Symbiote Knight

Chapter 27: Competition Begins

Jaune knew he wasn't exactly the most perceptive at times but even he felt something was off lately. For the past few days Yang, Pyrrha and even Weiss seemed to be making efforts to talk to him more, do more activities, help with training or studying. Granted this was helping him get closer to each girl and trying to figure out his own complex feelings with how he felt about each of them.

Honestly, he hated being this flippant about it. The problem was each girl had their own unique attractions, he liked being with them and it was also hard since all three were very attractive but for different reasons.

~I still don't fully grasp how they look on the outside, but I do see why you are having trouble. Their inner natures are harder to overlook~

'Yeah, something like that,' Jaune nodded.

"HA! Got you!" Ruby's voice shouted out pulling him from his inner thoughts. He was in the team RWBY dorm playing video games with Ruby. It was a nice Saturday and for once he didn't have much planned, so he figured hanging out with his friend was good.

He was going to meet up with Yang and Pyrrha later for a workout and Weiss was doing her homework in the library. Blake was sitting in her bed totally absorbed in a book of hers. Ren and Nora were with them as Nora wanted next while Ren was silently observing. He was never much for video games, but the quiet boy did like to be included.

"Yep, you got me," he smiled handing it over to Nora who eagerly took it as the two started their virtual battle. Jaune looked to Blake before asking her a question. "You sure we're not bothering you?"

"It's fine," she simply said turning a page. "I'm used to it and if I really wanted to read alone, I'd go to the library."

"Well, fair enough," he shrugged letting her get back to it.

'I still have trouble figuring her out.' He thought to himself.

~The quiet and loner types, I know them well. It's best to sometimes let them get used to your presence and then let them come to you~

'You make her sound like a house cat or something.'

Valor reminded silent on that he was much more perceptive than most others. His 'sight' worked on a totally different level, so he noticed the little things. The twitch of her bow now and then showed him that she was a Faunus of some kind but for some reason hiding it. Given how he had seen that Cardin person treating Velvet and their own research into this world, it's history and groups like the White Fang, Valor had seen this pattern of behavior time and time again.

Sometimes the racial attitudes had to do with another race entirely, like the Skrull and Kree war that he was certain was still going strong even after thousands of years. Then you get internal problems such as this one race that once came in two colors, well they had come in two colors. One side killed the other, although that race was long since dead because apparently without both sides their genetics started to unravel. It was ironic, that the 'genetic purity' they so sought after ended up killing their race ages ago.

Valor wasn't around back then as this came from his genetic memory of those that came before him. That race was now long dead and most likely only the Klyntar remembered them or the few other nearly eternal races of the cosmos.

Even his own species was hated and feared across the universe because of the actions of the Corrupted. A true Klyntar like himself was at times seen as a monster because of their actions. So, Valor might know fully know the reasons Blake was keeping her heritage secret, but he felt he understood it.

Ren decided at that point to get up. "I feel like making some tea, does anyone want any?"

"That would sound nice," Blake nodded her head.

"You know I never had any," Ruby wasn't sure if she could like it or not. She once tried her dad's coffee without him knowing because she was curious. It was so bitter that she spat it out in the sink. She suddenly heard Nora's shout of victory that made the young reaper panic as she refocused back on the game.

"Ruby's got a sweat tooth maybe with some sugar and honey?" Jaune offered.

"Okay that sounds better," Ruby nodded. "Oh, will there be like those little cookies and stuff?"

"I'll see what I can find." Ren nodded.

"So…has anything been kind of off with Yang and Weiss?" Jaune asked hoping that it was nothing.

Ruby and Blake did share a look as Blake had stopped reading by that point.

"Now that you mention it," Blake thought about the past few days. "They've been nice but also kind of distant, it's strange."

"Yeah," Ruby nodded her head. "I thought they had a fight or something, but Yang still jokes around and stuff and when we're training the teamwork is still there but there's just this odd tension between them."

"Pyrrha's been a bit odd too," Nora commented. "Whenever she and Yang are with us at the gym the two of them almost seem like they're competing against the other."

"Now that you mention it," Jaune thought back to the last few times the four of them were at the gym together. Yang and Pyrrha would do a set and then do more weight than the other.

~I noticed that Pyrrha looks jealous whenever you give Yang massages after the work out~

'Jealous?'

