#branwens last stand

[arc-misadventures]

The Sorcerer’s Dark Magic

Bruised, battered, and bloody.

This was the sorry state of, Cinder Fall.

A member of, Salem’s inner circle had been identified whilst she was in, Vale. Beacon sent several of its highly trained, Hunter’s, and Atlas had also sent in members of its elite team of, Specialists to bring her in.

They had found her, and her cronies in the midst of a pack of, White Fang members lead by the murderous zealot, Adam Taurus.

The fight had been long, and bloody, costing the lives of several Hunters, Specialist, and many members of, Cinder’s entourage, along with scores of members of the, White Fang. Even the murderous zealot, Adam Taurus’s life was taken in the fight.

But, they won, and they had taken, Cinder Fall in alive. And, now it was time for her interrogation to begin.

An event that would scar many who whiteness the horrors about to be unleashed.

~~~

The door opened to reveal a trio standing before a one way mirror, they all turned, and nodded their greetings at the duo as they entered the room. Within the room there was the headmaster of, Beacon Academy, Ozpin. The deputy headmistress, Glynda Goodwitch. And, lastly there was a seasoned huntsman, and a drunkard named, Qrow Branwen.

Entering the room was, Headmaster of Atlas Academy, and General of the Atlas Military, James Ironwood, followed closely by his aide, Specialist, Winter Schnee. They joined the trio at the mirror to stare at the bloody, and bruised body of, Cinder Fall.

Ironwood: So, what’s the plan?

Ozpin; Hello to you too, James. Right now the plan is to wait.

Ironwood: Wait, wait for what?

Qrow: The Sorcerer is finishing up his treatment of the wounded.

Ironwood: The Sorcerer? You have a magic user; why didn’t you notify me that you found a maiden?

Ozpin shook his head as he watched, Cinder pull at her aura suppressing restrains that binded her hands in a vain attempt to escape.

Ozpin: I would have if we did, but no. The Sorcerer is just a nickname he picked up.

Ironwood: He? So it’s a male. Hmmm… Who is this, Sorcerer you’re talking about?

Glynda: His name is, Jaune Arc; He is an experienced, Hunter who is a teacher here at, Beacon Academy, and he doubles as an assistant school nurse when the need arises.

Glynda’s brief rundown gave, Ironwood a simple understanding of who he was, and considering how normal he sounded, he understood why, Ozpin never brought him up before. But, why would he need someone so plain to interrogate her?

Winter: Arc…? Does he have blond hair, and blue eyes?

Glynda: Yes.

Winter: I believe I met him. He seems like a kind, and caring individual who cares deeply for the wellbeing of his students. Why are you having him interrogate the prisoner?

Ozpin: We need her to talk; We need to know what, Salem’s plans are, and who is working with her. If we try doing so ourselves we will get nowhere. But, if we let, Mr. Arc do it himself, we will get all the answers, and more that we are looking for.

Ironwood: Are you sure about this, Ozpin?

Ozpin: Honestly, James if I was being ‘interrogated’ by, Mr. Arc. I’m not sure what secrets I wouldn’t spill to get him to stop.

Ozpin shuddered as he remember the last time he sat on, Jaune interrogating someone. It was effective, but disturbing.

Qrow: Wait, you made that sound like he wasn’t going to talk with her, but more like he’s going to ‘talk’ with her.

Ozpin: …

Ozpin: It must be done…

Qrow: Seriously?! You’re gonna make, Tai 2.0 go in there, and torture her?

Ironwood: What?!

James looked to, Ozpin as he held his head in defeat. He had no other options left. And, considering what, Cinder, and her associates were planning, and how they barely caught it, and just managed to stop it. They needed her to talk to prevent anything else from coming.

Ironwood: You can’t possibly have forced him to do this?!

Glynda: Jaune agreed to do it! He lost several of his friends in the raid to get her, this is his own way of avenging them. And, you know how effect his methods are, we both have seen what he can, and will do to someone.

Qrow looked away before taking another drink from his flask. He knew what, Jaune could do, he knew exactly what he could do. That didn’t mean he liked what he saw.

Qrow: Fuck…

Qrow took a swig from his flask as he turned back to look at the girl in cuffs. Ironwood gave the drunk one fleeting glance before turning to face his friend.

Ironwood: How will this, Arc fellow make her talk?

Ozpin: He will no doubt try, and talk to her at first. But, when that inevitably fails, he will use his semblance instead.

Ironwood: And, what is his semblance?

Ozpin: It’s… Oh, he’s here.

~~~

The door opened, and closed with a heavy click of steel. A blond haired man entered the room. Cinder eyes him warningly as he walked over to the table, and took the seat across from her. He put down a notebook, and a pen, before brushing some unseen dust from the desk before he turned to face her.

: Hello, Ms. Cinder Fall. My name is, Jaune Arc. May I call you, Cinder?

Cinder said nothing, and just stared him down. They stared each other down for a while before, Jaune shrugged his shoulders, and opened his notebook to start taking notes.

Jaune: Not much of a talker, eh? No matter, we’ll get you talking soon enough.

Jaune: Now then, Ms. Fall, let’s summarize the past days events: A team of, Beacon students stumbled upon your little operation going on in, Mount Glenn. A team of veteran, Hunters from, Vale, as well as a team of, Atlasian Specialists came in to prevent you from colliding a train into the old train house in downtown, Vale thus releasing a horde of, Grimm into the city. Did I make a mistake in any of that, Ms. Fall?

Cinder: …

Jaune: Still not talking, eh? No matter, I’ll get you talking sooner, or later. So, pray tell what were you planning to do?

Cinder glared daggers at the man who radiated golden retriever energy, but said nothing.

Jaune: Twas a rhetorical question, since you won’t answer me after all. So, let us speculate then shall we?

Jaune: Hmm… you wanted to launch a horde of, Grimm into the city… but, why?

Jaune: Since the White Fang were involved was it to act as a protest against the mistreatment of faunas?

Cinder: …

Jaune: I expect that was the, White Fang’s plan, at least what they thought the plan was. So logically they would do this to kill people, both human, and faunas as a means of retribution for past, and future wrongs.

Cinder continued to glare at him, but within those burning eyes, Jaune could see her asking him a simple question.

Jaune: What the hell am I talking about? That’s what you’re thinking, I can see it in your eyes. But, well, extremists all ways take the simplest things, that often have the simplest solutions to the extreme. Hence the name: extremists. But, what’s your angle in all of this?

Jaune leaned closer, and stared, Cinder down. Their eyes locked on one another in a staring contest that made, Cinder’s blood burn. And, yet this feeling in her blood wasn’t from rage.

Jaune: We asked your associates what you game in all of this was… And, what were their names again…?

Jaune flipped through his notebook, before pulling out two photos, attached to slips of paper.

Jaune: Ahh yes… Mercury Black, and… Emerald Sustrai, that’s their names. The didn’t snitch on you, they never would. But, as they say… ‘Dead man tells no tale~!’

Jaune could see her eyes flash wider for the briefest of moments. She seemed to not care about her associates, at least, she seemingly didn’t care that much.

Jaune: But, your pal, Roman Torchwik. He sung like a song bird, and told me all of your dastardly deeds, after receiving some proper… motivation~!

~~~

Ironwood watched carefully as he listened to, Mr. Arc as he interrogate the prisoner.

Ironwood: Did you also ‘interrogate’ this, Torchwik fellow?

Ozpin: There was no need to, we offered him a plea deal for all the information he had on her, and he was rather forthcoming coming. Although his information as to what, Ms. Fall’s plans are, were rather limited.

Ironwood: I see, hopefully this, Arc fellow can make use of it. Now, I don’t mean to sound… disturbed. But, when is this supposed… ‘interrogation’ meant to begin.

Glynda: It already begun. As soon as, Jaune entered the room the ‘interrogation’ started.

Winter: How can you be sure of that? All they’ve done is talk, nothing that hints towards torture has started.

Glynda: She’s sweating…

Everyone looked over to see a bead if sweat drip down, Cinder’s forehead as cold air escaped her lips.

Ironwood: What? That rooms kept cold to stop her from using her fire semblance, why is she sweating?

Ozpin: Good question…

~~~

Jaune: Now… Roman told us all about your evil plans. Well… that of which he was privy to that is…

Jaune put on a show, Cinder could tell he was trying to put her off guard, and it wasn’t working. The sweat falling down her head was getting on her nerves though, the room was freezing cold, and yet she was sweating. She could help, but wonder why.

Jaune: You hired him to steal large quantities of, Dust. Though he says you threatened him. Now, I am curious as to why you needed that much, Dust? You weren’t selling it, and you did make several bombs on that train, but the quantity of, Dust that was used in those bombs is no where near the amount that was stolen. Are you trying to artificially inflate the price of, Dust?

Cinder glared daggers at the man, hoping to burn a hole through this golden retriever of a human being. But, still refused to answer.

Jaune: That would mean you’re working for, Jacques Schnee! I knew you were a heartless bitch, but I couldn’t believe you were that heartless to work with that Grimm spawn bastard son of a bitch!

Cinder: I don’t work for that, Dust whore… Ahh?!

Jaune relished the sound of her little outburst as a vicious grin crept from the corner of his mouth as he stared down the prisoner as she pulled back from him.

Jaune: You spoke~! Ah-hahahaaa~!

~~~

Winter: Calling my sperm donour a, ‘Dust whore;’ I best remember that.

Qrow: Oh, you’re not upset that people are making fun of daddy?

Winter: The majority of the people of, Atlas, and Mantle despise my father, I among the top three individuals that despise the man. I’ve been using photos of the mans face for target practice for the new recruits.

Ozpin: Really now? And, how is that going, Specialist Schnee?

Winter: Better than I expected; Atlas’s military personnel’s average accuracy when handling firearms has gone up by 27%, and is still climbing.

Ironwood: Oh really? I was wondering how that increased happened. Well done, Specialist Schnee. Start implementing that in, Atlas Academy, I’m curious to see how the students will improve if we implement such a… policy.

Winter: I will see it done, Sir.

Ozpin: Should we implement such a policy here as well, Glynda?

Glynda: We shall discuss that later, Ozpin. The Sorcerer is at work.

~~~

Jaune: So tell me… what was your plan…?

Jaune’s smile sent shivers down, Cinder’s; it was a calculated smile, its intent was to unnerve, and put one’s foe on the backfoot.

Cinder: …

Jaune: …

Cinder: …

Jaune: Hmm?

Jaune: Still no talky?

Cinder: …

Jaune: Okay then… So you don’t work for that dust whore. You obviously don’t work with the, White Fang, you’re obviously not a faunas. Unless…?

Jaune was giving her the once over, as if to find some hidden faunas trait that was hidden behind her clothes.

Cinder: I am not a faunas…

Jaune: No…?

(Tap, tap, tap.)

Jaune: I would have guessed you were some sort of snake faunas; Hidden fangs in your mouth, elongated tongue those kind of things. Nothing?

Cinder: No…

Jaune: Well, then you’re obviously working for some sort of hidden secret organization that’s bent on the total, and complete destruction of the world!

Cinder: …

(Tap, tap, tap.)

Jaune: Hmm… you’re quite good at hiding your emotions, but your eyes keep giving things away.

Cinder’s eyes flashed for a moment before she looked away. She cursed herself for letting her emotions escape her harsh grasp. She had done plenty of research on the staff at, Beacon Academy, but, Jaune Arc was one she couldn’t find much information on. At most it was common knowledge that if you asked anyone anything about him they would tell you the same thing. Jaune tended to keep his personal life like that, personal. At most it was know that he was single, and the only son if his family.

Well, as secretive as he may be, it was no where near as…?!

Jaune: Why does the witch want to destroy the world?

~~~

Ironwood: Wait, what?! Ozpin, how does he know about, Salem?

Ozpin: One of, Mr. Arc’s greatest skills is his observational awareness. I thought I was being subtle with any information retaining to, Salem, but he picked up on my… unsaid words. And, forced me to talk…

Ironwood: Forced? Did he use his semblance on you?

Ozpin: Possibly…? I am not sure.

Ironwood: Can’t you tell when he’s using his semblance?

Glynda: It depends on how, Jaune’s using it. It can be very subtle, subtle enough that you don’t even realize he’s using it. Subtle enough that even he doesn’t realize he’s using it at times.

Ozpin: But, when it’s obvious he’s using his semblance you become painfully aware that he’s using it. To say it’s blood curdling in its usage is an understatement of the extreme of extremes.

Qrow: Ughh… I remember when I saw him use it to its fullest extent; Can’t say the guy didn’t have it coming, but throwing up my lunch wasn’t what I had in mind that day…

Ironwood: …?

Winter: What the hell is his semblance?

