WAIT, WHAT! HOW MANY I'M MARRYING!?
Chapter 9
Chap 9: Real or a Hallucination?
Beacon
"JAUNE!" Pyrrha and Nora shouted, relieved to see their leader back in one piece as he entered the dorm.
"Hey, you two." Jaune said, chuckling as his girlfriends hugged him. But he couldn't deny that it felt great hugging them.
"Are you okay?" Nora asked.
"What happened? Why didn't you answer any of our calls or texts?" Pyrrha asked as they separated.
"Something came up. Something I'm honestly not sure if I should have expected to happen."
"And what's that, Jaune?" Ren asked, curious.
"Well." Jaune said as he sat on his bed. "I met Neo while I was out."
"Wait. You met Neo? How?" Nora asked, shocked.
"I was grabbing a bite while thinking of where I could find a charging port converter since I couldn't find one. Then I met this girl, which was a disguised Neo, that said she was from Vacuo and was visiting Vale. She then asked me to show her around for a while."
"You didn't find that odd?" Pyrrha asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I did. But she then told me that she essentially got left behind by her tour, and they were sending a bus to pick her up, but it wouldn't arrive for a few hours. I still found it odd, but I agreed to show her around."
"You still could have texted us, though." Nora said.
"I would have. But that slipped my mind when the girl used sign language. I gave her my scroll so she could use a text-to-speech app so we could communicate. And then I showed her around town and some places that aren't tourist traps."
"When did you realize it was Neo?" Ren asked.
"I didn't."
"Then how do you know it was her?"
"She pulled me to the side in an alleyway and dropped her disguise."
"What did she say or do?" Pyrrha asked, curious and worried.
"I was about to ask/tell her about the contract but stopped when she showed me her copy. Then I asked if she was going to kill me, but she said no because I had no involvement in it."
"That's good." Nora and Pyrrha said, relieved.
"But she also said that I wasn't out of the woods yet. And that I should be ready for our next date."
"So, she wants the marriage to happen?" Ren asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm not sure. I think, like Coco, she wanted to test me for something. But I don't know what."
"Hopefully, it is like Coco, and Neo just wants to test you before getting to know you better. So, when the marriage comes around, it won't be as awkward." Pyrrha said.
"Hopefully."
"I wonder if Roman knows about this." Nora said.
"Possibly. Maybe he was the one who told her." Pyrrha said.
"Roman is close to Neo, after all. So that would make sense if he told her." Ren added.
"Maybe. Either way, all we can do now is guess since we don't know anything else." Jaune said with a sigh.
"Maybe you can ask Neo whenever she comes around for the next date." Ren suggested.
"I'll try to keep that in mind considering our next date will probably be a surprise one like today since I don't have a way to contact her." Jaune said, unaware of what Neo did to his scroll. He then let out a yawn before stretching. "Anyway. It's getting late, and we need to head to bed now if we don't want to be tired tomorrow morning. Plus, I still need to finish packing."
"Right." The others said before helping Jaune so everyone could get to sleep faster. And like the previous nights, Nora and Pyrrha snuggled into Jaune on his bed.
Meanwhile
Unknown Location
"Alright. That was a long day and way too close." Mercury said as he and Emerald returned to their temporary 'living conditions.'
And by living conditions, they mean an abandoned bunker that was built during the Great War. After the war ended, the council and leaders maintained the bunkers for years and only recently stopped. And while far from ideal or comfortable, Mercury and Emerald were glad they still had lights, heat, water, and plumbing. Food, medicine, and a few other things were the only items that were missing. That was why they were constantly scavenging and stealing from the town. But despite this, it was certainly far better than most other places they had stayed at before.
But while there were problems with the town, such as limited resources, Mercury and Emerald liked it. The townspeople were relatively friendly and didn't ask too many questions. However, a recent discovery led to Mercury and Emerald scrambling to find a new place in time before winter came. They learned that the council would be sending demolition teams to tear down all bunkers built during the Great War, including theirs.
"Yeah. But at least we have enough food and drinks for the next week so we can focus on finding a new home." Emerald said as she closed the door and locked it.
"True. And it will give us time to check out another town. These last two were a bust, and I still doubt the townsfolk would let us move in with them."
"Unfortunately. But we can't blame them." Emerald said while fidgeting. She then sighed before turning to Mercury. "Mercury."
"Yes."
"You know we only have one REAL option available."
"I know. I just don't like coastal towns." Mercury groaned.
"I know you don't. But we've burned too many bridges while working with her. And most of them happened to be the leaders of the towns we visited. So, I doubt they would take us in. There are only a few towns that won't arrest us on the spot. And even fewer where we can live somewhat comfortably."
"You're right. I still don't like it, but you're right, Emerald." Mercury said with a sigh. "We should expand our search. And we should do so now before winter arrives, as I know we both hate the cold. So, do you have any towns in mind?"
"Well. There's this one town I have been visiting any time I get the chance."
"Really? For what?" Mercury asked, curious.
"To see what they have to offer and to swipe some things this town doesn't have."
"Oh. Thanks for that. So, how is it? Do you think we should move there?"
"It's nice and has pleasant weather. And it doesn't get as cold as it does here in the winter. Still cold, just not as much. But I wouldn't say we move there just yet. I want to check it out a bit more."
"Alright. Do you want me to come?"
"Typically, I would say yes. But I think it would be best if you start packing up everything. So when I return, if it's good, we can leave immediately."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. With both of us there, it might be faster, but there is a higher chance someone might recognize us. But if only one of us went, the chances of that happening would be a lot less. Plus, I can use my semblance to escape in case things go south."
"Fair point. Just be careful." Mercury asked. While he might not have liked Emerald that much initially, he grew to see her as a friend and eventually like a sister. "When are you leaving?"
"In a few hours."
"Tonight? Why? We just had a long day. We should rest a bit more."
"I know. But it's a long trip, even by bullhead. And besides, the quicker we do this, the more time we will have remaining if this town doesn't work out." Emerald half-lied.
"Good point." Mercury said before yawning. "Anyway. I'm heading to bed now. You should rest at least a bit before leaving."
"Right. I'll take a quick nap before leaving. Good night."
"Good night, Em." Mercury said before heading toward his 'room.'
Nodding, Emerald watched him leave before heading to her 'room.' And calling it a room was a bit too generous if she was being honest. It was only marginally bigger than a standard supply closest. Inside was a sleeping bag, a bag of her clothes, some emergency food and supplies, and a few other things she felt like 'burrowing.' Again, like the bunker, it wasn't much, but it was still better than being outside in the cold or in some other places she had to use in the past.
Sighing, Emerald went to the bag, moved it to the side, and removed the fake brick she used to conceal a hole in the wall. Reaching inside, Emerald pulled out a medium size chest. Picking it up, she went to her sleep bag and sat down before opening it. And inside the box were various mementos of the only things that ever brought her joy. Some were from the few people she could call friends or the ones that genuinely cared for her. And some represented distant memories of the few times she felt free.
However, the ones that meant the most to Emerald were the ones at the bottom. Moving the rest to the side, Emerald smiled at the few reminders of her parents. She might not remember them that well, but she did have a few good memories of them, along with some bad ones. But that just made good ones better. And while Emerald would like to reminisce, she knew she didn't have time right now. Moving them to the side, she pulled out a worn-looking letter. While it didn't seem significant at first glance, it was what was inside that was important.
