Stranded 015 (Patreon)

They should have known by the warmer than normal night that the day was going to be hot. Jaune just never believed it would be this hot.

Sweat beaded on his brow as he swung Crocea Mors through another series of branches, cutting a pathway through the dense foliage. Even shielded by the thick canopy of the trees above, the air was scorching, a dry heat that entered his lungs whenever he breathed in. While he was glad that the humidity was gone, this was a different type of oppression. Without a breeze to cool off, even under the shade of the trees, it felt like they were being baked alive.

It was hard work.

Glancing behind him, he saw the disgruntled expression on Weiss’ face, her pale skin flushed with exertion. Ice blue eyes blinked tiredly as she followed him dutifully but he could see she was struggling and it wasn’t just because of how hot it was

They didn’t exactly get much sleep the night before.

He could still hear her needy cries sounding in his ears as he pistoned into her tight snatch. The scent of her skin, how it felt beneath his rough hands, her throbbing, boiling cunt wrapped around his girth... it was everything he had ever hoped it would be, and more.

After their wonderful romp, they’d spent an hour or more in the ocean, washing their bodies free of sweat, sand and whatever arousal clung to their skin, their lust simmering but not completely sated. Underneath the moon, they had kissed and touched each other, hands sliding over wet skin as they made out like a pair of horny teenagers before fucking again, though this time a little more gently, Weiss’ tender insides requiring a softer touch after her recent deflowering.

Then they talked, unable to sleep. Even though their bodies were exhausted from their activities, their minds were wide awake. Dried and dressed, they’d snuggled together by a newly lit campfire and discussed what should have been discussed before all of this happened.

“After everything with Neptune, I wasn’t looking for more romance,” she admitted, curled up in his side. His hand languidly stroked her body, relishing the intimate contact. “For more disappointment. For the first time in my life, I was the one that pursued someone and it ended up like that. I fell for him for such a shallow reason. He was good looking, he was cool, he said all the right things and I lost my head when so many before him had the same qualities, yet I had been able to see through them.” Weiss shook her head bitterly. “It was so hypocritical. I raged against men asking after me for similar reasons yet I did the very same thing.”

“Isn’t that normal?” he tried to reason. “Don’t most people begin with instant attraction and go from there? You can’t know how a person really is until you get to know them a bit better but that doesn’t mean you can’t be attracted to them beforehand.”

Weiss scoffed. “And yet I had been so skeptical of people before that. Any guy that approached me with suave words and searching looks, I labeled as more of the same. I did it to countless men before coming to Beacon, and to you – I pegged you as one of them, right from the onset. You are no less handsome than Neptune, Jaune. And maybe you are more openly awkward but you were just as nice. Yet as soon as you approached, my opinion of you was set. What was so special about him? He even called me Snow Angel.”

That last part was said darkly and Jaune laughed nervously. Weiss had made it abundantly clear what she thought of that particular endearment. And yet she was right – when Neptune had said it, she had swooned. If he was perfectly honest, that one had hurt.

“I felt stupid,” she sighed, reaching for his hand and lacing their fingers together. He squeezed and she squeezed back. “I didn’t want to get involved with anyone else after that... but now I had a different problem. One that I couldn’t ignore.”

“What?”

“You.”

He blinked. “What?”

“He told me what you said,” she laughed, though the sound wasn’t a happy one. “He told me that night. How angry you had been on my behalf, getting into him about turning me down. It really wasn’t any of your business... but it moved me. I can’t deny that.”

“I just thought he led you on, only to turn you down,” he explained himself. “He was flirting with you and appeared to really like you, but then you turned up to the dance alone after I knew you asked him and... it made me mad. I wouldn’t have said anything normally but it pissed me off that he made you think he was into you, only to back off at the last minute. When he said it was because he was embarrassed he couldn’t dance, it only infuriated me more.”

Weiss nuzzled against his shoulder happily. “After that, it was difficult to ignore you but for an entirely different reason. From there, things grew. We became proper friends and I got to witness the things that Pyrrha and Ruby had been trying to tell me from the start.”

“What things?”

“About how amazing you are,” she leaned up and pecked him on the jaw. “How kind and sweet, and hard working, and loyal, and clever, and funny, and—” she kept listing things off until he couldn’t handle it any more, silencing her with his lips.

