[RWBY] The Great Temporal Step-Sibling War!

[AndrewJTalon]

As they entered the hanger, Blake's heart hammered so loudly she was sure the soldiers outside could hear it over the distant rumble of Chimera tanks and the whine of Tigertail engines.

Ghira and Kali stepped out into view, regal and composed. Ghira turned back and offered Blake his hand.

"Stay behind the Tigertail for now," he said gently. "Let us open the conversation. You'll know when it's time."

Blake nodded, throat tight. She slipped behind the sleek, bulky fuselage of the Wayland AV-47 Tigertail airship, pressing her back to the cool metal. The aircraft's shadow felt like the only shelter she had left.

She could hear the shuffle of boots, the low murmur of prisoners, the crisp orders of VDF troopers in green battle dress. Medics moved among the captured White Fang members, checking bandages and offering water. No one was being mistreated. That only made the guilt twist harder in her stomach.

All of this... If only I'd... If I'd just-!

Footsteps-light, familiar-suddenly appeared right behind her.

"Mom?"

Blake jumped, ears shooting straight up, a startled "Mrrp!" escaping before she could stop it. She spun, glaring at the two blond cat Faunus now standing there with identical sheepish grins.

"Leander! Leandra! What are you two doing here? You're supposed to be with the others!"

Leandra rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry… We wanted to be with you for this. We know it wasn't easy the first time around."

Leander nodded solemnly. "We helped get all these people captured. The least we can do is see it through with you."

Blake exhaled shakily, pressing a hand to her chest to slow her racing pulse.

"Where did you two learn that kind of... Of irresponsible responsibility?"

The twins smiled in perfect unison.

"From you and Dad," they said together.

Blake's face flushed hot. She opened her mouth, closed it, then managed a weak laugh that sounded more like a sob.

"…Of course you did."

A moment later, Ghira's voice boomed across the hangar, calm but carrying the full weight of a chieftain.

"Listen to me! All eyes here!"

The captured White Fang members fell into stunned silence as the Belladonna rulers approached. Then the whispers started.

A tall tiger Faunus-Tora Nyan, Blake recalled-pushed to his feet, chains rattling.

"Chieftain Ghira! Why are you here? Have you come to surrender us to these human filth? Have you betrayed your own kind?!"

Angry shouts erupted as more White Fang rose to hurl anger and abuse at Blake's father. Soldiers shifted, rifles ready, but Ghira raised one massive hand.

"QUIET!"

The roar cut through the hangar like thunder. The noise died instantly.

Ghira's golden eyes locked onto Tora.

"You have betrayed Menagerie. You have betrayed Faunuskind. And you have betrayed all of Remnant."

More furious cries. A slender deer Faunus-Tawny Doe, Deery's twin sister-shot up beside Tora.

"Explain yourself, Chieftain! You founded the White Fang! You taught us to fight humanity!"

Ghira's voice remained steady, heavy with sorrow.

"You learned the wrong lessons."

Kali stepped forward, raising a small holoprojector. The device hummed to life. An old black-and-white photograph appeared: the original founders of the White Fang standing proudly in front of a modest schoolhouse in Mistral.

Kali's tone was soft but clear.

"You all know this picture. But look closer."

She flicked to the second image. The same photo... except most of the people standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Faunus founders were human.

Confused muttering rippled through the prisoners. Tawny's eyes widened in disbelief.

"That's a fake!"

"It is real," Ghira said. "Of the original forty members, twenty-five were human. Humans who risked everything: marched with us, funded us, defended us in court, and protected our people. They were our allies and friends because they believed oppressing Faunus was wrong."

Kali continued, voice steady.

"But the calls for violence grew louder. Even after Ghira was elected leader of Menagerie. Even after we won legal recognition—Vale was the first kingdom to acknowledge us as a sovereign nation. Sienna was charismatic. I had hoped her fire would keep the pressure on peacefully. Instead…"

Ghira's expression darkened.

"She turned it into a war. And humans who once stood with us began to fear and hate us instead of seeing us as equals."

Tawny shouted, "Then why haven't you done anything about it now?!"

"Because," Ghira answered, "you were days away from launching an attack that would have murdered tens of thousands-Faunus and humans alike. And second…" He glanced back toward the Tigertail. "Because Blake was Sienna and Adam's hostage."

Kali played a short recorded call. Adam and Sienna appeared on the holo, both staring intently at the camera.

Adam's voice was smooth, possessive: "Father Ghira… Blake does well. I look forward to becoming your son-in-law and advising her when she assumes the role of Chieftain."

Sienna's smile was cold. "Rest assured, she's in good health… and will stay that way, until we achieve our ends and she rightfully assumes power. So allow us our way."

Several White Fang members cried out that it was fake. Tawny looked physically ill.

Blake stared at the image, chest tight. She had known, of course-her parents had told her-but seeing Adam speak so casually about using her…

Familiar hands slipped into hers from behind. Leander and Leandra pressed close, hugging her tightly. Their warmth, their steady presence, pushed back the old urge to run.

Blake drew in a shaky breath. Then another.

She stepped out from behind the Tigertail.

The twins stayed right beside her, matching her pace.

Gasps and whispers exploded across the hangar as the prisoners recognized her.

Blake stopped beside her parents. Kali gave her a quick, concerned glance. Blake shook her head once, small but determined, and faced the crowd.

Tawny's voice cracked with disbelief.

"Lady Blake! You… you can't be serious! You betrayed us too?!"

Blake's ears flicked. She forced her voice steady.

"It's true. I did run. I couldn't stomach the violence anymore. The lies. The cruelty. We brutalized our own kind. We hurt and killed innocent humans. None of it helped Faunuskind. Not even a little."

Tora snarled, "They oppressed us! Enslaved us-!"

"And we did the same to them in the distant past!" Blake shot back. "And they did it to other humans! And we did it to other Faunus!" She took a deep breath, heart still hammering. "I was young and foolish. All I could see was black and white. But I've learned… we were all lied to. The world isn't perfect. But killing people, committing terrorism, unleashing Grimm on innocents? None of that helps us. Or humanity."

Tora's lips curled in disgust.

"Says the girl who's a whore for a human!"

Ghira and Kali both moved, hands twitching toward concealed weapons. Blake stepped forward before they could, locking eyes with Tora.

"Jaune Arc is my fiancé," she said, voice clear and surprisingly steady. "And… I love him very much. The situation is complicated, but I know he loves me too. This is the real answer: make love, not war!"

A stunned silence fell. A few VDF soldiers cleared their throats awkwardly. Tora, Tawny, and the rest stared at her in open disbelief.

Tora finally found his voice.

"Do… do you mean—?"

Blake's face burned crimson, but she doubled down, ears flat with determination.

"I mean exactly what I said! Hatred and anger only draw the Grimm! Love is what will save us! Love between humans and Faunus! And for that love, I will never run away again. I will fight for a wonderful future! I-I'm already planning on having twenty children with him!"

Dead silence.

Then Tawny-eyes wide, voice cracking with sheer bewilderment-blurted:

"What, does he have a giant penis or something?"

Blake turned scarlet. Ghira and Kali struggled mightily to keep straight faces. Behind her, Leander and Leandra looked openly haunted-they had far too many memories about how… enthusiastic their future parents could be.

Blake swallowed once, then lifted her chin and declared with every scrap of Belladonna dignity she could muster:

"YES! But that's beside the point!"

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The hangar's echoes were still dying down when Blake ducked back behind the Tigertail's sleek fuselage, heart hammering like a war drum. She immediately pressed both hands over her face, mortified heat radiating from her ears all the way down to her toes.

Ghira and Kali had done the heavy lifting in the conversation with the prisoners from then on. Blake had stayed on, as stoic as she could manage... But the moment she had some privacy, she felt like falling apart.

Kali stepped in beside her, bright and unflappable as ever.

"I think it went well!"

Blake's muffled groan was answer enough. Leander and Leandra flanked her without a word, each twin reaching up to pat one of her shoulders in gentle, synchronized comfort.

"That was a total disaster…!" Blake whimpered through her fingers.

Kali clicked her tongue, soft and maternal.
"Now Blake… the fact they listened at all is a win. Enough to give us some hope. They aren't trying to escape, or fighting back against us even while we send them home to be tried."

Blake moaned. Kali reached up and rubbed behind her ears affectionately.

"Sometimes in politics you must take what you can get."

Blake lowered her hands just enough to peek out, cheeks still flaming.

"Ugh… You taught me so much and I just… I forgot it all. All for...!"

"Love?" Kali guessed. Blake blushed brighter.

"I... I don't know if it's that far but... Um... Maybe."

"Not just of your fiance," Kali said gently. Blake flushed and bent her head again, mumbling.

"... It is a big mistake I made-"

"And you're working to correct it," Kali said gently, "As hard as you can."

Blake sighed.

"I just... I wish I had retained more of your lessons... Maybe not been so... Stupid."

Leandra gave her shoulder another reassuring pat.

"Trust me Mom, you become an amazing negotiator in the future!"

Leander nodded sagely on her other side.

"Yes, very good."

Leandra's smile turned impish. "And you teach us!"

Leander's grin widened. "Trust me, it was useful having to deal with eighteen siblings."

Blake let out a long, theatrical groan and slumped back against the aircraft's metal skin.

From the other side of the Tigertail came the sound of approaching footsteps—military boots mixed with the lighter click of restraints. Ghira appeared first, calm and regal, followed by Sun (grinning like an idiot) and two VDF guards in green battle dress. Between them walked Ilia, in some casual clothes, wrists cuffed in front of her and a simple leather collar around her neck. A leash clipped to the collar rested loosely in Sun's hand. Lieutenant Colonel Stuart brought up the rear, one eyebrow arched in bemused curiosity.

Ilia's eyes flicked up and met Blake's. She offered a small, awkward nod.

"…Hello, Blake."

Blake straightened quickly, despite the added awkwardness.

"Ilia…"

Ilia shifted, cuffs clinking. "I… Your parents spoke with me. About everything. And um…"

Blake swallowed hard. "Ilia… I did screw up a lot with you. I know. I've… I've generally screwed up everything. I think I screwed this up too. I'm so sorry you got dragged into all this."

Ilia's colors flickered-brief flashes of regret and embarrassment dancing across her skin.

"Well… I mean… I did a lot of bad things too-"

Ghira's deep voice cut in, gentle but firm.'

"Blame never solves anything. At some point, you have to ask… what are you going to do about it?"

Sun grinned wider, giving the leash a tiny, playful tug that made Ilia's spots turn pink.

"Yeah… That's what I told her."

Ilia huffed, cheeks tinting pink. "Hmph… So… Um… I will give intelligence to Chieftain Belladonna. Now that I understand the situation better. I'll work with them to help stop all this. And ensure everyone gets a fair trial."

Sun beamed like the sun itself. "And I'll be there every day with you!"

Ilia's colors flared brighter. "Y-You don't have to be there all the time!"

Sun leaned in, utterly unbothered. "No, but I want to."

Kali clasped her hands together with an audible "Awww…"

Leander and Leandra exchanged a quick, slightly nauseated glance before shrugging at Blake in unison.

Leander muttered, "They're as lovey-dovey as you two."

Leandra added under her breath, "Please, no one's that lovey-dovey."

Sun perked up. "How many kids do we have in the future?"

Leander answered without thinking. "Like… seven… teen?"

Ilia's eyes went wide. "S-S-SEVENTEEN?!"

Sun punched the air. "WOW! I'd better start getting ready!"

Ilia's colors flashed through every shade of mortified pink before she simply fainted dead away. Sun caught her effortlessly, cradling her against his chest with a soft chuckle.

Lieutenant Colonel Stuart raised an eyebrow, voice dry. "The future?"

Blake's heart stopped. A drop of ice plunged straight into her stomach. They were supposed to keep this secret-!

Ghira and Kali exchanged a single, perfectly synchronized glance. Kali turned to the colonel with the sweetest, most diplomatic smile in the Belladonna arsenal.

"Colonel Stuart… surely you understand the nature of discretion when it comes to delicate diplomatic situations?"

Stuart's expression didn't change, but the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Oh… of course." He looked to the two soldiers beside him. "Did you hear anything, Corporal?"

The corporal stared straight ahead. "No sir."

Stuart turned to the private. "How about you, Private?"

