Dies Irae

by Cyanide Sins

A vengeance for millennia, a hatred carried through the ages. A mother once, yet never again. "Of course, mama." Three words that brought the world to a halt, a covenant made between mortal and immortal, a soul damned and perhaps another redeemed. "Hush, my beautiful child. Mama is here." A bright, bold soul given a gift beyond mortal knowledge.

27. Ebrios Aurum

Chapter 27: Ebrios Aurum

It's the big party! Adelheid and Jaune going out to wow the crowd! Enjoy!

---

It was an auspicious day! Today, she was going to wake up bright and early, do her morning exercises to keep in shape and make sure that her client was prepped and ready for the big do. She knew that she'd be hitting it out of the park, right after... she got out of her warm and comfy bed.

Adelheid Blau's eyes opened to the sleeping face of her best friend Saphron, who most certainly had not been on this side of the bed when she'd went to bed, and belatedly, Adelheid noticed that she'd managed to crawl over to Saphron's side of the bed and was now somewhat half-groping her best friend.

'Nope, this has to stop. I need to get laid, get drunk and... not be creeping on Saph. She's a great friend, but I prefer dick.'

She had a bit of a teensy-weensy issue with her needs. They weren't being met, and the thought of getting with Saphron was starting to grow even more intense now. It wasn't going to be the easiest thing to explain to the boss lady about why she'd been... well, she supposed it was 'bring ill repute to the client' and not 'don't sleep with his sister'. They were friends and shared the same bed frequently, with no sex or touching. No touching in the sexy sense, at least.

'I need a dick...'

A stray thought about her client. Her nipples hardened a little more and she shivered, remembering just how warm the guy was, how his sister was like a big sister to her. That way laid bad thoughts, thoughts that did not go the way of...

'But he was damn cute, looking like that with his shirt off. I could just run my hands over that chest and make him look down at me and then...'

Her thighs rubbed together, her fingers brushing over her stomach at that spot that ached and trembled. A shuddering hiss, as she felt the need grow, closing her eyes a little and then letting a finger go in, her body aching with the touch, her eyes half-opening.

'Hmm... Just a bit... That guy in a chair, and me letting his belt slip loose, right around my neck like a good girl... Hmm...'

She could see that young teenager already bringing that big meaty sword to bear against the evil villainess Adel Blau... Hmm...

'Hmmm, or play a bit naughtily... Little brother might need a hand with getting himself worked up... Would be a pity if he was just-'

She remembered how it'd felt. She'd remember that outline, as her hips moved and her buttocks stroked along that outline in his groin, her breathing heavier as she got to that peak. It wasn't great to think about, but it'd been so damn long since she'd had sex.

"Hmmm, yeah... That's it, big boy..."

She'd have a whole toolkit for him... She'd be like a plumber, flushing those pipes with her special cleaning tool. Her fingers pushed into her, the burning in her groin continuing, her breathing picking up, heavier breaths taken as she got closer.

She could already hear him, whispering and groaning in her ear, telling her that she was going to be daddy's good little bitch, that he was going t-

"Adelheid?"

Her eyes opened, looking into Saphron's ill-amused eyes. Her voice was heavy, like a leaden weight bore down onto the older woman's back, Saphron's gaze tired, as her voice spoke up.

"Need a hand with that?"

A little bit of annoyance had crept into Saphron's voice, Adelheid's enthusiasm immediately being dunked into icy cold sensation, a shivering groan coming from her lips as the other woman pulled her hands away.

"You've got a problem, Adel."

She had a bit of a problem. That didn't mean that she wasn't going to work hard for the boss lady to earn her keep. The money was good, and she had to maintain her ability to function. Saphron didn't look very happily and content at the moment, Adelheid flushing a little.

"Mama knocked off the contract's terms to a single year, Adel."

That was a relief. She could... Just eleven months more or thereabouts. Saphron's eyes looked into her own, worriedly, their tiredness still within those blue pools.

"And... And I think that she'd be more accepting of you if you saw someone for those urges. It's not healthy, Adelheid. I'm- We're a messed up family."

She nodded. She was just a part of that family now through circumstance. She felt Saphron hug her, the older dirty blonde Arc woman wrapping her in a hug. The touch was gentler than she'd expected, and Adelheid wondered what it'd be like to have her as an older sister.

"I found out that- that my dad raped my older sister."

Adelheid inhaled sharply and then exhaled slowly. That was... that was shit news.

'Shit...'

Saphron didn't move, her breathing loud in Adelheid's ears.

"He mistook her for mom and fucked her, and she's... Jaune looks just like dad, and she's just... She wanted to make him better than dad was, and-"

'That's horrible.'

Adelheid couldn't imagine much of that, as she mentally went over Jaune's good features. A bit of extra scruff totally wouldn't be wrong to see on him, she knew, because it'd just be what he needed. A bit of that oomph to make her underwear need replacement.

"And...Addie, I'm not sure anymore. One day, I will..."

She hugged her friend, Saphron's soft voice continuing with her sentence. Adelheid felt really bad for Saphron for having gone through all that, for having lived through that torment.

"One day, I'll have to talk to mom about what dad did. What he's done to us. I'm scared, Adel. I'm scared, so scared that she'll not believe me. That... that dad'll come and take me to the bedroom to make me a good girl, to-"

'Oh damn...'

Saphron shuddered, and Adelheid could feel tears on her shoulder, smelling the faint perfume that Saphron wore still on her skin. Saphron's grip was tightening, as Adelheid felt the pain of the woman. It was visible, and she'd be a good friend. She had few friends, but she'd make sure that Saphron wasn't mistreated.

"Hey big sis, Addie's here to keep your little brother safe, and I'm sure that he'll keep you safe too. He's a big guy, ready to make sure that we're both safe. Your dad isn't going to do that to you with him around, okay?"

She'd take good care of her Huntsman client, yep. Saphron softly whined in her ear, holding on to her friend like her life depended on it. Adelheid knew that her sister was fragile. Saphron whispered something about not wanting to have to end up like it'd been in her dreams.

'You're too kind, Saphron.'

"Bad dream, Saph?"

A small nod, Saphron's chin tapping against Adelheid's collarbone. Saphron didn't respond audibly, just holding on to her.

"Don't worry about it, Saph. I'll make sure that he doesn't... he doesn't end up going bad."

Saphron's soft voice, as she quietly spoke to her, reached her ears.

"Keep to the terms, Adelheid. If Selene finds out... I can't help you if you're not... if you're not getting the help you need. I care for you, Adel. You're my friend, you're the best and only friend that I have."

'I'll make sure that you don't have to worry, Saph.'

She'd be a good girl for her big sis, and that meant being responsible. There was alcohol-free beer or something, undoubtedly. Artemis was going to be there too, and it might be fun to see whose Huntsmen would be reaching higher on the official listings with their acknowledgement speech. The speeches were graded on originality and on their ability to showcase the themes of a Huntsman.

'We've got this gig in the bag. If they can ignore my client with his speech, I will become a chaste and wholesome woman.'

She dragged her best friend out of bed, getting under the shower with her, Sapron's face still showing the tiredness of her day. It was kindness that was Saphron's biggest flaw, Adelheid knew. She wasn't going to make it ruin Saphron too, her friend starting to wash herself, her eyes still showing that pain.

'Raped by your own dad... Damn. Seriously, Saph, if I ever get with your brother in a relationship, I'm skipping father's day.'

Rouge Arc had looked so stern and motherly, but- But she'd been raped by her father, mistaken for her mother. Adelheid actually liked the oldest Arc sister for that directness that she'd had, and now...

'It's such a mess, Saph...'

She'd woken up feeling good, but now there was a day ahead of her that'd need to be spent on things getting prepared for the big do. She would need to get her makeup replenished, have her nails done and her feet prepared for the heels...

'I wonder...'

"Hey Saph? Do you think I should go for red lipstick or blue?"

She looked at herself in the half-fogged up mirror, mentally running through the catalogue of lipstick colours that she should have for her features, accessorizing and letting her thoughts stray to what she'd wear with it.

A nice black evening dress, something casual that'd go well with Jaune's general white clothing, which made him look a little like a prince, if she had to be all romantic and stuff.

"Red. Jaune likes red."

Saphron's teasing voice came, as her friend's fingers started to rub the sponge over her back.

"Sure, let's go with red. Classical, with no downsides. Blau means blue, so I thought I'd go thematic but…"

Saphron's hands stopped with their scrubbing, Adelheid giving a confused look back at her, Saphron's eyes dark, her hair plastered against her face with the spray of the water. Adelheid could appreciate a bit of advice from time to time, but this looked like she was going to say something, a deep sigh from her friend.

"Keep it a secret, okay? About my sister. If Jaune knew… if he- If he knew, he'd- I don't know what he'd do. Rouge practically raised us, and mom-"

'Yeah, she's not winning mom of the year awards.'

Adelheid made an affirmative sound, knowing that she'd make sure that Jaune would be the best show pony in the banquet tonight. Saphron's lips twitched into a smile.

"Don't worry about it, Saph. My lips are sealed."

Adelheid Blau was not someone who would betray her friends. She might have a little issue with controlling her urges when it came to drinking, but it wasn't like she'd give up on her bestie Saphron.

"Good, I'm… I'm going to watch you guys tonight."

Adelheid smiled, the news covering it as well as the 'alternative' news. Alexandrite Stones had let her know through an email that Knowledge Wars would be covering the event as a 'public outreach' of sorts, to make sure that people got the unvarnished news.

'Showing up in a Knowledge Wars t-shirt would make everyone think we're nuts…'

She had hers in the closet. The thing was comfortable to wear, though she wasn't a real believer in the message it showed. Jaune's teammate Nora had the whole exercise outfit, which she'd gotten a quick picture of and it didn't look half-bad.

"Watch him blow you away, Saph. He's going to kill it, because he's got that gift of speaking to people."

Saphron smiled, the beauty of the woman enhanced by that smile as she grabbed the sponge and started to scrub a little more, a soft 'Ah!' coming from Adelheid's lips as Saphron scrubbed her roughly.

"He's not going to kill it, you silly little sister. He's going to make an impression and then gallantly dash off into the distance with you on his white horse."

Adelheid laughed, aware of that side of her client. Jaune was someone who wanted to protect, who had the urge to make sure that people were safe. A little like a good knight, or perhaps a prince should.

'Damn, now I'm…'

Yeah, there was something to that thought of him as a prince. A big horse for princess Adelheid and Sir Arc to ride on, and a little nook out of the way, where she'd be able to get some appreciation from him.

"You're smirking, Adelheid. You're thinking about Jaune, aren't you?"

She'd deny that. Giving her most affronted look at her friend, who shook her head, tapping her forehead lightly, Adelheid feeling the poke and not resisting it.

