A/N: EDIT: Seems the flamers and trolls really came out of the woodwork this time. So much for updating early, or splitting the chapter into two parts...T_T

Added some more content, too...

Wanted this to be longer, but this chapter really took on a life of its own, much to my surprise.

As ever, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story for the time being.

Sad as it might sound, if folks don't like this, it'll be deleted. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? POOF! Gone. Completely. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. I'm working two jobs, trying to keep a roof over my family's head, and at the end of the day this is very much a HOBBY. I simply don't have time to write a story no one likes, and feedback sustains me...

Of course, reviewing is your choice. I can't force you.

Now lets move onto your questions, comments and concerns. Got a few to answer this time~!

Q: How many misunderstandings can there be in this story?!

A: In a word? Yes. They're so damn fun to write.

Q: Who is the strongest Arc?

A: Technically speaking, that would be Naruto. But as far as the kids go? I'll list the top four in terms of raw power.

Saphron/Child/Jaune/Vaylin.

Jaune is strong, make no mistake, but each of his sisters have their own unique talents. Saphron was trained directly by Naruto before anyone else; in that he taught her EVERYTHING he could safely impart to her. Tends to happen to the first kiddo. They get spoiled for a bit.

Everyone who came after her was trained differently.

Powers aside, Vaylin trained almost exclusively in the art of the blade, courtesy of Juniper.

Child was born with a LOT of power, and likewise, Kurama's influence on her clearly shows more than most.

By comparison, Jaune chose to branch out, going for an all-rounder approach.

Still, family is family. The Arc kids all love one another...but as we all know siblings live to drive one another crazy. I speak from experience! I'm the oldest out of six. SIX!

Q: And so Jaune's recklessness comes back to bite him.

A: In more ways than one. He really doesn't think things through...at all...

Q: Sooo...we know what Child from Young Justice can do, now?

A: Bloody hell, she pulled a Kurama, so yeah, she's a lot stronger than I anticipated. She pulled some bloody jinchuuriki tricks in her final appearance! I kid you not! Look at her last fight! Underneath all her laughter and smiles, she is absolutely, utterly...LETHAL. Don't make Child angry. It doesn't end well.

Q: I'm gonna be the guy to say it. Juniper is more than she appears, isn't she?

A: Can't answer that without spoiling the entire story. Naruto all but said she's special. I'm already implying something.

Just how special...well...you'll see. Sooner or later...

Q: Naruto's a' coming for Jaune, ain't he?

A: Read and see.

Alright then, I think I've kept you long enough. As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. Now off we go.

If you thought last chapter was insane, this one flips the script and tap dances on it~!

Minor verbatim for Child from Young Justice, here. She's a treat to write.

To be clear, that's not her real name in this story. Its her alias.

"Whatever will I do with you, brother?

"Nothing?"

"No, I think not...

~Sister and Brother.

Just a Little Chaos (Part I)

Jaune wanted to run.

Why you ask? Doom! That's why! Doom was upon him! Doom upon his head, doom upon the dorm, doom upon his life! Doom! Damnation! Destruction! All of it his! He was dead. He was going to die. Dead men be he! A cornucopia of pain and despair was here to ensure his imminent demise. Maybe he was having a bit of a panic attack. Was this a panic attack? It felt like a panic attack. Sure, fine, that was great. Just dandy! But really, could you blame him?

"Oh, dear." Child tented her fingers as she regarded him from her perch in Pyrrha's lap. "You don't look happy to see me, Jaune. Whyever would that be?"

Every reason. All the reasons! His eyes strayed toward the unguarded window. He contemplated lunging at it - crashing through it. He'd hit the ground running, and never look back. He was strong. He was fast. He was certain he could get away if he really wanted to. It was only the knowledge of what would happen after that prevented him from doing so. That would mean abandoning Beacon; and in doing so forsaking all the friends he'd made here. Cutting ties. Severing bonds.

An image of Pyrrha's grief-stricken face flashed through his mind. Followed by the others.

Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, Team RWBY, everyone...

...

..

.

He couldn't do it.

His fingers curled into fists at his sides, biting through his gloves hard enough to hurt. The pain centered him. Maybe that made him even more of a coward, wanting to cling to something that wasn't real. Pretending to be "normal" when he was anything but. Some might call it a poor hill to die on. But it was his choise.

Blue eyes hardened into steely sapphires.

His dear sister must've seen it too; because she smiled.

"Not going to run, little brother?" she touched one finger to the side of her cheek. "I'd give you a head start."

...no."

It was the right answer. Her smile grew smug.

