WAIT, WHAT! HOW MANY I'M MARRYING?

by vanquish356

Having grown up with seven sisters, Jaune could confidently say nothing could surprise him. And that he is ready for whatever crazy twist life might send his way. However, that all changed when he received a letter from Vale's City Clerk office. Inside it were multiple marriage contracts that his parents had made long ago. And he is going to meet them soon. Oum, help him.

8. Chapter 8

WAIT, WHAT! HOW MANY I'M MARRYING!?

Chapter 8: A Sweet/Bitter Revelation followed by a Miniature Ice-Cream Surprise.

"NEO!" Everyone shouted.

"Wait. I'm marrying Neo?" Jaune asked, shocked and worried.

"Apparently." Coco said, still trying to process what she had just realized.

"Wait. Are you sure it's Neo?" Pyrrha asked.

"Cause we never heard that name associated with her." Ren added.

"Neither have we." Velvet said.

"And for good reason." Coco said.

"Why?" Yatsuhashi asked, curious.

"Well, that's a bit of a story. First, let me just say this. Neo had one of the shitiest childhoods I had heard about in a long time."

"How so?" Jaune asked, now worried for Neo.

"Simple. You all know that Neo has heterochromia, right?"

"What? What's that?" Nora asked.

"It's a condition where you have two different eye colors. In most cases, it's hereditary." Velvet explained.

"Okay, I get it."

"Anyway. What none of you probably know is that Neo is also mute." Coco said.

"Wait. Neo's mute? I thought she was just a quiet person." Pyrrha asked.

"Yeah. She's mute. But that brings something else up. And Jaune might know, considering why he didn't want a divorce."

"Wait. How would- OH. Yeah. I. Yeah." Jaune began before realization set in. "I get it."

"What do you get?" Velvet asked, confused.

"Remember how I said that while my family was very open-minded, others aren't?"

"Uh. Yeah."

"First, not all families are like this. And these trains of thought/beliefs are slowly fading away. But to put it bluntly. Some families view these conditions and other ailments as... a sort of shame or embarrassment to the family's name, even though they didn't have any control over it. As a result, they would often do horrendous things to the children. And that is putting it VERY LIGHTLY. Again, these ways have been slowly fading away, but it has happened, and some families still do it today."

"OH." Velvet said, shifting uncomfortably as the weight of what Jaune said set in.

"Yeah."

"Arc's right. From what little I could gather, Neo's parents were pieces of shit. And that's putting it mildly. But when you put all this together, and the illegal activities they did, it's not at all surprising that they were killed in their manor." Coco said.

"What did they do?" Pyrrha asked.

"I'm not entirely sure since nearly all documents were destroyed. But I know her father was a corrupt politician. But to what extent, I'm not sure."

"Do you know who killed them?" Yatsuhashi asked.

"No. Again, there aren't many documents remaining. And what remains is bare bones. But I would put my lien on Neo killing her parents." Coco answered.

"Do you know how old Neo was when that happened?" Nora asked.

"And what happened after?" Jaune asked.

"No. Again, the documents were bare bones. But they did say Neo would have been around eighteen when that happened. But as for what happened, I have no idea." Coco answered. "However, we can confidently say that she changed her name to leave her past behind and eventually joined Roman."

"This just got a lot more complicated." Jaune sighed.

"And dangerous." Ren said with a smirk.

"That's an understatement." Yatsuhashi said.

"Wait. I'm not sure if this is true since I overheard this a while back. But doesn't Yang have a rivalry with Neo?" Fox asked.

"AND WITH THE MALACHITE TWINS." Pyrrha shouted, remembering what Yang did to the bar the twins worked at.

"Okay. You have a lot of work on your hands, Jaune." Yatsuhashi said.

"I know." Jaune said, burying his head into his hands.

"But you still have us to help you, Jaune. You're not alone." Velvet said, cuddling into him, earning smiles from her team and the rest of Team JNPR.

"Thanks." Jaune said before letting out a yawn. "But right now. We should all head to sleep since it's past curfew."

"Wow. Time flies." Ren said as he checked the time on his scroll.

"We better get to sleep then." Pyrrha said.

"Yeah. We don't need Glynda to be mad at us." Nora added. But none of them noticed the smirks Team Cfvy and Jaune had.

"Neither at us. Come on. Good night, Team JNPR." Coco said as they left. However, before Velvet left, she kissed Jaune on the cheek before dashing out of the room.

"Um. Yeah. Let's head to sleep." Jaune said, still slightly uncomfortable with the display of affection Velvet gave him as he still saw her as a friend.

"And tomorrow, we can figure out what to do with Neo." Pyrrha assured as everyone got ready.

'I honestly wonder how I would even meet Neo. No one knows where she goes or where she is. And Neo probably wouldn't even want a marriage. For now, I think it's best to forget about her and worry about my other future wives.' Jaune thought as he got into bed. But as soon as he did, Pyrrha and Nora slid into his bed and snuggled into him before falling asleep. And just like that, all his worries vanished in an instant. But Jaune remembered something before sleep took him. 'I need to file the request for a bigger bed so Nora, Pyrrha, and I can sleep together comfortably.'

Meanwhile

Somewhere in Vale

'Today was a good day. I stole some dust and lien, messed with a few Shade students, and got a guy in trouble with his wife. But best of all, I managed to snag a rare jumbo-size tub of Neapolitan ice cream. Now if only we had some decent coffee to go with it instead of that cheap liquor.' A girl with pink and brown hair happily thought as she walked down the empty streets of Vale.

However, what stood out most prominently was her eyes. They were pink and brown. Yet, despite being on the news and talked about a lot, very few would even realize that this girl was Neo, the notorious partner of the infamous Roman Torchwick. But even if they were people out and they did recognize her, none of them would have approached her or dared call the police as they knew Neo could swiftly end their life. Nevertheless, while Neo wouldn't have minded having some practice with Hush, the silence allowed her to ponder what she would do tomorrow since her next job wouldn't happen until next week.