"Not a thing, sir!"

Kali beamed at Blake, warm and proud.

"Politics."
Blake let out a shaky breath, the tension in her chest easing just a fraction. She looked at her mother-really looked-and the words slipped out before she could second-guess them.

"…I… would like to relearn, Mother."

Kali's smile softened into something gentler, almost misty.

"Of course! But first-" She reached out and gently tugged one of Blake's cat ears. "We need to get you ready for your date!"

Blake blinked, the absurdity of the day crashing back in full force. Behind her, Leander and Leandra snickered quietly while Sun adjusted his grip on the still-unconscious Ilia and grinned like he'd just won the lottery.

Blake covered her face with her hands again, but this time a tiny, reluctant smile peeked between her fingers.

"…Yes."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The safehouse was quiet in that dangerous, too-still way that always set Thanh's instincts on edge. He moved like liquid shadow through the dimly lit corridors, claws extended just enough to taste the air, tongue flicking out to sample the faint metallic tang of oil and ozone. His red eyes gleamed with predatory hunger.

He paused at the threshold of the recharging chamber.

There sat Caliban Testoasa-once the terror of Vacuo's underworld, now a towering eight-foot titan of blackened metal and reinforced plating-motionless in a throne-like support rig. Thick cables snaked from ports along his spine and shoulders, feeding power into his systems. His helmeted head was bowed, crimson optics dark.

He looked… vulnerable.

Thanh's fanged grin widened. He crept forward on silent, clawed feet, tail low and still, every movement a hunter's prowl. Closer. Closer. The komodo dragon Faunus raised one set of razor claws, ready to drive them straight through the exposed joint at Caliban's neck—

A soft shing of metal on metal.

Caliban's sword was suddenly there, tip pressed lightly but unyieldingly against Thanh's throat. The big man hadn't moved. Hadn't even lifted his head.

"Don't even think about it."

Thanh froze, then slowly leaned back, fangs still bared in a mocking smile.

"…So… not so helpless after all, metal man?"

Caliban's optics flared to life with a low crimson glow.

"No. Never helpless."

Thanh chuckled, low and rasping, as he took one deliberate step back.

"You lost everything you were to the Arcs. Why?"

Caliban remained seated, sword still leveled with perfect, mechanical calm.

"I sought to make Isabel Arc my bride. With her power and medical knowledge, my empire would have grown. I could have ascended to the heights of power in Vacuo's government."

Thanh's grin turned vicious.

"And now you've lost your dick!"

The sword blurred.

Caliban rose in one terrifying surge, blade whipping in a horizontal arc that would have taken Thanh's head clean off. The komodo dragon Faunus twisted away at the last instant, the edge slicing a shallow gash across his scaled chest. Blood welled—then the wound knit closed almost instantly, scales rippling back into place.

Thanh laughed, licking a drop of his own blood from his claw.

"Temper, temper, metal man… or should I say woman?"

Caliban took one heavy step forward, sword rising for a downward slash that could split a tank in two—

A theatrical cough echoed from the doorway.

Roman Torchwick stood there, Melodic Cudgel out and pointed vaguely in both their directions. Mercury leaned against the frame beside him, legs crossed, while Zhu bounced on her toes, toxic purple eyes sparkling with glee.

Roman sighed deeply.

"Gents… I think we can put our energies to more productive things, don't you? Let's start mapping out routes around the city and into Beacon. Fire Lady wants us to prepare for the next phase."

Thanh snarled, turning that predatory glare on the smaller man.

"You presume to order me around, little man?"

Roman didn't flinch. He tapped the barrel of his cane against his palm.

"Big, little? I'm the guy with the gun."

Silence stretched. Thanh's tail lashed once.

Then the komodo dragon smirked.

"I've heard of you, Roman Torchwick. You were impressive. The Gentleman Thief, King of Vale's underworld. Now you're Fire Lady's errand boy."

Roman's smile was thin and sharp.

"So are you. Now, you can work for her breathing… or as matched luggage. What's it gonna be?"

Thanh held the stare for a long, venomous second. Then, with a low hiss, he turned and stalked off down the corridor, every line of his body promising future violence.

Mercury shook his head slowly as the heavy footsteps faded.

Roman lowered Melodic Cudgel with a tired exhale.

Caliban's sword finally lowered. The massive armored figure shook his helmeted head.

"You should let me kill him."

Roman gave a dry chuckle.

"If it'll make you behave, I promise—I'll let you kill the bastard when the time comes."

Nobody was under any illusions about him.

Caliban's optics glowed brighter for a moment.

"Yes… Right after Nicholas Arc dies by my hand…"

The titan turned and walked away, heavy footfalls echoing like distant thunder until he disappeared around the corner.

Roman let out a long breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Geez… What happened to crime for money? For glory? Hell, for fun? Why do we get all the crazies?"

Zhu skipped over and patted his shoulder with exaggerated sympathy.

"There, there, Roman. You're just as sane as I am!"

Roman gave her a flat look.

"That doesn't help in the slightest."

Zhu giggled, bright and unhinged.

"I KNOW! That's what makes it funny!"

Mercury pushed off the wall, arms folded.

"I mean… you also want revenge, right?"

Zhu spun on her heel, still humming.

"Sure do! But money's better! So if I can't get revenge…" She tapped her chin, then brightened. "Hmmm… I can always try again! Can't do it if I'm dead~!"

She skipped off down the hall, singing a cheerful Fuujin pop song at the top of her lungs.

Roman and Mercury watched her go in silence.

Roman finally muttered, "…Crazy. All of them."

Mercury snorted.

"And what does that make us?"

Roman exhaled through his nose. He went for his cigarettes and lit up, taking a long, calming drag. He breathed out a smoke cloud, the nicotine flowing reassuringly though him.

"Scared shitless," he admitted.

Mercury snorted.

"Tell me about it…"

A beat passed. Roman glanced sideways at the young assassin.

"…Your green friend… She really met her daughter from the future?"

Mercury's expression darkened, but he nodded.

"Could I make up shit like that? Cinder's got kids from the future too. With Arc."

Roman stared down the empty corridor for a long moment, then tapped his cane against the floor.

"Then we have some homework… Finding out what happens to us in the future."

He turned and started walking, Mercury falling into step beside him.

Neither of them looked particularly thrilled about the assignment... But it beat being in the splash zone of however this ended.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The heavy door to the basement levels of Beacon clicked shut behind them with a solid, final sound. Ozpin led the way into the basement lab, cane tapping softly against the stone. Glynda followed a half-step behind, riding crop already in hand, her posture rigid with the kind of tension that had been building since the previous night.

Raven was sitting cross-legged on the floor of her reinforced cell, fiddling with something small and metallic she'd clearly scavenged from somewhere. She didn't look up as they approached.

Ozpin's voice was calm, almost gentle.

"That won't work, Raven."

Raven snorted without lifting her head.

"Worth a try."

Glynda flicked her riding crop once. A wave of her Semblance rolled through the air, invisible threads of force checking every bar, every seam, every dust-weave reinforcement in the cell. Everything held. She gave a short nod as she snatched the tool from Raven's hands and caught it.

Raven finally looked up, eyes narrowing as she caught Glynda's stare. She leaned back against the wall, arms draped casually over her knees. On the small table beside her cot, the photos of her future grandchildren and the life she'd never had still lay spread out like silent accusations.

Ozpin moved to the main lab area, crouching beside Amber's stasis pod to check the readouts. Glynda remained where she was, staring at Raven through the bars in heavy silence.

Raven's lips curled into a mocking half-smile.

"So… how's your future husband doing?"

Glynda's nose wrinkled.

"He's fine."

Raven nodded slowly, as if tasting the words.

"Fits. I always figured you'd need an act of God to land anyone. Guess the universe finally took pity on you."

Glynda's grip tightened on her riding crop.

"It's no surprise you ran away from Tai. You could never handle anything more complicated than swinging that sword of yours."

Raven's eyes flashed dangerously. She pushed herself to her feet in one fluid motion.

"You're competing against my daughter, old crone. You'll lose."

Glynda's chin lifted.

"In my timeline, my husband and I… we get along fine."

Raven barked a short, sharp laugh.

"Then what's got you so insecure? You're practically vibrating."

Ozpin straightened from Amber's pod and stepped back into the main space, voice cutting smoothly between them.

"You really shouldn't be talking, Raven. You're already feeling the effects of age yourself." He adjusted his glasses. "Besides, Isabel will be down soon to check on you. Thank you for providing more life for Amber though."

Raven's scowl deepened, eyes narrowing to slits.

"What the hell are you talking about, effects of age?"

"Some women handle it better than others," Ozpin said, calm and confident. He turned as Raven stood up.

"What the hell?! What effect?!"

Ozpin ignored her completely, turning toward the lift with the calm certainty of a man who had played this game for centuries. Glynda followed, but not before shooting Raven one last cool look.

As they entered the elevator and the heavy doors sealed behind them, Glynda exhaled slowly.

"I'm sorry, Ozpin. I lost my cool."

Ozpin waved a dismissive hand, though his own shoulders carried a faint weariness.

"No need to apologize. The entire situation-old friends, new complications, Jaune… it has shaken all of us. I'm a bit off my game myself."

They reached the top of the tower and entered his office. Glynda's heels clicked sharply against the floor.

"I just… it's all hit me at once," she admitted quietly. "Jaune. The futures. Children... Everything."

Ozpin nodded.

"I understand. But we will make it through. We have eleven ways to win this war now. It won't be easy… but the chance of victory is real for the first time in a very long while." He smiled gently. "And you do have a happy future."

Glynda's steps slowed slightly. She nodded, but swallowed before she spoke again.

"…It wasn't without great cost in every timeline."

Ozpin was silent for several paces. Then he gave a single, solemn nod.

"Victory is never without cost. But it is a cost I will pay gladly, knowing we can finally save the world."

He stepped around behind his desk and sat down. Glynda stood at attention in front of him, then hesitated, biting her lower lip.

"Ozpin… I've learned something important from Dorothy."

He reached for his ever-present coffee mug and the pitcher from the coffee machine, pouring some into his mug and taking a slow sip as he turned back to her.

"What is it?"

Glynda drew in a steadying breath.

"Jaune… He's the Rusted Knight."

Ozpin paused mid-sip. He slowly lowered the mug, eyes sharpening behind his spectacles.

"I mean… he will be. He is right now… It's complicated."

Ozpin set the mug down with deliberate care. He swallowed once.

Then he tapped his Scroll.

"Weena? I think I might have a breakthrough for you."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The guest wing of Beacon was quiet at this hour, the kind of dignified hush that came from thick carpets and centuries-old stone. Willow Schnee sat at the small writing desk in her suite, Scroll held to her ear, voice low but steady.

"I know, Mister Hurt. I know. But we need this information, please."

The gruff voice of the old Mole Faunus crackled through the speaker.

"Hmph! Funny of you to be interested now, after all these years."

Willow's expression flickered—hurt flashing across her features for a brief moment—before she steadied herself and nodded, even though he couldn't see it.

"You're right. I have a lot to make up for. That's part of why I'm doing this. Please… whatever you can do to keep Jacques busy, do it."

There was a long pause on the other end.

"…I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

Another gruff huff. "Hmph… If you'd married that blond idiot instead of that jackass, we'd all be in a better position."

Willow's eyes closed for a second.

"…I know."

The call ended with a soft click. Willow set the Scroll down and rubbed her temples, exhaling slowly.

The door to the sitting area opened. James Ironwood stepped in, posture still rigidly military despite the warmth of the afternoon sun shining through the windows. He took the chair across from her without waiting for an invitation.

Klein appeared in his usual enigmatic way-seemingly materializing from the shadows near the sideboard-carrying a silver tray with two cups of tea. He poured for both of them exactly the way they preferred: strong and black for Ironwood, with a single cube of sugar and a splash of cream for Willow.

Ironwood accepted his cup with a small nod and a rare, tired smile.

"I see we've both been busy."

Willow lifted her tea, inhaling the soothing aroma before taking a sip.

"Extremely. How are things going with you?"

Ironwood sighed, shoulders sagging just a fraction.

"I've turned the proposal for the alliance over to the Council. Both chambers are in an uproar… but you probably knew that."

Willow offered a soft, knowing smile.

"I still have a few old friends in the Council. Do you think they'll go for it?"

