Next chapter. Still keeping the lighthearted tone, though we're also setting up future plot points. I'm gonna ask two relatively important questions to the story in the bottom authors notes.
I'll update 'A Game of Cats and Rabbits' next. Weiss' Faunus fetishist characterization has really given me some fun ideas.
Jaune and Weiss knelt on the floor of their dorm room, heads down with not a trace of rebellion on their faces. Sitting across from them like a queen imperiously looking down on her subjects, Ruby Rose sat on a chair with her arms and legs crossed and a disturbingly calm look on her face. It wasn't an expression one often saw in the young reaper. One of the things Jaune loved about her was how she wore her heart on her sleeve.
An uncomfortable silence lingered over the room. Off to the side, Blake and Yang stood, unsure of why they were even there but all too aware that if they ran then Ruby would hunt them down too. Both he and Weiss winced as Ruby leaned back and switched which leg was crossed, still looking down at them through half-lidded eyes. He actually would've preferred if she just yelled at them. They didn't even do anything wrong!
"Um...Ruby?" Weiss asked softly, sounding more hesitant than he'd ever heard her, "Are...Are you mad?" It was a stupid question to ask, but at least it broke the silence.
"Hm..." Ruby continued to look down at them, "I dunno, Weiss, you tell me."
"B-Because nothing happened!" Weiss finally got the courage to look her partner in the eyes, "Yes, I kissed Jaune on the cheek, but it was a friendly kiss! Friendly! I would never ever think of hurting you or cheating on Sun!"
"Y-Yeah, Rubes, they'd never do anything like that," Yang said in their defense. Blake, of course, just stayed quiet and kept reading something on her scroll. He really felt her trust and support.
"Hm..." Ruby said against as she looked to him now.
"It's the truth. I woke up, saw that Weiss was gone, and went out to look for her. That's it. We didn't think that kiss was a big deal so we didn't mention it."
"Oh, Jaune. Jaune, Jaune, Jaune~" she said in a creepy sing-song way that caused a shiver to go down all their spines, "Did you think that was what I was worried about? Cause it's not, not anymore since you both told me it was just friends."
"Then...what's the problem?" Weiss asked hesitantly.
"The problem is you piling stuff on Jaune again! And that goes for all of you!" Ruby glared at Blake and Yang too, "We made a promise that we'd all help each other out. We don't know who can trust, but everyone on this team has to be able to talk to each other."
"We do!" Yang protested.
"Really? Cause let's just go back a bit, Yang. Who did you tell about your plans to stop your not-mom's bandit group?"
"...Jaune."
"And we only found out cause he told us after. What about you, Blake?" The catgirl jumped at the sudden question, "Who was it you planned to take with you alone to meet the leader of the White Fang?"
"Jaune...but I was planning to go alone! He offered to come!"
"That's not any better!" Ruby stood and threw her hands up, "We're supposed to be a team! A team! We can't just pile stuff onto Jaune when he has his own problems!" Jaune didn't know whether to feel flattered or put off, "Yes, Jaune is great! He's kind, caring, patient, handsome, brave, makes really good snickerdoodles-"
"Ahem, Ruby? I think you're getting a bit off-topic..." Weiss said, willing to regain the Rose's ire to stop his embarassment. She really was a great girl.
"T-The point is, we shouldn't treat Jaune like our personal therapist or someone to drag along into trouble!" She put her hands on her lips, looking like a disappointed mother despite being the youngest one here. Just one year less, as she so proudly told them when her birthday came a month ago, followed by declarations of how any day now she'd be even more of a bombshell than Yang.
"It's not a big deal!" Weiss huffed, face red as she also stood up. Jaune instead at at his bed in quiet relief that the lecture was over, "I hadn't even planned on confiding in Jaune that night until he found me. If any of you did the same then it would've ended similarly."
"Well we're here now, so let's talk about it," Ruby countered, "If you wanna keep it secret, fine, but if you do want advice then you need to talk to us as a whole team. We should be here for each other."
"Like I said, it's not a big deal," Weiss said again before she paused, possibly realizing that it was, in fact, a big deal. Her next words came out in a bit of a rush, "I'm merely considering the idea of renouncing my title as heiress. That's all."
"...That kind of seems like a big deal," Blake said, brow raised, "Ever since we've known you, you've been bragging about how you were going to inherit the SDC and redeem your family name. Changing your goal in life isn't something minor."