"Problem, Adelheid. You have it. I'll see whether I can get you something to help with it."

Her pussy burned, and not in a good way. Adelheid sighed as she leaned back against the wall, taking the sponge and rubbing it over her body.

"Nah, it's just the lack of action, I'm… I'm a bit of a dweeb sometimes, but sex is, y'know, great?"

Saphron's ill-amused face showed her opinion on the matter, and Adelheid groaned.

"Not like that, I mean, it's a good thing, gets me going, and I'm not denying that he's cute."

Saphron's lips pressed together, Adelheid flustering a little by the stern gaze. It was just like when she'd been recruited for the job by Miss Umbra, the woman having a stern look in her eyes and a gaze that could melt a Grimm if it had been focused.

"I'll be good, okay? Adelheid Blau, good girl!"

Saphron's smile broke out on her face and Adelheid felt her heart lightening, her friend hugging her.

"I know you will. You're my adoptive little sister, Addie. You can control yourself. Jaune is lucky to have a publisher like you, hot, sexy and able to say 'I am not afraid of who I am'. I wish I was as bold as you, sometimes. They make… My sisters don't think too much of it when they joke, but you're relatively tame."

'Yeah, I'd imagine that you'd be joked about a lot. Your sisters seem lovely, but they've all got their problems. Makes me feel like the odd duck out with only a bit of sex craving. I hope they've got beer. I could go for a cold one.'

She smiled, knowing that there'd be a great day ahead of her.

"I'm going to make him into the greatest hero of humanity, Saph. He'll be on merchandise for years."

---

Jaune looked at the frowning face of Nora as he woke up, aware that she'd been next to him ever since he'd returned to Beacon, Ren looking stern-faced as well. Those two hadn't slept, and he was sure that they must be tired. Pyrrha was sleeping in her own bed, but she'd had her weapons next to her, ready to be used in the case of sudden Yang.

"We care, Jaune."

Ren started, looking grave, his serious features twisted in that look of understanding.

"Killing yourself by Yang isn't going to happen, you meanie. We're going to be sharing you among us, so our leader has to be the best. No big-breasted cow will take him down, because he's important to all of us."

'Wait, what?'

Ren looked firm in his expression, as he got up, starting to strip. He remembered the conversation that'd taken place the night before, as he'd been practically forced into bed by Nora, who hadn't brooked any objections. He felt fine, so he must be fine!

"No, we want to know! No secrets!"

Nora's eyes blazed with that anger and he felt a dash of annoyance go through him. They were his team, but this disobedience wasn't what should be happening.

"We care for you, Jaune. We're not pawns, we're your friends. What Xiao Long did was reprehensible!"

Pyrrha's anger showed on her face, and he gritted his teeth, aware that with Nora's weight on top of him he'd not be able to move. Ren's eyes looked at him for a moment and then regarded Pyrrha.

"I used to work for the Yakuza. If we're sharing secrets, then let it be thus. No more secrets."

Pyrrha's face seemed to have problems with composing itself, but her eyes nevertheless were dedicated. She nodded once, understanding that Ren had his reasons for doing something like that.

"Rennie has been the one keeping me safe. I wasn't as strong as I was when I was younger, and- and without Rennie, I'd be in a bad place."

Nora's eyes darkened and he felt the surge of dark emotions that accompanied it, Pyrrha's face turning more placid, as always.

"Well… I've… I've not really done anything bad. It was always training and training, so… I'm boring."

A small smile played on his lips. She was dependable and she'd be able to protect him. Nora's eyes looked fierce as she looked down at him.

"If you've ever stolen a muffin, I'll be an Ursa."

Nora said, Pyrrha giving a soft laugh at the image. There was something of camaraderie in the voice of the girl, something of a shared bond.

"And you, mister, are going to be safe! We don't want to lose you. Rennie doesn't want to lose more people, and neither do I!"

He couldn't get up, as Pyrrha's hands grabbed his head. The warmth from the two was flowing into him, and the feeling of the ocean slowly receding as the flame burned brighter than before, the warmth pushing through his limbs and banishing the chill. The magic within him was still there.

"I'm not-"

A knocking on the door and he turned his head, Pyrrha going to the door and opening it. He could see past Nora a little, but he didn't know who it was.

"Can I talk with Jaune alone for a moment?"

Nora shifted a little, her hands pinning his own above his head, a growl from her lips, clearly not letting him get up. She'd been protective, she'd been caring and warm.

"No. We're having a team meeting. Talk to him in the morning, Schnee."

He could hear Weiss protest, as Pyrrha's red hair moved, Pyrrha blocking the door for her.

"But-"

Pyrrha hit the doorpost, or at least, he thought she did. Weiss made a scared sound, seemingly shrinking back.

"No. You're going to come back in the morning, and if he wants to see you, he will. We're having a team meeting, and you are not invited. Good night, Schnee."

The door slammed shut and Pyrrha turned to them again, her eyes looking at him, the green colour cold and distant, as if she were some sort of goddess of victory, the bloody red of her hair like his own blood, the warmth from Nora continuing to feed into him.

"What will you do if Yang does that again, huh? What will you do when she hits you and you can't fix the damage in time? We'd be alone, Jaune. We'd be missing our leader, the guy we like. We talk, when you're not with us. We've made a decision. We're not going to let you kill yourself by letting Weiss Schnee be the one to end you through some stupid blonde bimbo's actions."

He wondered where Pyrrha would've picked up that word. She'd always seemed like the proper type, who'd never cuss, but it was a fierce look in her eyes that gazed down at him.

"I'll… I'll try? I'm not going to let my friends suffer, if I c-"

A hand covered his mouth, Ren looking at him.

"We're Huntsmen in training, Jaune. You don't have to do everything by yourself. You've got three more teammates, and we're willing to help. If you want Yang in a coma by the morning, give the word and we'll take care of it."

There was something fierce in those pink eyes, something that seemed to draw out the depths of anger within Ren. It was a look that he didn't mind. Ren was a good friend.

"Yeah, titsy mcblonde is going to suffer if she tries anything. Pyrrha thrashed her good, but I'm just raring to get my hands on her too!"

Nora's eyes looked serious and Ren's hand was pulled from his mouth. Jaune felt a little helpless, as he tried to keep himself in check. He wasn't going to be showing them weakness by being emotional, he was better than most, he was…

He was their leader and they were his team. They shouldn't be darkening their souls with whatever he had planned. A soft smile on his lips as his head laid down.

"I'm glad to know you guys. I'm- I've got a plan. Give Yang one more day of peace. Today, tomorrow… and then, you'll see something that'll be unpleasant."

Ren and Nora didn't look convinced, as Pyrrha's lips pressed together thinly, her fingers grabbing his hair, and he looked at them, before he exhaled. He'd only explained part-way, not wanting to darken them with the knowledge that he held. Working with criminals was tiresome, but it should all be above the board.

"Monday'll be the day we execute her, Jaune. It's gone on for too long. She's going to lose an arm or something."

A smile touched his lips, as he laughed. It wasn't quite an arm that Yang would be losing, he supposed. Whatever innocence Yang Xiao Long had held on to would be gone…

He hated the criminals of the world. They added little value to it, but it would not be a bad sight…

Mister Xiong had wanted to get vengeance for the club, and he'd made an offer…

It would be a sight to see the blonde girl in such distress. Oh, the face that she'd make when she realized in what a predicament she was…

Actions had consequences.

"Well… I can say that the caretaker will be a worthwhile asset. I'm sure that she'll just love it."

Nora's eyebrows were raised skeptically, but he'd had the list and he'd made his choice. They were perfect for the job, experienced in making sure that there would be no complications. Professionals got paid better, after all… and this one would make sure that the point would stick with Yang Xiao Long forever.

"We'll trust you… But we want to see results. We believe in you, but sometimes you can be so stubborn that it makes me want to grab Rennie and see how well things turn out."

He wasn't sure why Ren looked a little spooked at that.

"Jaune?"

Ren's tattoo stood out against the skin, as Nora's partner bent over, grabbing the towel and going for the shower. He stared. Pale skin. A mole, some pubic hair.

'What the fuck?'

"There's… There's-"

'What the fuck?!'

Nora looked at him and Ren turned around. There was no penis. Why was there no penis?

"What? Oh darn it Rennie, did you never tell him?"

'REN WAS A GIRL?!'

Ren shrugged. Modest breasts moved, as she looked unabashedly at him without shame.

"My name is Lian Ren. I prefer to use Ren, because my younger brother used to- Well… He died in Kuroyuri. It's safer for a boy and a girl to be together. But you can call me Lie, if you'd like. I'm- I'm not comfortable wearing girl's clothes."

Ren went into the bathroom and Jaune just stared. He blinked a few times, still amazed. He ran through the memories that he had. He'd only seen Ren in the nude once, and he'd not looked down, because-

'Oh gods, I've been living with girls all the time…'

"You're hitting me in the butt, Jaune. That's Rennie's favourite spot."

Nora gave a teasing smile, poking his cheek with a finger.

"You thought she was a boy! Yes, the masquerade still works! Of course, not really for our admission, but we're smart like that. Rennie knows what's best.'

'She never said a he or a she… That's… that's clever.'

"Did Pyrrha know?"

Nora nodded, empathically. That explained some things, but that he'd never noticed… He'd thought that they showered together out of a closeness, out of some sort of-

"The showering together, was that-"

She looked at him and gave him an encouraging smile, her blue eyes softening somewhat as she glanced at the shower, shifting a little on top of him.

"Yeah, that's something we do. It's safe. Rennie always keeps her weapons close, and I put Magnhild half-way into the shower so it's within reach. Lightning Dust isn't good, but Rennie is fast."

This needed some time to be processed. He'd thought it odd that Adelheid said that they were pretty girls, but he'd dismissed it because Ren just looked so effeminate. Ren had-

'I talked about Weiss with Ren! Oh god, I asked for tips and she didn't even flinch…'

He felt bad now. He'd been talking with Ren as if he, no, she was a guy. He'd told about all the things that Weiss liked, figuring that Ren was dating Nora and-

'Oh god, Nora was flirting with me the whole time!'

This was one of those moments where he felt surprise hit him. He'd… Damn, this was confusing. Nora was definitely someone who hadn't restrained herself much, and she was-

"Woah, if that's what Weiss was getting every time, no wonder she was so into you."

He frowned at her, as he felt her butt wiggle a little, Pyrrha turning a little redder in the face, a soft sigh coming from his lips, his eyes meeting Nora's teasing ones, as she smirked cattily at him, as if she was the cat who had gotten her cream.

"Nora, no. I'm…"

Weiss was a conundrum. He was sure that she'd be the one who could understand that they weren't… that it wasn't- He had his status to consider, and Mama would not wish for him to be with a mere merchant's daughter. It was not done according to protocol. The darkness slowly crept closer to the flame, the ocean swelling once more to wrap around the burning flame.