"I still can't believe they saw this far into the future and did this." Emerald said as she opened the letter and pulled out what was inside. And inside was an arranged marriage contract and an explanation from her parents.
After escaping from that lady, Mercury and Emerald searched for a place to lay low until they were in the clear. But they knew they needed to leave Vacuo if they wanted to be safe. So Mercury called in a favor from someone he met a while ago. Thankfully, she came through and sent them fake papers they could use to head to Vale in an unmarked plane. But when Emerald went to the post office to pick it up, she discovered there was an old letter for her that was surprisingly from her parents.
With her curiosity piqued, Emerald snatched the letter when the employee wasn't looking. However, she couldn't open it until she and Mercury were in Vale. And once she did, she was shocked beyond belief to find that it was a genuine arranged marriage contract for her and somebody named Jaune Arc. Thankfully, there was a letter from her parents that explained everything. Apparently, they knew their time was coming to an end, and immense hardships would undoubtedly follow Emerald. And while they were unsure how long it would last or if she could escape it, they wanted a backup to ensure Emerald would eventually get a good life where she was loved and treated like family. So, they made an arranged contract with one of the few friends they trusted.
However, they put in a term that allowed Emerald to nullify it if she wanted to. And initially, she did. But then the shock waned and allowed Emerald to clearly remember her situation. While unorthodox, she knew it could be her way of getting out of her current situation. Not just that, but it would allow her to escape her past, move forward, and not have to worry about so many things. She would no longer have to worry about finding somewhere to have a roof over her head or scavenging for food. But then Emerald remembered Mercury. She couldn't just abandon him. While Emerald might have initially protested against Mercury's recruitment, she eventually grew to see him as a sort of brother. But an opportunity like this wouldn't come around again. So, she had to think carefully about her next move.
And after a few days of settling down, Emerald decided to go through with it. It would still be a bit of a long shot, but she hoped it would work out. However, if there was one thing Emerald didn't want was an elaborate or massive wedding. She wanted something small and quick but something she felt comfortable with. However, due to not having a lot of lien on hand, Emerald had gone to the town a few times to steal the things to prepare for the wedding. She wasn't lying when she told Mercury she had been there a few times. It was just primarily for a different reason. Plus, while she had a feeling the other family would help with the ceremony, Emerald saw no harm in getting ready early since the date would be the fifteenth of February.
'I just hope the kid is alright and isn't anything like those Shade or Atlas students we met a while back.' Emerald said as she put the contract back in the envelope before pocketing it. She then got up, put the chest in her bag of clothes, and started to get ready for the trip. 'But maybe I should tell Mercury I would be gone for a few days to get a few more supplies. And I could use that extra time to get to know the kid. It would make things less awkward.'
Next Day
Morning
"Alright. Is everyone ready?" Jaune asked as he, Coco, Velvet, and the rest of his team stood in front of the bullhead.
"Yes. We got everything." Velvet yawned as she grabbed Jaune's arm and laid her head on it.
"Did you take your motion sickness pills, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked while taking some coffee that Coco had made for everyone so they could wake up. They might be huntsmen-in-training, but that doesn't mean they are morning people or early risers.
"Yes. I did." Jaune answered.
"So, how long was it until we reached your hometown, Jaune?" Ren asked as he drank some tea as he wasn't a fan of coffee.
"About five hours."
"Oh, so we can catch up on some sleep." Nora said as she drank some tea. The last thing anybody needed was a hyperactive Nora.
"And it will let me plan out a few things." Coco added as she made a list of things to ask Jaune's family. But also a list of things she can do with Arc. While she still needed to get to know Jaune better, she felt like they could start going on actual dates soon.
"And we can find out a bit more of who else you're marrying, Jaune." Pyrrha said.
"Good idea, Pyr. We should ask them so we can be prepared." Jaune said.
"And how in Oum's name they managed to get you in an arranged marriage contract with three criminals." Ren said.
"Yeah. But from now on, let's not call them criminals." Jaune said, uncomfortable with calling his future wives criminals. While it might be true, it did not sit well with him anymore.
"Alright."
"Okay. The pilots just said the bullhead is ready. Let's get on." Pyrrha said.
Nodding, everyone boarded the bullhead and took their seats. And as one might expect, Nora and Pyrrha sat next to Jaune. However, to Jaune's surprise and slight embarrassment, Velvet brazenly sat on his lap and lay against his chest. Blushing, Jaune fixed himself while Nora and Pyrrha giggled before laying their heads on his shoulders to take a small nap. Figuring he should do the same, Jaune breathed out before closing his eyes and letting sleep take him.
Five Hours Later
Jaune's Hometown
"Alright, everyone. We have arrived and will be landing momentarily. It is a nice 28 degrees Celsius. But rain is expected later today, so be sure to keep some jackets and umbrellas handy." The pilot announced over the comms, waking everyone up.
"That was fast." Velvet said, yawning.
"Not really. It only felt fast because you were asleep on your future husband's lap." Coco said with a smirk.
"Oh." Velvet said, blushing but not making a move to get off.
"How far is your parent's home, Jaune?" Nora asked as she and Pyrrha got ready. And with a grumble, Velvet also got up and started collecting her things.
"About twenty minutes. Our home is on the other side of town." Jaune answered.
"Then why did we land here? Isn't there an airport closer to your home?" Coco asked, curious.
"There are two close to my home. But one is down for repairs, and the other is not for public transport."
"Are we walking then?" Ren asked.
"No. My sister Dahlia is coming to pick us up in her van." Jaune answered as he grabbed his bags. "And she should be here any moment."
"I can't wait to meet your family, Jaune." Velvet said, blushing. But despite looking forward to it, she was also slightly nervous.
"Are we going to meet your entire family, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked.
"Unfortunately, not. Amber is too caught up in her work, and Midori couldn't get any time off from medical school."
"Time off? Don't you mean break?" Coco asked, curious.
"Technically, she's on break, yes. But her teachers gave her lots of tests and projects disguised as homework. And they are worth a good chunk of her grade. So, she had to stay behind and finish them."
"That sucks." Nora said.
"It does." Jaune said with a shrug. But it honestly didn't surprise him as he knew how passionate Amber was about her job. Feeling his scroll vibrate, Jaune pulled it out and saw that he received a text from Dahlia. "Anyway. Dahlia is here. Let's go."
Nodding, everyone picked up their bags and disembarked from the bullhead. They then headed to the street and looked around a bit before seeing an older lady with blonde hair wearing thick glasses waving them over. Smiling, Jaune ran to the lady and hugged her.
"Hey, Dahlia. It's good to see you." Jaune said, smiling, as Dahlia adjusted her glasses and sweatpants.
"Good to see you, Jaune." Dahlia said, ruffling her brother's hair as his friends arrived. "And I take it these are your friends."
"Yup. This is Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, Coco, and Velvet."
"Nice to meet you." They said.
"Same. And I take it that you know you're marrying your female friends, right?" Dahlia asked. Instead of answering, Pyrrha, Velvet, and Nora hugged Jaune while Coco smirked and nodded.
"Yeah. Although, Mom and Dad could have told me a while ago." Jaune said.
"Yeah. But we can't blame them too much. They did clean themselves up after all, for our sake." Dahlia said.
"What do you mean?" Velvet asked, curious.
"It's slightly personal. But to give you a brief context of what happened. Our parents used to like to have a drink every now and then. But they stopped when they noticed the rift between them and us."
"Oh."
"Yeah. It wasn't the best. But after that, everything got way better."
