WAIT, WHAT! HOW MANY I'M MARRYING!?
Chapter 7: An Outing with the Fashionista... I'm still not sure that's the right word.
Beacon Academy
"This storm came out of nowhere." Jaune said as they ran inside Beacon Academy.
"Yeah. I don't think I saw it on the weather report." Velvet agreed as they took off their ponchos. While a relatively new addition, Velvet and Jaune were thankful that bullheads now had emergency ponchos for passengers in case it rained.
"Hopefully, it stops by tomorrow."
"Hopefully."
"Anyway. We should head to our dorms. It's getting late, and we should get ready to go to sleep."
"Yeah. And I would like to take a nice, long, hot shower." Velvet said, stretching. But she blushed a second later when a certain naughty entered her mind. Thankfully, Jaune didn't notice.
"Same. And my teammates are probably worried." Jaune said, unsure if he should be excited about it or worried.
"Mine should be too."
"Speaking of which, should I be worried about Coco?" Jaune asked as they made their way to their dorms.
"I don't think so. But I'll talk to her once I get back to my dorm." Velvet answered before remembering something. "Although. You might get pulled to the side by Fox and Yatsuhashi. But that's because they are protective of me. But you don't have to worry; they are nowhere near as scary as Coco."
"That's a relief."
"Oh. And just a heads up. Fox might use his semblance on you as a sort of pseudo-lie-detector."
'If only mom or dad could do that. If they could, the twins wouldn't have been able to blame me or the others for what they did.' Jaune thought, remembering the times he and his sisters got in trouble because of the twins. "Thanks for the heads up, then."
"You're welcome." Velvet said as they arrived at Jaune's dorm.
"See you tomorrow, Velvet."
"See you tomorrow. And thanks for the... hanging out with me." Velvet said, catching herself before she said date. As much as she wanted to call it a date, she knew it wasn't one. But she hoped they could have one in the future instead of it being just friends hanging out.
"Thanks for hanging out with me, Velvet. And thanks for saving me from Coco."
"Of course. I can't have my future husband maimed by another of his future wives." Velvet said, chuckling while Jaune rolled his eyes. "Anyway. Do you think you will be free later this week so we can hang out again?"
"I'm not sure. I'll have to check my schedule. And I also have to wait for my parents to send me the dates of when I'll meet my other future wives. But once I'm sure, I'll text you."
"Wait. Do you still have those sticky notes and pen?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Let me give you my number so you can text me."
"Oh, right. Here you go." Jaune said, handing Velvet the sticky notes and pen.
"And here you go." Velvet said, handing the note back to Jaune after writing down her number.
"See you-" Jaune began but froze when Velvet gave him a quick hug. "Tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, Jaune." Velvet said, resisting the urge to kiss Jaune on the cheek before running to her dorm. Shaking it off but smiling, Jaune opened the door and entered his dorm.
"Hey, guys. I'm back." Jaune said as he closed the door. And no sooner than he did, Pyrrha and Nora immediately pulled him into a tight hug.
"JAUNE! YOU'RE BACK!" They shouted, relieved to see their friend and future husband safe and sound.
"Are you okay, Jaune? Did you work everything out with Coco?" Ren asked from his bed.
"Yes. Everything is fine now." Jaune answered as he moved to sit on his bed.
"What did Coco say?" Pyrrha asked as she and Nora sat next to him.
"Well. Coco was furious at first. But after realizing I had no part in it and talking with her mom, she calmed down."
"What did she say about the fact that she is going to marry you?" Nora asked.
"Well, Coco's not thrilled about it. She said she would have preferred to get into a relationship on her own terms, which is understandable. But Coco also said she felt relieved that she would be marrying someone she at least somewhat knew."
"Did she want to nullify the contract?" Ren asked.
"That's a little complicated. She's not thrilled about it, but Coco also said that canceling the contract won't solve much since her mother might just do it again. There's more to it, but that's just the jist of it."
"Did she say anything else?" Pyrrha asked.
"Not much in terms of things I can tell you at the moment. But Coco did suggest we try to get to know each other better so we can become friends. And so it would be less awkward when we get married."
"That's a good idea." Ren said.
"But onto more important things. Where were you today?" Nora asked, curious and slightly worried.
"I was hanging out with Velvet today." Jaune answered.
"Like a date?" Pyrrha asked, curious.
"No. We just hung out to get to know each other better. I honestly don't have any feelings for Velvet. Not even hidden ones or ones that I didn't know I had. But as I told Velvet, that might change in the future. And even if it doesn't, at least we'll know each other better."
"True. Hopefully, it does change, though. And even if it doesn't, it won't be awkward when the marriage date finally arrives." Nora said before yawning.
"Will you be hanging out with Velvet again soon?" Ren asked.
"Yes. But I'm not sure when." Jaune answered before yawning. "But for now, let's head to sleep. It's late."
Nodding, Jaune got into the bathroom for a quick shower while the others got ready to sleep. After a few moments, he exited the bathroom and got into his bed. And no sooner than Jaune pulled the blankets over him did Nora and Pyrrha slide into his bed. They then kissed him before falling snuggling into him and falling asleep.
'I should fill out a form for a larger bed so we can sleep together from now on. But that's if they want that.' Jaune thought as Ren turned off the lights. Sighing, he closed his eyes and let sleep take him.
Meanwhile
Team CFVY's Dorm
"Hey, guys. I'm back." Velvet said as she closed the door. And she was surprised at how great the room looked. It was as if nothing had happened.
"Hey, Velvet." Fox said as he rested on his bed.
"How was your date?" Yatsuhashi asked, smirking.
