[RWBY] The Great Temporal Step-Sibling War!

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

The Vacuo safehouse was a tomb of silence in the dead of night: Sand whispering against the windows, the distant howl of wind the only company. Jaune Arc couldn't sleep. The Ever After clung to him like a second skin. Yang had reverted after, but him?

Maybe he was in a young man's body again, but his soul still felt old.

He wandered the halls barefoot, humming under his breath—a restless melody that had haunted him since their return.

"There must be some way out of here…"

"Said the joker to the thief," a familiar voice sang back, soft and almost bitter, from the kitchen.

The light glowed soft and golden. Jaune paused in the doorway.

"There's too much confusion..." Jaune sang.

Yang stood at the sink, back rigid, golden hair cascading loose like a waterfall of fire. Her hands gripped the counter's edge hard enough to dent metal. She sang the next verse: Low, frustrated, edged with pain.

"I can't get no relief," she grit out.

Jaune's heart twisted. "Couldn't sleep either?"

She didn't turn, but her shoulders hunched. "This stupid song. It's been looping in my head since we got back. Won't shut up."

He stepped closer, voice gentle. "Same here."

Yang finally faced him—lilac eyes shadowed, glistening with unshed tears she'd never let fall in daylight. The woman who burned bright enough to light up his entire world looked… small.

He reached out for her, but she pulled away. Hurt filled his eyes.

"Yang?" He whispered.

"I nearly killed you," she whispered, voice cracking like dry earth. "In that place… I was a monster. Mindless. And I almost—" Her fists clenched, nails biting palms. "I almost ended you. The man I love. And this damn song just keeps playing, like it's mocking me for failing you."

Jaune closed the distance slowly, as if approaching a wounded animal. "Yang… I forgive you. I forgave you-."

She laughed—wet, broken, furious. "You shouldn't. Damn it, Jaune, you shouldn't. I loved you—love you—and I hurt you. I could've taken everything from you. From us. And you just… let it go? Like it didn't rip your heart out?"

Her voice rose, trembling with the weight she'd carried alone.

'"Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth. None of them along the line know what any of it is worth-FUCK! Just... Stop it! STOP IT!"

Before he could reach for her, footsteps padded in.

Oscar Pine—eyes ancient with Ozma's weight—paused in the doorway, a sad chuckle escaping.

"I haven't heard that song in thousands of years," he said softly. "Curious how some things endure."

Jaune seized the brief reprieve. "You know it?"

Oscar nodded, moving to the window. Moonlight silvered his face as he sang-voice rich, layered with lifetimes of loss.

"There must be some way out of here," said the joker to the thief." There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief…"

Each verse carried centuries: weariness, defiance, the ache of inevitability.

"Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth. None of them along the line know what any of it is worth…"

"No reason to get excited," the thief, he kindly spoke. "There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke…"

"But you and I, we've been through that, and this is not our fate. So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late…"

The chorus rose—haunting, eternal.

"All along the watchtower, princes kept the view. While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too…"

"Outside in the distance, a wildcat did growl. Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl."

The final note faded.

Yang's voice was barely a breath. "What… does it mean?"

Oscar turned, eyes distant. "Even I don't fully know. It was ancient when I was young. Salem loved it—played it in quieter moments. There's confrontation in it. Destiny approaching. Ominous, terrible… yet beautiful. I've wondered if the divine wrote it—an eternal rhyme of humanity's pull toward conflict."

He gave them a weary smile and slipped away, leaving them alone.

The silence stretched, thick with everything unsaid.

Jaune stepped closer—close enough to feel the heat radiating from her. He broke the quiet first.

"The problem isn't that I can forgive you, Yang."

She looked up, eyes shimmering. "Then what is it?"

"It's that you can't forgive yourself."

Yang's breath hitched. Tears spilled over, tracing hot paths down her cheeks.

"I should've been stronger," she whispered, voice breaking. "Better. I've carried everything-kept Ruby safe, let her grow into this amazing person. We beat Cinder at Haven, stopped a whole damn war. Got everyone out of Atlas. Denied Salem everything she wanted. We survived that hell in the Ever After and… and still I turned into a monster and nearly took you from me."

Jaune didn't speak. He simply wrapped his arms around her-tight, unyielding, like he could hold all her broken pieces together.

