The airship terminal was a bustling place, with travelers and staff moving to and fro catching flights, searching for gates, trying to manage upset children. Baggage carts and the cheap, plastic wheels of roller luggage squeaked amid the constant drone of conversation, arguments, and footsteps—whether slowly trudging from one terminal to the next in search of seats, or an electrical outlet, or the rapid slams of a passenger booking it to reach their connecting flight. l It was a deeply noisy place.

And noisier still when Nora Valkyrie was in it.

"So once I got Sun's butt-dial, Renny and I knew we had to go rescue him!" she proclaimed to her friends, "We had to team up with him to fight the pirates who kidnapped him, then, together, we followed the pirates back to their lair and had to defeat their king! And he was all 'I cannot be stopped by the likes of you,' but then Ren and I were like, 'no way!' and we did a sweet combo attack to defeat him one and for all!"

"Actually," Ren corrected, "what we did was… was..."

As Ren's voice trailed off, Nora suddenly became alarmed. "Ren, what's wrong?"

"That was… that was exactly what happened, Nora. We fought pirates to rescue Sun because he pocket dialed us. You dueled the self-proclaimed King of the South Sea Pirates, and we beat him with a team-up attack… That... actually happened!"

"B-but..." she scrunched up her face in concentration, "The pirate treasure! We dug up their-"

"Yeah, that... also happened. We returned the treasure to its rightful owner and donated our reward money to the Vale Orphanage. The events happened exactly as you have described them."

Ren looked from Yang to Blake to Weiss in wide eyed disbelief, like he couldn't accept the words coming out of his mouth and desperately needed one of them to correct his error. But, well, it wasn't like they went on a pirate adventure (lucky son of a...) so they couldn't do more than shrug.

Nora was uncharacteristically silent for a moment, before admitting, "I'm scared, Ren."

"Me too, Nora… me too."

Looking to change the subject, Yang pointed at the first airship coming in to land. "Well, hey, that's probably them right there!"

"Their flight is docking at Gate E15," Weiss corrected, "and the schedule clearly states that the flight has been delayed for-"

Blake interrupted, shooting a furious glare to both her teammates. "Are we seriously having this discussion again? Again? Even though both of you accept that, at best, the differences are trivial and don't matter, as I have gotten both of you to admit twice now?"

"All I'm saying," Yang snickered, "is that airports are mysterious places that operate by no rules known to-"

"THE TIMES ARE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT THERE!" Weiss yelled, throwing her arm out to point at the "Flight A113 Argus to Vale, Gate E15: DELAYED" on the screen.

"Yeah?" Yang smirked, knowing it was the perfect time to play her trump card, "Then why are the Girls, Cereal and Bunny, right there, huh, Weiss-cream?"

Weiss was about to answer when Nora cut her off. "Holy shit, it is them!"

Yang had actually seen Velvet and Pyrrha emerge from the concourse while Weiss was first correcting her, but she knew to keep that fact in her pocket.

Pyrrha was looking rather glamorous (and Yang certainly noticed how Weiss's eyes drank P-money in!) as she strode across the terminal, that was, before she caught sight of her friends and broke into an excited squeal of joy and raced over, Velvet trailing not far behind.

Joyful hugs were shared all around, Weiss's hugs being surprisingly daring, though Yang knew not to be surprised by that little slut in the grass any longer. Blake asked Pyrrha about how the trip went as Weiss conveyed to Velvet that the rest of Team CFVY sent their regrets that they couldn't be there to welcome her, on account of a Fox-related catastrophe.

Poor boy had the worst luck, and Coco was not one to forgive easily. Yang'd have to send him some condolences. Troublemakers ought to look out for one another and all: there's was a hard lot, being cool and bringing fun to their teams, often with little gratitude and only scorn as a reward for so many awesome ideas that just happened to not work out.

But on the terminal, they still had to wait before they could return to Beacon. There was an electric tension in the air as the girls waited for the last two of their group.

