[RWBY] The Great Temporal Step-Sibling War!

[QuestOverlord]

Say, didn't this discussion already happen?

Also, just realized, that isn't going to work out how they think, since judging by the time Jaune amped her in the Cinder timeline, it totally destroyed the Grimm bug inside her and will probably return the maiden powers to Amber.

 

[AJ_Talon]

Say, didn't this discussion already happen?

Also, just realized, that isn't going to work out how they think, since judging by the time Jaune amped her in the Cinder timeline, it totally destroyed the Grimm bug inside her and will probably return the maiden powers to Amber.

Click to shrink...

Goddammit we did use it. Great. I have to write more, ugh. It's getting harder to keep track of things.

 

[QuestOverlord]

Goddammit we did use it. Great. I have to write more, ugh. It's getting harder to keep track of things.

Click to shrink...

lol, if you need another Beta, I'd be glad to help out.

 

[AJ_Talon]

Jaune sat on the examination table in the medical wing, shirtless and already wired up to half a dozen machines. Isabel frowned at the blood-pressure cuff on his right arm, adjusting it for the third time in as many minutes.

"Mom?"

"One moment, Jaune." She tapped the display. "I've readjusted this band three times and it's still dropping your blood pressure to nothing."

"What?"

"It's like your arm doesn't exist to this stupid sensor." Isabel sighed and began unstrapping it. "It'll hold for a few seconds, then drop to nothing. Here, let me move it to your other arm."

Jaune watched her work. "Weird… this isn't like X-Ray and Vav at all. Maybe Professor Paradox?"

"Probably one of those terrible episodes with the Thirteenth," Isabel muttered.

"Or a good one with the Eleventh?"

Isabel shook her head.

"It's a bit convoluted for his story arcs."

Jaune gave her a deadpan look. Isabel shrugged.

"Comparatively."

She continued the exam carefully, noting every anomaly. After a moment she shook her head. "I… may need to take this to Doctor Weena."

The door burst open.

"HELLO!"

"GAH!"

Weena Nebogipfel stood in the doorway, already carrying an armful of additional equipment. She beamed at them both.

"Sorry, Jaune—we haven't really been properly introduced outside of that party, have we?" She stuck out a hand.

Jaune shook it carefully. "Doctor, it's good to meet you… hope you can shed some light on whatever's going on with me."

"That is my hope as well!" Weena began strapping more sensors onto him with cheerful efficiency. "I wish we'd done this sooner, but I had to look after my son and examine him."

Jaune's expression turned increasingly deadpan as wires multiplied across his chest and arms. He'd barely exchanged a few words with Moses on Sunday; part of him still wanted a real conversation, but this didn't seem like the moment.

Weena stepped back, studying the readouts. "Now, after receiving some information from my son, I have a hypothesis of my own. Alright—for this first test I need Julian and Ruby to come inside."

"Say what?" Jaune's hands immediately went up to cover his nipples.

Isabel raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because I think the results you're getting are temporal fluctuations of Jaune's body," Weena explained. "We'll get a better baseline for him if we have baselines from all the timelines."

Isabel looked at her son. "Jaune?"

"Well… um… if it's to figure this out, sure?"

"Well… as long as I'm here to supervise every experiment of yours."

Isabel called them in. The moment Ruby and Julian stepped through the doorway, the erratic readings on Jaune's monitors began to settle—except for one. His right hand now registered as artificial.

Ruby stared. "Sooo… I'm supposed to stare at Jaune topless? For science?"

"Mom…" Julian muttered.

Ruby grinned. "I'm… fine with that."

"Ruby!"

"We've already kissed, Jaune. A couple times." She tilted her head. "And I've seen you without your shirt. Way better than the bunny onesie."

Isabel's eyes narrowed. "You still have that?"

Jaune groaned. "Look, Lilac made it for me. I wasn't gonna leave it behind."

Weena was already scribbling notes. "Hmm, this is fascinating. From what I saw earlier while looking through your mother's notes, you were in what I can assume was a temporal flux. Although physically you looked the same, on what we should say… a different temporal axis, your body was reflecting the changes from Julian's timeline."

Isabel swallowed. "Is that why I can't see anything from Jaune's arm? What happened in…" She glanced at Julian. "What happened in your timeline?"

Julian grimaced. "Well, I never got the full story… but basically Mom and Dad were fighting against some dude and Jaune took the blow meant for her. Dad lost his hand but managed to drive him back, and Mom made a replacement for him."

Jaune looked down at his right arm. Something flickered across his eyes—not quite a memory, not quite his own.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked quietly.

When he spoke again, his voice was steadier. More certain. He looked at Julian and reached out to cup his cheek.

"Son, what I did, I did because I love your mother. And I would do it again, for her, for you or any of your siblings. Because that is how much I love you." His thumb brushed under Julian's eye. "My little sunshine…"

Julian's eyes went bright. "Dad…"

He hugged him tightly. Jaune held him for a moment, then blinked and shook his head, the strange certainty fading.

"Now… normal Julian? Are you alright? What happened?"

Julian nodded against his shoulder. "Yeah, just… guess I found myself missing home a lot."

Weena's eyes were wide. "Fascinating! I must share these results with Ozpin!" She studied the monitors. The tension that had been visible in the readings earlier had eased. "Jaune, you certainly are a special young man, aren't you?"

