AN: Ok, not much to say except thank you for sticking around for this ok fanfic I know it's got flaws but still, you all have stayed and given your opinions so I can't thank you enough.
I DO NOT OWN RWBY OR GUNDAM THAT IS ROOSTER TEETH AND SUNRISE.
Chapter 5
"Nora? A-are… you… Nora Valkyrie?"
They all stood there in silence. Terra made her way over and while she had never met the Valkyries since she meet Saphron in Vale she had seen pictures. She could tell this girl was the same girl hanging off of Jaune in the photo for his fourth birthday.
"How? How do you know my name?" Nora asked slowly. She turned to Ren and asked. "Do you think she can read my mind?" Ren shook his head at the idea.
"I'm curious as well." He stated flatly.
"You are Nora Valkyrie… Oh gods I'm so sorry for your loss." Saphron threw her arms around Nora who was too stunned to get out of the hold.
"Ma'am, could you let go of my friend please?" Ren asked as Terra pulled her wife off the stunned girl.
"I'm sorry sir. I'm Terra Cotta Arc and my wife Saphron Arc is a little emotional right now. You see her family was rather close to Miss Valkyrie's family back in Atlas." Terra was in negotiator mode now trying to deescalate the incident.
"I see. My name is Lie Ren. Nora are you ok?" Ren asked his friend, Nora still looked puzzled.
"Arc? Why does that sound so familiar?" She asked out loud. Images of a small blonde child played in her head. In one instance she was holding his hand and dragging him through the forest, in another they are fighting with five girls over pancakes then sighing a sheet that said Waffle Wednesday, and finally, she's crying not wanting the boy to leave but he's pulled away and disappears onto a ship while promising he'll see her again one day and asking her to keep in touch. Tears start to run from her eyes and she shoots forward wrapping her arms around Saphron.
"Saphy! Saphy… Saphy. It was so lonely without you all then mommy decided we should go on vacation to try to cheer me up. B-but the n-n-nevermore's came and… I… She… I was so alone. But Renny found me and treated me like family" Nora had tears and snot running down her face as Saphron rubbed her back. Terra could see this wasn't just two friends reuniting but a girl clinging to the closest mother figure she had.
"Angle your swing Arc! Compensate for the weight of the ax head!" Qrow yells in a gruff tone. "Xiao Long focus on technique don't swing widely!"
It was the Friday before their first break and Qrow had students drilling with their new weapons. Yang had designed Ember Celica a pair of shotgun gauntlets to stick with the hand-to-hand combat her dad taught her and to best use her semblance. With the help of Sini and Ruby Jaune created a heated ax head addition to Corcea Mors. It was named Candida Mors or beautiful death as Ruby kept calling the design beautiful but deadly. The weight of the addition was throwing off his swing but that was a common issue if you changed from a regular weapon to a mechashift one. Qrow had said he rarely uses his scythe form and tends to stick with his sword and it wasn't uncommon for hunters to do the same.
"Good work. Have fun on break and don't do anything I wouldn't do." Qrow chuckled as he left the arena.
"That's not a long list!" Yang jokingly yelled at her uncle.
'Indeed how a man like that can become a teacher baffles me.' Char agreed with Yang.
'Maybe it's because of his skills and not his uh habits.' Jaune pointed out.
"Come on Jaune stop spacing out they're about to lock up the arena." Yang started to pull him to the exit.
"Sorry, Yang. Just thinking about the Arc's yearly trip." Jaune said. Every year his family traveled around for a few days as a kind of vacation and how to survive in the wilderness class.
"That's right! Where are you guys going this year Shion?" Yang asked.
"Nope. Saphron called saying she had a surprise so we're visiting her in Argus this year. Which means we have to use a..."
"Bullhead. Man, I'm glad I'm not going with you. Sini and Violette have terrible motion sickness. Isn't that right Vomit Boy?" Yang teased.
"I'll have you know that was only one time." Jaune shot back. "So what's your plan for the break?"
"Don't know. I'll probably have to watch Ruby and bug my dad for that bike I've been eyeing." Yang shrugged.