Nora looked down at him with worry, getting off him.

"Are you… okay? You've gone all pale and spooky again."

She was just concerned, and he pushed himself to feel the burning sensation flare up, his breathing evening out again. It was like the flame was slowly sputtering out, the darkness working to bring pain throughout his whole body.

"It's okay, I'm just…"

It would be so easy to rile Nora up into a frenzy, insinuating something about how he'd been treated. He could see the care in her eyes, the whisper in his mind of it being a brief murmur about how he was reminded of his… his friend Weiss. She'd need but a little push to come charging through the door and bring pain to Yang, who'd undoubtedly be still sleepy and ill-prepared to fight off a wrathful Nora.

'No, I'm not-'

It would be easy, it would gratify his need for pain and torment, but it would get Nora into trouble that she didn't need. He wasn't going to give up to his urges, and it was-

He was aware that he'd gotten up, mumbling something to himself, the words the ancient dialect, his eyes looking out of the window, feeling how it was like a dream, like how his world warped and twisted.

'Not even the slightest…'

The power within him wanted to rush out, he wanted to-

'I should… I should practice.'

He'd forgotten to practice, and he should really practice, the humming tune that would… what would it do again? It was hard to think, hard to believe. The fire, the air and the earth and water and the darkness…

'More power than is needed…'

He felt the power burn as he coalesced a ball of the elements, flickering the flames a little, as his eyes gazed at it, letting the elements separate, droplets of flame merging with the water. An exercise it'd been, something that brought out the power within the elements, his Mama having said that it would be-

"Woah… That's cool."

A soft cough, as he felt the power creep in on the flame, the flames growing dimmer with every second, inhaling and then exhaling, leaving only a shivering breath to come from him, as the flames beckoned.

He cut off the flow and he zoned back to reality, watching Pyrrha, whose face had come really close. Warmth flooded into the flame, burning brightly inside him, as he began to feel warmth again, the power burning less inside him, his mind clearing up a little.

He could feel the concern and worry, mingling with amazement and interest. Nora was touching his other side and it was growing warmer and warmer inside him, the heat rushing back in, his whole body flaring up.

An insistent knocking on the door, and Pyrrha looked at Nora and motioned with her head to go for the door.

"Jaune!"

Weiss' voice spoke up, her face looking pale and tired, as if she hadn't slept much. She pushed past Nora, who stepped aside, frowning, her finger poking against his chest.

"You weren't here! I went back and you and your team wasn't here!"

Nora shut the door, Pyrrha's head turning to regard Weiss, giving her a cool look.

"We had to take him to a doctor because your blonde teammate decided to cave his chest in."

The unlady-like word from Weiss' mouth was utterly shameless, as her eyes narrowed at Pyrrha, pointing at her.

"Jaune, is she lying? Did you get nearly killed by Yang?"

He held up his hands, Pyrrha giving him a warning look.

"It wasn't so bad, I lived. She's-"

Weiss looked at him as if he'd grown a second head, her lip trembling a little. The crying took him by surprise as she hugged him, burying her face in his chest and the litany of apologies came, awkwardly patting her.

She was a great friend, but to consider courtship… well, it would definitely need to be talked about with Mama before it could be considered. He didn't really know what had happened with those of similar status, but Mama would know.

"No, this is not okay. I'm going to stab her, that lazy cow-breasted udder monster. She nearly killed you! What would I do when you were dead, hmmm? I love you!"

'We're too different in standing for love, but I'd love to love you if it was possible.'

He gave her an apologetic look, as he sighed. He was not going to disappoint his friend, and his team...

Ren opened the bathroom door and Weiss turned her head to the sound, noticing the towel loosely spread over breasts that were modest, and the lack of penis..

"You're a GIRL?!"

Ren didn't even flinch, as she shrugged a little at the question. It wasn't something that Ren wished to advertise, so he'd let the guy- No, wait, girl. Definitely a girl. Ren looked at Weiss and gave a small nod. Weiss looked terribly uncomfortable for a moment.

"I was born one, in case you were curious. I could've had the surgery done, but I don't... No."

Weiss stared a little longer, before her mind seemed to reset itself. She turned her gaze up at him, her eyes giving him that look of 'You're mine now, Jaune', that he'd seen before. A possessive look that Mama had also had a few times.

"Still! You hurt me, Jaune."

He gave an apologetic smile, as Weiss her small fist smacked against his chest. His Aura broke and Weiss looked at him with wide eyes, her hand off him.

"It's getting worse... Are you sure that you can last a little longer? Do you need a medical specialist to look at you?"

He was pretty sure that he would be able to last throughout classes today, Weiss her concern totally unnecessary. He could still make it through the day, and he had the banquet tonight.

"No, I'm apparently healthy, I just have a weak Aura. My sister Rouge was upset with me for hiding it... She's a real sweetheart, but... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said. With my status..."

She looked at him, as he tried to smile. It didn't quite manage properly, as she pressed a finger against his chest.

"Yes, what about that? Am I not good enough? Are you denying Weiss Schnee the opportunity for love?"

She puffed herself up adorably, as her scar stood out on her face, her eyes flashing with that heated passion. He supposed... he supposed he could call her a love, yes.

"My... well, my Mama is nobility, and she's got rather high standards... She wants nothing but a princess for me, and-"

Weiss looked a little wry, before a smile came to her face. It was one of those endearing smiles that made him feel a little thrill in his heart, one of them that made him like her even more. She was a great friend, but a lover...

"Well, she'll have to adjust those standards. I'm going to remain your friend, and if you- If you want to add more friends to that circle, I'll- I'll- You better remain alive! Weiss Schnee does not want to have to stand next to your coffin looking like she's lost a friend! The sex is great, and- and- And I like you!"

He smiled at her, ignoring the rush of heat into his system. She smiled back, really prettily. Her eyes were so warm and inviting, the urge to take her here and now rising. It was nice to make a friend feel good, he knew that from experience.

"That's the spirit, Weissy!"

Nora slipped behind Weiss, groping her chest. Weiss squeaked and flushed bright red, as Nora's wink came with every fondle of the breasts.

"We'll be team orgy in no time! Join the fun! We're all Jaune's friends!"

He supposed that it would be alright to... experiment with a few friends. As long as he didn't inform Mama of the exact details... it would be- it would be fun. He'd be a hero, and he'd have friends.

"Yes! We'll be friends and we will make sure that he lives! Even if- Even if things will be tough with your health, I want you to stay alive, Jaune."

She sounded sincere, his smile not fading, as he winked at her.

"Can I ask you for a favour, Weiss? It's... It's got to do with Yang."

Fire lit up in those eyes, murderous urges, feeling like a pleasant heat haze pushing through the contact that they had. Her anger was like a blessing, as she hissed like a venomous snake, her arms wrapping tightly around him, as Nora let go of her.

"What do you need?"

He smiled a little. It was just a little thing...

But the consequences that it'd give...

'You messed with a prince, Yang...'

Nobody offended royalty without paying the price.

---

Adelheid hummed softly as she put the finishing touches on her makeup, looking into the mirror and Saphron giving a small smile as she assisted the younger woman with her hair, running a comb through it. Adelheid had a glossier texture of hair, straight and long, humming softly to herself one of the songs that'd been on the radio years before.

This morning had been rough on her, she knew. Adelheid had seen her weak again, fragile and tender, like something that was wrong. She'd only briefly spoken about the dream, but it was still a dream.

'You're a sick woman, Saphron.'

She didn't want to look at her reflection. She loved all of her sisters dearly. They had their flaws and their faults, and Rouge definitely had messed up, but they were still the family that had been with her for her life, even if Rouge had come first and Saphron was required to make sure that her big sister didn't go the wrong way. Rouge was remarkably steady for what she'd been through, but...

'She was waiting for Jaune to make love to her...'

The thought was sickening, and she knew that she was combing Adelheid's hair more slowly than before, the red lipstick looking good on her. Adelheid had lips that were definitely kissable. She wondered for a moment, before she smacked herself.

"So, how do I look, big sis?"

Adelheid pulled herself out and turned around. Saphron's eyes slid over Adelheid's well-dressed form, her tongue licking over her lips. The cleavage was a little bit too deep for her liking, and there was a need for a bit more mascara, but Adelheid looked good enough to take for a spin.

"Scrumptious. Jaune's going to be lucky to have you on his arm."

Adelheid gave a quick little nod of the head, her eyes looking at her with that little sparkle that showed that she was about to blurt out something cheeky, before she caught herself. She looked at her reflection for a moment, as her voice remained perfectly level.

"I'm going to go out with my client, and we're going to be perfect. This will be a business call."

The big smile on Adelheid's face betrayed her true emotions on the subject, as a little squeal came from her lips after a moment.

"But damn if I'm not lucky! They're going to give us a full banquet! We don't have to get something fatty and greasy! Steak! Caviar! Free drinks! It'll be great!"

Saphron sighed, looking at Adelheid, who started to layer on some more mascara, to make the eyelashes pop out some more. A little kissy-face that Adelheid made was enough for more lipstick to be put onto her lips, as she smiled at the reflection.

"Just... behave, okay? Your friend will be there as well, and-"

Adelheid smiled a smile that wouldn't look too out of place on her own face, during happier times. It was a smile that belonged to someone who cared, who was happier about her life than Saphron felt right now.

"She's forgiven me, and it was my fault anyways. Water under the bridge, I say."

Saphron couldn't help but feel a little worried, Adelheid being a bit too quick to be cheerful and happy in her opinion. She was a bit too easy with that, a bit too caring...

'That's what makes you a better person than me, Addie. I'm a mess...'

"If you say so..."

She heard the doorbell ring, and she heard Mister Callows go down to see who was at the door, undoubtedly her little brother. She sighed softly, smacking Adelheid's butt, letting her feel that touch of 'good luck' as the custom had held it once.

"Make him a star, Addie. My... My family isn't worth much, but they'd like to see him shine. He's our little brother and- It's what, ten-eleven months? You can do it, Addie. I believe in you."

Her friend turned to her and winked. A little pump of her muscles and Saphron chuckled at the sight.

"I'll do my best, sweetheart. I'll bring your brother back here, we should be done around... say, eleven? There's a good bit of food there, so we might be a bit."

Saphron supposed that she'd better get settled in for the broadcast from Knowledge Wars. The Alexandrite Stones woman was better entertainment than many of the other companies.

"Adelheid? Saphron? I'm here!'

Another, firm whack to Adelheid's cute behind, the other woman giving her a look that was a little more heated, as Saphron steered her out of the bathroom.

"Off to the ball with your gallant prince, Addie."

Adelheid pouted a little, as Saphron pushed her along. Adelheid looked great, no matter what happened. It would be okay, because Adelheid would be doing her job.