Initially, the job that consisted of liberating some valuable items was supposed to happen early last week. However, it got pushed back twice because things came up, and security was too tight. Then, when things calmed down, Neo prepared herself to infiltrate the place. But then, from out of nowhere, Roman pushed back the date and wouldn't explain why when she asked. The lack of answers did piss Neo off, but she couldn't help but remain curious about Roman's sudden change of behavior and attitude toward her. The only time he acted like this was when they narrowly dodged a shady deal with a mysterious dealer. Nevertheless, while she was annoyed at the lack of answers, Neo wasn't going to let her free time go to waste.

'Maybe I could try that dessert shop? Or maybe I could find a movie to watch? Nah, there's nothing good in theaters now. Eh, I'll probably come up with something later while I'm enjoying my well-deserved ice cream.' Neo thought as she continued making her way toward the hideout that she and Roman were currently using as their makeshift 'home.'

Meanwhile

Hideout

"What am I going to do?" Roman Torchwick asked himself as he rubbed his face with his hand. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he picked up his glass of rum and took a long sip, hoping with all his might that it would lessen his migraine. Yet, to his dismay, it did nothing to alleviate it.

Despite having a 'decent' childhood and being 'relatively' young, Roman could confidently say he had seen it all. He has seen bad and good, crazy and sane, reasonable and entirely out of left-field scenarios and options. Even taking on a mute ice-cream-themed girl that could kill anyone at a moment's notice and appear completely innocent a second later as a partner didn't faze him in the slightest. And after a few rough weeks of learning sign language, they became great 'friends' and partners in crime. Roman honestly thought the thing that could take him off-guard was Ozpin. However, that all changed this last month.

"Okay, Roman. Let's lay everything out. On the one hand, Neo does give up a few things she loves to do but has a secure future. But on the other hand, Neo can continue doing what she loves, yet her future remains uncertain. I never thought this would happen to me." Roman said before cupping his face again. "And it looks like I'll have to give Neo the long overdue conversation about her future as soon as she returns."

While the news outlets loved to tell everyone that he lived life in the moment, they weren't wrong. It made life more adventurous, dangerous, and thrilling. However, that did not mean Roman never thought about the future. And one thing Roman always thought about was what will he do when he was too old to continue living a life of crime. Something that so many forgot was that criminals also grew old and weary. And they needed a plan for when or should they reach that age. But, unfortunately, that was a lot more challenging than anyone expected. And often, those plans went to waste as the people that made them died. However, that wasn't always the case, as Junior was a great example of a criminal who had his entire life set.

But that caused Roman to nearly smack himself upside the head. While he was still setting up a plan for himself later in life, Neo wasn't. While she does think ahead, more than himself, she hadn't started making a plan for when she reached that age. Yet, Roman couldn't blame anyone but himself for this, as Neo, just like himself, likes to live in the moment. Not to mention, he never told her about this. And not many criminals even think about this until too late. While he could adjust his plans to include Neo, Roman knew what was much easier said than done. Additionally, they might become too big of a target later on. While he wouldn't admit it out loud, especially in front of his partner, Roman didn't want to see Neo get thrown into Atlas prison. He had been in one before, and it was downright inhumane.

But they could make it work if there were no other options. After all, they had been 'living together' for a good amount of years already. It would be barely any different than it is now. Initially, Roman planned on having this talk with Neo after they gathered a bit more lien, and they could go on from there. However, that all changed when Roman 'found/received' a surprise piece of paper he never expected to have Neo's real name on. Yet, while shocking, to say the least, it also provided a better, alternative route Neo could take. While far less adventurous and thrilling, it meant there was far less Neo had to worry about, and her future was more or less secured.

"I never thought I would see Neo's actual name on a marriage contract. And I have seen a lot. But it does give Neo another option. And at the very least, it's to a family that's actually humble and respectable than to those scumbags that acts like saints but are no better than the Grimm." Roman said as he finished his drink. The burning from it did nothing to soothe his mind.

*Click*

"Hey, Neo. I see you've been busy." Roman said, smirking as his partner entered the room with her trademark 'angelic' smile. But anyone that knew Neo knew that her smile held devious meanings.

'Yup. It was a fun day. And I got some ice cream.' Neo signed, causing Roman to roll his eyes at how much his partner loved ice cream. But it also reminded him to warn the kid on the contract about what happens if someone messes with Neo's ice cream.

"Did you mess with anyone?"

'A few Shade students that tried their luck. And a guy in front of his wife. Or girlfriend. It was hard to tell. I also stole some lien and dust.'

"Did anyone catch you?"

'Nope. No one saw a thing. And even if they did, they would have seen someone that doesn't exist.

"Good."

'Anyway. I'll be in my room. Also, do we have some decent coffee?'

"Unforutnly, not. We only have that instant brand knockoff that Atlas makes."

'Ugh. No thanks. I rather have that weird spicy snack flavor soda. Anyway, see you tomorrow.'

"Actually, Neo. Put away the ice cream. We need to talk. It's important." Roman said, surprising Neo.

'About what? The future heist?'

"No. Something far more important."

'Okay. Give me a second.' Neo said before dashing into the kitchen and returning a second later. 'Alright. What is it?'

"I know you don't like when people beat around the bush, so I'm just going to cut to the chase. Where do you see yourself in twenty years and later?"

'Uh. Is this like a job interview or something?' Neo signed, confused.

"Neo. Take it seriously. Answer the question." Roman said.

'Alright. But I'm not sure. Maybe with you.'

"So, in other words, you haven't planned anything YET for the long term. In other words, for when you're much older."

