Fuck me with a fish, I seriously need someone to hold a gun to my head and force me to write. I'm starting college next month too so my goal of finishing this fic before then has gone up in flames. Especially at my current updating rate, which will get even worse when college starts. Fuck my life…
Anyway, heads up. I decided to change the scene change symbol to 0-0-0 because I think they look better. Also, I'm going to stop referring to the team names as acronyms in narration to make it sound better for Screen Readers and TTS users.
Chapter 12: A Visitor In Vale
"So, there's still been nothing from Roman?" Jaune asked. "But it's already been more than a week."
"Yeah, it's really odd," Gin confirmed. "I'm honestly concerned about it. I have no idea what's on his mind."
The two friends were among the trees somewhere near Beacon's vicinity. Jaune leaned his bicep against a tree with his arms crossed while Gin simply squatted and let his weapon lean on his shoulder.
Blue eyes mildly narrowed as they gazed at Gin's aloof expression.
"… Do you think Roman just gave up on blackmailing you?" Jaune asked.
"Why the hell would he do that?"
Jaune shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe he figured you weren't worth it. Maybe he had a change of heart."
"The only change his heart would have is going from dirt to shit," said Gin. "But maybe you're right about the first one. The things he made me do were pretty simple, and it felt more like I was just there to make things a little easier and not that I was necessary."
"… Right," said Jaune.
"Well, I guess this is good for me so I can't really complain," said Gin who rose and stretched. "Anyway, you want to spar?"
"Okay, sure."
And so, they started sparring in a casual enough manner to let them converse in between sword swings.
"As expected, you've gotten a lot better," Gin commented before striking with his reverse-gripped sword.
Jaune was using only his sword this time and he used it to deflect the strike. "Thanks. Fighting so many different people is a part of it, but most of it is thanks to Pyrrha," Jaune attacked with a side swing.
Gin parried it and tried to counter but Jaune avoided it by stepping back. "Oh right, you mentioned before about asking her to train you."
"Yeah. I thought she could give me some pointers since she uses a shield too. But she gave me more than just a few pointers." Jaune laughed while they circled each other, "She's a better teacher than my fucking dad."
"Hmm. That's nice. I think."
They closed in at the same time and their swords met each other in a clash.
"You got better too," Jaune complimented in the middle of their swords locking.
"Thanks, but bullshit," Gin didn't let their swords lock for longer than two seconds because he twisted his body with his footwork to left-shoulder bash his taller opponent's side.
It pushed Jaune back but he managed to balance himself with his own footwork and deflected the next strike with a swing towards his left. This allowed him to smoothly transition into a stab pushed by his offhand that shoved Gin back a few feet.
Skidding to a stop, Gin brought his blade up in a guard. "I'm not a genius like you, I can't improve in just a week or two even if I had a good teacher. Besides… I know I've already reached the limit of my swordsmanship."
"Then just surpass your limits, stupid," said Jaune with a cheeky grin.
"Fuck you," Gin charged in and Jaune faced him head-on.
The two engaged in a back-and-forth of swordplay that was more intense than earlier.
"And I'm really not a genius by the way," said Jaune in the middle of a particularly harsh clash that caused a lull in their spar. "I'm just a little good at it, I guess."
"Eat shit and choke on it," Gin ended the short lull by closing the distance and winding up for a backhanded stab towards the right.
Due to the close quarters and his own size, Jaune was unable to block properly with his sword so he used his right forearm to block Gin's own forearm while avoiding the sword that came for Jaune's neck by leaning back.
Gin then coiled his arm around Jaune's arm which tossed the sword it held onto his left hand. Gin also did the same and his left hand gripped the katana normally, ready to stab Jaune while their right arms were—
The tip of Crocea Mors tickled Gin's neck.
They both had performed the same manoeuvre but Jaune did it earlier, allowing him to achieve victory.
Gin clicked his tongue and let Jaune's arm go as the two eased themselves.
"I thought it was supposed to be a light spar," Jaune pointed out while sheathing his sword.
"It is. If it was a real match, I wouldn't have yielded to that since I still have Aura now would I?" Gin gave his own sword a whirl before slowly sheathing it.
"Hmm. That's true I guess," Jaune shrugged his shoulders.
[Gin, you've received a message from Scarlet Pictures,] Rin notified.
Taking out his Scroll, Gin checked the message with Aura on his eyes and smiled at the contents.
"Is that from the girl you've been talking about?" Jaune asked.
"Yeah. Velvet sent me another picture," said Gin.
"By the way, how's it going with her?"
"Slow as hell. You know she's an upperclassman, right? So that means I don't see her much except in History class. And even then, I can't talk to her in public because I feel she'll just shy away. We only chat through texts or in the morning sometimes when we see each other."
Jaune laughed lightly, "Guess those bunny ears aren't just for show. And hey, I honestly expected you to be more upfront with her. Like, I thought you'd just straight up ask her out by now."
"I've considered it but… I don't know. Velvet seems like the type I need to be gentle with. I'll have to work to slowly get into her good graces first before asking her out or she'll ghost me out of embarrassment…"
"Heh." Jaune crossed his arms with a smirk, "I never thought YOU would hesitate on shit like this."
