How about now?" I said with a smirk.
"I—It's all yours!" the old man blurted, hugging the bucket to his chest like it was made of gold. He stepped aside but didn't leave as his eyes glued to me as though waiting to see what trick I'd pull next.
Murmurs began to ripple up the line. A couple of Faunus even broke ranks to get a better look, their curiosity outweighing their place in the queue. A few voices called out, asking where the old man got fresh fruit in the middle of the desert, and he just pointed at me like I'd dropped it from the clouds.
I was saved from having to answer by Ilia's impeccable timing. She returned with another Faunus in tow—a burly lion Faunus with a mane framing his face, lugging a toolbox that looked like it weighed as much as a small child.
"Sam, I'm here!" Ilia called. "I brought Smithy. He's the only one with the tools."
Oh right. The engineer. That made sense.
Smithy set the box down with a grunt, eyeing the pump before scratching his head with a free hand. "I thought it was broken or something. It looks fine to me. What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. I just want to see if I can make it better," I said from my crouch.
The lion Faunus gave a chuckle that sounded halfway between amusement and pity. "Listen, kid. I did the best I could with what we've got. If you think you can do better, go ahead. How long have you been working with machines?"
"Just now."
His brow rose. "Okaaay… any experience with tools?"
"Nope."
His shoulders sagged like a punctured tent. "Theoreticals?"
"Is that a movie or something?"
He rubbed his face. "Maybe you should tell me what you're trying to do first, and I'll follow."
"Suit yourself."
By now, the little group at the front of the line had swollen into a loose ring around us. I felt their eyes on me—curious, skeptical, maybe even a little desperate. It was the kind of attention that could sour fast if I so much as fumbled a wrench and Smithy's expression was somewhere between wary interest and "this kid's about to break my pump."
Now, the Tinker ability should stop me from becoming a complete laughingstock… but my only exposure to Worm was fanfiction and smut, so here's hoping this didn't explode in my face.
I then focused on that odd pull in the back of my head and flicked the mental switch.
[Ability Slot 2]
[Tinker – Ecology]
Afterwards, I took a slow breath and let the ability click into place, that strange, quiet shift in my head like someone had just swapped the lens in a camera.
When I opened my eyes, the world simply… melted away. There was no crowd. No worried faces. It was just me, the pump, and anything within reach that could be turned into something else. Something better.
Ideas slammed into my brain like overeager door-to-door salesmen, each shoving their blueprints into my hands and shouting "pick me, pick me". In an instant, I could see it all—schematics unfolding in my mind as if they'd always been there, instructions as obvious as a puzzle with the solutions printed on the back of the box.
My hands moved before I could think. One moment I was crouched by the pump, the next I had it gutted, each part laid out like an anatomy lesson. Tools I hadn't even known the names of seconds ago were in my grip, working with the kind of precision I had no right to possess.
I was up and moving without thinking, drawn to a nearby dirt bike. Someone tried to grab my arm, but my body ignored them, fingers already stripping the bike to its bones. The smell of oil and scorched metal filled the air as I scavenged every useful scrap, folding it seamlessly into the growing machine.
Another dirt bike vanished under my hands, its life traded for tubing, gears, and steel plates. At some point I even had a blowtorch in hand, cutting through metal with confident arcs of light. Every weld, every bolt, every tweak was purposeful with no wasted motion and no hesitation.
And then, like a sudden downpour, the haze broke. I was flat on my back, staring at the sky, lungs dragging in hot, dry air.
"Sam!" Ilia's voice cut through, followed by her hands shaking me.
"Wha—happblurb?" I mumbled.
Somehow she parsed that nonsense and replied, "I should be asking you that. You just… tuned out the entire world while you worked." She glanced over her shoulder and pointed. "On that."
I rolled onto my side to look.
It was… nothing like the pump I'd touched. What had once been a waist-high jumble of parts now stood taller than a man, its sleek frame gleaming under the sun. Solar panels crowned the top, feeding into polished casings that hummed with quiet power. Along its side, neatly labeled dials and knobs sat above coiled hoses, each ready to be connected to whatever needed filling.
I had no idea why it worked but I knew exactly what it did.
The crowd was caught between either staring at me or the machine, while Smithy the Lion was already circling it like a kid with a new toy, his hands running over every panel, eyes wide with awe.
