REVIEWS:
Mattysteel: Thanks, man, I try. English is not my first language, and despite using Grammarly to snipe out mistakes, it always helps to have other forms of feedback. Also, regarding your wish, just ask and I shall grant it. (Nerdy - THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!)
GeraltRex: My friend, the size is up to me and me alone. Granted, there are factors to consider, but…Hey, if anyone ever wants to see one, I could make a story where Jaune literally claims all the pieces in the show. And I mean ALL of them. Maybe aside from the side characters. And old ones. (Nerdy - I don't like this idea personally. To self insert like)
Egus235: Thank you, and no worries, things with Velvet are only just beginning.
Bwooolord: Thanks man, the royalist plotline is quite interesting, and tbh, I might consider writing something focused more on something like this. Maybe a Code Geass crossover or something? (Nerdy - Please for the love of god no.)
Ghostly: Not denying, neither confirming anything.
PrepareForSomethingAmazing: I don't think I will do specials that often, but thanks for the suggestion.
Leaf Ranger: Thanks for the review like always, man.
SeanHicks: Thank you for your review, and for your pointers with the grammar and whatnot. Now, to talk about some things, the OC for Neo was implemented more as a random thing, when the story was meant more as a comedic one-shot. If you are wondering where he is from, search for his story here on my account. Ashes of Grimm. As for the ages of Jaune's sisters, the canon never gave us anything concrete on them like introducing the characters, so despite the picture, I also point out I am not the only one taking a lot of liberties with their names, age, looks, and so on. Except for Saphron, since she is the one we got the most info on, and she was even introduced into the series. As for the Qrow thing, I needed something that worked, so…There we have it.
To answer this one guest, Jaune doesn't really care what they think, but their team has been nothing but friendly towards him and his own, so he sees them as friends. It would be a shame to lose them over something like his marriage. As for the backbone part? Dude, there is a difference between a backbone and being a jerk to people who do not deserve it. When he needs to make a stand, he will. (Nerdy - Coco just needs to get some anal action. That will teach her lol)
Ok, so the next day after the entire ordeal was … Well, frankly, it WAS less stressful than the previous one, but Jaune still needed to deal with his family just for a little bit longer until they left. And by dealing with them, he literally means just waiting for them to leave and spending time with them, mainly his younger sisters. Luckily, Ruby and Yang were more than willing to help him out, which went well for his parents as well.
Even Pyrrha spent some time with the Arcs, along with Blake and, surprisingly, Emerald as well. Cinder, Salem, and Weiss, however, each did their own thing. Salem and Cinder were more mature and mainly had talks with his mother, and Weiss simply watched from a distance. Only Saphron was able to get close to her with little Adrian, which melted her heart when the baby went to her.
Amber was also spending time with them, as her recovery now allowed her to walk again. She couldn't exactly run, but this was more than enough for her to spread her wings. Getting more independence and mobility did a lot for her mood.
But something still weighted on Jaune's mind quite a bit, namely what Coco said yesterday. She might have been right in some regards, but Jaune had to admit it was very much unlike her to be acting like that. Everyone knows her as one of the most laid-back people here at Beacon, and she is usually one for 'free love' and stuff like that. Odd, yet again, and it even got Jaune to doubt his relationship with the girls and that it was even wrong by her standards.
Doubt he cast aside after he had a talk with Blake. She knew how to listen and she somehow made it relaxing to just talk to her. Despite the topic, he enjoyed spending more time with her and he was glad he had her supporting him. She was being more talkative and open herself. She even started walking around with her ears exposed more. Though he had to admit the little fuzzy things were cute when they twitched to listen to a noise.
And finally, in the evening his family left at the end of the day, giving Jaune some hugs and everyone waving goodbye. Things turned out better than originally expected, since he was still in Beacon and still an Arc, but he did lose Crocea Mors … Ruby jumped at the chance to help him design a new weapon pretty quickly. Glynda also suggested that he should see about designing his weapon as soon as possible, so Ruby took him to Beacon's forge for that.
Amber did accompany them, mostly to provide a third opinion and help.
"What about this?" Ruby asked, presenting Jaune with some already-made blueprints of some more basic weapons stored in the forge. The Beacon Forge was a place where students could either build, improve, or design weapons. It was maintained and whatnot, but the students were the ones who mostly did the crafting since they were encouraged to do so at the previous academies, a place Jaune did not attend.
