WAIT, WHAT! HOW MANY I'M MARRYING!?
Chapter 10:
"Oh. Ah. Hello, Blake." Jaune nervously said.
"Jaune." Blake said through narrow eyes. But Jaune couldn't tell if it was filled with anger, annoyance, sympathy, or something else. And he couldn't tell if it was directed at him or something else.
'This is going to be painful. Hopefully, Ren brought those medical supplies.' Jaune nervously thought.
Twelve Hours Ago
Menagerie
'It's good to be home.' Blake thought with a rare smile as she saw faunus going about their lives without anyone giving them trouble.
Breathing in the familiar scent, Blake made her way to her home. And as she made her way there, Blake couldn't help but let the memories come back to her. All the good times she spent here with her family, enjoying life when it was so much simpler. She remembered going to the local stores for souvenir shopping and taking many mother-daughter workshop classes.
"Again. Again." A little boy shouted, catching Blake's attention.
Turning to where it came from, Blake smiled when she saw a little reptile faunus boy playing with his father. The father chuckled before grabbing his son and placing him on his shoulders before running around. The scene warmed Blake's heart as she remembered all the times she played around with her father. While Blake and her father might not have always had the best of relationships, she always cherished what he did for her. Unfortunately, Blake's relationship with her parents deteriorated after what she had done. And for a while, she thought she would never be able to repair it. Thankfully, that wasn't true. And while there were still a few rough patches here and there, their relationship was rapidly improving. It was almost as if it never happened. Although, Blake wondered if something happened that caused their relationship to strain again as her parents sounded serious on the scroll.
'I wonder what they wanted to talk about?' Blake wondered as she continued heading home.
"Hey, Blake." A voice said, snapping Blake from her thoughts. Turning to her right, Blake smiled when she saw a familiar face.
"Hey, Anastasius. How are you?" Blake asked the local dessert vendor.
"Not bad, Blake. And you?" Anastasius, an elk faunus, answered, smiling.
"A bit tired, but otherwise, fine."
"That's good. Are you returning or just visiting?"
"Visiting. Well, an impromptu visit. My parents asked me to come as soon as I can. Apparently, something important came up, but they didn't tell me what it was."
"Must be something big then. Here. Have a taiyaki on the house." Anastasius said, handing Blake a taiyaki filled with red bean paste.
"Thanks, Anastasius. I'll see you later." Blake said before leaving.
"Take care, Blake. It was nice seeing you again." Anastasius shouted before returning to his work.
Smiling, Blake took a bite out of the taiyaki and resumed her walk to her home. But despite the treat calming her down, she still wondered what her parents wanted to talk about.
Ten Minutes Later
"Mom. Dad. I'm home." Blake said as she entered her home and closed the door.
"Blake. You're back." Kali said, rushing out of the living room and running to the front to pull her daughter into a hug.
"Hi, Mom." Blake said, hugging her Mom back.
"It's so good to see you again, Blake. I'm glad you're here."
"Thanks, Mom. It's good to see you again." Blake said as they separated. "Where's dad?"
"He's in the living room waiting for us. Come. I just finished making us some light snacks."
"Okay." Blake said, excited. While she would have preferred for it to be a meal since she didn't have lunch, she was still glad to be able to sit down and eat with her family again. Don't get her wrong, Blake still liked eating with her friends and teammates, even if they annoyed her to no end, but at the end of the day, being with her family was better. Plus, it's been a while since she had done so anyway. However, as they made their way to the living room, Blake remembered why she had to make this impromptu visit. "Oh. Before I forget, Mom. Why did you and Dad ask me to come as soon as I could? Don't get me wrong; I don't mind visiting again. But this seemed so all of a sudden."
"It kind of is." Ghira said, smiling, as he saw his daughter and wife enter the living room.
"Hey, Dad." Blake said, happy to see her father again.
"Hello, Blake. Come. Sit with us, and let's talk about your time at Beacon. And then, once we're done, we can discuss the reason why we asked you to come home as soon as you could."
"Alright." Blake said as she and Kali sat down and started eating the snacks Kali made.
Fifteen Minutes Later
"And that was how I ended up barely escaping detention along with Team Jnpr's leader." Blake said, finishing the story of one of her team's many antics.
"I take it these adventures of yours are quite common." Kali said, laughing at her daughter's stories of her time at Beacon.
"More so than you think. I'm honestly surprised that we haven't had more detentions."
"Well. I'm glad you're having a good time at Beacon." Ghira said, setting down his drink.
"And that you're making friends, dear. It's so much better than reading books while locked in your room. Not that those kinds of books can't fill some missing desires." Kali nonchalantly said, earning a blush from Blake and a confused glance from Ghira.
"But now, it's time we move on to more important manners." Ghira said with a sigh. "We need to discuss why we asked you to come here as soon as you could, Blake."
"What is it?" Blake tensely asked.
"As you know, your mother and I aren't getting any younger. We might still be able to do a lot, but we're not sure for how long."
"And while the Grimm are on the decline, this planet is still full of dangers. We could leave this world and enter Oum's kingdom at any moment. And that nearly happened before." Kali added.
"Wait. It did?" Blake asked, surprised and worried.
"Yes. We believe you were around six when it happened, which is why you don't remember it."
"What happened?"
"It was the summertime, and we decided to take a vacation. After a bit of discussion, we settled on taking a trip to some friendly villages in Vale. However, due to a lie we foolishly believed, we took a bus to get to the next village. Unfortunately, it was a trap, and the ones that volunteered to guard us were part of it. As we were arriving, a group of Anti-Faunus people attacked us. They even released some Grimm they had captured. While we managed to fend some off, we knew we would be quickly overrun." Ghira began.
