Author's Note: Some friends and I have been reading a manga called "Chained Soldier" lately, so I thought as an April Fool's story I'd write a RWBY version of that.

Cover art by me, because I enjoy editing images for memes on r/FNKI.

Enjoy.


Jaune Arc stood ready at his battle station. This is what he had trained for. This was the path he had chosen. He had every available tool at his disposal.

Armed and armored with the tools of his trade, he stood ready to face down the rabid and mindless hordes which would soon be assailing him. It was a day like any other. The mass of bodies never failed to show itself, just as it did every other morning. This was just the way of the world. A struggle which humanity must face as surely as the tide came in each day. He was ready. He would face it head-on and emerge victorious just as every other morning.

When Jaune had finished tying the dark green apron around his torso, he took a deep breath and exhaled. Soon the morning rush would set upon Schneebucks, and as a barista he would deliver both fantastic customer service and obscenely-priced coffee just as he did every morning. He knew he was no hero, but sometimes it felt as though he was one. Faced with overwhelming numbers and scant few allies, Jaune had to move quickly in order to fulfill the orders given to him. He had to brush off the anger and irritation of those who felt they weren't receiving their overpriced bean water quickly enough. Only then would he be able to lay down his arms and take a well-deserved rest.

Thankfully he wasn't working the opening shift. Waking up and coming to work when it was still dark out, and then opening at five in the morning would have been a nightmare. No, he was content to start at nine, like much of the civilized world did. He got to miss the wackiest of the wacky, but there were still plenty of people heading to their own jobs who would need their coffee fix before beginning their days. It wasn't the ideal career, but at the age of eighteen it was really all he could have for the time being.

Once he had dreamt about being a Huntsman. That dream had died quickly enough, however. With no Aura, no Semblance, and no training to speak of, all he was capable of doing was grabbing his family's heirloom weapon when nobody was around and attempt to practice with it to the best of his ability. As it turned out, swinging a sword around with only over the top Mistrali cartoons as inspiration wasn't the best form of training. Sure, he could swing the sword quickly and with enough power as his six-foot-one frame was capable of, but he possessed no actual combat ability. He had no idea how actual duels against other people were supposed to look like outside of what he saw in swashbuckling movies. At the end of the day, it had all been nothing but a pipedream. A regular, civilian life was what awaited Jaune here in downtown Vale.

Still, he couldn't help but imagine how he might be able to help even in his own meager, unexciting role. Maybe, just maybe, a Huntsman or Huntress would show up for coffee. Maybe he would be able to provide a much needed caffeine boost to a warrior in need of a pick-me-up. Maybe his coffee would be the extra edge a defender of humanity would need to put them over the top and save the day. To save lives. To be the best Huntsman they could be.

He snorted a soft laugh. "Yeah, like that'll ever happen."

The door opened, and Jaune was ready to greet his first customer of the day. Before words could even begin to form on his tongue, however, they dried up in his throat at the sight of the young woman who stood in the doorway.

Her eyes were first feature which stood out to him immediately. Pale and light blue, they gleamed like chips of ice, apprehensively glancing around the lobby as if she was searching for someone. When she apparently found no one to her liking, the girl strode forward on short legs which somehow carried her with great speed.

Long white hair flowed down her back, loose like a cascade descending down over a waterfall. Her dark blue button-up coat, fashioned like a military uniform, transitioned seamlessly into a matching skirt of the same color. Golden buttons and epaulets, as well as red accent lines, gave contrast to the rather plain and professional looking attire. The next thing Jaune's eyes were drawn to wasn't the Absolute Territory between her short skirt and her thigh-high stockings, however. No, it was the sword she wore on her left hip right above that small section of bare, pale skin.

She was stunning. Simply stunning. Easily the most beautiful girl who'd ever walked through these doors, and that was saying a lot.

He caught himself staring, and immediately corrected himself so that he looked down into the girl's gorgeous blue eyes. "Welcome to Schneebucks," he greeted. "How can I help you?"

The girl, for all of her poise and confidence, glanced away. Still, the telltale red on her cheek showed Jaune that she was blushing, though for the life of him he couldn't understand why. This girl, with the weapon she carried, she was a Huntress, wasn't she? What could she possibly have to be embarrassed about?

"I..." she started out, her voice soft and hesitant. Jaune watched as she attempted to compose herself. Her eyes closed, and it was only then that Jaune noticed that she had a faint scar running down the left side of her face from her eyebrow to her cheek. A battle wound, perhaps? "I would like to place an order!"

Those words carried far more weight behind them than her first one had, and Jaune nodded. "Sure. What can I get you?"

The girl's jaw clenched. Jaune could see the movement in her cheeks. It was clear to him that she was having a difficult time ordering. Her first time, maybe? He could offer her some suggestions if it might help her. After all, he knew the menu. He knew what people liked.

Her hair, pure as freshly fallen snow, was his inspiration for the first. "A lot of people like our white hot chocolate," he suggested. "Have you tried that before?"

She shook her head. "No. I know what I want. It's just..."

Jaune frowned. No money, maybe? He'd occasionally encountered people who would want to order saying that they would come back to pay later. Some had tried to offer some kind of barter for their drink. Others just wanted it for free, trying to act all buddy-buddy with him. It didn't seem like this girl, this Huntress, would do that sort of thing, but if there was one thing Jaune had learned from dealing with the public, it was that anything was possible.

"It's just that I lost a bet, and that's why I'm dressed like this!" she followed up, her words louder and angrier than before. Not enough to make a scene, but enough to let Jaune know that she was not at all pleased by the fact that she was wearing such an outfit. "I would never wear such attire of my own volition. It's not my fault."

