Of My Ancestors:

The Arc clan is a family rooted in tradition, in honor. For many years the stories and legacies of their ancestors had been passed down the newest generation. And for the past one hundred years the Arc family has engaged in a new tradition, one that sparks scorn and distrust in the outside world. For Jaune Arc, it matters not. He's prepared his whole life for this moment, and now he is ready to assume his position as Patriarch of the Arc family.

0-0-0-0

I stood across the arena, staring down at the other man more than a hundred feet away. Even now, he looked no less like himself; rugged, cocksure, and proud. I could see his toothy grin even from where I stood.

The complex was silent, no massive crowd of spectators to cheer us on, not even a single referee to watch the fight.

Because this wasn't a spar, wasn't some training session. This was real, this was the moment I had trained for my entire life. There was a pregnant silence between us that was broken when my father boomed in that familiar voice.

"You have declared yourself worthy to inherit the Arc family, we have seen fit to accept this request and your challenge." his hand rested on the grip of his sword, relaxed. "Do you, Jaune D. Arc believe yourself up to the task of this challenge?"

I paused, my breath held up in my throat. Was I? I had trained all my life, heard all the stories but now? Now, this was real. Could I do it? Did I have it in my to slay the old man, prove myself to my ancestors?

"Yes, I do." was my simple, sure retort.

My father lowered his head, an almost bittersweet smile on his face. "Then prove to me my son, prove to me you have what it takes."

And like that the fight started, my opponent disappearing in a plume of fire only to reappear about ten feet next to me, the rolling waves of heat giving away his position. I raised my shield, white light flowing over it like the waves of an ocean.

The attack came not a second after, the sound of his broadsword connecting solidly with the bulk of my defense. His strength-enhancing semblances lending to the force he brought to bear and I felt my heels dig into the floor.

My Aura-reinforced shield held though, and I countered with a quick thrust forward. He dodged, of course, with a magnificent spin that connected into a lateral slash at my neckline.

I brought my head back just in time, I had left my neck unguarded. Think Jaune, how many sensory semblances did your opponent have?

Aurelio Arc III: 360 degree sensing, with better sense of movement the closer it was to him.

Magnus Arc: Knew exactly where to put his blades to achieve maximum effect.

Angelo Arc VI: Got a better sense of his opponent the longer he kept them in eyesight.

Those would be the foremost ones helping him, he hadn't used his power-boost yet so they were probably cut to a quarter of their original strength. Still though, I couldn't maintain close combat with him for more than a few seconds.

I dashed forward, going for a fake shield bash before slashing for his knees. My opponent deftly blocked the shield bash with enough time to step backwards and put me directly into his line of attack when I tried to go for his legs.

Dammit you idiot! Montgomery Arc II, he had point-blank precognition that only worked during combat. Old man must've been saving that charge for a counterattack.

No time, I was in danger. My foe's broadsword struck down, aiming to cleave my shoulder. It was a waste, but I boosted my aura and caught him in a flash of light that knocked the swing -and himself, by extension- off balance.

I swung in an upward arc, barely knicking the man's chin. No use, his aura was too dense, instead I rolled alongside him and jammed the but of my sword into the side of his leg. With his balance being still off-kilter, it was enough to bring the man down to the floor.

I didn't let up, swinging over my head and into his back. The attack landed home, smashing into his aura where it sparked a sickly green for a moment before he spun on his hand and caught me in the side of the head with the heel of his boot.

Fuck, old man's good I thought to myself, even so I couldn't give up. I needed to prove to him more than anyone I could protect the family, that I was worthy for the power that came with being the patriarch.

He teleported again, the explosion close enough now that I was caught in between the first bout of flames only to be sucker punched by the second as he appeared behind me in another eruption.

I was able to turn my tumble into a well-practiced roll just in time to bring my shield up for a block. The sword crashed down with all the weight of an bullhead, my semblance boosting the shield just in time to prevent it from being torn into scrap.

It didn't help the resulting force however, and I felt my body carve into the ground. The shockwave running through my armor and into me, causing the breath to get sucked out of my lungs.

Fuck, I couldn't afford to get trapped down here. I pushed up with all my might, catching my opponent by surprise and clocking him in the chin with the corner of my now dented shield.