"Thankfully, as we were running away, a brave young boy found us and guided us to the village we were supposed to visit. Although, we did nearly have a heart attack when one of our attackers confronted the boy. Luckily, the boy did not tell the man anything despite the threats. Afterward, the village took us in and tended to our injuries." Kali continued.
"They even let us stay there for a while until our attackers forgot about us. Even when they threatened to burn down the village, they stood firm. And once all was done, they personally flew us home, but not before we discussed a few things."
"What's the name of the town?" Blake asked, curious.
"Sheliak." Kali answered.
"Isn't that the village that some call a second Menagerie?"
"Yes. And it's a fitting nickname as the Faunus there are treated with the utmost respect. The town is also very protective of them, having laws in place to protect them. They are also very picky with who can enter or move into the town. Moreover, they are very cautious with who they do business with." Ghira answered.
"Well. I'm glad you guys are okay, and that town exists. But what does it have to do with me or why you called me here?" Blake asked.
"We're getting to that." Kali tensely answered.
"As I said, we're getting older and won't be around forever. And soon, it will be your time to take over as Chieftess of Menagerie. That means a lot of responsibility will soon fall on your shoulders." Ghira said.
"Right." Blake sighed. Despite always putting it off, Blake knew that one day, she would become the Chieftess of Menagerie. It was inevitable. And that meant certain things would come with it. Things that she was not looking forward to. However, she still wondered why they told her this story. "But there is something else you need to tell me, right?"
"Yes. You see, during our stay at Sheliak, we realized how beneficial it would be if we were more than just allies or partners."
"And you know what that usually means." Kali said.
"An Arranged Marriage." Blake said. While she knew Menagerie did constantly change to adapt to the times, there were still things they latched on to. And one of them was arranged marriages for the leaders or ones in high positions.
"Yes. During our time there, we made an arranged marriage for you."
"Figures. So, I'm going to marry the son of the leader of the town?"
"No." Ghira answered, surprising Blake.
"No? But isn't that how it normally goes?" Blake asked, thoroughly confused.
"Typically, yes. But the leader never agreed with how it has to be between the leaders' children. He felt that would only lead to more problems than solutions. However, for legal causes, he will treat it as if it were."
"Then, who am I marrying?"
"Remember how we said a little boy saved us?" Kali asked.
"Yes."
"Well, as it turns out, that young boy was the son of some old friends. And after meeting with them, they were exactly the same as when we last saw them."
"And by that, we mean they were still respectable, caring, and open-minded as their ancestors." Ghira added.
"We also kept up with them after a while, and it seems like the son will carry on these traits. In fact, he seems to be even better than his parents." Kali said.
"Well, at least he will be nice." Blake groaned. While she still didn't like this, she was at least thankful that her parents chose someone who was respectable and nice and not sleazy. Or so she hoped, as things can always change. "So, what's his name?"
"The family's name is Arc. And the son's name is Jaune." Ghira answered, causing Blake to become shocked and tense up considerably.
"Can you... run that by me again?" Blake asked.
"His name is Jaune Arc. He's the son of Jett and Aurelia Arc."
"And the Arc family is one of the more noble ones out there that also helped the Great King end the war." Kali added.
"You said Jaune Arc, right?" Blake asked, still trying to process the name.
"Yes. Why?" Ghira asked.
"Do you know him?" Kali asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That's..." Blake said, unsure of how to say it.
"You know him, but not personally." Ghira said.
"That's pretty much it. We talked a few times at Beacon, but that's it. Although we did become slightly better... acquaintances after he stood up for Velvet, another faunus, and got her bullies to stop harassing her. But still, we hardly know each other. At the very least, though, it's not awkward."
"It seems like Jaune is taking after his ancestors after all." Kali said to Ghira. While she would have whispered it, she knew Blake would have heard them regardless.
"Which is good. If he is even half as good as his ancestors, I know he will treat Blake well." Ghira said.
"And with Blake by his side, both villages would prosper and remain intact."
"You know I'm still here." Blake said, annoyed.
"Sorry." Her parents said.
"Anyway. So you don't know Jaune beyond a few things?" Kali asked after clearing her throat.
"Yes. I know a few basic things about Jaune. But that's about it. But it's enough for it not to be too awkward between us." Blake answered before sighing. "But at the very least, he is nice. So, what now? And when is the marriage?"
"The marriage isn't until the Fourteenth of February."
"Great." Blake said, her cat ears flattening on her head. And it wasn't because that didn't give her too much time; it was because the marriage was on her least favorite holiday.
"I know. It isn't much time. And we're sorry for that. But things keep coming up." Kali said.
"As for what else. Well, there isn't much you need to do. The rest is on us and Arc's parents. But there are two things you can do. The first is to go with your Mom and organize what kind of marriage ceremony you want. There is no limit or restrictions on what you can have, so choose what you want. Second, I would recommend that you get to know Jaune Arc better. While knowing a bit about him is enough for now, it would be for the best for the both of you if you get to know each other better. It would undoubtedly make things less awkward later on." Ghira answered.
"You're right. I should get to know him better since we're going to get married. And at least I get to pick out my wedding." Blake said.
"Oh, I can't wait to help you with that, dear. I already have several ideas for it." Kali excitedly said. Black let out a chuckle at seeing her mother so excited, but she went silent with a knot forming in her stomach when she realized something.
"But, ah. Do we have to have kids in the future?"
"No. You do not need to have kids in the future. You can if you want, but it's not necessary." Ghira answered.
