[RWBY] RWBY Shorts

[Brian Boru]

Heh, looked up the character you name claimed for Jaune's father, and noticed that the original character got accused of sleeping with his employer's daughter who was convinced he was in love with her (he was NOT)

A bit of drama with Jaune's life is if some big straw haired lummox from Vytal came around claiming to be Jaune's half brother.

June contacts his dad about this. When he mentions the guy claims his mother is Fanny Squeers. His old man turns pale as a sheet and starts muttering under his breath about how she found him. And that he needs to hide in the woods for the next decade.

Fanny was Nick's abhorrent Yandere member of his harem back in the day.

She's one of the few people he's terrified of.

He doesn't ever remember seeing Fanny since he married Isabel but the resemblance between him and this kid are STRIKING.

the maybe son says that Fanny sends her love and hopes to see her sweet Nicky some day soon. Which makes Nick go into a panic.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Yang Xiao-Long was fine with running errands for Ruby, on occasion. It wasn't like she was a terrible sister or anything. That said, having to practically raise Ruby herself for the last few years until Dad got his shit together had worn on her.



Sure, maybe dumping her into the deep end to fend for herself on the first day of Beacon was cruel, but the truth was... Yang though she wasn't always gonna be there for Ruby. Best she figure out how to handle herself now.



So yeah, she was fine with doing some errands for Ruby. Having to go pick up Vomit Boy wasn't at the top of her list, but it did let her do some investigating.



Jaune Arc was a nice guy. Bit hapless, but a damn good leader and tactician. She'd given him that. He was also her little sister's best friend, and he was able to manage a team with a superstar like Pyrrha Nikos, a stoic badass like Lie Ren, and a hyperactive ball of chaos like Nora Valkyrie without significant issues. The guy was... Well frankly he sucked at combat, but he was getting better under training from all his teammates. Maybe he'd been held back or something. He certainly came off as a bit awkward: Probably why he and Ruby were natural friends.



She did appreciate that he could cook though. She wasn't a slouch herself, but Vomit Boy could whip up some great grub. Even Princess Weiss liked it (though she made it clear she had no romantic feelings). He even cleaned up for his team and helped them when they needed it.



Not that any of this stopped Yang from teasing him. He was cute when he was flummoxed.



Anyway! She'd been asked by Ruby to go find Jaune. He was late for their gaming session on the weekend. He'd been sneaking off and even Nora wouldn't spill the beans. And Yang was too curious to NOT figure this out.



So here she was, wandering around Beacon Campus, tracking Jaune's Scroll with an app on her own Scroll Ruby had given her.



"Maybe I should talk to Ruby about boundaries some day," Yang muttered.



She turned a corner and located the signal: It was coming from a room with several large windows on the walls and the double doors. Yang frowned as she saw that the doors were cut into two sections horizontally: One upper window was hanging open.



"What the...?"



She walked over, and peeked inside. Her eyes widened at the brightly colored room.



There was Vomit Boy all right, dressed in a yellow apron. He was changing the diaper on a small, silver haired Fox Faunus baby girl in a pink romper. At his side a pink-haired boy was tugging at his sleeve. Elsewhere in the colorful room filled with toys and shelves, a dark haired boy was running around yelling while swinging a toy sword around. A dark haired little girl was waving a plastic magic wand around over two silver haired twins, two boys. One was cheering and happy, the other looked scared.



Jaune finished changing the baby girl's diaper, and dressed her back up. He pulled her up into his arms and rocked her, as she cooed happily. He smiled at the pink haired boy. The boy held up a toddler book made of hardened cardboard.



"All right Luke, don't worry! We'll read it," Jaune said gently. Luke grunted happily.



Jaune put the baby girl into her carrier, and let her play with a teething ring. He then pulled Luke into his lap and opened up the book.



"Once upon a time..."



"HEY!" The boy with the sword pointed it at Yang. Jaune and all the children looked up. Yang was shocked at the sudden intensity in Jaune's eyes, as though he was scanning for a threat, before he relaxed.



"Hey Yang! What's up?"



"Uh, not much," Yang said, looking around at the nursery, "Rubes wants you for your gaming session."



"Oh, already?" Jaune sighed. "Yeah, my relief was supposed to show up but he's running late due to various things. So I've got to watch them until their parents come."



"You're yellow!" The boy with the sword shouted. "And have big boobies!"



Jaune scowled at him.



"Hawk! We don't say those kinds of things!" He scolded.



"Well, he's not wrong," Yang chuckled. Jaune gave her a long suffering look.



"Anyway... Everyone, gather round!"



The toddlers obeyed. Jaune stood up, picking up the baby and holding her.



"Come on, like we practiced," Jaune said. He clapped his hand on his thigh. The children clapped in unison.



"What are your names?" Jaune sang.



"Hawk Mombi!" The boy with the sword sang.



"Melanie Tsune!" The girl with the magic wand sang.



"Dariel Peach!" The happy smiling twin sang.



"A-Axel Peach!" The shy twin stuttered.



"Luke Oak," The quiet boy managed.



"And this is Beryl Port," Jaune introduce the baby, who squawked happily.



Yang was silent for a moment. Jaune blinked.



"Hm?"



So cute, she thought in her head, before she shook it. She snickered.



"You little guys might want to work on that song," she gently teased, "You're all..." She held her hand down to about the height of the kids, "A little low pitched."

"Hey, they're doing okay for kids," Jaune said defensively. Melanie walked up to Yang, her eyes big and shiny. The twins followed behind her, a bit more cautious.



"Are you a real Huntress?" Melanie asked eagerly.



"Sure am!" Yang bragged.



"She's my friend, she's on Ruby's team," Jaune said with a smile, "We're all training to be Hunters."



"Is she your girlfriend?" Hawk demanded loudly. Jaune coughed, as Yang grinned.



"No, she is not-"



"Aw, and here I thought you'd take the chance to look cool in front of the kids!" Yang teased. Hawk glared up at Yang.



"Jaune is totally cool! He chased the monsters away and he's the best villain for Super Neo Hero Rangers and-and..." He raised his sword up reverently. "He found my sword when he lost it! You're just a mean girl with big boobies! BWEHHH!"



Yang snickered a bit, as Jaune scolded Hawk some more.



"Don't say that! Be nice!"



"Yeah! She's a Huntress so she's super cool and you're not!" Melanie shouted.



"IS NOT! Jaune is way cooler!" Hawk defended his babysitter.



"Nuh uh! She's got-got arm gun thingies! That's way cooler than a sword!" Melanie argued back.



"Is not!"



"Is too!"



"Is not!"



"Is too!"



"Guys, guys! No fighting, geez," Jaune sighed, pushing the kids apart.



Dariel walked up to Yang and grinned. He dragged Axel along.



"Can we see your arm gun thingies, Yang? Can we? Can we?"



"Well," Yang chuckled and held Ember Celica out. Dariel reached out and touched it. Jaune gaped.



"Yang! Don't let them handle weapons! Are you crazy?!"