"I-it wasn't a date." Velvet answered, blushing.
"Really? It wasn't a date?"
"No, unfortunately. We were just hanging out to get to know each other better." Velvet said as she sat on her bed before looking around. And after not seeing Coco, she placed her Jaune plush underneath her pillow. "Even though I wish it were a date."
"Well. Getting to know the person IS usually the first step in a typical relationship. Maybe you can think of it like that. You can think of today as a precursor to an eventual date with Jaune." Fox said.
"Fox is right, Velvet. After all, you can't go rushing into things, especially a date. It's best to take baby steps. And who knows? Maybe it will turn into a real relationship before you know it." Yatsuhashi added.
"You're right. I just hope we can get another chance to hang out soon since he is going to be really busy soon." Velvet sighed.
"Hopefully. But we'll see." Fox said.
"Where's Coco?"
"She's still in detention or just finished. Either way, she should be here soon. And that means we should start getting ready since it's a bit past curfew." Yatsuhashi answered.
"Yeah. It's late. And I want to take a warm shower before heading to bed."
"Oh, before I forget. Where did you take Arc after he got separated from us?"
"I took him to the place I go to whenever I need a break from Beacon life."
"How long did it take for Coco to find you?" Fox asked.
"She somehow got there before us."
"That must have been a shock." Yatsuhashi said.
"It was. I'm pretty sure Jaune nearly fainted."
"But at least everything worked out in the end, right?" Fox asked.
"More or less. There are still a few things we need to iron out. But it's much better now than it was yesterday. And might only improve from here on out."
"Speaking of yesterday." Yatsuhashi began with a smirk that was more fitting for Coco. "Did you sleep in the same bed at the place with Jaune?"
"I-I-I. No. We didn't." Velvet answered, blushing. "Coco slept on one bed while I slept on the other. Jaune slept on the chair."
"Maybe that can also change in the future."
"Y-you're spending too much time with Coco." Velvet said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway. I'm going to take a shower and then head to sleep. Night guys."
"Good night, Velvet." They said.
"Do you still want to question, Arc?" Fox asked once the door closed.
"No. We don't need to. I learned a lot about him while we were heading to the safe spot. And the rest from his teammates. He's a good guy. And besides, Coco is probably going to see if he meets her standards soon. So we don't need to do anything. Velvet is safe." Yatsuhashi answered.
"That's good." Fox said before yawning. "We should probably get to sleep as well."
"Right."
Getting up, they changed into their night clothes before getting into their beds and falling asleep a moment later. After a few minutes, Velvet exited the bathroom and got into her bed. Pulling the blanket over her body, she got comfy before grabbing her Jaune plush and falling asleep. However, as soon as she did, Coco tiptoed into the room and smiled at what she saw.
'Forget in love; Velvet is almost obsessed with Arc. Still, tomorrow I'm going to see if Arc is worthy of dating my bun-bun. And maybe learn a bit about him like Velvet did today. It would do us both good if we knew more than just our names.' Coco thought as she got into her bed and fell asleep a moment later.
The Next Day
Cafeteria
"Hey, guys." Jaune said as he and his team sat across from Team Rwby with their breakfast.
"Morning, Jnpr." Weiss said before taking a sip of her tea.
"How did you guys sleep?" Blake asked.
"Not the greatest." They answered.
"Well, hopefully, tonight will be different." Yang said, eying Ruby to ensure she ate the vegetables that were a part of her breakfast.
"But speaking of night. What happened two nights ago? We heard a lot of yelling and crashing." Blake asked.
"Oh. Uh-" Pyrrha began, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, Nora had an answer ready.
"There was some... miscommunication between some upperclassmen. One thing led to another, and a fight broke out. Thankfully, Glynda arrived in time to stop it." Nora lied.
"Was anybody hurt?" Ruby asked.
"Well, one guy got hurt. But he recovered quickly." Ren answered. "But we were fine."
"That's good." Yang said.
"But anyway. Is there anything on anyone's schedule?" Jaune asked.
"No. Not for Ruby or me. We got the whole day to ourselves."
"Yup." Ruby added.
"What about you, Blake?" Nora asked.
"I'm leaving today for home." Blake answered.
"When will you be leaving?" Pyrrha asked.
"About an hour, an hour and a half after we finish eating."
"And you, Weiss? Aren't you leaving today?" Ren asked.
"No. I'm leaving tomorrow. Early." Weiss answered.
"What time?" Yang asked.
"Around seven in the morning since it will be a long flight."
"That's a little early. Couldn't you have gotten a later flight?" Jaune asked.
"Unfortunately, not. This was the latest flight available. And don't worry, Jaune. I'm used to these early wake-ups."
"Alright. But if you want, I can head into town and buy some chamomile tea or something else to help you fall asleep."
"Thank you, Jaune. But I'm good. I already have some chamomile tea. I just need to make some and head to bed early tonight so I can wake up refreshed in time for my flight."
"Alright."
"What about you guys?" Ruby asked.
"Pyrrha and I need to go over a few things." Nora answered.
"There are a few things our families are doing, and we agreed to help each other." Pyrrha added. What they still had to tell Jaune was that they were already planning their wedding. Their parents had called them yesterday and explained to them that they could customize nearly everything about the wedding aside from a few things like traditions.
"And I'll probably just catch up on some shows." Ren said.
"What about you, Jaune?" Yang asked.
"Not sure." Jaune said, thinking it over before shrugging. "Eh. I'll probably-"
"-Head into town with me so we can learn more about each other." A voice interjected.
"Coco?" Jaune asked, surprised, as he turned around. He was honestly expecting not to see Coco for the next few days. So to hear her say that was something he was not expecting. "Uh. What are you doing here?"