"Also, does this mean we don't get access to the Schnee credit card anymore?" Yang asked jokingly.
"Hey," Jaune cut in gently, "This is a big deal for Weiss, alright? She doesn't need us piling on top of her." He took a deep breath and turned to Ruby, "Rubes, I appreciate that you're worried about me, but I'm fine. I said I'd be here for all of you and I meant that."
"We still shouldn't expect you to always act as our safety net," Ruby said, giving a particular look to Blake. The older girl bristled at the silent accusation but said nothing, "We're a team. We need to be here for each other."
"I get your point, Ruby." Weiss sighed, "Like Jaune said, this isn't a decision I considered lightly, and I did plan to tell you all when I had more time to think about it. However." She held up a hand, "Jaune was also the first confidant I had within the team. It's my own fault for my previous stubborn and bullheaded behavior, but the point still stands. You can't fault me for finding it easier to talk with him privately on such matters."
"That kinda goes for all us, doesn't it?" Yang grinned, "The team was pretty bad those first couple of weeks. Without Grimm Slayer here would've exploded. Literally."
"You would've been fine." Jaune laughed, just happy that the heavy mood from before was gone, "Don't worry so much, Ruby. Weiss is fine, we're both fine, and we all know by now that if anything happened we'll talk to the whole team if we need it." He gave a pointed look to Blake.
"Why do you both keep staring at me? I didn't even want to take you with me to meet Sienna! You did that yourself!" Blake threw her hands up, "All of you are acting with obscene double standards and I'm tempted to go Glynda about being bullied by teammates."
"Aww, no need to be such a grumpy cat." Yang hugged her with one arm and pulled her close. Blake struggled half-heartedly in her embrace, "They're just worried about you, Blake. I mean...you did run off then blew up the docks."
"Once! I ran off once!" Blake scowled.
"Then you forced Jaune into a fake relationship." Ruby frowned.
"I- ...that was a bad look, I'll admit, but- hey, weren't we talking about Weiss anymore? Why are you all rounding up on me again?" Huh, she did have a point. Weird. It was like poking fun at her past mistakes was some kind of need they all had to fulfill, "Also, I think it's unfair that me, Jaune, and Yang had interventions, but Weiss didn't. Why does the Schnee always get special preference?"
"Hey!"
"...She's got a point," Ruby muttered, rounding on her best friend and partner, "We had a trial, but then Ren ruined it. Maybe-"
"No, no, no! You already punished me by not letting me pet Zwei for a whole week!"
"That's not a punishment, that's a reward..." Blake muttered. No one paid her any mind.
"Yeah, but you totally cheated. I saw you sneaking him treats when Rubes wasn't looking," Yang said. Weiss' eyes widened in shock and betrayal.
"Hey now, we don't need to go this far." Jaune said, already sliding into the role of peacekeeper. Weiss looked to him with both desperation and gratitude, "Look, we don't need to drag this out any further. The kiss was a misunderstanding and we all heard you loud and clear, Ruby. We'll be more open with each other if and when something comes up. We should just let it go."
"Oh, I see how it is. When I do something everyone locks the doors and refuses to let me leave, but when Weiss does it suddenly we all forgive and forget."
"I'm sorry, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Why are you so insistent that I be punished?" Weiss raised a brow.
"I'm just saying that we need to have equal treatment. If you're all so insistent on not letting my minor mistakes-" Jaune just stared at her, "-ever be forgotten, then Weiss shouldn't get off so easy."
"Is that so." Weiss stood and looked the taller girl in the eye. Despite the situation, Jaune could tell there was no heat or anger in either of the two. It was just like how he and Blake spent most of their time; sniping at each other was fun.
Yang, already used to the two trying to knock each other down a peg, just rolled her eyes and picked up the discarded scroll Blake left on the bed. Apparently the other blonde had a habit of snooping in on personal stuff. Ruby stopped writing a diary because she knew no lock or hiding place would ever keep her older sister from getting her hands on her deepest, darkest secrets.
The argument between the (former?) heiress and the freedom fighter looked like it was about to ramp up when Yang suddenly screamed, "What the fuck?!" All of them turned to the brawler and Blake froze when she saw Yang had her scroll. Her partner looked up at her in disgust, eyes blood red, and Blake looked torn between ripping the scroll from her hands or running away in a panic.