"Anyway. Are the others here?" Jaune asked, hoping to move the conversation as it was still a sensitive topic for him.
"Almost. Clementine is still coming. But she should be here in about an hour."
"That's good."
"Anyway. Let's get going. I'm sure you all could use a good meal." Dahlia said before getting into her van with the others following suit. However, Dahlia smiled when she saw Pyrrha, Nora, and Velvet sitting with Jaune. 'Oh, Saphron is so going to tease him when she hears about the bunny faunus sitting on his lap.'
"So, Dahlia." Pyrrha said as Dahlia started the van and drove toward the Arc residence.
"Yes?" Dahlia asked, looking in the reive view mirror.
"How long have you known about the contracts?"
"Not long. In fact, I only learned about them earlier this month."
"Really?" Ren asked.
"Yup. And not how you might expect."
"So your parents didn't tell you your brother was marrying eighteen girls?" Coco asked, surprised.
"Well, they planned to. But it's a bit hard to communicate with each other since my job takes me all over Remnant."
"If I remember correctly. Jauney said that you're a Cultural Anthropologist." Nora said.
"That's right. I might not look like it now, but that's because I take full advantage of my vacation days to relax as much as possible."
"I've heard of Anthropology. But what's a Cultural Anthropologist?" Velvet asked, curious.
"Well, Anthropology is the study of human and Faunus societies and cultures and their development. Cultural Anthropology is a sub-field of that. Basically, we take a deeper look into the cultural variation among humans and faunus. But that can often mean we have to immerse ourselves deeply into a culture to better understand that."
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked, confused.
"Dahlia sometimes has to... become a part of their culture. And I really mean become a part of it. In other words, she has to become... a part of the family." Jaune explained.
"Oh. I get it now."
"But isn't that kind of dangerous?" Ren asked.
"Oh, yes. Just about every field of Anthropology is dangerous. And it can come from anywhere. Heck, there's a field where Anthropologists study about dust and its impact on society. And it might not seem dangerous until you learn that some researchers are sent to places with highly volatile dust veins to study how societies can form around them and prosper."
"Neat. But if that's the case, how did you learn about the arranged marriages?" Nora asked, curious.
"Oh. I was in Vacuo earlier this month studying how and why some tribes created a sort-of overarching government they use when something comes up that involves the entirety of multiple tribes. But while I was taking a break, I met this couple for lunch. And after a bit of talking, we somehow came up on the topic of siblings. They told me about their daughter while I talked about Jaune and the others. One thing led to another, and I learned that they made the contract to have their daughter marry Jaune. And then they told me how seventeen others were doing the same."
"Wow. Do you know what's the daughter's name?" Jaune asked, curious.
"May Zedong."
"Do you know why May's parents made the contract since we learned everyone's parents did it for a reason?" Coco asked.
"Yeah. They know how shy and reserved their daughter is. So, they wanted to help her in her love life, which I don't agree with at all. But they also wanted to choose someone that wouldn't overwhelm her and be able to pull her out of her shell. They wondered for a good while who would be a good candidate. But when they heard that their best friends had a son, which is Jaune here, they came rushing over to see for themselves how he was. And after seeing that Jaune was basically the spitting image of the good parts of Mom and Dad minus the chaotic parts, they made the contract.
"Really?" Velvet asked, surprised.
"Yup."
"I feel like there is more to it." Coco said.
"It would seem like it, but there isn't. Zedong's parents were just so taken aback and happy with how Jaune was turning out that they felt like they made the right choice. Although, they did keep in contact with Mom and Dad to see if Jaune remained the same or if he had changed. But since he only got better, Zedong's parents now firmly believe they'd made the right choice." Dahlia said as she pulled into the driveway of the Arc House. "Okay. We're here."
"Wow. That was quick." Ren said.
"That's because there was not much traffic. Sheliak has a lot of public transportation, so not a lot of people have cars. Plus, a lot of things like supermarkets are within walking distance." Jaune explained. "Also, most are either still at work or at home resting from school."
"True." The others said as they exited the van. And they were shocked to see a wide, three-story log cabin home.
"Yeah. It's big. But it's very cozy." Dahlia said.
"How did your family afford this, Arc?" Coco asked.
"Oh, we didn't buy it. Our great-grandparents built it and passed it down to us. But we did expand it a bit and made some upgrades thanks to the money mom makes being the town's accountant." Jaune explained as they reached the door and opened it. "WE'RE HOME!"
"AND WE BROUGHT SPECIAL GUESTS!" Dahlia shouted as she closed the door after everyone entered.
"JAUNE!" A high-pitched voice shouted. Jaune and Dahlia smiled when their nephew came 'running' around a corner and headed toward them.
"Hey, Adrian. How's our nephew?" Jaune asked, picking Adrian up. And, like always, he had to lean his head back when Adrian started trying to pull his hair.
"JAUNE!" Adrian shouted, trying his best to grab Jaune's hair.
"Aw. He's so cute." Nora, Pyrrha, and Velvet said.
"And he's getting quite big. How old is he?" Coco asked.
"He's five." Another voice answered.
"Hey, Saph. Hey, Terra." Jaune said, handing Adrian to Dahlia as he knew what was coming. And as he expected, Saphron, with blinding speed, pulled Jaune into a headlock.
"Hey, bro." Saphron said, rubbing her fist on his head.
"Is that normal?" Nora asked, curious.
"Only child?" Dahlia asked.
"Yup."
"Then yes. This is quite normal between siblings. But this is also just how Saphron and Jaune act with each other. They were always the closest in this family." Terra answered as she took Adrian.
"That's an understatement." Dahlia said.
"But this is how we always greet each other." Jaune said as he barely managed to escape Saphron's headlock.
"Yup. Anyway. I take it they are your friends and teammates." Saphron said.
"And the girls being your future wives?" Terra asked.
"Yup." Jaune answered.
"Wait. How did you know that?" Pyrrha asked.
"Mom and Dad told me." Saphron answered.
"And I know because while my wife may not be a gossip queen, she DOES love to tease her brother to no end. And I overheard her make ways how to tease him about his future eighteen wives." Terra explained.
"Speaking of which. Have you met all of them?" Saphron asked.
"Nope. There are still a few I don't know." Jaune answered.
"But also speaking of not knowing. Did any of you know that your brother is marrying three criminals?" Coco asked, lowering her shades and raising her eyebrow.
"Please don't call them criminals, Coco. I know it's true, but still."
"Well?" Coco asked, ignoring Jaune.
"Nope. This is the first time I heard that." Dahlia said, with Terra nodding.
"Jaune told me he was marrying two criminals and a mystery one. But where did the third one come from?" Saphron asked.
"The mystery one is Neo, the partner of Roman Torchwick. And I believe the other two are bouncers working at a place called Junior's Bar. And they are also part of a crime syndicate, I believe, but I'm not sure." Jaune answered.
"Well, add that to the list of questions we have for them." Another voice answered. Turning to where it came from, everyone saw the rest of Jaune's sisters coming toward them.
"Hey, Clementine. Hey, Primrose and Poppy." Jaune said, smiling.
"Hey, Jaune. Hey, Dahlia." They all said simultaneously.
"How are you three doing?" Dahlia asked.
"We're doing pretty good." Primrose and Poppy simultaneously said.
"Okay. Was it just me, or was that kind of creepy?" Pyrrha asked.
"No. It was." Velvet said.
"What about you, Clem?" Saphron asked.
