Vendetta543
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With Age Comes Experience - Chapter 2
🕑 Added 2024-09-08 00:10:25 +0000 UTCWow, so...a buncha people really like the story, but not for the reasons I expected. This was meant to be a story where Jaune fucks bratty women stupid. Instead, the majority of people want to focus on Glynda and Jaune's relationship along with Jaune's college life as a 38 year old divorcee. You guys do know that was just meant to be a minor background thing, right?
Well, ask and you shall receive. This chapter is focused on Jaune and Glynda talking plus a brief flashback. I'll ask about that in the bottom Authors Notes.
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Ending up in the headmistress' room on your first day meant you either did something very good or very bad. With Jaune, it was more of a mixed bag. After all, he doubted that a student being the ex-husband of the headmistress was a thing that happened often. It might've been the first time it happened in all of Remnant, really.
Not exactly how he wanted to make his mark in the history books...
"Here." Glynda handed him a cup of chamomile tea and sat across from him on the other side of the small table, a steaming teapot between them. Chamomile tea was always Glynda's favorite, even back then. It took him a while to like it himself.
"How've you been?" Jaune asked.
"Busy as always." She laughed softly, "Beacon's going to be holding the Vytal tournament this year. As expected, its led to a fair share of scrambling. You'd think it would be as easy as setting up an event, but no. Everyone's too busy treating it like an international dick-measuring contest." The crude phrase sounded out of place coming from her. A reminder of a far less...controlled past, "There's the arguments. Vale wants to show off with as much pomp and luxury as it can, but it's not as if we have the funding. Correction. We have the funding, but just about everyone is dipping into it like it's their own personal piggy bank. And yet they have the gall to act surprised when I tell them that buying that villa in Anima means we're suddenly lacking in lien."
"Sounds rough." Jaune laughed under his breath.
"The less said about their 'suggestions', the better." Glynda sighed, "Would you believe that they suggested that we siphon funds from 'less important' projects?"
"Less important?" Jaune raised a brow.
"Yes, because clearly the money being used to help with maintaining the defenses and ensuring low-income people don't starve to death isn't important." He could hear the annoyance dripping from every word, "Why does it matter to them? They're cozy up on their 'legally acquired' mansions and the Huntsmen will always be there to protect them. Why even bother with maintaining the defenses so heavily? It's not as if a horde of Grimm will breach the walls, so clearly we shouldn't bother at all!"
"Now I get why you picked chamomile." He didn't envy her. Being the headmistress of Beacon sounded like a prestigious position, but it also meant dealing with superpowered young adults with more balls than sense and politicians who were detached from reality. Jaune didn't know how she'd lasted five years without going insane.
"You didn't come here to hear me ramble." Glynda sighed again, "How about you? How fares your team?"
"...Not good." He didn't sugarcoat it. One thing he and Glynda never did was lie to one another, "Weiss clearly didn't like being passed over as leader and I could tell she was looking for flaws to pick at. Probably thinks she can 'depose' me."
"Yes. Miss. Schnee does seem the type to have never been told 'No' in her life." Glynda pursed her lips, "She'll have to be disavowed of that notion. Far too many people choose to be Huntsmen for the sake of their ego. You've seen the type." More times than he cared to count, "I've no idea why she chose Beacon instead of Atlas, but it doesn't matter. In here she can't simply throw her name around expecting special treatment. You're her leader, so you have to put your foot down."
"Easier said than done." Jaune drank the tea, "Blake's quiet for now, but I can tell she doesn't like Weiss."
"I'm not surprised. A Faunus would hardly have positive views of a Schnee."
"Figured that was the case." Jaune let out a single, unamused laugh. He'd seen Faunus trying to hide their traits before, the ones who experienced prejudice before moving to Domremy. There were a few prejudiced assholes back home, but he did his best to set them straight when he ran across them.
"She didn't even change her last name. I've no idea why she thinks she's being subtle." Glynda scoffed, "And your third teammate?"
"Yang? She's..." Before he could stop himself, clear picture of what she'd done before returned. Yang raising her crop top and showing off her generous breasts. He wasn't some virgin who had no experience with nudity, but he was still surprised by just how...brazen she was. He'd seen flirtatious women back home, but not to the point of flashing someone they knew for less than a day.
