Just a quick detail everyone, after this chapter we'll be going into a sub-arc that revolves around Glynda Goodwitch and the current state of both Mantle and Atlas in terms of their economy and the well-being of their respective citizens. I decided to do this as I didn't want to write ten chapters of Hawkins on a bullhead, and this way I'll be able to transition his arrival to Vacuo much more smoothly.
Also, you'll be seeing more of Crocodile, Roman, Neo, and Daz. With Carmel also making her first official debut.
With that, happy reading and enjoy the chapter everyone.
Cheers, Searoar.
"Good evening, Hawkins, it's rare to see you up and about. Especially outside of Valesian territory." Glynda brushed a stray hair behind her left ear then turned her attention to Monet.
While the greenette stood at a perfect 6'0, this meant Glynda still held a solid five inches over her.
"Glynda Goodwitch, I assume?" Monet offered a subtle smile. "I've seen the magazine articles about the legendary witch and her team. It truly is an honor to meet you."
"We've already met before." The witch responded in a neutral tone.
Monet's smile shifted to a coy one. She stuck out her tongue and lightly bopped the side of her skull in a playful manner.
"Oh yes, at the grand reunion!" She remarked. "I'm surprised that Hawkins hasn't mentioned more about you during our outings together."
Monet puffed her cheeks and directed her seemingly soured mood toward the magician.
"You promised me you'd deliver the Red Reaper's and The Mystical Witch's autograph the next time we saw each other, and that was months ago!"
Hawkins appeared uncomfortable under the greenette's gaze but felt a chill run down his spine when he glanced in Glynda's direction. While his fellow blonde didn't show any malice, the magician was aware enough to read the room and could tell that something was amiss.
"Is everything alright, Ms. Goodwitch?"
"You never mentioned seeing Monet on a monthly basis." Glynda snapped to both Hawkins' and Monet's surprise.
Hawkins sighed. "There was no need to bring her or anyone else up during our bi-weekly chess matches."
"Bi-weekly?" Monet tilted her head cutely. "This is the first time I've heard of this."
His ire on the rise, the blonde male took note of the hasty retreat of the other members of GPPO. Thumbelina, who'd been the first to approach the magician, seemed to be the most eager to make an escape and managed to convince her boyfriend and good friend Port to follow her example.
"It's become an honest habit between the two of us," Glynda stated matter of factly, "and usually ends with us spending the rest of the night over a table at a high-standing restaurant."
Hawkins blinked. He knew that Ms. Goodwitch preferred to keep her social and personal life separate, so why on Remnant was she spouting all these unnecessary details?
"Oh, is that right?" Monet said nonchalantly.
"It is as I said." Glynda replied firmly.
"Attention all passengers," hummed the monotonous voice from the overhead speakers, "we will arrive at the exchanging stops between the kingdoms of Vale and Mantle. For those headed for Mantle, please gather your belongings and have your passports ready at the docking platforms."
Upon hearing the instructions, a disappointed expression took over Glynda's fair visage while a mischievous one bloomed on Monet's.
"Well, we wouldn't want to keep such a famous huntress waiting!" Monet said a little too eagerly. "Let's get going, Hawkins, there were a few things I wanted to catch up on before we parted ways."
"...Very well then." Hawkins sighed. "I wish you the best in your future endeavors, Ms. Goodwitch, I suppose we'll see each other in the next coming month? After all, the free dining I get to enjoy as the victor of our chess matches is something I look forward to."
His kind words sent both women for a loop, a small yet genuine smile appeared on Glynda's delicate features as she accepted the magician's statement. While on the other hand, Monet appeared to be completely baffled at the notion of the former pirate being so courteous.
Their pieces said, Glynda departed for her initial objective thus leaving Hawkins and Monet to their own devices.
"Do you enjoy annoying your peers to no end?" The blonde man grunted.
"It's a fun pastime seeing proud people get flustered. Besides, I didn't like how that huntress decided to barge in on our conversation like that." The greenette smirked.
"Yet you still persist on the fact that I'm an arrogant person." Hawkins groaned.
