[RWBY] The Great Temporal Step-Sibling War!

[AndrewJTalon]

Dinner had been chaos.

The long table in the guest dining room of Beacon had been packed with future kids, current students, parents, and enough overlapping conversations to make anyone's head spin. Yang had smiled through most of it—there was something warm and right about the noise, the clatter of plates, the way little hands reached for seconds and bigger ones passed dishes without asking. A big family. The kind she'd sometimes let herself imagine on quiet nights when Ruby was asleep and the world felt too heavy.

But it was also exhausting.

So when the meal finally wound down and people started drifting off in smaller groups, Yang slipped outside into the cool evening air. The courtyard behind the dorms was quiet, lit by a few scattered lamps and the distant glow of Vale's skyline. She spotted Ruby sitting on a low stone bench near the fountain, hunched over her Scroll, silver eyes faintly glowing as she muttered to herself.

Yang strolled up behind her, casual as anything. "Careful, or else your eyes might open a portal to the punch dimension."

"ACK! Yang!" Ruby nearly dropped the Scroll, whipping around with a scowl that could curdle milk. "Don't do that!"

Yang snickered and dropped down behind her sister, leaning back against the bench so Ruby's back rested against her shoulder. "Sorry, sorry…" She gave Ruby's hair a gentle ruffle. "What's got you so ruffled, though?"

Ruby huffed, shoulders slumping. "Just… ugh. A lot of junk." Her eyes dimmed, but the tension didn't leave her posture. "I suck at using my eyes. Jaune's on a date with Pyrrha and Blake right now. And Dad… he's off fighting some dangerous psychopath."

Yang's smile faltered for half a second. Right. Gods, this harem shit is gonna be a nightmare if they can't even be okay with other "dates"… Seriously, what does Blake see in him? If the kids never showed up she would've never even gotten the idea—

Dangerous thoughts. She shoved them down and scoffed lightly. "What do you mean you 'suck with your eyes'? What, are you color blind now? Please tell me I'm still blonde to you."

Ruby deadpanned without missing a beat. "Nah. Barf green."

"Rats." Yang snapped her fingers. "Well, I can probably figure something out."

Ruby groaned and leaned harder against her. "But… ugh. It's just really hard. And I kind of have to figure it out to save the world…"

Yang's brow furrowed. "Okay, who the hell told you that?!"

"All the future kids told me…" Ruby's voice was small. "I'm like… key to saving the world."

Before Yang could answer, a familiar voice cut in from behind them.

"That doesn't mean you should push yourself so hard," Arjun said, stepping into the lamplight with a small smirk. Isabel stood beside him, arms crossed but eyes soft. "Especially when I told you to rest the rest of the day."

Ruby and Yang both yelped. "GYAH!"

Yang recovered first, twisting to glare up at him. "While knock-off Owlman—"

"Knock-off?!" Arjun's smirk twitched.

"—is right," Yang continued smoothly, "I'm gonna have a talk with all these kids who pressured you like this. Because that's just not cool."

Ruby sat up straighter, defensive. "They're not pressuring me! They all say the same thing—I helped save the world!"

Yang nodded. "Yeah. Helped. They said the same to all of us."

Arjun's expression gentled. "It's less that they're pressuring her and more that she's pressuring herself."

Ruby crossed her arms with a huff. "Hmph! You don't have to talk like I'm not here."

Isabel chuckled quietly.

Ruby narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"Just… nostalgia," Isabel said, a fond but bittersweet look crossing her face. "You remind me so much of Summer."

Yang tilted her head. "It's the hair, isn't it?"

"And the putting too much pressure on yourself," Isabel added gently, "and not listening to people trying to keep you healthy."

Arjun stepped closer, voice steady. "Ruby. I have read through all the reports the kids put together. Yes, you are key to saving the world in every timeline… but that doesn't mean you are the only one involved. Nor that you have to carry all that weight alone."

Yang squeezed Ruby's shoulder. "Exactly. Seriously, who cares what they think? They're kids who see you as their mom or Aunt Ruby and a superhero. But you know whose opinion actually matters?"

Ruby glanced up. "…Mine?"

Yang shook her head, smirking. "No. Mine. And right now, my opinion is that you're being a dummy. Even if you do end up saving the world someday, you don't have to kill yourself over it. That won't work."

Before Ruby could protest, two more voices piped up from the shadows.

Julian scowled as he and Xia stepped into view. "Hey! I'm not a kid! I'm as old as Mom!"

Xia rolled her eyes. "And we're the same age, Mom!"

Ruby jumped. "GAH! What, are you also Owlman?!"

Yang's eyebrow twitched dangerously. "OI! Quiet! Look at what you guys did to your poor auntie/mother. For shame!"

Julian shrugged. "Which one? Robby Patterboy or Chris Bailingwire?"

Ruby blinked. "Eh? The Dusk Vampire guy and the guy from Valean Psycho? They become Batman?"

Arjun actually looked mildly impressed. "They survive the War against Salem? Huh. Go figure."

Yang just muttered, "Oi…"

Xia moved closer, her voice softer. "The thing is, Aunt Ruby… you do save the world. You're like, one of our heroes. But you don't do it alone."

Yang gave her daughter an approving nod. "Better."

Julian grinned. "Yeah! So please stop being dumb! Um… Mom."

Ruby pointed at him. "You can't call your mom dumb! You're grounded!"

Julian crossed his arms. "Nuh-uh! You already grounded me!"

Ruby puffed up. "Well you're double grounded!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah-huh!"

Arjun sighed, long-suffering. "And they're both as mature as Summer."

Isabel nodded. "Yup."

Yang turned to Isabel with a wicked little grin. "Hey, just wondering—I know parents aren't allowed to have favorite children, but am I allowed to have least-favorite nieces or nephews from fellow wives?"

Isabel's eyes widened. "What?!"

Yang waved a hand. "Ehhh, don't worry about it, I'll figure it out. Look, Ruby, there's a reason we're in teams, y'know?"

Ruby huffed. "Well, I don't like Xia!"

Xia's eyes immediately went shiny, lower lip trembling. "Aunt Ruby…"

"Ah!" Ruby gasped, going over to her and hugging her. "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!"

She saw Xia's grin, and scowled. "HEY!"

