They were forced to stop at a small island's port before traveling to, Blake had told them, Reverse Mountain. Spirits were low and so was the contents of Jaune's stomach. Before he had even a moment to recover, he was quite literally kicked off the bullhead by Neo. He supposed he deserved that.
"How do you plan on being a pirate if you puke your guts out like that, Arc?" Cardin asked gruffly.
Jaune slowly stood up. "First, k-keep your voice down about that. S-second, I'll take care of it."
Blake brushed past him. "Take care of it before we leave. I refuse to smell something that rancid again."
Jaune had no clue how he could solve a lifetime of motion sickness in one day, but he decided he did not want to argue with Blake's glare. Might as well look around the shops for something.
Ren volunteered to stay behind and clean their bullhead while the others went about the island. Blake quickly set out to get some charting supplies, Ruby wanted to stock up on ammo, Ren got Cardin to do some shopping for what they were unable to bring, and they got Neo to agree not to do anything too illegal with whatever she chose to do. She only caved to their request when Jaune pointed out that if they had to run from the marines, it might be before he figured out how to not throw up the moment they took off.
Jaune made his way into the bustling streets, weaving through the passersby and tilting his hat down to hide his face. It had been only earlier that day they had left, but they lived in a modern age and his face could already be plastered all over the web. It was difficult to know if that reached the Grand Line, but they weren't there yet.
He ultimately decided to find some over-the-counter medication to help calm his stomach. The issue was he had no idea where to look. Not a single one of the streets he passed showed any signs of a pharmacy and buying drugs from a random person was a shortcut to a disaster. He could only imagine taking one before spewing nonsense to his friends about something utterly ridiculous, like becoming a ninja and striving to be the leader of his village or whatnot.
Most of the shops were reminders of just how close to the Grand Line they were. They were tailored to sailors who planned to support themselves on a sea faring vessel. Despite being a harbor town, there was a lack of tourist shops, instead he saw various dust shops, weapons stores, produce markets, and places for common sailing goods like rope, cloth, and lumber. He paused at one of those places, halting his search for pharmaceuticals to purchase a large, dark cloth with some white paint. He couldn't comfortably afford any other colors without losing most of his spending money, so he decided they could figure that out later.
Now carrying those with him, he was regretting not waiting until the end to buy them. The sun was beating down on him even with his hat for shade and the heavy metal can was weighing down his arm. After two total hours of searching, he decided to take a quick break. No one could fault him for wanting a bite to eat, right? As most of the buildings, in terms of not shops, were hosts to bars, so he found a small stall cooking seafood instead.
The lady who owned the stall, a stout woman with piercing eyes, was far kinder than she first appeared. He ordered a simple meal, shrimp with some sort of sweet sauce, and stood to the side while he waited. She got to work, throwing the shrimp with some spices into a pan over the fire. While the shrimp cooked, she began going through a crate of fruit to make the sauce. She suddenly spat out a few choice words, making Jaune think she was probably a sailor at one point. She then threw one of the fruits behind her into the trash.
Jaune tried to make small talk while he waited. "Does that happen often: fruit going bad?"
She shook her head, pulling out a different fruit, that he could now see as a plum, to chop up. Her voice was a bit coarse. "It's all the weird stuff that happens over in the Grand Line making its way over here. The fruit randomly changes to look weird and, from what I've heard, tastes terrible."
"Changes how?" Jaune asked, intrigued.
She scoffed, "Look for yourself. It's like something out of a story."
He pulled it from the trash and felt his mouth hang open for a bit. The lady noticed and chuckled, "See, it's quite odd, isn't it? I've had a few customers want to try them out from looks alone, only to cough it all up from the taste. I don't think I've ever seen anyone get a bite down."
Jaune gulped, knowing well what this was. "It does look really cool. Do you think I could maybe keep it? As a souvenir or something?"
She laughed, louder this time. "Sure, if you want bitter fruit that will rot after some time. Go ahead and take it."
Jaune wrapped the fruit in the dark cloth he had purchased earlier, keeping it close to him for later. He waited for his meal and headed off once he had it. He could faintly taste just how delicious the sour but sweet plum sauce was on the shrimp, but his mind was too far adrift. Excitement and nervousness tightened his chest, just like when he had traveled home and snuck up into his family's attic to find his second Pumpkin Pete hoodie only to discover his birth certificate. It was the sensation that something big was headed his way, but he was unsure if he was at all prepared for it. That fruit, almost thrown away by a clueless woman, held a bit of his future in it. It would very much dictate the direction of his life, and it all depended on just what fruit he had gotten.