'More or less. It has crossed my mind before. But I never gave it too much thought. Why?'

"Well. Honestly, I want to smack myself for not having this talk earlier. But, Neo, you know we're criminals. And as such, some things that are quite easy for non-criminals are not so easy for us. Like going to a restaurant in broad daylight or buying a house."

'Uh, I guess. Again. Where are you going with this?' Neo signed, sightly curious and annoyed.

"We, and by that, I mean you, need to start thinking about the future. I already have a plan in the works for how to spend my last years on this dusty planet. And with some tweaks, I can have it include you if that is what you want. But as I told you long ago, not everything works out in the end or as intended. You need to have your own plan in case things go south for either of us."

'So, you're-'

"I'm not trying to get rid of you or anything like that. I'm simply telling you, Neo. Because we're criminals, we need to think about this more than others. So, I'm asking you this. Do you have any plans yet?"

'You have a good point that our lives are a bit more difficult in some parts. And I sometimes don't feel like disguising everywhere I go. But to answer your question. No, I don't have any plans yet. But I should start making them soon.' Neo signed after giving it some thought.

While Neo didn't like being talked to like some misguided teenager in need of guidance, Roman was right. Despite being far more fun, their lives were a bit more complicated. That's why she always disguised herself when going out. Well, almost always. While Neo wouldn't mind spending the rest of her life with her friend and partner in crime, Roman, she knew things could very easily go south. Plus, there might be a chance she would want to live on her own. However, a question came to mind that she needed to ask.

'I feel like you have something else to tell me.' Neo signed.

"Yes. Something came up not that long ago. Something I wasn't expecting at all." Roman answered.

'What is it?'

"This. And before you say anything, I had nothing to do with it. I only learned about it this month." Roman said as he showed Neo the marriage contract.

'A marriage contract?' Neo signed, slightly confused. But she became even more confused and a little angry when she saw her birth name on the contract. While she hated seeing the name, she was more curious about how it got there. Neo knew Roman knew her birth name. But she also knew that Roman would never use it for anything. That meant he had no part in it. And from what Neo could tell, it wasn't forged. It was a genuine arranged marriage contract.

"Yes. An arranged marriage contract between you and a kid named Jaune Arc."

'Did he-'

"No. The kid was only six or seven when the contracts were made. He had no idea about them until recently."

'How did you know that? Wait a minute. How did you even get your hands on this?'

"Junior called me."

'Junior? I thought you guys weren't friends?' Neo signed, confused.

"We're not friends. We're acquaintances at best. But we will warn each other something big is coming our way. Anyway. He called me a while back, saying he found some rather interesting paperwork he discovered that I should take a look at. And I nearly spat out my drink when I saw it. As for how I know about when it was made, let's just leave it like this. There's a reason why Junior is such a renowned information broker."

'I'll take your word for it. But one thing I don't get is... those people's signatures. They would never have agreed to something like this.'

"I know. I was confused too. It seemed just so... not them." Roman carefully said before taking a sip of his drink. "So, I traded in all the favors I had with Junior so he could find out why they did this or what happened."

'Did he get anything?' Neo signed, curious.

"Yes. It took him a while, but he did find out the answer."

'What is it then?'

"Your... those people did sign it. But they were not exactly in the right mind."

'I'm... not following.'

"Do you remember your aunt on that asshole's side?"

'You mean Aunt Ornella?'

"Yes. Her."

'Well, I don't recall or know her too well. All I know is that she showed me some care when I was about eight and taught me some sign language. And that she 'mysteriously' died in her room with some contrabanded dust on the bed. But that's all I know.'

"Well. From what Junior found out, she did something else before she died."

'And what's that?'

"The details are a bit fuzzy. But this is what it is. Ornella knew she was going to die. But she didn't want to resign you to living with those... wastes of space forever or be forced into a marriage with people like them. So, she got into contact with some people she trusted. And after some very careful manipulation and deceit, among other things, she 'convinced' them to sign the contract."

'Did they even know what it was for?'

"Again, the details are a bit fuzzy. But from what Junior managed to dig up, they didn't know at the time. They only realized what it was a few years later."

'But wouldn't they have canceled it?'

"I would have assumed so. But then I read the fine print. They couldn't have canceled it. The terms say that the... previous generation cannot terminate the marriage contract nor change anything about it under any circumstances. And even if they went to the Clerk's office directly, they still wouldn't be able to do anything."

'It seems like Ornella covered most of the bases cause I don't think she envisioned what happened to them.'

"Seems like it."

'But can it be canceled?'

"Yes. There is a way to terminate the contract."

'Good. But how does this tie in with the future thing?'

"I was about to get to that." Roman answered before sighing. "I want you to consider this as an option."

'WHAT!?' Neo signed, shocked and slightly furious. 'WHY WOULD I CONSIDER THAT!? THIS IS RIDICULOUS!'

"I know, Neo. But I'm not saying you have to choose this option. I'm just saying that it is another option you have."

'AGAIN! THIS IS RIDICULOUS! YOU JUST SAID I SHOULD THINK ABOUT MY FUTURE! WHY SHOULD I SEAL IT OFF WITH AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE?! HECK! I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN IN A REAL RELATIONSHIP YET!'

"Neo. Calm down. As I said, you don't have to choose this option. You can be with me, although that would take some adjustments, or you can figure out something on your own. And if you do choose that, I'll still help you. I'm just saying take this arranged marriage as another option that you have."

'Alright. Fine.' Neo signed while grumbling. 'Do you even know anything about them?'

"Not personally. But I do know about them." Roman calmly answered, surprising Neo.

'Wait. You don't know them personally. But you know about them? How does that make sense?'

"The Arc Family was one of the families that helped the Great King end the Great War. They were respected and well-known for their humbleness and kindness toward all."

