Jaune and the Arc Maiden
Chapter one
All rights belong Rooster Teeth. I own nothing except this story. Enjoy.
Fifteen-year-old Jaune Alexander Arc was quiet as his horse, Jezebel, clopped her way down the winding path. He stayed vigilant, listening for anything other than the sound of the two other horses that belonged to the two wagons that rode behind him. In the first cart sat his sisters Blanche, Dore, Jade, Bleu and Clair and behind them riding in the other cart with his two other siblings, watching the gear, was his twin Rouge and last sister, Noir.
Together there were eight of them. They had fled from the brunt out husk of the historical city of Arcadia after bandits had sabotaged their defenses and allowed monsters into the city. They had only survived because they had taken shelter in their family bunker. It was the last thing his parents had instructed him and his sister to do before they fell.
"Protect them Jaune… don't let anything get to them without first going through you."
"We love you all so much. Stay safe."
Jaune's father had given him Crocea Mors to use should the time come and left with his mother to help in the fighting.
They had stayed held up in that hole for two days before Jaune had emerged to find his home and city in ruins. Nothing save for the cities' stables had survived untouched. Jaune had searched for hours, looking through the mutilated remains of his friends, neighbors and extended family alike until he had found the bodies of his mother and father.
Compared to the rest of them, his parents were intact. It made it all the easier for him to bury them. The rest he had no choice but to leave for the scavengers.
The following days after the attack, Jaune and the older of his sisters would go through the city, gathering food, water, clothes, weapons and other supplies necessary for the trip to Vale that was planned.
When Jaune deemed them ready, they left. Once they reached the edge of the valley, they all turned back to gaze as their home, desolate and barren, continued to idly burn.
Arcadia once had a population numbering in the tens of thousands… Now it was only them.
Three months had past since Jaune had started them on their journey. And in that time each one had developed into their own. Everything excluding their unkempt blond hair and blue eyes was different.
Jaune was their leader. Not by choice or merit, but simply because he was their big brother. Back at Arcadia, you could not walk anywhere without seeing Jaune escorting at least one of his sisters. He was often the target of ridicule by the other boys and girls alike because of his innate desire to protect his sisters. The clothes and armor he wore were simple. Three pieces of armor, two shoulder guards and a simple chest piece over top a torn and faded hoodie and pants from a time when they were all still alive. His weapons were that of his late father, Crocea Mors, and a dagger that belonged to his uncle.
Jaune's twin, Rouge was the calm one of the group, favoring the use of words and diplomacy to get out of situations that were irksome. Back home she was considered the smartest of the Arc siblings always using her gift of the tongue to get her way even when she was outvoted. She was dressed in a simple lather chest piece over top her normal pants and long sleeve shirt, and armed herself with a short sword and a spear, only using both to assist her brother in hunting and defending her sisters if the need arose.
If there were ever a sister who was known for her temperament, it would have been the fourteen-year-old Blanche. She was the mother hen of her siblings. Jokes were often tossed around calling her and Jaune the real parents of their siblings because of how they acted. Outfitted with a simple hooded cloak and chainmail underneath, and armed with a bow and hatchet, she made use of her skills in archery to protect her siblings when Jaune and Rouge were out gathering for supplies.
Next was Dore. Perhaps the only one besides the three-year-old Jade who had kept most of her original personality intact. A fact that helped the rest of her siblings with the grief and survivors guilt of losing their entire home. At thirteen she was the cook of her siblings, always helping their parents with meals and holiday feasts. Now she used her skills to feed her siblings and made sure that their supplies never went to waste. She was dressed in a simple sun dress with a small dagger kept hidden underneath.
Then there was the quiet Noir. In Arcadia she was often seen as the odd one out. She never had many friends her age due to her interest in weapons and dust. Because of this she chose to spend her time around the local militia when she had free time. It was because of this she gained a skill that let her prove herself to her siblings. The eleven-year-old could shoot. She wore one of the smaller training armor used by the new recruits of the militia and armed herself with a Mk-4C Dust powered rifle. She was the youngest Arc child to fight in their group.
