"I am!"

"No I am!"

"Girls…" Summer sighed, playing with some salad on her plate with her fork dejectedly. "It was funny at first but this has gotten really old really fast."

"But Mom! I'm the Best Girl right?!"

"But Agent Rose! I'm the Best Girl!"

"Right now neither of you are." Jaune interrupted, earning betrayed gasps and looks. Summer perked up, figuring Ruby and Blake would team up against Jaune which in turn would create entertainment for herself and delay the fact she didn't want to tell Jaune what had become Nicholas' secret for some reason.

'Nicholas has always been an idiot from the moment he approached an injured animal at least his size.' Summer scoffed internally, even if it was laced with fratrilineal affection towards her brother in all but blood. 'At least Jaune didn't inherit his denseness…too much at least.'

It was that moment Jaune's eyes met Summer's, and she realised the twisted whims of fate had turned against her for revelling in the entertainment inadvertently provided by her nephew, her overprotective daughter and overprotective 'bed-sharer'. Good gods Summer hoped that didn't entail what she thought it might. Her nephew was far too young to be starting a family. At least Juniper and Nicholas waited until they were financially on their feet and Juniper wasn't as socially awkward as she had been before they had Saphron.

"Actually…" Jaune began, grinning as if he knew of just how much she had been enjoying Ruby and Blake bickering. "Since you two are arguing so much, by default, Auntie Summer is my Best Girl."

"N-Now Jaune-" Summer tried, leaning back in her seat and facing dawning with horror as he left his own, stepping behind Blake's chair so that he was at her side. Normally Summer would revel in a hug from her nephew. The betrayed look on her pup's face that made it seem like Summer was eating a batch of fresh cookies in front of her soured the experience somewhat.

"There, there Auntie Best Girl." Jaune interpreted, and Jaune could feel the cheeky smile on his face. She turned for Tai, and despite the neutral look on his face she could see the twinkle of amusement in his eyes. The traitor. "Don't be humble."

"M-Mom?" Ruby asked, eyes wide and shining. "W-Why…?"

"A-Agent Rose you! I-I!" Blake stammered, a similarly horrified look on her face, one that looked frighteningly like Kali's.

"Now then." Jaune said, grinning evilly and clapping his hands together as he released Summer from his embrace of death. "Who wants dessert?"

"Hm." Tai grunted, raising his hand whilst scooping up what was left of his plate into his mouth. Summer just looked between her daughter and Blake, unsure of how to act in such an odd situation.

"Alright then." Jaune said, nudging her shoulder. "Hope you're still hungry auntie. The best girl gets the biggest portion!"

Jaune left the room with a cackle, and Summer could only try not to flinch as the look of shock and betrayal on Ruby's face turned into a dark look that promised murder. Her little pup was a sweet thing, but being so sweet came with a sweet tooth twelve miles wide. Judging by the similar look on Blake's face, Summer had a feeling she was a connoisseur of sweet and savoury things as well.

At least the car ride home would be quiet.

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The scent of Weiss clung to the air like a thick fog smothering the earth. Winter was completely unsurprised by how easy it was to pick up her little sister's scent from Ansel, where she had made the mistake of assailing one of Juniper Arc's brood. Even if it hadn't been the only male of the spawn she'd struck, the wrath of Juniper Arc was something that would have brought the Schnee Clan to its knees. Weiss had been lucky to have not been at the castle when Juniper Arc had torn her way through thrall and vampire alike to reach their mother and forced the ancient vampire matriarch onto her knees in an overpowering display of strength and bloodletting.

Before that moment, Winter had believed her mother to be nigh invincible. Juniper Arc had shown otherwise, and Winter had started to contemplate the possibility of regime change for the first time in centuries.

But until the sweet moment of Winter seizing what was rightfully hers came, she was beholden to her mother's commands, though she was more than willing to fulfil this one.

Weiss had been a fool. She could very well die from her actions, and Winter did not appreciate the thought of losing her sister and future heiress.

