Hey guys! RGQC here, and I'm back again with another chapter for you all to enjoy! And this chapter will hopefully be entertaining to read! But, like always, I'll address some reviews before we begin. And thanks to those who post by the way!
Triscythe59: Thanks! I intend to speed up the story since I honestly doubt you or the others would like the childhood chapters to be ever longer. But do let me know if you prefer its current pace.
Fenrir's Fang96: And thank you for reviewing and posting your questions! Now then, Jade will still retain his original semblance, but I intend to detail how he obtained such a unique Semblance in future chapters. As for your second question, what I planned for his future is still pending since it will be chapters' worth of time before he finds himself in Beacon. It's likely under different circumstances than getting his ass kicked and forcefully joining Beacon.
BrimazKing: I'm glad that's the case! And as for your question, he will still retain Thorn & Lumina. But likely under a different name and integrated with his skill with double glaives, I'll let your mind wonder about it.
Singular Ash: Welcome to Faunus Biology in Remnant. Where two Faunuses of different species would produce a child of an entirely different species than the parents. Wish I was making this up, but this is considered Canon by RT. So yeah. I recommend you look up World of Remnant on Faunuses. It should have the details you need to know.
Yolo27th: Jade getting a happy marriage? Perhaps in the future, but it is the journey that counts, and even the relationship of the best of friends can be flipped on its head at a year's notice. So, if you were to ask me, I wouldn't count on things going smoothly in the future. And yeah, I noticed that many OC stories seem to have their protagonist without parents for some reason. Heck if I know why.
Anyways, with that out of the way, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
And as with all my other stories, I do not own RWBY, only my OCs in this story. RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth.
Jade POV
Another two months have passed, and things are smooth. Well… smooth as one can be with a nasty case of the flu… I caught it while playing catch with Blake the other day when it started raining. Mummy said that I spent too long outside in the rain and fell sick because of it. And I feel awful because I was coughing a lot while sweating profusely and with a high fever to come with it!
And I couldn't go out or even leave the bed! It is so boring staring at the ceiling all day or waiting for myself to fall asleep until mummy wakes me up to take my medicine and food. And it must be a bad one because it has been a week already, and I'm still stuck in bed!
But I'm glad mummy has some medical knowledge, and I was slowly starting to feel better with the homemade treatments she learned to make as a doctor! Even more so when my best friend and Velvet used their spare time to visit me, bearing fruits as gifts that I would eventually get better! And even though I was sick, I was still doing my best to teach Blake her lessons whenever she came over despite it being surprisingly difficult to think straight.
And uh… Mmm…
Oh right! Mummy's been acting weird recently, and she smelled different. I don't know how to explain it, but her usual scent is much different than I used to smell whenever I hugged her. Even more so when it appears she's been sick in the morning in the toilet, and Daddy would be by her side.
Yet my suspicions over what I heard over two months ago made me conclude that it is likely that I will soon have a younger sibling if I were to base it on those memories I possess. I think… But still, eww. Why do I seem to know this as well? I feel so icky and gross thinking about it!
Beh!
I felt my face scrunching up before I sighed. I still feel awful from this flu, and it must be bad if I'm still sick till now. "What's Blakey doing now?" I wondered out loud with my head facing the window. It's afternoon, and I haven't seen Blake or Velvet. I wonder what they're doing at the moment?
It turns out it was not long before I heard footsteps, and the door opened to reveal Mummy and Blake by her side! And she's holding a bowl of soup if I can guess from the smell. "Did she make soup for me?" My ears twitched instinctively upon taking a whiff of that aromatic soup. It does smell good.
"Blake!" I couldn't hold back my excitement and called my best friend before I descended into a coughing fit. Without any hesitation, my mother quickly rushed to my side with a cup of water, and I took and drank it without any hesitation.
I then heard my mother giggle at me before petting my ears. "You never learn, do you? I believe I have told you before that you shouldn't speak so loudly unless you want to make that cough worse, did I?" I simply gave a sheepish smile before silently nodding while my best friend walked in with her eyes jumping all over the place. "Now then, how are you feeling right now, dear?"
"Much better than before, mummy," I said before smiling at my best friend. "Especially since Blake's here now!" And I was rewarded with red cheeks from my best friend while my mother started to laugh before I realised what I said and my cheeks became as red as my friend's.
Oops. Did that come out wrong?
"I suppose that's the case…" I see the teasing smile on my mother's face as she brushes her cheeks while her ears flicker, and I can immediately tell that she is deviously planning something again. Not again! No more teasing, please! "I'll take my leave now. Little Blake here has something for you, and I'm… not one to get in the way of that."
