Keep you waiting, huh?

*high five*

Top of the morning to you guys, my name is Mugen no Tenma and welcome back to Game of The Wizard!

Wow, how long has it been since the last update? It's been goddamn months! I'm really sorry for the super late update, but life has been hard for me, and it takes a lot of effort to stay motivated everyday. I wish I could say more to apologize, but that would be me giving you lame excuses for being lazy. I believe you're here for the story, no? Then bear with me just for a bit.

Some people has been complaining for how wordy this story has become. I'm sorry, but these chapters, and this one, would be a turning point for this story. Complicated details are a given. Also, if any of you are sick of Jaune's sisters, I don't know what to say to you, but this chapter would contain a LOT of them. I daresay they will be MORE important to the story from now on. No, they won't override the canon character's importance, but they'll be very VITAL to the plot. I'm just gonna say it.

This chapter would be beta-ed, but I'm just so goddamn impatient that I uploaded before my beta finishes it. I'm sorry if the writing's a bit of a mess.

And shout-out for Xerzo LotCN and lord Rikudou. Thanks for talking to me and encouraging me in the process of making this chapter. You're good friends to have, and this chapter won't be possible without your supports. Again, thank you.

And now, this chapter has been beta-ed by Helping Hand. Thank you very much!

I guess that's all from me. Happy reading!

Chapter 26

Arc Part II: Family Issues

-Somewhere in Vale-

"Damn it!"

A young man was running away in a dark alley, his footsteps echoing in the silence of the night. He looked back behind him, and saw multiple figures in dark hooded robes tailing him. They seemed to chase him at their leisure, as if without worry that he would escape them, just like a cat that has cornered a rat.

And although they were chasing him at roughly the same pace as him, their footsteps didn't even make a single noise. The way they move, it's almost like a spectre. Like shadows... tangible shadows. The man increased his pace to get as much distance as possible from them, yet his efforts seemed to be futile.

"Why bother?" One figure spoke, their figure as large and robust as a boulder.

"It's pointless to try to escape." Another one added, a crooked man with long arms and legs.

"For you are already in our grasp." The last one was a feminine figure.

Their distorted and synchronized voice didn't even slow the man down, if anything he was now positive that they… whoever or whatever they are, they definitely don't have any good intentions for him. He saw his escape, a path to the main road of Vale… however, before he could slip past the exit, another figure in black robe blocked his way out.

This one has his right arm in a very noticeable wrap, and it was dirty and bloody. Whatever was inside that wrap that the figure was hiding, the man does not know, but just staring at it brought great uneasiness to him. It must be something nasty, definitely something he does not want to see in the middle of night.

"You are persistent, young man." The robed figure in front of him said flippantly, completely ignoring the fear on the man's face. "Don't resist, now. We don't want to use violence if possible. The Doctor won't like it if we bring in imperfect specimens…"

"W—what do you want?! Who are you?!" Panicking the man shouted, yet the black robe figures stayed unperturbed. "What do you want from me, you freaks?!"

"So many questions… so little time." The black robed female quipped as she approached the man. "Inferior beings like you can't keep your mouth shut, can you? Feeble humans."

The last sentence was filled with such a condescending tone and dismissal that the man quickly connected the dots in his head. Who else would speak of humans with such resentment? No doubt, it's them. They are definitely from that group—

"You're… you're from the White Fang?!"

"Ah, those dirty animals? 'fraid not! They are so below us!" The crooked figure chortled. "We absolutely have nothing to do with them, if you ask me! Haha!"

"W… what?"

"It's for your own good to not waste our time more than this." The figure with wrapped arm spoke calmly. "The Doctor is currently searching for our great leader—who was missing for two years now—so we don't want to waste his time experimenting with you cretins more than he needs to."

"Great leader? What are you talking about?"

"… say, have you heard of a man named Cang Long?" The feminine figure asked.

The man thinks about it for a moment. If he recalls correctly…

"You mean the leader of White Fang branch in Vale? The one that just recently led an attack to a Schnee Charity Concert?"

The black-robed figures didn't reply immediately. To the young man, he could make their expressions as distraught and confusion, as to why, he couldn't care less. He just wants to get away from them as soon as possible… slowly now…

"Why would he join those dirty animals?" the crooked one asked the others.

"He must have a reason for that." The figure with wrapped arm said. "It might be possible that he found some use to them that he saw it fit to pose as their leader for a certain amount of time."

"But it doesn't explain why he didn't contact us for two years." The feminine figure replied. "He just cut off all means of communication… he might have been compromised, or worse, deserted to their side."

"He could've been dead, for all we know, right?" The robust figure added. "… maybe someone very strong caught him off guard and killed him before he could alert us?"

"No, if he's dead, he couldn't possibly attack the concert or whatever it was, dunderhead!" the crooked one retorted hotly. "Stop thinking with your muscles! In fact, just leave the thinking to us!"

"Well, before he cut off all contacts, he did mention that he was hunting for 'a special person of interest' and he intended to keep their identity secret until he got his hands on them, just in case someone listened in." The feminine figure turned to the figure with wrapped arms. "Who do you think it was?"

"I have no idea. Regardless, Cang Long's here in Vale, but so far we got nothing about his whereabouts. Which means he's hiding for whatever reason." The wrapped armed one spoke calmly. "We have to find him, scan Vale thoroughly… but remember, there are some places that we have to tread carefully. The Signal Academy, The Hunters Association, The Headquarters of V.S.S, and… The Arc Residence. Leave the surveillances of those places to me. We can't risk being exposed to anyone right now."

"Understood." The other robed figures nodded in unison.

The young man slowly shifted around, trying to make his escape as stealthily as he could while the mysterious robed individuals were preoccupied with their talk… but alas.

"Where do you think you're going?"

A swift, precise blow to the back of his neck immediately knocked him down. As his consciousness starts to fade, he could see one of the black-robed figures slowly draw close.

"You've already know too much. You shall not escape. For we are the [Serpent's Hand]… soon, you will understand that…"

The feminine figure whispered in his ear as she lifted him like a sack of potatoes onto her shoulder.

"The Grimm is salvation. The Queen is eternal. The Mud is perfect harmony."

The man was on the verge of unconsciousness, but he swore he could see something bizarre as the robed figures slowly lifted their dark hood… Their pale mask, as white as bone. Their skin, so black it's humanly impossible… it's almost like they are—

…

… Grimm?

Then everything became dark.

-Arc Residence, The Basement-

Currently, I'm kinda excited and scared at the same time.

Led by my father, I walked down the spiral staircase to our family's basement, which didn't exactly provide sufficient lighting, making the atmosphere slightly spooky. I know for a fact there's nothing actually scary (my mother made sure my father never told me any scary stories) here, but still, this place gives me the creeps, for some reason. And now I realize I lived my daily life above this place all this time.

It has been years since my last time here… since the day I was given [Crocea Mors]. I didn't remember how that went exactly, but my father did some kind of ritual that involves a drop of blood to hand over the ownership of Crocea Mors from him to me, and his ownership of [Galatine].

Weird? Don't ask me, back then I was weirded out by that as well, okay? Also back then, I didn't know that using those fancy artifacts meant more than having a weapon to swing around. I didn't know we'll be bound to them spiritually, making us their wielders as well as their guardians. It's all a new experience.

And…

Loyalty of The White Sun

LV?

Saffron Arc

My father didn't say anything on our way there, not even cracking a single joke. His face was hard and uncharacteristically serious, his mouth kept shut in a thin line. I've only seen this grim expression of his just a few times in my life… the circumstances around them were completely serious. I kept quiet.

Both of us traverse the dim pathway to our family's basement in silence. When we arrived at the lowest level, our destination, I found someone already waiting for us in front of the entrance, giving me a nod and a tense smile as soon as we approached her. That someone was…

The Spear That Will Pierce The Heavens

LV?

Viridia Arc-Pendragon

"Mom?" I blurted out, honestly surprised. I didn't expect her to be here. "Why are you here?"

"I have to be here, Jaune." She said, as my father walks towards the locked door (which looks more like a small gate than a door) and pulls out a vial of blood. "Soon, you will be bestowed with the same great responsibility and knowledge as we both did in our past. It's only natural that I'm here to witness it and give you my own share of advice for the future."

"Oh, I see. That sounds… great."

I swallowed. That sounds awfully ominous. I'm fully aware that this is a big deal for our family, of course, but judging from her grim tone, I can't help but feel that there's more to this visit to the Basement than giving me the proper instructions to be the heir of the family. There must be something more…

My father poured a certain amount of the content of the vial he was holding, into a strange hole on the intricate door, and soon enough the door glowed a dim yellow. As my father backed away a little bit, the door opened fully and quietly. He looks back at us, gesturing at us to follow him.

"Brace yourself, Jaune." She put a supportive hand on my shoulder. "There will be a lot of important things to take in, and it's not going to be pretty to hear… the truth will always be cruel. But don't worry, I'm sure you can handle it easily."

Wow… no pressure at all…

I nodded as I walked beside my mother towards the gate-door. After passing through it, we had to walk just a little bit through a short hallway before we arrived in the vast, extravagant room where everything of our family's property were stored… well, at least the unused ones anyway. Nevertheless…

It has been years since the last time I've walked in, and it's still a breathtaking experience. Renowned weapons and items that held untold history and power were kept in a special glass case. There was … first, a pitch-black sword, labeled [Arondight], a shiny metallic longbow that somehow reminds me of a harp, labeled [Failnaught], a blue-hilted sword with blunt and squared end, labeled [Cortana], a black and silver cross-shield labeled [Evalach] ... and many more! They look so cool…

There were also empty cases, which labels are the names of my sisters' weapons… but there were also some names that I don't know about, like [Ira Lupus], [The Iron] and [Grim Reaper]... must be the weapons that my other family members had. My mother had sisters… but I haven't seen them in such a long time that I forgot what they look like.

Oh! And there's also one more missing weapon in the corner of the room, labeled—

"Jaune. You can look at and admire those weapons later. After tonight, you would be free to visit this room as much as you'd like…" My father decided to snap me out from my excited trance. "… but for now, you have to come with us. There is an artifact above those powerful weapons—that you have to see, as the heir of our Family. Come now, son."

There's even something more amazing than those awesome weapons? I'm totally on board to see it! I simply nodded and followed my parents wordlessly to the edge of the room, where one particular case stood. It stuck out from the others because it had a layer of steel concealing what's inside. As I shot a curious glance at it, my father stepped aside to give my mother space.

"As you know, Jaune… I was from the Pendragon Family." My mother explained. "As in, the bloodline of King Arthur himself. My family had no male heir to continue the generation since my father passed away before it could happen. And my sisters don't want to get married for some reason, so it all came to me to preserve our family's honor. There were many suitors competing to take my hand in marriage, for political and other reasons, but my mother deemed them all unworthy. Well… except for one person."

Smiling in nostalgia, she threw a not-so-subtle glance to my father—who chuckled either awkwardly or proudly, I don't really know—before looking back to me. She then continued, as if there was no pause.

"Coming from an equally-renowned family, my mother asked Saffron to let me keep my family name, and he complied—that is why my name is Viridia Arc-Pendragon. In fact, you and all your sisters have that name in your birthrights. You are free to use that name in the public, if you want to. I don't really recommend it, but if you want to guarantee someone's life using our family name, you can."

Oh, really? I didn't know that. My father was supposed to tell me that, right? I think so, from how my father shifts nervously around… did he just forget something that crucial? What was even in his mind? Well, maybe it was his missions, they could be very taxing to the mind and body. Maybe… ah, I shouldn't assume things. Not when I don't know anything about it. I'm not going smartass on this one.

My mother cleared her throat with a dignified cough.

"Uhm. Back to the matter at hand… the Pendragon Family has many treasures, a number of them were the equipment of the Knights of The Round Table as you can see around here." She gestured to the glass cases around us. "But the most precious and priceless treasure of my family is this. Take a look, Jaune."

She touched the steel-layered display case lightly, and as if responding to her touch, the steel layer slid down slowly, revealing what was inside.

I held my breath in awe as I laid my eyes onto it. It was a luxurious piece of equipment, a sword sheath made of gold and decorated with blue enamel that seems more like a royal treasure to show dignity and nobility, like a crown or royal scepter, rather than a weapon to be used in battle. To say it was beautiful would be insulting to it. It was genuinely not an exaggeration. I can't really put it into words, but…

Sha Naqba Imuru.

Avalon: The Everdistant Utopia

Rank : Artifact

Grade : EX

The hallowed scabbard of [Excalibur], the embodiment of the ideal utopia King Arthur seeks. Made by an [Divine Mystery] known only to fairies, It bequeathed to King Arthur limited immortality through constant regeneration, as well as preventing physical deterioration caused by aging.

Special Effects: To those with [Pendragon] blood it prevents death from blood loss and triples the rate Aura heals, when connected to King Arthur it makes the rate Aura heal to five times instead of three.

Limits: It only grants its full power to King Arthur, effects are also limited because of ?

Additional Information: It can also be used in [Summoning].

Well.

So far, [Sha Naqba Imuru] doesn't seem that different than its predecessor, [Observe]. I'd ask Veritas what was actually the difference between those two skills, but he didn't respond to my call or question in any way, so I will accept what I have now and ask it when he's finally available. I wonder why…

"Avalon. The legendary scabbard of King Arthur. After his sword disappeared without a trace along with the king himself, this was one of many things that remained from his battle on the hill of Camlann, and our family managed to keep ahold on it for such a long time. Only someone with the blood of Pendragon can use its power to a limited degree, but I've heard that even it pales in comparison to what extent King Arthur himself can use."

… that means only my mother, her sisters, me, and my sisters can use it. My father can't use it, since he was not a Pendragon. Well, that makes total sense actually.

"Anyway, it's yours now. As you now have the knowledge of Avalon existing—you are now officially the heir of the Arc-Pendragon Family. Congratulations, Jaune." My mother smiles at me, patting my head affectionately. "From now on, I'll entrust it to you… please use it wisely. We're counting on you."

I walked up to the display and touched the glass. "Can I bring it with me whenever I'm going outside?"

"Well—that's up to you. You have the right to do whatever you wish to do with it." My mother said. "But personally, I wouldn't show it off blatantly to the eyes of public. It is a precious family artifact, and if someone steals it for nefarious and selfish reasons… that's going to greatly tarnish our family name. If you do really need to bring it with you, please be very, very careful."

Well… that goes without saying. I can just store it in my Inventory, it's completely safe inside. So far, no one can steal anything that I've stored there. Right, Veritas?

'…'

Oh yeah, he's still won't answer me. I'm starting to worry here.

