Poll Winner -- Jaune x Neo -- Common Ground (Patreon)

In another world, in another time, Neopolitan used her connections with Spider and Lil’ Miss Malachite to track down and confront Cinder Fall in a dingy pub in the bowels of Mistral. If not for the powers of the Fall Maiden, she would have avenged Roman Torchwick and then fallen into despair, life no longer having any meaning. Instead, Cinder would redirect Neopolitan’s rage toward Ruby Rose, ultimately ending up with the tri-colored woman falling into the Ever After when she was ultimately betrayed. From there, the things that happened were beyond imagination.

In this world, however – things went a little differently.

Choosing to follow up on Cinder Fall’s involvement with Haven Academy, she discovers the presence of Ruby Rose and her assortment of friends. Observing them from a distance, she laid in wait for the perfect time to strike, knowing that these trainee-huntsmen weren’t here for no reason. There could only be one reason why these students of Beacon had made the trip here.

Eventually, it paid off. Neopolitan was nothing if not opportunistic.

The Headmaster of Haven was a traitor, it appeared, luring the group into a trap. Neo watched from the shadows high in the rafters as the woman from the train appeared, the one that had come to the aid of the blonde girl, Yang Xiao Long. She morphed from a raven into a person – an interesting trick; a semblance or something else? – that haunting mask in place.

The grizzled man – Qrow – spoke with her about Spring Maiden’s, about someone called Salem and spying for Ozpin, the Headmaster of Beacon and other nonsense that Neo couldn’t care any less about. It all went over her head. It didn’t matter, none of it did. She wasn’t here for that. She was there for something else.

Revenge.

And then her target stepped forth from a red portal that the raven-woman slashed into existence, a fireball blasting Ruby Rose in the chest. Her mocking voice set Neo’s teeth on edge, jaw clenching as the woman responsible for Roman’s death was accompanied by three others. She knew two of them – Mercury and Emerald, while the third was a mystery, a woman with short black hair and a smug, self-satisfied expression that told Neo everything she needed to know about her.

She wasn’t worried. If it came down to it, she could take down Cinder’s followers, her little stooges. But if everything went to plan, she wouldn’t need to lift a finger against them until it was too late for them to do anything to stop her.

“Come on, guys,” Mercury said sardonically as they all tensed up, their faces twisted in disbelief and anger. “Is that any way to greet your old friends?”

“Everybody stay calm,” Qrow ordered but then the doors to the academy swung open, and Neo watched as a large, hulking figure stepped through and closed them shut with a bang.

“The White Fang is prepping demolition and securing the school grounds,” his voice was deep, rough. It rumbled. “No one is getting in – and no one is getting out.”

This guy looked like bad news.

The way he moved, the way he talked – much like the masked woman from the train, he gave off a dangerous vibe. He was not the type of person to mess around with or take lightly.

Pity for him that Neo was already inside and ready to cause trouble.

It didn’t take long for the fighting to start. After some exchanged words and more mocking from Cinder, the blond boy amongst Ruby’s group of friends had had enough. With a shout of anger, he deployed his sword and charged. He was slow – but strong, and Neo watched as Cinder summoned one of her black blades of glass and blocked his swing, only to grimace as the force rattled one of the ornamental chains hanging behind her from the ornate statues decorating the foyer.

Neo smirked.

She could work with this.

Jaune had thought of nothing else for months and now that Cinder was in front of him, he felt ill prepared. Her utter disregard, her contempt – it burned him, his soul alight with torment. For a moment, he saw Pyrrha imposed upon the backdrop of Beacon, her emerald eyes glittering as she leaned in and kissed him, only for the memory to fade as Crocea Mors clashed loudly with that wicked blade Cinder had summoned through magic.

He had dreamed of killing her, thought of nothing else for months – and this was his chance. End her life and not only would Pyrrha be avenged, but the world would be better off.

He was consumed completely by his fight, only vaguely noticing the erupting chaos springing up around them. Gunfire sounded as Ruby and Emerald clashed, Yang squaring up against Mercury in a rematch of their bout at the Vytal Festival. Even in his anger, Jaune knew he was no true match for her. If Pyrrha couldn’t beat her, how could he? He was too slow, not skilled enough, several years behind even Ruby in experience and training – but he had his aura, and he had his strength.

One hit. That was all it would take. Just one.

But one hit was one hit too far. No matter what he did, he couldn’t break through her guard. She swatted his attempts aside with a sneer, delighting in his hapless struggle. Jaune darted in low, feinting left before striking from the right, a powerful swing that was deflected to the floor. A heeled foot slammed into his chest plate, knocking him down and Cinder advanced, an amused, condescending smirk twisting her formerly attractive features.

“I’m starting to remember you,” she said with a mocking laugh, pointing her sword at him. “You’re the dense one that can’t tell when he is out of his league.”

Jaune grit his teeth and stood, hands tightening around the hilt of his sword until his knuckles popped. Rushing in, he attacked with an overhead swing, snarling as she blocked it with a loud clang. Her single eye taunted him, dancing with merriment as he disengaged and tried again with a wide, sweeping cleave that she parried with contempt.

“Is this really all that you have?” she asked, as if admonishing an unruly child.

“Shut up!”

“Did she mean so little?”

His roar tore at his throat, his sword slamming into her glass blade. He saw her brow twitch, her muscles tensing as the force of the blow shook her arm. Pressing his sword away, she swiped at him but instead of retreating, he surged forward, ramming his shoulder into her chest. Cinder grunted in surprise, lifted off her feet – and then with a blast of fire that enshrouded her entire being, Jaune was flung away, brain rattling in his skull from the concussive force.

“You’ve got tricks,” she said, voice briefly distorted with the crackling of fire before she calmed. “Cute. I suppose it wouldn’t feel quite so satisfying to crush you if you didn’t put up a decent struggle. Come, then,” she gestured at him with her hand, taunting. “You want to kill me? Show me your rage.”

Inhaling deeply, Jaune held it as he lowered himself, legs coiled. Sword angled down, he exhaled slowly, a long gust as the raging inferno in his heart chilled. Glaring, he charged in with everything he had, legs pumping furiously as he struck. Cinder laughed as she parried him, spinning into his guard and elbowing him in the face brutally. Jaune staggered and she was upon him, her sword cutting through swathes of his aura effortlessly.

He tried to grab her but he was too slow, fingers closing around air as she darted back before launching herself forward, nailing him in the stomach with a powerful knee. Doubled over as the air was driven from his lungs, a sphere of fire formed in front of his face. Before he could move, it detonated and blasted him across the floor.

He rolled head over heel for several feet before coming to a stop, flat on his back. For a moment, he couldn’t see, his vision white – but slowly, he started to make out shapes. Blinking rapidly, he went to stand when he saw something he wasn’t expecting.

High above, something lurked in the shadows. He couldn’t make out any details, only that it carried a blade of some sort, the slender point shining briefly as it moved.

What was that?

But he didn’t have time to think, rolling as Cinder stabbed the ground where he previously lay. Scrambling to his feet, he watched as she smirked at him, pulling the molten sword free with a hiss.

He was about to re-engage when a scream tore through the air, and when he turned, he saw Weiss laid out while the black haired woman stood in victory, wisps of white aura floating from the heiresses body.

His stomach dropped.

“Are you going to let her die too?”

His blood froze at those words.

Not again. Not another one.

Cinder needed to die before anyone else could.

“Stop messing with me,” he snarled.

Cinder chuckled. “If you say so.”

Her blade shattered into a million tiny shards and in its place remained a sword of pure fire. She wielded it as if it were solid, swiping it through the air. Jaune saw the haze around it distort, and even though he was standing several feet away, he could feel its heat.

She was done playing around.