"What?" Yang said defensively, "There's no way they could activate-"



Dariel found her back up trigger mechanism and touched it. Yang, out of instinct, yanked her arm away as Jaune charged. He threw himself in front of the kids just as Ember Celica discharged. Yang's eyes widened.



"JAUNE!" She screamed, as Jaune went flying. She jumped over the low door and went to the fallen blond. "You okay?! Are you all right?!"



"WE KILLED JAUNE!" The twins began to wail. Hawk, Melanie, Beryl, and Luke all began to cry too. Jaune sat up, waving his arm.



"It's okay, it's okay!" He chuckled, rubbing his apron. He sighed as he looked at the large hole and burns around it. "Aw man, I really liked this one, too."



"What's going on?!" Boomed a loud voice. Jaune and Yang turned and looked. Professor Port was standing in the doorway, his weapon out as he scanned around. "Is anyone hurt? What happened?!"



"Ah, uh... Professor," Jaune began, but Hawk interjected with angry tears.



"Big boobie girl shot Jaune!"



"YEAH!" The kids shouted. Port frowned and looked over at Yang.



"Is this true, Miss Xiao-Long?" He asked, all hints of joviality gone. Yang winced, as the enormity of what might have happened hit her like a charging Boarbatusk.



Okay. She was reckless, yeah. But holy shit... How was she supposed to know any of these kids had Active Aura?! Even so... Shit... If Jaune hadn't thrown himself in front of them...



"It's all right, Professor," Jaune said, "It was my fault. I touched Yang's Ember Celica wrong, and it went off in my chest."



The twins looked at him in confusion, as did the other kids. Port scowled.



"Miss Xiao-Long, carrying weapons around helpless children is a dangerous risk at best."



"I-I didn't know there was a daycare here," Yang stuttered, "It won't happen again, I promise!"



Port glared and nodded. He looked at Jaune.



"Mister Arc, given your good work with the children, I'll write this off as an isolated incident. But make sure you keep your hands to yourself next time, and ensure Miss Xiao-Long stays safe. This could have ended very badly."



Jaune nodded, his face very serious and determined.



"I understand sir."



"But-!" Hawk protested, but Melanie grabbed him and glared.



"Shut up, stupid!"



"I'm not stupid, you're stupid!" Hawk growled.



The two began to fight furiously again. Dariel and Axel were still sniffling, but much calmer. Jaune sighed and looked to Port.



"So uh... Beryl is-"



"Ready to go? Good," Port chuckled. He walked over to the crying baby, and lifted her into his arms. He cradled her, and she soon stopped crying in favor of giggles. "Aw, my precious little one."



"Wha-She's your-?" Yang tried, but Port laughed and held up a Scroll.



"My youngest daughter! Isn't she precious?"



Yang gaped in stunned disbelief at the picture of Port with an incredibly beautiful silver haired Fox Faunus woman and about six children of various ages around them. Port chuckled.



"Aren't they all adorable?"



"They-they sure are," Yang tried to say, as her stupid brain began to imagine Port and the Fox Faunus woman in-NO NO NO NOT GOING THERE! NO!



"Well... This scare aside, Mister Arc, you've done a great job! Though I suggest you change your apron before it gets noticed," Port said dryly.



Jaune nodded, and ran to a nearby closet. Yang winced at the very serious look Port gave her. She lowered her voice.



"I'm sorry... It's not his fault-"



"I know," Port murmured, rocking Beryl to sleep, "He's also a very good man to try and protect you. Do not forget that."



Yang slowly nodded.



"Yes Professor," she murmured, and for the first time when he came to Port, she meant it with respect.



Jaune returned with a fresh pink apron, just as a very shapely strawberry blonde woman in pink and white combat clothing rushed in.



"Oh I'm so sorry babies! Mommy was busy with classes!" Professor Peach cried, picking up the twins and hugging them tightly to her breasts.



"Mommy!"



"Mommy!"



Peach smiled warmly at Jaune.



"Any trouble with my little darlings, Jaune?"



Jaune glanced at Port, who shook his head. He smiled.



"None whatsoever, ma'am. Just a little scare but we're all okay."



The twins began to tear up again. Jaune walked up and hugged them both.



"It's okay, it's okay," he murmured. They calmed down, and smiled.



"We love you, Jaune!" They chorused.



"Aw," Peach cooed. She beamed at Jaune. "You're going to be a great father one day, Jaune! Er, Mister Arc."



"Thanks Professor," Jaune said earnestly. She looked over at Yang, and her good cheer vanished. Her eyes narrowed a bit.



"Miss Xiao-Long," she stated, "I hope you're not going to carry your weapons around my children so freely next time you visit?"



"I won't! I promise!" Yang blurted out. Peach was back to smiles as she beamed at Jaune.



"I hope you enjoyed that recipe I shared with you! The Pasta Puttanesca?"



"Oh yeah, I loved it!" Jaune enthused.



"Wonderful! My brother-in-law is a master of it, I'll have him share more later!"



"Sheesh Peach, don't smother the poor young man," Professor Mombi, the librarian, stated. Yang winced. Mombi was infamous for how cold and harsh she could be-She rivaled Glynda Goodwitch in terrifying students. Her brown hair was in a bun so perfect it may have been made from steel, and her dark dress and jacket lended an air of menace to her. The fact she used cutting wires as a weapon so precisely she could cut apart Grimm with a wave of her hand made her even more fearsome.



Peach sniffed.



"I just like showing my appreciation, that's all!"



"Mama!" Hawk cheered, rushing up to hug his mother's legs. "Jaune was so cool! He took a blast from that Big Boobie Girl and didn't even flinch! He's the coolest!"



"Oh, did he?" Mombi chuckled, nuzzling her baby boy and kissing the top of his head. She smiled at Jaune. "Thank you for looking after them, Jaune."



"Not a problem, Miss Mombi," Jaune said, smiling back. Yang gaped at his ease around one of the scariest teachers around.



"Sorry I'm so late!" Nurse Tsune, a shapely raccoon Faunus woman shouted, as she rushed in, "Had to deal with some shrapnel injuries from a Dust grenade going off too early-SWEETIE!"



"MAMA!" Melanie cheered, rushing up to hug Tsune. She was lifted into her arms and laughed. Tsune beamed at Jaune.



"Thanks for handling this, Jaune. I know she can be a handful."



"Not a problem, ma'am," Jaune said firmly.



"Try to visit us when you can in the infirmary!" Tsune chuckled. She blanched. "Ah! Not what I meant!"



Jaune laughed easily, as Yang continued to stand in silence.



Port headed out, as did Peach and Mombi. Tsune followed soon after. Finally, a fourth year student came up. He was sandy haired and dressed in a simple school uniform. He grinned happily when he saw Luke.



"Luke!"



"Drake!" Luke said, becoming a lot more animated. He waddled into Drake's hug. The young man lifted the boy up and beamed at Jaune.



"Hey Jaune... Thanks a lot for handling this for me," he said, "I'm so sorry you had to do everything."



"Nah, it's fine," Jaune laughed, "You're about to graduate soon. I'm fine with helping you out."



Drake looked over at Yang, and smiled. He reached out a free hand to shake hers.



