Commission for anon, who also helped edit it afterward. Thanks, my guy!
Anyway, I mentioned it before, but right now I'm considering putting updates on a certain patron-supporting site (same name as my account here) so supporters can read it as soon as I finish. Free readers will get it about a week later, so everyone gets it eventually. We'll see.
Next story will either be the next Fractal Chaos chapter or updating Belladonna Brawl.
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Jaune was used to lagging behind. It was a consequence of his...unorthodox entry into Beacon. He didn't have the years of combat school, tutoring, or surviving outside the kingdom's walls that his friends did. Heck, even now, almost a year later, he was still the weakest member of his team. He'd tried to make up for it by studying strategy and Aura techniques, but even with all that and Pyrrha's training, there was still an obvious gap.
Which was why he felt so nervous going on a Grimm hunt.
It was the first big test for their second year. No supervision, just teams JNPR and RWBY on a mission to take down a Goliath.
It was simple, really.
If he had as much training as everyone else, it wouldn't have even been a big cause for concern. Eight students, one of them being Pyrrha Nikos herself, should've been more than enough for a single Goliath.
But of course, things were never that easy.
It was a little rough at first maybe, but it wasn't long before the teams really began to find their rhythm. Ruby and Ren had been keeping it distracted while Weiss trapped the Goliath grimm in her glyphs. The rest of them would then use that time to throw in a few hits before Ruby and Ren went back as the bait. Rinse and repeat.
But it was just as they had gotten comfortable fighting that a horde of Beowolves chose that exact moment to charge right out of the trees all around them.
So yeah, the Goliath wasn't alone, and apparently liked his friends close by.
Jaune had barely managed to shout a warning to Nora nearby, who was distracted trying to crush through the Goliath's thick hide, before she lept out of the way of the rushing Beowolf alpha now clamping down on the empty air where her neck used to be.
It was a bit of a blur after that.
Most of the teams had focused on keeping the sudden horde at bay while Ruby, Yang, and Pyrrha had managed to take down the Goliath themselves. It was… scary, if he was being honest with himself. Just like when they fought in the Breach all those months ago, but he handled himself as well as he could, all things considered.
Too bad they never figured out how that particularly incident happened, but he digressed.
By the end of it though, all the Grimm around them were dead while they were still standing. Most of them had kept their Auras up, although Yang's was starting to dip down into the red. Pyrrha's, meanwhile, had broke just as they finished off the sole Goliath.
"Pyrrha, are you alright?" Rushing over to his partner, Jaune knelt down at her side.
No wounds apart from a small cut on her right cheek, thankfully, but he was still worried. In the grand scheme of things it was completely harmless, especially considering what they went up against, but he still felt a churning in his gut at the sight.
"I'm fine, Jaune." Pyrrha smiled, ignoring the drops of blood falling down her lightly tanned skin.
"We need to get you checked over." He put a hand on her shoulder and stopped when he saw it. His right hand was glowing with a yellowish-white light. Pyrrha noticed it too and looked down at his hand, mouth parting slightly, "Jaune, what is that?"
"I...I dunno. Maybe we should ask the others?" The rest were still busy checking themselves out and making sure everything was in the right place, but they'd notice soon enough.
"No need. I think… I think I might have a theory." Taking his hand in hers, Jaune watched in astonishment as the cut on her cheek healed itself, leaving nothing but the faintest traces of blood.
She pulled her hand back and touched the newly-healed wound, "Hm, looks like I was right."
"What is it?"
"Jaune...I think you just unlocked your Semblance."
Jaune's eyes widened as he looked down at his still-glowing hands.
His Semblance?
He'd always felt a bit left out, being the only ones in their teams without a Semblance of his own, and now? He had his literally in the palm of his hands! And it was some kind of healing, apparently? Not as showy as Yang's Burn or Weiss' Glyphs, obviously, but he could definitely see the use for that.
Across from the excited blonde, Pyrrha herself was abuzz with ideas. While she was both happy and proud of Jaune for finally unlocking his Semblance, she saw an opportunity here that she didn't want to waste.
Jaune had unlocked his Semblance, and maybe she was being presumptuous, but it seemed like he'd done it for her sake. After all, no one else's Aura had broken in the fight and she was the one he'd gone to check on first.
It made her heart flutter to think about.
"Hold on." Pyrrha rummaged through her skirt and pulled out her scroll. Her Aura still showed as empty, "If my theory's correct, then I think you can share your Aura. That must've been how you healed me. Maybe...we could test it out?"
"Good idea! We should go tell the others befor-"
"No!" She suddenly grabbed his shoulder with a firm grip while her mouth curled up in a reassuring smile, "I mean- I-I think we should test it out first! Just to make sure we have everything straight on how it all works."
"Are you're sure?"
"Absolutely." Pyrrha stood up feeling energized despite her still-broken Aura. Turning to the group she called out, "We're going to go back and check on the camping supplies!"
