Resolve and leaving the village

All of us have prepared for this moment, we have built up our courage and tried to find acceptance before reality was upon us, but all of our efforts turned out to be useless.

Nothing we could have possibly done would have made this scene any easier to accept, no amount of courage or acceptance could make the pain any easier to endure.

I along with the rest of my family are currently inside the hospital room grandfather is staying, we have come to see him in his death bed so that in his last moments he may be together with his family.

As soon as we entered the room, what greeted us was not the giant man with a bright smile that would have lifted everyone's spirit right away, but a sickly and tired man that is already putting all his effort into enduring long enough to say his last goodbye.

His apparence has changed a lot from the last time I saw him, his mighty white mane and beard were gone thanks to the treatment he's been receiving, his body was now frail and skinny with not a single vestige of the muscles he was so proud of and his outfit is a hospital gown, he has many tubes strapped to him giving him liquid solution and painkillers alongside various machines monitoring his health.

After we all entered his room, the nurse who was tending to him then excuses herself out of the room and left us to talk in private.

Julius then slowly turns to us and gives a weak smile before saying:

"You've come" His voice made it clear how much effort was needed in order for him to say just a few words.

"Yes, we came father" Nicholas is the first to respond as he takes a seat and starts to talk with grandfather.

The rest of us stay farther away and let the two have a private conversation, we have agreed to each one take turns talking with him so we can have a personal conversation between just the two of us.

After father was done, mother took his place and started to have a conversation with her father-in-law.

Sometimes it would be laughter, sometimes it would be sorrow and other times it would be both. It all sounded inside the hospital room as our parents said their goodbyes.

After they were done, father then signaled for us to aproach while saying:

"Come, say whatever you feel it needs to be said to your grandfather, you will only have this one opportunity"

And so, the children started to go towards the grandfather and give him their personal parting words and spoke whatever they had bottled up inside them.

Some left in tears others left in deep introspection, one by one we said our goodbyes and did our best to get some closure with him.

Then, my turn came and I went to his bedside in order to pour away all that I was bottling inside me so far.

"Hello grandpa"

"Jaune?"

"Yes, it's me"

"I'm sorry, I won't be able continue your training"

"It doesn't matter, you were the only one willing to give me a chance and that's all I could have asked for"

"Your dream, don't lose sight of it. I am sure that all the sweat and blood you spilled will bear fruit as long as you keep it up"

"I... thank you, for everything"

"It was my privilege to watch as you grow, training you had reminded me of older times, simpler times."

We didn't have much to discuss, after we started our training we had spent a lot of time together and have talked with each other a lot and eventually opened ourselves to the other, there was no more words that needed to be said between them.

Except for one thing that is still being bottled inside me and has never been exposed to anyone before.

"There is something that I want to confess grandpa"

Hearing this he just looks at me patiently until I muster the courage to expose my biggest secret.

"I'm not the person you've all thought I was"

"And what makes you so certain of that?"

"I have memories from a previous life, when I was born I had a clear recollection of having lived a different lifetime, I have been pretending to be a normal child from the begining, I've just taken your real grandson's position along with his body after he died." Without realizing, my voice starts to break and tears start to flow down my face.

And to my surprise, grandfather doesn't seem very shaken after hearing all of this and proceeds to comfort me.

"Jaune, I can see that you are still the smart, curious, driven and responsible child that I always knew you were, nothing will change that fact. Nothing will change that you were the one that brought so much joy and happiness to this family, that you were the one that I spent so much time training and bonding with, I know that you love all of them and will do anything to protect them. There is nothing that can deny the fact that whoever you were before, you are and will always be an Arc"

For a moment I even forgot to breath, I have exposed my true self and I was faced with nothing but understanding. Despite knowing that I and his deceased grandson are different people he still accepted me as a member of the family.

'You are and will always be an Arc'

His last words to me continued reverberating even after leaving his side and rejoining the rest of the family.

Then grandpa gave a last speech to all of us.

"I feel regretful that I won't be able to see all my grandchildren grow up and that I won't be there to see then succeed and fulfill their dreams."

"I also feel very blessed, to be able to pass on with my family surrounding me and having lived a long and fulfilling life. Thank you all for staying with me till the end."

Hearing this we all share a sorrowful smile as we watch grandpa as he gives his signature smile that never fails to cheer us up.

"Come kids, your father wants to spend a bit longer with your grandfather. We will wait for him at the reception." Seeing her husband will still take a bit longer Alexandra takes us out of the room, staying inside any longer would only make it more difficult to leave later.

A few hours later we receive the notice that Julius had passed away, after a long and hard fight with the illness, he had finally succumbed to it.

...

After receiving the news, our family was once again devastated but we managed to stay strong by using each other as support. Not long after we arranged a funeral for him before laying him to rest alongside all my uncles, Grand uncles and my grandmother. Now we can only hope that he managed to reunite with them in the next life.

The days ahead were very quiet and introspective as each of us mourned his passing our own way, but as time passed life gradually returned to our house that was once again enveloped in a loud and chaotic atmosphere. I never once thought that I would one day miss the liveliness and mess that the house always seemed to be.

And after the mood was better, I made a decision to make the request that I've been wanting to for a while but Grandpa's death delayed it. But before doing it, I first made some preparations to increase the odds of it being accepted.

For the first time I used a few of the many favors that I'm owed by my sisters in order for them to probe my parents and inform me: how they feel about me living outside the village, what do they feel about me receiving actual combat training. Also to give them suggestions and warm them up to the idea by saying things like: 'it would be a good way for him to spend some energy' or 'it could help him socialize with children his age'.