The truth was, he had no idea how to tell which devil fruit it was.
***
Willow swirled the wine in her glass, smiling distantly as if in another world. The staff dutifully brought her a new bottle, setting it on her table. When she went to refill her still half-full glass, her arm almost brought the end to her lips. It would be easier to drink straight from the bottle, but that would be un-lady-like. She broadly gestured to be left alone, and her service exited the room in quick fashion. They filed out of the room, the last to leave gently closing the door behind him. Once they had vacated, she approached the door and locked it. Her drunken unsteadiness vanished entirely.
She sat back down in her chair, placing the wine glass next to the bottle. It was almost amusing how easily fooled people could be. Did they not know that aura, if used correctly, could severely dampen the effects of alcohol? Somewhere in the distance, a man who drank enough to get tipsy despite his aura reserves sneezed.
She turned to a dresser, rifling through the contents before pressing down on the side. A hidden panel pushed in and the side of the drawer opened to reveal a secret compartment. It was full of very incriminating items: forged IDs, confidential documents that had been stolen, and a set of firearms with ammunition that had been banned, just to name a few. She quickly rummaged through the mess. It was organized, but whenever she opened it, there was a need to move quickly and she had no time to waste on anything proper. Finally, she found what she was looking for. It was a snail roughly the size of her hand with a rotary phone placed into the side of its round shell.
She dialed a number and pulled the transmitter close to her mouth. The snail's eyes straightened as it woke. It began muttering 'puru puru puru...' while Willow patiently waited. Eventually, it said 'gacha' and its facial expression morphed from neutral to a slight frown.
It spoke, but its voice was no longer its own, "Anything to report?"
Willow spoke professionally despite her relaxed posture, "He still suspects something — always does. I've led him to believe that I've recently become intrigued by wine tastings. I also framed it as though the organizers of these non-existent events wish to use it as an opportunity to grow closer to the Schnee family and that I am ignorant to that.
"As for his most important entrepreneurial endeavor, I have yet to ascertain unquestionable evidence that he funded M.A.D.S. and is currently pushing a project using the fruits of their labor. I have lofty proof that he has been in connection with high-bounty pirates, so while it is not enough to cast any definitive conviction, it is enough to keep our suspections high."
"Very good," the voice responded. "Continue to watch his movements and stay outside of his radar."
"Of course," Willow drawled lavishly. "Before I go, is there anything I should know?"
"Yes," the voice replied, and Willow straightened at the tone. "We have news of happenings in Beacon. There is currently a cover up of students going rogue. Our plant in the academy noted bold declarations before five students suddenly went missing. Ozpin appears to be making moves to snuff out these sparks before they start a fire. Of the three teams affected, three students reportedly dropped out and the remaining four have made their own team. Your daughter is among them.
"Our monitoring of Winter revealed that when Ozpin's machinations for mitigating damage fell through, Atlas was given the last resort to capture the fleeing students — and they failed. Such events have happened in the past, but Ozpin appears particularly upset about this. Our plant thinks he might be relocating to the Grand Line himself. Of all the influential actions he has made in that territory, he has never left his post at Beacon.
"Continue your watch over Jaques and continue planting surveillance over Winter. If you are able, find a way to monitor Ozpin through Weiss. Our plant will not be able to continue without losing her cover."
Willow's eyes softened. "Understood."
The snail gave a soft 'gacha' before drooping forward, falling asleep. Willow frowned as she returned it to her secret compartment and replaced everything to its inconspicuous position. She wished she could have done more to show her daughters and son the truth of the world.
Winter grew the idea that she needed to rise high in the marines so that she might put an end to any corruption that Jaques let seep into the government. Of the many issues that stood out to Willow, two were most prevalent: one woman could not stop it all, and it did nothing for Jaque's dealings with the criminal underworld.
Weiss had been so determined to become a huntress that she never even learned about the world of pirates. She was too focussed on ridding the world of grimm and freeing herself from her father's clutches to be aware of the greater threats that lie in the seas. Jaques saw this, and used it as a way to push her out. Weiss was right in knowing Jacques' cruelties, but for all that she thought he wanted her under his thumb, he really desired that she either be a pawn or absent.
Jaques had gotten to Whitley before she had a chance. Willow was so busy trying to save her daughters from themselves and their father that she failed to notice in time that her youngest was becoming somewhat of an apprentice to his father. It hurt her to think that she might be forced to spy on him the same way she did his father.
