White Knight Errant
A RWBY fanfic by Andrew Joshua Talon
DISCLAIMER: This is a fan based work of prose. RWBY is the property of Rooster Teeth and WB Animation. Please support the official release.
Three weeks later...
Weiss came into the common room, yawning a bit as she stretched. She'd indulged herself a bit, sleeping in late at the start of the weekend, but had been drawn out thanks to the smell of breakfast cooking. She opened her eyes and scanned around.
Her teammates were eating at the table with most of JNPR, all still in their pajamas. She could see a familiar mess of blond hair working at the stove in the kitchenette, obscured by cabinets above and the range below. Jaune Arc looked her way, and smirked a bit.
"Morning, sleepyhead. If you want breakfast, better hurry! It's going fast!"
"Yes, yes," Weiss yawned, as Jaune stepped out from behind the kitchenette, "I'm sure whatever slop you're cooking is acceptaaaaaHHHHH?!"
Jaune blinked as Weiss reared back like a cat that had been splashed with water.
"What? The apron was the only one I could find at the school shop!" He protested, the too-small apron with Beacon's logo barely covering up his nipples. Indeed, it only seemed to accentuate his bare body.
"ARC ARE YOU NAKED?!"
"What? No!" Jaune scoffed. He turned around. "See? I have some boxers-Also from the store-"
"COVER UP YOU DEGENERATE!" Weiss shrieked, her face bright red. "YOUNG LADIES ARE PRESENT!"
"We don't mind," Yang said with a happy grin, "Let Jaune wear what he wants! It's a free country!"
"Y-Yeah," Ruby mumbled, her face bright red as she peeked through Yang's hands covering up her eyes. "Yang let me see!"
"Not on your life!"
"It-It's perfectly fine with me," Pyrrha managed. She looked over at Jaune's mostly bare physique, and swooned. "H-He's my partner and whatever makes him happy makes me happy... Sooo happy..."
"It's fine," Blake mumbled, red face behind a book.
"It's cool! As long as Jaune doesn't tempt Renny," Nora said cheerfully. She gave Jaune a glare. "You're not trying to steal my Renny, are you Jaune?"
"Wouldn't dream of it, Nora," Jaune said, "We're just friends."
"Indeed," Ren deadpanned.
"Good! All is well!" Nora nodded with a cheerful smile.
Weiss looked up at the ceiling, blushing down her throat.
"Where-Don't you have anything else-?!"
"I literally have three outfits, and they're all in the wash," Jaune said patiently.
"You-Don't you have money now? Can't you buy some clothes?!"
"Well, I haven't had the chance to," Jaune said. He shrugged, and that just made Yang grin more widely.
"Weren't-Weren't you going to take Yang on a date, you-you pervert?!" Weiss demanded, still looking anywhere but directly at Jaune. Jaune snapped his fingers.
"Hey yeah! I was!" He grimaced. "Shit... I don't have anything to wear."
"We can just make that part of the date," Yang said cheerfully, "I want us to match. Wouldn't want to wear... The Jaune outfit, eh?"
Jaune laughed. Of course he did, Weiss thought unhappily. He was enjoying her discomfort, the scoundrel!
Then... She had an idea. An awful idea. A wonderful, awful idea.
"But why stop at one outfit?" Weiss said, sing song. "After all, you only came here with the clothes on your back, Arc."
Jaune blinked.
"Eh?"
"Why, surely the rest of our teams have some suggestions for outfits they'd like you to wear," Weiss said, grinning evilly. "Which we could all make you model, to see if it works well on your... Form. I'm sure your date would appreciate it... As would we all."
Yang blinked... Then grew a similar evil grin as Weiss's.
Ruby perked up, Pyrrha drooled, Nora grinned, and even Blake looked... Intrigued. Ren did nothing save to give Jaune a pitying look.
"Er... I wouldn't want you to spend any money on me, Princess," Jaune tried to counter-attack, "After all, I'm not a charity case-"
"I'll consider it a public service," Weiss said, chuckling darkly, "To make a mangy, dirty ruffian look even somewhat presentable in public."
Weiss smiled at her sister Huntresses-in-Training.
"What do you say, ladies? Shall Mister Arc serve as our doll for the day?"
"He'd be a doll if he played along," Yang chuckled. Weiss let her have that one.
"I didn't really play with them growing up, but I'd love to learn," Nora grinned.
"Ooh... It kind of sounds... Fun!" Ruby giggled.
"I suppose it might be a bit... Enjoyable," Blake allowed.
"Oh yes, yes, yesss," Pyrrha nodded eagerly.
"It seems we have reached an accord!" Weiss said, turning back to the paling Jaune Arc, "Don't you worry, Arc. We'll make a real man out of you, somehow."
The other women rose and began to advance on him. Jaune gulped, and began to back away slowly with his hands up.
"Ah, er, that-that's great and all, but uh-I have somewhere to be... Getting ready for my date..."
He stole for the door to the JNPR dorms... And one of Weiss' Glyphs blocked him. He tried for the door to the hallway, and Ruby appeared in front of him in a burst of petals. He coughed... And ran for the window.
Some pots and pans flew up and barred his way, courtesy of Pyrrha's Polarity. He turned and smiled as best he could as the Huntresses continued to advance.
"Now... Ladies... Can't we talk this out? Or could someone like Ren please HELP ME?!"
"You're on your own, Jaune," Ren said, sipping his tea, "You have seven sisters, you'll be fine."
"TRAITORRRR!"
"Seriously bro, I don't get you."
Neptune Vasilias looked over from his suitcase, rummaging around for his haircare products, as his team leader Sun Wukong pulled on some jeans, a button up shirt he (of course) left open, and his usual sandals. The other two members of their team, Sage and Scarlet, had already left the hotel room to do whatever. Not that Neptune was going to interfere.
"What's not to get?" Sun asked, laughing, "We only got this hotel room because I agreed to take a job. Someone's gotta be responsible."
"Yeah, because that word somehow applies to you," Neptune snorted, still rummaging. "Shit, where's my hairspray...?"
"I'm plenty responsible!" Sun protested. "I'm taking the job, right? It's a secret mission!"
"Right, that your uncle Shon gave you all the way from Menagerie, and you can't tell us what it is," Neptune sighed.
"What part of 'secret mission' don't you get?"
"Hey, I'm not complaining! Though going to the Beacon dorms from a swanky five star hotel is gonna suck. Why'd he put us up like this?"