She liked that. He liked it too.

“So does this mean...?” he asked after they broke apart.

Weiss rolled her eyes. “Yes, you idiot. Do you really think I’m the type of girl to do any of this with just anyone? Who do you think I am?”

They were now a couple; officially.

Jaune couldn’t be any happier.

Just behind Weiss, Blake followed in the rear. When their eyes met, they widened slightly in surprise before she hastily looked away, tucking her hair behind her ear shyly. After a few moments, she glanced back his way to see if he was still looking and when she realized he was, flushed.

Jaune looked away.

She was no longer avoiding him and speaking to him in curt tones but now she seemed even more skittish, acting demure in a way that was frankly adorable but concerning. He tried to ignore it but it was difficult. Jaune couldn’t help but wonder if she’d seen them again. That would certainly explain her behavior but he didn’t have the courage to ask.

He might just die of embarrassment if she said yes.

He really hoped not.

Jaune swung his sword again, chopping through a bunch of vines. Birds chirped and scattered as they forced their way through, disturbing them from their perches. The insects were especially loud today, a cacophony of different sounds that surrounded them in all directions. The terrain was steep and so his legs burned at the effort, climbing until they reached the peak.

They’d been walking for a few hours now. Other than some unique flowers they had never encountered before, an array of color that captured the entire spectrum of the rainbow, everything else was the same. Green and brown, prickly and inhospitable. Rocks protruded from the ground in places but they’d not found another water source, nor had they come across any other animals.

But they continued onward.

Removing the cap on his bottle, he took a healthy pull. Drinking until he was content, he tipped the rest over his head, sighing as the cool liquid dampened his hair and ran across his skin, lessening some of the brutal heat. He hadn’t even bothered with his hoody or shirt. Aura was more than enough to keep his skin protected from any abrasive branches and twigs, and any more clothing would simply be stifling. Feeling a little more refreshed, he stored the bottle in his satchel before addressing his friends.

“Do you guys need a break?”

Weiss grunted.

“Maybe a little further?” Blake spoke up when it was clear that Weiss was not going to offer anything more. The Atlesian native was not doing well with these conditions. “It feels like the ground is a little more even here.”

“Right,” Jaune sighed, hacking away.

A little further was the right call.

It couldn't have been more than ten minutes later when the bushes and trees began to thin out a little, and Jaune saw a glimpse of red amongst all the green and brown. Intrigued, Jaune hastened his steps and with great surprise, he came upon a sea of plump, red fruit.

They were unlike anything he had ever seen before, growing in bunches upon thick, gnarled branches on a series of squat trees with palm-like leaves. The trunks were knotted and ugly, thicker than you would expect, leaking a pinkish sap that attracted a wide variety of birds. The fruit were vaguely banana-shaped but larger, thicker around the middle and just a tad longer. Their skin was bright red and instead of being smooth, it was marked with tiny purple spines. He was reminded a little of dragon fruit, though they had green spines instead. On the very bottom of each fruit, a yellow flower blossomed, the petals vibrant.

There was a slightly sweet scent in the air and Jaune inhaled deeply, taken by the delightful aroma. It tickled his nose pleasantly and his mouth began salivating.

“Oh,” Blake made a sound of surprise, looking around in wonder.

“Do you know what they are?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I’ve never seen them before.”

“What about you, Weiss?”

Weiss nodded, looking a little more alert as she approached the nearest tree. “I’ve read about these. They are called Lytass.”

The name was just as unfamiliar. Jaune wracked his brain but came up with nothing.

“They only grow in tropical climates,” she continued, reaching out to brush her fingers against the yellow petals. “And even then, they are only found naturally on islands. They didn’t grow on the mainland until they were introduced by people.”

“Are they edible?” Blake asked. That was the most important question.

Weiss was quiet for a moment.

“Yes,” she finally said. “They are quite safe for consumption.”

“You’re sure?” Jaune pressed, concerned by her hesitation.

“Positive,” she assured him, arching an eyebrow at him in challenge. “Do you doubt me?”

No, he didn’t. If Weiss said they were safe, then they were safe. She would never gamble on something like this. She was far too meticulous about those sorts of things.