It had always been her greatest regret that her act for fooling the man she called a husband had also pushed her children away. The alcohol was meant to be a proper way to explain absence of memory. Constant amnesia was blindingly obvious, leaving room for investigation into her lies was a death sentence, and being vague would raise suspicions. Claiming she drank because she did not love her husband, though she never said such verbatim, was convincing. She truly felt nothing for Jaques, it is a common coping mechanism, and it explained periods absent from her memories.
The issue came when her children actually found their way into her heart. With her past, position, and mission, she had expected to be more disconnected from them. Of course she would try and push them down the better path, but she never thought she would become attached. Then she did, and her chosen act left them uneasy around her and never giving her the opportunity to truly speak to them. Now on top of Winter being in the marines and Whitley with Jaques, Weiss was following Ozpin. She might have finally lost all her children.
She stood up, moved to her closet, and stared into her full length mirror. She ignored the pristine clothes, the lavish hair that became untidy in her acting, the expensive shoes, and the proper posture she kept. Instead, she stared deep into the eyes of the woman she knew best and made a promise. She was Willow Schnee, one of the highest ranking in the revolutionary army, and she would not let go of what she cared for without a fight. Not after she already lost so much.
***
"Miss Schnee, miss Xiao Long, miss Valkyrie, and miss Nikos," Ozpin addressed them each. "I trust that by being here none of you have opted to run the course of the remnants of team CRDL?"
"Bunch of cowards," Yang muttered, sinking into the chair she was seated in and letting her feet drag out against the floor.
Ozpin sighed and began organizing papers on his desk. He shuffled them around its wooden surface, pausing on occasion to analyze one's contents before moving onto the next. Weiss and Pyrrha stayed civil as the silence perpetuated to an uncomfortable length. Yang was clearly impatient, losing more of her posture and becoming more interested in the window than the authority that had called her in. Nora was fidgeting, trying not to be rude, but wishing to do something.
Finally Ozpin isolated one page from the clutter, examining it carefully before sliding it forward for the girls to see. As they gathered around, he explained it to them, "I am offering an opportunity not available to most. Firstly, I will declare the four of you a team. You are already familiar enough with each other and I feel that learning to fight together as well shall be no issue at all. Secondly, your newly formed team shall accompany myself and select others to travel to the Grand Line: where the others headed. Finally, you will be recruited into the marines. They operate much like the huntsman, but they fight foes far more fearsome than Grimm.
"You need not rush yourselves into this and may even decline if you so choose. I am merely extending this forward as your record proves you very well might brave this task on your own. I would much rather you accept our help."
As the girls continued to gaze over the sheet, Ozpin slowly pulled out an odd looking fruit. It was full of swirls and edges. "This is the final part of my offer. If you choose to accept, I will be giving this to your team. Only one of you will be able to have it unfortunately."
He paused, waiting for their full attention to draw them in. "Though I suppose I should tell you what a devil fruit is..."
***
"Where are we headed first, Captain?" Port called as they sailed a safe distance from the shore.
Qrow leaned over, letting the tips of his fingers trail over the cool waves. It had been entirely too long since he had done any sailing. "These waters are still being strictly watched. It'll get even worse the closer we get to Reverse Mountain; however, we don't need those special conditions to get there. Hopefully the brats make it there before anyone big comes after them. As for us, we still have two more crewmates to pick up here. Since Beacon's got eyes on us, let's go for a drink first."
They steered to a small harbor area with a rickety wooden walkway that stood over the sea. An elderly man was sitting at the end fishing, holding his rod loosely while leaning back and enjoying the late sun's rays. He seemed surprised when Qrow and Port's boat none-too-lightly bumped into the side of the pier.
He scrambled to his feet, letting his rod tumble to the wooden planks, and shouted, "Hey, you can't just be docking here!"
Neither man regarded him, instead Qrow reached into his shirt. "Here: payment not to say anything."
From his clothes, Qrow produced an entire bottle of cheap whiskey and tossed it at the man. He struggled to catch it, the bottle tumbling in his hands until he finally held it firm. The man continued to raise protests, but gave up when it was clear the pirates did not care.
The old man sighed and looked down just in time to see his rod whizz off of the pier. He watched as whatever catch he would have made pulled his old, reed fishing rod into the depths. Already feeling fed up, he popped the bottle open and took a swig. Maybe this was a good way to pay people.
Qrow and port made their way through Vale as discreetly as they could. It was by no means easy hiding such a large man and another with red eyes, but a pair of cloaks and Qrow's devil fruit made it easier. Heading down the street they got suspicious glances, but they were not knowing looks.