"Me neither." Gin rubbed his chin, "And I'm not even sure why I'm pussyfooting around so much…"
"Well, at least you're making progress with your love life." Jaune released a big sigh, "I still can't even get Weiss to give me her number."
Gin gave a light laugh, "Damn, that's kind of harsh."
"Yeah. But heh," Jaune smiled, "I guess that's just what makes her so hot."
Gin thinned his lips with a sweat drop. "So, I take it you're not going to give up on her anytime soon?"
"Of course not." Jaune placed a fist on his chest, "My dad said that the best women have self-respect, and you need to work to get that same respect before you earn her affection."
Gin snickered, "Okay. That's a pretty cool perspective."
[Gin, you've received another message from Scarlet Pictures,] said Rin.
He looked at his Scroll again with Aura-enhanced eyes. "Shit, I forgot to respond to the picture." Gin quickly started typing with the braille keyboard on his Scroll.
Jaune leaned in to look at the screen.
"Oi, what are you doing?" Gin protectively moved his Scroll away from Jaune.
"Come on, I'm curious. Just let me have a look," Jaune pleaded.
"Hell no, why the fuck would I let you see my texts with Velvet?"
"Why the fuck would you not?" Jaune's hands gestured to himself, "I'm your best friend. Do you have something to hide from me or what?"
"Well no, but they're PMs because they stand for PRIVATE Messages, idiot."
"No, they're not. They're DMs which mean Direct Messages." Jaune grabbed his friend's wrist. This made Gin retaliate by grabbing Jaune's wrist with his other hand. Then Jaune grabbed the wrist of that hand with his other hand.
"Stop being so stingy and show me!" Jaune demanded as they essentially wrestled with their hands occupied.
"No! Fuck you!" Gin dragged both of their limbs towards the sky.
Then he hopped and basically drop-kicked Jaune with enough force to detach their hands. But it also caused them both to fall on their asses and backs.
0-0-0
Later that day, the whole of Team Cigar were in their uniforms and loitering about on a staircase inside a building.
"Fuckin' hell. I seriously don't know who's worse between Port an' Oobleck," said Russel who was balancing a water bottle on a middle finger while sitting on one of the steps.
"For real," Sky agreed, he was the only one standing as he leaned on the handrails. "On one hand, Port's boring and cringe as shit. On the other, Oobleck is a lunatic constantly high on caffeine-for-drugs."
"It's totally Oobleck," decided Cardin who sat on the steps with his elbows leaning on the steps behind him. "At least Port doesn't check homework. While Oobleck will grade that shit like an exam paper."
"Aye! The bugger can even tell when we copy shit too," Russel tossed the bottle and let it flip as it landed perfectly on the ground thanks to Aura. "Like that time he caught me copying Gin's homework. Fuckin' how? I made sure to make mine look way different." He tossed and flipped the bottle onto its cap this time. "He even gave you shit for it too, Gin," said Russel with a laugh.
Meanwhile, Gin also sat on the steps but he didn't respond because he seemed to be sleeping with his back and head against the wall while his weapon leaned on a shoulder.
"Nah, it's gotta be Port," Sky countered. "Oobleck may be strict but Port is cringe. And that is the worst offence in the history of the whole world."
Cardin and Russel laughed while the latter took off the cap of the bottle.
Then he flipped it into the air and let it land on its bottom without spilling a drop.
""Nice,"" Both Sky and Cardin complimented at the same time.
"Let me try that," said Cardin and held out a hand.
"Ight," Russel handed the bottle to him.
"If it doesn't land straight then that means you're a faggot, Cardin," said Sky.
"Pretty rich from you but alright," said Cardin with a confident grin.
Grabbing the capless tip with his fingers, he tossed it into the air with a flip and it descended to land on the—
Aura Realm
Through an impressive show of precision and finesse, Steel Seer caught the bottom of the bottle in the air and allowed it to stand upright on its hilt.
"Stop that shit. It's noisy," said Gin with a mildly annoyed look. Lowering his weapon, he swiftly manoeuvred the bottle to shift and land on its capless head, causing a small amount of water to spill but the bottle ultimately stood straight. Even though it was upside down.
"… Fucking show off," said Cardin. "And it's gonna spill more when we pick it up anyway, dumbass."
"Well, at least he didn't make you a faggot," Sky pointed out, causing Russel to laugh while he tried to get the bottle back.
Gin released a big yawn into his fist and let Steel Seer lean on his shoulder again.
"Two nights in a row is getting to you, eh?" Cardin asked.
"Yeah. It's usually at random times so I should have expected some consecutive ones I guess," Gin grumbled.
"Pathetic. I've pulled four all-nighters in a row once," said Sky.
"Having an unhealthy sleep schedule isn't a competition dipshit," Gin replied.
"Cope and seeeethee."
Gin just sighed exasperatedly at that. "Hey, next class is Combat class right?"
"Yeah," Cardin confirmed.
"Gods. I think this is the first time I'm not looking forward to it," Gin threw his head back against the wall.
