[RWBY] The Great Temporal Step-Sibling War!

[Ardrianian]

Knowing that Nora was abandoned for Grimm bait and Ren getting over his semblance effects by Nick's dad-logic drives home how fertile the story arc between Ren and Nora and CRWBY fumbled that bag. There should have been some next level feelings after offing the Nucklevee.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Willow was looking over several documents in the rooms Beacon had given to her, Klein and Whitley. While not the most luxurious she had stayed in, this was of no concern to her as she continued her work. There was a knock at the door, and Klein headed off to answer. A moment later, Klein returned, General Ironwood in tow.

"James," Willow said with a soft smile.

"Willow," he returned gently. Klein moved to pull out a chair for him, and the general sat down opposite her.

"Would you like the usual brandy, sir?" Klein said. Ironwood shook his head.

"I'm afraid I must decline. Too much work to do," he said.

"Tea then," Klein agreed, "Much better at this hour than coffee, sir."

"Thank you," Ironwood said with a nod, as Klein headed off to the kitchen. Willow smiled softly.

"You seem a bit overwhelmed," she observed.

"No more than you, I believe," James returned without any heat. Willow reached across the table to take his right hand, and squeezed it. He squeezed it back, just as gently.

"It is good to see you sober," he said softly. Willow grimaced.

"It's not as good to be it. Klein has me taking oxy pills to keep my head clear." She sighed. "I'll probably need to see Isabel about dealing with withdrawal. I... I can't afford to drink. Not now."

She gave James a wan smile.

"It's going to be hellish the next few days," she said quietly. Ironwood slowly nodded.

"I need your help, Willow," Ironwood said, direct and to the point as always, "Ozpin is hoping to announce a new alliance between Atlas, Vale, Pandu, and Menagerie in the next few weeks. In light of our... Future revelations."

Willow bit back an incredulous laugh.

"He doesn't think small, does he?" She asked. "And you need my help?"

"I do," Ironwood said, "If we're to defeat Salem... We need as many resources as possible. What would it take to get Jacques onboard... Or out of the way?"

"A lot," Willow admitted. "My grandsons have been giving me some hints and clues, but they didn't memorize all the details of how he was brought low. I'm looking through Warden's papers and some other things. There's plenty to build from, but as much as I hate to say it... Jacques is cunning."

Willow sighed and looked down at her hands.

"It would have been nice if I'd realized how cunning he was," she said softly. "If I had been more insightful. More cautious... Less foolish..."

"That won't help," Ironwood stated, firm but not unkind. Willow looked up at him and laughed quietly.

"No. No, it won't. Old habits are hard to break," she admitted softly. Ironwood nodded in quiet understanding.

"I suppose so," he replied.

Willow gave him a nostalgic smile.

"I am glad you are taking care of my girls, James," Willow said quietly, "And glad to have you with me in all this... Insanity. I wish you had been there for Whitley, too. I'm only now beginning to realize how... How much I failed him. Failed them all..." Her head bowed again.

"Self pity won't help," Ironwood reminded her gently. He reached out to tip her chin back up. She stared in surprise. "It never has, Willow. Whatever your challenges... I will do what I can to assist. I will offer protection for you and your family. I swear it."

Willow flushed slightly. She looked to the side and let out another small laugh.

"You know... I rather like you being this way," she admitted.

Ironwood shrugged, withdrawing his hand slowly.

"I suppose, in a way, we are family now," he said quietly.

Willow nodded.

"I think we've been that for longer. Though I didn't notice."

The door to the room opened. Winter Schnee entered, with Theodore walking alongside her. They both came to attention in front of the table, and Ironwood stood in greeting.

"Sir," Winter stated, "My son has completed the preliminary report from all the future children."

"I'm still working on Moses' side of things," Theodore said, handing over a holochip, "But he's sleeping in his mom's lab while she monitors him. Granny Izzy is going to give him an examination, see if she can't help his symptoms. But this is all the relevant information I could find on the Vytal attacks and some other White Fang operations."

Ironwood nodded, his smile faint but proud.

"Thank you," he said. Theodore nodded.

"There are... A few other details I haven't mentioned," he added. Winter gave him a frown. Theodore shook his head. "I ask that I be allowed to exercise my discretion in this matter for the time being. It is... Delicate."

Ironwood raised an eyebrow. Theodore remained very stoic and serious, a rarity from the young man.

"Does this involve the children of Cinder Fall?" He asked. Theodore slowly nodded. Ironwood frowned, but slowly nodded.

"I see. I will trust your discretion in this matter for the time being," he said. Theodore nodded, smiling softly.

"Thank you, sir." He turned to his mother, who frowned. "Trust me, Mother. Please."

Winter sucked in a breath, and slowly nodded.

"I believe you have earned it," she said, "But keep us apprised?"

"I will. Promise," Theodore said with a smile. "Now! Mother?" He handed her a holochip, "Here's everything I can tell you about your relationship with Dad. May I suggest you try something nice and casual for the first date? I've included a few pictures of things Dad really likes you to wear. I've got to handle a few other things."

Winter shook her head.

"Remember to get some rest, huh?" She awkwardly reached out and squeezed his shoulder. He smiled gently back, and squeezed her hand.

"I will," he said. A Schnee Glyph appeared behind him and he stepped back, vanishing. Winter inserted the holochip into her Scroll. She projected the first image... And blushed bright red at the very abbreviated outfit her future self was wearing.

"Oh my," Willow murmured, "Well, that will definitely get his attention."

"M-Mother!" Winter cried, turning off her Scroll. Ironwood raised an eyebrow.

"Given he's an Arc, you will need to be as direct as possible. Subtlety doesn't work on them."

"Absolutely," Willow nodded, "In fact Winter? You should wear less."

"Mother!"

"Given the competition you are up against, you will need every weapon in your arsenal to keep up," Ironwood added, "In this case, an all out assault would be the best approach."

"S-Sir!"

 

[cavalal386]

"That won't help," Ironwood stated, firm but not unkind. Winter looked up at him and laughed quietly.

Click to shrink...

where did winter come from?

"You know... I rather like you being this way," she admitted.

Click to shrink...

Willow: if can't have a blonde himbo, i'll settle for a military himbo instead.

The door to the room opened. Winter Schnee entered, with Theodore walking alongside her. They both came to attention in front of the table, and Ironwood stood in greeting.

Click to shrink...

so that's where she came from. she just teleported in to laugh and went to get her son.

"Oh my," Willow murmured, "Well, that will definitely get his attention."

"M-Mother!" Winter cried, turning off her Scroll. Ironwood raised an eyebrow.

"Given he's an Arc, you will need to be as direct as possible. Subtlety doesn't work on them."

"Absolutely," Willow nodded, "In fact Winter? You should wear less."

"Mother!"

"Given the competition you are up against, you will need every weapon in your arsenal to keep up," Ironwood added, "In this case, an all out assault would be the best approach."

"S-Sir!"

Click to shrink...

look their already acting like a married couple, teasing their daughter together and giving her dating advise from their experience in dealing with Arcs.

 

[zMADLAXz]

look their already acting like a married couple, teasing their daughter together and giving her dating advise from their experience in dealing with Arcs.

Click to shrink...

They are like divorced parents who separated on good terms and love their Daughter very much.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

They are like divorced parents who separated on good terms and love their Daughter very much.

Click to shrink...

That was my intention. Glad I got it across.

 

[Bev]

They are like divorced parents who separated on good terms and love their Daughter very much.

Click to shrink...

Well, they can get married. After an... Accident in the mines for Gelee.

 

[Grrrrrrr]

Here's a safer place to ask.

Cardin and velvet each end up eith 8 boys and 1 girl as a mirror to jaune's original dynamic.

hat about Ren and Nora. Baseball team or football team?

 

[AndrewJTalon]

"Hey Emerald."

Hearing Jaune call out to her didn't startle the green haired thief, and she didn't jump a bit as she turned around to face him. She just hadn't expected to see him after everyone was ushered out of the room so he could have a mostly private talk with his mother. It hadn't taken long for everyone to disperse after that, with all the girls splitting off into little groups to take care of a few odds and ends before getting ready for bed. Emerald had split off to close up her old dorm room for the night, taking her away from everyone else.

And there was Jaune, coming down the hallway with Penny a few feet behind him.

"Oh, Hi Jaune," Emerald managed to sound nonchalant. Was this a coincidence or did he seek her out? If he sought her out then what did he seek her out for? "What brings you here?"

"Looking for you actually," Jaune admitted with an undercurrent of concern in his voice. "I was hoping we could talk."

"Well then come in," Emerald smiled as she opened the door to her old dorm room, doing her best to not sound too eager to have his concern sent her way, "Take a seat, the fire suppressing system left most of them usable."

