Just a warning, a bit graphically described gore depending on what you call graphic. This is meant to be a story exploring what would happen if Jaune had a "bit" of a darker backstory. This first chapter and probably a few more will be set before beacon as a backstory but it wont be long until i get to beacon.

Chapter 1

"Slow down Jaune, you'll choke if you're not careful." His mother's soft melodic voice warned with a chuckle. Jaune made a point to chew his current mouthful another two times before swallowing. He always tried to listen to his mom, she knew everything after all!

"Sorry mom, I just need to hurry if I wanna catch up with the everyone." He smiled brightly, showing the excitement he felt. And why shouldn't he be excited? It had been a month since he and his sisters last saw their dad! "I just wish you guys woke me up sooner, even Willow was up before me!" He couldn't believe his five year old sister woke up before him, he was two years older after all.

"Well none of your sisters stayed up past midnight playing on their scroll." She explained with a smirk, making him blush. Of course she caught him, she knew everything after all…

To his relief she only let out a soft chuckle. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble this time. we can still make it if we hurry" she added and he beamed another smile before putting his dirty dishes away. They were out of the house a few seconds later, headed towards the only railway in their small frontier tow of Ansel.

Jaune thought the Schnee's were really nice to let his father take one of their cargo trains home; it would have taken another two days otherwise. "Do you think dad brought souvenirs from Atlas?" Jaune asked, he remembered the Schnee dust company was supposed to be in Atlas.

"Oh honey, The SDC isn't only in Atlas. Your father was helping a branch in Vale." She explained "Atlas is much farther from our home here in Ansel; he would have had to take a Bullhead to get home from Atlas." Jaune always liked how his mother explained things; it didn't make him feel stupid for not knowing, like his teachers always did.

"Hey look, big brother's here!" His little sisters voice drew Jaune and his mother's attention to the entrance of the small train station. At the doorway Jaune could see two of his sisters, Willow and Ivy, waiting with large smiles on their faces. They were just as excited to see their dad as he was.

"Took you guys long enough, the others are waiting by the tracks" Ivy spoke quietly, motioning past the entrance into the large, concrete building.

"We didn't miss the train right?" Jaune asked as Willow rushed over to wrap their mom and him in a tight hug, her excitement making it seem like she was almost vibrating. "Nope! But you gotta hurry; it supposed to be here already!" he admitted his opinion was bias, but the smile she flashed could have outshined the sun.

Jaune laughed as his little sister dragged him along to where his other sisters were waiting. None of them seemed to notice their arrival at first, making Jaune giggle quietly. They were absorbed in a heated debate that he didn't quite understand. He heard something about dad racing a pack of Beowolves but that couldn't have been right, dad said Beowolves could outrun almost anyone.

Idly Jaune thought about how empty the station was, besides his family there was only one other person dressed in jeans and a hoodie that looked way too big for him. Huh? didn't mom say dad was the only one coming? I wonder what that guy is doing here? Jaune shrugged to himself, it was probably just an employee on break or something. besides, he had more important things to worry about.

Ivy suddenly pointed down the tracks where said "important things" were quickly getting closer. "Look! It's almost here!" Even as she yelled the sound of the approaching train drowned out her voice, along with any other noises.

He waited next to his sisters and mom, his smile getting bigger as the train came to a full stop and let out a hiss of steam. The doors opened slowly to reveal the blonde hair and blued eyed Arc, the family sword, Crocea Mors, sat comfortable at his hip and a large smile on the mans face.

"Did ya little runts miss m-whoa!" Jaune chuckled at the familiar sight of his mom jumping into his dad's arms. she always reacted the same when they saw their father, planting a tender kiss on his lips.

"We missed you, Jack" she said lovingly and a second later Jaune and his sisters crowded into the train car, unable to contain themselves any longer they all started talking at once. Questions ranging from what he had to do for Atlas to how the weather was where he stayed. Jaune giggled to himself again, finding more than a little comfort in the familiar chaos of his father victorious return.

"Careful guys" his dad said, his tone only half serious "There's enough dust here to send us all to Atlas." He chuckled, drawing Jaune's attention to all the containers of dust surrounding them, all with the Schnee's trademark snowflake on every one of them and a man standing in front of them.

Wait when did he get there?. Jaune thoughts worked slowly.

the man from before…?

"Hey buddy you aren't supposed t- JANE THE KIDS!" Jaune had never heard his father yell so loudly nor had he ever thought his father would tackle him and his little sister to the ground with such force. Despite the shock Jaune heard the hooded figures words with perfect clarity.

"For the White-Fang" Who were-? his thoughts were suddenly caught off by a searing pain

He never knew how loud an explosion could be against his ears, or how hot fire could feel against his skin. For the first time in his young life, Darkness forcibly claimed his mind.

\-/

"For it is in life that we achieve happiness. Through this we become an unyielding defense against the darkness. unrelenting in strength and untouched by death, I release your soul, and by my honor, I protect thee."

