AN: Recently, I received an unsigned review from someone who pointed out, not unfairly, a huge flaw in my writing. It was all too similar. Not enough original stuff in my little collection. Well, after careful consideration, dear anonymous reader, I have decided that you have a point. So, I gift this chapter especially to youâŚ
He had never wanted anything more.
Private islands? A butler? Owning X-Ray and Vav? These were but fantasy whims, discarded as laughably insignificant. Nothing else mattered when their eyes met in that crowded shop.
How does one describe the sun? Heat and light, nurturing, the reason for living. How does one describe the wind? A fierce gale, a force of nature, a gentle caress.
She was all of these things, and more.
When their eyes met, he could feel his pulse quicken, heat rising to his cheeks as she stared at him, sultry smirk tugging at her lips. Even in the low lighting of the shop, her skin seemed to glow, dark hair framing her exotic face in rivulets of darkest night.
He was bewitched. He was shaken. He was desperate.
How would he approach her?
What would he say?
All of his manners seemed to fail him. Â All the poetry and bearing his parents and sisters had trained him in left in that moment, when he needed it most.
It likely wouldn't have mattered, his tongue felt too heavy, his mouth too dry to form proper words, even if his brain wasn't failing him.
He considered music, but he had no instrument. His voice wasn't cooperating eitherâŚ
In the end, fate intervened.
As he was slowly making his way over to her, trying to think of something, anything to say, he was roughly elbowed by a young man a few years older than him, who sped past carrying the latest issue of X-Ray and Vav, blonde tail waving about as the Faunus rushed to the check out.
He could barely spare time to even sneer, since he looked up in abject horror when he felt the distinctive weight of crashing into someone else.
The only thing he could think, as she stared up at him from the floor, smirk still in place is, "Forgive me!"
She said nothing as he helped her up from the floor, standing her upright again.
With his arm around her like this, his befuddlement left him. His tongue unknotted, and words came pouring forth from his lips.
Seemingly all the words, every one of them language contained. Plus a few he made up on the spot, because language could not do her justice, leaving him to invent new ones. (That is what he would say if asked, assuming he wasn't really having a stroke).
It must have worked, because he felt her settling against his side like she belonged there, made only for him. He relaxed, talking about anything and nothing as he finally made his way to the front of the store to complete his purchase.
Once they made it back to his place, he pulled out all the stops:
The finest food he could provide.
Drinks.
Dancing.
He had even serenaded her with strings and song.
His sisters had assured him that he was "quite good" after all.
His soul nearly shattered when he had to part from her.
Granted, it was only for twenty minutes.
And he was only in his room "setting the mood", but the heart cannot help itself.
It wants what it wants.
He had candles lit.
Music was softly playing, (Perry White, a classic, his mother had assured him)
He had even made certain there were rose petals and lien chips scattered on the bed. Women liked that sort of thing, right?
He wasn't sure, and his sisters were not around to ask.
Regardless, with the mood set, fine food filling his stomach, along with two glasses of wine, he was feeling the courage only alcohol could provide.
He was ready.
He led her to his bedroom, leading her to take a seat on his bed.
She was somehow even more beautiful surrounded by flowers and lien.
Of course, beauty like hers could enhance the lowliest of settings.
He smiled as seductively at her as he could manage (Though his sisters would tell him that he looked like a snake having a bowel movement, his expression was so oily and smarmy).
The look in her eyes, complete with that same playful smirk left no doubt that she knew what happened next. She wanted it, and so did he.
Slowly he undressed, tie and jacket falling to the floor first. Then the rest, until he was nearly completely bare save for his unmentionables.
This was it. This was the moment.
He cleared his throat nervously, trying to remember his father's words of wisdom when it came to seduction. All he could remember was his father assuring him that he was special. Unique. There was no one else like him in the entire world.
And that this moment, this sacred rite of passage was doubly important, because of that.
"Any woman will be lucky to have you, son. Truly, you will gift her something amazing when you lay with her. It is a special thing, deserving of the utmost reverence, and worship."
It deserved a special name.
And so, as she lay back against the pillows, his weight comfortably surrounding her, and her smoldering eyes, and sexy smirk nearly swallowing him whole, he leered at her, finally saying the words he had wanted to say since he had first locked eyes with her in that shop, the same ones that his father had uttered to his mother on their wedding night:
 "Are you ready to receive my Schneed?"
XXX
Elsewhere, seated on a throne, gazing imperiously at a non-descript minion, Sienna Khan fought the urge to yawn as the latest reports of their financial ventures were read out to her. That changed when one of their newest schemes was brought to her attention, because despite its newness, this one had proven to be extremely profitable.
"Your Excellency, our sales figures indicate that the Schnee whelp has bought another ten pillows. At this rate, he's responsible for almost half of our sales figures. That must be putting a dent in even his significant resources considering they have only been on the market six months."
 Sienna smiled. Using her looks to make legal money without the Faunus resorting to terrorism? Making a statement and depriving money from the Schnee? Elegant and beautiful.
"Remind me to send Kali a thankyou basket of our finest Mistrali teas. Her suggestion about using my image for body pillows to cash in on teenage male libido was a stroke of genius..."
The result of a contest over on Discord. Reimagine a scene from Dragon Ball Z Abridged with RWBY characters. This is the result, enjoy!
The Adventures of Picozlo and Qrowku:
"Hey, Picozlo! Mind if I ask ya somethin'?"
"I do not believe that now is the time since...."
"Great! So, you're a quasi-immortal being that gets a new body when he dies, right?â
"Well that's not quite..."
"Niiicccee! And you live in a tower, yeah?"
"Well yes, I do reside in a tower that is also a school..."
"Are you a wizard?"
 " sigh While I do not necessarily use magic that often, I suppose I do meet some of the stereotypes required to be a wizard.â
âburp Can-can I touch your staff?"
Ozpin stare intensifies
This'll be the Day Intro Music intensifies
Qrowku and Picozlo land dramatically
"Hey! Hazets! Gimme back my might possibly be actual niece-daughter! Where is she anyway?"
Hazets sighs as he gestures to his ship, a small pod. "I put her in there, and gave her some sweets I stole from the farmer I put to sleep, since no one has to die today. She's eaten three boxes of cookies in twenty minutes. I mean sure, no one has to die today, but you should really think about curbing that kid's sugar intake. Diabetes is serious business. It's a dark, slippery slope."
