Chapter 49: Étape de Foudre

People seem to be thinking that Aura is some fix-all type of stuff. If you've got nerve damage, it's a slow recovery process, because it's like the flow of energy is stopped or dead through certain parts of the body. Aura, working on physical recovery, cannot help it. Just a bit to clarify things a little.

He was going to die. The wire of the whip cut into his neck and he was going to die.

This sucked. This really sucked and he felt like he was helpless, the flickering burst of lightning shot through the whip's cutting edge shocking him again, as the power inside him shot through the wire, and the Faunus woman's eyes went wide before she was blasted away. He could feel power flow through his body, tendrils and arcs of lightning flickering over his skin, the power that had flowed through him four times, the warmth of his Aura coming, as he felt his hands slowly raise, the Faunus woman getting up again.

The resulting thunder crack shattered the windows of this side of the hospital as the body of the woman was blasted through the wall, Jaune's consciousness gone after that burst of energy, only faintly aware of the pain that had shot through his whole body receding once more, leaving him mostly in a room that looked like it had a hurricane go through it, a lightning-whip still wrapped around his neck.

"WHAT THE FLYING FUCK, ADAM?"

Sienna Khan was not happy. The kick was a little more enthusiastic as it came down and someone's bone fractured. Nothing that she could care about, as she looked at the Scroll. There was screaming in the background, but that didn't matter, the boyfriend was in danger, according to Beef Horns McAdam.

"HOW IN THE NAME OF- No, don't even go and bring that up, you little beef barbecue, I should beat the ever-loving shit out of you for even letting him get close to some psycho bitch, no matter how badly she fed you your mom's milk, you little whiny little- Oh no you fucking don't."

That was a broken foot after she stomped down, but she didn't really care. The whimpering form in the chair was definitely not going to be walking in any coherent way, her eyes looking at the two assistants that had been making sure that the guy was there to remain in the firm graces of her hospitality, as she stalked out from the little special place, continuing her conversation, changing into a jacket that wasn't made splatter-proof.

"No, I want you to get the guy to someplace sa- actually, just let me contact Willow for a bit, seriously, does Eve know that Ilia tried to barbecue-"

The response from Adam was very silent, and she felt annoyance rise. Jaune was still alive, that was sure, but lizard girl definitely had to face consequences for her actions. It would be normal if it was a regular situation, but the girl didn't even know whether Blake wanted it. You just didn't interfere in the great game, or else you got punished.

"Get the body of the girl and break her arms and legs. Put it down as 'keeping her unable to hurt the poor guy.' I need to have words with her. I'm in my right."

She pulled up the contact list and just hit the button, the call connecting. It took a few moments, as the connection settled.

"High Leader Khan, what can I-"

Willow was formal. That was a thing, she supposed.

"Alright, Schnee. Been a little accident at the hospital with that whole shared little bastard that we've got laid up there as a PR stunt, I'm remanding him to your care for the foreseeable future. Get him a room somewhere nice and cosy and I'll be grateful, and maybe cut you a sweet deal for the future of Faunus and Human relations, okay?"

She could see Willow's face for a moment as Sienna grabbed one of her bodyguards, nearly throwing him at the car, the man able to brace himself before he slammed into the vehicle, a snarl coming from her lips.

"Fucking open the door for me and get me to Vale General before I rip off an arm, you fucking bastard son of a slug. I've got to do what Khan does best, and that means making sure that we don't come across as murderous animals!"

Sienna paused for an instant in her language, as she sighed and then spoke up.

"He's your charge now, Schnee."

This was a tragedy. She couldn't even trust Tweety and Sylvester with the safety of her man, and now she had to get herself to the place without even being able to freshen up a little after that bastard got his right due.

'God damn it, I need a dick and a drink. I'm just tempted to go and bring myself the liquor bar to get ready. Damage control, some more damage control, reparations… Ugh… This is going to cut into the budget, and Eve will be beating Adam to a pulp when she hears… Which I will do next. Seriously, he's sluggish when it comes to that, and now Ilia decided to park her flat ass on the curb.'

She dialled the number on her Scroll, spraying herself with something perfume-like, just to get the blood out of her scent, replaced with something flowery. Sienna Khan did not smell like some basic-bitch who wanted some dick after committing murder on some poor fool who was to be pitied.

"Helloooo Sienna! You'll never guess who Jaune's sister is, an-"

Her unamused face looked at a cheery-faced Eve, who was currently wearing a hot pink shirt with 'Moo Milk' on top, one of the Faun-Chic brands that'd been commercially successful. Of course, the Faunus people did earn a good slice of it back. One had to maintain multiple streams of income.

"Why the fuck aren't you at Jaune's side, beef burger!?"

She'd be brusque and bold, as Eve glanced away, and Sienna could see someone who looked quite a lot like Jaune stand there in the background, wearing a deep blue shirt with 'Hot Animal' on the front of it.

"Well, Adam said he'd be able to handle it. Fatty, Leery and Screechy aren't much of a threat, so… eh, I went shopping? Jaune's sister wanted to have some advice, and I am-"

The glare turned a little more arctic in nature. This was not good.

