White Knight Errant
A RWBY fanfic by Andrew Joshua Talon
DISCLAIMER: This is a fan based work of prose. RWBY is the property of Rooster Teeth and WB Animation. Please support the official release.
During the Semester Break...
Taiyang Xiaolong had gotten a cheap but well-built log cabin on the outskirts of Patch. He'd gotten a great deal on the property, too: Clearing the area of Grimm and protecting the workmen himself had let him pay it off in no time. Taiyang wasn't particularly interested in architecture, mind you: He just thought log cabins were neat, and his then-bride Raven Branwen had not really cared as long as they had a roof over their heads.
Summer Rose had brought more of a woman's touch into the place, a touch Taiyang had tried to keep after her death. Warm wood paneling and floorboards, tasteful decor, and as many pictures of their little family as could be placed on the walls.
Yet between Qrow's eternal bachelor ways and Taiyang's rough take on domesticity, it was little surprise that a room was dedicated to nothing but clutter. Here, in between piles of papers, books, and miscellaneous did Ruby Rose sit and sort.
Ruby stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth as she sorted through yet another stack of papers and books. She sat, cross-legged, in her family home in her socks, shorts, and T-shirt. She looked through them, sorting them neatly into piles nearby like pieces of her beloved Crescent Rose for maintenance.
She found a photo of a teenaged Summer Rose, grinning for the camera, and gently set it aside. Ruby's eyes lingered on it for a moment, before she scowled.
"Ugh... This would be so much easier if I even knew what I was looking for," Ruby muttered.
"You could always ask."
"EEP!" Ruby jumped three free into the air, her Huntress reflexes letting her land in a crouch. She looked up in shock at her father, who smiled languidly from the door.
"Need something, Pumpkin?"
"I..."
Ruby grimaced. Honestly? She wasn't sure how to bring it up.
"If it's about Jaune-"
"You know about Jaune?!" Ruby blurted out, cheeks going bright red. Taiyang laughed.
"Yang tells me everything."
Ruby scowled, glaring down at the floor with an angry blush.
"Why do I never learn?" She muttered angrily, "She always tattles."
Taiyang sat down with his youngest daughter and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She pulled away at first, but finally acquiesced and laid her head against his broad chest.
"You... You aren't mad?" She asked quietly.
"He seems like a nice kid," Taiyang said, "Though... Competing with your sister? That's uh... That's rough."
Ruby scowled.
"If one of us gets him, we both win," she insisted. She looked up. "Weren't you like that with... With Yang's mom and Mom?"
Taiyang was silent for a moment, his gaze drifting far away. Ruby, concerned, bit her lower lip and put her hand on her father's arm.
"Dad? Dad, are you... I'm really sorry-"
Taiyang laughed and rubbed Ruby's back.
"No, no! I... It still hurts, but in hindsight? Yeah. I was an idiot to not notice their feelings for me," he chuckled. "Hell, your mom had to basically tie me up and-"
"ACK!" Ruby cried, pulling away and covering her ears. "Nonono! I don't need to hear that-I really don't-!"
Taiyang laughed again and ruffled his daughter's hair. She pouted at him.
"That said," Taiyang resumed, "I'm glad you're being mature about this. He seems like a decent person."
"He... He really is," Ruby said quietly. "He did save my life."
"Good," Taiyang said with a nod, "Just don't make me a grandpa until you're married and he's got his trust fund."
Ruby gaped at him.
"DAD!" She cried, slapping his arm. Taiyang laughed.
"What? I'm just thinking about your future!" He teased. Ruby huffed.
"I like him for more than that!"
"I know, I know, but it's just so easy to tease you," Taiyang chuckled, "Ah..." His eyes locked onto a photo of Summer as a teen, atop one of the many piles of paperwork Ruby had been sorting through.
"She would have loved to have been able to do that to you," he said, "She was sweet, but when she let loose? Geez. I'd have preferred to have been hit by her axe rifle!"
Ruby stared at the photo for a moment.
"Do... Do you think Mom would have approved?"
Taiyang snorted.
"She'd probably be concerned that her girls were after another blonde, oblivious doofus, but... Yeah. She'd be very proud of you, Ruby. I know she would."
Ruby slowly nodded. Her father gave her a side long look.
"Is that why you're in here?" Taiyang asked quietly, "Trying to learn more about her?"
"Well... Yeah," Ruby said, "But uh... I mean, there's... Something important I wanted to know. I'm just not really sure how to ask, cause it sounds... "
She wringed her hands together for a moment.