Qrowku takes a swig from his ever trusty flask, to get into the fighting mood, before exchanging a dramatic nod with Picozlo. Together, they commence their attack.
Hazets sighs as he proceeds to engage in the favorite pass time of many an Olympic athlete: Using all the drugs
Suddenly the two would be rescuers are knocked back by Hazets' increased power levels, complete with screaming Picozlo's name. Which was weird since they had never met before today.
After several minutes of fighting, most of which consisted of a round of "rock paper scissors" between Qrowku and Picozlo to decide who would complete the suicidal part of their plan, the two "heroes" enacted a last ditch gamble to save Qrowku's daughter-niece.
The two fighters literally danced around Hazets, who simply stood there, shaking his head in exasperation. Qrowku berated Picozpin, "This is not what we 'rock paper scissored' for, Wizard! You're the immortal! You get to hold him down while I shoot my wad at him! Heh. Down."
Picozlo sighed, "Phrasing Mr. Qrowku, and very well."The green sweater wearing magical man stood behind Hazel, gripping him in the most intimately tight embrace he could manage. 'You know, this isn't so bad. Rather warm and comforting, being pressed against such a strong manly man. I bet if we reenacted the scene from Dirty Dancing, he'd have no trouble lifting me...'
Sadly for Picozlo, his Dirty Dancing fantasies were interrupted by Qrowku 'spraying his wad', an attack which consisted of of the Huntsman casually walking up to Hazets, and pouring an entire bottle of moonshine over his head, before striking a match and running away.
Picozlo only had a moment to stare incredulously before his world was fire.
Qrowku, in the meantime, was busy chugging some of his top shelf reserves in premature celebration. Why premature? Because that's the only way he knew how to unload his wad. Definitely not as foreshadowing to the fact that Hazets was still alive.
Though, incidentally...
"Seriously? No screaming or anything?" Qrowku goggled at the unharmed Hazets, who had withstood his attack, and had only seemed to get a free tan and waxing out of the deal, since his body hair from the neck up was completely gone. The hair on his head was completely unharmed.
"That it?" he asked.
Qrowku was out of options, and decided to see if his partner had anything to add. If he had a trump card, now was the time...
Several feet away from the fight, Picozlo merely looked on in a dazed stupor, lying on the ground and waiting to die. Luckily, the Plot Armor Gods decided to throw Qrowku a freebie.
Just as he was about to attack, Hazet's "Time Out Pod" began to shake, before it was engulfed in a silver light, which blinded the combatants.
Rubhan was out of cookies.
She Was Hangry!
In a fit of childish tantrum, she lifted her former prison, and chucked it at Hazets, unleashing another silver blast from her eyes for good measure before passing out in exhaustion. Which was just as well, kids coming down off of a sugar high was never pleasant. Let alone ones that had committed murder in their sugar fueled rage. Sugar was a dangerous beast, much like any other drug.
Just ask Hazets. Oh, wait...
The light shows didn't stop there, however. Not to be outdone, Picozlo began to glow a suspiciously familiar gold color, before he was engulfed in light. When the light died down, Qrowku stared in amazement.
Where before Picozlo had been an old man, now stood a young, cherubic looking cinnamon roll of a boy with tan skin, and dark hair. 'That bastard isn't a wizard at all! Either I'm drinking too much or he's a bloody Time Lord!' Qrowku was not amused. Forget touching his staff, Qrowku wanted to ride Picozlo...'s TARDIS!
"Mister Qrowku, your daughter-niece holds a very special power within her. One that must be cultivated if she is to save the world. I must take her away to train her extensively in a very personal manner, and in a very remote area where none may find us. In seclusion. I will of course remember to curb her raging sugar demon tendencies. Her special eyes are the future of the world, after all..."
As Picozlo grabbed his daughter-niece, and flew off into the sunset, Qrowku stopped his dreaming about the TARDIS long enough to envision what often happened to female companions of Time Lords. Especially the ones partnered with cinnamon rolls like David Tennant or Matt Smith.
Rubhan didn't stand a chance.
"Dammit," Qrow muttered, swigging the last of his flask, "Taiyang-chi is gonna kill me..."
What does a team leader do? A team leader provides. Between their new line of toys, Jaune finally discovering his semblance, and Pyrrha's battle with the Great Enemy, it's just another average school day. Look out Remnant, Team JNPR's ready to set the world ablaze!
Another self-plug! Truly, my deviancy knows no bounds!
Jaune and Pyrrha cuddled on the couch, snugly wrapped in their favorite comfortable quilt, ready to marathon the next series of Doctor When on Vidstream.
Jaune lightly kissed the top of Pyrrhaâs head as she leaned into him, before grabbing the remote, and starting their marathon. It was going to be a long one.
Crouched outside the door to the JNPR dorm, Ren, Nora, and RWBY waited with bated breath. Yang was crouched by the door, a glass by her ear, as she struggled to amplify the sounds on the other side.
Ren was trying desperately o pretend he was somewhere else as he meditated away from the door.
Weiss was filing her nails.
Ruby was looking on in confusion as she demolished a box of cookies.
Blake was making use of genetics, bow removed, and ears twitching as she used her super Faunus senses to help her make out what was going on.
âAre you sure they said they were going to stay in and chill, Nora?â Yang asked.
âDefinitely! Pyrrha suggested they binge the new season of a show, and Jaune said that he would be âdown to chillâ. Ren and I made alternative sleeping arrangements for the evening shortly after.â
âWait! I think I hear something!â Blake insisted.
âWhat?â Ruby asked, âAre they playing a game in there or something?â
âYeah. âHide the Spearâ.â Yang insisted with a wink.
âNo...I hear...the Doctor When theme?â Blake exclaimed incredulously.
âRole play? Well, Jaune does seem the type,â Weiss insisted.
Meanwhile, in their dorm, Jaune and Pyrrha watched the climax of the latest episode with bated breath. When it was over, Jaune got up to use the bathroom, and Pyrrha refilled their snacks.
âJaune?â
âYeah, Pyr?â the blonde responded as he reclaimed his spot on the couch.