"You're on a win streak though," Sky remarked. "But then again, that might be a negative. Cause you're going to be nervous about losing more when you're on a streak. And there's the fact that, from my experience as a gamer, your next loss during a streak tends to be from a match that's so horrendously bad, you start believing in fate and karma."
"Hmm. If that's true then I doubt it'd be as bad as my loss against Schnee," said Gin with a sardonic smile.
His team laughed at that statement.
"True that," Russel agreed. "But at least ya made up for it by not losing a match again. I already fuckin' lost two matches."
"Hah. I'm the only one in our team who hasn't lost a single one," Cardin puffed his chest out with a smug smirk.
"What do you mean?" Sky asked. "I haven't lost any matches either."
"Oi, that's bullshit you lying twat," Russel accused.
"Yeah, you're the one with the most loses in our team," Cardin corrected.
"What are you talking about?" said Sky with a head tilt. "Are you guys trying to gaslight me?"
""Fuck you,"" Both Cardin and Russel echoed at the same time.
In his own corner of the world, Gin wondered if he should just skip the next class. No, not an option. I've never done that in my entire life and I plan on keeping it that away. Besides, if my mom finds out, she'll kill me. He sighed, I suppose I'll just pray that I don't get called on, next class.
0-0-0
"Gin Suzume," Miss Goodwitch announced.
The subject of her announcement huffed and slumped his shoulders.
"And Yang Xiao-Long."
Then Gin immediately turned taut as if he were a bow.
"Fucking knew it," said Sky.
"Ooooh," Russel scrunched up his face at the news. "Going up against the second-best in our year is definitely an ass fuck."
Cardin scoffed and crossed his arms, "What second best? She's not that good."
"We all saw her fight toe-to-toe against Pyrrha fucking Nikos, mate."
"So? She still lost."
"Yeah, but she held her own better than any of us could," Sky pointed out. "Xiao-Long is a fucking beast, bro."
Gin wasn't even listening to their conversation because he had already begun moving towards the stage.
A certain tense air permeated from his being as he let his haori drop from his shoulders so he could begin tying it around his hip which also enveloped Steel Seer which was kept in his red sash, and the blade's edge faced skywards as was tradition. His posture and movements no longer had their usual relaxed state but his expression differed as it maintained an unreadable quality.
Jaune gazed at his friend from afar with a complicated expression but none noticed it.
When Gin finally reached his place before his opponent, he finished tying the haori and tightened it. Standing in front of him was Yang Xiao Long, the Beautiful Brawler. Someone he shared a rather hostile history with, though that might be one-sided right now because the blond stood with a confident, relaxed posture and friendly smile.
"Let's have a good match," She said cheerfully.
"… Sure," Gin at least had the decency to respond even though he contrasted her with his own stiff posture and cold expression.
Yang's smile faltered at the unenthusiastic response. The guy didn't even look at her in the eyes. But then again he had his eyes closed, so yeah.
Cracking his shoulder with the opposite hand, Gin then freed Steel Seer from its scabbard in a normal grip which soon changed when it spun the sword into a reverse.
Yang Xiao Long stilled.
Her lilac eyes narrowed suspiciously in a short flicker of red.
"Get ready," Miss Goodwitch commanded and the two fighters took their stances.
Yang spread her feet by putting her left foot forward and lined her body sideways. She put her hands up with her left hand in front of the other, though neither was balled into fists just yet.
Gin had a similar sideways stance with his feet and body, though it was his right side which was in the front. Another difference was that his left hand hung freely at his side while his right held up Steel Seer forward with its tip pointed at the ground in a loose grip.
Glynda raised her hand.
"Begin!" She announced while parting the air with her hand and leaping back gracefully.
"So, I hear you've been getting along with my sister," Yang began moving right.
Gin raised a brow without opening his eyes but he began moving backwards to the left which meant the two fighters started circling each other.
"C'mon man, this is pretty much the first time we've talked," Yang whined when he didn't respond. "You've been pretty friendly to everyone but me. What gives?"
"… If you're worried about my intentions with your sister, don't be. I'm not interested in girls younger than me."
Yang looked surprised for a second before she grinned, "Finally! Something out of you. And it's something I'm glad to hear. No offence, it's just older sibling things," She winked and then paused. "Uh, I winked at you."
"Charmed," Gin said with a tone that suggested the opposite. He wondered if she was trying to lead him to the edge of the stage.
Aura Realm
No, he was still a good distance away from the edges so he deactivated his realm after memorising the—
Gin parried the incoming left fist to its opposite side but Yang shot a round behind her with the right gauntlet and the recoil launched her into Gin while she raised her previously parried arm up like a shield.
He barely managed to bring his sword back and blocked the gauntlet with his left hand bracing the blade. His front right foot even took a step back and was now behind him to stabilise himself.
Yang grabbed the blade with her right hand while forcing her left gauntlet against it, keeping his sword in place even as he struggled to move it.
"Are you Hoody?" Yang asked in a hard tone, her eyes narrowed and red.
The bad blood between them would no longer be one-sided when Yang learns that he spilt hers.
