Chapter 48:Hopak

Mystery, and Cyanide got sick two weeks ago, so you had to wait for the update. Sorry about that, ladies and gentlemen.


The question of 'how do those two know each other', was not answered easily. Saphron seemed to just take control of the conversation whenever he tried to ask about it, just how she'd done it always when they had been children. Her hand brushed through his hair as she started to tell him a story about how Terra's first cooking expedition had gone.

'Who can't even bake a cake? It's like the easiest thing ever…'

He guessed that it would be something of a statistical fact that Terra was better with technology than she was with her domestic skills. Saphron and Salmon started to talk after a while about Salmon's own activities, and he found out that she'd been busy trying to keep Camellia from slipping further into the mindset of the Liga.

'Yeah, her friends are kind of dodgy…'

The lady called Mint was a bit crazy. A bit crazy and her friends were not very mentally there either. He leaned more towards the White Fang than the Liga, really, but if this was all that they could muster…

"Want me to change the channel? They don't have great news right now."

He heard Eve comment on it, as he could see that there were people being led out on stretchers, a headline of 'Faunus brutality' underneath it. It was strange, because there seemed to be only women there, looking like they needed the assistance, the strange feeling in his gut that it would have something to do with Sienna really prevalent.

He tried to lift his hand again, only managing a few tremors. He was aware that there would be pain involved, but the pain that shot through him was like he'd been struck by lightning again. Eve looked at him with worry in her expression.

"Do you need something?"

He mouthed a quick no, the Faunus woman changing the channel to a nature documentary. Some guy in a tan outfit was creeping through the bushes, a gigantic spear-gun on his back.

"And here we have the elusive cougar, stalking through the fields unseen."

The animal moved with feline grace, and he could see the huntsman-biologist move, his body moving with the grace that Jaune didn't have right now, the camera trained on the animal. He could see several Grimm in the far distance with his eyes, the huntsman-biologist keeping up with the animal.

"A beautiful creature, successful in the way that it's spreading its territory. Watch as she goes for her mate. A true beauty, I'll say."

The next parts went into the mating habits of the cougar… or perhaps the puma. He thought it was a puma, and seeing the animals frolic and mate wasn't unlike Sienna when she got in a mood.

'Yeah… Faunus are a bit more like animals…'

"Well, someone's getting ideas, I see."

He turned to look at Eve, who was pointing down, and he noticed that he was pitching a tent. He groaned softly, as Eve laid a hand on his covers and that was not helping one bit.

"A nature documentary? Is that all you get off to, Jaune?"

He would shrug at Saphron's comment if he could, knowing that she didn't mean any harm with it, and he wasn't going to go in-depth about it.

"It's mostly the fact that I can't really move my body and well... It's a natural response, I guess? Or I've really been hanging around Sienna Khan too much. She's kind of fierce when it comes to Faunus rights."

An agreeing sound came from the Taurus twins, and Saphron shook her head, and the little problem went down again, as the huntsman-biologist started to talk about the different flora and fauna within the region, clearly keeping an eye out for any Grimm.

He was sure that it was a production that'd been inspired by the incentives for people to go out and see the wonderful world that they had, but couldn't due to some sort of inability to fight, or move. Most entertainment television programming was fairly bland, but nature documentaries were a pleasant sight.

"Well, she is Sienna Khan."

Saphron snorted as Eve said that, drawing the woman's attention to her. Eve's smile was sly, as she bared her teeth.

"Now now, don't be snorting at the Great Leader Khan, Saphy. She might have to come to find you. Show you what it's like to below a Faunus boot. Not that you'd have any serious experience with that, obviously."

Saphron turned a little red in the face, as she mumbled something under her breath about 'just being too damn lucky'. Whatever that was about, he didn't know, but he was happy that Saphron still had her good sense about her.

"Sienna is a lovely woman once you get to know her."

He really thought so. She was his girlfriend, if they could term it that. The Faunus probably would have some different opinions on that, since he had guards around the clock.

"Very lovely, if she's not threatening to make you into a pretzel and carpaccio over there into a drinking horn. Very domineering woman."

Eve added, and she looked down at him.

"Just like our man here. You should just see him when he's putting his foot down. Adam just couldn't resist, now could you?"

Adam mumbled something, not really looking at him, as Eve grabbed him in a headlock and ruffled his hair around the horns. The man looked uncomfortable with his sister's actions, and Jaune wondered some more on the nature of their sibling relationship for a bit.

"He's a good man."

The words were simple and they seemed to sate his older sister, as she let go of his head.

"Yes. And when Fatty, Glasses and Minty come around again, you'll be keeping him safe, Adam. Sally and Eve are going out shopping."

Salmon, who was the aforementioned 'Sally' looked amused, and there was definitely some hint in her eyes that made him worry a little for the money that'd be spent. Saphron looked a little cautiously at Eve, and he wondered whether she had any experience with Eve shopping.

"I'll protect him with my body."

He shot Adam a look, as it seemed to hit the man how that'd be interpreted. A groan from Adam was the result, and the man clarified.

"In a non-sexual way, of course."

Saphron gave a look of curiosity to the man, as Eve started to laugh softly and nudge her brother.

"Your sister totally loves him."