~~~

Cinder: What witch?

(Tap, tap, tap.)

Jaune: Oh come on now… I know all about, Salem, and Ozpin’s stupid little shadow war going on behind the scenes. So if you plan on playing dumb well…

(Tap, tap, tap)

Jaune: Let’s just say it won’t work well for you.

Cinder could feel sweat dripping down her head in a freezing cold room, his words caused dread to slowly build up in her heart.

Cinder knew that playing dumb wouldn’t work any longer. At best she could deflect, and feed him bread crumps to cause him to look away from her true objective.

Cinder: I was trying to… trying to cause a, Grimm stampede in the hopes of destroying, Vale.

Jaune: To what end?

Cinder: Spread the seeds of chaos, and show, Ozpin, and his allies that his precious little cities are not as safe as they think they are.

Jaune: To what end?

Cinder: I just told you; To destroy, Vale.

Jaune: Don’t play dumb with me my dear, I’m not an idiot like, Ozpin, or General Ironwood. They would take you words at face value, but I can tell you’re hiding something…

Cinder: What is there to hide; you already know everything I planned to do, you’re just trying to confirm what happened for you reports, aren’t you?

Jaune: Well…

(Tap, tap, tap.)

Jaune: You could say that… but, your goal wasn’t to destroy, Vale… No, no, no. Your goal may be quite well thought out, but you don’t care if, Vale fell. No, no, I recon your plan wasn’t to destroy, Vale… A definitive bonus if your plan succeed, but no. Your true goal was to distract, Ozpin… but, to distract him from what tis the question…

Cinder’s heart was beating erratically as this interrogation continued on. She had read, Mercury’s, and Emerald’s reports on the man; they read of a kind, and caring man who would lay his life down for his students without a moment’s hesitation. But, the man currently before her, was not that man.

He exuded an aura of cold, calculating indifference, and a predatory smile that sent shivers down her spine, the exact same smile he was giving her right now. There was a sparkle in his eyes as he came to a simple conclusion; the an answer to a riddle that answers everything he wanted to know, and more.

Jaune: You’re after the, Fall Maiden, aren’t you…?

~~~

Ozpin: The Fall Maiden…?

The answer to a question unasked escaped, Ozpin’s throat in a ragged whisper. It made sense, too much sense that this was, Cinder’s goal, she was after the, Maiden’s powers, and she was willing to destroy, Vale to get it.

Qrow: So it was her, and her cronies that attacked, Amber! Why didn’t I see that…?

Ironwood: She never did finish off, Amber because, Qrow came to the rescue, this is all an elaborate plot to get the, Fall Maiden’s power… I amazed that, Mr. Arc was able to come to such a conclusion.

Glynda: But, to go to such extents to acquire the, Fall Maidens powers seems a bit over the top.

Winter: Couldn’t she have just killed her when she first had the chance, and acquired her powers that way? Why did she plan to destroy, Vale in the process?

~~~

Jaune: Oh? Now isn’t that an interesting reaction!

An involuntary, sharp gasp escaped, Cinder’s lips as he effortlessly hit the nail on the head. Arc, knew about the, Maiden’s, in the case what else did he know! She looked away from him, daring to hope he would not find anymore clues in her broken mask.

Jaune: Excuse me, we’re talking; tis quite rude to look away from someone while we’re talking.

Cinder couldn’t look at this man, there was something off about him…

(Tap, tap, tap)

Jaune: Excuse me, don’t turn awaywe’re still talking here.

Something that could make the skin crawl…

Jaune: Oi, look at me.

Something that was deemed unnatural…

Jaune: We’re not done speaking, Cinder.

Something that was indescribable to the senses…

Jaune: Cinder… Look at me.

But, it was something completely explainable.

Jaune: Haaa…

Something so obvious, and simple, that it was often overlooked as an item of irrelevance.

Jaune: I said…

A semblance.

Jaune: Look at me.

Cinder could feel her entire body being wrenched forward, her muscles screaming in pain as they were forced to move in what felt like an unnatural, but completely natural manner. Her body was set straight in her chair, her head forced to stare at, Jaune face, making her stare into those calm, uncaring cerulean eyes of his. She tried to turn her body, to squirm in defiance as he stared her down, but she could not move her body by a hairs breath.

Jaune: Now, shall we continue our discussion?

Cinder: A-A semblance…

Jaune: Hmm…?

Cinder: A semblance! Y-You’ve been using your semblance on me this whole time! From the moment you entered this room, you’ve been using a semblance on me to make me talk, haven’t you!

Jaune: CorrrrecT!

~~~

Ironwood: Ahh, telekinesis!

Winter: He’s a telepath? That would most certainly explain how he was able to get, Miss Fall to talk.

Qrow: Nope.

Ironwood: What?

Qrow: The kids not telepathic.

Ironwood: He isn’t?

Winter: But, the way he forced her body to move, that’s clearly a telekinesis based semblance.

Qrow: It may look that way, but his semblance is nothing like that. If it was, I would be better at holding my stomachs contents when he decides to… let loose.

Glynda: I’d doubt that.

Qrow: Well… it wouldn’t be as bad… hopefully?

Ironwood: Then what is it?

Ozpin: It would be best to let, Mr. Arc explain it…

~~~

Cinder: Y-You’ve been using your semblance to extract information from me! Haven’t you!

Jaune: Mmmm… In a manner of speaking… I’ve mostly been connecting dots, and what not from what clues you’ve given me. That, and reading your facial expressions, any little bodily ticks you are showing off. I’ve mostly been using my semblance to make you feel a sense of unease. It’s been quite effective if I do say so.

Cinder: What is it; Telekinesis?! Are you some sort of psychic?! What is your semblance?

Jaune: Oh, nothing so… civilized as those…

(Tap, tap, tap.)

Jaune: Nothing like that…

Cinder: That tapping! You’ve been doing that ever since you came here… why?!

Jaune: As I said, ‘To make you feel unease.’

(Tap, tap, tap.)

Jaune: I take it that it has been working.

Cinder: How does tapping your fingers make me feel unease?! Do you have some sort of telekinesis based semblance?! I demand to know!

Jaune: As I said: It may seem liked that, but no. I don’t have a physic, telekinesis, and sort of moving stuff with my mind based semblance.

Cinder: THEN WHAT THE HELL IS IT!!!

Jaune calmly stared at, Cinder as her rugged gasps of breath slowly tapered out. Before he calmly responded to her question.

Jaune: I’ll answer your question: How is that I am making you feel unease, why the tapping, how I forced your body to turn to face me. I’ll explain it all. But, in exchange you have to answer something for me.

Cinder: And, what is that?!

Jaune: What does, Salem want with the keys to the vault, and what does she intend to do with its contents when they are emptied?

Cinder: W-What…? H-How did you figure it out…?

Cinder’s rage, the blazing inferno that burned within her body was suddenly snuffed out as if it was a match struck in the midst of a typhoon. What was replaced was stunned fear. She hadn’t mentioned a single thing, no clues, no hints, but this freak had managed to put together every piece of her plan, and managed to figure out what her true goal really was!

And, all he did was calmly look at her with a cocky smirk forming from the bottom of his lip.

Jaune: Oh I just managed to connect the dots that others leave unseen. Four kingdoms. Four Academies. Four Maidens, and lastly, Four Relics. My educated guess tells me that one of the four relics is hidden in one of the four kingdoms academies. And, that they are kept behind in a secret, hidden vault that requires a key to unlock them. And, that key, is a maiden. Am, I wrong?

Cinder: …

Cinder: You’re correct…

Jaune: Am I know~?

~~~

The group all stood back as, Jaune turned to give them a dark smile as he managed to make, Cinder spill all her information on why she was going to attack, Beacon Academy.

And, it had only been ten minutes.

Glynda: Salem’s after the, Relics? I can only imagine the destruction she could wrought across, Remnant if she had even one of those…

Ironwood: We need to tighten security back in, Atlas. And, in all the other academies at that! In all the kingdoms! We cannot allow her to gain access to any, Relics!

Qrow: What is she even planning to do with those things? They aren’t all that dangerous no are they?

Ozpin: She not after any one, Relic for its individual capabilities… she wants all four of them.

Ironwood: What is the difference is she has one, Relic, or all of them? The destruction she could wreak across, Remnant could be unimaginable!

Ozpin: Not if those two came back…

Ironwood: What?

~~~

Jaune: Excellent! Now that we have all the speculation as to why you are doing this out of the way. Now I must ask who your other accomplices are, and what they are doing, and we can finish everything up once, and for all. Alright?

Cinder: No…

Jaune: No…?

Cinder: You said you would tell me what your semblance was… I answered your question… But, unless you tell me the truth… I won’t tell you anything! It doesn’t matter if you torture me… I will never talk!

Jaune: No, that’s fair… You answered my question, tis only fair that I answer yours in kind. Tell me… I assume you’ve done your research on all of the staff at, Beacon, myself included. So, I can assume you heard about my nickname?

Cinder: Yes… The staff here call you, ‘The Sorcerer.’ But, none of the students know why.

Jaune: That’s because, ‘The Sorcerer,’ isn’t really what my nickname is all about. And, I can assure you, a few students know what the story behind my nickname is, and my semblance is as a result of that. And, the reason why no one knows that start is simply because they just don’t like talking about it.

Jaune: You see… I can use magic…

Cinder: Impossible… Only five people in the world can use magic, and they all happen to be female… which you clearly are not.

Jaune: True… I just like to referring my semblance as magic, helps others… comprehend my semblance, and its abilities.

Cinder: Then what is your semblance…?

Cinder leaned in and scowled at, Jaune as he returned her scowl with a devious and, all knowing smirk as he softly replied.

Jaune: Blood Magic~!

Cinder: What…?

Jaune: Blood Magic! That’s what my semblance is! I can freely manipulate the blood of any living being! Making them my puppet…

Cinder could feel her eyes darting to the right, and lefr, then back to, Jaune, and yet she had no intention in her mind to move her eyes.

Cinder: M-M-My eyes?! You’re moving my eyes?!

Jaune: I can also regulate your heart beat! Why do you think I kept on tapping my finger?

(Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap…)

Cinder focused on her body, slowly she started to feel the controlled beating of her heart as, Jaune tapped his finger to a steady beat.

Cinder: You made my heart race at an unnatural beat… causing my body to go into shock because of my blood wasn’t flowing properly, causing me to…

Jaune: Panic. Yes, tis a very effective way at making people nervous. I have to tap the beat though… I could hold out my hand, and flex my fingers inward, like so…

Jaune held his hand before, Cinder, and simply made a closed fist that lasted, but a hairs breath. However…

Cinder: AHHHHHHH?!!?!

It caused, Cinder to collapse in pain as her breath came in hard, and laboured gasps like a drowning man struggling for air as water filled their lunga. Her eyes widened in horror at the stunning realization of what he had just done to her.

Cinder: You… Y-You… haaahaha… you were crushing my heart?!

Jaune: Correct… My semblance is no doubt among the most powerful there is. I can tell precisely where a person is based upon feeling a persons circulatory systems. I can even tell people apart to some extent.

Jaune turned behind him to look at the one way mirror, and pointed at it.

Jaune: Right there is, Qrow Branwen. I can feel the alcohol in his veins, don’t ask me how, I can’t explain it. Next to, Qrow right there should be, Glynda Goodwitch. I can tell it’s her because the blood flows differently in woman than it does in men.

Jaune: I can also tell it’s her because I can sense more blood in the… front.

Jaune turned back to look at, Cinder; his face etched into a look filled with self loathing, and disscontempt.

Jaune: There are many things I despise about my semblance.

He shook his head in disgust as he pointed back at the mirror.

Jaune: Ahem… right next to her is, Ozpin; I can tell because I can feel his body posture that indicates he is resting on a cane, and that he is holding a bug in his hand. And, all the caffeine in his veins. Guy seriously needs to cut back on the joe…

Jaune: Next to, Ozpin is another woman. I have no idea who she is, but I know she’s there.