"Eh?" I could only blink when I heard my friend make an adorable noise before my mother began skipping away. "EHHH?! But you ask me to follow-!" Whatever my best friend was about to say was interrupted by the sound of the door closing, leaving us alone in my room.
Feeling pity for my friend after going through my mother's plots again, I did what I believed was right and changed the topic. "Did you make it? It does smell tasty." I watched as my friend blinked before placing the bowl of soup on the cabinet next to my bed and took a chair to sit next to my bed.
"Umm… Mummy made it for you, but I helped and asked me to take it to you." Really now? But knowing Aunt Kali and Mother's wittiness, this might be one of their plans, I think… "It is winter melon soup, and mummy says this will help you recover faster." My ears perked up upon hearing my friend's comment. Winter Melon? Aren't those extremely rare to get in Menagerie?
"Winter Melon? I don't think those grow in Menagerie at all…" I mumbled before my best friend confirmed my words with a simple nod while her ears twitched.
"Yeah. Mummy bought it to make this soup for you. She mentioned it being much more expensive because it was imported from Anima." Anima… That's where the Kingdom of Mistral is, right? I remember reading about the kingdoms and how they differ entirely from Vale in culture…
However, I also noticed some cultural similarities between Mistral and Menagerie. I wonder if there's a reason why that's the case.
Whatever the reason is, history is fascinating…
"That's nice of her to care this much for me." I couldn't help but smile at how Aunt Kali almost treated me with as much care as her own daughter. The same could be said about my mother with Blake.
"I know." Blake's voice snapped me out of my self-thought before my eyes ended up on the aromatic soup on the cabinet next to my bed. "I wanted to help you recover faster, so mummy suggested I help her out!" My friend cheerfully said while I blinked with a smile.
"Sure, want to have a try?" I know this soup is technically for me to feel better, but it would be unfair if I had all this tasty soup to myself. But I should let her have it first, wouldn't want her catching whatever I had. Yet my request appears to have my best friend all confused, with her head tilted to the left slightly.
Even more so when she points at herself. "Me? You want me to try it first?"
"I would feel awful if I had that soup to myself, so I figured you should at least try some. That and I don't want you to catch the flu from sharing something if I eat it first, followed by you…" Yet I didn't expect her cheeks to glow red for reasons beyond me and her apparent growing embarrassment over something.
"Eh? Are- are you sure you want me to try it first?"
"Yeah. Is there a problem?" I could only ask. What's with her today? Was it something I said or something?
"Uhm… No! There's no problem with that. It's just that…" Her voice seemed to droll towards the end before she shook her head. "No. I suppose it should be okay with you." Huh… I guess she managed to get whatever's bothering her sorted out.
I silently watched as my friend took a spoonful of winter melon soup and ate it, and I tell you. The moment her lips tongue came into contact with it, her eyes shot open, as did her ears! Oh, it must be good then if she reacted this way!
"Wow… this is good." I watched before she passed the bowl of soup to me before I had a taste, and she was right! It's good with a pleasant grassy flavour, and the addition of ginger and pork in it made it taste great! Without even realising it, I began scoffing it down while my best friend smiled at me with red cheeks. Seriously, what's bothering her this much?
"Did I do something wrong?" I could only simply ask before she flusteredly pointed at the spoon I was holding.
"We shared spoons…" She mumbled while I remained confused. What does she mean by that? I don't get it at all. It's just a spoon, right? There was nothing so special last I checked.
"And…?" I could only ask with a raised eyebrow before taking another spoonful of soup with pork meat into my mouth. However, pressuring her to tell me what was wrong appeared to have a limit, and without even looking at me, she mumbled with red cheeks.
"We shared an indirect kiss…"
…
Wait, what? We shared an indirect kiss?
Does that mean that we're together together like Mummy and Daddy?
I felt my cheeks burning as I remembered the memory of Blake kissing me on the cheek as clear as day! "What does she mean by that?" I felt myself wondering while I stared at the spoon in my hand. Is that because I had her take the first spoonful before me? That is why she calls it an indirect kiss?!
I felt my throat tighten by the second while having a horrified look on my face all the time! I mean, uh. It's technically not our first kiss, right? Or does that other one count? Oh no! Was this what mummy was planning when she left the room with a cheeky look on her face? I felt my head hurt a bit from thinking so hard, and because of that, my room became as silent as night.
Neither I nor my best friend had any idea of what to do at the moment.
