Hello everyone, sorry for the long wait, but I had a long weekend and decided to head out with my folks for a bit. That aside, I really don't have much to say here and I hope you all enjoy the chapter.
Cheers, Searoar.
"Ow..." Jaune whimpered as the world around him came into view. His surroundings were dark, and he needed to squint to see past his hands.
"Samantha?" He called out, but the only reply he received was the ominous cold wind that brushed past his bleeding face. Jaune blinked and rubbed the sore wound that marked his cheek. The last thing he could recall was him and Samantha running for their lives from a snake that could topple houses, then everything went dark, and the screams of Samantha and the snarls of the snake Grimm disappeared.
"Hello?" Jaune yelled to the shadows and crumbled ruins around him. Not a sound, except for a clanking noise that echoed a few feet from the boy. Jaune was cautious in his approach and went about sneaking around piles of large debris before letting out a sigh of relief when he spotted Funkfreed in his elephant form.
The beast appeared to be pushing aside some rubble, and Jaune hurried to provide some aid and insight. However, when Jaune arrived and witnessed the sight of the commotion, he felt disappointed.
"Stay back, you stupid animal!" Vernal squeaked as Funkfreed loomed menacingly over her. At least, that's what Vernal saw, as she'd never encountered a beast of this size before. Granted, there were Deathstalkers who rivaled Funkfreed in mass, but children in the wildlands were usually regulated to sorting materials in the camp or helping prepare meals while the adults tended to the laborious tasks of collecting the bare essentials. This meant Vernal had only heard stories of giant Grimm, and the deadly consequences of encountering them.
"He's not dumb," Jaune said, "Funkfreed is a smart animal. Ain't that right, pal?"
Jaune looked up at the friendly elephant who flapped its ears in response and wagged its small tail.
"Well get it away from me!" Vernal shouted and would have scuttled back if not for the cage of debris around her. She was lucky, Jaune had to admit, to not have been crushed by several pounds of rock which instead fixed themselves in a way where they looked like a small house. There were even a couple of hand-sized windows if he squinted hard enough.
"Funkfreed only wants to help," Jaune nodded proudly with his hands on his hips. His Grandpa Sam always told him that a helping hand was always rewarded with a friendly handshake, and thus Jaune went about assisting Funkfreed in removing the rubble around Vernal.
In about five minutes, Vernal was free from her cage and could finally stretch her arms. She patted the dust off her face, then winced as a few specs slipped into the corner of her eyes, but blinked when she noticed a red scarf held up toward her.
Jaune showed a sincere smile, he was willing to try to make a new friend again, even if Vernal was a bit of a bully. She kind of reminded him of Yang in a way, but then again Yang was never really that nice to Jaune from the get-go. At least she was until his father said she wasn't really like his Auntie Summer. Which was strange, Jaune thought, because Yang seemed like the sweetest girl around. Unless you got her hair messy, which she definitely made sure to pay the wrongdoer back in the form of a knuckle sandwich.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Vernal spat and snatched Jaune's scarf. She wiped her face with it, but instead of giving it back to the boy, she carelessly dropped it on the dusty ground.
"I just thought you looked like my cute friend back on Patch. Her name's Yang and she's pretty strong with a short temper. A lot like you." Jaune counted off his fingers all the details he could remember about the young brawler in the making, but he didn't notice that whenever he said something nice, Vernal scrunched her nose and looked like she wanted to puke.
"I'm not cute!" Vernal snarled. "I'm supposed to be scary like all the other Branwen bandits!"
"Hmm..." Jaune cupped his chin, seemingly absent and in his own world, he observed his friend in the making with a meticulous gaze. "You know, you kinda remind me of the baby hedgehog Trifa found in the forest a long time ago..."
Jaune snapped his fingers and showed a pearly smile. "That's it! I'll call you Hedgehog, it's the perfect nickname!"
Vernal's face paled. She wasn't about to be demoted to such a ridiculous epithet, and she'd strangle the one responsible before he could utter it again. Without warning, Vernal lunged forward and tackled Jaune to the ground, and the boy struggled to breathe under her vice grip.
