Chapter 3: Buried in Ashes
- Part 2
****** I apologize in advance, if those who see some of my chapters in full Bold lettering. I don't know why it's doing that, even after i edit and double check it when I upload my file. It annoys me so that is why I'm going to re-upload my story if it keeps doing this but I'll just keep uploading chapters until completion or when I snap from my OCD. Anyways here' part two. Enjoy but FYI this story is going to be a little long.******
"Where are they?" Ruby said as she looked at her Scroll.
"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be here soon."
"Yeah, I'm sure they're just taking their time walking over, I mean..." Yang paused as she looked down at her right arm.
Under the bandages she could feel the searing pain from that night. Hearing his vocie as he taunted her and Blake, feeling the red blade cut through her gauntlet. If it wasn't for Blake she knew they would have suffered more from that monster.
Looking up from her book, she stared over at her golden haired teammate, seeing that she was grasping her arm. The red haired reaper was too distracted due to her looking out for Weiss and Pyrrha. Taking her hand caused Yang to wake up from her drifting mind of horrors, her lilac eyes meeting with gold.
"You still thinking about that night." Blake said.
"If he used the full power of his semblance, I would've probably lost a part of me that night. But i can't look at my arm without thinking what he did to me...to us Blake."
"He's changed, I still remember him ordering to kill one of our own and all cause he disobeyed orders."
"I'll kill him, next time I see him..."
"Yang...if you face him...that'll just be what he wants, you'll just prove to him that he's in your head."
"So what, I'm just suppose to do nothing"
"No, next time he shows himself. We'll face him...together...Yang. You, Ruby and Wiess all helped me when I felt alone and showed me that asking for help isn't a sign of weakness. And now…...I'm not going to run away anymore."
Yang smiled as she held her hand back, nodding was her only response. Feeling a tug on her sleeve, both looked to see Ruby pointing down the street.
"WEISSSSSSSSSSSSSS." She shouted
A sudden burst of red pedals bloomed as she bursted her way toward the two ladies, too distracted talking to Pyrrha before suddenly hearing the crowd of people gasp and shriek.
"Whats causing that commotion?" Pyrrha said looking toward the direction of the noise.
"Oh no..." She said while carrying a blank stare.
Pyrrha flinching hard, her arms in the air as if she's being arrested and her eyeswider than tennis balls. Pedals srrounding the three as Pyrrha looked to her side as she saw that Weiss was now on the ground being embraced by her team leader.
"OhhhhhhWiessI'msohappytoseeyoutwoagain. IwassoworriedthatyoutwomighthavegottenlostorsomeonemighthavekidnappedyoulikewhenIwascapturedonourmissionintheoldcity." Ruby took a long deep inhale as she caught her breath.
I swear you're three." Weiss spoke sarcastically while looking at her with a blank expression.
"Uhhh...Hello Ruby." Pyrrha spoke as she waved down at her.
"Oh Pyrrha!" She yelled
Using her semblance again Pyrrha squeaked in surprise as she felt the red reaper wrapping her arms and legs around her. Swaying a little back and forth but Pyrrha kept her balance as she smiled awkwardly down at the team leader.
"Hi" She said as she smiled up at the spartan.
After meeting up, the five ladies walked on as they tried to find a good view. Working their way through the crowd, after 13 minutes of searching they found a perfect view of the stage. Seeing Professor Goodwitch walking up to the podium, dressed in a knee length black skirt, long sleeved dark gray turtle neck and her usual cape.
"Welcome everyone, thank you all for coming to attend this memorial..."
Continuing on with her speech Ruby glanced to the rear of the stage, her eyes widened to see families, wives weeping and children who were either crying or looking to the ground. The one couple that caught her eye was a husband who bared a strong resemblance of Jaune but older and with a five o' clock shadow. His face showed no expression, his eyes bared no signs of life.
"Guys...does that man look like..."
"Yeah..." Weiss said.
