Hearts Eclipsed by Shadows
Chapter Three: Revelations of the Soul
Flashback Starts
Alexander was throwing punches left and right so that Jaune would get parrying or blocking down pat so his hand to hand was better. One punch got through since Jaune was getting tired and sore, the punch connecting with his nose.
"We should stop here Jaune, you're getting slower on your reflexes and your blocking is getting weaker." Alexander held out a hand for Jaune, so he can get up. Jaune got up and rubbed his nose, wincing.
"Hey dad, can you tell me about Yuri?" Jaune sat next to his dad after he grabbed his book, The book of Rituals.
"Yuri… was of course a Harmonixer like you but he was what people back then called him, an Antihero. Someone that only helped people that coincided with his goals but, He kind of… Off-putting." Alexander had hoped that Jaune would get any other of their ancestors instead of Yuri for a Spirit guide.
Spirit Guides were past Harmonixers that guide the new ones into understanding their powers and to help them in their lives.
"What did he do to be off-putting? Does he not like people?" Jaune tilted his head, curious about his dad's answer.
Alexander looked away, groaning in his hands. "He was… Perverted and unfortunately was also very crude and blunt to the point of offending anyone. But no one can refute he was the best person to have by their side at a crisis."
Jaune figured that Yuri was a good man just wasn't a people person at all. He also figured his semblance was also a factor that made him kind of crude, but he had a good heart.
"It sounds like Yuri was kind of alone. Where was his parents when this happened?" Alexander immediately cursed under his breath for Jaune's inquisitive nature.
"His dad… died on a search and destroy mission in Vacuo and his mom was killed in front of him when his village was attacked in Mistral by Grimm. That is what led to him awakening his semblance early and making him kind of recluse and crude." Alexander slowly spoke, fearing Jaune might give up now.
"That was why he was so strong? So, he wouldn't have to lose anymore people he cared for? It seemed sad that he lost his parents… But I'll be just as strong as Yuri!" resolved Jaune with a determined look.
Jaune woke up after dealing with gaining three more fusions souls as the disembodied voice spoke in his head. "You have gained the souls of Malakia, Radeus and Amnis!"
Jaune felt his aura get slightly denser and his senses were slightly dulled for the moment. He looked over his teammates to see Ren being as still as a corpse but that thought was betrayed by the rising and falling of his chest, Nora just being all over the place with her blanket barely covering her body and his partner Pyrrha, she was cuddling with her pillow and was smiling in her sleep. Jaune looked at his scroll, recoiling from the brightness he forgot again… to turn down and looked at the time, four thirty in the morning.
"Why do I have to wake up first thing before everyone else…" Jaune groaned the fact he couldn't sleep in much since the souls are somewhat restless.
"Because… you're a Harmonixer now. more so than just in title and in theory Jaune." a mysterious voice spoke inside his head.
Jaune jumped and covered his mouth to prevent a scream from waking his team early.
"Just think what you want to say. I'll hear you and your team won't think your crazy!" the voice laughed at Jaune's fright.
'Okay… So, who are you and why are you speaking in my head?' Honestly, Jaune was a bit scared that he was now going crazy because of a voice in his head.
"Kid… hasn't your dad told you about spirit guides in Harmonixers? Because that's who I am!" the voice declared proudly.
'So… What's your name then? Plus, I remember dad telling me about the guides.' the voice chuckled at Jaune's disposition.
"My name is Yuri Hyuga Arc! A.K.A… The second Harmonixer in Remnant's history. And your guide to everything creepy and weird." Yuri declared dramatically while Jaune remembered something else about him.
'Weren't you a pervert too?' Yuri started sweating at the kid remembering that peculiar part of him.
"Details details…" Yuri waved his hand dismissively although Jaune couldn't see him. "Besides, isn't it time for you to get in the shower?"
'You tried the dodge the question but you're right, it's five o'clock and I need to jump in the shower.' Jaune grabbed his uniform out of the closet and started to warm up the water for himself.
'So… are you going to like… teach me how to fight or fuse right?'
"Mostly just fusing. Fusing in your graveyard to fusing in the real world are vastly different because in your own soul, it comes so easily. In the real world, its tougher and much more consuming on your sanity." Yuri went again and went over the basics as Jaune showered and got ready except for the tie for his uniform.
Nora was waking up very slowly while Ren was making some pancakes to coax her from her slumber as Pyrrha took the shower after Ren. Nora smelled the pancakes then suddenly jumped up and yelled out her usual good morning on the top of her lungs.
