[RWBY] The Great Temporal Step-Sibling War!

[AndrewJTalon]

Beacon, Vale

- - -

The party in the unused Beacon dorm was in full swing—string lights twinkling like mischievous stars, bass thumping hard enough to make your eardrums throb, and plenty of teenaged bodies packed tight in a chaotic swirl of laughter, spilled drinks, and dancing that skirted the edge of "indecent."

May Zedong—Vacuo orphan, quiet sniper, eternal wallflower—hadn't planned on drinking. Heck, she hadn't planned on attending at all.

She'd come because her team dragged her along. BRNZ—Brawnz, Roy, Nolan, and her—were supposed to "bond." Instead, they'd spent the night goofing off: Brawnz arm-wrestling upperclassmen, Roy and Nolan challenging people to drinking games, leaving May to hover awkwardly in the corner, Aura Sight picking up everyone's moods in glowing overlays she couldn't turn off.

Frustration had simmered all evening. She did the work—scouting, planning, covering their reckless asses in missions—while they played leader and clowns.

One cup of glowing punch to loosen up. Two because it tasted like candy. Three because the warmth felt nice. Four because she forgot how many she'd had.

Now the world tilted pleasantly, her usual shyness drowned in liquid courage.

Her team was mid-laugh-Brawnz flexing for a crowd, Roy and Nolan cheering-when they turned to May.

"Hey, May! You wanna go get me my Scroll?" Brawnz asked, "I wanna show off how awesome I was in that fight!"

May scowled. Truly scowled. It was surprising enough that Roy and Nolan were taken aback.

"Why? Can't you get it yourself?" She demanded, her words slurring slightly as she started on a slow burn.

Brawnz for his part was merely confused.

"Well, why can't you go get it for me? That fight was so cool and I totally dominated," Brawnz went on, oblivous to the anger about to be unleashed.

"I dominated! I shot the Grimm! You guys always leave me out!" she snapped, louder than she'd ever been. "I do all the work! Scouting, planning, watching your backs—and you just fight and goof off like idiots!"

The group froze. Nolan blinked, reaching out to her. "May? You okay?"

"No!" She swayed, pointing accusingly. "I'm tired of being invisible! You're the leader, Brawnz, but I'm the one keeping us alive!"

"I didn't mean that you-" Brawnz tried, but May's temper was well and truly lost.

"I didn't even want to be here! But you still made me come because I don't get to do anything!" May raged, "I'm just your-your PACK MULE! YOUR GUN! AND I'M SICK OF IT!"

Brawnz gaped. Roy tried to salvage things.

"We just wanted you to have a good time-!"

"WELL I'M NOT!" May yelled, throwing the cup down.

Her eyes stung. The buzz soured into embarrassment. She turned and staggered away—out a side door, into the cool night air of the balcony.

The breeze hit her like a truck. She gripped the railing, head spinning, regret crashing in.

Stupid. So stupid. Now they'll think I'm crazy.

Footsteps approached—soft, careful.

"You okay?"

May turned. Jaune Arc stood there, looking concerned—one hand in his pocket, a half-finished bottle of something mild in one hand.

She huffed, looking away. "Fine. Just… air."

Jaune joined her at the railing, leaving space. "Parties are intense. I get needing a break."

May glanced at him—tall, kind eyes, that awkward sincerity everyone teased but secretly liked. Her Aura Sight overlaid his glow: steady gold, warm, threaded with quiet determination and a flicker of loneliness.

They stood in silence a moment.

Then the words spilled out.

"My team… they're great fighters, but I do everything else. Planning. Watching. Shooting. Chores... And they just… don't see me."

Jaune nodded slowly. May kept going on, quiet and ashamed.

"They-They've saved me... But they're also jerks. They make me do the laundry, the paperwork, the cooking, the cleaning... I have to do everything... They even dragged me out here and-and I didn't want to. I didn't want to see everything! I didn't want to do all this... I just... I just wanted...!"

She sniffled, and began to cry. She felt a handkerchief touch her hand. She looked up, saw Jaune was offering her the cloth. She took it, wiped her eyes, and blew her nose. She flushed, and handed it back. Jaune awkwardly shook his head and smiled softly.

"Keep it," he said. May nodded, a bit unsteady. He got close to support her.