"Uh… thanks?"

Isabel crossed her arms. "What did you find out?"

"Hm? Oh, well, in layman's terms, the timelines have sort of… relaxed a little bit." Weena gestured at the displays. "Jaune is a major focal point. I would even say that he, alongside Moses, are the anchors for everything—but Jaune might also be serving as a relief valve for a pressurized system. I saw a large temporal spike when his little moment happened, which overall reduced the 'pressure' we're seeing."

Jaune blinked. "Oh… so that's good?"

"Welllll… yes and no." Weena tilted her head. "It's probably only a temporary relaxation as the universe is trying to reconcile twelve timelines all at once. And of course, there's the possibility that, using the pressure analogy, the relief valve could fail—"

"WHAT." Jaune, Ruby, Julian, and Isabel all said it at once.

"But that seems like a low-probability course," Weena continued brightly. "Anyway! You, Jaune Arc, are very much the lynchpin of this entire scenario. Anything we can do to reduce the strain will help in the long run."

Jaune's shoulders slumped. "Great…"

Isabel exhaled. "Alright, well… I've completed your initial baseline. Ruby and Julian, please go to those separate curtains so that I can take yours as well."

They moved. Isabel worked quickly and efficiently. After a few minutes she nodded.

"Alright, I'm not seeing anything crazy from you two. Pretty healthy overall… though I wonder if it's worth it to tell you two to cut down on the sugar."

Ruby and Julian both blushed and looked away.

Weena was still studying Jaune's readouts. "That said… it's also worth noting, Jaune, that I've kept you and Moses apart because of how unstable things are temporally. For all we know, if you two touch, the entire universe might collapse! Isn't it exciting?!"

Jaune stared at her. "I, uh, wouldn't exactly say that myself, Doc."

"Well, terrible, but also wonderfully exciting in terms of SCIENCE!"

They could hear the capitalization.

Isabel finished with Ruby and Julian and gestured toward the door. "Alright… well. Let's move on then. Can we get Weiss and Nicholas next? Might as well go by teams."

Ruby perked up. "But Mother Isabel… there's a lot more I want to learn! I love engineering!"

Isabel's expression softened, just a little. "Oh, don't worry, Ruby. We'll have plenty more time together. But I really need to get everyone's vitals."

Ruby pouted.

"Oh, fine…" She snuck in to steal a kiss from Jaune. "Mwah!"

"Ah! Ruby" Jaune flushed. Ruby grinned.

"What? Our date's tonight! I need to practice kissing!"

"There's more than kissing when it comes to dates," Julian deadpanned. Ruby flushed.

"Um, I'm not sure we're ready for that-"

"MOM!" Julian groaned.

"OUT!" Isabel growled. The two speedsters vanished out the door.

---

There we go! We're now back on track and big thanks to @LuxEterna for helping to write it!

 

[digcat]

There we go! We're now back on track and big thanks to @LuxEterna for helping to write it!

Click to shrink...

For as much as everyone worried about Blake taking things to far to fast Ruby might be the one that needs watching most.

 

[Gur40]

LOVING how the timelines and paradox are being discussed and the difference are effecting both Jaune and the Girls, would love to a shot scene of Ruby asking Julian everything he can remember of who took Jaune arm and then organize a meeting on a hit list of everyone who mutilated Jaune in the timelines with the other wives
One of the things i like about RWBY is in a fight Ruby and Jaune always go for the kill shot and don't hesitate in the fight, only outside of fights were others are do they discuses other methods but the second some one goes for the kill they WILL kill them

I really want that to be why Iridescent dies, she banking on an all loving hero but Ruby was trained by Qrow and Jaune raised by royals, you kill or die on the battlefield and talk off it and that is why they win

 

[AJ_Talon]

Ruby and Julian stepped out. A moment later Weiss and Nicholas walked in.

Nicholas grinned. "Hello, Father. How's it goin'?"

Weiss's greeting was more reserved. "Jaune."

"Hey guys. I'm doing alright, all things considered."

Weiss shot a glare at Ruby as the younger girl left. Ruby just smirked back and vanished in a swirl of petals.

Weena waved them in. "Weiss, Nicholas—it's good to meet you two as well."

"Doctor," they both answered.

Weiss folded her arms. "What do you need us for?"

Isabel adjusted one of the monitors. "Well, we're doing everyone's physical checkups, but we're noticing odd… anomalies with Jaune's baseline."

Nicholas and Weiss both looked at him. Jaune waved them off.

"It's okay, I'm okay, it's just…"

"We believe that Jaune is being affected by proximity to the different timeline anchor points—the alternate wives and children," Weena explained. "And that what amounts to 'leakby' has been appearing. For example, just now with Ruby and Julian, we didn't get any readings from his right arm because it didn't exist in that timeline."

Weiss's expression tightened. "Oh dear…"

Isabel turned to Nicholas. "Is there anything you can tell us about your timeline that might affect our physical readings for Jaune?"

Nicholas shifted. "Um, well… he uh, he had a lot of injuries during the war… and um, lost Grandpa…" He hesitated. "Apparently he suffered a lot of internal injuries from taking so much punishment for others…"

Weiss and Isabel both turned and glared at Jaune.

