[RWBY] RWBY Shorts

[AndrewJTalon]

Or just whatever pops out of my brain.

- - -

Tugging on a Faunus's sensitive ears was a good way to inflict some pain and suffering on the weak. So Cardin locked onto the rabbit Faunus girl in the cafeteria. He stalked up behind her, and reached up. He grabbed onto her ears and tugged, hard.

"OW! OOH!"

"Yeah, take that you freak!" Cardin laughed. He tugged again.

"Ooooohhhhh~! Ohhhh...!"

The tone of the bunny girl's sounds... Changed. He was still tugging, and they... They weren't cries of pain. Almost robotically, he kept tugging, even as she kept making... More disturbing sounds...

"Ooohh..." She peered over her shoulder at him, face red, eyes darkened with lust. She licked her lips.

"Harder."

"What," Cardin managed.

"Harder! Pull them harder!" She moaned loudly. "Call me a beast! Put a collar and leash around my neck and make me your sex pet!"

"NO! NO! NO!" Cardin shouted, letting her ears go and backing the fuck up. She closed the gap, gazing worshipfully up into his eyes.

"Yes Master! Make me your bunny brood mare! Spank me for being a naughty Faunus with thoughts above my station!"

"You're nuts!" Cardin cried in shock. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"ABUSE ME! ABUSE ME MORE, MASTERRRR!"

"AAAAHHHHH!" Cardin turned and ran out of the cafeteria. Like hell was he dealing with this!

He looked over his shoulder. His face went pale. She was chasing after him, skipping merrily, a broad smile on her face.

"COME BACK MY LOVE~!"

"NO WAY IN HELL!"

The student body left all collectively blinked... Then decided to just pretend that never happened and get back to eating.

Save for Blake, who was already penning a new epic of love, lust, debauchery, and intelligent social commentary on race relations.

... Though really, it was mostly the first three things.

 

[SharkCultist]

Weird random idea.

Glynda: Ozpin. You need to stop.

Ozpin: I have no idea what you mean.

*Waves hand and a random student turns into a badger before turning back*

Glynda: that! You need to stop giving people the ability to turn into animals!

Ozpin: it's just one or two....hundred.

Glynda: I'm pretty sure you hit a few actual animals because I don't remember all these students.

Ozpin: glynda please, I'd like to think I'm a bit more selective than that.


- cut to rwby's room -

* Absolutely shredded Male corgi faunus laying stretched out across Blake's bed*

Zwei: so pretty kitty do you want to play with me now?

 

[AndrewJTalon]

One more random bit for today before I go lie down.

Set after the Dance...

- - -

Weiss Schnee had worked very hard to cultivate patience. Patience went with control, and control was paramount. It had been a core part of her for her entire life.

Beacon had tested that control, severely. Every single one of her buttons was jammed, jabbed, and slammed on. She had had to re-evaluate herself in many ways. To change.

And as she stormed out of her dorm room out into the night, stomping and gritting her teeth, she felt like none of it had fucking mattered!

She used her incredible speed to get all the way out to a balcony near the unoccupied part of the dorms. She went outside, took a deep breath... And kicked the railing.

"Fuck Blake Belladonna!" She snarled, kicking the railing pillar over and over, until the pain made her stop. She leaned against the railing, gripping it and panting hard to regain her calm. To regain her control.

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She blinked furiously, tried to keep them back...

Someone offered a handkerchief. She took it without thinking, as though she was back in the family mansion in Atlas. She dabbed her eyes, careful to not further ruin her makeup.

"Th-Thank you," she said to her benefactor.

"No problem."

She lowered her handkerchief, and looked to her left. Perched on the railing was a familiar blonde monkey Faunus, still with his white shirt wide open. She blinked in confusion as Sun Wukong gave her a small smile.

"Wha-What are you doing here?" She demanded, pulling back out of instinct. He held up his hands.

"Hey, hey! Take it easy! I was just out for some exercise, Princess!"

Weiss opened her mouth to yell some more... Then she slowly closed her mouth and looked away.

"I... Sorry," she murmured, "It... I'm not mad at you. Really."

"Blake, right?" Sun asked. Weiss glanced back at him. There was... A knowing look on his face.

"Yes," she agreed. She sighed softly. "It's... Stupid. I don't have a problem with her as a Faunus. Not really. I promise."

"It's just that most Faunus you've met were part of the White Fang," Sun said with a nod. She stared at him, and he shrugged. "Am I wrong?"

"... No," she admitted. She closed her eyes and sighed softly. "I... I am sorry. But..." She opened her eyes and glared out at the night.

Sun leaned forward.

"You want to talk about it?"

Weiss glanced at him, and looked back out at the stars.

"I... I'm not sure if I can-"

"Hey," Sun said, spreading his arms wide with a smile, "I've got a thick skin. I can take it. Besides," He sighed, "I owe you for Neptune."

Weiss scowled deeply.

"No... No, those were his choices," she muttered, "I-I don't blame you for him being... Him."

Sun chuckled.

"Yeah, but... I could do a better job as team leader," he said, "Keep him from getting himself killed, at least. Anyway, enough about him. What about you?"

"Aren't you with Blake?" Weiss countered. "You sure you want me to talk badly of your girlfriend?"

Sun shook his head with a sad smile.

"She's not my girlfriend. She made that clear."

Weiss blinked, then looked away again.

"Oh... Sorry," she murmured.

"It's better to just get this stuff out, ya know?" Sun asked, scratching the back of his head, "Me, I'm live and let live. You need to vent? I'll listen. You don't want me around? I'll go."

Weiss licked her lips. She stared out at the stars again. Cold, distant, always beautiful. She sucked in a breath through her nostrils, and let it go.

"... She always acts like she's the wounded party, and I am never an equal," she started, "As if the White Fang didn't kill members of my family. As though they haven't tried to kidnap me and my family members. As if they haven't threatened..."

She trailed off, going pale. She shuddered. Sun reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. She started and looked at him. He didn't pull back. His face was compassionate.

"You're right. That's not fair," he said. "You didn't do the terrible things your father did."

Weiss opened her mouth, but her throat was choked with emotion. She blinked back more tears, and dabbed her eyes again.

"I... Thank you," she said quietly, "I-I... I don't approve of what he does. He's... He's a monster to everyone." She sighed. "I want to stop it. I want to change it. I just... I don't really know how."

Sun nodded, smiling warmly.

"That sucks," he said succinctly. She snorted in a most unladylike manner.

"It... Yes, quite," she managed. Sun leaned back, lowering his legs to sit on the railing. His tail wagged a bit as he smiled at her. She managed to smile back.

"She-She can be so self-righteous," she went on, "Like she didn't do bad things! I-I know she's trying to repent! I understand that! But she makes it so hard..."

Sun sighed and nodded.

"Yeah. She keeps lecturing about how the White Fang wasn't supposed to be like this. Well, nobody put guns to their heads to bomb trains. Nobody made them bully Faunus who didn't go along with their bullshit."

"They-They do that kind of stuff to Faunus too?" Weiss asked. Sun nodded.

"Yeah. Lot of assholes will take any excuse to hurt people and feel justified," he snorted, "My best friends are humans. When I was orphaned in Vacuo, a human monk is the one who found and raised me. White Fang members thinks that makes me a bad Faunus. So screw 'em."

"What happened to your parents...?" Weiss asked, then winced. "Sorry-"

"No, it's okay," Sun sighed, shrugging. "Tang-That's the monk-found me in a village hit by Grimm and bandits when I was a baby. Everyone else was dead."

Weiss stared at him in sorrow. He smiled wanly and shrugged.

"Could have been worse," he said, "Tang raised me like his own, with some other orphans he had found. We went around collecting alms for the poor, tending shrines, teaching martial arts. He trained me and my bros, Zhu and Sha. We were all Faunus kids, but he didn't care; He loves us all, and we love him. He had wanted me to become a monk too, but..." He chuckled. "I wanted adventure. He had an old friend at Haven Academy, one of the teachers, and got me a scholarship. So, here I am, all thanks to a kindly human."

"I... I'm really sorry," Weiss murmured. "I... It's amazing that you're still able to laugh and smile after all that."

Sun beamed at her, his tail forming a curl.

"Tang's like the best dad a boy could have ever had! And I grew up with two great brothers! I got to go see the world, meet some great friends, and have great fights!" He winked at her. "And meet some pretty girls, too."

Her cheeks burned red. She shook her head.

"I-Don't flirt, please."

Sun blinked in confusion.

"Who's flirting? I'm just being honest," he said. Weiss sighed and looked away.

"Ugh, do you have to do that?" She grumbled.

"It's my honest feelings," he said firmly with a nod.

"Well... Thank you," she said. She turned and smiled shyly at him. "It... It occurs to me I haven't really talked to you before. I'm sorry about that."

Sun waved his hand.

"Nah, don't worry about it," he said. "I'm just glad I can talk about Blake. I mean... I really like her and all, but..." He sighed and shrugged. "She doesn't seem to like me the same way."

"Then she's an idiot," Weiss stated firmly. Sun glanced at her, and grinned.

"Sure you're not just saying that because of my abs, Princess?"

"I'm sure, and stop calling me that!" She retorted. Sun chuckled.

"As the Princess demands."

"Ugh!" Weiss grunted. "You're so..." She scowled. "You're not very polite for a boy raised by a monk."

"I never said I was a great student," Sun replied with a laugh and wink. Weiss fought another smile.

"I suppose that's fair..."

- - -

Again, just a bit of randomness before I fall over. I don't even know if it's any good. So if it's not? Sorry.

Yes I made Sun's backstory something out of "Journey to the West" because that's the easiest goal to make and RT didn't even seem to take the shot. So I did.

 

[SharkCultist]

Weiss gets a reality check.

*Rby and jnpr stare at a unresponsive Weiss*

Jaune: and she's been just starting at her scroll for how long?

Ruby: two hours! I don't even think I've seen her blink.

Ren: that's concerning. We should handle this delic-

Nora: HI WEISS what's up?

*Weiss jumps like a startled cat*

Weiss: oh hello everyone.

Yang: hey Weiss cream, you doing ok.

Weiss: not really no.

*Shows everyone a news article on her phone*

Article: Whitley schnee joins the white fang! The secrets of his punk rock band and faunus harem revealed!

Blake: what?

Ruby: it's ok Weiss I'm sure it's all a misunderstanding.

Blake: what?

Weiss: but I thought I was the rebel!

*Everyone except Weiss and Blake laughs*

Yang: oh brothers my sides!

Weiss: and what's so funny about that?

Ruby: Weiss you go to bed at 8 pm every night.

Nora: you took extra credit work for a class you don't even take.

Ren: you gave yourself detention for coughing in class once.

Weiss: I'm not seeing your point.

Yang: you're as much a rebel as pyrrha is.

Weiss:...oh.....

Ruby: would some coffee and cake help you feel better?

Weiss:....yes.

*Everyone except Blake leaves the room*

Blake: what?

 

[AndrewJTalon]

He had one last little bit for this when he should have been sleeping!

- - -

The next morning, Blake was with most of her team in the cafeteria, picking at her food in distraction. Weiss wasn't there and neither was Sun. And both were on her mind.

Maybe I should apologize to Sun. I need to explain I'm not looking for a relationship right now, not after what happened with Adam. Maybe I was... Too hard on him, She thought, And maybe I should go a little easier on Weiss. She doesn't mean to be insensitive, but-

She looked up from the breakfast table and sees Sun walking with Weiss hanging off his arm. The entire cafeteria went silent, all eyes on the apparently couple.

"What...?" Jaune mumbled. He had given up hitting on Weiss, but this was a shock to him.

"The fuck?!" Blake hissed, clenching her hand around her fork as hard as she could.

Weiss looked around the table, smiling prettily at her team.

"Good morning, Ruby! Good morning, Yang!" A smirk developed on her face as her eyes came to rest on Blake. "Good morning, Blake. How are you doing? I was just talking with Sun. He was kind enough to escort me to breakfast."

Blake grit her teeth.

"Was he?" She hissed.

Sun beamed happily.

"Yup! We're friends now!"

"Very good friends," Weiss said, practically purring.

"Ooh, plot twist!" Nora gasped over the rage pounding in all four of Blake's ears!

Weiss turned to Sun, and stood up on tiptoes.

"Thank you, Sun." She gave him a peck on the cheek. "Have a good day!"

Sun smiled back, a mild blush on his tanned cheeks.

"Thanks Weiss. Appreciate it! Later!" He turned and waved, heading to his team's table. Neptune was staring daggers at Sun, which the monkey Faunus didn't even seem to notice!

The Schnee heiress sat down next to the gaping Ruby, somehow looking more smug than the actual catgirl.

"So! What's for breakfast?" She asked brightly.

"You-Wha-Why-?!" Blake tried. Weiss's smirk became positively deadly.

"Well, you're always telling me to be more open-minded," she said, almost sing-song, "Aren't you glad I'm expanding my horizons?"

"Good on you, Weiss!" Ruby cheered.

"But you... He... You...!" Blake sputtered.

Yang patted Blake on the shoulder, but clearly was trying not to laugh.

"Snooze you lose, Kitty Cat."

 

[SharkCultist]

Funny idea but what if cinder fucked up royally before she even had a chance to start the fall of beacon?


*Nora is strapped to a chair with a copper wire collar covered in yellow gems on her neck and a cloth stuffed in her mouth*

Cinder: I hope you're comfortable, you're going to be here a while.

Nora: <angry confused mumble>

Cinder: I want some information on your teammate, originally we were going to have mercury fight her but since you were kind enough to go walking alone through vale I decided to take the opportunity.

Nora: <furious mumbles involving cinders ass and the chairs legs>

Cinder: so here's what's going to happen. You're going to answer every single question I ask you and if you're lucky I won't use that lightning dust collar around your neck to cook your brain. Understood?

*Cinder removed the gag*

Nora: AND THEN IM GINNA PULL IT OUTTA YOUR ASS AND STICK IT UP-

*Nora is gagged again*

Cinder: I guess you need a demonstration to get it.

*Cinder hits a little button and Nora lights up like a Christmas tree*

Cinder: enjoying yourself? I know I am.

*Nora rips through the restraints like they're made of warm butter and spits out the gag*

Nora: I've never felt better!

Cinder: what?

Nora: well except for all this ENDLESS RAGE but I have a fix for that!

*Nora breaks a leg off of the chair casually with enough force to turn the rest of the chair to sawdust*

Nora: now about what I was going to do to you with this chair leg.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

It had started very simply. They were on a field training mission outside of Vale's walls. A Grimm had shown up, a new species: A giant tarantula that fired off hairs like shrapnel from a mine. Jaune hadn't lost his cool though: He'd come up with an effective plan. Lure the beast over to an abandoned steel mill, where Pyrrha would use Polarity to drop metallic beams on the beast. Jaune had served as the bait, and the rest of the team had boxed the Grimm in to let Pyrrha make the final kill.

It had worked... But due to Pyrrha having to concentrate on essentially creating a giant spear of metal with her Semblance, she'd left herself open. Several of the Grimm's razor-sharp hairs had hit her, and the Invincible Girl was knocked off the steel mill tower to the ground.

She'd blacked out, and slowly come to Jaune holding her in his arms.

Something she would have killed for back in the day, but not quite like this. Not while in excruciating pain, anyway.

"Hang in there, Pyrrha," Jaune had said urgently, "Hang in there! A Bullhead is on the way!"

He was applying pressure to her wounds. Her Aura had been low from the stunt to take out the Grimm. She could see guilt in his eyes. Suspected he was beating himself up. She held up a hand to cup his cheek.

"N-No... Don't blame... Yourself..."

"Pyrrha, I'm sorry, it's all my fault," Jaune murmured, even as Ren and Nora waved down the Bullhead. "If I wasn't so useless, you... You'd be...!"

He began to glow. Pyrrha gasped. She felt her Aura surge, felt a warmth and affection and pleasure she had never before thought possible go through her...!

Everything felt... Good. No, everything felt great! WONDERFUL! Her eyes rolled back into her head as she smiled.

She had never felt so amazing...!

She looked down at where Jaune had been pressing his hands. Her skin was unblemished, absolutely healed. Not a trace of her injury could be seen.

Jaune stared in shock at this. Nora gaped. Ren blinked several times in quick succession.

"Holy..." Jaune mumbled, "P-Pyrrha! Are you okay?"

Pyrrha grinned lazily up at him, and hugged him tightly. She had never been so brazen, but with the way she felt...?

"Never better!"

- - -

Pyrrha stuck close to Jaune throughout the whole journey back to Vale. Nora and Ren of course were just as happy as Jaune that he'd discovered his Semblance. And that it was immensely useful. Ren was speculating about the usage and how it might be further developed, which Jaune paid attention to raptly.

Yet Pyrrha could only pay half attention to it. He... He was holding her hand! And he hadn't let go! It was enough to make her swoon!

