Today is going to be a long day, I think. We are heading into vale to talk to my dad about what happened with Ruby and Yangs mom. Our team came down with us, and we plan on meeting up afterwards, but we all agree that, right now at least, only the three of us should confront them. It's nice to know our teams are close by though. We headed down early and right now we are all getting coffee.
Ruby ordered hot cocoa with marshmallows, Yang ordered a sweet coffee, Blake ordered a dark coffee with cream, Weiss ordered a banana coffee. Nora was ordered a sweet tea by Ren because, to quote, "Never give Nora coffee." I have a feeling I'll follow that. Ren got himself a green tea, and Pyrrha ordered a Chai smoothie thing. We were chatting about what we hoped we were going to learn, and how exited we were to be huntsmen. I glossed over how much I trained, saying I trained with my dad, which wasn't really a lie.
"So Jaune, just how many of those motto things re in your family code?" Nora asked. From the looks everyone else gave, they were all interested as well. I'm pretty sure I'm not getting out of this one.
"There are one hundred and thirty-four motto's in the Arc code. I'm the only on out of my siblings other than Emi that knows them all." They look surprised at the number and I chuckle a bit. "They aren't as hard to remember as you might think."
Yang speaks up next. "So whats your favorite one? There has to be one you like better than the others."
I think a bit before answering. "I have to say, Hate is always foolish, and love is always wise, number twenty six." I smile as I remember it. Blake smirks, Nora tries to hide a smile, Yang laughs, Ruby giggles a bit, and Pyrrha coughs. "What? It's a good motto."
"Yeah, but it sounds pretty childish," Nora added in. I pouted at that.
"Its still a good one." They chuckle a bit more before we start talking about other things. Time passes pretty quickly. We leave the cafe and head towards the diner we are supposed to meet my dad at. Me, Ruby, and Yang all head inside, while the rest of our group heads to a bookstore nearby. We pause before we head inside, all of us nervous. I remember Arc code number twenty-five.
"Never Cruel nor cowardly, we have to face this. Better to get it over with, right?" I turn to them and give an encouraging smile. They give unsure smiles back, but start walking in. I follow them inside.
Upon entering, I spot my dad sitting alone in a booth in the corner. I start to walk over when I hear a voice behind me.
"Nicky?! That you?" A guys voice behind me bellows. I turn and see another blonde behind me. I can tell he is a huntsman from his build and how he carries himself. He reminds me of my dad.
"Dad! Don't yell so loud, you scared me." Yang berated her apparent dad.
"Yang? Ruby? What are you guys doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at beacon? And who is this boy with you?" He looked skeptical at me, I smiled awkwardly under his gaze.
"Hello sir. I am Jaune Arc, Its nice to meet another Xiao Long." He tilted his head and stared at me, seeming to process what I had told him. Then he pulled me into a one armed hug. Surprised and confused as that made me, I didn't react much other than to widen my eyes.
"An Arc! My daughters have an Arc at their side. What a relief that is. I had thought that they might get some random huntsman or someone like the Winchesters. Kid, I'm so glad to know they have friends like you." Hearing all of this, Yang and Ruby blushed. I composed myself and managed to escape his grasp.
"Thank you for the vote of confidence, but I am actually the leader of their sister team. Team JNPR. They are part of team RWBY, our teams are close though." He wasn't deterred though. Leading us over to my dads table.
"Heya Nicky, long time no see, eh? Last time was at your wedding, wasn't it?" Tai asked as he sat down. Ruby and Yang sat next to him, with me sitting next to my dad.
"I think it was at Freya's wedding. I would have loved to see their kid." He sounded melancholic when he said the last part. Tai's mood dropped as well.
"Yeah. I heard they had a baby girl." They sat in silence for a bit after that. It was awkward for the three of us there since we didn't know who or what they were talking about. A moment later, Tai spoke again. "So, Nicky, why did you have us all come down here?"
My dad tensed up a bit, and I could tell he was nervous. It took him a moment to collect himself. "It's about summer, Tai. Something I should have told you a long time ago. Hell, something you should have been a part of."
Tai tensed at that, he put up his guard and seemed to close off a bit. "What do you mean Nicholas? What about her?" At that, Ruby and Yang put the letter and the scroll on the table. My dad winces when he saw them. We turned down the volume and played the videos for Tai to see. He looked at the device, enraptured by a piece of Summer he hadn't seen before. By the end of the first video he seemed to get extremely pissed.
