Hey everyone, I know the inclusion of this character might be a little out of the blue, but I couldn't really think of a time when I should include him. Anyhow, I think Patch should be wrapped up by chapter 60, as there's one more adventure Yang has to make before all is said and done. And perhaps not everything will go as planned...?
The next morning came around sooner than desired, but a certain man was not going to let his muddled emotions get the better of him when he had a child in need of comfort.
"Yang?" Tai slowly entered the door and walked in. Careful not to step on the arts and crafts bundled on the floor, he made his way to the bunkbeds and spotted a twitching yellow ahoge beneath a jumbled blanket.
"It's me," Tai said softly as to not rouse or surprise his daughter, "your uncle told me that you both shared quite the adventure today."
A visibly shudder from the bedsheets, Tai stood back for a moment to gather himself.
"Easy," he muttered under his breath, "your daughter has just been through a traumatizing event that you helped orchestrate. Hmph, you could've done a better job, Hawkins."
Tai scratched his head and stopped that train of thought. "No... don't start pointing the finger, Tai, Hawkins just saved your daughter from being kidnapped."
Lost in self muttering, Tai didn't notice that the bedsheets over Yang had slipped off and she was now looking directly up at him.
"D-Dad?" She said weakly.
The adult blinked and bit his lip. To see his daughter in such a state brought a weight down on his heart. Kneeling so the two were at eye level, Tai brushed the stray hairs from Yang's face and smiled at her.
"Hey there sunny dragon, I heard from your uncle Hawkins that you shared quite an adventure yesterday."
Yang recoiled and tucked her arms around her knees.
"It was scary, wasn't it? But your uncle told me that you were really brave and held your ground and never left his side."
Seeing his words did little to help his daughter's mood, Tai extended a hand to pat his child's head. He continued to do this for what felt like hours, but over time he could feel Yang pressing forward to accept the kind gesture.
"I-It was really scary," Yang whimpered as tears began to swell, "some mean lady started attacking my uncle and hurt him!"
Tai comforted Yang with a hug. "It's alright, Yang, let it all out."
"S-She looked like me!" The tyke blurted.
Her father felt his spirit falter after hearing this. "Yang..."
"But that's what uncle Hawkins said isn't it?!" Yang's voice grew louder. "That I'm nothing like my mom and dad! But I don't want to be a meanie like the lady at the beach!"
The poor girl was awash in tears and bitter emotions as she sobbed onto her father's chest.
"Yang!" Tai's stern voice riled the crying kid from her outburst.
His features softened, the older blonde took in a deep breath and stared his little one directly in the eye.
"It's not about what we look like or from where we come from, what really matters is who we choose to be and the kind of person that we aspire to become. Take it from me, looks can only get you so far, and I'm sure there's more to that story with your uncle than he's letting on."
"W-What do you mean?" Yang asked.
Tai snapped his fingers with a grin. "I know its said that kids tend to take after their parents, but you shouldn't forget that by the end of the day, you're still unique and your own person to boot. The best example of this would be Jaune and his dad. Tell me, do those two act alike at all?"
"No... Jaune's too nice and a dummy sometimes and uncle Hawkins can be a rude meanie."
Tai's smile faltered but he let his child's remark slide just this once given the circumstance.
"So you see, that's proof that as long as you stick to your usual swell and kind attitude, I'm sure you'll grow into a person that me, your mom, Ruby, and especially you can be proud of."
Wiping the tears from his daughter's face with his thumbs, Tai and Yang shared warm smiles as the atmosphere grew much more peaceful. That is until a little red reaper and blonde goofball decided to burst through the door.
"Yang!" Jaune and Ruby shouted in unison.
Smiles etched on their faces, they hopped in excitement and explained that one of their favorite tv channels was on.
Yang blinked and quickly hid behind her dad so she could finish wiping her tears with her sleeve. Ruby and Jaune asked if she was alright, but Tai answered for her and told them she'd be down in a bit.
Sharing a glance, the two tykes hurried past the doorway and rushed down the stairs.
"C-Can I watch the show too?" Yang said after taking a deep breath.
"Sure thing," Tai nodded, "but promise me that you won't punch a hole in the wall this time."