"Tiring because Mrs. Steiner kept on giving us homework. EVEN WHEN WE HAVE BREAK!" Clementine pouted, causing everyone to chuckle.
"Don't complain, Clem. It's only one assignment." Another voice said. And Ren, Pyrrha, Nora, Velvet, and Coco felt the air thicken when supposedly Jaune's parents came into the room.
"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad." The Arc children said.
"Hey, kids." Jett said, smiling. But it was a tense smile.
"It's nice to see all my kids together in one room again." Aurelia said, happy, before turning to the others. "I take it these are your friends, Jaune."
"And future wives." Jaune added.
"I take it you all want to talk about it now, right?" Jett asked.
"Yes. Let's get it out of the way since we're all here." Jaune said, with the others agreeing.
"Alright. Let me make some refreshments for all of us since you're probably tired from the trip." Aurelia said before heading into the kitchen.
"Is it always like this, Jaune?" Ren asked.
"No. It's usually a lot better. Aside from a rough patch years ago, we always had a great relationship. It's just this whole marriage contract thing. We need to get it out of the open and discuss it. And once we do, we can all enjoy this vacation a bit more. It's just. It put a bit of a strain on our relationship." Jaune answered.
"Alright."
Meanwhile
"Finally." Emerald said, annoyed, as she disembarked the bullhead.
While a flight from the town Emerald currently resided in to here typically took about two hours, the trip lasted about nine hours. And that was because she had to make many transfers due to SOMETHING going wrong with the bullheads. The first had insufficient fuel. The second one needed emergency maintenance. And the third bullhead somehow caught on fire. Thankfully, they didn't force her to pay for the additional trips and even gave her a refund, which Emerald was grateful for as she didn't have too much lien, to begin with.
"Alright. So, the kid I'm supposed to marry is Jaune Arc. And from the letter, it says his parents still live in this town. But they wrote it years ago, so that might have changed. I should have checked if they still lived here the last several times I was here. I really hope I didn't waste my time by coming here." Emerald sighed. "Well. No time to complain. I have to get started. We don't have a lot of time. But where should I start?"
Sighing, Emerald took out her scroll and checked the time. Seeing that it was only half past twelve, she figured she could try and find the Arc residence by herself. And if she couldn't find it after an hour or so, she would ask around.
'At least it's a nice day. Too bad I didn't bring my swimwear. I bet the beach would be awesome now. But maybe I could swipe a pair from the stores after I find out of the family is here or not.' With her mind made up, Emerald set out to find the Arc Residence.
Two Hours Later
Arc Residence
"And that's all there is to it. Wait. No. That's not what I mean. I mean, that's everything about it." Jett said as he and his wife finished up everything about the marriage contracts.
"Pretty much. So you see, Jaune. We didn't do this out of malice or anything like that. It was a mistake that happened during our... more adventurous years. A mistake that we hoped to correct for a long time but never could. We're sorry this happened, Jaune." Aurelia said.
"I know. I don't hold it against either of you. As you said, this happened during those years. And you tried to fix it. And I know you two wouldn't do something like this to get rid of me or anything like that, so it's fine." Jaune said.
"Please don't be-"
"As I said, I'm not mad nor disappointed. It was just overwhelming and is still kind of a shock. I'm still processing this. And besides, like you just said, you tried to fix it. You didn't try to cover it up like others might have done. I'm grateful that you told me about this. Although, I would have preferred to learn about it a while ago so I would have more time to get to know the other instead of only having four months." Jaune interjected with a small smile to assure his parents that he meant what he said.
"Thank you, Jaune." Jett and Aurelia said, happy their son wasn't mad at them.
"We must say, Jaune. You're handling this a lot better than we expected." The twins simultaneously said.
"I don't think I will ever get used to that." Coco whispered, with the others agreeing.
"Well, as I said, I'm still trying to process everything, as it was quite a shock. But it seems like luck and favor were on my side since I know about half the people I'm marrying. And it did help me realize my feelings for two of them and get to know the others better." Jaune said, smiling as Nora and Pyrrha leaned into him before kissing his cheeks. And while Velvet was upset that she couldn't do the same, at least not yet, she smiled when Jaune reached over, grabbed her hand, and squeezed it.
"Yeah. Oum must have been watching over you. In fact, I think he changed your fate so it can be like this." Dahlia said.
"Dahlia's right. The odds of this happening were a billion to one." Terra added.
"And I still think that is an understatement." Jaune said, blushing when Velvet, not wanting to be left out, moved to sit on his lap again before wrapping her arms around him. And while Jaune still didn't see Velvet that way yet, he felt touched that she loved and trusted him enough to do that without hesitation. 'But maybe I should take Velvet on an actual date first before Coco or the others.'
"But what about the other two? Sorry, I forgot your names." Aurelia said, pointing to Velvet and Coco.
"I'm Velvet Scarlatina." Velvet answered, snuggling into Jaune. "And Jaune and I aren't dating yet. We agreed to go slow and get to know each other better before becoming serious."
"But judging by how you're cuddling our brother, I'd say you can't wait until you get much more intimate if you catch my meaning." Saphron said, causing Velvet to blush and hide her face in Jaune's chest. And everyone else knew that Saphron was going to tease Velvet to no end.
"And you?" Jett asked, looking at Coco.
"I'm Coco Adel. And honestly, I still see Arc as an acquaintance, maybe a friend. But as for dating and all that, not yet." Coco answered.
"Wait. Why did you use Jaune's last name?" Clementine asked, curious.
"We're still not on a first-name basis. That's why I called him Arc. But I let him use my first name."
"That's nice. But hopefully, that would change in the future." Aurelia said, smiling.
"Maybe."
"But I'm just glad that our son knows some of the girls he will be marrying personally. And that they are all as nice as you four." Jett said.
"Hopefully, the others will be the same." Dahlia said.
"As much as I don't want to admit this, hopefully, the others don't freak out and chase Arc down like I did." Coco nervously said.
"Really?" The others asked, surprised.
"Yeah."
"But it was in the heat of the moment, along with some confusion and misunderstanding. Coco already apologized for everything. We're good now." Jaune quickly interjected.
"Okay. As long as you apologized, everything is good." Aurelia said, relieved.
"But speaking of others. Did you know that three of the people Jaune is going to marry are... not good?" Ren asked.
"What do you mean?" Clementine asked, confused.
"Jaune doesn't want us to call them criminals anymore. And I understand where he is coming from. But three of them are criminals. One is Neo, the partner of Roman Torchwich. And the other two are the Malachite Twins. While we don't know much about them, we know they are part of Junior's gang, which is one of the strongest ones in all of Vale." Pyrrha explained.
"How did that even happen?" Saphron and Dahlia asked, turning to their parents.
"In our defense, they weren't criminals when their parents and guardians came to us." Jett said.
"Guardians?" Ren asked, confused.
"Yes. Most of the contracts were signed by the girls' parents. But I believe it was the twins that had their uncle sign the contract. But we're not entirely sure, so take that with a pinch of salt." Jett answered.
"Do you know why or what happened to their parents?" Nora asked, curious.
"No. We don't recall why." Aurelia answered.
"Well. Hopefully, nothing bad happened to them." Velvet said.
"But still. I think one of us should be near Jaune when he meets up with the Malachite Twins." Coco said
"Yeah." The others agreed.
"But anyway. I'm glad we got this out in the open and over with." Aurelia said, clapping her hands together as she stood up. "Now. We can enjoy our time together for the remainder of everyone's vacation."
