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Requested by : Polemoduke

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"I can't believe you managed this!" Her girlfriend crowed, not for the first time while they watched the four menial drones Beacon had dispatched, dropping off the premade stall parts. It was mostly long, flat boards with cut-outs to lock together for flimsy 'walls', and a thick black canvas top, but it'd do. Flicking her a look, Blake asked, "How did you manage it?"

"Magic~!" Nora chirped, waggling her fingers at her and smiling when the Faunus just snorted.

Blake rolled her eyes and, after a second, turned to lean up and steal a kiss. A kiss that was far quicker than Nora would have liked. But when she tried to chase her, Blake pressed her back with a hand on her stomach and smiled.

"Later." She said, nose crinkling when Nora's brows shot up. "Maybe. After we get everything set up."

"S-Sure." Nora smiled, folding her hands behind her head and resting her head against them. "We got everything?"

"Just about." She nodded, grabbing a few of the slot-boards and flipping them over. Each had big red numbers at the ends and Blake tapped hers, looking around it while she murmured, "This is board four, it connects to three and five…"

The next couple hours passed mostly quietly, aside from some pop music Nora put on her Scroll for them to work to while they found the numbered boards and slowly slotted them together. In a way, it was like a big, almost room sized puzzle. Thanks to Goodwitch's 'security' concerns, they also had more of them than the other stalls. So that, by the end, the walls ran up almost a foot over their heads, and Nora had needed to brace up each wall while Blake fitted the corners together, reinforced by heavy metal rods that ran all the way up to the canopy overhead. That, at least, had been simple - each of the rods had rings at the tip top, and on the sides near the bottom, where strings from the canopy were quadruple-looped through them to keep it secure.

Finally, at just a bit before noon, Nora plopped onto the soft grass of the wide, open field Beacon had set aside for the festival stalls and sighed, "I'm pooped…"

"Hello, Pooped." A deep voice rumbled from the corner, "I'm Ghira."

"D-Dad!" Blake stammered, stepping out from inside her stall and spinning around the corner, blinking up at him. Smoothing out her wrinkled and dirty uniform skirt, she muttered, "I-I didn't expect you here so soon!"

"I expected you would need help." The big man grumbled while Nora sat up and spun on the spot, looking up at the huge case he brought around and sat down in front of them both. "And decorations, of course."

"Decorations…?"

"Dear," he smiled, "you can hardly hold a Faunus cultural booth without proper artifacts of Menagerie, now can you?"

He opened the bag, and Nora saw Blake's eyes widened as he drew out a thick blue piece of fabric, folded into a neat square. Gently, he handed it to her and she murmured, "I-Is this…?"

"The original flag that your mother, Sienna and I made ourselves, nearly thirty five years ago now. When our group came together properly, for the first time." He nodded solemnly, watching her unfurl it. It was faded in places, and patched in others with little squares of blue cloth that didn't quite match. Holes the size of Nora's fingers poked through other places, and the edges were frayed. But the white logo in the center was unmistakable, even before Ghira rumbled, "The first flag of the White Fang…"

Nora didn't know a lot about history, sure…

But even she knew enough to whistle and murmur, "Daaaaaamn."

"Nora." Her other partner sighed from a few paces behind her, "Language."

"Renny!" She flopped back onto the grass, arms spread out as he and Yang joined them, both dressed for combat. "How was your hike?"

"Relaxing."

"I kicked a Grimm off a cliff."

"Violent."

"He stepped on our sandwiches…"

"Productive." Ren added finally, smiling, "I see you're done with construction."

"Construction, yes." Nora nodded, grinning toothily as drones arrived carrying shelves, display stands and tables. "Decorating? No."

"I told you the hike wouldn't be enough to skip…" Yang sighed, rolling her shoulder as she eyed the furniture, counting the pieces as they were set out for them.

"I never expected it to." Ren cocked his head, raising one eyebrow at Nora before he turned to Yang and added, quietly, "I just wanted to go for a nice walk with a beautiful woman. Watching you punt an Ursa off a cliff was merely a bonus."

"...You." Yang pointed, cheeks red, "Shut."

"No." Ren turned away, "No, I don't think I will."

"Are you quoting Captain Vale right now?"

"No." Ren shook his head, "No, I don't think I am."

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"It has to be perfect." Weiss hissed, fussing with Jaune's dark blue suit jacket, trying to straighten a fold over he would have bet good Lien was already perfectly straight. It was an all dark-blue set, with a white shirt under, and the tailor who had made it had cost Weiss more than Jaune's father paid for rent in a year, so he was sure it was fine. But he could tell Weiss was nervous, so he let her fuss. "My sister is… Hard. As she should be, she deserves and expects the best as a Specialist. Even a hair out of place-"

"If she dislikes me," he smiled, "she can fight me over it."