"Are you sure it's safe? We can accompany you," Weiss said immediately.
"Yeah! What if there's another horde? Safety in numbers!" Ruby chirped.
Pyrrha's smile turned stiff.
While she considered both Weiss and Ruby to be dear friends (despite Weiss' poor first impression), she felt more than a little put-off right at that moment.
Weiss was Jaune's former crush, and while he'd said that his feelings had become completely platonic after the dance, she couldn't help but feel a little paranoid that some embers of his former flame remained.
As for Ruby… well…
…it was pure jealousy, plain and simple, much as she hated to admit it.
Pyrrha may have been Jaune's partner, but the Reaper had been the one to claim the coveted title of "bestie". And while Pyrrha had always thought the younger girl was too pure and innocent to ever really do anything, she figured that it was better safe than sorry. She hardly needed any more competition when it came to Jaune.
"No, no, it's absolutely fine. We'll be back quickly." She grabbed Jaune by the arm and tugged him along before the two could protest. She felt sort of bad brushing them off, but she didn't want to be interrupted by any former crushes and current 'besties', thank you very much! Jaune for his part, didn't protest as she dragged him away, but barely looking back before saying how they'd make sure everything was safe.
They did not, in fact, go back to the campsite. Instead, Pyrrha took a turn deeper into a previous clearing they'd passed through before. Despite her nervousness, she made sure to keep a close eye out for any threats. True, she could fight without her Aura, but it would be rather difficult.
They stepped in when she was sure that there was finally enough room for some privacy. Letting go of Jaune's arm, Pyrrha silently cursed herself for not grabbing his hand instead, and turned around to face him with her signature smile.
It was just the two of them now.
Alone.
In the middle of the woods.
With no one watching…
Pyrrha suddenly began to blush.
A part of her wanted to confess her feelings right then and there, but fear and anxiety made her hold off. What if he didn't feel the same way? It would ruin their friendship.
Shaking her head, Pyrrha removed those thoughts before taking off the glove covering her right and holding it out to Jaune.
"Let's try again," she said softly.
Her face flushed slightly as he used not only one but both hands to hold her own. A part of her squealed at just how improper it all was, but she forced it back down.
"O-Okay, let's do this."
Jaune closed his eyes and began to concentrate.
Yellowish-white energy coated his palms as it transferred his Aura over to her. Pyrrha took a deep breath and closed her eyes in turn, relishing in the unique warmth that began to envelop her.
She felt...safe.
As if she was being hugged on every side and told everything was going to be alright. Her smile quickly deepened, and she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. At this moment, everything felt just so… so…
… perfect.
She almost reached out to kiss him right then and there before she finally came back to her senses. She was his partner and mentor for Brothers' sakes, and right now he thought this was just a way to test his Semblance. It just wouldn't be right for her to take advantage of this moment despite how much she desperately wanted to.
Opening her eyes once again, she was met with the warmth of Jaune's sky-blue eyes as a shimmering light shone between them overhead. Looking up, the two could only stare in silence as a… basket(?)… slowly floated down between them. Taking a step back to grab it, Jaune reached out with both of his hands to catch it before it ever got the chance hit the ground.
Looking into the basket, Pyrrha blinked at the sight before her.
Nestled within was quite possibly the most adorable baby she had ever seen!
Red hair that matched her own and blue eyes that perfectly matched Jaune's. It looked a few months old at most, though Pyrrha couldn't tell whether it was a boy or a girl given the baby blue Pumpkin Pete blanket that covered almost every inch of it. The infant made a soft cooing noise and reached out both of its tiny hands to try and paw at Jaune's face.
"Uh..." Jaune trailed off, looking at her as if she knew what was going on. Pyrrha, meanwhile, could only look back with equal concern and confusion. She didn't know any more than he did, though she was already coming up with theories.
Years on the tournament circuit had trained her to look at every little detail she could and she was doing the same now. The baby had her hair and Jaune's eyes. Coupled that with the Pumpkin Pete blanket and the fact that it showed up only after Jaune used his Semblance properly on her and she could only come to one obvious conclusion.
She couldn't say it out loud, of course.
Mostly because her brain was short-circuiting at the idea that she and Jaune now had a baby!
Not just a baby, she thought, but a very adorable one that she wanted to kiss and cuddle and protect from all that was wrong with this world. Her hands shook with the desire to pinch those cherubic pink cheeks, and it only worsened when the baby began to babble and smile.
"We...We should head back." Pyrrha coughed.
"Yeah, that's… that's probably a good idea..."
Neither of the pair said a word the whole way back. Pyrrha wanted to say so much, but her mouth refused to form the words. Instead, all she could do was watch as Jaune protectively carried the basket and...their baby in his arms.
He was gentle with the infant, making sure to rock it (they needed to check its gender soon) the whole time while whispering calming words every time they began to fuss. He was being very paternal.