"My ambitions are not revolved around political power or vast wealth, so why do you care about what I do with my life?"
"But that's what makes you interesting!" Monet gave the magician a playful nudge with her hip.
"The fact that you used to be one of the most ruthless of in the worst generation with the fifth-highest bounty, yet you waste your potential on the sidelines while others take the spotlight, doesn't that bother you at least a little?"
"If it did, I'd have no reason to share it with someone like you," Hawkins replied glumly and remained silent for the rest of the ride.
However, despite his silence, Monet's lips had curled to an intrigued grin.
"At least you're more interesting than Vergo and the others in that damnd circle." She whispered quietly so that only she could hear her declaration.
/-/
"Is everything alright, Glynda?" Port asked bluntly, which earned him two subtle nudges from Oobleck and Thumbelina.
However, to the trio's surprise, their leader seemed to be faring rather well. In fact, if her subordinates were to place a bet, their lien would be on the fact that Glynda seemed happier than she usually was.
"Yes, everything is fine," the huntress said calmly. "At least now I have something to look forward to after I've dealt with the usual antics of my parents in Atlas..."
Thumbelina hummed softly. "Glynda, I know that we might not be in the same social standing as you in terms of nobility, but if you ever need us for anything..."
The witch raised an appreciative hand. "There's no need for that, as I'd never wish for my friends to experience such a distasteful environment."
"But it also pains us!" Oobleck frowned. "To see the person we respect the most endure such a burden on her own. It's not fair to you, Glynda, and we hate it when we feel like we can't do anything to help."
"Of course, there's always an alternative solution to all this." Port cupped his chin in deep contemplation.
"Oh? And how would I be able to avoid attending a mandatory summoning from my parents?" Glynda shook her head sarcastically.
"I never said you had to avoid them." Port corrected quickly. "I merely suggest that you bring someone who meets your standards who can help you to pass the time."
His leader rolled her eyes.
"I already told you the reason as to why I don't want any of you joining me, didn't I?"
Port chuckled. "I was referring to a certain stoic magician who has a high tolerance for snobby people."
Glynda blinked. Glancing behind her, she could still make out Hawkins' figure in the distance as he tried to separate himself from a pursuing Monet.
"Hawkins would never agree to such a thing. We all know how he acts, don't we?"
"Yet that same gloomy man attended our grand reunion at Beacon as your date." Thumbelina grinned. "And you've got to admit, Hawkins does carry himself with a certain kind of class doesn't he?"
"I wouldn't want to burden him either..."
"Might I also add that card-reading blonde is already familiar with the noble etiquette of the supposed higher classes?" Oobleck pushed up his glasses in a cheeky manner.
"Why, he even expressed a tad bit of disappointment when he didn't get the chance to dance with you at our grand reunion. He did learn the standard and advanced levels of the Mantlesian waltz in one night in preparation for your fake date."
"I am aware of that..." Glynda's face had developed the slightest tint of pink on her cheeks.
"So why not make up for lost time and make your next journey to Atlas a proper date instead of a fake one? Maybe you can trick Hawkins into paying for dinner to make up for all the chess matches you lost." Thumbelina giggled despite the annoyed look on her best friend's visage.
"But... How would I be able to coerce him? Summer is Hawkins' best friend and even she struggles to summon him for short missions..." Glynda sighed wistfully.
A sparkle in Thumbelina's, Oobleck's, and Port's eyes, they all shared a look that meant that they'd achieved their desired outcome.
Thus, the rest of GPPO's shared-ride was focused around the idea of tricking, or rather convincing, Hawkins as to why he should attend a rich gathering with the famed Mystical Witch of Beacon.
Meanwhile, despite Monet's attempts at striking an interesting conversation, only one thought weighed the magician's mind.
"Jaune..." He whispered under his breath.
/-/
"U-Um..." Jaune whimpered as he meekly walked up to the bonfire.
Roasted meat over the roaring flames, the boy furrowed his brows as the adults around him showed no regard to etiquette or those beside them. Instead, they shoved past each other, uncaring whether someone bit the dust, and greedily snatched a stick of sizzled meat.
