1
Young Sammy was working hard as the pretty barmaid of the establishment, mainly to shrug off all the cold errands she had done.
It went from killing thugs and outlaws in cold blood, wiping most of them off the life radar. Then it came down to sporting a cute blouse that disguised her cold mysteries, and serving anyone who walks into the bar; whether it be nice guys or assholes.
"Golly, how can I get a taste of that?"
"Jeez, lady. You look hotter than club dancers. Will you dance for me?"
But of course, she had to deal with the assholes the most, which was quite easy.
"Say anything dirty about me again, and I'll pour your drink all over you." She said to anyone who acted disgusting towards her. She did not need to even take out her revolver.
She figured having this kind of job could help her pass some of the time until the Sheriff gets to assign her on a new mission again, or for another bounty to boot.
"I heard Robinson Claeg is coming in town in a few days. What do you think?"
"Then that's great! Been a while since we had a Huntsman around these parts!"
The two random women chatted as Sammy placed their rootbeers on their table.
"Are you sure about that? I mean, you do know there is a Huntsman around these parts right now." Sammy took the time to try and convince these women.
"And his name is Waylon Blake." She said.
The one rando woman rolled her eyes, and the other looked deadpan.
"That's a funny joke." She said. "I'm sorry, I actually meant a real Huntsman." The woman smirked smugly at Sammy.
"You don't even know him." Sammy said. "He was the W in Team ACWA. Ever since he was lead by Athin Stark, she helped him open up, and show his true colors."
A trip down memory lane wasn't a good time for now, however.
"That's nothing. He's still a greaseball just like everybody else in that biker gang. Being part of a Trainee Team could've changed him. But look--he's still out there threatening to blow peoples' heads off until they give him money." The woman said.
"He doesn't do that anymore." Sammy said, as her brows arched.
"Oh, really? What do you know?" The woman said.
"Wait--isn't she Samara Santos? The cowgirl?" The other woman said, and pointed.
Sammy sighed. "What's it to you?" She asked.
Rando Woman One continued to smugly grin at her. "Nothing, sugar. We just figured, you're only defending Blake because you... actually want him, don't you?" She said. "A bedwarmer biker for your troubles..?"
Sammy pounded her fist on their table, glaring at them furiously. Their drinks shook.
"Just shut up and go choke on your drinks." She said, with a firm voice.
The random women then did as they were told, and acted like nothing happened, as Sammy walked away from their table.
"Was that you assaulting customers just now?" Her boss appeared and asked, watching her grab another order to deliver to a table.
"I was bringing some sense into those hags." Sammy said.
2
Meanwhile, at the front door. Waylon, Cerulean and loveable shark faunus Douglas arrived. Ready to hang in the bar, to calmly interrogate Sammy.
"By the Gods, I don't believe Sammy'd work in a place like this. It smells like flattened rat and dragged turd around here." Douglas said.
"That's an interesting way to describe it." Cerulean said.
Waylon scanned with his eyes through the crowds, then spotted the pretty barmaid with pigtail'd brown hair, and fierce eyes of yellow that always fascinated him. The said barmaid seemed furious towards two random women whom she had just served.
"Have fun roasting this place as much as you guys like. Anyway, I got to talk to Sammy alone." Waylon said as he left Cerulean and Douglas in the middle of the bar.
"I'm starting to think he's more into her than you." Douglas said to Cerulean, who nodded in agreement.
"Tell me about it." Then she realized. "Wait---what?!"
Waylon approached Sammy without saying a word, as the barmaid had her back turned. Then he gently tapped her shoulder.
"Sammy?" Waylon said.
She turned to him, after serving a faunus couple. Her eyes widening in surprise. "W-Waylon!" She said, with her mood now satisfied due to his presence.
"Nice to see you." Waylon said and smiled at her, then scanned her head to toe. "I... like that blouse. Looks good on you."
Sammy simply chuckled. "Why, thank you. Now, how can I help you?" She asked.
Waylon placed his hands onto her shoulders. "It's good to see you, Sammy. Really. But there is something I need to ask you." He said.
Sammy raised her brows confusedly. "Wh-And what would that be?" She asked.
"We talked to a bunch of bandits. Said they were.. recently massacred, well, their friends were. By some... cowgirl." Waylon said, and rather carefully.
Sammy sighed deeply, eyeing away from Waylon. "Sure. Uh--you can ask me about that. But only after work." She said, softly nodding at Waylon with a plain expression.
Waylon was glad she took the situation calmly. He had a worry that she would freak out about his knowledge.
He nodded, and smiled for her. "Alright, then. Later on." He said, placing his hands on his hips.
Sammy nodded at Waylon then headed back to the counter to resume her work. Luckily, the boss didn't notice them speaking to eachother.
Waylon respected Sammy's time, and would never burden nor force her to do anything she wouldn't want to. Cue him having to hang out around the bar with Douglas and the others.
"So, what now? We just--hang around and wait until night time so you could finally interrogate her?" Douglas asked, as Waylon had the crew chilling by in a booth already. Sterling, Azraq, and Griselda came along shortly before.
"Hey--Interrogate is the wrong term for that, man. We're just gonna have a very speculative conversation." Waylon said.