"And what better way than to have a great meal after a long trip." Jett said, smiling as he stood up.
"That means you guys are in for a treat." The Twins said before dashing into the kitchen.
"What did they mean by that?" Pyrrha asked.
"Our parents love to go all out when we have guests, or there is a special occasion. And by that, we mean they cook a ton of delicious food and bake mouthwatering desserts." Dahlia explained.
"Okay. I wasn't hungry a second ago. But now I am." Coco said.
"Then let's-" Saphron began but stopped when the doorbell rang.
*Ding*
"Are you expecting anyone?" Ren asked, curious.
"No." Dahlia answered as she got up. "Let me go see who it is."
One Minute Ago
Outside Arc Residence
'I should have just asked for directions. It would have saved me so much pointless wandering about. I'm just glad Mercury isn't here to make fun of me for it.' Emerald thought as she waited to see if the Arc Family was home or not. 'Please be home. I don't feel like doing this again.'
"Hello. Can we help you?" Dahlia asked as she opened the door slightly.
"Yes. Is this the Arc Residence?"
"Yes. This is the Arc Residence. Do you need something?"
"Well. I'm not sure how to put this. But I need to talk with Jaune Arc and his parents if they are around."
"Alright. But what is this about?" Dahlia asked with an accusatory look.
"I need to talk with them about this arranged marriage our parents made a long time ago." Emerald answered, showing the contract.
"Wow. I wasn't expecting to meet another so soon." Dahlia said, confusing Emerald.
"Another?"
"Come inside. We'll explain everything."
"Thank you." Emerald said as she entered the home. And almost immediately, Emerald felt a sense of coziness and warmth that was absent in any of the previous locations she had stayed at. It almost felt foreign as she was used to the cold hardness of bricks and concrete. 'This is nice. Now, I really hope this works out.'
"So, what's your name?" Dahlia asked as she closed the door and guided Emerald to the living room.
"Emerald. Emerald Sustrai."
"Emerald?" Jaune asked, standing up.
"Yes. Who are you?" Emerald asked, curious, as she eyed him. 'Okay. Not bad looking. A little on the scrawny side but doesn't look weak. But I prefer that as opposed to those jocks I met at Shade or that team I met a while back. I believe it was Team Crdl. Hopefully, his personality is not at all like sanding paper.'
"I'm Jaune. Jaune Arc." Jaune answered.
"Oh. So you're the one I'm going to marry in an arranged marriage."
"Apparently."
"So. Uh. What now? Is there something we need to do to finalize this or something?" Emerald asked, confused.
"As far as I know, there isn't anything we need to do yet. Well, there is organizing the ceremony. But the parents are handling that."
"Oh. Then I might need help with that." Emerald said, feeling a pang go through her.
"Wh-oh. Sorry." Jaune said, realizing what Emerald meant.
"It's fine."
"But uh, yeah. I can ask my parents to help you."
"Help who with what, Jaune?" Aurelia asked as she and Jett returned.
"And who is this?" Jett asked.
"This is Emerald Sustrai, one of the girls I'm going to marry in the contracts." Jaune answered.
"Oh. It's nice to meet you again, Emerald." Aurelia said, smiling.
"It's nice to meet you for the first time. I think." Emerald said, unsure.
"Well, the first time that you can remember meeting us. I still remember you sleeping in your parent's arms." Jett said.
"Speaking of which. Did you come-" Aurelia began but stopped when Jaune cleared his throat and subtly pointed at them. While the rest were confused, Jaune's parents caught the meaning. "Oh. Sorry for your loss."
"It's fine. It happened so long ago that I barely remember them." Emerald said with a pained smile.
"But soon, you will have another family. It won't replace them, but you won't be alone." Jett said with a warm smile.
"Thanks." Emerald said, unsure of how to feel. "But anyway. I came to get to know both of you and your son. And to see if there is anything else I need to know about the arranged marriage."
"Well. There are a few things." Aurelia said. "But first, let me see the contract."
"Here you go."
"How did you find us?" Pyrrha asked.
'I'm so glad I don't have to do these missions anymore.' Emerald thought. "The contract said the Arc Family lived here. So I came, looked around for a bit, and then asked some townsfolk for directions when I couldn't find the place."
"Have you been here before?" Nora asked.
"Lived here, no. But I have passed through a few times."
"Like visiting?" Velvet asked.
"Not exactly."
"What do you mean by that?" Coco asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Sorry. That's a bit personal."
"Alright." Coco said, not entirely sure about Emerald.
"Okay. Are you sure you want to go through with the marriage? It says here you don't have to." Aurelia asked.
"You know we should probably check the other contracts. Maybe there are some clauses there that could terminate them." Jett said, with Aurelia nodding.
"I'm sure."
"Are you?" Jett asked.
"I am, despite this not being how I envisioned getting married. Plus, your son seems nice. And it would be a good way to honor my parent's actions. They did this with good intention."
"Alright. But you can change your mind anytime you want. You just have to tell us." Aurelia said.
"I will if that happens." Emerald said. "But uh. I will still need your help."
"With what, dear?" Aurelia asked, catching Emerald off guard.
"Uh, the whole marriage thing. While I know a few things about it, there is still a lot I don't know about."
"Oh. Of course, we'll help you with that." Jett said, nodding.
"But we're going to need some time to get everything together to start helping you." Aurelia said before turning to Jaune. "But in the meantime. How about Jaune shows you around town? That way, you two can get to know each other better. It would certainly be better knowing each other somewhat than not knowing anything. "
"I think that would be a good idea." Emerald said. While she still only wanted this to gain a permanent place to stay for herself and Mercury, it wouldn't hurt to get to know her future husband some more. 'And it would make things less awkward. Plus, it would give me a clearer picture of whether I should go through with this.'
"Alright. But what about-"
"Don't worry about your friends. They'll be fine. Plus, there are a few things we need to discuss in private."
"Are you-"
"We'll be fine, Jaune." Pyrrha assured.
"And besides. This is something that's needed to be done." Coco said.
"Alright. We'll see you guys later." Jaune said before leaving, followed by Emerald.
"What do you think about her?" Dahlia asked.
"She seems nice. But I feel like she was hiding something when she said she passed through here a few times." Velvet answered.
"We should have Jaune ask her when they get a bit closer. Well, if they get a bit closer, that is." Saphron said.
"Right. Anyway. Clementine. Saphron. Terra. Why don't you three take Ren and Adrian to another room? Jett and I need to talk with Jaune's future wives." Aurelia said.
"Alright. Come on, Ren. Let's show you around the place." Saphron said.
"Okay." Ren said as they got up and left.
"Now. Let's begin." Aurelia said as she and Jett sat across from the others. And for some reason, the girls felt a shiver go down the spines. However, no one noticed that the twins were missing.
Meanwhile
Outside
"Okay. So. What would you like to do first, Emerald?" Jaune asked as he locked the door.
"How about we get something to eat? I haven't eaten yet." Emerald answered.
"Like, at all today?" Jaune asked, slightly worried.
"Yes. I don't have that much lien on me since I travel a lot. So I have to ration when and where I can."
"That won't do. Come on. I know the perfect place."
"You know you don't have-"
"I know. But consider it my treat and today as somewhat of a welcoming gift to the town and, potentially, to the family." Jaune said, smiling.
