Hey everyone, sorry for the late chapter but getting this one out was oddly hard on me for some weird reason. Anyhow, I know I've been delving a lot into Hawkins and the members of STRQ for a while, so I wanted to develop the plot and a lot of the characters too.
That being said, there will be another addition of an OC by the name of George who'll be around for quite a good while. I apologize to anyone in advance if OC's annoy you, but I do plan on fleshing out George's character like Carla and Sam's so he doesn't seem like a plank that I lean on whenever I need to develop the plot.
Also, I decided to use Fria and Rhodes as when I searched them on the wiki they barely had anything on them considering the roles they had in the original RWBY.
Cheers, Searoar.
"So what brings you to Vale?" Qrow asked through a mouthful of buttered toast.
His former teammate cracked a smile and waved over a young waiter.
"My headmaster in Mistral has assigned me the duty of keeping track of the Schnee's dust exports to the other kingdoms," Tyrian replied after ordering a bagel and glass of water.
"Not a fan of coffee?" Qrow curled a brow as his cohort shrugged.
"I'm not a particular fan of the beverage, as my energy is supplied by the very existence of the great one I praise."
The ravenette smirked. "You're sounding like one of those self-proclaimed prophets of Oum. Don't tell me you've been hooked on their ramblings too."
"Not in the slightest!" Tyrian loudly protested. "My loyalty resides in one place with no exceptions. To question such a fact would be blasphemy!"
The sudden uproar earning the curious stares of many, Qrow gestured for his friend to lessen his tone, and Tyrian sarcastically subdued.
"Back on topic, do you plan to visit Hawkins again?"
The scorpion Faunus' smile widened. "Of course, after all, as an honorary uncle, it's important that I keep track of Jaune's progress."
"Progress?"
"Yes, the little blonde is growing into quite the combatant, though his skills pale in comparison to a fresh hunter he's bound to reach a high ceiling if Hawkins is personally training him."
"That's a given," Qrow shrugged, "for all of his faults Hawkins is a powerful man. I've seen the way he manipulates straw first-hand, and I'm glad his attacks are never directed towards me."
"Yes..." Tyrian retained his smile but a sense of wonder glimmered in his amber eyes. "Though I wonder how powerful he'd be without that special power of his. Perhaps he'd be an exceptional swordsman at best, but I cannot imagine him surpassing his fellow teammates."
"..."
"Hm? What's with that puzzled face, Qrow? Is there something else you want to ask of me?"
Qrow ran a hand through his ebony locks. "You've visited Hawkins more times than I can count. So I'm guessing you might know something about that strange power of his."
"Oh, you mean his straw manipulation? I've had my theories, but I cannot say with confidence that any of them are plausible. However, why gather such information from a second source when you live within walking distance of that stoic magician?"
The ravenette sighed. "That's easier said than done. Not only is Hawkins a closed book, but he isn't a very talkative type either. Believe me, if Summer can't get the guy to let some facts slip then there's no way in hell that I'm going to get anywhere."
"Haha, the card-loving blonde is quite secretive, isn't he? Though I'd wager that his secrets aren't as hidden as he'd like."
This piqued Qrow's interest up a notch.
"What? Did you manage to get something out of him?"
"Jealous?" Tyrian teased.
"More surprised really, I mean, I've been the guy's teammate for the past six years."
Tyrian slumped into his chair with a delighted hum. "I asked him about a peculiar map belonging to the North Blue, and surprisingly enough he was able to give me a rough description of the territories."
"A map of the north blue?!" Qrow slammed his empty cup on the table and shot up from his seat.
"Indeed, though I'd like to remind you that we're in a public setting." The secret Faunus waved lazily to the sudden onlookers the ravenette had alerted.
"Right..." Qrow drifted back into his chair then asked if he could see this so-called map of the North Blue.
Wiggling his eyebrows mischievously, Tyrian retrieved a drabby roll of paper fastened by black string. Casually revealing its contents, scribbles of islands and their respective names were found all over the page with a detailed compass drawn in the bottom left corner.
