Chapter 46: Chapter-46
Mantle looked a lot better now than the night of the attack but there was still work to be done. Roads needed to be torn up and resealed, the power grid required extensive repair and several buildings that still stood needed to be torn down, too damaged and unable to be saved. Massive machinery was rolled in to deal with it; excavators, wrecking balls, material handlers, bulldozers and countless trucks to haul things away. There was still so much work to be done that these companies didn't have enough workers, so they pulled from other industries. Drivers and drill operators that worked in the dust mines, crane men, construction workers – they made use of any expertise they could get.
And then there was them.
It was their job to watch and observe, and make sure nothing went wrong. It was unlikely that there were any Grimm still left in the city but there was always the criminal element that needed an eye. Of course, their reason for being there wasn't to do with any of those things.
It was simply for appearance sake.
For Cinder, mostly – but for the people, as well. Seeing huntsmen around was a sure fire way to lower anxiety and make the workers feel safe, if nothing else. They'd just witnessed a Grimm horde tear apart their kingdom so any comfort they could extract from their presence, Jaune was more than willing to give.
It was also pretty interesting, watching men plan the destruction of a building in the most efficient manner possible and then carrying it out with precision. Nora would moan and ask why they just didn't blow it up, more excited by the prospect of explosives but Jaune was taken with the skill on display.
He watched as the first building, a smaller apartment building a few floors high, was reduced to rubble with a few well placed strikes of a wrecking ball. Jaune recognized this area and even the building; it was one that the Megoliath had torn asunder in its rampage.
Most of the buildings in this area had been damaged by that Grimm in particular.
Dust billowed outwards as it collapsed in on itself, unable to withstand its own weight any longer once its support was compromised. Jaune shielded his eyes with a pair of safety goggles, doing his best not to inhale too much of the fine concrete that now filled the air.
One building down, several more to go.
He heard a series of cheers as the workers congratulated themselves on a job well done and then his earpiece sparked to life, Ren's voice sounding in his ear.
"Everything clear up here," he spoke and Jaune turned, looking in the vague direction where he knew Ren to be. He was perched on one of the undamaged buildings, overseeing everything from on high.
"Not here," Jaune replied, pausing for dramatic effect. "My vision is obscured by dust."
The line was silent for a beat.
"Jaune," Ren sighed and he couldn't help it; Jaune chuckled.
"Sorry, couldn't help myself," he apologized, not meaning it.
A new voice joined in, Blake's voice filled with amusement. "You've been spending too much time with Yang. That is the sort of bad joke she would tell."
Hearing her voice directly in his ear sent a shiver down his spine, recalling that only a handful of hours ago, that very same voice was crying out in pleasure as he ravished her tight body. That only reminded him of everything else that took place, the night of debauchery he had taken part in with Team RWBY.
He still couldn't believe it.
It was the stuff of dreams, the sort of impossible fantasy that an overly horny, overly imaginative guy would think up. Being with any one of them was already a dream come true for him but all four? It was... insane.
And fucking amazing.
He could still taste them on his lips, sweet and musky. Their scent still lingered in his nose, rich and overpowering. The feel of their supple skin, their toned, fit bodies. The sounds they made, high and low, whenever he fucked them deep, as he teased their bodies to the height of ecstasy. The grip of their young, tight cunts; throbbing, twisting, coiling, pulsing around his cock.
And then the sight of their bodies, wet and slick in the shower this morning as he helped wash them down, and they helped him. Their hands gliding across his skin, groping as they scrubbed, and his hands hungrily taking their fill of their feminine curves.
Jaune adjusted his stance, attempting to fight down his growing arousal. Even after all of that, he was still longing for more. He'd drained his balls and his cock felt tender, overworked to the max, and yet his libido still roared with desire. He'd stuffed all four of them full, uncaring of the consequences, and yet it wasn't enough.
His body burned with a need to consume.