'You can be okay with Jaune, Adelheid.'

Her little brother was a gentleman, of course. He'd do his best to make sure that he'd give the best impression to the world of himself and his skills.

'I've got to stop thinking the worst. Adelheid is 23, she can manage her own affairs.'

Jaune stood there in the living room to show himself off, wearing his finest clothing. Saphron's eyes looked him over a few times, the tie that he wore looking formal, as he held out a hand, perfectly according to the etiquette. Adelheid stood there, and she looked as always.

'You do clean up nicely, little brother.'

She walked up to him, smelling a faint cologne, something on his skin that made him smell pretty good. She tapped his chest with a finger, putting a smile on her lips.

"Now this, Adel... This is a man. Listen to me, lil' sis... You're going to take him out and bring him home in exactly the state as he's arrived here! I want you two home by twelve at the latest!"

Adelheid snapped out of her dazed state, and she smiled a little as the cheeks flushed just a bit, seeing Adelheid's lips part for a moment, giving a wink. If she had to play the part of the 'parent', she'd better do it well.

"Saph, she's taking me out to a Huntsman gig... She's not-"

Saphron turned her head to her little brother, shaking it swiftly, her hair bouncing a little.

"Nope. It's a fancy dinner! You will take her there, escort her and make sure that she returns safe and sound, young man! Dad and mom probably wouldn't do this, so it's up to big sis Saph to make sure that you two come home safely! Mama would want you to be safe, Jaune. I'm worried."

She was. Jaune's results had been reassuring, but there was still something in his body that seemed to put her on edge. His eyes looked almost purple in the lighting, and the irises were definitely looking a little more hypnotically deep.

"Saph... We'll be fine. Right?"

Adelheid nodded. A finger brushed over her lips, making a small brushing motion as if her lips were sealed, before she answered.

"Fine and dandy, Saph. Lil' Sis will bring lil' Bro home safe and sound, swear on my mom's life! I'll make sure that he's home safe and sound and tell you all about how cool he was."

Saphron sighed, glancing at Tyrian for a moment. The man looked like he was going to go out, and she supposed that the two might have a cab. Tyrian had said that he'd have a prior engagement of some sort.

'Well... You better keep him safe, Addie. I've only got one brother...'

She settled into her comfortable chair, turning the channel to the Knowledge Wars channel, which had been a recent addition to the packaging. It seemed that Knowledge Wars had received a large donation from an anonymous source.

"... at the Vale Huntsman banquet! Guaranteed to bring you REAL LIFE REPORTING from the teat of the evil scum-sucking council members!"

'Well... It should be amusing. It's more coverage than the banquet itself.'

---

Adelheid knew that this day would come.

Here she was, at the banquet with her client, looking fine and scrumptious and delicious, and the eyes were on her. The invitation that she'd managed to get from the contacts that they'd made with the influential people of Vale was already there, as had the bribery been. It wasn't cheap, but the budget afforded it. A million for a year... that was a marketing budget that'd make most people amazed, but Adelheid wasn't going to spend it all at once. There must be results first, a bit of additional influx in the market share that Jaune Arc represented.

"Adelheid Blau and the Huntsman she represents, Jaune Arc."

She held out the invitation, the doorman allowing them to pass through, the freeing feeling of being left to her own devices, aware that the rather fetching young man at her side was smiling at her. She closed her eyes and grinned, mimicking that smile that Saphron had on her face a few times when she was in a good mood.

'Cute guy on my arm, looking hot enough to set most dicks into alert mode, going to get some press coverage... Ooh, and did I mention that my client is amazingly caring?'

"So... We're here. How're you liking the place, huh?"

The opulence of the place was the first draw, golden embossment on the light fixtures, a chandelier hung in the large open space, as people started to file in. They'd come early, as there would be a few moments to talk, her hand on his own. She squeezed it a little, more for her own benefit than his. She was nervous.

'Come on, you can do it! You're Adelheid Blau, responsible for Jaune Arc's success.'

She'd be the best damn publisher that he could want for, spotting one of the people she'd talked to before, an older lady whose husband worked with the internal labourer's union, guiding him along with her.

"Helloooo! It's me, Adelheid Blau and Jaune Arc, we spoke a few weeks before at the..."

The talking was always better than just the standing in place and looking like a moron, her eyes noticing the interest in the old man's eyes for her cleavage, which she pushed up a little. A look was okay, but to touch, no way. Her hand brushed over Jaune's chest.

"- prospects, of course. Jaune? Would you care to tell the man a little about your team?"

She winked, telling him that it'd be okay to unveil his team members. The strategy would be formalized anyways, since team names were usually unveiled after a press package had been made post-formalizing at the banquet, as well as the members being actually present six weeks later for the Debut Gathering... so there'd be a bit of a surprise for those, seeing that Jaune Arc had snagged Pyrrha the Amazing.

'I should get her to sign that poster... and her teammates.'

"My partner says that I'm one of the best partners that she could want. Of course, that isn't to say that my other teammates are all that shabby. They're two old friends, grew up together in Mistral and made the switch to Beacon because they wanted to be the heroes that they will become. I've got faith in my team's chances of success. They're great."

He gave that winning smile again and Adelheid could see that the old guy was charmed, at least by the presentation. The genuineness that Jaune put in his words was wonderful to see, and it most certainly was working on her.

'So, we've got the promotional material, we've handed the whole promotional picture with his name below it to the projector crew in advance... What more could we want for?'

A hunky guy passed by, giving her a wink. She let her eyes linger for a moment before she fixed them back. It wasn't time yet to go and get distracted, and she certainly shouldn't be getting to watch eye-candy when she was on the job.

"Pyrrha's great, she's eh, apparently some hot-shot champion or something? I mean, she's just Pyrrha, damn amazing in her own right. Saved my life more than once, y'know? And then there's Ren and Nora, a set of friends that have amazing chemistry. Best friends, and I'm damn envious of them at times."

'That's good, keep the humility up. You're the team leader, but you've got strong members. Nobody likes someone who's arrogant, but they love someone who's able to play to his strengths.'

The old man raised an eyebrow and was about to say something until a microphone was shoved in front of him. Adelheid felt like her heart was dropping at the sudden arrival of a blonde nuisance, short and stout and loud and Valean proud.

"Alexandrite Stones, reporting for Knowledge Wars, raw and live! What are your answers to the people of Vale about the illegal processing of the Faunus into the food supplements for the starving and needy?"

Adelheid's face fell, as Alexandrite Stones wormed her way into the conversation like a slug that sort of grew a set of running legs. Not that she liked to imagine it, but she'd seen a picture of the Grimm that had that kind of thing going for it and it wasn't something pleasant. Yuck.

"The what?"

The old man seemed confused, as Alexandrite continued.

"Seven dead Goat Faunus kids were found in a dumpster with their bodies mutilated! What is your response, President Loam? Does the union not care for the innocents?"

The old man looked a little taken aback, as someone hissed loudly.

"Stay away, you crazy old muff! Peddle your shitty conspiracy theories elsewhere!"

A taller blonde-haired man came at the woman, wielding a large weapon in his hands, armour on the front looking like it'd been through battle, though the height difference wasn't so much, Alexandrite Stones giving a low snarl.

"I put you through school, Greg! I'm here on important business, to make sure that the truth comes to light! There's danger amongst these villains, these blood-drinking cronies of the Council! Vale needs to know!"

The man looked like he could be related, perhaps a younger brother of sorts. Late twenties, totally not her type with his weak chin and those eyes that didn't quite pull her in, the older gentleman excusing himself, Jaune remaining there, waiting for her to guide him away. It was cute, but it was what they'd agreed upon.

She'd be the one doing introductions, whilst he did the Jaune thing, and was as cute as a button and as sweet as honey. It wouldn't be wrong to say that she was enjoying it a little bit too much, acting as the eye candy for him and generally being out and about.

"Yeah, and I'm grateful for that, but you've got no right to accost people like this, Alex."

Adelheid was about to sneak off with her client, to search for someone else who'd want to be introduced to the hot piece of real estate that was known as Jaune Arc, moistener of her underwear at multiple occasions and currently doing a very fine job of endearing himself to her.

She was aroused. That was a fact. Business came first, though.

"Now, that won't be necessary, Mister... Stones? I'm sure that Misses Stones is more than willing to make it more of an observatory thing..."

The cameraman that held the camera gave him a thumbs-up, the look of the man being grateful, as Alexandrite seemed to swell up with a tirade, her younger brother looking at him for a moment and biting his lower lip.

"Alex, keep your trap shut and don't bother the guests. I'm here for security, and we're not going to have any incidents here with you..."

The pleading tone from the younger brother was enough, as he looked at Jaune and Adelheid felt a momentary flash of fear at the man deciding to go and throw him out. If Jaune was thrown out, he couldn't make it to the stage and be a cool and hot beefcake stud! That'd impact her salary!

"You, keep your nose out of stuff that doesn't concern you, but-"

Alexandrite shook her head and motioned for the cameraman to come with her, seeing sense in Jaune's words. Jaune was just glad that the woman didn't start talking about the Frog Faunus thing again, if she read his expression right.

"Yeah, good job. She's a bit of a handful with her weird wacky conspiracy theories, but she's still my older sister. Gregorian Stones, at your service. You and your misses can go on unmolested, I'll keep her out of the public view..."

Adelheid pressed her lips tightly together, and felt how Jaune took her by the arm, a bit more formally than she'd like it, but still, fitting nicely together.

"He thought you were my date, Adel."

It wasn't an unpleasant thought. It was more unpleasant because of the things she usually did during dates. Dates that ended up with her in the bedroom, doing horrible things to penises with her various orifices. If she could manage, multiple. Not that it'd be a bad prospect with him, but she was supposed to be-

"Now, don't frown like that. You should smile, be happy. I'd hate for Saphron to think that you didn't have fun being out with me."

'Damn it Jaune, you're not helping this feeling! Stop it, or I'll do something I regret... Come on, Adelheid... Think not about the good guy at your side, look at the pretty boys...'

She spotted one of the publishers with their Huntress, the woman looking stern and with a hint of pride in her eyes, the Huntress at her side dressed in a simple tan jacket with wrappings around her upper body, a sense of something in her gut telling her that the Huntress would make a decent target for a publication deal, if she'd been free. Golden eyes and that dark hair falling over her face, Adelheid had to take a moment to resist the urge to wonder whether it the carpet matched the drapes, though she'd never had such thoughts.

"How about we go to her, introduce ourselves and see what kind of competition we have?"

It was a good idea, scoping out the competition. She put on her most wonderful smile and then guided him over to the woman, smiling with that extra oomph of whatever sex appeal she could muster. Her eyes spotted a hot waiter strolling past, checking that ass out.

'Yeah... Distract myself from the hot stuff...'