"I understand." I nodded.

"Good boy." My mother patted my head again. "Now, to move on to the next topic…"

I tilted my head in curiosity. Are there still more important things to tell me? The bombs just keep dropping.

"It's about your sisters, Jaune." My mother looked at me seriously. "It's about Noire and Verte. It's finally time to tell you about what happened to them four years ago."

"… four years ago… you mean…"

"Yes, Jaune. You were there with them, but according to the medical reports, you didn't remember what exactly happened due to excessive trauma… however, that's not what we're going to talk about. It was…" My mother paused, and her expression looked grim for a moment, biting her lower lips and narrowed her eyes. "It was about the being that turned them into what they are now. It was about the abomination that had drastically changed them, both physically and mentally."

It was—

"… was it the Grimm that they fought that day?" I asked.

I vaguely remember that. Not much, but there was a really scary and powerful Grimm that day. Oddly, I can't remember exactly what it looks like. Is that Grimm the one that turned my sisters into… whatever they are now? I know they're still my sisters, but they certainly changed from what they used to be.

"It would be so much simpler if it was just a Grimm." My mother sighed. "… but according to Verte, that Grimm is simply there to run interference, to prevent you and your sisters from leaving the area and thus vulnerable to the real threat, the one that gave it orders. It was called… [The Mud]."

What the hell is that?

"It was the primordial substance of which the Creatures of Grimm themselves were born from… it used to be called [Sea of Life], despite it was anything but. Outside of producing The Grimm that we know today, the substance is one that corrupts any life form it touches. It pollutes and remakes any organisms that as much as stepping into it into an [Alter], something of inhuman nature. Their bodies are of cursed flesh."

I can only stare at my mother in complete shock. And keep listening.

"You see… the corrupted organisms are tainted by the [Evil] that lurks inside The Mud. The corrupted organisms' personality changes toward the orientation of evil. They have been incarnated by the power of The Mud, making them more attuned to the darkness. Their fighting abilities and their destructive power in every way possible will be increased significantly, but at the same time, they lose the subconscious restraint of human mind… in layman's terms, they will become unhinged."

I felt a chill over my spine. The Mud. So it was the thing that turned Noire and Verte into something very different than what they used to be?

"So, you're telling me…" I spoke slowly. "Noire and Verte were affected by this 'Mud', and that's why they've been acting weird and crazy all this time?"

"Yes." My mother gave me a certain nod.

"Are they still… you know, human?"

"Technically, they still are. That's why we called something like them [Alter], they are still human in nature, just physically altered by The Mud... however bizarre they are." My mother said. "And that is not all. The Evil of The Mud still lurks inside them, waiting to take them over completely. And if they happen to lose control… they would turn into a full-blown, mindless Creature of Grimm."

I can't believe it. I know that the incident was definitely not anything normal, but to this extent? And why did they have to wait four years before telling me? I mean, turned into a Grimm is definitely something to be avoided, so it should be natural that people would tell me about this earlier. I don't understand…

"However, Jaune. I must ask you this." My mother grabs me on my shoulders, looking dead serious. "Do not treat them differently from your other sisters, do not treat them as something inhuman, and do not treat them as something different from their former selves. Please… Jaune. They are my daughters, your sisters… they are our family. You don't want something really bad happen to them, right?"

My mother's emerald eyes were glassy. Her hands on my shoulders were shaking. It seemed like she was on the verge of tears…

"I don't want to put them down. Please… don't do anything foolish to set them off…"

"I understand, Mom. I'll make sure they won't die." I replied after a few seconds passed, removing her hands from my shoulders gently. "Although… to be honest, I didn't feel bothered about them in the slightest, and even after you told me this... I don't feel much different."

"R—really?" My mother blinked, clearly not expecting that.

"Yeah, they're still my sisters no matter what." I smiled. "So you don't have to worry about anything."

Putting aside some instances of Noire's (literal) explosive anger and Verte's ignorance of personal spaces, I have no problem with them. Well, almost. There's one such instance where their actions terrified me, still fresh in my mind due to it happening not too long ago… you know the one, it was… with Verte.

The one where she assaulted me sexually. I know, I was half-conscious when it happened, thus it was partially my own fault for giving her the green light… but her eyes have something else behind them, something more than my second eldest sister had stared into my own eyes that night. The lights of her eyes, something about it was really off. It was definitely the [Evil] that my mother just told me.

I definitely have to do something about that. I'll talk to her later.

"Thank you, Jaune." My mother wiped her eye, and let out a relieved sigh. "I know I can count on you."

If I were you, I won't be that confident entrusting this secret to me… still, I'm gonna try my best.

"Still, it was a miracle that The Mud didn't get you despite you being in the same area as your sisters. They must've done their best protecting you." My mother smiled sadly, and proudly. "You didn't even get a single scratch from that incident, somehow... Well, make sure you thank them properly for that."

"Of course, Mom." I nodded. "I'll let them know how I appreciate what they've done for me."

This is gonna be a lot to take in. Between Avalon and The Mud, I think I'm gonna need some time digesting all this information. Since Veritas wasn't responding to my questions or calls, I only have myself to mull over all the things that I've heard, and for that, I need some time alone. Well…

"Well, is that all you guys want to tell me?" I stepped back, after a moment of silence. "If that's all, why don't we head bac—"

"No, Jaune. We're still not done here."

After spending some time being completely silent, my father suddenly spoke out. This time, my mother steps aside to give my father space … and just like me, she was giving a concerned glance at his hard and stern expression. This is definitely not a normal occasion, for him to act like this was very weird.

"One more thing. We've been telling you important things that would be vital for the future of our family, and this will be the last, but not least… no." My father shook his head. "… I think this will be the most important thing we tell you tonight. Please listen carefully."

The weight and serious tone of his voice makes me swallow nervously as I stare into my father's eyes. Those blue eyes are blazing like the surface of the sun…! Is it just me, or the surrounding area just became literally hotter than moments before? … well, I think it's better to just let him talk.

I gave him a quick nod.

"Well, Jaune… have you ever wondered why your sisters were so friendly to you?"

… what kind of question is that?

"Isn't that how siblings are supposed to act towards each other? I mean, that's how anyone should be acting , right?"

I asked back. Indeed, they sometimes—which means very often—can get too comfortable with me (and by no means I don't like it), but that should be still normal, right? I mean, I have never seen any other sibling relationships besides me and my sisters, so I think it's pretty normal for siblings to act that way towards each other. At least I think so. Am I wrong to assume so?

"Indeed, being friendly to your family isn't wrong at all. On the contrary, I'll always encourage you to do so." My father smiled a bit but then became serious again. "… but have you ever wondered why sometimes they go too far? Too much skinship, or perhaps… something more?"

Are you implying something with that—

"I—"

"Verte told us what happened nights before, between you and her." My mother suddenly interjected. "Details aside… you don't think that you should have that kind of relationship with your sister, do you?"

WHAAAT?! She told them… she TOLD them?!

"Uh, I can explain…!"

… no, actually, I cannot. I can't think of any reason on how to explain why I had sex with my sister in the middle of a night, in a dark and empty street… however weird my sisters were, I don't think we're supposed to do that. I was going to keep this secret problem until I know how to solve it, but—

"Rest assured, Jaune. We're not here to chide you for your actions." My father said as he sighed. "In fact, we're here to tell you the exact reason why you and your sister did such… thing. It was not simply a whimsical decision that made you two… do what you did. It was something more… it's in our blood."

Whatever that supposed to mean?

"Now, Jaune… I will you tell you the secret of our family… The Curse of Arc Family."

I just stood there, unsure how to react to that. I don't even know how stupid I look in front of my parents. Fortunately, my father saw it fit to continue talking without needing my reply.

"In the midst of The Great War almost one century ago, one of the war generals of Vale, Julius Arc, came across a clan that specializes in [Curse], The Taira Clan of Mistral and he quickly realized that the clan poses a great threat to Vale... no, anyone in general. So, after considering the pros and cons, he killed them all, as painlessly as he could. That should be it, he thought, it was for the greater good after all…"

My father took a deep breath and sighed.

"However, in their last breath, the Taira Clan gives a deadly curse to him. Not just an ordinary curse. It was a curse that targets HIS bloodline, the bloodline of Arc. The curse of that they would fall in love to their own flesh and blood. A curse that forces its bearers to resort to inbreeding."

That sounds ridiculous! Why would they give that kind of curse—

"The males would still capable of feeling love outside their family, but the females had it worse. For some reason, they would only be attracted to the male members of the family. Left unchecked, this would certainly cause genetic degeneration for few generations ahead, and their family would eventually fall."

Damn… I didn't think it was this serious. Granted, I know it's going to be important but I didn't know it would be this serious. I mean, really?

"Then, fast forward to the next few decades… Saffron Arc had three sisters. They loved him and he loved them." My mother spoke again, after some silence. Just as before, my father smiled a bit at those words before his expression turned grim. "But in the end he chose another woman… me, to be his one true love, and rejected their feelings. Very harshly I must say. Their reactions afterwards are not so… pretty."

…What is the result? I'm afraid to hear it, but I'm also curious…

"Due to her broken heart, one of them—Azure—threw herself to a rampaging horde of Grimm. Her body… or what remained of it, was then discovered and then sent to our family. Saffron was the one to receive the delivery…" My mother bit her lips. My father didn't say or do anything, he simply stood there.

His eyes are so… empty. Oh my god. That is… that is so horrible!

"Then, the next—Olivia—went insane, paralyzed Saffron with her Semblance, brought him to an isolated location, and made him watch as she commit suicide in front of him… and he had to watch her body rot for one day until we could locate him. It left him scarred for life…"

No… no more…

"And the last one, Carnelia, ran away to the Grimm Continent, never to be seen again. She was presumed dead, her body missing along with her Artifact. No one dares to issue a search to that forbidden land... and we certainly can't risk losing more of our family, so we couldn't do anything…"

Stop it. Stop it.

As I reached out to him with Nous Anima, I felt great sadness, regret, and distraught from my father. I couldn't exactly describe how overwhelming it was, but it was enough to affect my own emotions. He tried his very best not to shed a tear, and so do I. It takes so much effort to keep my mind clear without Veritas' help. It just hurts… so much.

"Saffron has great regrets till this day. One of the reasons why we spent too much time outside the Kingdoms was to find a way to cure the cursed bloodline of Arc... But we found nothing of the sort." Without breaking eye contact with me, she hugged my father, who almost didn't react to it. "We searched and searched, but it was in vain. We couldn't break the curse no matter what… and…"

"… and so, as we had our first and only son… you, Jaune… he made a promise to himself to tell his son about this fact, before it's too late." My mother said as she patted my father's head quite lovingly, still looking straight at me. "So, Jaune… would you reject your sisters as well? Or would you accept them?"

I widened my eyes.

"… it is now up to you. It is your choice."

-Four Years Ago-

It was raining that day.

The sky was red. There was a strange darkness in the center of it, pouring down like a black waterfall.

But, more importantly, I can smell it. The strong scent of steel in the air. Blood.

There was a body on top of me, wrapping me in a protective embrace.

It was still warm. Breathing weakly.

Still alive. Still alive. Still alive.

I know whose body it was. Thank god.

"Sis…"

The body stirred, roused by my voice.

"Are you alright… Jaune?"

"Of course! H—how about you?!"

And a soft hand brushed my cheek gently.

"It's okay, Jaune. I won't die…"

Then a familiar, comforting smile. One that as radiant as ever, yet looking completely different.

I wonder why.

"I'm… I'm not going to leave you. Never…"

She collapses, although she was still holding onto me. I reached out to put my hands around her body, only to discover that…

She was losing so much blood. Huge spikes stabbed into her back. Her breath becomes faint, and her pulse was getting weaker…

Anything I could do for her right now won't amount to anything to help her. I can't do anything except waiting for any help to come save us.

I stared blankly at the blood-red sky. Then I realize.

I've been saved… again.

…

I was useless.

I was weak.

I was a total failure.

An unfamiliar sensation of warmth enveloped my soul as I returned to the waking world, before it vanished just as quickly as it appeared. I don't know what it was. I've never felt that kind of feeling before.

What a dream that was. No, I don't think it was just a dream. It was a… memory I've forgotten. A bitter memory, a recollection of the past that I prefer not to recall. A grim reminder that I was weak and helpless, someone that needed to be saved so many times and was a total deadweight to everyone.

…

To this day, I have always hated myself for not having enough strength to protect anything. That is why—

"… une. Jaune. Wake up…"

A voice called me out softly, breaking me out from my thoughts. I recognized this voice.

"Please wake up, Brother. It's now 7 AM, I've brought your breakfast for you."

Despite the soothing, gentle voice, I feel the urge to not wake up. I tightened my blanket in response.

"… Jaune… this is my last warning… don't make me do this to you."

I feel compelled to not give in to the voice's demands for some reason, so I stayed still.

"Okay, you asked for it."

A moment later, I felt something on top of me. I opened my eyes immediately, only to see Noire sitting on top of my abdomen, with the flimsy outfit she wore last night. Her warm body, her soft skin, her distinct scent… those are truly deadly combinations… and what is that sultry expression on her face?

"Good morning, Jaune." She smiled.

"… good morning, Sis." I chuckle sheepishly. "What a sight for sore eyes…"

"I know, right? I figured that youneed something like this to wake up in the morning. It turns out I was right…" She nodded proudly, smirking slightly at me. "I suppose I should've done this sooner... then again, this is the kind of thing only a girlfriend would do to her mate… hmm, what do you think of this, Jaune?"

… what is she doing? Why is she now rubbing herself against me so sensually like this…

No, nevermind. I actually know why. Yes, I remember what my father told me last night, and it kept me up for several hours… honestly, it was a very hard pill to swallow, and I still haven't wrapped my mind around it… but after thinking about my sister's actions so far, I cannot help but believe it. It suddenly makes sense. It was not another bad joke of my father, no matter how absurd it is. It was the truth.

My sisters literally can't fall in love with anyone except me, their own brother. Not just Noire, but… all of them. Why couldn't I realize this sooner? That really baffles me. As I said before, it might be because I've never seen a brother-sister relationship aside from myself and my sisters, so I simply assumed that their clingy and over-protective behavior towards me was normal. At least until Verte happened recently… I still remember it vividly…

And then Noire almost happened last night... if it wasn't for my father, I'd have ended up doing the same thing that I did with Verte. That couldn't be normal. There must be something wrong with them, aside from some unknown force influencing both of them from the inside. What I'm saying is…

I mean, normal siblings don't fuck each other, right? Right, of course. What am I thinking? I thought it was merely because of the side effects of exchanging Aura that we went very overboard that night, a very fortuna—I mean, unfortunate accident… but it turns out there was something deeper than that.

