Chapter 62: Lights blazing in the darkness
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Heart in flames (Cinder Ella Fall)
She had just gone through the motions these past few days. It wasn't even conscious anymore, looking at her watch and noticing that time had passed beyond her knowledge, like how the world had suddenly stopped making sense.
Red eyes and black sclera had captivated her, as his features dominated her dreams, a shivering going through her body as she remembered the power that he'd held, the pleasure that she'd felt looking at him and being weak.
It was not allowed. There would be no-one stronger than her, and yet, his dismissiveness had stoked a flame inside her. Something terrible, something horrible, something-
"Are you alright, Cinder?"
The question from the illusionist thief came suddenly, and she snapped back to attention, the droning voice of the Grimm Studies professor continuing on about the 'grand adventure' that he'd been on, that had been the focus of the current Grimm on debate... but that mattered not.
'I'm not weak!'
"I'm fine, just... Just thinking about your younger sister."
Rubedo Beornir had fallen in the heat of the fighting. Emerald's weeping had kept her up for a day or so, but the thoughts on that man, on that delightful, strong man with power, who could throw her aside within a second if he so wished, that raw inventive power...
'I'll prove myself to you! Cinder Fall is not weak!'
She wasn't weak, she wasn't a weakling and she wasn't going to submit herself before the will of the man, even if he offered her more power. He would be worthy of her, or else...
"Thank you. It isn't... I know on some level that death is better for her, she'd never be able to handle the world that we live in, but- But she was still my sister. The others must be fine."
The girl was so easily misled into thinking that Cinder cared for her, a few words that did not need to be sincere, showing an outcropping of hope, of care and delight, of sympathy, whilst Cinder felt nothing.
She knew that the girl likely had been snatched up in the rummaging, only half of the body found, dark-skinned, crushed under a car that'd been thrown. Identification had been hard, but the blood had matched the blood type that Emerald had.
'An issue for later.'
She stepped under the shower, feeling the dark power within her body shiver and throb. The man had been wielding it as easy as if it were as simple as breathing, the smooth and cool disdain for her amateurish usage of the power, forming Grimm as easily as he was...
'A true man... He makes it look so easy, as if it's merely an afterthought for him. As if I am just a novice and he is the master supreme, someone who can make my dreams come true.'
A toy that was hardly fitting for someone as grand as her was not enough, she realized as she pushed it into her, stifling a moan before it threatened to loosen itself, a show of weakness, knowing that the man was out there, hoarding the same power as the woman whose power she had within her, who had demanded that she claim the Maiden's powers.
'Hmmm...'
She imagined his face as he looked down at her, calling her weak and fragile, her body shuddering as he delivered power into her veins like a living flame, like a heated anvil shuddering under the infusion of strikes upon the sword that he would craft.
The toy's motions slid in quicker, as she got heated, her head laid against the wall, gasps and groans coming from her lips, her eyes closed, as she shuddered a little. Clawed limbs touching her flesh, pulling her down and letting his merciless gaze look at her as if she were nothing but filth below his boots, nothing but the weak little stepsister of a failed family that had to be trampled underfoot, and a bargain struck for her to take power from him...
'YES!'
She felt the release shoot through her body, her shuddering gasp loud, as she straightened again, the toy driven into her entirely, her body flushed from more than the hot shower, as she looked at herself, the mess that she'd made under the shower, the water washing away the shame at having nakedly masturbated again to the thought of that powerful man, easily manhandling her. She would be a fitting queen to the man, she knew that he would need someone who could wield the power that he held.
A man desired power, after all, and a woman who could aid in the projection of that power was obviously what was needed... She'd have to do some investigation, of course. Some investigation, a little hint about how the world really worked for him, that he would need a woman who was wielding the power...
A little hint about the powers that she had obtained from the Maiden.
'I'm sure that we can come to an agreement...'
Councillor Syfres was in hot water right now, and it would be something that wouldn't go away very quickly once the woman's role was exposed in the bigger plot. The weapons that had been handed to the White Fang would bear some of the markings still, and it wouldn't be easy to run for re-election in a post-Crisis Vale.
'Now...'
She towelled off, noticing the look on her face in the mirror, a womanly look that she'd not seen before. A man worthy of her, someone who was stronger than her and who could give her power... She posed before the mirror slowly, running a hand over the curves on her body, the breasts modest still, not as big as they could have been due to her strict training regimen, but still imposing enough to be a decent handful. She shouldn't have to worry about it, but she did.
Her golden eyes looked into her reflection and she imagined his hands wrapped around her, so pale and with the veins glowing with that raw power that the woman had bestowed upon her, the shudder of her heart grew even more at the thought of that power being used with her. It would fit, it would be glorious and beautiful, all that power making the world shiver.
She would be a queen, someone who wielded power forevermore over the weaklings that lived below, and a husband who could give that power would be marvellous, wouldn't it?
She wasn't someone who did things half-way, after all. Nothing but the deepest, thrilling desire within her, as her fingers scraped against her sex again and the scandalous feelings of desire thickened inside her depths.
'A man worthy of me...'
Her hair was dried off in a few moments, as her fingers rubbed through the folds, slick again with arousal. She craved him, knowing that it was what she deserved. All that power within him, feeling his hard member pierce her and pin her to the bed, violating her with that strength...
'Oh yes...'
She would have to get in touch, see whether there could be a deal made. The offer that had been given to her was indeed, too meagre...
'Why are you so weak? What could have made him say that, and his gaze...'
She'd been pitied for being too weak, as he'd expected more, more power to be shown. She wanted to feel it, that power that he held so casually, summoning those Grimm like it was merely a flex of his strength. The darkness held power, and she craved more of it, more for her own nourishment into the beautiful woman that she would become when all the power had been pushed into her.
'I should prepare... Harmony Tallow might wish to return the favour...'
It was a shame that the woman was a rabid animal, but then again, Faunus weren't known for their brains. Not many would even dare to think of the larger-scale plot if the short-term gain was in reach.
'Foolish animals...'
