Someone PM'd me this suggestion and honestly, it was too good not to write.

Chapter 19: Jaune Calavera Arc 1


Concept: Jaune's raised by Maria

Appearance: None


Prologue The Reaper's End and The Patriarch's Second Flame

Jaeger Arc The father to Julius Arc and Patriarch to The arc House was many things, strong, stoic and Brave. He was a Huntsmen without equal and the first Arc to be born after the Great War that his father fought in. He Overtook his father at the ripe age of 15 and was widely regarded as one of the best of his generation within Mistral and Vale alike.

However, Jaeger never let his pride nor arrogance consume him a lesson his father instilled in him, yes to many the current Arc Patriarch was the perfect warrior and head to his house. However, he wasn't without flaws, Jaeger empathized with the Faunus, freedom and equal treatment were something all deserve and as an Arc who opposed oppression, he firmly believed this. However, his view was very unpopular in Mistral and due to this, the families of Mistral had begun to isolate his house.

Jaeger was stubborn just like his father and son and if Oum be willing his grandson would one day be, he adamantly spoke in support for the faunus and against confining them in Menagerie. His father fought alongside Men and Faunus alike shed blood with them and mourned their lost and in the end it was a faunus who brought his family back Crocea Mors and his dad's body once the former patriarch passed.

Jaeger would not allow himself to back down on his beliefs, yet before he could take comfort and solace in the embrace and kindness of his wife but at last she'd passed of sickness. Now his only reprieve from the frustrations of politics was to do some actual good taking up huntsman jobs and the like. A man at the nearest city had informed him of a sole Huntress taking on a giant Nevermore mission naturally Jaeger took it upon himself to go in hopes of giving support. How he had not expected though was to spot no Nevermore and instead hear the scream of a woman and the familiar sounds of gunfire.

Instincts took over and Without hesitation Jaeger drew his family's sword before rushing forward his aura flaring as it augmented his form and Crocea Mors. He barely noticed the shatter stones in the shape of a large Nevermore as he advanced towards the Screams. Faintly he could pick up a heavily accented voice taking haughtily. It was as he closed in that he saw it faunus woman standing over another whose eyes were slashed.

Jaeger readied his families blade letting it rage to life with the light of his soul however just before he could act a discarded scythe behind the faunus glowed. The attacker noticed but not nearly fast enough as when she turned the weapon came rushing forward piecing her back and bringing her towards the thought to be down woman. Said newly blinded huntress roared as she swung her remaining scythe at the faunus's head with enough force to decapitate her.

Jaeger stopped in his tracks Crocea Mors dimming as he realized there were no immediate threats, Looking around he noted the silence beside s the woman's grunts and repressed whimpers. He spotted at least five bodies and just looking to them he could tell these corpses were no mere schmucks but skilled and experienced fighters.

"To take them all out…" The woman flinched at his voice turning his way her weapon ready as she pressed a bottom forcing the second one from her most recent kill's back and into her hands.

"Who's there!" Her aura flared a light blue, Jaeger looked to the woman regarding her before nodding to himself and sheathing Crocea Mors. He could see her react to the familiar sound of a weapon being sheathed and saw her stance relax by the barest degree.

"Its fine ma'am I not with… Whoever these people are." The woman grip tightened on her weapons showing her doubt.

"Why are you here then?"

"I came to support the huntress taking on a large Nevermore solo, I hadn't expected to come upon such a sight as this." The woman paused seeming to decide whether to believe his words or not.

"So then, are you a huntsman?" Jaeger nodded to himself.

"Indeed, I'm Jaeger Arc." The woman weapon's lowered at his claim.

"An Arc? As in the Warrior house?" Jaeger smiled despite himself glad his name had calmed her a bit more.

"Indeed, and I promise on my House's name I hold no connections with these… assassins? Miss…" The woman reached for her wounded eyes cautiously.

"Maria, Maria Calavera." Jaeger paused going wide-eyed.