Sun rolled his eyes.
"It's the perfect cover. We just look like four guys enjoying ourselves before we transfer into Beacon," Sun emphasized, checking the ammo for his shotgun nunchakus. Neptune rolled his eyes back.
"We are four guys enjoying ourselves before transferring into Beacon," he stated.
"So it's the perfect cover!"
"Still don't know how you made the headmaster excuse us a few weeks before semester's end," Neptune mused, walking into the bathroom to begin his daily beauty routine. It took a lot of effort to look this handsome, after all.
"Menagerie's still a kingdom, even if it is the smallest," Sun retorted, "'Great diplomatic need', 'would greatly appreciate it', blah blah blah, hand over a grant and we're here! Stop complaining!"
"I'm not complaining."
"You totally are, bro!"
"I'm not! I'd just... Ya know... Would love to know what the hell we're here for. I'm not complaining, just curious," Neptune said, adding some product after combing his hair just right. He checked himself over in the mirror three times, then winked.
Satisfied... For now... Neptune emerged from the bathroom and grinned, shooting finger guns at his Faunus friend and leader.
"How do I look?"
"The same douche you were when you walked in," Sun grinned.
"Dick," Neptune scoffed. "Seriously though... If you need backup-"
"Eh, it's fine," Sun said, waving his hand with a smile. "Just keep your Scroll on, all right?"
"Yeah yeah... Still... Can't I at least get a clue?"
Sun opened the hotel glass doors, and headed out onto the balcony. He grinned and hopped up into a crouch onto the balcony railing. His golden tail waved like a flag.
"I'm finding myself a princess!" He cried before he jumped off backward. Neptune rolled his eyes.
"Oh yeah. That helps," he grunted. He checked his Scroll. Scarlet and Sage had messaged him down by the pool. They had pics of ladies in bikinis.
Neptune grinned. Eh, Sun could look after himself. Whatever his weird uncle wanted, he was sure Sun would find it.
He had more important things to worry about.
Roman didn't often go out with Neo in public. Sure, he would go about to make sure his "clients" were paying up properly. To make an impression on a shopkeeper who wasn't budging. To perform heists. Out in the daytime? When the heat was this high?
No. He was confident, not stupid.
So he'd gone out in disguise. Nothing fancy: A plain, boring suit and tie, his hair colored blond instead of red, a pair of glasses, a fake beard, and voila. No more Roman Torchwick, just a mild-mannered-looking guy with his black-haired daughter at an ice cream shop.
Easy peasy. Being discovered by the cops was, in fact, the least concerning thing to him right now.
"We're fucked, Neo," he sighed without preamble, as Neo dug into a tall sundae, "Royally. I mean, the White Fang's barely giving us any muscle, even after we gave them all those weapons! Ungrateful animals, the lot of them! And You-Know-Who's sending fire up my chimney about it!"
Neo nodded and made a few hand gestures. Roman snorted.
"No, no, killing some of them wouldn't send the right message."
Neo elaborated further.
"No, you can't kill all of them. That would make the problem worse," He groaned. "And after that Forever Fall stunt of theirs... What were they thinking?! 'Oh, I know! We'll try to murder a bunch of students training to kill Grimm with... Wait for it... LOTS OF GRIMM!'"
Roman moaned and massaged his temples. Neo shrugged.
"Well maybe it would have worked if this year's crop weren't all freaks," Roman sighed, "But they are! Even Red's still alive and kicking! Which makes sense, as she was barely a match for me."
Neo gave him an extremely deadpan look.
"What? I escaped! That counts as a win! Wasn't a loss!" Roman grumbled.
Neo shrugged again and signed some more thoughts of hers.
"No, I don't know why they want Beacon," Roman stated, "Sure not for money or normal reasons. Honestly, I think we've fallen in with a bad crowd, Neo. No two ways about it."
Neo looked questioningly at him. He shook his head.
"Well, people like that tend to want things that make business hard for folks like us after... If they don't just plan to kill us themselves. Which, let's be honest... That's likely to happen with Miss Light Up My Life."
Neo stroked her chin, looked very serious, and signed again. Roman burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! What? Change sides to Ozpin? Go straight?! That's a hell of a joke, Neo! You're a riot!"
Neo laughed silently... Then went serious again. Roman shook his head.
"Come on, Neo. Ozpin's not that much of a bleeding-heart idiot! And neither am I! He wouldn't buy it! Not out of the blue! I'm not even convinced that's the right move and I'm scared as shit!"
Neo ate some more ice cream, licked her spoon, and then waved her arm around in a circle. Roman grumbled.
"What we need is... An inside man who can get to Old Ozzy. Give us some real info. Work as an asset, give us more options... Someone we already know-"
Neo pointed out the window of the ice cream shop. Roman followed her finger.
On the sidewalk across the street, in the middle of... What, five huntresses in training? There walked a familiar, grumpy young man in a ratty green cloak. Leading the pack was a familiar girl in red, who was smiling far too happily. The girls were shepherding the unhappy young man forward. Behind them, trailing a bit with a short, stacked redhead in pink, was a black and pink-haired boy in light green. He wore the same expression Roman himself would wear for the young man in the green cloak:
Pity, and some relief he hadn't been chosen by these ravenous girls.
"... Oh, when the stars align," Roman chuckled, as Neo grinned brightly. "Be on your best behavior, Neo. Our little Jauney's about to get a visit from his dear Uncle Alex, and his cousin Mint."
Neo signed something eagerly.
"No! Killing isn't part of 'best behavior'!"
Neo pouted but nodded as she motioned to the waiter for a to-go box.
The shop's name was simple and elegant. Or at least elegant: Allerleirauh. The interior was warm and cozy, with numerous kinds of clothing and armor lining the wooden shelves and metal racks. The proprietor was an older cat Faunus with dark black hair and ears, and dressed in a black and white suit. He smiled kindly and walked up to Weiss, bowing to her.
"Ah, Miss Schnee! What a pleasant surprise," he chuckled.
Weiss's eyes widened, confused.
"Uh... Do we know each other, Mister-?"
"Schwartz! I was the tailor for your gowns when you went on your singing tour!" Schwartz chuckled. "Oh, forgive me, I'm sure you don't remember!"
"I uh, no! No, those were wonderful dresses!" Weiss said, smiling kindly, "I'm sorry I didn't get to thank you personally! That was incredible work!"