And, if she was honest with herself, Pyrrha was finding it all so…
… soooo…
… attractive.
Upon reaching the camp, the others were quick to notice their newest addition. Ruby was the first, zipping over to them with a burst of her Semblance and looking down at the baby with wide eyes, "Oh my gosh, is that a baby?! So cute! Where did you get it?!"
"Uh…" Jaune trailed off again.
"Well..." Pyrrha added.
"Wait a minute! We're nowhere near a settlement and yet there's an infant here?" Weiss gasped, "Did someone leave their baby in the forest to be taken by the Grimm?! I'd heard some people in this continent could be barbaric, but that's horrific!"
"Hey!" Yang snapped, "Maybe try not jumping to conclusions, Weiss-cream?"
"Well, what else am I supposed to think?" Weiss humphed, "There's a baby miles away from any civilization and no parents to be found at all! Either they left it here to be eaten or they were killed by the Grimm, and somehow I doubt that if a Grimm killed its parents that it would have left the baby alone."
"Hold on," Blake murmured. "Doesn't it look...familiar?"
Their friends looked between the baby Jaune held, then at him, before settling on Pyrrha. Like her, it didn't take them long to realize just how closely it resembled the blushing pair.
"Pyrrha, you were PREGNANT?! Why didn't you SAY anything?!" Nora cried.
"I doubt that's the case, Nora." Ren sighed.
"But it looks just like her and Jaune-Jaune! It's a little Arkos baby!"
"L-Look, we don't know where it came from!" Jaune finally said, "I just...me and Pyrrha were testing out my Semblance and-"
"Wait, you unlocked your Semblance?" Ruby asked. Not as excited as when she saw the baby, but happy all the same.
"Yeah, it happened after the fight. I was able to heal Pyrrha's cut a bit and we figured why not test it out?"
"Hold up. Just the two of you? Alone?" Yang's smile quickly turned predatory as she grinned at Pyrrha. "Hoho, I see what you were doing, Cereal Girl! Smooth move."
Pyrrha flushed at the unsaid accusation.
"Th-That doesn't matter now! What matters is that after we used our Semblance the baby just...appeared."
She paused, "Well, actually, it dropped from the sky, basket and all, but appeared nonetheless."
"And this happened right after Jaune used his Semblance on you?" Ren put a hand on his chin, "That's unlikely to be a coincidence. This could mean-"
"It's a little Arkos baby!" Nora cheered, skipping over to the baby and cooing at it, "Oh, you're so cute! My name's Nora and I'm gonna be the best auntie ever!"
"Well, we should probably go back to Beacon and tell the professors what happened," Blake said, eyes flicking to Jaune, "And...you might want to keep your hands to yourself, Jaune. Just in case."
Jaune and Pyrrha blushed even more.
All in all, the trip back went surprisingly quickly. It helped that the rest of their team (sans Blake, who was writing down something on her scroll…) had spent the entire time fawning over their newest addition.
The baby - who they'd figured out was a girl after a quick check - seemed to enjoy the attention, babbling and smiling as everyone cooed over her. It was an utterly adorable sight.
The biggest surprise, however, was Weiss.
She didn't know the heiress that well, but Pyrrha had always gotten the impression that the other girl was a bit cold even after a year spent at Beacon.
Now, though?
She was practically blubbering, shamelessly indulging in baby talk and making kissy faces at the red-haired infant.
It was...a bizarre sight. Although Yang had later grinned and whispered that Weiss was exactly the same when she met Zwei, her and Ruby's pet corgi.
Upon returning to Beacon they rushed over to the headmaster's office as soon as they could. Unannounced visits weren't usually allowed, but a team of first-years coming back with a baby onboard was easily enough to get them through the door.
The meeting itself wasn't very productive. Apart from a reassurance that they would examine Jaune and his Semblance as soon as they could, there wasn't all that much they could actually get done, really.
They did offer to take the baby to a care facility, but both she and Jaune had adamantly refused.
No matter the circumstances, the baby was theirs! It just wouldn't be responsible for them to foist the care-taking onto someone else.
Thankfully, the rest of their friends were all supportive, which Pyrrha was immensely grateful for. Ren had volunteered to plan the changes needed to turn their room into a makeshift nursery while Nora and all of team RWBY had immediately volunteered to be on-hand babysitters. It was so sweet of them, and by the end of it Pyrrha had almost hurt her face smiling.
But it was Jaune who had touched her heart the most.
He'd steadfastly declared that, despite how odd it all was, an Arc was never one to shirk their duties, and he promised on his name that he would take responsibility! It took all that she had not to dive in and kiss him right then and there, but she held back. He was still holding their...their daughter in his arms and she didn't want to prioritize her own wants over their own child.
The thought of it all was almost enough to make her faint. She was a mother now...and Jaune…
… Jaune was the father!
She didn't even know whether she wanted to laugh, squeal, or cry!