"Good morning fearless leader!" Nora gave Jaune one of her bone-crushing hugs that would probably kill a Ursa Major with ease. Jaune was starting to see stars in his vision.
"I'd be kind of wary of this one. She would kill you without any problems eh Jauney?" Yuri chuckled at Jaune being crushed to death until Ren pulled her away with pancakes.
"Thank Oum I'm alive… thank you… s-so much Ren…" gasped Jaune as he kept trying to get his lungs working.
As Ren was about to say something, Pyrrha came out of the shower ready in her uniform as Nora finished the pancakes like they were nothing and ran into the bathroom to take a shower.
"Hey Pyr, can you help me with this tie please? Its annoying me to no end." Jaune was struggling to tie the tie.
Pyrrha giggled as she took Jaune's tie and helped him tie it. "It's no problem. Can't have our leader looking bad right?"
Suddenly, they heard team RWBY's door slam open and they heard rapid footsteps.
Jaune looked at his scroll for the time and realize they would be late for Prof. Port's class. "Guys! we need to go!" Jaune and his team ran out of their dorm, catching up to RWBY and somehow, possibly because of luck, they got to class on time.
Jaune was zoning in and out of sleep in Prof. Port's class as the man told tales of himself killing Grimm and something involving cabbages? Jaune looked over and saw Pyrrha taking notes perfectly as if she wasn't affected by Port's tales to induce sleep comas. Ren was taking notes, but it took most of his willpower to stay focused at his story. Nora gave up and fell asleep on her desk, lightly drooling on her paper. Jaune looked at RWBY and saw Weiss taking notes while Ruby was doing something but the expression on Weiss' face showed she was annoyed with Ruby while Yang was making a face of disgust at Port while he wasn't paying attention at all. Blake was reading a book, not even paying attention to his story at all and enjoying her fantasy world.
"Hey Jaune!" Jaune flinched slightly when Yuri yelled in his head, causing a minor headache. "I can't help but notice you checking out the ladies that hang out with us! Can't believe you my man! Who caught your eye? Was it the Ice Queen?" Yuri just bombarding him with questions that honestly, he really didn't want to answer but since he's in his head, he can't ignore him.
'Well if you say it like that… Weiss is pretty since she does look like an actual angel made from fine white snow and her light blue eyes that look like glaciers and her grace and elegance enthralls me. But then you have Yang… she's pretty I'll give her that, but her eyes are a beautiful shade of purple I think it was called lilac? And her hair if the sun hits it just right, shines like gold. But I don't know either of them quite well but I'm not going to attempt at flirting quite yet. The school year barely started and I'm not going to have our friends feel weird by me flirting with them.' Jaune resolved himself as he barely noticed the fight happening in class. Weiss was fighting a Boarbatusk and was having a tough time as she didn't have her rapier with Ruby shouting helpful tips at Weiss.
"Well it seems she's kind of… cold to her own leader. Maybe she's spoiled?" Yuri commented as he could see what was happening though Jaune's eyes. The fight ended with Weiss killing the Grimm and saying a few harsh things at Ruby, storming away as Ruby looked sad.
'She really needs help… but I have to leave to her team… they can help her better than I can.' Jaune took his team back to the dorms afterwards to get his stuff out of the closet.
"Hey Jauney, what is that you have there?" Nora looked over his shoulder to see what was in the box.
"It's a gift from my dad. He sent me some new stuff and even upgraded my Chimera claws." Jaune pulled out the newly upgraded weapon. It kept most of its original design but now with a flick of his wrist, the metal around his finger curved and bent to move with Jaune's fingers. It now was basically bladed brass knuckles that can deal damage.
"What style of hand to hand do you use Jaune?" Ren was curious since he used martial arts while Yang uses her boxing style to fight.
"I use kickboxing. it allows me to use my body as a weapon instead of just my hands and lets me be flexible." Jaune remembered the harsh training as he was only nine-years-old. "And my dad sent me new clothes and armor to help me fight a bit better."
Jaune pulled out the chestplate and looked it over, it was just like his old one, but it extended down to his waist for more protection. the vambraces went well with his Chimera and allowed him extra protection for blocking. the shinguards were paired well with his new combat boots and had hinges so his kicks were flexible with him as well. The coat was a tan leather trench coat with the Arc symbol on the back in gold with a black outline and was made very well, possibly by a professional leathermaker. his belts had extra pockets with various dust vials in them, to have the coat keep him cool or warm.