"You let him talk her into this? You knew what would happen. Why didn't you tell her not to go?" Tai was quiet, but the fury was obvious. Nicholas took it all. When his reply came, it sounded defeated, almost broken.
"She had already accepted the mission. I tried to tell her it wasn't a good idea, but she just said I didn't have to come. You know I couldn't let her go alone. I tried to get her to let me bring in some of the others, but she said just me was pushing it. You know how she was about missions. I figured that at the very least, I could pull her back before it got too bad and we could retreat before anything got too difficult." He sighed. I should have known better. How many missions go according to plan?"
Tai chuckled dryly, no humor in his voice. "None, less with a Valkyrie." My dad huffed a short, dry laugh at that. Tai looked back to the scroll and played the next video. While he was watching, he was confused at it. Watching the man across from him say his will. He was about to ask my dad about it when the scene shifted. Hearing his wife sobbing, he gave his full attention to the screen. When it shifted again, he nearly dropped it. His wives bloody face was one he could deal with, the torn clothes and scratches were something he had dealt with on missions as team STRQ, but her missing eyes were almost too much. Hearing her voice, broken and defeated, brought him to tears. When she started saying her will, he was sobbing quietly, refusing to miss any of it. When the end of the video came, he set the scroll down and held his head in his hands. Yang and Ruby comforted him while he cried, and me and my dad waited it out.
It took a few minutes, but he pulled himself together. "So, whats in the letter?" He asked, not being able to read it himself with how irritated his eyes were.
"That is a letter she had me write after the last video, when we were resting. It has all of the things she wanted to say to you three. I'm assuming you two read it?" he turned to look at Yang and Ruby. They both nodded, tears in their eyes but not letting them fall. "I would like to say to you all, I'm sorry. I should have done more to protect her. I should have come to you all sooner. I should have fought harder to get to her. I had one more arm to give, and damn it I should have given it!" My dad was crying as he was talking. Self-loathing and regret in his voice.
"What was that one Arc rule? Regret and anger are good for the moment or something?" Tai trails off, having forgotten the actual quote and not having it in him to speak much.
"Anger and regret are a balm for the wound, but used long enough, becomes a part of it." I recite. Tai nods his head slowly.
"Yeah, that one." A few moments go by where everyone is quiet. Too saddened to speak or waiting for someone else to start. Surprisingly, Ruby breaks the silence first.
"So, you knew mom pretty well?" My dad looks up at her, seeing her inquisitively looking at him, he couldn't help but smirk a bit.
"Yeah, she used to rope me into a lot of her schemes. An Arc will never refuse a Roses call for help. Back then I took all those rules at face value. I remember one time, she had this ridiculously complex plan with a flagpole, a flask, a pinch of shock dust and a picture of Juniper." My dad got really wistful at the end.
"That was you two?!" Tai shouted out. My dad paled a bit.
"Crap, I forgot we didn't tell you."
"I have spent years tyring to figure out who pulled that prank, and it was my own wife and my friend. Did Qrow know?" Tai seemed to brighten a bit at the distraction, but the rest of us were lagging behind. This seemed like a very weird and specific prank.
"Um, who is Juniper?" Yang asked after a bit. I winced a bit at that. I may have forgotten to tell them that bit of information.
"Juniper is my wife, Jaunes mom. He didn't tell you?" He narrowed his eyes at me, Suspicious of why I wouldn't share that.
"So dad, I was made leader of my team." He smiled at that, but raised his eyebrow, wondering where I was going with this. "I am the official leader of team JNPR, team Juniper." He stared at me for a long moment before breaking out into loud laughter, Tai joining him in it.
"I have to tell your mom. Hold on, I'm sure she would like to talk to you again Tai." My dad pulled out his scroll and Tai scooted around the booth so he could be in the picture as well. I sighed and brought out my own scroll. Sending a quick message to Pyrrha that they may as well come over. I hear my moms voice to my side and put my scroll away.