She was going to kill this thing, bring home a lot of good PR for her boy Jaune and maybe score herself a date.

---

Jaune's eyes watched the brunette Huntress as they approached, Adelheid's smile warm and friendly, as she proved once more to him that she was worthy to be Saphron's friend. He'd wondered briefly whether she'd be more than a friend to his sister, but Adelheid most certainly didn't seem to be leaning in that direction. A king had to know one's subjects, and Adelheid was...

She was Adelheid, his publisher. Someone who made him feel warm when he touched her, just like the members of his team, just like Weiss. It was that feeling of warmth and genuine care that she showed for him and his sister Saphron that made him feel protective.

'Little sister to my big sister, eh... I guess you're definitely a keeper.'

She wasn't bad on the eyes either, but there was that little problem of keeping things professional. She wouldn't be going for him if she had any sort of sense, because she had always said that she was a professional. He respected that. Like Doctor Watts, she was able to be polite, functional and able to anticipate any trouble that he might have.

"Helloooo, my name is Adelheid Blau, representing this wonderful fellow here, I saw you looking like you needed a moment to chat, so here we are."

Adelheid's easy manner of addressing people was definitely a good side of her, knowing that an open-hearted approach was likely to meet with a good impression. Mama always had indicated that the kindest approach could most easily tear open the heart of the person, to get you what you needed.

"Johanna Gelb, representing Cinder Fall." The stern-faced publisher spoke up in a voice that sounded like it definitely didn't have the best interests at heart, the woman looking somewhat familiar. Jaune focused for a moment before he placed her.

'I think I ran into her when Weiss and I went for a coffee...'

He flashed her his most wholesome smile, the golden eyes looking placid, but something about those eyes being a little off.

"Cinder Fall, a pleasure to meet you."

He extended a hand, though she didn't shake his, settling for a small bow.

"I'm here for the banquet, Mister..."

Adelheid seemed like she'd be getting ready to do the promotional speech, but he stalled her.

"Jaune Arc, miss Fall. Short, sweet and the ladies love it... or well, I haven't heard a complaint yet, and that's what we're going for! A pleasure to meet you."

She didn't look very charmed, Adelheid clearing her throat to speak up.

"Well, it's just a banquet, and since you're from... Mistral, I think? You look like you'd fit in at Haven, maybe as a senior student?"

Cinder looked a little upset, as she shook her head.

"I'm eighteen, Miss Blau. It's still quite a way's away before I am a senior."

'You don't look eighteen.'

That growth spurt must've hit Cinder like a truck. He'd guess that she was around Saphron's age, if not a little older. If she was eighteen, he was definitely sexually attracted to men... which he was not. The Huntress in training that looked older, gave a small laugh, as she trailed a hand over his chest.

"You've actually dressed appropriately. I saw a guy wearing full plate mail a short while ago."

He looked at Adelheid with a questioning look, Adelheid's smile as warm as it could be, whilst her blue eyes had the glint of something that he interpreted as 'go along with what I'm saying'.

"It's his first time at one of these gatherings, so he's dressed up well. Mister Arc is an upcoming talent, and I think that he will need to be the best-dressed at the very least, wouldn't you say so?"

Adelheid's arm rested a little closer to him, as he felt the urges within him swell. The chill inside him seemed to throb and vibrate, the flame slowly dimming, as he felt a wave of nausea go through him as he looked at the woman named Cinder.

"If you'll excuse me? I think I need to visit the bathroom. Nerves, you see."

Adelheid's arm let go of him as she patted him on the back, making a little worried motion with her hand, a kind gesture that he felt, as his breathing deepened a little, sweat suddenly appearing on his forehead, as he staggered off towards the bathroom.

He pushed open the bathroom door, spotting several of the waiters chatting on their Scrolls, not quite wanted yet to be serving the food, taking a moment to wash his face and look at his reflection. He was alone soon after, the red colour pulsing through the blue and back again.

'That isn't good.'

He'd been feeling worse and he knew that, his breathing growing a little more laboured. His skin paled and the veins showed, as he felt the burning ache within his chest, the pain growing once more, as his ribs felt pained, pricking against his lungs.

'Nope, not good...'

Something seemed to creak a little, a pain coming through him.

"You okay there, dude?"

One of the waiters asked, as Jaune leaned against the sink. He felt the sickness and the pain radiate through his body.

"Nerves, I'm up for the whole speech thing."

The waiter nodded, understanding that, pulling out a small tin of mints. Jaune's eyes looked at the other waiters, discussing something about hot chicks.

'Lots of those around with the Huntsmen around...'

"Have a mint, it'll freshen your breath up."

He took a mint and popped it into his mouth. The pain didn't go away, but he felt a little fresher than before as he took a drink from the water and shook his head, his eyes looking at the waiter.

"Thanks, it's- Nerves. Big do."

The waiter gave an encouraging pat to the back.

"Do what we do. Pick up a hot chick, there's quite a few here who've put up their NSA deets, get a load off once the nerves get too bad. Huntresses are regular freaks in the sack, dude."

'Weiss isn't much of a freak.'

She was modest and kind, clinging to him and whispering that she loved him. It was... strange. It was strange that she loved him, because he was her friend and she wasn't... well, she wasn't fit to be a lover to a prince, a courtesan perhaps, but a lover? She was...

"Yeah, I'm..."

Pain stabbed him, as he leaned forward again, the coolness from his body starting to feel like it was going to get even colder. The flame was starting to go out, but he could just leech just a bit...

"Yeah, these nerves are killing me."

The waiter went back to his companions, starting to talk about the hot broads that he'd seen, Jaune pulling himself out of the toilet and then joining Adelheid again, a smile on his face even as he felt the pain increase. Warmth flooded into him as he touched her, and he felt the flame swell a little, the dark ocean fading a little. Cinder Fall stood at her publisher's side, an easy smile on her face as Adelheid was asking a few questions, her eyes intrigued, or at least giving the impression that she was.

"Sorry, there was a bit of a line. Did I miss much?"

She flashed him a smile that was professional, before she started to talk about what'd been spoken of. Cinder was apparently a young Huntress (He didn't believe that for a moment. Someone who had those looks had to be older than 24.) who'd become a student at Haven after acing one of the entrance examinations the year before. He smiled his most charming smile at the woman.

"I'm just someone who got lucky, had a bit of a break with a wonderful partner and am going to be doing my best to make the world a better place."

He grabbed Adelheid's hand and gave it a squeeze, raising it up in a sort of victory pose.

"And this lucky lady's the one to make me a star. If Adelheid can't do it, my name isn't Jaune Arc."

Adelheid didn't resist, grinning at him. She looked excited, ready for just about everything to hit her at once, high-spirited and in a good mood.

"Yep, I'm real proud of this fella. He's going to be a star and I just know that he'll be killing it here."

Jaune couldn't help but smirk just as she did, as Adelheid's eyes met his for a moment, two little blinks, showing that they should move on.

"How about we get a seat, Adelheid? It's time for us to get some time to discuss stuff."

A good and valid excuse, he knew. Adelheid steered him, as she was supposed to be the leading influence here, to one of the seats, marked without the special marker that'd be needed for those VIP guests, plopping herself down and giving a long sigh.

"Boring... Gods, you should've been there when she just started yapping 'Cinder's a good Huntress, yadda yadda yadda.' Give me a break..."

She nudged him with her fist, a smile on her lips as she regarded him. He caught sight of Alexandrite Stones slinking in once more, the cameraman following after her like a faithful hound. He wondered what the report would look like, as he noticed Adelheid's easiness.

"Not nervous at all?"

She shook her head, her face serious once more. It was a good quality to have in a publisher, he knew. Seriousness with a little bit of a fun side, that'd just do the trick.

"I know you're going to be good, Jaune. If I haven't managed to coach you to do well, I'm a failure as a publisher. Your sis told me that I should do my best, and I'm not letting her down. I'm not letting you down, adoptive lil' brother."

A teasing grin on her lips, as Adelheid poked his chest. He suppressed the wince as the pain returned, a cheerful 'Hellooo, Adelheid!' coming from the side. A drink was put in front of him and Adelheid, who looked a little surprised, the smile blossoming on her face again.

"Artemis! Hi! Jaune, we made up! We're friends again!"

The drink in front of Adelheid was looking a little bit like a liquor, though he hadn't had much experience with that sort of thing. Seventeen was still young, and it didn't really hit his appeal to go to bars.

"May the best publisher win, Adelheid. One of us is going to knock it out of the park today, and the other is going home in disgrace. Are you ready for a battle of the Huntsmen?"

Adelheid was quick to start talking, as Sabrina Marsh sat down next to him.

"So, eh... Are you nervous?"

Dull eyes looked at him with a question in them, as he saw her seemingly snap back to attention, regarding him for a moment.

"No. I'll be winning anyways. You won't be winning."

'Arrogance... Well, that's not surprising.'

Adelheid had said something about the statistics of Sabrina Marsh before, when they'd first ran into her. He put that casual smile on his face, trying to appeal to her sensibilities easily.

"The battle hasn't been fought yet, so let's have fun and see who ends up how and what, okay? Shake on it?"

He held out a hand, expecting that she'd not shake it, but she did. Her fingers were cool to the touch, but the warmth inside her flooded into him, making him feel a little warmer. She frowned at him.

"You're not very healthy, are you?"

He shrugged. He was healthy enough, as the power could only aid him. He was here to look good, to represent his team and bring back a good impression, with Adelheid working as best as she could.

He drank some of the drink in front of him, something acrid and crude in his stomach now, a low groan coming from his mouth at the taste. Not quite a favourite. It tasted a little stronger than the beer that he'd sipped of, and it wasn't really great.

'I'll never drink more than a glass of wine... Mama likes to drink a little.'

It tasted bad, Adelheid bumping against him with a smile on her face at the face that he'd made.

"Aww, taste bad, Jaune? Come on, give it a good sip, then swirl..."

She demonstrated with her own drink, grinning at him.

"See? I normally drink this stuff with a dash of lemon in it, makes it slide down really well."

He hoped that it'd be a good idea to say no to more of these. They might not have alcohol in it, but they made his stomach act up a little.

---

She swayed a little, the plate in front of her dancing a little. She'd had more than a few of the non-alcoholic drinks, and she liked the feeling she had. Good feelings, pleasant feelings, warm feelings...

"S-Sho, I wash jusht lookin' an' then she justht went like 'Hai, Addie, c'mere.' Sho, Saph wash like 'Check dizz' an' she pullsh out th' biggesht thing evarr..."

Okay, the fake buzz was probably... yeah, great. Artemis offered her another drink, before she got up. She downed in one go, giving a little hiccup and giggling at the warmth that flooded her.

"Time for Sabrina to give her speech, Adelheid. You're up in forty minutes. Age before beauty. Let the best Publisher win."