Sure, she had insisted he do so, just in case his healing had missed anything (and how naughty was it of her to lie like that? So naughty! So bad!) but it was worth it! So worth it!

His Semblance... It had felt so wonderful! Even now she was tingling in the most wonderful of ways!

But more than that was just her pride in Jaune. He'd done it! He'd figured out his Semblance, and it was magnificent!

She kept giggling every so often, she felt so good...!

He was so concerned over her, he wasn't even getting air sick! Oh, this was the best day ever!

The Bullhead touched down, and they exited the vehicle onto the landing pads. Nearby, a number of nurses were wheeling out members of Team RWBY. Jaune, immediately concerned, walked over to Professor Goodwitch, who was supervising things.

"What's going on? What happened?" He asked urgently.

"Team RWBY was caught in an ambush, some White Fang operatives attacked with some Grimm while they were out on field exercises," Goodwitch said urgently, "They're in critical condition."

Pyrrha's heart clenched when she saw Ruby on a stretcher, covered in bruises, bandages, and on life support. Nora grimaced, as Ren frowned.

Jaune frowned more deeply. He flexed his hands.

"Professor, I just figured out my Semblance," he said, "I can heal people. Let me help."

Goodwitch's usual frown became more severe.

"Mister Arc, even if that's true, I don't know how-"

"Let me try, at least!" Jaune insisted.

"He healed several critical injuries on me and restored my Aura to full, Professor," Pyrrha said quickly with a nod, "Please, he can help!"

"Totally! We all saw it!" Nora chimed in, as Ren nodded.

Goodwitch frowned, but nodded.

"Get to it, Arc!" She ordered.

Jaune was by Ruby's side in an instant. She weakly looked up at him.

"J-Jaune..." She whispered.

"Hang in there, Crater Face, I've got you," Jaune said reassuringly. He pressed his hands to her side, and focused. His Aura flared, and his hands glowed. That same white energy flowed into Ruby. The little reaper gasped. Her bruises vanished, her breathing became normal, and her eyes widened.

"Ohhhh... Ooooh... Ohhhh wowwwwww~!" Ruby cried. She sat up on the stretcher, and flexed her arms. She grinned woozily at Jaune.

"J-Jaune... I... Wowwwww!" She giggled drunkenly. "I-I feel amazing!"

Jaune hugged her tightly, and she hugged him back. Goodwitch looked amazed for a moment, as Pyrrha smiled in pride. The Assistant Headmistress shook her head, and prodded Jaune.

"Heal the others, Mister Arc! Quickly!"

"Yes ma'am!" Jaune said with a broad grin. He went to work, healing Yang, Blake, and Weiss in quick succession. Weiss herself sobbed in joy as she hugged Jaune after her healing. He awkwardly hugged her back, patting her on the shoulder.

"Thank you... Thank you... I-I take back every bad thing I ever said about you!" Weiss blubbered. Jaune chuckled.

"It's fine, it's fine...! I'm just glad you're all right!"

Jaune was immediately pulled aside and interrogated by the medics and Professor Goodwitch. Pyrrha looked on with pride.

She knew Jaune would do great things. She truly did believe in him, and her faith had been rewarded.

- - -

The next day, the teams were on break. They met in the cafeteria, relaxing and eating together. Pyrrha approved greatly: Especially at how much more respect they showed Jaune. He was no longer the Dead Last, the Dead Weight in their eyes. They saw him as an equal, and it filled her heart with joy to see him open up and show a little confidence.

Now Team RWBY were looking at him with similar pride and affection, just as Ren and Nora did. Ha! Served Weiss right. She'd despised Jaune, and now she was looking at him with respect.

"Ow!"

Ruby had gotten up, walked around behind Jaune... And tripped. She'd fallen to the floor. Jaune was by her side in an instant, looking concerned.

"Hey Rubes, you okay?"

"Oh, uh, y-yeah," Ruby said with a nod. She winced as she held her wrist. "I might have twisted my wrist though... Um... You mind...?"

Jaune grinned guilelessly, even as Pyrrha frowned. She shouldn't have taken that much of an injury just from falling, should she?

"Sure thing!" He said.

He gripped her wrist, and focused. Her Aura lit up. Ruby's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she bit down on her lower lip.

"Better?" He asked.

"Ohhhh yeaaaahhh," Ruby sighed happily.

"Hey!" Yang growled, yanking her little sister up, "Ease up! I mean... I'm suffering from lower back pain!" She beamed at Jaune. "You mind helping me with that, Stud?"

Jaune blinked.

"Er, sure... What's with the nickname change?"

"You've been promoted from Vomit Boy to Stud," Yang practically purred, even as Pyrrha's fist bent her fork, "You know why~."

"I-I don't think you should abuse Jaune's new Semblance like that!" Pyrrha insisted.

"He needs the practice," Blake said calmly, though she was hiding a blush behind her book, "Yes... We should test him today. Work with him to see how well he can heal various injuries."

"Absolutely!" Weiss added, her pale cheeks red, "As well as discover any limitations or-or problems with it! Extensive testing is required!"

"Ooh! Ooh! Can we help?" Nora asked happily. "I wanna feel magic hands on me!"

"Phrasing," Ren sighed.

Pyrrha slowly looked around the table. Yang was licking her lips as she gazed at Jaune. Ruby was blushing and giggling. Blake was eyeing him like a cat might a tasty treat, while Weiss bit her lower lip as she stared intently at Jaune...

Pyrrha's eyes narrowed.

"Certainly," she managed, "Under my supervision. After all..." And she couldn't help being a bit smug, "He healed me first."

"You're always with him!" Ruby growled. She grabbed Jaune's hand and pulled him close to her. "It's not fair! He should train with me, his bestie!"

"That's hardly fair, Ruby," Weiss retorted. She got up and took Jaune's other hand. "He has always wanted to be closer to me, has he not?"

"Oh please," Yang snorted, wrapping her arms around Jaune's waist from behind, "Neither of you knows how to take any real damage. You don't have the experience. Leave him to me! I'll test his Semblance, right to its limits. He'll get the Yang of it." She grinned and winked.

"I have more combat experience than all of you combined," Blake interjected, getting over the table and pressing up against Jaune from the front, "As well as unique insights and experiences. He'll get bored working with you."

"He's my partner!" Pyrrha snarled, getting up to join the argument. The bewildered Jaune was tugged, pulled and yanked this way and that between the squabbling Huntresses-in-Training, while Nora and Ren watched.

Nora pouted.

"Aw... I wanna fight over Jaune, too!"

"I think he's a bit occupied right now," Ren deadpanned.

Nora nodded.

"We'll have to make a sign up sheet!"

"Most likely," Ren sighed.

- - -

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

The exchange students were settling in. So far, Cinder's plan was working perfectly. No one suspected her of being anything but an ordinary Huntress-in-training from Haven. She kept a cocky smile on as she walked, Emerald and Mercury flanking her as Neo trailed behind. She surveyed her kingdom like a queen, imperious, invincible.

Soon, you worms, she thought to herself, soon you will all burn...

"Cinder?"

Cinder froze.

No. That... That's not possible... It can't be...!

She slowly turned her eyes to her left. A blond young man, tall, with striking blue eyes, walked up to her with a broad smile.

"Cinder Fall!" He repeated happily. "Remember me? From Radian?"

Oh no...

"J-Jaune," Cinder gasped. Her eyes widened as he hugged her tightly.

"Hahaha! It's been years!" He cheered.

Against her will, she felt her body relax. The warm, familiar hug triggered something in her. Something she thought she'd buried under all her hatred and resentment...!

Mercury looked amused, while Emerald looked jealous. She was going to punish them both for this...

"Look at you!" He beamed. "You're absolutely beautiful! Even more than last time!"

"Ah... Uh... Er..." Cinder tried. Her usually sharp tongue felt very clumsy all of a sudden.

"Eh?" Ruby Rose, of course. The little brat zipped up, curious. "Jaune? You know her?"

"Sure do!" Jaune grinned. "Cinder stayed with my family for a few years while she was recovering from... Uh, long story." He narrowed his eyes, his face darkened.

Yes, she remembered. She'd escaped her abusive family, after killing them, into the wilderness around Mantle. It had been cold, very cold. Isabel Arc and her husband, a doctor and a Hunter, had been operating nearby. They'd found her in the tundra, and had healed her. Because she was afraid of being arrested for the murders, she had pleaded to be taken to Vale, and they had complied. She had stayed with them at their home... Receiving so much kindness and charity it made her sick to think about it!

"She was like another big sister!" Jaune went on, hugging her again. He flushed.

"Er... Except for... Uh..."

"That time you tried to propose to me?" Cinder asked dryly. The memory was... Amusing, in hindsight. Ruby giggled as Jaune blushed.

"I was ten," Jaune protested, "And she was super pretty!" He beamed at her. "It's great to see you. Are you doing okay? You left so abruptly!"

"I... Yes, well," Cinder said quietly, "I received... An apprenticeship from a powerful Huntress. She knew my family. She took me in."

"Oh," Jaune nodded, smiling guileless, "Great to hear! So, you'd in your final year?"

"I... May have taken longer than I would have liked to graduate," Cinder admitted quietly. Jaune shook his head.

"No shame in that," He said, "You're here. So much has happened! Come on in, you should meet my team!"

"How... How about after we get settled?" Cinder asked. She smiled as warmly as she could at him. "It was a long flight."

Jaune winced.

"Sorry, I didn't think," he admitted. Cinder nodded, a bit indulgent. Apparently, he hadn't changed that much on the inside.

"How about breakfast? There's a lot to unpack," she said. Jaune beamed.

"Sure thing. I'm just... I missed you. We were all so worried about you. I'm so glad you're all right."

He hugged her again. His Aura was so strong, the Grimm inside her squirmed in fear. Yet the warmth of it seemed to flow right through her.

"I... I missed you too," she said, and she hated how it didn't feel like a lie.

He let her go (and it felt so cold for a moment), beaming happily.

"Can't wait to catch up," he said, "We all missed you."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Her accomplices followed her to their assigned room. She opened the door, and looked back. Jaune waved with a bright smile. She managed a short wave back, before Emerald practically escorted her inside. Mercury and Neo followed. The door was shut, and their various anti-eavesdropping devices were activated before Mercury spoke.

"So. Who's the golden retriever on legs?" He snarked.

"Why-How do you know him?" Emerald demanded, her jealousy showing. Cinder let out a sigh.

"His family took me in for a little over a year after my family died and I escaped," she stated flatly. "When I was well enough, I left. I found Mother," their codename for Salem, "And that was that. I never gave them a second thought. They're nothing to me."

"Didn't seem like nothing," Mercury snickered. He stopped when she glared. She sniffed.

"It is of no concern. Indeed, it will help solidify our cover," she stated. "To be associated with the Arcs will make me seem less threatening. They are... They are kind, generous, caring..."

She felt Emerald's look.

"Weak and pathetic," she sneered, "And their son is the worst of them all."

"We could eliminate him," Emerald pointed out, "Him knowing you might be a liability-"

"No!" Cinder said, a bit too quickly. She shook her head. "That would look suspicious. Leave him to me. He'll be easy to twist into our patsy."

"That may involve getting close to him," Mercury observed. Cinder smiled in a deadly fashion at him, and he gulped.

"Just do your jobs and let me do mine," she stated, "Or I'll have to tell them you suffered an unfortunate accident."

She flared flames in her hand for emphasis, and Mercury nodded quickly.

Neo, as per her usual, just played on her Scroll and ignored everything going on. Cinder turned and glared out at the windows as her minions unpacked.

It was perfectly fine. So Jaune Arc was here, so what?

A year didn't change the years of hell she went through with her stepfamily. A year of kindness, large meals, laughter, hugs, and generosity didn't make up for how cruel the world was. They just... They were fools who could afford to waste their time, money, and energy on her. It was just to make themselves feel better. To look better!

She didn't have any conflicting feelings about what she was going to do. She didn't.

Not now. Not after everything she'd gone through. Not after all the power she had secured.

He'd hate me anyway, she thought, the moment he found out what I had done, my true nature... He'd hate me. Just like they all would have, if they knew the truth...

- - -

Again, another random idea. Jaune's childhood just randomly intersecting with other character's is just kind of a fun idea.

Who else might be fun to be childhood friends?

 

[SharkCultist]

Ozpin reincarnates but not into Oscar.


Ozpin: <this could be a issue>

Zwei: <how do you think I feel? All this human context is disgusting.>

Ozpin: <oh yes finding out you drink from a shit receptacle is so much worse than fighting the end of the world!>

Zwei: <that's literally your fault! You fucked crazy and doomed the world with your dick. I just got thirsty so why do I have to suffer?!>

Ozpin: <look this doesn't have to be all bad. I've got magic. Work with me here.>

Zwei: <I'm a dog what good is magic for me?>

Ozpin: <you can scratch your own ears and buy your own treats.>

Zwei: <....continue.>

Ozpin: <what else could you want?>

Zwei: <if I agree to help I want two things.>

Ozpin:<I'm hesitant but curious. Speak.>

Zwei: <I want to stick close to Ruby and her team.>

Ozpin: <that's certainly agreeable.>

Zwei: <and we kill every squirrel we come across.>

Ozpin: <what the fuck? Why?!>

Zwei: <they're dicks.>

*Cut to squirrel in tree above them*

Squirrel: <love ya too fleabag, but not as much as I loved ya mom ya schizo waste of fur.>

Ozpin: <your terms are acceptable.>

*Loud yelling from inside the house*

Taiyang: ZWEI ITS THREE IN THE FUCKING MORNING STOP BARKING AT THE SQUIRRELS!!!

 

[SharkCultist]

Had this dumb little idea.


Ozpin: and this is the enemy of all huntsmen.
*Ozpin shows a magically conjured image of Salem*

Ruby: oh my Gods.

Blake: such a terrifying figure.

Weiss: even just a picture of her shows her clear disgust with all life.

Jaune: would.

*Everyone turns to stare at Jaune*

Jaune: what?

*Nora looks at Weiss hair and the look of disgust on her face*

Nora: so you have a type.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

Roman Torchwick strode into his latest warehouse lair, a grin on his face. Neo had texted him with some good news. He'd told her to get them some leverage over Little Red and her friends, and if Neo was willing to break cover at Beacon over it, that meant it had to be great!

"All right Neo," he said, as he walked into a secured room with his code, "Whatcha got for me-What?!"

Neo was standing with a smile next to... A blond kid in white armor tied to a chair. Roman scowled at her.

"I thought you'd gotten your hands on Red or something, who the hell is this?!" He demanded, waving his hand at the kid.

"Uh... Hey, I'm Jaune Arc," the kid said, "You're...!" His face screwed up in concentration. "Uhhh..."

Roman's scowl deepened.

"Yesss...?" He prompted.

"Give me a second," Jaune muttered. Roman grit his teeth.

"Come on, kid! My wanted posters are all over Vale!" He growled.

Jaune winced.

"... Hobo Jim?"

Roman gaped in a mixture of anger and exasperation. He waved his fists and stalked away from Jaune, before turning back to glare at the kid.

"Hobo...?! HOBO JIM?! His worst crime is serial loitering! Do I LOOK like a homeless guy?!"

The kid looked to the side.

"Well... How honest do you want me to get?" Jaune asked nervously.

Neo laughed silently, as Roman seethed.

"Seriously kid?!" He glared a Neo. "Why did you bring me a comedian?!"

Neo signed something:

He's Red's best male friend.

Roman blinked, then smirked.

"I see... All right Neo, I getcha. We can lure Red out here with him."

"Oh yeah, smart idea," Jaune said with a nod, "Lure in the teenaged girls who defeated you easily."

Roman growled.

"... Oh you seriously think you're funny, don't you?"

Jaune shrugged, not looking all that perturbed at his situation.

"Humor is subjective. Plus you're not exactly scaring me right now."

He shuddered.

"Try sharing a dorm with Nora Valkyrie, THEN we can talk fear."

"Look kid, if you're useful, maybe you can get out of this alive," Roman growled.

"And if you're smart, maybe you can too," Jaune replied. He rolled his eyes. "I mean, come on, using me as a hostage? What kind of an evil plan is that? You're just gonna get beaten up, again. The smart, decent move is to just let me go. Why not be more like Diamond Capone? Now that was a great mob boss!"

"Diamond Capone is fictional and an amalgamation of several real mob boss' lives and achievements," Roman pointed out. At Neo's incredulous look, he glared. "What? I know stuff!"

Neo shook her head. Roman looked back at Jaune.

"Welcome to the real world, Jauney, where there's no such thing as decency."

Jaune frowned in thought for a moment before he shook his head.

"The real world... Where you get easily beaten by teenaged girls. And dress... Like that."

Neo fanned herself. Roman scowled at his adopted daughter/subordinate.

"Seriously?"

Neo signed something at him, blushing a bit.

I like him. Can I keep him?

Roman stared in disbelief at Neo, who continued to blush, for a very long time. He sighed and looked over at Jaune.