"Nicky, hows vale? Have you talked to Jaune yet?" She noticed Tai then. She immediately got an infuriated look only a mother has. "Taiyang Xiao Long!" Tai Jumped and sat straight, scared at my mothers tone. "How dare you! No calls, no letters, no visits. My daughters only know of you through my warnings against playboys. I expect you and your daughters over as soon as possible or so help me I will come over to patch and show your kids the wrath of a matri-Arc." Tai immediately started nodding his head.
"Yes ma'am, I'll bring them over when their break from beacon starts. I'm so sorry I haven't stayed in contact much. I'll do better." My mom looked happy at that.
"Good. Now, Nicky," My dad jumped at his name. "You called for something I assume?" My dad took a moment to realize he wasn't in trouble, another to remember why he called.
"Oh! Yeah, you will get a kick out of this. So I am here with Jaune," He turned his phone to face me. I waved at mom, she smiled and waved back. "And he told me something that I know you will love hearing. Tell her Jaune." I glare at him, willing my anger into his head. He only chuckles a bit at it.
"Well, what is it Jaune?" My mom asks. I sigh. Better to get it over with.
"Well, I was assigned to a team yesterday. Really great people. And I was made leader of the team." I didn't get any further because my mom squealed in delight at the news. She ran into the living room and I knew that this was going to be much, much more embarrassing. Sure enough she started talking to my sisters. All of them. Figures they are all present for this. She just gets through telling them I was made leader before they all start congratulating me for it. My dad and Tai chuckle in the background, and Ruby and Yang are trying their best to hide their smiles. Finally they all settle down and my mom asks the question I am dreading.
"Well, my team is me, Nora, Ren and my partner Pyrrha, we are together," I pause here and take a breath, "Team Juniper." There is a pregnant pause as all twelve people take in the moment. Its broken by my moms laughter. Then my sisters start laughing, Tai and my dad start laughing, and Ruby and Yang start giggling. I sigh and wait for them all to calm down. It takes a few minutes, but eventually they do. My mom speaks first.
"I'm sorry Jaune, but I think Ozpin is taking some small revenge on us Arcs for what me and your father did when we were in school there." She wipes away a tear. "At least your team Is named after one of the most bad ass huntresses to come out of beacon." She smiles at me proudly. I smile back at her, strained but still happy. Me, dad and Tai say our goodbyes, promising calls and visits. We end the call and not a moment later my team and the rest of team RWBY walks through the door. I wave them over and scoot to make room. They all sit down and I start introducing them.
"So, dad, this is my partner, Pyrrha Nikos." He takes a long look at her.
"You are most certainly his Daughter." He says.
"You know my dad?" Pyrrha asks. She probably expected to be recognized from her tournaments, but not from her resemblance to her dad.
"Your dad is one of the toughest fighters I know." My dad told her.
"Too bad it is only in one on ones." Tai added. My dad cuckled. He motioned for me to continue.
"This, is Lie Ren." I point the only other guy on my team. My dad takes a long hard look at him.
"You are from Kuroyuri right?" My dad asks. Ren shifts a bit before he answers.
"Yes, I lived there with my parents until the town was attacked by grimm." He looked a bit solom at it and Nora grasped his hand under the table.
"Your parents must have drove off the grimm though, right?" Tai asks. Ren looks a bit pained to remember this, but he answers anyways.
"No, my mom died when our house collapsed. My dad died buying me time to escape." His words had a profound effect on my dad. He slumped back with his mouth open. Tai looked similarly distressed.
"All this time I just thought they were busy or had other things to do." Tai was genuinly upset to hear their fates.
"Ren, I am so sorry. We were friends with your parents. We should have known something was wrong. We should have found you. I can't begin to understand what you must have gone through." My dad put a hand on his shoulder. Ren simply nodded.
I moved on to my last teammate. "And last, but most certainly not least, Nora Valkyrie, Rens best and long time friend." If Ren shocked them. Then Nora Struck them with lightning. They stared at her as though seeing a long lost child for the first time.
"Nora Valkyrie? As in Daughter of Bruenor and Ketrielle Valkyrie?" Tai asked, Looking hopeful.
"Yeah, Those were my parents. I haven't heard those names in forever though." Nora said with nearly no enthusiasm. That was the first time I've heard her say something without excitement.
After a moment. Both my dad and Tais eyes started watering, they leaped across the table and tackle hugged Nora. "You're alive!" They said together. Nora looked confused, Ren looked worried and the rest of us were still trying to comprehend what happened.