Truthfully he hadn't given it any real thought. Huntsmen and Huntresses always dressed rather flamboyantly. He didn't know if it was so that they would be easily recognizable to others, if they wanted to become symbols like superheroes in their own costumes, or maybe just that the lifestyle of putting one's life on the line attracted those with a certain kind of mindset. Whatever the reason, he hadn't had any reason to judge this girl's clothes. As far as he was concerned, she looked pretty cool. Like a military officer. All she was missing was a peaked cap.

Still, could that be why she seemed nervous? Was she truly embarrassed by the outfit that she wore? In all honesty, Jaune thought it looked cool. Maybe she would feel better if he conveyed that sentiment to her.

"I think it's nice," he said with a soft smile. "I think it looks cool."

The girl didn't immediately respond, and Jaune saw how her tongue was poking around at the insides of her cheeks. Combined with the pursed lips of her pout, she looked absolutely adorable. Like a certain character archetype out of a Mistrali cartoon.

"Well, thank you," she offered, her tone not exactly matching her words. Pale blue eyes flicked back up to meet his, a steely resolve in them as she continued. "However, I'm ready to order now."

Jaune maintained his composure, trying his hardest to not allow a wave of conflicting emotions flow over him. "Sure. What'll it be?"

"Four items. A black coffee, two sugars. A cappuccino, extra sugar, extra cream. One strawberry sunset smoothie. And... a black tea... as black as her soul..."

That last bit confused Jaune, but he understood the order as far as actual items went. All things considered, it was a relatively simple order. The hardest part would be the cappuccino. He set about getting to work on it, but rather than leave the girl in silence, he decided to continue their conversation. He was more than a little curious about how and why she'd been forced to wear the clothes she seemed to loathe.

"So, what kind of bet was it?" he wondered as he went about his tasks.

From behind him he heard a harrumph. He imagined in his mind's eye that her arms were folded across her chest, and her face was turned away from him with an irritated pout on her lips.

"My friend, she was singing an incredibly obnoxious song," she explained. "One could hardly even call it music, with its simplistic and annoying lyrics. I asked her what it was, and she said it was from a cartoon. Pumpkin Pete's Adventures or something of that sort."

The words hit Jaune like a truck, and he instantly recognized what she was talking about. The show was originally intended for children, as its past generations had been, but this particular incarnation had garnered a large and passionate fanbase of teenagers and adults as well. Peteys, were what they'd called themselves. Jaune had once been one as well.

"Oh yeah, The New Adventures of Pumpkin Pete and Friends," he corrected her. "I know exactly what you're talking about. Pumpkin Pete, do-do do-do do-do, Pumpkin Pete, do-do do-do do-do, Pumpkin Pete, do-do do-do do-do, Pumpkin Pete..."

Silence now did settle over the pair, and when Jaune turned around he found himself face to face with the glacial gaze of those icy orbs of the girl. It suddenly felt as though the temperature in the room had dropped by ten degrees, and Jaune was quick to glance away and resume preparing his drinks.

"Yes, that is the one," she offered with just as much coldness as was in her expression. "Where were you this morning when I needed someone to prevent me from making such a wager?"

Jaune winced and inhaled sharply through his teeth. "I was, uh, here, I guess. Or at home getting ready for work."

The girl hummed. "Fair enough."

She didn't seem upset with him, rather at the situation she found herself in. At least there was that. Maybe he could do something to cheer her up. It would make his day if he could make such a pretty girl smile.

"And, uh, how does that relate to the bet?" he wondered, hoping to get her wrathful attention off of him and back onto her friends, apparently.

"I said there was no way it could be a real song, and so another one of my friends bet me that it was. If I lost, I would have to wear this ridiculous outfit." She breathed a heavy sigh, and Jaune could imagine that she was shaking her head in both disbelief and defeat. "And so now here we are. I'm wearing this, and I'm getting them coffee."

Apparently, she had not been a fan of the show. It probably never even registered on her radar. It was kind of an infamous song because of just how annoying it was. Well, except to fans of the show.

"So are your friends outside?" he wondered. "You'd think that if they made this bet that they'd want to see you wearing it and..."

Jaune stopped himself before he could finish his thought. Specifically, his thoughts about her humiliation. Based on what he'd seen and heard from her, getting this girl angry was not at the top of his list of priorities. He liked his internal organs where they were inside his body.

She scoffed. "Oh they're just lazing around our dorm room. It's a Saturday, after all, and without any classes to attend they're all content to sit around doing nothing while I do all of the work. A typical day, if I do say so myself."

That was unfortunate, but Jaune could relate. Back home when some of his older sisters wanted something, they were perfectly happy with sending him out to run an errand. Jaune, I want ice cream. Get us some? Never mind the fact that us meant her. Jaune it's hot, turn the AC temperature lower. Jaune the remote needs batteries. I'll hook you up with my friend if you do.

Jaune never was hooked up with said friend.

"Well look at it this way," he said, trying his best to cheer the stranger up. "Things can only get better from here, right? At least once you get back home you'll have a nice coffee to drink."

The girl hummed, and Jaune turned to see the frown on her lips twisting as her face shifted in thought. "I suppose that's one way to look at it."

"Speaking of which, which drink is yours, and which is your friend's who made the bet with you?"

"The coffee is mine, and the tea is hers. Why?"

Black coffee versus black tea. The only difference was the sugar. The cringiest line ever just entered his mind, but he would give it utterance if it meant that maybe it would make this girl smile.

"So you both take your drinks black, but the difference between the two of you is the sugar," he said. "It must mean that you're sweet and she's not."

He prepared himself for a number of reactions. The worst would have been disgust. Thankfully, the tiniest sliver of a smile crept up on her lips.

"She is a rather dour girl," she agreed. "Blake could darken any room she walked into and it would have nothing to do with her hair." She giggled softly at her own commentary, and her eyes seemed warmer than they'd been before. "Thank you. I know baristas are supposed to make smalltalk with their customers, and I appreciate your efforts to cheer me up."