"Help me up?" I asked Ilia. She hauled me to my feet, and I patted myself down, straightening up as if I hadn't just blacked out into a mechanical fugue state.
With a bit of swagger—because why not, I had an audience—I strolled up to the machine and gave it a firm slap, the kind you'd see from a used car salesman who really wants you to believe in the product.
"So, this beauty here," I said, tapping its frame, "is a solar-powered groundwater pump." I grabbed one of the hoses and held it up. "You turn this dial to switch it on, this knob for cold… or, if for some completely baffling reason you want hot water, turn it the other way."
I leveled the hose at the crowd. "Then you just squeeze the trigger."
A powerful stream erupted, dousing the front row and leaving them spluttering and dripping. Gasps and shouts rang out before melting into cheers that rolled through the gathering like a wave.
"Water is good. Sam is water. Sam is good. Have fun!" I tossed the hose onto the ground, stepping back as people surged forward, seizing hoses and jostling to get their hands or containers under the spray.
"Sam! That was incredible!" Ilia rushed to my side, her grin bright enough to rival the pump's solar panels.
I smirked. "It was, wasn't it?"
Smithy appeared on my other side, still looking half-bewildered, half-impressed. "How? How did you do that?"
"Well, you know," I said with a shrug, "kept my shoulders loose, feet apart, that sort of thing."
"I watched you the whole time and I still couldn't follow. You made solar panels out of glass for Pete's sake!"
I spread my hands. "I wish I could explain, but… that's just how my powers work." Even if I did I highly preferred to keep that bit to myself.
"Unbelievable…" Smithy muttered, scratching at his mane as though the answer might be hiding in there somewhere.
"We're not done yet though."
"We're not?" Ilia asked, tilting her head.
"Nope." I grinned as I went to a relatively empty spot in the town center.
The village was a lot smaller than Kuo Kuana, and while the water issue was temporarily handled, I still hadn't gotten that sweet 'Feat Achieved!' notification. That meant the food shortage was still a problem I could realistically fix. And if I was getting a Gacha ticket today, no one was going to stop me from gambling.
I then stopped dead in my tracks. This spot was far enough for what I had planned… and a good place to push my powers without breaking anything important. I knew the Chaos Gacha abilities ran on energy, and every use was like a workout that increased said energy. I noticed that higher-rarity abilities drank energy faster, so normally conjuring fruit shouldn't tire me out… but the amount I planned to make today? Yeah, that might probably knock me out.
"You should step back a bit," I told Ilia.
She took exactly one step back.
"…A little more than that."
With her safely clear, I closed my eyes and dug deep, focusing on fruits and vegetables—any kind, any shape, any color—letting the thought swell until I felt the ability click in my mind.
A soft thump hit the sand. Then another. Then another, until the sound became a steady patter. The air filled with the scent of fresh produce as the thumps mixed with the heavier whumps of melons hitting the ground and the crunch of leafy greens piling up.
I heard gasps, shouts and someone even actually squealing but I kept going, forcing everything I had into it, until my energy burned low and my knees felt like jelly.
Finally, I let out a long breath and opened my eyes.
I was standing in the middle of a knee-high army of fresh produce—crisp greens, bright berries, glistening citrus, fat root vegetables, and melons big enough to take a Faunus out at fifty paces.
Hmm…Not bad.
For a heartbeat, the village was silent. Even the tumbleweeds seemed to hold their breath. Then, like a dam breaking, I heard the first shout rang out.
"—Food!"
The cry lit a fuse in the gathered crowd. Men and women surged forward to see for themselves, faces alight with disbelief. Some laughed—high, almost hysterical bursts—while others dropped to their knees right there on the dusty ground. Mothers clutched their children, babbling what seems to be prayers. I then saw an old man stagger forward, his hands shaking as he scooped up an apple, bit into it with a wet crunch, and let out a sob.
"It's real… and it's delicious!" someone exclaimed, and the words rippled through the throng.
Then, like that same ripple freezing over a pond, the noise stilled.
Every wide-eyed soul in that village turned to look at me.
…
"Uhh… it's alright," I said, awkwardly gesturing toward the manifested goods. "You can start eating. Just… make sure everyone gets their share."
Then one man bowed at the waist. Then another. And like a wave, the rest followed—some stayed falling to their knees.
Huh. What a bunch of really polite people.
"Wow, you guys must've been hungrier than I thought!" I said, giving the crowd a quick bow.