"The Grimm Reaper?" The woman chuckled.

"That's me… the mighty Grimm Reaper reduced to a blind girl, Agh!" She pulled back her hand, her wounds burned the pain so great she nearly fell over only to have a pair of arms grab her. Without thought, Maria swung Life at the man only for him to raise an arm letting the scythe strike enduring the blow.

"Please be calm, I'm here to help, the last thing we need are the Grimm to come." His words seemed to be enough as she ceased her attempt to take his arm and pulled back Life its blade edge slightly smeared crimson. Jaeger let out a relieved breath before digging into his bag.

"We need to get you to a proper Hospital, my friend Cordo was telling me about Atlas establishing one in that new port frontier Argus." From his back Jaeger pulled out some wrapping bandages and medical mixtures.

"For now we need to disinfect or at the very least cover the wounds." Jaeger dipped his hands into the mixture and readied to apply it.

"This is gonna hurt." Maria glowered.

"Yeah, a bit of a sting is gonna be the most unbearable shit today 'tsk'." Jaeger stiffened seeing her point, it hadn't taken long to treat and bandage the wound.

"And there." Jaeger stood before Maria.

"We'll be going to Argus do you want to take my hand or should I carry you?" The Reaper paused at his words before looking his way, he was sure if her face wasn't bandaged, she'd be raising a brow.

"I think I'll manage on my own."

"'heh' If you weren't blind, injured and producing negative emotions I'd be inclined to agree with you." Maria lips pressed together.

"Look I was blinded not rendered helpless like some damsel, I don't need some hero boy to come to my rescue." Jaeger chuckled looking to the bodies.

"Obviously." Maria lifted her finger pressing it against the man's large form.

"So I appreciate you 'trying' to give me back up but I'll manage with or without you, I'm a pro tracker, survivalist and the best damn huntress this side of Mistral. I think I'll manage to find my way to a mere city." Jaeger crossed his arms a brow raised.

"That's not me…" He watched as Maria stabbed her finger against a large rock, said woman finally noticing his voice was leftwards of the form she was facing 'looked' his way.

"Th-that proves nothing…"

Chapter 1

-Forty-Six Years Later-

It wasn't far from the village, an hour walk at most even in her old age. Maria Calavera Arc stood before her husband.

Jaeger Calavera Arc

A great Patriarch, Loving father and husband and a superb Huntsman.

Live with pride and Die with honor

She smiled as she looked to the plethora of flowers surrounding his tombstone, Aria had made sure each of her grandchildren planted some for their grandpa every year. This year had been no different with the exception that their newly arrived baby boy Jaune who giggled and reached out to the gravestone like his grandpa had been standing right in front of him. Maria exhaled slowly as she readied herself.

"You old dumbass…" After several seconds of no response, Maria sighed slapping her forehead

"Seriously to up and die right when our first grandsons born, didn't you boast over showing him how to swing that hunk of metal once the doctors told Julius and Aria it'd be a boy." Maria remembered her Jaeger's stupid grin, it was a bright, annoying and utterly endearing as it had been the first six times around Julius had cursed Aria with the dreaded nine months of pain.

Maria sighed.

"They named him Jaune, Jaune Calavera Arc, pfft, damn bratty son of ours insisted they add my name in." A faint smile begun to form on the old woman's face.

"I'd wish you'd been able to meet him…" Maria let the memories of her time with her husband run through her mind, of their meeting, his insistence she take shelter in Ansel as she adjusted to her new eyes. She remembered seeing the Arc Warrior train alongside his son of the ripe age of 10 and then him going off to clear away any nearby Grimm.

She wondered when exactly it was that she begun to admire the muscly doofus, perhaps it was during her first summer in Ansel. Her cheeks certainly flushed enough at the sight of the man going bare topped, or maybe it was how he spent an extra hour each night scanning through the village before going to sleep the act was certainly endearing enough. Maria shook her head knowing those weren't it.