The two of them entered the room while Penny stood at attention in the open doorway. Emerald grabbed what was once Mercury's desk chair and spun it around so it faced away from Cinder's space in the room. Jaune grabbed another desk chair and flipped it around to face the green haired girl before sitting down with a softness in his eyes that drew Emerald in.

"What did you want to talk about?" She asked before she could get lost in that softness.

"Right," Jaune muttered with a bit of nervous energy bubbling to the surface, "So my mother shared some things about my family history I was unaware of and that's put several things into a new light for me." The blond boy heaved a anxious sigh, "I think this whole thing is going to end up being a harem."

Emerald failed to stop her snort of amusement, "Is there a reason you're not wanting to call this spade a spade?"

"The idea doesn't feel real to me just yet," Jaune admitted, "Like if I put a proper name to it then it will be real and I'll have to deal with all of the implications that come with it being real."

"I guess that makes sense," Emerald allowed with a nod. Then her gaze turned inquisitive. Having a harem was a fairly standard male fantasy, why would the fantasy scare him? "What implications are you worried about dealing with?"

"Oh man, where to start?" Jaune nervously chuckled for a moment, "I guess the greatest concern is going to be time. There are only so many hours in a day, and that means it's going to be an uphill struggle to give everyone the love and attention they deserve even if I somehow gained the best time management skills in the world. There's eleven of you, that means there's a very real possibility I'll come up short at some point."

Emerald nodded in acknowledgment. That was a fair concern, she supposed, but the fact he had even thought about it was a clear sign that they could work through it.

"Ninety percent of fixing a problem is figuring out what exactly the actual problem is and what caused it," Emerald reassured him. "Since you've identified the problem ahead of time we'll be able to avoid it."

"Maybe," The concern carried in Jaune's tone demanded her full attention, "But the reason I'm brining it up now is because if I fail it will hit you the hardest."

"What do you mean?" Surprise laced her words.

"Harem Politics would be the natural consequence of my failure," Jaune elaborated. "That means cliques and alliances will form and those cliques will compete against each other in little power plays aimed at monopolizing what I have to give at the expense of everyone else in the harem."

"I'm the odd woman out right now," Emerald's eyes widened with realization. That was a reality she had known since the brawl the day before; she had acted accordingly, but now the shortsightedness of those actions emerged from the mist. "I'd be the easiest person to cut out of the equation."

"Yeah, that's why I wanted to talk with you before anyone else, and why I looked for you now instead of waiting until tomorrow," Jaune leaned forward with clear tension in his shoulders. "I mean ideally we'll all get along well enough that competing cliques won't happen and we'll all be more or less equal partners in all of this, but in either case you can't afford to be the odd woman out."

"...Jaune, I... Thank you Jaune," Emerald stood up with a slight tremor in her lips. "Thank you for worrying about me..." She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, trying to push all of the gratitude she felt welling up inside into the action. "Now let me alleviate some of that worry: I promise I'll start building bridges with the others. In fact, I'll start tonight; there's a hatchet I should burry before we all go to bed."

Jaune's relieved smile would keep her heart warm for days to come.

------------------

Luck appeared to be smiling on Emerald this night, for she found the three of them together. May, Pyrrha and Arslan stood at a hallway junction that could be used to access both the regular dorms and the different guest dorms. The three of them were having a quiet discussion that trailed off as they noticed Emerald approaching, all of them glaring with different degrees of intensity. Pyrrha's glare edged on hostility, May's felt pitting and Arslan's was a picture of polite annoyance.

Emerald didn't allow herself to shrink beneath the weight of their combined stares as she walked right up to them, her intention to talk clear as she made herself part of their little circle.

"Do you need something Emerald?" The warrior nun asked in a controlled tone.

Emerald took a deep breath before ripping the proverbial bandage off; "Yes, and what I need is to apologize."

That pronouncement took the other young women by surprise, and they shared glances to that effect. May looked curious, Pyrrha suspicious, and Arslan was the neutral ground between those extremes. In any case she had their attention, so Emerald pressed on.

"I'm sorry," She forced the words out past her lips. "I'm sorry that I abandoned the plan during the fight, and that I actively sabotaged your own parts in it. I wanted the win to be my win and only my win, because it was the only thing I could think of that would get me on the same level as everyone else."

"What do you mean by on the same level? Why wouldn't you be on the same level as us?" May asked softly.

"From an objectively pragmatic standpoint I have the least to bring to the table," Emerald explained. "Ruby and Yang have parents that are friends with Jaune's parents, and that gives them an emotional connection that can compete with the raw wealth the Schnee Sisters have. You two," She pointed to Pyrrha and Arslan, "Aren't that far behind in the wealth department alongside Blake and you," She pointed to May, "Have both the emotional connection and the wealth an aspirant kingdom in your corner."

Pyrrha and Arslan looked contemplative, May looked like a deer in the headlights the instant her family's status was spelled out. In any case Emerald pressed on.

"Me? I'm a street rat whose situation was so desperate that I swore undying loyalty to the first person that offered to feed me. Two or three meals a day. That's all Cinder needed to buy my soul. The only things I can bring to the table is myself, and my skills." Emerald grabbed he right wrist with her left to stop the trembling that had just started, not even noticing she did so as she put insecurities into words, "And next to everyone here? Myself is objectively a loosing offer; I might be sexy but so is everyone else so that's not a reason to pick me. My personality? My everything revolved around Cinder, and since she tried to kill me my center has been ripped out. Objectively a bad pick when the rest of you have more than just Desperate Street Rat to fall back on."

This was more than Emerald had planned on sharing, but now that the words had started they were't stopping.

"So the two things that make me myself don't help my appeal, meaning all I have left to justify my place at the table are my skills." Emerald's eyes weren't focusing on anyone in particular and had taken on a wild edge. "But you're all the cream of the crop, the best of the best. If my skills were going to stand out in this crowd I'd need to do something big with them, something that would give me leverage that could make up for what everyone else has. So I gambled on the fight. It was the wrong choice and I just dragged all of us down instead of standing out. And for that? I'm sorry. I'm sorry my effort to stand out pushed us all down."

Her whole body was trembling now, and her voice also sook. She still felt compelled to continue.

"I don't, it's just-" A pair of hands gripped her shoulders tightly, cutting off her rambling before it could get much farther.

"I get it," May was right in front of her now, and Emerald wasn't sure when that happened. The sniper looked her in the eyes as she went on, "I really do. Before I learned about my parents yesterday my situation wasn't that different from yours, and if they hadn't existed and I was actually the orphan I thought I was? I could see myself getting desperate and trying a risky gamble too." May's gentle voice aimed to reassure even as her hands gave a comforting squeeze, as if she was expressing her forgiveness with that touch.

"It would be hypocritical of me to deny your apology when I am also seeking forgiveness," Arslan noted in a placid voice. "Especially if you're as sincere as you sound." The lioness then looked towards the floor somewhat bashfully, "And your deception isn't the only reason we lost the fight. In hindsight I should have disengaged when Pyrrha rushed in, or somehow signaled for her to pull back. In any case my response to the situation you put us in was the wrong one, so blaming you for our loss would be a pointless appeal to my own ego."

Arslan heaved a heavy sigh before looking Emerald in the eyes, "I'm willing to forgive you, and extend my trust a second time. I only ask that you not betray that trust again."

Emerald managed to nod, not sure if she could give a coherent verbal response as her emotions mixed about in ways unfamiliar to her.

Pyrrha looked back and fourth between the other women in the circle before squaring her shoulders and adding her two cents.

"The fight today was the biggest embarrassment I've had since I first picked up the blade," The redhead's tone was firm, but not unkind. "But that doesn't mean I'm unwilling to forgive you. We just need to reach a point where I know you won't turn on us like that again, and I'm willing to take the time to get to that point."

"Thank you," Emerald choked out, sagging in relief. The hatchet might not be completely buried yet, but a hole in the backyard had been dug and the hatchet placed inside it. They just needed some time to fill that hole with dirt.

As Emerald's relief washed over here the other three women shared a look and asked a silent question of each other. A brief dance of uncertain looks, raised eyebrows and head tilts ensued, coming to a conclusion with surprising swiftness all things considered. With a consensus reached Arslan cleared her throat to grab the green haired girl's attention.

"Before you got here the three of us were discussing things we could do together at the festival while we wait for our dates with Jaune," The lioness explained. "Would you like to join us for something?"

"Yeah," Emerald grabbed the offered olive branch with both hands, "I would. What kind of things were you thinking about?"

"Well," May perked up, "Pyrrha was telling us about an ice cream parlor her team visited a few weeks ago..."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

"Goodnight Xander."

"Goodnight Dad."

"Goodnight Julian."

"Night Dad!"

"Goodnight Xia."

"Goodnight Dad."

"Goodnight Petra."

"Goodnight Father."

"Goodnight Leander, Leandra."

"Night Pops." "Sleep tight Pops"

"Goodnight Theodore."