Blake's eyes narrowed a bit as the Faunus man continued to gush happily.
"Not at all, not at all! It was an interesting order, spinning Dust into the silk to shimmer in just the right way," he said, waving his hand, "But please, do come in! And who will be my model? Do you require anything, Miss Schnee?"
"Not for myself on this trip," Weiss said, "But we have a vict-er, a model for you."
Jaune tried to sneak out... But Yang grabbed him by his cloak and pulled him back.
"Come on, you've got this coming," Yang murmured, as she pushed Jaune up to the front of the group. He stared at Schwartz in shock, focusing on his bright green eyes and mustache.
"I uh..."
"This is Jaune Arc," Weiss said with a smile, "He needs a new wardrobe and his current... Ensemble requires a great deal of work."
"Hm, yes, yes, I see," Schwartz said with a nod, looking Jaune up and down with keen insight, "Hmm... Close Range Fighter, but able to move about. Armor is light, antique I see! Northern Valean style, from the Great War, I would gather?"
"Y-Yeah... Have... Have we met before?" Jaune whispered. Schwartz chuckled and shook his head.
"Possibly, possibly, I have so many customers! I try to remember them all, but alas, my mind just isn't what it used to be. Now! Come along, come along!"
He ushered Jaune to a dressing room.
"Strip, young man, and hand it all to me!" He called.
"I don't suppose I could convince you to let me go?"
"Could you convince them?" Schwartz deadpanned.
"... Good point," Jaune sighed. He pulled off his clothes and armor, and lifted it up over the dressing room door. Schwartz took it all and placed it into a box.
"Uncle Perrito!"
An old Faunus Dog man in a comfortable sweater and jeans came out, his scruffy hair short as his ears wagged.
"Yes, Schwartz?"
Schwartz smiled kindly upon the older Faunus, and handed him the box of clothes.
"Please bring this to Opal, I can't wait to see what she does with it!"
He paused, and held up his Scroll over the door to take a photo of Jaune.
"HEY!" Jaune shouted.
"This is all she needs to match the colors, he looks like a summer," Schwartz said. Perrito nodded, taking the scroll.
"Of course, of course! I'll be right back!"
"Don't push yourself too hard, Uncle!"
"I won't!" Perrito tossed back, but he still loped to the back of the shop like an eager puppy. Blake looked incredulous.
"A... Dog Faunus is your uncle?"
"Has been since I was born," Schwartz chuckled, "He's taking a break from his work to help me with the shop. Now then, young ladies! This young man is your prey..."
He grinned devilishly, a look reflected on all the faces of the females of Teams RWBY and JNPR.
"How shall we dress him?"
Jaune stomped out of the dressing room, glaring at everyone as he got up in front of the triple mirrors. The rest of his team and RWBY were sitting in chairs. Nora had popcorn.
"Seriously guys? This is how you repay me?" He demanded, now wearing very short khaki shorts, a tan vest, and a half-buttoned up white shirt with sandals.
"A casual beach look, perhaps best offset with some gold jewelry on his neck," Schwartz presented.
"Oh... My," Pyrrha murmured, staring at him with greedy eyes.
"Well, I suppose if he's bathed it would be somewhat acceptable," Weiss opined.
"I'm gonna dye your hair polka dots for this, Princess!" Jaune growled.
"HA! Like that even makes sense!" Weiss giggled.
"Come on Jaune, I just chose something that I thought you'd look good in," Yang giggled and winked, "I think you pull it off! Right Ruby?"
"I dunno, Yang," Ruby mumbled, "He looks... A lot like Dad."
"What? Pfft. Come on, there's next to no resemblance!" Yang said, shaking her head.
"I've seen pictures of your father, Yang, he looks a LOT like him," Weiss said, giving Yang a weird look. Yang shook her head.
"I don't find him attractive because he looks like my dad! He just... Looks a lot like him! I-I'm sure I look kind of like his mom!"
"Oh geez," Ruby mumbled.
"Oh... Well now that you mention it," Jaune blinked. "N-Not that I'm attracted to my mom or anything!"
"Of course not!" Yang laughed.
"Really?" Blake asked, still reading her book, "You don't think you're in an Elektra complex?"
"I AM NOT!" Yang growled.
"Then call him Daddy."
"Wha... Why would I-?!"
"Just as an experiment," Blake said.
Yang turned to Jaune, and cleared her throat.
"Uh... Just to prove there's nothing to this... Daddy~."
Yang, Jaune, and Ruby's cheeks went red. Jaune coughed.
"Uh... Oh... Oh wow, okay... That uh... I'll admit, that... Does something for me. You uh...?"
"Y-Yeah," Yang nodded, "M-Me too."
"Well... Fair is fair," Jaune said with a shrug, looking right into Yang's eyes, "Mama~."
Yang's entire face went bright red. Ruby gulped. Pyrrha was panting.
The blonde boxer nodded slowly, licking her lips.
"Oh... Oh wow, I am learning... So much about myself today-"
"I will freeze your degenerate nethers, I swear," Weiss growled.
Jaune trudged back out to the platform. He sighed as he stepped up into full view of his tormentors.
"Stand up straight!" Weiss ordered, "And don't slouch! You're wrinkling it!"
"Seriously?! What the hell is this monkey suit?!" Jaune demanded, standing there in a distressingly fancy and elaborate white and blue suit with a cravat.
"Classic Atlesian Butler wear, about a decade old," Schwartz said.
"Are you kidding?! A butler's outfit?!"
"You actually look somewhat presentable now!" Weiss giggled.
"I will poison your cake, you little brat! Do you hear me?!"
"I kind of like the tails, they'll go 'swoosh' when he runs!" Nora laughed.
"Oooh, I didn't even think about that!" Ruby grinned. "But nah, capes are still better!"
"When you wear this, you had better serve it up hot! Don't want it Weiss-cold!" Yang giggled.
"I think it looks very elegant, Jaune," Pyrrha sighed happily, "Though I'd rather serve you instead."
"Gloves would make him seem more unapproachable," Blake said.
"They would!" Weiss gasped. "And who wants his grubby mitts all over everything? Schwartz, please give him gloves! Nice white ones!"
She paused.
"Also a serving tray, I want to see how he looks doing honest work for once-"
"I WILL SHIV YOU!"