"Crazy."
Taiyang raised an eyebrow.
"How crazy?"
Ruby sucked in a breath.
"The... I mean... Well..."
She trailed off. She then fixed her father with a serious look.
"Don't laugh."
"I'm not," Taiyang said calmly.
"Did... Could Mom ever do... Like... Stuff with her eyes?" Ruby asked awkwardly. Taiyang remained silent, his face still.
"What happened?" Taiyang asked, calm and steady. That helped Ruby a lot. She looked down at the carpeted floor.
"I... In Forever Fall, I was hurt and alone," she said, "I... I was so scared I was gonna die."
Taiyang instinctively reached out to pull Ruby into a tight hug, and she instinctively hugged him back. She sighed softly, then pressed on.
"I just stared at all these creepy Vermin and Reynard and Beowulves, and I shouted at them... My eyes burned... And they all turned into stone and fell apart," she said quietly. "I passed out. Jaune and Blake saved me. I... I didn't know what it was. I wondered if maybe I dreamed it?"
She looked up into her father's eyes.
"Did I dream it?" She asked in a soft tone.
Taiyang was silent, his face almost grim. He then gently pulled away and stood up. He walked over to the closet in the spare room, and opened it up. Slowly, he rummaged around, tossing some old clothes over his shoulders to clear the way. Ruby stood up, curious. She made out a small safe in the back of the clutter, guarded by some rolled-up carpets and the pieces of Yang's childhood bike. He unlocked the safe, and slowly pulled out something, before he swung the safe door shut and locked it back up.
He turned and walked the few steps back to Ruby over the piles of junk, before he sat down with her. He held up a small, leather bound journal. It had an insignia on it-A silver rose.
"Your mother asked me to hold onto this," Taiyang said softly, "She wanted to tell you all about it herself, when the time was right. But, given how dangerous her job and... Well... Her eyes? She wrote this up. Qrow, Raven, and me are the only other people who know about it."
He gave her a deadly serious look.
"Ruby, have you told anyone else about this?"
Ruby shook her head, her heart pounding in her ears.
"No."
"Good," Taiyang sighed softly. He looked his youngest daughter right in the eyes.
"Ruby, this is very important. Only people you trust completely can be allowed to know about your eyes. Eventually, it might become impossible to hide, but you need to keep it a secret as long as you can, all right? Do you promise to keep it a secret?"
Ruby slowly nodded, too shocked by her normally goofy father's shift in mood to protest.
"Yeah, I-I promise."
"Good," Taiyang said softly. He hesitated, staring down at the journal, before he held it between them. "Your mother only talked a little about her family. Her grandmother was the last of her line. Once, they'd been a whole clan. But their numbers had dwindled over the centuries. They were... They were hunted down."
"Hunted?" Ruby asked, silver eyes widening, "Hunted by who?"
"The Grimm," Taiyang said darkly, "And people who wanted to use them as weapons. Or deny other people from using them as weapons. The point is..." He paused, "The point is, your mother was the last of a very long line of what were called Silver Eyed Warriors. Their Silver Eyes let them do incredible things. Kill Grimm with a look, neutralize their abilities, and maybe even other powers."
"Other powers?" Ruby asked, a bit too overwhelmed to ask anything else.
"They lost a lot of their lore. Apparently they used to serve the ancient Warrior Kings of Vale, and the Emerald Emperor before then," Taiyang said, shaking his head, "There isn't a lot of history available on them. Just that they were powerful anti-Grimm warriors. There are people who use the Grimm, worship them, who tried to destroy the Silver Eyed Warriors. There are also kingdoms and factions that tried to kidnap them and make them into their personal weapons. Or worse, experiment on them to figure out how their powers worked. In the end... They were hunted down and destroyed."
He looked upon his daughter with a grave look, as she trembled.
"You... You might be the last one, Ruby," he said quietly. Ruby trembled again, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Was... Was Mom killed for her-?"
"I don't know," Taiyang said quietly, rubbing the small of her back as she clung to him, "It's possible. That's why you need to keep this secret, Ruby."
A memory flashed in her mind, and she looked up at her father in shock.
"Ozpin... Professor Ozpin talked about my eyes," she murmured, "Does that mean he knows-?"
"He does," Taiyang nodded, "He knew about your mother."
Ruby's eyes widened in horror.
"Does that mean he-?!"
"No! No, no," Taiyang interjected, holding his daughter tightly, "He never tried to do anything bad to your mother. He did ask her to share her knowledge of her eyes with him to better fight the Grimm." He shook his head.
