Want of a knight reaction ch.3
"So, are we not going to talk about the issue of the dunce getting in without proper transcript?" While they were waiting Weiss decides that now would be a good time to bring this topic up. This earned a few looks before Ozpin stood up getting
"Well allow me to explain why I have allowed him to join despite the obviously faked transcript."
"Ozpin, I have been silent on the matter but I would like to know why you allowed a boy who clearly had no formal training enter our academy which is seen as the best out of all."
"I told you I would tell you now listen, and I shall explain my reasons." Everyone gathered except Neo who had wandered off to a door she had seen. "Now then I believe you all know I only allow only the most exceptional students. I believe Mister Arc is one of those students."
Ozpin expected a few confused looks which he got before Weiss spoke up. "With all due respect Headmaster, but I can not see how that dunce is an exceptional student, especially since he doesn't have any training before joining. It's a slap in the face to everyone who went through training to get here."
"Mister Arc is a unique person. I believe he is a strong man who is willing to train as hard as can be to get as strong as he needs to be. To fight any battle he has to. To protect all that he can. Tell me do any of you know of his family heritage?" Once more he got a few confused looks before Ozpin continued with his explanation.
"His family is quite known for giving birth to warriors. So much so they train independently in the family. Every member of the Arc family is said to be an incredibly strong fighter even those that choose not to fight. Their family has been going on since the great war. He wields the sword used by his great grandfather in said war. I know he is destined for great things and I wanted him in my school to-" Ozpin was cut off as Neo kicked open the door she walked through a big smile on her face and a slight red on her cheeks.
"Now that's what I call a bar." She giggled as she walked towards the group before noticing everyone staring at her. "What?"
"I see you found the bar." NakeSnake popped up behind Ozpin. "I have a few doors around here that lead to different rooms like the bar for example. Anyway are you guys ready for the next chapter?" Looking around he noticed there were a few nervous looks. "I miss something?"
"No we were simply having a few words with one another. Simply chatting about a certain student of mine and about my decisions."
"Oh is this about how you wanted Jaune in your school because of his lineage to the arc family? Yea in my opinion one of your more better ideas in life. Anyways shall we get started with the next chapter?"
"Should we just save the conversation for later then headmaster?"
"I think that is best for the moment. I think we should watch more of the story and see where it leads."
"Right then let's continue with the story shall we?" With a clap of her hands and a smile on his face. The screen popped back allowing the viewers to continue watching.
Jaune's day started of fairly well, if he took yesterday into consideration. What happened had reminded him of his days at a public school. Darker days, ones he would not like to remember. Those were the ones where he truly felt like a pariah.
"Have you guys ever asked about Jaune's life before joining Beacon? We now he didn't go to training school before so that means he went to a regular school right?" Yang asked curious about Jaune. She always assumed he went to a training school and lived life like they did. Now everyone watching knew he never went to a training school.
"We have never asked before to be honest. When it came to his past we only have talked about his family and such. Nothing about his actual childhood." Ren decided to speak up while Nora and Pyrrha thought about their talks with Jaune.
"I asked him about his school a few times but he always changed the subject and never wanted to talk about it." Ruby added with a confused look. She always wondered what school Jaune went to and now she wondered even more.
It was a reason not to tell anyone at Beacon about it. He wanted for people to like him for himself, not out of pity or some other reason.
It did hurt, hearing what his very first girlfriend had to say to him. It was, in hindsight, a good thing he did not inform most of his friends about his changed relationship status. Nora would have definitely broken some legs. The only one knowing was Cardin, and only because Jaune knew for a fact that the mace wielder could keep a secret.
"I still can't believe Jaune would tell Cardin of all people as opposed to his team. I would have wholeheartedly helped him if he chose to date someone." Everyone simply gave Pyrrha a look. Even Neo who didn't even know her knew for a fact that she was hearing a bunch of bullshit right now.
"Pyrrha you would scare of any girl that was interested in Jaune. The only reason you let other girl's near him is because you don't think they are gonna try anything." Yang stated knowing most girls would stay away from Jaune for fear of angering the Mistral champ.
Pyrrha simply smiled and tilted her head. "I have no idea what you are talking about." She continued to play innocence.
Imagine his surprise when he walked by the opened infirmary door, only to see his now ex–girlfriend heavily bandaged on one of the beds.
"Ha! She got fucked up!" Mercury laughed while Cinder rolled her eyes at her underlings reaction to the video.
'It's not like other people are gonna watch is react to these after all. Simple waste of energy.'
Cinder was unaware of the look she was getting from NakeSnake or the fact he held a typewriter and was typing everything they were doing.
"What in the world happened?"
"Oh hey, Jaune! What's up? Sun piped up, seemingly out of nowhere.
"Finally I get some screen time!" Sun was excited to finally see more of himself. He didn't get any lines in the last chapter of the video.