She didn't get a chance to before Yang grabbed her with surprising speed and put her in a tight headlock, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Blake screamed, desperately trying to wriggle out of her partner's grip. With morbid curiosity, Jaune picked up the scroll and read at what brought Yang into such a rage.
Ruby was left helpless as the taller girl pinned her against the wall. Her lips, tasting like alcohol and bad decisions, pressed against her in a rough kiss that took her breath away. This was wrong, she told herself. She shouldn't do this.
"Y-Yang..." Ruby cried, squirming from the gentle and firm hands of the dragon's ministrations, "W-We can't, we're sisters! This is..."
"I can't help myself..." Whatever protests the young girl had were drowned out by breathy moans as Yang left a trail of biting kisses down her neck, "Have you known how long I've wanted this? Do you?" She squeaked when a firm squeeze kneaded her chest, "Seeing you every day...I wanted to fuck you so bad. Well, I'm done holding back. Now I'm taking what I want."
She should've resisted, should've pushed her off, but Ruby knew that she wanted this too. She didn't care if it was taboo or that the world would never accept them. She was in love and she would-
Jaune desperately clicked another tab before he could read any further. It didn't help. The next story was one about Weiss...and her eight inch wonder. The white haired girl's pale face had turned blood red from shock, embarassment, or some combination of the two as she read snippets of her fantasy self having her way with the rest of team RWBY. Jaune never felt more glad to have his existence forgotten.
All of them looked at Blake through half-lidded, unamused eyes. She winced and stopped struggling in Yang's headlock, "I-I didn't write those! I didn't! I was just looking for stories to pass the time and...and they were well-written?"
"Really?" Yang drawled, eyes still blood red.
"I-It's just a fantasy! That's it! A-And Weiss, I thought you'd be happy you weren't the sub anymore!"
Wow, she just wouldn't stop digging that hole. Jaune sighed and gently tugged Ruby away from the room, ignoring Blake's pleas to not be left alone with Weiss and Yang. Something told him going to sleep in that room wasn't gonna happen tonight. Maybe team PRMN would let Ruby and him bunk with them for now.
"I'm sorrrryyyyyy!" Blake shouted just before the door closed.
It'd been a couple of days since the end of the Vytal Tournament and things had definitely calmed down. The term was gonna end in a couple of weeks and most of the students were saying their goodbyes to the friends they'd made with among the transfer students. Yang and Weiss had personally gone to team NDGO to say their goodbyes and assure them that there were no hard feelings.
Team NDGO would spend their last week barricaded in their rooms screaming whenever anyone passed by. There was no proof that Yang and Weiss had anything to do with it.
Weiss also had a talk with Sun with both mutually agreeing to keep their relationship despitethe distance that would soon come. He could tell it bothered her, but they all agreed to give her space and wait for her to come talk to them, if she ever would.
With all that had happened, Weiss suggested they take a day to just completely relax and decompress, even offering to pay for it despite Yang's comments about being a couple hundred thousand lien richer than before. Weiss had brushed her off by saying she owed her for winning the championship, though Weiss would later tell him that there was an unexplained thrill in spending her own money rather than her father's.
Well, he hoped Sun liked being a sugar baby...
"Ughhh..." Jaune groaned in utter relief as the masseuse untangled knots he didn't even know were there. The first part of their relaxation day was an all-day trip to one of Vale's most premier spas. His eyes had goggled when he saw the price for even one person, let alone five, but Weiss had assured them all that it was barely a dent compared to the winnings she made and her new investments bearing fruit.
Any complaints they had were gone by the time they were in the massage rooms proper.
"Nyaaa..." Blake moaned to his right. The rooms were separated with thin partitions that allowed them to retain their modesty, which was good. The last thing anyone (sans Ruby) needed was to see the Arc hiney in all its glory, "I hate that this place is so expensive! Don't we deserve to have this every week for all we go through?"
"Hey, at least we have Jaune's gooey white stuff," Yang said two partitions to his left.
"Yang, don't be crude!" Weiss admonished.
"Besides, I'm the only one who gets massages! You guys have to make reservations!" Ruby cut in.
Jaune just closed his eyes and let himself relax. Was it big-headed for him to think that he earned this? Sure he wasn't a Maiden, and he in no way single-handedly stopped Adam Taurus, but he liked to think he held his own weight.
"Thanks, Weiss. You're the best." Ruby slurred.
