AN: Thanks to those that had follow and favorited this story, The sheer amount of it it humbly and surprising. I also want to thank chronotimeguard and Utoplex for leaving a review. I hope this chapter is to your liking.
Resume: RWBY AU. Not all the Faunus are victims of abuse and discrimination or part of an extremist terrorist group. Not all the humans are saviors or monsters. And the Grimm is not the only threat to humanity.
For one Jaune Arc, a fugitive of his past, and victim of his demons, staying alive will be his main priority and the road that will guide to fulfill his destiny. The line between good and evil was never so bleak.
Warnings: Pairings undecided as of yet. I have two options at the moment, and depend what I choose this story will progress in certain directions. The character listed above are just there as the main cast of plot. This is extremely AU and hopefully will be original enough to your liking.
Note: This chapter is unbetaed. (If you want to offer, PM me.)
Disclaimer: RWBY is owned by Monty Oum and Roosterteeth
Knight of the End
Arc 1: Omen
Chapter 02: Predestination
"If compared to normal humans, Faunus had the advantage of extra skills natural to them than otherwise would be unattainable without the intervention of Aura and Semblance. Greater strength, greater speed, sharper reflexes. Even obscure skills like flying or breathing under water. Curiously, these same attributes caused them to follow primal needs more urgently than normal humans and sometimes they rule their actions.
Even then, is it justify the passive aggression against them? No, of course not. They may behave little different than us, they may looked little different as well, but deep inside we are all but the same. Aren't both our races holders of Aura? Doesn't it mean that both of our people is actual one in purpose?
And what other purpose if the the extermination of the Grimm. Don't let be said that we turned away the help that our brothers and sisters had offered to our noble cause, just because they can see in the dark or can smell and hear the enemy miles away. Because such is idiocy of the highest order.
Embrace them instead, because it is united that we will reclaim what is rightfully ours."
By General and Supreme Chief of Atlas, Mulan Tzu. (Recorded speech to the 192th Military Graduation Ceremony)
[Kingdom of Vale, Beacon Academy for Hunters and Huntresses. Present day]
It was a bad habit of his, to tune out everything while he recollected his thoughts. Standing there,at the Beacon´s Cliffs, Jaune Arc asked himself for the hundredth time what he was doing there, alongside the next generation of hunters and huntresses while Headmaster Ozpin himself was giving them the instructions of what the Initiation was like.
"...don't hesitate to destroy everything on your path. Or you will die. Now prepare yourselves. Any questions? No? Then lets begin."
And like that, one by one the monster slayers wannabes where launch the to the Emerald Forest, ready to meet their destiny. Just when he was launched, Jaune Arc remember why he was there.
Because I was asked by the Headmaster himself to come. I feel like a fool now.
The sky was remarkable beautiful today, the wind was nice and the sun wasn't too scorching. The trees that were hiding unknown quantities of Grimm were approaching fast and soon enough, the massacre could begin.
Steeling himself, Jaune Arc took his bokken(1) from his hip and started to concentrate in what he wanted to do to save his life. It was time to put his hard earned skills to good use.
Back on the hills, two professors were watching how the new recruits were faring in the initiation. It seemed that they have a good batch this year, something that please them intensively.
"So, that was Jaune Arc. Where do you find him? I do know that he had been missing for quite some time." Asked Glynda watching her scroll attentively.
"It was the Old Crow that found him for me. Ever since his disappearance, I had been trying to locate him as well. He was found in Vacuo with a Reclaimer Company. And were lucky, he was readying himself to be part of the next expedition in a couple of days" Answered the Headmaster, sipping his mug of tea.
Of the four kingdoms, Vacuo was the one that was more actively trying to clean the Grimmlands and gain more territory. The Reclaimers were groups that did just that, if varying in success, by making groups called companies formed by hunters, military and other kind of fighters and professionals needed for protection and the creation of establishment that would allow humanity to expand more and drive back the Grimm. In the last few years, they had positive results with low casualties rates.
And no one was more successful than Mateus Polemark, who had travel to and fro in the Grimmlands and had discovered many places where establishments could be constructed. Actually, when the Headmaster went to Vacuo after receiving Qrow's info, he witnessed the last moment preparations for what was known as The Biggest and Most Ambitious Reclaimer Enterprise recorded in modern history, lead by Polemark himself.