It was actually quite simple and yet a bit hard and plenty too embarrassing to say out loud, the thing that earned her attention was simple. From her first day in Ansel till his last Jaeger woke before dawn, it was neither for training nor to observe the surroundings. The matured Arc merely walked out from the village towards the hill not far off a bundle of flowers in hand.

He'd always return just as the bird begun to sing and daylight cloaked frontier village, however instead of his sobering expression he'd leave with there was always a bright and infectious smile in its place. She truly fell for him after she'd followed him a few months later to appease her palpable curiosity. When she saw him where she now stood in not a foot or to leftwards.

Even now as she looked to his tombstone she could swear he was beside her as he looked to the grave beside his own.

Hera Arc

A Loving Wife and dauntless Mother With the most righteous of soul.

Perhaps it was because she knew just how deep Jaeger's love for his first wife was that she'd fallen for him. For the man who visited the women who'd died bearing their son every day even after a decade, it wasn't his aiding her nor something as shallow as his appearance, his chiselled chest, rock hard abs… or rough handsom- No! Bad Maria you 67 far too old to be swooning like those school girls in Argus!

Maria shook from such girly thoughts before looking to his grave beside her and nodded sure of it. She'd fallen for his devotion and determination. Not just to his wife, but his son, his village and his lineage and then on his sons sixteenth birthday when the little brat had grown tired of their charades and straight out ordered them to date he'd become devoted to her as well.

Maria nodded to herself before noting the skies become an array of reds and oranges as the sun dipped into the earth.

"I suppose I've stayed here long enough then huh, after all, I'm sure by now Aria near suffocating under our little hellions of grandchildren?" Maria made her way to turn glancing over the Hera's grave and pausing.

"Enjoy him while you can, cause in two or three decades I'll be taking him back." Slowly she turned back to Ansel ready to return only to pause when she noticed the smoke rising.

The once peaceful frontier village known as Ansel was a twisted parody of itself. The town's center where once the villagers cheerfully chatted and co-existed ignoring their different races and nationalities were only filled with bodies either partially devoured by the Grimm or burning in the flames. Many of the once lively people now wore permanent expressions of their fearful last moments at the soulless horde's nonexistent mercy. How many screams had he'd been forced to hear.

How many pleading weeping of the women, roars of rage and loss by his men and terrified scream of children. Yet now, now he'd gratefully take such despairing cries over the silence. The proof of the absence of life, of his failure, not merely to his men, to the villager's but also to them.

Julius held a form to his chest, long locks of golden hair spilling down a forever cold form that once radiated such motherly warmth. Her once kind and inviting eyes now dull and lifeless. The Arc held her close not caring for the crimson staining his chest nor how her scarlet blood coated his gauntlets.

"My Aria, my wife… I'm sorry." The words brought a tremble to the Arc's heart as he looked to her forever despairing expression.

"So Sorry!" He remembered her pleading her apologies and her tears, the sight tearing his heart and soul alike to see, only to be further pained by her confession. His daughters, each and every one of them… He struggled to maintain his sanity at the thought of what each had endured. Of their fear of their pain and finally their death. He failed them! He wasn't there with them when they needed him most.

While he'd been fighting a hopeless battle, killing his men and friends alike his family where left at the mercy of the soulless creatures of Grimm. Even now he was sure they'd kill him soon enough, he and his men may have pushed back a great deal of the abhorrent monsters but he knew more remained and he held no delusions he wasn't seething with the dark emotions they craved so. Yet he could not merely die.

"I'm sorry Aria, my love, I failed you…but." He held her close and the bundle pressed to her bosom as well, the life she'd manage to desperately secure.

"I will keep this promise, even if it kills me." Julius remembered her final words, they were not ones of comfort, not the despair she was so entitled to express but instead her pleads for him to promise her. His hand brushed the bundle that squirmed in response, slowly he liberated him from her now cold body.