'But that doesn't mean the current generation is like that. After all, things can change.'

"Of course, things can change. That's why I sent some competent help to spy on both the family and the kid to see if they are still as good as their ancestors."

'And? What did they find out?'

"Aside from a rough patch years ago, the family is just like their ancestors. They're nice, humble, and pretty open-minded. Although, they are about ten times as chaotic as their ancestors."

'Okay. Not sure if I can handle that much chaos. But what was the rough patch?' Neo signed, curious.

"The parents like to drink. But they did it for fun, not to get drunk. The most they allowed themselves was to get tipsy when they knew their kids were safe. But they stopped when they noticed their drinking was affecting their relationship with their kids."

'They don't anymore? Like, at all?'

"Yes. Not a single drop."

'Alright. What about the kid? And how old is he, anyway?'

"He's seventeen, about to be eighteen. And despite being a bit naive, he's not bad. A bit dense at times."

'Great. A high schooler.' Neo signed while rolling her eyes.

"Actually, he's a huntsman-in-training."

'Even worse. I bet he has a big ego like those Shade Students.'

"I thought so too. But it turns out he's almost the complete opposite. The kid's nice and friendly. He puts others before himself and practically has no ego. Although he does sometimes puts himself down but his friends have helped get rid of that for the most part. And he rather get hurt than let his friends get in trouble."

'So, a rare soul in a sea of bullshit, egotistical people.'

"Well. That's one way of putting it. But yeah. He's not at all like those Shade students you messed with earlier. He's an all-around good kid that won't give you trouble."

'So, kind of like the ideal kid that parents want their daughter to date?'

"I wouldn't go that far. But still. Just consider this as an option. And if it doesn't work out, I'll terminate it, and we can act like it never happened."

'Alright. I'll consider it. I'm not thrilled about it, but I'll think about it.'

"Be sure that you do. The quicker we get started, the better." Roman said.

'Okay. Anything else?'

"No. That's it for now."

'Alright. If you need me, I'll be in my room enjoying my ice cream.' Neo signed before getting up and heading to her room. But not before also grabbing the contract to look it over later.

"Okay. Good night, Neo." Roman said with a sigh. And once Neo was out of the room, he pulled out a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a drink before taking a long sip. "I really hope Neo considers this. This can open up so many doors for her. And even a clean record if she wants where she doesn't have to deal with sketchy scum anymore. I just hope the kid can handle her. And I hope Neo doesn't freak out when she discovers he's marrying seventeen other girls. Poor kid. I should probably get some energy drinks and pills for him."

*Ding*

"But speaking of sketchy scum." Roman said as he finished his drink before getting up to go meet some of his new clients.

The Next Day

Beacon Academy

"Okay. So when are we heading to visit your family?" Velvet asked as she, Coco, and Team Jnpr sat at a table in the cafeteria.

"It's Wednesday. And we have classes next week. So, we have to head there tomorrow. That way, we can have some time to relax, explore, and get what we need to do done." Jaune answered.

"That doesn't give us a lot of time to prepare, though." Coco said.

"I know. But next week we have classes. And just the weekend isn't enough."

"Jaune's right. Just talking with our future in-laws might take most of the day." Pyrrha said.

"How far is to your hometown, Jaune?" Ren asked.

"About five hours." Jaune answered.

"Oh. So, that's why you made the flight at six-thirty in the morning." Nora said.

"Yup. That way, we will arrive at around noon. And we will still have time to do some things."

"What time is the return flight?" Coco asked.

"Six on the Sunday."

"Alright. So we will have about two-and-a-half to three days of fun in your town before coming back."

"Yup."

"What's the weather like in your hometown, Jaune?" Velvet asked.

"Sunny, and the temperatures are usually in the eighties."

"That's good. Maybe we can go to the beach if your town has one." Pyrrha suggested.

"My town has a few beaches. But I know the best one there, so we can have privacy and great waves if any of you want to surf."

"We can even have a picnic." Velvet suggested while her mind drifted to things less appropriate, which caused a blush to form on her cheeks.

"Of course. I know of some decent restaurants nearby where we can get food for the picnic."

"Is there anything else we need to know about your town, Jaune?" Coco asked, smirking as she knew what was going through Velvet's head.

"Uh. Not really. But, uh, just keep your huntsmen-in-training licenses on you if you bring your weapons. Our town has a local militia alongside some huntsmen. And they have been a little on edge recently."

"Why? Did something happen?" Nora asked.

"There's been reports of a thief going around stealing dust and some other things. They have been trying to catch the thief but have had no luck yet."

"Do you know what else they have been stealing?" Ren asked.

"Only minor things. And some weird ones."

"Like?" Pyrrha asked.

"Party things. Cameras. Some silverware and dishes."

"That makes no sense. Why would anyone steal that?" Velvet asked, thoroughly confused.

"Yeah, it doesn't. But the leader of the militia is worried this is just a distraction for something bigger. And that the thief might try to steal something from them as soon as they let their guard down."

"We should probably keep our weapons on us then. And keep anything we bring in Arc's house." Coco said.

"Yeah." The others agreed.

"Anything else we need to know, Jaune?" Ren asked.

"No. I would say that's it."

"Alright then. We should start getting ready then since we have to head to bed early tonight. And we know time will fly today." Coco said.

"Right." The others agreed.

"I should also head into Vale now to finish getting some supplies I need. Do you guys need anything while I'm out?" Jaune asked as they got up.

"Uh. No." The others answered.

"Oh. Yes. There's one thing you can bring. Well, a few things." Coco said.

"What are they?" Jaune asked, curious.

"Since it's going to be sunny and we'll be at the beach, we're going to need some Aloe Vera."

"Right. I forgot about that. And what are the others?"