âWhere are Ren and Nora?â
âIâm not sure. I told them we were going to watch Vidstream and chill tonight, and all I got back was a suggestive wink, and a heart emoji.â
âA shame. More popcorn for us!â Pyrrha cheered, as she resumed her favorite snuggle position.
Since the beginning of their time at Beacon, Jaune and Pyrrha had been partners. This meant trusting each other with everything from watching their backs in a fight to all of their hopes and dreams.
And especially their fears.
It was for this last particular reason that Jaune Arc found himself sitting in a very cold doctorâs office on a Friday afternoon. He was sitting on one of those cushioned examination tables. In one had he was watching an hour long video compilation of cute animals doing cute things.
His other hand was being held firmly in the clammy, death-like grip of his partner.
Why?
Because Jaune knew something that news outlets and tournament fighters around Remnant would give their first born for: Pyrrhaâs weakness. Well, one of several. This particular one, right after cold, and ghosts was something more tangible.
Pyrrha hated needles.
In fact, her mother Metis joked when Jaune had first met her that Pyrrhaâs semblance of polarity started manifesting as a toddler just so she wouldnât have to get her immunizations.
So that is why Jaune was burning through his data, and having the tiny bones in his hand crushed in Pyrrhaâs anxious grip. Luckily, a few shots of a tiny teacup pig inside a teacup made her smile enough to loosen her grip just as he heard an unsettling creak in his wrist.
Luckily, he had a lot of aura.
The door handle jiggled, and Jaune leaned over to delicately nibble on Pyrrhaâs earlobe, a weakness of another variety, to distract her from using her semblance to keep holding the door shut. It worked beautifully.
Doctor Fuchsia Celedon entered. A classically pretty woman with dark hair, fair skin, and an athletic build. For a civilian.
âGood afternoon, Ms. Nikos. I see all the regular check up tests came back as excellent as ever. Though the nurse did note that youâve put on a few more pounds since the last time we saw you. A few too many cheat days, eh?â the woman asked with a grin.
âThatâd be my fault, Iâm afraid. I like to bake, and I have a hard time saying no when Pyrrha has chocolate cravings.â Jaune said with a nervous laugh.
âMy, my Mister Arc. A strapping young man that is caring and supportive enough to accompany his girlfriend to her regular checkups, and you can bake? It really is a shame you donât have any unattached older brothers. Clearly your parents did something right.â
âThanks, Iâll pass along your compliments to my parents the next time I call them.â
âBe sure that you do. Now then Ms. Nikos, that just leaves one final thing to take care of...your two immunization shots.â
Pyrrhaâs death grip on Jauneâs hand returned two fold, and around the room, many of the small metal instruments began to shake ominously. Doctor Celedon was unmoved, used to treating Huntsmen and Huntresses with many strange and exotic semblances.
She was still rather annoyed that when she opened the drawer to retrieve a needle, many of them were already bent beyond any use.
âMr. Arc, if you would?â
Giving the doctor a nod, Jaune reached into his backpack as Pyrrha stared down the doctor, unblinking, waiting for the first sign of a working needle.
All that concentration was thrown out the window when Jauneâs hand blocked her view. And he was holding something special.
His home made Triple Chocolate Deluxe Brownies.
Pyrrha was mesmerized, watching the gentle sway of the bag in front of her with intensity of the thirst of a thousand of her fans. When Jaune opened the bag, presenting its contents to her, the rest of the world melted away. With that first bite, she entered her chocolate happy place.
As such, she was blissed out, and unaware of the goings on around her, so she had no idea that Jaune was pointing toward the doctor and whisper yelling âTake the shots!â
Two quick stabs, and one band-aid later, the job was finished.
Just in time, too, because Pyrrha had finished the last of the brownies, and was looking around for more.
âI appreciate your assistance in this matter, Mr. Arc. I only lost three needles this time instead of eight.â
âThis sort of thing happens a lot?â
âUnfortunately. Magnetism isnât the only thing damaging to metals...â
âJaune, where did all the brownies go? Can you make more?â
Unfortunately, they had waited too long, Pyrrha was coming out of her chocolate induced euphoria.
âWell, weâll see you in three months, Doctor!â Jaune said over his shoulder, as he was quickly marching out of the room with Pyrrha in tow, making plans to already use the emergency stash of brownies he had made last night just for this occasion.
âOh, and remind Mr. Lie that Ms. Valkyrieâs appointment is next week, will you? Iâll have the nurses stock up on syrup.â Doctor Celedon called after them.
Jaune placed the bowl of popcorn on the table as Pyrrha retrieved the pillows from their beds, and her favorite quilt. She also made sure to grab a couple of pieces of dark chocolate from her stash in the teamâs mini fridge.
If they were splurging tonight, then her unquenchable lust for chocolate, and her partner if she played her cards right, would be sated!
As Jaune helped her set up the pillow and blanket foundation of their shared blanket burrito fortress, he grabbed thir entertainment for the evening, and set it in the player.
They had learned from the last time they had âMovie Date Nightâ not to listen to Noraâs suggestion of scary movies being the perfect choice for a couple. It was terrible, terrible advice.
Pyrrha was absolutely terrified of ghosts.
And the duo discovered that night that Pyrrhaâs semblance had a tendency to...act up during moments of extreme emotion, despite her control.
Professor Goodwitch was very surprised when the request for new bed frames had been made the next day, JNPRâs being warped beyond all repair.
The cuddling was nice, though.
So instead, they had opted for something on the other end of the spectrum: Laird Newsanâs âVanishedâ trilogy. Lots of action and thrills. Most importantly, no ghosts. Besides, neither of them had gotten a chance to see the last one, between school work and missions when it was out in theaters.
Tonight, that would be rectified!
As the couple snuggled together in their fluffy burrito of warmth and +10 Cuddle Enhancement, Jaune used his scroll to dim the lights, and Pyrrha used her semblance to carefully levitate the bowls of snacks into their laps to share.
Together they settled into a quiet evening of cuddles, watching bad guys get destroyed for making the stupid decision to hurt Laird Newsanâs family, and to quote iconic lines together.
Especially the speech about having a very specific set of skills...
âStupid Biology final!â Jaune muttered as he finally made the escape from his last class of the week. He wasnât entirely certain what the reproductive system of frogs had to do with majoring in physical therapy, but he was glad it was finally over!
