Chapter Text
A/N: I know this was a shorter chapter than I normally post and there wasn’t as much sexual content, but part of the fun of this story, for me, was to set the world up and explore some of the things that the Faunus go through beyond Jaune immediately getting his dick wet. Chapters 2 and 3 are already written so this was just the best way that I found to pace the start of this story. Please enjoy and let me know what you think.
Biting the Hand Chapter 1
Tag(s): Light Petting, Public Exposure.
Girl(s): OC
Words: 7,004
In the wake of Salem’s demise, no one could have guessed what direction the world would turn. There wasn’t a person alive that didn’t dream of a world without Grimm. It was meant to be a paradise. It should have been one until humanity ruined everything. But removing a keystone as ingrained as Grimm from the world rippled in ways no one could have imagined.
At first, it was wonderful. Salem was dead by Ozma’s hand, casting them both into oblivion. People were safe for the first time since Remnant’s genesis. And the streets were filled with month-long celebrations of people coming together in the hopes of entering a new age of prosperity and progress.
But it couldn’t last. Living their entire lives in the shadow of hate and fear meant that it was natural that humans would shift their focus to the next boogeyman. And failing that, to create him. Because as much as they were born from the God of light, so too did they carry a spark of darkness. Driven to destroy as much as they create.
Everything didn’t change overnight. It was a gradual corruption so subtle that no one could have guessed how wildly it snowballed out of hand. And all it took was for one individual to remember, “Hey, the Grimm are gone, and that’s great, but didn’t the White Fang work with Grimm for a while?”
It was a spark that would reduce the world to flames.
When it was man against monster, it was easy to set differences aside and forgive past grievances. But without that common enemy, more than one human looked back over the last years of fighting and remembered the Grimm-masked Faunus. Who stood side by side with the creatures born of darkness as Vale burned along with the countless settlements “liberated” by the terrorist organization.
Sure, they’d made the right decision in the end and eventually sided with Ozma to join the final battle against Salem. And in that war, there was no telling how many of the previous terrorists had ended up losing their lives for the greater good. But that’s not what people wanted to remember. That wasn’t the story people wanted to tell to justify their racism. And many quickly concluded that the White Fang deserved to pay for their crimes against humanity.
At first, it was the small people speaking such nonsense. Drunks and staunch racists who mumbled curses under their breaths in the hidden shadows of bars and alleys. But as the opinion spread, people grew bolder in their outrage until the topic was common enough to be brought up at family dinners. And it wasn’t long after that that the politicians picked it up, and the people in power began to discuss the validity of these claims.
It didn’t hurt that the people in question were already the minority in nearly every sense. They were an easy target, and few would speak up against their so-called deserved punishment. At least, few people with any actual power. After all, they were just Faunus. Who cared about them? And if their action happened to increase their polls in such a chaotic time, all the better.
The issue no one remembered, however, was that punishing the White Fang wasn’t as easy as they might think. Especially since the organization itself had long since dissolved into the war effort to save the world.
Yes, there were still notable key figures that had made it through the fighting. But the majority of faceless underlings remained just that, melting back into the Faunus population like a shadow. Punishing the White Fang individually without affecting the Faunus as a whole was impossible.
Unfortunately, this consequence proved much less detrimental than anyone could have guessed. It was nearly painful in how easily the narrative shifted from, “shouldn’t the White Fang be punished for their crimes?” to, “shouldn’t the Faunus be punished for harboring such criminals in the first place?”
In this case, those criminals happened to be brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and children. Nearly all people who’d fallen into the same trap of believing that they were fighting for a better world for their kind.
Oh, how wrong they turned out to be.
Suddenly, every Faunus was perceived as a threat to the rest of society. After all, hadn’t they turned against the general population not once but twice now? And without any assurances that another Faunus war might not be on the horizon.
They became the new threat. They became the new enemy. And the whole of humanity appeared all too ready to unite against them. It was a power vacuum of the worst kind.
In some ways, the Faunus were as guilty for what followed, doing nothing to prepare themselves for the dark clouds so clearly on the horizon. There were protests, of course, and those that argued against such claims. But watching so many of the animal-featured people gather accomplished nothing but inciting comparison to the White Fang to be used against them, regardless of their peaceful intentions.