So she followed the overpowering scent of her sister's blood from Ansel to nearby Domremy, and Winter found herself worrying. Her sister should have moved on from there by now, and the fact she hadn't suggested she was severely injured or dead, neither of which were preferable. Winter needed Weiss to be her heir so the Schnee name would live on after her, and she couldn't exactly inflict a suitable punishment on her sister if doing so meant she succumbed to her injuries.

Winter quickened her pace, wearing a concealing trench coat, scarf, hat and sunglasses to hide as much of herself from the sun as she could. She would not dissipate into ash, but it would hurt significantly and she would be greatly weakened should a local Supernatural desire to try their luck showing up the Schnee by attacking her. The scent led her to a dilapidated building, and Winter hurried inside.

She found Weiss on the top floor, surrounded by the desiccated husks of what appeared to be homeless Humans, who likely inhabited the abandoned dwelling before her sister arrived. Black blood stained the floors, and Winter stared as she saw the lacerations across her little sister's body. She was pale, much more pale than she should be, and her clothing was torn. Her body shivered and trembled, and Winter suspected that if she still had a need and ability to generate body heat she would have been sweating fiercely.

"W-Winter?" Weiss asked, with eyes that were utterly engulfed by her pupils, giving her a shark-like appearance. Winter approached her sister, taking note of the pus leaking from her wounds, the black blood that stained her stomach and the milky patches of skin across her torso, suggesting they had healed after being punctured by something.

"I see you finally met Juniper Arc." Winter noted, a hand trailing over the scar-like crescent over the place Weiss' heart used to beat. Juniper Arc, for all her attempts to appear otherwise, was a monster, one who liked to brand her prey with moon-like crescents carved through the places their hearts would once beat. If Weiss had been a thrall, the wound would remain, but instead as a gaping hole through her chest.

"M-Monster…" Weiss trembled, and at any other time Winter would berate Weiss for displaying such weakness. However, a fear of Juniper Arc was not weakness, and so Winter did not scold Weiss. Instead she picked away at maggots worming into a gaping wound on her sister's thigh, and she cocked her head curiously.

"If I found you earlier I have no doubt you would be more holes than flesh." She noted idly. "It is remarkable you even managed to reach Domremy."

"I-I thought she would f-follow…" Weiss whimpered, clearly feeling pain as Winter's fingers rooted through her open wound. It would suffice as a punishment in the stead of what Winter had already planned. "N-No point wasting energy r-running if the result is the s-same."

"A wise notion, considering days have passed and you are not yet healed." Winter said, frowning when she noticed an inky coloured, thick liquid that dribbled out of a vein in her sister's thigh wound. "Ah."

"W-Winter?"

"You need treatment." Winter explained, and Weiss blanched. It was a rare day a vampire needed assistance to heal from its wounds. "You have Abyssal Ink in your blood."

"O-Oh." Weiss gasped, eyes filled with appropriate horror. "I thought it was m-mine."

"No." Winter said, rooting through her trench coat for her Scroll. "You are fortunate I found you so swiftly. There is still time to save you. Should mother be merciful you didn't heed her warnings that is."

"I-I just-!..." Weiss tried, but she winced in pain and slumped against the wall. Winter waited for a moment to see if she would continue her ultimately futile defence, and when she didn't she dialled in her mother's number.

"Well?"

"I found her. She is in dire straits. Abyssal Ink."

"I see. What is your location?"

"Domremy."

"Take her to the hospital roof. I will have a Bullhead pick her up there for treatment at the castle." There was a pause as Willow barked at a servant. "Can Weiss hear me?"

Winter looked at Weiss, who shook her head weakly with pleading eyes.

"No." Winter replied bluntly. Her attempt failed.

"Put her on."

Winter offered an apologetic look before putting the Scroll on loud speaker and informing Willow of such.

"Dearest Weiss." Willow practically purred, and Weiss somehow managed to turn a shade of pale that words haven't been invented to describe. "I hope you recover soon my darling. We have much to discuss once you are healed."

"Y-Yes m-mother." Weiss whimpered, eyes squeezed shut with fear. Willow laughed a beautifully twisted laugh before hanging up suddenly. "You might as well k-kill me here."