"I... I can see everyone's Souls," she mumbled, "I can see so much and it's... It's so much. It's overwhelming... I'm so tired... I'm so tired of being the strong one..."

"I'm sorry," Jaune whispered. "I... I get that. I mean... Being overwhelmed. Not the seeing Souls thing."

May looked at him—really looked. His Aura was bright, honest. No pretense.

"I... I have Aura Sight—they think it's cool, but it's… isolating. Always seeing more than people want. I can see so much... So much I don't want to."

"That... That still sounds amazing," Jaune said eagerly. "My godfather has a similar Semblance, and he's super cool. He's an incredible archer! There's nothing he can't hit." He grinned. "I bet you're just like him."

May blushed deeply.

"I... I am a pretty good shot," she whispered, "But when you can see so much... Y-You see so much of people and they don't understand..."

Jaune's eyes softened. "That sounds hard. Am... Are you seeing anything bad with me?"

May beamed into his chest.

"No," she whispered, "I... I like seeing you..."

They talked—really talked. About feeling on the outside. About hiding parts of themselves. About quiet places they escaped to, books they loved in secret.

The punch wore off slowly, leaving warmth that wasn't alcohol.

May's heart raced. She looked up at him, voice soft but steady.

"Jaune… would you go out with me? Like… a date?"

Jaune's eyes widened. "May, I—"

Panic hit. "Forget it! I'm buzzed, stupid—"

"No!" He caught her hand gently. "I'd love to. But… you've been drinking. How about you ask when you're sober?"

May stared, then nodded—shy, hopeful. "Okay."

He smiled. "Promise?"

"Promise. Also... Sorry."

"Sorry? For what-?"

May turned and threw up over the balcony railing. She then passed out. Jaune held her, bright red.

"Oh boy..."

The next morning, May woke with a pounding headache and crystal-clear memory.

She groaned into her pillow. She'd asked Jaune Arc out. While buzzed. Like a complete idiot.

She'd yelled at her teammates too. What was she thinking?!

"Uh..."

She looked up from her bunk. Brawnz, Roy and Nolan stood in front of her, looking contrite. She flushed and wrapped herself in her blankets.

"Um... G-Guys... I uh... Um..."

Brawnz sighed.

"Hey. We're... Sorry, okay?"

"He's the most sorry," Nolan muttered. Brawnz glared at him before he looked back at May. He reached out a hand and rested it on her shoulder.

"What I mean is... We did just want you to have some fun," Brawnz said, "Because you do work so hard."

"And we do appreciate you, May, even if we don't say it," Roy agreed. He handed her a glass of water and aspirin. She took them, wincing but grateful.

"Thank you," she murmured shyly. Brawnz grinned.

"We'll get you breakfast! You need protein after all that."

"Yeah," Nolan agreed. The three headed out, muttering quietly to eachother. They shut the door behind them. May sighed, burying herself in her blankets.

Her scroll buzzed. She read the caller ID: Jaune Arc?!

Hey May. Still on for that date? Festival tonight? Sober you this time.

May's face burned. But her heart soared.

She typed back, fingers trembling.

Yes. I'd love to.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Radian, Vale

Seven Years After Salem's Defeat

- - -

Cinder frowned at her newest baby, Ingis. The six month old whined, shook his high chair, and moved his head whenever her spoon full of baby food got close.

"Come on, Ignis," she murmured, "You've eaten this before. You like it!"

"Mmpah!" Ignis bleated. Cinder sighed in irritation.

"You know you like it," she insisted. Ignis burbled, and she stuck the spoon in like lightning when he opened his mouth. "See?"

The baby smacked his lips... And whined some more. Cinder sighed.

"So picky," she muttered. There was a knock at the door. She raised an eyebrow as she picked Ignis up and headed for the door, padding in her usual red housedress. Ignis babbled, and she stroked his back to sooth him.

"There there, we'll get through your mashed carrots soon enough," she soothed. Ash and Ashley were at the hospital today, and Jaune hadn't called that he was coming home early. So who was it?

Probably Rose or Nora here to drop in unannounced, as usual, she thought with a sniff, as she opened the door. She blinked-Nobody was on the porch...

"I-I will... Slay you!" Squeaked a voice. She looked down. A small boy with pale skin and wearing a pink and blue blanket as a cape stood there, holding up a toy sword. Cinder raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? And who are you?"

