"Are you sure about this?" Kasune asked while leaning against a wall of her home. She had her arms crossed and was staring down Elise as she scarfed down the food from their cabinets. The rest of team MACE was calmly eating with her.
"A strong ally is a strong ally regardless of who they are." Jayde eyed her. She had her hood pulled down but kept her mask up.
"Whatever." Her partner rolled her eyes. "You just better hope my sister or Krimson doesn't come back early. If either of them see strangers in our home they'll-" She cut herself off and blankly blinked as the front door unlocked.
"Dammit." The Huntress in green let out a breath and quickly slid in front of the door when it opened. "Melony! How are you?" She leaned up against the doorframe.
Staring at her, a woman in a much more revealing purple outfit and mask tilted her head and crossed her arms. "Jayde." Her eyes narrowed.
"Yes?" She cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow.
"Who's at the door?" Elise suddenly asked with a mouthful. She leaned over to try and get a better view.
Melony's gaze fell on her. She quickly looked back towards Jayde. She then shoved her aside and stepped inside. Seeing three more girls, her eyes lit up with fury. "Who are they?" She demanded.
"Some idiots with a death wish and a bounty worth more lien than you can imagine." Kasune answered.
"A bounty?" Her voice lowered and she eyed the team with a more curious look.
"Not for you." Kris teased with a grin. She pointed at her with a fork. "It's not for anyone here."
Melony scowled and slowly approached. "You should watch your tone, child. If you were smart you would fear me."
"Yeah, listen," the redhead leaned back in her seat, "I've eaten something other than cactus and bread for the first time in forever. You're going to have to do something a lot more than speaking over me to intimidate me."
"Tch. Arrogant child." She snarled as she reached up and grabbed her mask. She pulled it down and let out a snarl while flashing her teeth. Though, they weren't normal teeth. There were rows upon rows of pointy jagged teeth.
"Holy fucking shit biscuits fucking hell!" Kris' eyes widened. She scrambled out of her seat and stumbled behind Kagami with wide eyes.
On her feet, the jadette flexed her wrist and extended the blade on her bracer. She narrowed her eyes. "Faunus? That's nice." She held up her arm defensively. "What are those? Shark teeth?"
"Hmph. You have quite the tongue on you too. How about I remove it?" Melony stepped forward while pulling out a pair of sai from behind her.
"I'd like to see you try." She bared her teeth.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Jayde slipped between both of them and held up her arms. "We are inside MY house! Don't you even dare!"
"Oh, come on. You fought her." Kasune teased in the way only a best friend could. She leaned onto Jayde's shoulder. "What's wrong with my sister doing the same?"
"Is that why they're here?" Melony narrowed her eyes at the Huntress in green. "You had the urge to fight them?" She scoffed and stepped back. "Pathetic." She muttered while putting her weapons away and sliding her mask back up. She then walked off without another word.
"Well," Elise leaned out from her hiding spot behind Kagami. She was still eating. "I think that went well." She tried to sound positive.
Cheyenne softly shook her head before looking up at Kasune. "She is your sister, right? Does that mean you're a Faunus too?"
"I am." She nodded. She pulled her mask down and smiled to reveal small fangs. "Fox teeth. I was lucky. Unlike my sister. It's why we wear these." She pulled her mask back up. "Jayde has done it since we were little to help her feel like she fits in more. Our partner, Krimson, has done the same since we met at Haven."
"That's actually really kind of you." Kagami retracted the blade on her bracer and sat back down. "Does it help any?"
Kasune grew quiet. "I don't know." Was her answer.
Feeling the sense of uneasiness coming from her childhood friend, Jayde slowly breathed in before heavily exhaling. "Hurry up and finish eating." She tapped the table. "Billy's bar is going to open soon."
Later on, team MACE followed behind Jayde as she led them through the endless maze of back alleys of Vacuo. Kris kept her hands deep inside her pockets as she closely watched the emerald Huntress. Meanwhile Elise was taking notes of the Kingdom and its districts. It was like a forest if the trees and grass were replaced with bricks and sand. It wasn't as pretty but it wouldn't be too hard for her to learn her way around.
"So are you going to tell me about Kaito yet?" Kagami asked with crossed arms.
Jayde glanced back and eyed her. "Why are you so fascinated by him?"
"You said he had my eyes."
"Yeah? So?" She raised an eyebrow and gestured towards her own eyes. "Plenty of people have green eyes."
Kagami took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second.
"Just... tell us about him, please?" Cheyenne flashed a soft smile.
Jayde looked at her before shrugging as she led the way. "His name is Marakaito. He was orphaned and left for dead as a child. He made friends that helped raise him and in return he made a name for himself here. He's the Huntsman with no aura."
"He... what?" Kris let her arms fall to her sides. Now she was intrigued. "What do you mean?"
"He doesn't have an aura."