"Although, we wouldn't mind having little blond kittens running around." Kali said, causing Blake to blush. "But if you don't feel comfortable with that, you can always choose to adopt. That is if you want kids in the first place."
'That's a relief.' Blake thought, calming down. 'I don't think I even want kids, to be honest.'
"Do you have any other questions, Blake?" Ghira asked.
"Not that I can think of. But let me see if I have everything down." Blake answered, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "You guys called me here to tell me that soon it will be my time to lead Mengarie."
"You won't officially lead Menagerie for a few more years, but as you know, time flies."
"You two also put me into an arranged contract about a decade ago. The one I'm going to marry is the son of your old friends. And it just so happened to be my classmate at Beacon."
"Which is a coincidence and a half. I feel like the Brothers had a hand in this." Kali said.
"And the arranged marriage is also to unify two villages, Menagerie and Sheliak."
"Yes. It will help everyone." Ghira answered.
"Oh, Oum." Blake said, covering her face with her hands.
"Are you okay, Blake?" Kali asked, worried.
"I'm fine, Mom. It's just that. I knew that this was going to happen eventually. I just wasn't expecting it to happen all of a sudden. But then again, I should have prepared myself for this."
"Don't worry, Blake. It is a lot to take in. But you won't be going through this alone. Your mother and I will be with you every step of the way until we draw our last breath." Ghira assured as he and Kali moved to sit next to their daughter.
"Thanks, Mom and Dad." Blake said, grateful to have such caring and loving parents.
"You're welcome, dear. And don't be afraid to tell us if anything happens with the marriage or any part else." Kali said.
'While I might not like it, I doubt anything like that would happen since Arc already proved himself to be above those kinds of things. Plus, even if he tries, I can still kick his ass.' Blake thought before letting out a yawn. "Is there anything else we need to discuss?"
"Nothing right now. However, we will need to head to Sheliak early tomorrow." Ghira answered.
"Why?"
"There are still a few things we need to finalize with the Arc family and town leader of Sheliak. And some papers require your signature and Arc's signature."
"Oh. What time do we have to leave?"
"We have to be in Sheliak, specifically at the Arc's house, at eight."
"And from Menagerie, it's nearly an eight-hour trip. So why don't you take a quick nap while we get ready. And I'll wake you up when it's time." Kali said.
"Alright." Blake said before getting up and heading to her room for a quick nap.
"I'm still slightly worried about this. I know the Arc Family is good people, but still." Kali said.
"I know. But by doing so, we're securing Blake with a promising future. A future where she is mostly safe from the hazards of this world, and those that remain, she can rely on the others to help her face them." Ghira assured.
"You're right. Thanks, Ghira." Kali said, grabbing her husband's hand and earning a nod from him. However, she then gained a curious look. "But when should we tell her that she's only one of the total eighteen girls marrying Jaune Arc."
"Perhaps tomorrow. She's tired and is still processing everything."
"Right. We don't want to overwhelm her even more. But I am thankful and surprised that she already knows about Jaune Arc. Well, only slightly, but still."
"It would undoubtedly make things easier for the both of them." Ghira agreed. "But now, we need to get ready. We have a long trip and a busy day tomorrow."
"Right." Kali agreed as they got up and began to get ready for the trip.
Present Time
Arc House
"So. Uh. What's going on?" Jaune asked, unsure of what to say or do.
"The finalization of the marriage contract." Jett answered.
"Wait. I thought everything was settled already?" Jaune asked, confused.
"Not everything." Aurelia answered.
"Your mother is right, young Arc. There are still several things we must discuss." Ghira answered.
"Like?" Jaune asked, feeling a lump form in his throat.
"Your parents probably haven't told you yet. But there is another thing to this marriage than just wanting our daughter to have a promising future. While that is our primary purpose for this contract, the other reason is to have both Menagerie and Sheliak become unified." Kali said.
"WHAT?!" Jaune asked, shocked.
"I'll explain later." Blake sighed as everyone else entered the living room.
"Jaune. Is everything... okay?" Pyrrha asked before trailing off when everyone saw Blake and her family.
"BLAKE!" They shouted in surprise.
"I take this to be a family reunion and to finally let your teammates meet your family." Blake said, raising an eyebrow.
"More or less." Jaune said. "I'll explain everything later."
"Looks like we have a lot to discuss later." Blake sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose. "And why are Velvet and Coco here? And where is the rest of their team?"
"What's happening, Jaune?" Velvet asked, moving to stand next to Jaune and grabbing his hand, causing Jaune to blush slightly.
"Well. From what I know, Blake's parents are here to finalize the... political aspect of the marriage contract between Blake and me. And it's to unify Menagerie and Sheliak." Jaune answered.
"Oh, right. I forgot that Blake is another one of your future wives." Nora said.
"Wait. What?" Blake asked, confused.
"Uh... yeah. About that. You-" Jaune began, but Coco cut him off.
"Your parents were probably going to tell you, but I'll just say it. Arc is not just marrying you. He's marrying a total of eighteen girls. He's marrying me, Velvet, Nikos, Valkyrie, Emerald here, and twelve others. And three of them are your teammates." She said.
"WHAT?!" Blake asked, shocked, before turning to her parents. "Is this true?"
"Yes. It is." Ghira answered, glaring at Coco.
"When were you guys going to tell me? Is this even allowed?"
"We didn't want to overwhelm you yesterday. So, we planned on telling you today. But now we have no need since she just told you." Kali answered.
"And yes, it is legal. While there are laws regarding arranged marriages, none talk about how many someone can be married to through arranged marriages." Ghira answered.
"I'm going to need some aspirin after this." Blake said with a sigh.
"Yeah. I needed some too, when I learned this." Jaune said.