"Lucky we walked into this place at the right time." Sterling said, and smiled widely.
"It's a darn pleasure, really. Best unplanned hang-out I am currently on." Douglas said, also smiling widely then drunk from his beer bottle, which he had already finished. Cue him looking at it silly. "And hopefully not my last." He snorted.
"Let me get you another one. Where's the waitress?" Griselda said.
"Barmaid, actually. It's Sammy." Azraq said, he looked rather skeptical. For he is that serious of a biker ninja.
"Where's Hazel and Crimsen?" Waylon asked Azraq.
"Went out hunting. Crimsen's probably planning to cook up more bear stews for us." Azraq said.
Half of the gang felt unpleasant, while the other half wowed of excitement.
"What, guys? I love bear stew." Griselda said.
"Well, we are tired of it. We got to convince Crimsen sometime that she has to cook something else that isn't bear stew." Sterling said.
"Then she should cook up some reindeer porridge, then?" Douglas said.
"This is great. Now, we're arguing about stews and porridges." Griselda said.
"Ok-this is ridiculous. Let me just get another beer for Sharkboy here, and--what chomps do you guys want?" Waylon asked his friends as he stood up from his chair.
"Fish and chips, please." Most of them answered to him.
Later after Waylon had ordered and brought their food to the table, he felt an elbow suddenly plunge into his stomach. He grunted when the elbow hit.
Then came into the frame, was a woman with a white hood, and an elegant smug grin of bad girl; who was good.
"You're getting sloppy, little brother." said the woman in her soothing voice. She had fair skin, silver eyes, black hair, and mostly red locks. Sported an elegant black attire for a Huntress too.
"I didn't expect to see you around here, Summer." Waylon said in glee and smiled at the woman.
"Well, I just did a mission for Ozpin, that's why. And so I figured it'd be nice to pass by and check on my brothers and sisters." She said, then smiled and crossed her arms.
"How have you been?" She asked Waylon, who then responded with a hug.
"Mediocre, at best." Waylon said.
"Whoa, really? What's goin' on?" Summer asked.
"Oh, that's just Summer!" Griselda said.
"Come on in, Summer. Guys, go grab a seat for her here, come on." Sterling had Azraq scoop up a vacant chair nearby for Summer.
"Why, thank you. Rhino Boy. How's everyone?" Summer said.
After they had said all their greetings to Summer and asked about how she was doing. Now was the right time to know her thoughts on the Jade situation.
She looked confused. "So, what was it you were gonna tell me about Jade, Waylon? Sounds important." She said.
Waylon shrugged and sighed. "You know this particular thing about me and you wanting out of this... life?" He said.
Summer nodded, with arms still crossed. Everybody knew what they were talking about in regards to the life of crime.
"I mean, you. You already are out of this life, Summer, and I'm happy for you. Really." Waylon said.
"Yeah, how's life back at Patch?" Douglas asked about her living on the island near Vale. Which sounded like a good place where you can settle down.
"Terrific. Been helping Taiyang lots." Summer said, and smiled upon recalling about the said person.
"The thing is, I want out of it too. But Jade? No. Out of all people, Jade wants to keep living this miserable life." He said, laying back on his chair and huffed with spite. "Just this morning, after we--did something."
"Did something..?" Summer said, concerned. She wouldn't exactly flip about them still doing crimes, but she knows this has to stop.
"Doesn't matter." Waylon said. "I stopped Jade from killing the innocents in that raquet. Then she didn't like that I was doing the right thing. So now, there's a dispute between us." He finished.
Summer sighed and lowered her head. "Oh, Jade... When we were brats, it seemed like she had all the answers. But as the years went by, it's like all the answers went to me. She probably let her hard times get the best of her." She said.
"Maybe also 'cause she got kicked out of Haven." Sterling said.
"Likely." Summer said.
"So applying Beacon made you wise, didn't it?" Waylon smirked.
"Ha, no. Well, maybe. It was mostly because of Ozpin, Tai, and you know who." Summer said.
"So, how long has she been in jail again? Five years, right? Maybe there are some things she hasn't told you that happened back in that craphole." She said.
"Maybe. But still. I have to bring some sense into her somehow. But... I just don't exactly know how." Waylon said.
Summer softly clasped her fingers together, looking at Waylon calmly. "Then let her know there are better ways to gain respect from the people around you, and to getting a better life." She said.
"Without being some tripid crime boss. I mean, we all know what happens in the end of those kinds of peoples' lives, don't we?"
Most of their souls sure left their bodies in such devastating states: Dying alone, suicide, and executed.
Waylon nodded, letting Summer continue.
"Tell her to do exactly like I did.
Got influenced by good people, took things the right way without hurting people wrongly, and becoming an actual Huntress." Summer said and smiled, tapping the silver rose emblem on the collar of her blouse with her fingernail.
"It's like Athin did for you too, Waylon. I'm sure you can do this." She finished.
"Thank you, Summer." Waylon nodded and smiled.
"No problem, little brother." Summer said.
Waylon chuckled. "I'm not 'little', Summer. We're the same age." He said.
Summer sipped from the soup she ordered. "I know. But--it's because you're the one among us three who always needed help the most, and I am 5 months older than you." She giggled.