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.
The Vytal Festival Reunion continues!
Blake sighed as she swung her bat at another automated pitch. She bunted it, letting the ball bounce off to the left foul line. Jaune, swinging in the cage next to her, frowned as he swung and got a second strike.
"Er... You okay Blake?"
In all honesty, he just wanted to try and avoid focusing on his own problems. And honestly, he had always wanted to reach out to Blake more. She seemed so sad and so determined...
"Yes," Blake stated, swinging again and hitting a pop fly to center field. Jaune swung again, getting a foul ball.
"You don't sound okay," Jaune pressed, just a bit. Blake shook her head, and swung again. She got a homerun, as the automated cheers indicated. Jaune swung again and hit a low ball out to left field.
"I suppose all these parents showing up reminded me of... Of my own," Blake said quietly. Jaune winced.
"Oh... I'm sorry. Are they... Um...?"
"They're alive," Blake said quietly, swinging at the next ball and hitting nothing but air, "They're doing well... I just... I haven't talked to them in a while."
Jaune swung for another foul ball, and got strike 3. He looked curiously at her.
"For how long?"
"... Two years? Maybe three?" Blake tried. Jaune frowned.
"That's... Not at all?"
"No," Blake sighed, "We uh... We didn't part on great terms and well... What would we even say to one another? I don't know where we'd begin-"
"MY BABY!"
Blake started and looked over her shoulder. Her eyes went wide. A tanned, curvy black cat Faunus woman charged her and swept her up in a hug, weeping all the while.
"MY BABY GIRL! YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU'RE SAFE!" The woman wailed. Blake coughed.
"Urk! M-Mom-?!"
The rest of her teammates gathered around. Yang was clearly caught between confusion and trying not to bust a gut. Weiss gaped. Ruby looked shocked. Nora was intrigued, as Ren looked resigned. Pyrrha smiled awkwardly, as Jaune blinked quickly to process the scene.
"What's all the ruckus?" Nick demanded, walking away from his batting cage, "Blake? You okay? Who is this woman?"
"Ummm..." Blake winced as Kali's grip tightened a bit uncomfortably, "Th-This is Kali Belladonna... My mother."
"The Queen of Menagerie?!" Weiss blurted out.
"That's me!" Kali said proudly. "Councilman Ozpin invited us here as a diplomatic gesture!" Her eyes narrowed as her smile remained wide and friendly.
"And that my darling, beloved daughter was staying here under his protection."
"Wha-Blake's a Princess?!" Ruby gasped.
"I-She's not a Queen, and I'm not a Princess, she's a Chieftainess-" Blake tried to explain, as Kali giggled.
"Of course I'm a Queen and of course you're a Princess! And you all must be her friends, hm?" She beamed. "Thank you for taking care of my little girl!"
Weiss glared as everyone else muttered or stared in shock.
"So you're a Princess," Weiss growled. Blake coughed, as Kali beamed.
"Oh yes! My darling little kitten lived in our mansion and was never denied anything and I was so proud of her~!"
"You," Weiss growled, as Yang and Ruby wisely held the Schnee heiress back. Blake coughed.
"I-I wasn't that rich or well off-"
"She absolutely was," A large man with cat ears boomed, walking into the batting cage area. He nodded, his fine black beard showing the first hints of gray hairs. "But we are thankful she is safe."
"Ghira Belladonna, Chieftain of Menagerie," Nick hummed. Ghira nodded.
"Hello. Hope you don't mind us checking up on our daughter?"
"Not at all," Nick said, eyes narrowed. "Go right ahead."
Ghira smiled and walked up to join the group hug with his wife and daughter. Blake looked so much like a cat caught in a fence that Nora couldn't help but giggle. Taiyang scowled.
"Hang on a second," Taiyang pointed out, "How could Blake Belladonna hide out in plain sight at Beacon Academy? She's the daughter of the rulers of a nation!"
"There are a lot of Belladonnas," Qrow stated blandly, "Who are black cats. It was thought she'd be safe enough... Or so I would presume," he added, at Taiyang's scowl.
"Her disguise was a BOW!" Weiss seethed.