The man grumbled something about 'rabid people' and turned his gaze away, as Salmon spoke up to clarify. Jaune didn't think that he'd be able to clarify it well.

"Cam leapt at him when he offered to sleep with Jaune."

Saphron's sharp look at him was fierce, before she turned to Adam and fixed the man with a look that was like Camellia, but twice as forceful. Saphron had been warm and supportive, even after moving out.

"You will not lay a hand on my little brother whilst he's infirm, Mister Taurus."

Jaune wanted to add to that that he wasn't infirm, but it wasn't really something that he could do, if Saphron was in her 'combat mode' where she acted like the man of the house. Terra hadn't complained much about things, other than that they were in a good spot in their relationship, and that they sent money once every two weeks.

"It's nothing that you'd understand, Arc. You don't work like we do. You don't know what we do, and how we do- I don't think I can even explain it to you properly, because you don't feel how we feel!"

Eve made a snapping sound with her fingers, as she shook her head at her brother's words.

"What my little steer is trying to say, is that there's a little bit of a difference between Faunus and humanity. We're a little freer with how we see the world, and it's… well, I don't think it's personally wrong, really. Adam isn't a bad-looking guy."

'I'm still here…'

He wasn't going to sleep with Adam, but Eve was definitely…

"But he's not getting in front of me in the queue. Jaune, you're protected by both of us. I'm not going to let anyone do something to you that you don't want… But if you do need my assistance…"

The grin could've been on Sienna's face with how broad it was, as she leaned forward and stroked over his groin.

"I'll be your night nurse… Or your cow queen."

'What?'

Saphron's lips were tightly pressed together, eyes glinting a little as she beheld Eve with a look that wouldn't look out of place on their mother or on Camellia, that stern disapproving look that said enough. Camellia could be fierce, but Saphron wasn't too far behind her in that whole maternal storm of indignant fury.

'I guess it's the mom factor…'

"I would not enjoy the sight of my brother being molested, thank you very much, Eve Taurus."

There was a chill in his sister's tone, and Eve merely smirked, not responding but pulling her hand back and shifting a little, opening the jacket a little. Saphron stared. All seriousness was gone, as her sister watched.

"And would you enjoy the sight of me stripping and slowly coming at you with a cowskin mantle, hmmm? Saphocles and the- Ooh, that's a blush!"

A wink at Saphron had her flush red, as she looked to him, and her lips pressed together, trying to distract from that part of the conversation, undoubtedly.

"You should have better taste in friends! Look at them! One of them is after you and the other is… well, I don't know about him, but you will need to find better friends! They're both in their twenties, don't you have like, hot girlfriends out there?"

Eve made a sound like she agreed. Adam just made a long-suffering sound, as he rubbed his face, Eve giving him a look that was pretty much like 'yeah, she's pretty right on some points'.

"I'm in bed, Saphron. I can't even more my arms, so how am I going to get a girlfriend, huh?"

He was a little annoyed now, as he met his older sister's eyes, the flat stare of 'you're in trouble, Jaune Arc' met with the look of 'I'm not going to take that comment lying down'.

"One of those girls that visited you would be perfect! Go out and do your thing, be a man and such, they'll just- I don't know? Do I need to hire a hooker or something to get your virginity taken care of?"

Eve cleared her throat, and Salmon face-palmed.

"Not you, cow biscuit. I've seen what you can get up to when you're given free reign with someone's body."

He still didn't know how those two knew each other, as Eve pouted. She seemed to feel a little offended by the comment.

"Now, don't you go and slander me, Saphy! I will be gentle with him! Gentle like he is. Hard, when he's in that mood to give my ovaries a bludgeoning."

Jaune just gave a frustrated look at Eve, who licked her lips, coming up to his bed and brushing her hand through his hair.

"Yeah, your little brother really is something. Hmmhmmm… Makes a girl go crazy for him, y'know. Seeing him here, defenceless, weak, not able to fight me off…"

Saphron's jaw set in a firm way, and if Vivian had been here, Eve might've been in trouble already. Vivian was not going to take stuff easily.

"But I've got orders, and I like my guy to go and take me. Jauney boy here's someone I can respect… and he helped me."

Saphron made a curious sound, looking at Eve as if she'd said something novel, the look of 'I don't trust you one bit, woman' on his older sister's face clearly showing that she wasn't ready to trust Eve's word.

"I would've done that for anyone. Adam's my friend, and you're his sister."

It was a deep sigh that came from Eve's mouth. She rubbed her temples, her blue eyes looking moody, much like her brother did.

"You can claim credit, you know? If people knew what you'd done for us, they'd want you even more. Adam is not someone undesirable. I go first, of course, but he will obey and act as he should. None of that look of 'I am a man and I will make you moo for me', Jaune. Take some more credit for the things you've done for us!"

He was pretty sure that it didn't really work like that in the world, but if Eve felt a little bit more comfortable, Saphron looking uncomfortable with the subject, Eve looking at him.

"He's pretty much Faunusnip to us people. Stupid self-sacrificing bastard… If it wasn't nature's way of shoving it to Schnee, I'd have guessed that you'd have a hand in it, but you're not someone who can-"

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him with suspicion in her eyes. Eve crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing them up. Mountains moved. He just watched.

"You can't throw lightning bolts, can you?"

