White Sheep

Chapter 13 - While Shepherds Watch

"We can still do something," Yang grinned and knocked her arm against Nora's. "This could be a good chance to train Blake up for a rematch on our next game night."

The girl in question heard her name mentioned and stashed her book away, eyes wide. "What? Yang, you trait-"

"Great idea!" Nora cheered and hooked an arm around her partner's neck. "Come on, Blake. We'll make a master out of you yet."

Yang had the good grace to look guilty as Blake was dragged away, though not too much. She waved and headed off after her team, Ren shaking his head as he brought up the rear, but sent Jaune a polite, if competitive, nod. It was nice to see them all getting along so well. Not to mention how Nora was willing to go out of her way to help her partner like that.

"Ruby, your sister is a pest," Weiss said as the four of them walked together down the hallways and towards the training areas.

"I know..." Ruby sighed. "You should try living with her. She used to tease me all the time when I was younger. She was the worst!"

"I know what that feels like," Jaune said. "I guess older sisters are the same no matter where you are."

"You have an older sister too?" Ruby asked. "Is she like Yang?"

"Some of them are, especially physically. Most of them have blonde or white hair," and all of them could change that at will, but he didn't want to mention that. "With Yang's eyes and hair, though, she could have passed as one of them pretty easily. Then again, Weiss could too."

"Xiao-Long and I look completely different! How does it even make sense for us to look related?"

Oops. He'd forgotten about the skin colour difference, which was a bit of a non-point because when they transformed, their skin turned to almost snow-white. Luckily, Pyrrha came to his rescue.

"Some of them?" the redhead asked. "Do you have many sisters, Jaune?"

"I have seven," he said proudly. "Well, eight, I guess – but only seven are biological." The news didn't quite get the response he'd expected. Ruby and Weiss stared at him as though he were insane, while Pyrrha's cheeks had turned a dusky red.

"W-Wow," she said. "That's... well, that's a big family."

"Seven!?" Weiss echoed. "How could... I'm not even sure how a single woman could handle that, not to mention the timing. Do your parents not even know what contraception is?"

"Contra-what?"

Weiss slapped a hand to her forehead. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Remy?" Jaune asked internally.

"I've not heard of the phrase... perhaps a weapon of some kind?"

His delay in answering was enough for Weiss, who groaned into her hand. "This makes far too much sense. Arc... Jaune... I know you are a little sheltered, but you do know what sexual intercourse is, correct?"

The blood ran to his cheeks but he nodded. "Of course I do. I'm... I don't know much about the outside world, but I know how things work. Besides, mom and dad have sex all the time. It's kind of hard to not know sometimes."

Plus, his mother was always trying to get him interested in Cinder. Then there was Coral... which was about enough said, to be honest. He still shivered when he recalled asking her what she was reading one day and her invitation for them to read together. He should have known... she never smiled like that normally.

"Somehow, your parent's enthusiasm doesn't surprise me. Not with that many children. Still, thank the heavens for small mercies. I thought I'd have to give you the talk for a moment there."