But that pacifism cemented their fate, allowing the law and world governments to come together and decide their futures on their behalf. And the solution humanity came up with?
Slavery.
Not that they called it that. Oh no, it was such a crass and unrefined word tainted by civilizations past. Instead, the heads of towns and Kingdoms rationalized that the Faunus couldn’t be trusted with autonomy. That their animalistic tendencies did, in fact, implicate their minds to the point that they couldn’t be expected to act with the same level of empathy and logic as humans. And that their predilection for following dangerous voices of authority without question or reason made them too susceptible to ill intent and would be better spent working toward the good of society.
Simply put, the world’s governments decided that Faunus were more beast than man and should be treated as such.
The smart Faunus fled civilization as soon as word was announced. Forests and the wilderness still held some danger without the threat of Grimm. But it was a sanctuary compared to what was waiting for them amongst humans. Those foolish or naive enough to trust in their neighbors and peers were punished as The Great Hunt began.
The name was as much of a violation of the profession as the Hunters themselves. But without Grimm, hunting as an occupation had vanished overnight, leaving many men and women with very few prospects to support themselves. In the face of hunger and starvation, even the noblest men can throw their empathy aside. And that was precisely what happened.
It was the minority that subjected themselves to the new responsibility, but that was more than enough. A single huntsman was more than enough to clear out a single settlement of civilians. All that strength and vitality that used to protect humanity was suddenly reserved for select humanity. And if you were Faunus, humans were the new darkness that lurked in the night.
Entire families vanished overnight, never to be seen again. Sometimes it was the old man who used to feed birds in the park, or other times the young boy who used to sit next to your daughter in class.
It didn’t matter. If you were Faunus, you were relocated to a secured government facility. And in less than a week, any and all Faunus were wiped from the streets, either locked away against their will or throwing themselves to wolves hoping that they would be more kind.
Of course, the question remained, what were they supposed to do with the captured Faunus now that they were in custody? Beasts they may be, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t be put to work to repay their human masters in return for their generous guidance. Even if that was limited to physical labor, the new real estate available meant that cities could expand in a way previously unthinkable.
But while that was a solution for able-bodied men and older boys, it accounted for less than half the population of the newly acquired property. Thankfully, a certain corporation had been all too ready to step forward with a more elegant resolution. And thus, the Schnee Dust Company brand behavior collars were born.
A smooth strip of leather on the outside; internally, the device was chock-full of the newest technology. All of which was engineered to adjust and control the Faunus’ behavior and temperament. Sinking into the spine at the back of the neck, a small amount of surgery was required to install the devices. But considering the benefits, it was exactly what the governments had been looking for.
Despite what the name implied, there was minimal effect on the subject’s mind. While sensations could be injected into the nervous system, such as pain or pleasure, emotions were far more complicated. Alternatively, SDC had focused on controlling the Faunus’ motor skills, effectively hijacking their body and giving that control to anyone with a scroll and the ability to install an app.
Instead of a huddled mass of resentment and anger, they had an army of obedient animals forced to obey without any chance of rebelling. Which wasn’t just invaluable; it was marketable. A market previously untouched.
While the majority of men were quickly put to work on construction or commissioned into SDC mines, women and children could be sold to civilians for yard work, cleaning, or anything else they required. And it was seen as benevolence. It was seen as the natural order, finally putting these violent beasts towards a greater purpose. A human purpose.
It would be optimistic to say that the majority of humanity rejected such a concept. That they had seen the compassion in the people who used to be their friends and understood how wrong it was to force such a fate upon them. But in the light of greed, humans can be worse than the creatures they used to fear. And in this instance, Faunus’ kind wasn’t doomed due to hate or a sense of revenge but because of convenience.
After all, why pay a maid’s salary every month to come clean your home when you could buy a Faunus once? Not only would the job be filled for the rest of your life, but they were forced to complete any other jobs you needed without worry of overtime or additional hours.