"Uncle Qrow said the families would be here so that their children can be honored for their bravery." Yang said.
"That seems a little insulting, I mean they're mourning." Blake said.
"They were invited, I'm sure these are families who wanted to show up..." Ruby spoke softly.
The four turn their heads and see Pyrrha staring at the man, her eyes watering up, clenched her fist tightly. Everyone else in the crowd was so quiet that a mouse could be heard running. Under Blakes bow, her ears went flat. Some people could be heard sniffling. Ruby looked in the crowd to see some classmates and team CFVY standing together in the crowd as well.
"...Today your children have done what they were trained to do..." Glynda spoke as she looked behind her. "Which is why today we've built this memorial of these students of Beacon, Shade, Vacuo and Atlas Academy. Sacrificing their lives for others and being the true enbodiment of what being a Huntsman really is." Glynda looked to her head to the right.
From behind a curtain teachers and professors walked out from behind each of them carrying trays with cloths covering the contents, all varied in sizes. The families cried or couldn't hold their tears back any more. Ruby and Yang both noticed their father and Qrow on the stage as he was wearing a button up white shirt with a black vest and slacks. Dark colors seems to be what they are all wearing, their heads lowered and not looking up at the crowd. Turning back to the crowd, Glynda closed her eyes and quietly took a deep breath.
"This day will always be remembered as the Fall of Beacon but this will be the day these students became warriors, the day they became true Huntsmen."
One by one the Huntsmen walked over to the family, removing the cloth and revealing a broken, dented or pieces of a weapon. Few women attempted their best to keep it together while others collapsed to their knees and bawled out crying. Tai Yang walked up to the Arc family, the 7 sisters stood behind the parents.
"Hello Tai..."
"Hey Charles, Jenny, I wish we were meeting under better circumstances..."
Tai didn't dare to look up at the family as he removed the cloth, Jenny looked away. Saph turned and walked off the stage, Charles eyes watered up as he held all that was left of Jaune Arc. The other six daughters wept and consoled their mother best as they could.
"Where is he Tai...Where is my boy!" He said while gripping the shield tightly.
"Charles I'm sorry we loo..."
"YOU DIDN'T LOOK HARD ENOUGH! WHERE'S MY SON TAI! WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO BURY AT OUR FAMILY GRAVE! Tell me where his boy is and I'll go and get him myself!" He yelled.
"Charles stop!" Jenny said.
"Dad.." One of the older sisters pleaded.
Dad stop, please." Said the youngest sibling.
Tai and Peter grabbed him by his arms as he hastily attempted to run off the stage while in the crowd students of Beacon choked and wept as they saw a father only wishing to give his son a proper burial.
Ruby's heart broke as she stared at a father who can't bury his child. Yang looked to the ground, her eyes closed tight as Blake held her hand. Weiss stared while not knowing the tears streaking down her cheeks, watching as the three teachers held back a grieving father.
"Mr. Arc stop this." Port said.
"Pull it together Charles..."
"Let me go! I need to go find my son!" He said as he attempted to break free. "I...I...need to tell him I'm sorry...I need to tell my son..." Collapsing to his knees, screaming in somber.
Tai Yang helping him off the stage as his wife followed while leaving the 6 remaining daughters to take their seats in the back.
Pyrrha could hear nearby students talking to themselves or speaking to their friends.
"I...I can't believe this is really happening..."
"I should have stayed and helped...this is what I was training for...instead I just ran..."
"I never talked to Jaune but..." A male student said as he wasn't able to finish his sentence.
"How did he die...I mean where were his teammates?" said a nearby woman
"Didn't he have Pyrrha Nikos on his team?" One boy said.
"Excuse me, Ruby."
Ruby turned around as the voice sounded familiar. Seeing a 6'2 man in a black long sleeved shirt and gray jeans. "Cardin." Ruby looked as he didn't have is hair styled up like usual.
