So yeah, hi, I'm writing a fanfic. Who would have guessed?
Before we begin let's get few things out of the way first.
This is going to be AU RWBY fanfic with some elements of the Nasuverse (FSN, Tsukihime, Kara no Kyoukai) serving as explanations for some worldbuilding details. But given the way I want to tell this story it will take some time until those explanations will be presented to you. On the basic level though, this will still be the world of Remnant you know from RWBY, at least at the beginning.
This is also going to be "a capable Jaune story". I don't want to make him too strong or anything, in fact in some ways I want to keep him weaker then most of his friends at Beacon, but he is going to be more capable and self-conscious than in the show, and he will have some tricks in his sleeves to make up for some of his weaknesses. Probably not socially though.
There will also be some specific outside/inside influence on his character and world view so he may eventually differ a lot from his canon counterpart.
Last thing I want to mention - the tamplate for Jaune's parents and sisters was taken from amazing RWBY fanfic writer Coeur Al'Aran. I recommend you give a try to his stories, especially to 'One Good Turn Deserves Another' and 'From Beyond'.
Now we can get to the story. Hope you will like it.
Chapter 1 – The Key to the Armory
"Look Jaune, I understand you are disappointed that you haven't been accepted to the Signal but it is already more then a week. Your constant sulking is making this trip miserable for everybody. Especially for Amber, you know how she was looking forward to this." Sapphire, the oldest daughter of the Arc family, was standing above the brooding thirteen year old, her hands crossed on her chest. He was sitting on a bench, silently throwing a ball against a wall in front of him and catching it when it came bouncing back.
He felt a little pang of guilt when she mentioned their youngest sister but what was they expecting to do? The life he dreamed of achieving was over – he couldn't go to Signal and his father was constantly refusing to train him. He wanted to be the Hunter, a hero like in the stories. Instead he was to be a what?
"It's not like I'm doing anything." he sighed not even looking at her.
"Exactly!" she exclaimed, "We have traveled here for hours and when we finally arrive you do the same thing as the entire week – sit around sulking like a child. You know mom persuaded dad to take us on this trip so you would feel better. C'mon, you always wanted to see this place. Least you can do is show some interest!"
Two days ago their parents surprised all eight of them with an idea to visit the Greengrown Ruins – the small remnants of some ancient town located few hours ride from their hometown of Ansel. It was said to have been one of the first known human settlements on the Remnant but, as it was with all the ruins spread across all the continents, nobody really knew anything for sure. Just another reminder of the forgotten past of the world they inherited. Full of questions without answers.
It was nice though, Jaune had to admit even through his bad mood, small walls and half standing stone buildings all overgrown with lush greenery the place was named after. The air here was lush and humid, no doubt thanks to the shadows cast by the rocky hills that cradled the place from all sides.
"Look, the guide is just finishing this part of tour and we should soon be taken to look at those basements the people here used to hide from Grimm." she nodded at the direction where rest of their family was standing with a young man that was leading them through ruins. He appearenlty finished explaining current theories about the non-descript foundations of the collapsed building behind him and was directing them to the small archway leading to next stop on their tour.
"So get your ass up and join us already."
"Okay, I'm coming." he sighed again as she turned on her heels and started walking to the rest of the group.
Jaune threw his ball at the wall for the last time, misjudging his aim completely causing it to fly through the stone shaped hole and vanish in the grass behind it.
Shit...
He walked to the wall and used the same hole his ball disappeared in to help himself climb over it. It wasn't much higher then him so it wasn't hard. He could see his ball lying in the middle of something that could have once been a big room or a small hall, now covered in deep green moss and patches of grass. He jumped down onto it and started walking towards his ball.
The moss was thick and soft and his feet sinked a little in it with each step, as if walking in the deep green snow. So he could be forgiven for not noticing the ripping sound that came with his next step. It was followed by a sudden short lived feeling of weightlessness as the green carpet under him suddenly cracked into pieces and he plummeted down into the dark basement bellow.
He didn't even have the time to scream.
Over one small wall and about thirty steps away, on the remains of what have once been a busy alleyway, his oldest sister turned around to see if her difficult brother did as told.
"Jaune?"
Jaune had hit the ground with a silent thump. The floor was slightly wet and softer than he would have expected from almost four meter fall. He was lying on his back dumbly staring at the hole he had fell through confused as to what has just happened. He sat up and looked around.
The room was as big as the one that used to be above it. It had no windows but that was to be expected given it was underground. There was a doorway in the wall to the right of his position leading into the darkness. Along the walls were lying broken pieces of wood that may have once been parts of furniture before the moisture, time and woodworms took their toll.
Finally taking in the situation, a feeling of dread mixed with a ping of boyish excitement spreading through his belly, Jaune stood up and was about to start yelling for help. Surely others couldn't get far. Before he could do so a red glimmer took his atention. There in the heap of broken wood was lying some thing, glittering in the sunlight that was comming from his unintentional entry point.
The curiosity took over him for a moment as he walked to the source of red flashes. He had bent down and grabbed the thing with his hands. It was a pendant - made from a large triangle shaped red jewel with a ornate silver loop for a small chain. The stone was cracked but still eery beautiful.
Jaune smiled, this could earn him some serious lien. And if not he could give it to one of his sisters to quench her ire if need be. He had pulled the pendant over his neck and hid it under his shirt.
"Dad! Sapphire! Hey!" he shouted up the hole in the ceiling, "I need help! I have fallen down some-"
CLANK!, came from the darkness. He was not alone. The dread in his stomach suddenly got a lot heavier.