"Kid? I hope you've got a lot of Aura and stamina," he stated. "And if you get her pregnant, you're marrying her!"

Jaune gaped.

"I-What-?!"

"Just keep him in enough pieces for luring Red and her friends," Roman said tiredly to Neo. Neo beamed happily. He turned and walked out, as Neo advanced on Jaune with a sexy and yet still terrifying grin. The young man tried to turn pale and blush at the same time.

"H-Hey, wait a minute-Can't we talk about this-?!"

Roman shut the door behind him. He sniffled, and pulled out a silk handkerchief to dab his eyes with.

"They grow up so fast..."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

Godsdamnit... GODSDAMNIT...

"GODSDAMNIT!" Jaune bellowed from inside the rocket locker. He slammed his fists into the insides, as hard as he could. He didn't know where he was flying to. He didn't know where Pyrrha had sent him. All he knew is that he didn't want to go there!

"C-Come on, come on...!" He pulled out his Scroll. Maybe the CCT was down, but the local network... Maybe...!

He activated the App and tried to log into it. Pyrrha and he had shared passwords-Pyrrha, damnit-maybe she hadn't changed it-!

The app turned green. Jaune tried to access the controls.

"Come on, come on, COME ON!"

He tried to turn the locker back towards Beacon... But something hit the side. He was slammed back and forth against the insides of the locker, crying out. He managed to get eyes on his Scroll again: He couldn't read where it was going to land, but it looked like it was somewhere in Beacon proper-

CRASH!

The door popped open. Jaune tumbled out in a heap. He ached all over, there was a ringing in his ears, and he felt his Aura flicker.

"Uggghhh... Damnit..." He staggered to his feet. His vision was blurry. He could hear screams, fire, the roars of Grimm... And his vision cleared.

It was a nightmare. People were fleeing in terror. Fires were everywhere, bodies too. Grimm roared.

Jaune stared in shock. His heart pounded in his chest and ears. He felt sick. He was filled with pain...

I always wanted to be a hero... I wanted to help people...

He took a deep breath. Focus... Priorities.

First priority: Don't die.

Second priority? Keep other people from dying.

He pulled Crocea Mors out, opened his shield, and charged for the first Beowulf he saw. He cut it down, using the same technique Pyrrha had drilled into him, over and over and over again. Bash, then slash through the neck.

The Grimm died with a loud whimper. Jaune saw another Beowulf, snarled at an older couple. He charged it, getting its attention by bashing his sword on his shield. The Grimm turned and charged. Again, he followed the technique: Bash and Slash. Another Grimm died. He turned to the terrified couple.

"RUN!" He shouted. They clambered up and ran as best they could. Jaune looked around, spotted more Grimm. He got his weapons up as the Beowulves charged. Over and over again, bash and slash, bash and slash...!

He found himself outside of the library. As people ran around him, he looked in the windows. Fires were spreading, tables were wrecked...

Blake was confronting some tall redhead man with spiky hair, a White Fang mask, and... a red katana...

"I'm... I'm not running!" Blake cried out.

"You... Will," the man growled.

Jaune's eyes widened in horror... And recognition.

No... It can't be...!

Blake's blade was locked with the redhead. He shoved her back with his greater strength, driving her to the floor. He held up his katana, ready to plunge it down-

"ADAM!"

The redhead paused. He looked up. He... Stared at Jaune. Jaune approached slowly, sword and shield out.

"Adam Taurus," Jaune gasped, "Adam..."

"Jaune, run!" Blake screamed, even as Adam stomped on her stomach. "UGH!"

Jaune winced. He heard the sound of cracking ribs. Blake whimpered in pain. She stayed still.

If Adam could do that to her... Then Jaune stood no chance in a fight. Even if he hadn't already been banged up by the rocket locker flight.


And yet... There he stood, despite every instinct telling him to run.

"Jaune Arc," Adam said, voice rough. "You're here too, huh?"

"What the hell is all this?!" Jaune demanded. "Why are you doing this?!"

Jaune could feel the glare through Adam's visor, even as childhood memories popped up.

The boy had been brought with his mother from an SDC mining camp to the Radian hospital. Jaune was hanging around, since his mom and dad were here and his sisters were busy. He'd seen the small, redheaded boy with horns sitting outside the operating ward. The boy looked up at him, sniffling and trying not to cry.

"Your mom's gonna be fine," Jaune said brightly. "My mom's a really great doctor! Don't worry!"

"You... You mean it?" The boy asked. Jaune nodded happily.

"Yeah!" He held out his hand. "I'm Jaune! Jaune Arc!
The boy stared in some fear and confusion at him... Before slowly extending his hand.

"I'm... Adam Taurus..."

"That's a cool name!" Jaune said happily. "You're like a bull! That's so awesome!"

"You... You think so?" Adam asked.

"Yeah!"

Weeks went by. Adam stayed at the Arc Farm. They had a lot of room for guests, and the workers had children of their own. Adam and Jaune played a lot while Adam's mother recovered. They explored streams, fished, played at swordfighting (Adam always won), and lots of other things.

Yet despite all this, Adam was still... Sad. Sad and angry.

"It's not fair," Adam said, "Why do the Schnees treat us like this? Why are they so cruel? My dad... My dad died in the mines. They worked him so hard, and he died."

Jaune hugged Adam, because... What else could you do when you heard something that sad?

"When I get older," Adam swore, "I'll... I'll change the world. I'll make it better. I promise..."

"I'll help you!" Jaune said cheerfully. Adam stared at him.

"You'll help a Faunus?"

"I'll help a friend!" Jaune said with a big smile. "And that's what you are!"

"You mean it?" Adam asked. Jaune nodded, eyes narrowed.

"My dad says a man keeps his promises. An Arc never goes back on his word." He spit in his palm, then held out a hand. "I'm with you, Adam. To the end of the line."

Adam stared in shock... But he smiled softly, spat in his hand, and they shook.

It took a while, but Adam's mother healed. They went back to Atlas, to work with a group of Faunus to peacefully protest the camps. Jaune and Adam exchanged letters for a long time after... But at some point... They just stopped. And Jaune wondered what had happened to his friend...

"There's only one way to change the world," Adam stated, "And that's with blood, and fire."

He moved, and it was by pure luck Jaune was able to block the blow with his shield! The impact slammed him against the wall. Adam drove his Katana against Crocea Mors, the ancient shield groaning under the strain. Still, Jaune tried to talk.

"You didn't believe that," Jaune insisted, "You were going to make things better, peacefully-!"

"And the SDC showed me how well that worked," Adam snarled. "Humans... Humans can't be trusted."

"You trusted me!" Jaune insisted. Adam snorted.

"We were children," he stated.

"Your mother would have-"

"My mother is dead," Adam snarled. "Killed by humans-!"

"And saved by humans!" Jaune shouted back.

"You did it to torment us! To keep us as slaves-!"

"You know that's not true!" Jaune cried out. "We did it because it was the right thing to do, Adam! My parents cared for you! Just like they did me!" He shook his head. "Please, Adam... Don't do this!"

Adam clenched his fists. He punched Jaune in the face and then seized him by his shoulders. He threw him across the library, slamming him through the desks.

He stalked towards Jaune, even as the blond still got up. Adam breathed hard.

"You'll die like all the others," Adam stated angrily.

Jaune glared back. He tightened his grip on his weapons. Adam struck again furiously, Jaune barely able to keep up with parries and deflections. Sparks flew off his shield and blade with every exchange. Jaune was forced back, back...

"Why aren't you fighting back?!" Adam spat.

I couldn't hurt you if I tried, Jaune thought sardonically. But outloud...

"I won't fight you, Adam," he said. "I won't... I won't fight a friend."

Adam sneered. He swung again, and again. Dents appeared on Jaune's armor, sword, and shield. Cuts were slashed across his arms and face.

He was slammed back by another powerful blow, right against the wall.

"Stay down," Adam growled.

Jaune shook all over. He stood right back up, breathing hard.

"Just lay down and die!" Adam roared, swinging his blade. A red crescent of energy erupted. Jaune fell, as his sword and shield took the brunt of it.

Jaune watched his family's legendary weapons fall apart-His sword cleaved in half, his shield losing one big quarter. If he'd stayed on his feet, he would have been dead.

Adam loomed over him, and seized him by the throat. He lifted Jaune up with one arm, and choked him.

"I'm not your friend... I was never your friend," Adam seethed, "You're just like all the others. Another lying, stinking human!"

He couldn't save Pyrrha... He couldn't save Blake... He couldn't... He couldn't save anyone...

Jaune closed his eyes. It felt like something broke inside of him...

I can't save anyone... All I can do is...

He opened them again and clutched onto Adam's forearm. He looked him in the face and forced a breath through the bull Faunus' iron strong grip.

"Then... You'd better... Finish it... Because... I-I'm with you... Adam..."

He choked out his last words as his vision grew dim.

"To the end... Of the line...!"

He saw Adam's jaw drop. He felt his fingers slacken, just a bit... Before everything went black.

- - -

A bit of Winter Soldier in there, sue me, it was a fantastic movie. And it's the kind of thing a kid Jaune would have considered a badass line.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

"... Jaune... Jaune... Jaune...?"

Jaune groaned. He felt pain all over... And smelt antiviral cleaners and hospital laundry detergent. He could hear faint beeps.

He forced his eyes open. A pair of blue eyes greeted him, with bags underneath. A shock of orange hair shone in faint sunshine.

"Nora...?" He managed. Nora sighed in relief. He looked around slowly, as his head really hurt.

It was a large white hospital room, with sheets diving many, many cots. All sorts of people were in the beds, with varying levels of injury. Nurses walked up and down, talking with other medical professionals. All looked exhausted, overwhelmed.

He tried to sit up, but Nora and an intense stab of pain throughout his body made him go back down. She looked away towards some point in the distance only she could see.

"Woah, easy there, Jaune-Jaune," she said quietly, "You need to rest. Your stupidly large Aura is doing a lot of work, but you still got wrecked."

Jaune saw she had her arm in a cast. He looked at her intently.

"Ren? Is Ren-?"

"Renny's fine," Nora sighed, "He's checking on everyone else. Ruby's in the next room over, she's okay. Weissy got scooped up by her dad's people, back to Atlas."

Jaune didn't know how to process that, so he just kept going.

"Blake?"

Nora shook her head with a frown.

"Kitty Cat vanished. No idea where," she said, "She dropped you and Yang-Yang off at the hospital before she disappeared."

"Yang?!" Jaune asked in shock. Nora winced, and bowed her head.

"She... She saw you fighting that redhead guy," she said softly, "Tried to stop him... Got the crap beaten out of her. She's alive but in bad shape. That guy... He ran off after. Along with the rest of the White Fang."

Jaune shut his eyes tightly. Well... He and Yang had something in common, then.

Gods... Gods, Adam, why...?

He hesitated.

"... Pyrrha?"

Nora sniffled. She hadn't been looking his way throughout the conversation.

"Nora...?"

Nora turned back to him, tears in her eyes. She began to cry, as she reached out and wrapped her arms around him. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed.

Jaune found the strength to reach up and hug her tightly, as tears burned in his own eyes. Yet he didn't sob. He didn't make a sound. He felt dead inside, and utterly worthless.

Pyrrha... Pyrrha, I'm sorry... Blake, Yang... Adam... I'm... I'm so sorry...

I couldn't do... A damn thing...

- - -

It was a location Adam barely put in the thought to remember. A base in the wastes of Solitas, far away from the chaos of Vale.

He sat in his private room, silent. Trying to meditate. Trying to focus.

Yet there was something in his pocket. Something he had found among his meager belongings. Something he had missed, long ago.

It haunted him, hanging over him like a cloud.

An assistant entered, bowing low.

"Sir... Cinder Fall demands to know why we retreated from Vale," he asked.

"Ignore her," Adam snarled, "And any other communications from her."

The assistant, terrified, bowed again and scurried out. Adam went back to staring at nothing. He sucked in a breath. He reached into his pocket. He pulled out the item.

It was... A photograph. The only one he had missed, when he had burned anything that he couldn't carry from the SDC camp. Anything that would distract him from his mission.

In the photograph was himself as a young boy, smiling as he hugged his smiling mother in her hospital bed. On the other side of the bed was Jaune, grinning at the camera too. It was the day his mother was released from the Radian hospital. The day they parted from Vale, to go back to Atlas to work with the nascent White Fang.

"You're not supposed to cry," Adam, the older boy, smirked at Jaune as they stood on the airship landing platform. Jaune wiped his eyes.

"Nuh uh... These are manly tears!" Jaune insisted. "You shed them because you're just too awesome to keep your hot blooded feelings of friendship inside!"

Adam blinked back some tears of his own. He was older, more mature... Yet he couldn't help but like Jaune. He had been a constant little ball of sunshine the whole time he'd been here.

He reached out and hugged Jaune. Jaune returned it.

"Then... Have a manly hug, between friends," Adam said. Jaune grinned up at him.

"Brothers!" He said happily. Adam smiled softly, and patted the younger boy on the top of his head.

"Brothers," he said firmly.

Adam tensed. He should shred it. Burn the photograph. Banish any thoughts of that life from his mind.

He was no different from Blake. An enemy. An obstacle to his path. Him and his family.

He took hold of the photo between his hands. He tensed to tear it in two...

He gritted his teeth.

He'd dropped Jaune to the floor. He crumpled like a broken puppet. He was breathing, but only just.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

He heard the attack, felt the intensity of the Aura... He sidestepped Blake's human partner. He was going to swing, take her arm off... Yet... At the last possible moment, he turned the flat of his blade around and hit the blonde woman HARD across her head and back.

"AAAAHHH-!"

She tumbled and slammed through the nearest wall. Even her Semblance wouldn't let her get back up from that easily. She was already struggling to get back up, shaking, even as blood dripped down from her forehead. She collapsed again, panting. He'd got in a good hit on her spine, she wouldn't be on her feet for a while.

He could kill her... He should kill her... He should kill Jaune, too. He was utterly helpless. He pulled up his sword, prepared to plunge it into his chest...

That face that had been filled with nothing but smiles and grins so long ago was now bloodied, gaping... Just like Blake's, though hers was filled with fear...

Looks he had thought he had wanted to see, for so long...

Adam seethed. He tried to strike... But his body wouldn't listen...! WHY WOULDN'T IT LISTEN?!

He turned and fled, trying to keep those faces out of his mind-!

"GRAAAAAAHHHHH!" He dropped the photograph, and punched the concrete floor hard enough to crack it. The photograph fell nearby, fluttering like a leaf from a tree. He stared at it, breathing hard through his nostrils like a raging bull.

He stared at the photograph. He slumped back, and looked up at the ceiling.

"... I have to kill them," he whispered. "I have to... All of them..."

Silence. He shook his head.

"I will kill them... Kill them both... Kill them all, next time! NEXT TIME!"

Yet the words sounded as hollow as the empty room.

- - -

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

Yang honestly thought things couldn't get much more nerve-wracking than when she had told Jaune. After all... He was the father. He could have... He could have just abandoned her or told her to get rid of the baby, but... But no.

He had sworn to be by her side. To be a father.

Telling their teams was... Well, that was another hurdle. Pyrrha though had been very accepting. Far more than Yang thought she would be. That was very reassuring, too.

Now came the biggest hurdle so far. She sat with Jaune in Ozpin's office. The Headmaster had pulled up a couch from nowhere for them, and they sat together. She was clutching onto Jaune's hand like it was her only life preserver in a stormy sea. He bore with it with only the occasional grimace. He was a lot tougher than she thought he was.

After all. She was the one flinching underneath Professor Goodwitch's withering stare, while she stood beside the sitting Headmaster.

"I do apologize for the awkwardness of the situation," Ozpin said calmly, "But in such circumstances, we are obligated to call both sets of parents in."

"N-No, that's... That's fine," Jaune managed. He cleared his throat again. "Um, so... Yeah..."

Professor Goodwitch let out a long sigh, then shook her head. She looked over at Yang.

"Miss Xiao-Long," she stated, "I will admit I am disappointed. I believe you would have done very well in the Vytal Tournament."

Yang felt her other hand go over her stomach protectively. She glared back at Goodwitch, feeling offended.

"Yeah, well... It does suck, but my baby is more important than a fighting tournament," she stated angrily.

Goodwitch slowly nodded. She looked at Jaune.

"You have both decided to keep the child then?"

"And stay together," Jaune stated firmly. Goodwitch nodded, the slightest hint of a smile on her face.

"I wish you both luck then. It will be difficult... But making that decision is the hardest part."

Yang blinked in a little confusion. Goodwitch narrowed her eyes once more, that hint of kindness gone so fast it was like a trick of the light.

"However, I will be working you even harder, Mister Arc," she stated firmly, "Since you will not only be working to become a Huntsman, but a father and husband."

Jaune didn't even flinch. He just nodded.

"Yes ma'am," he stated.