Jaune emerged in a black school uniform, common to Mistral. It consisted of black pants, a white undershirt, and a black coat with a round collar. It was closed with round white buttons. He frowned.
"Whose choice was this?" Jaune asked.
"Mine," Blake said, holding up her hand. Jaune shrugged, looking just as confused as the others.
"I mean, I guess it's okay? But I already have a school uniform."
Blake got up and walked to Jaune. She unbuttoned the jacket, rolled up the sleeves, mussed up Jaune's hair, and backed away.
"Look me in the eyes," Blake ordered.
"Uh... Kay?"
Jaune, confused, did so. Blake backed up until her shoulders were pressed up against the mirror.
"Now... Slam your hand against the mirror, just next to my head," Blake ordered.
"Wha-?"
"Do it."
Jaune did so. Blake sucked in a breath and shivered as her cheeks went bright red.
"Y-Yes... Now tell me... 'You're hot for a bookworm!'"
"WHAT?!"
Pyrrha looked caught between rage and longing. Ruby wasn't much better. Weiss just facepalmed. Ren remained as stoic as ever, while Nora just giggled.
"Blake," Yang began, her smile dangerous, "Did you dress Jaune up like a character from your smut books?!"
"Demon of High School is not smut! It's action erotica with an intricate plot, well-written characters-!"
Jaune placed his arms in a big 'X'.
"Nope! Nope! None of that! NOPE!"
"I'm not coming out!"
"Come on, Jaune," Yang called, "It can't be as bad as the others!"
"It's worse."
"Don't be a pussy!" Nora shouted. "Ah, no offense."
"None taken," Schwartz chuckled, even as Blake fumed.
Jaune came out... And everyone went quiet. He wore black leather armor that he didn't seem to be wearing, but painted on. It had interlocking armor segments across his chest, thighs, and groin. His toes were individually wrapped in fibers, with metallic claws added to each one. Silver and bronze segments highlighted his muscles and a headset covered his ears. His lower jaw was protected by a similar skin-tight armor material. A sword was attached to his thigh. He stood in front of them with a sigh, as a visor unfolded down in front of his eyes.
"This squeezes my everything and I hate it," Jaune pronounced.
"But it's the latest in nanofiber armor!" Ruby cried, her entire face red, as she huffed hungrily for air through her nostrils, "It's got interlocking artificial musculature! Integrated Dust circuits that react to Aura impulses! Sealant layers to keep you from bleeding out! Weapon interlocks to allow for multiple targeting interfaces, including neural feedback-!"
"Breath, Miss Rose, breath," Schwartz chuckled, "That's reserved for an Atlas Specialist, I'm afraid. Cutting edge stuff!"
"Then why are you letting me wear it?!"
"To see how you'd look in it, of course!"
Pyrrha fainted dead away with a happy smile. Yang was just as red, but mustered a response.
"S-So... Is that a sword in your pocket, or are you happy to see me?"
"IT IS A SWORD AND IT'S GOT EXPLOSIVE BOLTS TO RELEASE IT! IT'S SO COOL!"
"Ruby, is your nose bleeding?" Weiss asked.
"THE AIR IS REALLY DRY IN HERE!"
Jaune emerged next in a sensible suit: Stylish, dark blue, with a red tie that attracted attention. He smiled as he walked up onto the platform again.
"You know, this is pretty nice!" Jaune said, looking at himself in the mirrors.
"I must agree, though it's a bit plain," Weiss said.
"For you, anything would be plain," Yang laughed, "But yeah! Lookin' slick, Crybaby!" She wolf whistled.
"It-It's okay, I guess," Ruby said, pouting a bit that Jaune wouldn't be wearing the Atlesian Cyber battle armor anymore.
"Very formal," Ren commented.
"You look like you're gonna run a bank! Or maybe shoot it up!" Nora commented cheerfully.
"Thank you Nora," Jaune deadpanned.
"Ah, a suit for women is like catnip for cats," Schwartz chuckled.
"That's racist," Blake muttered, even as she stared intently at Jaune.
"So, who chose this one?" Jaune asked.
"Oh, uh, I-I did, Jaune!" Pyrrha said, holding up her arm. Jaune smiled at her.
"Well! This is a great choice, Pyrrha! Thanks!"
"Oh, wait, the finishing touch!" Pyrrha said cheerfully. She got up and walked to him. She presented some glasses.
Jaune blinked.
"Uh... I don't need those-"
"Please, Jaune?" Pyrrha pleaded. Jaune sighed, and pulled the glasses on.
"How's that?" He asked.
Pyrrha trembled, her face turning bright red.
"J-Just fine... Can... Can I call you... Professor Arc?"
"... Why?" Jaune asked.
"J-Just to show my respect to you, as an authority figure!" Pyrrha stammered. She held her cheeks as she trembled. "An authority figure I've displeased... Wh-Who will hold me back after class... Tell me I'm a bad girl... A-A naughty girl, and then-!"
"No, no, none of that," Jaune stated, even as several other girls blushed, "Stop it or no cuddles!"
"But-"
"No!"
"Aw..."
Jaune blinked as he looked at himself in the mirror. The green tunic, the white pants... The pink highlight in his hair...
"Nora, why did you dress me up like Ren?"
"You can't improve upon perfection!" Nora chirped cheerfully. Ren raised an eyebrow... And looked just the tiniest bit smug.
"I really hate you right now, bro," Jaune growled.
"I know," said Ren.
Sun checked his map of the city. He looked down from the top of a warehouse near the docks. Dock workers of every kind busily went about their business, moving freight, hauling cargo, loading and unloading. The cry of gulls filled the morning air as the last of the fog vanished thanks to the rays of the risen sun.
The golden monkey faunus sighed heavily.
"I am so lost..."
He dropped down, easily sliding to the pavement via the fire escape before backflipping off to land near a few open crates of bananas.
"Damn, and I had to skip breakfast," he muttered. He looked around... Then knocked a bunch off one of the piles. It fell for the ground. Sun grabbed it just before it hit and began eating happily. "Mmph... Well... Waste not, want not..."
"Hey, kid!"
Sun glanced over at two dock workers. He held up his hands, using his tail to hold the bananas behind his back. He gave them his most charming, idiotic pretty boy smile.
"Yo! Hey, sorry about startling you! I'm a little lost. Can you tell me where to find...?"
One of the dockworkers, a Faunus, opened his coat and revealed a pistol.