"Why else? To take you out into town so we can get to know each other like you did with Velvet yesterday."
"Wait. You went out on a date with Velvet yesterday?" Yang asked, shocked.
"Not a date, just getting to know each other better. And now it's my turn. Come on, blondie. We have a big day ahead of us." Coco said before pulling Jaune from his seat by his shirt and dragging him away. But before they exited the cafeteria, Coco shouted over her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll have Arc back by the end of the day in one piece. Well, mostly in one piece, depending on how it goes. Ciao."
"Get the stuff ready, Ren." Jaune said before Coco dragged him out of the cafeteria.
"Will do, Jaune." Ren chucked.
"Uh. What did we just witness?" Blake asked, thoroughly confused.
"And did he mean by that, Ren?" Weiss asked.
"I believe both answers coincide with each other. Let's just say Velvet and Jaune decided to hang out a bit more to get to know each other. And so Velvet can pay him back for stopping Team Crdl from harassing her. So they spent the day together. But, uh, we all know Coco is very protective of Velvet. So she just might want to test Jaune's character personally to see if Velvet is safe around him or something like that. And what Jaune meant was for me to get some medical supplies we recently brought ready in case he gets hurt."
"So that's why you brought all those medical supplies?" Ruby asked, curious.
"Not exactly. Our team decided to have some supplies on hand in case we got hurt or the medical wing was packed. But most of it was for Professor Peach's assignment."
"I think we should do that too. And by that, I mean get some medical supplies for our dorm." Weiss said.
"Yeah. I think we should." The rest of Team Rwby agreed.
"But imagine if Jaune was really going on a date with Coco." Yang said, smirking.
"Yang. A more likely scenario would be Ms. Goodwitch retiring or Ozpin making actual sensible decisions." Weiss said.
"As much as I don't want it to sound insulting, those are more plausible scenarios than Coco dating Jaune." Blake added. "But I would say it wouldn't be far-fetched if Jaune and Velvet decided to start dating or enter a serious relationship."
"Yeah. I can see that, honestly. Their personalities aren't that different. Well, they are, but they seem more compatible than Coco's personality." Yang said while eyeing Pyrrha to see if there was any reaction from the redhead that was head over heels in love with Jaune. But she raised an eyebrow when Pyrrha and Nora only smiled and seemed to hope that would happen.
"Either way. I do hope Coco brings Jaune back in one piece. He promised me last week that we would read some new comics together. And it would a be a lot harder for Jaune to do so if he is in multiple pieces." Ruby said, causing the others to chuckle.
"Don't worry. Coco will bring him back in one piece." A new voice assured. Turning around, both teams were surprised to see Velvet standing there with a nervous smile.
"Uh. Hello, Velvet. Do you... require something?" Weiss asked, unsure of what to say since they had never talked to Velvet before.
"Kind of. I just need to talk with Pyrrha and Nora in private." Velvet answered, surprising Team Rwby but earning knowing looks from Nora and Pyrrha. "I-If they are free right now, that is."
"Sure." Nora said.
"Where do you want to talk?" Pyrrha asked.
"Can we do so in your dorm?" Velvet asked.
"Sure. Let's go." Nora said as she, Pyrrha, and Velvet headed to JNPR's dorm.
"I wonder what she wants to talk about." Ruby said.
"She probably wants to know a bit more about Jaune." Ren answered with a shrug.
"Maybe. But it's none of our business." Weiss said, with the others agreeing.
"And even if it were, I couldn't stay for it. I need to go now and finish preparing." Blake said, getting up.
"Alright. See you after the break, Blake." Yang said.
"See you guys." Blake said as she exited the cafeteria.
JNPR's Dorm
"So you to talk about Jaune, right, Velvet?" Nora asked as Pyrrha closed the door for privacy.
"Was it that obvious?" Velvet asked.
"Not really. We just figured, considering what Jaune told us you two did yesterday and that you found out that you're also in a marriage contract with him." Pyrrha explained.
"Oh." Velvet said, blushing.
"But now you want to know how to go forward with Jaune. And how to proceed with your relationship with him." Nora said as they all sat down on Jaune's bed.
"Yes." Velvet sighed.
"How much do you like our fearless leader?" Nora asked.
"A lot. I'm not sure when I started to have feelings for him. But after he stood up to Cardin and made him stop bothering him, I felt myself fall for him even more, despite knowing only a few things about him. I just really love Jaune a lot."
"Did you get excited when you learned you would marry him in an arranged marriage contract?" Pyrrha asked, smiling.
"If Coco were here, she would say that me being excited would be an understatement."
"I can imagine since we had the same reaction."
"We could barely hold our excitement when we learned we were going to marry, Jauney." Nora said. "But now you want to know how to go forward and if Jaune returned your feelings."
"Yes." Velvet worriedly said.
"Well, this might devastate you. But you need to listen to everything before you say anything." Pyrrha said, placing her hand on Velvet's shoulder.
"What did he say?"
"Jaune does not have feelings for you yet. And I cannot emphasize the 'yet' enough. He also drove home the fact that his feelings for you might change in the future. And by that, Jaune means he might develop and eventually return your feelings." Pyrrha said.
"I know. He told me that a few times."
"Jaune also told us that he really wants this relationship to work. He really wants everything to work out in the end, not just between you and him, but for all of his wives." Nora said.
"He does?" Velvet asked, hopeful.
"Yes. From what Jaune said, he already thinks of you as a good friend. And maybe eventually a great friend. He wants everything to work out. Jaune also said that he wants to give all of his wives everything he can and give them the lives they deserve."