"Goodnight Pops."

"Goodnight Nicholas."

"Goodnight Father."

"Goodnight Amethyst."

"Goodnight Daddy."

"Goodnight Dorothy."

"Night Dad."

"Goodnight Ash, Ashley."

"Goodnight Dad.""Goodnight Pops."

"Goodnight August."

"Goodnight Father."

Jaune smiled as he made his way to the door, finding his children had been easier than he expected. He had originally thought that he'd be looking all over the campus for them, but Theodore had gathered them all up for the task of getting all of the important details about the different futures written down for planning purposes. They hadn't dispersed by the time Jaune had decided to wish them goodnight so it had only taken a few minutes to track them down once he and Penny had started looking.

Which was a good thing because he was about ready to crash for the night.

"If any of you need anything you'll know where to find me," Jaune yawned as he passed through the doorway, Penny a few steps behind him.

"Alright Dad," Amethyst called out, "We'll see you in the morning!"

"Right, see you all then," Jaune looked over his shoulder, "Goodnight everyone."

That set off another round of goodnights from his children all at once, and Penny closed the door once they were done.

It didn't take long for him to wander back to his dorm room, where he was greeted by a faint giggling as he opened that door.

"What are you two up to?" Jaune asked between two yawns.

Nora was in a sundress and had a picnic basket hanging off of her right arm, a giddy smile on her face as she giggled away behind her left hand. Ren was in a button-up shirt with a formal ascot and a nice pare of slacks, a book of poetry in his hands.

"We're going to go on a moonlit stroll around campus followed by a little rooftop picnic," The magenta eyed boy explained.

"That sounds nice," Jaune nodded as he pulled out his pajamas and started getting ready for bed.

"When do you plan on returning?" Penny inquired as she checked the parameter of the room.

"In a couple of hours-" "Sunrise." The two answered simultaneously.

Ren looked to Nora, who was sending her best smolder his way.

"Think about it Renny; You, Me, cuddled up for warmth with the stars as our blanket, kissing the hours away." Nora began to waggle her eyebrows, "If we find a secluded enough spot we might be able to do more than just kissing..."

"Well..." Ren tugged at the collar of his shirt as he thought about it, his cheeks flushing red. "If we stay up til sunrise you'll sleep through our history class tomorrow."

"So?" Nora asked.

"And history class won't get you enough sleep for all the things we could be doing together at the festival tomorrow afternoon." Ren reasoned.

"Hmmm..." Nora pouted as she considered that point. There were some things she wanted to do with her Renny at the festival. "I guess we can get some sleep tonight."

"And since we have proper beds we might as well use them..."

"Alright, we'll be back in a couple of hours," Nora allowed.

"Splendid!" Penny clapped her hands, "I'll make sure the defenses are set up in a way that will allow you to return."

Jaune might have asked what kind of defenses she ment, but his head had already hit the pillow and the words of his friends sounded a lot farther away then they actually were.

The last thing he heard before entering dreamland was Ren and Nora going out the door.

-------------------

"So, Xander, Amethyst, you and your Moms shared a room last night?" Ash asked. "Will you guys be sharing a room again tonight?"

"We did, and I think we are," Xander confirmed. "Why do you want to know?"

"Well, we'd rather not sleep in the infirmary again," Ashley explained. "Do you think it'd be a problem if we joined you guys?"

Xander and Amethyst shared a thoughtful look, and after some silent deliberation Amethyst answered.

"Well the room is big enough, and I don't mind," Amethyst noted. "I don't think my mom would mind either... What about you Xander?"

"I don't think my mother would object," Xander affirmed after a moment of further thought, "So you can join us."

"Great! And thanks," Ash smiled a bit at that, "We'll get some bedding for ourselves and meet you there. What's the room number?"

The number was given, and Cinder's twins split off in a different direction as the future children dispersed for the night. The two of them soon found their way to one of the linen closets and Ash began the process of picking out the right pillows and sheets. His sister had pulled out her scroll in the meantime and had opened the main messaging program.

"Still no answer. Do you think we should try again tonight?" She asked.

"Well, sending another message wouldn't hurt," Ash sighed as he found a pillow with just the right balance of give and firmness. "Maybe we should add times when we know we'll be free to talk on this one?"

"That sounds like a decent idea..." Ashley muttered as she began to compose her thoughts and typed away.

Mom, these are our numbers, and these times are good times to call...

 

[AndrewJTalon]

North Sanus, Gallia

One Month after the Vytal Attacks

- - -

Tracking down Adam had been difficult. He was good at concealing his movements, and in the chaos after Vytal, he had plenty of ways to hide.

However, he was the one who trained Blake how to track. And whatever else he was, he was a good teacher.

Blake was a good student.

The train station was an older one on an automated cargo rail line. It was nestled in a grove of pine trees, in the depths of a verdant valley. The station itself had been abandoned for a long time, rusty roof tiles and fading paint. She could see piles of cargo boxes arranged haphazardly, a few White Fang flunkies doing some work... And that familiar figure in black with red hair standing on the platform, staring out into space.

"ADAM!"

Adam slowly turned to face her, unhurried. He stared at her through that mask. She stood there, taking deep breaths in her anger and fear. The other White Fang members turned and began to draw their weapons, but Adam held up his hand and they backed down.

"Have you come to your senses?" Adam asked, calm and condescending, "Finally decided to return? Beg for forgiveness?"

"No," Blake growled, drawing Gambol Shroud, "I'm here to kill you."

Adam looked amused.

"For your human boytoy? For the scars I inflicted upon him?" Adam asked, "For all the human lives I've taken?"

Blake lunged, her cleaver nearly going through Adam's neck if he hadn't drawn Wilt in time to deflect her strike.

"For everything," Blake hissed, dashing forward while wildly swinging her weapon in flail mode.

Adam was initially driven back by her ferocity. She had a clone split off to charge him, while she flanked Adam and opened up in gun mode. Adam smoothly deflected her bullets and used Wilt's sheath to fire back. She dropped under the shotgun blast, sliding forward to swing her chain around his ankles. She leaped up, and Adam was sent crashing to the ground. She shifted her weapon to blade mode and charged, intent on thrusting the blade through his strernum!

He lashed out with a punch which she powered through, but it was enough to stall her momentum. She punched him back, knocking his head back before he lashed out with a powerful kick to her stomach. She pulled back, leaving a clone in her place, but he cut right through it and slapped her in the face with the flat of his blade.

"UNGH!"

He backhanded her and in the same motion, unleashed a blast from his shotgun at point blank range. Another kick and she was sent flying into the wall of the train station ticket booth. She slumped, tried to get back up... But Adam swung his blade, and unleashed Moonslices. Not powerful enough to cut her into pieces... But they burned scars across her flesh right through her Aura.

"UNGH! AAHHH!" She slumped, then Adam was upon her and seized her throat.

"Hurk!"

He lifted her up as she struggled, kicking and punching. He shook his head.

"You were never able to beat me, Blake," he stated smoothly, "This... Was inevitable. This is destiny."

"Nngh...!" Blake tried to cry out, but Adam tightened his grip on her throat as she clawed at his arm. It didn't seem to phase him a bit.

"Your dalliance with the human is something I'm willing to forgive, in time," Adam went on, "After all... I was your first."

"Y-You...!" Adam loosened his grip just a bit, and she gasped before she spat out, "He's... Better than you... In every way!"

"So why isn't he with you?" Adam taunted, tightening his grip again. She flailed and grit her teeth, glaring death back at him. Adam smirked.

"Oh... I see. You abandoned them too, huh? Like I said, inevitable."

He slammed her against the wall, making a dent in the rusting tin as she squirmed.

"You might have thought you loved that man... But in the end, I know you better than anyone," Adam continued, "Because only I know what you need. What you desire. All of mankind at our feet, and me by your side. You will be a queen, Blake. It is what you are meant to be. Why else would you have run off... And come back to me?"

Blake seethed, tears running down her cheeks. Despair welled up in her chest as she saw the other White Fang goons begin to surround them.

Is he right?

The image of Jaune lying in a hospital bed, covered in scars, assaulted her mind. Adam had targeted him specifically during the attack, had beaten him to near death. Had burned scars into his body.

He'd taken Yang's arm when she'd tried to protect Jaune. He'd had his forces keep Ruby and Weiss from getting to Pyrrha... Pyrrha...

And what had Blake done? Just run off on her own, again. Left her boyfriend in a coma at the hospital.

The distant sound of a train whistle couldn't break her despair. She'd run away and abandoned the people she loved. Like she always had... Like she always...

A massive golden Aura slash erupted from the trees, ripping apart half the train platform and scattering the White Fang goons. Adam let Blake drop to the floor, leaving her gasping for breath, as he pulled his sword to parry a strike from a familiar blade. Blake gaped in amazement and horror as Jaune stood there, in full armor, his sword and shield repaired as he crossed blades with Adam.