"Chargers for scrolls. And by that, I mean those charging converter chargers."

"I'm pretty sure my family has some. But I'll look around for them."

"Thanks."

"Anything else?"

"Oh. Don't forget your motion sickness pills. A fresh shipment just arrived at the pharmacy we use." Ren said.

"Right. I nearly forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me. Anyway, I'll see you guys later." Jaune said before leaving.

"And we should start getting ready ourselves. And help Jaune prepare while we're at it." Ren said.

"Right. Come on, bun-bun. We need to finish packing and picking out clothes to impress our future in-laws." Coco said before dragging out a blushing Velvet. But whether it was because of what Coco said or something Velvet thought, the others were unsure.

"This is certainly going to be an interesting week." Pyrrha said, chuckling.

"It is." Ren agreed.

"Do you think we'll meet any of Jaune's other future wives in his hometown?" Nora asked.

"I doubt it since he didn't know any of the names. But then again, they could have moved there while he was here." Pyrrha answered.

"True."

"Speaking of which. We should take our weapons with us, just in case. And while we're at it, we can help the militia capture the thief." Ren said.

"Right." The others said before heading to their dorm.

Meanwhile

Hideout

"Morning, Neo." Roman said as he finished his brunch.

'Morning. Do we have anything scheduled for today?' Neo signed as she grabbed some ice cream.

"Well, I have to meet up with a potential business client later today. But aside from that, we have nothing."

'Good.'

"Why? Got some plans today? Or are you just going to mess with some others again?"

'I thought about what you told me yesterday, especially the contract option.'

"And?" Roman asked, raising an eyebrow as he was not expecting that. He honestly expected Neo just to tear up the contract.

'While I'm not thrilled about this, I figured I might as well meet the kid.'

"Good. And as I said, if it doesn't work out, we'll terminate the contract and act like it never happened."

'Which, I think, will happen, honestly.'

"Most likely."

'Also, before I leave. Mind helping with the contract?'

"Uh, sure. What do you need help with?" Roman asked, curious.

'Well, it's not exactly with the contract. Again, I'm not thrilled with it. But I might as well see the kid in person. But I'm not sure how to do that without getting spotted or him just trying to turn me in. Plus, I also need to know what he looks like. And what to do with him for the day.'

"Oh, right. Well, I would say just hang out or get to know him a bit. As for how not to get spotted. Well, the kid will probably not rat you out instantly. He'll most likely be curious why you're even there. But he'll understand when you explain it to him. Although, until that happens, you should probably disguise yourself."

'Alright. But can you give me a bit more to work with? Remember, I have never been on a date before and barely hung out with friends aside from you and a few others.' Neo signed before sending him a warning glare that didn't faze Roman.

"Well, I can't give you much help in that regard since I've only been on one date in my life. And that was an arranged one. But from my limited experience, I would say just go to some places to talk or have a quick bite. You don't have to do anything intimate. Just spend some time with each other."

'Fine. Now, what does he look like?'

"Here's a picture of the kid I had one of the helpers take." Roman said as he slid the photo to Neo.

'Not bad on the eyes. A bit scrawny and dorky looking. But I have seen far, far worse.' Neo signed with a sigh before pocketing the photo. 'Anyway. I'm going to get this over with. See you later.'

"See you, Neo." Roman said. And as soon as the door closed, he let out a sigh before getting ready to meet his new potential business client.

Two Hours Later

Vale

"Alright. I got the Aloe Vera, sunscreen, my medicine, and a few travel containers. Now I just need to find those charging port converters for our scrolls. But where can I find them?" Jaune asked as he looked around.

After arriving in Vale, Jaune immediately went to find all the supplies he needed before getting the things his friends would need. Thankfully, most of the things were relatively easy to find or get. The only item that gave him trouble was getting his motion sickness medicine. And that was only because of a mix-up with something else. Once Jaune got everything his friends needed, he went to grab the last of the items for his family. However, as he was making his way back to the bullheads, he realized he had forgotten the charging port converters. And, uniformly, despite checking six electronics stores, he failed to find any and was now getting tired.

"Where can I get one? I know I can get one online, but it will take a few days to get here, and we leave tomorrow. Hopefully, I can find some before it gets too late." Jaune said as he wandered around town. But he then heard his stomach growling, reminding him that he only had an apple today. Groaning but seeing no harm in it since he still had time, Jaune decided to get something light to eat. And after a few minutes, he stumbled upon a restaurant with outside seating. "Might as well."

With his mind made up, Jaune went to the restaurant and ordered a small grape soda, a cheeseburger with bacon, and extra Scotch Bonnet peppers with a side of fries. And as the server took the menu inside and got his order ready, Jaune pondered all that happened these past few days. He still had trouble that his parents put him into an arranged marriage contract with eighteen girls, three of which were criminals. However, while Jaune still wasn't thrilled with it, as he wanted everything to go the usual way, he wasn't complaining either. After all, if it weren't for that, he wouldn't have realized his feeling for Pyrrha and Nora and be in a relationship with them.

But at the same time, Jaune still saw Coco and Velvet as friends. Well, more so Velvet than Coco, but still. And while most might not see it like this, but Jaune considered himself lucky that they could call each other friends. However, he was worried about his other future wives for multiple reasons. The first was that they might not be as friendly toward it, him, or his friends. The second was the reason behind the arranged contract. While Velvet's, Nora's, Pyrrha's, and, debatably, Coco's parents had good reasons, Jaune could not say for sure about the others. For all Jaune knew, it could be for political reasons like sealing ties between towns. And that would definitely cause problems for everyone.

