Hi, it's King again.

How you're all enjoying summer and if you play FGO hope you got all the summer waifu that you wanted one dead heat summer banners. I succeeded with my goal of getting Nero caster(Umu caster), Rider Artoria alter (Maid Alter) and Lancer Raikou(Prefect Mama). Took too long with Raikou as I got spooked with Helena archer at NP5! Before I got her and got a Fran as well with my Umu.

Took me a while to get this out, works been a pain and I got distracted by other things. Ended up getting around to platinuming DMC 5, great game probably my game of the year. Also a mate of mine got me into...Jojo.

I wasn't ready for it, I wanted to dip my toe into it but ended up getting swept up in the ocean that is all of Jojo's bizarre adventures. The Stands. The Ora! Ora! The Muda Muda! Killer Queen, King Crimson, D4C!

And the memes, OH MY GOD the MEMEs!

It was a very good time, I give it a seven page Muda out of 10.

ANYWAY... moving one,

Glad to see people enjoyed the Kirei skit. I don't have any plans to include him into the main story but doesn't stop me from putting him in more Omakes if any come to mind.

Someone asked when will I hit the canon storyline, I reckon at around 2 to 3 chapters before Beacon. It would of been 2 at max but I ended up writing way too much again and had to leave some stuff for the next chapter or risk making this too long.

I keep struggling to figure out how long a chapter should be and where I should cap it off at. I sometimes feel that my chapter are way too long at times. At friend recommended after this aiming for 15k but an extra 4 or 5 thousand words was fine if I write too much again. Is that a good target and thing to keep in mind?

I don't like short chapters but feel mine are hitting a little too much on the lengthy end and could be done better.

Thanks to AlucardTheDragonicGod and Lord Rikudou with there help.

Warning my spelling and grammar is bad. (But you already knew that.)

'Thoughts'

"Talking"

Disclaimer I don't own RWBY or the Fate series.

Chapter 4 - If you go out in the woods today...

Arc household- backyard...

"Die!"

Deflecting a strike towards his heart, Arthur had to defend himself from an onslaught of random slashes. All of them targeted towards different vital points but never aiming at the same spot twice in a row to prevent the strikes from becoming predictable.

His attacker was very aggressive and had him on the defence.

"Brat! Attack now."

Sensing his son coming up behind him fast with intent to take him out in one move. The man pushed Jeanne back before quickly acting and blocking the sneak attack from his rear.

Though it turned out his son had pumped an Ursa major like-sized amount of Aura into the strike. Unprepared, Arthur soon found himself blasted back by the sheer force of it. Falling onto one knee, his great-sword anchored into the ground to prevent him from tumbling backward any further.

'They're getting better,' Looking up he saw both Jeanne and Jaune side by side. 'Ha, Amazing! The two are working incredibly together.'

Perhaps the saying of twins being able to read each other's minds held some truth to it.

'Give them a few more years and it will be like they're in sync with each other. If they both become Huntsmen, I couldn't imagine a different set of two people becoming better partners.' Then again the man couldn't imagine anyone but Jaune being able to put with his sister's... antics.

The gods help the poor fool who ended up stuck with Jeanne if they weren't the girl's brother.

Getting back up, Arthur could see that his baby girl was beginning to lose her patience with the mock battle.

It was taking longer than she thought and Arthur wasn't giving the twins an easy fight, he kept persisting, never surrendering.

Serving to annoy his ashen haired daughter.

"Grrra! Enough of this! Brat, strengthen me up! I'm ending this."

"Got it, Jeanne!"

Arthur watched as his son placed out his hand to his sister's shoulder and concentrated. A pure white cloak of light soon covered both of the twins, making them shine brighter than any star.

Then...it truly started.

Slowly, Jeanne's own dark purple Aura started to dance alive welcoming in the untainted white Aura, almost feeding off of it, as it grew in size and power around the young girl's form. The ground around her feet cracked and softly rumbled, giving in to the sudden increase in power. The Aura was literally rolling off Jeanne in waves as her shadowy cloak clung to her like a fateful lover.

It climbed and climbed, reaching up, until it looked like the Aura couldn't go any further without collapsing in on itself.

Feeling unstoppable, Jeanne gave away a smug smirk.

Meanwhile, poor Jaune beside her was breaking out into a cold sweat, his knees shaking as the boy tried to keep supplying his sister and not break the connection.

Arthur had been corrected when it came to his son's semblance. Being able to strengthen up other's Aura along with their semblances was a recipe for a very powerful and, dare he say it, broken semblance. Though Jaune had only just started to fully understand and unlock the true potential of its power, nevertheless it was still something to behold and it made Arthur both concerned and excited to see what his son would do with such a gift.

'They've come so far... ' The pride he felt for his children doubled in his heart.

"Take this old man!"

The father knew this wasn't going to be pleasant.

'Is it too late to say I yield?'

BOOM!

A wide smirk was out on full display as Jeanne took in the sight of the small controlled inferno that she had unleashed on the old man.

'Hahahaaha! That'll teach the old fart to dare question my skill.'

Maybe if she was lucky, the man was so badly injured that he would cease it with those infernal pet names of his that he had given her. There was only so many times Jeanne could restrain herself from doing something...unpleasant to the old blonde when he kept on calling her something like 'sweetie' or 'little princess'.

God how she loathed those stupid titles.

They weren't cute! No matter how much Caren and her older sisters said otherwise.

The smug look soon vanished, replaced with an irritated scowl that could sour milk.

Walking, (or rather limping) Arthur wore a proud smile on his face. He looked no worse for wear other than the heavy scorch marks on his armor and the tips of his golden mane being singed.

"Haha! Incredible you two! Amazing teamwork, you both had me on the ropes a few times back there; I'm ashamed to admit."

Jaune, despite his obvious exhaustion and overuse of his semblance, soaked up the praise like a sponge to water. Jeanne however merely scoffed at the words knowing the man was talking out of his arse and exaggerating.

Yes, they had put Arthur on the back ropes at times but the Ex-Avenger could also could tell that the veteran Huntsman wasn't going all out on them in the slightest.

Still though, Jeanne would take some pride in the fact that she and brat had coordinated so well together to push the old man back in this mock fight.

"Look at you two, only recently turned twelve and already you're both working together to take me down. Maybe I should feel a little worried that your planning on overthrowing me and taking the reins of the Arc family." The blonde man laughed good-heartedly.

"If we did take over, old man, we would do a much better job of running things than you."

"Oh I'm sure you would," Crossing his arms, Arthur lectured. "But it'll be a long time before I step down, like my father before me, and let someone else take on leading our old family house."

"Maybe it'll happen sooner than you think if you keep fighting as sloppy as you were just moments ago."

Letting the snarky comment slide, Arthur only shook his head and rolled his eyes at his little princess's harsh words. Like everyone else, he and the family had long gotten used to the young pyromaniac's sharp tongue which she used to spit out strong barbs at anyone.

Putting the training weapon aside, Jaune and Jeanne watched the father of eight walked over to the mysterious large black case that he put down previously before the fight.

"If you keep saying such mean things to me sweetheart you may hurt my feelings and I won't show you my surprise." He jested.

The ashen hair tried very hard to prevent her eyebrow from twitching at the use of the pet name.

"What's in the case, dad?" Jaune asked.

"Ha, well since you two have worked so hard the last couple of years in your training," Dropping the case on the floor away from his children's viewing the man clipped it open.

"With you learning and understanding more about your semblance and Jeanne going a whole two years without a major incident occurring. I thought that you both deserve a little something."

Watching the man's back as Arthur rummaged around with the contents within the case, building up suspense and gaining both siblings interest.

"Annnnnnnd~ I think it's about time you two were given your very own weapons."

Presented was a sheathed sword with the only defining feature being the blue handle and golden decorated cross-guard.

"Son, this is yours."

Taking the weapon offered to him, the young boy immediately drew the sword out of its confines with childish impatiences at the excitement of being given the gift.

The blade hummed and shined once brought out into the sunlight. The stainless steel glowing as it reflected the light becoming a beacon, like a lantern in the dark. Other than all that though the weapon seemed to be a simple long-sword, equipped with a straight thin double-edged blade making it light. Perfect for speed and, with how sharp the edges of the blade appeared to be, for cutting making the deadly tool nicely balanced to fit most users out there.

It was the type of sword one envisioned a knight from an old fairy tale to wield. Though Jeanne did note that it looked to be masterfully forged and well made putting it's quality up there in her option.

Which was saying a lot given the fact she had seen swords wielded by heroes from both myth and legends, so the fact that this blade didn't appear to be some useless piece of crap in her eyes gave it some worth.

"What I just handed over to you, Jaune, is Crocea Mors. Our family's ancestral sword."

"It's beautiful," Jaune muttered.

Finding the weapon simple yet... oddly elegant as it felt right to be holding this sword in his hands. The blade felt powerful, it made him feel strong but also found something...lacking. Something was missing, something that prevented the sword from feeling his own but the blonde couldn't tell what was lacking.

Not yet anyway.

Jeanne raised an eyebrow at the weapon's name.

'Yellow death huh?'

Her Latin knowledge was pretty much nonexistent due to the original holy maiden being illiterate to ever learn the language. But the pure version of herself had picked a word or two thanks to spending so much time around those bastards at the church. 'It escapes my mind but I'm sure a heroic spirit long before my era had a sword with the same name.'

No longer having access to the throne of heroes made it hard to remember every single detail about other servants and the important information of their history. 'Whatever it's not like it matters anyway. That sword isn't a Noble Phantasm and I very much doubt there are any other spirits who have gotten washed up here.'

Watching his son admiring the family sword, Arthur informed. "Crocea Mors has been in the Arc family for generations dating all the way back around the founding of our ancient house. Going from father to son, and some rare times daughter as well, serving and protecting them throughout many battles." The man's eyes flicked towards the blade.

"Safe to say the sword has many tales surrounding it over the ages, the oldest rumour being that the weapon was forged during the age of magic and when the gods still looked over humanity before they abandoned us." The face of the current head of the Arc family became very grim.

"Though sadly the stories around Crocea Mors have now become overshadowed and it's mostly now known for its deeds done by your great-great-grandfather during his time in the great war and the Faunus revolution. His service during those events are marked as bloody ones and that sword you hold was the tool he used to survive those wars." Arthur ended, finishing his brief little history about the long past the weapon held.

"I think it goes without saying that me handing this over to you, Jaune, is a very significant gesture and family tradition."

Jaune looked at the sword with much more caution now after the context and full weight behind having Crocea Mors being handed down to him now meant.

"What about me?" Jeanne rudely interjected, secretly feeling left out.

"Oh, you?" Arthur blinked. "I didn't get you anything."

"What! How's that fair?!"

She began ranting and throwing her arms about in a tantrum becoming very animated with her limbs flying about. Her young brother took a step back, fearing his sister was going to explode with fire bursting out like a match light in a gas-filled room.

*Snort*

The anger pale girl halted her movements and stop running her mouth. Turning to see her father trying but failing to stifle his laughter.

"Hahahaha," The man failed, letting a goodhearted laugh at his youngest daughter's expression. "Ha! I'm only messing with you, Jeanne. Of course, I got something for you as well."

Feeling embarrassed, "Grrr! You should know better than to toy with me like that, old man." She grumbled. "Do you want me to hurt you? Maybe next time I'll disarm you of your other 'sword' and make sure that you stick with only eight kids."

"Ahem," Arthur cleared his throat, fidgeting around. "Now, now, Sweetheart, no need for that. I'm only having a little fun is all."

"Stop calling me that and just show me what you got already."

Without another word, the old blonde went back to the weapon case and this time whipping out what he had planned for Jeanne. The father hopes his gift will be well received from his daughter, gods know it that Jeanne was always the hardest one in the family when it came to giving gifts or presents during her birthday or when the holidays roll around.