Apparently, that was the signal they'd been waiting for—voices dipped, hands exchanged food, the frenzy softened, but the excitement still thrummed in the air like a low drumbeat.
Feat Achieved!
Provide enough food and water for a small yet hungry and thirsty village
+1 Silver Item Gacha Ticket
Without hesitation, (and without a single shred of self-control) I rolled that bad boy instantly.
Congratulations!
[Modified Compound V]
|Rare Item|
The Boys - Upon consuming this, the drinker will gain a random ability from the Gold Gacha that they can use even when in ability storage.
Now that's what I'm talking about. A re-roll!
"It's less about hunger," a familiar voice cut in, "and more about the gesture you just let them witness."
I straightened and dismissed the notification, turning to find the captain standing beside Ilia, with Whisper lounging casually at her side.
"Oh, Captain Wolf! Sorry about bailing on you earlier," I said, weaving carefully through the villagers so I didn't trample any food laid out on the ground. "I suddenly felt like doing my own thing—hope you don't mind too much."
"Considering what you did with the time, I'd say you made the right call."
"...I heard you could do that from Ilia," Whisper added as she sauntered forward, "but I didn't think I'd actually get to see it in action." She stopped in front of me, tilting her head with a sly smile. "Quick question… are you single by any chance?"
Wow, that was forward.
"W–Wha—Whisper!" The chameleon faunus sputtered indignantly.
"Ohhh! I didn't think you had it in you, Ilia."
"I don't—he's not—!"
Her stutter had a good point though. What were we even? Friends with a mutual understanding? I wasn't going to stress it though. We currently have a good thing going on.
"Mhm. I see." Whisper's eyes gleamed. "So… what are your thoughts on sharing, then?"
…But this might be even better.
"Shuk—" was all Ilia managed before the blonde scout closed the distance, her arms sliding around my neck.
"For someone I heard who was human before…" she murmured, leaning in so her chest pressed against mine, "…you should know Faunus can get a little… 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂."
At that point, my mouth was faster than my brain. The brain at the top, I mean.
"I think I can handle that."
"S–Sam!?" Ilia yelped as she literally turned pink once more.
"Whisper."
"Yes, Captain~?"
"Thirty laps around the outpost."
"What!? But—"
"Do I hear fifty?"
Whisper groaned, disentangling herself with a muttered, "Brothers forbid faunus have fun…" before stalking off, wolf ears flat against her head and handing over her rifle to the waiting captain.
"Now that we've gotten that out of the way—once again, I'm incredibly grateful for your help, Mr. Gatsby," Captain Wolf said, inclining her head as she slung the weapon across her shoulders.
"And once again, it's just Sam." I crossed my arms with a smile, shaking my head at the formality.
The blonde chuckled, lifting an arm toward the cluster of canvas pitched further back from the crowd. "Then let's get down to why you're here, shall we?"
"Let's." I fell into step beside her, turning to gesture. "C'mon, Ilia."
"R-right!" Ilia blurted, still in a daze as she hurried to keep up. "Um…about what Whisper said—"
"You're still hung up on that?" I raised a brow, amused. "Honestly, I thought she was just joking. Didn't really peg her as the teasing type, though… unless she wasn't?" I shot Ilia a sly smirk and reached over to pinch her side.
"Eep!" She jolted, skin flashing pink as she straightened like a startled cat. If I hadn't seen her original shade, I would've sworn this was her natural color.
"JOKING! She was just j-joking, right, Captain Wolf!?" Ilia squeaked, practically begging for confirmation.
"Sure. Just joking," the captain replied in the flattest tone imaginable, not even pretending to sell it.
Ilia groaned, covering her face. I chuckled and raised a hand, brushing it gently over her head. When she didn't flinch away, I let my palm settle into a slow pat. The tension in her shoulders eased little by little.
It took a few quiet minutes of walking, the noise of the crowd fading behind us, before we reached the shade of canvas again—away from the heat, away from the sand, where the real talk was waiting.
Wolf circled around her table, fingers tapping against her Scroll before laying it flat in the center. A pulse of light shimmered, and a 3D hologram unfolded above the table.
The building that materialized was… big. Bigger than I expected. Yet something about it felt hasty, unfinished. Support beams jutting awkwardly, scaffolding abandoned halfway through. Around the edges of the projection, construction equipment was scattered like broken toys, while mining drills lay in rusting silence.