The lonely girl in the night(Weiss Schnee)
Her eyes opened again to look at the darkened surroundings around her, feeling fear shoot through her as she could see a flash of golden eyes, could smell the rancid breath of them in her nose, the feeling of being touched, of being molested, of-
She calmed herself down, trying to feel for the surroundings and assuring herself that she wasn't back in the train again, that they weren't touching her, intent on hurting her as no girl should be hurt. Her mother was here, she would protect her, her gaze going to the bed that sat at the side, empty for now. There was nobody there, she knew. Her mother was busy with a meeting that she couldn't delay.
She felt alone, she felt so alone that it was almost like she was in a void, the darkness around her whispering with soft little hushing sounds, like they wished her to sleep again.
'It's all in your mind...'
She knew that she should make sure that she slept, that mama would be back again soon. Some meetings couldn't be delayed because she was too weak and tender, Mama would always be there for her, she knew that.
A soft string musical instrument started up in the room, Weiss remembering faintly that her mother had played some music earlier in the afternoon, something of a moving orchestral piece that she said that she'd remembered from when she was young.
"A little song for the girls that cannot sleep tonight..."
A voice that was warm seemed to accompany the string music, Mistralian coming from the woman on the recording's tune, a softness of love, of care, as the clinging tones of the music seemed to pull her to a lyrical dissonance. As a singer, she knew that the recording wasn't super in-tune, but as a young woman, it felt homely.
"And now, the common translation, for the little snowflakes cast adrift..."
A recording that her mother had gotten for her. She smiled softly, closing her eyes, unaware of the golden eyes that opened in the room, as the prowler in the darkness started to sing.
"Fear not the darkness, my sweet little child,"
Soft clinging tones of the string instrument accompanied the words, spoken in the common language, as she felt herself drift into that deep darkness, the sound of the string instrument continuing.
"We are here to hold the vigil in the night,"
The feeling of a soft hand stroking through her hair was comforting, as the fear inside her abated, a shiver going through her as she let her eyes rest, the melodious voice singing softly.
"Until the morning dawn comes, early and bright."
She woke up at eight in the morning, her mother standing at her bedside, her fingers running through her hair, the memories of the darkness long-since gone. Her mother's gaze was direct and caring, as she brought up a small cup filled with juice, from which Weiss drank greedily. She felt thirsty, aware of the sudden thirst that she had, as if she'd been speaking all night.
'Silly me, I'm sure that mama wouldn't want me to be alone for long.'
She was confident that her mother was not too concerned with her safety at this moment. They were fairly untouchable here within the Hindenburg with all the precautions that had been taken to ensure the safety. Mama would not let anyone harm her.
"I love you, Mama."
The smile on her mother's face was warm and accepting, as Weiss sipped the cup, drinking some more of the juice, feeling the energy of the sweet drink flow through her.
"I love you too, my little snowflake. You're never alone, sweetheart. I'll make sure that you're never alone again."
She trusted her mother like that, because what other reason did she have but to trust the woman who had birthed her into this world, who had been warm and loving, caring for her like she was three again, her limbs hurting so much, but...
"And- and you? A-are you happy being alone?"
Her mother's lips formed a soft smile, Whitney Schnee never having been known for the absence of grace and poise, as she laid her hand on Weiss her cheek, a shiver going through her at the touch, the faintest of hints in the smile that she wasn't alone.
"I've got my daughters, Weiss. You are all that I need, and, well..."
A woman's smile came to her mother's lips, soft and with the grace of someone who loved. She peered away, out over Vale, a tender expression never straying from her face, as she sighed.
"Sometimes, good things come to those that wait, Weiss."
She hoped that her mama would find her love again. The man who she had described sounded like a wonderful man, like someone that she could call dad. She let her mind wander a little to the thought of being back at home, sitting on her new stepfather's lap and hearing her mother hum softly.
He would be a kind man, someone who would not raise a fist to her in anger, who'd do things with her and Winter, even though they were already fully grown. A board game night would be fun, she'd never really done that. Inviting the members of her team over and playing silly games whilst her mother and father watched, obviously in love.
It was silly, of course. She was a seventeen-year-old girl, she didn't- well, she wanted to do those games that children did. Ruby would be up for it, she was at least never discounting the possibility of fairytales. Yang might be up for it too, and Blake wouldn't have the choice to deny it.
'A fun game night...'
She looked at her mother, who was all smiles again, her mother's fingers running through her hair, and the wishful fancy slowly faded.
She really wished that her mother would love someone. It'd be nice to have a father that wasn't cold. A man she could love, because her mother would smile again like she had during the first ten years of Weiss her life, when her father had still pretended that he loved his wife.
'I hope I heal up soon... Mama should be happier when I'm healthy again.'
She was so happy to have her mother with her again.
The meeting with the cousins (Yang Xiao Long)
The brush combed through her hair three times before she was satisfied, looking at the comb and noticing several hairs that'd come out during the brushing, her gaze in the mirror checking to see whether she looked presentable enough for the outing.
Rowena had said that she should dress her 'very best, and nothing else' for the person that they were going to visit, the mysterious figure that she'd seen before at the initiation of herself into the order, the cloak and mask bundled up in her pockets.
That meant dolling herself up a little for the guy that they were going to see, and it most certainly was a someone powerful, if Heather seemed to be an indication. The woman shouldn't have looked so nervous, but she had. It was the influence of her older sister, her Partner in the Order of Slayers.
'Many secrets...'
Ruby had taken the pills, that at least she was sure of. Ruby still listened to her, as much as she could, anyway. Even if Ruby was completely bereft of emotions, if- if things turned out for the worst, she would still keep her little sister in her mind, whenever she did things. Even if Ruby turned into a monster, she would love her, but do what she had to.
The right thing was often the thing you hated the most to do.
The feeling of dread in her stomach as she walked herself through the paces of doing her makeup, adding some shade to the lashes and the eyelids. She'd best look her best, or else she'd look her worst, which wasn't good for her, she supposed.
"Going out today?"
Blake asked as she walked in, running a hand through her hair. Blake had been getting more interested in Rowena, asking questions for much of the night about Rowena's habits, about what she liked to eat. It was a little worrisome, if Blake didn't sound so curious about the woman in a benign way.
The favourite foods, the ways that Rowena had been when Yang had been younger... it seemed that Blake either had a serious case of hero-worship or that she was lusting after Rowena... but Yang guessed it was the former. Blake seemed better now.
"Yeah, I'm seeing about stuff in Vale. Need a few new bits and bobs. The Breach took a few gears out that need replacement."