The curse that has been in the blood of our family for so mary generations ever since our great-great grandfather, Julius Arc… a very terrible curse that would end up ruining the future of our family if left unchecked, by allowing genetic defects to spread in our offsprings with inbreeding. My father, not wanting to destroy our family, thought it was wise to do what he did, rejecting the curse in an attempt to stop it… but it didn't end as well as he thought. Turns out I had three aunts that I would never get to meet, never.

Maybe he was correct to do so. But just because he was correct doesn't mean he's right.

So, would I do the same as him? The answer is obviously easy, I will never do what he did. I will never let my sisters die because some morals prevent me to make them happy. I will go along with their wishes, I will do anything to keep them alive… until I eventually find a way to get rid of the Curse of Arc Family.

When I actually managed to do that, would they leave me alone? Logically, they would. They should.

They should be happy with someone else, not me. They deserved more than to be bound to someone like me. After I free them from the curse, they would be free to seek someone else. Not that I don't want to be with them… but I want them to be genuinely happy, not because of some curse.

I love them so much. It is perfectly okay for me to suffer alone if they can be truly happy.

It is the least I can do to pay them back for their kindness, all this time… protecting me, standing up by me, keeping me company, loving me… I know no matter what I do, I can never do enough for pay them back. But still… I want to do this, I'm not going to fail this one! I might be a failure, but not this time.

I swear to Oum… I won't let them die or be under the influence of some curse all their life. As for now… I will respect them, make them happy and keep them safe. I am settled for that. Nothing and no one can change my decision. Until that time comes… please, God, I just want to be with them. That is all I ask.

"… Jaune? Jaune?"

I spaced out. I'm overthinking again…

"Ah, sorry, Sis. I didn't mean to ignore you." I inhaled slowly. "I'm just thinking about some things…"

"Are you alright…?" She asks, concerned.

"I'm fine. Anyways, to answer your question earlier… I think it's really nice. I… like it." I say with a smile, enjoying the warmth of my eldest sister's body on top of mine. "If you can do this every morning you're here, that would be great…"

I have no doubts. I have no regrets. This is the only path that I will take.

"… oh?" Noire's eyes widened, her composure slowly breaking down. "Are you—are you serious?"

Yes, I have decided. I think I will have to let myself lose… I'm ready for anything she'd do to me.

"Yes, I am." I say with a wink. "In fact, if you have anything else to show me, you might as well do it…"

"… what brought this on? You're so accepting right now." Noire squinted her eyes, looking at me suspiciously. It's understandable, since it was complete opposite from what I did last night. "I mean, you were much more… apprehensive last night. Did something happen, Jaune? You're not drunk or anything, right?"

I scratched the back of my head, a gesture unique to Arc males when they feel painfully awkward.

"No, nothing of that sort. I'm fully sober. It's just… well, nothing much, but something finally opened my eyes." I closed my eyes and breathed in serenely. I'm trying to be calm about this. Gamer's Mind isn't working properly since last night. "Last night… I've just realized something that I should have realized long ago. Sis, I've been in touch with my feelings… and I've finally decided on something."

Surprisingly, Noire got off my body immediately, giving me more freedom to get up and sit cross-legged on my bed, while she was content to just sit in front of me with her knees to the side, one hand rests on top of her thigh and the other hand on the bed to support herself. She looks… she looks oddly flirty.

"Ahh… your… your feelings?"

Noire suddenly looked deeply into my eyes. Her expression is gentle and curious, as if she was searching for something. Her cheeks were tinted by a luminescent blush and I could feel her intense anticipation for what I had to say, but she refrained herself from doing or saying anything that would interrupt me.

And she was tilting her head slightly to the side, like… like a puppy, trying to figure out what's going on. Damn it… how could someone be accidentally so cute? This is not the first time she has looked like this, by the way. She's always behave like this if I have something serious to say to her and she wants to listen in.

"Yeah… this might sound weird and all, but…"

"… yes?" Noire was looking at me expectantly. This is making me slightly nervous… "I'm listening, Jaune."

Please note that I haven't the slightest clue on how to treat a woman who likes me romantically, more so if said woman was my sister. I'm not really a smooth talker like the playboy stereotypes I saw in movies and… some books. I'm just a dorky little boy, remember? Most people would call me dense, like Hetero always does. I don't know what other people would do in my shoes…

Well if that so, I will do it in my own way. I will simply be myself. No fake smiles, no fabricated emotions, no forced actions… I will do what I want to do. I really hope I can do that for my sisters, being genuine and all that. How to say that without sounding too unnatural, though? Ah, let's just wing it…

"I want to spend more time with you guys. All of you." I spoke, sincerely hoping that what I just said wouldn't sound weird. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but I… I want to appreciate you guys more. You've been helping me all this time… it won't be fair if I don't do anything in return."

A silence. Noire looked at me with slightly widened eyes, and then her expression softened.

"Jaune, we're family." Noire reached for my shoulders, and there is her usual gentle smile. "… do you know why we helped you even though you didn't give anything in return, hm?"

My breath caught in my throat as I silently admire her gentle expression. I love her smile. It never fails to inspire warmth in my heart. It always worked whenever I was down on my own and needed some encouragement. I shook my head as my answer, waiting for her to explain it to me.

"Because, family don't help each other because they want to be paid back, Jaune. We didn't help you because we wanted something in return. Ah…" With a blush on her face she bit her lip, briefly looking to the side before looking back straight into my eyes. "…It doesn't matter whether you pay us back or not. Family won't abandon each other. I—we did it because we love you."

Love. That's all this is about, right? Unconditional love, familial love, romantic love…

Ah… they say it makes the world go round. But does it really? Does it always make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside? Or does it sometimes cause us problems in life? I'm not actually well-versed in this kind of thing—everyone should know that, I'm a total dunce—but I think the answer is both.

It causes us problems that undoubtedly would make our life difficult… but, at the same time, it would make us feel alive. Complete. With that being said… how am I going to respond to that? This is a very important moment for us. If I have to be honest, (and I actually want to be honest this time!), I will say…

"I love you too, Sis." I spoke earnestly, and bluntly.

"AH?!" Noire yelped, her hands covering her mouth immediately. "S… s… sudden confession?! I'm—I'm not ready for this! My heart's not ready…"

You just had to make it sound weirder than it already was, typical Sis… but yeah, I already made up my mind. I will dedicate my time and effort to my sisters, and save them… whatever it takes.

"Ah… oh, no…"

My attention was suddenly taken away by the droplets of tears running down Noire's face. Without thinking, I realize that I have moved closer to her. My concern for her has completely overridden the little voice of logic inside my head, the one that was saying approaching her right now might not be a good idea.

"What's the matter, Sis?" I asked her. "Did I—did I upset you? Did I say something wrong?"

Why is she even crying? I don't even want to use Nous Anima to sense her emotions, I just want her to tell me herself. I know it sounds like hypocrisy after scanning countless emotions from other people without their consent, but just this time I simply don't feel like breaching her privacy. I just… don't.

"No, no… this is nothing… I just got something on my eyes, all of a sudden!" Noire said, trying to wipe her tears with her hand but fails because more of it just rolls down her cheeks. "R—really! I'm fine!"

"It doesn't seem like it!" I insisted, staring at her without blinking. "If it's something I said—"

"No… don't worry about it… jeez…" Noire smiled reassuringly, probably trying to tell me that nothing's wrong. But she can't convince me with those teary eyes. "Jaune… you really are a child… you've never changed, always so worried with unimportant things—"

She stopped talking as I reached out and gently wiped her tears away with my hands. I could tell that she was left speechless with that action, with her wide eyes and slightly agape mouth. Honestly, I was surprised as well, it felt like my hands just moved on their own. I don't know why…

I looked at her vibrant yellow eyes. Without resorting to any kind of power, I could tell she was breaking inside. I just knew. I knew Noire Arc the most of all my siblings. My eldest sister, always busy doting and caring for me back then… always smiling and holding my hand, reassuring me that everything will be alright. If I cried, she would immediately comfort me and hug me, without asking what was wrong.

It's okay, Jaune! Let Big Sis comfort you… there, there…

A gentle voice from the past echoed in my head, making me smile before I could stop myself.

I never told her any of the things that made me cry out of embarrassment, but she never pressed me for an answer anyway. She always just smiled, warmly and brightly holding my hand. She was always there for me, no matter what. So, with a snap, I realized… now is my turn to comfort her. Whatever my sister's problem right now, I will try to relieve it, even if it's just for a bit…

"It's alright, Sis. Everything's gonna be okay. If anything happens…"

I pulled her into a hug, eliciting a small yelp of surprise from her. After making sure that she's grasped the situation enough to not be startled, I pulled her closer, pressing her body against mine. I can feel her body warmth, and I can faintly feel her heartbeat slowly increasing in intensity... or was that my heart?

What is this feeling of resonation inside my heart? It feels like we're… connected. And most importantly, I don't know why I'm still perfectly calm. Gamer's Mind still won't work properly for me, so this state of mind is… natural. Maybe this is because… I already accepted her in my heart. I don't really know.

"I'll protect you no matter what, Noire." I continued, whispering in her ear softly. "Don't worry."

I realized the absurdity of what I just said, of course, the weakest of all the siblings in the Arc Family, saying that he would protect the strongest of them? Normally, I would say that it was a bad joke, but this time, I'm actually serious. I will be strong enough to protect her… and all my family. I have to. I want to.

"S, stuff like this is bad for me…" Noire whispered back, a bit frantic. "I'm… I'm getting excited… but…"

She hugs me back, wrapping her arms around my waist. In response, I simply hugged her tighter. She doesn't let go. I don't want to either. She gently rubbed the back of my head as we embraced each other, filling me with a warm sensation that had nothing to do with our body temperatures. This is… nice.

"Thank you, my brother." She said simply. "… I love you. I love you so much."

I would be content to stay with her like this for a while, but now that I know her actual feelings towards me, something else must be done. I am prepared for that… but still, is this what she really wants? With me? Maybe I was just nervous, doing this with both party's consent is a new thing for me…

Whatever. I have decided. I'm not going to take back my words, because that is my—oh, she lets go of me. Maybe she needs more time to prepare?

"… Sis?"

I felt a chill over my spine. Suddenly, her presence turned into something completely different. It's dark, repulsive and terrifying. My instinct tells me that this time, undoubtedly… something's wrong with my sister. Really really wrong.

"A—Ahh…"

Noire was breathing heavily.

"I…"

Her hands reached out to me for a second time. I sensed something wrong as they twitched in unnatural ways.

"I can't…" She drawled in a weirdly arousing voice. "Jaune…"

Suddenly, Noire forcefully pushes my body and presses me down with her own. I get knocked over, just like that.

"… Sis?"

Ah shit, here we go again.

"Jaune…"

And just as suddenly, the lights in the room start to dim and flicker off. Darkness dominates the room. Is this what I think it is? If I was right, then I should—

"My heart… haa…" Noire was still breathing heavily, her eyes dead set on mine. "My heart won't stop pounding… haa… Jaune… I can't… calm down. Haa… I can't focus on anything anymore…!"

There it is. The unnatural darkness began to fill the whites in her eyes. It was coming. I knew it. The thing that happened four years ago in Mistral… the thing that affected Noire and Verte, this must be the one that's changed them, both in appearance and personality. I have to figure it out now, or else!

Sha Naqba Imuru.

In my mind, I spoke the skill's name that has replaced Observe and its functions and pray that it would be able to determine what was actually wrong with Noire.

True Name: Noire Viridia Arc-Pendragon

Race: Human (Altered)

Affinity: Flame, Darkness

Affiliation: The Arc Family

Occupation: The Grimm Studies Teacher, Haven Academy

Height: 165cm

Weight: 44kg

Place of Origin: Vale

Likes: Jaune Arc, The Arc Family, Getting under one's skin, Summer Rose

Dislikes: Saviors with Questionable Methods, Unworthy Hussies, Annoying Pests

Talents: Doting, Teaching, Housework

Fighting Style: Close to Mid-Range, Swordsmanship, Brawler

Aura Color: Dull Purple

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Natural Enemy: Hetero Chrome

Those can be understood, despite some… questionable information listed there. They are undoubtedly very important, but I can go over them when I got the time. However, the next one is just…

Description:

A rotating World. Turning. Pulsating. Niddhogr. Linear Midgard. Falling heavens. Seven demonic spears. A lonesome witch opening a portal to another realm. A thin rope tied to a thick rope. A torn innocence. Diabolic existence. Devouring Yggdrasil. Time controlled by hesitating clockworks. Overthrow The Brothers. Swimming with open water in all directions. Drowning in the Void. A prayer written in blood. A prayer written in time-devouring snakes with human eyes. A thread connecting the Mind, the Body, the Soul. A kaleidoscope of demonic spears. Exponential Silver Orbs. A heaven of shattered moon. The Third Eye. A World rotating in six dimensions. Forty gears and a ticking clock. A clockwork filled with lies and secrets. Angra Mainyu. A body impaled with cursed spears tied to the existence of a lonesome witch in another realm. Verg Avesta. A kaleidoscope of blood written in clocks and numbers. A time-devouring prayer connecting a sky of forty gears and opening the Mind, Body, and Soul in all directions. Breathing Midgard. Breathing Niddhogr. Breathing witch. Breathing portal. Breathing snakes. Breathing Brothers. Breathing blood. Breathing demonic spears. Breathing Eyes. Breathing time. Breathing prayer. Breathing heavens. Breathing World.

… what the actual hell is this?

Granted, this description is much more readable than the last one, but I cannot understand what those words mean at all. Those are just absurd. The names written on it—whatever they actually mean—are unfamiliar to me, and the sentences sound more like total nonsense than anything comprehensible. They are just word salads. I just don't get it… but it's a sign that something IS really wrong with Noire.

I tried asking Veritas, but…

'…'

Deep in my mind, I can faintly hear him humming, like someone thinking over something he don't understand, but he didn't actually reply to me. No sarcastic statements, no backhanded compliments, no vague hints, no helpful advices… just nothing. Is he still ignoring me right now?

"JaUnE… jAuNe… lOoK aT Me…!"

I felt another chill down my spine. My attention suddenly focused back to Noire. I ignored her again. I didn't really mean to, but I just… damn it, that was a mistake…!

"Heeheehee…. Can you… haa… feel it, Jaune?"

She suddenly presses my hand against her chest. I can feel it, the dangerously furious beats of her heart. She isn't joking. Normally, this would be an exciting experience, but I was too focused on her twitching eyes and face to feel anything else but fear and anxiety.