"Haah?" Gin growled with an incredulous expression. "Who's that and why the fuck are you asking right now?" He raised his left leg to kick her but Yang checked it with her right leg and forced a stalemate.
"What's your Semblance?"
"Having a prettier face than you." Gin forced a grin on his face, "Then again, nobody would even need a Semblance for that."
The thought that they were in a stalemate was false, and it was one Yang allowed. Until now. Her hand that grabbed his blade shot a round from its gauntlet right into his chest.
Since Yang was so close, the explosion from the Dust shell affected her too but she prepared for that and the damage was minuscule compared to the target who gasped in pain. His strength slackened for a second and it was all Yang needed. Her left arm which had been pressing against the blade was released so she could grab the hilt instead which allowed her to quickly spin her body and force Gin to do the same so they were now back to back.
Before Gin could fully understand what was happening, he was thrown backwards and he harshly landed on his front with a loud slam.
A foot stomped on his back. "Don't turn your head around," Yang warned. "I'm aiming my weapon at it and I don't wanna ruin your pretty face," Her eyes had returned to their lilac colour and Yang now stood on his back with Ember Celica aimed at the back of Gin's head.
. . .
The fallen Swordsman bent his left arm up and pressed the palm against the floor, looking like he was trying to push himself up.
"Oi," Yang stomped a foot on his ass, preventing his knees from gaining purchase. "Just yield. Aura isn't going to stop you from getting head trauma."
"Fuck you," He growled.
Aura Ripple
The earlier assessment of him trying to push himself up was true, however, it was a push powered by an Aura Technique so Yang was unprepared for the force that such a small movement generated causing her to lose her balance. It was further enforced by Gin clumsily slashing her waist after twisting his body with the force from his enhanced push.
Gin still fell on his back so he had to perform a kip-up to stand back up and quickly brought up his guard.
He scowled when no attack came. This bitch had more than enough time to me before I oriented myself, Gin angrily thought.
Currently, Yang was lightly hopping her feet in no particular stance and seemingly in no hurry. She was also looking at Gin with a smug smile.
The Swordsman decided to switch tactics. He changed his grip into a regular two-handed grip for reach and aimed his blade at the Brawler.
However, something unexpected happened when Yang moved backwards and away from Gin who wrinkled his brows in confusion.
Aura Realm
Gin tried to figure out what she was doing as he deactivated his Realm after it encompassed the stage and he memorised the space.
Yang soon showed her plan to everyone when she fired a Dust shell at her opponent. Using the recoil, she spun around and shot another one at the ground near her, allowing the recoil and explosion to propel her towards Gin who had sliced the previous round with a downward swing.
Yang shot two other rounds behind her - this time from both gauntlets - to increase her flight speed.
Gin was wholly unable to react against the lariat that came for his neck like a guillotine.
Spittle flew from his mouth as he violently flipped and spun into the air. When he was just about to land from his impromptu flight, Yang had already landed so she quickly dashed to uppercut him back into the air, this action was assisted by a blast from Ember Celica as well.
When he was falling again, Yang repeated the process.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
Thus, this messed up game of pinball continued until the buzzer rang and Gin was finally allowed to make contact with the ground as his Aura broke.
The thoroughly defeated Gin coughed and groaned pitifully from where he lay in a battered heap.
"Well done, Miss Xiao-Long," Glynda Goodwitch praised as she walked towards them. "You've proven that you're not just good in fist fights, but competent as well in grappling and planning your moves. However," She adjusted her glasses and narrowed her eyes, "you could have ended this fighter sooner but you chose not to. Maybe you had a good reason but I suspect not. Unless you're going to prove me wrong?" She asked.
Yang looked away and scratched the side of her head, "No, not really…"
Then Glynda directed her stare at Gin who had gotten up on his knees. "Mr Suzume, you have my praise for your quick thinking and assessment of your battlefield. However, you must work on everything else. I also recommend increasing your arsenal so that you could have released your sword and use other weapons, or perhaps even hand-to-hand combat techniques."
"Only a shit Swordsman would need to do that," Gin grumbled angrily as he pushed himself to his feet.
Glynda raised a brow, "You're training to be a Huntsman, are you not?"
The boy wrinkled his brows and looked away with a click of his tongue. He didn't even whirl his sword before sheathing it forcefully.
Glynda stared at him, This is the first time this boy has been snappy at me. Somewhat understandable, considering what happened in this match. But I wonder if something is going on between him and Miss Xiao-Long. She looked at Yang who had just crossed her arms with a frown and Glynda didn't fail to notice how neither of them were facing each other. Teenagers, Glynda thought with an exasperated huff.
"Listen well, students," Miss Goodwitch addressed everyone in the room. "In our line of work as Huntsmen, an extra weapon or combat style can be the deciding factor between life and death. Even I, someone famous for her Semblance, am more than just that."
A blind boy clenched his teeth and balled a fist.
0-0-0
"Hey, uh. You did good man," Cardin said. "Besides, it's still not as bad as with Schnee."