Everyone was looking at him and he laughed helplessly. He most certainly was not capable of that. Amber could, but she'd been given the magical power by Ozpin.

"Do I look like I can survive getting struck by lightning again? I'm not one of the brother gods. I'm more like the girl in the tower, really. Helpless Jaune Arc, guarded by big burly guards and a cute head guard lady and her twin brother whilst my sisters are trying their best to harangue me."

He was exaggerating a little, but his sisters, all two of them, just stared at him. He tried to laugh it off, but Salmon looked concerned.

"We'd rather have you running around than being locked up, Jaune. You got hit by lighting, you got into a battle against some rogue Faunus earlier in the year and you're trying to support mom by giving her money."

Saphron's eyes showed irritation with that, as she pointed at him.

"We've got money too, Jaune. Let us support the family, even if Terra has to go and work a little harder. You've got to make your own money. Camellia's girlfriend contributes as well, as far as I know, but it's not something that she likes to talk about, or that we like to talk about. Terra and I are solid, and I've not had to work much lately, but-"

He didn't know what she did for work, but there was something in the back of his mind that told him that asking wouldn't be a winning proposition. He saw Salmon look guilty for a moment, her eyes looking away.

"Wait, Camellia has a girlfriend?"

'That's new.'

Saphron nodded in acknowledgement.

"Nice, if a bit misguided at times. We met on the trip we went on. Theresa is a little overzealous, but she means well."

'So not…'

That was a relief. He hoped that Camellia's girlfriend was a decent, modest girl, nothing like that Sazerac woman who'd just about preached the gospel of Faunus hate. He wasn't sure how to approach his sister about that… and he didn't know what the news would bring to their mother.

Saphron's status as an out and proud lesbian wasn't that bad, but Camellia was certainly more outspoken about her views on Faunus, something that their mother tolerated, but Jaune knew that it'd be a bit of an issue if a second daughter turned out to prefer women over men.

"Eh… Yeah, her friends are weird."

Eve nodded in agreement, as Adam kept himself on the surface, his eyes glancing at him for a moment before they went to Saphron.

"We're tracking down the guy who abandoned his child."

Adam said, and Eve smacked him lightly, shaking his head. Saphron's eyebrows shot up.

"Oh?"

Salmon's soft 'oh fucking finally' was met with a look from Saphron and Salmon mumbled a soft 'sorry'.

"Nobody abandons a kid. We're already not as populous as it gets, and making a baby with someone and then bailing isn't… Yeah. I mean, big boy over here has got his credentials for being a part of a big family, but we're not at a level where we can function. Menagerie is always short on good Huntsmen."

Saphron looked a little odd, as she looked away, shaking her head quietly to herself. It was in a quiet tone that she spoke.

"It wasn't done easily. Better no child than to raise one without a partner. We don't really like to talk about it."

Eve nodded, looking at his sister with a look that might pass for understanding. There was no humour in the woman, just a grim seriousness. The thing with Camellia had shaken the family a little, and it'd been harsh on them all, knowing that Camellia had borne a loss.

He couldn't fix his older sister, even if he wanted to. He knew that Camellia was hurt and still reeling from that pain, but it wasn't anything that he could manage. She was who she was, and she was the sum of her experiences, or so she'd once explained it to a younger him.

Their father had died, and he'd been able to cobble together enough of a budget that'd keep them all under a roof, but it wasn't something that he was good at. Mom had the habit of buying useless things, so it was not like she was capable of running the finances.

"He's lucky with many sisters. So many single children for our people…"

The sigh from Eve was heavy, as she looked at him with eyes that told him that she was serious.

"You better procreate, blondie. I want to see many babies from your dick."

The mental image was something he could've gone without, but he tried to make the smile stick on his lips, to make that image of strength be upheld.

"I'll try? I'm still not sure…"

He wasn't sure if he could be a good father yet. He was seventeen, which definitely was a late entrant to the concept of Aura and it did not make a difference with the experience that he had gained during the encounters with Willow and with Sienna. Sienna he could trust on to keep him safe if it happened to concern the Faunus, those Faunus against her definitely being beat own into a pulp by the woman, as if the thought of rebellion incited a particular grudge.

A child with Sienna… Probably darker-skinned than most, maybe with blonde or dark hair, cute features and maybe the same set of ears as its mother. He wasn't sure whether it would be a boy or a girl, but he'd be the best dad that he could.

Willow's face appeared to his mind, and he knew what would emerge from her. A small white-haired child, maybe with blue eyes that reminded him of her, able to wield the Schnee Semblance without his own trick. The pleasure that it would give him was balanced out by the worries about how it would look.

Two tigers, fighting over the same piece of meat. Two women, diametrically different in status, fighting over him. They weren't in disharmony yet, but the woman that was in charge of the White Fang had insinuated that she'd not mind the inclusion of Willow into the mix. They were friends. They were best friends, bound together by their like for him.

'A regular dance of tigers, with me as the prey in-between.'

He fell asleep then, thinking about that, unaware of his sisters getting up, Saphron mumbling a brief 'good night' as she went back, Adam and Eve getting ready for another night of staying up to guard him.


"Jaune?"