"I have seldom pushed hard for specific policies, save at the most desperate need. I do have a fair amount of capital, but this will be difficult."

"I'm willing to do all I can to help… but anything really substantial requires we deal with Jacques."

Ironwood nodded grimly.

"I know."

Willow sucked in a breath. She contemplated the tea cup in front of her.

"I wouldn't ask for you to... Take any illegal action," she said. Ironwood nodded.

"I know. You wouldn't be the first to ask."

Willow raised an eyebrow. Ironwood allowed himself a small, bitter smirk.

"Do you think he's only made enemies of his family? His behavior has often cost us. He has fomented rebellions in Mistral and Vacuo. Forcing us to intervene. He's certainly not done our reputation any favors. But he's always had just the right friends in the right places to block any serious efforts to remove him. Made himself indispensable."

"But you could remove him," Willow said, quiet. Ironwood nodded grimly.

"If the stakes were high enough, yes... But I would destroy any attempt at this alliance. Once you cross that line... You either surrender yourself to the authorities to be tried, or you go all the way to seize power." He shook his head slowly. "Atlas suffers a devastating civil war in several of these futures. I can't risk instigating it now, even knowing the future."

"I know," Willow sighed. "So... I suppose for the time being all we can do is stall."

"Until we can nail him," Ironwood agreed. Willow smiled gently at him.

"I... There are times I wish I hadn't been so foolish in love."

Ironwood slowly nodded.

"Don't we all?" He murmured. Willow studied him carefully.

"Do you know... Her future? In the timelines?"

Ironwood was still, almost lifeless.

"... I do." He shakes his head. "All I can do is hope she's not a casualty in this one."

Willow nodded.

"I suppose so..."

The door opened again. Weiss stepped in, looking utterly exhausted—shoulders slumped, hair slightly disheveled, the faint scent of Dust and lab chemicals still clinging to her clothes.

"Oh… Hello, General." She gave a quick, automatic curtsy. "Hello, Klein. Hello, Mother."

Klein bowed his head with grandfatherly warmth.

"Hello, Miss Weiss."

Ironwood offered a respectful nod.

"Hello, Weiss."

Willow's expression softened, the smile reaching her eyes even if it was still a little tentative.

"Hello, Weiss… Are you all right?"

It was still awkward between them—years of distance and pain didn't vanish overnight—but Willow was trying. Weiss could see it. She slowly nodded.

"I am. I did get to work with Jaune in Dust Studies today. He is actually quite knowledgeable about Medical Dust. I suppose that makes sense, given his mother."

Willow's smile warmed a fraction.

"Yes, Isabel Arc is one of the foremost experts in Healing Dust. Jacques tried to hire her a few times as his personal physician, but she refused each time."

Weiss let out a heavy sigh and sank into the nearest chair.

"…I can't believe I… I was so stupid…"

Klein, ever the diplomat, spoke gently as he adjusted the tea tray.

"Speaking frankly, Miss, he hardly covered himself in glory when he first courted you. You're both young and foolish. It happens."

Weiss scowled, frustration bubbling up.

"Yes, but he and Winter…!" She trailed off, then shook her head. "I'm up against so much right now, Mother. Against the first friends I've ever made and my own sister!"

Willow leaned forward slightly, voice sincere.

"I know. And I am so very sorry, Weiss. If I hadn't been—"

Ironwood cut in quietly but firmly, raising his synthetic hand and closing it into a fist as he stared at the metal fingers.

"Guilt and self-blame never helps. Trust me." His voice carried the weight of old, painful memories. "All you can do is what you can do."

Weiss exhaled, shoulders slumping again.

"Yes…"

Willow reached across and gently touched her daughter's arm.

"The only way this will work out is as a group arrangement, Weiss. I doubt you want to see any of the children vanish into nothing."

Weiss sat up straighter, eyes widening.

"No! Of course not!"

Willow nodded.

"So you will need allies. I believe Winter would be most amenable to start with… but I do know how women can get when the heart of a man is the prize. So you must be cunning and clever, Weiss. I know you have it in you."

Weiss blinked, a spark of determination lighting in her eyes.

"I… Thank you, Mother!"

Willow's smile turned a touch mischievous.

"But I have neglected you in… many ways. Not the least of which is how to properly woo a man. Especially an Arc man. I learned that subtlety is not your friend."

Weiss stared at her, dumbfounded.

"What do I have to do? Hit him over the head with a hammer?"

Willow's eyes twinkled.

"If you must—and conveniently, you have a friend with such a weapon!"

Before Weiss could protest, Willow gently but firmly guided her toward the back room, arm looped through hers like they were old conspirators.

Ironwood raised an eyebrow at Klein, who was calmly collecting the empty teacups.

Klein gave a small, fond chuckle.

"If it helps, this is the happiest and healthiest I've ever seen their relationship."

Ironwood took another sip of tea, expression thoughtful.

"I suppose it does…"

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The late afternoon sun had dipped low enough that Training Yard 69 was bathed in warm gold, turning the scattered rubble and craters into long, dramatic shadows. Sweat glistened on Jaune's skin as he and Winter circled each other in the open grass, both breathing hard but focused. Isabel stood a few paces back, arms crossed, offering quiet corrections while Penny hovered nearby like an enthusiastic referee.

Winter moved first—sharp, precise, a textbook Arc-style entry that blended Isabel's brutal efficiency with her own Atlesian discipline. Jaune slipped inside her guard, caught her wrist, and used her momentum against her. They grappled for a moment, Aura flaring, until Jaune twisted, swept her leg, and brought her down hard onto the grass.

He followed through immediately, dropping his weight to pin her shoulders with his knees and pressing one forearm across her collarbone. Winter's breath hitched as she found herself flat on her back, Jaune looming over her, both of them flushed and breathing heavily from the exertion.

"Got you," Jaune panted, a small, proud grin breaking through.

Winter's ice-blue eyes widened for a fraction of a second—something softer and far more personal flashing behind the soldier's mask—before she recovered. A faint blush colored her cheeks.

"…Well executed," she managed, voice slightly tighter than usual. She didn't immediately try to throw him off.

Isabel nodded approvingly. "Better control on the finish, Jaune. You're starting to feel the flow instead of forcing it."

Before Jaune could reply, the sound of approaching footsteps and cheerful voices cut through the yard.

"Jaune! There you are!"

Pyrrha's bright call carried across the grass. She, Nora, and Ren were jogging up the path from the main campus, all three dressed in casual-but-nice clothes clearly chosen for a night out. Pyrrha's red hair was loose and shining, a soft smile on her face that faltered the instant she took in the scene:

Jaune straddling Winter Schnee on the grass, both of them sweaty, breathing hard, Winter's hands resting lightly on his arms as if she'd been about to counter but had paused instead.

Pyrrha stopped dead. Nora skidded to a halt beside her, hammer slung over one shoulder, eyes going wide with delighted mischief. Ren simply raised an eyebrow, calm as ever, though the corner of his mouth twitched.

Winter noticed them a heartbeat later. Her expression shifted—professional mask snapping back into place—but not before a flicker of something possessive and competitive flashed across her face. She didn't shove Jaune off immediately. Instead she held the pin for one deliberate extra second, letting her fingers brush his forearm as she finally allowed him to help her up.

Jaune scrambled to his feet, offering Winter a hand she accepted with graceful dignity. Both of them were still flushed from the spar.

"Pyrrha! Nora! Ren!" Jaune waved, a little too enthusiastically, clearly trying to diffuse the sudden tension thickening the air. "Hey! You guys are early—uh, we were just finishing up some training with Mom."

Isabel coughed lightly, hiding a knowing smile behind her hand.

Winter brushed grass from her uniform, posture ramrod straight, but her gaze flicked to Pyrrha with cool assessment.

"Miss Nikos," she said, voice perfectly polite and just a shade too crisp. "I hope we're not delaying your evening plans. Jaune was showing excellent progress with the Arc family style. It's… quite physical."

Pyrrha's smile tightened, green eyes narrowing just a fraction. She stepped forward, posture every bit the champion—shoulders back, chin high—but the flush on her cheeks wasn't entirely from the jog over.

"No delay at all, Specialist Schnee," she replied, matching Winter's politeness with a sweetness that had a razor edge underneath. "Though I'm glad to see Jaune is getting such… hands-on instruction. He does learn best when someone keeps him on his back."

Nora let out a loud, delighted cackle. "Ooooh! Catfight! I mean—friendly rival bonding! This is gonna be the best double date ever!"

Ren placed a calming hand on Nora's shoulder, but his own voice was mild. "We came to collect Jaune for the group outing. If the training is finished…?"

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, looking between the two women like he was watching two very pretty trains heading for the same crossing.

"Uh… yeah! Training's done. Mom?"

Isabel nodded, stepping in smoothly before the tension could thicken further.

"You did well today, both of you. Winter, you picked up the basics remarkably fast. Keep practicing the low-level Aura flow—it will make the throws feel natural instead of forced."

Winter gave a crisp nod, though her eyes lingered on Pyrrha a moment longer. "Thank you, Doctor Arc. I look forward to incorporating it properly."

Pyrrha offered Winter a small, tight smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I'm sure Jaune will be happy to spar with you again sometime. Perhaps when we're all less… occupied with dates."

The word "dates" came out a touch sharper than Pyrrha probably intended.

Winter's lips curved in the faintest, frostiest smile.

"Of course. Priorities."

Jaune cleared his throat loudly. "Right! So… group date? JNPR style? Sounds perfect. I just need to grab a quick shower and change—give me ten minutes?"

Nora bounced on her toes. "Make it five, Fearless Leader! We've got reservations at that new Mistralian place and I want to see if they have the exploding shrimp appetizer!"

Pyrrha stepped closer to Jaune, slipping her arm through his with gentle but unmistakable claim. She glanced back at Winter.

"We'll wait right here. Take your time."

Winter's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the casual contact, but she simply straightened her uniform jacket.

"I should return to my own duties as well. Theodore, Penny—shall we?"

Theodore, who had been watching the whole exchange with poorly concealed amusement, gave a lazy salute. "Yes, Mom."

Penny beamed. "Have a wonderful evening, Friend Jaune! I will continue monitoring for any suspicious activity!"

As Winter turned to leave, she paused just long enough to meet Pyrrha's gaze one last time. The look was cool, measured… and carried the unmistakable message of a woman who had no intention of yielding ground.

Pyrrha returned it evenly, champion's poise wrapped around a quiet steel that said the same thing right back.

Jaune, caught between them, offered an awkward little wave as Winter and the others departed.

"…So. Double date?"

Nora slung an arm around both Jaune and Pyrrha's shoulders, grinning like a shark.

"This is gonna be fun."

Pyrrha let out a slow breath, forcing her shoulders to relax as she leaned lightly into Jaune's side.

"Yes," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else. "It will be."

But the competitive spark in her eyes lingered long after Winter had disappeared down the path.

- - -

A quick detour to Team JNPR's dorm room to freshen up had been needed after the workout training had put him through. Fortunately Ren had the foresight to lay out an outfit for him while he showered so he was dressed and ready to go in short order.

Jaune checked the outfit in the mirror as he made sure his hair was combed back in a manner appropriate for a date. Overall it was fairly similar to the outfit he had worn for his dates with Winter and May but it felt less formal with the lack of jacket to go with the buttoned up shirt. The difference felt right, as this wasn't about first impressions and getting off on the right foot. This was about strengthening a bond that already existed, seeing if it could be more.

Satisfied with the way his reflection looked Jaune left the bathroom and took in what the rest of his team was wearing. Ren was in a nice button up shirt and slacks just like Jaune, while Nora wore a sundress that matched her eyes.

Pyrrha had elected to wear the traditional garb of her homeland's classical era. Her outfit consisted of a crimson peplos over a golden yellow chiton and a bronze crown of a different design than her normal headdress; a simple circlet that had a slightly thicker portion at the front.

"You look like a classical sculpture came to life," The compliment flowed smoothly from Jaune's lips, surprising himself almost as much as it surprised Pyrrha.

"T-thank you Jaune," Her blush was luminous enough to be seen through her makeup as she looked to the side with a smile.

Jaune couldn't remember seeing his pattern look bashful before and she had never been one to be giddy, but a strange combination of those two emotions harmoniously danced across her face in a captivating display. As that beautiful expression faded into Pyrrha's more regular pleased face Jaune decided he wanted to see it again.