"This is really happening to me, Jaune…" She says while clutching my hand so it squeezes her chest a bit too hard. Her eyes widen maniacally. "Haa… I feel like I'm losing my mind… I can't make it stop… it makes me feel hot inside… yearning so deeply… I just want… to look… at you…"

Then she grabbed my collar and pulled me closer. She smiles, and it was not her usual gentle smile. It was crooked, baring her teeth. Combined with her wide and twitching eyes, it was so unnerving that at this point my spine felt frozen, more so when she starts to giggle uncontrollably.

"Heeheeheehee… haaah…"

In times like these, I have two options. Scream as loud as I could, alerting my parents and other sisters, they would come here to my aid… or I can let her have her way with me. The second option sounds promising, but I have to say that whatever is possessing her mind, it could be very dangerous to me.

Me dying doesn't sound impossible in this case. But if I never have the balls (pun intended) to confront this problem, I would and could never figure out what was wrong with Noire and Verte. I have to take the risks, whether it was actually dangerous or not, I don't really know… but I'm willing to try it out!

I will let her take me here. If I die here… please, remember me as the foolish man who—

CRUNCH!

That sudden noise made me and Noire jump away from each other. Any eeriness that had overwhelmed the room before immediately vanished. I felt disappointed and relieved at the same time. Then both of us immediately look around the room, and found the source.

At the same time, the light returned to the room without any fanfare, it just kind of flickers back to life. Is this the sign that I'm safe? But I'm still sensing that Noire hasn't quite returned to her normal self… she looks fairly normal now, but I will remain vigilant, just in case.

There was Bleu standing there hidden in a random corner of my room... wearing the same clothes that she always wears… but this one looks uncomfortably tight for her body. She was eating… some roasted peanuts, I think. She was making it deliberately loud.

"Bleu, how long have you been there?" I asked her.

"An hour." She did not move at all from her current spot.

"An hour?" Noire asked with a flat tone that is a bit out of character for her.

Damn it, why did we have to be interrupted when I don't want to be interrupted? Oh well… the moment's ruined anyway, might as well go along with it. I have to find a time and place where I can investigate everything about Noire with firsthand experience… later. I cannot rely on Veritas in this matter it seems.

"Are you serious?" I added, raising my eyebrows.

Bleu gave us a stare that practically told us that she had some kind of secret, one we don't know about. The look that she would definitely give everyone when she was about to do, and I quote her, 'a big brain move' or something like that. Bleu was certainly one of my quirkiest sisters…

"Jaune-Jaune and Sis Noire, I've mastered the ability of standing so incredibly still, that I become invisible to the eye." Still staring at us, she reached for another roasted peanut in the plastic bag and put it in her mouth, very slowly. "Watch closely... observe."

"… you're eating roasted peanuts." Noire said, her face literally expressionless. "I can see you."

"But… my movement…" Speaking slowly, Bleu repeated her eating motion, even much slower than before. And the crunching noise that followed when she ate the peanut was even louder. "…is so slow… that it's imperceptible."

"Mmm, no, dear sister." Noire shakes her head, still talking with a flat tone. "I can still see you."

"I'm… I'm sure I'm invisible." Bleu still tried to deny it.

"Hi, Bleu." I said, chuckling now.

"Damn it!"

I knew Bleu was joking. She frequently repeats the joke from her favourite comic book—what was the name of that book? Guardians of Universe? That particular 'invisibility' joke was based from one of the lovable characters—Xard The Destructor, if I recall correctly. I used to read that comic with her when I was little.

But, the important thing is—she doesn't know the situation between me and Noire right now. Well, I'm well aware that Bleu can't read the atmosphere in social interactions. She's even more socially awkward than me… I don't know if this is going to end up badly or not… that entirely depends on Noire's mood.

"Is she joking?" Noire asks me.

"Yeah, kinda." I nod, slightly grimacing.

"Oh, I see how it is."

Noire's eyes narrowed. I felt a strange, chilling sensation in the air. Uh-oh. Is she going to snap again?

"Speaking of which, Bleu." Noire gets off my bed, approaching my other sister with calm steps, stopping in front of Bleu. It looked like nothing was wrong, but for some reason I felt like something bad would happen at any moment. "… did you say that you've been there for one hour? You've been watching us from the beginning before cracking that joke on us?"

Whatever she saw on Noire's face, I can see Bleu shifting nervously. I, however, can't see anything from where I was sitting, so I could only assume that Noire was a bit upset for the unwanted interruption, which is understandable. I don't even need Nous Anima to know that.

However, I'm not letting my guard down… Noire's still acting strange…

"Um… yes?" Bleu said, glancing at me with a look that basically says 'help me, won't you?' but I don't think it's wise for me to interrupt this, for some reason. "Is—is there a problem with that?"

"Oh, there is no problem, sister dearest." From her tone, I could tell that Noire is smiling. However… "But next time, if something like this happens again, please be more observant of the situation before butting in so carelessly just like you did. I would appreciate it very much if you do... understand?"

Noire put a hand on Bleu's shoulder. That gesture is not threatening at all, but why do I feel danger?

"I—I understand, Sis." Bleu nodded hastily. "I'll try not to do something like that again… I, uh, promise."

Just what kind of face she's making to make Bleu feel uncomfortable like that?

"Good! Good, good, good, good, good…" Noire said, repeating the word rapidly as she patted Bleu's head, rather… feverishly. "… good, good, good, good, good… you're a good girl, Bleu."

Her attitude has suddenly taken a drastic turn. From a neutral expression, then mildly restrained anger, and finally, it comes to… this. I feel myself paling.

Yeah, that doesn't look strange at all. Bleu looks mildly uncomfortable, probably both because she doesn't really like being touched and Noire's uncharacteristic behavior. I slowly get off my bed as well, preparing myself to act just in case Noire snapped again. It never hurts to be careful.

Noire removes her hand from Bleu's shoulder and turns back to me, smiling. She's still patting Bleu's head a bit too affectionately. And that unsettling smile from before has returned. But before I could say anything to her, Bleu blurted out.

"Sis, you're acting strange."

I don't know if pointing out that Noire was acting out of ordinary was a wise thing to do, but yes, thank you for bluntly speaking your mind, Bleu. I approached them carefully, not wanting to trigger anything unwanted.

"Strange? No, no, no… this is normal… I'm normal, Bleu… everything's under control…" Noire drawled, pressing herself too close to Bleu. "What are you saying? Don't say things like that… I'd get upset, Bleu… and if I get upset, someone might get burned… so don't say things like that, Bleu… you don't want that, right my cute little sister? … hehehe…"

That's it. She's definitely got influenced by the thing inside her again. Maybe it didn't actually let her go in the first place, just waiting for a chance to resurface. Bleu looks at me with a mixture of horror and discomfort, prompting me to finally reach out to Noire's shoulder and shake her gently.

"Sis. Noire."

I don't know what I'm doing—I honestly just want her to snap her out of whatever kind of unnatural state she was in—but I felt some kind of odd warmth leaving my hand and into Noire, making her glow bright whitefor a few seconds. I… I never felt that sensation before. What was that, what did I—?

"… Jaune?"

Noire turns to me, owlishly blinking before collapsing... right into my arms. I caught her just in time.

"W—what… just… happened?"

What the hell did I just do? That was clearly not a skill I've ever had! No notifications popping up from The Gamer, either. That means it's not a skill that I already had. But that doesn't matter at the moment, I managed to free Noire from the influence of the Mud, or whatever that thing inside her. That should be good for now, right?

"Leave us, Bleu." I said sternly to my sixth sister. "Please tell Dad and Mom about this..."

"G—got it!"

Bleu wastes no time arguing with me and dashes out of my room like a blue flash. Sighing, I focus my attention back to Noire, who's still entirely leaning against me as to not fall to the floor. I held onto her carefully, since for some reason—she felt so fragile, it's as if she could break into pieces if I mishandled her. Her breathing was heavy and ragged, to the point I think some kind of steam was coming out as she exhaled.

"J… Jaune…" She moaned. "I'm sorry… I've lost control of myself… what… did I do…?"

"It's okay, Sis. Nothing bad happened." I said, more to reassure her than to state any facts. "You acted a bit weird earlier, but nothing to be upset about. Don't worry about it!"

She looks into my eyes, and I realized that our faces were so close, closer than when we hugged before. Even so, I maintained my composure and keep supporting her so that she doesn't fall to the floor.

"Jaune…" Tears started forming in the corner of her yellow eyes. "Now… that you've seen this ugly side of myself… you don't hate me now, do you?"

"No." I said immediately. "Why would I hate you? It's not your fault."

"It is. I… I should have controlled myself…" She said. "I got carried away and let my guard down… normally, it would never be able to take over me, but… I can't seem to overcome my weakness it seems."

"Sis, don't think about it for now. Just relax…"

She didn't seem to be listening. Once again, droplets of tears slowly fell down her cheeks.

"I'm just a freak." She said, her head hanging dejectedly.

"No, you're not!" I denied her words immediately. "You're my sister!"

"Yeah, right…" Noire chuckled mirthlessly. "…some sister I am, huh… a good-for-nothing sister… I guess it can't be helped, since I can't go back to how I was, it has been this way since that day…"

… is this about the Mud that my father told me about? I swallowed quietly. Is it really safe to touch such a risky topic in Noire's current state? I don't know, but if I don't say anything now, I feel like it's going to make the situation even worse. I have to speak up whether I want to or not.

"Are you talking about the incident four years ago?" I spoke clearly, taking the risk to ask the question I've been avoiding since my father told me about the Mud that changed my sisters both physically and mentally. "… the one that happened when you, Verte, and me went for a picnic in Mistral?"

I can feel her body tensing in my arms. I hope this isn't a bad sign…

"… do you finally remember what really happened to Verte and I that day?"

I mulled that question over for a few seconds. I decided to be honest.

"Not really… even now, I don't really remember what happened. Last thing I remember from that day… was that your back was protecting me before everything went dark. I couldn't even remember anything after that." I said with probably the most sincerity I could ever muster. "But I knew something bad happened to both of you, ... it was the Mud that turned you and Verte into your current states, right?"

"… so you know about it already…"

"I went to the Basement last night. I've studied enough to know what it could do." I say as I met Noire's eyes. We are so close to each other. I can feel her deep breath. "I knew it changed you two completely, for better and worse… it was definitely my fault. I know it to be true…"

A silence for a few seconds.

"What are you even talking about, Jaune? You're not making any sense." Noire asked, and suddenly her weak voice gained an ounce of strength. "We were the weak ones for letting that happen. We lost to that Grimm and lost the fight with temptation, to gain great powers for ourselves. It's all on us. You've done nothing wrong. Don't blame yourself."

She looks back at me. She didn't say anything and just stares.

"No… had I been strong enough to fight alongside you and not become a hindrance to you…" I cupped her face with one hand and caressed it gently. "… both of you probably would never have to go through all of this. That was because I was too weak."

She was looking at me with a strange look, it was either disapproving or angry—I've never seen her like that before, and for some reason, I felt afraid to look at her—and instead of doing something meaningful, I turned away from her. My grip on her loosened a bit.

I looked down at my hands. My hands that had failed to help my sisters that day. I do remember some things from that day, some things that aren't really important for either of them, I'm certain… but I remember reaching out to their wide backs, helpless to do anything but ask them not to go…

And in the end, I was saved again. I was afraid that both of them would give up their lives to protect me. I don't want that to happen, ever. I don't want to lose them. If I lost them back then… I would never be able to forgive myself. I would forever be haunted by my powerlessness to help them, that I'm certain of.

But—

"No, Jaune. It's not your fault…" She croaks. "It's mine…"

I turned back to her, and would have retorted to deny her words... but those words died away on my lips as even more tears fell down her cheeks and she sobbed. I was speechless. One or two tears are not really weird for Noire, as I've seen her do that before… but this. She was really crying. Openly crying.

For me, Noire was the epitome of dependability and fortitude. It was always like that back then, so now when she becomes vulnerable and helpless like this… I don't know what to do or say. Hence why, I simply listened as she bared her heart and feelings.

"I—was too weak to protect both you and Verte, and this—this was the result. And… I…" Noire wrapped her arms around her own body, hugging herself with a vulnerable expression on her face that I've never seen before. "I… was changed into some ugly, weak, and useless creature… actually, Jaune—you know what? I'm a monster. A repulsive monster. He was r-right…"

Who's he?! Whoever this guy is… I swear to god I'll give him a beating that he would never forget for a lifetime! How dare he!

"Well… I… I've accepted myself as a monster anyways, so... it doesn't really matter..." Noire continues to speak despite the fact her tears kept flowing. "But… in Mistral, some—some people tend to give us weird looks… being wary around us, and I even heard some unpleasant whispers… saying that we're cursed, that we don't belong there… or whatever. They—they clearly don't like our presence there…"

"Sis." I spoke.

Her hands gripped mine tightly.

"… but it's alright, you know? What—what some people think and say… doesn't matter to me. I don't like them anyway. It just hurts a bit, no big deal." Noire shook her head. "What matters to me is my family… especially you…so—so, whenever I think that you hate me and Verte being around, I felt… so afraid. I don't want to be rejected. I—I just…"

I don't know how to convince her, except by doing the same thing I did earlier. It might cause her more harm than good, since it was possible to trigger the unknown thing inside her again with too much direct contact… but I don't know what else to do! I have to act now, or I will regret it forever.

I can lament on my own weakness later. I have to comfort her, whatever it takes. A foolish young man named Jaune Arc does not matter compared to her. To protect her life and happiness, I would do anything. ANYTHING. If there's any price for me to be able to protect her, I will gladly give it.

"It doesn't matter if you're ugly, weak, or useless." I said as I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around her in a tight embrace. It's so warm. "Curse? Doesn't matter to me. It doesn't matter even if you're a monster. I don't care. You are still my sister whom I love very much. Nothing's ever gonna change that."

I mean it. I let my own fingers interlock with hers, and I grasp them gently as not to hurt her in any way... although I knew very well that she could crush my fingers easily. I stare directly into her beautiful yellow eyes once again. She glances away, with a massive blush.

"You're just saying that…"

I really mean it. I keep looking at her until she looks back at me, before speaking my mind once again.

"No. I'm serious. I love you no matter what, Sis."

I will say this again:

I might have been a failure before this. I might have been a useless piece of shit who can only blab about justice before this. I might not be able to become a true hero of justice. But this one, I won't fail. No more. I won't let her die just because no one wants to accept her. I'll accept her. I'll accept Verte too.

I swear. I'm not letting you die.