Meanwhile, Funkfreed seemed to be too busy inspecting a torn leather pouch that had landed a couple of feet from Jaune and was delighted to find a valuable fruit to consume. That is until Funkfreed caught the hidden whiff of the fruit's odor, and scrunched its trunk in disgust, and closed the pouch's flap.
"I'm not a stupid Hedgehog!" Vernal yelled and shifted from choking Jaune to pulling on his hair and cheeks.
"Gosh..." Jaune thought. "Are all cute girls meanies? Maybe Auntie Summer is just as big a meanie as Yang and Vernal too... Plus Grandma Carla can be pretty bossy, not to mention Trifa..."
Jaune's internal ramblings were cut short by a sharp pinch to the cheek, and he was forced to retaliate. His instincts kicked in, and whenever he got into a wrestling match with Trifa or Yang, there was always a trick that happened to save him from a loss. With nimble arms, Jaune maneuvered his fingers to Vernal's exposed ribs and stomach and dug in to deliver a well-placed tickled.
"W-Wahahat?!" Vernal squealed in girlish laughter and toppled off the boy she was trying to murder.
"Air!" Jaune panted and sucked up as much air as his lungs would allow. He scrambled to his feet, and before Vernal could pin him to the ground again, he ducked out of the way and flipped the tables on her with a strong tackle.
Now it was Jaune's turn to assault Vernal, at least that's what the brunette thought, and she covered her face with both her arms. There was an awkward pause, and after a couple of minutes, Vernal lowered her guard just enough so she could see above her fists.
"Alright, are you going to hurt me again? Because if that's the case, then I'm going to tickle you again." Jaune said firmly and with a face that showed complete sincerity. If not for his childish threat, then Vernal would have been genuinely terrified.
"I-I'm not so little brat who-" Vernal bit her lower lip as Jaune put both his hands around her waist.
"Okay, I did warn you." Jaune narrowed his eyes and dug his fingers into the hollows of Vernal's armpits. The little girl screamed and roared in conceding laughter as her legs bucked and her throat grew hoarse.
"Do you give up?" Jaune hummed and stopped the tickling attack.
"Yehehehes! Just get the hell off mehehehe!" Vernal shouted.
"Okie dokie!" Jaune complied with innocent glee and turned his attention to Funkfreed who tapped the boy's shoulder with his trunk. "Hmm? What's that? A fruit?"
Vernal, panting for breath, clenched her teeth and writhed on the ground to rid herself of the giddy sensations that racked her body. She'd never felt so vulnerable, and it was humiliating that a scrawny punk like Jaune managed to make her concede. Vernal had to pay him back, and the easiest way would be to starve him of that delicious-looking fruit he'd just picked up. Then again, Vernal had never seen such a peculiar-looking fruit, it looked more like a large onion, only it had black swirly skin and large green leaves.
"Nevermind, if one of us is going to starve down here, it's not going to be me..." Vernal growled beneath a desperate breath and prepared to charge. However, that would not be necessary, for within the next moment, Jaune was already facing her with half of the fruit held up for her to take.
"Are you hungry, Hedgehog?" Jaune offered with a face so kind it chipped Vernal's, hardened heart.
"...What?" The bandit girl stared at the blonde lad incredulously. Was he really that daft to offer his rations to her when he could have had it all to himself? Nice people didn't make it far in the wildlands of Vacuo, this much was known to anyone who dared to set foot in this desert land. Yet, here was Jaune, proving to be a complete buffoon with no regard for self-preservation.
"Even if you're not hungry now, it's best to save your rations for later. Here, you want me to put it back in the pouch for safekeeping?" Jaune held up an empty leather pouch with his left hand while his right held the offered fruit.
"No!" Vernal snarled and snatched the morsel from Jaune's hand. She didn't trust him to keep his stomach in check, and she'd be damned to let him have the entire fruit. Still... it didn't sit well with Vernal to be given a handout, as bandits took what they needed when they needed it, at least that's what she learned while under Mad Treasure's influence.