Her eyes closed for a moment, and she felt her client poke against her. He was such a good guy, such a hot guy too. She'd want to...

'Hmm, yeah, I'd just slip under the table and...'

She was thinking about it. She was thinking about it and she felt needy. Needy and eager, but there was that thing... Yeah, contract. Bad stuff with Saphron. She'd be mad, but it'd be really good to just run her tongue over that big hard 'weapon', to feel his fingers run through her hair as she'd-

"- okay, Adelheid?"

Blue eyes looked into her own and she shook her head. The fork in her right hand had sort of slipped, a giggle coming from her lips as she shook her head. "Woops... yeah, 'm fine, lil brother. Justh a bit... Wooh."

She shook her head a little, as she noticed one of the good-looking servers stride up with a drink in hand, as Artemis got to the stage. Now there was a nice hunky dude... Yeah. Adelheid liked. Much. Cute guys were liked, and they were better than thinking about the guy sitting beside her.

'Hmmm... Nice face, decent eyes... Not much of that 'ugn' factor, but hey... any port in a- no, I said I'd be... yeah, I'd be the good girl tonight. The good girl that's sitting in her big strong little brother's lap, bouncing on his- Aww, I'm thinking bad thoughts.'

"Here's a drink, your friend said that you should have a drink before you'd see her up on stage."

'Cloudy. Hm.'

She raised it with a grin, winking at the guy. She nearly fell off her chair with the swaying motion though. A strong hand grabbed a hold of her and she was pulled back into her chair.

'Hmm... Manhandle me, big boy...'

"Thanks, big guy. Gee, without you I'd be one lost publisher girl, y'know?"

She gave a little salute to the waiter, mentally checking that butt out a little. Surely there'd be something said about a cute butt later...

"Are you sure that they're non-alcoholic, Adelheid?"

He sounded concerned. She was... well, she was pretty sure that they weren't alcoholic. She sipped the drink, some cloudy little cream-thing that made her mind tingle a little. That definitely was rum. Yep, rum, something liquor-like, the type of drink that she liked. A bit of an extra shot, a little cloudy but...

'Hmm... What's the problem? I've drank before, and... Yeah, one can't hurt.'

"One drink can't hurt, Jauney. Just keep your cute butt in the seat, I'm a big girl..."

She bit her lower lip, as she let that thought wander a little. The nice cool drink went down smoothly, as her head swayed slowly back and forth.

'Big girl who wants to get that cute butt in her bed... Fuck, I'd like a big hard stiff cock...'

Yeah, seeing those blue eyes looking into hers and feeling him just take her like she was queen bitch of the fuckme kingdom...

"Sabrina Marsh, ladies and gentlemen!"

'Oops, I should pay attention. Arty is up.'

She leaned onto the table, watching the speech by the girl. It was nice, she supposed. Right hopes for the future, good inspirational speaking, Artemis looked like she was proud, even with that god-damn ugly tattoo on her chest...

'Really, you could've done something a bit more tasteful...'

"When we're up, do you think we should stick to the script?"

Her client spoke and she smiled. Her hand reached down to squeeze his thigh for support. She missed a little. Bit too high, just grabbing his hip.

"We'll be fhine, Jahne. Yeah... fine."

She saw Adelheid Blau and Jaune Arc getting on the stage. Muted applause, and she'd do a little speech. She had it memorized already. The drink was dry now, and she slurped it a little.

'Nice... So...'

A brief glance at him, as her hand patted his cute back a little. She totally was going to nail this performance. She pulled out her watch and fiddled with the dials for a bit.

"Set the watch for five minutes before the speech with a little... yeah, that's it."

Proper stuff like that she didn't forget, even though she felt a little randy. She'd just get a quickie and then be right and ready... Jaune was doing the same, setting his alarm for five minutes before they were to get up on the stage.

'Adelheid Blau, and the guy next to me is the guy who's going to wow you all. I'm lucky to be his publisher, and I hope that he'll smash this one out the park. Jaune, if you would?'

The lines easily came to her mind, practised thirty times in the last session they had, the day before. She'd nail him, and she'd get...

'Nope, no sex.'

"How'd we do?"

Artemis asked, and Adelheid snapped back out of that little fantasy. She looked at the glass in front of her, filled with something bright blue mixed with something orange.

'Didn't I just drink that? Ah hell, I'd better finish it... Then go for the bathroom.'

She needed to piss. She got up and finished the glass, feeling the presence of that nice, nice alcohol go through her. She took a few steps, before she smiled a little and swayed.

'Woah, dizzy... So dizzy.'

"Need the bathroom, Adelheid?"

She nodded to her friend. Artemis was good, she knew. Good, friend. Everything was fine again, yep. Her friend's arm wrapped around hers, and she was guided along, her eyes sliding over the guys around. She really wanted to get laid, but... wasn't there something that she should be doing?

'Piss first, think later.'

She staggered a little with Artemis supporting her, hearing Artemis talk about how things were going to work out just fine, and that the better Huntsman would win. She noticed one of the cute waiters standing outside of the door that led to the bathroom, seemingly keeping watch for people needing something.

"Hey, my friend here needs to take a leak, do you think you guys can get her taken care of? She's a bit of a handful..."

She looked at the cute waiter guy, grinning. She giggled a little, as his hands grabbed her. She smelled cologne, her hands groping a little. Nice muscles, good body. Good fun, she reckoned. She burned with that need, with that desire.

"Sure, you up for a bit of fun later?"

Her friend gave a soft laugh, as she seemed to shake her head, Adelheid's face showing some confusion? Why was she confused by the offer? Sex was sex and sex was fun, right?

"She sucks badly, y'know? Mhm... Yeah, Art, join, kay? Shesh better at sheks."

She remembered something like that, even as her bladder quivered. She should go for the bathroom, or she'd wet herself. That'd be embarrassing.

"Toilet first, seksh latah. Yer Handshome."

'Yeah, score... Nice looking guy, friend... hmm... Was there something else?'

She had problems remembering stuff. It'd been so long. She was sure that she'd remember it again. Oh, there was that Huntsman guy who was Alexandrite's brother? He was talking with the woman, making gestures with his hands at her, not much her type, really.

She waved at the two of them, before the need to piss overtook her and she waddled into the bathroom and straight to the nearest toilet stall, ignoring most things around her by virtue of needing to pee. She could hear the sound of someone enjoying herself, and she didn't think too damn much. An alarm started to beep, and she could hear something coming, as she felt her bladder being ready to burst.

She made it to the toilet bowl, as the waiter guy looked at her and then pulled his dick out.

'Hey there, mister enjoyment! You need a kiss!'

She opened her mouth without really thinking too much about it. It was time to get that burning out of her groin, and she was seeing a nice dick in front of her.

'Well hello there, good time! Come to mama!'

The alarm beeped again as she did what she wanted.

---

He was nervous. He was nervous when Artemis returned alone, saying that Adelheid had been a little sick and that she'd let her go to the bathroom. One of the guys running the show had come by with a plug-in microphone, and he was due to go up on stage in five minutes or so.

"Hey, kid?"

Alexandrite Stones looked at him with that look of 'I am sort of a decent individual, even if I believe that some people are Mantlean spies' on her features, her eyes looking at him. Her brother stood at her side, looking a little serious.

"That girl of yours, Blau. How'd you say she's feeling?"

He thought Adelheid was drunk. Alexandrite was a woman who had weird opinions and crazy stuff, but she was still someone who seemed to be looking out for the people she knew.

"Drunk? I mean, she looked a little like my dad does, but... worse."

That wasn't good. That wasn't good at all. Mama had said that her contract stipulated that she couldn't do something that'd cause a scandal, and appearing here in this place drunk as she could be and making a mess of the show was just not done.

"I think she might've been fed drunk by that friend of hers, y'know, the one with the ugly tit-too? Greg said that... Yeah, she wasn't looking good. Went into the men's room by accident."

'Nope, not good.'

Adelheid needed someone to protect her too. She was his publisher, and she was a good woman, just like his Mama.

He got up from his seat, as someone tapped his sleeve. One of the members of staff stood there, looking seriously.

"Mister Arc? Your publisher and you will need to get backstage. It's five minutes until you're going to be up on stage. Your microphone activates after six minutes, according to the schedule."

Jaune nodded, glancing at Alexandrite, the cameraman looking at him with a shrug. The bearded guy looked like he was going to just take a wide shot, before he got up. He hadn't seen Artemis appear again, so the woman was undoubtedly somewhere.

"I'll go get her. She's in the bathroom... I guess the caviar might be getting to her."

He motioned for Alexandrite to follow, knowing that to lead was to show spirit, as he walked towards the bathroom.

"Take the lady's room. I'll check whether she is still in the men's room, and you check whether she's in the women's room. A huntsman shouldn't shirk his duty to get someone out of a tight spot."

He heard a crackling in his ear, as the announcer started to announce them. The microphone cracked a little, and he felt a little dash of worry shoot through his system. This thing was live now, he guessed.

'Alright...'

The door opened up, and he saw a woman half-bent over the sink, one of the waiting staff getting busy with her.

"Hey, looking for a lady in her mid-twenties, blonde hair, listens to the name Adelheid? Yeah, we're up on stage in... well, we should be. If you'd..."

His eyes ran over the bottom of the stalls. A rather familiar set of knees was visible, the dress still on. He winced a little internally. That definitely wasn't a good sign, with two guys backs visible and the audible sounds of someone being rather pleasured in their soft encouragements of the woman on her knees.

'Damn it, Adelheid.'

"Annnd, there she is. Don't worry, I'll just... Yeah, eh, are you okay? Adelheid?"

Adelheid's lips were definitely not supposed to be around a guy's dick. Neither were her hands supposed to be stroking off another guy, and her whole face was just wrapped in a drunken happy smile past the guy's dick.

'Nope, not okay. Glassy eyes, looking like she's having the time of her life, and...'

One of the guys looked at him with a look on his face that meant business. Jaune was smaller than the guy. Frailer. Not quite as imposing or as muscular.

"Hey, if you want a turn with this easy broad, wait for it. C'mon sweetheart, stick it back in."

'Yeah, and we're probably broadcast live now. Damn it...'

He wouldn't compromise on his ideals. If he was to be a prince, a king or anything else... Action was desired, as Adelheid's head slid down once more like she was ready to keep on going.

"I'm taking her out of here, and if you'll stop me, I'll have to use force. I'm sorry, but I doubt she's in a state to really consent."

He wasn't really fond of a brute force situation. He wasn't the strongest, nor was he the one with the most endurance, but he would not budge on this. The dark whispers to unleash his power in his mind raged, as he was pushed back, taking a few steps.

"Piss off, dude. Her friend said that she needed something of a pick-me-up."

'Yeah, that's probably because she'd be occupied when she'd be up on stage...'