Yang's heart fluttered. She flushed and looked away from Jaune.

Geez... Freaking pregnancy hormones... For a moment, he almost looked badass...

The doors slammed open behind them. Jaune jumped, and he and Yang both looked over their shoulders as two men stormed in. Both well built, tall, and muscular. One was tan, blond, and dressed mainly in khaki with blue sandals. The other was pale, black haired, dressed mainly in white and black. Both looked furious.

"Where is he?!" Taiyang Xiao-Long demanded. "Where's the little casanova who knocked up my little girl?!"

Jaune cleared his throat. Both men glared death at him. Jaune winced... But stood up, and shakily held up his hand.

"Uh... That's me, sirs," Jaune said, "Jaune Arc."

Taiyang growled, and cracked his knuckles.

"I already-I've proposed to her!" Jaune said quickly, "We're gonna get married soon as I get a ring and-and we get the time, I promise!"

"He's totally being cool about it Dad, I swear!" Yang insisted, as she stood up. She tried to move in front of Jaune, but he stepped in front of her before she could shift over.

"Jaune, I'm trying to protect you!" She hissed.

"I'm not going to kill him, Yang," Taiyang stated. He frowned intently at Jaune. "You're really going to do it, huh?"

"An Arc never goes back on his word, sir," Jaune stated, shaking a bit but saying it with conviction. Taiyang hummed.

"Qrow?"

Qrow Branwen stormed up to Jaune, and punched him right in the face. Jaune staggered back, still on his feet, though he put a hand over his eye. Yang yelped and grabbed onto Qrow's bicep to pull him back. Goodwitch sighed as Ozpin sipped his coffee.

"UNCLE QROW! WHAT THE HELL?!" Yang demanded.

Taiyang laughed.

"He can take a punch! Good!" He nodded. He walked up to the staggered Jaune, and pulled him into a tight hug. "Welcome to the family, son! If you're willing to take a punch for my girl, and marry her? You're all right in my book!"

"For now," Qrow grunted. He glared at him. "You try anything funny like running off on her? I'll hunt you down."

"I... I will never leave her," Jaune swore. "I-I mean, if we don't work out we might divorce-or-or something but I'll always be there for her and my kids, because I'm not an asshole or-"

"YES JAUNE, HE GETS IT!" Yang whisper-screamed, pulling him back to examine him. She winced at the black eye Jaune was now sporting.

"You okay?"

"Ugh... I have seven sisters, Yang, getting hit is the least he could do," Jaune sighed. He nodded with respect to Qrow and Taiyang, who nodded back. "We're cool for now, really."

"Ugh," Yang grunted. Sure, she loved a good scrap, but damnit! She still didn't appreciate macho bullshit! She looked him over a bit more, then snickered.

"You really gotta learn how to take a punch better," she said.

"Yeah," Jaune sighed. His Aura, powerful as ever, healed his blackeye up to the point you couldn't tell he'd ever been hit.

"Considering I didn't cave his skull in, he did fine," Qrow grunted. Everyone stared at him. He scowled. "What? I'm kidding! ... Mostly!"

"I see we're late," stated a deep baritone voice. Everyone looked to the entrance again. Taiyang's eyes widened a bit, as did Yang's. A seven foot tall mountain of a man stood there, with a blond beard and messy hair. His keen gray eyes looked over everything as he entered with slow and deliberate steps. He dressed in a blue button up shirt, flannel, with khaki jeans and tall leather boots that did nothing to hide his enormous muscles. Just behind him was a much shorter woman. She was beautiful, looking no older than her thirties, with a soft, curved face, an hourglass figure, and long, strong legs. Her blonde hair was done up in a tight bun. She wore square glasses over her deep blue eyes (that matched Jaune's), and a green dress underneath a white labcoat.

The tall man stopped a meter short of Taiyang and Qrow, and held out his hand.

"Nicholas Arc. I am Jaune's father," he said. Taiyang shook his hand first, and then Qrow followed suit.

"Doctor Isabel Arc, Jaune's mother," Isabel introduced herself. She extended her hand, and shook both men's hands.

"I'm Taiyang Xiao-Long, Yang's father," Taiyang said.

"Qrow Branwen, her uncle," Qrow grunted.

Nick turned his eyes to Jaune. The tall man walked up to his son. He let out a soft sigh that was like the rumbling of a distant avalanche.

"Well son... You've gotten into a lot of trouble, haven't you?" He asked.

Jaune shook his head. He grasped Yang's hand again.

"Yeah, but... We're in this together," he said.

Nick's expression didn't change.

"You're willing to marry this girl? Take care of your baby, even while you both go to school?"

Jaune nodded firmly.

"Yes."

"Willing to share your lives together?"

"Yes."

"Willing to die for her and your baby?" Nick pressed, still in the same tone but a bit more... Firm.

Jaune didn't even hesitate.

"Without a thought."

Shit, Yang blushed again, her heart fluttering like crazy. Why are you so damn smooth all of a sudden?! Even I believe it when you say that!

Nick turned and looked at Yang. Despite his size and strength, Yang could tell he had a keen mind. His eyes sized her up intensely, like he was looking right through her.

"Same for you, young lady?" He asked.

Yang gulped, then nodded firmly. She squeezed Jaune's hand.

"Yeah... Yeah, same for me," she said.

"Do you love him?"

She looked over at Isabel Arc. Her eyes were just as piercing, but far more cold. Yang gulped. She looked over at Jaune apologetically. Jaune shook his head, and nodded. She took a deep breath, and looked back into those cold, blue eyes. For some reason, Isabel felt a lot more dangerous than her giant of a husband.

"I... I don't know," she admitted. "I-I really... I care for him. He's a good friend-Especially now. Love? I... I don't know about that. I just know... I just know I want to make this work. For our baby, if nothing else."

Isabel's piercing stare seemed to go through her for a few moments longer... Before she nodded, and smiled softly.

"Thank you for being honest," she said, "If you'd said you were madly in love with him, I'd have thought you were nothing but a gold digger."

"Mom!" Jaune squawked in outrage. "Yang's not like that!"

"Though it's good to know you're marrying the son of a doctor," Taiyang said with a nod.

"DAD!" Yang growled. Taiyang shrugged.

"What?! I-" He looked to Nick. "You've got kids! They're expensive enough without being Hunters-in-training!"

"Indeed," Nick said with a slow nod. "Still Isabel... What do you think?"

"It's not ideal, but..." Isabel smiled warmly, "I'm glad you're both willing to stay together, and achieve your dreams."

She walked up, and hugged them both tightly.

"We'll help you both however we can," she said softly, "We're family now. For better... Or worse."

Nick then switched from completely stoic, to bright and jovial. He grabbed Jaune and lifted him up with a loud, happy laugh.

"MY SON MADE ME A GRANDFATHER! WOO HOO! AND HE'S GONNA BE A HUNTSMAN! YEAH!"

"Mister Arc, please," Goodwitch sighed, as Nick spun around with his son tight in his arms.

"D-Dad?" Jaune gasped.

"Hm?"

"Can't breathe!" Jaune wheezed.

"Oh!" Nick set his son down, and chuckled. He then grinned at Taiyang and Qrow.

"MANLY GROUP HUG!" He declared, pulling them both into his arms. "WE'RE FAMILY NOW!"

"URK! Y-Yeah, family!" Taiyang grunted.

"Ohhh, I'm not getting used to this," Qrow muttered.

Isabel took Yang's hand and gently led her away with a soft smile.

"Let's let the men sort themselves out, hm?"

"Er, sure," Yang managed.

Ozpin sipped his coffee with a chuckle. And people wondered why he loved his job.

- - -

Isabel led her out of the office to a nearby balcony. Isabel smiled gently at her as they both came to a stop at the railing. Isabel looked out at the wide, verdant grounds of Beacon.

"I imagine you're terrified right now," She said. Yang managed a little laugh, and nodded slowly. She rested her hands on the railing and looked out at the grounds too.

"Y-Yeah."

"And you didn't expect to become a mother this soon... Or with him, right?" Isabel asked further. Yang managed a slow nod, and winced.

"I mean... Don't get me wrong. I-I like him. We really connected. The fact he... He's willing to step up is... It means a lot to me."

"Because of your biological mother?" Isabel asked. Yang shot an angry and surprised look at Isabel. She shrugged. "You didn't really expect me not to research the girl my son knocked up?"

"I... Yeah, fair enough," Yang muttered. Isabel raised an eyebrow.

"You've got a juvenile record, among a few other... Colorful things," she observed. Yang scowled.

"So?"

Isabel chuckled, and shook her head.

"Just... Nostalgia," she sighed. She looked back out at the valley. "My husband, as you've probably noticed, is a bit... Eccentric. Me? I was..." She thought it over.

"Reckless?" Yang asked.

"I was going to go with 'ice bitch', but that's nicer," Isabel said with a smile. "He was a giant dork. I was stuck with him on our Hunter team. He was hapless, dorky, tried to be as cool as possible."

Yang snickered.

"Geez... That sounds really familiar."

"It does," Isabel agreed, "But we... We grew to love each other. He made me a better person. That's what love really is. Not just the rush of emotions, or passion. It's being together through everything. I think... I hope that you and Jaune can do the same."

She reached out and hugged Yang tightly. Yang stiffened again, but relaxed bit by bit into her embrace. It had been a very long time since she'd been hugged by... By a mother.

"Just remember," Isabel murmured, "It'll be hard... But together? You can conquer anything."

Yang felt herself relax.

"Thank you..."

She paused. She then looked at Isabel.

"Um... No offense, but you don't look like a woman who's had eight children."

Isabel chuckled.

"I have my ways... And honestly. Look at my husband. Can you blame me?"

Yang blushed deeply. Isabel grinned.

"And Jaune's gonna be just the same~!"

"G-Geez! That's your son you're talking about!" Yang cried, covering her red cheeks.

"Yeah, and so far," Isabel snorted, "My children have only given me one grandchild. Can you blame me for wanting more?"

"Yes!" Yang groaned.

Isabel laughed softly.

"You're going to be a fun daughter-in-law, I can tell..."

- - -

Yang and Isabel returned to Ozpin's office. Yang felt a lot better. Sure, there were going to be more challenges in the future, but... She was feeling a lot more confident about how things would go.

Glynda Goodwitch was off to the side, looking exasperated.

Nick had dragged Taiyang, Qrow, Ozpin and Jaune over to Ozpin's mini-bar. The headmaster had poured everyone a glass.

"My best whiskey," he said, "Despite the circumstances, a new baby is always a time to celebrate."

"Hear hear!" Nick said happily. "Come on sweetie, let's toast!"

"Yeah, let's-!" Yang grinned, but at Isabel, Glynda, and Jaune's looks, she scowled. "Oh, right."

"Sorry Yang," Jaune shrugged. Isabel nodded.

"Alcohol is especially dangerous to children in Aura-activated individuals," she said. She patted the pouting Yang on the shoulder. "We'll get you some of our best alcohol to celebrate after they're born."

"Wait, you have a vinyard?" Yang asked, blinking. Jaune chuckled.

"I was drinking wine for breakfast and lunch since I was six."

"Lucky" Yang sniffed. Ozpin poured her a glass of water, and she sighed. Jaune hugged her with one arm.

"We'll drink it together... Or uh, I'll just let you have it all," he said, at Yang's glare. She then smiled, and leaned affectionately against him.

"Something to look forward to," she decided.

"Indeed," Ozpin declared, holding his glass up, "A toast! To family and the hope of the next generation!"

They all clinked their glasses together, and drank. Ozpin looked over at Glynda, who was still standing aside.

"Sure you won't imbibe, Glynda?"

"Someone has to be a good example for their children," Glynda sniffed.

"And as I recall," Isabel hummed, "She does all her drinking outside of school."

"Isabel!" Glynda hissed. Isabel chuckled. Yang grinned.

"Wait, you want to school with Professor Goodwitch?"

"You had better not tell her anything, Isabel!" Goodwitch stated coldly. Isabel smiled, sipping her whiskey.

"I'll think about it," she chuckled.

"Though seriously," Taiyang said with a grin, licking his lips after finishing the whiskey, "This isn't entirely unexpected."

"Oh?" Nick asked, drinking his whiskey as though it was water.

Qrow nodded, throwing back his own whiskey.

"Mmhm. Yang's, well... We were thinking she'd be the one to get teen pregnant."

"What?!" Yang demanded, choking on her water.

"Takes after her biological mom in that regard," Taiyang chuckled. "Though uh, only in that way!"

"I'm just saying, between you or Ruby? You were the clear favorite," Qrow said. He sighed. "And I lost."

"Wha-Who bet on me to get...?" Yang looked at her father. Taiyang coughed, and smiled sweetly.

"Have I told you how much I love you, sweetie?"

"DAAAAAD!"

Jaune squeezed Yang's hand tightly. Though this time, it was more to keep her from punching her father. It would spoil the celebration.

 

[SharkCultist]

Another weapon Jaune idea


*The battle of the docks is happening but this time jnpr is there too*

Ruby: give it up torchwick you're surrounded!

Torchwick:I still have my weapon red so I'm good.

*Ruby knocks away his cane*

Torchwick: well I still have my goons!

*Torchwicks came flies off and knocks Jaune over the head*

Jaune: ouch hey watch it!

*Jaune picks up the cane*

Mook 1: ....do you guys hear funk music?

*Mook 1 suddenly gets hit in the face by a cane*

Pimp D-arc: my fine fresh funk should be the least of yo worries.

Mook 2: shit he got Jerry!

*Pimp D-arc takes the downed mooks wallet and surprisingly stylish sunglasses he had in his back pocket*

Pimp D-arc: tell me somethin. Yo momma happy with how you turned out? Because if she wants a do over have her hit me up.

Mook 2: you leave my mother out of this!

*Mook 2 charges pimp D-arc and catches a aura powered backhand with his face*

Mook 3: damn he knocked perry the fuck out!

*Most of the fighting is done sirens can be heard in the distance getting closer*

Pimp D-arc: let's slide y'all. I don't fuck with the fuzz.

*Neo takes the chance to steal the cane back and escape with Roman*

Jaune: where'd I get these glasses? And sixty bucks?

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Jaune semblance grants him weird power ups when he takes somebody else weapon it also changes his personality along with it depending on the weapon

Click to shrink...

Indeed! For instance...

- - -

Weiss sighed to herself mentally. Sure, she hated the White Fang. Sure, she understood how Blake wanted to redeem herself by stopping the White Fang's criminal activities. And certainly, she didn't want her company's Dust to be stolen and used for evil purposes.

But this? This was ridiculous!

"Why is Arc with us tonight?" She muttered, as they looked down from a rooftop onto the warehouse where several White Fang terrorists were moving stolen Dust containers. Said Arc was over with Ruby and Blake, talking out their plan while Weiss and Yang kept watch.

Yang beamed.

"Because he figured out the pattern of their heists and where their main Dust gathering place is?" She grinned over at him. "And while Pyrrha, Nora and Ren are in detention, he's got a lot of time on his hands."

"How did they get detention and he didn't?" Weiss muttered.

"It involved Nora, a waffle machine, and I don't want to know more," Yang shuddered. "Still! It's good to have him along. And hey: He hasn't hit on you once, has he?"

Weiss grumbled a bit.

"That doesn't mean I like him at all," she muttered.

"Tsundere~," Yang teased. Weiss shot her a venomous look.

"I am not!"

"Okay! There's the break in the guards," Ruby said, "Torchwick is in there! Let's get him!"

"Right," Jaune said with a nod, "Yang, myself and Weiss will hit the front. Ruby and Blake? Hit the back."

"Make a lot of noise?" Yang asked. Jaune nodded.

"Yep! And Weiss can use her Dust casting to support us from long range and keep us from getting overwhelmed." He gave her an awkward smile.

Weiss huffed.

"I was going to do that anyway," she sniffed.

Jaune nodded quickly.

"Right, right..."

"Let's go!" Ruby said brightly.

- - -

The initial attack went well. Most White Fang operatives didn't have Aura unlocked, so it was a matter of holding back and not hitting them too hard. Yang and Jaune worked very well together: Yang heavy on offense, Jaune heavy on defense. Weiss unleashed Dust blasts of fire, ice, and lightning, darting around to keep them from getting surrounded.

She hated to admit it, but Jaune's strategy was very effective. They soon got to the center of the warehouse, where Roman Torchwick had been barking orders.

Unfortunately, so was the leader of the White Fang.

"Adam?!" Blake gasped. The redhead exuded an aura of pure hatred as he looked around at them. Roman began to back away from him. Weiss couldn't blame him. Adam Taurus was her family's bogeyman. A nightmare who had threatened the most horrible fates imaginable for her and her family. She fought back a shiver down her spine as his masked gaze swept over her.

"I see I'll have to punish you for your betrayal, my love," he hissed. "Starting with..."

He was right on her, his red katana swinging!

"The Schnee-!"

"NO!"