Jaune: And, right there is, General James Ironwood. I can only sense half a man partly floating in the air… such a perverse feeling… I can feel the blood flowing to his toes on one leg, but on the other it stops when it reaches his hip. The same on his arms; I can feel it reach his finger tips one one hand, and yet on the other I feel it stop at the shoulder joint… Such a ghastly feeling…

~~~

Winter: B-Blood magic?! That’s his semblance: Blood Magic?!

Ozpin: It is as he says… he can sense, and manipulate the blood in a persons body. To say it’s ghastly is a understatement of a lifetime.

Qrow: He can tell it’s me based on my blood alcohol levels? I better cut back a bit…

Glynda: He knew it was me because of my bust…?

Winter: At least he takes no pleasure in knowing that.

Glynda: Haaa… A gentleman to the end…

Ozpin: James? Are you alright?

James Ironwood gaze was dead stead at staring at his right hand, his robotic hand. It was a terrifying thought, that, Mr. Arc could feel precisely where his body ended, and where his cybernetics began without even touching at him. He understood the pains wrought upon his body in ways no others could, not even the victim of such mutilations could feel.

Ironwood: I can… speculate why I haven’t seen, Mr. Arc until now… Such a semblance must bare heavily on its user…

Ozpin: Jaune tends to keep to himself out of necessity, rather than a desire to be left alone. To many people around is like listening to a thousand voices all at once. Simply put; it’s overwhelming to the senses.

Ironwood: I take it then that, Mr. Arc is done with the interrogations? At least…using his semblance?

Ozpin stared at, Cinder as she managed to regain her breathing, and steadied her heart beat as she stared defiantly at, Jaune. Ozpin shook his head at the notion.

Ozpin: I’m afraid, James… the worse is about to begin…

~~~

Cinder: Haa haaa… Hahahaha!

Jaune: What’s so funny?

Cinder: You told me what your semblance is… I now know what you can do with that semblance of yours… it doesn’t matter what you do now! It doesn’t matter what! I will not tell you anything! You’ll crush my heart before I let anything spill! Come on, Arc! Do your worst!

Jaune: Pfff! Haha… hahaha… Aaaahahahahahaha!

Terror filled, Cinder veins as, Jaune let loose a laugh that found everything, down to most minute of details, in, Cinder’s attempt to show her bravado, her arrogant pride absolutely, unequivocally hilarious.

Jaune: Haha-ha-haaaa…

Jaune: My worst? You think me grasping your heart is the worst I can do…? My dear sweet summers child… I can do so much worser things than that, that honestly; I’m not sure what my worst is!

Jaune: I can bend every bone in your body till it shatters, then put them back together! I can stop your heart, kill you, and then bring you back to life! I can cause a brain aneurysm, and kill you on the spot! Cure you, and again I could bring you back to life! I could crush your entire body, turn every muscle in your body in on yourself until your body is nothing more than a meat cube! And, I know I can do this, because I’ve already done it before, and I will do it again!

Jaune: So tell me, Cinder Fall… Do you want to just tell me who else you are working with, and what are your other plans. Or, shall I torment you with pain unimaginable that I may break your mind from the pain?

Cinder could understand that he was just saying this to scare her, that he wouldn’t got that far to break her. But, she knew deep in her heart, that he could do it. But, she knew he couldn’t kill her, he needed her alive, otherwise all her secrets would go with her to her grave. She resolved her, and she would grin, and bare what was to come.

Cinder: Do your worst asshole! Hak-sptoo!

And, with that she spat on, Jaune’s who merely rubbed it off, and shook his head in disappointment.

Jaune: Haa… very well… I did warn you…

Jaune leaned back in his chair, and held his hand up, before he turned to gaze at, Cinder one last time.

Jaune: You know… They say there are different ways one gains their semblance; Personality, or circumstances… I believe the later one is applicable for me. Cause you see… everyone thinks I’m an only child. When in reality, I’m the only son in my family, when I actually have seven sisters. So, I think I developed my semblance, just to shut them up, because I swear…

Jaune leaned forward, and gave, Cinder one more predatory smile.

Jaune: That seemed to happen at least once a week!

Cinder pondered for a moment what he meant by, ‘once a week.’ Until it dawned on her, and a terrifying thought appeared across her mind. If he knew how to deal with that, then he knew how it was cause, and if he knew how it was cause…?!

“Snap~!”