His skin paled, as the power surged inside him, the air around him solidifying with the hum of magic burning through his body.

His hand shot out in a punch, hitting the guy in the chest, the pressure wrapping around his hand as he let the power explode. The small crack of his hand hitting the guy in the chest was more explosive than before, as the stall wall sort of creaked and cracked.

"Alright Adelheid, let's get you home. If they're going to drug your drink, you've got no option but to make it back home safe and sound under escort. Huntsmen are supposed to be making sure that everyone who isn't a Huntsman gets to safety, so get up, alright?"

The other guy looked like he was going to be making himself scarce, as Jaune grabbed an arm of Adelheid, lifting her up from the toilet seat. She smelled of alcohol and vomit, her eyes definitely not good.

"Hey? Whershh... Ah?"

'Nope, not sober at all...'

He should've paid more attention to her, made sure that she didn't drink that much. Non-alcoholic drinks must've been avoided, or there'd been...

"Come on, Addie. Time to get you home. Hop."

It wasn't very elegant, but he'd carried people before, lifting her up into his arms in a bridal carry. She was mumbling something about friendship and sharing a dick, but he supposed that he'd just ignore that. She was drunk, and she wasn't exactly light. Pyrrha weighed more, he guessed.

She was drooling onto his shirt, grabbing a hold of him and then stroking over his cheek, and most of her mutters about 'pretty boy' and such things he ignored. It wasn't important, and he stepped out of the men's room, seeing that Alexandrite Stones was just about talking up a storm.

"- miscreants drugging our poor innocent Valean citizens in order to get at their own darn achievements! A grave miscarriage of affairs, and-"

'Let's get up on stage anyways, at the very least I should give a speech, even if she's lolling her head back and forth.'

He was sure that Mama would be watching, but- well, he had to make sure that Adelheid was safe first.

"Miss Stones, could you keep watch over her for a bit? I'll be up on stage for a moment. I should give a speech, even if people probably have heard me speak."

He would be the prince, even if he had to abandon Adelheid for a bit. He wouldn't let her get into a scandal, so he dropped her off with the woman, Adelheid leaning against Alexandrite Stones and starting to babble. At least Knowledge Wars programming meant that it wouldn't go viral so quickly.

He approached the stage from the front, leaping up on it and going towards the microphone, looking at the crowd with a serious expression on his face. Adelheid would've been giving a speech about him and doing stuff, and he'd have to follow the script. The promotional picture was displayed behind the stage, and he turned to face the crowd.

Several people were already gazing at him with dismissive looks, unimpressed by the way things were going, whilst others just looked with a hint of curiosity. He straightened himself. A king dominated those around him, making the people obey him through the presence that he showed.

"Being a Huntsman, is to protect people. To make sure that you put your life on the line for them and you make them safe and secure. I could have left, as I'm sure that you've heard what sort of happened. I apologize for the mess, but sometimes, you have to make a choice between doing what is the best decision for the people around you and what is the best decision for your career."

He paused, closing his eyes and then taking a deep breath. He'd said it, and couldn't back out now. Adelheid was his publisher and she was Saphron's friend.

"And I'm leaving now to bring my publisher, who probably had a few too many drinks by her close friend Artemis Manilla, home. That's the right thing to do, and I'm not here for the fame, or the glory. I'm not here to be talking about things that really don't matter, so, thank you for letting me be up on this stage, and goodbye. I hope that you have a good evening and that whoever goes home with the endorsement will spend it wisely. We're all here to make the world a better place by the authority vested in us."

His mama wished to make the world a better place, one where there would be a clear order of things. He knew that this was probably the worst thing that could have happened, but he was going to bring Adelheid home.

'There'll be more banquets. There'll be other events. What's important now is that Adelheid gets herself sobered up and that she's home again.'

He knew that Tyrian was off doing something for his Mama, the man had intimated as much, speaking of an errand that had to be run in order to please his goddess. The man's eyes had glinted dangerously, and he knew that it was likely nothing he'd like.

Someone clapped as he handed the microphone off to one of the staff, walking up to Adelheid, who was half-slung over Alexandrite Stones' shoulder, her cleavage looking a little wider.

"darn plot by the Mantlean government to bring doom and destruction to our fair city of Vale!"

The woman gesticulated a little, Adelheid giving a little 'whee' as she giggled and snorted at Alexandrite's motion for silence.

"Deaf and Dickstruction! Yeahhh!"

He shook his head, wrapping his arm around her and lifting her up in a princess carry. She was a little less weighty than before, the air wrapping around her solidly with a flex of his magical power, the voices in his head whispering at him to just burst loose, to incinerate and demolish.

'They are weak, meek lambs for the slaughter. What do they have to face against true power?'

"Hmm... Carry me home, daddy. Bring me home an' I'll give you a little kiss..."

He glanced at Alexandrite for a moment, before he tapped her on the shoulder. He needed transportation, because Adelheid and Saphron didn't live close to this place at all.

"Could you call us a cab? I need to bring her home."

Alexandrite's hand started to gesticulate to her cameraman. The man's arm held the camera up, whilst checking the Scroll as well for a number.

"- heroic actions, but rather be interested in cold hard Lien! Darn socialist hippies, trying to make us into some sort of Mantlean Sociocrat! Alexandrite Stones will find out the truth, even if she has to find that evil woman Manilla and give her the third degree."

The cameraman dialled the number for the cab company and ordered, the camera swaying slightly, before the cab was ordered. Jaune just adjusted his hold on Adelheid, aware that some people were staring, that other people were getting up on stage. He was just concerned about Adelheid.

He could see Saphron's worried face already, looking at Adelheid with those eyes of 'oh no, this isn't good.' Mama would be upset, to say the least, about what happened and Adelheid was chewing on the button of his shirt. She was drooling and sweating, her eyes looking feverishly.

"C'mon, gimme hugs. Hugs, daddy. I want me hugs, daddy daddy."

'Yeah, she's definitely out of it.'

The magic slowly burned through his body, the flickering flame steady, as the ocean slowly encroached, holding Adelheid's body up and keeping her steady, Alexandrite moving towards her target when it was spotted, Artemis Manilla and her Huntsman client, the woman's younger brother approaching him quietly and holding out something for him.

"Here's a purge pill for her. It'll purge most of the alcohol from her system with her first visit to the bathroom afterwards. Not the best way to do it because it'll make your bladder burn for a day, but it's good in a pinch. Don't worry too much about the fallout. This isn't the first time that we've had a bit of a hubbub like this here..."

He hoped that Adelheid would sober up, the pill packaged in a small black carton, Adelheid mumbling something about needing more man in her life. She was starting to nip at his neck, licking over it again.

'Seriously, Adelheid... We're giving you that pill and getting you right to bed when we get home.'

The trip in the cab was slow, as he felt Adelheid's fingers roam over him, her mumbling and giggling a low drone. He didn't really want to know what the cab driver thought of him with an obviously drunk older woman next to him, even with him getting off at the curb next to the building a block away. She leaned against him, her body swaying with every step.

"Open up, Adelheid."

Her tongue slid out as her mouth opened wide, her eyes still dazed and drunk. Jaune pulled her up, his magic starting to bubble and burn through his system. A small stream of water flowed from his hand, wrapping around the pill and then pushing itself down into her open mouth like a tendril, the power threatening to burst loose. It was hard to control so little of the element, when the large swath of power threatened to burst loose. A torrent of water would be the result, he knew.

He felt the power surge through him, he felt control and a tightly wrapped leash sliding around that flame like a noose choking it. The flame had been slowly starting to grow smaller, his body quivering somewhat as he tried to hold her up. Some sweat was dripping off his forehead, as he felt the darkness pull around his flames and stamp them out. The front door to the home of his sister was there, and he opened it up, pulling Adelheid up the stairs, feeling how there was a need to get her there.

'I'm so cold...'

His fingers were numb, even with Adelheid mumbling something about needing the bathroom, and he opened up the door for her, pushing her in, closing it after setting her on the toilet and pulling the dress up for her.

'Have to find Saphron.'

His big sister would know what to do. She was reliable, and...

The sound of someone throwing up in the bathroom was heard, and he opened the door, finding Adelheid half-bent over the small sink, throwing up slimy chunks of food that'd been barely digested.

"Are you okay?"

His voice cracked, as the power surged again, the icy cold skin feeling even colder as he touched her, her eyes looking at him with a heavy-lidded look, her lips slid over with her tongue.

"Hmm... s-shay... Y'look f'ne to meeeh... c'mere? Gimme b-big hug?"

He didn't resist much, wrapping his arms around her. She was warmer than he was, and in the reflection of the small mirror that hung in the bathroom, he could see the pale skin and the dark veins running below that very same skin, as she was busy nipping at his neck.

"Y'brought me bakk, big boy."

He slowly got up, as quickly as he could muster. She was warm, and the flame slowly started to rise again, as her arms grabbed a hold of him, and her body seemed lighter than before. The whispers whispered to him, his teeth biting down on his lip, as he stumbled out of the bathroom with her. She'd done her business, she'd thrown up, now it was time to get her to bed.

'I'm so tired...'

He checked the living room for a moment, seeing Saphron passed out on the couch, her eyes closed and sleeping. He heard Adelheid mumble something, and she staggered forward, nearly hitting the wall. His hand grabbed a hold of her before she did, guiding her to her bedroom, opening the door for her.

She turned around and grabbed him by the jacket. Her blue eyes looked into his own as her face came much closer, the smell of vomit on her breath as she spoke, lips licked by her tongue beforehand.

"Hmm. Come on, cutie- Time to show you what Adelheid Blow can do."

She kissed him, before her arms wrapped around him and she leapt onto him, crawling up against him like a monkey crawling up on a tree.

"Been so long, cutie... Heh... Hmmm, want me to call you daddy? Yeah, you're a daddy type, big boy- Bit like my client, but... eh, not allowed to touch, nope. She'll have my tits! Let's fuck!"

He pulled her off, setting her onto her bed. Her hands grabbed his pants and firmly grabbed a hold of them.

"C'mon!"

He felt a little faint, and he was tired. He snapped to attention when warmth seeped into him, and he looked down. Hands braced on his hips, as her lips moved a little, kissing and smooching, mumbling something about daddy being big today. The giggles definitely were weird.

'Damn it...'

---

She startled awake when a loud sound was heard, looking around, the news already on the Knowledge Wars channel, Saphron's eyes finding the alarm clock. A squeaking, creaking sound was going on, and Adelheid seemed to be getting busy, if the sound wasn't wrongly interpreted.

'It's damn late... That's not 'back at eleven', Adelheid...'

She wandered to the fridge, taking a few nibbles of the prepared food that'd been left there, a small content little mumble coming from her lips as she downed it with some milk. She should definitely check on her little sister in spirit, hoping that the whole thing had gone well. She'd dozed off mid-way through some of the ceremony stuff, and she wasn't fully aware of it, hearing Adelheid moan loudly.