She'd always dreamed of something like this, especially during their months-long separation during the summer break, but now it was actually true! M-maybe not in the way she would've ever imagined it, but true all the same.
She silently vowed to herself that she would be the best mother she could be!
Three weeks had passed and a lot had changed.
True to his word, Ren had somehow managed to make enough space in their dorm room for a makeshift nursery while Nora had nearly broken down the door carrying a comically large sack of plush toys for her new niece! Weiss, for her part, had offered to pay for all of their amenities, though Pyrrha herself politely refused. Pythia - named after her grandmother, at Jaune's insistence - was her and Jaune's responsibility.
Besides, she had a very generous nest egg from all her tournament winnings. Mom and Dad always raised her to be frugal with her money after all.
Not that she got the chance to spend it…
Soon enough, Professor Goodwitch informed them that the school itself would help in funding for any and all necessities. When she and Jaune protested, they were quickly silenced and assured that it was compensation for Jaune agreeing to let his Semblance be tested. A Semblance that could create life was unprecedented after all, and the school figured that perhaps paying for Pythia's needs was a fair price in exchange for all the possibilities Jaune's Semblance offered.
In all honesty, it was a bit difficult getting used to the change. Pythia wasn't a complete newborn - testing indicated that she was about four months old - but besides that, she was a perfectly normal and healthy baby girl. That also meant a lot of crying, changing diapers, and getting almost no sleep because their angel loved to wake up at odd hours of the night for a myriad of reason.
… And yet Pyrrha didn't regret it for one second.
She'd always been competitive - it was one of the reasons she'd excelled so much in the tournament circuit - and she considered motherhood to be one of the greatest challenges she'd faced yet. No matter how many times she'd been woken in the middle of the night, she always made sure to have a smile ready for her daughter.
Surprisingly, Jaune had taken to fatherhood just as well, if not more so! He was always the first up whenever Pythia cried and the last to sleep when she finally calmed. It melted her heart to see him smiling and rocking their darling every morning. Though Yang would tease him about how domesticated he was becoming Jaune himself had merely taken it in stride, explaining that of course he would know, being an older brother of three sisters.
To this day, she still remembered waking up that first night after Pythia had come into their lives. She'd barely roused herself from her slumber when Jaune had gotten before her on one knee. She'd (very justifiably) assumed he'd propose marriage right then and there and prepared herself to very lovingly accept.
Instead, he'd vowed on his honor that he would take responsibility for both her and Pythia for as long as he lived. A man who abandoned his child, after all, was no man at all, he declared, while Ren (who had woken up from his peaceful slumber) nodded along sagely in brotherly solidarity.
For a moment, she'd almost suggested that marriage would have been truly taking responsibility, but she held off. After all, she didn't want for Jaune to feel as if she was pressuring him into it. If Jaune were to propose to her in marriage, it would be because he realized that they were meant to be, not because of some notion of responsibility.
Besides, it wasn't as if there would be any more competition. While Jaune wasn't her husband or even her actual boyfriend, the two shared a child together. Ending up together was just a foregone conclusion at this point.
He'd changed physically too. He'd grown his hair out and tied it in a warrior's wolf tail (as he insisted on it being called) and had soon stopped shaving, growing a nice amount of stubble that was not quite a beard just yet. Nora joked that Jaune was getting 'dad hair', though Pyrrha herself paid the comments no mind. She thought Jaune looked rather dashing, thank you very much, and Pythia seemed to agree with her given how happy she was whenever she grabbed hold of his hair.
Apart from their wonderful new addition, things were relatively normal. They still went to class as much as they could and even had special permission from the teachers for Pythia to be brought along!
Of course, many of the students cooed and gushed when they'd first brought Pyrhia to class and many had asked the obvious question of where she came from. She and Jaune had been honest. After all, there was no reason to lie about their darling's origins.
Jaune had received some odd looks when they had finished explaining while Ms. Goodwitch had announced that Jaune would be keeping his hands (and Semblance) to himself, so there was no cause for alarm. That seemed to placate most of them, though a few of the guys in the class had noticeably kept their distance from the blonde.
Hmm, she never did consider if his Semblance would work on a man...
Pyrrha shook the thought away and held Pythia tighter against her. They were all in combat class now watching as Cardin and Jaune walked up to the stage for their usual bout. Unlike before, however, there was no nervousness in the bearded blonde's movements. His steps were firm and there was a cold determination that had settled in his eyes.
The determination of a father who refused to look bad in front of his baby girl.
Nothing could defeat it.
"Go, Jaune! Kick his butt!" Ruby cheered. The rest of their teams were just as excited. Even Weiss ,of all people, was openly cheering Jaune on, which gave her some mixed feelings.
On the one hand, Weiss had been extremely supportive of Pythia's well-being, more so than almost anyone else. She'd make frequent offers to babysit and had practically spoiled Pythia with gifts of dresses, toys, and even a scroll(!) at one point.