They arrived at a large club. The line was not very long with the sun just now starting to set. There was a bouncer at the door, but a nice, expensive bottle of vodka from Qrow was evidently enough to get them inside. They marched over to the bar and sat down at it. One would think that two imposing figures shrouded by dark cloaks would single them out, but with the likes that visited here, they almost fit in. Port ordered a bourbon, but Qrow already had his own drink. They waited a bit before Qrow waved over the bartender.
"Would you actually like to order something, sir?" The bartender was far from happy that Qrow had brought his own drink in. The only thing stopping the two from being thrown out was the bartender's reluctance to call them out on it, afraid of a fight, and that the bouncer had evidently not confiscated anything.
"Tell the owner I want to talk with him."
Qrow's simple statement had the man frowning. "Sir, the owner is currently busy with a client. Even if he was not, you —"
Qrow held up his hand. "Tell him that I'm more important than any client he'll ever have. I'm not the sort of person he should keep waiting."
The man bristled at the response, but once more decided a fight was not what he wanted. Not after what happened not all that long ago.
Moments later, a tall man with short black hair and a beard walked up to them. He looked quite pissed and was talking to himself, "I swear to the brothers, if that blonde bitch is back to..."
He laid eyes on them and narrowed his gaze. He crossed his arms and puffed out his chest, trying to loom over them the best he could. When he was confident they would be intimidated, he spoke in as deep a voice he could, "Listen, I already had some trouble a few months back. I am not going to deal with any self-entitled assholes running crazy in my club. What the hell do you want?"
He looked prepared to be busting up heads, but Qrow just waved him over. He gestured for the owner to take a seat next to him, but said owner stayed where he was. "Look, we're not here for trouble. I just want to give you an offer."
"That voice, you're —"
Qrow pulled his hood down, turning to the man who was once on his crew. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Big Boy Junior?"
"Strong Man Junior," he corrected, before the situation set in. "It really is you, Captain. Why the hell are you here?"
Qrow took a swig from his flask while Junior sat down next to him. "Trying to get the crew back together," came his simple answer. At Junior's waiting look, he laughed and slapped his shoulder. By now, the sight of two strangers sharing a drink with the owner of the club was drawing attention from those nearby. "We were a tad too early back in our prime. Now things are looking different. It might not be us, but we could be there to push along the next generation."
***
When they met back up, Blake, Ren, and Jaune simultaneously yelled something about having news over each other. They paused, waiting to see who would speak first. Ren tried to say the captain should be the one to take the stage, but Jaune assured that while important, his news could wait.
Thus Ren went first, "The island's authority is upset we landed a bullhead onto their pier. I heard them discussing how to tow it without getting another vehicle on it and without dragging the bullhead across the wood."
The air grew tense around them. "That means we need to get moving soon," Cardin supplied. No one argued with him.
Blake's news came next, "I spotted a TV playing the news," she ignored Jaune muttering about that being cliche, "We're already on it. Neo's the only one who doesn't have her face plastered all around the world now, and they seem to have figured out that we flew. They'll be looking for us in the skies now."
"Should we even fly then?" Ruby asked, glancing nervously at the others. She was in this for helping people, so the concept of being chased by the good guys filled her with anxiety.
Ren put his hand on his chin. "We could always take a ship from here and leave the bullhead. We are pirates, so it's not as if we have to follow the law or anything."
"I have an idea!" Jaune stole their attention. He puffed his chest out and confidently said, "What if we turn the bullhead into a boat?"
Silence. Not a word was said in response to that. Neo made gestures that meant something, but as she was mute it was still silent. But seeing her hand movements, Jaune smiled. "Got it, Neo, you're in charge of that. Don't let us down."
Before his crew could question what he meant, Jaune decided it was his turn for news. "This, my friends, is the greatest, most expensive thing on this island."
He produced an odd looking fruit that left the others wondering what was so special about it. It was ash gray in color with swirls that had sharp edges but still flowed around the sides of the fruit. "That's a — nice pear, Jaune," Ruby humored him.
Jaune shook his head and opened his mouth, but Ren answered before him, "Is that a devil fruit?" Jaune grinned and held it far more triumphantly.
"Wait, what's a devil fruit?" Ruby asked. She turned to Blake, by now understanding that they were the only two that seemed not to know anything about what was going on. Blake's eyes widened, and thus Ruby lost hope in not being alone.
"That's what they look like? I read about them, but I never got any description." Blake was in awe, and quickly noticed Ruby was lost. "They're a fruit that gives the person who eats it powers like a semblance. For someone with aura, that means having two distinct semblances that have no reason to be related; it gives a layer of unpredictability and adaptability. The only downside is that those that eat devil fruits are said to be hated by the sea: any that eat one can no longer swim."