Jaune and Ruby.

Augh, the suspense was terrible! Blake and Weiss had made Yang promise, with many, many threats, that she wouldn't sock Jaune right in the gut if it turned out that… Ruby (she could already hear her teeth starting to grind together)... was an… adult. And could make… decisions… on... her own.

Realizing her fists were clenched so tightly that her fingers were starting to hurt, Yang allowed them to unclasp a little as she tried to think about happier, less rage-inducing subjects.

Namely, how long would it be between now and when Jaune was next fucking her?

She was pissed at Jaune, beyond pissed, if he did anything to her precious baby sister, but at the same time, Yang was really invested in giving him another tumble, just to prove to him that she'd only gotten caught off guard the first time. Yang was still the alluring, adventurous sex bomb of Team RWBY, even if Weiss and Blake were total pervs. That first time had been a mistake, she, looking like she did, was entitled to a do-over.

And… she really wanted to feel that dick inside her again.

Looking to Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha, and Velvet, she could definitely pick up the signals that Yang wasn't alone in this desire. The girls were slightly flushed, licking their lips nervously, and definitely focusing to be the first to spot Jaune… and maybe snatch the welcome back kiss?

None of their relationships were out and public yet, but Yang wouldn't put it past Weiss or Blake to jump the gun to try and move up in the hierarchy. Yang was pretty sure, from the explanations she'd received of the history of this whole… thing, that Pyrrha and Velvet were at the top spot, but she wasn't sure that it was a fixed thing. And if Yang was being wholly honest, she wouldn't mind moving up the ranks a little, herself.

Just to stick it to Weiss if nothing else.

"There!"

Blake's voice jolted all of them back to attention, and Yang snapped to see her partner's finger boldly pointing towards… welp, moment of truth.

From the look on her little sister's face, that undeniably smug, cat-who-ate-the-canary grin she was trying to hide, she had big news to share, likely related to the blond dork that had, somehow, managed to capture Yang's heart.

Dammit all, he had.

It was just a sex thing, but hell, seeing him again made Yang just feel… sunnier. Even though she figured she'd punch his teeth in for laying a hand on her Rubes, seeing the two of them together, they just looked so- so- so…

Happy.

They looked happy and Yang felt happy for them, and, gods alive, she couldn't be mad about that.

Unlike Pyrrha and Velvet, the two of them were clearly exhausted (making Yang a little annoyed again, from the logical conclusions, but she figured she'd let it pass) but they were still excited to see them again. So as they trundled forward through the crowd, Pyrrha shot to her boyfriend's side, wrapping him a big, rather attention gathering, hug. Yang definitely saw a few scroll phones click at the sight of The Invincible Girl with a boy.

Normally, Yang would have expected Pyrrha to be more discrete in her excitement, to make it seem more like she was excited to see her friends again, not her lover. After all, Yang hadn't even realized that she and Loverboy had hooked up until well after Yang was sleeping with Jaune. And Yang had a nose for gossip. Jaune seemed surprised as well.

"Whoa!" Jaune laughed, a hint of nervousness in his voice as he quietly added, "You know, people can, um, see us, right?"

"Oh." Pyrrha suddenly paled. "You haven't… heard."

Oh.

Whatever it was, Yang hadn't heard either, so this was kind of a surprise. Though she'd spent her break mostly napping, having lazy lesbian sex, and playing video games, so… if anything, she was more surprised that Weiss evidently hadn't heard either.

"Ummm… my scroll broke?" Jaune lamely admitted, "So I've been out of the loop."

"You broke another scroll?" Ren asked, then added, slightly surprised, "Nora's only broken one so far, so..."

Ruby, however, leapt to Jaune's defense. "It was Nebula's fault! And she's buying him a replacement."