âNow to relax and recharge with the newest issue of X-Ray and Vav, have some tea, and decompress for a couple hours before I have to finish packing!â
With that thought to rejuvenate him, the blonde took off with some pep in his step to his refuge: Tukson and Noble.
When he arrived, he made certain to wave to the staff as he traveled the familiar path to the comic book section, and he finally laid eyes on his prey. Unfortunately, he was so caught up in the hunt, that his environmental awareness was nonexistent,
âIâm sorry! I didnât see you there!â
Jaune was brought out of his trance by a hand on his shoulder as he reached for his comic.He looked over at the hand, and kept looking up into a pair of the greenest eyes he had ever seen.
Now he was entranced for an entirely different reason.
âUm, uh, no problem. It was my fault anyway,â Jaune replied with a nervous chuckle as he stared at the prettiest girl he had ever laid eyes on. A statuesque redhead that was a clear athlete, given her muscle definition.
âAre you a fan of X-Ray and Vav, too?â
âWhat?â
âThe comic. The one you picked up. Itâs the newest issue, yes?â
âUm, yeah. It is.â Jaune replied, hardly daring to believe this was real. A beautiful girl? And she liked comic books? Whatâs next, a unicorn?
âIâm Pyrrha, by the way. Pyrrha Nikos.â the redhead replied with a bright smile and an outstretched hand.
âAh. Iâm Jaune. Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, and rolls off the tongue.â the blonde replied, taking note of her surprisingly soft hand when they shook.
âAre you going to buy that?â
âYeah, but...I think this is the last one.â
âPerhaps we could...share it?â
Jaune could hardly believe this was real. A beautiful girl that liked comics was talking to him, and wanted to share an issue of X-Ray and Vav like a date?
âIâm dead. I have to be! The stress of the final exam killed me, and I am hallucinating or something...â
The thought was compounded further when the redhead even offered to buy them both coffee. However, stress induced mirage or not, Jaune still had his pride as a well raised gentleman.
So, while Pyrrha brought refreshments with Jauneâs Astralbucks card, he paid for the comic, and picked out a quiet booth for them to read in peace.
That peace soon turned to stifled laughter, and shared conversations about the misery of the finals for their classes. And talk of their majors, Jaune wanted to be a physical therapist. Pyrrha wanted to be a Veterinarian, which ended up leading to...
âI canât believe X-Ray would use a line like that! Or that it actually worked!â
Pyrrha stifled a giggle into her hand as she finished off her third chocolate filled croissant. Once her dark lust for all things chocolate was sated, she was quick to reply.
âThatâs nothing. I once had some football player ask me if I had a band-aid, because he scraped his knee falling for me.â
Jaune nearly snorted his chai latte into his nose, he laughed so hard. âOh man, thatâs almost as bad as the time I watched one of my classmates in biology strike out with this green haired girl last week. He asked her if she knew that the human body is 65% water, because she was making him thirsty.â
Pyrrha laughed so hard, she was nearly as flushed as her hair, before she finally said, âYou know, my room mate Nora taught me a line that she used on her boyfriend, that is guaranteed to work 100% of the time.â
âReally? What is it?â
Jaune was confused when Pyrrha got up from her seat, going back up to the bar, and returning with a piece of fruit. Once she was seated again, Jaune could see that it was small and green. A lime.
âOkay, Iâm even more confused. Howâs this work?â
In response, Pyrrha just gave him a smile before digging into her purse for a moment, and bringing out a pen, waving it in front of her like she was about to perform a great magic trick.
With another smile, and a flourish, she quickly wrote something onto the pen, blushing a bit, before turning the lime around, so Jaune could see it.
There were numbers on it. Seven digits.
Pyrrha handed the fruit to him with a smile, âHere, have a pick-up lime.â
Jaune and Pyrrha were discovering a fundamental truth about their new relationship: Habits that they took for granted and saw as completely normal suddenly became questionable when one shares a living space with their significant other.
Such was the case during the first really warm Spring night in the JNPR dorm, when the couple started to get ready for bed, putting away their usual warmer sleep wear in favor of much lighter options.
âPyrrha? Whatâs that?â Jaune queried, pointing to a mark heâd never seen before, right below her right shoulder.
Pyrrha brought her hand up to touch the scar, causing the strap of her night gown to begin to fall, exposing the full scar, a fine cut a few inches long. Luckily, she caught the strap before she could have a major wardrobe malfunction.
This didnât do much to help poor Jaune, who despite being desensitized to the sight of things like bra straps seven puberty aged sisters ago, was completely unprepared for the revelation that his girlfriend did not wear even wraps to bed.
He could feel the blush heating his face.
âOh this? Itâs a bit embarrassing, but I got this scar in a training accident.â
Now it was her turn to blush as she turned to her partner. both from the origin of her scar, and the fact that the heat had forced Jaune to ditch the usual onesie for workout shorts and a tight fitting t-shirt.
âHowâd you get the scar? Not that you have to tell me, but I am curious. You donât have scars anywhere else, Iâve seen...not that Iâm looking...I-gah, Iâll stop talking now...â
Pyrrha giggled, embarrassment forgotten as she watched her boyfriend be awkwardly adorable. âItâs okay, Jaune. I donât mind.â
âReally?â
âOf course. Itâs a bit of a funny story,, though it wasnât at the time! My weapons instructor had finally let me use a real spear for training instead of a weighted wooden one. I was practicing my strikes with it against one of the wooden training dummies, when I misjudged a strike and lost my footing. I fell forward, and the spear ended up lodged in the wooden target.â
Jaune couldnât help but snicker at the mental image. âSorry, sorry! I was picturing a tiny, adorable kiddo version of you stabbing bad guys with a spear twice your size. Itâs great.â
Pyrrha mock glared, âMay I finish my humiliating tale or not?â
âPlease, continue!â
âWell, once I realized the spear was stuck, I did my best to pull it free, with no success. I think my soul responded to my desperation to get the weapon back because my semblance chose that moment to manifest for the first time.â
âOh boy. I bet that ended well...â
âBetter than I hoped. With my strength, and my semblance, the spear came free, but it flew up into the air. I did my best to roll out of the way, but I did not realize at the time that my semblance was still active. I was pulling the spear towards myself.â
âOuch,â Jaune winced in sympathy.