Currently, he was looking at the designs for a sword, but he didn't quite like them. "No …" He replied, rubbing his face. "I am looking for a sword, yes, but at the same time, I think I should capitalize on the chance, Ruby. I mean, how often would I be able to get myself a new weapon?"
"Well, what do you have in mind then?" Ruby asked. "We can always design something."
"She is right," Amber replied, backing up Ruby. "You only need to use that big head of yours! Come on, blondie, think hard on your weapon!"
Jaune got himself thinking, looking at the other blueprints for other weapons. There were some good ones there too, including shields! However, it was like he was looking at a book written in a foreign language … Until his spark came. He looked over multiple blueprints and he felt an image form in his head. He began to put certain blueprints together and he pointed at them, eventually gesturing for Ruby to go closer "Can you combine those two designs into one singular weapon?"
"Ooohhh! I like what you are thinking, Jaune!" Ruby said, looking at the blueprints. "Hmm, a triple-form weapon. Are you sure, though? The other two forms are not exactly something that you are accustomed to, and the second one completely leaves you without the option for a shield."
Jaune smiled, bringing up another set of blueprints, this time, for armor. Ruby gasped and Amber looked confused at her reaction. "More questions?"
"Nup! None at all! I will begin making a more permanent design right away!" She darted off with her Semblance deeper inside the forge, taking the blueprints with her and leaving Amber and Jaune alone in the room.
"So, that happened," Amber said, looking at the direction Ruby ran off to. "What did you even show her?"
"Just some blueprints, nothing that complex," Jaune replied. "I will keep the rest as a surprise for everyone for when they see the weapons."
"Suit yourself, blondie," Amber said, then she looked down as an awkward silence took them. However, she had to remember the talk she had before with the council. No sex, manipulations - she was already moved in the dorms, so that was taken care of, but she needed to be careful with the former two. She was still somewhat vulnerable, so she needed to be careful. "Hey, Jaune?"
"Hm? Yes, Amber?" He replied, looking at her. Amber seemed to shuffle nervously, a bit of a blush on her face. "Are you ok? You are looking somewhat red and- … wait. Oh no … "
"What?" Amber looked at Jaune, worried.
"You are not falling in love with me, are you?" Jaune asked, and quite honestly, Amber thought she heard glass break when he did.
"H-how can you- Aren't you the dense one?!"
"Amber, when you have older sisters, you learn the signs," Jaune replied. "I am not as dense as some people give me credit for, especially after my 'wedding night'. However, I do have to say this: I am flattered that you think of me like that and everything, but as you can see I am-"
"I know, I know!" Amber replied, cutting him off. "And I am not asking you to cheat on everyone! I actually went to them first!"
"Wait, what?"
"Jaune, look. You are royalty, from what we know, and that means you are not just allowed to have as many wives as you want, but also to marry more." Amber stated, trying to get a good point built. "However, you are also … You! You are not the kind to cheat or let your eyes wander so easily to other women! But I just can't deny my feelings either … You treated me like an actual person. I became the Fall Maiden when I was still in Beacon myself, and that turned my life upside-down, I was almost a weapon to be turned on and off, but I'm a person to you … you make me feel lighter, better, and happier."
"Y-you're welcome?" Jaune replied nervously. "But, if you talked with them, then that means they are actually ok with me marrying other women? Surely, it is not that simple!"
"Actually, it is!" Ruby said as she shouted from a room nearby. She appeared before them a moment later with the use of her Semblance. "We decided to give Amber here a chance! However, she only gets one! She was imposed with conditions as well! She already moved into the dorms, where we all got to spend more time with her and better know her, but Cinder said she cannot use her current state to manipulate you. Oh! And Pyrrha forbids her from sleeping with you!"
"Y-yeah, that is pretty much the deal," Amber admitted. "Look, Jaune, I don't mean to pressure you or anything. If you do not want me, then that is alright, I won't be mad. You are already married to eight women for Brother's sake!"
"I … Ruby, is this really ok?" Jaune looked at her.
"Well, it was a majority decision with the only one not giving her ok being Weiss, but we all decided that Amber at least deserved a chance," Ruby replied. "So far, she seems to get along fine with the others, even with Cinder and Salem despite butting heads with Cinder a bit. But honestly, I was as well for some time."
"I honestly do not know what to say here," Jaune admitted, rubbing his face. "I am already pretty busy with everyone else and I am not so sure if- … Ugh, what am I saying? I only have Weiss left in my dating plan, with whom I do not know what or how to proceed seeing as she still probably hates me, but at the same time I feel like it would be highly unfair to her if I sided her for other girls right now."