She resisted for a heartbeat-then shattered.

Yang clung to him, face buried in his shoulder, sobs tearing free-raw, wrenching, the kind she'd never allowed anyone to see. Her fingers dug into his shirt like he was the only anchor in a storm.

"You were never a monster," he murmured into her hair, voice thick. "Not to me. You were fighting—always fighting. Even when you lost yourself, you came back. For me. For us."

Her body shook harder. "I was so scared I'd lost you forever."

"You didn't," he said fiercely. "You won't. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Outside, the first rays of dawn crept over the dunes: Soft gold painting the desert, chasing away the long night.

Inside, Yang cried until there were no tears left. Until the song in her head quieted, until the guilt loosened its grip just enough to breathe.

Jaune held her through it all.

And when the sun finally rose, they faced it together.

- - -


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfaTEGGtVf8&list=RDxfaTEGGtVf8&start_radio=1

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Solitas, Atlas

- - -

The Schnee Dust Company's executive tower burned in the distance, Atlas's skyline fractured by the chaos of Salem's attempt to induce civil war. But in the abandoned sub-levels beneath the manor, the real betrayal unfolded.

Whitley Schnee—once the perfect heir, now hardened by months of quiet rebellion—stood beside Fafnir as Atlas authorities stormed Jacques's hidden vault. Evidence of embezzlement, worker exploitation, even ties to Watts's hacks—compiled by Whitley with Fafnir's silent aid and RWBY and JNOR's help securing the evidence—sealed Jacques's fate.

Jacques raged as cuffs clicked around his wrists. "You ungrateful whelp! And you—my own weapon—betraying me?"

Fafnir's red eyes were steady. "Debt's paid."

As the dragon turned to leave, his body locked. Eyes flickered unnatural green.

"Fafnir?!" Weiss cried.

"Override engaged," Watts's voice purred through hidden speakers. "Time to earn your keep, pet."

Fafnir's wings snapped open. His sword Knarra was unsheathed with the scream of high-frequency vibration.

Teams RWBY and JNOR charged into battle. Weiss hesitated.

"Fafnir—no!" She cried.

He didn't hear her. Watts's control was absolute.

The fight erupted in the manor's grand atrium—marble floors cracking under impacts, chandeliers shattering in Dust explosions.

Fafnir was a storm.

Wings buffeted hurricane winds. Knarra carved through Ruby's petals like paper and she barely evaded his strikes. His Terror Semblance rolled out in waves—Blake froze mid-shadow clone, Nora's hammer wavered, Ren's normally stoic face twisted in primal fear.

Even under mind control, he was merciless precision.

Yang charged first, gauntlets blazing. She was too angry to be afraid. "Snap out of it, you big lizard!"

Fafnir's claw caught her mid-punch, hurling her through a pillar. Weiss's glyphs shattered against his armor. Oscar used what little magic he had learned, but the spells barely slowed the cyborg down.

They were losing.

Jaune saw it—the way Fafnir's movements, though brutal, still carried that old warrior's economy. Watts was using him like a puppet, but the dragon's strength remained.

Jaune planted Crocea Mors point-down.

"Everyone—close in! I'm Amping!"

His Semblance flared gold, pouring into his teammates. Aura surged—wounds knitting, reserves refilling, fear blunted.

Fafnir sensed the shift. Watts's borrowed voice snarled through the mask's speakers.

"Priority target: the Amplifier."

Fafnir yanked Dust grenades from his belt—flash, smoke, concussive force-and unleashed them wildly. The blasts scattered the teams like leaves.

Jaune stood alone in the clearing smoke, coughing.

He'd counted on it.

Fafnir descended like judgment—wings flaring, Knarra screaming down in an overhead strike that could cleave a tank.

Jaune didn't dodge.

He stepped in, shield raised, and took the blow full-force. The impact drove him to one knee, Aura cracking—but he locked his arms around Fafnir's sword arm, holding the dragon in place.

Terror hit him like a tidal wave.

Every nightmare Jaune had ever buried—failing his team, watching them die, being too weak—flooded his mind in paralyzing clarity. His vision tunneled. His grip faltered.

Fafnir's free claw hammered down—once, twice—cracking ribs, splitting skin, even as Jaune's Aura flickered.