"Wait. So that explains why Ren was bringing all those medical supplies back to your dorm."
"Pretty much." Ren said.
"And what about those assignments for Professor Peach?"
"Not assignments. I asked Professor Peach for help in making some impromptu medicines and first-aid treatments."
"Well, considering Yang is one of them, that was a good idea."
"What about the other two members? Who were they again, Jaune?" Emerald asked.
"They are Weiss and Ruby. And Ruby is the younger sister of Yang."
"And Yang is very protective of Ruby." Pyrrha added.
"Oh, so like how we were with Jaune when he was younger." Dahlia said.
"And how he was protective of the Twins and Clementine." Saphron added.
"We would say so." Nora said.
"What about the other one? Weiss?" The Twins simultaneously asked.
"That was... slightly creepy." Ghira said.
"Yeah." Kali agreed and felt slightly uneasy when the twins looked at her, tilted their heads, and blinked slowly. She shifted uncomfortably as memories of that one movie she saw long ago came to mind.
"Weiss. We're not sure how she would react." Nora said.
"She obviously won't take it well. Weiss might be slightly furious." Pyrrha said.
"But not enough to attack Arc." Coco added before whispering. "Not like I regrettably did."
"Anyway. Do you guys need some privacy since this contract is more political than others?" Midori asked, hoping to get the conversation back on track.
"Yes." Jett answered before getting up and giving Midori his card.
"Take the others into town and show them around. Meanwhile, the rest of us can put the finishing touches to this contract." Aurelia said before adding. "But not too many sweets."
"Alright. Come on, everyone. I know the perfect place." Midori said before leading everyone out.
"Bye, Jaune." Velvet said, kissing him on the cheek near his lips before leaving, causing Jaune to blush.
"See you, Jaune." Nora and Pyrrha said, hugging him before leaving.
"I didn't expect Velvet to be so bold." Blake said, surprised.
"Neither did I." Jaune said.
"But if may be so bold to ask. Why didn't the one with the beret do anything?" Kali asked, curious.
"Oh. Pyrrha, Nora, and I are already in a relationship. Well, it happened after we learned about the contracts."
"Really?"
"Yes. Nora and Pyrrha held feelings for me for some time. I did as well, but I didn't realize it yet. The contracts helped bring everything to light, and after an experimental date, we entered an actual relationship."
"That's nice." Kali said, wondering if her daughter and Jaune would eventually develop feelings for each other. But a little outside help from her wouldn't hurt. But even if they don't, at the very least, they will still be friends.
"But what about the other faunus and the one with the beret?" Ghira asked.
"Velvet does have feelings for me. The thing is, I don't return her feelings yet, primarily because we hardly know each other. So, we agreed to go slow. And maybe things might change in the future. As for Coco, we see each other as acquaintances at most. And we also agreed to take it slow and get to know each other better so that things won't be so awkward when we get married." Jaune explained.
"That's a good idea. It would make things less awkward." Ghira nodded, so far still pleased with Arc. "But anyway. Let's begin."
"There is a lot we need to go over." Kali added as Jaune sat with his family.
'And here I had hoped homework wouldn't follow me.' Jaune thought with a sigh.
'Today is going to be a long day.' Blake and Jaune thought.
Six Hours Later
"And that will happen once I step down and Blake takes over." Ghira said while setting down his pen.
"Alright. That's agreeable." Jaune said, close to fainting from fatigue and boredom. Thankfully, his family brewed everyone some coffee. While it still wasn't his preferred drink, he welcomed the boost it gave.
"What about you, Blake?" Aurelia asked.
"Do you find our terms acceptable?" Jett asked.
"Yes." Blake tiredly answered before downing another cup of coffee.
"Okay. That takes care of this part." Kali said, organizing everything. "Well, parts that require our kids to be present."
"So, we can leave?" Blake and Jaune asked, surprising each other and causing their parents to laugh.
"Yes. You two can leave." Jett said, smiling.
"Yes. Neither of you needs to be here for the following parts. It's just between us parents." Ghira said, internally chuckling.
"That's right. The rest is just some minor things. But I am looking forward to talking with Mrs. Arc about organizing the wedding ceremony." Kali said, smiling.
"Don't forget, dear. We still need to talk with the town's leader to finalize a few things for both villages." Ghira reminded.
"Oh, right. I forgot about that."
"But in the meantime. Jaune. Why don't you take Blake and show her around town?" Aurelia suggested.
"Alright." Jaune said, standing up. "Uh. Coming, Blake?"
"Sure." Blake said, standing up and following Jaune out of the house.
"Looks like Blake was right." Kali said.
"In what way?" Aurelia asked, curious.
"In that, it is only somewhat awkward between them."
"Blake told us that they hardly talk with each other. But, despite that, it's not too awkward between them." Ghira added.
"That's good, as it does mean that they don't have to start from scratch like some of the others." Jett said. "But anyway. Let's get back on task. What else do we need to go over?"
"Well, for starters." Kali said as she clicked her pen.
Meanwhile
Sheliak's Pier
"Well. That was tiring." Jaune said, taking a sip from his favorite type of soda.
"It was. But you better get used to it, Jaune. There's going to be a lot more coming our way." Blake said before taking a sip from her coffee.
"Yeah." Jaune said while tapping his fingers against the railing. "So. Uh-"
"I might not know you that well, Jaune, especially compared to Pyrrha or Nora. And nowhere near as creepily as Velvet."
"Yeah. It was a little surprising and slightly creepy to see how much Velvet knows about me."