Cinder:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Then she would know what true pain felt like.

~~~

Haaa…

To think I went through all of that just for that last bit…

[frickingnerd]

the aftermath of that night

pairing: qrow branwen x gn!reader

summary: after a one night stand with qrow, you start to avoid him. but qrow demands to know why you're avoiding him!

tags: smut/suggestive, hook up/one night stand, idiots to lovers, angst with a happy end, confession (reader to qrow), oblivious!qrow, qrow calling reader 'sweetheart', angst to silly fluff

“where do you think you're going?”

qrow had you cornered, his hand gripping your wrist, to make sure you wouldn't run away again – just like you had the last few times the two of you crossed paths.

“i-i'm busy… can i leave?”

you looked up at qrow. you didn't struggle, nor did you raise your voice. you didn't plan on making a scene, since you knew qrow would never hurt you. but you still didn't want to be around him…

“you've been busy a lot recently. but i don't buy it.”

qrow loosened the grip on your wrist, to show good faith. but he wouldn't let you go until he got answers from you.

“i don't think you're actually busy. i think you're avoiding me. and you've been doing that ever since we hooked up!”

you looked away, but it was already too late. even when avoiding eye contact, your reaction gave you away. qrow had figured you out.

“so that's it. i knew it…”

qrow mumbled and let go of your wrist.

“was it that bad? if you didn't enjoy it, you could've said something… or was it that good~?”

qrow tried to lighten the mood a little, but it seemed not to work on you. instead of laughing, you only seemed to lower your head further and stare holes into the ground.

“so it was that bad, huh?”

“no, it was… alright”

that didn't sound very enthusiastic.

“listen sweetheart, just tell me what's up. if you don't want me around, then tell me. but don't expect me to be able to read your mind”

you sighed, slowly raising your head. your eyes met qrow's and your words got caught in your throat. you opened your mouth, struggling to tell him what's been bothering you.

“i… i enjoyed it a lot. but i was… kind of hoping for more…”

qrow smiled amused. that certainly wasn't the answer he had been expecting.

“well, if you want a round two we could always just go to your place now or–”

“not like that–!”

the mere suggestion of that made your cheeks turn red. it seems you really had to spell it out for qrow. how embarrassing…

“i was hoping we'd do more than just… you know. that maybe… this wasn't just a one time thing… and that you'd ask me on a date or something…”

you were mumbling those words to yourself, but qrow managed to pick up enough of what you were saying to understand what you meant.

“sooo you're saying… you have a crush on me~?”

qrow was acting overly flirty and cocky. but honestly, he was just overcompensating, as he tried to cover up how flustered he was getting. he was used to one night stands, but nobody had ever cared to return for a second night, let alone a date! this was a first for him…

in response to his question, you only nodded shyly. you still avoided eye contact, scared of qrow's reaction. but he gently lifted your chin with two of his fingers, to make you look up at him and see his genuine smile.

“if you wanted a date, there was no reason to be shy and avoid me. you're obviously my type and now that i know i'm yours too, i'd love to take you on a proper date!”

[blue-cheeseinmyoffwhites]

Very late, but, https://www.tumblr.com/blue-cheeseinmyoffwhites/756639587329277952/rwby-asks-are-open-im-bored?source=share

Who's you're favorite character?

Quick shoutout to the lovely @tumblingxelian for their amazing RWBY content check them out on YT

Let’s do Top 5

Mercury Black

This is solely because of his fighting style. If I could fuck up some stuff with my legs I’d probably be a dick about it too. I started RWBY during V2 & he was one of the first faces I met. I remember LOVING his design & liking his cool laid-back attitude. He started gaining my attention in Volume 3 after his fight with Coco & Yatsu, then won me over after his fight with Yang. I remember being baffled after his prosthetic reveal, & after learning about his allusion it all came together. For the longest time I was trying to decode his semblance (I thought it was something to do with wind manipulation) then V6 came around & shut all that down. I understand he hasn’t been very popular as of late, but I think he has so much potential & they just need to give him more screentime in V10+

Sun Wukong

I appreciate an unconditionally positive character. Sun & Mercury have always just been so cool to me. His design is great too, I like his monkey traits & how he shows his abs. His weapon is genuinely top 5 in the series, & his semblance matches his bright personality. One of my favorite fight scenes is Blake & Sun vs Sea Feilong & his contribution played a big part of that. I did like his appearance in V4-V5 & I was excited to see his gun-chucks return against Ilia. I think he is a great foil to Blake & serves her character arc really well.

Cinder Fall

Sorry but Cinder Fall is just that bitch. I hate everything she does & that’s why I love her. She knows what she wants & can easily get people on her side to do her bidding. She actually pushes the narrative & I consider her to be the main antagonist. The animators take real care when it comes to her battles. She has not missed a SINGLE fight she has been in. Seriously every one has been a hit: Glynda, Amber, Ozpin, Pyrrha, Raven, Neo, Winter, Penny, etc etc. Anytime there is a fight involving Cinder it’s going to be rememberable in some way, especially the Raven vs Cinder fight. I vividly remember my mind going numb watching it for the first time. I do feel they made her a little OP but it’s whatever. I really like her character arc & how she’s slowly turning into a Grimm. I loved her backstory, a lot of people didn’t because it’s just “Cinderella but dark” but like…..that’s kinda the entire point of this series, dark retellings of fairytales. She’s a great foil to Ruby & actually learns from her to gain victory in V8. I just want them to have a proper fight.

Qrow Branwen

Qrow Qrow Qrow. I love their man & want to give him hugs. If there’s one thing RWBY does amazingly, it is setup & payoff. I love his they slowly teased him in V1-V2 as a badass & then finally let us visualize it in V3. He doesn’t take crap from anyone & says what’s on his mind. Love Love LOVE his relationship with Ruby (forever holding onto my cracktheory that he’s her real dad). He acts as her mentor & influenced her fighting style. I like how he became the leader of the team for some time & how his laid-back attitude conflicts with him suddenly having to take care of 8 kids. But he does it anyway. His fight scenes are also amazing. He always looks so confident. His first appearance in V3 he had that super dynamic fight against Winter. In V4 he fought Tyrian & showed Team RNJR (& us) the difference between students & Huntsmen. V7 is where he really shined for me. He finally had a relationship that wasn’t affected by his semblance & can just chill for a while. I very much enjoyed his relationship with Clover & was heartbroken by what happened after. But those last 2 fights with them were pretty great. I hope his semblance evolves into Good Luck as well.

Yang Xiao Long

I like all members of Team RWBY but Yang stands out for obvious reasons. She had the best Trailer for one. Also her fighting style is the most different from her teammates. They’re all swing-swing-slash & she’s all punch-punch-kick. Like Cinder, Yang gets the best treatment when it comes to fight scenes. She’s been marketed as the strongest member & it shows over & over again. Her semblance is super cool & makes her look like a Goddess. I like how her character arc revolves around her fighting style & we can actually see her improvement throughout the volumes. I like how she is the most vocal about the whole trust situation in V5-V8. She lost her arm for this war, she of all people deserves some answers. I really adore her relationship with Blake & I think their story is perfect. She’s the heart of the team & it’s most present in V5 when she is the one reuniting the team.

[notmaplemable]

Arc-Sunny Rose 2: Like Mother, Like Daughter

Jaune: *Standing in the kitchen*

Yang and Ruby: *Clinging onto him*

Jaune: How long do you think this is going to last?

Nick: Probably for awhile son.

Jaune: But I'm tired and I want to go to bed.

Yang and Ruby: Yay! Sleep cuddles!

Jaune: *Groans*

Nick: *Chuckles*

Blanche: I wonder where they get that from.

Nick: That is 100% something Summer would do.

Blanche: You think Raven would do that?

Nick: Maybe, but not in public.

Blanche: Maybe it's just a Branwen thing then.

[strqyr]

"everyone has a choice. the branwens chose to accept their powers and the responsibilities that came with them. and later, one of them chose to abandon her duties in favor of her own self-interest. now, all of you have a choice. if anyone wishes to leave, now is the time. there's no shame or disgrace in abstaining, only in retreat."

"she was determined, at first, when she inherited her powers, but the weight of responsibility proved to be too much for the child. she... ran. abandoned her training, everyone. that was over a decade ago. there's no telling where she could be now."

"oh, shut up! you don't know the first thing about strength! you turn your back on people, you run away when things get too hard, you put others in harm's way instead of yourself! you might be powerful, but that doesn't make you strong."

spring was scared when they found her. weak. but, she was also determined, at first, when she inherited her powers. the former, if we are to take the 'we' as the inner circle and not the tribe, sounds like she inherited her powers randomly, without the inner circle's influence whatsoever. the latter, however, makes it sound like the transfer was planned and she was prepared to inherit the powers, similar to pyrrha or winter. of course, it's plausible that she inherited the powers randomly, was scared bc holy shit, what is happening, but once she was found and explained what's going on, became determined... until she wasn't.

and no matter what training raven put her through, she wouldn't learn. wasn't "cut out for this world." it was "mercy."

she was weak. the weak die, the strong live, those are the rules. raven (and qrow) were sent to beacon to learn how to kill huntsmen; some people are just in it for the money and the fame, but there's even more that are just looking to grow stronger ("you turned yourself into a monster just for power." "look who's talking.") raven trained spring, the one who wasn't cut out for this world. weak. gretchen wasn't ready, according to hazel, and she died during a training mission.

the weak die, the strong live. weak, trained by raven, died during a training mission.

scared vs determined. spring inherited the powers, but the responsibilities were too much, and she ran, abandoning her training, her responsibilities, and everyone else; the branwens chose to accept their powers and the responsibilities that came with them. raven chose to abandon her duties, the responsibilities, and everyone else.

"the last spring maiden must've trusted you a great deal before she died. i bet that was a mistake."

"hm, that's not a secret i thought she would give up so easily. your mother must trust you a great deal."

"still, who knows what [ozpin] may have hidden from us over the years."

shapeshifting is a secret ozpin didn't think raven would give up so easily, but is it really shapeshifting he's thinking about, or something else? the spring maiden must trust you a great deal. who knows what ozpin is still hiding, what secrets he's keeping... oh, btw, he's the only one to say gretchen died during a training mission, but he never says how.

"nice story. but if gretchen's death taught me one thing, it was never to trust you."

and for some reason, oscar's standing like this at haven whenever everyone's focus is on raven (until ruby makes her speech):

...it would be very helpful to know how old hazel, and thus gretchen, was and when exactly did ozpin entrust team strq with his secret—did he wait until they graduated? where they still students?—because that would clear things up A LOT with the timeline.

bc at the moment, i'm fairly certain gretchen used to be the spring maiden... it's just the matter of when and how she died that's up in the air for me.

[sovonight]

just one bed, but xadri

[BG1, at an inn. Most of the party is waiting/resting in the common area; only Imoen has joined Radri in securing their rooms from the innkeeper, and Imoen lifts one of their obtained keys on a finger.]

Imoen: So, are we sharing again?

Radri: Actually, I was thinking…

Imoen, without skipping a beat: You wanna share with Xan?

Radri: Huh? How did—Wait, you—?

Imoen: You've been falling asleep holding hands together, sis, it's kinda hard not to notice. (Grins) You've had the hots for ol' grumpyrobes for a while now, right? Congrats!

Radri panics, clamping a hand over Imoen's mouth.

Radri: Shh, not so loud!

Imoen, muffled: But everyone already knows—

Radri, whisper-panicking: It's not what it looks like!

Imoen: …

Imoen, still muffled: Then what is it supposed to look like?

Radri, bringing her hands back close to her chest: …You know those… nightmares… I've been having? He's been helping me with them. That's what the handholding is for—it's just so that I can shelter in his mind.

Imoen, joking: Is that the excuse he came up with?

Radri, admonishing: Imoen! Please, not when—he could hear.

Imoen: …Okay. You only want to room with him to deal with your nightmares, and he's only helping you because he's just that upstanding and helpful of a fella. There's nothin' else going on here at all.

Radri: (sigh) Do you need to make fun of me?

Imoen: I'm not! I'm just making sure I have my facts straight.

Radri gives Imoen a skeptical look, and Imoen sobers, growing worried.

Imoen: …I didn't know the nightmares were this bad, Radri. You coulda told me…

Radri, managing to summon a quick smile: You don't need to worry about it, Imoen. It's no big deal.

Imoen: If you asked him for help, it is.

Radri blinks, then gives a tired smile.

Radri: Actually, he offered. I had never thought, to…

Radri: He's really kind, Imoen. And patient.

Imoen looks at her, then puts a hand on her shoulder with a small smile.

Imoen: Okay. If you're sayin' that, you have my blessing.

Radri: Bless—? (Realizing, annoyed) You've read too many love stories, I swear. Nothing's going to happen between us!

Imoen laughs as Radri shoos her and her blessing away.

—

Having said that, though, she still has to ask Xan if he wants to share a room. She gives keys to Jaheira & Khalid, Branwen, then stops before Xan. Xan holds his hand out for the last key out of habit, but Radri doesn't yet release it.

Radri: U-um, I…

Radri: I was hoping we could share a room, this time. (Branwen and the others shuffle away) To… continue to… share our reverie together.

Suddenly worried it might come across as her coercing him, since she's already handed out the other keys, she stammers—

Radri, bright red, staring down at the key clutched in her hand: Y-you can refuse. I know I've already imposed on you, so much! A-and—I don't know if your offer of help has expired, now that we're not camping outside—

Xan: It has not.

Radri peeks up at him—his expression is neutral, and slightly pink, but she doesn't have the presence of mind to process that—and Xan takes the key from her palm gently.

Xan: I will join you once I have memorized my spells.