âExactly. I barely managed to roll out of the way in time to avoid impalement, and got this reminder that I have to be very careful with my abilities. Itâs one of the main reasons I use my semblance so sparingly during fights.â
âWow, that makes my scar story way less interesting,â the blonde stated, trying to bring some levity back into the conversation.
âI didnât know you had a scar, Jaune. May I see it?â
âWell, you did show me yours, itâs only fair.â
The blonde lifted up his shirt, revealing his developing muscles to his partnerâs searching gaze. They were coming along very nicely, she thought.
When his shirt was nearly completely off, Jaune turned, revealing his back to Pyrrha, and exposing a jagged scar nearly four inches long near the lower part of his spine.
âWhat happened here?â
âUh, I was trying to help my dad build a tree house, but I saw a spider, and freaked out. Lost my balance and fell off the steps and got cut pretty good by one of the branches on the way down.â
Pyrrha giggled despite her best efforts. âSorry, Iâm just picturing a tiny version of you flailing around like a windmill as you try to keep your balance. Itâs cute.â
âSee?! I told you!â
âYou did. You know, my mother taught me an ancient Mistralian technique for helping to heal scars. Would you like to try it?â
âUh, sure, why not?â
Summoning her courage, Pyrrha leaned in before Jaune had a chance to put his shirt back down, and placed a gentle kiss right on the center of the scar, blushing nearly as red as her hair.
When she looked up into her partnerâs wide-eyed stare, she could see that he was as red as she was.
âY-you know, we have that technique in Vale, too.â he finally said.
Wordlessly, Pyrrha pulled away the strap of her nightgown, just enough to expose the top of her scar. Face still flushed, Jaune leaned in, placing a light peck against the damaged skin.
When he pulled away, both of them flushed with embarrassment and hormones, the duo smiled softly to each other, before saying good night, and finally turning in for a long night of staring away from each other and trying to fall asleep.
It would be a long wait.
But for once the tingling feeling of the taut scar tissue, mixed with the remembered softness of their partnersâ lips, leaving a pleasant warmth, and a much happier, newer memory to associate with the old injury.
Jaune and Pyrrha let out a tired sigh as they both collapsed into their respective chairs.They had been walking through the town for hours now and had finally seen most of the sights.
"Really, who would have thought that a town named Bangela would have so many dance clubs, and a nature preserve?" Jaune wonder aloud, passing Pyrrha her water from his traveling pack.
"Do you think they were being ironic? So far the place hasn't been very boring, and it's been great cardio." Pyrrha replied, sipping her water slowly.
"Maybe? Wouldn't surprise me considering some of the towns we've been to since we started this cross-kingdom trip. That Shino Village with the waterfalls was nice."
"Oh, you mean the excuse for us to wear our new swim wear?"
"Hey, there was nature stuff there, too!"
"Nature stuff? Really? Name one thing. I'll wait."
"Uh, BIRDS!" Pyrrha burst into giggles, nearly choking on her water, "Thank you for proving my point!"
Jaune shot her an unrepentant grin as he removed their map from his bag and spread it out between their laps. "Let's see, if we continue on our current route, taking the next bullhead, and having a layover in Larcaster, our next stop on the JNPR Vale Summer Tour is..."
"There," Pyrrha indicated, finger resting on a dot marked 'Sekirei, "That's the town famous for the Wagtail bird nature preserve. Didn't Ren want to see those next?"
"Yeah, if we can ever manage to drag Nora away from the sloth habitat this place has..."
Pyrrha giggled, "Don't worry. She'll be hungry soon enough, and this town has a 'Crackn Gunbarrel' so she can mark off another location on her quest to eat at every location in the chain."
"Those poor, poor, waiters. They just don't realize that she takes the idea of all you can eat pancakes as a personal challenge..."
"I think the waiter was relieved when that pack of Beowolves showed up, and she stopped eating."
"True. I've never seen someone look happy to see a Grimm before."
"Well, we only have time for five more stops before we have to start the trip back. We can try that GDOW place at some point, get some variety." Pyrrha replied, scanning the map for points of interest.
"Waffles? You want to visit a place called the Global Domain of Waffles after eating your weight in pancakes?"
"It'll give us an excuse for more training. I need to start you on the next level of my yoga program anyway. You will be a pilattes prince by the time I'm done with you!"
"Pilattes? You're a monster!" Jaune replied jokingly, making a list of places they could potentially visit.
"Don't be such a baby. They're great for your core! Abs require work, Jaune."
"Yes, Dear," Jaune relented to his girlfriend.
Their conversation was interrupted by the ringing of Pyrrha's scroll, signifying a text message. "It's from Ren", she clarified after a moment of reading, "He's dragged Nora away from the sloths now that she's hungry. They'll meet us at Crackn Gunbarrel in twenty minutes."
"You called it!"
"Indeed. As my reward, I demand a massage this evening once we get settled in the hotel."
"Heh. I'd have done that anyway."
"True. Speaking of things you're good at, any luck getting your grandmother's chocolate cake recipe?"
"Sadly no, but I have something just as good."
"I'll believe that when I see it."
"Remember Ansel, that town that is famous for being destroyed and rebuilt over a dozen times? Ansel? The Ghireshey Chocolate company just opened a factory there, and is offering tours. Apparently the SDC recently bought them in an effort to improve their image."
Pyrrha grabbed Jaune's hand in her own, practically dragging him from his chair, and in the direction of JNPR's chosen meeting place. "If we eat quickly enough, we can be on the road in the next two hours, and in Ansel in two days. We need to get there before a King Barengel destroys the place again. A factory tour means free samples. Free. Samples. Jaune."
The blonde relented, submitting to being dragged along by his partner was on the hunt. Chocolate was involved and she would not be denied.
"Nora! On your left! Ren, take the Taijitu! Pyrrha, Arkos! Use the ruins for cover as we move! There's no telling if that Nevermore will come back!"
The team rushed to obey his commands as Jaune got in position next to Pyrrha, the two forming an impassable shield wall to funnel the approaching Ursa Majors into a choke point, trapping them in the small space between two of ruined houses, and between their defense and Magnhild.
The Ursa Major did not survive the encounter.