He felt... strong; stronger than he ever had. More alert, more energetic, more... he just felt more . If the Grimm showed up right now in the numbers they had that night, Jaune felt like he could take them all on at once and win. It was a powerful feeling, a little intoxicating. A little dangerous.
He couldn't say he disliked it.
"So you're saying she has rubbed off on me?" he asked cheekily, the innuendo surprising even him.
Blake was silent as she processed his words, no doubt catching the double meaning.
"More than that," she finally responded, voice dark. "We don't need two of you."
Jaune was pretty sure that Blake would love two Yang's. At least for certain activities.
Ren was oblivious to their double-talk. "I'm going to patrol the block."
"Roger," Jaune replied, cooling down a little.
Machinery rumbled to life as they moved in to start sorting and collecting the debris, bulldozers shifting large piles while the material handler picked things up with their massive claw and placed it in the bed of trucks to be hauled off as waste. The excavators joined in, scooping the smaller debris into the trucks, the demolition team working together as a well trained unit.
Jaune felt Blake appear without seeing her, her presence at his back. He remained where he was, simply watching the men work, and smiled when he felt her hand touch his back. Turning off his mic, he tilted his head slightly and said, "Hey."
"Hey," she echoed, stepping beside him.
They stood together, not saying a word for several minutes, content with each other's company. Then Blake slipped her hand into his, lacing her fingers with his. He squeezed her hand and turned his head to face her, giving her a smile. She smiled back, amber eyes glittering.
She looked breathtaking.
"What's up?" he asked.
She shrugged, still looking at him as if he was the greatest thing she had ever seen. "Nothing. I just wanted to hold your hand."
Her expression then turned bashful, her eyes darting away. "That's okay, right?"
Did she really even have to ask? It was far from the first time she had held his hand and it was something that Jaune had noticed about Blake. These simple gestures of affection were things she really enjoyed. Even before they'd become intimate, Jaune could remember times where she would hold his hand like this. At the time, he'd just thought of it as friendly and didn't think much of it – but now knowing what he knew, her admittance of her growing feelings from before those times, perhaps it had been a hint.
Shy Blake was really cute.
"Of course it's okay," he told her. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"I dunno," she shrugged again, meeting his eyes.
Was she feeling insecure because of what happened the night before? At the time, she seemed completely onboard and even this morning, nothing appeared different but maybe after all the passion had cooled down, she was regretting it?
He didn't want that. That was the last thing he wanted.
"Hey," he swung their hands back and forth, nudging her gently with his elbow. "What's wrong? You aren't – you don't regret what happened, do you?"
She shot him a look of surprise. "What? No! I – sorry, I – Jaune," she stumbled over her words before quickly righting herself. "No, I don't regret it. It was... unbelievable."
It was.
"It's just..." she appeared to be searching for the right words. "I never thought I'd do something like that. At first I thought it would be weird, you know? With you and Yang, I knew how I felt about the both of you but I've never had thoughts like that about Ruby or... Weiss before."
Jaune recalled the way she'd looked at Weiss. Seeing Weiss in all her splendor had certainly affected Blake much more than the cat faunus had been expecting. Her attraction to the former heiress was clear.
"But it felt... natural," Blake played with his hand. "I... liked it. A lot."
"So did I," he told her. "And not just because of the sex. Yeah, that was... so good,"
She lightly jabbed him in the stomach.
"Heh, sorry but it's the truth," he laughed and she smirked at him. "But... having everyone together like that... I can't explain it. It just felt right."
"Right," she nodded. "And I hope you aren't worried about – you know, the other thing. This was our choice."
He hadn't really been thinking about that. At all, actually. Wasn't that funny? Lately, that was all he'd been able to think about. How all this might be influenced by what the Grimm did to him. But it hadn't even occurred to him, not once. Jaune had been so consumed by them that it had slipped his mind entirely.
Blake had just admitted that she never thought she'd engage in this type of behavior but even then, she wasn't concerned. She was doing her best to reassure him instead.