"What are you want Winchester?" Yang snarled at him.
Looking at the ground, the two could looked at his face to see something they thought Cardin never had...sadness. "I deserve that, look I just wanted to give you my condolences...Jaune was a good one...I owe him my life. I wouldn't be standing here if he didn't save me that day in the forest. "
Behind the stage, finally accepting the tormenting thought of all that's left of his son now is a broken blade and a badly damaged shield. Pyrrha quietly made her way towards the stairs of the stage as her tear stained face. The crowd begun to murmur and whisper as they saw the red haired huntress walking up to the stage, bearing so much despair and her eyes red as she could clearly be seen crying. Team RWBY looked as the Arc family stared at Pyrrha Nikos.
One of the seven daughters sat up and walks toward her remaining silent, Ruby and the others watched the blonde haired teen walking toward the red haired huntress. Before she could open her mouth Pyrrha received a slapped across her face, holding her cheek, feeling the sharp throbbing pain as she expected to be slapped or worse. Looking at the blonde hair woman, seeing in her eyes that she is filled with anger and grievance.
"Why didn't you protect him...why didn't you save my brother..." She choked out as she tried to hold back her tears.
"I...I'm..." Unable to keep it together. Pyrrha began to cry harder than she already was.
Jenny wiped away her tears, getting up out of her chair and walks over to her.
"Hello miss Nikos, it's...its so nice to..." Before she could speak anymore Pyrrha interrupted her.
The mother and all those at the memorial looked as the Invincible Warrior fell to her knees. "Mrs. Arc...I...I...I am so sorry...I tried my best to protect him...I did what I could to keep him safe but...I-I...I couldn't protect him! If I could trade places with him I would..." She bawled out.
"It's okay shhhh shh shh shhhhh." Jenny said softly as she embraced her. "Sweetheart what happened to Jaune was not your fault. Here come on..Terra help me take her to the back." Holding her left forearm, lifting her up. "I'm so sorry" She mouth toward Glynda while the teachers finally continued on the memorial.
Walking behind the curtains, Terra's crying has stopped. Pyrrha sitting down on a chair as she continues to crying. Team RWBY makes their way through the crowd and behind the stage as well.
"Pyrrha"Ruby said as she came to her side.
Blake and glared at Terra with fury. She stared back at the two and can see the golden haired brawler pupils turn blood red as she had her fist balled up.
"Was slapping her really necessary?" Blake said.
"She didn't do anything wrong."
Terra looked away as she scoffed at the two. Weiss huffed at the stubborn child, walking up to her she stared into the eyes of the girl.
"I get why you're mad, we all here knew Jaune...he...he was a good man..." Before she could continue on Jenny interrupted her.
"Team RWBY?" She said, the four girls looked in confusion onto how this mother of eight children could possibly know their team initials.
"You...You know...us?" Ruby said suspicious.
" I do, Jaune told us so much about the adventures of the Red Reaper, the Ninja of Shadows, the Golden Brawler and the Queen of Angels. Hold on..."Jenny softly smiled as she reached into her purse, to each of them hearing the nicknames the dolt had given them caused Ruby to smile in cockiness, in Blake's mind she starting to think of a fan-fiction of her own with the Ninja of Shadows avenging the death of her lover, The White Paladin. Yang smiled as her cheeks blushed lightly thinking how awesome of a name that would be if she became a bad ass superhero...or a sexy villain. Where Weiss's face flushed red when hearing her nickname.
"He...He really called me the Queen of Angels...then... arrgh then why did that dolt always call me Ice Queen." She said in her head.
"Weiss are you blushing?" Blake spoke.
After hearing the word blushing, Pyrrha, Yang, and Ruby looked at their white haired friend who turned away from them.
"N-No, it's just cause of all that's happening. Shut up!" She snapped at the ladies until they looked to see one sibling of seven walk over to Pyrrha.