Jaune smiled in turn. Even though she'd seen right through him, the sentiment had been appreciated. He considered that to be a win in his books.

Still, he had one more idea which he was currently in the process of doing. It had been the true reason he'd asked whose drink was whose. After all, another thing baristas commonly did was write little messages on their customer's cups, along with their names.

"I consider myself more of a broista," he smiled. "Sounds more masculine like that."

"Suit yourself."

"Last thing, what names should I put on each drink?"

"My name is Weiss. The tea goes to Blake. The smoothie is for Yang, and the cappuccino is for Ruby."

Jaune quickly wrote all the names down with a black marker on the cups. Thankfully they weren't long or complicated names. The worst thing was when he had to ask how to spell it.

After a few more seconds the task was done, and he set the four cups inside a cardboard carrying tray. He brought it over to the front of the counter where the girl stood, and flashed another smile. "Done and done." Punching in the items into the register, the total came up. "Will that be cash or credit?"

Weiss flashed a blue card, holding it between her index and middle fingers. "Credit, please."

Jaune took the card, and as his eyes wandered over it and the words written on it, he found that his throat had suddenly become dry. His eyes widened, and his body completely froze.

Schnee Dust Company.

Weiss Schnee.

Jaune had just been joking and making light of a situation with Weiss Schnee. The Weiss Schnee. The girl whose last name was the namesake of this very establishment.

Oh, gods. He'd called her sweet. He'd called the daughter of the owner of Schneebucks sweet. He'd used a cheesy pickup line on a rich, famous girl.

What if this was a test? What if this was one of those mystery shopper things? Or that undercover boss reality type show thing? What if he was going to be on national TV calling Weiss Schnee sweet?

His mind went blank and he panicked. The words which came out next did so without thought.

"Actually, uh, it's free," he blurted out, handing the card back to her.

Weiss reluctantly took it, though eyes narrowed in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"The register isn't working, so it's free."

"That makes no sense."

His eyes darted about, focusing anywhere but on her. "I mean, you're our one hundredth customer today, so you win! I mean, the prize is that your order is free!"

He may not have wanted to look at her, but Weiss held no such reservations for him. "You're acting strange. What's going on?"

"I... um..."

Before he could even sputter out another false explanation, Weiss sighed. "You saw my name and panicked, didn't you?" she asked.

Jaune inhaled deeply. He wanted to nervously scratch the back of his head, but not touching any part of his face or head while on duty had been drilled into him.

Weiss shook her head softly. Almost sadly. "You have nothing to fear from me. I'm just an ordinary customer and an ordinary Huntress. My last name may be Schnee, but I wish to be treated like anybody else."

That was... surprisingly down to Remnant for her. He'd never met any kind of celebrity or wealthy executive before. He'd imagined that most of them would be pretentious snobs, but Weiss didn't seem like that at all. Especially not if she'd not only made a bet with her friend, but followed through with it once she'd lost.

"I... sorry..." he muttered softly.

"The old me may have had that sort of mindset, but not anymore." She forcefully held her credit card out once again, prompting Jaune to take it in his hands. "I have ordered a service from you, and you deserve to be fairly compensated for it. Your daily profits and inventory would be impacted by free drinks, would they not?"

True enough. He may not have had to be the one counting beans, no pun intended, but someone did.

Jaune nodded, agreeing with the girl's intelligent take on the situation. Well, she wasn't an heiress for nothing, after all.

"Then it's only fair that you be paid for your service regardless of who I am. In fact, it's especially because of who I am. A Schnee always pays her debts. Do not let any pretenders fool you into thinking otherwise."

Jaune felt kind of lame right now. Even lamer than when he'd uttered that cringey line about sugar. His intentions had been... mixed, but after receiving a lecture from Weiss Schnee, he realized that what he'd tried to do had been wrong.

"I won't," he promised. And much like a Schnee always paid her debts, and Arc never went back on his word.

"Good."

The transaction went smoothly from there, and Jaune handed Weiss her receipt. Offering another smile, though this one nowhere near as relaxed as his previous ones had been, he thanked her for coming.

"Have a nice day," he said.

She flashed back a smile of her own. "I will certainly try. As you said, things can only get better from here."

Weiss turned and left without saying another word. After she'd left, Jaune breathed a sigh of relief for surviving such an encounter.

True to his own words, however, at least things could only get better from here. There was no way something more exhilarating and terrifying than coming face to face with the boss' daughter could happen, right?


The first leg of Weiss' journey was over. Dare she say, the hardest. All that was left now was catching an airship back to Beacon, delivering the drinks to her friends, and enjoying her own.

That would be the last time she made a bet with Blake. Yang too, for that matter. The two partners had to have been on it together, even if it was an unspoken agreement. Yang knew that inane Pumpkin Pete song had been real. After all, she'd been the one singing it. Yet when Blake had made the bet with her, Yang had done nothing in order to prevent the impending disaster. Ruby too, for that matter! It was like all three had seen an impending accident and had just let it happen. All for the sake of coffee, tea, and a smoothie. Some friends they were!

Still, Weiss couldn't help but smile. Yes, they were indeed friends. Only friends could play that sort of prank on one another. Had they been strangers, or casual acquaintances at best, none would have dared trick her in such a manner. Things really had changed for the better since coming here to Vale. Even though she'd been made the butt of a prank here, Weiss honestly wouldn't have it any other way.

As she walked, Weiss reflected on that, and her interaction with that barista at Schneebucks. Yes, perhaps her old self would have allowed him to give her the drinks for free. As the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, the old Weiss may have expected such treatment from a lowly employee who worked at her family's company. She probably would have accepted it as well, even to the detriment of the workers there. Weiss was happy she was no longer that person. That she'd grown in more ways than one. That she was a fine Huntress and an even finer human being.