The same was discovered for many of the less desirable positions. Faunus weren’t limited to private exploitation. If it made sense to replace your maid, why not an entire restaurant? Instead of hiring a revolving door of pimple-faced teenagers to flip your burgers and work your register, a team of Faunus could reliably do the same for a fraction of the long-term investment.
It was the same mentality as buying a horse to make travel easier. Or an ox to till your fields. They were to become beasts of burden, living a life devoted to the comfort of their masters.
Sure, you had to feed and clothe them. It wasn’t quite so lawless as to say the Faunus didn’t have any rights. But even then, they were afforded the bare minimum reserved for dogs and cats. And those restrictions were still light enough that it was far more financially viable than regular labor.
And as profit margins went up, costs for everyday goods managed to plummet, placating many who might have complained about the lack of work. Because for every three Faunus positions, one human management job became available. And when you saw the animalistic people scrubbing public bathrooms or sweeping streets, it was difficult to feel too enviable.
Of course, not everyone was so easily swayed by the new way of life. Faunus racism wasn’t so bad that no one had developed a personal connection with one or two of the subjugated people. A few went so far as to marry outside of their species. But those very people suffered right along with their subjugated friends as a warning to all who opposed the new order.
In the beginning, smuggling and sheltering were all too common. To the point that the government had been forced to threaten imprisonment for anyone caught. It wasn’t enough to ward off the truly incensed who’d lost wives, husbands, and children. But they were the minority. And for the everyday man living his life with no affiliation with politics, what reason did he have to step up and speak out for total strangers?”
Passivity was all too easily swayed with enough time. And as the rest of humanity grew increasingly used to seeing Faunus back amongst the populous adorned with their new collars, it became easier to accept the inhumanity as another aspect of everyday life.
What had been an event of shock or curiosity quickly faded into the background, proving once again that all evil needs to succeed is for good men to do nothing.
XxX
“You’re in luck, sir! We’ve just gotten a new litter of puppies weaned off their mother. Only a few weeks old. A perfect pet for a lifetime of companionship!”
Jaune Arc stared at the saleswoman, or Judy as her name tag so helpfully informed, trying his best to return her enthusiasm as she led him towards the kennel housing four or five newborn puppies. But as he looked around at other people and families who’d come to explore the pet shop, it was clear they were all far more enthusiastic than him.
Walking over to the grid of cages, the young man watched the tiny balls of bright yellow fur jumping and playing with their brothers and sisters, the smallest of yips hinting towards the deeper barks they’d one day grow into. And despite himself, a small smile did pull at the edge of his lips.
In all honesty, he hadn’t planned on getting a pet when he’d stepped out of his apartment for a stroll. He’d happened to be walking past a shop when curiosity got the better of him. Well, curiosity and loneliness.
He’d allowed himself to wander close enough to the glass window for an employee to ask if he was interested in adopting that day. And as socially inept as ever, he couldn’t say he was just looking. That would be rude.
Instead, he’d had to allow himself to get dragged in and pretend he was interested in taking a puppy home, desperately looking for an out. Although, watching one start to gnaw on another’s ears while it peacefully napped in the corner, the blond was considering if maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to find a friend?
In the five years since the Grimm war ended, Jaune was surprised at the direction his life had taken. Much like the rest of the Huntsman, he’d quickly found himself without a job and without anyone to care that he’d saved the world once the celebrations had ended. In no time, he was yesterday’s news and expected to find his way in life all over again.
It was inevitable that he’d end up back at his parents, much to his shame. But without an education, there wasn’t a lot of call for a teenager with zero life skills. He’d been forced to start over, hoping to find some kind of trade that didn’t rely on the family sword. But that plan had also fallen through after enough time.
It wasn’t his parent’s fault that they needed to kick him out; he knew that. His dad was in the same position as him, except he didn’t have the youth to bounce back so easily. And with three of his little sisters still in high school, his mother’s paycheck from the market was already stretched thin enough as it was. His only regret was that he’d hesitated long enough to force his parents to ask him to leave on their own.
That had been two years ago, and Jaune’s position hadn’t improved.
His saving grace had been the semi-consistent bodyguard work he could get here and there. Muscle was still muscle, and his semblance was valuable enough to make him stand out from the crowd. But with so many other huntsmen vying for similar positions, it was somewhat of a saturated market.