It wasn't a lie. Ember Cecilia had been requiring a few new parts that she could've gotten at the store when she was there with Heather to shop for lingerie, but she hadn't replaced them yet. They hadn't worn out fully yet, of course, so it would be alright for a while longer.
"Good, good. So, are we going to go shopping sometime later this week? You need new clothing..."
She smiled softly at the thought. Something new might fit better, but the old stuff she'd worn for the outing that'd ended up in a robot brawl was still good enough. It fit, it made her look snazzy and cool and she was not going to give up on the thought of maybe getting a new coat and some leggings that'd make her look like the hottest broad this side of Vale.
'Good looks and style, Yang Xiao Long is going to borrow you for a while. '
She did not let that bit of style faux-pas diminish herself in the slightest, leaving it to chance to fully garb her body with hot stylish clothing! She wasn't going to be a fading star when she could be bringing the light into the world with a Yang!
Running her hand over the fully extended form of Ember Cecilia before pulling her arms back in the click-snap of the collapsing mechanism of her bracelets and then grabbing her jacket and tightening it a little, looking in the mirror and giving a bold smile.
"Ready and armed, yeah!"
Ruby looked up from her bed, looking at her.
"Have fun, Yang! Uncle Sage said that he'd like to go over sparring forms with you one of these days. There's some work left to do on your blocking, he said."
Worry sprang up inside her heart, knowing what the Arc family no... Her uncle and his daughters had been up to. Jaune had been dead, and- and he'd been Rowena's baby. He'd been made to be-
'This is such a mess.'
"Sure thing, sis. If I've got the time for it, I'll check it out. Thanks."
She exited the dorm room, watching the members of her team that she had left remain there, Weiss still up in the clouds with her mother's own private Atlesian Warship, which hung there like a reminder of things that could be better.
"Good morning, Miss Xiao Long."
The voice of Professor Goodwitch, whose mood had been a little downcast these past few days, undoubtedly due to her injuries and head trauma, was still a warming thing, the woman's eyes strict and bold, glimmering with a deep green colour. She wondered whether the woman would be getting back to teaching them.
Sage Arc wasn't a bad teacher, but he lacked the emotional inflexion in his voice whenever he spoke, which was disconcerting to hear. It wasn't something to worry about most times, but the dull dead tone at which the man dissected their fighting styles and offered suggestions was seriously a bummer. Miss Goodwitch just made you fear that you were thrown around, Sage Arc just calmly tells you where you are suboptimal in efficiency.
"Good morning, professor. Is everything okay with your injuries today?"
The woman's eyes gazed at her for an instant and she felt like the predatory woman's stare was something that was fiercer than before, something that added something to the conversation rather than the blank and bland stare of her paternal uncle.
"Fine, Miss Xiao Long. It is just adjusting to a different set of routines, as my head still functions... awkwardly. Head injuries require time to recover from. Concussions, the effects of certain types of Grimm... it could be weeks or months before I am back to the fine-tuned control that I have. One mistake, and I might accidentally dismember someone, which is not something that my Semblance can fix, I know."
'Ouch, yeah... We wouldn't want that. That's reasonable, no wonder Professor Ozpin has her on hold... Sometimes, a Semblance can be a bit of a bother...'
The woman straightened out a little, her hair a little looser in the bun than before, the glasses on her nose flickering in the light.
"Do move along, Miss Xiao Long. I am sure that you do not wish to be assigned a detention for keeping a member of staff waiting..."
She moved along quickly before it hit her that it was a day off from classes, turning her head to look at the stern combat professor, who gave her a small smile and an amused sound which sounded like a small laugh, before she disappeared around the corner, the woman's odd sense of humour undoubtedly inspired by the way that the woman moved, with her sense of humour as warped as it was by the stresses of her position as an educator.
'Who knew she had a sense of humour?'
She descended down to Vale on one of the air transports, her appearance checked in the bathroom mirror for a last glance, before she was ready to go out with her cousins, who would be picking her up. She hadn't seen Rowena since the Breach, but Heather had been more or less seen a few times, Rowena off on missions. It was kindness that Heather had, in her own stoic, stern way.
'You're an odd bunch of sisters...'
They were odd, but they loved each other, just as Yang loved Ruby, though lately she had been more concerned for the health of her little sister. It wasn't normal for her to act like this.
As she stepped into the general terminal, she let her gaze wander around, several of the young men around her age giving her looks as she went to one of the big pillars, leaning against it and hoping that her cousins would catch sight of her. She pulled her Scroll out and checked her messages, texting a short 'I'm at the terminal' to Heather's number.
"Hey there, sweetheart, the name's Johnny, how about we go somewhere nice and casual and we can get to know each other a little better."
She looked at the young man around her age, giving him the 'smile for wimps', the polite dismissal that she'd use. Brown hair, a jacket that looked fairly new to her eyes, as she angled her shoulders a little.
"Kind of waiting for someone here, dude."
He wasn't deterred in the slightest, touching her shoulder, Yang's lips pressing tighter together now, her eyes narrowing at his touch. She hated being touched without her say-so by men. After what happened to Weiss, she'd been a little more sensitive to that.
"Do you like the Achieve Men? They're having a gig tonight, so how about I go and see them together with you, sweetheart?"
Yang shook her head, pushing his hand off her. She knew she was gorgeous, but the touching definitely wasn't wanted by her in the slightest.
"Afraid I've got to see my cousins, Jeremy, Jommy or whatever your name is. They're waiting on me to be here, and they're-"
She noticed people staring, watching how two women made their way through the crowd, drawing looks, the loose blonde hair definitely a strange sight for the usually stoic and stern Heather, her hair falling to the ground nearly because it had not been braided, wavy in its own way, but next to her older sister, she looked like a pale shadow.
'Holy fuck, I'd go gay for that woman.'
Long hair loose, blue eyes that shone like sapphires and wearing a yellow-golden dress that looked much more modern than the one she'd seen her wear before, a set of dark red high heels worn and moved in with the grace of a professional dancer, her scythe collapsed in her off-hand, the smile playing on her lips that had been reddened with lipstick, her eyes meeting hers.
'Oh yes... Gay and gayer than gay. If she's functioning...'