"No, thank you all. We wouldn't be here if not for every one of you." How did she manage to sound so prim and proper even now? "And don't forget, we still have a dinner to go to after this. Our meals will taste far better with all our recent stress expunged."
"Geez, Weiss queen, you're really buttering us up. You want something?"
"We can discuss that after tomorrow's party." Oh yeah, the party held in Team RWBY-J's honor for helping save the city. Again. It was probably just an excuse for the policiians and socialites to get the good food and wine, but Weiss told them it was a 'necessary evil' to attend. If they wanted to be more than glorified mascots killing Grimm then they had to show up in these kinds of things.
Luckily for Jaune, no one was exactly looking towards him for anything like that, but he decided to come with after Ruby begged to not wanting to go without him.
The next few hours were spent ironing out any kinks, knots, and lingering sores that even Aura couldn't fix on its own. Weiss insisted that they take full advantage of everything she'd bought and, for the first time in his life, Jaune got to experience mud baths, seaweed wraps, salt scrubs, and other things he was sure his older sisters would hate having missed out on.
By the time they were leaving they felt like they'd had the best rest in their entire lives.
"Alright, now it's time for our celebratory dinner," Weiss announced with a clap, "And given that Yang is the resident champion, I shall let her decide our venue. Please don't make me regret it."
Yang just grinned.
They ended up at Mick's Steakhouse. Weiss looked like she was considering a change of mind when both Yang and Ruby grabbed her by the arms and all but dragged her inside. Blake helped once Yang told her they had fish too and Jaune could only smile sympathetically when Weiss' struggles worsened at the smell of the interior. He could feel his cholesteroal rising from here.
Jaune sat to Weiss' right while Yang took her left, "Don't worry, we can burn it off on our next training session," he said.
"I...I suppose I can consider it a new experience." Yang took their orders and the heiress' face turned into a grimace when their plates of sizzling steaks and ribs arrived just minutes later. Yep, they were gonna have to burn through this. While Huntsmen had to eat a lot, a growing body needed a healthy diet, Weiss was always careful to keep her food choices particularly healthy. Choice fruits, vegetables, and salads were her mainstay. Her one cheat was pastries, particularly cheesecake.
"Alright, let's dig in!" And then, without any sign that the sizzling heat bothered her, Yang grabbed one of the ribs and started chomping. Ruby, somewhat surprisingly, did the same, almost matching Yang's speed and ferocity, while Blake did the same with her plate of fish and chips. Weiss looked disturbed at the display and scooted closer to him. The two of them used their utensils to slowly cut into the meat instead of their hands.
"I'm wondering if I made the right choice in leaving it up to Yang..." Weiss said as she watched the brawler finish her third rib.
"Come on, don't tell me you prefer those snobby eleven course dinners back home." Yeah, apparently that was a thing. Who needed eleven courses?
"...Point." She smiled slightly and chewed on her steak, "I can only hope that they behave themselves in the party tomorrow. We do need to make a good impression."
"It'll be fine."
Things were not fine.
Ruby gulped and gripped skirt of her red dress nervously. Okay, so it wasn't going horribly. Weiss had drilled into them how to act and Ruby made sure to memorize all the notes and flash cards she made. Smile, nod along to show you were listening, and never say anything that sounded like a promise or an implied opinion. Be neutral, she said. Even if you have the best of intentions, the people here would always find a way to turn it against you.
Personally, Ruby thought that was a cynical and sad way of looking at the world, but she also knew she wasn't the one with experience on these kinds of things. Living in Patch was simple. People outside the kingdoms had to work hard for their day-to-day and if there was one thing you couldn't accuse any one of them of, it was lazy. You work so you can eat, simple as that.
Sadly, high society wasn't as simple. Weiss had made it very clear that no one here cared about how young or earnest she was. Everyone here would use her just as quickly as they would anyone else.
Which was how Ruby found herself nodding along to a man old enough to be her grandfather ranting about...actually, she wasn't sure. Something about import taxes and how the White Fang were terrible for inconveniencing him. Following Weiss' advice, she kept a smile on her face and spent most the time taking small sips of her cider. She expressed her sympathies for his troubles without actually commenting on it one way or the other.