His wife was strong, so much more then himself, even after witnessing their daughter's deaths, even after enduring such blows from the Grimm. After so much she found him, refusing to fall till she'd fulfilled her duty. Slowly the Arc Patriarch faced to bundle to himself and was greeted with eyes much like his own and blonde locks of short golden hair.

The infant was small, no more than several months and yet if asked any would think he wasn't even one, he was so small when he'd been born. So weak, he remembered Aria looking at him tears filling her eyes in joy that he'd made it despite the doctors' predictions. He remembered his mom saying how his dad must have gone up to Oum himself to demand they not take him yet. Their miracle, their Jaune…

The man so close to despair, to succumbing to his fate looked to his sole son and remaining child and found the determination needed to continue if only to fulfil his word and duty as a father. Jaune looked to his father's worn and weakened form and smiled happily glad to see him, not seeming to notice the hellscape around them. It was from that sight, from his son's life that he swore once more to protect his families little Miracle.

It was as he was so absorbed in his son's life that he heard it, the sounds of footsteps and he tensed gripping the blade in his free hand. However, as he turned he abruptly stop upon seeing the form of his mom Maria.

"Julius!" Unusual to her character the woman rushed him capturing the Arc in a hug he was ill-prepared for.

"Mom! You're here!" Maria looked up to him her brows wrinkled and anger clear.

"Of course I am you damn brat! The hell kind of question is that!?" Julius struggled for an explanation.

"Of course! But, the Grimm! The village was under siege! Why would you!"

'Whack'

Julius nearly dropped Jaune to grip at his head but resisted the urge, looking to his mother as she lowered her Mecha-shifting walking stick.

"You'd think I'd abandon my nietos (1)? That's some nerve you've got hijo (2)." Julius couldn't help but smile at his mother's words, though he never did pick up the southern Mistralian Dialect he'd become accustom to his mom's slipping into it every once in a while. After a moment the old bird finally noticed the bundle tucked in his hand.

"Juane!" Maria reached for the little Arc taking him from Julius who chuckled despite himself.

"For the last time ma his names Jaune." Maria ignored him cradling the little life in her arms as he began to cry.

"Sh, shh, Shh, Esta bien mi pequeño milagro (3)." Slowly the lil precious's cries died down as he calmed in his grannies' arms. Julius watched in relief but not merely from his son's cries being stifled but from the possibility his mother's presence presented. A thought came to Maria and she then looked to Julius fear clear in her eyes.

"The others… Julius where are Aria and the girls?" The Patriarch paused before looking down.

"Julius…" The faintest tremble came to the man and in his eyes Maria saw a wetness begin.

"No…" Julius stepped left to give view to the forever still Aria, seeing her Maria froze in place the ends of her prosthetic eyes begun to grow damp as tears formed over the useless one beneath.

"No…" Maria stepped towards the Mother to her grandchildren reaching out and taking her hand.

"She, she fought with everything she had to reach us, to reach me…" Maria looked to the many cuts across her form, Maria could tell she should've long before reaching her son.

"the others?" Julius didn't answer.

"Hijo, where are the others?" The patriarch shook.

"Julius!"

"They're Dead!" His roar was soon followed with the sound of him falling to his knees as he dropped his father's blade and fell forward.

"They're dead! All of them!" Hots tears hit the soil beneath.

"Jean… Aqua, Claire, Fuchsia, Gardenia and Jasper… even little Saphron!" The man who so often breathed strength and power drew a shuddering breath as his soul gave way to his despair. I couldn't, I could protect them, I-I failed them! I failed them all! Maria looked to her son as he roared in pain and grief in the distance she heard it the howl of Grimm while in her arms Jaune responded to his father's cries with his own.

'Slap'

Julius paused his grief-ridden cries looking to his mother who looked to him equal levels frustration and sympathy tears running down her cheeks from beneath her artificial eyes. Reason slowly returned as the man saw Jaune and by extension what remained of his children.

"Julius!" The Arc man looked at Maria who rose a hand to his face.