"Was it cool?" Yang asked. Weiss immediately scowled at Yang that now was not the time, but Ruby quietly shook her head yes meaning that Yang had to know the story behind it. Nebula kicked ass, and it sucked that Ruby and Jaune got to hang out with her and Ars. The three of them had gotten up to craziness together on the last days of the Festival!

Oh, yeah, the drama! Yang had almost forgotten, what with the scroll story.

Pyrrha glanced at Jaune. "I… there was an issue, with..." she took a deep breath, "peoplenowknowthatwe'redating!" she bolted out.

"What?" Weiss asked.

Ruby just slapped a hand to her mouth, evidently having realized she knew what Pyrrha was talking about. "Is that- is that what Penny meant? I thought it was… oh, oh, guys, I am so sorry!"

"Seconding the 'What?' over here," groused Blake. "Faunus hearing doesn't help with fast talk, just quiet talk."

"Wait, people know we're dating?" Jaune asked, "Do they… also know about..."

Pyrrha shook her head no, and thank the Brothers for that! Yang knew her family and knew that none of them had to learn that she was in a polyamorous relationship with like, half her class. Not for a good long while. Uncle Qrow would probably kill Jaune, but Dad would… Yang didn't want to think about it.

Even less than she wanted to imagine what her Mom would think about Jaune.

But Jaune didn't seem particularly perturbed that they'd been outed. "Well," he chuckled, "it was gonna happen sooner or later, wasn't it?"

Yang didn't miss how relieved Pyrrha looked to hear how genuinely unconcerned Jaune was that the word was out.

"I, um, my agent… she'd actually like to talk to you sometime this week, about… managing the press."

That got a response from Jaune. His eyes went a little wide, evidently only now putting together that dating an international celebrity (how easy it was to forget, in the seclusion of Beacon, that Cereal Girl was Cereal Girl because companies paid her money to endorse their products) meant that he was dating an international celebrity.

She figured she ought to step in. "Eh," Yang shrugged, "What's the worst that can happen?"

"Scandal could be fun," Blake smirked, "I always knew I'd be involved in an international intrigue at some point in my life, never thought it'd be a tabloid sex scandal..."

The words "tabloid sex scandal" seemed to start making the Ice Queen melt, and Yang realized that she should probably have a talk with her team about what, exactly they wanted from this relationship and to maybe keep everyone on the same page before it all went to hell. But on the plus side, Jaune did seem to be in a better headspace now that everyone else was fairly positive about it. And really, it could be fun to go public, so long as her family never found out, to be daring, to show all of Beacon that they were in a crazy group sex thing.

Cardin Winchester would literally die from it, so that was another plus!

So as everyone else laughed and joked about tabloids and scandals and how to break the news, Yang made up her mind:

Jaune had, for now, been reprieved of his well-deserved punch in the gut.

Coming back from the conference, Jaune was exhausted.

But he also knew that he had a duty to take care of his relationships—if he wanted to have more than a half-dozen girlfriends, sexfriends, or otherwise amorous relationships, he had to be prepared to put in the work to keep their relationships strong.

But on the flight back (in between frequent trips to the bathroom, damn his motion sickness), Ruby had told him she wanted him to put Pyrrha first. Apparently, she felt a little bit guilty for trying to tempt him into infidelity, and she assured him that she wanted a chance to tell her team all about what they'd done at the conference.

Jaune hadn't told Ruby what Weiss was like in bed (seemed ungentlemanly), but he knew she was in for a surprise. Probably one she wouldn't mind—the two partners were definitely on the same wavelength when it came to "naked enthusiasm to try anything."

Which had a lot to do with why Jaune was so exhausted…

Taking the Bullhead back to Beacon, he was somehow tired enough to forget his airsickness as he rested his head on Pyrrha's shoulder. It felt… nice. Not just to have his girlfriend supporting him, as beat as he was, but that he could do it in public. Sneaking around in secrecy had been fun, but Jaune much prefered that now he didn't have anything to hide and they could just… be together, like this.