'Calm down, girl. You're going to blow your voice out if you keep on going at it like that.'

"Come on daddy, smack me harder! Beat your little bitch up like you want to break her in! Fuck me!"

A smack was audible, as Saphron noticed that. That was a little odd. She shook her head, trying to get the sleepiness out of it. A low groan, masculine, definitely a guy. She pushed the door open a little more, catching the small light in the corner on, Adelheid definitely busy.

Rocking as she moaned and groaned, little keening sounds coming from her mouth. The guy behind her-

'Wait, what?'

The contours were familiar, and Saphron felt a shiver go down her spine, his hand grabbing Adelheid's hair and jerking her hair back. A low moan. She quivered, as she could see him there.

"Adelheid, just..."

'Fuuuuuuck.'

That was definitely her little brother talking. Her little brother was making Adelheid scream with joy. Her little brother, who should be back at Beacon, or at the very damn least, not in bed with her bestie-better-than-the-restie, railing her like he was doing it for a bonus at the office.

"Don't care! Just fucking break me. Come on, I want it! Tug on my hair! It's been so fucking long, so just rape the fuck out of me like your dad rapes your sisters."

He did the latter, Adelheid screaming loudly as he went higher in the pace, her head jerked back as the smacking of his hips against hers made a clapping sound. Saphron, on some part of her mind that wasn't going numb from the shock, noticed that it'd be a good horror movie scream.

Saphron closed the door and then sat down with her back against it, resting her back against the door as her friend was putting her younger brother through the paces. A soft groan as he came again, moaning her best friend's name, Adelheid's soft hiss of wanting to have a taste, as Saphron tried to think of things to do in this situation.

'This is bad, this is bad, this is bad, this is very bad.'

Mama was going to be angry. Adelheid had signed the contract, and Mama wasn't going to let it slip. Mama was a woman who believed in the contracts she signed and who never lied.

Behind the door, Adelheid started to mumble something about daddy's dick being so large that it hurt her throat. Saphron didn't really want to think about it, yet. She didn't want to think about it, she didn't want to think about what was happening there, even as she remembered the thoughts, the feelings. The sensation of being touched by someone, forced...

'No... No, no... No.'

---

She had been fucked.

She'd been fucked, her crotch burned and the big bastard was inside her, his body on top of hers, feeling how she slowly woke up. The hazy feeling in her mind slowly faded, as she let her eyes adjust a little to the strain of the early morning, the clock saying that it was nearly four twenty in the morning.

"Mornin', handsome."

Pale skin, his arms wrapped around her. She felt good, as she moved a little to get the light on some more. Her eyes looked over the guy that she'd brought home to fuck. Damn, her head hurt, and she just knew that today would've been...

'Oh yeah, I went to the banquet, and I must've gone home with someone. I wonder if Jaune got back to Saph alright.'

She clicked the light on with a finger, and turned her head to look at the guy she'd brought back, wondering for a moment about how cute he was on the Adelheid Scale of Cute. She hoped that he was really cute, because she'd just like to pull him out of her pussy and make him get the morning glory treatment that she just-

The sleeping face of Jaune met her gaze. The elation and hopes that she felt were suddenly dashed, as the gravity of what had happened, what had... Her stomach just felt like it'd plummeted right into her crotch as she realized how they were positioned. Him on top of her, buck naked, and if she wasn't mistaken, still with him inside of her.

'Fuck... I am so fucking fired. I'm so fucking fired that it isn't even funny anymore. I'm so fucking fired... When Selene Umbra gets a whiff of this...'

She heard someone clear their throat loudly, a very familiar sound that she'd heard before, turning her head, paling as she noticed Saphron standing there in the room at the door, the half-opened door held open by Saphron's hand, her eyes looking at her with a look that was angry. Shadows only showed those dark eyes, the blue looking down at her accusingly.

'No, no, no. Shit, I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry.'

A sneaky little voice inside her told her that it'd felt good, that he'd been big, if her pussy's ache was good enough. It'd been a while ago since she'd gotten laid, and Saphron's gaze just turned darker, as she fumbled for words.

"Oh god, Saph, I'm-"

Saphron's expression turned angry, full-on big-sister wrath, like her older sister who'd just about verbally brow-beat Jaune into a visit to the clinic, those blue eyes looking into hers with a hostile look.

"'Rape the fuck out of me like your dad rapes your sisters', Adelheid?."

'Oh... fuck. Shit. Fuck. Crap.'

Understatement of the year, if not the decade. She'd had those kinds of fantasies, even though she thought that the guy who'd provided half of Saphron's genetic code was a dick and-

"Yeah, yeah yeah! Come on, blow a load all over my cunt."

"Fuck me harder, daddy. Make me your little bitch-whore of a sister."

"Oneesama wants her creampie, give it to me!"

Saphron looked at her and grabbed her by the hand, jerking her up and out of the bed, before getting the covers pushed onto her little brother, making his naked form be hidden from the eyes of any onlooker. Seemingly satisfied, Saphron glared at her with a sharp look.

"Come with me if you want to keep your fucking job, if not your life, Adelheid."

She was dragged into Saphron's room and tossed onto the bed, laying there bare naked, Saphron's hands going to the nightgown that she wore for modesty, slipping it off and then pushing the door shut with a clicking sound. Adelheid felt nervous, looking at her friend's features, which hadn't stopped to give her that bad feeling, as Saphron spoke up, her voice strict.

'She's angrier than angry.'

"We're going to fuck. You were drunk, you put Jaune to bed in your own bed after he went to the bathroom, a little drunk from drinks, and then we got drunk together and ended up in bed together. That's how the story will be, Adelheid."

Adelheid looked at her friend, about to get up, but being pushed down with a firm hand. She wanted to say something, to apologize, but Saphron's steely voice spoke up. For a moment, she was reminded of her mother, of her father when he'd gotten really angry, those blue eyes belonging to Saphron Arc staring into her own with merciless intent.

"Shut up. Spread your legs like you did for my brother, Adelheid."

The tongue that slid into her depths and started to make her feel really good made Adelheid not really care too much after a bit, as Saphron got to work to making sure that Adelheid had her first lesbian experience.

'I'm so fucking sorry, Saphron.'

---

Salem's eyes looked at the video feed which was playing, the audio turned up a little, the sight of two people on a bed, a woman moving her hips rhythmically to the carnal dance of depraved feelings that she felt, her moans making red eyes narrow with every excited moan.

A hand grabbed the stylus and then tapped the name Adelheid Blau. It lit up, and the profile of the woman appeared on the screen, minimized half-way. She let her eyes slide to Hazel, who was working on something for the Vacuo plan, unaware of what his mistress was working on.

"It seems that you did not keep your word, Miss Blau."

A strike-through motion, as the name disappeared. The pale-skinned immortal watched, as the moaning turned louder, the cries for her daddy to give her a creamy filling because she was a really bad girl louder.

'Do you really think you can get away with this, Miss Blau?'

The couple on the bed changed positions, and the blonde woman's head was jerked back by the hairs, the pale-skinned young prince behind her doing his best to keep up. It was a little worrisome to see how weary he looked. He most certainly should not be looking as pale as he did...

"I'm your bitch, come on, fuck me harder!"

Salem's eyes narrowed, as her finger moved the file away.

'I suppose this forces my hand, Miss Blau...'

A smile that would be considered beautiful and terrible at the same time blossomed on her lips as she looked at the woman crawling away, her rear raised towards the camera that'd been installed in the light. One never maintained a contract without insurance.

One little slip-up could be tolerated. Children, before they had grown into adulthood, were wilful and they needed to learn not to make mistakes. Those who were thought to be adults should not make mistakes. Salem's eyes watched, as Adelheid turned around and proceeded to use her lips on her little prince's manhood.

'Disgusting...'

You kissed your husband with your lips! To think that she would do such a disgusting thing with her lips upon his manhood after it had been used to lay with you was... filthy.

She pulled up the folder with files and then arranged Adelheid's portrait next to the others. A small tap, and all that remained was a name, blinking on the screen. She typed in a few things and then moved the folder, the trash bin icon flickering once, and she opened it to check whether it held a notification

The entire coupling between Miss Blau and Jaune lasted for two hours and thirty-seven minutes, when she finally collapsed and her little prince laid atop her, mumbling something about her being exhaustive.

'It seems I will have to call in Mister Callows...'

It seems that things had to be altered a little.

The call was answered in a moment's time, the man breathing somewhat heavily as he responded, undoubtedly busy with his task of educating young Beryl in the art of slaughter. One never put one's eggs in a single basket...

"Tyrian? It seems Miss Blau has broken the terms outlined in her contract. Do as I have instructed. I would be displeased, if things are delayed. Your apprentice has her test in a day's time. Make sure that you... properly prepare her. This cannot fail, Tyrian. If Adelheid Blau cannot stay away from sex and her... alcoholic needs, then there is no place in my son's life for her."

The manic laughter was something of a charming point of her personal assassin, she found.

---

Oh dear... Adelheid has succumbed to her desires! Salem will remember that.

KNOWLEDGE WARS: NEWS STRAIGHT OFF THE CUFF!

"Right here at the scene of the Banquet, with Alex Stones and Greg Stones, live! The recent orgy found within the men's room and several noteworthy huntresses in training has shocked the world, and we're here first!"

Greg Stones tries to calm the woman down, but she's all fervour. The excitement seems to last, as the woman wrapped an arm around her younger brother.

"And them darn imperialist bastards want to hide it away! This is like that darn hacker Ghest, trying to get into my secret stash of secrets! Never will Alexandrite Stones bow before the scum from Mantle and Atlas! NEVER!"

Her brother seems to be unwilling to be on the camera, as a rant of epic proportions came, and Alexandrite stormed up to the woman on the stage, Artemis Manilla, receiving the prize.

"Manilla, what's your whole game plan with feeding your best friend drunk, huh? Don't think that we didn't see you order those heavy slammers for her! What's your game! Money? Kicks? Scandal? HEY! I'M CURRENTLY LIVE, REPORTING THE NEWS! YOU'VE GOT NO SHOT AT DRAGGING A REPORTER OFF FROM HER NEWS!"

Alexandrite Stones was on film being removed from the premises, but there was a distinct hush that'd fallen after that loud declaration. The pained grimace of Artemis Manilla sort of went on to become a small meme.

Donations for Alexandrite's bail topped the amount requested in a few days time once the news was broken and it appeared that Knowledge Wars had the scoop for once.

Well... It seems that Adelheid has seen a drastic shortening of the terms of employment. Addiction... It's harder to shake than you'd think. Stay safe during the Covid 19 (Corona Virus) outbreak, people! I'll try to keep you all entertained!

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