Finding Jaune between the tumult of people moving things from one place to another was an easy if tedious task, but found him he did. The conversation that followed gave some answers about the lost Arc Scion, and in turn opened a whole can of more question begging to be answered.
"Tell me Jaune, why are you here?"
Shaking his head, and sipping his tea, the Headmaster returned his focus to the present. This was bound to be an interesting year.
In his opinion, this Jaune Arc fared rather well with his 'Landing Strategy'. The tree that he used? No so much, if the mini rain of splinters and leaves were anything to go by. The noise that he made was bound to attract some unwanted attention, but going in random direction blindly could cost a lot more than just few scrapes against some minor Grimm.
Against every bit of common sense, the blonde trainee closed his eyes while breathing in and out slowly. Suddenly, his awareness skyrocketed, and for a moment the forest itself was his 'sight', but not quite. In a blink, his serenade presence was replaced by sharp focus, and opening his eyes, he turn to a certain direction and started walking while his hold over his wooden katana tightened.
The night before, while the new cadets were sleeping after the tiresome day, he spent the early hours of the night inspecting his future classmates. From the beginning, he had in mind to be partnered with a Faunus to help his chances a bit, since they wield a huge advantage in tracking and fighting combat, double so if they had and activated Semblance. And wasn't he lucky? There were like a dozen of them in their year group.
Among them, two stood out from the rest and he could tell by their posture and they way they held themselves that they were at the very least skillful. Fortune was on his side, it seems, because one of the two was really close by, and by the looks, she was going to need some help.
It took him a six minutes run to reach his target, who was facing a whole pack of Beowolves that included two Betas and one Alpha. They way she was making a quick work on them told him everything needed to know.
I can dance with glee. First step to reach The Top had been accomplished. Next step: making out alive and be placed in a competent team is a must. Thought Jaune while readying himself. The Faunes girl had finished the Alphan and with him the last of the Grimm when trembles from their right was felt. Now, let's the fun begin.
And like that, what looked like a spinning Boarbatusk cruised through the air with the sole intention of beheading the huntress in training. From its direction, three Ursa Major stood, one of them in position that said that it was the responsible of the airborne spinning Grimm, and two packs of Beowolves coming from their flanks.
And seizing his chance, Jaune Arc moved.
Blake Belladona thought that things had been easy so far. Way too easy. She had just dispatched the Alpha that had tried to ambush her with his pack when she heard something coming her way. Her time with… well, her highly honed instincts made her create one of her Shadows, placing it where she had been standing and putting her on branch in a particularly tall tree.
She was quite surprised when she saw a blonde boy stopping what looked like a spinning Boarbatusk, with a wood stick of all things, and reflected it back to where it came from a triad of Ursa Major and what looked like another pack of Grimm. One of the bearlike creature tried to stop it, but was too slow, and was killed by head removal with rotational sharp object.
But Blake allowed herself to be distracted by the newcomer, observing he turned to her Shadow, just to see and empty speed after it vanished. He then looked up to where she was and stared and her with surprise before smirking. She even greet him with a small smile before jumping to his side.
Seems that I got my patner.
"Nice entrance." Said Blake before taking out Gambol Shroud and taking a battle stances.
"What can I say? I live to impress." Said the blond before taking a similar stance with his wood stick, and now that she could see it closely, the wood stick was actually a wooden sword. She rolled her eyes at his remark before taking a final glance to the wooded weapon.
No. It's a wooden katana, for practice.
She recognised it, since she had seemed similar ones before, when… him used to practice during their downtime.
Her trip to the memory lane was cut short when one of the remaining Ursa roared, which made the Beowolves attack.
"Any particular way that you want to do this?" Asked his companion while eyeing the incoming monsters.
"Can you take care of the Beowolves?" Asked Blake, to which he nodded without facing away from the enemy. "Deal with them. I will take on the Ursa. Cover my back." And with that, they met the nightmarish creatures.
Dock. Dock. Parry. Dock. Slash. Slash. Slash. Move. Dock. Slash. Slash. Parry.
It was like the musical notes of particular speedy melody, Jaune decided. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his boy while he dispatched left and right the Beowolves in their raging assault. 5 metres from him, his newly appointed partner was in the hairy situation of facing two Ursa Major at the same time while they attacked in tandem.