Silence for a few moments as I hugged her even tighter. Even without Nous Anima to read into her emotions, I could tell that she was trying to figure out if my last words were just another terrible joke of mine, but eventually she gave up. I can see her trying to say her last, flimsy defense.

"But… I'm cursed, Jaune. Literal evil is inside me. Would you accept me, even after knowing that?"

"I will."

No hesitation, just like that. I will accept her no matter what the world thinks of her. But she doesn't look very convinced. Well, I guess words are insufficient sometimes. I suppose… there are so many other ways to prove my genuine feelings. Such as…

-Another time, another place-

Tranquility. Quiet and peaceful, just the way he likes it.

A black-haired young man was sitting cross-legged in an empty illuminated room, where it had only one door and white walls on every side. His eyes closed, he was drawing his breath slowly and evenly, his hands were relaxed on his lap. His Aura, which enveloped his body completely, was blazing with dull, yet vivid crimson. In the darkness, it was like a mist of blood. Like a human-shaped crimson cloud.

I need more power. More, more, POWER.

His meditation was to improve the quality and quantity of his own Aura and to maintain his temper. His composure. He had already suffered one loss for being so easily agitated when everything didn't go as he wanted. To be provoked that easily, that is unbecoming of his own name and title. This cannot do.

He had received several setbacks to his plan. One of his pawns, that bullhead (heh) Adam had somehow managed to get himself in custody of V.S.S (Vale Shadow Squadron), and soon would probably be interrogated by them. He was grateful that he didn't expose the deeper extent of his plan to the bull Faunus, because being captured by V.S.S means they will extract whatever information they want from you, whether you like it or not. Consent is not their concern in the slightest.

They have the means necessary to do just that, for they have a mysterious power that even he hadn't yet to witness. What was the leader's name again? Oh yes, that man called himself 'Zero', what a ridiculous name. And he had to break Adam out if he wants to proceed with his plan, what a drag.

Meanwhile on his end, he has left Blake Belladonna an amazing gift that she would highly appreciate. A pathway to more power to defend herself with, a power to break through the insecure shell that she was. She will master that power, or lose herself and become drunk with it. He'll sit back and watch her progress. If she's worthy of the power, good for her. If she's not… then he knows what to do.

He opened his eyes slightly, irritated that he had to do extra work for something unexpected.

What? It's not his fault that she has to take care of herself from now on. Because that fool Adam screwed up and made everything worse for both Blake and himself! He'd heard what happened from… his source, but he still doesn't know what possessed him to stab the poor girl in front of Hei Lang, triggering the faker's power through raw emotions, allowing him to unleash unspeakable hell on him.

Plus, he scarred the girl, physically and mentally. Which means keeping the girl around won't ever be effective for their objective anymore. He'd facepalmed so hard when he heard this. He'd just lost a good pawn! That was really a shame, Blake had a good head on her shoulders.

Foolishness, Adam. If that girl doesn't want anything to do with you anymore, that one's your own fault.

Although, in hindsight, he should've dealt with Hei Lang himself, instead of sending a mentally unstable person to do it. He should've fixed Adam first before ordering him to do anything. And it's not like he wants to kill Hei Lang either! … well, at least not immediately, not without finding out who he was first.

He sighed. Well… it's fine, though. These are just minor setbacks, he can still salvage everything that's been blown to hell. It's not worth having a breakdown. Don't panic. He should just relax and not let these annoying thoughts fill his head. He should ease his mind, now he will proceed with his meditation.

Spiral Serpent. Steel Determination. Desolation Law. Indomitable. Unfettered. Steel Determination. Tyger, Tyger. Burning Bright. Steel Determination. The Alpha, The Omega. Redgrave, Redgrave. Guts and Honor. Lotus. Steel Determination. The Alpha, The Omega. The Slashing Emperor.

He repeated those words in his mind. Those were words that absolutely meant nothing to anyone else, but those words had certain effects for his mentality, they firmly reminded him of his own worldview, his identity, his end purpose and keeping his mind clear from any defects. It's been his habit for a long time.

It doesn't do much to help him control his temper though… but it can easily be fixed. Just slowly, one at a time… cause right now, he still has things to worry about. Like the recent discovery of his, the secret identity of Jaune Arc, his best friend… he'll admit readily that he might've jumped to a conclusion too quickly, due his eager mood at the time.

Since his focus was mostly taken up by everything that happened in their spar, it was possible that he'd mistaken some things. He decided to start thinking it over.

First, the shape of his soul. It was one of many things that fascinated him about Jaune, no matter how he handled it with his unique power, he couldn't determine the shape of his soul. He always thought it was because he hasn't awakened his Semblance yet, hence the immatureness of his soul, but towards other people's souls, he could at least vaguely guess what shape they would become.

Jaune was really a special kind of person in so many ways, despite what bollocks he would say to put himself down. Hetero knows that it was his nature, for some reason, to be very critical towards himself and be easily impressed by other people. Hetero wanted to work on a plan to make him value himself more, trust him for that, but it was very hard to change his mindset by words alone.

Moving on, there also was Verte Arc's credentials towards the peculiar soul of Jaune. She said it was fluctuating and changing shape wildly into a different thing entirely… aside from the natural process of awakening one's Semblance, it could only mean one thing. Nous Anima, the power of understanding, the ultimate power that he also had in his beck and call. But what if it was really the former?

Jaune's soul is something else, something that he has never seen in his life. Meaning, his Semblance could be awakening in a process that hasn't been seen before, right? It also meant that he was excited for the wrong reason. Maybe Jaune wasn't Hei Lang. Maybe he was. Well, he can't say for certain yet. There was not a single concrete proof for either possibility, aside from Jaune's oddly fluctuating Aura.

Like he always says, 'this is purely hypothetical'… the absolute fact remains to be seen. And whether his suspicion was true or not, it would be wise to act like nothing wrong had happened. The multiple holes on his body, courtesy of 'the shadows' of Verte Arc, has been fully healed. However just in case someone in the Arc Family, especially the blasted eldest sisters... and their dangerous mother, suspected anything… he shouldn't lurk around their residence too much. For now at least.

Bottom line is, he should be more careful and pay closer attention to everything. He couldn't afford to fail a spot check. That, and also the dangerous group that was kidnapping civilians for whatever reason. The Serpent's Hand. He had to scour the city for them, and get rid of them as soon as he can. Because…

What evil lurks, I must destroy.

He decides that he had enough thinking for today. He had to train even more, to attain more and more power. There can't be too much power for him, he knows that for a fact. He will keep doing what he can to be stronger, and eventually, he'll obtain absolute power. After that, he'll be free to—

His scroll suddenly rang. He opened his eyes, sighed as he pulled the thing from his pocket, and opens it… only for it to display a very familiar face on the screen. A raven-haired woman with sharp, yellow-amber eyes… it couldn't be anyone else but her. Cinder Fall… the woman that picked him up when no one else did, many years ago. The benevolent and powerful woman that he had used to call—

"Mother." He smiled. It was a pleasant surprise.

"Hetero." The woman on the other end of the call half-smiled. "It has been a while. How have you been?"

"Pretty good. School's been busy… but it's still holiday in Signal now, and I'm just hanging out with my friends… it's pretty nice while it lasts." Hetero said.

"I'm glad to hear that." Cinder hummed pleasantly. "It certainly won't hurt to have a normal life; it helps keep your sanity in check, right? No wonder Tyrian could ever afford exposing himself in the public eye."

"True… his self-restraint is so weak that no one knows if or when he would snap at anyone…" Hetero mused. "Not to mention that he would ruin everything that we planned if we release him, like—"

"Well, that's enough talking about that lunatic." Cinder shrugged. "The less we concern ourselves with him, the better. I had headaches just by listening to his feverish ramblings."

"I can imagine that. But… I doubt you're calling just because you want to hear from me, right?"

"No, no, no. I don't want to ruin your holiday with serious talks. I just want to hear your voice is all, Hetero. Can't a mother hear her son's voice?" Cinder chuckled, her playful tone making Hetero raise his eyebrows for a moment. "Are you well? Are you eating properly? Do you have enough time to sleep?"

"Uh…" Hetero stumbled for a moment. "Yes, yes, and yes. I took care of myself well, don't worry."

"Very good. That's my son." She nodded proudly. "And… I want to let you know that I've allowed Emerald to visit you again tomorrow. She's packing her belongings as we speak…"

"Is that alright? She's been visiting me frequently... actually, I've been meaning to ask. You're being lenient on her lately... any reason for that?"

"Oh, I'm well aware of that… I did it on purpose." Cinder smirked, and this was a mischievous one. "She seems to miss you already. I can tell from her eyes. Did something good happen with you two?"

"Uh, that." Hetero was a bit flustered, which was a bit unusual for him. "Well… something happened. That was… on a spur of the moment. The atmosphere was good and we're in the mood… so… I just…"

"Ah, I understand. No need to speak any further. Don't embarrass yourself, child." The smile on her face was too understanding for his taste. "But it's a surprise to see you taking initiative this time around… you're not the one to open up first. Well?"

"… a friend of mine gave me some good advice. He said…" Hetero calmly told her, and as she tilted her head to the side curiously, he let out a small smile. "To make a life important and worth living, making one person happy is enough. To make her laugh and smile, that's all that matters… and Emerald looks really happy with me, so… you know, I just have to try. I have to thank him for that advice…"

"I understand. I'm glad to hear that, your friend sounds like a good fellow." Cinder said softly. "I see my decision to send you to Vale was the right choice. Care to introduce me to him sometime?"

"Absolutely. You'll like him." Hetero chuckled. "In one way or another… he's special that way…"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ha… nothing." Hetero playfully scoffs. "Nothing you need to be concerned about, trust me…"

"Hey now, I don't like that tone…"

"You'll understand when you see him, Mother…"

"I demand an explanation." Cinder sighed, having her curiosity getting the better of her.

There was a slight pause before Hetero gave his answer.

"He's a good man. He's pretty good… his idealism is… admirable."

Such blatant words, admiration from those few words alone, such words that seldom came out from his mouth, conveyed something that Cinder misinterprets.

"Fallen for him, did you?" She teases. "Such a young, lovely passion…"

"No, I'm just—Whatever. I know my words won't convince you." Hetero sighed, shaking his head.

Just how many people will misunderstand the fact that he has no romantic feelings for his best friend? Is it that weird to admire someone of the same gender? Jaune is the best man he has ever met—after running into some disgusting monstrosities in human skin—in his life. He was one of a kind.

Jaune Arc was an honorable man, he was kind and gentle. His naivety and drivel could be personally very annoying sometimes, but he was leagues above most men, human or Faunus alike, a person he'd never encountered. The only kind of man he likes and the only one that he felt comfortable around.

"If you say so, Hetero… if you say so." Cinder smirked, but then she remembered something. "… oh, wait. I'll be in Vale in a few days as well."

"You too? What's brought this on?"

"Don't worry, I won't bother you and Emerald while you're doing whatever you want to do…" Cinder smirked again, but then turns serious. Her eyes narrowed slightly and her lips pulled in a straight line. "But I'll be coming there to accelerate our plan. It's finally time to initiate phase one."

"So… it's work?" Hetero asked.

"Yes. I will pay our friend Cang Long a visit, to make him remember who he's working for. That's all."

And the rest… is silence.

-Quite a few hours later-

Rose Arc walked calmly towards the second floor of the Arc Residence, humming the lovely Mistralian hymn by herself. She intends to look after Jaune this morning... after what happened yesterday, she wasn't sure it's okay for him to move too much, even if he had some kind of healing technique in his arsenal.

Imagine her shock when she woke up from her short nap and found that Jaune's bed was empty. She hurriedly went around the house, asking everyone that she met if they saw Jaune or not… thankfully, due to some unknown reasons, Jaune had recovered from his injuries quickly, and simply went for some light training in their Training Grounds. At least that's what her father said.

She's still worried for him, though. She won't be able to rest easy until she saw him with her own eyes.

"No means no, daughter."

"But Mom! Jaune promised to spar with me today! It's almost 1 PM now!"

Just in front of the stairways to the second floor, Rose saw her mother and third sister arguing hotly. Claire was wearing her usual clothes, a white tube top wrapped by crimson leather jacket and short blue shorts, while Viridia was wearing a blue knee-length skirt with tights, white shirt with a blue string tie, and brown boots… Rose recognized it as her mother's old clothes from the family album.

"Jaune is not to be disturbed, Claire." Their mother Viridia spoke sternly. "He has to… recover from his injuries. Noire is watching over him now, in case something unexpected happens."

"That's real bullshit! I saw him totally okay yesterday! He's already fine!" Claire whined. "And! If Noire could go see him, then why can't I go?! Come on, Mom! Let me through!"

"No. And don't talk to your mother like that, Claire." Viridia shakes her head, completely unfazed by her daughter's brattiness. "You're twenty-two now… please act your age and be more mature. You wouldn't want to be spanked like an incessant juvenile, would you?"

"No! N—no spanking, please!" Claire backed away while grabbing her rear, clearly reminded of her days of childhood punishment. "… that's just low… stupid Mom…" She mumbled to herself.

"What was that, Claire?" Viridia's eyes narrowed.

"N—nothing, Mom! I'm gonna head back to the kitchen real quick, I think I wanna eat some snacks!" Claire scampers away as far as possible from her mother, when she almost bumped into Rose. "Oh, heya Rosey, whatcha doin'? Wanna check up on Jauney too?"

"Ah… yes." Rose nodded, glancing briefly at the staircase before looking back at her sister. "I'm kind of worried about him… I haven't seen him since yesterday… have you, Claire?"

"Well, I just happened to run into him when he's training yesterday, and lemme tell you, he's already in full health!" Claire said with a mix of disbelief and excitement. "That sounds real crazy, right? I guess that must be his Semblance or something. I forgot to ask him how he did it… eh, later maybe."

"Right… if that so, then why is Mother blocking the way to the second floor?" Rose asked, tilting her head to the side curiously. "I don't mean to doubt you, but if he's okay, we should be free to visit him, right? Why are we not allowed to go up there?"

"Eh, beats me." Claire shrugged. "I bet Dad is teaching him everything that Jauney should know as the new heir of our family, and Noire was there to help him understand all those 'guardian' and 'artifacts' crap like he taught to us all. I mean, what else could it be?"

"I don't really know…" Rose shook her head.

"Yeah, who knows what's in Dad's head nowadays. Must be getting senile I guess. He must be—oops, no. Mom's not gonna be happy if she heard that." Claire chuckled heartily, glad that she stopped herself before their mother could hear that last bit. "Hey, at least Noire and Jaune aren't secretly making out in his room, right? They would never dare do that, if you ask me!"