With the biggest threats ended, with Ren stabbing the Taijitu with an aura enhanced knife courtesy of its own fang, JNPR continued making a strategic retreat to the evacuation point, where a team of older students was supposed to reinforce them.
They just had to get there first.
Pyrrha used her semblance to tear away the wall of a chain link fence, chucking it behind her in an effort to slow down the pursuing pack of Beowolves. They had 100 meters to go before they reached their exit.
Suddenly, between one stride and the next, Pyrrha's aura begins to flag, her extended use of her semblance during their fighting retreat finally catching up with her. Luckily, her partner was there, hefting his great sword in one hand, and using his other to prop her up as she stumbled. She wasn't the only one suffering.
Nora was carrying Ren in a sort of modified fireman's carry, as he laid down suppressing fire over her shoulder with Storm Flower
. "I got you, partner! Lean on me! Not much farther now!" Jaune shouted over the roars and growls of their pursuers.
"Thank you, Jaune! Be sure to conserve your aura! We don't know how many enemies are ahead!"
The blonde winked, doing his best to keep pace with the redhead as they approached the outskirts of the ruined town, "Hey, I've got lots of aura, remember? I can spare some to help you! Maybe mine can help charge yours back up."
"Jaune, I don't think..." She didn't get a chance to say anymore, as a sudden warmth flooded her system, and a bright pink glow invaded her vision.
She glanced down to see that Jaune's hand was on her shoulder, as his aura pumped steadily into her. She was beginning to feel wonder, pride, attraction...?
Pyrrha blushed hotly as the warmth increased.
The aches and pains of the last few hours melted away, leaving a pleasant tingle that was lost to a startling realization. These feelings were not her own.
They were coming from... "Jaune!"
Pyrrha's cry alerted Ren and Nora, who stopped so that Ren could provide more accurate cover fire as Pyhhra stowed her weapons to carry her unconscious partner over her shoulder.
Once he was secured, the trio resumed their frantic dash towards their exit. They were passing the last two buildings when one of the Alpha Beowolves displayed an unusual amount of intelligence, jumping from the back of a boarbatusk to gain altitude and distance.
The enterprising Alpha tackled Pyrrha, just as a lucky shot from Ren took it through the eye, dissolving it. The momentum was still enough to knock Pyrrha off her feet, though, causing her to stumble, and drop Jaune. The Grimm horde gained on them, the distance shrinking rapidly, when Pyrrha's soul responded to her panic.
Her recharged aura flared a bright red, her semblance activated, coating the two small stores they were passing entirely in black. They did not remain standing long, as suddenly every piece of metal from screws and bolts to rebar came flying out of the buildings in a destructive dervish of death.
The pursuing Grimm began to dissolve en masse, giving JNPR the breathing room they needed to put more distance between them and their pursuers.
As they cleared the outskirts of the town at a dead run, they were greeted with the high pitched whine of a Bullhead's engines, followed by the unmistakable sound of a Coco Adel's signature weapon firing a full clip into the last of the Grimm pursuing them.
When the airship landed, the upperclassman greeted the exhausted team with her signature smirk, and wink...
Jaune awoke slowly to the sound of light snoring.
He opened his eyes to stare blearily at the ceiling of his dorm. He turned his head to discover the source of the sound that woke him up. His partner had her head resting on his stomach, a bit of drool leaking out onto his hoodie as she softly snored away.
It was honestly rather adorable, and he would be happy to let her continue. Unfortunately, nature was calling.
Jaune did his best to try wiggling out from under his partner, grabbing his pillow, and gently sliding it under her head, just as the Delaware Brown movies had taught him. The blonde used every ounce of the stealth skills gained from being the youngest sibling in a house with seven older sisters to make his way to the bathroom undiscovered.
All that work was undone once he started running water to wash his hands, and flushed the toilet, though. His gentlemanly reflexes demanded nothing less.
Jaune winced when he exited the bathroom, and saw Pyrrha rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The redhead gave an excited squeal of surprise, launching herself over the bed and into Jaune's personal space.
"Jaune! I was so worried! Are you alright? How are you feeling? Can i get-"
He silenced her with a smile, and a gently placed finger on her lips, unthinkingly. They both blushed. "I-I'm fine, Pyrrha. Not sure what happened, though. I remember feeding you some of my aura. There was a bright pink light, and then...that's it."
"You passed out really suddenly, Jaune. I carried you, but we got attacked by an Alpha Beowolf. It made me stumble just as we reached the edge of the town. I panicked, and my semblance manifested. It tore the metal out of two nearby buildings, and hurled it at the Grimm, buying us enough time to escape."
"Whoa! I didn't know your semblance was that powerful! That's awesome!"
"That's just it, Jaune. It isn't. Not normally. I think our aura's interacted somehow. Mixed, and amplified mine. There was something else as well."
"Something else?" "I felt...your emotions when our auras linked."
"Wait...seriously? That's a thing? I mean...I know that you used your aura to unlock mine..."
"Yes, and I think that when you...reciprocated, mixing your aura with mine, it created a sort of link. Ren believes that that is what the pink light was, our mixing auras."
"Heh, leave it to our resident aura expert. Wait, does that mean you felt all of my emotions during the fight?"
Pyrrha blushed intensely, acutely aware of the fact that their very souls had intertwined, an act far more intimate than anything most couples could ever hope to achieve. "Well, I did feel your...attraction at one point."
Now it was Jaune's turn to blush, "Crap! Look Pyrrha, I'm sorry, okay? I promise not to be weird about it, and I won't bug you for dates or anything! It's just, you're my best friend, and really beautiful, and..."
"No, Jaune, it's okay! Really!"
"It is?"
"Yes. I've actually been attracted to you for...quite some time."
"Wow. Just...wow. Are you sure?"
Pyrrha rolled her eyes before closing the distance between then, wrapping her arms around her partner's neck, and kissing him with all the passion she could muster.
It was quite a lot.
Jaune was pretty passionate himself, once they figured out all the logistics. They were clumsy, and awkward, but for them, it was perfect.
They broke apart reluctantly once the need for air became too great. "You know, it's gonna be way harder to focus during training, now."
Pyrrha snorted a laugh, punching his shoulder playfully. She was pleased when Jaune didn't fall.
"So, Sembalnce! Do you think my semblance has to do with this link, or boosting your aura?"