Damm. She is really fast. Maybe her Semblance is an Enhancer Type focused in speed? And it looked like it, when he could barely keep track of what it looked like afterimages at her wake. A couple of times, she even tricked the two beasts in missing her and attack each other.
I can admire her later. I'm busy as it is. But I have to admit, don't I know how to pick them or what?
No time to grin like a fool, Jaune sidestepped an incoming claw before spinning and cutting the offending limb, alongside the head of the Grimm next to the owner of said limb and slash the chest open of another one. His bokken was not even chinked.
Two regular Beowolves and an Alpha reminding.
With a roar from the abnormally tall Beowolf, the three creatures leaped at him with the intent of turning him into gory crimson paste.
Not wanting to become the next menu option to some Grimm, Jaune prepared himself before putting his wooden katana at his side, lowering its end, before, in a full swim, made a horizontal cutting motion that cleaved in half the Beowolves at once. The now six pieces of dead meat started to finished in black vapour not a second later, when Jaune turn his gaze away just to see the dark girl walking toward him, the two Ursas behind her in similar decaying state.
"Well, that was something." He could only say while he caught his breath.
"Indeed. You never told me your name. Blake Belladona." She said, extending her arm.
"Jaune Arc. So… Partners?" Said the blond, taking her hand with his own shake.
"Partners." Affirmed the dark girl.
The arrived, they saw and they conquered, and they move on to start all over again. Rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat. The forest was crawling with the creatures of darkness, from Beowolves to King Taijitu, and the occasional Nevermore that happened to fly low enough. The had decided early on to keep moving to avoid being ambushed by the Grimm while they try to reach the temple with the relics.
All around then, they could heard at different distances explosions and the sounds of battle. They were not the only one, it seems, that had been engaged in constant battle.
"I wonder why so many green so close to the school." Wondered Jaune without turning, his gaze scanning for trouble, even though he knew that they were clear for the moment.
Blake didn't respond, but he had the inkling that he was wondering the same thing. At least, they had been lucky to encounter relative young Gri…
"Halt. Lets travel through the branches to avoid being worn out with the Grimm." Said Jaune abruptly, before jumping high, landing in one of the upper branches of one tall tree. Blake followed him effortlessly, landing next to him.
"Did you saw something?" Asked the girl, adjusting her weapon what was to come.
"Yeah. A big one is coming our way. Let's move before it finds us."
Blake was starting to suspect that her new partner had some sort of Sensorial Semblance, though she remembered that those were too rare to have. Not sooner they started to move in a new direction, she heard trees being rooted out from earth. A roar made her turn around to see what was the cause and she almost wished that she hadn't
The Grimm was of a type that she had only read about in books. It was a 10 metres tall gorilla like Grimm. Its face was covered by a four eyed white mask with red designs on it. Its body was armored in the chest, back and limbs, including its shoulders. It was a…
"Kong. That's a Kong Grimm." Said Blake with disbelief. Those were rare in vale. How that thing was in the Emerald Forest when they were naturally found around Atlas and Vacuo.
"A Prince Kong to be more precise. Not that it helps because in a couple of years that one can turn in a King Kong class." Said Jaune, failing to address her uneasiness.
The King King class were giant Grimm that could be 30 to 40 metres tall. There have been three instances where one was found, and those times, Peter Port himself, one of Beacon's professors, took them down.
Blake shuddered at the mere thinking of something like a King Kong so close to Vale.
"Blake, are you up to take on that thing?" Asked Jaune, without breaking his jumping.
Blake considered it. This was for what she came to do, why she decided to sign up to become a Huntress.
"If I die here, I will never be able to redeem by transgressions. But if I don't make a stand now, then when?" She looked at her partner, who was looking at her waiting for her answer.
She stopped, and so did he. Not too far the ape like Grimm was trying to find some pray to devour. It seemed that it was unaware of them as of yet.
"They way you speak… You have deal with this type of Grimm before." Affirmed Blake after few seconds of silence.
Jaune nodded. He was more than acquainted with the things, much to his displeasure.
"Do we have a chance against it?"
"We do, but we need to be very precise to succeed." He saw hesitation in her eyes. He understood. Kind of. This will not be an easy task, and theirs was another objective to fulfill. But, why did he come here? What he wanted to accomplish.
"Tell me Jaune, why are you here?" He answered Ozpin's question as truthful as que allowed himself to; and then, as now, he felt that the meaning behind it was deeper that it could be initially perceived.