"Whoa," I breathed before I could stop myself. The other two only glanced at me, smiling faintly at my reaction. I hadn't known they had this kind of tech here. Holograms? Inside a small tablet? It was very impressive.
Wolf swiped her hand, and the image spun lazily. "The S.D.C. facility. Established here sometime after the Great War, when the Schnee Dust Company and the Mistral Trading Company were scrambling for land. Something you should really read up on if you get the time, Sam."
"Will do." I nodded, mentally adding it to the ever-growing bucket list of things I'd totally get around to someday.
"They abandoned it once they realized the desert was just as unforgiving as everywhere else, cut their losses, and in their infinite generosity…" Wolf's voice dripped with sarcasm, "…they graciously handed the land over to the list of places the Faunus should be dropped at."
The way she spat those words made Ilia's jaw tighten.
Wolf swiped again.
A new figure appeared in the hologram: a scorpion-like Grimm, massive and terrible. At first glance, I thought it was wolf-sized, but the dozens of swords, spears, and shattered weapons stuck in its white carapace looked more like toothpicks in scale.
"Sunpiercer," Ilia whispered, breath catching. Her eyes went to the gleaming stinger that shimmered like polished gold. "I thought that was just an urban legend."
"Unfortunately…" Wolf's tone was grim, "it's very much real. To you, Sam, it's an Alpha Deathstalker. Most likely grew up out here, undisturbed. That's why it's three times the size of a normal one—and three times as aggressive."
She swiped again, and the hologram shifted into a video.
The recording showed the desert, empty and flat, until a Capivara Grimm lumbered into view. It wandered aimlessly for only a moment before the sand exploded. A flash of gold. A single piercing strike. The Capivara was lifted, impaled clean through before it even had time to screech.
My stomach tightened.
"So aggressive," Wolf continued, "that it even attacks other Grimm. Even other Deathstalkers."
"I'm guessing it guards the facility," I said, forcing my voice to stay even. "But… why? Grimm are supposed to destroy anything people make, right?"
"Not always," Ilia answered before Wolf could. "Only when it's active, or making noise. They've been known to ignore train tracks for decades instead of chewing them apart. But…" She frowned. "…why would one stay around that place?" Her eyes slid to Wolf. "Why protect it?"
"No one knows." Wolf's shrug didn't fool me—she didn't like not knowing. "If the answer exists, it's buried inside the facility."
Then she turned, locking eyes with me. The weight in her gaze was heavier than the desert heat.
"Knowing all this, do you still want to continue?" she asked. It wasn't just a question. It was a challenge. A dare.
Ilia looked at me with worry.
I just smirked. "I wouldn't be me if I didn't."
The captain let out a weary breath. "I'm not sure if I should commend your bravery or chastise your recklessness…"
Ilia mirrored her with a sigh. "You'll get used to it."
Wolf fixed me with a glare. "There's still more. Roaming Terror Birds will be drawn to the fight. And if—and that's a very big if—you manage to kill Sunpiercer, its corpse will likely turn into a Grimm pool on its own."
"There's a reason we stopped hunting it," the captain added.
"Better the devil you know than the one you don't," Ilia echoed my own words. Keeping Sunpiercer in one place was safer than dozens of Grimm roaming free.
I leaned forward, voice steady. "I can deal with Goldie." I flashed a grin, trying to lift the gloom. "But the birds? Multitasking isn't really my strong suit."
The captain hesitated. "...I have a way. But I cannot stress enough—even if you succeed, the pool—"
"I can remove it," I cut in. Then, after a beat. "Heck, I can even fix the oasis."
The tent went dead silent.
"…what?"
For once, Captain Wolf was speechless.
"Sam…" Ilia breathed.
The captain shook her head. "No one's been able to do that in… forever. And you say it like it's nothing."
I shrugged. A feasible idea popped in my head earlier while I was using my Tinker ability. I couldn't tell them the real reason—it would sound insane.
"Well, I can. What I need to know is… will you help me?"
She sat back, hair shadowing her eyes. A chuckle escaped her lips, growing into a guffaw until she was laughing full-throated.
Ilia and I exchanged a look.
Finally, the captain wiped her eyes, still smiling. "I can't believe it…" She muttered something under her breath. Then she straightened. "...Alright. I'll spare you a few hands. It's your life on the line, anyway."
"Thank you, captain," I said with a smile and a relieved breath.