I swung the length of my sword into his head, it clanged off his aura and shore of a part of his golden-blonde mane that hung down to his shoulders. Dammit, the old man was going easy on me. There was no way I could beat him head-on if he was serious.

It didn't matter, this wasn't about being a serious one-on-one fight to the death. It was about proving myself, and he didn't to go all-out to make me prove my worth. I give him a show, I'd make sure he knew that he was leaving things in the right hands.

I gave a mighty war cry as I stepped into his guard, shield bashing the right side of his body and making him turn. Had to keep him off guard, couldn't let him get the upper hand on me.

Even with his back turned he managed a counterattack, needles of iron materializing out from the black jacket that hung around him. They fired out towards me, slower than they were in their prime no doubt, less numerous too but I knew of their danger anyway.

I sucked in a breath, letting my aura flow through my shield as my semblance bloomed out from it. Glittering light pooled out before me, shielding my mass in an array of twisting white-gold light. The needles pinged uselessly off the shield, but the spread proved to be beyond the scope of the defense and a few of them managed to sink into the floor around me.

I pushed myself forward just as the bits of high-velocity shrapnel exploded out from the sites of where the needles landed. The ground around them seeming to disintegrate and fired off in bits of rocks and metal.

I wasted too much time, the old man was back on his feet. I swung wide, letting out an arc of pure energy that raised towards him, he merely raised a hand and the energy shattered upon meeting some kind of invisible wall.

No use, his defense was too strong. But he must've been feeling it by now, all those semblances had to be carving away at his aura and that was what was probably preventing him from using his power battery to boost himself. The candle that burns twice as bright as they say.

I couldn't get tired now, I was on the cusp of victory. I raised forward, another roar escaping my throat, as I crossed blades with the man, his years of experience being judged against my raw, unbridled passion.

No semblances, no trickery. We fought like men as we locked swords, he swung low and I dodged left, thrusting forward in a move that he ducked under.

Block, block, parry, swing, thrust, block, block, riposte. On it went as we clashed, a look of deep-seated pride evident in my father's eyes as he watched my performance. I don't know how long we continued to fight, but when it happened I was unprepared for it.

I stabbed forward after blocking a swing from his sword, certain that he would dodge which would lead him into my leg sweep. But he didn't. the length of my sword cleaved through his chest.

I stopped, gaping like a fish as he seemed to stumble slightly. I withdrew my blade, and he slumped to his knees, head held high towards me. I dropped my blade, crouching next to him.

Words escaped me as blood gushed from the open wound, this wasn't what I expected. I was ready to inherit the Arc family, but only now did I realize I was unprepared to lose my father as well.

He shook his head, reaching and pulling me into a tight hug. I could feel his blood spill over my pants like warm water in a shower, the feeling disconcertingly soothing to my mind.

"You... have passed, my boy." said through labored breaths, and I could hear the smile in his words. "You've made me proud."

"I-I can't- Dad." I stammered, my vision blurring with tears.

He shushed me, and continued. "Go on now, carry forth the Arc name with honor. I love you, Jaune..."

I felt his weight slump onto my shoulder, knew he had passed. I laid him down gently, the front of my armor stained red with his blood.

I stood up and made it no more than a couple steps before my legs buckled. The power that had been within my father transferring to me, his killer. I could feel the memories, ideals, the phantom images of dozens of previous Arcs.

I felt like I was losing my mind, I knew things but it was like in a dream where only the foggiest clips of sound murmured their way through my mind. Events I had no right to remember being at, perspectives that weren't my own, they were all there yet... distant. Like the more I tried to focus the more they slipped from my grasp, only ebbing back in when my attention wavered.

Then, the power.

It flowed over me like a tidal wave, crashing against the very depths of my soul. Ten- no, twenty- forty powers or more began to blossom within my mind. My sense expanding all the around me, powers I wasn't aware my father had.

I could feel the ground beneath me with my mind, feel the texture of my socks without being physically aware of it. Colors twisted before my, the room painted in faint shades of reds and oranges. More than that, however, I could feel raw strength fill my muscles. The feeling of fire and ice coursing beneath my veins, a veritable collection of semblances at the tips of my fingers. More than one hundred years of collected semblances, memories, and feelings of the previous Arc heads.

I could even pick out dad's. Memories of picnics when he was a child, my tenth birthday through his eyes, and his semblance: the ability to reshape matter into crude and simple constructs. He had more depth with it, able to form crossbows and catapults, but now I was limited to swords and the like.