"I'm... Lord Baddest Dude!" He declared. "And I will defeat the heroes of the world and become the greatest villain Remnant has ever seen."

What, Cinder thought. Ignis babbled, unimpressed. Her baby's reaction made her snort in laughter.

The boy scowled.

"Hey! I really will! I-I'll be sooo powerful I'll stomp all the good guys and rule! And nobody will tell me to go to bed ever!"

Cinder shook her head.

Was I ever this bad? She wondered. Maybe, once, yes. But now...

Rather than anger, resentment, or guilt... She just saw an innocent child playing around. One who didn't know any better.

An innocence she felt very protective over.

Cinder knelt down, adjusting Ignis to keep him comfortable, and looked into Lord Baddest Dude's eyes, her own filled with amusement.

"Well, Lord Baddest Dude," she said with a grin, "It takes a lot of work to be an evil villain. Have you got it all planned out? Do you have an evil scheme?"

"Yeah huh!" Lord Baddest Dude said, "I'm gonna defeat you! Then lure in Ser Jaune and Lady Ruby, and beat them! And then you'll all have to work for me because I defeated you!"

Cinder snickered.

"Oh? Is that how it works, Lord Baddest Dude?"

"Yeah huh!" Lord Baddest Dude insisted, nodding his head very enthusiastically. "Then with your power I'll make my parents let me stay up as long as I like! So there! I mean, you already switched sides so I thought I'd start with you!"

"Ah, but there is the flaw in your plan, Lord Baddest Dude," Cinder pointed out, poking him in his belly and making him giggle, "I did turn from evil to good. Who's to say I wouldn't be pretending to go along with your plan, and then betray you at the last second? I did that to Salem, you know. Helped save Ruby and Jaune."

"You wouldn't!" Lord Baddest Dude declared... Then he winced. "Would you?"

Cinder laughed.

"Oh, I would. But you'd never know when it would come," she said, "So you couldn't trust me even if you defeated me."

"Bwawawa," Ignis added, before burping. Lord Baddest Dude frowned.

"But... Maybe I'd know you'd betray me so I'd betray you first!" He insisted.

"But I would know you would know I would betray you, so I'd know you would betray me," Cinder countered playfully. Lord Baddest Dude blinked a few times.

"Wha...?"

"Would you like to have some cookies and milk while you work that out?" Cinder asked with a little smile. Lord Baddest Dude looked suspicious.

"... Chocolate chip?"

"Only the best," she confirmed. Lord Baddest Dude nodded happily.

"Okay!"

- - -

It was a few hours later that Jaune returned from the hospital, Ash and Ashley in their buggy. The two year olds were tuckered out and sleeping, and Jaune was glad of it. He pushed the cart up the path to the house, and lifted it easily up onto the porch. He reached out for the door knob... When it opened, one Eleanor Rigby, their neighbor, standing there. She was holding a five year old boy in a pink and blue cape in her arms, who was fast asleep.

"Thanks for finding him, Mrs. Arc," Eleanor sighed in relief. Cinder chuckled back, shaking her head. Ignis was sleeping in her arms, his face recently cleaned.

"No problem at all, Eleanor. He's free to come by any time!"

"Thanks!" Eleanor sighed. She smiled at Jaune. "Jaune! Great to see you! Your wife found little Jude-"

"I saw," Jaune said with a smile, "Glad he's all right."

"We'll see you at church!" Eleanor said, waving as she carried her sleeping son off the porch and down the path. Jaune pushed the buggy inside, letting go to kiss Cinder deeply.

"Mmm... How was your day?" Jaune asked. Cinder chuckled.

"Well... I may have kept a new supervillain from rising to challenge us in the future," she said, "But I suppose only time will tell. Perhaps he'll make for a useful asset if I ever decide to return to villainy."

Jaune blinked.

"I... Suppose?"

- - -

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

Isabel was back at work at the computer, looking over the findings and data with her practiced eye. The Beacon Infirmary was quite cutting edge-Not quite up to her standards, but close enough.

"How's it going, sweetie?"

Isabel looked up and smiled as Nick walked in.

"All right. Still not much hope but... I'm starting to understand things a bit better," she admitted. She shook her head. "I'm wondering if Jaune's Semblance might help the patient? 100 percent Aura transfer, Semblance boosting..." She hummed as she pored through a few more files. "It's possible..."