Blake's bow drooped, as Kali patted her on the back.
"Oh, I'm so proud of you! Hiding in plain sight! You remembered Mommy's lessons so well... Even if you forgot to call us." A beat. "For almost three years."
"I-I'm... I'm really sorry?" Blake tried, wincing at her mother's terrifying smile.
"Oh it's fine dear. It's not like I cried myself to sleep every night, worrying over what the White Fang was doing to my darling baby girl! I'm totally over it!"
"She doesn't sound very over it," Ruby mumbled, as Blake's ears drooped further.
"That said," Nick stated coldly, "If she is who you claim her to be... You could easily be in disguise to abduct her."
Kali squawked indignantly.
"What?! How could you say that?!"
"I-I know my own parents!" Blake insisted.
"Yes, I suppose you would know them well after living in the lap of luxury with them for so long," Weiss growled. Blake winced again.
"You're not apologizing for your wealth!" She hissed.
"No, but at least I'm not a hypocrite!" Weiss seethed.
"I-I never said I was rich-"
"You implied you had to scavenge for a living on the streets!" Weiss hissed. Blake coughed.
"I-I mean... I did gather donations at a few White Fang rallies so technically-"
"BLAAAKE!" Weiss snarled, and Ruby and Yang had to work double time to hold her back.
"Still," Ghira stated, eyes fixed on Nick, "If you wish for proof that we are who we say we are... What will it take?"
"Your dad is a little paranoid," Pyrrha observed softly. Jaune shrugged.
"I-I mean, he did work as a bodyguard for a while... So I guess those are his instincts?"
"We could provide you with our official credentials," Kali said, squeezing Blake a bit harder.
"Those could be forged," Nick growled. "No... We shall determine this via the universal language of manliness!"
Ghira's eyes widened, then narrowed.
"So be it," he stated, stepping away from his wife and daughter. Nick did the same, until they were facing off against one another like in an old West Vacuoan film. Jaune winced and cleared his throat.
"Uh, Dad, is this necessary-?"
"Yes," Nick stated.
Qrow nodded, as did Taiyang.
"Manliness will tell," Taiyang intoned.
"That's sexist!" Blake muttered. Kali squeezed her daughter again. "URK!"
"Now now dear, you can't throw that word around for everything!" Kali gently scolded. "It'll lose its power!'
The wind blew, making the long duster Nick Arc and the dark robes Ghira wore wave in the breeze. Suddenly, Nick Arc pulled off his duster and let it fall to the ground. He then reached under and yanked up his armored top and undershirt. He dropped them to the side, the heavy armor booming like a small cannon as it hit the ground. His enormous muscles, hard and smooth as though carved out of marble, were put on display. The sweat on his skin made him shine like a god, as he flexed dramatically.
"Hmph!" Nick grunted, staring Ghira in the eyes.
Ghira stared back, momentarily confused... Before he nodded, and took his own top off. The Menagerie Chieftain's own upper body was similarly toned and muscular, and he too flexed his mighty muscles as they shone in the sun.
"Haa!" He grunted back.
Nick took another dramatic pose, holding his hands together over his head as he twisted his hips. Ghira returned with a pose that showed off his mighty biceps. Nick then stretched out his right arm and held his left back behind his head, as though about to throw a discus. Ghira stretched his own powerful musculature heavenward, one arm held up with a clenched fist while his other hand grasped his bicep.
Silence ensued for a moment... Before both men dropped their poses, walked up to each other, and clasped hands like brothers.
"It is good to find human men who appreciate the art of manliness," Ghira nodded with a small grin.
"Indeed, it is the universal language for a reason," Nick agreed with a similar grin.
"Wha... I... How did that settle anything?!" Weiss demanded, though her face was bright red.
"The art of manliness cannot be explained in words, only deeds," Taiyang said with a sage nod.
"It was funnier just to let you watch," Qrow said, equally sagely.
"Uncle Qrowwww!" Ruby whined.
Ghira and Nick turned to their friends and family, and laughed together.
"My apologies for my suspicions, Lord Ghira and Lady Kali," Nick said with a bow of his head, "But Blake is a friend of my son, and thus I will protect her with my very life if necessary."