"Here you go, Jeanne. I had this made specifically for you."

The Avenger was then presented with her own sword.

Straight away, one could see the differences it held compared to her brother's. Sheathed away in fine black leather, the handle was the purest of black that Jaune had ever seen, so dark that even light failed to escape its darkness.

The girl took her weapon with much more confidence than her brother, without any of the childish excitement like the brat had. Treating the deadly weapon with much more respect than her fellow twin, the father noted.

Slowly and with grace, Jeanne removed the blade from its sheath in one smooth simple motion.

It was a rapier, with a double-sided thin blade which measured at around one meter in length. Giving the sword a much longer reach than Crocea Mors with the bonus of being much lighter, but the thinner blade did mean that the metal lacks the strength and sturdiness of the Arc sword.

'Hmmm, strong, light, the weight is perfectly balanced to fit me holding it with one hand.'

She began taking a few practice swings to get a feel for the weapon.

'Masterly crafted as well.' She added. 'Perhaps for once, the old man did well with giving me a gift I might find a use in… plus I can't deny that I do find the colour and overall appearance appealing.'

Just like the handle, the blade itself was void black, as if the sword had been forged out of pure obsidian. The light didn't shine off the blade once it was exposed to the sunlight, instead the metal sucked in any light that touched it and trapped it like a black hole. Barbed metal rings had been carefully bent and wrapped around the cross-guard like someone had chosen to decorate the thing in barbed wire or rose thorns.

Finally, to top off the sword's appearance, dark purple gems were fitted into the ends of all three points of both the cross-guard and the grip.

'This must have been expensive to make.' A custom job like this was never cheap.

Arthur had patiently watched his youngest daughter inspect the sword he had ordered to be forged for her personally. Hiding his fears in that what he had spent time and money to get the weapon made for her went unappreciated and thrown right back at him.

Seeing his baby girl finally putting the black sword away into its sheath, he asked. "Well? What do you think?"

"It's...good and extremely well forged I...I," Hesitating. "I-I thank y-you for the gift...father." She struggled out.

Hearing his daughter's thanks and the fact she called him father instead of 'old man' had Arthur clenching his teeth trying to fight back any manly tears that threatened to pour forth.

He wouldn't cry!

Not in front of his children, especially not in front of Jeanne and Jaune. The girl would tear into him so bad that it would hurt his pride as a man and Arthur couldn't allow his only son to see him crying and ruining the strong masculine image that he had tried to build up over the years for Jaune to look up to.

No, Arthur would hold back his many tears, (because men don't weep!) and instead let it out when alone with Caren as he told his wife how he had gotten their daughter to offer up one of her rare 'thank yous' and that Jeanne had actually referred to him as 'father' for once.

Discreetly ridding himself of the moisture in his eyes."That's great! I'm glad to hear it, sweetheart,-"

"Grrr! I've told you to stop calling me by those blasted nicknames, old man!"

"-I was worried that you might not find the weapon to your liking." The man finished as if he hadn't heard the interruption in the first place, all the while with a growing smile.

"Though if you want something else crafted that's not a problem, I'd rather you have something that would definitely see use in the future. Or perhaps the opinion of modifying the sword to suit your tastes is what you would like?"

"The sword is perfectly fine as it is. Although since your offering, there is a request for another item I'll like to put forth to go along with my new blade."

Arthur got excited. "Is it a shield?"

"No! It's not a shield!" She screamed. "I'm not some weakling that cowers behind a sheet of metal. I attack my enemy's head on until there's nothing left of them."

"Oh well," Arthur sighed dramatically. "I suppose it was too good to be true that you would finally join your brother and me in seeing the amazingness that is using a shield."

"Shields are shit."

"You take that back young lady! I won't hear such blasphemy"

"Make me, old-timer."

Speaking about shields…

As father and daughter joke about and had their back and forth, Jaune had been fiddling around with the sheath for his family sword and ended up pressing a switch. The next thing the young blonde knew the holder for his blade extended into a white shield which proudly displayed the Arc family sigil.

"Ah! Son, I see you found the secondary function for the sheath."

"It...transforms into a shield?"

"Yep, pretty convenient, right? Having both the sheath and shield be one. Though it still weighs the same and it's pretty heavy."

Jaune just nodded his head and just kept deeply inspecting both the simple sword and shield.

Frowning. "Are you happy with your gift, Jaune? If you don't wish to wield Crocea Mors as your primary weapon I understand, we can get you something else." After all, Arthur knew that the family sword wasn't for everyone with how old and primitive the sword was nowadays compared to the high-tech gear people used.

Even he had ended up hanging up Crocea Mors around halfway through his years enrolled in the academy. Eventually submitting and choosing to upgrade his arsenal for something more modern and convenient during his younger years back in Atlas.

"No!" The boy shook his head. "I'm happy and honoured to be gifted with such an important sword linked to our family history father, truly. It's just…"

Arthur watched as his son struggled to find the right words.

Typical of his boy to find the best of way saying his opinion without offending. His son was kind to others...unless you were rude to Jeanne then you ended up on Jaune's shit list. A hard thing to accomplish but insult Jeanne then you'll have a hard time getting along with the welcoming youngest Arc.

"...Would it be alright if I...had Crocea Mors modified?"

The old man didn't say anything.

Jaune watched his father's jovial mood vanished before him. Replaced by an unreadable stone-faced expression.

"Are you honestly asking me if you can tamper and meddle with our ancestral sword?" Arthur asked with a cold tone. "A sword which has been with our family since the start and has been preserved by the members of house Arc through the ages. Is that what you are asking?"

Panicking, a bit of sweat starting to form on his brow. "I-errr um-"

"Very well then go ahead." Arthur interrupted, with his jolly and cheerful mood suddenly returning out of nowhere.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, it's fine, your not the first Arc in history that's wanted to make modifications to Crocea Mors." The man shrugged.

"Where do you think the transforming shield that turns into a sheath came from? That tech is a bit too modern and it wasn't with the sword back in ancient times, that's for sure. Heck, the idea of a shield combo with the sword didn't even get added on until much later by one of our ancestors."

"Really? I always just assumed the shield was a part of the set."

"Yeah... well, it was never always like that, believe it or not, but that sword had originally started as a great-sword."

'A greatsword.' Something about that image clicked in Jaune's head but was unable to think more of the idea that hit him as his father kept on talking.

"But over the years there's been many Arcs that have made both minor and large changes to Crocea Mors. Sometimes it's a small thing like adding a shield or making a sheath that turns into a shield, and then we got the more significant alterations with one very old forefather reforging the family blade into a shorter sword for ease of use for himself." Arthur informed, reciting more old history of his family and their sword.

"Sooooo your really okay with me looking into making changes to Crocea Mors?" Jaune asked, feeling nervous asking the current head of the Arc family if he could mess around with such a historical heirloom.

"Yes, yes, I told you already it's fine to upgrade it." The veteran Huntsman waved his hand in a shooing manner. "I, and suspected our progenitors as well for that matter would much rather see the sword actually getting used out there in the real world for what it was intended for, rather than it sitting above the mantelpiece gathering dust."

Face scrunching up, the man quickly added.

"Though sadly I can't let you tamper with the actual blade itself." He regrettably told his son. "The metal it's made from is so old and rare that no blacksmiths alive in this day and age can even reforge such an ancient relic from the old ages… but anything else that can be added to Crocea Mors and benefit you is fair game."

Despite that small and only restriction, Jaune tightly held onto HIS sword and gave a wide toothy grin.

"Thanks, dad! I promise you that I'll wield Crocea Mors with the respect it deserves and make you proud."

" Haha! I know you will Jaune." Arthur ended up matching his son's grin, exclaiming. " I wouldn't have given you the sword if I didn't think you deserved it."

The two blondes were now sporting identical goofy smiles.

The two doing the same pose and expression it made it look like the elder blonde had short miniature clone next to him.

This event right here truly was a great father and son bonding moment.

"Oi!"

Sadly for the two males, that moment was shattered by the third member present with them who they had momentarily forgotten about.

"Are you two blonde idiots quite done having this sickly heart to heart bonding session?" Jeanne scowled, holding her new sword in hand.

"Quite frankly it's disgusting for me having to watch it play out and it makes my stomach turn." Faking a gag. "Honestly, both of you are meant to be the men in this crazy family of ours and yet you two are both the biggest emotional wusses out of all of us. Man the fuck up, the both of you."

"Ahhhhh! Are you feeling left out sweetheart?" Arthur smiled and teased, taking a note from his elder daughters books.

"No, I'm not and STOP CALLING ME THAT!" The girl denied but the father swore he saw a tiny hint of a blush breaking out on his little girl's cheeks.

"Whatever you say, sweetie!"

"Tch! Are we done here, old man?" Jeanne growled.

"Of course we are but why the rush?"

"Good! Brat let's leave this old-timer and get back inside." She grabbed Jaune by the arm and dragged the boy back to the house, the poor boy almost dropped Crocea Mors with how hard he was getting pulled along. "I'm hungry so it's your job as my minion to cook for me."

Watching the siblings leave, Arthur could only simply laugh. Looks like Jeanne was making good use of her brother's culinary skills that his wife had beaten into there son's head in Caren's attempted in making Jaune out to be some kind of 'perfected husband material' as the woman would say.

"No."

"You have to do it, Arthur," Caren told her husband with nonsense tone and a mean glare to match it. "We had a deal!"

"I don't wanna!"

Sighing at her spouse's childish response, it was almost hard to believe that the man she had been married to for so many years and had eight children with was right now acting like a young spoiled toddler being forced to do something they hated.

'It honestly feels like I have a ninth child all of a sudden, a man-child!' Caren screamed within her mind meanwhile her face betrayed nothing of her anger instead wearing a serious mask.

'And this new "child" isn't nearly as cute and adorable as my sweet little knight.' She insulted Arthur as the man kept refusing to hold up his end of the bargain. 'My Jaune would never act so unruly towards me, he's a good boy and does what his mother asks him to.'

"Why can't you do it, Caren?"

Frowning, she informed. "Because we made a deal long ago that you would give any sons we had 'The Talk' and I would handle giving it to any daughters we had."

Though looking back on it if Caren had known she would have been given a streak of six daughters in a row before finally gaining a son she would have never had taken such a deal with her husband after they had shortly married.

Hindsight truly was twenty-twenty.

"I don't recall this, why should I stay true to this deal from years ago anyway?"

"Because you gave your word as a Arc."

Caren grinned in victory.

"Fuck!" Arthur cursed, knowing that there was no way out. "Gods sometimes I hate that stupid family motto."

"Too bad looks like you'll be giving our son the conversation about puberty as well as the birds and the bees."

She tried not to sound like she was enjoying her husband's predicament but was failing miserably.

"But you'll do a much better job than me!" He whined, "You've already got the experience over the years giving Angela, Leone and the rest of our older children the talk."

"Yes, and now it's finally your turn to step up and give our son the important information he'll need to know as he slowly starts to become a man in the next few years." She lectured. " It's better to get this out of the way sooner rather than later, else Jaune will be ignorant of important changes happening to him growing up."

Arthur looked to the ground and grumbled. "Shouldn't this be something the school should teach him? It's going to be awkward between us, I don't know where to even start."

Caren smiled. 'Good! You can suffer the same awkwardness I've had to endure for years, you ass! Curse you for getting me pregnant with a streak of freaking six daughters in a row! I'm not going to let you weasel your way out of this one! Now you can share my pain as a parent.'

"I'm sure you'll figure something out love, you always do." She comforted him with an all too sweet smile, meanwhile a chibi reason of herself did an evil victory celebration dance within her head.

"..."

Not looking any better or moved by her kind words. "Are you moping?"

"No! Of course not, It's just… not fair is all!"