Yet, what troubled Jaune's mind the most was Neo, the notorious criminal, and partner of Roman Torchwick. First off, how in Oum's name did a contract between them happen? And did it happen before she became a criminal, after, or during? Additionally, if what Coco said was true, then it made too little sense that Neo's parents would agree to an arranged contract. Moreover, wouldn't the contract be void since Neo's parents were dead? And if it wasn't, would Neo even know about or want to go with it? She didn't seem like the kind of person who wanted to settle down any time soon, especially with someone with him. However, Jaune couldn't be sure until he met her.

'The question is, how will I even meet her? Neo can create illusions and disguise herself as anyone. For all I know, I could have past her on my way here. But that is if she is willing to communicate. It might be a repeat of when Coco discovered the contract and Neo's on her way to kill me. I just hope that Oum is on my side, and that isn't the case.' Jaune thought. But he was snapped out of his thoughts when the server returned.

"Here you go, sir." The employee said before leaving.

"I'll worry about Neo later. Right now, I need to get those charger converters, then head back to Beacon and finish getting ready. Hmm. Maybe I could take Pyrrha and Nora on another date while we're in my hometown. And I could also hang out some more with Velvet and Coco." Jaune said as he took a bite of his burger.

However, he felt someone tap his shoulder a second later. Swallowing, Jaune turned around and saw a faunus girl with gray eyes, vertically-slit pupils, and auburn hair. And like Blake, she had faunus ears. But unlike Blake, she had fox ears instead of cat ears. She was wearing a form-fitting V-neck black dress with a high collar and long sleeves. She was also wearing black heels.

"Yes? Can I help you?" Jaune asked as he cleaned his hands.

'Yes, you can.' The girl answered in sign language.

'Great. I KNEW I should have finished those courses. Maybe I can find an online class.' Jaune thought. "Sorry. But are you, by chance, mute?"

'Yes.'

'At least I know a few things in sign language.' Jaune thought while taking out his scroll, opening up an app, and handing it to her. "Here. I have a text-to-speak app for situations like this."

"Thanks." The scroll said what the girl typed in.

"So. Uh. Do you need something?"

"Yes."

"Uh. Okay. What is it?"

"It's simple. Can you show me around town?"

"Pardon." Jaune asked, surprised as he was not at all expecting that. "Can you run by that me again?"

"I'm from Vacuo. I was here visiting and admiring the sights. But the bus left without me. The tour is sending a bus to come and pick me up but much later. But in the meantime, I figured I'd ask one of the locals if they would be willing to show me around."

"Well. That's dangerous and a bit gamble, to be honest."

"It kind of is. But I know how to defend myself. A close friend of mine is a huntress. And I have my weapon on me."

"Okay. But why me?"

"You seemed nice. Well, a lot nice than others I have met, especially those huntsmen-in-training I came across earlier."

"Well, thanks for the compliment. But yeah, some huntsmen-in-training are not that nice." Jaune said, remembering Team Crdl and some other teams he had the unfortunate experience of being bullied by. "But not all of them are bad. But sure. I'll show you around. But only for a few hours since I have to head back to Beacon later."

"A few hours is fine since that's probably when I need to head to where the bus is picking me up."

"Alright. Let me just pay for my food, and we'll get started." Jaune said as he got up and entered the restaurant.

'Okay. Not a bad first impression. He seems nice. Although, he was a bit idiotic for leaving his scroll with me. Maybe he's a bit too trusting or sees the good in people instead of for who they really are. But looks can be deceiving, and I should know. Let's see how the rest of this... day goes before I decide anything.' Neo thought as Jaune returned a moment later.

"Alright. Are you ready to go?" Jaune asked.

"Yes." Neo answered.

"So, where would you like to go?"

"Uh. You tell me. Remember, I'm not from here."

"Yeah, that's my bad. I should have phrased that better. I mean, do you have any places in mind that you would like to see/visit first? Like, do you want to see the piers, the landmarks, some must-see spots that aren't tourist traps, the entertainment district, or something else like that?"

"Oh. That's what you meant. Then, I would say, take me to the landmarks first."

"Okay. I know a few that are great. Follow me." Jaune said.

Ten Minutes Later

"Wow. Who's that?" Neo 'asked' as they arrived in front of a statue. In truth, she knew who they were looking at but had to pretend not to know to keep up the ruse. And to keep Jaune's mind off the fact that she forgot to get a camera to help with the lie.

"That's the Great King's assistant. Everyone talks about the Great King, but not enough people give credit to his assistant. Although, part of the reason is that no one knows her name. Honestly, all anybody knows is that she played a major part in helping the Great King end the war. But aside from that, nobody knows anything else about her." Jaune answered.

"Then, how do you know she existed?"

"There are surviving reports detailing her existence and how she helped the Great King. But they only tell of her during the war, not before or after."

"Ah. Maybe that might change down the line. But I have to say, they did a great job with her statue and how beautifully they decorated it. Although, they could have gone a lot less heavy with the flowers. Thank Oum, I don't have pollen allergies." Neo said. While she didn't think much of the statute, Neo had to admit it looked nice, albeit a bit too decorated for her taste. However, she was being truthful when she said that there were too many flowers. She counted at least thirty different kinds of flowers just in front of the statue. And who knows how many more were in the back.

"Yeah. There are too many flowers. But the people who built the statue didn't bring them. The people visiting planted them."

"That makes more sense." Neo said, not really caring. "But is there a statue of the Great King?"

"Yes. But it's on the other side of town, and nobody is allowed near it."

"Why?"

"The statue was in need of repairs and maintenance after a recent 'prank' from some visitors. So, they're now fixing it."

"Ah. Do you know who did it?"

"Nope. No one does. But most don't think it was a targeted attack. They think the visitors were just drunk since the damages were minor."

"Well, people do stupid things when they're drunk."

"Yeah." Jaune agreed in a tone that surprised Neo. But before she could say anything, Jaune cleared his throat. "Anyway. Should we move on to the next landmark?"