Terra's look of anger changed to sadness. Walking over to Pyrrha who watched her every step and preparing herself for what may be another slap to the face or even a punch she thought while looking at the muscle she had on her arms. Yang readied herself to hold back someone who is filled with grief.
"I'm...I'm really sorry for slapping you...my whole family never thought something like this would happen...especially to our only brother. I'm Terra"
"It's okay." Pyrrha said back to Terra. "Jaune was a great leader."
Pulling out her scroll, it could be seen through the scroll that she opened a video that showed Jaune in his hoodie. Terra walked away as to not cry again were RWBY and Pyrrha stepped closer to look as the video begun playing.
"Hey mom, uhh heheh how's everyone doing back home? Tell Terra to stop sending me first aid kits, just cause I'm scrawny doesn't mean I'm clumsy heh...uhhhmmmmm is dad still mad at me?" Jaune said as his eyes looked away from the camera. "I...I know he didn't mean what he said to me the day I left...but just tell him I said hi...anyway I wanted you to know I miss everyone.
I know Saph is going to be moving out to her girlfriends place soon, I'll send her a goodbye video later. Are Terra and Sinndra still helping dad out at the forge? Oh remind Hilly to keep out of my room, I know she still likes to use my X-Ray and Vav figures for her tea parties with Miss Bunny foo fu and Lady Mardy. Also let Selda and Chirra that I'm ready for a rematch of monopoly when I come back home to visit, don't forget to give Rinhe a hug for me. I know she hates that I haven't been able to draw with her." Jaune smiled at the camera.
Pyrrha's eyes watered up as she remember that night. Team RWBY watched as well "Ohh about that visit, just a heads up my teammates want to visit so get ready to be making plenty of pancakes for Nora hahahaha. Maybe during the summer I'll see if Team rwby wants to come and meet you guys." The room door behind Jaune opened.
"Jaune? What are you doing, we're suppose to be training" Pyrrha said in the video.
"Sorry Pyrrha, okay well I gotta go now. Love you guys, can't wait to see you all after the Vytal festival is over." Jaune waved as the video stopped.
"The day he left was the day I told him that he wasn't the son I wanted..." Said a voice from behind team rwby.
Looking behind them to see Charles Arc and the six other blonde haired daughters. Charles seemed to be 6'6" with a short scruffy beard and a cut on his neck that lead down under his shirt.
"I'm Charles, I'm sorry you had to see me like that...I...I tried to keep it together..." Looking down at the ground as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"We're all grieving in our own way, I'm Sinndra the second oldest, Terra is first oldest." Sinndra looked to be 5'6, short hair with fades on the side, wearing a dark gray long sleeved shirt with black jeans.
"Sorry to be meeting you all like this..." Terra said as she sat next to Pyrrha. She seemed to be 6' and wearing a white shirt with a sky blue button up top and light gray jeans and with the same messy hair like Jaune's.
"I'm Chirra and my twin Selda." Both girls seemed to be around 4'7, one had a braided ponytail where the other didn't. Chirra was wearing a plaid green and black short sleeved shirt and blue jeans. Where Selda was wearing a light tan vest with an orange shirt and dark brown pants.
The last and youngest stepped out who looked to be four-teen years old.
"And...my name's Rinhe, it's cool to meet you all." She said, Pyrrha looked at the 5'5 girl who was wearing a long sleeved pumpkin Pete hoodie, the sleeves hid her hands while wearing faded black jeans and mid calf high boots.
The four girls looked as their eyes were all blue. Pyrrha smiled at the family, seeing all of Jaunes family for the first time. Now realizing it, Nora and Ren weren't here.
Jenny walked over to Charles as he rubbed his eyes, looking back up to the introductions. Ruby noticed he was now holding a long case in his hand. Blake, Weiss and Yang started to talk to the sisters and learn about little thing in Jaunes home life.
" Miss Nik...sorry Pyrrha..." Charles said as he placed the case down and pulled a chair next to her.
