Cuts of RWBY
A RWBY Fic Collection by AndrewJTalon
DISCLAIMER: This is a fan based work of prose. RWBY is the property of Rooster Teeth and WB Animation. Please support the official release.
As it turns out, your parents DO have lives outside of being your parents. As Jaune Arc and Weiss Schnee soon find out.
All the stands, games, and other activities were a bit overwhelming to Jaune. Sure, they'd had festivals in Radian like clockwork, but Vytal was on a whole other level!
"Heh," Yang muttered, "Nobody would confuse you for a small town yokel, would they?"
Jaune coughed and blushed. He scratched the back of his head as multitudes of people bustled, played, and laughed around them. They were relaxing by a fountain near the entrance to the festival proper.
"I... Yeah, I'm not selling sophisticated, am I?" He asked.
He'd agreed to meet up with the teams at the festival. He and Yang had been the first to arrive, and she was not making things easy. She elbowed him playfully.
"Relax, I'll show you how to handle all this," Yang chuckled, "I mean, Ruby's gonna be overwhelmed so we'll both need to wrangle the teams, huh?"
"Yeah," Jaune nodded. He playfully elbowed her back. "Though I think Ruby's been doing more of that with you lately."
"Oho~! VB's actually joking back?" Yang laughed with a grin, "What has gotten into you?"
It was strangely freeing when he stopped pursuing Weiss. It let him see a lot more going on around him than his desperate need to prove himself. He shrugged.
"Just appreciating that I'm waiting with a pretty girl, who's a lot of fun, and I want to have fun too," he said.
Yang stared at him, her jaw dropped. Her cheeks went red. Jaune gaped back.
Huh? Is that... No way...!
She cleared her throat, and elbowed him a bit more sharply.
"Oof!"
He winced and held his side.
"Heh... D-Don't get too carried away, Jaune," she said with a wink, "But this is a nicer attitude than what you usually have. Keep it up!"
"Uh, sure?" Jaune blinked. Yang beamed.
"So, where shall we herd our kids to first, Papa Arc? Don't want them to get upset tummies, so no dessert until after dinner!"
"Sounds like a good plan to me!" A baritone male voice boomed cheerfully behind them.
Jaune yelped, as did Yang. Jaune winced.
Oh no, please, don't let it be...
He slowly turned around. Yang gaped next to him. He supposed he couldn't blame her: The pair before them were getting a lot of looks and Scroll photo shots.
A man well over seven foot tall and built like a brickhouse stood before him, wearing a well traveled brown duster over white and black plate armor. A truly gigantic twin-pronged railgun sword hung off his back, and a bastard sword only slightly shorter with one blade hung from his belt. His chin was like a lantern, and covered in a fine, well groomed beard. Faint scars were over his cheeks and above his gray eyes. His hair was short and neat, and just as blonde as his beard. He grinned broadly, his teeth shining in the sun.
His female companion was much shorter, only coming up to his shoulders, but was absolutely stunning. She was curvy but athletic, with wide curves and long, strong legs. She wore a green dress with a simple belt, stockings, and slim and elegant black boots. A white labcoat rested on her shoulders and waved slightly in the breeze. Her golden honey hair was tied back in a high ponytail, and her deep blue eyes were magnified by a pair of black rimmed glasses. Her face was slim with a pointed chin and light freckles over her high, aristocratic cheeks. Her expression was a mixture of relief and some annoyance, all directed at Jaune.
"Hey Jaune!" Ruby shouted, appearing right next to him. She beamed, then looked at the newcomers. The rest of their teams arrived. Weiss and Pyrrha stared intently at the tall man, both gaining slight blushes.
"Uh... So... Who are these people? Why are we standing around awkwardly?" Nora broke the ice.
Jaune cleared his throat.
"Um, friends? This is Nick and Isabel Arc... My parents."
For the fifth time, Pyrrha looked worriedly over at the trio of Jaune, Nick, and Isabel. They had moved some distance from the fountain to talk in privacy. The rest of the teams still lingered, wearing expressions ranging from concern to impatience.
"It'll be fine, Pyrrha, r-really!" Ruby insisted. "I mean... What's the worst they could do?"
"Pull Jaune out of Beacon so we never see him again?" Nora laughed... Then became very somber. Ruby and Pyrrha gaped back at her in horror. Nora winced.
"Y-Yeah, um, that's less funny right now, isn't it?"