Yang fake-sniffed dramatically. "You're perfect…"

"Thanks Mom!" Xia sang happily.

Julian just crossed his arms with a hmph.

Before the chaos could escalate further, Arjun cleared his throat. "I have news about your father, girls."

Ruby and Yang both straightened. Arjun smiled. "Don't worry. It's good news."

Yang narrowed her eyes. "Us, or hers?" She nodded toward Xia.

Arjun raised an eyebrow. "Why would I have news about Jaune?"

Yang smirked. "You're telling me you don't have spies stationed, watching over him in case something goes down?"

Arjun's lips twitched. "…Clever girl."

He continued, voice steady. "Tai. He's all right. Lionheart escaped, but he left a massive bomb that would have blown up Haven—"

Ruby's eyes went wide. "WHAT?!"

Arjun held up a hand. "But Qrow's Semblance disarmed it."

Isabel let out a breath she'd clearly been holding. "Oh thank God…"

Yang frowned. "That doesn't sound right."

Ruby nodded. "Yeah… wouldn't it have sped up the timer instead?"

Yang pointed at her. "Yeah, that sounds more like what would happen to Uncle Qrow."

Arjun chuckled. "Well, 'disarmed.' It's more that his Semblance ensured the detonator malfunctioned and burnt out before it went off."

Yang relaxed a fraction. "Ah."

Ruby's voice was small again. "S-So… he's coming home soon?"

Isabel sighed. "I've told Qrow his Semblance may have depended on his mood. Many probability Semblances can respond to mental states."

Yang muttered under her breath, "He needs to get laid."

Arjun ignored that with practiced ease. "No. They're tracking Lionheart down. But they have backup. And I've assigned my most powerful warrior to aid him." His smile returned, warmer. "He saved my life a number of times. And we know Lionheart's abilities—what he's hidden from us. He will be fine."

Ruby looked down at her hands. "I… I still don't know why it took so long for you to talk to us. I'm sorry about this—"

Arjun shook his head. "No. A few conversations and a miracle of time travel won't erase all that pain. I understand, Ruby."

Isabel stepped forward and pulled Ruby into a gentle hug. "Yes… And some people just don't change, no matter what…"

The bitterness in her voice was quiet but unmistakable. Yang knew exactly who had caused it—Raven. She'd talked to her again, huh?

Yang scowled and turned away slightly.

Xia's small voice was worried. "Mom…?"

Yang forced a smile back onto her face, bright and a little too sharp. "Hm? Oh, sorry—running down the list of who would be willing to give Drunkle Qrow a shot and remembered that Glynda isn't… available. Which is so weird to think about. Got any ideas?"

Isabel deadpanned, "Well, if we could get Willow to stop ogling my husband for five minutes…"

Arjun raised an eyebrow. "Or yourself."

Isabel rolled her eyes. "She is not. You're ridiculous."

Yang barked a laugh. "HAH! That'd be hilarious. Weiss and Winter would blow a fuse. Can we make that happen?"

Ruby groaned, disappointed. "Yang…"

Yang held up her hands. "W-What? I'm just saying…"

Ruby turned to Julian. "Who does she end up with in our timeline, Julian?"

Julian beamed. "Uncle Qrow!"

Arjun actually looked pained. "…That's a disaster."

Julian shrugged. "I dunno, they seem happy."

Xia added helpfully, "She ends up with some Arminusian dude in mine."

Yang grinned wider. "See?! So it's possible! And it'd be entertaining."

Isabel sighed, long-suffering but fond. "Anything to make her stop ogling my husband."

Yang's grin softened into something warmer. "See? This is why you're my favorite mother-in-law."

Isabel gave her a flat look. "I'm your only…"

Yang's voice was quiet but sincere. "And I wouldn't trade you for a different one."

Isabel blinked. For a moment the older woman just looked at her—really looked—then a soft, genuine smile curved her lips. "Thank you."

The fountain bubbled quietly between them. Ruby leaned back against Yang again, tension easing just a little. Julian and Xia exchanged glances, the earlier chaos settling into something almost peaceful.

Yang let out a slow breath and wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders.

One step at a time.

- - -

Things had gotten weird with that paparazzi ambush, but they'd kicked the guy's ass and weren't going to prison, so Jaune was calling it a win. Still, the evening had veered far from the quiet, normal date night Pyrrha had hoped for. He walked with her toward the airship field.

Behind them, Penny and Xander followed.

"Pyr, again, I'm really sorry for how things turned out," Jaune said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know you wanted a nice quiet normal evening, but—"

Pyrrha turned to him with a radiant beam, her green eyes sparkling. "Well… Honestly? I had fun."

She leaned in closer, still grinning. "Being with you was fun, and fighting the paparazzi was great! I mean, it wasn't as exciting as actual combat but it was so satisfying!"

Jaune blinked, surprised by the enthusiasm. Pyrrha's cheeks flushed a soft pink as she realized how eager she sounded.

"Oh… Oh. Sorry. I guess I got a little carried away…" She glanced away, a touch sheepish. "Fighting always gave me a rush, and fighting that jerk was… fun…"

He felt a matching rush himself. The memory of them moving together in that chaotic scuffle—her grace and power complementing his raw determination—sent a warm flush through him. Jaune scratched the back of his neck, a small smile tugging at his lips as he blushed.

"Well… I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the fight."

Pyrrha grinned wider. "Yeah… Oh, Mother's probably going to be upset with me but… Worth it~…" Her voice dropped, playful and warm. "Especially for this."

She leaned in and kissed him. Hungrily. Jaune's thoughts scattered as he kissed her back, lost in the moment. He liked assertive Pyrrha. He liked assertive women, period.

The kiss broke too soon. Jaune instinctively tried to chase her lips, nearly stumbling before catching himself. Pyrrha's mischievous expression made it clear she knew exactly what she was doing—and that she loved the effect.

"Wow…" he muttered, dazed.

"HEY GUYS!"

They turned, still grinning. Nora approached, still holding all their festival prizes. The small family scanned around, along with Penny.

"Where's Ren?" Pyrrha asked, worry entering her voice.

Ren rounded a corner, slowly. At least they think it was Ren, given all the stuffed animals in his arms.