"But despite this, I know you enough, Jaune, that you blame yourself for this or think that I am mad at you. I'm not mad at you. Even when my parents told me this last night, I knew you had no part in this. So, don't blame yourself. I'm not mad at you."
"That's a relief." Jaune said, visibly relaxing. "But honestly. How do you feel right now? Not necessarily about the arranged marriage thing, just in general."
"A bit tired since I didn't sleep that well, and the trip here was long. And going over the terms was also mind-boggling numb."
"I'm pretty sure Yang and some others would have fallen asleep halfway through."
"Oh, definitely." Blake chuckled. "But honestly, right now, I feel a bit overwhelmed. I know I should have seen this coming, but still. It's a lot to take in."
"It sure is. Our lives have changed forever."
"But all we can do is to make the best of it."
"True." Jaune said. "And at least we have the others to help us."
"That's also true."
"Anyway. Since we're both tired, how about I show you some of the more relaxing spots of Sheliak."
"Alright. And our parents did suggest we get to know each other better, so we might as well do it and get it out of the way." Blake agreed while tossing her cup away. "So, what do you have in mind first?"
"We can go fishing if you want. Sheliak isn't the best for fishing, especially around this time of year. But there are still a few spots open where we can catch some."
"Are you saying that just because I'm a feline faunus?" Blake asked through narrow eyes.
"No, not really. It's just that I know you don't like one of the wilder activities, and fishing is a great way to unwind and relax."
"Alright." Blake sighed while mentally scolding herself for thinking that way. She knew Jaune didn't believe those kinds of stereotypes and wasn't one to follow them. Yes, SHE might love fish, but not all feline faunus like it. "So where is it? The place where we can fish?"
"A few miles away. We can take the bus there." Jaune answered.
"Better than walking. So what kind of fish can we catch there?"
"There aren't many. The most common ones here are rainbow trout, crappies, and bluegill."
"Oh. So we got some tasty options if we catch some." Blake said, already looking forward to eating some later today.
One Hour Later
"Would you like some music, Blake?" Jaune asked as they stood at the railing to the fishing area. Typically, there was an option to go out on the water on a small boat, but all of them were out of order or in need of maintenance.
"Normally, I would say yes, just to have some background noise. But I think we should use this peace and quiet to get to know each other better." Blake answered as she placed the bait on the hook before throwing it in the water.
"Alright." Jaune said, shrugging as he did the same. While fishing might have been one of his less preferred pastimes, he was willing to put up with it for Blake. "So, do you want to go first?"
"Sure. But let's just do the basics." Blake said. "What's your favorite food?"
"Cheeseburgers."
"Really?"
"Yup."
"I thought it was Pumpkin Pete's?"
"Well, that's for breakfast. And even though I rarely ate anything healthy as a kid, even I KNEW that having that for breakfast too much was seriously unhealthy. So I only had once in a while."
"Yeah. Didn't it have like fifteen grams of sugar?"
"Nope. It had thirty grams of sugar and eighteen grams of added sugar."
"Damn. That's just pure sugar at that point."
"Yup. I'm honestly surprised that my Mom even agreed to buy me that."
"My Mom would have a heart attack if I ever asked to have that." Blake chuckled. "But I'm sure you were surprised to meet the Pumpkin Pete's mascot."
"Uh. About that." Jaune said, scratching the back of his head.
"You didn't even realize it was her, did you?" Blake asked, smirking.
"Nope, not until Nora pointed it out."
"Figures." Blake said, laughing.
"So, what about you? What's your favorite food?"
"Moqueca, which is a Menagerie dish. It's a seafood stew that has shrimp or fish as a base with tomatoes, onions, garlic, lime, and coriander."
"Now that sounds delicious."
"It is. That's why it's my favorite." Blake said. "Your turn."
"Alright. What's your least favorite food?" Jaune asked.
"Hmm. I'm not sure. But I would say anything that's too sweet. What about you?"
"I would say turnips. I could never get behind the taste."
"Eh, I never really liked turnips either. I would eat them if they were part of the meal, but still not my favorite vegetable." Blake said, reeling in the line when she felt a tug. And to her delight, she caught a bluegill. "Okay. Now, what's your favorite drink?"
"Well, I like the People Like Grape Soda. But every now and then, I enjoy a Roy Rogers." Jaune answered, rolling his eyes when he reeled the line back and saw that the fish had escaped. Grabbing some more bait, he put it on the hook before tossing it back in the water. "What about you?"
"Black tea and sometimes green tea."
"Hot or iced?"
"Hot. But I don't mind an iced green tea when it gets hot."
"I prefer lemonade when it gets that hot."
"Your turn."
"Alright. What's your favorite dessert?"
"Taiyaki with chocolate fillings. You?"
"Don't really have a favorite, but I do enjoy some pumpkin pie when the occasion calls for it."
"Not my favorite, but my parents used to make it during the holidays." Blake said, thinking back to those times. Feeling her line tug again, Blake reeled in and was delighted to see that she had caught another bluegill fish. "Okay. Favorite movie genere?"
"Action movies with lots of fighting. Although, I don't mind ones that take some elements of Sci-fi. What about you?"
"I don't have a favorite genre. But that's because I like arthouse films."
"Arthouse films? What are those?" Jaune asked as he reeled in his line. And while this time he did catch a fish, it was too small, so he grumbled and threw it back.
"Arthouse films are movies that are of high quality but may not be extremely popular or successful, such as foreign movies or ones made by small film companies. Basically, think of them as niche movies." Blake explained.
"Oh, I get it now. Like that movie about the kid that gained psychic abilities while another lost his mind because of all the supernatural forces that are in the hotel they are staying at."