"Aye," Russel agreed. "And oi, if I were you I would be fuckin' thrilled to get my ass kicked by a babe like Yang. Hell, some blokes would even pay for it."
"If it makes you feel better, I could make a meme depicting Yang as the Virgin and you as the Chad," Sky offered with a completely straight face.
"... If you fucks have something to say then just spit it out," said an annoyed Gin, cutting straight to the point.
Cardin rubbed his head. "Well, you seem pretty… miffed about losing to Yang," He remarked. "Even though you took your loss with Schnee pretty well."
"Aye! You've always acted odd on things that involve Yang. So, we reckon you had some beef with her," Russel revealed.
"Kind ironic since you're best friends with another blonde," Sky pointed out.
. . .
Gin took a deep and slow breath.
"Yes, you're correct… I do have something against Xiao-Long," He confessed. "But it's a private matter."
"Ight mate, we won't pry," Russel raised his hands and waved them.
"Yeah," Cardin nodded. "We all have our secrets and there's nothing wrong with that."
"What they said," Sky supported while pointing at the other two.
Gin nodded, "I appreciate it.".
And so, the entire team diverted their attention back onto the matches that took place on stage. Well, most of them anyway. Gin had his eyes closed but it didn't seem like he was focusing on his Aura Sense.
Gods, I feel more pissed and irritable than I have in a while, Gin thought with a grumpy expression. I'm seriously praying that nothing else happens today or I might lose it.
0-0-0
Inside the now familiar club that belonged to the Xiong clan, Roman Torchwich sat on one of the VIP seats on the upper floor again. He swirled a glass of alcohol with a smile and a posture that radiated relaxation and enjoyment.
Blackout
The tip of a sword suddenly appeared in his line of sight.
"Well, good evening to you too kid," Roman smiled and tipped his glass at the hooded figure.
"Oiii," Gin growled, his eyes manically wide behind the hood. "Don't you think three nights in a row is a bit too fucking much?"
Roman chuckled, "Then you're going to be happy to know that I didn't call you here for work."
"Haah?" Gin's incredulous expression was half-hidden by the hood and he retracted his sword.
Reaching an arm behind the couch, Roman took out a tied plastic bag and tossed it at Gin's feet.
Gin's brows wrinkled behind the hood and he lightly kicked the bag. "… What's this?"
"That kid, is a generous bag of lien," said Roman. "Reward for your good behaviour," He laughed.
Gin's eyes widened again under the hood. What? Why? What's Roman thinking? The boy wondered. Is he trying to get on my good side or something?
"What? Don't tell me you want more?" Roman asked when he was silent for too long. "Hey now, I'm the type of boss who pays according to effort. And let's be honest, you never really needed to do much."
"What?" Gin snapped out of his thoughts. "No, that's not it. I don't want even want this…" He hesitated as a thought assailed his mind, Wait. Maybe I should accept. That may be able to get me closer to Roman if he thinks he can manipulate me with money. That's what his kind do, right? Manipulating people by knowing what they want. Then the manipulators drop their guard when they think they're in control… At least, that's what they do in the books…
His lips pursed before they released a quiet breath together with the sheathing of a katana. "… Thank you," Gin picked up the bag. "Will that be all?"
"Well, basically. But, let's talk a little bit," Roman shifted in his seat and hunched over with his hands joining as his elbows rested on his thighs. "If you want, there's a way to earn more money…"
. . .
"Go on," said Gin.
Roman's eyes lit up with a devilish smile. "We're going to be moving on from Dust stores and going straight to the source instead."
"The fucking Dust mines?" Gin questioned.
Roman laughed, "No, not that far. I'm talking about the shipments that come from the SDC. That's right, the biggest Dust manufacturers themselves." Roman leaned back onto the couch again with his confident smile, "It was always a part of the plan, but I needed some more manpower first. That is, until now, when boypower will work."
Gin held up a middle finger.
"That was a compliment," said Roman.
Gin raised another middle finger even though it held his weapon.
Roman released an amused huff, "Seriously though, with your Semblance and Aura Sense, dealing with the security of large corp like the SDC for just their cargo will be a piece of cake. You don't even need to kill anyone, just tie them up after Blackoutting them or something like that. So, what say you?"
"... Giving me the illusion of choice, are you?"
"Why so cranky tonight, eh?" Roman questioned. "Here, just in case you need a weapon, I'll even give you this sword. That way, you won't have to comprise your identity with your own blade." The thief reached behind the couch again and tossed something at Gin who caught it.
His hooded head tilted at the red cane with an L-shaped handle that had leather wrappings around it, similar to the hilt of a sword.
"Nothing too fancy," said Roman. "Just a simple cane sword. One of my spares actually."
Gin pinched Steel Seer with his armpit so that he could unsheathe the cane sword, revealing a straight silver blade with a single edge.
"... I don't like straight swords," He commented.
Roman gave an exasperated sigh, "Is it because you're not straight yourself?"
"Rich coming from the guy who wears eyeliner," Gin retorted.
"Hah! Anyway, I'll add one more thing and ask again. This cargo heist won't be too common so we'll still hit some regular stores if you like that instead." Roman hunched forward again and supported his chin with webbed fingers.
