Enjoying what seemed to be a pleasant dream, was a young blond boy laying on his back in his bed.
"Jaune! Breakfast!" A voice echoed through the home but failed to disturb the happy dreamer as he giggled in his sleep and turned over.
"Jaune!" A few seconds passed before the voice sighed, "Saph, dear, can you go wake up your brother? He's sleeping late again."
"Sure thing, Mom," A much younger but equally feminine voice replied.
The girl shuffled up the stairs and entered Jaune's room, observing his drooling face.
"Ugh, why am I the one that has to wake your lazy ass up?" She complained
She rolled Jaune onto his back and shook him, but even that wasn't enough to wake him from his slumber. So, with a devilish grin, she reared back her hand and slapped him on the stomach. Hard.
"ACK!" The boy shot up like a rocket and tumbled off the bed, getting up into a sleepy combat stance.
"Whazzat!?" He slurred. He noticed he wasn't alone, and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
"Saph? Did you freaking slap me?!" Jaune shouted, a tick mark forming on his head.
Saph just rolled her eyes, "Oh, you're fine. All that aura and training and you're whining about a little slap?" She turned around and walked out the door.
"Breakfast is ready; you overslept again."
The door shut behind her as Jaune grumbled about annoying sisters, grabbing a set of clothes and heading to the bathroom to get ready for the say. He freshened up in less than ten minutes, not being one for wasting time, and headed downstairs.
He was greeted by his mother and his seven sisters as he took his spot at the table. Yeah, sometimes he couldn't believe he had so many sisters, but you get used to it eventually.
Juniper, the mother, addressed Jaune as he sat down, "Dad is going to be a little late today, so he'll miss breakfast. He told me to tell you to get ready for training right after your done eating."
Jaune nodded excitedly, digging into his meal.
"Slow down, bro; you're gonna choke if you eat that fast." One of his sisters, Lavender, said.
He tried to reply but ended up choking on his food, coughing, and pounding his chest. The younger twins, Amber and Hazel, burst into giggles at his plight. His older sister, Coral, took pity on him and handed him a glass of water.
Saphron just smirked, watching the whole scene amusedly. The two youngest, Autumn and Summer, who were 3 and 4 respectively, just looked worried for him.
Jaune gulped down the glass of water and took a deep breath.
"Okay, maybe I was eating a tad too fast."
Juniper just smiled, watching her children interact with each other.
As he continued eating, he looked fondly at the rest of his family, which consisted of his mom, two older sisters, and five younger. He loved them all dearly, even if they got on his nerves at times. It's hard not to love them when they were so supportive of his dreams.
Sure, they were shocked when he said he wanted to be a huntsman, but they believed in him from the beginning. Especially his father; the person he aspires to be like. His dad was excited that his only son wanted to follow in his footsteps, but he didn't hold anything back when he told him of the dangers of the job.
He explained the low rate of hunters that live longer than 30 years and the even lower percentage that retire uninjured. He told him of the evils of the world and how huntsman fought more than just Grimm. His dad warned him about the difficult and grueling training he would be put through.
None of that deterred Jaune. So his dad agreed to train him. First, he was pulled out of school and homeschooled at the age of six to allow more time for training and studying.
He spent the first year training to unlock his aura. For the following three years, he was broken and put back together every day, thanks to the power of aura. Obviously, his dad still went easy on him; he was just a kid, after all.
His mom was in charge of his schooling since she was a retired huntress taking care of the family. She stuffed his brain with knowledge till his brain felt like it was melting. Jaune was also taught other things by his mom and was proficient in dancing and cooking.
Now, as a ten-year-old boy, today was a big day. It was time to start training to get into Signal.
He finished his meal and put his dishes in the sink before rushing back up to his room. He quickly changed into his training gear, which consisted of a white T-shirt and loose, brown shorts, and headed to the backyard. He couldn't forget his trusty weapon/family heirloom, Crocea Mors, either.
They lived on the edge of the town near the forest, so while they didn't necessarily own a lot of land, no one else did either. He sat in the middle of a field edged by forest about 30 meters away and meditated while he waited for his dad to get home.
He didn't wait long, as a large man entered the clearing, carrying a large broad sword over his shoulder and a handgun on his hip.
"You been out here a while, son?" He asked.
Jaune grinned and launched himself into his dad, who caught him gently.
"It's been a week, Dad! How was your mission?"
The man, Hector, just smiled at his son's enthusiasm, "It went well. But that's not what we need to talk about."
He set Jaune down and took a more serious tone.
"You know we're aiming for Signal, right?" Jaune nodded, "Well, you've exceeded my expectations for training so far and you're already a shoo-in for Signal at this point."