"Never." Winter replied simply, taking off her trench coat and swaddling her little sister in it. She eyed the scruffy looking clothes worn by her sister's past meals, and figured having to get lice out of her would be easier than putting up with the sun for however long it took to get to Domremy's hospital and wait for her mother's Bullhead. She grabbed a foul-smelling coat off one of the husks and adorned it with a grimace before scooping up her little sister into her arms as Weiss buried her head beneath the trench coat.

"T-Thank you." Weiss murmured, voice muffled.

A small smile curled at the corners of Winter's mouth.

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Ruby and Blake were glaring at a Summer who looked like she had aged a thousand years when he returned with bowls of chocolate sponge cake lathered in custard and with a nice, gooey interior he was looking forward to eating into.

He laid down the bowls in front of his guests and house mate, and Blake and Ruby were distracted enough by the warm, velvety looking dessert that they ceased their glaring Summer and apparent argument over who was the Best Girl.

Jaune had seven sisters. Eight if he counted Ruby, which he wanted but tried not to do on account of the fact the though of eight sisters made him want to track down Weiss so she could eat him. He loved his sisters, but they could be a lot at the best of times. But they taught him to know better than to pick and choose favourites.

Or say who was or wasn't out loud at the least.

"Well dig in friends and family." Jaune smiled wryly, noting the surprised look on Summer's face and the clear question written across it. "I bought this from the shops so there isn't any need to stand on ceremony about this."

Ruby tore away at her dessert like a wolf devouring a poor deer. Was that racist? Speciesist? If comparing the Faunus to animals was racist, then would doing the same to Ruby be the same? Or was it not the same since she wasn't a Faunus but just a werewolf, which was something that he never thought he would think in a rational capacity but here he was apparently.

"This is delicious!" Blake smiled, a piece of chocolate sponge sticking to the corner of her mouth. "Thank you Jaune!"

"All I did was put it in the oven." He smiled back, though he could not help feeling a little spasming thrill that ascended his arm and shot into his chest at her sincere and high praise. "But thank you."

"Even still you could've burnt it or undercooked it like I know your father has done in the past." Summer snorted. "Stop being so humble and accept the praise Jaune."

"I guess." Jaune shrugged, his brain computing Summer's words. He leaned forward eagerly. "Did dad really do both of those things?"

"Oh yeah." Summer smirked, tone the same as his sister's when they were telling embarrassing stories about him. "The first time was when Juniper was pregnant with you, and since she was close to her due date she had to let Nicholas help her out in the kitchen since her feet were killing her and she needed to sit more frequently. Nicholas handled the desert, and somehow managed to burn a chocolate sponge cake. Your mother started having contractions soon after Nicholas brought out his dessert, and to this day I still believe his poor cooking forced her into labour out of sheer anger. The second time was during Amber's fifth birthday, and this time Nicholas jumped the gun because he didn't want to fail at his redemption arc when it came to cooking. He was so scared of burning it he brought it out undercooked somehow, and we were left with lukewarm and soggy dessert. Your sister wouldn't stop crying, so they had to rush out the birthday cake, though thankfully your mother had been the one to bake that."

Jaune just shook his head, stunned and amazed at his father's lack of culinary prowess. He didn't mean to sound like some sort of chef purist or anything, but Jaune was always pretty decent in the kitchen, and had become his mother's favourite kitchen assistants by the time he was entering his teens. It was weird to think he was related to his father, who didn't know how to master unburnt toast, something Jaune was keenly aware of considering the times he'd been forced to eat it for breakfast should Juniper be unavailable in the kitchen for whatever reason.

If anything the fact his father was so inept at the art of making food so completely terribly was something to be admired in a weird sense.

The rest of dessert went by without much in the way of conversation as people just tucked into the food. By the time he was done, Jaune was leaning back with a hand resting on his full belly as a content sigh escaped him. Looking around the table, Jaune could see similar looks of contentment and felt glad lunch had been a success.

Now he just needed to make sure the reason why he had arranged lunch in the first place was successful as well.

"Why don't you help me clean up Auntie Summer?" Jaune asked, grinning just to annoy her. "Best Girl privilege."

