He woke up at the crack of dawn before any of the others could stop him.
Contrary to popular belief and perhaps common sense, most hunters only practice techniques and spar to train thanks to their ability to use aura to boost their strength and endurance. If one can lift boulders and run miles already with aura, why would one train to do so without it? The very same logic also explained why most hunters prefer fashion over protection, choosing colorful outfits over the safety of armor or camouflage. If one could endure Grimm attacks with aura, why would one need it? To most hunters, aura made strength training and armor redundant.
Silently, he grabbed a water bottle from the end of the kitchen counter.
Most hunters are also arrogant and naive. Stripped of their aura by a bizarre semblance or by simple depletion, these hunters become useless at best and a liability at worst. Potentially costing their teams their lives. Or more.
Scowling, he found the bottle empty and went to the fridge for the water filter, before sighing at the also-empty water filter. He took it out and brought it to the sink.
His mind rewound to memories of a fellow Beaconite team from his undergrad years. Team SKIN. They were a group of obnoxiously flamboyant upperclassmen who–against their peers' advice–decided to try their hand at fighting the Branwen tribe. Supposedly, Qrow and Raven had humiliated them so terribly during a spar that they thought the only way to regain their pride was to go after the twins' family. Even after Qrow went out of his way to apologize in an attempt to dissuade them, team SKIN was dead set on the tribe of bandits.
Slowly, water poured into the filter until it reached max capacity.
So blind were they that SKIN failed to realize that Qrow had done so in order to protect them–not his relatives.
He then began to fill the bottle.
Upon their return three months later, Jaime Scarlatina and Karmine Adel would never speak of what happened to their team, but the search for the males of SKIN was fruitful enough. Images of flayed flesh haunted him even now. Their team name became–at least–gruesomely fitting.The water overflowed onto his hand, and he broke out of his stupor, quickly turning off the filter and putting it back into the fridge.
Of course, stories like that were often not talked about–for purely recruitment purposes, he imagined. Becoming a hunter needed to be depicted as being possible for any single citizen. The population of Grimm was forever growing after all, and humanity needed more soldiers to throw at it.
But he wouldn't think of that now.
His metal arm crossed over his head as he stepped outside.
Ronnie would not be one of those arrogant hunters again.
Stretching his old joints out, the satisfying pops in his neck and spine made him feel alive. The cold mountain air felt refreshing on his sleep-deprived skin. His hands slapped both sides of his face to further energize him. Then, his morning ritual began.
After throwing a mat onto the cement in front of him and sliding a foam roller under his quads, he put himself into a forearm plank position and braced his core.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Fighting against the knots and sore spots in his body, he moved slowly down the roller until it hit the area just above his knees and rolled in the opposite direction until it reached his hip flexors. In his head, the countdown from thirty kicked off.
Ronnie wished he had remembered how loud babies were before agreeing with his wife to have another kid. Having been absent for many of the girls' early lives, he had forgotten that fact.
Breathe in, breathe out.
He slid the roller underneath the left hip flexor and bent his right leg to his slide, repeating the process for thirty seconds.
A few days later following the birth of his son, a news article from 'Central Vale Now' detailed the death of a civilian researcher who had a familiar description. Glasses, white hair, and a crimson button-down.
Breathe in, breathe out.
He swapped to the other hip flexor for thirty seconds.
A knife-wound in the gut that penetrated the spine and a bullet in the skull.Breathe in, breathe out.
He flipped over, crossed his legs, and slid the roller under his calves. Another thirty seconds.
After Central Vale was rebuilt following the Great War, it became a cesspit unable to fully recover–with exception of Vale's government, militia, and main academy. Civilians had lost homes, family members, and jobs. And with loss, came the Grimm. And with the Grimm, came more loss.
Even more so after Mount Glenn.
Breathe in, breathe out.
He swapped to the other leg. Another thirty seconds.
It became public knowledge that Central Vale was not a safe place, so crime was expected. However, two facts disturbed about the murder of Avion disturbed Ronnie.