One blonde turned to the other. "Sun! Could you tell me what happened to Fuchsia?"
"Oh but I would rather not talk about her."
"Sun no one wants to talk about her. I am a big believer in love but when you step on it like that your just the worst person around." Neptune nodded his head to his own words of wisdom unaware of the looks of disgust from every woman except Weiss who's eyes glared at him with frozen furry.
Xxxxx Meanwhile in our universe Xxxxx
A young adult man with camo pajama pants and a shirt with the words Himiko Toga for best girl on it had a grin as he played RWBY Amity Arena. Seeing his opponent put down a swarm of baby deathstalkers he put down Weiss and quickly used her ability to kill them all with her freeze ability. "Haha you go girl."
Xxxxx Back to NakeSnake domain Xxxxx
A brief silence. The fellow team leader and blonde looked nervous, apprehensive for a bit while he looked over to the injured girl.
"She fell down some stairs."
Silence
Silence.
"What?"
"Yeah, dude, she just...fell," Sun explained. Jaune immediately wanted to call shenanigans. One does not just fall down a flight and break their everything.
"Sun." Blake called out to the blond Faunus who flinched slightly before turning to his not so secret crush.
Before Blake could say anything Neo beat her to it. "Your a dumbass." Neo happily ate her ice cream while Sun looked down.
"Different me. I'm sure I could come up with something better."
"How is that possible?"
"Oh hey Jaune, howzit going?" Neptune greeted, walking up to the two blondes he openly counted amongst his best friends. "You talking about the girl there?"
"Alright here I come to fix the situation. Don't worry buddy I'll fix this in no time." As Neptune gave his team leader a thumbs up Sun gained a hopeful look.
"Yup. Sun told me she fell down some stairs."
"Oh yeah, I was there," Nep exclaimed, sudden horror on his face. "It was a bloodbath. I swear I never saw someone fall down a flight that hard. Must me a semblance or something."
"Well if there is any consolation then its the fact that Jaune much as I love the guy is dense as hell and will believe it." No one could argue with what Neptune said. Especially Pyrrha who knew how dense Jaune was to her affection.
Somewhere, a crow sneezed. It then wondered how in the actual fuck it did that.
"Ok how the hell and why the hell?" Neo asked confused about the random showing of a crow in the video before she heard a snicker. Looking to her side she saw Ozpin watching the video and not laughing at all. She shrugged her shoulders and returned to watching.
Jaune's eyebrow rose sceptically. He still called shenanigans. However, part of him acknowledged it as karma for what she had done to him. A rather small part of him, but a part nonetheless.
Oh well.
"The Bitch deserves more than that." Pyrrha was very open on her opinion when it came to Fuchsia. With her opinion being ready to stab at any moment.
"Are we not gonna talk about the sneezing crow?" Not a single person wanted to for some reason.
"I suppose," Jaune conceded. "Say, I am in the mood for Sunday cooking. Any wishes?"
Sun's eyes might as well have flared with pure light in his excitement. "Do I?!"
"Hell yea! Jaune makes the best food." Sun and Neptune called happily.
"That's quite true. Jaune is quite the skilled cook he always makes pancakes for breakfast and they are quite delicious." Pyrrha happily agreed while Nora happily ate the infinite pancakes in her hand nodded along with Pyrrha and Sun.
"Sun, behave," chided Neptune, feeling every bit like a team mom. He would be a sexy ass mom.
"What?" Was the vocal questioning from the younger hunters in training.
'Where did that thought come from?' the mom of Team SSSN asked himself.
While Neptune himself was questioning his thought process.
"Now, now, it's alright", Jaune laughed, sounding like a father convincing the mother to let the kid have fun.
"I feel that Mister Arc would be quite the wonderful father. He shows many good qualities of being a good house husband. If only he applied just a bit more for his training classes."
"Um Miss Goodwitch how would you know would make a good house husband?" Pyrrha was very confused on why her combat teacher would mention this.
"Oh well Mister Arc helps quite often in school repairs saying he helps so I don't tire myself out from over using my semblance. He even makes sandwiches for after we are finished." This surprised a few of the people in the room none more so than Ozpin.
"Mister Arc helps? He always did seem like a good student but he is even more so than I thought.
Odd how they had that synergy going on. Then again, neptune did develop his own little crush. Which was not based on seeing him rocking a dress and threatening him with an ass-whooping while still wearing it; don't know what you're talking about.
"WHAT!?" Weiss turned towards Neptune who was scratching his head while laughing nervously.
"W-What a crazy story am I right guys? I mean me? In love with Jaune? Sure he is a super attractive guy but there is no way I would be into him." Neptune continued to give off nervous laughs while Sun shook his head.
"Bro I told you no one is gonna thing wrong about you simply cause your gay."