"I'll do it!" Ruby offered quickly, raising a hand up and practically vibrating up and down as she jumped up and down to catch his attention.

"I'll do it!" Blake declared, raising not one but both arms to raise a point.

Auntie Summer sighed.

"You girls can bring us the plates. Jaune and I need to talk."

"I'll get to work on the door." Tai said, standing quickly and glancing at Ruby and Blake. "Once you're done you can come help me if you like. Where are your tools Jaune?"

"The cupboard by the door. It's a red toolbox on the bottom shelf."

Tai nodded and left the room. Ruby stared down at her plate uncomfortably, and Jaune patted her head as he stood up, plates stacked in one arm.

"Go help the old man." He urged, and Ruby smiled, seeming like a weight had lifted from her shoulders. Guilty, Jaune realised she had been wondering over whether to try and help Jaune or go and help Tai, and Jaune wondered how something as stupid as a 'Best Girl' concept from the internet could've gotten to the point of genuinely tearing Ruby up inside.

He needed to have a talk with Summer about more than just what she was hiding. He had a feeling something bad was going on with Ruby. Once upon a time her social awkwardness and easy to please nature had made her an easy bullying target before Jaune told his family and brought the wrath of the Arcs down on those who would take advantage of that. Part of him worried such a thing might be happening again, especially with the Arcs no longer going to Ruby's school and being able to spend as much time with her as such.

He scraped what scant leftovers that remained into the bin, there not being enough to justify saving them, and afterwards put the plates into the sink, which was soon filled with warm water and soap. Summer stood to his right, dish cloth in hand, and Jaune went to work scrubbing the first plate as she toyed with it nervously.

"What is it then?" Jaune asked quietly, letting the splashing water distract him somewhat in case it was going to be something he really wouldn't like.

"What is what?" Summer tried, but a deadpan look was all it took to make her crumple easily. "Jaune…everything is being blown out of proportion and it's my…well really your father's fault."

"Dad? Is he the guy you were referring to when you were talking about someone having their reasons?"

"Yes. I've spoken to him, and trust me the only reason this is happening is because he is an idiot. When I was young, I was part of a Pack. A wolfpack. My father was the Alpha of it, and during that time we were a normal Pack, or as normal as wolfpacks can get. We were part of the Accords, or we at least had a deal going on with the Circle. We would always be on the move, travelling from town to town, and we'd make a living trading and selling. What we sold most was meat and game from hunts, but sometimes we'd trade what we'd gotten in other towns if we needed to. My dad…died, and another Alpha took over through force of arms alone. In a Pack, the word of the Alpha is law, and so it is the quality of the Alpha that determines the state of the Pack. The Alpha who replaced my father was an idiot, and soon we were on the run from other Packs, other Supernaturals and from the Circle. The worst part was…we deserved it. We killed and robbed and killed. I…It hurts to think about sometimes. The things we did. I did. I don't have an excuse for it. It's hard for you to understand, but wolves…the Alpha is the supreme law when you are part of the Pack. Their morality is yours, and our morality died with my father. Eventually we were ambushed by Agents. Most of everyone died, but I managed to get away wounded. I ran for as far as I could until I couldn't anymore, and that was how I met your father, curled up, whimpering, bloody and wounded at the back of his garden."

Jaune just stared, unsure of what to say or do. Summer looked completely devastated as she remembered what sounded like some of the worst years of her life, and he couldn't help but feel acidic guilt tearing away at his insides.

He'd force her to talk, to tell him this. Even if he was rightfully tired of secrets being kept from him…this wasn't the right thing to do either. It wasn't his secret to know. Not like this. Not because he had forced her to.