She was aware that people were staring, her attention going to Heather, who looked about as comfortable as she did next to her older sister, whose eyes burned with something of amusement, the dress that Heather wore looking ill-suited to her muscular frame, but compared to Rowena, even the prettiest girl at Beacon looked like a teenager that had just started a training bra and had braces and the face of a mule.
'That's some superior genetics... I knew I had the hot body from somewhere...'
She wasn't gay. She was... flexible. But she'd go gay for her cousin at this moment. Yep. Hella gay. Blake might be right on that, and-
The spell snapped as Rowena's smile broadened a little, the woman in front of her. Blue eyes that directed the world before them with the will of iron that lurked behind their depths looked straight into her own and there was a shudder that went through her.
"My dear cousin, let's go, shall we?"
The guy at her side looked at Rowena, swallowing, trying to go and make a play, but Rowena's finger pointed at him and a strict look that judged and found him lacking in every aspect was given.
"Do leave my cousin alone, little man. You're not man enough to handle her, nor are you ever going to be the man that I will desire."
'Ouch. That's a burn...'
The guy looked crestfallen, burnt down before he'd even started. Heather sighed, the flamethrower weapon adjusted a little at her side, slung over an arm. It gave her an appearance of deviousness and craftiness, as she looked questioning at Rowena, who made a little circle with her finger. Space was opened up for her to be at Rowena's left side, her cousin's hand switching the scythe to her right hand as they walked.
"Hey there, good-l-"
Rowena's hand shot out and she flicked her finger against the guy's nose, the man taking a few steps back, holding his nose.
"You're in the way. Get out of the way or I'll make things harder for you. We've got business in Vale."
There was a hush, people parting before the dangerously good-looking woman, Yang watching the others take a few steps back and gauge their chances as 'not good at all'.
That's how her cousin worked, Rowena's weapon more focused on personal elimination, whilst Heather's was more against large groups. Heather remained silent until they were out of the terminal.
"What if someone noticed us?"
Rowena's smile was light, as she pulled something out of her cleavage. A small transmitter of sorts, clipped to what seemed to be a nice and fancy bra. Definitely pricy.
"Image scrambler, made by my younger sister Ashley. Of course, not really intended for use like this, but oh well... Huntresses can fight off weaklings who dare to make advances on them."
That was some serious tech, but it seemed to be nothing, as Heather's smile was soft in the understanding of the circumstances. If there'd been an image scrambler around, it wouldn't make things easy for them to be seen.
"It works great for missions where you've got to infiltrate. The mask is good, but the facial features are blocked by the emitting of the Hard-light dust screening. Or at least, that's what it's supposed to do. I don't make the tech, I just use it."
Rowena explained, her voice direct and with some amusement within the words, her fingers sliding over the outline of the mask and cloak that'd been tucked somewhere in her bra. It was remarkable how collapsible things were, but then again, Ember Cecilia was easily shifted into a bracelet.
"Have you-"
A beeping sound came from Rowena, the Scroll pulled out of someplace, and Yang could see a small pouch that'd been strapped to the inner thigh of the woman, the band up high enough to not really be noticeable, a bit of a bumblebee pattern visible with the colour against the golden yellow dress.
"I've got an address. We're walking there."
It was a simple announcement, but Heather changed in her standing, the confident look slipping onto her face as easily as the mask would when it was needed. The realisation hit Yang at that moment that Heather and Rowena had this flow about them, one inspiring the other. Rowena looked like a stately queen, whilst Heather looked like the general who executed the orders of the queen.
'And they've got the blood to back that up...'
Jaune might've become the next King of Vale, if the monarchy had been returned to power. It was a thought that didn't fit the somewhat goofy friend of her sister, though with the awareness that she had now about the real world of being a Huntsman, it would only be the detriment of her that'd be getting explored.
"Have you given thought to a partner?"
A question that made her blink, the small smile on Rowena d'Arc-Night's face playing softly, a tongue sliding over her lips as she did. Yang wondered what was being discussed now, whether it was a partner for the Order, or something else.
'Like, for the cloak and mask stuff?'
"For the... thingy with the eh..."
She mimed putting on a mask, which Rowena shook her head very lightly, the smile broadening as her fingers brushed through her hair. Long hair suited her better than the short cut she'd had, and Yang wondered what her cousin had to do to keep it looking that good.
"No, don't worry... Let me guide you."
The smile didn't make the feeling of unease settle within her, knowing that with Rowena, that could have multiple meanings. Heather gave a look to her older sister, whose soft humming continued, the eyes of the people following Rowena and Heather, the latter's long hair moving with little bobs, contrasting her sister, who held it loose and where it just seemed to flow like a wave, the two sisters holding hands.
She held out her hand and laid it on Rowena's arm, because the hand held her weapon, Rowena's smile soft and maternal, as if it had been expected. The sun was shining beautifully down onto the Kingdom of Vale as they walked, Yang feeling an odd sense of tranquillity, something that made it feel almost like an outing with her old caretaker, but the woman was only thirteen to fourteen years older than her.
"She intends well, Yang."
Heather's voice was soft, careful and apologetic, as Rowena merely smiled. The woman's nature was kind and cruel at the same time, Heather having her attitude because of the circumstances that she was forced to deal with, undoubtedly.
"Of course I do, Heather. I would never let my little Yang suffer, she's a girl that I'd allow to date my Jaune."
The look of love in those eyes didn't fade for one instant, as Rowena's gaze went out to the children playing in the park that they passed by, unconcerned, unworried that the world might have nearly ended days ago. The scars of the Breach were still visible, but it wasn't like there was no reconstruction happening.
"I went playing in the park in Vytal with Jaune when he was three. It was a silly little thing on the spur of the moment, but I wanted to make sure that he had friends. Mother and father didn't really agree with that, but I wanted him to have friends."
Rowena's voice was soft, as Heather Arc's face showed surprising empathy. The stern and focused woman's eyes softened a little as she sighed.
"Of course, father had issues with that. The child, he never really referred to Jaune as 'Jaune' to us, would not need friends. He'd never be the same after he turned eighteen."
'Oh gods, that's so sad...'
She'd had friends, but she'd never really been barred from having them. Rowena's smile was soft, as she turned her head.