Jaune held on. He looked up into the eyes of the monster that had guarded Weiss most of her life.

Through blood in his mouth, he rasped, "You're… stronger… than this…"

The others recovered.

Yang and Weiss struck from the front—Ember Celica detonating against Fafnir's plating, Myrtenaster piercing and freezing joints with Ice Dust.

Ruby and Blake attacked from range—Crescent Rose's sniper rounds finding weak points, Blake using her Shadow clones to draw any attention while she fired on Fafnir with Gambol Shroud.

Ren slipped in close, Aura charged palms striking pressure points to disrupt motor control, while he fired shots from Stormflower to chip away at Fafnir's Aura.

Nora came from behind—Magnhild charged to maximum, hammer blow landing square between the wings.

The combined assault shattered Fafnir's defenses. His armor and knees buckled. His cybernetics sparked. Knarra fell from his nerveless fingers.

He dropped to his knees.

Watts's voice crackled, full of fury.

"Get up! Finish them!"

Fafnir's claw twitched toward the fallen sword.

"FAFNIR!" Weiss screamed.

His claw stopped.

"KILL THEM!" Watts bellowed.

With a roar of effort—pure will against the machines that made up his body—Fafnir seized Knarra's hilt...

And drove it through his own heart.

The blade punched clean through cybernetic chest plating, high-frequency edge cauterizing as it went.

He collapsed forward.

Weiss caught him—glyphs softening the fall, arms wrapping around the massive frame as he sagged. She kept him on his knees. She looked anxiously into his face, as Jaune struggled to get back up. Ruby was already applying Healing Dust.

"No, wait, I can help-!" Jaune gasped.

"You're coughing blood! Hold on!" Ruby shouted.

"Fafnir—!" Weiss cried.

His mask fell away. Watts's connection severed with a final electronic scream.

Red eyes met hers—clear, for the first time in a long time.

"I-I have Healing Dust, I can still-!" Weiss tried, but Fafnir shook his head.

"No... It's over..." he rasped, blood—real blood—bubbling at the corner of his ruined mouth.

Weiss's voice broke. "You idiot—why—"

Fafnir's eyes were almost soft.

"I swore... To protect you," he whispered. Whitley dropped down next to him, his eyes wide in disbelief. He glanced at Whitley, and nodded in approval.

"Always… remain strong." A claw—gentle now—brushed Weiss's cheek, careful of the metal tips, to wipe away her tears. "Apologize… for not being stronger. For not… ending him sooner."

His gaze drifted to the others—to Jaune, barely standing with Ruby's help. He nodded in respect to the blonde.

"At least… I die… a warrior. Not… a slave."

His hand fell.

The red glow faded.

Weiss held him as the massive body went still—tears cutting clean tracks through dust and blood on her face.

She didn't know what she felt.

Grief for the monster who'd protected her from childhood.

Rage at the father who'd forged him into a weapon.

Relief that the dragon had chosen his own end.

All of it tangled, raw and aching.

Yang laid a hand on her shoulder. Ruby knelt beside her, silent. Jaune joined her. Weiss looked into his eyes, the sobs breaking free. She leaned into his touch as he held her.

They stayed there until the authorities came—until the snow began to fall through the shattered skylight above.

Fafnir Volsung, last of his clan, died free.

And Weiss Schnee grieved for the complicated truth of it all.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Beacon, Vale

- - -

The party was in full swing, laughter and music spilling out from every corner of the common room like an overfilled punch bowl. Yang had to admit—it was fun. A bit overwhelming, sure, with the lights flashing and bodies packed in tighter than Grimm in a cage, but fun. Still, it was pushing the limits for her, and definitely too much for Ruby.

Which is why her blood ran hot when she spotted her little sister snagging a beer from the cooler, popping the tab with that innocent curiosity of hers.

Ruby lifted the can, sniffing it curiously. "Huh... Fruity and smells... Ugh! But...!"

Yang wasn't about to let that happen. She strode over, her hand shooting out to snatch the can just before it touched Ruby's lips. "Yeah, no."

Ruby's eyes widened in surprise. "What?! Hey!"

Yang glanced at the label, her eyebrows shooting up. "A 5% can, maybe, but not a 20% one! With your size, you'd be drunk before you even finished it."