"That's great!" Nick cheered. "Poor girl stuck in a coffin... You'll get her out of it! I know it!"

"Aw," Isabel blushed softly. Nick walked over and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"You should train with him after classes, and before his dates."

Isabel gaped.

"Wha-Me?!"

"Yes, you," Nick said eagerly. "His Semblance is closer to yours than mine."

"But-But I'm not-I'm hopeless with a sword and-" Isabel tried, but Nick shook his head.

"A knight needs to know how to fight in hand to hand too, and you're amazing at that. Tactics, too!"

"I-You're literally the warrior here!" Isabel insisted. Nick smirked.

"Combat Medic? You did plenty, Izzy! And you were clearly meaning to do harm against Raven!"

"I-I..." She shook her head and clenched her fists. She took a deep breath, and her face went cool and stoic.

"I don't think it's a good idea," she said calmly. Nick scowled.

"You're doing the suppressing your emotions Vulcanoid thing again from Space Quest!"

Isabel nodded.

"Yes. Don't you like it?"

"Usually, it's really sexy, but not now," Nick said, shaking his head. "What are you afraid of, Izzy?"

Isabel frowned, and contemplated it.

"I... I may have smothered Jaune," she admitted, "and our other kids. In this situation, maybe he doesn't need me to hover over him. Four of our kids ran away-"

"As adults," Nick said firmly, "They could make their own decisions. Sure, you can be overbearing... Sometimes... A lot..."

Isabel scowled, her emotion suppression fading. It was a common occurrence around her husband.

Out of long honed survival instinct, he held up his hands.

"But you're still their mother, Izzy," Nick said kindly, "And he still loves you. Besides! He's got your brains, but he's got my... Not brain parts! You two fight a bit and you'll clear the air!"

"Not everything can be solved by fighting, Nick," Isabel sighed.

Nick blinked several times. Isabel shook her head.

"Not everything is a fight!"

He blinked several more times. Isabel scowled.

"Just because you imagine everything like a fight doesn't mean all of life can be summed up as one!" She stated in exasperation.

Nick blinked twice more. Isabel scowled and crossed her arms over her chest.

"We do have to train the kids for their punishment," Isabel pointed out. Nick waved his hand.

"I can handle that! I'll just do what Nana did!"

Isabel winced.

"Oh don't tell me... That training?"

"The very same!" Nick grinned, his teeth nearly sparkling in the light from the windows. He squeezed Isabel's shoulder. "Come on Izzy. He's gonna need us both to get through this. Just like the rest of our new family."

Isabel sighed softly, her shoulders drooping a bit. She slowly nodded.

"All right," she groaned, "You win. I'll train with him."

Nick whooped, thrusting his arms up into the air.

"Yes! Once again, my philosophy works!"

Isabel bonked him on the head.

"That's an entirely subjective read of the situation!"

"Ow! Okay, we both win!"

"That's not-UGH!"

 

[Villuviel]

Izzy, you married a Himbo. Now enjoy the consequences of your actions.

Jaune and Nick are the type of dads who would 100% dress up in a princess dress too small for them and say with a straight face: "My princess wanted a royal tea party, you better believe I will give her the best one in this side of the kingdom. Now if you will excuse me, Princess Pinkyshine requested 2 extra cubes of sugar in her tea."

 

[zMADLAXz]

Izzy, you married a Himbo. Now enjoy the consequences of your actions.

Jaune and Nick are the type of dads who would 100% dress up in a princess dress too small for them and say with a straight face: "My princess wanted a royal tea party, you better believe I will give her the best one in this side of the kingdom. Now if you will excuse me, Princess Pinkyshine requested 2 extra cubes of sugar in her tea."

Click to shrink...

Jaune actually rocks a dress really well.

Spoiler

Also that was the time I saw Jaune and understood he was serious about his training and body conditioning, caysr his Arms and Chest really did look like chiseled out of rocks. A 3d modelling thing or not boy has the bod to flaunt it

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Beacon, Vale

- - -

The unused dorm at Beacon had been hijacked into a full-blown underground rager—string lights pilfered from festival decorations twinkled overhead like mischievous fireflies, mismatched furniture formed the makeshift dance floors, and the bass from the borrowed speakers thumped hard enough to make the windows rattle. Upperclassmen had smuggled in the contraband: bottles of hard cider, cheap beer, and a punch bowl glowing faintly blue that someone insisted was "totally safe, probably."

