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...
Sleeping in was a luxury Blake indulged in whenever possible. It pleased her instincts in a way she could never really articulate. She snuggled into her blankets and glorified in their warmth and softness. She was practically purring.
And then her cot was unceremoniously tilted up and she was sent to the wooden floor in a heap.
"Oof!"
She looked up in shock and anger as Nora Valkyrie grinned over her.
"Time to get up, Kitty Kat!"
"It's the weekend," Blake moaned, and checked her Scroll, "We don't have to be up for another hour..."
"Ren and Jaune-Jaune are already up!" Nora said, happy and cheerful, "And since they are, I thought we'd have some girl talk! Just you and me!"
Blake blinked in confusion as she stood up.
"Okay... I need to get ready-"
"Sure thing!" Nora chirped, "Bathroom's all clear!"
She sighed and made her way to the single bathroom. It was very cheaply assembled, just a toilet, a sink with a mirror, and a cheap bathtub, but it was more than enough. She stepped inside and started the water in the sink. She rummaged for her toothbrush.
"All right," she began slowly, "What do you want to talk about-?"
She looked up into the mirror and froze. Nora was grinning with narrowed eyes, right beside her.
How did I not notice-?!
Nora wrapped an arm around Blake's shoulders, holding her with an iron grip the cat Faunus couldn't escape. She could feel the hum of electrical power through Nora's skin and saw sparks in her eyes. Blake was familiar with people holding back their rage-And Nora's was literally crackling right under her skin.
"Kitty Kat," Nora began, "I get that you've had a rough life. Renny and me? We've had a rough life too. Bad things have happened to all of us. But me? I've only ever had Renny."
Blake slowly nodded, forcing herself to remain calm even as her hair began to stand on end.
"Then we came to Beacon. We met some great people—wonderful people, like Jaune-Jaune. He takes us seriously. He cares about us. And we care about him," Nora said, still grinning but her voice soft and deadly, "He's the kind of person who would sacrifice everything for us without a second thought. He's like our big brother. Probably cuz he has like, seven sisters and he's really good at that!"
"Y-Yes," Blake managed, as Nora's grip tightened almost painfully.
"So I'm kinda peeved that you dragged him into a fight that could have gotten him killed without us," Nora said.
Blake shook her head.
"I-I told him he didn't have to come-"
"But he did. He would," Nora said, even more softly, "Because that's who he is. So... If you ever endanger Jaune-Jaune like that again because you wanna get back at your old friends? We'll have another girl talk!
Her eyes blazed.
"With my hammer! Got it?"
Blake very slowly nodded.
"... I won't," she said quietly, "I-I promise."
Nora's smile lost its edge and Blake's hair fell back down as the voltage in the air dropped. Nora patted Blake on the back.
"Great to hear! Now come on! Renny and Jaune-Jaune are working out, and we don't wanna miss it!"
She practically skipped away. Blake watched her go, still trembling. She took a few deep breaths.
Okay... Maybe I should start paying more attention to my fellow students, she thought.
Behind the Just Right Bakery and Cafe was a relatively clean backyard. The grass was overgrown in a few spots, and there was an old car on cinderblocks, but otherwise it wasn't a terrible place to be. The early morning sunlight shone down on the alley, reflecting off of wind chimes, windows, and the chrome on the salvaged car's exterior.
It was pleasant enough, Jaune supposed. At least for what they were doing.
"Okay," Jaune said. He flared his Aura, and focused, "My mom's strength technique isn't the first Aura augmentation skill, obviously. But it's really simple to learn, and easy to use. She made it that way for medical and rescue purposes. Give you enough strength to lift up a heavy patient, move debris off of someone, that kind of thing. Of course, the fact it's simple to use means it works great for combat."
Ren, sitting on a cheap folding chair nearby, nodded. Jaune chuckled.
"Of course, the catch is you either have to have REALLY good Aura control, or a LOT of Aura to use it for longer than a few seconds," Jaune said, "Or to use it consecutively for, say, combat. She does have incredible Aura control and a LOT of Aura. I've only got the Aura. So..."
He reached into the wrecked car. He grunted and lifted up the entire loose, rusty engine block over his head with one arm. He held it up, concentrating.
"See?" He managed. He then carefully set the engine block down, letting it thump on the grass, "Now you try it."
Ren nodded, and stood up. His Aura flared pink, as he focused. He then reached down and took hold of the block. He lifted it up over his head with a grunt, holding it up for a few moments, before he brought it back down onto the grass smoothly. Jaune grinned.
"Hey, great job! On your first try, too!" He clapped. Ren shook his head.
"I didn't hold it for as long as you, and I required both hands," Ren said, "I still need work. You're much better than me."
"Yeah, but eh, I've got more practice and all I've got going for me is a lot of Aura," Jaune said, clapping his friend on his shoulder, "You're gonna be better than me in no time."
Ren studied Jaune with his usual stoic expression.
"Why can you never take a compliment, Jaune?"
Jaune blinked. Ren didn't look away, his gaze even. Jaune coughed and looked aside.
"It uh... It's that big of a problem, huh?"
"Yes."
Ren sat back down on his folding chair. Jaune sat down on the wooden step leaning into the cafe, facing him.
"... I don't deserve them," Jaune decided.
"Not a healthy outlook," Ren observed.
Jaune let out a soft sigh through his nostrils.
"I'm working on it," he said, "But if I was where I should be... Nobody would have been in danger."