"Here to save your pet, human?" Adam asked mockingly. "You don't seem to understand-"

"You talk too damn much!" Jaune snarled, and he swung his blade. The two exchanged blows furiously, Adam's speed and power being countered by Jaune's strength and agility. Adam jumped back and unleashed a Moonslice, but Jaune powered up and swung Crocea Mors to unleash another Aura slash. Red met gold, and the two blasts exploded against one another.

"HURK!"

Blake covered her eyes against the brightness of the flash, but lowered them immediately when she heard Jaune's cry. She gaped in horror as she saw Jaune standing there, Wilt buried in his gut, Adam smirking as he drove the blade in deeper. Blood ran from the wound, as Jaune shuddered and dropped his sword and shield.

"JAUNE!" Blake screamed.

Jaune shakily lifted his hands up to grab onto Adam's shoulders. The bull Faunus chuckled softly, as deadly as his blade, as he twisted Wilt inside to make Jaune groan in pain.

"You seem to forget," Adam gloated, "I'm the hero of this story. You are merely a side character, a distraction. Blake will eventually forget her dalliance with you. She will be mine, Remnant will be ours... And you will not even be a memory. You pathetic fraud. Loser. Weakling."

A train whistle sounded in the distance, and the roar of Dust powered engines began to get louder.

Jaune gritted his teeth in a savage grin. Adam scowled as Jaune's grip tightened on his shoulders.

"What's that stupid smile for, moron?"

"You can't see what my hands are doing, can you?"

Two small explosives slid out of Jaune's gauntlets, and he pressed them to Adam's shoulderblades. The bull Faunus's jaw dropped, he pulled away, let go of his sword and tried to remove his coat-

The twin explosions again forced Blake to shut her eyes. When she opened them, blinking the afterimages away, Adam stood there as a bloody wreck. His arms hung limp, bloody, ruined. He gaped in rage and horror at Jaune... Who lifted up his foot and kicked him in the gut towards the tracks.

"YOU-!"

The automated train roared by, covering Adam's scream with its loud horn and rush of the wind as it passed by. It headed off into the distance, not a trace of Adam left behind.

Jaune's knees wobbled, buckled, and finally bent as he fell to the rotting platform. Blake dragged herself over to him, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Jaune... Jaune," Blake sobbed. "I... I'm so sorry... I'm so, so sorry..."

Jaune wrapped an arm around her tightly, and pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay," Jaune whispered, "It's okay..."

They fell back onto the wooden platform together, blood loss and exhaustion forcing them both into unconsciousness.

- - -

When Blake awoke, it was to a well furnished hospital room. The beeping of medical machines and smell of disinfectant assaulted her senses. She looked around frantically from her bed.

"Jaune?! JAUNE?!"

He was laying in a bed next to her, groaning. His torsoe was heavily bandaged. Blake felt a strong but gentle hand take hold of her shoulder, and push her back down. She looked up: A familiar woman was pushing her back down.

"If you don't mind, I don't want either of you hurt yourself more than you already have," Isabel Arc stated flatly. Blake blinked.

"Wh... Where are we?"

"Radian. Arc-En-Ciel hospital," Isabel stated, "My son, for once, remembered to call in back up and aid. The rest of your teams are here too. My husband got you both out of there with his team and a hospital Bullhead."

Blake stared, and slowly nodded.

"I... I see," she whispered.

Isabel scowled at her deeply, and Blake shrank back.

"My son risked his life to save you-Twice," Isabel stated firmly, "You obviously mean a lot to him."

"... I know," Blake whispered, looking back at him.

"So, the least you could do is try not get him killed in the future," Isabel stated angrily. Blake winced, and bowed her head.

"... I know."

Isabel sighed slowly. She reached out and pulled Blake into a hug. Blake tensed up, but relaxed into the gentle warmth of her embrace.

"I can understand how hard it can be to face your true feelings," Isabel murmured, "But it's better than running away from them. Believe me."

She let Blake go. She turned and left, leaving Blake and Jaune alone in the quiet room of beeping machines.

She glanced at a small mirror by the side of her bed. She took it up, and stared at her reflection. Faint scars crisscrossed her flesh. She slid a hand underneath her hospital gown, tracing the lines left behind.

"Hey," Jaune murmured. Blake dropped the mirror, and struggled out of the bed. She became lightheaded with the first step, but she managed to get to the bed and Jaune's arms. He pulled her into his embrace, and she wrapped her arms around him.

"Jaune," Blake whispered, looking up into his eyes, "I... How are you feeling?"

"Terrible," Jaune admitted. Blake nodded.

"Same," she murmured. She looked up at him slowly. She reached up to touch his cheek, the whisker-like scars carved into his cheeks still dark and obvious. Scars Adam had left.

Jaune reached down to trace her own scars with his rough hands. She shivered softly, and leaned into him. His hands slid up and down her body, one going to scratch behind her ears while the other stroked up and down her back. They stayed like that in silence for a time.

"... I'm sorry," Blake murmured. "It... It's all my fault-"

"Blake," Jaune whispered, "Enough, okay? That's not helping. I wasn't... I wasn't going to let the woman I love face that monster alone."

Blake looked up into his eyes. She licked her lips.

"But you're scarred, and injured, all because of-"

"So are you," Jaune whispered. He cupped her cheek tenderly. "Because that's what you do for people you love."

Tears boiled at the corners of her eyes, warmth filling her soul. She slid up and kissed him deeply, a kiss he returned.

"... I love you too," she whispered against his lips. Jaune smiled, and nuzzled her.

"Just... Promise me one thing?" He asked. Blake nodded.

"Anything," she murmured, "I'll do the most depraved, debauched things in my books with you, I'll-!"

"Uh," Jaune blushed, "I-I mean, I'm glad and... Yeah, we'll do that... But what I want more than that? Just promise me... No more running away." He squeezed her hand. "Whatever comes in the future? We... We face it together."

Blake stared back at him. She bit her lower lip and slowly nodded. She squeezed his hand back.

"... I promise."

 

[zMADLAXz]

Anything," she murmured, "I'll do the most depraved, debauched things in my books with you, I'll-!"

Click to shrink...

Blake, sweetheart, you got to stop being horny on main.

Sometimes your partner want you to be actually there.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

He was back in Radian. The the familiar mountains, green and gray, shone in the light of the sun. A light breeze in the trees, familiar to him as the sound of his breathing, along with bird song and light music filled the air. The farmhouse he stood before was unfamiliar, yet still cozy, so he felt at ease.

It was blue with white trim... Then green with brown trim... Then red brick with green roofing... But this didn't matter to Jaune as he walked around to the back. He could see his children running around, laughing, playing, all happy. A smile came over his face. Ruby pranced up to him with a grin, wearing an apron. She'd grown into a beautiful woman, and she hugged and kissed him.

"Mm! Welcome home, sweetie!"

"Hey!" Jaune said, returning the hug and kiss. He pulled back and it was Emerald in his arms. "Hey... Wait..."

"What? What's wrong?" Yang asked, her cocky grin softened with a bit of maternal warmth. Jaune blinked.

"Ah... I'm just confused..."

"What's to be confused about?" Pyrrha asked, as they walked out into the picnic arm in arm, "We're here. Our family is here. We're happy..."

"But where...?" Jaune looked around. The children stayed the same-All of them. "Where's everyone else? Where are... My other wives?"

"You didn't need them, and neither do I," Blake stated firmly, "We're together. We can handle this all on our own."

Jaune shook his head, looking over at their children.

"I... No, that's not... That's not right..."

Glynda stepped into view, glaring.

"You can't hope to handle all of us. You know you can't."

Jaune held his hands up. Arslan was giving him a disapproving glare now.

"That's not... That's not true!"

"Is it?" Weiss demanded, striding towards him angrily, "You think you can keep us all happy? You think you can keep us together?"

Jaune began to back up.

"You're pretending, Jaune," May said, her voice still quiet but as jagged as a knife as he bumped into her. He turned to face her, as she yelped. She looked down-A knife was protruding from her stomach.

"Oh dear," she mumbled, as she collapsed. Jaune tried to catch her, but he was pulled away. He looked into Cinder's eyes, glowing with fire as she grinned.

"Only one wife, darling," Cinder hissed. She screamed as Winter stabbed her from behind with her sword. The other wives began to fight furiously, shooting, punching, kicking one another in their fury. The children fell in the crossfire, the sky turned red.

Jaune gaped in horror. He turned and ran.

"JAUNE!"

He looked over his shoulder. All his potential future wives stood there, covered in blood, their family in tatters.

"JAUNE!"

He looked ahead. The tall figure of a grim knight in rusted armor stood there. He tried to stop running but his muscles refused to respond. The Rusted Knight grew larger, larger, filling the sky, filling the space, filling-

"JAUNE!"

"GAH!"