Glynda took his silence as a cue to talk, "She's...difficult." She traced a finger on the rim of her cup, "She had the best grades in combat at Signal, but she had a habit of getting into trouble."
"Define trouble."
"She pushes limits, sees how far she can get and doesn't stop until she's disciplined. The typical teenager, except she has the ego of a future Huntress on top of it." She pursed her lips, "Honestly, I had my doubts on letting her enroll here. She's got the aptitude, certainly, but her devil may care behavior has led to issues in the past. Huntsmen who let their perceived superiority get in the way of their duties. For them, being a Huntsman is all about the fame or fun."
"Sounds like someone else I know." Jaune smirked.
"You'll never let that go, will you?" Glynda glared half-heartedly.
"Nope."
"Ugh, why did I fall for you again?" He knew why, but it wasn't exactly something proper to say to your ex...
His eyes looked over the rest of the room to try and distract himself. As expected, it was sparse. A bed, wardrobe, a desk, and a few other necessities. There were some hints of personalization - particularly a generously filled bookcase and the ornate tea set she used - but apart from that, the room was almost purely utalitarian. She wasn't one for 'frivolity or excess', to use her words. Ironic considering the graceful, elegant image she had. That cape was almost a decade old at this point. A present from...
"How's Jade?"
Glynda's cup paused mid-raise. Of course, she was so measured that not a single drop fell. Jaune took a sip of his own drink and waited for her to collect herself, "She's fine," Glynda eventually said stiffly.
"Just fine?"
"You'd know better than I would." Her words were carefully neutral, but he could tell the undercurrent of regret in her words.
Jade Arc...their daughter, the apple of his eye. Fifteen years old and a bit too much like her old man for his liking. His lips curled in a wry smirk at that. Jade was an Arc born and bred. She loved the stories about heroes and wanted to be one herself. That was probably his fault. Growing up, he'd practically spoiled her on fairytales and stories about heroes and Huntsmen. Men and women who rose up to defend innocents against the Grimm and the criminals.
It really shouldn't have been a surprise then that she decided she wanted to be a Huntress. Domremy didn't have a combat school or a Huntsman, but he knew some Huntsmen who were willing to take contracts training people. It wasn't useful for an adult like him, and it cost a pretty penny too, but they managed it. He didn't make a lot running the militia (or at least, it definitely wasn't enough to afford a Huntsman for an extended period), but Glynda and the rest of the family helped pitch in. Her connections even got them a discount.
And now she was here. Jade chose a combat school called Signal on the island of Patch. He'd been happy when she made the choice, even if he was confused when she suddenly told him that she wanted him to attend Beacon while she attended Signal. She wouldn't go there unless he agreed to go to Beacon, she said. He didn't know whether to laugh or cringe when she'd sprung it on him like an ultimatum.
She'd pushed through all his arguments. So what if he was pushing forty? He had Aura and there were no rules against attending late. And it wasn't like he had anything else to do. He'd already trained a decent successor for the militia and they could handle things for a few years while he wa sgone. And so on and so forth. She refused to his arguments and told him that she knew he wanted to be a Huntsman, so why couldn't they both fulfill their dreams?
He could never say no to her...
"I haven't seen her in a week." Jaune shrugged. She still texted him, of course, but he told her to focus on Signal for now while he set everything up. He couldn't just up and leave without warning. He had to make sure someone watched the house while they were gone, gave instructions for the new captain, and told the rest of his family too. They were all supportive, and Adrian even mentioned that maybe he'd come visit when the semester break came.
"Our talks were...limited." He could tell she wanted to use another word, but he didn't pry, "I was here to meet her when she arrived, but she refused my offer to stay. She chose to spend the week-long wait in a hotel."
"She didn't tell me that." Jaune's brows furrowed.
"I assumed not. It's to be expected." She smiled sadly and took a dainty sip of the tea, "You wouldn't want to live in a stranger's house."