"Oh, uh, I'm Drake Oak. This is Luke, my little brother. Thanks for looking after him."



"Yang Xiao-Long," Yang returned, shaking his hand, "It's no problem."



Drake grinned at his little brother.



"I hope you were good for them today, Luke?"



"Yup," Luke said with a nod. Drake smiled again and waved.



"Thanks you two."



"Later!" Jaune waved. Yang waved with him, as Drake left. The room fell silent. Yang took a deep breath.



"Jaune, I... I'm really sorry," she said, "I swear I didn't know-"



Jaune shook his head, sighed, and smiled softly at her.



"I know you didn't mean to," he said, "But don't make that mistake again."



His tone was so serious it was like he'd aged ten years. Yang nodded slowly, meeting his eyes.



"I won't. I promise."



He winced, and rubbed his chest. Yang frowned in concern, and reached out to his shoulder.



"You okay?" She asked.



"Yeah... Aura's healing it all up," Jaune said. Yang looked around at the colorful room, and then back to Jaune.



"You... The way you jumped in front of that shot," she murmured. Jaune shrugged.



"Well... This is what we're here for, right?" He asked. "To ensure these kids have happy lives." He smiled. "I want them to be happy and grow up to be happy. I want them to have hope for the future. It makes me think... Makes me believe that all the hard work and tough stuff I go through is worth it, just for them."



Jaune beamed at her.



"Isn't that was a Huntsman is supposed to do?"



Yang smiled softly, and rubbed his shoulder. Her cheeks went a bit warm. He was just so... Sincere about it.



"Yeah... Yeah, I think so," she murmured quietly.



They sat there in comfortable silence... Before Yang's Scroll went off. She pulled away from Jaune, blushing bit, before she pulled her Scroll open.



"Rubes?"



"YANG WHERE'S JAUNE?!" Ruby wailed. "HIS SCROLL IS ON SILENT AND I CAN'T MAKE IT RING! ARE YOU OKAY?!"



Jaune moved into view of the Scroll camera and smiled at her.



"It's okay Ruby, we'll be there soon," he promised.



Ruby beamed.



"Okay! But you'd better hurry, Nora's gonna drink all the soda and-"



"Too late," Blake said blandly offscreen, as Nora's sugar high cackles filled the air.



"AHHH NO NORA NOT THE BEDS-!"



The screen went to static. Jaune sighed.



"Well, now I know how you get along so well with your team," Yang chuckled, "You're used to babysitting."



"Yup," Jaune sighed. He pulled off his apron and went to put it away, as well as pick up a few loose toys. Yang cleared her throat.



"H-Hey... You okay if I stop by again? I mean... When you're working?"



Jaune looked up, and smiled.



"Sure. If you want."



"Well," Yang sighed, "I made a terrible first impression. I want to make a better second... With a proper Yang!"



Jaune chuckled.



"Sounds good!"



- - -



The kids were borrowed from the manga/anime "School Babysitters", as was Drake Oak. I just changed their names to English equivalents.



This was originally a lot wackier in concept but it turned serious when I thought about what Hunters at a Hunters Academy might do to ensure their kids were safe. And what kinds of accidents might happen. Hope you enjoyed.

 

[Handspan]

I'm honestly surprised that there's only one student parent. Hunters are Young, fit and under a lot of pressure. That's a perfect recipe for a lot of sex. I mean just look at at the Olympics.

 

[GrimmKenway8646]

I'm honestly surprised that there's only one student parent. Hunters are Young, fit and under a lot of pressure. That's a perfect recipe for a lot of sex. I mean just look at at the Olympics.

Click to shrink...

Huh that's not something I knew. Olympic preggers doing stunts galore.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Huh that's not something I knew. Olympic preggers doing stunts galore.

Click to shrink...

Heck Ozpin's biggest fear with Jaune is probably him knocking up the most powerful Huntresses in school and them all graduating with a pack of children in tow

 

[TheFabulousCustodes]

Heck Ozpin's biggest fear with Jaune is probably him knocking up the most powerful Huntresses in school and them all graduating with a pack of children in tow

Click to shrink...

Glynda - "Would it really be that bad of a thing if Mr. Arc knocked up at least some of the members of Team RWBY, Headmaster?

Ozpin - " I'm honestly surprised your not the one most vehemently against this possibility, Glynda...."

Glynda - "Having a child to look after would force Miss Xiao-Long and Miss Belladonna to stop turning the town upside down with barfights, and public shootouts with the White Fang....."

Ozpin - "This is all about reducing your paperwork load, isn't it?"

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

Ill be honest im still stuck on Port having kids.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Ill be honest im still stuck on Port having kids.

Click to shrink...

The man has the rizz to attract a hot Kitsune Faunus.

 

[SharkCultist]

Nicholas Arc doesn't know his semblance and he's fine with it.

But his team does.

His semblance is one they've named joy.

It's only activated once, when his (at the time) girlfriend had her aura broken along with her leg.

Nicholas transformed into a engine of destruction, akin to a berserker, but there was no rage.

Only sheer joy at the chance to rip something apart. For four hours he ripped Grimm apart with his bare hands.

And when it was over he had no memory of the event.

None of his team are in any hurry to bring back that laughing juggernaut.

 

[Unknown_One]

Nicholas Arc doesn't know his semblance and he's fine with it.

But his team does.

His semblance is one they've named joy.

It's only activated once, when his (at the time) girlfriend had her aura broken along with her leg.

Nicholas transformed into a engine of destruction, akin to a berserker, but there was no rage.

Only sheer joy at the chance to rip something apart. For four hours he ripped Grimm apart with his bare hands.

And when it was over he had no memory of the event.

None of his team are in any hurry to bring back that laughing juggernaut.

Click to shrink...

Oh god… Semblance of the hidden ZA WARUDO! WRYYYYYYY!!

 

[SharkCultist]

The man has the rizz to attract a hot Kitsune Faunus.

Click to shrink...

I remember there was one fic where his semblance was basically the fatgum quirk from my hero academia.

(Basically he stored power and aura as fat that he could burn at will for a power up)

Ended up using his semblance and he was fucking JACKED

 

[TheFabulousCustodes]

Ill be honest im still stuck on Port having kids.

Click to shrink...

The man has the rizz to attract a hot Kitsune Faunus.

Click to shrink...

Port lived to old age as a Huntsmen, he must have been a force to reckon with in his prime. I'm sure he was easily good enough to attract at least one admirer, I mean, Jaune's dad managed it.

 

[SharkCultist]

Ill be honest im still stuck on Port having kids.

Click to shrink...

It's kinda like that "Goofy Fucks" meme

 

[Brian Boru]

Though is this one a Suprise baby for an older couple? Or is Mrs. Port a bit on the younger side. Hair color is meaningless in this world so Silver Hair could mean anything.

 

[Psychic_Duck]

snip

Click to shrink...

I need a part 2 where Yang joins in the babysitting duties, this of course has a knock on effect where Jaune and Yang end up becoming the Mom and Dad of their teams, may also cause Yangs maternal instincts to kick in and get herself a knight in pink aprons.