Jaune shrank back a little, then shrugged. "Am I guilty if I haven't done it?"

"Yet," Isabel and Weiss said in unison.

Weiss studied him. "You did get enough sleep, right? You're no good to anyone if you're not taking care of yourself, dolt."

Something shifted in Jaune's eyes. His voice came out a little deeper, warmer, as he smiled at her.

"Love you too, Mein Engel. But I'm resting, don't worry." He glanced at Nicholas. "Nicholas… how are you doing, son? I know you've been working very hard. I'm so very proud of you, Spätzchen."

The effect faded. Jaune blinked. Weiss was bright red and sputtering. Nicholas looked at him softly.

Weena's eyes lit up. "Fascinating. It looks like certain phrases are the trigger, not just the proximity itself."

Weiss could barely form words. "You—I—wha—?!"

Jaune looked lost. "What'd I say?"

Isabel was smirking at Weiss. "Oh, don't worry about it. Weiss, it seems like certain phrases and proximity to Jaune is triggering what Dr. Weena calls temporal leakby. Basically the attributes of your timeline coming through our Jaune." Her grin widened. "How sweet."

Weiss was still flushed, but there was something pleased under the embarrassment. Nicholas's voice was quiet.

"You haven't called me that since I was a kid… I missed it a bit."

Jaune frowned. "Called you what?"

"Spätzchen… means sparrow. Used to run around a lot as a kid."

"…Spätzchen. Nice."

Weiss found her voice again. "When did you learn Allomenian?"

Jaune blinked, searching his memory. "When uh… when I found out you were from Atlas…"

"You learned Allomenian to try and woo me, huh?"

Nicholas shrugged. "Well, you're fluent in it when I'm born."

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, but also I thought that well… it might make you feel more at home."

Weiss's expression softened. "…I appreciate it."

Isabel huffed. "Hmph. I trained him in Hellene and Quitalan. He never uses it."

"Only Pyrrha speaks it, Mom!"

"Those are the foundational languages of our entire modern world, Jaune!"

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "And yet you never picked up on her feelings for you when she would mutter in Hellenic around you?"

Jaune looked genuinely confused. "W-Well, she was muttering…?"

Weiss groaned. "Ugh! You really are a dolt, aren't you? I…" She flushed again. "S-Sorry… I'm trying to get better…"

Nicholas grinned. "Aunt Ruby says you were a total tsundere… like Granny was!"

"I was not!" Isabel snapped.

Jaune tilted his head. "Mom, you punched Dad through a wall and after I saw you kissing him better."

Isabel went still. "You saw that!?"

"And don't get me started on the arguments you two would have that would end up traumatizing us as kids when you two decided to 'make up.'"

Isabel turned bright red. Weena glanced between them.

"I see why he might gravitate towards Miss Schnee."

"WHAT?!" Weiss yelped.

Isabel cleared her throat, still pink. "Alright, that's it for your baseline. I'm slightly worried about this timeline. Physically you're doing okay, but I do see elevated baseline cortisol levels. As well as… other biomarkers for PTSD."

Jaune exhaled. "Well… let's hope that this time around it doesn't go too bad."

Isabel hummed disapprovingly, then moved on. "Alright, well, we have everything we need for now. Can you get Blake to come in here?"

"Of course, Doctor."

Weiss and Nicholas left. Outside, Ruby zipped over the moment Blake and the twins headed in.

"Did you guys have a freaky moment with Jaune about the future? I was telling them all about it."

Weiss raised a brow. A devious idea formed. She gave an exaggerated romantic sigh and smiled.

"He said he loved me."

"WHAT!?"

Pyrrha's smile turned twitchy. "Weisssss…"

Yang's eyes narrowed. "Does our friendship have to end with me pounding your face into a pizza pie crust?!"

Ruby huffed. "That's not fair, he said he loved me too! He even lost his arm for me!"

Yang blinked. "Wait, what?"

Arslan's expression was almost serene. "In my future he lost a leg. He used it to beat a Grimm to death for me. I find this very romantic."

"Mother!" Petra protested.

"What? Why shouldn't I share the story?"

"It's a good story but you always got far too into it whenever you told it. In the future and now!"

Arguments started to bubble up in the hallway, muffled by the door as Blake stepped inside.

 

[Ardrianian]

Since, temporally, he is both on Remnant and the Ever After, maybe being close to his kids is triangulating the time lines to that particular quantum frequency and causing feedback, manifested by Jaune expressing those effects from each timeline... interesting.

 

[AJ_Talon]

"Hello, Jaune."

"Hey, Blake. Kids, how are you doing?"

Leander shrugged. "Good, Pops."

Leandra's ears flicked toward the door. "Just enjoying the chaos outside. What's going on in here?"

Isabel explained the baselines and the way different timelines were affecting Jaune. As she spoke, scars appeared on Jaune's face—ragged whisker-like marks. The kind the White Fang used on traitors or humans they wanted to intimidate.

Blake's breath caught. Isabel's voice went soft and horrified. "Oh dear… that's the most physical evidence we've seen thus far… oh my poor baby."

Jaune touched his cheek. "What? What is it?!"

Blake covered her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes.