"Ilia Amitola decided to execute Jaune for impeding on her territory for Blake."

Eve's skin turned pale like milk. Sienna felt a faint hint of 'yeah, suffer' that may just be a bit of her cruel nature taking a hold of her thoughts, but it was still nice to see someone realize how bad they fucked up.

"Oh gods… Oh gods- what… She'd do it too, she was an infiltration specialist, and we just… Is he okay? Sienna, you crazed bitch, is he okay?"

'Okay, we may be friends, but I still deserve some damn respect, moo-burger.'

"Considering he apparently blew up half of the room according to Adam, he's still intact, but unconscious. I'm about…"

She glanced at the device built into the car that told them how long it'd take to get to the hospital. Twenty minutes, with good traffic.

"Thirty minutes out from the hospital, trying to come up with a damn good reason for why someone decided to off Jaune Arc. Angry lesbian doesn't fucking count, even if I should've just barred her from the whole thing. You know how far crazy bitches will go for that guy, Eve and you left him alone with Adam! Just because I beat twelve bitches into a coma, it doesn't mean you can go off parading that fat cow bunch over and making nice with the damn sister! GET YOUR ASS OVER THERE AND GUARD HIM WITH YOUR LIFE, COW TITS!"

She was already puzzling how to sell it to the media. This was a big disaster. The hospital would need to have damages paid, Ilia Amitola would need to be bailed out from Vale prison and there would need to be something investigated about how she could've gotten into Vale without the proper passports.

Nobody assassinated the guy that was giving Khan the hot hard shafting she needed, and she'd need to come up with a damn good excuse now, because this just complicated stuff. She wanted to get fucked, not to be seen as some wicked bitch who just made life difficult for the poor guy.

She had needs!

Jaune slowly woke up to the sound of someone asking him whether he was okay, whether he could speak. A doctor in a white coat was standing at his bedside, a set of glasses on his nose, and he immediately realized that he was in a different room and that there was something wrapped around his neck, a brace of sorts.

"Mister Arc? Are you aware?"

He cleared his throat, and he felt someone push a bottle against his lips, Camellia's face looking worriedly as she made him drink. He swallowed and let the water cool his throat.

"Yes, I'm… Yes. What happened?"

There was a serious look on the man's face, as he cleared his throat, the room looking different still, as he felt how his whole body seemed to shiver. His throat felt a little raw.

"You were attacked by a woman who thought you were trying to take her girlfriend away. It is through Mister Taurus' Semblance that you were spared. Rest assured that the perpetrator is in custody and that there are steps undertaken to ensure your safety, Mister Arc."

That was a factual statement, but it still wasn't something that made him feel really happy. The woman had tried to kill him, and he was definitely going to be asking some very prying questions to Sienna about how Blake was involved. There was liking him, but this was just ludicrous.

"Gee, you'd think that they'd actually inform me about being in a relationship. I'm… I'm glad I'm safe, at least."

He didn't see Adam or Eve, but Camellia and her friend Mint were at his sides, as the doctor went through a few of the things that they wanted to test with him, and he flexed his fingers a little, the little snap-crack of his knuckles making the doctor look all excited.

"Some motion in the hands… well, it seems like there was at least some improvement after that explosion. The oxygen tank in the corner of the room apparently ruptured due to Mister Taurus' Semblance activating, so you were put in a different room. Can you try to move your hands a little? Try raising them s- yes, very good."

It hurt to move them, but he could raise his hands a little, even if they felt like weak little match-sticks, the look on the doctor's face somewhat relieved, as the man started to go through a few tests, Jaune's patience slowly eroding with the repetitive actions.

"Good. Now, you will be transferred to the custody of the Schnee Dust Company, as Sienna Khan has indicated on the forms that she filled in. Due to circumstances, she feels it is no longer valid for the White Fang to offer their protection, or… well, something. I am sure that she has her r-"

The door was busted open and the aforementioned Faunus entered, fully bombastic and there, her golden-orange eyes looking at the doctor, her frown and frustrated face looking like it came right to the point of near-explosion.

"I'm done waiting. You, Arc."

The finger that pointed at him was like she wanted to stab it straight through the heart, her attention directed at him completely, to the exclusion of others, her mouth opening for a moment before she let her eyes go over the others.

"You other guys who aren't named Jaune Arc, get the hell out of the room for five minutes. Shoo."

The doctor looked at the woman but didn't complain as he left, his sister and her friend getting up.

"Hold the fuck up, jungle queen! Who died and made you a goddess?"

His sister Camellia's voice was fairly heated, as Sienna's gaze turned fiercer.

"Yeah, what makes you any better, you defiler of bloodlines and murderous bitch? We're not budging from his side, and you'll have to bring your whole horde of animal barnyard bitches in to drag us out! If that tranny didn't try to murder him, I'd have fewer problems with it, but you're-"

Sienna's hand went to her whip, at her side right now, the woman's eyes narrowing and fixing Mint with a glare that made the woman shut up immediately. Sienna could be fierce when she wanted it.