After building up my chances I finally went ahead and told them.

"Mom, dad, I wish to leave this village and join a dojo in order to learn how to fight."

We are all currently on the living room when I decided to drop the bomb on my whole family, my sisters were already informed of my decision and I was able to get all of them to support me beforehand so I chose a time where everyone was present.

My parents after getting over their surprise quickly let their opinions be shown.

"Why do you wish to leave? We have already agreed to let you continue your training." Came the question from my father.

"Physical training, I wish to now learn how to fight, just becoming strong and fit is useless if I learn no fighting techniques."

"Sweety, why do you wish to fight? We thought that the reason you started training is to prove yourself, you don't need to go so far." My mother quickly joins in and tries to make me give up on the idea.

"Yes, at the start I just needed to prove myself but now I wish to be able to actually defend myself and to this end I need training."

"If you just wanted to defend yourself than you could just have asked me to train you. Is there any need to leave Ansel?"

"I am looking for training elsewhere for the same reason I haven't looked for you for my physical training in the first place, now that grandpa is gone, there is no one on this village that I can trust to do it seriously"

Hearing this father expression becomes very complicated and he starts to think deeply before giving one of his typical responses when he wants to avoid the subject.

"You are still too young, how could we let you leave outside the village on your own?"

"Most kids start to train at my age if not a bit sooner and their bodies are not as developed as mine. I am easily the most responsible kid on this house and could live alone easily but if it gives you peace of mind then I can go live with Saphron."

Saphron has moved outside the house ever since she started university, she was initially going to live on the dorms of the campus but our parents decided to rent an apartment for her where she is currently living.

"Your sister?" Nicholas snorts "We can barely trust her to keep herself out of trouble, much less to take care of one of you."

"Than sending me to live with her can allow me to make sure that she doesn't get herself in any trouble."

Seeing that my parents and I were reaching a stalemate, my sisters then jump in to support me.

"Yeah dad, Jaune can take care of himself" said Rosemary.

"I trust him to stay out of trouble" said Violet

"It's just a martial arts dojo, it's not like he is entering a combat school, there is no danger involved" said Rouge.

"We can ask him to visit often and bring souvenirs." Came simultaneous from Opal and Lazuli.

"The new environment may be good for him, while he is here all he does is read things on his Scroll and trains alone, he may be able to make some friends out there." Saphron then puts the nail on the coffin.

My mother seems to be still hesitant to let her youngest out into the world while father seems to be in deep thought, I've used all the cards that I'm willing to show them at the moment, even If I can't get them to agree I'm hopping to have them at least make concessions.

I could only wait and see what response he will have.

...

Meanwhile after Nicholas heard his intentions, instead of immediately rejecting as he once would. He started actually considering it, having made peace with his father and agreeing to let Jaune make his choices, he decided to be less controlling with his children. The only problem he had with the arrangement was that he was not prepared to have his son leave so soon.

But before he came to a answer, he remembered the last conversation he had with his father.

Flashback...

After the rest of the family left the hospital room, the only ones remaining inside were Nicholas and Julius. So they could have a bit more time to talk with each other alone.

"Do you think I have been doing it wrong? Should I have raised them differently?" Nicholas asks his father for some wisdom in regards to raising children.

"My son, I may have sounded to your family like I lived a good and fulfilling life, but you on the other hand know that I have lived a life filled with regrets and mistakes. You aren't a perfect father but I know that you are at least trying to be, you have realized much sooner than I that we can't expect our children to accept the life we want for them so you are much better in this aspect." Julius tries to reassure him.

"So should I just let my son try to follow our footsteps and allow him to risk his life for it? Should I just watch as he embarks on a path that could at any moment result in his death." Nicholas says showing clear helplessness and unwillingness to go through what he experienced with his brothers and uncles again.

"I've seen the determination in his eyes, Jaune will follow through on this path regardless of your's or anyone's thoughts on the matter, it looks like he has inherited our stubbornness in this aspect. So you only have two choices: let him go through this path alone and unprepared which would almost certainly result in his death or you could prepare him and let him start his journey as ready as he could be."

Hearing this Nicholas becomes thoughtful before replying: "Thank you, I don't know if I'm ready to do that, but I will try. Arc's word."

"That's all I can ask for, my son, you were always a source of pride for me, I know that you will make the right choice when the time comes."

Flashback end...

He has no choice has he? Afterall he has already given his word to his father on the matter.

He just wished this day would take a bit longer.

"Okay, I give you permission to start your training."

"Nicholas!?" His wife shouts indignantly from his side giving him a look of utter betrayal.

"Dear, I know that you wish to keep Jaune safe but we can't keep him under our thumb forever. He wishes to leave this small village and expand his horizons, he is a smart and curious child, we should let him explore a bit more instead of just restrain him."

"But what if he runs into danger while out there? What if my baby is hurt while we aren't there to help him?!"

"Jaune is a very responsible child, out of all of them he is one we can trust to stay away from trouble and his sister will be there to help him."

After that he turns back to Jaune, who is still shocked by how easily his father has accepted his request.

"Jaune, since you don't wish to be trained here I will allow you to join a dojo and learn how to fight from them, but you will have to promisse me that you won't get into any trouble and you will have to accept all of our conditions."

Hearing this Jaune shows a big smile and responds him eagerly.

"Understood father!"