“The ones that are red are ripe and ready to be eaten,” she then pointed to another tree where some of the fruit were pale and white. “Those ones are unripe, though you can still eat them. They won’t harm you but the taste is apparently quite bitter. They can also turn yellow like the flower, and those ones have been on the branch too long and are said to be exceedingly sweet. Still edible but not to everyone's tastes.”

They’d found another source of food. Their hike had borne fruit – literally.

They were bunched together in groups of around ten, held together by a thick stem. They hung around head-height, easy pickings.

Blake moved over to one of the trunks and pressed a finger into the sap, pulling it away. It was sticky and stretched quite far before snapping, leaving a healthy coating on her slender digit. Holding it up to her nose, she gave it a sniff.

“This is the source of the smell,” she said, giving it a curious look. Hesitating for a moment, she opened her mouth and gingerly touched her tongue with the sap, recoiling a little. “That is... really sweet.”

“They harvest the sap as a natural sweetener,” Weiss informed them, wiggling one of the ripened fruit free. It was quite large in her small hand. “Though I’ve heard it can be quite sickening if not prepared properly.”

“Well – the birds love it,” Jaune said, looking around. There were hundreds of them, all drinking their fill of the sap. They weren’t alone. Thousands of insects buzzed around, also drawn by the sweet meal. He then grimaced. “I really hope I’m not allergic to this stuff like in Forever Fall.”

Weiss snickered.

“Not funny,” Jaune sulked.

Just being in the presence of that sap had been enough to irritate him, so it was a good sign that he didn’t feel any changes after standing around here for a little while. Weiss tossed him the fruit without warning and he caught it, weighing it in his hand. It was quite heavy and felt dense.

“Should we try it?” she asked.

Why not?

He’d left the knife back at camp but that was fine. Crocea Mors was more than sharp enough, though a little unwieldy when attempting such precise cuts. Jaune managed, though. The skin was firm and thick, but like a banana, easy to peel once an opening was formed. The inner flesh of the fruit was just as colorful as the outside and completely unexpected. A bright vivid blue with very tiny black seeds spread throughout. A thin membrane kept it all bunched together and when he opened it up, he realized that it was divided into clusters almost like a cocoa pod.

Peeling one of them out, he held it up. It was soft in his hand, a little like jelly but firmer, holding its shape. Bringing it up to his nose, he gave it a sniff. Something tart tickled his nose but it was quite gentle.

“Well,” he said. “Here goes nothing.”

Weiss watched him a little too eagerly but he ignored her, popping it into his mouth and chewing. At once, it exploded in his mouth like a juicy ball of sweetness, gushing across his tongue like a popped balloon. Jaune perked up as the flavor assaulted him, his taste buds alight. There was that hint of tartness that he had smelt and sweetness, the texture pleasant as he swallowed. He couldn’t even feel the seeds.

He blinked.

“Yum,” he pulled another one out and ate it, and then another. They were really good. “Man, these are awesome.”

Weiss beamed. “May I?”

He held it out. “Of course. Help yourself.”

With dainty fingers, she plucked out a few clusters and slipped them into her mouth, chewing carefully. He saw the moment the taste hit her, those gorgeous eyes lighting up in joy. She quickly reached for more.

“Blake?” Jaune called. “Want some?”

The sound she made when it touched her tongue caused her cheeks to redden, and Jaune did his best to ignore how lewd it had appeared.

The three of them made quick work of the fruit, and then grabbed another, devouring that. When their hunger was sated, they found a nice spot to sit down out of the sun and relaxed, resting their bodies for the long hike back to camp. This time they would be carrying as much fruit as they could manage, so they would need their strength.

Why did it have to be so far away from their camp?

The ground here actually had grass, overgrown, about as high as their knees. It made good cushioning against the hard ground, Jaune sprawled out with his head propped up on his arms folded behind his head. Weiss settled down next to him on his right, though she didn’t snuggle into his side. It was much too hot for that. Blake sat down on his left.

His mouth actually felt a little tingly after eating the fruit – Lytass, was it? Not just his mouth but his throat and even down in his stomach. It wasn’t a bad feeling and he didn’t feel like he’d been poisoned, but it was a little odd. Almost a numbing sensation but not quite. Brushing his lips, he shivered. No, definitely not numbing – if anything, it felt more sensitive.

He continued to rub his lips for some time before he caught himself, forcing his hand away. A quick glance showed that they hadn’t seen his strange action.