"Apologies," Ren said, "I didn't want to drop any."

"Awww!" Nora cried. She grabbed him in a hug… And all the stuffed animals fell to the ground. "AH! OH NO!"

Penny, Jaune, Xander and Pyrrha scrambled, catching them all. Ren sighed.

"Sorry," Ren said.

"Aw, it was my bad," Nora said, leaning in and kissing his cheek. He flushed. Jaune and Pyrrha shared a warm, goofy smile. Xander's smile was nostalgic… Until Nora kissed Ren on the lips.

"Oh no," he groaned, looking over at his parents, "Please… I'm scarred enough for life from you two…"

"Heh," Jaune chuckled, "I guess you know how I feel then?"

"Worse," Xander agreed.

"Ahem."

Jaune jumped and turned around. Blake stood there, looking stunning in a more purple, abbreviated version of her old Beacon dance dress. It hugged her figure perfectly, accentuating every elegant line. Her parents were behind her, smiling encouragingly.

Blake herself was staring intensely at Jaune, her cheeks light rosy pink.

"Hey Blake! Hey Mister and Mrs. Belladonna!" Jaune greeted on instinct.

"Hello Jaune," Blake said, her tone warm.

"Oh… Hello, Blake," Pyrrha said politely, though her tone carried a competitive edge.

"Hello, Pyrrha…" Blake replied, her voice silky. She strutted—slinked, really—right up to Jaune, taking his arm and holding it tightly against her. "I trust you had fun?"

"Oh yes… So much fun~…" Pyrrha purred.

"We'll have plenty of fun too," Blake shot back smoothly.

"I'm sure you will."

Nora opened her mouth, but Ren put a hand over it. Jaune shot him a grateful look, as Nora pouted.

"You look like you had a fun night," Kali observed with a small smile. Jaune and Pyrrha coughed.

"Ah, well… We got into… A fight or two."

Blake glanced at Pyrrha. "You got into a fight?"

"Oh… Just a little one. But Jaune and I handled it just fine~. Like proper partners."

"I see…" Blake's eyes narrowed slightly. Don't be impulsive, Blake. Don't be impulsively jealous over your future husband…

She took Jaune's hand and deliberately moved it over one of her breasts.

Squeeze~

"Ahn~…" Blake let out a soft, deliberate sound.

Jaune's eyes widened. "!!!"

Pyrrha's did the same. "!!!"

"Friend Blake!" Penny's eyes glowed with alarm. "I must object! This is not allowed! You are approaching the virginity threshold!"

Blake smirked. "What? Jaune is just touching what is his. Why shouldn't he touch me in whatever way he wants?"

"I'M ALSO HIS!" Pyrrha protested, narrowing her eyes.

"You had your chance."

"For now~." Pyrrha's voice carried an ominous promise.

"Mom! Aunt Blake! Don't make a scene!" Xander cried.

"Aren't you supposed to be at school, young man?" Ghira asked wryly. Xander coughed.

"Uhhhh…"

Leandra and Leander teleported in right on cue.

"Sorry Grandpa! We're getting him back, promise!" Leandra said quickly.

"Please don't punish us more, Dad?" Leander added.

Jaune sighed, extricating himself from Blake's hold. He crossed his arms, giving his children a stern dad-glare. "Take your brother and head back home. No—and I absolutely mean—no detours. If I find out you weren't in bed by curfew, I'll have your grandfather run you through his version of burpees for the whole rest of the afternoon. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Dad!" the three chorused.

They teleported out in a hurry.

Penny clapped. "Wow, Friend Jaune! Your voice modulation when addressing your children is most impressive! How do you affect such a change?"

Jaune blushed and looked away. "I was just doing what my dad normally does with us. Did… Did my voice really sound all that different?"

"Yes~…" Blake purred.

"Very much sooo~…" Pyrrha echoed.

Blake grabbed Jaune's arm again. "My date now."

Pyrrha scowled. Jaune laughed nervously and cleared his throat. "Uh, Pyr, I'll leave disciplining our son up to you. While I'm more than thankful for his help, he still left Beacon grounds when he was explicitly told not to. I don't want the other kids thinking I'm showing favoritism because I let him slide on this. They need to understand that, despite us being the younger versions of the parents they knew, they should still listen to us."

"Of course I will, Jaune~…" Pyrrha walked up and kissed him again—deep, with plenty of tongue. Jaune knew he shouldn't be doing this in front of Blake, but damn it, he was just a man.

Penny's eyes glowed brighter, her virgin alarm clearly on the verge of activation.

Blake yanked Jaune away. "That's enough of that!"

"I-I was just saying goodbye!" Pyrrha protested.

"I'm saying hello!" Blake yanked him into a fierce kiss. "Mmmm~…" Her hand guided his right back to her chest.

"Now now!" Kali appeared like a shadow, gently but firmly pulling Jaune away from her daughter. "Easy, Blake! Don't wring him dry on your first date!"

"Huh, wha—?" Jaune blinked, thoroughly dazed.

"Mother!" Blake pouted.

Pyrrha managed a small scowl before softening. "Thank you, Mrs. Belladonna."

"Don't mention it, Pyrrha! And call me Kali! We're all family, after all!" Kali pulled her into a warm hug. Pyrrha, unused to such effortless motherly affection—even with her own mother's recent changes—practically melted into it.

Ghira appeared behind Jaune and clapped him heartily on the back. "Hahaha! Well… Would you indulge us a bit, Jaune? A picture?"

"M-Mom, Dad…" Blake flushed.

"Of our precious little girl going on a proper date with a good man?" Kali finished sweetly.

Jaune raised an eyebrow, still a bit flustered. "I cannot be the standard for a good man. I mean, I'm literally dating multiple people at once right now!"

Kali smiled. "Compared to Adam Taurus?"

Blake flushed deeper. "Jaune… You are a good man. Believe it. Even without that comparison." She took his hand gently.

Pyrrha glared. Blake winced. "Ah… Oh no… The dramatic reveal… It's too soon!" She groaned. "I messed it up—"

Jaune looked between them, sensing schemes but unsure of the details. "O-Okay, um, I guess I'll see you later, Pyr." He offered her a reassuring smile.

"Yes, you will." Pyrrha smiled back. "Partner." She walked off with a deliberate swing in her hips.