"Let's see another, and then we do something else."

"Alright. But before we do the one I have in mind, I have to ask. Are you afraid of heights?"

"No. Well, technically, yes. As long as it's evident that we won't fall, then I'm fine with heights. Why?"

"Just checking because the next landmark I have in mind is a bit high up." Jaune explained before motioning Neo to follow him.

Fifteen Minutes Later

"Okay. This is an amazing sight." Neo said, awed, as they stood on a cliff that was taller than the cliff that overlooked the Emerald Forest. But unlike the one that only overlooked the forest, this cliff allowed her to see the whole town, parts of nearby villages, and the nearby ocean. However, what confused Neo was how few people were there. "Why are there so few people here?"

"Heights. I'm not that big of a fan of heights. In fact, I'm almost terrified of them. And a lot of people feel the same way." Jaune answered as he tightened his grip on the railings. "Plus, the gondola lifts are the only way to get up here. And they can give people motion sickness."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"You know, if that's the case, you could have brought me someplace else to see a different landmark."

"I know. But I wanted you to have the full experience since most tours don't include this place. And if it means having to deal with some weak knees, then so be it."

"Well, that's sweet. But also, do you have motion sickness?"

"Yup."

"And don't they make pills for that?"

"Yup. But I forgot to take them, even though I have them in the bag I'm holding." Jaune said after swallowing a lump in his throat and lifting the bag.

"Okay. That is funny. But that is also on you for forgetting." Neo said, smirking while mentally laughing.

"My sisters tell me that all the time when this happens."

"I can see that happening. Anyway. We can head to the next spot now."

"Okay. You want to see another landmark or something else?"

"How about one of those non-tourist trap locations?"

"Alright. This next one is a bit far, but it's usually worth it."

"Alright. I trust you." Neo said as she followed Jaune. 'At least, for now.'

Smiling, Jaune got into the gondola lift with Neo following suit. And as they waited for it to take them back down, Jaune wondered exactly who the girl was as she reminded him of someone else. But he could not put his finger on it. Meanwhile, Neo was slightly impressed with Jauen so far. Despite it being short notice, he was putting in far more effort than she expected. And even though the statue wasn't something she cared for, the view was amazing and something she didn't know about. Although, Neo did admire how Jaune put up with his fear of heights and motion sickness for her, which was something not many people would do.

'Still. Let's see just how the rest plays out.' Neo thought as she admired the sight.

After about ten minutes, they reached the ground and got off. They then got on a bus that would take them back to town. Thankfully, it didn't take long as there weren't too many people driving. And Jaune was thankful for this as he still had to pack up for the trip tomorrow.

"So. Where are you taking me?" Neo asked once they arrived and got off the bus.

"Not a specific place. But there is a spot here that I want to show you in case you ever decide to visit again."

"I'm not sure if I might come back." Neo lied, as she technically lived here. "But what's the place?"

"Most of the spots here are tourist traps that charge you a ridiculous amount of lien for simple knick-knacks. Here, you can find a lot more for a reasonable amount of lien, and often at a discount."

"Oh. Okay. Thanks for saving me from those rip-off merchandise. I might not come back again, but if I do, at least now I know where to go not to get scammed." Neo said. "And yeah. Those places have ridiculous prices."

Chuckling, Jaune showed a disguised Neo around the place. Yet, he was still unaware that it was Neo, one of his future wives. However, that did stop him from showing the mysterious girl around the place. And while she wouldn't admit it 'out loud,' Neo did like how Jaune kept her mind. It did reinforce what Roman told her about Jaune and how he put others before him most of the time. But she did make a mental note to come here again when she had a bit more lien on hand. And that also made her skillfully deflect some questions/offers from Jaune to keep up her ruse. But while the place did seem to have nothing interesting at first, Neo spotted a few things she might buy another day.

"Here. I brought you this." Jaune said, snapping Neo from her thoughts. Turning to him, Neo saw that Jaune had brought a nice pink and brown hoodie. And when she raised an eyebrow, Jaune explained. "I saw you shivering while we were on the cliff. And I heard it was supposed to get colder later. So I got you this so you don't get cold."

"Thanks." Neo said as she put on the hoodie and enjoyed the warmth it gave her. Despite being in Vale for most of her life and being used to the cold, Neo preferred the warm weather.

"No problem." Jaune said, smiling. "Anyway. I have to go soon. But I have enough time to take you to one last place. Where do you want to go?"

"Yeah. It's almost time for me too. Hmm. How about we head to the pier?"

"Alright."

Half an Hour Later

"Okay. We're here." Jaune said as they arrived at the pier.

"Huh. It's smaller than I expected." Neo said as she looked around. But, in reality, Neo was confused as this was not the pier she was expecting. She honestly expected Jaune to take her to the one near Beacon.

"That's because this is one of the less popular piers. The others are packed now due to the fairs."

"Fair. So, what's there to do here?"

"Well, there are a few things. But one thing this pier is known for is the fireworks that happen a bit after sunset."

"Really?" Neo asked, surprised as this was the first time she heard about that.

"Yup."

"Aren't fireworks illegal in Vale?"

"They technically are. But the people who do it are certified pyrotechnicians. So, there is little chance of something burning down. And because everyone likes it, the police and huntsmen don't do anything about it." Jaune said as three people in what appeared to be some kind of hazmat suit walked by.

"Are those the guys?"

"Yeah. No one knows who they are, but then again, they never take off their suits and never respond to anything."

"So, the silent types?"

"I want to say yes, but I'm not sure." Jaune said. And not a second later, the first firework exploded in the sky. "Hey, it's beginning."

"That was quick." Neo said, surprised.

"Well, I'm pretty sure they were just putting things away before they started."

"Maybe." Neo shrugged as they watched the show.

