"Starr? Who's this?" Doron Wukong, leader of the Wukong tribe, sighed deeply at the sight of Starr nursing a trembling child.
The chieftan was a giant of a man, standing seven feet and seven inches, shoulder length hair-gold as the sun- ran straight down his broad shoulders and contrasted his dark skin. He wore orange robes that were tied by a wide leather belt with a pair of leather sandals to finish off his outfit.
"I picked him up..." Starr did her best not to seem nervous, but the amount of attention she was drawing had begun to naw at her defenses. With a quick intake of breath, Starr straightened her posture and met the chieftan's curious stare head on.
"He doesn't look like a bandit." Doron mused as Starr set the child down.
The boy was too innocent looking, Doron grunted, despite how he was puffing out his chest to look tough. Yet, there was something else about the boy that nicked worry in Doron's mind. He had a red scarf and had a sword strapped on his back. If memory serves, the Branwens favored that style.
"We don't have the ressources to feed another mouth." Doron said plainly. "Put him back where you found him, unless you wish to join him in the wilderness."
The boy's face fell and tears welled up in his eyes. He turned to Starr, and her tail flicked back in forth in difficult contemplation. She was only seventeen, but she was the only direct family Sun had left npth their parents died. It was cruel and unfair, but if Starr had to choose, she'd have to abandon Jaune so she could continue her watch over her mischevous cousin.
"I'm sorry," Starr knelt down and retrieved an apple from her pocket, "I wish things could be different, but this is all I can do for you."
Jaune felt his world collapse. Panting, he threw himself at Starr's feet and begged her to reconsider.
"I-I can do all the tribe's laundry!" He begged.
"I'll polish all of your weapons!" His throat was course now and his words were barely audible.
"Just please let me stay! I don't wanna watch anymore people DIE!" Jaune fell in a puddle of his own defeated tears and cried himself dry. His grip on the small tufts of grass grew weak and he could no longer control himself. He wailed for his home, to see the smile of those he held affection for, but no matter how much he cried, he was at a dead end.
"...Pitiful." Doron's voice was strong and powerful, though he glanced to the side and avoided the unsightly display in front of him. The chieftan glanced at his fellow tribesmen, and none of them appeared to be interested in what Starr's refugee had to offer. That, or they were too ashamed to play a part in Jaune's dismissal.
Yet this was also a good reminder of how much the Branwen's had devolved in terms of humility and honor. To reduce an innocent child who couldn't have been more than six years old, to a broken beggar was beyond horrible.
"Starr," Doron demanded, "I will not ask again. Return this boy to where you found him. Otherwise, I will be forced to do it myself."
Doron reached for his spear, a surprisingly advanced weapon with a rotating dust chamber installed just below the blade that was half the length of a shortsword.
"That's a really mean thing to do." Came another childish voice that made Starr's ears and tail perk up.
Sun casually chomped on his apple as he stared his tribe leader straight in the eye. The Faunus boy had quite a lot of pluck, much like his former parents, and didn't appear to be fazed by Doron's spiteful glare.
"Sun Wukong," Doron turned to address the small disturbance, "you're a magnet for trouble so it does not surprise me that you and your cousin are responsible for this whole endeavor."
Sun shrugged. "It's not entirely our fault. You're so scared of the Branwen's, that you led us out of the south and kept harping everyone to go north. If you take it from me, it's your fault that we ran into Jaune."
Doron scowled at the lad's impertinence.
"Your father had a bad case of running his mouth," the chieftain tightened his grip on his spear, "and I don't need to remind you as to why he is no longer in the land of the living."
Sun frowned. "Yeesh, you used to be so cool, but now you're just like all the other cowards who run at the first sight of a threat. What happened to be one of the strongest tribes in all of Vacuo? My dad said our clan's proud reputation was the main reason we didn't have to worry about fights. At least that's one of the things he told me before he kicked the bucket."
"Sun!" It was Starr who called out the boy and his carefree tongue. She rushed past Jaune, who was now staring at Sun and trying to wipe the snot and salty droplets off his face to get a clear view of the tense interaction.