On the other hand...
"I could hold her if you want," Weiss cut in quickly, sitting herself right next to Pyrrha, as Cardin and Jaune began their pout.
"No, it's fine." Pyrrha smiled back.
"Really, it's no trouble." Weiss assured, as her hands reach out to grab her daughter.
Pyrrha slowly scooted a hands-breadth away.
"It's quite alright, Weiss. You already do so much."
"I-I'm only doing what any friend would," she demurred, as the subtle wringing of her hands exposed her lack of baby cuteness for the addiction it was.
From what Yang had told her, Weiss had a love of anything and everything cute; a consequence of growing up in the Schnee household.
"I'm free all day for the upcoming weekend. All week even! A-And Pythia and I could go shopping! You'd like that, wouldn't you? Yes, you would! Yes, you would!" she made unashamed kissy faces towards the wide-eyed baby.
Pyrrha's lips curled up in a half-smile. "Hmmm...I don't knooow… I'll have to think about it~"
In all honesty, it would cost her nothing to have Pythia out for the day - she was sure Weiss would pay her for the privilege - but a part of her felt like she needed to make the heiress squirm as some form of petty punishment for Jaune's crush on her last year.
That, and she definitely needed a reminder after hearing Weiss' half-whispered remarks appreciating just how "~Mature~" Jaune was when he'd changed his look. She saw the way her eyes raked over his new appearance and she was not happy about it.
Aside from that, though, Pyrrha had been in a good mood all around. She and Jaune weren't officially in a relationship, but they practically were in everything but name! By now she essentially had an aura of serene satisfaction surrounding her at all times, and she was finally at ease that there would be no more doubts and pressure.
No longer would she have to worry that Jaune would find someone else or that she'd miss her chance to confess her love. Her and Jaune's relationship was assured, and she had all the time in the world to make sure it happened.
Soon enough Pythia began wriggling in her arms as she reached out her two pudgy hands towards the stage to try and grab for her daddy. Jaune was winning now, as he deflected Cardin's wide blows and countered him with a speed she'd never seen before.
Pyrrha was so proud of him.
Gone was the uncertain boy who'd fumbled through training, replaced by a man and father who'd hold up the world to make his little girl proud.
And then Pythia started crying…
Pyrrha's eyes widened, and she tried rocking her back and forth to try and calm her down but to no avail. Even the rest of their friends were trying to help, shaking toys and making silly faces, but her voice only grew louder.
Up on the stage, Jaune was in his zone! He was just about to take away the last of Cardin's Aura and this close from securing his first-ever victory in Combat Class when he heard his daughter's cries and loud wailing. Pulling back immediately as his head snapped to the crying babe in the stands, and Jaune quickly shouted, "I forfeit!" before dropping his weapons on the ground and rushing over to see what was wrong with his precious Pythia.
"Cardin Winchester wins due to forfeit. Congratulations," Professor Goodwitch said, although it was clear her attention lay elsewhere. The spectacled blonde watched with...appreciation(?) as Jaune gently shushed and calmed the crying infant in his arms. And it wasn't just her. Rather than being annoyed, all of the girls, and even some of the guys, just watched the wholesome scene with clear approval.
Cardin for his part, looked too and couldn't help but let his shoulders sag. Sure, he had won, but why did it feel like he just lost?
Blake Belladonna was many things. A Faunus, a former terrorist, and an aspiring Huntress. She'd seen and done a lot, moreso than most people her age, and she was sure that trend would continue in the future.
And yet despite everything she'd been through, the things she'd seen in recent weeks had caused even her to be surprised.
Jaune was...well, she'd like to call him a friend, but that wasn't really accurate now was it?
An acquaintance, maybe?
They knew each other because of their teams and they sometimes nodded and said hi when they passed each other in the halls, but that was about the extent of their relationship. She didn't particularly care about him, but she didn't hate him either.
That all changed that fateful day three weeks ago.
The day he and Pyrrha had gone off to the forest and came back with a blushing baby girl.
Of course, they'd played it off as some sort of accident, an unexpected side effect of his Semblance in an attempt to heal the injured champion, but Blake knew better.
Behind all those blushes and stuttering explanations was most definitely a beast just waiting to slake his thirst on all the helpless Huntresses in Beacon.
After all, what was more perverse than simply having your way with someone without restraint?
Forcing your Aura on them as they struggled, penetrating them with your essence, and creating life, a constant reminder that he'd marked them for the rest of their days.
Pyrrha was obviously in love with him, so there was no harm there, but what if he decided he wanted someone else?
He had a crush on Weiss just a year ago and before his time was consumed by the need to care for his daughter, he and Ruby were quite close. All it'd take was one held hand, one clap of the shoulder, and suddenly there'd be more Aura babies dwelling throughout Beacon.
And who's to say he'd be satisfied with just their team? He might've already become tempted by others! Velvet was so lithe and meek despite her skills and then were was that transfer student, Ash Burn or something, who was practically a showgirl in heels!