Blake scowled harder. Kali clapped her hands. "Now… Let's get that photo, hm?"

Jaune straightened up, still blushing from Pyrrha's exit. He squeezed Blake's arm close, offering her a caring, genuine smile. Blake blushed in turn and smiled—small, rare, but breathtaking.

He couldn't help it. "Seeing you smile like that… I can't help it. Your smile makes me happy. It's beautiful!"

Blake turned bright red and looked away, flustered. Kali cooed happily. "You're just so adorable!"

"M-Mom!"

Ghira chuckled warmly. Jaune scratched the back of his neck bashfully. "Hehe, too much?"

"Just enough, I think," Ghira said.

Jaune watched Blake become a blushing, blubbering mess under her mother's teasing and felt a quiet warmth settle in his chest. "You know, there are times where I ask myself how all this could come to be. Me falling in love with Blake, Pyrrha, everyone… But it's times like these—the little moments in between—where I just watch and, for a while… I can see it." Doubt crept in, and he looked away anxiously. "Or maybe it's just me deluding myself so I don't feel guilty about all this."

Ghira's expression softened. "Mm… I can see how it would be overwhelming. Some young men would just take advantage of it. Others would run for the hills."

"You're sticking around, despite your uncertainty," Kali added gently.

"Well, yeah, they're my kittens—Kids! I meant kids!" Jaune sputtered, blushing furiously. He took a deep breath. "They're my kids. What kind of father would I be if I just abandoned them for something as little as time travel?"

Ghira nodded approvingly. "It's the hardest thing you will ever do… But the best."

Jaune smiled a little, the doubt easing. "Wouldn't trade it for the world."

"So," Nora called, "Can Renny and I get a ride back home or what?"
"Of course!" Ghira laughed, "We'll even help you take your prizes back!"

"WOO HOO!" Nora cheered. "Have fun, Blake and Jaune! Don't do anything we wouldn't~!"

"That's… A loaded list," Jaune observed. Ren nodded.

"Yes. It is."

 

[QuestOverlord]

Finally, the fourth date begins…

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The curry stand sat under a string of faded lanterns near the edge of the commercial district, the kind of place that stayed open late because people needed something warm and cheap after long shifts. Steam rose from the big pots in thick, fragrant clouds—cumin, chili, coriander, and the slow-cooked heat of slow-braised meat. The three of them sat at a scratched metal table on the sidewalk, trays in front of them, looking for all the world like three office workers who had stayed too late and were now regretting it.

Cinder kept her shoulders slightly rounded, the way tired people did. Her black hair was pulled into a severe bun, glasses perched on her nose, expression carefully blank. She had practiced the posture for years under Salem's quiet instruction, but she had always leaned on Emerald's illusions to sell it. Tonight she had only her own body language and the quiet pressure of old habits. Every time she reached for her spoon she had to remind herself not to move like a predator. To stay inconspicuous.

Zaroff ate with the slow, deliberate pleasure of a man who had learned to savor ordinary things. The modern black suit sat a little stiff on him, but he wore the discomfort like it belonged to a tired manager who had spent the day herding juniors. Iridescent, for her part, looked almost cheerful in light grey jacket and skirt, white hair tied back neatly, eyes bright behind ordinary frames. Only someone watching very carefully would notice how often those eyes flicked toward the airship field in the distance.

Zaroff set his spoon down with a soft clink.

"Ah. Nothing beats a good curry. Half the reason old Albion conquered Pandu for it."

Iridescent tilted her head, playful, her grin teasing. "What was the other half?"

"We had the will to act then." Zaroff's voice stayed mild, almost conversational, as he stroked his beard. "Now? We're just a shadow of our former selves. Unwilling to fight for what's ours."

Iridescent's smile widened, dreamy and sharp at the same time. "Aw… such is the cycle of history. The endless waltz. The three beats of war, peace, and revolution. On and on it goes… until it stops for good~."

Zaroff gave a quiet, appreciative chuckle. "Heh. You're quite right, lass."

Cinder's eyes had drifted past them toward the airship field. She watched Jaune and Blake together—Blake's hand on his arm, the way the younger girl leaned into him, the soft, almost private smile that had appeared on her face when he said something quiet. Pyrrha's earlier goodbye kiss still lingered in the air between them like a challenge left unanswered. Cinder's fingers tightened around her spoon until the metal creaked.

A low, involuntary sound left her throat.

Iridescent's voice dropped, soft and careful. "My Lady… easy."

Cinder forced her shoulders back into the tired office-worker slump. She lifted her spoon again, tasting nothing. Looking beleaguered was not difficult. She simply stopped fighting the weight that had lived behind her ribs since the twins first appeared.

That made it easy.

Iridescent leaned in a fraction, still smiling. "Don't worry, my Lady… You'll be able to kill them all and take him for yourself~."

Zaroff raised one eyebrow without looking up from his tray. "Was I absent for that conversation?"

"Yes! Sorry~!" Iridescent's tone stayed light, almost sing-song. "I was just telling Lady Cinder how she could eliminate her rivalry! After all, we know Nikos dies in most of the future timelines! That means eliminating the rest would be far easier! Just imagine it-All for Lady Cinder~! Our victory assured!"

Provided I don't betray Salem in that scenario, Cinder thought. It was far more bitter than she imagined, and she had to work to keep her facial expression bland and neutral.

Zaroff set his spoon down properly this time. The mildness in his voice never changed, but something colder settled underneath it. "Time is not something to be trifled with so flippantly. We have eleven timelines to worry about. We need to maintain things as best we can."

Iridescent's eyes sparkled. "Aw, I thought the great hunter liked challenges!"

"There is a difference," Zaroff answered, "between fighting a wounded Grimm in a corner when you have no choice, and fighting one for kicks in its lair. I feel as though the hands of the great clock are hanging over us. We must remain cautious."

Iridescent's smile never slipped, but something bright and hungry flickered behind her eyes. "But breaking things is half the fun~. Surely they won't miss one girl who dies in most timelines, hm?"

Cinder spoke without looking away from the distant pair. Her voice was flat, the office-lady tone she had chosen for the evening. "We're not making any moves until we have more information. And until the moment is right. That will require patience."