"I'm sure they'll be fine," Blake said, though her tone was a bit more sullen than usual.
"Yes," Weiss stated, "I-I'm sure it'll be fine... Still... It's amazing to think he came from two such intense people..."
"And did you see his dad?" Yang grinned, and licked her lips, "Rowr. I think we're seeing the future there, ladies."
"Yang!" Ruby blushed brightly. Weiss and Pyrrha followed suit. Blake gave the two Arc men a once over and hummed.
"I can see the appeal."
"BLAKE!" Weiss cried. "D-Don't say such things, you perverted cat!"
"It's what you're thinking," Blake deadpanned.
"I AM NOT! I-I just think Jaune might look better with a beard, th-that's all," Weiss stuttered, "H-He needs all the help he can get!"
"Right, that's all you're thinking," Yang deadpanned, "Not what's under the beard... Or the armor-"
"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" Ruby cried, covering Yang's mouth with her hands, "THIS IS SERIOUS!"
"They don't seem too angry," Ren observed calmly, "More that they're sorting things out. He did run off to Beacon without their permission, after all."
"You-You think so?" Pyrrha asked hopefully.
Jaune and his mother hugged tightly. He patted her on the back, and she pulled back just enough to smile at him. He smiled back, though wiped a tear from his eyes as discretely as he could. He then turned to his father, who looked very stern... Before he grinned and pulled his son into a tight bearhug, nearly taking him off his feet.
"See?" Ren said with a nod, as everyone became noticeably less tense. The Arcs walked back over. Jaune smiled a bit nervously, but the tension in his shoulders was a lot less severe.
"Hey guys, um... Yeah. Like I said, these are my parents. Mom, Dad, this is Ruby Rose, Pyrrha Nikos, Weiss Schnee, Yang Xiao-Long, Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, and Blake Belladonna."
Isabel's eyebrows shot up in shock. Nick blinked, still grinning.
"Ah... That's quite the group of friends you have, Jaune," Isabel observed, sounding a bit faint. She nevertheless shook everyone's hands politely.
Nick for his part just grinned broadly and gave a big hug to each of Jaune's teammates. Ren bore it stoically, Yang rolled her eyes but went along with it, Weiss blushed the entire time, Pyrrha beamed even through her red face, and Ruby and Nora were the most reluctant to let go.
"So good to meet you all!" Nick cheered happily, "Thank you for looking out for my son!"
Blake had to be held in place by Jaune when she tried to run.
"Trust me, don't run, he'll chase you down," Jaune muttered. Blake sighed, and accepted the hug with as much grace as she could. She scowled as Nick patted her on the head, and set her down. He looked them all over with a bright smile.
"So! Which one's your girlfriend, Jaune?"
"NICK!" Isabel hissed. Nick shrugged.
"What? It's just a question, dear!"
"Ah?!" Jaune gasped. "I uh, um-None! We're all just friends!"
"Y-Yes! Good friends!" Pyrrha insisted.
"Comrades!" Weiss added.
"Besties!" Ruby flushed.
"Breakfast Buddies!" Nora contributed cheerfully.
"Me," Yang offered with a wink and a wave of her hand.
"YANG!" Pyrrha, Weiss, Ruby and Jaune gasped.
"ALL THIS TIME AND YOU DIDN'T TELL US?!" Nora gasped. She narrowed her eyes. "I thought Blake-Blake was the ninja!"
Yang laughed.
"Nah, I'm just funning you, honest! We're just friends, Mister Arc..." She winked at Jaune as he blushed, "For now."
Blake silently approved of the shit stirring. She was a cat Faunus, after all.
"Well, you kids have fun," Nick said cheerfully, "We'll catch up later!" He waved his hand.
"Yes, we don't want to um... Cramp your style, do we?" Isabel asked with a more gentle smile. One that turned impish.
"Not until we bring out the baby photos, at least."
"OH KAY NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN LET'S GO!" Jaune shouted, somehow managing to shove both teams towards the festival entrance.
"B-But I wanna see-!" Ruby tried.
"I-I wouldn't mind-" Pyrrha insisted.
"Come on, it'll be great!" Yang laughed.
Blake took pity on Jaune and helped herd the rest of the teens through the gates. After all... Her mom kept baby pictures too.
Things managed to settle down a bit when they got into the festival proper. They played some games, got some snacks, listened to live bands, and generally enjoyed themselves.