Nora's voice was soft in his ear and he wanted to raise his hand to brush the tickling thing away from him, the smell of something floral in the vicinity enough to make him sneeze. A large bouquet of flowers was put in his face, as she put it in a vase.

"Ah, sorry, I-"

He didn't really want to admit that he'd been sleeping, and he spotted Pyrrha sitting on a chair, placidly rubbing over her jeans. The green hat she wore was good for hiding her identity, her hair loose and not looking too 'Pyrrha Nikos-ey' being something.

"You were sleeping. Is there any change?"

Ren was the voice of reason, as he spoke up so calmly, like it was just another day at the fair, like life was something that came with its ups and downs. There were hardly any words to describe how grateful Jaune was for Ren's tranquil demeanour, as Nora started to bounce a little before she started to talk about how exciting things were at Beacon with the Vytal Festival coming up.

'I'll need some time to get better…'

He wasn't sure whether he'd be able to do the Glyph trick anytime soon. His body felt tired and a little restless, as much of it as he could feel it. His breathing wasn't impacted luckily, but his body felt like it was trying to move through a cast-iron fence inch by inch every time he tried to raise his hands.

He'd better get well soon…

"No, not really. I'm not feeling super."

His fingers twitched, as he tried to push them together. Nora noticed and started to speak excitedly about how that was great to see.

'It's like my limbs are like leaden weights. I can't feel anything aside from their weight.'

"We believe in you, Jaune."

Pyrrha was there with her supportive words, with her eyes glinting softly in the light. It was pleasant to see her like this, because he knew that she only meant well. Her desire for him was different, and it showed her care for him. Love was a strange thing, and Pyrrha Nikos was someone who would rather be caring for someone.

"I'll make sure to wash you later, okay? Do you want a drink?"

He watched Pyrrha get up, her green eyes concerned, Nora starting on a wholly different tune, her excited murmurings about this new great syrup that she'd discovered last week making her voice get really high-pitched, her gestures turning even more excited as she told the story in exaggerated motions, with Ren offering a frequent correction.

"That'd be nice, Pyrrha. You're too kind for a guy like me."

The smile on her lips was simple, as she inquired for the others about their preference. Adam looked a little tired, with his eyes shifting back and forth without a pause. A terse 'Just some apple juice' came, as he shifted. Eve was out with Salmon to shop for something, and it was just Adam here with him, the man's arms crossed his arm and started to tap away at his Scroll.


Willow Schnee was not someone who easily lost her temper, but she wished that she could right as of this moment. There were three more business calls ahead of her, and there was a meeting planned in thirty minutes as well.

"No, we will not be supplying you with the current rate, no matter what the inflation has to account for."

There was a harsh nature to business, as she checked the itinerary for a moment, flash-spotting the burden that came with the whole funeral business of her husband. Olav was driving the car and she knew the song and dance of the people.

"It is as agreed upon, and if you wish for another, better offer… I do wish you luck finding a supplier of Dust."

There was no other supplier of Dust for the Kingdom of Vale. Several old-time Dust businesses were still open due to the virtue of Vacuan import, but it was not to be a huge pressure on the market. With her acumen, she'd cornered the market with her husband acting as the manager behind the screens.

"Get me an intern, Olav. Anyone who can count to thirty and talk a bit like they've got fire in their spirit will do. I need a secretary to handle some stuff, or an assistant or whatever…"

A secretary or three might make the load even more bearable, but that was what went to the fools. The man gave a soft sound in the back of his throat, acknowledging the issues that it brought. It was definitely something that would give most people pause, if Olav did not work as he did, silent and stern.

A bodyguard and an oftentimes secretary, tasked with her protection. Her daughters could fend for themselves, she knew.

The next call was done swiftly, and the third one was briefly rang up to announce that she would call them post-meeting, with the next offer to be discussed. Business did not wait, and the lesser orders were handled by the lower management. The branch office was visited, and Olav ambled along once the meeting started.

'Big deals mean big money.'

The folder with interns was already on the seat next to her as Olav started the engine to drive her to the next destination, and he was aware of the itinerary as it had been written down. She mentally calculated the proceeds of the charitable donation to Mantle's orphan relief fund that she'd have to award when she'd gotten to Atlas, making a mention of it in her agenda before she opened the file up.

Names and portraits. Augustus Mauve. Someone named Secundus Grass. Moe Sleazy. Mao Mao Cat Front. Sable Arc.

'This looks like a casting couch plan… And there's one woman amongst them. Is this really the best that I can attract for the company?'

She opened the file up and checked the contents, letting her attention slip through the curriculum vitae's that had been provided. Young, eager people, signed up with the company for an intern position, ready to work for the Schnee Dust Company.

'And Jaune's sister… Well, it's not like I wouldn't consider it. Nepotism… But she probably doesn't know about my involvement with her brother.'

The folder was pushed aside, leaving her to look at the face of her bodyguard and driver. She trusted the man to have done his homework, and it would be fair to let things be done.

"Have those five present an overview of distribution, product placement and expansion, as well as future plans for marketing. I expect it on my desk before the end of the week."

A good report would decide. She did not make a decision without proper judgment. An assistant or intern to help her with the product placement would be signing so many contracts and non-disclosure agreements that they'd be having a muscle cramp before the day was done.

'Never expect anyone to serve your needs without incentive. That's one thing I can respect you on, Jacques.'

