[RWBY] The Great Temporal Step-Sibling War!

[zMADLAXz]

What, does he have a giant penis or something?"

Blake turned scarlet. Ghira and Kali struggled mightily to keep straight faces. Behind her, Leander and Leandra looked openly haunted-they had far too many memories about how… enthusiastic their future parents could be.

Blake swallowed once, then lifted her chin and declared with every scrap of Belladonna dignity she could muster:

"YES! But that's beside the point!

Click to shrink...

I would call out the internalized stereotyping of Sex and Romance with body shapes and features but honestly I would ask the same thing in their position.

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

"YES! But that's beside the point!"

Click to shrink...

Female Fang: well you can't just end on that!
Male Fang: Do we have to be here for this?
Everyone: Shut up and cope

 

[GrimmKenway8646]

Blake swallowed once, then lifted her chin and declared with every scrap of Belladonna dignity she could muster:

"YES! But that's beside the point!"

Click to shrink...

*facepalm*
What dignity Blake?

 

[PotatoVodka]

Well... That's one way to try and change their minds

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Radian Cathedral, Gallia, Vale

Five years after Salem's defeat

- - -

The dressing room smelled like lilies, hairspray, and barely-contained panic.

Yang Xiao Long stood in front of the full-length mirror in a flowing white gown that somehow managed to look both elegant and sexy-Even with her pregnancy. Six months pregnant, her belly curved proudly under the silk, and her golden hair had been twisted into soft waves that framed her face. She looked beautiful. She looked terrified.

Weiss fussed with the train, Winter adjusted the veil with military precision, and Blake stood off to the side offering quiet, steady reassurance.

"It's fine, Yang," Blake said gently, "It's all going to be fine."

"I'm fine," Yang said for the fifth time in two minutes. Her voice cracked. "Totally fine. One hundred percent fine. Why wouldn't I be fine? I'm getting married. To Jaune. The guy who literally brought me back from being a dragon. No big deal. Except—what if I just… hopped on Bumblebee right now? Revved the engine, hit the highway, and kept going until I hit Vacuo? I could be in the desert by sundown. Sand in my hair, wind in my face, no responsibilities—"

"Yang," Weiss cut in sharply, "you are six months pregnant. You are not hopping on anything with two wheels."

Winter nodded once, arms crossed. "And even if you weren't, I would tackle you before you reached the parking lot."

Blake stepped closer, ears twitching. "Yang. Breathe. You're spiraling."

"I'm not spiraling!" Yang's hands fluttered over her belly. "I'm just… thinking. Logically. What if I turn out exactly like Mom? What if I get scared and run and leave Jaune holding the baby and—oh gods, what if the kid grows up wondering why Mommy disappeared on a motorcycle like some bad country song?"

The door burst open. Ruby skidded in, bouquet already slightly crushed from nerves. "Yang! I heard you from the hallway! You're not running! You're getting married! To Jaune! Our Jaune! The one who makes terrible puns and still blushes when you kiss him in public!"

Yang's eyes were wide, verging on hysteria. "Ruby, I love him so much it hurts, but what if love isn't enough? What if I ruin everything? What if—"

Weiss grabbed Yang's shoulders firmly. "Xiao Long, you will calm down. You are carrying my future niece or nephew and I refuse to deliver emotional support in a desert because you decided to reenact your mother's greatest hits."

Blake exchanged a quick look with Ruby, then slipped out the door without another word.

A minute later the door opened again. Blake returned, gently pushing Jaune Arc inside. He was already in his tux-simple, classic, the jacket straining just a little across his broad shoulders. The horrible scar across his neck stood out stark against his collar: the jagged line where Cinder had nearly taken his head, and where Yang-in her dragon form-had bitten him in blind, grief-fueled rage during the chaos of the Ever After.

The other women quietly filed out. Ruby gave Yang a quick thumbs-up and a watery smile before closing the door behind them.

Jaune crossed the room in three strides and pulled Yang into his arms, holding her tight against his chest. She buried her face in his shoulder, the white veil crumpling between them. Soft, shaky sniffles turned into quiet sobs.

