What's up guys! So, not entirely sure when this'll come out, but I'm hoping somewhere around May. Not entirely sure how or why this came into my head, but it did. I suppose you can take this as kind of a spin of chapter of Lux Noctis, as it takes place in that AU but isn't really a part of my story. Mostly it made me laugh and I decided to write it. Enjoy!
Old Enemies, New Friends.
What… In the name of the Brothers… Is happening.
Jaune wouldn't deny that his life had become drastically more complicated than he would've thought, but this was pushing it.
Last thing Jaune remembered, he had just killed a dragon. And not a Grimm dragon, a literal freaking Dragon. Weiss had held him as he finally succumbed to the damage the battle had inflicted. That was the worst part of transitioning worlds, having to watch the pain he caused everyone as he left.
Now, typically he woke up pretty early in life. The latest so far had been the first one, he had been ten years old. Which is why you can pardon him if Jaune is a little disoriented by the current circumstances he found himself in.
Specifically, the position of holding a twenty-some Ruby Rose as she slept.
This… cannot be right. I mean, it's not like I have anything against this, but I literally woke up to… what, my girlfriend? Fiancée? Oh Oum, please tell me we aren't already married and I don't remember.
It was now that Jaune noticed a few discrepancies that worried him. First, he didn't remember any world where Ruby had hair this long. And it was redder than usual. Second, he didn't see Crescent Rose anywhere.
And her cloak… is… white. Uh-oh. Oh, no no no no no no, bad bad bad bad. This is so very very bad. This isn't Ruby.
The redhead in his arms stirred, her face moving to look at his own. Definitely-not-Ruby put a hand on his cheek, cocking her head to the side.
"Jaune? What's wrong?" Crap, crap, crap! How in Remnant am I supposed to explain this?
"Oh, uh, nothing's wrong. I promise." Summer put her other hand on Jaune's face, pulling him a little closer and pressing their foreheads together.
"Come on, Baby. You can tell me, you know that." Nope! Pretty sure I can't tell you that I'm ridiculously uncomfortable being this close to you since you've been dead for the past fifty years of my memory, you're the mother of someone I've been romantically involved with, and because I just had the very uncomfortable thought that if we are together than in this world I'm supposedly either Yang or Ruby's father or both.
"Just a… really weird dream." That is unfortunately real. "I'm fine Summer. What time is it?"
"Almost eight in the morning. About time for us to go to the Obstetrician."
"Oh, oka-" WAIT. NO. NOT THAT. That would definitively mean-
Jaune bolted upright in his bed. He was covered in sweat, his heart beating from his chest. As he took deep breaths, he slowly laid back down.
That was the weirdest dream. Maybe it's a side effect of the Regeneration?
A pale, slender arm wrapped around his chest, pulling him close to the owner.
"What is it, love? Another dream?" Oh, uh-uh. No, nope, nu-uh. Not happening. I'm delusional. Has to be.
Raven Branwen gently guided Jaune to look at her, her scarlet eyes boring into his sapphire ones. Well, if this is my new world, I'd rather not die this quickly.
"Yeah. Strange one, to be sure. I'm fine." Raven raised an eyebrow at him, shifting her body even closer to him.
"Yes, you are, my Love." Ohhhoho nope. Not good.
And for third time in as many minutes, Jaune was forcefully ejected from his rest.
Wow. I need to stop drinking Ren's health drink. No matter which iteration it is, that stuff is always terrible.
Someone tapped his back. Jaune turned his head, the dark room illuminated by moonlight. And there next to him, in his bed, was Neopolitan.
Wearing one of his shirts.
WHAT IS HAPPENING!?
Neo cocked her head at him, concern lacing her eyes. Jaune had to admit, she was pretty adorable. The only time other than his original world he had met her was when they were in that weird militaristic world. She was our Gunnery Chief, right?
Neo was apparently displeased with the lack of response from her, lover? Husband? Idiot she had captured somehow? Who knows at this point.
She climbed over to sit on his lap, gently reaching for his pulse and his forehead. Jaune was pleasantly surprised, this Neo clearly cared for him. No reason to worry her.
Jaune gently grasped her wrists, pulling her hands off his face.