"Wow. All that looks expensive, even the amount of dust vials you have. Three vials for each dust type… you have fifteen vials of dust. What do you need this dust for?" Pyrrha was curious about the dust Jaune uses since his weapons don't use dust.
"My coat only uses one vial of fire or ice dust to keep me either cool or warm, the other vials are actually for Chimera. Gravity makes my hits stronger, wind for faster hits and lightning for stunning hits. I personally like wind for my attacks since I like to hit fast."
Jaune grabs the clothes and goes in the bathroom to change into his new clothes. He came out wearing the blue T-shirt that was covered by the new chestplate, black cargo pants and combat boots with the shinguards properly connected. Jaune then had the coat over all of it with the vambraces over the coat sleeve while one belt was worn on the outside of the coat, intersecting with the other belt. To complete the look, Jaune had his talisman worn out in the open for all to see.
"Wow Jaune! You look like a huntsman! Or a monster hunter really." Nora was just rambling afterwards while Ren and Pyrrha looked approvingly at Jaune's new outfit.
Their conversation was cut short when someone was knocking on JNPR's door, Jaune opened the door to see RWBY there.
"Heya Jauney! Hope you haven't forgot our sparring today!" Yang grabbed Jaune into a headlock, Jaune struggling to get her off him again.
"I think she likes you! Plus, her… 'assets' must feel soft eh Jaune?" Yuri teased in Jaune's mind, causing Jaune to blush like mad. Yang was laughing at his reaction before letting him go.
"Alright… L-Let's see if there's an open training room for us to use." The two teams talked to Miss Goodwitch about getting a training room, slowly conceding the point of the two teams working close together to get better.
Jaune was twisting his body to loosen his muscles to prepare for the fight of his life against Yang Xiao Long… Ruby warned him that she can go overboard if you cut her hair slightly or frustrate her. Jaune curled his index finger and felt the dust infuse with his weapon, feeling a bit of heat coming from the metal.
"Are you gonna stand there all day? We don't have Xiao Long before we have to go!" Yang smirked at her terrible pun but inside Jaune's mind, Yuri was chuckling.
"I like this girl! You should go ahead and date her when you can!" Yuri yelled causing Jaune to wince again.
'Dude. You like her puns…?' Jaune accused Yuri in his head.
"Don't give me any crap. I saw you chuckling a few times at her puns too!" Yuri shot back indignantly at Jaune's attempt at guilt-tripping him.
Jaune noticed that Yang was in her fighting position, so he slipped into Yuri's old form of fighting. His right foot was out with his hands away from his body but close enough to defend himself if needed to. His body parallel twisted slightly. Yang smirked as she armed and fired two shots at Jaune, forcing Jaune on the defensive. He knocked away one of the shots with the back of his hand and ducks under the other one just to see Yang propelling herself towards him by using her gauntlets. Jaune's eyes widen before rolling forward to dodge a dust shell infused punch that knocked him off his feet but got right back up with a handspring and ran at Yang.
Back at the others
"Wow. Jaune is fighting against Yang. I half expected him to run honestly." Blake noted seeing Jaune run at Yang recklessly.
"Our fearless leader can beat Yang no problem! Get her Jauney!" Nora cheering for Jaune while Ruby did the same for her sister.
Pyrrha felt a bit worried for Jaune since one, she was his partner and knew from Ruby that she could get a bit rough and two, she did like him. He never treated her like 'The Invincible Girl' but instead as just Pyrrha Nikos and she had feelings for him.
"That dunce may know how to fight but can he handle Yang?" Weiss was analyzing his movements as Jaune threw a right hook to throw Yang off rhythm.
Yang threw a haymaker at Jaune, but he ducked under it and retaliated with an uppercut, Yang moving her head back a bit to dodge it. Jaune kicked her away and jumped away to gain some distance, Jaune checking his aura levels. He stood at a decent seventy-four percent while Yang stood at eighty percent.
'Jeez she actually can hit hard… Let's kick it up a notch…!' Jaune curled his ring finger, activating the wind dust in his weapon.
Jaune ran at Yang, preparing his combo for when she retaliates with a punch. Hopefully. Yang decided to see what Jaune's going to do and boost up her semblance. Jaune realized it so she can gain a boost in power but already made up his mind.