Jaune shot up, awake, his hand reaching for his sword. He panted desperately, trying to get his bearings. Nora, Ren and Penny were standing around his bunk in their dorm. He slowly calmed down, taking deep breaths.

"Heyyyy," Nora said with a smile, "You okay, Fearless Leader?"

"Do you require medical attention?" Penny asked. A needle sprouted from her finger. Jaune shook his head, giving an apologetic smile to everyone-Nora especially. He reached out to squeeze her hand.

"I'm okay, really," he said. "Just... A lot on my mind."

"Our schedule has been disrupted a bit," Ren observed. Jaune was gratified to see him holding hands with Nora, and not looking uncomfortable about it. It was nice to see, to be honest. "How about we go and meditate before classes start?"

Jaune smiled and nodded.

"I'd like that," he said.

"Then we can weight train!" Nora said cheerfully. "Ooh! Penny! Do you weight train?"

"I do undergo periodic testing for the strength limits of my muscles!" Penny said cheerfully. She frowned slightly at the needle that still protruded from her finger. "Strange, why is it not going down?" She shook her hand. "Perhaps there is something wrong. Normal girls do not have such protrusions early in the morning!"

"That's a matter of debate!" Nora insisted. Ren and Jaune glanced at each other knowingly. Jaune gave Ren a pleading look, Ren shook his head. Jaune sighed.

"Nora, did you get into Blake's weird Mistralian comics again?"

"Me? No!" Nora shook her head with a big grin. "I got into Ruby's!"

"Well they're both wrong about that," Jaune stated firmly. There was a knock at the door. Nora, the previous conversation forgotten, turned and flounced up to the door. She opened it.

"Yes?"

"We're here to see Jaune Arc," stated a dark skinned boy in an Atlasian Academy uniform, looking grim. If Jaune recalled correctly, he was Flynt Coal from Atlas. He wasn't the only one: A lot of boys from the other Academies were all there too, including Cardin. Nora beamed.

"May I ask the reason for your visit?" She asked.

Ren was already going for his weapons as Penny pulled out a sword. Jaune held up his hands, and walked up to the door. He gently rested a hand on Nora's shoulder, and she relaxed a bit as she dropped back... Though he noted she was heading for her hammer. Jaune put on his very best 'please don't kill me' smile and greeted his visitors.

"Hey guys! What can I do for you?"

"I tried to stop them, Jauney," Cardin said, his former bully looking apologetic, "Just so you know."

"I... Appreciate that?" Jaune managed. Flynt scowled.

"You're the guy who's engaged to eleven women, huh?" Flynt demanded.

"Ahhh... Well... Yeah," Jaune admitted with a shrug.

"The guy whose father somehow talked eleven women's parents into arranging marriages for him?" Nadir Shiko, a pink haired boy, demanded, "Including my team leader?"

Jaune heard Penny's Array started up behind him. He cleared his throat and nodded, pushing past his nerves.

"Y-Yes! That's me! My dad did that!"

"Well," said a boy named Kobalt, who Jaune believed was also from Atlas, "In that case... Can your dad help us, too?"

Jaune blinked. Cardin covered his face in disbelief.

"Huh?"

"What? No!" Nadir growled. "We're giving him the business for my teammate!"

"You might be, but I'm hoping to pick up some tips," Flynt sniffed. He held up his fist. "Sir, you are a man among men, and a true bro! I mean, sure, you're marrying two Schnees but it balances out!"

"I thought we were beating him up for taking all our women?" Another boy demanded.

"HA! Like they were even your women to begin with!" Nadir mocked him.

Penny stepped forward, all smiles.

"Hello Friends! I believe it is time to prepare for breakfast!" She said cheerfully, "You should all be on your way!"

"But-!"

"Hey-!"

"We didn't-!"

Penny's swords manifested around her like the wings of an archangel. Her smile didn't change. The boys, almost as one, all sulked and headed off. Save for Flynt, whose fist was still outstretched, and Cardin, who was shaking his head in disbelief.

"Don't leave me hanging, bro," Flynt insisted. Jaune nodded and fist bumped him. "Thank you. Carry on, mad lad!"

He turned and headed off. Penny continued to smile tensely at Cardin. Nora and Ren backed her up, Nora grinning like a crazed berserker and Ren grim and cold as an Atlasian winter. Jaune held up his hand.

"He's okay, I think," he said.

"Awww," Nora pouted, but she stood down. As did Ren and Penny.

Jaune looked back at Cardin. "Cardin?"

Cardin sighed.

"Look, I don't know everything about what's going on, but I will say... Good luck buddy. You're gonna need it."

"Tell me about it," Jaune mumbled. "Listen, um, it's more complicated-"

"Yeah, I know," Cardin said, shaking his head in disbelief, "I heard some from Velvet. Enough to know I don't want to know more." His eyes narrowed. "Unless Velv is one of your future brides? I didn't see any rabbit Faunus among your future kids."

"They're not my..." At Cardin's glare, Jaune dropped the pretense. "No, no, not at all," Jaune insisted, shaking his head.

Cardin sighed in relief.

"Good! Good... I mean, as long as she was happy! I don't care about anything like that... Or her happiness," he muttered.

"Well," Jaune observed, "My future son will hate to hear that. He's looking forward to dating your future daughter."

Cardin laughed.

"Ha... Yeah... You're kidding right?"

Jaune smiled. Cardin's face turned pale.

"You... Are kidding, right Jauney?"

"Have a good day, Cardin," he said, closing the door on the now gobsmacked Winchester scion's face.

He'd had a nightmare and a rough morning. He deserved to mess with his former bully. If only a little.

 

[TheFabulousCustodes]

Velvet needs to know as well!

Thanks for the chapter.

 

[zMADLAXz]

Have a good day, Cardin," he said, closing the door on the now gobsmacked Winchester scion's face.

Click to shrink...

Story of Cardinal Winchester opposing Saint Joan only to be retold in a way that their lines are intertwined together via holy matrimony of their respective children?

That's why I read fanfiction.

 

[Dragon Bob]

Story of Cardinal Winchester opposing Saint Joan only to be retold in a way that their lines are intertwined together via holy matrimony of their respective children?

That's why I read fanfiction.

Click to shrink...

Wait, Cardin is based on the cardinal who interrogated Joan?!? I never realized that. That's amazing.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Wait, Cardin is based on the cardinal who interrogated Joan?!? I never realized that. That's amazing.

Click to shrink...

It literally doesn't matter at all to the canon beyond a simple reference. Which is fine but just kind of... Neat?

 

[MetalHead]

"You... Are kidding, right Jauney?"

Click to shrink...

Jaune was kidding. Cashmere Winchester, on the other hand, was pretty serious about getting some Arclight in her life.

 

[zMADLAXz]

It literally doesn't matter at all to the canon beyond a simple reference. Which is fine but just kind of... Neat?

Click to shrink...

I mean I thought that the entire Jaundice arc was them trying to do like a hand wavy reference to her story but yeah, for the greater plot it was not that consequential.

 

[Marlow3]

Good ole RT, so bankrupt of original thought all the characters are the most basic of different from their source material. Though the winchester-arc connection slipped by me so thanks for that tidbit.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Good ole RT, so bankrupt of original thought all the characters are the most basic of different from their source material. Though the winchester-arc connection slipped by me so thanks for that tidbit.

Click to shrink...

I mean if they just took them for inspiration, fine. But they pretty much did nothing with most of these inspirations or connections. Adam, for example, was supposed to be the Beast to Blake's Beauty/Belle, but he was turned into a psycho incel just to facilitate Bumblebee. Which helped to destroy the show. And no, Bumblebee was not planned from the start because if it had been, there would have been no Sun.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Hastinpur, Kingdom of Pandu, Southern Mistral, Animus: One and a Half Years after the Defeat of Salem

- - -

Ruby Rose, adventurer, Huntress, savior of Remnant, walked into the hot, humid police precinct office in Hastinpur with a big grin. The interior walls were painted in white, blue, and reds, like most of the interiors in Hastinpur. She showed her ID badge to the sergeant at the front desk, who gaped in disbelief before letting her through.

Still not used to that, she mentally sighed, as she walked into the back of the hot station, fans going everywhere. She walked into the detention area, where someone loudmouth was berating someone.

"HA! There's no way you two are the Queen and Queen Consort! The queen is the most beautiful woman in the world and her consort could tear a man in half by glaring at him!" The police lieutenant scoffed. In the cell, sitting quite calmly, were Jaune and May-In normal civilian clothes. May had her hair under a blue handkerchief, while Jaune had a baseball cap. Both looked amused, if a bit exasperated.

"I keep telling you, I am your Queen," May sighed, shaking her head. "We just wanted to get away from our security detail for a while and go on a proper date for once."

"And where are they?" The police lieutenant demanded. Jaune nodded.

"Next cell over."