"You can find the exit, right now," he growled, pointing behind Sun, "Beat it, kid."
Sun's eyes narrowed a bit as he spotted something poking out of the man's pocket. A mask...
Shit. White Fang's around here, huh? Yeah, I'll leave you to that, assholes...
"I'm going, I'm going," Sun sighed theatrically. He let go of the banana bunch, spun around, and caught it in his hands as he began to run. He ate the bananas as quick as he could. Unfortunately, he ran past a few cops who were patrolling just outside the dock gates.
"HEY! Kid! Where'd you get those bananas?" One of the officers shouted. Sun shrugged.
"Found 'em. It illegal to eat bananas around here or something?"
"GET BACK HERE!" The second cop shouted, waving his stun baton. Sun rolled his eyes and took to the streets, nimbly dodging around morning pedestrians.
Hey, he needed his morning run anyway.
The others continued to torment Jaune some more. Blake admitted that it was quite fun... But she had some questions for Schwartz. She waited until he was called away to the front desk, and slipped away soundlessly courtesy of a shadow clone. She slunk through the rows of coat racks, her keen eyes locked onto the tailor as he went up to the new customer. It was a redheaded human woman in her forties, wearing an elegant dress. She gave Schwartz a a haughty look. Schwartz happily greeted her with a small bow.
"Welcome, Madame Winchester. You're here for the order?"
"Yes," the red headed woman said stiffly, "I trust it is ready?"
The cold look in the woman's eyes made Blake grit her teeth. Schwartz smiled politely, and snapped his fingers.
"But of course, Madame! Uncle?"
Perrito bounded up happily, the middle aged man still tearing about like a puppy. He produced a black dress bag, and handed it to his nephew.
"Thank you Perrito," Schwartz said cheerfully, holding up the bag and unzipping it. "As you can see, it has been completely altered. A much more modern cut. It will allow your daughter to turn many heads."
"Not too many, I hope," Madame Winchester sniffed, "She gets around too much as it is."
Still, she wore an approving expression as she looked the dress over.
"Ah yes, I know that feeling," Schwartz sighed, "My eldest is at Valean Medical College. Always off to some party, not doing enough studying..." He shook his head. "Children, eh?"
Madame Winchester's cold expression warmed slightly, as she nodded.
"Yes. They're always a handful," she admitted, "My youngest son, Cardin, just started at Beacon."
"Ah! How is he finding his armor?" Schwartz asked, heading to the front desk to ring up the order as Perrito followed at his heel. Madame Winchester shook her head.
"He hasn't talked to us much," she admitted, "I imagine it's because he wants to be more independent."
"He's away from home for the first time, it makes sense," Perrito said with a nod, panting happily, "Lots of teenagers want their space in that way! Doesn't mean he doesn't love you still, just wants to feel like a man."
Madame Winchester nodded indulgently.
"I suppose no news is good news." She gave Schwartz a glare. "You're quite sure his armor is up to standard?"
"Beyond standard, Madame," Schwartz chuckled, "It's the only way to keep my customer base. Your card?"
The woman handed over her card, and Schwartz ran it.
"I tested it myself," Schwartz said, "Opal is very enthusiastic when I do that."
"She was SUPER enthusiastic," Perrito chuckled, "She used a rocket launcher! My wife never uses a rocket launcher on me!"
"Indeed?" Winchester asked, her eyebrow raised. Schwartz nodded, wincing a bit.
"Only the best for our customers... And my wife is the best at rocket launchers!"
"Isn't that dangerous?"
"Only for amateurs," Schwartz said smoothly.
He handed her the receipt, which she took gratefully.
"Thank you," she said. She took the dress bag.
"You know, you could just have the dress delivered, Madame," Schwartz pointed out, as she turned to leave.
Madame Winchester nodded slowly.
"I could... But I prefer to do things the old fashioned way." She gave him a thin smile. "Makes me feel like I actually did something for my children."
"You always do something for them," Perrito insisted. Her smile widened, just a bit.
"I'd... Like to think so," she said. She headed out, the bell over the door ringing softly at her exit. The old door swing shut, and Blake watched Madame Winchester walk out to a waiting limousine.
"You do know what they say about curiosity and the cat, yes?" Schwartz asked, looking right at Blake with a raised brow. Blake emerged from the clothing rack with a slight scowl.
"You... Do know what the Winchesters did to Faunus during the Revolution, right?" She asked with soft, cold anger. "You know what the Schnee Dust Company does to us?
"Of course," Schwartz said, "I'm not an idiot."
"Then... Then how could you kotow to them?" Blake demanded. "How could you do business with them?!"
Schwartz chuckled, shaking his head sadly.
"My dear Miss Blake Belladonna! White Fang does not have the monopoly on Faunus," he stated, as Blake stiffened, "I do not call your father my king, nor Sienna my queen. And if you think you can guilt me into joining your band of terrorists-"
"I-I'm not White Fang anymore," Blake mumbled, looking away. Perrito grinned, and loped up to her with a bright smile.
"That's good! White Fang are really mean," he said, "I mean... I wanna assume the best of people, because how could I not with the wonderful world we live in? But they're super mean. If you left, then that means you're not mean!"
Not mean...?
"I..." Blake shook her head. "I just don't..."
"Listen, Miss Belladonna," Schwartz said, not unkindly, "I didn't do any business with the SDC. I didn't make my money off the backs of enslaved Faunus: I made a dress for their young heiress, who, to the best of my knowledge, has done nothing wrong to Faunus, nor anyone else. Madame Winchester's parents did fight in the Revolution... And so did my father. But! We didn't. My skill shows, I have good connections, and so she comes to me for her needs and is civil."
"But not everyone is," Blake insisted. Schwartz nodded.
"No. Not everyone. But if you want the world to be fair to everyone, you're asking for the impossible," he said with a shrug. "I do good business, and I have good customers and bad. I provide for my family, and have good neighbors. I consider myself blessed-"
"And what about all the Faunus who aren't?" Blake challenged him. Schwartz sighed.
"Again... All I can do, is what I can do," he explained, spreading his hands out, "Do you consider me a traitor for simply living my life as best I can?"
"I..." Blake looked aside. Schwartz finally came out from around the counter, and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Listen, Miss Belladonna," he said, "In the beginning, White Fang did do good things. I'm not disputing that... But now, they're not about equality. They're about supremacy. We're tearing each other apart so much as though the Grimm aren't standing outside the walls waiting to devour all of us. Faunus and human. I'm no revolutionary, I'm no leader, I'm no great man. I just do what I can."