"I at least have breasts, Miss Julep. There are some things that a Faunus must do towards one they owe a debt to, as we take certain parts of our culture very seriously. An astute scholar of history might find that several of such missteps were what led to the Revolution. Now, scram. I need to do formal stuff that I hate."

His sister made a soft hissing sound at Sienna, who only glared back at her, about to enter another tirade.

"Hey, sis? Just… let her do what she has to do. If Blake's dad, the chieftain of Menagerie, could be more than civil with me, let's just assume that Sienna is not going to lay a hand on me. It's okay, and if she tears my head off it's on me."

Sienna frowned at him, pointing that pointing finger at him as if he'd done something wrong. She spoke with an offended tone of voice, much like when she was going to get herself something to worry about in the privacy of her office, usually involving him sans clothing.

"Hey! I'm not going to tear your head off, human! I'd like it to remain on your shoulders, after Amitola decided that she was going to be a bad bitch. It's bad enough that I've got to do what I have to."

His sister and her friend didn't look very happy at the thought of Sienna Khan doing that. He sighed, trying to touch his sister a little. It felt nice to touch her again. Nothing like being laid in bed whilst your nervous system needed wire changes. He felt safer than he had before, as Sienna could be trusted, smiling at her.

"It'll be fine, Sis. If she's going to go and be a wicked big pussycat, I'll eh… become a tiger tamer."

Mint actually laughed at that, as his sister's death glare intensified. Sienna's death glare met his sister's. This was absolutely great. Yep.

"He will not have a Faunus for a wife as long as I live, Khan. Stay with your stinking paws off my brother, you beast."

Camellia was protective, he supposed, as Sienna sighed deeply and closed her eyes, taking the time to count to five or something, and his sister just started to cuss her out. He slowly moved his hands, trying to get himself in a better position. It wasn't something to really be fussy about, but he wanted to try.

"I'll try to contain my urge to make him feel the grace of the High Leader, Miss Arc. Now let me do the formalities and then you can have your woman-friend be all nurturing to him next."

Jaune looked at Mint, and he was aware that Camellia also did that, Mint's mouth kept tightly shut, as the glare was kept on the woman's face, as his sister left, seemingly following his plea for them to leave.

Sienna waited for half a minute before she started to shed the jacket, hanging it off the bed and looking into his eyes for a long moment as the blouse joined it. The sight of Sienna's nude upper body was enough to rouse him a little, the sheets tenting slowly again as he felt himself wake up down below.

"Good, that still works. That's the most important part, yes. Alright… One moment."

She knelt before the bed, out of sight, her hair and ears visible above the edge of the bed, as he slowly pushed himself up into a half-seated position, the pain hurting. He couldn't move his legs, but getting up somewhat was a possibility, which was a large improvement already.

"For that which has been done by a child of the Faunus, under the words of the forebears, I apologize and lower my head before you, maligned one."

The bow was something formal, as Sienna did it three times, before she rose, the whip flicked out, and flicked. He closed his eyes, hearing the meaty sound of something being hit by it and hearing Sienna hiss in pain.

Opening his eyes, he saw the hooked parts of the whip pull out of the flesh, as she pulled it out, bleeding red marks on her skin.

"Blood paid for the failure."

Another flick and the woman's whip snared around her upper body, blood coating the Dust-coated tip, as she pulled the hooked whip out of her flesh, a slow exhale, as her eyes looked into his own.

"Punishment for my failure."

She looked at him for a moment, telling him with her eyes not to interfere, as the whip hit her again, tears coming to her eyes, as she pulled the whip off her skin and looked into his eyes.

"I have informed Willow that she is to seize custody of you. It has come to my attention that I must lay down the law once more to those who stray from the path that the Faunus tread after we gained our Rights. This is not the way of the Faunus. Those who are within the battle do not deserve to have their prize snagged by one who craves another."

He… really didn't get it. At all.

"Does that mean that Eve and Adam won't be around?"

She frowned at him, walking over. He could see a bloodied mark on her right breast, the bust wobbling a little, as a finger pointed at him.

"No, you get to see the two of them join you. It's obvious that Eve seems to have let a few stitches loose with her guard, so she will need to be reminded of her spot in the world. You are able to move somewhat again. Soon, I will find that you will be able to move again and then I will show you how Khan rewards her man."

She was in need. That look of 'I want you to do horrible war crimes against my pussy with your invading spear, Jaune Arc' that smouldered with the thought of that love that she showed. She was silly to even think that he would want to do it with anyone else than her or Willow, or maybe Yang. He wanted to be better soon.

"Prepare yourself. When you can walk again, I am going to make you stop being able to walk for a week. After I've given you your pound of flesh, you will be giving Willow hers. A woman has needs! You fool! Think about how worried I am for your health!"

She pulled her blouse on again, wincing at the touch of the fabric against the bleeding wounds and she definitely hadn't been wearing a bra, the jacket pulled back on as she gave a sour look at him.

"I'm glad to hear that you're at least concerned for me. Can I get a kiss for good luck?"