Ruby scowled and grabbed it back. "I'm a Huntress in Training! I can have some!"

Yang reached for it again. "Ruby, you're not listening to me, that stuff is—"

"I don't care!" Ruby yanked it away, her glare sharp and defiant. "You can't just dump raising me the moment we get here and then keep pretending you're my MOM! You're NOT!"

The words hit like a sucker punch. Yang flinched, her growing anger snuffed out in an instant. She raised her hands, expression neutral, voice quiet.

"Okay, if that's how it is, then that's how it is." She turned away. "I'll be outside."

Ruby glared after her, then turned back to the can. She took a swig, making a face but forcing it down. "Gruhh...!"

Outside, the night air was a welcome relief, stars twinkling overhead like scattered jewels, the wind carrying just enough chill to cut through the haze in Yang's mind. She leaned against the railing, feeling... empty. Drained. Like the fight had taken more out of her than she'd expected.

"Uh... Oh, hey Yang."

Jaune stepped out beside her, a beer in hand, leaning on the railing next to her. He offered it with a small smile. "You okay?"

Yang took it, managing a half-hearted wave. "Hey VB, what brings you out here? Last I checked, Weiss-Queen and your partner were somewhere back in there."

Jaune shrugged. "Eh... I gave up on Weiss. Pyrrha is having fun with Nora. And uh... Well, it's nice out here. I wanted to see the stars and moon."

He wasn't fooling anyone, but Yang let it slide. She cracked open the beer—'Olive Branch's custom canned moonshine'—and chuckled at the irony. "I'm doing about as well as someone can be in my position."

Jaune nodded. "... I heard what happened with Ruby." He sighed. "I'm sorry."

Yang took a sip, the burn steadying her. "It's not your fault VB. Or is it?"

He panicked a little under her mock glare, and she laughed, easing up. "Honestly, this has been a long time coming."

"Yeah... Family, huh?" Jaune sighed, sipping his own beer before downing half in one go. "It's always complicated with them."

"Oh?" Yang turned to him, curious. "I didn't peg you for someone who's got familial trouble."

"Pfft... Trust me, I have plenty." He drank more, pulling out two extra cans from his pouches. He handed one to her, and she accepted it. "My mom wanted me to be a doctor, and bullied my dad into agreeing. Treated me like glass, basically planned out my entire life for me and never let me have any choice. We fought over it, and... I just had to leave."

He shook his head.

"Now? Now... I get why they tried to protect me but... It's still my choice."

Yang nodded. "So despite knowing why they did what they did, you're still angry with them."

Jaune nodded. Yang smirked.

"Good." At his confusion, she explained. "Look VB, just because they got a reason for doing all that doesn't mean you have to forgive'em. Understand it, sure, accept it, most definitely, but forgive it, nah. You have every right to not agree with what they did, and be upset with them because of it."

"But... I want to forgive them." He sighed. "I just... I don't like being angry with my parents."

Yang placed a hand on his shoulder. "Look, I'm not saying you have to be angry with them forever, I'm just saying it's okay to be upset with them. The same goes for forgiving them, if that's what you want to do then that's what you want to do, I'm just saying that it's okay not to. You're allowed to have those options, to feel those kinds of feelings, and make those kinds of choices."

Jaune squeezed her hand. "... Well... So are you. With Ruby."

Yang sighed and looked back out at the stars. "Yeah... I guess..." She shook her head. "She's growing up, like you said... And without her, well... I don't know what I'm going to do."

Jaune was silent, staring intently at her. Yang shrugged.

"I mean... I didn't plan on her being here, you know? I planned on being... Free."

Jaune opened his mouth, and Yang held up her hand.

"I-I don't mean that I dislike her or-or anything but-!"

"You just wanted to be yourself, rather than her mom," Jaune said softly. Yang flushed, and looked back out at the sky. She sipped her beer.

"... Yeah," she murmured. "So I tried to get her to fend for herself, first day... Then we ended up on the same team and, well..." She shrugged. "I can't get away... But now she's doing her own things and..."

Yang huffed.

"I've made my choice but..."

"Still hurts and sucks, huh?" Jaune asked. Yang nodded. "Yeah... I get it."

"Why do you think I'm telling you all this?" She smirked. "I already made those choices."