"So … Is that a no?" Amber asked, fearful of the 'N-word.
"Didn't say that, it is not a denial," Jaune said, reassuring her. "If they were willing to give you a chance, Amber, then it is only fair I do the same."
"R-really?" Amber asked, stuttering a bit. "Are you sure? Brothers know I can be a real bitch at times, and I was never really that girly, and-and-"
"Hey, hey, calm down Amber." Jaune tried to keep her calm. "It's ok. It doesn't matter how you see yourself at the end of the day. If I said I am willing to give you a chance, then I will hold to my word."
"I … Thank you, Jaune." Amber smiled softly and looked down.
"Oh, this is so nice!" Ruby jumped and wrapped Amber in a hug. "You are one step closer to becoming one of us, Amber!"
"Ruby, can't breathe!"
"Huh … Now I see more of a resemblance between Ruby and Yang." Jaune said to himself.
In the meantime, as Jaune and Amber were leaving the forge, letting Ruby work on Jaune's new weapon design, Velvet was in the cafeteria, waiting for him to arrive, preferably alone. Her wish was granted when Amber, with whom he entered the room, left. She doesn't remember her, though, which got her curious, but she dismissed the possibility of Jaune being a cheater.
It was just not like him to do so! Regardless, she went to him. "Hey, Jaune!" She greeted him as she went to his table. "Mind if I take a seat?"
"Sure, Velvet, it's no issue." He replied, and Velvet sat down next to him. "How are you today?"
"I am good, thanks for asking." She replied. "But what about you? I hope Coco's little outburst yesterday evening didn't affect you too much, and I am sorry about her. I don't know what has gotten into her, to be fair, she never acted like that before!"
"No worries, I am not mad or anything. To be fair as well, her words did affect me for a bit, but luckily for me, Blake is a good listener. I am all better now." He replied, keeping himself cheerful. "But yeah, that was odd. Any idea what caused her to act like that, because it couldn't be just my current marriage, right?"
Velvet went silent for a bit, not wanting to reveal that the reason was that she herself had a crush on him and that is why Coco mainly blew up. Sure, Velvet and her team were away when all of this happened, and when they returned this was a piece of hard news, and learning that the boy she liked was married was also a hard pill to swallow, but she was not mad or anything! She didn't make any moves on Jaune or tried to confess or anything, so if anything she has no right to contest his love or anything.
Besides, she saw his wives around, and she knew them. She was friends with some of them. Well, apart from the Cinder and Salem chicks, she has yet to actually meet them, but she plans to ask around. "Vel?" Jaune called out to her, making her snap out of her thoughts.
"I-I don't know for sure, but I have some ideas." She said, lying about the real reason. "By the way, before anything, who was that girl that was with you before? I never saw her around, and she looks to be as old as a fourth-year. Is she a friend of yours?"
"Oh, that is Amber and … Honestly, the situation is complicated and I only just learned this today as well as not long ago," Jaune said, trying to explain it. However, this was Velvet he was about to say it to! Surely, she will understand and not make a fuss about it. "So, you know my wives, right?" Velvet nodded. "Well, apparently, they have their own little council and Amber has, Ummm, how should I put it? Made a request to join them?"
"Oh, well, I don't see how that is so bad-"
"Velvet, I didn't mean the council alone," Jaune said, which seemed to clarify it to the bunny girl as her ears went straight hearing that.
"Oh! Wait, and they agreed to this?" Velvet asked in surprise. "As in, they are ALLOWING Amber to-"
"Try and date me and possibly join their ranks as a wife? Seems so. I only just learned a small while ago, today in fact!" Jaune said, making sure they were not overheard. It is bad enough that he has so many girls already, but if the guys of Beacon heard he was still 'on the hunt for more', he might wake up with a strike team at his door!
"Oh my … " Velvet said slowly. "That is certainly a unique arrangement."
"Yup," Amber said, spooking Velvet who yelped as the older girl appeared from behind her.
"Amber?" Velvet turned to look at her.
"That's me." She moved so she was standing on the other side of Jaune. "I am here merely for some grub, but I couldn't help but notice you talking to Jaune here. Are you a friend of his?"
"Y-yes!" Velvet replied, trying not to act too suspicious. "I was actually talking with him to catch up for the most part."
"That's nice."
"And to continue our talk - I was telling her about you Amber - I do admit I was not told about their decision, and I thought it a bit unfair to Weiss due to her being the last on my date plan, but at the same time, I do not want to outright deny Amber without giving her a chance," Jaune explained. "So, here I am, likely to be wed again soon enough if that's what we both want."