"I can imagine him saying that. He always puts others before him. That's one of the reasons why I like him."
"Yes. But that kind of comes at a cost." Pyrrha said, confusing Velvet.
"What cost?"
"It's one of his faults. And I think you should know all of them since you're one of his future wives." Nora said. She then took a big breath and was about to tell them but stopped when Velvet interjected.
"You're right. I should know about them. And not just because I'm going to be his future wife but also as a good friend to him. He helped me with my Cardin problem. The least I could do is help him."
"That's the spirit." Pyrrya said, smiling. "And don't worry Velvet. I'm sure Jaune will eventually return your feelings. It might not seem like it right now, but like Jaune said, it might change down the road. And I'm positive they will change."
"Pyrrha's right, Velvet. I'm also sure it will change down the road. But let's take it step by step as if the contracts never happened." Nora added.
"You're right. Thanks, you two." Velvet said, smiling.
"And the first step is learning more about Jaune. So what else would you like to know about him before we move on to his faults?" Pyrrha asked.
"Well. First off." Velvet began.
Outside Jnpr's dorm
"What did I just hear?" Blake asked, more shocked than she had ever been before.
She didn't plan on eavesdropping, but when Blake heard about an arranged contract due to her enhanced hearing, she couldn't help herself. For a moment, Blake thought Pyrrha, Nora, and Velvet were talking about a lousy soap opera they were watching. Yet, she doubted that, considering they kept on referring to Jaune and how they would be his future wives. While Blake knew about Pyrrha's massive crush on Jaune, she didn't expect for Nora also to hold feelings for him. And now Velvet also has feeling for him that she apparently had for a while. All this just seems so absurd.
"Maybe I'm just hearing things. I should go get ready." Blake said as she entered her team's dorm.
Meanwhile
Vale
"So. Uh." Jaune nervously said while scratching the back of his head.
"You know. You say that a lot." Coco said as she looked over the list of what she planned on doing today.
"Yeah. I. I kind of do. I should really stop."
"Not really. It's what makes you you." Coco said as she put away her list.
"So, what do you have planned?"
"First. We'll get a light snack and some coffee at a nearby cafe. Then, we'll head over to the mall. You honestly need some new clothes if you're going to date Velvet. Not only for that, you do want to impress your future wives, right?"
"Of course."
"Then we need to get you some halfway decent clothes. And while we're at it, we could get you a tuxedo. You're going to need it for your wedding. And maybe some other formal attire in case one of your future wives is a stickler for that kind of thing."
"Fair." Jaune said, not looking forward to shopping for clothes. But he knew he needed new clothes and a suit. And what better person to help him than Beacon's resident fashionista? "What else?"
"After that, we're heading to the weapons shop that I typically go to and pick up a few things I ordered."
"Alright. And I need to get a few things for my weapon since I ran out." Jaune said before remembering something Velvet had told him yesterday. "Oh. Coco?"
"Yes?" She asked, turning to him.
"Velvet told me yesterday that you own a clothing shop. Is that true?"
"Yes. I own a clothing shop. Two shops, to be precise. But I also own a weapons store. However, those are on the other side of town, which makes them inconvenient. That's why I prefer these other shops."
"That's cool." Jaune said with a shrug. "Anyway. After that?"
"After that, we'll do something you want to do since we're first going to do what I need to do."
"Fair. So, where's the cafe?"
"Follow me."
Ten Minutes Later
Cafe
"What would you two like to drink?" The employee asked.
"I'll have a small coffee." Jaune answered.
"What roast would you like it?"
"Uh. Light roast."
"Would you like cream or milk? And sugar or sweetener?"
"Milk and sugar."
"Alright. And you miss?"
"I'll have a red-eye coffee with a double shot of expresso." Coco answered.
"And what coffee would you like to have it with?"
"Vacuo Koffee Light Roast."
"And what would you like to eat?"
"Cream cheese bagel." Jaune answered.
"And I'll have a plain croissant." Coco answered.
"Alright. I'll have your order shortly." The employee said before leaving.
"So." Jaune began, unsure of what to say since Coco had never taken her eyes off him.
"Tell me, Arc. Did you actually have no knowledge of this marriage contract... thing?" Coco asked in a no-nonsense voice.
"No. Up until a few days ago, I had no idea about this at all. Although, I did wish my parents would have told me about this instead of me finding out because of Vale's City Clerk's Office."
"Did your parents always do crazy things like this?"
"Well, they have done crazy things before. But not like this."
"I feel like there is something behind that."
"Not... really. The thing is. From what my parents told me. They made the contracts when I was about six or seven. But at that time, they were at the end of their... adventurous years... to put it lightly."
"And by that, you mean drinking years, don't you?"
"I wouldn't go that far. They didn't like getting drunk, but they did love to drink and party. But they stopped drinking altogether when I was nine."
"Well, it's good they stopped. But do you like to drink?"
"No. I don't drink at all. And I prefer to stay sober."
"Did you ever try any beers, liquors, etc.?"
"I only tried a beer once. But I couldn't get past two sips since, to me, it tasted like bad seltzer water."
"Bad seltzer water?"
"Yeah. That's what it tasted like for me. I'm not sure why, though. But after that, I never had anything else." Jaune answered as the employee returned with their orders.
"Here you go." He said.
"Thanks." Coco and Jaune said.
"Let me know if you need anything else." The employee said before leaving.
"What about drugs." Coco said more than asked as she easily drank her coffee despite it being scalding hot.
'I don't think I can ever do that.' Jaune nervously thought as he could barely hold his drink. "Nope. I'm never doing that. The only drugs that I have ever taken or will take are the ones my doctor prescribed me."