She wished the others were here, but they were scattered all over the party. Yang had volunteered to keep an eye on Blake so she wouldn't hijack the stage to perform a civil rights protest. Blake resented the implication, but wasn't able to shake Yang off, who stuck to her like glue the entire night so far. Good thing too, cause Blake looked absolutely murderous at the ones making comments about how 'the Animals got what they deserved'.
Weiss had flitted in and out of the various groups, always managing to smile and laugh in a way that looked natural, but if someone looked close they'd see that she wasn't actually saying anything. She'd make small talk and give the impression that she was listening, but not a single word was said that could even imply that she explicitly or even implicitly agreed with anyone she talked to.
Jaune was keeping Penny out of trouble. Despite the help they gave, team PRMN and Penny weren't on the news, but as guests of the party, team RWBY-J were allowed to bring plus ones. They figured the least they could do was to invite them along considering what they did.
And Ruby didn't regret it at all, but she really wished Jaune was here right now so they could be socially awkward buddies together.
"I'm gonna go get another drink." Ruby smiled apologetically. There were few ways to leave a conversation without being rude and this was one of them. Others included needing to 'take a powder' or meeting an old friend. Anything else would bring dishonor on your family or something.
She filled up her glass with more cider and stayed in the corner. She'd already talked to a bunch of people so Weiss couldn't say she spent the whole party being her awkward self. The sullen reaper looked to Jaune subtly trying to pull Penny away from asking why one of the older guests was covering his head with a toupee. She could join them, but then that'd just make it more complicated when someone else tried to talk to her and Penny asked him something else socially inappropriate.
"Hey." She almost jumped at the sudden greeting. Keeping her grip on the cider stable, she looked to the new arrival and gave that same placid smile. He was about the age of the rest of her team with neck length dark blue hair, green eyes, and pale skin that almost matched her and Weiss' tone.
"H-Hello." Ruby took another sip. It was actually sort of odd to see someone in her age group. One of the reasons she felt so awkward was because everyone here felt more like people her dad would hang out with. Well, if her dad was some kind of rich snob, "My name's Ruby. And you are?" She offered him her free hand.
"Zephyr Wilde." He smiled and kissed her knuckles. That was normal, Weiss told them, but she still felt the urge to pull her arm back at the gesture, "And you are Ruby Rose, the leader of the Defenders of Vale. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you too. And, uh, it's team RWBY-J, actually. That's our official name."
"Oh, and what does that stand for?"
"I'll...get back to you on that." She laughed under her breath and he did too. It wasn't really funny, but she'd take it. Him not being some old man made it feel less awkward. Right now she wished she had Jaune's weird way of making friends with geezers.
"You don't look much like you're having much fun." She was about to deny that when he continued, "Don't worry, I won't say a word. I find these kinds of gathering rather tedious myself. Puffed up old farts patting themselves on the back while us youngbloods preen and smile like good little boys and girls. It does get tiring after a while."
"I wouldn't know. I don't usually go to these kinds of parties." Heck, she was still wearing her old prom dress because she didn't have anything else. Weiss wanted to go shopping for clothes, but they eventually managed to convince her that it wasn't necessary, "But we're here to celebrate that White Fang separatist group not destroying Vale, so it's a good thing, right?"
"Yes. Those Animals got what they deserved." And just like that, whatever good feelings she had towards him were gone. He seemed to notice her sudden shift in mood and said quickly, "No offense intended to your teammate, of course. I'm only referring to those madmen who'd see Vale destroyed. Anyone that deranged could rightly be considered an animal, Human or Faunus. Can't imagine anyone in their right mind would think destroying a kingdom is a sane course of action."
"Right..." What he said sounded true enough, but she suddenly didn't feel like talking to him anymore.
She was in the middle of looking for an excuse to leave when he suddenly asked, "Would you like to dance?" he asked softly, a charming smile on his face. She was caught flat-footed from the sudden change in topic that she was more surprised than annoyed he was pretending the last conversation didn't happen at all.
"Uh, well...I'm not really good at dancing." It wasn't even a lie. She only danced with Jaune at the ball, and even then she had to follow his lead completely. Being a Huntress didn't translate to being good in the dance floor.
"I'm sure it won't be a problem." He took her hand and tried to lead her to the center but she stood her ground. Even with the stupid lady stilts she was still a Huntress.
"I'd really rather not," Ruby said. She wanted to say a bit more than that, but Weiss' lessons kept her tongue curbed.