This would be the second greatest fight of his life; if only because it wasn't something he could win with his fists. He felt an age old creep into his bones.

Each and every Arc child was powerful in their own right. There could be no denying that. They all had their talents. Some were more specialized than others. Vaylin preferred the art of the blade for instance, relying on it more than her own powers. Likewise, Saphron preferred to rely on her sheer stamina and superior strength to carry the day. Azula preferred her flames, while Jean could win hearts and minds with nothing but a smile and an inspiring speech. Jaune had sought to broaden his horizons in the hopes of making up for what he lacked.

Child...was a force unto herself.

Maybe it was the mysterious circumstances of her birth. Perhaps she'd taken after Kurama a little too well. She might've just been born...off, like Sable and Sabrina were. Regardless, it didn't spell well that she was here in his room. She'd always been the most emotional and chaotic of them all, all but able to change her shape at will. If she lashed out here, he'd have no choice but to fight or run-no, that wasn't an potion. It was beginning to look like it would be the former. Kurama would be of no help here. He was on his own.

"May we have a moment?"

Jaune floundered and felt the floor lurch beneath him; then again, that might've been his stomach. The sudden realization that he might not have to fight brought with a crushing wave of relief...and shame. He didn't want to fight his family. Win or lose, it felt like he'd lose something irreplaceable if he came to blows with his sisters.

"Certainly." Pyrrha smiled, not realizing just who she was leaving him with. "Just remember, we have that trip to Forever Fall tomorrow~!"

Jaune shook his head fiercely. Don't leave me alone with her!

She saw it. "Is something wrong?"

Child's eyes flashed. He saw a single scarlet tail sprout from her back, just visible enough for him to see, and him alone.

His defiance deflated. "...nevermind."

"Don't mind him." Child gripped his arm. "He's shy."

She looked between them and dared a reluctant nod. "Well, if you're sure its alright...

"Come," Ren took Nora by the arm. "Lets give them some privacy."

"Aw," she put up a struggle, "But I wanted to watch!"

Pyrrha was the last to leave, eyes lingering.

The door closed, sealing his fate.

Child waited a full total of three seconds, making certain they'd gone out of earshot.

"Brother, brother, brother." Finally, she released him, clasped both hands behind her back and turned to face him entirely. "Whatever am I going to do with you...?"

"Nothing?" Jaune fought down his rising gorge and plastered what he hoped -prayed!- was a winning smile onto his face. "I'm happy to see you and all, but I have things under control." Look," he continued, choosing his every word with the utmost of great care, "I know why you're here and its not necessary...

His beloved sister favored him with a cherubic smile. "I am here because you have made my presence necessary."

Oh gods. Fight or flight returned with a vengeance. "Sis, I'm fine. you don't need to do anything."

Five transparent tails of scarlet light swayed to life behind her. "No, I think I do."

Jaune lunged before she could, caught her by the right arm and wrenched said limb down behind her back. With the other, he hoisted her smaller body into the air, pinning her against the nearest wall he could find. It wouldn't have been possible had she reverted to her true appearance; her true body was both taller and stronger than him. But for reasons he didn't truly understand, the little shapeshifter liked being seen as a child. She wouldn't let go of this guise if she could help it. Her pride wouldn't allow her. And so he used it to his advantage.

"I won't go back!"

"Hmm. So you say." Rather than cry out, his sister made a pleased noise against the plaster. "Maybe you have gotten a little stronger...but only a little."

Her free hand twisted in a seal he didn't recognize. Whatever it did blasted him backward into a wall. Something cracked and it wasn't his back. His feet hand't yet struck the carpet when a crimson tail caught him by the throat and slammed him facefirst into floor. Stars burst before his vision. A tiny foot crushed against his back, forcing his nose to become intimate with it in a way no self-respecting shinobi desired.

"Look at you." she tutted, leaning over him. "Wasted and gasping for air. Still not using your full potential. Father taught you better than this. Stop holding back!"

Blue eyes blazed red. His back bucked and though he didn't move an inch, his shirt burst as nine golden chakra tails sprang to life. Child stumbled, balance denied; in an instant the tables turned. He writhed upright, drove a fist into her solar plexus, caught her by the face as she doubled over, and rammed her into one of the beds. Those golden tethers crashed down, all but shackling her to the frame, limbs and all.

A beat of silence passed between brother and sister.

"Impressive." she offered a low whistle as the mattress creaked beneath her. "Most impressive. You've made your point."

He grit his teeth, stifling the reflexive urge to rage. "You need to fix that wall."

