Ch. 3 The exhibition match
After lunch was over, everyone gathered in the training arena, while Doré went to fetch Crocea Mors from its secure display case where it rested since Jaune's failed Signal exams.
While Doré wasn't quite as large as Cobalt, he was still a burly tall man. To Jaune the sight of his father with a sword in his hand was something both awe inspiring and utterly terrifying. But he stood tall before the challenge.
"Dad, just a thought… What actually are the victory conditions."
"Broken aura, or surrender."
"See that's not what I meant. I know I can't beat you, you're an active huntsman and have years of experience over me. I meant more, what do I have to achieve for you to let me try out for Beacon."
"Jaune… son… You kept your promise and learned a trade. Am I happy that you want to throw yourself in danger again? No… but it's not like you're running away from home, or cheating your way into Beacon. No, I just want to know you wont end up in a hospital bed like last time."
"So this is… just an exhibition match of sorts then?"
"Get on with it Jaune! Kick his ass!" interrupted Solei, quickly followed by a "Yeah!" from Blanche.
Doré smiled and shook his head and replied with mock pain in his voice.
"Why must my eldest kids hurt me this way?"
He then drew Crocea from its sheath and expanded it into a shield.
"Alright Jaune, you get the first strike. When you're ready, show me what you've got."
Jaune took a deep breath and with determination in his voice called for his sword.
"Atra Aurora!"
The whole family was stunned as Jaune held the sword that had appeared out of nowhere. Jaune could swear he saw sparkles in the eyes of the younger girls.
"This is Atra Aurora, the Black Dawn. I have poured my soul into this sword, and it in turn taught me how to use it."
Jaune entered a combat stance and without hesitation went for his first strike. Atra Aurora held with both hands Jaune feinted a horizontal strike and then extended his reach by going into a one handed diagonal strike. Metal rang against metal as the Black Dawn connected with the Yellow Death. Knowing he had a longer reach, he pushed in going for a stab. His father responded by deflecting the blade to the side and went to close in the distance.
Throughout the bout Jaune went in with all he had. Every small hit he managed to land left him open however and his aura was shaved away, bit by bit. When Jaune received his third shield bash to the face he realised that one more hit would push him into the red. And so he pushed himself away from his father and threw Atra Aurora at him. After all, if this was an exhibition match, and since he lost already anyway, he might as well show off his other work.
"Gemini Aculei!"
With a blade in each of his hands he threw one towards his opponent's face and the second for his knee. Both blades flew true, though only the second one hit its target, the first one bouncing off the shield charge that knocked Jaune on the ground and broke his aura, and together with it dematerialised the blades.
Jaune didn't expect to win, but he would be lying if he said he didn't feel even a bit disappointed. Though when his dad extended a helping hand to get him back to his feet, he accepted with a smile.
"A fine battle son."
"Thanks… so do you think I have a chance?"
"A chance? Yes. Though don't think of yourself as some kind of a prodigy, you'll need to put your all into it. You need some experience under your belt as well."
"Would you help me with that? I have about two weeks before the exams to train a bit."
"Of course I will help you! If my son is to put his life on the line, he will not do so unprepared."
"Thanks dad."
It was then that his sisters surrounded him. Solei swiftly put Jaune into a headlock to give him a noogie. Amethyst and Topaz recounted the fight step by step with sound effects, as if everyone present hadn't just seen it happen. Lily, the sister closest to Jaune in age, had the decency to be supportive without excessive physical contact. A decency that didn't apply to the younger Lavender, who was currently pressing her face into Jaunes stomach in a hug. Blanche was the only one talking to their father.
Juniper just looked on with a smile on her face. She was very proud of her son. He always had big dreams, and it seemed he finally grew into them.
=O=O=O=
Jaune woke up in his old room. It was a bit strange to wake up here, so far away from the workshop. Realising how early it was Jaune decided to take advantage of the time and have a shower before his sisters woke up.
Having nothing better to do, he then decided to work on finishing his armour. He grabbed the armour pieces, a tube of polishing paste and a rag and decided to take the work outside.
The warmth of the rising sun contrasted with the light dusting of snow covering the ground. It must have snowed during the night. Soon spring propper would arrive.
Jaune cleared off the snow from the doorstep and sat down, to polish his armour and clear his head. A proper plan of action was in order.