"He got a little obsessive at times. So much so we had to make him back down, and remember she wasn't just a weapon."
"O-Oh," Ruby murmured, calming down just a little. Taiyang smiled and continued to rub circles into her back.
"He's on the side of the angels Ruby, really. But he's been at this for a very long time. He doesn't fully trust anyone with the whole truth. You need to be careful around him, all right? I don't mean be paranoid or fearful of him, but... Remember that he's not always right. And always have your friends with you when you talk to him about anything important. Okay?"
"I... Okay," Ruby managed. "I'm sorry, it's... It's a lot to handle."
"I know it is sweetie, I know," Taiyang murmured, "But I know you can do it. You can get through this. And you can help a LOT of people. Just remember... You don't have to sacrifice everything for the world if you don't have to."
Ruby stared up at her father.
"What... What about Mom?"
Taiyang sighed.
"I don't know, Ruby... But she wouldn't have given her life if it wasn't important enough to do so," he said softly. "Just as I know you won't do the same. All right?"
Ruby managed a firm nod, despite the tears coming from her red eyes. Taiyang held her tightly, murmuring soothing nonsense into her ear.
She didn't know how long they sat there, her thoughts slowly collecting and collating. She stared at the journal again.
"... Can we... Can we read it together?" She asked quietly. "I-I mean... It's not going to-to blast you with magic or anything if you're with me?"
Taiyang smiled.
"Even if it did? I'd be right there with you," he said.
Ruby smiled, a bit more relaxed. Her eyes focused on the photo of her mother for a moment. She turned her eyes back to her father and nodded.
"Okay..."
They opened up the journal together and began to read.
Ruby, if you are reading this, it's because I am dead. I am so sorry. I wanted to teach you about this properly, like my parents taught me, and their parents taught them. I left this with your father just in case anything happened.
Your eyes are a great gift... And a great burden. I wish I was here to help you carry it, but I know that you will find people who will walk with you. I know that your father, your sister, your uncle Qrow, and other friends you make will be with you every step of the way.
Even if you feel like you're all alone, we will always be with you. Because we all love you. I love you.
Now, here's what you need to know about the Silver Eyed Warriors...
It had been hours, but it felt like days. It was amazing just how introverted a person was when they were forced to interact with people over and over again.
"Miss, you're so cute, can we get a photo?"
Blake sighed and forced a smile.
"Sure... Nyah," she managed. She tolerated the two teenaged boys getting a selfie with her on their Scroll. One's hand slid down from her shoulders, a little too close... She tensed, ready to break his arm-
"HEY!"
Both boys jumped. Goldie walked over to them, glaring. She really was very tall, and her eyes blazed.
"Don't you think about it or I'll knock yer bloody teeth out!" She snarled. The teenagers winced.
"We're sorry, Mrs. Perrito-!"
"Can it and get going, or I'll tell yer mothers!" She snarled. The two teenagers bolted, the door to the cafe ringing loudly as they ran off. Goldie shook her head, and turned a softer look over onto Blake. For a moment, Blake remembered her mother.
"Sorry bout that. Horny teens, aye?" She looked Blake up and down in her maid's outfit. "You holdin' up there, Kitty Kat?"
"I... I'm fine," Blake said quietly. "I've done worse..."
She trailed off and looked aside. Goldie glanced around the bakery-It was fairly quiet this late in the evening. Ren and Nora were cooking in the kitchen. Jaune was sweeping up nearby some businessmen who were talking over coffee. It was all irrelevant.
All just so... Domestic.
"Yeah," Goldie said with a slow nod. "Anyway, you've probably had enough fer the night. I gotta get home. Mama 'n Papa are watchin' the pups, but I gotta close up soon."
Blake blinked in surprise.
"Pups?"
"Goldie, honey!"
Blake turned and frowned deeply. Through the front door came Perrito in yet another strange sweater. He beamed happily and spread his arms out wide for a hug. Blake recoiled, then glanced over at Goldie. Her eyes widened.
Wha-?!
Goldie was a woman who had, at first look, seemed carved of stone. She was tall, strong, rough, decent enough, but she hadn't so much as cracked a smile the entire time they were here. Blake was good at reading body language-She had to be.
And yet... In a moment, Goldie was beaming and blushing like a newlywed on her wedding night.
Wait... What?!
"Darling~!" She cried, practically leaping forward to embrace the shorter dog Faunus. They engaged in a heartfelt but still disgusting kiss. Blake glanced over at Jaune, who winced. Yeah, it was a bit unsettling, like seeing her parents make out.