On the other hand, when Vernal finally had the fruit morsel in hand, she grew skeptical of its quality and edibility. The inside of the fruit was a bright green that didn't quite look natural, and there wasn't any sort of odor that foretold if the fruit was sweet or sour. Vernal glanced at Jaune, who also seemed to be on edge of the fruit's quality, but his hunger proved stronger than his caution, and he took a large bite.
"Arglharrblrrgh?!" Jaune croaked as a piece of the black fruit entered his mouth and passed down his throat. His tastebuds were not prepared for such a foreign flavor, especially one that surpassed the taste of dung.
"J-Jaune?!" Vernal squeaked and dropped her fruit in worry that it was poisonous.
"I-It's filling..." Jaune coughed as he fell to his knees and forced an uncomfortable smile. "But it tastes really bad..."
"...You can have the rest." Vernal scoffed and pointed a finger at the dusted fruit piece in front of her.
"No, I'm good..." Jaune's cheeks puffed and his stomach churned. "I think I'm gonna throw up..."
"How can that be good if you feel like puking?!" Vernal yelled.
"Hey, can I have my scarf back, Hedgehog?" Jaune asked meekly with his head turned away and toward his shoes.
Funkfreed offered some comfortable pats on the back as his new owner unloaded all of his stomach's grievances. Yet, despite upchucking what felt like his entire intestine, not a single piece of the black fruit Jaune had consumed had been thrown out.
"Well... that wasn't nice." Jaune hummed and stood on wobbly knees. "Still, it's not good to be hungry, are you sure you don't want that, Hedgehog?"
"S-Stop calling me that!" Vernal snapped. "What the heck is a hedgehog anyway?!"
"Huh?" Jaune tilted his head. "You've never seen one? Well... Hedgehogs are these cute little animals who live in forests and other places with a lot of shrubs. They've got really spiky hair, kinda like yours. So that's why I thought the two of you matched because you're both really cute. At least when you're not being mean."
Vernal showed nothing but disgust, eliminating whatever charm she possessed to make sure that Jaune understood that such a nickname was not for her. She also called him a poohead, which just rubbed salt in the wound and was unnecessary in his opinion.
"Gosh... Why can't girls be like Ruby? She's really nice and doesn't frown when she sees me..." Jaune sighed and scratched his head. "She doesn't punch or kick me when she's angry either..."
/-/
Back at Patch...
"Yang?" Ruby knocked on the bedroom door that had been shared between the two sisters since they could remember. "I baked some cookies with Trifa and Grandma Carla. Do you want some?"
Ruby waited until the cookies on her plate went cold, but there was no sign or sound of Yang. Only silence. Thus, the little reaper relented and plopped herself down on the wall across her bedroom door, and quietly nibbled the sugary treats she'd prepared by hand.
"Still nothing?"
Ruby turned her gaze to an approaching Trifa, who wore a pink pajama onesie with a red strawberry knitted on the front.
"No..." Ruby sulked. Tears had begun to form, and though Ruby tried to hide her disappointment, she couldn't help but get emotional.
"I-It's okay!" Trifa bit her lip and plopped down beside Ruby. The spider Faunus was used to cheering Jaune up, and usually, the boy would be back on his feet after a few kind words, but Ruby was a whole different conundrum as it involved Yang as well.
"It's not okay!" Ruby pouted and took a savage bite out of her cookie, not caring for the crumbs that littered her black pajamas which Trifa took to clean off with a gentle hand.
"Yang's been stuck in our room and she won't let me in! Why is she being such a meanie?"
Trifa scratched her cheek and contemplated what to say. This topic was out of her expertise, after all, being a girl under the age of ten wasn't helping that much either. It frustrated Trifa, truly, as she wanted to help by any means possible, but with how shut-in Yang had been since Jaune and the others left...
"Ruby Summers!"
The little reaper and her spider Faunus friend jumped to their feet at the commanding tone of Carla.