The grown man whined again making Caren honestly wondering how in the world this person had become a powerful huntsman, the head of the Arc family and had gotten her to marry him in the first place. She thought she would be used to her husband's wacky behaviour by now but it seemed that despite the man she loved becoming more serious, mature and growing up, Arthur still was at heart the lovable goofball she had met back in their teens.

"You've got IT easier than me." Caren counted, putting an arm on her hip and looking down at him. "I'm the one who's got to try and give Jeanne the talk."

A conversation she was dreading.

"Unless of course…" placing a single thin finger on her chin. "You would like to trade? I'll happily take the 'challenging struggle' of giving my sweet little boy the talk while you can inform our youngest daughter about boys, hormones, periods and all sorts."

"..."

The man froze and went silent.

Arthur's eyes slowly widened at the mere thought of the suggestion.

"You know, all of a sudden my upcoming conversation with Jaune doesn't sound so bad."

He said with a more upbeat tone. "It'll be another great father and son bonding moment for us!"

"I knew you would eventually see things the right way." Caren closed her eyes and clapped her hands in front of her chest. 'Drat! I should have let him keep complaining and tricked him somehow into swapping. Then I could have had Jaune and tell him about girls. Stuff like how to find a good wife, what qualities to look for, to stay away from hussys and to avoid becoming a no-good playboy like his Uncle.'

"Still though...I'm kind of nervous." Running his fingers through his hair, "What if Jaune asks me something I don't know how to answer? I need some time to prepare myself mentally if I want to do this right."

"That's fine."

Placing her hands on his broad shoulders lightly massaging them, she added. "Take as much time as you need, within reason of course. Don't want you backing out of this now do we? Just let me know when you plan to speak with Jaune so that I can take Jeanne and do the same with her."

Relaxing at his wife's touch, allowing her fingers to get rid of the stress that built itself up within him, Arthur leaned backward until he felt his head resting up against Caren's stomach. He also secretly enjoyed the feeling her bosom gently pressing down on his head.

'Ahhhh, so comfy.'

Prying a single eye open, the blonde took a peek over at the calendar on the kitchen wall.

Noting, 'Huh, it's the 12th at the start of the next week. Why is that day noteworthy for again?'

Staring at the dates longer both of his eyes soon snapped open in remembrance, thankfully his wife didn't notice and kept up her massage. 'Crap, I forgot that he said he was going to be in town next week and will pay a visit. I've been so busy I failed to remember to mention it, Caren is gonna flip when she finds out and I'm de-

A thought suddenly struck the blonde.

'That could work.'

Arthur felt as if a light bulb had been switched on inside his brain.

A scheme was forming.

"I'll speak to Jaune at the start of next week." Caren suddenly heard her husband say and she looked down past her bust to him.

"So soon? I thought you were you gonna try and attempted to put this off as long as you could."

"Hey, I'm just following what you said about getting it out of the way as soon as possible." He gave a weak smile.

Like his son, Arthur wasn't the best liar out there but prayed that his wife didn't catch on to him.

"*Giggle* Well it's good to know your following my advice, I know how stubborn you can get." Breaking eye contact and turning around, Arthur quickly wiped away his sweat while his wife wasn't looking and tried to let his beating heart return to normal.

Making her way out of the room she voiced out. "Next week is perfect, It'll also give me a lot of time to plan out how I'm going to speak to Jeanne."

Letting out a long-winded sigh. "Wish me luck for that heart-to-heart mother and daughter chat."

"You don't need luck, honey. You've done this a dozen times before, you've got this! I believe in you." Arthur encouraged while waving the white-haired mother of eight out of the room as she left.

Once out of sight, the blonde let out a sigh of relief.

"Poor Caren, Jeanne's gonna eat her alive." He said to no-one but himself. "Oh well, I guess as long as it's not me dealing with our fire happy daughter then it's fine. Besides I've got my own troubles coming up."

Like his younger brother coming to visit.

One week later…

"What this about?"

Stuck in her parents' room sitting at the foot of the bed Jeanne demanded an answer.

She was trapped with her 'mother' and all six of her older siblings, every single female in the Arc family that currently stayed in the house was crammed into the master bedroom. The Avenger didn't have a clue why she was here. She had gone looking for the brat, who had up and vanished on her mysteriously, and suddenly the next thing she knew, Jeanne found herself getting snatched up and dragged into the bedroom.

"Well...you see, Jeanne, there's something important we have to discuss." Informed Caren.

The woman appeared serious and stoic but Jeanne could spot the signs of stress and nervousness that she tried to hide from her.

"And this 'important' discussion requires all of them here as well?"

She gestured at all the older siblings that had taken uphold inside the bedroom as well.

"Hey! I don't want to here either, but mom ended up roping us in so we suffe-mmmmhhh!" Whatever Leone was trying to say was stopped forcefully as both Angela and Trish covered the girl's mouth. Both sisters had a scared look in their eyes as they gagged the loudmouth blonde while under the glare that their mother was sending there way.

Giving a smile, that looked a little too forced, Violet spoke up. "We're all here because mother 'asked' us to... offer help and support in any way for this discussion we'll be having. Isn't that right?" The doll-like girl asked with a pleading look in her eyes, her artificial fingers nervously fiddling with the skirt of her dress.

Cold sweat running down the back of their necks from the expectant look they were receiving from their mother, Rossweisse and Saphron quickly nodded their heads.

"Y-Yeah, of c-course."

"We've here to h-help our baby sis with any q-questions she may have."

'Something isn't right here, What's got them so scared and nervous? They've never acted like this in the past. Heck, now I'm even starting to worry about what this is all about.'

The back of Jeanne's mind screamed that whatever was coming was something she would absolutely abhor.

Ignoring the warning in her mind, the white-haired pre-teen bite the bullet and asked. "What's so important to discuss that it requires ALL of you to help."

Taking a deep breath, Caren choice to finally answer her youngest daughter. "Jeanne, you're on your way to becoming a woman."

'What?'

"And very soon you're going to experience changes."

'No…'

"Many changes," Angela added.

'This can't be what I think it is."

"Yes! Many changes," Caren corrected. "Ones that will make themselves known immediately-"

"Like growing in some areas." Said Trish with a grin, 'subtly' crossing her arms under her generous bust.

'No...no...no…'

Feeling embarrassed, Violet stuttered out with an awkward look on her face. "Or experience bleeding in unexpected areas."

'No, no, shut up, stop talking!'

"But that's natural! So don't worry about it." The mother hastily added in a panic before picking up where she left off. "While other changes won't be all physical and will be more subtle and less obvious, taking more time to appear."

"Like noticing boys." Interrupted Leone, looking excited and sporting a big teasing grin.

Caren frowned, "Can you all stop interrupting me?".

"Oi! Your one who 'asked' us to help out with explaining this stuff to her." Leone shot back, "Don't complain when we're doing your job as a parent for you."

A little squabble ensued between the Arc women. All of them arguing on how to probably go about all this, with each woman having their own thoughts on how to have this conversation.

Meanwhile, Jeanne's instincts were screaming at her to escape this situation at once.

Now that the others were arguing amongst themselves this was the perfect moment for the girl to make her exit.

'I've got to get out of here!' Getting up, Jeanne made a strong attempt at running for the door.

Sadly her quest for freedom from this torture was denied, for soon as she got up and moved all of the older siblings tackled her down to the floor.

"Oh no you don't! We all had to endure this once, no way you get to skip it."

"It's only fair so come on Jeanne."

"While I know how you feel sis, Leone and Saphron are right. This is a conversation you do need to have."

'NO, I DON'T! I already know about this stuff.' Jeanne cried out within her head. 'Don't make me suffer through this! Someone help me!'

No one came and they sat Jeanne back down on the bed against her will.

Composing herself, Caren spoke. "Right, where were we again? Oh, that's right changes and puberty then we'll move on to the sex talk."

Hearing those words, Jeanne felt a small part of her die inside at what was to come. 'Brat! Minion! Jaune! Where are you? Hurry up and save me!'

Unfortunately for the dragon witch, her brother wouldn't be coming to rescue her.

As the boy was currently being taken away into another section of the house by his father. Jaune hadn't a clue for what purpose other than his dad saying that they needed to talk about something important.

"What are we doing dad?"

"I told you, son," Arthur replied, a bead of sweat running down the side of his forehead. "We're going to be having an essential chat but we're waiting on someone before we can begin."

"Who?"

"That's a surprise." The father smiled and waved off the question. 'Or it will be if he ever shows up that is!'

"How long is this going to take? I wanted to put in some more training with Jeanne today." Gaining a thoughtful look. "Actually, where is Jeanne any way?"

"Your mother has taken your twin sister and her siblings so they could give her a similar talk that we're about to have."

"Oh...okay then!" The little knight grinned with a child-like innocence that only a pure soul could possess. "You think they're having fun?"

"I'm sure," The man lied through his teeth at his only son. "I bet they're all enjoying their little girl talk."

Father and son waited together in the kitchen for their third member to show up. The two speak on more lax terms on matters with Arthur asking his son about how school was going, his progress in training and if there had been many more developments regarding his semblance.

*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*

"Ah, that must be him, about time." Arthur quickly got up and proceeded to make his way through the living room and down the hall to the front door. 'He's late.'

Opening the door, Arthur looked who to see who it was and then sighed. "You took your damn time getting here."

The tall figure standing at the doorstep merely laughed. "What, not even a 'welcome home' for your dear little brother?"

"Not when you're late by nearly two whole hours! Now get inside and don't be so loud, the last thing I need is Caren coming down the stairs." The head of the Arc family dragged his younger brother in and shut the door behind them.

"What? Why did I need to be quiet for? You did tell your wife that I coming over, right?"

"N-No...it kinda slipped my mind."

"Damn it, Arthur." Sighing, "It's already difficult for me to visit you when I can, the fact your wife and my sister in law hates me doesn't make it easier."

"Oh don't give me that! Maybe if you got your own permanent place you could visit me, my family and our parents more often. Or better yet just move back here, in our family home, for a while to spend some time with us, Richard."

Standing right next to Arthur, the man named Richard clearly held a huge resemblance to the man. Heck, the two men could pass as twins if not for the few clear distinctions the younger brother showed. They both were the same height and build along with having the windswept blonde hair and face structure. What separated them was that first the younger brother had his hair grown out longer, so long that he had it braided down the back.

Also unlike Arthur who had only inherited his father's looks, Richard had been blessed with his mother's red eyes and a small hint of her crimson hair which appeared as a few red highlights running down his fringe, mixing together with the iconic Arc blonde hair.

Richard rose a single brow at his older brother. "Settle down, here? The idea doesn't sound too bad but no thanks, brother. You know me, I like to travel and never stopping in one spot for too long."

"Aye I do, people sometimes refer to you as the wild or wandering Arc."

"Yep. And besides I wouldn't want to live in this house, even if I did grow up here, no offence but Caren has it out for me."

Sweat dropping at the rematch. "Can you blame her?" Arthur couldn't help but ask. "After your attempt at seducing her and her friend the moment you first spotted them and I had to step in and apologize on your behalf."

That was the day he first met Caren and the woman had certainly made an impression on him. With the woman that would be his wife throwing her drink at his younger brother and attempting to beat Richard black and blue. Arthur ended having to intervene and apologize profusely for his brother's actions. Funnily enough, it seemed that he had somehow had ended up gaining the woman's interest and the blonde didn't know how but very soon he and Caren had ended up dating not too long after that date.

"Hey! If it weren't for me spotting her that day you wouldn't have ever met each other. You think that woman of yours would learn to let a grudge go but no she still sees me as some kind of good for nothing philanderer." Curse that white-haired she-devil for stealing his brother away and inadvertently taking away his best wing-man.

Giving him a look, Arthur slowly said. "Wellllll… you kinda are. I mean you haven't tried to hide it that you're a bit of a... skirt chaser."

"...your point?"

Shaking his head, Arthur began walking deeper into the house. "Forget about it, if anything your escapades may come in useful. I need your help, it's about Jaune."

Hearing mention his nephew, Richard became serious. "Why, what's wrong? Training? Is he in trouble or is something wrong at school, if he's being bullied just give me the word and I'll-"

"No nothing like that."

His son could take care of himself in that regard but even if he couldn't no one would dare lay had on Jaune due to fear of bringing forth his twin's sister's anger upon them.

"What I need help with concerning Jaune is…(*Mumble, Mumble*)"

"What was that? I can't hear you, Arthur, speak up man."

The man reluctantly explained the situation he was in, much to his humiliation. It didn't help his pride that once he finished, Richard started laughing his ass off at him, finding the whole situation so ridiculous and silly.

"Hahahaha! Your t-telling me-hahaha- that's what y-you need my help with? Hahaha... " Holding his gut, the younger brother couldn't keep his amusement hidden. "You honestly can't do this yourself, big bro?"

"Hey! Caren grabbed all of our other daughters and got them into helping her do this with Jeanne. It's only fair I get someone to back me up as well!"

Waving his arm. "Alright, alright, chill out Arthur no need to panic, I'll help you out with this…' difficult' mission of yours." Richard held back a chuckle as those words left his lips.

Reviled, Arthur smiled. "Thank you, I'm grateful. I've never had to do something like this before." He led the fellow Arc further into their family home. "But you shouldn't laugh at me, being a father and the jobs that come with it aren't easy. Something I'm sure you'll soon learn when you have your own children."

Arthur knew his parents would be pleased if his younger brother would look into settling down with someone and giving more grand-kids.

A scoff was what the older brother got in response. "Me, with kids? Yeah right, first find me a beautiful woman who's as strong as she is breathtaking and can also put up a fight...preferable one with white hair." It was clear that the two Arc brothers had a type. "Show me such a woman and then we'll talk, brother."

'Not asking for much, are you?' The sarcasm was heavy. 'Does such a woman even exist?'

Leaving that topic be, the two Arc males entered the kitchen. The moment they walked in, a small speeding blonde missile crashed right into the stomach of the mixed haired colored Arc.

"Uncle Rich!"

Hearing the shout of surprise and joy at his showing, the wandering Arc laughed and hugged his only nephew.

"Hey, champ!"

Taking a good look at the boy, Richard whistled.

"Wow look at you, grown-up fast since I last saw you. Won't be long till you'll be a young man and be off on your way combat school."

"Actually, Richard," Arthur interrupted his brother and son's reunion. "It's not sure yet if Jaune will be going off to join a combat school."

The crimson, blonde-haired Arc expressed confusion. "Not sure? What you on about? He's an Arc, of course he'll want to go to combat School and work on becoming a Huntsman. It's what our family is known for."

With his younger brother travelling so much, Arthur hadn't had the chance to explain that, so far, his son hadn't voiced any want nor lack of desire of pursuing a life of a Huntsman.

Before he could explain himself to Richard, possibly leading to a small argument. Jaune pushed his way back into the conversation, changing the subject as the twelve-year-old didn't know care what topics the adults were having and just wanted his curiosity sated.

"What are you doing here, Uncle Rich? I mean...dad said we were waiting for someone and it was a surprise but weren't you off on the other side of the world?"

Nodding, "Yeah I was," He admitted. "But I got fed up with the constant winter cold air of Atlas, much too chilly for my liking." Richard ruffled the kid's golden hair and grinned. " So, for the time being, I'm going to be staying around here for a while, taking jobs all around Sanus and enjoying the much warmer climate."

"Awesome!" The boy yelled, throwing up his arms in excitement. "You can help me with training as well now since your going to be closer to us and all."

The Uncle appeared delighted at the idea of spending some time with his brother's only son. He hadn't had a chance to ever take part in the training Arthur did with his children so the opportunity was interesting.

"That might be something that can be arranged," Arthur said to his son. "But first...we need to get something done, preferably quickly." He muttered the last bit with low-spirited voice, very uncommon for the normally cheerful father.

The sooner he got this done, the faster he could try and sneak his brother out of the house before his wife found them.

"Right got ya, Arthur." Richard nodded along. "Come on, Jaune, take a seat by me and let your old man sit away from us."

Taking their seats, the three Arc males found themselves in awkward silence with no one saying a word to each other. Young Jaune was patiently waiting for one of the two adults to explain what this was all about.

Meanwhile, Richard and Arthur were starting at each other expectantly.

'What are you doing? Say something.' Richard mouthed silently to the father.

'I've got nothing!' The man mouthed back. 'You do it! Start the conversation, that's the whole reason why I waited for you to show up.'

"For crying out loud…" The ruby crimson eyed Arc softly muttered. "Alright then! Guess I'll take the plunge."

"Jaune," Getting the young blonde's attention solely on him. "I'm going to tell you something very important, the talk about putting the 'sword' in the 'sheath'."

What followed next was probably one of the most eye-opening, confusing and embarrassing conversations that Jaune had, and will EVER have, in his life. The same went for Richard for crudely explaining most of the details, making sure his nephew wasn't inept about intimacy or the opposite sex like his older brother had been in their younger years. Poor Arthur watched simply from the sidelines, due to shock or because of being embarrassed, as his brother explained things to his son which would make many people flush red and have Caren try to gut him and Richard for exposing her baby boy to this type of stuff.

"S-So…I put my t-thing…" Stuttering a blushing Jaune looked down at his lap and somehow become even redder. "I-Inside a girl's…"

"Yep." The Uncle nodded, feeling a bit of pity for the boy for how uncomfortable he had become.

"...Ewwwwww!" Was the childish response the small boy gave, making a 'gross' face by sticking out his tongue.

Laughing at the expected reaction from the kid. "Yeah, that was pretty much mine and your dad's reaction as well, when our parents sat us down and told us. Though I guarantee in a few years soon your response to such acts will change. Before you know you'll start noticing girls in a different way."

"Nuh-uh, no way!"

"Come on, squirt, you must have started to gain some interest or even a crush on one of the girls at your school."

"I hate the girls at school." Jaune suddenly declared with venom which surprised Richard. "Some girls in class try to approach me when I'm alone but I refuse to hang out with them. They all say mean things behind Jeanne's back when she's not around but I hear them."

Red eyes glanced over the table, meeting a set of cool blue orbs. Neither of the brothers spoke but the look on Richard's face told the Father that he wanted to know more about what was going on while he had been away.

"There must be at least one girl you like and don't hate."

"I like Jeanne!" The boy exclaimed. "And Mom, Grandma, Angla, Leone, Trish, Violet and everyone else in our family."

'Alllllllllllright… my nephew might have a sister complex, either that... or he's following how the Arcs used to do things back at the starting of our house where that practice was way more common among everyone.'

Leaving that topic behind, the long-haired Arc sought to change the mood of the room back to something more cheery.

"Well forget about the girls at school, Jaune, and look to the future, at all the possible partners you can have. For you will experience no greater joy in this great wide world than a woman's touch…" The wild Arc went off into a long-winded speech to the kid on why becoming a lady killer and seducer was Jaune's destiny.

'Is this really something you should be saying to a twelve-year-old?' Arthur wondered, watching his younger brother as he kept speaking to his son. The man's voice was filled with a burning passion and wonderment as the words kept following on about the complete marvel that was the opposite sex.

Jaune set there with a confused look on his cute little face but, like when his dad explained stuff to him during training the boy soaked his Uncle Richard's words up and listened. Honestly though, he had a hard time understanding everything, with his Uncle using terms he was not at all familiar with at his young age.

Scratching his head, 'What does busty or,...thick?...Thicc?, Even mean? What's a Milf? And why is he telling me to beware of traps?' Jaune was starting to get totally lost in the sea of what his uncle called wise advice. 'Do girls gain some sort of special traps when they get older? If so then I must be careful and train even harder to make sure I never fall victim to one of these traps, they sound dangerous and hard to spot.'

"Plus with you having such a large supply of Aura, even more than is natural for an Arc, meaning you'll have so much stamina it will be perfected for you to fulfill my dre- err I mean your destiny…"

"And what's that?" Arthur couldn't help but ask.

"TO FORM A HAREM!"

The boldness of statement and the sheer ridiculousness of it gained wide eyes from Arthur and ended up falling out his seat with a hard crash as his brother's perverted words echoed throughout the house. There was no shame, no hint of hesitation as the man shouted it out.

"Not this stupid crap again! Stop saying such absurd things! No putting ridiculous ideas in my son's head."

"Never!"

"I'm so lost right now," Jaune muttered.

"Don't worry Jaune, just recall these words when you get older." A devilish gleam shone in Richard's eyes. " When it comes to girls remember... "

Cackling he flung his arms out as if to embrace the word itself.

"Why have one when you can have them all!"

Thud!

Without warning a flash cut past Richard's face and shortly felt a trickle of blood ran down his cheek. His aura quickly healed it up. In the corner of his eye, he saw a standard kitchen knife embedded into the wall.

Eyes moved towards the doorway and the three Arc males were cursed with beholding the woman of the household looming over them with a menacing aura. She must of heard the commotion and came down. In her hands was a set of even more of those kitchen knives, held in a fan formation between each of her fingers appearing like metal claws were coming out her knuckles.

"Yo, Caren. What's up?"

Thud!

Another knife was thrown but this time the shape cutlery missed Richard by a mile.

"Arthur, what is he doing in our house?" A chilling smile was sent the husband's way making the man back away slowly.

She was reminding Arthur too much of her father again right now.

"Hey! This is my house too! I grew up here long before you moved in, White-Witch, and Arthur took over the mantle of our house."

"Silence! I won't hear another word from you, womanizer! You're trying to corrupt my son!" The mother got ready to throw more knives

"If anything you should be thanking me, you want grandkids don't you? With my help, I'm ensuring that Jaune will get laid and not end up trapped as one of those guys surrounded by women and never get anywhere with any of them." He was going to be the best wingman ever, the uncle will make sure that his nephew got with dozens of girls.

Busty, petite, short, tall, Faunus and Human. He would make sure Jaune caught them all because his nephew was the very best that no one ever was!

Richard didn't even bother moving an inch, nor flinch, as the make-shift weapons were tossed at him.

All of them missing him, the knives avoiding his body unnaturally.

"Caren stop! You need to calm down."

The head of the Arc family attempted to prevent the woman from killing his brother, not that she could anyway but that wasn't going to stop her from trying.

"I won't calm down, he's tainting our son with his the filth that comes out his mouth. Why were you allowing him to speak to our son about such things."

"I thought... it was a good idea to have another responsible adult here to help with the discussion."

"Responsible? Adult? And you thought your brother was a good choice for that?!"

"It's been years and I still have no idea why he chose to marry that woman." Richard shook his head at the couple as they squabbled. "Give me a break, they are arguing now but in a few minutes they will be all over each other again."

This was sort of the norm by now every time he visited.

Looking at his parent then turning his head to his uncle a couple of times. "Uncle Rich, shouldn't you get outta here? Mom's very scary when she's like this... and right now it looks like she wants to hurt you really bad."

Richard merely shrugged. "Meh, I'm fine. This isn't the first time your mother acted like this towards me." Yet another knife shot towards him. Jaune's eyes watched as the blade was on a crash course with the older man's chest.

Then suddenly it curved.

It made no sense, one second the weapon was set on hitting him and the next the blade defied all logic and moved, sailed away from the man.

"Beside's with my semblance active I've got no need to worry."

"W-What's your semblance?" Jaune couldn't help but ask.

A cheeky and proud cat-like smile showed. "Ahhh, you know you shouldn't freely give away such vital information like that, dear nephew. What if someone overhears and figures out a way to defeat it?"

Coming under assault in the form of big blue puppy eyes, Richard relented. "Errr, fine I'll tell you since your my favourite nephew-"

"I'm your only nephew."

"Exactly! But keep quiet about it, alright?" Getting the nod of the boy. "Good. Anyway, my semblance is both a passive and an active one but the ability itself is pretty much the same thing. That is, my semblance power is misfortune redirection. Essentially in its passive form, you could say I'm just pretty luckier than most people but things get really interesting once I use its active skill."

His eyes shifted and Jaune's followed them toward all knives in the wall, whispering. "Once active, for ten whole minutes I deflect all misfortune that comes upon me. Anything that does not favour me will be transferred to someone else, typically my opponent if I'm in a fight. Be it something as simple as stepping on a rock, being shot at or really any attacks targeted towards me will be ineffective, for ten minutes everything goes in my favour in anything I do. When my semblance is active, I become effectively invisible."

"Wow," Jaune's eyes were wide and he was in awe at his Uncle's cool and powerful ability. "Does your semblance have a name? All the cool and big-name Huntsman call theirs something." He asks childishly.

"Does it have a name? Of course, it has a name! I'm the coolest Huntsman there is out there, it's called…" The blonde crimson highlighted man did an odd funny pose with his hand in front of his face. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap."

Thud!

A knife came and missed.

"So that's your semblance, no wonder I've never been able to hit you for all these years!"

Both Jaune and Richard turned to see that Caren was looking their way, with a struggling Arthur in tow who she had in a headlock. "Help me." The blonde man whispered to his brother and son, sweating like a waterfall in his wife's hold.

Arthur's pleas went ignored by everyone.

"Crap, she eavesdropped on us."

"Rejoice, Richard!" Throwing yet another kitchen blade at him.

Like the others, the cutlery moved away from her brother in law but unlike the others, once the knife hit the wall it ricocheted. It bounced from surface to surface around the kitchen until it hit the counter-top and then flew out the open window impaling a low flying pigeon that happened to pass by.

"Birdy, nooooo!"

Richard winced at his nephew's cry and turned away.

His semblance had to redirect the misfortune somewhere.

Eyes happening upon the clock had the wild Arc's heart freeze.

It had been ten minutes, his semblance time was up. He was now vulnerable, time to whip out the final card left up his sleeve from the white witch that was his sister in law.

"Jaune," Gaining the boy's attention. "Watch closely, I'm about to show you a secret Arc family technique." He informed with a stone-cold face.

"A secret technique," Jaune repeated, already forgotten about the dead bird. "What is it, Uncle Rich?"

The corner of his uncle's lips curved up as he stared off at his mother.

"Runaway!"

And Richard Arc ran so far away.

Watching as his mother chased after the man, Jaune couldn't help but giggle at his family's silly antics.

Six months later...

"I'm not too sure about this, Jeanne. I don't think this is a good idea."

She didn't answer, as she leads them deeper into the forest. It was the afternoon and the sun was starting to dip from its peak point in the sky, won't be long before this whole woodland area will be consumed by night and the shadows will grow with who knows what watching them from the dark edges.

"I'm serious, sis, maybe we should go back, perhaps no one at home has noticed us missing yet." The brat's voice kept pestering her.

"If you wanna turn back, brat, then do so but I'll carry on ahead until I've faced off with one of these 'creatures of darkness'." She kept marching forward, one hand on the sword gifted to her by her father.

The blonde sighed and Jeanne didn't need to look to know that he was shaking his head at her back.

"I'm not turning back, not without you. I told you when we were little that I will stand by your side, I won't leave you on your own out here to fight off the Grimm."

For twelve years now, Jeanne had lived in peace and safety of their home town and living in the Arc household. While life was comfy, Jeanne was bored, she needed some kind of excitement or challenge, something to test her. If she wanted to gain more strength to what she had once held back as a heroic spirit then it wasn't going to happen sitting own her ass back in town.

So the Avenger recklessly decided on travelling deep into the unprotected wild forests outside of the town's walls.

For twelve years she had been told by family and the teachers at the local school about the creatures of Grimm, about how they were terrifying monsters that kept mankind confined into only four kingdoms and small communities. Just over a decade, people had been telling her over and over again about how dangerous these creatures were and the threat they posed.

And Jeanne had enough of it.

She wanted to see these beasts for herself and find out if they truly were a large threat that everyone seemed to think they were.

"I don't need your help, idiot." She insulted. "I only told you my intent of heading out and finding one of these Grimm because I thought it would do my minion some good to finally have gained some real-world experience."

She heard him groan. "Again with this minion thing it's all you ever call me, that or idiot, fool, shrimp and your favorite one, brat." The pre-teen blonde let a deep breath. "Can't you for once call by my name or better yet 'brother'? It feels like at times you don't accept that we are siblings."

'Because we're not!' She yelled in her head. 'I'm a fake copy of a girl who was killed by her very own people that she swore to protect, given life by a glorified magical cup from the desires of a deranged old comrade. And now, I've somehow ended up here, born into a real human body which I have no clue if it's truly my own or I just happened to possess a baby that would have been your true sister.'

'I'm a mistake that shouldn't exist.' Dropping her head her golden eyes narrowed into slits, as they hurt and stung for some reason.

She hated being alive again as a human, ever since being stripped of her Avenger class strange emotions and feelings that she had never known of started appearing. With the years going by the fires of hate, betrayal and vengeance started to die, no longer constantly plaguing her mind. And instead, for possibly the first time was allowing Jeanne to have a clear mind and open to experience new emotions.

She hated it.

It was so damn annoying.

Jaune noticed his sister was being oddly quiet, had Jeanne heard him? Or was she just ignoring him like she so often did when he annoyed her?

He saw her head dip a bit but couldn't see her face.

"I call you a 'fool' and 'brat' because that's what you are and that's never going to change. If you want me to stop calling you a shrimp then maybe you shouldn't be so small and short." The twelve-year-old boy frowned, Jeanne knew that he was sensitive about his small size and stature, something his taller twin made great use of. His mother had told him that he would hit his growth spurt soon once puberty hit, and honestly, Jaune wished it would come faster. "...Also if I didn't accept you, then I wouldn't have told you where I was going, nor would allow you to hang around with me all the time."

'What?'

Jaune's eyes slowly widen.

Had Jeanne just admitted that she accepted him and that she liked having him around? A wide grin soon sprouted on his still chubby childish face and the brother sped up to catch up with his twin.

They were getting really deep into the wilds now, the trees were getting denser and reaching so tall that the clear sky was hidden by all the tangling branches and foliage.

It felt like something was watching them from the darkness.

Longer they walked, the longer the youngest Arc was sure that they were lost. So deep into the dark woods that had always laid beyond there town's walls, Jaune wasn't certain anymore that they could even retrace their steps and head back home even if they wanted to.

Of course, the blonde didn't mention his worries about if they were lost. Knowing that his twin would deny such a thing and say something along the lines of that she knew exactly where they were. It would be a lie, they were in the middle of nowhere and Jaune knew that Jeanne, and himself for that matter, had no clue how to traverse the wilds.

Wanting to attempt to forget about their situation and the fears which were brewing inside him like one of his homemade soups, Jaune picked to strike up another conversation. "Hey...Jeanne?"

"What?" The girl snapped.

"Next year we'll both be thirteen and be finished with initial school. We'll finally be old enough to apply for one of the combat schools. Are you planning on going?"

Once an individual reached their teens, they were eligible to attend combat school, the main public learning areas that many young people entered as the first steps one took in becoming either part of law enforcement, the military or a career as a Huntsman. It was like this for everyone unless of course, an individual happened to be classed as Level 5, in that case, your future was pretty much secured...or trapped depending on how you view it.

He kinda hopes she would say yes. It seemed like a fun idea and it could maybe help him further in reaching his sister's skill level.

Plus...maybe they could...make friends.

The boy thought it wasn't a bad idea, that maybe it wouldn't just be the two of them anymore, they could have other people with them and form bonds with.

"Join a combat school?" Jeanne, for the first time, looked back.

"Are you mad? Of course, I'm not gonna go attend some crappy place like that! Dealing with teachers that think they know what they are talking about but are really just spewing nonsense and dumb kids who are all too eager to eat it all up." She scoffed. "I'd sooner rather be forced to walk across broken glass than deal with that...or worse even attend church!"

"Why are you so opposed to the idea?" Jaune was baffled. "Wouldn't attending benefit us? Help us get stronger instead of just training in the back yard and give us more options in what we want to do in life?"

"Going to such a place won't benefit me at all...or you." Jeanne let out, stunning the boy at his mentioning. "We're both far too superior for any of the weaklings that would attend, you would quickly find out, brat, how much further ahead we are compared to everyone else."

The boy wasn't sure how to handle the weird indirect praise.

Jeanne he could understand but surely he wasn't that much stronger than anyone else his age, even with the training from his dad and Jeanne, right?

Turning her eyes back on ahead she kept walking on. "Trust me brat, if we went it would only be a waste of your time."

"B-But what about attending to become a Huntsman?"

Jaune wouldn't lie a part of him felt a kind of expectation placed on him. The Arc family was known for creating great heroes throughout history, both his father and Uncle were huntsmans and his grandfather was a retired one. Growing up he had heard plenty of stories about his family history and lineage in passing over the years.

"What about it? I have no interest whatsoever in becoming a Huntress. Why would I waste my time trying to save people who don't care if I live or die? And once done will wash their hands of you or turn on you at a moments notice if you let them."

Her voice was bitter as old wounds resurfaced.

"Is that what you want to do with your life, Jaune? Risk your life and possibly die for people like the ones in town?"

That question shut down any retort he had ready.

What did he want?

He didn't really care much for the people in his hometown, well the ones that voiced their dislike of his twin anyway. But not all of them were bad people, some just didn't understand or were just afraid of his sister due to the rumours.

Strong hate was formed towards those who ostracized Jeanne…

Unknown to him, his eyes flashed sickly gold for a second thinking about them.

'No...I wouldn't help or save them.'

There was a genuine part of him that wanted to help other people and to be able to fulfill this family obligation he felt but...

'I want to stay with Jeanne no matter what and be useful to her instead of just dead weight.' Was the one solid answer that he came to.

*Grrrr…*

Jaune would never give his answer though as something that been watching them finally made its presence known. Clambering out of the thick bushes, twigs snapping as it moved, a black muscular beast tugged its way through the undergrowth. The thing seemed to be quadrupedal as it used all four limbs to move and had shown itself be covered in white bones over its fur acting as a sort of armor.

"A Beowolf." Jaune breathed, recognising one of the most common of Grimm from the drawing shown in school.

"About time! I've been walking around this sinking forest for hours now looking for one you Grimm fuckers to show yourself." Jeanne strutted right past the frozen blonde.

"Seeing one of your kind face to face, I have to say that you're far more revolting looking than I ever could have imagined."

Jaune doubted that the beast could understand them, let alone be able to figure that his sister was insulting it. But that didn't stop the creature from being able to feel the hostility in the air, getting up on its hind legs and letting out a mighty roar, which the boy believed was meant to intimidate them, the Beowolf leapt at them.

With no hesitation, Jeanne drawn forth her sword gifted to by their father and separated the Beowolf's head from its neck.

The whole situation played out so fast that anyone watching would have had trouble following what had transpired.

Falling to the grass with a thud, the carcass of the now headless beast soon dissolved into black wisps.

"Tsk, that's it?!" Jeanne yelled, staring angrily at where the body had been. "This is what people are so scared of outside the walls? This pathetic creature is what is classed as the enemy of mankind?"

"It did go down incredibly easy."

The encounter had been so unchallenging and anti-climatic that it bordered on a joke. The tales that had been told to Jaune about the dangers of the Grimm felt quite hollow now.

"Damn, what a waste of my time... come on brat let's get out of here."

"Right!" Jaune nodded, wanting to leave and get back home as fast as possible. Although the blonde had no clue how they were going to find there way back.

Stepping back in the direction that they came from both teens halted there movements upon their ears picking up the sounds of familiar growling. From the tree line, red eyes glowed at them, watching their actions and soon black shapes started slowly crawl out from the shadows all around them.

"Hmmm, seems there was more of them lying in wait. They've surrounded us." Jaune's blood ran cold at his sister's statement.

'Of course, Beowolfs typically travel in packs.'

"Well then," Smirking, Jeanne looked around. "Let's see if the lot of you can put up a bigger challenge than your friend did!" Before Jaune could stop her, Jeanne spirited forward right into the opposing beasts.

By the time the youngest Arc had time to blink his sister had already carved her way through three of them.

One slash, all it took was one simple slash from her sword and Jeanne had already killed three of them with no loss on her part. More Beowolfs lost their lives to the young ashen haired girl as she weaved in-between another half a dozen or so, slaying them with no hesitation, no delay...

With no mercy.

And the Avenger didn't stop there, oh no, her blade was thirsty and the fighting had kick started the adrenaline. Spilling their black blood was only fuelling Jeanne's bloodlust and her need to keep fighting, finally allowing herself to let loose once again. This time without the fear of harming her minion to stop her from having some sick twisted fun.

Jaune was questioning if he should even assist his sister, from where he stood it appeared the girl was enjoying herself as she kept cutting the Grimm down.

Witnessing a group of Beowolfs getting mowed courtesy by a barrage of purple spears courtesy of his sister's Aura, he was beginning to wonder if he should feel bad for the Grimm in this situation.

Because from his eyes, Jeanne was the most terrifying thing out here at the moment.

'Well...at least she's enjoying herself.'

So caught up in her fun the ashen haired Arc didn't pick up on the one stray Beowolf keeping up behind her.

Spotting this, Jaune acted.

Jeanne had a never-ending smile on her face, killing these worthless creatures was turning out to be a good form of stress relief for her. Looks like she might have finally found an outlet to let unload her rage upon after dealing the bullshit back in town or the annoying wackiness that was the Arc family. What these creatures lack in strength they were starting to make up for in numbers, in fact, the outpouring of these Grimm was starting to become something of a concern, if she wasn't so caught up in her own ferocity right now she would have realized the threat of being overwhelmed.

"Grrrrr-"

*Splat*

Wiping her head around, the site of a limp Beowolf with a sword through the back of its skull greeted her vision.

*Thud*

The body fell as the sword was removed and Jeanne saw her minion staring at her with a blank expression whilst he wiped the black blood off the blade.

"You let your guard down."

"Fuck off! I had everything under control."

"Looks that way."

"Arghhh! Shut up, if anything I let that wretch come upon me to test that my minion would protect me. And you did, so good job brat."

Rolling his eyes. "Sure...whatever you say, sis." The Arc twins turned their attention back to the Pack.

Backs facing each other, brother and sister got into there combat stances. With Jeanne holding her void blade and Jaune having Crocea in its sword and shield combo.

"Huh, annoying pests... They must be ready to die."

Charging at the twins the creatures started dying in droves as both Knight and Avenger worked in unison with one another to keep a leg up on the forces that outnumbered them. Jaune would block any strikes aimed at his sister and Jeanne would repay the blonde by killing twice as much Grimm then he could ever hope to achieve at his current skill level.

It was a bloodbath...for the Grimm.

This back to back strategy worked for a while but as the Beowolfs kept on coming with every wave, increasing in numbers as they did the duo knew that a new tactic was needed.

Unfortunately, the one made was a rash one.

"Screw this, they won't stop coming." A bright flame lit up her off-hand. "Have a taste of this, BURN!"

Fire let from her palm and incinerated the hostiles around them and still kept going, Jeanne's plan being to burn away the wildlife that beasts were spawning from and hiding in. Sadly that plan didn't work out as well as she thought, as once the flames touched the tree lines everything burned.

The fire spread out unpredictably jumping from tree to tree, consuming everything in its path, and very soon an uncontrollable forest fire had been born.

For the twins, it looked like hell had opened up around them.

With how the trees crackled and charred with the hellfire dancing violently everywhere they looked.

Jaune began hyperventilating. 'It's just like my nightmare.'

A loud crack echoed forth behind them.

"Brat! Watch out!" Before the blonde knew what was going on, Jeanne had kicked him away and where he was standing a blazing tree fell down blocking his view of his sister and separating them.

"Shit!," Jeanne cursed to herself once she lost sight of the brat as the tree fell. "Jaune?!"

No answer.

The flames were too loud and the smoke made it impossible for her to see anything on where her minion was on the other side of the fire that separated them. This wasn't looking good at all.

"Damn it!"

They were split up with a raging fire on the loose and a horde of Grimm roaming about the place.

Worst of all the brat didn't have her there to look out for him and make sure he didn't get himself killed.

"Fuck!" Jeanne shook her head, trying to think of a route to go around the flames and attempted to regroup with the idiot.

"You better not be dead by the time I find you brat. If you are... I'm going to be seriously pissed off with you." She muttered. "YOU HEAR ME! YOU BETTER STAY ALIVE!"

*Grrr*

Rolling her eyes, Jeanne slowly turned to see a couple of Beowolfs making their move towards her.

"You weaklings picked a bad time to show up." Slowly walking, she pulled out her sword. "Because I'm not in the mood for your shit, I've got a minion to find so I'll make this quick."

Meanwhile with Jaune…

They had been separated.

Taken away from each other.

He and his sister were now cut off from one another with a growing wall of flames blocking him from getting back to her.

'I need to keep moving…'

How could he have let this happen?

`I n-need to f-find a way around the fire, m-maybe if I...if I go back the way we came, I can find a way around the flames.'

He shouldn't be in this situation in the first place!

If he had been more perceptive of his surroundings instead of having a mini freak over the flames which had triggered a rush of unpleasant feelings from his nightmares to surface then maybe he and Jeanne would still be side by side.

What if something happened to his sister while he wasn't there to help her? Sure, Jeanne was strong, a powerhouse if you went by his father's words but she was still only twelve years old and human. Despite what Jaune like to believe at times his older twin wasn't invincible.

Pretty sure the golden-eyed girl would disagree with that statement but now wasn't the time.

More Grimm were heading his way.

'I need to make short work of them and keep pushing forward. I can't let myself fall here, not now, not when Jeanne's out there alone. '

He had to keep going.

He had to find her.

Cutting down a Beowolf.

"Jeanne!"

Swinging his sword around he killed another two of the beasts with ease but more kept coming. The large pack far outnumbered him and seemed never-ending.

"Jeanne! Where are you!?" Jaune yelled out, his voice echoing everywhere within the wild woods as the flames burned from afar, the ones which had separated them threatened to spread further.

Separating a Beowolf into two pieces, the blonde quickly plunged his sword into the head of the second one that lunged at him. The shining steel of Crocea Mors was now fully tainted with the black blood of the beasts he had slain.

"They just keep coming." He said spotting yet another Beowolf emerging from the woods and sprinting at him. This wasn't just a large pack of wondering Beowolfs, this was a full-on horde of them just lying in wait deep in the wilds outside his hometown. Taking a deep breath, Jaune sighed and prepared himself for the beast's charge.

"Your resolve is strong young one, but a child like yourself shouldn't be out on a hunt like this." A soft but very serious feminine voice reached his ears.

Suddenly, a flash of purple flew by past his head and pierced through the Grimm's eye with pinpoint accuracy.

'...Jeanne?'

Spinning around Jaune's eyes met a pair of somewhat familiar yellow-colored orbs though with a green tint and a wild beastly glint to them which definitely didn't belong to his twin. Yep, the young white-haired girl he was staring at up in the trees clearly wasn't Jeanne.

For a start, his sister didn't possess a cute pair of cat ears.

'A Faunus?'

The unnamed girl kept quiet, three arrows already nocked she fired all of them at the same time. They bolted through the air heading towards the trees and from there three Beowolfs ran out, right before they were all killed with arrows through their eyes.

Jaune was speechless.

How had she known where the Grimm exactly were and where they would come from? Jaune's best guess was blaming it on the girl's heightened senses as he had no clue of knowing where those beasts were concealed in the dark.

The cute cat-eared girl kept shooting off shots and every time they hit their mark by piercing the creature's eyes, stabbing all the way through to the brain.

The Arc was astonished at the skills that were being displayed. That kind of accuracy was insane, to be able to successfully pull such a feat off consistently on moving target no less should have been impossible.

"Wow," The blonde couldn't help breath out at the calm and patient grace of which she dispatched her enemies.

There was only a single Beowolf left in the clearing now.

Jumping down from the branches with a feline-like grace the Faunus girl's feet hit the ground without making a sound.

The thing charged at the young female in a pointless suicide run.

Either the beast was truly mindedness with no sense of self-preservation or it knew that its time was up.

Grace, calm, poise, everything that spoke of the girl having self-control and steady patience all vanished from the stranger when the Grimm dared step into her close proximity. Jaune saw a black pink Aura gather around her palm.

What he witnessed next was the girl brutally ripping the Beowolf apart, slashing at it with Aura formed claws at the tips of her fingers. The beatdown she was dealing was oddly efficient and quick, with her removing the Grimm of its front limbs first before gripping its skull (so hard that it creak the bone mask) and fishing it off by dragging her claws across the beast neck, killing it.

Jaune was conflicted on what had just transpired 'One moment she was all cool and calm and the next she went briefly savage on that last Beowolf.' It was kind of unnerving.

Once all the threats were removed her attention turned to him and slowly she made her way over.

'Who is this strange girl and where did she come from? Is she...friend o-or foe?' The stranger was coming out of the shadows. 'Impossible, she just stepped in to help me no way an enemy would do that.

Now out of the trees and standing directly under the moonlight, Jaune was finally able to fully view his saviour.

She looked to be around his age, maybe older than that in fact. It was hard to tell due to her wild look that kinda made him feel uneasy like he was standing in front of a vicious wild animal that could snap his neck at any moment. Her height trumped his by a big margin, secretly making him upset that yet another girl was taller than him.

His first notes about her appearance had been spot on but now Jaune could clearly see things about her that he wasn't able to before.

For start the girl's clothes were filthy!

They were covered in dirt and bits of blood, which the blonde really hoped belonged to some sort of animal. Given the fact that her clothing was made out the hides of different wildlife Jaune suspected he was correct in his assumption, she wasn't wearing any footwear however as her toes wiggled freely in the cold grass. She needed a bath, long white unkempt hair, that looked like it needed a good wash due to twigs, leaves, and dirt ruining it. Otherwise, it would have been a beautiful mane of white hair with a unique hint of fade purple coloured in at the front.

In her hands was a wooden bow, it looked handmade, and strapped to her back was quiver filled with handcrafted arrows. Lastly, swishing back and forth behind her back a tail could be spotted. Odd, Jaune assumed that Faunus could only have one animal trait but he was seeing undeniable proof of the opposite.

"..."

The girl just stared down at him until...

"That was awesome!" Forgetting himself in the moment and all his worries, the young boy couldn't help but yell out. "You didn't miss a single shot! I've never seen anything like that, you were like pew, pew, pew."

"..."

"Errrrr, I um I-I mean...hi." He waved at her awkwardly.

She smiled at his childishness.

It was the sort of smile he saw a lot from his mother and older sister every time he did something silly, cute or immature but was expected from someone his age.

"I thank you for the praise child but it isn't needed. Those beasts were of little threat and barely put much of a hunt. You would have bested them in time, surprising for such a young child like yourself." Her tone was soft and kind towards him although Jaune wasn't liking how she kept calling him a child but let it slide.

She had helped him out after all.

"Who are you?" He blurted out. "NO, WAIT! Mom says it's bad manners to ask a girl her name without giving yours first." He shook his head. "Umm...I'm Jaune, Jaune Arc."

Her hand descended towards him, Jaune tensed. What was she doing, going for a handshake? Or maybe planning to strik-

Pat Pat Pat

The stranger began patting his head, ruffling his golden hair. He could see a blissful expression on her face as she beamed at him, the smile emphasized her elongated fanged canines. Jaune felt himself flus red, a cute girl was rubbing the top of his head. He never had anyone do something so intimate to him that wasn't family. Embarrassment flooded his system, he couldn't keep eye contact and soon found the ground suddenly very interesting.

"Atalanta." His eyes went back up to her, his face burning red as she had yet to stop patting him. "My name is Atalanta."

Bending her knees to reach his eye level she looked at him with concern. "Are you hurt, young one?"

"U-Um n-no, I'm a little tired but I'm fine."

Relief showed in her eyes. "Thank goddess, that is a great comfort to hear." Her gaze soon turns slightly stern. "You shouldn't be out here, young one, this is no place for a child."

"I'm not a child, I'm twelve!" Atalanta watched as he puffed his cheeks. "Besides what about you? You don't look much older than me so quit calling me that."

Holding back laughter. "My apologies child, I didn't realise, I believed you to be much younger due to your height," Jaune grumbled at the jab of his size. "My age is that of thirteen cycles but I assure you that I'm older than I appear."

Raising an eyebrow at the cat girl's odd wording, Jaune didn't understand what she meant by older, she had just said she was thirteen. How could she be more older than how long she been alive?

"Where is your home, Jaune?"

"I'm f-from Goldcrest, it's a nearby town. Do you know how to get there?"

"The settlement south of here, yes I'm aware of that location." She nodded. "I know how to traverse these forests, I've been doing so all my life. I shall escort you back so you get there safely."

"Wait! No, you can't!" Jaune pushed her hand away from his hair. "I can't leave yet I have to find my sister."

"Your sister? She's out here as well?"

"Yeah," Jaune answered the girl one year his senior. "We got separated fighting the Grimm, she's out there all on her own. I know my sister can handle herself but I won't leave her behind, I have to find her." He began taking steps back away from Atalanta.

"Then I shall join you."

Jaune stopped. "Huh?"

"A child is endangered? Then I can't allow myself to stand aside, I will help you find your sister."

"Y-You will?"

A single nod was given.

He couldn't believe it.

This stranger he just ran into out here in the wilds was offering to help him, asking nothing in return.

"Why?"

"I already told you." Atalanta refashioned her quiver. "I can't standby while the life of two children are endangered. I will never leave a child behind."

Jaune couldn't claim to understand her reasoning or why she seemed so adamant on not letting him go alone. But he could tell that Atalanta was serious, meaning what she said in her desire to help and he was in no situation to turn her down. Plus, he got the vibe that the girl was stubborn and would follow him no matter what he said.

In the end, the blonde gave the feral looking girl his signature goofy grin.

"Thank you."

"Thanks is unnecessary."

Even though she said that the smile on her face in response told him a different tale.

"Come, I grew up in these woods we'll find your sister in no time." Atalanta passed him.

Her ears twitched.

Picking up the sound of distant fighting, she assumed it to be the boy's sister. Leading the young child she just met out here in the forest, the Altered hunter was sure that she should pick up the girl's scent soon enough and reunite the siblings.

Although the smoke from the nearby forest fire was dulling her scenes quite a bit. Apparently, that had been the boy's sister doing. The same sister that dragged him out here in the dangerous wilds, such recklessness and irresponsibility.

Perhaps a word was needed with this young girl.

Endangering not just herself but the life of such a sweet and young boy was not something the huntress of Arcadia took lightly.

Even if she was an Alter in this form it hadn't tainted her ideals.

'To protect and care for children.'

Atalanta wasn't aware what circumstances had occurred for her be ejected out of the throne of heroes, perhaps it was related in some way to being an Alter servant. She had been reborn into a foreign land as a mere babe fresh from a woman's womb who meant to be her mother, given a new life.

Why?

The reasons didn't matter, all that was important was that she was alive and could continue with her wish.

"Umm...Atalanta?"

Casting her gaze down, her glowing green-tinted eyes might his ocean blue. "Don't worry we're getting close, we'll find your sister." She reassured him.

"Um, that great and I'm happy to hear you say that Atalanta but…" Jaune's voice became quiet and shy. "D-Did you really need to hold my hand?"

She hadn't let him go since they started searching.

They had spoken here and there but both never saying much. Jaune was finding himself to take a liking to the strange girl, she was odd but appeared to pleasant company by trying to help him. Reassuring him with kind words saying that he had nothing to worry about and that she wouldn't leave him until Atalanta had found his twin and gotten them to safety.

It was a new experience for boy, interacting with someone close to his age that he knew was unconnected to the troubles back home between Jeanne and his peers.

Maybe...maybe he could befriend her? That would be a new and exciting but how would he do it?

"Of course I do, I can't risk losing sight of you. You could get lost or attacked if I'm not looking." She would protect him, no harm will fall the young boy as long as she was with him.

'I won't fail him, not like I failed the others.'

"O-Okay," He blushed and looked away but his eyes kept taking short peeks at her face and animal features.

"You keep staring at me." She remarked.

"S-Sorry! It's just I-I haven't seen that many Faunus before, especially up close. They usually just pass through town and don't stay long."

Atalanta assumed he was speaking of the ones with the animal features like her.

Typically she didn't stay near any of the settlements that she had seen over the years, preferring to stay out in the wilds where it was more comfortable. It left her knowledge about things common here very barebones at times.

"Hey...Atalanta?"

"Yes?"

"Where do you... ummm...live?"

"The wilds are my home. These forests and woods all over these lands are where I've made myself reside."

"Oh, that's strange people don't typically choose to live outside the safety of settlements. Soooo it's...you and your parents?"

"No, it is only me."

Jaune started to slow down, making Atalanta begin dragging him along by the hand.

"Where are they? You mentioned growing up in the wilds, why? Where are your parents?"

"I don't know,"

She answered, shocking Jaune with how simply she said it.

Atalanta kept on walking, "From what little I recall my mother was human so I guess my father would have been a...Faunus." She began to explain. " Anyway, my mother must not have wanted me as she left me in the wilds as a baby to be devoured by wild animals. I was blessed though as a wild bear happened by and nurture me instead. I stayed with the female bear until I grew up and was able to leave and head by myself." It was ironic to her as this story mimicked her old legend in some ways.

"You mean you've been out here all by yourself for so long?"

"Indeed."

"B-But who taught you how to speak or survive out here on your own?"

"When I first ventured out by myself I happened upon a group of traveling merchants. They took pity and took me in, teaching simple things like how to probably speak." Atalanta stopped to listen with her extra pair of ears before turning left suddenly. "As for my skills, after I left the merchants care I happened to be very good at surviving out here and turned out to be a good shot with a bow."

She left out the fact that all that skill had come from a whole different life in another realm, there was no need to confuse or scare the child now.

"You've been all alone for around thirteen years? With no one but yourself? That's horrible!"

"Yes," She nodding along but failed to show any feelings on the matter. "But do not feel sorry for me, I very much prefer it this way."

"I don't believe you."

Stopping Atalanta pivoted to see the child glaring at her.

"No one likes being isolated, I don't think for a second that you like being out here alone." The matter seemed to be personal to the boy. "No family, no friends and no one to cherish you, that's no way to live!" He yelled at her.

Atalanta's face stayed emotionless before offering some soft words to the child.

"It doesn't matter as long as I can achieve my dream." She came right out and said it.

"Your dream?" Jaune parroted. "What's that?"

"The salvation of all children!" Seeing the clueless look she further explained. "For every child to feel loved. For them to be free from the pain of loneliness and of being left behind. For all of them to be cherished and protected."

Going quiet, "That would be really tough to pull off, my sister would call it stupid." Jaune went quiet again before asking. "But what about you? Who's going to stop you from feeling the pain of loneliness and cherish you."

"I don't matter. I will sacrifice my very being if it means my wish came true."

Atalanta wasn't sure what to make of the boy's cries. She had already experienced hardships before and while yes she did regret in her old life that she wasn't cherished much by others but she saw no need to make a big deal about it. All that mattered was making any contributes towards her wish, in making a world where all children are treated with love and none are left behind. A wish that many would call childish.

An impossible task, something she knew really well.

Did that make her fool? Perhaps but that wouldn't stop her from trying.

Tears threatened to spill from the boy at the answer.

She hated it when children cried but she was prepared.

"Atalanta!"

The girl, however, was unprepared for the boy to drew her into a firm embrace, his head only meeting her chest due to his height. "Your wish is very selfless and noble." Atalanta stiffened before wanting to laugh, trust a child to understand and encourage her childish desire.

"That's why I'm going to help you with it!"

….

"What?!"

That got her to break her stoic mask.

What was he saying? It was nonsense, utter nonsense. The type of thing a child would say.

She was forgetting that he was a child.

"Yep, I'm going to help you by first asking you to be my friend." The blonde declared, feeling it was perfect for his own selfish reasons. He didn't have a single friend back in town, with nearly everyone his age either bad-mouthing Jeanne or being terrified of her made it impossible for him to befriend anyone.

But Atalanta was a stranger, an outsider. Someone not connected to the bad reputation his twin held, perfect for him to befriend and maybe...a person Jeanne could form a friendship with too.

"How will that help in any way with my wish?" She was confused and baffled by his line of thinking.

Jaune only gave her a goofy grin."Simple, I've got no friends of my own and it's kinda lonely, I mean I have my sister but...she's got no friends either. Neither of us do." His voice lowered becoming sad in tone.

"B-But that's not the point," Shaking his head. "If your serious about your wish then you have no choice but to accept my friendship, in doing so we're both helping your dream. We'll both make each other feel cherished and no longer lonely."

Atalanta was left speechless.

This child she had just met for more than an hour ago was trying to use her own wish against her by forcing the two of them into a bond of friendship. Such a trivial thing for someone of that age to just go right ahead and request such a relationship from a person he had known less than a day, the innocence and simplicity of youth was truly a precious thing.

From his point of view, she too was a child of near exacted age, one that in his mind needed to be cherished and cared for as well, needed to not be left behind.

Jaune had no way of knowing that she wasn't technically a kid.

What was she meant to do next?

Deny him and go against her own wish.

Never, she couldn't do such a thing.

But it seemed odd when the blonde said he didn't have any friends. What could have been the cause of that? Wasn't there anyone in his home town for him to befriend? No matter, Atalanta knew what she had to do.

"You wish to be friends? We only just met, we're strangers."

"My mom likes to say that strangers are just friends that you haven't met yet."

Caught in a hard place, Atalanta sighed before nodding her head. "Very well then."

She agreed, only to appease the blonde for the time being.

Normally she wouldn't agree to such a thing so easily but the fact that it was a child asking for her hand in friendship was what locked the hunter into such an action.

'What an odd boy you are Jaune.'

After that little event between the two, both Jaune and Atalanta carried on with search with the older girl leading them. It became apparent to Altered hunter that Jaune seemed to be very pleased and excited about the fact that had made his first friend.

She was surprised by the fact that agreeing to be his friend had made the fearful boy do a complete emotional turn, now having a big hop in his steps and cheerful atmosphere about him that was almost infectious. The fears about his sister waning as the blonde was sure that his sibling would be fine and kept talking about how couldn't wait to introduce the two of them to each other.

Still, Atalanta was glad she had brought about this happiness to the child.

"Hey Atalanta, what's your favorite food? Mines home-cooked chicken, waffles, cakes, ice cream, and burgers...oh but don't mention the last one to my mom she hates fast food."