Jaune moved, his grip tightening. She was a blur of red, fire trailing behind her and with a bolt of dread, he realized that they were going to meet much sooner than he anticipated. He tried to slow down but it did little good. He had to commit.

But then there was a flash of silver light and Cinder crumpled on her next step, sword of fire dissipating on the wind. A pained cry escaped her lips as she fell to her knees, her hand clutching at her other arm and he saw his opportunity.

He took it.

Shouldering his sword, he thrust with everything he had. All of his frustration, all of his pain, all of his anger channeled into one final, desperate lunge. He watched as she regained her bearings at the last possible moment, her eye widening in fear as she jerked her head to the side. The extended blade of Crocea Mors’ great-sword form sliced into her mask, carving a gouge from the socket as he sailed by.

He’d missed!

Jaune stumbled, his momentum carrying him to the floor. He stumbled to his knees, turning – and he watched as her face morphed into a mask of rage – before it stiffened in horror, her body locking up.

“W-What?” she rasped, limbs spasming.

Confused, he spotted a small form hidden behind Cinder and a second later, they stepped aside, revealing themselves. It was a woman though with her height, she could easily be mistaken for a child, shorter than even Ruby or Weiss. That was until he made out her figure, her bust and hips all woman. Dressed in a snug pair of low riding brown leather pants and nearly knee high white boots, her torso was shaped by a brown overbust corset beneath a white and pink wide tailed jacket. Perched atop her head was a black bowler hat with a red ribbon band, and clutched in her hands was a... parasol?

...the end of which contained a several inch long blade, currently buried in Cinder’s side.

Neo had seen her opening – and she had taken it. The moment that strange silver light had rendered Cinder helpless, she went in for the kill.

Cinder’s head twitched, eye straining to see who had stabbed her. She saw the hat and a flash of pink, and knew.

“Neo,” she seethed in disbelief, a hint of fear bleeding into her voice alongside the pain. “What have you done?”

A pair of pink and white multi-hued eyes met Jaune’s blue and she winked, before twisting the parasol and tearing the blade free. Neo spun away as Cinder cried out, falling forward. She caught herself on a hand, a blackened claw raking against the floor as her human hand cupped her wound. Blood gushed through her fingers thickly.

“Noo~!” a feminine voice screamed and suddenly, Emerald was there. There was no finesse or skill in her attack, the green haired girl swinging wildly. Neo danced away with a silent laugh, picking her moment and retaliating without remorse. In a feat of extreme flexibility, her foot rose up and crashed into the underside of Emerald’s jaw, rocking her head back. Neo then spun on her one foot, twisting into a handstand as she chambered both legs.

Jaune watched as she mule kicked Emerald in the chest, blasting her across the room. Cinder’s accomplice crashed into a wall, the wooden panels cracking as her aura flickered and shattered.

“You little bitch,” Cinder snarled through a clenched jaw, her aura flaring as fire spilled from her eye. But as helpful as aura was, capable of healing minor injuries, it could not fix that kind of damage. Not normally.

But was there anything normal about Cinder Fall?

Jaune had never met this newcomer before but he had heard Yang talk about her enough times that just by her appearance, he knew exactly who she was. Neopolitan, partner of the renowned thief Roman Torchwick. But weren’t they allies of Cinder? Hadn’t they helped bring about the chaos in Vale?

It seemed like they were friends no longer.

Emerald taken care of, Neo focused her attention back on Cinder. Unfurling her parasol, she spun it loosely, eyes narrowed and focused. She knew that her strike had been true. She had punctured Cinder’s kidney and could see the blood on the tip of her blade was dark, almost black. Without medical treatment, it was a fatal wound.

Neo was going to ensure that no treatment was forthcoming.

Jaune unsheathed his sword and deployed his shield, no longer using the great-sword form. Stepping toward, he aligned with Neo and gave her a quick glance. She shot him a smirk, tilting her head as if to say, ‘Ready?’

Whatever her reasons, he wasn’t going to turn down her help.

They rushed forward as one and fire bloomed from Cinder’s skin, an inferno erupting around her form. Jaune raised his shield and charged through the flames, gritting his teeth as the fire licked at his skin. Bursting through, he slashed at Cinder’s face but she avoided it, leaping back – straight into Neopolitan. The small woman slammed into her back, knee digging into Cinder’s spine. The fire in her eye flickered as pain twisted her face, agony replacing arrogance.

“You little rat,” Cinder roared, lashing back with her Grimm arm. The claws met nothing but air as Neo retreated, darting away as Jaune closed in. Crocea Mors bit into her aura, rending her soul. A heeled foot lashed at his head but she was noticeably slower now, crippled by the pain of her wound. Jaune narrowly avoided it and bashed her with his shield, forcing her off balance. Stumbling back, a gust of wind blasted him away.

But Neo just took his place.

She was a flurry of movement, legs pistoning as she executed powerful, sweeping kicks that Cinder struggled to defend against. On the back foot, she spewed molten glass from her hand, forcing Neo to block with her parasol. Recovered from the wind, Jaune dashed in and stabbed at her, the point finding purchase.

Orange light flared as she sustained more damage, her face twisted with rage.

“No,” she seethed, and he hastily raised his shield as a stream of white hot fire descended on him. “If you think you can beat me, you are sorely mistaken.”

Even with his aura, he could feel his skin blister from such intense heat. Hissing at the pain, Jaune stood strong, unwilling to back down. He didn’t have to wait much longer as Neo swept in from the side, slashing and stabbing with the thin blade at the tip of her parasol. A bolt of lightning blasted through Neo’s chest – but then she shattered into glass, appearing from above. Cinder grunted as she was kicked in the chest, the flexible woman flipping away in a spin and slamming the handle of her parasol against Cinder’s face on the retreat.

Jaune saw the brief flash of uncertainty cross her face and attacked immediately, remembering all of his training. Keeping his shield up, he moved with long strides, utilizing his reach. Cinder backed off but not without purpose. Another arc of lightning leapt from her fingertips, only to disperse upon the twirling face of Neo’s parasol.

They’d never met before this moment and yet they moved in perfect sync, the quicker, swifter Neo darting in and out with acrobatic kicks and flourishes while Jaune followed up with wild, powerful swings, chipping away at her defenses. Whenever Cinder called upon her magic, they defended each other without fail, not a single word passing between them.

There was a loud crack as one of the staircases was obliterated and Jaune spied Yang, her hair aflame as she beat Mercury back with superhuman strength. Ren fired a constant stream of bullets at the hulking man as Nora did her best to cripple him with lunging swings, and yet he tanked each shot without issue. Weiss lay defeated, yet the short haired woman made no move to take her life, content to stand over her in victory and watch all the other fights unfold.

Oscar was missing, as was Headmaster Lionheart. Qrow and Raven fought viciously, their blades clanging violently as they ascended to the higher level.

Ruby was down, unconscious – not dead.

They could win this.

Neo took it up a notch, a blur as she swept Cinder’s legs before slamming her knee into her face. Cinder rocked back in pain and Jaune followed, roaring as he swung. Her aura wavered and then shattered, orange motes of light showering around them.

This was it.

The black Grimm hand surged up and gripped him around the throat, momentarily choking him – until Neo jammed her blade through the shoulder, pinning Cinder to the wall. Feeling its hold slacken, he swiped it away and with triumph, rammed his blade through her chest and buried it several inches deep into the wall behind her.

Blood sprayed from her mouth as her eye widened in disbelief, staring at him in shock. A wet, rasping gasp escaped her as she tried to say something, anything – but only crimson spilled forth, running down her chin.

Jaune backed away, leaving her pinned.

She was finished.

He... He’d done it.

He wasn’t sure what to feel as she gasped brokenly, fingers grasping at something unseen. Her eye gazed beyond him, over his shoulder and unknown to him, met with emerald green. A voice long extinguished met her ears then, in her final moment, filled with curious wonder.