Radri: Ah—well—I still have to write in my journal, too. Rather than force you to stay down here, we could go up… now… together?

A new wave of heat crosses her face, and Xan's gaze softens a little, but he shakes his head.

Xan: You can go ahead. You prefer to write alone, do you not? I will not distract you.

Radri: T-then… I'll see you.

She leaves, heading for the stairs, risking only one glance back to see Xan standing where she'd left him, gazing at the key.

—

Her journal entry is complete. Through writing, she's managed to bring her nerves down… and then comes the knock, which just spikes them back up again. Radri jumps up, rushing to the door, and cracks it open. Xan's gray eyes meet hers through the gap, and they stare at each other, until Xan nods towards the door.

Xan: Will you let me in?

Radri: Oh! Right. Yes.

She pulls the door open wide. Too wide. Xan comes in, with his bag over the shoulder, and she realizes she could've offered to bring it up for him, until she sees his spellbook peeking out of it, and remembers he would've needed it for his spells, so no she couldn't have brought it up for him, and—

Xan: Are you going to close the door?

Radri: Oh—yes.

She closes it. Too hard. It's loud, and she cringes, still facing the closed door, closing her eyes tight. There were no doors in the forest; no rooms, no confines with perceptions of intimacy. Her first night outside of Candlekeep, she thought she would never miss the outdoors, but here, she does; it is so much easier to find Xan by the dying fire, to lay her bedroll beside his, than to hand him a matching key that defines the space they will share and ask him to join her in it.

Xan: Are you alright?

His voice floats over her shoulder, from mere paces behind her.

Radri: Y-yes—why wouldn't I be?

She turns to face him, just to prove that she can still be normal, and her gaze is drawn to his—his eyes, in shadow, his figure edged in moonlight. His cloak is gone, and his traveling robes with it, leaving only the light layers he rests in.

She jerks her gaze away from him, feeling suddenly overwhelmed—and takes proper notice, at last, of the room. Outside, their bedrolls were placed side by side, so that they could take each other's hands with ease; but here, the beds are apart, and so set in the floor that they cannot be pushed together without making what would surely be a horrible, loud, drawn-out screech. They could use the beds as they are, and reach across the nightstand at the center to hold hands, but the distance is awkward and the edge of the wood would dig into their arms, and she would not be able to rest knowing she was at fault for his discomfort.

Her chest grows cold. She'd been so wound up about asking him, having him here, that she hadn't taken the time to survey the room beforehand. She's wasted his time; her request is not possible after all. But Xan takes one glance at her dilemma and says,

Xan: Choose a bed; I will set my bedroll on the floor beside it.

Radri: What? No! That's—I couldn't ask you to do that!

Xan: (shrugs) I am accustomed to cold, hard floors—they are an unfortunate reality for any traveller, and I have spent much more time on the road than you have.

(This has the opposite effect of reassuring Radri, and she just feels bad for him)

Radri: All the more reason for you to take the bed! I'll take the floor.

Xan: It would only make your reverie less restful, and you would regret it in the morning. If you will allow me…

He smooths a strength spell over his shoulders, and before she realizes it, he's picked her up in his arms.

Radri: Xa—Xan!

She can't help but clutch his shoulders, still so unused to the vulnerability of not standing on her own two feet, and he brings her towards the bed by the window.

Xan: I have a feeling…

He sets her down gently, her head perfectly aligned with the pillow. With a hand, he smooths her hair from her forehead, and gazes down at her with a small smile on his face.

Xan: …That you are so tired that you will not want to get back up.

Her nervousness had kept her amped up, but exhaustion is setting in now, and she can feel it in her leaden limbs, which have begun to find this inn's common, worn mattress to be the softest cloud they have ever rested upon. She doesn't want to stand again, but if she's tired, so is he—and though his amusement brightens his features, if she looks she can see the exhaustion behind them. She grips his sleeve.

Radri: …You should take the bed.

Xan, shaking his head, ready to refuse: I am resolved to—

Radri: We should share it. Shouldn't we?

Xan stills. Radri finds herself gazing up at him, her mind in that space between states of consciousness where her anxieties fail to sound. Her eyes are no longer on his features in order to gauge his reaction, but merely to observe: the blink; the slightly parted lips, mid-word; the light flush that touches his cheeks. She lets the weight of her arm pull his sleeve down, in turn pulling him to her— his hand meets the bed, his arm straight, braced against it.

Xan: Radri… I…

Radri: I liked laying beside you, in the forest… tracing the patterns in the treetops, trying in vain to spot the stars through the gaps in the leaves. The only part I didn't like was how hard the ground was under my bedroll.

Xan looks as if the treetops and the stars are the furthest thing from his mind right now, but somehow, her words contained the assurance he needed; that frozen expression on his face softens.

Xan: There are no stars here, save for the ones caged by the lone window… but perhaps I can show them to you, still. Shall we walk in my memories again, tonight?

Radri hears the word "walk" and her lips quirk to the side, dissatisfied.

Xan: What is it?

Radri: (sigh) Nothing. Just come over here.

Xan pushes himself off the bed, escaping her loosened grasp on his sleeve, and for a moment she thinks this was all a ploy for him to just sleep on the ground like he'd suggested, but Xan walks around the bed to join her on the other side—to avoid having to crawl over her, she realizes. It's polite, but she wouldn't have minded if he'd done so. Imoen had crawled over her legs to join her, to read stories by borrowed light deep into the night, many times in Candlekeep…

Xan's hand slips into hers.

Xan, prompting: Radri?

Radri: Hm?

Xan: Shall we center my mind, or yours?

Radri: Yours. I want to see your promised stars.

Xan: You seemed rather unimpressed by them, just seconds earlier.

Radri: No, I was only thinking I'd rather have you carry me.

Xan: Carry you?

Radri: Instead of walking. "Walk in your memories…"

She smiles at her little joke, and she can't see the look on his face when her eyes have already fallen closed, but Xan squeezes her hand lightly.

Xan: Then I will. The world will move around us… you need only watch.

—

When Radri wakes, she's curled up on her side, against a warmth that bears Xan's scent. She nestles in closer, until her waking mind realizes that if it is Xan, then she should be keeping herself a modest distance away—

Radri: Oh.

She opens her eyes in a panic. It's a pillow. Radri sighs in relief, then looks across the otherwise empty bed to realize two things: one, she is alone, and two, at some point during her reverie she had escaped her half of the bed, sprawling over to Xan's side. Now that she's well-rested, it occurs to her that intruding on Xan's personal space is a real threat now that she's not bound by the confines of her narrow blanket and bedroll. Had she sprawled across him, too? Is that why he left? She's ruined all of this in a single night, hasn't she?

Sighing, she rolls onto her back, letting her arm hang out over the edge of the bed—and in the corner of her eye, sees Xan, sitting quietly on the opposite bed. He looks up from a collection of items scattered across the blanket—spell components?—and meets her eye.

Xan: Just in time. The others are awake, and we are still set to leave as planned, if you eat in the next ten minutes or so. Shall I bring you something from the kitchen?

Radri stares at him. He doesn't seem to hold any extra disgust for her, which is a relief, but she can't completely read the look on his face, either.

Xan, at her lack of response: Or do you need to rest an hour longer?

Radri, embarrassed, mumbling: …No… I'm…

Xan: I doubt your nightmares will visit you in such a short span of time, but I can watch over you, regardless.

Right. It's just another task for him—an obligation. Perhaps protecting her is just another aspect of his duties as a moonblade wielder. Although, in the back of her mind, she must admit she can't imagine Xan allowing just anyone into his memories, nor offering to fetch any other waylaid elf breakfast in bed… but she pushes those thoughts out of her mind before they can sow hope in her chest.

Radri: I didn't… bother you too much… did I?

She can't help but ask, and Xan pauses before delivering his answer.

Xan: ...Not particularly.

"Then why did you leave me?" is right on her tongue, but she can't say it—it's too petulant, too needy, especially when he has hardly "left her," merely moved across the room. She sits up, letting her loose hair fall into a curtain between her face and Xan's gaze.

Radri: It's just gruel, isn't it? In the kitchen.

Xan: It is, but there are dried blueberries to be added to it, if you wish.

Radri, sighs: They're already gone. Imoen polished them off yesterday—I didn't even get more than a handful.

Xan: Are you certain?

He holds up a small pouch, and she looks over at it: peeking out from the drawstring opening are dried blueberries.

Radri: Huh? But—how?

Imoen would've found them; Radri rarely bothers hiding anything with how nosy she is. Xan wears a slight, smug smile.

Xan: A wizard has his ways. Here.

Radri: You're… you're giving them to me?

Xan: You sound as though I am giving you water in the middle of a drought. Radri, it is only fruit.

Her face heats a little, but she quickly accepts the pouch before he has a chance to change his mind.

Radri: If it's "only fruit," I'm having all of it, then.

Xan, shrugs: Such was my intent.

Radri: ….

There's no winning against him, is there. Xan moves some of his organized spell components aside and stands, lifting the moonblade from its place beside the bed as he does so.

Xan: I will return with your breakfast.

And he's gone, before she can even form the words to stop him. He doesn't need to—she can get her own breakfast. But sometimes the cook is brash and impatient, and her request is drowned out by morning chatter and the clangs and clatters of the kitchen, and she forgoes even gruel in favor of whatever she has left in her pack…

Radri looks down at the small pouch of blueberries, and after a moment, lifts one to her lips. Perhaps this feeling in her chest is gratitude, too.

[foulfirerebel]

I agree team RWBY haven’t made remnant worse but I question what they’ve done to make it better? There is ruby’s message which does “unite” them in a vague sense. But as far as actual institutional change they haven’t done much, the white fang has ghira in charge again so they’re more or less the same as before sienna, stopping Adam was the right thing to do but it doesn’t make life better for the Faunus, it just stops it from getting worse.

The status quo hasn’t really been changed except as a result of Salem’s actions.

This isn’t to say team RWBY aren’t still hero’s and deserve praise for what they’ve accomplished tho. They’re doing their absolute best to keep the world from burning lol.

First of all, I should note that our heroes had barely been given their licenses during the Atlas arc. This grants them at least some measure of legit authority to actually do anything about the status quo from a grander perspective. They are not politicians, they are not leaders, they are barely children as far as the rest of the world is concerned. The idea that it's all on them is a little ridiculous to me.

Secondly, I'd say the "status quo" has been shifting constantly since the days of Oz and Salem. Humanity 1.0 had magic, a full moon, and gods to hear their prayers. The gods then killed humanity, left the moon shattered, and a bitter and broken Salem behind.

Humanity 2.0 had aura, dust, semblances, Grimm everywhere until Oz and Salem came along as the "New Gods" as it were. Unfortunately, their period didn't last thanks to Oz and Salem's...disputes on what they wanted to do with the world.

So, you have a long period where Oz is stuck for what to do until The Great War. Following that, the monarchies are abandoned and the council systems with the Huntsmen Academies are born...as well as the Faunus War and Faunus Rights Revolution and Vytal Festival. None of THAT had Salem's hand in it.

Spoilers obviously for RWBY, and Naruto, under the cut.

As for what our heroes have accomplished, well, let's really look:

Stopping a master criminal that ran circles around other criminal organizations, the police, AND Ozpin and huntsmen he sent after them for years. Which then STOPPED crime, according to Qrow.

Safeguarding Vale, or at least aiding in its defense. They stopped the hack, Torchwick died (there goes any and all of Adam's new toys too thanks to them stopping the Breach), the Wyvern was frozen, and Neo turned on Cinder. Plus, Vale itself still stands thanks to them and isn't covered in Grimm (Beacon itself is, but last we saw? The teachers and others of Beacon were working to drive them out and keep them out of Vale).

The Nucklevee was storming up and down Mistral's countryside for DECADES before Team RNJR finally killed it in V4 (it's the same massive Grimm that attacked Ren's village and attacked other places in the modern day too).

Raven Branwen appears to have had a change of heart, if the V9 epilogue animatic is anything to go by. That's a HUGE change from Bandit Leader, Darwinist, "Survival of the fittest" Raven from V4 and V5.

Haven and Mistral as a whole were saved thanks to our heroes and attitudes toward Faunus IN MISTRAL have BEGUN to shift thanks to saving the ENTIRE KINGDOM from Adam. Because you can BET he wasn't ever going to stop with just blowing up the school. It's similar to Naruto and Sasuke saving the entire world at the end of Naruto. Sasuke still served a year's worth of jailtime that should've been a life sentence but was pardoned thanks to Naruto and Kakashi swaying the various Kages, considering his actions helped SAVE THE ENTIRE WORLD and Naruto vouched for him. Change like that isn't going to happen overnight, but saving an entire kingdom from being either blown up or swallowed by literally negative emotion demons SHOULD count for something! If it doesn't, then what? Just leave them to die? Hardly a heroic thing or moral thing to do! Leverage it for change in the country, though, and then you've got something.

According to the novels, Vacuoans attitudes towards outsiders are shifting thanks to Team CVFY, SSSN, and others helping to get through to them and teaming up to save everyone from The Crown and the Grimm that followed. It's a SLOW process, but still.

When Qrow and Ozpin, the supposed leaders and most experienced people, gave up when things got tough? Team RWBY, with help from Maria, helped them back into fighting shape. It's here where Ruby herself takes command (thus breaking one BIG status quo element of Ozpin being the one in charge).

Caroline Cordovin being reminded that she serves the people was another, after a huge fight, otherwise the city of Argus would've been wiped out.

Getting very close to uniting Mantle and Atlas counts, because that broke the status quo of "Atlas above all else". Ironwood going full fascist doesn't negate that accomplishment or their efforts in pushing him mainly.