Jaune backed to the wall oposite the doorway the sound came from, hoping to hide in the shadows. He heard wet footsteps of more then one pair of legs and after a moment something walked from the darkness ito the light of the room he was in...
Jaune's heart stopped... and then went to the overdrive.
It's a Grimm!
The pitch black carapace and bonewhite armorlike growth at some places of its body were a dead givaway. He didn't know the exact name of this particular type of Grimm but the term "fuck-scorpion" that came to his mind seemed apt. It was only about half a meter tall but its long tail lifted above its armored back reached almost to Jaune's eye level. At the end of this tail there was a large glowing stinger that looked as dangerous as the sharp pincers on the creature's front limbs.
Grimm's ten red eyes seemed to be searching the room, though it didn't look like it had noticed Jaune. Yet.
Maybe it can't see well in the light? There probably was a complete darkness in here before I made that hole. It won't last though. Shit! What now?
Jaune's heart was beating in his ears so loudly he feared the Grimm would hear it...
That is before it notices the red light shining from my chest for some reason... wait, what!?
He looked down staring at the pendant he stashed under his shirt just a short while ago. It was shining like a red beacon, clearly visible through the fabric of his clothes.
Shit! Very smart, Jaune! You have put a volatile dust crystal on your neck or something! Now it will explode and make hole in your chest before the Grimm even gets his turn!
Not knowing what to do he panicked, putting both his hands under the shirt cradling the pendant in his palms, trying at least to hide the light so the creature wouldn't notice it. As his shaking hands held it, the edge of the cracked jewel dug deep into his skin drawing blood.
BA-DUM!
The loud sound suddenly came from somewhere.
BA-DUM!
And then it felt as if his hands had exploded.
It really was a dust crystal? He thought as he shouted in fear and pain.
Then the world went white.
Jaune was standing on the wast dusty plain. The sky was the color of amber and fast moving copper clouds flowed through it like a stormy river. On the horizon he could see giant gears – large cracks spreading across them as they lie there half-covered in sand. Unmoving.
And all around him there were swords.
No, that was wrong.
All around him there were things that have once been swords. Broken blades standing with their hilts up to the sky like gravestones of gravestones. The everpresent wind scattering their rusted remains in the sky and sand, to be forever forgotten.
Suddenly, he heard a voices speak in the language he didn't know... but he could understand it perfectly.
I am the bone of my sword.
The wind got little stronger, carrying the echo of those words.
Steel is my body and fire is my blood.
The less stable swords in the field around him started to fall, shatering with renowed intensity.
I have created over thousand blades.
The clouds created a rotating spiral with center right above Jaune's position.
Unknown to death, nor known to life.
Unaware of loss, nor aware of gain! The wind howled defiantly.
All the blades began to shake.
Have withstood the pain to create many weapons.
Withstood the pain, waiting for the one's arrival. The growing wind cried with intensity.
The blades started tearing themselves from the ground.
Yet those hands will never hold anything.
I have no regrets, this is the only path. The wind reached its peak.
The blades grinded into dust.
So I pray-
My whole life was-
Silence.
Jaune was standing on the wast dusty plain. The sky was the color of amber and fast moving copper clouds flowed through it like a stormy river. On the horizon he could see giant gears – large cracks spreading across them as they lie there half-covered in sand. Unmoving.
All around him there was an empty desert.
No, that was wrong.
There were swords. Two beautiful blades, white and black, just in his reach. And one far outside of it, shining a magnificent gold on a solitary hill.
Suddenly, he heard a voices speak in the language he didn't know... but he could understand it perfectly. Two voices, young and old, talking as one.
So, you are to recieve the burden of my legacy? The dream to be a hero. The curse to be a hero.
Very well, you can have it. Save the world I have failed to protect.
The world shattered.
Jaune gasped.
What the fuck!?
He looked at his hands. They were unhurt, cradling the end of the chain he wore around his neck, the ornate loop, that had previously held the red jewel, was empty.
What?
He looked up just in time to see the yellow streak of "fuck-scorpion's" stinger slashing fast towards his torso. He dived to the right falling on to the ground and rolling away. The Grimm's tail struck the wall he was standing by just a moment ago shattering the solid stone like nothing but chalk.
Gulp!
Jaune rose to his feet looking for a way out.
A quick look at the dark doorway.
Risky!
A quick look at the hole in the ceiling.
Impossible!
A quick glance at the "fuck-scorpion" attacking him again.
Too late!
The stinger hit him square in the chest. Dull pain and sharp exhale. Jaune's body felt weird for a moment, as if the electricity was pouring through it – strongly at the start but getting weaker every second. He staggered back few steps and with growing horror...
I'm going to die!
...he looked down at the gaping hole where his right lung used to be.
But there was no hole. His shirt was torn and there was a reddish bruise where the tail had struck but nothing more.
What!?
As he thought that, the Grimm slashed once more. Jaune tried to dodge but again he lingered for too long. The stinger grazed across his left shoulder, but miraculously it failed to penetrate. He felt it again, the electricity – strong at first, though not as much as before, and getting weaker.
Did I gain a superpower? Some body shield or something?
He would have thought it should fill him with joy. How many times had he dreamed of having superpowers like characters in X-Rey and Vav and other comicbooks he was so fond of reading? At the moment though all that was on his mind was survival.
I need a weapon! He thought while clenching his hands. I can't hurt it just by punching it! Can I?
He dodged the next attack and looked at fists. For some reason he was holding them slightly open, as if leaving a place for...
...swords.
He looked at the Grimm that was closing in on him again. And then, without knowing why or how, he heard himself saying the words in a language he didn't know... but he could understand it perfectly.
"TRACE ON."
(to be continued)