“Do you believe in destiny?”

Cinder Fall died then, the Fall Maiden’s powers disappearing and crossing the world as the only person in her thoughts as she perished was that of someone long dead.

Jaune stared as she stopped moving, head falling forward in her final rest. A deep satisfaction bloomed in his chest but happiness was not forthcoming. If nothing else, exhaustion settled upon his shoulders but with it, a feeling of being freed from a terrible burden.

It was done.

Pyrrha had been avenged.

Neo stood beside him, face blank as she observed the corpse of the woman who took everything from her. When Jaune glanced her way, she remained unmoving, almost as still as a statue.

Now what?

The ground shook and Jaune turned, just in time to see the hulking man slam Nora into the floor. Ren continued to rain bullets down on him but it wasn’t doing any noticeable damage. Jaune rushed to intervene as the man reared back to strike at Nora’s downed form but before he could get there, a slash of red carved into his chest.

Raven Branwen drove him back with a flurry, her sword lashing out swiftly.

“What are you doing?” the man asked, frowning at her. He touched his chest and it came away wet with blood, even through his aura. Despite the injury, there was no pain on his face.

“Change of plans,” Raven said, pointing her sword at the impaled Cinder.

The man froze at the sight, a slight widening of his eyes giving away his surprise.

“I see,” he grunted.

They stared at one another, neither one moving.

Without Cinder, it appeared that whatever the plan was had fallen apart. When Qrow appeared by his sister’s side, scythe at the ready, the man’s face grew even grimmer.

“End of the line, pal.”

Jaune rushed to Nora’s side as she slowly got up, giving her head a shake. There was a crack as wood splintered and glancing up, they saw Yang come flying down, hitting the ground awkwardly. Her mane of fire flared around her as she quickly got up but Mercury didn’t follow, instead speeding over to Emerald’s downed form.

“Ren, get Weiss,” Jaune commanded.

Weiss was struggling to stand but the black haired woman didn’t stop her, instead walking over to stand by Raven’s side. She wasn’t one of Cinder’s, then.

“It appears that the tide has turned,” the man said, eyeing them all warily.

At that moment, they all heard a commotion break out outside the academy doors. That brief distraction was all that he needed, reaching into his satchel and pulling out long, golden yellow crystals; lightning dust.

And then to their horror, he stabbed them directly into his skin. Arcs of lightning cracked through his skin, his muscles bulging as he grunted from the strain of injecting pure dust straight into his body. Raven dashed in, a flash of red – only to hastily raise her sword in defense as he swung at her. A single blow and she was airborne, flung across the room and slamming into a wall with incredible force.

Everyone tensed.

The next several minutes were pandemonium as he fought them all with nothing but pure, brute strength. Jaune had nothing but his shield and tried to intercept him as he raced for the exit after Qrow was sent sprawling. When his fist crashed into his shield, it felt like he was hit by a truck. Much like Raven, he was blasted off his feet and careened into a nearby wall, almost buried in it as it cracked around his body. Falling to the ground, he couldn’t make out much as the doors were blown off their hinges and the rest followed the man out, his head rung like a bell.

Gunfire sounded and people started shouting, but Jaune sagged against the ground instead of trying to get up and follow.

“Jaune?”

Weiss hadn’t followed. Of course she didn’t. She was out of aura.

“I’m fine,” he grunted, getting to his feet. A quick glance showed that Mercury and Emerald were both missing, as was Ruby. She must have woken up.

“Jaune, what – why is she here?”

It took him a moment to realize who Weiss was talking about, following her finger. Neopolitan was still where he saw her last, unmoving. She was so still but he had completely missed her when he’d checked the room.

“I don’t know,” he said, because what else could he say? “She helped with Cinder.”

She was still staring at Cinder’s body, seemingly mesmerized by it.

“Why would she do that?” Weiss sounded confused. “They helped her in Vale!”

“I... don’t know. But without her... I wouldn’t have been able to...”

Jaune felt a hand slip into his, slender fingers threading through his own.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he brushed aside her concern. “I – don’t really feel anything,” he sighed. “No, I feel relieved. I thought I’d feel... I don’t know; disgusted? I just killed someone. Shouldn’t I feel bad about it, even if she deserved it?”

Weiss looked lost.

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never...” she trailed off.

“What are we going to do about her?” she finally said.

What could they do?

Jaune approached her cautiously, Weiss keeping her distance. He made sure to make plenty of sound but she didn’t show any indication she heard him approach. Hesitating, he reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

Still nothing.

“Neopolitan,” he said, the name feeling foreign on his tongue.

She turned and met his eyes.

They were blank.

Lifeless.

“She took someone from me,” he said, unsure why he was telling her this. They didn’t know each other, she meant nothing to him and he meant nothing to her, and yet... “Pyrrha Nikos – you might have heard of her. She was my partner and... she died at Beacon.”

Silence.

“Cinder killed her,” Jaune exhaled roughly. “So – thank you. I know you didn’t do this for her but... I wouldn’t have been able to stop her on my own.”

Silence.

This woman was a criminal but he meant every bit of that thank you, right down to the depths of his soul.

He let go of her shoulder and turned to Cinder, reaching for his sword. Gripping the hilt, he pulled it free and watched as her body crashed to the ground in a boneless heap. Neo’s parasol was still impaled in the wall but the Grimm appendage was gone, no doubt reduced to black smoke. When he turned back Neo’s way, she was holding a scroll up.

She took someone from me too.

It didn’t take him long to put two and two together. Ruby had told him the story.

“You’re talking about Roman Torchwick.”

She nodded.

For revenge, then.

It was as simple as that.

“What are you going to do now?”

She shrugged.

Jaune understood. His desire to see Cinder pay for her crimes had driven him for so long that now that she was gone, he felt directionless. He knew that there was still more work to do; there was Salem, and there was the Relic’s and Ozpin, but personally... his goal had been achieved.

It was then that Oscar appeared, looking healthy and whole but tired.

“Lionheart escaped,” he said, the voice of an old man and not a young teenager. The cane he carried tapped the floor with each step. “Where is everyone?”

Weiss frowned. “Raven turned on them when...”

Ozpin noticed the body as Weiss trailed off. He looked surprised for a moment before shifting his focus to Jaune, sighting his bloodied blade.

“Mr. Arc...”

Even he was at a loss for words.

“She’s finished,” Jaune said redundantly.

Opzin peered curiously at Neo before contemplating Cinder’s corpse.

“Did anyone inherit the mantle of the Fall Maiden?”

Jaune shook his head. “I don’t think so... how would we know?”

“Trust me, Mr. Arc. If someone here received those powers – you would know.”

“They’re gone, then,” Weiss sounded a little relieved.

“It appears that way,” Ozpin sighed. “Whether that is a good thing or not remains to be seen.”

A few moments later, Qrow appeared in the doorway looking roughed up – even more so than usual, his clothes rumpled and torn.

“Hazel got away,” he reported.

So that was that man’s name – Hazel.

Raven then appeared, side-by-side with her brother. Qrow stepped away from her and glared, one that she returned wholeheartedly.

“Raven,” Ozpin greeted and she tensed, red eyes falling on his cane.

“Ozpin.”

It was a tense standoff.

“The White Fang were trying to blow up the school,” Qrow cut in. “We stopped them and people from Menagerie helped round everyone up. We even captured someone high up – Adam Taurus.”

The name was familiar to Jaune but he couldn’t remember where he’d heard it. Turning, he blinked – and stared at the empty spot where the multi-hued woman had once stood.

“She’s gone,” he muttered and Weiss followed his eyes.

“So she has,” she said, frowning. “Probably for the best.”

Jaune knew that she was right and yet a part of him felt indebted to her. Without her help, things would have gone much differently.