"I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASSES! ALL YOUR ASSES!" Brawnz bellowed in the next cell over, banging at the bars. Nolan and Roy were sitting on the back bench, looking equally exasperated with their team leader.

"Look," May said, in her very best diplomatic voice, "We called Ruby, she'll be here soon to sort this all out."

"HA!" The police lieutenant scoffed, "You really expect me to believe that you know Lady Ruby Rose, one of the saviors of Remnant? The Red Reaper?"

Ruby met Jaune and May's gazes. Jaune smirked as May giggled. The lieutenant frowned and looked behind him... And then down. He blinked at Ruby, who smirked back. He slowly went pale.

"Hey," Ruby said, waving, "I'm Ruby Rose. Savior of Remnant. Those are my friends. You might have heard of them?"

"MY QUEEN! MY CAPTAIN!" The lieutenant cried, dropping to his knees and bowing, "I'M SO SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!" He hurriedly hit the cell door release button and went right back to groveling. May and Jaune stepped out of the cell, both snickering. May reached down and patted his shoulder.

"It's all right, Lieutenant," May giggled, "You were just doing your duty!"

"Can I please break his face, May?" Brawnz demanded, "Come on! Just a little?"

"No!" May admonished him, "He was overzealous in his duty but that's all!"

May took the police lieutenant's hands in hers and pulled him up. She beamed at him.

"It's all right. Just be a little more discerning before you arrest someone?" She asked.

"Y-Yes Your Majesty! Of course!" The lieutenant cried. Ruby grinned.

"So, do I have to pay the bail-?"

"No! NO! All charges dropped, really!" The lieutenant babbled.

"Aw, are you sure?" Ruby asked. "Brawnz seemed to be having fun in the cell."

"NO I WASN'T!"

"We sure weren't," Nolan and Roy sighed.

"SHUT UP!"

 

[FinalFormer]

Cross-posted From the SpaceBattles Thread

Childhood Memories: Taking A Stroll

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hastinpur, Kingdom of Pandu, Southern Mistral, Animus. Prince August Arc-Sarkara. Age: 16

"This is a terrible idea, my Prince."

That was what August Arc-Sarkara heard from his personal maid, Tala Blackmore, when he told her to accompany him to the trader market in the city. He wanted to visit a bakery that his little sister, Pyrrha, liked. She said the meat buns were amazing.

"I'm not going to be in any danger. I can defend myself." He reassured her. He knew how to fight as well as she did, even if he was more of a sniper than a brawler.

"Then why exactly did you insist that I come along?", The Wolf Faunus asked. "Moreover, I could've went to the bakery myself if you told me to."

"Well, my mother and grandfather did say that walking among the people is the best way to understand them," August stated, gestured to the busy streets. "Getting a nice treat for Pyrrha seemed like the perfect chance to familiarize myself with my people."

"Besides," August shyly scratched the his cheek. "I... I simply enjoy your company is all."

The young prince harbored feelings for his maid ever since she was hired 4 years ago. From a glance, she could be mistaken for Atlas nobility. Her hair, her ears, her tail were all a beautiful shade of black. Like everlasting darkness. Her eyes were a piercing purple hue. To August, she was the most beautiful woman in Remnant.

Tala blushed at his words. Her ears lowered themselves in embarrassment.

"You know it's improper to make an older woman blush."

Despite her words, her tail was wagging. It completely juxtaposed her demure posture. A visage that caused August to blush as well.

"Y-you're only older than me by a year."

-----------------------------------------

There was an awkward silence between them for some time as they made there way to the bakery. August did his best to interact with everyone they crossed paths with. He stumbled his words a few times, even going on a few tangents, but it showed them his more honest nature.

At some point, August spent so much time talking to do many people that he forgot that they were supposed to be getting a treat for Pyrrha, so Tala had to get them.

"I'm sorry." August apologized for the 4th time.

"I already told you there's nothing to apologize for, my Prince," Tala sighed, taking a bite out of a meat bun. "It's as you said, you must get to know the people more personally. Though you really should learn how to stop fumbling over your words."

August winced at that. She really didn't hold back.

"And you're not very good at ending a conversation. And you--"

"Ok, I think I get it!" August stopped Tala before she could continue. She smirked at his reaction.

"You two!" A voice called to them. They turned to see an elderly woman. She wore green and black robes and had a white blindfold over her eyes. She had a staff that had small branches sprouting from the top. The branches red threads hanging off the ends. A few of the threads looked like it was pointing towards August and Tala.

"Yes, you two! Come closer," She urged them. When they got closer to her, she smiled. "Ah yes, that's what I was sensing. Interesting."

"Just what do you find so amusing?" Tala looked at her skeptically. This wasn't the first time someone tried to rob the prince disguised as a fortune teller.

"You have strong feelings for each other, don't you?," August and Tala blushed profusely. "Yes, the Red Thread doesn't lie. I can see how strong the connection is between the two to you."

"W-what?!" August stuttered.

"I-I... Th-that... Y-you're making this up!" Tala accused, her stoic demeanor completely shattered.

"Oh ho, you're quite the doubtful one aren't you, Wolf Faunus," the fortune teller said, amusingly. "But the Red Thread never lies. It tells me that you and that young man have a fruitful future together~. A beautiful hilltop wedding in Vale," She touched one of the threads. "Your families surround you, love filled in all of their hearts. And 8...," She touched a different thread. "... No, 12 children. Yes, a wonderful future indeed."

"E-enough of this nonsense!" Tala protested. She grabbed August's arm and made beeline toward the palace. August couldn't protest or respond, his brain was a bit preoccupied at the moment.

The thought of being married to Tala was... of course he had thought about it! But he could never muster the courage to actually confess his feelings to her like his dad did. He wasn't a ladies man!

What made it more frustrating was when he asked any of the men in his family they always gave him contradicting advice!

"Women love a man with confidence!"

"Just be honest with her."

But at the same time, he knew things couldn't remain the same. Especially after what just happened.

"What a ridiculous woman! Can you believe her, my Prince!? The nerve to a-assume something like--," August stopped her, pulling her close to him. He had made his decision. "My Prince, what are y--"

August silenced her with a kiss. She was a bit shorter than him, so he had to lean down to meet her lips. She smelled like citrus. He could hear her tail swishing around wildly.

This wasn't supposed to happen! He only meant to stop her so they could talk this out! But his heart decided to take over his damn body!

Once the kiss ended, the shock on Tala's face was something August would never forget. Her face looked redder than it was a few minutes ago. August stared deeply into her eyes as he steeled himself for the conversation they were about to have.

"S-so, Tala," August broke the silence. "Do you think we could--"

Tala silenced him with a kiss. She stood on her tippy toes to do so. She hated how much taller he was than her. She had dropped the bag of meat buns in order to wrap her arms around August's neck. Her tail curled itself around his waist.

After he kissed her, Tala knew she couldn't hold back. This was the man she loved. The one she would spend the rest of her days with.

It took awhile for the two of them to notice the sun going was down. Once they did, Tala grabbed the bag off the floor.

"W-we should probably head back home, my Prince. It's getting rather late."

"Y-yeah. You're right." August cleared his throat.

The two would spend the next month sharing kisses in secret. It wouldn't take long for his mother and father to notice the glances the two would often share.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Felt like writing a classic Prince × Maid story this time around. Hope you guys enjoy.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Isabel was up bright and early the next morning, typing furiously on her keyboard as she rapidly looked over numerous holo windows of data. They flashed by so quickly an ordinary person would have been dazzled by their speed, but Isabel had her Semblance on full as her brain processed it all at superhuman speeds.

"Morning Izzy," Nick greeted, walking up behind her. He kissed her cheek, and she blushed a bit. He grinned and poured her another cup.

"Oh, thank you Nick," Isabel said happily, accepting the cup and sipping it down. "Mmm... Just how I like it."

"Well it is very simple, black, nothing in it," Nick chuckled. He rubbed his chin. "Geez, I'm still aching from that hit yesterday!"

Isabel winced.

"I'm really sorry for that-I didn't mean to go that hard-"

"No! I love it when you really cut loose!" Nick said cheerfully. "I went flying so far! It was great! Think you could hit me further next time?"

"I..." Isabel shrugged and sighed in exasperation. "Maybe. We'll see."

"Great!" Nick cheered. He sipped his own coffee-Chock full of sugar and cream. "So, you sort things out with Jaune last night?"

Isabel nodded.

"I did," she said. "I mean, not fully, but... I think we're in a better place." She looked intensely at Nick. "I still... I still pray he didn't have all this on his shoulders."

Nick smiled gently.

"I don't."

Isabel raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"I pray he has big enough shoulders to handle it," Nick said with a nod as he sipped his coffee. Isabel chuckled.

"I suppose that's how you would see it."

"It's a good prayer," Nick said, "It hasn't failed me yet!"