"We'll leave first thing in the morning. In the meantime, you're free to do what you wish. I'll have to debrief those who'll be joining us tomorrow."
"Copy that," I answered, throwing a lazy salute. Beside me, Ilia bowed more properly in gratitude.
Once I pulled back the tarp and let the desert heat pour over us again, she turned to me with a question.
"What are you going to do now?"
"Well, usually I just dive into the ocean, fish, and train. But considering there's no ocean here—Grimm pools don't count—I'll probably just run through a few moves I know. How about you?"
"I was just going to finish catching up with Whisper. So… I'll see you later?"
"Sure."
She was only a few steps away when impulse hit me like a slap.
"Tell Whisper not to threaten me with a good time!"
Ilia froze mid-stride. Her hair flared pink for what had to be the nth time today before she tried—and failed—to walk away casually.
Heh. Got her.
Shaking my head, still grinning, I strolled around the outpost-village. The place was alive with activity: people carried sloshing buckets of water, baskets overflowing with fruit, and some poor souls struggled with both. The air was filled with the sound of chatter, laughter, and the scrape of wood and stone.
Speaking of water, I was feeling… dry. Sure, the desert wasn't unbearable for me like it was for others—being a Fishman had perks—but the itch to feel water against my skin was getting harder to ignore. You don't realize how much you miss something until it's gone.
With a direction in mind, I headed back toward the village center. As I walked, I slipped a hand into my pocket space and pulled out my latest little prize: a small glass vial no bigger than my palm, glowing faintly with blue liquid.
My knowledge of The Boys began and ended with "Homelander is an unhinged psycho," but I knew enough to recognize what this was. Compound V. The very thing that made gods—and monsters.
I tilted the vial in my hand, watching the glow ripple inside.
"Eh. Bottom's up."
With a twist, I popped the cap and downed it in one go.
…Huh. Tastes like lemo—
"Hhhhnngh!" I doubled over, groaning as pain shot through my chest and head like knives while I felt the vial disappear from my fingers. My vision blurred white with sparks.
And then—
Congratulations!
Modified Compound V ingested.
[Lightning Channel]
|Rare Ability|
Allows you to channel lightning through any object you are holding, reinforcing and empowering them, this lightning imitates the object it is channelled through, becoming sharp with a sword and heavy with a hammer.
This ability does not occupy any of your ability slots.
Blinking away the spots in my vision, I stared at the arcs of blue electricity dancing across my arms and hands. They crackled and popped before fading into nothing, leaving only the fading sting in my chest.
A slow grin spread across my face.
It never gets old.
By the time I reached the village center again, the crowd hadn't thinned. If anything, it had swelled—buzzing with food, water, chatter, and the sheer noise of survival. The whole place thrummed with life.
I guess I did too, in a way, as I drifted toward the water pump. The thing was practically a shrine now, with Faunus lining up and hoses spraying like a festival.
That's when people started noticing me. Heads turned. Conversations died down. Then they began moving out of my way, clearing a path like I was some desert messiah.
I sighed inwardly. Here we go again. I really needed to get used to this. Not that I was complaining—I did like the attention. I'd cleaned out enough poker and roulette tables to know I thrived on it.
The Faunus currently holding the hose must have felt the shift in the air, because the moment my shadow fell across him, he dropped to one knee on the wet ground and held the hose out to me like it was a holy sword.
"Master Samuel! Please—use it!"
…Master Samuel?
It's…not bad. Definitely better than using my last name.
Before I could even react, another Faunus rushed forward. "No! Use this one instead!"
"Please, this one!" another added, shoving his forward.
"Take mine, Master Samuel!"
Within seconds, all five hoses were stretched out toward me like I was supposed to choose my weapon before a boss fight.
"Uhh…" I raised my hands, backing up a little. "That's… really thoughtful, but I was actually just hoping to borrow a bucket. You know, to take a bath."
"A bath?" echoed a monkey faunus, tilting his head.
Another one gasped and immediately dashed off.
"It's fine to take one right here, Master Samuel!" said a cat-eared Faunus girl, clapping her hands with stars in her eyes.
"R-right here? In the middle of the crowd?" I glanced around at the growing circle of expectant faces. "Is that… some kind of Menagerie tradition I've never heard of?"
"Yes, yes!" squeaked a mouse-eared Faunus who reappeared, proudly dragging over a small stool. "Please, sit!"