"I... I see," Blake mumbled. He chuckled.
"Be that as it may... If you need a safe place to come, or a friendly ear? Well... No charge. It would be a fitting tribute to my father."
Blake nodded. Perrito beamed at her.
"Aw... Someone's feeling unhappy... Hey! You know what cheers me up?" He held up a rubber ball. "Nephew?"
"Of course Uncle," Schwartz chuckled. He tossed the ball, and Perrito ran after it. He caught it in his hands, and put it in his mouth to chew on. He trotted back happily, and dropped the ball in Schwartz's hand. The cat man smiled as his Uncle panted happily.
"Again, Uncle?"
"Yes please!" Perrito cried.
Schwartz threw the ball, and Perrito chased after it. He glanced over at Blake, who wore a look halfway between disgust and horrified amusement.
"Hey, it keeps him happy," Schwartz said with a smile, "And my uncle deserves to be happy."
"Doesn't he care about how he looks?" Blake muttered.
"Of course not! Which is one reason I love him," Schwartz admitted.
"I love you too, Schwartz!" Perrito cheered, going for another thrown ball. It bounced off the window of the front door, and Perrito caught it happily. The door swung open, the bell ringing loudly as another customer entered. Schwartz's eyes narrowed, as Blake looked at the newcomers in confusion and suspicion.
Perrito looked up, panting happily.
"Hello, new people!" He said cheerfully, "How can we help you be happy today?"
Jaune shook his head.
"No," he stated, "Absolutely NOT. I'm not modeling underwear!"
"But Jaunnne," Nora whined, holding up a leather Speedo, "Come on! I wanna see how it'll look on Renny! You're the same size! In most ways!"
"No."
"Jauney-!"
"No! Never! Nuh uh!" Jaune shook his head.
"Come on, Arc," Weiss stated.
"I..." Jaune scowled, and took the underwear. "It won't even fit! It's too... Uh..."
"Snug?" Nora asked bluntly.
Pyrrha fainted again, her face a wide, happy grin. Yang was giggling like a schoolgirl, as Ruby blushed and looked everywhere but at Jaune. Weiss too was flushed, but still kept up her evil grin.
"Come on Arc! Put on a show! You can't be an arbitrary exhibitionist!"
"I'm not an exhibitionist-!"
"Jauney, my boy!"
Jaune looked up, his eyes widening in shock. A blond, long nosed man in a charcoal suit, with glasses and a goatee, walked right up to him and hugged him tightly. A very familiar man.
Roman Torchwick?!
"It's so good to see you again," he laughed, patting Jaune on the back, "Surely you remember your old Uncle Alex?"
"Uncle Alex?" Ruby muttered, staring intently at the man. Schwartz and Blake stepped up behind her. Schwartz was smiling, but far more tensely, while Blake's eyes were narrowed in suspicion. Perrito was in the front of the shop, amusing himself by tossing a red rubber ball and chasing it.
Jaune cleared his throat.
"I uh-URK!"
Jaune looked over his shoulder. Yup, a familiar (if differently colored) young woman was clinging to his back with a bright, cheerful smile.
"And you remember little Mint, of course," Roman Torchwick laughed, "Been a while, huh?"
"It-It sure has," Jaune said weakly.
"Well, since we're here," 'Alex' chuckled, slapping Jaune on the back with an ominous glint in his eyes, "Why don't we catch up? We've got a lot to talk about..."
"We do?"
Neo tightened her grip on his shoulders. Jaune nodded quickly.
"Oh yeah! We-We sure do!"
"Wait! Wait! Stop everything, the main attraction has arrived!"
Even Ren's eyes widened a bit as a truly gorgeous white cat Faunus woman dressed in white emerged from the backroom. In her arms was a box filled with green cloth and white armor. She flung her white hair back with a winning smile, her blue eyes locking onto Schwartz with a truly loving expression.
"Hello Darling," she crooned. Schwartz chuckled, and approached her.
"Cara mia," he growled, taking her free arm and kissing up it to her neck. "You look even more ravishing every time I see you~!"
"Oh stop," she giggled, planting a kiss on his lips that made Schwartz growl again, "Not in front of customers~!"
"But my love," Schwartz whined. At her look, he sighed.
"Very well," he stated. He turned back to the assembled group, and took the box from his wife. "Allow me to introduce my wonderful wife and partner, Opal. The heart of my life, the gem of my universe."
Opal giggled again, and squeaked as Schwartz slapped her posterior. She pouted at him.
"You're going to pay for that, my love~," she crooned.
"Gods, I hope so," Schwartz chuckled. They nuzzled one another eagerly.
"Ahem," 'Alex' cleared his throat, "Please, there are children about."
"Good, maybe they can learn something," Opal cooed to her husband.
"W-We don't mind!" Pyrrha murmured, glancing away from the happy couple and back to Jaune with an eager smile.
"S-So shameless," Weiss muttered, covering up Ruby's eyes.
"Hey! Quit it, Weiss!"
"Yang, protect your little sister!" Weiss protested.
Yang chuckled.
"Hey, I'm not gonna tell them they can't express their love. They seemed suited for eachother!"
"Urrrggghh!"
Blake flushed and muttered something about her parents. Neo continued to play with Jaune's hair.
"That could be us," Nora sighed happily, cuddling up to Ren.
"We're not cat Faunus," Ren deadpanned. Nora just scowled.
Jaune for his part took it in stride-He'd had to put up with his seven sisters and their romances, after all.
"That my gear?" Jaune asked. Opal beamed, as Schwartz handed it over.
"Of course! Go on, change!"
"I will," Jaune said. He looked up at 'Mint'. She pouted at him. "Come on Mint, off."
"If you need someone with you in the changing room," Pyrrha volunteered, "I'd be happy to-"
"No Pyrrha, no one but me will be in the changing room. Get going, Mint."
Mint pouted, poked him hard in his neck (which made him wince), then hopped off to sit on a table and leer at him.
Jaune sighed, and trudged back into the changing room. That he hadn't just fallen into utter apathy over this entire ridiculous fiasco was probably a testament to his will or something.
He emerged a few moments later, adjusting his modified bracers.
He stepped onto the platform in front of the mirror, and looked himself over.