"I'll do it, if you let me up first." came her glib retort.

...what's to stop you from attacking me again?"

"I wasn't going to, silly." her lips pursed in a pout much like her namesake. "You struck first."

Jaune didn't budge.

"Oh, very well." she bit her lip and drew blood, leaving a thin bead of blood to run down her chin. "There. Blood oath. Happy now?"

Reluctantly he released her.

"Odnu Eht Egamad! (Undo the Damage!)" she snapped her fingers, muttered some words in reverse, and the cratered wall sealed itself. "There. Right as rain."

Not at all. His mind was whirling, heart hammering a mile a minute. He didn't dare let go of his full might for fear of her lashing out again. Child was incomprehensible; he couldn't understand his sisters motives any more than he did here these days.

"I'll be happy when you leave."

"Leave? You're confused." her smile grew. "I'm not here to retrieve you...

Jaune's heart skipped a beat. "What?"

...I'm here to observe you."

"What?!"

"Once I finish vetting your team, of course." she raised her arms, folding them before her chest. "Its nothing personal. I need to make sure they meet your standards...and mine."

"WHAT...?!"

"Speaking of which, it would seem you have the redhead firmly under your thumb." she winked at him. "Feisty, that one. Loyal, too. My kinda girl. Mother would approve."

For a wild moment he actually imagined Pyrrha meeting Juniper fawning over baby pictures together.

His throat closed. "We're partners!"

...weren't they?

"Are you, though?" she tilted her head, golden tresses falling over a scarlet eye. "Are you really? It seems to me that she wants to be more than that. Frankly, I'm amazed you haven't accidentally seduced half the campus by now. Its been fascinating to watch you stumble through everyday life here."

"W-Watch?" Humiliation thy name is Jaune. "When did you...?"

"Brother, isn't it obvious?" Her eyes pulsed with quiet power. "Did you really think I came to you first? I've been here for days."

She'd concealed herself from him, and he'd never noticed. His face burned redder than Ruby's namesake. This...this was not happening. He'd gladly take a brawl over this scathing cross-examination.

"When you ran away, I was so upset." she prattled on, "Where did he go, I wondered? Why would he do such a thing? And then I understood." she touched one hand to her chest. "You were lonely. I wasn't there for you, Jaune. I failed you, not only as a sister, but as a woman.

...there she goes. She's off on one of her tangents."

"I though you were hiding?!"

"Still am!"

"I understand, Jaune. Really, I do." Child stepped to him and for a moment her very being seemed to shift, gaining height and mass where there had been hardly any before. "You were lost. Confused." she touched a hand to his cheek once; then her form snapped back, leaving him looking down at her once more and hand resting near his ribs. "And its all my fault. That changes now. I'm here for you."

"I wasn't lost!" he bridled at her tone and patted her hand away. "I made a choice! This was my decision!"

She sighed. "Then you made a poor decision, brother of mine. You're living a lie here. I wonder how long this fiasco will last."

Was she trying to provoke him? "Fiasco?! I've got this under control!"

"No," his chaotic sibling shook her head, "I think fiasco is the appropriate term. In fact, your entire tenure here has been quite the fiasco. That ends now."

Child blurred. Jaune tensed. Her head hit his chest. Slim arms took hold of his torso and held tight.

"I'm here to look out for you, little brother."

Jaune's back stiffened, mind still fearing a trick. Any moment now her hand would knife into the side of his neck and knock him out. Or she'd conjure forth her tails, grab him, and run off. Any one of his sisters would have done the same. Vaylin alone could've stunned him and hauled him back to Ansel by the ear.

...so why wasn't Child doing the same?

What was her motive? For the life of him, he couldn't grasp it?

"Well?" she muttered into his chest, distracting him. "Aren't you going to hug your favorite sister?"

Jaune nearly choked on his own spit. Favorite? In what world?! Still, he recognized the implicit plea for what it was and dared to wrap his arms around her. Child latched harder, all but burying her face into his shirt as she basked in his presence. She'd always been clingy, but this was harmless enough, right?

"Much better." she lifted her smiling visage, preening like a peacock. "I needed a recharge. Now that we've gotten that bit of pleasantry out of the way...!"

Quick as a flash she grabbed him by the ear and hauled him down to look her in the eye. Furious scarlet slits bored into startled blue.

"If you ever," she rasped, "And I mean ever run off like that without telling me again, I will make you rue the day."

Embarrassing, but not so ghastly as the punishment he'd perceived. "Well, that doesn't sound so bad-

Her voice trembled with emotion. "Do not test me."