"This can't be real, how and where did you get this?" Qrow said with a slacked jaw.
"Hahaha! My cohort Monet has garnered a rather... interesting relationship with that magician of yours. So much so that she's gone out of her way in digging up history he'd rather forget."
"Hold on, you mean that green-haired lady that visited during Beacon's grad celebration?" Qrow felt a sting of uncertainty nick his conscience.
Tyrian's smile shifted to a sly one at that remark.
"But of course!" He rambled on. "I do recall that you hit on her last time she came here, but I'm disappointed to say that she was not impressed with what you had to offer."
The ravenette choked on his breath. Oh, that's right, he did make a move on a rather attractive female not too long ago at his favorite bar. Though she was probably deterred by his booze reeking breath since he'd dropped by rather late at night. Scratching his head at the embarrassing memory, Qrow did his best to change the topic but Tyrian would not cut the rope that soon.
"Ah, but there may be hope for you yet! As it stands, Monet is still single despite having most men wrapped around her finger and I don't think she's shown any fancy to them. So if it's a sincere relationship you seek, by all means, my friend, go ahead and pursue that snow-loving bird!"
A cautious but hopeful glint in the corner of his pale red pupils, Qrow's lips dipped into a frown as Tyrian burst into rambunctious laughter.
"I'm sorry, but the bait was too good so I had to lay it out. In all fairness, I'd like to warn you that Monet is a rather two-faced sort. She talks about her business as if it were a simple day-to-day job, but the way she executes them might make you reconsider striking up a relationship with her. Why the last bloke who made a bold advance suffered from frostbite the next day and I mean that literally."
His jeering done with, Tyrian pushed the old map toward Qrow and told him it was on the house. Though he added a warning that Hawkins would not be pleased with the invasion of his privacy, as would any man with a past they'd rather keep hidden.
"Attention all passengers," rang the fuzzy speakers, "we will arrive in Vale in five-minutes time so please gather at the boarding platforms with all your belongings."
"Just one last thing before we wrap up here..." Qrow said as both he and Tyrian stood.
"How did Monet manage to gather information on a location that doesn't exist on our maps?"
The brunette shrugged. "She has her sources, but I'm not privy to them. Though if I were to guess..."
Tyrian's jovial visage stooped to a stoic one you'd usually find on a certain magician.
"It's that Monet gathers her intel from someone high up the social ladder in Mistral. In fact, you've probably seen her face before in many fancy news articles and general beauty advertisements."
With that crumb of intel, Tyrian bid his former teammate a polite goodbye and ran away before Qrow could ask for an elaboration on Monet's mysterious informant. His gaze drifting to the map in his hand, he pocketed for future use. After all, the Hawkins and Acre family were dropping by on Patch for the yearly get-together, but how would the magician react to a seemingly out of nowhere map of his homeland?
"I'll get over that hurdle when a proper opportunity comes around... though with Hawkins I'm not sure if there ever will be a good time."
The roaring engines settling into a humming tune, the bullhead's speed lessened as the tall buildings of Vale's commercial district drew closer by the second.
Carefully folding his new map and pocketing it in his coat, Qrow finished the last drop of his whiskey and left the bullhead with more questions than with no answers to show for them. Hopefully, the ever-wise headmaster of Beacon could shine a light on the situation.
/-/
The hot breeze of summer passing through his spiky ebony locks, the dry air did little to distract the hunter from his muddled stroll through Beacon's large courtyard. Though he wished to believe that his pursuit of Hawkins' history was just, he couldn't help but feel guilty about doubting the stoic magician's intentions.
The blonde had done nothing to earn Qrow's ire and helped his broken team mend many loose ends that he himself had contributed towards. If anything, it was just his childish curiosity that was fueling his desire to know more. Though could you really blame him? Out of nowhere, a man of great power appears who does not possess any kind of aura or semblance to speak of. Which garnered the question, how on earth did Hawkins manipulate straw and sprout the stuff from his body?