"Yea!" Emerald suddenly spoke catching everyone's attention. "There is nothing wrong with feeling attracted to the same sex. In fact you should show it!" Emerald quickly took notice of the stares she was getting and sat back down her cheeks turning red.
NakeSnake glanced at Emerald before shaking his head. 'That poor bisexual girl.'
"So when we went to the dance together and kept flirting with all those girls was it because you were trying to prove that you are straight instead?"
Neptune sighed before nodding his head. "Yea that basically sums it up."
There was silence before Yang suddenly spoke up. "Huh Weiss got a gay guy to go on a date with her." This got a few snickers while Weiss flipped her hair.
"I am a very attractive woman. It should be no surprise that men of all kinds would be attracted to me."
"Or its cause your so flat he mistook you for a guy instead of a girl. I certainly thought you were one for a moment when I saw you." Mercury laughed out getting glares from Weiss.
"I'm still growing ill have you know!"
"I did offer, after all. Say, Sun, you like bananas, if I recall right, yes?"
"Eeyup! I like the taste. And they are rich in potassium!" Sun answered, almost proud of how much he seemed to be stereotypically monkey.
"Bananas are super tasty man! What better snack is there than a banana!"
"You do understand your playing into the faunus stereotype right?" Blake could never understand why Sun would always be a stereotype and be ok with it.
"Maybe but its not like it matters to me. If people want to mock me for having a tail and loving bananas that's their problem. I'm not gonna let it bother me." Blake looked at Sun for a moment before giving him a smile which he was quick to return.
"How about banana bread then? It has been a while since I made some."
Sun looked upon his fellow team leader like a mortal upon a god. Like a glorious prophet of olden times bringing forth the wisdom of the stars. Purveying the blessed words to mankind's salvation and eternal prosperity. These thrice-blessed words echoed throughout his mind.
Banana bread.
"That's a thing?", the stunned faunus finally asked.
"You don't know about banana bread?" Ruby innocently asked Sun.
"No actually what is it?
"It's basically bread that has mashed bananas mixed into the dough. It's pretty good." NakeSnake answered as Sun had a look of amazement while drooling slightly.
"Yup. What, never had one before?" Sun shook his head frantically.
"Then it's decided!" the Arc laughed and made way to the kitchen.
Sun made to follow, only to be held back by Neptune. "'Fell downs some stairs', are you for real dude?" the blue-haired boy hissed.
"Back onto the more important situation being how the best Sun could come up with was how she fell down a few stairs." Weiss stated.
"Yeah Sun you should have been able to come up with something more believable." Blake added on.
"Oh yea? What would you guys have said." Both Weiss and Bake opened their mouths to answer only to find that they had none. "That's what I thought.'
"It was the first thing that came to mind!" Sun defended himself while doing his best to follow his new lord and savior. "I don't see you with a better excuse as to why she is all battered!"
The aquaphobe grumbled. "Point conceded. Just don't blow our cover. He does not need to know a thing."
/-/
What constitutes attraction?
"Id say its blue eyes and a killer rack." Yang proudly proclaimed while Weiss looked at her chest in jealousy.
'Still growing!'
Cinder Fall, the fiery witch and Fall Maiden to be, once more pondered about her current situation.
"You're the one who attacked Amber!" Glynda spoke standing quickly and glaring at Cinder who glared back.
"While I do not prefer my situation at the time I will not run when my deeds have been revealed." Cinder eye glowed lightly before it was suddenly extinguished to her surprise.
"Any and all magical powers and semblance are not able to be activated while in my home unless they are support orientated. What?" NakeSnake asked confused as everyone stared at him. The reason being was the remote in his hand with an overly obvious white flip switch. "Oh well. No fighting."
It had seemed all too simple. For the sake of gathering intelligence and, perhaps, gaining an edge over the invincible girl, she had opted to get acquainted with her partner, the weakest huntsman in all of Beacon.
"Why are you trying to get an edge over me?" Pyrrha glared at Cinder who returned.
"Since it is obvious how we are against one another I would obviously want information in order to gain the upper hand if we were to fight." Cinder smirked at Pyrrha as if she was answering an obvious question no one else knew the answer to.
"While I am sure you two would love to argue with one another I need another chapter since its been forever since I made a post. I already disappointed my readers enough." NakeSnake spoke while mumbling the last part getting confused looks from everyone around. "Ignore that and lets get back to the story."
Almost too easy. The young man was an open book, openly answering her every question about life at Beacon (fun, according to him), his motivation to be a huntsman (to be a hero and help people, how deliciously naive), and Pyrrha (incredibly helpful).
"It seems to be a grand idea if I say so myself." Cinder smirked while Emerald gave nods of agreement. Cinder turned towards Pyrrha who was glaring lightly at her.
Then he turned the questions around.