For a single heartbeat Iridescent's expression cracked. Rage—bright, pure, and almost joyful—flashed across her face like lightning behind glass. Then it vanished as cleanly as it had come. She grinned, shrugged one shoulder, and went back to her curry.

"As the lady wishes~!"

Cinder's gaze slid sideways to Zaroff. He had seen it too. The old hunter's eyes were wary now, measuring. He gave her the smallest nod, nothing more.

Cinder looked away first.

Trust was a luxury she had never been able to afford. It never led anywhere good. She turned her attention back to the airship field, forcing herself to watch the way Blake's fingers curled around Jaune's arm, the way he smiled down at her like the rest of the world had gone quiet. She told herself she was only gathering information. She told herself the heat under her ribs was nothing more than professional interest.

She told herself a great many things.

None of them stopped the quiet, traitorous thought that rose anyway:

It could have been me. It should be me!

She crushed it the way she had crushed every other soft thing that had ever tried to live inside her, and reached for another spoonful of curry that tasted like ash.

 

[digcat]

That was nice to see how jealous she is getting i wonder how long it will be before she flips.

 

[QuestOverlord]

Here's the thing though, since Ash and Ashley are texting her on the down low, there is absolutely no way they haven't mentioned that she was able to be forgiven and even became a pillar of her community even after committing atrocities, and at this point in the timeline, she…hasn't? At this point, the worst she's done really is just attacking Amber, right? All she really needs to do is walk over to Beacon with Mercury and apologize to everyone, then return the Maiden power (though they'd need to figure out what to do with Raven first since they'd lose the ability to contain her once Amber was healed)

Obviously, they'd keep her under observation for a bit, but they just need to let Jaune work his magic on her otherwise, and she'd relatively quickly be transformed into an otherwise normal girl, especially since a little bit of criminal history is relatively normal for Hunters. Hell, Ren, Nora, Qrow (an Inner Circle member), and Raven were all bandits for a bit before they came to Beacon.

What do you guys think? Personally, I think she literally just needs to walk up to the door and ask, and that's all it'll realistically require. She just can't get over the hangup of trusting other people yet, though watching how the dates go, she'll likely begin to catch glimpses of the Jaune that could become her husband in one timeline and truly love her with all his heart, which should give her just enough faith to jump that final hurdle.

 

[digcat]

What do you guys think? Personally, I think she literally just needs to walk up to the door and ask,

Click to shrink...

I agree but that is the hardest thing for people to do.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Arc-En-Ciel Hospital, Radian, Gallia

Six years after Salem's defeat

- - -

Jaune kicked the emergency room doors open with one foot, Ruby cradled carefully in his arms. Her face was flushed, silver eyes squeezed shut, one hand clamped around the front of his shirt as another contraction hit.

Isabel and Nick were already waiting just inside.

"All right… Let's get you the painkillers and you'll be—" Isabel began, already reaching for a chart.

"N-No! No… I'm fine!" Ruby gasped. "I-I want to do this naturally!"

Jaune adjusted his grip, looking down at her with equal parts love and alarm. "Uh, Ruby, there's no reason you need to."

Isabel shook her head. "I used painkilling techniques for all my births. There's no need to—"

"No, no! I-I'm fine!" Ruby insisted through gritted teeth. "I want… I want to welcome the baby in the old-fashioned way!"

Jaune looked helplessly between his wife and his mother. "Um…"

Isabel sighed the long-suffering sigh of a woman who had seen this exact brand of stubbornness before.

Nick clapped his son on the shoulder, laughing. "Hahaha! Sometimes you have to learn the hard way!"

Ruby cracked one eye open at him. "What do you mean by—?"

- - -

Two hours later the "old-fashioned way" was in full swing.

Ruby was flat on her back in the delivery room, face red, silver eyes blazing, both hands locked around Jaune's in a grip that could have crushed steel. She screamed through another contraction, voice echoing off the walls.

"I'LL NEVER LET YOU TOUCH ME AGAIN!"

Jaune, kneeling beside the bed, nodded solemnly while his fingers slowly turned white. "I know, I know…"

"I'LL MURDER YOU WITH THE BLENDER!"

"We got that for our wedding," he reminded her gently.

"I HATE IT!"

"Good to know…" Jaune winced as her grip tightened further. "Nnngh…! Mom, she's crushing my hand!"

Isabel, calmly monitoring the monitors, didn't even look up. "It's okay. She'll be fine…"

Nick, leaning against the wall with a grin, added, "Ha! Izzy said worse things when she was in labor!"

Ruby's head snapped toward him. "I'LL MURDER YOU ALL!"

"Owww… My hand…!" Jaune whimpered.

The door to the delivery room suddenly slammed open.

A Grimm cultist in tattered robes burst in, wild-eyed, raising a handgun. "FOR QUEEN SALEM I WILL KILL YOU—!"

Ruby, still mid-contraction, somehow found the strength to snatch the bedside lamp and hurl it with perfect accuracy. The cultist took the lamp full in the face, flew backward, and slammed headfirst through the wall into the hallway beyond in a shower of plaster and drywall.

Ruby sat half-upright, chest heaving, silver eyes glowing faintly with residual Aura. "NOBODY TOUCHES MY FAMILY YOU BASTARD!"

Jaune stared at the hole in the wall, then at his wife, awestruck. "Wow, Ruby! That was amazing!"

"FUCK OFF GODDAMNIT MOTHERFUCKER AARRRRGH!" Ruby screamed as the next contraction hit.

Nick was already out the door, tackling the dazed cultist with two hospital security guards who had finally caught up. The three of them dragged the man away while Isabel simply shook her head and returned her attention to the monitors.

A few minutes later, after one final, ear-splitting push, the room filled with the thin, furious cry of a newborn.

Isabel moved with practiced speed—injecting Ruby with a carefully measured dose of painkillers the moment the baby was clear, cleaning him, clamping and cutting the umbilical cord, wrapping the tiny form in a soft blanket. She turned and placed the child carefully into Ruby's waiting arms, Jaune leaning in close on the other side of the bed.

"Congratulations," Isabel said, smiling. "It's a boy."

Ruby stared down at the red-faced, silver-eyed infant nestled against her chest. Tears spilled freely down her cheeks. "Oh… Oh Jaune… Look… He's so beautiful…!"