But at the same time, he was way too tired to be thinking much about the future. Nora was eagerly filling him in on the adventures he missed, ranging from… something with pirates to a much more detailed story about all you can eat pancakes that he was pretty sure she was making up—JNPR had strict rules on limiting Nora's access to anything "all you can eat," and he trusted Ren not to let him down on that front.

But as the Bullhead finally landed, Nora and Ren gave him shrouded smirks as they told him to "take all the time he needed to unpack," (Nora wiggling her eyebrows quite unnecessarily on that word) as they headed back to the JNPR dorm leaving him, Velvet, and Pyrrha to go to their private room. But while he was eager to see them again in that fashion, Jaune was infinitely grateful that Pyrrha and Velvet simply led him to the bed, let him sink into the soft mattress, and curled up with him.

With a girl in each arm, their heads resting on his chest and their soft breasts pressed into him, Jaune let his eyes flutter shut as he drifted off to a pleasant sleep, the luckiest man alive.

He was fairly certain he was dreaming.

Though, after so much of Jaune's recent life, his confidence of whether or not he was dreaming or awake had taken a major hit. After all, was it so strange that he might be reclining in a pool as his bikini-clad harem crowded around him, eager to show off their stunning bodies?

Velvet and Pyrrha were at his side, giggling and preening as they let his hands run all over them, while Team RWBY was arrayed before him—Weiss looking elegant even in her daring white sling bikini, Ruby wearing an identical set, only in red, like they were trying to outdo Blake and Yang's yellow and black microbikinis. They flirted and posed and pouted for his attention, making sure he got the best view of their assets their skimpy swimwear allowed.

And behind him, he had Glynda massaging his shoulders. He just knew that those were her hands, kneading out all the stress from his trip.

But her shoulder massage seemed more like an excuse to press her soft breasts into him from behind, whispering dirty promises into his ear. And that was making him aware of the way Pyrrha and Velvet's tits were pressed into his side, his fingers roaming and squeezing their butts. It was… heaven, really.

But then Weiss looked at him with an impish grin.

"So Jaune..." she began, "who are you going to choose?"

Suddenly, he realized the feeling of others upon him was gone as only Weiss, now, was before him in the pool.

Her voice shifted—still Weiss, but somehow… more potent. "Aren't I your Snow Angel, Jaune? The girl you desired for so long, who you risked so much for? The one you tried so desperately to convince yourself wasn't the girl for you? And then I offered myself, my everything to you." Jaune realized he was now on the ledge of the pool as Weiss pushed herself between his legs… making him realize he was no longer wearing a swimsuit.

"Just… like… this..."

She began to wrap her lips around his cock, making Jaune moan as her pristine face and perfect lips worshiped him.

"Ohhhhhhh, damn," Jaune moaned, feeling her tongue delicately dance around his shaft. Weiss's enthusiasm and grace made her incredible at blowing him and while they hadn't had that many experiences so far, thanks to the trip coming so soon after they began their relationship, Jaune was excited for more opportunities in the future… but then, something… changed?

It wasn't Weiss's lips that were now wrapped around him, or her snow white hair draped over his lap. It was… blonde now. It was Yang! Yang looked up, her lips slipping off his cock with a messy pop, as she shot him a dazzling, self-confident smile… and then wrapped her knockers around his dick as she started to tittyfuck him.

"Come on, Jaune!" she teased, "You're literally dreaming about my tits, just like every other boy at Beacon." Then she tittered. "And some of the girls, too! Everyone's jealous of the boy who got to bang the Yang, and you're going to love showing everyone how much more of a man you are, how wrong everyone who doubted you is, once you have me hanging on your arm."

Jaune stammered, trying to find his words. A task made more difficult by how incredible it felt to have Yang's tits wrapped around his dick. Jaune moaned as he closed his eyes, trying to escape the sensation for long enough to just think, only…

When he opened his eyes, Yang was gone. And he heard a noise behind him.