"So, you can make new ones," Jaune said, "And... You know, I can help you. Since I'm figuring this out, too."

Yang snickered.

"When did you get so wise?"

"Getting my ass kicked a lot either means you figure stuff out, or keep getting beat down," Jaune observed. Yang snickered.

"Yeah... Still..." Yang rested her head on her palm. "Considering some of the stuff I wanted to do, I'm not too sure about that."

"What did you want to do?"

Yang looked around to make sure they were alone, then turned beat red. "This doesn't leave this balcony, okay." When he didn't answer quick enough: "Okay?!"

"I swear, I swear!"

She sighed, resigned. "I wanted to go on a date with someone... maybe even finally kiss someone."

"... Oh?"

She pouted and half-buried herself in her arms as she leaned on the railing. "I just never had time for all that stuff, okay?"

"No no, I get it..." Jaune took a deep breath. "So... The Emerald Festival is happening next week."

"Yeah, what of it?"

"I was thinking of going to the dance pavilion since there are some good bands there... You... Want to go? With me?"

Yang's eyes widened. "Are you..." Disbelief colored her voice. "asking me out?"

Jaune laughed a little in disbelief, nodding. "Yeah. I am. This is probably the most we've talked, Yang. And... And I really liked it. I want to get to know you better, and have fun with you."

She blinked, then narrowed her eyes as her grin widened. "You're serious, aren't you? You really want to go out... with me."

"Why wouldn't I?"

Yang tried to come up with an answer, but couldn't. "Heh..." A fire lit inside her, and she turned to him with that adventurous smile. "Well, when you put it like that, how could I say no." Excitement built in her nod. "So yeah, let's do it!"

Jaune grinned, taking her hand. "Great!" She stepped forward to clap him on the shoulder.

Of course, with the alcohol they'd been nursing, her feet didn't cooperate as they should have.

"Oh shit." Yang stumbled, falling on top of him—or as much as one could on a small balcony.

"OOF!"

Silence. Then:

"Huh, you'd make for a surprisingly comfortable pillow, VB."

"Oof! I... Uh... You're... Better pillow material... I think..."

"Oh?~" She pressed her chest into his, making him realize just how on top she was. "Were you hoping we'd land the other way around, so you can get a face full of these?"

Jaune gulped. He looked her in the eyes, then at her nose.

"... Yes. Yes I was."

Yang's face exploded into dark red. She laughed nervously.

"Well aren't you bold today."

"I'm drunk with a hot girl who's going on a date with me... On top of me... Should I... Not be?"

"Depends." She leaned in close to his ear and whispered. "On whether you're a good boy or not.~" Leaning back, she kept her face close. "So, tell me, have you been a good boy?~"

Whether it was alcohol or his newfound confidence, he grinned nervously back at her.

"What if I'm bad?" He leaned in to breathe in her ear, softly running his hand through her hair.

She raised an eyebrow. "You know I've beaten up people for less, right?" She gestured to his hand.

"Yup. I know. But it's super soft and beautiful. You can kill me after the date?"

Yang smiled that mega-watt smile even through her blush.

"Sounds good to me, VB! Now..." She rested her head on his chest. "mind getting the both of us up? Pretty sure, not even you wanna be caught like this in front of everybody."

"Okay... Okay... Hang on..." He pushed himself up against her, wrapping an arm around her waist. He got them into a sitting position, her in his lap. "Okay... Okay... We're... Up... Sort of..."

"Oh yes, there's nothing quite like getting the girl who was laying on top of you into your lap, am I right, VB?" She asked sarcastically, but with amusement. "Especially, when said position gets you a face full of boobs and her straddling your waist."

"Well... I'd be a fool to disagree with you."

"Yes, yes you would."

- - -

First timeline's viewpoint of The Party! Go ahead and try to write your own! This one written with a lot of help from @RedDragonEmpress

 

[digcat]

First timeline's viewpoint of The Party! Go ahead and try to write your own! This one written with a lot of help from @RedDragonEmpress

Click to shrink...

It was great and has me really excited for pyrrha's the only thing better than blondes is redheads.

 

[John Jackson]

I wonder in how many of the time lines the kids regard Pyrrha as a sad old maid only because they don't know what she gets up to with there parents… except Blake's kids they know all to well