Weena was already scribbling. "Fascinating! It seems as if we are seeing one of two phenomena. Either having the twins here—thus having more people associated with the timeline—is causing a stronger effect, or simply doing the process is, in a way, opening you up. We'll have to see with the other examinations."

Leander grabbed a mirror and held it up. Jaune's eyes widened at the scarring.

Leandra's voice was quiet. "Yeah, it's why you don't shave… the beard hides most of what Adam did to you."

Blake whirled. "Adam did this to him!?"

Leander nodded. "Personally. Found it an affront that a human would dare touch you. When he got Dad, he took his time with him. Said that if he wanted to consort with Faunus he should at least have the decency of resembling one."

"It… oh Jaune…" Blake burst into tears and hugged him.

Jaune held her carefully. "…It's okay… I'm okay."

Leander's voice was steady. "You guys know what's going to happen now. We can stop it before it gets close to happening."

Leandra added, softer, "Maybe save you some of that pain too, Mom."

Blake's confidence from the night before seemed to flee as she clung to him. "Still… how much pain do you have to go through because of me?"

Jaune's eyes glazed. His voice came out low and certain. "As much as needed, My Sweetest Midnight…"

Blake gasped.

"The scars I carry, I do so proudly. For the love I have for you, for each of our children. The journey that we've shared, the pain that we've suffered. All so that they do not have to." He gently kissed the top of her head, right between her ears. "It's alright, Love. I'm here."

He stayed quiet for a moment, then looked at the twins. "Leander… Leandra, my beautiful kittens."

They grumbled at the nickname but paid attention.

"I know it's been difficult. With so many children, it's hard to dedicate sincere time for everyone… but… I am so proud. So, so proud of who you've become. You two are growing into fine warriors and I know you will be great protectors." A wry smirk touched his mouth. "Though, we could do with a little less shenanigans."

Leander and Leandra pretended they weren't tearing up until Jaune beckoned them closer. They hugged their parents. Isabel watched her son with quiet pride. Weena observed the data with barely contained glee.

Jaune blinked, the strange certainty fading. "Uh… why are we having a group hug? Not that I'm complaining."

After a few more tests, Blake and the twins were let go. Blake wiped the rest of her tears as she stepped out of the infirmary. Her team was quick to surround her outside, but she waved them off.

"There's a lot that happens in my timeline… Jaune is so strong to handle it all." She sighed happily.

Isabel poked her head out the door. "Yang, can you and Xia come inside please?"

 

[QuestOverlord]

I can't help but feel this would work better if you just wrote all of the examinations and posted them in a single 6k chapter.

 

[Gur40]

I can't help but feel this would work better if you just wrote all of the examinations and posted them in a single 6k chapter.

Click to shrink...

this version and the AO3 versions are different and have changes so you can look at this thread as the beta readers with feed back

 

[QuestOverlord]

this version and the AO3 versions are different and have changes so you can look at this thread as the beta readers with feed back

Click to shrink...

What?

 

[Gur40]

What?

Click to shrink...

if you read the AO3 version and compare it to the version posted on this thread changes are made such as order of events POV and other little things

 

[Chermo]

At this rate Jaune is going to lose the 4 limbs and resemble a cyborg from the mechanicus, this is not good

 

[QuestOverlord]

A good experiment once they figure out his baselines in each timeline would be to figure out from the kids which timelines overlap a lot and try to have him spend time with both of the mothers and children from those timeline pairs, then see if the results change much after extended exposure.

 

[AJ_Talon]

Happy Halloween, everyone!

And Happy Birthday Ruby!

---

Radian, Gallia

Eight Years After Salem's Defeat

---

The front porch of the Arc-Rose farmhouse smelled like candle wax and pumpkin guts.

Ruby knelt between the finished jack-o'-lanterns in her witch hat and a cloak that kept catching on the railing. Four-year-old Julian stood at her elbow in a knight's tunic and a cardboard shield that had already been chewed on. Three-year-old Pyrrha clung to Ruby's other side in a pointed hat of her own, the contrast between their witch costumes absolute: Ruby's was dramatic, Pyrrha's was mostly glitter and a broom she could not lift.

"There," Ruby said, lighting the last candle. The faces glowed. "Perfect."

They carried the pumpkins out to the porch steps and set them in a row. Ruby stepped back, hands on her hips, deeply pleased with herself.

Then the night made a sound.

"Ooooaaaahhhh…"

Julian's cardboard shield wobbled. "M-Mama… what's that?"

Pyrrha latched onto Ruby's leg with both arms.

More moans drifted up the driveway from the dark beyond the porch light.

"Oooaahhh!"

"Bwaaaahhh!"

Two hulking shapes came walking up the gravel. One seemed to have two heads and a pair of flailing growths. The other had wild hair and something small thrashing against its chest.

"Urrrrrr…!"

Ruby's Silver Eyes lit.

She stepped in front of both children without thinking, cloak flaring, one hand already half-raised. The pumpkins cast long shadows. The shapes kept coming.

"Show yourselves!"

They stepped into the light.

Jaune Arc was in a doctor's coat that did not quite button, stethoscope crooked, carrying Isabel and Nick on his shoulders. The twins were dressed as little nurses, complete with tiny paper hats that had already lost the fight with gravity. Their arms were the "growths." Their delighted screaming was the moaning.