"Any ideas of how to deal with it?"
"Yeas. We have the element of surprise at our side so lets capitalize on that. We need to cut his legs first. Kongs can jump way to high, and their punching power is insane. After we immobilize it, lets chop his head off." It was simple, but it let them enough room to adapt if needed.
As one, they turned back and use their higher ground to move as silently as possible. Jaune noted that Blake's presence was next to nonexistent and he was beginning to realize how much skillful she was.
They posited themselves to the gorilla's flanks and wait before beginning their assault as one. They were in sync. Blake with her rapid movements and afterimages technique. Jaune with his wooden katana.
They were, for a moment, as one in mind and body.
Blake move randomly, leaving her Shadows behind succeeding in distracting the Grimm, which just realize that it wasn't alone. Before it could react, Blake was at its hip and with one slash of Gambol Shroud, aided by the recoil of its pistol form, the cut the legs form its pelvis and move away, barely sidestepping the armored punch coming her way.
Now unbalanced, the Grimm notice the other human that was attacking its other leg and was about to crush it before he succeed. Blake moved to intercept the punch coming for Jaune leashing out the Ribbon Form of her weapon and wrapping it around the arm of the Grimm.
She got mixed result from her efforts.
She did succeeded in halting it, so Jaune could cut the remaining leg of the beast, but she did not expected the sheer force behind the creatures swing, which pull her out her feet and send her against Jaune, which ended with both of them crashing into a tree.
It hurt. Bad.
Relying on her instincts, Blade took a dazed Jaune before rolling out of the way. Not a moment later a black and white ape hand crashed where they had been a moment ago, creating a mini crater and shattering the tree in its path like it was a thin stick.
Bearing her sense, and ignoring the buzz in her ears, Blake focused on the now legless Prince Kong, that was standing on its long arms. If the situation wasn't so serious she would have laugh at the ridiculous sight, but any amusement was take out the picture when the Grimm, using its insane strength, jumped toward them.
Blake started to move out the way, or tried to before stumbling back to ground just to see her demise coming at her.
"Crap. I took more damage than I though. Is this how far I could reach? I… don't want to die."
And then, before even blinking, she saw Jaune in front of her, his bokken pointing at the airborne ape. She was him trusting his weapon at it, hitting the center of its armored chest. Under normal circumstances, sair armor and the momentum of the Grim would have ensured that said weapon breaks under the pressure.
Key word: normal.
To her surprised, the Prince Kong was sent flying in the opposite direction, taking out some trees on its way.
THAT was a close call.
Almost. THAT had been too close to conform.
His breathing was hard and elaborated. His head was spinning and his sight was dizzy. He could feel the fractured bones of his left arm and the cracks on his ribs. Another hit like that and it would be lethal to him.
They need to finish it fast or they may not survive past Initiation.
"At least I took the brunt of the damage. She is shaken, but otherwise in good condition. We will need all her skills to end this."
"Blake, can you move?"
"Yeah. I can go on."
"Good. Listed carefully. I will give you an opening. Can you go for this head? Aim for the neck since its not armored." The Prince Kong was beginning to get up. They need to act fast. "BLAKE! CAN YOU DO IT?"
"I… Yes, I can. I will."
"Prepare yourself. NOW!"
Jaune readied his wooden katana keeping it low, pointing at the ground. The Grimm as almost back on its arms. 10 meters away.
"Tell me Jaune, why are you here?"
Stop! It wasn't the time to think about philosophical issues.
7 meters.
Black was not far behind him, and was turning to his right. Taking the hint, Jaune adjusted his stance accordingly.
5 meters.
"You are an Arc son. It means that you are what stands between danger and those that cannot fight it. Remember that always. "
2 meters.
The Grimm, now up, jumped again and was ready to rip him apart, ignoring the dark goddess of death coming from its right flank. Its four masked eyes focused on the blonde swordsman that hurt it.
1 meter.
Jaune jumped.
"Tell me Jaune, why are you here?"
0 meters.
Jaune, in an elegant arc, twisted the bokken in his hands before hitting the left side of the beast. It was armored by the bone like shell, but Jaune wasn't looking to pierce it. The force of the blow did the job.
The Prince Kong found itself unable to move while being launched directly into Blake's path.
NOW!
