A/N: This is another Fem Jaune fic, and one heavily inspired by the Soul Calibur series. If you haven't played, I recommend you do. The games are fucking tons of fun :D and the creation zone is my favorite part of it. Overall, this story is darker because I love torturing my characters a little XD. *Sees the looks* What? I have been told I'm a sadist…

Pairings: Arkos, ArcFall

Edit 2/13/2019: I've made a few edits to this fic, putting it in the Soul Calibur/RWBY section and changing a little bit of it.

Of Crossed Swords

Summary: Jane was frustrated with being the weakest link on her team, tired of being the damsel in distress, and she ran into the Emerald Forest only to stumble upon the blade Soul Edge. Touching it transforms her into a monster, and Pyrrha doesn't know if she can bring her back…

*Possession*

Jane gritted her teeth as Carla's mace pounded away at her shield, each swing forcing the smaller blonde knight back. 'Dammit! She doesn't ever let up!' Her aura was slowly depleting from the powerful blows even with the thick metal shield, and she tried to bash Carla's weapon back.

Carla was caught off guard as her weapon jerked backwards, and her indigo eyes briefly widened as Jane took the opportunity to leap forward with her sword aimed for her. "What the!?"

'Got you!' Jane's sword was about strike true, and she thought that for once she could actually win a sparring match against her arch rival instead of constantly being beaten around the floor like a ragdoll.

For weeks since she joined Beacon, Jane hadn't fared very well in Professor Goodwitch's combat class; she was easily the worst fighter in her year, and every loss just sank her confidence lower and lower each day. She was beginning to think she really wasn't meant to follow her mother's footsteps and become a huntress, let alone be the leader of Team JNPR.

But Carla was faster than she looked, and stepped to the side to let the blonde knight's strike soar past her harmlessly. She smirked, and swung her mace like a bat. "Nice try, Jane. But that won't work on me!"

The mace struck her squarely in the back, and Jane winced as she flew forward. 'Dammit. That really hurt.' She crashed onto the ground, her aura only a sliver above critical, and her shield was now lying on the floor out of her reach. Her main source of defense was now gone, leaving her only with her sword Crocea Mors.

She got to her feet, blue eyes blazing, and the blade clashed with Carla's mace. The blonde tried to force her down, but one of the many departments she was lacking in was her physical strength; it was simply no match for Carla's power, and the orange-haired girl chuckled as she forced the strike back. "This, Jane, is the part where you lose!"

"Like hell I will," Jane shot back, repositioning her feet and struggling to keep her balance. If she could just manage to get a lucky hit and disarm the taller girl before she got beaten around like a piñata at a kid's birthday party, she'd have a damn good chance of winning provided Carla didn't turn into a champion boxer and use her fists instead.

Carla's smirk grew, and she swept out the blonde's legs from under her. Jane fell, and one additional kick to her stomach was enough to send her aura into critical levels. Jane groaned in pain, and she looked up as Carla prepared to swing down for the finishing blow.

But, her savior came courtesy of Professor Goodwitch's stern voice. "That's enough. Class, as you can see, Jane's aura is in the red. In an official tournament, this would show that Jane is no longer fit to battle and an official may call the match."

The blonde professor's green gaze flickered down to the immobile knight, her voice laden with disappointment. "Jane, it's been weeks now. While you have shown some slight improvement, you need to work on your combat efficiency. Reference your scroll during battle, as that will help you gauge whether to attack or take a more defensive approach. We wouldn't want you to be gobbled up by a Beowolf now, would we?"

"Tch. Speak for yourself," Carla sneered, shouldering her mace and stalking away.

Jane looked at her scroll, seeing her aura slowly start to recharge, and she hung her head. 'Dammit! I really am the weak link. What was Professor Ozpin thinking of, letting me be the team leader of JNPR? I'm not the one who should be leading us; Pyrrha is a much better fighter and a nice person.'

'I'm just the damn damsel in distress.'


Pyrrha felt a pang of sympathy pierce her heart as Jane fetched her fallen shield with her head low. The blonde had really tried during the sparring match, and did much better than she had been recently. But this latest defeat seemed to really get her down. 'I don't get it. Why doesn't she just ask for help? It's not like I'm unwilling to help her.'

She and Jane had started to develop a strong relationship after the two met during initiation. The redhead was always there for her, whether it was saving her from a possible fatal blow of the Deathstalker that attacked them during initiation or just comforting her after her sexuality was suddenly revealed and was harassed mercilessly by Team CRDL.

The harassment didn't die down much, but Pyrrha wasn't going to let her lovable partner suffer alone.

The redhead stood up and ran after her partner, sighing. "Dammit Jane." 'You know I'll be more than willing to help you out. So why? Why do you refuse to ask? Is it because you feel as though you owe me too much already?'

Jane had made it back to their dorm by the time Pyrrha caught up. The blonde knight was sitting on her bed glumly, barely lifting her head in acknowledgment to her partner's presence. "Oh…it's you…"

"Hey, Jane." Pyrrha took a seat next to her, and Jane leaned her head into Pyrrha's shoulder with a slight sniffle. Pyrrha felt a few wet droplets land on her exposed arms, and she ran a hand through Jane's soft hair. "Shh…it's fine, Jane. Let it out; I'm here for you."

Jane buried her head into the crook of her arm and let her tears of frustration flow. "Dammit! Why!? Why am I so terrible at fighting!?"