Beside him, Yang Xiao Long stomped forward in a Frankenstein's monster costume, green face paint, black wig, bolts made of painted cork. Baby Summer was strapped to her chest in a matching miniature version, complete with one very small bolt and a onesie that said IT'S ALIVE.

Yang growled for effect. Summer blew a spit bubble and waved.

Julian's shield dropped. Pyrrha peeked out from behind Ruby's leg.

Ruby's Silver Eyes faded. She put a hand over her heart.

"…You're all terrible."

Jaune adjusted a twin who was trying to climb onto his head. "Trick or treat?"

Yang grinned under the makeup. "Boo."

Ruby sighed, long-suffering and fond, and bent to fix Pyrrha's hat. "Next year you're telling me the plan before you start moaning in the driveway."

"Noted," Jaune said. "And happy Birthday, sweetie."

Ruby pouted a bit. But Jaune leaned in to kiss her, and she giggled.

Isabel and Nick howled again, purely for the joy of it. The jack-o'-lanterns flickered. Somewhere down the road, other houses were starting to open their doors.

Ruby pulled back and looked at her family—knight, witches, doctor, nurses, two Frankensteins—and decided the porch was full enough.

"All right," she said. "Come inside before you scare the neighbors. And Yang, if you leave green paint on the couch, you're in big trouble."

Yang saluted with the arm not holding Summer.

"You got it, baby sis."

Jaune herded the twins up the steps. Julian picked his shield back up. Little Pyrrha stayed glued to Ruby's cloak until the monsters were safely indoors and laughing.

The jack-o'-lanterns stayed on the porch, glowing.

For once, the things that came out of the dark in Radian were only her people.

And she was happy.

 

[digcat]

She didn't say anything about leaving it on the bed probably because she knows both of them will be face down ass up.

 

[Leo 123]

Yang saluted with the arm not holding Summer.

"You got it, baby sis."

Click to shrink...

She says that like Ruby isn't fifteen years older than her lol. At least mentally.
Very adorable Halloween birthday for Ruby.

 

[digcat]

She says that like Ruby isn't fifteen years older than her lol. At least mentally.
Very adorable Halloween birthday for Ruby.

Click to shrink...

The black Smith removed the memories of the girls if i'm not mistaken.

 

[Leo 123]

The black Smith removed the memories of the girls if i'm not mistaken.

Click to shrink...

I hope not, that wouldn't be fair on Ruby or Jaune at all. Don't take their surviving that place away from them.

 

[digcat]

Could see the girls having nightmares like this when they find out everything.

Spoiler

 

[Phillip_II_of_Macedon]

Could see the girls having nightmares like this when they find out everything.

Spoiler

Click to shrink...

Biggest OOF! But in all seriousness, I do think that the girls are not going to be pleased with the idea of Jaune being lost in the Ever After, fated to take his place as the once and future Rusted Knight. Also, I suspect that the girls who were stuck with him learned to hate that damn cat. And didn't Jaune have something vaguely like this happen to him in May's timeline (although the cat didn't possess him).

 

[Muramasa]

Well, there should be more than 11 timelines. These timelines arose from the premise of the Jaun meeting potential brides. But we must take into account timeline 12—now—and timeline 13—the Jaun never hooked up with anyone at the party and is stuck in the "eternal fairytale" forever.
P.S. Can you tell me which website the final version is published on?

 

[digcat]

And didn't Jaune have something vaguely like this happen to him in May's timeline (although the cat didn't possess him).

Click to shrink...

Kind of maybe in another as well. May's if i remember had him split into 3 or 4 different bodies.

 

[digcat]

P.S. Can you tell me which website the final version is published on?

Click to shrink...

Ao3 and FF are were they are uploading them.

 

[AJ_Talon]

So don't worry, the story is still continuing. We're just figuring out how to streamline the story a little since we keep getting complaints about how decompressed it's been getting.

 

[QuestOverlord]

So don't worry, the story is still continuing. We're just figuring out how to streamline the story a little since we keep getting complaints about how decompressed it's been getting.

Click to shrink...

If you need a hand I'm always up for it!

 

[Leo 123]

I'll copy any ideas I had for glimpses into another time from SB .

For an original idea, how about meeting Saphron, Terra and Adrian in one of the timelines? The focus being partly on the actual plot, and partly on either Jaune looking like a good uncle to the girlfriend, making her think about having a family with Jaune in the future, or the girlfriend looking like a good auntie to Jaune, making him think about having a family with her. If it's a timeline where Jaune is injured and scarred, Saphron and Jaune could have a talk about why their mother didn't want Jaune to be a Huntsman, but Jaune restates his determination. They can bond a bit about forging their own path away from Isabel's control, even though they don't hate Isabel. Ideally the girlfriend overhears some of this, or is part of the conversation in some way. Maybe Blake since she has good enough hearing to plausibly overhear private conversations without deliberately trying to? But it works for anyone if the girlfriend is included. Maybe it could be Weiss? She'd appreciate a sneak preview of how good Jaune is with kids and would enjoy getting to play with Adrian, as we saw in canon.

Click to shrink...

Roman and Neo convert. Or pretend to anyway.