That was a bit specific…

"Right…" Rose awkwardly shifted, not sure what her sister meant by that.

"Alright, I guess. I'm off to the kitchen." Claire pats her shoulder lightly as she passed her. "See ya later Rosey!"

"Yes, see you later, Claire." Rose nodded.

Rose simply watched as her sister disappeared behind the door. After making sure that Claire won't return anytime soon, she slowly approached her mother, who looks at her with those observant eyes of hers. Rose feels a bit nervous about this, since this meant her mother was trying to figure something out about her. What was that something, though, Rose didn't have the slightest clue.

"No need to be that tense, Rose." Viridia says reassuringly. "I'm sure you want to visit Jaune as well, but he's in the middle of doing something important right now, so I'm afraid you have to wait just a little bit."

"Yes… I understand, Mother. But…" Rose nodded slowly, looking at her mother seriously. "… does that mean Jaune isn't injured…? I'm… I'm just asking, so if you don't want to answer, it's fine…"

"Well, actually yes. He's fully recovered as of now. There's nothing to be worried about his well-being… he'll appreciate your concern for sure." Viridia said as she smiled and reached out, ruffling her pinkish hair. "I'm telling you the truth because I knew you're mature enough to not make a big ruckus over it, unlike Claire… sometimes, I just wondered why you are not the older one between you two…" She added with a grimace, just before Rose can ask why she didn't tell her older sister about that.

"I—I see… thank you very much, Mother…" Rose stuttered, a bit surprised but very happy at the sudden display of affection. However unworthy she is for that, she would treasure anything from her family. "I—I am very honored to be considered as mature, even though I am not that good in anything… but thank you nonetheless."

Her mother raised a curious eyebrow for a moment, pondering on that statement for a bit before speaking again.

"Why are you so formal? There's no need to, Rose. We're family." Viridia said as she continued to ruffle Rose's hair gently. "It's been a while. Why don't we sit down and have some quality time between parent and child, while waiting for Jaune to be done and come down?"

"Uh, I…"

"It will be nice!" Viridia insisted. "I'll make some tea and some of your favorite food if you want."

"I, I understand, but I just—"

"… are you still curious about Jaune?"

"Ah… y, yes, actually…" Rose hanged her head, not sure how her mother would react to that.

How her mother would react to her being excessively concerned for her brother? Would she notice her unhealthy feelings for Jaune? If her mother was as perceptive as she was in reading the feelings of people from their eyes and body gestures, then surely she would notice. Rose was sure of that…

Still, Rose was not exaggerating anything right now… the sense of urgency to see Jaune directly and to know how he was holding up, only to be denied constantly, was nothing but a slow torment. After seeing him injured severely last night, she had every right to be worried for his well-being right now. Even though everyone she asked said that he was perfectly fine…

But to her surprise and relief, her mother didn't seem to notice the underlying emotions behind her words. Or so it seemed. She and Viridia didn't talk much in the past two years, what with the numerous missions she and her father had frequently taken and Rose's own residence in Mistral… that is fine, perfectly fine, because Rose knew the people need them more than she did. It's just natural.

Her mother then decided to sit on the stairs, and somehow managed to look as casual as she was elegant.

"Come, Rose." Viridia pats the space beside her, signaling for her to sit there. "I want to talk to my daughter while still can… please?"

"… yes, mother."

Unable to refuse her mother's request, she sat beside Viridia on the stairs. It was a bit awkward for Rose since she rarely had quality time with her mother, but Viridia doesn't seem to be bothered by this. She seems to find this awkward moment… natural. It looks as if she had experienced dealing with a person with a personality similar to her…

"Jaune is okay. Just… wait it out." Viridia says all of a sudden, her reassuring tone never faltering along with her sincere smile. "He and Noire will have something sorted out soon… and it will be okay for you all. I promise."

… uhmm… what?

After thinking about the meaning of those words for a few good seconds, Rose's brain drew a blank.

"Uh, something sorted out? W—what do you mean, Mother?" Rose shook her head, totally confused. "I don't understand… and 'it will be okay for you all'… uh, what does that mean?"

"I'm sorry, Rose. I can't speak for Jaune, so he'll tell you and all your sisters himself when he feels like it." Viridia removed her hand from Rose's hair, and added a bit sternly. "It's for him to decide, no one can force his decision… but when he tells you about it, just… be honest."

"Be… honest?" She parroted, still in total confusion.

"Yes." That was her mother's only answer.

Rose didn't understand anything her mother just said. Something sorted out? It will be okay for them all? His decision? To be honest? What do those sentences even mean?! Ahh, she didn't get it at all! Rose Arc doesn't like complicated thinking, she doesn't have big brain like Bleu and Verte! That kind of stuff is for big brains only! She only thinks with her heart! …wait, how does that even work?

Ah… who cares, right?

… right?

"I'm sure you have no idea of what I was saying still. I'm sorry." Viridia chuckles apologetically. "I just promised your father that I wouldn't tell anybody until Jaune was ready. I won't answer your questions regarding that. Please understand that this was for your own good… for you and your sisters."

Rose bit her own lip, her hands clenching slightly. She feels uncomfortable and upset with this topic, but she knew that she didn't have any other choice but to let it slide. At least she knew that Jaune was okay… as of now. Although that didn't relieve the ache in her heart, even in the slightest, it would have to do.

"I see… I still don't understand, but I won't ask again." Rose nodded.

"Thank you, Rose." Her mother smiled warmly, looking fairly content with her decision. "I knew I could count on you. You're a dependable child, after all."

Rose fell silent. That part bit stung a bit. Not because it was sarcasm or anything like that—her mother rarely used sarcasm, that's more her father—but because for her, it was far from the truth. All she did in Mistral was cause trouble and make life harder for her other sisters. Especially Verte, she had been taking care of her whenever her illness started acting up, and keeping a close eye on her most of the time.

She tried making it up by working even harder in the academy, and ended up as one of Haven's best graduates, if not THE best graduate there… only according to the grades, that is—Rose knows that there were other students who deserve that title. Not her. There must be a mistake—

"I… I am not that good, Mother…"

"What are you talking about, Rose?" Viridia tilts her head slightly to the side, confused. "Mr. Hiji called me on your graduation day and told me how proud he was to be your mentor. Well, as a prideful person that he is, he won't say that directly to you or anyone else, but he said that you are an exemplary student. Very diligent, determined and disciplined. I believe you're now also a Teacher Assistant?"

"Y—yes…" Rose reluctantly nodded. "But that's not a big de—"

"That's my daughter. Always up to challenge." Viridia reaches out and gently pats Rose's pink hair once again. "I'm so proud of you… and all your sisters, of course. You've been proving that you don't need us to hold your hands to greatness. You'll be fine without us." She smiled.

Despite feeling that she didn't deserve the affection that she was being given, Rose couldn't help but feel happy… but then she saw just a slightest bit of sadness seeping through Viridia's smile. That will not do. Rose won't let her family hurt in any way. They have to be happy and safe, no matter what.

"Don't say that, Mother. I still need your guidance. We all still need you." She says with such conviction. "… no matter what we had learned from our academies, you and Father were the first ones to teach us how to fight… How to defend our lives… and how to protect the ones we want to protect. We wouldn't have gotten this far without you two… so… please, don't even think for a second that we don't need you two!"

She meant it. Her feelings for Jaune aside, there were two individuals whom she admired very much. Of course that would be her parents, and especially her mother. Viridia Arc was the one who first taught her to fight, the one who first taught her to be a proper and prim, yet strong and protective woman… and pretty much everything else she knew. It was all her.

If someone says Rose Arc was a diligent, disciplined, and determined individual, it all can be credited to this wonderful woman, who is her mother. Rose knows that she took it upon herself to educate her and her sisters (well, her father did help a lot but it was mainly Viridia) until they could stand on their own feet. They owe her a debt that can't ever be paid. Priceless gifts that can't ever be given back.

It was silent for a moment. Rose swallows nervously. Did she go too far with her words?

"Is… is that so. I didn't know you think of us that way. Ah, forgive my ignorance." To Rose's surprise, her mother then shed a tear, which followed by several more that, flowed down her cheeks.

"No, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you sad…" Without thinking, Rose did what she does best. "I'm sorry… I'm such a fool…"

"Sad? No… I'm happy, Rose. Don't put yourself down over that." Viridia shook her head, pulling out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped away the tears. "I really thought that you and your sisters didn't need us anymore, you know… none of you call us to let us know how you're doing anymore…"

What… she thought that they were very busy with their missions and whatnot, so she didn't want to bother them unless it was really necessary… it was an agreement that she and her sisters secretly did, that they won't bother their parents with trivial things. It turned out that it was the wrong thing to do…

"Uh, I'll call you weekly! … no, if that's alright with you, I'll call you daily from now on! I'll let you know how I'm doing everyday! Err… I think?" Rose spoke with such fervor that her cheeks turned red. It was a bit embarrassing… but she knew she won't ever regret this. "Only… if you don't mind, Mother…"

"I don't mind it at all, Rose."

Before she could say anything to that, the next thing she knew is that her mother suddenly pulled her into a hug. It was a warm and loving embrace, one that Rose realized she really needed right now. She's been bottling it up, her frustration for being useless, being a burden to her sisters and Jaune…

"We'll be your home forever." Viridia spoke softly, patting her back gently. "Whenever you are hurt, whenever you got a problem that you need to get off your chest, whenever you want to take a rest from your busy life… or, just whenever you want to see us for no reason… we'll be here."

It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Her tears came out like a floodgate being opened as she cried on her mother's shoulder. She didn't know why she did that, it was just so sudden, but she cannot take it anymore. She let her emotions take over… just this once. Just this once…

"Now, now… it's fine, Rose, it's fine…"

She hugged her mother even tighter. Viridia didn't protest or do anything aside from patting Rose's back gently, perfectly content on letting her daughter cry her heart out. She didn't do anything even after Rose's frantic sobbing had been reduced to soft sniffles. She waits patiently.

…Ah, this is so nice…

Alas, nice things has to end. Rose lets go of her mother, and Viridia reluctantly did the same.

"Are you alright now?" She asked.

"Yes, Mother. I'm fine." Rose said as she wiped her own tears, putting a smile on her face.

"Speaking of which, how is your health?" Viridia asked again. "Noire told me that you had a relapse before we got home. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Mother! Jaune healed me." Rose smiled.

"Jaune… healed you?" Viridia seemed surprised. Did she not know this? Rose knew that she was busy with her missions with her father, are they… no, she didn't want to jump to assumptions. Maybe Jaune simply has yet to tell them.

"Yes, Mother. He seemed to pick up that technique from somewhere… but he didn't tell me exactly how and where he learned that…" Rose inhaled, trying to make her voice normal again after crying so much. "It didn't make it go away, unfortunately…" She trailed off.

Then she remembered how distraught Jaune was after he failed to cure her illness. She didn't want to see Jaune like that again… it saddens her as it saddens him.

"… but it made me feel so much better. I believe he can do it better next time too." Rose finished with a smile. "I believe he can."

"Well, I will make sure to ask him about that later." Viridia looked thoughtful. "I haven't talked to him for a while…"

"Sounds like a good idea." Rose agreed wholeheartedly. "Jaune will be happy to have someone to talk to, I belie—"

"Rose?"

A voice interrupted her from above.

It was a familiar voice, but not the one she expected to hear right now. As both Rose and Viridia stood up, they saw Noire Arc walk down the stairs, wearing what looks like… no, it IS Jaune's clothes! His black hoodie and blue jeans… that sends a wave of anxiety through Rose, for some reason. Why?

"Noire?" Rose unconsciously walked up towards her. She had a bad feeling about this, and she didn't like it. "… what are you doing with… Jaune's clothes?"

"Oh, that… ahaha, I, uh… borrowed this from him…" Noire seemed to be uncharacteristically nervous. Where's the composed and tough sister that Rose always knew? "Since I, uh, accidentally spilled the breakfast that I brought for him, um, all over me… my clothes are dirty now… S-so, you know… he kindly let me borrow his clothes for a while! … n-nothing weird happened, I swear!"

Rose narrowed her eyes and her mouth curves up, and Noire wisely shuts her mouth. Behind Rose, she could hear her mother facepalm over how unconvincingly Noire tried to give an excuse for this… change of wardrobe. This must mean something, and Rose has to know what it is.

Plus, there is something different with Noire that she noticed, being an observant person that she was. Before this, her eldest sister always had this scary frown on her face and tense body, like she's going to lash out to anything that offends her. Those always disappear mysteriously when Jaune's around and in rare occasions like the reunion of all the siblings of Arc… so naturally Rose thought that Noire has her own stress that burdened her mind too, and eventually she will need to unwind.

However, now those signs are nowhere to be seen. Now Rose's all for her stressful and jumpy sister becoming better and healthier, but such a drastic thing couldn't happen without a cause. If said cause was Jaune, then he might have done something to her that has greatly affected her. Which worries Rose.

She would not go as far as to claim that she understood her sole brother completely, but she knew for a fact that Jaune tends to sacrifice anything on his person to make another person safe or happy… be it his time, personal possession, happiness, or even life… and he'd simply be content by doing that.

Helping people without caring for his own well-being… is Jaune's kinda thing ever since he was little, but that complex only became better, or worse, after the incident of six years ago. Rose noticed the change in his eyes a bit late, and she severely regretted being one of those people that laughed at him when he declared his dream to be a 'Hero of Justice'. She just thought that he was being ridiculous.

That is why she always thought that she would never become better than Noire. The eldest sister of the Arc Family always supported him no matter what he did and said, comforted him when he needed it, and protected him from any harm. She, on the other hand… was just a burden to him. He could've used the time he wasted on caring for her to do something more meaningful, more productive.

But now it's her turn. If Jaune hurts himself to help other people, she wanted to be the first to soothe his pain away, or at the very least relieve it a bit. For all he did for her, that's the smallest thing she could do. It's settled now. A gentle, yet firm determination now burned inside her soul, etching it with its color.

"… is Jaune alright, Sister?"

Her voice, which usually was meek and gentle, now became stern and hard. That was enough to make Noire decide that her words wouldn't do her any favors and just nodded to answer her sister's inquiry. That, and again behind Rose, Viridia put up a finger to her lips as a sign that she should be silent.

"Is that so… then, I was going to check on him now anyways. Please do not follow me."