“Yeah...” he said softly. “Probably for the best.”

Things got a little crazy after that. The surprises weren’t over with, Blake’s return signaled the reformation of Team RWBY and the official end of Team RNJR. Even if things weren’t completely okay between the cat faunus and her partner, they were reunited at last. They were whole.

It was a bittersweet moment for Jaune as he watched them hug and cry it out, their bond intact.

He was happy for them; ecstatic, even. But it was something that was forever out of reach for Team JNPR. Pyrrha’s death may have been avenged – but she was gone, and she was never coming back.

“Jaune,” Nora hugged him furiously. “Don’t do that ever again!”

She was angry. No, she was furious.

It was a rare thing to witness.

“Sorry,” he said, though only partially. He was sorry that he had worried her, not that he had done what he did. It may have been stupid but it worked out, in the end. “She’s gone. It’s done.”

Ren’s usually stoic face was unusually expressive as he stared down at the dead body of the woman that had stolen one of their precious friends. Nora reached out and seized his arm, pulling him in and they all hugged together, heads bowed as they remembered that wonderful, awkward girl who was the best of them.

When they parted, Ruby, Yang, Weiss and Blake approached. Ruby rushed forward and Jaune opened his arms expectantly. She slammed into him and babbled, “I thought she was going to kill you.”

He laughed weakly. “Yeah. I thought she was going to kill me too.”

Yang looked somber, lilac eyes soft as she stared at him.

“Are you okay, Jaune?”

“Yeah, I’m...” he didn’t know. Okay wasn’t the right word but he didn’t feel bad, either. “I’m just tired.”

Blake was more hesitant, unsure. When he released Ruby, he reeled her in. The cat faunus grunted, tense – and then she melted into his embrace, hugging him back fiercely.

“Welcome back,” he said.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” she said in his ear. “I’m – I’m so sorry about Pyrrha, Jaune.”

He just hugged her tighter in response.

“What are you still doing here?”

Jaune glanced over Blake’s shoulder and saw Yang staring daggers at her mother. Raven was watching them with an odd expression on her face. Dare he say it but she almost looked wistful, but maybe that was just wishful thinking on his part.

“We have things that need discussing,” Raven said.

“Oh, you’ve got that right,” Qrow barked, irritable. “You’ve got some explaining to do.”

Police swarmed the area in short order, placing Adam Taurus and the White Fang under arrest. They didn’t even bother struggling, resigned to their fate. They later found Lionheart’s corpse, the headmaster having been mauled in his office – by what, no one knew, but Ozpin claimed that it was likely by Grimm, an agent of Salem’s. With so few Huntsmen left in the kingdom due to Lionheart’s betrayal, they decided to make Mistral their base of operations for the time being. The Relic was safe and a serious blow had been dealt to Salem with Cinder Fall’s defeat, and with the removal of the White Fang as an instrument of terror to be wielded to create chaos.

Jaune thought that would be the last he would ever see of Neopolitan. She had no reason to stick around now that she had completed her goal, Roman Torchwick avenged. Yet when they returned to their accommodations, the diminutive woman was sitting on the couch in their living room, waiting for them.

Predictably, Yang was the first one to deploy her weapons, her gauntlet and prosthetic activating and ready for a fight. Ruby hesitated, unsure – but Blake followed her partner's lead. Weiss took one glance at the small woman and scoffed, but didn’t do anything else, simply arching an eyebrow in question as she crossed her arms.

Ozpin stepped forward. “Neopolitan. I must admit, I was not expecting you to be here.”

She ignored him, her eyes settling on Jaune. Typing on her scroll, she held it up.

I’m with him.

Jaune blinked and held up his hands when everyone turned his way.

“Woah, hey,” he said quickly. “Don’t look at me.”

“Something you need to tell us, kid?” Qrow questioned with narrowed eyes.

“I’m just as confused as everyone else.”

“I remember you,” Raven cocked her hip, smirking. “You tried to kill my daughter.”

Yang bristled – either at the reminder, or because Raven claimed her as her daughter, Jaune wasn’t sure.

Neo didn’t even pay Raven any attention, continuing to stare a hole in his face. Jaune met her eyes, trying to understand why she was here.

...it wasn’t hard.

She didn’t have anywhere else to be.

He remembered that blank eyed stare as she gazed at Cinder’s corpse. That was the look of someone that had nothing left. It was the look he may have had on his own face, if he didn’t have Ren and Nora, and Ruby, Weiss, Yang and Blake. If he didn’t have his family.

She was alone.

It was the look of anguish and loneliness.

“She’s with me,” he said before he had even thought it through.

“What?” Weiss asked, startled.

“Jaune, what are you saying?” Yang didn’t sound happy. “This woman is dangerous. You have no idea--”

“Oh, trust me,” he cut her off. “I have a pretty good idea. Cinder is dead because of her. I get it.”

A tense silence fell upon them, broken when Raven’s follower – Vernal – laughed.

“Are you people always such a mess?” she sounded thoroughly amused. Weiss shot her a scathing look.

There was no love lost there.

“Jaune,” Ruby drew his attention, her voice quiet. “Are you sure you can trust her?”

If he were being completely honest; no. This could be part of some larger plan but Jaune didn’t think she was a danger to any of them. If she’d wanted to, she could have attacked any of them in the chaos at Haven. Ruby had been unconscious, Weiss without her aura – those were just two examples of easy kills, if she’d wanted them.

Why go to all this effort now, if that is what she wanted?

Again, it was that look on her face, those blank eyes that convinced him. That hadn’t been fake. She just wanted somewhere to belong.

Why she picked them? Well, who else was there? And why she picked him? Shared trauma?

He didn’t know. This whole situation was a bit of a mess but... he was willing to go out on a limb here. They still had a long road ahead of them and if she was serious about sticking around, having a fighter of her caliber with them could only be a good thing.

“I’ll take responsibility,” Jaune said before realizing how that sounded. Even Neo arched an eyebrow, a sliver of amusement crossing her face. It was the most emotion he had seen from her since Cinder’s death. “Er – yeah.”

Weiss shook her head, face palming. “You’re still hopeless with your words, I see.”

“Some things never change,” Blake followed up, amber eyes soft as she looked at him.

“I don’t know about this,” Yang eyed Neo with contempt which the small woman utterly ignored, no doubt infuriating the blonde even more.

Ozpin considered it, eyes moving between Neo and Jaune, and then back again.

“It appears that the matter is settled,” he said.

“Great. Now that the children have settled their problems,” Raven said sarcastically. “Why am I here?”

Qrow scowled. “If you didn’t want to be here, you wouldn’t be. So shut up and let’s talk, sis.”

Vernal glared at Qrow and looked like she wanted to throw hands but as strong as the pair were, they weren’t here for a fight.

And then Ozpin’s voice cut through the tension like a knife.

“Raven; how long have you been the Spring Maiden?”

It appeared that the surprises were far from over. The look on her face would have been priceless if it wasn’t so serious.

Jaune stuck around for the beginning, Ozpin, Qrow and Raven going back and forth, discussing their plans going forth. When the business of maiden’s and Salem were finished with, and things began getting personal, he decided to take his leave. He didn’t need to be there for this and many of the others felt the same way.

It was a... family thing. Qrow, Ruby, Raven and Yang remained while everyone else filed out. Vernal was told to leave by Raven, though she protested at first, she obeyed. Ozpin retreated and became Oscar once more, and Nora led him upstairs to their rooms. Jaune followed a little behind.

The house was pretty big and could handle the influx of people. Blake and Weiss hesitated but Jaune waved them off, smiling.

“Go catch up,” he said, and they gave him grateful looks in return before moving on to the bedroom Weiss had been staying in.

“How are you feeling, Oscar?” Ren asked.