With a new goal in mind Jaune offered Pyrrha his arm. which she happily accepted. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ren and Nora linking their arms in a similar way.

"So I'm guessing you two had a place in mind when you offered to make this a double date?" Jaune ventured as he looked to his friends.

"We do," Ren confirmed as both couples left the room, Penny joining them and taking point as they started heading in the direction of the airfield.

"Yep," Nora chimed in with a giggling grin, "We picked out a venue that's Just Right."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Nicholas's glyphs lit up the forest floor in glowing gold lines as he skated at full speed, Amethyst clinging to his back like a terrified koala.

"Faster! FASTER!" she shrieked in his ear.

"I'm trying!" Nicholas hissed back, pouring more Aura into the glyph trail. Behind them the sounds of battle were already ridiculous—steel ringing, explosions, someone (probably Xia) yelling "DODGE!" at the top of her lungs, and the unmistakable BOOM of Nick's railgun sword firing.

Nicholas risked a glance over his shoulder.

Nick had somehow already slipped past every single one of his grandchildren. The man was a golden blur, laughing like a maniac as he closed the distance with terrifying speed. Xander was on the ground trying to get up. Petra was tied to a tree with her own chain-sickle. Ash and Ashley were firing wildly into the trees, missing completely, before an Aura Slash from Nick forced them to scatter. Dorothy was floating upside-down, clearly disoriented.

"Grandpa's cheating!" Amethyst wailed.

Nicholas couldn't help a goofy grin on his face despite his terror.

"He's not cheating, he's just good-!"

Nick appeared right in front of them like he'd teleported.

Nicholas yelped and threw up a wall of glyphs. Nick's sword smashed through it like wet paper. Nicholas barely twisted in time, the flat of the blade whistling past his ear.

"Too slow, kid!" Nick grinned, already swinging again.

Nicholas dropped into a slide, glyphs flaring beneath his boots as he carried Amethyst under the horizontal slash. He kicked off a tree, reversed direction, and launched himself sideways just as Nick's follow-up strike cratered the ground where they'd been.

"XIA! XANDER! A LITTLE HELP?!" Nicholas shouted.

"WE'RE ON IT!" Xander shouted, opening fire on Nick from behind as Xia blasted herself at Nick and dropped down with an axe kick. Nick unleashed another railgun round as he rolled, using the recoil to speed up his dodge. Xia landed... Right in the path of Xander's fire.

"OW! DAMNIT XANDER!" Xia shouted. Xander shook his head.

"I'm sorry-I-LOOK OUT-!"

"DODDDDGE!" Nick bellowed.

There was another explosion and a very loud "OW, MY FACE!"

Nick cackled. "You kids are fast! But you're thinking like Huntsmen! I'm thinking like a grandpa who's been doing this for forty years!"

He suddenly dropped low and swept Nicholas's legs with the flat of his blade. Nicholas jumped—too high—and Nick was already there, rising like a golden rocket. His shoulder slammed into Nicholas's chest, sending both Nicholas and Amethyst flying.

Amethyst screamed as they tumbled through the air. Nicholas twisted mid-fall, wrapping his arms around her and taking the landing on his back. They hit hard, rolling across the mossy ground until they stopped against a tree.

Nicholas groaned. "You okay?"

Amethyst coughed, holding her head.

"I think I swallowed a leaf…"

Nick landed lightly a few meters away, sword resting on his shoulder, grinning like he was having the time of his life.

"First hit on the civilian!" he announced cheerfully. "Clocktower stairs. Five times. All of you. Now."

A collective groan rose from the trees as the rest of the kids dragged themselves out of various states of defeat.

"Already?!" Xia complained, picking pine needles out of her hair.

"We literally just started!" Xander protested.

Nick pointed his sword at them. "That's the point! In real fights, there is no 'just started.' There's only 'you're already losing.' Move it!"

The kids grumbled but obeyed, jogging toward the distant clocktower that overlooked the training grounds. Nicholas helped Amethyst to her feet and they joined the miserable procession.

As they ran, Nick fell into step beside them, still smiling.

"You did good, Nicholas," he said quietly. "Glyph acceleration on the fly like that? Not bad for someone who's never trained with me before. You're like Wills in her prime!"

Nicholas flushed. "Thanks, Grandpa."

Nick's grin widened. "But next time? Don't run in a straight line. And don't forget your shield can block me too. I'm big, but I'm not invincible."

Nicholas nodded seriously, already filing the advice away.

Behind them, Xia elbowed Xander. "He's having way too much fun with this."

Xander sighed. "He's Grandpa. Of course he's having fun beating up his grandchildren."

Amethyst, still catching her breath, looked up at Nicholas.

"…Do you think we'll actually survive this week?"

Nicholas looked back at his grandfather, currently laughing as he watched them struggle up the first flight of stairs, and smiled despite everything.

"Yeah," he said. "I think we will."

Nick's voice boomed from below.

"Faster! The Grimm won't wait for you to catch your breath, and neither will I!"

The kids groaned in unison and picked up the pace.

Nicholas glanced at his paradox half-siblings running beside him and felt something warm settle in his chest.

This… this was what family was supposed to feel like. He wasn't sure about the competition with all his alternate siblings, the risk of their own nonexistence... But this? This felt familiar. This felt safe.

Even if that family was currently trying to murder them in the woods for training purposes.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The sun was sinking behind the distant spires of the Albus Mountains, painting the ruined training yard in long streaks of amber and rose. Craters and shattered marble pillars cast jagged shadows across the grass. Theodore stood in the center of it all, breathing hard, sweat glistening on his forehead. His coat was half-unbuttoned, and he looked thoroughly wrung out.

Isabel and Winter had finally called a halt. The three of them sat on a low stone bench that had miraculously survived the afternoon's chaos, sharing a canteen of water and a few protein bars Isabel had pulled from her coat.

Theodore sighed deeply and rubbed both hands over his face.

"Sheesh… You're just as tough as in my timeline, Mom."

Winter's lips twitched into a small, proud smile.

"Thank you, Theodore… Or Theo?"

Isabel tilted her head, eyes twinkling.

"Why not Teddy?"

Theodore groaned like a dying man.

"Ugh, no to both."

Winter's expression turned instantly frosty.

"Certainly not!"

Isabel chuckled, waving a hand.

"Yes, I suppose it does sound a bit off. So, Theodore… were you always this impertinent, headstrong, and reckless?"

Theodore blinked, then gave a crooked little smirk.

"How was I any of those things? …Today? In the last hour?"

At the synchronized flat stares he received from both women, he shrugged and sighed, the smirk fading.

"Sorry. It's just… the fate of the world. Eleven worlds. That we're talking about here. What am I supposed to do, sit around?"

Isabel's voice softened.

"I suppose not. Still, you could at least ask for help from us. You have your own team, right?"

"Yeah… but I'm also the leader."

Winter studied him for a long moment, something quietly vulnerable flickering behind her usual composure.

"Am I a permissive mother? A bad mother?"

Theodore's head snapped up.

"What? No! But come on. When you have power, you must use it for good. You did teach me that."

Winter's shoulders eased.

"Good."

Isabel gave him a fond but pointed look.

"Still, you could learn some tact."

Theodore grinned, clearly unable to resist.

"Grandma, Dad told me about the time you destroyed an entire castle."

Isabel coughed into her fist, ears turning faintly pink.

"Well, there were mitigating circumstances… Still… I suppose, under your circumstances, I certainly understand your desire to do good… and cause giant explosions."

Theodore's grin widened.

"That's half the fun!"

Winter gave him a stern look.

"Theodore…"

He raised both hands in surrender, but his eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Balto Pass. The Jörmungandr Grimm?"

Winter's expression tightened.

"That's hardly fair to keep using future knowledge against us that we can't verify-"

"Also your team captured a serial killer at Atlas Academy."

Winter flushed a deep, mortified red.

"We were forced into it!"

Isabel laughed softly, the sound warm and genuine.

"I suppose… that adventurousness is what attracted my son to you."

Winter's flush deepened, but she managed a small, sincere nod.

"Thank you… Um… Isabel." She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Forgive me. It's still… overwhelming."

Isabel reached over and gently patted her knee.

"I think we're all feeling that way. Still… like Ozpin said: we know that we save the world in eleven timelines. And you have a happy ending. So it's not all bad."

Theodore went quiet at that, looking down at his hands. In his timeline, Isabel had died. He didn't say it out loud, but the weight of it sat heavy in the silence.

Isabel noticed. She smiled softly at him, voice gentle.

"No… not all bad. But… it would have been nice to have known you then, Theodore."

Theodore's smile grew warmer.

"Well, I'm glad we can meet like this, Grandma."

He stood up without another word and resumed his katas, golden Aura flickering around his fists as he moved through the forms with renewed focus. Isabel scooted a little closer to Winter on the bench, voice dropping into something more conspiratorial.

"So… how did the date go?"

Winter's cheeks immediately turned scarlet.

"I… I believe it went very well."

Isabel beamed.

"I'm glad. My Jaune's only other girlfriend had to basically force him to be her boyfriend."

Winter's head snapped toward her, one eyebrow rising sharply.

"Previous girlfriend?" There was a distinct note of tension in her voice.

Isabel waved both hands quickly.

"No no no, it's fine! It was puppy love. They broke up before Jaune ran away to Beacon. They were friends longer than anything else. Besides… you have enough competition as it is, don't you think?"

Winter let out a long, weary sigh.

"Unfortunately. I don't know… I hope it's a genuine feeling. I'm afraid I never had much experience in… love before."

Isabel's expression softened with understanding.

"That's all right, Winter. We're all doing the best we can in this situation. And I'd say you're on the right track, hm? Given you two kissed?" She winked.

Winter's blush returned full force.

"Yes… That was very nice."

Isabel grinned, looking far too pleased with herself.

"I imagine it was. Also, good on you for being direct. I practically had to strip naked and tie Nick up to get my feelings across to him!"

From a few feet away, Theodore called out without breaking form:

"Grandpa says he knew he loved you when he saved you from Count Caliban. Like, how your eyes sparkled when he, Uncle Arjun and Aunt Saia saved you from him."

Isabel flushed bright red.

"Aww… But yes. That helped a lot… Though I will admit, I was very stubborn about it. I didn't think I could love such an idiot… but I did. And I was never happier."

Winter looked down at her hands, voice quiet.

"That's wonderful… But here, well…" She sighed. "I'm competing with so many other women… My own sister…!"

Isabel's voice was firm but kind.

"Again… it's just as crazy for everyone else. So take it a step at a time… but don't be afraid to make a move. You don't want him to get distracted."

Winter nodded slowly.

"I suppose not…"

Theodore, still flowing through his katas, added helpfully,

"Yeah, distraction can cost you everything in an insta-"

"BANZAI!"

Theodore barely had time to yelp before Nick came charging out of the treeline like a golden comet, railgun sword blazing. He swung and unleashed a massive golden Aura Blade straight at his grandson.

"GYAH!"

Theodore teleported at the last second, reappearing on top of a half-shattered marble pillar, breathing hard.

Nick didn't even pause. He fired another blast.

"OH COME ON!"

"TOLD YOU!" Nick shouted cheerfully, already charging up another shot. He glanced over at the bench with a bright grin. "Hey Winter, hey Izzy! Is my boy treating you right, Winter?"

Winter, still flushed from the earlier conversation, managed a small, genuine smile.

"Just fine, Mister Arc."

Nick pointed his sword at her.

"Hey, told you to call me Nick! You okay, Izzy?"

Isabel chuckled, waving.

"Yes, thank you, dear."

"Great!" Nick turned back to the pillar, cackling as he fired another Aura-charged railgun blast. Theodore barely dodged, teleporting again mid-air.

"GRANDPA! SERIOUSLY! YOU ALREADY AMBUSHED ME! THE SURPRISE IS SPOILED!"

"IS NOT!"

"IS TOO!"

Isabel laughed softly, the sound warm and fond as she watched her husband gleefully torment their grandson. Winter sat beside her, watching the chaos with a quiet, thoughtful expression.

For a moment, she let herself imagine it.

A future where this kind of ridiculous, loving madness was simply… normal. Where her son teased his grandfather, where she sat beside Isabel like this, where Jaune came home every night and kissed her in the doorway.

