Hello all, and welcome to the second chapter of The Black Wings of Remnant. Now before we begin, I want to let you know that this chapter will be mostly backstory combining the universes of Bleach and RWBY, and setting the stage for the story proper. Some parts might seem a little repetitive due to having to explain the backstory to multiple people, so if you prefer to just skim it, I don't blame ya, but I highly recommend reading the whole thing.
Disclaimer: Gajeel owns nothing but the plot. Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo and RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth. I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOT!
As the sun rose the next day, Jaune was already awake and sitting out in the courtyard of Beacon Academy, waiting for his father to pick up the phone. After a few rings, Robert Arcs' face appeared on the screen of Jaunes' scroll.
"Son, good to hear from you. Your mother has been very worried. How are you, and how is Beacon?"
"I'm good, but there's something we need to talk about."
His father's face took on a stern look. "Are you in trouble already, Jaune?"
"No, dad, I'm not. But I have a question for you that is very important. It's about our family semblance chain."
Roberts' eyes got very wide before adopting a look of defeat. "Someone unlocked your aura?" he asked. At Jaunes nod, he continued, "The Arc semblance is to form a sort of contract with the spirits of the Arrancars. Long ago, the world of Remnant was known just as Earth. However, people were not able to unlock their auras, and the creatures of Grimm did not exist either. Back then, there was another world, one where people's souls went after they died, called the soul society. However, if they didn't make it to the soul society in time they would become what were called Hollows, empty spirits. They resided in the final world, Hueco Mundo. Should a Hollow become powerful enough through the consumption of other Hollows, they would eventually become known as Gillians, then Adjudchas, and finally Vasto Lordes.
"It was not too long before the collapse of the borders between the three worlds that the Arrancars came into being, at the hands of a madman whose name was later wiped from history. He began turning Adjudchas and Vasto Lordes into Arrancars, by breaking their masks and allowing them greater powers in return for their servitude. I, myself, am contracted to an Adjudcha level Arrancar, by the name of Gatenbainne Mosqueda. Back in the days of the Arrancars' reign, he temporarily held a position of leadership, known as an Espada, but was demoted due to the appearance of more powerful Arrancars.
"Back when you were ten, we sensed that you were contracted to a Vasto Lorde-level Arrancar, and a powerful one at that. While we don't know who it was, we could tell that it was too much for you to handle at the time, so we resealed your aura to protect you. But when you unlock the ability to talk to them, you must be careful. We don't know what he will want, and-"
At this Jaune interrupted his father. "I've already spoken to him, father." (Roberts' eyes got very wide again.) "He said his name is Ulquiorra Cifer, the fourth Espada." (Roberts' jaw dropped.) "He said he wants me to gather the rest of the Espadas under my command, to side with humanity against the Grimm. When I first met him, I was in combat class fighting this bully named Cardin Winchester, and he was insulting me and one of my friends. I felt like my mind snapped, and suddenly I was standing in a desert talking with Ulquiorra. I agreed to merge with him, and he gave me his powers. Then I was back fighting Cardin, and i think if I had put any more power into the blast I hit him with, it would have killed him. I-"
Now it was Roberts' turn to interrupt Jaune. "A blast? Did you say anything as you fired it?"
"Yeah, I think I said something about a… zero, I think it was?"
His father was stunned. His child was not only contracted the fourth ranked Espada, a Vasto Lorde level contract, but he had just awakened his powers and he could already fire Ceros?!
"Jaune, son, I'll be there as soon as I can. You need special training, something only another of our kind can give. But promise me this: don't let anyone you don't trust know about your powers. There is more to the story of our ancestors and the Arrancars than I let on. If your abilities become too well known, there is a chance you might be hunted down. So be very careful. I'll see you soon."
Confused, Jaune could only numbly say goodbye to his father as the other hurriedly ended the call. As he made his way back to his teams' dorm, he was plagued by many questions, like why his father had kept all of this from him for his whole life, why he would be hunted down, and why there was so much panic in his fathers' voice as he hung up. Shaking his head to clear it, he hurried back to his dorm and got changed into his school uniform. He spotted his new sword, (Murcielago, was it?) resting in its sheath against the side of his nightstand. He would need to go put it in his rocket locker soon, he thought.
"No, you don't." Ulquiorra said in his mind, startling him.
"What?" Jaune thought back.
"You can will Murcielago, your Zanpakuto, or 'Spirit Sword' to disappear, and return to you when you need it." The Espada explained. "This sword is tied to your spirit, and no one could possibly take it from you against your will. That is important, because that sword must be with you to unleash your full powers, your Resurreccion, or Released State. You already have seen some of what can happen when you have the sword with you, from your transformation the other day, where you took on some of my physical characteristics.