"I wouldn't exactly call that an arthouse film, but yeah, you get the idea." Blake said before focusing back on her line as she caught another fish. Figuring they had asked each other enough questions for now, Jaune decided to focus back on fighting. But to his dismay, he caught yet another too-small fish.
Two Hours Later
"Okay. I'll keep these on ice for you. Man, I wish I had half the luck you two had." The local fishmonger said, impressed with their catch. Well, Blake had an impressive catch as she caught eight bluegills and six crappies. But Jaune only caught a single slightly bigger-than-average rainbow trout.
"Thanks, Phelan. We'll pick them up later." Jaune said.
"So what else do you have in mind, Jaune?" Blake asked, feeling slightly better. While she still felt a bit overwhelmed by the contract and news, the peace from fishing that Jaune suggested did help her to calm down.
"Hmm. How about the bookstore or library?"
"Alright. But you know we could do something you like."
"I know. But still, it will give us some time to unwind and for you to prepare yourself."
"Prepare myself for what?" Blake asked, curious.
"My sisters. They will probably interrogate you since they are protective of me."
"Ah. Right. So, let's go to the bookstore." Blake said as they began heading there. "But I take it you're quite close with them."
"Yup, especially with Saphron."
"She's the one with the cute kid, right?"
"Yup. His name is Adrian. He's my nephew."
"Do you have any other nieces or nephews?"
"Not yet. It's just Adrian for now."
"You really have a big family." Blake said, smiling.
"Oh, yeah."
"I bet privacy was nonexistent."
"Privacy? What's that?" Jaune asked, smirking, causing Blake to roll her eyes while chuckling.
Ten Minutes Later
"Okay. We're here." Jaune said as they arrived at the bookstore.
"Huh. Bigger than I expected." Blake said, slightly impressed at the size.
"Yeah. It used to be a lot smaller. But the owners renovated it to open it up a bit more, which is good as it was a little claustrophobic."
"So, where should we meet up after we pick out our books? Or do you want to go through this together to see what we like?"
"I think the second option would be the best as it would let us to get to know each other a bit more."
"Fair. But let's start with you."
"Okay."
Shrugging, Blake followed Jaune toward one of the sections near the back. And as she expected, it was the comic book section. Rolling her eyes, Blake watched Jaune skim through the options before picking one. Figuring that while she wasn't a fan of comics, she could at least check some out. Going over to a nearby book rack, Blake looked through some of the options, but none really stood out to her aside from the one with a glowing blue male next to somebody wearing a mask and fedora.
"Anything catches your eye, Blake?" Jaune asked, snapping Blake back to focus.
"No. Not really. But that's because I've never been a fan of comics." Blake answered. "And that's usually because I prefer books with..."
"Artistic romance?"
"What?" Blake asked, surprised.
"You're Ninja of Love books."
"Oh. Right. Well, those have some plot but not a lot. I read them for... other... reasons."
"Okay then. What about graphic novels? They usually have a lot more plot and often more complex."
"I don't think I ever read one." Blake said, thinking back to all the books she had but couldn't recall if she ever picked one up. But it couldn't hurt to try one. "But I could try. Do you have any recommendations?"
"Uh... no. Well, none that I think you would like. But I can show you where they are, and you can choose one."
"Alright." Blake said before following Jaune toward the graphic novel section.
"Take your pick."
"Okay. Let's see." Blake said as her eyes roamed over the titles and covers. While some stood out to her, they didn't seem too interesting. However, that changed when she saw a yellow one near the bottom. "What about that one? Do you know anything about it?"
"I wouldn't recommend that one." Jaune said, seeing the novel Blake was pointing to had a red blood stain and black dot eye. "It is a little dark."
"Really? What's it about?" Blake asked, curious.
"Think about it like this. Huntsmen and Huntresses become illegal due to the public, and they become vigilantes to continue serving the public. Some try to turn public views around but fail. Then a whole conspiracy unravels one member mysteriously dies. And it goes from there. It is dark and grizzly."
"Hmm. Sound interesting. I think I will get it." Blake said, now more intrigued about the plot.
"Alright." Jaune said, still unsure. "Now it's your turn to pick out a book."
"Okay. But do you know where the novels are? And I don't mean the graphic ones."
"Yes. It's two aisles down." Jaune answered before they went to the section.
"Not too bad of a selection." Blake said after glancing over some of the titles. While none of them could compare to the ones the bookkeeper has in Vale, some were still decent enough. But a question soon came to mind. "Do you like reading any of these books?"
"No, not really. I'm not really much of a reader outside of comics and the occasional graphic novel."
"I figured. But have you ever tried reading one?"
"I think I read one book a long time ago for a book report. But I don't think I picked another up since then."
"Would you be willing to try again?" Blake asked, curious. She always wanted to have a reading partner. And while Jaune wouldn't have been her first choice, it would allow them to get to know each other over something. But even if he doesn't end up liking the novels, at the very least, they could still read their preferred books together.
"Eh, sure. There's no harm in trying again." Jaune said, shrugging.
"Alright. Do you have a particular genre you like?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe action or adventure."
"How about mystery?"
"I wouldn't mind it. But I don't think it would be my first choice."
'Okay. So the detective stories are out. The Three Musketeers might be good if Jaune starts to like reading novels. But not right now, as it's a little too advanced for beginners.' Blake thought before spotting some books that might be good for Jaune. "What about fantasy?
"I'm... not sure. But I wouldn't turn it down if it seems interesting enough."
"Then I think I have a good book for you."
"What is it?"
"It belongs to a series, but I recommend this one as it's the author's first, and it's easier to understand. It's about these kids that go into a wardrobe and enter a mysterious land ruled by an evil snow queen."