She was at his side in a flash, and her lips pressed against his own in a passionate kiss, her eyes closed as she did, her tongue invading his mouth, the smell of blood clinging to her, as her blouse started to stain further, he undoubtedly knew. She pulled away, looking into his eyes.

"Be a fucking man. My man does not sit weakly in a bed and allows all other bitches to come and take a sniff. I'll make sure that you get what you deserve. Amitola survived, whatever you did."

He held up a hand, a small arc of lightning flickering between his fingers, an instinctual pulse of that power, as he felt it collect around his fingers.

"Nice trick. Well, at least you can turn on a lightbulb. Now go and get better."

She was out of the room after a moment, her fine rear visible and the lightning pulled back into his fingers. He sighed softly as Camellia and Mint returned, his erection slowly fading again.

"What did the big bad tiger queen want?"

It was Camellia asking that question and he sighed even deeper.

"To deliver an apology, Faunus-style. She did a whole formal bow and stuff."

His older sister nodded.

"Backwards cultures have those habits. Some cultures are better than other, and Mint will take care of your needs, if you want her to. We've had words, and it's better to let you be with a human than with a dirty filthy Faunus cow."

'I somehow don't think that Eve would be very happy if you called her filthy.'

He could move again somewhat with his upper body, and he shifted a little.

"Now, Adam and Eve aren't too bad. They're downright pleasant people, especially with how they're staying around to keep me safe from the big bad Faunus crowd that seems to want me dead."

Mint frowned at him and hissed softly something under her breath that sounded like 'ugly cows' but Camellia just looked at him.

"I'm afraid for your health, Jaune. What if the monsters come and take you and eat you?"

'That's terribly racist. Faunus don't eat babies…'

He didn't think Sienna would eat babies. Kali looked pleasant enough. Ghira looked nice, in a stoic-silent way, and Blake… yeah, if she was going for him, he'd have to say no. She was just bad for your health, and Sienna had flogged herself in front of him.

"I don't think they will…"

The meeting had gone off without a hitch, even with Sienna Khan appearing as an unforeseen guest, annoyed and biting, as usually was the case with her. She was on the Scroll with people immediately, contacting the hospital about the transfer of Jaune Arc. It was half of her company's money that she was investing into the care for Jaune Arc, to the world more to make it look like a PR stunt, to show that the Schnee Dust Company did not let innocents suffer anymore.

"I want the VIP section of the medical wing ready to receive Jaune Arc, considering that Sienna Khan has so graciously decided to dump him into our lap."

She wasn't going to give up on the special gear that would've been required for quadriplegics to walk again. It would be a humanitarian benefit, but Jaune Arc seemed to have been revitalized somewhat. A thought came to her lips about a night-time visit, with a very scanty set of clothing, perhaps a nurse outfit of sorts… But that might just bring too much attention to her impressive interest in the young man.

Already, she felt like there was an opportunity there. A little hint of things that were yet to come, something to show the young man that he had the affection of the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company.

If he was recovering…

A small smile traced along her lips as she let her tongue slide over her teeth. Her eyes met the young man currently seated at a small desk in the corner of the room, working on the financial reports.

"Mister Sleazy, I leave you to the financial reports whilst I go and instruct your fellow contenders for the seat. At the Schnee Dust Company, we will only take the best."

The young man spoke with a clear tone of voice, which was a blessing due to people these days just mumbling their words, saying that he'd work hard on them.

'At least we're not at the level where we need to find a ditch to bury people in…'

She walked through the halls of the headquarters, Olav behind her, the man's eyes looking for dangers, the faint click of her heels on the floor like a steady rhythm as she made her way towards the car that she used for her formal appearances somewhere. She wore her business suit, which made her look officially in-function, before she stepped into the car and was driven to her next appointment, which had originally been scheduled with the others at the other location. A schedule had to be kept, even if the man you loved was in the hospital, under assault by rabid Faunus women.

She entered the room, immediately looking at the other four members of the hopefuls that wished to be getting the position of being her assistant. Young faces, around twenty to thirty, still holding the hopes of the world, and she snapped her fingers.

"Mister Grass, step forward, please."

There was a pause as the young man did, the dark brown hair and silver-tinted accents on the dark blue clothing that he wore with the SDC badge on the front, giving a small nod, remaining silent.

"You will focus on the Mining department, with a focus on Vacuo. I wish to see results, as well as an increase in productivity, Mister Grass. I have read in your file that you were second to graduate in the Mining studies, so I am leaving it to you for a period of two weeks, under Mister Minioni."

The eager assistant stepped back after a quiet 'Thank you, Miss Schnee.' was given, her attention going to the others and assigning them their specialities. She paused for a moment with Sable Arc as the sole remaining member of the interns that hadn't been addressed.

"You will liaise with all of your fellow interns and gather their results and parse it into a workable format that is easy to read. I expect daily reports, Miss Arc."

The young woman, with her short shoulder-length hair and blue eyes, winced, whilst the others looked relieved that they hadn't been given the task. It was asking much of the young woman, but she would be fair.