"But do not think yourself lucky. The training to control an Espadas' powers borders on life threatening. when, no, IF you can completely control it, you still must not waver in your resolve. Merely using these powers can be dangerous if done recklessly. Improper usage of my power may result in my spirit overwhelming and destroying yours, which would be bad for both of us, as I am unable to exist in this plane without a host."
If Jaune had been feeling happy about discovering the truth about his semblance, that definitely put a damper on his mood. But he didn't have time to dwell on it, as the schools' intercom buzzed, and Headmaster Ozpins' voice came through it. "Would Team JNPR please report to the Headmasters' office. Again, Team JNPR to the Headmasters' office."
Looking at the rest of his team, Jaune nodded and lead the way out of the dorm towards the elevator that lead to the top of Beacon Tower, where Ozpins' office was located. Jaune swiped his scroll across the ID pad outside the elevator, and the doors quickly opened and they rode it all the way to the top.
Jaune had only been here once before, when he and his father came to submit a request to allow Jaune to attend despite not having attended a combat school before. It took a lot of convincing to get him in. Despite that, Jaune was still in awe of the office, with its turning gears and very mechanical feeling. Jaune had felt at peace the first time he came here. The feeling did not carry over to this visit.
However, as if he knew what Jaune was feeling, Headmaster Ozpin wore a kind smile as he observed what many were calling one of the top two first-year teams in Beacon. As he motioned for the four students to take a seat in the chairs in front of him, he said, "Now I just want you to know that you are not in trouble, any of you. However, I do need an explanation about what happened in your combat class yesterday. Undoubtedly, Mr. Winchesters' parents will be demanding an explanation as to why their son is still unconscious more than 12 hours after what was supposed to be a simple sparring match." At this, Ozpin looked over to Jaune, as did Professor Goodwitch, who was standing behind him.
Jaune nodded to them slowly, carefully considering what he was about to say, when there was a beeping on Ozpins scroll. He glanced down at it, only to give a rare double-take as he looked at it confusedly. "Mr. Arc, doesn't your family live near the walls of Vale?" he asked.
Jaune nodded his confirmation to his headmaster, who continued: "Then why does it say your father is requesting entrance to the elevator to this office?"
Team JNPR looked surprised at this. Jaune had only called his father this morning, around 6am, and it was about 7:30 now. There was no way he could have gotten from the Arc house to Beacon in a mere hour and a half.
Jaune shrugged, but asked Ozpin to allow the person up. Sure enough, a minute later, Robert Arc strode out of the elevator, making a beeline for his son and wrapping him in a hug, which was quickly returned.
The Arc patriarch then turned to Ozpin, saying, "I think I can help explain what is going on with Jaune, but I will have to ask you for an aura vow not to spread this information without the permission of one of our family. Otherwise, we will have to severely limit the information we divulge."
Ozpin and Goodwitch were stunned at the normally polite man's aggressive demands. An Aura Vow was usually only used on top secret information in high government and military debriefings. To break such a vow could result in irreparable harm to the breaker. But before they could question why such a vow was needed, Robert continued talking.
"What I can tell you without the vow is that the Arc family predates the era of 'Remnant', back to when the world was known just as 'Earth'. Our semblances also have connections to that era, and should knowledge of this become commonplace, my family would be hunted down by the other families from that time. I refuse to expose Jaune to that danger, which is why I'm asking for your Vow of silence."
Ozpin nodded in understanding, before saying, "Very well then. When you put it like that, I understand exactly where you are coming from. I view all of my students as my children, and would never allow them to come to undue harm." At this, Ozpin flared his aura and said, "I, Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy, hereby commit to this vow: barring permission of Jaune or Robert Arc, I swear myself to silence on the topics to be discussed concerning the powers of the Arc clan. So as I say, so shall it be." With the last word, Ozpins' aura subsided to resting levels, though he seemed a little tired. Glynda quickly followed suit by giving the same oath. When they were done, Robert thanked them, before looking at Team JNPR carefully.
"I trust them." Jaune said, seeing the look in his fathers' eyes. He didn't want to force his friends to give an aura vow, since they were his team and had sworn to always have his back. Turning to his teachers, Jaune quickly gave them permission to talk with his team about the coming topics.
"OK, then." Robert turned to Ozpin. "There are three things we need to discuss. First, what all do you know about what happens to the souls of the deceased?"
Ozpin, for the second time that day, was caught off guard. Quickly recovering, he replied, "I know that they disappear from this world, despite the belief of some that they reincarnate into another living being. Beyond that, I don't know much."
Robert nodded, and began a story very similar to what he told Jaune over their scrolls earlier.