"I thought that there weren't any Valkyries left after their battle with the behemoths. But you lived! Oh god, I wish we had found you sooner." My dad started tearing up again. From Now on, you are a part of the Arc household. You and Ren." Nora started tearing up at that and Hugged them both back. Ren joined them after a few seconds. A minute later they were all back up and sitting.
"I've wanted a family for so long. I'm glad I am on your team, fearless leader. Should I call you fearless brother now?" She looked contemplative, and the smile never left her face.
"Yes, thanks to you Jaune, we have a home again. I can't thank you enough." He smiled at me. Brighter than I thought him capable of.
"I'm glad you two ended up on my team as well. It led to us all getting closer. Just think, we still have two people that haven't been introduced." I looked over to Blake and Weiss. They seemed a bit worried at the prospect of being kids of my dads friends.
My dad looked over at Weiss and chuckled a bit. "You are definitely Snowflakes Daughter." he nodded sagely. Tai nodded as well.
"Yup, Same eyes, same posture. Same reserved attitude. Remind me Nicky, How long did it take us to break her out of it?"
"Us? It was Summer, Raven and Kali that did it. Took em a good two months I think. She was only prim and propper around businesses people after that." Weiss looked mortified that they knew her mom. Blake chuckled a bit at hearing it. Untill Tai's gaze landed on her and he narrowed his eyes.
"You look very familiar, but I cant quite place it." He squinted and turned his head. My dad took a look as well.
"She has Kali's figure, but she has Ghira's abs. But that cant be right." They both looked at her. Then they looked at the bow.
"Oh." They both said. Blake looked panicked at their apparent realization.
"Relax kid. No one is out to get you here. You are a lot more flighty that Ghira was. And thats saying something. Wonder if you got Kali's attitude?" Tai said. Blake glared at him and my dad and him both recoiled.
"Crap, she got Kali's Glare!" my dad said. "Damn, here I was hoping that only she could do it." They both shivered at the thought of two glares.
"She had to have gotten half the school to apologize with that glare. Right terrifying that was." Tai continued. "So, what are your names?"
"Weiss Schnee, at your service." Weiss introduced herself with a polite smile. Tai's head drooped.
"I feel sorry for your team, I bet it will take them longer to break you out of your shell than it did us for your mothers." He perked up after that and they both turned to Blake.
"I am Blake Belladona. You two knew our parents, I take it?" She seemed very interested in this conversation. Looking at everyone else, I see that they are too. Nora and Ren are smiling and sitting a bit closer together. Ruby and Yang look amused at all of this, Pyrrha, Blake and Weiss seem off put, but interested.
"Yeah, we knew your parents. We all went to beacon. Raised a lot of hell there too. Your mom made the four years we were there the first and only four consecutive years without racism and bullying, Blake, with help from Willow and Raven of course." My dad seemed proud of that. "A good part of that was that glare you got from her. Put that in with Ravens intimidation, and Vanillas Reasoning and logic, and you have a group you cant really say no to." He shivered at the memory. "I feel bad for your classmates if you ever get that combo down."
Blake looked shocked upon hearing about her mothers accomplishment. Weiss looked confused about it though.
"Why did they my mom join in to get rid of racism?" Weiss asked my dad. Blake was looking a bit nervous.
"Why wouldn't she? Racism is horrible, I don't see how anyone can think a faunas is less of a person." Yang interrupts before my dad can answer. Me and everyone else there nod out agreements.
"Everyone is equal, no one is left behind. Arc rule number fifty." I state. My dad looks at me proudly and rubs his hand into my hair. "Stop that, I just fixed it." I complain to him.
"You did? It looks just as messy as yesterday." Nora points out. I send her a glare with no real hard feelings behind it. Looking back to the table I see Blake tearing up. Luckily I'm not the only one and Yang is right next to her.
"Blake, you okay? Whats wrong?" Yang has her hand on Blake's back and is leaning in close. Blake mutters something that we can't hear. "What was that? I didn't quite catch that one."
"I said I'm glad I am friends with people who aren't bigots." She smiles and wipes here tears away. I am thoroughly confused by this. Looking at the others I see that they are too. I look back to Blake and see her reaching up to her bow. Oh. That would explain it.