To avoid nepotism, she had delivered the hardest job to the young woman, in order to ensure that there could be only merit. If she failed, she failed. If she succeeded, she would have the skills to manage a Kingdom given time.

"Of course, Miss Schnee. I'll get the first report on your desk tomorrow morning."

Willow thought about that for a moment before she adjusted her schedule just a little bit.

"The day after tomorrow, Miss Arc. I do not expect you four to be immediately up on top of the critical information, so you will have a one-day grace period."

The woman's Scroll went off, a cheery little musical number on the violin, the woman's face colouring bright red at the shame of being called on duty, as Willow sighed and motioned for the woman to answer it.

"Mom, what? I'm kind of in an important meeting, and- Oh god, they what?"

Willow's face was as expressionless as her oldest daughter was possible to make it, on duty. There was only a smooth coolness, as a rushed conversation took place. She could see the other members of the eager intern five give her looks that were both pitying as well as somewhat self-satisfied at the gaffe. Interrupting the boss during a briefing was a big no-no.

"Miss Schnee, I'm sorry, my brother is in the hospital and-"

She held up a hand to forestall the barrage of apologies.

"I am aware, Miss Arc. My husband was the unfortunate victim of a lightning strike together with Mister Arc. I am well aware of your brother's misfortune, and Sienna Khan has handed him over to me as a responsibility. You may visit him when he is properly placed in the Schnee Dust Company VIP Medical Ward in the main building, if you can fit it in your lunch break. The Schnee Dust Company desires that you do your job. Personal feelings can be left at the front door, Miss Arc."

A harsh lesson for some, but not for one who would work as a division head. She could see Sable Arc's eyes firmly meet hers as the woman nodded in understanding, the determination and drive that the woman had being something that her younger brother also showed.

"Of course, Miss Schnee. I will do my best, thank you for your understanding."

She nodded. She was very understanding of a young man's nature. She was not the type to send racy pictures of herself, but the thoughts of her own devising were much more thrilling.

"We are a company which is filled with pride, Miss Arc. Under my husband, we may have had some damages in our public appearance, but we are still a company with a storied history. Gentlemen, young lady? I wish you good luck, and I wish to see your stars shine within my company."

She left then, getting ready for the next appointment, ready to be held in the main building, the meeting with the Vacuo-based manager through a communication link that would be remaining open for the Mistral head of operations to join three hours within the call.

'I really don't like having to do all this by myself… But someone has to do it.'

Jaune's eyes could see Eve's frantic expression as she burst in the room, her impressive bust wobbling and bouncing still, the shirt that she wore like the one before, obviously having ran over here or something like it. He didn't see Salmon, but he figured that Eve would have been faster, being Huntsman-trained.

"Are you okay? No, your neck, that's not good. That stupid no-chest bitch! I should've really put a stop to that uppity behaviour, if I find her, I'm going to shove my staff right in her bowels and then make her into a-"

His mother was making a face that showed clearly how much she disapproved of such language, Eve's breathing still heavy, even with Sienna having departed only ten minutes before, Mint and Camellia having been at his side the whole time. She was worried, nearly nudging Mint out of the way, her eyes worried.

"Okay, I'll tone it down. Are you alright? Baby-moo couldn't do a thing according to Sienna, and I didn't think to call him."

Adam's face fell, as Jaune looked at him with a questioning look. There was a faint flush of red around his face, as he fiddled with the hilt of his katana.

"Baby-moo?"

Adam didn't answer, even as his mother's fussing turned once more to how he was properly laid up. Camellia spoke up.

"Miss Schnee apparently will take care of things, Jaune. We'll make sure that you don't have to suffer any more of these bovine brutes."

Eve made a sound in the back of her throat, her eyes flashing angrily.

"Now wait a damn fuc- darn second, I'm not budging from Jauney boy's side. If some bitch nearly got his top off without Baby-Moo to interfere, it's obviously going to be a bodyguard's job that I'll be taking up on him. I may do acting, but I'm also a licensed bodyguard! I went to school for that stuff."

Camellia and Mint started into a two-pronged offensive, their terminology not very kind, and Jaune grabbed his mother's hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Maybe I'll get to see Sable, mom. She works at the SDC, doesn't she?"

His mother nodded, as Mint's rather screechy voice started to talk about 'befouling the air' and Camellia joined it in her anger, Eve's face rather unflappable, totally ignoring the two. Salmon arrived, looking like she'd just power-walked her way, three shopping bags under an arm. There was definitely something about Salmon as she just dumped the bags on Saphron's lap, his sister having remained mostly silent about the events, even if she had been worried. She'd been on the Scroll with Terra, talking about things, even with Camellia and Mint looking like they had serious issues with the Taurus in the room.

"I'm sure that she'll get a moment to see you, dear. Now… I've brought something."

'Oh dear…'

A small set of candles, and he glanced the price tag and winced a little, the herbal essences sticker that'd been put on the side meaning that it was pricy stuff.

'That's a good hundred Lien for… four candles? Promotes healing in injured… Who even buys that crap?'