"Originally, in the previous era, there were three planes, divided by spiritual walls. There was the world of the living, Earth. There was the afterlife, the Soul Society. And there was the world of the Hollows, Hueco Mundo. However, at the Dawn of the world we know as Remnant, the walls dividing these three worlds collapsed and the worlds merged. It was a time of utter chaos as the three worlds tried to reject the others, but eventually, they settled into the world we know today.
"But just as there were different worlds, there were different types of beings, different types of souls, in each of the worlds. Humans, the living, breathing type of being, was the most predominant, and thus the other beings began to attach to the living in hopes of surviving in that way. The souls from the Soul Society, when attached to humans, granted humans the ability to use Aura, and thus protect themselves from the Creatures of Chaos that had appeared during the Collapse, which we now know as the Creatures of Grimm."
At this revelation, Ozpin and Glyndas' jaws hit the floor. For decade after decade, Humanity had wondered where the Grimm had come from, and the Arc family apparently knew all along. But the two quickly brought their attention back to Robert as he continued his story.
"The big problem was the Hollows, also known as Hollow Souls. In the time of the three worlds, souls that were unable to go to the Soul Society for any reason, such as the Soul Reapers, the protectors of pure souls and the Soul Society, not reaching them fast enough, or lingering regrets, or many such reasons, would sometimes become Hollow Souls, who knew little more than the instinct to feed on the souls of the living or recently deceased. As they fed, they would become more and more powerful, and eventually, for lack of a better way to put it, evolve into a mindless conglomeration of Souls, both Hollow and pure. These were known as the Menos.
"But sometimes, the Menos would fall under the control of a more dominant soul within themselves, and become known as Gillians, and then, as they continued to grow more powerful, they became Adjuchas, then the top tier was known as Vasto Lordes.
"Then one day, a turncoat Soul Reaper named Sousuke Aizen began using a mysterious object long since lost to history to turn the more powerful Menos into Arrancars, who he used to wage war on the Soul Society. After Aizen lost the war, the Arrancars returned to Hueco Mundo and tried to live peacefully, separate from the other worlds. Though the Soul Reapers never let the grudge they felt towards the Arrancars fade, and killed them every chance they got.
"But after the collapse, the Arrancars and Hollows tried to attach themselves to Humans to survive, just as the Soul Reapers did. While the mindless hollows failed to successfully attach, the Arrancars managed to attach to one specific family of humans, the Arc clan.
"Ever since then, when a member of the Arcs unlocks their aura, they contract themselves to the spirit of one of the Arrancars, and gain their powers. As I told Jaune earlier today, I am contracted to an Adjucha level Arrancar, Gatenbainne Mosqueda. Jaune, however, is contracted to one of the top leaders from the army raised by Aizen, the fourth most powerful of the Espadas, Ulquiorra Cifer. Each of the 10 Espadas, the leaders of the Arrancars, represented an aspect of death. Ulquiorra represented Emptiness, right, Jaune?"
Now Jaune was looking at his father curiously. How did he know so much about the Arrancar Jaune was contracted to? Nevertheless, he nodded his confirmation to his fathers' words.
"Now for the second topic, the powers the Arc clan possess. Much like those to whom a Soul Reaper bonded with, the powers we receive from our contracted Arrancar vary widely, yet there are a few that remain constant across the board. The most prominent are Sonido, Hierro, Cero and Resurreccion. Sonido, or Sound Ceremony, allows us to move at extremely fast speeds through the focusing of our aura in our feet. Hierro, or Steel Skin, increases our natural aura barriers and physical defenses exponentially, to the point we are sometimes able to stop the swing of a sword with our bare arm. A Cero, or Hollow Flash, is the blast Jaune said he used in the spar last night. Resurreccion, or Returning Blade, also known as our Released State, is when we merge with our spirit sword and gain access to powers unique to the Arrancar we are contracted to. When we activate our released state, our physical appearance changes greatly, and usually we can heal any wounds we have received prior to the point of release.
"Normally when we give this explanation to our kin, as an example, I would show my own released state, but there isn't room here, and I don't think you would like your windows blown out by the power emitted when I release. However, if you would like to follow me out to the forest later, I can give you a much better example." He looked at Ozpin for a moment, who nodded and agreed to witness the form change later.
"Excellent. Now the third topic is more of a modern history lesson. As I mentioned, there are more families besides the Arcs who hail from the time of Earth. Only five families were contracted to the Arrancars, but with the passing of time, we have become separated and lost contact with each other. However, there were 13 families contracted to the Soul Reapers as far as we could tell, one for each of the different Court Guard companies from the Soul Society. Just after the collapse, we, the Arcs were embroiled in a fierce conflict with eleventh companies' family, and they nearly destroyed us. That was when we changed our family name from Arrancar to Arc, and went into hiding along with our four sister families. Since then we have tried to show that the Arrancar families were not all bad, making ourselves pillars of the community, Huntsmen and Huntresses, Politicians, Philanthropists, and the like. Since then we have not had problems with the Soul Reaper families, but now I fear it is only a matter of time. When word of the Cero Jaune fired gets out, they will undoubtedly come for us.