The fact that even Ozpin didn't know about Hawkins' mystery powers also drew concern. Heck, Qrow was debating whether Hawkins did possess magical powers beyond his comprehension at this point!
"Qrow, it's been quite some time since you last visited. Tell me, how are things holding up in the lower sections of Mistral?" Ozpin asked between sips of his favorite coffee.
Blinking rapidly, Qrow had lost track of his walk path and ended up in the exact spot he'd been aiming towards. The harmonious ticks of gears echoing both below and above, the headmaster's office sparkled with a polish of recent cleanliness with the scent of lemon lingering in the air.
"The slums are as bad as I remember them, maybe worse." The ravenette grunted.
"I see..." Not a single paper on his desk, Ozpin adjusted his glasses and sighed.
"While the rates of poverty are concerning, we must focus on the bigger task at hand. I trust that the spider's gang managed to give you some insight on our missing Haven student?"
"Sorry Ozpin," Qrow lamented, "but the only things that came out of that encounter were violent surprises and a visit from my sister."
The headmaster seemed surprised. "Raven? How did she know where to find you?"
"The easiest explanation would be her semblance, but I don't think she decided to drop by randomly." An expression of concern crossed the hunter's face.
"My sister knew who I was looking for and the item she snagged when she ditched. Not only that, Ms. Malachite and the entire underworld have picked up on the notion of devil fruits and the potential they possess."
Ozpin's features stiffened and his tone grew stern.
"Yes..." He said slowly. "The topic of devil fruits are leaking to all the wrong places, but I'm hardpressed to say that we have no way of stopping it. Since the day the Haven student abandoned her duties, the rumors of her leave have spread far and wide since."
A tinge of annoyance nicked the back of Qrow's brain.
"Which brings me to ask, why the hell am I scouring half the planet to find one girl? The devil fruit I understand, but I can't imagine as to why we'd care so much about a typical runaway."
The hunter didn't mean to come off so rudely, but recent events had worsened his manners and raised his temper.
"I understand your strife, which is why I've decided to come clean in regards to your recent missions. At first, there was no need, but I see now that things are escalating to a level that I did not account for."
Upon his words, the bells of the metal elevators dinged, and from the polished doors entered two men bearing the standard military uniform of the Atlesian territories. The first to introduce himself was a man of tall stature and broad features. Thick sideburns of white grazing the sides of his wrinkly face, he presented the badge of a golden and proud lion but maintained its image through that of a humble man.
The second to enter was a much younger man more around the age of Qrow. His name well known to the ravenette, the man offered his fellow hunter a genuine smile and extended a gloved hand.
"Hey, Jimmy, didn't expect to see you here," Qrow grunted with a smirk.
"It's James," the Atlesian quipped, but his tone held no malice.
Unlike his superior, the attire of James was that of a simple Atlas soldier. Bearing a standard set of angled chest armor and shoulder pads that extended to light gauntlets and gloves, black pants covered his legs with patted boots similar in color to his white and blue upper armor. James had also let his hair grow out, but still kept it in its usual military trim.
Last but not least was the only detail that differentiated James from the typical Atlesian grunt. A silver badge of an eagle hitched on the center of his belt, while it lacked the splendor of the golden eagle, it maintained a proud persona nonetheless.
"A pleasure to see you, Ozpin, I trust that our scheduled meeting after this session will go unimpeded?" The older gentleman hummed.
"Of course," replied his fellow headmaster, "but first we must deal with the current task at hand."
All eyes on Qrow, the hunter swallowed a thick lump and forced his lips to move.
"So... what brings the top general of Atlas and one of his brightest students to Vale?" Qrow felt the need to break the awkward ice and slapped on a grin.
"Please," the wrinkly man hummed, "no need for honorifics and all that. George will suit me just fine."
Qrow blinked at the gentle tone of such a high statured man. The majority of those on the top ladder of Atlas tended to be a sour bunch, but perhaps there was hope for the new establishments yet.