She saw the back of Jaune as he threw himself in front of her. He took the hit for her, but the force of Adam's blow sent him flying right into her. Weiss tumbled away on the pavement, slamming into a crate. Myrtenaster rolled away.

"UGH!"

She slowly looked up, shaking, as she lay on her stomach. Adam stood over her, katana drawn. Behind him, more White Fang terrorists and Roman Torchwick were fighting her friends, keeping them from her. Her blood seemed to freeze as Adam lifted up his blade.

"An unexpected bonus," he murmured. Weiss couldn't help it: She shut her eyes tightly as the blow fell-!

CLANG!

She opened one eye. Her jaw dropped.

Jaune Arc stood between her and Adam. Taurus was a few steps back away from her, seething.

What?! Jaune did that?! How?! Weiss thought frantically. Has he really gotten that much better training with Pyrrha with his shield and-?

Wait. He wasn't holding Crocea Mors, neither the shield or sword. He had Myrtenaster in his hand. More than that... His stance was very different.

Usually, his stance with his sword and shield was somewhat decent, if amateurish. Here, his entire body language was completely different! He stood confidently, his knees bent just enough, his other hand resting on his hip.

"Who the hell are you?" Adam sneered.

"You may call me... Juan Arc," Jaune said, his accent very South Vacuoan (and a guitar riff accompanying him for some reason), "And I believe you will be leaving this lady alone, cow."

Adam attacked furiously, his katana lashing through the air like a burning red laser. Yet every strike was deflected, parried, and countered as Jaune fenced with Myrtenaster as though he'd done it from birth! Weiss's jaw hit the floor as she watched in awe.

She'd only seen her sister fence so well before! What was going on?!

"Slow! Sloppy! Sad!" Jaune taunted, his feet moving so swiftly and skillfully it was like he was dancing. "You swing your sword like a club-!"

Adam used the shotgun sheath of his weapon and fired, but Jaune knocked the barrels aside and so the rounds went into the ceiling overhead. He jumped back and unleashed a red wave of Aura energy right at them, but Jaune flipped back, pulled Weiss up against him with one arm around her slim waist, and leaped up over the blast!

He landed and helped her to her feet with a charming smile that did things to her stomach.

"Are you all right, Senorita Weiss?" He asked as Adam charged him from behind.

"LOOK OUT-!"

Jaune swung Myrtenaster out, deflecting Adam's strike without even looking at him. Frustrated, the bull Faunus attacked even more furiously-Yet every strike was countered, parried, or deflected by Jaune without so much as a glance. Jaune held up a bottle of wine, popped the cork, and sipped it. He hummed at the taste, as Weiss gaped and Adam continued his fruitless assault.

"Mmm... South Sanus, decent year," he hummed after swallowing the wine, "I'm surprised any of the White Fang have good taste. Do you enjoy wine, Senorita?"

"I uh, I've had some?" Weiss managed. "I-I'm not an expert on it outside of my father's social gatherings-"

"Shame, shame," Jaune said, shaking his head, "There is much to recommend in the study of wine lore! Perhaps I could educate you? A beautiful, intelligent woman like yourself should be open to learning all sorts of new things, si?" He smiled warmly, and her cheeks burned bright red.

"W-Well...!"

"RAAAAHHH!"

Adam put all or nothing into his last assault, swinging his katana with as much strength as he could muster.

CLANG!

And his katana went sailing into the air. Jaune held Myrtenaster to his throat. He handed Weiss the wine bottle, before turning and catching Adam's blade in his off hand. He offered a dangerous, confident smile to the seething Adam.

"How?" Adam hissed.

"Your movements are so predictable, a blind man could counter them," Jaune taunted. He poked Adam in his throat significantly.

"Now... In a contest between the bull and the bull fighter... Who is the one who wins, hm?"

I have no idea what's going on, Weiss thought, biting her lower lip, but I have never been more turned on in my LIFE.

- - -

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

"Jaune... Jaune, I love you."

"I know... I also know, that if I have to choose between me or you? I'll choose you. Every time."

Using a technique she'd taught him, he grabbed her arm and tripped her feet, pitching her into the locker. Her eyes widened in shock as he slammed the door shut behind her. The locker launched, and Pyrrha was sent tumbling through the air.

"JAUNE NOOOO!"
She extended Polarity, tried to right the course, to send the rocket locker back to the tower... But without any way to see outside, she tumbled and spun!
Until finally, it landed... And with a push, Pyrrha BLASTED the locker apart. She looked around as daylight hit her eyes: She was somewhere down on the campus. She saw Yang running towards the library.

"Damnit!" She hissed. She ran after Yang, dodging through the panicking people. "Sorry! Excuse me! Out of the way!"

She caught up with Yang, running alongside her. She gaped at Pyrrha in shock.

"P-Money?! How did you-?!"

"No time!" Pyrrha barked. They rounded a corner and saw Blake. A tall redheaded man in black stood over her, red katana held up over head.

"BLAKE!" Yang shouted. Pyrrha threw Milo right at the redhead. He turned and deflected her spear, but Pyrrha called it right back as she charged him. He swung his blade and unleashed a red aura slice. She leaped over it, the tips of her boots getting sliced off. She shifted Milo into gun mode and fired at point blank range. The redhead deflected the shots furiously, as Yang poured her fire on from the flank. He ran off, jumping through the nearest window and running.

Pyrrha hefted Blake up to her feet.

"You all right?" She asked.

"I'm fine, what-?!"

"We need to get to Ozpin's office, NOW!" Pyrrha ordered. "Jaune's fighting Cinder alone!"

Yang gaped. Blake gasped.

"All by himself?! Is he crazy?!" Yang shouted.

"Doesn't matter, we need to get back and back him up! NOW!" Pyrrha roared. "Get your sister, get anyone else-MOVE!"

They followed her as she ran. Pyrrha pushed herself as far as she could go, every bit. Yang and Blake struggled to keep up. If they could find anyone else along the way, they'd go, but she was not leaving Jaune to die.

Not if she could help it!

- - -

In hindsight, being seen as a joke and not a threat was a good thing. It was probably the only reason Jaune was still alive, as he ran around, dodging Cinder's blasts and arrows. She was laughing mockingly at him every time he managed to leap over a blast, reveling in her new power.

Good. Good, just keep playing with me... Keep playing with me-

"GAH!" Jaune took a hit and was blasted into a wall. He'd barely gotten his shield up in time, but even then, the heat was nearly unbearable.

"So, what?" Cinder sneered. "You thought you could be the big hero, boy? Fight me all on your own?"

"Nah," Jaune shot back, "Just thought I'd save Pyrrha the trouble." He grinned mockingly at her. "Why should she waste time with someone held back into their twenties from Hunter school?"

Cinder growled. She threw another series of fireballs, but Jaune was able to run and dodge. He kept his pattern random, ducking behind furniture at the last second, tossing up debris. He checked his Aura: Yeah, not looking good.

Come on Pyrrha, come on...!

Jaune dropped through a hole in the floor, screaming as he did. Cinder laughed, and strode up on over it to look down.

"My, done already, little boy?" She cackled.

Jaune threw himself upwards and swung his sword for Cinder's head! Shocked, she pulled back just in time-Though a lock of her hair was separated. Jaune didn't waste any time, swinging and thrusting hard and fast, trying to keep Cinder on the defensive!

She shielded herself by summoning more floating glass arrows, and jumped back. She unleashed a fire blast, much bigger than before. Jaune threw himself to the side, and ran for dear life as Cinder fired more arrows and fire blasts.

"PATHETIC!" Cinder snarled. "Did you really think that would defeat me?!"

"WAS A THOUGHT!" Jaune shouted. "GUESS YOU DO KNOW HOW TO HANDLE A SHAFT COMING FOR YOUR FACE!"

"Wha-YOU BASTARD!" Cinder screamed. She unleashed a roiling fire blast along the floor, tearing holes and cracks in the surface. Jaune tumbled out of the way, but a stay shot of shrapnel hit him in the shoulder. He bit back a yell, and backtracked frantically to avoid five arrows embedding themselves in the floor.

He scrambled back to his feet and ran back towards the edge of the wrecked office's balcony. Another fire blast ripped open a hole in the roof overhead, and Jaune held up his shield to protect himself from the falling debris.

"AUGH! GAH!" He cried out. Cinder smirked at him as their eyes met.

"Luck's run out, boy!"

She launched another fire blast, engulfing Jaune just as he got his shield up. The blast rocked the office, shaking more debris loose from the ceiling. Cinder laughed mockingly as she beheld a fiery crater, covered in smoke, where the blond had once stood.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Not so smart now that you're dead, are you, boy?" She cackled. "I can't wait to show your little girlfriend your roasted corpse!"

"Nngh... Gah..."

Her eyes widened. A figure staggered up, up, out of the crater. He stepped out of the smoke, holding his partially melted shield. He was covered in first and second degree burns. Blood poured from his head over his face. His swordarm was limp, broken.

Yet he still growled at her, eyes burning with fury.

"You think... That I'd roll over... And die... To some... Shitty attack like that?!" He snarled. He stalked towards her, the fury in his eyes making Cinder take a step back out of instinctive fear.

Those eyes... Those eyes...!

"You're just... Some whore who sold herself for power..." Jaune spat, "I... Am a Huntsman... JAUNE ARC!"

Cinder snarled. She held up her hand, prepared a huge fire blast to finish this-this whelp off once and for all-!

Sniper fire rang out, and Cinder barely jumped out of the way before anti-material Dust rounds would have buried themselves in her head. She glared hatefully as Ruby Rose, Pyrrha Nikos, Yang Xiao-Long, and Blake Belladonna confronted her.

Jaune, for his part, laughed tiredly.

"Took you... Long enough..."

"I'm sorry Jaune," Pyrrha apologized, her eyes burning in fury as she glared at Cinder, "Thank you. We'll take it from here."

"Don't... Mention it," he mumbled.

"Blake! Get Jaune out of here!" Ruby shouted. "Then get back! We're taking this bitch down!"

"What she said!" Yang snarled, slamming her gauntlets together.

"I get her head," Pyrrha snarled.

Blake flitted to Jaune, and helped support him. He leaned against her as she quickly lifted him up and jumped out the window.

"Are you all right?" Blake asked desperately.

"I'll live," Jaune managed, "But Cinder won't... That's what matters..."

- - -

Random, but then again that's what this thread is for.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Another idea: Jaune's family owning a farm means they might send him some care packages from time to time of farm food.

They send him Arc Farm meat, vegetables, fruit, milk and cheese, eggs, honey, snacks, spices, and alcohol.

This makes Jaune very popular.

Yang: "Why did they label the beef 'Lily'?"

Jaune: "Oh no, not Lily!" groans

Ruby: "Jaune? Are you okay?"

Jaune: "She was my favorite cow! They-They butchered her! I didn't know she was that old..." sighs "... Well, I'll make a good stew out of her. The wine will help."

Ruby: "Will the wine heal the pain of your loss?"

Jaune: "Well it'll make the stew a lot better but... Sure, that too."

 

[TheFabulousCustodes]

Another idea: Jaune's family owning a farm means they might send him some care packages from time to time of farm food.

They send him Arc Farm meat, vegetables, fruit, milk and cheese, eggs, honey, snacks, spices, and alcohol.

This makes Jaune very popular.

Yang: "Why did they label the beef 'Lily'?"

Jaune: "Oh no, not Lily!" groans

Ruby: "Jaune? Are you okay?"

Jaune: "She was my favorite cow! They-They butchered her! I didn't know she was that old..." sighs "... Well, I'll make a good stew out of her. The wine will help."

Ruby: "Will the wine heal the pain of your loss?"

Jaune: "Well it'll make the stew a lot better but... Sure, that too."

Click to shrink...

Later That Evening

*Dinner Noises*
​

Nora: "Wow, this is loads better than the wild goats, Renny and I rustled while traveling to Vale!"

Ren: "The cows on the Arc family farm are pampered, Nora, they don't live wild."

Yang: "You can really taste it, I agree, this is some premium Yangus Beef!"

Jaune: *Anguished Groan*

Weiss: *Hic!* "You, barbarian!" *Hic*

Ruby: "Weiss, maybe its time to put the wine down? You already have a wine mom, and I don't need a wine besty...."

Blake: "Where's the rest of the wine that came in the care package?"

Jaune: "Mrs. Goodwitch took it, something about needing to inspect it for cross Kingdom taxes...."
​

*Glynda's Office*

*Empty bottle noises*
​

Glynda: "Why am I still shingle?!?!"


​

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

Adam sneered over the cowering Blake. He'd tracked her down at last, as Beacon burned around them and the pitiful humans fled. She cringed as he lifted his katana up to silence her for good-

"BLAKE!" Jaune shouted. Adam looked up with a snarl.

"Jaune Arc," he stated.

"JAUNE! RUN!" Blake shouted. "You're no match for him with your own weapons!"

That Adam knew. Which is why he dashed forward and swung for Jaune. The blond idiot blocked the first few strikes, using shield and sword.

"Came to die at last, Arc?" Adam growled. "Without your ability, you're nothing."

He knocked Jaune's weapons out of his hands and kicked in the stomach. He felt ribs break, as the idiot screamed. He fell to one knee, gasping for breath. Jaune glared up at him in defiance. Adam held up his sword.

"Time to pay you back," he sneered.

"JAUNE!"

Adam turned and swung his sword. Blake had thrown Gambol Shroud at him. He deflected the cleaver, but grunted-The ribbon had wrapped around the hilt. Blake yanked it out of his grip and it fell to the floor with a loud clatter. He yanked Gambol Shroud out of Blake's hands, and stalked towards her.

"Pathetic," Adam sniffed, "Is this what you've been reduced to? The pet of this human? He has nothing left-!"

Adam felt Aura surge, and turned to fire his shotgun blast at whoever was behind him. His jaw dropped as he watched Jaune Arc wielding Wilt... And deflecting the shotgun blast with a swing of his blade.

There was none of the joviality or confidence in his eyes or face as before. There was nothing but rage, and cold, hard determination. An acceptance of things. His eyes were blood red, none of the peaceful blue. There was a restrained ferocity in his every movement.

It was... So familiar...

"Standing here, I realize," Jaune managed, "You're just like me. Trying to make history."

His tone, while rough... Had a note of understanding and respect. Adam slowly nodded. As annoyed as he was by being defeated by Arc... This version of him seemed like someone he could almost respect back.

"Yes."

"But who's to judge the right from the wrong?" Jaune continued, holding Wilt almost reverently in his hand. "When our guard is down, I think we'll both agree... Violence breeds violence."

Adam blinked behind his mask. The boy's tone was that of a warrior, not some fop or simpleton.

"Yes... It always will," he said, "But the way to the future is always paved in blood."

Arc nodded grimly.

"Yes. New life will be born... Underneath this blood stained sand." He raised Wilt up in a salute.

"But in the end... It has to be this way," Jaune finished.

Adam nodded back just as grimly. He saluted him with Gambol Shroud.

"Yes..."

They dashed towards one another and began to fight. None of the taunting or disrespect from before: Arc fought like a true warrior, striving and swinging with his life on the line!

In another life, Adam mused, I could have called you friend...

- - -

Blake was glad Jaune had managed to pick up Adam's weapon and was now fighting evenly with him... But why in the hell was he quoting that edgy video game he, Ren and Ruby had played non-stop for hours?!

Still, if it kept him alive, maybe it was worth it. Adam actually seemed to be enjoying himself. She wasn't sure if that was good or bad...

- - -


View: 2l0RMGid6vo

 

[AndrewJTalon]

LordofBones

After Weiss learns that Jaune doesn't actually crush on her at all...

Weiss: "Arc, I want to make things absolutely clear, all right?"

Jaune: "Sure?"

Weiss: "I'm not attracted to you at all. In any shape or form."

Jaune: "Ah. Okay."

Jaune turns to go.

Weiss gets in front of Jaune.

Weiss: "Absolutely clear, I do not lust for your body! You-You're just a dolt and a loser and I don't care for you at all!"

Jaune: "... Sure thing."

He again turns to walk away... And Weiss gets in front of him.

Weiss: "I mean, I absolutely wouldn't want to marry you! Or-Or do all sorts of nasty, sinful, disgusting things! I wouldn't want your rough farm calloused hands on my sleek, nubile body! Or-Or you to defile me in many, many depraved and filthy ways!"

Jaune: "... Uh huh."

Weiss: blush "N-Not that I think about those things with you! Not at all! I-I have never once fantasized about you taking me roughly in a manly way, and-and leaving me a wreck filled with your children!"

Jaune: sighs "Weiss? I do not want to have sex with you either. Okay?"

Weiss: "Wait, why not?! I-I mean, I mean-GOOD!"

Jaune: "Okay!"

He turns away again.

Weiss: "... Are you absolutely sure-?"

Jaune: "YES! Now can I please go, or do you want to deny your attraction to me some more?"