Oh, yes. The twitch in his eyes. There was the commiseration.
"Mwah! I missed you, my sweet puppy-wuppy-lovey-dovey~," Goldie simpered, after breaking the kiss to nuzzle him, "Are you all right, darling? You weren't delayed by any hoodlums again? Just one word and me and the family'll wreck 'em all!"
Perrito patted his wife's hand with a warm smile, and nuzzled her back.
"No, nothing like that," Perrito chuckled, "It's all right! Mama said the same thing, but all the gangsters I ran into were really nice! One said I had a great sweater!"
"Well of course!" Goldie chuckled, "I knit it meself!"
Goldie caught Blake's look, and grinned at her. She wrapped her shorter husband's arm around her waist as they walked up to her.
"Honey, you remember Blake Belladonna?"
"Oh yes! The cat who isn't part of those White Fang meanies anymore!" Perrito said cheerfully. "I like your maid outfit! You look like you work great with white and blake!"
"I... Thank you?" Blake managed. She blinked and looked between them. "You two are... Married?"
"Twenty wonderful years with the most wonderful woman in the world!" Perrito chirped. Goldie flushed and covered a cheek with a hand.
"Oh you~...!"
"With five children!" Perrito said happily. "I want to bring them to meet you! They love cat Faunus! Seeing as their uncle, aunt, cousins, and grandmother are cat Faunus! And their grandpa, but..." He face fell a bit. "Oh... I made myself sad."
Goldie hugged him.
"It's alright sweetie. What delayed you?" She asked.
Perrito perked up.
"Oh! Oh, I forgot! Oh geez... Oh hey!" He smiled at Jaune. "Jaune Arc?"
"Uh, yeah, that's me," Jaune said, confused. Perrito beamed.
"I met some new clients today-They're wonderful people, really special! They went through some Grimm attacks and they talked about you!"
Jaune blinked several times.
"Er... They did?" He asked in worry. Perrito's head bobbed up and down rapidly.
"Yeah! They said you really changed their lives! I was wondering if you would be okay with meeting with them? Just for a little while? It would be a big help!"
Blake saw the worried tension in Jaune's shoulders. It was familiar to her as well. If he'd crossed paths with Roman Torchwick in the past, who knew what might come after him next?
Still... He put on a smile and nodded.
"Sure, if you think it would help?"
"Course it will help, Perrito's the best at helping!" Goldie said happily. Perrito blushed and kissed his wife on her cheek.
"Aw, you're always so nice, Goldie."
"Course I'm nice, yer my bloody husband!"
Perrito nodded again, and broke from his wife (reluctantly) to go to the door. He opened it and waved for some people to come in.
Jaune tensed. Blake sniffed. The scent was... Human, a bit agitated...
A tall man in farming gear wearing a cowboy hat entered. His face was dark from hard work under the sun, covered by a beard. Trailing behind him was a little girl in a nice if simple pink dress. She looked out from behind the farmer... And brightened.
"The Knight!" She cried happily. She rushed up to Jaune and hugged him around his legs. She grinned up at him with brown eyes and freckles over her cheeks. "You're the Knight who saved us!"
Jaune was surprised, pleased, and relieved. He knelt down and smiled, hugging the little girl.
"Hey! I'm so glad you two are safe," he said, looking up at the farmer. He smiled back gratefully as he walked up to Jaune. The young man stood up, holding the little girl in his arms, as he shook the farmer's hand.
"I wasn't even sure it was you, until now," he admitted, "Doctor Perrito here was doing counseling in our village. We've rebuilt but, with how Grimm are..." He chuckled. "Thank you, son. We'd have been dead without you."
"Are you a super Knight who kills Grimm and isn't afraid of anything?" The little girl asked eagerly. Jaune shook his head, still beaming.
"Nah. I just do what I can," he said modestly. He glanced over at Blake.
She had been staring intently at the scene. It was just too wholesome not to watch. But she'd begun to pull away, uncomfortable at being in such a sappy situation. It didn't seem like she should be there.
Jaune, of course, had to think otherwise.
"But over there is Blake," Jaune said with a smile, "She's a friend who's saved my life, too! She's an awesome Huntress!"
He lowered his voice in a stage whisper.
"She's also a ninja. A super cool ninja. But don't let it get around."
"A NINJA?!" The little girl cheered. She leaped out of Jaune's arms and ran up to Blake, grinning eagerly. "Are you a super cool ninja? Really? Really?!"