Jaune wasn’t sure how long he dozed. Long enough for the sun to move significantly in the sky. Blinking open his eyes, he stared up unseeingly for a moment, before turning his head to the left. Hooded amber eyes were set upon him, and even at his movement, they remained fixated. Suddenly more awake, he waved his hand in front of her but she didn’t react.

“Blake?” he asked, a little weirded out. “Hey, Remnant to Blake? You okay?”

She blinked slowly; very slowly.

“Mm.”

Jaune looked to his right but found that Weiss was fast asleep.

He gently nudged her, then began shaking her softly.

“Hey, Weiss – Blake is acting strangely.”

“Mmng—Ruby, I want to go down the water slide too,” she mumbled cutely, expression scrunching up. “Yang, give me back my swimsuit, I need it...”

What?

Jaune peered at her face as she smiled to herself, giggling under her breath. She looked very innocent, and a little dopey. When he tickled her ribs, that did the trick, her eyes shooting open as she jerked away from him in reflex.

“Wha...?” she looked around in confusion, a hint of drool leaking out over her lips. Slurping it up noisily, she grimaced and wiped at her mouth, blushing as she realized he’d heard her. “W-What are you doing? I was having a good sleep!”

Jaune smirked. “Something about a water slide?”

“Yes, well – it was a perfectly pleasant dream. I’ve never been to a water park before.”

His smirk smoothed out into a genuine smile. “We could go to one when we rejoin society. You know, if you want?”

Weiss smiled happily. “That sounds like a date, mister.”

It did, didn’t it? Urgh, now that he thought about it, they’d had sex but hadn’t even been out on a date together. They were sort of doing things backwards, weren’t they? It wasn’t his fault, though! There weren’t exactly places to go on this island other than the beach. He couldn’t take her to the movies or a fancy restaurant, or on a sky tour of the city.

“We are going to go on plenty of dates when we get back,” he told her seriously. “We skipped an entire section of the courting process. This is unacceptable.”

Her smile only widened. “Hm, I suppose we should. You need to make an honest woman of me and so far, you’ve only taken liberties. I was raised better than this, you know? I was a good girl until you came along.”

It was more like she had been taking liberties with him but he let her get away with it. It was rude to contradict your girlfriend, right?

“Why’d you wake me up? Are we leaving?”

He gestured at Blake who was still gazing at him with hazy eyes. “Blake is acting weird.”

Weiss took one look at her and snorted, covering her mouth. “She looks so silly!”

“Weiss, I think there is something wrong with her.”

The heiress crawled around him and poked her sharply in the ribs, causing Blake to jerk and flail as her eyes snapped open the entire way.

“Ahh~!” Blake let out, cradling her side. When she regained her bearings, she glared at Weiss hotly. “What was that for!?”

“You were freaking out Jaune. He didn’t appreciate your salacious leer.”

Blake swiped at her, missing by a hair as Weiss leaned back.

“I was not,” she fired up. “Jaune, don’t listen to her.”

“I can’t blame you,” Weiss then made a show of looking him up and down, focusing on his exposed upper body. “Looking at him is one of my favorite things to do.”

Jaune laughed, embarrassed but also pleased. What guy wouldn’t be? Blake hissed.

“I’m not consumed with horny like you are, thank you very much.”

“Excuse me, what?” Weiss appeared offended. “I’m not consumed by horny.”

“You are dripping it.”

“Don’t phrase it like that!”

Watching them bicker was enjoyable. Once upon a time, these sorts of interactions between them would have been impossible. Now they threw barbs back and forth without care, more playful than cutting, though getting riled up all the same.

Jaune stretched his arms above his head, groaning as his back popped. He felt refreshed.

“I guess we better start heading back,” he sighed.

Blake followed his example, stretching out her body much more gracefully. Dare he think it but she looked like a cat, all limber limbs and extraordinary flexibility. He couldn’t help the way his eyes quickly darted across her slender form, drinking in the way her exposed belly extended, her back arched as she reclined for maximum stretch.

“She looks quite good like that, doesn’t she?” Weiss whispered in his ear. Jaune grimaced.

“Sorry,” he apologized immediately.

Weiss scoffed. “Why? I’m looking too.”

She wasn’t lying. Just as he was admiring the fit lines of Blake’s stomach, Weiss was looking a little lower.