Bodies packed the space—dancing, laughing, grinding in ways that would've sent Professor Goodwitch into a meltdown. Hell, it probably would if other students weren't running interference.

Blake Belladonna lingered near the edge of the chaos, a cup of that suspiciously glowing punch in hand. She hadn't meant to drink much—one cup to blend in, to loosen the constant vigilance that came with hiding her ears. But the room was loud, the air thick with sweat and laughter, and the punch was deceptively sweet.

One cup became two. Two became… enough that her ears twitched restlessly under the bow, itching for freedom.

She slipped out a side door before anyone noticed, the cool night air hitting her like a balm. The balcony overlooked Beacon's cliffs, stars sharp above, the distant thump of music muffled.

Blake leaned on the railing, exhaling slowly. Her hand drifted up, tugging the bow loose. She longed for freedom-

"Mind if I join you?"

She startled slightly, turning.

Jaune Arc stood in the doorway, a half-empty bottle in hand, looking a little rumpled—shirt untucked, hair messier than usual, blue eyes soft with the kind of quiet melancholy alcohol brought out.

Blake hesitated, then shrugged. "It's fine."

He joined her at the railing, leaving polite space. They stood in companionable silence for a moment, staring at the stars.

Jaune glanced sideways. "You can take the bow off, if you want. I won't tell."

Blake's ears twitched sharply. She stared at him. "You… know?"

He nodded, sipping his drink. "Yeah. For a while. We had Faunus back in Radian—neighbors, friends. You get good at spotting the signs. The way you tilt your head sometimes, or how the bow moves when you're thinking hard." He smiled faintly. "Didn't want to make you uncomfortable by saying anything."

Blake blinked, processing. Confusion, curiosity—and a strange relief.

"How… long?"

"Since about a month after initiation," he admitted, rubbing his neck. "You're good at hiding it. Really good."

She let the bow fall completely, ears flicking in the breeze. "Most people don't notice. Or pretend not to."

Jaune shrugged. "I grew up on a farm. And my best friend growing up was a cat Faunus. I think you'd like her."

Blake smiled. "Oh?"

"Yeah," Jaune nodded.

Silence settled again—comfortable, easy.

Blake sipped her punch, the buzz making her bolder. "What's a farm boy like you doing morose at a party?"

Jaune stared at his bottle. "Just… thinking. About home. About why I left. Sometimes it hits harder when I'm drinking."

Blake nodded slowly. "I get that."

He glanced at her. "You okay? You looked like you needed air too."

She exhaled. "Parties are… loud. And I'm not great at them. Too many people, too much pretending."

Jaune smiled. "Same. I came out here to hide."

They shared a quiet laugh.

Then Blake asked, "What was it like? Growing up on a farm?"

Jaune's eyes softened. He talked—slow at first, then easier. About wide fields, sunrise chores, his seven sisters chasing him through apple orchards. About planting seeds and watching them grow, the satisfaction of harvest. About his parents—strong, loving, but terrified of losing him to the same life that had scarred them.

Blake listened, ears forward.

When he finished, she spoke—quiet, halting at first.

About Menagerie. About the White Fang's early days—hopeful, righteous. About Adam's charisma turning dark. About running, hiding, the bow becoming her mask.

Jaune listened without judgment, nodding at the right moments, asking gentle questions.

Hours passed. The party noise faded. They talked books—Ninjas of Love (Blake's secret shame, Jaune's unexpected enjoyment), old Mistral epics, even some Vacuo adventure serials. They talked dreams—hers for equality, his to protect people who couldn't protect themselves.

They talked until the punch wore off and the stars began to fade.

Blake realized—sometime between his story about sneaking cookies from his mom's kitchen and her confession about loving terrible romance novels—that she felt… safe.

Jaune felt it too—the way her ears perked when she got excited, the soft laugh she tried to hide.

When the sky lightened with dawn, they finally stood.

Blake tied her bow back on, but slower now. "This was… nice."

Jaune smiled—warm, real. "Yeah. We should do it again. Sober, maybe."

She laughed. "Definitely sober."