Blake coughed, but managed a smile down at the little girl. Her enthusiasm was infectious.
"Well... Yes, I am."
"Can you do Shadow Clones or super jutsu?!" The little girl asked happily. Blake let her Semblance speak for her, stepping away and leaving a Shadow Clone in her wake. The little girl's eyes bugged out in amazement.
"SO COOOOOL!"
"It is, isn't it?" Blake asked, her smile growing just a little.
Thankfully, the little girl (named Madison) was easily tired out this late in the day. And her father (Willis) had to get back to his village. Finally, Goldie had to close up shop. Ren and Nora had managed to clean up the kitchen without too much trouble, though there were a few bottles of syrup missing. Nora had insisted she had nothing to do with it... Then Jaune had Ren bonk her, and she confessed.
She'd be working an extra shift for that, but Goldie and Perrito wanted to get home to their children. The teenagers went upstairs to the bedroom. It was simple but comfortable: Four cots with a couch and table. Not much, but a lot more comfortable than a tent would be.
Nora and Ren engaged in a high stakes video game tournament (For Nora, Ren looked as stoic as ever), while Blake relaxed with a bit of reading. Jaune went out from the restroom to the balcony. By and by, Nora tired and passed out. Ren dutifully carried her to a cot, and tried to relieve himself of his burden... But Nora hung on tenaciously, and they ended up sleeping together.
Blake hid her smirk. Ren's lack of expression was very entertaining.
She got up and walked out onto the balcony. She looked over at Jaune, who was staring away from the shattered moon and at his Scroll.
"You're going to want to go to sleep soon," she said softly. He started, and looked over at her. He nodded slowly.
"Yeah... Just looking over some things," he admitted. Blake peered over his shoulder-There was a picture of Madison, dressed in a green blanket for a cloak and wielding a cardboard shield and sword in a laundry basket. She smiled softly as Jaune's face turned red.
"She uh... Her dad sent me pictures," he said, "She likes playing Knight now."
Blake nodded.
"It's... It's cute," she said quietly.
"Yeah..." He chuckled. "Reminds me a little of my sisters. Some of them acted younger than me at times..."
"Can I ask you a question?" Blake asked.
Jaune raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't you already-?"
Blake narrowed her eyes. Even a voracious reader like her hated grammar pendants.
Jaune held up his hands.
"Right, right, sorry. Go ahead."
"Why did you pull me into it? With Madison?" Blake asked. Jaune shrugged.
"You looked like you needed a break," he said, "You know. A cute little kid seeing how amazing you are."
Blake flushed.
"That's all?"
Jaune nodded.
"That's all." He shrugged. "I mean... It's pretty clear this wasn't your idea. But you're doing it anyway. I just... I wanted to cheer you up. Did... Did it work?"
Blake slowly nodded, and let out a soft laugh. Jaune blinked.
"What?" He asked.
"You. One moment, you're a commanding captain, a knight who fights without fear. Then you're some punk who mocks the heiress of the most powerful company in the world to her face. And now... You're a gigantic dork who is utterly oblivious."
"Hey," Jaune protested, "I'm not that oblivious... I think. What's your point?"
Blake shook her head and smiled softly at him.
"Nothing," she said. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "But you're a dangerous man, Jaune Arc. I hope you know that."
She turned and walked back into the room. She got into her bed, and pulled the covers up over herself, her book, and her Scroll. Jaune stared after her, and shook his head slowly.
"Women," he muttered.
His inner Gato chuckled.
You are learning faster than most that it is futile to make sense of them, Juan.
"Yeah, but that doesn't give me any options to deal with them," Jaune muttered.
Nonsense Juan. They simply use a logic all their own, Inner Gato said, You wanted to be a hero, si? This kind of challenge is part of it. Why not romance her too, mm?
"I already have three dates to plan for," Jaune groaned.
Well then, no time to waste! His inner Gato laughed.
Jaune sighed, resting his chin on his hands as he looked out over the lights of Vale. They seemed to reflect the stars above, a miniature universe all its own.
"I don't even know if I'm just going crazy, talking to you," Jaune muttered.
Perhaps you are. Perhaps you are not. But! Over worrying about one's sanity is counterproductive. Juan, his inner Gato said, If I am helping, then perhaps you are fine.
"I hope so," Jaune muttered.
Give yourself more credit, Juan. Women love a man with confidence.
"And yet here I am with three dates and a teasing catgirl."
... Touché.