"You guys really coddle her you know? She's only two years younger than us." Jaune said in defense of Ruby.
"We just don't want to lose her like we did mom. You've got to understand right? After all, you lost someone close as well." Yang spoke the truth.
'She isn't wrong but that kind of attitude can still backfire. I tried protecting my sister only to learn she had joined the war on the other side.' Char said thinking of Artesia or as she later went by Sayla.
"I get that but too much will have the opposite effect. She wants to be a huntress. It's good your family is accepting of that or she might have run eventually. Just try accepting she'll grow up and won't always need you to look after her ok?" Jaune said walking away from Yang. In the shadows, a crow watched what was happening. 'Jaunes got a point. Ok, Qrow if she asks for help we help her.' Once Jaune was away from view he shifted back and found his niece just standing there.
"He's right ya know. We can't baby her forever. So let us make sure she'll be able to stand on her own and beat any creep that tries to make a move on her." Qrow grinned at Yang's determined nod.
The arc family stood at the entrance to the port. Amelia went over the list checking the bags. Jonathan was buying the tickets. Olivia was meeting them in Argus as she had to fly from Shade Academy. Jaune was making sure Violette and Sini had their medicine. Sini was wearing a sky blue hooded cape and Jaune just sighed. 'Really Ruby? You made a mini-me?' He looked over to see Nila and Iris talking to a girl in a beret and sunglasses she handed a piece of paper to them and waved as she left them stunned. 'Well ok then?' He walked over and peeked over Nila's shoulder and saw the paper was a scroll contact info and a name Coco .
"Well damn." He whistled getting his sisters to jump.
"H-How m-much did you see?" Iris stammered out. Jaune couldn't help but giggle a little.
"More than enough." He smirked, "Good thing we're visiting Saph, huh maybe you can get some advice from her Iris."
"Uhhhhhh." Both sisters looked at each other and Jaune felt his jaw drop.
'Well, I say. I haven't seen something like this since to girls in the AEUG threw themselves at Amuro.' Char whistled.
'Why's it always my sisters!? Can't a girl flirt with me for once!?' Jaune whined.
"Bu… Wai… WHAT THE HELL?! REALLY?!" Jaune blurted out.
"Is everything ok over here you three?" Their dad asked.
"Yeah everything is just peachy except Iris and Nila just.. Mmph" The twins clamped their hands over Jaunes mouth.
"Sorry, we just… pulled a prank on our precious baby brother." They both look at him and Jaune nods in agreement. Their dad watched them for a bit then shrugged.
"Well, the tickets are bought so let's get a move on," Jonathan said walking back to his wife.
"You don't say anything ok Jauney?/Yeah or do you want us to revile your secret?" The twins threatened. Jaune paled and nodded. They grabbed their carry-on bags and started up the stairs.
"Jaune! Wait! I have something for you!" A squeaky voice yelled. He turned to see Ruby panting out of breath. She raised her hands showing a golden rose emblem. "H-here I had leftover metal from Candida Mors so I made this. I h-hope you like it." She said between breaths.
"Ruby this is beautiful thank you so very much. You didn't have to do this you know." He told her honestly.
"I know but well it's for you and something told me I just had to give it to you now… Eep" She explained before Jaune gave her a quick hug.
"Well, I have to go. I'll call you and Yang when we reach Argus alright?" He asked. Ruby nodded. "I'll make sure to get you something before we leave. See you in a week." Jaune rushed to join his sisters. Nila was teasing him as punishment for earlier.
The snow was fresh at the Argus docks and crunched under the boots of the Arc family. Violette was giggling as she ran in the snow while Sini groaned from the motion sickness that was gripping her and Amelia was comforting her daughter. Jonathan was pulling the bags along. Terra smiled as she watched her family make their way down the final ramp.
"Terra!/ Big sis!" The twins Nila and Iris ran and hugged their sister-in-law.
"Oi I get it. No love for your huntress sister. Ow, my poor heart." Olivia feigned falling over.