"Maybe," Amber said, a blush over her face. "I am still having a hard time imagining myself in a dress, and I do not want to rush things."
"I see, I see, that is understandable." Velvet said, but in secret, her head was elsewhere in regards to her thoughts. She thought that, if Amber here could be given a chance, maybe she could get one as well? Maybe she could go to this council of theirs and ask to be given a chance, not to mention Team RWBY are her friends, so she'd have good odds they might accept her on top of Amber.
All of this information was truly enlightening, but it also gave her hope she can still be with him! Well, of course, she will need to share him, and it is not like she doesn't have her reservations about that, however, when she has doubts she knows who to go talk with to clear them: Yatsu.
"Well, Jaune, it was nice talking with you. It was nice meeting you as well, Amber." Velvet got up from her seat. "I will let you eat now, I am going to go look for my teammates. Talk to you later!"
"Cya!"
"Good day, Velvet."
Later, as she said, Velvet went to look for her teammate, Yatsu, whom she found in the yard sitting on a bench. "Hey, Yatsu!"
Yatsu turned his gaze to her. "Ah, Velvet. What can I help you with?" He asked back, trying to be polite. However, as Velvet sat next to him, he noticed she was a bit nervous. It didn't take a genius to figure out something was wrong. "Vel?"
"So, you see, Yatsu, I recently had a talk with Jaune and …"
"How did it go?"
"Well, I found out some interesting things. First off, it seems like his wives are organized in some kind of council." Velvet said, and Yatsu simply nodded his head. However, at that moment, neither of them noticed Coco walking by and hiding behind a bush and listening in on them. Overhearing Jaune's name her curiosity got the better of her.
"Hmm. I see. I heard rumors that Jaune also has a council of his own. I and Fox actually thought about joining it so we can offer our aid to him." Yatsu replied, then he got himself a cup of tea from a thermos he had in his pocket. "And the other thing?"
"Well, I apparently found out that, well, Ummm, if you ask his wives they might let you join them?" At that moment Yatsu spat out his tea, taken by surprise by her words. "Oh my Gosh, Yatsu! Are you ok?"
The giant coughed for a bit. "I am fine, Vel, I am fine. So, Jaune is possible to get married … again?" Velvet nodded. "And allow me to guess: You want in."
"WHAT?!" Coco thought to herself, screaming internally in outrage at what she was hearing.
"I … I first wish to ask you some questions first, however." Velvet said, and Yatsu, being the kind man he was, gestured to her to begin. "So, regarding Jaune's overall relationship with so many women, do you believe it is wrong for a person to have more than one partner? You know … Of that kind?"
"Of course it is!" Coco replied internally.
"Depends," Yatsu replied. "It usually depends on the culture and views that a place might have on such relationships, but last I checked, Vale is no stranger to polyamorous relationships. Compared to Mistral, where such relationships are culturally frowned upon, or Menagerie, where having multiple consorts is a sign of power rather than an action of affection, it ultimately depends on such factors along with the people involved in such relationships."
"I see … In that case, that also means non-traditional relationships are dependable on the region, right?" Velvet asked, but she continued the question. "Like, you know, two people of the same gender loving each other?"
"There is nothing wrong with loving another woman if you are a woman yourself, or being a man that loves a man, that is fine!" Coco said internally again. "However, you are supposed to only have relationships like that with only ONE person! Not EIGHT!"
"Indeed, but it also matters when they love each other, care for each other, respect each other, and treat one another as equals," Yatsu replied.
"Nicely said big guy, but I doubt Arc knows what the last one means! Or rather, I doubt he knows what any of those mean!?" Coco said to herself once again, letting her opinion on Jaune grow more and more in the worst possible way.
"Would it be fair to split your time between them? Like, how is Jaune splitting himself between his wives?" Velvet asked further.
"No you will get less time with him and you deserve better than that!"
"That is indeed an issue, but it cannot be helped nor can I answer for him in that matter," Yatsu said. "It also falls on his wives to decide between themselves. Quite frankly, this question is more complicated, Vel, as I do not know how he manages his time with his wives."
"But he does love them all, right? Can someone's heart be big enough to love more than one person, then?"
"No, Jaune doesn't have a heart at all, he only loves their bodies, otherwise he wouldn't be married to so many of them! Damn it Velvet, why can't you see that … That he doesn't care about you as much as I do." A tear ran down her face from under her glasses as she thought that, yet she remained silent behind the bushes not to get heard.