"None of us are where we want to be, Jaune," Ren said gently, "No one is perfect. That's why we train. If you constantly compare yourself to others, you will never be happy."
"That's fine for guys who don't have to keep other people alive," Jaune snorted, "It's different for me. I'm your leader. I need to be better. I can't stop improving."
"That is true," Ren said, "However, constantly tearing yourself down won't help. It will also demoralize your team."
Jaune winced.
"I... Well..."
Ren tilted his head.
"Jaune... You aren't the savior of the world. You shouldn't act like you are. You'll only end up destroying yourself."
Jaune sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping.
"... It's just... I want to be a hero. I was raised to be a hero. My mom is a hero. My dad died a hero. And when push came to shove... When my mentor needed me, I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't... I wasn't good enough."
He stared down at the grass, glum and angry. Ren hummed.
"When the Grimm destroyed my village, orphaned Nora and I... We also weren't good or strong enough."
Jaune looked up sharply, his eyes wide.
"That's different! You were kids! No one would ever blame you for-!"
"I did," Ren said softly, "I sometimes still do."
Jaune grimaced in sympathy.
"Ren..."
"I'm mostly past it now. I couldn't afford to let myself be weighed down with guilt... I had to look after Nora. I couldn't afford to be weak for her. She's... She's my everything."
Jaune was silent. This was probably the most emotive Ren had ever been. His eyes were distant, his voice heavy with feeling.
"... I do want revenge. I want the Grimm that killed our families, destroyed our village, dead. I want it to suffer before it goes, and I will ensure it feels pain and fear before it dies if I can. But it's not my highest priority right now. Nora is. And she always will be."
"Yeah... Yeah. It'd be impossible not to see that," Jaune said with a nod.
Ren leaned forward a bit.
"Jaune. You can use a technique that would let you win almost every fight if you wanted to. So why don't you?"
Jaune scoffed in disbelief.
"Because I'm not an insane, murderous asshole! I'm not gonna unleash an Aura Blade blast in Combat Class!"
Ren nodded slowly.
"Then it's more complex than just a matter of who is stronger. You have many talents, including leadership. We follow you for more than just your competency as a Huntsman, after all."
Jaune chuckled.
"I... Thanks, Ren," he said quietly. Ren smiled softly.
"I've done nothing but speak the truth. A good leader appreciates truthful feedback to grow."
He looked at him intently.
"Besides. Nora likes you very much. As do I. We don't want to lose you."
Jaune chuckled softly.
"... You know... I'm pretty sure she'd marry you if you asked," he said.
Ren was silent. He stared back at Jaune impassively.
He couldn't help continuing.
"It's hard not to see how attached you are. I mean... I don't think you two are gonna go with anyone else. You've been through too much," Jaune went on, "And she's not exactly, ya know... Subtle about her feelings."
Ren sucked in a deep breath, and let it out as a sigh that seemed both wistful and exasperated.
"... That is... More complicated," he finally said. He gave Jaune a wry look.
"Besides, I wouldn't be talking about romantic troubles if I were you."
Jaune winced.
"Touché, bro. Touché."
He stood up and stretched.
"Let's get back to training-"
The door burst open behind Jaune, and knocked him off balance. He stumbled and yelped as he fell towards Ren. Ren's pink eyes widened comically just before Jaune slammed into him and drove him into the grass.
"GAH!"
"OOF!"
"RENNY! JAUNE-JAUNE! BREAKFAST TIME-!" Nora announced before she trailed off. Jaune looked back over his shoulder as Nora gaped in shock. Blake looked over Nora's shoulder in equal disbelief, and her face went bright red.
"NOOOO!" Nora cried, throwing her hands up and wailing to the heavens, "THAT FLAT CHESTED TSUNDERE TURNED JAUNE-JAUNE GAY! AND NOW HE'S AFTER RENNY!"
"WAIT WHAT?!" Jaune yelped, forcing himself up to his feet and waving his hands frantically. "NO! NO NO NO-!"
"DON'T WORRY, JAUNE-JAUNE! RENNY!" Nora cried, reaching to yank her shirt off, "I'LL CONVERT YOU BACK! YOU CAN BOTH HAVE ME!" She turned to Blake. "KITTY KAT! GET NAKED!"
"Wh-What?!" Blake gasped, her face burning brighter red.
"YOUR PARTNER AND HER SISTER LOVE JAUNE-JAUNE!" Nora cried, "HELP THEM BY KEEPING THEIR MAN ON THE RIGHT SIDE!"
Ren, now on his feet, calmly walked over to Nora and pulled her into a hug. She continued ranting into Ren's chest.
"We'll go get breakfast started," he said evenly. He carried Nora into the cafe, as she clung to him and wailed. The door shut behind them, leaving Blake and Jaune alone. Jaune coughed and rubbed the back of his head.
"Never a dull moment with them, huh?" He tried with an exasperated smile.
"Y-Yeah," Blake agreed.
The faint sounds of early morning traffic dominated for a time. Jaune cleared his throat.
"So... Did you call your parents?"
Blake nodded.
"Yes."
Jaune stared at her.
"How did that go? You uh, you don't have to tell me-"
"It... It went better than I thought it would," Blake admitted quietly. She fixed her eyes onto his.
"Thank you for pushing me to do it," she said. "There's... Still a lot of work to do, but it's... Better."
Jaune nodded.
"Good."
Blake looked at the backyard and the engine block.
"What were you two working on?" She asked.