Yang pulled Jaune onto the dance floor for a bit, then Ruby insisted on her turn, then Pyrrha insisted on it, then Weiss for some odd reason and Nora just dragged Ren onto it. Blake was then shoved onto the floor by Yang, who did a quick turn with Jaune and then just as quickly escaped.
After this, they sat at a ramen stand and enjoyed their bowls full of noodles. Blake went to town on a fish ramen bowl with such gusto Nora checked her for a fever. Blake hissed at her, and Nora wisely backed off.
"So... Everything is okay with your parents now, correct?" Pyrrha asked Jaune quietly, as he slurped up some noodles. He nodded.
"Yeah... I mean, we'll have to do some more talking but..." He smiled. "Yeah. We uh... We don't hate each other or anything."
"That's good," Ruby said quietly, "To not have issues with your parents." She smiled and reached out to squeeze his hand, something Jaune returned with a thankful smile.
"Yeah," Yang sighed wistfully.
Weiss said nothing, just focusing on her food.
Nora pouted. Ren stared into his bowl. Jaune turned and smiled at them.
"Oh, also? Ren? Nora? You're invited to stay at the farmhouse in Radian if you'd like? For the summer or after Beacon?"
Both looked up. Nora's eyes widened.
"Really?!"
"Yeah," Jaune said, "I-I mean, Dad and Mom were going to offer. I told them about you, how you guys were part of my team and my friends. They were all for it, since Saphron, Tanya and Aqua all moved out. Plenty of room."
"We... We'd have a home?" Nora whispered. Jaune nodded firmly.
"Yeah. If you'd like? I mean, you'd have to do some chores on the farm, nothing major, but-"
Nora leaped into Jaune's arms and hugged him tightly. Ren, moving more quickly than he ever had out of combat, got up and squeezed Jaune's hand.
"Thank you Jaune," Ren said sincerely, "That means... Everything to us."
"Urk... N-No problem," Jaune wheezed, "Nora?"
"Yes, bestest brother in the whole wide world?!" Nora cried happily.
"Can you let go? Can't breathe...!"
"Oh!" Nora loosened her grip and grinned. "Hear that, Ren? We're part of the family now! Sorry Pyrrha! Guess we win!"
"Win what?" Jaune asked between gaspes to get oxygen back into his lungs.
"N-Nothing!" Pyrrha insisted.
Jaune looked around at the rest of his friends with a smile.
"Same for the rest of you, um, if you'd like? I just told Ren and Nora first but um, you guys have different situations and-"
"Thank you Jaune!" Pyrrha cried, "Th-That would be wonderful!"
"So," Yang grinned, "Would I share your room?"
"Certainly not, you-you bimbo!" Weiss cried furiously. Yang smirked at her.
"Oh yeah. That's where you wanna be, right Weisscream?"
"I SWEAR TO THE GODS YANG I WILL SHIV YOU!" Weiss shrieked.
"Weiss Schnee!"
"Eep!"
Weiss slowly turned. An older woman in elegant white clothing stood there, a balding brown haired man in a black suit and mustache standing a few steps behind. Weiss flushed brightly.
"Uh, um... M-M-Mother?! What are you doing here?!"
"I'm here to see you in the Vytal Tournament," Willow stated flatly, "Where else would I be?"
Weiss bit back a response, though everyone could see the tension in her shoulders.
"I... Yes Mother, of course," Weiss managed, far more politely though her eyes remained narrowed, "It is... Good to see you." She looked over at the balding man and gained a small smile.
"Hello Klein."
"Miss Weiss," Klein said with a small but genuine smile. Willow looked over Weiss's teammates, her eyes cold. Ruby winced at her gaze. Blake and Yang glared back. Nora tilted her head to the side quizzically. Ren didn't react at all, and Pyrrha merely offered a polite smile.
When her eyes got to Jaune... They widened in shock.
"... Arc?" She asked.
Jaune coughed.
"Ah, yeah, I'm Jaune Arc, ma'am," he said, rising and letting Nora let go and fall back onto her feet, "It's nice to meet you."
He held out his hand. She stared at him like she'd seen a ghost. Weiss frowned deeply.
"He's the leader of our sister team, mother, and does a... An adequate job of it," she insisted. Ruby and Jaune stared at her like she'd grown a second head, while Yang hid a smirk and Pyrrha's smile became a bit tense.