Nevertheless, he’d saved up enough for a small apartment in one of the cramped corners of old Vale. With so many bigger buildings popping up outside the city walls, the smaller “efficient” homes that used to hold so much value had become the new lower class.
The issue he found now was that, besides work, he didn’t have that much in terms of hobbies or interests. He hadn’t managed to find anyone he could call a friend. Not since Nora followed Ren back into Mistral to help rebuild what was left of his village. They still called every now and then, but life had a way of taking priority, and Jaune could already feel the time between contact stretching with every year.
How long had it been since he’d heard from them? He pondered with a solemn quietness. Two months? Three? The last time they’d talked, Nora had been going on and on about her pregnancy. Ren was the happiest Jaune had ever seen him, meaning he’d visibly smiled. And Nora had been bouncing up and down like she’d licked a power plant.
Was she showing already? Jaune knew next to nothing when it came to babies, but every time he pictured his ginger friend, he couldn’t help but add a tiny baby bulge as of late. He was happy for his friends’ happiness. But… also a little jealous, if he was honest. If he couldn’t make a friend, finding a girlfriend was next to impossible. At least some things were consistent.
“U-Um, you know, actually, I don’t think a dog would be a very good fit for me,” Jaune apologized, turning away from the adorable bundles of energetic fuzz. “Work takes me pretty far from home, and I’d hate to leave a dog all by itself for who knows how long.”
It was the truth, but that didn’t make it any less of an excuse. Jaune hoped it would be enough to politely excuse himself. But this perky young lady wasn’t about to let go of him just yet.
“No problem at all!” she enthused, bright blue eyes flashing against her pristine smile. “The most important thing is that these animals go to a good home. So I’m glad to hear you’re taking its needs into account. And by the sound of it, you’re looking for something a little more…independent?”
“W-Well,” Jaune stuttered. But that was all she needed to clasp his shirt sleeve, dragging him towards another end of the store. It wasn’t long before a different breed of cuteness entered his vision, as a wall of kenneled kittens and cats napping in the afternoon sun came into view.
“As you can see, we have plenty of felines that would love a happy home. All the love and affection you can expect from a dog but far more self-sufficient and tidy. As long as you stock enough food and water, cats are more than comfortable with alone time while they wait for you to return home.”
Jaune sighed at her pitch, feeling the anxious itch start to claw at his spine. Honestly, he was half-considering buying a pet just to get away from this crazy saleslady. But that wasn’t a great reason to start taking care of another life, and the last thing he wanted was to fuck someone over for convenience. Even if it was an animal.
“I don’t know,” he hedged, begging the woman to take the hint and let him go. “Don’t cats claw up the furniture? A-And shedding, it would be a real pain to vacuum my entire apartment every time I left for a little while, you know? Maybe I’m just not in a place where I can take care of something.”
He gave a weak chuckle, one the saleswoman gleefully returned. Unfortunately, if Jaune thought that meant she’d let him escape so quickly, the iron grip of her fingers jerking him in yet another direction showed him how wrong he was.
“Say no more. I think I know the perfect pet in mind. You won’t regret this,” she assured.
He already did.
‘Ugh, goldfish don’t last that long, right? Maybe she’ll let me leave if I buy anything.’ Jaune prayed, noticing too late the direction he was being guided. A tiny corner of the store that was not home to small cages, but to chains mounted to the walls. And on those chains, Faunus sat around on the floor or on hands and knees, eyes downcast and apathetic towards the people walking by to admire them with the same cooing joy they’d gifted every other mindless beast in the store.
“O-Oh, wait, no,” Jaune’s face paled as soon as he realized the woman’s next sales pitch. He’d been trying to avoid looking in this direction from the moment he entered the store. Suddenly, he was forced to face the small group of cowed girls and women, stark black collars adorning each of their necks.
“As you can see, we have an assortment of Faunus available for you’re viewing today,” the young woman continued, speaking with the same casual tone as she’d done for the last two exhibits,
“Keep in mind the price does jump up a bit, but depending on the temperament and Permissions set on your scroll, Faunus are fully capable of taking care of themselves for extended periods without any danger to them or your property.