"Oh," Jaune said, "I'm teaching my team my mother's Aura strength technique. After that fight with Thanh, I want us to all work a lot harder and I figure it can be a nice ace up your sleeve even if you don't rely on brute force." He smiled at her.
"Would you like to learn it?"
Blake nodded.
"I... I would like that," she murmured.
"Cool," Jaune said, "We'll do it after work, then."
He went to the engine block, and lifted it up. He then carefully slid it back into the car. Blake studied his motions, impressed despite herself.
"You have excellent control over the technique," she said.
Jaune paused. Then he smiled back at her.
"Thank you," he said, "My mom taught me it and trained me how to use it. It's... Probably one of the only reasons I survived out there." He looked down at his hand, flexing his fingers, "That and Gato's training."
"I... He taught me some of that as well," Blake said, "I would be happy to help you with your Aura Blade techniques, if you'd like? I've never been very good at them, but I learned the basics well enough."
Jaune smiled warmly.
"I... I would appreciate that, thank you," Jaune said.
They stood in awkward silence for another moment. Then, Goldie's voice rang out from inside the Cafe:
"KID! STOP MAKING OUT WITH THE KITTY PRINCESS AND GET TO WORK!"
"ACK! Y-YES MA'AM!" Jaune shouted, quickly rushing into the cafe. Blake, blushing just as hard, dodged out of the way as he scrambling inside past her.
"W-We weren't making out-!"
"WHATEVER! WE'VE GOT A BUSINESS TO RUN!" Goldie shouted.
Blake held in a sigh. She lingered a bit. Part of it was her natural stubbornness. The other part?
She whipped out her Scroll and quickly texted Yang.
Yang. How are you?'
Less than a second later, Yang replied.
Hey Kitty! I thought the cat had taken your tongue! Nice to hear from you! How are you? You okay?
Blake smirked and rolled her eyes.
I'm staying with Nora, Ren, and Jaune. Working at a cafe.
There was a longer pause. Yang then texted back:
Really?
Yes. Really. He's in a butler outfit. And he can be all yours.
Another pause. For a moment, Blake wondered if she'd gone too far.
Then...
When and where?
Blake smiled. It wasn't the most conventional apology she could imagine... But it was a start.
Besides, if Yang finally made a move? She wouldn't have to put up with her struggling conscience as much...
Well, as far as trying to make things up to her, Yang thought Blake was putting her best foot forward. She'd grabbed the first ferry back to Vale from Patch she could, and grabbed Bumblebee. She drove through the early morning traffic, weaving through the cars at high speed with a reckless smile on her face.
She had been fair to Ruby though. She'd left her a message about it, so she could catch up... After she'd gotten enough sleep. She'd been working with Dad on some 'special training'. Yang had pried a little, but Dad had just told her it was private and Ruby would tell her when she was ready.
Well, after everything they'd gone through this semester, Yang couldn't blame her or Dad for wanting to work harder. Yang pushed herself a lot this past week for the same reasons, and she was going to keep it up in the next.
And go even harder in other ways.
She drove through the New City sections first, filled with gleaming skyscrapers and crisscrossed with hover train bridges. Then passed through the old Middle City walls, deeper into the interior. Finally she passed the Old City District Walls-Or rather what was left of them. Aside from a few sections preserved here and there (many covered in graffiti), the ancient walls that had once protected Old Vale were pretty much gone.
Not that Yang spared them a lot of thought, she had more important things to worry about.
She pulled up in front of the Just Right Bakery and Cafe, and turned off the engine. She took a deep breath as she caught sight of Jaune through the windows.
Geez...
She'd been on dates before, even gotten up to heavy petting, but all of that had just been for some fun. Like trashing nightclubs. A stress reliever. She wasn't a loose slut who rode any handsome man she ran into... She had too much responsibility for that. Despite everything, she took those responsibilities seriously.
Now Ruby was growing up, and... Here was a guy she had some genuine feelings for. A guy who... Well.
Yang noticed a lot about her childhood friend. A lot of things others might have missed. White lines on his calloused hands and body, for instance: Scars left over from Aura healing. To even have those thin little lines meant he'd had to have fought and gotten hurt a lot.
He threw himself into a fight without fear or hesitation. He took charge when it was needed. He saved her sister, and the rest of them, without a second thought. He was domestic too, able to cook, clean, and do a lot of other things you'd expect out of a house husband!
And he'd grown up to look damn good.
Honestly, that was the problem. He was... Everything she might want in a man already and it was overwhelming. The fact he shied away from aggressive women like Pyrrha was also trouble: Yang was aggressive. That was her very nature!
So she didn't know how to approach him. Especially not with Ruby infatuated with him!
Ultimately though, she couldn't just keep hemming and hawing. Her dad was right: She had to be true to herself.
If he didn't like it, then she'd know it wouldn't work out.
Still, she thought to herself as she rose from Bumblebee and walked towards the cafe doors, No sense in scaring him off. We've got a date, and Gods know I'm fine with taking it slow. Not rushing things. Just... Easing in, since it's clear neither of us knows what we're doing.
She walked in. Jaune perked up when he saw her and smiled warmly. He walked up to her, trim, fit, and handsome in his butler's outfit, and bowed.
"Welcome, Mistress Xiao-Long, how may I serve you today?" He asked with a grin and a wink.
Yang flushed, and grinned as her eyes burned just a bit.
"Oh, the ways I could take that line," she chuckled. Jaune shrugged.