"Alright." Emerald said, thankful she didn't have to spend her remaining lien. While she could easily swipe some more, she didn't know when she would have an opportunity to do so. Plus, Emerald doubted she could do so anyway since the Arc Family seemed far shaper and more alert than most others she had stolen from in the past. 'I wonder where he is taking me, though.'
Ten Minutes Later
"A hibachi place?" Emerald asked, confused.
"Yeah. I figured it would be the best place to get something to eat while getting to know each other." Jaune explained.
"Alright." Heading inside, Jaune and Emerald were quickly seated by one of the employees. They were then given their menus to look over before the employee left.
"So, what would you like?" Jaune asked.
"I think I will grab something light. I will have the 8 Piece Snow White Roll and a regular soda."
"Alright."
"What are you going to order?"
"I'll get the 8 Piece Volcano Roll and a grape soda."
"So you like seafood?" Emerald asked, unsure of what to say. While she knew getting to know Jaune better would be good, she didn't know where to begin.
"It's not my favorite. But I do order it from time to time. Although one of my friends is the biggest lover of seafood, I have ever seen. I remember she snatched some of my sashimi when she thought I wasn't looking." Jaune chuckled.
"Was one of the girls in your house that friend?"
"Nope. Her name is Blake, and she's in Menagerie visiting her parents."
"Oh, she's a faunus?"
"Yup." Jaune answered before adding with a slighter darker tone. "You don't have a problem with faunus, do you?"
'Must be protective of his friends. That's nice. Better than being a backstabber like some others I met.' Emerald thought. "No, not really. After all, in reality, they are no different than us. They just have some unique features. But if you take that away, then there is literally no difference."
"Good." Jaune said, relieved that Emerald wasn't against Faunus. But if she were, Jaune would have done anything to cancel the contract.
"So, uh. Who were those people?"
"They were my sisters, friends, and other future wives."
"Wait. Other future wives?" Emerald asked, confused.
"Oh, you don't know?" Jaune asked.
"Nope. This is the first time I'm hearing this."
"Okay. Well. To keep it simple, I'm not marrying a single person in an arranged marriage. Including you, I'm marrying eighteen people in arranged marriages."
"EIGHTEEN!" Emerald asked, shocked.
"Yup."
"I take it you were quite shocked when you learned about this."
"Yes, but shocked would be an understatement."
"Have you begun planning for the future to take care of all of them?"
"Yes. My friend has been helping plan for many things, like a way to bring in enough lein. And I will be talking with my parents tomorrow or the day after tomorrow about anything else I might be missing."
"Yeah. You're going to need a lot of help. But I'm sure the others would help."
"Possibly. But I still want to give them the lives they deserve and everything they want."
"That's nice of you."
"Are you ready to order?" The employee asked.
"Yes. I'll have the 8 Piece Volcano Roll with grape soda, and she will have the 8 Piece Snow White Roll with a regular soda."
"Okay. We'll have that out for you in a moment." The employee said before leaving.
"So, everyone there you will be marrying?" Emerald asked.
"No. Some of them were my sisters." Jaune said.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't know that."
"It's fine."
"Have you met all your future wives?"
"Not yet. I've met most of them. But there are seven I haven't met yet."
"That'll be fun. Or painful. Do you know their names off the top of their head?"
"Aside from my friends, only a few."
"Can you tell me all you know?"
"Sure. There's Nora, Pyrrha, Coco, Velvet, Ruby, Yang, Blake, Weiss, May, Neo, and the Malachite Twins. There are a few others, but I don't recall their names."
"Wait. YOU'RE MARRYING NEO AND THE MALACHITE TWINS?" Emerald asked, shocked.
"Yes. You know them?" Jaune asked, curious.
"Not personally. But I've run into them a few times, and we... helped each other a few times." Emerald half-lied. She was honestly shocked to hear Jaune was marrying a few other criminals. 'This is going to be interesting. I wonder how he will react when he discovers I'm a criminal too. But if I still go through with this, it would be nice to see some familiar faces. More so Neo than the twins, but still.'
"Maybe if you're still around, you can help me meet the Twins since I already met Neo."
"If I'm still around, sure. Well, if I'm around since the Twins are not in this town. But still, I could lend a hand."
"Thanks." Jaune said as the employee returned with their food.
"Enjoy." The employee said before leaving.
"Cheers." Jaune said as they started eating their food.
'He's definitely nice to treat me to something like this. Still, hopefully, by the end of the day, I'll have my answer.' Emerald thought as she enjoyed her meal.
Half an Hour Later
"Okay. That was good. Thanks for the meal." Emerald said they exited the place.
"You're welcome." Jaune said, smiling.
"So, now where?"
"Hmm. How about we head to the beach?"
"Should we wait a bit before going there since we just ate?" Emerald asked.
"We're not going into the water. It might not be that late, but the lifeguards are off-duty now. But that doesn't mean we can't go there to relax, have fun in the sand, get a tan, or do something else."
"True. But, uh. I don't have a swimsuit."
"Don't worry. There's a store nearby. Just pick the one you want, and I'll buy it for you." Jaune said.
"Are you sure? You don't have to do this, you know."
"I know. But it's my gift to you. Don't worry."
"Alright. Lead the way."
One Hour Later
"Now, this is nice." Emerald said as she and Jaune set up their blankets and chairs.
"It is. But wait until you see the hidden beach. If you're still here tomorrow, I can take you there along with my friends." Jaune said, smirking.
"How beautiful is it?"
"One of the best in Vale. It's just beautiful and amazing. Maybe not the best for surfing, but just to hang out there, there's no better place. Rocks provide shade from the sun, calm winds, gentle waves; it's paradise."
"Oh, you have to take me there if I'm still around. While it's a bit of a shame that it's not good for surfing since I want to learn how to surf, it still sounds amazing."
"Well, I don't know how to surf. But maybe I can get my sister, Amber, to teach you." Jaune said as he finished setting everything up. "There."
"Amber was the one that answered the door, right?" Emerald asked, sitting down in the chair and stretching. While it might not be the warmest of days, the cool air with the sun overhead made it a pleasant experience nonetheless.
"Nope. That was Dahlia. And the other is Saphron." Jaune said, sitting down.
"Wait. And the one with black hair?"
"That's Terra. She's Saphron's wife."
"And the one that was sitting on the couch's armrest?"
"That's Clementine. She's my youngest sister."
"How many sisters do you have, then?"
"I have seven. You only saw three. Two were in the kitchen when you arrived. They are Poppy and Primrose. And they are mirror twins."
"That must be a pain differentiating them."
"You have no idea. Thankfully, they can no longer trick me since I learned enough of their 'tells' to differentiate them." Jaune chuckled as the memories came back. "Oh. And before I forget, which I already did with my friends. But the twins love to talk at the same time with each other. But they only do that to creep others out and sometimes scare them at night."
"Good to know." Emerald said, glad she now knew that. And that was because if she didn't, and the Twins tried something, she might accidentally hurt them. "What about the others?"
"Well, there is Midori. She's the third oldest in the family, with me being the fourth. And she's not here because she's in medical school."
"Wouldn't she have a vacation around this time?"
"Typically. But her teachers gave her some many important 'assignments' that she had to stay behind."
"That sucks."
"It does."
"But what about your last sister?"
"That's Amber. And she, unfortunately, couldn't get any time off from work."
"Wow, you have a big family."
"Yeah. It wasn't easy, but we made it work and love and care for each other."
"Wait. You said you're marrying eighteen others, right?" Emerald asked with a grin slowly forming on her face.