A human being who needed to satisfy her craving for caffeine. It was still relatively early for a Saturday morning, and Weiss was a young woman who appreciated a good cup of coffee just as much as the next person. Halting in place so as to not drop her precious cargo, Weiss took the cup she knew to be her coffee from its cardboard carrying tray and turned it so that the hole in the lid faced her. As she did so, she noticed more than just her name written on the side of the cup.

The outfit looks nice. It suits you.

Weiss couldn't help but smile at the message the young man around her age had written for her. She'd heard stories of baristas writing little messages for their customers on cups, though Weiss had never experienced it herself. Growing up where and how she had, trips to Schneebucks weren't just something one just went out and did. Gourmet coffee was brewed at home, or if something did need to be picked up in the city, paid help such as Klein were the ones to do it.

Happy to receive an emotional pick-me-up alongside her body's craving for caffeine, Weiss wondered if there were messages for any of her teammates. A quick scan of Ruby and Yang's drinks showed nothing but their names. However when she got to Blake's drink, the smile on her lips curled upwards into a full-blown grin which showed her perfect white teeth.

Shame on you. Shame.

She wanted to laugh out loud. That employee had rightfully shamed Blake for making the bet with her, and forcing her to wear this ridiculous outfit. It pleased Weiss to have the support of someone, even if she didn't know his name. If she ever went back to the shop and saw him again, she would have to thank him for sticking up for her and playfully chastising Blake.

Taking a sip from her drink, Weiss felt immediately invigorated and energized, though how much of that was from the coffee and how much was from the messages, she couldn't say. All she knew was that she felt much happier heading back to Beacon than she had leaving it.

A sudden rumbling of the ground surprised Weiss, and she had to reach out to balance herself on a nearby street lamp post to avoid falling over. An earthquake, perhaps? Not being a native of Vale, she had no idea if those sorts of things were common here. However as she glanced around she saw that not every part of the city which she could see was affected by it. People in the distance were walking as normal, and only those close to her even realized something was awry.

The source of the tremors then reared its ugly head. Literally too.

Concrete and gravel shot upward as a massive hole appeared in the middle of the street, causing cars to slam on their brakes. People all around shouted and screamed in a panic, running away initially, but then turning to see what had caused the sudden explosion of pavement. An eerie and sickly green could be seen protruding from the gaping hole, and as the seconds ticked by the breach grew larger in diameter. A claw, all too familiar in visage, was carving the hole wider and wider until to Weiss' dismay, the monster beneath them began to fully emerge.

A Death Stalker pulled itself up from beneath the street, in all of its familiar black and white horror. Unlike the Death Stalker she'd tangled with during initiation, however, this one possessed glowing green eyes and an incandescent green tail barb which shone dully even in the middle of the morning.

Wasting no more time, Weiss dropped her coffee and grabbed her scroll, opening it and pulling up Ruby's contact information. With the press of a button she called her friend and partner.

"Ruby! There's a Grimm attack in the city! Come quick!"

"Weiss? What-"

Weiss had no time to listen to her leader, as the Grimm had fully emerged from the hole it had created and set its sights on the people and buildings of Vale. All around the scene had turned to complete and utter panic, as those who had stopped to inspect the curiosity realized their plight and rightfully turned to flee.

Weiss, on the other hand, could do no such thing. Death Stalker or not, she was a Huntress. She was sworn to defend the people of Remnant from threats such as this, and she would not be found wanting.

Stuffing her scroll back into her pocket, Weiss drew Myrtenaster and pointed it out at the Grimm in direct challenge. The mindless beast may not have been able to understand the intent of such posturing, but it would soon find out.

As its bestial gaze was drawn to those overcome with fear, Weiss attacked. A glyph appeared underneath her, and Weiss fell to a knee as she planted the tip of her sword onto the pavement. A wave of ice shot forth, making a quick and direct line for the Grimm, which was soon overwhelmed in white-blue crystalized dust, and was halted in its tracks before it was able to harm any of the civilians.

It took only a few seconds of struggling for the monster to break free, and its attention quickly turned to its attacker. Weiss, however, had already been thinking ahead and was on the move.

Using another glyph to propel herself upward, the heiress hung in midair for what seemed like long seconds before a second glyph summoned behind her propelled her forward. Leading with the tip of her blade, Weiss struck quick and true, stabbing at the Grimm's head with her weapon. Steel cracked chitin, though the attack seemed to do little more than annoy the creature which stood taller and wider than the largest of trucks Weiss had ever seen.

She was quick to retreat, using her glyphs to evade the ponderous swipes the Grimm offered in return.

Undeterred, Weiss spun Myrtenaster's dust cartridge chamber, and her blade was enveloped by a red glow. Ice may not have had much of an effect to slow the creature down, so she would see how it liked a taste of premium Schnee brand fire dust.

Conjuring more glyphs all around the beast, whose focus was now solely on her, Weiss took to the air once more, utilizing the glyphs so that she could bounce back and forth all around the Death Stalker. Each time she passed by she struck out with her fiery blade, slashing and stabbing at the Grimm with all of the strength she possessed. She was far too agile and quick to be caught by its snapping claws, and after several passes against the creature she returned to her feet a safe distance away from it to inspect the damage she'd done.

Blackened scorch marks appeared on the beast's white chitinous plates and shell, but as far as Weiss could tell she'd done no real harm to it. She may as well have been a mosquito pestering a lion, and she couldn't help but feel that it was only a matter of time until the far larger and stronger creature swatted her away for daring to be so indignant in assailing it.

As her mind whirled trying to think of her next strategy, Weiss couldn't help but wish her teammates were here to assist her. "Of course they sent me to Vale alone," she griped to herself. "It's not like I could use the help right now."

It had taken all of them, as well as Team JNPR, to defeat the Death Stalker and Nevermore back during initiation. Here she was now facing one of the former entirely on her own. The old Weiss had always wanted to try doing things on her own. Now, however, she understood the value of teamwork and assistance.