Next were the nine-year-old twins. Bleu and Clair Arc were as smart as they were innovative. The two of them were the self-proclaimed geniuses of the Arc children. Though if you were to ask the City of Arcadia, the two of them were more likely to blow up something than make it work. Though despite that, they were well liked in the local school system and had many friends in their grades. Bleu wore overalls and a white shirt with a pair of goggles hanging from her neck. Clair dressed similar except she also wore a lab coat that she had Jaune search for in her school. Jaune and Rouge had forbidden them from fighting, even though they argued they could have helped.
And last was the latest addition to their family before the Fall of Arcadia. Jade. At three years old there wasn't much to explain about the little girl. Only that she was one of the reasons why their group had lived as long as it did. Whenever one of them was sad Jade was the first to offer her comfort. Jaune dreaded the day when she grew old enough to realize the magnitude of what had befallen their old home and he was there to help her though that transition.
Eight children of Arc. Each one different and each one skillful. Together they had survived the dangerous trip though the southern Mountain pass, eluding several packs of Grimm and bandit raiding parties along the way and survived one of the many flash floods that the region was known for.
It was difficult, but in Jaune's eyes, the immediate protection of his sisters outweighed the dangers. And as he spied a sign with the words, City of Vale thirty miles north. He smiled.
"Hey Jaune, look!"
Turning around, the blond knight was greeted by the sight of the two twins sharing the reigns while Blanche tended to a fussy Jade. He smiled at the two. Over the course of three months the eight of them had grew closer than they were before the attack. But even though he and his sisters were closer, not a day goes by that he doesn't miss his parents. The smell of his mother's hair as she cradled his head after a long day of field work. The strong grip of his father as he taught him the basics of outdoor survival and the smells of their holiday feasts that the two of them would spend hours slaving over just for their children.
He felt a tear fall down his cheek and swiped it away before replying to the twins. "Keep Jack's reins tight girls. Don't give him too much slack."
The two twins smiled. "Yes Sir!" they replied at the same time.
He smiled before turning his attention to the path.
Further up, the path connected to another well-maintained road. His blue eyes narrowed as another rider rode past the fork heading the same direction as he planned to take his sisters. While normally he was paranoid enough to either take a break to let time pass or bypass the danger completely, he felt they were close enough to the walls that no one would try anything.
It was a decision he would grow to regret.
Turning down the road towards Vale, he saw the rider around fifty meters ahead seemingly ignorant to everything around him. In his journey, Jaune had learned that having such a mentality made one a target. He had seen enough traveler, merchant and settlement founding caravans fall prey to both Grimm and bandits to know that he should stay vigilant at all times.
He pulled back on Jezebel's reins, slowing her gate enough so he was only two meters in front of his sisters. He glanced back and locked eyes with Blanche who gave a nod before turning around and nodding to Rouge.
After a few moments of riding silently Jaune stopped completely, the two carts doing the same.
"Jaune… what is it?" Rouge spoke up from behind him.
He didn't reply as his eyes were focused on the woman who was standing in the middle of the road next to the rider who was now dismounted and kneeling. His heartbeat quickened and he placed his hand on Crocea Mors's hilt. Something about this screamed at him. The rider wasn't looking at the woman. She was looking at the ground.
The woman moved causing the rider to react, jumping back closer to where Jaune and his sisters were watching. After he came to a stop the hood flew back. Jaune's grip on both Crocea Mors and Jezebel's reins tightened when the now unhooded girl glanced back at him.
Suddenly, two other figures sprang from the fields around them and charged at the girl giving her no time to react.
Or so he thought.
He would never understand why the universe liked to throw single moments his way when he was unqualified to handle them. For at that moment, the girl reacted, pulling out a staff and sending a blast of fire towards the attackers. Unfortunately, whatever the girl was doing proved too much for her to handle and whatever energy she was using exploded outward, knocking into him, his mount, his sisters and their carts, sending everything crashing end over end.