Pyrrha's eyes were alight with the fervor of training and the potential discovery of a new technique. "Possibly. Are you sure you're recovered enough to train?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Because you have just discovered a new technique. You know what this means, yes?"
Jaune grinned, "Training."
One Week Later
Blake's ears twitched as she sat with a book in the dorm common room with her team plus Nora.
Ruby was doing gun maintenance, Weiss was watching a soap opera on her scroll, and Nora and Yang were currently engaged in an arm wrestling match.
"Jaune and Pyrrha are training on the roof again." Blake noted with a turn of a page.
"How can you tell? Aren't the dorms supposed to be soundproof?" Ruby asked curiously.
"I have really good hearing, and Pyrrha has no concept of an inside voice. Even if they are technically outside." Blake replied with a deadpan tone.
"Oh that's nothing! Jauney's just giving Pyrrha aural stimulation!" Nora casually declared with barely a grunt of effort as her struggle against Yang suddenly ceased.
She looked around to notice that all of RWBY was staring at her, faces flushed and eyes wide in disbelief.
"WAIT! You're telling me that Vomit Boy is..." Yang began.
Weiss abandoned her scroll to reach over and quickly place her hands over Ruby's ears in a by now empty attempt to preserve her innocence. "You're telling us that Pyrrha and that uncouth annoyance are...are..."
"Reenacting page 127 of Ninjas of Love: Pearl Paradise?" Blake completed for her.
"What?! NO! He's just using his aura to boost hers, and heal their training injuries. It's just their souls merging together in an act of intense intimacy and trust on a level more profound than booping! Really, get your minds out of the gutter, guys!" Nora declared with a giggle.
Arkos Week Day One-Pyrrha Lives: Shot Through the Heart...
"You're too late!" Cinder snarked as she witnessed Jaune arrive on the rooftop, glowing with projected aura. Her hand tensed as she pulled back the string of her bow, ready to loose the arrow that would snuff out the life of Pyrrha Nikos.
Pyrrha's eyes widened in panic, more afraid that Jaune was in danger than she had been staring her own would be murderer in the face.
"Jaune! You have to leave! Run aw-"
But the next thing she knew, Jaune was there, the warm glow of his semblance nearly blinding the two women as he seemingly teleported in front of Pyrrha. He was standing in the basic stance she had drilled into him shield raised to protect them both like a knight of old.
Though she could only see his back, his stance was tall and his muscles tense. "You give villains a bad name!" Jaune declared, bracing himself against the impact of Cinder's arrow as it strike's his shield.
The villainess smirked mockingly, even as she struggled against the brightness of Jaune's aura, "Soon my arrows will drip rubies! Youâre only delaying the inevitable, foolish boy!"
"Isn't that what heroes are supposed to do?" Jaune stated, doing his best to keep his feet after that blow, giving his all to protect his partner.
"Jaune, she's going to kill you! You can't keep that level of aura projection up forever!" The tears were evident in her tone, even though Jaune couldn't turn around to see them.
"It's too late to apologize, it's too late. I wouldn't do it anyway. You're my partner, and I am here until the end. We protect each other! Arkos, remember?"
This just made Pyrrha want to cry even harder as she tried to will her body to move. Unfortunately, her injuries and lack of aura were now putting her in a position she had rarely found herself: Helpless.
The feeling was only compounded when Cinder, finally having enough of this nonsense, decided to make use of the monstrous Grimm behind her that was simply laying there menacingly, having Grimm babies. "This is the end, you fools! My dragon is like a lion, and you're gonna hear him Roar!" Cinder declared, gesturing to the pair.
The dragon did indeed roar, but Jaune stood firm, his shield somehow absorbing the heat of the flames as the dragon's deadly projectile attack parted around him. The flames flickered and sparkled around the teens, lighting the night like ten thousand fireflies. Cinder, however, was not idle.
Once she saw that the dragon's flames were not lighting them up like a firework, she decided to flank them, managing to get behind the pair while they were distracted. The pair is completely caught off guard when Cinder rushes them, all their attention on the dragon.
Jaune whirls around to find the mysterious woman hoding a short sword made of some kind of sharp, gleaming material to his partner's throat. Pyrrha is using what little strength her exhausted body can spare to keep the blade from slicing her throat. Jaune ignored the dragon, which had gone back to casually spawning lesser Grimm to destroy Beacon, and decided to simply charge Cinder in a desperate attempt to save his partner.
Cinder merely smirked cruelly before slashing her throat. Or so she tried.
She was interrupted by a flurry of rose petals. "Jaune! Pyrrha! Are you okay?" Ruby had finally arrived, and just in time.
Everyone turned to face her as she brandished Crescent Rose at Cinder, confused and shocked at what was going on. Wasn't Cinder their friend? The femme fatale glared menacingly at this latest interruption, "Any more guests I should be expecting to our little get together, boy?"
"What can I say? I've got friends in low places." Jaune replied, trying to mask his fear at Pyrrha's near death with bravado.
Cinder flared her own aura, launching a fire ball with her off hand to distract Jaune, while her other continued to try to slash Pyrrha's throat. That tactic was abandoned as a bullet from Ruby's rifle impacted the knife, dissolving it in a flash of orange sparks. However Cinder was still determined to kill Pyrrha and claim the remaining Maiden powers for her own.
She brought her hands up and began to choke Pyrrha, as she prepared to snap her neck. "NOOOOO!" Ruby and Jaune cried.
Jaune's aura flared desperately, racing forward in an effort to shield his partner, while Ruby was engulfed in a strange silver light...
 Pyrrha blinked slowly as she came to. Jaune was crouched over her, hands on her heel and his aura enveloping her foot. "Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?" she asked in her delirium.
"I don't think so, Pyr." Jaune assured her, doing his best to wipe his tears onto his shirt without moving his hands.
"Are you okay, Jaune? What are you doing? What happened? Where are Ruby and the woman that attacked us?"
"Well that's the good news. I'm not sure what happened after everything started glowing, since I just woke up myself. All I know for sure is that the dragon is frozen, and that woman escaped. Ruby's uncle found us, and helped me carry you and Ruby to the safe zone set up on the outskirts of Vale since you were both unconscious. I was trying desperately to recharge your aura with mine when I accidentally discovered my semblance. I think. My aura was boosting yours."