"No offense taken!" Kali giggled, eyeing her husband's impressive chest happily, "I'm glad we could settle things in a peaceful manner."
Ghira looked at Jaune, who seemed to be in a mixture of awe and bafflement. Ren looked impressed, for him anyway. Nora grinned.
"Can I learn the art of manly communication?! I can totally take off my shirt-!"
"No!" Jaune and Ren said quickly. Nora pouted.
"Not fair! Pyrrha, you wanna learn too, right?"
"U-Ummmm," Pyrrha managed, looking a bit faint through her blush.
"I'd be happy to learn, if Jaune's willing to be my partner~," Yang teased. Jaune went bright red.
"YANG!"
Ghira patted his daughter on the shoulder, who looked confused but grateful.
"I am glad you found such good friends to look after you," Ghira said quietly. Blake bowed her head and sniffled.
"Th-Thank you, Dad," she whispered.
Ghira beamed.
"Also! Jaune Arc?"
"Er uh, yes sir?"
"You have my permission to date my daughter," he stated.
"Mine too!" Kali beamed.
"Wait what?!" Jaune and Blake shouted at the same time.
The situation was tense enough that the crowd that had gathered around the three women kept their distance (Though they were still recording it on their Scrolls). Isabel clenched and unclenched her fists. Glynda tightened her grip on her riding crop. Willow summoned Glyphs and they slowly spun in the air around her.
Klein, who was clearly among the bravest men alive, stood nearby with towels, water bottles, and a first aid kit bordering on the absurdly overprepared.
The stand off's tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife... Even the birds had stopped chirping at the swirling storm of feminine rage building between these three women...
Before Ozpin wandered into the thick of it, sipping his coffee and looking over his Scroll.
"Glynda, I was hoping you could look over this TPS report... Whatever that is... Before the meeting about the-"
He blinked and looked around. The headmaster coughed.
"Oh. Hello Isabel. Hello Willow. It's so nice to see you both again."
"Oh hello Ozpin," Isabel said pleasantly, "Still putting all your paperwork on Glynda I see?"
"He started when I became class representative," Glynda groused.
"I am suddenly very happy I lost that election," Willow mused.
"I'm not, you cheated," Isabel growled.
Glynda scowled.
"I did no such thing! If anything, you cheated! You let Nick hand out flyers topless!"
"The-The idiot had lost his armor!" Isabel said defensively, "It's not like I planned to use it to get votes!"
"Oh no, that was just a happy coincidence!" Glynda sneered.
"Certainly didn't stop you from using him to win votes for later elections!" Willow growled.
"You tried to vote three times!" Isabel stated, exasperated.
"It was in every election!" Willow argued, "Besides, I had to be the treasurer! You have any idea how boring that was?!"
"About as boring and aggravating as the secretary position," Isabel hissed.
Ozpin slowly turned and began to back out of the argument. He was well aware of how foolhardy it was to get between angry blondes, thank you very much.
"Ultimately, Mrs. Arc, Mrs. Schnee, you did dodge a bullet," Klein stated, "After all, the Headmaster is the one who benefited the most from your free labor."
Ozpin gulped as all three women turned their angry gazes on him.
"Ah, no, it was hardly free, I gave you academic credit and Glynda, you're well paid as my Secretary-"
"Secretary?!" Glynda snarled.
Ozpin gulped again.
"I mean... Deputy Headmistress? That is absolutely what was I interviewing you for that day, not Secretary-"
"Ozpin," Glynda growled.
"Perhaps we should have a chat," Isabel grinned dangerously, cracking her knuckles, "About the proper use of student labor at Beacon."
"Yes, a long overdue chat," Willow hissed, Glyphs spinning.
Ozpin looked at Klein in disbelief.
"Sir... What has brought this on?"
"One must make sacrifices to preserve the peace, do you not agree Headmaster?" Klein asked with a devious smile. "I am merely following your philosophy."
Klein held up a book entitled 'How to Make Sacrifices to Preserve the Peace', by Headmaster Ozpin. The immortal wizard sighed.