Jaune was crying too, one big hand carefully cupping the baby's head. "Y-yeah…"

Ruby sniffled, then beamed through the tears. "Name him Julian! July! Like Summer…"

"That's a great name," Jaune whispered.

Ruby hugged the baby closer, eyes shining with a slightly manic post-delivery glow. "My clone has been born! My heroic legacy is assured!"

Jaune looked from his wife to his mother, still holding Ruby's (now slightly less crushing) hand. "That's our son." He glanced at Isabel. "How many drugs did you give her?"

Isabel checked the empty syringe with a thoughtful expression. "…Maybe a little too much."

 

[zMADLAXz]

Dumb move Ruby. Birth is the closest to Lovecraftian horror we have in real life.

Gotta dull it woth drugs or you'll go insanely murderous.

 

[Bev]

I dunno, can't really comment, but that murderous reaction was just what the doctor ordered for that rude cultist.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Blake strode into the restaurant ahead of Jaune, putting just a little extra sway into her hips with every step. The black dress hugged her figure, and she could feel his eyes on her—exactly as planned. As well as many other people's eyes, but Jaune's were more important.

She glanced back over her shoulder with a small, knowing smile… and timed it perfectly.

She "tripped."

Her foot caught on nothing in particular, and she fell backward into him. Jaune's arms came up instinctively, but the sudden weight and her momentum were too much. They both went down in a tangled heap on the polished wooden floor.

"OOF!"

Blake landed half on top of him, one elbow driving straight into his lap. She froze, ears flattening in mortification.

"Oh—sorry! Not used to these shoes," she said quickly, scrambling up with sudden perfect balance. She offered him a hand, face flushed.

Penny's cheerful voice cut in as she stood alongside them. "Friend Blake, your elbow!"

Jaune wheezed, carefully getting to his feet with Blake's help. "I'm… fine…! K-kind of… expected that… sooner…"

Penny tilted her head, genuinely concerned. "Friend Jaune, are your reproductive organs all right?"

Blake's ears twitched. She managed a dry little smile as she steadied him. "I mean, I think Cardin nailed him there in the first week of class way harder than I did."

Jaune gave a pained chuckle and let her guide him toward their table. "Urk… thanks a lot…"

The waiter arrived with a raised eyebrow and a knowing look. "Ah… you're the young man with eleven fiancées?"

Jaune opened his mouth, then closed it. "…Well… um—"

"Relax," the waiter said, almost kindly. "I don't know if I should shake your hand or pity you."

Blake slipped her arm around Jaune's waist, leaning into him with a quiet sort of pride, as if she were the only one who mattered in that moment. Jaune smiled and hugged her closer to his side.

They settled at a table with a clear view of Verdant Bay. The late afternoon light glittered on the water. Down at the docks a fishing boat was unloading its catch, the scent of salt and fresh fish drifting up on the breeze.

Blake sighed softly at the view, then smiled. "Penny suggested this place?"

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. It's a great seafood spot. Blue Harbor."

She watched the boat a moment longer. "Oh my word… it's been years since I've had fish this fresh."

"I like fish too," Jaune said. "Used to go fishing a lot as a kid with my dad. River and lake near Radian. Freshwater mostly—pike, prawns, that sort of thing. Mountain valley town."

Blake leaned forward, resting her chin on one fist, golden eyes intent. "Really? Tell me about it."

Jaune's expression softened. "I was pretty sickly growing up, so getting outside to just sit and fish with him was… nice. He always knew the best spots. One time a pike actually tried to jump out of the water and snatch a fish I'd already hooked."

Blake chuckled. "Bastard."

"Yeah. We cooked him anyway." Jaune tilted his head. "What about you? Do you like to fish?"

Blake's smile turned quieter, almost wistful. "I love it. Dad was always so busy ruling Menagerie—him and Mom both. But every second Friday they canceled everything. Meetings, conferences, all of it. We'd go down to the lagoon early in the morning. Walk among the rays and the cuttlefish… sit where the seabed drops away and fish right there in the sea."

Jaune grinned. "I bet you ran away from the jellyfish."

Blake's tone was pure nonchalance. "Yeah, but to be fair, everyone on Menagerie knew someone who died when a Man-O-Dust jellyfish brushed their leg."

Jaune's eyes widened. "Wait—they're that dangerous?!"

"Fifteen minutes and it's over," Blake said matter-of-factly. "The annual fatalities are a little better now that we put emergency stations all over the beaches with bottles of vinegar."

"Geez… I thought Grimm were bad…"

Blake shrugged. "Menagerie's home. The desert out back has Grimm, sure, but there's plenty of deadly animals everywhere. And the Gimby-Gimby plant—just touching it gives you debilitating pain for decades. Silica barbs loaded with neurotoxin."

Jaune winced in sympathy. "We've got bears around Radian… and Choux birds, but they're not really dangerous."

"Choux birds?"

He pulled out his Scroll and showed her a picture, then a short video: a pair of dog-sized, bright blue flightless birds hopping after a butterfly and then cheerfully chomping it.

Blake's expression went soft. She could almost picture a young Leander and Leandra toddling after the same birds, laughing. "Bless."

Jaune chuckled. "Apparently Leander and Leandra ate butterflies when they were toddlers."

Blake sighed, a little rueful. "Yeah… I'm not surprised. Apparently I did too."

"I ate snails," Jaune admitted. "Before they were cooked."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought snails were common in Radian cuisine."

"They are. I just ate the raw ones." He made a face.

"Huh. I've never had snail. How do you prepare them?"

"Boil them alive. In salt water. You can also make caviar out of their eggs. Pretty good, actually."

Blake's ears perked with genuine curiosity. "Snail-egg caviar? How big are these snails?"

"Pretty small, but they make a lot of eggs."

"I've had regular caviar before. Really salty. I always figured that was because it was from a sea fish. Would snail caviar taste different?"

Jaune considered. "A little salty, but not as much. I always liked it—especially with sour cream and wheat crackers."

Blake's eyes flicked to the wine list. "And wine, I suppose?"

"Yeah. I grew up drinking it."

Blake blinked. "…Excuse me? For how long?"