Yang blushed at the memory as her excitement had gotten the better of her during the show's climactic arena battle.
"I-I promise!" She stuttered and rushed out of the bedroom to meet with Ruby and the others.
Glad that his child's strife was at ease, at least for now, Tai veered his attention to the ding sound from his pocketed scroll. When he opened the message he received, his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when he realized Summer had gotten the message as well.
"So... that's what your plan is. That's surprisingly selfless of you, Hawkins... and also a little dumb maybe..."
/-/
"Come on, Yang, the show's about to start!" Jaune grinned as he held up an open bag of potato chips to his friend.
"I still don't get why you guys like seeing people get hurt, fighting, in general, is kinda barbaric..." Trifa sighed as she claimed a spot next to Jaune on the living room couch then tore open a bag of caramel popcorn.
"But it's cool to see people test their limits and push forward!" Ruby squealed in excitement as the television screen shifted from an animal cartoon to one that bore the Mistralian emblem.
"Yup!" Yang agreed. "When I become a huntress, I want to be able to throw exploding punches like Mistral's Destruction Cannon!"
Securing a spot beside her sister on the floor, Yang snagged the chip bag from Jaune and extended it toward Ruby, but the little reaper politely declined as her jar of chocolate chip cookies and four milk glasses would suffice.
"And here we are!" Roared and announcer on the tv screen. "Once again live for the rising upstart, Ideo!"
Jaune, Yang, and Ruby cheered while Trifa covered her ears.
"This one is gonna be one heck of a fight folks, as the challenger today is a well-known rookie from the kingdom of Atlas!" His piece said the image of the announcer was swapped for a view of the stage behind him.
"Ka-Boom!" The square plateau rattled as roars and cries from standing spectators screamed over the arena.
"D-Damn it you long-armed freak! I'm gonna put you in the ground this time!" Screamed a curly-haired hunter.
His daunting opponent before him, the long-armed individual sported a dark brown jacket that hid his extending arms well above his head with red lines trailing down to his reinforced red gloves. Matching pants covered his lower half, with thick layers of bandages wrapped around his legs with a pair of plain black kung fu shoes. Gray knee braces served as what he considered 'suitable armor'.
"Hahaha! Come on and try it you loudmouth. If you're skills as a fighter matched your ego I would have been dethroned months ago! I guess its true what they say about Atlas being all bark and no bite when they don't have lien backing their words!" The long-armed man pumped his fists and lunged forward with an earth trembling jab.
"Destruction Cannon!" Ripples of smoke and flame burst from his fist as he made contact with the hunter's shield. The piece of armor protected the man from the initial explosion but did nothing to deter the momentum.
Skidding across the gray stone of the arena, the hunter was sent flying into the air and landed himself among the top seats of the stands. Oddly enough, all those seats were empty. As only the most daring of fans would dare to sit there. The crowds cheered for another challenger to step forward, but the mighty champion had his fun for today.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you all, but even a boxing champion needs a rest!" Ideo laughed. His fans cried for another round, but Ideo was already through the exit when his next challenger took the stage.
Posters and flyers of the esteemed boxer were hung along the hallways of the colosseum for all to see. Ideo puffed his chest with pride at the display. He knew he wasn't in the grande-line anymore, but that didn't matter. The adrenaline of honorable combat was enough to satisfy his desires, along with the friends he'd made at the colosseum.
Most were skeptical and flat out racist when the man came forward and entered his name among the combatant's ranks of the arena, but he soon proved himself to be the strongest fighter in all of Mistral. Well, that's what his fans claimed anyway. For his many victories had been earned through blood, sweat, and determination.
On his travels to the shower rooms, a familiar bundle of red hair caught his attention. The little girl was clad in a red shirt with matching pants and gloves with gold lining. Her flowing hair reached well past her shoulders, she sobbed in the corner of the hallway. Her face buried in her knees. Heaving a sigh, Ideo approached the girl and put on his warmest smile.
"Oi, Oi, what's got you so down today little champion? Was my performance too lackluster for you?" Ideo chuckled.
"M-Mr. Ideo!" The young girl squeaked. Quickly wiping the droplets that spilled through her green pupils, she picked herself up and straightened her clothes.