"Do not test me, boy. I spared you and your cousin in respect to both your late parents, but I will not tolerate such disrespectful behavior." Doron warned.
"Then why not just kick us out?" Sun huffed and crossed his arms. "You kicked out my dad, and you only watched over me and Starr because my mom begged you to. Heh, I don't think you really care about me and my cousin, do you?"
The eyes of the surrounding tribesmen widened and their jaws fell slack at what they assumed to be Sun's stupidity talking. Sure, the tyke could banter with the best of them, but this time there was nothing playful in the way he weaved his words.
"Not only that, my dad told me you really liked my mom, and you've been jealous ever since they married. Guess you can't have everything even if you're the chieftain, huh?" Sun smirked but soon found himself flat on the ground with a dribble of blood coming out of his nostrils.
"Sun!" Starr put herself between Doron and her cousin with both hands raised in askance for mercy.
"Don't be too hard on him!" Starr shook her head vigorously. "We saw the leader of the Branwen tribe and his lackeys stalking around the nearby forests and we've been put on edge ever since. Please, Sun doesn't know what he's saying, it's all a method to cope with the cruelty we've witnessed!"
Doron grunted. He could tell his fellow tribesmen were judging him, but the decision to show empathy or compassion hung over him like a turbulent storm cloud. No matter what Doron chose, there would be a storm from a handful of his peers whether he liked it or not.
"See to it that the boy is fed..." Doron said slowly and raised his spear at Starr. "From this point on, both Sun and that other blonde will be under your vigilance and you'll have to provide for them both without the aid of the tribe's treasury or food stocks. That is unless you wish to carry out my initial order."
This time, it was Starr's blue eyes that gained a fire to them as she glared at Doron.
"Fine." That was all Starr said and grabbed Sun by his collar and dragged him over to Jaune.
"Everyone!" Doron yelled with both arms raised. "We make for the northern ruins the next morning. Whatever you can carry, pack it on the sleds and make sure food, water, and medical supplies are the priority!"
"Come with us," Starr said plainly and Jaune hurried after his new caretaker like a devoted puppy and entered a small orange tent that was pitched far from the rest; while bearing the Wukong tribe's sigil that was composed of a monkey holding its hands above its head toward a bright sun.
Once the three were settled and Starr got a chance to gather her bearings, she snagged Sun by his tail, which earned a yelp from the boy, and held him up at eye level.
"What were you thinking?!" Starr clenched her teeth so her screams would not be heard by those outside.
Sun pouted and crossed his arms. "I was being a nice person."
"A nice person?!" Starr threw her cousin and he landed on a pile of blankets with a soft plop.
"Sun, do you have any idea how starved the tribe is for resources?! There's barely enough food to go around, and our scavenging teams are bringing less and less game despite sending more hunters into the forest!"
Sun raised his voice. "It's not my fault that the tribe's getting choked by the stupid Atlesians and their big machines! That, and there's the Branwen's who are trying to hunt us all down and put us in cages to sell into slavery. Not to mention the other smaller tribes."
Starr balled her fists, but instead of going on another rant, she hung her head and sat on her own bed with a face that was mixed with both worry and anger. She couldn't keep an eye on Sun all the time, and the idea of her cousin running his mouth as he did earlier brought a great amount of weight upon her shoulders.
Why couldn't Sun be a quiet boy who liked to help others instead of being a nuisance who liked to throw banana peels for people to trip on?
Starr glanced to the side where a silent Jaune stood quietly in the corner of the tent. He hadn't moved since he was brought in, and his gaze wandered everywhere except in Starr's direction. His eyes were still moist, but at least he managed to keep himself together.
"Alright, so you're name's Jaune, right?" Starr stood and put her hands on her hips.
Jaune nodded.
"From which kingdom are you from?"
"Vale." Jaune replied.
Starr frowned. "That kingdom is without a doubt the weakest of the four. Sure, Vale emphasizes peace above all, but do the people there really not understand how peace is maintained?"
Starr deadpanned as all she got from both Jaune and Sun were blank stares.
"You need to be strong to invoke your ideals, otherwise whatever you praise will fall on deaf ears. Either that or the weaklings who supported your lofty cause will wind up dead."