"Listen, there's not much time, take Jaune and run while I draw the Grimm." The man went wide-eyed at his mother's suggestion.

"Mother you can't mean to-" Maria smiled.

"Your son needs you…" Maria shifted Jaune in her arms looking into his eyes for what she was sure would be the last time, they were truly beautiful. Looking to his face she was sure, he'd grow up to be a handsome man, she'd wish she could see it, the day he wielded the swords Julius now drew, that Jaeger had wielded. Leaning down she kissed the infants head.

"Thank you for giving me something worth dying for." She had been scared so long, even with Jaeger and she had still been scared of those who hunted her. But now it would end.

"Listen Julius go to Argus, You remember that old bitc-, I mean auntie Cordovin tell her who you are. I'm sure she'll welcome you with open arms." She looked to her son and saw his tears dry and a determination in his eyes, that was good, he'd need to be strong now. She presented his son to him but was surprised when he shook his head and pressed Jaune back into her arms. She looked to him confused for a moment and it was only once a sombre grateful smile came to his face did she realize.

"Thank you mom… But no." Maria didn't understand what he was saying.

"Julius… Hijo?" The man smiled to her a bit of sincerity shining through, the Arc himself remembered first meeting the woman before him what felt like ages ago. When his father brought home a blind woman to reveal her to be his idol The Grimm Reaper. How starstruck he was, he remembered pestering her for hours on end hearing tales of her exploits.

He remember all the time he spent learning from her, from Grimm studies no school could compare to, to how to cook. He'd never known his mother but he was sure having one felt like how Maria treated him. He remembered having to force her and dad on a date and a year later he'd had the mother he'd been denied at birth. Yes, he had twos mom the one who loved him so much she'd given her life so he could see the world and the one who showed him unconditional love and mended the hole in his father's heart.

Yes… he was sure, there was nobody better suited than her.

Maria watched as her son's formally dull eyes begun to smoulder and then burn with determination and as he rose standing straight Maria couldn't help but feel he stood just a bit taller than her memories served.

"Maria, no... Mother, I am truly grateful…" It wasn't the look in his eyes that brought her to tears but the glow of Crocea as it shone with the light of his soul. She knew, the moment she saw his pristine white aura manifest over Jaeger's blade what he intended.

"You showed me a mother's love after I'd been denied it for so long…" The smile turned to one of joy as more memories flooded of her practically interrogating Aria like she had each girl he'd brought home before.

"You where there the day I married, and for the birth of each of my children…" Julius took in a deep breath resolving himself and looked to his mother.

"That's why please mother protect my and Aria's little Miracle." Maria looked to him disbelief present for only a moment before it gave way to equal measures of shock and anger.

"No! I will not let you die here!" Julius smiled to her glad that even now she'd willingly die for him but slowly he shook his head.

"You have to." Maria refused.

"Like hell I do!"

"Mother…"

"No! You listen here you little mierda! I won't hear why my son will have to meet my Jaeger again before I do!"

"Mother Please." He reached out to her with his free hand only for the woman to slap away the approaching hand a sneer clear on her face.

"No!" She then looked to him accusingly.

"Give me one reason! Any Reason why an Old bird like me should live at the cost of her child? Just one!" Julius didn't hesitate and spoke.

"Because I promised father…" Maria paused and looked to her son seeing him smile to her.

"On his deathbed he made me swear to protect you like you and he had done for me in my youth." Maria struggled for words but Julius didn't stop.

"And to my Aria I swore that Jaune would see tomorrow, that her sacrifice wouldn't be in vain and that I wouldn't." Maria shook her head knowing his words.

"I gave my word, to both my father and wife and I intend to go back on neither, that is why I ask." Julius looked to her, the woman who'd raised him.

"Please let me keep my pride as an Arc to my final breath. Please… allow me to give my life to protect the lives of my son and the mother who chose to cherish me." Maria wanted to deny him, she wanted to tell him he was a fool, a prideful arrogant stubborn brat but she knew he was well aware of that.