"Yes." Yatsu replied, being quite certain of that. "Love is a universal concept, Velvet, and there is no way to measure it truly. If you feel love for many people, then that means you can love multiple people."
"Gods damn it, Yatsu, stop defending the blonde with your philosophical bullshit!"
"Would they be a bad person if they had multiple partners, like how Jaune does? Would something be wrong with them?" Velvet asked.
"YES and YES! Say 'Yes', Yatsuhashi, back me up for once already!" Coco thought as Yatsu gave his next reply.
"Hmm. Not quite. As I said before, such actions are their choices, of all the parties involved. Sure, it doesn't help that there were some who wanted to divorce from Jaune at first and couldn't due to Valean law, but since Jaune is making efforts to try and make things work to the best of his ability, I think that one highly depends on the person you are referring to." Yatsu said, a smirk on his face. "You were asking all of those questions mainly to ease your doubts of what you are about to do, Velvet, I know it."
"Ok, last one!" Velvet said, then she took a deep breath, offering her last question. "Would I feel empty if I just walked away now and didn't take my chance? Would I feel incomplete?"
"Being incomplete is better than feeling empty, especially if you are stuck in a LOVELESS marriage where your husband can easily forget about you by indulging in his other women!" Coco thought to herself.
Yatsu sighed. "Quite honestly? This is Jaune we are talking about, Velvet. Sure, he might not be the perfection of masculinity, but I know he is good. You are afraid that if you do this you might end up feeling empty, unloved, afraid that his heart is not big enough for you as well. But you are also afraid that if you do not, then you will end up feeling incomplete, that you wasted your chance to be with the one your heart desires. It is a very complicated matter of the heart, and I cannot help you much as I can only advise you to do this: Follow your heart. Do what you think you have to and be happy."
Velvet smiled at Yatsu's words, but Coco, on the other hand, was not so happy as she stormed off from her hiding spot, still silent as to not draw attention to herself and without being noticed.
"Thanks, Yatsu, but … There is more to my questions." Velvet confessed.
"More?"
"I was not only asking this because of Jaune, but also because of myself." She admitted.
"Interesting," Yatsu said, then they heard the bell, signaling the beginning of classes. "Looks like our time is up. See you later at the dorms, Velvet."
"Bye, Yatsu, thank you for your help!" Velvet said as Yatsu went to class, the bunny girl looked at the time. "Sweet carrots, I am running late as well!" And then she sprinted for her own class.
It was time, yet again! The Adam Council was together, and this time, with Ozpin's help, they were not meeting in someone's room or office, but in a classroom. Unfortunately, Ironwood and Winter had to return to Atlas to take care of things there, but the General did say he will be back for the Vytal Festival. However, they had new additions, namely Fox and Yatsu from Team CFVY.
Ozpin was the one sitting at the front desk, with Jaune sitting beside it. "Alright, everyone, the recent developments were marvelous and we are nearly done with the planning and progress of the entire Dates Plan. Additionally, now that the Arc family is no longer a pending threat, we can start thinking about the last individual on our list. Then we can move on to the other, newer issues …"
"DAMN IT, ARC, KEEP IT IN YOUR PANTS NEXT TIME!" Ash shouted at Jaune, mainly to scold him. "But yeah, the Amber issue. Did all of them have the same opinion, like, how can they just say yes to this?"
"The woman's mind is an elaborate and mysterious maze, Ashie." Roman said in response to his words. "But we will get there soon. For now, let's focus on the main source of heat here. Or rather said, the source of the cold."
"Weiss …" Sun muttered.
"The ice queen of Team RWBY and the poshest girl at Beacon," Cardin remarked. "Honestly, I was hoping we wouldn't actually get to this point."
"As much as I want to disagree with Cardin's description, I have to agree," Ren stated. "Weiss has, so far, been the one to show the most amount of opposition to this."
"Everyone else has pretty much given in," Fox said.
"But she holds strong," Yatsu said, thinking. "What do we know about her?"
"The General was kind enough and possibly crazy enough considering we are foreign individuals, to inform us of Weiss' family situation on a more intimate level," Ozpin said, fixing his glasses. "Her parents met and married more for the good of the SDC business, as Jacques Gele used to be the son of an influential merchant at the time. This marriage eventually paved the way for the SDC of today, but behind the scenes, we are dealing with a powerful, corrupt man, who will stop at nothing to see his enemies crushed under his feet."