Like most of Remnant's megacities, Vale was a mixture of the ancient and the futuristic. For every old preserved building of an old style, there were holographic roadsigns. For every bridge built before the Great War, there were hovertrains passing to and fro as part of the vast public transit system.
And for every decrepit, abandoned relic of a building, there was an access point into the CCNet that provided telephone, internet, and communication service across the entire kingdom.
A young woman with chocolate dark skin and long platinum hair sat back in the ruined,crumbling building. She was dressed in a purple pinstripe suit, accentuating her generous curves and athletic build. She sat on a hastily provided folding chair, one leg crossed over the other, as she watched two technicians at work on the floor with laser torches. At her side stood a slick-looking young man in a black, pinstripe suit and fedora. He leaned on a cane, his black eyes shining behind a simple gasmask that concealed his features.
The technicians finished cutting, and as one, the three men lifted the block of concrete, and tossed it aside. The lead nodded to the woman.
"We're all set, ma'am."
"Excellent," the woman said, "Let's hurry. You have fifty seconds."
One pulled out a holographic projector, while the other produced a tap. Dutifully, he pressed the tap device into the access point. The young woman leaned forward, her all-black suit a stark contrast with the shimmer of her hair.
"Codes are in, we're connected, ma'am," the technician reported. The young woman smiled.
"Then let's not keep him waiting," she said in a soft, melodious tone. She nodded to the third tech.
The other tech placed the holographic projector into the tap. After a few moments of fiddling, they produced a holographic screen that slowly rotated before the trio. A moment later, a blonde man with green eyes and a thin chin appeared. He nervously adjusted his Atlasian military uniform. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he took a swig of alcohol to calm his nerves.
"Major Aldebert Hiss, Atlaesian Logistics Division," the woman spoke, her blue eyes narrowed as she smiled in delight, "My associates tell me you have obtained the package."
"It's been dropped off at the wrong Valean depot," the major reported nervously, "Right where I said it would be. It wasn't easy, but I got you your Paladin."
The young woman leaned forward, smirking slightly.
"Along with the schematics, fuel, and ammo, I trust?"
"Y-Yes, it's all there!" The major insisted.
The woman looked over to her slick looking companion. He held up his Scroll, and listened to a voice on the other end. He turned to the woman and nodded.
"Everything is as it should be," he said, "Our people have it."
"You've done well, Major Hiss," the woman smirked. "I also trust any tracking devices have been disabled on the mech?"
"Yes, everything," Hiss insisted, "It-It will just look like it fell off into the ocean! I swear!"
"You of course won't mind if I have my people do a thorough check on that, of course," the young lady said, almost kindly. The major shook his head.
"Anything, anything... Is... Is that all? Is my debt repaid?"
The young woman laughed softly.
"Oh my dear Aldebert... My predecessors were content to just have you drop some gunrunners a free shipment from time to time. Me? Well... We all have our masters, and mine wants more. Much more."
Hiss glared, the sweat dripping down his forehead.
"You can't-I can't do more than what I've done! A Paladin alone is enough to-!"
"Enough to what, Aldebert?" The woman asked, silk wrapped in steel, "To reveal that you got so far into debt betting on underground death matches you've had to betray your country? Your uniform?"
"You don't understand the oaths I took, the honor I have-!"
"What honor?" The woman scoffed. "If you were half the patriot you pretend to be, you'd go right up to General Ironwood and admit everything."
Hiss glared. The woman remained utterly serene, even as her compatriots tensed.
"Go ahead, Hiss. Show me the true hero underneath all that mediocrity," the woman pressed, "Show me you're actually a man and not just a bitter little boy who got in over his head and now will do anything to avoid the consequences. Go ahead. Go right now."
She leaned forward, pink eyes glinting menacingly.
"Go ahead."
Hiss gritted his teeth... And sagged, looking down at the floor. The woman laughed softly.
"See? We both know just what kind of man you are. But I promise... I will be a kind master. It's the least I can do for such a useful man," the woman purred. The major blushed.
"I uh... I appreciate that..."
"Don't worry," the woman said soothingly, "Your debts will be erased. Like it never even happened. One of my associates will be by to see you shortly. All sorts of new opportunities are now open to you... As long as you remember who your mistress is."
She smirked.
"Who is that, Adelbert?"
"... You, Mistress," Hiss murmured.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you-"
"You, Mistress!" Hiss said loudly. The woman nodded.
"Good. Now. I suggest you set about finding me some more useful things, mm?"
"Of course, Mistress," Hiss replied. The woman made a cutting motion with her hand, and the feed was terminated.