"What about you?" he asked.
Cinder raised a trimmed eyebrow at this confused on where this was going.
That surprised her. Seeing as she had nothing else to do at the time, she decided to indulge the dolt.
She told him of how she yearned for power. The power to create her own destiny; to carve out her own place in the world, unhindered by others and unbound by anything.
"Those who say fate decides their life are fools. They are simply too insecure to carve out their own life. No one noticed but Pyrrha lightly flinched at that before looking down.
'Am I a coward for believing in fate? No, I mustn't doubt myself.' Pyrrha looked worried for a moment before shaking her head trying to focus again.
His next question was so simple. So utterly simple that it could seemingly be answered with ease. Create some white lie about how she would then live on her own, unbothered and free. Her true ambition, to rule the world as its sole sovereign.
"And then what?"
She could not answer that.
Cinder realized that like the story they were watching that she herself could not answer the question. 'I want power and to rule but what will I truly due with my strength if I was to truly succeed?'
Three words. Three words had unraveled her very goals for the future. Her ambition, seemingly fruitless, going nowhere.
And then what, indeed? Would she actually want to bother with the tiresome politics, governing over the people? Would she burn Remnant, be the queen over the ashes?
What would there be to do?
"You know its often after we accomplish our goals that we ask ourselves what else is there left to do after all the work we have done." The students turned towards Ozpin "Trust an old man students. It is good to have goals but never have only one. There is so much more to life then one simple goal." Cinder stared at him for a moment before turning away towards the screen.
She needed a distraction. One in form of a game she had learned to cherish. One that had helped her to dream of the furthest goal of her ambitions; rule over all of Remnant in conquest, her foes effortlessly crushed under her very heel.
She decided to invite the foolish knight to a match, thinking him easy prey, repaying him for mildly annoying her.
"Ah right Cinder loves to play Remnant the game. We play at least once a week to help past the time." Mercury stated. He flinched at the glare he was getting from Cinder causing him to laugh nervously. "Or that's what I would say if it were true. Which its totally not. She is way to busy to be playing some dumb old game after all." Cinder continued to glare at him making Mercury grow more and more nervous before releasing a sigh of relive one she turned away.
"You really are an idiot after all aren't you?" It was now Merc's turn to glare once he turned towards Emerald who looked towards him smugly.
It turned out that she had forgotten one of the most important lessons in life.
Never, ever, judge a book by its cover.
That day, Cinder almost flipped her proverbial shit by nearly toppling the table in pure frustration. How the hell the clueless, naive dolt turned out to be a gifted strategist was beyond her.
Cinder looked surprised at this. "He was able to beat me well enough in the game that I became enraged!?"
"Oh, yea Jaune-Jaune loves that game. We also play every now and then to help with strategy but I know it's just cause he loves to play it so much." Nora gave a quick giggle. "I still remember this one time Pyrrha was having an off day and got beat by our fearless leader so badly she sat in a corner for an hour trying to cheer her self up." Heads turned once again towards Pyrrha who only looked down in shame
"I hadn't had a proper breakfast that day. I was simply off is all. I only lost that badly because I was under the weather is all." No one not even the villains said anything at the physically and emotionally depressed Pyrrha who now sat on a couch curled into a ball.
How he managed to smuggle multiple units of Valean Chevaliers, one of the most powerful units in the game, behind her very lines baffled her.
How he seemed to have an answer to her every move, seemingly anticipating even the slightest twitch of her finger…
It intrigued her.
"For him to defeat me in a game of strategy that I am quite efficient at. I seem to have underestimated him at first glance with how plain he appeared to be." Cinder spoke in thought.
"Jaune may not seem like it at first but he has the best grades in our leadership courses that we take every week! He's super smart to." Ruby happily bragged about her first friend in Beacon.
They got to talking once more. She admitted to not having a plan for what comes after she realized her ambitions. He, in all his naivete, suggested finding a hobby, pursuing it someplace quiet or someplace loud, whatever she preferred.
Living a good life, or at least one she herself could consider good, would be one of the greatest things to do with one's life.
It sounded ridiculous, but the more she thought about it, the more appealing she found it. After all, showing that you live a content life was its own showcasing of power. Power over yourself.
"Listen up people." NakeSnake spoke grabbing everyone's attention. "You can go ahead and live your lives the way someone told you to. Or, take the reins in your own hands and craft your own path. It takes hard work to life the way you want to but there is nothing better then living a successful that your carved with your own hands."
Emerald looked down at her hands before she turned looking longingly at Cinder. 'Is it possible for me to do it as well?' She stared for a moment more before turning away. If Cinder caught her looking at her she would demand to know why and she didn't want to risk angering her with the truth.
And the more she thought about it, the more she looked at him.
Pyrrha was getting a bad feeling about where this was going.