"What are you afraid of, Yang?" he asked gently, one hand stroking her back, the other cradling the back of her head.

"I… What if… What if I run away?" she whispered, voice breaking. "What if I leave you and… and our kid behind like my mom?"

Jaune's arms tightened. "Yang… Yang. First… you never cut and run against Salem. Not once. You fought tooth and nail, even when you were a dragon. And second?" He pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes, that familiar, steady blue gaze unwavering. "You really think I wouldn't track you down to the ends of Remnant and bring you back?"

Yang let out a wet, broken scoff. "I nearly killed you… I… I'm so scared…" Another shaky breath. "I'm so scared…"

Jaune cupped her face, thumbs brushing away tears. "And that's what courage means. Conquering your fear… not letting it win. You're not your mother, Yang. You never will be. You stayed. You fought. You came back to me. Every single time."

Yang sniffled hard, leaning into his touch. "…You're right… You're right… I'm just… I'm just so stupid…"

Jaune smiled softly, pressing his forehead to hers. "You're pregnant and getting married. Of course you're gonna act stupid."

Yang let out a watery laugh despite herself. "…You're really tempting me to get even more emotional, you know. Like with my fists."

"I know…" He grinned, that crooked, boyish smile she loved so much. "Which is how stupid I am, huh? Stupidly in love with you."

Yang laughed again, louder this time, the sound breaking through the tears. "That was terrible…"

"I know…"

She looked up at him, eyes shining. "I loved it…" Then she leaned in and kissed him—soft at first, then deeper, her hands sliding up to paw at the lapels of his tuxedo.

Jaune groaned against her mouth but gently caught her wrists, pulling back just enough. "Y-Yang! We gotta get married first!"

"Fine… Fine…" She rested her forehead against his, breathing hard, a wicked little spark returning to her lilac eyes. "But after? You'd better get me to the limo fast… 'Cause I might not be able to wait~."

Jaune let out a long, suffering groan, cheeks flushing. "Great… Now I won't be able to either."

Yang laughed again-bright, real, and full of love-then kissed him once more, softer this time. "Good. Gives us something to look forward to."

 

[John Jackson]

Insert riding the dragon joke
of course if Jaune needs to "tame" the dragon he probably knows the secret technique… knife flutes

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XZmklbhZfbQ&pp=ygUVc3VtbW9uIHRoZSBkcmFnb256b3Jk

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Radian Cathedral, Gallia, Vale

Five years after Salem's defeat

- - -

The dressing room was pure chaos wrapped in white silk and rose petals.

Ruby Rose stood in the center of it all, absolutely radiant in her wedding gown—except for the fact that she looked two seconds away from launching herself out the nearest window like a human Crescent Rose bullet.

"I can't do this!" she squeaked, pacing in a tight circle, veil flapping behind her like a battle standard. "What if I trip over my own feet? What if my normal knees just-just give out? What if I burst out of the room screaming and everyone sees me running down the aisle backwards? What if-?!"

"Ruby," Weiss said, voice sharp but fond as she tried to pin the veil back in place, "you are not going to burst out of anywhere. You're my best friend and you will walk down that aisle like the elegant, graceful Huntress you are."

"Elegant? Me?" Ruby flailed her arms. "I still trip over air on a good day! And these knees—my normal knees—are not built for weddings! They're built for scythe-swinging and cookie-baking, not slow dignified walking while everyone stares at me!"

Blake stepped in smoothly, hands gentle on Ruby's shoulders. "Deep breaths. You've faced Salem. You've faced Tyrian. You can face walking twenty feet in heels."

Yang, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and a grin that was half-sisterly affection, half-amusement, chuckled. "Besides, if your knees betray you, Jaune will just carry you the rest of the way. He's done it before."

"That's not helping!" Ruby wailed.

Penny Polendina hovered nearby, green eyes wide with helpful concern, her legs making soft whirring sounds every time she shifted.

"Friend Ruby, your knees are functioning at ninety-eight point seven percent efficiency! I have been monitoring your vitals since we started getting ready. There is only a zero-point-three percent chance of catastrophic knee failure!"