'Hmm.' Coco thought as she took a bite out of her croissant. Despite almost being cliche questions to ask, she had to ask them. She wanted to ensure Velvet would be safe with Jaune. And so far, he was doing a decent job, and Coco got the answers she wanted. While some might bring up the point that he could be lying, Coco knew Jaune wasn't. She didn't see any tells or signs that he was. Plus, she overheard Team Rwby talk about how bad of a liar Jaune was. 'Alright. So far, so good, Jaune. But this is just the start.'
"What else do you want to know?" Jaune asked as he took a tentative sip of his coffee. While he wasn't thrilled about being questioned, he understood the reason why Coco was doing it. After all, his parents and older sister, Amber, did the same with Terra.
"Well, this next one is a bit out of left field. Do you know how to take care of children?" Coco asked. While strange, she was confident that Velvet, and possibly some of the others, would want children in the future. But there was another reason. And that coincided with how many sisters Jaune had, along with the fact that Velvet was a rabbit faunus. Let's just say sometimes faunus get more than just animal features.
"Yes. I'm the fifth oldest in my family, and I used to take care of my three younger sisters. And I used to babysit from time to time."
"Including faunus?"
"Actually, aside from my sisters, I primarily babysat faunus. I think only two or three times I babysat some non-faunus kids." Jaune answered after thinking it over.
"That's good. So you know how to take care of children when you eventually have some." Coco said before finishing her coffee. "Do you want kids?"
"Yeah. I would like to have kids. But that would also depend on what the others think. I'm not going to force them if they don't want to have kids."
"Good. Not everyone wants kids for one reason or another." Coco said as she wiped her hands and mouth with her napkin.
"Just like my sister, Amber. She never wanted to have kids. Although, she never said why. But that's her business, not mine."
"Anyway." Coco said, satisfied so far with Jaune's answers to her first set of questions. "Are you done with your food? So we can go."
"Yeah, I'm done. Let me just go inside and pay." Jaune said before getting up and entering the cafe. And as soon as the door closed, Coco pulled out a notepad containing the questions she had written down earlier. She then grabbed a pen and checked some off.
"Alright. Arc passed some of the more standard questions. I don't think I'll need to ask some of the other questions I have since he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to do those things. But he's not out of the woods yet. I'll ask him some more when he's trying out the clothes at the mall." Coco said, slightly impressed that Jaune had not tried to dodge the questions like nearly everyone else she had interviewed before. However, she then remembered something she had to do once they returned to Beacon. "I need to ask Jaune about who else he is marrying. I know Nikos and Valkryie don't have a problem with faunus. The same can be said for most of Team Rwby. But I need to keep an eye on Schnee. Hopefully, whoever else Arc is marrying doesn't have a problem with faunus; otherwise, it won't be pretty for them."
"Okay. So where are we going now, again?" Jaune asked as he returned.
"To the mall. There's a shop there that has some of the better quality clothes on this side of Vale. And it's one of the shops with more realistic pricing than others." Coco answered as she got up and threw out her trash.
"How... expensive are we talking about? For the other stores, I mean."
"Let's put it like this. Remember that store, a long time ago, that earned the nickname 'Whole Paycheck?'"
"Yeah."
"Think like that. One shopping trip there will cost you three weeks of lien."
"Wow. That's expensive." Jaune said, shocked.
"Yeah. Some might argue it would be worth it if the quality were top-notch, but it isn't. I'm honestly baffled at how it's still open." Coco said with a shrug. "Anyway. Let's get going. We don't have all day."
Half an Hour Later
"Okay. I think that's enough for now." Coco said as she threw a final shirt and pants at Jaune.
"Okay." Jaune said as he carried a surprisingly small amount of clothes. He honestly expected there to be a ton more.
"Now, just head inside, and we can get started. Put on a set and come out so I can see it."
"Alright." Jaune said as he entered the changing room while Coco sat on a nearby bench. Closing the curtains, Jaune set the clothes on a chair before changing into the first set. 'This is going to be a long day.'
"Also, Arc. I hope you don't mind if I ask you a few more questions." Coco said in a voice that told Jaune he didn't really have a choice.
"Shoot."
"This might be slightly redundant. How drastically would you say your life changed?"
"Very drastically." Jaune answered as he exited the changing room.
"Hmm. Yeah. Long sleeves are a no for you. You can put all of them to the side."
"Alright."
"Now. I'm pretty sure your life is going to get a lot more busy. And expensive. Do you have any plans for it?"
"Not a full concrete plan yet. I already have an interview planned for a job that Ren told me about. It doesn't pay the greatest, but the schedule is very flexible. But that's just for the moment. Later on, I plan on getting a full-time job and maybe a side job." Jaune answered as he exited the changing room.
"It's a start. But it will do for now. Honestly, I'm surprised you already have an interview. But like I said, it's a start." Coco said before eyeing Jaune up and down. "Summer and warm weather clothes work better on you. And long pants do suit you as well, especially the black one. The blue one isn't bad, either. Now try the shorts. And the denim jacket."
"Okay."
"Next question. Do you have any backup plans for when something happens?"
"Damn it! I knew I had forgotten something!"
"Wait. You didn't have a backup plan?"
"I did. I have a couple in place so far. Some are emergency funds, natural disasters, and what happens in case the house or houses are destroyed. But that one thing I forgot to think about is what happens should one of our children get lost and what they should do."
"Already thinking about the future. That's good. But you seemed kind of mad at yourself for forgetting that. And I mean more than warranted. Why's that?"