"So this is where you two have been! Come along now, Sam is waiting outside to take you both for a walk. You've been cooped up in this cabin for far too long, and its not nice for your skin to lack so much vitamin D."
Carla said while adorned in a white apron covered in flour and cinnamon stains. She moved to with her hands on her hips, and though her expression was stern, her eyes remained soft and caring for the troubled tykes she had to keep an eye on.
"I don't wanna go for a walk!" Ruby protested. "Can't you make Yang go instead?"
"That's enough, young lady, now go get dressed. Otherwise, I won't be making you dinner tonight. Am I clear?" Carla huffed.
With coaxing from Trifa, Ruby dragged her feet across the floor and went to gather the clothes prepared for her on the living room couch. As for the former, Trifa voiced her desire to remain in the cabin as well, but Carla wasn't having any of it and shooed her off just the same.
"Now then..." Carla rubbed her temples and wiped her hands on her apron. "Time to deal with the most stubborn of the three."
Calming her face and steeling her nerves, Carla put her hand on Yang's bedroom door and slowly turned the knob. When she entered the room, she was surprised to see an angry-looking Yang in the center with her arms crossed while wearing a defiant expression. The young girl hadn't taken a shower in the past couple of days, and her blonde hair was strewn wildly over her sagged shoulders and ruffled orange pajamas.
"I'm not going for a walk and you can't make me!" Yang declared. "I'm not leaving this spot!"
Carla sighed, and simply closed the door behind her and took a seat on Yang's bed. Her head nearly touched the bottom of the bunked bed above her, but she didn't care as she didn't want Yang to get any funny ideas and try to climb up the ladder next to her.
"Yang, would you take a seat next to me, please?" Carla asked softly.
It was evident that Yang did not expect this, as her wide eyes and tilted head gave away her confusion. Carla was bossy, like Trifa, so it was odd to see the cow Faunus in such a relaxed state. Yang had even gone the extra mile to get out of bed to rebuke her, so why was she being so nice?
"Yang?" Carla asked again and patted the seat next to her.
With slow steps, Yang made her way to her bed and plopped down beside Carla. The old Faunus showed nothing but relief, and immediately slipped her hands under Yang's armpits and put the young brawler on her lap which was then followed by a warm hug.
"I-I don't need a hug!" Yang huffed and pushed against Carla's shoulders. This action only hardened Carla's resolve, yet her embrace was as soft as a feather and she carefully went about brushing Yang's thick golden locks.
"...You want to be here for when Jaune and his father come back, don't you?" Carla soothed. "And you'd be damned to not be the first one they see when they arrive, isn't that right?"
Yang stopped resisting and her breath hitched. She tucked her head beneath Carla's chin, and the old Faunus could feel the weak muffled sobs that left the little girl's mouth.
"Poor thing..." Carla thought to herself. "She's probably been blaming herself the entire time since Jaune was kidnapped..."
Carla's grip tightened slightly and she bit her lower lip. An unpleasant memory was recalled when she saw the distress in Yang's lilac eyes when she lifted her head and recounted the time that she too had let someone important to her down.
The fierce look in her sister-in-law's eyes when she screamed at her for endangering her child... It was too much to bear even after all these years. Yet, there was still a small glimmer in Carla's soul that wished for a chance to redeem herself. Then it happened... Out of nowhere, a man as stoic and cold as they come literally crashed into the wooden bridge which happened to be Sam's and Max's favorite fishing spot; and wouldn't you know it? The scary-looking blonde had a baby with him too which was then raised in Vale without a second thought.
"Be strong, Carliana..." The cow Faunus told herself. "Now's not the time to brood on past mistakes, what you need to do is apply what you've learned to help this little girl on your lap."
"I-I never wanted Jaune to disappear!" Yang finally broke and let the tears smudge her's and Carla's clothes. "I-I just didn't like how his dad talked to me!"