“Now, the more…unruly ones might need some training at first, so let me recommend our little Bonbon!” Her hand made a sweeping gesture to one of the younger women at the far end of the wall.
A short bob of copper hair was all Jaune could see with her face towards the floor initially. Pulling her scroll from her pocket, Judy pressed a few buttons before the girl’s face jerked upwards as if she were a puppet who’d had its string yanked.
“There we go, don’t be afraid. Such a good girl,” the saleswoman cooed as she gestured for the Faunus to approach. And despite the wide-eyed fear in her eyes that flickered towards Jaune’s large frame, she did as she was told and crawled towards them on all fours as her hands visibly shook with every ‘step.’ Eventually, she kneeled before the pair of humans, her face returning downward shamefully to stare at their shoes.
“As you can see, she’s one of our younger Faunus. Only about sixteen years old. A perfect time to start training her to your preferences. A lot of people come in trying for the pups, and I know they can be cute! But getting them when they’re a little older has its own charm. And you don’t need to worry about paying them so much attention.”
Jaune watched in frozen shame, face clenched against the otherworldly display. He might have seen and heard of The Great Hunt in its genesis, but he’d still been in Ansel when most of it had gone down. A small village bereft of any Faunus to worry about.
It hadn’t seemed real even then. And seeing it for himself for the first time, the city had done nothing to inure him to the idea.
He’d known Faunus. He’d cared about them. He’d fought and learned beside them. And the idea of people like Sun, people like Blake, getting turned into…this for having a few extra features was something he doubted he’d ever be able to stomach.
Unfortunately, not everyone was as sympathetic toward the enslaved people as him, and no matter how much he hated it, there was nothing he could do to help the poor girl. Or any of the people being sold next to puppies and rabbits like common pets. All he could do was stand there and hope they could see his guilt, if that mattered.
“Mr. Arc?” Judy prompted, “would you like to get a closer look? Please, don’t be afraid to pet her. She’s very friendly.” And to prove this point, she reached out to stroke the Faunus’ soft red hair.
The girl in question did nothing to stop this, peeking through her bangs at the blond young man to see if he intended to take Judy up on her offer.
“No,” Jaune took a step back, shaking his head, “n-no, thank you. I’m not, I mean-.” His words failed him, feeling a cold sweat start down his spine. He couldn’t look away from those amber eyes.
“Still not convinced?” The saleswoman chuckled, although it seemed as though his indecision was finally getting to her. A crack of irritation had managed to slip through her grinning mask. Nevertheless, she continued as cheerfully as possible, ready to make that sale.
“Well, don’t you worry!” she chirped, “there are still a few features to go over. I’m sure I can change your mind. Bonbon, be a good girl and do a turn? Do a turn, Bonbon, do a turn!” She snapped her fingers behind the girl’s head and cooed at her like she was asking a dog to perform. “Come on!”
Regardless, Bonbon did as she was asked, breaking her eye contact with Jaune as her arms and knees shuffled until her rear was pointed in his direction. Jaune already knew what was about to happen before the saleswoman reached down and lifted the young girl’s pale blue dress.
“Of course, how could anyone buy a Faunus before knowing the breed!” the blue-eyed girl shook her head, stroking the fluffy red tail exposed underneath the Faunus’ skirt, the same rusty color as the hair on the girl’s head.
“Bonbon is a fox Faunus, as you can see, therefore falling under the canine family. Now, foxes are known to be something of troublemakers and make for poor pets. But with Bonbon, this simply couldn’t be further from the truth. She’s very well-behaved, clean, and, as you can see, very obedient.”
As if all of this wasn’t humiliating enough, the blonde woman reached down towards her belt, where a dispenser released a small capsule. Serving as a treat, the sound of crunching could be heard as the young girl was forced to accept the pellet, eating from the smiling woman’s palm.
Jaune didn’t pay attention to any of this. Heck, he hadn’t even heard the rest of Judy’s pitch. Far too shocked by the utter lack of underwear beneath the Faunus dress and the view he’d been afforded.
