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Invisible hands covered his eyes out of nowhere.
The scent of strawberries and cream. The taste of chocolate and vanilla. Teasing, gentle shards of sharp, SHARP glass.
"...Neo?"
"Tadaaaaaaaa~" He could hear glass shatter as Xayah was heard behind him, feeling her excited amusement as well as Rakan's more calm bemusement and Cinder's discomfort behind him as Trivia's hands radiated joy at his surprise.
"What the fuck?" Yang's voice could be heard, but not seen.
"Yang, language young lady." Summer called over from the adult's picnic table at the park. "Jaune? Who are your friends?"
"For fuck's sake…" He heard both Qrow and Raven groan in unison. "-not her."
Twins, amiright?
"Language!" Summer warned her teammates.
Jaune couldn't help but laugh.
"Ha ha ha! Uh, everyone, this is Team Crimson (CRXN). They're fourth years at Beacon that'll be competing at the Vytal Festival in Mistral in late January."
"Uh, we're also here." Sun's voice called out a little weakly.
"I still have Neo's hands over my eyes, so I can't see, but hey Sun! Velvet as well!"
Trivia's hands pulled away from his eyes as she hugged him from behind, her right cheek rubbing against his left.
"T-Neo, that tickles."
"Jaune?" Blake's face was serene and calm, but her voice was a bit strained. "Who… is your friend?"
"Oh! This is Neapolitan Rider. She's…" Hmm. How was he supposed to introduce Trivia? That was difficult, especially when the whole Hornet identity needed to be kept under wraps. "-a really important friend. We're very close."
He smiled, that was pretty concise without telling too much. And all entirely true!
The plastic fork in Yang's hand snapped in half. Yikes. Why did she look so mad?
"Oh and her Partner, Cinder Fall, is the leader of the team." Jaune gestured to Cinder, who looked very different from her former identity as Amber, dressed in her Huntress outfit, as Trivia hung from his back, refusing to let go as she dangled, her feet tucked up behind her in the air.
"Hello."
Crimson silk sleeveless blouse with frills up along the buttons, lean muscles along her arms, strong and healthy. And most of all, confident and with a completely different hair color and style, though her bangs still shared some echo of the malnourished brunette that the Arcs once knew. She did still look slightly uncomfortable, though.
But as long as she didn't give it away herself, nobody should be able to tell aside from maybe Robin or maybe Clarent, but neither of them were here.
Ironically Clarent was actually spending her first winter break in Atlas as a first year in the Upper Program of Atlas Academy, getting to hang out with Winter. He hadn't seen her last 'Saturday' as she'd been taking care of something separately, but he'd be meeting with her this next meeting alongside the Schnees.
"And these two lovebirds are Xayah Sundance and Rakan Skywalker. Both avian Faunus. Xayah's the one that suggested my wardrobe of late."
"Yo~" The red haired Huntress near-graduate waved cheerily, "Nice to meet little Jaune's friends!"
"Xayah, I'm turning fifteen next week."
"Bah. Still little until you're older than me!"
"You're ALWAYS going to be older than me!"
"It's great to meet you all." Emerald was calm, smiling politely, her heart like water. "It is always a pleasure to meet my master's friends."
"Whoa, wait you're… Emerald, right? Jaune mentioned his little butler friend a few times." Rakan laughed as he adjusted his grip, still carrying his girlfriend in a bridal carry. "Nice suit!"
"Thank you. My master put great effort into assisting me in the creation of my uniform." Emerald radiated joy from the compliment.
"This is great and all." Yang's smile didn't meet her eyes, her teeth were grit. Was she ok? Her cycle shouldn't be for another two weeks. Did it come early? "But how long is… Neapolitan going to keep hanging off of you like that, Jaune?"
"Until she gets bored of it, usually." He shrugged. It was no different from Ruby hanging off him constantly.
Ruby was actually looking a bit jealous as her normal status of human backpack was being usurped though, chewing on a plastic spoon. That was kind of cute actually. Funny too.