"Yes, your Uncle Hawkins can be quite the pain to deal with, can't he?" Carla chuckled which made Yang lift her head to show reddish eyes and a snotty nose. "But he does care dearly for you, after all, he risked his safety to make sure you didn't get hurt on the beach, didn't he? And he didn't hesitate when he had to track you down when you wandered off into the forest either."
Yang sniffled. "Y-Yeah, he scared off a giant, scary monster too! It was made of straw and had nails for hands!"
Carla curled a brow and then sighed. "Honestly, Hawkins, did you really have to resort to that monstrous scarecrow form with a six-year-old girl in your vicinity?" She said under a hushed breath.
"A-And he promised that nobody else would hurt me..." Yang gripped Carla's apron and crumpled it.
"But Uncle Hawkins got hurt and Jaune's missing because of me!" The young girl whined. "I-I don't want to lose my uncle and my friend!" "
Yang Xiao Long," Carla cupped the child's face and showed a confident grin, "your uncle Hawkins is one of the strongest men I know. That, and when he puts his mind to it, he never breaks a promise once he's set his mind on completing it. Especially when it comes down to family. Actually, did you know, that Sam finished repairing your favorite red wagon a couple of days ago? The one that Hawkins gifted to you for your fifth birthday."
Yang's lilac eyes flickered. "D-Did he really?"
Carla nodded. "Leave it to your Uncle Hawkins to know exactly what you want for your birthday, and he's pretty good without using those cards of his when it comes to telling what the people around him are thinking about. Also, I think he wants to talk to you when he gets back."
Yang shivered and the tears returned to her eyes. "U-Uncle Hawkins hates me now, doesn't he? A-And Jaune does too!"
"My dear girl, has either Jaune or your Uncle Hawkins said such a nasty thing?" Carla replied sternly and looked Yang straight in the eye.
Yang shook her head, and her bangs fell over her face in a messy fashion.
"So that should already tell you that they care about you very much. Also, the reason your Uncle wants to talk after all is said and done is that he wants to make sure that you're alright and to let you know that he forgives you. So you better learn to treat others better from now on and to show a smile instead of a frown when Jaune and his father come to visit. Can you promise me that?"
Yang nodded vigorously, and when Carla brushed her bangs aside, she was compelled to give the little girl another strong embrace to ensure that all would be well.
"Now, how about we get you in the shower? It's been a few days since you've had a proper wash, and it's not healthy for a child to be so uncaring of their personal hygiene. Come along, Yang, I've knitted you a new pair of overalls too." Carla tried to move, but when Yang proved stubborn to remain where she sat, the cow Faunus grinned and simply picked her up and brought her into the hallway.
The best thing about this was that Yang made no effort or argument to being carried, and after her bath, there was the faintest glow in the tyke's lilac eyes that lit a fire of accomplishment through Carla's heart. The best part was the bright smile that adorned Yang's visage when she ate her pancakes at the kitchen table and how she greeted Ruby, Trifa, and Sam when they got back from their walk. For a moment, all seemed well, and at the end of the day when the shattered moon took over the sky...
"Sam?" Carla hummed as she turned to her husband beneath the bed covers. "When do you think Hawkins and the others will return?"
Sam rubbed his eyes and continued to stare outside the open window. The cold breeze brushed his hair and he picked his teeth with his toothpick.
"I can't truly say that I have an answer," he shrugged, "I helped tend to Hawkins' wounds with Ms. Mallari because she asked me to... but I felt that it was more of an interrogation than anything."
Carla sat upright with a puzzled expression. "What did she ask you?"
Sam scratched his head and spat his toothpick out the window, his eyes following the small stick as it landed in the grass. "She asked me what sort of man Hawkins' was, and why a person as strong as he didn't have a semblance. Or rather, aura for that matter."
"Didn't Tim already provide a proper answer?" Carla sighed. "Some people are just gifted with an early aura bloom while growing up, while others have gone through traumatic experiences to get theirs."