"Um. Let's just say there was a rough patch in my family between my parents and me and my sisters when my parents were in the process of quitting drinking. It was pretty rough. And a plan like that would have saved me, Amber, and Saphron a lot of trouble with our younger siblings."
"Oh." Coco said, not expecting that. "How about we move on?"
"I would appreciate that." Jaune said as he exited the changing room.
"Hmm. Maybe not a denim jacket, but a short jacket would definitely fit you nicely. The shorts I'm not too sure about. Perhaps on really hot days, but other than that, shorts don't seem to suit you."
"Yeah. I was never really a shorts guy, either. Short-sleeved shirts, fine. But short pants, not really."
"Okay. Try the suit vest and slacks."
"Alright. And what's your next question?" Jaune asked as he entered the changing room again.
"Would you do anything for your future wives and children?"
"Of course. Well, within reason, obviously. But still. I would do anything for them. Just like I would do anything for my sisters." Jaune answered as he came out.
"Oh. You also put on the button-up shirt. I have to admit, Arc. You do dress up nicely. We should also get you others but in different colours. Maybe mahogany and blue."
"Thanks." Jaune said. He was honestly surprised at how much he liked the suit.
"Now we just need to find a tie or bowtie."
"Can it be a tie? I never liked bowties."
"Alright. And I think I have a few colours in mind that match perfectly with the suits. And while we're at it, we can get you some belts and shoes." Coco said.
Three Hours Later
"Do come again soon." The cashier said as Jaune grabbed all the bags.
"Oh, we will." Coco said.
'Why? I have enough clothes now to last for years.' Jaune thought as he carried ten bags. Initially, he thought he would only get about three sets of clothes, shoes, and a suit. But he ended up with ten sets of casual clothes, three pairs of shoes, and two suits. "Thanks for the clothes, Coco."
"You're welcome, Arc. And besides, you needed it."
"Anyway." Jaune said, rolling his eyes. "Where to now?"
"The weapons shop. I need to pick up a few things. And you need to get... what did you need again?"
"I need a few things for my sword and shield. And I promised to get Ruby some oil for her weapon since she ran out recently."
"Alright."
Ten Minutes Later
"Okay. We're here. Go get what you need while I'll pick up what I need. And let's meet up at the cashier." Coco said.
"Alright." Jaune said as Coco left.
Sighing, Jaune rolled his shoulders before heading to the section for melee weapons. Thankfully, all the stuff he needed for his weapons was not that hard to find. And the oil Ruby wanted was only an aisle over. Once Jaune had everything, he decided to look around for a bit to see if there was anything else he might need or wanted to try out. But while he didn't find anything, Jaune did make a mental note to tell his friends about this place as the prices were lower than the usual shop they use.
'Okay. I better head to the cashier now. Coco should already be done or close to being done.' Jaune thought as he made his way to the cashier. But he stopped when he felt his scroll vibrate. Taking it out, Jaune noticed that his sister, Saphron, was calling him. "Hey, Saph. What's up?"
'Oh, nothing much on my end. Well, aside from the fact that I just learned that you're marrying eighteen girls.' Saphron said in an unusually calm voice.
"Oh. Yeah. But, uh. Saphron? Is everything alright? You sound unusually calm about something like this."
'Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired.'
"Tired? Tired from what?" Jaune asked, confused and slightly worried, not realizing he walked into a trap.
'Tired from the list I made of how to tease you in front of my future sisters-in-law.' Saphron said, barely able to contain her laughter.
"I walked right into that one, didn't I?" Jaune deadpanned.
'Yup.'
"Anyway. Did you call just to tell me that? Or did you have something else to say?"
'Well, I wanted to tell you that first. But yes, I have a few other things I need to tell you.'
"What are they?"
'Well, for starters. Mom and Dad got the list for when you will be meeting your future wives.'
"That's great. So I can plan accordingly."
'Yup. Most of them you will meet in the coming week and next week. Some might be a bit later, though. I will send you the list after we finish talking.'
"Thanks, Saph. But wait. Why didn't Mom and Dad send it to me?"
'Oh. They were busy, so they asked me to send it to you since it was on the table.'
"Okay. That makes sense. Anything else?"
'They told me to tell you that one of your future wives uses a different alias now. She doesn't go by the name on the contract anymore. But she does remember it.'
"Do you know which one? Or what is the alias?"
'Nope. Neither do they.'
"Great. So one mystery person and two criminals."
'Wait. Criminals?'
"Yeah. Two of my future wives are bouncers and technically criminals. I'm not looking forward to this. That's why I asked my teammate to get some more medical supplies."
'Well, good luck, Jaune. But I'm sure you can handle them. After all, you grew up with six chaotic sisters.'
"Thanks, Saph. But don't count yourself out. You were just as chaotic as the others."
'Who says I was? I still am. And I'll prove it once you come home.'
"Oh, that reminds me. I'm bringing my team with me this week."
'That's great. I've been wanting to see who got paired up with my little bro.'
"And two of them are my future wives."
'That must have been awkward when they found out about the marriage contracts.'
"Not really. But long story short, we love each other now."
'Oh, I'm definitely teasing you three when you get here. It's great. But I'm definitely going to tease you three like Amber did to me and Terra.'
"We're not looking forward to it. Anyway. Is that it?" Jaune asked, rolling his eyes while chuckling.
'Yeah. For now, anyway. See you when you get here, Jaune.'
"See you, Saph." Jaune said before ending the call.
"Who was that, Arc?" Coco asked, startling Jaune.
"It was my sister, Saphron."
"How many sisters do you have? Velvet told me it was seven."
"Yup. I do have seven sisters."
"That must have been a pain growing up."