"We all have our strengths and weaknesses, Jane," Pyrrha tried to reassure. "You may not be the best at combat, but you're one of the top students in our year when it comes to Port's class, and doing good in Oobleck's once you started taking notes." The blonde was a good academic, even besting Ren, but she needed a little bit of a push to get there. Surely it was the same with fighting?

"Yeah, some good that'll do me as a huntress," Jane scoffed bitterly, wringing her hair. "Face it, Pyrrha. I'm not fit to be team leader, and I'm sure as hell am not fit to be a huntress. I don't belong here."

"Of course you do, Jane." Pyrrha never thought she would ever hear those kinds of words leave the blonde's mouth. Sure she was dejected from losing, but for her to say something like that? Was it taking a bigger toll on her than Pyrrha suspected? "Why would you say such a thing?"

"Because it's true!" Jane's head whipped up, tears dripping down from her watery blue eyes. "Pyrrha, I've been nothing but a damn burden to you! Since the time we met! You've had to deal with me holding you back every single day! How much longer is going to last, huh!? How long before I get you killed!?"

"Jane…where is this coming from?" Pyrrha was really stunned now.

Jane buried her head in her hands, shoulders shaking with each sob. "Pyrrha…I care about you so much. I'm scared. I'm scared that you're going to get hurt or maybe even killed because of me. Not just you. Ren, Nora…I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you."

"Jane…I—"

"Don't. I know what you're going to say," Jane sniffled. "Let's be honest. You'd be better off if you didn't save me from that giant scorpion. You should've just left me to die."

"Jane!" 'Screw it.' Pyrrha silenced her the only way she knew how to. She lifted her head up and kissed her. The blonde's watery eyes widened, obviously surprised by the sudden move, and she kissed back.

It was a little wetter than Pyrrha expected her first kiss with the blonde to be, with the tears rolling down her cheeks. But the one thing Jane needed more than anything was proof that her partner cared for her and would be there for her.

Jane pulled away, gently touching her lips with a shaking hand. "Pyrrha…why? Why did you kiss me?"

"Because I care about you too, Jane," Pyrrha replied, fighting back her own tears from forming. "You were the first person to see me for who I am. You have no idea what that did for me as a person. Made me more confident. So I'm lending you the same helping hand. Because…that's what loved ones do for each other. Jane…I love you."

Jane turned away, and the blonde knight stood up with her arm over her face. "You shouldn't. Gods, I'm so sorry Pyrrha. You'd be better off without me."

She ran out of their dorm with another choked sob, and Pyrrha tried to stop her. "Jane, wait!"

But it was too late; the blonde was already gone, and Pyrrha went to chase after her again. 'Please…don't do what I think you're going to do.'


Jane had run out of Beacon, and into the Emerald Forest. Her legs ached, her eyes were puffy and red. But still she didn't stop.

She couldn't pretend she would ever be the partner Pyrrha deserved. The redhead deserved a partner who was fearless, and didn't have their legs tremble like a child every time a fight showed up. 'Why can't I be strong like her!? I want to be able to have the same strength she does!'

"Is that what you wish for, my child?" a dark and slightly distorted voice asked.

Jane whirled around, drawing Crocea Mors and extending her shield. "Who's there!? Who said that!? Carla, this isn't funny!" Her watery eyes looked around as she spun in a circle, but she couldn't find the owner of the voice. And it spoke again, this time sounding closer.

"You wish to be strong, yes? To have the power that will make you the warrior your heart so desperately craves for?"

Jane gulped. Whoever was talking didn't sound…human. It was unnatural, with a hint of hidden maliciousness in the tone. "I…I don't want to be weak. I want to be strong." 'I'm tired of it. I'm tired of being the damsel stuck in the tree while my friends fight for their lives.'

"Then…follow my voice, Jane Luna Arc," it whispered. "And I may grant you that power you yearn for."

Jane began to walk forward, following the voice deeper and deeper into the Emerald Forest. Her skirt brushed against some brambles, and she bit her lip as some of the thorns scratched her pale exposed legs. Blood welled from the scratches, yet she pressed on.

She couldn't let Pyrrha die.

Jane stopped when she reached a secluded clearing, with a unique black and red longsword sticking from the ground. "What…? What is this?" The weapon was jagged, designed to rip an enemy's flesh to ribbons, and in the handle was a single red eye. 'It..it seems wrong. Here, but not really. What is it?'

"I am the power you've been looking for, girl." The sword seemed to glow with dark energy, and the eye in the hilt blinked open. "Now…pick me up. Use my power to make your enemies fall in heaps."

The blonde's hand reached for the handle, and when she made contact with the strange blade, it swirled with mysterious energy. "What!?"

"At last! I have a new vessel!" The voice laughed cruelly, Jane unable to release her grip on the sword. "You will drown this world in blood and darkness with me, Soul Edge!"

Jane's eyes were wide in horror as her arm became cloaked in the same energy as the one swirling around the vile blade, and it transformed before her very eyes. It became a black mutated claw, and she let out a scream as it twisted. "NO! Pyrrha, help!"

"Hahaha! Drown in your fear! Succumb to it!"

"There is no hope for you, child. You are a tainted, broken little toy to use at my pleasure."

A/N: And that's a wrap for chapter one. Tell me what you think below.

Discord: DPLxBeAsTxSnIpE #5371