His eyes, the calming, watery blue to her fiery amber.
She hated how right she was about his eyes.
His hair, the radiant light to her mane of spun darkness.
His very soul, untarnished compared to her, one who had seen the eyes of the devil.
They could not be any more different.
"Exactly. Jaune is such a kind and caring man. Nothing like you at all. I doubt Jaune would be interested in a woman who only dreams of ruling the world." Pyrrha happily stated a smile on her face while Cinder looked away releasing a scoff at the redhead.
And yet, she thought about him. Her gaze finding him more than once, pondering a much calmer future, one less wreathed in flame.
"Ha Flame-Bitch getting the hots for a guy huh? As if he would go for some burnin dominatrix. Man being able to talk while I'm drunk is great. I can finally talk shit to all the people who mock me for being mute." Neo drunkenly laughed while pointing towards Cinder who gave her a pointed look.
One where she would return home after whatever job she would choose for herself. Glassblowing, mayhaps?
"Hmm, if I was to settle down a job in glass blowing would make sense due to my semblance. I always have enjoyed using it for making objects besides my bow and swords."
He would await her with his calming blue eyes and his goofy, charming, stupid, adorable smile. Food would be ready. After that, he would cater to her needs, asking her about her day. Calming her nerves. Soothing her worn body. Giving her the solace, the home she felt herself craving in her younger years.
"As much as I don't like Arc I must admit he those seem like thee kind of man who would make the perfect house husband." Weiss stated while Velvet and Pyrrha nodded there heads, unknowingly, in sync.
"Yes, he those seem like the perfect stay at home husband. As I refuse to be a stay at home wife, he would obviously have to be the one to cook and clean around the house. I expect only the finest of meals upon returning home. Perhaps a nice massage and a glass of wine to help me unwind from a days work."
Either that or push her against the wall in the hallway of their house and eat her out like an ice-cream sandwich, before thoroughly and lovingly ravishing her.
This caused the girls interested in Jaune to blush at the idea of him doing such things to them. Except Cinder who smirked and licked her lips a hint of desire in her eyes.
Was that a sudden and somewhat jarring shift in thought? Well, yes.
Would the past Cinder be disgusted with herself? Most definitely.
Did she find herself furiously masturbating to the latter thought at 2 am in the bathroom nonetheless? You betcha.
This time Cinder couldn't help but blush at the story mentioning her self pleasuring in her bathroom.
'I suppose I do want my future to be with him at my side,' Cinder pondered. The rational, yet power-hungry side of her thought it to be a smart move to have a strategist better than her to be with her rather than against her.
However, another part of her long thought dead and buried in a shallow grave, simply wanted him to make her feel like a fairy tale princess; to whisk her away to happiness.
"If anyone makes a single comment on this I will burn you so badly the Vale fire fighters would commit suicide due to how horrible the fire would have been if it spread." No one chose to mention anything but many were silently scared of the fire she was very willingly to make.
It was very much unlike her to humor such thoughts. And yet, when the message yesterday had found her, she felt a fury unlike any other.
She wanted nothing more than to hurt this insolent wretch that had debased herself in playing such revolting games, to teach her a lesson on how to truly hurt someone who should be literally anybody bloody else rather than harming her new favorite knight.
Oh and how she taught her. How she seared a portion of her flesh, how she relished in torturing the wretch, to inflict the same wound to her body, over and over again thanks to her aura healing it.
"To mess with something that belongs to me this is only the correct course of action. Anyone who try's to take what is mine shall suffer."
Except that she didn't relish it. She couldn't.
What Nikos said right before they began their brutal work on "How to teach a bitch about the finer arts of not toying with someones feelings"(trademark pending) bothered her.
It had also visibly bothered the others, which in turn bothered Cinder even more.
And then she learned about the armistice.
"What is an Armistice anyways?" Ruby asked confused
"It is a formal agreement of none aggression between to parties in order to maintain peace between them." Velvet was more than happy to tutor the new year. She always was happy to tutor the newer students in her past school even if some were partially racist at times.
"Your telling me that the girls who are somehow in love with Arc have actually agreed to a nonaggression?" Weiss had a look of shock at this information.
The armistice was an actual honest-to-Oum written contract that forbade the girls – and some guys – of Beacon to pursue the charming dolt openly, rather trying for subtlety as to avoid an open conflict.
'Armistice', it seemed, was a fancy word for 'agreement on not to shank each other over a guy, as that would intimidate him'. Truthfully it was quite clever.
It was also annoying.
"If I had to agree to not strut my stuff to the guy I liked then maybe it would be better to go for someone else. I mean seriously how great could he be that a criminal master mind would consider settling down and even agreeing to said armistice?" Coco scoffed at the idea of her agreeing to something Glynda was the one to respond to Coco.