"Men like him are always predictable." Roman started with a sigh. "However, his days are numbered! Let's go, Junior, we have mass robberies to pull off."
"Actually, Roman, we need to be smarter," Jaune said, stopping the eager thief. "Look, guys, I will admit that there is no way for me to romance Weiss so easily … She is just impossible to approach right now. And fair be fair, I don't even know if taking down her father will change anything."
"But you do have a plan, don't you?" Yatsu looked at Jaune.
"Yes. As we all agreed to previously if I use my name's leverage I can make the SDC sales take a nasty dive when it comes to Huntsmen supplies. But that would also mean those Huntsmen will need another supplier until things are through." Jaune stated, getting up and pacing around the room. "The SDC is a powerful enemy to defeat in the market. They have resources, personnel, and factories all across Remnant. No meager company can defeat them, and using my name might leave Huntsmen without crucial Dust to use when fighting Grimm."
"That is indeed true, especially nowadays," Cardin remarked. "Shit, even our Scrolls are made by the SDC, using Hard-Light Dust THEY supply!"
"If the SDC falls the economy of Remnant might take a nosedive," Junior said with wisdom. "We need to be smart. We need to strike Jacques directly, not his company."
"Easier said than done!" Roman said. "That guy is surrounded by an army of bodyguards!"
"Yeah, not to mention he is all the way in Atlas, where we can literally not touch him," Sun said, but at that moment, Jaune smiled.
"Thank you, Sun, for pointing out the obvious," Jaune said, which confused them. "True, Jacques is also all the way in Atlas. But what if he wasn't anymore? Headmaster."
Ozpin smiled. "Gentlemen, the plan is to draw Jacques into Vale and make contact with Willow Schnee to get her help and support!"
"I see," Junior said. "She is the REAL Schnee here, she didn't marry into the name, meaning she has a higher claim."
"Not to mention that if her bastard husband wakes up on the bottom of the bay with concrete shoes, she can easily take over the company!" Roman said, connecting the dots further.
"Hey, but wasn't she a looney drunk?" Ash pointed out, which earned him some stares. "What? It's the truth! Even on certain public appearances, she always appears somewhat tipsy. There is no way a person like her could run a company that size with success, right?"
"Which is why we need to get her and her son, Whitley, in Vale," Jaune stressed again. "I won't lie. What we are trying to do here is take down Jacques by using his wife. There is nothing pure about this, and if anything, we are just as worst as he is by doing this-"
"Don't lump us with that fuckhead, Arc!" Cardin said, standing up. "We are trying to make things better for Weiss here! And if that means we need to aid her family, then so be it!"
Roman sighed. "Depends how we can help them. I doubt we will be able to get close to them so easily without arousing suspicion."
"How are you even going to get Jacques to Vale?" Fox asked with curiosity. "He has little reason to visit."
"This is where the General will help us from Atlas," Jaune revealed. "Currently, Jacques is unaware of the marriage, but Ironwood said that even one picture is enough to draw him in."
"Woah there, blondie, that is a big risk. How do you know he won't go crazy and bring a warship? SDC does have an army." Ash said.
"Please, if he thinks he can get away with such actions on Valean ground then he has another thing coming. I managed to also get in touch with the royalist, and they have agreed to back Jaune in case of his ascension to the Valean throne." Ozpin stated. "However, currently, we need him to gain popularity with the people as well."
"Fucking hell, this is turning into some political shit as well," Ash said. "Alright, old man, what do you have planned?"
"As I said, the General offered us sensitive information, but it is mostly evidence about Jacques' abuse of his own wife. But it has little backing without Willow helping us." Ozpin stated. "If we have Jaune here be the one to unmask and remove Jacques, exposing him for the man he is, while both I and the General support him and his claims to the Valean throne, his actions should attract enough good PR to allow me to hold a vote in the council, but also a public one."
"That is brilliant!" Roman commented. "We will be killing two birds with one stone! On one hand, we get rid of Jacques and on the other, we get rid of the council!"
"Not to mention we make a friend in the SDC and help him with Weiss." Sun continued.
"That is four birds," Jaune said with a smile. "However…" And then the smile fell. "I do not wish to keep such things from Weiss, which is why I will talk with her later to tell her about this."
"Are you sure? What if she goes to daddy and snitches?" Ash asked.
"She won't," Jaune replied with certainty. "I know for a fact she won't. I messaged Qrow-"
"Your new father-in-law," Ren remarked.