"…Alright then," I muttered, lowering myself onto the surprisingly comfortable seat.
The moment I reached for the closest hose, the Faunus holding it yanked it back with a smile…then blasted me across the face with a full spray of cold water.
"W-WHOA—HEY!" I sputtered, flailing one hand uselessly against the stream while wiping at my eyes with the other.
It was a bad move as my defense left me open because in the very next second—
FWIP!
My shirt was whipped clean off my body.
"What the—hey, what are you—" I didn't even get to finish before warm, soapy sponges pressed against my chest, scrubbing me down like I was a prized racehorse.
"Wait, wait, I can totally do this mys—"
Hnnnnnghh~!
My knees buckled, words dying in my throat. My tail had been seized. Someone was kneading into the base with terrifying precision.
Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted the culprit. A horse-eared Faunus girl, wiggling in concentration as her hands worked me over. She smiled sweetly when our eyes met.
"Master Samuel must be very sore, to make that kind of sound. Please, allow my hands to soothe your aching muscles."
Another groan slipped out of me before I could stop it. My pride was crumbling fast.
And then—fingers slid through my hair, massaging my scalp.
Welp, you know what they say. When in Rome…
I let out a long sigh as a knot between my shoulders melted away.
"Geez, why didn't I get dropped here instead?" I muttered, half-joking. The hospitality here was insane!
I heard a bunch of giggles around me for that comment. I still had my eyes closed since if I opened them now to find a crowd staring at me I might just lose it but that made my assumptions correct. I was being bathed by—
Feat achieved!
Be bathed by a bunch of cute Kemonomimi! A dream others would literally kill for.
+1 3x Advantage Silver Random Gacha Ticket
Holy shit. I mean…it's a feat alright. I just didn't think it counted that much!
The only thing saving me from pitching a tent in public was the sheer adrenaline of gambling.
With suds still on my face, I spun that sucker without hesitation.
Please select one:
Congratulations!
[Water Manipulation]
|Rare Ability|
Allows the user to create and control water, the more energy they expend, the larger quantities of water they can create and control and the more force they can apply to the water.
Congratulations!
[Digestive Expulsion Independence]
|Trash Trait|
You never piss or shit. Don't ask where all the waste in your body goes.
Congratulations!
[Novice Management]
|Common Skill|
You are a novice at managing things. You know how to schedule your day, distribute your tasks, and attention to spend your time better. You would make a decent secretary.
So that's what the 'Advantage' part meant…
Regarding the choices themselves, I mean not having to go to the bathroom forever is… very handy while a good secretary's hard to come by these days, sure…
Oh who the hell was I kidding? The moment I locked on the first choice, something clicked. Like a puzzle piece snapping into place inside me.
It was a good thing too because the many soft hands scrubbing me down… were getting just a bit grabby. I'm not impartial to it…but there was a place and time for everything.
"Ooookay! I think I'm clean enough! Thanks ladies." I shot to my feet, foam sliding down my skin while I was being rinsed down, as a wave of disappointed groans followed me.
The stream cut off, and before I could even breathe, a cat-tailed Faunus approached, tail swishing like it had a mind of its own. She bowed, presenting a neatly folded bundle.
"Master Samuel, please—honour me by accepting these clothes."
I blinked, taking them. …Then reality hit.
I glanced at the bundle. Then at myself. Then at the crowd. Then back at the bundle. They didn't actually expect me to change right here, did they?
…Man, Menagerie's traditions were getting weirder by the minute.
"Right. Uh… sure." I muttered.
Raising my hand, I focused. A shimmer of blue sparked over my skin as moisture bled out of my clothes, coalescing into hundreds of tiny droplets. They merged into a single floating sphere of water above my palm.
Gasps and awed murmurs rippled through the crowd.
I gave the orb a flick and let it splash harmlessly onto the ground. "And that's that."
Sliding into the offered clothes, I ended up in a light cotton shirt and a silk scarf that looked way fancier than I deserved. I handed the pants back—gotta meet them halfway somehow.
Still, the eyes on me didn't fade. If anything, they got… brighter. Don't tell me they expected payment. Because I was just reminded that I was broke as hell.
"Uh… is there something you guys need?" I asked a nearby Faunus with a rat's tail.
The young man's eyes widened, and he shook his head vigorously. "Oh no, Master Samuel! Not at all! You've already given us so much. It's just… we're very happy to see you here, especially now—during our time of need."
