#(Hawkins cares about three things; Faust Ikkaku and horses)

[waraxarcana]

Horses and Pet Each-Uisge Headcanon

Hawkins has always liked horses. Horses were a powerful status symbol on his home island, and he was occasionally able to find extra work as a teen cleaning stables. It was hard, smelly work, but he always felt more at peace around horses than people. He would pay attention to how they liked to be treated and studied the various care and riding techniques their owners would use and seek to mimic them. After he ate the Wara Wara no Mi, he did have to be a bit more careful around horses in his Strawman form, but he rarely would transform around them anyway because he had no desire to spook them. One of the few times one might see him smile is when interacting with a horse.

Before he departed to the Grand Line, Hawkins came upon a small island in the North Blue that had a unique form of horse. It was an amphibious creature that lived in the oceans surrounding the island but could also come on land to hunt for food. They could secrete sticky mucus that bound anyone who touched them to their hide, preventing escape while they drowned or devoured their prey. The beast also had limited shapeshifting abilities as a way to fool their prey, usually as a normal horse or a handsome man, which made the locals initially suspect Hawkins of being one. The beasts were called each-uisges and the islanders were terrified as they had become a favored meal for them.

Intrigued, Hawkins sought the creatures out. He found a particularly magnificent male each-uisge with a glistening black coat. When the beast attempted to devour Hawkins, he transformed into his Strawman form. This made him unappealing to the each-uisge, as the horse was carnivorous, and realized Hawkins was more of a threat than the average human. Then, Hawkins spent several weeks endearing himself to and taming it through the horsemanship skills he’d learned in his youth and by feeding it the locals he’d captured. From this, he became the each-uisge’s master and took it with him when he set sail.

The each-uisge typically enjoys swimming alongside the Grudge Dolph but it does have its own stable inside of the ship. Hawkins occasionally uses it as a mount, especially if he knows he must cross deep bodies of water - the each-uisge is aware of the fact that it could easily drown him but chooses not to, as its human master treats it well. It is regularly fed meat and its coat is kept well-maintained under Hawkins' meticulous care. The mucus it secretes is often collected and used for ship repairs or traps. On land, most assume Hawkins is simply riding a massive horse, and thus are taken by surprise when it starts eating someone. On Wano, it took the form of a Komashika so that it could remain by its master and continue to be fed.

Hawkins' subordinates know not to approach it carelessly lest they wish to be its next meal. Hawkins did ensure the beast knows not to devour Faust under any circumstances. He later extended that protection to Ikkaku, though she has only (knowingly) seen it a few times.