Or something about Roman and Neo? He meets one of Jaune's kids in one of the timelines and they spend some time together. I don't really have many ideas for that. Maybe Amethyst calls him Uncle Roman?
Wait, Arslan timeline. Arslan somehow converted Roman and Neo to the Tablebreaker faith. So it's either a comedy where it turns out Roman and Neo were just pretending so they could avoid punishment or infiltrate a church to steal something, or something more serious where you explore their reasons for converting. Maybe if you play it more seriously, one of the pair died during the Fall of Beacon or during the battles afterwards and turned to faith for comfort? If it's Neo that survived, she's never really had a family beyond Roman, so the Church fills a certain void. But she's probably more on the combat and protecting side of things. Maybe she fights alongside Father Alexander? Killing Grimm and saving lives. If it's Roman? I don't know, you'd have to give Roman some more characterisation I think.

Click to shrink...

Winter is a cranky first time mother

Idea for a glimpses into another time.

Winter being a cranky first time pregnant woman and having a conversation with Willow about her time being pregnant with Winter. Winter and Willow's relationship is still a little distant or tense, but this is a really good chance for Willow to reconnect with her daughter. Maybe they can talk about how Willow felt during those early days when she didn't know Jacques was a terrible scumbag. Back when she thought Winter would grow up loved by both parents. I imagine Winter will be worried about a lot of things, but one of the biggest things will be if she can be a good mother. Given Winter's example is Willow, I think it's reasonable to worry, and she hasn't got Isabel to help her... So I think the resolution to that could be pretty good. All they can do is try and learn from Willow's mistakes and just do their best in general.

Could also work with Weiss, but Weiss does have Isabel to help her, so I think she'll be slightly less worried than Winter on that front.

Click to shrink...

Idea for a glimpse into another time. Julian asks Ruby why daddy calls her crater face. Ruby tells Julian the story (and baby Pyrrha and any other siblings who are old enough to want to know.)
Alternately, Xia asks mommy why she calls Jaune vomit boy. Maybe that would be funnier if Xia was a little older, like 10 or 12 or something.

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This idea is assuming they live in Radian and Jaune/the Arcs built the family a new house rather than them moving into an old house.

For the Pyrrha timeline, how would everyone feel about making Pyrrha and Jaune's bed be carved out of a tree like Odysseus and Penelope's bed was in The Odyssey? So they would have built their house around a tree stump and then carved that into a bed. Or if their bedroom is on the second floor, they could cut the tree higher up and build the house around it so that the second floor is where the cut is. Jaune would have done this, or asked for this to be done because it was a detail both he and Pyrrha liked about one of Pyrrha's favourite stories from her home. For extra impact, he could have had the tree Pyrrha speared him to moved from the Emerald Forest to Radian before cutting it and building around it like that. (With use of plant dust and/or someone's very specifically useful semblance that allows them to help trees like that move without dying if you care to add that detail. Maybe one of the Arc cousins/uncles has a green finger semblance even if they're not a Hunter.)

For an extra detail, their bedroom door could be made from the part of the tree Pyrrha speared specifically, so you can see the hole. I think that part might be higher than a second story, it's hard to tell. That could also be part of the headboard too, maybe that would work better than a part of the door.

An added benefit of a bed made like this, it will be far sturdier than any bed they could assemble normally. Which will be quite important because I think once Jaune shows her what he's done for their house, Pyrrha will want to put that bed to use immediately. For quite a long time. That is the kind of thoughtful detail she'd really appreciate.

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I'm sure everyone can think of a few villains and villainesses they think could have been saved.

Idea for when Cinder goes to Radian to meet the Arc family. Probably when they're getting ready to get married. Could also work for Emerald I guess.

After Cinder has met a lot of family and friends, she gets pulled aside by a group of aunties. The aunties look a bit rougher than most of the Arcs. They just want to give her a special greeting and welcome her to a surprisingly large club. The Former Villainess Arc Wives Club. Turns out your average himbo golden retriever Arc man is immeasurably attractive to villainesses and they have a habit of making these villainesses into ex-villainesses by marrying them. Some of them are just former street rats who maybe did a few bad things to survive until they tried to pick the pockets of their future husband, all the way up to former bandits born into nomadic tribes or terrorists like Cinder. Maybe some of them were former Salem agents too. They just want to make sure Cinder joins their informal club. They have meetings and such like AA does, so they can talk about any problems they're having and get help if they're worried about relapsing into villainy. Also they can help each other fit in with this new environment and learn to trust people more easily.

Of course there is a similar version for men the Arc women have found and brought home. The Former Villain Arc Husbands Club. If Tangy ever gets married, there is a decent chance her husband will be able to join this club.

These clubs could be filled with all sorts of expies, (expys?) and their husbands/wives could also be expies. So if you even had a villain/villainess that you wish had turned to the good side and found a happy ending, then it could happen on Remnant thanks to the Arcs!