"Yeah, I thought you'd appreciate it."
"Maybe I'd like it better if you were on your knees, Crybaby," Yang teased back. Jaune paused for a moment, and Yang worried if she'd gone too far.
He then smirked.
"Maybe you'd like it better on yours."
He was flirting back. He felt comfortable enough to flirt back holy shit...!
Yang grinned and advanced, wrapping her arms around Jaune and looking right up into his eyes.
"You gonna put me there, Ladykiller~?"
"Ladykiller?"
"Well, Crybaby doesn't quite fit anymore, hm?" Yang asked, wagging her eyebrows.
Jaune coughed but didn't back down. He pressed back against her, his firm chest feeling very nice against hers.
"If my Mistress desires it, of course," he said.
Ohhhh shit, Yang thought as her cheeks went bright red. Down girl down girl down girl...!
"OI!" Goldie shouted, making them both jump, "Kid! If you want to make money as a gigolo, do it when we're not serving breakfast! I'm not taking a bloody downgrade on my health department grade!"
"You told me to flirt back!" Jaune cried in exasperation.
"I didn't tell ya to be an exhibitionist!"
Jaune tried to pull away, but Yang kissed him on his cheek. She beamed at the irate woman.
"Sorry ma'am, just appreciating the customer service from the staff," she chuckled. "I'm always right, hm?"
"People who said that never had customers," Goldie harrumphed. Yang gave Jaune another kiss on his lips, before heading off to a booth. Jaune flushed.
"Hope you're planning out our date, Ladykiller~," Yang tossed back. Jaune coughed and looked over at Goldie. Goldie shook her head.
"You adding a blonde to your harem, Kid?"
"I don't have a harem!" Jaune protested.
Yang sat down at the booth, smiling happily. She looked up at Blake as she walked up to her table. Blake's ears twitched a bit before she spoke.
"Hello Mistress nyah. May I take your order, nyah?"
Yang stared for five seconds before she began to guffaw. She wrapped her arms around her belly and laughed her ass off. Blake glared.
"This isn't funny!"
"It totally is!" She cackled. "Ohhh... Best morning ever!"
Blake sighed.
"Well... I don't feel guilty for texting Pyrrha and Ruby now," Blake deadpanned.
"Wait what?!"
Blake sniffed.
"I'm kidding," she said.
"Yeah!" Nora cried, waving from the back of the cafe, "I did that!"
"NORA!" Both Yang and Jaune shouted.
"All's fair in love and war!" Nora declared.
Pyrrha had rushed out of her hotel and into the nearest taxi the moment she'd gotten the text, only pausing to throw on street clothes. She practically bounced with glee in the back of the car as it pulled out into traffic, her mind focused on one thing.
Her Jaune... Her team... Her friends...
Oh, this long week had felt like an eternity without him or her other friends! So many forms, so many meetings! Her mother had kept trying to contact her, kept trying to apologize and... It had all been so emotionally taxing. She had felt so worn down, so empty and hollow.
The hurt in her mother's eyes had nearly broken her, so many times... Yet she thought of her friends, and her resolve returned.
Now... Now she could be back where she belonged. With the ones she loved.
And more importantly...
Jaune in a butler outfit! Jaune serving me in a butler outfit! Jaune in a butler outfit! JAUNE!
Pyrrha trembled happily as she pictured it in her mind.
She sat in her room in her mansion back in Mistral, sipping her tea while on the phone. Jaune, her beloved butler, cleaning up around her. She sipped her tea as he went about, locking the doors and pulling the curtains shut.
"Yes, yes, that will work fine, thank you, goodbye," Pyrrha murmured. She then put down the phone onto the cradle with a click.
"Is that all the business for today, Jaune?" She asked.
"Yes Mistress," Jaune said with a nod, "Save for our..." He cocked an eyebrow, "Personal business."
Pyrrha licked her lips, set her tea down... And pounced on Jaune.
"Jaune~! Jaune! Jaune!"
"Miss? Miss? We're here?"
"Ah?!" Pyrrha gasped. She looked at the dark-skinned taxi driver who held out a hand to her. He made a grasping motion.
"My money?"
Pyrrha quickly dropped some lien into his palm, and darted out of the taxi cab. She looked up at the cafe, and took a few deep, steadying breaths.
Don't be crazy. Don't be crazy, she thought to herself, You're going to be better. You're not going to lose control.
She used some techniques she had trained in since childhood, to relax and calm down her raging feelings.
He knows you're not a monster, Pyrrha argued with herself. He knows you'll never hurt him. Not like that BITCH who hurt him...
Pyrrha shook her head.
Just go in and show him how much you miss him, she decided, in a calm, collected manner that shows how sane you are!
She smiled softly and opened the cafe door. She walked in. Nora bounced up to her, looking cute in a maid outfit.
"Heeeeyyy Pyrrha! I mean, Mistress! Welcome to the Just Right Cafe!" She greeted. Pyrrha beamed back as she began to scan around the cafe.
"Hey Nora! Where's Jaune-?"
Her eyes locked onto him. Her face turned bright red.
There... There he was. That butler outfit was superior to what Weiss had put him in-Impeccably tailored and fitted to show off his height and his body. He turned and beamed at Pyrrha, even as he hovered nearby... Yang.
"Hey Pyrrha!" Jaune said cheerfully. "It's great to see you!"
"Mm," Yang grinned, "Yeah~. Just got here early to get serviced by Ladykiller."