"GAH! GRANDPA! I'M GOING TO ERASE YOUR BEARD!"

"HAHAHA! IT'S TOO AWESOME TO ERASE!"

The thought brought a small, warm smile to her face.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Ruby's silver eyes glowed faintly as she sat cross-legged on the grass, sweat beading on her forehead and trickling down her temples. She was trying-really trying-to extend her perception behind herself, to see the world the way Arjun described. The gentle flow of Aura, the luminous shapes of souls, the faint echoes of life in the grass and hedges around them.

It wasn't working.

Her shoulders were rigid, her breathing shallow. Every time she thought she had it, the image would flicker and collapse. She could still see, but to see more... It just wouldn't come!

Arjun's calm voice finally cut through her frustration.

"Ruby. Take a break."

"I'm fine," she insisted, voice tight. "Just… a little more-"

"Ruby."

Ruby's eyes snapped open. Arjun was giving her the Look-the same one her dad used when she tried to skip meals to work on Crescent Rose.

She grumbled under her breath, stood up, and stomped over to the stone bench where Saia sat. She dropped onto it with a dramatic pout, arms crossed.

Saia giggled softly.

Ruby turned, cheeks already pink.

"Hm? What is it? What's funny?"

Saia's smile was warm, almost nostalgic.

"Heh… It's like being back in the past. You look so much like Summer when she was struggling."

Ruby flushed deeper.

"I get that a lot… I just haven't been told a lot about her. And I don't know why. I mean, not being told about Salem? Fine! But my mom? Yang was the only one who told me a lot about her! I didn't even know about you all or Jaune's parents until this happened!"

Saia's expression softened. She reached out and gently squeezed Ruby's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Ruby…" She sighed. "It isn't much comfort, I know. We did want to visit. Honestly, we did. But things got so busy. We tried to send letters, but we never got any responses. Ozpin told us not to get too involved, too."

Ruby's head snapped toward her.

"What? Why?!"

"To protect you, I assume," Saia said gently. "To let you grow up without Salem's attention."

Ruby crossed her arms tighter.

"Hmph…"

"I know," Saia admitted. "It seems stupid."

"It is!" Ruby burst out. "I'm only learning this stuff now!"

Saia rubbed her back in slow circles.

"I think they were all waiting to tell you… until you were better able to defend yourself. When you could handle the weight of your burdens."

Ruby's pout deepened.

"Hmph… Sure… Tell me I'm supposed to save the world. Is anyone able to handle that at any age?!"

Saia chuckled and pulled her into a warm side-hug.

"I suppose that's a good question. All we can do in the end is what we can do."

Ruby leaned into the hug for a moment, then pulled back with a frustrated little noise.

"Yeah… But what can I do? I mean… I'm learning this stuff but…"

From the center of the courtyard, May suddenly gasped.

"Oh! OH! The birds… There are nine birds behind me!"

Arjun's deep laugh rolled across the grass.

"Ha! Very good, May!"

Julian groaned.

"Aw man… I can't see out the back of my head yet!"

August smirked, arms folded.

"I can."

Julian's head whipped around.

"Cheater!"

"How?"

"Somehow!"

May immediately stepped between them, hands raised.

"Guys, c-come on-"

Arjun just laughed harder as the two boys started bickering in low voices. Ruby watched them, her pout returning full force. Saia gave her shoulder another gentle squeeze.

"Ruby…"

Ruby's voice came out small.

"I-I mean… I was promoted two years early… They keep telling me I'm a prodigy and all this junk… Just like Mom…"

Saia's voice was soft but firm.

"She was. It also still took her time and hard work to get where she was. And it will be the same for you. You're doing just fine, Ruby. The weight of the world isn't all on your shoulders, and it would be unfair of us to say it was. Has anyone told you that you're our only hope? That you did everything all by yourself? That you have to?"

She took up her staff threateningly.

"Because if they have, I'll teach them a very severe lesson-"

Ruby shook her head rapidly."

"No! No… But my mom-"

"Your mother was a wonderful person," Saia said, "but she was human, sweetie. Flawed. Just like you. So try not to let it get to you. May is also struggling in her own way."

Ruby's pout turned sulky. She glanced over at May—curvy, glowing with quiet confidence as Arjun gently corrected her stance.

"She got to kiss Jaune…" Ruby muttered. "She's doing better than me… She's more…" She flushed unhappily, eyes flicking over May's figure before she looked away. She hated feeling like this but... The reality of everything just seemed to crash on top of her. Like everything was more... Real now.

Saia gave a soft, knowing sigh.

"Oh Ruby… This whole situation is crazy, but don't overthink it."

Ruby's voice cracked just a little.

"It-It just feels like I'm falling behind and if I don't keep up, if I don't-!"

"Ruby!" Saia turned her gently by the shoulders until they were facing each other. "Even if things unfold like they do in the other timelines, you have years to get where you need to be. And Jaune? Jaune is going to care for you regardless. We know he can." She gestured to Julian, who was grimacing hard as he tried to look back through his head.

"Urgggh! Come on Eyes!" He groaned.

Ruby's shoulders slumped.

"Yeah, but… your daughter…"

Saia's smile was warm and steady.

"I love her. I'm thankful we found her again… But I care about you too, Ruby. So does May. So does Arjun. So does Julian, Jaune... All of us. So take it easy, hm?"

Ruby pouted harder, but it was a softer pout now.

"…I'll try."

Saia's eyes twinkled with sudden mischief.

"No… Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Ruby blinked.

"What does that mean?"

Saia chuckled, the sound rich and fond.

"Something Arjun's master used to say."

From the training circle, Arjun's voice called out again, warm and encouraging as he guided May through another exercise. Julian and August were still quietly arguing, but even they looked like they were having fun.

Ruby watched them for a moment, then let out a long breath and leaned against Saia's side.

"…Okay," she murmured. "I'll… do."

Saia hugged her tighter.

"That's my girl."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Neptune Vasilias moved through the quiet corridors of Beacon with purpose, hands shoved in his pockets and jaw set. Sun was off with Ilia (lucky bastard) and Sage and Scarlet were off training, so he was the odd man out. So he had a bone to pick with Arslan. Now? Now he was going to pick it, and pick it hard.

He made it to the ABRN door, and knocked hard. He knew she would recognize him-She always did.

"Come in, Neptune!" Arslan's voice called from inside, calm and steady as always.

He pushed the door open.

Arslan Altan sat at the main table with Reese, Bolin, and Nadir, all of them surrounded by open textbooks, scrolls, and half-empty coffee mugs. They looked up as he entered.

Neptune blinked.

"…What are you doing?"

Reese didn't even look up from her notes.

"Studying, duh."

Neptune's eyes widened.

"We're on vacation!"

Nadir gave him a flat look over the top of his scroll.

"This explains your grades."

"I do just fine!" Neptune shot back automatically. He shook his head and turned to Arslan. "Anyway, Arslan, um… you got a minute?"

Arslan nodded once, closed her textbook, and stood. She followed him out into the common room without a word. They sat on the long couch by the
window, the late afternoon sunlight slanting across the floor.

Arslan turned to him, golden eyes patient.

"Yes, Neptune?"

Neptune rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling awkward.

"Well… I'm just wondering how you're holding up. Things are… crazy, huh?"

Arslan considered this for a moment.

"They are. I will admit, things are a bit stressful."

Neptune stared at her like she'd grown a second head.

"A BIT?! The spacetime continuum has turned inside out and it's a BIT stressful?!"

Arslan's lips curved into a small, serene smile.

"Yes. What's your point?"

Neptune grumbled under his breath.

"You always have to act so cool."

Arslan's smile widened just a fraction.

"We can only do what is within our power to do. The rest is up to the Divine."

Neptune huffed, but there was no real heat in it.

"Yeah yeah…"

Arslan tilted her head slightly, voice softening.

"What is troubling you, Neptune?"

He let out a long breath and leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"Just… learning that I die in the future. It's weird. You know?"

Arslan nodded slowly.

"You only die in one timeline, Neptune. Very heroically, I might add." Her expression grew more serious. "Poor Pyrrha dies in many."

Neptune ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, yeah, but… it's just… Ugh. I don't know how to handle it, you know? It's bizarre. It's… freaky."

Arslan was quiet for a few seconds, then spoke with quiet sincerity.

"I know. It is disturbing. That it happens in the timeline where I get together with Jaune… is very sad. I don't want to lose you."

Neptune's face went bright red in an instant.

"Geez… You gotta say stuff like that?"

Arslan met his eyes without flinching.

"Yes."

Neptune looked away, ears burning.

"Well… thanks."

"I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen here, Neptune," Arslan said firmly. "I promise. We won't let you die."

Neptune flushed even harder, half-laughing, half-exasperated.

"G-Geez… Again with that?"

Arslan smiled, calm and unshakable.

"Yes."

Neptune threw his hands up.

"All right… All right… First things first: Don't die. Second… Don't let Arc die. Or you. Or… Let's just prevent people from dying in general, huh?"

Arslan nodded.

"Yes… And after that?"

Neptune's grin turned mischievous.

"Welllll… Could you ask the kids who I marry in each timeline? I wanna know which one I should focus on, how hot they are, especially Arc's sisters-
ACK!"

Arslan moved like lightning. In one smooth motion she hooked an arm around his neck and pulled him into a tight headlock, her other hand pressing down on the top of his head.

"URK!" Neptune choked, flailing. "J-JUST-JUST KIDDING!"

Arslan's voice was perfectly calm, even as she tightened her grip.

"No you weren't."

"WELL IT'S NOT FAIR-! YOU HAVE A FUTURE HUSBAND-ARGH! MY SPINE!"

From inside the dorm room, Reese's voice drifted out dryly.

"…Should we stop her?"

Bolin didn't even look up from his textbook.

"Nah. Let her work it out."

"Heh," Reese smirked. "You know... He's actually kind of cute when he's in pain."

Nadir raised an eyebrow.

"For all you know, you marry him in one of those futures."

Reese's face went as green as her hair.

"Don't joke like that!"

"Who's joking?" Nadir grinned.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Everyone else had gone off to do their own things after class, whether studying, preparation, or other. Yang went to the gym, and dragged Emerald along.

The Beacon gym rang with the sharp sounds of combat—flesh against flesh, grunts of effort, and the occasional thud of a body hitting the mat. Yang and Emerald circled each other in one of the training rings, both glistening with sweat after their earlier weight session. Emerald moved like a striking viper, green hair whipping as she launched a furious barrage of kicks and punches, trying to slip past Yang's guard.

Yang's grin was all teeth as she blocked and deflected most of the strikes with practiced ease, her golden hair swaying with each movement. "Not bad, Em! You're fast-"

Emerald feinted left and drove in hard. Yang twisted at the last second, her open palm slamming into Emerald's solar plexus with a solid thump. Emerald coughed sharply, eyes widening as the air left her lungs. Before she could recover, Yang grabbed her arm, used the momentum against her, and slammed her down onto the mat.

"-But I'm faster," Yang finished.

Emerald lay there breathing hard, staring up at the ceiling lights. Yang stood over her for a moment, chest heaving, before offering a hand with a softer smile.

Emerald hesitated, then took it. Yang pulled her up easily to her feet.

They stepped out of the ring and dropped onto a nearby bench, grabbing their water bottles. The cool liquid felt like heaven after the intense session.

"Haa… Haaa… Thanks," Emerald managed between breaths.

Yang leaned back, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I think we both needed to work off some stress, huh?"

Emerald nodded, staring at the bottle in her hands. "Yeah… I really want to be there for Amethyst, you know? She's never… She's never fought anyone before. Just got her Aura unlocked…"

Yang took another long drink before answering. "I think she'll be fine. I don't think Nick is the type to go too hard on her."

Emerald let out a short, tired laugh. "He did fight us all a day after he met us."

"Yeah but he's not going to terrorize her!" Yang insisted, nudging Emerald's shoulder lightly.

Emerald sighed, shoulders slumping. "Yeah…"

A comfortable silence settled between them for a few moments, broken only by the distant clank of weights from another part of the gym. Emerald's expression grew distant.

"It's… So weird. It's all so new… I care for her so much and I just met her… I don't know how to handle any of this. It's like a dream. And learning about Cinder and… Everything about her…"

Yang's lilac eyes softened. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "…You really cared about her, huh?"