His cloak was the same, but it had been heavily cleaned and modified-The hood was lined with white fur, as was the hem. White markings had been drawn into the fabric, all very geometric.
He now had abdominal armor plating that slotted neatly into the older stuff, though it had yellow borders around the plates where they connected to the undervest. His pauldrons were similarly attached, and fit well on his shoulders. His old hoodie laid in the box he'd left in the changing stall, a new, plain black hoodie taking its place as an underlayer for his armor. There was some light fur lining around his neck, too.
His bracers were now proper gauntlets, and he had full leather gloves underneath them with fur lining. Gold piping outlined the plates here, too.
A clean pair of gray combat pants and midnight blue combat boots covered his legs and lower body, with similarly upgraded knee and shin guards. Fur lined the tops of his boots, as well.
His sword and shield were little different, though they definitely had gone through a full cleaning and maintenance cycle. Crocea Mors' crossguard had been widened with an extension, which was nice. He had gotten a scabbard for his sword, too, attached to his double belt along with his various pouches and bags.
He turned back to his audience.
"Well?" He asked.
"Oh... Wow," Ruby murmured, "That's the new Mistralian Haventech Armor Upgrade Kit?"
"The same," Opal said cheerfully, brushing back her neatly coiffed hair, "Designed to slot into older armor systems and be easily welded together without losing any strength or Aura compatibility. It may feel a bit odd for a few days but it will soon feel natural."
"And the Dust slots?" Ruby pressed.
"Interchangeable," Opal said, "He seems like he prefers close range battle, so may as well keep it simple. But there's always room for upgrades. There's a new kit from Atlas for swords-It would allow for a Dust Augment upgrade to allow for elemental damage. With his strong Aura, there's a lot of possibilities."
"... Can I live here with you?" Ruby asked, eyes shining.
Opal chuckled and patted her head.
"Don't you have school at Beacon?"
"Oh, right," Ruby grumbled. Her eyes lit back up as she looked over Jaune again. "Worth it... But I'd love to hang out here and talk shop!"
"Of course!" Opal said happily, "It's nice to meet a Huntress interested in such things! You've got a good head on your shoulders!"
"Well, glad you approve, Ruby," Jaune chuckled, as Ruby blushed, "Anyone else?"
"Not too shabby, Crybaby," Yang chuckled with a wink, "I think you'll look just fine for our date tonight~."
"In full combat gear?" Jaune asked. Yang grinned wider.
"Wouldn't be any fun otherwise, huh? As long as you can dance in that."
"I can dance in anything," Jaune said firmly.
"I guess we'll see if you can walk the talk," Yang chuckled.
Jaune turned to Nora and Ren. Nora beamed and gave a thumbs up.
"Nice! I'm glad you're sticking with green and white! It's the perfect color combo! Right Ren?"
"Indeed," Ren observed dryly. Jaune turned to Pyrrha.
"So, partner, how do I look?"
Pyrrha blushed and licked her lips.
"Like a barbarian warrior who's going to pin me down and-"
"OKAY, glad you approve," Jaune stated firmly, as Pyrrha flushed and looked down at the floor. "Seriously, you gotta get a handle on that or you'll faint in a fight."
"I absolutely wouldn't!" Pyrrha insisted. "Not with my barbarian knight alongside me!"
"Can that be your new nickname?" Yang asked with a grin.
"No, no, we are not doing that," Jaune stated firmly. "Alex" hummed.
"Eh... I think you'd look better in white and black. The green thing's a little..." He tilted his hand in a 'so-so' manner.
"They are the king and queen of colors, but they require contrast to be at their best," Schwartz said with a smile, "And I never make mistakes."
"My wonderful man," Opal cooed.
Jaune glanced at Neo, who grinned and mimed stabbing.
"No, you don't get to test his armor until later, sweetie," 'Alex' stated firmly. 'Mint' pouted.
"You know, you look really familiar," Ruby said, eyes narrowed, "Have we met before?"
"Ah, I just have one of those faces," 'Alex' said with a gentle shrug.
"Yeah but you look nothing like Jaune," Ruby pressed.
"He's just a family friend," Jaune said quickly, as he saw Neo looking at Ruby with violence in her eyes, "Really Ruby, Uncle Alex and I go way back."
"If you're sure," Ruby murmured, before returning to Opal to talk more shop. Jaune winced-He really did hate lying to her.
"Looks acceptable," Blake opined, still looking at 'Alex' and 'Mint' suspiciously.
"Thanks Blake, that helps," Jaune snarked.
Blake slowly turned her eyes onto him.
"It reminds me of the title character from Ascension of the Shield Sage, a man who has to fight in an unknown fantasy world with the deck stacked against him, and only his harem of warrior wives to aid him-"
"Okay, I get it, thank you," Jaune stated quickly, as Pyrrha eyed Blake in speculation.
Well, maybe if she gets into porn she'll calm down a little, he thought.
Jaune at last turned to Weiss, and shrugged.
"So...?"
Weiss hummed thoughtfully.
"Well, at least you don't look like you rolled out of a dumpster," Weiss stated with an approving nod, "You'd better appreciate the Atlesian fox fur!"
"Thanks, I guess. I'm amazed you can afford this and all the other outfits," Jaune deadpanned. Weiss laughed, and Jaune narrowed his eyes. "What?"
"Oh Arc, you simple-minded ruffian! I'm only paying for your upgraded outfit! Maybe a few odds and ends, like Pyrrha's suit choice, but that's it."
Jaune's jaw dropped.
"Wait... I'm not getting all the other outfits?!"
"Of course not!" Weiss huffed, "I'm not made of money!"
"Then this entire show was just to make me suffer?!"
Weiss beamed.
"And for our entertainment. I'd say it was well worth it, right ladies?"
Much laughter and blushing ensued. Ren smirked very slightly.
"I hate you all, and I'm only going to be a good leader and keep you all alive because I'll get a bad grade otherwise!" Jaune growled. "I hope you know that!"
Ruby hugged him tightly and nuzzled his chest.
"We love you too, Jaune!"
Jaune sighed and patted her on the head... Before 'Mint' elbowed her out of the way.
"HEY!" Ruby squawked. 'Alex' strode forward, and placed a firm hand on Jaune's shoulder.
"How about I settle up this account, eh Miss Schnee? Least I can do for my nephew," 'Alex' said kindly.