Jaune sighed. He'd like to say that it was all planned, that he and Glynda wanted to start a family, but the truth of it was that it wasn't planned in the least. He and Glynda were young and...passionate, and one thing led to another. Some petty part of him, the one that came out during his most stressful moments, blamed Jade for not being able to achieve his dreams. Absolute bullshit. It was his fault for being too lazy to train. If he could go back in time, he'd slap his younger self upside the head for being such a petty, selfish asshole.
But he wasn't the only one. Glynda was...focused on her work. The rest of his family had far less generous things to call her. She was a Huntress born and bred. She tried her best to spend time with them those first couple of years, but being a Huntress wasn't conducive to being home a lot. Missions could take her away for weeks at a time, sometimes even months depending on how dangerous they were. During those times, the only communication she had with them were scattered calls and messages.
Becoming the headmistress didn't improve things. She was busier than ever, always swamped with work and politics with never enough time for herself. Apparently, her predecessor left a lot of fires burning and her appointment left her with a lot of cleaning up to do. Communication didn't get any more frequent and the few times she had free were holidays where half her mind was still focused on what work she had to do by the time she got back to her job.
"She doesn't hate you."
"She has no fond feelings for me either." She set her cup down on the table, "I'm not going to act resentful over it. I don't have the right to. We both made the choices we did."
Jaune didn't disagree. As much as he saw the best in Glynda, he didn't miss the way Jade and the rest of the family viewed her. Jade had gone from eager to slowly apathetic as the years passed and Glynda was forced to cancel planned meetings because something else came up. She remembered how devastated she was the first time it happened. Now? Now he had to remind her that Glynda had made plans to spend time together, and he could tell that she had to force herself to go.
The rest of the family wasn't any better. Mom and Dad kept their comments to themselves, but his sisters were all vocal about their thoughts on her. Glynda stopped attending get-togethers with them after they made it very clear that she wasn't family as far as they were concerned.
"Maybe this is a chance to reconnect?" Jaune asked softly.
"I've been absent for most of her life, Jaune. I can't just pretend everything's okay just because she's at a marginally closer distance. It wouldn't be fair for you or for Jade." She shook her head, "She'll have a place in Beacon after graduating if she wishes it, but I wouldn't be surprised if she chooses Haven or Atlas Academy. I'm surprised she encouraged you to come here, in all honesty."
"Yeah..." That might've had more to do with Saphron mentioning that Beacon had been his dream academy. She didn't mention Glynda once during her appeal, "...Still, Jade and I agreed that we'd meet up in a couple of weeks. Are you free?"
"I don't want to impose."
"It's not imposing if I'm asking." He reached out and squeezed her left hand for a moment. She briefly reciprocated the gesture before they both pulled back, "Whatever else you think of her, Jade's still your daughter."
"But I'm not her mother. Mothers do more than send money and call every few months." She shook her head, "Jaune...I appreciate what you're trying to do, but we can't walk back all those years. Perhaps if I could go back in time, I would tell myself to focus more on family instead of work." She paused, "And yet, I can't deny that good things have been done. Lives saved, disasters averted...would I give all that up? Is it right to? ...Does that make me a bad person?"
"Glynda..."
"I'm getting melancholy in old age, I think." She laughed. There was no joy in it, "We should end it here. You have classes tomorrow and I'd be a poor headmistress if I kept you up too late."
"Yeah..." Jaune sighed. He wasn't looking forward to seeing his team again.
"Chin up, Jaune. If anyone can deal with their idiosyncrasies, it's you."
"Using big words doesn't make me feel better." He finished his tea and stood, "But you're right, gotta get back to it. It was...nice to see you again. Glynda."
"You too, Jaune."
He made his way back to the dorm room. Thankfully, everyone was already asleep by the time he got back. Weiss somehow looked stiff even while she was sleeping, which was impressive. Blake kept her bow on too. He had to deal with that at some point. He'd wrangled racists back home. The militia had some prejudiced recruits who had 'dated' thoughts. Most of them were Humans who looked down on Faunus, but the reverse was there too. Gave him a headache even just thinking about it. People with prejudices were bad enough, but entitled racists were a whole different breed.