"From what I hear from some of the fellow female staff they believe that Jaune Arc is what some would call the ideal house husband. He is very kind to the staff as I have said so before and is always offering to provide any assistance he can to teachers." The students were surprised to hear about how Jaune would help other teachers. They were mostly confused on when he had the time to even provide said help.
Jaune Arc, for all his incredible insight on others, was as dense as lead when it came to noticing the feelings of others for him. It was reason enough for concern amongst those that had signed the contract.
Pyrrha sighed looking down. "It's true. As much as I care for Jaune I can't help but admit his skills of precepting a girl's feelings are quite off."
And signing it was mandatory, as Nora Valkyrie unmistakably clarified.
"Yes! I get to be the enforcer!" Nora cheered in excitement at being said enforcer.
What was intriguing, however, was how exactly her two cohorts had befriended the knight as well. Their reasons were...odd.
It seemed that Mercury saw a much needed and wanted father figure in the lovable goof. This was not at all hindered by a particular story making the rounds at Beacon.
"Dead beat dad?" Yang asked turning towards Mercury. His only reply was a nod. "Dead beat mom." Yang stated pointing towards herself. Once again her reply was a nod this time in understanding.
About two weeks back, Nebula Violette came down with a cold. Jaune, taking notice, immediately switched gears and had her confided in her room, where he cooked her healthy yet delicious meals.
"Seriously, how good of a cook is Arc anyways?" Weiss asked. She was learning all this stuff about a boy who seemed to only be good at annoying her in her opinion.
"Well Jaune mention he was trained to cook by a family friend. Someone by the name Sinetra Marco." Ren stated having asked his fellow male team member about some of his past.
"WHAT!?" Weiss screech making the faunus cover their ears. Well try in Velvet's case being her giant rabbit ears.
"Geez Weiss what the hell was that screech for!" Yang asked her ears hurting since she was siting next to Weiss on the couch.
"Sinetra Marco is a world-famous cook from Atlas. My father has offered thousand just to try her food! There is no way Arc of all people who is a nobody of all people somehow knows one of the greatest cooks of our current generation?" Weiss gripped her hair and was about to pull on it before taking a deep breath and calming herself down. "I will demand a meal from Arc after all this due to the stress. It better be as good as everyone says." Weiss dropped the topic after that.
It got to the point where Dew, Octavia and Gwen ended up jealous and faked an illness. Arc, taking this absolutely serious, started caring for them as well. An apparent highlight of this episode was when he told them a bedtime story. After they all fell asleep he, out of habit according to him, gave them goodnight kisses on their foreheads.
Pyrrha gave a jealous stare to the screen seeing a whole team of girls getting a kiss from Jaune just because they were pretending to be sick. She also got the idea that it would be a good idea to do the same as them after they were back.
Suffice to say that NDGO was wide awake after that.
It took exactly one conversation for Mercury Black, a hardened assassin, to confide to the blonde about how he did not really have a father. Black willfully omitted the abusive parts of that backstory, perhaps as to not scare him away. Some prodding, however, brought the whole thing to surface.
"For him to convince you to reveal your past after meeting him. He must have quite a way with words. You don't even tell us about your past besides the bare minimum." Cinder stated her interest in Jaune growing by the minute as the story went on.
"Whatever I told him it's a fluke. There is no way I told that doofus anything about my past." Mercury was quick to deny that he would ever talk about his past with anyone.
Emerald smirked as she stared at Mercury. "What's this getting soft on us mister master assassin." Mercury just growled annoyed at her teasing.
Both Emerald and Cinder had witnessed that very moment. The knight's reaction was unexpected and definitely memorable.
He broke a table in a fit of pure rage and called upon Monty Oum himself to attach the soul and consciousness of Marcus Black to 'a rock in the middle of bumfuck nowhere', before setting the table's remains on fire, just because he could.
"Ok." Neo spoke. "That was pretty hot." This earned a few nods of agreement from Cinder, Pyrrha, Velvet, and Emerald. Yang however laughed at the unintentional pun she just gave.
When asked why exactly a rock in the middle of nowhere, Jaune had replied that it meant that he would be unable to move, to see, to hear, to interact at all with his surroundings. He would wish death upon himself as time went and, unable to die, would after a felt eternity, stop thinking altogether.
Mercury felt oddly touched by the gestures the Arc was giving him in the fit of rage he held for his dad. Hey he wasn't going to diss someone hating his dad the more the merrier after all right?
Mercury was oddly touched by that. Cinder and Emerald opted to return to their dorms, as they found themselves in need of a change in underwear.
And Emerald? She had, apparently, seen something. She completely refused to confide anyone in what it was, but it was the source of her physical interest.
"Hey, aren't you gay or something?" Mercury asked making Emeralds face turn beat red.
"Ugh I have no idea what your talking about." Emerald was quick to reject the notion of her being gay mostly because Cinder was around.