"But also, was this the surprise you were talking about? I didn't know you guys were coming to Menagerie!"
"Oh, Ray and I've been coming every summer since our first year." Xayah waved lazily, her other hand ruffling Rakan's plume as her taloned feet crossed the other way. "But also this is our last year getting student discounts before we're full Huntsmen so we're taking some advantage of it. Especially since our team's breaking up when we graduate."
"Huh? Wait why?!"
"Half-Pint and I want to stay in Vale." Cinder shrugged, "That's all. We'll still meet up and visit here and there. It's not like we're separating forever."
Yang snickered at Cinder's nickname for Neo, his Vigilante Partner's eyes glared.
Then she planted a kiss on his cheek. For some reason radiating with a sense of vindictive victory.
Jaune didn't get girls sometimes. He really tried, especially since most of his friends were girls. But they confused him.
"HOLD UP!" Yang shot to her feet. "WHAT-"
Jaune just rolled his eyes as Trivia slipped off his back to stand, a lazy finger flicking her expensive designer shades onto her eyes.
"-THE HELL?!"
"Jaune." He froze as his mother's voice rang out, a strange sensation filling the air from her direction. "Explain who this girl is. Hmm?"
Trivia turned in his mother's direction, took a small breath before walking forwards, stopping to perform a small curtsey.
He knew that Trivia had been raised for high society, but it was still odd seeing it. Not that she wasn't elegant and pretty and completely capable of such, but… well. He'd also seen her scare criminals so hard they cried and pissed themselves on the regular. It wasn't jarring, but it was different.
It clearly caught his mother Noelle off guard as well.
Trivia quickly brought up her Scroll and typed.
Hello. My name is Neapolitan Rider. I am a Huntress in training and Jaune has been very kind to me. The device read. Or at least he thought it did. It was hard to read it from behi-
"Jaune!" Yang hissed as she pulled his shoulder, Blake beside her as well, both girls' eyes shining with a dangerous light. What? When did they even get around the table? "What's her deal?"
"Huh?" Jaune blinked. Yang and Blake both were grabbing really hard at his shoulders. "Oh, uh, do you remember back when we first went to Vale together way back when? The mall where your parents and Uncle Qrow were meeting with Headmaster Ozpin? She's the girl I helped back then. I know it's been a whi-"
"Not that! She k-kissed you on the cheek!"
He blinked, confused. Yang had seen his sisters kiss him all the time. Kisses on the cheek were nothing.
"Is that weird?"
"It's super weird!" Yang growled, her eyes red.
"Definitely not normal." Blake nodded in agreement.
Really? He frowned, standing up.
And he kissed Yang and Blake both on the cheek. Just some quick pecks. A bit new, as he'd never kissed either Yang or Blake like that before, but it wasn't weird. Right?
"Hmm. No, feels pretty normal." Jaune shrugged. "Not weird at all."
"Ok, ladykiller." Rakan's hand appeared on his shoulder from behind, standing between him and Trivia who was busy communicating (the word 'converse' didn't feel right when Trivia had to rely on her Scroll), his teeth clenched with slightly nervous laughter. "We're gonna have to step in so that Princess doesn't do her usual thing right now."
"Keh he he." Xayah ruffled his head with a laugh. "Oh this shit's too funny, little Jaune."
"Jaune you're a moron." Ren sighed from his seat, his head in his hands. "I couldn't account for this level of moronhood."
Jaune could see Nora staring at Ren's cheek with her hazel eyes flashing between aqua blue and turquoise green.
"What? What'd I do wrong?" He complained, turning to Yang and Blake who were refusing to meet his eyes with pink faces. "What? It felt pretty normal, right? Not weird?"
"D-definitely not weird." Blake spoke softly.
Yang just grumbled under her breath.
"Jaune." Sun slapped his hand down on his shoulder, right over Rakan's hand. "You're a man amongst men, brother."
"Ok." Velvet pinched Sun's cheek and pulled him back. ("Auhh, Beul!") "At least we have lunch and a show. What're we even having for lunch though?"