"Are you saying that Hawkins hasn't been through a traumatic experience? Since the day he arrived in Vale, he's been dealing with PTSD, and it's taken years to lessen the degree it's gone on his psyche." Sam rubbed his chin. "What I'm saying, is that Hawkins never had a trace of aura in him, to begin with, and when I mentioned that our magician came from a place called the North Blue..."
"Sam?" Carla got out of bed and walked over to stand beside her husband. "What's wrong?"
"It's..." Sam licked his lips and turned to look at his wife. Her assuring eyes and gentle hug made it easier for the words to come out, and after a heavy breath, Sam spoke.
"It was brief, but the face I saw on Ms. Mallari when I mentioned such a place wasn't that of confusion, but of interest as if she already had a grasp on the topic on hand." Sam's face twisted in perplexity as he contemplated what he knew and what he didn't know.
"Then there's the issue about Hawkins' body..."
Carla's eyes widened in fear. She'd only seen her husband act this seriously when his own father was on his deathbed and the funeral that followed. She urged him to speak, and after a gentle squeeze on the hand, Sam complied.
"It was strange..." Sam hummed. "When Hawkins was being treated, there was a moment that everything stopped, and I mean everything stopped. Hawkins' heart had given up and there were no signs of life whatsoever, and I nearly had a heart attack at the thought of being the one who had to tell everyone that Hawkins had passed. Only to be surprised to the point of actually having a heart attack when a few minutes later the heart monitor roared to life and then settled a few seconds later. After that scare, our magician opened his eyes and he was back to his gloomy self."
Carla seemed dumbfounded. "What? So you're saying that Hawkins died and rose up again? That's not possible, Sam, at least to my understanding..."
"It's a little much, I'll admit," Sam chuckled weakly. "Then there was a weird emblem on his chest..."
"That's enough, Samuel." Carla cupped her husband's cheeks and gently moved his face down so that their eyes met. "We've got enough on our plates as it is, and I don't want to see you stress about things that only Hawkins can answer. On another note, how are Ruby and Trifa holding up? They're such sweet girls, it hurts to see them so sad when they slouch around the cabin..."
"I managed to get them to crack a smile," Sam grinned, "but there's definitely a lot of work ahead if I'm going to keep them smiling."
"Then we have to be an example to them," Carla nodded and showed a grin of her own, "so that when Hawkins and the others do get back they'll feel nothing but happiness."
"To that, I agree wholeheartedly." Sam shared a long kiss with his wife and for a moment all felt at peace. That is until the next morning came around...
/-/
"Sam!" Carla called from the kitchen as she tended to the three hungry mouths at the table. "Can you get the front door? It's probably Ms. Mallari, though she's rather early- I thought she'd be here in the afternoon."
"No problem, Carla!" Sam hummed and adjusted the straps of his overalls. He was planning to do some gardening today, as the tomatoes were right for the plucking and would be great for the pasta sauce for lunch, but any morning plans ground to a halt when the old farmer opened the door.
Greeted with a large cloud of nicotine and a larger-than-life figure, Sam coughed and waved away the smoke only to be greeted with a cynical face with a straight horizontal scar that stretched from ear to ear and a mouth that was set in an ominous smirk.
However, the most glaring physical detail possessed by the stranger was the large golden hook that replaced his left hand.
"Hmm..." The stranger's voice was low and menacing. "So this is where the scarecrow visits on his summer holidays? Can't say I'm really impressed, but there's a certain homely atmosphere that I can understand."
"Can I help you?" Sam stood firm and gathered courage. He was the only adult in the house besides Carla, and he'd be damned before anyone he cared about getting hurt while he was around.
"No need for the dismissive tone," the stranger chuckled, "as I've already done you a service in scaring off that pesky snowbird and her quiet dust-eating mutt."
The stranger took one final drag of his cigar, dropped the bud on the porch, and snuffed it out with his heel. "The name's Crocodile, owner of the RDI and a member of the new Atlesian council. I've come to speak with Hawkins, though I take it by your expression that he's not in right now. Either that, or you don't want me to meet him."