Thank you, Dad.

Starting with Cornelius Arc, this semblance known as Tradition passed down the males of the Arc family through these time-honored duels. And one day, I would be slain by my own son when it came time for him to replace me.

I don't remember how long I sat there, maybe hours or days, even weeks, but when I rose I was no longer Jaune Arc. Or rather, I was and I wasn't. I was something like he was and yet more, one person and sixty persons.

It was... odd. But it was like I was always this, like I had always been missing these pieces of myself. There was no uncomfortable static or bleed-through I had been worried about, peace reigned within me.

I changed my clothes (a nice three piece blue suit) and walked outside the arena where dozens of faces and cameras awaited. Lights flashed as questions poured in, and I only then noticed that it was sundown by now. A little less than twelve hours then.

I raised my hands quieting the reporters, and began to speak.

"People of Vale, I Jaune D. Arc have defeated and slain my father in glorious ritual combat. I am now the new head of the Arc family, and am both proud and honored to have been allowed this opportunity." I clasped my hands behind my back. "I will look forward to my new responsibilities as the new Patriarch of the Arc clan."

Questions and cheers flooded in and I waded through them all, a tempered patience that wasn't my own guiding me through it. Eventually I made my way to a slick black limousine and entered.

I was unsurprised to say the least when Councilman Weathers and Headmaster Ozpin awaited me there.

0-0-0-0

"You... wish to go to Beacon, Julianne?" I questioned the girl before me, older than she was when I assumed my position. Though, maybe more in body than in mind.

She nodded vigorously, her particularly peculiar mix of hoodie and armor jostling with her. She wasn't unskilled per se, but I wasn't sure if she had the required work ethic necessary to go to a school like Beacon. Not when we could personally train her on her own terms and in a way that fit her style.

I rubbed my beard, a bit scruffier than I would've liked but it was better than the minimal peach fuzz I had been able to produce five years ago. I supposed it wouldn't be bad to have an another Arc send off for Beacon, there had been many in the past. But of all my family members perhaps not Julianne would've been my first pick, she was too naive, too trusting off others.

Not that those were bad traits in and of themselves, but Beacon was big-time. Serious academia with dedicated courses, full-time professors, and serious team-dynamics for four years straight.

"Please Jaune, I already took the preliminary tests and I passed with flying colors!" she said, pulling out a signed paper from the staff.

I felt an uncharacteristic spark of anger within me, a vestige from a more old-fashioned Arc who no doubt disliked the fact that such a woman had gone behind his back. Not that Jaune agreed, but it proved to be a slight damper on his already unsure mood.

"I don't know Julianne..."

"Please! I could prove myself to the branch families, I know they think that I'm just some stupid kid but I'm better than they are! I can prove it!"

Again, not wrong per se. The branch families thought her too soft, too uppity and had requested a trade between the main family and the branch. I declined, for she was still my sister and I had faith in her abilities, but I needed to be careful not too rock the boat too much.

The branches listened to me and heeded my word, but there was no need to nettle them unnecessarily.

"I... will deliberate on this further Julie. For now, take the day off and go play with your friends." I waved my hand at her, as I stood up from my chair in the study.

I caught her standing their apprehensively and I sighed.

"I will give you some money, yes."

"Yes! Thanks Jay!"

Sometimes, being head of the family was tiring.

0-0-0-0

"I don't know Ozpin, I'm not sure if she's ready."

"Mr. Arc, please. The staff here at Beacon would be honored to have your sister join us."

"I'm not sure if she's ready, though."

"Very few freshman truly are, but it is our responsiblity as teachers to mold them into fully fledged huntresses."

I sighed, maybe he was right. After all, who would know better about huntress than a headmaster of a hunter academy?

"Ok, fine. But I would like her to go in a sponsor."

"A sponsor? Are you sure you want to attract that kind of attention?"

"I have to, an Arc hasn't been to Beacon in some time and I need to please the branches as well."

"I see, well if it is what you think is best."

"Thank you Ozpin, I'll be in touch."

Needless to say Julie was ecstatic, and immediately began to pack until I reminded her that the next year is over three months away. Even so, I gave her her well-deserved congratulations and made sure she knew I was proud of her.

Here's hoping this will work out...