His words died with a gurgle.

"In any case, you'll need to be much, much stronger if you want to stay here." she tugged him down to regard him. "If I figured out where you were, its only a matter of time until Father does the same. Then what will you do?" a tan hand pinched his whiskered cheek. "He won't be swayed, not like me. Do you have any plans?"

"I...will cross that bridge when I come to it."

"Jaune."

"What else can I do?!" his temper sparked at last, filling him with hopeless despair. "I can't beat him in a fair fight. None of us can!"

"I know, brother mine. I know." for once, she almost seemed sad. "Even now, there's a part of me that wants to drag you home, if only to spare you from what's to come."

It would be like trying to fight a hurricane. He knew that. They both did. "You could help me fight him...?"

"Nope." she smacked her lips. "That's off the table. I'm not the one in trouble here."

"Ugh, you sound like Ruby...

The little devil tilted her head. "And that is...?"

No, no, no. He wasn't letting her anywhere near that little cinnamon roll.

"Still, it would be remiss of me to leave you without a gift." She pulled the headband from her hair and offered it to him. "Here."

...what's this?"

"A gift." she pushed it into his hands. "Just hold it and call my name if you need me. I'll come running."

His brow furrowed. "What, like a portal? I've never heard of a jutsu like that."

Her smile was telling." "Well, its not a jutsu per se...

...you've been messing with magic again. Dad's gonna be mad."

"Come now, what he doesn't know won't hurt him. And don't sulk." She kissed his forehead, as she hadn't done since he was little. "If nothing else we have the present moment."

Try as he might, he didn't have the heart to push her away when she pulled him in for a hug.

Child hummed and tucked his head into her chest.

"There's the brother I know...


(.0.0.0.)


Ozpin paused well short of Team JNPR's door.

This was the moment. He'd finally marshaled his courage to speak with him. He must before it was too late.

All told the idea of having a descendant was something he'd considered before; e

The door swung open, forcing him to take three steps back. A young girl emerged from within. Idly, he noticed her uniform, pale blond hair, and striking red eyes. She turned and closed it quickly behind her. Not quickly enough. He glimpsed Jaune Arc within, head in his hands. His expression looked nothing short of despondent.

And then the door was closed, denying him his brief glimpse into the life of the boy who may or may not be of his blood.

"Thank you for your hospitality, good sir." In exchange the strange girl dipped a shallow curtsy at him. "I'll be visiting again, if its not too much trouble."

Hospitality? He'd never seen this girl before in his life. His gaze zeroed in on her uniform and failed to recognize it. At a glance it might be mistaken for Academy attire. He knew better. It was a decent facsimile, but his eyes were not so easily fooled.

More than that. Something about her manners instantly threw him off. "You're welcome...? And you are?"

"I go by many names." she smoothed her skirt with a cherubic smile. "I prefer Child, if its all the same to you."

"I see." he humored her with a small smile. "And what is the purpose of your visit?"

"Merely visiting my little brother."

Ozpin took a moment to drink from his mug; the action hit his frown.

What manner of madness compelled someone to name their offspring that of all things? He chortled a little and let her go. Child, indeed! Almost sounded like something Salem would do back in the day. She'd ever been horrible with names. Gods above, she'd wanted to name their daughters after the...seasons...

Hot chocolate sprayed from his lips. Blond hair! Red eyes!

"Hold!"

He spun with a cry only to find the girl nowhere before his eyes. It was a long hallway and she couldn't have gotten into any of the adjacent dorms without a Scroll. She'd simply vanished from his senses. As if she'd never been there at all. Surely it was a coincidence, wasn't it?

His paranoid mind whirled. There was another angle. One he'd not considered until this very moment.

Had one of their daughters survived that night? It was possible; too much to hope for, but possible. Neither of them had checked the bodies; they'd been in no state to do so. She'd immolated him, and he could only assume she'd fled the scene. Or perhaps Salem had simply had a dalliance. Questions loomed before him, impossibly large, with no answers to be found. He desperately wanted to dismiss the latter. Salem wasn't the sort to simply sleep about...he hoped. They'd not seen one another for hundreds of years.

But if one of their girls had survived...and gone onto have a family...and then a family from that family, so on and so forth...

Impossible. It had to be. Salem adored her children. If she had any descendants she'd not let them out of her sight. Was it possible then? Did she truly not know of them? He certainly didn't. Neither option was appealing. Either they were of his blood...or hers. Or both? Regardless, some added protection might well avail Mister Arc. He really did need to get to the bottom of things with that boy, but there was still so much to do.