Food was going to be tight for the family, he guessed. His mother, bless her heart, was a great woman, but her spending on things was just a common theme in things. He firmed his shoulders and cleared his throat.

"Cammy, Mint? Please… shut up, okay? If Eve had wanted to do anything bad to me, don't you think she would've done something to me already?"

Eve nodded. Her mammaries bounced with that fierce nod.

"I have standards! I'm a professional, so if I'm told to stay put, I stay put, ensuring that your cute butt is kept safe. Adam knows he's my number two, so I'm just here to guard your brother. If he wants to grab these babies and make em into a juggling pair, he's more than welcome to."

His mother wasn't too charmed by the comment, but he watched Camellia's face change a little, shaking her head slowly. She was usually swayed by the arguments he proposed, probably out of sisterly love for him. He hoped that it was sisterly love, at least.

"Mint, just… just let the cow rest, okay? Jaune's said his piece and we can't exactly say that we'll achieve much with the animal."

Eve gave a little self-satisfied sound, as Salmon spoke up.

"Sooo… Jaune, care to tell me how you manage to nearly get killed by a Faunus again?"

He tried to shrug, but a jolt of pain shot through his lower body at the feeling of his muscles protesting against the move.

"I was in the way of her dating prospects? I mean, Faunus aren't exactly subtle with their affections."

It was a thing that was noticeable around Sienna. It would be fine one moment and then the next he'd be faced with Sienna with a pouty look on her face, jerking at his clothes and kissing him. Mercurial moods seemed to be a constant, though Eve was more or less someone who didn't seem to be too influenced by them.

"That girl's been into girls for a decade. Her crush on Blake is probably the worst-kept secret that was around, and she never really dared to approach Blake about it because of her father's position in society as well as Blake being still immature."

There was an 'ick' from Salmon and Saphron, Eve shrugging softly at the implications she was giving.

"We don't think like you do. That's well-understood. That's why we've got Human Studies class, back at Menagerie. Everyone who's going to be an adult will need to know how to interact somewhat civilly with humanity."

Camellia coughed. Eve turned her gaze to Camellia.

"Arial never had to take them when he was younger. He was Kingdom-born. That filthy animal left me."

Eve frowned, her lips mouthing something, but not really doing much to deny it, her hand brushing through her hair.

"We are Atlas-born, but Menagerie is our home in spirit. It's the only Kingdom that has our race as nearly ninety-nine percent of the population, so it's… We can't put it in words that are easy to understand, you know? Sometimes, it's just an urge that you can't control."

Eve was much more socially apt than Adam, whose brooding look seemed to go and be the face of the Faunus in the room, Eve's eyes sliding to him.

"This guy, here… Faunus envy him. Men will want to be like him, strong and decisive, something that draws the eyes. He's… hmm, how do I put it… He's like a slice of a very delicious cake, and you'll want that cake. You crave it, because it's a cake that's made for the best."

Camellia hissed softly.

"My brother is not a piece of meat! He's a young man who doesn't need to pollute his bed with some stupid animal making a mess!"

Saphron sighed loudly and grabbed Camellia's ear, tugging on it. Mom wasn't much for discipline, but Saphron definitely wore the pants in the household that she ran.

"Camellia, quit it. Eve wouldn't dare make a mess, just because she's a Faunus. She's been nothing but a pleasant young woman, and I won't let you make fun of one of Jaune's friends."

Camellia struggled a little as Saphron tugged her ear, trying to shake herself loose.

"Ah, Saph, no, she's evil! She'll make him pay for her babies! He'll die poor, paying for a whole herd of cows!"

Eve's eyes looked like they were about to catch fire and he knew that he had to do something, before Eve did a Sienna and actually leapt at Camellia. Faunus were a little touchy about their children, so he was sure that Sienna might actually just leap into the grand melee to make Camellia into a Camelliaburger.

A snap of the fingers and a thundercrack sounded, making the Faunus wince due to the loudness of the sound, as he tried to square his shoulders, his eyes looking at the two women.

"Shut it, ladies. Camellia, Eve isn't going to get my babies, and Eve, you're not doing some kind of performative art piece with my older sister. Camellia, Eve may tease a whole damn lot and she may just have a bit of fun because she likes to see you two get all heated, but I am not going to go and make a friend of mine just suffer a barrage of abuse just because one asshole soured you to a whole race of people."

He was getting really tired of it, but now at least, he felt like he wasn't in mortal danger. It had been dangerous to speak up when he had been paralyzed and helpless. Someone who was angry could just snap his neck if they tried, and he'd be helpless. He'd seen what sort of anger Sienna could wield, especially if she was let loose on television. She was a menace when she got it in her mind that she should be a 'bad-ass boss bitch', which was fun in its own way, but also not so fun.

"But she'll make you breed with her! That's what Faunus do, they just annihilate humanity where they can!"

He wasn't having it anymore, knowing that Camellia had been hurt by her ex leaving her with the baby in her womb, but it was just too damn much. It had to be a battlefield of ideology every damn time that the Liga people opened their mouth… almost a little like Adam had been, before he'd become the nice guy that he was now.