By the time Jaune had made it to an open section, there wasn't any food left, only empty sticks. He clutched his stomach, the organs within begging for nourishment as Jaune had missed both breakfast and lunch now.
"E-Excuse me," Jaune tugged the pant leg of the nearest adult, "is there any food left?"
The man sneered spitefully at the pathetic kid.
"Use your eyes brat, if there isn't any left then it's your fault for not snatching one quicker than the others."
With that, the man smacked Jaune in the forehead and the boy tumbled face-first against the dirt.
Tears welling up beneath his trembling cerulean pupils, the bandits around him laughed and jeered as he scrambled to his feet. The bandits' laughter, however, didn't last long as the presence of a certain ravenette caused them to bite their tongues.
She didn't offer any pity to the boy she'd selected as a representative, but she didn't scowl at him either. All she did, was grab him by the collar then ordered him to seek shelter in Brick's tent immediately.
"Aw, come on, Raven!" The man who'd pushed Jaune grumbled. "We haven't gone on a raid for a while so that brat was the perfect chance to burn some time!"
His sentence ended by a harsh punch on the cheek, the man soared across the camp and landed in a stack of empty crates with a painful thud. None of the other bandits showed any effort to aid their fallen cohort, as they feared Raven's wrath more than showing their comradery.
Her silent statement noted, Raven shot the bullying group a menacing scowl on her departure before joining Jaune and the doctor.
"Stop rubbing your eyes kid, it'll only push the sand farther in." Brick sighed as he applied a damp cloth on Jaune's face.
The boy continued to sniffle and felt his breath hitch when Raven passed through the flap of the tent.
Cerulean eyes meeting with a pair of narrowed blood-red, Jaune showed a nervous but appreciative smile.
"T-Thanks for saving me some food."
Raven blinked. She'd done no such thing, but to her surprise, a plate of roasted carrots and small meat slices were placed beside Jaune's makeshift bed.
The bandit turned her attention to Brick and he nodded at her.
"Alright, hurry up and eat," Brick said to Jaune. "You'll be attending the next raid so you'd better be ready to fight or run."
The blonde blinked dumbly. "Raid?"
"Brick!" Raven growled suddenly. "Leave, I need to talk to the kid... alone."
The doctor seemed uneasy by the decision, but simply shrugged and gathered his belongings. He made it halfway out the tent but was shoved aside by a lanky arm.
"Oi, is Raven in here?" Dufor's gaze tightened on his target as she pushed Jaune onto the sidelines.
"This isn't your tent," Raven huffed, "if you want to talk there'll be plenty of time after the raid."
Dufor chuckled with his arms crossed.
"That's the reason I'm here," he said, "turns out that Marcus and a lot of the others decided to sit this one out. I don't know why, but Marcus has been pretty shifty as of late."
Raven rolled her eyes. "And why should I care? I've got enough problems as it is."
"That's true," her fellow bandit agreed, "if that blonde idiot is anything to go by I might as well consider you out of the race for the title of leader."
Jaune shivered as all attention fell on him.
"Everybody respects Brick," Dufor continued, "the guy's one of the most knowledgeable people on medicine that we have. So imagine our surprise when the old man decided to vouch for you by putting his name on the representatives' list."
Dufor's tone shifted from its usual grime to one that was far more sinister.
"So it's not really shocking that nobody approves of your decision to accept Brick's proposal."
Raven grit her teeth. "I never asked him to stand by me."
The lanky man shrugged. "Everybody knows that your brother was never cut out to live in the tribe and figured that it was only a matter of time before he died or was banished. Maybe both."
A slight twitch in her eye, Raven said nothing but felt her hand linger toward the hilt of her temporary longsword.
"I mean come on," Dufor scoffed, "I respect your skills as a fighter at the very least. But did Qrow ever show the same potential? The guy sank when he tried to swim, he fell when he tried to climb and starved when he had to eat."