Jaune looked mildly defensive. "Since I was… five?"

Her expression turned carefully neutral. "…Huh. I—really? And you aren't an alco—… ummm…"

"What? No!" Jaune said quickly. "I just had like a cup or two with meals growing up. Not exactly getting plastered at the dinner table."

"Alcohol can improve the health of children in small amounts!" Penny volunteered. "Though this is a controversial opinion!"

Blake covered a small snort with her hand. "Mom is pretty worldly and open-minded. But I think she would have blown a fuse if she saw that… You know, I've never had wine." She opened the menu. "Do you happen to have any recommendations?"

Jaune smiled, relaxed again. "North Juniper Vineyards is good."

Blake studied the list, then glanced up at him with a softer look than she'd worn when they walked in. The awkwardness of the fall, the elbow, the waiter's comment—none of it seemed to matter quite as much now. Just the two of them, the bay outside, and stories neither of them had told many people before.

She closed the menu gently.

"Then let's try it."

 

[digcat]

The other girls should make a lot of comments about protecting the dick to her later.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

"Do you see any change now?" Weena asked as Glynda looked through a piece of equipment that might have belonged in an eye-doctor's office.

"I do not," Glynda admitted as she squinted at the painting currently being projected on the screen in front of her. It was one of the original illustrations from The Girl Who Fell Through The World, drawn by the author Lewis to accompany the fifth chapter of the story where the Rusted Knight saved Alyx from the Jabberwalker for the first time.

It was an illustration she had seen many times throughout her life, the earliest she could remember being all the way back when she was just a child sitting on her father's knees as he read the story to her the first time. It was one of her oldest memories, one that had remained sharp and clear in spite of how long ago it had been.

As she grew and learned how to read The Girl Who Fell Through The World was one of the stories she read aloud with her parents, each of them taking turns with each chapter. Glynda could distinctly remember how proud she was with herself that she could understand all the fancy old fashion words from a grown up book as she made her way through the literary classic.

Reading the book aloud became a yearly tradition for her family, something they did in the week leading up to the summer solstice. This tradition remained until she was old enough to leave home for schooling at Beacon…

…She wasn't able to read the story with her family after that, but she still read it on her own at least once a year.

Looking at the illustration now was a surreal experience.

She could see Jaune Arc in The Rusted Knight. The broadness of The Knight's shoulders lined up with how the young man should finish filling out. The Knight's stance was clearly one that Ms. Nikos was doing her best to drill into the boy's mind. The Knight's sword, shield and breastplate all shared a disturbing resemblance to Arc family heirlooms.

It was the same image she had seen over and over again throughout her life and it looked alien to her in spite of the fact that nothing about it had changed. And yet Jaune was there so clearly she wondered how she failed to see the resemblance after he started to clean up his act and started getting good… not bad. When he cleaned up his act and wasn't bad anymore.

"Okay," Weena changed the lenses she was making Glynda look through, esoteric symbols forming a ring along the edge of the glass. "How about now?"

"Everything is still the same," Glynda answered, knowing that the results she was giving were very different from the results Ozpin had given when he went through this series of tests before her. When Weena had changed the lenses for him Ozpin had described radically different pictures each and every time.

"Alright, I've had our subject Glynda look through all the lenses at every important illustration from the first edition of the book," Weena narrated the notes she was taking. "We are now moving on to an object currently being livestreamed." Weena changed what the projector was showing. "Glynda, please tell me what you see."

"I see a statue," Glynda blinked away the melancholy she felt as the likeness of an old friend appeared before her. "A statue of Summer Rose, on display in… Is that the hall of heroes in Pandu?"

"It is," Weena confirmed before switching out the lenses. "Do you still see Summer?"

"I do," Glynda confirmed. Weena switched the lenses again, asked her question again, to which Glynda confirmed there had been no change once again. This continued until all the different lenses had been tried. With that done Glynda couldn't help but ask; "Why did you have someone set up a livestream of that statue of Summer?"

"From what I've been able to gather from the children, that statue only exists in six of the eleven timelines," Weena explained. "In five of the timelines Arjun and Saia were able to attend Summer's funeral. In the other six they could not, and so they had this statue commissioned to make up for that."

"I see," Glynda murmured as Ozpin stepped out of the corner he had been observing the experiment from.

"So what did we learn from this?" He asked as he looked over the notes comparing his run through the experiment with Glynda's.

"Well, the sample size is significantly smaller than I like and this data might be tainted so I can't be completely certain at this point," Weena hedged. "But if these instruments actually do what I think they're supposed to be doing then Glynda is only seeing her own timeline, unlike me and you who can see a different timeline depending on which lens we're filtering our perception through."

"I see, and how might the data be tainted?" Ozpin looked up from the notes with an inquisitive quirk of his eyebrows.

"Somebody told you two that Jaune is the Rusted Knight," Weena directed a stink eye towards Dorothy, who responded with a chagrined wave as Moses gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "That colored your perception of the experiment and could have skewed the results."

"That makes sense," Ozpin allowed as Glynda got out of the chair she had been using during the test. "Knowing the true identity of the Rusted Knight could have anchored Glynda's perception of things, or untethered mine, which would change the results of the tests either way if such a thing happened."

"I'm sorry," Dorothy apologized once again.

"It is what it is," Weena sighed. "We just need to make sure the other brides and their parents are tested without anyone telling them about Jaune being the Rusted Knight beforehand."

"Which raises the question of when and how," Ozpin brought a chin to his hand in thought. "Because I'd rather not have this knowledge looming in the back of everyone's minds during the remaining dates; that seems like an extra bit of pressure that could throw things off." He looked to Glynda, "Now I'm confident you'll be able to compartmentalize this before your date with Jaune, so right now we're lucky." He turned his gaze to Glynda's daughter, "Dorothy, what would you say the odds are that your paradox half-siblings will slip up like you did?"

"Ah, well, I think Xander could probably keep his mouth shut if you tell him to, so could Petra, Nicholas and maybe Xia," Dorothy began. "Theodore could, but he might question whether he should and then decide the answer is no. August is a maybe? Julian I'm not sure about, same with both sets of twins…" Dorothy trailed off with a look of deep contemplation.