Ideally he would make more weapons, but he simply didn't have time to prepare the materials required and forge the weapons in time for the exams. Two weeks of training with his dad would likely give him the edge he desperately needed, but huntsmen don't fight other huntsmen. No, they fight the creatures of Grimm. With Beacon training huntsmen, getting at least some experience with fighting Grimm would be helpful. Hopefully he could convince his father to help him with that as well.
=O=O=O=
Jaune picked up his finished work and went back inside. His head now clear, he now had a plan of action.
First thing first though, breakfast! The smell of mom's waffles wafted through the house. Jaune had tried and failed many times to recreate them, though he never got it just right.
Soon the whole family plus Cobalt sat around the table. The excitement of his sisters was palpable in the air, especially the younger ones. Topaz wolfed down the waffles so quickly you'd think it was her birthday instead. Lavender was similarly excited but knew her brother would ask for seconds anyway so there was no point in rushing.
Cobalt seemed to savour the homemade meal just as much as Jaune did. Juniper smiled at the two smiths, while Doré seemed deep in thought.
When all were sated the Arc household finally started celebrating their son's birthday.
Blanche and Sollei put their money together to buy Jaune a new scroll, which was needed considering he had his old one since he was twelve. Even more so now that Jaune wanted to be a huntsman.
Saphron and Terra send Jaune a birthday card and some Lien, which he was grateful for.
Lily got Jaune a gift card for a known clothing brand, with a card calling him out on his nonexistent fashion sense, which was received in good humour.
Topaz and Lavender got Jaune 'Legendary weapons of Remnant', which contained many stories of weapons featured in fairy tales as well as the weapons of well known huntsmen, many Arcs included.
"Check out page 148."
On Lavender's request Jaune did so. Page 148 featured a detailed illustration of Crocea Mors. On the page next to it was written as follows.
Crocea Mors, the ancestral blade of House Arc, is a blade the origins of which are lost to time. What is known however is that it was forged by a member of the Arc family at some point during the Valean crusades. Every huntsman with the name Arc in recorded history wielded the blade at some point in their lives. The sword and shield went through some redesigns and repairs but the blade itself is the same as the day Crocea Mors was forged.
It is legendary for two reasons. The blade itself is reported to be nigh indestructible and has never chipped or dulled. The second reason is the sheath of Crocea Mors, which can be shifted into a shield. This mechashift shield is, according to current experts on the topic, one of if not the first example of mechashift weaponry on Remnant. While it isn't known if the sheath was made at the same time as the blade, it is believed to predate widespread usage of mechashift by two hundred years.
The last huntsman to wield this sword in a professional capacity is Donatien Alphonse Arc, better known for his literary works promoting coexistence of human and faunus. He has been recorded to wield Crocea Mors during the Faunus revolution on the faunus side, despite not being one himself.
Other Arcs have since wielded the blade, though they have not made it their main weapon. Doré Arc, the current head of House Arc, has been recorded using the weapon in exhibition matches shortly after his fathers Donatien's death. His weapon of choice as a huntsman however is the Praevaricator Malum (see pg. 158).
Jaune couldn't help but smile as he read the passage on the blade that started his journey.
"You were right, Law. This is the best present."
Hearing that Cobalt stood up, reached into his pocket and handed Jaune a thick envelope.
"You're probably right. The book is a great gift for someone in our trade. Though this will serve you just as well."
Jaune opened the envelope to find two things. First was his Proof of Mastery. The official certificate proclaiming him a master smith. The second thing was a stack of black lien cards.
"Cobalt, I can't take this."
"You can and you will Jaune. This is all the money you made from doing work while being my apprentice. It's something of a tradition to withhold all of that money from the apprentice until they become masters. That way they have the money to go and start their own shop."
"I… thank you?"
"Oh don't thank me, this is money you made and a mastership you got with your own effort."
Cobalt took step back and Doré stood up from his seat.
"Well Jaune. After thinking about it, I've decided to give you what you want. I'll train you for the Beacon exams. You'll need combat experience if you're to survive against the Grimm."
=O=O=O=
Author's note:
This is a shorter one unfortunately, but storywise it makes sense to cut it off here. This chapter went through quite a few revisions and the original plan had a souls like videogame as a gift with wastly different consequences. It didn't really fit with my portrail of Jaune, so we got lore instead. Regardless I hope you look forward to next week's chapter.: Ch.4 Trial by combat