Glynda - "Would it really be that bad of a thing if Mr. Arc knocked up at least some of the members of Team RWBY, Headmaster?

Ozpin - " I'm honestly surprised your not the one most vehemently against this possibility, Glynda...."

Glynda - "Honestly having a child to look after would force Miss Xiao-Long and Miss Belladonna to stop turning the town upside down with barfights, and public shootouts with the White Fang....."

Ozpin - "This is all about reducing your paperwork load, isn't it?"

Click to shrink...

Glynda decides that's a great idea and starts pushing things along to that end, Ozpin tries to stop her but only speeds things along.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

I want to expand on my concept I introducedt a few pages back, so here is a personae dramaticae:
-Caroline "Carol" Frees: Based on Frankenstein's Monster. A skilled engineer and inventor that has had most of her body replaced with cybernetics at the cost of her soul. Studied under Dr. Polendina in university, though philosophical differences meant they quickly drifted apart.
-Vladimir "Vlad" Kashmir: Based on Nosferatu and classic vampires. A blind hunter with insane hearing and a semblance that allows him to heal by drinking blood. Saved Carol multiple times when she went on field surveys during her contractor days.
-Nathan Innsmouth: Based on the classic Fishmen and named after H.P. Lovecraft's work. Fish faunus with scales, gills and bulging eyes. Owns the seaside resort Carol likes to drink at after work and is part of the Order of Dagon (equivalent to Poseidon in greek myth).
-Lord Nas Settra: Based on classic mummies. Noble from Vacuo and retired hunter, his semblance allowing him superior regeneration like Vlad's, though not as effective in his advanced age (he did live to be over 150 tho). Another regular to Nathan's resort for its drinks.
-Blerh Sylvayn: Based on classic werewolves. Wolf Faunus, Ex-freedom fighter not associated with the White Fang. Left his outlaw past behind when the White Fang went full terrorist and settled down as a private airship captain. Currently chartered to Lord Settra.

so, thoughts?

Click to shrink...

Sorry it took so long. I love it and I liked the snippet you wrote for Carol! I hope you continue to develop this idea!

 

[The Sleepless One]

Cowboys of Remnant: A Symphony of Weiss and Gunfire

Weiss skated across the dueling ring, carried by her glyphs, as staccato rifle fire tore through the air behind her. Pirouetting, she raised Myrtenaster and conjured additional glyphs, charging them with dust and launching sharp shards of ice back at her opponent. Jaune chose to crouch down and deploy his shield, weathering the assault with admirable fortitude. Unfortunately, he'd made a mistake.

He'd taken his eyes off of Weiss.

By the time he'd looked up from behind his bulwark, it was too late, she was already upon him. Skating around, she struck his flank once, twice, thrice, before retreating, conjuring another glyph to deflect a return shot from Crocea Mors. None of the follow-up shots managed to touch her either, and the gunfire cut off as Jaune paused to reload. He kept one eye on Weiss through the whole process, staying light on his feet and dodging out of the way of a few ice spikes she sent hurtling towards him. After the last cartridge slammed home through the lever-action rifle's loading port, he swung the cocking lever out with one hand, letting the momentum of the action flip the rifle around the backs of his fingers and land firmly in his palm. He took aim once more around the edge of his shield but with an almost resigned air.

This duel was going... sub-optimally for the cowboy. The idea had been to let Jaune test out his new weapon and get a feel for its workings, but it hadn't exactly been going to plan. The gunslinger just wasn't meshing with the modified Crocea Mors. His rifle fire had lacked his customary inhuman accuracy and his sword strikes, while much improved by Pyrrha's tutelage, had been slow and awkward.

The Heiress really shouldn't be as happy about that as she was, but it was just so satisfying seeing Jaune not appreciate Ruby's gift. The cowboy's frustration was palpable as Weiss danced between strikes that had been much more coordinated in previous bouts. His attempts at integrating the rifle's shots in between slashes had resulted in him almost losing his grip on the weapon more than once.

Deciding to test her opponent up close, Weiss darted in and began striking from a variety of angles, taking advantage of Jaune's unfamiliarity with his modified sword. Myrtenaster's agile form was too fast for the pronged sword to parry effectively and Jaune was still too inexperienced with his shield to guard efficiently. Despite this, he put up an admirable fight, even as she needled his aura into the yellow.

In a fit of frustration, Jaune gave up on his sword entirely and switched over to battering her with his shield incessantly, which proved to be an extremely effective strategy, much to Weiss's chagrin. The shield bashes possessed too much mass and momentum for her to defend against effectively and Jaune's physical strength ensured every strike took a chunk out of her aura and rattled her bones. She chose to retreat rather than suffer more under the onslaught, back-flipping away to create distance. Jaune decided against pressing his advantage, instead sheathing the modified Crocea Mors and collapsing the shield. He grasped the hilt of the blade with both hands, giving the still encased blade some experimental swings before nodding to himself and taking a middle guard.

"That's an interesting technique, Jaune." Weiss called out across the ring, her sword held in front of her at the ready.

Jaune gave her a sheepish grin, setting her heart aflutter, before responding. "I'm jus' havin' some difficulties an' decided to fall back to somethin' tried an' true." His accent had a tendency to grow stronger when he was emotional, Weiss had noticed.

"Hmm, the longpoint guard popular among practitioners of the Pendragon School of Swordsmanship," She mused out loud. "Are you certain that's the wisest choice?"

His grin grew wider, "I reckon' we're about to find out, Miss Schnee."

She give him a smile of her own. "It seems so." And then she was upon him.

Now this exchange was much more like it! While Weiss was certainly faster than Jaune, his guard was admirable, and the sheathed blade of Crocea Mors often found its way into the path of Myrtenaster. Oh, there certainly remained some imbalance between the blade and its wielder, but it appeared that utilizing both hands allowed Jaune to minimize any issues. His return strikes remained powerful, the blows ripping through the air around Weiss as she dodged them all. A single one of them landing would spell disaster for her Aura levels and the force behind them could knock her flying.

The duel continued for quite some time, neither combatant willing to disengage from their melee. Weiss was truly enjoying herself as she crossed blades with Jaune and the wide grin on the cowboy's face seemed to indicate he felt the same. But all good things had to come to an end eventually, and this one came to a close due to inexperience and mechanical error.

The heiress saw the exact moment that Jaune lost. How an adjustment of his grip upon his sword triggered the shifting mechanism. How the collapsing crossguard and twisting blade caught him off guard and left a hole in his defenses. One that Weiss was compelled to exploit ruthlessly. Myrtenaster darted out, catching Crocea Mors on the hilt. With a forceful twist of her wrist, Weiss wrenched the sword out of Jaune's hands and sent it spinning across the ring, landing with a clang out of bounds. She brought the tip of her rapier to the empty-handed man's throat.

"Yield," she demanded triumphantly.

Jaune froze, frustration crossing his face for a moment, before taking a deep breath and smiling at her. "Well played, Miss Schnee."

She returned his smile with a genuine grin of her own as she lowered her blade. "Thank you, Jaune."