With those words said sharply, Rose walked past Noire without looking back at her or her mother. Nothing they do or say could stop her from going. On the second floor, she immediately headed towards Jaune's room. The door was slightly open, so it got her undivided attention, peeking through the small gap reluctantly before deciding whether it's the right time to enter or not…

That, unfortunately, made her miss the small pools of an unknown kind of liquid that leads from the spot right beside the door to one of the other rooms in the second floor. The other rooms being the other sisters' rooms, which are Lily's, Rouge's, and Bleu's… but again, Rose didn't realize that. Nor did she notice the small and weak sobbing from that direction. Her attention was only on Jaune.

... oh! What's he doing… cleaning his room?

There was her brother, sweeping his floors skillfully with no wasted movement. He moves systematically and expertly, as if it was a second nature to him… no, actually, he looked more like a machine than a man at the moment, with his eyes almost vacant as he does his work, as well as his expression. It was a distinct look of someone that does something to distract their mind from thinking about something else.

Rose was aware of this 'look' of Jaune's. She saw those moments often. As far as she knew, he always put that look on when he's busy doing chores and anything housework-related… which, understandably, might make people think that it's his default expression. Actually, he's brooding while trying not to look like it. There must be a lot on his mind… but he was trying to look like there's no problem.

She understands that feeling. That's what she felt every day.

"… Brother."

Opening the door gently as to not startle him, she greeted Jaune with a smile on her face.

"Good afternoon." She said, holding her arms behind her back. "You've slept in quite a bit, haven't you?"

"Hey, Rose, good afternoon to you too, uh…" Jaune replied almost immediately. "And yeah, I guess… I'm kinda tired after everything that happened yesterday… I won't make this a habit, though, so don't worry."

"It's… it's alright to take some time to rest, Jaune. In fact, please do that more often." Rose giggled a bit as she approached him. "I believe you've quite improved since two years ago, so you must've trained yourself a lot. You have the right to relax a bit, okay? You still have a long life ahead of you… got it?"

Saying that kind of thing makes her feel kind of old, and she isn't even the oldest of her siblings… but she just doesn't want him to push himself too hard and get injured.

"I'll keep that in mind." Jaune smiled. "Thanks, Sis."

Well, she tried. She knows he won't listen from that smile. She does that often too…

"Your welcome, Jaune. Just know that I care about you..." She said as she holds her hands over her chest, feeling her own heartbeat rising. To hide her embarrassment, she tilts her head a bit and puts on a wide smile. "… umm, just be reasonable with your training schedule, okay?"

"I understand, Sis. I think I can manage." Jaune smiled again, and this one is different, Rose can tell. This one feels more appreciative.

"Glad to hear that. Anyways, I just came here to ask… how are you doing?"

Honestly? He looks pretty damn fine, Rose must be blind not to notice that (which she's not, thank you very little!), but she has to ask him nonetheless, otherwise she couldn't rest easy.

"Never better." Jaune chuckled. "I recovered a lot from getting a good night's rest… so everything's fine."

"I see. Thank goodness."

Rose knew that he actually didn't get as much sleep as he said… she knows because she was fully awake before Jaune left this room last night. She has been trained to have some sort of vigilance even when she's asleep to prevent being assaulted in her slumber… and last night, boy it was an experience.

She remembered when he kissed her on the cheek. It was warm and fuzzy all over, he's so dreamy—

Ahh, bad Rose! Bad! Stop thinking about that!

She turned red in silence, slapping herself mentally. Of all the times to think of something so embarrassing…

"Sis, are you okay? Your face's all flushed." Jaune pointed out after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "If you're having a relapse, I can ease it a bit. Just stay still and—"

"Nonono! No! I'm okay! Totally okay!" Rose frantically waved her hands in front of her face to keep her brother at arm's length. Anymore closer and she won't be able to keep her composure… As she slowly realized... that she's panicking. "Don't worry, don't worry! Everything is under control! It's… fiiiiine."

"… okay…?" It looks like he isn't convinced in the slightest.

"Um, in any case! … it seems like you're busy…" Rose said as she tried to calm herself down. She looked down at the mop that Jaune was still holding. "I don't want to trouble you more than I already have… but can I have… just a little bit more of your time?"

"Sure, what's wrong?"

Just like that. He just gave in that easily. Rose doubts that he even thinks twice about agreeing to someone's words like that… she sincerely hopes that he's just like this to their family only. She didn't want anyone to take advantage of his kindness. She would hate it if someone mistreated him.

"Well, uh… it's just… you know, I always get sick so suddenly." Rose, still feeling embarrassed, couldn't look directly at him… so she found the floor near his feet very interesting. "It's admittedly very late, after all this time you've been taking care of me… but, since I'm always causing trouble to you… umm…"

Her heart beat even faster, as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small object.

"Here… as an apology… at the very least, I wish for your safety and well-being… so I tried making this." She held out her hand, and in her palm, there's some sort of charm, wrapped nicely by a soft pink fabric. "I'm sorry, Jaune… it's probably not that great, since it was my first time making something like this… but if you could have it, I'd be… very happy."

"Rose…"

Rose slowly looked up and finally stared into his blue eyes. This gift was out of the nowhere, she knew that, but she really wanted to show her appreciation to him nonetheless. Even if it's clearly not worth all the time that he wasted caring for her, she wanted to let him know that his concern didn't go unappreciated.

Just a little token of acknowledgement.

"Thank you, Rose. I'll treasure it—"

"COUGH!"

She totally didn't see that coming, and if she could swear profanities and curses at that moment, she would. Just as Jaune reached out for the charm in her hand, her illness kicked in at the most, MOST unfortunate time. Her hand, along with the charm and Jaune's hand, were now covered in her blood.

However, Jaune takes the good luck charm in stride, without missing a beat. He didn't seem bothered at all with her blood staining his hand and the gift she just gave him and wrapped his fingers around it.

"Ah, Jaune… I'm very sorry…" Rose said as she coughed once more and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "That thing… um… please just throw it to someone you don't like… perhaps it can inflict a terrible curse on them… I think."

"No. I told you I'll treasure it, didn't I?" Jaune said calmly. "Anyways, now you have to lie down a bit."

"Ah… sure…"

This time, it didn't make her as weak as she was before, so Jaune didn't need to carry her again. He simply took her hand and helped her walk to his bed. She lied down like he asked, and fell silent as he did his healing techniques. It did make her feel much better, but she still felt like lying down at the moment.

"I'm sorry, Jaune… I did it again…"

"Don't worry! I'm used to it already!" Jaune didn't seem to be bothered at all, what with him readily covering her body with a fresh blanket.

"No, please don't get used to it…" Rose sighed. "Jaune… Brother. Why are you so kind to a deadweight like me?"

"What." Jaune deadpanned.

"By now, you've gotten stronger. You have many people to protect and many people who are ready to protect you… I don't think you need me. I'm just weighing you down… so, why help a burden like me…"

Rose unconsciously gripped the blanket that's covering her body. Her eyes had become a bit glassy.

"… you were NEVER a burden to me." Jaune spoke clearly, looking at her straight in the eye. "Why do you think you're a burden to me? Don't put yourself down like that. I never thought of you that way. I…"

"H—huh?"

There is no doubt in his eyes. She could feel his resolve in those gentle blue orbs. She felt her face heating up again, even as she eagerly leaned forward to hear more.

"Well… how do I put it… I don't think you're a deadweight. Not at all." Jaune sat on the bedside. "Instead, … I always admired you, you know Rose? Noire's doting on me, Verte and Claire are protecting me… but I always looked at you as a role model. You are diligent, disciplined, and determined, despite your conditions… I always trained myself by following your example. You are a very cool big sister to me."

"Um!"

This is a strange feeling. She was embarrassed, sure, but it also felt nice and warm. She was so happy.

"And don't worry about me having to take care of you every time you get sick. I, uh, have a lot of fun being with you… this might be a bit rude to say, sorry, but since I always ended up being protected by everybody… it was a personal joy for me to be relied on. I really like taking care of you guys… I think."

This is awkward. But it is a nice kind of awkward…

"Ah! I think I'll make you some warm porridge and milk!" Surely, Jaune felt as awkward as her. He's getting up from the bed. "Combined with your medicine, that surely will make you feel better—"

"Wait a moment, Jaune." Rose said as she held a sleeve of Jaune's hoodie. "To not abandon someone this sick and weak… you're a big dummy, you know that? You'll have to take responsibility. But I'm very glad to have someone like you on my side…"

"Rose."

Today has been a rollercoaster of emotions. She came here to comfort him… so why is the opposite happening? She doesn't know… but Jaune seems to enjoy this moment as much as she enjoys it… so, as long as he's happy doing it… she doesn't think it's a problem. In that case, she will…

"… can I be a bit selfish now? I want to rely on you…" Rose swallowed quietly, very embarrassed but unfaltering in her decision. "Could you stay with me, ignore everything else… just for a little bit longer?"

… there was a silence.

"… yeah." Jaune smiled, chuckling a bit. "I'm not going anywhere until you don't want me to be around anymore."

And so it was written.

She was there.

Watching through the small gap, she witnessed and listened as her brother and sister had a heart to heart conversation.

At the end of it, both of them look happy. They look so adorable together. She smiled, wanting to join in on their happiness, but she didn't want to ruin the moment for them. And, she caught her brother looking at his own hand, looking at something she couldn't see with a sad, small smile. They definitely need this moment uninterrupted. She shall not interfere for their sake.

Besides, someone needed her somewhere else. A small and almost unnoticeable sobbing was heard from somewhere, and it sounded very familiar. She knew who that was. She couldn't, in good conscience, just ignore that. She shall check on her first and make sure she's okay—

Jaune and Rose can wait.

Bleu requires her attention, and that's where she should go to.

"Umu, then it settled…"

And away she goes.

(Jaune)

Well… it has been quite some time.

I gently covered Rose's body with a new and fresh blanket, since the old blanket that I was using for just a few days has been stained by a few drops of blood—Noire's—and Rose could've noticed that. I don't think there's any point in explaining what just happened between us, I think I made it very clear.

Maybe I'll tell it in another time… and another place.

I stood up from the chair I've been sitting on, taking a good look at Rose's sleeping form before turning away. I have made my decision and I won't go back on my word. From now on, I have the responsibility to take care of my family and protect them so they won't be hurt. It takes priority over anything else.

I sighed.

No doubt, problems will certainly arise—all sorts of problems. But I will tackle them all and endure it. If there's anything I was good at—it was enduring. I have almost no problems being abused with physical or mental pain… that was even before I got The Gamer awakened, and now it's even easier to ignore.

I was probably some kind of freak. But it was me. My nature. Ah, well, there's no point in dwelling on that topic—I should probably get down to the first floor before my mother or father gets worried. I've been cooping myself up in my room for more than six hours, I really have to go out now. Rose… well, she'd probably be fine here. Right, I'll just go away then…

Well, that's what I thought, but I found myself giving a small peck to Rose's forehead before going out. I simply couldn't resist…

"Have a good rest, Sis."

I remember that I promised Claire to spar with her today, so I should go to her and apologize for being late. I hope she won't kick my ass too hard… she has a nasty habit to hit opponents harder in sparring sessions than she should, especially when she got provoked or angry… no, it's not really a big deal to handle the injuries, but the others would probably get worried if she goes too far against me…

I really have to stop being a pushover, seriously. Gotta get strong fast!

I found my walk through my house fairly uneventful until I reached the living room, where I saw my mother sitting on a couch… but something else that happened as I walked closer. My vision went into some sort of a static, and a buzzing sound so loud I can't hear anything else—

Light From The End of The World

LV ██

R██████████

It was bizarre. The title, the name, they changed from before. I can't even read her name and level. Then, the static-filled vision and the buzzing sound came back with twice the intensity—before everything went back to normal. Like nothing happened, except…

The Spear That Will Pierce The Heavens

LV?

Viridia Arc-Pendragon

… what the hell? They changed back… what just happened? Damn it, my head hurts… that was weird. Definitely never felt like that in my life. It felt different from any headache I've ever had before…

Shaking my head to clear it up from the minor headache, I slowly approached my mother… and as I was close enough, there was Claire resting her head on her lap, sleeping soundly. I spot a large bag of potato chips on the table nearby. As she notices me, my mother puts a finger to her lips.

"Let her sleep. She's been fussing around for quite some time… waiting for you." She said in a whisper. "Don't make too much noise, okay?"

My mother doesn't seem to be any different. Maybe it's just The Gamer glitching out for some reason? I don't know, Veritas has been acting weird lately… so there must be nothing wrong with my mother, I'm certain. She seems… completely okay. Yeah, surely nothing could go wrong.

"Must be about the spar, I guess…" I whispered back, nodding.

"Well, that can wait. Let us have this moment…" My mother hummed, caressing Claire's head gently. Claire groaned about something incomprehensible in her sleep, and for some reason it sounds so funny it gets me and my mother to chuckle a bit. "We rarely have any time for our own family nowadays…"

"I understand. Should I come back later then?" I ask.

"Well… you can do that. But could you check up on Verte first?"

"Verte?"

"Yes. I imagine she's been stressed out for quite some time… would you go to her and comfort her?"

Hmm. Verte. Yeah, about her…. I think she's been through a lot since the last time I saw her, she… intervened in my spar against Hetero. I guess my mother gave her a good scolding for going overboard that time, and I haven't seen her since yesterday… not even any signs of her. She must've locked herself up in her room. There's also the issue about the Mud in her like in Noire, and then about the curse of our family…

Right. I know I have a lot on my plate after officially becoming the heir of the Arc Family, but now that I think about it, our family has a lot of issues, more than I originally thought. Our family is definitely not normal by any means. More powerful than most families, but more problems to handle. Not that I would back away after hearing all this, but I should've prepared everything on my end better.

I don't know how to talk to Verte now. Should I just be blunt and talk to her about her issues? There's also the detail about her assaulting me in the streets and getting away with it. I THINK I know the reason why she did it with me, it's probably because both the Mud and the family curse… it's not gonna be easy to deal with this. I could end up triggering something else in her, just like I did with Noire…

Or, I could just be more subtle and ask her about it after she got better. Maybe I should wait until she brings it up herself. For now, I should just ask her about how she's doing, spending some time together to make her feel better maybe? … just talking of course, no funny business involved (that's a BIG maybe, knowing my sisters…)! Get your freaking minds out of the gutter!

"… Jaune? Are you alright?" My mother asked. Damn it, I have to stop spacing out in front of other people…

"Oh! Yeah, I'm totally fine! I'm just… thinking. Uh…" I try, but just trail off.

"About Verte?"

"Yeah…"

"Do not worry, Jaune. From what I've observed so far… Verte has more resistance to the Mud's influences than Noire." My mother told me, speaking as if it was a matter of fact. "It definitely has something to do with the individuals' personality. Noire is always the more emotional and biased between the two, and Verte is the dispassionate one, she is rational and impartial… the Mud takes advantage from negative emotions that its vessel experiences, so naturally Verte would be more resistant to that."