"So are you in, or not?" He asked with a serious expression and tone.
. . .
Gin suddenly spun the sword into a reverse grip before sheathing it with a click, it seemingly resounded through the air despite the music that blared across the club.
"I am."
0-0-0
Descending down the flight of stairs was the hooded form of Gin. He carried both Steel Seer and the bag of money in his left hand at the same time while putting his right hand inside the hoodie's pocket.
Then he trekked towards the exit. Other customers eyed him with curiosity while the bouncers with shrewdness. Though none of them impeded his path.
Except for two fashionable and beautiful ones.
"Well, that was fast," said Melanie Malachite with a palm on her cheek. "Does Roman not have anything for you to do tonight?" She was a white-skinned teen with black hair that had a flower hairpin right above her left ear. The fringes were cut straight and covered her eyebrows but not her green eyes, which were highlighted by cyan makeup. Her strapless white dress was an elaborate piece where the skirt only reached her thigh and showed the length of her laced, thigh-high white boots. Sharp blades seemed to be attached to her high heels.
"If he doesn't, then drink with us instead of leaving so soon," said Militia Malachite with a smiling wink. She obviously looked similar to her twin with the differences being that her hair was shorter, the red makeup and feathery hairpin. Even her strapless dress was red with patterns that resembled newspapers. It also contained some eye-catching black parts that gave her a more dangerous look compared to her sister. This was further enhanced by the long red claws connected to her red gloves.
"… Yes, Roman doesn't," Gin confirmed after a moment's hesitation. "And thank you for the offer but no," He at least offered a small bow before walking around the twins.
At least he tried but Melanie turned and hooked her arm around his. "You seem a little upset, Gin. Did we do something wrong to you?" She asked with a kind and worried look.
"No. It's nothing… I'm just having a bad day."
"I gotta wonder if you're always having a bad day," Militia said as she sauntered in front of him. Then she crossed her arms and pressed her back against his other side. "Cause we're tryna get along with you but you're always so cold to us."
"... That's because I've read enough books to understand what's going on," Gin suddenly declared to the twins who stood an inch higher than him. "You two are trying to seduce me like the honey trap trope." He snorted, "Unfortunately for you two, I'm a Swordsman and we have enough discipline to only think with our real swords."
Melanie giggled into the back of her gloved palm. "Hmm. You're saying we're trying to seduce you but why would we do that?" She asked with a pretty smile, though she knew that didn't have any effect so she also pulled his arm closer to her breast.
"... I'm not sure," He admitted. "But you're criminals so it's probably for no good. Plus, there's the obvious trap part of 'honey trap'."
"Orrr, maybe we just think you're hot," said Militia with a sexy grin, though she also knew that wasn't enough so she completely closed the distance between their lower halves to connect her rear against him.
"Yeah sure," said Gin with a composed appearance that greatly contradicted his frenzied thoughts.
I am a Swordsman I am a Swordsman I am a Swordsman I am a Swordsman. But they were so soft, I am a Swordsman I am a Swordsman I am a Swordsman. They smell so good too, I am a Swordsman I am a Swordsman. Mom warned me about girls like these, I am a Swordsman. But I've had such a bad day so… I am a… Swordsman…
Some more movement from the Malachite Twins caused him to shiver.
Gin let out a big exasperated sigh while using his pocketed hand to push down his hoodie over his crotch. "Would you sisters be satisfied if I just gave you my number? Sheesh."
The twins peered down at his lower half, then they eyed each other with sly smiles before addressing him again. "Sure!" They echoed.
When they finally let him go and he walked out of the club, Gin immediately sprinted back towards Beacon in an attempt to remove the 'blood' from his 'sword'.
0-0-0
The door to Team Cigar's dorm slid open, and in came a hunched-over corpse.
"Damn, you're back early," Cardin remarked. "I guess that makes sense cause you went out early too this time."
"Yeah," Gin responded with a groan as he walked towards his bed. "Hey Russel, have this," He tossed a plastic onto Russel's bed.
"Huh? What's this?" Russel asked while he untied the bag.
"Money. The bastard who's making me work for him gave me that as a reward," sad Gin while placing his weapon on the bed as he started stripping. "I don't want it so it's yours."
Russel's widened as he looked into the bag. "A-Are you for real, man? This amount of money isn't the kind you just give away!
"Just consider it a donation to fix your stupid hairstyle," Gin droned in his boxers. His clothes were just haphazardly placed on his desk and seat. "I'm going to sleep early tonight, so good night," He said after tucking himself in his bed while Steel Seer lay next to him on the bed.
"Firstly, your hair is stupider than mine. And secondly, I can't just fuckin' accept this. I mean, I appreciate it but this too much money, mate," Russel protested.
"Ugh. Let's just discuss this in the morning," Gin requested while waving a hand.
"Hey uh, why did that guy give you money?" Sky asked. "I mean, don't you owe him money?"
"Later. Morning. Good night," Gin reiterated before turning on his side which signalled the end of any conversation that included him.
The rest of Team Cigar just looked at each other and collectively shrugged.