"Su-"

"I've started now." Summer interrupted, shooting him a deadly look. "Don't you dare make me finish. You should have known this a while ago, if not the part I just told you. Your father, because he was and remains an idiot, approached me. He thought I was just an injured dog or puppy, and I lashed out at him in panic. I cut him, hurt him badly, and despite that he still did his damndest to help me. Whilst he was at the hospital the moon had gone and I had transformed into a wounded little girl freezing to death out of the fear of leaving the bush I was hiding in. Nicholas came back and forced his parents to help me. Then he forced them to adopt me after I blabbed and told them I was orphaned. I saw my mother die in that ambush, but in truth she had died long before the Circle caught us. My father's death changed everything…but I became an Arc because of it. But when I turned eighteen I wanted to start my own family. I was grateful for everything the Arc's had done, and I loved them, and I love you and your sisters and Juniper and even Nicholas still, as my own. But…I wanted something that was mine, the way the Pack had been. So I changed my last name to Rose and created my own pack, my own family. Nicholas, because he is an idiot, thought that I did it because I didn't want to be an Arc, and that he shouldn't have told you and your sisters about me growing up with him as his sister because that's what I would've wanted. What he saw as a rejection of the Arc family, I saw as a chance to create my own, the way that if your sisters were to marry and take another person's last name, or if you were to marry and take another person's family name, you'd still be an Arc but someone with a new family as well. That's all I wanted. Deep down…I'm still an Arc, and I've always been your Auntie and always will. That's my secret Jaune, a secret that shouldn't even exist were it not for the fact my brother is an idiot."

"I'm sorry." Jaune whispered, and Summer snorted and shook her head. Her eyes were watery, but thankfully she wasn't crying. He would never forgive himself if she cried.

"Don't be. If anything I'm sorry. Or rather, Nicholas should be. I could have done more to make it clear this was just a situation that occurred due to your father being an idiot, rather than me hiding a world-breaking secret. It doesn't help that you found out about your family's heritage and the Supernatural world a few days ago in one of the worst ways possible. Besides…I should've talked with Nicholas about this years ago. He's a big lump of stupidity, but the thought I had cast aside the Arc name out of dislike had torn him up for years and I hadn't noticed."

"I forced you to do this." Jaune said guiltily, refuting her argument with a simple shake of his head. "I lashed out and panicked and you didn't deserve it but you bore it all the same and told me things you weren't comfortable with me knowing because you didn't want to risk our relationship, which I put on the line by acting like an idiot and jumping the gun."

"I suppose we're both a little wrong, but all that matters is if we make up." Summer grinned weakly, elbowing him gently on his side. "Friends?"

"More than that." Jaune said, drying off his wet hand before pulling Summer into a back-breaking hug his mother would have been proud of. "Family."

"I-I'd appreciate the sentiment m-more if you weren't c-crushing me!" Summer wheezed, feet flaying as he lifted her up into the air. He showed some mercy and set her back down. "T-Thanks. I think. Remind me never to annoy you now that you're a big strong man and not the baby boy I used to fuss over."

"Only because of the vegetables you forced me to eat." Jaune teased, dipping his hand back into the sink and cleaning another plate before handing it to Summer, who dried it with the cloth in her hands.

"You take that back mister! I was the cool Auntie!"

"You were the only auntie."

"Still the coolest by process of elimination!"

"By that logic you're also the creepy auntie, the annoying auntie, the boring auntie and the overbearing auntie as well as the crazy cat lady auntie."

"You take that back!"

"Make me-ah!"

"Hmph." Summer pouted teasingly, silver eyes alight with mischief as Jaune swatted his damp clothes. She cleaned the fingers she'd splashed him with off on the tea towel, freezing when Jaune returned the favour. "Oh it's on mister!"

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Ozpin frowned as his office darkened. He quickly set aside the paperwork he was being forced to work on, unable as he was to foister it onto Glynda on account of her and the other magicians at Home Base bolstering their magical barriers in light of the recent Eldritch incursion.

Home Base was not under attack. Yet. That was why the warning was there.

He descended down the spiralling stairs hidden in the middle of his office and found himself before the Eye of Salem, which showed him little else but a white snowflake. One that slowly turned red, in line with the darkening colour of the room.

The Schnee were planning something. It would be executed soon, and one way or some way, it would involve Home Base.

Ozpin doubted that it could mean anything good.

A/N: I'm going to take a break from writing in April, so the next update will be on the 25th of May 2024 rather than the 25th of April. Apologies.