Without turning away to look at the other Faunus in the room, Jaune knew they’d all been dressed in the same fashion. Shapeless teal blue dresses that were all the same size regardless of height or…curves. On a teenage girl like Bonbon, that meant the dress was a little oversized, but it did the job of covering her body. The fully grown women weren’t as lucky and offered nearly all their thighs and shapely legs to the showroom floor. But Jaune would have never guessed that they were completely naked underneath.
Suffice to say, Jaune was getting one hell of a view he hadn’t been expecting to find in a pet store. With her backside pushed up so high to show off her tail, he could clearly see the bald folds of her sex. Pale, puffy skin split down the middle by a line of soft red lips. Above that, he was shocked to realize he was allowed to spot her back hole, a darker button of wrinkled flesh tucked between two firm cheeks.
Jaune couldn’t look away. He was trapped despite knowing that this poor girl was probably painfully aware of what he was seeing. And no matter how much his mind recognized the shame and fear in the slight quiver of the girl’s shoulders, his body had no such consideration. All it saw was a pretty young girl, and responded accordingly. A reaction that didn’t go unnoticed.
“Oh ho, you’re one of those,” the salesclerk hummed. And there was enough of a tone behind it to force Jaune’s attention away from the shaking girl, locking eyes with the blonde woman who smiled knowingly. And yet, she somehow managed to maintain the air of professionalism even as her gears shifted.
“No-No, wait.” Jaune shook his head, face heating up to the point of bursting. “I didn’t mean to…” But she didn’t pay him any mind.
“It’s all right, Mr. Arc. Faunus make for wonderful comfort companions. If that’s what you were looking for. Another perk of picking up an older Faunus.”
Her smile had changed. Not in a cruel way, but becoming triumphant. As though she’d finally found the crack in his armor that she needed to make the sale. The fact that she was selling a living, breathing person didn’t appear to cross her mind once.
Jaune shouldn’t have been surprised. Despite their new status as animals, it wasn’t uncommon for people to buy a Faunus for the purpose of sleeping with them. It wasn’t outright supported since, under the new laws, it technically counted as bestiality. But it was one of those things that attracted too much money to outright outlaw, essentially putting it in the same frowned upon but acceptable category as light drugs and other forms of sex work.
And it looked like his salesclerk had pegged him as one such pervert.
“You should still be aware that she did have a previous owner before she found herself at our store.” Jaune watched helplessly as the woman continued, one hand holding the girl’s tail out of the way as the other moved up to touch the young curve of her backside.
“But you can be sure that she’s still quite young and would be very satisfying for any affection you might want to give.” A few gentle pets were all it took for her fingers to find the softness of her folds, blatantly spreading the younger girl open for all the world to see.
And still, the fox girl did nothing, shivering slightly more than before but otherwise remaining docile while Judy began to stimulate her. Just enough so that her crotch took on the slightest wet and flushed hue.
Jaune knew it was terrible, yet he still felt his eyes drawn to the explosion of pink. It wasn’t his fault. First it was the war and then his lack of social ability, but he’d never really found the time to lose his virginity. Hell, he’d never kissed a girl since…since Pyrrha.
It was natural he’d be excited seeing a woman’s body, no matter the circumstances. It didn’t make him a bad person! It just made him human. Although, that saying had taken on an entirely different meaning as of late.
Still…maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to take her home? Not because he wanted to abuse her! But to give her a good home. That was the most someone like him could do for Faunus. He couldn’t save them all, but he could save this girl. Make sure he treated her with respect. Give her good clothes and good food.
And who knows? Maybe eventually, she’d start to like him on her own? Not that he’d expect it from her, but there was always a chance….
Jaune was all but reaching for his wallet when the sound of hissing forced his attention away from the young fox girl.
There, much farther down the wall of Faunus, was another woman. However, it was hard to tell at first. The only sign was another soft blue dress wrapped around her figure. The rest of her face and upper body were lost in a wild nest of pitch-black hair. And from within, a pair of glowing yellow eyes glared at him as if he were the most disgusting thing to ever walk the earth.
He must have jumped back without realizing it. The next thing he knew, the salesclerk was on her feet and by his side, all traces of civility disappearing as she stood between him and the enraged Faunus.