"I wish to hear the truth my dear. I admit I have pondered this before as I've seen you stare at other women before. In a more the professional manner."
Emerald looked around nervously before releasing a sigh. "Alright fine. No, I'm not gay. I'm bisexual." No one commented for a moment only for Mercury to speak up ruining the moment the best way he knew how.
"That's hot." He got a few glares from the females in the group before getting hit in the back of the head by Cinder's hand. "Ill shut up now."
"You'd best."
His welcoming, warm personality became the source of her adoration. It was that simple. Cinder could not blame the orphan and former street urchin for that.
What constitutes attraction?
Cinder Fall found herself asking that question as the blonde knight strutted into one of the recreational rooms that had a kitchen built into it.
She opted to follow.
"Why hello there, Jaune," Cinder purred, pouring her charm into her voice. "What brings you here on a Sunday?"
"God if she wasn't some super evil person, I'd swear she was a porn star or something with how she talks all the time." Yang stated getting disgusted looks from her teammates. "What porn is a healthy time passer for us students after all. Cinder opted to ignore being called a possible porn star.
'Wouldn't mind making one with Arc when I think about it now.' Pyrrha didn't know why but she felt like glaring at Cinder more than usual.
"Oh hey Cinder," the knight greeted back. "I'm about to make banana bread for Sun here."
The monkey faunus in question looked like he was about to go full on Shana Gray on his trademark favorite food. "Banana bread" he whispered over and over again in a tone of voice that sounded oddly like religious reverence.
"Sun I'm starting to think you have a problem when it comes to bananas." Blake told her stalker.
"What no way! I just so happen to love bananas is all. It's not like I have to eat one everyday or I have withdrawal or something."
"Still."
Cinder opted to ignore the idiot. "My, that sounds like an unusual pastime. Do you perhaps need help?"
Jaune's eyes lit up and Cinder's smirk subtly changed to a warm smile at the sight. "Sure thing! Sun will help me peel the bananas and will be slicing them. You can help me with the mix."
Oh crap.
Cinder had never cooked before, usually relegating this task to someone else.
"While I have never cooked before I am sure it is not that much of a difficult task. I am quite the prodigy so it should be no problem to learn something simple." Cinder would soon learn how she never should have spoke on how easy it is to cook.
"I...may have never cooked before," she confessed, showing her weakness freely to the guy who unquestioningly and unfailingly helped all those in need.
The only guy she would show her weak side to.
"For me to let my weakness be shown must prove my feelings for this man. Clearly my other has become quite infatuated. I should meet and talk with him after all this is over to see if he can gain my attention like my other."
"I'll help set everything up once this is all over Cinder. We are still in the Vytal festival. I'll do what I can to get you two alone. Should be simple with my semblance." Emerald whispered to Cinder.
"And what makes you think we would let you get anywhere near Jaune after finding out you are with the enemy?" Pyrrha crossed her arms over her chest glaring at Cinder getting shouts of "Yeah!" from team RWBY, the rest of her team, and the two members of CYFY.
"Simple. If the Jaune in our world is like the one in this world than I will have no need to work with the bad guys as you say. To live a normal life with him I am willing to turn my back on all the fighting I am involved in." Emerald and Mercury both looked surprised before Emerald gained a determined look afterwards.
"If you walk away than so will I Cinder. I promised when you found me that day that I would follow you anywhere even if it is a simple life somewhere far away!"
"Well if you to are backing out guess I'll come along for the ride. Not like I got anywhere else to go to and I doubt you know who would be so happy with me letting you two just walk away." The trio looked at one another before nodding their heads in agreement.
"Ozpin how about if you let us talk to Jaune and he turns out like this one then we give you information in exchange about her plans for the future?" Ozpin hummed in consideration before speaking his mind.
"If I allow you to simply talk with him you are willing to give me information. Very well however, you are only allowed to talk to him. Please do not try to do anything extreme to him and if all goes well you will even be allowed to join Beacon."
"Ozpin these three are the ones to attack Amber! Surely you can't go and let their crimes go unpunished!" It was quite easy to see how angry Glynda was about this subject.
"No, they will not go unpunished. They will work out their punishment by working to help eradicate the Grimm and join Beacon as a new team to help all those in need. Is that acceptable to you three?"
"Very well. I agree to this if I am allowed to meet and be with him."
"Remember that you are talking to him. I will in no way force him to be with you against his will." Cinder scoffed at this
"You say that as if he wouldn't be willing to be with me. I am quite sure he would be more than happy to be with me and live a happy and fulfilling life. Now that this has been discussed let us continue the story so we may be finished with it."
Sun's presence did not count, as he was neck deep in the pantry looking for the ingredients.