“She has a really big butt, doesn’t she?”

“I can hear you,” Blake snapped, quickly getting up and hiding her ‘big butt’.

“Drat. Those damn cat ears.”

“Who is leering now?” Blake needled.

Weiss shrugged. “Sorry, it was just too difficult to miss.”

Blake scowled. “Are you calling me fat?”

They were about to start up again.

“How much fruit should we take?” he attempted to steer the conversation away from how big Blake’s ass was, even though that was a perfectly nice subject in its own right. He cleared his throat. “We can only carry so many.”

Weiss suddenly made a sound of realization, her palm slapping her face audibly.

“Uh...” Blake gave her friend a worried look. “Are you okay...?”

“I’m such an idiot!” Weiss suddenly exploded, looking furious. “What is wrong with me?”

Jaune felt nothing but confusion.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“My semblance!” she threw her hands up. “I’m a fool! Why didn’t I think about this sooner?”

“What about your semblance?” Blake asked.

Weiss appeared very cross indeed, stomping her foot. “My summons! Specifically – this one!”

A glyph suddenly appeared on the ground, large and spinning wildly. Blake yelped and got out of the way as a massive white form began climbing up, huge feathered wings preceding a wicked, bone-plated beak. Jaune stepped back as the Nevermore appeared in all its glory, a perfect replica of the Grimm that Team RWBY had defeated during initiation sans the black, red and white.

The sheer size of it meant they could ride it. Matter of fact, hadn’t Weiss and Ruby both ridden the original? He’d even caught her when she fell. Wow, now that was taking him back a bit.

“Idiot! Nitwit! Dunce! Dullard, moron, dimwit, imbecile!” she berated herself. “Am I a Huntress or aren’t I?”

Blake snickered.

“To be fair,” Jaune tried to reason. “We both forgot you could do that...”

That didn’t appear to help. Not at all.

“It’s my semblance! I shouldn’t forget!” she shook her head, a total expression of disbelief etched on her face.

“Well... you’ve remembered now,” Blake’s voice was tinged with great amusement. “No more hiking through the jungle with Jaune hacking away at every tree just to make a few feet of progress. Well done, Weiss.”

“Shut your mouth,” the heiress then pouted. “Just... shut up.”

Their capacity to carry had more than increased. Did that thing even have a limit? It wasn’t exactly alive, a construct of aura and something less understood, the power of Weiss’ soul. They could load it up and not have to worry about it becoming fatigued.

“How should we do this, then?” he asked, thinking. “Maybe if we made a net, it could carry the fruit in its talons?”

Blake nodded. “That’s probably the best way to do it. We can use vines and cross them over to make a crude basket weave and then pile the fruit on top.”

It was a good plan – so they got to work.

Blake had her spear so she helped him cut down bunches by the stem until they had a decent pile. It would last them more than a good few days and they could always come back and get more when needed, especially now that Weiss had rediscovered her own abilities. The white haired girl sat off to the side, sulking as they then began cutting vines from the surrounding forest and fashioning them into a rudimentary net.

It took them around two hours to get everything ready, securing the payload to the summon’s talons. Clambering onto the back of the summoned Grimm, Jaune held on tight. While there were plenty of places to grab, it was a little difficult with all three of them side-by-side and so Blake and Weiss both tucked in against him, one hand each gripping his belt while their other arms looped around his.

“Up,” Weiss commanded and with a beat of its massive wings, they were airborne. Jaune felt his stomach swoop as they rose into the air, circling briefly before heading towards the smoke of their signal fire. Wind roared all around them as trees whipped by underneath, the Nevermore picking up speed and the distance was crossed in half an hour instead of several, though it felt an age, his hands cramping as he held on for dear life.

Air travel was always fastest.

They landed on the beach, kicking up gusts of sand and debris. Setting foot on solid ground once more, he felt a little wobbly, almost falling over as he reorientated himself. Blake didn’t appear bothered at all, darting over to their luggage and inspecting the goods.

“It worked!” she said happily. At most, they may have lost a handful of singular fruit, jostled free mid-flight but the vast majority had made it.

Weiss gave her summon a pat before it vanished into motes of white light, vanishing as if it never existed.

“That should make exploring easier,” Jaune said.

Dragging their haul towards the hut, all in all, it was a good day.