Investigating into and arresting Jacques. Pity they had no real time to celebrate it, but unseating the patriarch of the Schnee family and head of the SDC, getting him shoved in jail, and immediately thereafter trying to use their ships to evacuate people in Mantle? Those aren't nothing.

Trapping Watts and Tyrian. Those two seemed...untouchable until that point.

I'd say getting the message out there at all and shattering Salem's aura of secrecy is another good thing. If the massive crowd of ships and the memorial was anything to go by from V9's epilogue animatic, there are a lot of people that saw and followed Ruby's message to meet in Vacuo and unite to face their common threat. As I said earlier, it'll take a long time to truly address everything but getting people to see eye to eye AT ALL after DECADES of tension is sure to bear some fruit.

Upsetting the Red Prince and beating him? Helping Little become Somewhat and having them and Juniper as the Ever After's protectors? SAVING and helping Neo realize a few things that she needs to change about herself? Hell, even helping Jaune through his problems and the Paper Pleasers ascending into the Gems, the Cat being trounced, and helping people survive the ARMY of Neo Jaberwockers is a good thing.

Heck, if you'd like me to get a little into Salem's status quo's that they've broken? They blew her up, turned at least three people that she had in her clutches against her, destroyed one of the largest Grimm she had in her possession, and have generally been a thorn in her side since the beginning. Salem's faction is down from an entire network of spies, turncoats, and villains...to just. four. people thanks to our heroes.

Basically, what I'm saying is this: The changes to the Status Quo in RWBY's entire story doesn't hinge on just Salem's actions by proxy. Everyone has a hand in changing the way things are going.

To truly expect everything to be on our heroes' shoulders is...well, to quote Chloe Bourgeois from Miraculous Ladybug? Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.

Will they have a more active role to play in coming events? Absolutely. But it's worth pointing out their actions have had effects. From something as small as helping Penny have friends and getting Weiss and Blake to get along, to starting the uniting of the entire world, I truly believe our heroes have had major impacts.

It just requires a larger perspective.

[howlingday]

The Dirge

"That should do it for the fire tonight." Lie Ren said as he swiped his palms together, clearing off the residual sawdust from his hands. It had been a week since Team JNPR, or rather Team JNR joined Ruby Rose in her quest to head east, towards Mistral and Haven Academy. The past few hours have been strenuous to say the least.

"Finally." Nora Valkyrie huffed as she dropped her load next to the pit. "It feels like we've been carrying logs for hours!"

"It was only for ten minutes." Ren assured. A crack from behind alerted him to the sudden presence of his team leader, Jaune Arc, and their friend, Ruby Rose. He turned to find them walking away from the makeshift tent. Looking past, he could see Ruby's uncle, Qrow Branwen, laying inside. "How is he?"

"He doesn't look good." Ruby said, voice full of concern. "That weird guy stabbed him with his tail, and he's been running a fever ever since."

"He'll live, though." Jaune voiced in a very matter-of-fact tone. "He just needs rest and antibiotics."

"The second of which we don't have." Ruby pointed out.

"He'll live." Jaune repeated. "Haven's only a few miles away."

"Can we make it, though?"

"We can," Ren said, though not without a very begrudging tone, "if we cut through Kuro Yuri." Nora flinched at the name. "I'd prefer not to, but it is the fastest way there."

"Anything you want to share, Ren?" Jaune asked.

"No." He shook his head. "There's nothing but ghosts there."

"...Like, real ghosts, or...?" Jaune let the question hang.

"No. Ghosts aren't real."

"Are you sure about that, Ren?" Jaune knelt next to the pit and began scraping flint and sent sparks flying into the dried leaves. Almost instantly, the fire came alive with a crackling snap and pop. Jaune then seated himself on a log. "We've already seen a lot."

"Grimm." Ren clarified. "A ghost is different from a Geist."

"I wonder about that." Jaune said with a smile. It then faded as his blue eyes stared into the contained inferno. He almost looked hypnotized by the dancing flames.

As the others sat down, Jaune began to start humming a tune. It was deep and low, like a bellow from Ursa, yet softer and somehow more wild. Nora opened her ration pack, carelessly tossing half a granola bar to the blaze. Jaune reached across, through the fire itself, to snatch the healthy treat from it's scorched fate.

"What were you singing?" Ren asked, choosing to ignore the self-inflicted burning his leader had placed upon himself.

Jaune smiled. "Just an old song I used to sing for my family." He continued to stare into the fire pit. "I usually sing it to myself when I miss them, or whenever I need to ready myself for the worst possible scenario."

"Like a song of bravery?" Ruby asked, biting into her granola.

"Not quite."

"Can you sing it for us?" Nora asked.

"I don't think you want to hear it." Jaune waved his hand. "It's not very good."

"Come on!" Ruby whined.

"Pleeeeeeease?" Nora pleaded.

"Another time." Jaune said, standing up. "I'll go check on your uncle. Maybe get him to keep some food down."

"Aw! Okay..." Ruby and Nora pouted.

Ren watched as Jaune entered the tent, and noticed something off. In the encroaching twilight, darkness settled in, and the sky dipped from it's orange hue to a more violet and blue shades. Yet Jaune's eyes remained an icy blue, clear to be seen in the approaching dusk.

---------------------------------------------------

This was a dumb idea. Stupid! Idiotic! Hands down the worst idea Ruby ever made in her entire life, and possibly the last she ever made in her life.

Twigs and dried leaves crunched as she hammered her feet through the forest. She could hear the growling Beowolves behind her over the thundering in her chest. She should have stayed at camp, stayed where it was safe. In her excitement, she left behind her precious Crescent Rose; a sin she would never repeat so long as she lived.

As for now, she chose to follow a phantom she caught floating amongst the shadows of the forest. A phantom she recognized from only a month ago. Her curiosity would be paid in full by the Grimm if she slowed down.

She tripped over something, and her body's momentum carried her over the ground. She fell down a hill rolling along the ground until she came to a stop. Her back slammed against the boulder, knocking the air from her lungs. Cornered by two Beowolves and out of aura, Ruby knew it would be where she died.

"I'm sorry, Mom..." Ruby wept a single.

As the cold wind blew, a low hum carried through the air. Beneath the shattered moon, she saw him. His piercing blue eyes the only light within his indistinguishable silhouette. With a click, a red block held by the end shifted and extended into a long-bladed scythe. It was Crescent Rose, and without a care, she flew through the chilling night air, landing at her master's boots.

"Pick it up." The voice growled. Ruby looked confusedly between the shade and her weapon. "Pick. It. Up."

Without a second thought, Ruby scrambled to her feet, gripping her baby tightly in her hands. The ghost began to hum, and the night suddenly grew colder. Especially in Ruby's spine as she noticed the two Beowolves had multiplied into almost two dozen.

"This is it, Little Rose." The shadow called out to her. "This is where you prove to me how bad you want to be a huntress."

Before Ruby could ask what he meant, her battle began as a Beowolf lept for her. With a turn, she twirled her scythe and rended the Grimm in two. Without hesitation, the next one came, swiping it's insidious claw. Ruby ducked, then severed it's legs from it's body. As she spliced it's head apart, two more jumped at her from behind.

On and on, her dance of death continued. Her muscles ached and her breath grew more and more ragged. The air grew colder, and the humming grew louder. She could almost hear words echoing from all around.

She was down to the last Grimm. Her lungs ached as her throat burned. It was the only warmth her body felt as the night air grew colder and colder. She lept for the last remaining Grimm, when her body suddenly seized itself. She watched in horror as the Beowolf stalked closer, pure malice glowing in it's eyes. She choked back a scream as it's fangs drew closer to her eyes.

In a blink, it was all dust. The Beowolf suddenly died, and she uttered a silent prayer of gratitude to whoever it was that saved her.

"I wouldn't start praying yet, Little Rose." The voice came back, and she felt herself being turned over. A hand found it's way to her throat, and her head was forced to turn with bony thumb and index finger. The digits were cold as ice, and the chill bit into her skin. "Oh, there's still some life in you. Too bad about that last one, though. If it was your time, you would have died there, unfulfilled."

"Please, don't kill me." Ruby's eyes welled with hot tears as she stared at the gaunt face in front of her.

"Oh, I don't kill people, Little Rose." His hand released from her neck. "I simply watch them die, and then help them move on to their next life."

"Who-" She swallowed as she sat up. "Who are you?"

"I am the last thing you will ever see." His eye seemed to twinkle at her. A flash of blue. Just like that night. "Oh, that wasn't me." He said, as if reading her thoughts. "That was somebody else."

"What?" Ruby wiped her eyes. "I don't understand! Who are you?!"

Taking a deep breath, the figure turned and began to hum. The wind blew again, only it was accompanied by singing once more. However, Ruby then noticed that these voices in the night air weren't singing. They were screaming. Begging. A thousand souls, maybe more, all pleading with agonized voices.

"Please, no!"

"I'll do anything!"

"Take it all!"

"Take me, not her!"

"It's not my time!"

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

Ruby blinked and she was elsewhere, laying on a tree. She clutched her chest, trying to steady her beating heart. The tears poured hotly from her eyes as she panted.

"Ruby?!" She looked up to see a familiar face running towards her. "Are you okay?! Where have you been?!"

"I..." She panted. "I-I-I saw a shadow, and I followed it, and then there was a Beowolf, then another Beowolf, and then I fell, and- and-!"

"Easy, Ruby." Jaune held her hands and rubbed her back. "You're okay. Everything's okay."

"I... I almost died." Ruby gulped.

Jaune didn't say anything. He simply sat next to her and held her. She looked up to see Crocea Mors laying against a tree, next to a scroll. The scroll was powered off, and the tree was dead. Every tree around it was alive, but this one was dead, and being carved into by Jaune.

"Were... Were you training?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah." He looked up. "I found this dead tree earlier, so I thought it would be good practice."

"Wouldn't one of these other trees be a better target?"

"Yeah, they would," Jaune nodded, "but I don't want to cut their lives short. Not before their time."

Ruby looked to the ground and saw a pile of dead leaves laying at the base. For some reason, she felt her soul resonate with the dead, scarred tree.

[allzelemonz]

Never Again: Kieran Duffy X Bill Williamson

Fictober Prompt: Day 4, Hurt/Comfort Pairing Type: M/M Rating: T/Language, References to sex Warnings: Referenced/Implied forced prostitution, trauma, mentions of past torture, the tongs, Dutch is an asshole, soft Bill Williamson, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, protective bahavior, hugs, internalized homophobia, Bill is at war with himself Summary: Kieran finds himself forced into something he doesn’t want to do in order to make money for camp, Bill is there to keep that from happening.

Kieran has never quite been this nervous. He is, of course, usually nervous given the series of bad events that is his life, but nothing compares to standing outside of Dutch’s tent while he speaks with Hosea about him. Hosea was the one to approach him, telling him that Dutch wants him to start bringing in money instead of just caring for the horses. He invited him to speak with the both of them, just to figure out what he’s good at.

Dutch was not all that impressed by the horses and the fishing.

So now Kieran simply waits, standing outside and wringing his hands in a feeble effort to get his nerves out. Just a moment ago, Dutch had spoken loud enough for him to hear and it made his heart drop. Dutch had mentioned what some of the girls do in town and Kieran can guess what he means. He knows he looks smaller than most men when he slouches, he has a slighter frame, things that are appealing to men not wholly interested in women. Fat Tommy said as much when he brought him to town with him the first time.

Kieran made good money that night. Tommy was the only one who saw it, he pocketed every cent. And the next week, when Kieran no longer had that slight limp, it all happened again. Never again. That was one of the first upsides he thought of when he was mildly accepted here. It seems he may have been wrong to hope.

Dutch exits the tent, sparing Kieran only a passing glance before he scans the camp in the dark. “Bill!” He shouts, finding him to be the only one awake and nearby.

Bill jumps, having been half asleep, but he scurries at Dutch’s word. “Yeah, boss?”

Kieran’s knuckles have turned white as he holds his hands together tightly. Anything but town. Anything but town.

“Take our O’Driscoll here into town.” Dutch instructs. “I’m sure you can figure out the best places for him.”

Bill is taken aback at Dutch’s statement, thinking he hid his weekly visits into town rather well. “W-What do ya mean by that, Dutch?”

“We all know you’re familiar with working boys, Mister Williamson. There’s no shame in it.” Dutch sighs. “Just get a move on.”

Kieran’s heart sinks at the confirmation. “M-Mister, there’s gotta be somethin’ else-”

“I want money tonight. Enough to justify feedin’ you for the next week.”

Bill, for all the beer in his belly, knows that look on Dutch’s face. He tugs Kieran by the arm. “Come on, O’Driscoll.”

Kieran stumbles, but falls in line behind Bill. They walk to the horses, Branwen and Brown Jack had taken to each other recently, though Kieran hardly has time to think of why right now. Bill mounts his larger horse and stares down at Kieran as he stalls, giving Branwen a treat. He should yell at him, tell him to hurry up, but Kieran is always so damn cute when he dotes on the horses that all Bill can make himself do is clear his throat.

Kieran flinches, jumping just slightly. He’s on edge more than usual, this is the last thing he ever wants to do. But Bill staring down at him makes him nervous. He wishes Bill would show that mild kindness he did when he offered him a drink the other week. In all honesty, Kieran thinks a hug from the burly man would do him a world of good. Former torturer or not. He’s long gotten over the tongs at this point, favoring the good parts of Bill instead. But even with all of that, the eyes on him are threatening enough to make him mount up and follow Bill without a word.

The ride is quiet, the nightly noises of crickets and other bugs thriving in the southern humidity being the only noise. Even the horses have light steps, as if they sense the unease. Bill has only ever paid for a working boy before, he’s certainly never managed one and Kieran didn’t exactly sound particularly willing. Every time he has gone to that place in Saint Denis the boys all seem in good moods, never hesitating to tell him how big and strong he is or to run hands over his broad chest with smiles on their faces. He can’t picture Kieran like that. Kieran is sweet, timid, something Bill finds himself wanting to protect.