Weiss: "I-I am not denying anything! You're the one who is obviously madly in love with me and after my body!"

Jaune: bright smile "Nope!"

Weiss: "How-HOW COULD YOU NOT BE-?!"

Jaune: "I'm not."

Weiss: "... You don't lust after me even a little?"

Jaune: "Not when you're being like this."

Weiss: "So... How should I act so you'll be attracted to me? J-Just so I know what not to do!"

Jaune: sighs

 

[SharkCultist]

....ok I don't know why but this popped into my head.

*Jaune is enjoying lunch with his friends when something small is tossed at him and explodes with a shit ton of blue smoke sending him flying up into the air*

Jaune: I know those explosions.

Nora: who's attacking us? Is it atlas? Haven? The wafflehouse?!

???:it's something much worse than that peasant!

*Standing on their table is a 12 year old blue eyed blonde girl with curved ram horns coming out of the sides of her head. She's wearing a cape and has a large backpack comically overflowing with plushies*

Weiss: how did a child get here?

??:you will speak when spoken to!

*The little girl throws a plushy penguin at Weiss that hugs her and then explodes leaving Weiss unconscious on the ground in the yamcha pose*

Ruby: hey! That's not nice.

*Blake and Yang are taking pictures of Weiss*

???: silence thief! You will be punished for your actions.

Ruby: thief? We don't even know you! Who are you?

???: Fine I'll give you the honor. The almighty demon queen of explosions and elegance I am-

Jaune: Stella cosmos arc! What did mom say about throwing your bombs at people.

*Red faced and pouting Stella glares at Jaune*

Stella: stupid peasants who run away from home don't get to lecture ME about following the rules! Stupid brother!!!

*Stella keeps throwing plushies at Jaune that stick to him and explode*

Ruby: did she say brother?

Nora: fuck THAT, did she say SHE was the explosion queen?!

*Jaune lays on the ground smoking slightly*

Jaune: why and how are you here?

Stella: stupid peasant you promised me a cheesecake for my birthday, just because you run away from home doesn't let you break a promise.

Jaune: if I get you your sweets will you go home, or at least stop blowing me up?

Stella: probably not.

Jaune: yeah, that's about what I figured.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Let's be honest: A bunch of superpowered teenaged girls who are expected to fight horrible soulless monsters for a living will probably NOT be the most psychologically stable people around.

Indeed, they may all be some kind of flavor of yandere. And will strike when a normal, nice teenaged boy who can cook, clean, and has a great family life and a broken Semblance least expects it.

Jaune has cooked them all a great meal from the farm supplies he was sent.

Yang: "Mmm... This is great, VB!"

Jaune: "Thanks! I've been making stuff like this since I could reach the top of the stove!"

Yang: "Well... I'm convinced." grabs Jaune "Let's get married!"

Jaune: "Uh-Wha-?"

Pyrrha: "I CALLED HIM FIRST!"

Ruby: "LIKE HELL YOU DID! HE'S MINE!"

Blake: "I'M TAKING HIM! I DESERVE HIM AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN THROUGH! I WILL DO MY PART FOR HUMAN/FAUNUS RELATIONS BY HAVING A DOZEN OF HIS KITS!"

Weiss: "HE WAS CRUSHING ON ME! HE'S MINE!"

A brawl ensues. Ren drags Jaune out of that melee to sit with Nora and himself.

Jaune: "Thanks Ren."

Ren: "No problem. I have one yandere after me. You're unlucky enough to have five... At least."

Jaune: "At least?!"

Nora: beams "You'll survive, Jaune-Jaune! As long as I get to be godmother!"

Jaune: "I uh, my sister-"

Ren: "You'd better agree. You don't want to see how far she'll go."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

are you going to post the dance snipper from White Knight Errant in here as well?

Click to shrink...

Yes.

Crossposted from my White Knight Errant thread:

- - -

Glynda Goodwitch looked around the weekend class she had called from the stage in the auditorium. She shook her head with a feeling of nostalgia.

Mostly girls, as expected, she thought, Boys will be boys.

"Welcome to Dance Class," she greeted, in her usual prim and proper tone, "Now, you are representing your schools. You should strive for excellence in all you do, and that includes dance."

It was a bit of a secret, but Glynda Goodwitch loved to dance. Synchronizing body, music, and soul appealed to her sense of order. It was also relaxing, in a far healthier way than drinking alcohol or destroying parts of the Emerald Forest.

Not that she begrudged her fellow teachers their vices.

"Now," Glynda stated, "We will start off with a demonstration. Do I have a volunteer?"

"Yes you do, Professor!" Miss Xiao-Long cheered. She shoved a familiar tall blond forward. "Go for it, Stud!"

"URK!" Jaune Arc looked up to Glynda on the stage. He shakily lifted up his right hand.

"Uh, if it's all right, ma'am?" He asked.

Glynda held back a smirk.

"Come forward, Mister Arc. I won't bite," she said. Arc blushed-Yes, that's where his thoughts went. Despite her strict personality and love of order... Embarrassing teenaged boys was part and parcel of being the "hot" teacher. And she had to find amusement where she could.

Jaune approached her slowly, as though she might lash out at him if he so much as twitched wrong.

"Have you danced before, Mister Arc?" She asked. She distantly recalled Isabel saying she made her daughters attend dance classes. Jaune nodded.

"A few times, yeah. Some basic lessons, but I wasn't very good."

"Nothing wrong with that," Glynda said, a touch more gently, "We will start off with a waltz. You know how to do that, Mister Arc?"

"Er... I think so," Jaune said. Glynda reached out and took hold of his wrists. She placed one on the small of her back, and the other in her hand. She held back a smirk at his red face.

"Then let's give it a try," she said. She nodded to a music player with speakers nearby, and her Semblance activated it. A classic waltz began to play, and Glynda checked Jaune's feet briefly. She nodded again.

"Good. Now, the man will lead," she stated. "You know how to lead, correct Mister Arc?"

"Yes ma'am," Jaune said with a nod. He gently pressed against her, and she stepped back. He stepped forward with her, a bit clumsily but serviceable enough.

"One two three, one two three, one two three," she counted off, as they danced around the stage slowly, keeping in time with the music.

"Keep aware of your surroundings," Glynda lectured, "Don't run into other dancers, or a wall."

"Yes ma'am!"

The song came to an end, and they stopped in the center. Glynda gave Jaune the barest of smiles.

"Not bad," she said.

"Hmm... Think we could try something a bit faster?" Jaune asked. Glynda raised an eyebrow.

"Such as?"

"FOXTROT!" Xiao-Long shouted. Jaune sighed, and shrugged. He still looked a bit hapless... But there was a strange glint in his eyes for just a moment.

"A foxtrot might be nice," Jaune said, "I've done that once or twice."

Glynda smirked inwardly. He was asking to do something fast, hm? Well, he'd probably step all over her feet, but if he was asking...

"It's a fast and more advanced step, but all right," Glynda said with a nod. She waved her crop, and the music became faster and jazzier. She took his hand and put the other around her waist.

"Now, start off like this... Bit faster..."

He let her lead as she stepped more quickly with him across the stage. He hummed, and smiled.

"So, like this?"

His grip became tighter. His stance more confident. He stepped with confidence to the music, firmly in control. Glynda found herself struggling a bit to keep up, but her muscle memory from hundreds of lessons kicked in and she matched his pace and energy. He swung her about in perfect harmony, and she even leaped with him a few times.

He then let her spin away from him, and the music carried her in a whirlwind away. He caught up to her and dipped her dramatically, just as the music came to an end.

She was left panting, staring up into his eyes as he held her in his strong arms. He grinned at her.

"So... How'd I do, Professor?" He asked.

Cheeky boy, she thought to herself. Deliberately hiding his skill to, what? Prank her? That explained Xiao-Long's interjection.

Well... Two could play at this game.

"Not bad," she said, as she got her heart rate under control. Jaune pulled her back up. He made to pull away, but Glynda yanked him back into her arms.

"Let's see how you fare with some more advanced dances, Mister Arc," she practically purred. It had been a while since she cut loose. And knocking this cheeky little prankster down a peg or two would be fun.

Jaune grinned back, that glint now fully revealed in his eyes.

"Sounds good to me, Professor."

- - -

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

Adam had managed to escape-Roman Torchwick's annoying pint-sized associate had caused some explosions, and so RWBY and JNPR had to flee before the warehouse turned into an inferno. They got picked up by the cops, but Professor Goodwitch was able to bail them out.

She was about to let them rot in jail for a night, until they let her know about Jaune's Semblance. She didn't believe it at first, but they did need to cart him off to Beacon to test it, and he wouldn't leave his friends in the lock up.

Which made Yang appreciate the often hapless blond a little more than she usually did.

So they got to spend the night in their beds... While Jaune got to spend the night being tested and examined by the Professors.

In the spirit of gratitude (and since she was an early riser anyway), Yang got up at her usual training time and headed down to Professor Oobleck's labs. Students seldom ventured into these areas save for Semblance testing. Most of the labs were wide and open, with a variety of measuring devices, sensors, and miscellaneous junk to help with the insane variety of Semblances available.

She found Jaune in one of the labs, sitting in front of a lot of basic weapons provided by the school. They ranged from staves and spears, to swords, to gauntlets and brass knuckles and nunchucks. He looked exhausted, as he chewed on some toast and eggs someone had brought him.

Yang thought about sneaking up on him... But again, her gratitude welled up and she instead hugged him from behind.

"ACK!"

Which scared him anyway. Yang giggled as she pulled away to stand next to him.

"Morning, Stud! How's it Yanging?" She asked.

"Yang! Hey," Jaune said. He groaned. "They let me have some sleep on a cot after all the testing. I just woke up..." He yawned.

"So, what's the s-word?" Yang asked. "How does your Semblance work?"

"Well... I mean, they think it's a Semblance," Jaune said. Yang blinked.

"They think? What else could it be?"

Jaune shrugged.

"I dunno. I heard Professor Oobleck and the Headmaster muttering about 'magic' and other junk when they thought I was asleep... So, I dunno..." He shook his head. "Anyway, my... Ability is pretty basic. I touch a weapon, and I can use it. Like, really well."

"Well, we knew that," Yang teased, "But... Any weapon?"

"Any weapon," Jaune nodded.

"Why haven't you been using your sword and shield like an expert though?" Yang asked. Jaune sighed.

"They think that it might have to do with Aura. My own Aura is infused into this weapon, so I get resistance when I put my Aura into it. Or something like that, I was half dead on my feet at that point." He shook his head. "There are two problems with my Semblance or something. One, it burns Aura. And the harder the opponent I have to fight? The more Aura I burn through to keep up."

"Oh geez," Yang winced, "So against that Adam psycho... You did look really winded."

"Yeah," Jaune said, frowning, "Which means I have to train the ability. The place exploding when it did was lucky. Sure, I could have had him, but I might have been on empty. If he figures that out next time..." He shook his head.

"And the other problem?" Yang prompted. Jaune sighed heavily.

"The... Personalities," he said, "My personality is different for every weapon I use. They think it's something to do with my subconscious, or some other psychological blah blah blah..."

"So you can be that smooth, huh?" Yang teased. "Weiss was blushing non-stop last night."

Jaune flushed.

"Maybe uh... I mean, we're friends, kind of sort of... I think I'd prefer to stay that way, with everything else..."

Yang nodded.

"Still, I mean... That is you. That didn't come from nothing, right?"

Jaune nodded.

"Yeah... But... It's still weird."

"You remember what happened, right?" Yang pressed. Jaune nodded.

"Yeah... Like I was... I was watching someone else do it," he said. He sighed and shrugged. "He was... I was being the hero I always wanted to be. And it was me, but it... Wasn't me?" He frowned.

Yang frowned at him. She squeezed his shoulder a bit more tightly. He'd saved Weiss from death, it was the least he deserved, right?

"Hey," she said, "Look. I get how scary a new Semblance can be. Mine was pretty scary too. My dad taught me how to handle it, so... How about we train?"

"Ah, uh," Jaune began. Yang shook her head.

"You can keep training with Pyrrha. Relax, I won't make her jealous," she said with a wink. Jaune scoffed.

"Fat chance of that," he muttered.

Sheesh. Even getting such a powerful Semblance didn't help his self-esteem, Yang thought. She was even more determined. She pulled him up.

"Come on, Vomit Boy. You made it. You've got a Semblance that can let you save lives and be a hero. You need to learn how to master it. When you master it? You'll be comfortable with yourself, and you won't have to rely on luck to save yourself-Or us." She patted him on the shoulder.

Jaune nodded, smiling warmly at her.

"Thanks Yang. I appreciate it."

"So," Yang looked around, "Since I'm all about hand-to-hand combat... You got a personality for that?"

Jaune nodded.

"I do. Uh... Let's see..."

He reached for some plain gauntlets, suitable for a martial artist. Yang reached out to stop him and shook her head.

"Let's go outside first," Yang said, "Don't activate it around all this breakable stuff."

Jaune nodded.

"Got it."

Yang picked up the gauntlets, Jaune got up, and they walked outside onto the lawn surrounding the lab buildings. Yang tossed the gauntlets to Jaune. He pulled them on. His blue eyes flashed, and his stance changed. A smile came over his face.

He adopted a loose fighting stance, and began throwing some punches and kicks for practice into the air. Yang frowned in thought-The style was very similar to hers, actually: South Mistralian Kickboxing.

"Jaune?" She asked.

"Call me Johnny, Yang!" Johnny laughed. He did a backflip, and landed with a bright grin. "Wow! This feels great!"

He grimaced.

"Except for this armor..." He yanked it off, and tossed off the rest in a small pile nearby. His hoodie and shirt joined the pile. Now bare-chested, he jumped up and down, switching back and forth between stances. "Woo! That's much better!"

Yang flushed. She was not unaware of male anatomy, of course. But Jaune had... Wow... Okay, so Pyrrha's training had definitely done him a lot of good.

"Okay! We gonna spar now?" Johnny asked eagerly. His grin was infectious, and Yang went into her own fighting stance.

"Yup! Go for it!"

"WOOHOO!" Johnny cheered. He charged like a rocket. She got her guard up, and blocked the strike. She was glad she took this seriously-The force of the hit had his Aura behind it, and that energy was enough to slam her feet deep into the lawn with a BANG!

She bobbed and threw a punch back. Johnny swung his forearm to block, and moved back, continuing to deflect a flurry of testing jabs and punches. Yang then swung a foot for his side, which he had to jump back to evade. She leaped up and dove like a falcon with a fist out.

"YAH!"

Johnny rolled out of the way, as Yang blasted a small crater into the ground with her blow! She got up with her fists ready, only to see Johnny staring in shock and glee.

"WOW! How'd you do that?!" He asked.

Yang grinned and rubbed the back of her head modestly.

"I channel Aura through my fists," she explained, "Then release it into whatever I'm hitting. It works great against Grimm!"

"WOW! That's super cool! I think Ren does something like that! He tried to teach me some of that!" Johnny cheered. "Can you teach me?"

Yang chuckled. "Sure!"

After they put his armor and clothes into his hoodie, which they tied up into a rough bag, she led him over into a small wood on the academy grounds. She found an older tree near the center of the copse, nice and thick. She took his arm in her hands, and pressed a finger to his forearm.

"You want to gather up Aura in these parts of your arms," she said, "Then push it up to your fists."

Johnny tilted his head in curiosity.

"Push it?"

"Yeah," Yang said, "You can control your Aura, right?"

"Hmmmm..." Johnny frowned and looked up, "Pyrrha taught me how to channel it into my weapons, and Ren showed me how he does it with his fists. How do I do it to release it on contact?"

"That is complicated," Yang agreed, "But once you get it, it's easy!"

She hummed, thinking back to her father's explanation.

"The Aura is your soul's power," she repeated, "And so, you have to imagine it happening. You have to feel it happening, and will it to happen. So... You feel the Aura inside your forearms. You pump it up, as hard and high as possible."

She held up her fists, her eyes burning red.

"And when you make contact? You will it to release!"

Yang punched the tree... And her Aura flashed through it, blowing a hole through the trunk with a loud boom! She pulled her fist back, smiling in satisfaction. She nodded to Johnny, who was watching intently.

"Got it?"

"I think so," Johnny said. He grinned. "That was so cool! Can I try?"

"Sure!" Yang said with a smile. Johnny cheered.

"Woo! Awesome!"

Yang moved back from the tree. Johnny walked up to the tree trunk and did some stretches. He hummed and rubbed his chin, thinking hard, before he held up his forearms and closed his eyes.

"Don't get discouraged if you don't get it right on the first try, all right?" Yang said, "It took me a long time to get the timing right on everything, and put it all together-"

"YAH!"

KABOOM!

Yang's eyes went wide. Her face froze. The top of the tree was sailing up, up, up out of sight, crashing several meters away. What was left of the tree's lower trunk was a scattered pile of smoking splinters. Johnny pulled his fist back and frowned. He looked over at Yang.