Ruby was jealous.
Being the backpack was always a joke, more because she liked piggy back rides, but also because she got access to her surrogate brother Jaune's fluffy ears. It was just a joke that she'd never taken seriously. Why would she? It was just something Yang said to tease her.
And mommy Summer.
And mommy Raven.
And Drunkle Qrow.
It was the first time another girl was small enough to take her place.
She felt threatened, somehow. Ruby wasn't sure why.
And unlike Ruby, that Neo girl (lady?) was in her last year at Beacon, so she was done growing. She'd be small enough to be Jaune's backpack forever, but Ruby might even potentially grow too big! She hadn't ever even considered that!
Ruby had just always assumed she'd grow big and tall like Yang and mommy Raven! Even if mommy Summer was shorter in the pictures and daddy Taiyang was also not super tall like Drunkle Qrow.
…should she drink less milk?
No milk was delicious and paired great with cookies. Out of the question. Denied, soldier.
…maybe Jaune had a magic or science thing to let her stay just small enough so she could stay backpack size? But like, only when she felt like it? She'd like to be able to grow taller too, still.
Even grow bigger than Yang to rub it in.
Just because Yang claimed that she didn't believe in magic anymore (she was clearly lying, too, cuz Ruby knew what Yang looked like when she lied) didn't mean that she'd given up believing yet! Her comics had some mumbo jumbo about science looking like magic when it was advanced enough, so Jaune's science stuff was magic, there!
He'd have something, right?
Hmmmm.
If she remembered correctly, once a year Jaune sorts through all of his stuff inside his Semblance a few days before New Years Eve…
And because they had a lot of open space and not a lot of annoying parararazits, or whatever they're called, he usually used the main courtyard at the Belladonna estate, asking people to not get close because he had a lot of things and some of them were dangerous.
But that was just Jaune being Jaune. He always talked about how dangerous all of his stuff could be, but Ruby had never seen anything weird happen.
Well.
There was that one time that Yang woke up covered in black goo, but that was a risk Ruby was willing to take!
And like, if Yang could make Jaune take responsibility for gooing her and see her every week from it, she could totally just have a day to herself when Jaune visited with cookies and weapons and stuff, right?
It-it was only fair, right?
Y-yeah!
Or something. Hmmm. There was a part of her that felt she needed to think this through a bit more…
Or just… wing it? That's also a valid thought.
Whenever her mommy Summer messed something up she'd just proclaim that Roses are do-ers, not thinkers. Or something. Usually she was too busy getting kisses from either daddy Taiyang or mommy Raven because they seemed to like it when mommy Summer got embarrassed.
Also why it was weird how quiet Yang and Blake were being about Jaune kissing them.
Kisses were normal. Their parents did it all the time! Why even be embarrassed?
Actually wasn't it totally unfair that Ruby herself didn't get a kiss either? She- she… she… hmm.
Ok, weird, the thought of Jaune giving her a kiss made her feel funny. She still wanted one too, but her stomach was doing flips.
Ruby shook her head. She was probably just hungry.
"When's the food going to be ready? Daddy Taiyang and Drunkle Qrow said they were getting the grill going like, an hour ago."
"Ruby, they've literally been gone ten minutes." Jaune laughed from his side of the picnic bench. "Have some patience."
Oh she'd be patient alright. She'd be real patient alright.
Ok. Ok. This… could be a lot worse. We weren't quite as ready for this as we thought we'd be. Neo paced inside of her mind, nervously going in circles. But Noelle Arc seems to feel… sympathy? Not quite pity. She doesn't HATE us. That's something.
Trivia had always known she wasn't much of a people person. She'd sort of become fine with that. That was part of the reason, maybe, probably, that the lady that looked like Qrow was faintly glaring at her. The woman that Jaune had gone to help back when she'd first gained literal magic powers.
Oh. Right. Raven. She remembered now.