He slid the foam roller under his left hamstring and bent his right leg for support.
One, the bullet had trace amounts of gunpowder, and most guns today were only able to fire dust-based ammunition.
He swapped sides.
That raised his suspicions. Out of all the hunters he knew in Vale, he only knew six with guns that could use gunpowder. Out of those six, two had guns that exclusively used gunpowder. Himself and his former partner. Of course, there was a potential third, but he had never seen Marcus use his own Neon Knight and assumed he threw it out in grief when the wound was fresh. In spite of that, Marcus was in Vale at the time of Avion's death.
He hit his glutes next.
Two, he had a responsibility to protect the victim at the time of death–despite already having been paid for his services.
In the books, it was a successful mission.
In his book, he failed again.
Standing up, he put the mat and the roller away. Arm stretches were next.
Marcus met Momo Black during the peak of his depression after the incident at Mount Glenn. A wonderful woman who accepted Marcus for all of his faults and helped him heal when neither Ronnie nor Auri couldn't. Her death was too cruel. Ronnie had attempted to comfort Marcus, but again, his efforts often fell flat. He was never good with this kind of stuff.
"Ugh." He groaned as his metal hand pushed his long hair out of his face.
The weights were already set up on the bench.
Marcus was already suffering. Any accusations at this point would only help worsen his mental state and their friendship. He didn't deserve to lose the woman he loves again. But what about the feelings of everyone who cared for Avion?
He shook his head and took out a pair of headphones before plugging them into his scroll.
Stop thinking about it.
Just focus on the feeling of adrenaline and the pleasant burn in his muscles.
Browsing his playlists, Ronnie settled on one named "RRGM Favs."
Auri had compiled the playlist for him years back.
He pressed 'Play.'
The distorted screeching of guitars blared in his ears, and lyrics echoed.
"Ohhh no, here it comes again!"
Stop thinking about it.
"Can't remember when we came so close to love before!"
Just put yourself under those weights.
"Hold on, good things never last!"
And press your burden up to the sky.
"Nothing's in the past, it always seems to come againnn!"
"Why did he cry so much last night?" With her tiny hands, Saphron tugged on Auri's plaid pajama bottoms to get her mother's attention. "Even Rupee didn't cry as much."
In the corner of the kitchen, baby Jaune happily gurgled in his light blue chair. Unaware of the trouble he had caused his family the night before.
"Well, Jaune is a special case, Saphron," Auri–not turning her eyes away from the scrambled eggs she was cooking–responded. "He's not like you. Ronnie actually showed up for his birth."
"Is that why Daddy has been acting weird?" Having already procured a bowl, the second grader moved away towards the fridge to grab the milk. "Does he not like Jaune?"
"No, it's not that," Auri corrected quickly, "he's just scared."
"But why would Daddy be afraid?"
"Well, he's his first son." She sighed at her eldest daughter's enthusiastic response. "That's a special connection."
Dejected, Saphron brought out her Pumpkin Pete cereal box before pouring it into the bowl along with the milk. "So, if I was born a boy, then Dad would love me more?"
"Of course not, sweetie!" Auri gasped. "How could you even think that? You know your Daddy loves you very much!"
Quiet, Saphron looked up to her Mom. "If you say so…"
"Are you planning on walking with Jaime to school again?"
Saphron shook her head. "Not today. I was hoping to get to class early."
"Well, could you? I don't trust her to get there safely by herself."
"But she's always late? That's so not fair."
"Then go wake her up."
Her oldest grumbled away.
From the window, she could see Ronnie exercise silently.
Alone, Auri's eyes move to Jaune, sitting happily in his high chair.
"...Now, what am I going to do with you?"Jaune burped, playfully smacking his curled-up fists up to the ceiling.
A slight smile grew on Auri's lips. The sounds of small feet rushing downstairs echoed.
"Can we play with him Mama?" A small voice pulled on her pajamas, and another joined. "Pally's clothes fit him!!"