"Aw man... Did I do it wrong?" He asked.

"I uh... Um... It's a good start," Yang managed, "Mayyyybe we focus on control next, hm?" She grabbed him and his hoodie-bag, "Somewhere far, far away so we don't get in trouble?" She was already running, and Johnny easily kept pace.

"So you're going to keep teaching me?" Johnny asked hopefully.

"Well, why not?" Yang asked with a laugh. If anything, it would keep this potential monster from causing too much collateral damage.

"Great!" Johnny said with that very wide grin. "Ren's been teachin' me hand to hand, but you're a lot more fun! And prettier!"

And now she was blushing from top to bottom. How did he go from Vomit Boy to this?!

Though in all honesty... A part of her really didn't mind...

- - -

 

[AndrewJTalon]

There is a very easy way to facilitate a Jaune harem that isn't contrived, and uses nothing but what's already in the RWBY canon:

Blake Belladonna. She reads smutty erotica and she's a cat, so she loves to stir shit up.

She recognizes potential in Jaune as a harem protagonist, and so decides to set up her own live-action erotica with a harem ending!

Because she's a bored, mentally ill cat girl ninja princess. And this sounds like the kind of thing she might do.

Thoughts?

 

[AndrewJTalon]

You know, given there is magic, Semblances, and Aura, all powered by the Soul... Does that mean there are ghosts in Remnant?

During the Initiation, Jaune and Pyrrha head for a cave.

Pyrrha: "There are a lot of warning signs here, Jaune. Maybe we shouldn't go inside?"

Jaune: "Well... You're probably right-"

A translucent, gray man in armor and with a glorious beard appeared, floating next to Jaune.

Ghost: "Come on, Jaune! Not going inside means you're a pussy!"

Pyrrha: "ACK! Wha-Who-?!"

Jaune: sighs "Pyrrha, this is my great-grandfather's ghost, Roland Arc. Great-Grandpa's Ghost, this is Pyrrha."

Roland: "Charmed, Warrior Woman! You have wide child birthing hips! Jaune, impregnate her!"

Jaune: "Not now!"

Pyrrha: blushing deeply

- - -

Much later... Ruby runs into a ghost in the bathroom.

Ruby: "ACK!"

Ghost Girl: "Oh! Sorry... I didn't mean to scare you."

Ruby: "Eh? But isn't that what ghosts are supposed to do?"

Ghost Girl: "No. I don't like scaring people."

Ruby: "So... What happened?"

Ghost Girl: "I died in the Initiation my first day, about fifty years ago. Got impaled on a tree."

Ruby: winces "O-Ohhh... That's so horrible... I'm so sorry!"

Ghost Girl: "It's cool. But that's why I don't like scaring people."

Ruby: "So... What do you like?"

Ghost Girl: blush "I... I like spying on people in the shower."

Ruby: blush "That-That's so dirty!"

Ghost Girl: "Hey, don't knock it til you've tried it. That blond friend of yours is quite a sight."

Ruby: blushes harder "... Really?"

Ghost Girl: "Really really. Ooh, I can give you all sorts of juicy details!"

Ruby: "Wow, really?"

Ghost Girl: "Yes... I just want to ask for one favor."

Ruby: "What?"

Later... Team JNPR is studying in the library.

Jaune: "I'm just saying, Ren, my great-grandpa's ghost says that the South Mistralian Mantis Style wasn't all that."

Ren: "And you believe everything he says?"

Jaune: "... Good point."

Nora: "Ooh! Ooh! Does Great-Grandpa Arc say anything about The Shield Maidens of North Mistral?!"

Jaune: "Plenty."

Nora: "Can you tell me?"

Great-Grandpa Roland Arc opens his mouth, but Jaune glares.

Jaune: "No."

Roland: "But-!"

Jaune: "NO. Bro code!"

Roland: "I shall observe the Code of Bros!" He glared at Ren "You could afford to be more forward though, sir! The Shield Maidens of North Mistral were formidable, beautiful, and you could bounce a gold coin right off their bottoms!"

Nora: "OOH! I wanna test that!"

Ren: "Maybe later."

Ruby runs up to Jaune, her silver eyes lightly glowing.

Jaune: "Ruby? Is everything all-MMPH?!"

Ruby kisses Jaune deeply, dipping him.

Pyrrha: "WHAT?!"

Nora: "WOOHOO!"

Ren: blinks

Roland: "HA! THAT'S MY BOY!"

"Ruby" pulls back, and beams.

"Ruby": "YES! It feels just as good as I hoped! Later, Ruby!"

A teenaged ghost girl emerges from Ruby, and flies off with a happy smile. Ruby blushes deeply.

Jaune: "... Ruby? Are you okay? Did-Did that ghost possess you-?!"

Ruby: "Yes, but-but it was consensual!"

Roland: "... Hot."

Nora: "Totally."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

Yang sat on the bed in the new dorm she and Jaune were to live in from now on. A provision in the school charter allowed married couples to get their own rooms. While they weren't married yet, she had accepted Jaune's proposal. Kind of hard not to, given the glares of their parents.

It was right next door to the RWBY and JNPR dorms, which was nice... In theory.

"No, no, no!" Weiss growled at Blake, "You're not giving any of your subversive Faunus propaganda to a baby!"

"It is not propaganda!" Blake shot back, holding up a children's book, "It's just 'Grey's Mom is a Kitty'! It teaches tolerance!"

"Every bad person in that book looks like a Schnee!" Weiss retorted, "ALL OF THEM!"

"Oh, I suppose you'd prefer the baby reads anti-Faunus propaganda like 'Peter Rabbit', huh?"

Weiss gaped in disbelief.

"How is that anti-Faunus?! Farmer MacGregor is clearly an antagonist! If anything, it's Pro-Faunus propaganda!"

Ruby popped up between them, holding up another children's book.

"How about 'Goodnight Moon'? Who could object to that?" She asked.

"EVERYONE!" Weiss and Blake shouted, making Ruby cringe back.

"H-How?! It has a cow that jumps over the moon!"

"Clearly a Faunus supremacist message!" Weiss shouted.

"The Faunus in it have a tiger skin rug! It's anti-Faunus!" Blake sputtered.

Ruby's eyes crossed.

"Huh?!"

"I think," Yang finally spoke, "That we can wait on the baby books, huh? It'll be a few years before he or she can appreciate them."

Blake and Weiss huffed, and looked away. Ruby frowned.

"But reading to a baby is good for their brain! I read it!" Ruby insisted. She hopped up to sit by Yang, and held out the book. Yang chuckled, and ruffled Ruby's hair.

"It is. We'll get some books. You two," she eyed Blake and Weiss, "Can just get us your own books. No need to be catty about it."

Blake snorted. Weiss shook her head with a sigh.

"Fine," she muttered. There was a knock at the door, and she smiled. "Ah! Come in!"

The door opened, and Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren arrived, all carrying large boxes. They set them down in a pile, as Weiss began to rummage through them. Yang blinked, leaning forward.

"Uh, Weiss? What is all this?"

"I got your baby a crib, a changing table, toys, clothes," Weiss rattled off. She pulled out a bunny onesie and beamed at her. "They'll look so cute in this!"

"It'll match Jaune-Jaune's PJs!" Nora cheered. Pyrrha flushed a bit, and nodded.

"Absolutely!"

"Um, Weiss-cream, I really appreciate all this," Yang said slowly, "But aren't you going a bit overboard?"

Weiss sniffed.

"You're having a child with Jaune. You need all the help you can get."

"Would you mind not badmouthing my fiancé and father of my child?" Yang asked dryly, "Besides, we all know you're just jealous."

Weiss turned bright red.

"I AM NOT!"

Ruby giggled. Blake smirked. Pyrrha mirrored Blake but then coughed to hide her expression. Ren smirked a bit as well, but hid it better.

"I-I just... You know..." Weiss mumbled, "I'm trying to be a good friend and all... It's not that much money! Ruby wouldn't let me get the diamond studded pacifiers!"

"Babies will cut themselves on diamonds!" Ruby insisted.

"I didn't!" Weiss insisted.

"So much is explained," Blake sighed, as she plopped down on the bed with Yang. She shook her head. "My mother is sending some things as well. She might visit us soon."

"Ugh, why?" Yang groaned. "She's not my mom!"

"You are my partner and friend," Blake said, "And uh..." Her ears flattened. "I suspect she'll be pushing me to get married and give her grandchildren."

"It spreads like a contagion among parents, or so I've heard," Nora said conspiratorially, as she played with a set of brightly colored blocks from one of the boxes.

"HA! Like any man would give you a second glance after hearing you ramble on about politics!" Weiss snarked. Blake scowled back.

"Like any man would want you ten seconds after you open your mouth!"

"Why you...!"

Blake got up to face Weiss, and they began to argue furiously again. Yang sighed and rubbed her temples. Ruby patted her older sister on the shoulder.

"Um... Hey, Yang?"

"Yeah Ruby?"

"What does it feel like, being pregnant?" She asked innocently.

Yang hummed and shrugged.

"Well... So far, I'm just sick in the mornings," she said, "And I feel... Warmer." She held a hand over her still flat stomach. "And... I think I can sense it's Aura."

"You can?" Ruby asked, amazed. Yang nodded with a smile.

"I can definitely feel something else inside me," she said, "Or, I guess, someone."

She hummed.

"It's hard to explain. It's like... I can feel my Aura, but now I can feel a different Aura with it."

"What does that feel like?" Ruby asked eagerly. Yang smiled.

"It's just... Bright. Small, but bright. Like... Like a candle, or a little star." She rubbed her belly, her smile growing fonder. It was early, so early, but just feeling the baby was comforting in the strangest way.

"It makes sense," Ren said with a nod, "At some point in the pregnancy, the baby's soul forms. Being Aura active yourself, you would notice the change."

At everyone's looks, Ren shrugged.

"I have been doing reading to help out Jaune."

"Thank you," Yang said with a smile. Ruby's eyes were wide and shiny.

"That sounds... So cool," she whispered. Yang grinned.

"Yeah! It kind of is..." She sighed. "I'm not looking forward to the worse stuff. Cravings, mood swings-"

"So far doesn't sound too different from your usual!" Nora said cheerfully. Yang scowled, even as Blake hid a smile.

Nora then gasped happily as she pulled out a rocking horse. "OOH! Auntie Nora will definitely be testing this out first!"

She set the rocking horse on the floor, and then plopped down on it. She rocked back and forth, comically scooting along the floor with every undulation.

"ONWARD, PATRICK!"

Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes. She looked intently at Yang as Nora squeaked on by.

"Where's Jaune? Shouldn't he be here helping you?" She scowled. "He's not already becoming a deadbeat, is he?"

"No, he's meeting with his parents again," Yang sighed. She checked her Scroll. "He should have texted me by now..."

"I can go check on him," Pyrrha interjected, but Yang shook her head.

"No, I'll do it," she said. She got up and looked between her and Ruby. "You just keep them from blowing up the room, all right?"

"I'll do my best!" Ruby said cheerfully. Pyrrha winced.

"I'm sure we'll be fine," she said.

Yang nodded, turned, and headed out. Blake pulled some wallpaper rolls from the many boxes Weiss had brought and scowled.

"Corgi wallpaper?! Are you trying to give the baby nightmares?!"

Weiss glared at her.

"It was CUTE!"

"They're DOGS! They're not cute!"

"Must you be a cat stereotype about EVERYTHING?! Next you'll be knocking everything onto the floor in a fit of pique!"

Blake growled, swung the wallpaper roll... And knocked the blocks Nora had been playing with to the floor.

There was a pause. Ruby held back a snort of laughter. Ren looked at the ceiling. Pyrrha covered her mouth and coughed suspiciously.

Blake for her part glared hot piping hatred at Weiss's smug expression.

"I AM NOT A STEREOTYPE!"

Nora rocked herself back across the room, grinning like a madwoman.

"Come Patrick! To battle!"

Pyrrha, Ruby, and Ren exchanged looks and sighed.

- - -

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

Yang headed for the Bastinda Memorial Gardens, a picturesque little garden framed by white colonnades with rectangular pools and flowerbeds of red and yellow poppies. It felt a little too... Expensive for Yang, despite the fact they were old ruins. Like goofing off would bring vengeful spirits or something. So Yang didn't come here often.

Jaune's parents had insisted they meet and talk here, and Jaune had gone along with it. It was pretty deserted around this time of day on the weekend.

Definitely a good thing, judging from the loud, angry voices she heard as she approached the center of the garden.

She kept herself behind columns as she approached the Arcs: All three were sitting around a stone table. Jaune was on one side, his mother on the other. His father sat between them, and had his hands up as his wife and his son argued.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it like that-" Nick Arc said, but Jaune glared heatedly at him.

"Of course she did! And so did you!" He shot back, with more venom than Yang had ever heard in his voice before.

Isabel was clearly trying to control her temper, but the calm and collected woman from before was clearly on edge.

"Jaune, I just meant... We just meant that if you failed, you would always have a place at home-"

"No, you said when I fail," Jaune retorted, "When. You never had any faith in me at all!"

"We gave you money, didn't we?!" Isabel demanded. "We supported you-!"

"I made most of the money! I worked hard for it!" Jaune retaliated. Isabel bit her tongue, and was glaring heatedly at her son.

"We would have given you all the support you needed if you'd just gone to be a doctor-!"

"I didn't want to be a doctor! I wanted to be a Huntsman! A hero! Like you both were!" Jaune yelled, leaning forward. Nick set a hand on his shoulder, and Jaune turned to glare at his father.

"Don't yell at your mother," Nick stated firmly, "She doesn't deserve that treatment-"
"She never let me have any say in my own life, Dad! And you just went along with it!" Jaune stated angrily. He pulled back from his father's touch, letting his hand fall to the table. "I had to do everything myself if I was going to achieve my dream!"

"And now you're a teenaged father," Isabel stated flatly. She shook her head. "How are you going to support yourselves?"

"I will do odds jobs, I will graduate, and we'll do it that way!" Jaune stated. "I'll do whatever it takes for Yang and our baby!"

Again, Yang flushed deeply and felt gooey and warm inside. It was just the way he said it...

"You could do more if you just came back home and became a doctor," Isabel pointed out. "You could work at the hospital, we could get you a house, you don't have to risk your lives-!"

"I've saved people's lives, Mom," Jaune retorted, "If I hadn't gotten involved, they would be dead! Would you stand on the sidelines, if you could save someone in trouble?!"

"Of course I wouldn't!" Isabel practically screeched, "But we did all that so you and your sisters wouldn't have to!"

Isabel took deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Nick turned back to his son, his expression grave.

"Son... We were afraid you had a romantic view of the Hunter's life," he said. He sighed. "We both have had friends die. We have both seen incredible pain and misery. We have both been witness to tragedies we can't forget, and we couldn't prevent."

Nick stared into his son's eyes.

"We won the peace for you, so you and your sisters wouldn't have to go through that-"

"And people have to keep winning the peace, or it falls apart," Jaune insisted. He glared at them both. "I want to protect that peace. I want to make life better for people. So does Yang. I'm not going to just quit if she won't!"

"When you have children at home who will become orphans if you risk your life, your viewpoint will change," Isabel stated, sounding calmer but still tense. "You can still do good even without being a Hunter! More good in fact!"

"I don't see it that way," Jaune stated firmly.

"Why can't you just see reason, Jaune?!" Isabel demanded. "After the childhood you had-You just can't do this! You have to stop being selfish!"

"My sisters all got to choose what they wanted to do with their lives!" Jaune retorted. "Why can't I?!"

"Because they didn't spend half their childhood on the edge of death!"

Isabel again took deep breaths, and looked away. Yang could see tears in her eyes. Jaune flinched but didn't back down.

"It's my life though... And I choose to live it this way." He shook his head. "You don't have to be in it if you don't want to. After all," he glared at his parents, "If you're so sure I'll fail, why bother?!"

Nick was stone faced. Isabel sniffled and wiped her eyes with her handkerchief. Nick then slowly nodded.

"Ozpin offered to give me a job as a part-time combat instructor," he said quietly. "I'll be coming down on the weekends to provide extra training. I'll expect you to be in those classes."

Jaune nodded firmly.

"I will. Every single one."

"I won't go easy on you," Nick stated, "That's what you want, right?"

"Yes."

"Nick!" Isabel hissed. Nick shook his head.

"It's what he wants, Isabel," he said quietly, "And if he fails, he'll come home."

Isabel scowled at her husband. He stared back, perfectly composed. Isabel sighed deeply and shut her eyes for a moment. She reopened them and looked back at her son.

"... I'll be visiting too," she said, "To check on Yang. Nurse Tsune has some experience with obstetrics but not a lot. I can help train her and any other medics on the weekends too."

Jaune slowly nodded.

"All right," he said. He got up and turned, walking away.

"Jaune," Isabel called out, "Please... We do love you. We just want what's best for you."