"Great," Sun whispered to Jaune, "when Starr starts rambling about how the world works there's no stopping her..."
"It's okay," Jaune shrugged, "my aunt Summer is the same way when she starts talking about delicious pastries and weapons."
"Pastries?" Sun curled a brow.
Jaune blinked. "What? Have you never heard of a cookie or a pie?"
The boys fell into a silent banter about the baking arts while Starr continued to monologue about the importance of heritage and survival. All the while, Jaune couldn't help but smile as this was the longest, most peaceful interaction he'd had since he arrived in Vacuo. However, the mention of flaky treats did cause his stomach to grumble, which earned a mischievous smile from Sun.
"Hey, you think we can find one of those pie thingies if we follow the tribe when they go hunting?" Sun asked in honest curiosity.
"Um... pies don't grow on trees and they aren't animals..." Jaune scratched his cheek. "You have to gather flour, milk, sugar, and lots of fruits to use as fillings."
"Uh-huh," Sun waved a disinterested hand and yawned. "We'll figure out the details tomorrow because when the tribe goes hunting, the younger kids are tasked with a few adults to find water and other vegetables, but we can sneak away if we're smart about it."
The sun fading behind the horizon, the sky gained an amber hue that hung over Vacuo with a merciful mellowness. However, that blessing would not last as the nipping of cold whisked into the tents of the Wukong tribe, causing Jaune to shiver and sneeze.
Jaune was grateful that, despite Starr's harsh words, she'd provided him with the basic necessities for a warm sleep. However, the tapping of Sun's flicking tail across his cheek annoyed him. After the tenth swipe against his forehead, Jaune took action and grabbed the tail.
"Sun... don't pull on my tail..."
Jaune's eyes went wide as they followed as to who the tail in his hand actually belonged to. From across him and in another set of blankets, Starr slept lazily and half-covered as a drop of drool lingered off the corner of her lip.
Jaune glanced back to the tail in his hand. He'd always been told by his grandparents that a Faunus' animal trait was very sensitive and very personal. To grab the respective trait without permission was seen as disrespectful, and he'd seen examples of this when his father was scolded for accidentally grabbing his Grandma Carla's ears.
Jaune yawned and was about to let go of Starr's tail, but when she moved slightly and her tail rubbed between Jaune's fingers, it dawned on the boy that...
"Wow, it's really soft..."
Jaune's curiosity piqued, and his manners faded as he carefully poked and rubbed Starr's tail. He sat upright and shrugged off his blanket, then looked to see Starr's reaction.
"Sun... knock it off..." Starr muttered, but there was a slight upturn in her lips when she said that.
Jaune, ever careful, dragged one finger along the soft fibers of Starr's extended appendage and wore an innocent smile when he heard Starr giggle.
"T-That tickles!" Starr unconsciously buried her head in her pillow and let out a few muffled laughs.
"Wow, Grandma and Grandpa were right..." Jaune cupped his chin with his free hand. "But Granpa says he doesn't feel anything when people touch his antlers. So I guess it's true that blood has to run through the Faunus trait to make it sensitive..."
The flap of the tent swung open, a cool breeze brushed against Jaune's neck and his whole body stiffened.
"Hey, what are you doing to my cousin's tail?" Growled Sun as he chomped into a red apple. The crunch makes his words sound even more intimidating than usual.
"Um... I'm not too sure to be completely honest..." Jaune gulped as Sun closed the distance and stood over the boy with his hands on his hips.
"Starr doesn't like it when people touch her tail. The last guy who did is now missing three front teeth."
"I-I'm sorry," Jaune whimpered. He looked both ashamed and sorrowful, so much so that even Sun couldn't help but feel guilty for upsetting the boy.
"Er..." Sun struggled for words and glanced at the apple in his hand. "You want an apple? I brought one for Starr, but I guess you need it more."
"T-Thanks!" Jaune's teeth gleamed under the stray of moonlight that shined through the small gaps in the tent's roof.
"Just let go of my cousin's tail and we're good," Sun confirmed with a hum which Jaune eagerly complied to.