Still, Operation: Mute Huntress with a Heart of Gold was… well it was in motion. Trivia would never be a socialite like her mother Carmel had been, but she could recall/fake a good amount of what she'd tried to train into Trivia. Some of it seemed to be taken well by Jaune's mom.
"I'm more surprised that you're one of Beacon's current top Teams." Noelle Arc was warm and motherly, her hands wrapped around Trivia's left, leaving her right hand free to type. "Qrow's brought up Team CRXN a few times."
Her hands were warm in a way her own mother's had never been. Like Jaune. He had to have gotten it from somewhere, she supposed.
Either that we're the best in school or biggest pains in his pants, I presume? Her right hand flashed to type on her Scroll. Professor Branwen is a good man, but he can be a bit-
What was the word here?
"Ridiculous and irresponsible?" Jaune's mom offered with a small grin. "Bullheaded?"
I didn't say it. Her Scroll replied cheekily.
"Well I certainly won't tell him." Noelle Arc turned to Qrow squabbling and bumping shoulders with Taiyang XiaoLong (who a long time ago Trivia had thought to be Jaune's dad) as they grilled burgers and sausages on a grill. "He's much less of a troublemaker than he'd been when we were in school together, but he's still as needlessly childish."
Trivia saw Goodwitch roll her eyes from the other corner of the table, her focus more still on her man cooking rather than her student's conversation.
Honestly I thought that Goodbitch might have sold us out on how we're super not this polite and such normally. Neo slightly nervously echoed Trivia's sentiment. But at the same time we HAVE been a lot less of a problem for her in the past year or two. Maybe she's just letting us have a pass?
Trivia REALLY hoped Neo hadn't just jinxed them.
"It's not as if Miss Rider and her team haven't been handfuls themselves. But they've shaped up a lot over their third year. At the least, they shouldn't be poor influences." Goodwitch spoke up in some assurance, though Trivia was sure unlike Noelle her teacher didn't suspect that Trivia held feelings for a fifteen year old boy.
Ugh. It felt dirty when she thought of it that way. It was just because it was Jaune. Why did they have to be so apart in age? It wouldn't matter in the future, but it sure as hell did now! And really the only one that'd be hung up over it that mattered would be Jaune himself. Ugh.
"Well, I would certainly hope not." Noelle laughed, though her eyes did turn to meet Trivia's.
She couldn't restrain the faint gulp that suddenly she performed on instinct.
"Now. You said you've known my son since you were twelve?"
Yes. He saved me from some bullies. Her Scroll flashed honestly. I think now that I could have handled it, maybe, but it meant a lot to me then. Back then I only had a single person I could call a friend.
And it turned out that friend was a half of her personality, so to normal people that wouldn't even count.
"And that inspired you to try to become a Huntress?"
Well no. I wasn't born into a Huntsman Family. Before he died, my father was part of Vale's Capital City Management. My family were civilians. Her Scroll replied. Just being helped like that wasn't enough for me to suddenly want something like that. But Jaune always wanted something big. If I didn't-
She paused, swallowing, not sure how to best put this into words for Noelle Arc. She wanted to earn her trust, but this was Jaune's mother. Trivia wanted to be honest with her. As much as possible, at least.
-want to be left behind, I had to walk along that same path. I know it's presumptuous. I know it looks odd. But I'm willing to wait on this road for him. Please.
Noelle Arc stared at her, Trivia swallowed, feeling her hands tremble faintly.
Jaune's mother leaned in, whispering to not be overheard, her gray-blue eyes, like steel, never leaving Trivia's own.
"...You will wait until he is an adult? For him to become seventeen?"
She nodded.
"Even if he ends up finding love before then? You wouldn't be the only one vying for his attention. He might even get swept up by one of them before you even have a chance."
Even so, NOBODY can understand him like we can. Neo burned inside, jealous at the thought. Trivia did as well, but didn't let it bubble to the surface. They haven't seen every part of his heart like we have. We'll take him back, steal him if we have to.
Trivia nodded again. She'd been ready for the possibility for years.
I won't lose to anyone. Her Scroll declared.