"I-I'm alright, it was just some dust that blew into my eyes after my practice match." The child slapped on a smile and clasped her hands behind her back.
"How are the shoes I bought you? Are they to your liking?" She asked.
"These shoes have gotta be the best present I've ever received!" The long-arm grinned.
However, Ideo had known the rising protege for quite some time now and could decipher when she was lying in a heartbeat. A smirk crossing his features, Ideo snagged the redhead by the end of her ponytail and hoisted her to eye level.
"Owie! I-Ideo-san that hurts!" The child cried. Her wincing eyes opened to see an exposed chiseled chest with four black cross tattoos, and when she met the gaze of her superior, she noted two piercings on both his ears and heavy eyeliner that matched the color of his thin beard. "I'll let you down once you tell me the truth Pyrrha. Were your parents trying to pressure you for more combat lessons?" The boxer frowned. He'd met the redhead's parents when he first registered as a competitor for the yearly regional tournament, and he was not impressed, to say the least.
"M-Maybe..." Pyrrha sighed.
Unsatisfied with her meek reply, Ideo shook her as she clutched her scalp with tears.
"O-Okay y-yes they were yelling at me for not being a good student!" Pyrrha yelped. Setting the sniveling kid back on her feet, Ideo flashed her a toothy smile.
"See little champion, was that so hard?" He chortled.
"T-That really hurt I-Ideo-san," Pyrrha grumbled as she rubbed her scalp.
"Not as much as when you lie to me little champion." Ideo shot back. His voice shockingly sharp.
"I-Ideo-san?" Pyrrha had to lift her head almost ninety degrees to meet the sights of the Mistralian boxer, and Ideo couldn't help but crack a smile at the scene.
"How about we ditch today's lessons and grab ourselves some ice cream? There's a new shop that opened up recently and I've been dying to try it." Ideo pointed to the exit of the arena and patted Pyrrah on the head.
The redhead spun every which way, making sure her parents and trainers were nowhere near to see her escape. Unfortunately, before Pyrrah could even consider the idea, a familiar pair of red locks entered her vision.
"Pyrrha Nikos!" They said in unison.
The father of the little champion was clad in golden armor, with short red hair and a stubbled chin. His wife was an exact copy of Pyrrah, but obviously more mature and kept her hair at shoulder length. They narrowed their eyes at the long-armed individual who had his hand on their child's head.
"For the last time Ideo, I told you to stay away from my daughter. All that lazy prattle you talk about is bad for her work ethic." Mr. Nikos snorted.
"Come her Pyrrah, we need to get you measured up for the clothing sets our sponsors are offering." Ms. Nikos extended a gentle hand for her child to take. She wasn't as stiff as her husband, but she was definitely pushy.
"Y-Yes mother..." Pyrrha offered a humble nod to Ideo, but the longarm blocked her path then took a step toward her parents.
"Oi, Oi, hold on a minute." Ideo interrupted. "Little champion here promised me two scoops of rocky road ice-cream. Aren't promises supposed to be kept? It isn't befitting of a prodigy to go back on her word."
"Didn't you hear what I said?" Growled the golden-clad warrior.
Ideo picked his ear, "Nope and I don't think little champion did either. Why don't you two let your kid live a little for a change? I'll even teach her a few of my techniques while we're out. How's that sound?"
Pyrrha's father scoffed, but her mother curled a brow.
"Perhaps that would be best." She said a little too calmly and even Pyrrah was suspicious.
"Alright, that settles it. Come on little champion, let's ditch these old coots and get us some frozen dessert!" Ideo plucked the red spartan by her armpits and placed her on his shoulder.
"Hang on tight, I'm not known for being slow." Ideo grinned.
Pyrrha clutched his shoulder as hard as she could, but did so with a beaming smile on her face.
"S-Slow down Ideo-san!" Pyrrha giggled.
"Looks like you need to improve your grip strength!" Ideo joked as the two rushed off the arena ground while sharing a laugh.
/-/
"Whoa, wait a second..." Qrow scratched his head for what felt like the hundredth time.
"I've done more than enough to explain my plans for the initiative. This way, you and our other teammates won't need to get involved in your sibling's dangerous antics." Hawkins replied lazily. He'd been mulling over his idea since last night, and now seemed like the best time to initiate it.