Sam swallowed and cleared his throat. "I don't want any trouble, Mister Crocodile-"
"Neither do I," Crocodile shrugged, "violence isn't usually my first means of doing business anyhow."
"Granpa Sam!" Ruby, to the old farmer's distress, rushed to the front door and tugged on his pant leg.
"Grandma Carla said we'd go to the lake today, and Yang said she'd come too!" Ruby beamed, but then she registered the heavy presence who stood on the porch and she scuttled behind Sam for safety.
"Hmm?" Crocodile curled a brow. "So Hawkins has got him a brat to look after too? Oi, Roman, Neo, get your butts over here and introduce yourselves."
Sam peered down at two approaching children. The one with the red hair and bowler hat was likely the older of the two, and he swished around with a small walking cane that had to have been personally designed for his height. As for the girl who skipped behind him, she was shorter than Ruby and had her long hair split between the colors of pink and brown.
The two kids were dressed extravagantly, and Sam was pretty sure that Roman's suit and Neo's dress cost more than his monthly wage before he retired.
"So where's this scary scarecrow, pops?" Roman glanced around the premises with his green eyes before they landed on Sam. "Nice to meetcha, Mister, my name's Roman Torchwick Crocodylus, and future head of the RDI. This is my sister, Neo Politan Crocodylus, though she doesn't talk much."
Roman tipped his bowler hat while Neo performed a perfect curtsy, however, Sam knew right off the bat that these kids weren't as friendly as they tried to appear. It was the look in their eyes that gave it away, that warned the old farmer that they were used to getting what they wanted and that they made a large fuss when they didn't.
"Well, I'm already in the middle of my vacation, so it doesn't matter how long I gotta wait for that scarecrow to show his face. Make yourselves at home, Roman, Neo, because it looks like we're going to be here for a while."
"Now hold on a minute!" Sam said with as strong a voice as he could muster. He blocked the front entryway with his arms crossed, and he flicked his toothpick from the left side of his mouth to the right. "I don't know what business you have with Hawkins, but I'm not going to stand by and let you do as you please as if you own the place. There are rules around here, and I expect you to follow them. If not, then I can assure you there are more accommodating places to spend your vacation in the town that's half an hour from here."
Crocodile frowned and pulled out another cigar. He remained silent, but his presence alone was enough to choke the atmosphere and coat it in a heavy blanket that made it hard to breathe. Ruby had retreated due to Sam's instruction, and she rushed to the kitchen to warn Carla about the strange people who had come to visit.
Menacing gray eyes clashing with a pair of fierce, protective brown, Crocodile and Sam glared at each other for about a minute before the former lit his cigar and gave a hearty laugh.
"It's rare to see such people with actual courage nowadays, I can see why Hawkins trusts you to take care of things while he's away. Alright, I won't stir up any trouble, but I will be stopping by on occasion. I've needed a quiet place to settle my thoughts anyhow, and this place seems perfect for that. As for now, how about some breakfast? I can smell the pancakes from here, and I'm sure my daughter would love some right about now."
Neo's head snapped up to her father's and she showed him a pearly smile. She nodded eagerly, and without hesitation, she slipped past Sam and followed her nose to the kitchen, and took a seat. She didn't bother to introduce herself nor did she care for Yang, Ruby, and Trifa who shared the table; and snagged herself a plate and some cutlery, then looked at Carla expectantly. Or to be precise, the stack of pancakes and the small pitcher of syrup she held.
Least to say, Neo's sudden appearance wasn't appreciated, nor was the arrival of Roman who strutted in with a proud swagger and took a spot beside his sister. Carla was about to question the youngsters on their abrupt arrival but bit her tongue as Sam entered the kitchen with a man larger than Hawkins behind him.
A bolt of fear struck her spine, and Carla instinctively put down the pancakes and syrup in haste so she could usher Yang, Trifa, and Ruby out of the room. Unfortunately, the man, introducing himself to the cow Faunus as Crocodile, told her to stay put-or rather ordered her- and asked her to prepare him a meal that included meat.