"Served by," Jaune sighed.
"Same thing~," Yang teased with a cocky wink right at Pyrrha.
For a moment, Pyrrha contemplated seizing every metallic object in the cafe and shooting them all at the smug blonde. Judging from how Jaune recoiled, her smile had gotten rather dangerous.
No, no, Pyrrha thought to herself, Don't fight like that. Fight like… Fight like a woman.
With that, she walked right up to Jaune, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips against his.
Her eyes crossed from the explosion of warmth that burst deep inside. She trembled as electricity shot through her body. Jaune opened his mouth in shock, and the kiss just got better!
My first kiss… It's right in front of a rival, with my true love… It's perfect…!
She paused, and pulled back briefly.
"Ah, is a kiss all right, Jaune?" She asked, suddenly unsure.
"H-Huh? Y-Yeah, sure," Jaune managed, looking dazed. Pyrrha beamed.
Like in her Mistralian manga that she had been extensively researching over the past week! Her brain was slowly turning into happy mush…!
Jaune was yanked away by Yang, who scowled.
"Hey hey! Ease up, P-Money!" She snarled. "I've got first date!"
Pyrrha grabbed onto Jaune's other arm and yanked him back.
"I got his first kiss!" Pyrrha growled.
Yang smirked smugly.
"No you didn't~," she said, pulling Jaune right back. Pyrrha looked at Jaune in shock, seeking out proof that she was lying… And he coughed.
"Ah, well-"
"YOU," Pyrrha snarled, eyes burning in rage at Yang. The blonde's eyes flashed red.
"Bring it on, P-Money! Let's see how invincible you really are~!"
Jaune glanced over at the tall blonde woman in the blue dress and arpon who was at the cash register.
"Uh, Mrs. Goldie? You want to intervene?"
Goldie smirked and sipped a mug of coffee.
"Not my department," she said, "She hasn't bought anything."
Jaune sighed heavily and summoned up breath from his diaphragm. He held them both apart by their shoulders.
"Okay, come on, enough," he said flatly, "This isn't something to fight about. Yang, Pyrrha, sit down. Pyrrha? Order some breakfast."
Reluctantly, the two ladies sat down at the same booth. Jaune took a deep breath and calmed himself. Pyrrha felt a flush of guilt, but it vanished at Yang's smirk. Jaune shook his head.
"How about you just get breakfast and relax, huh? We can work things out after-"
The door burst open, and a crazed, wet looking Ruby burst in.
"JAUNE! NORA TOLD ME YOU WERE ELOPING WITH PYRRHA!"
"I sure did!" Nora shouted out.
Ruby vanished in a burst of rose petals and reappeared, tackling Jaune.
"OOF!"
"SAY IT ISN'T SO!" She cried.
"IT ISN'T! NOW LET ME GO!" Jaune growled, bonking Ruby on the head. Ruby winced.
"Owwww…!"
He sighed, and rubbed her head gently.
"Calm down, okay? Sit down, order something. We'll sort this out properly, okay?"
Ruby sniffled.
"... Do you have chocolate chip pancakes?"
"Yes."
Ruby beamed, and kissed Jaune's cheek.
"Mwah! I love you, Jaune!"
Jaune patted her head.
"Yeah yeah… Come on, sit down, order. We'll work this out calmly and rationally." He looked over at Yang and Pyrrha. "Right?"
"Oh, of course Jaune!" Pyrrha said with a tense smile.
"Absolutely," Yang purred, smirking at Pyrrha, "Whatever you say, Lover Boy~."
Jaune guided Ruby to the booth. She scooted in next to Pyrrha, where she grabbed the menu. Jaune glared over at Nora.
"Seriously Nora? What's the deal?!"
"What?" Nora asked, shrugging as she poured more coffee for another patron, "You did elope in my dream last night!"
"You didn't mention that part!" Ruby grumbled.
Nora winced.
"Whoops!"
Jaune glared.
"Ren? Bonk her extra hard when she returns to the kitchen," He called out.
"Got it," Ren tossed back.
"And no more pancakes from the kitchen!"
Nora gasped.
"Jaune-Jaune! No! Please!" She skidded to a halt in front of him, on her knees.
"You're taking my sweet Renny away! Don't take the other love of my life away!" She sobbed. "Unless…" She gasped. "You want us both!"
Jaune groaned and bonked her on the head.
"Owwww~!"
"No, I don't."
"What if Ren was a girl?" Nora asked, tilting her head. "Like a sweet shy Mistralian ninja princess?"
"Still no! Come on, back to work," He stated, exasperated, as he patted her head. "We'll work out your punishment later."
Nora nodded, sniffling a bit.
"All right. Thanks Jaune-Jaune!"
"Yeah yeah," Jaune sighed, as Nora got up and skipped away. He glanced over at the owner of the bakery, still behind the cash register.
Goldie smirked and nodded.
"See? You didn't need me at all," she chuckled.
"I'm getting the feeling you're just trolling us," Jaune sighed.
"Welcome to the real world, kiddo," Goldie smirked, "Now, Cat Princess! Get on Booth 7!"
Blake, who had been staring intently at everything going on, blushed and scurried off to Pyrrha, Yang and Ruby's booth.
"Yes ma'am!"
Jaune sighed. He looked so stressed. Pyrrha frowned. She really needed to help take some of the burden off his shoulders…
"I'll just take the Baby Bear Breakfast," she said, glancing over the menu, "That looks good!"