The murmurs of agreement around him made my ears twitch.
"Oh." I relaxed, offering a small shrug. "Well, you're welcome then."
A timid voice spoke up next that got my attention. A sheep Faunus, hands clutched nervously in front of her. "There is one thing… Would you… trouble yourself to share your exploits with us? We've only heard rumours…"
That earned a few shouts of encouragement, nods, and eager looks all around.
I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well now, I can't say no to an eager audience."
Before I knew it, they'd grabbed my arms and practically dragged me toward a long table already laden with dried meats, fruit, and ale. They sat me down at the center, faces all turned toward me, expectant and glowing.
I picked up a tankard, sniffing the sharp burn of alcohol inside, then raised it with a grin. "Well then… let's start at the beginning. When I woke up… staring down a Beowolf three times the size of a man."
And with that, I downed the tankard in one long gulp.
Wow, this was some strong stuff!
"…and I still can't believe you said that to him!" Ilia pouted, her cheeks dusted pink as dusk bled across the sky.
Whisper, towel draped over her shoulders, only grinned wolfishly as she dabbed the sweat from her brow. "Why not? I'm a wolf Faunus. When I see something I like—I go for it."
Ilia huffed. "Well…we're more than just our animal sides, you know?"
"Suuure we are," Whisper teased, winking as she rubbed down her ears. "Says the chameleon who likes to peep on other girls with her camoufl—"
"SSSHHHH!" Ilia clapped both hands over her mouth, eyes darting in a panic. She held still until the coast seemed clear, then hissed, "You promised you'd keep that a secret!"
Whisper pried her off with ease, chuckling. "Relax. Couldn't help it—you're too cute when you get teased." She leaned in with a smirk. "If only that aloof black cat were here too… then it'd be…purfect!"
Ilia groaned into her hands. "Brothers, give me strength..." Her ponytail swished with the shake of her head.
"I'll stop, I'll stop~ C'mere." Whisper tugged her into a warm hug. "I missed you."
…
"…I missed you too," Ilia sighed, giving in.
The quiet moment shattered with the sound of glass breaking. Whoops, cheers, and wild hollers echoed from the center of the village.
Both girls froze, shared a look, then bolted.
They pushed through the swelling crowd until the sight opened up before them.
At the center, Samuel Gatsby—raven-haired, shirtless, and very much in his element—was slamming back two tankards at once. Ale spilled down his bare chest, glinting in the firelight.
"GATSBY! GATSBY! GATSBY!" the Faunus of Oka Waiwai chanted, Menagerie Guard included, their voices thundering in unison.
Whisper smirked. "Hah! Would you look at that." Her arms crossed in smug victory. "See? What'd I tell you? Not even a week in after becoming a faunus and he's already a party animal."
Ilia groaned. "Please… don't start."
"Raaaaah!" Sam roared, smashing both tankards onto the floor. He bared his shark-like teeth with a feral grin, and the square exploded in response.
"WOOOOOO!" Howls, chirps, and cheers shook the air.
Then, as if feeding on the crowd's energy, Sam turned toward a bench filled with female faunus of every color and type. With one smooth motion, he hoisted it above his head and the girls went squealing, giggling, clapping as they went up with it.
"YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAHHH!" Sam bellowed.
The crowd lost its mind again, chanting his name, stomping their feet, tails and ears whipping with excitement.
Ilia pinched the bridge of her nose as she felt her hair turn into a frustrating orange. "…He said he was going to be busy training."
Whisper tilted her head, ears flopping lazily. "I mean… technically, if you squint? This kinda counts."
"Absolutely not." Ilia's voice took on a concerned tone. "Doesn't he remember he's going up against Sunpiercer tomorrow?"
Whisper's ears snapped upright. "He's… WHAT!?" She spun toward Ilia, her grin gone, eyes wide and face pale. "You mean to tell me he's fighting that thing alone!?"
Being assigned to the desert for a while now, Whisper knew exactly what kind of monster lay beneath the deep sands… and how many lives it had already claimed.
Ilia only nodded, jaw tightening. The responsible thing to do would have been to drag him out of this chaos, force him to rest and prepare for tomorrow. But…
Her eyes lingered on him. On the man who had walked into this tired, dusty outpost village and, in just a few hours, flipped it on its head. Who turned silence into laughter, despair into song, exhaustion into celebration. Who had brought a pulse of life reminiscent of Kuo Kuana itself.