~That or envy, it's honestly hard for me to tell without being bonded to her, facial expressions can be difficult to grasp sometimes~

Now knowing that both girls have feelings for him made him a lot more self-conscious about giving Yang her back and shoulder rubs. When Yang asked for his help with tight muscles, he really didn't have the hear to say 'no' to her. Granted being able to touch Yang was more than enough compensation but now he was all too aware that she might be doing it also for other reasons.

Whatever was going on he just hoped that things didn't end up going horribly wrong.

-Later-

Jaune was getting his gym clothing on as he was having a weekend workout with Yang, Pyrrha and Nora. Honestly, he was kind of looking forward to these workout sessions, Nora was a harsh taskmaster, but he had to admit it was helping him get in shape.

~What am I?~

'Oh, you too, you've been the biggest help,' he didn't want to downplay Valor's help the symbiote had literally changed his life. It was strange how at first, he wasn't sure about bonding but after spending so much time it was hard to think of life without Valor. It was like having a constant friend and confidant always with you when you needed someone to listen and to give you help when needed.

He had just left the locker room and saw Yang, Pyrrha and Nora already there in their usual workout clothing although what surprised him the most was that Weiss was with them. She wore similar tight-fitting clothing that was blue on the outside and white on the inner parts. She had a sleeveless sports shirt and tight-fitting pants that really showed off her legs.

"Weiss?!" Jaune blinked.

"Hello," Weiss stated and then noticed Jaune in his workout clothing. She had only really seen him in either his fighting outfit, his school uniform or those civilian clothing he wore a few times outside of school. Seeing him in shorts and a t-shirt with no sleeves gave the young Atlesian woman more than an eyeful of his developing figure.

She quickly pulled her eyes away not wanting to stare like some uncouth deviant, still she had to admit that Yang was right about him filling out recently.

"She kind of invited herself," Yang gestured towards her teammate.

"I need to keep my physical abilities up just like anyone else," Weiss stated crossing her arms, which was true she did. Back home she had hired trainers that helped give her a program, but she was thinking it was time to expand on it. "I wanted to try it out today at least to see what you all do."

"Cool, the more the merrier," Nora beamed while Pyrrha and Yang shared a knowing look.

Both girls knew that Weiss was using this as an excuse to spend time with Jaune but part of the reason they were here was for the same reason so it's not like they could call her out on it.

'She's going to be sore after today,' Yang mentally snickered as while Blake, Weiss and even Ruby did have their own workout routines they were not the kind of stuff the four of them got up to. Weiss just jumping in, well she was going to get a serious workout today.

"Well then let's get started," Pyrrha smiled although the smile wasn't natural but her plastered one.

Weiss was had originally thought that this workout wouldn't be too much for her to handle, that it wouldn't be a problem. She quickly learned that she had overestimated things. After over an hour of weight training for both upper and lower she felt muscles burn she hadn't even known existed. Every time she thought they were done it was one more rep with more weight on it. Granted it wasn't as much as the other four as she wasn't deluded to think she could go right up to their level, but it still was something she didn't normally train in.

Currently she was on her back trying to push up the weights on the bench press, her face was red and sweating as Nora was cheering her one.

"Come on Ice Queen you got this, push, push!" Nora yelled out.

Weiss gritted her teeth feeling her arms burn as Yang was there with her hands just under the bar spotting her. "Almost there Weiss, just a little bit more."

Weiss dug in deep and with the last of her strength pushed up and landed it on the two little metal holders for the bar. She gasped out as her arms hung loose at her sides. She would be feeling that for days.

"Good job, keep this up and you might get some muscles in those arms," Yang grinned.

"I*pant* have*pant*muscles*pant*you*pant*" she wanted to finish with 'gorilla', but she knew that was going overboard. Ever since she had accepted her place on the team, she had been trying to be a bit better with how she reacted with her teammates. It was slow progress, but she knew she had to try to get along with everyone better or else it would be a very long four years.

Yang raised an eyebrow knowing some insult had been coming but Weiss for whatever reason decided to not go through with it so Yang decided she wouldn't call her out on it. She also would admit that Weiss did do a good job for someone that didn't regularly use weightlifting.

"Here, you'll need this Weiss," Jaune came and handed her a water bottle.

The pale girl moaned as she sat up and graciously took it and started to down the water.