It was Glynda, lying on a deck chair, sunning herself and letting Jaune drink in her magnificent curves. Her bikini was untied, just resting on top of her generous mounds. How easy it would be to fix that mistake...

Glynda giggled, an uncharacteristically youthful and informal sound in undeniably her voice, something that never failed to get Jaune hard. "Come, join me."

He was unable to resist, walking over to her, watching as she cast her bikini aside, lying gloriously naked before him, licking her lips with a silent, pleading request in her eyes.

Even if he was her Master, Jaune was happy to obey.

"Oh, yes," she moaned, "T-take me, Master, defile me, use me!"

It didn't take much more prompting for Jaune to enter her, loving the way she gasped to receive him as he started fucking her. Her pussy was so tight, her face, crumbling from her stern authority into paroxysms of lewd desire, her eyes rolling in her head as she struggled to hold on as he fucked her!

Jaune closed his eyes, loving the cushion of her breasts beneath him as he topped her, aggressively kissing her neck as he went wild on his teacher… who started to speak to him in that unnatural voice. "Spending all your time with girls when you could have a fully mature—and very well-trained, if I might say—woman at your beck and call… Why Mr. Arc, I know you're smart enough to know that it's not a choice at all."

"Wh-what?" he said, confused.

When he opened his eyes, though, it was Blake underneath him. She moaned in pleasure, her beautiful black hair splayed beneath her, her ears twitching as she luxuriated in his pounding thrusts. "Oh, Jaune, take me!" she cried, "Can't you feel how much your kitty's pussy loves you!"

Jaune felt her nails did into his back, her legs wrap tight around him as she pulled him to her, practically radiating her desperate need for closeness, to never let him go.

But then her tone shifted, like everyone else's had, with Jaune still thrusting into her. "You know I'm in love with you, Jaune. Madly, wildly, hopelessly in love with you. You're the one who's made me believe in love again, as something so much more than a story."

"I- I..." he stammered, "I don't know what to say-"

"Say you love me," she responded, her eyes brimming with a pure, perfect love and desire, "Just say I'm your one and only. Just choose."

"Or choose me."

Another voice, and Jaune looked back to the pool, only to realize now he was lying on his back on the deck chair, Blake nowhere to be seen.

But he could see Ruby in the pool, proudly naked as she bobbed in the water. "Come on!" she cheerfully shouted, "Join me!"

Jaune couldn't resist, sliding into the cool water and pushing his way forward to her. Ruby caught him in a kiss, letting her delectable lips crash into his, her eager, inquisitive tongue exploring his mouth. With a quick hop, she pounced on his dick, giving him a sly grin as she moved up and down on him, moaning as Jaune fucked her.

But then she looked him in the eye, that strange register entering her voice. "Don't we have something special, Jaune? We met on that first day, just as fate would have it, the two of us, both outsiders, both feeling like we didn't belong here. But we both became leaders together. You told me I was special to you. Aren't I?"

"Ruby, wh-what does this mean? What's going-"

"I'm not Ruby, silly!"

It was Velvet who was now smiling at him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her pussy clamping down on his cock.

Velvet smiled at him. "Aren't I your little bunny, Jaune? You know I'm your favorite, don't you? The one who adores you, worships you, desires nothing but you?"

"But Velvet," Jaune pleaded, suddenly finding his voice "I thought- I thought you liked that we had an open relationship? Wh-what about Coco?"

"But you're the only one for me," she giggled, "The only one I truly love. You know I'd do anything to make you happy. Change anything about myself. I was so lost, so lonely at Beacon before I had you, and now… you've changed everything for me. I'd do anything for you..."

"Velvet, this- this isn't you!" he cried.

"Are you sure? Don't I feel like your Velvet?" And Jaune couldn't help but moan as she gave a little wiggle, driving his dick wild. "And you know you have to choose. I'm yours, Jaune. Always and forever yours. Would you really not choose me?"