It was like putting an entire buffet in front of a starving man, for crying out loud!
And so, she'd taken to shadowing the blonde deviant everywhere he went. Vigilantly hoping to see – ahem, prevent! – Jaune from slaking his lusts on any future broodmares…
And no, it was NOT stalking, Yang!
There was a difference.
She just doesn't have the time to explain it right now, that's all!
Not when he could be ravaging some poor, helpless huntress…
As such, she'd come prepared with her scroll and notes so she could write down every detail of his degeneracy.
She'd immortalize how he forced his Aura onto unsuspecting Huntresses, as they'd flush and writhe in protest before the pleasure became too much and they'd agree to anything so long as it meant they could keep drowning in his debauchery once again.
…
A-All so she could better explain to the authorities, of course!
It had absolutely NOTHING to do with her new story (which was getting a lot of traffic) about a dominant man making a harem via his pleasure-amplifying Semblance.
Absolutely not!
Blake thus proceeded to stalk – ahem, shadow– Jaune as he made his way down to a department store in Vale. Pythia was back in their room, which left him free to prowl in search of targets. She'd overheard him say that he had to buy some things like diapers and more baby formula.
Ha! An obvious excuse.
She could see through his lies.
Making sure to keep some distance between them as Jaune entered the store, Blake quietly followed behind him on his trail. Up ahead she could see her target as he hummed to himself collecting the diapers, baby formula, and other necessities that he claimed to need.
The perfect camouflage.
After all, who'd see a man carrying baby food and still realize the true nature of the beast within?
"Jaune?" an accented voice asked.
"Huh?" He turned around and smiled, "Oh! Hey, Velvet!"
Blake's eyes narrowed.
Velvet Scarlatina.
Team CFVY and their teams didn't run in the same circles, but they were at least aware of each other given the events of the Breach. Velvet had taken to talking with Jaune more in recent weeks. Supposedly, she had a baby brother of her own back home and offered Jaune advice if he wanted it, which he'd gladly accepted.
It was all a ruse, of course.
Now, Blake wasn't one to believe in Faunus stereotypes, obviously, but it was an odd coincidence that Velvet decided she just had to become be friends with Jaune right when he unlocked a Semblance that allowed him to create babies. A Semblance that, as Pyrrha described, felt pleasant in the moment.
An odd coincidence indeed…
Blake stayed back and listened as the two kept talking. They were discussing the best baby powder to use and Velvet was giving him some tips on other baby necessities.
Code words? It had to be!
But for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what they meant!
Even with all her years in the White Fang, the double meanings eluded her. Was baby powder an innuendo for lubricant? And what did Velvet mean when she said that Pythia needed fifteen to thirty minutes of sunlight twice a week?
Wait a minute…
Were they planning to act out their debauchery in public!?
She KNEW she should have brought her camera!
Darn it all.
…Oh well, she would just have to sketch it!
(Un)fortunately for her, the two had only talked for a few more minutes before they went their separate ways. Putting down her sketchpad, Blake looked at the blonde with an intense gaze before once again writing in her notebook.
"Subject is close to mating. Female seems especially receptive to baby powder. Must research the connection." - Blake Belladonna
Closing her book, Blake looked up to follow her target…
… only to discover he was nowhere to be found.
Dammit!
One day he'd slip up and show his true nature, and when he did?
She'd be there.
All for the sake of her stor- er, the safety of EVERY woman in Beacon!
Yang felt like she was going insane.
Okay, so maybe things hadn't started so bad.
Jaune unlocked his Semblance and apparently, it allowed him to make babies. Weird, but Uncle Qrow could apparently manipulate the metaphysical concept of luck (hah, she wasn't as book-dumb as Weiss thought she was!), so why couldn't Jaune put his white stuff in someone and pop out a kid? It made about as much sense as everything else in their lives.
It wasn't even that hard to adjust.
Team JNPR was the one who had to take care of Pythia. Team RWBY, especially Weiss, pitched in where they could, but they were still outsiders looking in, which Yang was secretly thankful for.
Don't get her wrong, Yang liked babies as much as the next person, but having to help raise Ruby at the tender age of seven had done a number on her thoughts about settling down. She was definitely gonna enjoy her youth as much as she could.
Ruby, though, apparently felt different.
It all started one day at the cafeteria.
She, Ren, and Nora had been playing with Pythia while Jaune was feeding her pureed veggies. Weiss was gushing, of course, while Blake kept mumbling to herself and writing down something on that scroll of heres. Weird, but she'd gotten used to her partner being kinda crazy.
Pyrrha, meanwhile, had gone off to meet her agent, and, although she didn't like it, being a mom hadn't exactly changed the fact that she was still the Invincible Girl.
It was to this textbook scene that Ruby suddenly stood up and suddenly stepped on her cloak when she tried to walk in what was obviously a deliberate move.