"Well, that was a good day's workout," Nora grinned. "I'm off to the showers, Renny said help me make some pancakes."

"Wait, isn't it way past breakfast?" Weiss asked since this was the afternoon.

"What does that had to do with anything?" Nora asked since for her pancakes were a food you could enjoy any time of the day. She went off to the showers leaving the white-haired girl looking at the others for an explanation.

"We just kind of put if off as a Nora thing," Jaune shrugged with a half smile.

Yang had gotten used to some of Nora's more unique traits and shrugged it off with Pyrrha. Yang rolled her shoulders in an exaggerated manner.

"Although I think I might have gone a little overboard, hey Jaune can you help me work out these muscles? You give the best massages and honestly, I could use them loosened up before I hit the showers."

Both Weiss and Pyrrha exchanged looked knowing full well that Yang wasn't asking just to get her muscles worked on.

"Oh, sure." Jaune felt some nervousness as now that he knew Yang's feelings for him this started to feel more than just helping someone out.

Yang sat on the weight bench at the end padding the spot behind her. Jaune got onto positing as Yang moved her hair out of the way. Valor of course seeped out onto his fingers and palms just enough not to be seen right before his hands touched her. Jaune started with her neck as he planned to move down.

Yang closed her eyes enjoying it. "I swear you have magic fingers." She winced a bit at a tight knot but he quickly worked it out as she sighed in contentment.

~Might not be magic but with my help they might as well be~

Pyrrha and Weiss looked on, Pyrrha was feeling that familiar feeling of jealousy at how Yang could be so much more brazen than her, it didn't help that Yang looked to be enjoying it. Weiss couldn't help but look at how Yang was reacting, for a moment she wondered if that was how she had been when Jaune had rubbed her shoulders that one time.

Yang groaned as she arched her back a little as he went lower. "A little lower and to the right, a bit more, oh! Yeah, right there, that's been bugging me all day."

~She does tend to get tight knots in the same areas~ Valor commented.

Jaune tried not to nod but commented out loud. "You always seem to have these areas giving you issues."

"Well, I am supporting a lot of weight on my chest," She grinned at him while it was in a joking manner she wasn't too far off the truth. Ever since puberty hit her hard and she developed more than most girls such things like back and shoulder pain were the norm.

Weiss unconsciously crossed her arms over her chest.

Yang always felt better after one of Jaune's massages, he really knew how to work out the kinks. She was sad when he was done and if they were alone might have worked up the nerve to ask for more. Unfortunately, they were in the gym and people were around and while she was adventurous, she did have limits.

She got up and stretched out, "Always grade A as usually Jaune, you have a real talent that's going to make some girlfriend very happy in the future." She winked at him over her shoulder as she saw him nervously scratch the back of his head, but she did notice a hint of a blush on his face.

Weiss however wasn't one to be outdone, she already had her shoulders and neck done and she didn't want to flat out copy Yang. So, she decided to ask for something else, her legs were still aching from that leg press from earlier.

"Well since you seem to have so much experience," Weiss said flipping her hair off to the side. "Can you help with my legs? I want to be able to walk tomorrow and they're already feeling like they are stiffening up."

She wasn't lying, her legs hadn't had such a workout in a long time, and she liked to move around a lot in combat. Also, it was the perfect way to try something different than what Yang asked for.

~I'm starting to see a pattern here~

'I'm going to have to get used to this aren't I?'

~Seems like it, it doesn't bother me, but I can feel how nervous this makes you~

'Well, I'm touching girls in a very intimate way, of course I'd be nervous!'

~Get used to it because it seems they are getting a taste for it~

"O-okay then, do you want to sit down?" Jaune got up as he asked her.

Weiss nodded as she sat down where Yang had been and not Jaune was crouched in front of her. He had to take a breath to calm himself as this was the first time he was touching a girl's leg like this, and it was Weiss' legs too. Even through the thin material he could make out all the definitions of her skin. He had to admit she had these very nice dancer's legs, slim and yet strong. He carefully started on her Achillies tendons and calf muscles.

Weiss tried to fight her blush as she was second guessing her choice now. She had never let a man touch her like this before, but his hands were so careful and skilled. They seemed to have this way to massage the muscles that she couldn't understand. She bit her lip lightly trying not to moan out like Yang seemed all too eager to do.