"...I see. My apologies." He let go of her hand and raised both arms in an apologetic gesture, "Forgive me. I was too eager. It's not often that I get to talk to a charming girl such as yourself." Despite everything, she still found her cheeks flushing at the compliment, "If you don't wish to dance, would you care to have a drink out in the balcony? It should be less stuffy than in this ballroom."
""Uh..." Well, that one was a bit harder to say no to. She needed a reason...or she could call him out, "Just talk?" she said, standing up straighter to look more confident than she felt. She could stare down an Ursa Major but this made her feel nervous.
"Well, not quite." He chuckled softly, "I'll admit that I'd be remiss if I didn't take the chance to ask you out. It'd be a shame if we never saw each other again after this."
"Oh, um..." Ugh, why were her cheeks so hot?! She wasn't charmed by the guy, the Animal comment was still stuck in her head, but this was the first time she'd ever been asked out. Growing up with Yang for an older sister meant that all the boys and girls looked to her while Ruby was the awkward kid with the weird weapons obsession. A lot of people tried to get close to her to try and get an 'in' with Yang.
Yang made her thoughts on those people quite clear. With her fists.
So she said the first thing that came to mind, "I-I have a boyfriend!" she said, somehow managing to not scream, "S-So I'm really flattered that you, uh, like me what way, but I'm not really sure I can-"
"Come now, I'm not asking for much. Just dinner. Surely we can-"
"She said she's not interested." A familiar arm wrapped around her shoulder and she immediately felt better when Jaune pulled her close.
"Jaune Arc, isn't it? The one who stopped Adam Taurus. Hmm...I expected you to be more...formidable."
"Sorry to disappoint."
Wilde looked like he was about to say something back when he noticed a few people turning to look at the confrontation. So instead he smiled, said something about going to meet an old friend, and then walked off. Jaune watched him go for a few seconds before looking to her, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just...I didn't see that coming." If anyone was going to be flirted with, it would've been Weiss or Yang. Weiss was the one who belonged to these kinds of parties and Yang...well, she was Yang. She didn't need to do anything to get people to pay attention to her. Even Blake, for as many as the people here said bad stuff about the Faunus, had a few giving her looks.
"Price of being popular, Rubes. Come on, let's go to the balcony."
This time she didn't hesitate to walk out. Ruby held her cup of cider with both hands and leaned against Jaune's shoulder. Out here without the stuffy people inside...it felt like she could breath again.
"Thought you were dealing with Penny."
"Eh, I figured Merc and Pyrrha could watch over her. She's going to be on their team." And officially be Jaune's partner. She wasn't mad at Penny for the whole Relationship Reaper thing anymore, but it still sucked. Why couldn't the two of them and Weiss just make a threesome?
"Thanks for helping me out back there."
"Come on, we both know you would've punched that guy's teeth in if he pushed his luck."
"Then I'd get in trouble with Weiss." Ruby's shoulders sagged, "But hey, you looked pretty cool back there!"
"Really? I was just jea-" He suddenly cut himself off. She replaced his last word a couple of times and laughed.
"Were you jealous?" Ruby grinned up at him.
"Nope."
"Oh, you totally were! That's so cute."
"H-Hey." He knocked his shoulder to her's, "Don't act like you were any better. I still remember how you acted a few days ago."
"So what? I admit it. I was jealous of those hussies trying to get to my boyfriend." Wow, even saying that word made her feel bad. Hussies. Dad would've been ashamed if he heard her now.
The two of them bickered playfully till Weiss, Yang and Blake eventually joined them outside. Made it easy to pretend everything was normal, "I saw what happened back there," Weiss said, looking out at the night lights, "You both did good."
"He asked me out..."
"Twofold objective. First he tried to invite you to a dance then out in the balcony alone. He wanted to make a spectacle of being intimate with one of the Defenders of Vale. It would give him some influence if he could leverage the idea that you two were close. I expect that's at least partially the reason he was so insistent on asking you to dinner as well. Meeting him outside the party makes you look far closer and he could control that narrative."
"Asshole..." Yang scoffed.
"I expect he actually was attracted to you, though less Ruby Rose our favorite dork and more Ruby Rose the Defender of Vale."
"Let's just forget about him." Ruby shook her head, "I saw you and Jaune talking to Blanche. Is there something going on?"