She exited the car and strode to her lodgings, catching Whitley outside, stepping out of his own car, driven by one of the bodyguards that had been strictly instructed to never be out of the line of sight. Abductions or some-such was not an experience that she would wish on her son again. The thought of Jaune saving her little boy had brought with it a small hope in her heart.

'He would enjoy it if Jaune became an addition to the family.'

"Mother."

Willow's hand brushed over her son's cheek and she pulled him close to her. He was still her young son, someone who would grow into a man eventually.

"Did you have a nice time out? Did you meet any nice girls?"

He was a little shy, she knew, but that was undoubtedly due to his father stimulating the business instinct, rather than the interaction. Winter was more extreme in her severe lack of understanding of things, and it was rather shameful to admit that Winter was less than tactful at most circumstances.

"No, mother. I'm… I was out with a friend. We went to the arcade."

She looked at the bodyguard, who nodded once in acknowledgement.

"Young Master Whitley has been at the arcade and his friend was more than happy to buy us an ice-cream cone. The young Master enjoyed himself."

Her son flushed a little and she laughed, aware of his embarrassment. At least now, she wouldn't be worrying for him too much. A friend, one who did not make such waves like the last two, was someone who could be relied upon.

"I wish to… I wish to buy something for them, mother. It would suit their sense of style. Can I?"

She didn't really mind giving him more money, it was after all, just money. His happiness was worth more than all the money in the world to her, and she felt like she owed him at least a chance at happiness, if his friend was pleased. He'd had so few friends.

"Of course. Don't buy their friendship, though. We are Schnee. We do not buy friends."

She had few friends. One, really. Sienna Khan. They'd met through a guy, they'd both drank because of that same guy, and she'd decided to leave the liquor be, whilst Sienna preferred to hit the bottle at times due to the stress of having to manage the White Fang.

"I will not, mother. I just wish to… ensure that they looked better. Some new clothing might be an improvement for my own style, much less… formal. Father insisted that a Schnee always look presentable, and… Since he is no longer here, perhaps a hoodie?"

She smiled, the image of Jaune coming to her mind. Her son had found an idol of sorts, or at least a big brother figure in him.

"Don't start trying to ape Mister Arc. I would be amused, but the moment you start holding thoughts of attending Beacon or some-such, I will have to step in and deny you, young man."

She didn't really think that Whitley would be up for doing something like that, but she'd seen with Winter that stubbornness ran in the family… as well as a preference for blondes, for some reason. Tall blondes, with blue eyes.

'It's a little annoying to admit that I am in a competition with my own daughters…'

She'd much rather find herself in a good spot on some sunny locale and just enjoy the weather. The autumn season was coming, and she was not going to bring her lover a woman who looked merely 'average'.

'A beauty treatment might not be wrong…'

He would get better, after all. He would get better and she would get to see what monster tamed Sienna at night. From how Sienna described it, he was like a tornado hitting a pier, which was some sort of Menagerian saying, or something… but she would like to explore that herself.

'A little touch, perhaps just an order to keep put…'

"I won't, mother. I am not really cut out for the work of a Huntsman."

She hoped that he wouldn't change his mind. Someone needed to inherit the company's reins when she was pregnant by her man. She would get pregnant. That was not an objection, she knew. The Arc family had seven sisters and one brother to those sisters. That was virility. That was a long and sensual night of her oiled fingers sliding over his scars, slowly licking the skin and massaging it.

'Whipped cream and cherries for him to lick off me…'

She wasn't against a bit of surprise passion in the bedroom, especially if it involved making her man feel good. She'd let him feel her warmth in all those ways.

'Perhaps some more lingerie shopping…'

A few sets would be good for her. She was single, after all.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to prepare for when Jaune would be more mobile. There was some progression in his motor functions that had been reported to her, at least as much as they could report to the people paying half of the bills and aware of the situation.

If he would walk again, he would bring with him the wonderful love that she held for him. The thought him in her bedroom, laying in the bed with her, her arms wrapped around him and murmuring a soft word in his ears, aware of the love that he felt for her.

And if he did not walk again, she would make sure that he would have the love that he needed, even if the world would judge her. Sienna had been honest in the conversation that they'd had.


"So, what if he's… not able to get up?"

There was a stern look on Sienna's face, as the woman leaned against the desk, the bottle half-drank, the 'business meeting' between the White Fang and the Schnee Dust Company on the subject of the CEO of the SDC dying already half-way done, as much as she'd like to say otherwise.

"Well, I'm not giving up. Mine. Even if he can't push me around, I'll make it work. Are you giving up, Willow?"

The Faunus woman's eyes narrowed, clearly showing disappointment if she did acknowledge it. It'd been a very brief thought, but banished as soon as it rose. She would support the young man who had rescued her from that deep dark pit, who had restored her family to some small semblance of order.

"Are you calling me weak, Sienna? Of course not."

The savage smile on the Faunus woman's face was definitely something that was a charming point. There was ferocity within Sienna Khan, ferocity and desire, something that was within her as well, but not as on the surface as with Sienna.

"That's the answer from the frozen bitch that I know…"

It was playful banter, from Sienna at least, and Willow's eyes went to the bottle for a moment. The desire to take a sip was there, but she was not going to let a moment of laxity happen. It would be back to bad spaces if she did. She was not a woman who would go back on her word.