Emerald slowly nodded, a bitter edge creeping into her voice. "She was my world for the longest time… And to know she didn't even care back is…"

"Yeah." Yang looked away for a second, jaw tight. "My mom… Well… You probably know about it."

Emerald gave a small nod. "Yeah. We did a full work up on all of you. Cinder… She thought you might all be candidates for Maidens."

Yang's eyebrows shot up, a surprised grin breaking across her face. "Really?"

"Or we'd need to eliminate you…" Emerald cleared her throat awkwardly. "Um… Ahem. Sorry."

Yang waved it off with a chuckle. "It's fine. It's no crazier than anything else about this, huh?"

"Yeah."

Yang hesitated, her usual bravado fading as she stared at the floor. "But no… I…" She hummed, searching for the words. "I know what it's like to chase after someone… Who doesn't really care about you and kind of sucks… And to finally see what they're like. And… My daughter and Jaune helped me see her for what she is… I still feel like shit about everything but I… I also feel hopeful. That there's more to life than just… chasing shadows."

Emerald was quiet for a long moment, then slowly nodded. "...Yeah."

The two sat shoulder to shoulder on the bench, the weight of their complicated pasts hanging between them. Yang bumped Emerald's knee with her own.

"Hey. For what it's worth… you've already got one thing Cinder never gave you."

Emerald glanced over, curious.

"A future husband and a kid who thinks you're worth fighting the universe for," Yang said with a small, genuine smile. "And a bunch of crazy future in-laws who've got your back. Even if we're all still figuring this mess out."

"That's more than one thing," Emerald grumbled.

"So stop being so ungrateful about it!"

Emerald let out a soft huff of laughter, the tension in her shoulders easing just a fraction. "...Thanks, Yang."

"Don't mention it. Now come on. Another round? Or are you tapping out already?"

Emerald smirked, pushing herself up from the bench with renewed energy. "You wish, Dragon."

 

[RedDragonEmpress]

Now, this is a little rough, so please bear with me. That said, thank you to Andrew for helping me put this together.

---

The training field still echoed with the fading shouts and clangs of steel as Nick Arc finally called a halt. The big paladin stood there grinning like a madman, sweat glistening on his brow, while the temporal kids collapsed in various states of exhaustion around him, including Julian and August, who had just made it back from their own training sessions before this.

"Not bad, not bad at all!" Nick boomed, hands on his hips. "You've all got fire in you. Especially you, Theodore—those glyphs are getting nasty. And August, that sniper-spade trick? Your mother's gonna be proud."

Julian gave a tired but genuine thumbs-up. "Thanks, Grandpa. That was awesome."

Leander and Leandra were leaning on each other, cat ears twitching. Petra sheathed her chained short sword with a satisfied little nod. Nicholas was flat on his back, staring at the sky. Amethyst looked ready to melt into the grass. Xia cracked her neck with a groan but still managed a grin.

"Man, I missed this," Xia admitted. "Future training's all drills and lectures. Grandpa Nick just hits you until you hit back better."

Dorothy, still catching her breath, beamed. "Best sparring session ever."

Xander was suspiciously absent—something about "needing the bathroom" twenty minutes ago. Everyone knew he was off spying on his parents' date like the overprotective son he was.

As the group started gathering their things, new footsteps approached. Moses Nebogipfel walked carefully across the grass, one hand pressed to his temple, Glynda Goodwitch at his side like a watchful shadow. The time-traveler still looked a bit pale from the headaches, but he was mobile.

The kids lit up.

"Moses!" Dorothy called out before anyone, cheerily flying over to him.

The others followed with various greetings—Julian waving, August nodding respectfully, even the usually tired Ash and Ashley perking up.

Glynda's expression stayed stern, but there was a hint of fondness in her eyes as she watched the reunion.

Moses smiled fondly at his friends. With all the craziness of the past several days, he had hardly spent any time with them. Different timelines or futures they may be from, but he grew up with every one of them the same. He missed them.

However, he didn't have much time to dwell on those thoughts as his girlfriend, and boy, wasn't that a joy to finally remember, came speeding toward him. His mind was still a bit jumbled from all the intersecting timelines, so he was slow to remember everything about their relationship. Everything sort of came back in pieces. Kind of like now.

"Hey, Supergirl."

Dorothy blushed. "Wha-?" Then proceeded to crash face-first into him.

Moses could practically hear his friends wince from the impact, yet he didn't mind. If it meant seeing that cute expression on Dorothy's face again, he'd gladly take a hit like that every time.

Dorothy pulled herself up from him. "Moses?! Oh Breaker, I'm so sorry, I didn't-I shouldn't-are you-"

Moses just laughed. Breaker, did he miss this. "It's alright, Supergirl, I'm still in one piece."

Dorothy sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness."

Moses smiled back at her; however, a blush soon began to overtake his cheeks. "Great, so do you mind helping me back up? I would really rather your mom not try to kill me."

Dorothy quirks her head to the side, a look of confusion on her face, "Why would…," however, she soon answers her own question as she sees the position they are in.

Dorothy Arc-Goodwitch was straddling her boyfriend's waist… in front of her family, no less.

"So yeah, could you please get off him?! It's already weird enough seeing our best bro get all kissy-faced with someone who is technically our sister." Cried out Julian as he covered his eyes.

"Speak for yourself, I'm used to this shit!" Yelled back, Ash.

Dorothy could only look back at her siblings in mortification as they stared at her with a mix of silent approval, jeers, and disgust. She honestly didn't know which was worse.

"I must say," Glynda said in a teasing voice while adjusting her glasses, "I expected you to be bold because of who your father is, but I wasn't expecting you to be this bold."

'Nope,' Dorothy thought, 'This is the worst.'

Dorothy quickly pulled the two of them back up. "Are-Are you're okay? I know you're up and moving now, but you had really worried yesterday and-"

Moses chuckled and pulled her into a hug. "Head's still pounding, but I'm not dying. Your mom's been making sure I don't do anything stupid."

Dorothy pulled back just enough to smile at him, then leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Moses looked away, his already crimson cheeks becoming that much redder.

Ashley's eyes gleamed with mischief. The dark-haired twin wasted no time. She slid in like a shadow, grabbed Moses by the front of his shirt, and yanked him into a deep, shameless kiss right on the lips.

"Mmph—?!" Moses' eyes went wide.

Dorothy froze mid-step back. "...WTAF?!"

Xia's head snapped around. "What the fuck?!"

The entire group stared as Ashley finally released Moses with a satisfied little smirk, licking her lips. "What? Don't tell me you're the only one who gets to greet like that."

Dorothy looked at her sister, no, at this hussy, aghast. "All I did was peck him on his cheek, while you… you-!"

Ashley's teasing grin spread that much wider. "Go on.~."

"Tried to devour his mouth, you bitch!" Exclaimed and enraged Xia.

Ashley playfully covers her mouth with her hand. Her eyes filled with newfound excitement. "Oho?~"

"Yeah, Oho, that's my boyfriend you're kissing!"

Dorothy whipped around toward her sister with an incredulous expression. "Your boyfriend?"

"What?! You thought I was joking?" Xia fired back, slowly getting down from the bleachers.

Dorothy stared at her sister, dumbfounded by this new revelation. Meanwhile, Moses stood there stunned, his face a deep crimson, one hand ghosting his still tingling lips as the other clung to his now aching head.

Xia stormed forward. "Well, now ya know! He's my boyfriend, so you and that gremlin better back off!"

Dorothy's cheeks flushed with indignation. "If you think for a second, I'm going to let you and that hussy over there take my boyfriend," Dorothy rose into the air, a determined expression on her face, "then you've got another thing coming."

Ash just cackled from the sidelines while the rest of the siblings watched with varying degrees of confusion, amusement, disgust, and resignation.

Amidst all this, Leander whispered something to Leandra, and the two then nodded and slipped away from everyone unnoticed by all except Theodore, who simply smirked at his younger siblings' antics.

Moses looked helplessly between the two girls who were now staring each other down, waiting for the other to make the first move. Dorothy on his left, Xia his right, with Ashley—who looked far too pleased with herself—in front of him.

"Okay, okay, can we just cool it down for a minute?! There's clearly been a major misunderstanding." Moses pleaded, holding his hands up between the two girls.

Both Dorothy and Xia looked at Moses, then back at each other, and for a moment it seemed as though neither side would be backing down, until Dorothy lowered herself to the ground while Xia relaxed her stance.

"Perhaps, Moses, is right."

"Agreed."

Moses would've breathed a sigh of relief at that exchange had Dorothy's next words not been what they were.

"Clearly, you've misinterpreted your relationship with my boyfriend."

Moses slammed a hand to his face. Xia, on the other hand, simply rolled her eyes at Dorothy.

"Yeah, cause that's what's being misunderstood here."

"You really expect me to believe that a brute like you could-"

Xia turned to Moses. "At last year's Halloween party on the Arc Family Farm, you went as Arachna-kid while I went as…?"

"I—uh—" Moses stammered in confusion before a short flash of memory made its way to the forefront of his mind, causing his eyes to widen and his face to go absolutely crimson. "So-So much red body paint…"

"HA!" Xia pointed at Dorothy, a triumphant expression on her face.

Dorothy looked aghast once more before her vision turned red. "WHY YOU LITTLE-"

Glynda brought her riding crop down with a sharp crack against her palm, her expression one of deep disapproval.

"Moses Nebogipfel, Dorothy Arc, Ashley Arc, Xia Arc!" she barked, voice carrying that familiar authority, "you will cease this nonsense at once!"

Dorothy winced at her mother's tone of voice while Xia snickered at them.

Glynda pointed her riding crop at them, "Don't think I haven't forgotten about you, young ma'am."

Now it was Xia's turn to wince. "Yes, Gram-Gram."

"What was that?" She asked, her voice carrying a silent warning to Xia.

Xia panicked. "N-Nothing!"

Glynda raised her eyebrow. "That's what I thought. Now, all of you, back to the bleachers before I have each of you run drills until the sun sets."

Each of the children involved nodded in agreement and silently made their way back to everyone else.

Julian and Theodore exchanged glances, both trying (and failing) not to laugh. August just shook his head with a tired grin. Nicholas sat up, suddenly much more entertained than he'd been all day.

Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose, following behind the group as she made her way towards Nick. "I've barely been a mother for a few days, and yet nothing could've prepared me to deal with something like this."

Nick laughed uproariously. "That just makes each day more exciting than the last!"

Meanwhile, back with the future siblings, Ashley had discreetly made her way towards Moses once again.

"Don't worry, cutie. I don't mind sharing… much." Ashley said, winking at him.

Dorothy and Xia, hearing this, both shouted "No!" in unison, then glared at each other. All Moses could do in that moment, however, was rest his face in both his hands and groan out.

"Breaker, I owe Uncle Jaune such a massive apology."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Arc-En-Ciel Hospital, Radian, Gallia

Six years after Salem's defeat
- - -

The delivery room was quiet except for Yang's labored breathing and Isabel's calm, steady instructions. The labor had been long—nearly eighteen hours—and difficult. Yang's golden hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat, her face flushed with exhaustion, but her grip on Jaune's hand never wavered.

"You're doing so well, dear," Isabel said gently from her position at the end of the bed, her voice professional yet warm. "One more big push. That's it. Just like we practiced."

"FUCK!"

Yang let out a strained cry, squeezing Jaune's hand hard enough that he felt the bones creak. He stayed right beside her, one arm supporting her back, murmuring soft words of encouragement against her temple.

"I've got you. I'm right here. She's almost here..."

"God fucking pus spewing...! ARGH!" Yang screamed.

With a final, guttural effort, Yang pushed. The baby slipped into Isabel's waiting hands.

For one agonizing heartbeat, there was only silence.

Yang panted heavily, lifting her head with wide, anxious eyes. "Is she-?!"

Jaune reached out immediately as Isabel lifted the tiny girl. He took his daughter into his arms, cradling her small, warm body against his chest. She was perfect-tiny tufts of golden hair, a sweet round face-but she wasn't making a sound. Her little chest wasn't moving.

Jaune's heart seized.

He rubbed her back firmly, then her chest, channeling a steady flow of warm golden Aura into her tiny form. His voice cracked as quiet sobs broke through.