0-0-0
The next day arrived, and the sun cast its light on the town of Ansel.
In its more residential parts, an unusual-looking woman walked on the paths.
This white-skinned woman with droopy red eyes was slender and really tall at around 6"5'. Her dark purple hair was entirely pulled back into a high ponytail that exposed her forehead. She wore an indigo kimono that was wrapped by a sarashi on her midsection. The kimono also had some stylised patterns of waving water. On her feet were black boots that could have been mistaken as sandals at a glance because of exposed heels and toes.
Despite all that, the most noteworthy feature about her would probably be the white Odachi she carried on her back. There were some golden engravings on the scabbard and hilt that hinted at its value and how well-made it was, although for some reason it didn't have a handguard.
The people in the neighbourhood couldn't help but stare when they saw her.
But one old man, in particular, did so subtly with the sharp eyes of a warrior.
Sitting in a rocking chair on a porch, the old man had multiple scars on his wrinkled face. He seemed frail but in reality, he was far from it and he could tell the Swordswoman was too.
One might think she had a rather lazy appearance from her lackadaisical expression and her right hand which hung loosely out the gap of the kimono. However, all the old veteran saw was the slow gait of a beast who had no equal, thus she walked without a single worry.
And such a beast winked at him with a smile.
The old man widened his eyes for a second or two before his expression turned embarrassed. He bowed his head at the woman with a raised sideways hand as an apology for staring. The woman just laughed in good cheer and waved a hand, basically telling the old man to not worry about it before continuing on her way.
Before long, she reached a house that looked like it was part of a bookstore with the name 'Nest of Books.' After ringing the doorbell, she waited outside the door and offered a proper view of her back.
Beneath the Odachi, there was a purple emblem on her kimono. A simple silhouette of a bird descending towards the right, inside a ring.
The door opened to reveal Jin Suzume whose eyes widened at the taller woman. "Kyouka!" A wide smile bloomed on his face and he stepped out of the doorway.
"Big brother!" Kyouka Sasaki spread her arms high up which caused the kimono to drop from her right shoulder. Revealing a slender but muscular arm and a grey sports bra which covered her flat chest.
Jin spread his arms too and embraced his younger sister.
"Ahh, I've missed you so dearly, big brother," The taller woman nuzzled her face against the top of his head.
Jin laughed, "And I've missed you too, sister." They hugged for a few more seconds before Jin pulled them apart so they could get a good look at each other. "Please, come in. Karin will be glad as I am to see you."
"I would very much feel the same," She replied cheerfully with a laid-back smile.
Jin nodded and walked back into his house, leading in his sister who had lowered her head under the door frame.
"Karin!" Jin called. "Kyouka's came to visit!"
Karin appeared in the doorway a few seconds later, and through her glasses, she saw Kyouka who had taken off her boots and weapon. "Kyouka!" She gasped into a palm with delight.
"Elder sister!" Kyouka greeted with equal delight. Spreading her arms, she moved to grab Karin.
"Don't pick me up," Karin quickly ordered.
"Very well!" Kyouka knelt instead and embraced the much shorter woman who reciprocated with an adoring smile.
0-0-0
On the Suzume family's dining table, Kyouka ate while both husband and wife sat next to her and chatted with her.
"You really should stop visiting without telling us first," said Karin with a fond sigh typical of most mothers. "I would have prepared something grand if I'd known you were coming," She said even though there was already a large amount of food prepared.
"Oh, it's fine elder sister," Kyouka insisted while chewing with a relaxed smile. "This is already incredibly delectable and I'm truly grateful for it."
Karin gave a light laugh, "I'm glad to hear that. But don't talk with your mouth full."
Kyouka swallowed with a smile, "Apologies." She started eating again.
"You should stop travelling without carrying food on you. Your Semblance has its limits you know," said Jin who was referring to Mellow Glutton, Kyouka's Semblance which allowed her to go long periods without eating or drinking.
"But it's so bothersome to carry things," Kyouka whined after swallowing. "My sword is all I need to bring with me."
"And that's why you stink like crap. Because you don't even carry a change of clothes and barely bathe."
"Elder sister, big brother is bullying me again," Kyouka tattled. "Please scold him."
Karin giggled. "Dear, don't bully your sister," She said which made Kyouka send a smug look at her brother who rolled his eyes.
"But Jin does have a point," Karin continued. "And even though your Aura can help with your hygiene, it's still good to carry other necessities with you."
Kyouka deflated. "Yes ma'am," she conceded before eating again.
"I wish you would listen to me like that," Jin mumbled with a sigh. "So, how long will you be staying?" He asked. "For a few weeks, I hope."
Kyouka swallowed again before chuckling, "Oh big brother, you already know I'm a wanderer who walks with the wind. I cannot be bound to one place for long."
"We could chain you to a pole?" Jin suggested.
"That did not work the last time," Kyouka teased with a grin.
The joke got a laugh out of both husband and wife.
"By the way, how is my nephew? Has he gone off to continue his education elsewhere?" Kyouka asked before taking another bite.