Jaune stared into his bunny's big, brown eyes, her adoration practically sparkling in them, his mouth hanging over as he searched for something to say, some way to make sense of what was happening! …and then she was gone.

"What about me, Jaune."

He turned. Pyrrha. Who else could it be but Pyrrha, Pyrrha, standing over the pool, so high above him and looking so perfectly, unapproachably glamorous, but with that look upon her face, that look of pure desire, pure love.

"Wasn't I your first?" she asked, sitting down on the pool's edge, her long, toned legs slipping into the water, "The woman you always thought you weren't good enough for, and yet… the one who adored you, unconditionally? Have you moved on from me, Jaune? Am I not enough, anymore?"

"N-no!" Jaune stammered, unable to even- to even think of Pyrrha ever being somehow insufficient.

"Am I the one, then? Your one and only? The love of your life? Or do you choose another?"

"P-Pyrrha!" he gasped, "You- you're the one who-"

"You have to choose," he heard a voice, a voice he couldn't place, "Everyone knows you have to choose."

There was suddenly a weight on him, a crushing weight, a weight of realization and he suddenly was struggling to breathe! The once-refreshing water of the pool was now a vise around him, and he was choking.

Gasping, Jaune awoke to realize the weight on his chest wasn't water crushing his lungs, but that Velvet was now on top of him, well, moaning and grinding on top of him, rubbing her pussy against his abs as Pyrrha lovingly sucked him off.

Her eyes jerked open as Jaune caught his breath, and Velvet, suddenly bashful, looked away with a quiet, "Oops."

Catching his breath, Jaune mumbled, "It's alright. Just... startled me, a little."

"Sorry if we woke you up," Velvet giggled as she rolled off his chest.

Pyrrha's lips slipped off his dick with a messy pop. "You just looked too cute!" she said, "I couldn't help myself… though I hope it gave you some pleasant dreams."

Giving his girlfriends a tired grin, feeling relieved to see them more than anything, he still felt the weight of the dream still lingering on him.

"Ummm… hey, do you..." he asked, hesitantly, "You don't mind that I have… multiple girls, right?"

Pyrrha blinked at him in confusion, then snickered. "You think you have multiple girls, Jaune?" she turned to Velvet, making her squeak as she ran her hands over her boobs, "Someone's got an ego… You're my bunnygirl, aren't you, Vel?"

Pleasantly fondling their helplessly squirming, shared girlfriend, Pyrrha smiled warmly at him. "Jaune, we're a group relationship—I'm sleeping with Blake and Weiss and and Glynda and Velvet, and, yes," she added with a smirk, "I'll probably be sleeping with Ruby and Yang soon enough, too, as well as sleeping with you."

"And I'm sleeping with Coco," Velvet giggled, "And she's not at all interested in anyone else!" Then she gave Jaune and Pyrrha a sly look, "Looks like I have the biggest harem of all of you. What can I say?" she preened, "It's the ears."

"Or it's these," Pyrrha said, giving Velvet's boobs a sudden squeeze.

As hot as it was to watch two girls play with each other, Jaune felt more appreciative than anything. His dream proved that, if anything, he had some anxieties about having multiple girlfriends, fears that he would be, eventually, forced to choose. That someone would get hurt. "Everyone knows you have to choose" was the phrase the dream had used. He couldn't place the voice he'd heard it in, but it was someone… important.

But Pyrrha suddenly gave him a concerned look. "Is this about… us being public? Because I can assure you, I absolutely am willing to-"

"Oh, no, no!" Jaune was quick to cut in, "I… I'm actually really happy we don't have to hide it anymore. It's… like, I've had fun sneaking around, but I think we're really going to enjoy finally not having to hide anything anymore."

"I'm happy you two are public, too," Velvet sighed, "Now the two of you can go on romantic dates, just the two of you… I've had so many ideas that I know you'll love!"