Noelle Arc sighed, her warm hands, motherly but firm, resting on Trivia's hands.
"...Alright. I can't say I expected this, or that I can fully approve, but your difference in age isn't your fault. As long as you wait for Jaune to grow to adulthood, I won't get in your way. If anything I appreciate you introducing yourself to me. Jaune's always so… secretive about everything."
Trivia smiled happily. Jackpot.
He's always up to something. Her Scroll typed out. Really, he gets it in his head that it's best to take everything on himself and just makes me worry more.
"Ah, so that's a concern that's not just endemic to his parents then?" Noelle chuckled, "Really. Jaune's a wonderful boy, but I wonder if I… no. Maybe I know what I did wrong, all those years ago. But I can't regret the past."
She knew what Noelle was talking about. Jaune had told her that when he's grown into his Faunus features his parents had marital issues and he'd run away from home. Ended up in Sanus, somehow, despite his family living in Animus.
He forgave you a long time ago. Her Scroll assured, knowing that to be the truth. Jaune never lied to her. He's always felt as bad about how he reacted back then as you probably do. He always assured me that it wasn't something he blames you or your husband for. He said you were hurting, had been for a long time.
"Well that sounds just like my idiot son." Jaune's mother sighed, "...He trusts you a lot, doesn't he?"
He trusts me enough that he's promised that if he ever makes a dumb plan that risks his life he has to come to me first. Her Scroll stated proudly, though it also made Trivia wonder if that would be concerning. I do genuinely love him. I love him with all my heart. But Jaune can be an idiot.
"Ha ha ha! Yes, for all the world applauding him for his genius, to me he'll always be my foolish little son." Noelle laughed her smile soft but somewhat conflicted, "Perhaps that's just how all mothers feel."
…I wish Carmel had been like her. Neo whispered quietly. Certainly, it's not all mothers.
Maybe. Her Scroll agreed.
She didn't bring up her own mother. What she wanted was trust and permission, not pity. Even if pity could earn her such things, she'd only care for such as a last resort. Both Trivia and Neopolitan had their pride, only willing to throw it away if it was necessary to get what they wanted.
"Alright, you don't need to stay here and keep an old woman company. Feel free to join Jaune and your friends."
I will in a bit. Her Scroll replied. But I'd like to know more about how Jaune was like at home growing up, if that's alright? Not that he hasn't told me about his home life, of course. I am just-
Trivia paused for a bit of dramatic effect.
-unfamiliar with a mother's perspective on such things. My own had never been much of one, and she's also no longer around to reach out to.
"Oh, you poor thing." Noelle gave her a soft smile. "...Sure. Why not?"
She still had more brownie points she could earn.
Gosh this was tiring though. But as Noelle Arc began to ramble and brag about Jaune, beginning to already get lost in her own nostalgia, Trivia realized that Carmel Vanille had left her something of worth after all. Even if she couldn't converse the way others could, the knowledge on how to communicate and present oneself was something that Trivia should have valued more.
It was proof that her mother had loved her once, that she had tried to show Trivia that, even if it was in her cold and impersonal way. Funny, how all she'd needed to do was share a shred of warmth. That was all that Trivia had ever needed, growing up.
And she'd found that in Aurelia, who she still kept in contact with. With Jaune who was her other half. With her team, that became a new family.
In Remnant's darkness, warmth was all that mattered.
Emerald sipped at her cup of water as Blake and Yang called their 'emergency meeting' away from their table, huddled behind a tree in the park.
"I don't see the problem." She admitted freely.
"HOW?!" Yang hissed, her arm gripping slightly too roughly. "That bitch is clearly after Jaune! She's the one he's also been secretly visiting for YEARS!"
"And?" Emerald raised a brow. "Is not my master allowed to be able to choose his own partner? Or maintain friendships outside of our circle?"
"Of course he is, but-" Blake made a complicated expression. "-but sh-she's clearly too old for him!"
Hmm. That was the case currently, true.