"Wow your calf muscles are super tight," Jaune noticed as he got to work as by now, he was gaining a lot of experience thanks to Valor and Yang always asking for it after a workout just how tight some muscles could get.

"I wear combat heels in my combat clothing and high heels a lot of the time," she explained. While her footwear was technically boots her heels were elevated in them. She was just used to wearing things with high heels all the time because of all the events and dresses she had to wear growing up.

She was also now realizing just how tight those muscles were because of it as he helped to release the pressing in her muscles. His hands felt warm as they touched her legs as she wondered how they would feel if she was wearing shorts instead. The thought made her blush a little as she tried to control her thoughts, but his hands were working out all the tensions in her legs and she was starting to enjoy herself.

Weiss also noticed he kept to the knees and below, he wasn't attempting to touch her thighs, and he was keeping his eyes down. She was thankful for him trying to be as much a gentleman about this as was possible. When she first met him, she had figured he would be the type of boy that would take advantage of this kind of situation. Now as she got to get to know him, things were different. She saw him differently now and seeing this little side of him trying to remain respectful was something that she appreciated.

She was so lost in thought that she was disappointed when he stopped.

"There how's that?" He asked.

Weiss stood up and her muscles felt so much better, there was still the tiredness but at least her muscles didn't feel so stiff anymore.

"Very well actually," she said surprised by the change, she hadn't noticed just how tense her lower legs had gotten as she just got used to it over the years. "I'm very much appreciate this."

"You're welcome, Weiss," Jaune smiled at her and looking at him and his smile she couldn't help but have a small smile in return.

"Great, looks like I got to share my massages with Weiss," Yang muttered to Pyrrha in a low tone.

Pyrrha for her part was hating that she was the only one left out. Yang got her shoulders and Weiss her legs so what did that leave her? Yang's words to her about not being more proactive rang through her mind. She would never get anywhere if she just stood still, the other two were already moving ahead and if she did nothing, she would only have herself to blame.

"Jaune," Pyrrha stated.

~And then there's three~ Valor said amused.

"Do you want one too?" Jaune asked trying to hide the slight nerves.

"If you don't mind," his partner stated. "I think my back muscles could use the help."

"Okay then," he looked around as someone might want to use the weight press bench and nodded to the mats. "How about over there?"

Pyrrha nodded her head feeling her stomach in knots.

"I'll wipe the bench," Yang stated since she didn't want to ruin the gym etiquette. Weiss wasn't sure what to do as she hung back with Yang.

"Man, can't believe Pyrrha actually went out and did that," Yang said softly as she wiped down the bench with Weiss watching. "Normally she's too polite to even do something like that."

"She's never asked for that before?" Weiss asked.

Yang shook her head, "Not since I started asking for them."

Pyrrha was glad she was face down on the mat if only so Jaune couldn't see her face starting to match her hair. She had on a sports top, so her lower torso was exposed. She could feel his hands working the muscles on her bare skin. She couldn't believe she did this, that she actually got the nerve to ask him for this.

'What was I thinking?' Pyrrha was totally embarrassed but she couldn't deny that his hands felt so nice. 'Why does it feel like his hands are moving in multiple different ways, almost like-'

Her eyes widened as she just realized why it must be feeling so good. "Jaune," she whispered out. "Are you using Valor?"

He paused in what he was doing. "Oh, uh, yeah, he's been helping. He's all over my palms. I can, well we can stop if you're not comfortable."

She thought about it and then shook her head. "No, just, I didn't expect it."

"Oh, okay then, sorry for not saying anything." He continued on with the symbiote's help.

Pyrrha was starting to relax again, she had gotten used to Valor as did her team over the time they knew the alien. There was still so much she didn't know about him and at times it was easy to forget he was there, which made her feel a bit bad about it. They were no longer a four-member team but technically a five member and she didn't like the thought of Valor being overlooked.

Her thoughts were broken as a particular muscle was worked on, she was used to aches and pains but the pleasure of the release of that discomfort caught her by surprise. She couldn't help the pleasured moan that escaped her mouth.

Pyrrha let her mind just go blank as she enjoyed the feeling of them working on her lower back. She thought of letting him work on more parts of her body. Her arms, her shoulders like Yang, or her legs like Weiss. Her mind started to wonder of them being in their dorm room, her on her bed as Jaune was on top of her working out her muscles. His hands going at first to her neck, then her upper back, her lowers and lower still as he reached her butt.