"Yes. What about it?"
"Well, while I might not want kids any time soon, do you think the others might want kids?"
"Possibly. I know Pyrrha and Nora want to have a few kids in the future. Why do you ask?" Jaune asked, curious.
"Well, assuming all seventeen others want to have kids. And if they only have one, that's seventeen kids you have to help raise. But what if they want multiple kids? And let's say you have your parent's genes. Combine those two, and how many kids do you think that will be in total?" Emerald asked, smirking. And she nearly burst out laughing when Jaune realized how many children he could potentially have before fainting. Chuckling, Emerald grabbed her scroll and was about to pull up something she was reading to pass the time when she noticed someone was calling her. "Hey, Mercury."
'Hey, Em. How's it going with the town?' Mercury asked.
"So far, so good. I'm still not entirely sure if moving here would be the right move yet."
'How long until you think you might have an answer?'
"Maybe until the day after tomorrow at the latest. But hopefully sooner."
'Alright. Just be careful.'
"Will do. But how's everything on your end?"
'Everything is done on my end. I just need to grab a few things to make transporting them easier. But aside from that, everything is done and accounted for.'
Meanwhile
On a Nearby Roof
"So it seems like she is doing this for another reason." Primrose said as she and Poppy peered over the edge of a nearby roof.
"Seems like it. But it doesn't seem to be for anything bad." Poppy said.
"Yeah. It seems like she just needs a place to stay that's not temporary. And it seems like she's not doing this only for herself but to help whoever is on the scroll."
"I wonder who's on the scroll."
"Probably her friend or sibling. She might have hinted her parents weren't around, but that doesn't mean her siblings aren't around."
"True. But should we tell Jaune and the others this?" Poppy asked.
"No. Not yet. Let's let this play out and then decide. Who knows, maybe she might fall for big bro's charms like those other three."
"If my charms, you mean clumsiness, then maybe." Poppy said, chuckling.
"Yeah, bro is kind of a dork. But you could say that's part of his charm."
"It is. I wonder who the others are. Maybe Mom and Dad will tell us." Poppy said, wondering who else her brother was marrying. But when she didn't hear anything, she turned to her side and became worried when she didn't see Primrose there. However, before she could say anything, a familiar voice spoke up.
"Date or not, you two know you should respect privacy." The voice said as the owner hoisted the twins two feet above the ground. And before the twins could say anything, the mysterious figure dragged them away.
Two Hours Later
"Enjoyed your nap?" Jaune asked as Emerald woke up.
"Yeah. When did I doze off?" Emerald asked, stretching.
"Not sure. You were already asleep when I woke up."
"What time is it?"
"About to be seven."
"Well. This was fun. But I think we should move on to the next one. If there is one." Emerald said, standing up.
"Yeah. I have one last stop before we head back to my place."
"What is it?"
"It's a surprise. Don't worry; you'll like it. Just trust me." Jaune said with a reassuring smile.
"Uh. Alright." Emerald said. While she didn't trust anybody easily, including Mercury at first, Emerald knew she had to go along with it if she wanted the plan to succeed.
"Come on. It will be nice."
"Okay. Where is it?"
"As I said, it's a surprise. But first, let's pack up and return the chairs and umbrella." Jaune said.
"Alright."
Half an Hour Later
Sheliak's Central Park
"So, what did you want to show me?" Emerald asked, curious, looking around. While admittingly the park did look nice, she was confused why this was the last place Jaune wanted to show her as it was almost too dark to do anything. And while something like this would raise numerous red flags for others, Emerald wasn't worried. She could swiftly knock out Jaune. But also, he didn't seem like the kind of guy to EVEN THINK about something like that.
"Sheliak's isn't known for a lot. We're mainly known for the beaches and being like a second Menagerie because of our care, protectiveness, and open arms toward Faunus. But there is something we're also known for that not a lot of outside people know about." Jaune answered as he guided her to the center path of the park that was near a lot of trees. But there weren't so many that they obscured their vision.
"And what's that?"
"This." Jaune said, smiling
Confused, Emerald raised an eyebrow as she looked around. For a moment, nothing seemed different. But that changed when the park suddenly lit up as hundreds of fireflies woke up and started flying about. Their lights gave the place an almost otherwordly feeling, but one that was not at all unwelcomed. It almost seemed like something from a kid's movie.
"Wow." Emerald said, amazed.
"Everyone has that same expression." Jaune chuckled as he sat down on the nearby bench.
"This is amazing."
"It is."
"How often does this happen?" Emerald asked, sitting next to Jaune.
"Only like two or three times a year. And it only happens during this week."
"Have you lived here all your life?"
"Well... yeah. I lived here my whole life. But I technically now 'live' at Beacon since I'm studying there."
"You must have missed it here." Emerald said with a hint of jealousy.
"A bit. But I talk with my sisters whenever we get the chance."
"That reminds me. Where are you going to go when you marry all of your future wives? Are you going to stay here or move somewhere else?"
"I wouldn't mind moving to one of the coastal towns in Mistral. But then again, that's not the best place for people like Velvet as she had real bad experiences there. And I don't want her to go through that again. But you do raise a point. I should ask everyone once we're together so we can work it out. And I just realized there's a ton of other things we need to discuss... as one big family." Jaune said, mind racing. "But anyway. What about you, Emerald?"
"What about me?" Emerald asked, confused.
"I might as well ask since we're on the topic of homes. Do you have any idea where you want to live once we're married?"
"I never really gave too much thought to it. And that's mainly because I kept moving from place to place. And by that, I mean moved homes. But yeah. I guess I wouldn't mind living here in the future since the place seems nice and friendly." Emerald answered/lied. In truth, she had thought about it often and wondered where and when she would be able to get a home, she could call her own. But after everything that happened, Emerald began to doubt that would ever happen. And while she liked the town and wouldn't mind settling down here, Emerald knew she didn't have too much of a choice. Nearly most other towns in Vale and Mistral would arrest her on the spot.
"This is a nice town. And I wouldn't mind living here for the rest of my life." Jaune agreed. "But enough about me. What about you, Emerald? Tell me a bit about yourself."
"Ah. Okay. Well, let's see." Emerald said, unsure of where to begin without giving too much away. But then she remembered she didn't have to tell the truth yet. She could give a half-lie to throw off Jaune. "Oh, here's something. I always like some magic tricks."
"Magic tricks? Really?" Jaune asked, surprised.
"Yeah. I always liked some of those old ones. Even though most of them were simple sleight-of-hand tricks, they were still amazing to watch."
"What about the more modern, complex tricks?"
"That depends. Some of them are genius, but the others are just letdowns."
"Yeah. Some of them seemed kind of dumb or not at all magical." Jaune agreed. "Okay. How about this? What's your favorite drink?"
"Hmm. I've never really been picky with my drinks or food, so I can't really say I have a favorite. But I always like refreshing drinks as opposed to bitter ones."
"Same. I like refreshing ones better than bitter drinks. Okay. How-" Jaune began, but the sounds of his scroll ringing stopped him. Taking it out, he saw that his sister was texting him. "One moment."
'Oh, thanks, Oum, that happened. I should have come better prepared for questions like this.' Emerald thought in relief as she struggled to give some answers without giving too much away.
"Sorry about that." Jaune said as he put away his scroll.
"Did something happen?"
"Yes. It looks like we'll have to cut this... outing short. My sister texted me. She says we need to head back."