"Oh, so I don't get a 'good morning' first?" Auri teased her overly excited daughter's.The twins, Cobalt and Vert, had snuck up on her, both carrying a raggedy doll larger than either of them. The doll, Pally, was covered in spit stains and had one of its button eyes removed. Well-loved, it had seen better days.
The calmer of the two, Cobalt, pried herself off her mother. "Oh, good morning Mama!! Could we please play with Jaune?"
Again, Auri sighed but cooed at her daughter's infectious energy. "Only if you're good and promise to be gentle."
"Yippee!!!" In their little sunflower and star pajamas respectively, Vert and Cobalt did a little spinning dance.
Well, dance might have not been the right word. It was more like they had flailed her arms up and shook them as they bounced in a circle.
She didn't know where they learned it, but it was too cute to care.
Having brought her twin, Saphron returned with a yawning Jaime to the kitchen.
As she platted the eggs, Auri glanced at the clock. "Alright, girls, breakfast is ready. Saphron, Jaime, can you set the table?"
"Okay, Mom," Saphron replied, still a bit sullen but eager to help. She grabbed the plates and silverware and began arranging them on the table. Jaime, on the other hand, grumbled but helped nonetheless by grabbing the glassware from their respective cabinets.
Cobalt and Vert climbed onto their chairs, still buzzing with excitement. "Can we feed Jaune, too?" Vert asked.
"After you eat your breakfast," Auri said, placing a plate in front of each girl. "He needs his milk first."
Ronnie entered the kitchen, wiping sweat from his brow. He glanced at Jaune and then at Auri, who gave him a reassuring smile."Morning, everyone," he said, ruffling Saphron's hair as he passed by.
"Morning, Daddy," the girls chorused.
Ronnie poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. "How's our little man today?" he asked, nodding towards Jaune.
"Happy as ever," Auri replied, taking a seat herself. "Unlike last night."
Ronnie sighed. "Yeah, that was rough. But we'll get through it."
Auri reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "We will."
Ronnie looked again. "Hey, where are Rupee, Haden, and Tang? Why aren't they eating with us?"
"Oh, well, Rupee hasn't woken up yet, but don't you remember? Haden and Tang are over at a friend's birthday sleepover."
"Oh, I must have missed it last night." Ronnie winced guiltily.
"No, it's okay. Last night was hectic anyways." Auri squeezed his metal hand this time instead. "It was probably for the best for them to be out of the house anyways."
After breakfast, Auri helped the twins get Jaune out of his high chair and into a playpen nearby. The girls carefully placed Pally beside him and started playing gently.Saphron watched them for a moment, then turned to her mother. "Mom, can I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure, honey," Auri said, guiding her to a quieter corner of the kitchen. "What's on your mind?"
"I just... I don't understand why Daddy is so different with Jaune. It's like he's a different person."
Auri knelt down to Saphron's level, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's a big change for him, Saphron. Having a son brings up a lot of emotions and fears he didn't expect. But it doesn't mean he loves you any less. You and your siblings are all special to him in different ways."
Saphron nodded slowly. "I guess so. I just miss how things were."
"I know, sweetie," Auri said softly. "Change is hard, but it's also a part of life. And sometimes, it brings us closer together."
Saphron hugged her mom tightly. "Thanks, Mom."
Auri hugged her back. "You're welcome, honey. Now, go finish your breakfast. School starts soon."
As Saphron returned to the table, Auri glanced at Ronnie, who was watching them with a thoughtful expression. He gave her a small, grateful smile, and she returned it with one of her own.
The morning continued with the usual hustle and bustle, but there was a sense of calm amidst the chaos. Auri felt a renewed sense of hope that, despite the challenges, their family would be just fine.
"You're a piece of work, you know that?" The babysitter pointed at the baby with the silver wafts of hair on his head. "He's only two months old and without a mother. You can't just leave him like this."
Her orange hair was done up in a bun. The snake scales near her eyes were parted back. His hair was oiled back and graying with stress.
"It's just a small bandit camp wipeout nearby. I'll be back before sundown." Marcus justified. "I don't know why you're complaining. You'll get more pay anyways."