With Gambol Shroud in its kusarigama form, in swift motion, the hidden cat Faunus decapitated the monster ape, landing next to Jaune who was grinning at her.
"Well done, partner." Said the blond, which made her smile, even it she covered it quickly.
"You weren't bad yourself." She knew she was out of character, thought the blonde next to her didn't net that, but she could help but be happy at their deed.
They had done it! They had taken down an opponent that would had been beyond their skill level normally. More importantly she had proved herself that she belonged here, at the bastion of hope against the forces of darkness.
See that Adam? You were wrong. This is something that people like us can do.
They were lucky that they didn't encountered more Grimm on their way, and soon enough they found the ruins of the temple that they were looking for. On pillars, they could see chess pieces all around it and, by the looks of it, they weren't the first ones to arrive.
"Blake, take one and be done with it." Said Jaune. He was tired, and breathing was starting to hurt. He hoped that none of his sore ribs had cave in and damaged his lungs or any other organ, but his chest was hurting as well.
"We need to this carefully. We will be placed in a team and, if the matching pair of pieces around is anything to go by..." Started Blake.
"... then, those with matching pieces have the chance to be put together in a team." Said Jaune following her reasoning. "Well, damn."
"Indeed. What we do Jaune?"
"I'll leave to you. You have demonstrated to have good instincts."
Nice way to pass the pressure, 'partner'.
Murmured mentally Blake while she tough over what to do.
Wasn't this the opportunity that she had sought to change for the better? To take control over her live? Why not take a symbol of her resolution to be her own woman?
Having decided, Blake took the White Queen piece. Satisfied with her choice, the dark girl returned to her partner side before both started to walk away, both eager to get out the hell that was the Initiation.
They have decided to avoid any more fight, even if the concert of explosions and other unwelcoming noises were all around them at all times. They had closed calls here and there, but they were able to sidestep them, if narrowly.
Taking a long detour, they were at least on the cliff again where professeurs Ozpin and Goodwitch were waiting for them.
As soon as they saw them, both teens relaxed and could the adrenaline on their system to tune down.
Immediately, Jaune started to cough blood before darkness claimed him. He could hear voices calling him but soon he passed out.
When Jaune Arc opened his eyes again, he knew with certainty that he was at the school medical bay. Turning his head, he saw his partner, Blake sleeping in a chair next to his bed, a book on her lap. At the other side, he could see two other students that he didn't knew personally, but one of them was the other Faunus that he had considered to be partnered with.
So, they are our other teammates.
Jaune could feel his body coming back from numbness while his throat felt dry.
"It is good to see back with us, Mr. Arc." said Headmaster Ozpin in front of him alas he was sure that he hadn't been there before. "Please, do not talk. You will need all your energies to recovered before starting classes in a few days."
"And congratulations for passing Initiation, and being elected for the leadership of Team JVBY(2). Well done young man!"
Wait, WHAT?! TEAM LEADER?!
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AN:
(1) Literally "Wooden Sword". It is a katana made of wood for students of the kendo to practice. Since Jaune has one as his main weapon confirms that he does not have Crocea Mors with him, and there is a reason for that, is an important plot point actually.
(2) Read as 'Juvia' which is pronounced as the same as 'lluvia', the spanish equivalent to 'rain'. As you may have guest, the other team members are Velvet and Yatsuhashi. I had read many fics were Team CVFY is placed as second or third years, but I hadn't found cannon proof that confirms this. If there is proof about it, place point me at it, but I will not change placing them as first year student as well, so you can take that as some of the AUness that is to come.
I hope that the description was clear enough and that the Initiation, while taking my own approach to it (sorry I couldn't do something as awesome as Super Saiyan Cyndaquill's Auburn) I deviated from cannon enough, and this changes will spark other changes. Team formations just being a minor example of it.
Also, I used the break lines to differentiate the points of view between Jaune and Blake. I hope it was not too confusing or if you didn't like it, please say so. I think that some of you may wanted to know about the others and how they fared as well their teams, but instead of doing the same thing with different points of view, I decided to advance the plot sugin a couple of characters at a time. I aim to keep you interested enough to want to see was is coming next.
So, what do you think about this version of Jaune. His is a lot more skillful than his cannon version, but as Ozpin said, this Jaune had experience as a Reclaimer and so, had some training to survive. I also want to know if I capture Blake's personality well enough.
Looking forward to read your responses.
R&R