"You can't beat my sister…"

"I also couldn't beat a bear." He pointed out dryly, "Watch me try anyway."

"O-Oaf." She thumped his chest, shaking her head as she backed up. Then scowled and stepped closer, reaching up to run a hand over his chin. "You've got stubble…"

"Yeah?" He blinked, "Is it… Bad?"

"..."

"Weiss?"

"I-It's too late to shave now!" She finally said, flushing and turning away to smooth her own skirt. Unlike him, she'd just come in her normal combat skirts - but he figured it was nice enough already, since she'd said the same guy made it, so it was fine.

More importantly, he smirked, "You like beards, huh?"

"S-Shut up!"

"I could try growing one…"

"You are an oaf!"

"True." He nodded, "But I could be a rugged oaf."

"Ugh…" She shook her head, looking up as a shadow passed over the landing pad. Smiling, she pointe dup at a sleek silver-white ship angling around and down, streamers trailing behind it as it came. "That's her ship!"

"You can tell from here…?"

"It's special." Weiss explained simply, "Fast, with some of the best power systems and primary engines on the market. And some components that still aren't, either publicly or on the military market. The streamers are sensors, fluctuating in the wind and relaying that back to a central system that collects the different angles and matches it against the ship's speed to-"

"Weiss." He smiled, "She's landing…"

"A-Ah." She blinked, watching the ship ease down and turn, a side-ramp lowering as the landing gear absorbed landing shock and a woman in white appeared at the top of the ramp. She was dressed as immaculately as Jaune had expected, and flanked by a pair of Atlesian Knights with little submachine guns, but she smiled warmly as Weiss stepped forward and called out over the engine-sound, "Winter!"

"It is good to see you, Sister." Winter said as she reached them and the engines fell silent in the same moment, as if she'd timed it. Which Jaune was sure wasn't impossible for her, really, considering how Weiss talked about her. Weiss held out a hand that Winter took, squeezing it warmly before she released it and turned to him, frowning thinly, "And you must be the man dating my sister. Who struck my very own father. Quite the piece of news in Atlas, that."

"Y-Yeah…" He stammered, chuckling to hide it the way Weiss had taught him and shrugging flippantly. "I hope you're not going to ask me to apologize for that."

"Would you…?"

"No."

"Hmph." Winter smiled, flicking a look up and down him appraisingly and asking, "How are your scars?"

"Fine?" His brows furrowed, and he had to fight not to look at Weiss for answers for the sudden twist in questioning. "Why?"

Her answer was to turn, unbuttoning three buttons from her blouse to let him see a ragged line of dark pink just along her collar bone. Doing her uniform back up, she explained quietly, "I am no stranger to scars, nor to the aches and pains they can leave behind. Mine aches whenever I raise my arm, ever so faintly, so I take a specialised medication for it. Very light anesthetics, to prevent the pain, you understand. Given how severe yours were said to be…"

"They don't hurt, much." He answered after a moment, flicking Weiss a smile when she turned to him - she always worried after him. Especially his scars. Turning back to Winter, he went on, "Usually, not at all. Unless it's cold, or too hot."

"Shall I see about providing you with some of my medicines?" Winter offered, "I have a private doctor in Vale I could recommend."

"I'd like that."

"Then I will see it done."

"Uh, thanks." He nodded, flicking Weiss a look to find her preening ever so slightly. Which he took to mean he'd done well, somehow, without really noticing.

"With that done," Winter hummed, turning to her sister and smiling, "I believe you wanted the three of us to share a meal?"

"Yes." Weiss nodded, "I thought it would be nice, and… I wanted to let you get to know my boyfriend."

"Very well, then." Winter turned on her heels, speaking over her shoulder, "Come, then. I shall fly us to Vale where we can find an appropriate establishment. Mister Arc, do you understand Old Atlesian?"

"No," he shook his head, "but I trust Weiss to order for me. Don't alter your plans on my account."

"Very well, then." Winter nodded as they climbed the ramp, "I will not."

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By the time night fell, they were basically done and Yang's back was killing her. Hours of stooping, lifting, shuffling around, and then stooping to set down furniture would do that to anyone. Even Beacon's biggest, most kickass Huntress (in training) that could punt giant bears off cliffs. By the time that was done inside, Blake's dad and Nora had finished putting up the little metal security barricades that apparently had to surround three sides of the booth completely, and a chunk of the front one to boot. They were heavy, in spite of how thin they looked, and had spikes that were nailed into the ground under them to keep them anchored.