Ruby's eyes widened as she began to tremble.

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "Penny, that is… somehow making it worse."

Yang waved her hands. "Yeah, not helping! We're trying to calm her down, not wind her up!"

Ruby's silver eyes were wide and panicked. "See? Even Penny knows my knees are doomed! I'm gonna trip, fall on my face, and our babies will think their mom is the clumsiest person on Remnant and-!"

Penny's rockets fired with a cheerful whoosh. She shot out of the room like a mint-green missile before anyone could stop her.

Ruby blinked. "What the heck is she—?"

Thirty seconds later Penny rocketed back in, one metallic arm wrapped firmly around Jaune Arc's waist as she carried him bridal-style through the doorway. Jaune looked equal parts startled and resigned, still half in his tux, artificial right hand twitching slightly at his side.

Weiss shrieked. "PENNY! They're not supposed to see each other before the ceremony!"

Penny tilted her head innocently, still hovering with Jaune in her arms. "Query: Do the bride and groom need to be blinded? I can provide sensory deprivation goggles if traditional superstition requires temporary visual obstruction-?"

"Penny!" Yang barked, already herding the others toward the door. "Out. All of you. Now."

Blake gave Ruby an encouraging nod. Weiss muttered something about "ridiculous robot logic" under her breath. Yang shot her sister a quick thumbs-up before closing the door firmly behind them, leaving Ruby and Jaune alone.

Ruby stared at him, veil slightly askew, hands hovering protectively over her belly. "Jaune… what is it? You look… off."

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand, the artificial right one still giving occasional little jerks. "It's nothing."

Ruby's eyes narrowed. "Jaune Arc. Spill."

He sighed, holding up the malfunctioning hand. The fingers twitched again, servos making a soft grinding sound. "It's… glitching a bit. Started this morning. I thought I could tough it out until after the ceremony."

Ruby's panic evaporated instantly, replaced by that familiar focused Huntress-engineer glare. She marched over (knees apparently forgetting they were supposed to be traitorous), dropped to her knees despite the dress, and pulled a small emergency repair kit out of… somewhere inside her gown.

Not that Jaune commented on that: He knew her too well.

"You absolute dork," she scolded gently, already popping open a panel on his wrist and fiddling with the micro-tools. "Why didn't you tell me? I could've fixed this last night!"

Jaune smiled down at her, soft and warm.

"In all the excitement of the wedding… I thought I'd tell you after. Didn't want to stress you out more."

Ruby sighed, carefully recalibrating a servo. "Jaune… I'll always be here for you. That's what marriage is all about. Does it always have to be you taking on more hardship by yourself? We... We promised we'd never be like that. Never again."

He watched her work, the artificial hand slowly steadying under her touch. "I'm the tank. The shield. That's my job."

Ruby scoffed, closing the panel with a satisfied click and giving the hand a test flex. It moved smoothly now. "We're more than our roles, dummy. You don't have to carry everything alone. Not anymore."

Jaune's expression softened. He reached down with his newly-fixed hand—warm, steady—and gently cupped her cheek. "Yes… and the same goes for you." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, right through the veil. "My knees might be normal, but I still need you to catch me sometimes too."

Ruby rose up on her toes (knees behaving perfectly, thank you very much) and kissed him properly: Soft, sweet, then deeper as her arms looped around his neck. Jaune pulled her closer, careful of her belly, and for a moment the entire world narrowed down to just the two of them.

The door cracked open.

Weiss's voice cut through like a rapier. "Save that for the honeymoon, you two! We still have a ceremony to get through!"

Ruby pulled back with a sheepish giggle, cheeks flushed, silver eyes sparkling. Jaune just grinned, resting his forehead against hers.

"Ready?" he whispered.

Ruby took a deep breath, squeezed his repaired hand, and nodded. "Yeah… I think my normal knees are gonna be just fine."

She kissed him one more time—quick and full of promise—then let Weiss drag her back toward the mirror for final adjustments.

Jaune lingered in the doorway a second longer, watching her with that same look he'd had since Beacon: like she hung the moon and stars and built them herself.