“I am so sorry about that, sir!” she gasped, ashamed. Before he had a chance to respond, she’d already turned on the rebellious Faunus, her demeanor transforming in an instant.
“Shadow!” the woman barked, face tight. She advanced toward the far end of the line with powerful steps. Every Faunus in her path shrank back on instinct. “Bad, Shadow! That’s a bad kitty! What have we said about hissing at customers?”
Jaune couldn’t believe he was watching this woman talk to another person like this. But whoever this “Shadow” was didn’t appear threatened in the slightest, retaining her rigid and crouched posture on the floor. No, it wasn’t until the woman pulled her scroll back from her pocket that Jaune saw the messy creature’s eyes widen with a flash of fear. And as the clerk pressed a single button, he understood why.
The Faunus couldn’t speak, but the sound of a choked gasp of air sounded as she fell to her side, curling in on herself. But the pain didn’t let up, and she was left to quiver and twitch as the collar played hellfire against her nervous system.
The pain could be controlled, varying from a slight ache to…probably whatever he was seeing now. But the best that he could tell, this Shadow was a known troublemaker and most likely a repeat offender. After everything they’d gone through, it was slightly impressive to see a Faunus whose will hadn’t been completely broken yet.
It brought back memories of another rebel he’d grown fond of once upon a time. A rebel with strangely similar eyes to the ones who’d been glaring at him. Actually, hadn’t that woman called her a…kitty?
“Wait,” Jaune felt the color drain from his face just in time to watch another convulsion wash across the tortured Faunus’ figure, strong enough to brush away some of the hair in her face. Jaune felt the floor fall out from under him.
“Stop!” he called out again, louder this time. The saleswoman turned away from the disobedient animal, shifting back to her customer service persona at the drop of a hat. And seeing her transition from that sadism so quickly was jarring.
“Once again, I cannot apologize enough, sir. We can paralyze their vocal cords just fine, but stupid animals always find some way to be a nuisance. This one’s been nothing but trouble since she was shipped to our shop. We thought it was safe to let her out of her crate, but it would seem she needs a little more training before she’s ready for the floor.”
A hint of her previous cruelty shined through her mask as she turned back to the Faunus who was still panting on her side. It looked like she was fully prepared to unleash another wave of pain via the collar around the woman’s neck. Jaune’s hand lashed out before she had the chance, crushing the bones in her wrist.
“S-Sir?” she winced. Jaune quickly realized his mistake, letting her go in an instant.
“That won’t be necessary,” he shook his head, “this is the one I want. Please let me buy her. Please.” It was her turn to take a step back.
“You want…this one?” All pretense fell away as she spared the black-haired girl a second glance. “I don’t think that would be a very good choice for you, Mr. Arc. Believe me. This is her third store. We only picked her up because she was cheap! We had no idea she was such a handful. The number of times I’ve been bitten alone is just…” She shook her head.
“Don’t care,” Jaune pressed, his previous nervousness gone. “How much is she? I’ll pay you right now.”
“Mr. Arc!” the blonde woman insisted, “please, I must insist. I can’t imagine what would draw you to such a miserable creature in the first place. She’s practically wild!”
Jaune had to hold back his groan. Wonderful, first she wouldn’t let him leave without a stupid animal, and now she wouldn’t let him buy the one he actually wanted! Not unless he convinced her…
“Exactly,” Jaune smiled, trying his damnedest to mimic a fraction of the woman’s previous hostility.
“Pardon?”
“It’s just like you said, she’s wild. And that’s the type I enjoy the most.” He laughed, deep and throaty, hoping he sounded excited. “It’s more…fun that way. You know how it is.”
“Is that right,” the woman answered, eyes narrowing. Thankfully, she didn’t look upset. More surprised that the fumbling push-over she’d been jerking around all day had that kind of side. Jaune felt sweat start to drip down his forehead.
“It is. Besides, it’s like you said, she’s a troublemaker. And I bet keeping her in the back, taking up space, food, and water is all starting to add up. Wouldn’t you rather get her out of your hair?”
“We don’t accept returns, you know?” the woman answered. “So if you’re thinking of trying to take her home for the weekend just to drop her off used, you got another thing coming.”