"Some friends he made, though. Schooling was compulsory, and I took him every day that I could. Mother was responsible for that whilst I was at Beacon or out on a mission, but I couldn't... No, I couldn't let him suffer the loneliness as we do."
'You're really lonely, aren't you?'
Heather looked understanding, as they passed by the park, walking deeper into the residential district, the melancholic look on Rowena's face suddenly changing to something a little more upbeat, some sort of light entering her blue eyes that gave it life. A small hand mirror was procured from the pouch, as well as some makeup, the woman's steps slowing down a little, fixing her makeup, as if it was really important.
"Here, stop, I'll do your makeup."
Heather stopped, and Rowena busied herself to make sure that her younger sister looked like she belonged on the television, Heather's face relaxing and actually looking quite pretty without the perpetual sour look on her face. Rowena seemed content with that.
"Good, good... Deep breaths, deep breaths... In and out."
It was more a psyching up that she seemed to be doing for herself, as Rowena's steps continued, the heels tapping on the pavement, the people still looking at them as an odd threesome, Rowena in the lead. There was nervousness, something a little more, as Rowena raised her Scroll to her ear and called.
"We're close by, we'll be there in five minutes."
It was a woman's tone of voice, something that was sweet and with a hint of flirtation, as the doubt showed in the woman's eyes, the tongue licking over lips that seemed to have grown dull and brittle all of a sudden. A shiver that didn't stop, a brush of fingers over the dress, smoothening it out.
"It'll be okay, Ro. Things are going to be fine."
Rowena's eyes were dark and nervous, as the woman shifted a little, taking a few deep breaths, nervous to such an extent that it was like she had been running for miles, eyes searching for something to focus on, and the warmth of the sun seemed to fade.
"They'll be fine, they'll be fine, yes. It'll be fine, we'll have fun, and it'll all be fine. Good thoughts, good thoughts, happy thoughts. It's going to be fine."
It would've been funny if seeing the woman nervous was something that she'd expected. Cool and cold-blooded in function as a Slayer, the woman had nevertheless shown great warmth during the time that she'd been their caretaker, remembering the moments when she'd played with Ruby and Rowena in the background, humming the songs that she barely could remember.
"It'll be okay. Just relax, alright? They'll be expecting us, and you've done all that you could. You've washed yourself six times, you've made sure that you're pretty and that you smell good, and you're beautiful."
'It sounds like she's psyching herself up for a date.'
Yang didn't know what to think of it, as Rowena gave a few deep breaths, her eyes looking uncertain, the fear in them sparking for an instant, as she saw the woman's hand stroke through her hair.
A house that looked fairly well-to-do stood before them, as Rowena took a deep breath and then rang the doorbell. Nervous jitters seemed to be par the course for her now as she shifted, her eyes looking at the door, waiting and watching, the door opening and Yang spotting her mother, tired-looking and smelling faintly of vanilla.
"Hey... Come in."
She looked at her mother as Rowena stepped in first, Heather following secondly, her mother giving a hopeful look at her, and the door shut behind her, as she hugged the woman that'd given birth to her. With dad how he was, with how- with how Ruby was now, she was glad to have a mother who cared, even if she hadn't been there for the majority of her life. It was nice to have a mother to love.
"I love you, Mom."
Her mother's grip was strong, as she felt a kiss land on her cheeks, the perfume that her mother wore not quite vanilla, but a little stronger than other things, her eyes going to Heather and Rowena, who went further into the house.
"You're my precious little Yang, dear."
Something fell to the ground with a loud thudding sound in the house. It seemed they'd found who they were looking for.
The nerves (Jaune Arc.)
He was nervous. He was nervous and he didn't know what was going to happen. Raven had decided to come back, Summer was still in Mistral, doing whatever she wanted to do, Kali had just opted to remain in the shadows, as she preferred to do, and he was waiting for his older sisters to come and visit him.
One of his older sisters, he'd slept with. They'd fucked. They'd done the dirty, the needy, the sticky-dicky-in-her-taco-thickly, the bun-stuffing with a hot-dog, the horizontal tango, the sexing.
'Rowena...'
He'd liked it.
He'd liked it a lot, and it'd felt better than, no, it'd felt... right. It wasn't Raven's smooth and gentle passion, Whitney's exuberance and passion or Kali's... well, she was Kali and she was a Faunus and he most certainly did not see wish to see Whitney- ahem.
He was a modest person. He wasn't interested in seeing the suggestion from Kali take place. Tentacles, Whitney, a bit of- He was modest but it'd been a hot thought.
Rowena's womanhood had been tight after she'd been restored to her original state, free from the damages of her body, free from the pain that'd plagued her with the power of the Grand Wizard within her flesh. He'd cured her, he'd made the darkness even her out, and she'd...
'Too good. You're a piece of shit for even thinking it.'
He made her into one of his Acolytes. He could feel her outside, could feel her presence approaching, a thrumming beat of nervousness, fear and anxiety, masked with a veneer of casualness. She was afraid, cautious and fearful of him.
Was it because of his powers?
Did she fear him, but was she trying to spare his feelings? It wasn't something that he could talk with her about, not like with the connection. That connection was stronger now that they were close, but he did not call out, even as the doorbell rang.
Arousal flashed through his body at the thought of his oldest sister, the one who'd practically raised him, taught him how to behave in polite society, who had been instrumental in making him wish to become a hero. He would be a hero, but-
"I'll go and answer the door, Jaune."
Raven's almost demure voice was soft, as she spoke, and he felt his heart racing, felt that unquiet settle within him. They were here. His sisters were here, and he felt someone else with them, someone that they likely trusted.
'This is it.'
His erection was painful almost, as he could hear the footsteps in the path of the hallway, turning to get up from his chair, watching how the door opened. Rowena was hesitant it seemed, nearly shy. His manhood twitched uncomfortably, as he mustered a smile.
Blue eyes met with red ones.
An older sister stared at her younger brother.
She stared at him for the longest of moments, nearly an aeon in his mind, something that pulsed in the back of his brain bringing a surge of joy. A feeling of love, of kinship, of something that went beyond blood.
She leapt at him, her arms wrapping around him and he wound flat on his back on the ground when her body collided with him, looking at her with surprise in his eyes as she went straight for a kiss. A spark of something curled through him at the touch, a ray of bright light shooting through him, the darkness within him quivering and trembling at the light.