His eyes flicked over to Yang. She was...messy. Limbs splayed haphazardly, tanktop riding up to expose her stomach, and snoring on top of it. Jaune covered her loosely with a blanket before he crawled into his own bed for a long, dream-filled sleep.
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19 years ago...
Jaune looked at his reflection in the mirror and smiled. This was it, he told himself, his first big job since joining the militia.
Okay, maybe it wasn't big, but it was definitely a step up from all the usual grunt work. Most days he and the other recruits manned the walls. The most exciting part of their job was seeing a lone beowolf through the scopes of their hunting rifles. It was wrong for him to wish for anything else - a day of boredom meant a day of safety like the captain said - but it was hard not to feel like he was wasting away sometimes. Days just standing in one spot looking out into the roads was training his brain to mush.
Not today. No, today he was being sent on an actual mission!
...
Okay, he was being sent to escort someone who was doing a mission, but it still counted! Especially since the person he was being sent to kill was a Huntress- okay, Huntress-in-training, but still a Huntress. He'd seen Huntsmen a few times around the village, but he never really talked to them. It was always the mayor or the captain that did that stuff.
Honestly, he was surprised that he got picked. Captain Dornan had called him up just a few hours back and said that he was going to help escort the Huntress since he knew the area pretty well. Apparently, the scouts found a group of Creep Grimm that ambushed them. They all managed to get away, thank the Brothers, but it was clearly too much for the militia to handle so they called a Huntress. But of course, Creeps were subterranean Grimm, meaning that they'd be hiding in caves. The Huntress could track them down herself, but it would've been faster if someone who knew the area lent her a hand.
Which meant him. Nicholas, the lead hunter (not Huntsman) was still out of town, so he was the next best thing. He tried to take it as a compliment.
Jaune washed his face and stepped out of the house, breathing deeply to try and calm his nerves. Maybe escorting the Huntress to some caves wasn't exciting or impressive, but he was still looking forward to it. The chance to see a Huntress in action outside of television screen or scroll? He wouldn't pass this up for anything! Captain Dornan told him that they'd meet at Shellam, the local inn. Domremy wasn't big enough to need hotels, but travelers needed a place to stay.
He was a few steps from the entrance when he heard the voice.
"FUCK OFF!"
Jaune's eyes widened and he stepped to the side just in time to avoid the figure that crashed through the door and skidded against the ground. He recognized him. Tommy, the local strong man. Well, strong in the sense that he had an unlocked Aura and almost no one else didn't, which made him the strongest man in Domremy outside of Captain Dornan. A fact that he wasn't shy about taking advantage was the biggest bully in town.
And now he looked like he just got the shit kicked out of him.
In any other situation, Jaune would've turned around and gone back home. Not now. Taking a deep breath, he stepped through the door and hoped he wouldn't be thrown out of it.
The inside was a mess. Overturned tables, scattered (and broken) chairs, and dozens of shattered glasses on the floor. Sprawled across the hardwood were the usual drunks and troublemakers, all of them looking like Tommy did.
At the center of it all was someone who couldn't have looked more out of place if she tried. A young woman with light blonde hair tied up in a messy ponytail and emerald green eyes. Her outfit stuck out. A black tanktop, frayed jean shorts that barely reached her thighs, fishnet stockings, and black leather boots with thick wedge heels. To complete the ensemble, she wore a purple leather jacket wrapped around her shoulders like a cape.
She was pretty, he would've been blind if he said otherwise, but right now that was the last thing on his mind. Mostly because she'd rounded on him with a scowl that could make Grimm quake, "Who the fuck are you?" she spat, "You another asshole who thinks he can get lucky?"
"Uh..."
"Great. Am I talking to the village idiot here? Fucking hicks." A wave of anger shot through him despite his fear. Most travelers were polite enough, but a few thought that being from a kingdom made them better than everyone else.
"I assume you're the Huntress," Jaune said in a clipped tone. Things were already off to a bad start.
"What was your first hint, numbnuts?" His right eye twitched, "Yeah, I'm the Huntress that's here to deal with this shit cause none of you can even wipe your own asses. Name's Glynda Goodwitch. Don't call me ma'am or miss or I'll shove a broken bottle up your ass without lube."