Jaune woke to his father's voice, weakened and hoarse but undeniable. following his words a bolt of energy brought Jaune from his stupor. His eyes snapped open suddenly and his lungs screamed for air only to receive more smoke. He started coughing heavily, his lungs taking in what little oxygen they could while he struggled to keep his eyes open through the burning. What happened to him? Where were his sisters? His father? Why did everything hurt? Wait. Were those voices?

"Adam do you hear that! Someone's alive!" He heard a female voice call out, she didn't sound much older himself. What was she doing here? Was it her fault everything was burning? She sounded surprised anyone was alive… Was that good or bad?

"We have to leave Blake!" He guessed the boy's voice he heard was the "Adam" the girl mentioned, his voice made him sound older than her but not by much.

Jaune couldn't believe what he heard him say, they were going to leave him. Why would they just leave me? he couldn't understand, they had to know he was hurt, weren't you supposed to help people who were hurt…?

"T-this wasn't supposed to happen like this… some of them were even younger than me…" Blake's voice sounded like it was coming closer and Jaune struggled to try and move towards it only for his hand to land on something next to him, something thoroughly charred by the flames around him. A whimper escaped him as he realized what his hand was resting on.

He looked at the body, unable to comprehend why his dad wasn't moving… or where his skin went. "D-dad…?" His voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper from the smoke while tears started falling from his eyes. "Please… get up…" He felt something well up inside him, something cold that made his body shake uncontrollably. Fear like none he'd ever felt before gripped his heart as tears streamed down his face.

what about the others? he thought suddenly and looked up and around, quickly regretting his decision. A loud sob broke from his mouth just before his breakfast escape him. He saw arms and legs but no torso, hands without fingers. A severed head with a pain expression forever burned on its face… he couldn't even tell who it was, it lacked hair and the skin looked like it was melted. This couldn't be happening… This was not happening!

He curled up, putting his head into his knees, unable to look any longer. how could this be happening…? It didn't make any sense!

Then, suddenly, he felt a tingling sensation start spreading across his skin. what was happening? this feels… almost like mum and dad… he felt like it cooled the fire that licked at him and started numbing the pain his bruises, scratches and burns brought. He didn't think to hard about what happened, choosing to ignore his own questions and clinging to the safe feeling it brought.

"There wasn't supposed to be anyone here Adam! Why didn't he call this off when he saw them?!" Blake yelled and Jaune failed to respond again, to absorbed with trying to hide himself in his knees. It sounded like they were involved in this and part of him thought she even sounded guilty.

"I can understand wanting revenge but this… This is murder!" Her voice sounded thick as if she was holding back tears. Jaune summoned his courage and tried to call out again only to end up coughing more, his throat hurt beyond belief.

Please! I'm right here! he wanted to shout at them. Don't leave me!

"I know! But we have no choice now; we need to leave before the SDC get here!" Adam's voice held little regret and Jaune heard nothing at first from the other girl, until the sound of footsteps running away reached his ear.

They were leaving him he realized numbly. They caused the deaths of his entire family and they were just… leaving. Why wasn't anyone stopping them!? Why couldn't he stop them...?

He didn't know how long he sat there surrounded by pieces of debris and flesh alike with his aura wrapped around him like a blanket, keeping the flames and smoke at bay. The sound of a Bullhead landing nearby brought him out of his daze. A moment later a group men dressed in what looked like military attire with the Schnee logo clearly visible on their arms rushed into the building with rifles held high.

Two of them rushed to the boy, their weapons pointed at him but they said nothing, as if waiting for something. Jaune flinched at the weapons but couldn't do anything but let a fresh wave of tears fall.

"Lower your weapons, the perpetrators are gone." Jaune looked up at the voice and found an older man with pure white hair and bright blue eyes staring down at him. "Tell me child, do you wish to see those who caused this dead?" the man didn't bother with greetings and Jaune found he was caught off guard by the blunt question.

Did he want revenge? The people who ran off made this sound like an accident but did that matter…? He would never see his parents or sisters ever again because of them! He felt new tears stream down his face as his throat tightened. He never knew how much his chest could hurt, like his heart was being crushed. What should he do? What would his dad do?

He didn't know exactly but he found himself nodding to the older man. "I-I… I want to be stronger!" his throat was raw but he held the man's intense gaze. His Dad always said he needed to be strong, to protect those you loved. He stood up, his body shaking like a leaf, and continued to stare at the white haired man, willing him to see his determination.

"Please. Make me strong!" He refused to let his voice break even as his legs struggled to hold himself up. "Strong enough to stop this!" The man grinned at Jaune's words.

"Very well then, follow me." the man turned and walked out of the building without looking back, Jaune had to run to catch up, stumbling several times and limping heavily, he refused to let his eyes wander. He didn't think he could take seeing his family in various states of mutilation and charred to the bone like his father.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my first RWBY fanfiction please tell me what you think, I really like to know what people think of my amateur work so i can hopefully improve. I have a few more chapters already written and just needing final re-reading (this is something i started and was always kind of unsure about so i stopped but here we are) so it wont be too long before another chapter is up.

Alno