"Awww, come on!" Came a cry from outside the ring. Weiss and Jaune both turned to look at the source, one Ruby Rose. She cradled Crocea Mors to her chest and wailed. "My baby! Abused so heartlessly by my partner! How could you, Weiss?" She glared at the white-haired girl through eyes full of tears.

"Ruby, weapons are expected to hold up the stresses of intense combat," Weiss replied pointedly. "And we were testing out the sword in a combat scenario after all."

"But you didn't need to fling him across the ring. That was emotional abuse!" Ruby cried, holding the sheathed blade up. "Apologize! Apologize to Crocea Mors!"

Weiss flushed with indignation. "I will do no such thing!"

With a burst of rose petals, the little red reaper appeared right in front of the heiress, waving the sword into her face. "Apologize!"

The white-haired girl ducked and weaved out of the enthusiastic thrusts of her partner. "I!" Dodge. "Will!" Twist. "Not!" Duck.

"Ruby, while I appreciate your enthusiasm, I don't think Crocea Mors would care all that much. He's certainly been through worse. Much worse," Jaune intoned as he stepped forward to separate the two girls.

"Oh, fine!" Ruby acquiesced with a pout. "I guess that's not all that important right now." She turned to hand the blade back to Jaune. "So, how'd he do?"

Ruby was an intelligent girl, with a knack for fighting. Judging from the expression on her face, she already knew the answer, but Jaune's wince still drew an answering one from her.

"Everythin' worked flawlessly, Ruby," Jaune replied, taking the sword from the girl's outstretched hand. "But I just... can't seem to get the hang of it. The balance of the sword is off, I just can't seem to aim the rifle right, and switchin' modes in the middle of combat is just plain awkward. I'm sorry, Ruby, I know you worked really hard on this but I think I'd rather just have my regular sword back."

"Sure!" Ruby chirped with a smile.

Weiss and Jaune blinked. "You're... not mad?" The white-haired girl asked incredulously.

"Pfft, of course not, Weiss!" Ruby laughed. "I didn't expect to get it right the first time! There's a process to these things! You have to iterate and test and redesign and more! That's what makes it so fun, the process!" She patted Crescent Rose, folded at the small of her back. "It took years to get my baby to where she is now and I'm still tinkering with her!"

She turned to address cowboy, "We've still got a lot of options to fix your range switching issues. I'll can start getting Crocea Mors back to normal right now if you'd like and maybe we can talk shop?"

"I'd love to," Jaune replied with a smile and Weiss felt her eyelid twitch.

---

So, what kind of cowboy weapon should Jaune add to his arsenal to address his inability to switch from ranged to melee combat quickly?

 

[JiggieP]

So, what kind of cowboy weapon should Jaune add to his arsenal to address his inability to switch from ranged to melee combat quickly?

Click to shrink...

A gunblade obviously.

This gunblade was in Monty Oum's Dead Fantasy series even. So it would be fitting in this au.

 

[RandomDragon]

A gunblade obviously.

This gunblade was in Monty Oum's Dead Fantasy series even. So it would be fitting in this au.

Click to shrink...

hmmm a machete/gunblade...sure it would be awkward, but with practice and paitnece? as well as the sheer amount of bullshit that aura and the mecha-shift and all the crazy skill ruby has? she probably can make it work. most likely would be a last resort weapon or something.

 

[SharkCultist]

hmmm a machete/gunblade...sure it would be awkward, but with practice and paitnece? as well as the sheer amount of bullshit that aura and the mecha-shift and all the crazy skill ruby has? she probably can make it work. most likely would be a last resort weapon or something.

Click to shrink...

So a idea for a cowboy mid range rwby style weapon....what about a gauntlet with a deployable bullwhip/lasso?

 

[IvanR1314]

for a Cowboy Rifle with a Blade, the simple solution is Rifle with Bayonet lug for the Blade.

Gauntlet with Lasso or even something like the Bulletstorm Energy Leash with Thumper ability would compliment Cowboy Jaune.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -



Blake sighed as she swung her bat at another automated pitch. She bunted it, letting the ball bounce off to the left foul line. Jaune, swinging in the cage next to her, frowned as he swung and got a second strike.



"Er... You okay Blake?"



In all honesty, he just wanted to try and avoid focusing on his own problems. And honestly, he had always wanted to reach out to Blake more. She seemed so sad and so determined...



"Yes," Blake stated, swinging again and hitting a pop fly to center field. Jaune swung again, getting a foul ball.



"You don't sound okay," Jaune pressed, just a bit. Blake shook her head, and swung again. She got a homerun, as the automated cheers indicated. Jaune swung again and hit a low ball out to left field.



"I suppose all these parents showing up reminded me of... Of my own," Blake said quietly. Jaune winced.



"Oh... I'm sorry. Are they... Um...?"



"They're alive," Blake said quietly, swinging at the next ball and hitting nothing but air, "They're doing well... I just... I haven't talked to them in a while."



Jaune swung for another foul ball, and got strike 3. He looked curiously at her.



"For how long?"



"... Two years? Maybe three?" Blake tried. Jaune frowned.



"That's... Not at all?"



"No," Blake sighed, "We uh... We didn't part on great terms and well... What would we even say to one another? I don't know where we'd begin-"



"MY BABY!"



Blake started and looked over her shoulder. Her eyes went wide. A tanned, curvy black cat Faunus woman charged her and swept her up in a hug, weeping all the while.



"MY BABY GIRL! YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU'RE SAFE!" The woman wailed. Blake coughed.



"Urk! M-Mom-?!"



The rest of her teammates gathered around. Yang was clearly caught between confusion and trying not to bust a gut. Weiss gaped. Ruby looked shocked. Nora was intrigued, as Ren looked resigned. Pyrrha smiled awkwardly, as Jaune blinked quickly to process the scene.



"What's all the ruckus?" Nick demanded, walking away from his batting cage, "Blake? You okay? Who is this woman?"



"Ummm..." Blake winced as Kali's grip tightened a bit uncomfortably, "Th-This is Kali Belladonna... My mother."



"The Queen of Menagerie?!" Weiss blurted out.



"That's me!" Kali said proudly. "Councilman Ozpin invited us here as a diplomatic gesture!" Her eyes narrowed as her smile remained wide and friendly.



"And that my darling, beloved daughter was staying here under his protection."



"Wha-Blake's a Princess?!" Ruby gasped.



"I-She's not a Queen, and I'm not a Princess, she's a Chieftainess-" Blake tried to explain, as Kali giggled.



"Of course I'm a Queen and of course you're a Princess! And you all must be her friends, hm?" She beamed. "Thank you for taking care of my little girl!"



Weiss glared as everyone else muttered or stared in shock.



"So you're a Princess," Weiss growled. Blake coughed, as Kali beamed.



"Oh yes! My darling little kitten lived in our mansion and was never denied anything and I was so proud of her~!"



"You," Weiss growled, as Yang and Ruby wisely held the Schnee heiress back. Blake coughed.



"I-I wasn't that rich or well off-"



"She absolutely was," A large man with cat ears boomed, walking into the batting cage area. He nodded, his fine black beard showing the first hints of gray hairs. "But we are thankful she is safe."