"Cry… Please cry, little one… Come on, sweetheart…"

The seconds stretched into an eternity. Yang's hand flew to her mouth, tears already spilling down her cheeks. Isabel stood ready but silent, giving them the moment.

Jaune kept rubbing gentle circles on the baby's back, his Aura glowing brighter as he poured every ounce of love and desperation into her.

"Please…" he whispered, voice breaking. "Please breathe…"

Nothing.

Then... The tiny face scrunched up.

A thin, furious wail split the air as the baby girl finally drew her first real breath. Her little arms flailed, lungs working properly at last.

Yang let out a sob of pure relief and joy. Isabel wiped her own eyes quickly, smiling through happy tears. Jaune laughed wetly, tears streaming down his face as he rocked his daughter gently.

"There you go… There's my brave girl…"

Isabel worked quickly and efficiently—cleaning the newborn, cutting the umbilical cord, and wrapping her snugly in a soft white blanket embroidered with tiny dragons. She handed the bundled infant back to them with a proud smile.

Jaune and Yang huddled together on the bed, exhausted but radiant. Yang cradled their daughter against her chest while Jaune wrapped his arms around both of them, pressing kisses to his wife's temple and the baby's soft head.

"Breaker... She... She's so..." Yang broke down into sobs again. Jaune grinned, feeling as giddy as he did when he first met his wife.

"Yeah," he whispered. "She's amazing... We... We made this...!"

"We made this!" Yang laughed through her tears, as the baby began to cry again. She stroked her little head, as Jaune nuzzled them both.

The sun began to peek through the window. Isabel walked up, a warm smile on her face.

"So... What's her name?" She asked.

Yang thought hard. She looked to Jaune, and swallowed a little.

"... Xia... Um... You know... It's Fu Hsi for 'Summer.'"

Jaune grinned broadly.

"I love it," he whispered. They both looked down and stroked their baby's locks, as she whined softly and snuggled closer to her mother.

"Xia Xiao-Long-Arc... Welcome to the world, sweetie," Jaune whispered.

She began to whine, her lips opening and closing. Yang flushed.

"Oh... She's hungry," she murmured. She opened her shirt, and as she'd practiced over and over with her mother-in-law, got her daughter nursing. She looked over at Jaune's little smile, and scowled.

"What?"

"Guess she takes after me," he joked. Yang snorted... Then giggled when Xia extended both of her middle fingers.

"Ha... Guess she's taking after me..."

Isabel rolled her eyes despite the tears still pouring from them.

"Hopefully she'll skip both of your brains."

"Hey!" The blondes protested, though without any real heat.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Khalisah Bint of the Easternwind News looked up and down the street festival while occasionally taking pictures with her camera. They were all good shots the travel section would love, but that fluff wasn't the reason she had endured the long airship flight from Mistral to Vale. The fluff was more of a way to kill time as she contemplated how to gain access to her true objective: Pyrrha Nikos. The Invincible Girl was here in Vale and there were hard questions that the champion needed to answer.

And so the Easternwind News sent Bint, because Bint was willing to ask questions that other reporters were afraid to broach. As she continued taking photos a reminiscing smirk grew on her face as she remembered the look on the Invincible Girl's face as when she had landed interviews with Pyrrha in the past.

"So what do you think of Atlas?" Bint had asked Pyrrha at the announcement of her latest brand deal involving a clothing company based in the northern kingdom.

"It's a great place to visit," The redhead replied with a smile. "The weather's really pleasant in the middle of summer."

"And what do you think of Argus partnering with Atlas when the rest of the Hellenic cities go with Vale for their foreign investment? Doesn't that smack of the kind of division that Mistral has used to keep the Hellenic League subservient to the Dragon Throne?"

"Uh," Pyrrha's smile became brittle while her eyes looked like a deer's in headlights. "Well, I'm not a politician, or an economist, so I don't have any strong opinions on that matter."

"But you just pioneered a fantastic brand deal, and that does require a good head for economics," Bint objected. "So surely you have something to say about Argus growing apart from the rest of the League as it grows closer to Atlas? Is sacrificing the ancient ties of brotherhood worth the increased GDP?"

"Ahh…" Pyrrha squirmed while looking towards her mother who was distracted via an interview with a different reporter a few yards away. The redhead deflated a bit with the realization that there would be no easy exit from this grilling.

Bint chuckled as she remembered how The Invincible Girl didn't seem to live up to her name as she tried and failed to bumble her way through a politically neutral response. And that wasn't the only time Bint had managed to catch the redhead off guard…

Making the rich and powerful squirm with just one or two well placed questions like that was always exhilarating. In many ways the opportunity to do so was the whole reason Bint had become a reporter.

And now she had the chance to make the so-called Invincible Girl squirm again. The young champion had a secret engagement, which opened the door to many questions that would undoubtedly make Pyrrha very uncomfortable. For instance Bint could ask her about how she could betray her fans like that? Pretending to be single only to break the hearts of so many of them! How callous of her!

Bint continued to formulate questions for her potential interview as she kept moving through the festival grounds, while also contemplating how she would gain access to Pyrrha to conduct said interview. If the Invincible Girl refused to talk to the press to avoid hard questions Beacon might honor her request, which meant Bint might need to resort to more underhanded means to…

…Or Pyrrha could be across the way from her right now at this very moment, exiting a diner with the man she was engaged to on her arm.

What luck.

What Luck!

A wide grin split across Bint's face as she moved through the crowd to get a better angle. The plan for now was simple: take a few photos and then casually approach at the right moment where she could catch the champion within the web of societal convention, making it impossible for Pyrrha to refuse the interview without an embarrassing loss of face.

Bint raised her camera once she had the right angle and-

Her camera was pulled out of her hands by an unseen force. Squawking in surprise, Bint tried to catch it and then chased after the expensive piece of equipment as it bounced and rolled along the ground away from her target…

- - -

Xander watched as his parents left the Just Right Bakery & Café with smiles on their faces. It was a relief to see that things were going well so far, especially since he had only just arrived to keep watch. Personally Xander had wanted to keep an eye on the whole production, but convincing his grandfather that he should be allowed to do so was… challenging.

"Look, I'm just saying Theodor and August were able to keep tabs on their moms' dates with dad, so I'd only be fair if the rest of us also have the opportunity to do so," The redhead reasoned.

"It would be fair," His grandfather allowed.

"So can I go now?"

"If you can escape, you can go," The elder Arc grinned before charging with an ancient warcry…

That might have been the third or fourth most difficult thing he had ever done. But he had done it, and he was here now. He just needed to keep a watchful eye out to make sure nothing interfered with his parent's time together…

…And almost straight away he saw a potential bit of interference in the form of Khalisah Bint, a reporter from the Mistrali sub-kingdom of Rostram that had beef with his family. Xander wasn't sure when the beef had started, all he knew was that his father and mother had ended every interview with Bint by punching the woman out and that her dentist sent them a gift basket every New Years.

At the moment Bint was scanning the crowd with an expensive camera in her hands, clearly looking to take candid photos of something or more worryingly someone. Then she saw his parents and started grinning like a shark as she began to make her way through the crowd to get a better angle on them.

That was something Xander wasn't about to allow.

He reached out with his variant of Polarity and seized upon the metals in Bint's camera, tugging it out of her hands and sending it bouncing across the ground in a deliberately calculated route. Bint of course chased after the camera in panicked alarm failing to notice that it was leading her to the volunteer line of a Dunk Tank game.

A Dunk Tank game he had observed long enough to know that the people working it were recent immigrants still learning to speak proper Vytalian and didn't speak any of the other languages he knew Bint could, making it theoretically possible to trick them into thinking that Bint was volunteering to get dunked.

Xander approached to make sure that happened…

- - -

The first game Jaune and Pyrrha stepped up to play was good old Whomp-a-Mouldiwarp, one of the oldest arcade machines devised and put into a carnival. There was a screen that tracked one's score and a waist level playing area with several circular holes that small plastic and cartoonish Mouldiwarps would pop out of. Players were given mallets to bonk the Mouldiwarps with, scoring points as they sent the molelike Grimm back into their holes.

Jaune paid for the game before picking out a pair of round mallets for himself and Pyrrha. He handed Pyrrha her mallet and readied himself for the game to start.

The first Mouldiwarp popped out. Jaune delivered a mighty whack.

The second popped out. Pyrrha landed a precision blow.

The Whomp-a-Mouldiwarp machine kicked into high gear and the two of them fell into a rhythm. Whacks, thwacks, and smacks filled the air as the two partners moved in near perfect harmony, pushing the machine to its limits as they slowly pushed it to its highest speed. Ten minutes later they had beaten the old high score and five minutes after that they had finally slipped up enough times to get a game over.

Laughing, they collected their prize tickets and then used those tickets to purchase a funnel cake and a pair of sodas from a nearby concessions stand. Pyrrha fed bits of the funnel cake to Jaune, and so Jaune fed bits of the funnel cake to her. It didn't take long for the dessert to disappear between them and they were soon looking about for the next attraction.

A Hook-a-Duck booth caught their eyes. It was a simple enough game on its face: a flock of seemingly identical rubber ducks with little hooks on their heads floated in the current of a circular trough, and players were given little fishing rods with hoops on the end they could use to fish the rubber ducks out of the water. Each rubber ducky had a number on the bottom that would tell the man running the stall if the players had won a prize or not. With the sheer number of rubber duckies the odds of a player winning a big prize through the right combination of winning numbers was slim, especially since the standard price to play only let you hook three ducks a round, but the basic challenge was interesting enough to make it worth it for some people.

Pyrrha paid for the game this time and the two of them were moving their fishing rods around the circular trough in short order. Pyrrha hooked all of her duckies first, as she may or may not have subtly used Polarity to guide her hoop to the hooks. Jaune took twice as long to hook all of his ducks, yet he managed to land a trio of numbers that earned a small prize while Pyrrha's numbers didn't win her anything.

For his prize Jaune picked out a pair of plastic bracelets of a green shade that complimented his partner's eyes. Pyrrha grinned widely as he slipped them onto her wrists, and wanting to see that grin again Jaune scanned the other game stalls for a prize worthy of his redheaded date.

He did a double take at the prizes of a shooting gallery, "Pyrrha, I think that grand prize is supposed to be you."

"Hmm?" Pyrrha turned and looked at what he was pointing towards, and her train of thought came to a halt to process what she was seeing. As the train of thought started up again she observed; "...Well, that isn't a licenced use of my likeness."

The unlicensed likeness was a large plushy of Pyrrha in her normal arena attire. However, unlike most plushies of people it wasn't chibified in any way, shape or form. No, the plushy had mostly realistic human proportions that caused it to tower over the other plushies in its weight class, with a serenely placid expression that contrasted the cutesy expressions the chibi plushes bore.

"I'm going to win it for you," Jaune declared with confidence as he approached the shooting gallery. Pyrrha followed him to the booth's counter with a smile on her face and a fond shake of her head.

Jaune paid for a go and the carny handed him a pneumatic pellet rifle before starting up the machinery of the gallery. Jaune took a centering breath, shouldered the rifle, and got to work.

Pyrrha found herself raising an impressed eyebrow as Jaune sent his shots down range. Every target that popped up, slid along the tracks or dropped from the roof was hit. Most of his shots weren't bullseyes and any professional shooting judge would be shaking their head, but they were all sufficient to knock the targets down and score a point in this simple carnival game. A few minutes later Jaune had downed every available target and the carny was obligated to give him a prize.

Jaune pointed to the off-brand Pyrrha plushy and as the carny moved to collect it Pyrrha turned to Jaune.

"That was some good shooting," She congratulated her partner. "With just a touch of practice I think you could get to a professional level. Where'd you learn to shoot?"

"Oh, you know, around the farm," Jaune provided with a somewhat embarrassed shrug. "Everyone was expected to lend a hand every now and then and when I was sick I could still sit in a watchtower with a rifle and pop anything coming after the ducks and chickens that the cats and dogs couldn't chase off."

Pyrrha could picture the scene in her head, the image of Jaune keeping a watchful vigil over his family's lands tickled her imagination. Still, that raised the question; "So why didn't you bring a gun with you to Beacon?"