"That doesn't give us a lot of breathing room," Ozpin noted. "It only takes one slipping up for all of the brides to find out, so if you think half of your paradox half-siblings could slip up we'll need to do the tests sooner rather than later."

"Tommorow then," Weena decided as she started to put the equipment used to test Glynda away. "I should have enough of this equipment to test everyone all at once sometime in the afternoon. Perhaps after Jaune has returned from the final date of the day."

"Are you certain we can't conduct the experiment after the final date?" Ozpin asked.

"If I'm going to make meaningful progress I need to know for a fact that my data is untainted," Weena replied as she put the last scientific instrument away. "We can deal with any emotional fallout the truth might cause after we have the data."

"Very well," Ozpin frowned as he looked about the lab. "How do you plan on conducting the experiment? Presentation is important with revelations this monumental after all, and just because the burden of knowledge is unavoidable doesn't mean we shouldn't be gentle when we drop it on their shoulders."

"That's a fair point," Weena allowed. "I suppose we could figure something out that is less… clinical in its delivery. I'm open to suggestions."

"What about a public reading?" Moses suggested. "We have enough copies of The Girl Who Fell Through The World for everyone to sit around in a circle and read together. That'd make the revelation a discovery everyone makes together."

"I could probably make that work logistically speaking," Weena looked around at the equipment she'd made. "I've slapped together enough cameras and other instruments to record everything from every angle, so it'd just be a matter of making sure the right questions are asked during the reading. I know that Isabel wants to give everyone physicals tomorrow, so we could combine the data from her test results with mine if I give her a list of things to look into while she looks at everyone… I think these sensors could be worked into a physical…" Weena picked up a box and gave its contents a speculative one over.

"Alright, what do you think Glynda?" Ozpin inquired. "Would a book reading make the revelation less jarring?"

"Perhaps…" Glynda brought her hand to her chin. "This is… To be honest, part of me is still… coming to terms with the idea." She shook her head, "If you had told me the day Jaune had arrived on campus that he would grow into the very model of virtue all young men aspire to… I'd have had a hard time believing it. Picturing him as the Rusted Knight… I can do it so easily and it's throwing me off…"

Silence hung in the air as Ozpin and the others waited for Glynda to find the words that matched her thoughts. Eventually she found them;

"Having someone else to share this feeling with… it would help. It will be a good thing to make this a shared discovery," Glynda concluded. "The question is how this will affect Jaune."

"Well," Moses spoke up, "If you're worried about him being alone in the discovery that he's his own childhood hero he won't be. He'll have The Red Reaper and The Wise Lion to share that burden with."

"Not The Golden Dragon?" Weena asked.

"That is a completely different kettle of fish," Moses answered.

"I suppose it would be," Weena allowed.

"I might have to clear some of my schedule for counseling," Ozpin wryly noted.

"You might," Moses agreed.

"Verry well then, tomorrow after the dates we'll let everyone know the secret truth behind The Girl Who Fell Through The World and see where the chips fall," Ozpin concluded. And with that the matter was settled.

Weena picked up one of the scanners she had made and turned it about as she considered its usefulness in the next day's experiments. The instrument caught Ozpin's eye and he came to Weena's side for a better look at the thing.

"Interesting," The Old Wizard noted as he looked at something only he could truly see, "It's rather difficult to get magical currents to flow like that, especially with such consistency. How'd you do it?"

"I'm sorry what?" Weena looked up from the instrument with confusion on her face.

"I mixed and matched different Antediluvian runic systems," Moses helpfully explained. "I basically used Lemurian counting logic while writing with Buyanian numerals. It was tricky."

"Verry well done," Ozpin congratulated his boy with a smile. "Could you see the quintessence when you were carving out the manna channels?"

"No, it was all by feel," Moses admitted with a bashful smile.

"Impressive," Ozpin would have elaborated if Weena hadn't spoken up right then.

"Wait, wait wait, rewind a second there," Weena put the scientific instrument down before waving her hands around for emphasis. "So you guys haven't been using Magic as a placeholder term for a phenomenon science hasn't fully explored yet, you're using Magic to mean Magic."

"Yes, that's right," Ozpin confirmed.

"Yep," Dorothy agreed.

"Correct," Glynda also agreed.

"That's what we've been doing mom," Moses looked at her clearly surprised that such a thing needed clarification.

"Does future me use Magic to mean Magic?" Weena looked back and forth between the two temporally displaced children.

"You do," Moses affirmed as Dorothy nodded in agreement.

Weena's gaze slid back to Ozpin. "So when you told me roughly half of your previous lives were spent in the role of court magician you meant you were being a wizard performing wizardry instead of a guy using the guise of a wizard as a cover for forgotten sciences from a lost age people wouldn't understand."

"That is correct," Ozpin raised an amused eyebrow as a small smile danced across his lips.

"And you're certain this magic isn't just a universal force that science just hasn't found a proper way to study yet, like the electro-magnetic force back when people didn't know how magnets worked, or the strong and weak nuclear forces before we had a way to detect subatomic particles?"

"No matter how you poke and prod at it electro-magnetism won't ever deliberately poke and prod back," Ozpin explained, "Nor will it decide to change the way it works because it doesn't like the way it's being used."

"Well that's not terrifying," Weena turned a now wary eye to the equipment Moses had helped her make. "That's not terrifying at all."

"Does this new insight change anything fundamental about your current theories or approach to this problem?" Ozpin asked.

"Yes it…" Weena paused as she reviewed the math in her head. After a minute of thought she continued; "Alright so it changes less than I thought it would. I just need to assume the quantum parts of the equations are actively screwing around instead of passively screwing around and that should make up the difference."

"That's how future you deals with it," Moses reassured her, "In all of the timelines."

"Well, if eleven other mes have come to the same conclusion after having time to actually study magic it's probably correct enough for present me to work with." Weena relaxed a bit, though she still looked at the equipment with a hint of suspicion in her eyes.

 

[digcat]

The one's I'm looking forward to the most are Pyrrha,Yang and Weiss.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The one's I'm looking forward to the most are Pyrrha,Yang and Weiss.

Click to shrink...

We just had Pyrrha's date. ;p

 

[digcat]

We just had Pyrrha's date. ;p

Click to shrink...

No I'm talking about finding out about that Jaune is the rusted knight.