She made a whole scene of it.
Wide eyes, windmilling arms, and screaming the whole way down. The whole shebang. Yang for her part had shrugged and figured that she'd done it to make Pythia laugh. She had full Aura after all, so what was the harm?
Ruby landed with a large thud and mewled pathetically as she presumably writhed in pain. Seriously, even she felt her heart clench when she heard it, "Ow, ow… oh, the paaiiinn~" she sniffled, looking up at Jaune with her big silver, puppy eyes.
"Ruby?! Are you okay?" Jaune asked. Even though he couldn't get up since he was still holding onto Pythia, his worry was pretty clear.
"Y-Yeah, but I think… I think I broke my arm."
Yang raised a brow.
Now call her paranoid, but Yang was pretty sure that something was off here. She was the first to worry about Ruby whenever something happened, but something about the way she said thosewords just reeked of BS. Even if she didn't have Aura, there was no way she'd gotten hurt that bad.
"Oh, man." Jaune, being the love-able Vomit Boy that he was, had believed it without a doubt. It was both sweet and really dumb.
"Y-Yeah." She sniffled again and looked down at her 'broken' right arm, "C-Could you use your Semblance to heal me? Please…? I-I don't wanna go to the infirmary."
Yang's thoughts came to a crashing stop. What the fuck did she just say?
"A-Are you sure? But my Semblance-"
"It's alright!" Ruby said just a little too eagerly. If Pyrrha were here, Yang was sure her little sis would be choking on Crescent Rose's shaft, "I-I can handle it! A-And Weiss will help take care of any babies that come out, too!"
Yang looked to Weiss for help, but to her horror the Ice Queen did not, in fact, look offended at being volunteered by her partner.
Instead? She looked downright giddy at the thought of two babies, one of them likely to be bunking in their own room. "I can't have a child of my own, father would disown me, but if Ruby had a baby...yes, that could work. That could work perfectly~."
…Aaaaannnd now the so-called logical member of team RWBY was giggling under her breath.
What. The. Fuck?
Jaune's cough came just in time to interrupt her migraine, "I'm still not sure about-"
Yang took Jaune's hesitation as a chance to stand and pull Ruby up by her 'broken' arm. Her sister yelped and pulled her arm back without any trouble, "Hey, what's the big idea?!" Ruby glared at her.
"...Thought your arm was broken?" Yang said as she raised a very unimpressed brow.
There was a moment of silence as Ruby looked between Yang and her very much not-broken arm before she suddenly flopped on her back, "Ow, ow, ow! Now my head hurts! Jaune, please heal me with your-"
That was as far as she got before Yang grabbed her stupid baby sister and slung her over her shoulder. Ruby cried, screamed, and pounded her fists on her back, but Yang paid her no mind as she carried her up and out of sight. She'd heard of baby fever hitting people when they got a certain age, but Ruby was sixteen, for God's sake! That was way too young to be thinking of getting a kid!
And she was also way too young to be an aunt!
Besides, someone had to be the responsible one here.
Weiss was drunk on the cuteness juice while Blake was off being a weirdo.
"Alright, Rubes, we need to talk." She plopped her sister down on a bench in the courtyard and sat next to her, "Why are you trying to get Vomit Boy to make a baby with you."
"Because they're so cute!" Ruby gushed, "Don't you want a baby, Yang?"
"Maybe in the future." Yang sighed, "Look, raising a baby? It's not all fun and games Sis'. Sure, they're really cute, but they're also a big responsibility. It's not just about changing their diapers and playing with them. You have to think about their futures. Are they growing up alright, are they learning the right lessons...you're way too young to be worrying about those kinds of things. Don't you want to be a Huntress?"
Ruby huffed and looked down at the ground. Yang sighed again and looked up at the sunlit sky. It was a tough thing to say, but she was right. Being a mom was a big responsibility, you couldn't just-
"I'll make it work!" Ruby suddenly stood and pumped her fist, "Weiss is planning to be a CEO and Huntress at the same time, so why can't I be a mom too? Just because it's hard doesn't mean I shouldn't try!"
"Ruby, are you serious?! You can't just-"
"I'm not gonna give up, Yang! If Jaune and Pyrrha can do it then so can I! I'll be the best mom ever!" she declared. "Besides, you're gonna be the best aunt ever!"
An aunt before she was old enough to drink? Oh, hell no!
Yang moved to grab Ruby again, but she was faster. The cloaked reaper activated her Semblance and sped out of the courtyard before Yang could stop her. She looked at the spot where Ruby had just been before she growled, her eyes burning red and her hair catching fire.
So she wanted to be a brat about it, huh?
Fine.
It was time for her to bring out the big guns.
She pulled out her scroll and called an all-too-familiar number.
"Dad? Yeah, we've got a situation here..."
Beacon was burning.