He could approach him now. This was clearly a moment of weakness. In another life, he would have.

Forever Fall, he decided. He would wait until they returned from their field trip.

And if those two truly were of Salem's brood, he couldn't bring himself to kill them. Not without talking to them first...

His mind made up, the immortal performed a swift about face and marched away.

...curse him for being a coward.


(.0.0.0.)


"Did a head count." Juniper's face was decidedly cross at breakfast the next morning. "One of the girls is missing. Care to guess who?"

Naruto's head sacked the table as he groaned. He knew who. "Eh, if its her she'll be fine...

Better than fine. It would take more than a few Grimm to harm her.

And if she tracked down Jaune, all the better...

...what could possibly go wrong?

"...maybe I should call."


(.0.0.0.)


Forever Fall was eerie in its beauty.

Red as far as the eye could see, and not a leaf of green among them.

Truth be told, Jaune found it all unsettling, and not at all for the reasons one might think. A distant part of him did find it lovely, really. The rest of him was simply focused elsewhere. On other things. Things that involved a great deal of stress and pain that were probably even now headed his way.

Even now, Child's parting remark haunted him.

"There's a part of me that wants to drag you home, if only to spare you from what's to come."

Spare him, she said. Dad was going to find him. It was only a matter of time. Somehow he'd always known that, but her presence in Beacon made it more real somehow. He might be able to talk down most of his sisters, even overpower some under the right circumstances, but Dad...

Jaune fought down a shiver.

When dad had his mind set on something, nothing could shake him. He would come for him, sooner or later. If he was lucky, the old man would do so alone. If he wasn't, he'd drag Mom and the girls into this. He wasn't sure which was worse. Dad he couldn't fight, but Mom...?

"The latter is worse. Definitely the latter."

He scowled. "Fat load of good you were back there!"

"Oi! I helped you when you needed it. Surely that counts for something."

His scroll vibrated in his pocket. He didn't dare answer it and he slammed a fist against the device. The call ceased.

"Come along now, students." Miss Goodwitch called ahead of them, breaking him from his fog. "The forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful, but we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect a jar of sap. And I'm here to make sure than none of you die while doing so. To that end, we've enlisted the aid of team CFVY to make certain there are no...incidents."

Well, that explained the presence of an honest-to-goodness second year team, at least.

It did not, however, explain why Velvet Scarlatina was staring at him. Jaune could feel her gaze boring into his shoulders like a drill. Worse, she looked away the moment he tried to look at her. For the life of him, he didn't know what to make of it. Was she afraid of him after what he'd done to Cardin? Come to think of it, he could feel bigger boy staring at him, too. Glaring, more like. Should he feel guilty? Apologize?

Under any other circumstances, Jaune might've tried to puzzle it all out. Now?

He palmed his forehead with a sigh. "This really isn't my day...

How little he knew.

A/N: And there we go. That was a doozy, so much so that I had to split it into two parts. Second half coming soon!

As ever, sticking with the "Embers" rule.

If folks don't like this, it'll be deleted. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? POOF! Gone. Completely. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. I'm working two jobs, trying to keep a roof over my family's head, and at the end of the day this is very much a HOBBY. I simply don't have time to write a story no one likes, and feedback sustains me...

Once again, reviews are my fuel. Without them I simply cannot write.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...Would You Kindly?

And enjoy the previews.

POTENTIAL ONES!

Soooo! Tell me what you want to see~!

Next time: Just a little Balance.

(FUTURE! Previews)

...you're in love with him, aren't you?"

Heat flooded their face.

"Shhhh!"


"Hey, ah, Jaune?"

He looked down. "Yeah?"

Ruby looked back up. "Can we talk?"


"You're a leader now, Jaune. You don't get to be a failure."

"But what if I'm a failure at being a leader?"

"Nope!"


For a moment, he let the mask slip.

"You don't seem to understand." Jaune grabbed the Beowolf by the face, forcing its jaws apart with a horrific pop. "This my team." his eyes flashed red. "These are my friends!" his body burnished gold and black. LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

He tore it in half.


"Safe?! You think he's safe?! He is not safe! None of you! Are! Safe!"


"Ruby!"

Torchick looked up and tutted. "Well if it ain't a knight in shining armor. Whaddya gonna do, blondie?"

Jaune exhaled once. "Alright, that does it...


"Salutations! I have come to see Jaune! Do you know where he is?"


"Why does everyone want to fight me?!"


Cinder frowned. "And who...are you?"

Child tilted her head.

"Curious."

R&R~!