Well, that was an image, "Right. Name's Jaune Arc." He looked around the sprawled drunks, "Can I ask why you beat everyone up?"
"Fuckers deserved it." She spat. Literally this time, "I come in and these dumb yokels try to start shit. They see a bad bitch and think they can get lucky. And you know what? Fine, whatever, I can deal with limp-dicked assholes thinking they're hot shit. Then that big prick thought he could get handsy." She scowled, "Drunk fuck. Yeah, cause I want a middle-aged fatass staring at my tits and grabbing my ass." She crossed her arms, emphasizing said tits. They were...big, and it wasn't just that. Her outfit didn't leave much to the imagination. Large breasts, thick, muscled thighs, and shapely rear. It was no wonder Tommy tried something, though Jaune wouldn't be shedding tears if he really did touch her without asking.
"And everyone else?" He gestured to the knocked-out patrons.
"Drunks getting into a brawl. When I threw that first punch, everyone else freaked the fuck out. Not surprised. Everyone here seems like they're itching for a fight. Or maybe they thought I was easy pickings. Dumbasses." She scoffed, "Whatever, the missing teeth should teach them a lesson."
"A Huntress beating up civilians isn't exactly a good look..."
"Don't get your panties in a twist. I didn't use my Semblance or my weapon. This is just a bar brawl." She crossed her arms, "Anyway, you're the one who's gonna lead me to those caves, so let's go already. Queen Bitch hasn't kileld Grimm in a while."
"I'm sorry, who?"
"Queen Bitch. My weapon." She pulled a whip (how did he miss it?) from her side and grinned, the gesture almost manic, "Never go anywhere without her. Ain't a single Grimm around here's gonna survive when she comes out to play."
"You named your weapon that?"
"Yeah. Why?" Her look dared him to say that there was something weird about it.
He didn't take the bait, "So...Beacon, what's that like?" he asked as they walked out. He'd need to pass by the clinic later and tell Doc. Kemp that he'd have a few more patients
"What it to you?"
"Just curious." Cause he was tempted to sneak his way there just a year back.
"It's a pain in the ass is what it is." She stretched her arms above her head. Somehow, the jacket didn't fall, "It's a lot of rules and old fucks with sticks up their asses talking down to us like we're idiots. Yeah, no shit I know how to handle Dust. I'd be fucking dead if I didn't." She clicked her tongue, "They're the only reason I'm out in the boonies. Think doing bitch work out in some village on the ass end of nowhere will teach me something. All it's 'teaching' me is that there are horny old bastards here just like there are in the city."
"Not sure if that's the lesson they were hoping to teach."
"Tch, whatever. All I'm here for is to make sure that those Grimm are gone. Don't give a shit about anything else." She stopped suddenly and looked at him, "Know a place to eat around here? Woulda eaten back there if some fat turd didn't slap my ass."
"Uh, sure-"
"Great. I want something meaty. Beacon food sucks ass. All health and shit. You're my tour guide, so do your job."
He wasn't a tour guide, but he didn't argue, "Speaking of, you did a lot of damage back there..."
"Me? I was defending myself from drunk horndogs!" Glynda snorted, "Look, take it up with Beacon, alright? This ain't my problem. Those pricks should consider themselves lucky I didn't do something more permanent."
"Still, could you maybe tone down the property damage next time?"
"Yeah, yeah. Now come on, I'm starving for steak."
He had the feeling this was gonna be a long few days...
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Jaune awoke to the sounds of someone banging at the door. His first thought was that someone was outside before he looked up and saw that it was Weiss rapping her knuckles against the bathroom door, "Xiao-Long, you've been in there for an hour!"
"You can't rush perfection, Weisscream!" Yang taunted through the other side of the wooden barrier.
"We're going to be late for class at this rate! And don't call me that!" She banged on the door again. He could practically see Yang's smirk when Weiss' knocks were suddenly drowned out by loud, off-key singing, "Argghhhh!" She rounded on him now, "You're the leader! Fix this! I refuse to be late on the first day of classes!" Off to the side, Blake was sat on her bed reading without a care to what was happening. Great, so no help there.