"Adam and you sound the same, back before when he was off his medication. He was all 'humans, raahhh, they're evil!' and wanted to have some sort of Faunus paradise where Humans didn't exist."

Adam had the grace to look a little embarrassed, his blue eyes looking out of the window, a deep reflective look on his face. Saphron tugged on Camellia's ear, another 'oww!' coming from her lips.

"Stop being silly, Camellia. Mom, I'm taking Camellia and Minty out for something to cool their spirits. Seriously, I can get where they are coming from, but you've got to keep in mind people not being the damn same, Cam."

Mint and Camellia were evacuated by Saphron, his mother giving a bright smile directed towards Adam and Eve.

"I apologize for my daughter's words, dears. She's just a little sad, but her best friend is just a teensy bit too vocal at times. The dears are always off doing the right thing when Camellia works, and I am worried that she'll never find a good boy to settle down."

'Yeah… About that…'

He could see Eve getting ready to dismiss the topic, a nurse appearing from the door, the man's face serious and stern, though the dark brown eyes seemed to be warm and friendly, a contrast.

"I'm here to pick up Mister Arc for his transfer to the Schnee Dust Company's medical wing. Please allow me, Misses Arc. "

His mother was just mumbling something now, as he was helped out of his bed and into the wheelchair, the weight of his limbs a little more comforting, as he tried to move his legs, only to see no results from it, one of the bands around his wrists removed, the nurse making short work of it, the loose pants that he'd woken up wearing after he'd blacked out pulled up a little to make him more comfortable, as the nurse continued with the basic check-up stuff, his doctor coming to wish him a pleasant day and to wish a speedy recovery.

'Willow wouldn't spare much in medical expense…'

"I hope we can afford this… Willow Schnee isn't someone you can just easily brush off…"

His mother sounded worried, as Eve and Adam shared a look before they shrugged, Jaune's head turning to Salmon, whose hands were shifting through the bags of clothing stores that he knew belonged to high-end stores.

"She said that she would take care of costs, mom. It's her husband that Jaune got char-grilled with, and undoubtedly she feels a little bit of responsibility for the poor guy for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Eve's Scroll rang, and the woman turned away to answer it, her curt manner of address clearly meaning something important was being discussed, as his mother gave a soft 'ah' and then started to talk to the nurse about how long it would take for him to be ready.

'Well, Willow always did say that she'd take care of me…'

Their first time at a bedroom was with her bawling her eyes out and being so drunk that she'd not really needed anything more than just someone to hold her. She'd offered him money, enough to make him stable in his finances for a while, but he'd denied her. It had spurred on this strange dance, with Sienna currently in the lead.

"Alright, it's been arranged. Adam and I will get a bed somewhere in the SDC, oh come on, Adam, it's not like you're going to be roasted above a Dust furnace or something, they're not animals over there!"

Jaune's eyes found Adam's pouting face to be amusing, as the man looked grim-featured, the woman on the other end of the line undoubtedly having been either Willow or one of her assistants.

"I don't like em."

Adam's branding was something that he could imagine to be an impediment to good relations with the Schnee Dust Company. As he was rolled down towards the elevator ten minutes later, his mother at his side, he let the faintest smile stay on his face at the thought of being once more in the good graces of the woman who he had freed from her husband's snare.

'I wonder what happened to Blake's eh… love interest.'

He hadn't asked.

"Mister Arc is present within the medical facility, Miss Schnee."

The news was good news, she supposed, as she glanced at her video conversation with Sienna, the woman currently sat in her office, the latest motion for more Faunus-Human cooperation already firmly discussed. The bottom line was important as well, as the costs had to be kept at a minimum. She wasn't running a charity here, she knew.

"Good. I will see whether I can free some time in my schedule to see the young man."

She knew that she'd have time later tonight, but it would be some sort of sacrifice of sleep. Worth it, she supposed.

At thirty minutes past twelve, she arrived at the medical ward, flashing her identification, Olav behind her as a guardian bear, her eyes catching sight of a redheaded man currently stretched out over one of the chairs, a big-breasts redhead currently busy reading something from a pocket novel, her eyes glancing up at her, the blue eyes recognizing her immediately.

"Good evening, Willow."

The family had been there to visit the young man, she'd heard, and it was time for her to be personally present, striding to his bedside, aware of the way things were going to go between Sienna and herself.

"Jaune."

She sat down in the chair at his bedside and felt his strong hand in her own, leaning forward to deliver a soft kiss to his cheek, slowly pushing forward with her lips to his own, meeting them for a soft sensual motion, the kiss lasting longer than before, her eyes meeting with his own as the blue depths felt deeper by the moment that their kiss lasted, a shudder going through her lower body at the frustration inside her.

"I'm still okay. She didn't kill me."

Willow was glad for that. Her hand brushed over his cheek, all pretence of being coy around him for today lost in a flash of desire, as her lips pressed against his own again, the feeling of his hand against her scalp, brushing through her hair.

"I was worried."

Not so worried that she'd immediately rush to his side. Sienna would not lie to her, but she had known the woman for long enough to determine her state of being. Sienna was much more explosive in her anger if the health of Jaune was in question.

