Son of the Branwen

Chapter 10: The Stray

Team RWBY and Hawk walked through the streets of Vale, admiring the decorations for the Vital Festival. There was a mix of green, red and yellow streamers that were looked around light posts and dangling over the street. There were also balloons strung up practically everywhere. The old shopkeeper from the dust shop was just finishing putting up a welcome sign above his store just as the group were going past.

Hawk and Weiss were walking hand-in-hand, though she was practically dragging him in her excitement. Ruby, Yang, and Blake were following behind them. Weiss stopped and raised her free arm up in amazement.

Weiss: "The Vital Festival! Oh, this is absolutely wonderful!"

Ruby: "I don't think I've ever seen you smile so much, Weiss. It's kinda weirding me out."

Hawk chuckled and let go of Weiss' hand to wrap his arm around her waist.

Hawk: "You clearly haven't noticed how she is with me around."

Weiss rolled her eyes but leaned against Hawk as she answered Ruby.

Weiss: "How could you not smile? A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will be dances! Parades! A tournament! Oh, the amount of planning and organization that goes into this event is simply breathtaking!"

Yang let out a sigh as they kept walking down the street and crossed her arms.

Yang: "You really know how to take a good thing and make it sound boring."

Weiss: "Quiet, you!"

They stopped at the docks just in time to hear a foghorn from the ship that was approaching the docks.

Yang: "Remind me again why we're spending our Friday afternoon visiting the stupid docks?"

Ruby nods in agreement as she covers her nose making a face, causing her voice to come out funny.

Ruby: "Ugh, they smell like fish!"

Weiss: "I've heard that students visiting from Vacuo will be arriving by ship today. And, as a representative of Beacon, I feel as though it is my solemn duty to welcome them to this fine kingdom!

Blake: "She wants to spy on them so she'll have the upper hand in the tournament."

Weiss: "You can't prove that!"

Hawk: "Really? But didn't you tell me last night you wanted to after we-"

Weiss, who started blushing a dark crimson, quickly clamped a hand over his mouth and muffling him from telling the team. Blake and Yang shared a smirk but Ruby was looking away slightly shocked.

Ruby: "Whoa..."

The group looks over to see a shop surrounded by Vale's police force. The building was surrounded by yellow caution tape, and the large window of the shop was smashed. Ruby walked over to the detective who was writing into his note pad.

Ruby: "What happened here?"

Detective: "Robbery. Second Dust shop to be hit this week. This place is turning into a jungle."

The detective closed up his note pad and walked over to his partner.

Yang: "That's terrible."

The group were starting to leave but when they heard the other detective speak, Ruby and Hawk spun around.

Detective: "They left all the money again."

Detective: "Yeah, just doesn't make a lick of sense. Who needs that much Dust?"