"-to aid us as well. He will keep an eye on Weiss in case she goes to the CCT to contact her father. If she tries, then he will pull the fire alarm to prevent it."
"Preventive measures. I like it." Roman commented. "Well, if that's the operation, I have to agree it is a big one. But consider my aid and Junior's here enlisted. If we need to kidnap someone, rob someone, or mug someone - please, don't hesitate to ask."
"I will keep that in mind," Jaune replied, slightly nervous about the offer. "Anyway, I think this means the meeting is-"
"Not so fast! There is still the issue of more gals joining!" Ash quickly said. "We need to discuss that issue as well!"
"Oh please, it is just Amber. One girl hardly makes a big difference." Sun said, but when he looked at Ozpin he thought he noticed something off about him.
Oh, how wrong they were to assume it was only one who wanted to jump on his dick.
"So, it is my turn," Weiss remarked coldly as Jaune came to her room, wearing a nice suit, and having a bouquet of flowers. Weiss, thanks to a message from Blake warning her about his approach, did prepare herself but didn't bother getting her best selection of clothing or make-up for this. She simply looked presentable enough to appear in public. She took the flowers he brought, admitting to herself that they were nice, but at the same time, seeing this as a simple formality, nothing more. "So, what did you plan for me?"
"Well, in regards to that, Weiss …" Jaune began slowly. Weiss waited, going through options of what he was going to say next in her head but then he said something she didn't think of. "There is nothing that I can currently do. Truth be told, you are the iciest and hard to approach, and nothing I do is going to satisfy you."
Despite her surprise, Weiss allowed a smug smile to appear on her lips. "Good to know you are aware of where we stand."
"This is why we won't be leaving this room, and instead, we will talk." That, Weiss did NOT expect.
"What?" Without warning, Jaune invited himself into the room. Damn it, he must have planned it! None of her teammates were around, they were likely in on this as well, meaning that right now she had to deal with him. "Ugh. What could we possibly talk about, Jaune? I told you my stand on this marriage long ago, and even if by some miracle you managed to get the others to agree to it and dance your tune, I, Weiss SCHNEE, not Arc-Schnee, won't!"
"I know. There is no romantic setting I can do to win your favor, which is why that isn't the reason I am here." He said, and Weiss, recalling previous events, caught on quickly to what he wanted to do.
"You are here to discuss the little SDC coup …" She said sourly, looking at him. "You might be a lot of things, Jaune, but if there is something you are not, that is a fool. Coming here, telling me this, the daughter of the very CEO you plan to take down, means you want to rope me into your scheme."
"Pretty sure you are already roped in." He said, but her glare didn't help. "Look, you caught me, I and the others are thinking of moving forward with it. But do say, did you talk with your mother?"
At this, Weiss averted her gaze from Jaune, her icy glare weakening with a look of shame and guilt. "I … I couldn't. Only Winter spoke with her in the end."
"What? Wait, even after everything you learned from the General, you still-"
"What am I even supposed to tell her if everything will be forgotten the very next day?" Weiss retorted, not leaving Jaune time to speak. "I apologize for my deceit, but I just cannot bring myself to face her! To see her like that … I just can't!"
"Weiss …" He sees the issue now. "Your mother needs you, and she will need you soon more than ever before!"
"IF your plan succeeds." She said "I can still go warn my father, you know? He will surround himself with private mercenaries and lawyers, then most likely even send assassins after everyone involved."
"But you won't do that, will you? You made it clear before that, despite him being your father, you hold no such thing as a bond with him. There is only blood and DNA between you and him, nothing else." Jaune said, calling her bluff.
"Same with my mother-"
"No, your mother is not like him, just like how you are not him either! You are not this spiteful or heartl-"
"You think I am spiteful?! At least I am not a cheat!" Weiss shouted, which was like a knife thrown right at Jaune's chest. But he pressed on.
"At least my lie doesn't hold me down." He said, making a stand. "I no longer care about my transcripts! They WON'T affect me anymore! They held me down, but now I am free, and you can be free as well!"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Weiss asked, her eyes narrowed and Semblance at the ready to ice Jaune at any moment.
"Your father is keeping you down." He continued. "And the reason you refuse to fight against him? It isn't that you don't want to fight against him, but the reason why you wanted to become a Huntress here at Beacon instead of Atlas connects. You wanted to be away from his influence, to break free, then when you had the authority of a Huntress, you would go back and take him down yourself." Weiss remained dumbstruck at Jaune's little deduction, making her grind her teeth in frustration. He saw right through her. She was not wearing her ring, so Jaune didn't have access to her emotional state, but it looked like he didn't need it. "You want to fight, but you wish to do so ALONE."