And now, while she watched Goodwitch inspect each one with an armored security officer from Vale, Yang leaned on one and gnawed at the ham and cheese sandwich Ren had backed for her.

Honey ham, pepper jack cheese, and some cheddar all melted together with a bit of - of all things - steak sauce. It was a weird combo, sure, but dating a cook had its advantages, apparently, because it was delicious.

"So?" Nora finally asked, once Goodwitch had looked over every single one meticulously. "Everything good?"

"Officer Carlyle?" The Headmistress asked, turning and cocking her head.

"Everything seems ready." He nodded, "I'll station four people here, as agreed, starting in an hour."

"And with that, all is settled." the Headmistress smiled, somehow wider and warmer than Yang had ever seen her smile before, as Blake stepped out of her booth. Paying the Faunus a nod, she said, "I hope your booth performs well. And please, do not hesitate to bring up any… Problems, especially from our student body, to us if they occur."

"What kind of-"

"I won't, Ma'am." Blake cut Yang off, flicking her a look and smiling thinly before she turned back to her. "Thank you for your help."

"Thank Miss Valkyrie." Goodwitch sighed, "Not me."

"Oh don't worry." Nora called from her spot, leaning in the booth's doorway. She made a little kissy face and smirked when Blake's head ducked down, embarassed. "She already has."

"I did not need to know that, Miss Valkyrie…" Goodwitch sighed, turning and leaving before Nora could do more than cackle, ducking back when Blake turned and tried to thump her.

"Help!" Nora cackled loudly, dancing back and around the center display where her dad's flag sat, neatly laid out under the heavy glass, while Yang followed to watch. Officer Carlyle gave them a look while Nora ducked and weaved away from her girlfriend, turning to Yang when Nora yelled, "Domestic abuse!"

"We're not domestic!"

"But she doesn't argue about the abuse…?"

"Eh, I'd call it justice, security dude." Yang shrugged, "And I don't think your shift has started, has it?"

He gave her a look, then the two women - Huntresses who could, in fact, rip him in half easily enough - and seemed to think it over for a second. Then he turned on his heel and marched off, armor clanking loudly as he did. Yang just snorted and watched him go, shaking her head. It was weird, seeing a grown man run away from a few teenagers - but what else was he supposed to do, really?

Her Scroll ringing yanked her out of her thoughts and she tugged it out, heading to a corner of their barricade to sit with her back to where another cloth-walled booth was being finished up a few yards away. Seeing Pyrrha's icon, she hit the answer but and blinked when Ruby appeared, staring at her like Yang had hidden all the strawberries.

"Sup, Sis?"

"Nothing!" Ruby whined, voice just a bit staticy from being out in the sticks. "That's the problem!"

"Uh huh…" Yang smiled, "You're telling me you've been out there for a few days and nothing has happened?"

"I mean…" Ruby shrugged, "We fought a Taurus. It stepped on me! I'm fine, though. Pyrrha had it handled."

"You almost died!" A voice laughed in the background, Pyrrha appearing over her shoulder a second later. Shaking her head, she gave Ruby a look and handed her a bowl of food. "And broke your Scroll charger."

"Yeah, well, it was trying to break me, so…" Ruby stuck her tongue out, "I win."

"I suppose…" Pyrrha sighed, taking a seat and taking over the call while Ruby wolfed down her food, as usual. "Ruby wanted to call and let you all know all is going well, broken charger aside. And, in spite of her words, she has found plenty of Grimm to fight. And several children to tell stories to, at the settlements."

"Hey!" Ruby complained, hopping up and pouting, "you told stories, too!"

"I did not say it was a bad thing…"

"But," Ruby pointed at her, eyebrows raised playfully, "you thought it!"

"Uh huh…"

"Anyway, gotta pee and run patrol, byeeee!" Ruby vanished before her words even finished, leaving Pyrrha behind to shake her head, hand covering her bowl to keep the petals out of it.

"That girl…" Pyrrha sighed, something in her tone that made Yang pay just a bit more attention. Pyrrha took a drink of her stew and turned back to the Scroll to ask, "Does she ever run out of energy? It's been days, but you couldn't tell from how she acts."

"No." Yang sighed, "She never runs out of energy."

A second later, a gunshot made Yang jump and Pyrrha swore under her breath as she reached out, her spear flying to her hand as Ruby appeared, holding Crescent Rose, "Found a Beowolf pack, c'mon! There's eight, so we can split 'em!"

"A-Alright, let's go and-" Yang ended the call before Pyrrha finished and sighed. Her sister was growing up more every day, it seemed, but never changed…

She took a big bite of her sandwich, and murmured, "Whatcha think, Mom? Am I doing good?"

The moon didn't answer her, but Yang felt better all the same.

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