"As you know," George continued nonchalantly, "that the topic of devil fruits has been leaked to almost every under-the-table dealer in Remnant. We cannot stop the swell of those greedy traders, but I along with the other headmasters, have developed a possible deterrent to those pursuing these power-inducing delicacies."
"What about the kingdom councils?" Qrow asked. "Were they not informed of the possible threat that these devil fruits possess? Heck, maybe one of them decided to let some secret information slip if you catch my drift."
"A sharp one," George smiled, "you chose well Ozpin."
The cane-wielding headmaster nodded at the compliment and stood from his seat. Staring out the windows then back to the men before him, Ozpin sipped the last of his coffee and placed his mug on his desk.
The bell of the elevator rang again, another duo appeared though the first to enter was a woman. Her brown hair kept in a bun, a mixture of smoky gray locks displayed her old age.
"Hello, everyone, it's quite a nice day isn't it?" She smiled warmly as she adjusted the hems of her turquoise jacket.
"Hm, not a bad office, though I could do without the gears." Chuckled a dark-skinned man close behind her.
His attire reminiscent to that of a veteran hunter, he wore a Prussian blue shirt covered by a bronze pauldron and navy blue vest, alongside straps over his chest and arms that linked to the belt which held his dual maces.
Flicking the long bang of black hair from his brown eyes, he greeted everyone in the room with a jovial attitude and positioned himself on the sidelines after saying his piece.
"To cut to the chase," Ozpin took the spotlight, "this man is Rhodes and serves as Ms. Noel's personal guard."
Qrow nodded at the newest additions, though his curiosity eventually overcame his politeness.
"So what's with all the high-status Atlas folk?"
George chuckled while patting his chest.
"Mr. Branwen," though his tone remained kind it had taken a certain sternness one would expect from his position.
"The people who've just joined us are two of my oldest friends and longest supporters. The wonderful lady also happens to be the winter maiden."
The former bandit blinked dumbly. "Hold on, isn't a maiden an unmarried woman and a virgin?"
James scoffed at the rude remark and moved to speak against his fellow hunter but a swift hand from the woman in question stopped his tongue.
Qrow shifted his sights to Ms. Noel and rubbed his neck awkwardly. "No offense by the way."
"None taken," Ms. Noel giggled, "but you may call me Fria if you like. Now then, please continue George."
The Atlesian headmaster coughed into his fist and continued. "This is not a concept spoken of in the open, and I urge you to keep the details we speak of in here under lock and key."
He then gestured to Ozpin to complete the explanation.
"The maidens," the silver-haired headmaster said, "possess powers beyond our realm of comprehension. They are able to manipulate the common elements to their will and thrive in the element of their respective season."
"Season?" Qrow really hated how stupid he sounded.
"Each maiden adheres to a specific time of year. For example, Ms. Noel here is the winter maiden and excels in the powers of ice and snow. For example..."
Ms. Noel stepped forward and raised both her hands. A sudden chill whisking throughout the room, snowflakes surrounded the kind woman and quickly developed into a fierce wind. A pillar of ice erecting beneath her feet, Ms. Noel elevated herself several feet into the air and now looked upon her observers with a giddy grin.
"Wow, that almost seemed like magic for a second." Qrow cupped his chin and poked the ice pillar. "So do the maidens get an extra boost to their aura reserves and gain a semblance to boot?"
"That's close dear, but this little trick of mine is not done through aura." Ms. Noel informed him and jumped down to floor level. "Rather, it's an outer quality that is passed on through one's dying breath with the image of the last female they interacted with before their passing."
"Does the power only work with girls?" Qrow pushed on.
"Yes, but we don't quite understand why only women can inherit the power," George said while rubbing his temples.
Giving a moment to let his brain soak up all this new information, one question piqued Qrow's interest above all others.
"Okay, so I'm guessing the girl that ditched Haven is a maiden too then right?"
Both George and Ozpin nodded.