Now that he mentioned it, Pyrrha did feel much better than she had in what felt like days now. Was Jaune's semblance some sort of healing multiplier? That would be immensely useful. "What is the plan now? We have to stop that woman! There's no telling what she'll do if left unchecked!"
"We will, Pyrrha. I promise! No way is Team JNPR gonna let the woman that tried to destroy Vale get away with it! You, Ren, and Nora have been asleep for a couple of days now. Once we're all back up to full strength we're going after her. Ruby's uncle gave us a lead. Ozpin said something about meeting with the headmaster of Sanctum Academy."
"What about Team RWBY? Will they be joining us?"
"I...don't think that's going to be possible for a while. RWBY's scattered at the moment."
Pyrrha was horrified and heartbroken at the news. Her friends... Poor Yang...
"The good news is though, that Penny is okay!"
The redhead's heart nearly lept into her throat. How could that be? "What? But I...I k-"
Jaune saw the guilt she was carrying. He could see the want to blame herself in her eyes, and quashed it hard. "No, you didn't, Pyrrha. Penny is a robot. An android that can project aura. Her mind and soul are real, but her body isn't. Before her body was destroyed, she vacated it, and ended up in a spare somewhere in Atlas. General Ironwood is sending her with us to Mistral to meet the headmaster."
Pyrrha could hardly believe it. She wasn't a murderer? She was going home. And most importantly, she was not dead.
"Try moving your foot now, Pyrrha. Next we'll have you stand, see if the leg can support you."
The redhead did as her partner asked, moving on auto-pilot. She was startled when she was able to move the foot as though she had never taken an arrow through her achilles tendon.
Jaune smiled brightly at her. "Good. I'm glad that's on the mend. Try to stand."
She did so, leaning cautiously on Jaune for help. Her leg felt weak, and she was unsteady on her legs like a toddler learning to walk. Her muscles were stiff from fatigue and inactivity, but the leg did support her. Jaune gave her a proud, excited smile.
"Get some rest, Pyrrha. I'll go see if I can find us some rations from the temporary mess hall."
"Jaune, wait..."
The blonde turned back to her expectantly. "Stay with me. Please. Until I fall asleep."
"Okay, Pyr." The two partners shared a quiet moment together amidst the chaos surrounding them. They did their best to push away all the turmoil, and stress of the last few days, checking their emotional baggage for the moment and taking comfort in each other.
"Mm~! Yes~!" "Slow down! No need to try swallowing all at once! You'll choke!"
"Don't care, Jaune! Give it to me! I need it!"
"As my lady wishes..."
"YES~!"
The blonde smiled down at his girlfriend as she rested her head in his lap, her expression the blissful stupor only a food coma could provide. He used his free hand, that wasn't currently combing through her long, red hair to wipe away a smudge of chocolate by her lips.
He stuck the finger in his mouth, tasting the whipped chocolate filling with the discerning taste buds of a professional baker. "I'll try using the motorized whisk next time, more air should make the filling for the next batch of baklava much lighter."
The redhead currently seated on his lap blinked sleepily up at him, beginning to come down from her sugar high, "Any thoughts?" he asked gently.
"Will there be more chocolate?" the redhead asked, as seriously as her drooping eyes would allow. Between the divine pastries, and the wonderful scalp massage, she was quickly falling asleep.
"Sure, Pyr. I've been experimenting with a recipe to combine dark and white chocolate in a croissant for a while. I just need the filling to be lighter..." Jaune couldn't hold back his laughter at the adorable expression his girlfriend made when he mentioned a new recipe, there was even a bit of drool at the corners of her mouth. She looked like an adorable kitten discovering tuna for the first time. Or a completely unrepentant chocoholic.
Her expression took on a new level of intensity as she moved to sit up, fatigue seemingly forgotten. "That. I want it. All of those things you just said."
The blonde chuckled as his girlfriend moved to seat herself in his lap, powerful legs wrapping around his back. At the predatory gleam in her eyes, he immediately took on an expression of mock hurt and pouted, "I swear, it's like you're only interested in me for my ability to satisfy your dark desires for sweets. I feel so used..."
The predatory gleam in her eyes was now accompanied by a smirk, as she began to move against him, kissing him as she began to feel the stirrings of a reaction. "Well, your baking isn't the only thing I'm interested inâ, she said in a sultry tone, "You're very good with your hands, too..."
Jaune smiled at her, taking that as his cue for his hands to begin roaming along her body. They had just begun to get a rhythm going when...
"PYRRHA~! I hear moaning in there! You two better be working on giving me a niece or nephew to spoil!"
The now wide-eyed couple had just a few moments to straighten their clothes, and separate from their compromising position, before a short, muscular ginger haired girl came skipping into the locker room. She eyed their still clasped hands, letting out a mock gasp and pointing dramatically, "Degeneracy!â
The couple merely rolled their eyes at their friend as she giggled, before becoming serious again. "Sorry to Jaune-block you, Pyrrha, but Coach Goodwitch sent me to get you. She wants everyone to run the hurdles one more time before we are done for the day. And it was either me coming to get you, or Yang..." They each collectively shuddered. Yangâs teasing would be legendary if she ever discovered them in such a position.
The mood was broken as a dark-haired male with a pink streak stuck his head in the door. "Jaune, we need to be getting back soon. The inventory truck should be arriving in a couple of hours. Fall is almost upon us."
"Ugh, don't remind me, Ren!" Jaune let out a theatrical sigh, "The perils of running a very successful bakery cafe."
Ren clasped his hands as if in prayer, "Oum preserve us from the rabid Ugg boot wearing, pumpkin spice devouring hoards."
"Amen." Jaune replied solemnly.
The girls merely giggled, seated comfortably on the bench. "Have fun burning off your Cheat Day calories, ladies! We'll see you at the shop later!" Jaune called with a wave, as he began to head for the exit.
"I can think of a much more fun way to burn off all these sweets!" Nora called back cattily. Jaune and Ren shared an eye roll, as the women in their lives eyed their respective men up and down. The two women nodded decisively, before sharing a fist bump.
"Not in our shop you're not!" the blonde returned, waving goodbye to the woman he loved, "Last time flour got absolutely everywhere!"
jacobvanloon
prguitarman
janainaart
annaxmalina
gummygunk