Jaune was getting confused, "Why are you telling me this? I thought this was about training to get in?"
Hector laughed, "Oh, you'll be getting in alright. But I won't settle for just getting in; you're going to be the best. And for that, I'm upping your training. A lot."
Jaune grimaced but didn't complain as he stood up straight, "When do we start?"
His dad just grinned viciously as he took a stance, "Right now!"
The sounds of swords clashing filled the clearing.
Jaune collapsed onto his bed after a long shower, giving his battered body a break. He trained all day, with only short breaks for lunch and dinner. He would still be training after dinner, but there was a problem with the town defenses, so his dad went to help.
'Probably nothing,' Jaune thought. Grimm harassing the town walls wasn't anything new; a daily occurrence, actually. So Jaune ignored it and planned to sleep early so he didn't wake up late again.
But a blaring alarm sounded throughout the town and he shot up to his feet. That was less normal. The alarm only goes off when Grimm have breached the town. He quickly put on some sneakers, grabbed his sword, and rushed downstairs, where his family was already in a frenzy. Juniper, while not fit for active duty anymore, was still a retired huntress. She knew the protocols for a Grimm invasion.
She was ordering his sisters to get dressed as she grabbed the emergency supplies and first aid kit.
"Alright, kids, don't panic; it will only draw the Grimm closer to us. We're going to the shelters in the center of town. It'll be safe there."
She looked up when Jaune entered the room, "Jaune, honey, I know that you haven't killed a Grimm on your own yet, but I need you to be brave." She moved over to put a hand on his shoulder while she said this.
Determination filled the blond boy as he nodded seriously. His grip tightened on the family sword.
Soon enough, they were ready to leave, and Juniper ushered them all out of the house, Coral and Saphron carrying the toddlers, who were too young to keep up.
But luck was not on their side.
Jaune heard the snarling first, then he saw the eyes. Glowing, red eyes filled to the brim with pure hatred and malice.
Two Beowolves stalked out from around their house.
Jaune gulped. He looked over the rest of his family and saw they were just as terrified as he was. The Beowolves were closing in now, savoring the negative emotions rolling off the family.
'Grow a spine, Jaune!' He thought to himself, 'Your family's in danger! Move!'
And so the boy steeled himself as he unsheathed Crocea Mors, the blade shining brilliantly in the setting sun. He stepped forward, positioning himself between the Grimm and his family.
He grit his teeth as he tried to stop his legs from trembling. He had technically killed a Grimm before, but that was with his dad's support. He had never fought one on his own.
He was ten, for God's sake!
But the Grimm don't care about that, they only saw prey in front of them. Drool dripped from their sharp teeth. They couldn't hold back any longer; both lunged at Jaune, attracted to his large aura reserves.
Watching the sharp teeth and gleaming claws, Jaune prepared to defend himself. But there was no need. A large broadsword slashed through both Beowolves simultaneously, black blood staining the ground as they were relieved of their heads.
"Are you okay!?" Hector asked.
Jaune almost collapsed in relief.
"What's the situation? Why aren't you at the front lines?" Juniper asked.
Hector grimaced, "There are no front lines anymore," He glanced around the clearing and cursed, the tell-tale howls of Grimm growing closer.
"There's no time. The shelters aren't safe anymore; head for the nearest town."
Beowolves and Ursa broke through the clearing on the far side of their house, spotting the family immediately. There were two alphas among them.
"I'll attract their attention while you escape."
"But what about you!?" Jaune cried out.
Hector smiled gently and patted Jaune on the head.
"This is what you've been training for. I need you to be brave and protect the girls, okay?"
The Grimm were closing in now, only about 20 meters away.
Hector turned to his wife and gave her a chaste kiss, "I love you, Jun. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."
The Grimm were upon them now, but Hector flared his aura, gathering their attention.
"Go now! I'll be right behind you!"
Tears were falling from Juniper's eyes as she turned away, leading them all away. Autumn and Summer were too young to understand that their dad wasn't coming back.
And so they ran, the sky darkening as the sun finished setting. They traveled on the edge of the village, screams and gunshots emanating from the center of the town. His hometown was on fire, smoke billowing in the sky as the rain got heavier to the point that they were running through mud. The despair from the family, knowing that Hector wouldn't make it, attracted the Grimm like vultures. Ursa and Beowolves were hot on their tale as they passed through the ruins of the town.
They didn't stop running.
They burst through the farside gate, which had been punched through by the Grimm. At the front, Juniper suddenly stopped as she paled dramatically.