"What's the situation with the Faunus? There were talks about… hospital visits and well-wishes for him?"

Sienna's expression darkened, and that wasn't good. Sienna only looked like that when she was in one of her moods to be aggressive.

"It seems I will have to beat some people into the hospitals for trying to take what was Khan's… Seriously, you should have heard the arguments in the locker rooms. Like a bunch of kittens trying to fight over a teat!"

That was a strange analogy, but she was used to it. Sienna knew her people better than she ever would.

"Any problems?"

Sienna shook her head sternly.

"Aside from Adam being slower than a leaky condom, no. Eve and Adam will keep watch over him so that there won't be another Black Dinner… That gave me cramps for weeks. Kali can be fierce when she needs to be."

She wasn't sure what Sienna meant with that, but she wasn't going to ask. Sienna had those experiences that were a little far out there due to the social dynamics of the Faunus people. Willow was pretty certain that Sienna didn't mean any harm.

"They don't dare try to go for me anymore. Beat up enough people and they'll start to respect you… Fuckers don't think with their top brain but with their lower ones. I'm a proud and independent woman!"

Willow could agree with that. Sienna hadn't finished her sentence seemingly, though, taking a swig of the bottle and continuing, the bottle slammed down onto the table.

"When we fuck, we fuck. It's been so long since I've had that, I should just visit him… Tweety and Sylvester keep the guy safe, and it'll probably be a day or so… But damn, you start to miss it. It's been four days since I last saw him!"

There was a certain hypocrisy in Sienna's statements, but Willow chose not to point that out. It was not a thing that she should mention at any rate, Sienna more than independent in her way of handling the world.

"And about Miss Taurus?"

Sienna made a snorting sound and gave a dismissive gesture with her hand.

"She'll be right after you. She's my bitch and she knows where her spot is. Her brother is a moron at times, but Eve knows what she has and how she is."

That didn't really say much to Willow, but she trusted Sienna to handle the Faunus. The competition between her daughters and herself for the hand of Jaune Arc was still something a touch more pressing than that.

"You should prepare. He will need support."

Sienna nodded at her words, and Willow felt some relief, as Sienna pulled out her Scroll.

"He will be better. I will ensure that he gets treatment, even if I have to drag a shaman to his room by the tail or something."

Willow wasn't really up to date on customs like that, but it was something that made her wonder about the viability of medicine from Menagerie. Sienna looked like she was definitely considering it.

"Don't have them do a fertility dance…"

Sienna frowned at her, giving her a look as if she were mad.

"There's nothing wrong with a bit of extra luck! Jaune's got like… six sisters? Seven? When he comes inside, it's like my ovaries are getting a shotgun shell of spunk slamming into it! When I go off, I'll be pregnant in a day's time! I'm not a weak woman!"

Sienna was a weird woman. Science was obviously the better option, because you could trust in science. The image wasn't bad though. Not bad at all.


She crawled into her bed twenty minutes after dropping her son off at his own personal rooms, instructing the bodyguard to get him to bed at a reasonable time, feeling the coolness of the sheets against her skin and letting her mind languish for a little more.

She might have to find some room in her schedule to interview those five interns. It would lighten her workload if she had different people to take care of some of the management tasks on a lower-case level.

Hiring people who had some bright ideas and youth would undoubtedly innovate the company from the money-grubbing people who'd followed Jacques' lead.

'Soon, Jaune…'


Jaune just stared at the TV screen, aware that Adam was busy with some exercises to keep himself in fighting form, trying to ignore the rambling of the Sazerac woman, who'd come to visit without her boyfriend, Mint Julep sitting on one of the chairs.

"Fifteen percent of the population, yet involved in ninety percent of all terroristic acts, you animal! Does that make you not a criminal under the law for existing!?"

Adam ignored the woman, continuing with the push-ups, Jaune's eyes glancing at the clock. A creak of the door, and he wondered whether Camellia would show up as well. The Liga had shown up, sans Negroni, Sazerac turning the rant on whilst Mint just watched him with a hawk's eyes, her fingers brushing over her knees.

"And with your stinking beast mutt faces in the place, who would want to be around you? Go back to your kingdom of Menagerie and be animals there! Go back to where you came from."

Adam's motions were uninterrupted, Jaune watching his friend get up again, towering over the woman. The expression on the man's face was haughtier and loftier than before, as he ran a finger over the edge of his sword, grabbing a towel and starting to towel off, only left in a shirt, the jacket folded on a seat.

"Are you done, human?"

There was a tiredness in Adam's voice, his eyes looking weary at the expression on the squat woman's face, the woman starting to wag her fingers, a preachy tone about how his kind was an abomination on the world, and how Khan would find herself ousted from the fair city of Vale soon.

"Don't you ever get tired of the animals?"

Jaune met Mint's eyes, able to slowly turn his head, the woman looking concerned for him, and he sighed.

"Not really… They're not so bad once you get to know them."

There was something in the woman's eyes, a deep-seated mistrust, whenever she looked at Adam, anger and hate, as Suzerac started on another rant. The woman seemed to be steamed for the conversation, her mouth not stopping the barrage.