"I guess… if it's from you, I wouldn't mind…" My best friend broke the silence with a mutter while I felt my entire body perk from her words. Even more so when I could see my friend's face a shade redder than ever before and her ears twitching constantly. I honestly don't know how to react or even feel from my friend's comment.
But hearing that she wouldn't mind having an indirect kiss from me made my insides feel tight. I don't know why, but it's not a bad feeling to have, and in a way, the feeling's addicting, making me want more of it. But even before speaking, I could feel another part of me giving some sort of subconscious warning to not let this feeling drive my way.
I don't know what that means, but I think I get it… I shouldn't let this nice feeling control me. I think.
Seconds pass quickly before I need to answer back to my best friend. And as I began to speak, I could feel my cheeks burning warm again. "Yeah. I don't mind it either…" That same feeling inside me grew ever more, and I could see Blake's eyes widening in surprise or shock at my response.
…
"I should finish this soup before it gets cold." I quickly changed the topic and resumed eating my soup, and with that, the awkward tension in the air I didn't realise was there was replaced with soothing silence as Blake watched over me as I finished my meal. And the rest of the afternoon passed without an issue.
A couple of days later, I was feeling much better.
In addition, the severity of my fever, headache and coughing had gone down to the point that I was able to leave the house. But only with a mask, which was so annoying! The stupid thing makes my face itchy, and it is incredibly hard to breathe through it!
Ah… On the plus side, I can now hang out with my friends and even visit Aunt Kali and Uncle Ghira! Though I was rewarded with Kali teasing me about my looks with this thing on my face… I don't like it one bit! Oh yeah! Since I've mostly recovered from my flu, Daddy decided to do something much different compared to what we usually do, and with Blake alongside me, he wants us both to work on it.
What we're supposed to train today? He did not say anything but just to follow him to somewhere. I wonder what makes it so unique that we need to go deeper?
"Uhm… What are we doing today?" I asked through my mask and with my best friend nodding her head beside me. Yet, my father didn't say anything but simply hummed as we walked to another part of the training field. Compared to the main area that had people sparring against one another with wooden sticks, swords and shields. This place was barren of anyone besides a few targets in the distance.
Even more so than what's on the table in front of us. I don't know what it is, but I could tell that I shouldn't mess with it. Yet we watched as my Father walked towards it and picked it up. He then checked it thoroughly before grabbing the blade on it and gently removing it.
"Now then, while it technically isn't your turn yet to wield such a weapon, I doubt my kitten here would like it if I were to ask you to go home right now." My father said while turning towards us, and I could see my best friend's cheeks redding again.
I take it back. I don't mind this mask now. It allows me to hide my embarrassment.
"Now then," My father holds the weapon up. "This is a gun, a weapon that can fire projectiles at targets. In this case, this is a revolver pistol that can fire six 32-calibre Dust rounds. Today will be different. Both of you will have the opportunity to learn how to aim and fire a pistol." He explains while kneeling to both of us and allowing us to see the revolver pistol in finer detail.
"We're learning how to shoot a gun? Are you sure this is safe?" I heard my best friend ask while my father shook his head. Wait, this is not safe?! Why are we learning this, then?
"I'll only allow one of you to hold a gun at one point, and I will take the time to guide and teach you about the dos and don'ts of using one. After all, you may need to use one in the future." He shrugs at us before standing up as if he remembers something.
"Oh yes! Before I forget this, both of you need to wear this." I watched as my father pulled out several orange foam thingies I had never seen before. Yet, I swore I had seen them before…
"What are these?"
I was the first to ask before my father placed two of those things on my hand and did the same for my best friend Blake, who had four. "These are foam earplugs. I need both of you to wear this one because when using guns, they can be very loud when fired, even more so because of our enhanced hearing. Here, let me help you with it." He said before he picked one in his fingers and gently pressed it into my feline ears.
Can say that it feels weird that things are now muffled with those things covering our ears. "You may put those on once we begin actual firearms training. But for now, listen up, both of you. I will tell you everything you need to know when wielding a gun."
What followed was hours' worth of my father going into every detail, and it is hard to keep track of everything he expects us to know…
After hours of explanation and going into all the details of gun safety, like keeping the safety switch on at all times and not pointing it at people even if the safety switch is on, he also went into detail on how to use them properly. At the end of this explanation, Melo allowed his dear son and best friend to do a trial shot.
It went as well as one would do firing a gun for the first time. Honestly, he should have seen that coming, but it appears he miscalculated how eager the children can be.