The young woman rolled her eyes. "Whatever. When he winds up a nutcase like you, he'll be your problem."
A wooden door slammed in anger. Wailing could be heard from inside the cabin.
What did she know anyways?
He needed this.
The camp was up in flames within an hour.
The town nearby would complain about the smell of burnt meat, but that was just it, wasn't it? Always taking him and people like him for granted.
Brats.
"So do you like TV or movies or something, kiddo?" Roman asked dejectedly, as those blank pink and brown eyes continued to uncomfortably stare at him.
Clutter filled his apartment. Trash desperately needed to be taken out, and his dirty laundry pile was absurdly tall. Empty liquor bottles lined kitchen counters, a testament to Roman's many nights spent remembering times he'd rather not. In the corner, a broken violin sat atop a dusty lockbox. A pastime he long-since fell out of love with.
The girl had been silent ever since they met. Roman appreciated how he didn't have to deal with some brat crying, but the silence had gotten to be intolerable at this point.
"Can you even talk at all?"
Suddenly, the girl moved, her stubby arm pointing at a cat laying outside his window sill. Its orange fur reflected nicely with the setting sun.
He shook his head again. "Yes, kiddo, it's a nice kitty cat, but can you talk or not?"
She simply just pointed at the cat again before pretending to pet an imaginary cat in her arms.
"At least I know you can understand me. You could at least nod or shake your head." His hand rested on his face. "Were you always like this?"
Life seemingly sprung back into the girl's eyes as she gestured to the cat with newfound aggression.
Finally, Roman put the two together.
"You're not going to answer me until I bring that cat inside for you to play with, are you?"
The girl nodded her head passionately, causing Roman to chuckle. "A little brat who knows how to get what she wants. A kiddo after my own heart truly."
In truth, he could tell if her stubbornness made him want to praise the girl or throttle her. His patience ran thin, but she was just a kid anyways. No use in getting angry at her.
All kids were annoying by default anyways.
He got up from his worn-down couch and walked up to the window. Like an expert surgeon, he silently grabbed the tabby before it could notice the window opening.
"MEOWWWW!!" The cat hissed in frustration as it struggled in Roman's arms, trying to seemingly scratch at one of his eyeballs but failing thanks to the orange glow around him.
"That little fu–" Roman interrupted himself with a cough. "That little scoundrel just tried to blind me. Can we just grab another one?"
The girl stomped her feet in place and huffed.
"Fine. But you have to help take care of it too." He relented before handing the feline over to the child. Once upon making eye contact with the little girl, the cat instantly calmed down. Not out of curiosity, no, but out of fear, as Roman felt its hair bristle and it freeze in place.
Maybe he could use this brat after all.
A smug smile curled on his face as he handed the cat over.
"Hey, kid, what do you think about papa Roman teaching you a few things about his trade?"
A vengeful grin grew on the child's face as she deviously petted the fear-stricken feline.
You know, upon further inspection, maybe his place needed some more tidying up. This was no place for a little girl.
Oh this was going to be a lucrative investment indeed. He'd show both of those bastards that he was just as great as them. His former teammates won't even know what hit them.
His name in lights: 'Roman Torchwick, criminal extraordinaire, a man ahead of his time, truly.'
He can see the headlines already.
Maria Nikos considered herself to be a religious woman, fully devoted to the church of the Mistralian pantheon. Her gods could be cruel, yes, but they loved their followers, even if they sought to test them time and time again.
After her fourth miscarriage, she was not sure if she could handle being tested once more, even if her husband was optimistic.
Then a baby with a beautiful tuff of red hair was born, and her faith was rewarded.
Her friends from church saw it as a sign--as did her husband, Dion Nikos.
They were relatively well-off, a farm girl and a business man whose only claim to fame was Pumpkin Pete's cereal.
so its been some time huh? I've been busy. Graduated college. Got a gf. Broke up. Got sent to the ER (twice). Things have been a mess.
Hope you guys are doing well though.