"A bit. It concerns a plan I told Jaune of weeks prior." Weiss finished her glass of wine and set it over the balcony's wall, "We've been doing good with our fights against the Grimm, but we need push the limits, so to speak. Blanche had an idea."'
"This sounds heavy. Go ahead," Blake said.
"He wants us to reclaim Mountain Glenn." Ruby blinked, then blinked again when she realized that she hadn't just been imagining that. Mountain Glenn was something every person in Vale grew up hearing about. The kingdom's first (and so far only) attempt at expanding outside the walls that ended in catastrophic failure twenty years ago. She and Yang weren't even born when it fell.
"Yeah..." Jaune turned around and leaned with his back against the low wall, "Still sounds like a tall order to me. I mean, it's been abandoned for twenty years. Vale's pretty much given up on it, right?"
"They don't consider it a worthy investment." Weiss scoffed, "Even if they did clear out the Grimm, it would take a lot of effort to rebuild defenses. Money the council considered better spent elsewhere."
"But not Blanche. He wants it back," Ruby said.
"Yes." Weiss nodded, "It would be the biggest victory in the kingdom's recent history. The reclamation its biggest failure. With our abilities and Jaune's Semblance empowering us, I do think we stand a decent chance of accomplishing this. Not only that, but with our gifts we could rebuild defenses near-singlehandedly. I can also convince father of the good PR of donating Dust to a settlement that will soon be needing it, and would thus look kindly on the SDC for giving them a hand at their beginning."
Neither Yang or Blake said anything. It was a big mission, the biggest they'd ever have besides fighting Salem, but if they succeeded...
"Let's do it." Ruby nodded firmly, "Vale's overpopulated and so many people are risking their lives outside the walls. We can help so many people if we do this. I'm in." This was the kind of thing she always dreamed of when she trained to be a Huntress. It wasn't enough to kill Grimm, they had to make people's lives better.
"As am I. What about you three?"
"You even have to ask?" Yang grinned.
"This is a risk, a big one...but it's nothing compared to what we're training for. Let's do it," Blake said.
"I'll do the best I can to help you all, same as always." Jaune nodded, "I'm guessing you want us to do it over the break?"
"Yes. We can hardly clear Mountain Glenn out in a day, so I expect we'll be there for quite a while yet."
"I'll talk to the headmaster, Uncle Qrow, and dad. They might be able to help us out," Ruby said. Dad and her uncle were active Huntsmen, so they'd definitely know best about clearing a horde, "Alright, let's do a toast!" She raised her glass, "To making the world a better place!"
They all toasted with her.
Yang walked down the streets of vale with her head held high and a goofy smile. She wasn't drunk, but she was definitely a bit buzzed from all the wine she drank back at the party. They'd all gone their separate ways after the celebration ended. Ruby, Jaune, and Weiss stayed behind to talk out details with Ozpin and Blanche while Blake went to visit her Ilia friend. They offered to come with her, but she said it was fine. Blake trusted her and Ilia was the reason they knew about Adam's bombs.
Despite the late hour, her scroll said it was a little past ten pm, she traveled the road without any fear. It was one of her favorite parts of being a Huntress. Fighting Grimm and saving people, sure, but also that feeling of knowing you were the most dangerous person in the room. She wasn't stupid, she knew that there were people stronger than her, but for the average mugger or would-be criminal? Yeah, she might as well have been a juggernaut.
It didnt take her long to get to her destination.
"You're late." V said, sitting down at the same bench where they met before.
"Sorry, having a bit of fun." Yang smiled, playing up how drunk she was. It was part of the mask. If she looked like she wasn't taking it too seriously then they'd underestimate her, and it fit considering she told the bandit that she had all the cards, "So, when do I get to meet my new lackeys?"
"Don't push it, blondie. Being Raven's brat won't always protect you. You need to prove yourself."
"Anyone thinks they can take me on's welcome to try," Yang grinned, the gesture all teeth, "Where we meeting?"
"Here." V handed her a slip of paper, "Don't bother trying to go early, we won't be there. Make sure to have all your business squared away. You ain't coming back to Vale after this."
"Giving me orders? This whole leader thing's off to a bad start." Jaune pocketed the slip after noting the location, "One last thing before you go: what's your name? I don't wanna call my new stooge V."
"...Vernal. I'll see you in a few days."