Gritting his teeth in pain Jaune forced himself onto his feet and gazed around him. He froze as his eyes landed on the girl, now flying in the air, fire, lightning and storm clouds swirling around her.
"Jaune!"
At hearing his name, Jaune tore his eyes off the girl and turned his gaze behind him. What he saw made his blood boil. Dore was unmoving and Clair was trying to shake her, tears streaming down her cheeks. Blue eyes met blue as the two sibling's eyes met. He longed to go to her and tell her everything would be fine but he couldn't. Rouge was already there, holding a wailing Jade and panicking Bleu.
Jaune knew Rouge would tend to them. So now he needed to do what his job was. Jaune drew his father's sword and extended the shield and stood protectively in front of them. His feet remained planted as he watched the fight unfold. The four of them moved with such speed and power, the blond couldn't keep track of what was happening most of the time.
Then like a cord had been cut, the fight was over. The woman had disengaged and began running to where he stood. His heart beat grew louder as she neared. She seemed to be panicking. But that face of panic turned into one of shock and pain as an arrow flew into her back. She fell, roiling several times before coming to a stop right in front of the son of Arc.
He looked up with wide eyes and swallowed. The three attackers were all staring at him, seemingly waiting on him to make a move. He would never forget their faces, their tauntingly happy smiles, their cruel eyes gazing upon him like a hunter upon a deer.
He took three steps forward, placing himself in front of the mortally wounded woman as well as his sisters. He gritted his teeth as the male of the group snickered. He heard the click of Noir's rifle and creek of Blanche's bow beside him. He uttered a quick prayer to anyone who would listen asking for help.
But it would not come. Not in time at least.
The attack came quicker than he could have reacted. The green haired girl went after Blanche, dodging past her arrow before ripping the bow out of her hands and slashing her across her stomach, sending her down screaming Jaune's name. The grey-haired man went after Noir, flipping past her shots with ease before landing a kick to her right arm, sending her down, screaming in tears as it snapped like a twig. The raven-haired woman came after him. Sending three arrows his way before charging in. If there was any consolation to be felt by him, he managed to block all three arrows with his shield. He could do nothing however, as she descended upon him.
Her first sword strike was when the other two descended open him. It wasn't even a fight. He was tossed around like a toy during the Vytal festival. Until finally, he was kicked back to where the rest of his sisters were staring at them with scared eyes. He crumpled down, his body broken and bleeding. He could do nothing except watch as Rouge, his twin and partner in everything, pointed her spear at the three advancing vile people. The crying form of Noir and the twitching body of Rouge behind them. He wanted her to flee, to take the other four and run. But he couldn't speak.
But then, like an angle form the heavens, another man came out of nowhere with an overly large sword and attacked the three. Jaune coughed in relief, tears falling down his cheeks as the man forced them to engage him.
Rouge took this as a chance to run forward, hoping to get to Blanche or Noir and tend to them. But she was stopped by the deceptively strong grip of the mortally wounded woman.
Jaune watched, transfixed as Rouge knelt and tried to treat the wound, only to stop as the woman stared deeply into her eyes.
What happened next, Jaune blamed on the pain and loss of blood and to a lesser extent the universe for throwing another damn moment his way, how else could he explain a golden fire extending out from the dying woman and dancing around his twin before flying into her chest.
His eyes grew heavy as Rouge wobbled before falling to her side unconscious. In the back ground, he could hear the twins' call out her name. The blond blinked as he saw the man step up to the unbreathing woman and curse before turning to look at Rouge and then the rest of his sisters.
The last thing Jaune remembered was seeing the red eyes of the man boring into his own. He would never forget how caring they were.
And that's the first chapter of Jaune and the Arc Maiden. Follow and review if you enjoyed it and be prepared for another chapter coming soon. Thank you.