Jaune lands five jabs to her chest and lands a right hook, continuing the momentum, Jaune kicks Yang in the side of her head, forcing her to stand straight up, her hair starting to spark and glow. Jaune wasn't finished and kicked her ribs and her knee, Jaune seeing Yang's eyes turn red and her throwing a haymaker than can land him into next week. Jaune parried it and jumped up in the air, right leg extended to put Yang in the ground. Yang suddenly grabs his leg and slams him to the ground and hitting Jaune with the haymaker now. Yang checks her aura level and was surprised to see it at fifty percent, Jaune can do massive damage if left unchecked or not blocked at all. Jaune had around thirty-two percent, very close to losing.
'Jeez… I don't think I can win against her… her semblance is a bad match against my fighting style…' Jaune struggling to stand after that hit.
"Don't leave me Yanging eh Jauney?" Yang said with a devious smile, promising a bunch of pain if he got up and fought again.
"Why don't you use your semblance? You can easily fight back against her if you used Karyl or Vastitas." Yuri was still working on Jaune's soul to prepare him for fusing in the real world.
'Because they don't know and I'm having trouble fusing anyways in the real world… And I need to trust them a bit more before I tell them about my fusion powers.' Jaune slammed his fist in frustration at himself losing to Yang and not trusting himself to tell his team about his fusion. His eyes turned blood-red and looked directly at Yang, shocking her.
"Jaune calm down! You're subconsciously fusing!" Yuri shocked Jaune out of fusing and his eyes turned back to his normal deep blue.
Jaune got up but forgot one critical thing… there was a spar still going on as Yang sucker-punched him into a wall, instantly flinching at the spiderweb like cracks forming after Jaune slammed into the wall.
"Oops… I may have used too much force." as his team got him out and to the infirmary.
"Yaaang…! Why did you have to hurt Jaune…!" Ruby pouted and started hitting her arm, doing no damage whatsoever.
"Sorry there Rubes… I didn't mean to break your first friend." Yang smiled sheepishly and rubs her arm.
Weiss sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Let's go with them and see if the dunce is fine." Ruby nods and then they all go to see Jaune.
On the way, Yang was talking to them about what happened at the end of the fight. "Rubes I'm not joking…! Jaune's eyes did change color!" yelled Yang feeling a bit frustrated that no one believed that his eyes changed like hers.
"Really? Why would his eyes change Yang? Could he have a mimicry semblance?" Ruby thought with a hand to her chin.
"To be honest, we don't really know his semblance." Blake cut in the conversation, wondering what semblance did Jaune had.
Ruby and her team met up with Jaune's team with Pyrrha giving Yang a glare that could scare second years. Jaune was reading a comic while Nora and Ren where just hanging out next to him.
"Hey Yang. What's going on?" Jaune smiled at Yang, holding no anger towards the blonde for beating him.
Yang was glad that he wasn't mad, and the others were happy that Jaune didn't have a hateful bone in his body.
"Jaune!" Ruby tackle hugged Jaune when he wasn't paying attention. "Yang said that your eyes can change color!" Jaune suddenly felt horrible that they knew his eyes can change color.
Jaune sighs as he had to tell them a half truth. "I can change it. it's a side effect I can't really control."
"Of what? Your semblance?" Ruby tilted her head, using her puppy dog eyes to get Jaune to spill the beans. Jaune however, wasn't going down easy and defended against the weaponized stare.
"I actually don't know my semblance. My family has the same problem as me. A few Arcs have the ability to change our eye color." Jaune gave them a convincing lie but part of the truth.
"Wow. I guess that's pretty eye opening huh?" Yang smirked at the pun while everyone else groaned. Jaune hid his chuckle amongst the groans.
"Are you feeling well enough to go to Doctor Oobleck's class?" Pyrrha held out a hand for Jaune to grab.
"Yeah I'll be fine. I don't need aura for his class." Jaune grabbed her hand and got himself up, Pyrrha blushing a bit but hiding her expression of happiness.
The group left the infirmary with Jaune being cleared but come back if he experiences anything. Professor... I mean Doctor Oobleck is our history teacher and can out speed Ruby somehow and that was probably because his coffee might have lightning dust in it. Oobleck was talking about some subject about faunus but wasn't paying much attention until Cardin hit him with piece of paper, dragging him out of his thoughts about how to break it to his team about his semblance.
"Yes, Mister Arc! Glad to see you participating! What did the faunus have over General Lagune in his battle of Fort Castle?!" Oobleck saying in his rapid-fire way of talking.
"Uhh…" Jaune looked past Oobleck to see Pyrrha doing something with her hands to her eyes. "V…Vision…?" Jaune said slowly not trusting himself.