Ruby's eyes went wide, and Jaune swore he saw them sparkling. It was as if she just learned they were inside of a comic book. Now she understood why Jaune was so proud of it, and so were the others now that they realized what it was.
"Since I still haven't figured out what my semblance is, I'll definitely need the help of this. Any objections to me eating it?" There were none. Cardin crossed his arms, subtly telling him to take a bite already. Ren and Blake sat there, waiting on him, and Ruby went as far as to shake her head to show she had no issues with it.
Jaune took a deep breath and bit into the fruit. The moment he did, he regretted it. He did his best to swallow the bite, but as he finally did, he fell to his knees while clutching his throat. The action worried his crew.
"Jaune, are you okay?" Ruby yelled while crouching down next to him. Ren was soon by him as well.
Ren started handing out orders, "Blake, get to the bullhead and look for the first aid kit. Cardin, make sure no one comes this way. I don't think this is illegal, but we don't want marines around us right now."
Jaune grabbed Ren's arm, and everyone went still. "I'm fine," he wheezed. "It just tastes horrible." They all froze, but instead of reacting violently like he had expected, they seemed to relax. Ruby helped him stand up while Cardin handed him a water bottle to wash out the taste. "It tasted like wood and chemicals. I never want to do that again."
"You shouldn't have to," Ren commented. "No one can eat two and live."
Ruby looked down at the gray fruit. "Should we do something about the rest? Do you have to finish it?"
Jaune looked terrified, but Blake came to the rescue. "From what I've read, only the first bite can give powers. Now it's just a fruit — one that tastes bad, evidently. With that in mind, it also means he doesn't need the rest."
Jaune sighed in relief. He then let some excitement slip through, "So, now to figure out what powers I got. How do I activate them?"
Cardin shot him an irritated look, "Don't ask us. It's not like anyone here's eaten one. Just try to use it like a semblance."
Jaune glared back, "Well I haven't unlocked my semblance yet. I have no idea how to even do that."
"Just try focusing on yourself and try to will it," Ren offered. "There's not much else we can guess."
Jaune sighed and closed his eyes. He concentrated inwards and tried to summon his new powers. One moment he was standing there, the next he was sliding into the stone beneath him before disappearing under the surface of the ground.
***
*****
AN:
Anyone want to take a guess at Jaune's devil fruit? If you're far enough into One Piece, it might be obvious. The one shown to Pyrrha, Weiss, Nora, and Yang isn't cannon, but it's generic enough that it might be and I just can't remember it.
Thus is the start of having the various plots I jump around between. I have to say that what I've done with Cinder's has to be my favorite side-story. There was a glimpse of it when they stole the bullhead from Roman, but it really starts next chapter. Next chapter is also the last one before they get onto the actual Grand Line!
The island Jaune and crew go to was supposed to be a sort of Loguetown for Remnant, but I didn't want to spend too much time there. As a reader, I'm usually impatient and excited for things to get up and going, but as an author I understand the importance of a good beginning.
This was around where some of my ideas turned from random "...you know what would be funny?" thoughts to concepts I felt I could develop through the story. One of them is Qrow's crew. Originally, I just threw Port in there because he wasn't supposed to be a pirate until the idea came to me during chapter 2. Originally, he was just a teacher going "...of course, who wouldn't know about all that, but don't go doing that. That's a crime..." Around this chapter, it started becoming a question of how far I could take throwing a group of random ass people together. So far, the list in my notes makes me smile each time.
I'll say that I might have replied to a comment and revealed something about Whitley that happens next chapter. I should probably keep my mouth shut and let you all experience this as you read, but I get too excited. Whitley does get his own plot line and it's hilarious — pretty ooc though. Think: rebellious teenager decides to run away from home.
The Grand Line only being accessible during certain times was a bit of a half-assed attempt of using AU world building to explain why remnant seems so vastly ignorant of it. My idea was that air access would be heavily restricted and controlled while Reverse Mountain needs certain weather to work. It would help create a divide that would explain some of the ignorance and it would give them a reason to rush into this instead of taking their time.
The last thing I wanted to talk about was Qrow's ability to summon alcohol. Yes, he's not just storing a lot, it's coming out of nowhere. It's also not his devil fruit (I'd like to know how quickly anyone has guessed that if they have) and I didn't change his semblance. There's just a few gags in here that aren't really One Piece or RWBY. Qrow's is the only one I can think of right now that does actually have an explanation, so don't try to read too much into them. Especially not Neo's. That doesn't mean none of them will ever be relevant to the plot though...
Anyways, to wrap up, the plans I had tonight got canceled, so I might try getting through revising the next chapter, but no promises.