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I had an idea for an Emerald or Cinder sidestory. I think it would work best if it takes place when their firstborn is at least 10 or older, just so Emerald/Cinder have had plenty of time to mature and reflect on their lives. The basic premise is Emerald/Cinder somehow meet a villain going down the same path they once did. Someone who thinks they don't have a choice and has nobody to turn to and nobody to trust. Emerald/Cinder can use the wisdom earned from their own lives and from their experience with Jaune to talk the villain down. Especially if the villain pulls a Zuko in the caves and does not make the right choice at first, they keep being patient and trusting until it works. They know what it's like on the other side after all, and they're different people now. Once they might have just killed this villain because it would be easier or they didn't want to take the chance, but out of all of Jaune's wives, they of all people should believe in redemption and second chances. (Or first chances really, Cinder, Emerald and Mercury all had a pretty rough start.)

The story ends with Jaune and Emerald/Cinder inviting former villain to dinner (After all the other bad guys are arrested.) before they go off to start a new life doing something. Maybe they become a farmhand in Radian somewhere, maybe a Hunter or militia member, maybe he/she takes an accountancy course, does not matter. Jaune is very proud of his wife. This could work as an Aslanmas story I guess but thats not necessary.

Thoughts?

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@Grid suggested the children of Weiss, Winter and Cinder were tsundere. I thought it might be funny if all but the eldest children were Tsundere.

All but the eldest?
Theodore, Nicholas, Ash and Ashley all have trauma from their younger siblings and their complete inability to just have a normal conversation with their crushes. They see their younger brothers and sisters obviously pining after someone and say "Just go talk to them!" All they get in return is weak denials and running away. When they finally get them to admit it, they still won't go talk to their crushes and keep asking the older sibling to help them set up increasingly bizarre situations for the sibling to interact with their crush that don't involve the secret being revealed. The stress of organising all that for double digit siblings will make them turn grey before they're thirty.

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(For any timeline I guess. But probably most funny in a timeline with a daughter.)

Another idea to add to Jaune's kids trauma. Jaune went on TV at some point for some reason when they were still attending a normal school rather than a combat school and half the girls in the school had their awakening thanks to Dad Jaune. The last thing any kid wants is to be thinking of their parents like that and doubly so when half the kids in your school are trying to meet their first crush by becoming your friend. Since it was a TV thing it would be all over the internet too, so probably a good time to quit social media and touch grass until everyone forgets about all that.

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A Bollywood idea!

Idea for a Glimpse into Another Time.
So we've had Athena making... A thing, for the Pyrrha timeline. An abomination that had nothing to do with what actually happened. But it probably would have won something at a film festival in Gallia because those sorts of things do somehow. But! What about another timeline? What if Bollywood made a film in the Jaune and May timeline, trying to merge a western fairy tale style with Bollywood insanity? The true story of the lost princess of Pandu and how she was found, fell in love, and saved the world. Since May grew up in Vacuo, she maybe doesn't quite have the same appreciation for some of the outlandish stuff that her parents and brother might enjoy, but all her friends and teammates find hilarious.
So the story would be Jaune, May, her family, her teammates, Nora, Ren and Team RWBY, (Or just some of those people if it's too many) enjoying the first screening of this Bollywood production. Part historical drama, part romance story, part action adventure, all over-the-top insanity! Well, as historical drama as you can get when it's about something that happened a few years ago max. (Or you could have it be after May becomes queen and she has several kids, maybe even when August is 15 or 16 , I guess it doesn't matter too much. But I kind of like the idea that this is how most of the sub-kingdom is introduced to May/Maia.)

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Idea for a Glimpse into another time. Glynda timeline. Comedic tone, less than a month after the party, even just a few days after the party.

Jaune took the punishment for everyone at that party. How does everyone treat him after that? How does everyone react to the dead last Jaune successfully taking the heat off everyone and enduring a month of detention for them all? Everyone starts to treat Jaune with a lot of respect. Maybe they offer to help with his homework or do things to repay their "debt" to him. Maybe there is a silly ceremony or something? They pretend to treat Jaune like Arslan reborn or something? Elect him king of the students? Spar with him or offer him the kind of tips an upper year can offer and wishes he'd known when he was a first year? Even take JNPR into the Emerald forest and help Jaune lead his team better in real battle conditions? Maybe Glynda notices Jaune "winning" sparring matches more often in her class under mysterious circumstances? (Not that I think Jaune would want people to throw matches.) I dunno, I think you could have some fun consequences for Jaune taking the punishment for everyone.

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Right, that's all the idea's I've put in the SB thread as far I as can remember. Anyone have any thoughts about any of these?

 

[AJ_Talon]

"Sure thing, Doc!"

Yang and Xia walked in. Jaune smiled at them. "Hi girls, how are you doing?"

They greeted him in return. Weena's monitors spiked.

"Fascinating!"

Jaune glanced over. "What is it, Doc?"

"I thought Ruby was an anomaly—the temporal readings were abnormally high with her—but then they somewhat normalized, for a given measure of normal, with Weiss and Blake. But they seem to have spiked again with Yang."

Isabel frowned. "Is that something we need to concern ourselves with?"

"I don't know! How exciting!"

Yang grimaced. Xia deadpanned at the doctor.

Isabel moved on. "Alright, let's continue with the baseline readings…"

She hooked up the sensors while the three of them made idle conversation. Weena's eyes narrowed at one of the displays.

"Interesting… look at Yang's core temperature."

Isabel checked. "What? That's ridiculous. She's a furnace! Even with her Semblance that kind of temperature is way too hot…" She looked at Yang. "Yang? How are you feeling?"