Vernal walked away and ignored the rising irritation she felt. Yang was nothing like Raven. She was a cocky brat that took a power she didn't deserve or earn. If it wasn't for Raven's blood in her veins, Vernal would've already cut her throat. At least then the powers would've gone someone who'd help the tribe and put it to good use instead of playing celebrity.
At least she had insurance to avoid the brat trying anything. Shay knew where her old man was and if she acted cute they'd make sure he paid for it. That would stop her acting out. Shouldn't be too hard. Whoever Taiyang Xiao Long was, he must've been a weakling if Raven left him. He wasn't even a Huntsman, just some schoolteacher who spent his days behind a desk. It would be easy to take him out if they had to.
Back at the bench, Yang looked up at the shattered moon and let out a soft breath. She wanted a life full of excitement, and she got it. Training to fight an immortal Grimm queen, dealing with terrorists and her mom's shithead group of murderers, and now reclaiming a whole fucking city. Sometimes she almost forgot that she was supposed to be a student. Classes felt so petty in comparison.
She just stayed there for half an hour letting the time pass. Hard to believe that she thought life at Beacon would be so simple and easy just a few months ago, but she wasn't gonna walk back now.
Yang stood up and stretched her arms aboe her head when she got a call on her scroll. A group chat with everyone but Blake, "What's up? We got anyt-"
"Blake's gone. Taken," Weiss said. Her grip on the scroll slackened and it almost fell to the floor.
"What?" Yang choked.
Ruby answered next, "We got worried and we went to check in on where Blake said she'd meet with that Ilia girl. Just to make sure everything was okay. The two of them weren't there, and Blake's scroll was smashed." Meaning they couldn't track her. Fuck, that wasn't good, "W-We don't actually know if she was taken, but..."
"Either we need to find her," Jaune finished for her, "Let's meet up. We need to do a search."
"On my way." Yang's eyes flared red and she grit her teeth. Oh, some people were gonna get their asses kicked.
Team RWBY-J's made their plans, Yang's wrapping up her Branwen business...and Blake somehow got kidnapped. Oops. Don't worry, I'm not gonna go super dark like I did with Adam. The tone will still remain relatively light. Sienna's plot is more a falling action than a conclusion to the whole White Fang business.
Oh, and Vernal plans to use Tai as a hostage to make Yang play nice. I'm sure this will in no way backfire on her. Also, I know the spa/steakhouse segment felt pointless, but I wanted to show the team bonding and relaxing. Thought it was needed.
Wanna help support me? Then check out the link below without the spaces:
P a treon . com (slash) Vendetta543
Questions:
1. Could you guys see team RWBY-J getting frustrated with all the disagreements they have with people in authority and deciding they can do better as their own faction? Right now they're doing everything at the behest of others, but retaking Mount Glenn could embolden them to make their own large scale decisions. Stand with people like Ironwood and Ozpin as equals instead of taking their orders. They would still work with them, but they have equal importance in all decisions made.
Note that they're not gonna create their own city or cut off ties with the other groups. They just leverage the fact that they have the Maiden powers and they're not gonna be told to shut up and made to follow orders. If they're being asked to risk their lives against Salem then they need an equal say in what goes on. Blake could also try to make her own antithesis to the White Fang. Something that fights for the Faunus a different way.
2. Speaking of Salem, I know I asked this before but what would you guys think of her not being the final antagonist? It would be interesting to focus on the more human conflict when the Grimm Queen is gone/sealed/whatever and team RWBY being Maidens only makes them more tantalizing and dangerous. Without Salem around they're the most powerful Huntresses on Remnant and now they have no singular enemy to be pointed to.
It would also allow me to focus on plots like Cinder, the Crown, Watts, and possibly even Ironwood. The latter doesn't even have to be an antagonist, but he'd definitely be worried about the group of demigods running around beholden to no one.
Review Answers:
sos read - To be fair, he got bailed out from the kidnapping because he was fighting one of the best fighters in the setting. And despite that he managed to escape, sabotaged their Dust supplies, and forced Adam to retreat by blowing up the warehouse.
Undeadhero143 - It wasn't out of mercy, Jaune did it cause going to prison is worse for someone like him. And since prisons aren't cardboard here, it works.
Dredgon - Jaune goes down a darker route in the Crown arc when he's cut off from team RWBY and only has Mercury and Qrow as allies.
Chuck B. Winanaki - Photo was presumably some rando student who'll never be found. Stuff like that happens. Also, Blanche is still here, just less in your face now.