He looked to Velvet, "I… I want the whole thing to come out, too. Make it public with as many of us who want to go public. If that's alright with all of you?"

Pyrrha gave him a long, loving smile. "Of course it is. How about you, Vel?"

Velvet blushed furiously, looking away. She was precious to him, but… they all were. He loved them all so dearly, and he was so endlessly grateful to have so many wonderful people in his life… and in his bed.

But he didn't miss it as she added, in a quiet voice, "I think I'd… like that."

As Pyrrha went back to giving him head, Jaune stroked his bunny's ears, loving the way she so tenderly curled up beside him. Being revealed like this wasn't exactly how he'd wanted it, but Jaune was happy that, at the least, they finally were able to be open. And soon, he could be open with everyone, and that would truly be wonderful.

The words blurred and focused, in and out, an undulating pattern of clarity in opacity.

But one thing remained clear.

Hate.

Ilia Amitola's entire soul burned with hate.

"WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE INVINCIBLE GIRL'S NEW BEAU?" proclaimed the headline.

And beneath, a picture.

Of a man.

Who was cheating on Blake.

Ilia had told herself that she was happy that Blake had found someone who made her happy. Someone better than Adam. Someone who would…

It was all a lie. Everything about this "Jaune Arc" filled Ilia with rage. Ever since Blake first dropped the name at Tukson's, she had done her best not to jealously investigate every piece of dirt she could possibly find on him, telling herself that Blake was happy with him, and… not… her…

AAAAAARGH!

She flung the paper away, scowling, unable to bear his dopey, idiot face staring back at her, mocking her for what she wanted so dearly and he never appreciated. She'd held back as best she could, only once approaching Torchwick's little gremlin to scout out some dirt on the boy. The… crude, highly sexual drawings she'd received had been a reminder that everyone in Torchwick's operation was an idiot or a jackass, but it was her one and only time she let herself slip!

But now… if she had known, she would not… would not have allowed this to happen! She would have told Blake-

No.

She wouldn't- she couldn't be the one to tell Blake. She'd figure it out very soon, Ilia was sure, but Blake never read celebrity gossip and was keeping her relationship with Jaune (what a loathsome name!) secret, so it likely just dangled out of her reach, totally unaware as the whole rest of the world knew her sweetheart was two-timing her! But it wouldn't be secret for long, and when it did, it would devastate her.

There was a better way. A more final way to end this- this insult to Blake!

Taking up her scroll, Ilia quickly punched in some numbers. It rang. Twice.

"You got Mercury," an insolent-sounding voice on the other end cut in.

They were technically at her disposal. Cinder Fall's obnoxious little henchmen. She didn't like working with them, but… she knew they were good at what they did. "The White Fang has a matter that requires your… expertise."

"Hell yeah," the voice chuckled, "I have been bored as shit. Meet me at the spot, we'll talk there, and… trust me, when it comes to 'problem solving,' you're working with the best of the best here."

And then he hung up. Ilia closed her scroll and leaned back in her chair. She had made up her mind. She had allowed too many things to slide. There were some crimes that would not be forgiven.

She knew what had to be done.

And I'm back! Thanks to Renarde, as always, for feedback on this chapter!

I'm excited to get to sort of the second half of the story, where things will be a little bit more free-form. This story's been always a bit of a wander where I was first trying my hand at smut writing, so it's always been a bit more porn-focused than plot focused, but for the future chapters, I'm interested in doing more things as the mood strikes me. Much like with my AO3 smut stories, I'm happy to hear out people's requests (and I try to credit them when I use their ideas as best I can), so if there's anyone you'd particularly like to see, don't hesitate to throw out suggestions.

But there's a bunch of ideas I still have to play out that've been set up in earlier chapters. And Ilia's hiring an assassin, which should be fun! But you can see how that plays out in the next chapter: To Lead and to Follow.