“A little weird,” he confessed, his voice returned to normal. It no longer sounded overly formal, his speech patterns matching his age. “I don’t know how to explain it but when he is in control, I feel... thin.”

Nora tilted her head. “Thin?”

“Like I could slip away at any moment,” he explained further, looking disturbed. “Like I’m smoke. I don’t... like it.”

That didn’t sound good.

“It looks like you’ve got a second shadow,” Ren directed at Jaune.

“What? Oh,” he turned, finding Neo standing right behind him. She was so close that Ren’s comment made a lot of sense. “Er – Neopolitan.”

She flashed her scroll at him.

Call me Neo.

“Right, Neo,” he said. “Um – I suppose you need a room.”

That’s right. Take responsibility.

Jaune groaned and Nora laughed, having seen what she wrote.

“If you’re here to cause trouble, we will stop you,” Ren said seriously.

Neo tilted her head, as if to say ‘Oh?’

“But we appreciate what you did,” Nora added, elbowing Ren in the gut. “Cinder deserved to die.”

The small woman blinked, and they watched as her eyes shifted color from brown and white to a light pink hue.

Jaune was sure that probably meant something but he had no idea what. It was clear at this point that Neo didn’t speak. She’d been communicating through her scroll this entire time, despite how awkward that was, and even when she’d been fighting, she hadn’t made a single sound. It probably wasn’t a personal choice.

She was mute.

Yes she did.

Nora grinned, a little feral, a hint of bloodlust present. “If only I could have helped. But this bozo didn’t even wait!”

She was still angry about that.

“Sorry,” he said automatically.

“You could at least sound it!”

Jaune found Neo an empty room next to his. She had no luggage, no bags – what she was carrying is what she had. Other than her parasol, there was nothing.

Now that he had time to really look at her, he noticed that her clothing wasn’t in the best shape. Her pants were ripped and her jacket looked like it had seen better days, a large tear in the left shoulder revealing the creamy skin underneath. Jaune was positive that this damage wasn’t from their fight with Cinder but when he tried to recall how she looked when she’d first appeared, all he could remember was a pristine appearance.

Her semblance was illusion based, though, wasn’t it? Maybe that was the reason.

“Er – do you need anything?” when she arched her eyebrow in question, he added, “You know – like, a toothbrush or... things.”

She blinked at him before smirking.

Things? ;)

Jaune felt a little hot around the collar. Seven sisters he might have but female sanitary products never failed to embarrass him.

“You know what I mean,” he muttered. “I could ask one of the others to go fetch you some items since it looks like you don’t have anything with you.”

She tapped her chin with a finger in thought before giving him the peace sign.

He decided to take that as a yes.

Dinner was a chance for everyone to catch up and it was a rowdy affair. Raven and Vernal had left, leaving behind a whole lot of tension that festered within the family she had so callously discarded. Qrow was even more surly than usual, the scruffy man having produced a bottle of hard liquor from somewhere and was speed running it with several long, drawn out pulls. Yang was a ball of raw nerves, on the verge of snapping on anyone that asked her a question in the wrong tone and things between her and Blake only added to it, the pair choosing to sit apart. Poor Ruby was trapped in the middle, the least affected by Raven’s sudden appearance but suffering all the same.

Nora carried the conversation and by the end of it, even Yang seemed in lighter spirits. Neo ate her food and vanished without a trace, and Jaune thought nothing of it. When he retired to bed that night, his head had barely hit the pillow before he was out like a light.

He wasn’t sure what woke him but one moment he was asleep and then the next, he wasn’t. Jaune blinked blearily at the ceiling, confused, before glancing over at the window. It was still mostly dark out but he could make out the briefest hint of sunlight beginning to brighten in the morning sky, letting him know that it was close to sunrise. The previous day had been so mentally draining that he’d thought he would sleep until noon but that didn’t appear to be the case.

Deciding to get up, he rolled over and then froze, suddenly aware that someone was in the bed with him. It was still dark enough that he couldn’t make out who or what it was, though he knew it was a woman. Only a woman could smell so nice, a mixture of strawberries and vanilla, filling his lungs every time he inhaled. He was afraid to move and he didn’t dare reach out and touch them, instead remaining perfectly still.

Their soft breaths told him they were still asleep and as the sun rose above the horizon and illuminated the room, he saw just exactly who had stolen into his bed during the night.

Neopolitan looked so innocent and young, vulnerable as she slept beside him, his shock palpable. Pink and brown tresses spilled over the pillow, her attractive face at peace. He hadn’t realized just how tense the small woman had been but now it was plain as day to see, the lines of her face slack and calm. He couldn’t help but take her in, admiring the cute slope of her button nose, her smooth, baby soft cheeks and her slender, elegant neck. She wasn’t wearing any make up, having cleaned up before bed, and yet she looked stunningly beautiful.

What was she doing in his bed? And not just that but how long had she been there?

As cute and beautiful as she was, Neo was a very dangerous person. The fact that she had snuck into his room and he’d been completely oblivious was a little frightening. But then he calmed, knowing that if she wanted to do him any harm, she would have done so already. She’d had plenty of opportunities and if he was being completely honest, she didn’t even have to wait until he was sleeping to do anything. He’d seen how she fought, how she moved – she would dismantle him without breaking a sweat.

But hadn’t he chosen to trust her? He had. He had zero reason to suspect that she wished him ill.

Even so, her being in his bed was very odd.

...he wasn’t complaining, though.

She had really long, thick eyelashes that curled in a very attractive manner. Jaune continued to admire her beauty, eyes tracing her plump, pink lips and small, cute ears. He had a mad desire to reach out and tuck some of her hair behind those very same ears but resisted that temptation.

He sighed.

That was enough gawking.

He was about to roll away when her eyes popped open, locking onto him in an instant. Jaune blinked and Neo blinked back, staring at one another without a word. And then slowly, a smirk pulled at her lips as she propped herself up on her elbow, the blanket falling down her body.

She arched an eyebrow, as if to say, ‘What are you looking at?’

“Uh – morning,” he said nervously.

She mouthed morning back.

Did he ask her why she was in his bed? That was a reasonable question, right? But having those alluring eyes on him, one brown, one white, robbed him of any courage. Instead he cleared his throat, quickly shuffling away and out of the bed.

“I’m going to shower,” he said loudly, moving around the room to gather some clothes. “Er – I’ll see you at breakfast?”

He glanced her way and she nodded, visibly amused at his antics.

“Right,” he rushed out into the hallway and almost slammed the door, stopping it just shy before closing it gently. He didn’t need to wake up the whole house.

“Jaune?”

He nearly screamed, jerking around in alarm. Blake stood a few feet away, clutching a towel to her chest.

“Blake,” he said after a moment, heart in his throat. “Morning.”

She smiled at him, tilting her head in a quizzical manner.

“Are you alright? You seem...” she trailed off.

“I’m fine,” he assured her. “Are you going to use the shower?”

She nodded.

“But if you want to go first,” she offered but he shook his head.

“No, you go,” he told her. “I’ll go make something for breakfast. Eggs sound good?”

Blake perked up. “Eggs sound amazing. Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Jaune made his way into the kitchen, leaving his assortment of clothes by the door to his room. It didn’t appear that anyone else was awake but it wouldn’t be long until everyone started to rise, so he made enough food for everyone. Thankfully the house was well stocked because their number had grown a lot since they’d first arrived.

The amount of eggs he used numbered in the double digits, whisking them together with some cream and milk, a touch of cheese and a pinch of pepper and salt before scrambling them to perfection. He also toasted an entire loaf of bread, and fried an entire packet of bacon. He was just setting the table when Blake arrived, freshly showered, her kitty ears damp as they flicked in an effort to dry themselves.

“Bathroom is free,” she took one look at the spread and drooled.