Jaune nodded in understanding. "I see. Let us start off with something simple. I am going to need some hot water for pre-preparing the bananas. You see, I am going to quickly dip them into the boiling water to give them a slightly softer texture. That way, they are going to be extra munchable."
An excited squeal could be heard from the pantry.
No one chose to say anything as Sun looked away in slight shame. It may not have been him, but he couldn't deny they were very similar in personality and character.
"Easy enough."
/-/
Jaune looked at the pot in a mix of bewilderment, amazement and mild horror.
"We didn't even put oil in there," he whispered, amazed at the spectacle before him. The water, for some indiscernible reason, had caught fire when Cinder made it boil.
There was silence in the room for a few moments before Yang suddenly began to giggle which slowly evolved into full blown laughter. Cinder looked down as she for the first time in her life cursed her maiden powers the allowed her the power of fire.
Jaune quickly put a lid on the pot, snuffing the fire out. "Well nobody is perfect. Your talents just lie elsewhere. Frankly, you are the same like I am with everything made in a pan save for pancakes. Anything else gets burnt."
It was a clumsy attempt at cheering her up. Clumsy, but honest and heartfelt.
She gave him a smile. "I suppose I should be watching you work. I am sure it will be entertaining."
And entertaining it was. Between his attempts from stopping Sun from snacking on the bananas and preparing the mix with strong, precise movements, she found herself enraptured by the knight. Before she could see the results of his hard work, however, she received a call from Emerald.
"You always do seem to call when I am doing something important." Emerald gave a nervous laugh before looking away scratching the back of her head.
Not the best time.
"What is it? I am busy." Busy imagining someone naked in an apron, she left unsaid.
Emerald was beside herself in excitement. "Cinder! Ma'am! The armistice!"
And just like that, the thief had her attention. "Well? What about it?"
"The last segment of it! 'If Jaune Arc is to be in a committed relationship, only to separate from whomever, the contract is considered null and void to all participants',"she dutifully quoted.
Well now.
"And what do you expect from relaying this situation to me, Emerald?" Cinder inquired in a hushed voice as she removed herself from the room with an urgent excuse to her favorite blonde.
"I thought of...teaming up perhaps?"
Oh Emerald. So naive. Attempting to muscle in on what was soon to be hers and, perhaps, indulge in a lesbian fantasy.
"It seems this Cinder has an Idea of your sexual orientation. I am curious why I have never found out myself earlier seeing as you are very obvious when looking at attractive woman when we walk through town and even a few men every once in a while."
"Well I did try to keep it away from work to not let it bother us. I admit I didn't want to make you uncomfortable or anything like that thinking I would be attractive to you."
"I admit I would ponder if you were attracted to me or not but I am sure it would not have affected our work." Emerald gave a small smile with a light blush dusting her cheeks. "That doesn't mean it will be alright to try and seduce me at the moment. Not when I am considering Arc for a possible partner.
Emerald looked down before realizing something. 'She said not to try at the moment' Emerald's blush increased tenfold at the thought of being with Cinder.
The idea was juvenile. It was transparently self-serving. It was…
Utterly genius.
If the two gorgeous huntresses teamed up to win the knights affection, their chances would significantly increase. Besides, it would be the perfect opportunity to find out just what Emerald had seen in, or perhaps at, the young man.
"Very well, Emerald. He is near me right now, so allow me to take the first..."
She stopped herself as she looked back into the room. Somehow, someway, Arslan Altan of Team ABRN had sneaked into the room to subtly win his affection.
Silly girl, the game was practically over now.
"Change of plans, Emerald. Let us return to our room. We need to utilize our advantage before moving in..."
"And, with that we have finished the next chapter." NakeSnake clapped his hands together before getting comfortable in his chair. "Now we got some time before the next showing so go ahead and explore if you feel like it."
"Woohoo let's get drunk!" Neo stood and ran off to the door that held the bar happily going inside.
"Might as well have a drink to calm my head after all this has happened." She sighed as she stood. With finding Ambers attackers and them possibly becoming Beacon students she needed a stiff drink after all the headaches she as having. She pointed towards Ozpin before she walked off. "We shall talk more about this after we get back to Beacon headmaster." With her piece said she walked off to calm her head.
As everyone started to disperse into their groups out of nowhere, they all suddenly stopped as if time itself had frozen over.
"Well my glorious readers. I will say this first and for most. I am terribly sorry for the insanely long time it took for me to update this story. I admit a part of it is because I was lazy and wanted to sleep and play video games on my days off from work but, I the computer I had used for writing had broken. Now however I have a brand-new laptop so now I will be getting back into my writing. I WILL continue this story and I WILL provide more react fics. I am also going to work on other projects every now and then like my new story other worldly powers so do not worry I will be getting this story updated. I can't promise it will be super quick but, I will try my best to not take months to update again. Please support the original story For Want of A Knight by Aravas.