"So what? I am the ONLY one who can take him down and take over the company, as I am the heiress and the only one legally able to do so!" She rebuked, trying to use the legal terms as an excuse, but Jaune did not allow her.
"That was BEFORE, Weiss." He pointed out, which got Weiss to grow more and more frustrated with his stubbornness.
"So? You want to take over the company instead, seeing as we are legally married?" She clicked her tongue. "Figures, that is the ONLY reason any boy has ever looked at me! My name, money, influence- you name it! And honestly? They are justified to only be looking at those attributes. I am not as gifted physically as Yang or Pyrrha, or even have an attractive personality and the cuteness of those like Ruby-"
"Hey now, that's not what I-"
"And that annoys me because you don't seem to care." She said, cutting him off and relaxing her fist. "You don't care about any of that! Meaning that I can't for the life of me figure out what YOU WANT! It drives me crazy!" Jaune didn't say anything and kept silent. "You do not want money, my name, company, and quite honestly, why would you? You have a way bigger prize ahead of you: The crown of Vale."
"I never asked for it, Weiss." He reminded her. "Things just … Happen, and I cannot control them. But with the Council the way it is now we aren't safe, and if the only way to protect all of you is to become King, then by the Gods I will become King of Vale."
"There! That is something else that drives me crazy!" She said, pointing at him. "You are selfless to a fault! Everything you do you claim to be doing for the benefit of others, and you are truthful as well! You, and everyone else, offered to help me in my endeavor, speeding up things with years compared to my original plans, and now? Now the last call falls on me." She took a deep breath, then, as Jaune watched, she walked to him and grabbed his collar. Jaune, confused, didn't do anything before he felt Weiss kiss him on the lips. This was … an honest surprise to the boy, he won't lie, as he believed Weiss to be the most challenging out of all of them. As she let go, a blush now on her face, he took a few steps back in surprise. Jaune didn't even notice Weiss step down from the glyph she made to use as a stepping stool. He was a bit tall and she was a bit short … it added up.
"So … Huh?"
"I have done a lot of thinking and talking with the others, Jaune," Weiss said, not losing her composure despite the bold act she just took. "I came to realize that, despite my prejudice, you are indeed everything you claim to be. And I was wrong in lumping you with all other suitors who only ever wanted me for bragging rights. For that, I … apologize. I'm still trying to work through how I feel about all this but I wasn't fair to you. I shouldn't have insulted your character as I did."
Weiss took in a deep breath. "But I WANT to make things better with my mother and little brother, but as long as my father is out there, things won't ever be easy."
"I know …" Jaune replied, not sure how to process her apology. He didn't think he would ever hear it. "But as you said, the last call falls on you. So, what do you say?"
Weiss allowed herself to smile a bit. "Let's take my father down. So, what is the plan?"
"Well, here is the thing … We need to make the marriage known to him, and I have a message on my scroll that, once send to Ironwood, will begin the shitstorm."
"..."
"Umm. Weiss? Are you ok?"
"Is there no other way?" She asked, coldly so.
"We need him to come to Vale with the entire family, and this is the only way to do it," Jaune said, quite awkwardly. "I know you likely do not want to deal with him, but we all made plans and this is the best solution."
Weiss sighed, rubbing her temples. "And here I let myself be dragged into this scheme." She muttered to herself. "Fine. BUT! Make no mistake, Jaune! I will not go around calling myself your wife with pride any time soon. But, I guess I can at least begin accepting the new family name."
"That is more than fine!" Jaune replied glad things worked out. "Now, if you'd excuse me, we both should rest up. The weather forecast is announcing hail."
Edited by HelpingHand … Handy: does anyone actually read these edited by? I feel like I forgot to put it in the last two chapters despite me editing them. Did anyone notice?
My deepest apologies for the long ass wait, but due to my job and overall life, this is as fast as I could post…This is after I got fired due to, and I quote, 'not meeting their standards'. Dumb reason, but apparently, they were doing some en-mase firing since the company had ties with Russia (I know, bad.) and they were no longer getting the material from there, meaning they had to do some cutting. I was just unlucky.
With that being said, all is good, guys. I am looking for a new job, preferably a place closer to home and with a better schedule. But enough blabber, here is the link to the discord server if you wish to talk with me more.
/BF5VxBCRGh
See ya next time!