"Alright, Jade. I want you to point it at the target over there," Melo said with his finger pointing at the target around fifty metres away. "And be sure to grip it tightly with both hands." Jade blinked before adjusting his grip on the revolver with one hand underneath the grip. On the other hand, Blake was a distant back at the request of Melo for her safety.
"Like this?" Jade requests for confirmation before Melo nods his head.
"Good. Now, give me a second. I need to ensure your friend has her earplugs in place as I had done with yours." Melo says as he stands up and goes off to check while Jade's hands shiver slightly from the revolver's weight.
"I don't think I can hold this for long… I think I have to take the shot!" Jade's thoughts ran like a train before his eyes narrowed, and with his hands stretched out, Jade pulled the hammer and aimed.
"You have it all on, yes?" Melo asks before getting a nod from Blake, who is adjusting them. She doesn't like the feeling of them covering her ears because it makes things harder to hear and uncomfortable to wear.
"Yes, I have them on, sir." Blake said before both jumped at the sound of a loud bang behind them, followed by a surprised yelp, then a thump and the sound of the revolver hitting the ground. Immediately, both heads snapped towards the sound to see Jade sprawling on the floor on his back with a bruise on his forehead and the revolver beside him.
"Jade!" Blake cried out before she ran straight to her best friend on the floor, groaning as he slowly got up and rubbed the bruise on his forehead.
"Owwww…"
"Jade…" Hearing his father's voice this strained made the little cat Faunus tense up as he saw his father standing before him with his arms folded and eyes narrowed like a hawk. "Care to tell me what happened? And didn't I say not to shoot until I gave the order? What happened to you saying that you will follow my instructions?" The Grayson Patriarch raised an eyebrow while little Jade shivered with terror creeping up his spine.
"Gun was heavy, daddy…" Jade softly explained while still shivering. "I tried to take the shot before my arms gave away, but the gun flew out of my hand and hit me in the head." Jade could feel his father's eyes digging ever deeper into him, but to his surprise, Melo simply leaned back and began laughing as if he'd heard the most hilarious thing ever.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ah!" Melo laughed and laughed while his son and his best friend looked on worriedly before he managed to regain some semblance of self-control. "Ah… My apologies." Melo had to stifle another chuckle.
"It's not every day I see someone getting hit in the face with a gun they're using. No less did I expect my first time to come from my own son." Melo smiled before kneeling towards his son and gently rubbing his forehead. "Are you alright there? Looks like the recoil got you good."
"I think so? Some ointment from mummy should make it better, I hope." Jade could only sheepishly say before Blake began patting him on the shoulder.
"I think you will be fine, Jade, but please don't do that again. You scared us both." She said honestly before Melo rubbed his son's head.
"I suppose you getting a bruise on your forehead is a suitable punishment for failing to follow my orders." Melo chuckles while Jade pouts underneath the mask he's still wearing. The Grayson Partirach's eyes soon found themselves on the target. "Now come, let's get you off the floor and allow your friend to have a shot before we end it for today. You still need to have that patched up."
"Right!" Both children agreed as the day progressed, and Blake had the chance to fire a gun. She thankfully had a proper grip on the revolver, so it didn't fly off her hands and hit her in the face as it had done to Jade, who could only stand aside as he watched as his best friend stumbled back from the recoil.
"Wow," Blake utters while staring at the revolver in her hand. "I need to get used to that."
"And there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. But so far, not bad. Both of you for your first time. Take pride in it." Melo smiles as the sun slowly sets behind him. "Now, let us head home and rest for the day. Especially you, Jade. You still haven't fully recovered yet." Melo brought his eyes back to his son, who winced slightly.
Be sure that we will have more firing sessions besides our usual training." And with that, the day comes to a close with Blake returning home and Jade getting the scolding from his life for not obeying his father's words and getting a noticeable bruise on his forehead that will no doubt be there for a while.
And ever since that day, Jade would promise to have a tight grip and never let go of his gun ever again.
And we are done. Jade caught the flu and was rendered bedridden for a while, and his growing suspicions that his mother is pregnant. His lovely interactions with Blake and the awkward moments that occurred soon after. And lastly, both Jade and Blake have the chance to shoot a gun.
And Jade getting bonked in the head for his troubles. That too.
With that out of the way, if you enjoy this story and wish to show your support for more in the future, do Follow and Favourite this story. And while you're at it, leave a review about what you think, as that will let me know that you want to see more content from me!
With that, I'll see you all in the next chapter!
RGQC out!
(P.S. Nearly didn't finish writing this chapter in time because of Baldur's Gate 3. The game's addicting and so good.)