"Get to the van, go about your business," the woman said. The three technicians bowed, and hurried out, leaving the woman and her slick companion behind in the stillness of the ruins. At last, he spoke.
"Are you sure you want to keep him alive, Mistress? He turns and he could do a lot of damage to us and the Fire Lady."
The woman chuckled and stood up. The young man took the chair up and folded it into a briefcase, as the woman danced about around the abandoned building floor.
She spun around like a child, grinning with glee at the shafts of light that shone down through the holes in the roof.
"Oh my dear Turpen... He knows who his Mistress is. He's a weak man in a hard culture. He keeps up appearances while being soft on the inside. His usefulness will end... But not now."
She spun around and beamed at him, her hands behind her back.
"When he stops being useful? Then you'll get to kill him."
Turpen nodded. He hesitated, and the woman tilted her head curiously.
"Mm?"
"The other matter," he said, "I didn't want to say it in front of anyone. Here? There's no one."
He produced his Scroll, and handed it to her. She took it into her hands, and hit play on a video file. Valean cops were escorting a group of colorfully attired teenagers out through a chainlink fence to a waiting Bullhead.
"-Lisa Lavender reporting, our reporters in the field were able to get some glimpses of some Beacon students involved in the incident at the docks-"
She hit pause, her breathing accelerating. She licked her lips as she grinned and a flush came over her face. Her eyes shone brightly, helped by the glow of the Scroll screen.
Before her was a still of a familiar blond teenager in a green cloak and white armor. He had glanced at the camera, briefly, so briefly... Yet there was absolutely no mistake.
"It's him," she whispered, running a finger down the screen over the face, "It's him... He made it. I knew he made it... HAHAHA!"
She leaped high up into the air and spun around, slowly descending like a feather. She landed on tip toes and spun like a ballerina in her joy.
She looked up at Turpen.
"He's in Vale then?"
"A student at Beacon," Turpen reported quietly. "Do you want him eliminated-URK!"
In a split second, the woman had closed the distance between them and was squeezing his throat with monstrous strength. He gaped in horror as his Mistress' eyes blazed in fury.
"NO ONE TOUCHES HIM, UNDERSTAND?!" She seethed. Turpen managed a desperate nod as the edges of his vision began to go black. His Mistress finally let him collapse to the floor. He breathed hard, rubbing his sore throat as his Mistress went back to caressing the Scroll screen.
"No... No, my darling requires a more... Delicate approach," she giggled, "Only the best for him~. A warrior like him... No. He needs a chance to cut loose."
Her face darkened as she got a look at the various teenaged girls around the subject of her desire.
"A chance to see how much better I am than those whores," she snarled. "And when I do...? Oh, we'll be together forever! His wonderful violence, his heart, his body... It will all be mine."
She giggled girlishly, and held the Scroll to her chest with a happy sigh.
"Don't you worry, Jaune... Your Iridescent is here. Your Iridescent... Is coming for you."
Omake: Jaune and Laundry
It was a lazy Sunday morning, and Yang was out to take in the fresh air before she headed to the gym. As she exited the dorms, she grinned at the sight that greeted her:
Jaune was relaxing, shirtless (of course) in a hammock he'd strung up on the front lawn of the dorms that RWBY and JNPR called home. He swung back and forth gently, enjoying the light breeze and sun. Yang chuckled and shook her head.
"There you go again, giving Goodwitch conniptions."
"What? There's no regulation against setting up a hammock," Jaune said, affronted, "I checked."
"Indeed there isn't, Mister Arc," said professor spoke, making Yang jump and Jaune yelp. She eyed them both severely.
"However, I must ask if what you are doing is necessary," she continued, raising an elegant eyebrow.
Jaune shrugged.
"Relaxation?"
Goodwitch pointed to the string holding up the top half of Jaune's hammock. He and Yang looked. It was longer than the other half, so Jaune was using it as a clothes line for his various shirts, socks, and underwear to dry out. Jaune turned back to the Combat Professor and shrugged.
"What? I'm not allowed to do laundry?"
"You are aware we have dryers, yes?" Goodwitch asked in a deadpan tone. Jaune blinked, and coughed. He leaned back in his hammock.
"It's better for the environment this way," he muttered.
"I'm sure," Goodwitch deadpanned, "Nevertheless, please make use of the provided facilities to do laundry from now on?"
"Can't," Jaune admitted, "My clothes keep going missing. Even now, under my jeans, I'm going-"
"That's quite enough, Mister Arc!" Goodwitch admonished him, as he scowled. Yang shoved her fist into her mouth to keep herself from laughing, though she couldn't help her blush at all.