"Heh," Isabel chuckled, turning back to the data. Nick hummed as he looked it all over.

"Sooo... What are you working on?"

"Well, Ozpin has some patients he wanted me to look over," Isabel said, humming thoughtfully, "One is Moses, the other... Well..."

Nick just nodded in understanding. Isabel sighed.

"They're both frustrating cases," she admitted. "Moses, the medical data changes practically every time I look at it! I've been able to pin down eleven variations on the data. At least I think it's eleven variations. Nothing too out of the ordinary... If you discount that his father seems to change between timelines." She shook her head. "One constant though-He's under an enormous amount of stress."

"Eleven different versions of yourself and it keeps changing depending on who's looking at you? Yeah, poor kid," Nick murmured, frowning thoughtfully. At Isabel's look, he shrugged. "What? I watched Professor Paradox with you and the kids all the time! I remember stuff!"

"No, I'm just proud," Isabel smiled. Nick beamed, then looked back at the data.

"And the other patient?"

"It's like her soul has been torn in half," she sighed, "I've literally never seen anything like it! All the data suggests that any Aura added to her system to try and help heal her will just... Vanish! There's some kind of connection between her and whoever did this. Like a wound in reality. It would be fascinating if it wasn't horrifying."

"Any way to help her?" Nick asked. Isabel sighed.

"She might be too far gone. Ozpin's rigged up a system using Raven to keep her alive... But it's a delaying action. The damage to her very soul..." She shook her head. "This Salem is a monster if she came up with this kind of thing... And this Cinder is just as bad if she knowingly used it on an innocent person."

"And yet," Nick pointed out, "She does turn good in the future. Well, a future."

"Only one," Isabel grumbled.

"Isn't one enough?" Nick asked softly. Isabel worked her jaw, her frown deepening.

"... I suppose," she allowed, "I just... I pray it's enough for her."

"We both do," Nick said with an encouraging smile, reaching out to squeeze her hand. She squeezed his back lovingly.

Someone cleared their throat. Both Arcs looked at the clinic entrance.

Winter Schnee stood there at attention, ramrod straight. At her side was the nervous looking May Zedong, in her school uniform.

"Doctor and Paladin Arc!" Winter greeted, "Good morning!"

"Um, good morning, Aunt Isabel, Uncle Nick," May said, as though unsure of the terms. "Um... Well... Last night we um... We sorted things out. So we're going on dates with Jaune this week, and uh... We go first."

"Arjun must be happy about that," Nick observed. May nodded.

"He was ecstatic... Until Mom elbowed him."

"That sounds like her," Isabel mused. She smiled warmly at her goddaughter and Winter. "So, what can we do for you?"

"While my mother and commanding officer have given me," Winter paused, and her pale cheeks turned red, "advice, since you are Jaune's parents, I thought it prudent to ask you for some intel on how to conduct oneself on a date with Jaune."

"And um..." May shrugged. "My parents had suggestions but uh..." She also turned bright red, "Um... W-Well..."

"Yeah, Arjun and Saia's first date turned into a fight against bandits," Nick laughed, "Lots of fun! Not as easy to do now!"

"So," Isabel said with a smile, "What would you like to know about Jaune first? I still have baby pictures, after all."

Winter flushed.

"I... I suppose it would be nice to see them," she mused.

"I'd love to see them!" May beamed happily.

"Great!" Nick cheered. "Should we start with the embarrassing bath times, or all the times his sisters put him in dresses?"

May blushed and tapped her fingers together. Winter raised an eyebrow, flushing a bit.

"Perhaps... Both?" Winter suggested.

"Both m-might be good," May added.

"This will be good experience for when you have your kids," Nick said cheerfully, pulling out his Scroll.

Elsewhere, Jaune and all his future children shivered.

 

[GrimmKenway8646]

"Perhaps... Both?" Winter suggested.

"Both m-might be good," May added.

Click to shrink...

It could've been an embarrassing but short period of humiliation but now with time shenanigans, Jaune's got 11 times the awkwardness.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Another constant in the timelines? The Arcs are very, very scary. Anyone who harms Jaune, their family, or their son's friends and don't repent? They don't get a good ending.

Tyrian: restrained "You... You can't stop me, you pitiful woman! My goddess is of death! All shall die!"

Isabel: almost robotic in her calm tone "Your goddess is a fraud. A weak woman who broke and ruined the world out of grief and ennui. And she cannot help you."

Tyrian: sneer "Is this the part where you say you'll spare me if I betray her? Turn over a new leaf?"

Isabel: "No. I know you are beyond redemption. I'm sorry for that. No, what is going to happen is that I am going to hurt you until you give me all the information I require on your fraud of a boss. And then you die in the most horrible agony imaginable. I would make it last longer, but I have a deadline..." ominous glasses shine "So let us begin."

And as for Nick...

Hazel: "You can't understand my pain, my loss-!"

Nick grabs him by the throat and holds him up like a ragdoll with zero effort.

Nick: "My pain, my loss. What a load of crap. It's always me me me! Your sister died, so you allied with a force of pure evil to make everyone else feel as miserable as you? Pathetic."

Hazel: "URK! HURK-!"

Nick: "You singled out my son. You tried to kill him, tried to make us all feel your sense of loss. He'll survive, thankfully... But you won't."

Hazel: "HARUGH-! Y-You... You're... A Paladin! Thou... Shalt not kill...!"

Nick: "That is a mistranslation. In the Ozymandian it is properly translated as 'Thou shalt not murder', that is, kill without just cause. A just cause being to defend yourself or others from mortal peril from an enemy who cannot be reasoned with. There are sects of Aslanism that practice pure pacifism, and I respect them for it. Taking a life is terrible... But letting you live as a threat to all life on this planet?"

SNAP. Nick drops Hazel's lifeless body to the ground.

Nick: sighs "... That is a worse sin... Emperor Above, forgive me my sins. And never let me forget what I fight for."

 

[zMADLAXz]

If Tangerine is really based on Tanya then I cannot see any possible future where she visits Vale during Vytal and Cinder and her gang is left alive(or in one piece for that matter) after they start shit on her turf.

 

[Gur40]

Another constant in the timelines? The Arcs are very, very scary. Anyone who harms Jaune, their family, or their son's friends and don't repent? They don't get a good ending.

Tyrian: restrained "You... You can't stop me, you pitiful woman! My goddess is of death! All shall die!"

Isabel: almost robotic in her calm tone "Your goddess is a fraud. A weak woman who broke and ruined the world out of grief and ennui. And she cannot help you."

Click to shrink...

She cannot and won't save anyone, Salem is, as you said perfectly. Ennui ie. Depressed, and if she isn't winning she'd just wait til the current generation die of old age or a new minion offers themself to her

And as for Nick...

Hazel: "You can't understand my pain, my loss-!"

Nick grabs him by the throat and holds him up like a ragdoll with zero effort.

Nick: "My pain, my loss. What a load of crap. It's always me me me! Your sister died, so you allied with a force of pure evil to make everyone else feel as miserable as you? Pathetic."

Click to shrink...

YES! God i HATE Hazel Character Type, get fucked you selfish !@$%% ^&^%$# with a god damn pig!

 

[zMADLAXz]

You know I was revisiting the prior chapters a bit and I realised, if you want a successful Harem, Shadow Clone technique or any robust cloning technique is literally a cheat code.

That's why I always wonder why do people who write CYOAs don't give their SI this technique more often.

You get to have your Cake and eat it too

 

[IvanR1314]

You know I was revisiting the prior chapters a bit and I realised, if you want a successful Harem, Shadow Clone technique or any robust cloning technique is literally a cheat code.

That's why I always wonder why do people who write CYOAs don't give their SI this technique more often.

You get to have your Cake and eat it too

Click to shrink...

I posted in the Konosuba thread, that one of the ways Kazuma can improve and take advantage of his Adventurer class, is learning lots of awesome and useful skills and spells. Something like the Konosuba version of the Shadow Clone Technique would be perfect for Kazuma, both SFW and NSFW applications. SFW is having more RELIABLE people on a quest, NSFW is one man gangbang and if in a Harem, Kazuma Prime and Kazuma Clones for each woman he has.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Joining Ren for his morning meditations had been relaxing, wight training with Nora less so. In any case the contrasting experiences had been refreshing and after a quick shower Jaune was ready to face the day ahead of him, starting with breakfast.

Jaune turned the corner leading to the mess hall already mentally planing out his morning meal, Nora's bubbly voice a familiar background noise as she gushed about some traveling puppet show she had just learned would be in town for the Emerald Festival with Ren and Penny's occasionally chiming in with a comment or question. Jaune was pretty sure the school kitchens were doing Vytalian pastries this morning, so if he stocked up on those and got a plateful of scrambled eggs...