"Therefore, I have a favor to ask of you." Robert stood from the chair he had been seated in and knelt before Ozpin and Goodwitch, bowing his head and placing his right fist over his heart. "Please, watch out for my son. If I were to lose him, I don't know what I would do. While I am planning to move closer to Beacon so I can train Jaune in the proper and safe usage of his Arrancar powers, I am still an active Huntsman, and am thus unable to devote all of my time to protecting him. If you will do this for me, I will be forever in your debt."
Ozpin stood slowly from his chair and walked around his desk, gently grabbing the bowing man by his arm and bringing him to his feet. "As I already told you, I view all of my students as my children." Oz said. "You are not in my debt, but I will protect him."
Jaune shifted uncomfortably in his chair, giving a small cough to get everyone's attention. "there is something Ulquiorra just reminded me to tell you guys." He said. "Once I'm trained in the use of my powers, he made me promise to reunite the Espadas as their leader and bring the fight to the Grimm. He says he feels the spirits of 7 of the last generation of Espadas being currently contracted to people across Remnant. I promised I would do that."
Ozpin thought hard about this. If he could recruit Jaune and the rest of the Espadas, they might be able to work together against Salem and her ilk. But the problem was if these Soul Reapers found out, they might cause problems for Beacon and his little group of secret warriors. After a moment of thoughtful contemplation, he asked, "How deep does the grudge these Soul Reaper families hold run. Depending on that, I might have an offer of employment and special protection for Jaune and his team."
Robert shook his head. "I don't know what the current situation is like among the Soul Reaper families. I do know that my Great Grandfather, who fought in the great war, had a run in with a person contracted with a Lieutenant-level Soul Reaper, and died as a result in the final days of the war. That's my most recent reference point."
Ozpin nodded. "Very well then. Team JNPR, you are free to go back to your classes, but please proceed with caution. Should anyone appear as if they are going to attack Jaune, or if anyone causes you trouble about what happened yesterday, let the nearest teacher know. They will report back to me. You are dismissed. Mr. Arc, I would appreciate it if you would stay and talk with me for a little while longer, about you possibly becoming a sort of teacher at Beacon."
Team JNPR stood, just as silent as they had been throughout the conversation. Robert nodded, and the two men began to talk softly as Glynda escorted Team JNPR down to their classes. In the elevator, Glynda turned slightly towards the four students, watching them out of the corner of her eye. Jaune and Pyrrha were deep in thought, each standing slightly apart from the group. Nora was leaning on Ren, whispering something in his ear with an unusually serious expression on her face. Rens' face was stoic as usual, but he was nodding along to what Nora was saying.
When they reached the bottom floor, (as far as the students knew) the five of them disembarked the elevator and headed to Professor Ports' Grimm Studies class, which had started about twenty minutes ago. When they walked in, the whole class turned towards the door, watching the arrival of Team JNPR with varying expressions. Some were watching Jaune with fear, others with curiosity, and Team RWBY was all over the map. Ruby and Yang were smiling, ruby likely out of relief that they hadn't been expelled, while Yang's smile seemed to scream that she wanted to spar with Jaune. Blake held a neutral expression, though a hint of curiosity could be seen in her eyes. Weiss was watching them all with an expression of distrust.
Once Glynda had informed Port that their tardiness was excused, the four took their seats and class resumed.
Jaune was only partially paying attention, as usual, but this time he wasn't napping. His fathers' explanation of their lineage was a lot to swallow at once. But as he sat there, he felt a pull on the back of his mind, and for the second time, found himself in the deserts of what he now knew to be Hueco Mundo, where he found Ulquiorra waiting for him. "We need to talk for a moment, Jaune."
I'm going to end this chapter there. I hope this chapter wasn't too boring, but I needed to put a lot of information into 1 chapter, so I wasn't too focused on how it sounded as much as the message I was conveying. Hence the long-ass monologue. Sorry about that, too. Next chapter I'm going to have the better intro for Robert Arc, Jaune's first meeting with another persons' contractee, his fathers, and I will be introducing one of the main bad guys too! Oh, and I would appreciate it if you guys could send me any OC's you think would be good for the rest of the Espadas' Contractors. (I have trouble making decent OC's, and most of the good ones go to the book I'm writing.) I will give credit for OC Character donations.
Please Follow, favorite and review on your way out, it keeps the inspiration coming! Laters, Gajeel.