Ready, pilot

Pre-chapter 2

-last pre-chapter. Hopefully. It's difficult to write 1000+ words...-
-also thinking about a monster hunter fic-

-immediately after last pre-chapter-
Pilot Armstrong knew they were at the door before they even knocked, so he went, in casual clothes, to open the door for them.

Tai was the one who had knocked, a sour expression was on all four faces, though.
Armstrong sighed, and welcomed them in, playing the part of a welcoming host to some who were most certainly not.

"So... we are investigating a man we only really know as Armstrong, would you happen to know his whereabouts?" Qrow asked, drinking straight out of a bottle of whiskey.

"Why do you ask?" The Pilot inquired back.

"We're hunting him down, he's got a heavy bounty, and there's a more... personal reason," Raven cut in, hand on her katana.

Armstrong sensed the change in mood, which made him tense up imperceptibly, as he started to anticipate an attack from the group.

He prepared to draw his cleaver if they attacked, while serving out some alcohol to them.

"Eh, I don't know much about his whereabouts, heard he'd set up camp in Atlas or Mistral," he said, figuring that if STRQ were here, they knew that some of the locals knew about his operation, if only out of necessity or mistakes.

The team loosened up, becoming inebriated rather quickly, while he was still just fine.
Qrow would be his biggest problem, the guy could really hold his alcohol, and it impressed Armstrong.

"So, let's be serious here, I'm damn sure you're Armstrong, I could see the knife you got on you, and it looks like something he used. Who are you really?" The still-sober Hunter asked once his compatriots were asleep.

"Fine, maybe you're right and I am Armstrong, how would you fight indoors? The others are out like lights, I'm impressed on your alcohol capacity. But if I am him, how would you fight in here? Your big frog-sticker would definitely get stuck. And then there's the kid, what about him?" Armstrong spoke in an even, calm tone, which unnerved Qrow, and when he told the alcoholic that he had a son, it made the dark-haired huntsman stop thinking of a fight.

"Armstrong, settling down and having a family?" Qrow asked, "you're a changed man."

Armstrong chuckled, giving up the pretense, "yes, I am. His mother's off working, and I got my job, too."

Qrow made a soft noise, "but seriously, a cottage? A man of your capabilities? And farming?!"

Armstrong nodded, "it's... a peaceful life."

"I envy you for that, it's a bit of a dream for me... settling down with a pretty lady, living a peaceful life with a child or two if we'd want..." the huntsman said, staring off wistfully.
(I made Qrow into a bit of a dreamer and alcoholic. I'm gonna abridge several more characters as well)

"It's nice most of the time," the Pilot said, a smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I remember that you had a fourth guy, the one who took Raven's arm," Qrow said, curious.

"Gone, sacrificed himself for his buddies..." the Pilot said sadly.

After a few more minutes of random dialogue, Raven, Summer, and Tai woke up groggily, putting the Pilot into defense mode as his hand slipped easily down to the cleaver.

"So..." he said, drawing his weapon, "shall we?"

Tai was the first to move, and Armstrong easily slipped past it, since he didn't have his Pilot suit to soften any blows thrown at him.
Qrow would have hit him with a devastating overhead blow, but it was blocked by the crossbeams holding up the second floor, so it was a weak, easily dodged blow.