His breakfast musings came to an abrupt halt as he noticed the girls of Team RWBY waiting for him a bit down the hall, trying to look casual but not too casual in their normal school uniforms. All four of them noticed him at the same time and quickly stepped away from the walls they had been leaning against and approached with bashful yet eager smiles.

"Hey there Ladykiller," Yang greeted with a bounce in her steps. A bounce that brought attention to two major alternations she had made to her uniform. First the motion made it look like she wasn't wearing a bra, second her blouse was unbuttoned as far down as you could risk without spilling the goods at that level of jiggle.

"Morning Yang," Jaune managed to keep his voice steady even as his eyes struggled to stay on her face as opposed to the... quaking... just a little bit below it. The blonde brawler smirked a bit in victory at his struggle, and Jaune forced himself to look towards the other girls before Yang got too cocky. "And good morning to you too Ruby."

"Good morning Jaune," Ruby's silver eyes gleamed mischievously, her hands falling to her side to pinch at her skirt.

"Yes, good morning Jaune!" Weiss piped up with a nervous tittering as her hands also fell to her side and fiddled with her skirt.

Slightly out of sync with each other Ruby and Weiss twirled their skirts a bit, and Jaune swallowed with the sudden realization that those garments were a bit shorter than normal. Like there was a fifty-fifty chance they'd fail the ruler test if some stickler for the school dress code came by and called them out on it. Both girls were also wearing long silky socks in their signature colors that drew the eyes towards their legs.

"Morning Weiss," Jaune managed as he tried very hard to not calculate how much skin there was between the edge of their skirts and the thigh-high socks the girls had chosen.

"Good morning Jaune," Blake metaphorically purred as she sauntered up to him with catlike grace. Her skirt was also a little shorter than normal, though not as short as Ruby's and Weiss'. Her blouse was also unbuttoned, thought not to the same extent as Yang's. Neither of these changes stood out as much as the change to her bow, which was to say she wasn't wearing it at all. Her ears were free and they twitched and flicked about in the open air in a deliberately distracting display.

"Morning Blake," Jaune answered as he regarded Blake's ears. Her decision to Forgo the bow completely was a bit of a surprise, but with her parents on campus and spending time with her hiding her Faunus heritage was untenable so it made sense. However the disappearance of the bow didn't mean Blake wasn't accessorizing; around her neck was a cat collar with the Arc family symbol etched into a golden tag, which Blake was casually toying with as she and the other girls of Team RWBY approached.

Alright, four pretty girls were flirting with him all at once. He could handle this. Smile and compliment all of them so they know he appreciates the effort, just refrain from singling anyone out too much so nobody think's they've 'won' or 'lost' this interaction. He could give them more in depth compliments later in private.

And since this bout of flirtation was an open invitation to look at what they thought of as their most alluring features taking a few moments to appreciate the view was a low stakes way to flirt back. He just needed to look respectfully and not linger on one of them more than the others, and since they were all beautiful for different reasons he could pull that off.

"I see you've all done something different today," Jaune gave a friendly smile that managed to hide his nerves. He allowed his eyes to roam over his future brides and did nothing to hide that he took in everything. "Your hair is looking particularly luscious, did you use a new shampoo?" Jaune flung the first compliment into the open as his eyes passed over Yang.

"I did actually," the blonde brawler confirmed as she brought her right hand up and ran it through her hair in a way that widened her cleavage for just a moment. Jaune allowed his gaze to bounce back and forth between the smoothness of her hair and the assets she was emphasizing, bringing a mischievous grin to Yang's face. Jaune then turned is attention to the next of his future brides.

"I see you're wearing makeup today," He observed as he gave Ruby a fond smile.

"Ah, yeah," Ruby admitted somewhat bashfully, suddenly self-conscious and wondering if she laid it on too thick. "I worked really hard on it."

"You did a good job, It really brings out your eyes," Jaune said as he looked deeply into her silver pools.

"Thanks," Ruby giggled a bit before Jaune turned his attention towards Weiss.

"Those are new earrings, right? They have a lovely contrast with your hair," Jaune noted sincerely.

"Well they aren't exactly new, but this is my first time wearing them here at Beacon," Weiss reached up and twirled a shy finger around on of the earrings. "I'm glad you like them."

Jaune then turned his gaze to Blake, "Your ears are beautiful and I'm glad you decided to share them with us."

Blake looked a bit taken aback by that as a faint blush dusted her cheeks.

Okay, that wasn't a bad start. Now he just needed to-

"Oh! Jaune! Hello again!" Pyrrha called from down the hall, bidding all eyes to turn in her direction. And all those eyes did a double take. Pyrrha and Emerald strutted towards him with their uniform jackets slung over opposite shoulders held by one hand, proudly displaying what they had done with their shirts. The blouses were tied together instead of being buttoned up, displaying a notable amount of cleavage and midriff at the same time. The slight blush on Pyrrha's face and the smug smirk on Emerald's hinted that the idea had been Emerald's, but Pyrrha was doing a good job at owning it.

"Good morning handsome," Emerald greeted as they got closer, sashaying her hips to emphasize her mindrnft as the two of them joined the group proper.

"Ah," Jaune gulped, "Emerald, Pyrrha, I hope you had a good night's sleep?" It was fortunate that the girls of RWBY were all a bit gobsmacked at Pyrrha's duplication of Emerald's style, else they might have noticed the surprise on his face and drawn conclusions he wasn't yet ready to deal with.

As things stood Ruby and Weiss glanced down at their own blouses with contemplative frowns, while Yang and Blake glanced about for a room where they could make some quick adjustments to their own uniforms.

"I slept well enough," Emerald answered. "Rooming with Pyrrha was surprisingly relaxing."

"It was," Pyrrha agreed. Her blush then intensified for a moment as she thought of something to add right before she found the gumption to say it, "Thought it would have been more relaxing if you were there with us."

With that Pyrrha and Emerald stretched with almost perfect synchronization in a way that brought attention to their midriffs, contrasting Emerald's smooth and tight belly with Pyrrha's visibly developed abs. Jaune looked respectfully to show he appreciated their flirtation like he had with the girls from RWBY while his mind raced for the right complements. The two of them wearing their shirts like that was a major escalation he hadn't been prepared for, and all the compliments dancing across his surface thoughts were setting off little alarm bells telling him that if he used them the girls from Team RWBY would interpret those comments as Pyrrha and Emerald somehow "winning" this interaction.

At the same time he couldn't take much longer thinking of the right thing to say, so right or wrong he needed to open his mouth and hope he didn't stick his foot in there and-

"Oh look! Almost everyone's here!" Arslan's voice echoed through the hall, and relief flowed through his system from the timely interruption.

The warrior nun's call drew everyone's attention to intersection leading to the guest dorms from which Arslan had emerged behind a nervous May, her hands providing a reassuring grip to the shy sniper's shoulders as Arslan pushed May forward.

"Good morning May," Jaune smiled and gave a small wave.

May had done something similar to what Yang had done with her blouse; i.e. unbuttoning it as low as one could go without spilling anything putting an impressive amount of cleavage on display. Jaune's eyes were almost immediately drawn to this and May saw him looking, an embarrassed but pleased blush growing across the sniper's face as she glanced away.

"Morning Jaune," May murmured as she looked down to the floor while Arslan let go of her shoulders and stepped around the blushing girl.

Jaune's gaze left the lightly bouncing valley and looked to May's now fully visible companion and-

Oh. Oh wow.

Arslan had taken the opposite approach when compared to everyone else by adding more clothes to her ensemble instead of taking things away. The nun had incorporated elements from the traditional habit used by local Valean monastic traditions into her school uniform, leaving only her hands and face exposed. The white cloth of the coif and wimple contrasted with the brown of her skin in a way that made every feature of her face pop and stand out. The black veil that flowed backwards over her head like a hood highlighted how tightly the wimple clung to her neck, making a grand show of it's length and graceful curve as Arslan tilted her head in greeting.

"Good Morning Jaune," She literally purred as Jaune regarded her fashion statement.

The rest of the habit was tighter than a regular one, all so it could comfortably fit beneath her school uniform. The combination was surprisingly clean and aesthetically pleasing in a way that was hard to describe.

"Good morning to you to Arslan," Jaune answered as he found himself wondering how the most modest outfit in the hallway seemed like a bigger invitation than the more risqué ones.

"Fascinating," Penny observed, startling basically everyone who didn't realize she was there. "Flirting by modifying one's outfit is less straightforward than my initial research suggested. Showing more skin appeared to be the optimal path forward, but you managed to achieve similar results by showing less. How is that possible?"

"Oh, well there's power in mystery," Arslan explained for the gynoid. "Cover up something the right way and you've drawn attention to the fact that something worth hiding was hidden."

And with Penny interjecting herself like that the time for overt flirting was over. Jaune inwardly sighed in relief; as far as he could tell that went smoothly enough.

Hopefully breakfast and their morning classes wouldn't be more difficult to navigate.