"Ghira Belladonna, Chieftain of Menagerie," Nick hummed. Ghira nodded.



"Hello. Hope you don't mind us checking up on our daughter?"



"Not at all," Nick said, eyes narrowed. "Go right ahead."



Ghira smiled and walked up to join the group hug with his wife and daughter. Blake looked so much like a cat caught in a fence that Nora couldn't help but giggle. Taiyang scowled.



"Hang on a second," Taiyang pointed out, "How could Blake Belladonna hide out in plain sight at Beacon Academy? She's the daughter of the rulers of a nation!"



"There are a lot of Belladonnas," Qrow stated blandly, "Who are black cats. It was thought she'd be safe enough... Or so I would presume," he added, at Taiyang's scowl.



"Her disguise was a BOW!" Weiss seethed.



Blake's bow drooped, as Kali patted her on the back.



"Oh, I'm so proud of you! Hiding in plain sight! You remembered Mommy's lessons so well... Even if you forgot to call us." A beat. "For almost three years."



"I-I'm... I'm really sorry?" Blake tried, wincing at her mother's terrifying smile.



"Oh it's fine dear. It's not like I cried myself to sleep every night, worrying over what the White Fang was doing to my darling baby girl! I'm totally over it!"



"She doesn't sound very over it," Ruby mumbled, as Blake's ears drooped further.



"That said," Nick stated coldly, "If she is who you claim to be... You could easily be in disguise to abduct her."



Kali squawked indignantly.



"What?! How could you say that?!"



"I-I know my own parents!" Blake insisted.



"Yes, I suppose you would know them well after living in the lap of luxury with them for so long," Weiss growled. Blake winced again.



"You're not apologizing for your wealth!" She hissed.



"No, but at least I'm not a hypocrite!" Weiss seethed.



"I-I never said I was rich-"



"You implied you had to scavenge for a living on the streets!" Weiss hissed. Blake coughed.



"I-I mean... I did gather donations at a few White Fang rallies so technically-"



"BLAAAKE!" Weiss snarled, and Ruby and Yang had to work double time to hold her back.



"Still," Ghira stated, eyes fixed on Nick, "If you wish for proof that we are who we say we are... What will it take?"



"Your dad is a little paranoid," Pyrrha observed softly. Jaune shrugged.



"I-I mean, he did work as a bodyguard for a while... So I guess those are his instincts?"



"We could provide you with our official credentials," Kali said, squeezing Blake a bit harder.



"Those could be forged," Nick growled. "No... We shall determine this via the universal language of manliness!"



Ghira's eyes widened, then narrowed.



"So be it," he stated, stepping away from his wife and daughter. Nick did the same, until they were facing off against one another like in an old West Vacuoan film. Jaune winced and cleared his throat.



"Uh, Dad, is this necessary-?"



"Yes," Nick stated.



Qrow nodded, as did Taiyang.



"Manliness will tell," Taiyang intoned.



"That's sexist!" Blake muttered. Kali squeezed her daughter again. "URK!"



"Now now dear, you can't throw that word around for everything!" Kali gently scolded. "It'll lose its power!'



The wind blew, making the long duster Nick Arc and the dark robes Ghira wore wave in the breeze. Suddenly, Nick Arc pulled off his duster and let it fall to the ground. He then reached under and yanked up his armored top and undershirt. He dropped them to the side, the heavy armor booming like a small cannon as it hit the ground. His enormous muscles, hard and smooth as though carved out of marble, were put on display. The sweat on his skin made him shine like a god, as he flexed dramatically.



"Hmph!" Nick grunted, staring Ghira in the eyes.



Ghira stared back, momentarily confused... Before he nodded, and took his own top off. The Menagerie Chieftain's own upper body was similarly toned and muscular, and he too flexed his mighty muscles as they shone in the sun.



"Haa!" He grunted back.



Nick took another dramatic pose, holding his hands together over his head as he twisted his hips. Ghira returned with a pose that showed off his mighty biceps. Nick then stretched out his right arm and held his left back behind his head, as though about to throw a discus. Ghira stretched his own powerful musculature heavenward, one arm held up with a clenched fist while his other hand grasped his bicep.



Silence ensued for a moment... Before both men dropped their poses, walked up to each other, and clasped hands like brothers.



"It is good to find human men who appreciate the art of manliness," Ghira nodded with a small grin.



"Indeed, it is the universal language for a reason," Nick agreed with a similar grin.



"Wha... I... How did that settle anything?!" Weiss demanded, though her face was bright red.



"The art of manliness cannot be explained in words, only deeds," Taiyang said with a sage nod.



"It was funnier just to let you watch," Qrow said, equally sagely.



"Uncle Qrowwww!" Ruby whined.



Ghira and Nick turned to their friends and family, and laughed together.



"My apologies for my suspicions, Lord Ghira and Lady Kali," Nick said with a bow of his head, "But Blake is a friend of my son, and thus I will protect her with my very life if necessary."



"No offense taken!" Kali giggled, eyeing her husband's impressive chest happily, "I'm glad we could settle things in a peaceful manner."



Ghira looked at Jaune, who seemed to be in a mixture of awe and bafflement. Ren looked impressed, for him anyway. Nora grinned.



"Can I learn the art of manly communication?! I can totally take off my shirt-!"



"No!" Jaune and Ren said quickly. Nora pouted.



"Not fair! Pyrrha, you wanna learn too, right?"



"U-Ummmm," Pyrrha managed, looking a bit faint through her blush.



"I'd be happy to learn, if Jaune's willing to be my partner~," Yang teased. Jaune went bright red.



"YANG!"



Ghira patted his daughter on the shoulder, who looked confused but grateful.



"I am glad you found such good friends to look after you," Ghira said quietly. Blake bowed her head and sniffled.



"Th-Thank you, Dad," she whispered.



Ghira beamed.



"Also! Jaune Arc?"



"Er uh, yes sir?"



"You have my permission to date my daughter," he stated.



"Mine too!" Kali beamed.



"Wait what?!" Jaune and Blake shouted at the same time.



- - -



The situation was tense enough that the crowd that had gathered around the three women kept their distance (Though they were still recording it on their Scrolls). Isabel clenched and unclenched her fists. Glynda tightened her grip on her riding crop. Willow summoned Glyphs and they slowly spun in the air around her.



Klein, who was clearly among the bravest men alive, stood nearby with towels, water bottles, and a first aid kit bordering on the absurdly overprepared.



The stand off's tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife... Even the birds had stopped chirping at the swirling storm of feminine rage building between these three women...



Before Ozpin wandered into the thick of it, sipping his coffee and looking over his Scroll.



"Glynda, I was hoping you could look over this TPS report... Whatever that is... Before the meeting about the-"



He blinked and looked around. The headmaster coughed.



"Oh. Hello Isabel. Hello Willow. It's so nice to see you both again."



"Oh hello Ozpin," Isabel said pleasantly, "Still putting all your paperwork on Glynda I see?"



"He started when I became class representative," Glynda groused.



"I am suddenly very happy I lost that election," Willow mused.



"I'm not, you cheated," Isabel growled.