They walked back inside together—friends, truly, for the first time.

Romance came later—slow, careful, built on late-night talks and shared books and quiet moments where hands brushed and lingered.

But that night on the balcony?

That was where it started.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The Beacon teachers' lounge smelled of fresh coffee, old books, and the faint ozone tang of Dust experiments. Late morning sunlight slanted through the high windows, catching motes of dust like tiny stars. It was supposed to be a quiet hour—grading, gossip, the occasional grumble about Port's stories.

Today, it was anything but.

Dorothy Arc-Goodwitch stood in the center of the room like she'd just announced the end of the world.

"So… uh… yeah! I'm from the future!"

Doctor Oobleck paused mid-sip of his triple-espresso, green eyes blinking rapidly behind his glasses. "Yes, we covered that part."

Librarian Mombi nodded slowly. "I… had a feeling it would be something like this."

Ann Green, Stealth and Security instructor, leaned forward from her chair—arms crossed, stare intense enough to peel paint. Dorothy beamed back, undaunted.

"You're just as scary as ever, Aunt Ann."

Ann's eyebrow arched. "Which Starlight Ranger is my favorite?"

"Green, duh. Because he was evil."

Ann leaned back, satisfied. "…She's from the future, all right."

Professor Port slammed his mug down, mustache quivering with delight. "Incredible! Eleven different futures, no less! But in at least one, poor Glynda didn't end up a lonely spinster!"

Oobleck sighed. "That's your takeaway?"

"OF COURSE!"

Glynda took a deep, calming breath—inhale four counts, hold four, exhale four—then fixed Port with the most strained smile in recorded history. "Glad to see my love life is of such importance to you."

Port beamed, oblivious. "Of course it is, Glynda! We're very happy for you!"

Ann smirked. "Yes. Good to know you don't die alone. Go Glynda."

Mombi fidgeted. "Y-Yes, it's nice to know! Though… he's a little young…"

Port puffed up. "I met my wife when we were fifteen! I, Covered in Grimm guts after cutting my way through an ancient Dunewyrm! She cover in bandit blood that shone in the moonlight—love at first sight!"

Dorothy, quick to defend her mom's honor, jumped in. "If it helps, they really didn't do anything until much, much later."

Glynda deadpanned, "Thank you, Dorothy."

The door banged open.

Harold Mulberry stormed in—rumpled coat, perpetual scowl—beelined for the bookshelf, pulled out a hollowed book, retrieved a whiskey bottle, and started draining it.

Dorothy waved cheerfully. "Hey, Uncle Harold!"

Oobleck adjusted his glasses. "Ah. He's starting later today."

Port chuckled. "What? You can't start the day without a proper whiskey!"

Harold froze at Dorothy's voice. Took one look at her. Sighed. Went to another hidden compartment, grabbed a second bottle, and resumed drinking.

"Haaa…" he exhaled. "Glad it's a half day, after the class with your husband. I just realized the implications of time travelers. Now I want to get drunk."

Glynda sighed. "I suppose I can't blame you…"

Ann leaned forward. "So… do I marry my boyfriend and have lots of kids? Or die? Or get a sweet robot arm? Or become the Dark Queen of Vale?"

Dorothy grinned. "Yes, no, maybe, and sort of?"

Ann nodded, satisfied. "Cool."

Port bounced in his seat. "Do I realize my dream of slaying a Grimm Hydra in one-on-one combat?!"

Dorothy's smile turned fond. "If your stories are to be believed, you slayed three."

"YES!"

"But that's just one timeline," Oobleck pointed out as he adjusted his glasses. "It does no good to ask about such things, given the complexities of the multiverse. We're only seeing eleven possible timelines out of a potential infinite number."

Mombi's eyes went wide. "Ah! W-Wait?! Does that mean nothing we do matters?! If we're an endless series of copies doing things over and over, does anything we do even count?! Does it matter if a coin flips and you die or live or—?!"

Ann smacked her upside the head.

"OW! Hey!"

"Don't do that," Ann said flatly. "You'll just be more depressed."

Dorothy smiled reassuringly. "Honestly though… you all make it through in my timeline. I grew up with you as additional aunts and uncles!"

Port sniffled, a tear glistening. "I have a niece!"

Oobleck sipped his coffee. "You have six children."