There was a group of Beowolves in front of the town gate, led by an alpha. They were tearing apart the freshly deceased corpses of civilians and hunters alike before noticing the remaining members of the Arc family.
The alpha Beowolf looked up, its white bone mask stained red with the lives of so many people. The Grimm behind them caught up.
They were trapped.
Juniper unsheathed a dagger that she brought with her for the worst-case scenario. But after years of retirement and birthing her children, even Jaune would be more helpful than her.
"Stay close to me, okay?" She bit out, fighting her despair.
The group huddled between Juniper and Jaune and the Grimm slowly approached, almost like they were mocking them.
As Jaune held his sword up, he knew they were dead. Blue eyes narrowed as he prepared himself. He might die, but he would die protecting what was important to him.
Jaune moved away from his family and copied his father, flaring his aura and shouting.
Juniper looked horrified, "Jaune, no!"
For some reason, Jaune wasn't scared anymore as he looked back into the shimmering eyes of his mother.
"It's okay; I'll protect you till the end."
And the Grimm were upon him, almost entirely ignoring the rest of the family. Jaune was immediately out of his depth, as the Beowolves were too quick for his child-like body. He was immediately battered around like a chew toy by their claws.
But he didn't give up. Couldn't give up. He would die standing.
"AHHHHHH!" Jaune howled in equal parts rage, pain, and grief, "I'LL KILL YOU ALL!"
The basics that were drilled into his memory started to work, as he could suddenly perceive the wolves before they attack. He started hacking and slashing, not noticing the golden glow surrounding him. Neither did he notice his muscles hardening and bones becoming more dense. That his ligaments were toughening and his eyesight sharpening.
He put up a valiant fight, but it was enough. He had killed maybe two or three of them and injured four, but they were endless.
And as his aura lowered from the constant punishment, so did their attraction to him.
A couple of them broke off and headed toward his family.
"NOOO!" He screamed, trying to fight through the horde and reach them, but it was for naught.
Juniper put up a valiant struggle, taking out the eye of one wolf with her dagger. That is until the other one disemboweled her.
Her organs fell out of her stomach as she landed on the ground, coughing blood.
"I'm sorry Jau-" She trailed off into a gurgle as her throat was ripped out by the powerful jaws of the alpha.
Jaune's mind was in turmoil; his brain couldn't process what was happening as the Grimm approached his sisters, who were too scared to move.
"No…"
Coral, the oldest, fell next, taking a charge attack for Lavender. Her body landed to the side before she was ripped to pieces by the other Grimm surrounding them.
Jaune fought harder, killed more, and injured more. But it wasn't enough.
"No…"
The twins fell next, as they tried to run away, the terror of such a brutal death overwhelming them. There was nowhere to run though as they fell shortly, their screams rattling his brain.
Lavender broke down crying as Saphron gathered her and the toddlers under her, trying to protect him.
Crocea Mors sliced out, glowing with a magnificent golden light. Blood and limbs flew as Jaune fell into a frenzy, his mind in denial.
"No…"
The Alpha Beowold clawed Saphron's back, leaving deep gashed and knocking her away from the rest. She screamed out and pain, but was silenced with a sickening crunch as her neck snapped in the jaws of another Beowolf.
Tears were falling out of Jaunes eyes as he was splattered with Grimm blood. The horde around him was finally thinning, but it didn't matter anymore. His body was exhausted and his aura flickering.
He watched on as the Alpha and his pack close in on his last three sisters. He couldn't see what happened as their numbers blocked his view. But he could hear every bit. The screams, the blood spilling, bones crunching, and flesh tearing.
He broke through the horde as his aura shattered, taking a swipe that left a slice from his shoulder to hip for his attempt. Claws tore into his back and teeth closed down on his arms, but he couldn't feel it as he fell to the ground.
He couldn't feel the blood that splattered onto the ground as a colossal hammer tore through the Grimm on top of him.
He couldn't feel it as a muscled arm tossed him over a shoulder. He couldn't feel the wind rushing through his hair as he was moved farther away from the threat.
He still had Crocea Mors in a death grip, never having let it go the whole time.
All his mind was focused on was the spot where his sisters were huddled up together, waiting for something, anything, to save them.
As his vision faded to black, he only had one thought.
'I failed them.'
Jaune slowly opened his eyes as a bright light shined down, disorienting him. He rubbed the sleep out of them and tried to sit up, but immediately dismissed that notion as pain flared all over his body.
He looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling and then down at himself. He was covered in bandages, most of them around his chest and arms.
His aura was working overtime to heal him up, but he still couldn't move.