Much as he wanted to disagree, she had a point. It wouldn't look good for him to be late on the first day given his situation, "Alright, hold on." He yawned and made his way next to Weiss. He knocked on the door at a much gentler pace, "Yang? You're not the only one living in this room. The three of us need to use the shower too."
"Ugh, alright! Yeesh..."
The sounds of running water stopped. He was just about to tell Weiss to not be so frantic next time when the bathroom door suddenly swung open. Of course, his head swiveled to the source and he found himself staring at a very naked Yang Xiao Long.
Okay, she wasn't completely naked - she had a pair of panties on. Everything else? Completely bare. His eyes trailed down across the expanse of her body. There were her boobs again, as firm and voluminous as they were the night prior. Her soft nipples seemed to taunt him, and he heard a long-repressed voice at the back of his head whisper that he should make them hard.
Her breasts weren't the only thing that drew attention. Yang Xiao Long was a prime example of a Huntress-in-training. Her arms and legs were thick with corded muscle, though that did little to detract from her looks. Down past her tits were abs that almost made him jealous. It was clear that Yang worked hard to get where she was. His eyes focused on a single drop of water that fell between her breasts and dripped down to her abs, the still-wet skin seeming to almost glow under the room's lights.
He realized what he was doing and he forced his eyes up only to see Yang's shit-eating grin, "Second time you've stared at me, old man." She laughed. Wrapped around her shoulders was the towel she should've been using to cover herself, "What? Cat got your tongue?"
"...Just get dressed. We need to go to class. I'll stay outside first."
"I don't mind if you stay and watch."
"He will not be watching!" Weiss screeched. Jeez, her voice could probably kill Grimm, "Leave the room till we're all dressed, Mr. Arc!"
"I got it already!" Jaune threw his hands up and left, shutting the door behind him. He pressed his back against the wall and brought a hand across his face. It was a cliche, but screw it: he was too old for this shit.
He could deal with this. He could. He'd survived way worse than a bunch of rowdy young women who thought they were invincible. Things would be fine...
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Glynda Goodwitch, the original bratty bitch. Wonder how Jaune managed to get together with her? A story for another time.
Questions:
1. So if we were thinking about an actual pairing for Jaune (not just sex) for this fic, who would it be? Besides Glynda, since people seem to want the two exes to get back together. I'm not wholly against the idea, but if you guys had to pick between Yang, Blake, and Weiss, who would it be for an actual relationship?
2. What do you guys want for the next chapter? I can do a full flashback with Glynda Badwitch or focus more on setting up Yang to eventually get disciplined.
Comments
Redwing641
TFTC! Hope the next drop will be on No Victory in Strenght
The Brotherhood of Steel
1. If I had to choose between those three I would pick Blake. Yang wants to explore and live a life of adventure after graduation so I assume she won't be at home much and Weiss I assume wants to take over the SDC both are attributes that Jaune already dealt with Glynda. Blake can still achieve her goals while balancing out a relationship and possible future kids. Plus I think the interaction between her and Jaune regarding her past and obsession of the white fang could be very interesting. Still on team Glynda though. 2. I'll say half and half so you can make the comparison between Glynda and Yang.
Fritz1776
Full flashback with Glynda, then Yang. As for who Jaune could get with permenantly, I think that would depend mostly on how they look post-correction. Presumably that’s a pretty radical transformation given the difference between Goodwitch and Badwitch, so it’s hard to answer given we’re effectively speculating on characters that don’t exist yet.
Daniel Hyena
Entertainment wise I say Weiss with all of her notions of what a "proper" gentleman is suppose to be and Jaune being a down to earth no nonsense kind of guy. Blake with her delusions of a forbidden romance with a older man, and someone with actual world experience could really help her find her place in life, and she has already been in in a relationship with someone older than her.
AnimeKouhai
Setting up Yang
Joshua Hunt
Blake probably needs a stable partner more than anyone else on Remnant if I had to make a statement.
Sleepless
I feel a romantic relationship with anyone in his team would be weird, hence supporting Glynda. And I vote more flashbacks but maybe you can pair it with the Yang stuff? Draw comparisons between their behaviors and such.
Paradise Lost
Outside of Glynda, id probably choose Weiss. More fun that way