"Yes, but A NIECE!"

Dorothy coughed..

"Actually, eight more nieces and nephews. Well, nine."

Mombi gaped. "Wait—Glynda had nine kids with Jaune?!"

Dorothy beamed. "Yup!"

Harold groaned from the couch, pulling out yet another bottle. "…And I have to teach them all…"

Glynda blinked. "Wait, I thought you said I had ten—because when you left I was still pregnant with…" She trailed off, noticing the smug expressions around her, and turned away to hide her burning face. "Moving on."

"Well, Clarence hasn't been born yet, so he doesn't count!" Dorothy pouted.

Ann snorted.

"Clarence? Ha. Lame name."

"That's my father's name," Glynda said, slightly annoyed. Dorothy nodded.

"We know it's a boy this time."

Ann shrugged.

"Cool dad. Lame name."

Oobleck cleared his throat.

"That said… we should avoid asking too many questions about our fates. It could make us second-guess ourselves at critical moments."

Dorothy shook her head.

"The timeline's already changed! So honestly, no idea what's going to happen."

Port's eyes lit up. "Which means we get to ask whatever we want!"

The door burst open again.

Professor Thumbelina Peach swept in—strawberry-blonde hair bouncing, smile bright enough to power Vale for a week.

"Sorry I'm late~! But not late for class! Hey guys! Hey Glynda! Hey Dorothy!"

She beamed at Oobleck with a sultry glint in her eyes. "Hey, Bart~…"
Oobleck nodded politely. "Good morning to you as well, Professor Peach."

Peach turned to Dorothy, practically vibrating. "Sooo… we didn't get a chance to talk about the future, did we?"

Dorothy shook her head. "No, Aunt Lina."

"Sooo… any spoilers?"

Dorothy rolled her eyes playfully. "Without naming names—yes, you do end up marrying him."

Peach threw her hands up. "YES! WOOOOOOOO!"

She coughed, composing herself. "Ahem… I mean… good."

Oobleck blinked. "Hm? What are you talking about?"

Peach waved a hand. "Oh, nothing~…"

Glynda leaned in, whispering to Dorothy. "Does she actually?"

Dorothy nodded excitedly. "Oh yeah—I was the flower girl, after all."

"Does she become less annoying in the future?" Harold muttered into his bottle.

Dorothy grinned. "Yes and no. Her energy just gets redirected—mainly to her kids. But the enthusiasm stays the same. Just… different topics."

Harold grunted. "I see."

Peach bounced over to Oobleck. "Bart, honey~! We should go to the festival~!"

Oobleck shook his head. "With everything happening, there's far more work than before. I'm afraid I don't have time. Perhaps Dorothy could accompany you."

Port jumped up. "Jolly good! Let's all go out together!"

"No," said Harold and Ann, in unison.

"Yes!" Port insisted.

Dorothy pouted at Harold, puppy-dog eyes deployed. "Come on, Uncle Harold—we almost never get to spend time together these days!"

"I don't know that. You're from the future—it hasn't happened yet."

Port pointed out at the quad outside the windows.

"We'll help you barbecue your famous boar roast!"

Harold paused. "…No vegetables?"

"None!"

"Hmm..."

Mombi raised her hand. "Can't we have a side salad?"

"Bring your own," Harold snorted, "We won't be eating them."

"Yeah!" Dorothy said.

"INDEED!" Port cried.

"Fine," Mombi pouted.

"Honestly, this isn't necessary," Glynda said quickly, "I can handle this just fine on my own."

Peach smirked evilly.

"Are you sure? When was the last time you went on a date, anyway?"

"Wasn't it that gallant young Atlasian officer?" Port asked, "In… When was it…"

"The last year at Beacon," Mombi murmured. She flushed as everyone, Glynda especially, stared at her. "W-Well it was!" She said defensively.

Mulberry raised an eyebrow over his whiskey.

"Are you sure you should go on a date at all? You're still his teacher. Time travel or not… How would it look to the press?"

Glynda took a moment to find her center.

"I agree that the look is… Potentially scandalous, especially after everything that has happened," Glynda said quietly. She shook her head. "But the alternative is time travel being possible becoming public. It's not like I haven't been in the news for potential scandals before, Harold. I have weathered them and things worked out."