"They are filthy animals, lying to you so they can fuck you, and leave you with their spawn."

That wasn't exactly true, he knew, because there were plenty of Faunus who were honest and good-natured. Blake's mother was pleasant, Sienna was… Sienna, and Adam and Eve were nice.

"If I ever get pregnant by a Faunus, I'll be sure to let you know."

It was not possible for a man, but Mint's serious look didn't fade. The thought of him… nah.

"Cam talked with me. If you need someone to take care of things, I'll…"

The woman laid a hand on his chest and stroked over the path of the lightning scar, her expression serious. The woman looked reasonable in moments like this, caring, though her rhetoric seemed to be a little off most of the time.

"I'll take care of things. Humanity should help itself, and Cam, she really loves you, you know?"

A smile on Mint's face, as she brushed her hand over his chest, a little slower.

"I'm not that hard up yet for affection. My team said that they'd help as well, if it came to that."

Not that he had that need yet, but it was nice to imagine. Mint's expression changed just a little, as she looked at her round friend, sighing softly as she looked at him again.

"You're Cam's little brother. We met during a trip, and we've been close ever since. Two girls, both in similar circumstances. I didn't know who her older sister was at the time, of course, but we had fun. It was a great trip and I've met my best friend there."

The woman's expression was kind and warm for a moment, without any sort of judgment visible in the eyes, as she looked away for a moment, to the window.

"Cam just wants you safe. She's told me about that ex, and how the jungle queen seems to be trying to mooch into your good graces for undoubtedly some cross-breeding experiment. She'll want to pollute your beautiful genes, Jaune. That's what Faunus do."

'That's pretty… yeah…'

The woman's fingers traced over his chest, going up. He couldn't move, but he could feel the sensation slowly creep up.

"They'll hurt your beautiful blonde family. So many girls, all fit for Faunus breeding… They're like an infestation, a plague on this world. If they hurt Cam like that, who is to say that they won't hurt another of her sisters?"

Sienna would hurt people for saying something like that, but he didn't know. His experience with Faunus was fairly limited. They weren't the type that his sisters would date after what Camellia had experienced, and they generally remained aloof from the Faunus.

'I'm not looking forward to introducing Sienna to you, Camellia. She's fierce enough to actually brawl with you.'

"Even if the redheaded steer guy just wanted to sleep with you, we'll keep you safe."

She was well-intentioned, at least. His mother hadn't come by yet, and Adam was still suffering the barrage of insults with a bored expression on his face, eyes glancing at him for a while, as he pulled his Scroll out and checked it for a moment.

"Look at him, all smug. Branded like cattle should, with his pervert of a sister guarding over a fine young man like you. She's evil, with her big breasts and her words."

He hoped that the ranting wouldn't be so fierce as Sazerac was doing, the woman starting up another rant about Adam's mental incapacity as a Faunus.

"-born with half a brain, you animals! You'll never find a home with us, go back to Menagerie!"

He laughed softly at the thought of Eve being evil. Sienna was worse some days. Sienna snapped at you and then wanted you to drag her by the hairs to the bed so she could prove you wrong and that she was still the best pussy in the world. It was… an interesting contrast.

"She's nothing compared to Sienna Khan. That woman can just knock you on your back and then step on you and give you a look like she wants to kick the ever-loving shit out of you."

Mint's face darkened, as she hissed something, making a crude symbol with her hands. It was sign language for 'animal', if he remembered it properly, and the woman's shirt with 'All Animals Must Die' on it moved a little with the motion.

"She's the real animal. She's been saying that because of the renewed negotiations, Faunus will be able to work under better conditions! We should just put them back in chains, so they'll never have their freedom again."

He wasn't much for political squabbling, but the woman seemed genuinely convinced that it was the right idea. He hoped that Sienna could set her straight. Sienna didn't really come across as this whole evil woman, unless she was being a little bratty and teased him a little. There was a certain simplicity to Sienna. She did what she did, when she did. There was no hidden motive, no seductive thought in her mind. Willow was much more of a threat.

That woman could make you aroused with just a smile and a mere insinuation.

The door to his room opened and a young man walked in, long hair in a ponytail, Adam's hand on his blade, ready to strike, slowly relaxing again.

"Ah, it's you."

The young man smiled, as they sat down next to Adam. A weapon was at the side of the young man, the loose clothing that he wore looking perfectly.

"It's been a while, Adam. Menagerie is beautiful this time of year."

The young man spoke up, and Jaune realized that it was a young woman instead, spots on the face showing clearly a trait that wasn't really visible.

"A human who's allying herself with the animals? Come back to humanity, sister! You can be saved from their wiles!"

The disgust on the young woman's face was clear, as the woman's hand pulled out something from her pocket, handing it to Adam.

"Sienna said that you might need this. Eve isn't here?"

There was a tension in the air, as a litany of mistrust was being spouted by the squat and round Sazerac, Mint's eyes distrustful, but not speaking up, Adam acting as if it didn't exist.

"No, she went out. So, how're things with Blake?"

'A friend of Adam, Sienna and Blake.'

He could trust in that, he guessed. Adam just made a shake of the head, looking darkly at him.

"Not so good. She's in the race, but she's being Blake again. Logically, there's no way that she can go up against Eve. My sister is a lot of things I do not really agree with, but compared to Blake, she's got a better chance."