"Although..." Sun's usual smirk graced his features as he pointed to the tip of Starr's tail. "If Starr ever gets mad at you for no reason or if she's being too bossy, all you have to do is tickle the tip of her tail and she'll squeal back like a little wuss."
"WHAT WAS THAT?"
The abrupt, stern voice of one Starr Wukong caused a yelp to escape Sun's and Jaune's throats.
Survival instincts rattled, Sun yelled at Jaune the first thing that came to mind. "Jaune! Do it!"
Jaune was smart enough to get the gist of what Sun wanted and latched a hand on Starr's tail while using the other one to softly scratch it. Starr's angry face didn't last long as a goofy smile spread across her flushed cheeks as she flailed in her bedsheets while pulling on her tail with only a quarter of her strength. Laughing like an absolute goofball in the process.
"Haha! That's the tenth Grimm tonight, Hawkins!" Why don't we set up camp here and call it a night? It's harder to see those black beasts when the sun isn't out, and you look like you could use a rest."
Tyrion sheathed his weapons and turned to the magician who slumped on a nearby rock. Hawkins' readings had brought the two men to a large forest, but the only things they found were a group of hungry Boarbatusks and two adult deathstalkers. Neither of which was a welcomed encounter.
Shuffling his cards, Hawkins hummed at the possibility of finding Jaune, and for the briefest of moments his eyes lit up.
"Oh? Draw something interesting?" Tyrion asked with a pan and spatula in hand. His pale face illuminated by a small campfire, the scorpion Faunus curled a brow as Hawkins let out a tired sigh.
"My son is still alive," the magician replied, "and we're much closer to his location than we were yesterday. Perhaps we'll see him in the next week..."
Hawkins stared off into the distance at the large stone remnants before him. There wasn't any sign of activity, and the horde of Grimm he'd encountered previously foretold that this area was not under human surveillance. Yet, despite there being no people, a torn flag flapped on an off-center pole that bore the Vacuo sigil.
"Tyrion, do you know where we are?"
Tyrion glanced up from his pan of sizzling bacon and scrambled eggs.
"This is probably one of the fallen settlements from ages long past. There's actually quite a bit of history in Vacuo, but most gents ignore it because of the dangers and ambiguity that comes with deciphering what was left behind by the old civilizations. That, or people are too stupid or ignorant to really care about their kingdom's history."
Tyrion pointed to a mass of crumbled stone bricks that roughly resembled a tower.
"That, and with all the industry that's been erected in the past two years from the SDC, researchers are finding it hard to amass funds that'll allow benchmarks like these to remain untouched."
Hawkins narrowed his eyes at the dismantled buildings of stone then shifted his sights to his Faunus companion.
"You seem to know more than you let on."
Tyrion let out a loud burp and yawned. "Not everyone comes from a boring background, after all, you were a pirate long before you came here."
"So it's fair to assume that you weren't an assassin as a youth?" Hawkins said lazily.
"You know me too well!" Tyrion laughed. "I got by with the usual pickpocketing and innocent acts, but after my youth ran out, the only thing I had going for me was how to fight. Luckily, I was graced by the goddess's presence before my life fell to ruin."
The magician's gaze gained a deep look of self-contemplation. He muttered something beneath his breath, but Tyrion couldn't hear it over the crackles of the fire.
"I've heard you preach about this goddess many times, who is this deity that you worship?"
Hawkin's words were cut off by an ominous growl that echoed in the near distance.
Both Hawkins and Tyrion stood and reached for their weapons, and the latter put out the fire with sand when a sharp cry pierced through the sky.
"Nevermores?" Hawkins glanced at Tyrion.
"Sounds roughly like them, but the pitch doesn't match the annoying flyers exactly."
"It isn't safe to stay out in the open," Hawkins concluded, "the cover of the fallen city will provide us with what we need. Gather your things, Tyrion, we'll make a proper camp after we've transitioned to a location with walls."
Tyrion scarfed down a mouthful of hot scrambled eggs and bacon with a thumbs up and tucked his pan and spatula into his bag. He followed the magician past the decrepit walls of the fallen settlement, but neither the Faunus or the former pirate noticed the bright red eyes that trailed their footsteps.