"Well, practically speaking it was easier to steal the family sword and shield without anyone noticing. On top of that a sword can't run out of bullets and with less moving parts it seemed easier to maintain while I traveled," Jaune explained. He then rubbed the back of his neck as he went on, "On top of that… I wanted to be a knight like most of the heroes in my family's history, and being a gunslinger on top of that didn't really mesh with the image I was aspiring to in my head."

"I see," Pyrrha allowed, then asked; "So why didn't you pick up a gun once you arrived at Beacon? It would have been an easy enough way to raise your combat scores right off the bat."

"Well, I could make excuses about the hassle of switching between weapons in a fight, or how adding a gun to my kit would have distracted me from getting better with a sword," Jaune elaborated in an embarrassed tone, "But those are just excuses. The real reason is that I didn't think about it, and the reason I didn't think about it was because I didn't want to think about it; I had already committed myself to being a knight and I'm just being stubborn about it."

"Maybe you were being stubborn, but that's the kind of stubbornness that brought you into my life," Pyrrha's fond smile put Jaune at ease. "I like it."

"Alright, I have your prize right here," The carny arrived back at the counter with the Pyrrha plushy and held it out to Jaune before blinking in surprise. The carny looked at Pyrrha, looked at the plushy, looked back to Pyrrha, handed the plushy to Jaune while their jaws worked up and down and no words came out.

"Here you go Pyrrha," Jaune gave the plushy to his partner which the redhead accepted with a demure giggle.

That giggle broke the carny out of whatever spiral they were going through long enough for them to squeak out; "Can I take your picture?"

Pyrrha and Jaune looked to the carny with inquisitive gazes, and the carny felt the need to justify their request.

"Sorry, it's just my sister makes those and she'd never believe me that you showed up and got one without a picture and she'd never let me live it down or…"

"It's alright," Pyrrha reassured the carny before they ran out of breath. "You can take a photo of us." As the carny pulled out their scroll and snapped a photo Pyrrha looked at the other prizes on display and asked, "What else did your sister make?"

"Oh, well there are a few more plushies she made besides you…" The carny pushed a few prizes to the side giving Pyrrha a glimpse of more plushies that defied the chibi standard and would look just right next to the prize Jaune had won her.

"Jaune, I'm winning that white knight for you," Pyrrha announced as she slapped some money on the counter, and the carny rushed to reset the mechanisms of the shooting gallery…

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The training fields behind Beacon were still smoking faintly as the sun dipped low over the cliffs. Isabel Arc—Granny to most of the temporal invaders—had not held back. Neither had Winter, nor Jaune.. Especially not Grandpa Nick. Theodore Schnee-Arc rolled his shoulders as he trudged up the path, his pristine white-and-blue combat jacket scorched in three places and his hair sticking up at odd angles from repeated attacks. Every muscle burned, but the corner of his mouth still quirked upward in a satisfied little smirk.

He spotted the others sprawled across the stone retaining wall near the amphitheater steps. Dorothy was face-down on the grass, groaning. Amethyst sat beside her, knees drawn up, looking like she might cry. Xia had her head tipped back against the wall, eyes closed in pure exhaustion. Petra leaned heavily on her short sword, chain dangling limply. Ash and Ashley were slumped shoulder-to-shoulder, twins in misery. Nicholas looked half-dead. Only Julian and August were still upright, chatting animatedly about some new trick they'd pulled off with their weapons after working together.

Xia cracked one lilac eye open as Theodore approached.

"Could've stayed in the future if we were gonna be trained into the ground," she muttered.

"Speak for yourself," Julian grinned, wiping sweat from his brow. "That last combo with August's sniper-spade? Chef's kiss. We're gonna wreck Papa next time."

August nodded enthusiastically, though even he was favoring one leg. "Granny Isabel said we're making 'acceptable progress.' High praise."

The rest of the group answered with various noises of suffering. Ash and Ashley each lifted one hand just enough to flip them off without raising their heads.

Theodore chuckled and dropped down beside his half-siblings, stretching his long legs. "Come on, it wasn't that bad. Progress!"

"Easy for you to say, Mr. 'Atlas Military Captain'," Xia grumbled. "Some of us aren't cheating."

"If you're not cheating, you're not trying hard enough," Theodore said with a grin.

A pause.

"So, Xander's gonna be spying on his date with his mom and Dad, huh?" Julian asked.

"Like the rest of us can talk," August muttered, shooting a look at Theodore. He shrugged non-chalantly.

"Hey… I won't tell anyone if you don't."

Before anyone could retort, new footsteps approached—confident, swaggering ones. Theodore's head came up first.

Four figures were strolling their way from the direction of the dorms. Leading them was a sleek rabbit Faunus with perfectly coifed black hair, long ears twitching with interest, and a cocky smirk that screamed "I own the world and you're just renting space." His black-and-green bodysuit glowed faintly under the evening lights. Behind him trailed a short, potbellied frog Faunus who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, an elegant red-haired ant Faunus with a regal bearing and a rapier at her hip, and a shredded grasshopper Faunus who was idly twirling a mandolin.

The rabbit faunus's smile widened as his black eyes swept over the tired group.

"Well, well," he drawled, voice smooth as oil. "The mysterious new transfers. Or should I say… the very talkative new arrivals who've been turning Beacon upside down? I'm Hex Skvader. This is Hortensia Pismire…"

The Ant faunus blushed and bowed slightly.

"Candide Nymph."

The Grasshopper Faunus grinned and posed, flexing her bicep. Hex paused. The frog faunus smiled nervously, adjusting his glasses. Hex slowly nodded, smirking a bit.

"And… Oh yes… Kupa Manduka," Hex finished, "Fourth member of our little band. Nice to meet you all."

He eyed the Arc women especially as he said this. Xia frowned, as did Ashley and Dorothy. Theodore raised an eyebrow. Ash's glare was tight and angry. August and Julian both stared coldly. Petra was carefully blank as Nicholas scowled. Ashley gave a flirtatious smile… But there was a knife's edge in it.

"Nice to meet you too," Theodore spoke. "I'm Theodore. That's Dorothy, Xia, Ashley, Ash, Julian, Nicholas, Petra, and August. You might be familiar with our other family members."

"Not as familiar as I would like to be," Hex said with a grin, "You've been remarkably anti-social for people causing this much commotion. We thought we might remedy that. Drinks tonight? My treat, of course. I'm always eager to make the acquaintance of promising newcomers. Especially ones with such… interesting family connections."

He said the last part while looking directly at Theodore, then let his gaze drift lazily across the girls—lingering perhaps a second too long on Xia and Dorothy.

Theodore pushed himself up smoothly, brushing grass off his jacket. His expression stayed pleasant, but his blue eyes sharpened.

"That's very generous of you. We'd be delighted to join you for drinks… tomorrow evening. After we've had a chance to recover from today's training, of course."

Hex's smile didn't falter, but it tightened at the edges—just enough that even Julian, still catching his breath, narrowed his eyes. The rabbit Faunus gave a theatrical little bow.

"Tomorrow it is, then. I look forward to it. Don't keep us waiting too long, friends. We though? We'll party extra hard tonight, won't we?"

The girls nodded eagerly. The Frog Faunus hesitated a moment too long, and Hex glared at him. He nodded.

"S-Sure Hex! Whatever you say!"

With that, Hex and his team turned and sauntered off toward the main courtyard, Hex already laughing at something Kupa mumbled. Hortensia shot one last appraising glance over her shoulder before following.

Theodore watched them go, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

Julian stepped up beside him. "That guy's smile was faker than Uncle Roman's 'totally legitimate' Dust shipments."

"Yeah," Theodore murmured. "Something's off. He was fishing for information the whole time." He glanced back at the exhausted group. "We'll go tomorrow. Together. No one wanders off alone with them."

"We are confined to Beacon," Petra pointed out.

"I don't think that's going to stop him," August said wryly. "But it would be better if we could get him to stay here. Bring drinks here."

"Yes," Dorothy said with a nod, "It would. Something's… Familiar about him. I can't remember what though."

"I know," Theodore muttered. "So we'll have to play nice."

Xia groaned again, louder this time. "Great. More socializing after getting our asses handed to us by family. Can't wait."

Dorothy finally rolled over, glaring at the sky. "Still… If they try anything, I can definitely tell my mom on them."

"That might be a fate worse than death," Julian said seriously. He thought about it. "But given how that guy was eyeing us? He might deserve it… A little."

The group started moving slowly toward the dining hall—mothers waiting, dinner to be had, and another layer of the temporal mess to navigate. Theodore lingered for a moment, still watching the retreating backs of Team HPNK.

Tomorrow, he thought. We'll see what you're really after, bunny boy.

He turned and jogged to catch up with his siblings, the cheerful mask sliding back into place as he threw an arm around Julian's shoulders.

"Come on. Last one to the hall has to explain to Mom why they're late."

Groans rose up in chorus, but they picked up the pace anyway.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The basement beneath Ozpin's Tower was quiet, the kind of heavy silence that pressed in on the ears. Dim lights hummed overhead as Arjun Sarkara and Isabel Arc descended the reinforced stairs. The air carried the faint sterile bite of medical equipment and the deeper, earthier scent of old stone. He scanned around the room with interest, his eyes glowing faintly with his Semblance. They finally settled on one person.

Raven Branwen sat on her cot inside the reinforced cell, a stack of photographs spread across her lap—old images of Team STRQ, faded smiles from better days. The moment she heard footsteps, she shoved the photos aside with a sharp motion, turning her glare toward the approaching figures.

Isabel offered a small, professional nod. "Raven."

Raven's only response was a flat, hostile stare.

Isabel didn't push it. She moved instead to the adjacent medical station where Amber lay in her life-support pod, the Maiden's breathing slow and steady under the soft glow of monitors. The doctor pulled up a chair, fingers dancing across the keyboard as she checked readings and made careful notes.

Arjun approached the bars more directly. He slid a small paper plate through the narrow gap—rich chocolate cake, still slightly warm. Then he lowered himself to the floor, sitting cross-legged right in front of the cell, silver-blue eyes steady and unblinking.

Raven snorted, eyeing the cake like it might bite her. "You here to give me another little speech about our past friendship?"

"Words seldom have worked with you," Arjun replied calmly.

"Hmph."

A long beat passed. Arjun studied her, his expression thoughtful rather than accusatory.

"…I can appreciate the difficulty in changing from something you've known your whole life, though."

Raven's lip curled. "You? The pampered prince?! The king who rules—?!"

"I had to effectively dissolve the caste system of Pandu," Arjun cut in, voice even but firm. "You remember—all those resistance groups, refusing to work together. I had to dismantle a system that had been in place for thousands of years just to get everyone pulling in the same direction. Even now it lingers in unofficial capacities, because changing culture is difficult." He met her eyes. "Changing individuals can be just as hard."

Raven said nothing, jaw tight.

"What makes you think you can't change?" Arjun asked quietly.

Raven looked away. "…What makes you think this changes anything?"

"We have proof of eleven different ways we can win," he pressed. "So why are you being stubborn? Pride? Anger? Hurt? Your care for Summer?"

Raven huffed, arms crossing over her chest. "You think you know everything, don't you?"

"I know there was a time we fought together as comrades," Arjun said. "That I attended your wedding. That I once trusted you with my life. And that we are finally in a position to avenge Summer and save the world."

Raven's glare burned with bitter resentment, but she didn't speak.

Arjun nodded slowly. "I understand. Even this has not destroyed your pride. But you will need to make a decision, Raven. Especially if you care for your family as much as you pretend not to."

Isabel finished her checks and walked back over, wiping her hands on her coat. "I've got the results. Let's get to dinner."

Arjun rose smoothly. "Yes… You're also missing Jaune's latest date."

Isabel hesitated, a flicker of maternal longing crossing her face. "I… I don't want to smother him… Besides, there's a lot of bonding I need to do."

Arjun chuckled warmly. "Same."

His expression sharpened.

"Also…"

In one fluid motion he produced a compact grappling hook from his belt, fired it through the bars, and latched onto the frame of Raven's cot. With a powerful yank, he flipped the entire thing over. Raven's eyes widened as a small, sharpened piece of metal she'd hidden clattered loudly to the floor.

"You can't escape my eyes, Raven," Arjun said, voice low.

Raven's eyes burned with pure murder at him through the bars.

Isabel sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "She's going to be stubborn about this."

Arjun gave a wry half-smile as he retracted the hook. "Yes indeed."