Then, to her surprise, the Grimm turned its back to her. Instead of facing her, it set its sights on the people who were still fleeing. On the buildings of downtown Vale.

On the Schneebucks she'd only just left minutes earlier.

Scuttling away on its large legs, the Death Stalker made its way to where it must have sensed large numbers of frightened people. Weiss couldn't and wouldn't let it get to them. She had to protect them until help arrived. She had to do something to stop it and delay it before someone got hurt or killed.

Icy eyes narrowed on the beast which had decided to ignore her. "You dare turn your back on me?" she asked under her breath. Her cold words were as glacial as her expression. "I'll show you that I'm your worst nightmare."

At times like this Weiss wished that she was proficient in summoning, however she had no time to lament what she didn't possess. She still had plenty of tools available to her. The Schnee Semblance had many abilities, and she'd only just begun to tap into them.

Conjuring another glyph, this one alternating between a glowing blue and yellow, an identical one appeared underneath where the Death Stalker moved. In an instant it shot up into the air, its weight and bulk no match for the power of Weiss' Dust and Semblance. The Huntress wasted no time in following up on her attack, as six snowflake-shaped glyphs appeared in front of her, arranged in a neat hexagon. Beams of blue shot out toward the Grimm, arresting it in place mid-air. Trapped and helpless, just as the Armas Gigas had been back home, Myrtenaster's dust cylinder spun once more, and her blade glowed in a pure, cleansing white.

Propelling herself into the air once more, Weiss moved to deliver the coup de grace. To strike down the Grimm which had dared intrude on her day off. On the peaceful city of Vale. On her new home.

She was so close that she could see the bottomless, empty, glowing green eyes of the Grimm, seemingly staring back at her as she was about to deliver the finishing blow. Then the tail of the Death Stalker struck out with remarkable speed and strength, slamming its barbed tip into her sternum and driving the air from her lungs. She had indeed been swatted away by the far larger and stronger beast.

Weiss hit the ground hard and rolled for several meters, and it was only due to the fact that she still had a sliver of Aura remaining that she hadn't been killed by the surprise attack. Panic momentarily filled her thoughts, for unlike back at home during her test, there was no safety net should she fail. Here and now in Vale, should she fail, it would mean death. Not only hers, but those around her.

Struggling to pick herself up off of the ground, she saw in her periphery that the Death Stalker had returned to the ground, her glyphs fading due to her lack of Aura and concentration. Weiss knew she had little left in her reserves, and that without help, this would end.

However... she also knew that she couldn't just leave. She couldn't abandon the people of Vale to this fate. She had to buy time. She had to at least delay.

The sudden feeling of something on her arm and shoulder made her jump, and as she spun around, ready to confront another Grimm, she saw instead the young man from the Schneebucks. He was still around for some absurd reason, though at this moment, Weiss couldn't be happier to see another living person at her side. That alone... that gave her hope.

"Hey, you alright?" the boy asked. "Can you walk?"

With his hand on her arm, Weiss struggled to push herself to her feet, though she did so under her own power. She may have been battered and bruised, but she wasn't out of the fight just yet. She certainly didn't need anyone's aid in getting to her feet. His aid in another aspect, however... that was a different story.

One which she never in her wildest dreams thought she would ever need to rely upon.

"I'm fine," she lied. She was on her last legs here, and she was desperate. With no sign of her team, Weiss was on borrowed time and she knew it. It would be a matter of seconds until the Death Stalker was back in range to attack not only her, but this boy as well. "However, I require your assistance."

Weiss could hardly believe what she was about to do. What she was about to ask this boy to do. What he would become. What she in turn would be forced to do.

An aspect of the Schnee Semblance so rarely used that she had only ever learned about it secondhand. She'd never put it into practice herself.

"Yeah," the boy readily agreed with a nod. "Anything."

"If you want to live..." she began uneasily, turning her head away while simultaneously extending her arm out toward him. A white glyph appeared beneath her feet, spinning in place as she spoke her next words. "Kiss my hand."


Jaune blinked.

"I'm sorry. What?"

Weiss Schnee, the Weiss Schnee, had taken a beating from that Grimm. He'd watched her in amazement and awe as she'd fought. She moved with the grace of a ballerina and the ferocity of a warrior. She was a Huntress through and through, fighting to protect the people from the monsters which threatened humanity's existence. However, as brave and strong as she was, even she didn't seem to be able to do it on her own. And so, in her most desperate hour...

She had come to him for aid. That aid, as it turned out, seemed to be to... kiss her hand.

Her head was turned away from him, probably in very understandable embarrassment. Her hand was mere inches away from him, trembling slightly in what Jaune could only assume was similar embarrassment, trepidation, or even anger. Possibly a mix of all three.

And all he could utter in response were those three, simple words.

Weiss' head whirled around, and Jaune saw how intense those piercing blue eyes of hers were. She was dead serious right now, and she of all people knew just how dire of a situation the two of them were in.

"Don't- don't make me repeat myself!" she snarled. "Just do it!"

There was no time to think. No time to rationalize it. Certainly no time to appreciate the fact that one of the most wealthy and well-known women in the world was asking him to kiss her. Though not on the lips, it was still kissing her. Kissing Weiss Schnee.

If this could somehow save their lives, then who was Jaune to argue?

Taking her hand in his, Jaune brought it up to his lips and gently planted them atop the back of her hand. In one fleeting split-second it was over, and the deed was done. Jaune Arc had totally just kissed Weiss Schnee. It was a memory, which if he survived this day, he would cherish forever.

Except... Jaune suddenly felt... strange. He couldn't explain it. It was a feeling he'd never felt before. Indescribable power began to course through his body. It didn't even feel like he was alive anymore. It was like he was in a waking dream. Like reality was no longer real. Like he had already died at the hands of that giant Grimm.