Glynda scowled.



"I did no such thing! If anything, you cheated! You let Nick hand out flyers topless!"



"The-The idiot had lost his armor!" Isabel said defensively, "It's not like I planned to use it to get votes!"



"Oh no, that was just a happy coincidence!" Glynda sneered.



"Certainly didn't stop you from using him to win votes for later elections!" Willow growled.



"You tried to vote three times!" Isabel stated, exasperated.



"It was in every election!" Willow argued, "Besides, I had to be the treasurer! You have any idea how boring that was?!"



"About as boring and aggravating as the secretary position," Isabel hissed.



Ozpin slowly turned and began to back out of the argument. He was well aware of how foolhardy it was to get between angry blondes, thank you very much.



"Ultimately, Mrs. Arc, Mrs. Schnee, you did dodge a bullet," Klein stated, "After all, the Headmaster is the one who benefited the most from your free labor."



Ozpin gulped as all three women turned their angry gazes on him.



"Ah, no, it was hardly free, I gave you academic credit and Glynda, you're well paid as my Secretary-"



"Secretary?!" Glynda snarled.



Ozpin gulped again.



"I mean... Deputy Headmistress? That is absolutely what was I interviewing you for that day, not Secretary-"



"Ozpin," Glynda growled.



"Perhaps we should have a chat," Isabel grinned dangerously, cracking her knuckles, "About the proper use of student labor at Beacon."



"Yes, a long overdue chat," Willow hissed, Glyphs spinning.



Ozpin looked at Klein in disbelief.



"Sir... What has brought this on?"



"One must make sacrifices to preserve the peace, do you not agree Headmaster?" Klein asked with a devious smile. "I am merely following your philosophy."



"Knew I shouldn't have written that book," Ozpin muttered, as he did his level best to face his doom like a man.



- - -



Yeah I don't even know. I just write what my muse wishes.

 

[GrimmKenway8646]

"One must make sacrifices to preserve the peace, do you not agree Headmaster?" Klein asked with a devious smile. "I am merely following your philosophy."



"Knew I shouldn't have written that book," Ozpin muttered, as he did his level best to face his doom like a man.

Click to shrink...

When angry warrior women want to beat someone, its every man for himself.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

There was no way around it, Jaune Arc thought to himself as he looked over his map, then at the mine he looked down upon from the top of the cliff he'd hiked to...



"I'm lost," he sighed, carefully folding the map up and tucking it away into his pack. He shook his head and adjusted the straps of his backpack. "Well, nothing for it..."



He carefully descended down the rocky road into the mine. Maybe he could find someone who could give him directions to the nearest main road to Vale?



He saw a light up in what looked like an administrative office. It was his best bet.



- - -



Adam Taurus seldom did things like this on his own. He was not some vainglorious fool out for his own ego. Yet this... This was too personal to leave to his troops. He paced in front of the terrified Faunus and humans, all on their knees before him on the hard wooden floor of the mine overseer's office.



"You not only betrayed me and your race by working with these humans," Adam sneered, "You also betrayed yourselves. When you lie, you first lie to yourself." He contemplated Wilt's gleaming red blade, then looked back at the traitor.



She was clinging to her muscled but non-Aura unlocked husband in terror. Their half-breed children clustered around them, whimpering in fear.



"Please," she begged, her wolf ears pressed down agianst her skull, "At-At least spare our children, Adam! They're innocent!"



Adam sneered.



"No one is innocent," he hissed. He hadn't even raised his Aura for this-There was no point. It would also make the kill more visceral. He raised Wilt up, aiming for one of the sobbing brats-



The door to the office swung open, and slammed into Adam's back. The fearsome terrorist and swordsman grunted in shock, then tripped over a bit of pipe lying on the floor. With a high pitched yelp, he lost his balance and flew right through the open window, plummeting into the mine works.



Jaune Arc blinked at the wolf Faunus, man, and their children all sitting on the floor in some confusion, but remembered his manners.



"Oh, hey. I'm sorry to interrupt," he said, "But could you tell me how to get to the main road to Vale?"



The family gaped at him in utter disbelief.



- - -



Adam groaned. He shook the stars out of his eyes as he scanned his surroundings through his pounding headache.



"What the...?"



He had ended up in a mine cart on the rails into the mine itself. He dazedly looked up the hill with a scowl. A large group of mine carts were held on the hill above, all locked in thanks to a lever frame with three brightly painted levers. The light in the overseer's office went out over head. Adam grit his teeth.



"Who dares to-?!"



He saw a blond teenaged human boy, a few years younger than him, in white armor with an antique sword and shield emerge further up the track. He was leading the family away. Adam snarled and went for Wilt. No one humiliated him like that and lived-!



The boy tripped as he approached the rails... And grabbed onto one of the levers. He yelped as he fell, shifting the lever down.



The mine carts, all previously held up by the track switch, were overtaken by gravity. One after the other, they rolled downhill in a loud cacophony of mechanical racket. Adam immediately tried to leap away, his superFaunus reflexes responding... Only for his long leather coat to catch and yank him back into the cart, legs up.



"What the-?!"



The mine carts slammed into Adam's and sent them (and Adam) screaming down the tracks into the mine shaft. Adam fell into darkness, unleashing his Aura just in time as he hit the bottom, hard... And as half a dozen very heavy mine carts landed on top of him.



CRASH!



- - -



Up above, Jaune Arc got to his feet and winced.



"Geez... I think I need to buy some boots," he said. "I just keep tripping over my own two feet!"



He looked at the again astonished family, and smiled brightly.



"Oh, don't worry! Important thing is... No one got hurt!"



"... Sure," the wolf Faunus woman said with a quick nod. Her husband coughed.



"Ah, but-"



"No one got hurt," she hissed, elbowing her husband.



"Y-yes dear!"



- - -



Adam managed to crawl his way out of the mineshaft, bloodied and bruised. He groaned, and looked up as several of his White Fang henchman came upon him.



"Sir?! Are you okay, sir?! What happened?!" The lead, fortunately a medic, asked desperately. Adam growled.



"Some... Wandering human swordsman," he gasped. The medic's eyes were wide behind her mask, as the other Faunus gasped in shock.



"One human did this to you?!" She gasped.



"Y-Yes... He didn't even... Use his sword," he rasped. It hurt his pride to admit it... But there was something more important than pride at stake here.



Revenge.



- - -



How else did our intrepid idiot blond thwart Adam's attempts at revenge... Without being aware of them at all?

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

Oh god im getting cartoon logic shenanigan vibes.

 

[GrimmKenway8646]

How else did our intrepid idiot blond thwart Adam's attempts at revenge... Without being aware of them at all?

Click to shrink...

If this is gonna turn into some Tom and Jerry shenanigans about Adam trying escalatingly convoluted ways to kill Jaune but Jaune's luck keeps thwarting him Ala Looney Tunes, I am here for it.

 

[ArsMagna1337]

On the topic of relatives... Weiss's estranged aunt visits Beacon whilst preparing for her concert in the Vytal Festival. What's her name? Robin.