"Okay," he said simply. "And I choose you. I mean it, okay? I love you, Blake. Truly."
Blake considered him. "What about... the others?"
"I love them as well. Ruby, Yang, Weiss... like I told you before, you mean the world to me. They mean the world to me."
"No, not them," Blake shook her head. "The others."
"The others?
"Cerise..." she trailed off but the meaning was clear enough, even if she didn't say their names.
Neon.
Fiona.
"How do you feel about them?" she asked bluntly.
The bond he shared with Team RWBY was special, there was no denying that. Even without all of this, their friendship had grown through adversity. They had gone from simple friends at Beacon to something more akin to family. Everything from Blake's troubles with the White Fang to Yang's injury, the death of Pyrrha and the destruction of Beacon, the near death of Weiss and everything else in between... it had forged something that was unique. He would do anything for them and he knew they would do anything for him.
But that didn't mean he didn't care for Cerise, Neon and Fiona deeply. It was a different feeling, he could recognize that. He didn't have the same history with these three women that he did with Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang, but that didn't make his connection with them any less meaningful.
Neon had told him not to get attached, that it was just a bit of fun – but he really did like her, even if it was just a casual thing. Cerise was amazing, and in another life, he would have loved to pursue something with her and though things with Fiona had been quick, she was a sweetheart.
"I like them," he said, watching her face carefully. "But I wouldn't give you up for them."
Blake hummed.
He was about to continue when a strange feeling washed over him, a prickle in the back of his neck. Turning, he looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary, just an empty street cordoned off with temporary fencing. Blake noticed the change in his demeanor at once, releasing his hand and turning to follow his gaze.
"What is it?" she asked, voice serious.
"I don't know," he answered, uncertain. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, goosebumps rising on his arms. "It just... felt like I was being watched."
Blake tensed. "Neo?"
Jaune shook his head. "I don't know."
If it was her, why would she have come down to Mantle? He wasn't even carrying the fake lamp so there really wasn't any reason for it. Just to keep an eye on him?
The feeling remained, an uncomfortable itch, but it slowly diminished over time. Giving the area one final sweep, he couldn't find anything out of place. It was just a street; damaged, in need of repair, but just a street. Jaune wasn't sure why but he walked over to the nearest steel grate and peered down into the darkness of the sewer, feeling compelled to have a closer look.
"Jaune?"
On a whim, he crouched down and pulled it up. It was heavy, not the type of thing an ordinary person could lift so casually but he was a huntsman. Against his aura enhanced strength, it may as well have been light as a feather. Setting it aside, he pulled out his scroll and illuminated the space with the camera torch.
There was nothing there. Just damp, frosted concrete, the catch basin empty.
Unnerved, he set the grate back in its place and stood.
"Sorry," he said, giving her a shrug. "Just thought I'd check."
Blake gave him a worried look.
He tried not to let the strange feeling weigh on his mind. The demolition crew continued their work and Ren returned not long after. Time passed slowly, partially because there wasn't much to do but stand watch but also because they knew what was coming.
As the seconds, minutes and hours ticked by, Jaune couldn't help but feel the anticipation swell in his veins. It made him feel jittery, a nervous energy overtaking him. No longer able to stand idly by, he was constantly on the move, patrolling the block, even pitching in to help move some of the debris when his restlessness reached its peak.
Lunch came and went, the people of Mantle bringing them food for their hard work. Simple casserole dishes, hearty and filling. He hadn't noticed his hunger until the food was already in front of him and he devoured it quickly, having seconds. His small, rushed breakfast hadn't been enough.
"Someone's hungry," Ren smirked – and then he noticed that Blake was similarly scarfing down her meal. Ren looked at his own bowl. "I suppose it is pretty tasty."
Jaune chuckled, watching as a pretty blush spread across Blake's cheeks.
In the end, several buildings were reduced to rubble on their watch and as the afternoon came and went, and evening approached, even Ren couldn't completely hide his growing restlessness. As the demolition crew came together for one final meeting before knocking off for the night, Jaune shared a look with Ren and Blake.