"But what your proposing isn't really what I had in mind."
The two men had ventured out early in the morning and sat on the shored fishing boat that overlooked the nearby lake.
"Hm?" Hawkins curled a brow as a bag of potato chips was extended toward him.
"I assumed you loved your flask more than these fatty confectionaries. Has Ms. Rose finally invoked the absolute rule of no alcohol?"
Qrow grunted as his cohort took a potato chip and meticulously inspected it.
"Summer hasn't really been herself since my sister decided to drop by as I'm sure you've heard that Carla's been through quite a handful during our leader's drunk escapade."
Hawkins rolled his eyes. "Ms. Rose doesn't come off as an alcohol enthusiast. Does she resort to the bottle often during times of stress?"
His cohort chuckled.
"No, not really, it's kinda my fault for leaving my flask out in the open. I'm just glad that the kids didn't get their hands on it."
Hawkins popped the potato chip into his mouth and nibbled it slowly. He didn't particularly favor cheap deep-fried foods but made an exception for his favorite honey glazed fortune cookies that were courtesy of Carla.
"Are you always that meticulous?" Qrow joked as he shoved a clump of chips down his gullet.
"It's how I've survived this long, so I don't intend to stop." The magician replied.
A calm silence emerging from the snacking, Qrow cracked his neck and crumpled the empty chip bag.
"I'm still not sure if I should go along with this crazy plan of yours." He said hesitantly. "My sister isn't the kind of person you want to get with on a personal level. Even for a tough guy like you."
"I'll manage," the blonde sighed, "after all I've fought with your sibling before and won the confrontation. If she's as cautious as you say she is, then by my calculations the odds of her opposing me stand at 32%."
The ravenette shrugged.
"It's not just my opinion you should be worried about. You've seen how riled Summer and Tai got when they saw my sister, but I guess you've already accounted for that haven't you?"
The magician nodded. "That is correct. As the percentages stand, the chances of our teammates accepting my proposition is 20%."
"Shouldn't that already prove that your plan is insane? The risk I took last night to contact my sister wasn't easy, and convincing her to a civil conversation was even harder."
Hawkins scoffed with a bitter smile. "I've said it before, would you rather I fix your problem here and now? Or would you like to salvage the inevitable situation after Yang is kidnapped?"
On queue with Hawkins' words, a portal of swirling red aura manifested before the two adults. Qrow immediately shot up from his seat and withdrew his weapon, but Hawkins remained still and pulled out his cards.
"Brother." Emerging from the portal was none other than the infamous Raven Branwen.
"Raven..." Her twin grunted.
"Calm down Mr. Branwen, your sister isn't here to fight, she's here to talk." Hawkins finished shuffling and returned his cards to his cloak pocket.
His crimson eyes narrowed on the questionable visitor, Raven stepped back and reached for her weapon.
"What is he doing here?" Raven snarled.
"I'm not in the mood for blood, unless you plan on being the provider, I suggest you keep your sword sheathed." The magician warned.
The nearby lake waves brushing against the shore providing the only source of sound, Hawkins crossed his arms and waited patiently for Raven to gather her bearings.
"You said you had a better alternative in making me the future tribe leader. So, have you finally decided to be my representative?" The bandit growled.
"Unfortunately not." Qrow scratched his head then pulled out his flask. "Matter of fact, I'm not too sure what to expect out of this."
"Then why did you go out of your way to call me here? Are you trying to provoke me? I already gave you a chance to redeem yourself in our tribe's ranks and I already gave you fair warning about my decision to reclaim my daughter."
Raven unsheathed her blade and pointed it at Qrow, then shifted it over in Hawkins' direction.
"Not to mention you decided to bring an eyesore. Is this supposed to be an ambush? I'm ashamed to see your cunning mind has dropped to this point."
"You were always the more cunning between the two of us..." Qrow muttered under his breath before collapsing his weapon and holstering it behind his back. "But all that aside, I think it'd be best for you to listen to Hawkins here."
Raven observed the stoic gentleman from head to toe. Now that she had a better view of him, he was tall, much taller than the usual hunter, and his stone visage did well to show he did not tolerate nonsense. Her eyes locking with that of the former pirate, she furrowed her brows as he did his own.