She began piling her plate up as he made his way back upstairs, collecting his clothes and entering the bathroom. The air was damp and warm, and thick with the shampoo and body wash Blake had used. He did his best to ignore that last thought, undressing and stepping into the shower. Fiddling with the tap until he got the perfect temperature, he moved under the spray and tilted his head back, allowing the water to rush across his face and body. It was soothing and so he just stood there for several minutes, unmoving.

Cinder was dead.

Having slept on it, he felt no different about it than he had before. Relief, a weight off, but nothing more. He wasn’t happy about what he’d done but he wasn’t saddened, either, for innocence lost. Killing her – the actual act, the taking of her life – had been simple. He’d thrust his sword and it had pierced her chest. He could recall how it felt; the way Crocea Mors had bit into her flesh, through muscle and bone, sliding effortlessly through her body and into the wall beyond. It felt just like slaying Grimm.

Wasn’t it meant to be different?

He sighed, bringing his hands up to rub at his face. Threading his fingers through wet, slick hair, he was about to reach for the shampoo when he heard the locked door click audibly as it was opened. Jaune paused, steam rising all around him as he blinked at the wall.

Had he heard right?

Someone padded across the room, light of their feet. Jaune heard the rustle of clothing being discarded, the loudest of which was a belt being undone. His heart jumped and yet he didn’t turn, frozen in time as he waited.

Who was it?

He was positive he had locked the door. Not only that, it was impossible not to hear the shower running from the hallway. Whoever it was, they’d known someone was inside. And even if by some miracle they hadn’t – they surely did now!

His tongue unstuck itself from the roof of his mouth.

“Who’s there?”

Neo smirked as he tentatively called out, the last of her clothes falling to the ground. Through the glass, she could make out the vague outline of his physique but most of it was obscured by moisture and steam. It didn’t matter; what she saw, she liked, and she had felt more than enough when she had slipped into bed with him during the night.

She wanted to feel.

And who better to feel with than the person who had helped her end that bitch Cinder?

She pulled open the shower door and stepped in behind him, drinking in the wide, muscled plain of his back. He was so tall and solid, his broad shoulders narrowing into a slim waist, his thighs thick and sturdy, calves toned and strong. Multi-hued eyes settled on his butt and she grinned, happy with what she saw. Tight and cute, she moved forward and reached out, giving it a swift pinch.

Jaune jumped.

“Hey,” he said, turning – and froze at the wonderful sight in front of him.

Soft, creamy white skin as far as he could see, Neo’s petite, toned figure displayed in all its glory. She was incredibly small, shorter than Ruby, shorter than Weiss, yet her breasts were larger, plump and full with youthful perk. Her nipples were slightly upturned, the cutest shade of pink he had ever seen, like little nubs of cotton candy. Neo cocked her hip, drawing his attention to the long, toned plain of her flat stomach, her abs clearly defined. Her waist was impossibly small but flared out into a very healthy set of hips, wide and womanly before slimming down into slender thighs and legs. And between those wonderful thighs was a cute little slit, completely bald but closed tight, keeping her secrets.

He wanted to see inside. He wanted to taste it, feel it, fuck it.

She was beautiful, sexy – and here.

Neo licked her lips as his lustful eyes devoured her body, giving her tits a small little shake. They swayed from side to side, an invitation as she devoured him in turn, eyes roaming across his powerful chest, muscled arms and rippled stomach that glistened with water. She quickly sought out the ultimate prize and felt her insides twitch as she sighted his cock, semi-hard from seeing her body. Even at half mast, it was big, a light dusting of blonde hair around the base. Staring at it, she lightly teased one of her nipples, circling the areola before flicking the tip. She watched as his cock twitched and swelled further, growing for her.

It wasn’t long until it was completely erect, jutting from his pelvis obscenely, bobbing as it tensed and throbbed in arousal. The head was thick and fat, the ridge of the crown flaring. The shaft was curved upwards, long and burly, covered in a web of pulsing veins. His balls were heavy and big, hanging down below.

This is what she wanted. This is what she needed. So she could feel again.

She prowled towards him and Jaune watched, lungs feeling too full with every breath. When her soft, small hand grasped him, he throbbed eagerly. Neo bit her pink, kissable lips, peering up at him with those devilish eyes. Jaune knew that he was very well endowed, a point of pride – but against Neo’s size, he looked positively massive, almost dangerously so. When her other hand joined its twin on his shaft, it barely covered any of his cock and it was such a heady vision but he tensed further, hardening still.

She began stroking him slowly, working him with both hands. One gripped him low, pumping him firmly while the other moved high, lighter, twisting gently as she coaxed him to maximum hardness. Her fist bumped the underside of his glans, teasing the prominent ridge, pleasure sparking at every touch. A thick drop of pre-cum oozed from the tip, dribbling down over her hand. She gathered it expertly, wetting her palm with his natural lubricant before lengthening her glide. All the while, her eyes remained locked on his, and when she blinked, they became a vibrant pink color, just shy of red.

When was the last time he had gotten off? He couldn’t remember, it was so long ago now. Traveling across two continents with three of your friends on foot didn’t leave you much time for personal matters such as masturbation. And then his mind had been so focused on other things that even if he had the time, he would have neglected himself in this way.

He was pent up. Beyond pent up. Sensitive beyond belief, when she started attacking the head with her palm, circling the tip, he knew he wasn’t going to last very long. Not only was he pent up, he had never been with a woman before.

This was going to be over embarrassingly fast.

But there was nothing he could do about it as that familiar knot formed at the base of his dick, tightening and tightening until the verge of rupture. The pleasure as she stroked his cock head was mind numbing, ecstasy racing up his spine. Those exotic eyes pinned him, searing him as she sped up her movements, squeezing the ring of her fingers tight whenever she reached the tip. His balls tightened, already aching and begging for relief but he tried to hold on, just a little longer, so he could experience more of this magnificent pleasure.

“Fuck, that feels so good,” he panted, voice rough with lust.

Neo felt herself get wet, her pussy tender as arousal flooded her system. Slick oozed out over her inner thighs, dripping down her legs and she shivered, squirming. Touching his cock just highlighted how damn big it was, a monster – she’d never been with a guy so hung before, and couldn’t help but feel a hint of unease. She was no stranger to sex but it had been so long, and never with someone so physically gifted.

He was going to destroy her.

It was exactly what she wanted.

You really couldn’t judge a book by its cover. Seeing him struggle against Cinder, she’d been far from impressed. She’d labeled him a fool, in over his head, a convenient distraction that would allow her to strike the killing blow. But Jaune had surprised her, his willingness to take any opportunity to finish her off. First when Ruby had rendered her immobile with those strange eyes of hers, and then at the climax of the fight.

He wanted her dead just as much as she did.

They shared something intimate on the battlefield, a shared purpose. It guided her decision to stick around after because where else could she go? Who else could ever understand her? Maybe this young man could. Maybe he could fix that broken part of her.

He could start with this big, fat cock of his. That had been a surprise. A pleasant one.

But she could tell he was nearing his end, his cock jerking in her grasp, tensing and flexing as he approached climax. It didn’t bother her at all. In fact, it only made her chase his orgasm all the faster, furiously jacking him off with both hands, wanting to see him blow. His expression was one of beautiful torture, and Neo could tell he was trying to hold back.

She wasn’t going to allow it.

Jaune groaned as her lower hand moved lower still and cupped his balls, squeezing them firmly. She rolled them around her palm, rough with them but it didn’t cause any pain. Instead an unstoppable pressure formed, quickly building as she contracted her fist around his testicles in a pulsing motion, tugging on them. She mapped out every inch of his shaft; the bulging, throbbing veins, the wide root on the underside, his sensitive frenulum.

He was close. He was so fucking close.

And then right when he was about to cum, she stepped back, bending at the waist, and slipped his sensitive glans into her hot, wet mouth.