"See you at the altar, Crater Face," he teased softly.

Ruby stuck her tongue out at him, but she was smiling brighter than any silver-eyed blast. "You better be there, Vomit Boy. Or I'm coming after you."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The hangar's echoes were still dying down when Blake ducked back behind the Tigertail's sleek fuselage, heart hammering like a war drum. She immediately pressed both hands over her face, mortified heat radiating from her ears all the way down to her toes.

Ghira and Kali had done the heavy lifting in the conversation with the prisoners from then on. Blake had stayed on, as stoic as she could manage... But the moment she had some privacy, she felt like falling apart.

Kali stepped in beside her, bright and unflappable as ever.

"I think it went well!"

Blake's muffled groan was answer enough. Leander and Leandra flanked her without a word, each twin reaching up to pat one of her shoulders in gentle, synchronized comfort.

"That was a total disaster…!" Blake whimpered through her fingers.

Kali clicked her tongue, soft and maternal.
"Now Blake… the fact they listened at all is a win. Enough to give us some hope. They aren't trying to escape, or fighting back against us even while we send them home to be tried."

Blake moaned. Kali reached up and rubbed behind her ears affectionately.

"Sometimes in politics you must take what you can get."

Blake lowered her hands just enough to peek out, cheeks still flaming.

"Ugh… You taught me so much and I just… I forgot it all. All for...!"

"Love?" Kali guessed. Blake blushed brighter.

"I... I don't know if it's that far but... Um... Maybe."

"Not just of your fiance," Kali said gently. Blake flushed and bent her head again, mumbling.

"... It is a big mistake I made-"

"And you're working to correct it," Kali said gently, "As hard as you can."

Blake sighed.

"I just... I wish I had retained more of your lessons... Maybe not been so... Stupid."

Leandra gave her shoulder another reassuring pat.

"Trust me Mom, you become an amazing negotiator in the future!"

Leander nodded sagely on her other side.

"Yes, very good."

Leandra's smile turned impish. "And you teach us!"

Leander's grin widened. "Trust me, it was useful having to deal with eighteen siblings."

Blake let out a long, theatrical groan and slumped back against the aircraft's metal skin.

From the other side of the Tigertail came the sound of approaching footsteps—military boots mixed with the lighter click of restraints. Ghira appeared first, calm and regal, followed by Sun (grinning like an idiot) and two VDF guards in green battle dress. Between them walked Ilia, in some casual clothes, wrists cuffed in front of her and a simple leather collar around her neck. A leash clipped to the collar rested loosely in Sun's hand. Lieutenant Colonel Stuart brought up the rear, one eyebrow arched in bemused curiosity.

Ilia's eyes flicked up and met Blake's. She offered a small, awkward nod.

"…Hello, Blake."

Blake straightened quickly, despite the added awkwardness.

"Ilia…"

Ilia shifted, cuffs clinking. "I… Your parents spoke with me. About everything. And um…"

Blake swallowed hard. "Ilia… I did screw up a lot with you. I know. I've… I've generally screwed up everything. I think I screwed this up too. I'm so sorry you got dragged into all this."

Ilia's colors flickered-brief flashes of regret and embarrassment dancing across her skin.

"Well… I mean… I did a lot of bad things too-"

Ghira's deep voice cut in, gentle but firm.'

"Blame never solves anything. At some point, you have to ask… what are you going to do about it?"

Sun grinned wider, giving the leash a tiny, playful tug that made Ilia's spots turn pink.

"Yeah… That's what I told her."

Ilia huffed, cheeks tinting pink. "Hmph… So… Um… I will give intelligence to Chieftain Belladonna. Now that I understand the situation better. I'll work with them to help stop all this. And ensure everyone gets a fair trial."

Sun beamed like the sun itself. "And I'll be there every day with you!"

Ilia's colors flared brighter. "Y-You don't have to be there all the time!"

Sun leaned in, utterly unbothered. "No, but I want to."

Kali clasped her hands together with an audible "Awww…"

Leander and Leandra exchanged a quick, slightly nauseated glance before shrugging at Blake in unison.