"Yes sir?" She said as her tears had finally stopped.
"I heard your sword was broken, and..." He placed the case on his lap and opened the latches. "In a way to honor my son...the Family Arc way..."
Selda and Terra, the whole family looked and even rwby looked as they listened to their conversation. Jenny moved over to her husbands side as she placed her hand on her shoulder, inside the case was the shield in it's sheath form and broken blade of Crocea Mors. Holding out pieces of the blade to Pyrrha.
"Pyrrha Nikos, I would like to forge you a new sword." Charles said
"And we can design it for you." Selda spoke a she smiled and the same with Terra.
"The Arc family are both Warriors and strong blacksmiths, our Grandfather made his armor and weapon when the war started as did his father and his father before him."
Pyrrha looked at the pieces of Crocea Mors, she looked to the man.
"Yes, I would love to have a sword made by you and another thing."
"Of course, name it and my daughter will make it for you." He replied
"I would love to have my gauntlet and shield modified as well."
"It will be done, a Arc words we will meet your request." He said as he placed the shards and pieces of the blade back inside the case.
"Umm Excuse me.." Ruby spoke up as she stood in front of the couple.
"Yes?"
"But what are you going to be doing with that now?" She said pointing to the case.
"We're going to return it back on the mantle...the sword will have to be reforged." Charles said as he patted the case.
"Mantle..." Yang said confusingly
"Where did Jaune take the armor from anyway?" Weiss spoke.
"Back home we have a library, that hold some of my families history." Charles spoke.
"In there we keep the sword and shield but the armor we wanted to keep it hidden from him." Jenny said as she looked disappointed.
"Wait, hidden? Why did you have to hide the armor?" Blake spoke as the children begun to have looks of worry.
Sighing deeply. "Because I didn't want him to have any thoughts of becoming a huntsman, we're in a time of peace so I hid it away."
"And we feared that he never developed an Aura we were sure he didn't have a chance..."
"My family line has been known for their Healing...I'm sure if Terra wasn't with me at the shop the day I got this.." Lifting up his head as she shows the scar that went down his neck in a steep angle it could clearly show that it crosses his jugular. "I wouldn't be standing here to this day."
"So if Jaune had Aura awakened...then could that mean..." Pyrrha spoke as her eyes widened with hope.
"I hate to say it but it I doubt it." Terra said. "This semblance often skips a generation or two..."
"And if so, his aura would have shown up sooner...I'm sorry Pyrrha...I pondered that thought too but I'm not sure is he has a semblance." Charles said.
"You don't know that, Selda has an enhancement semblance." Jenny said.
"Yeah but...he never found out what it was.." Ruby spoke up.
As the memorial was over, the reveal was a stone replica of Beacon Tower with the names of those who lost thier lives protecting the academy. The tower was only 12 feet, Ren and Nora were finally found in a coffee shop where the two were getting coffee and tea for the others. Weiss then informing Cline to just head back to the hotel for her teammates, Pyrrha, Ren and Nora all head back to the Xiao Long house and stay the night in ways of keeping Pyrrha company. Though Blake and Zwei had some confrontations at first, Weiss and Nora arguing about acting like a proper lady. Ren even though he was the only other male there, he and Tai both decided to make dinner. Pyrrha, Ruby and Yang were talking about what their next plan was...
******Ohhhhhhhhh your god! My smol brain is killing me...(Collapses as has shut down)
/Attempting file recovery…...Please wait….File recovery complete/
…...anyway, finally this chapter is done and before my Birthday no less. Just for fun I'll make a short birthday story with Team JNPR and Team RWBY. I may have went far with the sadness on this chapter. but I hope you liked it. I know I made a short summery on the end but I was running on fumes just making this work and I wanted to make sure I published this story as well and the day before my Birthday too. Thanks for reading, share this to those who like stories like this. Stay safe, stay Happy and take care******