"Son of... Nicholas Arc from Radian?" Willow breathed.
Jaune and Weiss both blinked. Jaune nodded.
"Yes ma'am?"
"Oh hey kids!" Nick Arc's voice boomed. All eyes turned to him. He wore a large crown made of multiple, brightly colored balloon animals, some cheap plastic necklaces, and had a big root beer float in a plastic skull mug with two straws in one hand. In the other he held his wife's hand. Isabel had a silly plastic crown as well, and held a large stuffed teddy bear under her other arm.
"Nick?" Willow gasped.
Nick blinked, and then grinned broadly.
"Wills! How's it going?"
"'Wills'?" Jaune and Ruby's teams all asked in varying levels of disbelief. Isabel's eyes narrowed.
"Willow," she stated, cold and unfriendly.
Willow's eyes narrowed right back.
"Isabel."
"Fancy meeting you here!" Nick laughed. He let go of his wife's hand and pulled the surprised Willow into a bear hug. "Great to see you!"
"Y-Yes... Wonderful~," Willow gasped, actually smiling in Weiss didn't even know how many years.
"Nick," Isabel hissed. Nick let Willow go, and smiled apologetically to his wife.
"Sorry dear, but it has! Oh, hey Klein! Still butlering?"
"As always, Mister Arc," Klein observed wryly.
"Great!"
"How do you know eachother?!" Weiss demanded.
"It's... A long story-" Willow tried, staring with warm eyes and red cheeks at Nick.
"A business rival tried to assassinate her and our team were bodyguards for her for a while when we were fresh out of Beacon," Isabel stated, tense and flat, "The end."
"There was more to it than that," Willow insisted, her smile far more tense as she glared at Isabel.
Isabel's smile became a thing of deadly beauty, and everyone could swear they felt menace radiate off of her.
"In your mind, perhaps," Isabel stated, clinging to Nick's arm.
"This is great!" Nick laughed. "So, things go well with that Jacques guy? You're still married, after all."
"Yes, you are, aren't you?" Isabel said, eyes like daggered behind her glasses. The white haired woman smiled back, death burning in her eyes.
"We have our difficulties," she stated easily, "Marriage isn't easy, after all. But new doors open all the time."
"What a wonderfully optimistic attitude to have," Isabel replied tensely. "I'm sure it's doing wonders for your relationships."
Klein coughed.
"You know, there's an ice rink nearby. Why don't we all go there while you three catch up, ma'am?"
"Works for me, Klein," Willow said, warm eyes and blush back on as she gazed dreamily at Nick, "Thank you so much. I'll see you later, Weiss. I love you, sweetie."
"Um... Thank you?" Weiss managed, weirded out. The others accepted this offer and moved away to the ice rink. Even as they call got their skates on, everyone's eyes were still on the happily oblivious Nick, and the very tense Isabel and Willow.
"What was that about?" Jaune whispered to Klein.
"Ah, your parent didn't tell you?" Klein asked.
"Tell us what?" Weiss demanded.
"Your mother always had a... A special place in her heart for Mister Arc's esteemed father after he saved her from assassins," Klein stated, "But well... he obviously didn't end up with her."
Weiss gaped in utter disbelief. Yang grinned.
"Hey! Look on the bright side, Weisscream! At least you and Jauney Boy aren't siblings!"
"What?!" Weiss gasped. Klein nodded sadly.
"Yes... Nothing happened but he did leave quite the impression on her."
"I noticed," Blake deadpanned. Weiss winced.
"Klein, surely you could tell us this in private-?"
"It's hardly a scandal," Klein huffed, "Though your mother may soon turn it into one."
Weiss held her head between her hands.
"You... Mother likes your father?!" She gasped.
"I am just as weirded out as you are, believe me," Jaune muttered.
"Guess it runs in the family," Blake deadpanned.
"Huh?" Jaune asked.
"NOTHING!" Weiss hissed.
"Though clearly, Amazons and blondes do too," Klein said, looking over at Yang and Pyrrha with a knowing eye. Yang and Pyrrha blushed.
"We don't know what you're talking about," they said as one, before looking at eachother. Klein smiled wryly.
"Of course, ladies..."
This is pretty rough and stream of consciousness. It just wouldn't leave me alone until I got it out. The idea was that Jaune's parents have connections to all the parents of the various teammembers of RWBY and JNPR, including Ren and Nora. So far this is just Willow's connection. How about the others?