“You’ll never see me again,” He held up his hand as he vowed, “Arc’s honor.” And while such a thing didn’t mean jack-shit to the woman in front of him, Jaune couldn’t help but catch the slight jump from the woman still lying at his feet. The woman whose eyes had stretched as wide as his had once he recognized her.
‘Good to see you too, Blake.’
“You know what?” His salesperson sighed, “I don’t really care anymore. You want this stupid animal? You got her. It’s the end of my shift anyway. I want both of you out of here as quick as possible.”
It was extremely less personable than she’d been before, but Jaune couldn’t care less. He watched rapturously as the blonde moved toward where Blake had been tied to the wall, unclipping the thin chain.
She handed him the other end as a leash. After a moment of discomfort, Jaune led his old schoolmate to the front of the store by her throat.
All of Blake’s previous behavior vanished. Feeling a jerk against her collar, she dragged herself off the floor and onto all fours. And when Jaune urged her forwards, she complied, crawling forward in her little dress and never once taking her disbelieving eyes off his face.
Even though she couldn’t speak back, Jaune did his best to convey that she was safe. He would protect her. There was nothing to worry about anymore.
“That will be five thousand Lien, please.”
There was one thing to worry about.
“I’m sorry?” Jaune’s jaw dropped.
“What did you expect?” the salesclerk sneered. “You’re buying a Faunus, remember? That’s not exactly the same as a hamster.”
“B-But,” he stammered, struggling to wrap his mind around the number, “is there any chance I could get a discount? I mean, you said it yourself; I’m practically doing you a favor by taking her off your hands.”
“That is with a discount,” Judy’s eyes rolled, “Bonbon would have been twice that much. And considering your expression, I guess it’s good that you didn’t waste any more of my time. You can afford this, can’t you?” Shifting her hand to her hip, her eyes took on a dangerous quality.
No, no, he couldn’t. But it was a little late to try and back out now. Unless…? He glanced down to catch Blake eye him desperately, clearly terrified at the idea of staying in this pet shop for another second.
He let out a morose sigh.
“Do you take credit?” he chuckled weekly, holding out a card. One that was snatched out of his hands the moment it appeared over the counter.
“We sure do!” Judy was too happy to confirm, swiping it through the register before Jaune could react. “Will that be all for you today?” And just like that, she was back to her old self.
“I think I’m good,” Jaune all but whimpered, taking his card back five thousand Lien lighter.
Well, there went the last two years of savings. And the next two years. Fortunately, a handsome little gift basket quickly distracted Jaune from his sudden onset of poverty. “Ah, what’s this?”
“First week of amenities are included in the purchase for all our furry friends,” the woman drawled. “You got food, some treats, a toy, and the code to her collar. Just sink it with your scroll when you get home, and you’ll have access to all her Permissions.
“And, ah, word of warning?” she added as Jaune started to turn towards the door, “I’d hold off on giving her back her hands until after you’ve had your fun time. Damned cat almost took out Jimmy’s eye last week just for trying to pet her. Hate to see what she’ll do for what you have in mind. ”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He swallowed against his throat.
With nothing else and clearly no longer welcome, Jaune made his way to the door, one cat Faunus in hand. Not that he needed to drag her with the leash. She matched him step for step, crawling dutifully by his side like a loyal pet.
In fact, she glued herself to his side, wide eyes flashing around the room, searching for any threats. Only after they reached the front of the store and prepared to step outside did she turn her attention back towards him, yellow eyes staring intently.
“We’ll, er, talk at home,” he promised, feeling the cool metal of her leash against his sweaty palm.
Her eyes narrowed, clearly displeased with the answer, but she wasn’t in a position to fight him. Both took a steadying breath before pushing the glass door open and stepping out to greet the public.
A/N: Just to set up your expectations for this story, there will be a good amount of pet play involved. The mind control aspect is very limited, without the ability to alter perspective or emotion, which is how I prefer it. This also will not include Kali until the second half of the story, so for those that are looking forward to the incestuous threesome, you’ll need to be patient while Jaune gets comfortable with his first new pet.
As always, I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you thought and don’t forget to subscribe for updates.