Leander muttered, "They're as lovey-dovey as you two."

Leandra added under her breath, "Please, no one's that lovey-dovey."

Sun perked up. "How many kids do we have in the future?"

Leander answered without thinking. "Like… seven… teen?"

Ilia's eyes went wide. "S-S-SEVENTEEN?!"

Sun punched the air. "WOW! I'd better start getting ready!"

Ilia's colors flashed through every shade of mortified pink before she simply fainted dead away. Sun caught her effortlessly, cradling her against his chest with a soft chuckle.

Lieutenant Colonel Stuart raised an eyebrow, voice dry. "The future?"

Blake's heart stopped. A drop of ice plunged straight into her stomach. They were supposed to keep this secret-!

Ghira and Kali exchanged a single, perfectly synchronized glance. Kali turned to the colonel with the sweetest, most diplomatic smile in the Belladonna arsenal.

"Colonel Stuart… surely you understand the nature of discretion when it comes to delicate diplomatic situations?"

Stuart's expression didn't change, but the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Oh… of course." He looked to the two soldiers beside him. "Did you hear anything, Corporal?"

The corporal stared straight ahead. "No sir."

Stuart turned to the private. "How about you, Private?"

"Not a thing, sir!"

Kali beamed at Blake, warm and proud.

"Politics."
Blake let out a shaky breath, the tension in her chest easing just a fraction. She looked at her mother-really looked-and the words slipped out before she could second-guess them.

"…I… would like to relearn, Mother."

Kali's smile softened into something gentler, almost misty.

"Of course! But first-" She reached out and gently tugged one of Blake's cat ears. "We need to get you ready for your date!"

Blake blinked, the absurdity of the day crashing back in full force. Behind her, Leander and Leandra snickered quietly while Sun adjusted his grip on the still-unconscious Ilia and grinned like he'd just won the lottery.

Blake covered her face with her hands again, but this time a tiny, reluctant smile peeked between her fingers.

"…Yes."

 

[John Jackson]

White fang prisoner
"Wait why is she the only one of us chained up like that?"

 

[bazerkerking]

White fang prisoner
"Wait why is she the only one of us chained up like that?"

Click to shrink...

"She deliberately asked to, and I didnt habe the heart to tell her no, plus it made her himbo boyfriend/ future husband happy so.. two birds , one stone and all that."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Arc-Atlan Farmhouse, Radian, Vale

11 years after Salem's defeat

- - -

The living-room fire crackled low and golden. Jaune sat in the big worn armchair with Arslan curled against his side, her head on his shoulder. Five children were gathered at their feet like a litter of curious kittens amidst wrapped chocolates and gifts.

Petra, seven and already fierce, leaned against Jaune's good knee. Neptune, five, sprawled on his stomach with his chin in his hands. Kazuma, four, sat cross-legged and solemn. Lucy, three, clutched a stuffed lion and sucked her thumb. In twin carriers beside Arslan's chair, baby Susan and Peter fussed softly in their tiny Sunday best:Susan in a miniature white dress, Peter in a miniature black suit.

Jaune's voice, warm and steady, filled the room as he read from the old leather-bound book.

"And the White Witch said unto Aslan, 'You have come to die in the traitor's stead.' And Aslan answered, 'It is so.' Then they bound the Great Lion and shaved his mane and dragged him to the Stone Table. There the Witch raised her knife and slew him, and the sky grew dark, and all the world seemed to weep with Lucy and Susan...

"But lo, when the sun rose again upon the first light of morning, the Stone Table cracked asunder from end to end. And Aslan stood before them, whole and alive, his mane restored and his eyes brighter than the dawn. And he said unto the girls:

"'There is a deeper magic from before the dawn of time. When a willing victim who has committed no wrong is slain in the traitor's stead, the Table will crack and Death itself will begin to work backwards.'"

Jaune closed the book gently.

Petra's eyes were shining. "Dad would've charged right in and saved Aslan," she declared. "He wouldn't have let the Witch touch him."