"Huntress in training." Jaune corrected her with a glare.
"I can still mop the floor with you Stickarms!" Olivia shot back. Their glares faded and they laughed and embraced. "How ya been pipsqueak?"
"Finally made my weapon. Qrow is training us on how to use them. I'm still trying to compensate for the extra weight." Jaune explained.
"Yeah, I know how that goes. Everyone goes through that at some point. Jeez, let's get out of the cold huh." Olivia shivered.
"Shuttle will be here soon Livia." Terra came from behind the two. "Maybe you shouldn't have gone to the desert to study it's a rather warm day all things considered."
"Yeah, yeah, I don't get why you and Saph live up here. It's too close to Atlas for my taste." Olivia said remembering how little nature was in that floating city.
"Well I work in communications and the only place hiring was up here," Terra explained. She smirked as she pictured the shock her family was in for.
"Any grandbabies for me to spoil yet?" Amelia asked. Terra's face lit up as she sputtered.
"N-not yet mom. We are still going over our options." Terra tried to keep her cool. Amelia looked around and frowned.
"Where's Clarise and Saphron?" The Arc matriarch asked.
"Clarise couldn't get time off from SDC and Saph is well she's waiting with the surprise," Terra told them.
"See told you the Surprise wasn't a kid my love," Jonathan whispered to his wife.
The Cotta-Arc house was of moderate size Saphron had grown up in a relatively large family and wanted one of her own one of these days. Well, maybe not eight children but four or five was what she was thinking. Saphron was setting twelve plates for supper and was finishing the pancakes for Jaune and Nora when Terra brought the rest of her family in.
'Three pairs of shoes one of them belongs to a male. I wonder if this is a hint at the surprise Jau… No, it can't be...' Char stopped abruptly making Jaune worry. He would have asked about it but his mother rushed past him.
"My baby girl! It's been so long! How are you doing? Are you eating well? You're not making Terra do everything are you?" Amelia was looking around as she shot questions at her second oldest.
"Honey slow down can't you see she's made us a feast save the questions later." Their dad pulled his wife to a chair.
"Thanks, daddy. I'm doing fine mom Terra makes sure I actually cook more than just waffles and pizza." Saphron answered laying a plate in front of their mother. "Foods ready!" She yells out and takes a step back as her siblings rush the kitchen.
"Love ya cookin sis!" Olivia said grabbing a plate with steak and plopping down sideways on an armchair.
"Olivia Cassidy Arc I raised you to eat like a civilized member of society so sit properly young lady!" Iris giggled at their mom already scolding Olivia.
"Hey sis you know I like pancakes but I don't I think I can eat two plates." Jaune pointed out the second plate.
"Well, little brother that's because only one plate is for you," Saphron smirked.
"Who's the other for dear?" Jonathan asked.
"I'm glad you asked." Saphron stood up and walked to the stairs. "You two can come down now!" A door opened and the Arcs heard rustling followed by a young man with black hair and a pink stripe appeared.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Lie Ren you're daughter has been kind enough to offer us a place in her home while we complete Sanctum Academy." The boy said in a polite manner. He then looked over and waved something over but nothing came and so he reached over and pulled a ginger girl in a pink skirt over. The elder Arc siblings and parents dropped their utensils. Jaune could feel he should know this girl and it was nagging at him.
"Bloody Hell/ It can't be." They couldn't believe their eye. Amelia and Jonathan started tearing up. The twins dropped their scrolls and Olivia fell from her chair.
"Um hi. Uhh, it's been a long time since I've seen you all." Nora walked over to Jaune and hugged him. "Hey, Jaune-Jaune I'm sorry I didn't stay in touch." She looked up at him and all the memories came back. Jaune returned the hug fiftyfold.
"It can't be I thought you died… I'm so happy to see you, Nora," Jaune felt like he was five again. He looked up and saw the boy staring. "Did you," Ren nods. "Thank you so much." Nora lets go and drags Ren over and hugs the both of them.
'Char?/ Amuro?'
AN: I'm thinking one more chapter before beacon. But who knows.