So he pulls on the reins, making Brown Jack stop near the Gray’s place.

“Mister?” Kieran says, his voice shaky.

Bill doesn’t like that. He used to. He used to enjoy the O’Driscoll’s whining and pleading, the way he would stumble over his words and sound so unsure if he was going to keep his life. No, Bill hates that now. All he wants is to comfort him when he sounds like that.

“You wanna do this, O’Driscoll?”

Kieran feels his chest relax, the knot of nerves disappearing at the question. “No, mister, I don’t.”

Bill stares down at Brown Jack’s mane. Kieran brushed it this morning, it looks nice and soft, certainly clearer than it was before. Bill does not consider himself a smart man, but he knows this world of deviance and inverts at the very least. He knows the money Kieran might expect to make after a night of flirting with men in a saloon and he knows he has enough to cover as much, so he turns Brown Jack into the trees.

“Come on then.” He says, trying not to sound as angry as he is.

He is loyal to Dutch, but in this moment Bill has no problems disobeying orders. He is angry with his beloved boss for thinking he could push this on Kieran. Not Kieran, not while I’m here. He does feel stupid as they walk through the trees. He shouldn’t care about some scrawny stable boy. Hell, he shouldn’t have ever started making those visits to Saint Denis and giving into the sickness in his head. It’s wrong, he’s wrong, he’s broken and disgusting. But it is a man’s job to protect the weak. And that is the justification he repeats in his head.

“Where, uh, where’re we goin’?” Kieran asks.

He has his hopes. Anywhere but one of those awful saloons or brothels. But Bill isn’t the most predictable feller. He could be leading him to his death or more torment, but Kieran pushes those thoughts away. Bill’s been nice since the gang moved camp, sweet even, maybe he has some way out of this.

Bill dismounts, just shy of a clearing and begins to pull his camping setup from his saddle. “We’ll stay here ‘n I’ll give Dutch some money in the mornin’.”

Kieran’s heart flips. “Yer not makin’ me go?”

“You said ya didn’t wanna.” Bill grumbles, stalking over the middle of the clearing.

Kieran slides out of his saddle and watches Bill fiddle with the tent canvas for a moment. “Thank you.”

Bill looks up, glad for the darkness as he feels heat in his cheeks from looking at Kieran. He coughs and grunts, brushing it off and forcing himself to look away from the other man.

“Can I help?” Kieran asks, taking careful steps towards Bill.

“I got it.” Bill huffs. “Just… relax.”

Let me take care of you.

Bill pushes the thought aside. He’s just helping a man down on his luck. It’s not because he’s pretty or because he has a soft voice or because, as much as Bill regrets having seen them in such a context, he has a nice set. Just… being helpful. That’s all.

“Oh, okay.” Kieran mutters, wringing his hands again.

For a moment he watches Bill, focusing on the way his fingers fumble like he’s never seen before, then on his arms and the way they look so tight against the flannel sleeves. Kieran turns around, not wanting his thoughts to wander there tonight. Bill is being nice, it’s best not to change that. Kieran busies himself with tending to the horses, giving treats and removing their saddles for the night.

Without Kieran staring at him, Bill is able to get camp together rather quickly. He has a small fire going, the tent pitched, it’s only when he picks up his bedroll that he stalls. With a glance, he finds that Kieran doesn’t carry a bedroll on his saddle. Why would he, he never leaves camp. Bill can feel his face flushing and his fingers squeeze at the soft fabric in his hand. He can sleep on the ground, it’s not a big deal. Kieran can have it.

“You alright there, mister?” Kieran asks as he approaches.

Bill shakes his head slightly, trying to rid certain thoughts from his mind. Then he tosses Kieran the bedroll. “Here.”

Kieran catches it, not very steadily, but he does. “Fer me? I-I’m fine on the ground, I don’t even really lie down anymore.”

“Just take it, O’Driscoll.” Bill says, regretting the harsh tone of voice when Kieran’s shoulders hunch. “Just… I ain’t sleepin’ anyway.”

Kieran just nods, not wanting to make Bill any more upset. He shuffles past the large man who now stares at the fire and lays the bedroll down inside the little tent. Then he turns, looking over Bill for a moment before deciding to sit next to him. “Thank you. Fer all a’ this.”

Bill grunts in response, his hand already pulling out the spare beer he keeps with him.

“Why, um, why are ya helpin’ me?”

Bill bites the inside of his cheek, trying to think of a reason, but he comes up with nothing so he just takes a swig of his beer.

“I appreciate it is all.” Kieran mumbles.

It would be so easy for Bill to tug Kieran closer, to hold him like he wants to. Hell, it would even be easy to insist on sharing the bedroll. They both need sleep after all. But that nagging in his mind tells him it’s wrong, so he clenches his fist in his lap instead.

The crackling of the fire fills the silence until Kieran works up a bit of courage. “I do wanna make money fer the camp, just not like that.” He sighs. “The O’Driscolls… they used to make me do that.”

Bill barley stops himself from gripping the bottle in his hand tight enough to break it. He can hardly breathe either. “What?” He says, sharper than he means to.

“I didn’t wanna!” Kieran says, startled by Bill’s tone. “It was that er a bullet, so…”

Bill can see Kieran slightly shake, the way the other man hugs himself in an effort to sooth. It doesn’t seem to be working. That nagging in his brain tells him it’s wrong, that he shouldn’t hold another man, but he has such an urge to make sure Kieran is okay. That instinct wins out and he drops his beer so he can pull Kieran close to him.

Kieran stills for a light second, his mind taking the time to register the large arms around him and the sheer comfort they bring. Bill is warm, soft, everything an outlaw probably shouldn’t be and it makes Kieran never want to be let go. He buries his face into Bill’s shoulder, putting his arms around Bill in return and just enjoying the comfort.

“Ya ain’t never doin’ that again.” Bill whispers, his voice not quite made to be so gentle or quiet. “I’m makin’ sure a’ it.”

Kieran almost feels the need to cry. He’s never quite been held like this. So secure, so safe. Bill’s hand presses circles into his back and his beard brushes against the side of his neck, he wishes Bill had done this sooner. As soon as he got off that stupid tree maybe. That would’ve been nice. But he has him now. They have each other.

[georgiapeach30513]

Rumplestiltskin, Part 8

Summary:  Yours and Andy’s last night as two

Pairings:  Prince!Andy Barber X Reader

Rating:  explicit

Warnings:  explicit language, explicit sexual content, smut, unprotected sex, PIV sex, body worship, lactation kink, 18+ ONLY

Word Count:  1.4K

Previous

Series Masterlist

You wince out in pain, and it only takes but a second and Andy’s body is turning towards you. His thick arm wrapping around you while his hand splays out over your belly, “Branwen, are you making things difficult for your mother?” His breath is hot on your neck, and his words are soothing and adorable. His hand splays out as he searches for her body to push out your stomach.

“Show daddy where you are,” he chuckles on your skin causing your body to arch more into him. “You better show me where you are, your mother is needy right now.”

“Andy,” you breathlessly whisper. An edge of a giggle right on the tip of your tongue.

Branwen lets herself be known by a hard kick at your ribs, and you gasp, “Now, daughter of mine, you mustn’t be so mean to your mom. Her body is growing you and protecting you. You have no idea the things she’s sacrificed for you, my darling daughter. Are we sure she’s a girl?” Andy lifts his head over your body, giving you that charming smile that caused you to fall for him.

“Uh, yes,” you answer, trying to move around. “She must be due any moment. I can hardly move. She’s too big. I will be useless to you after her.”

“Queen Aurelia, you will never be useless to me. And she will be strong and wild just like the ravens that linger outside your window. Even they know it is time, and because of that,” he lays flat on his back, tapping on his stomach, and you see the tent he has pitched. The sheets standing tall off him.

“Andy, I am a cow.”

“Nonsense! You are my beautiful wife,” his smile goes so large, at the saying. “Mine. Ransom can’t take you from me now,” he rolls to the side, getting close to you, and his mouth presses behind your ear, giving you the sweetest kisses. “I forbid it.”

“Andy, you…”

“What? Refuse to let my wife lay with another man. Of course not. When was the last time your intended even came to visit his ‘future wife’,” Andy’s voice turns to playful growls as you attempt to get up.

“You know he doesn’t. I’m sure he’s laying in a golden bed by now, with some whore from the kingdom. Building his gilded castle, and I am but an afterthought now. He knows he can’t control us anymore,” Andy sits up in the bed. Helping you to adjust your weight, and bringing you over to him. “A cow.”

“If you say that one more time, I will not kiss you again. Tonight at least. Besides, you become the cow when our daughter drinks of your milk,” his laughter fills your small room, and you give him a little swat on his arm. “I’m only joking.”

“Are you? Or are you jealous?” His eyes darken as you crawl over him, letting Andy guide you to his cock, and you slowly sink down over him. Sliding down to the hilt, and you let out a soft sigh.

“Jealous of what?”

“Don’t play your games with me, husband. You’re curious,” Andy tilts his head to the side, biting on his lip as you slowly grind over him.

“Curious about what?”

“You’re still going this route, huh?”

“Just tell me,” he lets out a soft moan as you ride over top of him. Slowly undoing the ties on your gown, pulling it down enough for Andy to see just the swells of your engorged tits. Lifting his head to see more.

“I like the added curves,” he looks up at you, nodding his head before he’s back to seeing just how much you’ll show him. “Keep going. I need more.”

“What are you going to do with my breasts,” you tease. Circling a finger around your hardened nipple. Acting as a man famished, he licks his lips seeing it protrude from under the thin material.

It’s true Andy had loved watching the changes to your body. Had forbade anyone from helping you wash, because that was his body to explore. His fingers would drag the wet cloth over your soft skin, while his eyes try to take in every change, every stretch, every curve, every darkened part of your skin. He was learning a new you almost everyday.

Staring hungrily at your engorged tits, while you watch him. Trying to determine if he was just worshiping that part of your body as well, or he wanted more. His fingers made any excuse to brush across your nipples. His kisses lingered a bit longer.

“Andy, even before you became my husband, my body was yours. My heart belonged to you quicker than I could control. I would wish at the well everyday that it would be a day you came to visit. And then I gave you something that no one will ever have,” he looks up at you in awe as your body slowly works itself over him. “My soul. I’m bonded to you Andrew Barber, forever. You are mine, and I am yours. Every part of me is yours. Take what you want.”

“That’s hers.”

“She is not here yet. And you are,” your hands cup both sides of his face, and you pull him in for a bruising kiss before you push his face towards your tit. “I was yours first,” you whisper before he latches on.

Letting him suck the life from you, as your body gyrates in a steady rhythm. Bonding in a new way, and it felt right. It was beautiful, and he was yours. Your husband. Your king.

Andy’s eyes go wide as he sucks on your tits. His hands rubbing over your belly. Holding your daughter close to him. “Andy, I can’t…”

“Say no more,” he holds tight to your hips, stilling your motions, and he helps you get off, placing a pillow under you, and you stick your ass in the air. Resting your face on the bed, giving him a smirk, “Our daughter is getting in the way, huh? Fast or hard?”

“There’s no difference with you. How about soft, and build up,” getting to his knees, he pushes his cock through your entrance. Wrapping an arm around you as he stimulates your clit.

His other hand holding your hip, as a smooth and steady pace ensues. Heavy breathing fills the room. Watching your husband rock into your body was your favorite. The way his face scrunched up in pleasure. His jaw goes slack every time he speeds up.

Your face smiles up at him from the bed, you were his to use, and he used you perfectly. Whimpering out his name, because he looked so perfectly handsome like this. At peace, and neither of you cared about the turmoil that was outside these doors. Told yourselves that you would figure it out as you went. Knowing Ransom would find another. And you pitied her.

“Andy,” you screech, your fingers gripping tight to the sheets. Both his hands grab your hips and he slams himself into you. Rushing for the two of you to release together. “Ah! Andy!”

Your voice was music to your ears. Every sound that murmured off your beautiful lips. He wished he could taste them. Knowing they would be scrumptious.

“Andy!” Your eyes roll back into your head. Your walls clench tight around him, but you wait. His cock twitches in your core as your velvety walls mold to him. Claiming his cock as your own.

“An-dy!” You hold on tight. His moans turn to grunts that bubble deep in the pit of his stomach.

“Oh, Andy! Yes! Yes! Yesyesyesyesyesyes!” You scream. Your walls hold him in a vice grip. Seizing on his length while his seeds spills into your cunt. So warm and thick, and he pulls out of you, turning your body to the side to rest.

He lays down in front of you, and his hands begin caressing your sticky and sweaty skin. Such soft and comfortable motions. Tracing over your body like he was painting his masterpiece. Softly smiling at you, while your eyes slowly flutter close.

Once asleep, he scoots down the bed, coming face to face with your stretched tummy. Pressing the most gentle kisses over your skin. “She’s to be protected, my little princess. Your mother is special. Special to both of us,” he kisses on your belly. Letting his lips linger on there, until Branwen’s foot kicks at his mouth. “I’m glad you agree,” he chuckles before he lets sleep overtake him as well.

Lance waves his hand over the door, closing off the magic window into your room, “I’ll give you nine months with my daughter, thief. And then I come to collect,” he snaps his fingers, waiting on your pained cry in the night. Jump starting your labor as you scream out Andy’s name.

“The devil always comes to collect,” Lance says before launching himself into the night sky. “And I will have them both, and you will become nothing but a peasant.”

Next

Masterlist

Taglist: @tis-thedamn-season​ @marveloustaylortot​ @pono-pura-vida​ @sstan-hoe​ @peaches1958​ @whimsyplaty92​ @xcaptain-winterx​ @bambamwolf87​ @lavender-annd-lilac​ @thedarkplume​ @duuhrayliegh​ @rebekahdawkins​ @johndeaconshands​ @whiskeytangofoxtrot555​ @feyfantome​ @athena-penrose​ @smile1318​ @royalwritersoftheuniverses​

[superiorsturgeon]

Branwen Ultimate: Abridged!

Qrow: *relaxing on first class flight with a glass of wine*