Jaune groaned deeply as she gave him a sturdy suck – and he was done.

Neo sucked harshly, pulling him from her mouth with a loud pop as his dick trembled. Giving it a few final tugs, she watched with pride as the first shot fired against her stomach, fat and hot, thudding against her with force. It was almost like jelly, it was so thick. Keeping her hands still around the base, Neo’s insides coiled and throbbed as he gushed heavily, several long, thick streams coating her skin in his seed. It felt like it was going to go on forever, his impressive dick flexing mightily but finally, with two final jets that made it onto her thighs, he was spent.

Jaune panted as the jubilant rush of orgasm faded, his mind mush. He could barely focus, skin tingling from such a powerful nut. He hissed as she began stroking him again, gently, and when he looked at her, he saw her toying with his ejaculation, rubbing a finger through his discharge as it slipped down her skin and down the drain.

Despite such a mind blowing orgasm, Neo was pleased to see his cock was still extraordinarily hard, not having lost a single bit of solidarity. She swiped the tip across her skin, gifting him with an impish smile before pointing it down at her crotch, the message clear.

She wanted to fuck.

Taking that as his cue for action, he reached out and touched her body. His palms glided across her smooth, soft skin, caressing her hip, sliding up around her waist and tickling her ribs. She stretched, biting her lip as he cupped her perky tits, testing their weight, giving them a shake. The tips jiggled, heavy in the front and he curled his fingers around them to squeeze, massaging her breasts firmly. Those sexy pink eyes changed color, becoming a lighter, softer pink as he played with her chest, Her mouth fell open in a silent moan as she arched her back into him, presenting more of her breasts to his eager hands.

Her nipples were pebbled, the peaks hard. Her areola were wide for the size of her tits, the flesh crinkled in arousal. He pinched the left one lightly while he teased the right, stroking up with his thumb. Neo shivered, feeling the way he manipulated her chest flow down into her crotch, her walls squeezing together.

It was obvious that this was his first time touching a pair of tits but he was a quick learner, watching her reactions keenly. Taking one of them completely in hand, he gripped it and stroked her pillowy flesh, almost like he was tugging the entire breast. On the other, he attacked her nipple with light pinches, rolling it between his fingers until it was throbbing with a beautiful ache.

When he had gotten his fill, he started moving his hands back down her toned body, one looping around to palm her hefty ass. It was perfectly formed, firm and high, wide; a magnificent bubble butt. He gave it a swat and she jumped, her expression cheeky. Curling his other hand to grip her other cheek, he lifted her effortlessly. She would have squealed if she were able as he flipped her around, under the spray of the shower and pinned her to the wall. Her slim, toned thighs spread around his waist as he rested his weight against her.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked, much to her surprise.

She blinked, tilting her head – then she smiled, nodding.

Hesitating, he leaned in and she met him halfway, their lips coming together seamlessly. He was tentative at first and she allowed him a few seconds to adjust before opening her mouth, drawing him in. Neo licked at his lips, demanding entrance and he obliged, their tongues curling together wetly. Feeling her small, feminine tongue against his own invigorated him and he eagerly lapped at her, their mouths smacking wetly. His fingers sank into her ass, pulling her cheeks apart and stretching her. Neo gasped, delirious as he devoured her mouth, licking across her teeth, sucking on her tongue.

When they parted, their lips were red and slick with saliva.

His cock was resting against her springy labia, pointing straight up between their bodies. Neo felt how far it went, touching her belly button and felt her deepest part shudder at the thought. Rolling her hips against him, she stroked the underside of his length with her sticky pussy, her slit opening up to give him a messy hug. Jaune groaned deeply, feeling her scorching heat leaving a slick trail up and down his dick, pressing his hips more firmly against her. One of her hands found the back of his neck, curling in the damp hair there while the other raked his back, a trail of fire left in her nail’s wake.

They rutted against each other for some time, kissing passionately to fuel their growing lust. They kissed until their lungs burned, and then Jaune reached down and encircled the base of his shaft, leaning back to line up his cock with her weeping pussy. He swiped it up and down, rubbing her clit and giving it a little smack. Neo jolted, her jaw loose as lightning sparked from her clit and up her spine.

Her entrance was drenched but incredibly tight. When he thrust lightly against her puckered hole, his cock slid up over her mons, unable to penetrate. Trying again, he held it steady and pushed, swearing as he was forced to wiggle it to pry open her wet heat.

“Fuck, you’re so tight,” he hissed.

You’re too fucking big, she would have returned, but could only think it as his fat crown popped inside. Neo gasped as he paused, shifting his feet to get a better angle and then he thrust, cleaving her clutching walls apart. A silent whimper was lost in her throat, unable to be vocalized as he stuffed half of his cock inside her too small pussy, his hips stuttering to a stop.

Jaune panted as her folds enveloped him like a well oiled fist, unrelenting in their grasp. If he hadn’t already cum, he’d have bust his nut already, the pleasure sharp, his sensitive glans swelling at the sensations. His imagination couldn’t prepare him for how good it felt, the bumpy texture of her inner walls torturous. Pulling out slightly, he thrust back in firmly, sinking a little deeper. Neo jerked in his arms, her head thrown back as she arched her back, and he latched onto her throat, licking, biting, kissing until a beautiful love bite bloomed, red and purple on her creamy skin.

It was slow going, working his cock into her tight snatch. It felt like it was trying to push him out, throbbing and tightening whenever he made progress. He felt something rough against the tip and he rubbed on it, flexing his dick and Neo bucked, spine straightening out as her eyes rolled.

He’d only just put it in and he’d found her sweet spot, his curved cock flush against the roof of her vagina. It grinded on her g-spot, and Neo silently sobbed as he focused his attention there, stabbing into it remorselessly. Her legs locked together behind his back, ankles linked as she swiveled her hips. Fire bloomed below her navel, a ball of molten desire, boiling hot. Using her powerful legs, she pulled him further in, viciously biting her lips as he went deeper.

She’d never had something stretch her so much, so wonderfully. A twinge of discomfort was blown away by pleasure, her tunnel closing around him as he finally reached the end. Neo choked as the tip of his dick nudged her cervix, knocking on the entrance to her womb, and Jaune grunted as she contracted around him.

He rested there, balls deep, his entire shaft swallowed by her tiny pussy. Every shuddering breath she took, he could feel in his cock as her vagina coiled around him, a wet hot vice. Slowly, he rocked his hips, gentle swivels that made her thighs tremble around his waist. Water fell around them, their skin glistening as he gradually picked up speed, pulling out a little more before thumping back into her, her face twisting in ecstasy. She might not have been able to speak, couldn’t make sounds beyond those sexy little gasps and grunts deep in her chest, but her face was so expressive, her eyes melting between different colors.

Her folds tugged at his meat on every out stroke, catching on his fat glans, refusing to let him go without a fight. Soon he was powering into her, nothing skillful or careful about his thrusts. He fucked her with a primal, animalistic hunger, a need, his cock churning her pussy into a sloppy mess. His balls slapped against the underside of her peach-shaped butt, their skin clapping together as he panted, blue eyes locked on her.

Neo seethed whenever his crown poked her cervix, a beautiful ache that filled her with fire, her uterus tingling at the very real threat. Her clit throbbed whenever he crashed into her, his pelvis rolling, grinding him deep. He was so fucking deep, her toes flexing and curling, her hands clutching at him desperately as he fucked her stupid. He was rough, pistoning her snatch relentlessly and she loved it, the pressure building.

Was this how it always felt or was Neo’s cunt special? Were all girls this hot and tight and wet? Jaune felt half mad, thrusting harder, clapping into her as her legs spasmed around him, squeezing him in time to her pussy contracting around him. The very tip of his dick was alight with mind numbing pleasure, his length flexing as he buried it against her deepest part. He grinded the mouth of her womb, delighting in her shuddering gasps, swallowing them with his mouth as he claimed her lips in a messy, passionate kiss.