"Yangin'!"

Xia groaned. Jaune started coughing harshly, clutching his throat.

"DAD/JAUNE!"

He waved them off as the coughing eased. His voice came out noticeably deeper. When he lowered his hand, a dark scar crossed his throat.

"Jaune…" Isabel whispered.

Yang's hands trembled. "Xia… what happened to him?"

Xia swallowed. "You two were fighting against Cinder in Mistral… you got cocky 'cause you had the upper hand for a moment and she nearly killed you. Dad stepped in and… she did that to him." She shuddered and clenched her fists.

"Jaune…" Yang whispered.

"Yang… it's okay."

"Jaune… how can you—" Yang bit the rest of the sentence. "Look what I did to you!"

"You didn't do this, and if we do things right, neither will Cinder."

"That's not the point!"

"Yang, it's going to be fine."

"IT'S NOT FINE!" Yang's hair erupted into fire. "Ruby told us about how you lost your arm for her, Weiss mentioned that you have a boatload of injuries 'cause you keep putting yourself in front of others!"

"Yang—"

"And what's worse is that you almost get killed 'cause of me!" Smoke billowed from the corners of her mouth. "Everybody told me the same thing! Dad, Qrow, Ruby, my team, our friends, even you! That if I didn't keep myself in check I'd regret it and there you are! Look at you!"

Her rage boiled into blistering grief. Her pupils narrowed. Horns pushed through her hair. Scales surfaced along her skin.

Jaune stepped forward and hugged her tightly. "Yang… Sweetfire. You know I never blamed you for any of this…"

"You should," Yang retorted, melting into the embrace.

"I won't." He held her. "Not then, not now, not ever."

"You're an idiot."

"And you're my wife."

He looked at Xia. "Xia. I'm sorry you had to see this."

Xia shook her head and moved closer. "It's okay, Dad… I know how hard it is for you guys." She hugged them both.

Jaune kissed the top of her head. "My little firecracker…"

"Daaaaaaddd…" Xia groaned, but she didn't pull away.

"This is why we tell you to pay attention. So that you may learn from our mistakes. So that you can grow into the person I know you can be. That we know you can be." He held both of them. "I know… that what I have gone through for the two of you… for all of our family has been brutal. But I did so with love for each of you. And I would do so again."

Weena pointed at the monitors. "Isabel… look!"

The graphs had spiked, then settled at higher levels.

"What am I looking at?"

"Jaune's temporal energy. It seems that he's giving off more ambient energy the more we expose him to the different timelines."

Isabel hummed and gestured vaguely at Yang. "Does that explain… that?"

"Potentially." Weena shrugged. "Either way I'm excited for the new avenues of research this is opening."

Isabel deadpanned. "My son's not an experiment, Doctor."

Weena coughed. "Of course not! But he's certainly… fascinating to study, wouldn't you say? I mean, think of the medical insights! Injuries that exist but yet don't at the same time?"

Isabel blinked, then grumbled and turned back to her son. Yang's fire had faded. The horns had receded to little nubs. Jaune simply stood there smiling.

Isabel sighed. He was definitely growing up fast.

Eventually they separated. Jaune and Yang returned to normal. Xia motioned that she'd keep her silence for now—some things needed to be revealed later. She and Yang left to the noise of the hallway while Isabel and Weena studied the results.

"Look at this!" Weena said, awed. "It's beautiful. The raw temporal energy flowing through him, it's as if we're seeing pieces of eternity."

Isabel grimaced. "Doctor Nebogipfel."

The readings spiked again, higher this time.

"I'm sorry, Isabel, but this is still so remarkable. I wouldn't be surprised if—" Weena cut off as the door opened and Pyrrha and Xander walked in.

---

Pyrrha and Xander

"Hello, Doctor."

"Hey, Doc—" Xander started, then froze at the sound of a deeper voice.

"Xander?" Jaune called. "Xander is that you?"

Xander stared. "Dad?"

"My boy." Jaune walked over. "My beautiful boy…"

"Dad…" Xander's voice cracked. "How—?"

"I think I should ask you that, Son…" Jaune turned to Pyrrha. "Hello, fos ton matión mou."

Pyrrha gasped.

"I… can tell that something is off here." Jaune pulsed his Aura gently; the echo rolled across the campus. "I sense so many familiar souls, yet there are also those that seem familiar yet aren't."

Xander swallowed. "It's a… long story, Dad. One I don't think I can tell you without risking a lot of things and a lot of lives."

"Alright." Jaune nodded. "I trust you, Xander. To do what is best for our family. I am… so proud of you, my son. And… I'm so happy that I can look on you with my own eyes."

"Dad…" Xander teared up and hugged him tight.

Jaune's vision began to fade. He held both of them.

"Whatever happens… I love you and your mother, and all your siblings so much. Never forget that. Never forget who you are, my son."

His eyes lost their color. Burned skin replaced them—a horrifying sight for everyone else in the room.

"Everything will be fine," Jaune said, still holding them. "As long as we stay together."

He kissed their heads.

"Stay safe. I love you both."

"Love you too, Dad," Xander said. Pyrrha followed, flustered but sincere.

 

[Grrrrrrr]

……so does he turn back to the respective daddies of each timeline when exposed to the key factors