"You're going to experience something frightening," he heard Weiss' voice. It was calming and soothing, despite her words. "Just know that I'm here with you. This is a part of my Semblance. You're going to gain the power to survive. We will both survive today. We'll win."

When he turned to face Weiss, she suddenly seemed a lot smaller than before. Like she'd shrank down to several feet from her already short stature. Everything around him seemed smaller than before. Street signs. Trash cans. Fire hydrants. Anything and everything appeared miniature in scale. That was when he looked down at his own body.

That was when he realized with shock, awe, and terror, what had become of him.

His limbs had grown long and thick, bursting with seemingly limitless strength and energy. White and yellow fur covered his body, which no longer wore the black clothing and green apron that were his Schneebucks uniform. His muscles which brimmed with speed and agility found it difficult to remain standing upright, however, and Jaune quickly fell on all fours. A look downward revealed that his hands and feet had become paws. He was... he didn't know what he was without a mirror. All he knew was that he was no longer human.

He had become a beast in order to fight a beast. The sheer horror of it would have been overwhelming had his imminent death not been quickly approaching.

Jaune felt a sudden weight on his back, and craning his head he saw that Weiss had leapt up onto his back where she now sat as if she were riding a horse. A spinning white glyph, much like the one which had formed around her feet only moments earlier, now rested between his neck and his shoulders almost like a collar.

"What's your name?" she asked him.

Could he even speak in this form? Jaune opened his mouth to make a sound, and to his surprise, the words came out as plainly as if he were still human.

"Jaune." His voice was deeper than it was before. Gruffer. Bestial.

He blinked once again. Just what... what was he? What had Weiss done to him? And what did she intend to do with him now?

"Jaune," she repeated, the word sounding light and musical in her own voice. "Then, Jaune. My slave. I have only one command for you."

Wait, slave? What was that about?

Or at this point did it even matter?

The Grimm was nearly upon them. Its snapping claws were ready to grab hold of him, and its glowing green tail was poised and ready to strike the killing blow.

He wouldn't allow either of those two things to come to pass.

"Attack."

Filled with newfound strength, vigor, and bravery, Jaune obeyed the order without a second thought. With no arms, and certainly no weapons to wield, Jaune did the only thing he could possibly think of. He lowered his head, and charged.

He saw that there were what appeared to be antlers protruding from the top of his head. Just what was he? Whatever he was, he hoped it would be enough to defeat a monstrous creature of Grimm such as this one.

One of the beast's pincers reached out to attack him, but to Jaune's surprise he moved with blazing speed, and with strength unlike any he'd ever had in his human legs, he bounded over the striking claw and into his foe.

He slammed home like a hammer, ramming his head against the Grimm, and to his disbelief, knocked it backwards. The Grimm chittered, as if it was speaking to itself in shock of its own that something so much smaller than it had been able to move it.

"Well done!" he heard Weiss say from above him. "You move well for a creature so large."

Jaune wanted to beam with pride at the compliment. Before he could bask in it for more than a second though, Weiss shouted a warning to him.

"It's tail!"

The scorpion Grimm's striking tail lashed out, and with amazing agility Jaune was able to evade its attack. The glowing tip pierced the pavement on the street. Jaune definitely didn't want to be on the receiving end of that attack.

So he ran. Utilizing his newfound strength and speed, Jaune ran on all fours, circling around the Grimm to get behind it. Even as it turned to try and follow him, Jaune was still quicker, and he was able to stay in the beast's blind spot.

"Good thinking!" Weiss said. "Watch for the tail, and attack!"

Jaune did as he was told, and he lashed out once more with his head, smashing into the Grimm's flank and sending it stumbling to its side. The tail struck out again, but it did so without being able to see where Jaune was, and he was easily able to dodge the clumsy attack.

"Good! Again!"

Before the Grimm could fully recover, Jaune attacked once more, this time with his legs. They packed a punch even stronger than his headbutt, and a rear kick with his hind legs earned a satisfying crunching noise from what they'd just struck.

Annoyed chittering turned to a screech of pain, and Jaune dodged the counterattack yet again. He was on the move. Always on the move. Always one step ahead.

"Keep at it! It's working!" the voice of the girl atop him shouted excitedly.

Survival was the first and foremost priority in his mind. However... earning more compliments from Weiss Schnee was a close second. He couldn't put his finger on why, but he loved how she encouraged him. He loved the enthusiasm in her tone. He loved the feeling of satisfaction in his heart when she praised him.

Jaune leapt over the back of the Grimm, kicking out with his back legs as he descended back down to the ground and earning yet another sickening cracking noise from where he'd struck. The scorpion may have been strong and tough, but he was apparently stronger. While he didn't know how many more times he would have to hit the thing, he knew that the advantage had now swung in their favor.

"Jaune!"

He aborted his next attack, though remained mobile as he circled around the back of the Grimm. "Yeah?"

"Bring me closer," she ordered. "I want to hit it with my sword."

He nodded as if he was still human. He had no idea how it must have looked as whatever kind of creature he was, but he would do as Weiss told him. Racing around the Grimm once more, Jaune moved in as close as he dared, avoiding more blind strikes from the tail.

"There!" she shouted. "There's a crack in its armor that you caused. Bring me there!"

Bringing himself alongside the fractured black and white armored carapace, he saw Weiss stab out with her blade. It had a brilliant white glow to it. The effect was immediate.

A tortured screech unlike anything which Jaune had elicited sounded from whatever passed as the Grimm's mouth, and as it began to writhe in agony, its legs collapsed and the thing fell to the ground on its belly.

Not wishing to let such an opening pass, Jaune lowered his head and rammed into it once more. The beast's entire body rolled over, and like a capsized ship, the Grimm now lay helplessly on its back. Legs and pincers twitched as the monster spasmed in its death throes. Whatever Weiss had done to it had certainly been effective.