"Sound interesting. I think I'll give it a read." Jaune said after thinking it over. "But what about you? And what's your favorite genre?"
"I like the romance genre the most. But honestly, I like any book that has a good plot with decently written characters." Blake said before subtly grabbing the Three Musketeers book. "And I think I will grab this book."
"Alright." Jaune said, wondering why the book was called notebook. "Well. Now that we got our books, let's go pay for them, and then we can go someplace else to read them."
"Okay." Blake said as they headed to the counter. But as they made their way there, Jaune spotted a history book that would help him greatly in the future.
'I better take this.' Jaune thought before quickly grabbing it and running to catch up with Blake.
Twenty Minutes Later
"Okay. This is a nice spot." Blake said as they arrived at the part of the park with tables.
"It is. Well, at least for relaxing in the park." Jaune said as he placed their drinks on the table. After purchasing the books, they decided to grab some drinks from a nearby cafe. Blake grabbed some black tea while Jaune grabbed an Iced Coffee. They would have grabbed something to eat as well, but they didn't want to fill up as they would be having fish later.
"True. But still, I wish there was something like this near Beacon. It would be a good place to unwind after dealing with the chaos that is my team."
"I know what you mean. There were a lot of times I wished I had a place like this to escape from my sisters."
"You know, I can hardly stand sharing a room with the rest of my team." Blake said as she took a sip of her drink before grabbing her book. "I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like to live with seven sisters."
"Chaotic. And it got especially messy when one of us wanted to watch something or do something in private. And don't get me started on sharing one bathroom for years."
"Now, that must have been a nightmare."
"Not really. But it was tough at times."
"Times like this remind me why I am glad I was an only child. I could probably tolerate one, maybe two brothers or sisters. But seven would be too much." Blake said.
"Yeah. But we still loved each other and made it work." Jaune said as he grabbed the other book he had brought inside of the novel.
"Uh. What's that?" Blake asked, confused when she realized the book was a rather short history book of Menagerie. "And why did you buy it?"
"I figured it would be good to learn a bit about Menagerie so I can better help you when you become Chieftess of Menagerie."
"First, thanks. That would help both of us. But second. You know you could have just asked me. I grew up there, after all." Blake said, smiling while raising an eyebrow. While she did appreciate Jaune learning about her hometown, she was still a little irked that he didn't decide to ask her first.
"I know. But I didn't want to bother you too much since you might be a little tired."
'Looks like we'll have a lot to work on if we want to make this marriage thing work. And one of them is to know that it's okay to ask others for help. And maybe I could ask Pyrrha or Nora to help Jaune stop thinking that everyone is angry at him.' Blake thought, slightly annoyed. "But still. If you have any questions, just ask. And I will answer them."
"I will." Jaune said as he focused back on the material. While history might be one of his least favorite subjects and one that he often struggled with, Jaune knew it was time to turn that around. He needed to learn as much about Menagerie as possible to effectively help Blake in the future. He might have little power when that happens, but Jaune swore to do his best.
"Good." Blake said, smiling. "But while we read, how about we ask a few more questions?"
"Sure."
"Okay. I'll go first. We talked about movies. But how about shows?"
"As in, what kind do I like to watch or my favorite?"
"Favorite."
"Oh. Okay. It was this old one that I forgot the name of. It was about these two groups of space marines fighting each other for control of a boxed canyon in the middle of nowhere. It then expanded a lot to show that there was a lot more going on behind the scenes."
"Sounds like a parody. Did it finish?" Blake asked.
"No. But most fans say it should have ended around the thirteenth season. But it didn't. It's still going."
"It sounds like it got bad."
"That's debatable. But the quality dropped a lot, and it lost its charm." Jaune said, remembering how disappointed he was with the last season.
"That's a shame."
"What about you?"
"I don't really watch that much television. I like watching movies, though. But I prefer my books instead."
"Fair."
"Your turn."
"Alright. Let me see. Oh. Here's one. What's your favorite sport?"
"I would say fishing. But not for competition. I like it because of the peace and that I can relax."
"That's understandable. A lot of people fish to relax. Although I am not one of them."
"Yeah. No offense. But you don't look like the type of person to enjoy the silence for too long."
"None taken. I grew up with a lot of chaos and noise, so I feel uncomfortable when it is silent for too long."
"I can see why. But your turn. What's your favorite sport?" Blake asked.
"I haven't played that many sports since I didn't have any friends growing up. Well, technically, I did, but they moved only a year later. Anyway. I would say dancing."
"I should have guessed since I saw you dance before."
"Really? How?" Jaune asked, surprised.
"You really should remember to always close your dorm's door, Jaune." Blake said, smirking when Jaune blushed.
"Right." Jaune said with a light blush. Rolling her eyes, Blake decided to check the time on her scroll. And to her surprise, it was already nearing five.
'Eh. We still got time. Maybe at six, we can head back.' Blake thought as she put away her scroll. She then looked up and smiled at seeing some faunus kids playing not too far away from them. But it made her realize something that she would need to do. "Jaune."
"Yes?"
"You brought the book to learn more about Menagerie, right?"
"Yes."
"Do you think you teach me more about Sheliak? I think it would be good if I knew more about this place as well."
"Sure." Jaune said, smiling. "Do you want to start now or another time?"
"I think another time."
"Alright. Just give me a heads up so I can get ready."
"Okay." Blake said, taking a sip of her drink before turning her attention to her book. While she wouldn't admit it, the graphic novel was decent and not as dark as some of the others she had read. But it was still decent, and the plot was getting interesting. Although Blake would admit one of the character's methods of removing criminals was over-the-top brutal.