Pyrrha coughed and struggled to breathe as she forced herself to keep standing. Across from her was her nemesis. Cinder Fall. The older woman stood with a relaxed stance, lips curled up in a smug smirk as fire danced all around her. They'd prevented her from killing the previous Maiden, Amber, but she was still the strongest opponent Pyrrha had ever faced in her life.
She had no idea why the woman had caused such horrors, and right now she didn't care. All she knew was that Cinder Fall was a monster that had to be stopped.
The fight was the hardest she'd ever had in her life. There were no rules or honor. They fought to kill one another in whatever way they could. Pyrrha aimed for her vital organs while Cinder tried to consume her in flames. Pyrrha knew that she was outmatched. This woman - monster - was a Maiden from what she'd been told. She had no idea what it truly meant apart from granting her unimaginable power. The power that made her Pyrrha's superior in every way that mattered.
All except one.
She thought of her friends, of Beacon, and Pythia. The thought of them in danger, of leaving them behind if she fell, pushed her beyond her limits.
She fought harder than she ever thought possible and, with a final flourish, successfully destroyed Cinder's Aura and cut her throat, followed by stabbing her multiple times in the chest. The monster's eyes widened in shock and she opened her mouth, blood dribbling past her lips as she silently screamed. For all the powers she had, Cinder Fall was still human in the end.
Pyrrha stumbled and fell on her back while Cinder did the same. Her Aura was a harsh gust of wind away from breaking, but it was still there. The champion closed her eyes and let herself truly breathe for the first time in minutes. Cinder continued to choke and struggle, unable to call on her magic through her panic. It felt like music to her ears.
Jaune, Pythia, and the others were safe now. She'd done it.
"Pyrrha!"
Jaune, Ren, Nora, and all of team RWBY rushed to the top of the CCT. The sight that met him was enough to give him pause. The entire floor was practically destroyed with nothing left save the two occupants. Pyrrha laid down on one side, tired but uninjured. Across from her was Cinder Fall, the mastermind behind Beacon's attack. She was twitching and choking on her own blood.
"Jaune? Where's-"
"Pythia's safe," Jaune assured quickly, "I got her on the first bullhead out of here."
"Good." Pyrrha smiled and closed her eyes. Not unconscious, just relieved.
"What do we do with her?" Weiss nudged her head to the still-twitching Cinder. The others were watching over Pyrrha while the headmaster and the others ran up to join them.
Jaune looked down at the nearly-dead woman. She'd caused so much pain, but a part of him still felt some smidgen of pity.
He didn't know if it was that empathy or pragmatism that made him kneel down and activate his Semblance (after ensuring she was restrained). He'd heal her just enough to make sure she didn't die. They needed information on this 'Salem' and maybe they could put her in the machine and save the life of that poor Amber woman.
Unfortunately, he was so caught up in the moment that he forgot one 'little' detail.
When Cinder Fall opened her eyes, she was met with a basket falling down from the sky and everyone around her looking absolutely shocked. Her hands and legs were bound, and she felt the magic similarly restrained (likely due to the nearby headmaster), but she could still move her head.
Curiosity won out over her anger and fear and she looked down. Looking back up at her was a baby with fluffy blonde hair and the same eyes she saw whenever she looked in a mirror.
"...Wha-"
Pyrrha's screech echoed throughout all of Vale.
Across Remnant and deep into the heart of the Grimmlands, Salem watched the events of the CCT tower through one of her Seers.
Cinder had failed and her plans had suffered a setback, but it didn't anger her much. That was how her war with Ozma had gone for the past millenia. At times she'd achieved what seemed like overwhelming victories, and at others, she'd suffered defeats so harsh that she would've perished if not for her curse. The plan with Cinder had failed, but there would be other pawns. Other opportunities.
And yet, she found herself curious about an outlier.
Jaune Arc. He wasn't special in any sense of the word, and yet his Semblance was intriguing. He could create life by sharing his Aura with others. It was an ability she'd never seen before.
Salem had faced no ends of hardships in her immortal existence, but none could truly surpass her grief when she'd lost her children. She'd considered the possibility of adoption, but the humans of this time were immortal and she would inevitably outlive them all. None would survive a dip into the pools like she had, and giving bith herself was an impossibility. Apparently, being partially Grimm was a dealbreaker for men. Feh.
...
Well, she could've gone for Tyrian, but even she wasn't that desperate.
But perhaps she'd found a solution to her problem? This Jaune Arc's Semblance could create offspring that would inherit her magic and immortality. It left the former mother wondering and, for the first time in thousands of years, hoping. Perhaps she might even spare this world.
Now, how to make contact...
Yikes. Poor Pyrrha. Even when she seems like she's won, she loses. I honestly thought this was gonna be a straight Arkos story, but the commissioner gets what the commissioner wants :P
Might make another chapter dealing with Pyrrha/Cinder, Ruby's antics, and Salem's plans. Depends on if the commissioner asks for an update.
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