That made her eyes pop open as her face was very red.

'I shouldn't think like that, it's not proper,' she said as all the years of media training entered her mind. A small part of her did ask the question of why it should matter? She no longer had sponsors to worry about, she no longer gave interviews. She didn't need to continue living like she had been.

"How is that Pyrrha?" Jaune asked.

Pyrrha rolled onto her back as she sat up and twisted. "Oh, that feels marvelous, thank you." She leaned in to whisper the next part. "Both of you."

Jaune smiled back as he whispered. "He says you're welcome."

"Hey what's all this?" Yang asked only seeing them lean in. She at first was worried they might be trying to get a kiss in. Something she had to admit made her worry until she walked over to see they were just whispering about something.

"Oh, just thanking Jaune is all," Pyrrha said noticing how it looked as both pulled back. She stood up as she made a show of twisting. "You were right Yang I should have asked for this sooner."

Yang sighed as she placed a hand on her hip with a lopsided smile. "Yeah, guess I did say that huh?"

"Well, I for one think it's time to shower," Weiss stated as she left for the women's change room.

Yang could feel all the sweat starting to dry off on her skin and she was not a fan of it. "Yeah, she's right, time to clean up. Catch you later Jaune." She waved at him as she walked off.

The gym had many of the students working out, a few caught sight of the blonde first year boy working out with four other girls and then gave three of them massages. There were a few envious and slightly jealous looks.

One such set of eyes was of Cardin, who was doing pull ups and had seen Jaune of all people who looked like he was heavily flirting with the girls. It was bad enough that a guy that was such a loser got a partner like Pyrrha, but lately he had seen him with Yang and Nora. While he didn't much care for Nora (honestly the girl was a little odd for him) he hated that two of the hottest girls in their grade were always with him. Now it looked like the Schnee girl was also getting in on the action.

He just couldn't get it, sure the boy had changed his clothing and armor a little, sure he cut his hair and was doing a bit better in class but so what? In Cardin's eyes Jaune was still that weakling from before he just put on a good mask.

But here he was with three hot girls before midterms? Just the thought of that was slowly making his blood boil.

'Maybe I should think it's time to take him down a peg or two and show everyone what he truly is.' He thought to himself.

-Atlas-

In the secret labs under Atlas tower a special wing was set aside for Project Noir. Winter Schnee was making her rounds she wanted an update on the project since the General wanted a firsthand account of what she thought of the progress. The many security doors she had to pass were a bit of a hassle, but she knew just how important this program was.

The main room was always filled with scientists of the program, many of them looked to have forgone sleep, with clothing that looked worn and hair and tired expressions. There were plenty of empty coffee cups and empty food containers.

She could understand why they were pushing themselves this was possibly the greatest discovery in the history of Remnant since the discovery of Dust.

Actual alien life, proof that there was in fact life outside of their world and life in a way that she figured no one could have come up with. It still made her mind spin at it all. Off to the side were walls of theories, test results, diagrams and other things that were above her head. She was a military person, not a scientist so most of what she saw on the wall she couldn't even begin to understand.

"Ah, Specialist Schnee." Dr. Greyman the lead scientist on the project noticed her and came over. He was an older man, his red hair greying on the sides with small glasses he had on. He looked to have lost some weight the last time she had seen him, and his eyes had bags under them. He was obviously pushing himself even harder than the others it would seem to her.

"Doctor," she politely but stiffly nodded. "I've come for an update."

"Ah you're just in time then," he moved towards the large glass wall looking into the enclosure where the creature was kept. "We're just about to start a new series of tests."

Winter noticed that the creature was a lot larger now, in fact it looked like some kind of monster dog, it was almost Grimm-like with its black skin but the only white were the eyes. The tail was extra-long, almost whip like as he seemed to pace back and forth in the room always looking at them.

Something about how it was looking at them set Winter on edge.

"Yes, you feel it too then?" Greyman nodded his head looking at the creature. "Doesn't feel like an animal's gaze, does it? Like there is an intelligence behind it?"

Winter paused as she considered his words before nodding. "Are you feeding it dogs now?"