Compared to her own track record… it was undeniably admirable.
Ilia sighed. "It's fine."
Whisper arched a brow, disbelieving. "Fine? We're talking about the same grimm that can swallow a person whole, right?"
"If anyone can do it… it's him." Ilia's eyes stayed fixed on the shark faunus, now arm-wrestling five guards at once—and winning.
"…Hmph. Can't deny he's got a good track record." Whisper muttered, though her ears twitched in reluctant agreement.
That was enough for Ilia. She let the buzz in the air sink into her bones, then grabbed Whisper's hand. "Now come on. It'd be a waste not to join the fun."
Whisper sputtered. "Who the heck are you and what did you do with Ilia!?"
Ilia rolled her eyes, tugging her friend along through the press of bodies as music, cheers, and laughter swelled around them.
They found him just as he set down the bench he'd been carrying like a twig, untangling himself from overeager villagers clinging to his arms.
"Sam!"
He blinked, red eyes hazy and unfocused. "…Hm? Oh! Ilia… hic… and—Whismer… no, no, Whisper too! You're just in time… hic…" His grin stretched across his face, teeth sharp, almost boyish in its drunken warmth.
A tankard was shoved into his hand on reflex, but before he could lift it, Ilia snatched it away.
He blinked, confused—until Ilia tipped it back herself, cheeks burning as the fire of the drink scorched her throat and pooled hot in her belly.
"Pwaaaah!" She gasped, raising the empty tankard high. "Another!"
The crowd roared.
"Hahahah!" Samuel threw his head back, guffawing. "You heard her! ANOTHER!"
Whisper slipped in beside her friend, sipping at her own drink with a smirk. "Didn't think I'd ever see this side of you."
Ilia coughed, brushing her lips with the back of her hand. "Let's not get carried away. We're just here to make sure he doesn't wake up with a hangover tomorrow."
"Suuuuure we are." Whisper teased, ears twitching as she clinked her cup against Ilia's.
"Master Samuel, dance with me!"
"No, with me!"
Ilia growled and stomped forward as bickering girls attempted to swarm Sam once more. "Hey! Back off!"
"To interesting times!" Whisper whooped, swigging her drink before darting after her easily-distracted, now-inebriated friend to stop her from whipping people.
Meanwhile, far above the noise—
"You could join them, you know, Claire." Captain Wolf's voice was calm, carrying over the dune where the desert winds cooled the night. From her vantage, she could see both the raucous celebration and the sickly oasis on the other side. The spot was perfect for keeping watch.
"Mmm. Not really my thing," Claire replied softly. "Slinger?"
"He went with Smithy." Wolf chuckled.
"Ah. Then I'll turn in early. Big day tomorrow." Claire stood, dusting sand from her legs. "Will you be fine on your own, captain?"
Wolf nodded, gaze still fixed on the village below. "I will. The emotions radiating from down there… even the grimm are steering clear. The pool's quieter than I've seen in weeks."
"That's not surprising, considering who we have here tonight." Claire saluted lazily before waving over her shoulder. "Goodnight, Captain."
"Goodnight, Claire."
The wolf faunus leaned back into the cool wind, ears flicking at the distant echoes of music and cheer. For a long moment, she simply listened, smiling faintly.
"To think the stories were actually true. Hmph, Sucks to lose a bet with Ghira though..."
The funny thing is that this should have been just a quick jaunt in the village before proceeding to the boss fight instantly until my muse beat me over the head for writing too little and I decided to add…a slice of life in between?
A/N: I'll be honest. Dune was the last thing on my mind when I made the last chapter before some of you pointed it out.
A/N#2: Whisper was supposed to be just a Sniper Wolf expy from the MGS series…until someone tossed that Whisper guess out there. After one Google search and wiki dive later that decision was changed to include the two (she's too cute). I hope no one minds the expies too much, it's just that Menagerie is too empty that I had to make use of the underutilized Menagerie Guard.
I blame CRWBY, lol.
A/N#3: Sorry for the wait too. I was in a bad place for a moment and I also have a tendency to think about plot points that could only happen tens of chapters into the future and I just end up floating in it without actually getting anything done.Last edited: Aug 20, 2025 Like Quote ReplyReport Reactions:Murafa, Eniotna, Darkstep and 1,114 others