"It's unfortunate," the Beacon headmaster sighed, "but I do not think that Leo is giving me the whole story in regards to her disappearance. While the secrets of the maidens and devil fruits are of the utmost priority, they were entirely separate subjects and Haven's maiden should not have known about the power inducing fruits at all."
"So somebody went out of their way to tell her about them?" The ravenette asked.
"Yes, but my instincts tell me that the mole who is responsible is not of Mantlesian, Atlesian, or Valesian decent." George scratched his beard. "Which leaves us with only Mistral and Vacuo, though I hate to doubt the intentions of my fellow headmasters or councilmen."
"Alright, so my new mission is to not only find the girl, but also bring back the devil fruit, and find out who spilled the beans to her? I'm not one to complain, but I don't think you're paying me enough for all this extra work..."
Ozpin chuckled. "That's a fair statement, but I wasn't quite sure whether I should get you or your team completely involved. Especially due to Summer's and Tai's new role as parents."
An uncertain glimmer in his eye, Ozpin lowered his sights and tapped the head of his cane. "Not to mention that questionable addition your leader vouched for."
"Yeah... Hawkins is a puzzle alright. But I don't think he means any harm, he has his own family that he's looking out for, and the majority of the things they say about the magician is positive stuff."
"Hm, though it may seem, anyhow onto business." At Ozpin's words, the elevators dinged open once again.
"Port?" The former bandit's eyes widened.
"Hello everyone, I apologize for my tardiness, but Amber here wanted to explore her new home a bit more." The mustached gentleman chortled.
Holding his hand was a young girl adorned in a white shirt and dark brown shorts. Her chestnut-colored hair drooping over her eyes, she seemed shy as she rubbed her arm nervously.
"Don't worry dear, the people in this room are of good form. Believe me, none of them bear any ill will against you." Port soothed.
"R-Really?" Amber asked with innocent eyes.
Fria was the next to speak.
"Hello dear, it looks like I've finally met someone who shares my special gift." Her lips twitched upward to reveal a line of pearly teeth, Fria and Amber took a quick liking to each other and exchanged introductions.
"Hey there," Rhodes butted in with an equally wide smile. "The name's Rhodes and I've been Ms. Noel's guardian for the past five years. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"H-Hello!" Amber squeaked.
As the Atlesians and Amber got to know one another, Qrow slid out of the scene and put himself next to Ozpin.
"So, I don't think this needs to be said, but I don't think I'd be a good guardian for that girl given my semblance and all that comes with it."
Beacon's superior laughed. "There's no need to worry as Amber will be taking lessons from Fria as she develops the gifts she's adopted. However, the reason I decided to bring you and James into this private circle is that the threats in the shadows are growing, thus we the holders of light must withstand all they throw at us in order to preserve the peace between the four kingdoms."
"So does this make me some sort of secret operative?" Qrow curled a brow.
"Yes, I think it does." Ozpin nodded. "And your first duty will be to watch over Amber and her family as they integrate into Vale's territory. That young girl doesn't realize it yet, but she is the fall maiden whose powers originated from this land."
"Ya don't say," the former bandit stroked his chin, "so where is she and her family moving into?"
"Amber's parents were once farmers in the southern towns of Mistral, but seeing that those settlements have been taken over by Grimm or abandoned for different reasons, they'll be settling in the agricultural district with many other refugees on the other side of the city once Amber completes her first year of maiden training."
Qrow blinked. "You think the current inhabitants are going to be okay with a mass migration? I'm not trying to question you or anything, but I can't say for sure that the Faunus farmers will be okay with tons of humans entering their supposed land."
Ozpin's visage adopted a playful smirk. "What are you saying? I do believe a rather notorious magician lives there no?"
"And he happens to be a human to boot..." Qrow lamented. His eyes downcast, he reached for his flask but his fingers wrapped around a rolled-up piece of paper instead. The gears in his mind grinding, he whispered to his headmaster if he could talk to him alone.
Both about Hawkins' mysterious past and powers, and his elder sibling's claim of Ozpin's lie about there only being three devil fruits...
*Qrow's Secret Mission Sub Arc. End.*