"Did she say for what?"
"Yes. My mom finished making dinner. And you're invited." Jaune answered.
"Really?" Emerald asked, surprised.
"Of course. Come on."
"Alright. And remind me to thank her directly. And it was good timing since I am getting a little hungry."
"Then you're in for another treat." Jaune said, smirking.
Ten Minutes Later
Arc Residence
"Well. That was a nice hanging out today. I'm not sure if that's how it's called." Emerald said as they arrived.
"Yeah. It's not exactly a date, but it's a bit more than just friends hanging out. It's weird, and I'm not sure what to call it, either. So I just call it an outing."
"Yeah, it's kind of weird. But I think I will call it an outing too."
"Oh. Before I forget, do you have your answer yet for the contract, or do you feel like you need more time?"
"I need more time to answer that."
"Alright. Take all the time you need."
"Thanks, Jaune." Emerald said before realizing something. "Oh, ah. Before I forget. Do you know when the bullheads close?"
"You don't really have a place to stay, do you?" Jaune asked, surprising her.
"I ah. Of course..." Emerald began but stopped when Jaune eyed her with a glance that saw through her lie. Sighing, she nodded. "What gave it away?"
"You fidgeted ever so slightly when we talked about the homes and places to stay. But also because I grew up with seven sisters. And three of them loved to prank and lie. So, I had to get good at catching lies. But if it's any consolation, you were pretty good."
"It's not really consolation. But thanks for the compliment. But yeah, I don't have a place to stay at the moment." Emerald half-lied. 'Technically, I do. But not for much longer.'
"If you want, you're more than welcome to stay here for the time being." Jaune said, surprsing her.
"Are you sure? Do you think your parents would be okay with that? Do you even have enough space?"
"Yes, we have enough space. And I'm sure my parents would be okay with letting you stay for a while." Jaune assured.
'Okay. So I don't need to worry about finding a place for the night. And I can use tomorrow to snatch the last of the supplies for the wedding, get to know the town better or go over a few things with his parents. But I should text Mercury when everyone else goes to sleep.' Emerald thought, smiling. "Thanks, Jaune. I appreciate it."
"You're welcome, Emerald." Jaune said as they entered the house. And almost immediately, they were greeted by the delicious scent of cooked food.
"Finally. You two are back." Aurelia said, smiling as she entered the room while Jaune closed the door. "How was it?"
"It was nice." Emerald answered, with Jaune nodding.
"That's good. But I bet you two are hungry. Come. The others are waiting."
"Oh, mom." Jaune said.
"Yes, Jaune."
"Would it be alright if Emerald could sleep over for a while? She needs a place for the time being."
"Of course. I can set up the guest room after dinner. Plus, it would give us time to go over everything that's needed for the wedding."
"Thank you, Mrs. Arc." Emerald said, smiling.
"You're quite welcome, dear. Now come on. The others are getting impatient." Aurelia said before heading to the kitchen, followed by Jaune and Emerald.
"Thanks again, Jaune." Emerald said.
"You're welcome." Jaune said as they entered the kitchen. Although, he was surprised to see his sister, Midori, there. But he raised an eyebrow when she was eyeing the twins. "Hey, Midori. I thought you couldn't make it because of schoolwork."
"Hey, Jaune. Yeah, I thought so too. But I managed to finish it a lot earlier than I expected." Midori explained as Emerald and Jaune sat in their seats.
"But, uh. Why are you eyeing those two like you did something?" Emerald asked.
"Well, while I was coming here, I saw you two hanging out on the beach. I was about to come to say hi when I noticed something was off. And then I saw these two on a nearby roof spying on you two. So I grabbed them and dragged their butts home." Midori explained, with the twins refusing to make eye contact.
"Thanks, Midori." Jaune said, not at all surprised that the twins were spying on him.
"You're welcome, Jaune." Midori said as they enjoyed their meals. "But once we're done, you have to tell me everything about your arranged marriages and future wives."
"Not at the dinner table, children." Aurelia warned.
"I'll tell you later." Jaune said, chuckling.
Two Hours Later
"Alright. Good night everyone." Jaune said as he entered his room.
And he had to take a moment to collect himself as the memories came flooding back to him. Walking over to his closet, Jaune grabbed some pajamas before changing into them and getting into bed. And to his shock, Velvet was already there, waiting for him.
"Mind if I sleep with you tonight, Jaune? Just this one." Velvet asked.
'Might as well let her. Pyrrha and Nora had been doing that for the past few days. And it wouldn't hurt.' Jaune thought. "Okay."
"Yes. Thanks, Jaune." Velvet said, smiling.
"You're welcome." Jaune said as he got in. And without missing a beat, Velvet snuggled into him. Taking a chance, Jaune wrapped his left arm around her, causing her to smile and snuggle into him some more. Smiling himself, Jaune closed his eyes and relaxed.
'Well, it was nice meeting Emerald today. I wonder who I am going to meet next.'
Next Morning
"Okay. That was a great sleep." Jaune said, stretching.
But then he noticed that Velvet wasn't there anymore. Figuring that she was already up, Jaune decided to do the same and get ready for the day. Standing up, he went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Exiting after a few moments, Jaune changed out of his pajamas and into his day clothes before leaving his room.
'Hmm. It seems like today is going to be a good day. Maybe I can take everyone to the beach. And we can have a barbeque later. I know Dad's been wanting to make one for a while.' Jaune thought as he walked down the hall to the stairs. Going down them, he was about to head into the kitchen for a quick breakfast but stopped dead in his tracks at the bottom by what he saw.
"Morning, Jaune." His parents said with tense smiles. For a brief moment, he wondered why. But he got his answer when he saw the people sitting across from them.
It was Blake and her Family. And she was NOT happy.
'Oh, no.' Jaune thought as he felt Blake's anger radiating from her.
Notes:
Soleil V.A.R: Those are some good ideas. Although, for Weiss, I'm unsure about adding Neptune. But the reasons you provided will give it a fresh twist than the 'After her money' thing. But I'm unsure if I will use Neptune since it might complicate things, and I'm juggling enough characters as it is. As for Winter, I think those suggestions are also good. Winter does it out of respect for her mother's wishes, but also, I might add that she wants to see the whole picture of Arc rather than just from the stories from Weiss. But I might still have her weary of Arc because of the trauma her father put her through. Although, she would still be glad that it isn't someone like Jacques or some Atlas Elite. And yes, for Yang, yeah, I already planned on doing something different since the usual ones felt a bit shallow or cliché at this point. However, I'm still deciding on whether to have it about Ruby/siblings or something else. Also, for the Winter Stalker thing. Yeah, that was the inspiration for the third option in the last chapter's notes. It came from this story I read a while ago where Winter fell in love with Jaune from Weiss's stories and eventually became a stalker and borderline yandere to Jaune. Granted, it might not have gone that far if that option had been chosen. But either way, while I still need to decide on them, thanks for the suggestions.
Essiter1987: Yeah, that's technically how it's supposed to go. But it wasn't a date. Jaune only thinks that because Neo 'said' it. And Neo didn't consider it a date. Also, yeah, Roman got a hangover from that drink. For Winter, the protectiveness of Wiess will be included, although I'm not too sure about the baby-obsessed bachelorette thing.
Blazingshade3: Yeah, the three stages together, one after another, is an option. Although I'm still working it out for her. But the whole Winter working out with Jaune without telling Weiss is an interesting idea. I might use it. Thanks.