Weiss glared at him, then calmly held out her lien card. Schwartz took it gracefully.
"Uncle? Can you take care of this?" He asked.
Perrito hopped up and took it with an eager smile.
"Sure thing, Schwartz! Hey Opal! You look great!"
"Aw, you told me that before!" Opal giggled.
"Well you always look great!" Perrito said happily, bouncing off to the register.
Schwartz smiled at 'Alex', the tension between the two men nearly palpable.
"Your money's no good here, Mister Alex," Schwartz said. "You should know that. Are we going to have trouble?"
"No trouble, no trouble," 'Alex' said with a smile, "Come on, Schwartz, Opal! We go way back, don't we?"
"Too far back," Opal stated with a sniff.
"He's my beloved nephew, I ain't gonna rough him up," 'Alex' chuckled. "Just want to spend some time with him. Alone."
"Jaune," Pyrrha began, but Jaune shook his head and smiled.
"It's all right guys, really. Go have fun, you've earned it," he said. Schwartz and Opal calmed a bit, but still look wary.
Jaune looked at Yang.
"So... Pick you up at 6?"
"Sounds good," Yang smiled. She walked up, and elbowed 'Mint' out of the way to hug Jaune tightly. "Don't be late, hm?"
They could feel the air crackle with magnetic power as Yang planted a kiss on Jaune's cheek, and heat up from 'Mint's' glare.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Jaune said, laughing uncomfortably, as Mint tightened her grip on his arm.
"We'll head out too, then," Weiss said, "It is our first day in Vale in a while, after all! Come on ladies. Goodbye, Arc."
She smirked devilishly.
"Until next we need a male model."
"Ren should go next," Jaune said quickly, "Why should I get to have all the fun?"
"I-" Ren protested, before Nora cheered.
"THAT'S A GREAT IDEA! I wanna see you in black, in white, in pink, in naked...!"
Ren gave Jaune a look. Despite how hard Neo's fingers dug into his arm, Jaune managed a smirk and shrug.
"Fair is fair, bro."
"I suppose so," Ren sighed, closing his eyes as he felt the gazes of many interested females.
Please buddy, Jaune mentally snorted, as Roman and Neo led him towards the exit, You are getting the better deal. Trust me...
Omake
Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha entered the common room between their dorms. There sat Jaune and Ruby at the dinner table, with a few piles of assorted junk lying around. Ren raised an eyebrow as he, Pyrrha and Nora advanced to sit at the table and better take in whatever was going on.
"What's all this?" Ren asked.
"All the junk I had in my pack, pouches, pockets, and anywhere else I brought to Beacon," Jaune admitted.
"Wow, you're even better than us, Jaune-Jaune!" Nora laughed, holding up a potion bottle and peering at it thanks to the electric lights overhead, "We need to use luggage!"
"You're like Professor Spacetime, bigger on the inside!" Ruby said cheerfully. She blinked and turned a small electronic component over in her hands. "Eh? What's a Farmatron 260 doing in this pile? This is a control circuit for mechashift weapons!"
"Oh, that," Jaune said. He hummed and shrugged. "No idea. Maybe it was in a pile of junk I rooted for and I scooped it up by mistake. Can you use it?"
"Sure can!" Ruby said. She leaned over and hugged him, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Mm! I love you, Jaune! This is great!"
"You're welcome, Ruby," Jaune sighed indulgently, patting her on the head as she blushed cutely. His ears had also gone red, despite his calm expression.
Pyrrha's eyes twitched again at this display of affection. Ren wisely scooted closer to Nora, who was sniffing the potions and laughing.
Something caught Pyrrha's eyes. She reached out and picked up a pair of cuffs.
"Aura suppression cuffs, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked.
"Oh," Jaune frowned deeply, "Ya remember that crazy girl who tried to marry me against my will? She used those on me."
"Oh, that girl," Ruby and Pyrrha growled, almost in synch. Nora grinned savagely, hefting up Magnhild. Ren too felt an urge to reach for his weapons.
"Don't worry, Fearless Leader," Nora said with a nod, "If we see her again, we'll break her legs! In three places, each."
"I'll cut her hair off... And then maybe her head," Ruby swore.
"I'll do worse," Pyrrha snarled, clenching the cuffs in her fist.
Ren just nodded coldly.
Jaune smiled warmly at his friends.
"That's... Terrifying, but it... Means a lot to me. Thanks guys. I really appreciate you being so willing to harm someone else for me like that."
"That's the real power of friendship!" Nora chirped. "Violence!"
Later, Jaune headed to his dormroom to grab his Scroll to join in on the RWBY/JNPR game night... And stopped short.
On his bed, in naught but her PJs, Pyrrha lay with the cuffs on her wrists. She grinned up at him, as she posed like a slave girl on a swords and sorcery book cover.
"Oh... Jaune! The most terrible thing happened! I accidentally put the cuffs on me, and I can't get them off!"
Jaune stared at her. She continued her posing, now holding a palm up to her forehead.
"My Aura and Semblance are both suppressed! I'm... I'm so weak! Utterly helpless!"
She shifted to another pose, on her stomach, looking up at him with red cheeks and eager eyes.
"Why... Anyone could do anything they'd like to me! No matter how depraved or humiliating, I-I'd have to go along with it! They could break me into their good little breeding sow! My mind would be gone, filled with nothing but love and lust for the man who broke me! My Master~!"
She rolled onto her back, looking up at him as the buttons on her pajama tops hung half-undone.
"Yes... That man, whoever he is... Possibly standing in this very room... Would break me into his obedient, loving pet and I just wouldn't be able to do anything to resist him! In time, I'd stop resisting and become loyal! My mind would be filled with nothing but the desire to please him in any way he wanted! And oh, how I would please him~..."
Jaune stared at her in silence. He then finally sighed.
"Pyrrha?"
"Yes, my beloved Jaune?" She asked, hearts practically shining in her eyes.
"First off, the cuffs don't work anymore, I burnt them out," Jaune stated.
Pyrrha paused.
"... Are you sure?"
"Very. And second?"
He walked over to her, undid the cuffs with the key, and pulled them away. He lightly bonked her on the head.
"OW!"
"No," Jaune stated firmly. "None of that. We're going to play games with our teammates, and then? You are off to horny jail."
"... Will you put the cuffs back on me for horny jail-?"
"NO."
Yes the "Puss in Boots" references continue.