Yes. It's a HSR reference.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

It took a few days but the Wolf family (ironic that it was the husband's name) got Jaune back on the road and even gave him some provisions as thanks! Thanks for what, they didn't say. Maybe they were just nice people.



He was now on a mountain trail, carefully studying the map. He checked his compass and nodded.



"Okay... Hopefully I'll get in range of a CCT repeater tower this way," he murmured to himself. It looked like it would take a few days, but he had more than enough food for it. And a nice warm coat to boot!



- - -



Back at the White Fang HQ, Adam was sitting in his office under the attentions of a nurse. On the other side of the room, bowing in supplication, was his squad of assassins. He'd selected the very best for this operation. That human might have gotten lucky, but it was better to be safe than sorry.



"You understand your orders?" Adam asked. The leader, a lizard Faunus, held her bright red head of hair with golden scales across her face up and hissed.



"Yes, My Lord." She blew a spout of flame thanks to her Semblance. "The human will not be a problem."



"Bring him to me alive, Salamander," Adam growled, "I will deal with him myself."



"Of course, My Lord," she said with another bow, "His torment is only beginning!"



The assassins rose, turn, and ran out the door into the night. Adam smirked.



He would teach this human the price for his arrogance. Leaving him alive was a foolish decision. One he would regret...



- - -



Jaune sighed as he sat down in the bright sunshine. He was atop another cliff in the great Albus Mountain Range that dominated Vale, and every turn around a corner offered spectacular views. This one with a cloudless blue sky intersected by snow capped peaks was absolutely breathtaking.



"Man, I gotta take a photo of this," Jaune said with a smile. He dug into his pack, frowning a bit.



"Crap, I gotta organize this stuff better," he muttered, moving aside a stainless steel cup, a spatula, a pack of dynamite, a spoon-Wait, hold up.



"Huh?!" Jaune gasped as he looked at the dynamite sticks, "How the hell did this get in here?!"



- - -



Back at the homestead of the Wolf family...



"Why did you give him a pack of dynamite?!" Mrs. Wolf demanded her husband. Her husband shrugged.



"With his luck, he'll either blow himself up or blow up a whole lot of bad guys."



"There's no one that lucky! Or stupid!" Mrs. Wolf insisted.



- - -



"Geez, I guess they just packed it in by mistake?" Jaune tried, though honestly, even that was a stretch. He hummed as he looked it over.



"Well, how do I safely dispose of this?" He wondered. Having grown up in a farming town with a few old mines nearby, he was aware of how dangerous TNT could be over time. That's why Dust explosives were generally preferred for their greater stability, though dynamite was still used because of how cheap it was. Still... This was really dangerous and Jaune wasn't about to just leave it lying around.



"Maybe I can find someone to dispose of it safely when I get down," Jaune thought aloud. He sighed and stood up. He walked up to the edge of the cliff and scowled down the mountain. "It's gonna be a long trip... Gotta make sure you don't go off by accident on the way there."



He thought that maybe cutting the dynamite apart would make it easier to pack? He pulled out Crocea Mors to do just that... Then stopped.



"Wait, what am I thinking?" Jaune groaned. "Do I want to risk igniting this? What am I, an idiot?"



He sighed, looked back down the mountain...



"HUMAN! NOW YOU DIE!" A voice from below roared. Jaune yelped... And dropped the dynamite. His eyes went wide as he saw a burst of flames from below!



"Oh shit-!"



He turned, ran, and dove for cover!



- - -



They'd tracked the blond idiot into the mountains, and gone around. Going up the cliff face was child's play for Salamander, with her strong claws. Her fellow White Fang members climbed with her. She caught sight of the idiot and grinned as he looked down over the side at them.



"Fool," she hissed. She powered up her Semblance and flames erupted from her mouth.



"HUMAN! NOW YOU DIE!" She shrieked, unleashing a blast of flames right up at him!



She ceased her blast... Just as a small flaming package fell for her face. Out of reflex, she caught it. She frowned-What had the human thrown?



What was that sizzling noise-?



KABOOOOOOOOOOM!!!



- - -



Jaune panted for breath. He looked back at the huge pile of rocks and rubble that HAD been a scenic view mere minutes ago. The dynamite had gone off and caused an avalanche. He carefully walked back, and looked down. He tried to see if anyone had survived... Or if anyone had been down there.



Nothing but rubble as far as the eye could see. Jaune sighed, and scratched the back of his head, Crocea Mors held tightly in his other hand.



"Geez... I hope I was just hearing things," he said. He didn't wish that kind of death on anyone!



- - -



Salamander groaned. She felt the very heavy rocks all over her slowly being lifted away. Light shone down on her. She felt the medics carrying her off to a Bullhead.



She drifted in and out of consciousness, before she found herself in the White Fang hideout. Medical equipment beeped nearby as she lay in bed. Her entire body was wrapped in gauze and casts as her Aura slowly rebuilt itself.



Adam walked up, now using a cane.



"My Lord," Salamander moaned, "We... We failed you..."



"How? What happened?" Adam demanded. Salamander tried to think, but it was hard. Her Aura was powerful but whatever had hit her had done a number on everything.



She... She thought she'd seen... Something shiny... The boy was a swordsman... He had a sword... Then there was just bright light...



Her eyes widened.



"A... An Aura Slash," she whispered, "Had to be... He saw us, and unleashed it on us! Powerful enough to bring the mountain down upon us!"



Adam stared at her... Then slowly nodded.



"So... He was holding back in our first fight," he said, satisfied, "That makes sense. He sought to mock me... And now he has shown his true power... No doubt he felt me sending assassins was an insult to his pride."



He turned away, still musing.



"Humiliate me, challenge me... And then when I do not strike back myself, destroy my subordinates for the insult. This human... Yes... " Salamander saw Adam smirk.



"I might almost like him."



He turned back to Salamander.



"When you are healed? You will take your team and find out everything you can about this human. We must know our enemy to defeat him."



"Y-yes My Lord," Salamander moaned, her spirit sinking at the prospect of facing that monster again.



- - -



The provincial border guard gave Jaune a wry look as he stood in front of the guard station.



"Carrying any illegal substances, weapons, or explosives?"



"Not anymore," Jaune muttered.



"What was that?"



"Nothing!"



- - -

 

[TheFabulousCustodes]

"Those could be forged," Nick growled. "No... We shall determine this via the universal language of manliness!"



Ghira's eyes widened, then narrowed.



"So be it," he stated, stepping away from his wife and daughter. Nick did the same, until they were facing off against one another like in an old West Vacuoan film. Jaune winced and cleared his throat.

Click to shrink...

I know where this came from, that episode of Full Metal Alchemist.

"I might almost like him."

Click to shrink...

"You've earned the right to know my true identity human. For I am not Adam Taurus, but *tears clothes off* EVE TAURUS!"

 

[Brian Boru]

I know where this came from, that episode of Full Metal Alchemist.



"You've earned the right to know my true identity human. For I am not Adam Taurus, but *tears clothes off* EVE TAURUS!"

Click to shrink...

Blake: What?!?


Everyone Else: But weren't you...?


Blake: um... I never noticed...