In a matter of seconds the Grimm began to crumble into what looked like black dust. Before his very eyes it disintegrated, its ashes scattered to the wind as if it had just been burned in a funeral pyre. Jaune had never seen a Grimm live and in person before, much less seen one be slain in front of him. Was this what happened to all of them? Was this the fate of such a beast when it met a Huntress in battle?

Whatever the case, the battle had ended now. A wave of relief washed over Jaune, and that relief was increased when he felt Weiss dismount from his back. Not that she had been heavy, nor had he lacked the strength to carry her. However, when he saw her before him once more, it felt as if all of the pressures in the world had been lifted from his shoulders when he saw her smiling face peering up at him.

"You did well," she told him, reaching up to his face. Her hand ran through his fur, and Jaune didn't quite know how to react to such a touch. "And look at you, you're so fluffy! You're adorable, Jaune!"

He still had no idea how he looked, but if Weiss thought he was adorable, he would gladly accept the compliment.

Weiss' hand stroked his fur, and she reached up as far as her diminutive height could so that she had access to behind his apparently big, floppy ears. A serene smile spread across his face as she scratched behind his ear as if he was a dog. Perhaps that wasn't too far off from the truth. Whatever the case... it admittedly felt nice.

Her smile slowly faded, as did the soothing motions of her nimble fingers. "But now... I must end this. You'll return to your normal human form. And then after that..."

Jaune's head tilted. To Weiss he must have appeared as a confused dog who didn't understand quite what his owner was telling him.

"Well... we'll see what happens after that."

The spinning circular glyph appeared once again under Weiss' feet, and the one around his neck disappeared. Slowly but surely, Jaune shrank back down to a normal size, and to his relief, a normal, human form. Thank the gods his clothes were still intact.

Even as a human he still towered over Weiss. He must have been a foot taller than her. However, as she stared up into his eyes, he couldn't help but feel intimidated by her. Or maybe not her, but rather the intense look of her eyes as they bored into his own.


The Schnee Semblance was a unique one for more reasons than simply being hereditary. It was powerful, varied, and versatile. It was not just a single power like most other Huntsmen and Huntresses possessed. No, Weiss could conjure glyphs which could manipulate her or her opponent's movements. She could alter the perception of time. She could even summon her fallen foes to fight on behalf of her.

The most unusual of all of the abilities had to have been Slave. It was an ability she'd never dreamed of using, though in this most dire of situations she'd had no other choice. She was unable to summon, and her usual glyphs and sword strikes weren't cutting it. She had to use Slave. Thanks to it, she had survived. Jaune had survived. The people of Vale had survived.

However, there was a price to be paid. Now it was time to fulfill that condition.

Jaune stood before her, rightfully puzzled by what she'd just said. He had no idea what was about to happen. Truthfully, Weiss didn't know either. The Slave Reward, as it was known as, was not her decision. Consciously, it wasn't even Jaune's decision. No, the reward would be whatever Jaune innately and subconsciously desired the most. It could be as simple as a handshake and telling him that'd he'd done a good job. It could be an exorbitant amount of money. It could really be anything that he desired, so long as she was capable of doing it.

Weiss' legs moved on their own, and even if she'd wanted to fight it, she had no power over them anymore. The Slave Reward was underway, and she was about to find out what Jaune desired most from her.

A delicate hand reached out and up to grab hold of his Schneebucks apron, and as she peered into his gentle, confused, and honestly frightened blue eyes, Weiss tilted her head and pressed her lips against his.

A feeling unlike that which she'd ever experienced washed over her, and Weiss' lips moved as she kissed the young man whom she'd just utilized to achieve victory. Movement turned to domination, and Jaune in turn allowed Weiss the freedom to completely and utterly control him and his body as she hungrily devoured his lips.

Weiss breathed heavy, panting breaths through his nose as the make-out session grew in intensity, and she wrapped her arms around his large and sturdy torso as she pressed her body into his. With a show of strength which would have appeared comical to an observer, Weiss in all of her four-foot-eleven glory pushed Jaune's six plus foot frame backwards until they reached a nearby wall of a building. Even then she didn't stop, and as she continued to press her amorous attack on his mouth, she slowly forced Jaune to the ground, and came down on top of him to straddle his waist.

There was no need for oxygen. Weiss and Jaune alike snorted harsh breaths through their nostrils as their tongues danced and battled with one another for dominance. There would be only one clear winner, however, and that would be the girl who was currently pinning the boy down against the cold, hard ground. Her warm, soft body made up for it, however, and she pressed all of her lithe form against his sturdy and bulky one, relentlessly kissing him with a passion which Weiss herself didn't even realize she was capable of.

All things considered... she didn't hate it. Though this was hardly the time or the place she ever imagined having her first kiss, it was physically gratifying if nothing else. Moreover, it was the price she was forced to pay for using her ability, and what a powerful ability it was.

Jaune was... strong. Impossibly so. The form he'd taken, which appeared to be a gigantic antlered bunny, was powerful. He was fast and agile. The power of the slave transformation relied upon the slave's willpower. Jaune's willpower must have been immense, especially for a civilian. He likely had no Aura or combat ability, but what he lacked in traditional training and skill was more than made up for by his inner strength. There was incredible potential deep within the boy which Weiss wished to make further use of in the future.

With his physical prowess alone he'd literally run circles around the Death Stalker they'd fought, and with his head and legs he'd broken the armored carapace of the Grimm which not even her dust-enhanced sword could pierce. If kissing this boy was the toll she would have to pay to harness him and his slave form, then it was a small one which she was more than willing to pay.

Not to mention that his slave form was just. So. Cute!

After what seemed like minutes of relentlessly attacking Jaune from his tongue to his tonsils, Weiss finally pushed herself up and off of him. She breathed deep, heavy breaths as she stared down at the boy who was half comatose from the unexpected physical assault he'd just endured. He didn't seem unhappy about it, however. Of course he wouldn't be. This was, even if he was unaware of it, his deepest desire. The unconscious reward he wished to receive from Weiss.