Least to say the situation in the Xiao Long Cabin would change, though whether this was for the better or worse was up for debate... However, not too far away back at the Acre household in the agricultural district of Vale..."
/-/
"Do you honestly expect me to do as you say?" Monet glared daggers at Daz as he sat comfortably on the front porch of with a newspaper in hand and a half-eaten ham sandwich in the other.
"Take it as you will," Daz shrugged and flipped a page, "but Hawkins is off limits according to my boss. So you might as well pack your things and head back to Mistral or whatever place you scuttled out from."
"Well, don't just stand there, Hazel! I brought you here as extra muscle if things got difficult, so why are you just standing there?" Monet turned to the large man behind her, but all he did was shake his head and cross his arms.
"This isn't the kind of place we should be making a scene at. You saw how loud those protesters at the northern bridge were, didn't you? So it's obvious that Ozpin's keeping a close eye on this land since he and the Valesian council plan to create new plots for the refugees from Mistral. So I'm not going to fight unless absolutely necessary, and as it stands, Hawkins isn't even around." Hazel replied which earned him a sour look from Monet.
"B-But, what am I supposed to say to her then?" Monet growled.
"I don't know, it's your mission, not mine. I'm just here to make sure you don't step out of line." Hazel said and shifted his attention back to Daz who met his glance with a steely gaze.
"Besides," Hazel continued, "with Crocodile's influence, I'm not sure we'd really have much pull on Hawkins' decision to follow us. That magician you fancy does favor the best possible outcome above all, which means he'd side with Crocodile since he's stronger than either of us."
"Don't just give up on me!" Monet huffed. "I didn't come all this way to be ignored! So I'm staying in Vale until Hawkins finishes whatever business he has left in Vacuo!"
Hazel nodded. "Suite yourself, but I'm not sticking around when Crocodile shows up. It's better for you to call Vergo, though since he's obviously not following Crocodile's trail anymore, I'm not sure where he is."
"H-Hey!" Monet stomped after Hazel as he started back the way he came. "You can't leave! Hazel!"
Daz watched the scene unfold and breathed a sigh of relief that he wouldn't need to evict Monet or Hazel off Hawkins' property forcefully. Then again, the assassin wasn't blind to his own limits and knew that though she had a childish temper, Monet could be an irritating handful with her logia powers and that Hazel was regarded as a top-class combatant even before he was enrolled in a huntsman academy. Truthfully, Daz wasn't sure he could take either of them on and come out the victor, but having to face off against both of them at the same time would definitely overwhelm him.
Once Monet and Hazel were out of view, Daz pulled out his scroll and dialed his Crocodile's number.
"I've marked Hawkins' home under your protection, boss, but I know for a fact that Monet will be back sooner than we'd want."
"Alright," Crocodile replied, "I've about settled myself here in Patch but I didn't expect to see so many people affiliated with the magician. Did you know he had a son? But apparently, he doesn't have a wife."
"She's probably dead. Or maybe she left him when she found out he was a pirate and didn't want anything to do with him or his son?" Daz suggested.
"That's a possibility," Crocodile said doubtfully, "but I'm not going to jump to any conclusion until we meet our fellow criminal. Would you like to join me here at Patch instead? I've got a hunch Hawkins is more likely to show up on this island instead anyway."
"Alright," Daz folded his paper and finished the rest of his ham sandwich. "Though the Mistralian and Atlesian news are going absolutely crazy about your acceptance in the new Atlesian Council. Don't you think we're biting off more than we can chew in the political scene? I'm sure the SDC, or to be precise, Jacques isn't happy about it."
"Let that high-class prick complain to his heart's content," Crocodile scoffed, "he's got a silver tongue when it comes to business but I can tell that even Carmel is off-put by him. But enough of that, we've got a lot to talk about when we meet up."
Daz frowned. "It's about those stolen dust shipments, isn't it?"
"Right on the money, only this time I've got a name," Crocodile said.
"And that is?" Daz questioned.
"Sienna Khan, a tiger Faunus who's gained a rather large footing in the white fang movement..."