"

"I'll ease your punishment if you give me that number."

"Are you gonna keep that grumpy face?" Thumbelina played her next hand like a poker veteran. "That's too bad, especially since Hawkins is going on a vacation to Oum knows where soon."

"H-He is?" Glynda cursed her stuttering tongue. Why was she acting like this? She didn't care where Hawkins went or what he did! Not in the slightest!

Thumbelina cupped her cheeks like a giddy schoolgirl. "I wonder what kind of women he'll find on his long adventures? Maybe his destined soulmate since the one in Vale won't be able to contact him for a looooong while."

Glynda's brows furrowed and she again bit her lower lip. Why did she care what trouble that stupid magician got himself into? It'd been five years since she's known him, so whatever ruckus Hawkins found himself in was probably his fault.

"Very well, I won't punish you if you just share that stoic idiot's number. We have to make sure he doesn't cause cast any negative images on our shared title of hunters and huntresses after all." The leader of GPPO conceded logically.

"Do I have your word?" Thumbelina stared the witch straight in the eye.

The witch growled, "you have my word," curse her noble form and good nature.

"Alright, here it is!" The peachette squealed in delight. "You might also want to change back into your regular clothes and fix the curtains, the staff has been staring at us for a while now."

/-/

"Hello, Tai!" Sam knocked enthusiastically on the door belonging to the Xiao Long Rose household.

"Please, Sam, let me take care of the luggage." Tai smiled as he assisted the farmer with the heavy luggage.

"There's no need, Tai," Sam grinned. "I'm not as old as I look!"

The two sharing a chuckle, the rest of the Acre troupe entered the warm confines of the cabin then gathered in the living room.

"Well, if it isn't our favorite scarecrow," a hunter with spiked ebony locks smirked. Leaning against the stairway leading to the second floor was none other than Qrow.

"Mr. Branwen, Mr. Long," Hawkins acknowledged his teammates and gave them a slight nod of respect. While the magician rarely participated in team STQH's endeavors, he offered them helpful tarot readings when asked and was less rude to the group as a whole.

"Oh, Hawkins, you finally made it!" Summer skipped out of the kitchen with an apron smothered in pancake batter. "And I see Sam and Carla made it too!"

"Summer, it's been a while hasn't it?" Carla stepped forward. A challenging sparkle in her eyes, the fact was noticed immediately by the red reaper.

"Looks like we're gaining a couple of baked pounds this week, Tai." Qrow snickered in the background as his blonde partner drooled at the thought of chowing down on his favorite cupcakes.

"As long as fortune cookies are made, I can support the inevitable baking competition." Their stoic teammate grunted.

"Competition? Oh please, there's no need for unnecessary tension in the house," Carla scolded the three men as if they were tykes. "After all, it's my pleasure to teach Summer a thing or two about the pastry arts."

"Teach me?" The silver-eyed huntress pouted. "There's no need to burden yourself, I can take care of the cooking and baking around here no problem!"

She asserted with an overdramatic fist pump.

"By the way," Sam hurried from the front door to the living room to escape the inevitable bake-off that was sure to come, "where have Jaune and Trifa gotten off to?"

"Oh, they dashed to the backyard to see Yang and Ruby." Carla waved a hand toward the end of the hallway where the door leading to the backyard was left wide open.

"As for us," the cow Faunus delved into her white handbag and pulled out a pink, hand-knitted apron, "I'm going to make sure those pancakes in the kitchen are nice and fluffy. So why don't you boys go ahead and catch up? You know, leave us ladies to gossip and all that until breakfast is ready."

Carla didn't wait for a reply as she strutted past Summer and into the kitchen.

"I'll show you fluffy pancakes!" Summer growled cutely and did her best not to stomp after the cow Faunus.

"So, how about we check on the kids?" Tai suggested.

"Sounds good." Sam, Qrow, and Hawkins agreed.

For none of them wanted to serve as a single taste tester. Battles had to be fought with numbers after all, and their stomachs had a higher chance of surviving if they ate together.