"But that's not possible." Elise interjected. "He has to have an aura. It's part of his soul."
"Well maybe he doesn't have a soul." She held out her arms and stepped up towards an aged door. Above it was a sign that read Nine Ball Spirits. "Maybe someone stole it."
Kagami froze for a moment. She could feel her friends' eyes on her and she glanced at each of them. She swallowed hard before stepping up to follow Jayde inside.
Billy's bar was a simple place and lit up with dim lights. The right wall was the bar itself with neatly kept stools. In the back there were six pool tables. The rest of the place was filled with tables and chairs. Between those tables, a man stumbled back after being shoved. He stumbled a lot.
Another man stumbled towards him with raised fists only to trip over his own feet and fall onto a table with drinks.
Sitting at that, a well built man with thick curly green hair held up his hands as his mug spilled onto him. "Hey! Watch it!" He shot to his feet while grabbing the obviously drunk man by the collar. He pulled him close while narrowing his eyes. Over his left eye he had a long deep scar. Even his cornea had a discolored scar across it that matched. The eye itself was fine though. It had been healed. Somehow.
"Hey, it was just an accident." The woman across from him softly spoke up. She was drinking a pink drink that matched her hair.
"He should still watch where he's going!" He gave a growl and then glanced in her direction.
Taking his chance when he looked away, the drunk man brought his hands up and slammed them down against his forearm. There was a loud snapping sound. "Maybe you should mind your own damn business!"
With a hiss, the man with green hair retreated. He suddenly shifted and sent the fist of his broken arm forward and straight into the man's nose with a shout.
He fell back and his head struck the floor knocking him unconscious.
"Kaito! I told you before! No fighting inside!" Someone shouted from behind the bar.
With his arm already becoming discolored from bruising, he let out a heavy groan and took his seat. "Yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Billy!" He eyed the woman across from him and smiled.
She rolled her eyes with a scoff.
"Please?" He held out his arm. "Please, Pithaya."
"Stop picking random fights." She pointed at him before moving her hands around his arm. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes as a warmth radiated from her. His injuries slowly began healing.
"Thank you." He gently smiled.
As the still conscious drunkard dragged out his unconscious friend, Jayde stepped up to the bar in front of a man with a belt of different colored and numbered grenades. "Mr. Ards, how are we doing today?" She leaned onto the counter.
He deadpanned and roughly set the cup he was cleaning down. "What do you want? You don't call me that unless you want something. So spill it."
"Oh, you know me too well, Billy." She pulled her mask down. "Remember that time when we were both in Gust Winds and-"
"Okay, okay." He waved his hands. "What do you want?"
She smiled. "I need a contract. But not for me." She pointed back at the three girls standing behind her. "It's for them. They need a little help."
"You're out of your mind." Billy crossed his arms. "I'm not trusting a bunch of strangers."
"I'll give you double their reward if they screw it up." She raised an eyebrow while pulling her mask back up. "What do you say?"
"I mean, I can't refuse an offer like that." He took a deep breath. "But do tell me why you're willing to stick yourself out there for some kids?"
"Because not all of us want to see everyone burn under the sun here." Her eyes narrowed. "Or have you forgotten what it's like being alone out on the streets?"
"Whatever." He shook his head while taking a few steps away. "I'll go see what there is. I'll be back in a bit."
"Thanks." Jayde nodded before turning around to face Elise, Kris and Cheyenne. "You're welcome." She then blinked as she realized it was just the three of them. "Wait, where's Kagami?"
Once his arm was healed, Kaito sighed and sat back in his seat. "Sorry. I just hate irresponsible people like that." He eyed the stain on his shirt and tried his best to dab it out.
"I know you do." Pithaya rested her chin on her hand. "You're very honorable. Just a little bit too aggressive at times." She quietly laughed.
He shook his head before pulling on a dark green jacket over his shoulders and zipping it up halfway. "You're the one that still stays with me."
"Didn't say I didn't like it." Her smile turned into a devious grin.
He smiled with an amused scoff. Feeling the presence of someone walking up, he looked over his shoulder. His smile quickly faded as he stood up.
Staring him in the eyes, Kagami stood still. There was a distant feeling. There were words unspoken that were already known. There was a secret that only the two of them knew. Kaito had the eyes of a Monomane.
And the warrior's spirit of ten.
Kagami flashed a smile and he flashed one back.
There was an urge, a desire that was buried deep within that ran from their ancient ancestors to them.
Kagami unlatched her sword and set it aside before pulling off her bracer and placing it beside it. After a few steady breaths, she held up her hands.
"Kaito. Kaito!" Pithaya's words fell on deaf ears.
The Huntsman with no aura raised both his fists and readied himself in front of the girl. With a smile, he flexed his shoulders and nodded. "Ready?" He muttered.
"Ready." She nodded back.