Their good mood suddenly vanished. Well, not entirely as they were still caught up in their reunion with Kyouka but there was a very noticeable shift in their expressions and demeanour.
"I guess you could say that…" said Jin with a complicated expression.
Karin gave a big sigh, "Gin and his friend have run off to become Huntsmen."
Red eyes widened and Kyouka stopped chewing for a second.
Then she gulped it down, "Huh, that is… not surprising actually."
The husband and wife sent her confused looks.
"Oh, come now," Kyouka waved the hand that held the chopsticks. "You two are aware of how he takes pride in being a Swordsman. So, it's not surprising that he would go on to follow a path of violence. Though I didn't think he'd choose to be a Huntsman."
Karin frowned with displeasure. "Okay, maybe Gin does like being a warrior and such, but that doesn't mean he craves violence like some thug. My boy is better than that."
"To be fair," Jin began, "craving violence doesn't just mean you're a thug."
Karin adjusted her glasses and narrowed her eyes at him.
Jin froze with a sweat drop. "Kyouka shut up. You know nothing," He quickly turned on his sister without hesitation.
"O-Oh no, I meant no offence," Kyouka nervously raised her hands at Karin to signal her surrender. "I don't think Gin craves violence either. He just walks on that path because he desires to sharpen his skills and become stronger. Which is perfectly respectable in my opinion."
Karin merely hummed without really indicating her thoughts on that.
"Umm so, what was it that made Gin decide to become a Huntsman?" Kyouka awkwardly changed the subject and asked.
"It's a long story," said Jin with a sigh.
0-0-0
"I see," said Kyouka who now sat on a couch. Their group had decided to take their discussion to the living. "And you suspect that they're in the City of Vale?"
"Yes," Karin confirmed with a sigh. "The letter they left mentions that they're going to Vacuo but we think that was just a bluff. And a VERY poor one too. Even if we did believe it, we would have at least checked in the city. After all, it has the closest Huntsmen Academy. I swear, those boys are so reckless…" She shook her head disapprovingly while Jin just gave an awkward laugh.
Kyouka chuckled along with him. "So, from your current attitudes about the situation, can I assume that you've settled for letting my nephew and his friend do what they desire?"
. . .
"Yes." Karin sighed once more, "Yes, we have."
"It's something both we and the Arc Family have decided together," Jin revealed. "If they're willing to go this far, then we believe we should allow them this freedom at their age."
"We're still worried as hell though," Karin added. "I hope my son will at least call us soon…" She muttered. "I really wanted to go to Vale and see them. Maybe give them a stern talking to first, but I would give them my blessings in the end, even if I think what they're doing is stupid."
"But we decided to give it some time first," Jin explained. "That way, whatever tensions there are, will cool and our families can all have a proper talk."
"I still don't like it though…" Karin complained.
"I see," said Kyouka with closed eyes. "Hmm. Perhaps, I can offer to do something that might help."
Husband and wife sent her confused looks.
"I could go to Vale myself and speak with my nephew," Kyouka elaborated with a smile. "I can understand why he would be hesitant to meet his parents in this situation, but I'm sure that doesn't extend to his dear aunt," She chuckled. "I may be even able to give advice as a Swordswoman."
The couple stared at her for a second before they looked at each other, probably conversing with just their eyes.
"Oh!" Kyouka suddenly piped up with a finger pointing upwards. "Maybe my recent status as a Huntress may help as well."
Married eyes quickly returned to her in shock.
"You're a Huntress now?" Karin asked.
"Indeed," Kyouka replied cheerfully. "Many of the privileges that come with the status are useful for my travels so I decided to become one. The test was easy enough for a Swordswoman like me." She puffed out her chest.
"But… but what about the clan?" Jin asked with an incredulous expression. "Surely, they didn't approve."
Kyouka crossed her arms with a smirk. "Oh big brother. When has their approval ever mattered to me?"
Jin and Karin stared at her again.
Then smiles spread across their faces. Jin even laughed. "Of course," He said. "Those idiots could never control you even when you were young."
"What do you mean?" Kyouka tilted her head. "I am always young."
Karin laughed into her hand, "Sometimes, I can't help but admire you like an older sister, Kyouka. Even though you're so cute as my young sister."
"Oooh." Kyouka blushed and puffed her chest out while raising her nose with closed eyes, "Keep lavishing praises on me please."
End of Chapter
I know about the novels that featured the Malachite Twins and their personalities but I'm not really interested in reading them. So, I'm just going to base the twins on the Coeur's stories that feature them.
So, Kyouka Sasaki, the last of my OCs with relevancy. But again, she'll have nothing to do with the main story of RWBY itself, only with the story of Gin. Out of all my characters, Kyouka has gone through the most change from her initial concept and I'm actually really satisfied with how she came out. She might even be my favourite OC lol.
Unexpectedly, this chapter is longer than the last two. And it got me hoping that my daily word count returns to normal. 1k words a day is my goal and at least 500 words are the minimum. But nowadays, I can barely write 100 words because I've been busy which made me procrastinate harder again. And I still got other things to do this week so yeah. Well, whatever.
Until next time, bye-bye.