"Knew I shouldn't have written that book," Ozpin muttered, as he did his level best to face his doom like a man.
While Glynda was metaphorically (and somewhat literally) flaying Ozpin alive, Isabel took Willow aside to have some coffee in an outdoor cafe. They watched the violence unfold as they sipped their lattes.
"Honestly, she really does have a lot of issues, always did," Isabel observed.
"Not like we can talk," Willow sighed, "Half your children ran away from you."
"They didn't run away from me," Isabel growled, shaking her fist furiously, "They went to pursue their different dreams from what I wanted for them! And anyway, two of your children ran away! That's two thirds! I'm still doing better than you!"
Willow looked even more depressed, staring into the depths of her coffee. Isabel frowned, the mood shifting away from wild anime slapstick.
"Willow?"
Willow sighed harder.
"You know... If I'd married Nick, my father would have had a hard time accepting him... But he would have eventually. My father never fully approved of Jacques. I thought he was being overly protective. Jacques was so warm and charming..."
She scowled.
"Turns out he was a bastard. A total bastard!"
Isabel frowned.
"How... Big of a bastard?" She asked cautiously. Willow glared at her.
"What do you care?"
"Willow, I'll admit," Isabel said carefully, "I am EXTREMELY irritated with you for still carrying a torch for my husband all these years but..." She shrugged. "I did want you to be happy. With someone else. Anyone else."
Willow sighed.
"Well..."
Five Minutes Later
Isabel rose, her eyes blazing with fire.
"THAT SON OF A BITCH!" She swore.
Willow gaped in shock.
"Y-You believe me?!"
"You are a worse liar than Nick! You have this twitch when you-ANYWAY!" Isabel glared. "That's just not right!"
Willow bowed her head.
"It's my fault, too. I fell into despair and ignored my own children-"
"Well, you're here aren't you?! You're not drunk!" Isabel cried. She grabbed Willow by the shoulders and pulled her up to her feet. "You're making a lot of progress!"
"Actually it's because Klein bullied and guilted me into being out here," Willow sighed, but her eyes narrowed. "But you're right! I've done nothing for far too long! I... I need to be more like you and your husband!"
"Yes!" Isabel declared. "We're going to help you, Willow! Both of us, together!"
Willow's eyes sparkled.
"Then, will you let me have Nick-?!"
"LIKE HELL!" Isabel shouted, bonking Willow over the head.
"OWWWWW! Why do you have to be so rough?!" Willow whined.
Klein appeared at his mistress's side, and handed her an ice bag.
"Doctor Arc is a very direct kind of person, Mistress," Klein said, "It is how she handles things."
"Damn straight!" Isabel smirked. "It's how I got my husband and my hospital! Totally direct!"
Glynda walked up, deadpan expression firmly in place, as a contrite Ozpin followed behind her.
"This from the woman who denied she had any romantic feelings for her future husband for years."
"I DIDN'T DENY THEM!" Isabel growled. "I-I was just waiting for the right moment and kept any thirsty whores away from him!"
Ozpin adjusted his glasses... Then realized they were no longer on his face. Indeed, given where Glynda had put them, pushing them up any further was a bad idea.
"As I recall, Isabel, you very publicly proclaimed, and I quote, 'Nick is too stupid to be my boyfriend. He is too stupid to be anyone's boyfriend. You're not taking advantage of my idiot partner.' Unquote."
Isabel flushed a bit.
"W-Well... It was true!"
"More like you were hording him for yourself," Glynda huffed.
"Well! It worked, and you're gonna be a single childless hag who puts baby clothes on her cats!" Isabel snarled. Glynda's eyesbrows twitched, as everyone stepped away from the two blondes.
"Stuffy arrogant witch doctor!"
"Lonely spinster!"
"You don't even need glasses! You just wore them to look smart!"
"Look who's talking! At least I AM smart and don't pretend to be!"
Ozpin sighed again.
"I'm going to have to halve the coffee budget again, aren't I?"
"Based upon how much damage they did the last time they fought? Probably," Klein observed. "Ice pack, sir?"
"Thank you. I desperately need one."
"For your balls-?"
"That was implied!"