The woman smiled at him, as she pulled something out. A bottle of milk, of a brand he didn't quite know. She unscrewed the cap for him after shaking it a little, probably due to the milk looking a little differently.

"Here, I got you some. There's a little store in Vale that sells it, and I remember that Eve said you liked it. Adam needs his milk bottle, or something like that."

Adam drank it with a soft 'Thanks', his attention going back to the blue-haired woman. Jaune's attention went to the young woman, who looked at him with an expression that he couldn't quite place.

"You're one of Blake's friends?"

A quick nod from her, as she let her attention slip back to the preaching Sazerac, her eyes showing distaste. Clearly a proud member of the White Fang.

"We've been friends for years. We met seven years ago, when she was young and I was… well, that's in the past."

The smile on the young woman's face was softer, as the eyes softened in their glance, the colour of the girl's skin shifting to pink before it faded back.

"She's one of the reasons why I joined the White Fang. Adam, Eve and I used to be closer, since we're around the same age."

He could only smile at the young woman, whose eyes hardened a little at him. She got up and walked to the bed slowly, her eyes decisive.

"You don't have to worry about Blake anymore, Arc."

He wasn't sure what she was getting at, as the woman's hand brushed over her scalp.

"I'm going to ask her, once I've done this little visit, whether she'd like to formalize things."

Adam's eyes went to her, a smile on his face.

"You're going to ask her? Congratulations, I've been wondering when you'd find the courage. You might have to face denial, though. She's still in the brawl."

The woman, whose name he still hadn't caught, laughed softly at that.

"It's only until he's claimed, Adam. Even I know that it's only until a claim is staked or death. Blake will see that there is no other way. Not that the former is going to happen…"

Adam's eyes widened, and the woman turned, a whip in her hand. A zapping sound, and Adam went down, the woman's hand pulling the whip down again, the handle clicking a little as the Dust crystal slowly shifted, cycled with an active crystal.

"You won't get in the way, Adam. Now to deal with the humans."

Sazerac watched, and Jaune hoped that Adam was alright in a distant part of the brain, as the woman, who obviously had Huntsman training, moved with a burst of speed, her fist burying itself into the blue-haired woman's gut, several of the buttons scattering as the body hit the ground, the woman leaping over the bed in a display of athleticism, as she stood in front of Mint, and his sister's best friend screamed something like 'Stop-' but the woman's motions were too fast.

Civilians couldn't stop a trained Huntsman, and he heard Adam groan.

"Don't do it! If Sienna finds out, she'll kill you."

The body of Mint hit the ground, the woman knocked out, and the Faunus woman, a friend of Blake, stood at his bedside, her face an emotionless mask, before a smile appeared on her face.

"She'll understand when she sees your head. Now, don't worry. She'll be well taken care of, Arc."

The woman moved, looking down at Sazerac again, before stomping down onto the woman, probably in the face, out of sight. That definitely had been a blow that'd been meant to knock out, because he didn't quite hear the cracking noise of bones breaking. A small part of his mind told him that it would be only a seven-year sentence for a single murder.

"Why?"

A simple question that seemed to be so ordinary, but still made him feel pained to see that look on her face, her colour shifting to an angry red.

"She'll love me, once I'm free again. It's just a human who died, after all. You'll never get to be the prize when you're dead, Arc. She'll understand, eventually. Even Adam failed in claiming her, but it wasn't her fault that he was such a weak little bull, no. She'll learn to love it, once she's free again."

The whip rose, wrapping around his neck, a noose by another name, and he could feel the current running through it, small shocks jolting his body.

"Tweety and Sylvester aren't going to come in here, Adam. I've promised Trifa a chance with Arc here… Well, not that he'll be alive afterwards, so they're a bit tied up right now with talking to her. They know me. They know that I love women."

He sighed, closing his eyes. This was messy, and he knew that this wouldn't exactly endear the Faunus to him. If only he could move, he'd be able to do something about it.

"Well, y-AH!"

Electricity coursed through his body, which jerked a little as the pain hit him, a pained sound coming from him, as the woman let the current stop. It hurt less than the lightning bolts, but it still hurt.

"It's so nice to see you in pain, human. The world will be better for us when we're free to love each other. Blake will understand, I had to do it. She deserves to be the beauty in my bed, not with some disgusting human."

The whip cut into his neck, and he became aware of blood starting to flow down his neck from the sharp edge of the whip. With a single jerk, she could separate his head from his shoulders, his aura capable of softening the damage, but even that didn't really help when he was unable to move anything below the neck.

Another jolt of electricity, before the madwoman with a Blake obsession seemed to come to a conclusion.

He could see the motion on her hands, as she went for the beheading. The metal wire of the whip cut into his neck, and it definitely wasn't pleasant.

'Getting killed by an angry jealous lesbian… This is some sort of cosmic joke. I don't even like Blake that much.'

The universe must be laughing at him someway, because the woman, who still wasn't introduced, looked like she was doing the world a service.

'This sucks.'


And we've got Blake's last ex appearing! You didn't think that I'd let the biggest contender for the Belladonna lady go without mention, did you?

Blake Belladonna: Beauty with a lot of ex-lovers!

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