"Not really. Chaotic as hell, with lots of yelling, but I wouldn't say it was a pain."
"Do they know about the marriage contracts?"
"Well, Saphron does now. I'm not sure about the others. But they might learn soon enough."
"Well, hopefully, they take it well. But speaking of which, did I hear you say you were going to visit your family this week?"
"Yup. My team and I are going to visit them."
"So, Nikos and Valkyrie are going to be meeting their future in-laws this week."
"Yeah. We agreed it would be good to meet them as soon as possible. But even if these contracts weren't happening, I would have still liked them to meet my family."
"That's a good idea. Get it out of the way as soon as possible, but also because there might not be another chance for a while." Coco said before gaining a thoughtful look. "I just thought of something."
"What's that?" Jaune asked, curious.
"You think it will be alright if Velvet and I tag along? Because, like you said, it would be good to meet our future in-laws as soon as possible."
"Yeah, it would be fine. But what about Fox and Yatsuhashi?"
"They'll be fine. They could use the time together."
"Alright, then. I'll call my family later to tell them you and Velvet are also coming."
"Thanks, future husband." Coco said with a wink, causing Jaune to roll his eyes. "Anyway. You got everything you need?"
"Yup. You?"
"Yes. I got everything I ordered. Now let's go pay for it."
Ten Minutes Later
"Okay. That was far cheaper than I expected." Jaune said as he and Coco exited the shop.
"That's why I always come here, Arc." Coco said.
"So, now where?"
"Actually. It's your turn. We did all the things I needed to do. So you decide now."
"Okay. Since it's the afternoon already, how about we get some dessert before we head back to Beacon?"
"Are you saying that just because most desserts go well with coffee?" Coco asked with a smirk.
"No. There's this dessert place that opened up two months ago, and I've been wanting to try it for a while."
"Alright. Let's head. And we should pick up something for our teammates as well."
Ten Minutes Later
"Okay. I wasn't expecting this place to look as nice as it does. And bonus points for not smelling as sickly sweet as some other places." Coco said as she ate her biscotti with coffee.
"Yeah. It's much better than I expected." Jaune agreed as he enjoyed a Munchies Milkshake.
"I should probably take my team here as a treat every now and then."
"And I should probably keep my team away from this place."
"Why?" Coco asked, curious.
"Well, Pyrrha isn't much for very sweet foods or snacks. But despite what she might tell you, she loves chocolate. However, this place is too sweet. Ren doesn't like sweets, and the most I've seen him have was a peppermint candy cane with some hot chocolate. As for Nora, I don't think I need to explain."
"Didn't she go into a sugar rush from something that had almost no sugar?"
"Sort of. It had more sugar than that. But it still wasn't much."
"That's nice that you look out for your team. But then again, that's what a leader is supposed to do." Coco said before taking a sip of her coffee. "Anyway. I asked you enough questions for today. Now it's your turn. Do you have any for me?"
"A few." Jaune answered.
"What are they?"
"First. What got you into fashion?"
"No offense, Arc. But I'm not ready to answer that question yet as it's a bit personal."
"Alright. Then how about this? Is coffee really your favorite drink?"
"Yeah." Coco chuckled. "Despite what my name and my team's name might imply, coffee isn't my favorite drink. It is my second favorite drink, though."
"What is your favorite drink?"
"I don't recall the name of the drink. It was very creamy and smooth and had a fruity and nutty taste to it. But it was about a year before I came to Beacon since I last had it." Coco answered, racking her head to the drink's name but coming up short. "What else?"
"Where did you get your weapon?"
"You mean Gianduja?"
"Yes."
"That's a bit of a fun story. When I was, I think, nine or ten, I was in the process of finding the weapon that I wanted to use. But as I was walking around town, some Grimm invaded the village. I didn't want to be left out of the fight, so I ran to the nearest weapons store, which just so happened to be next to me. I got in, grabbed the first weapon I saw, and used it to help fight off the Grimm invasion. It was only after the fight that I realized that I had grabbed a purse/minigun hybrid. The owners did let me keep it since I prevented their shop from getting destroyed."
"That was nice of them. But what kind of store sold purse/minigun hybrids? And what was its name?"
"The store was called Defiance Industries for some reason. They specialized in making powerful weapons, albeit unconventional weapons. But not everyone could wield them, let alone afford them. And that's partially the reason why they went out of business."
"That's too bad. I know Ruby, and maybe Nora, would have loved to visit the store."
"Yeah. Any other questions?"
"Just one."
"What is it?"
"Was there any other profession you wanted to be in aside from being a huntress?"
"What? Don't think I can make it as one?" Coco asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Uh, no. I didn't mean it like that. I know you will become one. And a great one at that. I'm pretty sure you might be able to surpass Glynda."
"While I appreciate the compliment, flattery might get you ahead with some of your other future wives; it won't get you anywhere with me." Coco said, chuckling.
"I know. It's just that most people have different dream jobs they want to achieve throughout their lives. I want to know if you had any."
"Oh. Okay, I get it now. Honestly, for most of my life, I wanted to become a huntress. But I have thought about becoming a barista or something with fashion at a few points in my life. Why?"
"More curious than anything. Everyone has different dream jobs at one point or another."
"True. That's very common. But what about you?"
"Well, I always wanted to be a huntsman. But at times, I've always wanted to become a baker."
"Wait. You know how to bake?" Coco asked, slightly surprised.
"Yeah, I do."
"Neat. Maybe you can bake us something in the future."
"Of course."
"Anyway. This was nice. But we better get Beacon. It's getting late, and your friends are probably getting nervous."
"Yeah. I already received a couple of texts."
"And we need to go over a few things when we return."