One Hour Later
"Okay. We're coming back now. Yes, we caught fish. And yes, we'll get some spices for it. Okay, bye." Jaune said before hanging up.
"Who was that?" Blake asked.
"My parents."
"What did they say?"
"They said your parents returned from talking with the town's leader. And my family invited yours to have a late barbecue with us. "
"Oh, that's nice." Blake said, bookmarking the page she was on. "But we better get going since it's getting late, and we don't want to keep them waiting."
"Right. Let's go." Jaune said as they threw away their trash.
"Oh. Do we need to pick up anything for them?"
"Yeah. We just need to pick up some spices since we're going to be cooking the fish we caught." Jaune answered. And he couldn't say anything else as Blake grabbed his arm and dragged him to the nearby supermarket. Yet, Jaune only chuckled and went along with it.
Two Hours Later
"Thank you for your time." Ghira said.
"And thank you for the meals." Kali said.
"You're welcome." Jett and Aurelia said.
"See you guys, Monday." Blake said.
"See you, Blake." Jaune and his friends said. Nodding, they exited the house before closing the door.
"Well. Today was interesting. And tiring." Jaune said with a sigh.
"I can imagine." Coco said, chuckling.
"Want me to help you relax?" Velvet asked, blushing.
"Uh-" Jaune said, unsure of what to say.
"But who knew you would be leading a place, bro." Saphron said, smirking.
"Technically, no. The most it would be is helping Blake with Menagerie. The town's leader's son will take over Sheliak when she is too old to do her job anymore."
"Still. It looks like you will have some power." Midori said.
"But that also means you have a lot of homework if you want to help Blake properly." Terra said, chuckling when Jaune groaned.
"Yeah. That's why I brought a history book about Menagerie." Jaune sighed. "And here I thought homework wouldn't follow me from Beacon."
"Don't worry, Jaune. We'll help you in any way we can." Pyrrha said, with the others nodding.
"Thanks." Jaune said, smiling.
"Anyway." Aurelia said, happy that her son had great friends and future wives. "How about we all watch a movie while the food sets?"
"Okay." Everyone answered before heading to the living room. However, as soon as they arrived, they felt their whole room shake for a solid ten seconds.
"What was that?" Dahlia asked, worried.
"I have no idea." Aurelia said as she fixed some of the photos that fell down.
"Maybe an earthquake?" Clementine asked.
"I doubt that. But it could have been an aftershock." Saphron said.
"Twins. Turn on the Television. Maybe there is something on the news." Jett said.
"Okay, Dad." The Twins simultaneously said before grabbing the remote, turning on the television, and flipping to the news channel.
"What do you think happened, Jaune-Jaune?" Nora asked, sitting next to him.
"I'm not sure." Jaune said as the News Anchor appeared.
'...While we're still not sure of what caused the abrupt quakes, our seismographs have calculated it to be roughly a 3.5 earthquake. Hold on. We're receiving new information.'
"Okay. So it wasn't an earthquake. That's good." Terra said.
"What about Grimm?" Dahlia asked.
"Doubt it. None of the remaining Grimm could do something like that on their own. And if there were a group of them, the alarms would have sounded by now." Midori answered.
'Okay. We just received word that the scientists have located the epicenter of what caused the quakes. It seems to have originated in Patch.'
"Patch? Patch. Patch? Why does the name sound familiar?" Coco asked. While she already knew about Patch and how it was an island to the west of Vale. But for some reason, it felt like she should know it for another reason.
"Wait. That's the island where Yang and Ruby grew up." Ren said, shocking everyone and making Jaune's face go pale.
"Aren't those the names of two others you're going to marry?" Clementine asked.
"Oh. This is not going to end well." Jaune said.
"Why?" The Twins simultaneously asked.
"Ruby is pure innocence. So we don't need to worry about her. The problem is Yang. She is quick-tempered." Pyrrha said.
"Oh." The others said, now understanding.
"Hopefully, she calms down." Jett said, worried for his son.
"Hopefully." Jaune said before feeling his scroll ring. Taking it out, he saw that he received a message from Ruby.
"Who texted you?" Terra asked.
"Ruby."
"What did she say?" Velvet asked.
"She said Hey, best friend. Guess what? It looks like we're going to get married, whatever that entails. It looks like we can spend even more time together. And Dad told me it was an arranged marriage. This is great."
"Okay. So it seems like Ruby doesn't fully understand what this means. But we can teach her." Nora said.
"Did she say anything else?" Coco asked.
"Yeah. Ruby said she and her Dad are coming tomorrow."
"Okay. So more guests. Not too bad." Aurelia said.
"And that Yang seemed excited too. She even ran out of the house and headed to the bullheads. She didn't even use the door. Yang just ran right through it."
"Yeah. This might not end well for you, Arc." Coco said.
"Unfortunately." Jaune said with a sigh. "Let's just enjoy this moment before they get here."
"Right." The other said as everyone got comfy while the Twins changed channels.
'Hopefully, Ruby or their Dad calms Yang down.' Jaune thought as he felt Pyrrha and Nora lean into him while Velvet sat on his lap.
Notes:
A slightly shorter chapter than usual.
The next chapter will be Ruby, followed by Yang. And then it will be the Schnee Sisters' turn.
Also, will be taking a slight break from writing Rwby stories as I'm feeling a little burnt out at the moment. The story is not discontinued or on hiatus; just taking a small break from it is all.
A friendly reminder: For these couple of chapters, it will be Jaune and his future wives meeting each other and learning about the contracts and what they entail. In later chapters, it will get a lot more interesting and chaotic for everyone.