He could see his own nervousness reflected in their eyes.
"Right," he mustered as their mission was at an end. "Let's do this."
Ren nodded, brow furrowed. Blake touched his hand, giving it a quick squeeze.
"We're ready," she said quietly. "We've got this."
If everything went as it should – Cinder was going down.
The walk to the airship terminal was tense. Excited butterflies fluttered in his stomach, remisent of the motion sickness he used to suffer. Strapping in, Ren on his left and Blake on his right, he unhooked Crocea Mors from his belt and held it between his legs, the sheathed point against the steel floor.
This was it.
The engines roared to life and with a swooping sensation that made the butterflies scatter even more furiously, they were airborne. Jaune's hands tightened around the hilt of his blade, hard enough for his knuckles to pop. Blake's hands were curled together in her lap, her leg twitching up and down as the building tension continued to rise. Ren had his eyes closed, taking deep, slow breaths to calm himself but Jaune could see the tightness of his mouth, the rigid profile of his jawline.
They can't have been in the air more than a couple of minutes when as one, all their scrolls lit up and sounded an alert. Jaune felt his heart stop dead in his chest.
Opening it up, he saw what they were all expecting.
Attention all available Huntsmen and military personnel. Code Red. Code Red. Prisoner escape in sector seven. Prisoner escape in sector seven. Transport hijacked and en route to Mantle. Prisoners Tyrian Callows and Arthur Watts. High priority. Attention all available Huntsmen and military personnel.
He felt his heart kickstart again, only this time in overdrive. Adrenaline surged through his body as he pulled up his orders, separate from the mass alert.
The intercom crackled to life, the pilot's voice asking, "Did everyone get that?"
"Yeah," Jaune said loudly.
That wasn't all he had received.
Unbuckling his seatbelt, he moved towards the front of the aircraft, showing the pilot orders sent directly from General Ironwood himself. The pilot took one look at the official mission brief, eyes widening slightly.
"Keep us in the air until it's time," Jaune ordered, leadership taking over. "When I give the signal, take us to Sector Twelve. Don't alert anyone. If air control asks, give them this number; 483920."
"What the hell is going on?" the man asked, alarmed. Secrecy in the military wasn't unusual but even he could tell that this wasn't normal procedure. Something like this, in the heart of the kingdom – it was understandable that the pilot was taken aback.
"Something big," Jaune told him, unable to say more. "Keep us up as long as you can."
Now they had to wait.
Would Cinder take the bait? Or would she ignore it, and bide her time? She didn't know that they knew. Not unless Neo coming to him had been their plan all along but to what end? There was no way they could have known how they would react, not this far ahead, not this perfectly. Jaune could have ruined the entire thing by attacking her in that building that night. There was no way they'd have known he would control his anger.
No, she didn't know. As long as the bait was enticing enough, she would take it.
She had to.
Jaune wasn't one for prayer but he did so now, sending it to whatever Gods would listen, even those petulant brothers that had started this whole mess.
Let it work, he thought furiously. Let it work!
If he thought the day had gone slowly, the next thirty minutes felt like a lifetime. Muscles tense, Jaune burned a hole in his scroll as he awaited the signal.
"It's coming," Blake whispered to him, her voice stressed. "It'll come, Jaune. I know it will. We have her."
He almost jumped when the message came – but it wasn't the one they were hoping for.
They were to join the search.
Cinder was being much more patient than they thought.
"Crap," Jaune hissed.
Doubts began to surface but he shunted them aside, approaching the pilot to relay the new message. The airship banked and sped off towards Mantle, taking them further away from Atlas. Jaune saw dozens of ships in the air, speeding down to the lower city, lights filling the sky like twinkling stars.
He didn't like the feel of this.
"Turn around," he said suddenly.
"What?" the pilot asked.
"I said turn around. Now!"