"Like what?" Jaune asked, curious.
"I'll tell you when we get back."
"Alright."
Getting up, they paid for their food before grabbing the bags and heading to the bullheads.
One Hour Later
"Okay. I'm back." Jaune said as he entered his team's dorm.
"How was your day, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, relieved to see Jaune in one piece.
"Pretty good."
"Was it tiring?" Nora asked.
"Only a little."
"Do you still need the supplies?" Ren asked, pointing to the medical supplies.
"No. I don't need it. I just need a nap right now." Jaune answered with a yawn.
*Knock Knock*
"I wonder who's that." Pyrrha said.
"Let me see." Jaune said as he opened the door. But he was surprised at what he saw. "Oh. Hello, Team Cfvy."
"Hey, Jaune. Can we come in?" Coco asked.
"Uh. Sure." Jaune asked, confused, as he opened the door fully.
"Thanks." Coco said before. "Hello, everyone."
"Hi." The others said, equally confused and shocked.
"Sorry if this sound rude, but why are you all here? Did something happen?" Jaune asked as he closed the door.
"Remember what I said at the place on how we needed to go over something?" Coco asked.
"Uh, yes. But you never told me what."
"Right. We need to go over who else you are marrying. We already know about me, Velvet, Nikos, and Valkryie here. But we don't know who else."
"Right. It's best you all know." Jaune said as he went over to his desk, pulled out the contracts, and looked through them but noticed two were missing. "Wait. Two-"
"-are missing. I know. I have them." Coco said, showing Jaune the contracts.
"Okay." Jaune said, taking them. "As you said, I'm marrying you, Velvet, Pyrrha, and Nora."
"Right."
"But I'm also marrying all of Team Rwby."
"Okay. At least you know them." Yatsuhashi said.
"But would you say you're good friends with them?" Fox asked.
"Uh." Jaune began, scratching his head.
"He's good friends with Ruby. Yang, he's... friends with. But that's only because he's good friends with Ruby. And Ruby and Yang are sisters." Ren explained.
"What about Blake and Weiss?" Yatsuhashi asked.
"Weiss... tolerates him. But I wouldn't say they are friends. They are more like acquittances that don't mind each other's company." Pyrrha answered.
"And Blake?" Velvet asked.
"That's even less certain. Only after Jaune stood up for you, Velvet, did Jaune and Blake have an actual conversation. Honestly, we're uncertain of how Blake sees Jaune. Maybe, at best, a somewhat decent friend. No offense, Jaune." Nora said.
"None taken. Even I don't know if Blake sees me as a friend." Jaune said, shrugging.
"But still. At least we know them." Coco said, still uncertain of Schnee. "Who else?"
"There's the Malachite Twins." Jaune answered.
"Wait. Do your parents know they are criminals?" Yatsuhashi asked, concerned.
"I'm not sure."
"You best be careful around them. They can tear you to shreds in an instant." Fox said.
"I'll keep that in mind. Next is Emerald Sustrai."
"We don't know her." Velvet said.
"May Zedong."
"May?" Yatsuhashi asked, surprised.
"You know her?" Ren asked, curious.
"Not personally. But I have met one of her teammates. She's from Team BRNZ. From what Brawnz, their leader, told me. May is incredibly meek and strongly prefers to remain out of the spotlight. Although, she is one of the best markswomen out there. You might have a tough time getting her to open up. But she is nice once you get to know her."
"That's good." Jaune said. "Anyway. Next is Winter, Wiess's sister."
'Okay. Looks like I have two Schnee's to watch out for.' Coco thought.
"We can't say anything about her since this is the first time we heard of her." Fox said.
"Neon Katt."
"We don't know her." Velvet said.
"Reese Chloris."
"We don't know her." Yatsuhashi said.
"Arslan Altan."
"We don't know her." Fox said.
"Ciel Soleil."
"We don't know her." Yatsuhashi said.
"Who's the last one?" Coco asked, curious. While some she didn't know, she was glad most of them didn't seem bad or were friendly toward faunus. However, that didn't mean she was going to let her guard down.
"The last one is Trivia Vanille."
"I don't know that one." Fox said.
"Me neither." Velvet said.
"It doesn't ring a bell for us either." Nora said.
"But it does sound somewhat-" Yatsuhashi began before Coco cut him off.
"YOU'RE MARRYING NEO!? THE PARTNER OF ROMAN TORCHWICK!" Coco shouted, shocked.
Notes:
I didn't think I have to say this. But here it is. PLEASE STOP SPAMMING ME WITH MESSAGES ABOUT NORA'S, EMERALD'S, AND NEO'S PARENTS. I KNOW that Nora's parents abandoned her Grimm attacked their village and are dead. I also KNOW that Emerald's parents are dead. And I KNOW that Neo's parents were pieces of crap and I KNOW they are also dead. But for THIS STORY, Nora's parents are alive. HOWEVER, they will ONLY make a BRIEF OFF-SCREEN CONVERSATION! AND THAT ALEADY HAPPENED IN CHAPTER TWO! THEY WON'T MAKE ANOTHER APPEARNCE! Emerald's and Neo's parents will REMAIN DEAD in this story. Emerald will FIND A LETTER from her parents that they wrote BEFOE THEY DIED! As for Neo, A THIRD PARTY is in the play for her marriage contract. AND BEFORE ANYONE JUMPS TO FUCKING CONCLUSIONS, IT IS NOT ROMAN TORCHWICK! HE HAD NO PART IN THIS! SO, PLEASE! STOP SPAMMING WITH THAT! I KNOW!
*SIGHS* The Next Chapter will be Neo or someone else.