Her tongue drove into his mouth like a spear made of muscle, driving deeper into his mouth than before, the sweetness of her lips against his own faintly noticed, as her hands held him. He looked into her eyes as the darkness within him and within his older sister quivered in unison, the sick and twisted desires within him mingling into that singular feeling of love.
She was the one who broke the kiss, looking down at him with eyes that held nothing but love and warmth. She was his oldest sister and he was her younger brother, but she'd always looked at him like this, like she thought him the most precious thing in the world.
"I love you, Jaune."
It was a simple four words, but they meant so much to her, they meant more than he could think they could mean, as she held on to him, the tears coming from her eyes, dripping, falling onto his chest. He wore his Huntsman outfit, the formal style that was much like the Grand Wizard's formal outfit there, as he smiled back at her.
"Yeah, that's true. I love you too, Ro."
She shook her head softly, before she kissed him again. He became aware that Heather was looking down on the two of them, Rowena awfully emotional at this moment, her fingers stroking over his skin, as if he was just about ready to disappear.
"I think he needs air to breathe, Ro."
His sister came up for air, turning her head and getting up, helping him up. The golden yellow dress that she wore fit her body well, and he definitely wasn't feeling that erection let up. If his sister knew one thing, it was to dress like she was going to steal the world and look good whilst doing it.
"He needs me."
It was a curt response, as he was helped up, Heather looking a little stiff and uncomfortable, her facial expression twitching a few times, before it settled for the 'I am happy, but this is the smile I can give' smile that she had when she had problems dealing with things. She hugged him no less tight than her older sister had, albeit with more restraint.
"That he does. I'm- Do you want me to make some tea? You two need to- to talk, right?"
He supposed that he should make some tea. He'd been thinking about making some curry, or have Kali just whip something up. Takeout was great, especially when Kali could deliver it still piping hot. She was here on occasion, though she mostly hung around with Whitney, keeping her friend occupied. Sienna was off gods know where, having said something about 'making things right' and leaving it open to debate on what that might be.
"I'll- Sure, I can make some tea. Get a seat, Ro-w-"
She didn't let go of him. He could see Heather wriggle a little as Heather was pulled in for a more intimate hug, feeling how Heather's body struggled with Rowena's strength. Contrary to how she looked, Rowena definitely had great upper body strength, a little like Nora. He hoped that Nora was doing alright, he knew that Ren and her were close and intimate... He'd never want to lose anyone like that. He'd make sure that it didn't happen again.
They would be safe!
"Jaune? Gods damn it, you motherfucker!"
The sound of Yang's voice drew him out of his thoughts on Rowena's upper body strength and his teammates as he turned his head to see Yang pointing at him.
'Well, hello to you too. Only four mothers and one older sister, alright? It'd be really weird if Rowena was my mother.'
He felt bad enough about sleeping with his blood-related sister, imagine it if he was actually putting his cock in his own mother.
Yuck!
She was fifty! Whilst she still looked nice, he wasn't going to be thinking any sexy thoughts about the woman that'd put him on this earth.
The unfortunate truths we don't like (Pyrrha Nikos)
Pyrrha was being stalked.
She had a watcher, someone who just didn't go away. Silver eyes that looked at her every move, a red cloak that was wrapped around her, watching how every movement went through the routine that'd been drilled into her.
She twirled around, slamming her shield into one of the training droids that'd been set to the highest level possible. With a pulse of her Semblance, she'd destroy them, but the difficulty was in making sure that she could disable with a strike that was both swift as well as powerful. She was still in training.
'You're the one I am doing this for, Jaune. When you call, I will answer.'
She felt the power inside, lesser than before. It was raw, untamed and unrestrained, but the clarity of her mind had been restored. Nora was still reeling, her laughter barely contained in the link that they had, the loss of her love still like a whisper in the back of her mind, like a constant murmur that couldn't be banished.
"Ooh! Pyrrha, Pyrrha! Can I spar with you? Please, please, please?"
The smile never faded from her lips as she brushed her hair out of her face, the loose ponytail in which she kept it bobbing with the small motion.
"Of course, Ruby."
Her eyes scanned over Ruby's body, noticing the additional weights on her, the extra ammunition that the girl had been carrying. A small addition, but something that she didn't miss. In a battle, you had to be prepared at all times, unless you had no time to fight back.
"Until someone's at 50%?"
The standard sparring technique, the rule set that'd defined her younger years. She knew it by heart and she knew that it would require little adjustments, Ruby Rose's weapon consisting of mostly metal, which was an easy thing to manipulate with her Semblance, lending her an easy win.
The girl blitzed her in a storm of petals, her shield raised up, magnetized and then letting the scythe's edge stick to it for a moment, a little longer than it should, but short enough to make sure that it carried a repulsive charge. It would react to her strike quickly, as she moved to intercept another wild swing of the scythe-wielding team leader of RWBY, the strike clashing with her shield as she let go of her weapon, socking Ruby full in the face with a fist.
'Everything's fair in a fight.'
The girl rolled back and was up on her feet, 10% of her Aura gone, grinning challengingly, Pyrrha grabbing her weapon before it'd hit the ground, shifting it to the rifle configuration and taking three shots, the pink-pang-bang hits on Ruby's Aura chipping away 4% each, the non-lethal rounds used for the practice arena and official fights easily replaced, her weapon shifting back, her eyes darting to her own Aura, which was still full.
"Challenging, yeah... That's the spirit, that's the spirit!"
The girl came from the left, Pyrrha's strike true, and Ruby Rose turned into rose petals, shifting past the spear weapon and attacking from the right, her scythe knocking off 25% of Pyrrha's Aura in one hit, Ruby's giggle unnerving, and Pyrrha was aware that her opponent was switching up her tactics, driving her shield into Ruby's gut. She wasn't going to go down that easily, not without at least giving a fight to the speeding girl, the Aura knocked down, as she sped her pace up.
45% was Ruby's aura when she pulled out of her final attack, gasping and groaning from that strike to the solar plexus, the cloak fluttering slightly as Ruby straightened out, the dark dress that Ruby wore straightened by the girl in a show of feminine modesty.
"Gee, that was amazing, Pyrrha. I didn't know that you could fight like that. Perhaps it'll be okay then!"
'What will be okay?'