Neo couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, could do nothing but ride the waves of pleasure until that knot in her tummy could tighten no more. She balanced on the edge, a maddening tease, her heart pounding against her ribcage as he ravaged her. She was so close, yet she wouldn’t tip over – until he shifted his feet, jostling her as he changed the angle of his glide, somehow pressing even deeper.

She came with a silent scream.

Jaune groaned as he felt the moment of her climax, her entire body locking up, her legs straightening as her feet kicked out behind him. “Fuuuck,” he hissed, her already tight snatch going out of control, pulsing wildly in orgasm. It did its level best to wring the semen from his balls, milking him expertly but he didn’t give in, legs tensing as he drove into her even more vigorously, his cock on the verge of melting.

Neo thrashed, head thrown back against the slick tile as her core shattered. A hot flush rushed through her entire body from head to toe, her skin alight with her mind bending orgasm. She sobbed brokenly, silently, deliriously as he continued to plunder her, tugging her inside out, rending her soul.

When she finally stopped shaking in his arms, he pulled out of her steaming twat, letting her down. She stumbled, boneless, and he caught her against him, his throbbing length trapped between them. Hazy pink eyes looked at it, taking in the way it angrily twitched, the head a deep purple, the shaft flushed red near the top.

It wasn’t finished with her.

She shivered.

Before he could do anything, she swooped in and sucked him into her mouth. Jaune grunted in surprise, moaning as her lips sealed tight around him. She bobbed her head furiously, tongue lashing his sensitive head. He’d been able to hold off cumming because he’d already nutted once but he was close. It wouldn’t take much more and he was done.

She slurped him eagerly, tasting her own musk, her thick syrup and his pre-cum. It was a heady mixture, fogging her already numbed brain but she wasn’t going to be denied. He had fucked her silly and now she was going to return the favor. She wouldn’t remain on the defensive any longer. She was a counter-puncher at heart.

Jaune felt his eyes cross as she sucked him deeper into her mouth, the tip tickling the back of her throat. She wasn’t using her hands at all, purely her mouth, threatening to deep throat him into oblivion. Then with a powerful suck, he slurped up off his shaft with a loud pop and glared up at him, pointing down.

When he didn’t immediately move, she slapped the floor and he understood.

She wanted to be on top.

The shower spray continued to pour on them as he lay out on the floor, heated, slick tile at his back. She mounted him, knees on both sides of his hips and she grabbed his cock, aiming it up at her snatch. He got a good look at her pussy, flushed and battered, open. She looked so tiny and he couldn’t believe he’d been buried in there.

She settled her tender pussy against the tip and smirked at him, sinking down. Neo didn’t tease, didn’t wait, clapping down in an instant, taking him to the hilt. Her face crumpled, twisting as he cleaved all the way to her womb, her abs tensing as she gripped her thighs, almost bowing over. His cock flexed inside her and her small body jumped, tightening.

Fuck, she looked so good impaled on his cock.

She rode him then, hard and fast, one hand on her thigh, the other on her waist. Undulating, she rowed back and forth, grinding him, pulling up slightly to slap back down. Her perky tits bounced, those sweet upturned nipples jiggling wildly and he wanted to grab her, fuck up into her, but he didn’t. She had a dangerous look in her eyes, one of a predator. This was her turn now to make him feel good.

So she did.

Whenever she would press down, she’d twist her hips side to side, grinding him in a circular motion that made his toes curl. It felt like she was settling her entire weight down on the tip of his dick, that he was holding her upright with nothing but his shaft. He focused on where they were joined, watching her pink inner labia and wet walls drag up his shaft, tightly sealed around him. She looked overly packed, stuffed full, and with a rush of overwhelming arousal, he saw the briefest hint of her belly shifting, a small bulge.

“Oh, shit,” he panted, his balls jumping in excitement. “Oh, Neo.”

Her movements became faster, less controlled. Both hands on his chest now, she rode up and down his poll with abandon, twerking on his dick. Her tight heat throbbed and wrung him out and that familiar pressure built in the base of his shaft, getting ready for the end.

“Fuck, Neo. That’s it. Fuck me,” he urged her on, reaching down and rubbing her silky-smooth thighs. She slapped down, again and again and again, loud claps of flesh filling the bathroom. “Yes, that’s it. Mm – you’re going to make me cum again.”

Neo was almost frantic, slamming down on him and clenching her inner muscles, attempting to squeeze his boiling hot sperm free. She remembered how big and thick his earlier load had been, and chased after it, wanting nothing else.

Her second orgasm built swiftly, his fat cock pressing on all of her sweet spots, her body full of rapture. She could feel him swelling further, getting ready to fire and she clapped down to the hilt, rowing wildly, grinding the tip of his dick against the mouth of her womb and she was done.

So was he.

Jaune grabbed her hips in a punishing hold as his balls leapt triumphantly, his thick cum rocketing up his shaft. Her cunt contracted around him, spasming in orgasm just as the first heavy, heaving gush poured into her womb, his glans docked flush against her cervix. Neo shuddered, eyes rolling as molten heat speared into her, volley after volley of potent, virile semen glushed thickly. She found it difficult to breathe, gasping in time to each shot that thudded into her, his flexing cock and red hot cum driving her pleasure to greater heights.

When his cock finally finished firing, she collapsed atop him, her wonderful body slung across him. He was still buried deep inside her, rock hard but slowly beginning to soften, his lust spent for the time being.

What was this?

It wasn’t love. He didn’t love her and she didn’t love him. Jaune knew he was a bit of a romantic, a traditionalist – but this had been nothing more than pure, no-strings-attached sex. Mind blowing, primal fucking. Even so, he felt they were incredibly compatible. Her tiny, snug pussy and his cock.

How long had it been since he had felt this good? Not just the physical pleasure from the act itself but... he felt lighter, he felt good. It wasn’t happiness but perhaps contentment?

He hoped this wasn’t just a one time thing.

Neo snuggled against his chest, her tight quim twitching in the aftershocks of her orgasm.

Jaune licked his lips, thinking.

“Did you... enjoy that?”

Neo turned her head until her chin was resting on his chest, white-pink eyes gazing at him lazily. She then blew him a kiss, lips twisting into a smirk.

Her face practically said, ‘Are you dumb?’

He embraced her small body, cupping her beautiful butt and stroking her back. She really was a tiny thing but he loved it, loved how small and lithe and toned her body was. Now that he thought about it; was this his type? She wasn’t too dissimilar to Weiss and he’d been infatuated with her at first sight.

Jaune shook his head.

“So... where do we go from here?”

She rolled her eyes before pointing at herself, then at him, and then jabbing him in the chest none too gently. Jaune huffed a laugh. He assumed that meant they were sticking together, though she was annoyed that he had asked and made her spell it out.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “I’m just... new to this.”

She wasn’t too mad. He’d made her feel so good. Just what she wanted, just what she desired. This was what life was all about. Cinder was dead, but so was Roman... it hurt. But she was still capable of feeling this. She wasn’t numb. Not yet.

And until she was, she was going to stick around.

Too bad her chosen partner was a bit of a do-gooder, though. Maybe she could change that.

A sudden banging on the door caused them to jump but thankfully, even though the door was unlocked, they didn’t barge in.

“Hey!” Yang called out, sounding irritated. “I appreciate the breakfast and everything but are you going to spend all day in there! Some of us need to shower too!”

Neo peered at the door, then down at Jaune, and then back at the door. He caught on immediately and yet he was still too slow, the petite woman slipping off his cock and across the room with an impish grin.

“Neo, no!” he hissed, scrambling.

She shot him a cute wink before opening the door.