"Once master is an adult, the difference will be a mere five or so years. That does not seem too drastic."
"Well we're not adults yet! You-"
"Have the advantage for now, as my master is not the type of person that would let his morals be denied. If miss Rider was to pursue him as it is now, he will deny her simply because it will reflect poorly on her to others. If you're that insecure about her presence, pursue him with further zeal before it's too late." Emerald smirked at her two friends. "Or do you lack confidence as a woman?"
Yang sputtered as Blake frowned.
"And what about you, Emerald? That doesn't bother you at all?" The Faunus girl asked.
"My feelings do not matter." Emerald replied in truth. "No matter what happens, I will simply remain by my master's side. No matter what, he will not simply forsake me."
And that was enough. It would have to be. If anything were to change, she was certain that as long as she entreated her master with her feelings, some solution would be found. Her master was such a capable man.
Perhaps that was a result of her more traditionally Mistralian mindset. Despite the Atlasean influences, Argus's teachings were still rooted in Mistralian culture which she adhered to well.
Or perhaps she herself had, perhaps, simply had a personality that might implicitly trust and give all of herself to the one she chose to dedicate to. And she'd been very fortunate that her chosen master was truly kind. Somehow against all odds, her Devil was the kindest of them all.
"You can't mean that!" Yang looked incredulous, "Of course what you feel matters."
"That is a difference of opinion." Emerald shrugged. "Or as you like to say, Yang. Skill issue."
"Ugh. Why did I even bother trying to bring you into this conversation?" Yang growled as she facepalmed. "I thought you'd at least understand us."
Seethe and cope, Yang.
"At the very least, I won't betray your good intent and reveal to my master your thin conspiracy of forming a coalition against Miss Rider." Emerald shrugged. "So you may find solace in that."
Blake sighed as well, though for a different reason.
"So… you won't work with us? We're not just going to take this lightly. Jaune… we're not giving up on him like that."
"Why is it giving up to accept that my master is not mine and mine alone?" Emerald genuinely inquired. "Is it pride that holds you back?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yang scowled accusingly.
"As my master always says, Remnant is awful. Life for many is short and cruel. Some of us understand such better than others. Your parents understand that, Yang. They sought happiness and grasped it with all their strength. After all, my master has spoken of your original aband-"
"My mom DIDN'T abandon me!" Yang hissed furiously, her eyes flaring crimson. "You're my friend, Emerald, but you watch your mouth."
"...then despite their original marital issues, they've settled their differences and have come together harmoniously."
It didn't matter if Yang was unwilling to accept the hard truth. Emerald didn't blame her friend for it.
She was blessed with a happy family, but it hadn't been so perfect once. Before her Devil had made his merry way into their lives they'd been fragmented in a way that her friend hadn't quite forgotten. Yang would be happier if she could accept that her mothers too, were but mere humans, imperfect like anyone else.
"If you desire happiness, accept there is no perfect solution. Make one that you can be satisfied with using your own two hands. The two of you had agreed to a mutual understanding that no matter which one of you my master chose, you would walk away without hard feelings in desire of maintaining your friendship. But now you see that there might be a greater threat and you leap for alliances without even considering your strengths as friends. How embarrassing."
Blake began to redden in realization of Emerald's suggestion. Ah of course, the quiet one was always the more mature of the duo. Hmph. To think her master had even created a song in dedication to the two girls' closeness. For all that, especially considering the nature of her own parent's relationship, it was Yang that didn't understand her underlying message.
"The hell's that supposed to mean?" The blonde girl glared.
"I do not desire the need to bear the duty of having to spell out the obvious." Emerald sighed, turning to walk away and rejoin the others at the table. "Blake's clearly understood what I have meant, get it out of her."
She rejoined her master, reaching over to the pitcher of water to refill his cup as he chatted with Ruby about a few questions she had about engineering (for hobby, rather than for work or education, it seemed).
"Thanks, Em." He chirped with a smile, filling her heart.
"Of course, master." Emerald nodded, content. "I am your blade."
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