Leaning forward, Dufor's smirk stretched from ear to ear as his own hands twitched to his knives.
"Heck, if it wasn't for his dear sister, the booze-loving asshole would've never made it out of his mother's womb!"
That line was the final straw. Blade unsheathed, Raven jumped forward with the intent of slashing Dufor in half. Unfortunately, the entire scenario had been baited by the lanky bandit's foul speech and he charged forward with a measured counterattack.
He pivoted to his right, slinked his knives between his fingers, and thrust them into Raven's shoulder.
A flare of red aura to protect her, the ravenette bit back a snarl and swung downward. While she may have been a swordsman, she was unfamiliar with Hawkins' steel and its different weight. So, while her movements were smooth, the handling of her weapon was not.
Dufor continued to skip around the room, lunging around the spacious tent with killer eyes and burning ambition. If he could take out one of his competitors here, it'd put a real wrench in Marcu's plot to use Raven for his own means to get ahead.
However, one other person occupied the tent. Most notably, a blonde child who'd ducked behind a small bundle of dirty laundry. His innocent blue eyes, usually calm, were squinted in anger for the words spoken against his uncle Qrow.
On the lookout for anything that could give Raven the edge in this skirmish, Jaune's sights landed on a stud that was put off-balance by a swift kick from Dufor. Crawling to said support, the blonde lad positioned himself behind the stud and gave it a hard push.
The strings attached to it snapped, and the drapes they supported swarmed over the fighting duo. Unfortunately for Dufor, he found himself under the heavier sections thus was forced to back off and dash out of the tent.
Raven, hot on his heels, did not allow the interruption to go to waste and landed a clean-cut against her fellow bandit's stomach.
His mid-section flaring in a green aura, Dufor lost his cool demeanor and snarled into a frenzy. Throwing his knives one after the other, Raven parried them with ease and got another hit on Dufor's neck.
This attack was much more severe, as the lanky man lacked muscle there, thus he felt the steel penetrate his skin and draw blood.
Bandits around the camp began to cheer and form a circle. Sure, they were used to seeing a good round of fisticuffs now and then, but to have two of the stronger members of the tribe have a go at each other was considered a celebration.
To his credit, Brick did try to break up the fight before things got out of hand, but his efforts were in vain as the battle between Raven and Dufor spilled into the tribe's general storage and rations.
Dufor was promptly kicked into a crate of vegetables, and while the cheering crowd called for a comeback, Brick could only grip his head in dread as they'd lost a significant amount of food.
"You damn bitch!" Dufor yelled and parried an incoming swing of Raven's sword.
With a rough elbow, the ravennette barreled across the sand but managed to set herself straight after a short hop.
"You started this fight, so don't whine when you're on the losing side." Raven smirked.
By the time the two candidates for leader ended their battle, a substantial portion of the camp had been thoroughly dismantled. More than half the tents were flattened, and the bonfire that was set up for breakfast had spread to the surrounding debris.
Finally, when tensions died down, Raven had proven the victor of the fight, but the cost of her winnings finally dawned on her when the tribe leader and Marcus returned from their daily raid. To cut a long story short, Mad Treasure did not seem happy.
"Oi, Oi, what's all this now? We weren't supposed to start the trials yet, so what is everyone getting all riled up for?"
Mad Treasure's eyes narrowed on the image of Raven standing triumphantly over Dufor's weakened body.
"Jararara! Couldn't wait to have a go at each other, eh? Well if that's the case..."
The tribe leader charged forward without warning and landed a solid punch against Raven's chest that sent her flying through one of the camp's temporary walls.
Mind dazed and emotions clouded, Raven tried her best to not close her eyes but felt her conscience drifting away despite her wishes.
As for Dufor, he was dragged away by the lackeys who supported him and huddled his tired form into his respective tent.
"Well ain't that a pathetic sight." Mad Treasure turned to Marcus who'd carefully watched the exchange.
"You think any of these guys are going to make it past the end of the year?"
Marcus gave a show of thinking it over then smiled a rather fake smile.
"Not if the Mountain Witch has anything to say about it."