"Our orders—" Jaune cut him off instantly.
"I know what our orders say but I'm telling you to turn around. Sector Twelve. Get us there as quickly as you can."
Jaune met the pilot's eyes through his visor and something in his expression must have convinced him, for any argument died in his throat. Grunting in annoyance, he spun them back around.
"Jaune?" Blake asked. "What's going on?"
"Just a hunch," he said, turning her way. "Cinder will wait until the last possible moment to strike. If we are down there, it'll take too long for us to get back in time. We can't risk it."
"The Ace-Ops are on standby," Ren reminded him. "Not to mention Penny. Winter is also there, as is the General."
Jaune shook his head. "Even so. I'd rather be close. If anything goes wrong because of this, then I'll take the blame. I don't care."
Their ship made wide, sweeping passes around the floating city and just when Jaune thought it was all for naught, his scroll began beeping wildly. He didn't even read the entire message before he roared, "Go! Move it!"
"Hold on!" the pilot called. Jaune's hands tightened on the back of the pilot's seat as they turned sharply, accelerating quickly towards the city. Skyscrapers passed by them in a blur, passing directly through the commercial district and into the science and tech district, a familiar building coming into view.
That was it.
"Right there!" Jaune pointed. "Bring us above it, we'll jump."
Blake and Ren hastily removed their restraints, rushing to the back of the ship. Jaune stared at the large dome-like structure, Penny's birthplace, where aura and machine became one. Everything looked peaceful – until it wasn't. An explosion rocked the roof, an arc of lightning searing through molten steel and cracking into the sky.
That was Cinder. It couldn't be anyone else.
"What the fuck was that!?" the pilot shouted, though to his credit he kept the ship steady as they made their approach.
"Why we're here," Jaune said grimly. "Thank you for bringing us. Leave the rest to us."
Jaune rushed to the back and Blake slammed her fist against the bay door release. Violent winds buffeted them as they opened, freezing cold air cutting the skin of his face. Their ship began to decelerate, evening out and banking above the hole that had been blasted in the dome. Grabbing Ren and Blake, they tensed as his aura flooded into their system, his semblance roaring to life.
"Let's do this!" he said.
Amplified, they leapt from the ship and entered free fall. Jaune didn't bother with his glider, passing through the damaged roof of the dome and entering like a falling comet. Immediately he saw the unfolding fight, the Ace-Ops engaging Cinder alongside Penny and Winter Schnee. Black glass blades circled her form, deflecting Penny's Floating Array while powerful streams of golden fire destroyed Winter's summons. Harriet tried to close the distance in a burst of speed but she was blasted aside by a gust of wind, the dark skinned woman slamming into a piece of machinery and cartwheeling away with a shout of pain.
They were right below them.
Jaune grit his teeth and unsheathed Crocea Mors, aura spilling from his body like white flame. He was the picture of divine retribution, coming to claim justice. Vine saw them coming and acted, reaching for Cinder with his aura appendages to keep her contained but those wicked blades cut them to shreds, slicing through them effortlessly.
"Is this all you have?" she called out mockingly – moments before a shadow passed over her face. Looking up, her single eye widened in surprise as she spotted them, spotted him.
Fire erupted from her body and Jaune screamed in challenge, the twin moons lighting up with a purple glow. Gravity dust blasted the flames aside and he hit the ground with force, the impact slamming her aside. Much like Harriet, she slammed into the scattered, old machinery and flipped head over ass, tumbling across the floor before coming to a stop. Blake and Ren slammed into the ground next to him, deploying their weapons as Penny swooped in for the kill.
It wasn't to be, though – an arc of lightning forcing her back, her swords taking the brunt of the attack. Cinder didn't climb to her feet. She floated, a vortex of wind carrying her up as her eye glowed with a furious flame.
"You," she snarled, voice crackling inhumanly.
"Me," he said, blue eyes narrowed.
At last – it was time.
"Pyrrha," he whispered. "Give me strength."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone