Chapter-51

It was difficult to ignore the vast improvement he underwent after his encounter with Weiss. While he wasn't completely recovered, he had much more energy in the following hours and days, and as much as he didn't want to acknowledge the how and why, it could only be one thing. Their sexual encounter had invigorated him, something that was not normal. Considering what had happened to him, it was clear what caused it.

It was obvious enough that the doctors took immediate notice and began running tests, though they could find nothing biological that had changed within him.

Jaune made sure to send out word that he wished to speak to Ozpin again, and only a day later, Oscar showed up, his bearing that of a much older individual.

"You wished to speak with me?" he asked at once, cutting straight to the chase.

It was embarrassing to talk about, something so deeply personal but Jaune had gotten used to it at this point. Though speaking about such things with someone who looked so young was definitely difficult in a different way. But Ozpin was the most experienced with such things and really was the best person he could speak with about it.

He didn't appear overly concerned, though.

"It is possible that you've undergone permanent changes," he mused after Jaune informed him of his encounter with Weiss. He didn't delve into the details because that was a little too much but it was clear that something of a sexual nature had occurred. "The doctor you consulted informed you of your improved vision, yes? I believe this may be something similar, though much more fantastical in nature."

"It could do something like that?" he asked, startled.

"Certainly. This Grimm was more than just Grimm, you must remember that. Even in my time, magic was little understood. The nuances, its flighty nature – we could wield it, bend it to our will, but our understanding of it was rudimentary at best. Many were guided through pure instinct. Much like how our understanding of aura and semblance is in the current day," he lectured, falling into his role of Headmaster effortlessly. "The magic has left its mark on you. My theory is this; you feed on sexual energy, using it to restore your vitality. Why the Temptation instigated this change in you, we may never know."

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Some," Ozpin considered him. "We know Grimm feed on our negativity but we have no idea what it does for them. We know the Temptation also feeds upon lust and sexual violence, yet the reasons are beyond us. It is possible that those parasites within you required sustenance to continue thriving and this is how they got it. Why it chose any of this to begin with is still a mystery," then he frowned. "It is something I will continue to think upon."

He then spotted Jaune's worried look.

"Do not be alarmed, Mr. Arc," he said, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "As far as I am aware, this feeding aspect has not caused any harm to those involved. Unless you've noticed something that I am unaware of?"

Jaune shook his head in the negative.

No. Other than them being tired after a good old fashioned fuck, Jaune had never noticed anything out of the ordinary on their side. While he had always walked away from those encounters feeling a million lien, as if he could take on the entire world, it wasn't like they had been particularly drained beyond what vigorous activity would cause. None of them had spoken of feeling unwell afterwards, either.

Ozpin was probably right.

Now he knew why he'd felt so strong when going against Cinder. The night before that, he'd had sex with four women. Jaune had felt like he was at the top of his game; no, even better than that. At times during that fight, he had squared up against a maiden, one on one, and hadn't been found wanting. And again, that night of the Schnee Banquet when Mantle had been attacked. That had happened right after his first time with Weiss.

Almost like he'd been amplified by his semblance but so much more potent.

As the days rolled by, Jaune felt himself becoming stronger. He could walk around and not get winded, and so he spent much of his time outside, breathing in the crisp, chilled air. It also appeared that his aura and semblance were kicked into overdrive, helping to fortify him even further. Soon enough, he was given the all clear to leave the hospital and return to his room at the academy, and while he wasn't supposed to know about it, he knew his friends were in the process of planning a surprise party for his return.

Ren was supposed to be coming to fetch him, according to Ruby who spilled the beans after a particularly heavy make out session where he pried the secrets from her luscious, greedy lips – but to Jaune's surprise, the person who arrived at his door was not his teammate.

Jaune froze, eyes widening in shock as Neon Katt waved awkwardly, appearing even smaller than usual as she hunched inwards, as if she were moments from fleeing. He wasn't sure what to do and simply stood there, gaping stupidly as she shuffled nervously, one arm across her belly and gripping her other arm in a white knuckled hold.

When it was clear he wasn't going to say anything, she took the initiative.

"Hey..." she greeted, voice soft.

His tongue was stuck, unwilling to cooperate.

"Um – do you have some time?" she asked meekly.

It was then that he noticed the red eyes and pale skin, much paler than usual. Her hair was tied into its usual buns but they appeared hastily done, a little crooked, strands of hair escaping on either side. If he had to use any one word to describe her, it would be tired.

Though maybe that didn't do her credit. Exhausted was more apt. As if she hadn't been getting any sleep.

He moved without thinking, striding forward and enveloping her in a hug. Neon let out a startled squeak, clearly surprised by his sudden action before she leaned into him with all of her weight, as slight as it was. Her arms found their way around his waist, her face buried in his chest. They stayed that way for several long moments, not speaking, not doing much of anything other than hugging each other like they'd been estranged for years.

When was the last time he'd held Neon in his arms?

It really did feel like an age had passed. So many things had happened since then, not all of them good, not all of them bad.

"This feels nice," she finally uttered.

It did.

She was warm, and soft, and small. He began walking backwards towards the bed and sat, pulling her into his lap. Her slender legs fell on either side of his thighs, her small body tucked into him without an inch between them.

"Are..." he tried, but he didn't know what to say, what to ask. He rubbed her back soothingly and she melted, her tense muscles relaxing until she was putty in his hands.

Jaune wasn't sure how much time passed, the pair of them taking comfort in each other but eventually he found the nerve to speak, gathering his thoughts. He just hoped this didn't blow up in his face but he knew the type of girl Neon was at her core.

"You look terrible."

There was a beat of silence and then she snorted, her body shaking.

"Gee, thanks – that's what every girl wants to hear."

She leaned back slightly and peered up at him, her expression one of mock outrage. The gentle smile tugging at her mouth told him everything he needed to know, and he knew he'd chosen right to break the ice with a bit of banter.

Reaching up, he cupped her cheek and she leaned into his palm, her eyes fluttering shut.

"Are you okay?" he asked, that dreaded question that was sometimes more annoying than reassuring.

"Not really," she said, sighing deeply. "I – I wanted to come sooner but I couldn't work up the courage. Urgh, some kind of huntress I'm turning out to be, huh? I can't even speak with..." she trailed off into a whisper, unable to vocalize it.

"...I know," he said, his thumb stroking the gentle rise of her cheekbone. "I – Ozpin told me."

She looked startled. "You know?"

He nodded.

"I thought everyone was playing a massive joke on me," Neon muttered. "How could the Headmaster of Beacon be inside a child? But even the General..." she shook her head. "And then they wanted to talk about us and then they wanted to do tests ... you were in hospital again, and they wouldn't tell me at first why – and now I'm pregnant!"

She was getting a little hysterical but Jaune couldn't blame her.

Neon was the second girl he'd been with but as far as he could see and feel, she wasn't showing like Cerise was. Unlike the older woman, she hadn't known that she was carrying a child. Jaune knew that it was different for everyone. Some showed in a matter of a couple of months while some women could carry for half a term before any physical signs began showing.

It must have been a shock. At least Team RWBY had known about his concerns, knew about magic and maiden's and Headmaster Ozpin's continued existence within a young farm hand, Neon had everything dumped on her at one time. Her understanding of Grimm and experience as a trainee huntress had worked against her here, as Cerise's ignorance had saved her from the worst of the whiplash.

Then she cut to the heart of the greater issue.

"...and I'm not the only one," she said, and he could only nod. "I thought there was no one else."

Jaune grimaced. "There wasn't. When you asked about Yang, I was being honest. I never thought things would change in that direction."

"...no lie?" her voice sounded hopeful.

"Yeah, no lie," he leaned his forehead against hers. "There was one night with a woman named Cerise before, and then we were together. Neon... you said this was only meant to be a bit of fun, that you weren't really looking for anything more."

She looked away.

"Neon?"

"I was being stupid," she muttered. "I – I panicked. I – you know I've been with other guys before and those were always just flings, right? But they would always grow attached and want more, when all I wanted was to continue doing my own thing, you know? And then here you come, looking all cute and sexy and – and you're perfectly fine with something with no strings attached, everything I've ever wanted and yet this time... I'm the one that wants something more, something... exclusive. But I couldn't say anything because I'd already given you that big speech, so now I'm being a hypocrite—"

"Hey, woah," he said as she began getting worked up.

"I like you," she rushed out, voice cracking. "I like you – like so fucking much , and I already liked you all the way back then, but I just thought it was just the same as all my other relationships, but now I'm too late . You – You have all these other women... how the fuck did this even happen?"

He was still trying to figure that out too.

"Listen," he said firmly, hands on either side of her face and forcing her to look at him. "I'm sorry. About all of this. I never meant to hurt you and... while I wasn't all myself, I should have seen that. I had doubts but I never followed them up, so that is my bad, okay? But Neon – you are carrying my child; I'm not just going to set you aside and abandon you, you know that, right?"

She sniffled, on the verge of tears. "You won't?"

"Hey – of course I won't," he chided. "I like to think you know me a little better than that."

Her chin wobbled.

"But w-what about everyone else?"

"They'll understand," he said soothingly. "I know this whole situation is – is fucked up , but this is my son or daughter we're talking about here. There is no way I'm not going to take responsibility. That is..." now he was filled with doubt. "...I know it's going to be difficult and I would understand whatever decision you make, but you are going to carry it to term, right?"

She looked mortified at his question but he had to ask. It was a difficult choice but it was one that existed.

"What? Yes!" she exclaimed. "I – no, Jaune – I don't – faunus don't believe in..."

Faunus don't believe in abortion.

"Oh," he said, feeling relief. "I – er, didn't know that."

"Even if we did believe in it, I wouldn't," she shook her head. "I – that isn't me. You don't want that, do you?"

"No," he said sternly. "No. Never."

All this time, it had never even crossed his mind. The only reason he had brought it up here was because Neon was clearly upset, unlike the others who seemed willing to accept what was happening and roll with the punches, so to speak.

It was clear that he had been neglecting her.

That would have to change.

"Anything you need, I'll provide it," he said. "I'm being serious. I know this is going to be hard and it isn't normal, at all – but we can make this work. I'm willing to put in the effort."

Perhaps this wasn't the right time for it, seeing as they were both running high on emotion but when she leaned forward and kissed him, he didn't push her away, didn't stop it. Her soft lips tasted like watermelon, her glossy lip balm smearing across his mouth as her tongue wiggled through the seam of his lips. He met her eagerly, kissing her passionately, sucking on her tongue before plundering her mouth with long, powerful, wet kisses that had the both of them shivering with pent up desire.

"I'll – mmsllup~! I'll hold you – shlummp – to that," she forced out between kisses, moaning as his hands settled on her slender waist and squeezed.

When they finally parted, panting for breath, her lips were red and swollen, her face flushed bright red. Her hands fluttered down his chest and settled between their bodies, feeling his growing erection rising in response to their sudden make-out session.

"Do you want...?" she asked shyly, cupping his bulge and giving it a stroke.

"Wait," he said and she froze, unsure. "We should probably stop. I – I'm with the others, in a relationship, I mean."

"Oh."

She looked disappointed.

"But I'll talk to them," he continued. "Probably something that is a little overdue."

There was a knock on the door and Neon scrambled out of his lap. They tried to make themselves look more presentable but it was hard to hide her flushed face, ruddy lips, and her diamond tipped breasts, her nipples poking through her shirt – and his erection was not going down any time soon either.

"Come in."

It was Ren.

He took one look at them and arched an eyebrow.

"I'll come back," he deadpanned, turning.

"Wait, no – it's fine," Neon said quickly. "Uh – we're done. Talking . We were talking."

Ren's face clearly said 'bullshit' but he didn't verbalize it, simply nodding at them in acceptance of her blatant lie. He could be a real bro like that.

"Right," she said, hesitating. "Talk soon?"

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. Talk soon."

"Cool. Yep – uh, hey Ren. Nice to see ya," she said awkwardly, power walking passed him. "Bye Jaune!"

And then she was gone.

Ren stared at him for a few seconds before shaking his head.

"What?" Jaune asked defensively.

"Nothing," he said dryly. "Are you ready? Or do you need a moment?"

Jaune scowled. "Oh, shut up."

Ren smirked the entire way back to the dorms.

Even though he knew it was coming, Jaune didn't have to act when the door to their room opened and he was showered in confetti. Ruby and Yang discharged the party poppers on either side of him while Blake snapped a photo of his startled expression. Balloons and streamers were taped to the ceiling, there was a big cake with chocolate frosting taking up most of the table and a variety of different finger foods had been prepared for the occasion; everything from mozzarella sticks to mac and cheese bites, cocktail meatballs, tiny sausage rolls, spicy chicken wings, bags of chips with several different dips and several things he couldn't identify right off the bat.

They'd really gone all out for this.

"Wow," he said, feeling a little bit emotional. "Er – this looks great."

Nora waved a flag above her head that read welcome back in large, bold writing, decorated with a number of random stickers.

"You better like it," Weiss sniffed haughtily, handing him a glass. Jaune sipped at it and found that it was some type of fruit punch. "We put a lot of effort into all of this."

Jaune shot them all a genuine smile. "I love it. Really."

His stomach grumbled loudly, drawing forth knowing looks and more than a couple of smirks.

"Of course it's the food you are looking forward to the most," Blake teased, rolling her eyes. "Men," she added with a playful scoff.

"Hey – the food at the hospital was okay, but it was still hospital food," he defended himself. "Who wouldn't be excited for all this chow?"

"Salutations, Friend Jaune~!" Penny announced her presence, exiting the kitchen with a large box that appeared to contain pizza. When she opened it up, steam wafted off it, the cheese melted to perfection. "I bring sustenance."

Jaune stared. The last time he saw her, she'd sustained heavy damage but looking at her now, she appeared good as new. Did they have a back up body just in case? That was the only explanation for seeing her up and about in perfect working order. The amount of time that would be required to build a body as intricate as hers was something that would measure in months, not in days or weeks.

"Penny," he greeted warmly. "Bring that pizza here right now."

They all laughed and Jaune stepped into the room, instantly enveloped in several pairs of arms. Jaune hugged them furiously as they squeezed him until he could barely breathe but he didn't complain.

He had never felt so loved.

Paper plates were handed out and Jaune grabbed as many different things as he could, piling his plate high and nearly spilling it. They'd gotten some chairs from somewhere but it made the room incredibly cramped, so they set them aside and sat on the floor. He almost spilled his bounty across his bed but managed to sit without incident.

"I bet you're feeling pretty happy about getting out of that place," Yang said, biting into a piece of pizza. "Oh~! Hot, hot, hot~!" she panted, chewing quickly and swallowing. "Ow."

"Yeah. I was going a little crazy in there," he confirmed, being much more careful with his slice. "I can only read so much before even that started wearing a little thin. Thanks for the books, Blake – they were a lifesaver."

"Well, I'm just glad that you are okay now," Weiss nibbled at her chicken wing, holding it with dainty fingers. "Because things are only going to get more hectic going forward. I hope you understand that."

Ruby, Blake, Yang and Weiss all shared a look, and Jaune felt a little like a cornered animal about to be pounced upon.

"Raising multiple children from several different women is sure to be a challenge," Penny piped up, completely oblivious to their true meaning. "If you ever require assistance, I would be more than happy to provide. I have not and can not have children, but I have studied several child rearing sources thoroughly in preparation."

Nora let loose with a loud peal of laughter.

"Thank you, Penny," he said. "That is... very kind of you."

"I can also help in other ways, if you ever require those services," she added and Ruby snorted, nearly choking on her food as she had been in the middle of swallowing. "I believe we are extremely compatible."

Wait, was Penny offering...?

Weiss palmed her face. "Probably not the time, Penny."

The former heiress didn't appear surprised at all, and after Ruby cleared her throat, she didn't either. Yang and Blake were certainly taken aback, however.

"What?" Yang spluttered.

Blake stared at the ginger haired android with wide eyes.

Weiss peered at them all in amusement. "Oh, did we forget to tell you? Penny here has a crush on Jaune. Has for a while now, in fact."

If Penny could blush, she probably would have at this moment as everyone turned to face her.

"Ehehe~!" she giggled, bonking herself on the head while poking out her tongue. Then she straightened up. "I've heard this is considered cute."

"How..." Ren tried.

"Love is from the soul," Ruby said in a sage voice, nodding as if she had gifted them with something truly profound and meaningful.

Nora sniggered and pointed at him. "Even androids aren't safe!"

"Uh..."

He didn't know what to say. What could he say to that?

Thankfully they moved on from that somehow, though it wasn't something he would soon forget. She'd basically just confessed to him, hadn't she? And why weren't any of the girls bothered by that? Weiss and Ruby in particular had known about this for some time, it seemed. Yet even Blake and Yang appeared to let it roll off their back easily enough.

Maybe it was because they didn't believe anything would come of it.

Whatever the case, after they ate their fill of food, they moved on to the desert.

Chocolate cake and ice cream. If there were better partners than those two, he didn't know what they were.

"This cake is amazing," he praised. It was dense but moist, his teeth sinking into it effortlessly. The frosting was rich but not overpowering, smooth and chocolatey. Combined with the creamy vanilla ice cream, his mouth was taken by bliss.

"Thank you," Weiss preened.

"Wait – you made this ?"

He didn't know Weiss could bake!

"Oh, of course not," she cleared up at once. "I contacted my old cake butler. He never failed to deliver."

That was way less impressive.

"Isn't that cute?" Yang teased. "Weiss has underground cake contacts."

"Oh, shut up," Weiss snapped.

"You have frosting all over your lips," Blake pointed out dryly before Yang could poke back. The blonde hastily wiped at her mouth. "You missed it."

Ruby tried to say something but she had a mouthful of cake and ice cream, and so all that came out was gibberish. It sounded positive, though, and Weiss decided to take it as such.

"Thank you, Ruby," Weiss smiled.

"What did she even say?" Ren asked. Nora shrugged.

"Something about how decadent the combination of orange and chocolate are, and how she can taste the undercurrent of citrus infused throughout, and the nutty, hazelnut aftertaste that lingers in her throat only encourages her to take another bite," the ginger haired girl explained.

They all stared at her as Ruby nodded along.

"I believe Friend Ruby just said that she likes chocolate cake and wants more," Penny supplied. The fact that she didn't hiccup afterwards told them all that she was most likely correct.

Ruby continued to nod.

"I guess they are both the same thing," Jaune said with a smirk. "Oh, Ruby – you have a little bit of..." he pointed at his mouth.

"You two really are sisters," Weiss sighed as she pulled out a handkerchief and wiped at her partner's mouth and cheek, the white material coming away brown. Ruby flushed cutely. "Eating is a basic skill. Honestly."

It was moments like these that reminded Jaune that all the hardship they'd gone through was worth it. To protect this, not just for themselves but for others. Being a huntsman meant walking with death constantly but when the alternative was broken families, lost loved ones and a world consumed by Grimm, it was an easy choice to make.

It was this that led Pyrrha to her demise. Something he hadn't been able to accept until long after her death, in that snowy park in the middle of Argus, the town she had grown up in. Jaune knew if she had to make that choice again, she would do it in a heartbeat. She was a huntress, so there was no other option. The chance to stop the coming tide, to nip the growing darkness in the bud – Pyrrha would try, and try, and try again, no matter how long it took. Even at the cost of her life.

He understood that now.

Salem might still be out there and the Grimm would always be a constant threat, an endless abyss threatening to swallow humanity whole – but they would continue to stand against it, backs straight and unyielding, all for times like these.

Jaune glanced to his left.

There was no one there.

And yet he could still feel her presence, as if she had never left.

"Do you think..." he began before trailing off. Their chatter died down and they waited, watching him curiously. "Do you think Pyrrha is proud of us?"

Ruby didn't even have to think about it.

"Of course," she chirped, silver eyes soft.

"We're all here and we didn't lose anyone," Blake smiled gently.

"And we kicked Cinder's ass," Yang boasted.

"I think she would be more than proud of us," Weiss said earnestly.

They all sat in silence, remembering their dear friend and what she meant to them. Jaune wondered what she would say to them, if she were here.

He also wondered about something else.

"What happened to the Fall Maiden's power?" he asked, curious.

A few of them shared uncertain looks.

It was Ren that spoke up. "It's still trapped in the fake lamp. They've been running tests on it to see how stable the containment is and if they could leave the power inside without a host, but it isn't looking good."

"Father believes it will only be a matter of weeks before it fails," Penny provided. Seeing as he was the one that invented the technology, he would know best. "And then a new Fall Maiden will be chosen at random unless they select one before then."

"He has spoken with some of you about it. General Ironwood, I mean."

It wasn't a question.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah, he has."

"They want someone trustworthy, someone that will protect the powers and not abuse them. Someone who already knows about Salem and the Relic's and everything else," Blake explained. "As you can imagine, that narrows the pool quite a lot. Ozpin is adamant that it needs to be someone not aligned with Atlas, seeing as they already have the Winter Maiden. Ironwood agreed."

That was a relief. There had been a brief moment when Cinder had been robbed of the mantle that Jaune had wondered how the General would handle having two of the maiden's potentially under his control. Especially with all the secrecy around his plan, keeping them all in the dark. But once again, the man had proven he was not to be doubted.

"That ruled me out, of course," Weiss said flippantly. "Even if I have no particular attachment to Atlas as a whole, Winter will be inheriting the powers of Fria. Having two sisters wielding the powers could potentially be problematic."

So who had they chosen?

"We all said no," Yang said, referring to her team.

"What?"

"I mean, normally I'd be all for it," she smirked. "Sounds pretty kick ass, right? I'd be able to throw down even harder with all that magic backing me up."

Ruby rolled her eyes.

"But – we really didn't want to risk it," Yang continued, shooting him a sly look. "In case you've forgotten, we're all carrying extra passengers these days."

"Oh."

He hadn't even thought of that.

"Would... inheriting the Maiden's powers harm an unborn child?" he asked.

"Ordinarily, no," Weiss said. "Ozpin has confirmed that pregnant women in the past have received the power without incident but nothing about this situation is normal, is it? There is a lot of uncertainty around our children, for a start, even with all the tests we've conducted giving the all clear. But then there is the stress the transfer of power will put on our bodies. If it had happened the natural way, then there would be no problem but transferring aura in this way is said to be... painful. Extremely painful."

They'd all heard Cinder scream.

"The potential for miscarriage is high," she finished. "We aren't willing to take the risk."

So then... who?

Nora was unnaturally somber.

"Nora?" his voice came out barely higher than a whisper.

She smiled ruefully.

"I see you've worked it out," she said.

"What?" Ren asked, aghast.

He hadn't known.

A quick glance told Jaune that none of them did.

"Wait, Nora – are you...?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah," she met each of their eyes, one by one. "I'm going to be the next Fall Maiden."