Perhaps she'd made an even stronger impression on him this morning than she'd initially thought.

With her hands pressing down on his chest to hold her up on top of him, Weiss flashed a small but appreciative smile. "You have my thanks," she said softly. "The people of Vale too."

Jaune nodded dumbly, as if he was indeed half asleep. "Uh huh."

So she'd not only taken his breath away, but his senses as well? Weiss supposed that was complimentary. Physical acts of affection were something she'd never been particularly comfortable with, and certainly ones she'd never actually experienced herself. Love simply wasn't in the cards for the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. However... Weiss found that she rather enjoyed what had just taken place. Maybe that was why so many people kissed each other. Kissing felt good.

Her hair was loose, not bound by her usual ponytail at Blake's request. Something about the outfit, she'd said. As such, Weiss had to hook her hanging snow-white locks behind her ears, lest they hang down on Jaune's already stupefied face. She didn't need anything else to distract him right now. Not when she was about to ask a serious question.

"Jaune... I have an important question to ask you."

His Slave Form was incredibly potent, and Weiss would be lying if she said she didn't want to utilize it again. With it she could become an even stronger Huntress than she already was. With Jaune she'd just defeated a Death Stalker in one on one battle. It had taken eight of them to accomplish the same feat before. With Jaune she could defeat the likes of Yang. Maybe even Pyrrha. The possibilities were endless.

"Yeah?" he asked.

Weiss' tongue darted out to lick her lips. How exactly could she ask him to become her full-time slave? How would that sound? How would it even work? It wasn't as if he could come live with her full-time at Beacon, right? He had a job. He had a life. And then there was the matter of Beacon even allowing a civilian to stay with them. It was all so complicated.

"Daaaaamn! Look at that!"

Weiss' eyes closed and she shuddered. Not nearly as complicated as things were about to get.

Turning to face the source of the sound, Weiss saw Yang, Ruby, and Blake approaching her with their weapons drawn and eyes on the lookout. Only Yang herself had her attention focused solely on Weiss.

"Look at the Ice Queen over here getting all hot and heavy with a civvie," she grinned. "I mean don't get me wrong, I can totally get behind some 'happy to be alive sex'. But out here in the middle of the street? Really, Weiss?"

Realizing that she was still straddling Jaune, and knowing what that must have looked like to her teammates, Weiss was quick to dismount the boy and stand up. She brushed the dust and dirt off of her borrowed blue military uniform, and spun around to face her newly arrived friends.

"I was just... making sure he was alright," she lied.

A lie Yang clearly wasn't buying. "Yeah, I check to see if people are alright by climbing on top of them too. After all, how are you gonna know if they have a broken rib or collapsed lung unless you're mounting them and making out?"

Weiss' blood ran cold. "You..."

"Saw that? Sure did!" Yang flashed another large, toothy grin. "We were still pretty far back, but yeah, I totally saw how you gave that guy a complete dental examination with your tongue. You must have been really close to dying if you decided to hook up with the first guy on the street you came across."

Weiss had been closer to death than she'd ever come before, but that was not the reason she'd kissed Jaune. She hadn't even wanted to. Not that she was saying that it had been a bad experience or anything, but she'd only done so because she had to. Yang wouldn't understand that, however. No, when Yang was in teasing mode, nothing she said or did would change her friend's behavior. As such, the best defense in a situation like this would be a good offense. It was the only option against a girl like Yang.

Mustering all of the confidence she could, and aided by the fact that she'd just taken Jaune's breath away, Weiss' lips twisted into a smirk as she peered up into Yang's mocking face.

"What, jealous?" she asked bluntly.

"What?"

"You talk a big game, but I've never seen you with anyone," Weiss pressed. "Maybe some of us are merely confident with expressing ourselves physically, while others can only talk about how much experience they have. The difference in saying and doing is quite large, Yang."

Lilac eyes went wide, and much like she'd rendered Jaune earlier, Yang was left speechless. Weiss' smirk grew, as did her confidence. Yang did indeed talk the talk, but when it came to walking the walk, she was apparently just as experienced as Weiss was. Or now, even less so.

"Weiss, you're okay though, right?" Ruby asked. Silver eyes gleamed with worry for the friend who'd called her for help in a panic earlier in the morning.

Weiss flashed a smile, eager to reassure her friend, teammate, and leader. "Don't worry, Ruby. I'm fine." She'd never been finer, actually. All thanks to him...

Speaking of Jaune, Weiss decided to leave Yang to stew in her own doubt, and she approached the boy who had by now stood back up. She leaned up on her toes toward him, but this time rather than kiss him, she brought her lips close to his ear.

"I'll be in touch," she whispered to him. "There's something I need to discuss with you."

Coming back down flat-footed, Weiss gave Jaune a gentle smile before turning. Yes, they would indeed have much to talk about at another time. Now was not that time, however. With her teammates here, they would need to be on the lookout for more Grimm. With the authorities arriving as well, she would need to file a report with them and assist in the cleanup. It was all just part of being a Huntress.

As she walked away with her team, she stole a glance back at Jaune. The boy went back inside his Schneebucks cafe to do whatever it was he needed to do as well. This would not be the last time they saw each other, however. Weiss would make sure of that.

The boy had made an absolutely indispensable slave, and she would have him.

In turn, he would be richly rewarded by her, and not by Schnee money either.


Author's Note: Well, that's that. All I have planned for this is a one shot, but who knows. Along Came a Spider was also supposed to be just an April Fool's one shot, and we know how that turned out.

I thought there were a lot of similarities between Jaune and Weiss, and Yuuki and Kyouka, so that was the main inspiration for this story. Chained Soldier is a fun little manga, albeit very NSFW, and I doubt that this story would ever parallel those aspects.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this. As always, thanks for reading.