[Deleted]

Walking through the so far Grimm-void forest, Ryan hummed the theme song of Super Hunter Sentai: Dawn of Justice, his favorite cartoon. The show was one of the action-heavy, low-plot sort of cartoons that kids, and Ryan for that matter, loved. Where a team of five huntsmen had some magical items that, besides giving them badass color-coded suits, enhanced their Semblances and allowed them to pilot Mechs to fight off enemies and save the world.

And even though one could call him out for his seemingly distracted behavior, further considering he nearly died in this very same forest, but Ryan was no fool. Both eyes and ears were sharp in attention for any sound that didn't belong to a forest, and his right hand had been resting atop Aarden's hilt ever since he stepped into the forest. And he had been in the move ever since, not wasting time in camping alone only to be surrounded by Grimm. Because if he was indeed surrounded, he preferred being so with someone else, there was strength in numbers after all.

After stepping into a slightly less tree-populated area, Ryan stopped dead on his tracks as his humming stopped. Slightly lowering himself into his fighting stance, Ryan drew a quarter of Aarden's length out of its sheath while closing his eyes to give all of his focus to his hearing. One, two, three seconds passed with no movement from his part.i

No, he had not been mistaken. There was something or someone, else out there nearby. But what, or who was i- wait, what? That smell... food? Opening his eyes while sheathing Aarden and straightening up, Ryan raised an eyebrow in surprise at the development. Someone had for real started a fire to cook something?

With a shake of his head, Ryan started to ponder if it'll be worth the trouble to look for the person who committed such a... unsafe act. Finally deciding to leave, his stomach decided it was just the perfect time to make clear the fact that he hadn't eaten anything throughout the Midterms with a loud growl. After a quick reconsidering of options, Ryan decided to see if whoever was cooking was willing to give him some. Better to save the MREs he had packed for a more pressing time.

Following his nose, Ryan stepped into an even clearer area to see no one other than Jr, the crow Faunus he had met in a couple months ago, sitting atop a fallen tree in front of a campfire with a small cooking pot on top. Ever since they met in the training facilities months ago, Ryan could confidently that Jr had grown to be one, if best friends in Haven. But one thing was different now. Ever since he finally opened up to Holly and talked to her, Ryan had pondered the idea of doing the same to Jr. In all that time, he had more than enough time. And since Jr seemed to be alone, Ryan opened his mouth without hesitation.

"Hey, Jack," He said with a smile and a wave as he stepped a couple meters in front of Jr. "Do you mind to share a little?"

The voice that left his mouth was, for the first time in months, actually his. Ever since he spoke to Holly, his voice had been repairing itself little by little the more he did. And now, it was completely back to its melodious tone.

In the back of his head, Ryan couldn't wait to see Jack's response at actually hearing him. He would be shocked? Surpised? Hell, even scared at what was happening?

---

WC: 603/603

[Jack Dawson Jr.]

●●●

Scorpion sting, I don't wanna

bleed

tell me that I'm not

lost

It had taken him the better part of the day, but he'd finally gotten a little campsite set up. After his harrowing run-in with the Beowolves from earlier, which he'd only barely survived because of Lily, Jack was ready to just give in and take a breather. Hopefully nothing else happened, and he could hang around this campsite for a while, until he needed to kill a few more Grimm. He planned on going after weaker ones, ideally- the large Beowolves were just too much to handle.

For now, though, Grimm weren't in his thoughts- he had gotten a fire going, and was sitting by it, stirring a small pot of canned beans he'd brought with him, mingling with an onion-like vegetable he'd found growing nearby, and a few liberal sprinklings of seasonings and herbs he'd brought with him. It wasn't much, but it was a tasty, hot, meal. Hopefully, he wouldn't attract any Grimm with it. Though he didn't imagine canned beans were much of their preferred diet anyways.

Of course, he was so distracted by his cooking, he didn't even notice the taller teen's approach. And when he heard him speak, he wasn't even entirely sure who it was that was speaking- he didn't turn from his task immediately, he simply gave a small smile, after jumping just slightly, spilling out a spoonful of the beans into the fire, filling the air with a sweetness carried by the thin, wispy, smoke. "O-of course. I, um, I b-brought enough to..." He trailed off as he glanced up and matched the unfamiliar voice with a much more familiar face. "Oh. Hey Ryan."

One might think that Jack's initial reaction would be one of surprise, one of being caught off-guard, shocked that his to-this-point-mute friend was speaking to him as naturally and casually as if it were how they'd always communicated.

One might also be quite mistaken about Jack Jr.'s priorities.

Indeed, he seemed to relax significantly more, as Ryan approached, settling down from the scare that the unknown voice had initially given him. It was new information, sure, but it didn't seem as though it was something that needed to be addressed immediately, so he didn't. He continued stirring his beans. relatively unfazed. The faunus gestured to the log sitting beside him. "Here, grab a seat. Beans should b-be done pretty soon, just need to simmer a little, ah, longer. How's the forest been treating you?"

Hopefully better than it had been treating him.

@stinccismelleryan ● WC: 427 ● TWC: 427 ● haha got'im

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0

[Jay]

XP Distribution:

Jack Dawson Jr.: 4 x 200% (event bonus) = 8
225 + 8 = 233

@redhood: 6 x 200% (event bonus) = 12
65 + 12 = 77