"I'm fine, Neo. Just a bad dream, I promise." Neo got a weird look on her face, and Jaune recalled what happened last time he said he was fine.
Thankfully, nothing untoward happened. Neo pushed her head into Jaune's neck, bringing them both down to the mattress. She curled her small body around Jaune's, acting like his own personal security blanket.
Alright, I'll admit, this is actually really nice. Jaune gently wrapped his arms around Neo's waist, taking in the warmth she offered.
Okay, I'm getting really tired of this.
Jaune stirred as awoke yet again. This time was drastically different. Instead of his own bed, he was in a cave in what felt like Atlas. It was too cold to be anywhere else. Jaune stretched his furred arms, claws raking against the stone.
Wait, what?
Fur, long snout, tufted ears, claws, and about eight feet in height.
I'M NOT ALWAYS HUMAN? SINCE WHEN IS THIS A THING?
(Since I got bored and decided to.)
Jaune spun around, looking for all the world like a dog chasing his tail. A larger red-bodied wolf moved toward him, letting out a small rumble to get his attention.
Oh, she's the Alpha. No question. Wait, can I even talk like this?
Jaune followed instinct, lowering his head and dropping to all fours. He's not quite sure what he expected, but it wasn't for the Alpha to whimper a little and give him a quick lick to the back of his neck.
Jaune raised his head a little, daring to meet the Alpha's eyes.
Green, almost glowing. Wait, Pyrrha?
Jaune gently raised his head, brushing the long tip of his snout against hers. Pyrrha, no mistaking that scent now, responded happily, rubbing herself along him.
OH COME ON! I ACTUALLY KINDA LIKED THAT ONE!
Jaune quickly dragged himself from his bed, eager to see what trickery awaited him in this world. He moved to the window, he guessed it was early morning by the sky's color.
"Jaune, what are you doing awake?" Weird, sounds familiar but I can't place it. Oh well, might as well roll with it.
"Just woke up. Guess something spooked me is all." Jaune turned back to face the bad as he was speaking. Luckily, the few life time's Jaune had lived had taught him a few valuable gifts, such as a decent poker face.
Jaune put all he had into keeping a straight face as he looked at a mass murderer, an instrumental part of Beacon's destruction, and the woman who killed his first partner. Cinder Fall was lying in Jaune's own bed.
The fact she wasn't wearing anything but sheets did not help Jaune's thought process.
I am… so terribly conflicted in this moment.
"Well, it doesn't seem like anything is wrong. Come back to bed, it's cold." Jaune kept an easy smile on his face as he walked back to the bed.
If you wanted to do that transitioning thing, now would be the time. Any time now. Seriously. You can take me! Like, Right Now! PLEASE!
Sadly, Jaune's call went unanswered by whatever fiendish power was doing this to him (:D). Jaune carefully climbed back into the bed, keeping a little of the sheets between the two of them.
With how his night had been going, you'd think he'd know better by now.
Cinder quickly conquered the distance, pressing herself flush to the befuddled dimensional Knight.
"You remember your promise, right? To always be with me? To never let me be cold again?" Cinder's voice purred into his ear, causing Jaune to feel a multitude of reactions.
His favorite being him bolting awake in his dorm in Team JNPR's room. Jaune spun his head around, looking over Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha. He quickly ran a hand through his hair, stopping when he came in contact with a pair of ears.
I'm back. It's still the first world. Where did the thing with the Dragon come from? Where did any of that come from!
Jaune resolved to deal with it later. For now, it was only eleven at night. I'm sure Junior wouldn't mind a guest, right?
Atop a rusted throne sat a rusted soul, the world around it dead and unmoving. Threads surrounded the eyes of the being, each being almost too thin to see. A crooked grin wrenched its way onto the Watcher's face.
"Perhaps I have done enough. The boy has a hard enough journey ahead of him. I should leave him be, for now at least."
Okay, that's it. Couldn't tell you what prompted me to do this, I just needed something silly to do. Sorry it's so short, I didn't have a lot of time to work on it. Let me know what you guys think! Also, apologies to Solora Goldsun. I couldn't help but throw a tiny reference in there. Thanks for reading y'all!
See ya next time,
Arebus