"Ooh, let's get the cookie pancake plate, Yang!" Ruby cheered. She beamed at Blake. "It looks great! And you look great too, Blake!"
"Thank you, Ruby," Blake sighed, though she managed a slight smile at her cute team leader. The outfit did look good on her, Pyrrha had to admit.
"No Ruby, you've had enough sugar," Yang sighed. "We'll both take the Valean Omelets, with fruit on the side."
"Extra strawberries!" Ruby insisted.
Goldie cleared her throat. Jaune looked away from them.
"Come on Kid, tend to your harem later. We got more customers!"
"They're not my harem!" Jaune insisted again, as he went back to work.
"Sure they're not," Goldie chuckled.
Blake Belladonna did not read smut. Ninjas of Love and other assorted works were not just mindless, poorly constructed excuses for erotic encounters! They were intricately plotted, well characterized, and fantastically written stories of adventure, intrigue, and erotic scenes that were just as well written!
She wasn't reading cheap Valean bodice rippers, thank you very much!
She could admit though, she did tend to look for literature based upon what kind of… Erotic situations they delivered on. The writing had to be pitch perfect, of course, but she had her preferences like anyone else!
For instance, she rather enjoyed the harem genre. Usually, it was just a male power fantasy, with a harem of fawning waifus who had no personality just there for the blank main character's sexual satisfaction. Most of it was trash, but the gems in the genre seemed to address more than just the petty sexual needs of the reader.
They addressed the need to feel loved, to feel cherished. Or explored the complex relationships between humans and Faunus.
It wasn't a racial thing, thank you very much! She enjoyed White Wolf for its complex dynamics of a male wolf faunus with a harem of human women who all had their own issues (many of which were solved with very intense sexual coitus, of course, but also a lot of psychological discussion and examination) as much as she enjoyed The Good Master about a group of damaged Faunus women who, with the help of a kind but firm human master, began to heal by recognizing that they didn't have to face the world alone. That they also solved those issues with intense sexual coitus did not take away from the excellent interpersonal drama and character work.
They both explored the often complex relationships between human and faunus on a personal level and definitely wasn't just for some kind of fetish.
Now though… As she served her friends breakfast, she had a realization.
Her love of erotica could be helpful to others. It could be more than just her 'weird' little hobby.
"Excuse me Mistresses, nyah," Blake murmured, as Ruby giggled. She headed back to where Jaune was finishing gathering up some dirty dishes from an empty table. She followed him into the kitchen, where he set the dishes down on the sink. He looked back over his shoulder.
"Something I can help you with, Blake?" He asked.
"Yes," she said, "What are you going to do for dates for your harem?"
"They're not…" Jaune trailed off with a sigh, "They're not my harem, all right? They all asked me on dates, and… And I'm going to try to keep them happy-"
Blake moved in front of Jaune, eyes narrowed.
"Just keep them happy? Is that all you're going to do?" She demanded.
Jaune started.
"Wha-What do you mean? They're interested in me… I guess-"
"You guess?" Blake pressed, pushing Jaune back against a wall covered in pots and pans. "Is that all you feel for them?"
Jaune glared in confused anger.
"No! Of course that's not all I-!"
"Are you just stringing them along?" Blake pressed. "Just using them for their talents, their bodies-?"
"NO!" Jaune practically yelled, his eyes burning with repressed Aura. It was strong enough Blake was almost pressed back by the sheer power he unleashed.
"No, I…" He narrowed his eyes. "I would rather die than let harm come to any one of them."
Oh. Oh wow. She felt her mouth go dry, and her cheeks flush red. The sheer sincerity in his voice, that turned what would be a cheesy line into a stone cold fact.
Just like Isaiah in "White Wolf", she thought happily. Even now, she could imagine Jaune as the White Wolf, the fearsome, damaged warrior wolf Faunus. Confronting the fearsome ninja princess Sayako about his past. Their passions would explode as the truths of their dark pasts were exposed, he pinned her against the wall and kissed her, tearing her clothes off and-
Ahem.
"If it helps," Blake said carefully, "I uh… I have experience with romantic relationships. It… It didn't end well… But I can offer what advice I can to help."
Jaune stared at her. Blake shook her head.
"I just… I just want to help. To make up for what I've done."
"You don't have to-"
"But I want to," Blake insisted, backing off and allowing Jaune to step free of the cookware. "I want… I want to make my teammates… My friends… Happy. Don't you?"
Jaune smiled, and slowly nodded.
"Yeah. I do," he said. "I just… I mean, I'm kind of dating three girls at once. I feel like a manwhore-"
"It's just dating, Jaune," Blake said quickly, "You're just going out to learn more about them in a social setting you both control. That's all. You all know about it, you all accept it."
Just like the harem in The Good Master. Jaune even resembled Troy, the human lead, in that story. He had to be tough, in charge, to keep his harem happy. That required strength, character, the ability to communicate boundaries well and to be selfless.
Being well endowed had also helped in that story but she was sure Jaune was fine in that department. He had seven siblings, after all.
"It's not like you're immediately getting married," Blake continued, "They clearly want it. Do you want it?"
"I… I don't deserve-"
"That's not what I asked," Blake said quietly, "Do you want it?"
Jaune smiled.
"To go have fun with people I care about? Yeah… Yeah, I do."
"Then just go with that," Blake said with a soft smile.
"It's just been a while since I even had a date," Jaune explained, "I mean, my mom and my sisters were pretty controlling back in Radian."