The blonde had been firing off questions at her faster then she was able to shoot arrows. Both trivial and personal ones. It was his attempt at learning as much as he could about his friend.

"I have a fondness for apples."

"Apples? That's it?"

"Yes, why? Is there something wrong with that?" She got a bit defensive.

"No not at all...but we need to expand your tastes when we get out of here." He muttered. "There's so much more food out there for you to try."

"Well, I'm sure you'll show me what I've been missing."

Jaune nodded, looking happy at the idea of the possible future that he could finally take part in with a friend, to ones which Jeanne would either refuse to do and instead pick to sleep in her room. The only main active he and Jeanne got to do together was training.

"Oh yeah, Atalanta after this you should join my sister and me when we train." The girl merely looked at him with doubt. "You're super strong, well... maybe not as strong as my sister she's insanely powerful but the three of us together will be so cool."

The altered hunter found it sweet that the child held his sibling in such high regard but saw it hard to believe that said sister could match her in strength.

"What about you? You seemed to be holding off the Grimm quite well before I showed up."

"Huh?" The boy acted surprised that someone would say that. "Oh me? I'm alright I guess but I can't hold a candle to how powerful my sister is. I've never been able to beat her yet but one day I will." A firelight up his eyes. " Father told me my Aura levels are immense and that my semblance is one of a kind. Perhaps if I focus hard on them then maybe someday I can beat her."

Raising an eyebrow. "Aura? Semblance?" Atalanta looked at him puzzled.

Jaune's eyes widen realising that maybe Atalanta didn't know those terms if she had been living out in the wild by herself as she had claimed. Giving a short textbook summary of what they were and did, also bringing up the fact that Atalanta had tapped into her Aura during the encounter with the Grimm had the Faunus nodding her head in understanding within minutes, calming to already be aware her powers but didn't know there widely used names before now. It came as a surprise for Jaune to learn that Atalanta had been born with her Aura unlocked, the same as him and Jeanne. The blonde had found it very amusing finding out the girl had been referring to her Aura and such as simply magic of some sort. He guessed to someone uneducated, Aura and semblance might seem that way.

Jaune had ended with giving a small demonstration by flaring his Aura.

He lit up like a shining star, to the shock of Atalanta, in the middle of the dark forest before ceasing it.

Any longer and the display risked attracting more Grimm.

"So, what's your semblance then Atalanta? Does it do something cool?" He couldn't help but inquire.

Finding people's different and unique semblances to be quite intriguing.

'Especially if there cool, like mine and not lame or generic like Jeanne's flames.'

The Faunus girl didn't respond immediately and had troubled look cast on her dirt-smudged face. "I'll prefer not to speak of it."

"Oh, alright that's fine." Jaune blinked, feeling let down but letting the matter drop. "Mine's pretty awesome! It allows me to power up the effects of Aura and other semblances as well as replenishing others' Aura when I pump mine into them."

His father had told to never speak of his semblance to others, especially strangers but Atalanta was his first friend so Jaune guessed that made it fine for him to speak about such things with her.

Surely his father wouldn't mind.

"...So you can… transfer Aura?"

A nod. "Yeah! That's the way my semblance works for others, I transfer a bit of my Aura into them to make them stronger by amplifying theirs." Jaune shook his head with a sigh. "Most of my uses of it is when my sister demands me to resupply her and I end up pumping her full of my stuff. It's really hard work and tiring, not to mention draining on me."

"I-I see…"Hints of red gathered around Atalanta's cheeks.

The reason why was she was thinking that the blonde's method of giving out and resupply others with Aura was the same as a certain process which magus could partake in if they needed to transfer mana.

"So...for your semblance you and your sister partake in skinship?"

"Skinship…" Tilting his head, 'What's that? It seems like something Uncle Rich would say when gets that creepy look on his face. Maybe I should ask him about it?' The poor young twelve-year-old wasn't familiar with that word and instead mistaking it for something completely different.

Merely thinking that the girl meant that if needed to have skin to skin contact for his semblance.

"Yep! I can use my semblance from a distance on others but I'm still not too good with that yet. So for maximum effectiveness, it's best for me to be as close as possible to the other person and touching them. Me and Jeanne do it all the time!" Jaune informed, unaware of the images his words kept conjuring up for his new friend, specifically with the term 'do it' was spoken.

"It's very draining though like I said, with sis asking me for 'more' and to 'keep going' -sometimes for hours at a time when we should be training- sucking it all out of me but I keep pumping it into her until I'm empty and can't possibly keep on going."

Atalanta's eyes were wide and hollow with her face now fitting a healthy shade of red from hearing such words from a young child.

"That's very...d-devoted of you to go so far in testing out the limits of your semblance and resupplying your sister like that, the two of you must be close." She struggled to get out.

Thinking that maybe the cute little child she had found and befriended out in the woods isn't so innocent after all.

Perhaps she shouldn't judge, Atalanta didn't know the culture or rules of this world.

For all she knew such acts among siblings was the norm here and practice was carried out liberally among the masses.

Besides she originally hailed from ancient Greece, an era filled with sexual intimacy, murder, rape, polygamy and where incest was wildly practiced. Even by her own gods with lord Zeus, the king of the Greek gods, marrying his own sister Hera, the goddess of marriage and family.

"Yeah, Jeanne and I are close. I'm the only one who's able to reach her and get to act properly a lot of the time." Jaune took her out of her thoughts. "Don't worry though Atalanta I'm sure you and her will get along when you met each other...and if you want you and me can 'do it' as well when we train once we're out of here."

Shaking off the name of his sister, it couldn't be...

"...I'm afraid I'll have to decline your offer."

Atalanta needed to be careful from here on, the boy was more sinful and corrupted then he let on.

Such a child should not be making such inappropriate proposals to her.

The almost flirty words, carefree nature from the blonde brought forth a broken image to her mind. For one fleeting moment the boy's hair changed to green and his face blurred into that of a person who Atalanta could only describe as an audacious speedster.

A faded memory or... was it a hazy dream?

Something that felt like it came from a different life, from a different her that she knew nothing about or could no longer remember.

A her from a past grail war?

A pure Atalanta who's form was was untainted unlike her.

Shaking her head rid the Altered Argonaut of the phantoms that haunted her mind before she simply carried on as if nothing had happened.

They kept making their way deeper into the forest for what felt like a few hours, going around the fire that still burned and ending up in the area where the blonde's twin should be. Their animated conversations had died down as they made it further and further in.

Eventually, Atalanta's ears began twitching back and forth again.

She was picking something up.

"I can hear what sounds like someone fighting far east of here by a couple of miles...and they like to curse a lot." She informed with a deadpan.

"That's her!" Jaune ran off ahead but stop when noticing that someone wasn't following.

"Atalanta?"

"A moment please, I can scout out what's ahead of us and her exact location from atop the trees." Without another word, Jaune watched as the Faunus scaled up one of the tallest points in forests until she was among the treetops.

Hidden from his view Atalanta's nose twitched.

"This scent…"

The girl's cat-like eyes focused in on something far, far in the distance that no human could hope to see from afar concealed in the dark. Atalanta Alter was able to soon make out a dark female silhouette from afar, much deeper in the woods.

And she didn't look happy at what she saw going by the scary beastly face she was making.

"You…"

"Atalanta!?" Jaune called out, he was just able to make out the pissed off expression-that reminded him of Jeanne- on her face from his spot on the ground.

Without a sound, the white-haired cat girl descended from the treetops avoiding all the leaves and branches on the way down before slamming into the earth making a small crater. The ground gave way as if some had dropped a boulder an icy lake.

"Atalanta…"

"It's her," She growled out with a deep hatred that made Jaune take a step back at the girl's sudden change in tone.

"A-Atalanta? What is it?" Jaune stuttered out.

"Murderer…"

Her speech was becoming garbled and unclear for him to understand.

"What did you see out over there? Is someone or something heading towards Jeanne?"

She didn't acknowledge him.

Only walking passed, as if he wasn't there, ranting about was sound like gibberish to his ears.

"It's her! It's her! It's her! IT'S HER!"

"What? Who are you talking about? Your not making any sense!"

Jaune stilled as the kind stranger he had befriended changed before his very eyes.

"She killed them! KILLED THEM! IT'S HER FAULT! Aggggggh! I'LL GNAW HER THROAT OUT!"

First, her voice changed, becoming a deep rumbling roar that sent a chill down the spines of men. Black and pink Aura started to roll off her body, the girl's features started becoming more and more like that of a rabid beast. Black fur formed around her arms and legs, with razor-sharp claws grew from her nails.

'I-Is this Atalanta's semblance?'

This had to be the work of a semblance.

Though Jaune couldn't decipher what it did other than it looked like it was making his new friend go berserk.

"It's her! The one I hate the most! Hate, hate, hate, HATE! I'LL TEAR YOU TO PIECES!"

Getting on all fours like an animal, Atalanta blasted off the ground, kicking up dirt and grass she did. Moving with speed on foot that put vehicles to shame. Each kick off the ground made her increase in speed until she became impossible for him or anyone to catch her.

'Atalanta! What's gotten into you!?'

Running after her, Jaune struggled to keep up with the out of control Faunus girl as she traversed through the forest like battering ram, taking out anything that got in her way.'

Deeper in the forest fighting off waves of Grimm Jeanne Arc was unaware that an out of control force of nature was hurtling towards her location.

End

Damn it, I did it again.

I ended up writing way too much and didn't even get everything I wanted done in this chapter. The scenes before Jaune and Jeanne enter the woods went on longer than I had thought they would so I've had to cut the chapter off here and have the confrontation saved for next chapter along with the whole Jeanne having to deal with Atalanta alter.

Sorry about that, I hate cliffhangers and I'm sure you guys do as well.

Anyway, as you can see I added in Atalanta Alter, I thought about bringing her into the story like this at some point way back when I was still working on chapter one. I just wasn't sure back then If I was going to go through with it and bring her in. But chose to go with what I wanted in the end and that's Atalanta alter. Think about it, the interactions between her and Jeanne, there's potential there..

I freaking love Atalanta's character and I'm definitely going to be rolling for her alter version when it comes to FGO NA.

Bit worried about how she came across so far though with how open and friendly she was to Jaune considering the fact that really isn't in her character too much (especially her alter version which is meant to be akin to a berserker.) I'm reasoning for her behaviour is one, she's not a servant anymore so no madness enhancement skill-or her equivalent of it anyway- effecting her in anyway but that's not say she's completely stable(Thank her semblance for that.) And second since Jaune is still a CHILD I imagine her being very gentle with him and we all know how Atalanta cares for the happiness of young children even in her Alter form.

Next, the final member of the Arc family who got a brief mention in the last chapter and in the skit, Richard Arc. Design is based off Richard the Lionheart form Fate/strange Fake. I plan for some of the Arc family to show up and maybe play some minor or big roles later on in the story, so far I've only got ideas for stuff from around RWBY volume 3 content and beyond. His semblance is pretty much works the same as the secondary ability from the Stand D4C of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure with some changes, I really like that BS power for some reason. By the way I'm thinking about giving semblance names, I mean they gave one for Flynt Coal with his Killer Quartet but never did such a thing again for anyone's as far I'm remembering right now. Dunno yet, maybe I've been getting too much into Jojo and it's affecting me.

Jeanne will be getting a new weapon eventually, not hard to figure out what when you think on what weapon she's missing that she always carries. Jaune will be upgrading as well, not too hard to guess what when you consider who he's getting sorta based off from fate when it comes to weapons and his future outfit. Hint the one character that he looks oddly similar too.

Anyhow that's it from me for now.

Hope this chapter was enjoyable if not then sorry about that, I hope I can do better next time.

Have a beautiful Duwang and I'll see you next time.