"Partially true but I'll give you a point for effort! Mister Winchester! What say you?" Oobleck turned his attention to Cardin after Jaune slammed his head in despair.
"Tch. It's easier to train an animal than a human." Oobleck shook his head as Blake and Pyrrha gave Cardin a death glare.
"Not the most open-minded of individuals are you, Cardin." Pyrrha said with a bit of venom in her tone.
"What? You got a problem?" Cardin got up to start a fight, but Blake had the answer to Oobleck's question.
"Most Faunus had night vision! This was a well-known fact, but he chose to ignore it and attack at night causing his forces to be defeated and the General captured." Blake looked directly at Cardin. "Maybe if he payed attention in class, he wouldn't be remembered as a failure in class." Cardin clenched his fist until Oobleck told Cardin to sit and to have Jaune and Cardin see him after class.
"Now I'm going to talk about the only two hereditary semblances in our world!" Jaune now looked pale and scared.
"One is of course the Schnee semblance is one of them. It is extremely versatile and can interact with the world around them and react to dust!" Weiss looked prideful at the doctor explaining her semblance.
"Then comes the extremely rare semblance of the Arc family! They were rumored to have a power beyond what the Schnee's can do! It was called Fusion and the only ancestor to have the power was Roland Arc!" All Jaune's friends looked at Jaune curiously since Oobleck was describing his semblance.
"His power allowed him to take souls that no one could even comprehend and use their powers to give them a huge power! But this is all speculation since during the Great War, there was not a single mention of a demonic looking presence in the war! and there was a side effect to all Arc ever since the semblance is in their blood is that their eyes can turn blood-red when angered! But unfortunately, it is rare to have a Harmonixer here with us since the odds are against their favor!" Weiss raised her hand for a question. "Yes, Miss Schnee!"
"How would it be like if a Harmonixer was here?" Oobleck sighed know what being a Harmonixer is going to be like.
"A Harmonixer is an omen… that war will come once again to Remnant. It is a sad life for Harmonixers since they are a herald of a harsh time ahead of us." everyone had widen eyes at the fact that it is sad that a Harmonixer will get no peace.
The bell rang and after Jaune was knocked down by Cardin, he promised that he would destroy Cardin in combat class tomorrow.
"You know… I will really break his legs…" Pyrrha muttered angrily. Jaune just waved his hand away.
"Don't worry. I'm going to break his face in tomorrow in combat class." Jaune muttered a bit angrily but Pyrrha knew he could since he stood toe to toe with Yang.
Jaune and Pyrrha came back to their dorm room and they both changed into their pajamas, sleeping away except for Jaune. Jaune woke up in the graveyard again but instead met a face in his soul.
"Y-Yuri…?" Jaune rubbed his eyes to get the sleep out.
"Who else is in your soul huh?" Yuri smiled at Jaune. "To be honest, your soul is very weird. I had to have some trauma to gain more fusions, but your soul is very pure. That's why it took me some time to get you the ability to fuse now."
"So, I can actually use my semblance in the real world now?" Jaune now looked between excited and scared.
"Yeah! But you still want to hide your powers?" Yuri sounded a bit… disappointed.
"Not from my team. Not after tomorrow after I beat in Cardin's face and humiliate him." Yuri laughed and now knew Jaune was a man after his own.
"Good. Now… you're going to get your first dark fusion and two level two fusions." Yuri smirked after Jaune groaned and got up.
"Fine… but after this, I'm getting some sleep and you better be quiet." Jaune readied up for a fight.
A.N: Welcome to the third chapter and now Jaune's friends know of the Arc semblance but they don't know Jaune is a Harmonixer. Uploading will still be between a week or two weeks. And I'll be working on other stories that my brain won't let go. Also as anyone may know. I have come to the decision of the pairing for this story. Now I'll say this in hopes of not dying.
R.I.P: Bumblebee and Freezerburn and any Yang ship now since we are going Dragonslayer here!
Reason why? Yang's volume 5 arc gave me some ideas on this story and her outfit is perfect for what I have planned. But I'll make stories that go ahead and use other pairing and other one shots. And it's kind of cute to see the blondes get together and you know… It's kind of my ship to hope in the actual show if Lancaster gets sunk. I just want to see the blonde noodle have some happiness in his life. And the pairing will be slow. I am not going to have them date instantly. That's a good way to get people off the story.
Now have fun and I'll see you in the graveyard to kick ass!