She didn't like the thought, and she saw Professor Arc, the father of the man that she loved, a stern and stoic man, logical in his arguments, enter the training rooms, giving the two of them a brief glance before he continued towards the teacher's section, starting to fiddle with some of the controls that were set up for the training droids. The ones that Pyrrha had disabled were cleared away by some of the others, before the regimen changed again, the man walking up to them.
"Please vacate the area. I will be training for about half an hour."
The man's polite tone wasn't very friendly, but that was how the man was, Pyrrha taking a seat on the spectator seats, Ruby at her side, watching as the man strode towards the centre of the arena and the droids came. That their security measures had been disabled was immediately apparent, the red flickering lights glowing, and Pyrrha's eyes watched as the man moved, the shield held in the hand that'd been forged from metal as a prosthetic, lost during combat undoubtedly during some confrontation.
The man's shield was driven into the first droid that came close, the buzz-saw weapon that it wielded barely touching the shield as the man batted it away. With a swing of his blade, the weapon cut through the droid clearly, the blade honed with a finer edge than most Huntsman weapons.
Pyrrha watched with amusement in her eyes as the man's style was extremely formal and firm, never allowing deviation from the moves. Predictable, solid and steady... and probably too great a challenge for her to overcome. She knew her limits, and the man exceeded those.
You'd need to have a Semblance that could disable the man to get through the root of the issue, one of the droids having hit him and only a small sliver of the man's aura having disappeared.
"He's my uncle, y'know? Daddy said that we're going to have a family get-together when the Vytal festival comes around."
Pyrrha wondered how that would go. If there would be something like a reunion, would she and Nora be invited as members of his previous team? Would they be shunned?
"I wonder if Jaune would've been happy to know that we're a family. He'd have been fun, I know. You would've been a friend too, they love their friends, you know? The eeky-deeky scary oldest sister isn't nice. I don't like her much. Do you like her?"
'You two are related?'
She hadn't heard that one yet, and she couldn't see it in the slightest, mainly because she'd not really taken a close look at Ruby's father, not really having met the man. Maybe if she saw the mother of Ruby, she would. Apparently Sunny Rose, or whatever her name was, had been a one to one lookalike with her daughter when she'd been younger, but it was just odd.
'Nothing to worry about, I thought the same about Ruby and Yang.'
Finding out that those two were half-sisters definitely had pulled her in for a loop when Jaune had said that they were related. She had wondered whether it was a thing that the girls took more after their mother than their father, but it wasn't something she should busy herself with.
"I think she's a nice woman. She cared for Jaune."
Ruby didn't like that answer, she saw Ruby's flinch from the corner of her eyes, her fellow team leader looking like she had heard some bad news. Jaune's mother. You couldn't dislike your future mother-in-law.
She still felt bad about the way that she had thought about the woman, thinking her simple-minded and a fool. It was not proper, and she should apologize. Even bad thoughts in the past could come back to bite her. Jaune would not want to let his mother be disliked.
"She's got an evil weapon. Weapons have to fight for good, you know? Rose Mors will kill all the baddies."
'The what?'
Her surprised exclamation drew a small giggle from her, as Ruby pulled out her Scroll, tapping a few things into the password section, an image of a rose set as the background, schematics for a weapon upon the backlight.
A scythe with a chainsaw blade that seemed to whirr, drawn up with the small annotations and 'High-impact sniper rifle?' and 'Shotgun mode?' in question marks.
"It'll be my second weapon. I can't wait until I get to build it. I- Can I try it out against you? You're good!"
'I'm not sure whether that'd be a good weapon to fight against.'
It was loud, for one. A chainsaw blade was definitely something that'd make noise, especially if you had to try to avoid Grimm. It was a good intimidation tactic for human targets though, but Milo and Akuou were good enough for her. Flashy stuff was unnecessary when a simple shield and spear-rifle could do.
'There is something about taking on a family's style and then their naming style...'
"Of course, Ruby."
The beaming smile didn't make Pyrrha feel at ease at all, as Ruby started to gush about the attachments that Crescent Rose would have, compared to Rose Mors. Pyrrha wondered briefly if she'd ever start to sound so deranged when talking about killing people.
At least she didn't think in simple terms like 'kill capacity' and 'murder'. That'd be silly.
She wasn't some sort of obsessed stalker or anything who had a crush on her previous team leader, obviously. Ruby was a weird girl for being obsessed with weapons.
The Arc Connection (Yang Xiao Long)
"Jaune? Gods damn it, you motherfucker!"
It had slipped out the moment that she saw the face of the guy that was currently being sandwiched between her cousins, the older and the younger sister and their son and nephew giving her a look, Jaune's face looking weathered and pale, the veins visible on his face black with something that didn't look healthy.
'You don't look so good, Jaune...'
She wasn't... well, she WAS angry with him for disappearing like that, and he'd even missed his damn funeral! She pointed at him, because she was surprised! The dead don't come alive that easily! He was dead! Now he's alive!
"Hey! For the record, it was ALL consensual! They agreed, I agreed."
Her mother nodded, and she had a sinking feeling in her gut. If her mother nodded, then it'd been literal. He'd fucked her mom! He'd been inside her mom! He'd tunnelled with his one-eyed snake into her burrow! He'd been the swat team to her front door! Jaune Arc had fucked her mom!
"It was a good experience. He is quite gentle as a lover. Even Summer agrees."
'Not helping, mom.'
Rowena and Heather let go of him, well, Heather did, Rowena's arms still wrapping around his waist, her head laid on his shoulder, looking at her. This was a mess, this was a god-damn mess! She'd come here, expecting some older dude, someone who knew something of the world, not like Professor Ozpin or something with some whole ancient conspiracy and cloak-wearing femme fatales that would drink your blood and eat your kidneys with steak and beans, but...
"YOU FUCKED MY MOM!"
She was angry now. Her finger pointed at him again and he winced a little. That was right! Wince like the motherfucker you are! Yang Xiao Long isn't a girl who'd let things like this slide easily!
"And my sister. And I won't deny it, it felt good. Sorry, Rowe."
Her mouth opened and closed, unable to-
'He's a literal motherfucker. He- what? How!?'