Jaune turned and glared back over his shoulder.

"I know. But I want to choose what's best for me."

He turned and resumed walking. Yang stayed silent, then began to follow him once she was sure his parents weren't looking.

She caught up to him in the main courtyard of Beacon and cleared her throat. He turned and stared at her.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," Jaune replied. He sighed.

"You uh... How much did you see?" He asked.

Yang blinked.

"Eh? I wasn't-?"

"Ruby told me what you look like when you're guilty and trying to hide it," Jaune stated. Yang cringed.

"Ah... That little sneak..." She shook her head. She held out a hand, and he took it. She led him over to a bench near a fountain and they sat down together. He sighed.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"For what?" Yang asked. Jaune shrugged.

"Just... I dunno..." He shook his head. "I just feel like I have to apologize. I-I want to, to them, but..."

"I get it," Yang said softly. She squeezed his hand. "Qrow and my Dad told me plenty of horror stories about how hard it was to be a Hunter. They tried to discourage me, too."

"Yeah, but at least they believed in you," Jaune grumbled. Yang smiled softly.

"They wanted you to become a doctor?"

"My mom was a combat medic, and got her doctorate," Jaune sighed, "In between having me and my sisters. My dad was a Hunter too, but retired after a bad injury."

"Injury?" Yang asked. Jaune nodded.

"His foot is artificial. A Grimm bit it off, just above his ankle."

Yang winced.

"I did wonder about his gait," she admitted, "It was a bit off."

Jaune nodded.

"Yeah... He runs Radian's militia now. Trains locals, manages the defenses, and a few other things."

"And you?" Yang asked quietly. "Your childhood?"

Jaune looked away.

"I was born very premature," he stated, "And with a lot of issues. Spent half my childhood in the hospital."

He quickly looked into Yang's hands, taking her hand between both of his.

"It's not genetic, I swear Yang," he insisted, "Our baby will be fine, I promise. And-And my mom invented all sorts of therapies that let me grow up just fine-!"

"I'm not worried, though that's good to hear," Yang said gently, "But I guess because she's a doctor and your mom, she uh...?"

Jaune nodded.

"Yeah. I wasn't the youngest but I got treated like the baby," he sighed. He shook his head. "I love my parents, I really do... But they told me that... That they expected me to fail."

"And that's shitty," Yang growled. She grabbed his shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "Hell, you've gone from an untrained civilian idiot to a guy who can decapitate Ursas with one blow in a few months! You have any idea how insane that is?!"

Jaune stared at her in shock.

"It-It is?! Pyrrha told me I was making progress, but I-I just didn't-!"

"It is fucking amazing, Jaune!" Yang insisted. "Seriously! You're absolutely crazy, but you're doing so well! How many civilians do you think could survive training like Pyrrha freaking Nikos?!"

Jaune gaped, then closed his mouth, then opened it again.

"But I-!"

"Jaune," Yang stated firmly, "You do have potential. You're still insane for going through all this, but you could be a great Huntsman, all right? You have to believe that."

Jaune winced.

"Did I mention I faked my transcripts, too?"

"WHAT?!" Yang shouted. Jaune coughed, and squirmed.

"I-I mean... I was being forced to study for medical school and couldn't really-!"

Yang held him with one arm and punched him in the face. He gaped at her in disbelief.

"Y-Yang, I-!"

She laughed, and then hugged him.

"You're just... You're just unbelievable, you idiot," she giggled. "I thought I was a juvenile delinquent!" She shook her head. "I guess I'm just attracted to bad boys."

Jaune blushed, and looked off to the side.

"Er... I also jaywalk a lot, if that helps?"

"Dork," Yang snickered. She hugged him again. "Look Jaune. You've got issues and so do your parents. So. What? Everyone does! Hell... Me..." She shook her head. "My bio mom abandoned me when I was a toddler, Summer, who I consider my real mom, died when I was seven, my dad just shut down so I had to raise Ruby until Uncle Qrow straightened him out..."

Yang shook his head again.

"Point is... We're both pretty fucked up," she said, "But we're... We're both willing to keep going, no matter how shitty things are. Okay?"

Jaune nodded back, a small smile on his face.

"Okay."

"And, just to make things clear," Yang emphasized, "I'm not going to run out on you, either. I swear."

Jaune hugged her back, pulling her tightly into his embrace. She sighed softly, leaning into his warmth.

"I know," Jaune murmured.

She burst into tears and hugged him tightly. A huge sense of gratitude surged inside of her.

"J-Jaune...!" She sobbed. Jaune started, and stroked her hair.

"Hey, hey, it's all right, Yang, it's all right," he murmured softly into her ear, "It's okay... I'm here. I'll always be here."

Which just made her cry harder.

"I'm sorry I hit you," she whimpered.

Jaune chuckled and nuzzled her.

"It's fine. It'll help toughen me up."

She kissed him. She barely remembered the kisses from that night, just heated glimpses largely shrouded by alcohol, but now? It felt amazing.

He kissed her back, stroking her hair and back gently. Yang sighed happily into his mouth and pressed herself more tightly against him.

Heat burned in her body, and her kisses became greedier-

An explosion rang out, and they broke to look up at Beacon. Nora sailed through the air, riding a rocking horse while swinging Magnhild.

"FLY PATRICK, FLYYYYY~!"

Jaune sighed heavily. Yang coughed, averting her eyes.

"Ah, um... Maybe we should take care of that," she giggled nervously.

"Uh, um, y-yeah," Jaune said with a nod, "Definitely."

He got up and ran after Nora. Yang lingered a bit, still blushing bright red.

Geez... I gotta get these hormones under control, she thought, Gotta keep them under control, don't want to just jump Jaune and-

Her eyes locked onto his rear as he ran. She licked her lips.

On the other hand... I can't get any more pregnant, now can I~?

- - -

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

Ruby was trying to do some work on Crescent Rose at the desk in the RWBY Dormroom. Her beloved weapon had been making a squeaking sound while shifting between forms, and it had been driving her crazy! She had been working very hard, trying to fix it all Sunday.

'Trying' being the key word, as her sister and Weiss argued behind her.

"We should train Jaune in the rapier!" Weiss insisted, "I-I've already had a custom blade commissioned for him! He already uses a sword, that's the perfect method to strengthen his Semblance!"

"HA! Totally transparent, Weiss-cream," Yang shot back, "Jaune as Johnny obliterated a tree with one punch! That's what his focus should be!"

"You just like him because he's as uncouth and brutish as you, dolt!" Weiss growled.

"He also goes around without a shirt constantly," Yang smirked. Weiss's face burned bright red.

"E-Even so-!"

"UGGGGHHHHH!" Ruby groaned, turning and scowling at her teammates, "Can you stop talking about Jaune's Semblance for five minutes?!"

Weiss flushed.

"What? I'm actually trying to help him!" She defended herself. "He's your best friend! Aren't you going to help him with his Semblance?"

"Yeah Rubes," Yang stated with a smirk, "You haven't really said anything, and now you're upset? Why?"

"You did want us to get along, didn't you?" Weiss pressed.

Ruby growled.

"You don't care about Jaune for Jaune! You care about his Semblance!"

"Well..." Weiss shrugged. "He's finally coming into his own, so..."

"And he's gonna need a lot of help with it," Yang pointed out, "Something wrong with that?"

"N-No! But I liked him just fine before he found his Semblance, and now you only like him for his power! That's my problem!"

"Or maybe you're just jealous," Blake suggested, reading her book.

Ruby went bright red. She glared, and picked up Crescent Rose.

"I don't have to put up with this!" She growled. "And I'm not jealous!"

She turned and stormed out, slamming the door shut. She took a deep breath, and let it out as an angry groan.

"Uhhhhhggggghhhh!"

"Hey Ruby. What's up?"

"EEP!"

Ruby jumped, and turned her head to the source of the greeting. She held her hand over her chest, taking deep breaths, as Jaune stood there with a nervous smile.

"J-Jaune?"

"Shh," he shushed her, "Come on. Let's go."

He took her hand and led her off. Ruby followed, confused but complying.

He led her down to a common room in the dorms. Nobody else was around at this time of night, which Ruby was grateful for. Jaune guided her to a table, and she set down her scythe on the table. He sat down with her in two chairs, and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks," he said, "I've been dodging Nora and Pyrrha all day to test my Semblance."

Ruby nodded with a small smile.

"Yeah, Yang and Weiss won't stop talking about it," she laughed nervously, "It's... It's really getting on my nerves."

She paused and paled. She shook her head quickly.

"N-Not that it's not good you have your Semblance!" She said quickly. "I-I mean, that's great! Really, it is!"

"Y-Yeah! I'm... I'm happy, really," Jaune said with a nod. He looked down at the table, and sighed. "Everyone's... Pretty great about it."

"But?" Ruby prompted. Jaune glanced at her, and shrugged.

"Just... I mean..." He sighed. "I'm... Worried. Worried about... About never coming back."

Ruby frowned.

"Jaune..."

"I mean... Yeah, those personalities come from me," Jaune explained, "But... They don't feel like me. They feel like other people. I want to be a Huntsman... A hero, as myself... But if I can only do that as other people, I..."

He shook his head and sighed.

"Makes me feel like I'm... Nothing," he admitted quietly.

"That's not true," Ruby insisted. She leaned against him with a bright smile. "I... I care about you, Jaune. I did before you got your Semblance. If your Semblance is so amazing, it-it's because you're amazing!"

"You-You think so?" Jaune asked, looking over at her with a hopeful smile. Ruby nodded eagerly.

"Yeah! And, maybe the other personalities are just a side effect! One you can overcome! When I first got my Semblance, I threw up after every super speed jump!"

Jaune laughed. Ruby pouted.

"It's not that funny!"

"It kind of is!" Jaune snickered. She pouted harder at him, as he grinned at her.

"But... You overcame it?"

"Of course! I'm not Vomit Girl!"

"Maybe I should start calling you that-"

"Don't you dare!" Ruby gasped. Jaune laughed again, and patted her on the head. She pouted up at him, as he beamed.

"That... That actually helps a lot, Ruby," he said. "Thanks."

"Hey, we-we're best friends, right?" Ruby asked. Jaune nodded.

"Of course we are," he said.

He shifted a bit in his chair. His elbow nudged Crescent Rose, and the huge Sniper Scythe began to slide off the table. Ruby gasped, reached out to catch it-

Jaune's hand reached it first. He held it up, staring intently at it.

"Oh, thanks Jaune," Ruby said with a sigh of relief. Jaune remained silent. Ruby blinked.

"Jaune?"

His eyes lit up, glowing briefly. Ruby gasped.

Oh no! His Semblance! What if he's a crazy grim reaper?! Or a mad killer?! Or a-?

Jaune shifted Crescent Rose into rifle mode (which produced a loud squeak), and pulled it up to his face. He pulled out a pair of goggles from the school workshop, and tapped it to activate the light on the side. He opened up the mechashift control panel and began examining it.

"Jaune?" Ruby tried.

"That doesn't sound right," Jaune muttered. He tapped Crescent Rose's internal mechanisms for a second. "How long has it been doing zat?"

"Er," Ruby began, "About two weeks? After I did a circuit board upgrade."

"Sanux Systems MSB-55, right?" Jaune prompted. Ruby blinked in amazement.

"Yeah! How did you know?"

"You told me, of course," Jaune chuckled, his voice a bit... Strange. He held out his hand. "Tweezers, please?"

"Oh, right!" Ruby nodded. She pulled out her mini-repair kit from her belt, and handed some tweezers to him. "I already checked for any bad bridges or soldering on my own work. I couldn't find any, but I redid it all anyway-"

"And you couldn't get to the original circuit board after sealing ze entire thing back up," Jaune said with a nod. He scooted a bit to the side and gestured to the circuit board housing. "See the air filter holes?"

Ruby stared intently. Her eyes widened as she saw some specks of solder metal falling out or sticking to them.

"Yeah," she muttered.

Jaune picked up one such piece and held it up to Ruby's keen eyes.

"It looks like your solder material," Jaune stated, "But look-Those gaps in them. You would never let so many air bubbles develop in your solder joints."

She scowled. "Oh geez... I got a bad circuit board?"

Jaune nodded gravely.

"Yes. The Sanux Systems MSB-55's had a massive recall for a lot of solder joints with voids in them," he said. "Enough power running through them damages the joints, then breaks them."

Ruby groaned, and covered her face.

"I assumed it was all in working order!" She wailed. "I feel like an amateur!"

"Now now," Jaune said, patting her shoulder, "Zat's not your fault. They're your go to brand, always have been. But they changed their management and clearly, they're producing kludge. Arschlochs, all of zem."

"Wow, thanks!" Ruby complimented him... Then started. "Oh geez... Uh... So... What's your name?"

"Jaune," Jaune said with a smirk, "But if you wish to refer to my current persona... Johann feels right."

"Wait, you're aware you're a different personality?" Ruby asked, astonished. Johann nodded.

"Yes. I think it may be because my focus is on problem-solving, deduction, and technical analysis compared to the others' more combat-focused personalities." He hummed thoughtfully. "Zat, and you are my best friend. If these personas manifest from me as part of my Semblance, then my existing relationships will influence how each persona reacts and behaves."

He smiled at Ruby kindly.

"For instance. The persona with the rapier is charming, charismatic, and hot blooded-All zings we wish we could be for Weiss. The persona with the gauntlets is boisterous, confident, and determined-All things that Yang enjoys."

"Wait, your Semblance is shaping your personas to match with us?" Ruby asked. "Why?"

"Good question," Johann said. He leaned back, tapping his chin. "It may be that we're responding to your Auras. Auras are the energy of the soul and leave a kind of psychic fingerprint on everything we interact with. It could be that my Semblance picks up on zat, and adjusts to fit the Aura remnants. Perhaps to enhance synergy, or to pick up skills from the other-Johnny, for instance, fights in Yang's South Mistralian Kickboxing style, despite us never training in it."

"Oh wow!" Ruby gasped excitedly. "That's so neat! So you're an Aura Chamealeon!"

"Perhaps," Johann shrugged, "Zat is only speculation though. We will need to experiment a great deal to discover all the mechanics of the Semblance."

"Oh, uh... But aren't you afraid of being overridden?" Ruby asked, worried. "That-That is what Jaune was-is worried about."

Johann nodded gravely.

"Yes, it would be a great tragedy," he said, "It will require a two-pronged approach: Reinforcing Jaune's baseline abilities and personality, while also studying what aspects of his psyche our personas are formed from. It is, however, too useful an ability to not train or explore. After all, without it, Weiss may have died."

"Oh, I-I don't disagree," Ruby nodded, "I just... I don't want to lose my best friend."

Johann smiled warmly and hugged her.

"Neither do I," he said. "I will need you for this, Ruby."

"Ah? Eh?" Ruby asked. She gasped as Johann held her shoulders and looked her deep in her eyes, their noses nearly touching.

"Yes. I trust you above all others," he said, "As fond as I am of everyone else? You are... Very important."

"R-Really?!" Ruby squeaked, now turning as red as her namesake. Johann nodded.

"Yes. As much as I care for the others-Pyrrha especially..."

And didn't that make Ruby's heart clench? Though she didn't know why, exactly.

"You were my first friend here," Johann intoned, "I need you."

"N-N-Need me... For what?" Ruby whispered. All of Blake's naughty books she had read in secret began to flood her mind.

Is he going to... Does he... Will he... Take off his pants... Take off my-?!

"To stand by me, and keep me from losing myself," Johann said, "As well as aid me in research, given you do have a scientific background."

He pulled back. She slowly nodded, her cheeks still burning red.

"O-Oh."

He smirked.

"Did you have... Something else in mind~?" He asked, cupping her cheek. Her entire body seemed to be burning up. Hurriedly, she pulled away and scooted her chair to the fair side of the table. Her eyes were locked onto Crescent Rose.

"N-N-No! No! Not at all!" She stammered.

"Oh," Johann shrugged. "Well! Zat's new. Most women seem to develop romantic feelings for me when I use their weapon."

"That-Wha-Who-?!"

"Not zat I'm returning any of zem at this time," Johann said, his eyes going back to Crescent Rose, "Too complicated. Still! Good to know my best friend isn't entirely driven by her hormones."

"I... Um... Er..." Ruby managed a slow nod.

"S-Sure."

"Now, shall we get to fixing your beloved Crescent Rose?" Johann asked with a smile.

"Y-Yeah! Yeah, that would be great," Ruby said, sighing in a mixture of relief and agitation. He smirked again.

"Good! Working on it together... It will be like we're making a baby."

Ruby's entire expanse of pale skin lit up bright red again.

"A-A-A baby?!"

"Well, I'll have to put in a lot of effort, of course," he said, humming with a devilish glint in his eyes, "To catch up, but I'm sure you'll be patient. I won't require punishment to correct my bad habits..."

He glanced up at her and winked.

"Unless you're into zat sort of thing?"

Ruby fainted.

- - -