"True," Harold grunted, "And you're not the type to ruin your career or our reputation on a fling. You're too honorable for that."

Glynda raised an eyebrow.

"Was that a compliment, Harold Mulberry?"

"Don't get used to them," Harold grunted. Port laughed.

"So many layers to my esteemed colleague!"

"Nope," Harold muttered.

Peach, gathering up her papers, shook her head. "Besides, we already spilled the beans on them being engaged as a cover story. The public's gonna make their judgements. And if she wants to go on a date with Arc, why shouldn't she?"

She gave Glynda a look.

"You do want to date him, don't you?"

Glynda glanced at the hopeful Dorothy. She thought back to her interactions with the young man. His smile, his moments of wisdom that made him seem older, and his resemblance to his father in a few ways… Yes, the attraction was there. She had never seriously pursued Nick-She had been too occupied with her studies, and Isabel had been clear via her actions if not her words that she considered Nick hers. But she had admired the young man's courage, honesty, and strength, and made a few overtures towards him. Overtures the young man had, predictably, misinterpreted as friendly. He had been so pure, so kind… Traits that Jaune had inherited, along with his mother's intelligence, recklessness, and stubbornness.

Had it been the timeline where it was just her, this would be a non-issue. Assuming Salem hadn't attacked, she would have waited until his graduation to proceed with a relationship of any kind. The spark was there. And she did want to kindle it. For her children and the future, if nothing else, she could see herself falling in love with the man Jaune Arc would become.

Glynda slowly nodded.

"Yes," she admitted quietly.

Peach grinned broadly.

"Then why not go for it? And reinforce the cover?"

"I don't think it will need too much work," Port chuckled, "If anyone would get his son engaged to eleven women, it'd be Nick Arc! Haha!"

Harold nodded.

"He is the same idiot he was back in school."

Peach smirked. "True enough! I've gotta go teach that idiot's sont. Be back later." She turned and headed off, the door shutting quietly behind her-Though not without a wink at Oobleck, which he blinked back at in confusion.

Dorothy's wry grin spread. "Yeah, Pop-Pops doesn't get much better in the future."

Mombi flushed. "I'm surprised Isabel lets him out without a leash."

She froze. "…I said that out loud…"

Dorothy face paled. "C-Can we not talk about Gram-Grams and Pop-Pops with… leashes? I'd really prefer not to have that image in my head." She whispered to herself, "It was bad enough walking in on Mom and Dad with one…"

Glynda turned bright red.

"In any event!" Port cried, showing some tact, "Glynda, you're engaged! It's good for you to go out and get to know each other! We're behind you, one hundred percent!"

"Thank the Breaker he's at least eighteen," Harold muttered.

Dorothy turned to the group. "Again—and I can't stress this enough—they really didn't do anything until Dad was at least twenty. Heck, it wasn't until he returned older from the Ever After that things got serious."

Silence fell. Oobleck leaned forward, his eyes intense with inquisitive light.

"Wait… the Ever After? It's real?"

"The mythical dimension between Man and Gods?!" Mombi gasped.

"The dimension of adventure and the Jabberwocky?!" Port asked in glee.

"The place in that lame novel that was turned into a horror movie, porno, and horror porno?" Ann inquired.

Dorothy winced. Oops.

She turned to Glynda with a nervous grin. "…So in my defense, I was almost one hundred percent positive you all knew about that."

A beat.

"Also that Dad is really the Rusted Knight."

"He's WHAT?!" Glynda cried.

The lounge dissolved into chaos—questions, exclamations, Harold reaching for another bottle.

Glynda scowled at her daughter.

"Start talking. Now."

 

[digcat]

"Also that Dad is really the Rusted Knight."

"He's WHAT?!" Glynda cried.

Glynda scowled at her daughter.

"Start talking. Now."

Click to shrink...

Yeah that is about how i would expected them to react to that news.

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

LoL she really is Jaunes kid

 

[Dragon Bob]

Yeah that is about how i would expected them to react to that news.

Click to shrink...

Finding out your husband is destined via time paradox to spend decades trapped in an alternate reality is very stressful.

 

[Sliverhero]

Finding out your husband is destined via time paradox to spend decades trapped in an alternate reality is very stressful.

Click to shrink...

And dont forget no matter the timeline he always gets stuck there and become the rust Knight in some shape and form