"Hey! It's not my fault!" Jaune protested. "Someone is stealing my clothing! That's a LOT bigger issue than me relaxing, don't you think? Thievery is a bigger crime than loitering!"
"You would be a terrible lawyer, Mister Arc. Now go and use the dryer!" Goodwitch ordered, pointing her riding crop at he dorms. Jaune grumbled, and got out of the hammock. He began to take down his clothes.
"Razzam frazzam dominatrix fetish teacher..."
"What was that, Mister Arc?" Goodwitch asked in a dangerous tone. Jaune coughed and smiled back at her sweetly.
"I was complimenting you on your fashion style, Professor."
"You might say it's... Striking?" Yang snickered, but tried to turn it into a cough as Goodwitch glared at her.
Jaune pulled all his clothing together, and headed back into the dormitories. Yang followed, holding in her laughs until the door shut behind them.
"Hahahaha! You sassed Goodwitch!"
"Tried not to," Jaune shivered, "Geez... I was having Mom flashbacks."
"Aw come on," Yang laughed, "Yeah she was wild in her younger days but I bet she mellowed out."
"She didn't mellow out enough," Jaune stated, as they reached their common room. He entered... Where Pyrrha and Ruby were tugging on a laundry basket from opposite ends while glaring at each other.
"Mine!"
"MINE!"
Jaune blinked.
"Is... That my laundry?" He asked.
Pyrrha coughed... Then whacked Ruby in the back of the head with a pan.
"YEOW!"
"Oh Jaune! I was just... Bringing you your laundry!" She said quickly. "To uh, clean! Because we're teammates!"
"She was trying to steal them!" Ruby accused.
"N-No! I would absolutely NEVER do that!" Pyrrha said quickly. Jaune gave her a tired look.
"Pyrrha..."
Pyrrha's lower lip wobbled.
"... I might have wanted to take one... Or two... I'm sorry?"
Jaune sighed. Ruby popped up with a smile.
"Can I have one of your shirts to sleep in, Jaune? Mine's getting a little too tight, so I could use the room!"
"Yes," Jaune said with a smile, "I'll get you a clean one-"
"No, no, not necessary!" Ruby giggled, snatching a shirt out of the pile as Pyrrha glared hot death at her, "I'll just wash it myself! Thank you~!"
She kissed his cheek, before vanishing in a cloud of rose petals. Jaune shook his head as Pyrrha pouted.
"Hey, I need one too," Yang said quickly, "Used clothes are a lot more comfortable!"
"WIll you buy me more?" Jaune asked. Yang grinned.
"Of course! You're not just gonna LOSE your shirt, heheh!"
"Yeah yeah," Jaune sighed, "I'll clean-"
"I'll just take that one," Yang said cheerfully, pulling another dirty one out and heading into the RWBY dorm, "Later, Crybaby!"
She shut the door behind her. Pyrrha pouted at Jaune. Jaune sighed.
"All right, fine, you can have one of my shirts. Just... Don't be weird with it, okay? Like put it in a shrine with my blood?"
"Jaune!" Pyrrha gasped, even as she took up another shirt and hugged it to her face, "Mmmm... I-I would never! I just find your scent very comforting!"
She blinked.
"Was... That too creepy?"
"Juuust a bit," Jaune said, holding his thumb and forefinger apart, "But you're doing better. If you were collecting my toenail clippings, THEN we'd have a problem."
Pyrrha shook her head.
"No, absolutely not," she said. "After all... I have the real thing right here."
She approached him with her arms open. He smiled, and she hugged him tightly. He patted her back.
"Still, at this rate I'll have to go around naked," he muttered.
Pyrrha fainted away happily. Jaune let out a breath as he held her up.
"Probably should have kept that to myself..."
He set Pyrrha onto the nearby couch, gently, before he went to his laundry basket. His frown deepened.
"Okay... One, two, three... I know I had another shirt but where...?"
Blake entered the Common Room, wearing the missing shirt over her pajama bottoms. She went to the fridge in the kitchenette, grabbed some milk, and downed it. She turned and stared at Jaune.
"Uh... Blake, that's my shirt."
"It's mine now," Blake stated calmly, with a feline certainty to her words.
"Uh, no, it's mine."
"You could always take it off me."
Jaune blinked a few times. Her tone and facial expression hadn't changed a bit.
"... Just don't do anything weird with it and you can keep it."
Now she smirked over her milk carton.
"No promises."