"Damn you foolish Arc's" His smile faltered a bit at her visible breaking, at her accepting, he hugged her for what Maria knew would be the final time.

"Thank you…" He knew his words would mean little to her, for no matter the reason she was leaving him to his grave, it was only as he pulled back that her free hand gently pressed against his cheek. He looked to her and with tears that threatened to short circuit her eyes she spoke.

"You've never looked more like your father." He smiled at her words, to him that was the greatest praise his hand brushed his son's head one final time and in response Jaune looked up meeting Julius's gaze.

"My son… I'm sorry, but I, I can't be there to watch you grow… But I can die so that you'll have the chance to. So please… Live a life worth living because I'll be watching over you." It was as his hand pulled back that a small hand gripped his index's tip, his son then looked up to him and gave his father one last gift as he squealed in delight at looking to his father.

"Paah… Paah." Whether the tears that formed where ones of regret, sorrow or joy would be anyone's guess to Maria she was sure they were tears of gratitude to the unfair gods who'd let him hear each of his children call out to him at least once. Julius oh so reluctantly pulled his finger away from the boy and in response Jaune looked to his father who smiled such sincerity that the resemblance to Jaeger was uncanny.

"My son, thank you." He looked to his mother one last time.

"Please… let him know… let him know how loved he was."

"You little idiot, as if I'd ever let him think he was anything but!... I'll tell him of his mother's struggle and his father's sacrifice and the seven sister's that loved him as much as themselves." Julius nodded before turning.

"Mother… Their coming." Maria stood still for a moment as he turned away, all her regrets and hesitation peaking to the surface, could she actually do it, abandon her son to this fate. It was as she readied to plead one more time that a small hand gripped her hair and Maria looked down to see him. In her arms her grandson, her final breathing grandchild looked to her as eyes so innocent. She looked to Julius's back seeing the boy she raised stand so much broader in his final act then he ever did, she'd even dare say in that moment he stood taller than her husband.

It was then she'd resolved herself realizing she was not abandoning her lil hijo but protecting an existence to precious for Julius to entrust to anyone but her. Her breath slowed finally baring a semblance of calm as she spoke.

"You made me proud." And she turned away, the final imagine of her son standing there… Crocea Mors burning white forever seared in her memories. She couldn't turn back, even when she heard the encroaching soulless beast howl nor when Julius roared with all the strength his body could manage. She ran as masses of white light flashed throughout the dark night. As hard as it was she didn't even turn as the patriarch's roar diminished alongside the white flashes or as the creatures of Grimm howls grew in excited volume.

Maria only stopped when she could no longer hear his struggles, when all the greeted her was the eerie silence of the night it was then she allowed herself to look back and when she did her heart broke. She could see Ansel, the village she had called home for so long, where she'd made a family where she'd hoped to spend the rest of her life was now smoldering in the distance. She nearly fell over, the urge to give into her despair overwhelming. It was as she was about to give into her grief her loss that she heard the child in her arms crying.

let him know how loved he was.

It was with that memory, that promise she pulled her worn soul from despair and looked to her grandson, righting him into a proper cradle hold and begun to rook him.

"shh, shh Esta bien mi pequeño milagro." It was slow but Jaune began to quiet at his grandmothers' soft pleas before looking up to her his eyes shining with innocence and ignorance to the despair around them.

allow me to give my life to protect the lives of my son and the mother who chose to cherish me.

He was all she had left, of her Jaeger, her Hijo and her life in Ansel, it was with these thoughts that Maria rose Jaune to her face pressed her forehead to his allowing herself one more tear of mourning for her family before she hardened her heart with determination to preserve her last reason to continue on who she held lovingly in her arms. She looked to Ansel and spoke.

"I promise as long as I breathe so will he…" It was with that she turned away determined to fulfil that vow.


1 = Grandchildren
2 = Son/ Sonny
3= It's okay my Little Miracle.