"She's the best sister ever, and I've given it thought and I'm not ashamed to say that I liked it. I may have slept with your mother, Ruby's mother, Weiss' mother and- Hello, yes. Blake's mother, but I'm not going to stop doing that. They're my-"
He faltered for a moment, thinking, and Rowena took over. She smiled, rubbing her son's shoulders.
"Aspirant Wife Candidates."
'Gesundheit.'
Jaune turned to his sis- no, wait, his mother with a quizzical look. He looked kind of cute, a bit like her dad when he was busy puzzling over a question when he did his grading at Signal.
"Aspirant? Wait, why are you deciding that? Shouldn't father be the one to decide that? You're just the Princess-heir, you're not- well, technically you can decide, but-"
Rowena smiled deviously, or at least, Yang thought that it was a devious smile on the woman's lips, guiding him to the couch. It'd been set against the wall, and Yang felt a hand on her shoulder that froze her all of a sudden. There had been nothing and nobody behind her.
"He's a dear, isn't he?"
'Oh my sweet mother Raven!'
Her head turned to the direction where the hand had come from and she felt an intense mass of fear go through her. The shadows had come alive and a Blake lookalike was looking at her with pale skin and golden eyes and she had just wet her panties. This was thirty times scarier than that one time with the wriggling worm and the cookie batter.
"Kali, stop scaring her... And-"
The liquid floated up, Rowena's fingers moving in an interesting direction, as Yang felt her bladder empty and then float in front of her, the bubble of urine floating over to hover in front of the woman, before the woman directed her gaze.
"Bathroom is the third door from the left, right? I can feel the water."
Yang watched as the woman easily used her Semblance for such a mundane reason, shaking her head, even with the kneading hands of Blake's mom on her shoulders.
"Yes, yes... She's a sweetheart, isn't she? She'll be a good girl, a good mother, yes. Come, sit... Meet your partner."
'Wait, what?'
This was going way too quickly, as Rowena entered the room again, her fingers twisting a little, a sheet of water suddenly covering the ground and then being pulled up, the dirt and dust soaked up in the water, before it was shot off to the sink, which filled up instantly, the drain clearing it away in a flash.
"Now it's clean..."
The woman smiled softly, gentle and demure. Yang had a ladyboner for the cousin that she'd never known, but the look in Rowena d'Arc-Night's face was predatory.
"I've got your prince here, Yang. My father's oldest and only son, His Royal Majesty Jaune Ozymandias d'Arc-Night, and... well, he's even better than he was, don't you think?"
She smiled, trying to keep it up. This was one of those meetings which you'd probably want to forget, even if she couldn't stop herself from speaking.
"Did you lose weight?"
A snort from him, as the arm that should've been lost suddenly dissipated, the sleeve turning into mere empty substance as it flopped against his arm.
"I've been told that I've been a little disarmed, lately. Perhaps you know where that loose weight has gone?"
'Heh.'
She snorted with a brief laugh following after it. That was the type of joke that she liked, watching how the arm regrew after a short instant, filling the sleeve once more.
"So, eh... You're not mad at me?"
She shook her head, sitting down in a chair. Blake's mom laid over the backrest, her fingers toying lightly with her hair, the woman's soft breathing like a hissing filled with the emotion of fear, as Yang fought not to look away from him. His mother was arranging his appearance like a faithful mother should do, and she was straightening him out.
"Well, I reckon our moms are old enough to know whether you're a good dude or not. I mean, they put us out into the world, and we're pretty alright, so yeah... Good going."
Sex between consenting adults was okay. She wasn't... she wasn't comfortable with the thought, but-
"You'll join us. Don't worry, Yang. We'll be gentle."
The guy had the gall to get an erection at the thought. She could see it, and it wasn't... bad. She could look! She was seventeen! It'd been inside her moms, apparently!
'Well, I guess that it's already fucked up that dad's slamming his sausage into Ruby…'
Incest, it was all relatives. If her older cousin wanted her to join a threesome thing with her son and herself, she'd give it consideration. Better the guy who'd wear a condom than the guy who'd try his best to knock her up. She put a grin on her face, as Yang Xiao Long had done at a time that seemed years ago, but rather was four months or something like that. Time had gone by so fast.
"Right. Eh, yeah. So, eh… Do I just call you 'dad' or do you want me to call you 'daddy'? I can do 'Jaune', but yeah, hm."
This would take some time to adjust to, but… well, at least he wasn't that bad on the eyes and Rowena loved him. That had to count for SOMETHING, at least. She didn't want to be in the room when he found out that he was a literal motherfucker, though. That'd have to hurt. She didn't like to see people cry. Seeing Weiss be emotional was bad enough.
'Welcome to the mad, mad world of the d'Arc-Night family.'
"Daddy will do, Yang. I'll make sure that nobody in our family will be hurt, even if your little sister will be impregnated again and again. I'm fighting for my family, as does Jaune, right? He's going to be a hero, just like his big sister. You're a part of our family, Yang. The d'Arc-Night guards those who roam in it, dear."
Rowena declared with a happy smile, as if it was completely normal to offer such a thing. Heather just gave an apologetic smile, as Jaune looked at his older sister with a questioning look. Rowena gave a small sigh, as she clarified further. Yang noticed that she'd already sort of accepted the woman's behaviour, as if she was growing used to the pragmatic views that the woman held.
'I wish it wasn't so... But I'm considering just joining this little thing.'
"Yang's father impregnated Ruby. She is of the Rose and she must birth heirs. It is how it is done in the Order."
A very uncomfortable silence fell. Jaune looked genuinely uncomfortable, which was another mark in his good points, showing that he wasn't some warped beast that slavered for older mom pussy. Not that there was anything wrong with that, if the ladies consented to it.
"Does Summer know?"
Her mom nodded quietly, her eyes dark and terrible to behold. Jaune sighed deeply, saying the words that everyone else was thinking. Summer was wonderful, but her temper was… fierce.
"Wooh… She's not going to be happy with that…"
'Understatement of the month there, Jaune. My family is nuts…'
Yang knows, and Jaune was called a motherfucker. That's one member of RWBY who has met the man who fucked their mother. It'd probably make for a tv show reference: "How I fucked your mother.".
This is one of those scenes that's been at the back of my mind since I wrote the first chapter. There's quite a few left... So I hope you'll continue to enjoy the story!
Leave a review if you'd like to!