Twenty Minutes Later

"Well. That was nice. But I have to go now." Jaune said.

"Same. But now I have to head to the bus." Neo said as they left the place.

"Well, I hope you had a good time."

"It was fun, even though we didn't see that many places."

"Unfortunately. But if you ever decide to visit Vale again and we see each other, I'll be more than glad to show you around some more."

"Thanks."

"You know. I just realized something." Jaune said, chuckling.

"And what's that?" Neo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I spent a good part of the day showing you around, and we don't even know each other's names."

'Oh, I know your name.' Neo thought before gaining a smirk. 'I might as well tell you my name. A little shock for you and to see if Roman was right.'

"HEY! What are you doing?" Jaune asked, surprised as Neo dragged him into an alleyway.

"Oh. You'll see." Neo said. And before he could say anything, Jaune became shocked when the girl 'shattered' to reveal a smirking Neo.

"NEO!" Jaune asked, surprised.

"Yes." Neo said and smiled as Jaune started stuttering.

"I-I. Ah. Uh. I-I." Jaune stuttered, unsure of what to say. But after a moment, he remembered the contracts. "Uh. Well, since you're here-"

"I know." Neo said before showing him the contract.

"So, uh. Are you going to kill me?" Jaune nervously asked. Neo smirked before shaking her head. And she internally chuckled when she saw him visibly relax.

"No. I won't kill you for this since you had no involvement with it. But that doesn't mean you're out of the woods yet. So, keep that in mind. Until we meet again for our next date. Oh, and your friends have been texting you nonstop." Neo said before tossing Jaune his scroll. And before he could say anything, Neo 'vanished.' But while she was probably still around, Jaune knew it would be fruitless to try and find her.

"Well. At least she knows and won't kill me for it. But did she actually consider this a date or a test like Coco did with me? And is she actually going to try for another date/test? Best not to think about it right now. I'm tired, and there are too many questions and not enough answers." Jaune said as he checked his scroll. And his face went pale when he realized that he had over twenty calls from his friends and teammates. He immediately put away his scroll and ran for the bullheads. "I'm so dead."

Meanwhile

Hideout

"Oh, Neo. You're back already?" Roman asked as Neo entered the room. Currently, he is resting in the living room while reading a newspaper.

'Yup.' Neo signed as she went to the fridge to grab her ice cream.

"How was your date with the kid?"

'It wasn't a date. I did tell him that to try and get him to be embarrassed. But he didn't so much as blush.'

"Did he get scared?"

'Yup. But only for a little bit.'

"I don't blame him. So you didn't consider this a date."

'Nope.'

"Oh, well. It's not like it has to be a date. You only need to be somewhat decent friends for the marriage not to be awkward."

'True. And honestly, right now, he seems and acts like a big brother. But that doesn't surprise me since he said he has sisters.'

'I know some people want big families, but eight children is too much. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure this kid is going to have a minimum of thirty-six. And if he has his father's genes, then that number might triple.' Roman thought while taking a sip of his drink. "So, you want me to nullify the contract?"

'Not yet?'

"Not yet?" Roman asked, surprised.

'Yeah. Not yet. I still don't think this marriage contract thing is the route I'll take. And I doubt that will change in the future. But after another date or so, you can tear it up. I just want to see where this goes for now.'

"Alright." Roman said. 'Just be quick, Neo. Your wedding is on the tenth of this coming February. And you know how fast time can fly.'

'If you need me, I'll be in my room.'

"Okay."

'Oh. And before I forget. I have to ask.'

"Ask what?" Roman asked.

'How did Junior even come across the contract? I doubt he would look for something like that out of boredom. And he knows to keep out of our business for his own good.'

"I'm not sure. As soon as I meet Junior again, I'll ask him." Roman said, now wondering the same thing.'Could it be because the twins or some secret daughter Junior has is also marrying the kid? I doubt it. But then again, I know he's marrying eight girls. But I don't know any of their names yet aside from Neo's.'

'Good. Night.' Neo signed before heading to her room.

"I never thought this would happen. But I better call Junior. The last thing I need is for Neo to be mad at me. But I do hope she chooses the arranged contract option."

Notes:

A bit of a delay since I had to rewrite this twice.

TO CLARIFY, Jaune didn't know it was Neo until the end and she did not consider it a date.

Essiter1987: Yeah, the 'Outing' title was from Jaune's perspective as he didn't know what to call it. Most titles will be from his perspective. Yes, Coco and Velvet will have actual dates with Jaune later on. As for the cliché of someone from Team Rwby following them, probably not as their chapters will begin after the next one. For Ruby, they will be close friends with Ruby maybe crushing on him. (But I'm not sure yet.)

Blazingshade3: Yes, there will be more moments with Coco and Velvet, along with all the girls in future chapters. None of them will get demoted to side characters as I will try to make them prevalent in later chapters without them feeling forced in. That said, I can't guarantee that some won't appear for a few chapters after their initial meeting/date with Jaune as there are eighteen girls he's marrying.

Guest: Sorry for not answering this in the previous chapters as I forgot about it. But while Glynda will appear in the story, she won't be one of the people Jaune's marrying. I tried coming up with ideas for her being one of them but they were too farfetched and barely believable.

Lastly, for Winter and Weiss. While I have most others figured out, I need a little help for the Schnee sisters, specifically Winter. While Weiss might feel outraged or neutral at the marriage, who should Winter react? Should she be relieved that she's marrying someone far better, respectable, and more moral than the ones Jaques chose? Should she be skeptical of the whole thing (As in feeling like something is not right about this or that it is a set up)? Or should she look forward to meeting Jaune in some way (Ex: Winter became curious and intrigued about Arc from the stories Weiss told her about her time at Beacon and possibly becomes infatuated with him)? Or some other way?