Um. She sounded like an emotionless robot for a second there. Is she alright? She better be alright…

"I… see…"

But nevertheless, that's a useful piece of information, one which I really need right now. Where are you when I need some information, Veritas? Some hints, maybe? Or anything, I don't care… just, talk to me please?

'…'

Yeah, still nothing. He won't answer me no matter what I say. What the hell is he doing inside me that takes so much of his attention? He keeps ignoring me. Okay, then. Two can play that game.

"I'll ask again, Jaune. Could you check up on her?" My mother asked again, now looking straight at me. "… please?"

If I say no, I will probably regret it so much later. So yeah…

"Of course, Mom." I nodded. "I'll get to her now."

"Thank you." She smiled pleasantly. "I know I can count on you, Jaune."

"Yeah, leave it to me." I gave her a nod. "She'll get better when she comes out, that I guarantee…"

That goes without saying, since… in some ways, all my sisters are my responsibility now. I don't know what I'm going to do or say once I'm there… but I'll burn that bridge when I get to it. What matters is that I will do and say anything to make Verte feel better, and I will regret nothing! Absolutely nothing!

A few minutes later, in front of Verte's room…

… it's easier to be said than done…

Holy shit, I still don't know what to say. I have a myriad of possible things to say to my sister, but I'm not sure that any of them would do the trick. I don't know how she would react in her current mood. Well, normally she would chew me out for no reason… but in this situation, how would she react… damn it—

Ah, screw it! I'm overthinking! Nothing good ever comes from overthinking! LET'S GO!

"Sis?"

I knocked on door moderately. Not loud enough to aggravate her and not soft enough to be overlooked. However, there was no reply. I can hear some movement behind the door though.

"Sis? Are you alright?"

There's still no reply. But the movement sounded like it was getting closer to the door. What the hell was she doing? Should I just go in and see if she's alright? I'm really starting to worry here.

Then the door creaks open, slowly…

"… Jaune?"

Great relief washed over me as I saw my second eldest sister's face on the doorstep. She doesn't look too bad… hell, she looks better than I expected her to be, actually. She tries hard to hide it from me, but I can see the corners of her mouth curving up. She must be glad to see me…

But behind her, her room looks completely dark. Was she just sleeping all this time?

"Hi, Sis." I greeted her with a smile of my own.

"… um, yes, Brother." She awkwardly replied. Which is unusual for her. "What can I do for you…?"

"I'm just here to see if you're okay." I said. "I was really worried about you… are you doing alright?"

Even in the veils of darkness, I can clearly see her blush. The luminescent red coloring her pale face, which is trying so hard not to show any emotions… that's so cute.

"… thank you. But I am completely fine, Jaune. You need not to worry." She said, clearing her throat. "I just need some time to think about my mistakes, and how to rectify—"

"Can I come in?" I suddenly ask.

"What? No! Absolutely not! Y—you cannot go in!" The blush on her face increased two-fold... for some reason. I swear I'm not insinuating anything weird with my question. "W—what are you thinking? If you go in, you will die! I am not letting you in! It is dangerous inside!"

Yeah, that's convincing.

"You are not going inside my room and see everything there. I will not allow it!"

She immediately slammed her door in front of my face. She must be hiding something inside her room that she didn't want anyone to see. I can hear the light switch being turned on, and then abrupt noises coming from inside, which sounds like absolute ruckus. It obviously made me very curious.

… I'm definitely going inside.

Without any hesitation, I opened the door and scanned the room with my eyes.

…

It is…

So…

… MESSY!

There are plastic bags with banana peels and eaten apples. Empty boxes of hamburger and pizza, glasses of soda, bottles of water, and bags of potato chips… all over the place. The only thing that seems to be clean is her bed… and even that, the sheets and pillow are all messed up. So this is what she's hiding…

"Y—You saw it! Didn't I tell you to not come in, Jaune?!" Standing in the middle of the garbage heaps, she looks absolutely flustered. She growls, out of anger and embarrassment. "Damn it…! You will forget what you saw… Wipe that memory off your mind, right now!"

… why is she taking out her dagger? Why is she pointing it towards me? What's that black swirly-shadow thingy coming out of its edge, like a black whirlwind? What is this menacing Aura of doom—Oh, shit.

"THIRTEEN FANGS—!"

"WHOA WHOA WHOA, CALM DOWN! NO NEED TO DESTROY OUR HOUSE OVER THAT!" I shouted as loud as I can to overcome the whirring noises of imminent death from that… black whirlwind thing… of hers. "IT'S FINE, CALM DOWN, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, SIS!"

…

After some moments of cooling down…

"Sis, you just take it easy. I'll take care of everything, okay?" I said to her, while putting on an apron.

My second eldest sister gave me a mixture of dejected, embarrassment, and a guilty look… while sitting on her bed, cross-legged. I observe her behavior from the corner of my eyes even as I started cleaning her room up, putting all the trash in large plastic bags that I can sort out later.

Even though I said she can take it easy, she didn't seem to be able to stay calm. She keeps fidgeting and it seems like she wants to say something to me, but always stops short of saying it out loud. As I sweep the room, she starts to let out annoyed sighs, which I don't know were directed to me or herself.

I kept my silence and acted as if I didn't notice her behavior… for all I knew, she could get mad again if she notices. I watched as she took out a banana that I didn't know she had secretly stashed under her pillow… and ate it within less than ten seconds. Then she threw it away to the floor which I just cleaned.

…

"…" I was surprised.

"…" From how surprised she looked, she didn't seem to do that on purpose. Seems like a force of habit…

Of course. My sister isn't the kind of person to do this to. I know she won't like it, but I want to tease her just a bit…

"Yup, you are truly the best in unconscious mess-making!" I chuckled, as I picked up the banana peel and throw it into the rest of the trash… before ducking to dodge a thrown pillow.

"… you just had to say it…" Verte … was pouting. A rare sight for my stoic sister… "You are awful…"

"I'm sorry. I'm just messing with you. Don't be angry."

"Whatever you say, Brother."

But seriously though, I don't want her to be angry. Her wrath is scary, it was truly something to behold. For few minutes, no one said anything. I just decided to quickly tidy up my work, checking the corners of the room for any missed spots, then hummed in satisfaction when I didn't find any.

"It's finally done!" I said cheerfully, taking off the apron and hanging it on the wall. "Now everything looks cleaner than ever!"

"Yes… good job Jaune…"

Without wasting any time, I sat on the side of her bed and smiled at her. Seeing that she didn't protest my actions, I immediately continued.

"So! How are you doing?" I asked.

"I thought you already asked me that…" Verte replied, still sitting cross-legged on her bed. "… fine, let me say it again. I am quite alright, and now that you have gone and done all that…" She gestured to her surroundings, the now-cleaner room. "…I feel even better."

"Really?"

"Yes. Thanks to you." Verte nodded gratefully. "…I am very proud of you, Jaune." Her voice was gentler than before.

"Proud? For what?"

I don't think I've done anything special to earn that. I just did what I had to do, helping my family out...

"I must say… you have grown into quite a reliable man, Jaune." Verte smiled, and it was not a sardonic smirk or anything like that. It was a small, yet genuine smile. "It was a really a hard decision for us, but it turns out that leaving you in Vale on your own was for the best."

What…?

"Without us to hinder your potential with excessive coddling and protecting, you proven yourself to grow faster than we could have ever expected." Verte shifted closer, now sitting beside me on the bed. "You might be able to surpass all of us in no time… you are one of a kind, Jaune."

Please don't give me too much credit. I have something weird inside me that accelerates my growth to an abnormal rate… technically, I was cheating. Without The Gamer and Veritas, I couldn't have grown this much in so little time. I don't deserve any praise for cheating my way to be stronger...

I WAS excited when I found out that I had something that could help me grow stronger, I really did. And I WAS happy when I learned I could change things with my power… but I don't think I deserve any praise for that. Without Veritas and The Gamer, I would still be a weakling. I mean, even weaker than I am now…

"I don't know about that. I don't know if you're right or not…" I rubbed the back of my head. "I did fail to protect you both, after all… Noire and you, I couldn't do anything back then…"

"What are you talking about?" Verte sounded confused.

I cast down my eyes, looking at my hands.

"You know what I'm talking about…" I said. "It was… four years ago, in Mistral."

"Oh, so you remember." Verte sounded completely unperturbed by the topic. "I will not ask you for details… but here. Look at me."

I didn't move.

"Hey. Raise your head, Brother. You are now the Heir of The Arc Family." Verte said, in her usual stern voice. "It will be unbecoming of our family's name if the heir keeps wallowing in self-pity like this."

"… am I really worthy for such title, Sis? Someone like me?"

There was silence for a few moments. Then a sigh. It was not one of annoyance, but rather… understanding?

"Now I see… you are still feeling guilty for the incident four years ago." Verte said. "It was not your fault, Jaune. No one could see that coming. We will not blame you for that. It was simply… inevitable."

"You might be right… it's just I… I thought I could do something more, back then." I let out a sigh, still looking at my hands. "I wish I'd be something more than a deadweight… because you two protected me, now you've turned into something that you don't want to become… if only I was stronger back then…"

I clenched my fists. I felt my chest tighten. Verte didn't say anything.

"After all this time, I've been protected and saved… always." I continued. "… can I even do anything right?"

Another silence stretched on. I didn't say or do anything. I was waiting for Verte…

"Ah, now I understand… you have quite the burden on your mind. I am sorry I did not realize it sooner." Verte finally said. "Very well. I have just the solution to make you feel better. Now, look at me, Jaune."

"Verte—?"

I did what she told me to do, but I was surprised when Verte promptly raised her hand and slapped me right in my face.

Very hard.

Ouch. I think… it did more damage to me mentally than physically, but then again—somehow, my chest became lighter. It doesn't feel as tight as it did anymore. I feel… so much better. It was painful, but it was also… delightful. I don't know how to put it without sounding weird.

"Does it hurt?" Verte asked.

"… yes?"

"Good. Think of it as an expression of punishment from both Noire and me." Verte grabs both of my shoulders and looks right at me. "All this time, because you went on and on without anyone punishing you for your mistakes, your guilt kept building. But now…"

She gently rubbed the place she just slapped, very carefully.

"You have your punishment. There are no reasons anymore for you to bottle up your regrets!" She said with finality. "Now rise up and rejoice, Jaune Saffron Arc-Pendragon. You did not lose everything. You can still own up to your mistakes! Stand proud like a fine man you are!"

…

That was one moving speech if I ever heard one.

…

I would stand proud like she said…

…

If she didn't pull me into a sudden hug first. It was so warm and soft. It feels so comfortable… ah, I want to live here forever…

And yes, I'm talking about her chest, of course. I'm not going to pretend I don't like it. I can relieve all my stress just by pressing my face in it… oh, such a blessing...

…

Wait, I am the one who was supposed to cheer her up and comfort her, not the opposite, right? But she looks like she's enjoying this as well, so… who cares, right? We could stay like this for a few more hours… cuddling, talking about random things, and all sorts of things we usually would do with our quality time…

… damn, I'm already forgetting that I have a spar with Claire…

-Meanwhile, Atlas-

In one particular training room of the Atlas Military Headquarters, one woman was sitting cross-legged in the center of it. Her crimson hair was flowing freely, and her polished black armor shined brilliantly. Her Aura was as vibrant as her hair, but they pale in comparison to the unnatural things around her.

Multiple energy spheres were floating around her, shining with yellowish orange glow not unlike the sun itself. Any person with experience, or even a complete amateur, could tell that each of them are capable of great destruction, and WILL explode upon contact. And this woman can control those miniature suns as easily as breathing. It was merely a second nature to her. It was almost… magical.

She was meditating to even further increase her already masterful control over her powers, since she couldn't allow even the slightest chance to lose control with such fearsome force. Like a wise man said once, 'with great power comes great responsibility'… or something, she didn't really remember.

"Excuse me! Lieutenant Vermillion, reporting for duty!"

Hearing the ever familiar voice, the red-haired woman sighed, opening her eyes. Her burning red eyes looked straight at the newcomer who just abruptly entered the room. A blond-haired woman with a blue and white uniform of the Atlas Military with a blue beret sitting neatly atop her head. She looked fairly nervous.

"… Noel, how many times do I have to tell you that you could just drop the formalities when it's just the two of us?" She shook her head amusedly. "Call me Big Sis or Noa here, that would be delightful. 'Major Vermillion' sounds like a mouthful to say, especially when we're sisters…"

"Ah, you know I can't do that! Major Kisaragi will chew me out if he hears about that!" the blond-haired woman protested, shuddering in horror for something that wasn't in the room with them.

"Pssh, screw that guy. That guy looks like he has a stick up his ass!" The red-haired woman, Noa, waved her hand off dismissively. "He has no humor, holier-than-thou attitude, and not to mention he's rude as hell. You definitely shouldn't make him a standard for a husband, Noelle."

"Well… I don't like him either, but he's my superior…"

"Welp, yeah, that can't be helped. Ahahaha!" Noa laughed out loud. "Just bear it until he's either resigning or you're getting another superior!"

"That's easy for you to say, Sis…" Noel pouted. "You don't have to answer to anyone but General Ironwood... he's nice…"

"What? 'Nice', you say? You haven't seen him being overbearing as hell! That old man is a handful!" Noa chuckled. "… well then, enough about that. What brings you here?"

"Ah, yes! There has been Grimm reports from The North Border. It was quite a horde, and the cause for their arrival was unknown… [Estimated Disaster Level], [Demon]."

…

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?! That is really bad!" Noa abruptly stood up, the miniature suns around her starting to dissipate. "Tell me why are we wasting time here, little sister?!"

"Well, you're the one to distract me with pointless conversation!"

Noa looks at the younger woman with wide eyes and open mouth, as if she had said a horrible thing.

"Whaaaaaat?! Pointless, you say?!"

"Right, sorry! Not really pointless, but you get the point!" Noel frantically waved her hands in apology. "Besides, we're simply called to be the backup force, not the main defender…"

"… ah, so someone's already there handling the problem?"

"Yes, Colonel Schnee is there with his EXCELSUS." Noel nodded. "It should be no problem, but just in case some of the Grimm gets past him…"

"Alright, alright, I get it. No need to explain further." Noa walked to the door, her miniature suns already vanished from sight. "We can't waste time, Noelle. Let's go."

"Yes, Ma'am! Right away!"

And both women left the room without any hesitation.

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Mugen no Tenma, out.