"Oh?" Blake asked, tilting her head curiously. Jaune nodded.
"Yeah. I mean, in hindsight, I get that they did it because there were a lot of girls just after my family name and money. I did the same to guys who were after my sisters for the same reasons, or just for a thrill. But the furthest I ever got was a few dates out at restaurants or movies."
He scowled.
"And one girl who was just using me to get back at her ex."
Blake nodded slowly.
"Then I can help you," she said softly. "I mean… My relationship wasn't the most conventional. And honestly? It was… Not very healthy, but…" She smiled. "I'm willing to share my experience. To help you."
"Are you sure?" Jaune asked, raising an eyebrow. Blake nodded.
"Completely. If you'd like the help?"
He was silent for a moment, before he nodded with a smile. She rather liked it.
"I… I would like that," he said. He coughed.
"I'd better get back out there, so Goldie doesn't yell some more."
"G-Good idea," Blake said quickly.
Jaune hurried out. Blake again hesitated. She felt eyes boring into the back of her head, and slowly turned to look at the source.
Nora stared intently at her, looking just as intimidating as ever despite her cute maid outfit.
She then slowly lifted her fist… And gave Blake a big thumbs up.
"That's the way, Blakey!" Nora said cheerfully. "I'll be Auntie Nora in no time, spoiling cute little kittens!"
"... Thank you?" Blake managed.
"You're welcome!" Nora chirped, as she bounced off with plates of food in her hands out the swinging doors of the kitchen. Blake watched her go, then looked over at Ren, who was hard at work at the stove.
Blake opened her mouth.
"Don't ask," Ren said, "It's just how she is."
"I… See," Blake managed.
Ponce had a very long, beautiful central plaza overlooking the beach in the cove below. The tall white walls reflected the sunlight onto the beach, just as the white buildings did, making the entire town glow.
It was always warm and comforting, even with the masses of tourists and cars driving around the area.
Sun, Scarlet, and Sage were sitting at a table at an outdoor cafe with a parasol shielding it from the hot, bright sun. All in swimsuits and shirts (Though Sun's was open, as usual). All three sipped their frosty fruity drinks as they watched Neptune escort Weiss back to her sister. Weiss hugged Neptune and planted a chaste kiss on his cheek, before she headed back to meet the imposing Winter. Neptune waved back with a smile and a wink.
Weiss swooned a bit, while Winter just glared death. Neptune, by sheer dint of his Mistralian nerve, waved and walked across the crosswalk toward his friends. He sat down with them at the table.
"Hey guys, what's up?" He smirked and leaned back in his chair, putting his feet up on an empty one, "I was just escorting a beautiful girl around the town! How about you?"
"We were taking bets on when her older sister would kill you," Sage deadpanned.
"I think Weiss will kill him," Scarlet said with a nod, as he sipped his drink. Neptune scowled as he ordered a drink on the restaurant app on his phone.
"You're just jealous!"
"Unlikely," Sage observed, as Scarlet snorted in laughter. He then moaned.
"Shit, you made my drink come out my nose, you dick!"
"Ugh," Neptune grunted, before he looked over at Sun, "Can't one of you assholes be happy for me?"
"Dude, you are going to get yourself killed and then I'll have to find a new team member," Sun said dryly.
"I mean, does the heiress to the biggest corporation in the world seem like a pump and dump?" Scarlet asked, after wiping his nose with a napkin.
"She's not a pump and dump!" Neptune protested, as he happily accepted his fruity frosty drink from the server. "It's just a nice, fun fling!"
"I'm sure her sister will be thrilled to hear that," Sage deadpanned.
"Look, it's a front," Neptune said, "She wants to enjoy the romance, and I'm providing it! Weiss isn't that serious about all this either!"
"She looked pretty serious about it to me," Scarlet observed. Neptune scoffed and crossed his arms petulantly.
"It's not like that! And her big sister just has to chill out! Let Weiss make her own decisions! This is just some fun for both of us!"
"So you haven't even considered the fact she might be serious about you?" Scarlet asked.
Neptune huffed.
"Not even a little!"
Sage and Scarlet both looked over at Sun. Scarlet's face was despairing, while Sage was more obliquely stoic than usual. Sun sighed.
"He's my best friend, but he really doesn't know how to use his cool the right way."
"Hey!" Neptune growled.
"I blame you for why he's like this," Scarlet stated.
"HEY!" Neptune yelped.
Sun scowled.
"You were the one who helped with his wardrobe and convinced him to dye his hair. I blame you for his douchery!"
"Please," Scarlet scoffed,"You can't blame me when you have-!"
"Peace, you two," Sage advised, "Let's just be there for him when he crashes and burns."
Scarlet nodded.
"Yes, so we can mock him."
"And maybe fix him," Sun chuckled.
"Before Winter or Weiss 'fix' him," Sage deadpanned.
"Screw you guys!" Neptune growled, as his friends laughed. Well, Sun and Scarlet laughed, Sage just kind of smirked. "And I wouldn't be talking, Sun!"
Sun gestured to himself with both hands.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're simping over your princess, bro," Neptune stated, "Just ask her out!"
"I'm not simping over her," Sun stated smoothly, as he sipped his drink, "Mm, banana. I'm texting back and forth with her because she's my responsibility! And we're friends!"
"Uh huh," Scarlet deadpanned.