Jaune stared up at the ceiling with dead eyes, the deaths of his family replaying in his mind over and over again.
An unknown amount of time passed as he stared at nothing in particular. He didn't cry, though. He had no tears left to give.
He tilted his head when he heard a knock on the door before the person swung it open. Jaune took in the appearance of this man.
He had long, messy black hair that fell to the middle of his back. He wore a white overcoat that was green on the inside over a dark grey shirt and black pants. The coat was big but did nothing to cover his well-defined muscles that rippled as he hefted a massive hammer over his head.
He did have to set it down before he walked in. Otherwise, he wouldn't have fit.
He also wore grey, fingerless gloves on both hands. The last features he had were the large, feline ears on top of his head and a bushy tail.
In his off-hand, he was carrying a bowl of soup, most likely for him.
"Hey, kid. This is for you." The man said.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Aldric Grant, a huntsman. I'm also the one that brought you here."
Jaune perked up at this, "My hometown… What happened to it?"
Aldric grimaced, "It's gone. You were the only survivor…" he trailed off, not having anything else to say or any words of comfort.
Jaune was glad about that. Fancy words and half-truths wouldn't bring them back.
"Here's what's gonna happen, kid," Aldric started, "Once you've healed up a bit, I'm going to escort you to a larger town and drop you off at an orphanage. They take care of kids in situations like yours."
Jaune turned back to the ceiling as he thought about his situation. His grief was still running its course, but he was feeling another emotion now.
Hatred.
"I'm gonna kill them…" He mumbled.
"What was that?"
"I said, I'm gonna kill them. The Grimm. I'm going to kill them until the day I die."
Jaune looked at Aldric again, who was taken aback by the pure hatred burning in those blue orbs.
"I'll never forgive them… Never."
Aldric attempted to say something, but Jaune continued, his eyes softening.
"I failed to protect them… I watch them die. But I won't let it happen twice. No matter how many I have to kill, I will protect as many people as I can. I will be a huntsman!"
"You're gonna get yourself killed like that, kid," Aldric said, "But you've got determination, that's for sure."
Jaune's mind was still a mess of anger and despair as thoughts of his family wouldn't stay out of his head. But he knew what he had to do. He knew what his goal was.
"Don't take me to an orphanage; I'll just run away."
Aldric sighed, "Don't be difficult. Since I saved you, I'm responsible for you until you get another guardian."
Jaune shook his head, "I'm sorry. I really am grateful for you saving me, but I can't. I have so much training to do…"
Aldric's demeanor softened, "Damn, I really do have a soft spot for kids…" He muttered
"What?" Jaune asked, not quite hearing him.
Aldric sighed yet again, "Tell you what; I'll take you with me. For a couple of years at least so you can learn the basics of surviving on your own. If you go out as you are now, you'll just die in a ditch somewhere."
Jaune was shocked, "Why? Why would you help me?"
Aldric gained a distant look in his eyes, "Because I was once in your position. And when I was at my lowest, no one helped me back up. I had to figure it out on my own. I won't let the same happen to you."
"But listen," he suddenly continued, "It's not going to be easy; we'll be living in the wilderness for the most part, only stopping at smaller settlements to resupply. I will train you into the ground, and you won't complain. Got it?"
Jaune nodded, "Yeah, I'm used to rough training."
Aldric smirked, "Oh, you've no idea what 'hard' training is."
He stretched out his free hand for a shake, and Jaune grasped it.
"Welcome aboard, kid." They released the shake.
"Now eat this damn soup. I'm tired of holding it."
The barest of smiles graced Jaune's face as he sat up and accepted the meal. He still winced at the movement, but he knew eating was important.
It was going to be a long time before he got over what happened a couple of days ago. Hell, he might never get over it. He was still in shock from it all, almost wanting to think it was a dream.
He scooped some soup into his mouth and pain shot through his arm.
Sadly, the pain was too real for it to be all fake. His family was gone. He failed them.
Determined blue eyes looked and Jaune ate another spoonful of his soup, ignoring the pain this time.
'Never again…' He thought.
Never again.
/ A/N /
Hello, I have a new story about RWBY this time. I still plan on finishing the other story that I've started, but I wanted to try a few things. Like 3rd person POV. Also, there are tons of amazing writers and ideas in the RWBY fandom and it kinda just pulled me in until I couldn't resist.
If you're wondering about the golden glow during Jaune's fight, that's his semblance, which is different than canon. He used it subconsciously and didn't realize it.
Also, there will probably be more OCs in this story, but only side characters. Aldric will probably be the only important OC in this story.
Well, that's a wrap. Leave a review, please!