Arslan smiled, soft and proud, and brushed a lock of hair from Petra's face. "I know he would have tried, sweetheart. But Aslan had to die. For Edmund. For all of us."

Neptune sat up, brow furrowed. "Why?"

Jaune rested a hand on his son's head. "To save us all, buddy. Sometimes the only way to beat the darkness is to let it think it's won… and then come back anyway."

The children absorbed that in silence for a moment. Then Jaune clapped his hands once. "All right, story time's over. Go get ready for church: best clothes, best behavior. Aurora's Day waits for no one."

The older four scrambled up with excited chatter and thundered upstairs. Arslan chuckled, already reaching into the carriers to straighten Susan's little dress and Peter's tiny suit. The babies fussed and kicked, unhappy at being confined.

Jaune rose carefully—his artificial leg giving its familiar soft mechanical click—and stepped behind his wife. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on top of her head.

"I'm very thankful for you this day," he murmured against her hair.

Arslan giggled, a low, warm sound, and leaned back into him, nuzzling his jaw. "And I for you, my knight."

She was quiet a moment, watching the twins settle under her gentle hands. Then, softer:

"The Blacksmith… in the Ever After… offered to let me die. To come back as someone new. A clean slate."

Jaune's arms tightened. "She offered me the same."

Arslan turned just enough to meet his eyes. "I still find that whole place… distressing. She never said what she truly was. Or what the Brothers were. It makes me wonder if my faith is strong enough when I doubt like this. After all this time...

Her eyes fell slightly, meeting his chin.

Jaune kissed the top of her head. "She was an angel of God, I think. And the Brothers… fallen ones. That's the only thing that makes sense to me."

Arslan nodded slowly. "I think that too. But the worry remains. What if my faith isn't strong enough?"

"Doubt is natural," Jaune said quietly. "What matters is how we live. Besides… faith wouldn't be faith if we knew for sure, right?"

Arslan's smile returned, small and grateful. She turned fully in his arms and kissed him. It was slow, tender, full of years of shared battles and quiet mornings.

Well, once quiet mornings.

The thunder of small feet announced the older children's return. Petra, Neptune, Kazuma, and Lucy barreled in, scrubbed and dressed and vibrating with Aurora's Day excitement.

Jaune adjusted his artificial leg one last time, then offered Arslan his arm. She gathered the twins, Susan in one carrier, Peter in the other, and slipped her free hand into his.

Together they stepped out into the bright Radian morning, the whole family moving as one toward the pick up truck.

Petra skipped ahead, already eager and energetic.

"Do we get to keep the eggs we find?" Neptune asked.

"Of course we do, stupid!" Petra laughed. Neptune scowled.

"Mama! She called me stupid!"

"Cause you are!"

"Nuh uh! Lucy's stupid!"

"Am not!" Lucy cried, tears already coming to her eyes.

"Behave, children!" Jaune ordered sternly. "Petra, apologize."

Petra, contrite, bowed her head.

"Sorry Neptune."

Neptune sniffled. Petra took his hand, and he smiled softly.

"Kazuma," Arslan spoke, "Hold Lucy's hand and help her."

Kazuma held her hand with a smile. Lucy stopped crying, and hugged him. The babies cooed.

They piled into the truck. Jaune put the twins into their car seats. Arslan managed the other kids. They slid into the front seats, and sighed. Jaune smiled and squeezed her hand. She squeezed back.

"And yes," Arslan said, "You do get to keep the eggs."

"YAY!" Cheered the children, as Jaune started the truck up and eased it down the driveway, into the warm morning light.

- - -

For those who celebrate: Happy Easter! And even if you don't celebrate: Happy Easter! I hope you have a good day.

I decided, after a lot of thought, to name the holiday that corresponded to Easter "Aurora Fracta" (Broken Dawn in Latin): Aurora for short. Easter is derived from an Old English/Germanic word ēastre, which is believed to be named after an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and dawn. This term is linked to the Proto-Germanic root austron-, meaning "dawn." Aurora thus continues the tradition of using pagan god names and words for Christian holidays. Which does not make them pagan, they just made the words fit a new holiday.