"Seriously though man, just ask Blake out," Neptune stated, "Maybe you'll stop ragging on my romance if you have your own!"
Sun rolled his eyes.
"Even if I was interested… Not saying that I am!" He said quickly. "She's literally a princess, dude. You gotta do things properly."
"In that case, you had best hurry," Neptune snarked, "Or that Arc guy will add her to his harem!"
Sun rolled his eyes again. He was doing that a lot when it came to Neptune.
"What, the guy who looks like he's gone through a war? That hardcore guy? Come on, he's not some kind of playboy!"
"He literally got three girls to ask him on dates all at once!" Neptune growled. "That guy is a menace!"
"You did notice how hard it was for him to do that, correct?" Sage asked. "He clearly has had a difficult past-"
"That's like catnip to girls like Blake!" Neptune argued.
Sun raised an eyebrow, and Neptune grumbled. Scarlet interjected.
"I think he means that Arc is the noble and dark type. He pushes women away because he doesn't want to burden anyone with his inner demons. That's catnip to girls."
"He also tried to selflessly sacrifice himself for all of us," Sage added, "That tends to stick in a girl's mind."
"Yeah but that doesn't mean he'd know how to do anything about it! Besides, he's got Pyrrha Nikos," Sun said, perhaps coming off a bit defensively, "That hot blonde chick, and that cute smaller girl! He's got his hands full!"
Sun smirked and patted his stomach.
"Besides… I have abs!"
"And yet," Neptune pointed out, "Who is she spending her semester break with?"
Sun checked his scroll.
"... She's working at a cafe with Jaune," Sun read dully. At the smirks from his friends he scowled.
"That doesn't mean anything!"
"Honestly, I think you're better off letting her join Arc's harem," Scarlet said, "The girl is insane."
"She is not!" Sun protested. "I mean… Okay, so she's obsessive and has her issues, but who doesn't?"
Scarlet groaned and held his forehead.
"Oh Gods... You're going to try to fix her. You're in full broken bird syndrome."
"I don't want to fix her! I just want to help her!" Sun insisted. "And I'm not simping over her! See? Here I am, with my friends-who happen to be assholes-and not simping over her!"
Neptune laughed mockingly.
"Yeah buddy, sure, we totally believe you!"
"She led us into a trap against terrorists, bro," Scarlet said, "And she still thinks the White Fang can be reformed or something."
"And I got a look at her reading history," Sage deadpanned. "You know not what I have seen."
Sage's eyes were haunted. Sun snorted.
"You get flustered over holding hands with your girl!"
"Because still waters run deep," Sage stated, "In Blake's case, there are some very scary monsters in those deep waters."
"I can handle it! If I'm into her… Which I'm not saying I am," Sun went on. He glared back at the smug looks on his friends' faces. "Knock it off!"
"Give it up, Sage, there's no convincing him," Neptune said, "Sun has always had trash taste."
"Hey!" Sun protested.
"I suppose that would explain why you're his best friend," Sage deadpanned. Neptune sputtered.
"HEY!"
"Assholes, all of you," Sun grumbled, sipping his drink. He checked his Scroll again: Blake had just texted him.
"And what does the girl you're totally not simping over want now?" Scarlet asked.
"For your information," Sun stated, "She wants my help with Jaune's romantic life! Not that she wants to join him," he clarified, glaring at the smug Neptune, "But wants me to help him with it."
"Oh? And how would you be helping him?" Neptune mocked.
Sun smirked.
"Harem ending."
Neptune choked on his drink.
"WHAT?!"
"I take it back," Sage said, "She might not be all that bad."
"Especially if she makes Neptune have a stroke," Scarlet snickered. "It'll be more merciful than what Weiss or Winter will do to him."
"You're all just so fucking hilarious!" Neptune growled.
Omake: Pyrrha's Request
Before the start of the semester break... In JNPR's dormroom...
"Nora? I have a favor to ask of you," Pyrrha said.
"Sure, Pyrrha!" Nora said brightly.
Pyrrha sucked in a deep breath, and held her hands together in front of her chest.
"Please... Will you and Ren look after Jaune?"
"Of course! We're gonna camp together and be hobos!"
"Oh good... And you're going to keep him away from any whores?!"
"Sure thing! He wants to save money so we'll keep him away from hookers!"
"I... No, I mean away from other girls? Like you do with Ren?"
Nora hummed, and then grinned.
"... So, you want me to break the knees of any girls who try to romance Jaune-Jaune?"
Pyrrha grinned darkly.
"Yes."
Jaune, entering the dormroom, scowled and rolled up a newspaper.
"No, no she's not going to." He bonks Pyrrha on the head. "No. Bad."
"Ow!" Pyrrha winced, but then smiled dreamily at Jaune. "So... You mean you won't cheat on me~?"
"We're not together!"
"Oh Jaune, that hurts, but I will win your heart~!" Pyrrha cried.
Jaune sighed.
"Maybe. But no knee breaking, Nora!"
Nora saluted.
"Okey dokey!"
Jaune left.
Pyrrha turned to Nora with a perverted grin.
"... Can you get me nude photos of Jaune instead?"
Nora rubbed her chin.
"I dunno... I usually just take photos of Ren for myself." She held up her Scroll. "See?"
"Oh... My..." Pyrrha murmured, blushing, "I like the lighting?"
Nora grinned.
"He never seems to notice the reflectors!"
We're almost done with the Semester break, don't you worry. Just thought you might appreciate slightly smaller chapters for a bit.