Jaune: *sitting across from him, reading a comic book* So…where’s the champion girl?

Qrow: Oh, she’s downstairs!

Jaune: …wait, isn’t that the cargo hold?

Pyrrha: *locked in a coffin in the luggage area* I’m afraid of coffins, flying, and tight spaces…!😭

——————————————————————

Jaune: Okay, so we’re checked in!

Jaune: If this doesn’t sound too weird…you wanna get a soda? See a movie?

Qrow: You’re not my friend, you’re my bodyguard. Last for six weeks, and I MIGHT learn your name. Until then, you’re spare aura.

Jaune: Okay! Jeez! Fine!

——————————————————————

Qrow: *standing in a ruined hotel room surrounded by Atlas black ops bodies, on his scroll*

Qrow: So I was just minding my own business…

Glynda: BULLSHIT!!

Qrow: I WAS!

Glynda: *facepalming* Just…put the champion girl on the scroll…

Pyrrha: H-hello?

Glynda: Whatever you do, do not let him leave that hotel room!

Pyrrha: I’m sorry, Mister Branwen just left for a…walk?

Glynda: NOOOOO!!!

——————————————————————

Jaune: *sitting in his crappy hotel room in his boxers, watching tv and sipping a soda*

TV news: *showing Atlas black ops besieging the hotel* …and police have identified the suspects in the hotel as a blonde, a redhead, and some skinny Ozzy Osborne-looking motherfucker!

Jaune: *spits out soda*

—————————————————————

Jaune: *walks into black ops command tent wearing his armor and a helmet*

Jaune: *hacks down two soldiers and shield-slams another* One…two…three…

Jaune: *deflects bullets with his shield while moving around the room and cutting down soldiers* …four, five, six, seven…

Jaune: *walks out of burning command post tent as it bursts into flames* Now let’s see if he wants to get that drink with me! 😁

—————————————————————

Tyrian: *dramatically facing off with Qrow on the roof*

Pyrrha: *bursts out from under rubble and opens fire with her rifle* GET SOME!!!

Tyrian: *frantically deflecting shots*

Pyrrha: *unleashes a heavy dust round* Sting THIS!!

Tyrian: *narrowly deflects impact of heavy shot* Grrrr….! I’m getting real tired of this shit!

Qrow: *looming behind Tyrian with his scythe* You and me both! 😈

Tyrian: 😱

[citadelofmythoughts]

https://www.tumblr.com/citadelofmythoughts/739341619476807680

Superman!Yang, who thinks she's the last of her people after she finds out her heritage (she isn't, it turns out her birth mother Raven of the House of Branwen and her twin brother survived. Her mother Summer of the House of Rose and baby Ruby are currently unknown to her, but they are in fact alive. Insert complicated relationship dysfunction here)

She was sent to Earth to blend in with the locals, but has always struggled to fit in despite her outside personality and feels like she's always had to give up her own wants for the sake of others. and ends up eventually meeting and falling in love with local freedom fighter and journalist Blake Belladonna, who's trying to escape her former partner Adam.

I kinda love this idea.

Let Adam be a stand-in for Metallo and Yang loses an arm from Kryptonite poisoning.

[electronicyarn]

The Bandit’s Rose - Chapter 10

Fandom: RWBY

Raven Branwen/Summer Rose Taiyang Xiao Long/Qrow Branwen Summer Rose/Taiyang Xiao Long Raven Branwen/Taiyang Xiao Long

Read From the Beginning

Summary:

Before there was Team RWBY, there was Team STRQ. And before Team STRQ were huntsmen and huntresses, they were students.

Summer, Taiyang, Raven, and Qrow are four of Beacon Academy’s newest students, and although they don’t know it yet, powerful forces have taken note of them. But if they’re going to survive being pawns in a secret game, they’ll first have to survive each other.

Read on AO3 | Read on FF.net

Regular class hours had ended for the day at Beacon, but Team STRQ, along with a few other freshman teams, were gathered in the school’s combat arena. The large, cavernous space was appropriately grandiose for an academy as prestigious as Beacon was. It was suitable for facilitating just about any kind of battle imaginable, from one-on-one duels to multi-team fights, and tonight, it was playing host to the first of many combat exercises that were part of Professor Port’s class.

Summer was loitering near the edge of the arena along with Taiyang and Qrow. They were all watching Raven who was standing center stage along with Professor Port. Glynda, the professor’s ever-present teaching assistant, was also there. She was waiting next to a series of cages holding live grimm. The close proximity of so many grimm was making Summer’s stomach churn no thanks to her semblance, but she was doing a decent job of keeping her nausea at bay.

Summer was eager for Raven’s evaluation to begin. Not only would it mean one less grimm in the arena, this would be the first time she would get to see her partner use her new sword. Unfortunately, she, like everyone else, was waiting for Professor Port to finish meticulously jotting down his notes onto a clipboard he was holding for the last student who’d fought.

Read More

[historyhermann]

"RWBY": The Captivating YA Animated Series

Yang, Penny, Weiss, and Blake at the end of Volume 8

Last year, when looking for another animated series to watch, I came across RWBY, a young adult animation, and one of Rooster Teeth's flagship series. While I wasn't sure about it at first, as I watched all eight seasons, I became invested in the characters, especially the protagonists, and a fan of the show itself.

Reprinted from The Geekiary, History Hermann WordPress blog, and Wayback Machine. This was the fourth article I wrote for The Geekiary. Before this got published, they said I would be kicked off the publication if I don't start writing, if I remember right. So, I started writing this post and many others. This post was originally published on October 8, 2021.

RWBY is the brainchild of the late Monty Oum. It is known for its captivating stories and a theme song, sung by Casey Lee Williams, which begins every episode, foreshadowing what happens in the season/volume. Although the series has the classic conflict of good vs. evil, there are well-developed characters with intricate storylines, elements of horror, and good character development. Some characters are even morally grey, like General James Ironwood or the Ace Ops. Other villains, such as Cinder Fall, don't want to strictly follow their leader.

Ruby in Volume 9 preview

The anime-inspired series is named after the four main protagonists: Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long. They stand against villains, such as Salem and her enforcers, like Cinder, Arthur Watts, Neopolitan, Tyrian Callows, Mercury Black, and the Grimm monsters. On the other hand, Ozma/Ozpin/Oscar Pine, Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, Qrow Branwen, Robyn Hill, and Jaune Arc, among others, help Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang fight against the forces of evil.

The show is clearly mature as it features its share of blood and gore, and the death of some characters, with the antagonist, Salem, even engaging in human experimentation. On the other hand, this science fantasy/adventure/action series has a large focus on magic, and sci-fi elements like the cyborg girl, Penny Polendina, and scrolls which can receive and record messages. Each of the protagonists, like those on RWBY, have a semblance which derives from their aura, helping them battle against the Grimm and other villains, either including powers such as object manipulation, disorienting people, or super strength.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot but I will say that the show features various supporting LGBTQ characters. In Volume 6, Saphron and Terra-Arc, a lesbian couple with a son named Adrian, as confirmed by Lindsay Jones, the voice of Ruby, who the protagonists, and their friends, stay with on their journey to another kingdom. Additionally, in the Volume 5 episode "Alone Together," Ilia Amitola confessed her romantic feelings to Blake, and was later confirmed by show writer Miles Luna as a lesbian in a Reddit AMA.

Most prominently is May Marigold, a trans woman. Unlike other trans characters in animation, she is voiced by a trans female voice actress, Kdin Jenzen, and her character came out as trans in the Volume 8 episode "War," which she described as "something so wildly powerful & meaningful."

LGBTQ characters in RWBY so far

There is a lot about the series which is wonderful. There is a strong possibility of confirmed LGBTQ representation in the main cast, especially since the voice actress for Blake, Arryn Zech, confirmed her character as bisexual in May 2020, and some even have argued that the shipping between Blake and Yang, known as Bumbleby, will come become canon in the show's next volume.

Even if this doesn't happen, the show is still powerful, from its music to the characters, the voice acting to the visuals, which have improved from the earliest seasons to the present-day. Although the fandom may be toxic at times, the show is unique in its colorful ship names, especially the femslash ones, like Baked Alaska (Yang and Neopolitan), Blood Mint (Ruby and Emerald Sustrai), Freezerburn (Yang and Weiss), Ladybug (Ruby and Blake), or White Rose (Ruby and Weiss) to name a few.

So, if you haven't seen RWBY yet, whether on VRV, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime (in some locations), YouTube Movies (for purchase/rent), or on the RoosterTeeth website, now is the perfect time during the show's hiatus, before Volume 9 begins again sometime in 2022.

© 2021-2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[ryuto12]

End Credit Predictions

With less than twelve hours left, here goes my predictions for the end credits this season. Really hoping we actually get some unlike in 7.

This has three sections, one for where there's no timeskip on Remnant and one where their are varying timeskip ideas, and the last that could really take place anytime

No Timeskip:

Welcome to Shade Academy, where your safe and protected but somewhere off in the desert your friends and family and left fighting for their lives and the citizens of a fallen kingdom, all while thinking the five of you died.

Welcome to where the portal once remained, RWBYJ comes out exactly where the portal opened, and begins fighting alongside the others who are very confused but happy they're alive.

Welcome to Patch, where a very confused sunny father tries to water his sunflowers only to see five kids fall from the sky and crush them. Two of the kids are his daughters... Oh shit.

Welcome to Branwen camp where Raven is blackout drunk and the rest of her crew is very fucking confused as to why five kids just fell out of the sky and isn't that one girl Raven's daughter? Is that other brat the Schnee they kidnapped? Is the kid the girl from the broadcast? Is the Faunus the girl who led the Menagerie forces at Haven? Who the hell is the boy?

Timeskip:

"And it is here we remember Weiss Schnee, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a hero, a huntress-- and ayo what the fuck? Is that her over there?" The show up at their own damn funerals.

The war is over, Salem is dead. Very unlikely but fuck if it wouldn't shake up the whole story.

It's been thirty years, the war is still going strong. Many of our favorite characters are dead, JNORE are all about the same age, RWBY are still young and ready to finish what they started.

It's been over a hundred years, the world immortalized them as villains and failures, their back to take back their legacy and save the world.

Drop in on Willow and Klein getting married.

Its been a few months, they drop in back at Beacon to see Salem waging her battle for the Crown, having already taken the sword. Aka we skip the Vacuo arc.

Ren and Nora are sitting, crying at Jaune's grave, the bitch falls from the sky and dogpiles both of them in the deepest hug and they don't even know what's happening. He's waited decades for this.

Drop in on Nora opening the Vault (I am a firm Summer Maiden Nora believer)

Anytime:

Summer. Just Summer wordlessly standing, eyes shut or with her back to us, leaving us unable to see if she has those dark rings like the hound had around her eyes, Salem's ominous voice sounding over it before it cuts to blackness.

Something escapes from the Ever After.

Penny's body, which was bound to fall into the Ever After, is found by the Blacksmith or Jabberwalker.

Raven Branwen. Just some Raven getting ready to go back into the fight with Salem.

TRQ, reunited and ready to find out exactly what happened to Summer, and to end the everlasting war because it'd taken too much from them. Friends, lovers, nieces, children... Salem has to go.

It was all an act, Emerald was never on their side, she was faking it and now she betrays them. (I sincerely hope not cause Emerald's in my top 5)

Nora, back turned to the camera as we distantly hear battle noises, as we see a pink aura radiate from around where her eyes would be. (Still a firm Summer Maiden Nora theorist)

Rumple and/or Theo ready to change some lives and fuck with the plot.

Carmine Esclados, from within her jail cell realizing that the Crown was a shitty employer, but this Salem chick might work out.

[no-more-tales-tavern]

The More the Merrier 7D: Bronya and Timido were doing some quests together when they're suddenly saved by Branwen. Being very grateful and knowing who saved them, the two busty adventurers are giving the Ranger a very special reward

The More the Merrier: 7D

Branwen had never been one for valor. He didn’t do what he did because he expected rewards or accolades—he did it because it was what was good and right, and what must be done. The thanks he received was all the reward the ranger required, and he told the two as much as he led them back to the village.

Of course, when he entered his room at the inn to find both Bronya and Timido waiting for him there—naked desire for him in their eyes and on their bare bodies—well…how could he resist?

“You know you don’t have to do this~” Branwen murmured, though now more amused than refused, as he kissed the silver-haired beauty to his right, groaning as he felt her soft and gentle hand stroking up and down his cock—his clothes now long discarded and forgotten, as they likely would be for many, many hours.

Bronya merely smirked in reply as her lips danced against his, briefly deepening the kiss before pulling back to reply. “No~ but we want to~ it’s the least we can do for pulling us out of that death trap~”

“You did so much for us~” Timido added, the pink-haired beauty leaning in to pepper her lips across his collarbone and inching towards his neck, her hand joining her partner’s in pumping eagerly along his impressive length. “Let us return the favor~”

Branwen groaned softly at their lustful attention, his hands moving to grope and knead their plump backsides, making both girls coo and moan with desire. He broke away from Bronya, stealing a last kiss as he did, before turning his gaze down to Timido with a smirk. “I’m not good with one-night stands~ I’m very possessive~”

He was answered by a smirk of her own, and the pinkette rising on her tiptoes to press her lips to his, stroking his cock faster. “Then we’ll get plenty of chances to ‘repay you’ on the road together~ that is, if you’re alright with that, Bronya~”

“I couldn’t agree more, Timido~” her partner purred, matching her pace on the thick cock between them as her lips moved to Branwen’s neck, playfully nipping and biting her way up to his jawline. “Lots and lots of chances for us to thank you, again and again~”

Branwen could do little more than let out a lustful groan, his cock erupting at last from the lustful assault from his two new companions—the first of many, to be sure, before their night was through.