In time, Raven returned her blade to its home and clicked her tongue.
"Well? Are you going to speak? My patience is running thin."
Hawkins glanced at Qrow who nodded while crossing his arms.
"Your twin has informed me of the competition for succession." The blonde said.
Raven stepped forward, hands drifting to the weapon she'd just sheathed, Hawkins raised a quick hand and assured her he meant her no harm. Raven didn't believe this fully, but after the former pirate made no physical advance, she let him finish his thought.
"And I understand that you are in need of a combatant you can trust to win."
Hawkins slowly stepped forward, his stoic facade on full blast, he extended a gloved hand toward his former enemy.
"Thus I offer myself to be the one to serve under your banner. Temporarily of course, as my life in Vale takes precedence over your current ambitions."
Raven scoffed at the sudden proposition.
"Do you honestly expect me to accept your word? I know nothing about you except for the rumors my brother has told me. And if memory serves, he said that the magician of STQH is an introverted sort who loathes hard labor."
Hawkins curled a brow and directed it to Qrow who shook his head innocently.
"That's not entirely true," the magician said as he turned back to Raven, "I merely aim for the most efficient way in handling my problems. Whether they be combat or life-related. That being said, I feel that I would be the best candidate for your predicament given that I hold no prejudice over your tribe, as such, if the situation calls for it I am fully prepared to spill blood."
Raven glanced at the blonde's extended hand and felt her fingers twitch. She already knew that Hawkins was dangerous, and with him around the chances of her snagging Yang away were rather small, especially since Summer and Tai were fully committed to halting her advances.
Raising her arm, she hammered down the doubt in her heart for the potential that loomed before her. Hawkins was strong, as she'd learned from their prior battle, and he wasn't as soft as her former teammates either.
As the two clasped hands, Hawkins suddenly yanked Raven forward so that her frame was dwarfed by his shadow.
"However I feel the need to warn you that if you decide to abandon this agreement, and continue to pose a threat to my niece or family, know that I have already devised a countermeasure that results in your demise."
If Raven was scared, she refused to show it as her blood-colored pupils deflected the sharp crimson staring into them. Presenting the magician with a sly smile, she tried to retract her hand, but Hawkins wasn't letting her get too ahead of herself.
"Let's not forget that during our last bout, I was definitely the victor. Thus, if you should choose to deceive me or those affiliated with me, I will hunt you down as my talents are rather good at finding things. Especially things that wish to be hidden or forgotten."
His broad build mixed with his impenetrable stare, the magician displayed absolute dominance over the situation. Though a thought niggled in the back of his mind. Why was he doing such a thing? He clearly didn't want to spread his influence outside of Vale, as the quiet life had done wonders for his psyche.
The image of a terrified Yang that morphed into a potential Jaune getting abducted flashing before his eyes, Hawkins grimaced and slowly shook his head. The image of weakness, something he'd regrettably become affiliated with, coursed through his memories. His hands grew clammy and strengthened their grip.
Raven, uncomfortable with the magician's odd behavior, managed to pry her fingers free then rested a hand on her hip.
"We depart at the end of the week. No later, am I clear?"
"...Very well," Hawkins huffed, "that should be all then."
Raven stepped back and drew her blade to slash open a portal. The hazy swirling mass of red aura flickering as the seconds ticked by, the bandit allowed a smirk to cross her pale visage before stepping through her creation.
Qrow, who'd been silent during the whole ordeal, decided that now was the time to speak his mind.
"Are you really sure you want to go through with this, Hawkins? I hate to say it, but my sister is probably one of the most civilized members of my former tribe. The members of the Branwen tribe aren't exactly a bunch who help each other out. In their minds, it's the strong survive and the weak perish."
Qrow rubbed his neck. "Trust me, the scars on my back prove my words."
"There is no need to worry, Mr. Branwen, as I'm well acquainted with the term: survival of the strongest. So I can assure you that I'll satisfy your sibling's desires."
"That's what I'm worried about..." Qrow didn't say this aloud, but he'd witnessed Hawkins' ruthless tendencies during their missions. But the magician had softened a tad over the years so he wouldn't fall back to his old ways... right?