"It was too large for smaller creatures like the lab rats anymore, it was going through them so quickly we moved to canines." Doctor Greyman cleaned his small glasses. "It seems to have helped it's not burning through hosts as quickly. We're not sure if that's because of the size of the creature, the maturity of it or some other factor."

"Being test one," he said as someone at a computer terminal did something.

Winter noticed a section slide open as a device was pushed in. She saw it was a simple child's puzzle, a rack with cut out shapes and the shapes themselves mixed in a the bottom. She watched as the creature slowly moved towards the puzzle and seemed to contemplate.

"Now we're trying to see just how intelligent it is, we have no idea if it will-" He was cut off as the scientists all suddenly had various reactions. In the cell the creature used it's tail as the appendage grew and stretched quickly, the end splitting into four like fingers as it grabbed each shape and then quickly placed them in the correct hole. If that wasn't surprising enough it just looked at them with a 'what now?' expression.

"It…I didn't-I mean…" Dr. Greyman was stunned silent.

"Doctor?" Winter asked in a stern tone.

He shook his head trying to think straight. "My god, that couldn't have been a fluke."

"Shall we try test two?" One of the scientists asked.

"Yes, next test." The doctor nodded.

The device was pulled back as the wall slide shut, not long after another puzzle was sent out. This time a puzzle that was in about ten pieces with different shapes with an image of what it looked like completed. The alien too a look at the image and down at the pieces and quickly put it together. The next test was a rubix cube puzzle, it finished it in eight seconds flat. Each test was more difficult than the last but after eight such tests the room was a chaotic mess of people throwing out theories or jotting down data.

"Doctor what does this all mean?" Winter asked.

"It means this is an intelligent being," Greyman stared at the creature as it stared back. Then suddenly something happened that caused everyone to quiet down. The end of the tail morphed into a sharp looking blade.

"Is it becoming hostile!?" Winter grabbed the hilt of her sword getting ready in case it tried to break containment.

"I-I don't know." Greyman was shaken as the alien then looked at the wall behind it and started to slash it but it wasn't random slashes.

/ / / / / /

After it made those marks, the tail reverted back as it sat down like a dog and stared at them, as though waiting for them to make the next move.

"What was it doing?" Winter asked her hand still on her weapon not taking her eyes off it.

"I'm…I'm not sure," he said looking at the marks.

"1,2,3,5,7 and 11?" someone counted off.

"Wait, aren't those prime numbers?" Another scientist spoke up from their location as everyone's eyes went to the marks and counted again to make sure.

Dr. Greyman paled as they were indeed prime numbers. "Oh gods we were wrong, we were so wrong." He whispered out.

"What?" Winter demanded. "What are prime numbers and why are they so important?"

"It means it's far more intelligent than we thought," Dr. Greyman took a step forward in awe. "It knows mathematics Specialist, that means it's as intelligent as us…maybe even more so. We thought it might have a baseline intelligence, maybe that of a dog if we were lucky but this is a fully sentient creature."

Winter's eyes widened as the implications suddenly came to her. They had an intelligent alien creature, and it was trying to communicate that it was intelligent. It was trying to let them know that it was sentient, and it wanted to communicate with them. "Can you communicate with it?"

"Since it's intelligent we can try," Dr. Greyman grinned as he looked at the rest of staff. "Okay then, no sleep for the weary, start coming up with ways we can talk to it, this is the priority."

"Look!" Someone shouted as the creature was once more making marks in the wall but this was different. There were small hexagons connected by lines, it became apparent it was the structure of a chemical of some kind.

"Jones, you're the chemist, what is that?" Someone called out.

"Give me a second, I'm running it through the computer," the scientist named 'Jones' called back. It took a minute for the computer to come back with a result. "It's phenethylamine."

"That's an organic compound," the biochemist in the group spoke up. "It's found in the central nervus system."

Dr. Greyman thought back to all the dead host creatures they had been drained of something, but they hadn't figured out what yet. If this was what the alien needed to survive, and it was telling them what they needed to give it?

"Can we get it?" Greyman asked.

"I'm pretty sure you can buy it as a supplement," the biochemist told him. "Should be easy enough to get."

"Okay I want you to get on that, let's see if this is what our guest here needs to survive. Specialist?"

Winter nodded. "I believe I have enough to report back on but expect the General to want more updates soon."

TBC..