"I'll try not to get killed by angry lesbians, Willow. I don't even like Blake like that."

Willow nodded. That made sense, that made great sense, and she wasn't going to be taking the time out of her schedule to hunt down the girl if Sienna hadn't. Willow Schnee was not a woman who could be taken lightly, because she wielded power in the world.

"You should not wish for anything but the best, Jaune. My son sees you as an elder brother, and my daughters will know that it is their mother who claims you. I am a woman, whilst they are my children." Her hand slid down low, grabbing a hold of his groin, just to outline what she wanted.

"This is mine and Sienna's, and they are not going to take it from us."

She could hear Eve give a snicker and she threw a heated look at the woman.

"I'll fuck him in front of you, bargain-bin cow. Sienna told me about how you're behind me. I hold a superior claim."

Eve's face darkened for some reason as Willow's head turned to her and her fingers brushed a little up and down over him, a teasing smile on her lips.

'Let's see how the good cow resists…'

He would be hers, and she would make sure that he would remain hers, as long as he could be. Her fingers slid down, touching his groin, the urge inside her welling up to shed all pretence… but that would mean actually letting her word be worth nothing. She wished a man to take her who was fully capable of his bodily functions of screwing a Schnee. But fifty percent functionality was already an advancement in his favour. People who had such extensive nerve damage usually had lasting complications, which was something that she didn't really wish to see with Jaune.

"A superior claim…"

She leaned a little closer, letting her tongue trace over his cheek, his breathing a little deeper. The young man hadn't had a chance to get himself all relieved during his hospital stay, undoubtedly. Her fingers continued to wriggle and work, manipulating the manly stave through the cloth and the sheet that covered his lower body.

"Does it feel good, Jaune? It's been a while, hasn't it?"

She heard the soft gasp, could feel how he stiffly bucked a little against her. Such control, such power, and he wasn't going to use it yet. A bit of a teaser… something to remind herself of when she was in her bed later, aware that he would be thinking of her.

"Hmmm, it's been a while for me as well. I want you."

He breathed heavily, as the Faunus merely stared in strict observance, her fingers sliding down into the space between his legs, nails raking over the sheets.

"My… Such an oppressive little sight. That looks like something that I'd like to plant a flag on, mister Arc…"

She was horrible, she knew. A little flick of the finger and he shuddered, just as a pent-up man should be. Two weeks without release… She might have jumped him already, if she wasn't a moral woman who had discipline and self-control.

Her index finger brushed up and down slowly.

"Or perhaps…"

A little pat, and she could feel how it quivered, her fingertip pushing against it.

"Perhaps you'd rather like to get better, so that I can show you what a Schnee can give you, compared to the girls that I call daughters. I am a strong woman, Mister Arc…"

Her fingernail scratched the head and he made the most adorable whimpering sound. If he hadn't been bed-bound, she could imagine him throwing her onto the bed and giving her what she had earned for her love…

Her tongue slid slowly over her lips, as the red lipstick made them look shiny.

"But…"

Her lips moved closer to his ear, her volume lowering.

"You're going to have to get better, Jaune Arc, or else I'll be forever out of your reach. I want to feel you grab a hold of me and never let me go. You only deserve me and my love when you are able to storm down to my office, kick down the door and ravage me on my desk…"

And the finger brushed over the lower part, at the base, before it ran up again.

"Consider it…an incentive, Mister Arc. The Schnee Dust Company only wishes for the cream of the crop…"

Her hand grabbed his junk and she squeezed it, and her eyes met his own.

"And it's CEO deserves a hero."

He breathed out sharply, as his teeth were visible for a moment before he swallowed.

"I guess I'll have to treat you like Sienna."

Willow's smile was broad as she did.

"I'm counting on it, Mister Jaune Arc. I hope to see you recovered swiftly."

She got up again, aware that he had lipstick on his lips from when she'd kissed him.

"Fuck, my pussy got wet. Adam?"

Eve Taurus spoke up, as Adam Taurus snored, blissfully unaware of the challenge that had been levelled at Jaune Arc by her. Willow Schnee departed with a little pat to her lover's head, an incentive that she'd given him… He'd have to suffer a little more, she guessed.

Sienna was all physical passion, but she knew how to stimulate the mind. She worked in bends, Sienna was right to the front and at them.

Willow Schnee was refined, classy and most certainly not getting outdone by a Faunus.

Her husband-to-be had to crave her. Jacques had been bland, but Jaune would be the spice in her life's soup.

She couldn't wait for that day when he'd kick the door down and take her like she deserved. Let it not be said that Willow Schnee's sex drive was as dead as her former husband.

Every woman desired passion from her man.

I try to update my fics once every two weeks. Sorry that that's a little slow. Writing a 9000 word chapter takes a bit of time and I don't want to have to give up quality to push out a weekly update. That wouldn't read very well, and Dance is in the final arc. I hope people are staying safe during this Corona epidemic, and I wish all of you the best these days.

Leave a review if you'd like.